Here’s the type of water cooler talk we have at my office:

Me: I heard running in Runyon Canyon is good.
Co-Worker: Yeah, it is but there are too many dogs…smells of dog shit. Oh, but I heard there’s a free yoga class there.
Me: Really? Free?
Co-Worker: Yeah, and actually Neve Campbell has been spotted in one of the classes.
Me: Of course. She has enough money to afford her own personal yoga instructor but free class? Sure! Cheap-ass celebrities…mumble, mumble…

That’s right, apparently Indra Yoga & Dance teachers offer free yoga classes in Runyon Canyon, Monday through Thursday from 10:30am to 11:30am. Usually the studio charges $200 for private instruction for four people, so what a deal!To get there, enter Runyon off of Fuller Ave. (north of Franklin Ave.) and look for the class in the grassy area to the left of the park entrance.

And for those with dogs, Crunch used to have their Ruff Yoga classes at Runyon but have switched locations to Plummer’s Park, so on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month you can take a free 30-minute yoga class with your dog…or at least TRY to. Before you blame this on L.A., I’ll have you know that New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco do it, too. Call the Sunset Crunch gym at (323) 654-4550 for more info.

From USAToday.com:

Thank, or blame, Suzi Teitelman for Ruff Yoga. As Crunch’s New York-based director of yoga, she had her epiphany when her devoted cocker spaniel, Coali, began hovering by her yoga mat during at-home sessions.

“Pretty soon I was getting Coali into positions, and I could just feel him getting happier,” says Teitelman, who wears her dog-love proudly. “This is a partner class, where you and your dog get closer by working through poses together.”

Dogs feeling happier. Bonds growing stronger.

Plummer Park Tennis Instr
1200 N Vista St
West Hollywood, California 90046
(323) 876-1851
Between Fountain Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd.