Groupon and Living Social

Even though I like a deal I'm a little wary about online coupons and things that in general seem too good to be true.  I had heard of Groupon a long time ago but, since the website wouldn't open at work (yes, they filter discounts like they're porn) I just didn't consider it.  When Evil G forwarded a discount for yoga classes that were so super cheap (5 classes for $40 at Miami Yogashala in Brickell; since then I've seen cheaper deals but I was a newbie then) I couldn't resist.  I bought that one, then I bought some deals at Living Social, which sometimes has even better prices.

The way it works is that each coupon website offers a daily deal in your area.  They can be for spa services, restaurants, exercises classes...I'm sticking to exercise classes for now since I already know I like yoga and the classes are normally so damn expensive.  You buy the deal and then you have a .pdf file to print emailed to you as a voucher, or you can call up the deal on the website's app on your smart phone as well.  The deals have a certain expiration date that you need to use them by.

I have about five deals floating around and finally used one today, for yoga classes at Dharma Studio ($17 for 5 classes, that's the price of one class in many places!).  I have to admit, I'm very shy about using coupons like this and such; I'm cheap but I hate appearing so.  Luckily, there were a few other people using the same coupon as well so I felt more confident.  The staff there was very cool about accepting the Groupon, which awarded them extra bonus points.

Dharma Studio is located in Coconut Grove.  It's a beautiful spot but sucky because of one of my main pet peeves: inadequate parking and PAID parking.  I hate paying for parking, but even more when it's not to be found.  I'm on vacation this week so I can just take some day classes, when parking is not such an enormous headache, and I'll take some Friday classes (my schedule is every Friday off, every Saturday working) until I finish up the coupon.  Dharma charged a $2 mat rental fee, which really kind of blows since I don't own a mat yet and because I've never been charged for using a studio mat before (I just ordered one but was debating the eco aspects of it for a while, and decided on this one).

The classes offered there seem very femme friendly and yuppie, at least according to the titles (Gentle Stretchy Yoga, Funyasa).  Not much brutal pretzel twists and intimidation factor, which is fine since I am very much a novice who doesn't devote enough time to practice.  I took the Yoga Lowdown class today with Natalie.  She's very friendly and approachable, in that way that makes me wonder if she's the owner?  That's a good thing, FYI. The class was pretty gentle, and devoted to nice stretches in a mostly horizontal position.  No Sun Salutations or Inverted Poses.  I liked the stretching but at the end there was quite a bit of self massage with rollers and tennis balls.   Frankly, it hurt.  I think I'm not muscular, padded, or tense enough to enjoy that deep level of massage, but a couple women there were moaning in pleasure so, each to her own.  It's probably just me.  Tomorrow I'm trying the Gentle Stretchy class to check it out.  My vacation is basically to be spent pretending I'm independently wealthy or retired.  Is it just me or does work really get in the way of life?  Just saying.

The yoga studio I normally go to is Rina Yoga.  The Thursday Hatha Yoga night class with Joan is challenging enough that I push myself without being so difficult that I feel lost.  It works out great with my schedule, is very close to home, and parking is free :)  So far I don't know if Dharma Yoga is offering any competition to Rina Yoga, though if the Friday class I plan on trying is great I may buy a class card just for that; Rina doesn't have Friday morning classes at this time.  Really the only thing I hold against Dharma is the parking situation and the mat fee; the studio itself is lovely (though I did notice a pet pee smell on the ground...the mats?  Ghostly pet presence?  It was weird)  I still have a few other studios to check out and I also got some boxing classes and some passes to the Russian baths at the beach; I'll review those as I use them.