Ocean Park Vinyasa Yoga Studio: 3 Classes for $59, No Scene

Santa Monica Yoga, at 1640 Ocean Park Blvd in Ocean Park, opens at 7:15 am on Mondays and sells new students three classes for $59, usable within 60 days. The studio mixes vinyasa flow with Iyengar, yin and slow stretch classes, and it closes each class 15 minutes after the start time. Mats rent for $3, while blocks, straps and blankets are free to borrow. The homepage sums up the attitude in six words: no scene, no drama.

The address has not moved in a quarter century. An archived copy of the studio website from February 2001 already lists 1640 Ocean Park Blvd and the same 310 phone number, under a copyright line dated 2000. Back then the page promised over 75 weekly drop-in classes, free orientations, weekend workshops, retreats, teacher training and $6.00 community classes. The phrase it used to describe itself, a friendly neighborhood yoga studio, is still the first line visitors read today.

That continuity shows up in the teaching roster. Stacy TenHouten, who now leads the Tuesday 10:30 am Level 1-2 class and the Saturday park session, earned her own teaching certification through Santa Monica Yoga. Julian Walker has taught yoga since 1994 and trained originally with Ana Forrest. Alie McManus, teaching since 1999, returns as a guest from Chicago for an autumn run. Teachers here are encouraged to draw on their own experience rather than follow one house style.

For a strong session, Steve Jones is the name to look for. His bio calls the class physically demanding, and he teaches All Levels at 10:45 am on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, plus 7:30 am on Tuesday and Thursday. Kyle Chavarria, who came to yoga after years of competitive soccer, teaches a creative vinyasa flow that blends hatha foundations, Taoist philosophy and breathwork. Her Friday 4 pm Power Flow is the most athletic slot of the week.

Kyle also leads Morning Flow at 7:30 am on Monday and Wednesday, plus Vinyasa Flow at 6:30 pm Thursday and 11 am Sunday. Julian Walker teaches All Levels at 6:30 pm Wednesday and 9 am on both weekend mornings. Sophie Clemo, who has completed over 1,000 hours of training and teaches in English and German, takes Slow Flow at 5 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Juli McGene, trained in Prana Vinyasa with Shiva Rea, runs Flow and Restore Tuesday at 6:30 pm.

Newcomers get direct advice from the FAQ. Start with a Level 1-2 or Slow Deep Stretch class if you want an easy entry, or jump into an All Levels class for more challenge, and tell the teacher you are new. Cindy Fraser teaches Slow Deep Stretch at noon on Tuesday and Thursday and 12:30 pm on Saturday. The FAQ also asks students to leave lights, fans and heat to staff rather than adjusting the room themselves.

Booking runs through a Mindbody schedule embedded on the website, and the studio asks everyone to pre-register. Walk-ins are accommodated only as space allows. Cancelling happens through My Account at the top right of the schedule, where booked classes are listed. Enter from the front of the building, because the lot at the back is reserved for instructors and staff. The one exception is the south studio, used for Alie McManus classes, which you enter from the back.

Bring your own mat if you can. The FAQ encourages it for hygiene and comfort, though rentals and mats for sale are on hand. Towels are not provided, so pack a small one. Filtered water is available to refill a bottle, but no bottled water is sold. Hair ties are free at the desk. Etiquette rules are short and old-fashioned: speak softly, silence the phone completely, skip perfume, and do not step on anyone's mat.

New students choose between two passes. The three-class pass at $59 expires after 60 days, and the One Month Unlimited costs $119 for 30 days. Both cover in-studio, livestream and outdoor classes. Anyone planning three or more visits a week should take the month, since a single drop-in otherwise costs $30. Existing customers who buy a new student pass get refunded, so the offer really is a one-time welcome.

After the intro, the studio is unusually transparent about which pass pays off. The Monthly Auto-Renew at $175 is recommended for seven or more classes a month and can be cancelled any time after the second charge. It also lets you bring a guest for $22. The non-recurring month costs $220, which the site pitches only to students coming nine or more times. Lighter users can buy a five-class pass for $130, valid for 90 days.

There is also a Supporter tier at $200 a month that funds financial assistance for other students. Full-time students and anyone needing sliding scale pricing can ask Bruce at the studio about reduced rates. Livestream classes cost $19 and outdoor classes $24. One honest judgment: skip this studio if you want a heated power room. Nothing on the site advertises heat, and the gentler slots outnumber the sweaty ones on most days.

The studio opens at 7:15 am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and at 7:30 am on Tuesday and Thursday. Closing time varies from 8 pm on Friday to 9:15 pm on Wednesday. Weekend doors open at 8 am, with Saturday wrapping up at 5:15 pm and Sunday at 8:30 pm. If the Wednesday evening class with Julian Walker is full, the Friday 6 pm sound bath on October 23 with Cecile Murias is priced as a regular class.

The plan B is a short drive east. Yogazan, at 2901 Ocean Park Blvd #121, specializes in what it calls a meditative style of vinyasa yoga that offers physical challenge without sacrificing mindful reflection. Its first ten days cost $20, and booking runs through its own app. Expect a different crowd than at Santa Monica Yoga, where the timetable also carries Gentle Chair Yoga, prenatal classes and oncology-informed gentle yoga with Sharon Holly.

Bob's Market, at 1650 Ocean Park Blvd, sits right next door and has anchored the southwest corner of Ocean Park and 17th Street since 1979, which makes it the obvious stop for a post-class sandwich from the deli. Walk east along the boulevard to Clover Park, at 2600 Ocean Park Blvd, a city park of more than 17 acres. The studio holds its outdoor classes there, near 25th and Hill Streets.

Big Blue Bus Route 8 runs along Ocean Park Blvd with stops at 17th Street in both directions. Drivers will find metered parking on the studio block, two hours on the south side and three on the north. Free spots line Ocean Park west of 16th Street. On weekends, permit zones on the streets just south, around Oak St, are not enforced.