september: so long sweet summer
So long, sweet summer.
It feels a little contrary writing that as I sit in seat 24E, somewhere high in the sky, heading off for one last European summer sojourn. Alas, I’ve come to believe the sweetness of summer is as much a state of mind as it is a season; something we can carry with us into the slower months ahead.
This trip has been two years in the making, for an auspicious occasion to reunite with dear friends. In 2017, while living in Toronto and still in my restaurateur era, I hired two handsome brothers from the UK and an equally dashing Australian. Unbeknownst to our team, they had all worked together years earlier in Australia and fate reunited them that summer. What followed was a very special friendship and our affectionate nickname, the “secret friends” given that I was technically the boss and we had a habit of getting into trouble after hours. Ah, to be young, wild and free in the big city.
9 years later we’re coming together for the first wedding of the brotherhood. A pretty sweet reminder of just how much can change while the important things stay with us.
There’s change happening at the studio, too. The timing of my trip isn’t ideal with the excitement of our new fall schedule and facility updates, but I hope you’ll be pleasantly surprised by a few upgrades we have planned for the space. The Lab celebrates 18 years this month!
You may also notice that I’m not teaching a regular class on the fall schedule. That’s because you’ll be seeing more of me at the front desk as I step back into the General Manager role. Charlie will remain an important part of our team, shifting their focus to coordinating our Ambassador program, while our beloved Cody Turner steps into the Studio Supervisor role. It is an exciting new chapter as we create more structure, clarity, and support behind the scenes.
I may not have a regular class, but I’m certainly not hanging up my teaching hat. Come October, I’ll be welcoming our very first Kids Yoga cohort to the studio. When I first began teaching, working with kids was one of my dreams, so it feels full-circle to finally welcome our littlest yogis into the space.
There’s lots to look forward to this fall. For now, I’m going to take my own August advice and savour where I am. I hope you’ll squeeze every last drop out of summer, too.
With love,
Sheena