Santa Monica Beach is now officially “one of the Great Public Spaces in America today.”  Surfers, joggers and sun worshipers can rejoice in the knowledge that they are an intimate part of the success of the “birthplace of beach culture.”  For my part, I am going to celebrate by throwing on my bike shorts and taking a cruise along the bike path tonight to watch the sunset.

Here are some links that demonstrate why Santa Monica Beach is a Great Public Space:

• Santa Monica Pier
• Santa Monica Pier Cam
• Biking to the Music: Thursday Nights at the Santa Monica Pier
• City of Santa Monica Beach Information
• Santa Monica Beach Volleyball
• LA Bike Paths: Santa Monica & Venice

I got a new yoga mat over the weekend and it has totally re-invigorated my interest in yoga. I spent the weekend stretching and studying poses, and I came across this great site called Yoga Today that has free high-def yoga videos. Each of the videos is an hour-long workout set against the beautiful backdrop of Jackson, Wyoming. I did one of the workouts last night, and another today, and they are really fantastic. The instruction is easy to follow but the workouts were very vigorous and challenging. I love the scenery, too. It’s the perfect complement to the yoga, and really creates a sense of peace and relaxation.

This has all inspired me to practice yoga outside more often. Luckily, there are several outdoor yoga classes on the beach in Santa Monica in the summer. The Accidental Yogist provides details about some classes, but her info is from last year, so it’d probably be worthwhile to call first. Since I live so close to the beach, I think I may just ride my bike to the sand and practice some sun salutations on my own whenever the mood strikes.