Social Workout

Field Trips

Thursday Evening Yoga in the Boom Boom Room

The Standard Hotel (Via Special KRB.)

As all the New York glitterati know, the "toughest door" in New York at the moment is on the 18th Floor of The Standard Hotel, an alluring, two story golden chamber with carousel-like chandelier. Impossible to get in unless you happen to be Barry Diller or Russell Simmons, or have recently been on the cover of a major women's fashion magazine. That is, unless you're into yoga and have a spare $20. In an attempt to recreate — in some NYC-appropriate way — the ambiance of their Hamam in Miami, the André Balazs gang now offers yoga daily to all comers at The Standard New York. And, at least some of the time, class goes down on the normally impenetrable 18th floor. No, not exactly IN the Boom Boom, BUT immediately next door in an equally decadent space, featuring mega hot tub, sweeping panoramic views, and a vending machine that sells board shorts and bikinis.

Social Workout visited the hotel last Thursday evening to tour the gym, hit "Urban Yoga" taught by Dwight Garcia, (yogi, massage therapist, and onetime model for the Grey's Anatomy textbook, ahem), and otherwise to decompress in the biergarten gnawing on giant, $16 pretzels and watching ladies in Christian Louboutin heels swat ping pong balls. Body-centric West Villagers looking for catharsis on a summer Thursday should absolutely take note: The Standard will not replace your CrossFit or Jivamukti habits, but it's got the makings of quasi-healthy urban adventure, (and you can now skip the pool at the Soho House....)

• What: Yoga at The Standard
• Why: The random adventure it, post game biergarten, and the possibility of hot tubbing with Jay-Z.
• How Much: $20, not including pretzels.
• More Color: Passionate, massage therapist, yogi Dwight Garcia presides on Thursday evenings with Richard Simmons-esque fervor. The Standard authorities hint that the class will soon be moved yet-to-be-finished yoga-specific room, but we suggest a write-in campaign in favor of the 18th Floor hot tub playground.... 
• For Hotel Guests: The gym, pictured below, has stunning views, is open 24 hours, boasts state-of-the-art gear, and would seem mostly empty except for the occasional white man with cell phone on the treadmill before the cocktail hour.