Chair Yoga helps New Eastside community embrace active lifestyle
When people think of yoga, they often think twisting to the core, sweating and breathing in a 95-degree room. However, that’s not always the case.
Chair Yoga is practiced around the neighborhood, including at Renaissance Court in the Chicago Cultural Center and a senior class at the Maggie Daley Park Fieldhouse.
Peggy Figiel teaches the class at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Renaissance Court.
“Seeing people move into the pose and smile and say ‘I did it,’” she said, “that’s one of the best things.”
Figiel first began teaching yoga to seniors at a suburban park district 16 years ago.
“I felt like (seniors) understood it better,” she said. “It wasn't about twisting and sweating. It was about relaxing, going inside and finding your inner peace. It was more of an inner exercise.”
There are benefits beyond calming your mind. Chair Yoga means students will do exercises sitting in the chair and standing beside it. They won’t be on their knees or lying on a mat.
“Even doing chair yoga you are still going to improve your balance, your muscles, your bones and increase range of motion,” Figiel said.
Fifteen women regularly attend the Chair Yoga class at Renaissance Court. Figiel makes the environment welcoming for participants of all abilities.
“There are so many ways to modify and they can still do yoga,” she said. “There are unmeasured benefits and I’m just here to guide them along.”
Rose Lathan, who has been taking the class for four years, said the modifications are very helpful.
“I also take a class at LA Fitness with the mat and I can’t do all the poses,” she said. “But here she shows me different ways I can do it and be successful. I always feel great after.”
Another regular yogi, Elvira Azarcon, clearly feels the benefits of the class. “It’s really great,” she said. “I’ve been coming for awhile and I can feel a difference with my flexibility and my joints.”
Figiel also teaches classes in 400 E. Randolph, 360 E. Randolph and 340 E. Randolph. She loves the New Eastside community and working with the people in the neighborhood.
“Everyone is still very active,” she said. “You have to walk and you have to be mobile. People can’t run or ride their bike maybe as much as they want to, but they can still get a workout doing yoga.”
For more information about the Chair Yoga classes at Renaissance Court,visithttps://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/senior/svcs/regional_senior_centers.html. And for information about the programs at Maggie Daley Fieldhouse visithttps://maggiedaleypark.com/things-to-do-see/field-house/.
House of Modern Luxury: Gentleman’s Cooperative a collection of services, activities in one downtown spot
One of the most interesting spaces in Chicago combines style, confidence and luxury to create a haven in the middle of the city.
The Gentleman’s Cooperative, located at the penthouse of 111 W. Jackson Blvd., includes a barbershop, pool table, full bar, master tailoring, customized suits, a private cigar deck and corporate event space.
Beginning with a pop-up shop, co-owners Mike Berntsen and Chris Flores have been offering luxurious services to local professionals for more than six years.
“We help to maximize our clients’ personal and business impact,” director of business development Rich Moran said. “I think we do that very well.”
The space is across from the Chicago Board of Trade, making it easy to feel Chicago’s heartbeat through its windows.
“We are in such prime real estate,” Moran said. “We are constantly surrounded by the best executives in the state. It makes it easy for our clients to come in. Our location is everything.”
The Cooperative offers a barber and stylist membership, a master tailor and professional clothiers, as well as master barbers and stylists. Not to mention a luxurious event space to host corporate gatherings.
“Our clients work hard and we are big believers in taking time for yourself and taking a load off,” Moran said. “People work hard and people deserve to take care of themselves.”
Away from the hustle, tucked in his own quiet space, is master tailor Mousa Hazare. The room is draped with fabric, scattered with sewing machines and popping with all colors of the rainbow.
Hazare was born in Mongolia, moved to Pakistan when he was six years old and comes from a family of tailors, including his father and four brothers. He got his start at eight years old working for his dad’s shop in Pakistan. Seven years ago he moved to the U.S.. and after a year in San Diego, he came to Chicago.
Hazare, 33, is a key member of the Cooperative team and goes the extra mile for clients.
“I have the confidence they will get the things that they are really looking for,” he said. “My job is to make sure everything is perfect. If the manufacturers did something wrong I’m here to fix that. Most of the time they get the garments perfect, but sometimes there are some minor tweaks. And we want perfect.”
Hazare’s favorite part of the job is working with clients while taking measurements because he says that’s the easiest part of the process. However, he enjoys problem-solving and calls himself an ultimate problem solver.
To learn more about the space visit https://gentsco-op.com/ .
Resident works to create a safer Michigan Ave.
On Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m., Phyllis Mitzen walked with a cane along E. Delaware Place and across Michigan Avenue along with her husband, Michael.
She’s on a mission to make crosswalks safer.
Six months ago at this crossing, Mitzen was knocked to the ground by a van which rolled on her leg. She spent 15 hours in surgery, 10 days in the hospital and three months in rehabilitation.
On Dec. 16 she walked with a cane to the corner of Michigan and Delaware, where she met 20 people and Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) official Samadi Malihe to initiate a discussion to make the area safer.
One of the women supporting the conversation was Janice Lewis.
Her son was involved in an accident 10 years ago in Montgomery, Mich. When Lewis went to the hospital she didn't recognize him. He died Jan. 4, 2010.
“It changes lives,” she said. “So anything we can do, let’s do it.”
Since 2012 there has been an average of approximately 75 pedestrian deaths each year in Chicago, according to CDOT. The crossings along the Magnificent Mile between Oak Street and Chicago Avenue is the third highest area for fatalities.
One of the main changes Mitzen is asking for is extended traffic lights to give slower walkers a chance to cross.
The group brought up the point that slower people, mainly young kids and the elderly, have to start walking when the light changes to have enough time to cross. But with busier intersections, cars try to get through the lights as late as they can.
Mitzen serves as the president of Skyline Village Chicago and is a member of the Mayor’s Commission for Age Friendly Chicago. She’s also planning, along with State Representatives, a town hall meeting in February at Ogden Elementary School to focus on pedestrian safety.
“I think they certainly heard what we had to say,” she said. “And having (Alderman Brian Hopkins) come certainly helped a lot. We’re following up with a town hall meeting at the Ogden School and two state Reps. will come. We’ll ask for updates there.”
She will also be asking for updates on the plan for Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities.
“It’s a worldwide initiative for an age friendly city,” Mitzen said. “Chicago is signed on and it’s not clear where they are with the plan.”
Michigan Avenue is a state highway, but the lights and traffic signals are controlled by the city, which is one of the challenges with the process.
“It’s a complicated mix,” Mitzen said.
Traffic fatalities are a problem everywhere. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. have increased by 41 percent since 2008.
For more information on Vision Zero, visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/vision-zero-chicago.html