Nina Jackson entered the Treetop Yoga studio, keeping her excitement in check. She was there to make sure she had the right place. She was looking for the only dedicated yoga studio in Santa Maria, and she found it.
Thanks to Nicole Donati, yoga practitioners in Santa Maria and Orcutt have a place to go where more than just the floor is right.
Donati needed something to de-stress. She was living in Lompoc and working in Montecito at the time and had a whole lot of tension building. She tried to convince herself she liked working out, but that didn’t work. On a whim, she took a yoga class, through which she found something special. When she moved back to Santa Maria, she didn’t find the same yoga experience she’d had in Santa Barbara, got frustrated, and stopped practicing.
That experience helped her to see the need for a dedicated studio in Santa Maria. At the time, the places a Santa Marian could practice yoga were wherever a teacher could get floor space.
In her enthusiasm over Donati’s new studio, Jackson recounted practicing yoga on sneaker-scuffed, nasty floors, one time even ending up with a sucker stuck in her hair.
In 2006, Donati returned to practicing yoga and decided to pursue the dream she had about teaching yoga almost from the first class she took. She earned her teaching certificate and began instructing, but it still wasn’t enough. Santa Maria needed more.
She decided she was going to start her own studio, and the idea took off like a smooth stone rolling downhill. In a month, the lease was signed, the walls were painted, the floor was laid, and the Ikea and Craigslist cubbies and shelves were assembled.
“I’ve never enjoyed working that hard, so much,” Donati said. “I really took great pride in it. It was a lot of fun.”
Treetop Yoga offers a large variety of classes, including Yoga Basics for the beginners, Gentle Yoga, Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga for expectant mothers, Vinyasa Flow, and Endless Ride, a class designed specifically for surfers and snowboarders.
“It’s what’s right for you. It’s about experimenting, having an open mind, and just seeing what works for your body.” Donati said of the different styles. “Your body is your No. 1 teacher.”
Donati grew up in Santa Maria and is happy to bring something she loves back to a place that she loves.
There are several different memberships available. People who only need an occasional centering session may opt for the five-class package or just pay for single drop-ins, while others needing more regular sessions will pick up the 10- or 20-class pack. For the intensely stressed—such as newspaper editors—there’s also a monthly unlimited membership.
Treetop Yoga is at 2771 Santa Maria Way, upstairs in suite C, 266-6391. With four teachers and nine different styles, Treetop Yoga has something for everyone. Check online at treetopyoga.perfectmind.com for schedules.
“Yoga is a whole mind-body experience. It’s more than stretching, it’s more than fitness. … A lot of people think that it’s just stretching, and then they come and when they walk out they have a totally different feeling of centeredness. … It goes a lot deeper,” Donati said.
Highlights
• Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, a nationwide Texas-based chain of restaurants specializing in smokehouse-style barbecue, is coming soon to Santa Maria. Local Dickey’s franchisee Christy Bagby will be opening the new location in the Crossroads Shopping Center at 2212 S. Bradley Road. The restaurant’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., though the opening date is uncertain. For more information, visit dickeys.com.
• Nova Sensors, a Solvang-based advanced camera electronics manufacturer, announced the company is relocating its headquarters to Buellton. Founded in 1998 by Mark Massie, Chris Baxter, and Sue Hodges, Nova Sensors designs integrated circuits and manufactures infrared camera systems, among other products. Teledyne Technologies Inc. acquired the company in March 2011. Nova Sensors’ new location is 760 McMurray Road in Buellton.
For more information, visit novasensors.com.
Biz Spotlight is written by Intern Michael McCone. Highlights are compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Nov 10-17, 2011.