10 Things to Know Before You Go to Yoga at Raven Tower

Last weekend, the Brunch Klub crew woke up early in pursuit of our usual craving of mimosas…but also for yoga! We rallied an hour earlier than usual and went to the Black Swan Yoga class at Raven Tower in the Hieghts. The class was a blast and a half and we’re already making plans to go again next week. Had I gone to the class earlier, it would have definitely been a solid contender on the 5 Yoga Classes to Try in Houston…Not in a Studio. We would have liked to have done the full brunch experience there, but couldn’t find much sustenance afterward at Raven Tower. Here are some things we learned from our experience that you should know before you go!

1. Raven Tower is a great venue for music and yoga. It opened a few months ago and is the newest event venue in Houston. It’s centered around its signature tower in the middle and has a patio out back that overlooks White Oak Bayou. You can also see the north end of the downtown skyline. I thought the whole place had a very Austin-y vibe about it.
2. The class is free! Easy on the wallet, great for the spirit. A fun workout with no cost to you. The event reminds me of Breakfast Yoga Club but at the same place every week.
3. Parking is great! Raven Tower has a designated parking lot and plenty of street parking–good to know when you’re trying to get your zen on and are stressed about being late.
4. Get there early. There are tons of people who show up to this yoga class, so if you want to snag a spot with your friends, best arrive with enough time to ensure you all have room.
5. Bring water and sunscreen. This might go without saying, but you’re doing yoga outside in the middle of Houston. It’s only going to get hotter, so come prepared! Lots of people were shirtless or just in sports bras. I wore my sunglasses for a good part of the class (until they fell off during downward facing dog).
6. Grab a spot on the wood deck. It’s way more comfortable to practice there than on the gravel bit. If you do end up on the gravel bit, bring an extra mat or towel for padding. My palms hurt a bit in downward facing dog and my knees during various poses as well. Also saw some nails in the yard. Yikes for barefoot yogis.
7. Black Swan Yoga gives the class. The BSY is a donation based studio that started in Austin, whose Houston location is in the Heights. When we went it was your standard yoga class given at a moderately pace– lots of sun salutations, warrior poses, etc. The class started around 10:10am and lasted about an hour.
8. Post class you can enjoy a mimosa (or carafe). $12 carafes of mimosas are enjoyed best after an invigorating outdoor yoga class on the patio.
9. Food trucks frequent Raven Tower.  Our plan for Sunday brunch was to food truck it up with some of Houston’s finest mobile cuisine that frequent the spot according to their Instagram and Twitter.
10. Have a brunch back up spot. We were stoked to do the yoga then mimosas + food truck brunch. But when we went last Sunday, there was only one food truck there and it wasn’t serving food yet. Bit of a disappointment but we had a blast and half down the street at Ruggles Green anyways.