I admit, I can be a creature of habit. I have my routines and most of the time that’s ok. Sometimes I need a reminder to push myself out of my comfort zone.
I unwittingly had an out-of-my-comfort-zone experience a few days ago when I attended the Morning Gloryville ‘wellness rave’. I had a busy week, so I didn’t do much looking into what to expect for the morning. I just knew there would be yoga, massages and dancing, so I had no question it would be a good time.
Walking in the door at 6:30 in the morning, I was surprised to be greeted by a smiling bearded fellow – wearing dragon wings and body glitter! It was also hard to ignore the thumping bass coming from the DJ booth.
The dance floor was already busy. As I clutched my thermos of coffee, I was impressed by the colorful characters busting a move. Think everything from a penguin onesie to tie-dyed body suits. It was…incredible. And as I looked down at my black yoga pants and grey tank top, also a little…uncomfortable. I felt like a total fish out of water.
Luckily, the crowd was totally accepting and there was absolutely no judgement. Even though I didn’t get the sequins and day-glo memo, I felt totally included. Everyone was upbeat and just enjoying the moment. It was amazing.
Even the yoga was a bit unique. There were a lot of classic poses, but we finished with a fun twist – working with a partner to go deeper into the poses. Talk about taking things to the next level.
In hindsight, I should have known that this event would have some San Francisco ‘flair’ to it. It was so much more colorful and vibrant than I could have imagined! It truly was a rave – club music, dancing, hula hoops and sweaty bodies – but in a healthy way with no substances involved. I loved it! It’s one of those truly San Francisco activities that keep me so madly in love with this city.
Morning Gloryville left me feeling amazing. I walked out of there feeling almost radiant.
I also left with a renewed commitment to start my day with some sort of movement, be it a few minutes of yoga or even some swaying a bit to music (I have to be realistic – you probably won’t find me raving along when I wake up before sunrise!).
The event was a collaboration with St. Ives. St. Ive’s is committed to helping you start your morning with radiant skin. It was the perfect partnership of feeling great on the inside and looking great on the outside!
Having the bathrooms at Morning Gloryville stocked with St. Ives’ face scrub and body lotion was also a treat – much better than your stereotypical grungy nightclub bathrooms.  There were also additional St. Ives goodies to take home on our way out. St. Ives is a brand I know well and trust – their products are paraben-free and made from 100% natural exfoliants and moisturizers. I was grateful to be able to attend the event as their guest.
Luckily, there’s a wellness rave in San Francisco every month, so you can experience it for yourself! I highly recommend checking it out.
Thanks so much for reading A Side of Sweet! For more Sweet in your life, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Bloglovin’, Snapchat (@asideofsweet) or Twitter, or subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts (see sidebar).
suki says
I’ve heard of these for awhile, but haven’t been able to make it to one. 🙂
Kelly Egan says
You should go! It’s definitely a different San Francisco that I am usually just a casual observer of!
Samantha says
I’ve never heard of this before, but it sounds super fun!
Kelly Egan says
Hi Samantha – It was great, once I was able to relax a little and let go!
Carol Cassara says
I agree that starting our day with movement is always a good idea. I spend a lot of time in SF, nice to have your experence of it!
Kelly Egan says
Oh nice! Great to connect with another blogger in the bay area!
Becki S says
Love that they had the bathrooms stocked! That’s so neat. Great photos and I totally support your commitment to start the day active.
Kelly Egan says
That’s so kind Becki. Thanks so much!
Cathy @ Our Mini Family says
This looks like so much fun! I love that people were getting into and into costume–especially that guy who rocked the penguin costume haha
Kelly Egan says
Can you believe it!? It was such a site to see!
Paola says
that looked like a really cool event, and yes you did look radiant!
Kelly Egan says
Thanks so much Paola! You’re too sweet!
Lorraine says
This sounds so epic! Wish they had this sort of think in the UK.
Kelly Egan says
Haha, I bet they do somewhere!
Jennifer | Modern Chic says
This looks so much fun! I forget how much fun SF is!
Kelly - A Side of Sweet says
Yes! I feel like this sort of thing happens all the time in San Francisco, which makes me feel very lucky!