Tag: cities

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From Hollywood to Hurricanes…by way of 50 unique cities

Stay strong Floridians, in the wake of Hurricane Ian and thanks for having me in your Sunshine state. Albeit, not much sun the past few days as I’ve experienced my first Category 4 hurricane. The good news is I’m located in central Florida and the brunt of the storm just missed us. The bad news is my friends in St. Pete’s and Ft. Meyers weren’t so lucky. No worries, just stay positive and enjoy the rebuild!

And as luck would have it, since I left Los Angeles about a year ago I’ve survived 30,000 miles of “nomad living” while trans-versing the United States and getting to know 50 unique and exciting cities. That’s right, 50 amazing cities in 10 different states where I’ve spent anywhere from several hours to several months (most recently in Frisco, TX). Check them out:

Leaving Los Angeles for…

Oceanside, La Jolla, San Diego, and Needles – CALIFORNIA

Yuma, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tuscon, Mesa, Chandler and Flagstaff – ARIZONA

Las Vegas – NEVADA

Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas and Tucumcari – NEW MEXICO

Amarillo, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Waco, Ft. Worth, Grapevine, Denton, Dallas, Plano, Frisco and McKinney – TEXAS

Texarkana and Little Rock – ARKANSAS

Memphis, Nashville and Chattanooga – TENNESSEE

Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah – GEORGIA

Charleston – SOUTH CAROLINA

Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Melbourne, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Dunedin, Ft. Meyers, Sarasota, Naples, Hollywood and Miami – FLORIDA

Now I can only imagine what’s in store for the next leg of life’s journey. Have an awesome Autumn everyone…and get your workout in!

Peace – R

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Nomad Living – Part 1

Four months ago I packed my shiny new Bronco to the gills and departed California on a beautiful sunny morning (of course). On my way to Texas, with no particular city in mind or specific travel map in place except for my one goal: to find a place to live within a month. Just the right amount of time to visit and explore at least a dozen major cities along the way.

You may call it a long road trip, but I call it Nomad Living. Nomad as in “a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place”. And that would be me.

The good news is I love to explore and have since adapted to the inconveniences of not having a fixed residence – trust me, there are many. Plus, nomad living is never boring because you’re always scrambling to familiarize yourself with the plethora of unknowns. Until you eventually land and get the lay of the land, like I did in Plano for a few months and where I also produced my podcast, Tola Talks Texas. Opinionated and oftentimes political for sure, and be sure to check out my two favorite episodes Ep 8 – Suicide Sucks and Ep 20 – Never Live in Fear.

Then it was back on the road, again, this time desiring to spend quality time with my father who’s battling liver cancer as well as revisit some old friends and haunts in Las Vegas and of course, my formerly beloved LA. Not to mention a bunch more cities along the way.

All told I’ve driven 12,000 miles in 120 days while heartily visiting the following 30 cities: Yuma, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tuscon, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Flagstaff, Sedona, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Boulder City, Amarillo, El Paso, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Waco, Fort Worth, Dallas, Denton, Frisco, Plano, Needles, Riverside, Pasadena, LA and most recently, San Diego – as I write this I’m curiously exploring the boatloads of amazing neighborhoods and beaches of SD!

Have an awesome weekend and keep moving forward with your goals and dreams everyone…and get your workout in! Peace – R

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Welcome to Wherever You Are

Hope you’re awesome everyone, and in case you were wondering, this isn’t a tribute to the music of Bon Jovi or INXS.

On the contrary, it’s more like a welcome home post after spending the past five months traversing the U.S. in search of the Holy Grail, much like a modern-day Indiana Jones. Well, not exactly, but I’ve definitely been a modern day cowboy cruising the countryside since I left my beloved Los Angeles in June.

Why, you might ask? Because  I love to explore new lands while checking out the fitness and yoga scenes – not to mention the music and entertainment and comedy club scenes – of America’s largest and most popular cities.

And on this particular leg of the adventure I’ve traveled to Austin, Dallas, Denver, and most recently, the lovely beaches of Santa Barbara (picture).

For those of you who have been following my life’s colorful journey since I moved to Hollywood in 2007, I’ve now lived in 11 major cities over the past 11 years.

The good news is I’ve also walked over a thousand miles and met tons of cool locals that made my sojourn an especially enjoyable experience. No doubt traveling to other cities is something I definitely recommend to anyone who has the time and vigor to do it. Notice I didn’t say money, because if you fly solo like I do, you really don’t need that much to explore. Just a pair of comfortable walking shoes and a lightweight backpack. Oh, and don’t forget an open-minded attitude that comes with a big fat smile on your face…because that ALWAYS helps.

So pack your bags and enjoy your journey wherever it takes you this holiday season, and have an amazing Halloween!

Peace – R

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Greetings from Denver!

Another great American city in my sights. Literally.

Love my nomadic lifestyle this summer, experiencing the unique flavors of Austin, Dallas and now Denver in less than 100 days.

The Mile High City is quite a wonder. Beauty, sunshine, Red Rocks (below) and healthy people everywhere, no doubt making Denver an amazing place to live. Not to mention cool neighborhoods to explore like LoHi, Capital Hill, RiNo, Downtown, Baker, LoDo, West Colfax (where I live) and the Highlands. And don’t forget my favorite walking trail around Sloan’s Lake Park with an amazing view of the majestic Colorado Rockies (below). Simply awesome.

Special thanks to the Universe for allowing me the opportunity to traverse this great nation, and to all the friendly locals and business owners I’ve met along the way.

You rock!

So take it from me…one who has called home to more than 12 major U.S. cites, if you find yourself with three months to spare, definitely check-out the splendor of Denver. You won’t be disappointed.

Have an awesome day everyone, and get your workout in.

With Love & Light to those who gave their lives on 9/11.  RIP – R

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Explore the world…including Vancouver

If there’s one piece of advice I can give – other than workout everyday and live by Yoga principles to build a strong body clear mind – it’s these three words:

Explore the world.

I just spent the past three days in Vancouver, Canada exploring a plethora of neighborhoods like Gastown, Downtown, Coal Harbor, West End, Davie Village, Yaletown, Kitsilano and Mt. Pleasant.  An amazing 25 miles worth of walking around one of the most beautiful, clean, vibrant and fashionable cities I’ve ever lived or visited. There’s been quite a few.

In Vancouver you’ll find tons of great shops and eateries and cool street fashion that had me people watching as much as checking out the sleek modern architecture that’s everywhere.

There’s also tons of little parks and beaches and public art that seem to pop-up out of nowhere. Like the A-maze-ing Laughter in Morton Park consisting of 14 enormous bronze statues – in all different poses – of a shirtless guy laughing hysterically. And what a great way to get your daily workout in. By kicking-the-bricks, as we used to say back in my NYC real estate days.

Speaking of which, Vancouver also has that international cosmopolitan feel, much like Manhattan and Chicago. Plus, the hi-rise apartment building where I stayed had one of those old-school Universal weight machines and some dumbbells, which came in handy every morning.  Add to that a yoga class, or better yet, a free 30-minute Tola Yoga class, and voila, you’re set!

So pack your bags, pick your destination, and do a little exploring on your own.

Peace – R

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The Power of One

Never underestimate the power of your thoughts, and without question, never ever underestimate The Power of One.

For the third time in 20 years I’m reading Bryce Courtenay’s , The Power of One. An amazing tale of a young boy’s travels and heartfelt metamorphosis – not to mention his spiritual influence on everyone he meets – that’s “part Charles Dickens, part Horatio Alger”, as described by the Raleigh News & Observer. More specifically, this magical journey filled with heartache and pure elation inspires anyone really listening to its deep-rooted message…to always listen to yourself and believe in the power of one:  one idea, one heart, one mind, one plan, one determination.

Before I leave you with a paragraph from the novel that rings true no matter what your occupation or calling, take time to reflect on 2016 and set your thoughts on an even better 2017! Mine was quite amazing, with several milestones that set the course for my one idea:

  1. Created my unique style of Tola Yoga after 10 years of teaching 2k classes & 25k students,
  2. Produced the original Reality TV series pilot, YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous,
  3. Celebrated 50 years of fitness – 40 years of weightlifting plus over 10 years of Yoga,
  4. Celebrated 10 years as an Entertainer/Producer and Yoga Teacher (and Yogatainer),
  5. Lived in three amazing cities: Chicago, Las Vegas and Seattle (love it here!)

And whatever your goals are for the New Year, remember to respect yourself with a daily fitness program. And just like young Peekay says, dare your courage to follow your thoughts:

“The power of one is above all things the power to believe in yourself, often well beyond any latent ability you may have previously demonstrated. The mind is the athlete; the body is simply the means it uses to run faster or longer, jump higher, shoot straighter, kick better, swim harder, hit further, or box better. Hoppie’s dictum to me, “First with the head and then with the heart,” was more than simply mixing brains with guts. It meant thinking well beyond the powers of normal concentration and then daring your courage to follow your thoughts.”

Have a safe and Happy New Year everyone! Peace – R

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Get Your Yoga Groove On in 24 Cities Around the Globe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 06/30/16

YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous Sets its Sites and Cities

Chicago, IL: With the filming of YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous: Chicago less than a month away, the show’s creator and world’s best Yogatainer, Rich Tola, announced plans to visit 11 more U.S. cities plus 12 international cities to round-out Seasons 1 and 2, produced through Tola’s company, Two Strike Hitter Productions.

Yoga expert and lifelong fitness virtuoso, Rich Tola aims to inspire everyone on the planet. “It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing, anybody can squeeze in a measly 5 minutes of Yoga everyday, and I will prove that. Spark it up with a quickie, a simple Warrior pose or balancing, plus it’ll help you reinforce a clear and positive mindset throughout your day,” declares Tola. “Not to mention that every practitioner, from beginner-to-advanced, should know the proper body mechanics of every pose, especially the twists, and more importantly, how to come in and out of difficult positions while avoiding injury.”

Tola and his band of beautiful “Yoga babes” appropriately called The Namaste Five, will also be demonstrating creative and challenging sequences with Rich leading the charge. While most of his teaching will be done to unsuspecting residents and tourists nearby historic landmarks and major attractions, Rich and his rockstar yoginis will take you to a new level, “We’ll show you how to make the hard stuff look easy,” Tola said.

The 12 U.S. cities for Season 1 include: Chicago, Denver, Austin, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Boca Raton, Boston, Boise and Washington D.C. And kudos to seven of these utopias who also made Yoga Journal magazine’s “America’s Top Yoga Towns,” including Chicago, Denver, Austin, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The 12 international cities for Season 2 include: Beijing, Barcelona, Paris, Dublin, Sydney, Havana, Dubai, Tel Aviv, Singapore, London, Rio de Janeiro and Prague.

Since becoming a Certified Yoga Teacher in 2006, Rich has taught more than 25,000 students in over 2,000 classes throughout the United States. He also produced nearly 30 hours of instructional videos and DVDs including his film, Boulevard Zen (2009). Rich received BSE from The Wharton School (PENN) and MBA from The Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern).

For more information please visit our website, YogaStyles.tv, or listen to Rich and his students, Rhonda and Vika, talk about YogaStyles on WGN Radio 720AM, The Frank Fontana Show on July 26, 2016. (click HERE to visit the WGN website).

Inquiries: Angie Lee Chastain | [email protected]

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You Want Me on Your TV!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 06/14/16

New Reality TV Series from the World’s Best Yogatainer

Chicago, IL: Are you one of the 80 million people who want to try Yoga in 2016? If so, then “You want me on your TV!” declares Rich Tola, the world’s best Yogatainer and creator of the upcoming Reality TV series, YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous.

Yoga expert and lifelong fitness virtuoso, Rich Tola aims to teach everyone on the planet the fundamentals of the 6,000 year-old practice with his unique, workout style of Tola Yoga. “People who have never tried Yoga usually ask themselves, What is it and can I do it without getting hurt? And since Yoga involves twisting and turning the body into unfamiliar and challenging poses, or Asanas, as they’re called in the ancient Sanskrit language, you need to know the proper body mechanics as well as how to come in–and-out of difficult positions while avoiding injury,” Tola said.

And who better to motivate the masses than the world’s most handsome Yogatainer and producer of 30 fun and entertaining lessons in his Yoga Survival Guide, including Bus Stop Yoga, Traffic Yoga, Office Yoga, Shower Yoga and even Watching the Ellen Show Yoga.

Since becoming a Certified Yoga Teacher in 2006, Rich has taught more than 25,000 students in over 2,000 classes throughout the United States. He also produced nearly 30 hours of instructional videos including his film, Boulevard Zen (2009), Yoga-to-Go DVD, Rich Tola’s Yoga Survival Guide DVD, Rich Tola’s 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts DVD, Stay Zen Web Series, Rich Tola’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workouts Web Series, plus his recent Tola Yoga classes and a special 10-episode “How-to” series for Livestrong.com.

Just like his precise teaching style and no-nonsense East-coast Italian energy, Rich will inspire audiences with his one simple mantra: Yoga…Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere.

“YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous will take you on a wild and witty ride throughout the streets of Chicago before traveling to capitol cities around the globe”, says Tola. “We will creatively demonstrate that anyone of any age, size or gender can reap the benefits of Yoga, as well as highlight National Landmarks and popular destinations of each metropolis while teaching Yoga to its “Almost Famous” business leaders, designers, politicians, musicians and athletes.” Plus, anyone else Rich happens to meet along the way.

Inquiries: Angie Lee Chastain | [email protected]

YogaStyles of RICH and the Almost Famous