Namaste, Goat

City's first-ever goat yoga studio climbs into West Austin

Get off my back, kid.

GOGA Goat Yoga Austin/Facebook

Goat yoga, better known as goga, has been sweeping the fitness world (and Instagram feeds) since it climbed into the market a few years ago. Here in Austin, Rachael Phillips and her fiancé, Trey Kitchen, launched GOGA Goat Yoga in 2017, hosting pop-up classes around town and taking over a temporary space in South Austin's Lamar Union development.

This fall, the yoga company will make the leap into a permanent brick-and-mortar studio in the Hill Country Galleria, ensuring that all Austin "gogis" can get their vinyasa on alongside a bunch of, ahem, kids.

For Phillips, the benefits of doing yoga alongside animals is two-fold: not only do clients get the benefit of a yoga practice, but they get to spend time with animals, something that is proven to reduce stress and add joy.

"Adding baby goats to your yoga practice not only makes it easier to try for the first time due to the humorous and non-judgmental nature of the baby goats, but also can help experienced yogis remember to not take themselves too seriously and that laughing during practice can be beneficial," says Phillips. "Spending time with animals can help reduce stress because of their closeness to nature, and baby goats love to bond with people, often falling asleep on a gogi's back or cuddled up on somebody’s lap."

The goats themselves are Texas pygmy and Nigerian dwarf goats, raised in Hamilton, Texas, by 2CrazyGoatLadies. "My business partner and fiancé, Trey Kitchen, is Roxie's son, who owns 2CrazyGoatLadies," Phillips explains. "Roxie raises and sells goats as pets, so she not only is able to bring an endless supply of baby goats to GOGA, but also makes sure that the goats are safe and healthy at all times."

And while the goats will still appear during weekend classes at the Galleria location, the new studio also allows GOGA to expand class offerings to include traditional and hot yoga sans goat.

One thing that won't change, however, is the company's commitment to local charities. GOGA remains committed to donating 100 percent of T-shirt sales to area nonprofits and will continue to host special fundraising events. This month's event, running August 11-12 at Lamar Union, will be a birthday party for one of the goats. Yogis are encouraged to bring her a "gift," which will be donated to Austin Pets Alive!.

Phillips says the new West Austin studio is on track for an October opening, barring any major construction delays. Once open, GOGA will also remain in its Lamar Union locale for the foreseeable future.

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MESSAGE OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE

Austin theater auctions off chance to write message on iconic marquee

Paramount Theatre/Instagram

The Paramount Theatre is auctioning off the chance to share a holiday message on its marquee.

Austinites craving the limelight might get the chance to see their name in lights — or at least a personalized holiday message — illuminated on one of Austin’s most historic marquees.

As part of the Austin Theatre Alliance’s final 2020 auction to raise funds for the Paramount and Stateside theaters, the nonprofit is offering up an array of unusual and very “Austintatious” items for bid, including the chance to share a customized holiday message on the iconic Paramount Theatre marquee.

The auction item is one of several dozen currently up for bid through ATA’s online holiday auction, which runs through December 11.

With a starting bid of $1,500, the Paramount marquee message is one of the pricier items in the auction, but it may be well worth the glory, as the winning bidder can treat all of Austin to a two-line, 80-character custom holiday message that will be professionally photographed and live on the marquee for a minimum of four hours. (It should be noted that the chosen message is subject to review. After all, this is a nonprofit theater marquee, not the infamously sassy El Arroyo sign.)

Having to cancel or reschedule hundreds of planned shows because of COVID-19 concerns, the Paramount Theatre has had a particularly rough year but recently reopened at 25 percent capacity for limited engagements, like its Holiday Film Series, which is currently underway. Funds raised from the auction enable the ATA, which manages the Paramount and Stateside, to reach Central Texas students through virtual programs, employ venue staff, and help the historic theaters survive the pandemic.

In addition to the Paramount marquee message item, the auction also includes other perfectly weird items befitting a homegrown Austin event, like Matt Lankes photos of Willie Nelson playing chess and the late, great Billy Joe Shaver looking contemplative while perched on a bridge in Waco; and several autographed guitars, including one commemorative acoustic guitar signed by 10 of Austin’s most notable musicians, Ruthie Foster, Carrie Rodriguez, and Tameca Jones among them.

Of course, there is no lack of booze-forward packages, hotel stays, and artist-signed prints also up for grabs. But true lovers of the Paramount Theatre will find the item with the highest opening bid ($5,000) steals the show: a private catered dinner for four on the Paramount stage.

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