September marks four years since my home and studio in lake county, ca, just north of Napa, burned to the ground in the valley fire. That morning I had gotten up early and driven two counties over to attend the quarterly meeting of the mentoring group I belong to. My husband and my two younger sons, who were 11 and 13 at the time, were planning on meeting me that afternoon to go to the Giants game. About the time they arrived, I got a text from a friend saying there was a fire on the mountain about a mile from our house and it wasn't looking good. We rushed back, only getting as far as my studio before we found out our town, about 10 miles away, was in the process of being evacuated. We sat in the parking lot of my studio for more than an hour watching an endless stream of people, their cars crammed with everything they could grab, some covered in flame retardant, fleeing what at the time would become California's third most destructive wildfire. We waited until we could see flames cresting the nearest ridge before driving back the way we came.
A CONTINUOUS STREAM OF BAD NEWS
The drive was slow going in what seemed like an endless line of cars, smoke and debris swirling around us like something out of a movie. I’m convinced that if we would’ve left just five minutes later, it may have been a far scarier situation than it was. One county over, we stopped at a park and made phone calls. My dad, whose home was also in the path of the fire, was unreachable. I remember calling him over and over, still in a state of shock; it wasn’t until I finally heard his voice on the line that the tears spilled over and it all became real. At that moment, I didn't know if either my or my dad’s home was still standing, but was taking for granted that my studio, which was less than two years old would be safe. The truth was I would never teach in that space again and we would never go home.
This story is from the September - October 2019 edition of Pilates Style.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September - October 2019 edition of Pilates Style.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Finding New Momentum
Overcoming obstacles caused by the pandemic, the virtual version of this popular festival still achieved its goals.
Carola Trier's Extraordinary Journey
In his authoritative biography of the first woman to open a studio, Reiner Grootenhuis delved into her personal papers to tell the harrowing story of her time in a prison camp during World War II.
Racism in the Pilates Industry
Incidents of police brutality and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests have shed a bright light on systemic racism in the U.S., including in the Pilates industry. Here, Black instructors share their experiences.
For Self-defense
Moves of the Month
Comfort Food Made Healthy
This fall, cozy up to tantalizing comfort food that’s also healthy. A new cookbook from Kristin Cavallari shows you how.
Pilates Postcard
A Pilates teacher shares how the method is making waves abroad.
The Ultimate Gift
One year ago, Kahley Schiller’s life was completely upended by an extreme health crisis. But thanks to her 20-year Pilates practice, the 40-year-old was able to recover quickly.
Revelations
For Sarita Allen, a star of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and a protégée of Kathleen Stanford Grant, Pilates was key to her decades-long career.
Meaning WITHIN THE Movement
The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine help you go deeper into your practice, promising plenty of play along the way.
PILATES IN THE HOOD
Though she’s trained many top stars, Kim Carruthers says she’s most proud of her work as the founder and director of a nonprofit bringing the method to underserved communities.
