yoga

It’s 10pm, and I’m chatting with new friends after dinner at a guesthouse in wilds of Catalonia. The candlelight flickers off stout terracotta jugs of wine and on to the faces of Thomas, a management consultant from New York, and Viktoras and Gabije, a charming Lithuanian couple I’ve been grilling about Baltic holiday spots. Ellen is German, living in Barcelona and training to be a therapist. It’s testament to the relaxed vibe that the conversation flows as smoothly as the wine.

I’m at Off Grid, a new 10-room retreat (plus four-bedroom barn) in Alta Garrotxa, a protected nature reserve about 30 miles (50km) north of Girona. A converted 17th-century masia (farmhouse), it’s encircled by the fertile green humps and limestone crags of the pre-Pyrenees, with sloping gardens sheltering a large swimming pool. With its rustic, slow-living ethos, it’s perhaps a surprising departure for owner Gerard Greene, former CEO of Yotel – the modern, tech-driven city-centre brand with hotels in New York, Amsterdam and Tokyo among other cities. Just being here is a kind of therapy.

It was only in spring 2024 that Greene spotted the site’s potential (a main farmhouse building, barn conversion and various outbuildings) and began doing it up. Inner walls have been whitewashed, bedrooms stripped back and painted with limewash shades of blush, ochre and sand. Sculptural stone sinks and brassy bathroom fixtures jazz-up en suites.

Outside, birds chatter in the treetops above the swimming pool. Dragonflies flit by and a vast mountain – Mare de Déu del Mont – looms behind the quaint tiled roof, a natural place to fix your eyes in a moment of meditation. I’m here solo for a few days’ respite. I had a baby 10 months ago, and have barely moved my body properly since. A DIY retreat: yoga sessions, walking, a little autumn sunshine is just what’s needed.

Another delightful aspect at Off Grid is that dinners are taken communally (poolside in summer, around the chunky farmhouse table in the dining room when cooler). It’s not enforced, but gently encouraged – a blackboard heralds a €30 three-course menu that changes daily depending on chef Joep’s market finds: a tomato salad with local cheese and toasted seeds, say, followed by a rustic oxtail pie and an orange-zest cheesecake. Guests tend to amble down for a vermut around 8pm – there are honesty bars in the hotel, plus a vintage spirits trolley.

There isn’t always a full house at dinner – on my first night there’s just myself, Alex and Judith: an Englishman and a Belgian visiting from Peckham. There’s plenty of choice for venturing out to dine nearby: La Guixera is a small bistro within walking distance (open Friday to Sunday only), while others are within a five- or 10-minute drive. My favourite is El Claustre de Palera, a terrace built into a restored Romanesque church, where I order platters of fried anchovies, and barbecued mackerel with rich ratatouille.

Beyond the hotel, this place is ripe for adventure. Spanish tourists mostly come for the epic cycling, while scores of walking trails traverse mountainside, forest and idyllic green pastures. I start with a hike around the Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica (there are 25 recommended trails, ranging from one mile to 10 miles) with local guide Mike Lockwood, a Brit who has lived in Catalonia for 20 years, Spain for more than 40.

Parking up near the Croscat and Santa Margarida volcanoes, Lockwood tells me there are 40 dormant volcanoes in this park. “Would you like to go inside one?” he asks. I’m intrigued. On the far side of Croscat, a former quarry is revealed, a jagged cake-slice lifted from the volcano’s side. Lockwood deciphers its chalky stripes and fine cinder granules, layers of rust-red and huge chunks of rocks where the magma was blasted out at speed some 13,000 years ago. “It erupted for just three weeks,” he says. “That was enough to create all this.” Next we go to Fageda d’en Jordà, a striking beech wood whose undulating path was formed by the lava flow. It’s all fairytale mossy boulders and calf-height mushrooms.

On another morning I hire an ebike from the hotel, and skim along quiet roads, to sleepy, cypress-framed villages reminiscent of Tuscany. Both L’Alta Garrotxa and the Parc Natural are well signed and easy to navigate – having a guide is a plus, but solo travellers won’t struggle to explore. The really hardcore Lycra-heads take to the mountainside, or set off on the 35-mile (57km) route from Olot to Girona.

Yoga is currently available on-demand at Off Grid, but is set to run twice weekly from the new year in an onsite studio. Instructor Alba is from a nearby village, and is into bees, she says, lighting a beeswax candle and encouraging our group to buzz meditatively into the morning sunlight. Hunched from the past few months, I also book an hour with local masseur Jordi.

The whole place lends itself to relaxation. Much of the hotel’s charming atmosphere comes from its past: hefty wood beams, an ivy-coated courtyard and antique pieces of furniture reupholstered by local artisans and restored to their former glory. Alongside huge iron fireplaces, original artworks and farm trinkets are displayed prominently.

Off Grid owns some land across the road too, which is used to farm organic produce. The hotel is working to become as sustainable as possible, and much is locally sourced: small-batch coffee from the medieval town of Besalú (5 miles away); sustainable Bekume bed linen made in Olot (29km); toiletries from the Olively startup in the nearest city, Girona; wines from two Catalan wineries.

There are plans for solar panels, an aerothermal heating system, a yoga pavilion, even an alfresco sauna. For now guests have the huge, unheated pool, trimmed by pumpkin-coloured loungers and scented Mediterranean foliage.

Each morning, as the sun peeks through the trees, I venture down for a solitary swim – practically a cold plunge in these autumn days. Back home, motherhood can feel like a stream of anxiety about the next step, the next nap, the next choice to feel guilty about. Here, for the first time in months, I’ve time to think, to simply be – and it feels good.

The trip was provided by Off Grid. Doubles from €150 room-only

You might not think of John C. Reilly as a romantic — he’s best known for starring in comedies like “Step Brothers” and “Talladega Nights” — but these days, the actor is leaning into that side of himself.

His new vaudeville show, “Mister Romantic,” came from a moment of deep reflection.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

“Three years ago, I was looking around the world thinking, ‘Man, it’s getting really divisive out there,’” he says. There’s a lot of strife among people. What can I do? And I thought, ‘Well, you can sing and dance, tell people you love them,’ and that’s how ‘Mister Romantic’ was born.”

With a quartet of musicians behind him, Reilly takes the stage as Mister Romantic, his alter ego who has no memory of the past. All he knows is that he must perform — and if he’s lucky, he’ll find someone to fall in love with him by the end of the night. The stage performance, which makes a stop at L.A.’s Palace Theatre on Oct. 10, follows the release of Reilly’s debut “Mister Romantic” album, a collection of love ballads he gathered and reinterpreted over the years. The result is part crooner, part cabaret — with clear nods to Frank Sinatra and Old Hollywood romances.

“We’re taking this message of empathy and love out to the world and having a lot of fun at the same time,” he says.

Reilly used to live near Pasadena, but after losing his home in the L.A. fires, now resides “all over.” With his children grown and most likely “doing their own Sunday things,” his ideal Sunday is spent with his wife and other important people in his life.

“Sunday is kind of like this safe space,” Reilly says. “It’s a chance to just check in with someone who might need a little company.”

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

7 a.m.: The joy of pajamas
I want to encourage everyone to get into pajamas. I’m a big fan of pajamas. I like the traditional kind with stripes. You know, like the old dad pajamas from the 1950s. So you’ll see me in my pajamas if you come to my house on Sunday morning.

I usually wake up about 7 o’clock, but it takes me about an hour and a half to even get anything going — I’m a very slow riser.

8:30 a.m.: Pick up pastries in Pasadena
I usually like to hit a bakery early on because it’s a fun thing to have on a Sunday morning — some fun bakery items. There’s this bakery I love in Pasadena called Seed Bakery that has all the hits. It’s this amazing couple, just the two of them — they make all the amazing French stuff that you’re familiar with and killer ham-and-cheese croissants.

One thing that my grandfather used to do when I was a kid: Sunday would be the day he would come over with stuff from the bakery. If you want to be like the most fun uncle out there, you can also just go to a friend’s house with baked goods.

11 a.m.: Take a hike at TreePeople
There’s this great place called TreePeople that I love that is up at the top of Coldwater Canyon. It’s a famous conservancy started by this kid in the ’70s — he was a teenager who was concerned about pollution, and he heard that trees and plants can help take pollution out of the air.

It’s one of the great hikes of L.A. It has these paths that kind of crisscross back and forth. It’s very peaceful.

It has this mission of not just preserving the trails but also teaching people about ecology and why trees are important. We definitely need some trees after all this fire that we’ve had in L.A. Trees are a really important part of the city.

2:30 p.m.: Afternoon at Moonlight Rollerway
I love the Moonlight Rollerway, an amazing roller rink in Glendale. I’m a longtime patron of the place. I’ve filmed in there a couple different times. We shot some of “Winning Time” in there.

It’s like a throwback kind of roller-skating rink. It reminds me of the places I used to go when I was, like, 11 or 12 years old, in the late ’70s in Chicago — and it really looks exactly like that. I don’t think they changed the concession stand since the ’70s.

I really love roller skating. During COVID, we started this gang called the Rebel Skate Rolling Club, and we would just go to parking lots, like the Target parking lot at 11 p.m. Everyone would descend with matching jackets and go roller skating.

Moonlight Rollerway is always there. It’s always air-conditioned. It has beautiful wooden floors, so if you fall, it’s not the end of the world. I’m a big fan of it because you don’t drink. There is no alcohol served there. It’s good clean fun, is the way I would describe it. You can have a hot dog at the concession stand.

There’s something really cool and energizing about roller skating — it’s the closest thing to flying that you’re gonna come across without sprouting wings.

5 p.m.: Bike to dinner
Me and my wife love to get on our bikes while it’s still light out, and ride our bikes to a fun restaurant near us and have a nice meal, maybe a couple glasses of wine, and then you’re riding back on your bike in the dark. It’s so fun — it feels like an adventure.

There are a lot of cool restaurants all along Mission Street in Pasadena — that was adjacent to where we lived, and it was easy to bike there.

8 p.m.: Catch a show at Largo or the Elysian
There are two places that I have a really strong connection to that are theaters in L.A. One is Largo at the Coronet, where you can see so many amazing comedians, but I love going there for the music. I can’t tell you how many nights of extraordinary experiences I’ve had at Largo.

The other theater I love is the Elysian Theater on the Eastside in Silver Lake on Riverside. It’s gonna sound crazy for people that are not aware that there is a clown scene going on in L.A., but there’s a huge clown scene going on in L.A. There are a lot of people in the clown scene that work out of the Elysian Theater. But if you’re into alternative comedy or queer stuff, or just voices that you are not going to hear at, like, the Comedy Store, then the Elysian is a really great hub for you.

It’s a nonprofit. It’s a place that encourages alternative voices. It feels really intimate when you’re there. I’ve done my show “Mister Romantic” there a bunch of times.

10:30 p.m.: Yoga as a nightcap
I like to do a little yoga before bed. People think of yoga as, like, starting the day with yoga, but actually stretching out before you go to bed is really good, because then you let go of the tension and stuff you’ve been holding from the day and can sleep better — so I recommend a nightcap of yoga. I usually go to bed around midnight.

Passengers on a recent easyJet flight were guided by cabin crew through an impromptu stretching session, but beyond entertainment there is a vital reason this is becoming a common practice

Passengers on a recent easyJet flight were subject to an impromptu ‘air-robics’ class. A viral TikTok video shows a plane-full of passengers stretching their arms and touching their knees at the direction of a cabin crew member.

The TikTok video has been viewed over 2 million times and was shared with the caption: “What in the air-robics is going on, easyJet”. While the synchronised stretching may look quite odd, one expert has shared that the practice is critical while flying.

While doing yoga stretches on an airplane may sound like a hassle, it’s become quite the trend. Videos are circulating online of flight attendants leading passengers through seated yoga routines mid-flight.

READ MORE: Brits warned to stop adopting common sitting position on flightsREAD MORE: Pilot’s wife shares the only two neck pillows she recommends for long flights

Weighing in on the movement, yoga instructor Holly Hogan says the practice supports circulation onboard and reduces nerves.

Partnering with Well Pharmacy Online Doctor, Holly Hogan, also shares expert-backed advice on in-seat yoga stretches, discreet breathing techniques, and strategies for beating jet lag to improve passenger comfort and wellbeing at 30,000 feet.

Holly says even minimal movement during long-haul travel can make a big difference. “Just five minutes of gentle stretching every couple of hours can help reduce tension in the neck, back and legs and lower the risk of circulation issues like deep vein thrombosis (DVT).”

While it’s important to stretch your legs by walking up and down the aisle, Holly says there are some beginner-friendly ways to stretch in your seat too.

“Even with limited space, there are simple yoga stretches you can do to stay comfortable and grounded. Try a seated cat-cow by gently arching your spine as you inhale and rounding your spine as you exhale. Add in some neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, and ankle circles to release tension and improve circulation.”

Holly recommends a “seated spinal twist” as well, which is not only great to ease stiffness in your back but aids with digestion. A great stretch to try after you’ve gotten through your inflight meal. Knee hugs are also great to loosen the lower back.

When you do stand up to stretch your legs or use the bathroom, there are a few other discreet poses you can attempt. “Mountain pose is a great one: just stand tall, ground your feet, and lengthen your spine,” Holly says. “A gentle forward fold can release your lower back, and calf raises are perfect for circulation. Even a standing quad stretch or lunge, if you have space, can prevent stiffness.”

For those who feel anxious while flying, Holly recommends focusing on breathing to calm down. “If you’re feeling anxious, one of my favourite techniques is box breathing: inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. If you can, extending your exhale – for example, inhale for four and exhale for six or eight, will help to calm your nervous system.”

Everyone should be moving or stretching every one to two hours during a long flight, according to Holly. This includes walking the aisle, doing standing poses or just stretching while seated.

“It doesn’t have to be a full routine – just enough to keep your body from stiffening up,” she says. She also says it’s vital to combine gentle stretching with good hydration.

“Drinking water supports good circulation and prevents dehydration, while conscious breathing keeps your mind calm,” she concludes. “Add in a few stretches and a guided meditation, and you’ll land feeling much more refreshed.”

I wasn’t expecting the welcoming chorus of “woofs” that greet me when I arrive at FitCamp Montenegro. Then again, the name, suggestive of a 1970s-style fat farm, is misleading. Based in a rustic farmhouse in the hills north-east of Nikšić, the country’s second largest city, the Yoga getaway I’m here to sample may focus on wellness and plant-based food – the antithesis of traditional Montenegrin fare – but its friendly dogs and cats would de-stress many a frazzled urbanite.

“We especially want to take care of solo travellers, tailor stays to their needs, and help them reconnect with themselves and nature,” says co-owner Andjela Djokic, as amiable Sivi, part hunting dog, part sheepdog, trots out for a sniff.

Fearne Cotton is enjoying the single life – and unearthing a refreshingly different side to party Island Ibiza – and we’ve tried and tested it just for you….

Most of us have jetted off to Ibiza for a holiday to remember (and some cracking stories to bring home) – or at least had pals heading to the famous White Isle for some serious clubbing, probably followed by quite the hangover the following morning as they languish poolside.

But TV presenter and former radio DJ Fearn Cotton is hoping to open travellers’ eyes to a very different side to beautiful Ibiza – an island she’s loved and visited each year for a long time now – which you can sample in less than a day. The perfect, chilled-out accompaniment to any holiday to the party hotspot.

The 43-year-old mum-of-two, who is positively glowing and clearly enjoying the single life following her recently split from ex-husband Jesse Woods after 10 years of marriage, wants travellers to the party island to think about alternative days out when they’re there, as research reveals that over a third of British travellers would actually avoid bars and clubs while visiting the beloved Spanish island.

As gorgeous Fearne says “Trust me, we’ve all had some Ibiza experiences we can’t quite remember. That’s why I’m back to experience another side of the White Isle with GetYourGuide. And I promise you, I won’t forget it.”

Having now followed in the star’s footsteps, we can confirm that yes, it absolutely is possible to hit up Ushuaia Ibiza for a superstar DJ set one day, and find yourself indulging in a spot of yoga in a magically unspoilt location the next. In fact, it’s a must.

Enter Ibiza: Unplugged wellness experiences – a genius collaboration between Happy Place founder Ferne and GetYourGuide which, at a remarkably reasonable 40 euros – a price which would just about get you into one of Ibiza’s top clubs, you can step away from the madness for a day and try something refreshingly different.

The experience, which is a half-day itinerary, includes a beautiful sunrise hike, a boat trip (or a relaxing ‘snooze cruise’ as Fearne puts it) with a stop off for swimming in the most crystal clear waters you’ll ever experience, where the views across the Formentera are nothing short of spectacular, a yoga class in the cool pine forest overlooking a secluded cove and a zen-inducing sound bath. Heaven..

During our escape to the sun-soaked isle, where we also sampled the chic vibes of 5 star hotel The Mondrian Ibiza, perched above the stunning turquoise waters of Cala Llonga, we tested out Fearne’s lush itinerary ourselves. And yes, we can tell you, it’s the perfect anecdote to the buzzing party spots, even if you’re ready to hit the town the next day.

Kicking off with an easy to moderate hike – which sets off at around 6am so you’re not trekking in baking temperatures, takes you up the mountain to a spot where you have a stunning view of tiny uninhabited island Es Vedrà at sunrise. Perfect golden light for the Gram, if you really must!

A tiny, rocky island which stands at roughly 400 metres high, Es Vedrà is seen as a mystical location by locals and travellers alike – one that’s associated with a magnetic, positive energy which many, sceptics included, have said pulls them back to the island, time and again.

It’s with this stunning view that GetYourGuide travellers can then settle in under a beautiful sun-dappled pines to indulge in some yoga with a brilliant local teacher. Ours was incredible, she located exactly where my back problems lay and offered me a mini-massage, as we attempted our downward dogs.

That’s another thing – like the hike, the yoga session is perfect for beginners and pros alike. Everything can be done at your own pace – with the help of hunky guide Pablo Leonard, co-founder of travel company Into The Island.

Pablo is more than happy to chat about life on Ibiza, throw in some local restaurant recommendations (we visited Monkey Ibiza with its outdoor pools and boho food-to-table Aubergine with its beautiful garden on his recommendation and both get our vote). Hell, he’ll even rustle you up a nifty mango-based sangria during your boat-trip, if you play your cards right.

Wellness advocate Fearne, who admits Ibiza is her ‘happy place’, says:: ‘I first visited Ibiza 20 years ago and fell in love with the island’s energy and people. There’s something truly magical about this place and however hectic my life gets, a trip here will always bring me back to myself.

“Over the last two decades I’ve discovered the best secret spots for sunrise hikes, chilly dips and soulful yoga sessions. And this summer I’m going to let you in on some of my hidden gems.

“With GetYourGuide I’ve curated the perfect way to unplug and spend a chilled day in Ibiza, guided by true experts that know the island like the back of their hand. And the best thing about it? It’s all for the price of a club entry. So treat yourself to a night off!”

And mental health advocate Fearne’s love of a more low-key vibe on occasion seems to be reflected in the habits of a whole lot of discerning holidaymakers these days.

According to a survey by GetYourGuide and YouGov, around 1 in 30 British travellers avoid clubbing and hangovers – to make sure they’re getting the greatest benefit out of their holiday activities.

It would seem it’s also the hefty price of drinks (32%) and club entry (32%) which are putting more than a third of club-loving British from hitting the clubs when abroad – with British travellers three times more likely to pick a holiday because it has a well-known spa (13%) as opposed to a banging nightclub (4%).

After experiencing GetYourGuide ambassador Fearne’s carefully curated Ibiza activities for ourselves we are converted to the idea that you can go wild one night, find your inner zen and take in some jaw-dropping scenery the next. Ibiza, you’re a special place. We will be back…

Ibiza Unplugged is running on selected dates throughout August, and has been co-created with trusted GetYourGuide partner, Into The Island.

Bookings are live now for ‘Ibiza: Unplugged’ on the GetYourGuide website and app www.getyourguide.com– available on a first-come-first-serve basis on 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd August 2025.

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June 20 (UPI) — Summer officially began Friday in the Northern Hemisphere with the longest daylight of the year at around 15 hours.

At Times Square in New York, thousands of people enjoyed the extra sunshine in all-day yoga classes.

The summer solstice officially begins at 10:42 p.m.

The amount of daylight depends on the location. And the sun’s intensity also varies.

Simultaneously, those in the Southern Hemisphere will mark the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of 2025 below the equator. That is around 7 hours and 40 minutes of daylight.

The sun appears higher or lower in the sky depending on the season.

In New York City, daylight was 15 hours and 6 minutes with sunrise at 5:24 a.m. and sunset at 8:30 p.m.

Yoga participants enjoyed a sunny day in Manhattan with a high temperature of 85 degrees, no precipitation and 38% humidity. Free yoga classes were open to experienced yogis and first-timers on the Broadway pedestrian plazas.

Classes for 23rd Mind over Madness Yoga ran from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The only animals allowed were service dogs.

People could also participate in a livestream.

It was sponsored by Times Square Alliance, which is a nonprofit organization that “works to improve and promote Times Square so that it retains the creativity, energy and edge that have made it an international icon for over 100 years,” according to its website.

Events have been celebrated by cultures around the world for thousands of years. Stonehenge and the Mayan Chichen Itza Pyramid were purposely built to align with these seasonal markers.

Some Native American tribes in the plains and the Rocky Mountains perform a Sun Dance to celebrate the summer solstice. In Fairbanks, Alaska, a baseball game called the “Midnight Sun Game” traditionally starts at 10:30 p.m.

The summer solstice occurs because the Earth has a 23.5-degree tilt. So, the planet is pointed toward the sun half of the year and the most away the other half.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the sun reaches its northernmost point relative to Earth’s celestial equator.

During the summer solstice, the sun shines directly on the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere. That means if you stand there, you’ll have no shadow at noon because the sun will be directly overhead.

The winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is 10:02 a.m.

The winter solstice takes place when the sun is in its southernmost position relative to the celestial equator.

The word solstice is derived from the Latin word solstitium, which translates to “sun stands still.”

The Fall equinox will occur at 2:19 p.m. Sept. 22 this year and the spring equinox is March 20, 2026, at 10:46 a.m.