In celebration of lululemon’s new SoHo store opening, ONEYOGAHOUSE founder and longtime New Yorker Anna Haddad stars in their featured hero campaign, photographed at our studio.
lululemon asked Anna to share the flavors, locales, and rituals that shape her life in this city.
From sunrise walks through Brooklyn Bridge Park to late-night dinners at the spots that have hosted her for decades, she embodies what it means to intentionally live in a city of endless possibilities.
Here, she gives us her personal love letter to SoHo and New York.
Lululemon: SOHO Broadway
524 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
The lululemon Soho store is moving two doors down to 524 Broadway
Lululemon Q+A with Anna:
What’s your go-to local spot for a meal that always hits the spot? And why?
Juliana’s. It’s become a comfort zone for the entire family.
We knew Patsy Grimaldi, whose legacy is alive in coal-oven pizza and impeccable service (the staff welcomes us like old friends). Whether dining in or taking away, it feels like home.
Juliana’s
19 Old Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Where do you take friends when you want to show them “your” city? Why do you love it?
Raoul’s on the edge of SoHo and the West Village. It’s been a favorite since college (when I could barely afford it). I always found a way to make room for the steak au poivre, oysters, martini, and that off-menu burger (only limited amounts are served at the bar).
Effortlessly cool, sexy, bohemian. This spot has served artists, rock stars, and writers since the ’70s. You can feel the weight of these memories when you walk in.
Raoul’s
180 Prince St
New York, NY 10012
What’s one dish in your area that feels like home to you — and where do you get it? What do you love about it?
Galbi-Jjim (soy braised prime beef, shiitake mushroom) at Moono just on the cusp of Koreatown. It’s deeply savory, perfectly balanced, and immediately takes me back to my Korean roots. I pair it with naeng-myun (cold buckwheat noodles in bone broth topped with egg and cucumbers), seafood and veggie pancakes, and spicy dumpling soup.
Moono
29 E 32nd St
New York, NY 10016
What's your favorite coffee spot? And why do you love it?
Arabica, just around the corner from my yoga studio in DUMBO. The coffee and matcha are delicious, and you can’t beat that view of the Brooklyn Bridge and downtown Manhattan.
Arabica
Address: 20 Old Fulton St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
What's your if you know, you know spot?
King. Woman owned, seasonal fare, no pretense, and elegant in its simplicity.
King
18 King St
New York, NY 10014
Favorite juice/smoothie spot?
I usually make my own blends, but, when on the move, I grab a smoothie next door from 1Hotel’s Neighbors cafe.
What’s your favourite order?
This changes seasonally, but my evergreen favorites are the Acai or Powerhouse smoothies.
1Hotel Neighbors Cafe
Address: 60 Furman St Ground Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Where do you go when you need to clear your mind or spark new ideas? And why?
In Brooklyn Bridge Park, just outside my door.
There are hidden corners for sunset viewing, and the city skyline stretches out before you with all the classic landmarks (the bridges, the Statue of Liberty).
It’s a place to breathe. I’m also steps away from my studio, ONEYOGAHOUSE. Inspiration often comes when I walk Frankie, my Portuguese Water Dog, sit quietly, or lead a class.
Giving to others becomes a way of letting go, creating space for ideas to arise.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
334 Furman St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Is there a place that never fails to recharge you — even if it’s quiet or tucked away?
My home and my yoga studio, both in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Truly my sanctuary.
How does it make you feel?
I surround myself with sound instruments (even in my home office), photos of travels, candles, beautiful light, books, gardens. They make me feel calm, grateful, and serene.
oneyogahouse
90 Furman St
Brooklyn NY, 11201
What local spot best captures the city’s energy or creativity?
Rooftops, both my building and the one atop the 1Hotel next door.
And why?
From up there, the city stretches endlessly. I see the river shimmer, the skyline pulse, the sunset and moonlight shift; the city’s rhythm meets the vastness of the sky.
Standing there, I remember that the universe is ever-moving, ever-expanding. The eagle-eye view grounds me and lifts me higher: a visual mantra where true presence and possibility meet.
1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
60 Furman St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Where do you feel most connected to your community or surroundings? And why?
My yoga studio, hands down. It was my dream to build a community that I wanted to live in. One student at a time. When you walk in, you’re greeted with warmth from all angles: the scent of palo santo in the air (or the candle we have on loop), the friendliness of our team, students who embody openness, kindness, and growth.
I always leave feeling so much better than when I arrived, having learned something about the practice and myself. Our teachers are truly themselves: sincere, individual, and generous with their knowledge. The friendships I’ve formed from creating the studio and simply practicing there are the biggest gifts.
oneyogahouse
90 Furman St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
What’s your favorite local spot to move your body — whether it’s a gym, studio, trail, park, tennis, or golf course.
As always, ONEYOGAHOUSE and Brooklyn Bridge Park. I’ve also run many miles through Prospect Park in Park Slope. Lately I’ve been playing golf (picked it up a couple of years ago on simulators like Golfzon and Golf V2) and have now graduated to outdoor courses across New York, Long Island, and New Jersey. I hope to play as much as possible this year (great excuse to travel) and into the future.
Why do you love it?
The nature.
Where do you love to run, stretch, hike, or flow when you want to feel mindful?
The parks and bridges of New York, and my studio.
I used to hike at Bear Mountain, Cold Spring, and Long Island. These days many of the retreats I lead include a hiking element.
Why do you love it there?
It gets me out of my day-to-day tasks, helping me find my flow state and clear my mind.
Prospect Park
Main entrance: Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Popular entrance/landmark: LeFrak Center at Lakeside, 171 East Dr, Brooklyn, NY 11225
Runners, what's your favorite 5k, 10k, 21k run routes? And why?
From Brooklyn Bridge Park to Prospect Park, loops through Central Park, the New York City Marathon and the Brooklyn Half. I’ve run many half-marathons and a couple of full marathons, both here and abroad, but nothing compares to the pulse and energy of New York.
Central Park 3-loop Route (approx. 18 miles
This is a popular option for long runs. It involves multiple full circuits of the park’s inner roads and can help simulate the physical and mental challenge of a marathon.
What’s a moment in New York that made you stop and think, “This is why I live here”? And why?
New York can be a really tough—and joyful—place to live. I’ve been here my entire adult life.
I’m recalling all of my athletic and career pursuits, the moments of intensity followed by the reward, those first moments of crossing the finish line, of building my dreams. Chaos coupled with calm. It is in these moments, I realize why I live here: New York has a way of reflecting you back to yourself. It holds your ambition, stillness, and becoming, all at once.
I think this city doesn’t just move around you; it moves through you. There’s just nothing like it.
How has New York shaped the way you connect with others?
The diversity has always attracted me. The city celebrates our differences, encouraging world-class creativity that I find both energizing and humbling.
What do you love about SoHo?
SoHo is inherently a part of my story, having spent many hours of my young and adult life in its streets. I’ve eaten at restaurants on every block, attended parties, photographed the cobblestones, and been on the scene with my friends. It was exactly what I saw in the movies, and I fell in love.
The mix of art, light, fashion, and quiet intention. There’s something magnetic about the way creativity and calm coexist: sunlight spilling through loft windows juxtaposed with the rhythm of the bodies.
How does being active connect you to your city or your community?
Being active reminds me to stay curious and open, to live with both elegance and ease.
Just like my city and community, it’s a vibration. It helps me feel aligned, expansive, purposeful, and deeply alive.
What’s your favourite lululemon event or club you’ve been part of?
The full-day photoshoot at my studio for the SoHo store launch campaign was pretty epic. I will always come back to that day. It’s a reminder that the little immigrant girl from South Korea has come a long way, and that there’s so much more good to do.
Leading meditations and movement for so many groups brought together by the lululemon community will always fuel my purpose. UNGA Week, International Day of Yoga, speaking at panels around the city, teaching the lululemon Board of Directors at my studio…I can’t just name one!
What does a perfect day in New York start and end with? Or even – what does a perfect day in New York look like to you?
In a city that thrives on momentum, it’s easy to believe fulfillment comes from checking off experiences, staying in perpetual motion.
The truth, and the quiet wisdom of this city (when you learn to listen) is that depth doesn’t come from doing, it comes from presence. The beauty of being completely here lies in that awareness. Realizing that every moment, no matter how ordinary, holds something sacred when met with intention.
So…my perfect day is one where I feel truly present with myself, my family, and my community. Like yoga off the mat: returning again and again to my breath, my senses, my body, the details I love about my surroundings.
When I stop trying to do it all and allow myself to feel it all, I rediscover that New York expands infinitely in the spaces between.
ABOUT ONEYOGAHOUSE
oneyogahouse
90 Furman St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
We are a yoga, pilates, and sound meditation studio located in DUMBO (an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), next door to the 1Hotels in Brooklyn Bridge Park. As a community that prioritizes awakening our bodies, expanding our energy, and bringing movement to life, OYH offers a space designed to uplift and empower practitioners to ground themselves, undergo transformation, ignite their energy, and evolve in their yoga journey.
Driven by a passion for community, connection, and the transformative effects of yoga and meditation, yoga teacher and entrepreneur Anna Haddad founded OYH in 2020, and in the challenging landscape of the global COVID-19 pandemic, opened the Brooklyn location in September of 2021. Over the past several years, she’s built a team of some of New York’s most exceptional instructors. With safety, sustainability, and intentionality prioritized above all else, you can anticipate a yoga experience that’s not only accessible, but also mentally stimulating and geared towards personal growth.
We offer an array of classes suitable for every practice level.
We offer a diverse range of classes suited to practitioners of all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced yogis. Our yoga teachers come from all lineages and studies, from Katonah and Iyengar, to Vinyasa and Ashtanga. Whether you’re drawn to a hot, vigorous flow, a gentle, restorative practice, or a meditative sound therapy session, there’s something for everyone. Each class is thoughtfully designed to cater to different needs and preferences, ensuring that you find the practice that resonates with you.
Our most popular specialty classes include:
THE CENTERED ONE - MAT PILATES
Our pilates classes will challenge you in exercises that chisel your abs, tone your glutes, and sculpt long, lean muscles. You will use your own body weight, yoga blocks, magic circles, and resistance bands.
THE THERAPEUTIC ONE
This class combines a gentle slow flow and restorative yin postures and closes with a deep meditation session to explore the quietude of your mind.
THE FIERY ONE - HOT YOGA
This is a heated Vinyasa flow experience that is intentional, fun, and guided by the rhythm of the breath. Expect lots of movement with a focus on functional exercises. It’s an open-level class that’s powered by radiant infrared panels and an air purification system to minimize airborne dust, pollen, and germs.
THE STUDIOUS ONE - MASTER CLASS
Taught by senior teachers, master classes are an opportunity for intermediate yogis and teachers to deepen their practice through an extended study of the asanas. You’ll incorporate more advanced postures, yoga philosophy, and anatomical education.
THE FOUNDATIONAL ONE
This class breaks down the fundamentals of key yoga postures for both people who have never taken a yoga class and practitioners who have some knowledge of the practice but would like to renew and strengthen their foundation.
THE EMBODIED ONE - SOMATICS
Explore somatic movement exercises to help re-educate the way your brain moves, holds, and senses your muscles. You’ll commence class with an extended savasana and gradually enter into yoga asanas.
THE INTERNAL ONE
In this internal strength class using the Kinstretch® Method, focus on the determinants of your movement (i.e. ligaments, tendons, and connective tissue) rather than the external organization of movement (i.e. specific yoga poses). Through self-assessment, you’ll learn about your current range of motion and exercise more control.
THE ALIGNED ONE
Similar to The Fiery ONE, expect an open-level, but room temperature, Vinyasa class woven with elements of Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga, or Katonah Yoga. These yoga classes are intelligently sequenced at a slower, sweeter pace to ease you into the practice, allowing time for your body to adapt to movement. You are sure to break a sweat by building heat from within.
In every class, the teacher will ease you into practice, allowing time for your body to adapt to the flow and temperature of the room. No class is exactly the same, but overall, you can expect emphasis on mindful movement, mobility, alignment, breathwork, and drishti—a focused gaze—cultivating a sense of presence and awareness on the mat. Our focus on breath allows you to deepen your practice, quiet the mind, and experience a profound sense of relaxation and inner peace. You’ll be encouraged to listen to your body, honor its limitations, and explore your edge with compassion.
SOUND MEDITATION
Sound has been used for its therapeutic qualities for centuries. Sound Meditation experiences at OYH will guide you through an experience of pranayama, vocalization, and visualization to prepare for deep listening. You will be encouraged to find a comfortable position, and with eyes closed, take in the sounds emitted from instruments such as gongs, singing bowls, varying chimes and bells, drums, etc. These instruments, intentionally sequenced, create a safe space for participants to enter a meditative state to down-regulate the nervous system and create a sense of ease and clarity.
Our holistic approach to community and wellness.
At OYH, you’re part of a supportive and inclusive community from day one. Whether you attend classes regularly or drop in occasionally, you’ll find camaraderie and encouragement from fellow practitioners and instructors alike. The studio fosters connections beyond the mat, offering workshops, events, retreats, and social gatherings to support local businesses (like brunch and oyster shucking) where you can connect with like-minded individuals and deepen your practice both on and off the mat.
Our holistic approach to wellness extends beyond movement. In addition to regular yoga and pilates classes, the studio offers workshops focused on nutrition, mindfulness, self-care, and personal development. Whether you’re interested in exploring the benefits of Ceremonial Grade Cacao, learning about the Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) routine, or delving into pelvic floor therapy, there are ample opportunities to learn something new and nourish your body, mind, and soul.
Retreats offer immersive experiences that transcend the boundaries of the studio. ONEYOGAHOUSE retreats serve as rejuvenating getaways designed to allow participants to deepen their practice and forge new connections. Through carefully curated programs, attendees engage in daily yoga, breathwork, functional mobility, journaling, and meditation sessions, alongside modalities such as lymph work, kriyas, and vagal toning. Retreat members also enjoy chef-prepared group meals, outdoor adventures and exploration, cocktail hours, spa services, shopping and cultural trips, and more. Set in beautiful locations like Los Cabos, Mexico, Morocco, North Africa, and Montauk, New York, the retreat landscapes provide serene backdrops for self-reflection and relaxation.
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