Floyd Yoga Jam + Goatocado Review
First thing's first, we get lost. I mean, driving around in the dark afraid of potential claw bearing childhood-nightmare-style crazies coming at you in the night kind of lost. Actually, I only thought about that for a second when we were stopped in a random driveway surrounded by a night dark as tar.
Second thing, we pull our selves together (i.e. Logan figures it out) and swing into Floyd Yoga Jam after 2 extra hours driving. Stepping out of the car into the cool Floyd air was like sponging off all of the automotive anxiety (and dirty curse words) that we had been radiating all night. Even at 2AM, Floyd has a magical quality.
So we wake up in the morning, cold dew clinging to the ankle-high grass, thoroughly groggy though well rested. Something about late nights makes a morning fuzzy. We trekked out from our tent into the Yoga Jam. Lemme tell ya, people. It was a sight to see.
What I mean is, there was a higher concentration of hot yoga chicks here than anywhere I've seen in my life. ALSO, a high concentration of smiley, pretty, older yoga ladies in moo moos with crinkly-eyed, tan, shirtless husbands on their arms. Not to mention the endless variations of yoga pants, trippy leggings, and tight booty shorts.
It warms my heart when so many ladies decide that bras are pretty much useless. Fuck bras, they say. To see a nip was about as common as to see a face.
From the perspective of someone who appreciates breasts -- we ALL DO people, be real with yourself -- and who has breasts, I just love it when folks make logical decisions with what they've got. Have a massive front and need the kind of support that keeps your body healthy and pain free? ROCK that sports bra! But if you're an A or B at this festie, what is the POINT? AMIRIGHT? Swing 'em around. It feels so
right.
Getting away from the bra thing (it's a festie, not a chestie), there is so much to say about Floyd Yoga Jam (or YOJAM as it is oft called). Lemme list off the basics of the YoJam goodness: gorgeous location, big open fields, plenty of parking, car camping (if ye like), a shallow, winding creek for taking a dip, sheltered event spaces, non-shiesty vendors, vegetarian food trucks and pop-up shops, GOATOCADO (more on this later), and a varied schedule.
There is much that is great about the YoJam, and with that greatness comes a lot of awkward new-age pop-yoga.
Personally, I find yoga rap, pretentious/loud teachers, & badly produced chanting performances pretty lame. But some people find all of that stuff inspiring. I mean, there were folks ROCKING OUT to MC Yogi -- which, you know, is cute and silly and simple. Thank god DJ Drez was working the music; at least the sonics were great.
But at the same time, every program I chose to go to was excellent. And I actually had a really fun time at MC Yogi -- mostly because 1. His background visuals were funny and expertly crafted, 2. Watching tall, muscular yoga dudes in tights dance their bums off is particularly fantastic, 3. Having good friends dance around and be silly with you is SO GOOD.
So, perhaps that just means there is something for everyone. If you prefer your teacher to jump up and down and say things like "
be
a double rainbow!" They've got it. Or if, like me, you want to rock out to righteous rock and roll with unpretentious jivamukti teachers from Georgia, they've got that too.
Laney Sullivan of Lobo Marino, looking reverent
So, YOU GUYS, about the food. Festivals usually offer a mixture of carnival fare (meat-on-a-stick, fries, and variations on fried sugar dough) and overpriced specialty foods (peanut noodles, tamales, pizza). Logan and I are total food snobs at festies, and it doesn't help that we have odd food sensitivities and prefer plants. But luckily for us Goatocado has been at every fest we've attended this Summer.
If Goatocado is at a fest, we know we're going to be able to eat. Floyd Yoga Jam did a really good job at providing a range of food vendors with good prices and quality offerings. They even had their own little salad bar set up for fest-goers to graze upon. But, once again, Goatocado blew everyone out of the water.
It's worth noting here, before I go any further, that Logan and I actually know Ian, the owner. He's a great guy working his buns off to make this dream happen. And he's been incredibly successful, despite the craziness that is running a mobile food venture.
is based out of Richmond, VA. Their staples are their quinoa bowls, gouda mac n' cheese, and Lamplighter micro-roast coffee. Ian has done a fantastic job at offering a varied yet uncomplicated menu at each event he works. At Bonnaroo (80,000 attending), you could get a specialty bowl with either quinoa or naan, gouda mac, icey smoothies, a green juice, coffee, etc. This was from lunch late into the night, with one staple breakfast option pre-2pm.
Whereas at the Yoga Jam, he offered his signature Mountain Tropp (which has been on the menu for as long as Goatocado has existed -- it's that good!) and The Athena, as well as his (ever-popular) Smoked Gouda Mac' n Cheese, a Quinoa Parfait, an Avocado Bowl, Mint Lime Tea, Pomegranate Gingerade, and Lamplighter Dark Roast Coffee.
I'm a big fan of the Mountain Tropp. Quinoa, arugula, apple and sweet corn pico de gallo, adobo black beans, shredded gouda, fresh avocado slices, with a homemade chipotle mango sauce. For breakfast we got it with a poached egg &
soyrizo, and for dinner we just ate it without. Nine bucks. For all of that. For real. And the egg was included in the price! Seriously the best deal out there in festie food world, and the flavors are incredibly well balanced. Sweet, crunchy, spicy, savory, creamy; and you feel SO GOOD afterwards, not to mention completely satisfied. AND THE TRUCK RUNS MOSTLY ON BIODIESEL. Oh environmentally conscious businesses, you win my heart! Can I say enough good things about this food truck?
The gouda mac is totally a winner, too. I personally haven't tried it, but he sells out of it at every festival. Added bonus, the folks who work the truck are super nice and NOT totally hipstered out like you might think, being from Richmond. They're just super cool music lovers -- with great hair -- who are down to have fun.
If you're ever in Richmond,
They usually split up between the full food truck set-up and a little cart attached to a bike.
