Tanner Bazemore: My favorite things . . .
September 27, 2019
Tanner Bazemore is the founder and owner of Y2 Yoga, the hot yoga studio in Cotswold Shopping Center that focuses on cardio, strength and flexibility. The son of a Navy pilot, Bazemore moved around a lot as a child — 27 times before age 9. His family landed in the Queen City in 1989, and other than a couple of short stints in New Hampshire and New Orleans, he’s lived here ever since. “Charlotte has been the only home I have ever really known, and I don’t see myself ever leaving.”
Comments were edited for brevity and clarity.
Perfect day:
I came up with the insane idea of building what amounts to one of the largest yoga studios in the country. Aside from yoga, we have a spa and an on-site restaurant, Bistro La Bon. So, my perfect day is teaching a class, taking a class, getting a massage in our spa and then popping over to the bistro for wine with friends. I don’t have to leave the building. #blessed
Favorite places to shop:
I teach yoga in a room that makes waterproof mascara retreat down the eyes of women like the river Nile, so I need my clothes to be durable, breathable and comfortable. Lululemon is what I wear 90% of the time. Unlike most other occupations, if I’m wearing a shirt and shoes it’s almost like I am overdressed. For the other 10% of the time when I can actually throw on a pair of pants, I like True Religion. Luckily, both of these places have stores at SouthPark Mall.
Place to have a glass of wine:
Less than 100 yards away from my apartment in SouthPark is a new restaurant and bar, Bar Marcel. I’ll have a malbec and either the charcuterie board or wagyu beef carpaccio. It feels cozy and has a warm but modern feel.
Hideout:
Home on the couch, armed with 59 hours (and counting) of Marvel movies, a bottle of Trentatré Rosso (at $5.99, a best-kept secret at Trader Joe’s) and a bag of chips. Deadpool is my fave, and Ryan Reynolds is my soul brother. #brocrush
Photographers:
Wanda Koch has taken photos of me doing yoga since before I taught and works tirelessly and creatively to capture the yoga scene in Charlotte (image above by Koch). Bryan Bazemore (my brother, I’m biased here), is as meticulous about photography as I am about the formatting of a yoga class and how to properly place the lavender towel on a student’s face during Savasana (hint: crease across the bridge of the nose and not covering the nose). Most of their talent is unseen, because 90% of the work is in post production.
Favorite cocktail:
After a brief getaway to Las Vegas with my girlfriend earlier this year, I was persuaded to order an Old-Fashioned at a bar at The Palazzo. Since then, it has been our staple. New South Kitchen & Bar at the Arboretum is a must-try — casual ambience, and Sue’s Old-Fashioned only knocks you back $10. (Named after owner and bar manager Sue Edwards, New South’s Old-Fashioned is made with Rittenhouse rye, simple syrup, Regans’ orange bitters and muddled orange slices.)
Key Objective:
Growth. It is a mantra that I repeat daily: constant and never-ending improvement. Every day, I am constantly re-evaluating and testing systems and procedures. Y2 was forged by countless mistakes and failures. Yoga teaches you to face difficult situations head on, and then just breathe and be OK with the struggle until it passes or ceases to be a struggle. The epic amount of trials that Y2 has faced only prompted me to set my sights on a larger challenge: to expand and proliferate through Charlotte and beyond.
PROVERB:
“They thought they could bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.” — author unknown
Compiled by Whitley Adkins Hamlin. Know of a Charlotte tastemaker or person of interest we should feature here? Email whitley@thequeencitystyle.com.
