The building where the new ‘enlighten-your-busy-lifestyle’-shop, slash health cafe, slash yoga hangout YAY is now located, used to house international ad agency SID LEE’s Dutch HQ. Aside from the cafe part which remained and got refreshed, you wouldn’t recognize it. Nowadays, healthy juices are served in the area previously meant to hedonistically start the weekend.
From FOMO to JOMO
When I heard a refreshing concept was about to settle here, I was curious about the make-over. Whilst passing the threshold you enter a different world; no more desks with iMacs or laptops where the screens are fixed by employees in order to keep up with continuous deadlines, and performance pressure thickening the atmosphere. Today you’re welcomed by a relaxing vibe. Interesting detail is that this contrast made founders Kelly Zaal and Nanda van Aalst want to start YAY in the first place. Super active urbanites constantly striving to be the best at their job while maintaining a socialite-worthy life after work hours, should grant themselves a break from this madness. Comes in YAY, where FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) has been replaced by JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out).
The law of raw
Depending which side you enter -one entrance is at the Gerard Doustraat, the other at the AlbertCuypstraat-, you either find yourself in a shop -with an offer that varies from organic cosmetics (including beard oil for the dudes!), pure herbal tea, yoga wear and hammam cloths to skateboards made of local wood and furniture from recycled materials- or end up in the Health café where you can sit down, unwind and enjoy a raw food breakfast or lunch.
With this ‘everyone needs to get fit’ hype going on, YAY is the ideal spot that proves a healthier lifestyle can be accessible for a broader audience. I have to admit I am not privy to the raw food trend, though what I have tasted (Herbed Pumpkin Cream Cheese quiche, Raw Rainbow wrap, Vibrant Seasonal Salad with Almond-Cranberry Creamcheese) was surprisingly good. The fact that you take in vitamins, minerals and enzymes (of which little to none remain when cooked) is a pleasant thought. Plus, it is quite filling and perfectly avoids snack attacks. They also serve the Chaga Tea Lydia recently wrote about, but you can fetch some herbs from the tea wall to create your own blend as well. May your interest in raw food be awakened after visiting the YAY Health café, they also offer the possibilities to sign up for a cooking workshop.
Yay! Yoga!
No healthy concept without yoga. So after you gear up in a new yoga outfit, take one of YAY’s daily yoga classes which you can book here. Very nice addition: you can also book a yoga class including breakfast! If a post-workout means settling into the cosy Ibiza hippy-ish couch and satisfy our apetite with some raw banana-choco pancakes? We say yay!
