72 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2025 montereycountynow.com/bestof SHOPPING & SERVICES aftermath of a Twister game, make your way over to the Back & Neck Pain Center of Monterey, headed by chiropractor Aaron Gaily. Beyond helping ease the spinal pain, Gaily can also treat various disc and other injuries that may happen as the result of a round that got a little too crazy. Gaily’s had Monterey County’s back since he opened his practice in 2003. BEST YOGA STUDIO Om Studios 631B Cass St., Monterey (831) 480-9293, omoasis.com We all have that friend who gets a little worked up during game night. The next time that Risk board is in danger of flying through the air, suggest a visit to Best Yoga Studio Om Studios. Om Studios offers several daily barre, pilates and yoga classes targeting a wide range of needs—even those of that toxic game night friend. Om Studios is Monterey County’s preferred spot for classes that release stress and promote healthy aging, all the way to advanced Pilates and energizing hot yoga workouts. BEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR Jordon Rossow adaywithjordymay.com Those who commit to a more strong body and serene mind (or are really competitive at Twister) seek Jordon Rossow for their local yoga needs. Monterey County’s Best Yoga Instructor leads group barre, yoga and Pilates classes at Om Studios, offering a variation on classical form. Rossow also offers personalized yoga sessions. Right foot blue, left hand green—it will be no problem after a few classes. Reiki and sound healing combine with breathwork and yoga to make Rossow’s private yoga instruction a standout in this competitive Best Of category. BEST BOUTIQUE FITNESS STUDIO Fuel Cycling 2700 Garden Road, Monterey (831) 319-5307, fuelcyclingmonterey.com Sure, you can plug into a Peloton all alone in your living room. But what fun is that? The instructors at Fuel Cycling bring skill, energy, team spirit and some very strong feelings about great workout music mixes to this gym, again voted by readers as the best. Founder and CEO Molly Kennedy is a teacher by day and passionate cycling instructor at all other times. “Playlisting is another full-time job,” she adds in her bio. “Every song in my workout is hand-picked and placed in my workout for a reason.” Not only are attendees getting their heart rate up, they’re on a musical journey. It’s not just for muscle mass that Fuel Cycling is the best—vibes matter too. BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST Ashley Dahlem Inner Rhythms Massage & Skincare 1084 B Cass St., Monterey (831) 241-2280, vagaro.com/innerrhythms With close to 20 years of experience, Ashley Dahlem offers therapeutic massages, abdominal therapy, pregnancy and skin care services. That means she can relieve you of stress after a tense game of Madden. But she provides more important health services, too. Dahlem offers a gentle, non-invasive therapy rooted in Central American traditions, focusing on the alignment and health of the pelvic and abdominal organs. BEST HEALTH CLUB Monterey Sports Center 301 E. Franklin St., Monterey (831) 646-3730, monterey.gov The Monterey Sports Center has captured the flag yet again, earning readers’ vote as the best place to work out—or maybe it’s to loosen up in the sauna, or train for your bike race goal in a spin class, or learn how to swim. Or maybe just to fly down the epic 180-foot water slide (trust us, you will get some air). “In the early 2000s, we started moving away from a traditional fitness center to a wellness center,” Sports Center Manager Bill Rothschild says. It’s an evolving concept, coupled with ongoing maintenance needs; a $1.3 million pool remodel is just completed, plus a $1.2 million HVAC/dehumidifier overhaul. (Rothschild is already envisioning the next upgrades to modernize the locker rooms and improve shower facilities, still the originals from 1992.) There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re recovering from an injury or at the top of your fitness game. BEST ACUPUNCTURIST Oona Hull Acupuncture & Alternative Medicine Center, 26350 Carmel Rancho Lane #200, Carmel (831) 372-7100, acpuncturemontereybay.com Contrary to popular belief, the ancient medicinal Chinese practice of acupuncture isn’t a game of Battleship. Best Tattoo Parlor | Wholehearted Tattoo
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