68 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2026 montereycountynow.com/bestof Shopping & Services BEST ALTERNATIVE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER Monterey Natural Wellness 409 Washington St., 200, Monterey (831) 298-6298, montereynaturalwellness.com After a long shift of flying, leaping, catching, swinging and gracefully falling into a massive safety net, trapeze artists are in need of some TLC. What better way to ease that neck and shoulder tension than a session at Monterey Natural Wellness, where they can find a wide range of services to boost their health, such as IV therapy, vitamin injections and acupuncture, alongside traditional natural wellness modalities such as naturopathic and functional medicine. BEST CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Aaron Gaily Back & Neck Pain Center of Monterey, 1299 Pacific St., Monterey (831) 657-0191, chiropractormonterey. com Imagine what all of those acrobats and contortionists must go through. We’re talking about high-speed backsprings, somersaults across the sawdust floor and aerial twists, just to name a few. They definitely need to see a chiropractor at some point. But then again, with so much stuff we go through in daily living, we may have to see a doctor ourselves. If that’s the case, you can pay a visit to the Back & Neck Pain Center of Monterey, directed by chiropractor Aaron Gaily. Dr. Gaily’s practice has been open since 2003, which tells you that people value his care. BEST YOGA STUDIO Salty Soul Sanctuary Carmel Plaza, 526 Ocean Ave., Carmel (831) 877-0042, saltysoulsanctuary.com Before an intense evening under the big top, circus performers of all kinds can warm up and prevent injury with a long yoga session at Salty Soul Sanctuary in Carmel. With classes dedicated to various yoga styles such as Vinyasa, Hatha and Yin, alongside pilates and other foundational exercises, there is something for every type of performer, whether they’re part of the high-flying aerial acts or ground-based acrobatics. BEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR Annika Roberts @annikasofi Lillian Leitzel, the great aerial gymnast of the past, would have been even more amazing if she had been able to train with Annika Roberts. Should current performer Stefanie Millinger come to the Peninsula, a class with Roberts would probably be a first stop. Her classes—at Om Studios and elsewhere—find a balance between strength, flexibility and calm. BEST BOUTIQUE FITNESS STUDIO Om Studios 631 B Cass St., Monterey (831) 480-9293, omoasis.com Thinking about becoming a trapeze artist or a human cannonball? Probably not. But if you’re interested in improving your overall strength, tone and mood, Om Studios is here to help. This Best Boutique Fitness Studio offers yoga, pilates and barre fitness seven days a week, from mellow and meditative to hot as a fire breather. Additional events like healing sound baths and deep weekend retreats lifted Om Studios to the top spot in this competitive category. BEST MESSAGE THERAPIST Cedric Johnson Peak Performance Massage 700 Cass St., 201, Monterey (831) 320-4845, peakperformancemassage831.com Cedric Johnson brings 18 years of experience and intuition to the table, and an attention to a client’s requests that has earned him customer loyalty lasting for years. That rotator cuff pain that is nagging the trapeze artist? It requires different care than the horse act rider’s hamstring. “I really listen and pay attention to what everyone wants during a session,” he says, “rather than just going through the motions of a regular, cookie-cutter massage.” That might mean sports massage for a serious gymnast (his youngest client) or supporting mobility for a 96-yearold (his oldest client). Many people come to focus on alleviating chronic pain, but some just want to relax. Wherever they are on the spectrum, Johnson is there to listen, then treat. BEST HEALTH CLUB Monterey Sports Center 301 E. Franklin St., Monterey (831)646-3730 Although genetics may have a hand in the massive physiques of circus strongmen, they wouldn’t be able to bend steel beams, break metal chains or pull two trucks with their teeth without numerous trips to the gym each week. They can find all the Best International Market | Mi Tierra Mercado y Taqueria
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==