OyChicago articles

Geri, loving her job 

Geri Bleier and her Beta Fish Bert live in Lincoln Park and when Geri travels—most recently to Connecticut to visit her new nephew Beck—Bert hangs out at Yogaview, where Geri teaches classes five days a week. The full-time yoga instructor grew up in the Detroit suburbs before relocating to Vail, Colorado for six years. After some quality time in the mountains, Geri wanted to be in a city; while in Vail she met Tom Quinn and Quinn Kearney, who offered her a job at their studio here in Chicago.

So whether you’re looking for a good yoga class, you’re a fan of Beta Fish or you’re a proud aunt or uncle, Geri Bleier is a Jew You Should Know!

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a stewardess so I could travel around the world. I grew out of it when I realized it might not be quite as glamorous as I thought. But I still love to travel. Last winter I was lucky enough to spend time in Mexico and the Caribbean; that was really good.

2. What do you love about what you do today?
I love everything about teaching yoga. Yoga is such as amazing practice and I love sharing it with people. I love helping people become more aware of their bodies, hearts and spirits. I get to see so much real transformation in people every day. I started my practice when a friend kept bugging me to go to a class. Finally I went with him and loved it from that first class—now I’ve been teaching for 11 years.

3. What are you reading?
I’m reading Barack Obama’s  Audacity of Hope ; I started it a couple of weeks ago.

4. What’s your favorite place to eat in Chicago?
My top craving lately is the meatball salad at Café Bionda on Milwaukee. My friend and I text each other “meatball” when we get cravings for it! That’s my favorite thing at the moment, but I go out to eat all of the time so it’s hard to pick just one place.

5. If money and logistical reality played no part, what would you invent?
I’d love to have an “I Dream of Jeanie”-type device that would transport me and my family members from place to place—we’re all scattered and I would love to see them every week. I miss them very much.

6. Would you rather have the ability to fly or the ability to be invisible?
Fly. Why would I want to be invisible? Why would anyone?

7. If I scrolled through your iPod, what guilty pleasure song would I find?
“Superwoman” by Alicia Keys.

8. What’s your favorite Jewish thing to do in Chicago—in other words, how do you Jew?
When I first moved to Chicago I lived in Wrigleyville behind the Jewish cemetery. I don’t have family here and it’s pretty so I used to go hang out there. Now I spend holidays with friends; I typically bring the wine or dessert.