It's a warm clear night in late October, after a cold and foggy summer. It's also Friday night, finally, after a long and busy week. An intense full moon up above makes me eager to go out and try something new, so I pull out the flyer I tossed in my yoga bag a week ago.

Tonight, I'll check out some live music (and hopefully work up a small sweat) at a place that opened only a few weeks ago on 16th Street, one of the most crowded nightlife strips in San Francisco. I'm particularly excited because this hot new venue began as an offshoot of a place in New York, a place I knew and long admired for its fun atmosphere. Music, movement, a little imported east-coast party flavor, and the kind of excitement around an opening that cities do best--what more could a culture-craving, expat night owl want on a Friday night?

I arrive shortly before 10 PM and pay the admission. An eclectic mix of vintage modern lamps in candy colors hang overhead like exclamation marks, punctuating the glow from the bright pink-and-orange walls that seems to spill out everywhere, even onto the night sidewalk. From the lobby, I hear the soft, tender strains of a cellist--not exactly sweaty dance music, but I'm intrigued by the novelty. People are gathered in the main room, where candles provide just enough light to notice intricate murals on the walls. I sit quietly on the floor like everyone else, listening and relaxing, but not knowing what to expect.

Minutes later, an exceptionally fit young woman walks in wearing a stretchy, form-fitting top artfully covered in black and silver sequins. She introduces herself as Kate, and welcomes us to the San Francisco premiere of Midnight Yoga at Laughing Lotus (which actually starts at 10 PM and goes for two hours). I take an immediate liking to Kate, though I can't help wondering how she decided to dress for the occasion. Are sequins all the rage right now, unbeknownst to me? Or will she be rehearsing an ice-dancing routine later this evening? Whatever the case, I appreciate the fun-loving spirit that her sparkles convey.

Kate offers some opening thoughts on the unique pleasures of late-night Friday yoga. We chant three oms, and I soon learn that yes, you can actually perspire to cello music. (Of course, most concert cellists already know that.) She then leads us through a series of flowing asanas, several of which are new to me and feel almost dance-like in their rhythm and timing. As I love modern dance (and once studied it as a beginner), I like these poses a lot. I had read about Kate's own dance background before attending her class--another reason I was drawn to it. One favorite new pose, which we repeated often, was a kneeling backbend of sorts: we sat on our heels with our knees open wide, and then lifted up through the pelvis for a big arching stretch across the fronts of our bodies, all the way from the thighs on up to the neck. Each time I did this, I not only felt buckets of tension slip away, but I also got a perfect eyeful of a brilliant full moon shining down on me through the enormous skylight overhead (which it also did during our final savasana). When it was all over, I even had a nightcap, as I poured myself some spiced tea in the lobby.

Of course, just because a class, its teacher, and the yoga studio were all popular in New York, doesn't mean they'll take root in San Francisco, which tends to be an earlier bunch. But I certainly hope they do. I had such a good time, in fact, that I now face a dilemma: I already have a regular yoga teacher that I love, but I'm feeling the need for something new. Do I leave my beloved Yoga Tree and my Friday evening "happy hours" for Laughing Lotus and its Friday Midnight Yoga? Can I keep both teachers somehow? And if so, should I?

Next week is jazz guitar instead of cello, and I'm already intrigued, so I guess we'll both have to stay tuned to find out.