...Ditch the Workout, Join the Party

That, my friends, is the tag line for the Edmonton Zumba Party.

“What’s the Edmonton Zumba Party?” you ask.  Don’t worry, you’re invited.

Sisters Jessica and Melissa started teaching Zumba in 2009 after experiencing their own body and life transformations.  They fell in love with the program, and well…I guess the rest was history.  They each have seven Zumba certificates (that’s a lot of Zumba knowledge), and they offer a variety of fun class. 

Amazing - I am fully taking advantage of this.

And there’s more: they offer free zumba and bootcamp classes on Churchill Square throughout the week at lunchtime.  No need to sign up – just follow the music and show up in your work-out gear for the 45 minute energetic class.  For more information, check out their website and scroll down to “Free Zumba and Bootcamp on the Square”.

Enjoy your future workouts, my fellow Zumba friends!

Celebrity Spring Street Style Muse: Jessica Alba

When it comes to effortless style, Jessica Alba has to be top on my best-dressed list. Not only is she regularly seen wearing comfortable clothing she is a huge fan of minimal looks; pairing basic denim with layered tops and simple accessories. The fact she makes her street style look so amazing is why she is one of my favorite style icons to envy.  She looks absolutely glamorous on the red carpet but completely unpretentious when photos of her are taken doing everyday errands. I am in love with her consistently cool way of pulling outfits together. 

To mimic Jessica’s style, dress up your favorite denim jeans with a simple pair of flats, a big slouchy bag and your sunglasses. This weekend make dressing down look oh-so-good.

Some Pieces to try: 

Stellar Downtown Venue in YEG: The 'Square'

photo source

If you work downtown Edmonton, you are likely very familiar with the vibrant urban plaza known as Churchill Square.  Located in the heart of Edmonton’s downtown, Churchill square is a great place to take in a variety of festivals or events.

Upcoming Festivals that will be held at the square include:
Edmonton Pride Festival (June)
The Works Art and Design Festival (June/July)
Edmonton International Street Performers Festival (July)
A Taste of Edmonton Festival (July)
Cariwest Festival (August)

This dynamic location is also home to some great food vendors and artwork, and offers free Wifi access!  Some of the favourite eateries include: Three Bananas Café, L’Espresso Café, Second Cup, and Kids in the Hall (a bistro that supports at-risk youth, breaking the cycle of poverty through an innovative partnership of business and community – wow).  
For all of you downtown-workers who enjoy your brown-bag lunch, Churchill Square is a great venue to meet up with friends and enjoy your lunch (while soaking up some lunch hour sunshine – bonus). 

Inspired to experience more local Edmonton entertainment? The non-profit community box office “Tix on the Square” is a go-to for arts and events tickets.  It shares a space with the “Edmonton Shop” where locally made crafts and other great Edmonton items are sold.

For you active readers out there, Churchill Square is a great place to go and work out! Stay tuned to hear about a particularly fun opportunity to get your sweat-on… 

Stellar Place to Shop in Toronto: NYLA

After all this time, I basically consider myself a certifiable consumer. Its a running joke among my friends that I moonlight as a personal shopper on weekends. When I made the move from Calgary to Toronto, I figured that I would have a hard time adjusting and learning where I could find all the neat little shops with the best stuff. I was worried that I wouldn't have the know-how like I did in my hometown. Fortunately, NYLA is one of the first spots that I discovered upon moving here, and I haven't stopped visiting since.

This Rosedale boutique is easily one of my favorites in the city. Although they carry many of the same brands that you would find at Holt Renfrew (like Vince, James Perse, Elizabeth & James, JBrand, etc.), they somehow manage to buy amazing pieces that you wont find anywhere else. To boot, they boast one of the most extensive selections of J Brand and James Perse that I've seen in the whole city. 

Walking in to this bright, white space you find yourself immersed in racks of beautiful colors, silky and alluring fabrics, and playful silhouettes. The colorful choices and unique styles span every item of clothing from teensy lace bralettes, to jeans, to beachy maxi dresses, to silk evening wear and stylish pumps. There is rarely a time where I go in here and don't want to buy something, especially with the knowledge that it won't be found anywhere else in the city. 

Hot trend: Vamp lips at this years Met Gala Awards 2012

While the dresses were stunning and the stars were donning next seasons to die-for designs, what really stole the show? Dark lips! The vampy lipstick was sensational and this trend is sure to be a hit. Dress up your next outfit with a pout painted in dark purple, berry, or a smoky brown tint. Remember to keep your makeup simple when wearing a dark lip, so keep your eyes and cheeks neutral.

Yesterday I personally made a stop to see my beautiful MAC makeup artist in Calgary, and she fixed me up with the Desire Lustre lipstick. A perfect shade of maroon and dark brown.  Make sure you wear a colour that works with your skin tone, otherwise you could go from sexy vamp to scary goth very quickly. With such dark colours staining those lips be sure you pick an appropriate lip liner to keep that kisser in check.

Stellar place to go: La Boulangerie

If you haven't heard of it yet, La Boulangerie is a new bakery in the heart of Mission, Calgary. Serving delicious treats from savoury crepes to sweet pastries, La Boulangerie (which means the bakery in French) is sure to satisfying anyone's taste buds. For those Europe lovers (like myself), or those of you who have yet to go, this precious little bakery is the perfect place to go for your European fix. 

Started by the same owners as La Creperie in the Kingsland Farmers Market, owners Shosh and Navot Raz bring you the same delightful treats plus more! You can choose from a wide selection of Illy coffee, savoury and sweet crepes, sandwiches, soups, and of course, the sweet sweet indulgent pastries! The bakery is decorated with European inspired furnishings, making you feel like you stepped away from the hustle and bustle of Calgary, and into a Parisian picture. 


La Boulangerie
2435 4th St. S.W. 
403-984-9294
Next door to Wurst

The Boot Camp Chronicles: Weeks Three & Four

Foreword: Okay, seriously, what is it about Shavasana? I don't understand how after doing a yoga class, I can literally pass out within 27 seconds of lying down on my mat (ON THE FLOOR) and yet it takes me hours to fall asleep in the comfort of my own feather-stuffed temple of slumber. Why? How? 

Nevertheless... 

Week Three: Despite the presence of the Stealth Bomber, week two actually felt like I was catching on to something. I felt a sense of accomplishment, and like I was advancing in some way. It was with this pride that I strolled into class on Tuesday. The same pride did not leave class with me that same morning. It seemed as though I had hit some kind of wall. It felt as though I had hit some kind of wall. But on the bright side, at least my body was still being challenged. In retrospect, I probably would've been angrier had I been able to walk normally the day after. By some stroke of misfortune, on day two I seriously managed to hurt my back and decided to 

 sleep in 

not attend the last class of the week. Much to my shock and awe, I was actually really bummed out that I had missed the class all day! Perhaps I have become more attached to my morning ritual than I would care to admit.

Week Four: Alright. This week can't be attributed to any kind of plateau on my part. It can be solely attributed to the cruelty of the instructor. I try to remind myself that I have actually paid to subject myself this kind of torture, as every posture I had (finally) mastered suddenly gets turned on its head. No joke. But all sarcasm/cynicism aside, this week was by far the most challenging of all. I guess it makes sense that we would get one last run for our money! I'm so used to my morning routine by now...waking up at the crack of dawn no longer feels as torturous as it used to! Even though I am a little exhausted post-class, I bounce off of my mat after a grateful practice and go about my day with renewed zest and energy. As an added bonus, it feels so great to be able to finish work and go home guilt-free. By "go home", I mean collapse immediately on to your face.

Post-Mortem: I'm surprised to admit that I not only will miss my bootcamp classes, but also plan on registering for them again in June. Yes -  I am signing myself up for a mean month. Yes - I know that I will hate my life every morning on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. But it will start my day off in an absolutely wonderful way. And it will guarantee that I get an intensive workout in three times a week, no ifs ands or buts. Anything above and beyond is just icing on the cake. Drawing back on to my first week, I also can see now that any stresses I encountered during the month - and yes, there were a few - somehow managed to melt away between the four corners of my mat each morning. After challenging myself physically, and making it through the class (mostly) in one piece, it served as a reminder that you can tackle a lot in life by putting on some stretchy pants, breathing deeply, sweating your face off and setting your mind to something.