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Canada Day 1 – Driving from Calgary to Jasper

Edge of the world hike jasper

Greetings from Canada! We are four days into our Canadian vacation and I’m already dreading Sunday’s flight back to New York City. Can’t we just stay on vacation forever? This has truly been the most incredible vacation thus far even though it is far different than anything we’ve done. After two years of “cultural city vacations” while living abroad, an active vacation is just what we wanted.

Friday we flew from New York City to Calgary by way of Salt Lake City. Even though last week Delta had lots of issues, our flights were luckily quite smooth. By 10pm we were pulling out of the airport in our rental car for the week, heading towards downtown. Since we knew we wouldn’t land until late, we decided to stay at the The Fairmont Palliser hotel in Calgary on Friday night versus driving to Jasper.  The hotel was recently updated and perfect for our quick stay.

Philosafy Cafe in Calgary

Saturday morning we woke up and grabbed coffee and breakfast at Philosafy, the perfect coffee shop for any coffee lover. They serve freshly pour over coffee, home baked breakfast treats and an abundance of other cold and warm coffee and tea drinks in a modern atmosphere.  We ordered our coffee to-go so we could begin the trek from Calgary to Jasper.

The drive from Calgary to Jasper, via the scenic Icefields Parkway, is supposed to take 4.5 hours but we made it a day long adventure, allowing time to stop and take in the sights as well as a hike to stretch our legs.  Once we entered the National Park area we stopped to buy a Canada National Park pass since each car that enters the national park must have one. From here, based on Anne’s post, we chose Bow Lake as our first destination and our hike for the day. This was a perfect option as it was a 2-hour hike that was a great introduction to hiking in the Rockies and we were able to buy and enjoy lunch from Num Ti Jah lodge before our hike.  The hike, which started at Num Ti Jah lodge, followed a path along the lake’s edge before transitioning into the rocky river delta and up towards the Wapta Icefield and Bow River Falls. The hike was four miles in total and provided picturesque views of the cerulean blue lake as well as the icy falls.

bow lake

view of the waterfalls

After the hike we continued our drive towards Jasper, stopping at Athabasca Falls and Sunwapta Falls for quick hikes to see the roaring water falls and enjoy the fresh air. It was so nice to enjoy the drive with no time limit or pressure so we could linger as we wished at any stop.

Athabasca Falls

 

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Friday Favorites – August 12th, 2016

Nat Geo

Yesterday’s National Geographic Instagram Pic of Banff

It is finally Friday! My out of office message is up and we fly to Canada this afternoon. I’ve been dreaming of the views for weeks now and can’t believe it’s finally time! Even though neither of us have packed and our to-do list is still 17 items long, we are SO excited for this vacation together. This week was jam-packed with fun workouts, lots of work meetings and late nights trying to get everything done but now that Friday has arrived I’m ready to enjoy nine straight days of disconnecting from work. I am going to share our adventures via Instagram Stories and Snapchat as well as a blog post or two.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

  • These No Bake Almond Bars  would be the perfect sweet treat to bake the week we’re back from vacation since I already have all the ingredients!
  • I can’t wait to share pictures and videos from our trip with you guys especially now that we have a GoPro! Get ready for some awesome videos of white water rafting, mountains and hopefully a few animal sightings! Any tips for using a GoPro? We’re complete novices! 
  • We enjoyed the classes and atmosphere at Work Train Fight so much that we used all three of our ClassPass (<–Save $20 with this link) classes in just five days! The 60-minute classes combine a challenging 15-20 minute cardio portion with 25 minutes of bag and technique work with 5-10 minutes of ab work. Unlike some other boxing classes I’ve taken in NYC, I truly learned skills during these classes and the instructors did a great job explaining each move. So far our favorite instructors are Prashant and Clint!
  • No idea if I can pull this off but I love the look. I imagine pairing it with a tank now and then with a sleek turtleneck or silk blouse for winter.
  • Charlie headed to Africa last week to climb Mt Kilimanjaro and her pictures are making me want to add this to my travel wish list. Do you have this on your list?
  • Have you guys tried these crackers? I’ve been pairing the almond flavor with hummus for an early-evening snack recently, but even alone these  light, crunchy and flavorful crackers are delicious!
  • In light of the recent deaths of three female runners, everyone seems to have an opinion on how, where and when women should run but at the end of the day, that isn’t the problem.  If you are going to run alone, I think Strava’s Beacon technology is incredible and a great way to keep friends or family aware of where you’re running!
  • I finally invested in this stylish, sleek backpack after lusting over this one for quite a few months. My back and shoulders are thanking me after just three days of using it! I love that it has so many inner compartments for my things and easily fits my work laptop!
  • I love when dietitians share a peek into what they eat as it provides great inspiration, especially when they include recipes!
  • Did you see that Wal-Mart acquired Jet.com? It’ll be interesting to see what this does for the start up retailer but one thing is for sure – the eCommerce space is always changing.
  • Have you guys tried the new nut butter filled CLIF Bars? Bo and I were so in love with the flavors we received from the brand a few weeks ago that we ordered more of the peanut butter and chocolate peanut butter flavors for our Canadian adventures.

Have a great Friday friends! 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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CLASSPASS Month in Review: July

Classpass-month-in-review-JULY

It’s time for another recap of my workout adventures in New York City.  Last month was the first time I opted into the new ClassPass (<–Save $20 if you join using the link.) membership structure in New York City instead of the unlimited plan. Since I tend to run outside and travel more during the Summer months, I thought that ten classes would be more than enough. As it turns out, the CORE Plan was perfect! The Core Plan is $125 per month and allows ClassPass members to take 10 classes per cycle and visit any studio up to 3 times. I am going to stick with the CORE plan for next month and then will reassess in September. If you’re a ClassPass member, did you change plans or are you still on Unlimited? How do you like the new plan? 

If you’re on CLASSPASS  feel free to follow my fitness schedule here. I love meeting readers so if you see me in a class, please say hello! If you want to check out my previous monthly recaps, click here, here,  here, here, and here.  Also, my friends are taking me up on this offer already, but if you guys have ANY questions about ClassPass, even if you’re not in NYC, feel free to email me! I’m happy to help and can also reach out to the team if you have specific questions. 

June 20 – July 20 

  • Number of classes taken: 9
  • Number of studios visited: 6
  • Average cost per workout based on NYC rate of $125 per month for 10 classes: $13.88

Row House Full Body 45 at Row House Chelsea 

Rowing is a wonderful, low-impact workout which can supplement any workout plan. While I’ve taken classes at CityRow, Row House is the first rowing workout in NYC that truly reminded me of the rowing practices Bo and I sweat through in high school. The Full Body 45 class is a 45-minute class which includes a 5 minutes of rowing drills to warm-up, 15 minutes of rowing intervals and sprints, 5-10 minutes of strength work, another 15 minutes of rowing intervals and sprints, followed by a short cooldown. The class is perfect for people of all abilities as each person controls the speed or intensity at which they row. Scott is our favorite instructor, constantly motivating students while correcting form and ensuring that everyone is pushing themselves. For those who need to sweat and then dash to work, the Row House Chelsea location includes a small, but nice locker room featuring two showers, blow dryers and toiletries where you can get ready for work or date night.

Fly 45 at Flywheel 

Historically, I’ve had a love hate relationship with Flywheel. I love that the studio provides water, spin shoes, towels and healthy snacks with the cost of every class. But, I have had one too many sub-par teachers who don’t inspire or push me during class. Bo and I really like two teachers, Josh Arden and Johnny De Triquet, who merge challenging classes with awesome, upbeat playlists. Now that we’ve discovered these teachers, we try to take their class at least once to twice per month, if not more since they teach bright and early!

High 45

High 45 at Mile High Run Club 

I’ve professed my love of Mile High multiple times (full review here). Their High 45 class is a great class for runners of all abilities. As you can guess from the class name, the workout includes 45-minutes of running. The running includes a five minute warm-up and five minute cool down. In between that you’ll sweat through 35 minutes of tempo work. A typical class includes half hills and half speed with most intervals ranging from three to six minutes! My favorite teachers is hands down Jes Woods!

Dash 28 at Mile High Run Club 

If you’re newer to Mile High or running, this class is a great option for you! The 45-minute class includes 28 minutes of treadmill running followed by 10 minutes of strength training using body weight and kettle bells. The running portion includes a mix of hills and speed work, similar to the distance class, but due to the short duration, flies by quickly. I highly recommend Corinne!

Mixed Level at The Bar Method Brooklyn (3)

This is hands down my favorite barre studio. It’s super convenient, spotless, welcoming and offers more than eight classes per day. The 60-minute, non-impact total body workout includes a warm-up, arm section using free-weights and body weight followed by intense leg work at the bar and finally an ab section. The teachers are welcoming and do a wonderful job providing adjustments and helping you ensure you get the most out of the workout. This studio has two showers so you can easily get ready for work after class. Make sure to bring socks with you for class and wear leggings or crops. My favorite teachers are Lauren, Alyssa and Katie!

HAIL High Intensity Interval Training at ICE NYC (2)

Bo raved about this workout after his first visit and then subsequently went four more times before I got my act together and joined him. Conveniently located in Tribeca, ICE offers high intensity interval training during their 60-minute HAIL class. The workout, which welcomes people of all abilities, leverages body weight, rowing machines, kettle-bells and sandbags to deliver a full-body workout that is challenging yet enjoyable. Our favorite teacher is Gigi but everyone thus far has had great energy and a fun playlist. The class typically has 20-25 students which makes hands-on adjustments or corrections nearly impossible, so beginners should be careful. If you love Fhitting Room, Exceed or other high intensity workouts you’ll love ICE.

Your turn: If you’re a NYC local, what are your favorite studios? Where should I sweat next? 

This post is not compensated nor requested of me via CLASSPASS. While it does contain affiliate links, as a CLASSPASS affiliate, I only receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase a CLASSPASS membership.

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