Reviews – Page 9

Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy!

I’m a huge line-dancing fan! Unfortunately there aren’t many places within Toronto that have line-dancing regularly or at all…which meant I’d have to wrangle like-minded folk and travel out to Oshawa or Georgetown (total opposite ends of the city via GO Train. And upon finally getting there, cowboy hat, boots and all, I’m typically I’m the ONLY brown face on the dance floor.

Sigh…But that has all changed friends as Toronto has opened two new watering holes specifically for country-line-dancin’-lovin’-cowpokes like moi!

Rock ‘N’ Horse Saloon (formerly London Tap House, right in the heart of the Entertainment Dist) and Boots ‘N’ Bourbon (on Queen St. East) … both I’m told have fab food, drink specials, often live music for line-dancing and best of all a mechanical bull!

Here’s the outfit I’ve lined up to wear…to Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy…Giddy Up!

Sunday nights at Boots n’ Bourbon Toronto’s Country Music Line Dancing hosts beginner lessons at 7pm. Jeff is the patient and handsome instructor who took us through a variety of dances to make us look good on the dance floor …which works out perfectly for us to bust out our newly learnt moves once the live band gets on stage for the rest of the evening! Plus, half priced appetizers and drink specials don’t hurt either 🙂

There were a bunch of names for the dances learnt that night — super fun and easy to do, with a bit o practice. Here are few clips of the ones I remembered the names of – in case you’re looking to get a your country line dancing on in your living rooms:

Dance #1: Cowboy Charleston

Dance #2: Lil’ Yeller’ Blanket (that’s cowboy for “little yellow blanket”)

Dance #3: Country As A Boy Can Be

Dance #4: Copperhead Road

The live entertainment this night was RORY GARDINER — *hubba hubba*

Ladies, my distant iPhone pics don’t do him justice…check out his site…Meow indeed!!! 😉

Overall….what a fantastic way to spend a Sunday night in the city during long weekend!

Yee Haw!!!

Now that you’ve got a few steps under your belt with this post — would you OR have you ever try Country Music Line Dancing yourself?

What did you wear?

How I got The Look:

Flowy short-sleeved dress from Damzels, Doll Factory by Damzels (Roncessvales & Dundas W Sts.)

Short brown cowboy-ish booties from Payless

Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott, Rebecca Northcott Photography

Swing Fever!

Thursday is the NEW Friday after all….sooooo when this invite popped up on #TVS calendar and then again on Facebook, it was clear that I needed to be in attendance.

Swing Fever! is an authentic 1940’s themed dance party that will transport you back in time to a defining decade in history. This epic evening of entertainment featured a stellar live band, dance performances, classic cocktails, delicious war-time grub and more. It is a non-profit event, where all of the proceeds raised from Swing Fever! went directly to the Royal Canadian Legion and the Humber Business School.

The Great Hall apparently is where many of the scenes from the earlier season’s of Bomb Girls was filmed. It really is a beautiful venue!

Now, I’m still a total novice/beginner and don’t really know HOW to swing dance (only been to TWO officially lessons so far). Lucky for me there were complimentary lessons from the Toronto Swing Dance Society. Plus, a ton of strong Leads on the floor who patiently taught you steps and made you look good on the dance floor (special thanks to David and Joy for twirling and dipping me!) 🙂

The Pickup Swing Ensemble, featuring Toronto’s most talented musicians, performed classic tunes of Glenn Miller, Count Basie and more!

There was a specific Dress Code for the evening: Vintage! 1940’s glam, tea dresses, stockings, victory curls, allied uniforms and utility clothing.

I had my heart set on wearing my recently purchased hi-waisted polka-dot pin-up skirt (that I was yet to remove tags from) and since I finally got a pedicure to show-off my pink toes, my navy & white peep toed heels. This was sort of pushing the specific time period a bit, so I was determined to study YouTube and get my hair into proper Victory Rolls if it killed me!

These were taken AFTER I got home from the event… I was dead tired and sore from all the dancing. Notice, my faux bangs stayed intact! What a fab night!

For 1940s Hair & Makeup …. I checked out this YouTube vid to help me create a more authentic look for the night.

Then I realized, I should probably look for some makeup tutorials for BROWN SKINNED faces 🙂

Buuuuut since this was a Thursday night… it meant that I was rushing after work to get to LHRevolution Swing Lesson, then walked home to shower and change for this party. I ended up having limited time to really apply the teachings in these vids. (I sadly, also forgot to put a flower in my hair for the evening and pearls around my neck too…sigh) 😦

I did however, use Pin-Up Look #4 from this Beginner’s Quick & Easy Vintage vid instead!

The hair results below – Faux Vintage Bangs:

Overall, it was a fantastic night of dancing and fun! My feet, legs and hips are all so sore this morning, but I’m still smiling – totally worth it! 🙂

Here’s a few shots with some TVS-ers and fun-new people I met last night:

How I Got The Look:

High-waisted polka-dot pin-up skirt from Your Big Sister’s Closet

Navy & white peep-toed heels, from Naturalizer

Giant pearl earrings, vintage (gifted to me); Extra long pearl necklace from Toronto Vintage Clothing Show (forget which booth)

Yellow cotton tee from Reitmans

SexyPlus Clothing Grand Reopening!

I was fortunate to have met Stefanie Augusteijn a few years ago B.B.B. (Before Becoming a Blogger). When I moved to midtown Toronto, her boutique SexyPlusClothing was walking distance for me when it was located just south of Rosedale subway station on Yonge St.

I’ve picked up a few coveted pieces from her shop in the past, including my beloved high-waisted leopard pencil skirt, my black lace wrap top and the highly complimented Cherry Bomb dress.

She’s recently relocated this fab shop. This past weekend a friend of mine and I took a Saturday morning road trip out to Mississauga to be a part of Stefanie’s Grand Reopening & 5-Year Store Anniversary Party!

There were promises of Fresh New Spring Arrivals + Buy One Get One 50% offers along with Fashion and Beauty Prizes…and best of all Gourmet Cake and Refreshments!

Don’t let the outside fool you – the store is beautiful! And Stefanie designed it all herself!!! The fresh, bright off-white of the entire space and hardwood floors with pops of that SexyPlus signature pinks all over the place, along with the familiar alphabet artwork of Lime Green Squid just make you feel all smiley. 🙂

Lime Green Squid's plus size art — Lime Green Squid’s artwork

Closer Look of Lime Green Squid’s artwork. A few of these framed pieces were given away to a few lucky customers of SexyPlus Clothing.

“Dress for the weather you want, not the weather you have!”

Decided on wearing this green & black maxi dress w/skinny black belt ($17 Forever21+) with a cropped cardi ($10 Old Navy) combo with my grey moto leather jacket (Winners) and Rocker-girl boots (Aldo) … regardless of the snow flurries that followed us from Toronto to Mississauga that morning. My hair was uncooperative this morning as you can see. Sigh…

Here’s a few snaps of all the shopping fun that was had at this beautifully renovated boutique for plus sized babes:

Me with Stefanie, owner of SexyPlus Clothing

Special shoutouts to go the lovely shop-girls, Dream Taylor and Sabrina who were uber attentive and helpful, providing honest opinions and encouragement once you’re ready to emerge from the change rooms. I tried on several pieces, including this lovely ‘Hello Yellow’ dress, this Black n’ White stripped number and this Tiki inspired beach-ready dress:

I even became the SexyPlus “Guinea pig” for trying on the new Convertible Maxi dress, as Stefanie transformed this lovely navy chevron patterned fabulousness whilst on my body for all to see the many different looks this one piece was capable of. Please ignore the giant bra straps that are taking away from the loveliness of this dress – clearly I was not prepared to be apart of this impromptu fashion show 🙂

Check out the pics below to see what this Marie Convertible dress in navy chevron can do:

It was a delightful afternoon….but as you can see from my face in the above pic, I was clearly torn as to which pieces I wanted to take home with me. I limited myself to only ONE new purchase of all the items above – I’ve got myself on a strict budget as my closet is bursting at the seams these days with all my recent mini-hauls.

Finally, I decided to buy the Captain’s Bodycon dress – it’s made in Canada!

Waddya think? Did I make the right decision? (Oh…ignore the moustache socks also…lol!)

SexyPlus Clothing’s new location: 5100 Maingate Drive, Unit 14 Mississauga, ON —- with lots of FREE parking friends. If you get a chance, you should def make the trip out to see what pretty fashions need to be yours!

From SexyPlus Clothing: The Captain’s Bodycon dress – it’s made in Canada!

Spring Photo Shoot with Rebecca Northcott

What do you immediately do when a camera is pointed at you and you hear, “Say cheese!”? Do you know which side is your “good side”? Do you know what angle and what light really makes you look your best in photos?

I’ve generally got one standard photo stance: look straight ahead at the camera, smiling ear-to-ear with an involuntary head tilt. Not at all model-esk.

Rebecca Northcott is a photography who has recently moved from Leeds, England to put down roots in Toronto, Canada with her hubs. Yup …she’s a newly wed! 🙂 She’s already done a few outfit photoshoots on my blog here, here , here and here. (More to come in the future too I’m hoping, xo Bexx). Since I began blogging a mere four months ago…I’ve realized how difficult it is to pose for that perfect shot! I’ve been fortunate to have Rebecca’s professional eye – a much welcomed change from those photos taken with my shaky hand and iPhone.

Rebecca has been developing her craft since she was 17, she’s had her work published in magazines and has worked for a range of clientelle over the years. Her recent move to Canada has been a blessing and also a challenge going from a huge client base in UK to rebuilding from scratch here. Rebecca’s photography style is classy natural lighting with up close portraits. They are her favourite. Her self-proclaimed OCD about having perfect sharp images is a standard she has set for herself, one which gives her a buzz and excitement as nothing else does.

She shared with me that she still get nervous before every shoot, because she knows how important it is to the client she’s working with. Having worked with her several times, I can confidently say that she will produce something wonderful each time – it has always been a pleasure and a fantastic experience working with her!

In an effort to continue to keep her portfolio current, she asked me and a few others bloggers to model some of the lovely Spring Arrivals of Your Big Sister’s Closet so she could snap some editorial type pictures . How do you say no to a request like that? 😉

So last weekend we, Alex of Not Afraid to Wear Heels, Hanna of Classically Curvy, Karen of Curvy Canadian and moi, PetitePlus, Meow! arrived at the store to get styled in fresh spring fashions with light pastel-makeup faces and headed to High Park for the photoshoot. Weather forecasted a +7 degree day … but I was still armed with nude hosiery and a shawl…mama didn’t raise no foo!

The above summary shot links to Rebecca’s Photography page on Facebook, where you’re able to read all about the collaboration and a bit more about each of the outfits worn in each shot. Between the multiple bloggers who were involved in this shoot, I thought I would dedicate this post to the artist, Rebecca Northcott, and the art of photography.

I recently stumped upon this article called “The Truth About Photography and Brown Skin”. Writer and photographer Syreeta McFadden eloquently breaks down the problem: Photography has an “inherited bias” against dark skin. McFadden explains that when it came to the invention of color film — developed to be used by the public and taken to a lab — “the technician worked off a reference card [aka Shirley Cards] with a perfectly balanced portrait of a pale-skinned woman.” This is how modern photography was calibrated: Using a white woman. Which means, as McFadden points out, “film stock’s failures to capture dark skin aren’t a technical issue, they’re a choice.”

Looking at my fellow models from the above “Is It Spring Yet?” photoshoot – I can only imagine that editing MY photos must have taken a lot more time and careful adjusting before they were ready to be shared with the masses. Take a look at the end results of my photos with the talented photographic eye of Rebecca Northcott below:

Rebecca Northcott Photography‘s future goal is to get her own studio space and possibly photograph a celebrity or two (here’s hoping!), while continuing to provide her services and create collaborations on personal projects to those in the community who cannot afford professional portraits.

If you want to get in touch with Rebecca, lifestyle photographer specializing in Weddings and Portraits for families in Toronto, Ontario (GTA), use the various links baked into the above post ….as her website is getting a facelift at the moment 🙂

Swing Dancing

You may have read about how broken hearted I’ve been since my BollyFuze classes were no longer offered downtown. And although Yoga has filled the void of group exercise in my life, I still wanted more DANCING!

Since hanging out with Toronto Vintage Society peeps and being invited to judge ‘Best Dressed’ at various Electro Swing events, I have been itching to learn how to Lindy Hop and Charston …. I wanna be a Swing Kid! (minus all the sad bits of the movie, of course. I’ve yet to see the flick – it’s on my To-Do list!)

I’ve signed up for the 2-month “Crash Course” of Beginner Lessons to Swing Dance at Lindy Hop Revolution – eek!

My first lesson was a ton of fun! The instructors were Natalia and Luis – both from Spain, both encouraging, fun and funny. Best part — you don’t need a partner to learn how to Swing Dance!!! It’s a social dance….which means we swap partners throughout the class. I came alone, but after the hour I got to know Barbra, Donald, and two more delightful dudes (who’s names escape me) as they were the Leads with whom I got to boogie with.

My arms do not want to cooperate what-so-ever. And this constant ‘bouncing’ that is required doesn’t seem to keep the beat in my feet as it should. Buuuuuut, I had a grand ol’ time and can’t wait for next week! Although my footwork was a hot mess – my outfit was on point!

Here’s what I wore:

I picked up this cute swing dress from Winners – for $25!!! Just loved the dainty lil’ black n’ white flower pattern and capped sleeves. I had hoped to wear my tan moto leather jacket with it…But since winter windchill won’t leave Toronto, wearing the dress solo was not gonna cut it.

Ended up wearing my two-toned pink & tan cardi …..since it was lightweight enough to get me from A to B under a fall jacket. (I refuse to wear my winter coat any longer – it’s April for christ sake!

Stay tuned for my updates on how I’m progressing in my journey to becoming a Swing Kid …and to see what I wear to class every week! 🙂

How I Got The Look:

Shoes and Dress both from Winners — see more deets on the shoes here

Two-toned cardi from Target

Yoga Deal for PPMeow! Followers

Since I’ve rediscovered how great the practice of yoga is for mind, body and spirit, I have noticed that despite its growth in popularity over the last year years, yoga sill intimidates people.

So I set up a PPMeow! poll asking: What would make YOU Try Yoga?

The results were as follows:

An amazing Deal/Pricepoint (36%+)
If classes had modified poses/movements for larger bodies
Other* (This was a free-form field…sadly, nothing was entered /captured within)
Location
Not having to go alone

Keeping all of these results and feedback in mind PetitePlus, Meow! has teamed up with Jess & co. from Studio Blue Yoga & Fitness …and we’ve cooked up a special $30-for-5 yoga sessions just for my readers/followers!

This is a phenomenal deal – considering typically one yoga session is around $22! We hoped that this price point would give you the courage and confidence to try out group exercise amongst a group of non-traditional yoga bodies, at a studio that’s easy to get to with supportive, playful classes. Invite a friend to come along … at this price point invite two! 🙂

How the Deal Works:

The PPMeow! $30 Pass can only be purchased at Studio Blue location and is EXCLUSIVE to PPMeow! reader/follower. Therefore, you’ll need PROVE it to them, i.e. Showing them on your phone/device that you’ve LIKE’d PPMeow’s Facebook Page. WordPress followers … You will need to show them that you’re subscribed to my blog using your phone/device (might be easiest for y’all to LIKE the FB page too, if you haven’t already…*wink wink*).
The 5-sessions can be booked for whatever class you like, as your life allows! Use their schedule and class description to select the ones you like best. Try all of them. Entirely up to you!
Once you have the pass, you’ll then be able to book via their online booking tool for the rest of your sessions – uber convenient!
The PPMeow! $30 Pass expires 90-days from its purchase date. Limited one per person.

I’m often yoga-buddy-less, so if you wanna get your personal yoga journey started but are buddy-less also, I’d love to have you join me! So far, the class that best works for me, my life and yoga goals is the Tuesday 6:30pm Foundations Flow – a beginner friendly and comprehensive class with a focus on anatomy. Includes Sun Salutations, Downward Dog flows and other fundamental postures that is suitable for all levels.

Now gentlemen readers – know that YOU TOO can take advantage of this deal! Would love, love, love to have you participate. Of course, the same above rules apply in order to get the PPMeow! $30 Deal.

Everyone’s fitness/yoga goals naturally will be unique to you.

My personal yoga goals are: to better my breathing through every movement, becoming more aware of what my body is telling me and focus on being more present in order to relax.

I’ve only been to a handful of yoga classes and already I can see how much yoga has improved my life in terms of sleeping better, feeling stronger, managing my anxiety and I want everyone to experience its benefits – especially my PPMeow! supporters!

Note: Studio Blue’s First Class Free offer ends March 31st, 2014….. in case you wanted to check them out before purchasing the PPMeow! $30 Pass.

Why are People Afraid to Try Yoga?

I’ve only been to 3 Foundations Flow Yoga classes so far, having purchased a 5-class introductory package via GroupOn for this new studio located in my hood – Studio Blue Yoga & Fitness – and already I can see how much yoga has improved my life when it comes to sleeping, managing my anxiety and being more present.

I’ve noticed however, that many of my friends, colleagues and blog/FB page followers get uncomfortable whenever I suggest they try yoga. Despite its growth in popularity over the past few years, yoga still intimidates people.

So – I wanna hear from you – my PPMeow! followers …What would make YOU Try Yoga?

Use the poll below and vote.

I really want to hear your feedback friends – as there’s something exciting brewing between PPMeow & Studio Blue….weeeee! Stay tuned for that….as soon as I get results from this poll!

#TVS: Toronto Vintage Clothing Show

The Toronto Vintage Society got a booth at last Sunday’s Toronto Vintage Clothing Show – a ONE day only event at the Metro Convention Center – North Building. The show is a fantastic opportunity to discover hand-picked vintage and retro clothing, accessories and jewellery from top independent vintage fashion vendors. Vendors from Owen Sound, Montreal, East Garafraxa, Collingwood, Freelton, Kakabeka Falls, Ottawa, Hamilton, Straffordville and many others – all under one roof!

The #TVS booth was our way to reach vintage lovers in the GTA. We were selling our “Make do and Mend” sewing kits (THE cutest things ever!), buttons and other fun like an iPad showcasing a photo side-show of all the fun-filled events TVS attended the previous year. All TVS booth visitors were informed and encouraged to sign-up for our new website/blog, pay their TVS Meetup fees, to oooh-and-ahhhh at each other’s purchases from other vendor booths…and of course singing the praises of all things Vintage!

These cutie-pie kits were handmade by the fabulous TVS members who braved the sudden non-stop snow of yet another blizzard, the day after Toronto got a teaser +10 degree weather day. With scissors, glue sticks, mason jars and other crafty necessities were toted and assembled, over gossiping, storytelling and beer.

The TVS booth also had a raffle giving away this fab prize: an amazing train case of vintage goodies in TVS approved colour scheme …even a lil’ something for those dapper dudes: suspenders+cufflinks+tie combo!

Since I live closest to MTCC and have an elevator, I was tasked with carting all our supplies for our booth home and would be there bright and early, with Liz + her hubs + her car to set up. Then we – TVS admin team – would simply rotate on manning our booth whist the others could peruse all the goodies up for sale at the show and Facebook our finds through the Toronto Vintage Society page!

A few snaps of the TVS booth all set up and read to go:

Truth be told, I don’t actually own too many genuine vintage outfits (or pieces of my own for that matter). However, since hanging with the chicks of TVS I have been exposed to the world of “vintage inspired reproduction” dresses. So my Outfit of the Day to represent and man the TVS booth was this dress from Doll Factory by Damzels, a rock ‘n’ roll retail shop on Roncesvalles. (It may look familiar to you as I’ve previously posted about this dress.) This easy-peasy-curvy-body-flattering dress has pockets which makes it that much easier to cart around an iPhone, money and other necessities like that without needing a purse. Knowing the day was going to be busy with setting-up and running around, I went with flats instead heels for footwear. Plus, I wanted to be able to quickly try on any fabulous-finds from booth to booth … heels do not help in making one nimble.

I’m not as dedicated to vintage hair as some of my TVS sistas are, those who patiently created pin-curls and wrapped their hair overnight to create the glamorous hairstyles of the beloved eras. My baby fine hair just never wants to cooperate. But I did manage to get a lil’ vintage-flare in my do for the clothing show. Check out how HIGH I got the bump in my hair! And it lasted all day….Hooray!

Since there was a solid possy of four of us to man the TVS booth (me, Lisa, Larissa and Liz….ooooh L to the power of 3), there was lots of opportunities to check out some of the other vendor booths and do a little shopping myself.

One of my immediate purchases was from Treasure Chicks Vintage from Pickering – these amazing ‘new vintage’ shoes. This shop got 500 pairs of never-before-worn Celebrity shoes for sale friends, complete with their vintage shoeboxes – FYI. I fell in love with these two-toned leather taupe nail-hammered heels the moment I set eyes on them (they fit small, I’m usually an 8.5 buuuut had to buy these in a size 10 for a comfortable fit) and this spectacular red scarf….which I immediately had them tie into my hair to add some MEOW to my #ootd!

Now, this may come as a surprise to some of you reading….but I’m a bit of a diva! I like NEW – so the idea of buying and wearing clothes someone else has worn half a CENTURY ago really needs to be special before I’m willing to spend my cold hard cash on it. This being my first real vintage shopping experience, and being the nerd that I am, I did a bit of research before hand. I found WikiHow’s tips helpful in this Top 10 list for How To Shop For Vintage.

Shopping for vintage plus size clothing is a challenge and a half – no doubt! With all the many vendor booths to peruse, it was an overwhelming task – also, I learnt that I’m easily distracted by shiny/sparkly things – talk about sensory overload all day! Some things I personally kept in mind when looking for clothing/items to buy were:

Odors and Stains … these are very iffy because they’ll probably have been on there for ages. Scarves seemed to have this issue the most from what I saw. I had to ask myself: Would it matter if you scrubbed at it but it didn’t come off? Is it so glaring as to render the piece unwearable?
Try on EVERYTHING! I was surprised at the number of pieces I passed over because it “looked” too small, but upon trying on fit quite well. If it doesn’t feel right or look good when you tried it on, then it probably isn’t the piece for you is the basic rule of thumb when shopping vintage clothing. Sadly, the change room situation at MTCC wasn’t all that private – so I ended up trying on dresses OVERTOP of my dress. Figured if it fit and looked good on me like that, it was def gonna look great when I wore it properly! Silly? Maybe. But that was my try-on technique for the day…and it worked out well. (Ps: the pics of all the below were taken during a post-vintage-clothing-show Irene-fashion-shows as soon as I got home with all my haul).

Check out this long pink & brown floral 1940s day dress I scooped up from www.retrouver.biz Notice the silver rhinestone ornament on the collar! I really loved all the buttons down the front too, plus the thin shiny belt can totally be worn with other things in my closet. It’s a bit long…so it will need a hem…so I managed to talk the price down to $25!

Upon round two of vendor shopping, I found Barbra – an independent vintage dealer who doesn’t have a storefront proper, but has created a name for herself among many of the TVS members. (Her Facebook page is Booth 311 Roadshow Antiques Pickering.) She put me into this lovely light green number. Brand new! The fabric still felt stiff and unworn. The only real giveaway to this dress being pre-loved was the belt holes – one was used more than all the others. Although this dress is pretty simple, I really loved the pleated neckline with the large buttons down the front – and the length was perfect!

The rest of my shopping consisted of accessories. I picked up a delightful wicker purse (also from www.retrouver.biz) and this fantastic black petit point 1960s purse and a giant cream brimmed hat (both from The Vintage Domain).

Check out how I combined a few of my pieces together with each dress.

Here are a few shots of the rest of my purchases from Primetime Antiques & Collectables:

When I finally returned to the TVS booth – I found a swing dance party had broken out! Oooooo! I can’t wait ’til it’s MY skirt that be a-twril with mad Lindy Hop skillz! Yup! With a Z!

The rest of the afternoon was spent chatting up visitors who stopped by our booth and meeting some of the newer TVS members:

Vintage clothing shopping is exciting and enjoyable so long as you come with a good attitude and patience. Finding items that nobody else has is the biggest appeal for me, plus you’re being eco-friendly with the added thrill of bargaining for a deal.

Here’s a summary shot of just the accessories that came home with me from the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show. Can’t wait to do it all again this Fall! Weeeeeeeeeeee!

Studio Blue Yoga

Since my BollyFuze classes ended in Fall, I’ve been missing group exercise. And with spring around the corner, I wanted to try something new. So when I came across another GroupOn deal for yoga classes in my hood, thought I’d check it out.

Studio Blue Yoga (located on Dundas St. West, just before Duffrin) conveniently has a their class schedule and descriptions available online, where you can BOOK your session. And they offer their first class for FREE! So before I cash in my GroupOn voucher, I could check them out before committing.

I personally haven’t practiced yoga in nearly two years. At one point I got pretty good with my breathing and balance work, and even got to be a pretty flexible girl. But, two years is a looooong time and this chick ain’t as bendy as she used to be. I was super nervous to go back into the classroom with a bunch of wafer thin bun-headed girls, wearing nothing but LuLuLemon pants and sport bras that matched with zero sweat on their perfectly manicured eyebrows and likely full make-up faces. Meanwhile, I would be drenched in sweat gasping for air in the corner, whist doing my rendition of downward dog pose, or worse… I imagined.

I started to do some digging for reviews on this place. Wanted to know what other people thought of the studio, the instructors, the clientele. And I discovered that this studio was brand spankin’ new… 5-weeks old in fact. Their website is simple and friendly. There I found the little helpful reminders section (see image above) that helped me shake that scardy-cat voice in the back of my head. The location is amazing, walking distance from my place. The classes offered variety and options on various days of the week. And I didn’t have to commit cash until I tried it out first. SOLD! I searched my storage unit for my lime green yoga mat and I booked my first class!

The complimentary class I chose was a Tuesday evening class called: Foundations Flow — A beginner friendly and comprehensive class with a focus on anatomy. Includes Sun Salutations, Downward Dog flows and other fundamental postures. Suitable for all levels. I got to the studio a bit early in hopes to chat with the owner and checkout the space for this blog review. The bright, welcoming logo painted directly onto their walls can be seen from across Dundas St West, which was much appreciated for this first-timer looking for the location. I was greeted by Jess, a yoga instructor and the owner of Studio Blue and she gave me a tour of the facilities and how everything worked … plus a mug of ginger tea.

Once you’ve checked in and signed their health & safety waiver, there is a long hallway filled with original artwork that was all photographed in their fancy space. Sliding pocket-doors lead you into a lovely large space that is toasty warm.

The entire yoga studio space has been fitted with ceiling heaters that warm up the objects in the room, so much so that I mistakenly thought the floors were heated. Patrons need to bring their own yoga mats, towels and bottles of water as none of that is provided there. However, there are yoga blocks available to help support you if you need them – they came in super handy for me as I relearn how to perform all the yoga poses. There’s even a raised stage area at the front of the room for the instructor of the class, which I thought was a brilliant idea.

Towards the back of the studio there are separate change rooms for men and women, complete with benches, cubbies for your stuff and showers within each. Unisex washrooms and a water-fountain station to refill bottles are back there too. Super handy and convenient for those of us rushing to class after work.

The 75-min Tuesday night class was a mixed group of 6 people, where we focused on breathing and balance in our movements and poses. Since we were a small, but mighty few we got to do some exercises against the wall that really allowed the body to stretch completely by way of a half-moon pose. My balance and breathing needs a lot of work. But by the end of the class I found myself seriously relaxed, my whole body felt like butta and I floated home in a peaceful yoga bubble. I had the most sound sleep that night that I’ve had in a long time. I think there’s something to this yoga thang!

I’ve always had a hard time spending money on ‘name brand’ gym clothes – so most of what I wear when working out are tops that have been demoted from my regular wardrobe and yoga pants when on sale from various retailers. Usually a Target or Wamart and occasionally a Reitmans or Old Navy. Here’s what I wore to my first yoga class at Studio Blue:

Tops: demoted pink button-up Tee from Old Navy, long-sleeve activewear from Puma (on sale at Winners)

Bottoms: Yogalife black capri pants from Reitmans

In hindsight, wearing a top with buttons for anything exercise related is a total no-no for me. With all the different poses involved, twists and body movements those buttons did not want to say buttoned. The ‘girls’ got in the way of some of the poses done while on the mat, to be expected. Next time, I will have to consider wearing a tight-fitting tank underneath instead, to avoid “t-shirt creep”.

I loved the class! I’m definitely cashing in my voucher and going again! This time I might try one of their more high-energy classes…soooo many to choose from…excited! If only there was a Cuddle Pose + nap time to end every class with…hummmm. I’ll make that suggestion at my next class and see what I can do friends 😉

How many of y’all practice Yoga? How many of you have thought about it, but feel a little intimidated to try? Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the ‘comments’…let’s start a discussion!

Oscars Red Carpet

Who stayed up late and watched the Oscars last night?

The 86th Academy Awards was a star-studded event where the dresses were as impressive as the nominees, and at the centre was Ellen DeGeneres, repeating her 2007 triumph as host of the Oscars. I thought she was an excellent host and was surprised at how much she pushed the envelope with her jokes….poor Liza. 🙂

Here’s the run down on MY personal top 5 favourite looks on the red carpet last night:

#5: Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab Haute Couture

Naomi Watts

#4: Olga Kurylenko in Alice Elia

Olga Kurylenko

#3: Kate Hudson in Atelier Versace

Naomi Watts

#2: Julia Roberts in Givenchy Couture

Lupita Nyong`o

#1: Amy Adams in Gucci Prèmiere

Amy Adams

There you have it! My top 5 list from last night’s red carpet. If you’ve been following PetitePlus, Meow’s FB Page (if you haven’t – START!) …you know that my heart’s true #1 spot for best dress still remains with the Original Glamour Curvy Queen: Missy Piggy wearing Vivianne Westwood Couture on E!