allessia's love list

current obsession:
Nail polish, cruiser bikes and the idea of living in California.

favourite app:
Bloglovin' is the only way I can keep up with the 50 million different blogs I follow and their app provides me with endless reading material for any commute. Words With Friends is a close second though – I dare you to play me! (disclaimer: last night I played a word for 99 points and I'd be lying if I said it was the first time that's happened).

gear to sweat in:
Cool Racerback tank, hands down. I fear TLC’s My Collection Obsession might be on to me...

workout accessory:
A run hat. Even if I look like Phoebe running through Central Park, I feel totally legit and in the zone when I’ve got my run hat on.

yoga move:
Handstand. I love the idea of flipping my world upside down and seeing how long I can hold it! I also mix my handstand passion with my travel passion and snap a pic on every beach I visit.

place to run:
On the seawall here in Vancouver – I like my runs with a pinch of sea salt.

websites/blogs:
Oh gosh, there are so many to choose from but these are some of my current go-to’s for all kinds of laughs and inspiration!

http://theglitterguide.com/
http://seejaneworkplaylive.blogspot.com/
http://www.thedaybookblog.com/
http://www.ispydiy.com/
http://jezebel.com/
http://madewell.tumblr.com/
http://ohsheglows.com/ 

who inspires you?
My grandma! I think about all the things she’s experienced in her lifetime and it just blows me away. As a little girl she was making day-long treks down a mountain in Italy to do laundry in a river. Today, at 81, she calls me on Skype from Toronto and sends e-cards for my birthday. Oh, and her cooking is out of this world.

favourite restaurant:
True Food Kitchen in Scottsdale, Arizona - food has never tasted so good.

favourite book:
Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky and, by no coincidence, The Catcher in the Rye (which Chbosky was inspired by). Side note: Perks is coming out as a film this year and I’m feeling confident the adaptation will be amazing since the author is also the director and screenwriter. How cool is that?

fitness trend:
Stand Up Paddleboarding – and I’m dying to try SUP yoga as soon as the sun decides to shine!

secret to finding balance?
I am a chronic list maker and post-it fanatic (see above). Writing things down keeps me organized and stress-free. Every morning starts with a list of all the things I want to accomplish that day (laundry, workout, blog post, coffee date etc.). If I can visually see what I have to do the achiever in me can get it all done. To lock in my sweat sessions I schedule all my workouts into my Outlook calendar and keep an extra set of workout gear at my desk. When you work at a place like lululemon, you just never know when a yoga class is going to call your name!

Got any things you think i'll love? Let me know!

Portrait radness courtesy of Camerabag

If something cool is on the rise, Lesia knows about it. She's the resident maven on the Digital team and the one for info on just about anything. Naturally, we wanted her list of favourite iPhone apps. Get out your phone and get ready for her list of must-haves.

lesia's favourite iphone apps

Outside of the standard must-have apps like Twitter, Facebook, foursquare, WeatherEye (way better then the weather app that comes with iPhone), IMDB, Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Cover Orange, Flashlight, Groupon & Tumblr, there are a few others I couldn’t live without. I've categorized them by price. Enjoy!

(free) - Just download and have fun!
($) - Minimum investment for maximum enjoyment. Expect to pay around $2.
($$) - Pricier but worth every penny. Expect to pay $5 or more.

fitness essentials

If you have goals to run a marathon, do a yoga challenge or reach your personal best, these apps will quickly become your best friends.

MindBody Yoga (free)  I can quickly and easily find the closest yoga class no matter where I am, Vancouver or abroad.

Run Keeper (free)  I just downloaded this one and it looks like amazing. I’ll keep you posted once I hit the pavement with the No Excuses Run Club.

ifitness ($) Stay motivated and get fit with this app. It's currently not available on the Canadian store but it's so good, I'd hate to leave it out.

Loseit (free) This calorie-counting app keeps you accountable. Set a goal and it will help you make it happen. (My husband lost 15 pounds with the baby. What more could you ask for?)

smile! (my favourite picture apps)

Pick some of these up before you pack your bags for that hot-spot vacation or yoga retreat. It’s impossible to choose one!

Hipstamatic ($) Their slogan says it all: digital never looked so analog.

Instagram (free) My newest download. I love how easy it is to share and add filters to Instagram snaps!

Camerabag ($) My first love, if you only have one photo app, this will treat you well.

Pano ($) Hello, PANORAMIC!

8mm ($) This is where all my spare time goes lately. This video app is brilliant. Add vintage effects to everyday iPhone video. It brings new meaning to way-back play-back.

Lesia + Instagram = happiness

edible apps

Jamie Oliver’s 20-Minute Meals ($$) Hands down the most thoughtful foodie app around, especially for a newbie cook.

How to Cook Everything ($$) Featuring the NYTimes Minimalist himself, Mark Bittman.

Epicurious (free) Get healthy recipes from SELF magazine or indulge your inner foodie with a treat from Gourmet or Bon Appetit. You can search by ingredients and get complete shopping lists. If only it made dinner...

Whole Foods (free) Not only can you find amazing healthy recipes, you can also search their database by dietary preferance. Low-fat, gluten-free and vegan? No problem.

current events

For staying in the know on current events, I check out Globe & Mail, NY Times, Mashable, Huffington Post, and Pop Sugar. Best of all? They're all free.

deep thoughts

Apps aren’t all about food and fitness. I know I can always check into these apps when I need a little bit of inspiration.

TED Mobile (free) You'll never be bored or uninspired again. A few faves: Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish, Ken Robinson’s talk on creativity, Sheryl Sandberg's (COO of Facebook) "Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders".

Seth Godin (free) I love to pop into this app to hear what Seth has to say about marketing & ideas. I’m never disappointed.

just because

Period Tracker ($) My good friend got me onto this one and I share it with every girl with an iPhone. They always thank me – ‘nuff said.

fab fashion apps

Wait! There’s more. In writing this, I’ve realized how many apps I’ve come to depend on and love. Last but not least, the beloved fashion apps I drool over. Again, all are free. ebay and Who What Wear are keepers. Style.com gives you the whole gorgeous site in the palm of your hand. Chic Feed aggregates amazing fashion blogs, most notably, the Sartorialist. Finally, Net-A-Porter. I love its wish-list function. 

Well there you have it. If I'm missing any of your must-haves, I'd love to know!

Lesia's BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) is to one day create an amazing lululemon app for you all to enjoy! Fingers crossed.