I don’t know if it was the world of Pinterest, my love affair with blogs or hearing Darcy Miller (editorial director at Martha Weddings) speak at a conference last January, but somewhere down the line I fell in love with parties.

Of course, not just your average party. I’m talking the good-to-the-last-detail kind of parties that are known to make guests swoon. To me – there are few greater pleasures in life then hosting a badass shindig and watching your friends’/families’ face's light up with delight.

This realization recently lead me to declare my next big goal:

“I am a full-time mom, part-time party-stylist by 2023”.

Whoa.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves because there are a whole lot of holidays and parties to be thrown before then… like Cinco De Mayo, which is just around the corner. Hola Amigos!

Before I overwhelm you (I realize that not everyone gets as excited as me about this stuff) I want you to know of the importance of a solid table spread. Most parties revolve around good food and great cocktails so if you add a little oomph to the party “scene of the crime” (aka the table) it only takes a little extra effort to transform the space and really bring your party-theme home. (I used this theory for both my holiday open house and birthday soiree).

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1. fringe table runner

It all starts with a good base. Liven up your table with this DIY fringe table runner courtesy of party-crafting extraordinaire, Hank and Hunt.

2. fiesta garland

Arts and Crafts 101: tissue paper, scissors, twine and double-stick tape is all you need to recreate Oh Happy Day's Mexican Fiesta Garland to soar above your table.

3. invitations

All the pretty details aside – a party just isn’t a party without your friends. I love these simple straight to the point invitations from Girl In Gear Studio. Tacos. Margaritas. ‘Nuff said. If your friends are anything like mine, they’ll be there.

4/5. tin can floral arrangements

I love this idea! It’s such a great way to recycle all the empty cans you’ll likely have on hand (can’t have a fiesta without Mexican food!) and it adds a great pop of colour to your table. Fill your cans with flowers, succulents (really inexpensive) or a combo of both.

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1. paper flower striped straws

I’m a total sucker for striped paper straws. If you’re not super crafty you can leave it at that and still ‘wow’ a crowd. If you want to kick it up a notch add miniature paper flowers to those stems with this DIY.

2. avocado seed table signs:

With all that guacamole you’re going to make (RIGHT?) you’ll probably have a lot of avocado seeds lying around. I love this place card holder DIY from House of Earnest – totally genius! In the case of this Cinco De Mayo party I’d use the seeds to label the spread on the table rather than for seating.

3. fringe food picks

Quite possibly the queen of DIY – Kelly from Studio DIY gives us the fringe food pick.

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1. DIY piñata

The aforementioned Darcy Miller says she never throws a party without a piñata. Obviously this is a new rule of thumb. If you’re tight on time you can purchase a piñata from your local party store… or give this DIY piñata a try.

2. photobooth fun

In the Instagram age you don’t need a full blown photobooth to encourage your friends to take pictures. Provide a few Cinco De Mayo themed photo props and watch your party unfold via your feed.

I’ll save you the spiel and cut to the chase. It goes without saying that you need food and drinks to throw any party. Here are the recipes I’m dying to dish out:

1. Taco Bar 2. Avocado Salad 3. Chipotle Popcorn with Avocado Butter 4. Margarita Cupcakes 5. Pinata Cookies 6. Mango Jalepeno Margarita 7. Mint Mojitos

I truly believe that if you have at least one creative bone in your body you can totally pull off a kickass party in your own home (if not you should call me in 2023). Happy Cinco De Mayo ya’ll! What are your plans to celebrate?

Alright friends, drop and give us 20!

Rob, our SeaWheeze TackleBox trainer and Emma, our expert nutrition partner at Vega, took over our social channels for a one-hour live Q & A.  We’ve compiled some of the most valuable questions to help you tackle the SeaWheeze half marathon… 3 weeks and counting!

tips from our experts

Q: Hey Rob - I'm struggling to stop/reduce some shin splints that are beginning in my left lower inner calf - I haven't had shin splints before, any tips for stretches or things to do while I run? – Marena
A: Marena, some quick wins would be to change your runners. Another would be to stretch and roll your calves before and after your run. I would also make sure that before your run, you do a very thorough dynamic warm up. There just happens to be a good one right here. – Rob

Q: How many days before a half marathon do you recommend carb loading? Do you even recommend it at all for just a half? – Alexa
A: The lunch before the race is a crucial meal to get your carb load in so that you still have time to digest it completely. If you have room to eat carb heavy but a smaller portion at dinner, then that works great too! – Emma

Q: I’m never too sure what to eat race day. What’s a good pre-race vegan breakfast? And how much time before the race is good to eat? Thanks – Monica
A: Good vegan breakfasts – We love using gluten-free porridges with berries and almond butter. You could also try a power shake with a plant-based protein (10-15g), banana or frozen mango and extra greens if you like! Consume your last meal 1-2 hours before your run and of course, don’t forget to hydrate. – Emma

Q: Hi Rob, my feet are looking gross from the training runs, ie. blisters but I love my low support shoes… Does that mean they are too small? Or am I still breaking them in? Or wrong socks? I'm reluctant to break in a new pair so close to the race... does skin tape help? Also, why are you so darn good looking - what's your secret? – Carlson
A: Blisters - did you get them when you wore a more supportive shoe? How old are they? What type of socks are you using? Cotton or technical? You have time to buy new runners because of the fact that they are minimal style shoes. I've never used skin tape...does anyone else have input for Carlson? In regards to my stunning good looks, I'd like to think that yoga, running and having great people around me keep me looking fresh *wink* - Rob

Q: Is chocolate milk really the post-run wonder-drink that the ads make them out to be? – Conner
A: Great question! Ideally right after a run, high carbo intake (which chocolate milk has) of either food or drink is good but dairy can be hard to digest. If you want to avoid the dairy you could try a glass of chocolate almond milk! – Emma

Q: Hey Rob, I find that there is a lot of stress on my knees for longer runs, any suggestions on exercises to help strengthen the knees or ways to reduce this stress? Thanks! – Fatima
A: Hey Fatima, great question. Sounds like a little overuse - stretching the quads and rolling them using a foam roller could be a quick win. A little rest could also be all you need. If I were to dig a little deeper, I’d suggest to get a physio to look at your running form as it may be a simple correction of how you run. Let me know how it goes! – Rob

A: Hey Fatima! Natural anti-inflammatories like turmeric & ginger can also support and glucosamine can help nourish soft tissue like joints, ligaments and tendons. – Emma

Side crow can be performed on it's own or as a transition into eka pada koundinyasana. It's also taught by teachers using either both arms or one arm as the balance point.

side crow option 1

1. Begin in a squat position with your knees and shins together.

2. Keep your knees pointing forward and rotate your torso to the right.

3. Set your palms firmly on the ground shoulder width, about a foot in front of you.

4. Anchor into your palms, lift your hips up, draw your core in and begin to transition the balance of your body: left elbow into your right knee and right elbow towards right waist and ribs.

5. Think "nose toward the ground, butt to the ceiling" in order to lift your feet off the ground.

6. Look forward slightly and lean forward balancing your torso on your arms like a little shelf.

7. Keep hugging your shins in as they can splay apart, and either stay here with bent knees or begin to press both heels toward the side wall.

8. Think Chaturanga arms, drawing shoulder blades onto your upper back and lift up into your core.

Repeat on the left side!

sidecrow option 2

For option 2, repeat the above, but when you set your palms, instead set your left elbow into your right knee and right palm at a slight diagonal and away from your waist.

1. The lift of your hips up is key when you transition to balance primarily on your left arm, versus collapsing forward.

2. Lift your torso up then forward and down, balancing between the line of both arms, your right arm will be free in space, allow both elbows to bend

3. To transition to eka pada koundinyasana, press both heels toward the side wall extending both legs.

4. Keep your bottom leg where it's at and begin to push your top heel toward the ceiling, flexing both feet.

5. Think of kicking up to the ceiling with your top leg instead of just to the back of the room (nose to the ground, heel to the ceiling).

6. Stay active through your legs and feet. This is key in order to balance.

Enjoy this party trick for 5-10 breaths

Exit by either jumping back to Down Dog or rest in Child's pose.

Watch Julia get into both side crow variations:

We just can’t stand the rain any longer. We've spent the past few weeks drooling over travel sites and now we're ready to take action. We asked adventure junkie, admitted yoga addict and University Village ambassador,

how to pick a yoga retreat 

• location, location, location
• choose a teacher and style you love
• pick a focus/theme that speaks to you

• pricing and timing
• do your homework

1. location, location, location

Just like buying a good piece of real estate, location is key when picking a retreat. While choosing a place you’ve always wanted to go (Paris, merci!) may set the stage for a great vacay, be sure to consider the type of landscape that will most inspire your yoga practice (are you hitting mountain pose at mountain top or digging your Down-dog into white sandy beach?) You should also consider if you want the retreat to be dedicated only to yoga or if you’d like to partake in other activities like surfing, hiking or biking. Choose a location that offers you more of what you want.

location tips

if you enjoy: exploring culture, arts and monuments
think: Tuscany, Paris, Provence or Spain

if you enjoy: being on a warm, sunny beach with a bucket of Coronas
think: Hawaii or Mexico

if you enjoy: the comfort of high thread-count sheets and a cozy luxurious bed (and let’s be serious, who doesn’t?)
think: Sonoma, Napa Valley or the San Juan Islands

if you enjoy: rustic camping trips
think: Montana

2. choose a teacher and style you love

Familiarize yourself with the teacher(s) guiding the retreat. Look into how many years of experience they have, both guiding retreats as well as teaching yoga. If you can, go to some of their local studio classes and decide if you like their teaching style. If they aren’t accessible to you, ask for student testimonials to shed some light. Is the teacher super serious or loads of fun? You should be "in like" with your teacher and excited to spend time learning from them and just hanging out.

A retreat can be like a mini "teacher training" so make sure you feel aligned with the style (Bikram, Hatha, Vinyasa etc) and level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, multi-level) of yoga you will be practicing. If you want a sweaty practice but the itinerary only includes restorative yoga, you're going to be let down. Also consider how much yoga you want to practice while you’re on the retreat. Some yoga holidays may offer only one 60-minute class a day while others offer two classes daily and mini-workshops, life coaching or yoga clinics.

3. theme and focus of a retreat

Ask yourself what your intentions are for this experience. Are you looking to reset your mind, challenge your practice, heal a broken heart or make new friends? If the retreat is based on life-coaching and self-development but you are only looking for exercise and physical activity then it’s probably not the retreat for you. Read the descriptions of the themes carefully and find the one that most speaks to what you are looking for. The retreat's focus will bring together like-minded people so you’ll find it easier to connect with the group, which will no-doubt enhance the experience.

4. price and timing

Unless the trip information states otherwise, retreats should be inclusive of pretty much everything except airfare. This means you know what your total trip expense will be right from the get-go. Not having to worry about over-spending will help you take a load off and really embrace the experience. Keep in mind that an inexpensive retreat doesn’t necessarily mean it’s cheap in quality (it could just mean that there are more participants, all paying less). Do your research to ensure your getting the most bang for your buck and there are no surprises! Retreats can be as short as a two-night weekend getaway or as long (or longer than) a 10-day trip. Don’t just assume longer is better, sometimes all we need is a weekend away to "reboot."

5. do your homework

Make sure you register with a legit organization. Companies like The Travel Yogi or Alchemy Tours travel to potential locations to ‘feel it out’ before hosting a retreat there. It is definitely comforting to know that the hosts can vouch for their retreats before you invest a ton of time, money and precious vacation hours. If you want even more info, MindBodyGreen has a great summary of worldwide retreats.

Don’t know about you but we’re ready to say sayonara to the winter blues and eager to hit up a retreat. Check out our top five picks or share your personal recommendations below!

*Photography from Big Island Hawaii Yoga Retreat and Prana Del Mar Eco-Yoga Retreat, courtesy of Alchemy Tours and Ellie Tonev Photography. 

Still have questions about yoga or how to check in? Head into any lululemon store or showroom in North America, and any of our store educators are happy to help. Practice yoga and share the love with your neighbours! Namaste.

This video was created entirely by Liz Johnson, a Key Leader from our Halifax location.

Learn more about the Gift of Yoga here: http://lululemon.com/giftofyoga/

you asked...

I am 28 years old and about 20 lbs overweight and have never, ever been a strong runner. I have a dream to experience a runner’s high. How do I get started and what are realistic steps to progress? I would be happy to run on pavement, but living in Banff offers me so many great trails that I am keen to experience at a whole new speed. Thanks for any insight you might be able to offer me.
- Sara

a runner responds

Sara,
My first recommendation is to find a friend or a beginner’s running group to help get you going. If you are venturing out on your own or with a friend, consider starting with 1 minute of walking and 1 minute of running for 20 minutes. If you cannot complete this, then try a 30 second run with a 1 minute walk. Once you are able to complete 1 and 1s comfortably for 20 minutes, build your time by 4 minutes each run until you get to around 40 minutes. Once you’ve nailed 1 and 1s, try 2 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking (2 & 1s). Again, go out for 20 minutes your first time, and slowly build your time for each run by 4 minutes. Do not run on consecutive days, especially when beginning, but aim to do this 3 times per week. Once you are running 2 & 1s comfortably for 30 or 40 minutes, then you can begin to experiment with longer run intervals, or shorter walk intervals. The trails are fine, and are nicer on the joints compared to the pavement, so take advantage for sure! Beware that you may encounter more hills on the trails, so you may have to speedwalk up these instead of running during your running interval, and that’s fine! You may want to also pick up a copy of “Running: Getting Started”, by Jeff Galloway. Good luck and enjoy your running experience Sara!

Ainslie

you asked...

I am definitely considering overweight to obese, but I know that running can be one of the best cardiovascular workouts there is. Any advice for the extreme novice who’s overweight and utterly intimidated by a running club filled with uber-athletic types? Also – I have diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (since age 3) so maybe interval training. Treadmill or pavement? Shoes? I’m completely lost and most resources I’ve found are for people that are already fairly fit. -Kristine

"Everybody was a beginner at some point" - Ainslie

a runner responds

I would be very surprised if your local running store did not offer a run clinic or regular run group for beginners. Check out www.runningroom.com - they have a ton of locations and offer lots of learn to run programs. If you genuinely have not found something in your area, then grab a friend and read my answer to Sara’s question on starting out with running. Do not hide behind your weight or insecurities. Everybody was a beginner at some point, and I know that wherever you are, there are others out there who are also new. As for shoes, head to your local running specialty store, not a big box sports store. They will be trained to assess your stride and will be able to recommend the shoes that will best fit your feet. Be prepared to shell out anywhere between $90 and $160 for a decent pair of runners! I also recommend the same book for you, “Running: Getting Started”, by Jeff Galloway.

Ainslie

you asked...

Hi there, I have tried to get into running for years off and on and can never seem to stick with it. I am really active, however I want to run as I love being outside and travel a lot so it would be great to be able to go running when there is no gym around. Can you give some tips on how to get started? My calves and ankles seem to tighten up 20-30 minutes into my run and even though I’m not tired or winded I need to stop. Any help would be great! Cheers.
Meagan

a runner responds

Meagan, read my response to Sara’s question for my guide on getting started with running. With regards to the tightness, I would recommend purchasing a foam roller and trying out a technique called SMR (self myofascial release). Start by doing these exercises after every run, or every workout you do when your body is nice and warmed-up. Check out www.my-physical-therapy-coach.com/foam-roller-exercises.html and specifically try the exercises labeled “Gastroc Soleus Stretch”, and “Pereonal SMR Stretch”.

Ainslie

you asked...

I weight train and do yoga, but would like to start running to challenge myself with something new. Any suggestions on how to start? My endurance for running is low and I can usually do ok if I alternate with power walking. Any tips would be great – I need the motivation, and to be told I can totally do it! -Ann

a runner responds

Ann,
YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IT!! It sounds like you’re on the right track with alternating your power walking, and for more info on the beginner’s guide to running, check out my response to Sara’s question. Also, find a friend with a similar goal, or else join a local run store’s run club – there are always beginner’s clinics. Once you are able to run more comfortably, set a race goal for yourself – a 5km or an 8km race is a great way to stay motivated and on track with your training.

Ainslie

Ainslie is the first run expert featured in our Ask a Runner series. Check out her website to get to know her better: http://triplethreattraining.ca/

step one

Find your way into a standing kneel with your knees hip-width apart. Make sure that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor, and that your ankles are in line with your knees. Draw your breath up tall through your torso, and press your shins and the tops of your feet into the mat for stability.

step two

Rest your hands flat against the back of your pelvis with your fingers pointing down. Use your hands to support and lengthen the back pelvis as you stretch up through the front of your body. Pressing your tailbone forward in line with your knees, begin to open your face and heart up towards the ceiling. Remember to take deep, calming breaths. For some, this will be as far as you need to go. Enjoy the feelings of stretching and expanding through your front body! Hold here only as long as it feels comfortable if it's your first time. Eventually you may be able to build up to thirty seconds, or even a minute.

step three

For a fuller expression of Camel pose, continue opening up your heart, bringing your head closer to your feet by lengthening your spine against the support of your tail bone and shoulder blades. You may be able to lower your hands to rest lightly against your heels. Try not to push too far forwards or compress too much backwards - think of keeping space in the bend with your thighs perpendicular. Stay and enjoy the rush of this pose for anywhere from thirty seconds to a minute.

To exit, support your back pelvis with your hands as you lift and strengthen back up through your torso, leading with your heart first. Relax into a wide, seated kneel with your body folded forwards and arms stretched out ahead of you on the mat ("Child's pose") for a few breaths afterward. You may notice that Camel pose will stir up bits of stagnant energy or tension in your system. Breathe through the "carbonated" feeling and use it to energize your ski runs, or as a final release before you hit the ski lodge for a hot cup of cocoa!

Do you enjoy snowboarding as well? Check out our yoga for snowboarding post and add a brand-new yoga pose to your snow sporting arsenal!