if you happen to find yourself in tofino (for 24 hours or less)...

coffee
If you’re passionate enough about coffee to see through fancy drink names and a robust website then you’ll appreciate The Tofitian for all it has to offer - a seriously great cup of Joe, some nifty memorabilia and an authentic Tofino experience. This locally run shop is the place to caffeinate pre-island adventure or to warm up (the mocha hot chocolate comes highly recommended) after a cold day riding the Pacific surf.

trail
If you’re up for a hike, check out Schooners Cove. The moderate trail starts off in the rainforest with a series of wooden platforms and steps and then spits you out on the north end of Long Beach. Insider tip: Go at low tide, keep to the right when you hit the beach and uncover some amazing wildlife like bald eagles and starfish.

surf
It wouldn’t be a successful trip to Tofino without getting your feet a little wet. If you’re looking to catch a wave for the first time check out Surf Sister. Their all-female staff brings a unique flare (and extreme passion) to the surf scene, specializing in instructing with the beginner in mind. Dudes – don’t shy away, these classes are for you too!

a cold brew
Tofino Brewing Company is a great place to crack a cold one. The beers satisfy, the ambiance is cool and the dudes who own it are a pleasure to chat with. Purchase their iconic jug and have it refilled over and over again when you’re back in Vancouver. 

eat
When it comes to grabbing a bite of delicious grub, Tacofino has it dialed. From the staff to the outdoor dining experience at long wooden communal tables this taco truck is the epitome of cool. The fish tacos are a must and wash down quite nicely with a Lime-Mint Freshie – oh, and don’t forget to grab a Chocolate Diablo Cookie for dessert.

Ever been? What are some of your favourite pitstops in Tofino?

Name: Deanne
BHAG: My beautiful West Coast post-and-beam house with a view of the ocean, the mountains and the city is built by 2015!

what is a bhag?

A BHAG (pronounced "bee-hag") is a big, hairy, audacious goal!

why share your bhag?

The more you share your goals, the more likely it is you will achieve them. For the month of June we will be sharing a BHAG every day on lululemon.com. Want to share your BHAG with the world? Send your high-res photo to blogs@lululemon.com and we'll publish a few of our favourites here on the lululemon blog.

I was reading on the ferry on my commute to work when these 12 words literally jumped off the page at me. When was it, yesterday? Last week? Last month? I sat there, mulling over what kind of a leader I was (or wasn’t) being in my own life.

Relief came when I quickly realized the answer: yesterday. It may not be a Nobel-prize worthy accomplishment, but I was pleased and comforted at the thought that yesterday I did something new for the first time. What was it, you ask? I floated. Silly-sounding? Yes. But when you’re a sinker like me, who has always inhaled to her fullest only to have her feet, legs and hips slowly pull her under, floating for the first time is spectacular!

Having grown up surrounded by freshwater lakes, I recently moved near the ocean, where the salt water was only too happy to support me! And so I floated, looking up towards the blue sky as the calming blissful silence of the sea held me up.

One could argue that it's kind of silly (or even embarrassing) that a girl, who just celebrated her 30th birthday, was excited about learning how to float. I thought about how this achievement could relate to my life.

So many of us float through life, and many of us feel ourselves sinking when the pressures of our day become overwhelming. I couldn’t help but wonder: is it about ‘floating’ through life or ‘growing’ through it? If we pretend that we know it all, aren’t we just missing out on all the learnings and wonderment that come along the way? What if we looked at life as an adventure instead of getting caught up in the daily grind?

Get up today and do something for the first time – no matter how big or how small.

Alexis from our Store Support Centre recently did something for the first time. Check out her blog post, "If You're Guilty and You Know It..."

Getting down and dirty in yoga class is admirable – getting off your mat and practicing outdoors is extraordinary. Taking yoga outdoors stimulates the senses and heightens physical awareness. I have found hiking yoga to be one of the most invigorating and spiritual activities.

Without breath, you are not doing yoga. So why not breathe deeply while hiking and explore the possibilities of connecting to the earth. Groups across the country are offering hiking yoga classes/guides that are specific to the geographic area. Eric Kipp in San Francisco leads urban Hiking Yoga groups that focus on breath and engaging the core. Eric takes you inside the romantic hidden spots of the city while stopping after every huge hill to do a relaxing warrior or triangle pose.

The beauty of nature, like being next to a campfire, immediately inspires you to emerge from your safe zone. Hiking with a group promotes rich social interaction and human connection. I have found the shared experience to be rewarding and quite awakening to my bodies capabilities.

Above: Vanessa, escapes the city and heads to Tofino (Vancouver Island) for an oceanside hike and yoga experience. She's keeping warm in our Remix lulu hoodie.