New Zealanders are euphoric at the moment and it’s not just because they finally have three lululemon showrooms. New Zealand’s All Blacks won Rugby’s World Cup on home soil for the second time in the tournament’s history and, between games, Rugby fans from around the world have been enjoying NZ’s stunning culture and scenery. Danna and the rest of the lululemon Queenstown team share some of the treats they’ve discovered in New Zealand’s adventure capital.

adventure and adrenalin

nzone skydive

If you like to do one thing a day that scares you, do it with Nzone Skydive. Queenstown is renowned for its beautiful scenery and there's no better way to enjoy the sight of Lake Wakatipu and New Zealand's Southern Alps than jumping from a plane. No wonder people get addicted to it. A note of caution: if at first you don't succeed...skydiving's probably not for you.

skyline gondola

The trip up to the top of the Skyline Gondola is a gateway-drug to Queentown’s adrenalin-filled world of adventure. At the top you can choose from the legendary bungy jump, swing, luge, paragliding and the kiwi haka show; you can easily make a good day of it. To top off all the fun, there is a great restaurant and cafe to keep you well hydrated and fed. While you’re grabbing your snack and a breather, it’s a great time to take in the panoramic views of Queenstown Bay and the surrounding mountains.

high country horses

One of the amazing facets of New Zealand is that cosmopolitan cities, like Queenstown, are right on the doorstep of Mother Nature. A trek with High Country Horses is a great adventure for a Sunday afternoon. Your guide takes you for a trip on your horse through the rivers and countryside of Glenorchy. The views are outstanding and it’s a great way to relax and escape from all the hustle and bustle.

food and drink

vudu café

This is a fantastic café that is always busy with hungry locals.  Vudu offers deliciously fresh juices and a friendly atmosphere. We often duck in for a quick lunch or to grab a coffee. It's the perfect spot whether we're having a meeting or catching up with a friend. We love all their food  but we're especially addicted to their famous tuna melt.

johnny barrs

Johnny Barrs is the best (and only) place in town that serves dairy free smoothies. We're are huge fans of their delicious, healthy menu and amazing staff! We also just love popping in to pay our friend Cindy, a visit.

culture and history

t.s.s earnslaw

The T.S.S. Earnslaw is a living piece of Queenstown history. Launched in 1912, the iconic steamship is believed to be the only coal-fired passenger-carrying vessel still operating in the southern hemisphere. The Earnslaw makes several trips daily across Lake Wakatipu in the summer months, which are a perfectly peaceful way to experience Queenstown’s magnificent alpine scenery.

yoga and you

qt yoga

As summer springs to life in New Zealand (during the North American winter) QT Yoga's Kristen De Haan offers half an hour of Laughter yoga in the Park at the Queenstown Gardens on Saturday mornings. It's the perfect excuse for outdoor yoga and it guarantees a good laugh.

yoga nadi

Bending our schedules to fit in our yoga practice often seems harder than bending on our yoga mats. The lunchtime yoga with Sandi or Greg at Yoga Nadi can be a real sanity saver.

If you've been to Queenstown we'd love to hear about your adventures. If you haven't been to NZ, now's probably a good time with all those planes heading back empty after dropping Rugby fans home.

meet maui

The Maui team is ready to rock in Paia!

Our Maui Showroom is privileged to be located in the beautiful town of Paia, known for its larger than life yoga culture, world class surf spots and outdoor adventures. We invite the locals of Maui and any visitors this weekend to stop by and check us out! Doors open at 10am this Friday, so come and meet our team, rockstar ambassadors and participate in Union Yoga demonstrations!

Sunday we will be hosting a complimentary Sunday Fun Day Surfer's Flow class with a live DJ! We'd love for you to RSVP on our Facebook page, and look forward to lots of magic with our community in Maui! Aloha Paia!

meet pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh team is ready to meet their neighbours in Shadyside!

We are so excited to be nestled in the neighbourhood of Shadyside, right on Walnut Street! Pittsburgh is a city known for its rockin' athletic community who knows a thing or two about combining yoga with all forms of fitness. We definitely feel very lucky to be a part of such a wonderful community!

Saturday morning at 9am we will be hosting our first complimentary in-store yoga class led by Dominique of Yoga Flow. We are so excited to meet you Pittsburgh, so come and take a downdog with us! P.S. Feel free to join us on Facebook to stay in the know of our in-store events, and find out where our educators love to sweat throughout Pittsburgh! See you this weekend!

For those of you who read my blog last month, you’ll remember that I had enrolled in the Cross Fit Ramp course to prepare for the Superhero Half Marathon in Morris Township, NJ. Between the weight training, sprints and Paleolithic diet I hit the race start seriously motivated to clock a strong time.

I arrived at the race with my two local running buddies Tim Allison and Jim Connolly. We became friends last summer at the 92-mile relay team event called “River to Sea.” Since that race, we’ve maintained a bond as runners and support each other in as many local races as possible to gear up for the next relay, which is fast approaching in July! We positioned ourselves in the front of the pack and crossed the start on schedule at 8:30am. Tim joined me for the first 2 miles of the race. As a veteran Ironman and gifted coach he made sure I didn’t run faster than an 8-minute mile and deplete all my energy too early. Once he was sure I knew my pace he galloped off in to the distance on his way to running a 1:42 race.

Earlier in the morning Jim had confessed that he had been up late at a wedding and was not really feeling that “running magic”. He ran a more than respectable 1:54 but had he been drinking Gatorades instead of beers the night before it would have posted his usual 1:40+! Selfishly… I was happy to have the company. I ran a solid 1:53 which for me is lightning speed while Jim remained behind me the entire time. One suggestion for improvement I have for the race is to add more mile markers - there were only markers for mile 2 and mile 12 on the course. (Maybe the guy who was in charge of those was at the same wedding as Jim and just wasn’t on his A game?)

Fortunately, as we neared the end of the race, Jim would periodically reference his Garmin watch and quietly give the pack of surrounding runners an update on mileage. Every once in awhile I’d see a flash of his Island Green Metal Vent Tech shirt out of the corner of my eye and it would inspire me!

We’re not sure when our next race will be but we all plan to improve our times as we train for the big relay in July. My personal goal is a sub 1:50.

Thanks to the Superhero, the devoted runners of northern NJ finally have a genuine half marathon taking place in the heart of our community! I've lost track of how many times I’ve had to travel to a borough of Manhattan or hamlet at the Jersey shore to participate in a legitimate half marathon. We all know how hard local races are to sanction and organize in suburban towns so I give these race officials high marks for pulling this event off with aplomb. And notably, while runners enjoyed the competitive course and comradely, funds were raised for the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation. A win win on all fronts!

This blog was written by Marguerite, the assistant manager for the Summit, New Jersery showroom. She is passionate about family, health, and fitness with a new soft spot for Crossfit!

Meet Shannon, our amazing St. Louis Showroom Manager!

What is your role at lululemon?

Community Creator (a.k.a St. Louis Showroom Manager)

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

A showroom is a "cozier" version of a lululemon store; small and intimate, and more boutique-like... it’s like stopping by a friend's home to catch up and see what’s new. We operate just like a retail store in terms of offering tons of great product, but we spend as much time out in the community as we do in the showroom, so our hours are a little funny as we are not open every day and may close early for private events and trunk shows. We do our own painting and arranging. Some may call it "kitschy", but I prefer "homey", perhaps even "endearing". The showroom atmosphere engenders such a personal guest experience that ultimately creates authentic relationships. It's so amazing!

How did you come to lululemon?

I received my first pair of Groove pantsa few years ago and fell in love with the product. After completing my Masters in Spanish Literature and realizing the academic route was not for me, I began researching companies and met MK Letchworth who came to St. Louis to open the showroom here – her energy was INCREDIBLE and her enthusiasm for lululemon, contagious. It was an instant connection; we had so much in common! I applied online for positions in New York, was contacted by lululemon and ended up finding the best fit and opportunity right here in St. Louis with the fabulous MK (now lululemon masonville assistant manager!).

Tell us about your community:

St. Louis is friendly, loyal and authentic. It is a cosmopolitan city with world-class restaurants, museums, sports teams - but all coupled with a quaint, small-town feel. In terms of health and fitness, this is a running and fitness community where yoga is really taking off!

Inside the St. Louis Showroom!

What is a typical Wednesday like for you?

No typical day really – but in general I rise early, take a cardio class or go for a run, eat breakfast, participate in a conference call, grab a coffee and head to the showroom where I hang out with friends and make new ones talking about the latest and greatest lululemon gear, fave yoga class, new restaurants, goal setting, etc., and receive new product! After work I will drop in on a yoga class (or as of November in St. Louis, run with the lululemon run club!) make dinner and spend time with family and friends.

How do you usually sweat once a day?

I love to run, spin, practice yoga and take crazy cardio classes with some of the amazing instructors we have in St. Louis.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

Because I enable people to live longer, healthier and more fun lives by being a hub of health and fitness knowledge in my community. We offer complimentary yoga and fitness classes and educate the community on super high performance gear for however they choose to sweat!

No two days are ever the same. I wear stretchy pants to work and get paid to work out and have authentic conversations with people about health, fitness and living a GREAT life. My company is constantly challenging me to create a life of possibility and never settle for mediocrity, providing me with the developmental tools and support to make that happen! And, seriously, our manifesto includes such words of wisdom like "Dance, sing, floss and travel"and has monthly challenges that include dancing the running man once a day!

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Be yourself and have fun. Sounds simple, but you are hired into this incredible company because you are incredible, so just keep doing that thing you do. And, well, if you are not having fun every single day, then you are doing something wrong. Get out there and connect in your community - love, laugh, sweat and breath deeply every day! Honestly, just read the manifesto, it’s all there!

What makes your showroom unique?

Simple - our community makes us unique: from the educators to the guests, to the ambassadors and R&D team, to our fantastic Central West End neighborhood. There is no showroom like it!

What's your Big Hairy Audacious Goal!?

My BHAG is to bring lululemon into Spanish speaking countries, uniting my passion for the Spanish language and culture and sheer enthusiasm and desire to continue to spread the lululemon love… en español!

See the amazing opportunities at lululemon with the new showrooms opening up!

What is your role at lululemon?

I am a Showroom Manager in beautiful downtown San Diego.

Tell us about your community:

Downtown is the cultural center of San Diego. We have a really great mix of athletes, young professionals, people in the military, students and tourists. We have yogis, crossfitters, dancers, runners, cyclists, mixed martial artists and Olympic kayakers. People here are some of the most friendly I've ever met. I guess it's difficult not to be happy when it's sunny 360 days a year

How did you come to lululemon?

I worked in Los Angeles marketing for network television shows until I burned out. I took a year off and got certified to teach yoga then traveled around the world with my sister before settling in San Diego. I knew of and loved lululemon from my LA days and was surprised to find there wasn't a store here. I found the posting for a showroom manager on lululemon.com soon after I moved here. The timing was perfect! I was lucky enough to be hired to open a showroom in Del Mar, lululemon's entry into the San Diego market. The whole thing was fate really.

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

Showrooms were originally created to go into communities where lululemon stores were not around. They operate similarly to our stores in many ways but one major difference is that we have limited hours in order to maximize our time in the community. I believe there is no better venue than a showroom to interact with our community and truly gain a sense of what they want and where they want it. The showroom setting is generally very intimate and has that neighborhood vibe where our guests feel comfortable kicking off their shoes and staying awhile.

What's a typical Wednesday like for you?

Wednesdays are different each week but they always start out with our store manager call where all the stores and showrooms in our region get to touch base. Lots of learning and sharing happens on that call! Wednesdays include a class (or two!) so that I'm always becoming more of an expert in our community, connecting with the most amazing teachers, trainers, athletes and studios in our neighborhood. Community and people development are how I spend most of my days.

How do you usually sweat once a day?

Yoga is definitely my preferred form of exercise/stress relief though I took my first hip hop class a couple weeks ago and I'm hooked! Also, I work up quite a sweat chasing after my very active 11-month-old daughter but I can't think of anything more fun!

What’s one activity/fitness trend that you’ve been dying to try?

I have two: Zumba and Kettle Bells.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

I love creating something where there was nothing but opportunity before. I love working with amazing people every day, fellow educators and all the outstanding members of our community. I am so fortunate to have a job that embraces balance so that I can be present for my family and raise our daughter. I have so much fun at work that I'd probably do it even if I didn't get paid.

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Be flexible and open to anything! Most importantly, take ownership of whatever you do... showrooms provide unbelievable opportunities for resourcefulness and creativity.

What makes your showroom unique?

This is the second showroom I've managed in San Diego and they each had very different personalities. The first time around we were the only gig in town. Now there are two stores in the area so we have to work even harder to create our individual showroom culture and not stand in the shadow of the stores. Our mission continues to be to attract new guests, educate them on our culture and bring the lululemon love.

Sidewalk yoga! All part of a day's work at the San Diego showroom.

Do you think you are one of the three rock stars managers that can lead a team in Madison, WI, Cincinnati, OH or Birmingham, AL? Browse some of the cool locations where we will be opening showrooms!

Nicole from the recently opened Harvard Square showroom gives us a sneak peek into how their team took an empty space and turned it into a lively showroom! Above: the team in action.

Prior to us getting our space, they built a wall to make it even smaller than it already was. You can see the metal braces and sheetrock going up below:

That left us with 570 square feet to work with, including that low ceiling in the middle of the space.

Challenge: Turn this cold white room into a cozy lululemon showroom.

Cindy came in to help me on Monday, and we shopped like maniacs Monday and Tuesday. The space was left painted white and we recruited a guy from Home Depot to help us paint it ourselves.

The painting begins! Already things are starting to look better...

We all stayed up past 1am Tuesday night to get everything repainted bright, fun colors.

The creativity did not stop at the walls. Check out Harvard Square's unique desk!

We built our desk out of cinder blocks and wood. Our inspiration? The garden displays at Home Depot. It's so easy, and once you spruce it up with some baskets, flowers, organization, it really looks great.

The team's hard work is starting to pay off. The showroom is looking great!

Wednesday morning, we used another empty retail space in the building to start building our Ikea cubbies and Home Depot plumbing-inspired racks. We started bringing things in after lunch on Wednesday, got all our racks installed into the concrete walls, and things started looking like a real store!

Hooray! Harvard Square's makeover is complete!

We finished up everything on Friday evening (in time for dinner and some well deserved drinks), and opened on Saturday morning! It was a blast.

A complimentary yoga class at Harvard Square in the new space!

Working in such a small space and in such a small time frame really allowed us to get creative. We obviously took inspiration from the stores (pant cubbies, etc.), but really had to challenge ourselves to keep from using the same old rolling racks all over the place.

Come visit us soon!

Love,
Nicole

For more info on the Harvard Square showroom visit http://www.lululemon.com/cambridge/harvardsquareshowroom.

Want to learn more about showrooms? Read the "meet our lake oswego showroom manager" blog post.

Meet Haley, the Lake Oswego Showroom manager, in Lake Oswego, Oregon

What is your role at lululemon?

Lake Oswego Showroom Manager

What is the difference between a showroom and a store?

The intention of a showroom is bring the lululemon culture to a community where we do not have a store. Unlike stores, showrooms are not open every day. This gives us time to be active in the community, hold trunk shows, arrange shop nights and kitchen parties, take yoga and fitness classes, meet with the local instructors and gym owners, and get to meet our community. To sum it up, our goal is to spread the lululemon love.

How did you come to lululemon?

I always found myself shopping at lululemon even though I worked at other athletic apparel stores. After reading about the company culture and manifesto, I just had to be a part of lululemon!

What is a typical Wednesday like for you?

It includes hitting up a class, regional manager call, working the floor, getting our new product for the week, sending a product notification, getting the product on the floor, working with the fabulous Lake Oswego guests, possibly taking a studio owner or instructor out to coffee, fit sessions, fun and sometimes class number two after close!!

The inside of our Lake Oswego Showroom!

How do you usually sweat once a day?

I love running or hitting up a class... spin, yoga, anything!

One of the complimentary yoga classes in the showroom.

What’s one activity/fitness trend that you’ve been dying to try?

Kettle balls.

Why do you have the best job in the world?

I am surrounded by the greatest people in the world. Everyone is dedicated to creating new possibilities, setting goals and dreaming BIG! Ever since I joined the company, my personal and career development sky-rocketed! I am absolutely in love with the company, the people, the culture, EVERYTHING!

What piece of advice do you have for future showroom managers?

Talk, talk, talk!! Find out all about events in the community, gyms, studios, and get to know the locals. Hire a rock-star team and travel as a pack.

What's your Big Hairy Audacious Goal!? (one year)

The Lake Oswego Showroom will be the best showroom in the US by May 2010!

Come visit Haley and the team in Oswego!