Just when I thought my headstand perfection was the height of my physical capabilities, my body proved me wrong.  Welcome yoga wall and ballet!  As I mentioned before, I was thoroughly intrigued by this rumour about yoga being taught with straps, inversions, and suspensions.  Thanks to my Passport to Prana card, I found studio’s in Montreal offering this relatively new idea to our basic yoga styles. I was totally set on trying the flying yoga class at a studio in NDG, however I was highly dissapointed to find out that this special type of class was not offered with my Passport to Prana card.  So I began to snoop around for other options and came across Naada Yoga Studio in the Mile End.

A beautifully designed studio on Casgrain street in the Mile End (you know that vortex where St.Laurent washes off into the de Gaspé buildings?)  Naada yoga offers a warm welcome and a kind attitude.  Established by young yoga enthusiast with a background in dance, Elizabeth Emberly takes us to a whole new world.  Yoga Wall!  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I was super hyped!  I entered the studio, a small, calm room lined with straps and harnesses attached to the walls.  Elizabeth took us through a series of postures.  She so elegantly demonstrated how to tangle yourself into the straps to reveal the most amazing inversions and stretches that were at the same time challenging and strength training.  I cannot wait to try it again!  If you like tricking your body into doing weirdo things, this is for you:)

If you are not familiar with the Naada yoga practice, let me take a quick moment to explain its inspiring history. Nada yoga is an ancient Indian metaphysical system that is both a philisophical system, a medicine and a form of yoga. It exists on the basis that the entire cosmos and all that exists in the cosmos, including human beings, consists of sound vibrations, called n?da.  N?da yoga is also a way to approach with reverence and respond to sound. Sound and music is in this context, something more than just the sensory properties and sources of sensuous pleasure.  It plays the role as a potential medium to achieve a deeper unity with both the outer and the inner cosmos, and to raise the level of awareness to the energy centers called chakras. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nada_yoga)   Naada yoga studio offers an experience with the connection to sound, called Naada live, where live music takes us into another realm of the self.  This is definitely my next adventure.  Check out this video for a full visual description.

As I briefly mentioned early, this week’s accomplishment took the form of ballet!  Thanks to Annick Robinson, health and fitness guru, I was given the chance to try her Pure Barre class at Montreal’s most luxurious health center, Victoria Park. Hoping that my yoga practice would give me the balance to fumble through ballet, I was truly eager to push my skills once more.  Annick took us through the common pliez and leg lifts and arm positions but with a hell of a lot more energy and intensity!  Black Swan has nothing on her!  Finishing with some floor routines to strengthen the core (pilates style), I was satisfied with the workout and could feel my derière tightening by the second.  Another definite must!  And if you haven’t yet been to Victoria Park, just go…makes you feel like you’re on vacation:)

Now, as promised, I have ONE EXTRA Passport to Prana card ready to be given away to a loyal reader and yoga enthusiast!!! If you are not already a fan of our facebook page (which you should be!) connect to our page here and tell me what you love about yoga. You have until midnight tonight:) Then I will select someone at random who will be the lucky winner of an exciting passport to a world of yoga in our beloved city!
Good Luck!

Posted under Health, montreal, music

Posted under Experience, art, design

Exposition du vendredi 29 avril au samedi 14 mai 2011
Vernissage : jeudi 28 avril à 18 h
Rencontre avec les artistes prévue (date et horaire à suivre)

Jessica Auer
Pour la série Unmarked Sites, la pratique photographique de Jessica Auer dérive de l’archéologie. Elle explore les sites culturels de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador dans l’objectif de réconcilier l’histoire singulière de cette province. À la recherche de signes du passé à même le territoire, elle s’attarde à la relation entre le paysage et l’identité régionale. En résulte un récit qui nous révèle les liens subtils et complexes qui racontent l’exploration, la colonisation, la préservation des sites et le tourisme moderne.
Cette exposition marque le lancement du livre d’artiste Unmarked Sites et inaugure la maison d’éditions Les Territoires. Inspirée par le documentaire touristique et orientée par le temps géologique, l’artiste propose au lecteur un voyage entre le réel et l’imaginaire.

Josée Pedneault
Con todo mi afecto est un projet réalisé à Mexico de 2009 à 2010. Dans ce projet, Josée Pedneault a constitué une collection d’objets personnels dont l’unique valeur est sentimentale. Suite à un appel à tous, 24 habitants de la ville de Mexico ont accepté de participer à la collection en faisant don d’un objet et de son histoire. En échange, Josée a conçu une œuvre pour chacun des participants. Le résultat de ce projet est une collection d’objets hétéroclites et de leurs histoires accompagnés de documentations accumulées en parallèle au projet pendant le processus de création. À travers cette démarche, l’artiste questionne les notions de valeur, de monnaie d’échange mais aussi d’attachement et de détachement.
Con todo mi afecto est un projet utopiste, à l’image d’un monde où la seule valeur reconnue serait quantifiée selon une échelle morale ou sentimentale. Il ouvre une brèche, un moment hors de ce temps, où il est permis d’imaginer une société qui fonctionne différemment.
Une exposition accompagne le livre d’artiste à édition limitée de 50 copies sur le projet Con todo mi afecto qui marque le lancement de la maison d’éditions Les Territoires.

Les Territoires
Édifice Belgo, suite 527
372, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H3B 1A2
Canada  +1 514 789 0545
info@lesterritoires.org

Posted under montreal

he commercial titled We Surf was done by Grey Paris advertising agency for Sundek Beachwear (for Sundek) in France. It was released in the April 2011. Business sector is Clothing & footwear.

Read More…

Posted under Advertising

The commercial titled Park was done by The Mill advertising agency for Skittles (for Skittles) in United States. It was released in the April 2011. Business sector is Baking & sweet foods.

Read More…

Posted under Advertising

Posted under Events, Experience, exhibition, inspiration, montreal

Most of us have been there, eaten that, bought this, and saw everything.  Living in Old Montreal, China Town has been my quick-stop for a little grocery for an unplanned dinner, a comforting bowl of soup on a cold day, and a great place to discover little knick-knacks and intriguing fashion!

On a recent stroll heading downtown, I decided to detour through the charismatic streets of our beloved China Town for a little sight-seeing.  I came across a new development that caught my attention several times before driving by.  Directly on St.Laurent blvd, on the west side of the street right before you hit the infamous de la Gauchetiere, a mecca of chinese goodies awaits.  Marche G&D ! If you pass by, you will notice once again an ambiguous door entrance, that leads to a small shop filled with packaged sweets, cookies, random items en vrac, ornaments, and trinkets.  However, this small boutique is just a facade…an escalator takes you down into the most unexpected discovery in China Town: A giant supermarket!  Yes!  An actual supermarket finally exists.  I was astonished as I entered into a grocery store laced with everything typically chinese.  Besides the obvious rows and rows of peculiar snacks, candies, and chocolates, there is an entire produce section, meat counter, and fish station, including oysters of many different varieties!   Read More…

Posted under environment, food, montreal

The commercial titled Clever Dick was done by Tbwa, Paris advertising agency for Stop Aids (for Aides) in France. It was released in the April 2011. Business sector is Public awareness messages.

Read More…

Posted under Advertising