Align Pilates® Minneapolis

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Simple D-Tach Shoes

• What: Eco-friendly walking shoes that are fun, feminine and freakishly comfortable.
• Why: Funky fair feet.
• Where: Online at Zappos.

Bits and Bites
Fair Food Finder

• What: Find the location of all your favorite fair fare.
• Why: Where in the name of the fair do they hide those frickles?
• Where: Online Minnesota State Fair.org.

Around Town
The Minnesota State Fair

• What: The Great Minnesota Get-Together.
• Why: Good *clean* fun.
• When: Now through Labor Day.
• Where: 1265 Snelling Avenue North, St Paul.

I Think I Can
Motivational Quote

• Why: French fries for the soul.
• What: “Greasy food might not be good for your body, but it does wonders for the soul. A healthy diet may prolong your life, but what would you have to live for? What is the point of living to a hundred if you have to subsist on bland food? One may as well die of boredom.” ~ Jessica Zafra (Chicken Pox for the Soul)

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Savvy Headbands

• What: Hand-made and too cute to pass up headbands, made for all heads big and small.
• Why: For the love of Rhoda, savvy?
• Where: Online at livesavvy.

Bits and Bites
The Tea Garden

• What: Get a cool tea treat while you’re out on the hot streets.
• Why: Hot child in the city.
• Where: Hennepin Avenue in Uptown, Grand Avenue in St. Paul and Stadium Village Mall ~ See all locations.

Around Town
Red Stag Block Party

• What: Local music, organic ingredients and cold beverages.
• Why: Stag party.
• When: Saturday, August 21, 2010 ~ 4:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
• Where: Red Stag Supper Club ~ 509 1st Avenue NE, Minneapolis.

I Think I Can
Ebony Bracelet
What: Genuine leather wrap-around bracelet with a humane touch.
Why: You are what you wear.
Where: Online at BlisslivingHome.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Prana End of Season Sale

• What: Get 40% off of authentic, versatile, high quality and environmentally conscious clothing.
• Why: It’s the whole shebang.
• Where: Online at Prana.

Bits and Bites
Minnesota Garlic Festival

• What: Local foodies, chefs, musicians and artisans unite for the love of garlic.
• Why: You can never have too much garlic.
• When: Saturday, August 14, 2010 ~ 10 am – 6 pm
• Where: McLeod County Fairgrounds, Hutchinson.

Around Town
Cult Status Art & Flea Market

• What: It’s like a farmer’s market, but with an artist’s touch.
• Why: Find your treasure in someone else’s junk.
• When: Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15 ~ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
• Where: Cult Status Gallery ~ 2913 Harriet Avenue South, Minneapolis.

I Think I Can
Walking the Amazon

• What: The first person to walk the length of the Amazon river from source to sea chronicles his journey.
• Why: Makes your day look like a cake walk.
• Where: Online at Walking the Amazon Blog.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Locust Tank

• What: A comfy Lycra tank with built-in bust and belly support.
• Why: Bust a move.
• Where: Online at 51 Incorporated.

Bits and Bites
Bewitched Deli

• What: A little deli brewing up big, tasty sandwiches, salads and soup.
• Why: You’ve a got a wicked hunger.
• Where: 800 Washington Avenue North, Minneapolis.

Around Town
Uptown Art Fair

• What: An eclectic exhibition of over 360 artists, 25 performers, 20 food vendors and hundreds of local businesses.
• Why: Find out what happens when Pilates meets paint — Align Pilates & Cult Status Gallery join booth forces to see what their art can do.
• When: Friday, August 6 – Sunday, August 8
• Where: Intersection of Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue in Uptown.

I Think I Can
Inspiring Thoughts

• What: Things that make you go hmmm…
• Why: Today’s thought, tomorrow’s action.
• Where: Online at Makes Me Think.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Nike Air Max Women’s Running Shoe

• What: A plush ride for the premium runner.
• Why: You’re going the distance.
• Where: Online at Nike.

Bits and Bites
Patisserie 46

• What: Minneapolis’ newly opened and high-end bakery.
• Why: There’s nothing flaky about a good pastry.
• Where: 4552 Grand Avenue South, Minneapolis

Around Town
Shakespeare in the Park – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

• What: Guthrie Theater presents an, eh-hem, modern take on Will’s classic tale.
• Why: “This ain’t your mamma’s Shakespeare.”
• When: Saturday & Sunday, July 10 and 11, @ 2:00 PM.
• Where: The Lakeside Gazebo at Powderhorn Park ~ 3400 15th Avenue South, Minneapolis.

Get Up On It
Words to Motivate

This May, Bicycling magazine named Minneapolis America’s best bike city. How did our fine city nab such a title? Well, for starters, we have 127 miles of street and off-street bikeways throughout the city. That probably had something to do with it. Plus, our large, supportive biking community, extensive cycling infrastructure, beautiful greenways and NEW bike-share program could not have gone unnoticed. Yeah, we rock. Or roll, as the case may be.

All that Minneapolis biking means hard working Minneapolis bikers. And hard working bikers means hard working muscles. And hard working muscles means occasional aches and pains. So what do occasional aches and pains mean? Yoga for Cyclists. Calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hips, shoulders, and the neck are often tight muscle groups for the regular recreational biker. If that’s you, this short series of yoga poses is specially designed to stretch your tight spots. It’s best to perform these poses before your muscles have had a chance to cool down or, in other words, before you peel off that spandex. So what does all that stretching mean?  Babelicious biking.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Astro Crop Pants

• What: Versatile pants with freedom of comfort and coverage.
• Why: They go where you go.
• Where: Online at Lululemon.

Bits and Bites
Nami

• What: One of the city’s freshest sushi establishments.
• Why: You like it raw.
• Where: 251 First Avenue North, Minneapolis.

Around Town
Twin Cities Pride

• What: Minneapolis’ annual festival and parade in celebration of gay rights.
• Why: You’re as proud as a rainbow colored peacock.
• When: Saturday and Sunday, June 26th and 27th
• Where: Loring Park, Downtown Minneapolis.

I Think I Can
Why the Present Moment Is the Only Moment You’ll Ever Have

• What: Learn how to live in the now.
• Why: There’s no time like the present.
• Where: Online at Upgrade Reality.

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Adidas Yatra Studio Bag

• What: A duffel bag with style and posh.
• Why: For once, a likable d-bag.
• Where: Online at Zappos.

Bits and Bites
Northeast Social

• What: “An American contemporary style restaurant with a farm-to-fork agenda.”
• Why: Polish up your social skills.
• Where: 359 13th Avenue, Northeast Minneapolis

Around Town
Sundown Movie in the Park

• What: Park and Rec’s outdoor summer film series. This weekend’s flick: March of the Penguins.
• Why: Sundown, you better take care.
• When: Friday, June 18th @ 15 minutes after sundown.
• Where: Linden Hills Park ~ 43rd and Xerxes, Minneapolis

I Think I Can
Advanced Pilates & Calisthenics Workout

• What: A video of hard core strength and control.
• Why: Monkey see, Monkey do.
• Where: Online at YouTube

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Water Bottle with Wrap

• What: A 25oz. stainless steel bottle with a spill resistant lid and a pretty insulated wrap.
• Why: Discover the softer side of steel.
• Where: Online at Etsy

Bits and Bites
Restaurant Alma

• What: Locally-crafted food with seasonal and organic ingredients.
• Why: Get fresh with your food.
• Where: 528 University Avenue SE, Minneapolis

Around Town
Vertical Endeavors

• What: One of the largest indoor rock climbing facilities in the world.
• Why: This week’s rain has got you climbing the walls.
• Where: 855 Phalen Boulevard, St. Paul

I Think I Can
Rules of Life: 10 Things You Should Already Know by Now

• What: 10 simple rules to live by.
• Why: Hold on loosely, but don’t let go.
• Where: Online at How to Get a Grip

The healthiest picks for your weekend pleasures and indulgences.

Got to Have It
Colorblock Performance Pants

• What: A pair of hard working pants: they wick moisture, block the sun and go in reverse.
• Why: These pants were made for performing, and that’s just what they’ll do.
• Where: Online at Lands End.

Bits and Bites
Jasmine Deli

• What: A diamond in the ruff of Eat Street.
• Why: For the love of Vietnamese spice and everything nice.
• Where: 2532 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis

Around Town
Minneapolis Farmers Markets

• What: Need a list of the city’s finest outdoor markets? Look no further.
• Why: We’ve got the cream of the crop.
• When: Now through October.
• Where: Mill City, Downtown, Northeast, to name a few.

I Think I Can
Motivational Quote

• What: “I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’”
• Who: Kurt Vonnegut
• Where: Online at GoodMorningGoodNight.