By Jana Lee
It’s date night: friend edition. Which means it’s time to treat you and your bestie to fun in Edmonton! This guide gives a glimpse at the best places to get your heart pumping, your creative juices flowing or where to enjoy the latest gastronomic offerings in YEG. [Photo credit: http://istockphoto.com/LaraBelova]
Get the blood flowing with your bestie at one of Edmonton’s boutique fitness studios. Embrace your inner warrior at a hot vinyasa flow class at The Yoga Center. Or, for an upbeat sweat sesh, consider Hive Fit Co for a row or spin class. In the heart of downtown Edmonton, this new boutique studio is bound to play fresh hits to keep you motivated. Feeling ambitious? Sign up for a Hive Dirty Double spin and row class, back to back.
For an equally sweat-inducing workout, consider a dance-inspired fitness class. Circo Fit features aerial silks, a workout for acrobats that allows you to channel your best Cirque du Soleil impression. Barre Body Studio incorporates ballet and pilates into its program. At first, you might think those two-pound weights are easy – but with continuous small, repetitive movements, your arms are sure to feel the burn. In a good way, of course.
For an activity that won’t leave you sweaty, consider one of the many classes Edmonton businesses offer. Tap into your creative energy with an art class at City Arts Centre. With classes ranging from palette knife painting and impressionistic acrylics to mandala drawing, the City Arts Centre offers unique programming for every skill level.
Want to make something for the home? Make a night of creating customized ceramics at Crankpots Ceramic Studio. They host monthly ladies night each Saturday featuring a different pottery project each time. Or check out the Muttart Conservatory, where gardens and crafts collide in a Pinterest-perfect way. Partake in a home and garden glass to make your own terrariums, living frames and mounted plant displays. Art never looked so fresh!
Or, chill out and reconnect with yourselves and each other in a meditation class. Lifestyle Meditation offers guided and self-guided meditation practice in a studio setting. Beautifully furnished and stocked with exceptionally comfortable meditation pillows, you’ll find yourself walking out of the studio beaming with inner tranquility.
Wine and dine each other! There are times when shared eats and good treats cannot be beat, especially in a city with an increasingly impressive food scene. Sometimes, a weekend morning date is just what a friendship needs. Brunch together at New York Bagel Cafe for a famed eggs benedict or Café Linnea for delightful local plates brought to you by the people behind the Duchess Bake Shop.
Other times, it’s happy hours and evening dates over tapas and wine. Connect over Chinese-fusion share plates at Baijiu Bar, in the Downtown ICE District. Or check out the Bodega Highlands from the Sabor group, serving Portuguese and Spanish-style tapas and wine.
If you’re in the Whyte Avenue area, consider Japanese izakaya (pub-style) tapas at Dorinku and make sure to try the pressed sushi rolls. Nongbu Korean Eatery is another must-visit in the area for street eats and Korean soju – a popular fermented alcoholic beverage.
Looking for something more than a restaurant visit? Cultivate your culinary skills in the classroom. Make restaurant quality meals at Barb’s Kitchen Centre from specialty ingredients unique to the store. Or, learn how to make French pastries from one of the world’s best bakeries according to Buzzfeed. Sign up for a Duchess Provisions class to try your hand at perfecting pastries worthy of Parisian patisseries. Macarons, croissants, cakes, tarts – you’ll learn the art of baking world-renowned desserts. Be quick to register as spots fill up quickly and classes often sell out.
With these fresh ideas under your belt, it’s time to schedule a date! Will you pick one activity or make a day out of a few? Whatever you choose, enjoy the moment. And remember, the real treat is getting to spend quality time with your BFF.
