#LoveMyHood YYC Edition

i love this city. people who don’t live here often assume calgary is all about oil, gas and cowboys, and while all those things definitely play a big part in the culture of this city, it’s also a lot more. calgary is a young city with a booming arts and culture scene, progressive views, lively entrepreneurial spirit and gorgeous landscape. i’ve traveled to many places around the world and can confidently say that i’ll always call yyc home. which is why i’m so excited to show it off in all its glory by teaming up with bench for their #lovemyhood campaign and providing you with a 24 hour personalized guide to calgary!

we eased into the day by taking a 9am yoga class at junction 9 in one of calgary’s greatest neighbourhoods: inglewood. i try my best to work out in the mornings because our evenings are often filled with blog related events and appointments, before i know it, my whole day dissapears. while there’s a lot of great boutique fitness studios popping up around the city, i really fell in love with junction 9 – particularly for its beautifully zen yet trendy decor. plus it’s a bonus that it’s a short bike ride from where we live! what sets them apart is their café space located on the second floor where you can grab cold pressed juice beforehand or a phil & sebastian coffee (yes, they’re homebred too!) after the class to keep you going for the rest of the day. the best part? during the summer months when weather permits they open up the rooftop for outdoor sessions, soirées and candlelit evenings. who wouldn’t want to kickstart their day with an energizing yoga or pilates class alongside a beautiful view?

where: junction 9, 919 9 Avenue SE

after working up an appetite, we head over to the newly opened charbar in east village for an early lunch. i’ve literally been living at this place since it opened in the historic simmons building (a re-purposed mattress factory) and it’s conveniently a short walk from our studio. the whole building is going for this hyper-local, made-in-calgary vibe with the other two tenants; phil & sebastian coffee roasters and sidewalk citizen bakery, it’s already leaving a MAJOR mark on the community. Not only is charbar’s food insanely delicious, but the view from their rooftop patio of the downtown skyline and the bow river is one of the best (and exclusive) in the city… if you’re lucky to secure a spot. i’d go for the view alone, but who am i kidding…i’d have a side of pistachio avocado bruschetta while i’m at it (#nomnom).

 where: charbar, 618 Confluence Way SE

the simmons building is just one part of a huge revitalization project for the community, with a ton of residential, retail and dining developments currently in the works. this area will also soon be home to the highly anticipated national music centre and i’m certain it will become the new arts and culture hub of calgary so we’re really excited to be living right here in the thick of it.

we love our calgary summer and there is always a festival to attend or a gallery show to see. it’s never hard to find something to do or somewhere to get you inspired if you’re open and willing to explore. sled island is only one of calgary’s booming music festivals and on shoot day we were lucky enough to catch the last dj set to end our night, complete with food trucks and some great company! to find out what we get up to before and in between stay tuned for part two of our bench #lovemyhood 24 hour guide to calgary! xoxo

wearing: bench top, joggers, vest + backpack, new balance sneakers, celine sunglasses