Clearance Sale Officially On – Breathe Yoga Wear

2008 Manitoba Street, Vancouver (@ 4th Avenue)

Pants $10 | Shorts $10 | Tops $10 | Jackets $15 | Mats 2 for $20


M-F noon-5pm @ 2008 Manitoba Street Vancouver BC Canada


I have been to the 'Breath Sample Sale' about 3 times in the past 1.5 years; I have worn their stuff so it's easy for me to endorse.  It is no lululemon so it doesn't come with that kind of price tags, designs or selections.

The FIT:
I usually try every single piece on before I make a purchase. Their fit is on the loose side. My friend and I are usually a size apart but with dry fit, she gets a size smaller so it fit her just right and looser on me. Their Yoga pants on the other hand are very fitted so please be sure to try multiple ones on even if they are the same colour; each may very well mould to your body differently.

What I have Purchased:
I have purchased their short sleeve dry fit in xs,  every single colour in the selection so white, black, red, light purple, blue and dark blue.
Yoga pants: for summer months, I have purchased the Capri style in brown and green. It has a drawstring waistband and the leg is cropped to the calf with a back slits. This style is a little lower rise than I would have liked, finding myself doing the annoying and graceless pull- it-up while I workout. As for the colder times, I would go with the Roll Down Pant in full length which I find very versatile if I wanted more warmth around my tummy with the rise up when I leave gym into the coldest winter night.

I love their mats and have got them in purple and red. After washing them a couple of time, I find them softer than ever. Big thumbs up for the price I spent. (maybe I don't know any better since this is the first and only mat I have ever purchased; maybe there are ones with some crazy thread counts)

Breath Yoga Wear on display

What to order at MuiGarden Restaurant before Salsa at the Forum

Born in Taiwan, my parents have parachuted me down for school and I have been in Vancouver, the most livable city in the world on and off ever since. Currently residing around main street, one of the trendiest and up-coming neighbourhoods is my hood. Being single and all (plus laziness), I have been doing a lot of eating-outs this year. I used to enjoy cooking and cooking but that's behind me now (I do hope it's just a phase; I can still remember the pleasure of searching for recipes, shopping for ingredients, cleaning, dicing and finally patting myself on the back for a job well done)

It was Wednesday yesterday. You guessed it; It's the Wednesday Salsa at the Forum. We had some VIP passes left (FREE tickets can be pick up at Don Guacamoles at 1333 Robson St.) and my new salsa friends are royal followers and devoted students of Alfonzo Caldera, lead instructor at Bravo Dance Company. He was giving a free beginning lesson and put together a performance so I decided to look into what the hype was about (Mehhh..Alfonzo is alright; I am just a part of Rogerism, to each its own)

I digress. (this is my most repeated term, hence the name of my blog; I can not keep my thoughts still)


A party of 5 in MuiGarden Restaurant at 7:34 pm on the dot, this is the third time this month I have frequented, partly because ofthe New Fish Soup Noodle Combo for $7.75 (after the evil HST, it is under $10).

SOUP BASE + TOPPINGS + NOODLES

1. SOUP BASE: you have selection of 4-5 different kind of fish soup bases.

2. TOPPINGS: then you pick 2 toppings out of 8-12 different kinds of ingredients.

3. NOODLES: to complete the dish, you have choice of the types of noodles you like.

OHHH..It's not over yet, it comes with a drink, my personal favourite is HK lemon tea (my faithful pick-me-up)

Usually, I go with pumpkin and tomato soup base; my toppings would be beef balls, fish puff and thick rice noodles. YUM!

Four of us went with this special except an unwise man ordered dried curry with noodles before salsa; On top of that, he was re-inventing the way Asians pick up noodles, twirling the noodles with his chopsticks and making a small nest like how Italians do it. He should be so thankful that he didn't reek of all the spices combined with sweat, not sexy.

When Did I...

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"They all run full-fledged into failure but they do it so wholeheartedly.

When did I stop running wholeheartedly into what I desired?"

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I remembered vividly as a child sitting on the dirty curb beside a street vender eating a Candied Fruit Stick (it’s all covered with a delicious red candied topping) and watching the crowd without a worry in the world; A minute ago, I was holding my dad's hand entering Taiwan's version of Playland and the next thing I know, I was lost in the crowd. I did not know fear then; I was so sure that my parents would come back and find me or I would just discover my way back to our car (my dad apparently freaked out tho and burst into tears; this incident scarred him for life. That's what I tell myself when he constantly checks in). Now, if the history were to reinvent itself, I would very likely pace around like a madwoman. I would not be calm. I would not be able to find simple pleasure like the little candied fruit stick. I would not have the patience to see the world goes by. As an 8-year-old child, I did so much better than the 3- year old woman I am now. A wise man once said: 'The two most significant events in our lives are the first and the last. When we are born, we take our first gasping breath of air, a noisy inhalation that immediately turns the body pink. At the end of our life, we ride out our last breath, and die on the exhalation." Don't waste your breath. So now, run wholeheartedly into what you desire. (pretty please?)

FREE HUGS in Vancouver!

I GOT 2!  I am not greedy but I really really needed them.

Sometimes, a hug is all what we need.

HUGS made my day. They are just what I needed: not sunshine, vitamin B12 complex nor Salsa.

PLEASE  COME GET YOUR FREE HUGS!

ps. I have applied a filter to rotate my video already. It opened up right side up on my new Macbook using QuickTime Pro. I apologize if you have to TILT your head side ways to view my video. if you have trouble viewing, please view it from HERE.

Salsa in Vancouver!

 
YUP, I  SALSA.

Once a week lesson for couple of months now, I have since moved up to intermediate 1.

Roger is my instructor whom I repeatedly refuse when he asks me to dance. I always lose; the next scene would be him picking me up and placing me in the middle of the dance floor. (Of course, I would bust my moves after that)

It has been a busy past week for me: I have made a point to want to get more practice so I attended some of the events offered by the Vancouver Salsa Scene. (Believe it or not, there is an event every day of the week in Vancouver)

1. Salsa At The Forum WEDNESDAYS /August 11th, 2010/1163 Granville St./

After a massive opening nght of housing 300 guests the week before, I arrived at the Forum catching the last few minutes of the complementary lesson by Roger and his gang. Without a habit of drinking when salsa-ing (hmmmmm, the obvious reasons of not wanting to create an unconventional scented perfume and my not so-sure-surefooted moves), mojitos, the classic refreshing summer drink in HUGE jam glass jar did catch my attention (temptation, I resist).

Letting her voice roll with a sultry rough edge, an exotic lady whose name I didn't manage to catch was performing live. Added Bonus.



2. Salsa Duello DOES THE 70s/August 14th, 2010/412 West Hastings St/

Since it is a themed event, my belief has always been: if you got it, flaunt it; if you don't think you do, at least try it with moderation. With jumpsuit making its comeback, I cheated by wearing one of my newly acquired jumpsuit pieces by 'Twice Shy, Organic wear with an attitude. It is made out of a jersey cotton material with the cutest peephole back and strappy shoulder design. I love it! almost like a sporty yoga wear with a twist, perfect for salsa with wide leg swaying when I move.

But, I digress.

Brave of me, I usually go to these types of events alone (anyone? want to join?). I did have a few run-ins of questionable behaviuor but it has not dampened my enthusiasm. It has just lessened my guilt of saying NO to 'do you want to dance?'

3. Dancing in the street/August 15th, 2010/Granville Street between Robson and Georgia/

I had missed the previous 'Dancing in the street' on July 18th and 25th so I made sure I marked my calendar, set my alarm and there I was without fail in the hottest day of Vancouver Summer on Granville Street between Robson and Georgia where it is closed to traffic. (you really did not have to move, trust me, I was dripping just standing there) At 2pm with sun blazing from a cloudless sky, there was a FREE intro salsa lesson offered by Roger in his usual tight tight TIGHT shirt. FUN.

I am in need of...

a life-GPS.  I missed having that smooth utters of 'recalculating' whenever I detour.



I seemed to have misplaced my inner voice. I could have sworn that by 30, everything would fall into places for me but they didn't. And instead, I had the biggest 30 minutes (one minute for every year of my life, coincidence, I think not) phenomenon melt-down in front of my parents the day before my birthday.

In my mid-twenties, I was really enjoying becoming my own person, looking forward to the journey, exploration and maturity. I used to have this 'I am fresh, alive and out of control. I can not wait to take over.' attitude about life. Now I read articles like this, advising me to get married and have kids before thirty. Instead of shrugs and chuckles, now I would experience that little unknown panic: am I really running out of time? Better yet, where has my inner strength gone?

Plus, it is kind of impossible now to meet that plan. Does that mean by some standard, I have somehow screwed up royally ? Or I really should learn how to understand the gifts from the universe better, appreciating the upside of events.

When planning, you need to have a strong concept but being flexible is key. There will be a lot challenges and curve balls that restrict you. Much like the game of life, I guess I just need to:

1) Focus on the now.

2) Like plans, love change.

3) Take risks.

4) Repeat.

easier said than done? "you  can’t plan love. And you can’t plan for your career any better"

you seem to attract a lot of weirdos

That seemed to be the common comment after sharing some of my stories: this, this and that (still writing this one). Or, I get: you also seem to reject a lot of guys, maybe you are being too picky! (scream. I need an upgrade on wordpress to give you a sound, a real life experience. Soon, I promise!) Maybe, that's why I blog.



I wish my modern life is drama queen and frenemy free.

I don't mean to. (I really hate it when I have to apologize for the way I am but I have learned that it is come with being a grown-up)

I do not considered myself to be a hottie (don't get me wrong, I have a healthy and humble self-esteem) But, lately I wish I were born male: all I have to worry about in the morning is whether to go with light blue or dark blue dress shirt with dark denim or dark khaki and brown or black belt and shoes. And, I do not have to (I should but not forced) care about the challenges (12 in this case) that women face in any generation. I do not have to walk that narrow line, in that box, category, stereotype...etc the list can go on.

I particularly have hard time dealing with my blushing syndrome and maybe at times, it just sends out the wrong message in my professional or well, any life circumstances. Maybe I should never touch my hair or be within anyone's personal comfort zone or any body language clues that people are writing about.

Also the whole: should I give out my number to this person (none gender specific) always seem to concern me.  I am trying so hard to have an open mind; cultivate and expand my withering social circle but a lot of times, I am the receiving end of text/call terrorism. Now as a decoy, I can try to direct them to facebook/twitter so they can add/remove, follow/unfollow me as a friend whenever their ADD decides to kick in.

um...Live and learn?