image: Tim Snell

We're celebrating the return of colour this summer and what better way to celebrate the arrival of Grapeseed than with a bottle or three of vino. It could just be the wine talking but we think it's a pretty sassy shade.

grapeseed, a colour and so much more

I grew up in Oliver, a little town in the South Okanagan. It’s the “Wine Capital of Canada” and its semi-arid climate produces some of the most incredible wines around. Wine is a part of who I am. My mum has been in the industry for years, and I have friends who are winemakers, sommeliers, tasting bar managers ... the whole wine gamut.

There are few things I love more than sipping a big, bad Meritage or Merlot on the patio at Burrowing Owl in Oliver. Watching the South Okanagan sun set, and feeling the heat of the desert disappear into night is an event that everyone should experience once in their lifetime.

1/2 corked marathon

One of my favourite wine experiences takes place in Oliver every year – it’s called the “1/2 Corked Marathon”.  (It's so good that this year's event sold out in less than 48 hours.) Basically, you run about 20km through the vineyards of the Okanagan, sampling wine at wineries along the way. Could anything be more heavenly? Wine + cardio + costumes = my happy place!

personal rituals

favourite wine

Stoneboat 2007 Pinot Noir. Violet, cherry, berry ... it’s a truly delicate and classic pinot noir. I catch myself having dreams about it.

Cave de lugny - Cremant de bourgone it's pink, it's bubbly, crisp and refreshing; everything you should look for in a bubble.

One of my favourite things about drinking wine, aside from the drinking of course, is the opening of the cork and capsule. Wax? Metal? Plastic? Cork? The feeling of opening the bottle tells a story unto itself!

What the winemaker hopes you’ll experience when settling into that next bottle goes far beyond the wine: bottle weight, ease of opening, texture of the label. They all matter and they all craft part of the story but for me the cork and capsule experience is the "lives happily ever after."

If you could visit any wine region in the world, where would you go? Napa? Tuscany? Bourdeaux?

want more?

• See our latest offerings in Grapeseed, Pink Mist, Citron and Tango Red.
• Try our bliss balls.
• Tell us your drunken thoughts. We love feedback.

grapeseed deep breath tank

you asked

I have been attending yoga classes for 4 months now, and recently the class has added more forward folds than before. I’ve been getting really intense headaches by the end of the class that will continue into the evening. This is something that has just happened since the routine of the class has changed. Why do you think this is? What can I do to prevent the headaches while still keeping up with the class/getting the most out of it? Thank-you!!
- Jennifer

a yogi answers

Interesting.... the most common headaches are just a sign of dehydration so this is where I would begin your inquiry. If you feel your headaches are a direct result of the poses you are doing then something is not working for you. You may be pinching a nerve or just simply cutting the blood flow off which is common in people who hold a lot of tension in their shoulders. Stay present to the tension and stress you may be holding in your shoulders and if these new variations of poses are creating more tension then switch it up. Your breath is an amazing tool to detect if it is tension or not. If you are not able to relax into the moment then your breath with will be short and stifled and odds are you are hardening in the pose. When your breath is flowing with ease, you will find that you can hold your poses and shoulders with less tightness therefore relieving any shoulder tension.
- Kinndli, lululemon Oakville ambassador

what is ask a yogi?

Ask a Yogi is a yoga advice column that is published on Monday, Wednesday and Saturdays. If you have a yoga question for future yoga panels, please email askanexpert@lululemon.com.

Here at lululemon athletica’s Store Support Centre, we have a truly wonderful yoga and fitness program. Five days a week, instructors come into our light-filled studio to conduct classes consisting of various styles and degrees of difficulty throughout the day – and all you have to do is grab a (provided) mat and show up. With all these resources at my fingertips, you’d think I’d be the downest dog in town, right?

Wrong. Exceedingly, surprisingly, embarrassingly incorrect.

It’s time for a shameful admission: In my four months of working here thus far, I have NOT been to a yoga class at the Store Support Centre (editor’s note: those meowing noises are the symphony of a litter of inflexible kittens pawing their way out of the bag).

Alexis is going to her first yoga class today!

It didn’t start this way. I had the best of intentions, sure. But like many of you, I was so caught up in the workings of my new job that I completely forgot what attracted me to lululemon in the first place.

The reason I’m sharing this with you is to prove a point – this can happen to anyone with the best of intentions, even someone working in a building BASED around yoga. It doesn’t matter how near or far you are from your yoga facility, or gym class; how cold it is outside, how much work you have, or how your running crops are in the wash. If you want to make excuses, you can.

Clichéd, but true: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Well friends, get ready, because this old chestnut (neigh?) is getting ready to take a trot (scratch that: CANTER!) through the Hatha fields on Monday with Ingrid, one of our lovely instructors. As for her correcting my woeful use of animal metaphor, it’s too soon to tell.

What are you going to do today with no excuses?

Call me a skeptic, but I find it a bit silly to be slithering around like a snake on the gym floor reciting "ahhhhh, sexy spine" out loud.

It was my first Nia class and I had trouble keeping a straight face. I couldn't make eye contact with my fellow lululemon Ala Moana educators for fear of cracking up as we danced barefoot, twisting our spines and awkwardly flailing our arms in the air.

Nia, which stands for Neuromuscular Integrative Actions, is described as a body-mind fitness and lifestyle program. Students kick off their shoes as they incorporate movement and philosophies from dance, yoga, pilates, martial arts, and more – moving their way to a healthier and more empowered mind, body and soul.

During the class, as I willed myself to keep an open mind and allow my body to relax, I watched the teacher let loose and encourage her students to do the same. People around me were spontaneously spinning, singing, clapping, and even releasing shouts of "yes!" I also noticed that no one could stop smiling as we danced around the room. That freedom made me shun my self-consciousness and I started to shake and shimmy to the music.

I think my change of heart came after noticing I was surrounded by women of all ages who were fully aware of their bodies, with no hesitation to express their grace and power. It was a place that gave me a sense of freedom, pushing me to become more energized, strong, and confident.

I'm convinced that Nia is a fun stress-buster, as well as a joyful way to get in shape, become more in tune with your body, and even find happiness while sweating it out. To find a Nia class near you, visit a lululemon store and ask them to point you in the right direction, or check out the Nia website at www.nianow.com.

How are you letting go today?