Totally inspired by the fab ladies of Somewhere Lately – #CoffeeTalk is basically a Q&A between me and you guys! Whatever you need, I’m here – so thanks to the fine peeps that sent in Q’s for our inaugural chat!
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1// “Ok, so I see that you’ve been promoting SoulCycle heavy! Can you give us a breakdown of what it’s like? I see that it’s all the rage but.. WHY?!”
Yes, it’s definitely no secret that I love SoulCycle! If you watch me on stories then you’ll see, I’m more often than not heading to SoulCycle a couple of times a week – usually in the morning to workout.
First off, I love it because I need my workouts to be scheduled to be held accountable – just “going to the gym” isn’t enough for me, so I’ve always leaned more towards classes rather than working out solo.
Secondly, I love classes because I’m a true novice when it comes to anything fitness related. I didn’t grow up playing sports, I’ve never been on a sports team etc etc so having an instructor to motivate me, push me and encourage me is critical to me working out and doing it consistently.
Thirdly, the vibe is just fucking right. I love the music choice and while every instructor has their own faves and mash-ups.. the music is never disappointing, always perfectly matched to the choreography and thoroughly keeps you awake and entertained. Not to mention, some instructors are funny and a good laugh always helps when you’re riding the bike with heavy resistance and feeling like you’re about to die lol. I’ve never met someone that has tried it once and hated it – seriously, it’s fun lol.
2// “I know that you love to read, so can you share with us what you’re reading now, and any recent books that you recommend?”
Yes, I love to read and I always have although it’s been a huge source of inspiration and solace in the last couple of years. I have an Audible membership because I love the balance/entertainment that audiobooks provide and would highly encourage it, esp if you commute to work (a great way to go through books – efficiently/quickly).
Right now, I’m reading UnF*ck Yourself (just started, so far so good), I just finished listening to How To Stop Feeling Like Sh*t – I loved this book because she honestly goes through about 14 different ways that we tell ourselves BS and how to work through it, with examples and exercises for you to try out. Andrea Owen also has a podcast that I absolutely love.
I just bought The Richest Man in Babylon which is a classic, so I’m excited to dive in and I also recently finished A Tribe Called Bliss, which is all about friendship and creating meaningful connection – enjoyed it and I wish there were more books on friendship and navigating those relationships accordingly!
I don’t read Fiction very often but a couple of months ago I read First Comes Love and I loooooooooooved it, didn’t stop reading until I finished it – really enjoyed it, such a great and easy reading story.
3// “Any recommendations for swimsuits that are actually supportive but not grandma looking?”
Of course! This is actually a big issue for me because I’ve got large(r) boobs and a fairly small back in ratio – so finding swimsuits is difficult and I don’t purchase a ton for that reason.. Here are some I found that are functional and fun!
4// “I’m visiting Toronto soon and wanted to know some great places to eat/drink; any recommendations?”
Welcome to Toronto – Summertime is truly the absolute BEST time to visit, so I hope you enjoy your stay. Here’s a post on some amazing things to do while you’re here, here’s a list of my fave vintage shops and in addition to this list, I love Trattoria Nervosa for Italian Lunch/Drinks on the rooftop, La Societe for fancy french-inspired brunch, The Drake Hotel for casual brunch until 4pm, Lavelle for luxe rooftop vibes (I wouldn’t eat there because I find the portions ridiculously small + overpriced – but lovely for drinks/vibes), SOCO Kitchen + Bar is a new rooftop -so I’d pop in for an unpretentious quieter vibe, The Broadview Hotel for another great rooftop on the east end of the city with inside + outside gorgeous views.
Sweet Jesus for Ice Cream, La Carnita for Tacos, Fika for Lattes, Planta for Vegan and Nespresso Boutique for a Cappuccino! The Addisons for a unique house party experience, Bangarang Bar and Track and Field for a mix of games + booze and finally MahJong Bar for speakeasy vibe!
Hope this helps 🙂
Don’t forget to leave me questions for next week via DM on Insta or email them to me at assistant@simplyshantel.com with #CoffeeTalk in the subject header!
xxo.
