Ice Skating is Having a Moment

Break out your triple axels and slachow jumps, because ice skating is back in style. Gossip Girl Leighton Meester was seen ice skating yesterday, in full Missoni, no less, at a Herbal Essences-sponsored Portraits of Hope benefit.  But Leighton isn't the only one channeling her inner Michelle Kwan. In Paris, the rink at the Pailleron turns into a disco on certain evening, according to the New York Times. And in New York, mini pop rinks are being created all over the city, including a the new W Wall Street and The Standard (shown below).

Fairmont is Expanding Its Bicycle Program

Good news: Fairmont Hotels are now offering free use of BMW Cruise bicycles in their hotels in the U.S., in addition to Canada. Locks and helmets are also available. We suggest touring wine country from the Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, seeing Chicago from the back of a bicycle as Hope recently did or cycling around Washington D.C.'s historic C and O Canal.

Bicycle Rental: Bixi Bicycles

When we were recently in Montreal, we spotted hundreds of the very same bicycles chained up around town. Is Montreal home to a communist bicycle regime? Turns out they are all Bixi bicycles, small cruising bicycles available to rent in 30 minute increments. Montrealers use them to get from point A to point B as the beauty of the Bixi bicycle is that you don't have to return it to the same place you rented it; the stations are strategically located around town. You use a credit card to rent one--though regular-renter cards are available.

As Hope pointed out on her trip to Chicago, seeing town from the seat of a bicycle gives you a refreshing perspective. Though you certainly can't go too fast on these cruisers that are built for safety, not speed, you can cover far more ground than you would on foot.

The Bixi bicycles are now stateside and available in Minneapolis as part of Nice Ride Minnesota.

Beach Body Workout

This past Saturday, we had the pleasure--or was it torture--of joining Francesca Merccariello of Pure NYC for an outdoor Beach Body Workout. While we've worked out with Francesca for years, it has been, um, awhile, since we have had time to fit exercise in our schedule.

Francesca put us through a regimen that involved lots of squats, lunges,

pushups

and some torture with a giant rubber band.

What we have always loved about Francesca's workout program is that you can do it anywhere--at home, on the beach or in your hotel room. And you don't even need sneakers!

Francesca imparted a word of cautionary advice about some of our favorite workout clothes. Apparently the new tech fibers that wick away sweat also trap odors, so it's important to use a serious detergent like Tide Plus Febreze Sport. Francesca swears she can smell the freshness on her clients at the gym!

JSG has a relationship with Tide.