kingston

Immerse Yourself in Peace and Quiet at Kingston’s West End Float Spa

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Let me preface this post by sharing that I am terrible at floating in big bodies of water. I tend to tense up and don’t find it calming in the slightest. When Immerse Spa opened, the person in me who loves trying new health trends loved this concept and the other person in me who panics in deep water was not really down. I was conflicted. But the more I read about the health benefits, the more intrigued I was to give it a try.

If you haven’t heard of Immerse Spa (located on Gardiners road) yet, let me share a few details with you. First, it’s locally owned (#supportlocal), and the concept is that an hour floating in the 7 x 4 foot epsom salt bath dome will rejuvenate you to the equivalent of a 4-6 hour sleep and help melt away stress. It also helps detoxify the body, increases blood circulation and helps manage chronic pain, among other benefits. Sounds pretty good, right? I decided to take advantage of an opportunity to give it a try. Here, I share my experience with you. Continue reading →

Learn from the Wilderness Pros at Maclachlan Woodworking Museum

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Perhaps it’s just me, but if I were stuck in the middle of the woods with no resources, I would have a pretty rough time surviving. I am not proud of this fact! Luckily, Maclachlan Woodworking Museum is looking out for people like me as well as people with a stronger knowledge of wilderness survival that are interested in learning more. They are hosting an event called The Lumberjack, a Saturday (June 2) tailored to teaching outdoorsmen, outdoorswomen and those who want to be more familiar with the outdoors, how to hone their skills. I chatted with organizer Keely Maddock about the upcoming event. Continue reading →

Q&A: Kay Kenney on Movement Market’s Juvenis Festival Show

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The Juvenis Festival has kicked off in Kingston showcasing the work of some of our city’s most talented young artists! Kay Kenney of Movement Market/SERIES took a minute to answer questions via email about her company’s participation in the festival. This Thursday until Saturday, Movement Market/SERIES will be showing in the old American Apparel storefront on Princess. Read about the new dance platform and upcoming performance in the Q&A below.
Keep up with Kingston: Tell me a little about yourself and your dance background? 
Kay Kenney: I grew up in Kingston ontario. I’ve danced since the age of 4 and studied at the Kingston School of Dance in the old tett centre building. I grew up training in the classical Cecchetti ballet method where I received up to my Intermediate certificate. Over the years I was interested in branching out and began studying all types of methods, such as; jazz, hip-hop, latin, ballroom, musical theatre & contemporary dance, to prepare me for post-secondary training.
I am a 2012 graduate from the Professional Contemporary Dance 3 year diploma Programme at The School of Dance in Ottawa. Since graduation, I have been working as a company dancer for Social Growl Dance, under Artistic Direction of Riley Sims (Toronto) & a company dancer as part of Ottawa Dance Directive, under artistic direction of Yvonne Coutts. I have trained and worked with professionals all over Ontario and Quebec and will be headed to Berlin in June to create a new work for Social Growl Dance to premier in March 2019.

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Top Five Reasons I am Joining Kingston Sport and Social Club This Summer

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If winter has taught us anything, it’s to not take the beautiful outdoors for granted (when the temperature is above zero and there isn’t a threat of slipping on ice). I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for all of the patio drinks and walks near the water minus the blistering winds and heavy winter gear! Woot!

Most recently I’ve embraced the opportunity to join a summer sport! Let me be clear that I am in no way a sporty person but I realized I don’t have to be to gather a few friends and start a beach volleyball team. I am excited to clear a weeknight from bingeing Netflix and get outside of my comfort zone a little. Read my five reasons why I can’t wait to be a part of the Kingston Sport and Social Club this summer. Continue reading →

Queer Songbook Orchestra Stops in Kingston, Includes Local Artists

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The Queer Songbook Orchestra is a special compilation of songs by Queer-identifying musicians with an ensemble arrangement. As part of the Human Rights Arts Festival in collaboration with The Skeleton Park Arts Festival, this show will be at The Isabel next Tuesday, March 20 featuring Leah Fay (July Talk) and local artists LJ Weisberg and Alyssa Cooper.

The performance will include works by Billy Strayhorn, kd Lang, Stephen Sondheim and more and will explore narratives from the performers and how the music has shaped their identities.

I had a chat with local poet Alyssa Cooper, who will be reading the narratives. See below to learn more about the show and Alyssa’s participation. Continue reading →

International Women’s Day: Kingston’s Inspiring Girl Power

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This post was originally written March 2017 

When I started my series featuring Kingston’s female entrepreneurs, “The Boss Ladies of the Limestone City,” I knew Kingston had incredibly talented women helping to make it the awesome city that it is. In fact, according to a recent poll, Kingston is the second best city in Canada to be a woman with  high numbers of women in senior management roles. Continue reading →

Pre-Made Meals Done Right: The Bella Market

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it many more times: I love Bella Bistro and the Bella Market. Their attention to detail is impeccable, they always source locally and as a result their food quality is s top notch. I wrote about The Bella Market when they first opened and now that they’ve been open a few months,  I want to share with you how much I love their pre-made meal options. As someone who loves to cook and doesn’t love buying processed frozen meals from the grocery store, their pre-made meals are perfect when I’ve had a busy week. When I visit Bella, the staff are always happy to share their culinary expertise and I love how excited they get about their food! I appreciate how they can always share a personal experience and insight on anything I am considering picking up. Continue reading →

Knifey + Spooney Up Kingston’s Vegan Game

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Meet Christina and Rad, they are the brilliant minds behind new vegan catering company, Knifey Spooney. For anyone who is vegan or has ever dined with a vegan, they know how difficult it can be to have a solid dining experience in Kingston that does not involve a salad. Christina and Rad felt this frustration and decided to take matters into their own hands. Just recently in September of 2017, Knifey Spooney was born.

Thanks to Kingston’s beautiful community-over-competition mentality, business was booming from the very start. “We were encouraged to enter Vegfest and it really took off from there,” says Rad. Christina adds, “We were asked to do a wedding and a cooking demo before we even had a business. The vegetarian community basically gave us a business and we just had to show up. Every single step of this has been in the works forever and it was never the right time to do it and there just comes a time when all of your dreams and ideas come together and you just kind of have to take the leap.”
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Q&A: Dancer Valeria Galluccio Discusses Upcoming Kingston Performance with Compagnie Marie Choiunard

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Photo: Sylvie-Ann Paré / Dancer: Lucy M. May

Attention all dancers and dance enthusiasts! Internationally-renowned dance company Marie Chouinard is coming to Kingston on January 30th. Marie Chouinard has created choreography based on Stravinsky’s iconic score, The Rite of Spring. As well as a piece based off the book Mouvements by Henri Michaux. Learn more about the details of the show, here.

It’s wonderful to learn about a show from the perspective of a performer. Dancer Valeria Galluccio has been part of Marie Chouinard since 2011, she took some time to answer a few questions about the upcoming show via email. See below to learn about her experience and why she is looking forward to the Kingston performance.  Continue reading →