Dan Mitchell | Style.

Workin' on my fitness.

After a long and action packed summer that included weekend road trips out of the city, tackling a bunch of projects around the house, bottles of wine over bonfires and lounging on my favourite dock, it's time to get back into my regular routine - including getting back to the gym.

I'm not a gym guy at the best of times. I've got a membership at a local gym, but most of the time I have to drag my ass there. The first couple of minutes are horrible but once I get the tunes going and the blood starts pumping it's I feel pretty good.

So as I haul myself back and force myself to work off some of the wine that I guzzled down this summer I figured that I'd share with you a couple of the new gym tunes that I threw on my iPod.

Here it goes -

1. Jessie J Ft. David Guetta - Repeat

Jessie J is amazing to begin with - throw in David Guetta's production and DJ skills and you've got a work of art! This is one of those tracks that I'll be throwing on repeat (a couple of times over).

2. Jessica Sutta - Show Me

Remember the Pussy Cat Dolls? Remember the redhead that really didn't sing, but danced around behind Nicole Scherzinger? Not really? Me neither. Apparently she's trying to start a solo career. It's not the deepest song you'll ever hear, but it has a fun beat and sounds good when you're trying to get through the last five minutes on the elliptical.

3. Yelle - A Cause Des Garcons

This track has been around for years but it's still a fave of mine! I'm a huge Yelle fan....even if my French knowledge is tres terrible. By far my favourite track by them. I couldn't find the official video to post but I did find this rather quarky fan vid. Watch and enjoy.

4. Nadine Coyle - Sweetest High

I salute Nadine Coyle for still trying to forge ahead with a solo career after dismal sales of her first album (which I loved!). She may have been 'the voice' of Girls Aloud, but she needs to fire her entire team and start from scratch. Catchy gym song that's had no publicity, no promotion and chances are, will go nowhere on the charts. That said, I'm all over it.

5. The Saturdays - Ladykiller

Most guys would be embarrassed to throw this track on their gym playlist. Not this guy. The more sugary the song, the better the chance that I'm going to love it. Out this September a B-side, this track reminds me of ol'skool Rachel Stevens. Perfect for the gym (or cruising around in my cougar car).

And last, but not least -

6. Natalia Kills - Hot Mess

I'm all over this Natalia Kills chick. She's one of those artists that really has a clear vision of what she wants to do. Of the story that she wants to tell with her music and presentation... She hasn't really taken off this side of the pond....partially because of those all the Gaga comparison (I see none), but her album is awesome! While there are loads of tracks worthy of running to, this is one of my faves! You must check it out!

Who's on your gym list?! I'm always on the hunt for some new tunes!

Back to the gym...
D-

Sweet Sarah.

Have I ever told you how much I love Sarah Richardson?

No?

Well then, it's high time for me to share my love of Ms. Richardson and her work!

http://www.winnipegwomen.net

Having started out as a props stylist and set decorator, Sarah has taken the Canadian design scene by storm. The owner of a successful design firm, host of an evergrowing number of specialty programs and designer of an amazing collection of interior and exterior furniture, Ms. Richardson has become one of the faces of great Canadian design.

http://sarahrichardsondesign.com

I love how Richardson is one of those designers that doesn't follow trends. She's not afraid to think outside the box and go with what she thinks looks good vs. what everyone else is doing. Along with her trusted design cohort Tommy Smythe, Sarah Richardson has created some of the most amazing rooms. Mixing modern and classic with found objects, custom pieces of her own design and thrift store finds, her rooms are sophisticated yet comfy, refined yet relaxed. Elegant but not inaccessible.