Today’s blogger: Janet Lee, Shape’s deputy editor

I just got back from a five-day West Coast vacay. I always look forward to going to Los Angeles: I have several good friends in the area; I love the food scene and fantastic fresh fish; and working out there is always fun instead of drudgery. The first thing I did after picking up my rental car on Thursday was check out the new Equinox Fitness in Manhattan Beach. After sitting on the plane for six-plus hours I was in dire need of a workout and I wanted to kick off my weekend on a healthy note. While the location is difficult (you have to battle freeway and Costco traffic to get to the building), I love the layout and the locker-room is palatial!

Friday a.m. I drove over to my favorite street in Santa Monica, Adelaide. This beautiful road boasts serene views of the ocean and Pacific Palisades—plus, it’s one of the area’s workout hotspots. There are two sets of stairs (cement and wooden) here that are regularly swarmed by locals: The cement steps are steeper and the wooden set has more give. I did the cement version—all 189 steps, if my count was correct—five times then hobbled back to my car (I’m not a regular on the stairclimber). Another check on my workout to-do list!

I spent my last day in town back in Manhattan Beach and treated myself to a morning run along the strand. I used to live in this gorgeous beach town and I’ve always loved running along the water and then stretching while watching all the volleyball players and surfers. The one thing I noticed this time was stand-up paddle surfing is huge out here! I spotted close to 10 people doing it and kicked myself for not making an appointment to take a lesson. I’ll put that on my list for next time.

In between workouts, I had some stand-out meals in L.A. Two of my faves were at Cecconi’s (Melrose and N. Robertson) and Osteria Mozza (Melrose and N. Highland). The latter has a mozzarella bar that serves up some of the most decadent burrata around (cheese fans: You haven’t lived until you’ve tried burrata). At Cecconi’s, I ordered the heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozz to start and the dollop that arrived was simply dreamy in taste and texture. Cholesterol be damned—I will definitely be going back!

Were you one of the 1,500 women who stopped by the Bikini Body Tour in Santa Monica on Saturday? I spent a few hours there and it was so much fun! There was a Shape village set up near the beach that included two workout tents, a Lucy pop-up store (I love their hoodies!), a Miller MGD64 lounge, and an S-shaped runway. I worked up a sweat with a Power Yoga Class—there’s nothing like doing sun salutations with an ocean view—and then watched a bikini fashion show hosted by our executive fashion director, Jacqui Stafford.

Before I left, I said a quick hello to our summer issue cover model, Marissa Miller, who was on hand signing autographs. She told me that she loves reading the magazine and that this cover—her sixth for Shape!—is her favorite ever. (Yes, she’s as sweet as she is beautiful.)

If you live near Miami, get ready: The Shape Bikini Body Tour will arrive in Lummus Park on June 13. Go to bikinibodytour.com to register for workout classes.

Today’s blogger: Marissa Stephenson, Shape assistant fitness editor

Today is National Bike to Work Day, and I’m not going to remind you about all the benefits of pedaling to the office (but seriously, you can burn 300 calories before your morning meeting!). Instead, I’m going to share some of the coolest new foldable rides I’ve seen lately. That’s right: All the models here fold down to a compact size that makes them simple to store, and because they weigh up to 10 pounds less than regular bikes, they’re easier to carry, too. (Key if you live in a fifth-floor walk-up like I do.) Check out my favorite new “foldies.”

The four-speed Abio Verdion ($790; abiobikes.com) is chainless—it operates on cables that are tucked inside the frame—so you won’t have to worry about grease stains or snagging your pant leg.

You can collapse the 21-speed Dahon Espresso bike ($500; dahon.com) to half its size in just 20 seconds. And it has an air pump built into the seat post, so you’ll always be prepared for a flat.


You can speed down bike lanes or bumpy gravel roads with the 21-speed SwissBike TX ($700; swissbike.com). Its vibration-absorbing suspension system—similar to what you’d find in a regular mountain bike—makes any path more comfortable.

The Shape Bikini Body Tour is hitting Santa Monica Beach on Saturday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stop by and take fitness classes taught by Equinox instructors, check out an exclusive summer fashion show, and try your luck at fun games.

I’ve already reserved my spot in the 11:45 “Yoga Power Quickie” session and I think I’ll check out “Ripped Abs and Arms,” too. If you live in the Los Angeles area, come out and join me! Go to bikinibodytour.com to purchase tickets (they’re $10 for each class, but the proceeds benefit The Surfrider Foundation and The Skin Cancer Foundation). Sign up now, as sessions are already starting to sell out. See you at the beach!

Thanks to Christy—who left a comment on last week’s blog—I tried The Biggest Loser Bootcamp DVD yesterday. The program has three cardio-strength routines and you can mix and match from the main menu to create your own plan. I chose the 5-minute warm-up, 20-minute level one workout, and 5-minute cooldown. Unfortunately my dumbbells were M.I.A., but I improvised and used a resistance band instead. The “level one” routine was surprisingly challenging. In between strength exercises like rows and lunges, you do high-intensity bursts of cardio. The jumping jacks I could live with, but the squat jumps and football shuffles had my legs shaking. Whenever I felt like stopping, though, I watched four of the contestants from the show, who do the workout in the background as trainer Bob Harper leads. They motivated me to keep going.

In just 30 minutes, this routine got my heart rate up big time and worked all my major muscle groups. (Although my legs are feeling the burn most this morning, courtesy of those squats and lunges.) Thanks, Christy, for the fabulous recommendation!

I’ve been reviewing fitness DVDs for Shape for years—and I have a huge pile of them in my living room to prove it—but I rarely do them more than once. That’s because I’m a gym rat: I find it motivating to work out with a room full of sweaty people; I have a favorite bench in the weight room; and I walk out of the studio if my favorite instructor isn’t teaching her regular class. (Clearly I’m a creature of habit, too.)

But during the past few months my Equinox workouts have become far less frequent because I have to drive to the club. The five-mile trek takes—wait for it—about 20 minutes, which means I end up spending 40 minutes in the car for an hour-long workout. So lately I’ve been eying that stack of DVDs and contemplating exercising at home. And this morning I did it (well, sort of). I tried Yoga Emergency: The 12-Minute Workout/Back. It’s a soothing, easy routine that focuses entirely on postures that stretch and strengthen your middle and lower back. While 12 minutes of yoga doesn’t really count as a “workout,” it’s a start.

I’ll let you know what other DVDs I rediscover. And if you work out at home, please tell me about the titles you love. (Who knows, I just might have it in that pile!)

**By the way, there are a few DVDs in the "Yoga Emergency" series—one for arms and shoulders; hips; legs; and pregnancy. Check them out at amazon.com.