“Give me your best ten,” the instructor says, as you’re struggling to finish working your “seat.” With a tube, a red ball, a barre and some weights you too can conquer a 55 minute full body workout that focuses on small isometric movements. Pure Barre, the new exercise craze here in Soflo, just opened its newest location right down the street from school in January as well as in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington and Boca Raton. The fat burning and muscle sculpting class has made quite an impact at Dreyfoos already, attracting our students to lift, tone and burn. The 4:30 p.m. classes are an awesome way to relieve stress from a long day at school. Although Pure Barre is more expensive than a gym membership, they offer a 15 percent student discount off any membership package you buy as well as a new client special. Personally, I find Pure Barre to be therapeutic form of building self-confidence; you constantly work toward lifting your leg a little higher and a little straighter ultimately leading you to understand that you truly are stronger than you think you are.

After a good workout it’s always smart to eat a light and healthy meal rather than a burrito from Chipotle or a large philly-cheesesteak sub. So, this past Friday I decided to have my post workout meal at a vegan restaurant called Darbsters. They feature a variety of menu items ranging from dishes consisting of tofu, vegetables, cashew nut cheezes, kale, etc. This was my first time experimenting with an all vegan/vegetarian menu and I’m not going to lie, it was hard not being able to order an appetizer of wings. But I adapted and went with what sounded appetizing, Butternut Squash Raw-violi. It was so delicious, leaving me wanting to come back and try more dishes. But the meal was not over until I tried a dessert dish: the ice cream sandwich cookie (ice cream made with coconut milk and vegan cookies).