What’s in a Community?
This week on the blog we caught up with Mac Towne enthusiast Andrea Michelussi. Andrea loves her community, but also loves style. On her Instagram style page @ammstyle, Andrea showcases how to style for daily outings, events and even the perfect outfit for hunting pokemon! Have a look at what Andrea had to say about community, style and few things in between.
Dancer. Yogi. Marketing guru. Fashion enthusiast. Walking Dead superfan. These are all words I use to describe myself and the communities I proudly belong to. Each community serves a different purpose, with members as unique as the things that unite them. They become groups we can trust and count on during different times in our lives.
Let me explain.
If I find myself excessively wearing big hoops, I know it’s time to grab some of my dancer friends and head over to DJD (Decidedly Jazz Danceworks) for a little Diva Styles so I can twerk it out to M.I.L.F $. Every Sunday I gather with zombie lovers from across the globe to discuss the latest episode of Walking Dead, participating in #DeadBuzz quizzes and romancing over the oh-so-dreamy bad-assery that is Noman Reedus. Yes, some of these communities may be virtual, but I still belong.
That’s why communities are so important, and why they must be celebrated: because they allow us to feel completely accepted and embraced for at least one aspect of who we are.
One of my favorite communities I belong to is the actually community in which I live: Mckenzie Towne. Mckenzie Towne is a quaint, community in the SE, bordering Deerfoot trail. Think Marda Loop amidst suburbia. With architecture styling from around Europe (Victorian, French Eclectic, English cottage, among others), parks, ponds, banks, boutique shops, a yoga studio and coffee stops all within walking distance, to me, it’s the perfect place to live. Community pride and local love is an understatement; my townhouse has a name (Mellow Yellow), I dutifully clean up discarded bottles during evening strolls (no, not solely for recycling refund money) and was once told, “If Mckenzie Towne had a mayor, you’d be a likely candidate.” Well, I haven’t started my political career yet, but boy oh boy I do love my community. Here are a few of my favorite places:
- Breathe Hot Yoga: Offering both heated and non-heated classes, the instructors at Breathe make it my favorite local spot to get my sweat on.
- Famoso Pizzeria: Neopolitan-style pizza at it’s finest.
- Mckenzie Towne Pond: Great for a run-around or bring a friend and playing pieces and stop for a game of checkers at the pond-side permanent gaming tables.
- Yogurty’s: Self-serve fro-yo with a perfect little patio set-up in the summer, need I say more?
- BMO: This may seem like an odd choice, but when your bank is only a 2 minute bike ride from your home, it’s magical. I was so excited when this finished construction, I RSVP’d to the grand opening.
Each community you belong to represents something in your life that you are interested in, makes you happy, helps to define who you are, where you’ve come from or where you want to go. We don’t belong to one community, but many. Each time we celebrate our communities, we celebrate the unique, millennial snowflakes we each are, because despite the often derogatory way that phrase is used, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Stay stylin’.
Andrea
P.S. Really hoping this blog helps to rally the boys of local laundry into a Mckenzie Towne design (Andrea for Mayor on the back ;))
For tips and tricks on how to style your fav local laundry duds, follow me on insta @ammstyle.
Photos taken by: Kathleen Smiley
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