Renowned dancer, choreographer and Pilates instructor Noam Gagnon has just opened his new Beyond Pilates Wellness Centre. The studio was originally run by Monsieur Gagnon alone, from his shabby-on-the-outside and stunningly-serene-on-the-inside Chinatown location. With the assistance from a handful of talented teachers when he was away on his international dance tours, this was only the beginning of a very promising future of a centre for Vancouverites to learn real Pilates in a very fun and humorous environment (Noam is not just a serious dancer, he also has the most exceptionally fabulous sense of humour, so you get your abs really working in his classes!). Noam knows how to make you work really hard and make you lough at the same time, and that cannot be said about too many other instructors that I've encountered in any field, really...

You may ask yourself what this has to do with perfume? well, not much. Except that the humble perfumer and writer of this blog finds an enjoyable workout/maintenance of the body to be a very important part of her life and, well... well-being. And besides the fact that I always love to promote things that I love, especially when delivered by exceptional people. And what a better place than a blog that attracts 8,000 visitors a month?!

But it won't be completely worth a Smelly Blog entry if Noam's studio didn't still have that old, familiar scent that I was so hoping would not get lost in the big move. Despite the fact that the cherry wood floors, Chinese paper dragons and incense and Catholic-scented candles were left behind in the old location - there was still some of that familiar Noam Gagnon scent in the air when I went there for the first class today after a long Gagnon-withdrawal. Think vanilla, sandalwood, candles, cat's fur and a bit of lemon would best describe the scent. It's always welcoming, and while being just enough spiritual, it does not lack humour. Although Noam told me he wears Gucci perfume, the whole impression smells like a much improved dry down of Shalimar Eau Legere.

To try and get a guess at it yourself, or better yet - experience some hard-core Pilates with a bunch of exceptional teachers, you must visit Noam Gagnon's Welness Centre Beyond Pilates at 928 Davie Street (just between Burrard and Hornby, exactly where Atomic Cartoons used to produce their hilarious animation -whomever owns that place must like a good laugh!).
And now that the centre is offering a week of unlimited trials for only $30 - you must try it for a body and mind transforming opportunity.