lucky penny has a long list of failed resolutions of years past… read 100 classic novels of all time. exercise regularly. cook healthier meals. cut out sweets from diet. get more sleep. imbibe less veuve. invest wisely. shop only when necessary. learn a new language. take up a hobby. travel to exotic destinations. drink more water. procrastinate less. et cetera, et cetera.

on the eve of a new year, she decided to be proactive and enroll in a pilates reformer class taught by the lovely amber joliat at core studio. lucky penny enlisted a dear friend (slash amber’s bestie) for company, and literally braced herself for these slightly medieval-looking torture devices.

since it was her very first time (even though lucky penny is no stranger to mat classes or yoga), she was a tad nervous and could barely sleep the night before. it was worth it! the workout was phenomenal… using core strength and body weight to move wheels, pulleys and bars on a stott pilates machine.

lucky penny’s little weakling legs and abs were shaking in the end. (you know, the good kind of sore.) she’ll be back for more, especially the lunchtime reformer mat drop-in classes.

to refuel after an amazing hour-long session, the girls lunched at their local vietnamese cheap and cheerful, pho hung, on spadina avenue. lucky penny always orders her usual… a bowl of grilled chicken on a bed of vermicelli and veggies with a spring roll. mmmm, nothing like comfort food on a bitterly cold afternoon.

p.s. happy last day of 2009… what a difference a year makes!

lucky penny wasn’t always a thong girl. she once loved cute, little boyshorts, but… that all changed innocently enough.

window shopping along queen street (one day and like any other), lucky penny and her bestie stopped into tryst lingerie. on the till counter was a steel bucket filled with the most delicious candy-coloured lace thongs. her bestie shrieked in disbelief,

“darling, you’ve never tried these? you must! they are the most comfortable and sexy underpinnings.”

a recommendation from her bestie sealed the deal, she just had to try one…

lucky penny now owns a ridiculous amount of hanky panky low-rise thongs in colours to suit her every mood under the rainbow.

***psst… “tweet to win” 3 pairs of hanky panky from tryst lingerie… use #luckypennytryst in your answer, and @ us why you deserve them! [contest now closed]

lucky penny desperately needs a trim before the clock strikes twelve in a few days. she is loyal and trustworthy to a fault, so once she found the perfect stylist… it was love at first cut.

for years, claire asprey cared for her precious locks until she started to work in-house at the aveda academy on king street. (she still accepts appointments on thursdays only.)

in a fortunate twist of fate, lucky penny found and also adores kate ireland at civello in rosedale. she has received many compliments on her do, and wants to share this best-kept secret with her lovelies.

kate has taught her to apply a quarter-sized amount of aveda’s be curly curl enhancer on just-towel-dried hair and leave to air dry naturally. how to wear a mini-braid like the pretty girlies on mtv’s the hills. or that heat from a dryer will give life to a day-old blowout. complimentary bang trims also offered at the salon when needed. love her!

lucky penny‘s delectably affluent palate aime les huîtres… and, so does her boy bestie. (read his culinary blog, it all starts with butter.)

the pair is escorted to a dark wood booth lined with burgundy leather at swan. room is dimly lit by tealights, and styled like an old ’50s diner. her handsome date carefully scans the wine list for a gorgeous bottle of red, but first… lucky penny needs a glass of cava.

the two are enthralled in a full-on commentary (they need their own tv show) about who’s dating who, her adorable boyfriend (as well as his boy du jour), the 7 empty bottles of veuve from his loftwarming, his new pair of gucci boots (on sale, of course), and her blonde arch-nemesis. but above all, they cannot wait to feast on a raw dozen from oyster boy to start. have they mentioned how much they xoxoxoysters?

lucky penny and co. have dined at this establishment many a time, and always shared their mains… grilled pork chop, braised beef short ribs, seared duck breast, risotto of the day, and black angus sirloin steak are all brilliant! but on this particular evening, duck confit was on the specials board. even more brilliant.

p.s. lovelies, also note the brunch here is a-mazing. order the swan breakfast, or better yet… eggs benny.

from lucky penny’s family to your nearest and dearest… happy holidays with love! xo