FitSugar

Alpine Touring: Ski the Back Country

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 03:30:00 PST

Ski touring, is also referred to as ski mountaineering, ski randonnée, and alpine touring (or AT). It's a form of backcountry skiing (off-piste skiing) involving trekking from place to place in the wilderness, that has parallels with hiking, backpacking and Alpine climbing or mountaineering.

You have skis that are similar to regular downhill skis, but the heels can detach, kind of like telemark skiing. So you can actually hike around on your skis, climbing up a mountain, and then you can ski down.

The way it works is you attach skins to your skis, that help you ascend up the hill. They're straps that have little hairs on them, that create traction so you can climb up the slope on your skis and not slip down.

Once you get to the top, you take off the skins, click your heels back into the bindings, and then ski back down the mountain.

Alpine Touring is for the serious outdoors-woman, who wants to enjoy more freedom on her skis. You've got to be tough to AT, but you can go wherever you want.

Fit's Tips: When you're going into the back country, you never want to go alone. If you're new to alpine touring, contact your local outdoors group or club to find out about guided ski tours.

Casa Capsule: A Seattle Artist's House Tour, Snowy Winter Cabins, and Chic Vignettes

CasaSugar — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:00:09 PST

Take a tour of gorgeous wintry ski cabins.
Take a peek at Jennifer Aniston's Hawaiian vacation home
See how Matisse inspired these decor products.
What do you think is the best design show of 2011?
Tour artist Frida Clements's Swedish in Seattle home.
Have you seen our slideshow of West Elm's Spring 2012 line yet?
Find out how to decorate for the holidays with things you already own.
Did your lovely little vignette make it onto our Best of 2011 list?
Gift a design enthusiast one of these 50 home decor gifts under $50.

Britney Spears on Fellow Mousketeer Ryan Gosling's Certain "Something"

Allie Merriam — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:12:49 PST

Britney Spears is on the cover of the UK magazine Stylist's new issue. Inside the edition, Britney spoke about her new fragrance as well as her family, tour, and past. She did the interview while in England on her Femme Fatale tour, and has since moved on to South America. She's wrapping up the tail end of her travels over the next month before returning home to the US for Christmas. Britney shared with Stylist about what her LA home is like, her favorite artists, and gave an especially cute quote about her fellow former Mouseketeer Ryan Gosling - turns out Brit's a fan, too! She said:

On what her home in LA is like: "My house is very traditional. And I love ‘shabby chic.’ It’s a very homey-cozy vibe. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen actually; maybe my kids will be doing their homework or that kind of thing when they get home from school. I love my kitchen."
On her dream vacation: "It would be with my children, of course, and my boyfriend Jason [Trawick], and really that’s it. We’d probably just go skiing somewhere really beautiful and have hot chocolate, in a cabin . . . "
On the success of her fellow Mouseketeer Ryan Gosling: "Oh, I’m a huge fan; I think he’s amazing. I think he’s a wonderful little actor. He definitely has that ‘something’ on film, on camera, which is really cool. So I’m very happy for him."
On what she listens to before taking the stage: "Well, I usually listen to a lot of hip-hop in my dressing room when I’m getting ready to go on stage, so Jay-Z a lot recently. And a lot of rock stuff like Aerosmith. That really gets me going and pumps me up. And then, of course, there’s Jessie J and Adele."

Sugar Shout Out: November Must Haves!

Lauren Turner — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:55:00 PDT

Miley Cyrus Wears a Bikini and Shows Off a New Tattoo!

Allie Merriam — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:28:50 PDT

Miley Cyrus threw on her two-piece yesterday to join her boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth, at Orchard Lake in Michigan. The couple ventured into the water to share a jet ski when they weren't hanging on a dock with pals. As a complement to Miley Cyrus's bikini, she also debuted some body art. Miley's new tattoo features two lines on one of her fingers. Miley explained on Twitter that it was to support gay marriage, writing, "All love is equal." Miley was able to visit with Liam now that she's wrapped up her Gypsy Heart tour. He's staying in the state to shoot AWOL, and Miley will be back on the road soon if she chooses to attend the Teen Choice Awards this Sunday in LA. She's up for two awards, including best TV actress for Hannah Montana as well as Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon.

Hot! Russell Brand Throws On Swim Trunks to Take a Jet Ski For a Whirl in Miami

Allie Merriam — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:44:55 PDT

Russell Brand donned a life vest this afternoon to take a jet ski out in Miami! He's down in Florida prepping for his singing and dancing role in Rock of Ages. The movie's director, Adam Shankman, has some of the stars like Julianne Hough and newcomer Malin Akerman in the Sunshine State perfecting their moves before the cameras start rolling during the early Summer. Russell's wife, Katy Perry, meanwhile, continues to travel the world on her Teenage Dream tour. Russell and Katy have been meeting up for the occasional rendezevous when their equally busy schedules allow - they had a particularly loved-up moment in London two weeks ago at the UK premiere of Arthur. She's in Australia at the moment, apparently longing for a traditional California Cinco de Mayo celebration between shows, though she was able to attend the launch of her fragrance, Purr, in Melbourne last Saturday and attended the city's Logie Awards Sunday. Katy also landed on the June cover of Vanity Fair, and spoke about deciding to finally show pictures from their wedding during the Grammys in February. Katy said, "I felt the moment was right and not forced. Russell and I had time to savor our moment privately first and then share it with people when we were ready, and not for a paycheck. I loved the idea, because I thought it was beautiful and artistically accompanied the song I wrote for him. Plus, it was Valentine’s eve!"

How to Avoid 4 Unromantic Pitfalls on a Couples Getaway

Annie Scudder — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:51:49 PDT

Planning to drown yourself in love, wine, and delicious California cuisine in the wine country? Looking to escape to New York to find the beauty in the urban jungle and each other? Maybe you're setting out to the sea, or have designs for the ultimate romantic getaway to Paris, the charming city of love. No matter where you and your honey are headed this Summer, we have tips to keep the trip sweet. To see four common travel pitfalls that every couple faces and solutions to help you avoid them, just keep reading!

Video: Kate Middleton Goes Rowing in Canada, Check Out Her Sporty Past!

PopSugar — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:56:30 PDT

Canoeing, street hockey, a dragon boat race - Kate Middleton has been working up a sweat as she tours Canada! The Duchess of Cambridge is no stranger to staying fit, and we have your look at her very sporty past. TrèsSugar editor Annie Scudder is here to walk you through it, from Kate's tennis outings to her skiing excursions with Prince William.

How to Indulge on Vacation Without Busting Your Bikini

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:13:39 PDT

You worked so hard to get your body slim and sculpted for your Summer vacation. And now that you've made it to your sunny and sandy destination, you're ready to slip off your cover-up, plop yourself onto a lounge chair, and sip down a fruity cocktail. Go ahead, you deserve to do whatever you want and enjoy yourself, but before you do, here are some ways you can live it up without letting yourself go.

Make fitness the focus of your trip. There are tons of yoga, surfing, or climbing retreats, depending on what you're into. If you run, sign up for a race in a city you've always wanted to visit, or grab your helmet and sign up for a bike tour.
Include a little fitness every day. Even if a fitness retreat isn't your idea of relaxing, you can still include a little bit of movement in your daily plans. Be sure to pack your sports bra and sneaks and check out the hotel's gym, go for a hike, sightsee on foot, play tennis or golf, or go snorkeling or water-skiing.
Have access to healthy snacks. Pack healthy snacks when you're on the go, so when hunger strikes, you can reach for a granola bar, some trail mix, popcorn, or whole wheat crackers instead of hitting the snack bar on the beach. Request a mini-fridge for your hotel room so you can store healthy snacks such as cheese, fruit, veggies, hummus, and yogurt. Or better yet, stay in a room that has its own kitchen. When you do the meal preparation, you have a better idea of how many calories you're consuming.

For more helpful tips, keep reading.

Russell Brand Sunbathes in His Underwear, Jet-Skis, and Shops Miami

Molly Goodson — Mon, 09 May 2011 08:28:14 PDT

Russell Brand is living the good life while in Miami preparing to shoot Rock of Ages. The actor relaxed in his tighty whities by the pool, did a bit of yoga, went for a ride on a Jet Ski, and shopped around town over the weekend. Russell will soon be joined by the rest of his star-studded cast, including Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, and Julianne Hough, but for now he's on his own in the Sunshine State. Rock of Ages director Adam Shankman also touched down in Miami over the weekend, which means filming can't be too far off. While Russell is taking it easy in Florida, his wife Katy Perry is living large in New Zealand. She's there on her international tour and Katy Perry went bungee jumping before her show on Sunday.