StretchAlicious Healthalicious

I work out fairly often, when I’m in town, not on a deadline and when I get up in time. Okay, so maybe not as often as I would like. But there is someone at my gym, one of my corps of regulars who inspires me to keep going, who is almost always there, Spinning, working hard in Pilates, maintaining her firm, tiny dancer-like body with grace and a sense of fun. And she’s always wearing unusual clothes I know she got at StretchAlicious. Her latest outfit involved a top with lattice work in the back; I couldn’t resist snapping a strap, asking, “New StretchAlicious?” “Yes,” she said laughing. The pants were Margaritas with big blocky puzzle pieces on them. A French woman in the store when she bought them told her to wear them with platform heels. She thought not. Her pants, she says, “are the best ever.” One size will hug the smallest body and stretch to accommodate the most voluptuous curves ever (women sizes 0-22). Your body doesn’t adapt to suit them. StretchAlicious is run by five area women, one of whom is a breast cancer survivor and two who have children on the autism spectrum. And they frequently host events benefiting autism, cancer and other causes. Right now they’re co-sponsoring the Gazette newspapers “Healthy Challenge,” promoting healthy eating and fitness, and had contestants from both the Red and Blue teams in the store Tuesday night to try on workout clothes in their respective team colors. And yes, men got dressed up too.

My friend Sharon at the gym carrying an Ed Hardy bag--also from StretchAlicious


Kim Bryant of the Red Team (right) with trainer, David Sumner


Co-owner Jessica Lilienfield of StretchAlicious and Cliff Chiet of the Gazette


Note the detail on the back of the top