The city moving the Ice Castles to a way more accessible spot right beside Rogers Place is honestly such a win. Parking is easier, it’s flatter and more stroller friendly, and you’re right in the middle of everything instead of feeling tucked away in the river valley fighting the parking lines and open windy fields. Walking through the Ice Castles feels festive without being a huge commitment, and downtown actually feels alive even on a cold night with lots of places to go get warm if need be.

Being in the core you have a ton of options on how to do the night. You could do an early Oilers game and then wander through the Ice Castles after, or flip it and do the Ice Castles first, then go skating at the plaza outside Rogers Place, and finish with a cozy dinner. It works whether you want a full night out or just a couple of hours out and then head home.

This is also such a good family night option. If I was heading down with my brothers, their wives, and my nieces who are still babies, it’s perfect. You can move at your own pace, pop inside to warm up, and nothing feels rushed. Strollers are easy, everything is close together, and you’re not locked into a long sit down right away (plus underground parking if you want a warm car!!

For food with kids involved, I’d keep it casual. Campio Brewing is great for that big tables, pizza, easy menu, tons of great beers and nobody feels out of place. If you want the more common chain restaurant vibe you have the ice house and the fancy BP’s right there too.

If it turns into more of an adults only night or the kids head home early, that’s when you can lean into a cozier dinner or late night spot. Bar Bricco is perfect when you want something warm and viby but great drinks and food. Rita is great when the vibe is more social and fun with share plates and cocktails. And if you’re ending the night later, Baijiu is always a solid move with dim lighting and really good drinks and food but a little more music and vibes.

And lastly if you’re anything like me and always thinking about golf, this is where it gets good haha.. After the Ice Castles you could head over to the Icehouse, grab dinner, have a couple drinks, and sneak in a sim round or 2. You’ve already been out in the cold, you’re warmed up, and now you’re swinging clubs with a beer in your hand. Ill never complain about golfing in January...

That’s what I love about this whole area right now. You don’t need a perfectly structured plan. Hockey, Ice Castles, skating, dinner, golf, or just a couple of those. It’s one of those rare winter setups that works for date nights, family nights, or anything in between.

Ice Castles Edmonton
https://www.icecastles.com/edmonton/

Campio Brewing Co.
https://www.campio.ca/

Bricco
https://www.bricco.ca/

Rita
https://www.ritayeg.com/

Baijiu
https://www.baijiuyeg.com/

The welcome was warm and precise. Bags taken, names remembered (and pronounced correctly - no small thing for me when my last name usually requires a correction). The lobby felt calm rather than grand. I noticed how quickly my shoulders dropped once I was inside. That, to me, is where wellness begins. Not with treatments, but with how a space meets you.

I went to Lake Louise at a moment when I didn’t necessarily feel exhausted, but I did feel wired. The kind of burnout that doesn’t announce itself loudly, just a constant low hum of adrenaline. I wanted quiet. I wanted beauty. I wanted to be somewhere removed enough that my nervous system didn’t have to stay alert.

Being an hour past Banff, surrounded by mountains and snow, the Château feels intentionally removed from the world. Mornings were slow: coffee by the window, watching the snow fall down on the lake. Breakfast arrived thoughtfully arranged, every element placed with care. We ate in robes, lingering over omelets, caviar, and champagne. Not because it was extravagant, but because it felt unrushed. Contained. Considered.

That attention to flow and pacing became even more apparent at Basin Thermal Spa, the Château’s newly opened thermal spa, which was part of a $130 million renovation that feels less like an upgrade and more like a statement. Basin isn’t designed to impress you immediately. It’s designed to slow you down.

We left our phones in our lockers, part of the Basin’s ‘digital detox’ philosophy. You enter through a gently curved hallway where water runs alongside you, flowing in the same direction you’re walking. You can hear it before you see anything else. Wood surrounds you. Stone grounds you. Nothing is abrupt. Even the reveal of the space is gradual, almost meditative. I remember thinking: my body understands this before my mind does.

Basin feels deeply informed by Scandinavian and European thermal traditions, but interpreted through a distinctly Canadian lens: one that values landscape, restraint, and material honesty. There are social moments (a quiet wellness bar, shared lounges), but they never overpower the sense of inward focus. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the lake. Heated stone rooms invite you to lie down and do nothing. Steam and water are constant companions.

What surprised me most was the variety. Some experiences felt restorative in a passive way: floating, warming, resting. Others were more confronting, more embodied. The Kneipp walk, alternating between warm and ice-cold water, demanded attention and breath. It reminded me how rarely we check in with sensation unless something hurts.

And then there was the Aufguss.

A guided sauna ritual led by an Aufgussmeister, the room heated to 85°C. We wore felt hats to regulate body temperature and sat together around a massive stone heater. Blocks of ice infused with herbs and oils—lemongrass and thyme, rosemary and patchouli, soft florals—were placed onto the stones, water poured over them, releasing waves of heat and scent. Music played softly. The air was moved deliberately with towels, directing warmth through the room.

It was intense. Intimate. And strangely grounding.

At a certain point, the heat becomes all-consuming. There’s no room for distraction, no mental wandering. The only option is to breathe and stay present. I remember sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, a slight smile on my face—not because it was easy, but because I felt completely there. Aware of my body. Aware of my limits. Aware that I could stay.

No one left early. We moved through it together.
Afterwards, we stepped outside into the -15°C air. Steam rose from skin. Someone laughed. I made a snow angel in my Speedo, because in that moment, joy felt instinctive rather than performative.

What stayed with me most after the trip wasn’t the luxury, or even the setting. It was how connected I felt to my body again. Basin reminded me that wellness isn’t something you add on, it’s something that emerges when design, environment, and intention align. When spaces are created to support regulation rather than stimulation.

As we move into a new year, there’s a lot of pressure to optimize, reset, improve. This experience offered something quieter: permission to slow down. To choose environments that care for you before you have to ask. To recognize that beauty–real, thoughtful, intentional beauty–is not indulgent. It’s restorative.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

January isn’t really about resolutions for me, it’s more about discipline. Showing up, staying consistent, and keeping momentum when it’s cold, dark, and easy to slow down. That’s the mindset behind this playlist.

A big part of the inspiration came from my recent trip to Medellín, Colombia. Some locals I became friends with took me to see Archie Hamilton, and it was one of those nights that just sticks with you. Super authentic, super groovy, nothing forced. After the show we ended up at a Colombian after-hours spot that felt completely untouched by North America. I was very out of place, but in the best way.

That experience pushed me deeper into Afro House, Tech House, and more rhythmic electronic music, less about big drops, more about groove and flow. The kind of music you can train to, work to, or throw on during a cold winter drive.
Winter Grind is about bringing that energy back home. Keeping things moving through winter and leaning into a sound I’ve really been enjoying lately.

Local Feature:
Summerside Lake Living

971 Summerside Link SW | $999,9995 bed | 4 bath | 2,513 sq ft

This one is a wow from the moment you walk in. A 5-level split with fresh updates, a chef’s kitchen (gas stove + granite + pantry + wine storage), a private bonus room, and a primary suite that feels like a getaway (fireplace, spa-level 5pc ensuite, walk-in closet + private deck). Downstairs brings the fun: steam shower, wet bar, workout zone, and plenty of space for guests, work, and play. Plus: heated oversized double garage, A/C, dual furnaces, and shared dock access at Lake Summerside.

MLS® E4465347

Watch the home tour: [Here]

YEG Local Spotlight:
Rita Trattoria

A few of us checked out Rita Trattoria for the first time this winter (one of Daniel Costa’s newer concepts) and left seriously impressed. The room is warm, curated, and instantly “night out” energy—plus the hospitality is top-tier.

Watch the full visit + vibe check: [Here]