Slay your Saturday: 4 reasons to start your weekend with Spin and Brunch at Pepper Place

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It’s spring in Birmingham. Patio weather is poppin’, brunch plans are bountiful and there are no shortage of farmers markets to check out. While all these things are Saturday morning millennial gold, I’m here to let you in on Birmingham’s PEAK millennial experience: spin and brunch at Pepper Place.

It’s true. I’ve found the perfect trio of Saturday morning activities to unlock next- level millennial status at Pepper Place. Here’s how my morning played out:

• 8:30AM Spin class at Ignite Cycle
• Brunch at OvenBird
• A (boozy) trip around the Pepper Place Farmers Market

Optimal Saturday morning vibes created AND achieved with this trio of events! Here’s what you need to know when you go:

1. Spin class at Ignite Cycle packs a worthwhile punch

I know what you’re thinking, because it’s exactly what I was thinking as I trudged into my 8:30AM spin class at Ignite Cycle at Pepper Place.

“EARLY MORNING EXERCISE. DO. NOT. WANT.”

At this point I was relieved to learn about their #allvibeswelcome mentality at Ignite, because my  vibe when I arrived can only be described as SAL-TY. However, I was already there and I was looking fierce in my favorite athleisure wear, so I clipped into the bike. No turning back now.

As the lights dimmed and music started, I finally gave in to the experience.

Somewhere in between the warmup and mid-class, my mood shifted. (Thanks, endorphins!) By the time I left, I was a walking, talking Katy Perry song ready to conquer the world. Rocking the 45 minute high intensity cycling workout was a reminder that I could keep going when things got hard.

Worth noting: there’s a 4-7 minute arm workout with small weights sandwiched in the middle, so no appendage is left out of this whole body workout. I scoffed at the tiny 2 lb. dumbbells when I arrived—there was no way those tiny paperweights could do anything for me. I was wrong. Very wrong.

Related: 6 things to expect at your first Ignite Cycle ride in Birmingham’s Pepper Place

2. Consider Ignite class therapy and a full-blown spiritual experience

In our fast paced world, self care is important, and the team at Ignite have been intentional about creating a space and experience that refreshes your mind, body and soul. What I didn’t expect was the immense effort Ignite puts in to the mental and emotional journey of the ride.

Our Saturday morning instructor, Tiffany, who is part studio owner/part cheerleader/part resident Beyonce, offered up a mid-ride sermon of sorts that really resonated with me.

“You’re going to get knocked down. You’re going to want to give up. But what if you didn’t? What if every time you got knocked down, you saw the opportunity to get back up? To dust yourself off…to rise up stronger.”

I’m not crying. You’re crying. She continued:

“It’s ok to struggle. It’s good to be humbled. We find both the most tender and strongest parts of ourselves in our most humble moments. You will come back stronger, more refined, and more powerful than you ever imagined.”

Thanks, Tiff, for getting me through that ride and another day.

When class was over we filed out of the studio and into the the super chic modern boho lobby area. After receiving a high five and cold essential oil infused towel,  I noticed that nobody cleared out right after class. Most stuck around to socialize with the instructors and each other. (There were also mimosas involved, a post class treat they sometimes do on Saturday.)  

Tiffany told me she wanted Ignite to be somewhere you can bring whatever vibe you’ve got going on and know you’ll be accepted and loved. The community environment speaks to that mindset—my fellow riders were very welcoming and helpful throughout my time at the studio.

Needless to say, I walked out of the studio a little stronger and with a LOT more pep in my step than when I walked in.

Saturday class times at Ignite: 8:30, 10 and starting June 1, 7:30AM. For more class time information, or to sign up, visit the Ignite Cycle website.

3. Refuel with brunch on the patio at OvenBird

Feeling empowered and ready to face the day, we moved on to our next stop—food. OvenBird at Pepper Place is only a few doors down from Ignite, making it easy to hobble on over to after your ride.

The patio at OvenBird is the perfect post-workout Brunch spot—casual enough to where you don’t feel out of place wearing your soaked workout clothes. That’s a must after working out at Ignite!

We started with mimosas and bloody marys. We collectively required approximately two drops of OJ each, so the thimble of OJ they brought out was *perfect* for the entire table. To refuel, we had the Gravlox on French Bread ($14) and the Oatmeal Waffle ($12)

Here’s the brunch menu. Ovenbird serves brunch every Saturday 9AM to 1PM.

4. Now you’re prime for a stroll around the Farmers Market

If you’ve never been to a farmers market a little bit buzzed, I highly recommend it. Do I need this live chicken? No. Am I going to buy it anyway because my inhibitions are slightly lowered. Most likely.

The Market at Pepper Place, now in its 19th year, was recently named the top farmers market in the state by delish.com. Rightly so—a quick walk around Pepper Place I spotted a great selection of fresh flowers, produce, food vendors, arts and crafts and live music. The market vendor list is pretty impressive.

The Market at Pepper Place runs rain or shine every Saturday from 7AM to 12PM, April 13 through December 14.

To sign up for an Ignite Cycle rideclass any day of the week, visit the Ignite Cycle website. They are located in Pepper Place at 224 29th St S and can be reached by phone at (205) 639-6908. What are you waiting for? Go sign up!

What are your Saturday morning go-to plans? Tag us in your Saturday morning happening pics on social @BhamNow!

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