Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Hey everyone! I’m Valerie, I’m 33 years old and I own a house on Buffalo’s west side with my husband Jordan. We have a 10 year old pug named Miles, and a one year old cat named Luna! Jordan and I grew up in Salamanca about an hour and a half south of Buffalo and after graduating with a Bachelor’s of art in photography from Fredonia we moved to “the big city” and it’s been home ever since (yes we were high school sweethearts, and yes I guess it’s cute)! I am a co-owner at BreadHive where we make long ferment sourdough bread, bagels, and pretzels. We have a sandwich shop on Connecticut St. where you can catch me most days making our pastries or slaying the sandwich line on Sundays. The best part about co-owning a worker cooperative is the amazing humans I get to surround myself with every single day. They are just as passionate about BreadHive as I am and we all work together to create the best product and experience possible. Besides baking, you can find me on my day off biking around the city (in the summer), grabbing a coffee at Remedy House, grocery shopping at Lexington Coop, and/or walking around the Elmwood Village! I love to travel, cook, eat great food, watch movies, drink beer, and listen to vinyl. I’ve also just started to learn how to hand embroider which is turning into a wonderful new hobby and I can play the flute (not as good as Lizzo but I try).

What does #RevLife mean to you?

Health and Balance. Growing up I was pretty much always overweight. I blamed that on genetics until I found myself at 5’2″ weighing 220lbs. I had already lost the weight before finding Rev but Revolution provides me a safe space to move my body in a way that feels good for me both physically and mentally. Special shout out to Lauren who always suggests drinking a glass of wine after her classes….that’s the #balance I’m talking about!

We all get in the zone in different ways. Where does your head go during a workout?

To be honest all I think about is how strong I am. I really try to concentrate on my form at all times and I really like looking at myself in the mirror so I can physically see the progress I’ve made (I kinda miss the old setup downstairs because of those mirrors, but don’t tell Colleen, Amanda, or Rachel I said that ) Also, making my workout as fun as I can is key for me. I’m the one singing out loud in a spin class, dancing with the TRX straps, or making jokes when the instructor asks us how we’re feeling. If it’s not fun for me why bother spending my time doing it?

What’s your favorite class at Rev?

Damn….this depends on my mood and time of year but I guess I gravitate towards instructors. Brandon taught BodyPump when I used to be a member at the J and he would also bring his students to BreadHive when we were just a walk up window on Baynes, so when I started at Rev, almost 3 years ago now, I’d go to most of his classes because he was a familiar face in a sea of new people, but also maybe one of the most energetic instructors I’ve ever had! Mandy’s classes have been my jam from day one as well! I really like RevStrength on Thursday evenings and anytime I can get into one of her TRX classes I do it! Lauren’s RevRide Rhythm classes are great! I feel a little like Amy Schumer’s character in I FEEL PRETTY when she takes a spin class after but I always leave feeling very happy about what just happened in that dark ass room!  I also have to do a shout out to Emily because every time I take one of her classes she always lets me know if my form is off or if something looks good. She told me in class once that I have a strong core and I still smile thinking about that! Also, David’s RevShred class at noon on Tuesday’s is probably the best class imo. He has one of the best instructor voices out of any instructor I’ve every had. I’m also getting back into running and the addition of RevRun has been pretty great for me. So basically all the classes are my favorite classes <3

What’s your favorite meal/snack to eat after a tough workout?

Usually I’m going home to cook dinner after a workout and that changes daily, but what I do after every class is make sure I drink an entire bottle of water. This has been my ritual after every workout and personally it helps me stay hydrated (obvi) and also it stops me from over eating when I go home. I know it’s boring but water it is!

If you have friends visiting from out of town how do you show the the perfect Buffalo day? 

Ok, so I would take them to Remedy House in the morning for a delicious caffeinated beverage and a Butterblock pastry, then I would pop next door to Paradise Wine to get the perfect bottle of red for later, next a stop in Talking Leaves bookstore and then to Gutterpop Comics down the street because one can never have too many books (cookbooks for me). A quick peek in Revolver Records before going to Lexington Coop for a treat! If it’s nice we would walk around Delaware Park or if it’s cold ice skating at the Rotary Rink downtown. I’d take them to see some of the new murals our city has, and then off to Lucky Day for happy hour ($6 Old Fashions ya’ll and $5 burgers), and then either a movie at the North Park or head home to drink that bottle of red!

What’s your favorite place to brunch in Buffalo?

Hands down, The Black Sheep. I love it. But to be fair I always work Sunday’s so I haven’t had the opportunity to experience some great brunch spots like Dapper Goose and Billy Club. I love both those restaurants for dinner but haven’t had their brunch sadly.

Early bird or night owl? 

Neither, I’m old.

What’s your ideal rest day look like? 

I like to have one of my rest days on one of my days off. That way I can catch up on some sleep, read a little, create a menu for the week and make a grocery list, watch a movie, do some embroidery, and snuggle my animals. This is ideal.

What’s your Favorite guilty pleasure song? 

Impossible to name 1 so I’ll make a top 5 list, you’re welcome!

Vanessa Carlton “A Thousand Miles”

Taking Back Sunday “Cute Without The E”

“Barbie Girl” — Aqua

“I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” — Meat Loaf

Britney Spears – Toxic

If you were shipwrecked on a deserted island which 2 luxury items would you want to have? 

One of those fancy phones that you can call from anywhere…and then sunscreen while I wait for my rescue!

Cats or Dogs? 

BOTH!

If you were to win $100 million today what’s the first you do? 

Pay off mine and my families debts, then I’d pack up and move to Stockholm!