Jenna - Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)

Fashion Love - Elin Nordegren

2010-04-06T19:58:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been loving Elin Nordegren's casual, chic style. Unfortunately for Elin, she has been in the press and followed by the pap's because of her husband's stupid choices lately. I feel terrible for the poor woman being so publicly humiliated by her cheating husband, but I really am enjoying seeing the cute outfits she puts together in her everyday life. She has such a cute collection of comfy sweaters like this grey McQueen below:

I love, love, love Hunter Wellies, (I have a pair in Navy), so I was delighted to see Elin wearing the Jimmy Choo Croc Wellies below. She pairs them perfectly with her white jeans and comfy sweater.
I have loved the Fair Isle style sweaters that have been out for the last few winter seasons. I scooped up a few a couple of years ago and love them! I adore this sweater dress she is wearing below, so cute and cozy!
I always love a cute, chic leather jacket, so I love this look Elin is rockin. I love the leggings and Uggs too. I know Uggs are technically out of style, but for a mother of two (who is obviously doing all of the parenting right now), she looks adorable! I definitely think grey Uggs are the cutest!
Elin wore this adorable outfit to a tennis match earlier in the week. I love the way she pairs such simple items and looks so casually put together. She makes me want to pick up a pair of white jeans for summertime :)

images from www.coolspotters.com

Sushi = Art

2010-04-06T19:44:00.001-07:00

My favorite restaurant in the whole wide world is a tiny little sushi joint in downtown Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast called Sushi Bar 5517 (it's their street address). It is a cute little family owned restaurant run by the father, aunt, and kids. This place is absolutely AMAZING! I have tried tons of sushi places over the years because Vancouver has a massive Japanese/Sushi culture and tons of restaurants. So many places are just like McDonalds; you're in, you're out, not fully satisfied. 5517 is a complete experience. The owners and staff are so kind (they actually remember our names cute!) and they truly take pride in their work. Take a look at the "Tuna Tower" my friend Ashley ordered below. I honestly don't even know what is in it besides tuna sashimi and avocado, but it is so pretty! Yum!

Boo Hoo Hoo Poor Me!

2010-03-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have had the WORST luck with ebay over the last few weeks...remember those gorgeous Frye Harness boots posted below? Yeah, well 2 days after I won them on ebay, I get an email saying that the seller posted the wrong merchandise, and that they didn't have my boots in stock...Dammit! Ok, fine... A couple of weeks ago I won a super cute Trunk LTD elephant t-shirt. I have been patiently waiting for it for a few weeks, so excited! Yeah, well it arrives today and apparently I misunderstood the sizing...It seems that Trunk LTD sizing is ridiculously, incredibly small, so I can't even wear the shirt. Well crap. That stinks. I guess I should be more careful shopping on ebay...

Frye Madness

2010-03-07T15:27:00.001-08:00

I have created a monster....a Frye boot obsessed monster. I bought the Frye Engineer 12R boots a few months back and was hooked....I couldn't help myself when I saw these babies for an awesome deal on Ebay:

The Harness 12R's in Dark Crazyhorse Brown...looooooove them! I can't wait until they arrive! Frye honestly has the best quality, casual leather boots around. I am hooked :) Next up, I want the gorgeous Campus Boot in Banana as seen on Victoria Beckham a few years ago:

So pretty! I have loved these babies for years! Perhaps I should invest before summertime?

Super Sunday

2010-03-07T15:22:00.001-08:00

I've had such a nice, relaxing, rainy Sunday. C is downstairs working on our bathroom reno, and I have been having a ME day! :) I worked out for 90 min doing general weight lifting, arm work, and leg work. I don't really have a routine, so sometimes I like to turn on a DVD and just work away. Today it was Lord of the Rings:Fellowship of the Ring...random I know. I haven't seen those movies in ages, but they are some of my favorites! Nerdy I know. I can't help it :) Afterwards, I still had some energy to burn, so I popped in a Namaste Yoga DVD and did the Earth series focusing on core strength. So many cat lifts, downward facing dogs and locust poses. I feel fantastic! I only wish I had the discipline to do this every day...work in progress.... As a treat I had one of these babies:

I made chocolate covered strawberries on Friday with melted dark chocolate chips and HUUUGE fresh strawberries. So easy and so yummy! I am going to have to go try one that I made with white chocolate later!

Happy Sunday!

HOLY SH%TBALLS!

2010-02-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Gold for both our Men's and Women's hockey teams!!!! What a way to finish off an amazing Olympics!! I am so stoked for the Closing Ceremonies tonight!

Anyone Watching the Olympics?

2010-02-15T19:32:00.001-08:00

So the Games are now underway in our fair city. I have never been one to be glued to the TV when the Olympics are on, but I've been quite interested this year. I'm sure the fact that they are taking place right under my nose helps encourage me to tune in. There have been some amazing, wonderful moments, and some heart-wrenchingly awful ones too. I can't skip over the passing of young Nodar Kumaritashvili, a young luger from the country of Georgia who died as a result of injuries sustained in an on-track crash. To place blame on the venue, the designers, or the athlete is wrong in my opinion. It was a horrible, terrifying accident that happened on a track that had hosted thousands of practice runs over the last few months. Nodar was obviously experienced enough to be on Olympian. It was an accident that could have happened to anyone. I think to point fingers and replay the footage hundreds of times over is a disrespect to his memory. He was an amazing athlete and wonderful competitor who lived for his sport.

On to a brighter side of the Games: the Opening Ceremonies. I have heard lots of feedback from fellow Vancouverites, as well as opinions from members of the media. The local crowd is very proud of our city and the show we put on. Yes it was a little long, and very "Canadian", but overall I thought it was great. To be totally honest, I could have done with a little less of the boy flying over the wheat fields, but that was quickly made up for by an amazing performance of "Hallelujah" (one of my fave songs) by k.d. Lang. I've never been a big k.d. fan, but wow, she was amazing. She really did that song justice! I've heard many a person complain that this opening was nowhere near as great as Beijing's ceremony....umm people, first off the Summer Games are much larger than the Winter games, and secondly there are over A BILLION Chinese people, while Canada holds just over 30 million. We are a much smaller country, with a smaller economy. Besides, us Canadians pride ourselves on understated elegance hahah! I thought Vanoc did a great job and it made me proud to be Canadian. I can't help but get a bit annoyed at the media for whining and complaining about how awful the ceremony was. Thousands of people worked for thousands of hours during the last TWO YEARS to put it together. How about we give our fellow man a pat on the back instead of trying to tear him down? Even if I thought parts were a bit silly, I will still compliment the heck out of anyone who took part. It was truly a wonderful show of art, dance, music and culture. It made me so proud to be from Vancouver and Canada! Go Team Canada!

PS - YAH we won our first gold medal on Canadian soil last night in the men's freestyle skiing! So proud :)

Home of the Olympics

2010-02-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

Every day on my commute to work, I think that I am so blessed to live in the prettiest place on Earth! I was born and raised in the Howe Sound area on the coast of British Columbia. I live halfway between Vancouver and Whistler (the home of the downhill skiing events for the 2010 Olympic) in the heart of Games territory. I snapped the pic below on my way home from work today:

I took it on my Blackberry, and it was starting to get dark, hence the less than amazing quality. I think you can get the idea of how amazing my commute is. I get to drive the prettiest, most amazing highway every day. Only in beautiful BC do you get to drive along a mountainside looking at the sea. I am kind of a party pooper, and haven't been too stoked on the upcoming games for many reasons. I am starting to get in the spirit a bit as they come closer. I amgetting excited for the world to see how truly gorgeous Canada is! No we don't live in igloos, and no it doesn't snow all year lol! Vancouver really is one of the most gorgeous cities in Canada, if not the world, and I can't wait for everyone to see!

Dinner Tonight

2010-01-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

Here is a pic of my tasty dinner I made tonight. I made vegetarian "chicken" parmesan with a Veggie Patch Chick'n Cutlet, homemade tomato basil sauce, and mozza with szechuan green beans and potato chips I baked in the oven.

Gah these last few weeks have been so stressful at work. It is so nice to come home after a long day at work and make a tasty dinner and have a glass of wine. Tonight I'm having a healthy glass of New Harbour Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. I have been obsessed with Kiwie wines lately and this one is great!

Bon appetite!

My Fave Soundtracks

2010-01-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

I'm bored, so I'm going to share some of my favorite movie soundtracks:

*Go Motion Picture Soundtrack - Esthero, Natalie Imbruglia, Len (hehe), Leftfield, Massive Attack - it's just goooood!

*Can't Hardly Wait - such a good, funny movie! Run D.M.C., The Replacements, Blink 182...just fun!

*New Moon - tons of indie goodies on there! Eskimo Joe, The Editors, Anya Marina, Ok Go, Bon Iver... it's all good!

*Empire Records - cult favorite! It was the soundtrack to my youth lol!

Definitely teen movie related (lol), but I love fun, exciting, happy movies!

For Giggles...

2010-01-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

More of my favorite music:

*Hearing Damage - Thom Yorke (yes from the Twilight soundtrack. He is wicked, I decided)

*Anything by Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor is a god lol! Hurt = best song ever!)

*Anything by Matt Good (yet another god! Seriously one of the most amazing (and Canadian) artists in the biz who does not get enough cred in the States - listen to him)

*54:40 - Crossing A Canyon (Brings me back to the good ole days of partying in Cael's garage when we were in high school, awesome!)

*Third Eye Blind - I Want You (straight up good song)

*Chris Cornell - Climbing Up the Walls (good song again lol)

*Dolly Parton - Jolene (just because it is awesome! Love me some Dolly!)

*The Pixies - Where is My Mind? (such a classic)

*Anything by Placebo (another amazing underrated band)

*Lykke Li - Possibility (hauntingly good)

*Temple of the Dog - Hunger Strike (Eddie Vedder + Chris Cornell back in the day = good!)

*Eskimo Joe - Thunderclap (gah I like the New Moon soundtrack...nerd much?)

*Anything by Esthero (she's an amazing Canadian artist who has partnered with everyone from Timbaland to The Black Eyed Peas to her song "Song for Holly" on the Go motion picture soundtrack she is amaaaazing!)

Cure-All

2010-01-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

Nothing too exciting but my week (ok whole month) has been hellishly busy at work. Between school wide awards, class re-registration, data entry, and managing my attendance duties, I am totally, utterly spent by the end of my day. I've never been this stressed work-wise in my life. Living alone, it isn't so easy to vent to Cael when I get home, so I've had to come up with my own methods. Lately I've found that a little bit of yoga with my Namaste DVD's fixes it all. Just one half-hour episode with the amazing savasana at the end stretches, breathes and flexes my stress away. Namaste I love you!

Random Loves:

2010-01-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

Kind of a slow start to the week, so here are a few of my favorite things:

Eminence Organic Skincare. Eminence is a Hungarian beauty/skincare line that focuses on all natural, organic, fruit and veggie-based products. When I worked at the Rockwater Resort last year, our spa used Eminence Organics exclusively. I was lucky enough to receive a free facial while I worked there (oh how I miss that perk!). It was 60 min of pure bliss! The tech used masques, moisturizers, tonics, serums, exfoliators, chemical peels etc...I've never had anything like it! I absolutely love Eminence! I bought myself a delicious body moisturizer made from champagne and orange! Heaven! Here are a few examples of their exotic treats: Stimulating Lime Masque, Sour Cherry Whip Moisturizer, Tomato Summer Cream...I could go on! To see the entire Eminence Organic line, take a look at their webpage here:

http://www.eminenceorganics.com/products_creams.html

(image from www.eminenceorganics.com)
I recently discovered Michelle Phan, an amazingly creative makeup artist/blogger/Youtube goddess/entrepreneur. Michelle is a wonderfully talented makeup artist with a flare for colour and theatrics! She has done excellent beauty/makeup breakdowns for such characters as Sailor Moon, Lady Gaga, and the Na'vi of Avatar. She also creates stunning, ready to wear looks that are just as inspiring as her movie characters! I highly recommend taking a look at Michelle's Youtube channel to check out her dozens of really inspiring videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/michellephan?blend=1&ob=4 Not only is Michelle a wonderful makeup artist, she is now the co-owner of an up-and-coming skincare line called IQQU! What can't she do? Wow, this girl is so young and so inspiring! Check out IQQU's webpage here to take a look at some of their products:

http://iqqubeauty.com/int/index.php/

(image from http://ricebunny.xanga.com/)

Finally, my favorite new boots! I splurged (for me) and bought myself some comfy Ugg Cardigan boots a few weeks ago and I'm in LOVE! They are so cute and comfy! I wish this monsoon would stop outside so I can wear them, but alas the rain is supposed to last all week. Oh well, I guess I'll stick to my Hunter Wellies in the meantime.

(image from www.softmoc.com)

Avatar = Amazing Movie!

2010-01-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

Before we went to Mexico, we went to see James Cameron's Avatar in 3D...What can I say? It was absolutely the most amazingly visually gorgeous movie I have ever seen. I am a huge fan of epic, action-packed, (and somewhat nerdy - think Lord of the Rings/Trandsformers) movies. From the first scene, the fluorescent images of the Pandoran jungles, the beautifully alien Navi, and the amazing special effects blew me away. I even loved the special 3D glasses we got! We even went back for a second time because I just had to make sure my sister saw Avatar in theaters! It was just as stunning the second time around. If you haven't had a chance to see this movie yet, I fully recommend seeing it! Just make sure you see it in 3D! Here is a link to the offical Avatar page where you can see an extended trailer and get a feel for the movie:

http://www.avatarmovie.com/index.html

And for some fun, here is a link to an Avatar-inspired makeup look by Michelle Phan. Michelle is a wonderfully talented and creative makeup goddess. She is just too cute with her excellent video tutorials! http://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan

(image from collider.com)

Delicious Lemon Rotini

2010-01-03T17:37:00.000-08:00

Tonight Cael and I are having dinner with his family. Since I'm the only vegetarian, I am in charge of making myself something tasty. I decided to try out a new recipe that I found on a forum (thanks Ashley!). This recipe originally called for spaghetti, but I had a half-finished box of veggie rotini on hand, so I cooked it up instead. It calls for lots of fresh parmesano reggiano, lemon, black pepper, and loads of garlic. I tweaked it a bit to my tastes, and voila, a quick, super yummy dinner!

Here is the original recipe in case you're interested:

Lemon Spaghetti - this is one of my all-time favorite dishes

Salt
Pound of spaghetti
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic cloves - chopped (I use 4, but you can adjust)
1 teasp. red pepper flakes (you can use a little less)
2 large lemons, zested and juiced
1 cup (or so) heavy cream
1 cup of parmigiano reggiano (domestic parm works here too)
Italian parsley

Boil water. Salt. Add spaghetti.

Heat a large skillet over low heat. Add oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

After a few minutes add the lemon juice, a ladle of the pasta cooking water and the heavy cream to the pan. Bring to a bubble.

Drain pasta when al dente.

Add lemon zest and half the cheese to the cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to the pan and toss. Transfer to a platter and top with more cheese, parsley and even basil if you desire.

Yummy Dinner

2010-01-01T22:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not really one for New Year's resolutions, (I never stick with them obviously!), but this year, I'm really going to work on being a better vegetarian. I've been a veggie for over 15 years (I think, I can never remember exactly when I stopped eating meat), but over the years, I have slipped into the bad habit of being a lazy vegetarian. Working 9-10 hours a day, the last thing I want to do when I get home is whip up a healthy dinner. I have become entirely too dependent on easy fixes like frozen pizza or pasta. I am going to really make an effort to prepare myself healthy, fresh meals. I started tonight with this concoction:

(Excuse the lame pic, my camera requires 2 really expensive batteries for the flash, and I haven't gotten around to replacing them!)

Avocado, cucumber, pineapple, and red onion salad with a soy/honey/sesame dressing and a few pieces of tofu. Yum! Let's hope I keep it up!

A Few Pics

2009-12-30T11:56:00.001-08:00

After the pleasantness that was the man-thong, here are a few nicer pics from Mexico:

The beach at Sayulita, an awesome surf town 1/2 an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. This town is full of gorgeous surfer types that live there year round. I'd love to learn to surf since Cael is an avid surfer, but I am such a chicken when it comes to the big waves. Cael taught me how to boogie board this time, helping me get over my dislike of the big waves. I got my butt handed to me by a few big sets.

A couple of local surf instructors. They get to live in paradise year-round and surf all day. They've got the life!
A pretty hibiscus growing in the garden at our house. These are definitely my favorite tropical flower! It rained a couple of times during the night, making for pretty pics the next day!

Just Got Back From Mexico....

2009-12-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

And I wanted to share a hilight of our trip....

I just had to snap a pic of this fine specimen we saw on the beaches of Sayulita. The best part? I spotted him walking down the beach in a speedo, (which made me cringe). He stops and removes said speedo in favor of this tiny piece he was wearing underneath!!! I guess he didn't like the tanlines his walking speedo would give him! After sunning his bum for a while, he decided to do semi-nude yoga in the middle of the beach! Oh my gosh, was he ever a hilarious highlight of our trip!

Somebody Stop Me!

2009-11-18T18:10:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I have been on a bit of a boot kick recently...I am obsessed with this new buckled, motorcycle boot trend. I just bought these Steve Madden Frencchh boots from Nordstrom last week. I can't wait until they get here!

I know I have an awful shoe-buying fetish...They don't look too similar to the Frye Engineer 12R's I bought a month ago??? I hope not because I love 'em both!

I'm Obsessed!

2009-11-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

So lately I have been listening to Lady Gaga a lot. I really like her debut album The Fame, so I am really stoked for her re-release called The Fame Monster. I am really loving her new single Bad Romance. At first I wasn't too sure, but after seeing the epic/crazy/creative/creepy video, it was love! Check it out here on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACm9yECwSso So fabulously insane! I love it! I just heard her new track Telephone featuring Beyonce...Gonna be big I think! I know her crazy outfits and outrageous shows aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I love her individuality and creativeness! Nobody else out there right now could get away with what the Gaga does... I mean just look at this fierceness:

Who else could pull off a latex skirt and bra combo and still look hot? Keep it up Gaga, you're a breath of fresh air in a music world of boring Miley's and JoBros... :)

Cartier de Panthere Look-a-Like

2009-10-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

If you remember I posted a few months ago about my love for the gorgeous Cartier de Panthere ring as seen on Rachel Zoe, Cameron Diaz and Kristen Stewart. This beauty is made of gold and precious stones and has a hefty pricetag of $20,000 plus...Not so much within my humble budget....but oh so pretty!

So imagine my delight, when I stumbled across this great Cartier look-a-like on ebay a few weeks ago:
I know it isn't exactly the same, but for a mere $30, I am pretty happy. It is big, chunky, a little obnoxious, with tons of character! I love it! Now I just need a fabulous place to wear my new fabulous ring. Hmm...Here is a link to the ebay seller if you're interested: http://myworld.ebay.ca/msn20082008/ They were really easy and friendly to deal with. I would definitely recommend them. :)

images from http://myworld.ebay.ca/msn20082008/ and www.cartier.com

Oh How I Wish I Was This Creative

2009-10-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Stephanie H-F is a friend of mine from high school. She was always super cool, creative and a little kooky. She was/is an amazing artist. Whether her medium is oil paint, digital photography, fabric, or yarn, she creates the most amazing, unique pieces. If you are looking for a little amazing inspiration go to her website/portfolio: http://www.stephaniehf.com/index.html Steph is also doing a 365 day photo project in which she takes a photo of herself every day for one year. She comes up with some really neat photos! Her downtown Vancouver loft was also recently featured in Wester Living magazine. She is an interior designer by trade, so it's no wonder her place is gorgeous! Check it out for some amazing creative inspiration!

Tickets are Booked!

2009-10-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

My parents retired this summer, and are embarking on a 6 month road trip across North America with our two doggies later this month. Over Christmas, they are going to be in Guayabitos, Mexico staying at their friend's house. They kindly invited my sister, Cael and I to come and join them over the holidays. I am so stoked! I haven't been to Mexico in a while, so I am really excited to go. Here's a pic of the beach in Guayabitos, a sleepy little town an hour north of Puerto Valallarta:

(photo from gomexico.about.com)

I Loved This Movie (and still do!)

2009-10-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else love this movie when they were a kid? I absolutely adored this movie growing up! It's Thanksgiving Monday here in Canada today, and Cael and I are having a relaxing day. I was channel surfing and came across Babe. I had to watch it and reminisce! So cute!

I Got Them!

2009-10-06T20:18:00.001-07:00

Yay! I finally got my gorgeous Frye boots! After careful deliberation, I decided to go with the Frye Engineer 12R's. They look pretty much exactly like the Veronica's I wanted, but are $60 cheaper. This isn't my pic, but a pic the seller took for me. I am so excited to rock these in a couple of weeks!

Oh Frye, How I Love Thee

2009-09-28T18:01:00.001-07:00

Since I saw pics of Victoria Beckham rocking the Frye campus boot a few years ago, I've been in love! I have always toyed with the idea of getting a pair of Frye's because I have heard of their legendary quality and comfort. I like these 3 styles the best:

I love these camel coloured Campus 14L's. They would look so cute with denim shorts of a skirt!
I like these Veronica Shortie's too. I think they would look super cute with skinny jeans tucked into them
Same goes for these Veronica Slouch boots. I've seen a few celebrities rocking these babies lately, and they look adorable over jeans of with shorts. Now I just need to decide on which ones I want....

Mmmmm.....

2009-09-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

I'm over in Sechelt with Cael this weekend. It is my first weekend off in ages, so we decided to just relax and enjoy the day together. I got my hair done in the morning, and then we went out to lunch and just had a great day spending quality time together. For dinner, I decided to to make something new and experiment...tonights objective: Israeli couscous. I love regular couscous, so I figured I'd really love the giant Israeli version. This stuff is more like balls of pasta instead of the grain-like regular kind. I roasted up some butternut squash and sauteed some onion and garlic. After the couscous was cooked I added a healthy spoon of mascarpone cheese. It melted into the hot couscous and made it deliciously creamy...Here is a pic of this yummy mix, crappy quality of course b/c I used my BB:

And on the side:
A healthy glass of a nice South African white wine...yummm! Such a delicious dinner! Cael even liked it too :)

This Excites Me...

2009-09-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

Imagine my surprise, when one day last week I walk into my boss' conference room and see a table of photos of him (autographed of course) with this sexy piece of eye candy:

Turns out his son is dating a very close family member of Mr. Robert Pattinson so my boss got some pics/autographs when he went to visit them a couple of years ago... I am embracing my inner fangirl and am so ridiculously excited by this. If there was one celebrity I could have on my "list", it most certainly would be RPattz. I never thought it could happen, but he has taken that honor away from Brad Pitt! I told boss that if Rob ever comes to visit the school I had better be notified asap! Lol! A girl can dream!

Hair Look I'm Lovin

2009-09-22T19:06:00.001-07:00

I have always loved Nicole Richie's sense of style, (ok only after she was done with the Paris Hilton phase). She always looks effortlessly put together and chic. Whether she is blonde, brunette, or auburn, I always love her hair. She has that gorgeous olive skin that works with almost any hair colour. Lately I have really been loving these adorable braided hairstyles she wears. I wore my hair like that the other day at work and I got all sorts of compliments. I love how she looks casually gorgeous!

So cute!

Fall Faves!

2009-09-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

During the cold autumns, I love nothing better than to curl up with a glass of wine and watch my favorite tv shows. I haven't been religious about watching much these last few years, but there are a handful of shows that I am addicted to! First off, my fave, crazy doctor House. I love Hugh Laurie and the cast of docs on this show (Olivia Wilde is drop-dead gorgeous). There are a lot of medical dramas out there, but none quite like House, so I love it!

Here is another of my new must-see shows. I LOVED the original Beverly Hills: 90210, so it is a given that I must watch the new version. Honestly, I was pretty bad at watching episodes last season, but I happened to catch the season finale. There was so much drama between Annie and Naomi, I knew I HAD to watch the upcoming season. Two episodes in on season 2, and I'm hooked! The story lines so far are really crazy and dramatic so far, so I am going to have to catch the whole season this year!
Last, but not least....my very favorite Grey's Anatomy! I love, love love this show and have since the first season. As I said about House above, this show stands out among a sea of cookie-cutter medical shows. I love each and every character (especially Bailey and Sloan!!) and the story lines they follow. The season finale last year was honestly the best season finale I think I have ever seen!!! I am sooooo stoked to see the season premiere! I was shocked at the finale and I've been so excited all summer to know what happens to George and Izzie. I am in love with both story lines!! I was so shocked by the season finale, I made Cael watch it...Guess who else is hooked on Grey's now??

New Job!

2009-09-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

I started training at my new "old" job this week and I LOVE it! I am going to be the assistant to the Head of Upper School at a private school I worked at for two years. I left last September to move out to the Sunshine Coast and be with Cael. He and I have been doing some serious thinking lately, and we've decided that Coast life just isn't for us anymore. The town is too small, too far from family, and it is just too difficult relying on BC Ferries all the time. We had made the decision to look at moving back to Vancouver next April, when my former boss Jonna phoned me and told me of the vacancy at the school. I had to take it! This job is an amazing step up for me. The pay, the hours, the work, the people are AMAZING! I have only been there two days and I love it! No more resort working for me. Hallelujah! Finally I get to use my skills and intelligence! Yay!

My Blackberry is Broken...

2009-09-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

and I feel naked without it. It's only been 3 hours!

Fall Wish List

2009-09-01T11:20:00.001-07:00

Living in BC I am always in need of cozy, warm, cute coats come autumn/winter time. It gets darn cold up here! I have a few coats already in my closet, but they are pretty basic black wool peacoats. I found this gorgeous military style coat from French Connection. Unfortunately, I am always a year behind the rest of the fashion world, and this baby has been sold out since last spring. I am searching Ebay every day for this baby in navy because I think I need it in my life.

I have also really been into leather/faux leather jackets this summer. I fell in love with this faux moto splatter jacket from Forever 21. I especially love the hood. It is really unique and unlike any other item I have.

I really love the colour of this faux leather jacket, again from Forever 21. It is a gorgeous, rich burgundy colour. I have never seen a leather jacket in this shade before, so I might need to pick it up!
I love autumn! It definitely is my favorite season. I love the crazy wind storms, the gorgeous fall colours of the maple leaves, Halloween, etc...the list goes on. I just love the bite in the air at night and the smell of wood fireplaces. I can't wait to haul out the fall wardrobe in a few weeks!

**Update: I found the French Connection coat on Ebay in navy! I'm so excited!**

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing...

2009-09-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

So last week completely out of the blue, my former employer called and offered me a new job. For about two years I worked as a receptionist/office clerk of a really prestigious private school in West Vancouver. I left that job when I moved to the Sunshine Coast last September. I had a tough time leaving that job because it was a really fun, spontaneous work environment and it had great benefits and pay. I decided to leave because I was tired of having a long distance relationship with Cael, and we were hoping to settle in on the Coast and put down some roots. Well, after being here a year, we have decided that this just isn't the place for us. There just isn't enough to do, and it is hard being away from our families. Anyways, back to the job offer...I was offered a position as the personal assistant to the Head of Upper School aka principal of the Senior School. It is a really busy position with a lot of responsibilites, but I think I am up for the challenge. I am ready for a "real" job, that isn't front desk. Lol. I am currently employed at a gorgeous resort as a Guest Service Agent. Let me tell you hospitality is NOT the industry for me. I don't enjoy it much...So, I am going to accept the position at the school and move back to my parents house until I can settle in somewhere. It is going to be tough living without Cael again, but this job is so great for our future. It will be worth a bit more time apart in the long run. I can't wait to work a regular 9-5 job with awesome benefits and weekends off again! Never do I want to do shift work again! Ack! Wish me luck!

Beauty Recommendation

2009-08-27T22:16:00.000-07:00

I have to recommend Aveeno Positively Radiant skincare line! I bought the cleanser, toner, and moisturizer a few months ago and have been thrilled with the results! I have normal skin with little to no acne and and this line has made my skin "glow". I have used Pro-Activ, Clinique, Eminence etc... in the past and none of these products make my skin look as nice as Aveeno. The best part? I got all of the products for less than $20 each! You can find Aveeno at any drug store. Check out Aveeno's website for more info: http://www.aveeno.com/lineDetail.do?pid=1000

**Excuse the lame pic, it was the only one I could find of the entire line. I was too lazy to upload individual pics of each product!**

Hair Do?

2009-08-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

So I am a major beauty slacker and haven't cut my hair in ages....I don't want to admit, but it might be a year?? Awful, frizzy, bad I know, but it takes me 10 years to figure out what I want to do with my hair. I've always been a long hair girl (after a bowl cut incident in kindergarten). I'm not too sure about what style I want to go for, but I think I will trim a few inches off and get some long layers. Lately I've been loving this auburn colour on Kristen Stewart. I have similar skin tone and hazel eyes, so I think it could work. I currently have light brown hair. You like?

I have never had red hair before...intentionally. I have had the unfortunate brassy, copper tone that comes with cheap hair dye and too much sun. I think I am going to go for it!

Bear With Me...

2009-08-27T16:47:00.001-07:00

Working on sprucing up the old blog a bit...

A New Purchase...

2009-08-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

A couple of nights ago while browsing Etsy, I found myself looking at a store from the Seattle area called The Crafty Devils. They sell gorgeous leather screenprinted bags and really cute greeting cards. I fell in love with this clutch. I have so many purses, big, small, medium....but not one clutch! I figured for only $59 I needed this one. I'm not really into crazy expensive designer bags, so I love the unique, vinteage look of these pieces.

The best part about The Crafty Devils, is that they make your purse to order and can customize it however you like. I chose the clutch above with the dark brown leather and the peacock feather screenprint seen below. I have always loved peacocks for some reason...I even have peacock earrings, and occasionally use them in art pieces. I bought the exact tote seen below earlier this spring and I love, love love it!
The Devils have so many cute, unique designs like the songbird below:

Yummiest Pasta Ever!

2009-08-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last night I wanted something yummy and warm for dinner because though it is late August, it was darn cold here! (Go figure, cold in Canada?). I wanted pasta, but all I had was the boxed kind and that wasn't really doing it for me. I found a package of frozen wonton wraps in the freezer and got thinking. I have made ravioli out of wonton wrappers in the past with icky, soggy results. I did a quick Google search, and discovered that you can lightly sautee wonton pasta perfectly! I had a can of artichokes in the pantry and some parmesan cheese in the fridge so I got to work. Here is a quick re-cap/recipe:

1/2 of a small onion sauteed with 2 cloves garlic

1 can artichoke hearts drained and chopped

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 egg

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients in blender and pulse until mixture becomes a thick paste. Take one defrosted wonton wrapper and place it in ravioli press, fill with one tablespoon artichoke mixture, damped wonton edges with water and pinch. Dampening the edges works like a glue and helps wonton stay sealed. If you don't have a ravioli press, lay wonton flat and place 1 tablespoon artichoke mixture in the middle. Dampen edges and gently fold wonton into triangle. I definitely reccomend buying a ravioli press at any local dollar store! So cheap and they really do make wonderful wonton pasta! Heat skillet with a few swirls of olive oil. Place one layer of wontons on skillet and fry for appx 2-3 minutes per side, until wontons are a golden brown. Serve hot with your favorite sauce and fresh parmesan cheese, of serve them naked!

Here are a couple of pics of the results...Sorry they are such poor quality. I took them with my Blackberry.

I'm so excited these worked out so well! I can't wait to think of more yummy recipes to make for Cael. Bon appetit!

Just 'Cause...

2009-08-13T20:03:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite tunes from years gone by.......

Glory Bound - Martin Sexton

Jolene - Dolly Parton

Save Your Scissors - City and Colour

Beast of Burden - The Rolling Stones

Mondo Bongo - Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

Hurt - Nine Inch Nails AND Johnny Cash

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

Where Is My Mind - The Pixies

Gravity of Love - Enigma

Pale September - Fiona Apple

The Show Must Go On - Queen

Nightswimming - REM

Rough Hands - Alexisonfire

Show Me - Mint Royale ft Pos from De La Soul

Wild Horses - The Sundays version

Popular - Nada Surf

I'll Know - Fiona Apple

Sing - Travis

Can I Also Say...

2009-08-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

that I have the WORST green thumb in the history of crappy gardeners?? I'm pretty sure my thumb is black. I've killed pansies, marigolds, gerberas....the list goes on. Heck, I've even killed BAMBOO!!! Yes, the kind that you stick in water! I don't know how or why, but I am just the worst gardener ever. My poor Venus Fly Trap just doesn't stand a chance :( I really, really want to be able to hold my own and have a pretty garden. Any gardening book/website recommendations?

Can I Just Say...

2009-08-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

that I'm ready for the scorching, burning, drying heat of the summer to be over? I know I sound negative, but I am getting tired of living in a 37 degree box day after day! I miss the cooler temps of springtime! I can't wait for September/October to roll in and bring the golden leaves and crazy wind storms! I am such a paranoid freak about forest fires, so this time of year scares me! Check out any British Columbia news website and the first thing you'll see are reports about the 800+ wildfires burning up the province! Rain rain rain! I want RAIN!

I Like Her Style....(Most of the Time!)

2009-07-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

Lately I have really been liking Megan Fox's casual style. She always mixes cute pieces from Splendid, LNA or Juicy Couture with great jeans by True Religion or Current Elliot. Sometimes her style can be hit or miss, but more often than not, I think she looks cute! Here are a couple of my favorite casual outfits Megan has worn lately

Miso Hungry!

2009-07-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight I felt like something warm and tasty for dinner, so I cooked up my own vegan miso/wonton soup hybrid out of bits and pieces from the refridgerator. To make the sweet/spicy/salty filling I chopped a block of medium firm tofu very finely and sauteed it in EVOO with some white onion and garlic. Once the onions and garlic were cooked, I added a small scoop of natural peanut butter, a drizzle of soy sauce, and a squirt of spicy sriracha sauce and put it aside. I made the yummy broth out of some miso paste I had on hand, a little veggie stock, shelled edamame beans, fresh corn and chopped green onions. I let the broth boil and I folded together the tasty wonton pockets and then tossed the little bundles in to cook! After a really easy 30 min preparation, my delicious soup hybrid was done! Yum!

Panthere de Cartier

2009-07-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I stumbled across this beauty while surfing the web and quickly fell in love! Made from 18-carat yellow gold, peridot, onyx and black lacquer, this giant makes quite the statement! I'm not usually one to go for large rings, (or cats for that matter! lol!), but I adore this ring! I don't adore the massive price tag so much, but a girl can dream right? Here is a pic of my favorite little hipster Kristen Stewart rocking the Panthere in a recent Vanity Fair photo shoot with my other favorite Robert Pattinson! Click the pic for a closer view.

I found this knock-off on ebay for less than $100, so I may try to re-create my own Cartier. It just isn't as gorgeous, but it will have to do...unless I win the lottery one day and can rock a real Panthere!

My Artwork

2009-07-10T19:11:00.000-07:00

In high school I was really into art and painting. As the years since graduation have passed, I slowly stopped anything really "artsy" or creative. I guess I have always been busy with work or friends...Pretty poor excuse I know, I know. Well, anyways, lately I have been feeling the "itch" to haul out my gigantic box of paints and do something creative. I unearthed my acrylics a few weeks ago and just sat on our patio and painted. As you can tell, I found a couple of old peacock feathers that I thought would look neat. I am so excited to start painting again. It was such a huge part of my teenage life, so I am very happy to be embracing that side of myself again.

Yeah, I know these are a little cheesy, but I like em! I can't wait for another sunny day to sit in the sun and just create! Happy painting! :)

Stuck in a Rut/New Beginnings

2009-06-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from my post below, I have been pretty busy at the Rockwater trying to hold down the fort as over 80 brides storm in and out this summer. I have been at this job for almost 6 months, and it has been a very rocky road. I absolutely loathed the job for the first few months because it is incredibally stressfull (to me, maybe not everyone). It has slowly gotten better because a lot of really amazing staff members have been hired for the summer season and they brighten my day, everyday. I'm not sure what I am going to do when they all go home/back to uni in September. I don't know if the job is worth it if I am unhappy everyday. Hmmm...things to ponder...

Anyways, back to the title of this post. I have been stuck in a rut the last few years. I have never been one of those people who knew in their heart what they wanted to do with their life since they were 5 years old. I have no burning desire, or passion that leads me in any particular direction. I always just thought "whatever, I'm young, I can figure that all out later!"....Yeah well, somewhere along the line I fell asleep behind the wheel. In May I woke up. I just turned 25....yes twenty freakin five. I have nothing to show for myself over the last 7 years since I graduated high school. I've had a couple of good jobs here and there, but nothing to really smile at and consider a career. Does anyone else feel this way? I feel like I am lost in space with no idea where to go. I really wish I paid more attention during all of those career and personal planning courses I was forced to take in high school....Hmm...No better perspective than hindsight right?

Well, enough whining here. I am making a personal pledge to myself that I will work on myself this year and find a direction. I am tired of second-guessing myself and doubting my abilities. I am a lot smarter and more talented than I have ever given myself credit for. This crappy job has shown my everything I don't want to do for a career! I need to kick my butt into gear of I will be doing jobs like this for the rest of my life! My heart, soul and brain can't handle that! So, here I go....soul searching away...Any suggestions?

I Suck At This....

2009-06-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

So again, I have neglected to update my blog for a month-long stretch of time. I have been super busy at work because wedding season has begun! Last count, we were hosting over 80 weddings this summer at Rockwater...I never had the bride gene to begin with, so I think I am going to be completely, fully, 100% sick of weddings by September! Lol! I have already had my fill of scary bridezillas, and it's only June! Eeek! I kid, I kid, most of them are pretty decent and easy-going, we have only had a couple of major hissy fits from the brides. It is hard to handle sometimes, because I understand just how important wedding days are to the bride, but on the other hand, we host over 80 brides this summer....It feels like I work at a wedding factory sometimes! Oh well, c'est la vie at the Rockwater Resort! It's going to be a long, hard, sometimes really frustrating summer, but I am determined to live it up and enjoy myself!

So I hope to stick with updating more often, but I'm not sure if anyone is really interested in it anymore, or if anyone actually comes on here....*crickets* (I kind of think I'm the only one who ever comes on here lol!) Oh well, I guess I will keep updating for myself! :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-06T14:47:00.001-07:00

I know I'm early, but I work on weekends and will be back at home in Sechelt for Mother's Day this year. I came over on my days off and to celebrate Momma's day with the family. I'm making dinner tonight, so I started off with a homemade mango salsa (I am adding fresh avocado right before I serve it), mmmmm....So good! The pork is in the crock-pot for pulled-pork sandwiches tonight! I don't know what vegetarian equivalent I am making for myself. Hmm...what to make? I'll try to post pics of dinner later.

Thoughts...

2009-05-06T14:05:00.001-07:00

Over the last year or so I have been periodically reading Eat, Live, Run, an amazing lifestyle blog written by Jenna Weber. I love checking her blog to see the neat, healthy recipes she comes up with. She really is a wonderful source of motivation for me to become a healtheir vegetarian and a more active person. I hadn't checked her blog for a few weeks, so I was heartbroken last night to read that her 19-year-0ld brother suddenly passed away in late April due to an accidental gunshot to the head. Please keep the Weber's in your thoughts as they travel through this difficult journey together. Today, Jenna and her parents are all getting tattoos in John's memory. Jenna will be posting pics of their tattoo adventure on her blog soon! http://eatliverun.com/

Stanley Park!

2009-04-08T08:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Cael and I went to Stanley Park in Vancouver (pics below) because it was the most gorgeous, sunny, warm day of the year. I have been seriously slacking in the photography department, so I decided to bring the camera along and get some cool pics. I really wanted to go to Stanley Park because it has the most amazing lagoon that is full of different birds. I really wanted to see the swans (my favorites!). At first I didn't see any swans, so I was a little bummed, but there are so many others birds to see. We walked the trail around the lagoon for maybe 2 minutes, when we came across a momma swan sitting on her nest literally a foot off the trail! The park staff has put up a small mesh fence so no one could bother her. I stood on my tippy toes and used the zoom to get as close to her as possible! I was so excited! After getting a ton of pics of momma swan, we moved along and stumbled across some little mischevious raccoon babies! They were so cute crossing the logs! A few minutes later I was taking pics of Cael walking behind me on the trail, when I noticed a little photo creeper spying on him about 10 feet back....It was a hilarious little raccoon following us! I got a cute shot of him peeping through the trees at me! I was shocked that he came so close, but I guess living in Stanley Park the animals see a lot of people, so they are not shy at all! Anyways, the little guy turned around and I was shocked to see the poor little guy had NO TAIL!!! I have no idea why, I just hope it wasn't due to a trap someone set :( Last, but not least, we came upon a log with Mr. Turtle just lounging in the nice afternoon sun. Apparently, when people decide they don't want their turtles anymore, they release them into the lagoon at the park. Not cool, but it is kind of neat to see the big guys just soaking up the sun!

Stanley Park!

2009-04-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

Mini Update

2009-03-05T15:45:00.000-08:00

So I haven't blogged for a couple of weeks because I started my new job at the resort. Unfortunately, I am not feelin it at all! I don't like the work, (it is surprisingly stressful and busy), and the hours are awful! I am so not used to shift work, so the whole 2pm-10:30/11pm shift has thrown me through a loop. I am very much looking for something (anything!!!) else that would suite me much better. I applied for a couple of neat positions at a local animal hospital and school district, so I am keeping my fingers crossed either of those work out. I've also come down with the most horrible virus that is making me cough like there's no tomorrow! It sucks so bad! I went to the walk-in clinic in town and I had to wait 3 bloody hours to see a doctor! Oh my god, this tiny little itty bitty town is driving me crazy! Hahaha! I am having a rough couple of months adjusting going from a city of 2.5 million (Vancouver), to glorious little Sechelt (8,000 people). Oh well, I chose to come out here, so I am going to do my best to enjoy it! I can't wait for summer to come, b/c the Coast is so much better when it's warm and sunny! Come on summer, come on!!!

Ducks Galore!

2009-02-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

Today Serena and I took the kids to Marsh Park to visit the duck pond. I've never been before, so I thought it would be great to bring the kids to explore. Ayyah and Keithy came armed with baggies of birdseed to feed the ducks with, and boy did the ducks go crazy! I was quite taken aback to be absolutely swarmed by what seemed like hundreds of Mallard ducks! They even came out of the water and surrounded us as seen in pic #2! I of course am a bird-watching rookie, so I screeched whenever they would fly a foot from my head! Serena is a veteran as her parents are pro wildlife photographers, so she just laughed at me. Lol! I love the pic of the two male ducks on the rock together. They look just like duckie twins! Serena and I are going to bring the kids to Sargeant Bay Park in the next few weeks if the weather holds. There is a bigger duck pond with more birds. I'm hoping to see some Trumpeter Swans b/c they're my favorite!

Cool Pics

2009-02-13T20:57:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pics I took this week on the Coast. The sunset pics are from tonight (Friday the 13th wooooo!). I was so happy to look out the window and see this wicked sunset! It's been a couple of weeks since we had a really amazing sundown up here. I had to whip out the camera and run outside to take as many pics as I could before it sunk below the horizon! The ocean pic is of my hometown Lions Bay from the water on Howe Sound. Cael and I headed home to the Coast on Monday morning at 7am. This pic was taken from on of BC Ferries fine vessels. If you look really close you can see it to the left of the island in the foreground. The Bay is a tiny little town on the Sea to Sky highway to Whistler. I love LB with all my heart and would live there forever if $$$ permitted me to do so! Unfortunately it is one of those totally desirable little towns on the outskirts of Vancouver, so housing prices are ridiculously high...we're talking like $900,000 for a 30 year old house. CRAZY! Not in my lifetime thank you very much! Lol!

Photo Time!

2009-02-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics I have taken over the last couple of weeks up out here on the Coast. We had a hot dog roast by our place with our friends the Biddles. I got a few pics of momma Serena with her little one Keithy. She is a pro photog, so she has very few pics of her and her kids as she is usually behind the camera! The pic to the left is her daughter Ayyah looking through a sheet of ice. Dad found it and propped it up, then used a hot piece of metal to poke a hole...Kinda weird lol, but it made for a cool pic! I took the crazy orange sunset tonight from our place. I can't believe how lucky I was to catch such an awesome sky tonight! Doesn't it look like the horizon is on fire? The boys have been burning piles of trees/stumps up here for a week or so now, so I had to catch a pic of our buddy lounging in front of such a massive fire! He looks so relaxed just staring away lol! The final pic is of the Pier at Davis Bay. Davis is gorgeous, huge beach that runs along the Coast Highway. On a good day, you can see the mainland so clearly! I'm pretty proud of these pics hehe, I think I've taken some pretty nice shots lately! Not bragging, more surprised! Hehe!

My Newest Literary Obsession

2009-01-20T16:49:00.001-08:00

Why hello there.....

*Sigh* I gave in to the hype last week and started reading the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. I didn't want to read them all that bad b/c of all the tweenie hype surrounding them, but I finally gave in. My sister has read the first two books and passed along how good she thought they were so I figured I'd give them a shot. I am a sucker for good books, so to my surprise, I really loved them! After reading Twilight in a few days, I just couldn't leave the story at that, so I went out and bought the rest of the series: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. I am a huge geek, and I managed to finish them off in just over a week, (mind you, being unemployed, you've got lots of spare time on your hands! Lol). I must say one thing I've noticed from the movie...Robert Pattinson is rapidly passing Brad Pitt (in Troy) on my Sexy List. I've never thought of him as completely hot in real life (probably b/c of his insane hair and bong-hits-for-breakfast eyes), but he looks amazing even on my horrible quality downloaded version of the movie! He also sings 2 songs on the soundtrack that are actually pretty good. I really should just start following the trends out there instead of taking them up 6 months behind the rest of the world! Lol!

Happy Birthday Keithy!

2009-01-09T14:37:00.000-08:00

Today is my friend Serena's son Keith's second birthday today. I can't believe it has only been 2 years. It seems like he has been here forever! He is just the funniest little man I've ever met. He's always game to play cars or squash some Play-Do. So Happy 2.0 Keithy! :)
Serena had a cute little party planned for Saturday afternoon with lots of family, but unfortunately last night the lower floor of their house flooded with water and sewage. Apparently there was a block in the line under their driveway. The nasty stuff ruined their brand-new hardwood floor and caused $8000-10,000 worth of damage :( Poor Serena is so upset she had to cancel the party, but for health's sake it just can't happen right now. I'm sure Keithy doesn't mind one bit though, he never pays attention to the days of the week :) We'll have a bigger, better party in a few weeks time for him.

Sushi Fest 09!

2009-01-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Last night Cael and I went down to the Biddlecombe's house to have our first sushi making party of the year! Please excuse the blurry pics...The lighting was pretty dim at their house last night and my flash is out of batteries! Anyways, we've been making our own sushi for the last 6 months or so because there are only 2 sushi places on the entire Sunshine Coast. As avid sushi lovers, this is not acceptable! Lol! Because you have to take a ferry to get to the Coast, all restaurants and stores are more expensive than Vancouver. We've worked out that it is cheaper in the long run to just buy the sushi making supplies at an Asian market when we're in Vancouver and just make it yourself! It's taken a few goes, but I think we definitely have the right technique down!

My personal favorite, the avocado yam tempura roll! We make our own tempura ahead of time (this takes the longest as you have to do it in smaller batches). I made this one. I haven't quite gotten the tight rolling technique down, but oh well, it still tasted great! We kept and cleaned some sushi boxes from a restaurant so we can serve ours on them.

This is a simple tekka (tuna) roll! I find these ones harder to make than the inside-out rolls! These ones are Cael's specialty! We recently bought a proper Japanese sashimi knife which is amazing! My one piece of advice for sushi makers is to invest in a proper knife! It will make the world of difference in your cuts!

This one is Keith's California roll with crab, avocado and cucumber. Yum! The Biddle's got an amazing sushi set for Christmas!

Here is a massive plate of sashimi! We buy big blocks of sashimi-grade tuna and salmon from T&T Market (a massive Asian grocery store chain) in Vancouver and slice it into pieces. Again, a proper knife is so important for creating nice, even pieces. This stuff is Cael's favorite...As a vegetarian, I've never tried it, but by the way they rave about it, it must be tasty!

And finally, here is the end result! Waaay too many rolls for us all to eat, a massive plate of yam tempura, and a big platter of beef gyoza! In all it took probably an hour to make the entire meal. Keith and Serena always cook the rice ahead of time in their rice maker, so I didn't count that in the cooking time. The rolls only took about 1/2 an hour to whip up! Once you've done it a few times, they are so quick and easy! If you need any sushi-making tips, feel free to ask! :)

A Little About Myself

2009-01-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

Oh my god it's a pic of me!!! (See posts #13 and #14 for an explanation). Please excuse the icky wet hair...I just used #11!

So I realized that we haven't really gotten to know eachother yet. I am bored so I've written up 60 useless facts about myself! I hope these help you all get to know me a little more! :)

1. I am a vegetarian, have been for over 15 years

2. I think Babe (the piggie movie) pushed me towards being veg when I was little lol!

3. I cannot sing to save my life - totally tone deaf

4. I've been with my bf Cael for over 8 years

5. He's my best friend *cheesy*

6. I really want to be a pro photographer one day (weddings, maternity, babies etc)

7. I'm afraid I just don't have the talent to do it :(

8. I support my local SPCA

9. I love to make sushi with my friends

10. I make a mean avocado roll

11. I love Alba Botanicals Honeydew Hair Wash - yum!

12. I am a horrible singer - hello tone deaf!

13. I am practically phobic of having my photo taken (why there aren't any pics on this blog!)

14. I think it stems from bringing home a horrible school photo every year

15. My favorite flowers are orchids and gardenias

16. I secretly would love to be a florist too one day!

17. Grey's Anatomy is my fave show, though Meredith bugs me sometimes!

18. I wish Burke and Addison would come back! - they were my fave characters

19. Puerto Vallarta is my favorite holiday spot

20. I secretly harbor a love for Days of our Lives - Passions too before it was cancelled

21. I also secretly love Katie Price aka Jordan. She is just so trashy, but also a great mother

22. I always wear sunscreen - I don't want to look like a leather bag when I'm 45

23. I am scared to death of driving in the snow

24. I have absolutely no desire to go to my highschool reunion

25. I need to use my camera more...I'm never going to learn if I don't use it!

26. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do, and I think I'm pretty darn good at it

27. I am the world's worst baker...I once used garlic cooking spray with cookies! Eeew!

28. I am unemployed and I feel like a major bum b/c of it

29. I love to draw and paint with acrylics, though I don't do it near enough anymore

30. I love to look at real estate online and fantasize that I could live there one day

31. I don't know if I will ever be a bride. I freak when all the attention is on me!

32. I spend waaay too much time online these days b/c I got no job!

33. Brad Pitt in Troy is the most gorgeous man on earth! Wowza!

34. I love to do yoga, though I'm not very good at it

35. Same goes for bellydancing!

36. I did 2 belly casts for my friend Serena and she says they are her most prized possesions

37. I am definitely a dog person...no cats here please! (I got bit by a cat when I was little!!)

38. I've had my heart broken

39. I've broken someone else's :(

40. I got suspended for skipping classes in highschool - oops! Lol!

41. I live literally in the middle of nowhere on a mountainside in BC

42. It is actually pretty cool. Who else has elk wander through their yard?

43. I love to snuggle up to Cael with a nice glass of white wine - red for him

44. I have way too many pairs of shoes that I never wear - ebay??

45. I love to look at other's art for inpiration

46. I love the Dixie Chicks and think the controversy around them a few years ago was ridiculous!

47. My dream holiday is a month-long driving tour of New Zealand - I've planned it all out

48. I am a sucker for nerdy books like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings

49. I think the Sunscreen song is an amazing piece of work. I read it when I need to think

50. I only dance when I'm drunk. I mean really drunk at big parties or weddings!

51. I believe in recycling - It is so important to take care of our planet now!!!

52. I hate flossing with a passion, but the dentist always gets mad at me

53. I think I have a cavity right now :(

54. I always read Perez Hilton though I shouldn't b/c it's such garbage

55. I am horrible at math, like almost didn't finish school horrible at math

56. I played the clairinet in middle school - Band Geek!!

57. Thankfully I quit before highschool - haha

58. I love shopping for others, hate it for myself

59. I'm rarely ever reckless or carefree

60. I could go on and on but I don't want to bore the heck outta YOU!

When Will it End?

2009-01-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

So Vancouver has had almost a record-breaking snowfall this year. Since Cael and I arrived at my parents' house over 2 weeks ago, at least 3 feet of the white stuff have fallen. Here are a few pics from Christmas Eve, when the biggest dump came down:
Here's a pic at the end of the driveway looking down the hill. My parents live in a small "village" with it's own snowplow service. Unfortunately, there are only a couple of plows, and that day tons of snow fell!

Here's my old boy Freddy! He adores heading out and running in the snow! He is 13 years old, but he acts like a 6 month old puppy whenever it snows! I loved this pic, (even though it's a bit blurred b/c he was running), he looks like he is in a wind tunnel! Lol!

As Cael was shoveling the driveway, a huuuuge bunch of snow fell off of the trees and hit my car. I managed to get a couple of action shots as it came down. I thought it looked pretty cool!

Here are my two boys working on snow-removal. One is more useful than the other.... This was the second shovelling of the driveway that day!

And last but not least here is Freddy with our other Jack Russell Chloe. Don't worry, they are just playing! They are like an old married couple, squabbling and sniping at eachother all day. They go a little crazy in the snow and slip and slide all over the place running like crazies! It's been over a week since these pics were taken, and more snow is falling right now! Cael and I are waiting until the weather eases up a bit before we even try to get home to Sechelt. Our road over there is 2 1/2km of winding road that so rarely gets plowed. I am so not shovelling that! Lol!!!

Unforgettable Elephants

2008-12-29T10:28:00.000-08:00

Last night Cael and I watched a documentary on PBS about an elephant researcher/photographer who spent over 15 years in Africa studying an elephant family lead by the matriarch Echo. I have always had a love for elephants since I was a kid, so this show was so special. Here is a blurb from pbs.org:

NATURE chronicles African elephants' families through stunning film and still photos in "Unforgettable Elephants."We have seen them dressed in costumes and dancing at circuses, living solitary lives at zoos or giving our children a thrill with a ride on their back. But the largest land animals live a life that is completely foreign to us when left to their own in the wild -- one complete with battles and births, kidnappings and camaraderie. More than fifteen years ago, Martyn Colbeck began to document in film and photos the lives of African elephants. For the better part of two decades, he has grown particularly close to the elephant matriarch, Echo, and her close-knit family, who have never failed to astonish, amuse, and inspire him.The family seems to accept Colbeck into their world, and perhaps even considers him one of their own. The result is that he can record unimpeded the gentle love, and tight bonds that elephants feel for each other. Colbeck's film gives us a glimpse into the complex world of elephant society. We meet Echo and begin to understand the importance of such a majestic matriarch to her devoted clan. He shows us their language and ways of communication. And he captures remarkable scenes such as the rare birth of a crippled calf that the family desperately and collectively tries to help to its feet. The film causes us to question if this could be about more than simply survival. Is there a deeper emotion we have just been privileged enough to witness through Colbeck's lens? In scene after moving scene, Colbeck makes us fall in love with Echo, Erin, Enid, Ely, and the rest of this loving family. He conveys through his film and in a special interview with NATURE what complicated, powerful, tender, funny -- and, yes, unforgettable -- creatures elephants are."Unforgettable Elephants" airs Sunday, February 3rd at 8 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

If you get a chance to watch this documentary, I highly recommend it! I was so amazed at these animals' emotions and society. They truly are some of the most complex animals on earth! :) My favorite scene was the elephant family approaching and soon falling asleep all around Colbeck. He was surrounded by sleeping, snoring elephants who accepted him into their group like one of their own. I hope you guys get to see this amazing show soon! :)

Let it Snow! Make it Stop!

2008-12-17T10:09:00.001-08:00

So over the weekend a nasty cold snap hit all of British Columbia. We had temps well below freezing here on the Coast with an awful wind chill thrown in. It snowed a few inches a few days ago, and then with these lovely temperatures, froze to a complete ice rink. Our whole area is completely covered in an inch of slippery, icky ice! Here is the view out back on Monday afternoon. Note the semi-hockey rink conditions:
And here we are this lovely morning....At least 3 inches of new snow, with more comin down! It's been snowing all morning, and it doesn't look to be slowing up any time soon! I love the way snow looks out my window, but I'm not such a fan when it comes to driving in the white stuff. I am possibly the worst winter driver in the history of crappy snow drivers. I am working on learning, but ah! It can be so scary! Lol!

Brrr!!! We are supposed to get more snow today, then it will hold off till Sunday when the newscasters are predicting a huge dump! Hmm....I think I'll be staying indoors next to the fire reading a book!

Birds Of Christmas!

2008-12-15T13:24:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Cael and I went to the local nursery and bought a couple of little potted trees that we are going to use as Christmas trees. I've always felt a bit guilty about chopping down a gorgeous tree to decorate, so we got two we are going to plant outside after the holidays! The nursery had the cutest selection of ornaments that I fell in love with! We found the sweetest little homemade birds made with feathers that I had to have!

Little white one...
Little peacock, I had to have two! I have a soft spot for peacocks because they are sooo beautiful. Pretty annoyingly loud in real life though! Lol!

Gorgeous giant peacock bird thing...I love this one, but alas, Cael has decided to give it to his mom for Christmas :( Maybe I'll find another one next year.

Here they are all together on our little happy tree. Yes, I did take them outside and had a mini photoshoot. I am aware I am a huge nerd! Lol! Happy Holidays!

Pretty Days!

2008-12-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

Long time no blog! I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...just haven't done much worth blogging! Lol! Over the last few weeks, we have had some amazing sunsets up here. I managed to lug out the ole camera and take some pics on a few nights. Here are just a few:

I am amazed at our gorgeous view on a daily basis!
The colours were so pretty this afternoon, sometimes the camera just can't convey it!

So pretty!!! Now today, we are absolutely covered in icy snow and freezing our butts off, so I'll try to take a few pics!

Pumpkin Patch!

2008-10-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I went to the local pumpkin patch with my friend Serena and her two kids Keith and Ayyah. We slacked off and went to the patch waaay too late so all of the good pumpkins were gone...the only ones left were tiny, green or rotten! Boo! It was my first time going to a real pumpkin patch, so it was great anyways!

Here's Keithy sittin in a pile of pumpkins at a nursery we went to after the patch. There was a maze for little kiddies made out of hay bales and a little haunted house! I took Ayyah through the house and she had such a brave face on, but she was holding my hand awfully tight! :)
Back to the patch...it was so cute! It was this little garden with a tin box that you put money into! You go out into the patch, pick your pumpkin and put $2 into the box! I love small towns!

Here is Ayyah standing against one of the ginormous sunflowers that the farmer had growing at the pumpkin patch! It was seriously the biggest sunflower I have ever seen!

Ayyah investigating some dead plants! Keithy fell asleep in the truck on the way there, so we decided it would be best to let him snooze while we searched for pumpkins. He is a little bear when he wakes up from naps! Lol!

Here we are at the barren pumpkin patch! There were almost no pumpkins left! Ahh! We each got a couple of little green ones, just to support the local farmers. I think we're going to go to the supermarket and buy some of the giant orange ones heheh!

A New Baby in the Family!

2008-10-22T10:17:00.001-07:00

So as I mentioned in my last post, Cael's brother and sister in law were expecting their first baby. Here's a little backstory: Mike and Tara were married on the beach in Hawaii a couple of years ago. While visiting Maui, they fell in love with an amazing place called Makena Beach. Makena is a beautiful white sand beach that stretches almost a mile on south Maui, and is very popular skim boarders and body borders.

So...when their first little one came around they decided to name her Makena! Little Miss made her appearance almost mid day on October 18th in Toronto after poor Tara was in labour for 31 hours. She weighed in at a whopping 9lbs 12 ounces and 21 inches! She was too comfortable in there because she decided to stay in for an extra 10 days!
Makena is such a gorgeous little baby! We can't wait to fly back to Toronto and visit the family again! She's the first baby for both families so it is extra exciting :)

As with all newborns, Makena sleeps like a little angel all day and wakes poor mom up every half an hour for feedings during the night! Let's hope for Tara and Mike that she gets over that quickly! LOL!

Livin it up Toronto Style!

2008-10-12T18:43:00.001-07:00

C and I are in Ontario right now relaxing and seeing the sites! We got here on Thursday afternoon and spent the last couple of days hanging out in Toronto with C's brother Mike and his wife Tara. They have been SOOO sweet and taken us around to some of the really cool tourist spots in TO (Tara is 9+months pregnant with their first, due last Wed)! I've never been to Eastern Canada before, so being here in the fall is a real treat!

We went to the C.N. Tower yesterday for lunch and it was AMAZING! C.N. Tower is an observatory tower and revolving restaraunt that was the tallest manmade structure in the world for years and years. There is a section of floor that is made of glass and it is so freaky! The tower is over 1200 ft high, so looking down is scary!
Here's the view from the observatory deck. It was super windy and cold even though Toronto was about 24 degrees yesterday.

View from the base.

We also went to the Toronto Zoo! It was so much fun! I'm not usually too into zoos, but this one was absolutely amazing! It has over 5000 animals on acres and acres of forest land in the middle of the city! So cool! C is family friends with one of the zookeepers there, so she took us on a behind the scenes tour of the African pavilion. We got to meet (and touch) a big python, chameleon and a pygmy hippopotamus names Abu! She was adorable! As soon as she heard people in her area she came running over to the fence! All my pics of her are super blurry, so I probably won't post em.

Full-size hippo (not sweet Abu)!

A gorgeous African elephant! I've never seen an elephant in real life, but I've always been in love with them, so it was pretty special to be so close! They are so amazing! We also saw giraffes, tigers, lions, zebra, gorillas, orangutans, baboons, cheetahs....the list goes on! It was so much fun! We missed a couple of pavillions b/c everyone was getting a bit tired after roaming the zoo for 4 hours! Next time!!!

Down at the Lake!

2008-10-06T18:55:00.000-07:00

I figured I should take advantage of the half decent weather this morning at break out the old camera again so I drove to a nearby lake. The light wasn't the best b/c it was still fairly early and really cloudy, but I messed with the shutterspeed until it looked ok.

I can't wait to take some pics of the orange and gold trees in Ontario next week! I love BC, but I need some bright colours to take pics of! :) Wish us luck tonight! A storm is blowing in with winds up to 100km an hour! It doesn't seem like much compared to the girlies who hunkered down during the hurricanes, but it's pretty windy for BC!

Mini Photo Shoot

2008-10-05T19:21:00.001-07:00

Last week my friend Serena came to visit me with her two lovely kiddies Ayyah and Keithy. It was a gorgeous day, so we decided to go out and play in the grass. I have been practicing with my camera lately and I figured these two would be great little models!

The setting:

Running along....hard to keep up with these little monkeys! Ayyah is 4 1/2 and Keithy is just over 1 1/2. They have so much energy!
Ayyah's mom Serena is a photographer and so are her parents...Ayyah knows how to strike a pose whenever a camera comes out! Lol! There is a little bit too much light on her...gotta learn how to work the sun!

So in my last blog I wrote about this mysterious herd of elk that has been roaming my area...well the very next day we saw them! I heard this weird bird-like chirping sound coming from over a nearby bluff, so Ayyah and I went to investigate. Lo and behold there were half a dozen female elk stomping through the bushes across the street! They were absolutely HUGE! Serena and I decided to pack up the kids in her truck and go on an elk-hunting mission! We offroaded some of the dirt roads searching for them, but alas they had moved too deep into the woods. Ayyah was poking her head out the window behind me and I saw her in the sideview mirror. I thought this was a pretty cute shot of her! She is such a camera ham I love it!

A Little Bit of Beauty out my Back Door

2008-09-30T16:06:00.001-07:00

I was bored this afternoon so I got my Fuji and went for a walk in the woods near my new place. It is a gorgeous autumn day on the Sunshine Coast! I never realized just how much amazing life is in the forest surrounding my house! I am going to head out tomorrow and take more pics with some better light!

A road less traveled.
Birch tree I think? I love the texture of the bark. It photographs so well.

I discovered a little patch of blackberries a short way away from our place! I think I am going to go and try to salvage the last berries of the season tomorrow and make a little pie!

Hard to see, but it's a deer track about 20 feet from my house! They come out a lot at dusk around here! Apparently there is a herd of about 2 dozen elk (yes I said ELK!) that live in my area. I have yet to see them, but they are around quite frequently! I am gonna have to get motivated and start looking for them at dawn!
Pretty Poplar trees.

Poor snakey. This little fellow was dead, but I thought I'd take a pic of him anyways. Is that weird? lol!

Strange rock/tree branch sculpture our friend Keith made the other day out our front door. Ok so he just tossed a branch on top of some rocks, but it could be a strange art piece! :)

Road Trip!

2008-09-30T15:56:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I went on my first solo road trip to Kelowna. It is only 4-4.5 hours from Vancouver, but as my first trip, it was great! I took the Coquihalla Highway and passed by some gorgeous mountains. I was in a bit of a rush (140km an hour!!! Go Jetta Go!) so I didn't stop for too many photo opportunities. I did stop by this gorgeous little lake/pond about halfway down the Coquihalla.

Not the best shot, but I loved the texture and shapes the rocks carved out on this mountain. There are really some amazing natural wonders in BC!

The same pond as above from a different angle. I would take that trip again in a heartbeat! It was an absolutely gorgeous drive on a beautiful sunny day.

Greatest Movie Ever!

2008-09-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

So earlier this week I watched the Sex and the City movie and I LOVED IT! I have always adored the show and was bummed when it wrapped up a few years ago, but the movie definitely makes up for lost time! I think I just might have to invest in the entire series on DVD!

I thought this Vivienne Westwood dress was absolutely gorgeous and so unique, but the blue bird on her head??? I just don't get that look! I thought the other ladies looked great in their bridesmaid dresses. The wardrobe in this movie was stunning! To die for! But, it wouldn't be Sex and the City without a couple of head scratching outfits right? :)

I can't wait for the sequel! I am so excited!

Fire Fighter Day!!!

2008-09-10T19:20:00.001-07:00

Oh deary me...It's that time again! Every September, our local volunteer fire dept holds a fundraiser at the local beach park. They have live music, a beer garden, an auto-extrication demonstration and a bbq! Every year we are the first bunch of hooligans to set up camp in the garden and the last to leave! (I don't know if I should be so proud! Lol!) There really is nothing better than hanging out with great people, having a cold beer on a hot day, all while donating to an awesome cause. I somehow skipped last year, so we have lost time to make up for this Saturday! Ayayay I have gotten myself into trouble at this event, so I must compose myself and act a lady this year! Lol!

Here are a couple of pics of the dept doing some training!

Counting down the days!!!

2008-09-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

Oh my...the time is almost here! I only have two more days left at work until I move! I am so excited/nervous/scared/happy...It is going to be hard to leave my job b/c I have met some amazing people during my time at the school. I know in my heart it is time for me to go and find a new place to be. I am so excited to finally be living with Cael again! (It's been over a year since we've spent more than 2 or 3 days together) I am so excited to explore the Sunshine Coast and really make a home there! Just look at this photo of Half Moon Bay! Gorgeous! I am really moving to a piece of heaven!

Some Awesome WV Grads in Fashion!

2008-08-25T19:24:00.001-07:00

I am always proud and happy to see some local girlies making it big! There are a few lovely ladies who graduated from my high school in West Vancouver that have started to break into the fashion industry!

Kym and Alexis McClay are twins who graduated a year ahead of me and moved down to Los Angeles. They just recently launched their first clothing line called Naven in Cali. Apparently, these two helped design the Lauren Conrad Collection behind the scenes! Pretty cool! They not only design their clothes, but model for them too! I love the gorgeous colours and fabrics they use in their line.

You can check out their latest collection at www.naven.net

Mellinda-Mae Harlingten is a new desinger who grew up in my little town just north on Van. She has launched her own collection MMH and has been pretty successful across Vancouver so far.

You can take a look at Mellinda's line here at www.mellinda-mae.com

Here are a couple of samples from her line at British Columbia Fashion Week:

That's Mellinda on the right.
I love this coat!

My newest tasty obsessions!

2008-08-25T19:05:00.001-07:00

So lately I have really been trying to cut out all of the bad crap I so love to eat! I feel like it is about time I start to take better care of myself and treat my body better! I am a cheese-aholic, if that is possible! I've had La Vache Quirit cheese forever, but only recently have I discovered a recipe for low-fat alfredo sauce on www.hungrygirl.com I've modified the recipe and made a really yummy vegetarian version with Laughing Cow cheese, tomatoes, basil and garlic on top of whole wheat noodles! Yum!!

Hungry Girl also raves over these low-carb, low-calorie noodles made out of tofu. Being a tofu-lover, I am soo curious to try these, but unfortunately I can't find the stinkin things anywhere! You'd think living in Vancouver, with it's huge Asian influence, I'd be able to find the bloody things, but alas, nope. I think I am going to have to venture to downtown Vancouver and hit up some of the crazy specialty Asian markets, (the place where I found the turtle in the freezer! Ahhhh!) I also found these delicious lovelies in my freezer aisle today. Vitamuffin Deep Chocolate! I have officially died and gone to heaven with this tasty little devil! Sweet, dark chocolate, with a soft gooey inside and only 100 calories and lots of fibre!!! I can officially give up all chocolate bars for these! If you haven't tried these life-changing muffins.....do so soon! I am such a nerd, but they really are sooo yummy! :)

Some Green Purchases

2008-08-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

So here are a few Green purchases I've made in the last few weeks:

This one was pretty minor, but I love it! There automotive/houseware store here called Canadian Tire. I had to go and pick up a few things for Cael and instead of getting a dreaded plastic bag, I bought one of these babies to add to my collection for $0.89! I am quite the collector of these reusable bags. I seem to get a new one every week! In my defence, I do give them away to people so they can stop using plastic too! I've also decided that instead of wrapping birthday gifts in piles of paper, I am going to use these! It is so easy to go out and find a really cute reusable bag and voila instant gift wrap!
I also bought a cork yoga block b/c I am so new at yoga, I need that extra boost to hit all the poses! I bought it from a company called Gaiam. They are a wonderful Earth-friendly/fitness/Green Living company! Check out their webpage here:

http://www.gaiam.com/
Finally, I jumped on the aluminium bottle bandwagon! I cannot believe I haven't bought one sooner! I never use plastic bottles anymore, but my HUGE glass Voss bottle just wasn't cutting it anymore! I resisted buying a Sigg bottle b/c here they run up to $30! I stumbled across this Gaiam bottle at a chain book store for less than $10! It was the buy of the week!

Am I crazy!?

2008-08-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

So I posted a while ago about two new fitness obsessions of mine. I am head over heels for a yoga program called Namaste Yoga by Kate Potter and Shimmy, a belly dance program. I love the fact that both shows are filmed in HD in gorgeous settings, are challenging for me (b/c I am a totally out of shape beginner) and they are so much fun. I decided I wanted to buy both sets instead of using the episodes I downloaded on my laptop. I figure if I really like a music artist or movie, I should buy it b/c of all the hard work and time that goes into making it. There is only one distributor of these videos in North America so I had no choice but to pay $50 per season! That's over $200 in the last week spent on these 4 seasons....Is that completely crazy? Are all fitness DVD's that expensive? I hope I'm not wacko b/c they are so much fun! Lol! Namaste!

Zoom Zoom Zoom!!!

2008-08-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

So last weekend there was a huge Hot Rod exhibition/drag race in Sechelt. On Friday night all of the awesome vintage hot rods cruised down the highway past our place, so Cael and I sat in some comfy chairs and watched all the old-timers go by!

Sunday was the drag race event where people could enter their personal vehicles and race at the Sechelt airport. This cute little bug kicked some serious butt on the track!

There was an alcohol dragster there that put on a huge smoke show! It was so loud it actually hurt in your chest when it raced!
Some awesome hot rods at the Show and Shine!

This one won a prize! Look how slammed it is!

This one was my fave! The paint was unreal when it drove by! Depending on the angle, the tricolour paint was blue, goldish and pink! It amazes me how much time, effort, and money these guys (and girls) spend on their cars! They are definitely a lifelong passion and commitment! I don't know much about cars, but these are amazing!

Shimmy?

2008-08-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across Namaste Yoga on tv and fell in love. I do an episode or two a day and am lovin love it! I was surfing their website the other day when I came across a sort of "sister" show called Shimmy, a bellydancing show shot in Vancouver in the same hi-def film as Namaste. The instructors, costumes, music, and locations are absolutely gorgeous! I am downloading (shhh don't tell) Season 1 and I cannot WAIT for it to finish! I am so excited to get out there like a complete nerd and shake it! Lol!!! Of course, no one on God's green Earth will witness this until I don't look like a tool (I only seem to have rhythm after a few glasses of wine)!

Check out their website:

http://www.shimmy.tv/index.html and check out some of the videos on Youtube! They are hypnotizing! I sound totally crazy, but it is beautifully shot!

I have a girl crush!

2008-07-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

I can now say I have an official girl crush on Michelle Trantina. Michelle is a Vancouver-based yoga instructor who stars in Namaste Yoga and is co-founder of My Yoga Online a yoga-based lifestyle website.

I wonder if I can get a body like this through yoga alone? Hmmm...I don't know??
She is in awesome shape...jealous much? Heheh

I think it is time I quit blogging so much about yoga and get my butt up and do it!! Lol!

Yogi Jenna?

2008-07-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

So as I mentioned last week, I have started to try this yoga thing......do y'all think I will EVER be able to pull off these moves! Ahhhh!!!! They look impossible!!!

Umm...maybe after like a year of stretching...
Mmmm....I think NEVER!!!
Besides from being a crazy pose, I think this photo is super cool!

Rock Slide!

2008-07-30T18:16:00.001-07:00

Gimme a big ole HOLY CRAP to this one! Last night at about 10:30 a huge chunk of mountainside crumbled and fell onto the highway, railroad, and into the ocean about 10km from my house. Pieces of rock the size of big trucks fell, thankfully not injuring any commuters! A bus was driving by as the slide started and thankfully the driver hit the gas and got through with all the windows broken on one side. Transportation officials are saying the road will be closed for at least 5 days! This highway is pretty much the only route to Squamish/Whistler, so everyone there is stranded until then, unless they want to drive through BC's interior! Thankfully for me, the slide happened North of us, or we would be stranded too....but on the other hand I would be missing work....lol!

Look how big the rocks are compared to the massive truck to the left!
They are going to start to blast the rocks apart and push them into the ocean below!
Scary!

Namaste

2008-07-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Lately I've noticed a yoga show on tv in the mornings as I get ready for work. It seem so calming and serene, so I figured I really should try this yoga thing out. I downloaded Season 1 of Namaste Yoga (the show I keep seeing) and I tried out episode 1 today. I am VERY new to yoga and have never really practiced much before. I absolutely loved my first go, so I think I am gonna get addicted to this show!

Check out the gorgeous locations they shoot at!

Not gonna brag, but it is all filmed in the Vancouver-area! They really pick beautiful places to practice!
I figure it is about time I try yoga out, I do live in the city that started Lululemon right? The thousands of people practicing yoga here everyday can't be wrong! Now to find some cute yoga gear...

Here is a link to the show:

http://www.namaste.tv/yoga.html

and to Kate Potter, the instructor who desings the workouts:

http://www.katepotteryoga.ca/

Travel Bug!

2008-07-22T12:19:00.000-07:00

Cael and I are hoping to do a little travelling this fall. First up, Cael really wants to take me to Toronto to visit his brother and grandparents. Apparently Ontario is absoultely gorgeous in the autumn with all of the orange, yellow and gold leaves falling!

Hopefully we will be planning another trip to Guayabitos, Mexico. We went last year with my parents and sister and had a great time! Guayabitos is on the west coast of Mexico about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta.
Sayulita - an awesome hole-in-the-wall surf town.
My big trip (dream trip) is a month-long driving tour of New Zealand. I have always wanted to visit New Zealand ( I think it may have stemmed from watching Babe the pig movie when I was really little LOL!! Babe was filmed there).

Canterbury Plains
The Remarkables
Apparently New Zealand is quite similar to British Columbia (my home province). We both have warmer coasts and huge mountain ranges.
What kind of visit would it be if I didn't visit the Hobbit holes?? (NERD!!!)
There are so many different climates and landscapes to see b/c New Zealand is one of the youngest countries in the world due to the volcanic activity. You can surf one day on the north coasts and ski on the south island the next. One day!!!

Romping with the kiddies!

2008-07-21T19:02:00.001-07:00

I spent a few hours today hanging out with my friend Serena and her two kiddies Keith and Ayyah. We took the kids to The Orchard and let them go wild in the grass! They go crazy in the open space! We had an adventure with a tiny mouse and checked out a puddle full of tadpoles. Quite the fun day for all of us! :)

Relaxing for a sec.
Thirsty after running like mad!
Running the "bases" after hitting a homer with her T-Ball set.
Investigating a random rope that Papa left out...

Hummingnerd!

2008-07-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I got a new camera and I've been attempting to learn how to use the sucker slowly. I have a week off work, so I decided to come up to the Coast and spend it with Cael. He has got a crazy herd of hummingbirds that live nearby and I have made it my mission of the week to get some good shots of these little guys.

The first 2 shots are not my pics, but I thought they were pretty good. They are called Rufous Hummingbirds.

Female
Male

Messing w/shutterspeed and apeture on the camera.

As you can see I am quite a nerd for these little guys. I have never in my life been a bird watcher, but up here with civilization 1/2 an hour away and no tv, these guys are pretty entertaining. They are a great subject to try at catch for a beginner photographer like me :)

Putting a dent (just a small one) in my wallet!

2008-07-17T19:01:00.001-07:00

So I really haven't bought any clothes lately because I am trying to pare down my wardrobe for my move, but I just couldn't resist these babies from Forever 21. I have coveted the cardigan top for months since I saw it online but missed out because it sold out so fast. I check out the site today, and there it is! Yay! I had to get it in black and cream! I got the cute tote to use for errands/shopping. I hate going to a book store or the drug store and getting a plastic bag for 3 items! I am going to keep this in my car for all emergency shopping stops! This will hopefully be one of my few buying binges for the summer, so I hope I love them! Keep on shopping!

"Green" Container Homes???

2008-07-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

In a few years' time, Cael and I are hoping to build a home. We want to build something that is cost-effective, Green, and attractive. I have been looking at designs for a while now, and I stumbled across shipping container architecture. Some awesome companies in the States and New Zealand are creating gorgeous homes made of recycled containers! We've looked into these more and more, and realized that this is something that could really work for us! Cael is a carpenter and could do some great things with a few of these babies! I love the idea of building a home that is so creative and unique! I had to put this one in b/c of the grass on the roof!

You would never know that this one is an old shipping container!

Here are a couple of links to some great websites:

http://www.containerarchitecture.co.nz/index.html

http://www.shipping-container-housing.com/

What a Wonderful World!

2008-07-13T18:22:00.001-07:00

Here are some random pics I took over the weekend on the Coast.

Trying out the new camera on some Fox Gloves.
Action shot!

There are tons of hummingbirds at Cael's place right now. They fly around dive-bombing people and stopping to look at anything colourful like turn signals on a car or a bright shirt. It is hard work trying to catch these little guys on film!

The view from Cael's yard. You can see Vancouver Island in the background.

Secret Cover Marina. The island in the background is Thormanby. It has the BEST beach ever (Bucaneer Bay)!

Trailer Life!

2008-07-11T12:54:00.001-07:00

And now for something a little more pleasant...Later this summer I am moving to the Sunshine Coast with Cael. For the time being, we are going to be living in his monster 5th wheel trailer. I like to think of it as pulling a "McDreamy". I am sure some of you watch Grey's Anatomy! This pic just does not do the place justice b/c it was from the first day or two he moved there. Now we have a nice pation set out front, a chiminea, flowers, and a hummingbird feeder. I am so excited to call it home! It is so amazing to wake up and not hear a sound besides the wind and the birds. I am so excited to be out there and start (attempting) to grow my own fruit and veggies! I am also hoping to start a compost pile if I can get the local bear population to agree to stay out!

RIP little turtle! WARNING A LITTLE GROSS

2008-07-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

So as I posted before, I looove to make sushi with friends. Living in Vancouver, I have access to all the sort of crazy fish and accessories you need to make it. I went to T&T Supermarket (an Asian specialty store) today with my friend Lauren. We make it to the frozen seafood aisle and start picking out salmon sashimi...I look to my right and lo and behold is a freakin frozen turtle. I know people do eat this little creatures, but imagine our horror to be face to face with one of these poor souls. I had to take a pic to show this awful site to show my sushi-making friends. Poor little guys :( I am that much happier to be a vegatarian today.

Beautiful Me!

2008-07-04T12:41:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite beauty lines lately is definitely Alba Botanica. These products are made with tropical fruit extracts, nourishing plant oils and certified organic aloe vera that smell absolutely delicious and make my skin feel great! The HoneyDew Hair wash and the Mango Vanilla Cream Shave smell just like tropical tanning lotions, (which I adore the smell of but never use)! They are very well priced and available at a ton of drug stores. Even better yet....they are fully commited to being an eco-friendly company!

I got this from their site:

Office and Warehouse are 100% Solar Powered. (YAY!)

Comprehensive Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Policy and Practices. * Recycle Printer Cartridges, Bottles and Cans. Proceeds Donated to Non-Profits.* Purchase and Use Recycled Office Paper with minimum 35% Post-Consumer Content.* We Now Use New Leaf (Recycled) Paper for Our Printed Promotional Materials.

As a result, in 2007, we have saved:

...............73 fully grown trees

...............42,942 gallons of water

...............51 million BTU's of energy

...............3,621 pounds of solid waste

...............9,140 pounds of greenhouse gases

...............and counting....*

BONUS: They are 100% cruelty-free and use vegatarian ingredients! :)

Check out http://www.albabotanica.com/ to feel like a tropical princess and support a great company!

I forgot Aaron Chang!!

2008-07-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

I forgot one of my fave photogs Aaron Chang! This man is AMAZING! He focuses mainly on surfing-related photography. He gets right in the waves with the surfers to catch some awesome photos! You can check out Aaron's photo gallery here:

http://www.aaronchanggallery.com/index2.cfm

Aaron also is a swimwear designer. Who else would know swimwear better than a guy who spends so much time in the ocean? Another huge bonus...Aaron is working on designing more eco-friendly suits! Check out this blurb from his swimwear site :

http://www.aaronchang.com/default.aspx

Recycled Polyester:In our effort to develop processes that minimize damage to the environment, we have sourced polyester yarns made from waste materials such as recycled plastic bottles. These yarns divert waste from landfills and reduce toxic emissions from incinerators. This creates less air, water and soil contamination, while eliminating the concept of waste.
This is the world's most sophisticated technology for chemical recycling and enables the decomposition and purification of post consumer plastic bottles into a pure polyester raw material -- equivalent to that produced from petroleum, but without spilling an unnecessary drop of oil.
All of our Aaron Chang swimwear, rashguards and boardshorts are made from recycled polyester fabric. We invite you get involved!

Check out his site for more eco-friendly info!

Photography!

2008-07-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

I have been interested in photography for years, ever since I took a photo class in high school. I am just a newbie in the world of photography, but I am hoping to get tons of practice this summer. I recently got a digital SLR camera from Cael's dad, Joe. I am so excited to get out there in the sun this summer and take millions of pics! In the meantime, I have been checking out random pro photographers on the web. So far here are a few of my faves:

http://www.tyingtheknot.net/index2.php These guys were named one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world in 2007!
http://www.camillabinks.com/index2.php?v=v1 Camilla is a great new photographer in Utah. I first heard of her oh TLC's What Not to Wear! Yes, she appeared on the show with Clinton and Stacey a few years ago!
http://www.jessicaclaire.net/I found Jessica Claire randomly Googling photographers about 6 months ago. The way she uses colour and light is absolutely amazing! I would love to have her shoot my wedding!
http://www.keaywildlife.com/ And finally I had to mention Keay Wildlife photography! These are my friends and neighbours who I have known since I was an infant. Bill and his daughter Serena take the pics, while mom/wife Wanda runs the biz. They are able to capture the most amazing photos out in the field. They go everywhere across the world to capture these animals in the natural habitat from the sahara in Africa to capture a pride of lions to the Arctic icefields to get some shots of polar bear cubs! Definitely check out their site if you are interested in wildlife photography!!!

Sushi Queen

2008-07-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

Lately, Cael and I have been making sushi with our friends on the weekends. We are sushi ninjas! We've found a place in Sechelt that sells sushi-grade tuna and salmon for sashimi, and researched like mad on the internet. It really isn't that tough! The hardest part is definitely getting the rice perfect. There are quite a few steps to making perfect sticky rice! I'm a vegetarian, so I love to make avocado rolls and yam tempura. It takes a little practice to make it perfect, but it is sooo fun and so worth trying! Check out this guy's site for tips and ideas! http://makemysushi.com/index.html This pic does NOT do our sushi justice, (it was our first attempt a month ago). I'll upload some pics after our next sushi extravaganza! Yum...I want some now!

HAPPY CANADA DAY, EH????

2008-07-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

Ahh Canada Day... Every year my friends and I go booze-cruising in Howe Sound to this gorgeous spot some where some awesome people have started a huge party dock. There are usually 15 boats or so all rafted together and everyone hops back and forth hangin out all day. As you can see, sometimes there are blow-up pools and tropical plants! LOL! This year Cael and I decided to do something a little different and go to a family parade with our friends the Biddlecombes in Sechelt, (where I am moving this summer). It was quite the departure from years gone by (see above, hehhe). It was really great to spend the day in the sun with our friends and their little ones. I'll post pics later this week!

Puppy fever!

2008-06-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

So Cael and I have decided that we want to get a puppy in the fall. We've fallen in love with a Bordernese - a cross between a Border Collie and a Bernese Mountain dog. They are such adorable little furbabies! Check these little pooches out!

We are going to be doing a little travelling in the next few months (yay Toronto and Mexico!), so we've got to wait to get a little baby :( I can't wait to find a little one to bring home!

Climate Action Dividend

2008-06-23T19:21:00.001-07:00

So the government of British Columbia recently passed a measure to give each citizen of the province a cheque for $100 to spend on becoming more environmentally conscious. I decided to go shopping! I've recently met a bunch of girls who turned me onto Gypsy 05, a clothing brand from California. These awesome people have designed the most gorgeous clothes made from entirely organic fabrics and natural dyes in a solar-powered factory! How cool is that? I think that buying this dress was part of a lower carbon lifestyle!