Countdown

One more day left with my students.  I will miss this class.

Only two and a half days left of work before I am on holidays for two months.

Only forty-four days until my sister's wedding ...

Where does the time go?

What is something exciting coming up in your future?

Family Brunch and Fashion Meme

Tomorrow is my sister-in-law's champagne birthday.  She turns 27 on the 27th.  

We celebrated this morning at my in-law's with a brunch.

The waffles were not cooperating, so we had pancakes instead!

The hubby and I spent the rest of the day shopping.  He needed a shirt and tie for an upcoming wedding, and I needed a new dress, because I just couldn't resist (see below for a picture). 

I was pretty excited to see that Vanessa from Swift as Shadows tagged me in her fashion meme, because if anyone knows me well, they know that I love fashion.

The Fashion Tag

1) How would you describe your style:

Comfortable, trendy, flirty and fun!

2) What are your wardrobe staples:

Skinny jeans, cute shoes or boots, big rings, and a funky shirt.

3) Most expensive item in your closet:

Louis Vuitton purse.  I used to really like LV, but now not so much.  Everyone seems to have LV purses and there are too many knock-offs.  I prefer something more unique, so not everyone is carrying the same bag as me.  I have my eye on a few for next time I am in NY.

4) Most wanted item:

Christian Louboutin peep-toes, and everything from The Row.

5) Favourite designer:

Dolce and Gabanna, and MK and Ashley Olson.

6) How much do you spend on clothes:

A few grand a year probably.  Depends.

7) What are your favourite places to shop:

Independent boutiques in Manhattan.

8) Favourite fragrance:

I like Flowerbomb.  Eden introduced me to this lovely fragrance when I shopped with her in San Fransisco.

9) What is your favourite way to do your hair:

Well, if you have met me, you will know that my hair varies a lot from day to day - hehe.  Like one day it might look like this ...

 And the next day if could look like this ...

 And if I am really feeling crazy, I might even do this with it ...

Okay, I wear my hair the same way every. single. day.  You are lucky if I even brush it for you.  I just don't like doing my hair, and it is so fine that it doesn't cooperate well.  I have had hair stylists tell me that my hair simply WON'T curl ... but that is not true, because on special occasions it just might look like this ...

10) What is your go-to outfit when you have no idea what to wear:

Skinny jeans and a sexuali-tee from American Apparel with heels.

11) One fashion trend you wish would come back or stay:

I want skinny jeans to stay cool.  And I wish that 1950s housewife dresses would come back in style.

12) Show us the most prized possession in your wardrobe:

I have a few favourite items of clothing, including my black "leather" jacket, my grey worn out sweater, my black Seven pants, and a bunch of dresses.  These are some of my favourite new dresses ...

Black zipper dress from a boutique in New York.  I bought a VERY similar one in navy last year in NY.

Calvin Klein Leather Dress.  I am thinking this might be a fun bachelorette outfit for some one or more of the bachelorette parties I have coming up. I got this today.

Over-sized men's shirt dress with zipper belt.  Both form boutiques in NY.

Dolce and Gabanna dress.

13) Tag some people:

Madeline from Greens and Jeans
Vanessa from All the Things She Says
Devon from Watermelon Tequila
Yelena from One Healthy Apple
Averie from Love Veggies and Yoga

I would love to know your answers to these questions, or all if you have the time:

What are your wardrobe staples?  

What is your go-to outfit when you have no idea what to wear?
What is your most wanted item?

ABCs of Food

I saw this on Jessica's blog and thought it looked like fun ...

A is for Avocado: How do you like yours prepared?

I like avocado in sushi, or mixed with tomatoes in a simple salad.
 
B is for Bread: Regardless of nutrition, what is your favourite type?

Foccacia bread dipped in oil and vinegar.  

C is for Chocolate: What is your favourite kind currently? 

Bernard Callebaut 
 
D is for Donuts: You might not currently eat them, but what kind do you fancy?

I have never really liked donuts, but I prefer the simple ones (sugar, kruller, or chocolate dipped)
 
E is for Eggs: How would you like yours prepared?

Perfectly soft poached.

F is for Falafel: Yay or nay?

Yay - I like them in pitas with cucumber, tomato, and tzatiki sauce.

G is for Groceries: Where do you purchase yours?

We go to many different groceries stores, sometimes 3-4 per week (basically we go to each chain grocery store in our city, and the local ones too).

H is for Hot Beverages: What is your favourite hot drink?

Coffee.  Black.

I is for Ice Cream: Pick a favourite flavour and add a fun topping.

I love Nuttin' Better from Safeway, or a DQ sundae with butterscotch.

J is for Jams or Jellies: Do you eat them? If so, what kind and flavour?

No, I don't really eat these.  The last time I had jam/jelly was when I had a Crofter's tasting breakfast after Crofter's had sent me some spreads.  They were good, but the hubby finished them off - not me.

K is for Kashi: Name your favourite Kashi product?

I don't think I use any kashi products.


L is for Lunch: What was yours today?

Chicken Soup.

M is for microwave: What is your favourite microwave meal/snack?

I like making Averie's microwave banana oat cakes every so often.

N is for nutrients: Do you like carbs, fats, or proteins best?

Carbs.

O is for oil: What kind do you like to use?

Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, canola oil.

P is for protein: How do you get yours?

Beans, nut butters, lentils, quinoa, fish, meat.

Q is for Quaker: How do you like your oats?

I don't use Quaker brand, but I like my oats made on the stove with toppings, or cold and layered with soft serve in a parfait.

R is for roasting: What is your favourite thing to roast?

Potatoes.

S is for sandwich: What’s your favourite kind?

I like sandwiches that I don't have to make.  Loaded.  Not a lot of meat, if any.

T is for travel: How do you eat while traveling?

I like to try the foods that the place is famous for ... like bagels and pizza in NY, etc..

U is for unique: What are some of the unique foods that you like?

Chia seeds, hemp seeds, vanilla yogurt with PB in it.

V is for vitamins: What kind do you take?

Vitamin D, B, and a multi.

W is for Wiener Schnitzel: Do you ever recreate this traditional Czech food?

I have never made this before.

X is X-RAY: If we x-rayed your belly right now, what food would we see?

Chicken soup - mostly broth, and about 4 chocolate chips.  

Y is for Youth: What foods remind you of your childhood?

My mom's homemade cinnamon buns, potato soup, chocolate chip cookies and perogies.

Z is for Zucchini: How do you prepare it?

I usually stir fry it.  

What are some of your answers to the above questions?

Vegan Mornings and Evenings ...

So far this week, all my breakfasts and dinners have been vegetarian or vegan.  I didn't plan it that way, however the hubby and I have started incorporating a lot more vegetarian and vegan meals into our regular meal rotation.  We don't miss the meat at all.

We had some creamy coconut rice with veggies and garbanzo beans on Monday, and a vegetarian chili on Tuesday.  This evening we went to 13th Avenue Coffee House for veggie/tofu/rice bowls.  

My best vegan breakfast this week has been chocolate overnight oats, layered with banana blackberry soft serve (made with just frozen banana and blackberries and a splash of almond breeze) in a pretty parfait.  These parfaits are one of my absolute favourite breakfasts to eat, and they are so summery.

Today was the first "full" day of summer, and it felt like it!  It was absolutely gorgeous, and we ate our dinner out on a deck.  

I am feeling pretty pumped that I only have 5.5 days left of work until I am on summer holidays for two months! 

For the first time ever I will be taking a class in July.  

I will have this class Mon-Thur from 2:00-4:30 from July 4th-25th.  

I want to make sure that I use the rest of my day productively.  

How would you spend your day and evening, if the only thing you HAD to do all day was go to class from 2:00-4:30 and you had no other responsibilities?  

Give me your play-by-play, and maybe I will be inspired by how some of you would use the extra time!

Apple Cores and Triathlons.

On Saturday morning we were up bright and early.  The hubby made pancakes, and we headed out on a little road trip to his triathlon destination.

 

I had a small turkey sub for lunch, and then spent the afternoon visiting my mom.  We had dinner with friends at a Thai restaurant and then spent the night in a cabin about 20 minutes from the city.

We had some friends/family doing the triathlon, in addition to the hubby, so I got to be uber-spectator!

I woke up when all the racers did, had some oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts, and a mug of coffee.  

It was a bit windy, but it turned out to be a pretty decent day for a race.

The hubby achieved a personal best in a full (AKA Olympic distance) triathlon.  

His time was 2:24:17, and he was 13th overall!  

Also, a BIG shout-out to our friend Emma who was the female CHAMP with a lead of 9 minutes on the second place female, and 8th overall!  Incredible!

I had a cookie while spectating, and then around 2:30 we had a late lunch at Fuddruckers.  

When we finally got home this evening all we wanted for dinner was salad.  I had a giant salad, and I juiced a grapefruit, pear, apple and some cantaloupe.   

Random fact:  I ate an apple core this evening because Emma told me that they are good.  

She was right.

I feel hardcore now.

Now if only I could run a triathlon ...

Have you ever participated in a triathlon?  Would you?  Which part (swim, bike, run) do you think you would like the most?  Which would be hardest for you?

Rut

I cannot remember the last time I went on a REAL grocery shopping trip.  

My meals have been pretty repetitive as of late, and I am getting tired of it!

I have been subsiding on oatmeal for breakfast ...

And trout for dinner ...

My lunches have been lame too ...

The only vegetables I have managed eat are leftover chopped veggies from the weekends veggie tray.

I am in desperate need of a big grocery trip and a flip through a food magazine or cookbook.

I need out of my rut! 

Do you ever get in a food rut?  

How do you get inspiration to be more creative?

Usually when I have a few minutes of time, I start getting ideas but ...

We are off on a weekend road trip so the hubby can run a triathlon.  

Guess that grocery trip will have to wait until Monday!

Hosting a Bridal Shower

n Saturday I threw a bridal shower for the first time.  

I am the matron of honour in my sister's wedding, and as such it was my duty to throw her the perfect shower.  I hadn't done this before, but I knew I didn't want to miss a detail.

For me, what makes a party special is the little extra ... the small details ... that certain je ne sais quoi.

Those small details might be in the decorating ...

Or perhaps in the ice cubes ...

Or maybe they are the party favours in the theme colours ...

Or the cake pops made with love ...

Whatever the small details are, don't forget them.  

Life is too short to pass up on a chance to make someone feel special.

I spent all of last week prepping for the shower, including buying supplies, borrowing supplies from my lovely friend Jocelyn, and buying flowers to arrange and display in my house.  I knew I wanted the shower to be more classy, less tacky, and I thought the flowers would help achieve the look I was going for.

The theme was wine, cheese and chocolate, and the colours were pink and white.

After arranging flowers all around my house, the hubby helped me with hanging decorations.  

I put the finishing touches on everything and made food the night before, so that all I had to do on Saturday was put the food out and get ready for the games and guests.

The hubby wrapped the gift ...

Which we put with the others ...

And I wrapped the prizes and got games ready ...

Oh yeah, and I made a bit of food too ...

I served mimosas, strawberry lemonade punch, and lots of wine.

Before the guests arrived I threw on my favourite summery dress and put out some scrapbooking stuff for my sister.  I would have made her a scrapbook, but it would have looked like your cat/dog/gerbil/ did it.  I just bought her the book and stickers etc. and plan on giving her all my photos and the little pieces of advice that her guests wrote for her.  She loves scrapbooking, so it is her new project :-)

The guest of honour showed up looking lovely as always, and she had a great night with friends and family.

This was my first time hosting a bridal shower, but I think it was a success.

I just love party planning!!

Do you like to plan things? Parties? Events? Camping trips? Work gatherings? Vacations?  

What is your favourite type of thing to plan?

My favourite thing to plan is a small, themed gathering.