j'aime moonshine & piffle

2012-01-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

wedding progress.

2011-12-29T23:45:00.003-05:00

i haven't blogged about wedding progress at all.
and since our neighbor is inconsiderately shoveling snow and scraping ice off their driveway at this ungodly hour here it is.

january 4, 2013 is the official date!

the following are finally booked:
- church, santuario de san antonio
- reception, north forbes pavillion
- strings, leggiero
- photographer, jeff+lisa

the next big things that i would really like to cross off in our to do list:
- wedding coordinator, third party - i am really hoping that we get them. they were recommended by lisa (our photographer)
- caterer, i prefer k. by cunanan but john has other ideas
- the wedding dress - to buy or to get it custom made, that is the question. i don't want a traditional, puffy vera wangy dress. i need something that i can crazily dance in. i am definitely not changing out of it for the reception, so it has to be gorgeous and comfortable at the same time.

i know that we have a little over a year (1 year and 5 days) so why do i feel like i'm behind? i am really trying not to worry. as someone who plans events and who would like to do that as a career i can't stand it when i don't hear from vendors right away or when information is not readily available online. i have to remind myself that not everyone checks their email every 5 minutes like me and that i just need to be patient and to trust that everything is going to be okay.

i am really, super duper excited though. 5 years of ldr and in a year and 5 days we can finally close that gap between us.

and lol, just for kicks. this cartoon says it all:

madrilenos

2011-08-15T18:42:00.002-04:00

in espana.

2011-08-15T17:41:00.003-04:00

we are finally in madrid and it didn't take long for me to fall in love with the city. it must have been plaza de espana, or the churros con chocolate at the chocolateria de san gines or the rowdy crowd at the james joyce for the barca vs madrid game but last night did it for me.
here are some pics for now.
will follow with more.

the view from the apartment

the view from the apartment

3 more days

2011-08-09T21:27:00.002-04:00

till we fly to madrid!
i am so excited.
but first things first...the packing must be done. as you know i have an aversion to packing. i don't know why. i'm looking at this heap on my bed (with a bag of miss vickie's. argh. argh) and thinking, it just can't be done. harhar.
i need one of these things:

bbt, season 2, ep 1

where does one get a contraption like that?

anyway, we've been planning this trip for months and it's now all coming to fruition. i don't think i'll be able to sleep a wink on thursday night!

benedetto y father javier, see you soon! :)

spring cleaning.

2011-06-04T17:08:00.007-04:00

cleaning my room never fails to drive me nuts and always takes me at least a day to do. now that life has slowed down a bit, i've decided to roll up my sleeves and tackle my room, with gretchen rubin's 10th commandment in mind: "do what ought to be done".

i'm starting off with all the visible clutter - remnants of a past crafty life, altoid tins (i don't know why i thought it would be cool to start collecting them), empty rouge coco #19 lipstick tubes (why do i keep them???), bank statements, etc....then work my way to the closet.

(confession: i have a hamper of folded clothes from when i unpacked from my vacation. in december. gak.)

it's going to be a long afternoon. so for those spring cleaners out there, have a snack, put some good tunes on (katy perry? hehehe), open the blinds and bust open that window. then start your engines.

have a pleasant weekend :)

UPDATE:
2 1/2 bags of garbage
2 bags of clothes for donating
1 pile of crafty stuff sold at a garage sale
1 clean happy room.

it took only 7 hours to do. geez.

espana, aqui vamos!

2011-03-16T12:36:00.006-04:00

i don't know if this is accurate, but this was taken in correigdor, philippines. according to this, madrid is only 6672 miles/kms away. for us, madrid is approximately 130+ days away!
we have finally booked our flights to madrid and put down deposits for the apartments. we are going to one of the world's biggest catholic celebrations of all time. after an awesome week in madrid with the pope and the world, we will be taking the train to barcelona, a city to me that's become synonymous with javier bardem and penelope cruz (think, vicky cristina barcelona. swoon).
this definitely gives me something to look forward to at work, especially on gray days like this (except rain = spring, so that's totally okay). i can almost taste the paella and the churros.
if you've ever been to spain (particularly madrid, barcelona and zaragoza), i'd love to hear from you. and if you're going to world youth day, see you soon! :)

little finn.

2011-03-14T17:16:00.006-04:00

2011 started off with a dismal bang with the death of linden, our faithful cat. his ashes (yes, his ashes) are contained in a pretty jar, which sits in the display cabinet. each family member got a little paw print on terracotta and a snippet of linden's little fur. it sounds crazy, i know, but linden was like a grandpa, dog, baby all rolled into one. he's been with us for over ten years and to come home without him waiting for us by the door was just too painful. the day we had to put him down, we sat in the living room waiting to leave, and my little sister in tears, blurted out, "if it hurts so much for linden, how much more will it hurt for a human being?"
i signed his life away, and i felt culpable for his death, even though it was the right thing to do (for an animal, anyway). that day nobody wanted to go home.
the house was not the same without a pet, so after careful deliberation, we decided to get a puppy (i wanted to get another cat, but it would have never been able to fill linden's shoes. er paws.).

meet finn.

(no, not from glee)

he is 10 weeks old, loves his sock money (and the family den rug. yikes. had to pull out a chunk of it from his mouth!!!), hates his leash, goes to puppy kindergarten, taught himself to go down the stairs, wags his little tail a lot and gives kisses as much as he can.

jollibee + bora

2010-12-16T10:46:00.004-05:00

day 9 in the motherland.
our days are numbered. there are so many things to do, so many people to visit but so little time. i don't want to leave.
woke up at 4 today to go to mass at 4:30 am. today starts the simbang gabi a novena in preparation for christmas (mass at dawn). i love how christmas is pretty much still christmas here and not happy holidays.
i just got back from boracay and i had the greatest time. everything was amazing; the seafood, the water, the sun. i am stocking up on vitamin d for when i get back to gray, cold fast-paced toronto. i didn't take as many pictures - i had the hardest time fiddling around with the cam settings and it was too sunny that i couldn't really see what i was taking on the cam's lcd.
a summary of my bora trip:
- jollibee's before our flight: 1 burger steak+chicken joy = heaven
- 1 flight on a propeller flight + 2 bus transfers + 1 boat ride = gorgeous beachfront
- mojo potatoes at shakey's
- buko shake+papaya shake = not a good idea (but still very tasty)
- running on the beach without shoes on
- seafood under the stars and live music
- island hopping
- pukka shells on pukka beach
- sun bathing on the parao (sail boat with nets on either side that you sit on)
- breakfast of champions: garlic fried rice, over easy egg, dried fish (tuyo) with vinegar
- waking up at 5:45 am and sleeping past midnight
- starbucks runs and white chocolate sans rival (DIVINE)
- massage on the beach
- falling asleep on the beach
- firedancers
- mochi balls stuffed with ice cream
- a nice definitive tan line from my bathing suit

tomorrow's excursion involves greenhills. the quest for black, cutout flats continues.
enjoy the pictures and have a great weekend everyone!

ps: more pictures here

mmmmanila

2010-12-11T13:33:00.003-05:00

day 5 in the motherland.
- i am having so much fun. especially with my adorable cousins.
- still jetlagged, as you can tell. i was thisclose to falling asleep but then i had to take a shower.
- or maybe i just can't sleep on time
- i have been having wooonderful food, three times a day. unprocessed, home cooked and fresh.
- i love that when i come down there is breakfast waiting for me. sigh.
- getting used to the traffic. now i totally get why they say filipino time
- in fact, i'm loving the traffic (since i'm on vakay). i get to nap in the car.
- more on traffic: despite the horrible traffic, there's not a lot of road rage, from my experience anyway. since traffic is an accepted reality, there's really no point in getting mad.
- they don't have intersections here. they have u-turn slots! i kinda like that better.
- bought bathing suits and dresses for $137 CDN
- i am excited for bora on monday! i cannot wait to tan. can't go back without one. teehee my aunts were being funny about it..."really, that's what you want?"
tomorrow is the rosehill reunion. can't wait to see the old classmates!

homecoming.

2010-12-06T11:04:00.007-05:00

i am in manila now. i survived a 15 hour flight and a 2-day stop in hong kong with my lovable but mischievous brother.

sunset on the plane.

i first had my misgivings about the city, upon seeing the line of smog that the plane had to descend into and being welcomed by the familiar smell of foody mart as the cabin doors opened.

smog.

but i am in love with hong kong. it was definitely an assault for the senses, in the best possible way. lights and huge ads everywhere, people shopping and laughing at midnight, christmas songs, the smell of perfume and food. believe it or not, it felt like paris to me.
shopping is so cheap, if you know where to go. :) my aunt, being in the garments business, took me to an area where everything is at wholesaling price. *_* swipe, swipe went the card, but i didn't feel bad. i bought so many for less than $100. i spent more on wifi access (relatively speaking) than i did on clothes.
on our last evening i finally gave in and tried peking duck. i probably wouldn't try it again when i go back to toronto, but it was a good combination of the taste of pork and chicken. hehe. our most gracious host gave us some lessons on dinner etiquette...like tapping your index finger twice when the server pours out your tea for you. or having your left hand on the table while eating.
my last day in hong kong was spent in macau, china. we took the turbo jet which sped through the murky and brown waters of...the south china sea? i'm not sure what it was, but it looked pretty dirty. luckily i didn't have that much to eat that morning because the ride was sickening. so i popped a gravol, slumped into my seat, closed my eyes and listened to music all the way to macau. we didn't do much gambling, which is what macau is known for, but we did have lunch there and strolled around the venetian.
we took the 10 pm flight to manila and i was ko'd. i felt drugged and beaten up. i woke up at...2 pm today. my aunt drew the curtains, and for the first time looked at manila in daylight. banana and papaya trees in her backyard, all swaying with the light breeze (not so hot after all! thank god we're here in december!). i sat down for lunch (sinigang! spareribs! ah!) and marvelled at the bananas - they are soooo yellow and soooo sweet here! (compared to the oversized, white canadian bananas). my shirts got ironed for me (i cannot and should not get used to this) and my wonderful, wonderful aunt took us for a massage and i felt pains that i never knew existed in my legs. oohhhhhh it was lovely. afterwards we went for dinner at eastwood, which finally satisfied my curiosity.
oh dear friends, my vacation officially started today. my brother hid my citrix token for me. so i can stop checking my work emails. tomorrow i am going to wake up at the normal hour, get waxed, get a haircut and get a bathing suit.
enjoy the hong kong pics. i have yet to take pics of manila. coming soon :)

a free woman.

2010-11-26T17:33:00.003-05:00

(taken with jarvis. in, of all places, oakville.)

i have been staying till 9 pm at work and coming in over the weekend just to finish things. 200 kits, a bunch of BEO revisions, 18 canadian cities, 18 expense reports and 2 nerve-racking events later, i am now a free woman. harhar. what saved me from all the insanity was hot, sweaty yoga. yum yoga.
finally, dear friends. i have finally allowed myself to get excited about my two upcoming trips: mont tremblant for our national sales conference, and the long awaited family-food-fun-heat filled manila trip.
the only downside really is packing.
i HATE packing. what's worse is i have to pack for two kinds of weather.
so being the googler that i am, i googled how to pack for a trip. and i found a nice packing list. it's quite helpful.
and just like when shopping, i think it's important to have a full belly to pack. and this is when i say good bye and make myself a nice open-faced nutella sandwich.
yum.
have a good weekend everyone. and if you're packing for a trip too, good luck. :)

it was so easy and the words so sweet

2010-11-17T15:44:00.002-05:00

how time flies! and this poor blog hasn't been updated in ages. i looked at it today and i must admit that my little countdown on the left shocked me a little bit.
16 days before i leave. and before that i will be travelling again.
gak.
*i need more time!*
so many things to do: applying for travel insurance, getting shots and drugs (teehee, dukoral!), packing (which i hate), clean my room, do my laundry, getting painfully waxed.
as it gets closer though i am getting more excited for this grand finale of the year. i am in need of a break.
despite all the savasanas and deep inhales and exhales, the mind can not relax. when i used to dream of forgetting to hand in essays or being caught cheating, i now dream of work - missing speaker's notes, conference materials that never made it to its destination, missing a plane.
i will make sure that this break will be full of simple things, to erase those cold, grumpy november days. i will have 8 hours of sleep. i will forget about work. i will spend quality time with family and friends. i will take pictures. and eat freely.
have a good day everyone.

goodies

2010-08-11T21:52:00.003-04:00

my siblings did such a good job with birthday presents this year that i must share!
from my sister i got the prettiest tea set (cups+saucers, dessert plates, creamer, sugar pot and a teapot). i don't really drink tea. the closest thing to tea that i drink is um, bubble tea and tea that they serve in japanese/chinese restaurants. i don't really go out of my way to make myself one. when i want something warm and comforting to drink, i usually go for coffee or a latte. my room is like a little kitchen cupboard with my teapots and teacups and cake stand. the next thing i want are...no not pans...but worse: fake little macarons. harhar.

i love the packaging...just like hat boxes

she also got me a copy of miss dahl's voluptuous delights !

i must admit that i have been watching delicious miss dahl over and over again. when i want to induce myself to sleepiness, this is what i watch. not because it's boring but because her voice is so calm and soothing and her show has the best soundtrack ever. unfortunately the BBC cancelled it. she wasn't very well received in the UK: she was accused of being a nigella wannabe, was slammed for her want of kitchen skills, and was criticized for exploiting her "rich girl" and literary (her grandfather is roald dahl) roots to create a cookbook (blargh, but who doesn't really these days? we've got disney actors/actresses-turned-singers). but argh, sophie, we love you here. she is exactly what we need. i think food shows nowadays are either too testosteroned or too technical. every week they take you to the grocery or the market. sophie dahl cooks from childhood memories and takes you to a fromagerie one day, an antique store, to the cemetery or to the seaside. her food is easy and simple to make and if i had to describe it would be like a blankie or your favorite doll: it's comforting.

my brother bought me four of the pretty penguin classics designed by coralie bickford-smith to start off my collection (which has led to a purchase of another eleven from amazon.com). i only have 5 left to collect (have to wait until they are released in september). unfortunately crime & punishment and madame bovary are sold out, and i refuse to buy lady chatterley's lover (the last thing i want is for one of my future/imaginary kids to crack open the book and lose themselves in lady c's lustful escapades with a...gardener? was lady c's lover a gardener? i only know this because i HAD to read it for school and write a paper on it).

i remember reading little women when i was in grade 2. having re-read it as an adult, i have to say that i still hate amy and love jo but have now finally come to terms with the fact that she ended up with mr baer and not laurie. jo and laurie would have killed each other.

i love the bookmarks.

that is all. i should really update this blog more often.
today felt like thursday. it should be friday tomorrow but alas it isn't.
if you want to buy the tea sets, indigo still has them. as for the books, hurry before they are all gone!
have a good week all :)

a quarter of a century old

2010-07-27T22:09:00.003-04:00

i turned 25 yesterday. funny, looking back at a post from last year, my birthday again, was full of flowers, yummy cakes, italian food, hugs & kisses AND harry potter. this time it's a little different. i actually got over my fear of organizing something for myself and did a movies under the stars with my closest friends.
there is nothing better than eating sandwiches with the sun setting behind you and watching where the wild things are outdoors, listening to your best friend talking about her wedding plans (i love you, A), sitting on blankets and running across a field to the parking lot, hand in hand with the sweetest girls.

i've promised myself that before turning 26 that i would
- run a 5k
- learn taekwondo
- get my license (g1. yes...i failed my g2. twice. blargh)
- learn spanish
- learn to use illustrator

and again, because i like making lists, here is a list of things i've learned and am still learning in my 25 years here on earth.
- treat others not because you want to be treated that way. but because they are people.
- fake it till you make it. that includes confidence.
- do not expect too much from others. be understanding. make excuses for people, but never for yourself.
- always be on time for others
- keep your promises or think before you say yes
- delegate
- think before you speak, email or text.
- ask for forgiveness right away, even when it hurts.
- love not as much as you can, but as much as the person needs to be loved
- only you can change your course. so take charge.
- quality, not quantity, in clothes and in friendships

it's official: philippines!

2010-04-27T12:48:00.002-04:00

we finally bought our tickets! it took us two months to decide on the dates and i am relieved that it is all finalized. we are doing a two-night stopover in hong kong and then manila. i haven't been back since we flew to LA for christmas in 1996 and then moved to canada in 1997.

that's 13 years!

i am so excited. i have cousins that i've only heard of and met through facebook.
so yeah, being the dork that i am, i've put up a countdown on the sidebar of this blog. it eases the pain of not being able to take any vacation days right now.

have a great day everyone!

cherry blossoms

2010-04-26T23:04:00.003-04:00

it's 11:10 PM and the wind is howling like crazy. is it the same for you or is it just in markham?

a week from now and john will be on his way to new york. it will be sad, but he needs to do what he needs and wants to do. i just need to be patient and to keep trusting that everything will fall into place. i must admit that i am excited for him. it's the type of thing that you watch in movies. :)
but ah, enough emo-ness. we finally got to experience the much talked about (and photographed!) cherry blossoms. we started the day at ikea teehee and watched chloe.
BLARGH. we didn't know that it was going to be THAT bad, but knowing that it was an atom egoyan film should have given it away. never again.
to remedy the failed motion picture experience, we walked to petite thuet and bought macarons. their macarons are so much better than the ones i got from la bamboche. they were perfect: a nice little outer crust and chewy inside. my favorite is rosewater. the girl at the cafe even tied a little ribbon around the box ("purple or blue?" could i have pink please? ha.) we took the train to high park and followed the crowds.
if you haven't gone, you should. it is so beautiful. it looked like...pink snow. light pink snow. and everyone there just looked so happy.

have a great week everyone.

a canopy of pink loveliness.

i will miss this old man.

rosewater, hazelnut and salted caramel.
sigh. i can eat them all day.

macaron-shaped heart.

macaron toast. we toast to everything. even chopsticks.

john's very first macaron experience.

more pictures from victoria

2010-04-23T10:33:00.005-04:00

victoria is one of the prettiest and cleanest cities i've been to. i walked for three hours just taking pictures, but it would have been nice to have shared it with someone too!
highlights from the victoria trip:
- scariest room ever: i stayed at the fairmont empress, which is apparently haunted. i swear, i was woken up in the middle of the night by something or someone, tugging at my comforter (something a cat would do when they're trying to wake you up).
- chinatown - i loved, loved their chinatown
- discovering the venus sophia tearoom
- japanese takeout on my bed, with food network in the background
(scroll below for more picsies)

have a great friday everyone!
tomorrow john and i will make the trek to high park to see the sakura trees and i'm hoping that we'll have time to watch the backup plan. harhar, yeaaaaahhh, it's j. lo and the idea's been done, but i also enjoyed the wedding planner and maid in manhattan. harhar.
enjoy the sunshiney day.

more here.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

i love you, room.

2010-04-18T00:41:00.006-04:00

in the past 6 days i have gone on 5 flights, slept in four hotels, been to 4 different cities, and rode in one tacky white stretch limo (to saskatoon, can you imagine) and have indulged in abundant conference food and client dinners. i had a lot of fun and learned a lot and feel so blessed and thankful to have been given this awesome opportunity, but i am so glad to be home. to be with family.

i came home yesterday and wanted to get down on my knees and kiss the carpet of my room. i know that sounds a little dramatic, but sleeping in a different hotel room every night is not as romantic as it seems. it is lonely and in some ways, a little freaky.

today, i have never felt so happy to wake up in my own bed and to spend the day just la-dee-da-ing around. in joy i have eaten 3 bananas with nutella and made a nice salisbury steak and mashed potatoes dinner for me and my sister and john, watched three movies (out of 9 movies i've checked out from the library) and reruns of the delicious miss dahl.

i hope your saturday was as good as mine.

victoria

2010-04-13T02:22:00.003-04:00

hello all.
i am in edmonton now (after the most horrible flight with westjet) but just wanted to share a few iphone picsies from victoria. these pictures of course don't do victoria justice. i took more pictures with the dslr but will have to wait this weekend to upload them.
anyhoo, victoria is GORGEOUS. fresh air, beautiful mountains and surrounded by water. very jealous. i flew earlier than the rest of the company (we are doing client roadshows for work in different cities) and spent three hours walking around. i've always wanted to do solo escapades but i realized yesterday that it's not a lot of fun to be completely alone. it's nice to share the experience with someone. we stayed at the fairmont empress and hated it. i hated my room. it looked freaky. but i did like the fact that i can borrow gym clothes.

(teehee it came with socks! i thought i would have to wear my BLACK trouser socks! hardeehar)

i am wide awake for some reason, considering that it is 2:40 am in toronto. hm. i am liking our current hotel much better. cannot wait to wake up for breakfast as i am h-u-n-g-r-y!

must count sheep.

good night all. all this traveling sorta reminds me of up in the air.

photo shoot

2010-04-03T23:47:00.010-04:00

john asked me to be his assistant for his photoshoot/creative for his fashion project in school. it was a fun experience and after going through monocle and several clippings of GQ, (yes on good friday, tsk tsk) we had to do an emergency trip to downtown to buy clothes as eaton centre was the only one open for the holiday. man, i could get used to being driven to downtown. shopping for this shoot was tiring and a little stressful, so much so that i succumbed to half a filet-o-fish meal from mcdonald's. when we got home we had to do different looks, photograph each of them and plan out the shot list.
today i was john's little assistant and had to help with dressing the model, fold the clothes, prepare for the next look, take pictures of the shoot and just basically be at john's beck and call. everyone was just so amazing. randell and damon had awesome chemistry and michelle was just a kickass makeup artist. this is something i can also get used to.

some lessons learned:
* have a heavy lunch before something huge like this.
* it's always a few degrees cooler and windier in downtown. dress warmly.
* be specific with parking directions, to make it easier for everyone.
* bring folding chairs.
* unbutton dress shirts while waiting for next look.
* dress warmly.
* and dress warmly.

ps: man, damon could be the chuck bass's younger (and taller) brother.
( see below for more photos!)

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

stylist: john medalla
photographer: randell rowe
makeup artist: michelle reis
model: damon from elmer olsen model management
clothes & shoes: h+m, zara, urban outfitters
accessories: stylist's own, fossil, green shag, filson
location: harbourfront

hello spring

2010-03-31T22:35:00.002-04:00

i missed you so.

your coming means a trip outwest. thinner coats. flats. brunches in patios. frequent walks in downtown. gelato. bbqs in the backyard. hydrangeas and peonies. sunnier days. sunglasses. open toes.

but sigh, you also mean other things: his looming departure. heartache. sushi for one.

ps: maybe i'll start my 365 from where i left off...maybe. and then hibernate once again when winter comes. harhar.

cracks

2010-03-29T09:56:00.002-04:00

i saw cracks over the weekend. i think of it as a little princess (circa 1995) meets atonement. it's definitely not for everyone, but i loved it. and loved eva green and the costumes even more. i wish i lived in the 30s. or had more 30s-inspired clothes.

this movie reminded me of my jk- grade 5 years in an all-girls school, where i always had to play the male role because of my height, crushed on jonathan taylor thomas and devon sawa like crazy and collected lisa frank stickers and hello kitty stationary.

m.i.a

2010-02-22T00:38:00.003-05:00

hello all.
i know, i've disappeared for a while.
i think i'm overblogged. it's been quite busy, and i am sorry and disappointed to say that i've failed my 365 challenge miserably. it's amazing how others can do it, but i just haven't had the time...i know inspiration is everywhere, but it's hard to find that between work and home. other factors include the weight and bulkiness of the camera, the lack of daylight (no excuse!...maybe lack of equipment? harhar), and i just haven't been "feeling" it.
so i will restart the 365 challenge, but maybe a little later when things aren't so crazy with work, school,and everything else.
will probably restart blogging more frequently too, but for now i am enjoying the break from the laptop.
will blog again soon.
have a good week!

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination, by JK Rowling

2010-02-05T11:36:00.006-05:00

source: slow muse

surfing online leads you to different places and i am glad i found this speech given by JK rowling - her address to Harvard Graduates ('08). i teared up and it made my heart hurt. you may watch the video here, but i think the text is just as moving.

President Faust, members of the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers, members of the faculty, proud parents, and, above all, graduates.

The first thing I would like to say is ‘thank you.’ Not only has Harvard given me an extraordinary honour, but the weeks of fear and nausea I have endured at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight. A win-win situation! Now all I have to do is take deep breaths, squint at the red banners and convince myself that I am at the world’s largest Gryffindor reunion.

Delivering a commencement address is a great responsibility; or so I thought until I cast my mind back to my own graduation. The commencement speaker that day was the distinguished British philosopher Baroness Mary Warnock. Reflecting on her speech has helped me enormously in writing this one, because it turns out that I can’t remember a single word she said. This liberating discovery enables me to proceed without any fear that I might inadvertently influence you to abandon promising careers in business, the law or politics for the giddy delights of becoming a gay wizard.

You see? If all you remember in years to come is the ‘gay wizard’ joke, I’ve come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock. Achievable goals: the first step to self improvement.

Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today. I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that have expired between that day and this.
I have come up with two answers. On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called ‘real life’, I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.

These may seem quixotic or paradoxical choices, but please bear with me.
Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation, is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become. Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between the ambition I had for myself, and what those closest to me expected of me.

I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was to write novels. However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that would never pay a mortgage, or secure a pension. I know that the irony strikes with the force of a cartoon anvil, now.

So they hoped that I would take a vocational degree; I wanted to study English Literature. A compromise was reached that in retrospect satisfied nobody, and I went up to study Modern Languages. Hardly had my parents’ car rounded the corner at the end of the road than I ditched German and scuttled off down the Classics corridor.
I cannot remember telling my parents that I was studying Classics; they might well have found out for the first time on graduation day. Of all the subjects on this planet, I think they would have been hard put to name one less useful than Greek mythology when it came to securing the keys to an executive bathroom.

I would like to make it clear, in parenthesis, that I do not blame my parents for their point of view. There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you. What is more, I cannot criticise my parents for hoping that I would never experience poverty. They had been poor themselves, and I have since been poor, and I quite agree with them that it is not an ennobling experience. Poverty entails fear, and stress, and sometimes depression; it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships. Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is indeed something on which to pride yourself, but poverty itself is romanticised only by fools.

What I feared most for myself at your age was not poverty, but failure.
At your age, in spite of a distinct lack of motivation at university, where I had spent far too long in the coffee bar writing stories, and far too little time at lectures, I had a knack for passing examinations, and that, for years, had been the measure of success in my life and that of my peers.

I am not dull enough to suppose that because you are young, gifted and well-educated, you have never known hardship or heartbreak. Talent and intelligence never yet inoculated anyone against the caprice of the Fates, and I do not for a moment suppose that everyone here has enjoyed an existence of unruffled privilege and contentment.

However, the fact that you are graduating from Harvard suggests that you are not very well-acquainted with failure. You might be driven by a fear of failure quite as much as a desire for success. Indeed, your conception of failure might not be too far from the average person’s idea of success, so high have you already flown.
Ultimately, we all have to decide for ourselves what constitutes failure, but the world is quite eager to give you a set of criteria if you let it. So I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.

Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.

So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above the price of rubies.
The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.

So given a Time Turner, I would tell my 21-year-old self that personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone’s total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its vicissitudes.

Now you might think that I chose my second theme, the importance of imagination, because of the part it played in rebuilding my life, but that is not wholly so. Though I personally will defend the value of bedtime stories to my last gasp, I have learned to value imagination in a much broader sense. Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.

One of the greatest formative experiences of my life preceded Harry Potter, though it informed much of what I subsequently wrote in those books. This revelation came in the form of one of my earliest day jobs. Though I was sloping off to write stories during my lunch hours, I paid the rent in my early 20s by working at the African research department at Amnesty International’s headquarters in London.
There in my little office I read hastily scribbled letters smuggled out of totalitarian regimes by men and women who were risking imprisonment to inform the outside world of what was happening to them. I saw photographs of those who had disappeared without trace, sent to Amnesty by their desperate families and friends. I read the testimony of torture victims and saw pictures of their injuries. I opened handwritten, eye-witness accounts of summary trials and executions, of kidnappings and rapes.

Many of my co-workers were ex-political prisoners, people who had been displaced from their homes, or fled into exile, because they had the temerity to speak against their governments. Visitors to our offices included those who had come to give information, or to try and find out what had happened to those they had left behind.
I shall never forget the African torture victim, a young man no older than I was at the time, who had become mentally ill after all he had endured in his homeland. He trembled uncontrollably as he spoke into a video camera about the brutality inflicted upon him. He was a foot taller than I was, and seemed as fragile as a child. I was given the job of escorting him back to the Underground Station afterwards, and this man whose life had been shattered by cruelty took my hand with exquisite courtesy, and wished me future happiness.

And as long as I live I shall remember walking along an empty corridor and suddenly hearing, from behind a closed door, a scream of pain and horror such as I have never heard since. The door opened, and the researcher poked out her head and told me to run and make a hot drink for the young man sitting with her. She had just had to give him the news that in retaliation for his own outspokenness against his country’s regime, his mother had been seized and executed.

Every day of my working week in my early 20s I was reminded how incredibly fortunate I was, to live in a country with a democratically elected government, where legal representation and a public trial were the rights of everyone.

Every day, I saw more evidence about the evils humankind will inflict on their fellow humans, to gain or maintain power. I began to have nightmares, literal nightmares, about some of the things I saw, heard, and read.

And yet I also learned more about human goodness at Amnesty International than I had ever known before.

Amnesty mobilises thousands of people who have never been tortured or imprisoned for their beliefs to act on behalf of those who have. The power of human empathy, leading to collective action, saves lives, and frees prisoners. Ordinary people, whose personal well-being and security are assured, join together in huge numbers to save people they do not know, and will never meet. My small participation in that process was one of the most humbling and inspiring experiences of my life.

Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s places.
Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces leads to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.

What is more, those who choose not to empathise enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

One of the many things I learned at the end of that Classics corridor down which I ventured at the age of 18, in search of something I could not then define, was this, written by the Greek author Plutarch: What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.

That is an astonishing statement and yet proven a thousand times every day of our lives. It expresses, in part, our inescapable connection with the outside world, the fact that we touch other people’s lives simply by existing.

But how much more are you, Harvard graduates of 2008, likely to touch other people’s lives? Your intelligence, your capacity for hard work, the education you have earned and received, give you unique status, and unique responsibilities. Even your nationality sets you apart. The great majority of you belong to the world’s only remaining superpower. The way you vote, the way you live, the way you protest, the pressure you bring to bear on your government, has an impact way beyond your borders. That is your privilege, and your burden.

If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped change. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.

I am nearly finished. I have one last hope for you, which is something that I already had at 21. The friends with whom I sat on graduation day have been my friends for life. They are my children’s godparents, the people to whom I’ve been able to turn in times of trouble, people who have been kind enough not to sue me when I took their names for Death Eaters. At our graduation we were bound by enormous affection, by our shared experience of a time that could never come again, and, of course, by the knowledge that we held certain photographic evidence that would be exceptionally valuable if any of us ran for Prime Minister.

So today, I wish you nothing better than similar friendships. And tomorrow, I hope that even if you remember not a single word of mine, you remember those of Seneca, another of those old Romans I met when I fled down the Classics corridor, in retreat from career ladders, in search of ancient wisdom:As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.I wish you all very good lives.Thank you very much.

source: harvard magazine

33/365: the jersey boys

2010-02-05T11:06:00.003-05:00

this was taken yesterday at the first canadian place. jersey boys came and did a few songs, some of which you may know very well: sherry, my boyfriend's back, walk like a man and...can't take my eyes off of you.
it was an awesome lunchbreak and now i really want to go see it!
(for a limited time only, they're selling jersey boy tickets for $25 & $60 - perfect for valentine's day)

32/365: routine

2010-02-03T23:56:00.006-05:00

this is what happens on a weeknight:
eat dinner or depending on the day, get home late after a dizzying ride on the go bus
hang out with the siblings, blog, chat or watch food network
eat a banana with nutella
prepare lunch for the next day
iron and hang up clothes for the next day
take a shower.
talk to john.
sleep at midnight. argh.

this is what happens every morning:
wake up at 5:55 am
hit the snooze button
wake up for real at 6:00 am
shower and wash my hair
dry my hair
straighten my hair
tease my hair
apply makeup
make sure everything is unplugged
go downstairs
leave at 7:00 AM

this is what happens when i get to downtown:
wake up
get off at union station
run to catch the streetcar
get off streetcar
walk into building
go up the elevators
use receptionist's magic button to open door
turn on computer
read emails
get bowl from kitchen
make coffee
take out box of cereal from drawer
measure out cereal into bowl
cut up bananas
eat and sip
read emails
work

this happens everyday. it's a little sickening. just a little.
if i can just take my time to do things that would be heavenly. when i go on solitary dates i have to literally tell myself to slow down, walk and look around.

good night all.

31/365: class notes

2010-02-02T23:38:00.003-05:00

this is what happens when you mix
sleepiness + ontario human rights code + talkative teacher
= badly written notes

my university notes looked like this, pre-laptop era.
the two paragraphs are actually the same. i rewrote it after slapping myself awake.
i took a picture of this because i just had to share it with you. looking at it amuses me because the first paragraph just looks downright ridiculous.

sometimes i dread tuesday nights.
have a good night all :)

30/365: ink

2010-02-02T12:37:00.002-05:00

an inkwell for a nice fountain pen, both from john, to encourage more handwritten letters. i haven't refilled the pen yet, but it writes so smoothly and i feel like a jane austen character...although i'm sure they used quills. or not. i don't know. i'm basing all this from the pride&prejudice movie. harhar.
ps: i like how the inkpot looks so old worldly and antique. the bottom says "paris". sigh. :)

29/365: mascarpone & nutella calzone

2010-02-01T23:48:00.003-05:00

this was yesterday's dessert.
when i saw david rocco make this on food network i just had to do it too!
you may find the recipe here.

since i have a sweet tooth, i would probably change the ratio to 2:1 nutella & mascarpone.

this is the perfect combination ever. david rocco knew what he was doing for sure!

ps: mascarpone can be a little pricey. don't buy from loblaws. longo's has it cheaper. if you know of any other cheaper places to buy mascarpone, let me know!

grownup pizza party + new york, i love you

2010-02-01T23:34:00.005-05:00

yesterday my best friend, her lovely bf, neil and john had a little grown up pizza party. hehe. we used whole wheat dough that you can buy from your local grocery's bakery (like loblaws). for toppings we had
* caramelized onions
* spinach
* grilled eggplant
* pesto
* tomato paste
* anchovies
* spicy salami
* mushrooms
* cheddar and mozzarella cheese

it was a lot of fun, coming up with different combinations. afterwards we had some dessert (will share with you in a different post!) and coffee and watched new york, i love you.
sigh, unfortunately i didn't really love it. there were only two stories that i like, one of the little girl and her "manny" and the one of the old couple on their anniversary. besides that, i felt that it didn't showcase the city so much and the stories just didn't blend so well. hm. but that's just me.

28/365: nutella love + list #1: a list of things that used to excite me when i was a kid

2010-02-01T09:42:00.009-05:00

happy monday! how was your weekend? i have been somewhat amiss with my blogging and meant to do this yesterday! i visited rebecca's blog and found a nice list of things that used to excite her when she was younger! i thought it would be a good idea to make a list too.

so without further ado, things that used to excite me when i was younger:

pool parties
walking down the toy aisles
fireworks on new year's eve
family parties
drinking pop (soda- we were only allowed to drink coke at parties!)
friday night line up of batman, x-men, are you afraid of the dark?
10-hour family roadtrips
presents from my godfather who lived in germany and malaysia. the best one was a matryoshka doll (it saddens me that i no longer have it!)
writing and acting out skits in grade school
mr. squiggle, play school, sesame street
sappy mexican soap operas/telenovelas that we used to watch in secret: marimar, maria mercedes (the nannies let us watch them!)
barbie dolls
hello kitty stationary
stamps
stickers and sticker books (esp. felt, shiny, or scratch and smell, lisa frank stickers)
cross-stitching
buying dmc skeins and embroidery loops
starting a new pattern
home ec class (we started at a really young age - grade 2!)
blue kool aid
cheese stuffed hotdogs
breakfast at mcdonald's
sonic on sega
mario brothers and duck hunt on nintendo
school supply shopping
tea sets and kitchen toys
little tikes
tonkatsu and tempura
goosebumps, sweet valley and nancy drew books
jem
school socks trimmed with lace
french braids

what's yours? what used to excite you when you were younger?

my next list will probably be things that get me excited presently. nutella for sure will be one of them. especially when it's on sale. :)

tgif

2010-01-30T21:27:00.000-05:00

hello all! i hope everyone is having a great weekend! it started off with an awesome friday.
this ship always fascinated me. i don't know if it's the real deal and if it can actually sail the open seas, but it is a restaurant/banquet space. i've always wanted to check it out and try it, but there's something questionable about their menus posted up like grubby ads on lamp posts and bus stops.

see the ice? i could hear it cracking and shifting.

john took me for indian food last night at little india. it was the perfect cure to frozen toes and hands! the tandoori chicken, chicken korma, eggplant bharta, pulao rice and of course the naan, were just so amazing. my tummy was really happy. (you should try it!)

we wanted something sweet so we walked over to cafe crepe. i had a nutella and banana crepe (surprised?)...a tad disappointed though that the crepes were all premade. i guess this is understandable since they get lots of customers? i made some crepes tonight with pancake batter, nutella and strawberries and i must say that freshly made crepes are much better and cheaper - it beats the $14 bill!

from cafe crepe, we started walking eastward with the intention of taking the train to meet up with my siblings. but upon seeing nathan phillips square with its twinkling lights and hearing the upbeat music, we concluded that it would be a shame to miss out on skating! and so skating we did.
it was a lovely night, albeit a cold one.
winter's finally beset us. dress warmly all :)

27/365: get rebel.

2010-01-30T21:22:00.004-05:00

taken with the iphone.
walking down queen street with john, i saw this and really liked the font.

26/365: refilling the atomizer

2010-01-30T02:35:00.003-05:00

this took forever to do. i was so afraid i was going to break the bottle so i had to carefully spritz the perfume into the atomizer. it took around 30 pumps to get it full.

miss dior cherie is the only perfume i can wear because it doesn't make me dizzy. for years i had gone au naturel, relying on freshly washed hair and laundered clothes. but there was always something so nice about those girls who pass by you and just smell so sweet! thus my search for perfume-that-does-not-give-me-a-headache began. we were united last year and have been using only her ever since.
i would love to know your favorite perfume to wear!

25/365: j'aime this mug

2010-01-28T09:06:00.004-05:00

this is john's mug.
my parents bought each family member individual mugs that suit our personality. they bought him one since he's practically part of the family and comes over a lot.
when he's not here i use it. harhar.
beside it are: butter biscuits from the lovely virginie (very yummy) and a baggie prototype for valentine's day. i finally got the "drawstring effect" down pat. this year i think i'll make blondies, wrap them in wax paper and stick them in this bag and perhaps send them in the mail.

how is your day-before-friday like? i had a nice sleep on the train, except when i got off i felt like a total zombie. i can't wait for the weekend. lots of sleep and a possible trip to coquine!

24/365: love story

2010-01-27T09:54:00.003-05:00

john surprised me with this little music player (?). it is the cutest thing and it plays the theme from love story. the sound is so tiny.
i remember listening and falling asleep to percy faith and henry mancini cassette tapes (theme from love story was one of them) on my walkman (harhar, back in the day). my taste in music was very much influenced by my dad, who loves music so much. if he had a soundtrack for his life it would most definitely include henry mancini, the beatles, paul mccartney (post beatles), elton john, billy joel and queen.
because of this, a lot of my memories have certain songs attached to them:
* "rock the boat" by hues corporation - a family trip to my very first beach (puerto azul - i remember seeing the sky "touch" the water in the horizon and was so amazed by it)
* "twelfth of never" by olivia newton john - driving from my grandfather's funeral
* bobby goldsboro songs and crooners - sunday afternoons
* sheena easton and suzanne cianni songs - going to school and driving home when i was in elementary
my soundtrack will be really similar to my dad's, but would also include mainstream figures like avril lavigne (before she got married), coldplay (before he got married) and lady gaga for good measure. harhar.
have a good day all :)

23/365: a mountain of chopped apples

2010-01-25T12:34:00.000-05:00

these are chopped apples for my tuna salad. i used to hate packing my lunches for work, but to get on with my resolution to save more money, it is something i had to start doing. can you imagine, i was sometimes spending $15 a day for breakfast and lunch. multiply that by 5 (days) then by 4 (months). and that's not including lattes.
by adding things like apples to my salads or bringing nutella in little containers i now find packing lunch a much more enjoyable task.

22/365: rosemary & dijon mustard chicken

2010-01-24T23:42:00.004-05:00

i wanted to cook dinner yesterday partly because i was watching food network the whole day and also because i was craving something fried. this was last night's dinner. i didn't really follow a recipe, but thought that dijon mustard and rosemary would taste very good together! it was very simple to make and we had it with parboiled rice and my dad's yummy tortellini soup. i am basing this on what i did last night, so if it seems a lot to you, it's because i was cooking for 8 people! i also eyeballed the mustard and the olive oil, so you can choose to add more or less.

rosemary & dijon mustard chicken
12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in chunks, pat dry
2/3 cup dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
5 sprigs of rosemary, chopped (without the stem of course)
5 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
juice of one lemon, lemon zest
salt & pepper
olive oil for frying

1. whisk dijon mustard, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, lemon juice + zest together, with just a bit of salt and pepper. take a little taste!
2. sprinkle salt & pepper over chicken then toss into dressing.
3. heat up pan with olive oil for frying on medium-high heat.
4. fry up chicken - make sure you don't crowd the pan!
5. fry on one side for a few minutes, then turn. make an incision with a small knife to make sure it's thoroughly cooked!
6. repeat with rest of the chicken.
7. serve.

give it a try :) the family loved it. i also made enough for today's lunch. hehe.

have a good week, all!

a saturday out

2010-01-24T12:56:00.003-05:00

my moleskine likes the couch.

get it? heart. hart house.

yesterday we had our trends event at hart house. everytime i go i feel like i'm at hogwarts. harhar.
this was followed by yummy $8.99 bento box with a generous serving of california rolls at japan sushi for dinner.

21/365: little old lady

2010-01-24T01:06:00.005-05:00

sometimes you get thrown into certain situations that lead you to believe that perhaps the universe is trying to tell you something.
yesterday i met a sweet old woman on the bus. she wanted to switch seats so that she won't have to struggle to get off and accidentally hit me with her bags. that is her in the picture, waiting to cross the road.
before i go on i want to say that i love talking to strangers, but really hate awkward silences...that's why it's easier for me to talk to cashiers and sales associates- the conversation ends with the transaction. so when she started talking to me i have to admit i felt a little freaked out. oh no, what should i say next? kept running through my mind.
but in those 15 minutes i learned that
* she has a maltese dog named lady charlotte
* she has three grandchildren, ages 32, 18, 11
* she loves wuthering heights and cannot get into sense+sensibility and pride+prejudice
* she and her husband loved walking down harbourfront
* she lives in a home with other ladies
as we were going along yonge street she pointed out at a cemetery and told me that her husband and her sister were there. her husband died 15 years ago, and her sister, 2 years ago.
the part that hurts her the most, she says, is my sister. we did everything together. and then you realize that you're all alone because everyone else is gone.
before getting off the bus she told me to have a good day and to try watching wuthering heights first before reading the book.
after she left, i thought about this chance meeting. it just seemed like one of those things you would read about in a mitch albom novel. i thought about my own life and the mistakes i made. besides sweet facts about this lady, i learned that silence need not be awkward. it's okay to look out at the window and say nothing. you do not need to have a constant flow of conversation. that only happens in movies and shows. with my quick temper and stubbornness i can easily take things and people for granted. this encounter reminded me that life is short, to be thankful and to love others as much as they should be loved, not as much as i can.
so even though my heart hurt for her, i also admired her optimism and energy. i got off the bus feeling good and light.
now to just follow through with these lessons... :)

have a good weekend all!

20/365: more of lake ontario

2010-01-22T23:44:00.001-05:00

this was taken on friday.
it's funny. when you tilt the iphone a certain way, it makes a very sunny day look really gloomy.

19/365: skating + other things

2010-01-22T09:59:00.005-05:00

silhouttes of branches on the ice.

hello all, happy friday!
i had such a great evening!
last night we had a small team building activity and went skating at the harbourfront. for those who live in toronto and haven't skated there yet, you should! it overlooks the lake and at night it is just the most romantic place to be in. but being an outdoor rink there was nothing to hold on to for support and this almost kept me from going on the ice.
i think i am the clumsiest person i know when it comes to all things sporty. i started off very wobbly and very scared, but by the end of the night i was skating by myself and picking up some speed!
and this is all with the help of my boss.
can you imagine your boss teaching you how to skate? following your orders to skate on your right side as opposed to your left so that just in case you trip you can easily grab onto his coat?

afterwards i met up with my best friend in the old mall that we used to hang out in as kids. for those who lived in scarborough, you would know bridlewood mall. this is where we wolfed down onion rings, drank lots of bubble tea and bought bags of salty peas from the bulk store.

i thought about all this and realized that i really shouldn't be so down and blue when there is so much to be thankful for:
* working where i am right now with kickass bosses (all 6 of them!) and co-workers
* my lovely best friend
* my family
* john, who is just so awesome
* go transit so that i can get from markham to downtown easily
* ikea for its cheap and yummy breakfast
* being able to take courses that i really enjoy
* the lake as the backyard
* being able to sit and sleep comfortably every morning on the subway
* sunny days, like today

so if you're feeling blue on this beautiful friday, hug your mom. hug your boyfriend. hug your best friend. or your boss. or whoever. because you're luckier than you think!

have a wonderful weekend everybody.

18/365: dogwalker

2010-01-20T14:28:00.002-05:00

i decided to take a walk during lunch today. i'm feeling a little down and needed some vitamin d (plus i am really really craving nutella but can't have any). lucky for me, the lake is the office's backyard.
this was taken with my iphone.
i don't know if you can see her, but that's a girl with two huge, playful retrievers in tow.

17/365: think big

2010-01-20T09:26:00.004-05:00

sorry, i just uploaded this today for yesterday's photo. i have to admit that this 365 daily photo challenge is getting difficult (durs, that's why it's called a challenge!).
when i first started in my current job, i was given a book called the magic of thinking big. i remember rolling my eyes and thinking, great, a self-help book (not that i have anything against them).
fast forward a few months ago (a year later in my job), in the midst of some kind of quarter mid life crisis (almost), i saw it in my bookshelf and whipped it out. and let me tell you, i was lapping everything up. this book is awesome. and to my surprise, it was written in the 1950s. it's crazy, but everything the author addresses: self esteem, lack of confidence, relationships with others, relationship with yourself, etc...are all issues that we are still dealing with today.
one of the most important lessons i drew from this is to remember what your goals are, what you want to be when you "grow up", to never loose sight of that goal and to work tirelessly towards it. he doesn't offer you empty promises, but helps you see things in a different way.
it seems almost childish to have post-it reminders on your mirror, but sometimes i forget - especially on bad days when i think that my goals are unrealistic when really they aren't. so yesterday i remembered and signed up for another night course. one less towards that event+meeting management certificate!
if you've ever felt/thought the way i did (and still do), you should give this book a try.
have a good day, all!

16/365: more audrey love

2010-01-18T21:35:00.003-05:00

these are my favorite audrey hepburn movies. next on my list is charade. who can resist her clothes, cary grant and the kickass henry mancini score?

the winners!

2010-01-18T10:13:00.006-05:00

happy monday everyone! thank you so much for the enthusiasm, encouragement and the sweet comments! so here are the winners for our first giveaway:

comment # 12: kristen from knotted nest
comment # 4: leanna
comment #17:celine from bonjour celine

congratulations ladies! please email me with your mailing addresses!

this was a lot of fun...maybe we'll do another one. hehe.
have a great day!

15/365: i like

2010-01-17T14:02:00.003-05:00

i like:
waking up with
raccoon eyes
at 11:51 on a sunday morning
and coming down for breakfast

i hope you are all having a good weekend everyone.

14/365: i like

2010-01-16T14:01:00.000-05:00

i like:
nap times on saturday afternoons
just before a party

13/365:

2010-01-15T23:22:00.004-05:00

i don't really have a story for this. except that this picture is further proof of my little obsession with audrey hepburn. no, i'm not like that guy who has a huge collection of simpsons' memorabilia, but i do have her everywhere in my room. and two frames in my bathroom. hm.

today i felt a little sluggish, just going through the motions of work. i stood up twice to retrieve documents from the printer only to find out that i haven't printed anything out.
i aspartamed my coffee twice. this is a much needed weekend!

so have a good week all and rest up! take advantage of this freakish (yes, it's freaky) spring weather we're having. no snow in january! can you believe that??? even in markham.
yes, even in markham.

ps: you still have a chance to win some letterpressed goods by me and john!
pps: thank you for all the nice and encouraging comments! we really appreciate it.

12/365: bus driver's little helper

2010-01-14T22:21:00.005-05:00

this was taken on the bay street bus
to union station
from fedex kinko's
because i was running late for a meeting.

but with the traffic i thought to myself that it would have been better if i had just walked.

and then: "mr. bus driver! play something on the P.A!"

that was the bus driver's adorable daughter. probably 8 years old, in the cutest white tights with colorful polka dots.

hearing this little girl sing twinkle twinkle little star over the p.a and announcing the next stops in her cute tiny voice affirmed my decision in taking this bus, even if it meant being late.

this totally made up for everything.

11/365: lethal scissors

2010-01-13T22:19:00.002-05:00

i did some sewing today. for the first time in ages. i don't even remember the last time i sewed something, so much so i had to i had to remind myself how to thread the machine!
in the background are the butter biscuits that virginie sent me. i am trying to eat them slowly and only allow myself one package a day, but sometimes it's a little hard to muster some self-control.
i hope you all had a great day, friends!

ps: your comments are all great. you guys are great!

10/365: these windows are made of gold.

2010-01-12T11:10:00.000-05:00

taken with my iphone.
walking back to work.
the sun was shining and i had to show you this.
the window of the rbc building is made of gold.

yup. that's right.

there are 14,000 windows in total.
each window is coated with a layer of 24k gold.
total value: $1,000,000
but unlike the stolen limestones of pyramids, the gold in these windows are not recoverable.
womp womp. hehe.
source

first giveaway - win a set of cards + letterpress workshop

2010-01-12T08:33:00.007-05:00

hello friends. this post may be a little long, only because there is so much to tell you. we enjoyed our workshop on sunday so much. having our brunch at the palmerston was so convenient because it was literally a few seconds away from bookhou.
now bookhou i have only seen in pictures, but seeing it in person was just amazing. and it was such a beautiful sunday morning too that the sunlight seemed to make the entire store glow. i loved everything about it: the "gallery feel", the products, arounna's work/craft space, the artwork.

after giving us a quick tour around the store and a brief intro on the letterpress, we got down to business. we showed her the paper that we had brought. for those who are going to be doing letterpress workshops in the future, woolfitts is having a sale till first week of february i believe. john and i bought a package of gigantic sheets of canson paper which is perfect for letterpress for 99 cents each or $24 for 24 sheets.

without a proper paper trimmer/cutter (anyone know where i can get one for a good price?) it took me hours to cut up the paper using a utility knife (yes, i cringe too). i rounded out the edges and they didn't look so bad. still, i wish they came out a little cleaner on the sides. setting up the press was the most time consuming part (kinda like cutting out patterns and prepping your sewing), just because you want to make sure that everything looks good and spelled correctly! harhar. we had a few spelling mistakes.
all the illustrations are hand drawn by john and arounna got the plates made for us for a fee. aren't they nice? and they're not bad framed!

so as you can tell, we kinda got a little carried way. which means that we have quite a few to give away! we are giving away:
* your choice of moleskine cahier and 1 card/print - choose from leica, yahica and holga (graphing paper moleskine) and choose from the 6 cards
* the camera card set - set of three cards with the leica, yashica and holga, 5x5
* the random objects card set- set of three cards with the umbrella, cupcake and teabag
what must you do?
all you have to do is leave a comment before midnight of sunday, january 17 and let us know what you would like to receive. to make it fair, no facebook comments please! friends, if you are reading this from facebook you must comment on my blog. we will randomly select three lucky commenters and announce the winners on monday, january 18, 10:00 AM. this is the first time i'm ever doing a giveaway, so if something doesn't make sense, don't hesitate to email.
this workshop was the little push that john and i needed to really get on with planning our own etsy store. it is something that we have always wanted to do but we have always been too scared to start. so hello etsy, watch out for us! :)
have a good day everyone!

9/365: the other side of the room

2010-01-11T20:45:00.003-05:00

this is where:
- i write letters
- write in my journal
- blog
- read blogs
- read even more blogs

my craft space tends to get really, really messy and when i'm in the middle of something i prefer to keep it in an organized mess. so i've decided to keep this side of the room "craft-free". in this way i can enter my room without feeling overwhelmed by craziness. harhar.
do you have an "other side of the room"?

the palmerston

2010-01-11T10:34:00.006-05:00

i had such a good day yesterday! as a christmas gift for him, i signed john and myself up for a letterpress workshop at bookhou. i will blog about the letterpress workshop in a separate post, but i would like to share with you this little cafe that we went to. we wanted to have brunch before our class, and arounna suggested the palmerston.

the owners were super friendly and they let me take as many pictures as i wanted (some establishments don't allow it for some reason. like the red tea box). crooners were singing in the background (from sirius' great american songbook) while john and i sipped on lemoned water and coffee.

i ordered the eggs benedict and john got croque monsieur.

they were both very good. instead of the typical combination of english muffins and hollondaise sauce, the eggs benny at the palmerston was made up of grilled slices of baguette, arugula and drizzles of olive oil. at first glance, the eggs looked like they were going to be rock hard with a coagulated mess of a yoke. oh but the eggs were awesome. they were perfectly poached.
we spent $15 each, including taxes and tip and free refills of amazing coffee. eating was very enjoyable and we left feeling satisfied without feeling gross, and ready to do some letterpressing!

the palmerston
800 dundas street west
416-361-3333

you should go. :)

8/365: like fruits on a tree

2010-01-10T00:36:00.000-05:00

i had the funnest weekend ever. will tell you more about it this week. i just wanted to show you this tree that we saw on dundas. i loved it.
i hope you all had a great weekend!

7/365: "sobriety"

2010-01-09T16:10:00.004-05:00

my dad was clearing out some holiday detritus today and i found this sitting by the backdoor. it amazes me how people can go through so many bottles of beer (no, my dad didn't drink this all!).
the morning started off with a huge stomach ache from last night's dinner of wings, my dad's awesome mac+cheese and wedges. i had to teach little grade 2s today and had a hard time getting them to settle down. so i ended up having to bribe them with a contest/quiz and with skittles as the main prize (they loved it. must now by packages of skittles.)
i am now downing probably my 4th cup of coffee of the day and finished an entire package of this, in purple yam flavor. yum.
today is my friend leslie's quarter of a year birthday celebration and cannot wait. this is definitely going to be an awesome ending to the day. *play that BEP song here. harhar.*
have a great weekend, everyone!

6/365: shovels

2010-01-08T16:01:00.002-05:00

living in markham means lots of snow. which means lots of shovelling. which i do not mind at all. in fact i love shovelling. and i wish i was still young enough to own a shovelling business. similar to a lemonade stand. that would have been cute.
harhar.
keep warm, everyone!
ps: this was supposed to have been published yesterday, but completely forgot!

5/365: love letters

2010-01-07T20:41:00.004-05:00

being in a long-distance relationship has its ups and downs. we've had more ups though since we've found ways to work with it. one of them is letter writing. i have a folder full of emails from john which date back to 2006, but nothing beats good old snail mail and opening your mailbox and finding an envelope addressed to you with that familiar penmanship.

i think he's mastered the art of letter writing. no, he doesn't do things from scratch, but he picks the best cards and writes the best letters - they're not too sappy, but very inspiring, encouraging, funny and random.

three markets

2010-01-07T14:02:00.008-05:00

one very cold wintery day, john and i went on a day date to take pictures. i wanted to share some of them with you. going on this date reminded me how lucky i am to be living in toronto. and how especially lucky i am to have him here for a few months (he's from north carolina).

the day started off with breakfast at the mill street brew pub at the distillery.
i am still in search for the perfect eggs benedict (i know, i won't find it a pub) and i don't like that they used peameal bacon. i think it's a little gross. but i have to tell you, nothing beats ikea for breakfast (in price and even in taste hehehe).

the first market was, you know it, st. lawrence market. we didn't buy anything, but there were so many meat stalls i wanted to buy ground beef. next time i'm going back to get cookie cutters.

next we took the train to chinatown. i love chinatown, with its cool funky clothes, their spread of herbs and vegetables, and their bakeries. i am a hugest fan of egg tarts. i first had them in grade 9 when my friend's grandmother baked some. it was heaven in a tart tin. i also love bubble tea. my favorite is taro with tapioca.
and by the way, if you want inexpensive dishes, servers, kitchen cookware with a restaurant aesthetic, check out tap phong. you'll love it. you'll also find cheap chinese takeout boxes in many colors (never buy at michael's. they are overpriced there!)

of course you can't not go to kensington market, where you're welcomed by the scent of incense and the smell of vintage and old leather.

sometimes i complain that there's really nothing to take pictures of, but he reminds me that a good photographer always finds the perfect opportunity, wherever you are. john is one smart (and adorable) cookie.
our next day date is this sunday. we're taking a letterpress workshop at bookhou and we are so excited. we're hoping to find a nice cafe along dundas street west. if you have any suggestions, let me know!
you may find more pictures here.
have a good day everyone!

mail love

2010-01-06T22:47:00.002-05:00

i just wanted to show you the package of yummy goodies that my friend virginie (from paris!) sent me. i love the moulin rouge tin- it's full of yummy butter biscuits with a subtle hint of sweetness.
i met virginie while volunteering last summer. sadly she's moved to montreal, but myohmy she is one of the sweetest people i have ever met.

4/365: bike rack (?)

2010-01-06T14:18:00.005-05:00

instead of going through the underground and taking the streetcar back to work, i decided to walk during my lunch break. on my little jaunt i saw a line of these bike stands? racks? and loved the shadows the sunlight made with them.
blargh, i thought, i don't have mr. smith (my camera) with me. then i quickly remembered jarvis (my iphone). who says i have to use a dslr to take my 4/365 picture?
i know, it seems a little eerie, it looks almost like a crucifix, but then i thought, where there is shadow, there is light. i don't know where i got that from but it sounds like a song line. no matter how bad your day seems, you can always draw good from it.
i don't know if it's the dose of vitamin d from the sunlight, but whatever it is, today i am feeling light.
and happy. i hope you are too.

3/365: journals

2010-01-05T22:02:00.006-05:00

rooting around for a receipt that i stashed away in my bin, i saw my journals and thought i'd show you.
besides coffee, i cannot live without a journal. it's a habit that i formed at the age of 10. on days when i am mad or annoyed, you'll see me writing away furiously.
my first journal or diary was given to me by my godmother. it was the epitome of girliness: pink and scented pages. i used to begin every entry with a "dear diary". and, i am ashamed to admit this, it was almost always followed by either something really awful and petty about someone ("she wouldn't share her stickers with me!) or about a boy crush ("oh my gosh! he was staring at me!").
over the years the journals evolved to kitty cats, polka dots, flowers, and then moleskines.
i used to buy only journals with lines, but found as i got older than un-lined journals can be so liberating. now my journals do not begin with a "dear diary", but in medias res. my entries are not as petty as before, but reading through each journal i can see that it's still all very me.

ps: it's nice to see that my taste in journals have changed.

the night-in kit

2010-01-05T08:48:00.003-05:00

because A's birthday lands very close to christmas, i wanted to give her something christmas-themed and something that was just for her. thus, the night-in kit. it first started with the idea of giving her a hershey's smores maker (to have some semblance of summer during the winter, and a good reminder of her family camping trips), but i wanted it to be more personal. from there i decided to add popping kernels and popcorn powder into the mix and a $10 gift card to blockbuster. this way, she and neil can have a nice night in, a solution to a cold winter night.
you can't really see it, but to seal the bag of popcorn kernels, i used those "admit one" ticket rolls and stapled them on. i thought the crochet trim against the cellophane makes them look like snowflakes! i'm using the same boxes and cello bags and avery labels from my cookie mail to create the kit. i couldn't fully close the box (the stack of graham crackers was too tall), so i punched out holes with a tiny puncher and strung it shut with twine. i bought the crackers and chocolates from the bulk store. to make smores-ing manageable, i used chocolate and white chocolate wafers.
i enjoyed making it so much that i decided to make more to give away as christmas presents. but these don't have to be for christmas alone. change up the color schemes and even some of the contents. it's so versatile but still homemade and personal at the same time.

i hope this inspires you for your next gifting project!

2/365

2010-01-04T21:14:00.001-05:00

this is my workspace.
this is where i make my messes.
because of holiday parties i've had to tidy it up and this is the neatest it has ever been.
i finally finished the homasote board. it took my dad just as long to hang it up.

365 photo project + a bucket list for 2010 + 1/365

2010-01-04T14:49:00.002-05:00

1/365 - from john - a shinzi katoh lunch container, in my attempts to save money and pack lunches to work.

i'm back to work! the trains are full again and it's nice to be of use and working. hehe. eating late, sleeping late and waking up late was nice, but the i-slept-too-much headaches were quite frequent over the holiday break. it was a lovely break though, which included:

at least 10 movies (dvds and cinema - i am all movied out) - sherlock holmes and up in the air were awesome. i was crying even after seven pounds was done
bowling
hakka food for the first time
the AGO
christmas parties
IKEA breakfast and dinner (50 cent hotdogs!)
lots of hot chocolate
lots of japaleno havarti and grapes

being a lover of lists and bullet points, i have decided to do another bucket list to welcome 2010. it won't be as long as my previous list as there are lots that need to be carried over from the last year! and here they are:

travel to one of these countries this year: austria, france (yes, again!), japan, philippines
try something different from the menu. like, udon noodles instead of my usual bento box.
go to a wine bar
complete the 365 photo project (you can also find the link on the left side of my blog), as inspired by jona, karyn and anabela. i also signed up for a photoblog.
buy a camera bag to help complete the 365 photo project
learn to skate
go to church more often
pay off most of my credit card
make something and sell it
take a drawing course
really celebrate my birthday (i'll be a quarter of a century old!)
take care of this blog. i'm not really good at replying to comments and updating. i shall improve on that. (but i finally changed the blog around and i am very pleased with it. i also updated my blogroll and added a few things on the sidebar.)
smile more, complain less
drink more water, lessen aspartame intake
write more letters
get abs. not gross abs. but womanly abs. hehe.
save up for world youth day 2011, in madrid!

for those back to work, i hope there's still lots of holiday cheer leftover.
have a good week everyone!

loveliness

2010-01-04T10:30:00.001-05:00

a summary of 2009

2010-01-03T19:01:00.004-05:00

happy new year to all of you!
i normally list out summaries, but being inspired by anabela and shari, here is a summary of 2009 in pictures.

january - 1st attempt with crochet trim

february - edmonton for the first time

march - the sweetest smell

april - macarons, for the very first time at la bamboche

may - paris & elton john!

june - lovely dinners in the backyard

july - a week and a half with john

august - montreal family trip

september - "be the best version of yourself"

october - finally have one!

november - forsythe farms and montreal, again

december - sent out yummy mail for the first time

not to mention:
speaking in public to 150 people for the first time
running over a stop sign
writing a speech the night before
dancing the night away
overnight hotel stay with my siblings
event planning courses
all nighters
learned how to play "river flows in you"
new friends
numerous servings of humble pie

a new year is always a sign of hope for me...i would like to be the best version of myself. to be genuine. to be more generous. to be more forgiving.
sometimes it can be so difficult, but it is possible, as long as i always seek him and have more faith and trust in him.

happy new year everyone! may 2011 be another year of joy and hope for you :)

A's birthday + potluck food

2009-12-21T10:02:00.005-05:00

A turned 24 yesterday!
for the potluck, i decided to make croque monsieurs, veggie panini sandwiches and brie+cranberry puffs. they turned out great, if i may so myself...but the events that preceded A's party were pretty much like a cross between an episode from bridezilla (or insert show with crazy women here) and the breakup, where vince vaughan comes home with three lemons instead of twelve (without the fighting of course!).
at 10:00 am i thought i had everything under control. at 11:30 john got me cooking arugula instead of baby arugula. at 11:35 he was on his way back to longo's. 12:00 john comes back with the right arugula. by 1:00 i was burning things trying to multi task, looking for tape, yelling at no one in particular and drying my hair.
i relinquished everything to john, being the calmer and more patient one (and the sweetest thing in the world), and when i came down, the kitchen was spotless.
hardeehar.
and i say i work best under pressure.
in the end, everything turned out great and we got to A's house all in one piece. there was LOTS of karaoke, board games and fun.
(but of course i forgot her gift)

just in case you needed something for your next holiday potluck, here are the links/recipes. i thought that the brie+cranberry puffs are great to bring for work, instead of your typical box of chocolates or candy canes. :)

croque monsieur
my friend virginie says that croque monsieurs are the parisiens' version of street meat. can you imagine?
*instead of coating it with egg, i grilled the sandwiches and topped it with bechamel sauce with gruyere cheese and broiled it in the oven. make sure to watch over the oven. i burnt four yesterday and set off the smoke alarm.

veggie paninis
no recipe link. i made it vegetarian for A...this is how i normally like my sandwiches made from fast fresh foods. in this sandwich i had sundried pesto spread, baby arugula, goat cheese, roasted red peppers. i brushed both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil and grilled them.

cranberry+brie puffs
these are really yummy! no need to slice that cheese up and place it on some type of cracker, nosiree! all you need to do is pick one little puff up and gobble it.
* when making these, you don't need to get rid of the skin, just in case you didn't know. because i didn't. :)

have a great week, all! three more days before christmas!

pearl and A.

yay canada!

2009-12-17T23:29:00.004-05:00

it was an awesome night at nathan phillips square, where thousands of people braved the wind chill to welcome the olympic torch! of course i got a little emotional: today it felt especially great to be canadian!

this night almost makes you forget about the exorbitant ttc fare hikes and taxes. hardeehar.

more flags than on canada day!

i had to get a shot with this little guy, miga. it's actually a she but for some reason, miga reminded me of jason schwartzman. it even has a bellybutton. hahaha.

consolation for the -6 C (21.2F) temperature!

and then, unfortunately, this.

ps: of course they had to play that black eyed peas song.

yummy mail love

2009-12-15T09:58:00.008-05:00

i. i was resolute in baking cookies as christmas presents to send out this year. i decided to bake russian tea cookies and chocolate crack ups or crackles or what my sister and i used to call them when we were younger, crinkles.
they are both very easy to make. the only time consuming part is melting the chocolate, and it's only time consuming to me because i have no patience.

i went to michael's (you can easily spend money at michael's. rubber stamps and patterned paper all of a sudden become a need) and picked up some boxes, twine, clear bags and avery labels. basically the entire sheet is a label and you can just cut it any shape or form you want. being inspired by danni's blog i headed over to martha's site where she had doily templates. i covered the bottom with burlap and placed two bags of cookies and then strung twine around the box.
i sent them out today and it's my first time mailing out food gifts this christmas!

ii. this year i am being very careful with shopping for christmas presents. it's happened before where i bought presents out of obligation...i won't let that happen again. it just takes away the spirit of things. people forget that it's not about the shopping and the presents, but thoughtfulness and of course, a very important person's birthday!

iii. i am dying to tell you what i got john as a christmas present, but cannot as he reads my blog. but i am so very excited. the best part when giving someone a present is their reaction!

v. need ideas? reading karyn's blog post makes me want to sew up presents for this year! i haven't touched my sewing machine in ages.

2nd day of christmas: mark the day on these cool calendars

2009-12-03T11:40:00.003-05:00

whether you're counting down or planning your days or months, you might just find something here for you or for that organized someone!

calendar wallpaper!
this is perfect for planning a wedding or managing projects!

perpetual calendar
i love the colorful grommets!

bubble calendar!
for those addicted to bubble wrap!

1st day of christmas: smittened by "smittens"

2009-12-02T13:45:00.003-05:00

i think this is absolutely adorable:

now you don't have to stuff both your hands in one pocket to keep holding hands. :)
perfect for moms & dads with their kiddies, and of course, for him or her.

from restoration hardware. $49 USD

cinnamon buns, cupcakes, vampires & a broken stop sign

2009-11-29T22:41:00.006-05:00

hello friends.
*yesterday my mom and i went to pick out our christmas tree. in preparation for the trimming and christmas tree night, i decided to bake cinnamon buns and cupcakes today. our cupcake tins were with my good friend who lives a few minutes away by car and i insisted that i drove.
bad fricking idea. i have NEVER backed out of our drive away. and for some reason today, i forgot which was the brake pedal and which was the acceleration.
i backed up against the stop sign. but at that moment i thought i rammed into our neighbor's garage.
it was all going so fast: john talking so loudly and my little sister telling me to stop and me frantically trying press on the pedals, only to break the sign.
*i have finally given in to the whole twilight craze and decided to buy a previously viewed copy at blockbuster. i must have watched it 5 times this weekend. i love edward. i wish i had a vampire boyfriend (kidding, john). i was giggling throughout the movie and it felt like high school all over again: waiting to see your crush of all crushes, blushing when he notices you. harhar.
*i also watched brothers bloom. i highly recommend it (and rachel weisz's wardrobe). i have a new girly crush on adrien brody. and if you like him there, you should watch him in darjeeling limited.
*had lobster in its purest form today (meaning, not lobster bisque or lobster cakes. lobster straight out of its crustacean case). it's not as rubbery as i had expected it to be. i had it with vinegar, garlic powder and salt instead of butter.
* baking cinnamon buns reminded me of my high school job working at st. cinnamon. those were great times. besides learning how to bake buns i learned how to get a backbone. i got the recipe here. it was my first time working with yeast and seeing the dough rise twice its size was absolutely fascinating.
and that is all. i hope everyone had a good weekend with minimal damage. :)

fresh! trends event

2009-11-21T22:16:00.007-05:00

crazy busy saturday: teaching grade 8s in the morning and a TRENDS makeup event in the afternoon. it was a lot of fun and was so happy to see all the girls, but then the headache came. a splitting headache after a trends event never fails, but one mcdonald's junior chicken sandwich solved it all.

a parisienne inspired weekend

2009-11-16T21:06:00.006-05:00

being inspired by joanna's awesome parisienne posts has led me to do something similar: take pictures and experience things that remind me of paris. however, going this year has proven fatal like eating a lay's chip:

betcha can't eat just one = betcha can't go just once.

but unlike a lay's chip, paris is actually very good for the senses and for your overall well-being. :)
so what better way to begin than in montreal, quebec right? you would think that these pictures were taken in paris!

a day at the farm

2009-11-08T22:37:00.006-05:00

hello friends!
it was such a beautiful, warm weekend. the aunt and uncles are here, it's full house and i'm loving it.

2009-11-02T21:59:00.005-05:00

today:

i did the unthinkable and cheap thing and used 12 milkettes to put into my oatmeal. i was just too tired and lazy to go downstairs to buy myself a carton of milk. it won't happen again, promise. tomorrow i'm having a muffin.

ikea...
...is evil. their $1.00 breakfast is genius and evil. they lure you for cheap but yummy breakfast. because it's so cheap you decide to have two plates, and because you've had two you decide to take a walk around the store so that you can burn off 1/16 of the calories you consumed. and then you start wanting. and wanting turns into buying. so your $2.00 breakfast turns into a lacquer table. or a bunch of frames.

linden update:
yes, linden is back! we picked him up on saturday and meowed like crazy in his little cage when he saw me. he's back to his normal self: eating like crazy, rolling around on the carpet and welcoming us at the door. it took us a day to get him to take his antibiotics. no sweet talk or cajoling worked. and just when we thought the pill was down his throat, he managed to spit out the pill. he's one smart cat. but not smart enough. tuna+pill+hunger=perfect condition to take the pill.
i didn't know that petcare, at least for cats, could be so expensive...much more expensive than humancare (us humans have ohip). but having him back here outweighs it all.

facebook
hardeeharhar. my mom added me on facebook. hahahaha.
i won't be mean though. of course i'll accept her as a friend.

boots
i saw the prettiest pair of boots today. it actually went past my knees. very chic, stylish. michael kors. i asked if they're okay for winter.
the woman just flatly said, "they're fashion boots". enough said.

filipino-ish dessert
check this out. tapioca and coconut and milk and sugar. yum-o. note: le post est en français!

everyone, have a good week :) enjoy the "extra" hour of sleep.

linden update

2009-10-29T22:33:00.002-04:00

hello friends. thanks for the heartwarming comments.
it seems that linden has teeth infection. i thought this existed only in dogs. we were never told when we had adopted him to watch out for his teeth. i feel like a bad neglectful pet owner.
he is staying overnight at the hospital where he can get a blood test, iv and antibiotics. i am relieved that he is not dying, but still very scared since we don't know the extent of his infection.
how can you resist a kitty (as old as he is) like him? it's sad when he's not there to meet us at the door when we get home. he hasn't been doing that for days.

:(

2009-10-27T12:40:00.005-04:00

my brother and john are taking him to the vet tomorrow. we don't know what's wrong with him but he hasn't been himself for the past few days. i really hope it's nothing serious and that he'll get over it. i love you lindyboy.

japan sushi+high park

2009-10-18T22:06:00.008-04:00

a bento box from japan sushi has become a saturday ritual. if only they had those stamp cards. like, "buy 5 get a 6th meal free".
$6.99 for a bento box that includes 4 sushi rolls, 6 tempura pieces, salmon teriyaki (or beef or pork or gyoza), rice, salad, noodles & soup. so good.

japan sushi
482 bloor street west

after lunch, john and i went to high park. it was the first time in many years that i've been thisclose to nature. nature meaning bugs, really really tall trees and dirt paths.
teehee i also saw lots of mallard ducks. it reminded me so much of make way for ducklings.

high park
take the train west (green line) and get off at high park.
and follow the people. normally with cameras or picnic baskets.

i hope everyone had a great weekend.
ps: i finally got my 50 mm lens and i am SO happy with it!
pps: the slr still frustrates me though. i really should read the manual.

yay polaroid!

2009-10-17T01:10:00.002-04:00

yesiree, polaroid will be re-launching instant cameras! WOOHOO!
(hmm...does that mean inexpensive film?)
read more here.

now onto the next: gocco!

2009-10-12T22:37:00.003-04:00

today:
- 2 servings of last night's thanksgiving dinner and yummy plum tart
-5 hours of cutting out hexagons for a paper piecing project. literally paper piecing.
- 3 back-to-back episodes of glee (yay, finally caught up!)
- 3 back-to-back episodes of gossip girl (hilary duff, not bad at all)
- 1 starbucks white chocolate grande
- a nice stroll in main street unionville
couldn't be happier.

in the future:
- october 16, 17, 18 - imaging show 2009 (henry's)
-october 18: pure rummage trunk show at the workroom!

have a great week, all! :)

ps: this is bad. i want to get a new lens (50 mm), now that i have an slr. argh, when will the wanting end? harhar.

happy thanksgiving!

2009-10-11T22:17:00.002-04:00

happy thanksgiving, canadians!
i almost prefer thanksgiving over christmas because thanksgiving is really about getting together and celebrating each other's company. the spirit of christmas gets ruined with all the stress that comes with purchasing presents for people out of obligation. as a result gift giving becomes this thoughtless, pricey exchange (on credit). i remember serving this really rude customer (back in my st. cinnamon days) who was complaining how much she hated christmas because she hasn't gotten through her list yet. people just do not get what (and for some like me, who) christmas stands for.
but when i start seeing crafty people in blog land with all their lovely, homemade presents, it uplifts me and i get inspired to do the same. there is nothing like homemade to show how much you care for someone.
anyway, we celebrate thanksgiving on a sunday night so that we can stay up late and not worry about work the next day.
there are indeed lots to be thankful for:
* ma famille
* johnny, and the fact that he is here for a few months. it is so nice to have him here.
* true friendship
* my job
* school
* a day of sunshine after a gloomy, rainy week
* the kindness of strangers

i hope you have a lovely thanksgiving, friends. smile and be thankful :)

sometimes bad days can be fruitful

2009-10-08T12:18:00.004-04:00

sigh.
it's just one of those days when you just want to climb into a hole and never come out again. or those days when you want to eat and eat and eat until you feel better. or buy something so extragavant. or run for a long long long time until you've forgotten about everything momentarily.

i feel so small. and 17 again, back when i started my first job in the real world and went home and i cried (yes i'm a crybaby) and swore i'd never go back again but did. and now, it's been almost a year but there's no sign of progress and just a whole lot of effing up. and you're supposed to find some kind of life lesson from all this.

yes i know i will.

later on i'll look back and see that it wasn't such a big deal and that everything turned out fine anway. yes, these things give you backbone, they help you grow up, but dammit it's hard. no mother to hold your hand or anyone else to make you feel better. it's all really up to you and how you're going to deal with it.

so i had a good cry during lunch, ate fries and bought a Nikon D60. no it wasn't an impulse buy. but it did make me feel a little better.

we're not made of steel and there's only 24 hours to a day.

2009-10-05T19:21:00.003-04:00

hello hello.
* i haven't been blogging in a while, as you can tell. these are photos from jarvis. i am really loving the camera bag app. you should get it too. if you have an iphone and if you like taking pics.
i found this via dani.
* thanksgiving is this monday and my family normally celebrates the day before so that we can have the rest of monday off to do other things. like sleep in and do laundry harhar .
* did you go to nuit blanche? i have yet to upload les photos, but it was okay. highlights: the royal conservatory, hip hop lessons at the toronto reference library, having sushi on spadina with john and getting home at 4 in the fricking morning. the giant bunny was cute. it would have been better if it was outdoors, surrounded by the lights in dundas square.
* it's tights and fur weather. yay.
* i started classes and am onto my third week. i love it. it doesn't feel like school. it's almost like blog surfing except someone's telling you how to do it properly. i seriously love my professors. i am now really sure that i want to get into event planning.
* i like older people. i would love to be able to partner up with an older person for my final group project.
* my neck won't stop cracking.
* i sniffed peanuts on the train tonight and my throat started itching. hmmm.
* guilty pleasures: banana with nutella. or just nutella. and a lot of goop.
* blogs i like: restless transplant (awesome pictures) and coco & lowe (such sweet and awesome girls)
* i attended a seminar on effective goal setting. one of the things the speaker talked about was prioritizing and so sad to say that i had to give up tutoring. :( my schedule was getting really crazy. i've also had to give up piano. sigh.

and that isallisallisall. have a great week tout le monde.

be the best version of yourself.

2009-09-20T00:07:00.004-04:00

* attempted to watch time traveller's wife but got EXTREMELY bored (the trailer was very misleading). and when this happens i would watch how john's watching the movie, get amused and turn back to the movie. but this time i had to get out. so we snuck into 500 days of summer and we were so glad we did!
* one click on itunes and the 500 days of summer soundtrack is now mine.
* the best combo is maltesers in my popcorn. i always get large so i can get a refill. i'm crazy for popcorn.
* i met up with a lady today who i absolutely loved. for some reason, i really like being in the company of 50+ year old women.
* today i learned:

to always ask yourself, "am i being the best version of myself?" doing so would help you treat yourself and others better.
confidence is knowing who you are
financial success doesn't always lead to happiness. but success by being of service to others does.

it's just a struggle to remember.
fall, fall is here. and everyone just looks so great.
have a good weekend everyone!

refresh for less

2009-09-10T14:20:00.002-04:00

i found out about this through coco & lowe - a blog that you should definitely visit because coco & lowe write about everything: life, love, fashion, etc.

john and i will be there! we're not sure yet if we want to have our own table, but you should check this out!

last minute "summery" things to do

2009-09-06T13:20:00.004-04:00

hello friends!
when the days get shorter and the nights are cooler you know that fall is coming...so if you're looking for last minute summery things to do, check out the following:

dream in high park - pack a picnic and watch a rendition of the tempest outdoors. doors open at 6:00 pm and the play starts at 8:00 pm. this ends today!

the ex - last day is tomorrow and to me it is the quintessential thing to do as a canadian. harhar. but that's just me.

summer concerts in main street unionville - nothing better than having a latte at starbucks and ending the night with a little dance under the stars. :)

harbourfront centre - international iron chef, world cafe, the red hot marketplace, and more...it all just sounds really yummy.

toronto music garden - garden+music+lake+sun = lovely afternoon

i'm sure there is more going on, but get out there and soak up the sun :) don't you just love toronto?

have a great long weekend friends!

the butter to my toast.

2009-08-30T00:33:00.003-04:00

having watched julie & julia (which i really recommend, btw) has made me want to blog. 10 of julie powell's blog posts and two nutella teaspoons later here i am with a slight stomach ache ( i really must stop eating nutella like ice cream) and very much inspired (& hungry).
i am excited to say that i'm going back to school (part-time) in the fall for an event & meeting management certificate. i guess i can say that this is my challenge, as julie's julie/julia project was hers.
i cannot wait! i start in a few weeks.
it's a good excuse to go school supply shopping again. :)

for now i leave you with some pictures from our family trip to quebec. picnicking on freshly baked baguettes with cheese from the local fromagerie and apple butter and strawberry gel in the van was the best.

breathless

2009-08-17T23:37:00.005-04:00

hello mes amis!
i just wanted to share the following with you :)

this is so frameable! it makes me swoon. i remember watching this in french class and wanting to have hair like hers.

this is actually a little flyer for the cinematheque ontario.

it's unfortunate that i just found out about this month-long french goodness...there's still time though, for you francophiles out there! :) they will be playing movies until the 22nd of august. don't you just aime toronto?

package of lovely goodness from johnny:
bobby pins because i always lose them, a moleskine for meetings, and altoids not for my breath, but for my tin collection (hardeeharhar)

a statue of liberty stamp from muji, from when he went to new york in may

and just in case you're planning to make smashed potatoes, this is the best way to smash 'em:

avec une verre!

and that is all dearies. i 've been quite busy, but i like it that way. i just wish i had more sleep.
all is right with the world. the sun is shining and johhny is coming. woohoo!
have a great week. :)

please shine down on me.

2009-07-29T15:56:00.004-04:00

oh beach weather, where are you?

some wishes:
a gocco printer
yamaha p-85
an ice cream maker
a serger
sunshine
a nice bowl of warm buttery popcorn
you
to be curled up in bed
mashed potatoes (i haven't had them in so long!)
to feel inspired again.

work is sucking the energy out of me. but i am thankful i have a job, especially in these times. it's just lately, especially with the gloomy weather, i've been feeling gray. uncreative. it's harder to get up in the morning. i fall asleep while drying my hair. i've been drinking three cups of coffee a day (that cannot be healthy). i can't seem to focus. i zonk out on the train and always almost miss my stop. all this with enough sleep.

and i've been thinking about teaching again.

happy birthday to moi :)

2009-07-27T08:47:00.004-04:00

i turned 24 yesterday. my weekend was full of flowers, yummy cakes, italian food, hugs & kisses and harry potter.

because i like making lists, here is a list of things i've learned and am still learning in my 24 years here on earth. my birthday always feels like new year's.
- pin where you want to cut
- never put people on the spot, even as a joke.
- things never go according to plan
- smile and forgive: even when it hurts
- you don't always have to speak.
- people just change. period. no need to analyze.
- we complicate our simple lives with complicated thoughts.
- love is not a feeling.
- don't be so quick to react.
- do not respond to emails in anger. type it out then delete. never hit send. you will regret it afterwards.
- use energy wisely. do not over think things.
- when in love: crazy heart, clear head
- it's okay to go against the grain.
- always say hello and good bye and i'm sorry.
- jealousy ruins friendships.
- it's okay to make mistakes. it's how quickly you learn from them (and how quickly you fix them!) that counts.
- a lot of things in life require practice. like patience, bias binding & piano.
- live a life you'd be proud of.

have a great week everyone. and to those with birthdays, happy birthday :)

i've never failed at baking...

2009-07-24T23:36:00.004-04:00

and today i did.
ARGH.

i attempted to bake a red velvet cake for my birthday...and all i got was a brown sloppy mess in the oven. soooooob.

sigh, can this gloomy awful week get any worse?

sigh.

ps: i'm not really a crybaby
pps: on a brighter note, i'm tutoring again! the girl is sweet, from korea.

cleaning makes me cry.

2009-07-19T13:04:00.006-04:00

i prefer cleaning my bathroom to cleaning my bedroom.
it's not because it's dirty, but it's because of all the clutter that has managed to accumulate over the one year we've spent in this house.
i am overwhelmed. so much so i had to google "how to clean bedroom without feeling overwhelmed".
ARGH.

this is what i found.

1. make a plan for cleaning room.
okay:

~~clean out fabric-strewn cupboard and fold up fabric one by one neatly and arrange by type and color~~
~~organize scrapbook materials~~
~~empty out basket of fabric scraps~~ (i don't know what to do with them. i keep telling myself that i'm going to do something with them, but i never do. should i just throw them away?)
~~sort through books and get rid of the ones i don't want in my room~~
~~tidy up shelves~~
~~get rid of messes under the bed~~
this is the worst: empty out desk drawers and sort through papers (i hate doing this because i'm afraid i might throw out something i'll regret!)
~~dust surfaces and window blinds~~

2. prioritize and break the plan up into different sections
my sewing area, my desk drawers and my fabric storage are the messiest areas in my room. i'll work on that first.

i'm skipping step 3.

3. turn on some upbeat music. avoid distractions like tv and visitors.
darn. i was going to watch the 2nd episode of trueblood. i guess that can wait for later.
will pump up some elton john. HA. jk.

4. set a timer for 20 minutes.
good idea.

i'm skipping step 5 & 6.

step 7 should be STOP BLOGGING.

hardeehar.

well, off i go. i hope everyone is spending their lovely sundays outdoors. and not indoors cleaning. waaah.

blue & red party

2009-07-15T10:05:00.001-04:00

how is everyone?
this weekend i threw my little sister a birthday party.
so much fun.

sorry for the pic, it was really cloudy that day. my little sister helped me out with the bunting and painted on the letters. i used bias binding to string the triangles together.

i labelled their cups so that my sister could do the seating arrangement (harhar, imagine that) and so that they can re-use them.

i decided to make it a pizza party at the last minute.

which meant sewing 9 aprons at the last minute. their aprons were part of the party favors and they looked adorable in them.

that's my little sister in the middle, with the cute bow.

the basement was a makeshift movie theatre.

i turned the basement kitchen into a concession stand. i placed cotton candy into individual bags, popped some microwave popcorn and transferred them into those cute red and white popcorn bags.

party favors. the boys got the blue (this cool yoyo+disposable camera), girls got red (pretty notebook+disposable camera). i also cut out thank you cards from heavy cardstock and used clothespins to attach it to the bags.

and that is all. she's turning 13 in a few years. hopefully she'll still let me throw parties.

a day at the lake

2009-07-14T14:37:00.005-04:00

c'est juillet but it is still FREEZING.

nothing much is going on. i am dying at work from sleepiness. and the minutes are ticking away ever so slowly.
tonight i am going to
- go for a run
- work on the sleeves of the dress that i am working on from a japanese pattern
- finish ep. 1 of true blood or finish watching waitress
- sleep early

my blog is fixed!

2009-07-08T10:35:00.002-04:00

hello all!
i'm not sure if you noticed, but my blog was being redirected to some other ghastly website (searchacross/blogholic). i definitely missed blogging and i was afraid i had to start from scratch again (coming up with a new blog name was definitely a brainteaser).
but anyway, it's back and i'm back! if you're coming across the same problem, email/comment i will be able to direct you to the different forums i had to visit.

i've had a great few days. john was here. with his slr camera (jealous!). and was able to take some fantastic pics of downtown t.o. this is one of my favorites.

remember to live slow.
miss you already, bub.

happy dad's day

2009-06-21T20:29:00.003-04:00

today was such a lovely day and it was mostly spent in the backyard.

vases of peonies (from the backyard) all in a row

breakfast:

blueberry jam + butter

dinner...

i hope everyone had a great day with their dads. :)
have a good week everyone.