RainyDaySunshine

Changes

2011-10-17T12:12:00.003-07:00

Janelle Fontaine, Registered Massage Therapist, formerly practicing at Central Lonsdale Massage Therapy Clinic is now practicing at Baseline Health at 106 - 2419 Bellevue Ave in West Vancouver. www.baselinehealth.ca

I apologize for any inconvenience that this change may have caused.

I look forward to seeing you at my new clinic.

Sincerely,

Janelle Fontaine
Registered Massage Therapist

The Jandorf

2011-02-17T09:31:00.003-08:00

This salad looks a lot like a Waldorf salad however it's kinda far from it. I am not a fan of celery or mayonnaise in my salads; so as a rule, I'm not overly excited about Waldorf salads. For the purpose of this blog post I'll call this salad the Jandorf because this is truly my favorite salad.
What makes this recipe so great is the vinaigrette. The apple cider vinegar is from the Okanagan Vinegar Brewery in Summerland, BC. Vinegar was never something that got me really excited. That changed when I went to Edible BC on Granville Island where they were having a apple cider vinegar tasting. My favorite from the tasting is the iced cider apple vinegar. It's handcrafted, all natural, unfiltered and local. It's beautiful in flavor and not too sharp. What more could a girl want?!
The honey I use is the Mountain Honey from Honeyview Farm from Rosedale, BC. This honey I picked up while on a day trip to Agassiz. My cousin Joey, Christel and I toured a couple farms and came home with all sorts of goodies. My favorites from that trip were fresh local hazelnuts and the Mountain honey. When I bought the honey, I was told that the hives were placed in the wildflower fields of our BC mountains and that the honey collected from the hives were made from an assortment of BC wildflowers. Having hiked through some of BCs most beautiful valleys while they are in bloom, I was excited at the thought of happy little honey bees buzzing about in such a beautifully pristine setting to make this honey. Kind of like the Club Med of honey making if you ask me. Now yes, I am aware that I am eating all of their hard work and if they had a chance they'd probably be really upset with me for doing so. But I am ever so thankful for the honey and I don't use it too much (I've bought only one other pot of honey since that trip which was about two years ago). I try to appease my guilt by envisioning these honey bees in a beautiful environment, not over consuming their product and living as bee friendly* as possible.
Both the iced apple cider vinegar and the mountain honey can be found at Edible BC on Granville Island. I've also found that Capers carries the honey (the one on Robson did anyways).

The Jandorf

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup roughly chopped dried prunes (or dried tart cherries)
about 6 cups of baby spinach
1 medium granny smith apple, cored and cubed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled pepper goat cheese

For dressing: Whisk first 4 ingredients in a small bowl to blend.
For salad: Layer remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing. Enjoy!

*I like bees. They're super important to every aspect of the food industry and I don't think many people realize this. I know I wasn't aware until I was reading an article about bees while commuting to work and I found myself in tears when I read how we are affecting their survival. It's not something to be proud of.

Tofu, Tomato and Green Bean Curry

2011-02-17T09:15:00.004-08:00

This recipe is one straight from a BC Hydro Powersmart add in the Winter edition of Edible Vancouver. I have yet to figure out what is power smart about this recipe but it's darn delicious so really, it doesn't matter :) The only changes I've made (this recipe is with changes) is that I reduced the amount of oil from 1/2 cup to 1 Tbsp, reduced the salt from 1 Tbsp to 1 tsp and switched the chicken for tofu.

Tofu, Tomato and Green Bean Curry

1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 cups chopped red onion (1 large)
2 Tbsp chopped garlic (6 medium cloves)
3 cups chopped tomatoes (6 medium)
1 tsp tumeric
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp mild Mexican chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 firm tofu packages cubed
1/2 cup water
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut in 1/2 inch pieces

In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil on medium heat for 1 minute.
Add onion and sauté for about 8 minutes, or until light golden on the edges. Don't overcook the red onion, as it is meant to give a sweeter taste to this curry.
Add garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, then add tomatoes and stir well.
Add tumeric, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne and saute for 5 minutes.
Stir in tofu, pour in water and bring to a boil.
Reduce to medium heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid carefully and stir in green beans.
Cook uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until beans are just slightly crunchy.

This makes a relatively large batch but it's amazing for lunches! I serve it with a mix of brown and wild rice. I have yet to try it with quinoa but I am sure that would be delicious too.

Gluten Free Browned Butter Brownies

2011-02-02T18:16:00.003-08:00

Since Gourmet magazine went the way of the dinosaur, I've been receiving Bon Apetit monthly. The articles are almost as good as those in Gourmet and the recipes are equally as inspiring. This month when I opened my little mail cubby, I pulled out a crisp February issue with a simple image of 4 brownie pieces stacked one on top of each other. The cover warned: inside a brownie recipe that will make you want to eat the entire pan. This was not a promise that I was open to considering since I was off dairy, wheat and chocolate. What was gluten free, chocolate free and dairy free were the pictures and recipes. I devoured them with my eyes and let myself be transported to a place where the rich, chewy flavors of a perfect chocolate brownie danced on my tongue.
The magazine had been sitting on my side table for two weeks when I finally told Sean that I had to make these browned butter brownies. Detox was over. Now time to retox! I bought the ingredients and was set to go... but I hesitated... Gluten seemed to be the root of my health issues. And of course, this recipe contained gluten. I quickly looked for a gluten free recipe and was not overly impressed with the results. The last thing I wanted was a healthy version of a delectable treat. So, armed with two recipes, I set off to create a fusion of the two recipes.
By the time I was blending the browned butter and chocolate mixture with the pecan flour I was giddy with excitement. The chocolate hadn't burned in the browned butter mixture. The eggs didn't scramble in the hotness of the chocolate and butter. The pecan mix smelled so good that I could have eaten that all by itself.
I put it all in the oven and hoped for the best. By this point, I figured that what ever cam out of the own I'd eat it. How could butter, sugar, chocolate and pecans go wrong?! The apartment slowly filled with the beautiful smell of cooking chocolate and sugar. What came out of the oven after 30 minutes... well you're just going to have to try this recipe for yourself. Gluten free diet or not this recipe is here to stay. It's blown every other brownie recipe I've ever made out of the water. And for the record, yes, I did eat the whole pan, but over the course of two days.

Gluten Free Browned Butter Brownies

5oz Belgian dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp ground pecan meal*
1/4 slightly rounded cup sorghum flour
1 tablespoon tapioca starch (or flour, same thing different label)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a 9x11-inch baking pan with parchment or foil and lightly oil the bottom and 1/2 way up the sides.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until butter stops foaming and browned bits form at the bottom of the pan, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
While butter is browning, in a medium bowl combine pecan meal, sorghum flour, tapioca starch and baking soda. Set aside.
Remove browned butter from heat; immediately add sugar. Stir until blended (sugar crystals should mostly be dissolved, some may remain).
Next, add finely chopped chocolate and stir constantly until chocolate had melted and is incorporated in the browned butter and sugar mixture. Add vanilla and salt. Stir to blend.
Let sit for 5 minutes as mixture will still be hot.
Add eggs to hot mixture 1 at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. When mixture looks thick and shiny, add flour and stir until blended. Beat vigorously 37 strokes**. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out almost clean (a few moist crumbs will still be attached, that's ok), about 25 to 35 minutes.
Cool in pan on rack. Using parchment/foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Cut and enjoy. :)

*I am sure stores sell this, however, I just made my own using pecans and putting them in the coffee grinder (which is specifically for grinding nuts, seeds and spices).
**37 is totally a random number :) Just stir enough so that it's well blended but no need to over do it.

Goat Cheese and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

2011-01-31T20:34:00.003-08:00

Have you ever chopped the top off a yellow pepper and looked into it? It's like a work of art created by mother nature and hidden, like a treasure, for you to discover.
Chopping the top off peppers to stuff them was something I had never done. Sure, I've sliced, diced and halved peppers but never cut the top off it. When I make stuffed peppers, I usually halve them and that's good enough. A little boat, filled with deliciousness. Having seen how pretty a stuffed roasted pepper was when served whole, I thought I would give it a try.
This recipe is simple and through the simplicity, a beautiful dinner is created. Though one pepper seems like quite a bit for a serving, it was just right. Then again that may have been due to the 2 hours of intense cardio I did prior to making these peppers.

Goat Cheese and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Serves 1
(Tonight, I made 3. The recipe is easy to double or triple. Just adjust cooking times accordingly.)

1/4 cup dry quinoa
1 large bell pepper
1 tablespoon EVOO*
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon salt-free Italian herb seasoning
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350F. Rinse quinoa and place with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep covered.
While quinoa cooks, use a sharp knife to cut the top off the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes; keep the pepper whole. Set aside.
Heat a medium skillet on medium high; add olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, spinach, mushrooms and seasoning and saute until vegetables are slightly tender, about 4 minutes.
Transfer sauteed vegetables to a bowl. Mix in cooked quinoa, and gently fold in goat cheese.
Fill pepper with the mixture. Place in a baking dish and bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until pepper is slightly charred. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Monster Nori Wrap

2011-01-25T21:33:00.006-08:00

I love wraps. They're the ideal 'to go' food. They're compact enough that you can eat and run while still having your hands relatively free to do other things. Now I am in no way a fan of eating on the go but lets be realistic here. Eating on the run is better than not eating at all. While tortilla type wraps are delicious, they can get boring pretty quickly. Here's a recipe I've come up with that blows the traditional wrap out of the water.

Sea Monster Nori Wrap

3 sheets of Nori
1 can tuna in water, drained
1 tbsp mayonnaise
black pepper to taste
1/2 green onion finely chopped
sprouts
1 avocado sliced

In a bowl, mix tuna, mayonnaise, pepper and green onion.
Place nori sheets on a clean, dry surface, shiny side on the counter (matte side up).
Spread 1/3 of the tuna mix over the 1/3 of the nori closest to you (do not spread in the middle, this makes wrapping difficult) leave some nori uncovered on either side of the tuna.
Top tuna with 3 slices of avocado and some sprouts.
Roll as you would a burrito.
Enjoy! These can easily be packed for lunch just make sure to place them in a container and not wrapped in saran wrap (otherwise it'll stick and be messy).

A Beautiful Disaster

2011-01-21T21:32:00.004-08:00

Dinner had the potential to either be a train wreck or a phenomenal experiment. It fell somewhere in between. This sprouted from a craving for pasta I had while I was doing my hour of cardio today. I'm pretty sure I've been lacking carbohydrates because my mind goes at the speed of a turtle and my attention span is that of a gnat (yes, I've upped my fish oils. But that hasn't helped).

Now how to have pasta when you can't have wheat? Well there's rice pasta which I usually eat anyways but brown rice pasta? Isn't that a whole grain? I can't have whole grains. Does it count as a whole grain if it's ground up into a flour and made into pasta? Yeah. Complicated. So I compromised. White rice pasta. But white rice pasta is pretty boring and it sure as heck wouldn't satisfy a monstrous carbohydrate craving. So what else to put in there. Enter crimini mushrooms, kale, red snapper and coconut milk. Now my dinner has potential. The potential to either be a train wreck or a phenomenal experiment.

The result? A beautiful disaster! My pasta clumped together. So what? The rest. Phenomenal!

Pasta with crimini mushroom,
kale and red snapper coconut sauce

1/3 package of white rice pasta (or if you're not on this darn cleanse, use what ever you please)
2 tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 piece of red snapper, bones removed
1 can coconut milk
1 container of crimini mushrooms
a pinch of provencal herbs
5 kale leaves, washed, center removed and roughly chopped

Cook pasta (I won't tell you how I did it because clearly that's the wrong way haha)
While pasta cooks, saute mushrooms in 1 tbsp coconut oil. When the mushrooms are half sauted, add the pinch of provencal herbs.
While mushrooms saute, add 1/2 tbsp coconut oil to a small pan, fry half the garlic and add fish (medium low heat) to the pan. Cover. Forget about it. Don't uncover it for at least 5 minutes.
Once mushrooms are cooked, set aside in a bowl. Take mushroom pan and add the remaining 1/2 tsbp coconut oil and the remainder of the garlic. Lightly cook garlic.
Once garlic is sauted, add can of coconut milk. Let simmer until fish and pasta has finished cooking.
Roughly chop cooked fish (remove the skin before chopping).
Place drained pasta back into pasta pot, add coconut garlic sauce, kale, sauted mushrooms and fish. Warm throughout and serve immediately.

Cleanse or no cleanse. Enjoy :) This is pretty darn delicious! I'm already looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Just say NO! to wheat, dairy, soy, corn, nuts, seeds, whole grains...

2011-01-17T20:29:00.003-08:00

...and the list goes on!

I've been dealing with certain health issues since I've been 18 (this is pre Australia trip... which was a LONG time ago!). They've been persistent and at times so frustrating and painful that I've cried myself to sleep. So last week I put my foot down and told the naturopath that he could do ANYTHING he wanted to make these damn symptoms go away. I've been seeing the same naturopath for 3 years now and he's been great. He's helped me with many aspects of my health but this certain issue has been stubborn and has stuck around despite our efforts. Last year the symptoms decreased and things were actually manageable for a while. Three months ago everything came crawling back and I'm back at square one.

So, step one to feeling better is to heal my small and large intestine. This means I'm not allowed to eat the following for the next three weeks.

Wheat
Dairy
Soy (or any soy products) - bye bye tofu :( and Braggs
Corn (or any corn products)
Seeds
Nuts
Whole Grains
Roughage (think celery, cucumbers - they also have seeds so they're definitely out, tomatoes, bell peppers cabbage, carrots, lettuce)
Berries
Caffeine
Alcohol
Carbonated beverages
Chocolate - OH NO!!!!
Popcorn
Spicy foods (such as chili powder, salsa, black and cayenne pepper, paprika, cloves, cinnamon...)

Now when I saw the list I was like what the heck CAN I eat! I think that would be a better list to be given. Along with diet plan so I don't have to think about what I should eat (though not eating seemed like the easiest option at this point). Basically he said that leafy greens are ok as is meat. Oh and avocados too! Yay!

So I've come up with a couple delicious recipes. Those I'll post. But otherwise my dinners have been comprised of a mountain of greens and a slab of fish. I've replaced my chocolate intake (usually I pack a square of chocolate in my lunch. It does the trick) with gummy bears.

As for the health issues... two days into this whole mess my symptoms are all but gone. They resurfaced a little but went away a day later. I'm on day 5 now. Almost 1/3 done :) Yay! Looks like this should be worth it in the long run.

Waking from my gulttonous coma

2011-01-08T12:15:00.003-08:00

The untouched tin of home made cookies and chocolate box are proof that I probably over did it this year. Of course just because I've over done it, does not mean that I will now starve myself. No way. I just plan on eating lighter, healthier again. When breakfast seems too heavy I usually go for a freshly juiced drink or a protein smoothie. This Veggie Detox drink I found in the latest issue of Bon Apetit. It's a wonderful way to start or end the day.

Veggie Detox

2 firm bosc pears, stemmed, cut into wedges
1 3/4 piece fresh ginger
5 medium carrots, cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
1 baby beet, scrubbed, cut into wedges
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley (stems and leaves)
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Working in batches, push the above ingredients into juicer. Stir in lemon juice at the end. Serves 2.

Passion Imprinted

2011-01-08T08:43:00.003-08:00

Two days ago I was rushing around, trying to get ready for work as quickly and quietly as possible. As usual when Sean stays over, I'm late. I have trouble peeling myself away from my bed because I'd rather spend a lazy morning with him than go to work (even though I really enjoy what I do... which is what makes this such a problem). So there I was, fresh out of the shower, about to start straigthening my hair and at the same time cooking rice, steaming kale and frying tofu. I started heating the oil for frying and then went to straighten a layer of hair. I went back to the hot pan and threw the tofu in the pan. By the time I realized I was tossing it in at the wrong angle, it was too late. Hot oil splashed my tummy, the front of my hip and my thigh. It hurt. I swore. Tears stung my eyes. Damn it! I really didn't have time to nurse an injury now too! Out came the ice pack and I continued to cook and get ready while icing my burns. I spent the rest of the morning wishing I could not wear underwear or pants because the feeling of the material rubbing against my burn was excruciating. I spent the day with ice packs stuffed down my pants. Most clients didn't notice. They're face down, asleep or looking up at the ceiling. Had they noticed, I would have explained. But I felt that 'you're therapist was cooking naked and burnt herself with oil' was on a need to know basis.
Last night I was laying in bed and I wondered: what if these (or the top one at least which is kind of an ugly purple colour) burns turned into permanent scars? How would I feel? I observed the contrast of the largest purple burn against my skin. The edge a shocking contrast against my white tummy. The smaller pinkish splatters look like they will fade. The bottom streak has blistered, I know those will heal with time. But the most obvious one, what if that was permanent? I realized I would be ok with that. I already have two tattoos representing who I am. This would be just like that. Representing my passion for cooking and my appreciation for the naked human form.
So now I wait for things to heal. Regardless of the outcome, I'm ok with it.

When all else fails. Make desert.

2010-12-09T11:24:00.004-08:00

Alright, so dinner wasn't a failure. It's just a work in progress.

There's nothing I enjoy more than cooking for people I love. So when I found out that Mom, Dad, Stéphane and Dasha were coming over for dinner, I put my thinking cap on and tried to whip something up that would be gluten free, vegetarian, low in fiber, include some form of protein, no chocolate and not too expensive. Ummmm right. That's a tough one. So I settled on a beet salad and Zucchini Corn Pancakes.

My zucchini corn pancakes were originally supposed to be vegan friendly and had gluten in it. I nixed regular flour and used buckwheat flour instead. I am sure I could/should have used a mixture of other flours that would be lighter than buckwheat but it's what I had on hand. I also added chopped shrimp to the pancakes. The finished product was really delicious but the texture is a work in progress. The outside took a while to brown and the inside still remained doughy. Dasha and I played with different temperatures and tried butter vs. olive oil. Olive oil in the best we've found but it still left the inside a little too doughy for my liking. The recipe definitely has potential so I'll keep playing around with it.

The beet salad was something I wanted to try because Sean had a beet salad with yellow beets that he really enjoyed. He's mentioned it a couple times that we should try to make the salad again. I have never had a beet salad. Beets being recently introduced into my kitchen as they weren't something I really enjoyed before. I could see the potential with this salad but it wasn't quite what I was hoping for. I think I'll have to try a couple before I try to make my own.

Feeling quite discouraged, I set to make desert. When it comes to sweets I feel like a have a better handle on the flavors. I feel more confidant so I play with ingredients a little more. The dish was inspired by the tropics. Think mangoes, papaya and bananas with the comforting taste of vanilla and cardamom. It was like sunshine in a bowl. Which was a welcome change considering the cold wet Vancouver weather.

3/4 cup turbinado sugar (I prefer to use turbinado sugar because it's flavor is earthy which lends itself well to this recipe)
1 cup water
6 cardamom pods - seeds removed*
1 ripe papaya
1 ripe mango
1 banana
1 container of Vanilla Liberte Mediterranée Yogurt

In a small pot, add sugar, water and cardamom seeds. Boil on medium high heat until it becomes thick but not quite caramel consistency.
While the sauce is cooking, dice papaya, mango and banana and place in a medium bowl. Place 2 scoops of yogurt in each serving bowl (if you have small bowls, use them. I forgot to and used a big bowl... the desert ends up looking lost.)
Once the sauce is ready, pass through a sieve to remove cardamom seeds. Sieve directly over diced fruit. Stir until fruit are well coated.
Scoop fruit over yogurt and enjoy!

Leftover fruit mix is delicious on oatmeal in the morning.

* To remove the seeds from the cardamom pods, set one cardamom pod on your counter, take a large knife and lay it flat on top of the cardamom pod, crush the pod (usually one good whack with your fist will do. But be careful!). Pick out the seeds from the crushed cardamom mess. Repeat with 5 other pods.

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

2010-12-08T16:54:00.005-08:00

Yesterday I bought my first ever Christmas tree! I was brimming with pride when I carried it home. I cuddled it closed to me because I knew this little green shrub was the first in my very own tradition. What is different from this little green shrub is that it isn't a coniferous tree but a perennial herb. My Christmas Tree is a Rosemary plant.

Now how did I go from a traditional Christmas tree to a not so traditional tree? Well, it started a couple of years ago when I read an article about alternate tree type decorations for Christmas (or Solstice). The idea was the Christmas trees aren't environmentally friendly and their artificial counterpart isn't any better. So what to do? I wasn't ready to nix the whole Christmas tree idea all together. Afterall, a Christmas without a Christmas tree is like a Birthday without a Birthday cake! While some may be there, I just wasn't ready to accept the idea.

This year I got a letter from the building that I live in saying that we aren't allowed to have any live Christmas trees in our apartments. Apparently this is a fire hazard (I could see their point if we were still putting candles in our Christmas tree but thanks to technology, we have these wonderful little electric lights). If anything, I think it would just be a bigger mess for the cleaning people to clean up when we take out our dehydrated, shriveled up, needle dropping Chritstmas trees. But I digress.

Last week, Mom called to tell me the news; this year we will not have a Christmas tree. WWHHHHAAATTTT!!!! No Christmas tree?! So what are we going to decorate?! And what will I sleep under Christmas morning?! Oh right, I haven't slept under the Christmas tree for probably 15 years. This was a tradition that my brother and I enjoyed when we were little. It was always such a treat to camp out in the living room, surrounded by presents and twinkling lights. Eventually we outgrew the tradition but I definitely haven't outgrown the memories.

So now I was faced with the reality. No Christmas tree allowed in my apartment (unless it's a fake one, but I don't want a fake one, I want a real one. It smells nicer and somehow I think it's more environmentally friendly) and now, no Christmas tree at Mom and Dads. It was hard for my overly traditional brain to wrap around. What to do? I toyed with the idea of getting a potted pine tree or something of the sort that I could decorate and then plant in the forest come spring time but then I remembered the little tree that my brother and I grew when we were little. I think it stayed in our yard for 5 years before getting too big. We dug it up and with Mom and Dads help, we set out to plant it in Queen Elizabeth Park. We found it a new home and promised it we'd come visit (which seemed like a reasonable thing to tell a tree when you're 10). When we went back to visit, it was gone. Apparently the parks keeps track of which tree is where and if a tree is planted where it shouldn't be, it gets removed. So, Christmas tree in pot idea was thrown out the window.

If I was going to get something live, I wanted it to be used after the Holiday season was over. I'm absolutely terrible at keeping any plant (having recently thrown out my plumeria 'tree' - more like stick - it died because it was too cold in my apartment. I was proud of this little plant! I brought a teenie nub home from Hawaii and tried to grow it here - knowing full well that our climate is VERY different. It worked for 3 years and it would make pretty leaves during the spring and summer, in the fall they would drop and it would hibernate and then take on the spring again. It never made flowers but it was pretty and I was semi successful at growing a tropical plant in a not so tropical environment). What resemble a Christmas tree, is useful after Christmas and easy to take care of? A rosemary plant!

So there we have it. A non traditional Christmas tree. I even went to Michaels where they have an entire section of really tiny ornaments for really tiny Christmas trees! Now it's almost perfect. It just needs to grow a little because the star on top is a little bit too big but if I keep up with watering (it needs a cup of water a day) it should look great.

Dried-Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

2010-12-02T13:55:00.002-08:00

These cookies are a side effect of being struck by Cupid. Love makes you do silly things, this includes making heart shaped cookies.

Dried-Cranberry Shortbread Hearts

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 with rack in the center. Put butter, sugar, vanilla, flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a wooden spoon* until combined but not too creamy. Stir in dried cranberries.
Press dough evenly into a 8-inch square (or 10' round works as well) baking pan. Bake until firm and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes.
Run a knife around edges; remove shortbread (be careful, it's fragile. This is where having two people in the kitchen came in handy) and transfer, right side up, to work surface.
Cut out hearts with a 2-inch heart shaped cookie cutter. Trim any stray bits of cranberry from edges with a paring knife. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

*I personally use my hands. I like to feel my food. Plus, you get to lick your fingers after your finished mixing. Yes, I wash my hands afterwards.

'Naughty' Chocolate Cookies

2010-12-02T13:29:00.003-08:00

To kick off December, Chera came over and we made some delicious cookies. There's nothing better than a warm apartment filled with the wonderful smell of baking cookies. One of the cookies we made were the 'Naughty' Chocolate Cookies that I spoke about in my previous blog post. The only thing we didn't add to these was orange rind. We didn't have any oranges. Oops. They are yummy cookies none the less!

'Naughty' Chocolate Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp finely ground pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 tbsp and 1 tsp of good quality instant espresso powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Orange rind, grated finely to taste.
Coarse sanding sugar, for rolling (I used regular sugar because I forgot that I could use turbinado sugar)

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, espresso powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl; set aside.
Put butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment*; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, vanilla and orange rind. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined.
Turn out dough onto a piece of parchment paper, and roll into a 2 inch diameter log**. Roll log in the parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350. Remove log from parchment paper. Let soften slightly at room temperature, about 5 minutes. Roll log in sanding sugar, gently pressing down to adhere sugar to dough. Transfer log to a cutting board and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Place rounds on baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Sprinkle each round with freshly ground pepper.
Bake cookies until there is slight resistance when you lightly touch centers, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in air-tight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

* I used a hand held mixer. But before I got my hand held mixer for my birthday (Thanks Mom & Dad) I used a whisk and it works just fine.

** A problem I always have with these cookies is that they end up looking like D's because one of the sides get flattened when I cut them. This time, I made a rectangle and made square cookies. Problem solved :)

Chocolate Dutch Apple Cake

2010-11-29T13:42:00.002-08:00

Oh my! This cake is pretty darn delicious! Mom and I made this cake the same night we made the Tom Kha soup. After my first bite I knew I had to have the recipe. She's made it before but I think we were missing the secret ingredient.
Chera was over on Friday and I decided to make this cake at home. The one I made was pretty yummy but it was missing something. What takes this cake to a different level is fresh, ground nutmeg. When the cake has aged (give it a day or so...) the nuttiness of the fresh, ground nutmeg blossoms and it takes this cake to a whole new level. After leaving my regular nutmeg cake be for a day, it was just as yummy as the day it came out of the oven but it didn't have that hint of nutmeg that Mom's cake had. So Santa, if you're reading this, I'd like a nutmeg grinder for Christmas. :)
Now Chera wasn't able to have some cake on Friday so I promised her that I would keep some. I think this will be a promise that will be hard to keep. I gave Sean a piece on Saturday when he went snowboarding with the guys. He (who has tried Mom's recipe) said it was just as delicious as Mom's but mine had more apples (which is true, it did, I added 3 cups instead of 2 and kept the peel on, which I think Mom removed). When I spoke to him today, I told him I forgot to give him a piece of chocolate apple cake for work today. I think his response to that was 'Yeah you did!". Which made me laugh. What can I say, I am not thinking straight at 6am when he leaves for work. Actually I barely even hear him leave most of the time. I am pretty sure that between the two of us, the entire cake will be gone by Wednesday (which is when Chera comes over again and we'll be making Dried Cranberry Shortbread Hearts and my favorite Naughty Chocolate Espresso Peppered Orange Cookies*) and all that will be left of the cake is something like this...

Chocolate Dutch Apple Cake

2 Eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg (freshly ground if you can)
1/2 cup milk
2 cups diced apples
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar, then add 3/4 cup melted butter.
Blend together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add to egg mixture alternating with milk, stirring until just moistened.
Blend in apples and chopped walnuts.
Pour into a greased and floured 8-cup pan (like a bundt pan, or a large loaf pan). Bake at 350 for 40-45 mins.

*These Naughty Chocolate Espresso Peppered Orange Cookies were a hit two years ago when I made them in a combination Naughty & Nice cookie tin (the 'Nice' cookies were Organic Spelt Ginger Snaps... as delicious as they were, they didn't hold a candle to the 'Naughty' cookies). The recipe is a fusion of two recipes. I'm still playing around with the flavors so that it can become my staple Christmas Cookie.

Cold Weather Requires Warm & Comforting Soup

2010-11-29T13:07:00.002-08:00

Last week Mom and I had a girls night while Dad was out with a friend of his and my brother and his wife, Dasha, were on their way back from their 3 month trip around Eastern Europe. When Mom asked me if I had any particular craving I thought of soup... but what kind of soup? One of my all time favorite soup is Tom Kha. It's so delicious that I'll order it any time we go to a Thai restaurant and I've even requested it as a birthday dinner two years ago. I was so impressed with our homemade version that I am now almost certain that we might be part Thai! It definitely stands up next to the Tom Kha soup at Khai Thai Restaurant (the best place I've been for Thai food in Vancouver so far).
Cooking with Mom is great :) Without knowing it, she and Dad raised my brother and I with a strong connection to food. Now that we're older, my brother and I are taking that love for food that we were raised with and we're passing it on to our friends and one day we'll pass it along to our own family.

Tom Kha Soup

Serves 8 (Not full meals

3 (13 1/2 ounce) cans low-sodium low-fat chicken broth or veggie broth
1 (13 1/2 ounce) can coconut milk (regular, not lite)
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced in large pieces
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon shrimp paste (use anchovy paste as a substitute)
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3 limes, zest of
3 limes, juice of
3 serrano chili peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger, julienned in fine,short 1/4 inch strips
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 block of Firm Tofu diced and fried
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch bok choy, chopped (we used chard because we had some from the garden but I think this can be omitted all together because I've never seen bok choy or chard in a Tom Kha soup)
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (leave the stems in!)
1 -2 tablespoon lime juice, to taste (probably)

In 4qt or larger, heavy-bottomed pot, begin heating chicken/veggie broth and coconut milk on low-medium heat.
Add the other ingredients for the broth, down through the brown sugar, as you prepare them.
Bring broth to a slow simmer; never allow it to reach a rolling boil, and do not cover it at any time during cooking.
When broth is simmering, start stir frying your tofu cubes. Make sure to turn often so they are cooked on all sides.
Continue down the list of ingredients, adding them to the soup while the tofu cooks, stirring regularly.
Once the tofu is fully cooked, add it into the soup then add the cilantro.
About a minute after adding the cilantro, taste the soup and add some additional lime juice as desired to punch up the flavor (maybe 1-2 T--don't overdo it!)
Serve immediately.

*Some ingredients in the soup made me wrinkle my nose. Fish sauce on its own smells pretty gross! Anchovy paste too! I didn't even want to touch the stuff. When you mix it all together the smell of the fish sauce or the anchovy paste blend really nicely. I'd be afraid to try the recipe without these possible key ingredients.

The original recipe can be found here.

Feeding the critters

2010-11-23T12:19:00.002-08:00

If you would have told me that little humming birds would fly to the 18th floor, I would have looked at you funny. If you would have told me that I would buy a humming bird feeder to feed said humming birds I would consider it but decide not to because... humming birds don't make it to the 18th floor. If you would have told me that humming birds would fly to the 18th floor in the middle of a storm or -5 weather I probably would have chuckled. If you would have told me that I'd be standing in -5 weather with my hair dryer unthawing my humming bird feeder I would have thought you were crazy.
Also, I would have seriously misjudged myself! At the sight of my first little humming bird friend in October, I bought a feeder (the very same day). I looked up how to make food for something with such a basic diet (no hash browns here) and made my new found friend dinner (and breakfast and lunch and dinner... they don't eat a lot, so one recipe will keep them fed for a while). He didn't come back. One day went by then two then three then a couple weeks! Then he came back, ate and left for a couple more. Just as I was complaining to Sean that my humming bird friends were gone, they came back! That very morning, Sean and Tugger sat on my living room floor waiting for the birds as they came and went (this was definitely a Kodak moment).
Since then I've been finding ways to keep their food from freezing. I was using my hairdryer to thaw the ice but that took too long (I kept looking around to make sure no one was watching, luckily no one in their right mind is on their balcony in -5). I MacGyvered a quick release for the feeder so that it could stay safely attached during the high winds (bird feeder falling 18 floors doesn't seem very safe) but I could also remove it during the night so it doesn't freeze and reattach it around 6am for the birds to feed. With the cold weather we've been having now, I have to take it in every 4 hours, soak it upside down in hot water otherwise their little tongues will get stuck to the giant popsickle. It's something that may seem like a lot of work but I don't mind doing it. They're really cool to watch and Tugger is really cute when he sees them (video to come).
So far it looks like there's two. A ballsy guy bird who usually comes earlier on in the morning. He will also come up to the window and go beak to nose with Tugger and chirp at him. He'll also keep me company when I am changing his feed or warming it, usually flying around my head, we've looked each other in the eyes before and I was kind of intimidated. Haha! The second one is a little fatter and paler, I think these are the females, either that or it's my morning bird with a little frost on him. She's shy and I have to move REALLY slowly when I get close to the window to watch it feed otherwise she'll fly off. There could be more than two but judging by their colours and characters, I think there's only the two.

Humming Bird Feed

1/4 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water

Pour 1 cup boiling water in a measuring cup, add sugar and stir until all sugar is dissolved.
Measuring the water after it's been boiled makes it so that the solution is more accurate.
Regular refined sugar is best. Colouring, honey or any other fancy stuff (which of course I looked up because the original recipe seemed too basic) can be bad for them.
The sugar water mix needs to be changed every week to every two weeks otherwise it gets moldy.

So don't be shy, put up a humming bird feeder. Those little guys don't have a whole lot to eat this time of year and they really appreciate it. If none come by initially, maybe put some red leaves or something around it. It was my fall leaves on my balcony that initially attracted them.

Hash browns & Avocados

2010-11-23T11:23:00.003-08:00

A week ago, my cousin Nadine posted on facebook 'its a hashbrown + avocado breakfast combo kinda day'. This sparked an OMG I want hash browns craving. It's strange. I don't like hash browns. I don't like potatoes. Ok. It's not so much that I don't like them it's just I don't have potato cravings or a desire to eat potatoes. My brother on the other hand, LOVES potatoes!
So on November 19th, my brothers 22nd birthday, I celebrated him in style and made a hash browns and avocado breakfast. My brother has been traveling Eastern Europe with Dasha for the past two and a half months so this was as close as I could get to celebrating with him.
The recipe is a dum dee dum* I created so feel free to use your own creativity.

Hash browns & Avocado

1/2 a tsp butter
a little more than a pan full of hash browns
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp butter
a pinch of oregano
a pinch of an other green herb (this is the mystery herb in my herb collection... I have no idea what it is. Chances are you have it too)
a fair good sprinkling of paprika
1 tsp butter
1/2 avocado

Heat the butter in the pan, it should be enough to cover the bottom of your pan, if not, add more.
Add enough hash browns to cover the bottom of the pan (a little more as they'll shrink). You won't want to over do it here, otherwise they'll be mushy (I think mushrooms and hash browns have this in common, which is why Julia Child said 'Don't crowd the mushrooms! Otherwise they'll steam instead of fry.').
Fry your hash browns until they're just about ready. Add salt and pepper to taste.
While the hash browns are cooking, dice the avocado.
Add a little bit more butter, oregano, other green herb (you can omit this), then sprinkle all of the hash browns with paprika (not too thick, just enough to cover them). Toss everything together.
Serve hash browns (makes about 1 serving), add diced avocado, mix, enjoy!

*term Dad uses for a recipe made up as he goes along. Usually it's impossible to duplicate the original but you can come close.

Oh so yammy!

2010-11-17T21:34:00.003-08:00

I like yams. I also like corny jokes. You can blame my Dad for that. :)

I've made this recipe before and I liked it so much that I made it so many times that I got bored of it. I think that's about to happen all over again. I was hoping to have enough patties for dinner, for a post soccer snack for Sean and for lunch tomorrow. Looks like Sean's snack is going to be a teenie one and so is my lunch. These things are phenomenal! The photo doesn't look overly appetizing but it is! Enjoy.

chickpea, squash and yam patties

• 1 1/2 cups mashed chickpeas (16 oz can or you can use dried that have been soaked over night and then boiled for an hour)
• 1 cup of squash grated (Erin and I use acorn but you can use any variety: banana, butternut, pumpkin spaghetti)
• 1 cup potato grated yam (or sweet potato)
• 2 tbsp fresh diced green onion
• 2 tbsp fresh diced parsley (this time I used cilantro because I grabbed cilantro instead of parsley)
• 1/2 tbsp dried dill (optional, I didn't put any in because I don't have any... plus dill is one of those things I don't like...)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like it hot or less if you don’t)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• Safflower oil for frying

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.

Add flour and use clean hands to work mixture together. Don’t over work it or it will not keep together.

Form patties in a size of your liking and fry in medium heat pan until browned on each side.

Thanks Erin for an other great recipe!

Getting ready for hibernation?

2010-11-17T12:27:00.005-08:00

This morning I woke up to a foggy, wet and windy day. Being my first client isn't until 4:30, I decided to take today to finish what I started yesterday.
While doing the Grouse Grind this summer, I overheard two moms talking about how they prepare dried garbanzo beans. One of them was talking about how it took a lot of prep time. Soak overnight, boil for an hour then they're ready to use. It's so much easier to grab a can from the cupboard, open it and you're ready to rock. The Mom #2 said that what she did was that she put a whole bag of dried beans to soak, then she'd boil them, let them dry out on a towel for 30 minutes or so then bag them and freeze them. I thought her idea was brilliant so I did just that this morning. I put my beans to soak before yoga last night, boiled and bagged them this afternoon.
I also took the odds and ends of breads that had accumulated in my freezer (I tend to abandon the crust ends), dried them in the oven and made bread crumbs with them. I froze 5 lunches from last nights lasagna too. During my venture in my freezer I found 3 fossilized black bananas. Now I knew they weren't that colour when I put them in there so I knew they were good. I had yogurt that needed using up too so I decided to make my banana bread recipe. My apartment now smells so delicious! I don't know what I like more, the smell of baking banana bread or the banana bread itself.
Once that's baked, I'll probably freeze a loaf into lunch size slices. Yeah, I think it's official, I am getting ready to hibernate and eat well this winter.

Beautiful Banana Bread

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I mix all-purpose flour and whole wheat, sometimes I throw in spelt, sometimes I throw in buckwheat... it all depends on my mood).

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

2 1/3 cups sugar (I used brown sugar and used only a cup)

1 cup vegetable oil (I mix veg oil and EVOO*)

3 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (6 large)

1/4 cup crème fraîche (yogurt works too)

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 5- by 3-inch) metal loaf pans, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together 3 1/4 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, crème fraîche, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and walnuts gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.

YUMMMM! Enjoy!

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Photo - the 'a table...' decal is part of my new kitchen decor. I love that it was available in French :)

Tofu and lemon juice in my Lasagna!!!

2010-11-16T17:07:00.003-08:00

Inspired by my little crimini mushrooms that were begging to be used up before they withered away and dried in my fridge, I decided to make a vegetarian lasagna. Most recipes are unappealing and lack protein. I snooped through Erin's blog and found the following recipe. I was intrigued by the use of tofu (both firm and soft) instead of ground beef and ricotta cheese. And lemon in lasagna! I'd never seen that before. The oddity of this recipe made me want to try it... and you know what? It's pretty darn delicious!
The recipe here is Erin's recipe. The only changes I made was that I used cow mozzarella instead of vegan mozzarella. I also didn't used a food processor or blender to blend the tofu mixture instead opting for the more basic, hands on technique of crumbling the firm tofu by hand and whisking the soft tofu. I've changed the way I cook a little. I've found myself cooking with my senses a little more. I want to touch my food. I want to feel the tofu break apart beneath the pressure of my fingers. I want to smell the basil and garlic (which I used raw instead of dried/powdered) on my hands after I've cooked. I'm now soaking garbanzo beans because I like the snapping and cracking sound of them expanding in the bowl as they fill themselves with water. I also cook by smell and not by timer (which has failed occasionally and resulted in accidental testing of my smoke detector... lesson learned, use timer when you have a cold! You can't smell) relying on the smells that fill my kitchen and the look of something cooking instead of a beeping sound.

9 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (one bunch fresh spinach)
5 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced (or little crimini mushrooms)
2 small zucchinis, sliced into rounds
1 tbsp safflower oil (or EVOO - extra virgin olive oil)
1 pkg soft organic tofu
1 pkg pressed organic tofu
1/4 cup organic soymilk (or almond milk)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or fresh)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp dried basil (or two sprigs fresh, chopped)
2 tsp salt
1 jar of organic tomato sauce
2 cups mozzarella or Vegan Gourmet Mozzarella Cheese Alternative, shredded

Prepare the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain carefully and set aside on a towel.
Heat ½ tbsp oil in a large pan over medium heat, sauté mushrooms until soft and dark. Remove from heat and set aside
In the same pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add zucchini rounds and sauté until soft and lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a blender, combine tofu, soymilk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil and salt and blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix tofu blend and spinach until well combined
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cover the bottom of baking pan with a layer of tomato sauce, followed by a layer of noodles.
Add layer of tofu spinach mix and then another layer of noodles.
Evenly layer mushrooms & zucchini, then tomato sauce, followed by another layer of noodles
Use remaining tofu spinach mixture as final layer, ending with the remaining noodles covered by the remaining tomato sauce.
Top with shredded “mozzarella”
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until tomato sauce bubbles.

Back in the Kitchen

2010-11-16T16:03:00.005-08:00

After having taken a break from my adventurous cooking sessions, I'm back. While cooking up a Vegetarian Lasagna this afternoon I pondered my absence in the kitchen. It's not to say that I wasn't cooking, I just didn't have the passion that I did a year or so ago. That, I think I will attribute it to this past year being the hardest I've been through for a while.
It all started with the letdown of not going to Europe, followed by an intense two weeks of studying, passing my written RMT exam, failing my oral practical, working at something I knew wasn't quite what I wanted to do in a place I didn't really want to work, getting into a relationship that was temporarily satisfying but ended up turning my world upside down and testing me like I'd never been tested before. I remember one of my friends chuckling and asking me if I needed to be taken care of. I paused and said yes. She laughed and told me I was being unreasonable. We're no longer friends. I can't think of too many times when I've asked for someone to help me be strong. I always try to do it on my own. I may show weakness but I always insist on staying grounded, on my own.
I passed my board exams, lived with my ex, started my own business, worked at the spa and at a medical clinic. I was working seven days a week without the volume of clients I wanted. I worked my ass off trying to get clients, marketing, making my own website (with a little help from a friend) all of which exhausted me because all I wanted to do was work as an RMT and treat people.
With all this, I just wanted to escape, I wanted to travel, go somewhere and do something new. Be in control of some aspect of my life instead of living with the unknown of what daily life would bring (both at home and at work). I started hosting couch surfers from couchsurfing.org. Several travelers stayed at my place and each and every one of them brought something special into my life. I was able to travel vicariously through them and though I was often tempted to join them on their journey, I stayed grounded. One couch surfer was Kamil from Hawaii. Because he only had about 48 hours in Vancouver, I had to find a quick, easy and fun way to see the city. We rented bikes and cycled the seawall to Granville Island where we had lunch and lay in the grass under some trees. The combination of cycling, food and Kamil's easy going company made for an absolutely wonderful day. I hadn't been on a bike in several years and I was reminded what fun it could be.
By August my ex finally moved out. I got rid of my business thinking that it would be better to work full time at the medical clinic (which I love working at! The women there are amazing and the clients are the kind of people I want to treat). Letting go of my business, something I had worked so hard at, was difficult. Remembering the carefree feeling and freedom I felt when Kamil was here, I bought myself a bike. I was thinking that my world could collapse around me and everything and everyone could leave me but I'd still have my bike. I found a freedom riding my bike (named him Othello). My commute to and from work became a time for me to let go and feel life surround me and refuel me. I enjoyed watching my growth as a very very rookie rider who wobbled on her bike when she started up to someone who could ride in traffic with ease and confidence. My bike was great! It felt so right. Not a week after I had my bike, it was stolen.
By now I was epicly deflated. I still had more than a lot of people do but I felt like I was grasping for things blindly. I don't know what has changed but something has. And it's for the better. I'm finally feeling established at the clinic I work at. The feedback I am getting from clients is positive and we're seeing improvement. I still work at the spa but I've managed my schedule so that I am in and out. I actually enjoy the work there, especially because I have a new bike and cycle to and from work.
Now through all this, not all has been negative. My brother got married, I passed my board exams, went to Hawaii and Winnipeg. I learnt a lot about life, business and myself. I had the support of many friends and family. I realized how absolutely fantastic the people that surround me really are. I found strength within myself to tackle the Grouse Grind over 20 times. Sixteen of those times raising money for the BC Children's Hospital. I adopted Tugger from the BCSPCA. I moved out and made my apartment my own little heaven. I met Sean and have enjoyed spending time with him (though I'm quite gun shy... but maybe that's a good thing).
So to those people who have been in my life for the past year and a half while I slowly work things out, thank you. Whether I see you every day, once a week, once a month or whether we just crossed paths on our own journey. Thank you. Each and every one of you have brought a special something in my life. Whether you've given me strength, reminded me of a value I may have had but forgot about, taught me about the world, anything... what you brought into my life is immensely appreciated.

Now let the cooking begin!

New blog: J Made of Sugar

2010-04-22T21:13:00.002-07:00

I'm taking a break from RainyDaySunshine and I've started a new blog. This one focuses on my running (or my attempt to anyways) as opposed to my life. Life right now is amazing with a hand full of curve balls thrown in there. Every day changes so much that it would be impossible to keep up. So for now, I am keeping it simple and blogging about running :)
You can follow my new blog: J Made of Sugar, right here.

Days are flying by!!

2010-02-04T17:44:00.006-08:00

A whole month (and then some) has passed by since my last post. I don't think I've stopped blogging for this long since I've started! So, what has happened? Here's a quick recap.
With the help of my amazing friends we made 444 gingerbread men for the homeless people. They were all decorated and individually wrapped then handed out on Christmas day. It took less then an hour to hand them out and we covered 3 city blocks (from main and hastings, going west). Something that really hit home was that we were half way through handing out our gingerbread people when we decided to go into the women's shelter. I asked the organizer if we could leave some gingerbread men for the women and as she was responding, I turned around to face the common room where all the women were. I was stunned to see that the common room was packed with women (sitting on couches, standing, sitting on one an others lap... there wasn't room for an other person!). The organizer asked how much we had left, I guessed about 200 and she said that she could take them but would have to wait until some of the women left so to make sure that everyone got one and no one would fight. I was struck by the amount of homeless people that live on the downtown east side. 444 cookies was barely scraping the surface!
The girls came over for an amazing pre Christmas dinner. I made poke for the first time and it brought me right back to Maui! It was just like we had in Hawaii! Dinner was amazing and the company was even better :) We laughed, ate, reminisced about 2009 and predicted what was to come for 2010.
We spent yet an other magical Christmas with the family. Nadine was up from Winnipeg and we even got to see Sarah (from Pullman) and Christopher (New York)! I love Christmas because I always get to catch up with my friends and cousins that I spent most of my childhood with.
New Years was perfect! I spent it with my girls (having Schwarma and champagne on in our hotel room before going out was almost as awesome as going out). We spent our new year running between Havanas and the Libra Room. Angelo joined us in time to ring in the new year so I was a happy, lucky girl to be with my ladies AND my man :)
After the 1st, it was crunch time for boards. I got my oral practical date: January 22nd. I took time off work and I quit my job at Big City Cupcakes. No real reason for quitting at BBC other then I no longer need to work 7 days a week. I actually enjoyed studying this time around. Angelo helped a lot because he's taken the Spa Therapy & Holistic Massage program at Langara College. He asked me a lot of questions which made me think about what I was talking about and solidified the knowledge in my head. I still went in feeling really nervous. Overall I feel it went better then my last exam, however I don't know yet whether I've passed. I really hope I have because I'm ready to move on!
Feb 1st I moved in to my fist new place! I am totally stoked! It's perfect (other then the mess of boxes that is still in the living room) :) It's in North Vancouver, facing North so I have a perfect view of the North shore mountains from my kitchen, balcony and bedroom. Today was the first day of blue sky and the view took my breath away :) I can't wait to have it all clean and set up so I can have people over. Right now I still get an overwhelming feeling that washes over me when I open the front door! There are just so many freaking boxes! And the worst part is, we still need more shelving and storage units to put it all away. So before we can put it all away, we need to get new units! Bah! Anyways, I guess these are the joys of moving in. I'm sure I'll be posting pictures when I think of bringing my USB cord to coffee shops. We don't have Internet yet so I've been hitting up coffee shops. Kind of fun but getting expensive.
So here I am, sitting in a coffee shop while waiting for my first and only client of the day. Can't wait to get home and keep cleaning/unpacking!

Spelt Pancakes

2009-12-20T21:41:00.003-08:00

Spelt (even though it's an ancient grain and a species of wheat) it on the ok to eat list. So, craving something different for breaky, I decided to search the good old interwebs to find a spelt pancake recipe. I had a good one in some magazine but I was too hungry to look for it (yeah, I'm pretty useless when hungry). I adapted the recipe so that it's got more sustenance to it... and fruit!

Banana Pecan Spelt Pancakes

1 cup plus approximately 2-3 Tbsp spelt flour
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla

1 banana mushed

1 handful of pecans finely chopped

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & pecans. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. Combine the egg, milk, honey, mushed bananas and oil (honey won't completely dissolve but it's ok). Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Add additional milk to thin batter if necessary.

2. For standard-size pancakes, pour or spread batter into a 3-inch circle on a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are golden brown, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry. Serve warm.

Bye Bye Gourmet :(

2009-12-11T20:33:00.003-08:00

It's a sad sad day in the world of Gourmet. For the past 3 years, I've had the magazine Gourmet delivered to my home. Though the magazine is riddled with big juicy meat recipes, it also has some beautiful recipes that can either be adapted or are meatless to start with. They also have stunning pictures (some of which I am going to frame and put in my kitchen, when I have my own kitchen one day) and educational articles. Heck! I just love anything to do with food. So having a magazine show up at my door once a month makes me happy. I loved catching up on the newest kitchen gadgets. Some were so neat! Really high end stuff wouldn't be found in the average foodie's kitchen. But things like that make me dream... makes me dream of what my kitchen would look like if money wasn't an issue (or if I had a kitchen of my own to start with). Ah well, it was fun while it lasted :) Time to find myself a new magazine that will challenge the foodie in me.

*Photo of most of the 2008 and 2009 magazines, the 2007 magazines are in some box somewhere. I've kept all of them and one day will take the time to put my favorite recipes in my recipe book. The little square of paper is what I received in the mail saying that I will no longer be receiving the Gourmet Magazines, but will receive Bon Apetit instead.

Just say No! to wheat

2009-12-11T20:09:00.002-08:00

Actually I can't have wheat until December 23rd. Doctors orders :) I don't mind it. I am taking it as a challenge. Challenge is the right word because after a long day at work, an appointment and then two hours at the gym, I didn't have the energy, nor the patience to make a meatless wheatless dinner. I ripped open a bag of kettle corn and was ready to chow down. But then I thought about it and... well kettle corn isn't an acceptable dinner. I ate enough to give me enough energy to look up a recipe and I decided that I'd make the first one I found. Craving some comfort food, I settled on a Baked Rice, Cheese and Vegetable Casserole. This may be a bit of a pain in the ass if you're hungry and don't want to chop all the veggies (ok, so you just have to chop tomatoes, bell peppers and onions) but I have a slap chopper and though the adverts are really stupid, it's a great tool in the kitchen for when you're feeling lazy! It also feels good to whack something. Actually it felt so good that I ended up pureeing my tomatoes instead of chopping them but ah well :) No, I am not angry or upset at the moment, just got carried away slapchoppin'.
The casserole was delicious! But I'll have to try it again when I am not starved! When I am hungry, anything tastes delicious. Mom, Dad, Steph and Dasha are having it as a side dish with chicken and they just yelled over that 'the rice casserole is very good'. So there, it got the family's stamp of approval. Here's the recipe:

Baked Rice, Cheese and Vegetable Casserole

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped (I used red, we didn't have green, it was still yummy :))
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed (Not planning ahead, I used em frozen, worked just fine)
1 large tomato, the recipe says seeded, I threw em in, chopped
3 cups brown rice
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
3 tbsp cream
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup almond flour (optional)
pepper to taste

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add corn and tomato and sauté 3 minutes. Add rice, 1 cup cheese, cream, thyme and almond flour and stir until cheese melts and mixture is heated through. Transfer mixture to 8-cup soufflé dish.

Preheat broiler. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over rice mixture. Broil until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Yuuummmmmm!!!!! :) For desert, I had my first cup of eggnog sprinkled with fresh ground nutmeg. Bliss!

Spiced Cranberry Bundt Cake

2009-12-04T22:09:00.004-08:00

Once a month, the Yoga Journal finds itself in my mail box. A while ago I subscribed to it because I enjoyed the articles in it. I don't actually practice yoga but I like the way of life and I try to incorporate it into mine. In the December issue there was an article about a woman who found peace in baking and spent her Saturday mornings making a bundt cake and giving it out to someone who would appreciate it (whether it would be a friend or stranger). This sparked something in me. It's been a while since I've baked something, never mind baked something for someone else. I've been enjoying all the cooking that I've been doing but my heart and soul belongs to baking.
After a short shift at work today, I walked to Granville island with my coworker and we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon in the sunshine. It's been beautiful and I decided to take advantage of the weather instead of going to the gym. As soon as I got home, I put on my pyjamas and apron* and started playing with sugars, butters and other ingredients that make baking so satisfying. While some people shy away from getting their hands covered in butter to cover the baking pan, I find pleasure in it. I like feeling the butter squish between my fingers as I smother it into the pan. I'm a very tactile baker and would rather use my hands to scoop up flour into measuring cups. There's something so satisfying about the feel of what you're putting into your dish.
Anyways, I ended up making two bundt cakes. One for work and one to be split between home and Heidi's. She'll be the first to receive a bundt cake baked with love :) Without further ado, here's the recipe for my spiced cranberry bundt cake

Spiced Cranberry Bundt Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup almond flour or almond meal (if you have a food processor, just grind almonds into a flour, otherwise you can get it at Capers)
2 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger (I used freshly grated ginger)
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar (the recipe calls for 1 cup, I halfed it)
1 cup brown sugar (they called for packed, I left it fluffy and it was well under 1 cup of brown sugar)
3 large eggs
1 cup plain Greek Style Yogurt (the recipe calls for reduced fat... I used the real deal)
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (I added this in because they're in season and they're so beautiful! I like, therefore I add)

Icing: 2/3 cup icing sugar & approx. 4 tsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
Whisk first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until smooth.
Add both sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating for a minute after each addition.
Beat in vanilla, then Greek style yogurt. Add dry ingredients; beat until just well blended.
Fold in almonds and all cranberries. Transfer batter to prepared bundt pan.
Cook until cake tester (aka toothpick) comes out clean, approximately 50 minutes to 70 minutes.
Cool cake in pan about 10 minutes, then turn out on cooling rack to cool completely.
For Icing: Sift icing sugar, then add 2 tsp orange juice. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Add more orange juice until mixture reaches consistency of heavy cream. Spoon icing over cake, allowing to drip down sides. Let stand until icing sets, approx 30 minutes.

Apparently the longer this cake stands, the better it'll taste. I haven't actually tried it yet but if it tastes anything like what the house smells like now, I am sure it will be amazing! I'll update this blog post once I've tried a piece (I'll wait until tomorrow because it's almost 11pm and I won't eat before bed).

Update: The bundt cake is really yummy! But next time, I would split (or do 1 1/2 cups to 1/2 cup) the flour half whole wheat and half white... I would even venture with spelt flour or an alternative. I would also be tempted to remove the sugars and add honey (1 cup). Nix the dried cranberries and the pomegranate (pom doesn't add or take anything away from the recipe) and replace it with 2 cups of frozen cranberries. But then again I enjoy the tartness of the cranberries as you bite into it.
Left alone, this cake is still delicious but I like to try a recipe and play with it to make it a little more unique.

*Jenny gave me this awesome apron for my birthday! I love it!!!

25 Days of Christmas Cookies

2009-12-04T21:29:00.002-08:00

25 Days of Christmas Cookies. One year I am going to have enough time to do this but until then, I'll click through all the amazing recipes and make my favorite ones!

Now THIS is why I love December! I can bake to my hearts content and no one questions why I am showing up at their place with a batch of cookies, a bundt cake or other delicious goodies.

Honey-Glazed Tofu on Pumpkin Seed Couscous

2009-11-30T20:53:00.002-08:00

This was pretty yummy and total prep time is under an hour! Would I make it again? Most likely but it definitely needs some tweaking. Next time I'll have to try less honey and less oil. As a matter of fact, I think I'll just half the sauce, marinate for longer and bake it instead of frying it all. The couscous though was stellar! I really enjoyed the whole wheat couscous instead of the regular kind. Tasted a little more earthy and had a bit more sustenance. Here's the original recipe:

Honey-Glazed Tofu
1 pack extra-firm tofu
2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey

Pumpkin Seed Couscous
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat couscous (Safeway doesn't carry this but Whole Foods does - though only in the bulk section)
1/2 cup toasted unsalted pumpkin seeds (I roughly chopped them and prefer it that way)

To make Honey-Glazed Tofu: Place tofu between two plates and set heavy pot on top. Drain 10 minutes, and pat dry. Cut tofu into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Combine pepper, thyme, and salt in small bowl. Coat tofu slices with pepper mixture and set aside.
To make Pumpkin Seed Couscous: Bring broth, carrots, edamame, olive oil, and salt to a boil in covered saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.
Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil and honey in large skillet over medium-high heat until bubbling. Place seasoned tofu in pan, and cook 3 minutes. Turn and cook 3 minutes more, spooning thickening sauce over tofu.
To serve: Stir pumpkin seeds into couscous. Spoon onto plates and top with Honey-Glazed tofu.

Voila! Just last week I made a lentil loaf and... well it's not really worth posting. I found that the flavors weren't very complex and it was rather boring. It tasted like lentils and chili. Really, I'm not a fan of lentils either so it was kind of a ho hum experience. There's half the loaf that's been sitting in my fridge and I am at a loss for what to do with it. I've carted around lentil loaf lunches for the past couple of days but either get something else to eat because I am just not feelin the lentils or I just don't eat at all. Unfortunately I bought 4kg of lentils from little India so I better find a yummy lentil recipe. Cuz really... what are lentils good for? I think we used to make maracas out of empty toilet paper tubes and lentils when I was in preschool.... so maybe I can donate my lentils to a preschool or something. Damn lentils... even ducks don't eat lentils!

Business Building

2009-11-30T08:02:00.002-08:00

I've finally accepted the fact that work is unpredictable. It's been difficult not knowing what my day is going to look like and even more difficult to sit around, ready to work but with little or nothing coming in. Especially now. End of October was alright, beginning of November was good and now it's all messy (I had more clients on Thursday then I did on Saturday and Sunday combined!!! Usually those are my better days). But yesterday a client inspired me to do something about it. A coworker and I had a duet massage* with this couple and they enjoyed their massage so much that they left us a little happy holiday card. That simple gesture made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside which got me thinking... I can probably do something like this for my clients.
Alright, so this is a little bit of an aside. At work we don't have business cards. We have little 10% off cards where we can give those out with our name as the referral agent. But somehow I don't like giving those out. Yes, it's incentive for them to come back but I don't know how I feel about giving discounts to everyone. I guess this stems from some of our professional development classes when we were talking about discounting our rates and the effect that that may have on our business and client expectations.
Someone suggested that I make my own business cards, so some time, earlier this month, I sat down and designed really nice cards but something stumped me. What is my title? Until I am registered, I am a bodyworker. I don't like being a bodyworker. Not because of other bodyworkers but because of the name. Bodyworker. It makes people raise an eyebrow, wink and you and think perverted thoughts. Bodyworker. So I was thinking of alternate titles** but the only thing I came up with was 'almost registered massage therapist'. Even then, that was a stretch and I wasn't going to put that on my business card. Discouraged, I scraped the whole idea.
Yesterday I bit the bullet. I made holiday themed post cards with 'Happy Holidays/Joyeux Noel' written on them. It also has my name, the business name and phone number along with that one word that stumped me last month: Bodyworker. Yep, I did it. It looks pretty darn classy and I am quite stoked about receiving them (they should arrive in the mail in approximately 7 days... I rushed the order because December is... tomorrow). I'm excited. It's a step in the right direction I think.
I chose to make the card bilingual because I've found a new appreciation for being a Frenchie. I work with a woman who's french, from France and it's been really nice to get to talk to her in French. And, just this past week we've had a student come in at work and he'll be working with us for the next three weeks and he's french (from Quebec) too!! Also, Jenny (a fellow frenchie, I've known her since grade 4), Darla and I went to the Backstage Lounge on Granville island for frenchie night. It was fantastic to listen to everyone speak french and to dance to some french music.
So hopefully after all this, I'll end up with more business. But if I don't... well at least it has made me grow as a therapist. And that's always a good thing :)

*Duet massages are when two people get a massage in the same room. Despite the room being VERY small for the therapists, it's usually a different dynamic and is wonderful to work with.

**Massage therapist, registered massage therapist, massage practitioner etc. have all been taken by the College of Massage Therapists (governing body for the registered therapists)

Cooking with Seitan

2009-11-23T10:08:00.004-08:00

Awe man! This recipe was delicious! Unfortunately trying to find seitan in Whole Foods was an experience in itself.
I decided to try this recipe because I wanted to find an other meat alternative. I had never heard of seitan (pronounced sEItan... not satan) but I wanted to try it out. But first I had to find it. Now it's not really popular so most people at Whole Foods looked at me a little strange when I asked them where I could find seitan. One guy abandoned me, probably because he thought I was crazy. Finally, a gentleman was able to help me and together we looked high and low for it. We started in the meat alternative section but had trouble finding it. He asked a coworker who said it might be in the frozen section. So we looked there and seitan wasn't in the freezer. Hee hee :) I had a grand time imagining myself looking for the devil in the freezer and meat alternative section. Finally it was in the meat alternative section but it's mixed in with the tofu so it's not very obvious. It's pricier (about $5 for 7.9oz) then tofu but really, that's not that much of an issue, just means I won't be cooking with it every day.
The recipe, Seitan 'meatballs' with winter tomato sauce, is a twist on spaghetti and meatballs. Wanting to stray away from spag, I made the 'meatballs' with steamed kale (still on my kale kick). It had enough sustenance and was very yummy. The 'meatballs' were quite salty. I don't know if this is due to the fact that the only seitan that Whole Foods had at the moment was ginger and garlic flavored and not original (like the recipe calls for). Or perhaps seitan is just a little saltier. Now don't get fooled by it's unappetizing look (it kind of looks like a very sick liver). It smells quite nice (earthy) and the finished product was delicious too!
I'm tempted to rename this recipe because seitan meatballs doesn't quite cut it. I don't like calling it a meatball cuz there's no meat (unless you want to call seitan wheat meat/gluten meat). Calling it Seitan balls doesn't work either. Perhaps Seitan pecan balls... Still. No. Anyways so here's the recipe :)

Seitan Meatless Meatballs

1 (16 oz) package seitan
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley (I used cilantro cuz I grabbed the wrong thing out of the fridge and only realized it once I chopped it all up... it the end it we all agreed that cilantro tastes better then parsley would)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (use basil stems as well as leaves)
1/8 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsb low-sodium soy sauce (or BRAGGs Liquid Aminos)
1 tsp egg replacer powder (I used 1 egg)

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
Crumble seitan in food processor. Add pecans; pulse to blend.
Transfer to bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs, herbs, garlic, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and soy sauce.
Whisk egg replacer with 1/4 cup water until frothy (or just whisk 1 egg, no water); fold into seitan mixture.
Shape mixture into 18 balls. Place on prepared baking sheet and brush with remaining 2 tbsp oil.
Bake 20 minutes, turning once, or until crusty and lightly browned.

Some of the balls were a little crumbly so I ended up drizzling the oil on when I was supposed to turn them... I didn't turn them for fear they'd crumble and they turned out just fine :)

Chipotle Chili No Carne

2009-11-23T09:32:00.003-08:00

Last week I made my favorite chili recipe. It's quite fitting considering the cooler, wetter days (and nights) that we've been having. Finally I've been able to find chipotle chilies (I was looking in the produce section this entire time... they're in the canned section with the Mexican stuff). I have yet to find chipotle chilies in adobo. Most places when I ask, they look at me like I'm a little crazy.
Anyways, this is a favorite recipe of mine. It makes quite a bit of chili so be prepared to have it for left overs. One evening, my family was having chicken burgers for dinner and I had a chili burger. It was messy but delicious! So there are some fun things you can make for the left overs... but let me tell you. By day 5 (of having this for lunch and dinner most days) I couldn't handle any more. I also have a tummy of steel, so if some people are sensitive to things like beans n lots of veggies, I suggest not eating so much chili.

Chipotle Chili No Carne

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
2 chipotle chilies in adobo, freeze the rest of the can
1 (7oz) jar of sundried tomatoes packed in oil*
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 lbs portobella mushrooms, stemmed, wiped clean and cubed**
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (I use one)
1 (14 oz) can black beans
1 (14 oz) can red kidney beans
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until soft. 3 minutes.
Add the zucchini, corn, mushrooms, and cook, stirring and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. (I never understood this step, the veggies can't brown if there's liquid, so I just wait until the liquid evaporates and I brown the veggies a little)
Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and stir, until fragrant, 30 seconds.
Add the diced tomatoes and stir well.
Place the sundried tomatoes (with oil) and chipotle chilies in food processor, and process until it forms a paste, add to the pot.
Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock (water), stir well and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in fresh cilantro. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

*I often use sundried tomatoes, then I boil them to soften then in about 1/2 cup of water. I then top up that water to a cup and add it when the recipe requests it. When blending the sundried tomatoes and chipotle chilies, I add a tbsp of oil just to make it easier to blend.

** You can also use brown mushrooms (little protobellas). I cube the stems too... same thing, different shape. Plus it's a chili! It all looks the same when it's been boiled together.

Christmas 2009

2009-11-16T21:35:00.003-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner... I don't know how it happened but it's here! I am actually really quite excited about this Christmas season. Just like I did last year, I want to do something for the people living in the downtown east side. It's most likely not going to be as big as last year but I still want to do something. I can't remember if I blogged about x-mas 2008 on the DTES. I'll have to take a look and see. If I haven't then I most likely will (but not tonight. I want to go to sleep).
So I've been wracking my brain as to what to do. Last year I worked with OnSite and brought Christmas there. This year I want to do something for the people on the streets. I see them every time I go to and from the gym (which is 2 to 3 times a week). There's just as big a crowd if it's sunny, cold, cloudy or raining. They're just out there. I guess that's because they don't have anywhere to go. I make eye contact with them and smile, just to acknowledge their presence. Most of them don't ask for food. One guy asked me for a hug. Of course, I gave him one. Today I saw my old neighbor, Bill. He now lives in the downtown east side. I smiled at him, he stared blankly at me. He probably doesn't recognize me because him and Linda moved out when I was 10. He was also drunk most of the time and Linda... well I haven't seen her. My guess is that she's passed away. I think I remember hearing about something like that a while ago. Anyways. Though I see Bill three or four times a year, we never talk to each other. I am always glad to see him. Alive. Maybe not well.
So what am I going to do for the people in the downtown east side? So far, the best idea I've come up with is making a couple hundred ginger bread people, decorate them (all of them will have a little pink heart) and hand them out on the corner of Main and Hastings. There's no doubt that I'll find a couple hundred homeless people. I've been guesstimating how many there are each time I go by. There's lots of them. I think there will be just as many come Christmas time... cuz really... where are they going to go? It's not as if they're going to visit family. Unfortunately. Anyways, this seems like the best option. Baked goods are part of the holidays and it'll be cheaper then buying socks/underwear/gloves/hats/scarves etc etc etc for them.
If anyone wants to help out, let me know :) My favorite memories of last years Christmas was wrapping up the presents for OnSite with Mom and Dad, delivering the presents with Uncle Steve on Christmas eve day (despite the snow storm) and seeing a pile, almost as tall as me, of presents in the storage room, knowing that they'll go out to people that will be so grateful to have them. Hopefully this year I can make new memories, either with the same people or with others.

A new kind of comfort food

2009-11-15T21:46:00.003-08:00

After a shite day at work, I walked around in the rain and wind and mulled over what to have for dinner. The final verdict, brown rice, wilted red kale topped with pesto fried tofu (or tofu fried pesto...). After a soothing hour in the kitchen I enjoyed this beautiful meal. I've decided that I am going to start blogging about the vegetarian recipes that I try. There are three reasons for this. 1) I have been defaulting to pasta and other simple carbohydrates while veggies and random forms of protein (tofu, legumes etc) have gone out the window 2) I've been enjoying reading Brandon's blog about all of the new recipes that he's making... unfortunately most of them contain meat 3) A coworker of mine, Erin (and here), is newly veg and has been updating her fbook status with wonderful veg friendly recipes.
I think we can all learn something from each others cooking adventures. If not, well at least now these recipes are written out and not just in my head. I think we've all learnt I'm a big fan of dum dee dumming (This is what Dad calls making things up as he goes along) so some of the measures will be a splash, shake, handful or other vague kind of measurement. The joy of this is that you make the dish your own. Add more of what you love and less of what you don't. I believe this makes food that much more enjoyable (and fun to cook).

Wilted Red Kale & Pesto Fried Tofu

Rice: 1 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup wild rice, 1 1/2 cup veggie stock, 1 1/2 cup water. Make rice.
Tofu & Kale:
12 stems Red kale (or regular kale... but the colour was appealing) to prep kale, take a single stalk with the stem pointing to the ceiling, the leaves/leaf towards your counter, grasp stalk between thumb and forefinger and... well lets just say if it was a cat, you'd be petting it backwards. All the leaves should peel off the stem and the stem (which is usually too fibrous and woody) goes into your compost
1 pack firm tofu cut into cubes (not little cubes... medium sized cubes)
3 generous splashes of soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable (or olive) oil
1 to 1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 thumb size nub of ginger, finely grated (keep in mind, I have fat thumbs... so in this case, more is better)
1 handful of sesame seeds
2 tbsp pesto (or you can chop up basil... but I was lazy once and found this to make a much tastier recipe! Work smarter, not harder ;) )

Put cubes of tofu and soy sauce in a container and shake to evenly coat tofu with soy sauce. Set aside. Cook rice.
After rice is half cooked, heat oil in a wok (unless you want to individually flip the cubes... but I like using a wok so I can toss the tofu to flip it... sometimes it makes a mess, sometimes I can actually throw the tofu and catch it in the wok). Once oil is heated, add garlic. Saute garlic.
Add tofu to garlic and oil. If there is excess soy sauce, do not put it in the pan just yet. Instead, set it aside. You'll use it later. Start water (with a bit of salt, preferably Himalayan Salt) to boil for kale) and let it boil. Kale should not be in the pot just yet.
Cook tofu until almost browned on all sides. While it's cooking, grate ginger and stir together.
Just before tofu is almost done, add kale to your boiling pot of water (don't forget the steamer bit). Keep a close eye on the kale, you don't want it to get mushy. Just wilt it. It should still have texture.
To the tofu, add soy sauce. Stir. Toss in sesame seeds. Stir. Spoon in pesto. Stir and it finish cooking for a minute or so.
Hopefully everything has timed correctly and you should be ready to eat. Enjoy!

Up next... I am going to try to find my vegetarian chili recipe! With this rainy weather it's time to bust out the chili's and soups :) Yum!

Ding Dong the Mouse is Dead*

2009-11-11T18:49:00.002-08:00

Actually it died a good week ago now. But it freaking stinks! I know it died because I heard it die... for 3 hours! I woke up to the sound of dragging and clanging. Mr. Mouse caught himself in a trap and climbed into a part of the ceiling that is non accessible (also near the heating vent... which means when we turn on the heat, I get blasted with eau de dead mouse) and tried to escape. Unfortunately he worked REALLY hard at trying to escape while hauling a mouse trap. He'd drag and clang, then it would be silent, then he'd drag and clang and it would be silent. While it was silent I'd envision this little mouse laying down, paws sprawled, panting and then eagerly trying again. Because I'm a light sleeper, his misadventure kept me up until finally the clanging and banging stopped. Rest in peace little Mouse. Sorry you had to go that way. I told Mom and Dad about the fate of a mouse and they didn't believe me. Later that evening after checking the traps Dad comes upstairs and announces "we've lost a trap'. TOLD YOU!!!!
Anyways, because Mr. Mouse decided to die in the vent somewhere in my room it's been pretty smelly. I don't know if it's because I've had the day off (I've spent the day sleeping in, sorting through photos, getting photos printed and reading... LOVE IT!) and I've spent the day in my room but it freaking smells today!!! I've been burning so much incense that my brother bollywood danced his way to the computer room a couple of days ago. Luckily they know better to bitch about the incense/candles etc because hey! If your room stank like this, you'd be doing the same thing!!
Tomorrow I'm going to turn the heater and dehumidifier full blast in the hopes of turning this dead mouse into a raisin. Apparently it takes weeks before the smell goes away... GREAT! Luckily I haven't heard any other little critters running around. I think we've (ok, Mom and Dad) plugged all of the holes so none other are coming in. This was the last one trapped in the house and he couldn't get out.
Anyways, it fucking stinks in my room! Mom and Dad are most likely going to be pissed that I posted that we even had mice in our house but... well if anyone comes over they'll smell something and I am not taking the blame for the smell... It's a dead mouse!

*Borrowed title from this David's blog post. A freaking hilarious post about dead mice... yes, I was trying to figure out how long the dead mouse smell is going to last. Ew!

Why?

2009-10-30T02:03:00.002-07:00

An other damned anxiety attack. This time I didn't run to the kitchen but jumped out of bed and looked at my bed as if what ever was giving me anxiety would be laying there. Dasha and Stephane were awake so they kept me company for a bit but they've gone to bed now. Unfortunately the feeling hasn't gone to bed and I'm keeping myself awake because as soon as I fall asleep it comes back. Each time there's always some thing that I get anxiety over. This time it was because I couldn't salsa dance with all the world. Weird and unreasonable but for some reason it brings up anxiety. Just typing that out and I've started to sweat again and my breathing's become more shallow and rapid. It's SO strange!
Anyways I've blogged about it before and it looks like my last anxiety was in July so I guess that's good. Though I am sure I had some during board exams as well. I'll keep blogging about them to see if there's a pattern. So far, it doesn't look like it, but we'll see.

I'm not dead... I'm actually a year older

2009-10-29T09:22:00.003-07:00

Well 20 some odd days older since my last post but I did just celebrate my 24th birthday :)
So yes. I am not dead. I've been consistently working away at two jobs (which keep me rather busy, most often working 7 days a week) and trying to balance out my life now that the dust is settling.
It's taken a while for the dust to settle though. I think I was affected by both failing my board exam and what ever we want to call what would have happened with Cesare (the Italian boy). I found myself constantly wanting to go away and even toyed with the idea of moving to Hawaii for a year. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on the perspective), I've got the finances of a newly graduated student so flying off to paradise to live for a while couldn't happen like that. So here I am. Still in Vancouver, trying to find this fine balance.
Work is picking up and I think I'm finally starting to have a somewhat predictable pay cheque... this kind of makes me want to drop my 2nd job (its purpose was to give me a steady pay cheque when job #1 wasn't busy). With only having one job, I'd be able to have more time to study for board exams take II. I also might have time to clean my room (right now there's a path that goes from my bedroom door to my bed and there are little clearings here and there for me to stand, tip toed, to reach my closet/couch/drawers if I need something that isn't on the floor) or to clean my study space (I think my lap could use a break from being radiated by my lap top).
Though out all this, I've been able to go to the gym consistently (I've lost 4' around my ribcage! Unfortunately, that was the only base measure I had and that's only because of bra size) and I've kept up with my salsa dancing lessons. I've found that the perfect gym time consists of half an hour to an hour of cardio, an hour of weights/squats etc, twenty minutes to half an hour of salsa dancing practice and finish with fifteen minutes of stretching. The girls and I have also gotten in a wonderful routine of meeting up on Friday nights for drinks, dinner, and/or dancing. Last week, we celebrated mine and Maja's birthday on Saturday and had an absolute blast! This Saturday we're all dressing up for Halloween and going dancing :)
Now even with all that, I've managed to go to dinner with a couple of guys... though I can't say I'd call these dates (or maybe they are). This is when I realized that I was a lot more affected by the Italian Boy then I would have hoped. I didn't find this out on my own. I was actually waiting for one of the guys when my girl friend Margaret called and when she asked me how I felt about this guy, I kind of hummed and hawed and said that I wasn't too sure. But then I stopped and thought about it and realized that I had no reason to feel iffy about said date and realized that I was kiboshing my 'dates' before they even got off the ground. Margaret reminded me that my last romantic situation (or what ever those last escapades should be called), I felt quite confident that everything was going to work out (so much so that I bought a ticket for Italy) but then he just vamoosed! So it's understandable that I have to learn to trust my feelings again. The dinner did go well. We closed down the restaurant and had great conversation. We even met up a couple days later and went dancing... but it petered out after that.
As for what happened to the Italian boy... After I canceled my tickets, I didn't e-mail him or anything. I figured that was that. End of story. But one day, I get a panicked phone call from Maja. She's on fbook chat and Cesare sent her a message saying hello and asking how she was. The plan, to talk to Cesare and see if he mentions anything about why he ran off. Eventually he mentions that he became scared and that's why he fell off the face of the earth. Not much else came from that conversation other then Maja telling him that it would probably be a good idea for him to contact me and at least apologize. He said he wants to but needs time (what ever that means). Still, I've received nothing. I sent him a last message a couple months back saying that it was unfortunate that our communication ended the way it did but I still look back on my trip to Hawaii and our time spent together with great fondness. I wished him well and left it at that. So essentially, nothing much has happened to the Italian boy but in case some people were wondering... that's the latest (and most likely the last). Yes, while celebrating my birthday the thought did cross my mind that I could have been in Milan. And yes, I guess it hurt. But here I am trying to find the careful balance between work, play and studying for this damn exam.

2nd grade math equation

2009-10-06T21:20:00.006-07:00

Janelle goes outside to pick crab apples and realizes she's locked herself out of her house. Because she can't get back in and is bored, she decides to count the apples. Janelle has 192 apples. Janelle then gets bored and eats 4 apples. How many apples are left?

True story! :) My brother and I were recapping our day and he said my adventure sounded like a 2nd grade mathematical equation. But maybe you just had to be there :)

You know what I've discovered?

2009-10-04T23:03:00.002-07:00

Well we all know I am a people person and that's one of the reasons why I chose to be a massage therapist... however, here's something I didn't think of. While it's true that being a massage therapist you work in close (very close) proximity to people, you really don't get to interact with them much. I mean you greet them, do a short case history, then they're on the table, then they're gone, change sheets, tidy room, repeat. Despite being a talkative person and a people person, I encourage my clients to relax and not talk while on the table. So this means that even though I am in the presence of people during most of my shift, I definitely don't interact with them much. The challenge of getting them to fall asleep has already gotten old. As has the guessing game of 'has their breath changed so that they're sleeping, or is that just relaxed breathing etc etc'.
Ah well. At least I enjoy the company of my coworkers... unfortunately we only see one an other when we're restocking our rooms or checking the schedule to see who our next client is.

I'm like the Canucks...

2009-09-30T23:19:00.002-07:00

I'll have to try again next year to win the Stanley Cup*. That's a twisted way of saying. I failed my board exam.

All of my friends got their letters yesterday and they all passed!!! A great huge congrats to Pam and Maja who passed their board exams. Being I didn't get a letter yesterday, I knew the letter would arrive today. I was at work from 9:30 until 2:30 today so I sent a text message to my brother asking him to call me when he got home from class. I love my little bro to bits and I thought that it would be something special to share my success (I was pretty sure I'd passed... everyone else had) or my failure with him. By the time he was back home, it was past 2:30 and I was on the seawall with a warm cup of chai tea in my hand. The day was stunning! I decided to enjoy it and walk from work to the market via the seawall and enjoy this beautiful day. The sky was clear blue with a few whispy clouds, the air was crisp, the mountains were clear and from where I was walking I had a clear view of Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver both basking in the sunshine of this beautiful fall day. If I was home to read the letter and I passed, I'd just want to go outside. If I failed... being outside would be good for me because inside I'd probably hole up and mope.
So I was just past Kits beach when I called my brother back. We talked a bit while he opened the letter and then he read it out to me. I forget the actual wording but basically I am not eligible to register at this time because I was unsuccessful at the oral practical portion of the board exam. Oh well that's not quite what I was expecting! Steph and I talked a bit. I am sure I blabbered on but I didn't cry. I wasn't really upset. I was glad I did what I did and I was glad I could share this moment with my brother (even if it was over the phone). While we were talking, I thought to myself: 'has anything changed from when you first got on the phone?' The answer to that was no. The day was just as bright and beautiful. The mountains as clear and the leaves were still changing in the park. The smell of my chai tea still gave me a feeling of warmth despite the cold and I was happy to have such an awesome brother who would actually read out such a letter.
Yes. I did fail. However I was still where I was before and I was still happy. I wrapped up my conversation with my brother so I could text message the girls, call Mom, then Dad before my phone died (it had been beeping that it was low on battery all shift... so it didn't have much oomph left). I managed to get all the messages out. I got a surprised text from Darla and I told her I wasn't joking. A phone call from Pam and then my phone died. I called Mom from a payphone. I was glad my cellphone was dead. I didn't want to talk to anyone. The rest of my walk was in peace and it was beautiful. I had thoughts running though my head but none of dread or anything like that. I was more upset that I had to do the darn exam again.
By the time I arrived at the market, the music from the buskers coaxed board exam thoughts out of my head and all I could think of was how much I love being at the market. Corn stalks, pumpkins and fall decorations are already for sale and the lovely man playing guitar was smiling at me. I walk into the market and I see the beautiful flower arrangements. I promise to myself that I am going to buy myself flowers after I pick up the ingredients for tonight's dinner (Bohemian Rye Bread and Wild rice and cranberry soup... both made from scratch, by hand by me :) the perfect fall dinner).
Thoughts of board exams and my failing it weaved in an out of my head but really, I was all too happy to be at Granville market. Here I was, alone on such a beautiful day. I was surrounded by fresh ingredients, so many food possibilities! It's really quite exciting. I left the market with my loot and made my way home. I think the greatest disappointment of the day was no me failing my board exams but being half way home and realizing that I forgot to buy myself flowers!
Once home, I deliberately didn't check my phone. Marguerite called and said she was at my place :) We talked about my board exam a little but mostly we caught up. We cooked but she had to leave before the bread was ready (I just took it out of the oven at 11:30pm... apparently Bohemians had a lot of time on their hands because this takes a long time) and before the soup was done.
It was only after she left that I checked my voice mail and I had three messages. The first from Heidi made me cry. The second, from Annette, and the third from Margaret kept me crying. The huge outpouring of love was what really touched me. I am lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. So yes, I did fail my board exam but I get to try my luck again January 13th 2010. Hopefully I'll be more successful at passing my board examination then the Canucks are at winning the Stanley Cup.

*This comparison to the Canucks and the Stanley Cup stems from my phone call with Uncle Steve (in regards to me not passing). I liked the comparison even though it's not entirely accurate :)

Frusterated

2009-09-29T21:49:00.002-07:00

It's just one of those days. I feel like Eeyore with an upset tummy and cramps. Normally I'm a patient person but today, while at work, there was this little yappy dog barking away and I daydreamed about throwing it into 4th ave rush hour traffic. I didn't. Nor would I ever. But still, the thought crossed my mind. I also only have pleasant customers and if they're not pleasant, at least they're not unpleasant but today all the grouchy people came in to the store. Maybe it's the weather because some of my friends have mentioned that they've felt the same way as well.
I kind of feel like I am heading in the wrong direction. I am working really hard at two jobs. One which I love and the other which is stressing me out and isn't paying much (which makes me wonder why I am letting it affect me... or even why I am still there). Every paycheque goes to paying down debt and contributing towards an upcoming trip. Now with the news of me moving out (most likely by mid month to beginning of next) that's added expenses. Birthdays are coming up soon (not complaining, just saying... plus I love treating those that I love and the Birthdays coming up happen to be that of my Mom's, Uncle Steve, Dad's, Brother and Auntie Marcy... yep... I love all of them :) to bits!) and next thing I know it'll be Christmas. If I pass my board examinations I'll have registration fees and insurance to buy... not to mention student loans have to start to be paid back soon. Anyways life is never short of expenses and I know that but it just seems like this trip might be a little silly. Maybe I should focus on settling a little here in Vancouver before I run off again. Maybe travel should wait. I can't possibly do everything!
The girls mentioned that we should all go to Whistler for Maja and I's birthday (we're born a year and a day apart) and though I think it's a great idea, I politely said no thanks because that's money I could be putting towards Asia. Though Asia will be awesome, I think I need to get my priorities straight. I realized this more so this weekend when we all went out and partied together. I think I should ground myself at the job I love and with the one that's not so hot... I should find something that will be a better fit.
I've also sacrificed my health so I could use that money for my trip. Which is stupid because now I am in pain and miserable because my body is all askew. With a body all askew, I'm a pretty useless therapist and I'd definitely be a miserable traveler.
So perhaps I should just stay here and ground myself. But then again part of me (and quite a big part at that) just wants to travel. Asia (or the rest of the world for that matter) isn't going anywhere. But then again, the opportunity of traveling with my cousin might not be there again. Maybe I should just go back to Hawaii.

Life's little questions

2009-09-28T22:31:00.003-07:00

Why is it that when you're drunk, it's completely ok to make out with random guys and use 'i was drunk' as an excuse. But then when you're drunk, meet a guy, gradually sober up and then want to make out with him, it's not ok because then you're sober and 'i was drunk an hour ago' doesn't work as an excuse. And because now, you're sober and you no longer have the stones to just plant him one.

Just one of life's little questions.

*I haven't gotten my exam results back yet. Apparently they're going to be mailed this coming Wednesday or Thursday... so it's going to be a while still.

How is it fair

2009-09-24T22:20:00.003-07:00

that my salsa dancing instructor (left) looks like this? Salsa classes start a week from today.

Waiting for the postman

2009-09-22T20:16:00.002-07:00

Tomorrow's the day. Well I could get the letter in the mail tomorrow but knowing Canada Post I am sure I won't get it for a while. Apparently there's a week window (starting tomorrow, ending in a week from tomorrow) when we will get our results from our board exams. I'm a little nervous but I don't really know why.
For this exam I really hope I passed because I don't want to do the OP again. Though all the landmarks, muscles, scenarios, interview questions etc were fair, I don't feel it will ever be an accurate representation of how I am in practice. I'm working as a bodyworker now and I can tell you that if someone comes to see me with anterior compartment syndrome, I won't start sweating bullets and blabbering on like an idiot. Heck! I've already treated it in practice (or pre-practice, we're not allowed to do 'therapeutic work' so I 'relaxation massaged' their anterior compartment). It's just the pressure of having two stone faced examiners and one examiner that's testing your hands. That's a lot of pressure... and that's not something that we're really going to get in real life (the pressure I mean).
Yep, I know. The examiners are just doing they job and that's a ok by me. They actually do a fine job at it :) I was just nervous and I hope they take into account that I usually don't shake like leaf, sweat like I'm having a hot flash, that my voice doesn't quiver when I talk and that I am usually confident with my answers and explanations.
Well. Fingers crossed. Because waiting by the mailbox will only make me neurotic (and because it's my only day off for the next two weeks), tomorrow Pam, Marguerite and I are going to hike the Grouse Grind then go to Wreck beach :). If I do have to redo my OP, then... c'est la vie :) And la vie is pretty darn awesome!

Michelangelo... a VERY smart man!

2009-09-16T23:08:00.001-07:00

Yes, this has me baffled too! So neat that the man was sneaky as well as talented!

Life after board exams

2009-09-16T22:50:00.003-07:00

So I'm working two jobs. I am at Solarice 4 days a week and told the other place I work at that I want to work 3 days a week. For some reason the other place is only booking me 2 days a week but instead of complaining, I am taking that day. Because I work alone at this other place, it can get pretty darn boring. I've been reading a lot and I've been enjoying it quite a bit. Today was especially slow (I worked 3 hours and had two customers!)... so I finished half of my book. I was even inspired to write something
'Sitting at work, I hear the sound of gently falling rain. A sound that Vancouverites recognize as fall's return. My shop is empty. Passed bys rush past the open door, glancing at the storefront with a flash of contemplation crossing their face. They continue onward, keeping covered by their water proof shields. As the street light changes, it sends a new wave of noisy motorists, shattering the steady humm of the neighborhood. The sound of wheels on wet pavement bring a new feelings of comfort. Leaves, weighed down by the rain, can no longer hold onto their branches and fall to the ground. The wind blows them into the store. My next customer; Mother Nature.'
I used to do quite a bit of creative writing before I started massage school, however that stopped. It was nice to find a scrap of paper and scribble out my thoughts. I'm out of practice but I am sure I'll get back into the swing of it again.
After work, I went to the gym (yes, I am finally back! It's been tough returning) and managed to do an hour and fifteen on the treadmill, I tried out the stairmaster (new to the gym) and didn't really get it... but I gave it a fair go... 15 minutes, then my whole ab routine and some rowing (an other new machine). Rowing killed me. I loved it! Will have to get coached on proper rowing techniques though because I can see how this could be beneficial.
Now I ache, I am happy. I've got a pot of rice pudding bubbling on the stove and I am ready for bed. I'm just about ready to start tomorrow, a new week at Solarice. I could get used to this :)

Board Exam Results!

2009-09-16T22:20:00.003-07:00

Last Thursday I got the phone call with the results of my written exam. I awaited by my phone patiently and was SO nervous! I was so jumpy that any sudden (and even not so sudden) noise would make me jump! Luckily I had a client (because I still had to work) and that actually calmed me down. I've been practicing leaving everything at the door when I go in with a client so that they don't take on which ever energy that I am feeling (that's not what they came for) so the true test was last Thursday. In the end, it worked out beautifully. Afterwards I met Jenny for lunch and I had a killer grilled cheese at the Naam. That's when my phone rang. I jumped, swallowed my half chewed piece of grilled cheese and answered my phone. When she told me I passed, I just about choked on my own saliva! I was awaiting a 'nice try but it wasn't quite good enough'. Within a couple of minutes the phone conversation was over and I had my OP time... 26 hours away from the phone call!
Thursday night Pam came over, we tried to study but I wasn't really into it. Friday I studied a little, here and there. Reviewing before I left home. By 3 I was sitting in the lobby of the hotel, waiting to start my OP. Here's how a massage therapy oral practical is laid out...
3:15 - Cheif examiner gets all 5 people to be examined from the lobby and brings us to a conference room where she tells us what our pathology is going to be. 'Anterior Compartment Syndrome' is all she said - and it's the condition our group had.
3:15-3:40 - individually we brainstorm about anterior compartment syndrome... my thought process went something like this 'ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF WHAT!!!' Luckily I calmed down and was able to think clearly.
3:40-4:55 - two straight faced examiners with clipboards examine your every move and word while an other examiner (the 'patient') examines things like touch and our hands. It's broken down as follows:
3:40-4:00 - four muscles are given, you are to palpate (fancy word for touch) it from origin to insertion, demonstrate to the examiners each of the muscles actions and then manual muscle test (activate the muscle and check it's strength) the muscle on both sides.
Then, four landmarks are given and you must identify them, palpate them and an examiner will check whether you're correct (the one you're feeling these landmarks on is also examining how precise you are).
4:00-4:10 - you have to perform an interview with the client to find out more about their condition, then you need to do two relevant special tests.
4:10-4:40 - You have 30 minutes to treat effectively and safely the condition you are given along with the information you found out during your interview.
4:40-4:55 - you have to give a remedial exercises in the following categories (one for each) hydrotherapy, strengthen, stretch, and two changes of activities of daily living (all to do with the case)
Then you're done, you're sweating like there's no tomorrow but your voice has finally stopped quivering. The times given are approximates because... time flies!
I walked to Burrard and 4th from Robson and something or other. Margaret and I went over our cases and talked about what we COULD have done (now that we were no longer nervous). By the time I sat on the bus, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was go home and be with Mom and Dad. It was perfect. They were home, we had dinner, then I lay in my hammock while they sat on chairs on the deck and we talked until 10pm. Darla came home and we went for drinks. I'm lucky to be surrounded by those that I love.
I will get my results in 2 to 3 weeks from today... They come by mail so it may take a while. I hope I passed because even though it wasn't as bad as people say it was... it's still nerve wracking. And it's funny how part of your brain shuts off when you need to say things out loud.

Holding my breath

2009-09-10T07:35:00.002-07:00

Well the day is the day. Today I find out whether I passed or failed the written portion of the board exam. Over the course of the past week I haven't been overly afraid of today. Sure, I've had two dreams where I've dreamt that I've passed the exam. Though that may seem like a good dream, it was filled with anxiety because if I pass this exam, then I have to do the Oral Practical... which is just as scary, if not more. So I for now I've been quite happy not knowing. It's almost been like I've finished my boards because there's nothing I can do to change what's on that scan tron sheet and... actually studying for the OP has been interesting.
I've found that studying for the OP is like admitting that I've passed the written, which kind of seemed like I might be setting myself up for deception if they call to tell me I haven't passed. It's been strange.
I'm working today, so I won't be able to be sitting next to my phone the entire time... if I miss the call then I might not know until tomorrow... *sigh* bah! This is so strange.
All of yesterday I've had friends and family say that they know I did well. I appreciate that they believe in me, however what if I don't do well? What if I don't pass? Then what. They've all joked that they then couldn't be friends with me... but it still gives me a bit of an uneasy feeling (and yes, I know they're only joking but still).
This morning I got two huge hugs from Mom and Dad. Darla knocked on the bathroom door before she left for work and yelled through the door that she loved me and that I should let her know as soon as I know. I'm lucky to have such support :) But still, I find myself holding my breath...

Board Exams Part I

2009-09-03T07:29:00.002-07:00

Done and done! The day before, Maja came over and we read over our notes again. Both of us managed to fall asleep on our notes so I think our brains were as full as we could get them (at the last minute anyways). After an alright night's sleep (filled with tossing and turning and dreaming of surfing) the day was here. I woke up with a mixture of emotions. I was hungry, nervous, tired and excited... kind of an awkward combination. Soon after the adrenaline must have kicked in because I felt alright and was ready to tackle the exam. Maja and I made our way to the hotel where the exam was taking place. We didn't talk to one an other but instead listened to our music. Eye of the tiger, Anthem, Float on, Electric feel and a mix of other upbeat songs nearly had me dancing on the skytrain on my way there. I was pumped, ready to do my best with this exam.
The buzz in the lobby was a nervous one. Maja and I spent a couple minutes there then returned outside so be away from all that nervous energy. Strangely enough all the people from UA weren't sitting there with their books open but almost everyone else (there were probably 200 people) was. I met up with a coworker who's also writing the exam and she casually mentioned that she felt she should review Bunnsomething something. Apparently this was something that was very important and that when she went to school, they stressed it heavily (something to do with stages after a stroke). I chuckled and told her that it can't be that important because we never learnt that.
By 9:15 (after signing in and sitting in a room buzzing with energy) it was time to start the two morning exams. Juriceprudence and Clinical Sciences were it. I started with Juriceprudence because I figured it would be the easiest out of the two. I kept calm and wrote myself a good luck note on my scrap paper that almost made me cry (something along the lines of believing in myself and that I am successful in life despite the outcome of this exam). I stayed focused on the exam and tried not to get ahead of myself. With Juriceprudence over, I started on Clinical Sciences. I chuckled and thought of my coworker when I looked a question that asked me about the Bunnsomething something. I educated guessed/eeenie meenie minee moed that one*... but I think that's the only one I did that to. By the end of the exam my tummy was rumbling and I went for a huge lunch at Capers. I felt alright, not worn out but rather excited to try myself at the Sciences exam (after lunch). I wanted to see how my last minute studying paid off. I was proud of myself for studying so much and so hard despite everything that happened.
By 2pm, we started the sciences exam. I tackled it, one question at a time. Some I knew and would circle confidently and others were a little more questionable. Once I got to the endocrine system I actually had to turn over my sheet of paper, rest my face in my hands and take a couple of deep breaths in and out. Stupid endocrine system. By the end of the exam, I felt as if my brain had just thrown up over and over again and when it was done throwing up, it dryheaved until it went into spasm. At least all the information was out but I felt exhausted.
I waited for Maja and we said we'd go for drinks, by the time we'd walked a couple of blocks, we decided we were too exhausted for drinks! We walked, mostly in silence, making a couple grunts or groans to express our tiredness to one an other. We parted ways and I slipped into a book store to buy some non massage related books to read while I was waiting for my facial to start.
Oh... the best part of my day... My facialisicous facial at Skoah! It was awesome. I am so glad I booked it! And a HUGE thanks to Heidi for the gift certificate (which she gave me after her wedding but I saved it for this moment... somethings are worth saving). After spending two and a half years learning about touch, I've become super picky about it. This has made massages and facials a little less enjoyable because I am always paying attention to things like quality of touch, depth of pressure and whether they feel like they know which structures they are working with. But I was darned impressed at Skoah. My esthetician knew what she was doing and I left there feeling relaxed. So relaxed that by the time I came home, I finished the tub of Haagen Dazs and went to bed (and was in bed by 9).
The board exams aren't as bad as they're cracked up to be. They are just freaking exhausting. I'm giving myself two days of no studying then I am going to hit the books again so to be a little bit prepared for my oral practical. I won't ACTUALLY know whether I am going to do the oral practical until the 10th (that's when we get out written results back... if we pass, we do the OP, if we fail... then we don't). And for the famous question of 'how do you think you did?' My answer to that is: I will know on the 10th how I did.
* I found out that I educated guessed/eenie meenie minee moed that one correctly! Woo!

Study break

2009-08-31T18:27:00.003-07:00

The weekend has already come and gone. With the blink of an eye I arrived in Winnipeg and left. I realized why my family is the best most awesome amazing family around. Here's a quick recap of the weekend.
5:20am: rise and shine... get ready to make my way to the airport!!!
7:05am: stepped off the skytrain and blinked back tears when I saw four single travelers swing their large backpack over their shoulders and walk towards the airport.
8:09am: my flight that was supposed to leave at 8 hasn't started to board yet and talk is that it won't leave for an other little while because they need to get a new plane.
9:13am: my flight leaves, I am not on it because I would have missed my connection in Calgary. I'm waiting for news to see when I can get into Winnipeg.
9:30am: I get news that I won't be in Winnipeg until 7:50pm... the wedding starts at 5. I am pretty freaking upset/devastated/angry and anything else you could imagine.
1:30pm: On the plane to Edmonton, when the engine fires up for take off I smile and think of all the wonderful times I've heard that noise and how it always takes me somewhere nice :)
7:50pm: Arrive in Winnipeg via Edmonton after an uneventful trip. I meet with Dielle and Seig who left the wedding to come and pick me up! Glad to see their smiling faces again!
8:40pm: Arrive at the transcona country club for Stephane and Dasha's wedding celebration! I am overwhelmed by the love that fills the room. Most, if not all of the Fiolas and the Fontaine are there... and we dance until the wee hours of the morning. Jacqueline mentions she's going to Asia and will have a month and a half alone. Dad surprises me with a cold, soggy Mrs. Mike's burger (without meat) at 1am and it's the most delicious thing I'd ever eaten!
Sunday am until mid afternoon: wake up and hang out with Remi (who's couch I crashed on at 3am) until Mom and Dad come by to pick me up for the Fontaine get together. There the majority of the Fontaine clan is there... Grand Maman, Grand Papa, Aunties, Uncles, Cousins, cousins wives/husbands/boyfriends/girlfriends and fiances (congrats Karine & Brian) and little cousins. Amazing breakfasts, jello eating competitions, jello food fight, water fight, volley ball, swimming in the pool and catching up with the amazing Fontaine's ensue.
Sunday afternoon to evening: time to leave the Fontaines, I don't want to go but the Fiola cousin get together at Remi's place is up next. Again, more great food (this time I got to play in the kitchen with my cousin Remi, Suzie and their friend), gin and tonic, awesome cousins to catch up with and just an all around great time. I realize how lucky I am to have these people in my life. All of them (even those I don't know very well) are truly amazing people. Jacqueline fills me in a little more about her Asia trip... I tell her I'll look into it. I smile at the thought of board exams being two days away and think of how grateful I am to have had such an amazing study break.
1:00am: fall asleep on Grand Maman and Grand Papa Fontaine's couch.
5:30am: rise and shine, time to get to the airport... I think I am still drunk... I smell like camp fire. chuckle at the thought of being thigh to thigh next to a stranger in this state.
7am: plane leaves... on time :)
7:40am Vancouver time: plane arrive 20 minutes early!!!
8:20: Get this! I am HOME!!! Thanks to the Canada line, coming home is quicker (and cheaper) by public transit is faster then a cab! Wow.

Today I've been recovering, napping more then I should. Yes, I have registered for a 20 day Laos, Northern Thailand and Cambodia trip and will most likely be staying an extra month and a half... and, if the piggy bank is still intact at that time, I'll book an extra 40 days in the Philippines :) Oh yeah... board exams are in less then 48 hours away. Ready or not, I am won't know until I actually get the results back. I hope I am because I am tired of studying and want to get on with my life!

Jumping Rivers

2009-08-25T23:03:00.001-07:00

see... i envision this board exam like jumping a river. we've practiced our running and we've jumped over streams. now it's the true test... can we jump the raging river? worse comes to worse, we jump and fall in the river, we get carried down a ways, clamber back out and then try again. best case scenario, we make it over and continue on our way. no one said there's ever been anything wrong with getting your feet wet... plus, you never know where the current will take you and what's down stream

Our bodies...

2009-08-25T18:27:00.004-07:00

Are pretty darn amazing! I'm enjoying all of the studying that I have been able to do unfortunately I don't think I'll be able to get it all in. What I would give for an extra week! Then again if I had an extra week, I am sure I'd want an other. I'll do what I can... and so far, what I am doing is pretty darn good. :)

Renewed hope for A&P

2009-08-23T22:32:00.003-07:00

After a 5 hour review with Maja and a 1 hour nap, Kristin told me about Prof. Diamond. She's a professor at University of Berkley and she teaches A&P. She has a multitude of videos on youtube and they're of her lecturing different parts of A&P. For the past three hours I've been looking at the videos and calling out answers when I know them. Mom and Dad most likely think I am crazy... but then again... what else is new? So far I've found this to be a huge help and I actually look forward to watching more of the videos tomorrow morning. I think I'll be ready to tackle this board exam... but then again, feelings of readiness come and go. With one breath I can say I am ready and next thing I know, I rediscover a pile of information and I realize that I am not quite ready. I'm enjoying taking in all of this information. I feel like a giant sponge. Hopefully I am soaking up the right information and I'll be asked the questions that I know answers to (or that I can figure out) during the board exam. Now, it's bed time. Time to let the information settle and let my little neurons in my brain form new pathways.

Board Exams

2009-08-22T17:51:00.002-07:00

So now with Europe canceled, what do I do with my board exams? Of course if I knew that I would be here from October to April I wouldn't be working 7 days a week and studying in my spare time. Instead Id be working 4 days a week and studying every day! Priorities shift. But I figured that I wouldn't need my registration because I would be in Europe until April and I deliberately booked my return ticket so that I would be back April 5th (in time to write my exam April 19th). So if I passed this September. Yay! If not, ah well.
Now... well Ill be here. Because the exam is in three parts I am studying really hard for both Jurisprudence and Clinical Sciences, leaving Anatomy and Physiology in the dust. I figure if I pass both of those in September then I can focus on passing the A&P portion and my OP in February. Sure I am still going to write the A&P portion and if I am smarter then I think... yippee! Unfortunately A&P and I are like oil and water. No matter how much sweet talking I do to it, we cant seem to come to an understanding. I need to coax it into my brain and then it stays... but it takes a lot of coaxing and a lot of time. It took me two weeks to cover and properly understand 4 chapters... when you have 22 chapters to cover... well you'll be moving at a snail pace... and right now I don't have time for snail pace. The part that I actually enjoy about A&P is that when I take the time to review it (or relearn it) I actually enjoy it, so I am ok with taking the time to go through it.
Luckily I enjoy working as a bodyworker, so an other couple of months doing so is no skin off my back. I am sure the school will raise their eyebrows if I fail but I think they'll be the only ones to care. I don't believe this reflects my ability as a therapist because I am sure I can pass the clinical portion and if I were to do the OP I could pass that too. Unfortunately the OP cant be done until I pass all of the written portions.
Ah well... it is what it is. Ill see how things go. Now... back to studying.

Europe Canceled...

2009-08-22T17:10:00.002-07:00

for now anyways.

Ah, what a coincidence. Just as I typed this, Mom came upstairs and told Dad "well we have Florence booked". So my parents are going to Europe, but they always have been :) They are going with their friends Debbie and Geoff and Uncle Steve and Auntie Marcy.
I sent Cesare an e-mail and got no response. I also called the hostel and was told he wasn't there. Strange, usually he works at that time but what ever. By mid week I noticed that he had been on facebook, therefore most likely read the e-mail but still chose not to reply. Fair enough, there was my answer. I didn't have to wait until Saturday to cancel my flight and medical insurance and what ever else. So off I went to the travel centre to cancel everything. Once I spoke to the lady she told me it was 100% non refundable. Eff!!! That's a lot of money! I asked them if they were sure and choked back tears. Not because I was sad about Cesare but because I was now over $1000 poorer and I felt like a loser for jumping in blindly. I walked out of there, defeated. Those feelings soon changed from defeat to complete and utter frustration towards Cesare for not telling me that he didn't want me to come! After all, the day before I booked the ticket he called me while I was at the flight centre and I told him I was going to buy my ticket. Still, he said nothing! He also didn't say anything when I called him the day I bought my ticket. I went home, fuming. Determined to call the hostel to give him a piece of my mind. Once home, I called. Luckily he wasn't there. After fuming for a while. I calmed down and realize that I was pissed off at Cesare for nothing. Really it's not HIS fault that my ticket isn't refundable.
Later that day, I got a phone call from the travel agent saying that for the first time ever they were able to refund part of my ticket. Apparently my agent felt sorry for me so she decided to call the company anyways to see if they would cancel. Usually they don't but my agent and their representative have a good rapport and for a $175 processing fee and a $370 penalty I'll be able to get my refund... or part of it anyways. With my medical, I should be able to get most of it back... I think the penalty for that is only $25 or something like that.
So it was an expensive risk but I still believe that it was worth it. Did I learn anything... well other then boys are stupid... not really. I am still going to take risks, even if they may not seem totally logical to everyone. I believe that if you don't take risks in life you're not going to get very far. I'm a risk taker, so what if I get my heart smooshed along the way. If I've learnt anything over the past couple of years is that my heart heals (especially with the support and love of my friends and family) and life goes on.
So now instead of spending my 24th Birthday in Milan, I'll most likely be spending it somewhere warm with my friend Jenny. When I told her about all this, she said that we should go on an all inclusive for a week (or two) somewhere warm to celebrate my birthday. We're going to find the cheapest all inclusive and go. I am already looking forward to that (especially the warmth...). Maybe I should just move somewhere warm and then I won't always flee the cold.

...Cupid's shot was lost on us.

2009-08-16T19:14:00.002-07:00

So I haven't been blogging or twittering (tweeting?) or really doing anything other then working, studying and working out. With Cesare and I's relationship going the way it was, I decided to pick up and other job (one with more steady hours/a predictable pay cheque) so that I could have more money in the piggy bank for when I went to St. Moritz, Switzerland. Our communications continued, nothing seemed to have changed. I worked 7 days a week, studying when I was on call or had time off. I'd hit the gym every other day and that would give me energy to tackle anything. Sure there never seemed to be enough hours in the day and I was a little bit stressed out but I was enjoying everything I was doing. I kept my eye on the prize and figured that no matter what happens, it's all worth it and I worked hard for it.
Because air fare prices were climbing, I decided to purchase my plane ticket! I did! :) I was so excited when I booked my flight arriving in Milan, October 23rd and returning April 5th. I couldn't contain my excitement so I called Cesare at the hostel (I avoided calling him because he's having fun in Hawaii, as long as he called me, I didn't feel the need to call him on the public hostel phone). When I told him, he was excited as well! We talked about what it would be like to live together even for a short while.
And that was our last conversation. Since then he hasn't returned any phone calls or e-mails (and he's still on facebook, updating his status so he's not dead or in the hospital... which is a good thing). Well that's strange! It's also good to know now instead of when I am at the Milan airport two days before my birthday and he doesn't show up. Yeah, that would suck. So, our last communication was on the 9th, we're the 16th now. I've sent him an e-mail asking him if he's had a change of heart, can't make it in September or if he just needs time to himself, to let me know. Still, nothing.
Personally I'm a big fan of communication whether it be good or bad, I think it's important to talk to one an other about things so for me this is a giant red flag... actually it's more like a red elephant with "this is a bad idea" written in French, English and Italian on him! But I'm a softie and I can't give up like that on something that seemed so good. So today I sent him an other e-mail telling him that I'd like to talk to him about this but if I don't hear from him I am going to cancel my ticket (I'm giving him until Saturday). We'll see if that sparks communication. If not... well no Europe for me this year.
Am I upset? Well, not as much as I was earlier this week. With my brother's wedding, I tried to get over it so that I wouldn't be mopey. I also have to be realistic and I can't claim that I really knew Cesare because really, we only spent 7 or so days together in paradise so... that can make anyone pretty freaking amazing. But I was (and maybe still am) willing to give this a go. Even if it doesn't work out and I end up in Switzerland, I am a big girl that doesn't like drama so I'd deal with it like an adult and we could remain friends. If that doesn't work, I am totally unopposed to coming home early. It could be an adventure... and I'm always up for an adventure.
But I am not going to hold my breath. I sent him some photos* via snail mail (all of which were similar to this one but different parts, and all with cloths on) with a simple note that said 'see you in September' and that didn't get a reaction... so if THAT doesn't get a reaction then I think there's my answer.
Ah well. It was fun while it lasted. Daydreaming about running away with a beautiful Italian man that's great in the sack was fun and it'll most likely continue, but I might just leave it as daydreaming. We'll see what the next few days bring.

*Photos taken by Christel Lanthier

Cupid is shooting arrows!

2009-08-16T19:08:00.002-07:00

Everyone's falling in love, celebrating anniversaries, getting married or getting engaged! It's exciting and beautiful to see. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by so much love. My parents are a prime example of a loving relationship and we've also got good friends that are great loving role models as well.
My brother and Dasha got married yesterday and what a beautifully stunning wedding it was. It was perfect. I wouldn't have changed a thing! Oh and the wedding cake... it was perfect :) It was all great and wonderful and I am so glad that Dasha is joining our family. I am sure photos are going to start surfacing soon and I might post them (often times I say I will post things and I never do... this time I am covering my ass and saying 'might' just so that if I don't... it's ok :)).
I'm surrounded by love and couldn't be any luckier but...

Le Blues du Businessman

2009-07-22T11:55:00.002-07:00

Test cake number 2 today... the flavor. Vanilla hazelnut cake with a chocolate hazelnut filling between the layers. It's been fun to make. Of course, while I am baking I am blasting the tunes. Today I am listening to old school Celine Dion. I grew up listening to Celine Dion and actually appreciate her music (I also know all the words so it's fun to belt out... to all my neighbors... sorry :) ). One of her songs 'le blues du businessman' remind me of life. I remember listening to it as a little girl and thinking that I never wanted to be like the businessman in this song. I've found the lyrics and translated them... I think it's a reminder to live life and live it like we want to live it. Or anyways that's what it is to me.

The blues of the businessman

I am successful in business
I am successful in love
I often change secretaries

I have my office in the top of a tower
From where I see the town upside down
From where I control my universe

I spent half of my live in the air
Between New York and Singapore
I always travel in first class

I have my second home
In all the Hilton's of the Earth
I can't accept the misery

I'm not happy, but I look like I am
I lost my sense of humor
Since I got my business sense

I succeeded and I am proud of it
In fact I only have one regret
It's not what I wanted to do

I wanted to be an artist
To be able to do my show
When the airplane touches the ground
In Rotterdame or Rio
I wanted to be a singer
To be able to shout who I am
I wanted to be an author
To be able to create my life
I wanted to be an actor
So I could always change my skin
And to find myself beautiful
On a big colour screen

I wanted to be an artist
So I could recreate my world
And live like a millionaire

I wanted to be an artist...
To talk about why I live.

Alright, so there's a reason why I am not a translator but you get the idea :) Filling is done! Time to work on the cake :)

But I am not anxious!!

2009-07-18T03:42:00.003-07:00

So it would be really silly to have anxiety attacks when I am not anxious right? Well call me silly cuz I have had TWO anxiety attacks in the span of a week! Effff! The first one I just figured it was weird and it was just my body/mind reminding me what they were like... that they suck and it's a good thing I don't get them as often. But tonight, I woke up again... so spooked that I actually bolted to the kitchen (this is new... usually I just sit upright and look scared/possessed, hyperventilate a little then I realize what's happening and I can start taking care of myself). I must be quite scared if my reaction is to run. Especially that it's a feeling that comes from within me, therefore running is a little silly because, hey! it's following me. But anyways it's what I am doing now so I gotta deal with it. On the plus side, it has me that much closer to the washroom. Calming myself down includes (not necessarily in this specific order but this works best), having a drink of water, going to the washroom, listening to pretty music - usually Celtic, turning on the lights in my bedroom and staying awake. Falling asleep just triggers the feeling again... which sucks because already I'm buzzing with anxiousness. And I usually have to stay awake for 2 to 3 hours...
Judging by the deep blanket creases all over me, I must have been in one heck of a deep sleep. This sucks! I wanted to be well rested for tomorrow! 13 hours at folk fest in the hot sun is going to wear me out (or it did last year so I am getting ready). Plus, I'll be on call at work so I can't really afford to be tired. Oh well, I guess that's why there are naps in the sunshine.
Well instead of making this a painfully long and boring post, I am going to research why I am getting anxiety attacks. Just this week Mom said she heard that it could be a lack of protein... that COULD make sense because I am working out every other day for about two hours so my body probably needs more protein then it's getting (I didn't eat anything especially proteiney yesterday... so that could be why). I'll make sure to get some tofu sesame snacks to see if that helps. Also, before I fell asleep (and now actually) my right leg is all twitchy so there's got to be an insufficiency of something. Electrolytes?
Time to be that all annoying client that self diagnoses myself from Internet articles :) My nautropath will be proud when I see him Tuesday. Ha ha!

Folk Fest 2009!

2009-07-17T10:01:00.003-07:00

Folk fest begins tonight!! I am so stoked! Vicki and her friend from back East won tickets through the Georgia Straight so they'll be joining (until 15 minutes ago, I thought I'd be going to to the festival on my own this year but I am SO glad that they won tickets!! No more studying in the sunshine for me! Ha!). Being work isn't overly busy, I didn't book it off. The venue is close enough that I will be able to enjoy folk fest while on call. Pretty awesome, I think so! Now I just wish I lived closer... Last year I remember being SO tired from spending all day in the sunshine and dancing that getting to Vicki's place was quite the feat (and she lives closer then I do!). We'll see about this year though maybe I won't be as tired.
Ok well I am off to go studying before I have to work and go to folk fest... so far so good. I did 5 hours straight of studying yesterday, applied at a whackload more places in Switzerland (I think I've run out of reputable resorts with Spas) and spent 2 hours at the gym. I'm back on track! Now I just have to keep it that way.

Quiet time...

2009-07-16T10:08:00.002-07:00

Here I am again at the Irving Barber Study Hall at UBC. It was my home during most of my finals and I think it'll be my home for the next little while (at least until board exams). This morning it's the quietest that I've seen it. There are about 20 people (as opposed to 200) and it's SO quiet! I feel like if I were to shift on my couch it would make noise and bother people. I love it :) I've dragged myself here because... well for one I need to be closer to work in case I get called in and for two... less distractions.
I am getting quite frustrated with things. I got my 2nd 'thanks but no thanks' letter from Switzerland. The 2nd was just as polite as the 1st but it still sucks to receive them. I also have no clients today, which sucks because it's hard to make money when you don't have any clients. I'm ready to work but there's no work. Bah! Anyways I am keeping my phone close by. I guess this just reinforces how important it is to be an RMT (as they are busier then bodyworkers) so really it should be encouragement to study. But it's not. I am finding it hard to study. I just don't have the drive right now. I guess I am just a little too focused on Switzerland, which is and isn't a good thing. This is why I am at the study hall today. Hopefully a change of scene will help me get on track. I've promised myself that if I do two hours of studying then I can apply to two more places in Switzerland. Hopefully I'll be able to do two hours of studying and half an hour to an hour of applying places and then two hours of studying.... and continue like that until about 4 or 5ish then off to the gym to work out any frustrations (and tire my body our because there's nothing worse then going to bed, mind exhausted, but you're body is about to jump out of it's skin because you spent the majority of your day sitting on your ass, staring at a book).
Anyways, I better get to it!

Denied :(

2009-07-15T19:38:00.005-07:00

I got my first "thanks but no thanks" e-mail from Switzerland. I applied at Badrutt's Palace as a massage therapist because lets face it... it's a stunning place. It most likely has very high standards for massage therapy so I'd be learning with leaps and bounds. Loving it too :) But last night after coming home from a wonderful night with the girls I got the e-mail.

"Dear Ms Fontaine

Thank you for your e-mail and for your interest in our hotel.

The Badrutt’s Palace Hotel is a seasonal opened alpine Resort Hotel. The hotel stays closed during the off-seasons in spring and autumn. The Youth Mobility Program requires a full time employment of at least 12 months to maximum 18 months and its combined with a special type of residence- and working permit so called Stagiaire permit. As a seasonal opened hotel we do not receive this type of permit from the Swiss foreigner police. Furthermore it’s our policy that all employees with regular Guest contact must be fluent in German, English and Italian.

We suggest you to contact City locations like hotels in Zürich, Geneva, Lucerne, etc

Thanks again for your interest and kind regards"

I wish all rejections were that polite. Luckily they got a couple of points wrong (unless I am confused, I will call the embassy to make sure I am not just doing this for nothing). From what I know, the Youth Mobility Program is usually for 12 months but there is no minimum and it can be extended to a maximum of 18 months (but you need to apply for the extension). I've never heard of a Stagiaire permit (and I looked ALL over the website) so will have to look into that... but I don't think it's necessary. I speak English and French so even if all the rest of the permit/visa stuff works out, I am shit out of luck when it comes to the languages. Oh well! I appreciate the e-mail and it's helped it make it a little bit more real for me.
It's a little fursterating on this end because that's the only e-mail I've recieved back. I've sent out my fair share of e-mails and will be running out of places to e-mail shortly. I figure it worse comes to worse, I can go for 90 days (which would have me there for my birthday, christmas and new years). The thing with that is that I would have to have enough money to do something like that. Which is fine. I am ready to work :) Unfortunately things are slow at work and I am lucky if I am getting one to two clients a day. I expected this so it doesn't come as a surprise. It's just frusterating when you want to work and there is no work. I've applied for a part time job so I can work monday, tuesday, wednesday. Eeefffffff!!! I want to find a money tree or something! Or a job in Switzerland because realistically, I want to work. I enjoy what I do so I want to massage. Oh well. Gotta keep positive.

Keeping my eye on the prize

2009-07-13T11:30:00.002-07:00

So no response with my first application so I am trying three more places that I would love to work at! *fingers crossed*

*Photo of St. Moritz... wow.

Hot

2009-07-10T18:05:00.002-07:00

This much hair during the summer time is really hot! I miss my short hair.

And yeah my hair is that out of control if I don't do anything about it... craziness!

Change of plans

2009-07-10T07:19:00.002-07:00

This morning I was reading Donna's blog and her most recent post was about her making life adjustments in order to be closer to her sweetheart. This made me think about where I am in my life and the adjustments I am making to be closer to mio bello principe (that's my beautiful prince in Italian... really, it sounds less cheesy in Italian :P ). So here's the story.
After a 6 hour flight, 'sleeping' 12 hours on the airport floor in Oahu airport, a other quick flight to Maui and an easy car pick up we arrive at the Banana Bungalow. Simon (who, funny enough, we'd met at the hostel two years ago and was back and working there) was checking us in. We were lucky that he still did because check in is after 2pm. We were there at 8am. It turns out we were accidentally booked in for July and not June. Oops. But he makes room and asks us how we feel about staying with a Swiss Italian. I'm just glad they have a room for the three of us together but I know that Maja prefers a 4 person room instead of a 6 person share. I don't say anything figuring that at least we have a room. If something needs to be changed, we can do so at a later time. To my surprise, it was a 4 person share with one Swiss-Italian guy and not a Swiss AND and Italian. Yay. Not thinking much about it (other then he was good tanned and looking and here we were, white and Canadian) we threw down our stuff and left for a day at the beach.
The whole trip is a bit of a blurr so it's hard to tell what happened when. All I know is that there were two bunks. The Swiss-Italian (who's name is Cesare, pronounced Che-zar-eh) and Darla were on the bottom bunks and Maja and I were on the top one. In 30+ heat with no air con or fan, Maja migrated to sleep with Darla and I was left up top, cooking. After a night or so the girls suggested that I sleep with Cesare (who also got the nick name of Cesar Salad, Che Che, Pepe, Jose - yeah, it took us a while to catch on as to how to pronounce his name) because 'it would be cooler'. Cesare seemed pleased that they suggested it and I figured why not. He seems safe but to be cautious I mummified myself in my blanket to avoid being poked by my new friends appendage (in my experience, guys can't help it when a girl is in bed with them... and I was either too innocent or hadn't realized that there was attraction forming. My mind just wasn't there. I was on vacation with the girls! yay!). I woke up early (as usual) having slept through the night without getting poked. Cesare was awake as well. We went for a walk to enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian morning and to let the girls sleep in. I think that's when it all started. There was no obvious beginning. It was just comfortable and we just went with it. We spent two days together while the girls did their own thing and by the end of our second day together it was pretty obvious that we had a thing for one another.
People go to Hawaii to honeymoon and we met there so the romance was quick and intense. It's understandable. We were in paradise. It was funny, we both agreed (this was in one of our early conversations) that long distance relationships don't work, and as travellers it's sometimes hard to keep a relationship going if your partner doesn't want to travel with you. I think this is why we're now going to make an effort to be with one another. He's in Hawaii until the end of August (or beginning of September, depending) and then he's planning on coming here. I am also planning on spending the winter in St. Mortiz, Switzerland, where he'll be working as a ski instructor.
Our last night together was low key and wonderful. Just being in one an others company makes anything pretty perfect. We sat on a bridge and talked. I learnt a little more Italian (his mother tongue) and he still practices his English. To my surprise, when we parted I cried. I didn't think I would, but I did. I felt a little silly, falling loser in lust (not going to call it love... yet) for a guy in a week. But it's cute, both of us are loser for one another. We've talked on the phone nearly every day since I've been home and we sent at least 3 to 4 e-mails to one another each day. I'm trying really hard to get a job in Switzerland because if I have a job, I get a work visa. If I don't get a job then I can't get a work visa and can only be in Switzerland for 90 days (which won't bring me up to April, which is when the ski season finishes).
Anyways, it's interesting how you think you've got yourself figured out and you know the track you're on then someone comes along and throws you off course. But it's ok, you love it and you go with it, excited about the new possibilities. I know as a massage therapist I'll grow with leaps and bounds working in Europe because they do things so differently there. I'm excited!

Job seaching in Switzerland

2009-07-05T20:41:00.003-07:00

For my next disappearing act I will be going to Switzerland! Actually I'll be flying to Italy where I will hopefully spend my 24th birthday. In order to stay in Switzerland for more then 3 months, I need to get a working visa (which is fine with me, I don't think I could afford to stay 3 months without work anyways). The catch is that you need a contract in order to apply for the work visa. I guess that makes sense, this way you're almost guaranteed work when you come in. So I've been looking for places to work online. Most of the websites are in German so it's a little tough. There's one that I really liked and could see myself working there (well according to the pictures and the little bit of German I was able to decipher). Then I found the translate this website to English! Well that helps!
It's totally exciting that this place offers lymph drainage and other modalities that aren't really appreciated (yet) here in Canada. What I find extra amazing is that they base their essential oil blends according to the moon cycle! Awesome much? Yeah just a little!
So now I'm all excited about this place and I decide to check out where they're located. I scroll to the bottom of the page and look at their address 'On a different Mountain near St. Moritz'. Ha ha :P I'll have to ask Cesare how close this 'different mountain' might be. It could be a possibility though! I am thoroughly stoked and look forward to the adventures that are to come.

Maui memories

2009-06-29T15:19:00.010-07:00

In no particular order... just writing these as they come to mind. Will add more as I think of more.

Sleeping in the Oahu airport for 10 hours. It was actually not as long and boring as we thought it might be. The floor was a little hard but it's an open airport so there's plenty of fresh Hawaiian air. I am sure that helped us sleep.

Facing giants at little beach. Large waves would come crashing in. I'd stand there in the water, watching them come, letting them get as close to me as possible before ducking under them and feeling the power of the wave flow around my body.

Fish tacos! Everywhere! We've contemplated starting a book which rates all fish tacos everywhere on Maui. So far, our favorites are the ones in Whalers Village near Kanapali and the number one (in my books anyways) is from the Jaws fish taco stand just before Big beach/little beach. It's mandatory to have some before going to the beach! Even if you're going to burp them up all day long because you didn't digest properly and ran straight into the water once you got there.

Hanging my hammock in a tree, overlooking other trees, little beach and the ocean. I would have loved to take a picture of this because it was perfection! I just didn't bring my camera to the beach so that it didn't get sand in it. Also you're not allowed to take pictures on the nude beach because other nudists don't appreciate it. Understandable.

Mio principe, Cesare aka Ceasar Salad. I learnt a couple of words in Italian thanks to my travel romance.

"An other beautiful day in paradise." Every morning, one of the guys from the hostel (I never really got to see who because he was either behind foliage or walls when he said this) would greet other guests at the hostel with this in the morning. When he'd say this, I would always smile and my heart would swell with happiness. It's so true.

Two flat tires in the middle of butt fuck nowhere Maui :) Both on the passenger side. Did we freak out... not particularly. We figured the damage was done and stressing out would only make the situation even more difficult for one an other. We happened to break down where we could watch the sunset. Once we called the towing company, we blasted music, danced and watched the sunset. Couldn't have been a more perfect accident :) I love my girls.

The team work I had with Darla navigating around the island (she drove, I navigated. Never raised our voice once, stayed friends and strengthened our friendship).

Getting tossed around the waves with Darla and Maja at nudebeach in Paia. Laughing so hard that I almost threw up (could have also been how much salt water I'd eaten). The waves were so powerful that when you'd crawl away from the ocean you'd get hit again, roll around in the wave and get sand EVERYWHERE. I think it took is a day or two to wash all of the sand out of our hair.

All the good food we had! It was amazing meal after amazing meal! I can't recall the last time I'd eaten so well so many days in a row. Hostel favorites: pancakes with papaya mango chutney with fresh made syrup from local sugar we'd gotten for free at the sugar museum. Also, fresh papaya, sliced in half, seeded, with two scoops of yoghurt and a sprinkle of granola on top. YUM!

Eating fresh pineapple while standing at the edge of the ocean, butt naked on little beach, not caring that pineapple juice was running down my face, arms and body. Then going for a swim to clean off.

'Yacutzzi' (jacuzzi said with an italian accent). Cesare making a 'home made' yacutzzi in the ocean by taking both this hands and trapping air and bringing it under the water under himself.

Seeing 7 sea turtles from the beach and the rocks in less then an hour.

Swimming in the ocean and seeing sea turtles swim by you!

Breaking the hostel hammock. After two bottles of wine, all three of us were piled in the hammock, laying there, rocking gently, relaxing, while our laundry was being done. All of a sudden, boom, we were on the ground. It took us a couple of seconds to realize what happened then we just bust into laughter. In the end we just broke a bolt, the hammock was fine so we didn't feel too bad.

"So what are you guys here for?" Says a hosteller who knew about our car oops and who witnessed us breaking the hammock. "We're here to break stuff." It kind of became true :) We broke lots of things. Not ourselves, luckily, because I didn't have insurance ;)

Having a nap on the beach, not caring that I was rolling around in the sand, most likely exposing myself (at a non nude beach...) and waking up with sand in my mouth. Along with MANY other naps on the beach.

Kayaking to the Mokes (I think this is what it was called) with Darla. Awesome teamwork and a fantastic destination. An other nap on the beach, getting caught in the rain, watching a rainbow appear between the Mokes, then hanging out on surfboards until I got sea nautious with Maja.

Dominik Sashimi! He was an other hosteller, also a friend of Ceasar Salad. How he got the nickname? He was staying in a different room with an older Japanese guy who was sleeping. We were drunk and he was contemplating going back to his room but was afraid to because the old Japanses man would turn Dominik into Sashimi for waking him up. I think you had to be there... but we hung out with Sashimi and Ceasar Salad our entire trip :)

"Hey, what's up" "I'm marinating." Our new saying that we're bringing back to Canada. It's when you're just chilling out :)

The night Michael Jackson passed away, a couple of us at the hostel drank in his honour, sang and danced to his music. There couldn't have been a better way to remember MJ. (Photo: French Canadian, Luca and Maja moon walking on the picnic table at the hostel).

Going to dinner with my girls, noticing a large frog (or toad) hopping on the sidewalk. Became fond of little frog. On our way back from dinner, we notice a fresh road killed frog, right about where we saw our friend the frog on our way to dinner :( Poor frog. Was subsequently amused that frog in Italian is Rana... lol the frog got ranaed over :P

Being with my girls for a whole 10 days and still loving them to bits afterwards!

Paradise withdrawal

2009-06-29T15:07:00.002-07:00

I go through it every year when I come back from Hawaii. I just came back this morning. It was hard to leave. Maja, Darla and I decided it was like leaving a good friend that you only visit once in a while behind. I guess that's true in more ways then one. While you're there, you make friends and the bonds are so strong because you're there, uninhibited, and you're happy. Then you leave. Good bye should be getting easier. In reality it doesn't. Sometimes you learn to get less attached to those you meet but that's not always possible.
I woke up from my nap this afternoon and I cried. My hands and feet are cold (they weren't in Hawaii, not even once) and I'm cold. I want to go home to Hawaii. This time I went it really felt like a second home. I knew almost everything and it just felt like I was coming home. Just like last year I've got to promise myself not to make any decisions for three weeks after I come back because they'll most likely be silly ones (last time I almost left for Denmark... why Denmark? Because it's not Vancouver). I've been back for 7 hours and I've already leafed through the Lets Go Europe travel guide and looked over the map of Europe (mostly to orient myself and see where my new friends are from). Hopefully when I work Thursday it'll keep my mind off being back and I'll get over it that much faster. Or I might just have to leave for Hawaii again. :)

Miracle

2009-06-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

Don't they know that there's something going on
What they're harming with their indecision
But who will be left standing when I'm gone?
There'll be nothing left but a vision

It's too easy to turn a blind eye to the light
It's too easy to bow your head and pray
There are some times when you should try to find your voice
This is one voice that you must find today

Are you hoping for a miracle
as the ice caps melt away?
No use hoping for a miracle
There's a price we'll have to pay

It's too easy to turn a blind eye to the light
It's too easy to bow your head and pray
There are some times when you should try to find your voice
This is one voice that you must find today

Are you hoping for a miracle
as the ice caps melt away?
No use hoping for a miracle

Oceanlab

Falling to freedom

2009-06-13T09:44:00.003-07:00

Tuesday night, the girls get together to celebrate summer, graduation and the fact that we're an awesome group of women :) After a great meal, we sit on the deck, enjoying the night and having many laughs.
We hear the neighbor boys (who we'd never met, just saw in passing) come home and Pam yells "Hey boys! What are you guys up to tonight?". Soon after, Tyler and Conor are sitting on the deck and we've finally met the neighbors.
It all started with a simple question "So how's your summer going?". We asked this to our neighbors, Tyler and Conor. It's a simple question, one we ask to create small talk and fill the silence with words.
They told us about their friend Dav, he'd been missing for 10 days and they were pretty sure that he wasn't coming back. That night, I am sure that Tyler and Conor couldn't have ended up with a more compassionate and caring group of people. We listened openly and tried to put ourselves in their shoes. Impossible. I honestly wouldn't know what to do if any of the girls disappeared for any length of time and we knew that they weren't coming back.
It's been on my heart and mind since Tuesday night. Shook up by it all, Maja and I talked about it on the beach while recovering from the night before. What would we do if one of us girls went missing? When someone is so fed up with their life, is it ok to leave it behind? If they've been upset and feeling down all their life (and have seeked help), as a friend, is it ok to let go and tell them it's ok to pass away? Would we be happier knowing that our friend is no longer sad? We'd then lose a friend and we'd miss them terribly. All of these questions didn't really have answers. We discussed them but nothing really came of it. When jumping off a bridge, when does one die? We agreed that realistically they'd most likely drown. The myth is that people die of a heart attack, however I strongly doubt that, otherwise the vast majority of bungee jumpers and sky divers would be dead. For the sake of our own peace of mind, we agreed that mid way through the fall, they'd slip away, feeling free (and hopefully not filled with thoughts of regret).
Tyler and Conor left for Banff yesterday (where they're from) and over the course of yesterday evening, I caught myself glancing over every time I heard the creek of the gate or the sound of foot steps on gravel. I guess I somewhat took over care of guardian, waiting for Dav to come home. Who knows if he ever will walk through those gates again. I hope he does.
I don't know why this has hit me so hard. I guess it's made me think of life and death. It's brought me back to my conversation that I had with Eric about death a couple of years back. He believes that after death we shouldn't be sad. After a time of mourning, we should celebrate the person's life. I agree but I find it hard to do (I tried to practice this when Minette passed away). Perhaps it's because I didn't know Dav at all. Sure I'd seen him walk in an out of his basement suite, I'd jump every time I was studying and he'd slam the gate (my desk is right next to the gate but there's no window so I can't see if any one's walking up to it, I only hear it slam) and we'd exchanged a couple of hellos and simple conversation but really, I can't claim to have known him. It's been interesting.

Recipes for a perfect night

2009-06-12T18:56:00.004-07:00

Maja, Darla, Pam and I got together for our annual eat, drink and be merry get together at my place :) We did this last year and made some awesome food and caught up on the latest. We had such an awesome time we decided to do it again this year. We often get together, however we'll usually go out for food or we'll go for drinks, dancing or what not. It's really nice to have a low key evening where we stay home, listen to good music, try out new recipes and solve the worlds problems :)
Because I was so damned impressed with what we made, I've decided to post our menu.

MOMMA BEAR
(a drink created by me, in honour of our friend Heidi who started labor when we were grocery shopping and gave birth to a beautiful little girl some time when we were hung over the next day)

Fill glass 1/2 full with ice
Take two basil leaves and scrunch them to release the flavor
1/6th of a lime squished and tossed in with basil and ice
2oz (or more, we honestly dum dee dummed* the amount of alcohol) of Sugar Cane Spirit**
Carbonated spring water to top up the drink (we made these in pint size glasses... well until we started making pitchers of it)

ROMAINE, GRILLED AVOCADO, AND SMOKY CORN SALAD WITH CHIPOTLE-CEASAR DRESSING
Serves 4 (main courses) or 6 (side dishes)

1/4 cup grated parmesan (I used dry)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo (I just used canned chillies from Safeway...)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 ears of corn, shucked
2 firm, ripe avocados, halved and pitted but not peeled
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 head romaine (or fresh lettuce, which is what we used)

Preheat BBQ to super hot for grilling (gotta get those nice grill marks).
Add parmesan, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chilies in a blender and blend until smooth. Or you can whisk it all but it's nice and creamy if it's done in the blender.
Rub vegetable oil on corn and avocados. Grind fresh salt and pepper on corn and avocados.
Grill avocados, cut side down, and corn, covered (if using a gas BBQ), turning corn occasionally, until golden brown (3 to 4 minutes - I found that the corn took maybe 5 or 6 minutes but the avocados didn't take as long).
Peel avocados and thinly slice. Cut corn kernels from cobs.
Toss romaine (lettuce) with dressing and serve topped with avocado and corn.

YUMMM CAJUN HALIBUT

6 Halibut filets cut to 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness (1/2 pound to 1 pound per person. We didn't cut our fillets, we just them cooked them as they were, the cook time was just longer)
Cajun spice - recipe follows
2 tbsp butter
Mango Chutney - recipe follows

Heat the skillet on the stove over high hear until very hot. Cover the fish in Cajun spice.
When pan is hot, add butter then carefully add as many fillets as will fit in the skillet, leaving at least 1/2-inch between each.
Cook the fish for approximately 2 minutes on the first side, and then flip the fillets.
Sear the fish on the second side for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Repeat with remaining fish fillets, adding more butter as needed.
(What would work - I have yet to try this) is to make a paste with the butter and cajun spice and smear it all over the fish then BBQ it.... yummmmy!!)

Cajun spice
2 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder or granulated garlic
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground tyme
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl, stirring until well mixed. Set aside for fish!

Mango Chutney
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 to 4 mangoes chopped (can substitute kiwi, peach or cantaloupe, however we used mango because they're in season)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 small lemon, zested
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
Dash ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a medium non-reactive saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Set aside and keep chutney warm until ready to serve.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE WITH BROWN SUGAR, COCONUT AND RUM

1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 pineapple peeled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
2 tsp curry powder
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Accompaniment: Mediteranian or Greek Vanilla Yogurt... or ice cream if you're not leaving for Hawaii in less then a week

Toast coconut in a small heavy skillet over medium heat, stiffing frequently, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes.
Cut pineapple crosswise into 8 slices (about 3/4 inches thick) and core slices. Stir together remaining ingredients in a shallow glass baking dish and add pineapple in 1 layer, turning to coat evenly. Marinate, turning occasionally, 30 minutes.
Prepare a gas grill for grilling pineapple (if you've got your grill on to make the salad, just throw these on right afterwards, they're just as good cold and it'll save you having to turn on and off your BBQ).
Grill pineapple (reserve marinade), covered, turning once, until grill marks appear and pineapple is heated through, about 4 minutes. I brushed on some marinade before and after turning the pineapple so that it added extra flavor... it made a bit of a caramel over the pineapple and the smell of burnt sugar was amazing!!
Serve pineapple with marinade and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

That was our meal :) It was thoroughly delicious. Yes, we planned it so that it would revolve around grilling. It's summer time and girls BBQing is fun. It's not too often I get to play with the grill and I am looking forward to more creations.

If anyone tries any of these recipes, let me know how it goes! I'd love to hear about your experience or any feedback you may have.

*term used by my Dad when he means adding without measuring
**we used Cachaça from Brazil. We bought it at the liquor store on Cambie and 41st for under $30

Picking new sports

2009-06-04T17:48:00.002-07:00

So I've got all of this free time right? And I can't spend it ALL in my hammock (especially with 30 plus weather... too hot! not that I'm complaining. Just sayin') so I've decided to pick up an other outdoor sport. I've contemplated skimboarding because I love being by the water. The only down side... it looks like a recipe for busting my wrists. I've learnt that anything that can injure my wrists is most likely not a good idea. Without my hands I'd be a pretty terrible massage therapist. So... what are other options? The answer.... Slacklining!
Some of you may wonder what on earth is slacklining?! Well I wondered too! I've seen people do it but I had no clue what it was called. Essentially it's a slightly springy nylon webbing string/rope type thing attached between two trees. You then balance on it and walk back and forth. Kind of like tightrope walking but without the rope being rigid. It's more like walking on a very skinny trampoline. Anyways. I have terrible balance so this should be highly entertaining :) There are two trees in front of my house so I'll be able to practice on my quiet street. Hopefully not too many people will watch me fall. If they do, here's to hoping that I fall gracefully and that I don't look like a tightrope walking elephant.
I also figured this would be a great way to meet those in the neighborhood. Just yesterday I met Heidi, a young woman across the street and two doors down from me (she's planting a garden and I'm giving her some of our extra tomato plants... it's fun to get to do neighborly things!). Next to her is a house with 5 guys and 1 girl (all younger, all going to the college near by). Next door to where I live are two guys, also going to the college near by. Otherwise it's all young families and old people. So if we end up getting all of the youngins out that would be cool. Slacklining is also something that more then one person can do. It could also be quite fun after a couple of beers :) Anyways we'll see if anyone else comes out to play but in the mean time it'll just be me.
Oh! And I could bring it to Hawaii! I don't know if there will be much room in my backpack. It's already nearly full with my hammock, yoga mat and now slackline. Cloths are overrated anyways :)

Starting up

2009-06-04T16:59:00.002-07:00

So I've got myself a career :) I am not too sure how it happened because it all happened so quickly! I'd compare my life since graduation to running down a sand dune. You start at the peak, looking down and you start running, slowly at first. Eventually one foot keeps falling in front of an other, you pick up pace, the path unsure and your footing unstable. Somehow you manage to keep going. Your legs stay in motion, your feet keep stepping one foot in front of an other. Surprisingly you don't fall. Laughing all the way at how exhilarating it is.
Last Wednesday I met Darla at Solarice after work. I e-mailed my resume in a couple of weeks ago with no response. I decided to drop in and say hello to the manager. I ended up with an interview :) Thursday I had my hands on interview. Friday I did my training and I worked Saturday and Sunday. It's a totally awesome place! I am so glad I got the job because it was my number one choice. It's got a great mix of spa type treatments and clinical treatments (all while remaining in the spa setting). It's also located on 4th in Kits which is a great place to be.
Now all of this is great but there's one thing that I have yet to get used to. I only work when I have clients. Otherwise I am on call. I know that as a bodyworker (yep, this is what we're called when we're not registered) it will be slow to start building a client base. I am ok with that and fully anticipated it. It is, however, difficult when you're so eager to work to not have any work. For example, Saturday, I had one client. For the rest of my shift I read, got bored of reading, had a nap in the sunshine, walked along 4th and went in ALL of the shops (I didn't buy anything!). I even talked to the red cross people that were selling subscriptions because I was bored. Today I had no clients. I stayed home, on call, and cleaned all day.
I've started to tackle my school stuff. I'm not studying yet, I am just sorting through my huge piles of notes, trying to organize them into some kind of order. It's stressful though. As soon as I start to look at school things I start feeling blah and want to procrastinate. I know it's a bad idea though because summer is going to be crazy busy and so I need to start early. I am hoping that by the end of today I'll have sorted though everything, cleared my desk and started on my study schedule. Knowing that I'll have some down time at work, I'll bring my study things with me. That'll help pass the time. The beautiful weather helps too because I can sit in a little park and study (most coffee shops don't want you sitting in there for 6 hours). Ok, time to go tackle the piles of class notes! Maybe I should just recycle them all :) hee hee... nawe I can do that in September!

2009-05-27T08:19:00.002-07:00

"Moderation in all things is a mantra we've been hearing a lot about of late. It is healthy. It is sane. It is morally correct. It is also very boring.
I much prefer people with passions. There is nothing more exciting than watching someone fall so deeply in love - with food, an object, a way of life - that they throw caution to the wind and follow their heart."

- Ruth Reichl, Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine

I've thrown caution to the wind and I'm following my heart :) While this summer should be jam packed with studying for board examinations, I've taken on two projects that I am totally stoked about!!! I will be making two wedding cakes! Both in the month of August (so I have time to prepare... fiouf!). One will be for Jennifer and Brandon (their wedding is August 1st... Congrats guys!). While the other, Stephane and Dasha's wedding, will be on August 15th.
There's always a certain amount of nervous energy that comes with taking on such a project. It's huge and it's for people that are very special so I really don't want to mess up. I know that I won't but there are always those thoughts (like I had when creating the Grasshoppa cake) that the cake will spontaneously combust the day of the event while on display. Yeah, I had nightmares about that the entire week before the Grasshoppa grad. In the end, it was fine and I couldn't have asked for a better outcome.
Jennifer and Brandon's wedding will be something that's quite unique. I've never met them, just read their blog and I'll be flying out to Regina to make their wedding cake :) That's pretty neat if you ask me! I look forward to meeting them (and 100 of their closest friends) on August 1st.
Stephane and Dasha's wedding will be... well I am excited for it! My little brother is getting married!!!! :) It's hard to believe yet so easy to accept because Dasha lives with us now and I see the love that they have for one an other. Why question something that seems so easy and natural? They're going to have a nice private backyard wedding with only 30 people or so. A lot of our closest friends and family will be there so I am looking forward to reuniting with some of them :) We're going to have an other celebration in Winnipeg (just 4 days before I write the board examinations!) so that will be with our family from the Peg.
Anyways, one summer, two cakes, two amazing couples! I love it! It's going to be great to spend the next couple of months creating test cakes and wonderful creations to excite the taste buds of those that I am making cakes for (except for Jennifer and Brandon... I'll be their taste buds :) And yes, I am really super picky and finicky when it comes to the flavors of my cakes so I think I'll be the toughest judge.).

Engagement

2009-05-25T12:46:00.002-07:00

Stephane, my brother, and Dasha, his fiance, had their engagement photos taken last Friday. Of course, Dan Dridiger was their photographer (and I was the assistant). It was a super laid back photo shoot. Both the couple and the photographer worked very well together. I also realized the importance of getting to know your photographer and their style prior to them shooting your wedding. Stephane and Dasha seem at ease around him (especially towards the end) so that was great to see. As an older sister, it was pretty awesome to be the assistant. I love my brother and I think it's quite special to share something like this with him.

Omegle

2009-05-25T12:25:00.002-07:00

Matt suggested that I try omegle.com. This is a website that matches you with a complete stranger and you get to talk to them. You have no profile and they know nothing about you (not even a screen name). You see yourself as 'you' and the person you are speaking to is 'stranger'. It's an interesting concept and kind of fun if you have a bit of time to kill. I did have to have to chuckle at my first conversation with 'stranger'. After exchanging a hello, how are you, he replies with "if you don't msn i am going to kill myself".
Talk about putting a lot of pressure on someone you've just met!
Though we've continued to chat (through omegle.com) I am not interested in forming an Internet relationship with a 22 year old Italian male or with any other stranger for that matter. It's an interesting concept and I can see how it would entertain many for hours... currently there are 2472 people online for you to randomly chat with. Technology... it's kind of fun but it can also be a major waste of time. Speaking of wasting time, I am going to go make lunch then lay in my hammock and continue to read When the Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Mate. It's an awesome book about how stress affects our body. He's great at explaining it down to the cellular level in a way that I can understand.

Getting in touch with the earth

2009-05-24T21:22:00.001-07:00

Having time off is so awesome! I've been able to catch up with friends that I haven't seen in a long time and I've also been able to have some muchly needed me time. Today I spent the better part of this morning gardening with Mom. It was so refreshing to spend some time with my hands in the dirt. I can't remember the last time I played with bugs (ok so on Wednesday night I took a earth worm off the sidewalk so he wouldn't bake in the sunshine). It felt so normal and right to have my hands covered in dirt, digging holes and planting new flowers. It also felt right to be taking care of something that was so simple. Inspired by the beautiful rhubarb we have in the garden, I made a golden butter pound cake with a strawberry rhubarb compote for desert. Though I could have put more rhubarb in the compote, it was delicious! Because I have egg whites left over from the pound cake, I am going to make a Pavlova topped with mango and fresh yogurt for desert tonight (the mango mixture will have lime and cardamom to add some warmth and zest to it).
It feels so right to be in the kitchen again and getting back to what I love to do. Now don't get me wrong, I haven't just been slacking :) I've dropped off some resumes, cleaned my room and am chasing around financial things (student loans start up shortly!). So though it may seem like all I've been doing is play, it hasn't. There has just been much more time for me to do things that I actually enjoy doing. Oh and I graduated :) last Wednesday was the ceremony. There should be a blog post about that but I am waiting for the photos from the photographer (not impressed! I can't decide if that should be an other post...).

Just call me Martha ;)

2009-05-19T22:24:00.007-07:00

Well aren't I a little home maker! I remember how to sew! Because I didn't really like the dress I got from China I decided to find one that I did like. Being I spent too much money on that stupid dress, this new dress had to be ultra cheap! And it was! $34 at a vintage store on Commercial Drive! I *heart* the drive! The only problem was that it had a bit of an unflattering neckline. Nothing a little bit of sewing couldn't fix... if I remembered how to sew.
I finally tackled the alterations today (after going to the gym and running errands). It's a good thing I did. My graduation is tomorrow. To my pleasant surprise I remember how to sew. I also really enjoyed it! Now the alterations are finished and I even made a belt to go with my outfit. These are the before and after photos of the alterations that I did. Anyways I am quite proud of my handy work.
Now I must go to bed. Busy day ahead of me tomorrow! This includes going to the gym with Darla (again). Whee!

I have time :)

2009-05-13T16:24:00.002-07:00

Time to nap in my hammock for two hours! Ok so I didn't actually nap the entire time. I listened to some chill music, swung back and forth and dozed in an out of sleep. Today I met Cindy for coffee, we went and got our hair cut, went to the library to rent some real books (a break from text books... yay!), met with Ron to discuss grad stuff, went tanning and bought some lace and other pretty things for my grad dress (which I bought yesterday at a second hand store... being I have time I am going to change it around and sew a little). It's been a lovely low key day and I love it. I've slowly been cleaning the mess that is the living space that I am in. Finals tend to take up most of my time (as they should) so cleaning up after myself and others tends to pile up and get messy. Right now I am not too sure what I am going to do with myself. Part of me wants to start the salsa dancing class that starts tonight... however being I don't have a job I should most likely wait until I do before I start hobbies like that. Tomorrow I am staying home so I will start working on resumes and what not so that Friday I can hand them out :)
....
Oh... I also have to work on my grad speech at some point and time. Yeah... that would be a good idea.

Things that make me go aaaaaawwweee

2009-05-08T06:03:00.002-07:00

Visit from chief examiners and last two writtens

2009-05-07T22:24:00.002-07:00

Man oh man! What a day! We started with a visit from the chief examiners for the board exam... both the chief for the written and for the oral practical gave us a three and a half run down of what to expect. That will be a blog entry in itself. I am just going to wait until I am finished exams and I have a little bit more mental capability then now to write it. For now I am brain dead and tired.
At lunch we had a lovely surprise. Luanne and Rochelle dropped off flowers, grapes, champagne, sparking apple juice, crackers and cheese as a congratulations/hang in there for our finals! This was something that I offered the Grasshoppa class when they were writing their finals and I didn't realize how wonderful a gesture it was until it was given back. It put a smile on every one's face and really lifted our spirits.
In the afternoon we had two finals. Back to back. 130 questions for systemic treatment and 106 questions for orthopedic treatment. I normally don't have trouble writing exams and can be quite patient with it... today however... patience escaped me! By the time I was writing the systemic treatment final I couldn't wait for the final to be over. It seemed like I was turning page after page after page and I wasn't any closer to being finished! Mid way through I even started at the back of the exam and started going through the questions backwards... you know... just to change it up a little. By the end it felt like my brain had been dry heaving for a good 10 minutes. I was spent. Being Maja and I were going to study together, I waited for her.
When she came out from the exam she had a look of... well deer caught in head lights/ stunned/ disbelief... to ease our shared exhaustion, we went for a beer and a really good meal at Locus on Main street. We then had a nap! Mine was awesome! I drooled all over myself and my pillow! When I woke up I felt refreshed! We started to watch the game but then had to start studying. We've been studying since and we're ready for tomorrow's oral practical. Now we're just unwinding and watching TV and we'll be in bed before 11.
Anyways time to go tuck myself in! Good night :)

2009-05-06T19:09:00.001-07:00

'Anywhere in the world can be the perfect place, you just have to set your mind on going and then have the right attitude once you're there :) be fearless yet wise and you'll be amazed at the beauty that the world unfurls for you.'

keep calm and carry on

2009-05-06T09:48:00.004-07:00

This saying is at the entrance of one of my favorite restaurants and it's one that I try to live by. Too often do we surround ourselves with unnecessary stress and I want to try to separate myself from the true stresses in life and the ones that aren't necessary.
I'm now in mid swing of finals and it's going... well emotionally it's going well. As to what my results are, I am not too sure. I am also not overly concerned because I have confidence in myself and I figure that if I keep calm, the knowledge in my head will be able to come out. Now in theory this sounds good but we'll see what actually happens when I get my results back :) I've been ultra lucky to be able to study with one of my best friends and classmate Maja. Both Sunday and Monday we reviewed and made huge progress! Today we're going to get together and review for tomorrow's last two written exams. On Friday and Saturday we have our final oral practical exams so we'll most likely study for those as well. It's nice because not only do we push each other to keep going when our brains can go no more, but we also take breaks that force us to relax. On Sunday we even bought a coconut to break apart and eat as part of our stress relief.
I'm enjoying this balance :) Right now I am waiting for my partner in review to join me and while I am waiting I've settled myself in the living room with pretty music and a cup of tea. It's all very Zen :) I like it that way. Anyways enough procrastination... back to orthopedic treatment and systemic treatment!

*First photo found on this website.

Trying to make it real

2009-05-03T06:52:00.002-07:00

This is what our Dean is doing for our final exams. As if 7 finals crunched into 5 days wasn't real enough! He's decided to shuffle our schedule around so that our finals week looks like the following:
Tuesday: Professional Development written, Pathology written and Anatomy and Physiology written
Wednesday: Recharge
Thursday: Visit from the chief examiner for the Board Exams in the morning. Orthopedic treatment written and Systemic treatment written
Friday: Orthopedic treatment oral practical
Saturday: Systemic treatment oral practical (my turn to do the OP is at 2:30 that afternoon so I should be finished by 4!!! Yippee!! :) )
I think he may have wanted to have all writtens on Tuesday however for some mysterious reason they're split up between two days. The change isn't all that bad actually. Though we've been writing exams every day for the past 2 or 3 months, we've yet to write a marathon exam (over an hour). Being our board exams will consist of 6 hours of writing, I think this will be good practice.
Am I nervous? Yes and no. I know what I need to look over. I know I won't be an ultra genius in Anatomy and Physiology. That will take time. But I am improving :) I'm smarter then I think I am and can figure most things out. I am quite proud of my history taking skills and treatment skills. Special testing and knowing the ins and outs of muscle palpation could use some sharpening. I'm not looking to be a perfect therapist. Not yet. I realize that will come with time and practice.

hop hop hop

2009-05-02T12:36:00.001-07:00

I am finished classes!!! Just exams left now! OMG OMG so excited! Canucks tonight too! WOOO Canucks!

Feel the noise...

2009-04-30T22:41:00.002-07:00

Vancouver is buzzing with Canuck excitement! It's no surprise... we're in round two after sweeping the St. Louis Blues away. We blew game one of round two out of the water with a 5-3 win against the Blackhawks.

What's on Vancouver's mind?

24 Hour Newspaper: What's on your mind?
Dear Calgary Flames: Thanks for softening up the Chicago Blackhawks for us, much appreciated. I'm sorry that you guys got knocked out of the playoffs, but for what it's worth I feel it wasn't your fault. The thing is that you worked very hard, but you were missing one very key component to playoff success: TALENT. Don't worry about the fact that you couldn't beat up on a bunch of young Chicago kids, we got it covered for you.
T.J. Chase, Surrey

Metro News: Testing Vancouver's knowledge
Of the 20 people interviewed on Robson Street:
Able to name three Canucks players: 19
Able to name three B.C. party leaders: 1
Plans to watch the NHL series: 17
Plans to vote: 14
Knows the date of the next Canucks game: 15
Knows the date of the Provincial election: 6

... Clearly it's playoff season! GO CANUCKS!

EEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

2009-04-29T08:48:00.002-07:00

I just emptied my locker that I've been using for the past two and a half years while at Utopia Academy. It's funny how such a little thing can seem so huge! I've been beaming ever since! Holy damn this is starting to feel real.

Flip Flops

2009-04-27T11:02:00.002-07:00

Have been my best investment yet. I've only ever owned two pairs* in all my life time and I've worn them until they turn to dust. The first pair I bought in Hawaii on my way to Australia 5 years ago (dear God! I can't believe it's been that long!). I pretty much backpacked (and hiked) Australia with those flip flops! They were great! I bought my last pair 3 years ago when I went to Hawaii with Paul. After wearing them all summer long the leather started to peel off the foam. The two summers that followed I crazy glued them back together. They looked pretty crappy but they were SO comfortable! While I was in Hawaii last year I looked for a new pair and didn't find anything that could be both casual and dressy(ish). Finally I've decided to throw them out (I haven't had the heart to throw out the pair that I backpacked around Australia with...)!
I'll have to go find some new flip flops because on June 18th I am heading back to Hawaii! I know, I know I said I wouldn't go back, at least not for the next little while but it's just so tempting! Last week, Maja and I were sitting on a patio, enjoying a beer when we decided that we must head back to Hawaii! Two days later we managed to convince Darla to join us and we had our tickets booked :) We have yet to convince Pam! We land on Oahu and then we'll either go to Maui or an other island. We have yet to decide.

*ok, three but one is my swimming flip flops and I don't wear those out. Those are only to keep the foot fungus on the pool deck and not between my toes.

Picture was taken last year in the back of Frank's truck when cruising around Oahu. And yes, we're going to meet up with Frank again! We're looking forward to it!! :)

MLD Therapy 1

2009-04-27T06:50:00.002-07:00

Hooray! So I passed manual lymph drainage therapy 1 yesterday! This was a continuing education course that I decided to take while I was still in school. I really enjoyed manual lymph drainage and was wowed at the effects that it had when I used it in clinical practice. Seeing the value in the work that I was doing, I decided to further my education in it. Why did I decide to tackle this in my last 4 weeks at school? Well, that's a good question :P
It made sense to take it while the information was still fresh (I took the basic course in January 2009). I also figured that if I took it later, I would be working, therefore I would have to take time off work (which means disappointed clients and no income). The course is usually held in Victoria which would mean I would have to pay for my own accommodation, food and all that jazz. So financially it made sense. The instructor teaching the course, Koby Blanchfield, was my instructor for Basic MLD and I really liked her teacher style and the whack load of patience she had for all of us rookies. Anyways because I knew that my learning style worked with her teaching style that was also an influencing factor.
Anyways I am darned proud of myself for having completed the course. It's a finicky technique because there is a specific sequence with a specific amount of repetitions and a specific stroke direction with a pressure and release phase. So it takes a while to perfect. Luckily we were just 4 in the course so Koby watched us like a hawk! She's amazing at what she does too. I mean I knew this but when I was doing part of my practical examination on her, she told me to make the movement with my arms and less with my wrists (I was working on her face and she had her eyes closed... so this was amazing to me!).
Well I am darn glad that I took that and now that I've had a good night sleep I feel like I can tackle the world again. Tomorrow is the start of our last week of instruction at Utopia Academy! Next week are our final exams. It's all very exciting but I just want this over and done with. During this time I'll also be working on a business plan so it'll be even more of a fine balance of time management. I've dropped swimming because I just don't have the time right now. I might start biking to school as part of my exercise (this way I am multi-tasking...) so that should help to clear my mind. Anyways it's just two more weeks then I won't have to be wracked by gilt every time I am not studying.

Practicing on Pillows

2009-04-24T17:13:00.002-07:00

Anytime I meet someone new and they find out that I go to school for massage therapy they volunteer their bodies for practice... yet on the days when you actually need them, they're busy. Pleh! So I am practicing manual lymph drainage on my pillow. My pillow is so well lymph drained right now it's impressive :)
I feel like a self conscious teenager practicing my kissing on a pillow.
The exam is on Sunday. I am nervous yet confident. Ok... Nervous. ACK!

The Immune System (A Musical Interpretation)

2009-04-19T22:12:00.001-07:00

For all the bio nerds out there, this one's for you! And yeah, this is what I do in my spare time. I'm SSSOOO cool!

how I roll

2009-04-18T21:16:00.004-07:00

Busy taking a continuing education course... found out I am constantly in a sympathetic state (fight or flight state) that's a bad thing! Should probably take er easy. 3 more weeks!

Eeepp!

2009-04-15T09:53:00.001-07:00

We finally got our dates for our board exams. The written is on September 2nd. Eeep!

On the plus side... 18 school days left until I graduate!

Case Study

2009-04-14T21:32:00.002-07:00

Ugh! Lately I've had the attention span of a gnat and the drive of a dust bunny. That makes studying pretty damn challenging. Never mind tackling the mammoth case study I have yet to write. To solve this I've decided to haul myself to the UBC study hall. Here, I know no one and I don't have access to the internet (except now I do cuz Dawson gave it to me after 4 hours straight of writing my case study) so it's the perfect place to study. There's also very good looking people that study here too so it makes for nice, easy on the eyes, distractions. So far this approach works! I've successfully completed 1/4 of my case study! I am now taking a quick break before tackling it again and then meeting Matt at his place for pizza and sleeps (Matt is a friend, I sleep on his couch, don't be gettin ideas!). He lives near UBC which is AWESOME because it saves me trecking all the way home. I think it's time for a break now though I can't form cohesive thoughts. I think my fbook status sums up my state quite nicely:

4 hours later. Still at UBC. Sore ass. Hungry tummy. Have to pee but no one to watch my things. Case study 1/4 done. I can has PJ's and food plz?

Happiness is a pair of Betsey Johnson shoes :)

2009-04-05T19:51:00.008-07:00

Especially on sale! My swimming buddy was late so I decided to browse a couple of shops. Jane, from SugarBox, always has Betsey Johnson purses and I've always liked the style. Maja cruised the Betsey Johnson store in Maui... oblivious to what Betsey Johnson was, I went to Quicksilver instead. Today I made up for that missed Betsey Johnson time. I spent an hour and a half in the store trying on SO MANY DRESSES! The gentleman helping me out was totally awesome! He was so good at picking out dresses and shoes that matched and I just played along. It was so much fun!I tried on a pair of shoes and fell in love with them! I didn't bother looking at the price because... well they're Betsey Johnson shoes! The salesman noticed that I kept the shoes on while I tried on different dresses (even if they didn't match) and told me that they were on sale... for $117! Uhh yeah so I bought them! I didn't buy any of the dresses because they were all over $400. I also just bought a dress!

Anyways, the images that are on this blog are the two dresses that I would have bought if I wanted to spend $1000 on dresses.
I never thought shoes could bring such happiness! Then again today was a perfect day! I went for brunch with a friend, went tanning, shopped, went swimming, had sushi and then went home in time to watch Cirque du Soleil and the hockey game. Oh, my friend also spotted Jason Priestley next to Tiffany & Co. I was too busy looking at a sweet collector car when my friend whispered excitedly "Hey that's that dude from 90210"... talk about role reversal. :)

Cleansing all done :)

2009-04-05T08:19:00.002-07:00

Except I am going to do part one now :) This means no booze or junk food and limiting wheat and dairy. I think I can swing that! Apparently this is a good weight loss program too. I am down to 147 (was at 154 when I started). This means I fit into the dress that I ordered online.
At the beginning of my cleanse it came in (had it ordered online, custome made... in China!) and I was pretty bummed because it fit... but I couldn't breathe. Ok so it didn't fit :P They had also gotten the colours confused (the ribbon was light purple and the dress was dark purple, not the other way around... which works great for winter but not for spring/summer which is when I'll be wearing the dress). It was also too long so it looked like I had nubby legs. HAWT! I think not. I just didn't feel sexy in it. Pleh! Anyways I set it aside during my cleanse (mostly because I didn't want to deal with the damn thing) and figured I should tackle it again when I wasn't frustrated with it.
A week later, I tried it on again and it fit! I could breathe... which was good! I then set out to buy shoes. Found some cheepies for $40 that match quite well. I then brought my dress to get it hemmed and to turn the neckline into a sweetheart neckline as opposed to the straight kind (makes me look a little less boxy up top... hooray broad shoulders). That cost me an extra $60. So in total I spent $200 on this outfit which is pretty good considering that the designer version of this dress was $400, with alterations it would have been an other $200 (I have a funny shape - teenie waist and big baby bearing hips... so I usually don't fit in a specific size) plus shoes... So in essence I've saved myself $440 bucks.
Anyways there will be photos soon. The wedding is next weekend! I am totally stoked for it. It's going to be absolutely beautiful. I can't wait! It's also going to be on the Sunshine Coast so it's going to be a welcome get away.

First blog entry about cleanse.

Speedos

2009-04-02T20:43:00.002-07:00

They have a bad reputation. Over the past week or so I've come to appreciate Speedos. Before I was quite indifferent about them because I grew up with my Dad wearing a Speedo when we went to the beach or pool. When I was a teenager I found this embarrassing. My brother and I tried to do something about it by buying Dad a nice pair of cool board shorts (brand name and all... as if Dad would have cared :P ). He liked them. He even wore them to the beach. But wore his Speedo underneath and would remove his board shorts before he got in the water. Ah I love my Dad :) He's so awesome! I am kind of glad he didn't conform to what his kids wanted. I think it showed strength and just to be happy with who you are and what you have. Anyways I am a little off topic here...
Speedos! Yes. They are good. Especially at the aquatic centre under the Burrard bridge (where I have been swimming every other day). There are a lot of good looking men swimming laps in their Speedos and I appreciate that :) I also appreciate the not so good looking men in Speedos but in a different way. It means that they're comfortable with who they are and that in itself is something to be admired.
Sure it was a little bit of a shock when I was swimming behind a Speedo clad gentleman who was doing the beast stroke. Not wanting to run into him, I looked up in mid kick (legs spread) and saw some hairy balls. How this happened I do not know. I didn't think balls could hang out of Speedos like that. Then again I don't have balls so I wouldn't know. I also couldn't test this theory. So, what's the lesson here? Men, tuck in your boys when wearing a Speedo. Your fellow swimmer does not want to see your genitalia*.

*GenitaliA LOL plz don't show me your genitals... it's just a funny song.

A nudge in the right direction

2009-04-02T20:19:00.003-07:00

I'm all giddy now :P I just got a call from Paula Jasper, a RMT who works in the maternity ward and with complicated births (also the one who taught an intro class to massage when I was in grade 11, which was part of what sparked all of this).
A couple of months ago, I was at Liam's (hairdresser) salon and met a lady who worked in the maternity ward at Women's Hospital. She suggested that I volunteer there. Initially I was intimidated by the idea but heck! a lot intimidates me initially but then I just go for it. And so I told her I would be interested. She gave me her card, I called her a couple of weeks later. She referred me to Paula, the one who is more familiar with massage in the maternity ward. I left Paula a message about volunteering there and didn't get a response. Paula is an ultra busy RMT and new mommy so I kind of figured that if there wasn't an opportunity available that I wouldn't get a call back.
Until tonight! There still isn't an opportunity but she's conducting a research study of the effects of massage on pregnant ladies... I think it's while they're in labour too. Which is super ultra cool! She offered that I could shadow her if I wanted! I just about peed myself. Ok, not really. But it's a very exciting prospect! We both agreed that we should wait until I am finished school before I do any shadowing. Focus on my upcoming graduation. Good idea.
Anyways it's been the nudge that I need. Over the past month or so I've been quite unenthused about school. I am loving all of the clinical time we're getting but the class time is quite trying. It's so exhausting that by the time I get home the last thing I want to do is touch anything school related. We'll see what the next couple of weeks bring. 6 weeks go to and I'll be all finished! Time is going to fly!

Cleanse day 8

2009-04-02T06:36:00.002-07:00

Well this has been a really nice cleanse. It's been a breeze except for day 5 :) I am starting to wonder if I can keep this going past 10 days. I am sure I am lacking certain nutrients but I am really liking this. I have so much more time in a day because I am not cooking. I spend an hour to an hour and a half making juice in the morning and then I am set for the rest of the day. I do miss swimming though. I haven't been since Sunday because I find that I am way too low on energy for the rest of the day after I swim. I would normally go today but being I have a mid term on Friday, I want to spend the rest of today (well after my clinic shift) reviewing the last little tid bits and I don't want to be flat on my back exhausted.
I've finally hit my stride with making really yummy juices. Despite some vegetables being really good for you... they taste like shite in the juicer. So I've given up on those. My favorite juice has been pineapple, papaya, mango, peach, ginger and apple. An other favorite has been carrot, ginger, orange (or grapefruit depending on what I have) and apple or pear.
On Sunday I'll be going to the Naam for my first dinner meal. I haven't figure out an ultra healthy breakfast or lunch that doesn't include dairy or wheat (being those have been completely cut out I kind of want to stay on that path... at least until Monday :P). Anyways it's been good. I am kind of curious to see whether I've lost any weight during all of this.