It's time.
It's time to say goodbye to Sugar and Gravy.
I started this blog in August 2008, nearly 7 years ago. I started it so I could move on from my LiveJournal, which was very diary-like and emotional in nature. I wanted my Blogger to be light, full of pop culture, silliness, and miscellany. It was! My list of tags ranges from Toronto to Steve Aoki to to Barack Obama to Fitness and hundreds of topics in between. When I had a moment on a Sunday morning to drink coffee and blog about whatever, I would, and it was great.
Now it's a Sunday morning and I'm drinking coffee and I'm blogging, but it's for the last time on this particular blog. I haven't been posting as much as I used to. Occasionally I'll have the urge, but I'm never interested enough in taking action. I feel more often than not it becomes a chore, or something that makes me feel guilty. There are things in life that feel like chores or make you feel guilty, but blogging shouldn't be one of them. It was a fun hobby for me, and now it's not, so I shall say goodbye.
Plus, I've got another blog that I'm getting even more into, which is focused on my line of work, and that excites me a lot. So why not just put my energy there? I will.
But to you - S&G - thanks for all the good times, for being a channel for my musings, and for indulging me always.
Fin.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
RuPaul's Drag Race: Start Your Engines II
Last night was the premiere of Season 7 of RuPaul's Drag Race. A momentous occasion.
My girlfriend K. and I recently upgraded our very basic (bitch) cable for this reason. We upgraded and then added the "Lifestyle" package that includes OutTV, because being gay is a lifestyle. OutTV is the channel that RPDR airs on in Canada. We had our cable set, and now we were ready for the premiere.
Almost ready...
We then invited 15 friends -- old friends, new friends, friends we hadn't met yet, female friends, male friends, gay friends, straight friends, couple friends, friends who are related to each other, and everything in between.
Then we ordered 6 XL pizzas, put out some alcohol, our 15 friends brought snacks, we rearranged the furniture (managing to seat almost everyone), and waited for 9:00 pm to come.
It was fabulous! Made all the more so by the fact that we were watching this moment with all these people! Can you remember the last time you watched something air for the first time on television? Like actual cable? The moment it premiered? It's funny because even though not that long ago this wasn't an unusual notion, it's become one! I felt like I was in the 80's, holding a party for a television show's premiere, and actually watching it on television as it aired for the first time! What a trip! And it was such a fun experience: screaming with delight, laughing, "yassssss"'ing, gasping, joking, shouting "Guys, it's back on!!!"
When the night ended, it ended with an open invitation to everyone there to come over every Monday at 9:00. Maybe not another party until the finale, but I definitely wouldn't mind having friends with K. and I every Monday night.
Until next time!
For more of my posts on RPDR, click here!
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
#maevaflavestaycation
Do yourself a favour and take a staycation if you can.
My girlfriend K. is nearly home (Saturday) from a two-week trip to India. We're not likely taking a big trip this year together, so I've got all this vacation time to use. Since she's away having a blast and experiencing new things, and life is just "same old, same old" for me, I thought, why not take advantage of this time by myself? Why not take 5 days off work and just be here? Here in my apartment, here in my city (Waterloo), here in my province (Ontario), etc. So I did! Today is the fifth day of my staycation, I'm returning to work tomorrow, and I have enjoyed this time off to the max!
Here's what I've gotten up to:
My girlfriend K. is nearly home (Saturday) from a two-week trip to India. We're not likely taking a big trip this year together, so I've got all this vacation time to use. Since she's away having a blast and experiencing new things, and life is just "same old, same old" for me, I thought, why not take advantage of this time by myself? Why not take 5 days off work and just be here? Here in my apartment, here in my city (Waterloo), here in my province (Ontario), etc. So I did! Today is the fifth day of my staycation, I'm returning to work tomorrow, and I have enjoyed this time off to the max!
Here's what I've gotten up to:
- Many sleep-ins (on my first day off, I slept in until 10:30!!!)
- Much leisure time spent on my computer -- catching up on my personal email inbox, doing some of my volunteer board work, buffering, and I even "went on a retreat" and spent two hours refocusing my professional blog (analyzing traffic, what works, what doesn't, etc.)
- Hanging out with friends and family!
- Eating -- pizza, Thai, panzerotti, Pakistani, sushi, burrito, sub, and more!
- Tasks around the apartment -- laundry, cleaning, organizing, and even little projects like I painted a chalkboard wall in the apartment and another project that I'll reveal later (I want to surprise Kate!)
 |
| New chalkboard wall in my apartment! |
- Celebrated my friend W's birthday!!! -- first visit to Lahore Tikka House, trampolining at Skyzone, and more time spent with W. & friends
- Gym -- I've had four solid gym visits over the course of the staycation, including an awesome Sunday morning Body Pump class with my sister
- Arts & culture -- I saw Die Walküre at the Canadian Opera Company by myself on Sunday. It was nearly five hours of intense performance and gorgeous singing. I'm a regular opera goer, but still a rookie, so I was a bit apprehensive about a 5-hour opera. I shouldn't have been. I was totally enchanted! I also saw a movie, Birdman, yesterday at Princess Cinemas in Waterloo. I had wanted to see it anyway, but once it won the Oscar, I knew I had to. It was captivating! What a unique film; the way it was filmed, the acting, the meta-ness, the sort of heightened reality... something totally new. I loved it!
- Car wash -- bumper to bumper. This was so incredibly satisfying! My car looks brand new!
- Cooking -- I went for a big grocery shop on Monday night and then yesterday made a dish that yields ten servings!!! I even went out and bought new lunch containers, and then I divided the dish (lentil chili) into its servings and currently have eight (!!!) servings in the freezer ready for next week's lunches (meaning when K's home, I can devote time to being with her rather than cooking for the week ahead!). I also bought the ingredients for a second meal which I'll hopefully cook today!
That's mostly it! Sleep, leisure time, seeing friends, eating, cooking, working out, doing tasks, taking in performances... It sounds simple, but rejuvenated may not be strong enough a word.
If you get the chance, do it! Now... back to my final 21 hours of staycation!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
1 weekend. 3 perfect restaurants.
I will blog more. And I will blog about things I used to like Discovering T.O. and restaurants.
Starting with a weekend I referenced in a recent post that I spent with my buddy K.E.S.P. I grew up in TO, she had spent some time living there, but we decided to do TO Sugar & Gravy's way. Of course that means that there was a lot of time spent eating at fave restos. They were:
#1: Dinner at Banjara
My GF K. and I ate at Banjara all the time when we lived at Yonge & Eg. It is excellent Indian food, but the best part of Banjara - for me - is the combo option. I'm used to getting the veggie combo because K. is vegetarian, and it's definitely the highest value option. For $10.99 before tax you get your choice of any veggie dish and then the combo includes: rice, naan, daal curry, aloo gobi, veggie pakora, and rice pudding! So much food, such a good price, so much deliciousness.
#2: Brunch at Fresh
You can find decent Indian in Waterloo, but you can't find anything like Fresh. KW people would freak if Fresh came here and I wish it would. But I make a point of going there in TO whenever I can. The brunch at Fresh is so awesome! I always get the full breakfast, which is basically a vegetarian (maybe even vegan) version of a classic diner breakfast: scrambled tofu with spinach (instead of eggs), baked beans, home fries, toast, and a choice of vegan sausage or tempeh bacon. Make sure you get their homemade hot sauce. Yum!
#3: Burger's Priest
This is where you go for a burger in TO. It's expensive, but it's perfection. I hear the veggie option (literally called "The Option") is great, but I've never had it. I usually have the blue cheeseburger and fries. The burger is just so simple, classic, and delicious. I love places with quirks and Burger's Priest's quirk is its Secret Menu. You have to answer a skill testing question to access it online. I recommend the Blue Steel. Shhh, it's a secret.
Starting with a weekend I referenced in a recent post that I spent with my buddy K.E.S.P. I grew up in TO, she had spent some time living there, but we decided to do TO Sugar & Gravy's way. Of course that means that there was a lot of time spent eating at fave restos. They were:
#1: Dinner at Banjara
My GF K. and I ate at Banjara all the time when we lived at Yonge & Eg. It is excellent Indian food, but the best part of Banjara - for me - is the combo option. I'm used to getting the veggie combo because K. is vegetarian, and it's definitely the highest value option. For $10.99 before tax you get your choice of any veggie dish and then the combo includes: rice, naan, daal curry, aloo gobi, veggie pakora, and rice pudding! So much food, such a good price, so much deliciousness.
#2: Brunch at Fresh
You can find decent Indian in Waterloo, but you can't find anything like Fresh. KW people would freak if Fresh came here and I wish it would. But I make a point of going there in TO whenever I can. The brunch at Fresh is so awesome! I always get the full breakfast, which is basically a vegetarian (maybe even vegan) version of a classic diner breakfast: scrambled tofu with spinach (instead of eggs), baked beans, home fries, toast, and a choice of vegan sausage or tempeh bacon. Make sure you get their homemade hot sauce. Yum!
#3: Burger's Priest
This is where you go for a burger in TO. It's expensive, but it's perfection. I hear the veggie option (literally called "The Option") is great, but I've never had it. I usually have the blue cheeseburger and fries. The burger is just so simple, classic, and delicious. I love places with quirks and Burger's Priest's quirk is its Secret Menu. You have to answer a skill testing question to access it online. I recommend the Blue Steel. Shhh, it's a secret.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Be it resolved that...
I'll continue to be healthy.
I've made a number of new year's resolutions this year, but nowhere does it say "lose weight" or "eat better". Those are two things that I don't need to do because (a) I really have no more weight I want to lose and (b) I already eat just fine! I do have health-related goals, but they're more specific.
Once again - I've said this before - it feels amazing to just be healthy. It's not something I need to do; it's what I already am. And that doesn't mean it doesn't take thought or effort, but it takes as much thought and effort as it takes to brush my teeth. It's part of my routine, and after about 18 months of being this way, I continue to feel inspired by the second-naturedness of it. More importantly, I continue to feel the incredible benefits: strength, better mental health, better sleeping, better fitness, better endurance, more confidence, etc., etc., etc.
So here's to 2015 and continuing the good habits I've already established!
I've made a number of new year's resolutions this year, but nowhere does it say "lose weight" or "eat better". Those are two things that I don't need to do because (a) I really have no more weight I want to lose and (b) I already eat just fine! I do have health-related goals, but they're more specific.
Once again - I've said this before - it feels amazing to just be healthy. It's not something I need to do; it's what I already am. And that doesn't mean it doesn't take thought or effort, but it takes as much thought and effort as it takes to brush my teeth. It's part of my routine, and after about 18 months of being this way, I continue to feel inspired by the second-naturedness of it. More importantly, I continue to feel the incredible benefits: strength, better mental health, better sleeping, better fitness, better endurance, more confidence, etc., etc., etc.
So here's to 2015 and continuing the good habits I've already established!
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Sum.
I have plans of making Eggs Benedict for myself for the first time tonight. It's a favourite in breakfast spots, but I've never made it at home before and I want to try. But before I go off to the kitchen to do that...
I had an amazing weekend ripping it in Toronto with my newest best buddy; let's call her K.E.S.P. Today is the final day before I head back to work after a glorious holiday, so it was a delight to spend the weekend having fun with a friend and indulging in a number of pleasures. I got back to Waterloo around 1:30 ish and immediately cuddled with my kitty Spoon (I didn't take off my jacket or boots for at least 5 minutes... Spoonie deserved the attention). Then I felt like I needed a nap, so I climbed in bed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I tried to turn something on to watch that I'd hopefully fall asleep to, but it didn't happen. So, I figured I'd just lounge in bed, snuggling with Spoon, and watch something I actually want to watch. That's what brings me to the reason I wanted to post right now...
I Am.
K.E.S.P. watched this documentary recently and highly recommended it, so I was happy to take the time to watch it. It was fantastic!!! I won't bother summarizing it for you, I suggest you watch it yourself. There were so many amazing takeaways, but here's the fact that resonated most with me.
We are all connected. Everything we do has an impact.
I tend to get overwhelmed watching documentaries with big ideas like this one had. I get so wrapped up in the good ideas and want so desperately to implement them in my own life, but being overwhelmed, I often end up implementing nothing at all. So I'm going to take a "small" part of this idea and work to consider it as regularly as possible.
Consider the energy I'm putting out into the universe.
I know the feeling of walking into a room and feeling an existing tension that you may not have the context for, but you can actually feel. My cat Spoon knows that feeling, too. When my GF K. and I have a big talk (also known as a fight) and we're sitting next to each other on the bed, crying, maybe speaking in loud voices, feeling intense emotions, etc., Spoon jumps up and sits in between us (an example of another message in the movie: that all living things are the same).
The energy that I put out there matters. Big changes happen because of individuals' consciousness spreading enough to translate into critical mass and action. But even if big change isn't my goal, everything I do has an impact, great or small. Do I put enough thought into what I do? Do I consider the impact of my words, actions, and even thoughts and emotions? I think I could stand to be more conscious of those things. And it's not about being hard on myself, or critical, or changing everything I do and everything I am. Increased consciousness is small but mighty, and I'm conscious that I could be more conscious.
Now... onto Eggs Benedict!
I had an amazing weekend ripping it in Toronto with my newest best buddy; let's call her K.E.S.P. Today is the final day before I head back to work after a glorious holiday, so it was a delight to spend the weekend having fun with a friend and indulging in a number of pleasures. I got back to Waterloo around 1:30 ish and immediately cuddled with my kitty Spoon (I didn't take off my jacket or boots for at least 5 minutes... Spoonie deserved the attention). Then I felt like I needed a nap, so I climbed in bed and tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I tried to turn something on to watch that I'd hopefully fall asleep to, but it didn't happen. So, I figured I'd just lounge in bed, snuggling with Spoon, and watch something I actually want to watch. That's what brings me to the reason I wanted to post right now...
I Am.
K.E.S.P. watched this documentary recently and highly recommended it, so I was happy to take the time to watch it. It was fantastic!!! I won't bother summarizing it for you, I suggest you watch it yourself. There were so many amazing takeaways, but here's the fact that resonated most with me.
We are all connected. Everything we do has an impact.
I tend to get overwhelmed watching documentaries with big ideas like this one had. I get so wrapped up in the good ideas and want so desperately to implement them in my own life, but being overwhelmed, I often end up implementing nothing at all. So I'm going to take a "small" part of this idea and work to consider it as regularly as possible.
Consider the energy I'm putting out into the universe.
I know the feeling of walking into a room and feeling an existing tension that you may not have the context for, but you can actually feel. My cat Spoon knows that feeling, too. When my GF K. and I have a big talk (also known as a fight) and we're sitting next to each other on the bed, crying, maybe speaking in loud voices, feeling intense emotions, etc., Spoon jumps up and sits in between us (an example of another message in the movie: that all living things are the same).
The energy that I put out there matters. Big changes happen because of individuals' consciousness spreading enough to translate into critical mass and action. But even if big change isn't my goal, everything I do has an impact, great or small. Do I put enough thought into what I do? Do I consider the impact of my words, actions, and even thoughts and emotions? I think I could stand to be more conscious of those things. And it's not about being hard on myself, or critical, or changing everything I do and everything I am. Increased consciousness is small but mighty, and I'm conscious that I could be more conscious.
Now... onto Eggs Benedict!
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Eight Words
DON’T WORRY. JUST BE. LET GO. MOVE FORWARD.
I can't believe I haven't posted in two months. Life has been crazy, but even still, I usually make time to blog. Looking back though, not only has it been busy, but it's also been somewhat tumultuous emotionally. At the risk of sounding dramatic, I've been having a crisis of spirit, and as of late things have been coming to a head.
But I'm feeling the shift. I'm feeling the ship slowly but surely changing course. In that spirit, I sat down tonight and wrote a very brief blurb on what I've been feeling and - even more importantly - where I feel I should be going now. I noticed some patterns in what I was writing and as a result of that, I decided to paste the blurb onto a website and create a word cloud with what I'd written. A little over ten words stood out in the cloud (meaning they'd appeared in my blurb a number of times), and then after stringing those words together, I condensed it a little further into eight words.
DON'T WORRY. JUST BE. LET GO. MOVE FORWARD.
I have a habit of over-analyzing; it's all good. It's who I am and it's gotten me so far. However, it can become too much. I feel the need to analyze my life and my self, make some conclusions, document it, and then - and only then - move forward. This personal process is ironic given some things that have been frustrating me lately, so I just needed to take some time to sit down and feel it a little bit. I don't want to analyze, speculate, make a certain decision about it all, and then boldly go forward. No!
I just want to live. I don't want to worry. I just want to be. I want to let go of the things I cannot change. I want to keep going.
That's it.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
This is what is inspiring me right now.....
The Bling Ring. I can't remember when I saw this movie for the first time... not that long ago, it was only released last year. I remember being in my Toronto apartment, so it was sometime last year. I liked it immediately. At the risk of sounding really pretentious (but when have I really avoided that?), I really enjoy Sofia Coppola films. I like the pace, the music, the common thread... but this has got to be my favourite.
The music is super solid. Favourites: "Crown on the Ground" by Sleigh Bells, "Sunshine feat. M.I.A." by Rye Rye, "212 feat. Lazy Jay" by Azealia Banks, "Bad Girls" by M.I.A., "Freeze" by Klaus Schulze, and "FML" by deadmau5.
~~
In other news, I'm wrapping up a stellar day. Hugely productive at work, enlightening lunch with my office bestie, belated birthday mani/pedi for my BFF after work, errands at the bank, grocery shop, delicious falafel dinner with my GF, tidied the kitchen and did the dishes, and now I'm dancing in my chair to The Bling Ring soundtrack ("Bad Girls") while I drink a beer. Living the dream.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
I am enough.
Right now I am sitting on a chair on my patio outside in a t-shirt, breathing in beautiful fresh air, and catching up on things on my relatively new MacBook. I just finished a cup of coffee and have spent the day up until now doing a variety of enjoyable and productive tasks. I did six (!) loads of laundry including all of our sheets and towels. I made a roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup, which K. and I enjoyed for lunch, and there are still two portions saved for a lunch this week. Roasting the vegetables made the whole apartment smell like fall and it was just so lovely, never mind delicious. To quote one of my favourite people - not that she was the first to say this: "My cup floweth over".
But I'm not writing today to once again share the details of how I'm spending a delightful weekend day (though I've kind of already done that). I'm writing to share a concept that I'm predicting is going to be pretty life-changing for me.
I am enough.
What a concept! I am hard-wired to aim for more. My parents instilled it in me, and this drive is what has given me the success I've already been fortunate enough to experience so far in my life. This is an innate part of me that I can't do anything about, and I'm glad for that. But sometimes it's not a motivating drive, but more of a discouraging one. I'll be sitting and thinking about something and suddenly become overwhelmed by all that I'm not but should be doing. I think, I should stop ever visiting Facebook while at work. I shouldn't watch so much TV but should spend my evenings being productive at home, doing work for the committees I'm on, or doing stuff around the apartment. I'm always doing well, and I recognize that part, but I'm always thinking about what else I can do.
Again, this isn't a bad thing, but as much as I'm hard-wired to aim for more, I think I'm also hard-wired to do more. I don't think it's something I need to dedicate so much thought or worry to. I think I'll continue to go where I want to go and be who I want to be without worrying, so why worry?!
~~
I met with a friend recently: Kasia. Kasia and I have known each other for maybe six years now, but we've never quite clicked. We have had some really fun times together with our mutual friends, but one-to-one there's been something blocking us. When we met recently, there was no blockage. She's a very powerful and wise woman, that Kasia. We sat and suddenly everything was spilling out of me including my need to aim for and achieve more forever and always. That's when she said, why not make this your new mantra:
I am enough.
It's so simple, and could've easily been disregarded, but in the week and a half or so since I saw Kasia, it has been there like a second pulse. I'll start to get myself in a tizzy about doing more and I'll hear the phrase or even say it out loud. During my daily lunches with my work bestie, I'll find myself talking about all that I should be doing, and then I'll catch myself. No.
I am enough.
~~
I had a few big break-throughs at work in the past few weeks; I finished a big program plan, and made some significant progress in the way I'm approaching my work, and I feel a big part of that is due to my new mantra. Once you accept that you're enough, you realize you really do have everything you need. It's not about losing the drive, it's about accepting that it's already there, and there's no need to worry. I'm excited to see the doors it opens for me.
But I'm not writing today to once again share the details of how I'm spending a delightful weekend day (though I've kind of already done that). I'm writing to share a concept that I'm predicting is going to be pretty life-changing for me.
I am enough.
What a concept! I am hard-wired to aim for more. My parents instilled it in me, and this drive is what has given me the success I've already been fortunate enough to experience so far in my life. This is an innate part of me that I can't do anything about, and I'm glad for that. But sometimes it's not a motivating drive, but more of a discouraging one. I'll be sitting and thinking about something and suddenly become overwhelmed by all that I'm not but should be doing. I think, I should stop ever visiting Facebook while at work. I shouldn't watch so much TV but should spend my evenings being productive at home, doing work for the committees I'm on, or doing stuff around the apartment. I'm always doing well, and I recognize that part, but I'm always thinking about what else I can do.
Again, this isn't a bad thing, but as much as I'm hard-wired to aim for more, I think I'm also hard-wired to do more. I don't think it's something I need to dedicate so much thought or worry to. I think I'll continue to go where I want to go and be who I want to be without worrying, so why worry?!
~~
I met with a friend recently: Kasia. Kasia and I have known each other for maybe six years now, but we've never quite clicked. We have had some really fun times together with our mutual friends, but one-to-one there's been something blocking us. When we met recently, there was no blockage. She's a very powerful and wise woman, that Kasia. We sat and suddenly everything was spilling out of me including my need to aim for and achieve more forever and always. That's when she said, why not make this your new mantra:
I am enough.
It's so simple, and could've easily been disregarded, but in the week and a half or so since I saw Kasia, it has been there like a second pulse. I'll start to get myself in a tizzy about doing more and I'll hear the phrase or even say it out loud. During my daily lunches with my work bestie, I'll find myself talking about all that I should be doing, and then I'll catch myself. No.
I am enough.
~~
I had a few big break-throughs at work in the past few weeks; I finished a big program plan, and made some significant progress in the way I'm approaching my work, and I feel a big part of that is due to my new mantra. Once you accept that you're enough, you realize you really do have everything you need. It's not about losing the drive, it's about accepting that it's already there, and there's no need to worry. I'm excited to see the doors it opens for me.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Energy
Once again I'm having an absolutely lovely Saturday. I woke up at 9:00, took my sweet time getting out of bed, and then requested over an hour of silence in the apartment so that I could drink my coffee and read my book club book in peace. My beautiful girlfriend obliged, and it was honestly like a gift. I feel like a million bucks having had that precious time this morning... and I finished my book: Annabel by Kathleen Winter. It's for a new book club I joined and it was incredible.
My inspiration for this post isn't another lovely weekend day though, it's energy. Deep, I know.
I think of a lot of things in terms of energy... "God", for example. When I feel most spiritual and connected to some higher power, it's because I feel the energies of the universe colliding and leading me towards something that - if I open myself up to it - I'm destined to be part of. It's like that feeling of all the stars aligning for something special; those energies working together for something bigger is what I see as God.
I also think of energy and where we get it or lose it. As an introvert, I see myself as gaining energy from peaceful, quiet, and calm time; usually alone, with my girlfriend K., or a close friend. I expend my energy in the opposite situations, where life is busy, full of people and activity. I can handle both kinds of situations, but it just changes my energy; whether I emerge fuelled or exhausted.
Yesterday I was talking to a friend about situations in which you can be a doormat or more aggressive; receiving bad customer service, for example. She was saying that her boyfriend will always speak up in those types of situations; make sure he is heard and that the situation is addressed in some way. Some might see him as an asshole, but she always feels like she is never taken advantage of, and I so appreciate that notion. I hate bad customer service, but will rarely speak up, and if I do, it's not in a very aggressive way. I don't like to think of myself as a doormat though. I see it as where you're willing to spend your energy and where you aren't. There are limits, sure, and there are times where you must speak up... and perhaps situations where you really shouldn't. For me, speaking up - in these situations - often means expending my energy in a way that makes me feel really unsatisfied when it's all over. I don't feel better. So if expending my energy makes me feel worse, then why would I be motivated to act? In my friend's boyfriend's case, he can't not speak up in those situations. He would feel unsatisfied if he didn't, so it makes sense for him and not for me.
Like I said, there are limits, but it helps to consider that we don't have to be separated into doormats and aggressors. If we know ourselves, we just act according to what makes us feel best and that our energy is used wisely.
My inspiration for this post isn't another lovely weekend day though, it's energy. Deep, I know.
I think of a lot of things in terms of energy... "God", for example. When I feel most spiritual and connected to some higher power, it's because I feel the energies of the universe colliding and leading me towards something that - if I open myself up to it - I'm destined to be part of. It's like that feeling of all the stars aligning for something special; those energies working together for something bigger is what I see as God.
I also think of energy and where we get it or lose it. As an introvert, I see myself as gaining energy from peaceful, quiet, and calm time; usually alone, with my girlfriend K., or a close friend. I expend my energy in the opposite situations, where life is busy, full of people and activity. I can handle both kinds of situations, but it just changes my energy; whether I emerge fuelled or exhausted.
Yesterday I was talking to a friend about situations in which you can be a doormat or more aggressive; receiving bad customer service, for example. She was saying that her boyfriend will always speak up in those types of situations; make sure he is heard and that the situation is addressed in some way. Some might see him as an asshole, but she always feels like she is never taken advantage of, and I so appreciate that notion. I hate bad customer service, but will rarely speak up, and if I do, it's not in a very aggressive way. I don't like to think of myself as a doormat though. I see it as where you're willing to spend your energy and where you aren't. There are limits, sure, and there are times where you must speak up... and perhaps situations where you really shouldn't. For me, speaking up - in these situations - often means expending my energy in a way that makes me feel really unsatisfied when it's all over. I don't feel better. So if expending my energy makes me feel worse, then why would I be motivated to act? In my friend's boyfriend's case, he can't not speak up in those situations. He would feel unsatisfied if he didn't, so it makes sense for him and not for me.
Like I said, there are limits, but it helps to consider that we don't have to be separated into doormats and aggressors. If we know ourselves, we just act according to what makes us feel best and that our energy is used wisely.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
This time I'm having a lovely Saturday
Again, my girlfriend K. is still on her family vacation, so it'd be better if she were here, but all in all - not too shabby (and it's only 3:40 pm).
I woke up around 8:00 after about 90 minutes of alarms that I snoozed through. Why did I set my alarm for 6:30 on a Saturday morning? Well, I had an ambitious intention to go really early to the farmer's market, but having gone to bed around 1:00 am, I felt totally fine forgetting that plan and "sleeping in" instead.
Upon waking, I made a pot of coffee and then puttered around tidying my apartment for a while. My mom was coming for a visit and I wanted to make sure everything looked nice for her! Then I made my smoothie and sat down to read, drink my smoothie, and start on coffee #1. Then I moved to the couch to enjoy coffee #2 and some "Dawson's Creek". I don't know why I chose DC but it hit the spot. Showered, tidied some more, some more DC, some more coffee... then around 11:15 my mom arrived!
My mom and I really enjoy each other's company, but I think she likes visiting best when there's some way she can be useful. In today's case, I needed her help hanging some art that needed to be exact and level. She did a great job with it! After that, we headed out for some lunch at an amazing Waterloo place called Famoso - a Neapolitan pizza place. Delicious!
Then we walked across the street to Heel Boy, a shoe store, to buy some shoes for my bestie Mon's wedding next Saturday. We found a perfect pair! The only shoes I tried on. Gotta love that!
Then we walked a few stores down to Honey Bake Shop for an afternoon treat. Before we got back to the car, we stopped at a great independent bookstore in Waterloo called Words Worth Books where my mom bought a couple books by Mary Lawson.
Then back home for a cup of tea and our sweets from Honey, followed by a great conversation, and then off my mom went, home to Toronto.
What a charming Saturday visit in Waterloo! I'm sure the rest of the night will be just as great!
I woke up around 8:00 after about 90 minutes of alarms that I snoozed through. Why did I set my alarm for 6:30 on a Saturday morning? Well, I had an ambitious intention to go really early to the farmer's market, but having gone to bed around 1:00 am, I felt totally fine forgetting that plan and "sleeping in" instead.
Upon waking, I made a pot of coffee and then puttered around tidying my apartment for a while. My mom was coming for a visit and I wanted to make sure everything looked nice for her! Then I made my smoothie and sat down to read, drink my smoothie, and start on coffee #1. Then I moved to the couch to enjoy coffee #2 and some "Dawson's Creek". I don't know why I chose DC but it hit the spot. Showered, tidied some more, some more DC, some more coffee... then around 11:15 my mom arrived!
My mom and I really enjoy each other's company, but I think she likes visiting best when there's some way she can be useful. In today's case, I needed her help hanging some art that needed to be exact and level. She did a great job with it! After that, we headed out for some lunch at an amazing Waterloo place called Famoso - a Neapolitan pizza place. Delicious!
Then we walked across the street to Heel Boy, a shoe store, to buy some shoes for my bestie Mon's wedding next Saturday. We found a perfect pair! The only shoes I tried on. Gotta love that!
Then we walked a few stores down to Honey Bake Shop for an afternoon treat. Before we got back to the car, we stopped at a great independent bookstore in Waterloo called Words Worth Books where my mom bought a couple books by Mary Lawson.
Then back home for a cup of tea and our sweets from Honey, followed by a great conversation, and then off my mom went, home to Toronto.
What a charming Saturday visit in Waterloo! I'm sure the rest of the night will be just as great!
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Sunday
I'm just having a really nice Sunday and I feel like posting about it / as a result. Unfortunately my girlfriend K. is not here, because that'd be one thing that would make it better. I dropped her off in Mississauga yesterday so she could head home to Toronto, spend two days with her family, and then go with them on a family vacation! I stayed overnight in Mississauga with my bestie W. for around 24 hours. We chilled, we ate, we watched "Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights". This morning, W's mom made us aloo paratha for breakfast. I was in heaven.
Then I drove back to Waterloo. The weather was perfect for a Sunday afternoon drive, and I had a great playlist to match. I went straight to the gym upon getting here, and had an excellent work-out. When I go to the gym, there's a number of forms my work-out might take. Sometimes it's a quickie; in and out in about 30 minutes (save the shower for home). Sometimes it's for a Body Pump class, in which case I'd warm up with 10-15 minutes of cardio and then do the class. Today I had my medium-level luxury work-out: 10 minutes on the arc trainer, 20 minutes of strength training machines, 10 minutes on the treadmill, and then the luxury part -- long sauna, shower, and then 10 minutes or so on the massage chairs the gym has. Who knew going to the gym could be such a rejuvenating part of a Sunday afternoon?!
That reminds me: yesterday (July 5th) marked 1 year since K. and I began our journey to better health and physical fitness. As of July 5, I've lost a total of 47.6 lbs. Even better, my lifestyle has changed completely and for the better. I feel amazing!
After the gym, it was over to the grocery store. You know when grocery shopping is the last thing you want to do, but you sense you'll want to do it even less tomorrow? I'm glad I bit the bullet. I also filled up my tank, took out some money at the bank, and got a drink at Starbucks. A few errands and a treat, and then I was back home for the evening. I'm here now with a beautiful breeze coming in through the patio door, my sweet cat Spoon nearby, and nothing to do for the rest of the day but relax, prepare for the week ahead, and enjoy myself. That's why it's been such a nice Sunday.
Then I drove back to Waterloo. The weather was perfect for a Sunday afternoon drive, and I had a great playlist to match. I went straight to the gym upon getting here, and had an excellent work-out. When I go to the gym, there's a number of forms my work-out might take. Sometimes it's a quickie; in and out in about 30 minutes (save the shower for home). Sometimes it's for a Body Pump class, in which case I'd warm up with 10-15 minutes of cardio and then do the class. Today I had my medium-level luxury work-out: 10 minutes on the arc trainer, 20 minutes of strength training machines, 10 minutes on the treadmill, and then the luxury part -- long sauna, shower, and then 10 minutes or so on the massage chairs the gym has. Who knew going to the gym could be such a rejuvenating part of a Sunday afternoon?!
That reminds me: yesterday (July 5th) marked 1 year since K. and I began our journey to better health and physical fitness. As of July 5, I've lost a total of 47.6 lbs. Even better, my lifestyle has changed completely and for the better. I feel amazing!
After the gym, it was over to the grocery store. You know when grocery shopping is the last thing you want to do, but you sense you'll want to do it even less tomorrow? I'm glad I bit the bullet. I also filled up my tank, took out some money at the bank, and got a drink at Starbucks. A few errands and a treat, and then I was back home for the evening. I'm here now with a beautiful breeze coming in through the patio door, my sweet cat Spoon nearby, and nothing to do for the rest of the day but relax, prepare for the week ahead, and enjoy myself. That's why it's been such a nice Sunday.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
#maevaflavedoeshelsinki
I am home from a 13-day trip to Helsinki, Finland visiting my best friend John. The trip was incredible and - as always - I must blog about it! I've learned that the best approach to a post-trip blog post is to try to consolidate the information as much as possible. So, here are the top 10 highlights of my trip - not really in any particular order.
HELSINKI ITSELF & WANDERING THE CITY:
I very quickly felt comfortable navigating Helsinki. I took the tram a lot and got to know the city centre especially well. It's a very beautiful and clean city; an appealing combination of old European charm and contemporary architecture. I loved wandering along Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi, browsing stores (see "SHOPPING") and people-watching.
I went for a great walking tour one day from my Lonely Planet Finland travel book. Some highlights from that include the bustling kauppatori in the harbour, the Senaatintori (Senate Square), the Tuomiokirkko (Lutheran Cathedral), and Temppeliaukion Kirkko, a modern church hewn from solid rock.
Before I go into my absolute favourite sights (which deserve their own highlights), shout-outs to the following sights - Kansallismuseo, Linnanmäki, Ateneum, and Uspenskin Katedraali.
KOTIHARJUN SAUNA:
When you think of Finland, one of the first things you think of is saunas. I am a huge saunaphile to begin with (sometimes my only reason for a work-out is an excuse to go to the sauna), so it was at the top of my list to visit a traditional Finnish sauna. My travel book recommended the Kotiharjun Sauna, so my friend Katie (who came from London, England to join me for part of my trip) and I walked from John's place to get there.
It was divine! It was 12.00€ for an adult sauna and you could stay as long as you wanted to. The locker room was clean and because it was a weekday afternoon, we had the place to ourselves. There are separate saunas for men and women, and you get to the sauna right from the locker room. Then, there's another shower room that connects to both of those areas, too. The sauna itself was lovely and did seem very traditional. We did a long first round, and then just spent the next 90 minutes or so going back and forth from the sauna to the shower room, rinsing off and going back for more. We also got big buckets and filled them with cold water so we could refresh ourselves without leaving the sauna. After we were done, we got some bottles of water downstairs and then went to a nearby park to continue the relaxing and enjoy some sun. I highly recommend the experience to anyone visiting! It was so amazing and rejuvenating!
KIASMA:
Helsinki has its fair share of museums, like any major city, but I didn't expect the museums I visited to necessarily be highlights of the visit. Kiasma was the exception! Kiasma is Helsinki's modern art museum, and I don't know if we were there for some exceptional exhibits, or if it's always that good, but I loved it! The three exhibits we (Katie & I) saw were Alfredo Jaar (amazing video piece on Kevin Carter), Kiasma Hits (classic Finnish contemporary pieces, famous international artwork, and recent acquisitions), and an exhibit called Kimpassa / Together, which brought together the biggest names in Finnish contemporary art, design, and fashion, specifically artists and designers who'd worked with Kiasma and/or the fashion line Marimekko. That was actually something I saw a lot of in Helsinki: a natural collaboration between people. Marimekko designed napkins for Finnair, for example. It seems like collaboration vs. competition between artists and companies happens a lot in that country, which I loved. Kiasma was a great example. Best modern art museum I've ever seen!
TALLINN, ESTONIA:
As you know, what brought me to Finland in the first place was one of my best friends in the whole world: John. I've known John for around seven years now, and I've been hearing about his many Finnish adventures since the beginning. One of those typical adventures - also highlighted by my travel book - is a trip to nearby Tallinn, Estonia. So, it was a foregone conclusion that we'd take a trip there during my visit. John booked us tickets on the speedboat to Tallinn in advance of my trip, and on the Saturday that I was there, John, his boyfriend, and myself took the 90-minute or so journey there!
John described Tallinn as the place Finnish people can go to act like American tourists; they can assume everyone there speaks their language - which in Tallinn, they do! - they can get cheap food, booze, cigarettes, and pretty much everything else. Alcohol is one of the dominant reasons for the journey though, which is clear from the trolleys you can buy on the boat with the express purpose of packing them with cheap beer, wine, and liquor. In fact, you can drink on the boat itself. We had a beer on the way back, but even on the way there - at 10:00 am - our fellow passengers were getting right to it!
The visit to Tallinn was amazing! My favourite part was the old town (see the photo below). We wandered the cobblestoned streets, explored churches and little stores, stood at some beautiful points up the hills to stare down at the town and more modern parts of the city, too, and then browsed the market square where vendors sold souvenirs and other goods (including cinnamon-covered almonds, which were another highlight!). After some lunch and exploring, we went shopping in the city, and then returned for some dinner later in the day (more on that in "FOOD"). Around 6:00 we headed back to the harbour to get our 7:00 pm speedboat back, and ended up having one of the best nights out of my life. More on that in "FINNISH PEOPLE (& GOING OUT WITH THEM)".
SUOMENLINNA:
One of the must-see sights in my travel book was Suomenlinna, and fortunately John and his friends agreed that I couldn't leave without seeing it. Suomenlinna, or Sveaborg in Swedish, is an inhabited sea fortress. I was so excited to just walk around it, and we were lucky enough to have beautiful weather, so we hopped on the ferry at the harbour and took the 15-minute ride there (which I could use my transit pass to pay for!). With the sun shining, we grabbed some beers at the grocery store, and just wandered around. It was beautiful (see below). It was on one of my last nights, too, and it was just John and I, so I soaked it in.
SHOPPING:
People who know me know that I don't like shopping. In fact clothes shopping is one of my least favourite things in the world. However, when you've set aside a budget for gifts for yourself and others on a trip you've diligently saved up for, shopping suddenly feels more fun (rather than indulgent)! I still wasn't interested in clothes, but I had a lot of fun browsing - and buying - in the stores I visited.
My favourites include Marimekko where I bought a number of gifts (and was lucky to be in Finland for the 50th anniversary of their Unikko pattern [see below]), Aarikka where I bought a lot of Finnish-made jewelry for family and friends, the Moomin store for all Moomin-related merchandise, the beautiful Akateeminen Kirjakauppa book store where I wandered aimlessly, Stockmann (a.k.a. Helsinki's Holt Renfrew, or at least The Bay), and - my favourite - the Iitala / Arabia outlet store where I splurged on Moomin mugs!!!
Shout-out to Emmaus where John recommended I go on my last day. Apparently visiting Helsinki without going to a flea market is sacrilege, and I'm glad I went. I picked up some really random goods there, but I'll always think of my trip to Helsinki when I see/use them.
FOOD:
Food is always my favourite part of travelling! Food brings me joy on a daily basis, so trying new foods in new places is my idea of heaven!
Restaurant highlights included Alppitori for some traditional Finnish fare, randomly Monte Etna for what turned out to be an amazing spaghetti and meatballs, Café Ekberg hit the spot one morning with a Croque Madame (and bottomless coffee, which is a rare find in Helsinki), Vapiano for pasta made right before your eyes, Eat in Tallinn for pelmeni, Hesburger (Finland's McDonald's equivalent) for their version of a Big Mac (also in Tallinn), BLNIt for Russian food, and Zucchini for some vegetarian food in the city centre.
FINNISH PEOPLE (& GOING OUT WITH THEM):
One of the best things about visiting a friend in another country (aside from free accommodations!) is meeting real people from that country. You might run into a few locals while travelling solo, but being introduced to people who are really important to someone who's really important to you is really special.
I got to meet John's boyfriend, and really get to know him, and that was a real treat. He's a wonderful man! I got to be reunited with John's friend who came to visit us during our undergrad; it was amazing to see her again, laugh about our amazing three weeks together five years ago, and see how she's grown up. I got to meet a friend of John's who he met through his boyfriend, who I partied with (more on that in a sec) and realized was my Finnish soul twin. We live across the ocean from each other, but we had an instant connection. And finally, I got to meet one of John's closest friends, who I've heard about since I met John, and who I've had as a Facebook friend for quite a while myself. Meeting her in person was incredible; she has such a warmth to her and positive energy.
In fact, she had a dinner party while I was visiting, which was another major highlight. She and her husband hosted us in their beautiful home, and I think there were about nine of us in total. We were all speaking English (lucky me!), but almost everyone was from a different place. There were three from Egypt, two of whom were raised in London UK and another who was raised in Sweden. Three from Finland, but all with different backgrounds. And then two Canadians (I'm not sure where the ninth was from). We were all so different, and so many of us were strangers to each other, but there was such an ease to conversation, and it was such a nice night (including more delicious food!). That's the kind of experience I love to have when travelling. I was really lucky.
I enjoyed Finnish people so much in general. I don't want to generalize, because I know everyone is different, but there were some common elements, I found. Finnish people don't have a big fake smile on their face, even in service industries. There's no fakeness, small talk, or over-the-top friendliness. But there's also not snobbery or rudeness; people just are who they are. There was a definite sense of more introversion than I find here in North America, but people are very kind... they're just more real. I liked that; it was really refreshing!
But like I've already said, I was able to really connect with a number of people, and I loved all of John's friends. We had one really great night out that I mentioned before, the evening of the day we went to Tallinn. We'd been up really early that day, but we were armed with cheap booze from Tallinn, and we had to go out. The evening started with a long karaoke session at John's boyfriend's place, which was a blast! Then we went to a gay club called Hercules, which was amazing! Great music, lots of people, and so much dancing! Here's one of the most surreal moments of my trip: we left the club at 4:00 am and it was totally light out! Finland gets a lot of light during the summer; maybe even 22 hours of it at certain points. It was 4 am, yet it looked like noon! Very bizarre; you don't really want to be illuminated by the sun when you leave a club at 4:00 am, but it was a great Finnish experience and a great night out!
CHILLING:
Going into my trip, I was grateful for the length, because it meant I could see lots of sights, but also have lots of time to relax, rejuvenate, catch up with John, and just chill. Sometimes that was as simple as spending a few hours in a café - traveller's guilt free - writing postcards, journalling, and plotting out what sights I would see next. On my first full day there, I spent 2+ hours on a hill in a park near John's place, reading and soaking in the sun. It was so nice to have that luxury and not feel guilty about wasting time. I was seeing a new city, sure, but I was also on vacation. I wanted to relax!
I loved having lots of time to hang out with John, too. A few days - especially after great nights out - it was nice to just laze about his apartment... cook and eat food, and watch lots of TV. We watched season two of "Bad Girls Club" while I was there (high-quality TV), as well as season one of "RuPaul's Drag Race", and also "Orange is the New Black"! John and his boyfriend were half-way through season one when I got there, so I watched that with them, and then we watched all of season two together which I hadn't seen yet. Major highlight! Downtime on a trip is important, and I took full advantage.
JOHN:
You know what the #1 best part of the trip was though??? Seeing John! Reuniting with one of my best friends was the thing I was most looking forward to, and it was the #1 highlight without a doubt. John and I used to spend every day together in our undergrad, so it's been hard not seeing him in the flesh for nearly two years. Reuniting was incredible! It's like we picked up where we left off and nothing had changed... but so much has changed in our individual lives, so that's even better! Even across the ocean, we're growing separately but not apart. And seeing him in his element, in a city where he feels his best, was so wonderful. I got to see how happy he is, and how much he's thriving, and as a best friend, that's all you could want.
Thank you, John, for your love, food, and hospitality!
Another trip for the books!
HELSINKI ITSELF & WANDERING THE CITY:
I very quickly felt comfortable navigating Helsinki. I took the tram a lot and got to know the city centre especially well. It's a very beautiful and clean city; an appealing combination of old European charm and contemporary architecture. I loved wandering along Pohjoisesplanadi and Eteläesplanadi, browsing stores (see "SHOPPING") and people-watching.
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| Pohjoisesplanadi |
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| Senaatintori with Tuomiokirkko in the background |
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| Vendors in the kauppatori in the harbour |
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| Tempelliaukion Kirkko |
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| Uspenskin Katedraali |
KOTIHARJUN SAUNA:
When you think of Finland, one of the first things you think of is saunas. I am a huge saunaphile to begin with (sometimes my only reason for a work-out is an excuse to go to the sauna), so it was at the top of my list to visit a traditional Finnish sauna. My travel book recommended the Kotiharjun Sauna, so my friend Katie (who came from London, England to join me for part of my trip) and I walked from John's place to get there.
It was divine! It was 12.00€ for an adult sauna and you could stay as long as you wanted to. The locker room was clean and because it was a weekday afternoon, we had the place to ourselves. There are separate saunas for men and women, and you get to the sauna right from the locker room. Then, there's another shower room that connects to both of those areas, too. The sauna itself was lovely and did seem very traditional. We did a long first round, and then just spent the next 90 minutes or so going back and forth from the sauna to the shower room, rinsing off and going back for more. We also got big buckets and filled them with cold water so we could refresh ourselves without leaving the sauna. After we were done, we got some bottles of water downstairs and then went to a nearby park to continue the relaxing and enjoy some sun. I highly recommend the experience to anyone visiting! It was so amazing and rejuvenating!
KIASMA:
Helsinki has its fair share of museums, like any major city, but I didn't expect the museums I visited to necessarily be highlights of the visit. Kiasma was the exception! Kiasma is Helsinki's modern art museum, and I don't know if we were there for some exceptional exhibits, or if it's always that good, but I loved it! The three exhibits we (Katie & I) saw were Alfredo Jaar (amazing video piece on Kevin Carter), Kiasma Hits (classic Finnish contemporary pieces, famous international artwork, and recent acquisitions), and an exhibit called Kimpassa / Together, which brought together the biggest names in Finnish contemporary art, design, and fashion, specifically artists and designers who'd worked with Kiasma and/or the fashion line Marimekko. That was actually something I saw a lot of in Helsinki: a natural collaboration between people. Marimekko designed napkins for Finnair, for example. It seems like collaboration vs. competition between artists and companies happens a lot in that country, which I loved. Kiasma was a great example. Best modern art museum I've ever seen!
TALLINN, ESTONIA:
As you know, what brought me to Finland in the first place was one of my best friends in the whole world: John. I've known John for around seven years now, and I've been hearing about his many Finnish adventures since the beginning. One of those typical adventures - also highlighted by my travel book - is a trip to nearby Tallinn, Estonia. So, it was a foregone conclusion that we'd take a trip there during my visit. John booked us tickets on the speedboat to Tallinn in advance of my trip, and on the Saturday that I was there, John, his boyfriend, and myself took the 90-minute or so journey there!
John described Tallinn as the place Finnish people can go to act like American tourists; they can assume everyone there speaks their language - which in Tallinn, they do! - they can get cheap food, booze, cigarettes, and pretty much everything else. Alcohol is one of the dominant reasons for the journey though, which is clear from the trolleys you can buy on the boat with the express purpose of packing them with cheap beer, wine, and liquor. In fact, you can drink on the boat itself. We had a beer on the way back, but even on the way there - at 10:00 am - our fellow passengers were getting right to it!
The visit to Tallinn was amazing! My favourite part was the old town (see the photo below). We wandered the cobblestoned streets, explored churches and little stores, stood at some beautiful points up the hills to stare down at the town and more modern parts of the city, too, and then browsed the market square where vendors sold souvenirs and other goods (including cinnamon-covered almonds, which were another highlight!). After some lunch and exploring, we went shopping in the city, and then returned for some dinner later in the day (more on that in "FOOD"). Around 6:00 we headed back to the harbour to get our 7:00 pm speedboat back, and ended up having one of the best nights out of my life. More on that in "FINNISH PEOPLE (& GOING OUT WITH THEM)".
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| Old Town, Tallinn |
SUOMENLINNA:
One of the must-see sights in my travel book was Suomenlinna, and fortunately John and his friends agreed that I couldn't leave without seeing it. Suomenlinna, or Sveaborg in Swedish, is an inhabited sea fortress. I was so excited to just walk around it, and we were lucky enough to have beautiful weather, so we hopped on the ferry at the harbour and took the 15-minute ride there (which I could use my transit pass to pay for!). With the sun shining, we grabbed some beers at the grocery store, and just wandered around. It was beautiful (see below). It was on one of my last nights, too, and it was just John and I, so I soaked it in.
SHOPPING:
People who know me know that I don't like shopping. In fact clothes shopping is one of my least favourite things in the world. However, when you've set aside a budget for gifts for yourself and others on a trip you've diligently saved up for, shopping suddenly feels more fun (rather than indulgent)! I still wasn't interested in clothes, but I had a lot of fun browsing - and buying - in the stores I visited.
My favourites include Marimekko where I bought a number of gifts (and was lucky to be in Finland for the 50th anniversary of their Unikko pattern [see below]), Aarikka where I bought a lot of Finnish-made jewelry for family and friends, the Moomin store for all Moomin-related merchandise, the beautiful Akateeminen Kirjakauppa book store where I wandered aimlessly, Stockmann (a.k.a. Helsinki's Holt Renfrew, or at least The Bay), and - my favourite - the Iitala / Arabia outlet store where I splurged on Moomin mugs!!!
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| Marimekko's Unikko pattern |
FOOD:
Food is always my favourite part of travelling! Food brings me joy on a daily basis, so trying new foods in new places is my idea of heaven!
Restaurant highlights included Alppitori for some traditional Finnish fare, randomly Monte Etna for what turned out to be an amazing spaghetti and meatballs, Café Ekberg hit the spot one morning with a Croque Madame (and bottomless coffee, which is a rare find in Helsinki), Vapiano for pasta made right before your eyes, Eat in Tallinn for pelmeni, Hesburger (Finland's McDonald's equivalent) for their version of a Big Mac (also in Tallinn), BLNIt for Russian food, and Zucchini for some vegetarian food in the city centre.
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| Alppitori - salmon soup with dark bread, followed by meatballs over mashed potatoes covered in brandy gravy with a side of jam |
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| Café Ekberg - Croque Madame |
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| Hesburger - their version of a Big Mac, in Tallinn |
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| BLNIt (great Russian food) - blini with sour cream, red onions, and roe |
But here's the thing - more than just looking forward to eating in Finland, I looked forward to eating John's cooking. I lucked out having John and our other bestie Waleed as friends in my undergrad. They were the only undergrad students I knew who at any point in time might have a delicious cut of meat marinating in their fridge. They are master chefs in their own right, and I was spoiled having them cook for me so often back in the day. I missed John's amazing cooking, and was spoiled once again while staying with him in Helsinki. He cooked me all sorts of things, including some classic Finnish fare. Below are some of my favourite meals he cooked. Thanks, John!
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| Potatoes, salad, smoked trout, and pickled herring |
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| Salad with chicken, pistachios, blue cheese, and beets with a side of cracked wheat with sun-dried tomatoes and red onions |
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| Dessert that evening; a funny hybrid of bread and cheese as well as sweet and savoury, topped with jam |
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| A sisters sausage soup with dark bread covered in cream cheese on the side |
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| Arguably the best meal of the trip - roasted chicken on top of a beet risotto |
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| My favourite! Karjalanpiirakoita - a rice-stuffed pastry topped with egg butter. |
FINNISH PEOPLE (& GOING OUT WITH THEM):
One of the best things about visiting a friend in another country (aside from free accommodations!) is meeting real people from that country. You might run into a few locals while travelling solo, but being introduced to people who are really important to someone who's really important to you is really special.
I got to meet John's boyfriend, and really get to know him, and that was a real treat. He's a wonderful man! I got to be reunited with John's friend who came to visit us during our undergrad; it was amazing to see her again, laugh about our amazing three weeks together five years ago, and see how she's grown up. I got to meet a friend of John's who he met through his boyfriend, who I partied with (more on that in a sec) and realized was my Finnish soul twin. We live across the ocean from each other, but we had an instant connection. And finally, I got to meet one of John's closest friends, who I've heard about since I met John, and who I've had as a Facebook friend for quite a while myself. Meeting her in person was incredible; she has such a warmth to her and positive energy.
In fact, she had a dinner party while I was visiting, which was another major highlight. She and her husband hosted us in their beautiful home, and I think there were about nine of us in total. We were all speaking English (lucky me!), but almost everyone was from a different place. There were three from Egypt, two of whom were raised in London UK and another who was raised in Sweden. Three from Finland, but all with different backgrounds. And then two Canadians (I'm not sure where the ninth was from). We were all so different, and so many of us were strangers to each other, but there was such an ease to conversation, and it was such a nice night (including more delicious food!). That's the kind of experience I love to have when travelling. I was really lucky.
I enjoyed Finnish people so much in general. I don't want to generalize, because I know everyone is different, but there were some common elements, I found. Finnish people don't have a big fake smile on their face, even in service industries. There's no fakeness, small talk, or over-the-top friendliness. But there's also not snobbery or rudeness; people just are who they are. There was a definite sense of more introversion than I find here in North America, but people are very kind... they're just more real. I liked that; it was really refreshing!
But like I've already said, I was able to really connect with a number of people, and I loved all of John's friends. We had one really great night out that I mentioned before, the evening of the day we went to Tallinn. We'd been up really early that day, but we were armed with cheap booze from Tallinn, and we had to go out. The evening started with a long karaoke session at John's boyfriend's place, which was a blast! Then we went to a gay club called Hercules, which was amazing! Great music, lots of people, and so much dancing! Here's one of the most surreal moments of my trip: we left the club at 4:00 am and it was totally light out! Finland gets a lot of light during the summer; maybe even 22 hours of it at certain points. It was 4 am, yet it looked like noon! Very bizarre; you don't really want to be illuminated by the sun when you leave a club at 4:00 am, but it was a great Finnish experience and a great night out!
CHILLING:
Going into my trip, I was grateful for the length, because it meant I could see lots of sights, but also have lots of time to relax, rejuvenate, catch up with John, and just chill. Sometimes that was as simple as spending a few hours in a café - traveller's guilt free - writing postcards, journalling, and plotting out what sights I would see next. On my first full day there, I spent 2+ hours on a hill in a park near John's place, reading and soaking in the sun. It was so nice to have that luxury and not feel guilty about wasting time. I was seeing a new city, sure, but I was also on vacation. I wanted to relax!
 |
| Chillin' on a hilltop |
JOHN:
You know what the #1 best part of the trip was though??? Seeing John! Reuniting with one of my best friends was the thing I was most looking forward to, and it was the #1 highlight without a doubt. John and I used to spend every day together in our undergrad, so it's been hard not seeing him in the flesh for nearly two years. Reuniting was incredible! It's like we picked up where we left off and nothing had changed... but so much has changed in our individual lives, so that's even better! Even across the ocean, we're growing separately but not apart. And seeing him in his element, in a city where he feels his best, was so wonderful. I got to see how happy he is, and how much he's thriving, and as a best friend, that's all you could want.
Thank you, John, for your love, food, and hospitality!
Another trip for the books!
Monday, June 2, 2014
When a chore becomes second nature
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but if I was to look back at my health & fitness journey (11 months and counting) and pinpoint the thing that I'm most proud of, it would be this: going to the gym becoming part of my routine. Put another way, I am so proud of getting to a point where I genuinely want to go to the gym. Even better, I need to go to the gym. I had a pretty indulgent weekend; it was my best friend's bachelorette and indulging was par for the course. I drank, I ate, I partied. As a result I felt sick, bloated, and my immune system was shot. I got back home from the debauchery yesterday afternoon and you know what I did yesterday evening? I went to the gym. Going "off-track" or indulging food-wise could've made me feel like I'd failed, but I hadn't, and I still really wanted to go to the gym.
I woke up this morning feeling totally under the weather. I very seriously contemplated calling in sick... I even had my sick day email drafted up, but then I thought of how much I wanted to get done and how lame I felt at taking a sick day after a bachelorette weekend. So, I powered through, crushed up vitamins in my smoothie, and went to work. The day went great - I made a point of eating really nutritious food and drinking lots of water - and then you know what I did? I went to the gym again after work for my regular Monday Body Pump class. I may not feel 100%, but I feel pretty great, and I have a feeling that with more vitamin C and a good sleep, I'll feel even better. My, how I have changed!
I woke up this morning feeling totally under the weather. I very seriously contemplated calling in sick... I even had my sick day email drafted up, but then I thought of how much I wanted to get done and how lame I felt at taking a sick day after a bachelorette weekend. So, I powered through, crushed up vitamins in my smoothie, and went to work. The day went great - I made a point of eating really nutritious food and drinking lots of water - and then you know what I did? I went to the gym again after work for my regular Monday Body Pump class. I may not feel 100%, but I feel pretty great, and I have a feeling that with more vitamin C and a good sleep, I'll feel even better. My, how I have changed!
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
I'm 27
In lieu of a Facebook post thanking everyone for their well wishes and birthday love, I wanted to write a blog post on my 27th birthday.
I wish I had a letter from myself at 10, 13, or 16 to myself at 27 so I could see how I measure up against my young self's expectations, but it doesn't matter. I never had specific goals for myself to have achieved by this age, but if I did, I would've achieved them all and then some. I could not be happier with where I'm at in life.
I have a lot of love. I have a woman to share my life with who I love fiercely and who loves me back. I have four sisters and two parents who support me, challenge me, and inspire me. I have an incredible group of close friends, spread around the world, some who I've known practically since birth, some from university, and a few newer additions who make me laugh and think on the daily. And I wouldn't be the cat lady I've become if I didn't acknowledge my precious Spoon who really does add a lot of love to my life.
I also wanted to acknowledge my Facebook friends (and LinkedIn connections!) for taking a moment out of their day to write a brief message - or lengthy post - to wish me a happy birthday. I know a few people who find Facebook birthday messages insincere, but frankly I love them! I don't mind if we have spoken to or seen each other in years, because getting well wishes on your birthday feels special whoever it comes from (like the woman at Yogurty's who gave me my yogurt on the house today!) and I really appreciate it. I only wish I wrote more birthday messages to people myself!
Love has to be the most important, but I want to ponder some other things I have at the age of 27... purpose, good health, security, independence, and fun! The list really goes on. I have no doubt in my mind that this will be another incredible year. Thank you to everyone who's making today special and those who make every one of my days special.
I wish I had a letter from myself at 10, 13, or 16 to myself at 27 so I could see how I measure up against my young self's expectations, but it doesn't matter. I never had specific goals for myself to have achieved by this age, but if I did, I would've achieved them all and then some. I could not be happier with where I'm at in life.
I have a lot of love. I have a woman to share my life with who I love fiercely and who loves me back. I have four sisters and two parents who support me, challenge me, and inspire me. I have an incredible group of close friends, spread around the world, some who I've known practically since birth, some from university, and a few newer additions who make me laugh and think on the daily. And I wouldn't be the cat lady I've become if I didn't acknowledge my precious Spoon who really does add a lot of love to my life.
I also wanted to acknowledge my Facebook friends (and LinkedIn connections!) for taking a moment out of their day to write a brief message - or lengthy post - to wish me a happy birthday. I know a few people who find Facebook birthday messages insincere, but frankly I love them! I don't mind if we have spoken to or seen each other in years, because getting well wishes on your birthday feels special whoever it comes from (like the woman at Yogurty's who gave me my yogurt on the house today!) and I really appreciate it. I only wish I wrote more birthday messages to people myself!
Love has to be the most important, but I want to ponder some other things I have at the age of 27... purpose, good health, security, independence, and fun! The list really goes on. I have no doubt in my mind that this will be another incredible year. Thank you to everyone who's making today special and those who make every one of my days special.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Legit Jams 6.0
I've taken a break from my non-stop loop of Beyonce's self-titled album, Drake's "Nothing Was the Same", and Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience" parts 1 & 2 for some new legit jams. Here they be.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Helsinki!!!
Helsinki, here I come!!!
I've mentioned before that one of my best friends - John - has been living in Finland for a while now, and likely will live there forever. It's hard not to have someone so close to you physically close to you, but it was inevitable and we manage to stay in each other's lives regardless. However, since Finland is so important to John and he loves the country so much, it was also inevitable that I visit him there. The time has finally come.
I've planned to go to Helsinki this spring/summer for a while, but today I actually bought the tickets and so it's official! I depart Toronto on June 8, arrive in Helsinki June 9, and don't return to YYZ until June 20. Approximately 12 days to spend with John, see the sites of Helsinki, eat delicious food, party with John's friends, and maybe take a few side trips (Tallin [Estonia] and Stockholm are on the menu).
I can't wait!!!
I've mentioned before that one of my best friends - John - has been living in Finland for a while now, and likely will live there forever. It's hard not to have someone so close to you physically close to you, but it was inevitable and we manage to stay in each other's lives regardless. However, since Finland is so important to John and he loves the country so much, it was also inevitable that I visit him there. The time has finally come.
I've planned to go to Helsinki this spring/summer for a while, but today I actually bought the tickets and so it's official! I depart Toronto on June 8, arrive in Helsinki June 9, and don't return to YYZ until June 20. Approximately 12 days to spend with John, see the sites of Helsinki, eat delicious food, party with John's friends, and maybe take a few side trips (Tallin [Estonia] and Stockholm are on the menu).
I can't wait!!!
Monday, April 21, 2014
Two of Hearts: 3 Movies I Watched this Weekend
It is Monday after the long Easter weekend and I am very slowly adjusting back to a life where I must wake up, do things, wear clothing without elastic waistlines, and be generally presentable. Normally I'm okay with this, but today I'm not. It was a delightful weekend! Highlights include time spent with great friends including karaoke, a beautiful trip to Mel's Diner, time spent on the couch, time spent with more friends, GREEK EASTER!!!, and some epic movie viewing. I could go on about all elements, but I think I'll focus on one - epic movie viewing.
Having read that Michael Alig is going to be released from prison on May 5, I was reminded that I've always wanted to watch Party Monster. My friend W. was visiting for a few nights and I asked him if he'd seen it (assuming he had) - he hadn't! W. was the perfect viewing partner for this movie. Even better, it was on Netflix. Bam. W. whipped up some hummus and we hunkered down for a viewing. It was a very interesting movie. I thought Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green both did great jobs in their respective parts, without knowing too too much about Michael Alig and James St. James. The movie was creepy, funny, enlightening, fascinating, dark, and sad. I'm now fascinated by club kid culture and keen to read more. One particularly intense moment was when James St. James was down and out and Michael Alig puts on a cassette to cheer him up. What's the song? Stacey Q's "Two of Hearts". What was one of the two songs my friends and I sang at karaoke the evening before? Two of Hearts. Serendipitous, no?
Anyway, Saturday afternoon I was chilling by myself and decided to watch one of the recommended films for people interested in "Party Monster". One of them was a documentary called "Limelight" about Peter Gatien, legendary club owner who owned the Limelight in New York City where Michael Alig was a promoter. I learned more about the club kid culture, the introduction of ecstasy to NYC, Peter Gatien (from Cornwall, Ontario), and the massive lawsuit that targetted Gatien as responsible for the rampant drug use and selling in his clubs. This film was equally fascinating.
Finally, I watched something quite different but not totally unrelated: "Philadelphia". I've watched this movie a handful of times before, but it never loses its impact. Tom Hanks is incredible, as is Denzel Washington, and the story is so moving and sad. I still teared up during the epic opera soliloquy. Incredible!
So there you have it, darlings! A weekend of movies & more! Until next time!
Having read that Michael Alig is going to be released from prison on May 5, I was reminded that I've always wanted to watch Party Monster. My friend W. was visiting for a few nights and I asked him if he'd seen it (assuming he had) - he hadn't! W. was the perfect viewing partner for this movie. Even better, it was on Netflix. Bam. W. whipped up some hummus and we hunkered down for a viewing. It was a very interesting movie. I thought Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green both did great jobs in their respective parts, without knowing too too much about Michael Alig and James St. James. The movie was creepy, funny, enlightening, fascinating, dark, and sad. I'm now fascinated by club kid culture and keen to read more. One particularly intense moment was when James St. James was down and out and Michael Alig puts on a cassette to cheer him up. What's the song? Stacey Q's "Two of Hearts". What was one of the two songs my friends and I sang at karaoke the evening before? Two of Hearts. Serendipitous, no?
Anyway, Saturday afternoon I was chilling by myself and decided to watch one of the recommended films for people interested in "Party Monster". One of them was a documentary called "Limelight" about Peter Gatien, legendary club owner who owned the Limelight in New York City where Michael Alig was a promoter. I learned more about the club kid culture, the introduction of ecstasy to NYC, Peter Gatien (from Cornwall, Ontario), and the massive lawsuit that targetted Gatien as responsible for the rampant drug use and selling in his clubs. This film was equally fascinating.
Finally, I watched something quite different but not totally unrelated: "Philadelphia". I've watched this movie a handful of times before, but it never loses its impact. Tom Hanks is incredible, as is Denzel Washington, and the story is so moving and sad. I still teared up during the epic opera soliloquy. Incredible!
So there you have it, darlings! A weekend of movies & more! Until next time!
Monday, April 14, 2014
John.
You know who's amazing?! My best friend John. It's his birthday today & so I wanted to use this platform to celebrate him.
John and I met at an in-person discussion group on campus during our undergrad. I knew I wanted to be friends with him when he made a reference to the show "7th Heaven" and we laughed about the fact that the family dog's real name was Happy (and Happy as Happy).
Our transition from strangers to friendship was seamless, to the point that I don't remember when/where/how it happened. The why is obvious. Everyone who meets John wants to be friends with him. I was one of the lucky ones who connected with him and vice versa and the rest is history...
John and I joined forces with our bestie Waleed as well and became a powerful trifecta. Having those boys to roll with when I was in undergrad was the best! I practically lived with them at one point. We did everything together, and it was such a fun time!
John is one of the funniest people anybody who knows him knows. He's also one of the smartest people. That combination results in wit that you wouldn't believe. His pop cultural references, quick comebacks, hysterical observations, brilliant slang..... you can barely keep up with it! He's also incredibly tuned in to current events, speaks numerous languages, and has a generally great understanding of the world we live in. He is a total marvel, and I am lucky to call him one of my best friends.
It was obvious from early on in our friendship that John loved Finland, where he'd spent a year as an exchange student after high school. He'd made great friends there, spoke the language fluently, and felt a strong connection to the country. As a result, it was no surprise to me when he moved there a few years ago to study his Master's and likely live there forever. It's hard to see your friend go, but it was a foregone conclusion, and I'm happy he's so happy and building a life for himself there.
We may not get to see each other on a regular basis, but we keep in touch as best as we can, and he's still one of my favourite people in the whole world.
Plus, I get to see him in a few months when I travel to Finland!!! (More on that later).
Now, before the clock strikes midnight in Helsinki, I want to say...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNI!!!
I love you so much. xoxoxo
John and I met at an in-person discussion group on campus during our undergrad. I knew I wanted to be friends with him when he made a reference to the show "7th Heaven" and we laughed about the fact that the family dog's real name was Happy (and Happy as Happy).
Our transition from strangers to friendship was seamless, to the point that I don't remember when/where/how it happened. The why is obvious. Everyone who meets John wants to be friends with him. I was one of the lucky ones who connected with him and vice versa and the rest is history...
John and I joined forces with our bestie Waleed as well and became a powerful trifecta. Having those boys to roll with when I was in undergrad was the best! I practically lived with them at one point. We did everything together, and it was such a fun time!
John is one of the funniest people anybody who knows him knows. He's also one of the smartest people. That combination results in wit that you wouldn't believe. His pop cultural references, quick comebacks, hysterical observations, brilliant slang..... you can barely keep up with it! He's also incredibly tuned in to current events, speaks numerous languages, and has a generally great understanding of the world we live in. He is a total marvel, and I am lucky to call him one of my best friends.
It was obvious from early on in our friendship that John loved Finland, where he'd spent a year as an exchange student after high school. He'd made great friends there, spoke the language fluently, and felt a strong connection to the country. As a result, it was no surprise to me when he moved there a few years ago to study his Master's and likely live there forever. It's hard to see your friend go, but it was a foregone conclusion, and I'm happy he's so happy and building a life for himself there.
We may not get to see each other on a regular basis, but we keep in touch as best as we can, and he's still one of my favourite people in the whole world.
Plus, I get to see him in a few months when I travel to Finland!!! (More on that later).
Now, before the clock strikes midnight in Helsinki, I want to say...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHNNI!!!
I love you so much. xoxoxo
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