Happy Victoria Day, Canadians! How’d you spend your long weekend?
B-rad and I spent the weekend taking care of some overdue wedding business, including scouting out some fab invites. We had a great meeting with Rozanne at Oakville Paper Boutique… If you’re looking for custom invitations, I would absolutely recommend checking this place out.
I also updated my 101 in 1001 list! I’ve already tried out AntiGravity Yoga and have become slightly addicted to hot yoga. I was a bit worried at first that the heat would be too much for me, but it’s actually quite soothing. I feel like I’m getting stronger with each class, and every time I leave, I feel more energized. Any other hot yoga fans out there? What’s the biggest benefit that you’ve experienced so far?
Also in the health and fitness section: I’m working my way through another Booty Camp session and totally loving it. My first Booty Camp experience was in October 2009 and it was a bit brutal with the cold, rainy weather. While I’ve certainly had to tough it out during the rain this time around, I’m really enjoying it. My instructor, Joanne, is wonderful—she’s got great energy and really makes me want to push myself as much as possible. I’m heading into my fourth week, and I’ve got eight more to go… Wish me luck!
Next up on the 101 in 1001 list: Find a favourite red wine. This is an ongoing challenge for me. I really enjoy sweet white wines, but have yet to find a red that isn’t too “earthy” for my liking. So, my oenophile friends… what would you suggest?
So, before I go ahead and lap myself in terms of blogging (does that last one really say August? What time trap did I fall into, exactly?) I thought I’d take a moment to actually update the front page of my site so that it’s clear I haven’t skipped town (and by “town,” I mean “the internet”).
Catching up properly at this point is bound to turn into a multi-post epic, so let’s just give you the TV version of “here’s what you missed,” and get on with it, shall we?
Here’s what I’ve been up to for the past, uh, several months…
• Life at home: You may remember—a long time ago now—some references to a new apartment. Well, it’s not really “new” anymore, but it’s still all kinds of awesome. B-rad and I are loving our new digs in this much less stabby part of Toronto. There is a movie theatre down the street, a Starbucks on the corner and a Greek restaurant across the road that makes a mean flaming cheese. What more could a girl ask for, really?
• I’m not getting any younger! In fact, I’ve gotten another year older. Funny how that whole birthday thing works, isn’t it? Anyway, no doom and gloom here. I’m looking forward to all that 27 has to offer…
• Wedding update: The Dress has been ordered and now I’m on a quest to find the perfect shoes. Let me clarify that—the perfect purple shoes. We’ve also secured the most delicious cake of all time. Wedding planning is crazy fun times. Srsly. Six months to go!
I am officially over-tired. How do I know this? When I saw the clip below, I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face… And it’s only 21 seconds long.
Still swamped with work/moving… But looking forward to a triumphant return to these here parts so that I can dish about wedding planning and our adventures in making over the new apartment (with pics and all!) In the meantime… Enjoy!
Time flies when you’re moving, doesn’t it? Apologies for the silence around these parts for the last few weeks… my life has been consumed by boxes and bags as we prepare for the big move on August 1st. (Did I mention B-rad and I are moving? Oh yes. We’re moving. More on that story very soon…)
While I’m on this little vacay from the blogosphere (which I promise will not last much longer!), I have to leave you with a few things that I am absolutely loving lately:
• EcoNation Speakers: Thanks to Sarah, my MoH, for introducing me to the wonder that is this set of eco-friendly speakers. I adore them! And for $15 (at Chapters/Indigo), they’re very hard to pass up!
• The Wedding Dance: Forget choreographed first dances… It’s all about the big entrance! I’ve now watched this vid a few times, and it never fails to make me smile.
• Super simple baked brie: We served this at the cottage on the weekend, and it was an instant hit. Ready in about 20 minutes, delish when paired with crackers and green apple slices… And most importantly, it’s brie. How could I NOT love this? Check out the link for instructions, or follow my lead: Wrap a medium-sized round of brie in crescent roll dough (ie. a tube of Pillsbury dough) and bake according to the instructions on the tube. When the dough is golden and delicious looking, remove from the oven, transfer to a plate, and dig in!
• Buzzfeed.com: What would a lunch break be without hilarious gems from all over the web? This site is now officially my go-to for the latest viral videos and wacky new finds.
• Outtrip’s Yo…Lounge: Okay, so this album certainly isn’t new, but it’s made its way back into heavy rotation on my iPod as of late and I need to share the love. Have you heard it? If not, you’re seriously missing out. “Yo… Lounge” is the ultimate summer chill album. Check it out on MySpace and then pick it up on iTunes. You’ll thank me later.
As for what’s coming up on my little corner of the web, I’ve got plenty to share! So please stay tuned, and bear with me… MoveFest 2009 will be over soon!
First, can I just say… HAPPY CANADA DAY! I stumbled across a great little article this morning that made me smile, so I’m passing it along: 100 Reasons to Love Canada. (I’m surprised they could narrow it down to 100! Ha!)
Big news on this Wedding Wednesday update. The planning is chugging along, and I’m happy to report that the two biggest things on our “To Do” list have been checked off. Yes, the date is set and the venue is booked! B-rad and I will be tying the knot/taking the vows/getting hitched/entering into a lifetime commitment of awesomeness in October 2010. (Yes, I’m doing a little dance right now. I’m kinda psyched.) And the venue? Perfection. It was love at first sight.
But it was not the first venue that we checked out. Oh no. We’ve been a busy pair, scoping out venues across the GTA and trying to find the perfect one to fit our style and our budget. And we’ve learned one very important thing: Weddings are freaking expensive, friends. Holy geez. Let’s check the highlight reel…
I’d meant to post this on Friday, but was quite busy getting my bake-and-slideshow on for B-rad’s Dad’s 60th birthday soiree, which took place on Saturday (and I make a mean iMovie, if I do say so myself). The party was awesome and thankfully the weather held out all day so that everyone could have a great time. And a rainy Sunday just gave us all an excuse to hang out and revel in our cake-induced laziness.
But back to Friday. At 9 a.m., yours truly had an appointment with a personal trainer at the gym. Ah yes,the gym—that magical land of fitness and exercise that up until now, I have skillfully avoided like Amy Winehouse avoids rehab. Should I go? Yes. Did I want to? No, no, no.
Having already navigated my way through one bridal show (which I doubt will be my last) here are a few words of wisdom that I think every bride-to-be should have before getting swept up in bridal show madness.
1. Bring Your Partner-to-Be
I can’t tell you how many women I overheard saying, “I wish he was here, I can’t decide on these things by myself!” as they walked around with girlfriends and moms. While wedding shows are really just for inspiration, it makes sense to have your partner come along so that you don’t have to attempt to relay a mountain of information about DJs, invitations and eleven-tiered cakes when you get home. (If it helps, tell him/her there will be cake samples to test. Food is an excellent motivator.)
2. Leave Your Credit Card At Home
Did I need to purchase a $200 flat iron at a wedding show? Probably not. But after three hours of wandering around, I was so grateful to the woman who asked me to sit down while she did a demo on my wavy locks, I decided I either had to make a purchase, or marry her. Do yourself (and your bank account) a favour and keep the Visa stashed at home in case you feel the urge to impulse buy.
Fact: In my younger days, I took 5 years of jazz dance classes. We’re talking sequins, spandex, and hair with enough AquaNet to withstand a tornado. The whole nine.
Last night, yours truly was thrust into the dancing world once again, as part of The White Hot Happening at the National Ballet’s White Hot Gala. After some incredible performances by newly promoted members of the company, as well as retiring dancer Chan Hon Goh, it was time to grab a martini and bust a few moves of my own.
And how on earth did I manage that? Like most of my crazy adventures, it was sort of by accident…
Note: Yes. I am finally getting around to blogging about wedding plans (hurrah!). I’ve been debating setting up a separate blog for a while now, strictly for wedding talk (because I don’t want to annoy anyone) but the truth is, one blog is hard enough for me to keep up with, and I don’t want to half-ass two of them. So here’s the deal: On Wednesdays, I will dive into the crazy world of weddings and all their majesty, and the rest of the week, you will be spared from my bridal tales. Cool? Rock on. Let’s get started…
When I woke up on St. Patrick’s Day 2008, I had no idea that by the time I went to sleep, I’d be standing at the edge of a world filled with taffeta and fondant, about to take a flying leap. But things happen when you least expect them, they say. Or, in my case, when you sort of expect them, then second guess yourself, only to be proven absolutely right anyway. Allow me to explain…
Hello there! Remember me? I’ve been trying to sneak in some blogging time over the past few days, but it seems that one thing or another just kept getting in the way (not that I’m complaining – I’ve been having a great time!) But I have to apologize, because I have been promising a review of the EA Sports Active for a while, and have yet to deliver. Well… here it is!
While I’ve only tried it a few times so far (remember that knee injury I mentioned? The doc thinks it might be the beginning of a cartilage problem… which means I get to wear a brace for a few weeks, pop Tylenol Arthritis for pain and avoid stairs like the plague. In short? Bah.) it’s been a lot of fun! I started by creating my own avatar (complete with custom hairstyle and workout duds…Kinda like the one in the pic above) and completing my profile. Then it was onto the good stuff. You can either put together a custom workout or take the 30 Day Challenge. And since I’m a big fan of a good challenge, I chose the latter.
Happy Victoria Day, Canadians! How’d you spend your long weekend?
