Corn Dust Woman

Taste the milky rainbow- if you dare.

I never ate sugar cereal growing up. Never. Sugar cereal to me was Shredded Wheat and Bran with a banana sliced into it. Or, on really lucky days (like when we were on holidays) I might be allowed Rice Crispies. I didn't mind, sure.. I guess I would sometimes whine about wanting to count my Lucky Charms or battle the soggies with Captain Crunch but really, that never happened so I went all through my life until recently never really having sugar cereal. Even now, I can stand the sweet off color of the left over milk at the end of a bowl. *shudders

As I've gotten older and more aware of healthy eating and nutritional information I often joke that many “kids’ cereals” (an euphemism for neon-colored sugar puffs) are the nutritional equivalent of candy and a multivitamin. A really bad multivitamin (don't get me started on how I feel about multivitamins) like those chewable ones for kids.

Here are the facts...

Let’s begin with Trix, which somehow managed to dethrone carrots and lettuce as the official food of the bunny community

A 1-cup, 30 gram (just slightly over 1 ounce) serving provides:

• 120 calories
• 1.5 grams fat
• 180 milligrams sodium
• 10 grams sugar (2.5 teaspoons)
• 1 gram fiber
• 1 gram protein

Here is what an ounce of Twizzlers (mmmmm...) provides:

• 95 calories
• 0.6 grams fat
• 74 milligrams sodium
• 0 grams fiber
• 13.25 grams sugar (3.25 teaspoons)
• 0.6 grams protein

Pretty close to Trix!  Just a tiny bit more sugar and a smidgen less of protein.  The missing gram of fiber is barely noticed and, hey, look at that — half the sodium and a third of the calories!

Let’s now look at the fortified nutrients in Trix.  The following vitamins and minerals are supplemented (listed with their respective contributions, expressed as a percentage, to the Daily Value):

Vitamin A (10%), Vitamin C (10%), Calcium (10%), Iron (25%), Vitamin D (10%), Thiamin (25%), Riboflavin (25%), Niacin (25%), Vitamin B6 (25%), Folic Acid (25%), Vitamin B12 (25%), Zinc (25%)

Let’s now analyze Fred Flintstone’s contribution to the candy breakfast.  That chewable vitamin provides the following vitamins and minerals (again, listed with their respective percentage of the Daily Value)

Vitamin A (60%), Vitamin C (100%), Vitamin D (100%), Vitamin E (100%), Thiamin (100%), Riboflavin (100%), Niacin (75%), Vitamin B6 (100%), Folic Acid (100%), Vitamin B12 (100%), Biotin (13%), Pantothenic Acid (100%), Calcium (10%), Iron (100%), Phosphorus (10%), Iodine (100%), Magnesium (5%), Zinc (80%), Copper (100%)

Oh, snap!  Fred Flintstone’s  vitamins deliver higher amounts of nutrients — and a wider variety — than what Trix offers.

And, now, for our final comparison — ingredient lists.  First up, Trix:

Whole grain corn, sugar, corn meal, corn syrup, carnola/rice bran oil, salt, trisodium phosphate, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Other Color Added, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Malic Acid

Fred Flintstone’s multivitamin is, of course, composed of vitamins and minerals.  However, it shares a few common ingredients with Trix, mainly the presence of three artificial dyes — Yellow 5, Red 40, and Blue 2.

Multivitamins are not the same as food because foods contain healthful compounds like phytonutrients and antioxidants. That's why a multivitamin can not even dream of matching the nutritional contributions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds to a diet.  But, we’re talking about sugar cereal here.  Yes, there is some whole grain corn, but a) it’s undergone a bit of processing, and b) you’re talking about roughly a half-ounce of it.

The takeaway message here is not “Twizzlers and a multivitamin are a nutritious breakfast”, but rather “Trix is basically fortified candy with a sprinkling of corn dust.”

This is why

Trix = Twizzlers (or Fruit Twisty Ropes if you wish to use the generic name) + Flinstone Vitamin + magical Corn Dust.

Now isn't that just all kinds of gross? I write this ALL after having a slice of birthday cake for breakfast. Mmm mmm good.

Thursday: Gross Flyer Day

Every week has a new, meaty, cover girl.

Today is Gross Flyer Day; a big day in the Lunchroom at work. No one else really calls it Gross Flyer Day, they just call it Flyer Day. The Calgary Herald comes to our front reception desk busting at the seams with all the best flyers of the week. We pour over them at lunch, reading aloud the different descriptions and deals available. I however take the grocery store flyers and rave like a lunatic about all the raw meat on the cover of each one (there are three main ones, all which are offenders).

The worst is the ground whatever (beef, turkey, pork), it just always looks like a pile of worms and if (God forbid) the colors are off in from the printing process that sparks a whole new rant about how nasty yellowish or greenish meat looks. There is always raw meat on the cover (thank goodness, I already checked out the cover of Co-op's flyer today. They have a nice, esthetically clean picture of raw ribs being sliced by some fancy looking knives.) and there is always a center fold spread of more raw meat from chicken thighs to rump roast. All raw, all bloody and all seeming disgusting to me. Plus, as part of the fun. Reading out all the descriptions of the meat in a hill-billy accent does cause for some laugh till you cry fun. At least it does for me.

The boys in the lunchroom are so patient with me. They truly are.

Not all pictures of the meat look disgusting, some are actually rather attractive (for raw meat) with bright cool red tones and stark contrasting white in the marbling of a Tenderloin Steak or the playfully rosy pink hue of raw chicken breast. There is something to be said about a well thought out spread of raw meat.

So, on that awlward note, as a suggestion to the graphic artists creating these flyers, maybe try a little harder to get the colors right, at least. I mean, the girls in the beauty magazines get photoshopped and they look appealing before hand so why not use a little of that Photoshop magic on the raw stuff.

I'm just saying...

and that ladies and gentlemen is my rant about Gross Flyer Day.

Balloons

I hope that Cadbury balloon is cream filled.

There is a faint smell of latex in my office this morning. Not mine in particular but it's wafting down the hall way from one of my co-workers office. His name is Tim and he turned 50. We flooded his office with around 250 balloons and his reaction is exactly what it should be- surprised and annoyed (SCORE!).

So that was good.

but now...

Now I have to put up with the sound of popping balloons. All day. Never know when it's going to happen but it's gonna happen and keep happening all through the day.

Can't work, balloons will get me.

Valentines Day vs. Pancake Day

You may love Pancakes now Timmy but just you wait till you hit puberty

I can't decided which is better?

A celebration of love, candy and sex OR a celebration of sugar, fat and eggs.

Both are pretty awesome if you ask me.

Happy Takeover Day today and Happy Pancake Day tomorrow!

Hungry World, It's a Funeral

Paper Lamps, Canopy tents, Barefeet, and Wildflowers

Funeral's are funny things. Strange things. Never really a pleasant thing regardless of how hard the family tries to make it a celebration of life. Everyone tries so hard to be strong but really, what does that really get you? A headache and a need to have a shot of something strong and hard.

I don't really consider myself a morbid person by any sense of the word. I don't have a strange fascination with death or sickness. My taste is far from Gothic and tainted. I can honestly say that I've thought more about what my funeral should be like then my actual wedding. A funeral is something that basically everyone will have, a wedding however, not so much. Though, I can't really dance at my own funeral. That might be frowned upon.

This summer, at Folk Fest,  one of the bands that Laura and I were stalking for the weekend played a fantastic song called Funeral. The song is originally done by JT and The Clouds but Po' Girl was the band that had collaborated with JT to create this gem of a jam. As mentioned in a previous post, as soon as I heard the song I turned to her and told her that I wanted this song played at my funeral to which she agreed. I wasn't done though, I told her that she also had to dance and without hesitation my dance less best friend agreed that she would also dance. At my Funeral. To this song. She has to hold up her end of the bargain, I have it here in writing. Twice actually.

Po' Girl with JT and the Clouds LIVE playing Funeral

Hey pretty baby let’s shake it like

Somebody died

Hey mama it’s a funeral

Whole green world is a funeral

The whiskey and ginger is fine

Ice cream man never lied to you

Every beautiful thing is true

I see the black cars in a line

Like a dream of black swans drifting by

Under dim stars there’s no time no time

Then I see the sweat on the back of your neck

- silver -

ooh you’re so slender child

who’s my solid sender baby doll?

Hey pretty baby let’s shake it like

Somebody died….

Raindrops on the car tops

Count them remember them

‘til the sun comes back and takes them away

forget them forget them forget them forget them

and the stars too they were for you

and you loved them and they loved you

‘til the dawn came ‘cause it had to

now you’re standing there struck dumb

in the bright blue

Hey pretty baby let’s shake it like

Somebody died…

No one can wear black, I won't allow it. We wear enough black; I wear enough black. Hats and sunglasses are totally acceptable. So are gloves if you wish. The food has to be good and the bar has to be open. I want it to feel as much like summer as possible. Actually, as I think about it. I want my wedding to be the same way but I want to be alive for that one. I'm not sure if you have ever seen the movie Rachel Getting Married but that is the type of celebration I like. Music, food, dancing, movement, passion, authentic and connection.

So on that strange note, I wish you a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend.

~w/ respects to D. Entz 1991-2011

Words

My words ran away from me
Now I'm lost and they're out at sea
Sailing away


They come and go, like the breeze
Whisper sweet, burn like disease
They change with the day

*

Words have always been a struggle for me. Taking the swirl of thoughts, feelings, images and reactions out of my mind and blowing them into a bubble easily identified by another person, it's hard. At least, I find it hard. Maybe talking to me you may not know that there are times when so much tries to come out at once that I pull back and freeze, muttering the phrase "I don't know" under my breath. I do know, I always know but often I just don't want you to know that I know. My "I don't knows" are the armor to my vulnerabilities.

This is an on going pattern in my life, I remember a woman who had touched my life dearly when I was younger, Joanne, she told me not to worry about getting the words out perfect. That it doesn't matter how they come out but that they just come out. It's the listeners job to try and make sure they understand. That I often make more sense then I think I do. She also told me to listen to my hands, when I am talking my hands take on a life of their own, saying the things I can't seem to say. I'm never really aware of it.

Over time, I have become messier with my words, allowing mispronunciations, improper usage and uncensored remakes to come pouring out of my mouth. It's not in anyway thoughtless but it's just uninhibited, which I like. I dream of being an articulate speaker and maybe one day I'll be there. Sometimes, when my emotions are in the right position and I can tap into some underlying muse, I can say something good. I can say something real. I can say something vulnerable.

*

My words came back to me
They stayed awhile, we had some tea
While time whiled away


I said, "please be kind and please don't go"
They said, "we'll try, but you never know"
Depends on the day


-'Words' by Sonya Kitchell

Sore Little Fingers

ouch. it feels like burning.  

Tonight, I learnt how to play one of the most beautifully written songs on the guitar. It's butchered and raw; much like how my little fingers feel. But I have the melody down. This is the second song out of 5 that I was able to pluck my way though crudely tonight. It's all starting to take shape.

Slowly and with a little persistence I am starting to grasp the concept.

It's hard to type right now.

***

I was lost in the lakes

And the shape that your body makes
That your body makes


And the mountains said I could find you here
They whisper the snow and the leaves in my ear
I traced my finger along your trails
Your body was the map
I was lost in there


Floating over your rocky spine
The glaciers made you and now you're mine


I was moving across your frozen veneer
The sky was dark
But you were clear
Could you feel my footsteps?
And would you shatter, would you shatter?
Would you?


Your soft fingers between my claws
Like purity against resolve
I could tell then there that we were formed from the clay
And came from the rocks for earth to display


They told me to be careful up there
Where the wind rages through your hair



Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine
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Wanted: Reckless

I'm ready to go down this street, are you?

I'm searching for Reckless. I have that usual burning in my tummy that I need to flip everything upside down and mash it all around. I need to jump off a cliff into some unknown waters and see if I really can get myself out of it. The only problem with that is... I can't swim. Literally and metaphorically speaking. That's never stopped me in the past. I've jumped off cliffs fully clothed into the depths of the cold pacific ocean, never really thinking about a way out. Never really that concerned that I couldn't swim. I've always made it out even at the risk of making hamburger meat out of my hands and knees.

So I sit here, restless and needing something intense to happen. I could just up and quit my job and move somewhere far away. I could plan a trip to some crazy country where I don't speak the language and where the food would upset my tummy immensely. I could buy an RV and become an urban gypsy, making the ocean my backyard.

I could do this all now; I could do this all alone. And with that thought I feel a tug on my heart and my tummy drops a little. Who wants to do that? Though it's not the end of the world there is just something to be said for sharing reckless, impulsive behavior and letting it inspire the life of both you and a partner.

So for now, I am looking for recklessness to do on my own because I crave an interesting life.

The Force

I've been geeking out all afternoon so this just kind of goes with the theme (even though, I haven't ever really seen Starwars).

May the force be with you this Friday and all through the weekend:

The Force: VW Commercial (it's cute)

Hot Cross Buns

They are hot and they are cross

When I was little, my Mum used to get these amazing hot cross buns from a bakery in the Braeside area of Calgary. I've mentioned this bakery before and the more I ravenously lust  think about it, this was an epic bakery. Now these hot cross buns were filled with dried fruits, rich in spice with a fluffy, airy texture. The crosses were made out of pastry as apposed to that nasty spray cheese icing stuff ( I have no idea what it is so all I can do is describe it.) you find on the grocery brand ones. My favorite thing to do was to to slather the insides with butter and then throw them in an over till everything was melted and toasty. I could comfortably eat a dozen in one sitting. Amazing.

But, as with many things, the bakery closed down in the early 90's and I was left with nothing. Since then, I've been searching for a the perfect Hot Cross Bun. I'm sad to say (and partly this might have to do with the science of memory- seriously... the is a reason why nothing ever tastes as good as it did when you were younger) that nothing comes close to those buns I had over 20 years ago.

So, as of today... I find myself with a bunch of baking yeast that will be going bad in June. I have about 6 recipes worth so I need to get started using it up. I usually bake bread, especially if I am going out to my families cabin (why buy when you can make?) but I want to make fun things, exciting things, things like an epic batch of Hot Cross Buns.

I started doing research on recipes about a month ago but kind of like Fruit Cake, there are such a variety of of methods and ingredients that I can't seem to find a solid foundation to start at. I want traditional, I want light and fluffy, I want spiced and flavourful. I want quality. I realise that Hot Cross Buns are old fashion and traditional- apparently pies are the "it" food for 2011 (Mmmm pie). I don't even know if anyone other than me and my Dad still like them. So, this is where I ask you, my lovely loyal readers, for help. Is there anything that you might have that you can share with me? A recipe that was passed down through your family, a suggestion of a site that never fails to give you the best methods for cooking. Anything, any place where I can start... I just need a tip, I can do the rest and take the pictures to prove it.

So with that being said, this is the beginning of my Hot Cross journey as well as a baking adventure. With all that baking yeast I have sitting in my baking cupboard I plan to make a lot. Other things on my list include pain au chocolate, hearty bird seed bread (that's what I call whole grain break with nuts and seeds in it), pizza dough (hey, who doesn't love a good pizza crust- you can freeze it before the second rise for future home made dinners), and perhaps some gooey cinnamon bread.

Mmmmmm...


picture borrowed from Monnonite Girls Can Cook

Chocolate School 101

Whatever you do, don't eat the wrappers. Unless it's a cupcake.

I kind of like chocolate. The good stuff. I like it mixed or included with other stuff. Recently though, I've been staying away from it. With my stomach issues I don't really think that chocolate is being that helpful. But I still like it, sometimes even love it. I miss it in my morning vanilla bean steamer. I've always thought that the caffeine in chocolate was what did me in because it's no lie that caffeine and I don't get along. Already being a spinning top of energy, putting extra in me just spins me out of control to a point of panic attacks and paranoia (and you think I'm exaggerating).

But as it turns out, it doesn't really have that much caffeine in it anyway. You would have to eat more than a dozen chocolate bars to get the same amount of caffeine from a cup of coffee? There are about 5 to 10 mg's of caffeine in one ounce of bitter chocolate, 5 mg's in milk chocolate and 10 mg's in a six-ounce cup of cocoa.

Other facts about Chocolate, in case you were interested:

• Chocolate is actually a valuable energy source. A single chocolate chip can provide enough energy for an adult human to walk 150 feet.
• Chocolate has great health benefits. It helps with depression, high blood pressure, tumours and pre-menstrual syndrome.
• Chocolate does not cause or aggravate acne. This is a myth.
• One ounce of baking chocolate or cocoa contains 10% of the daily-recommended intake of iron.
• Chocolate can be deadly for dogs. Chocolate contains an ingredient called "theobromine" which can be toxic to a dog's central nervous system and cardiac muscles.
• People spend more than $7 billion dollars a year on chocolate.
• The per capita consumption of chocolate indicates that each person consumes 12 pounds of chocolate per year.
• Milk chocolate is the most preferred type of chocolate. However, dark chocolate is especially popular with men.
• In Alfred Hitchcock's classic movie "Psycho", chocolate syrup was used to indicate blood in the famous shower scene.

Do you like Chocolate or can you live without it? If there was a bag of Chocolate Chips sitting in front of you waiting to be consumed, could you resist?


Chocolate info borrowed with love from the Hotel Arts Group monthly email.

Dear Sweet Potato

nasty little buggers

Dear Sweet Potato,

I'm sorry to have to break this to you but I really don't like you. Or anyone in your family. You make me gag a little. Okay, a lot. I try, I honestly do but ever since I was a child, you were always the last thing left on my plate after Christmas dinner. I'd eat Brussel Sprouts instead of you. Now that I am an adult and have eaten other nasty things like Sweet Bread, Lamb Brain, Goose Liver, Jellyfish, KFC... I still would vote that you are by far the nastiest thing in that list. Well, maybe I'd eat you over KFC (sorry Steve).

So, if you don't mind... please try to respect my boundaries and keep our contact to a minimum.

Thank you for understanding,

B.

Pepsi Throwback

Made with REAL sugar. Wow.

I love junk mail- not the kind that wants me to send $3,000.00 to release my long lost brother from an African Prison or the ones about, well... porn. I love the junk mail that is trying to sell me stuff. Give me stuff. Swoon me with stuff and teach me about stuff. I like to know that I can get THE BEST Portable Fire Escape if I ever needed one.

Today, as I went through my cluttered Shaw email account I noticed something about something called Pepsi Throwback. Sounded pretty lame so I had to open up the email and see:

Taste and Review Pepsi Throwback™!

The sound of a cola cracking open can transport you back to a time of school dances, first kisses and house parties. This season, Pepsi is giving Canadians a blast from the past with the introduction Pepsi Throwback™, a new retro-style soft drink available in stores across Canada for a limited time only.

With a distinctly retro look, Pepsi Throwback™ will ignite feelings of nostalgia in people who fondly remember the 1970s and 1980s from the “first time around”. Boasting extra caramel and vanilla notes, the drink will transport new and seasoned Pepsi drinkers to one of the most diverse eras of the last century.

For real? Don't get me wrong, I like Pepsi. I remember the first time I really had one, I was 24 and on a plane going to Mexico (some kind of special occasion I assume, I mean- why not order Pepsi... lets get the party started. Err..). I remember looking at it, golden bubbles sparkling in that little plastic cup- it literally tasted like the best thing ever. It was a little sweeter than Coke and prettier- I had a little mini love affair with it in that moment. Since then, I've had about 9 in the last 6 years. So, you could say it was more of a fling.

This news about the Pepsi throwback doesn't do a thing for me, I doubt I'd buy it or even think about it again. I'm curious though, why? I didn't even know that Pepsi changed their recipe from the 80's. The sound of a can being popped open doesn't remind me of anything other than house parties and I personally think of beer. Every time someone cracks open a soda in the office my first thought is to look at the time and calculate the chances that it actually is a beer and not a soda. Are there really that many people who miss the retro design or taste?

I'm not trying to sound facetious, I'm just curious- do any of you care? If you do, tell me your story. I'd love to know.

On Edit:

I do like the look of the new old logo.

Don Felder: Part Deux

"Now this is a 'C' cord- that's really all you need to know. C and G"

I got my Birthday Wish! Granted... it wasn't that hard. I just had to buy the tickets. The harder part was finding someone to go with me which actually happened rather easily. Piece of (birthday) cake!

Interesting Fact:

He has been credited as being the man who taught a very young "Tommy" Petty (as he likes to call him) how to pick the strings on a guitar. Pretty awesome if you ask me. I'd die if I had a chance like that, heck... my ideal teacher would be Jimmy Page. Man oh man, Jimmy Page- teach me how to play The Rain Song.

Zombies

Next, we will eat her heart!

Today, I think Zombies ate my brain. I'm slow, distracted and just monotone in thought. Actually, I think Zombies started to eat my brain on Sunday and they maybe have made some good head way by this morning. They gnaw every night on my delicate grey matter making it mushy and ... for lack of a better word (stupid zombies) lame.

I think they may have also eaten part of my digestive track too.


Oh! That reminds me!  Zombie T-Shirts:

That zombie has a treasure trail

Ask me about my Zombie Shirt from Deez Teez

Okay, I'm done now. Must do something... can't remember what.

Confession: I Know My Skunk

"Ew. Something smells like Coffee, or pot... is that you?"

Sitting here at work the smell of something is wafting in through my office door. The funny thing is, I can't tell if it's coffee, pot or skunk. This happens to me a lot, when I'm walking down the street and I'll catch a whiff of something and it could indeed be any one of the three.

• I don't drink coffee- I don't like the caffeine. the last cup of coffee I had was documented as a year ago. It was good but totally not my thing. I wish it were, it seems so cozy and romantic to spend a few lazy hours poured over a book or the paper at a local shop down the street. I have herbal tea instead. Or milk. Or just cookies.
• Pot, I have even less experience with. All I've got for you on this one is I know people who smoke it and I watch the TV show Weeds.
• Skunk, now that's something I know. Being an outdoorsy kind of girl who likes to take long walks with dogs, I've come across and been around a lot of skunks who have (to put it nicely) defended them selves. I can tell the difference between a baby and an adult just but the smell they let off. Lucky for me, I've never been the one sprayed but I've had to sit in the car with 4 smelly dogs for a few good hours on the way home from an encounter.

Considering my option, I'm pretty sure the smell I smell is coffee- the chances of a skunk getting loose at my work or someone smoking a joint down the hall are far less likely then someone brewing a fresh pot of coffee.

So that's me, what about you? Can you tell the difference? Are there any smells that you have a hard time trying to identify?

Cupcake Occasions

Which one would you eat first?

Sometimes, you come across something so amazing. No- so spectacular it takes your breath away and you spend the rest of your afternoon at work looking at the pictures.

That is what Cupcake Occasions was to me this afternoon. Seriously... just take a gander at their gallery of cupcake creations. Or even their Flickr page. Amazing, isn't it???

I can't get over it. Just looking at them has inspired me to the point of wanting to quit my job and become a fondant expert over night. From disgusting funny to simply elegant their designs are just show stopping.

The sad news (for me at least) is they are only available in the UK- in select areas. So, I plan when I get married to get married as close to Cupcake Occasions so I can have them make my cake. Just a thought and a good one at that.

Amazing... there is such talent out there in this world.

All pictures belong to and were borrowed with love from Cupcake Occasions' flickr page.

Hat Tip to Mr. C.W.  for bring this all to my attention by innocently sending me a picture of Muppet Cupcakes.

I Love My Grapefruit Knife

It's grapefruit season right now. Yum. I love grapefruit. I can remember waking up when I was about 5 with my dad and having breakfast with him. We would always share a grapefruit. One half for me the other half for him. He always used that funny little bent knife in the drawer to cut the juicy sections out and away from the dividing membrane. Then, at the end, after I was done eating it, he would take the empty cavity and squeeze the remaining juice into a glass. That was the best part.

As I got older I stopped getting up with my Dad for breakfast and we stopped eating grapefruit. It's almost as though we forgot that it existed. The funny little bent knife would sit in the drawer only used if there was nothing else left to cut with.

Then when I moved out I started buying grapefruit again. It was a childhood memory that brought me back to this zippy fruit and I would spend too long trying to cut the sections out with a paring knife and a teaspoon. So, one day, I made a point and walked into Willaims-Sonoma with only one thing in my mind. A Grapefruit knife. I found it right away, piled with all the other handy and common kitchen tools like basters, brushes, and garlic presses. It was awesome, double sided. One side had that familiar bent, double serrated knife (used to hug the curve of the fruit as you separate it from the outer edge) and the other end had short, serrated twin blades about 2mm apart (used to separate the sides of each section from the dividing membrane.). It was simple, it had a protective case and it was perfect.

It was a dream the first time I used it. Like a hot knife to butter it sliced through the rubbery sections like nothing I ever experienced. It was so amazing that I started to carry it around with me for those times when I would order grapefruit while out. That ended quickly though because I soon got sick of Grapefruit. I still loved the knife. I've used it on all citrus fruits and anything that needs to be cut away from the outer edge in order to be consumed. At the beginning of the new year I started buying grapefruits again and remember about my knife. I pulled it out from the drawer and removed it protective sleeve. The twin blades glinted in the light as I took a second to examine it. I loved this knife. With a combination of good quality and simplicity it appeals to ever aspect of what I look for in a kitchen tool. As I cut into my grapefruit last night I thought to myself that this knife has to be one of my favorite purchases ever. Seriously. It's up there with a teal dress I bought in Montreal, a journal I bought one summer while staying on one of the Gulf Islands in BC and it trumps the purchase of my new couch.

My grapefruit knife. I love it. I'll have it forever. Plus, every time I look at it, it reminds me of my Dad and those special mornings we shared over a Grapefruit.

Isn't she lovely? Though, I only cut pink or red Grapefruit with mine.  

Notes on Grapefruit borrowed from Food Purist:

• The grapefruit originates from South East Asia.

• The grapefruit gets its name because it grows in grapelike clusters in Texas, Florida, Arizona and California.

• There are two types of grapefruit: seedless & seeded. There are also two colors: white (which has more of a yellow flesh) and pink (yellow-pink to a ruby red). No matter what the variety, the grapefruit skin is yellow.

• The season for grapefruit depends on where the grapefruits are growing. In Arizona and California, the peak season is January to June, but in Florida and Texas, the season is October to June. The United States also imports grapefruits from other countries in the off-season. So, you can find grapefruit all year long.

• When choosing a grapefruit, choose one with a bright skin color, with no noticeable bruises. The grapefruit should be firm with a springy size. The heavier the grapefruit, the more juice contained within.

• Although you can store your grapefruit on the counter, the best place for the grapefruit, is in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Here the grapefruit can stay fresh up to 2 weeks!

• Grapefruits are a good source of Vitamin C, and the pink varieties have a lot of Vitamin A. They both contain Folic Acid and Calcium.Grapefruit Essential Oils are used in an alternative medicine therapy called aromatherapy. It is said that the fragrance is uplifting and the actual oil is claimed to be useful for acne, cellulite, digestion and fluid retention. For more information about essential oils, please contact your local naturopath, allopathic specialist or your holistic medicine specialist.

Winter Cheek Balm

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow the moisture away...

Lets face it (literally), living in Canada,  winter can not be avoided (unless of course you are a snow bird and fly south for the winter). Depending on what part of the country you live in you might find yourself facing  -40°C wind chills, 8' snow drifts, or turbulent winter storms (some coming form the ocean, others just passing along the prairies). Some places it gets cold and stays cold till the great spring thaw, other places bounce between -20°C to +20°C in a matter of days, and then again... other places stay green all year long under a great gray cloud that doesn't lift for 4 months.

And all of these reeks havoc on our skin. Or at least my skin. I'm an outdoorsy kind of person. I walk to work every day- rain, shine, -40°c windchill, it usually doesn't bother me. I go hiking once a week and don't let Old Man Winter keep me away from exploring the hills and mountains. My skin however has a different idea. Yes, I use a winter moisturizer. Yes, I try to drink as much water as possible. Yes, I use a humidifier at home and at work but I still find myself with dry, flaky skin. It never seems to be enough. I've gone so far as to slather my body in baby oil twice a day and put chap stick on my face (the non-medicated kind).

Then I came across this -> Winter Cheek Balm. It's to-the-point protection for your skin. True, the packaging isn't sexy- so what. Sure, we can all have a little giggle over the name of the company, Green Beaver. However, in the end... this stuff works. It's Petrolatum and silicone free. Certified organic, vegan, gluten free, biodegradable and totally safe to use on babies and children.

Do your usual routine with your moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and whatever else. Do up your face in all the blush, bronzer and concealers. Then, smooth the balm over the sensitive areas- the tip of your nose, the apples of your cheeks, your chin, even your ears. Any place that you think needs to protection. Then go out and brave those nasty north winds and laugh in the face of Old Man Winter with his dry sense of humor.

Truths

It is interesting to me how another persons truth can really create awareness in our own lives. How one little thing that happens in one persons life can filter over and change the way you see things forever. Or shine a light in those deep dark hidden parts of your mind. Or your heart.

It's a good thing; though an uncomfortable thing.  Really... it's an honest thing. Sometimes the hardest person to be honest with is ourselves.

...I'm sure I've said that before...

Blue Monday?

Your January travel plan, courtesy of Blue Monday marketing...

Feeling a little sad today? It might be a result of the following formula:

The model was broken down using six immediately identifiable factors; weather (W), debt (d), time since Christmas (T), time since failing our new year’s resolutions (Q), low motivational levels (M) and the feeling of a need to take action (Na).

The formula calculates that Monday January, 17th is the worst day of the year. Apparently - and I quote... "the Christmas glow has faded away, New Year’s resolutions have been broken, cold Winter weather has set in and credit card bills will be landing on doormats across the land – whilst the January pay-cheque is still some way away."

Well, excuse me for saying so but that is a mighty pessimistic assumption for the world. Don't you agree? I don't feel blue today, actually... I'm pretty chipper. The Christmas glow ended for me the day after Christmas and I packed up my stuff and put it away for next year the weekend after Little Christmas.

I haven't given up on my New Years resolutions because, well, I just don't (Exhibit A) and personally, I am offended that this little formula assumes that everyone else has pretty much already given in and given up on themselves. I could be wrong though, maybe by this time everyone has given up. Regardless, I disagree.

The cold winter weather setting in? This is Canada, I live in Calgary. The cold winter weather set in months ago so I totally forget what summer looks like. I don't remember warm and personally, the winter isn't that bad.

Credit Card bills- yes, I can see how this might be a bit of a downer for some people. I'm not going to go there because we all have different relationships with our credit. So thou shall not tread where other peoples credit experience exist.

I don't think this formal gives "us" enough credit. I do not take light to "Blue Feelings" but I think this whole thing is a little off balance. Just like all this Astrology hubbla that has gone viral last week all over Facebook- this doesn't change a thing either. We are still who we are and we all have our own individual thoughts, traits, experiences and ways of being in life. If you feel sad today, you feel sad today. I highly doubt it is a cookie cuter experience defined in the formula above and more about certain aspects and reactions to situations in your life (not to be taken lightly, of course). And if you don't feel sad today, that's fine too.

and finally, the rest of the story...

Truth be told, Blue Monday was pretty much created by a British travel company that wanted to encourage people to "get happy" by going on a holiday. Sky Travel reportedly offered some cash to any academic who would put his or her stamp on the idea that there’s a seasonal mood nadir. A fellow called Cliff Arnall, then a lecturer (and part-time one at that) at Cardiff University in Wales, threw in his hat, and well, the rest is very depressing indeed.

So what do you think?

Do you think there is some truth to Blue Monday?

Or do you find yourself a little skeptical?

Reference:

Blue Monday- Wikipedia

Birthday Brat

I'm a biter

Today is my birthday and it kind of snuck up on me, unlike last year where I was thinking about it months before. This year, I didn't really start thinking about it till yesterday. Signs and graces of getting old(-er. Older) I suppose?

My friends and co-workers never let anything slip (even if my Mum always seems to forget) and so I was gifted with a giant box of doughnuts which I shared with my department after they took me to get my morning steamed milk. We sat in one of the boardrooms and talked about skiing (which I only have one crazy memory about), The People of Wal-Mart, dogs and the stomach flu (that truly was the highlight of the conversation). After we milked the event for what it was worth everyone went on their separate ways to begin work for the day. I went back to my office with the leftover box of doughnuts. There are about 8 left over, all different types. Crullers, Maple Glazed, Boston Cream, Chocolate Glazed, Berry Filled, Cinnamon Apple Fritter...

I'm having a naughty thought... a horrible selfish naughty thought that usually isn't like me at all. I want to take each doughnut and take a single bite out of each one, just to try them.

Who does that?

I do that I guess, but just on my birthday... and maybe at Christmas when no one is looking.

variety is the spice of life!!

Lentil Quinoa Veggy Stew

you try and make lentil's look good...

I'm not vegetarian but I eat like one. I'm picky about my meat and really only eat it when I'm out. I prefer things like Quail, Bison, Duck and Lamb. Beef and Chicken are pretty boring (I know, what a thing for an Albertan to say). It has to be done with flare and it has to be done right.

So at home, I cook mostly vegetarian meals and if I wish to add meat, that's fine. Not a big deal. One of my favorite easy go to dishes is a Lentil, Quinoa and Vegetable Stew. It can be made in a slow cooker but to be honest, I'm scared of my slow cooker and worry that it will start a fire while I'm at work. So I just use a pot and it's so quick and easy it's almost as though I didn't even cook it myself.

Blanche's Lentil Quinoa Veggy Stew
2 cloves of garlic- crushed
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions

1 cup of dried green lentils
1/4 cup of uncooked quinoa
1 cup of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped celery
4 cups of chicken or veggie broth
1 cup of hot water
1 796 ml can of diced tomatoes- no salt
small handful of fresh Thyme (or 2 tsp of the dried stuff)
2 tsps approx of fresh ground black pepper.
Salt to taste

I throw a little olive oil in the bottom of a good sized stock pot, saute the garlic and the onions until tender. Then I toss the rest of the ingredients in, bring to boil and then let it simmer uncovered on med low for 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked- stirring every so often (more out of curiosity then purpose).

Once ready, serve. I always serve with a fresh loaf of crusty bread. My prefrence, if you live in Calgary go to Yann Haute Patisserie for thier bread (make sure you buy an extra loaf for the car ride home, otherwise you'll just have to go back and pick up another loaf)- so good. So very, very good. I slice up an nice soft, buttery cheese like Havarti and a little cold meat for those who wish. Makes for a great meal on a cold winters night.

Keeps well and tastes even better the next day.

My Birthday Wish

circa 1975

All I want for my birthday is 2 tickets to see Don Felder- though it isn't the same as seeing the Eagles live in concert, it's kind of the next best thing.

Sort of... even though his departure from the Eagles was really messy and I don't like messy. I like music and I can't deny his mad skills on a guitar.

So February 6th, 2011... I'd like to be sitting in the Jack Singer Concert Hall waiting with butterflies in my tummy..

One of these nights

One of these crazy old nights


Eagles - One of these nights Live
Uploaded by jade274. - See the latest featured music videos.

image borrowed with love from HERE

Nail Clipping

It's Monday Morning. It's snowing outside and I have just gotten back from getting my steamed milk. Everything is fine and dandy in my world until I hear that distinctive high pitched snap/clicky/ping noise (how else do you describe it?) of a nail clipper.

Someone is clipping their nails, at work, openly, in their office.

I Googled it and apparently more then just the one person in my office does it. That's just nasty... I admit, I have a file in my desk for those snaggy nails that run the risk of attacking my $40.00 stockings on their first wear. I don't find that disgusting though or annoying. I get the job done and no one is the wiser.

confession: I know my Dad clips his nails at work. Or he used too... It's because when I was little I used to clean the house for money and when I would clean my parents bathroom my Dad was neglectful ensuring that all nail clippings ended up in the trash. Finding it nasty, I started charging my Dad $1.00 per clipping. He soon moved his nail clipping to the office where the cleaners didn't charge him. But that's my Dad and he's allowed. He has immunity.

My Dad aside...Who does that? Do you? Is there a perpetrator in your office?

(PS: This was written Monday Morning but I got super busy at work and totally forgot about this. So I am now finishing it up and posting it on... Wednesday. It's still snowy but no longer Monday.)

Image borrowed with love from: Toothpaste For Dinner

Would a Cupcake by Any Other Name Still Taste As Sweet?

My morning routine when I am at work is to leave, first thing, and get a coffee with my co-worker Edith. Mind you, I don't drink coffee for the sheer fact that caffeine and I are not friends. I get steamed milk with a shot or two of flavor (usually vanilla) and chocolate shavings on top. But Edith gets coffee and I get a steamed milk and often a bagel or muffin. I like the routine and the early consumption of sweet, high fat stuff. Amazingly my tummy loves it too. Today, being Friday, the coffee place we go to was actually really sparse of baked goods. There were only whole wheat bagels (which aren't very good, I prefer their cheddar cheese bagels) and a few types of muffins I don't like (bran, banana raisin, molten chocolate fudge). So I decided to go without and grab something at one of the other places on the way back to work.

I picked out a bagel and then at the last moment, a chocolate muffin. Just plain old chocolate- no chips, no valley of molten chocolate syrup, no raisins. When I got back to my desk I demolished the bagel and worked my way into the muffin. I started picking at the slightly overdone crunchy edges along the muffin top with my mouth screaming with delight at the sweet cakieness of it.

Then it hit me. I wasn't eating a muffin- I was eating cake. Without icing (which I am totally okay with, I actually don't really like icing). Then I thought a little more on it and I realised that a chocolate muffin might just be a chocolate cupcake without icing. Or is it...

I know there is a difference between muffins and cupcakes, though the line these days is rather faded and pretty much non-existent.

Originally muffins were a type of quick bread often containing nuts, berries and other bits and pieces. They were a healthier alternative to the doughnuts and pastries that grace the counters of coffee shops and hardier.

Cupcakes are basically cake baked in a cup (mind blowing- who would of though) using a creaming method to ensure of lighter, fluffier texture. Plus, cupcakes often are vessels for icing- not always but often.

Side note: Cake is not defined by the fact that it is iced. Truly it is defined by it's method and texture. Think Angel Food cake as an example.

However, within the last little while our sweet and sugar obsessed society has fuzzed the once definable line between muffin and cake, basically making it interchangeable. You are lying to yourself (sorry, but it's true) if you think muffins are healthy. High in fat and sugar you may as well be eating a cupcake. I am sure that there are indeed healthy, ready to eat variety found at independent bakeries and coffee shops, most of the mass produced stuff is not.

If you want healthy, make your own. Control what's going into it and customize it to fit your needs. If you just want something tasty to eat go ahead and buy them from Starbucks, Second Cup, Tim Hortons or any of those easy to find shops.

My Chocolate "muffin" was good this morning, even if it did taste like cake. I usually have lemon cranberry which I am sure if just as un-muffin as the chocolate kind. I felt a little naughty eating cake so openly for breakfast (I usually do that the day after cake day in the privacy of my office) this morning but my tummy is non-the-wiser.

What are your thoughts on the whole muffin-cupcake-breakfast food thing?

What do you find to be the defining characteristic between the two?

Do you eat muffins in the morning? How about cake?

image borrowed from the wonderful Cake Spy

Yummmmmmy....

Right Down the Line...

You’ve been as constant as the Northern Star, the brightest light that shines

I have a thing about 70's music. The love songs, the rock songs... the achy haze of drug induced lyrics and gritty guitar.

I have handfuls of songs I could ramble off as being the perfect song to illustrate this attraction, dozen of artists that I swoon after wishing I had been alive during their hay day. There is one though, that stands out right now because of the news of his death. Gerry Rafferty...

Gerry Rafferty- Right Down the Line

I know this song inside and out. Somewhere in the back of my mind, maybe even my heart, it is associated with something. Perhaps a former lover or a moment in time when it was on repeat for weeks at a time- doesn't matter. This un-nameable memory resonates well with the song.

Gerry was an alcoholic and died from liver failure at the age of 63.

You know I need your love, you got that hold over me

As long as I got your love, you know that I’ll never leave

When I wanted you to share my life, I had no doubt in my mind

And it’s been you, woman, right down the line.

I know how much I lean on you, only you can see

The changes that I’ve been through have left their mark on me

You’ve been as constant as the Northern Star, the brightest light that shines

It’s been you, woman, right down the line.

I just wanna say this is my way

Of telling you everything I could never say before

Yeah this is my way of telling you that everyday I’m loving you (so much more)

‘Cause you believed in me through my darkest night

Put something better inside of me, you brought me into the light

Threw away all those crazy dreams, I put them all behind

And it was you, woman, right down the line.

I just wanna say this is my way

Of telling you everything I could never say before

Yeah this is my way of telling you that everyday I’m loving you (so much more)

If I should doubt myself, if I’m losing ground

I won’t turn to someone else, they’d only let me down

When I wanted you to share my life, I had no doubt in my mind

And it’s been you, woman, right down the line.

Drums: Henry Spinetti

Bass Guitar: Gary Taylor

Percussion: Glen Le Fleur

Piano/Organ: Tommy Eyre

Guitars: Hugh Burns

Steel Guitar: Brian Cole

Vocals: Gerry Rafferty

2010: A Year In Retrospect

Welcome, 2011. With open arms I great you with warmth and excitement mixed with a slight tone of nostalgia for time passed.

2010 was a year of learning for me. Entering into it I was turning 30, a mental challenge all in it's self. The anxiety associated with the sudden realization that life was (and is) actually real and passing before my eyes was, well... scary. I am an adult now, a real adult and though there is always room for mistakes, I should know a bit better now. 

I started doing things, learning things and being things. I took control of life and made it work for me. I discovered for the first time that doing well in school had nothing to do with how "smart" I thought I was or wasn't- it had to do with hard work. Dedication and understanding priorities. I did well. This rule I discovered also applied to other areas of my life such as work. Regardless of the economy or any of that jazz that we see screaming at us from the front pages of news papers, my hard work paid off  and I was rewarded.

I joined a gym for the first time I then I quit the gym. I tried, it wasn't my thing. At least for now.

I took funk fusion dance classes and learned how to wack and Vogue instead.

I learned that death happens and there is nothing that you can do to stop it. It can't be controlled or predicted, it just happens. Yes, it doesn't make sense- at least it doesn't to me but I really don't want to spend my life thinking about it and trying to figure it out. And I really don't want to be scared of it.

Wholesome, whole wheat, home made pancakes are the perfect way to start the day. They really are.

My friends really stepped up this year, I am so grateful for all of them. There were times when I needed to turn to someone to hold my hand, walk me home or sometimes just sit and wait till the storm had passed. And they were there, without hesitation, judgment and with endless patience.

I took many steps out of my coveted comfort zone and learned to relax a little. A lot of it is just state of mind. 

I learnt that one person can't hold me back in life, that I can't sit around and wait for them to join me on the dance floor (metaphorically speaking). I also learnt to follow passions, no matter how old they are or how silly others may see them, the fire in my belly isn't silly and I need to follow it. 

So with that, I am set with what I want 2011 to expand into. 

Keep following my heart and that fire in my belly. Keep engaging my passions and going with it. 

Continue to seek out connections and maintain the ones that are important to me- to whatever degree that may be. 

Keep trying new things every month, I made a goal last year to try something new every month. It could be something as simple as taking a class or attending a seminar. Getting out there and being the most involved and interested person I can be is important to me. 

Work towards my decade goal of having a house and a family. I want that more than anything right now, I want a back yard to mow, a garden to weed, a front driveway to shovel in the winter. I want a family to share life with, even if it's just me, my partner and a couple of dogs. 

I want to travel this year. 3 trips. Plan them, book them and take them regardless of how insane work becomes. 

Maybe I'll even get a car? Maybe not. 

Spend time with family, I do that already but I want to keep doing it. It's important to me. 

2011 will bring change as does any year. Keep doing what I'm doing and make sure to always be extending myself even a little past my comfort zone.  Exciting and a little scary, I'm ready for it. I was born ready. 

So looking back on it, what was 2010 like for you? What do you think 2011 will bring? 

Happy New Year and Happy January!