Cozumel Veggies.

Ever since I can remember my mum has had papier mache veggies in the kitchen. I loved them and used to play with them. Yes, I played with veggies - moving on. When my mum moved to Wisconsin these veggies disappeared (read: I'm sure she threw them out) and I missed them terribly. Luckily on her recent trip to Cozumel she picked some up and sent me a picture for proof. I love them, even if they are extra shiny, unlike their original counterparts. Also there are some additions to the original bunch, like the avocado and is that a hot yellow pepper. What is with this new fangled veggie platter?

Haul.

Today when I went downstairs there was a nice big package waiting for me. Evidently one of my housemates had greeted the deliveryman because I was still sleeping =). In it was the most wonderful assortment of goodies from my mum! She always sends the best carepackages and this was to be no different. First of all, It had lots of fun edible goodies: Smartfood, Mrs. Fields cookies to name a few. But it also contained some lovely useful goodies!

 

My skin is winter dry at the moment and my lips are suffering due to lack of appropriate product. This Crabtree & Evelyn exfoliating lip smoother and Honey berry LypSyl will do nicely!

Ahem - I don't know what my mother would think I need this for.

I am officially Soap&Glory's biggest fan. They have the cutest makeup bags, and now I own 4. 

  

I am most excited to use this Voodoo doll and revenge book, obviously. 

I feel like those kids who got the Nintendo 64 and all their basic brain function was channeled into yelling RAWWR! Nintendo 64!!!!:

I Ate, I Drank ...

...and I was too lazy/busy to blog about it. Here are some photos from Christmas dinner:

Gaga or Bust!

Loving you is cherry pie.
Going home for Gaga in Toronto tomorrow with my sister - will report back with details - If I can breathe - I am too excited for words.

Mid Summer Goalatude Check In

It's been a little while since i've updated my progress with my Goalatude updates. Unfortunately I've come to the inevitable realization that I will not be able to achieve all my goals - and that gives me the sads. So let's do a Mid-Summer run down of what I've achieved for each so far...

1) Meet a Gregor ... yeah this is the impossible one ... and I can confirm it IS from a lack of trying - I don't even know where to begin - If a Grego happens to come across this blog, let me know and I'll count you.

2) Read 7 1/2 books - I have read 4 1/2 so far and will definitely be able to read 3 more so this one is not in danger of falling by the way-side. Books I've recently read: Almost Moon, Regency Buck, Bath Tangle (that's the 1/2 - I do plan on finishing it). Book I'm reading now: Northanger Abbey.

3) Re-Learn French .... ya, well if you count watching copious amounts of Poirot as exposure to French then I'm doing QUITE well! If not, things are dismal - I have even let my Coffee Time French podcasts go unlistened too. Maybe I'll do one today.

4) Get Outside: FABULOUS - I am outside almost everyday! Just today I biked to work, then the gym, then home with Kiki and chilled outside. and on monday I went for a long walk with Kiki and Ben!

5) National Geographic ... reading interesting articles as they come. check!

6) Save Money ... well I haven't spent everything I've earned ... so that counts right?!

7) Find a Craft: Completed x2!!! I finished a tin of coffee the oher day and thought "Now someone on the internet must have thought of something clever to use these for!" And they have! This Blog had the wonderful suggestion of covering the tin with paper (which I have left over from my cereal box magazine holder) and use it to hold knick knacks such

as nail polish - perfect and oh so easy! I'll defo make another for a pencil holder when I finish my next tin of coffee (soon)

8) Expand Vocabularly: I think I've done okay with this! I've definitely started saying retard more often (since seeing The Hangover). I've been taking note of Google's word of the day. I used the word pilfer instead of steal in a sentence the other day ... yes I think this Goalatude is coming along nicely. Also have been steering clear of suspicinouns.

9) Listen to CDs: I've been listening to Kings of Leon, New Pornographers, Arcade Fire, Duffy and MGMT in the car when not listening to my own mixes. I've been making the conscious decision not to listen to my Killers, Feist, Coldplay, Beck because if i do I will hate them even more when my family insists on playing them in the car on the way to P.E.I. Have also considered buying a new CD or two - possibly something by Beirut... oh and Ainsley informed me she's ordered a new copy of my Stars remix album (which she 'misplaced =P) so maybe I'll listen to that when I get it!

10) Still haven't decided on this Goalatude yet and I'm running out of time .....

So Clearly I need to focus on 3 and 6 and find a 10 .... ALSO blogger formatting is pissing me off I need spaces Blogger I NEED them! Why do you deny me this simple right!

Karsh, G, Passion Pit: A Summarized Week in the Life ...

Yikes, It's been a while since a proper post, no? I can explain: I have been so super busy this past week and a bit. I had planned to post last Friday, then I had lots of work come up. So I decided to post on the weekend - but c'mon! The weather had been gross all week and finally this weekend it was absolutely beautiful so I couldn't justify sitting in front of my computer for any length of time. So now it is Monday again and let me just run down what's been happening in my corner of the world for the last little while.
Last weekend my mum and stepdad + my dogs came to visit for almost a week so when I wasn't working I was visiting and driving between Oakville and Bolton (Dorcas, I have seen the edge of York Region and it is FARMLAND!). I got a chance to revisit the McMichael Art Gallery and view the magnificent work of Yousuf Karsh, in particular his highly controversial (at the time) photo of Gow Crapper .... Monday I got to register for courses for my last year of school - for the first time ever just about all my first choice classes were available for me! Shockahhh! Tuesday I took my final driving test and PASSED! again Shocks all around (especially since I started the test by first hitting the curb, then forgetting to put the car in park while doing a parallel park in the bus that I drive). Okay, it's not actually a bus but it is a Volvo wagon so it's practically the same thing, right?! It's like as ginormous as an SUV but without the height and therefore visual advantage. This is the most exciting thing for me to achieve in years. I am the biggest worrier ever and for the past 2 years when I'm not thinking of something immediate by brain falls back on: OMGOMG I have to get my G before December 2009!!!! *Sigh of Relief*
Tuesday night I went for coffee with my girlies at Williams but received absolutely horrible service so I emailed a complaint which was responded to with a $25.00 gift certificate ... um hells ya! I will say that their Customer Service higher up is amazing compared to their restaurant service.
Friday I enjoyed a bbq with neighbours and then spent all weekend working a little and reading in the sun a lot!
This past week has also been great because I have discovered and rediscovered loads of great music! I have been in dire need of new music and something different than my usual fare. I am talking opposite end of the musical spectrum for me ... like DANCE music.
I've been listening to everything from Deadmau5 to London Beat - and I don't need any judgement thank you very much.
Recently I discovered (for myself, they've obviously been around a little while) this jem of a band Passion Pit and I loves them sooooo much. I am so glad there is still half a summer to enjoy this music as it is defo a summer jam...

Betsey, I Do Adore

Gorgeous weather for the first day of summer and FATHER'S DAY! It was so gross yesterday and I think I should know. I spent about 2 hours on out in the rain watching my dad play rugby yesterday afternoon. Sue and I started with a "Keep Dry at all Costs" policy by which we brilliantly huddled under impromptu umbrella tents on camping chairs. This policy was soon abandoned by me for the more practical, if a little more wet "Avoid Rugby Ball at All Costs" policy. I can't help it. As soon as the action gets close I get antsy and want to be able to sashay(read: book it) out of the way should a ball come hurdling towards me - which it did - multiple times. The game was enjoyable enough to watch, given that I don't know the rules (I've figured out some...) mostly I made wise cracks about tha various happenings on the field - that guy you looked like he was doing the doggie paddle on his back, the oppositions names for their plays: i.e. igloo 19 (wtf?!), and the one guy who sounded like he was hacking on a bone for a good 5 minutes before the ref asked if he was alright. Good Times.

Today though, was lazy in everyway. Breakfast, Reading on the back deck in the sun, realizing I was turning into a lobster and ducking for cover, back outside with freshly applied SPF60 sunscreen, etc. This afternoon is where it got exciting. With a big steak dinner overwith I decided to busy myself at the mall (never a good solution) so after dropping my brother off at hockey Laura and I headed that direction. After Meandering around and finding nothing I stumbled into the goldmine that is StyleSense. I love the thinking behind StyleSense. It is run by Winners but is purely accessories! Of course I looked at shoes then bags but ultimately ended up in the sunglass section where I discovered the best thing ever. BETSEY JOHNSON sunglasses! I La-La-La Betsey Johnson. No, I could probably never pull off any of her clothes but they are so much fun and her sunglasses are no different. I obviously could not control myself and bought 2 pairs - but I am NOT ashamed. They are the raddest sunglass, excepting my Ray Bans, EVER! And becuase Style Sense is so wonderful - They were more than 1/2 of their original retail value- WHAT UP! I remember first seeing Betsey on Fashion Television years ago and thinking - she shall be my favourite designer that I will never get to wear, oh how funny it is now she's been made available to me! Hope everyone else is having just as enjoyable a weekend! ta.

Best. Hat. Ever.

Today was gross weather-wise again. I was working feverishly all day at the computer which inspired mobility once I finally got home. I've been toying with the idea of rearranging some furniture in the very small bedroom I share with my younger sister in order to maximize space. I decided today would be the day that I started that process. I roped my sister into working on her stuff and while I was poking my nose into her side of the closet I found this awesome hat that was part of one of her dancing costumes from years passed. I quickly shut her side of the closet door and put it atop my head bursting out of the closet and performing an Ashlee Simpsonesque Jig to UB40's Red Red Wine. It was all very surreal. It wasn't until I did a little impromptu photo shoot and had tried on some tassled cuffs that my sister admitted the feathers were actually part of a headband that didn't belong on that hat. I was devastated. End of story.

Cereal Sweetness

Sometimes in life you are having a grumpy time - It's not especially harder than other times, but your attitude about life if not that good. These are the moments when little thoughtful things make all the difference. Like receiving the sunglasses you've only dreamed of for a present (thanks mum!) or someone looking out for you in the most trivial of ways. This past week my stepmum came home with boxes of fun cereal (let's step aside and let me explain: I don't really like cereal but I loooooves funcereal. Nesquik cerearl, Luck Charms - you get the idea - these tend to be the cereals that are NEVER bought in my house). Back to the story: my stepmum pulled out a box of Corn Pops and I got a little excited - finally I can stop eating toast for breakfast/elevensies. Of course, in any story there is an antagonist who just must my my (protagonist) route harder. In this case ... and in many cases I guess, this is my brother. He Loves any cereal, as long as there is an abundance of sugar also handy. He eats on average 3-4 bowls a day - it's gross. Anyway, when I said the Corn Pops looked delicious my stepmum rightfully warned that I should make sure to get them early before they disappear into the bottomless pit that is my brother. The next morning after everyone had left for work/school I wandered into the kitchen and found this bowl of Corn Pops on the table - carefully covered in Saranwrap with my name on it. =D apparently this was a joint effort by my sister and my stepmum to allow me to enjoy those delicious Corn Pops - and boy were they delicious!

What I'm Listening To: How Deep Is Your Love cover by The Bird and the Bee. If you do not LOVE the BeeGees we cannot be friends ... ever. Dorcas gave me this cover months ago ... but I just now am truly beginning to appreciate it.

	The Bird And The Bee - How Deep Is Your Love
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

(It's Been) One Week

Note: The title of this post is meant to be sung to the tune of the same name by the Barenaked Ladies ... in case you wanted to know.

It has been a week since my last post and for this I apologize (sorry Ivana I know I promised... but I got busy). I think a quick recap of the past week's events are in order. Worked Tuesday - Thursday (nothing too interesting here). I was finally able to use up the Roots gift card that's been burning a hole in my wallet since Christmas. Went to a lovely dinner at Milestones in Dundas Square in T.O. with Dorcas, Calvin, Ivana and Kiani. Ivana and I were particularly amused by the Ken Display in the bathroom. Being rabid blogettes we naturally took a photo and vowed to post it - so here I am fulfilling this vow. Ivana and I then went on one of our epic joyrides on Lakeshore. I should explain. Each Joyride begins with a mixtape (see previous post) and a destination goal. I don't know why but every single time this goal is Appleby College. Our fascination with the affluent private school students of Oakville is unparalled. I should also note that we NEVER make it there. the closest we got this past Thursday was a drive-by in which I awkwardly turned to pull in before Ivana exclaimed the drive was blocked by a chain and there was a nightshift guardsman on duty - Phew close call. This kinda reminds me of the time Kiani and I joyrided (joyrode?) through the parking lot of that pretentious Rotherglen School on Neyagawa and Kiani threw something out the window and then we laughed...good times (note: I do not condone littering in anything other than exceptional circumstances - this was one of those circumstances). Anyway - Friday I gymed it up with Ainsley and then went to dinner with my mum who came to town for a visit. Saturday we got Pedicures, hit up Sherway and then met my two stepsisters for dinner. Sunday was pretty laid back, but I did go see STAR TREK (YAY!) and it was amazing/I loooooove Spock. So that just about sums up my week. Hopefully won't abandon the blog for too long again. In other news ... I simply must come up with an amazing post idea for my 100th post which is quickly approaching!!! ideas?

What I'm Listening To: Amber, My stepsister, got me Day and Age by The Killers for my birthday and I know I've already posted about this album but I just must share the delightful song I Can't Stay. I obviously love Human and Spaceman, otherwise I wouldn't have asked for the CD, but I think I Can't Stay may be my favourite song off the album. I was determined to listen straight through to get a feel for the album as a whole, but I had to replay this song about 3 times before I moved on. Other good tunes: Neon Tiger, This is Your Life.

	The Killers - I Can't Stay
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Background Music

Something old is new again ...

I am a huge fan of the summer 'mixtape' (in my case a cd). It's a relatively affordable way to maintain your cool in the car or at home on your woefully out of date stereo system (ipod hookup not enabled). Making a mixtape is lovely and I often theme them. Obvious choices are Golden Oldies, Best of the 80s, songs with the word 'groovy' in the title and so on. I also like making mixtapes for those around me who are out of the music loop as it were. Mainly this is my stepmum. Each summer I make her a CD with mellow, cute music that I know she'll appreciate. I have to admit this is not a completely altruisitc task. If I have to listen to music in the car with the fam, I'd rather listen to something I've carefully put together for enjoyment than Three Day's Grace (courtesy of my brother), Guero by Beck (courtesy of my dad --> good album, in fact I bought it for him ... but not after the 100th listen), or Aly and AJ (*shiver* courtesy of my sister).

Anyway I was thinking about lazing about this afternoon and getting some Goalatude work done by reading a book. Naturally I needed some background music. I carefully thought about each CD as I passed over it, finally selecting In Between Dreams, because J. Johnson never fails me. when I pulled it out though, one of my mixtapes fell out as well. All it said was "For Sue" so I thought I'd pop it in and see what it was all about it. Turns out it was a CD I made about 2 years ago for the summertime. I've now listened to it twice in a row and I'm still not completely sick of it - brings back all the memories: good and bad from summer '07. Some of the songs I know got carried over from summer '06 and of course remind me of my last days of highschool ... all wonderful. I am now determined to make one this summer that will be just as memorable.

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Track Listing of "For Sue"
1) Boston - Augustana
2) Still Fighting It - Ben Folds
3) Swallowed in the Sea - Coldplay
4) Ode to My Family - The Crandberries
5)We Both Go Down Together - The Decemberists
6)Let Love In - Goo Goo Dolls
7)How To Save A Life - The Fray
8)We Will Still Need a Song - Hawksley Workman
9)You And I Collide - Howie Day
10)The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
11)My Lady's House - Iron & Wine
12)Flake - Jack Johnson
13) In the Sun - Joseph Arthur
14) Somewhere Only we Know- Keane
15) Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright
16) Spike the Senses - Of Montreal
17)New Slang - The Shins
18) Engine Driver - The Decemberists

My Sweet New Ride

Yay! Tomorrow is my birthday and in anticipation of this blessed and revered event my dad surprised me by taking me to pick out a bike! I have been thinking about getting a bike for quite some time now. I had resolved to wait, but it turned out to be such a wonderful present. I've already Christened it with a ride through the forest by my house and then messed up the seat flying through a hidden pothole in between two speedbumps in the Sheridan College parking lot. All is good and fixed now and I am so going to be a bikeaholic (new vocab continues - Goalatude #8) all summer (Getting outside - Goalatude #4). As for the rest of my weekend. Most of it has been spent entertaining my cousin Maddie (her birthday is today!) and sister Laura by giving them mani/pedis and teaching them about life and such...

MONSTERS VS. ALIENS VS. ME ... a film review

I just got back from watching MONSTERS vs ALIENS in 3D!!! I have never watched a film in 3D, but as soon as the ticket guy handed me the awesome 3d glasses I got all giddy and excited. My sister and I got excellent seats (there was some initial trepidation on my part because there was two little girls behind us, but pretty much there were two little girls/kids behind every seat in the theatre so it didn't make a difference). In fact, although I usually despise kids at theatres, this time I felt like I was one of them - I gasped just as loud as the 6 year olds when the first 3D images popped out of the screen (though I didn't try and catch all of them like the boy in front of us). The movie itself was so cute and clever and one of the first movies in a long time that left me feeling glad I spent $$$mula$$$ to see it in theatre. Bob was so adorable and the animation was really enjoyable to watch ... and there were so many celebrities doing the voices and I couldn't quite place them all but I defo imdb-ed that up afterward. Also - the previews were pretty decent too. I am a bit of a closetted trekkie ... I've many of the Star Trek's (Voyager - religiously, Deep Space Nine - bored afternoons after school, Next Generation - !!! all the time) but I've never watched a single episode of the original series .... so when I first heard about the Star Trek movie I didn't explode with excited ... but each time I've gone to the theatre recently I've seen a trailer for it and I just get soooooooo excited, the music, SPOCK! omg I'm getting excited now just thinking about it. my blooger (typo but i am keeping it) still won't let me post videos but here is a link to the theatrical trailer if you are at all interested .... you are, don't lie....
oh and P.S. Simon Pegg is in it!!! Yay! the world is awesome ...

What I'm Listening to: Last Nite (cover) by Adele (click the picture dahling)

I heard this cover at least a year ago but totally forgot about it until recently and thought I'd share it. The Strokes are one of my favourite bands - way back in 2003 I fell in LOVE with them and although the quality of their music has suffered (First Impressions of Earth? Howabout first impressions of my fist into the metaphorical face of the song Juicebox?!) still I adore them no matter how 2001/4 they are! So, the fact that Adele (LOVES) did a cover of one of their first singles is amazing... almost as amazing as her cover of the Raconteurs' Many Shades of Black. well done! Here is the original by the Strokes ... just for old time sake!

ALSO, I mean, why not? Here is a link to Right as Rain just because it is so happy and I love it! Okay, no more Adele for a while now kiddies.

Toronto: Harbour Front

So I was getting dropped off at Union last weekend and we decided to take the scenic route - not such a good idea in the end: there were zillions of people all over the place migrating from the ACC. I tried to take a picture of that giant windmill power generator thing and failed miserably but here are pictures from my phone anyway just because I don't have anything else to post and unlike some people (Ivana -ahem) I like to update.

Mili-wok-eh

For New Years my friend Kiani and I went to Wisonsin to visit my mum and step-dad. Unfortunately the trip got off to a bit more of a rocky start than I had hoped for, though not more than I'm used to when I travel. Embarrassingly - we missed our flight on Tuesday in the morning by about 5 minutes. The first time a Midwest flight is on time leaving Pearson is the first time I'm a little late - typical. After some Lauren Conrad-tears (as Kiani calls them) on my part we were able to rebook for the later flight wich left 11 hours after our original flight. Thankfully when we returned to the airport it was not nearly as busy - so we had time to have some fun on the moving sidewalks etc. While on the plane Kiani and I enjoyed the wonder that is Sky Mall - my new favourite magazine which tries to sell, among other things, a voice activated R2-D2, a "keep Your Distance" Bug Vacuum, and a sixteenth-century- Italian Replica Globe Bar. I myself will be saving up for a set of Successories Inspirational posters especially. We got to our destination pretty late and pretty much just headed to bed in preparation for shopping the next day. Shopping was less than stellar: lacklustre deals and not very good items for sale anyway made my spending very lean indeed. We headed to SHOGUN for dinner were Kiani lamented on the ethnicity of our cook and he picked on her. I was able to catch a piece of zucchini in my mouth on the first try which was pretty amazing. We were also given Happy New Year head bands which we wore with delight, then finished off the evening by watching No COuntry For Old Men (loved it!). Later in the night my mum gave us a fancy bottle of Champage with instructions to finish it because it wouldn't keep - we gladly obliged. Thursday we headed to the art museum in Miliwuakee, or as Kiani pronounces it: Mili-wok-eh, which was amazing. We enjoyed a couple games of pool which ended in me sinking the eight ball twice and Kiani sinking it once - all three times it resulted in the sinkers loss of the game, so yeah we aren't goof at pool - but then again I've never claimed to be. Here are some more pictures of our trip:

What I'm listening To: America - Razorlight click the picture to listen (thought this song was appropriate given that we were in the states)

Happy 2009

In Wisconsin enjoying food, family and friend (not a typo - just brought one friend with me) along with shopping and great art - will report in full tomorrow upon returning home!