Heart Like Confetti

office ponderings

2012-01-27T15:13:00.000-08:00

I'm taking a little wedding planning break this week - well, until our venue appointment on Saturday - to focus on other things. Things like our future home. Or, more specifically, my our future office.

I don't work from home and I don't really have the kind of job that requires me to do much once I leave my company's loft office with the big windows overlooking the mountains in Washington state. So, technically, I don't need a home office. Buuuuutttttt my hubby-to-be *does* need an office. And since he's such a sweetheart, so he's offered to share it with me. So this week I'm on a home office kick.

He'll get most of it, because he actually needs it, but that hasn't stopped me from scheming up lots of fun decorating ideas for my part.

I've decided that 2012 will be the year of "W" - wedding and writing. I'm not sure what I'll write yet (a novel? freelance articles? boring blog posts nobody reads?) but I can tell you that I'll be writing in a cozy, creative little corner of our love nest. I'm in love with this print and have added to my "must have" list of office goodies...

I'm Kind Of A Big Deal print, $19 from ParandaCreations

wife-to-be thoughts, part one

2012-01-22T21:41:00.000-08:00

I've been engaged for two full weeks now.

The whirlwind of emotions following Alan's heartfelt "will you marry me" have calmed, my girlfriends' high-pitched squeals of "oh my gosh, CONGRATULATIONS!" have ceased, the adrenaline rush that kept me awake for days has been replaced with an intuitive knowing that all is exactly as it should be. But the excitement is still there, bubbling beneath the surface, and every now and then it spills over in gratitude and awe and a sense of having been blessed beyond measure.

We've decided to get married this summer - on July 7th, to be exact - and while six months seems like an eternity to us, apparently it isn't that long in the world of reception venues and caterers and banquet halls. The last two weeks have been more than a little chaotic as we've worked to make a wedding budget, book our ceremony room, research reception venues, find a photographer, hire a makeup artist, order invitations, etc etc etc. Now, with so many of the wedding "biggies" taken care of, we can relax and breathe again ... and just take time to enjoy being engaged.

Engaged. Pledged to be married. Betrothed.

My friends have referred to me as "the bride-to-be" ... and, yes, that I am. In six short months, I'll walk down the aisle all dolled up like a princess in a beautiful white gown, smiling from the inside out and enjoying every moment of my picture perfect day. I have no doubt that it will be all I've ever dreamed of, and more.

But, more importantly, I am also a wife-to-be. In six short months, I will stand before my closest friends, my family, my God and promise somebody forever. I will promise to love him in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, 'til death do us part. In six months, my world will cease to be about "me" and "my needs" and the focus will become "we" and "our needs". In six months, I'll become somebody's partner and will vow to walk beside him through the good and bad. Some people have talked of marriage as a loss of personal freedom, but I'm not mourning the end of my single girl days.

I don't feel a sense of loss, just change. I feel like I'm standing on the cusp of a whole new season of life, anxiously peering in, waiting for a new adventure to begin ... and there's no other place I would rather be.

I'm marrying my best friend in six months, y'all. Until then, I'm gonna enjoy this special wife-to-be time ...

a little announcement ....

2012-01-09T11:44:00.000-08:00

Yes, you're reading that correctly.

He got down on one knee, I cried, he asked, I said yes, we kissed

The rest, as they say, is history.

We're engaged.

Stay tuned. ;-)

Pacific NW Road Trip

2012-01-05T15:52:00.000-08:00

I know you're all just dying to hear about my little road trip through the Pacific Northwest, right? (Right?) Well, let me tell you - it was glorious. The weather was the absolute pits ... it poured the entire time ... and there were a few unexpected bumps along the way but overall it was bliss. We drove. We talked. We browsed. We shopped. We stayed at the fabulous Ace Hotel and we ate the most delicious food. Salmon chowder - where have you been all my life? So, so good. And don't even get me started on the delicious-ness that we discovered at some food trucks in Portland. I'll gain 10 pounds just thinking about them.

I took hundreds of photos, all of which I can't wait to scrapbook. My point and shoot camera isn't doing so well these days. The zoom is broken, it's hard to get a clear shot because even the slightest movement causes everything to blur and the grey, overcast weather didn't help either. I played around with different settings and angles and was quite pleased with the results. Despite the crappy camera, I managed to get some really fun shots during our travels. Here are a few of my favorites -

As much as I enjoyed my time away, it feels great to be back in beautiful Vancouver. I know I'm beyond biased, but British Columbia truly is the best place on earth. *happy sigh*

this will be the year of simplicity

2012-01-04T16:51:00.000-08:00

Okay, time for a little confession. I am, believe it or not, one of those people who LOVES resolutions. In fact, making resolutions and hearing what other people are hoping to accomplish and do in the year to come is probably my favorite part of New Year's Eve festivities.

I've made resolutions every single year since I was about eleven. Some years, my resolutions have been fairly generic, other years they've been more specific and personally challenging. Some resolutions were met, most were not. Regardless, I love the rush of setting some goals for myself, flipping the calendar over to January 1st and seeing 365 days ahead of me to successfully tackle each one. Resolutions remind me that each year is one big blank canvas, waiting to be filled with new adventures, memories and stories.

Soooooo you might be surprised when I tell you that I am not making any resolutions for 2012. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to accomplish this year and I did come up with some good ideas. But, at the end of the day, what I want more than anything else is for 2012 to be a year of simplicity. A year of "back to basics" if you will. A year of seizing moments as they arise, focusing on what matters, making the most of the little things, appreciating the unexpected, delighting in the everyday. Last year was such a roller coaster ride with many up's and down's and, in true roller coaster fashion, it was over in the blink of an eye. I hope this year moves more slowly, more peacefully, more calmly.

Simplicity. That's what this year is all about for me.

Christmas Cake Balls

2011-12-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

My family is having our Christmas Day dinner up in Whistler at my sister's, and I was put in charge of desserts. Several batches of cookies and a pie have already been baked for the occasion, but on Wednesday night I decided to add something new and unique to our dessert line-up. You know - because I don't already have enough on my agenda this week.

I decided to make Cake Balls. For those of you who aren't up-to-date on the happenings of the baking world (or who have been living under a rock) Cake Balls are all the rage among foodies and dessert lovers these days. In a nutshell, they're little balls of cake dipped in melted chocolate. In reality, they're time consuming little suckers that took me several hours to complete and kept me up until the wee hours of the morning.

But look at the finished product ... adorable, right? Yup, I think so too.

For those of you who want to give this treat a try, all you need is cake mix, cake icing and chocolate to melt. Oh, and HOURS of free time. (Kidding. Sort of. No, not really.)

I really wanted the red and white look for Christmas so I bought colored melting chocolate at Michaels for $3.99 a bag, but you can probably get the same result with any chocolate as long as it can be melted down to a smooth, creamy texture. Once you've got all the necessary ingredients, bake the cake as per usual and let it cool for at least 20-30 minutes. I believe this is where I went wrong with my Cake Ball attempt ... I was impatient so I only let it cool for 10 minutes or so. Because the cake was still warm when I added the icing, it was extra gooey and hard to work with. Let it cool people, trust me, otherwise you'll waste lots of precious time trying to get the right texture.

When the cake is cool, crumple the cake dough into a bowl and begin to add the icing. Blend well. You should end up with a sticky, batter-like texture. Roll the mix into small balls. If they're extremely gooey (as mine were) you may need to put them in the freezer for a few minutes to keep them from falling apart. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. Using a lollipop stick, a chopstick or a fork gently dip each ball into the chocolate. If you're planning to add sprinkles to your balls, do this as soon as you've coated the ball in chocolate ... if you wait too long, it won't stick. Place the balls on a plate and put in the fridge for one hour to set.

serve & enjoy!

signed, sealed, delivered

2011-12-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

I write Christmas cards each year ... about 20 of them, handwritten and personalized, mailed out by the end of the first week of December, no exceptions. It's a holiday habit I learned from my mother, who learned it from her mother, and it's one I hope to pass on to my own kids someday. I remember watching Mom and Nana write their cards each year. We'd tune the radio to the channel that played non-stop Christmas music and we'd all sit at our big wooden kitchen table. I'd color in my coloring book while they wrote out dozens of cards and sealed festive stamps on each one. At the time, I thought the whole time-consuming process was kind of silly and soooooooo boring but now that I'm older I have a better appreciation for it.

There is something to be said for writing a hand-written note or letter and taking the time to send it out in the mail rather than just clicking a "send" button on a screen. Some call it old-fashioned, some call it proper etiquette ... I just call it nice. In today's fast pace world of emails and social networking where convenience is apparently everything, a "real" letter tells the recipient that you're thinking of them. That they are worth more than 2.5 seconds of your time. That they matter. It's actually quite a powerful thing, this whole letter writing business.

As much as I love me some Facebook (and Twitter and this blog and email), at the end of the day, a wall post or instant message just doesn't even come close to competing with real mail. I don't take the time to write letters nearly as often as I should, but I do put in the effort at Christmas and it always makes me happy to drop a handful of envelopes into the mail box.

Do any of you mail out holiday cards? If not, y'all should try it some time. Afterall, 'tis the season.

xo

Gingerbread Village ♥

2011-12-06T11:35:00.001-08:00

If you know me at all, then you know that I have a thing for cupcakes. If you know me really well, then you also know that I have a thing for gingerbread men. I think they're adorable to look at, fun to decorate and beyond delicious to eat. Gimme a gingerbread cookie and a cup of hot chocolate and I'm in Christmasy bliss. So, needless to say, you can imagine my childlike delight when I passed by the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Vancouver last week and noticed a sign advertising a gingerbread village on display in their lobby.

I dragged Boyfriend there over the weekend and we were both surprised by the amazing creations people were able to come up with. Check these out -

(this one got my vote for the People's Choice Award)

(yes, it's all edible! Amazing, right?)

(life size gingerbread house! It was HUGE)

Vancouver locals - I highly recommend checking it out if you get a chance. It's free and is sure to inspire you to make your own gingerbread creation.

'tis the season!

2011-12-02T12:09:00.001-08:00

{photo credit}

So, in case ya missed it, yesterday was December 1st ... and what that means in Stephanie world is that everybody else *finally* gets on board the Christmas train with me! Bring on the holiday decorations, the music, the baking, the gift exchanges, the much-needed time away from work. Christmas movies and gingerbread cookies and cozy winter nights spend snuggling on the couch? Yes please!

All my Christmas shopping is complete, so I get to spend the next 22 days enjoying everything else this wonderful season has to offer. My to-do list for December looks a little something like this ...

Do December Daily (one photo a take for the entire month of December)
Go see the Festival of Lights in Van Dusen Gardens
Build and decorate a gingerbread house
Find (and buy!) the perfect hat and mitten set
Bake holiday cookies with my girlfriends
Watch all of my favorite Christmas movies, especially The Preacher's Wife and Home Alone 2
Read a chapter a day from my new Christmas devotional book
Meditate on those chapters & pray to be continuously reminded of the true reason for the season
Go ice skating
Drink lots of hot chocolate and eggnog
Master my Nana's bread stuffing recipe before I need to make it for everyone on the 25th
Drive around late at night and see all the pretty lights
Listen to Justin Bieber's song Mistletoe on repeat .. yup, I'm not ashamed.
Read at least one book during my week-long holiday (not including Christmas Devotional)
Buy Christmas-themed candy apples from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Think of ways to celebrate New Year's Eve in Portland - any suggestions?
Play in the snow, build a snowman
Take a Christmas Day family photo (new tradition!)

What's on your list of things to do or see this Christmas?

first Christmas, then this ....

2011-11-23T12:56:00.000-08:00

Christmas has always been a big deal for my family. We have TONS of traditions - the candle-lit service on Christmas Eve, opening gifts and stockings together on Christmas morning, having a big yummy breakfast together and then spending the rest of the day prepping for our turkey feast ... a feast that can sometimes include up to 20 guests. I moved to Vancouver from Montreal two years ago, but we've managed to continue the traditions I love and cherish.

This year, though, things will be a little different. With my Dad's passing, none of us are really feeling up to a big celebration. My sister and brother-in-law decided to sneak away to the Caribbean for the holidays. My mom and grandmother opted to stay in Montreal, enjoying a quiet Christmas at home. And Alan and I played around with several ideas (Las Vegas? San Fransisco? Hawaii?) before finally settling on a cozy, Pacific Northwest road trip.

We'll spend Christmas Day with my sister and brother-in-law at their *fabulous* new condo in Whistler and then we're hitting the road for six days of quality time together. Just me, him and a car full of delicious left over Christmas munchies. We're planning to tour Seattle first and then drive down to Portland. The best part? Alan booked reservations for a deluxe room at The Ace Hotel - the super stylish, super hip new hotel chain with locations in Seattle, Portland, NYC and Palm Springs. I've been dying to stay at The Ace and I'm beyond excited about our reservations.

Christmas without my Dad will be difficult and strange, but at least we're doing something fun. No time like the present for making new traditions.

-xo-

So, I scrapbooked yesterday ...

2011-11-19T17:01:00.001-08:00

... and I made this layout -

A page for the album I am making about our courtship. It's a page about October 8th which was a big day for us for several reasons - namely, it was the day he first said the "L" word (aka the big I. LOVE. YOU) and it was also the day my Dad passed away. Al & I had been extremely close before that day, but that weekend we both realized that there was no doubt we were going to be married someday. We even went ring browsing that afternoon. October 8th was the day my whole world changed as I said goodbye to my Dad and hello to my future husband .. so, obviously, I had to make a page to document it.

Products Used ~ Studio Calico paper, Bazzill kraft cardstock, Basic Grey letter stickers, Heidi Swapp chipboard hearts, Amy Tangerine by American Crafts banner sticker, Bella Blvd sticker ('day at the park'), Little Yellow Bicycle sticker ('falling in love'), Creative Imaginations quote stickers

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. And I am SO glad to be scrapbooking again!

Starbucks cookies

2011-11-12T20:11:00.001-08:00

My boyfriend was in Seattle a few weeks ago and he stopped by the original Starbucks store for a visit. Of course, being the Starbucks fanatic that I am, he brought me back some goodies including some of their famous Pike Place coffee. Unfortunately, he grabbed a bag of whole beans instead of the already grinded stuff. Well, I don't have a bean grinder and I keep forgetting to bring it to my local coffee shop from them to grind up for me. Boo. Today I put those beans to good use ...

I chopped them up into little pieces ...

... added them to a cookie dough mixture and ... voila ...

COOKIES! Made with yummy Starbucks coffee :-)

Happy Saturday!

11.11.11.

2011-11-11T11:57:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite scrapbookers and bloggers, Elizabeth Kartchner, issued this challenge a few days ago - take a photo on November 11th, 2011 at 11:11 and capture what you were doing at that very moment. Usually, eleven o'clock means that I am frantically running around my office trying to get in touch with clients and organize everything for our afternoon shipments ... but today is Remembrance Day which means the office is closed, I got to sleep in and I have a whole day ahead of me to do what I please.

I had big plans for today - wake up, clean the kitchen, do some reading, get groceries, bake cookies, have dinner with my boyfriend, rent a movie, unwind - but I got a little side-tracked. I woke up, did a load of dishes and then wandered into my living room to do some reading. And that's where I've been for the past two hours, cuddled up on the couch with a cup of tea reading my Bible. As most of you know, I'm a Christian and the Bible really is my favorite book in the whole wide world. It's like a love letter from God to His children, and it's hard to explain how comforting it is to read. I've had a rough couple of days this week, and I was really thirsty for the peace that only this Book can bring me.

So the dishes are still in the sink. The groceries have yet to be done. The cookies are probably not gonna get baked. I might end up serving my boyfriend take-out for dinner. But this is exactly where I want to be. Right here, reading God's love letter, soaking up every word. This is exactly where I need to be.

"For the grass withers, and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever."
- Isaiah 40:8

stuck in a bilingual dilemma ..

2011-11-08T12:28:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a scrapbook album right now that is bilingual (English and Mandarin).

Many people I know scrapbook in two languages, and most of them switch from one language to the other - one page in English, for example, the other in French or German or Spanish. But I'm hoping to make this entire album, every single page, bilingual so that both families can read and enjoy each page.

Including bilingual journaling on each layout isn't a problem. I've been asking Xinxin to translate the journaling and she writes it out in Mandarin for me. What I've been struggling with are the page titles. The English title looks professional and trendy, spelled out with fancy letter stickers, but the Mandarin title is always handwritten or printed off onto cardstock because I haven't been able to find ANY Mandarin character stickers. I've searched high and low .. at Michaels, online, at my local scrapbook store, on Etsy ... and I'm still empty-handed. There are lots of stamps, but no stickers. So discouraging!

Do any of you scrapbook in more than one language? If so, what do you do when one language seems to dominate over the other? And pleeeeaaaassseeee if anybody has any creative ideas on how I can spruce up my Mandarin titles, let me know!

xo

one last weekend of autumn

2011-11-07T13:01:00.000-08:00

Remember my last post about how November is starting to grow on me? Well, folks, after this past weekend I think it's safe to say that I am officially smitten. Despite weather reports predicting rain on Saturday, we were blessed with blue skies, crisp air and glorious autumn colors.

I was sure we'd get rain on Sunday instead - I mean, 2 beautiful days back to back in November? Impossible! - so imagine my surprise when the good weather carried over and Sunday was just as nice as Saturday, if not nicer! I'm not really an "outdoorsy" kinda girl, but even I knew that we had to take advantage of the gorgeous weather while it was here so we spent our weekend enjoying the beauty of the wilderness and snapping a few photos -

{boyfriend looks irritated in this photo because it was self-take photo attempt #360}

Sure enough, the beautiful weather didn't last long. It's cold and pouring rain today. *sigh* But that's okay. I got one last, unexpected taste of autumn and I'm now ready to welcome winter.

November calm.

2011-11-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

"It came like a winter snow ... quiet and soft and slow .."

I've never thought much of November. My favorite month has always been October and December has always held a special spot in my heart too, for obvious reasons. But November? Meh. I didn't have anything against November, but I certainly wasn't going to elevate it to "favorite month" status.

Growing up on the east coat, November meant the arrival of snow and slush and the bitter chill of winter without the magic of Christmas to compensate. Here on the west coast - or, at least, in my little corner of the west coast - November means rain. Lots of it. No, like seriously you guys, LOTS of it. And yet, despite the wet, damp yucky-ness that is my life for the next few weeks ... November is starting to grow on me.

I woke up this morning and flipped the calendar over to a new month, and felt an overwhelming sense of calm. The carefree, crazy days of summer are long behind me. The hectic, frantic, "oh my gosh there is just so much to do" of the holidays is looming on the horizon ... close enough to have me excited about the arrival of Christmas, but far enough away that I am nowhere near stressed about it. Today, stores will put away their ghost and goblins and replace them with snowmen and twinkling lights, nature will begin its shift from vibrant golds and oranges and reds to shades of humble gray, and for a few weeks the whole world will seem to walk in sync - peacefully strolling through everyday life without a care in the world.

There is calmness in November. It's like the underdog month of the calendar year - with no major holidays to prepare for and celebrate (at least for us Canadians who celebrate Thanksgiving in early October), November often slips by unnoticed. But this year, I noticed it. This year, I woke up and turned the calendar and for the first time ever I noticed thirty days of gentleness ahead of me. And this year, I will appreciate it.

Hello, November. Let's be friends.

the city girl becomes ... "Halloweeny"?

2011-10-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so confession ... I am not a Halloween person.

I'm sorry to those of you who got all dolled up in costumes that take weeks to prepare, and who decorate your yards with tombstones and pumpkins and terrifying things that make neighbors like me gag when they pass by. I'm just not into it. I ain't feeling it. I say we just forget about Halloween and jump straight into Christmas. Bring on the ornaments and the candy canes and the cookies for Santa!

A few weeks ago, Alan and I went to a pumpkin patch. We chose two awesome looking pumpkins, brought them home and they've been sitting in Alan's living room ever since looking pathetically un-decorated. The original plan was to use them to make pumpkin pie from scratch but, ya know, life kinda got busy and before we knew it they were going bad and starting to rot. So, yesterday, we decided to carve them.

It was our first time ever carving pumpkins, and I think we did a stellar job for newbies. Mine had sweet little heart-shaped eyes and Alan's had stars ... not scary, but then again we're not really a scary kind of couple. :)

So, for one year only - HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Now, how many days 'til Christmas??

pondering projects

2011-10-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, I told Alan that I needed a project.

"Well, you can come over to my place after work each night and cook delicious meals for me," he suggested. Um, no ... not quite what I had in mind.

I need a real project; something that I can pour myself into. Something that will make me feel like I'm giving back. Something that will serve as a constant reminder of what is truly important in life. I've done quite a bit of volunteer work in my life and last year I even served as an intern for a Christian ministry on campus, but I have to admit that the last few months of my life have been pretty dry as far as volunteering and charity work goes. I've been itching to get back into the wonderful world of philanthropy.

There's this one idea I've been toying with lately, but I'm hesitant to pursue it. It's a project that makes my heart happy & gets me excited, but when I try to explain it to people or put it down on paper it seems to fall flat. I guess the problem I'm having with it is that it just doesn't seem like enough. It won't feed the hungry. It won't clothe the naked. It won't end poverty, corruption, violence, pain, suffering, sadness. It doesn't address global warming or disease. It well bring joy and excitement to a handful of people for a few hours, but I have no way of knowing if it will actually impact their lives or make any kind of societal change.

There are hundreds (thousands?) of legitimate causes to champion for, and when I compare my project idea to things other people are doing - building schools, housing orphans, fighting diseases - my project seems silly and trivial. And yet, it makes me feel something deep in my soul that I haven't felt for awhile.

Are any of you involved in charity work or philanthropy? If so, do you follow your heart & do what truly interests and inspires you, or do you focus on the greater good and choose the cause that's most urgent?

xo

Happy (belated) Birthday Alan

2011-10-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

I had plans to post this on Alan's actual birthday, the 9th of October, but with my Dad's passing I was very preoccupied and wasn't online much. Despite being a few days late, every word still stands true ...

30 years ago, Heavenly Father decided that the world needed a little something more .. so He took some laughter, added some class and integrity, sprinkled in a little romance, threw in some handsome and ... voila! A sweet baby boy was born, and he grew and grew until he was a handsome thirty year old man who has me quite smitten.

This year, Thanksgiving was tough. It's hard to be thankful when your heart is broken. Yet somehow, despite all the sadness, this man was able to keep me smiling. And not only did he make me smile, but his mere presence was such a powerful reminder to me that I have much to be thankful for. I am so lucky to have him in my life.

"If I need evidence God is good, just looking at you is enough .. You are the grace of my life, for you grace my life with your love."

Happy Birthday my love!
xo

it's not a goodbye, it's a "see you later"

2011-10-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 8th, I said goodbye to someone I love with my whole heart and being.
I said goodbye to my Dad.

My Daddy passed away at the Montreal General Hospital. It was unexpected, and it happened quite quickly, but luckily, my sister and I made it back to Montreal in time to say goodbye. Walking into that hospital room and seeing him so weak and sick broke my heart in ways you can't even begin to imagine. After all, this was the man who used to tot me around on his shoulders .. this was the man who held me up above the crowds so I could see parades. This was the man whose arm I was supposed to clutch as I walked down the aisle on my wedding day. This was a good man, and the lives of good men are not supposed to end this way. Not at sixty-two years of age. Not when there is still so much living to do.

I spent ten days with him before he passed. Ten days of serving he could no longer serve himself. Ten days of loving. And by the time it came for the last goodbye, my heart was at peace. My heart was (and still is) broken, but my heart was at peace.

My Dad was a wonderful person and an incredible father. He had a hard life, and so he wasn't always the easiest person to get along with, but beneath the sometimes grumpy, rough and tough exterior was a man who would lay down his life in an instant for the people he loved. He was loyal and sensitive and truly kind. He loved his daughters. One of the last things he said to me was that he had loved me from the moment I came home to live with him and that he was proud of the person I had become. I will never forget those words, and I will thank God every day that I was able to have that last precious moment with my Dad.

I love you, Daddy. I love you with all that I am. And I will forever carry your heart in mine.
xo

And the city girl goes creative ...

2011-09-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

I used to work as a salesgirl in the greatest scrapbook store on the face of the planet (not that I'm biased much or anything). For almost two years, I was completely absorbed in the wonderful world of scrapbooking. I was totally up-to-date on all the new products and collections. I read all of the "celebrity scrapbooker" blogs. I was active on a scrapbooking message board. I even had layouts published in scrapbook magazines.

Then I moved out west.

I got my first "real" full-time job. (Who knew the 9-to-5 could be so exhausting?!)
All my spare time was spent exploring my new surroundings.
I had all these new expenses to worry about like rent and groceries.
And, besides, none of my new friends were really into scrapbooking or craft-making.

Long story short, my creative mojo decided that while I was busy becoming a somewhat responsible adult, she was going on vacation. For six months, I was completely uninspired. And not just uninspired, but totally and utterly unmotivated. Scrapbooking was the furthest thing on my mind and I began to think the unthinkable - that maybe my love for pretty patterned paper and cardstock and letter stickers and overlays had just been a phase. And maybe the phase was over.

But then ...

I met Lynda at church and realized she lives right around the corner from me. Lynda scrapbooks. Soon Lynda and I were having scrapbooking evenings together. The first few times, I sat there fiddling uselessly with my paper and photos. I just couldn't get back into the groove. But then Zonnalie joined us ... and then Xinxin joined us .... and then Monica and Marcy and Suzanne.

Something magical happens when you put a bunch of creative women in the same room together. Ideas begin to bounce around, inspiration strikes and before you know it, you're scrapbooking again as though you had never stopped. Hurray!

Only problem is ... I haven't been able to stop. Stay tuned for posts of my new layouts. :)

Autumn kick-off ...

2011-09-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blog for awhile now, you might remember a post I wrote around this time last year about Mid-Autumn Festival, the popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese people. Last year, I was completely caught off guard and totally surprised when my co-workers surprised me with boxes of moon cakes and other little gifts. Let it be known, though, that I am not the kind of girl who forgets a good holiday - especially one that includes yummy goodies like moon cakes - and this year I was prepared.

Boyfriend was away for the weekend so I celebrated with my BFF and new roomie, Bunny. She decided that she wanted to treat me to a traditional Chinese dinner so we headed out to the biggest Asian supermarket in town and stocked up on things we'd need for our feast. (And, yes, a few boxes of moon cakes also ended up in our basket.)

While Bunny cooked, I got to play around with her fancy schmancy digital SLR camera. Here are some of my favorite shots from the afternoon -

To say that dinner was delicious would be a major understatement. It was DELICIOUS!

I said it last year & I'll say it again ... this holiday beats Halloween any day. Good food and delicious pastries and pretty lanterns and quality time spent with loved ones? Yes, please. It has officially been added to my list of autumn favorites, right up there with Thanksgiving and football homecomings and pumpkin spice lattes.

xo

this is my life ...

2011-09-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend had his former college roommates in town for the week and one of the things they decided to do together was rent a place up in Whistler for the weekend. As he drove north with his buddies for some hiking and mountain biking, I stayed in the city without a single event scheduled on my calendar. I thought my weekend would be boring - or, if not downright boring, then uneventful and uninspiring - but believe it or not it actually turned out to be quite the opposite. Bunny and I stayed up late Friday night scrapbooking and watching episodes of Say Yes To The Dress ... then we got up on Saturday morning and strolled down the street to Blenz Coffee for yummy maple lattes and some quiet reading time before heading out to get groceries for our mid-Autumn Festival dinner.

It hit me as I sat there in Blenz ... this is my life. These are the moments that I`ll remember most; these little everyday moments like lattes with my best friend on a Saturday morning. Maple syrup drizzled elegantly across the foamy top of a latte; these little things are what make me happiest.

My weekend wasn`t particularly eventful, but it was inspiring. It was nice to be reminded of how simple life can be when you take time to appreciate and enjoy the everyday blessings.

xo

speaking heart language ♥

2011-09-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

One of the things on my "bucket list" was to become a Sunday School teacher and, a few years ago when I still lived in Montreal, I had the opportunity to do just that. The church I was attending at the time had just launched a new Sunday morning curriculum for kids and teachers were needed. I think I literally ran into the minister's office waving my arms going "pick me! pick me! let me do it!"

I taught Sunday School there for two years. Two years of kid hugs and glitter all over the floor and Bible character puppets and off-key singing of "Jesus loves me, this I know". Two years of hearing the sweetest, most authentic prayers ever spoken. Two years of trying my best to fill these kids up with a sense of purpose and identity and conviction. Two years of sparkling little eyes looking up at me, waiting for answers I didn't have to offer. Two years of learning together - them learning "the facts" from me but, mostly, me learning "the truth" from them.

I remember one Sunday morning in particular. I was about to begin a lesson on on Jericho and how God made the walls come tumbling down when one of my students interrupted with a very important question.

"Miss Stephanie, what language does God speak?" she asked.

That's an easy one, I thought to myself. "God speaks all languages," I replied. "Every single one of them."

"Yeah, but which one will we speak in heaven?"

I put down my papers and pondered this for a minute because, truthfully, I'd never really given it much thought before. The Bible makes several references to believers worshiping together, lifting up praise and thanksgiving together, so will there be a predominant language in heaven? Hebrew, maybe? Or maybe we'll all speak in "tongues", the language of angels? They hadn't covered this in my theology courses at university.

Luckily, another student came to my rescue and informed the class, quite confidently, that:

"God speaks heart language. And when we get to heaven, we'll speak heart language too."

Wow. Talk about nailing it right on the head. Kids are just brilliant. Truly brilliant. ♥

"People brought babies to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. When the disciples saw this, they shooed them off. Jesus called them back. 'Leave these children alone. Don't get between them and me. These children are the kingdom's pride and joy. Mark this: unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child you will never get it." - Luke 18:16-17

xo

falling forward

2011-08-25T16:16:00.001-07:00

I love fall.

I love everything about it - the brisk breeze rustling through the tree leaves, the colors, the smells, the calm sense of routine as people return home from holidays everyone gets back to "real life". I love pumpkin spiced lattes and Thanksgiving and school supplies spilling over the shelves at London Drugs. I love getting to wear my purple UGG boots and scarfs and waking up to frost on my window sills. But, most of all, I love how fall always feels like a new beginning.

I know most people make resolutions in January at the start of the new calendar year, but I've always measured years from September to September. Even though I'm no longer a student, September still very much feels like a new year, a new start. And with labor day weekend right around the corner, no better time than the present to make a few goals for autumn -

1. Love more. Love well.

I want to love on my friends & family more; do more random acts of kindness and spend more time truly serving the people around me.

2. Read The Great Gatsby ..

... because I haven't read it yet, and it's a classic.

3. Be more creative

Specifically, I want to scrapbook more. I miss it, I miss the days I used to scrapbook for several hours each week. I miss participating in online scrapbook challenges and going to crops and being "up to date" with all the new products, designers, etc. I know that I will never be able to be as into scrapbooking as I once was - there just aren't enough hours in the day! - but I do want to allow more time for creativity in my weekly schedule.

4. Go hiking with my boyfriend ...

.. because it's important to him and, therefore, it is important to me. Prayers that I do not have a cardiac arrest would be greatly appreciated as we all know hiking's NOT my thing.

Do any of you have autumn goals? If so, I'd love to hear 'em ..

The Roomie Chronicles, Part 1

2011-08-11T12:17:00.000-07:00

In just 20 short days, this sweetheart of a girl will be my new roomie ....

Ladies & gents, meet Xinxin (pronounced Shin-shin) also known as Cynthia also known as Bunny. {To keep things simple, she will be referred to as Bunny on this blog from here on out.}

We met a year ago when I was doing ministry work at UBC and she was doing her masters' degree. Long story short, she ended up joining the Born for More club on campus because was interested in learning more about Christianity. We became friends immediately and one afternoon she took me shopping at a Chinese market. We have been pretty much inseparable ever since. She has grown into such an incredible woman of faith. We're not best friends ... we're sisters. And soon we'll be sisters who live together.

Katie, who I have lived with since February of 2010, is getting married in the fall. *Cue applause and congratulations* Since Vancouver is the most expensive city in the country & I live in the most expensive neighborhood in Vancouver & I am not a millionaire, I needed a new roommate. Enter Xinxin, who was sick of living on campus. A brief meeting with the landlord and a few signed papers, and she'll be moving in with me on September 1st.

This roommate switch has been a big reason for my blogging hiatus lately. My apartment has been temporarily transformed into Katie's Wedding Planning Central and is a complete disaster. There are wedding things everywhere and tons of boxes. Oh, and LOADS of extra furniture. Bunny and I are trying to accumulate things for our apartment makeover and Katie's been accumulating things for her new place too. Add those items to the furniture pieces already in our apartment and, yeah, it's a bit of a war zone.

Other reasons I've been missing in action? Alan got back on August 1st and I have been busy spending every minute of free time with him. I'm reading The Help and am completely in love with it so when I get home from spending time with him, I crawl into bed with a cup of tea and read until my eyes get tired. And last but not least, the weather in Vancouver has been absolutely amazing lately so I just can't justify hanging out inside in front of my computer. So, friends, the blog was put on hold. I hope you didn't forget about me. :)

Off to read all of your blogs now ... time to play catch up ...

xoxo

bus ride ponderings ...

2011-07-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

I take the bus to work every day, as many of my fellow city-dwellers do. I rush out my door, up the little hill, past the McDonalds, then dart across the street toward the bus stop where (if all goes according to plan) my bus picks me up at 8:12am sharp. We drive through the sweet little Kerrisdale neighborhood, past my favorite tea shop, past the vintage clothing stores, past the organic grocery. I get off my bus at precisely 8:28am and make a quick run into Starbucks before I walk to my office. So goes the rhythm of my mornings.

Some people aren't fans of public transportation, but I don't mind it. There's something soothing about the bump-bump-bump of the bus rolling along Arbutus Street. I like sitting there with my iPod on, watching the city roll past me, not a care in the world. Believe it or not, my morning commute is actually a really soothing time of day for me. It's when I have time to think, to plan, to ponder, to reflect, to daydream without distraction. It's when I have time to listen to that still small voice inside of me without interruption. Now, before you get to thinking that I'm some kind of quiet time guru let me confess that, most days, my bus ride thoughts are rather mundane and borderline boring. I make mental to-do lists, I freak out when I realize so-and-so's birthday is coming up and I haven't bought a present yet, I think about what I'm going to make for dinner .. those kind of things. But every now and then, brilliance strikes. Like this morning when out of the blue I realized that -

I do not have to be everything, to everyone, all the time.

It's something I've been struggling with a lot this summer; that sense of wanting to be everybody's best friend and then becoming overwhelmed with guilt because I should be spending more time with so-and-so and I should write so-and-so an email and I should invite so-and-so over for dinner and I should, and I should, and I should.

Blogs are supposed to be a place to be honest, so can I just be honest for a minute? Truth is, I'm struggling to make time for everyone. And I realize what a huge BLESSING that is ... I mean, to have so many awesome friends and acquaintances that you're actually struggling to find time for each of them? That's beyond wonderful and I recognize how lucky I am. Problem is, despite how crazy FULL my schedule is with coffee dates and phone chats, at the end of each week I still find myself thinking "oh darn, I forgot to get together with this person ... oh shoot, I forgot to give that person a call."

Which brings me back to my bus ride moment of brilliance - I don't have to try and squeeze everybody in. Wow, what a revelation! What a relief! I don't have to try and be everybody's everything ... it's OK to devote most of my time and energy and "best friend-ness" to a handful of close friends and be plain old Stephanie to the rest.

It's OK to choose quality over quantity. And that's exactly what I'm choosing from here on out.

♥

summertime's for pampering ...

2011-07-18T14:40:00.001-07:00

Nothing says "summer" like girls' nights spent painting our toesies and making ourselves pretty.

the house that built me ♥

2011-07-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

I discovered this song by Miranda Lambert late last night. I fell in love with it straight away and listened to it on repeat over and over for a good 40 minutes. And I may or may not have cried the whole time.

For those of you who don't know me in real life, I grew up in a small town just outside of Montreal. When I say small town, I really do mean stereotypical small town ... farmer's fields around the corner, apple orchards, mountain, river, no McDonalds, no Starbucks, no shopping mall. Just lots of blue sky and green grass. I lived in that town for 23 years, in the same home, sleeping in the same bedroom. I grew up complaining about the fact that we lived there. Though I'm a small town girl by birth, I've always had a city girl heart and I longed for adventure and glamour and all the excitement that the city offers. I don't think I knew then just how wonderful I had it. I don't think I understood how picture perfect my childhood was.

When I heard Miranda Lambert's song and thought about the house that built me, my heart was just flooded with memories. I have a dog buried in the yard too. I had my first kiss under the oak tree near our driveway. I learned to figure skate on a homemade ice-rink that my Dad made for us in the backyard. I remember summer nights playing hide and seek in the dark with the neighborhood kids ... hours spent swinging on the swing set in the nearby park ... the smell of wood burning ... late-night campfires in the backyard ... building snow forts ... gazing up at the moon from my bedroom window. Catching the school bus at the end of my street every morning. Driving past rows of green, orange or white (depending on the season) on my way to school.

Don't get me wrong - I love my new life in the city, I really do, and I know without a doubt that this is exactly where God wants me to be. But there was something in that song that just reminded me of my small town girl roots and made me realize how much they are still a part of me. That house, that town, those experiences ... they really did build me.

I sent an email to Alan after I heard the song and I wrote: "when you get to come with me and visit the place where I grew up, I won't be able to show you fancy restaurants or museums or historical sights or monuments or tourist attractions. It won't be the type of place you will brag to your friends about having been to. You won't send anybody any postcards. But it is the place that shaped and molded me, and when you visit you will definitely see a piece of my heart everywhere you look ... in the cornfields, in the little creek at the end of my street, in the playground around the corner."

If you've ever ventured out on your own and left home to start anew then I'm sure the song will resonate with you, too. You'll understand how it feels to just want one more night in your childhood bed or one afternoon in the kitchen you ate dinner in every night for 18+ years. And if you haven't experienced moving out of your parents' home yet, please take my advice and savor every moment because one day it will just be a happy memory.

okay, so we're pretty darn cute ...

2011-07-07T16:34:00.001-07:00

As most of you know, my boyfriend has been away for the past three weeks working at his company's head office in California. By the time he gets back at the end of this month, he'll have been away for six whole weeks. I definitely haven't enjoyed being apart, but what they say is true - distance really does make the heart grow fonder. At least it did for this little heart of mine.

Obviously, because he's been out of town, we haven't been on a date night in what feels like foooorrreeevvvaaa. We decided that our first date together once he gets back into town - which I promptly scheduled for the very next morning, poor guy - should be extra special to make up for the lack of dates this month. I get to plan out our morning and he gets to plan our evening.

I'm planning a sweet little breakfast picnic for us. It's a complete surprise; all he knows is that he has to meet me at my apartment by 10:30am and that he has to leave room for breakfast. What he doesn't know is that I'm going to fill a picnic basket with croissants and tangerines and muffins and bagels and Starbucks frappucinos and we're going to walk to this park near my apartment and sit on the grass and have a super low-key, quality time kind of morning. I'm going to make little flags to stick in the muffins that say "Welcome Home" and I even bought this adorable little card game from Etsy where you pick a random card with a theme, question or statement on it and have to come up with a "story" to tell the other person -

Seriously. I don't wanna toot my own horn, but I am one fantastic date planner. I hope Alan's evening plans are as adorable as mine ... not that it really matters because just getting to spend time with him *in person* after so long apart will make it picture perfect.

My only concern is the rain which, because we live in Vancouver, is a real possibility. I need to come up with an indoor picnic plan in case it pours ... any suggestions?

Under construction ...

2011-07-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Over the next few days this little blog of mine will be undergoing a bit of an extreme makeover - new layout, new design, new name, new focus.

When I started this blog back in 2009 (wow, time flies!) it was a place for me to showcase my scrapbook layouts. Then I moved to Vancouver, and my blog began to shift from being a "scrapbook and craft" blog to being more of a "lifestyle" blog. It became a place where I attempted to keep my family & friends in Montreal up-to-date with my everyday life on the west coast.

Now I am nicely settled into my new hometown and am completely in love with life in the city. And that's what I want to blog about - my life as a twenty-something city girl trying to make the most of every moment she gets to spend in this seaside metropolis. I want to write about the mundane (Saturday nights spent at the laundromat) and the yummy food I eat (the restaurants in this city rival those in New York, I swear!) and just my random thoughts on adjusting to life in "adult-land". The new content may bore you to tears ... I may lose all my "followers" ... but I think we should write about the things that matter to us, and fifteen years from now these are the things I think I'll want to remember most about this particular season in my life.

So there you have it. It's time to say goodbye to Here's Looking At You, Kid and hello to something new, something fresh. I hope you'll stick around and please be patient while I edit and renovate. :)

Snapshots of Summer

2011-06-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

Summer in Vancouver is all about lazy days at the beach with my favorite girlfriends. Sipping root beer and eating sushi. Laughing. Lots and lots of laughing. Staying up late and sitting under the stars. Planning road trips. Gushing about boys (mine's the best, hands down!). Buying pretty sundresses to wear on dates with the boys we gush about. Eating gelato. Going to farmer's markets. Soaking up the sunshine and breathing in the sea breeze.

I heart summer. I heart my city. Ain't no city like VanCity. ♥

What are some of your favorite summertime things to do in the city where you live?

xox

sweet dreams

2011-06-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, my sweet Mister works for a Silicon Valley-based company. He has to travel down to California several times a year to help with major projects at the head office, and sometimes he's gone for weeks at a time. Cue collective "boooooooo!"

I've been eyeing this on Etsy and I want to get it for him as a goodbye present the next time he has to leave -

It's a pillow that looks like a postcard, and you can personalized the message and the address. Adorable right? And it's extra cute that it's a pillow, because we always send each other a "Good Night, Sweet Dreams" text message. But here's my dilemma - I don't know if it's too cheesy a gift for a guy. I'd think it was the cutest thing ever and would show it to everyone ... but boyfriend? Not so sure. It might just hang out at the bottom of his suitcase. What do you think?

Thoughts please xo

confessions of a lame blogger ...

2011-06-14T12:41:00.001-07:00

Okay, okay - I have been the world's most suckiest blogger ever! I'm sorry I neglected you, lovely little blog of mine, but that's what happens when life gets exciting and busy and full of good things. My days have been so full that when I get home, I can barely manage to brush my teeth nevermind come up with an entertaining post. But I'm back and I promise to try my very best to be a better blogger for the rest of the summer.

'Cause, ya know, I kind of like you blog. We've been friends for a long time and I'm not ready to say goodbye. So let's work this thing out, okay?

So, in a nutshell, here's what's been going on the world of Stephanie recently ...

I finally got to visit both Steveston and Deep Cove - two touristy, super sweet towns that I'd heard lots about but had never gotten the chance to see for myself. We sat on the pier in Steveston and looked for seals (they didn't come visit - boo!) and we ate honey glazed doughnuts in Deep Cove. They were both great and I can't wait to go back, but Horseshoe Bay remains my favorite.

I went to a Grease-Sing-Along at the Rio Theatre over on Commercial Drive with two of my favorite girly girls. You haven't lived until you've sung "Beauty School Drop Out" with a theatre full of people at two in the morning. Seriously. Best time ever.

My roomie got engaged!!!! So excited for her. A spring wedding is in the works.

I was treated to a fantastical, amazing, uber-delish meal at Boston Pizza. This may not seem like a big deal to you, but if you know me and know my love for Boston Pizza you understand why it's totally blog-worthy. Fettuccine jambalaya, be still my heart.

I let Boy drink from the same Starbucks cup as me and I didn't even flinch. That's love, folks. (Again ... if you know me and know how hardcore I am about drink-sharing and germs, you'll understand why this is a major relationship milestone)

I've been ridiculously tanned since the end of May and I didn't even try. Yup. Be jealous chicas.

My Mom and my Nana just booked flights to visit me! They'll be arriving in late July and I couldn't be happier. It'll be so nice to have some quality "family time" all together.

So all in all, life on the west coast is good. Scratch that, life on the west coast is GREAT. Not perfect, not 100% stress-free, not a completely bump free ride ... but great. Know what else is great? YOU. Ha. :)

Hope you're all having a good week

Cupcakes on Commercial ...

2011-06-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

It was not supposed to be a day about food. It really wasn't, I swear. It was suppose to be a shopping day. The goal was bargains and good finds and the focus was jewelry and cute skirts. If you know anything about my life, though, you know that inevitably every day turns out to be a food day. I must have magic abilities because no matter where I am or what I'm doing, delicious treats just seem to magically appear. Sure enough, as Marcy and I were wandering in and out of thrift shops and cute boutiques over on Commercial Drive this afternoon, we stumbled across this -

Cassia Cupcakery. And of course we just *had* to go in. Afterall, cupcakes and I go waaaaaaay back. My mom says my first word was "mama" but I'm pretty sure she got it wrong and that it was actually "red velvet". I've since grown to be quite the cupcake connoisseur and my friends have even nicknamed me the Cupcake Queen. It's a title I take quite seriously and it's my duty to investigate any and every cupcake shop I come across to make sure they're dishing out nothing but the best. So into Cassia Cupcakery we went.

Flavors included coconut, lemon chocolate, mint, peanut butter, Oreo cookie ...

... And of course RED VELVET (my all-time fave)

They also serve cookies but, really, who orders cookies when you're in a gourmet cupcake shop? Not me, that's for sure. Marcy ended up ordering a vanilla white chocolate cupcake and I debated between their gluten-free, vegan chocolate one and the vanilla coconut before eventually settling on (what else?) red velvet. Moist and fresh, I enjoyed every bite but I was a little disappointed that the icing wasn't made of cream cheese. Boooooooo. Clearly, these folks need to get their cupcake-baking butts down to the deep south to learn how red velvet's done. Just sayin'.

Their red velvet may need some work, but Cassia Cupcakery did get some things right. The decor was cute and the little stands that the cupcakes are displayed on were absolutely adorable. The flavors and prices were clearly identified and the shop was clean and tidy ... no cupcake crumbs lurking about. I would have liked to have seen more creativity in their flavors but I understand that they offer different flavors each day so I guess it was just a case of bad timing. Even though it's not a necessary part of my diet, I was pleased to see that they offer vegan and gluten-free options. I think I'll try one of those gluten-free chocolate ones next time 'round.

Overall, they weren't the *best* cupcakes I've ever had in my life but they were good enough. Would I make a special trip over to Commercial to get some? Probably not, but I'll definitely pop in again next time I'm in the neighborhood.

Cassia Cupcakery, 1706 Commercial Drive. Visit their website here.

What's your favorite cupcake flavor? And while you're at it, lemme know what makes a cupcake shop "pop" for you?

xo Stephanie

books on a rainy afternoon

2011-05-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing today is one of those wet, misty, cloudy days when Vancouver decides to remind its dwellers that she is a temperate rain forest. Rainy days are reading days in our apartment, and I've got a stack of new books to read. Nonfiction, New York Times bestsellers, theological musings, biographies.

The books on my Summer 2011 reading list include ~

1. Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates

(started reading but had to return to the library; will continue reading later this summer. I was so sad to have to give it back, it was soooooo well written!)

2. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

(currently reading, will probably finish this evening)

3. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

4. Room by Emma Donoghue

5. Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin

6. The Secret Life of Dresses by Erin McKean

7. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

8. When God Goes To Starbucks by Paul Copan

9. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

10. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Have you read any of the books on my summer list? Any other titles you recommend I add?

xox

lessons I learned in the storm ...

2011-05-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Portland, OR. It was a wonderful & much needed time away with two of my favorite couples from church. We had a blast shopping, eating, touring, laughing, talking, sharing and just letting loose. I definitely consider this trip a blessing ... it came 'round at just the right time.

I'll share more about my trip later this week, but first I want to thank you for keeping me in prayer over the last few days. They've been some of the hardest days I've had to walk and it's meant a lot to know that there are people out there thinking of me and sending up prayers for me. I've learned a lot over the past two weeks.

I learned that relationships aren't always smooth sailing. Sometimes, things will happen and situations will arise that will challenge everything you've ever believed about soul mates, love and happily ever after.

I learned that God knew what He was talking about when He whispered the words of 1 Corinthians 13 to the apostle Paul ... love IS patient. Love IS kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking and it is not easily angered. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always believes, always perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS.

I learned those words are easy to quote but quite difficult to apply. I learned they're worth applying.

I learned that sometimes the people you expect to step up and comfort you ... don't. Sometimes they totally let you down. Sometimes the people you expect to care the most don't seem to care at all.

I learned that sometimes the people you don't expect to step up and comfort you ... do. Sometimes angels appear out of nowhere. Sometimes difficult situations like this make you realize who is really on your side.

And, at the end of it all, I realized that I have a wonderful life. The Lord has blessed me with one of the most caring, loyal, devoted men on the face of the planet ... he is more than I could ever have hoped for. I have amazing friends who have become my west coast family and are truly irreplaceable. It's not a perfect life, but it's a wonderful life. And from here on out, that's what I'm choosing to focus on ...

xox

A little break ...

2011-05-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

Hello sweet blogging friends of mine,

This past Sunday was incredibly difficult for me. I was completely blindsided by something so big that my heart was shattered into a million little pieces. I did not see this coming. I was not prepared. I am, to put it bluntly, temporarily broken.

I have some really tough choices to make over the next few days and I am not looking forward to making them. Your prayers would be much appreciated during this life trial.

I've decided to take a break from blogging to give myself time to process all that has happened and to truly give myself the space and privacy I need to heal. I'll be missing in blogging action until my return from Portland on the 18th ... and possibly longer. I'll try my best to keep up with all your blogs, but no promises :(

Thanks for lifting me up in prayer. I believe I belong to a God who loves me and Who is anxious and more than willing to carry me through this. That is such a comfort.

xxoo

And the princess wore lace ..

2011-04-29T11:59:00.001-07:00

Soooo ...did you watch it?! Did you watch it?! I sure did. We turned our apartment into Royal Wedding Headquarters last night, setting up camp in our living room. We dragged a mattress into the living room - along with tons of blankets, pillows and hot chocolate - and Katie, Xinxin, Marcy and I nestled in for a long night of wedding watching. I don't wanna brag, but I think us west coasters were the most committed. The footage started at 2am our time. We watched the entire thing, from guests arriving to the kiss on the balcony, and only fell asleep around 5am PST.

It was so beautiful. SHE was so beautiful. Proof -

That dress ... gosh. Be still my heart. I am such a sucker for lace and definitely want some on my wedding gown, so watching her step out of the limo in that stunning dress was a thrill. She looked like a living, breathing, real-life princess. Oh wait. She is! :)

I'm so glad I got to watch this historical event with my west coast besties. We giggled, we ooohed, we ahhhed, Katie and I may or may not have gotten a little teary during the ceremony. Maybe I'm just a big hopeless romantic, but in a world where the news is all about war and crisis and destruction, it was such a pleasant relief to relish in the joy and hope of a young couple in love for a few hours.

I hope they are blessed with many, many happy years together. xo

hello again ...

2011-04-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

Oh you guys. YOU GUYS. I've miss you.

So I haven't posted in almost two weeks and I blame craziness at work, Easter and a total lack of creativity for my absence in blog-land. All that is about to change, though. Why? Because I will be purchasing a new digital camera very, very soon. No more photo-less blog posts ... no more begging Xinxin to bring her camera when we venture out on our city escapades ... no more seeing cool things and trying in vain to capture them with my cell phone camera. The race is on to re-enter the wonderful world of digital photography. Why the sudden rush? Because I've officially booked time off work and am going ON VACATION for 5 glorious days here ...

Beautiful Portland, Oregon. I don't know much about the city and I haven't a clue what I'll see while I'm there ... all I know is that I definitely want to swing by the famous Voodoo Doughnuts shop. Anything and everything else I come across will just be a holiday bonus.

This will be my first real west coast vacation & you have NO idea how desperately I need this. I leave on May 13th. Until then, wish me luck finding the perfect camera to capture my holiday adventures! :)

Wishful Gratitude ..

2011-04-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

No Wednesday Wardrobe this week, folks. I am bloated and gross and really not in the mood to look at myself in a mirror today - nevermind take photos of myself. If you must know, I'm wearing Lululemon workout pants, sneakers and my university sweatshirt. And my hair's in a messy pony-tail. Classy, I know. Whatevers.

Anyways, I saw this post over and was inspired. I'm a big daydreamer, but I also think it's important to acknowledge the blessings in your life. So, here goes ...

I wish I was an amazing cook who could whip up any recipe at the drop of a hat. I am thankful for good cook books, friends who are willing to act as "taste testers" ... and I'm thankful for take-out. Especially Thai take-out. 'Nuff said.

I wish I had more time to read books. I wish I could call in sick on a rainy Monday and stay in bed in my jammies, sipping tea and reading book after book after book. I'm thankful to belong to an incredible library that lets me renew books as many times as I need to until the book is read in its entirety.

I wish I had enough money in the bank to fly to New York for a day and eat dinner at Fannelli's in SoHo. You guys - I haven't had their pumpkin ravioli in 2 years and I am going through withdrawal. I am thankful to live in Vancouver and I'm thankful for all the amazing restaurants we have here. I'm thankful for all the dinner dates in my agenda for the next 2 weeks.

I wish the boy wasn't leaving for two weeks next month. I am thankful that he gets to go see his family and that he's actually taking time off work. He's such a workaholic; he hasn't taken a "real" vacation in almost two full years. He deserves this trip!

I wish every single person in my life could understand how blissfully smitten I am these days & I wish that they could just be happy for me without feeling a need to give advice/wisdom/reality checks. I am thankful for the friends and family who choose to share in my happiness.

I wish it were already summer. Long walks on the beach, eating ice-cream by the Sea Wall, visits from family, flip-flops. *happy sigh* I'm thankful for spring. Thankful for cherry blossoms and tulips and blue skies and birds chirping and Easter-time.

Wishful gratitude. It's a beautiful thing. What are you guys wishing for & grateful for this week?

xox

Southern daydreams ...

2011-04-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

I love living in beautiful Vancouver (see previous post for further confirmation of my love) but, I'll admit, I sometimes get "other-city-sick". I'm the kind of girl who tends to leave a little piece of her heart in every place she visits. There are days when I just get this longing in my soul to hop on a plane and fly to another city, just for the weekend, to soak up all the good things it has to offer. Right now, I am definitely, unquestionably, without a doubt longing for New Orleans.

Ah, New Orleans. Land of po-boys and pralines and sweet tea and Bourbon-braised ribs. That magical jazz wonderland where magnolia trees blossom and trolleys take you on leisurely drives through the Garden District. Home of the late great Louis Armstrong - really, need I say more? Do I know what it means to miss New Orleans? Yes, yes I sure do.

None of those photos are mine - click on the image to be taken to the original source. (That's right, I give credit where credit is due)

I'm not gonna lie - I am seriously considering a trip to New Orleans this fall.

I just miss it so much. :(

Do you ever get "other city sick"? If so, where does your heart pull you toward?

It's Pho good ..

2011-04-08T00:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I had one of those "could not ask for more" kind of nights. Usually, when a group of friends and I go out to dinner together, it's planned a week or so in advance. We all have pretty busy schedules and lots of evening commitments, so it takes time and effort to orchestrate a girls' night out on the town.

This afternoon, I wrote on a friend's Facebook wall that we should go out for Pho - aka absolutely delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. She sent me a text message telling me she was totally up for and we set a time to meet. A few minutes later, I got a text message from another girlfriend. "Are you guys really going out for Pho? Can I come?" ... Yay! Dinner with two friends. What a pleasant surprise.

As I was heading out to meet them, I got a phone call. "Hey, are people really going out for Pho tonight? 'Cause I've been totally craving it and I wanna come too!" Oh. My. Gosh! A spontaneous, full fledged girls' night! Bring it! :)

We ended up going to our favorite Pho place up on Sasamat street called Gold Train Express.

Gold Train Express

4530 West 10th Ave (corner of Sasamat)

We ate our soup, chatted, laughed, updated one another on life. When dinner was over, we were all having such a great time that none of us were ready to say goodbye ... so we headed over to Suzanne's and curled up on her couch and watched Walk The Line. Cue more laughing, some off-key singing, dancing, cartwheels in the hallway (seriously!) and a whole lotta fun. I love these girls so much. I love my west coast life so much. Oh, and I love Pho! It's just pho good! :)

"And these are the moments I thank God that I'm alive. And these are the moments I'll remember all my life. I found all I've waited for, and I could not ask for more."

Wednesday Wardrobe

2011-04-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm not a big fan of this photo 'cause I think I look a little bloated (I was!) but here's what I wore to Suzanne's birthday dinner -

Gray shirt - H&M, $20

White cardigan - Old Navy .. bought it years ago

Jean skirt - Winners, $20

Black tights - Christmas gift (thanks Ma!)

Purple boots - Winners, $45

I love the jean skirt/black tights/purple boot combination ... but next time, I'm going to wear a black cardigan instead of a white one. Oh and that brown belt? Not a belt at all. It's actually a purse strap that came with my new brown bag. Ha! Who would've ever guessed?!

And can we please discuss the cherry blossoms in full bloom! Gorgeous! I love springtime in Vancouver!

Dear MTV ..

2011-04-04T22:24:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine just posted this video on her Facebook page -

Watch it. Watch the whole thing. Trust me. It's powerful.

Human trafficking breaks my heart, and this video is an incredible representation of how human trafficking is such a large part of our culture & society. I loved the video and I don't want to take away from the message it's sending out.

But ....

I'm a little peeved that MTV, of all networks, helped produce it.

MTV - with their reality shows that focus on materialism and frivolous spending and wild nights at the club and "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" mentality.

MTV - with their video clips where women are parading around in nothing but lingerie and lyrics calling women "bitches" and "hoes" ... yeah it's censored, but we all know what's being said behind the beep.

I'm not an MTV hater. Really, I'm not. But it just strikes me as a little hypocritical, that's all. You may say I'm a dreamer (but I'm not the only one) - but I'm a firm believer that to make a real difference in the world you need to target/challenge people's attitudes and beliefs and their mindsets. As long as people are OK with women being portrayed as sex objects that are to be "won" and are easily discarded, there will be a huge market for sexual slavery and forced prostitution.

The video is great & I loved it & everyone should see it and share it ... but I think MTV missed the mark on this one, big time. Dear MTV - if you really want to join the fight against human trafficking, stop playing music videos that portray women as objects. And while you're at it, stop producing reality shows that teach tweens and teens that having the latest "it" accessory and living a big, glamorous life is the way to go.

Thoughts?

Wishful thinkin'

2011-04-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm a little obsessed with jewelry these days. And since I have a birthday coming up (on the 2nd of May - feel free to send me cards, flowers and presents, lol!) I thought I'd share some of the items that have made my birthday wish list this year ~

Layered Rose Pearl Necklace (in white) by Asian i Candy, $9.00

Bow Studs in red by Shop Le Mode, $10.00

Mango Coral Necklace by MNG at JCPenny, $39

Are you a big jewelery fan? If so, where do you find most of your treasures?

Serious about Sushi

2011-03-31T12:22:00.000-07:00

Fact: You cannot live in Vancouver and not fall in love with sushi. You just can't. Spare me the whole "but I don't like fish" spiel and just trust me on this. There are more sushi shops in Vancouver than there are McDonalds and with good reason - sushi in this city is da bomb. That's right, da bomb. *happy dance*

Last week, Xinxin and I decided to treat ourselves to some serious "sushi-ness" and we ended up here:

Tomokazu, 1128 West Broadway #201

All you can eat sushi. Be still my heart. ♥

{Caught in the act. Don't judge. Those udon noodles were amazing}

They had a really great selection and unbelievably quick service (we were served out first plate of sushi within 5 minutes of us sitting down). Everything we ate was delicious (especially the spicy tuna rolls!) and it was all really fresh. I also appreciated the fact that the restaurant was unbelievably clean and the tables weren't crowded together ... sometimes "all you can eat" places can get messy and noisy, but Tomokazu had a really classy ambiance. It's a great place to go for an intimate date night or an evening out with friends.

Next time you're craving a California roll or some tuna teriyaki, I highly recommend you check out Tomokazu. Just make sure you eat lightly all day to save room for the buffet!

What about you, fellow Vancouver friends? Where's your favorite place to grab sushi?

Wednesday Wardrobe

2011-03-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

"You're so vain ... you probably think this song is about you ... " That's the song I should be playing as I post this, because I'm feeling a wee bit vain today. With my 25 birthday fast approaching, I've been starting to pay more attention to style and fashion. I'll never be a supermodel and I'll never be able to afford designer clothes, but I *do* like to look my age. I do want to look "put together" and stylish. To help me achieve this goal, I've been reading lots and lots of fashion blogs lately especially this one by Sydney and this one by Elaine - two twenty-somethings who throw together the most adorable outfits!

One of the things both Syndey and Elaine do is take photographs of their outfits. I've been inspired to do the same. They do this on a daily basis, but since I don't have all that many clothes I'm only going to post an outfit once a week ... so welcome to Wednesday Wardrobe, folks.

Today's Wednesday Wardrobe is inspired by Neil Diamond's song, Forever in Blue Jeans. Here's what I wore to sushi the other evening -

jacket - Blue Notes, $45

jeans - Angel Denim (from Winners), $25

shoes - Steve Madden, $45

purse - Le Mode Accessories, $60

Spotted.

2011-03-27T21:03:00.002-07:00

I was walking home from church this afternoon when I noticed a C.S. Lewis quote etched onto a store window. "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only explanation is that I was made for another world."

I didn't have my camera with me, so I quickly pulled out my cell phone and snapped this shot. I love the fact that the photo I captured has the window display with clothes and shoes, and the reflection of a car, and then the quote reminding us that none of these things ... not the fancy clothes or the cute shoes or the luxury car ... will ever be able to satisfy us. It was a reminder that I really needed today. I am not defined by anything in this world. Rather, what makes me whole and what truly completes me is my faith in what I know is waiting for me on the other side.

If anyone is interested, there's a beautiful song by Brooke Fraser that opens with that CS Lewis quote. You can hear it here.

Happy Sunday! xo

Spring Things ♥

2011-03-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you all, but I am *so* glad that springtime is here. Here on the west coast, 'tis officially the season of capri pants and light spring jackets and chirping birds and (my favorite part!) cherry blossoms. The days are longer and warmer and London Drugs already has its big Easter display up. Spring is here!

I've been daydreaming about spring things all week long and have begun to compile a list of things to do over the next few weeks ~

Paint Easter eggs
Buy a bouquet of tulips for myself, just because
Spend a Saturday morning jogging along the beach
Make surprise Easter baskets with lots of chocolate for both Xinxin and Alan
Buy a "springy" shade of nail polish color like mint green or lavender purple
Dye my hair a new color for spring/summer
Buy a pretty dress to wear to the Resurrection Sunday service
Reorganize my closet and get rid of all my clothes that don't fit anymore
Get caught up with my scrapbooking
Accomplish at least 3 more things on my 24 List
Plan a killer birthday bash for my 25th
Continue to practice my Mandarin & be able to say one full sentence by summer
Go for brunch with friends on Commercial Drive
Dinner date at Epicurean - yum!
Spend one last winter wonderland weekend in Whistler before all the snow melts
Take time to stop and smell the roses - literally :)

Do any of you have plans for springtime?

welcome spring

2011-03-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

So, what do you get when you take a beautiful Sunday afternoon ...

... add a group of sweet girls (plus one baby) ....

... throw in a group of rowdy boys ...

.. and leave them to wander along Vancouver's gorgeous seawall ...

You get one fantastic kick-off to spring, that's what!

After church on Sunday, nine of us decided to make the most of the day. We ventured downtown for some "all-you-can-eat-sushi" and then grabbed cupcakes at the cupcake shop next door for dessert. Then, we proceeded to stroll along the absolutely breathtaking seawall. The seawall, for those of you who don't know, is a stone pathway that surrounds the perimeter of Stanley Park. On one side, you've got the ocean ... on the other, you've got Stanley Park. It's such a peaceful and pretty place to stroll. Oh, the seawall ... yet another reason why I ♥ Vancouver!

xox

random reviews

2011-03-19T15:15:00.001-07:00

Fact - I am a sucker for good commercials. Fact - I go through beauty phases, and I am currently in the "I want my skin to glow like a halo!" phase. Is it any wonder, then, that when I saw this commercial last week I desperately wanted to go out and buy the cleanser right then and there?

I managed to restrain myself (I *am* on a budget you know) but I just couldn't get it out of my head. I'm not kidding - I literally thought about that silly cleanser all week long! Last night, I finally made my way down to London Drugs and "invested" in the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser, the Morning Burst Glow Moisturizer with SPF 15 and the Makeup Dissolving Foaming Cleanser.

I have to admit that I was never a big fan of Clean & Clear. It was *the* brand to be using in high school but I always preferred the cheap coconut-scented products from Wal Mart. My sister swears by their Daily Pore Cleanser and has been using it for years but I always just assumed their products were for acne-prone skin and my skin is tends to be dry, not oily. For this reason, I was a little hesitant to splurge on Clean & Clear products but I'm so glad I did!

I'm only on Day 2 of using my new goodies but I'm already hooked. I LOVE the smell of the Morning Burst cleanser - oh my gosh, it smells like heaven! No joke. And it leaves my skin feeling all soft and silky. ♥ LOVE ♥ I'm also quite a big fan of the makeup dissolving foaming cleanser. I used this one by L'Oreal in the past and it's really great too but it's way more convenient to have the cleanser come out as foam straight into your hands than it is to have to pour liquid cleanser onto a face cloth. Less laundry makes me happy! I also want to mention that I got the dissolving makeup remover in my eyes several times while washing last night, and it doesn't sting or hurt at all.

I know this is a bit of a random post, but I just get so excited when I find fun products and I wanted to share.

What does your skin care regimen consist of?

on alert.

2011-03-11T09:35:00.001-08:00

This morning I was woken up to the sound of my phone ringing. It was a text message from my mom - "Tsunami alert for Vancouver. Expected to hit around 10am. Please turn your radio on and stay safe." If a message like that doesn't jolt a person out of bed, nothing will.

I immediately logged into Google News and read the reports of the horrific earthquake in Japan. And, at the end of one article was this image -

Tsunami Advisory.

Estimated Tsunami Arrival Times.

And my city is there, with a yellow line straight through it.

I think my heart stopped for a few seconds when I saw that. There are no words.

As the morning went on, the reports became a little clearer and although the Tsunami Advisory is still in effect, the city of Vancouver isn't expected to be affected in anyway (there are still some concerns for Vancouver Island, though). I'm breathing a little easier at the moment but my heart is just broken for Japan. I was terrified knowing we were "on alert" ... I can't imagine how terrifying it must be to actually experience a disaster like the one they just experienced. My thoughts and prayers are with the Japanese today.

xox

uh oh.

2011-03-09T12:51:00.001-08:00

Maybe it's the wet, rainy weather we've been having.

Maybe it's the lack of Starbucks.

Maybe it's that I'm just feeling kind of frivolous this morning.

Whatever the culprit, when I spied this photo on one of my new favorite blogs, I'm Clothed Much, I just about died right here in my seat. IT'S SO GORGEOUS. Classic. Elegant. Chic. Stylish. It's a city girl meets rural charm kind of purse. *So me* Or, at least, *so the me I dream to be*.

Photo from this post, no copyright violation intended :)

I had to have it. I just HAD to have it ....... so I bought it. A few clicks, and voila! It's on its way to me as we speak. (OK, well no, not exactly. They do need to process and ship and all that jazz. But it's coming soon-ish!)

I haven't splurged on an impulse buy like this in awhile but in all fairness, I *do* really need a new purse. Mine's getting a little tattered and torn. And this purse was just sooooooo pretty and it was a reasonable price and it's just soooooo pretty - oops, did I mention that already? My bad.

And, you know, because I was paying for shipping anyway I also bought these cuties:

The fact that these earrings and the purse will look great together was a total coincidence, I swear. Now if only I could find a pair of matching shoes ....

(Kidding. Sort of. Not really.)

Happy Wednesday loves!

xoxo

40 Days + 40 Nights ...

2011-03-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

... without my beloved grande, non-fat, no-whip white chocolate mocha from Starbucks!

I don't usually give anything up for Lent. I am definitely NOT a believer in asceticism (aka rigorous self-denial and self-imposed suffering) and I actually think that kind of approach tends to lead us away from God's grace rather than pull us toward Him so it's a philosophy I try to steer clear of altogether. For the past few weeks, though, I've felt a little nudging in my heart telling me it *might* be a good idea to let go of something for Lent this year. And not just anything. Something very, very, precious to me .... Starbucks.

*excuse me while I bawl my eyes out and take a moment to compose myself*

OK. Here's the thing. As crazy as it sounds, Starbucks is a big part of my everyday life. It's where I grab lattes before work. It's where I meet up with friends for girl talk and impromptu counseling sessions. It's where I go when I need "down time" or when I need "quiet time" or when I need "me time" or any time, really. All this time I spend at Starbucks isn't necessarily a bad thing - I mean, there are FAR worse things I could be doing - but it does add up. Those $5.85 lattes add up financially and the calories add up health-wise. And all that time. *sigh* The time subtracts from time I could be spent doing other, way more important, way more meaningful, way more productive things.

Lately, I've been thinking about what would life look like if ...

I took my time getting ready and had a nice, quiet Bible devotional each morning instead of rushing out the door to make sure I catch the earlier bus so I can swing by Starbucks before work?
I baked pastries at home, from scratch, and ate them at my kitchen table in the morning while staring out at the mountains instead of grabbing them at Starbucks and eating them on the go?
I invited my girlfriends over for a cozy, homemade brunch at my place instead of just arranging to meet up at Starbucks?
I could have more honest heart-to-heart's with my friends over coffee without having to worry about eavesdropping strangers?
I donated the money in my monthly Starbucks fund to a worthy charity?

What if Starbucks went back to being an occasional, once-in-a-blue-moon, "special" thing instead of an everyday thing?

So, for the first time in pretty much forever, I am giving up something for Lent. And, if I'm being honest, it's not really about the Starbucks. It's about being more intentional in my relationships, being wiser with my finances, being more health-conscious and slowing things down a little. It's about simplifying life, at least for a little while.

Have any of you ever given up anything temporarily? Was it easy for you, or did you count down the days until you could do it/eat it/drink it again?

-xoxo-

2011-03-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?

Closed your eyes and trusted ... just trusted?

Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?

Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, "I just don't care!"

It's only half past the point of no return,

The tip of the ice-berg,

The sun before the burn

The thunder before the lightening

And the breath before the phrase ...

Have you ever felt this way?

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?

Your whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone?

Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?

Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?

It's only half past the point of oblivion,

The hourglass on the table,

The walk before the run,

The breath before the kiss

And the fear before the flames ...

Have you ever felt this way?

Have you ever wished for an endless night?

Lassoed the moon and the stars, and pulled that rope tight?

Have you ever held your breath,

And asked yourself "will it ever get better than tonight?"

Tonight ...

Have you ever felt this way?

------------------------------------------------

I'm not usually a big fan of Pink's music, but this song just absolutely pulled at my heart strings. So simple. So poetic. So pretty. You can listen to it here.

xox

what love does ...

2011-03-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

Being in love makes you realize crazy, random things.

It's true.

Last weekend I was sitting in my living room, minding my own bees-wax, watching Say Yes To The Dress on TLC when out of the blue - WHAM! BAM! It hit me. Total light bulb moment, followed by a ~~major~~ minor nervous breakdown.

"Ohmigosh, I totally can't get married anytime soon!!! I haven't found a Vancouver hairdresser yet! Who would do my hair for my wedding?"

I wish I was kidding, kids, but that exact thought really did cross my mind.

I've been living here over a year now, and I hadn't stepped foot in a hairdressing salon because, frankly, hairdressers terrify me. You know how some people are with doctors or dentists? That's how I am with hairdressers. I'm always worried they won't know how to handle my Caribbean curls (which, trust me, is usually the case) and that they'll do something stupid (like cut out huge chunks of hair) which will take me YEARS to grow out. It's not that I'm vain -OK, maybe just a bit - but in all fairness, curly hair is ... well ... it's unique. It's high-maintenance. And it requires love and care from somebody who knows what they're doing if you don't want to end up with a giant frizz ball on the top of your head.

Anyway, inspired by love I decided it was time to bite the bullet and find a hairdresser in my new city. I did A LOT of research online and got some referrals from friends, but in the end I decided to try a place right around the corner from me called The Room Hair Salon. It appealed to me because it's a smaller salon, which usually means the staff actually take the time to get to know you and offer you personalized service. Compared to some of the other salons I was considering, The Room's prices were pretty reasonable and they offered all of the services I was looking for. And, last but not least, they assured me that they could handle my curls. They were worth a shot.

I had my first appointment there this morning. I had only booked for a wash and blow-dry because I wanted to make sure they were good before I let them anywhere near my curls with a pair of scissors. My hairdresser, Danielle, turned out to be fantastic. She was friendly and professional, and the scalp massage she gave me was TO. DIE. FOR. I ended up making a second appointment to go see her for a trim and highlights at the end of the month. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful (no pun intended) friendship, folks.

So thank you, Boy, for unknowingly giving me the kick in the butt I needed to get out there and find a new hairdresser. I'm ready for a proposal now, you can proceed at any time. :)

blog-aholic

2011-03-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

It's a slow day at the office which means I have lots of time on my hands to catch up with reading the new posts on all my favorite blogs. And, in case you've never checked out my "Blogs I Read" list, I have A LOT of favorite blogs. Food blogs, blogs about fashion, home decor blogs, craft blogs, book club blogs, my friends' blogs, blogs about faith, etc etc. It's getting a little out of hand.

I'm going to force myself to do a little bit of virtual purging this weekend. And I'm going to keep track of my blog reading with all with this fantastic new website I just stumbled across called Bloglovin'. It's pretty much the best website in the world for a blog-aholic like myself.

Follow my blog with bloglovin

So, what are some of your favorite blogs? Do share! Blog inspiration isn't something to keep all for yourself. :)

Oscar fashion

2011-03-03T12:29:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a little late with this, but I wanted to post my favorite "looks" from the 2011 Oscars last week. I watched the entire show for the first time ever with my friend Marcy and it was a blast. We munched on snacks, attempted to predict winners and giggled at some of the more outrageous speeches (the infamous F-bomb dropped by Melissa Leo was priceless!). My favorite part, though, were all the pretty dresses. I'm a big sucker for ball gowns and evening wear. I would wear my prom dress to work every single day if I could. Here are my top picks from last night -

Reese Witherspoon wearing Giorgio Armani Prive ~

(I especially liked her hair ... this photo doesn't do it justice, but it was very 50's glam)

Hailee Steinfeld wearing Marchesa. ~

(Can you believe she's only 14?! What a stylish kiddo.)

And my pick for best-dressed has to go to the amazing Natalie Portman who wore a beautiful maroon gown by Rodarte ~

I think she looks like a Moroccan princess! And how cute was her acceptance speech where she thanked her fiance for "giving me the best role of my life?" Adorable. (She's very pregnant, in case you couldn't tell so the best role of her life will be being a Mommy, of course.)

I'm not gonna do the whole "worst dressed" thing because that's just mean. But I will say this - when I go to the Oscars, I'm gonna wear a big sparkly purple gown. Or maybe a pink one. Or a gray one. Or maybe I'll just buy several and do little wardrobe changes in the bathroom during :)

xox

oh, hello March.

2011-03-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

{Print from Integrity Studio Etsy Shop}

Is it really already the end of the first week of March? Seriously? For reals?? Somebody tell me how THAT happened. Maybe it was just me, but February seemed to have breezed right on by. Next thing you know, the cherry blossoms will be blooming and it'll be Easter ... then my birthday will roll around ... then summertime will be here ... then we'll be celebrating Canada Day (or 4th of July for those of you south of the border) ... then ... OK, OK. You get the point. But wow, time flies.

There are so many things I'd like to do this month. I'd like host a Saturday morning brunch for some of my closest girlfriends. I'd like to bake a raspberry pie. I'd like to spend a weekend with my sister doing outdoorsy things like skiing and snow-shoeing before the lush winter wonderland that is Whistler officially disappears for the year. Oh, and I'd like to buy my new fancy schmancy digital camera so I can get back to photographing + blogging about what I love most - my delightful west side neighborhood and my life in the city!

What are your goals for March? Better make 'em soon, the month will be over before you know it!

How To Throw A Cupcake Party ...

2011-02-26T17:31:00.000-08:00

1) Create some cupcake signage ...

2) Decorate and make things look pretty ...

3) Bake lots of yummy flavors including: Root Beer, Latte, Cookies 'n Cream, Red Velvet, Lemon and Peanut Butter ...

4) Invite the sweetest girls you know ...

Today was my cupcake tasting party that has been in the works for well over a month. About a dozen or so of my favorite west coast ladies showed up for some girl talk, giggling and (of course) lots of cupcake tasting! I did most of the baking myself and had told the girls they didn't need to bring anything to the party except themselves. My friends are so sweet + thoughtful that they showed up with things to share anyway including milk (thanks Marcy!), chocolate milk (thanks Rhoda!), lemonade (thanks Anwen!), lemon cupcakes (thanks Laura!) and red velvet whoopie pies (thanks Lynda!). I am so blessed to have such amazing friends. We had so much food to go around that even after all the tasting, we still had enough left over to allow each girl to bring some 3-4 cupcakes AND we'll be bringing a dozen cupcakes to church tomorrow for the kids. Talk about a success!

Everybody had a great time, and we're already talking about our next tasting party ... we're thinking a "pizza tasting party" with different pizza toppings.

Happy Saturday everyone! xoxo

I ♥ My 'Hood

2011-02-22T23:52:00.000-08:00

I am completely in love with this song + video clip ...

Laurell is a local Vancouver artist and she's incredibly talented. That music video was filmed in my neighborhood ... seriously, that beach is just minutes from my apartment! Whenever I see photos or videos of my 'hood I pinch myself because I still can't believe I get to live here. Give me sandy shores and blue skies over Times Square and the subway system any day! If you had told me 3 years ago that I would make that kind of a statement, I would've told you that you were off your rocker. But it's true. I am now a west coast beach bum through and through.

Mostly, though, I love this video because it pretty much represents exactly how I'm feeling these days. Giddy. Blissfully happy. Hopeful. Butterflies in my belly. Smitten. Blessed.

"I can't get you out of my head, I'm getting ready to fall over you, you're sticking like glue ... yeah, I want you all to myself." ♥

Life as a Grown-Up

2011-02-20T15:02:00.000-08:00

When I was a little girl, I used to beg my Mom to buy me the "cool" band-aids with Disney characters on them. She never did. Her reasoning was that the Disney band-aids cost twice the price of regular band-aids and regular band-aids work just fine. No matter how much I pleaded or pouted, expensive cartoon band-aids were a major "no go" in our home. We were spoiled with lots of other things in childhood, but I could never get Mom to cave where overpriced band-aids were concerned. She would always come back with "when you're a grown-up and you have your own money, you can spend it on whatever you want."

Fast-forward twenty years later, and I'm living on my own in my own apartment with a full-time job. I'm in charge of my own bank account and you had better believe there are Disney band-aids in my medicine cabinet! :)

Life as a grown-up. Gotta love it.

Dinner Party Dishes

2011-02-15T12:50:00.000-08:00

I got a beautiful Valentine's Day card in the mail the other day from my sweet Momma and along with a little love note reminding me how adored I am she also included a gift card to Winners. Winners, for those of you who are just starting to get to know me, is pretty much my favorite store on the face of the planet. I could (and often do!) spend HOURS just browsing through their selection of clothes, photo frames, artwork and shoes - oh! The shoes. You know, about 3 weeks ago I was in Winners and I found a pair of black Stuart Weitzman heels for $70 and they were a perfect fit and I didn't buy them and I am STILL regretting it.

*sigh* But this post isn't about shoes. It's about dishes. I used the gift card my Mom sent me to buy these beauties -

Aren't they lovely?! When I moved into my apartment, my roommate and I had very little in terms of dishware and furniture so everything we acquired was second-hand. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - we not only managed to furnish our entire apartment for next to nothing, but everything pulled together really well and the decor is cute. Our dishes, though, are kind of bland. They're off-white with a light green rim ... practical, but not particularly stylish. My intent was to use the Winners gift card to buy some new jeans but when I walked into the store and saw this dish set, my heart was smitten.

I bought a set of 4 plates and 4 bowls. Yes, it was a bit of a splurge but I just love them and I love the idea of serving my guests on pretty dinnerware. I'm already planning the menu for a little dinner party in the very near future. :)

Have you splurged on anything recently?

♥ Happy LOVE Day ♥

2011-02-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I've been listening to love songs on repeat all day long. The song currently playing is A Whole New World from Aladdin - "tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?" I'm such a sucker for love songs. They make me all giddy and happy and, if they're REALLY good, they give me goosebumps and make my cry.

But enough about that. It's time to announce the winner of my Starbucks giveaway ...

Comment #4 belongs to Ginger. Yay! Congrats Ginger. Send me your address (mail it to stephaniejoanna {at} live.ca) and I will get your gift card in the mail. I love giveaways, I need to host them more often.

I hope your Valentine's Day is a good one, full of candy hearts and hugs and lots of meaningful I love you's. ~xox~

It's A Perfect Day for Starbucks

2011-02-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

Oh dear. I am very behind on the 30 Day Blogging Challenge. Very, very far behind. I guess I'm just not cut out to be one of those bloggers who can come up with a witty, clever post every day. So, to make up for my lack of blogging abilities and because Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I'm gonna send some love your way and give one lucky winner one of my favorite things in the world ...

I want to treat you to Starbucks! (And by "treat you", I really mean send you a little gift card in the mail since most of you don't live in Vancouver). I am crazy in love with Starbucks and I am crazy in love with Vancouver because no matter where you are in this city, there is literally a Starbucks right around the corner! It's amazing.

Soooooooooo for your chance to win, just leave a comment telling me what your favorite Starbucks drink is (mine's a grande non-fat, no-whip white chocolate mocha).

I'll randomly select a winner on Valentine's Day (aka Monday) around 7:00pm PST. Good luck!

xoxo

thoughts on pride

2011-02-07T19:09:00.000-08:00

Prompt # 9 was to write about something you've done in the past few days that you're proud of. I'm almost ashamed to admit this but .... I've got nothing. Nada. I've been sitting here reflecting on the past few days and nothing springs to mind. It's not that I've got writer's block ... it's that I honestly, truly cannot think of anything I've done recently that I'm proud of.

I guess I could blame it on the fact that the past few weeks have been pretty uneventful. With a few exceptions, my days have recently consisted of getting up, going to work, coming home, making dinner, doing housework and going to bed. Maybe I'm crazy, but when I think of things to be proud of I tend to lean toward life-changing decisions and moments of bravery ... not washing my dishes after a meal and getting into bed at a decent time. When people ask me what I'm proud of in my life, I tend to think of items crossed off my Bucket List not items crossed off my weekly "to do" list. Lesson - it's hard to take pride in the mundane tasks of life.

So that's my goal from here on out ... to take the time to be proud of the little things. To congratulate myself for being responsible and buying the plain bagels that were on sale instead of the delicious-looking cinnamon raisin bagels that were three times the price. To give myself a pat on the back for only hitting the snooze button twice this morning instead of my usual four. To feel satisfied at the end of my work day when all the necessary emails have been sent and all the urgent phone calls have been made.

Pride in the little things. That's what I'm working on.

confessions of a list-a-holic

2011-02-06T12:13:00.001-08:00

If you know me well, you know I'm a girl who loves lists. I have lists everywhere - on my fridge, on my desk, scribbled on napkins and scraps of paper, peeking out of books and crumpled at the bottom of my purse. I make "to-do" lists, lists of things I want to buy, lists of songs I want to download, lists of books I want to check out of the library, lists of people I need to send emails to. Long lists, short lists, detailed lists, random lists. I love 'em!

If you think I'm exaggerating, here's a snapshot of my desk at work:

See the lists everywhere? And those are only the ones that have to do with my job.

The prompt for Day 8 of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge was to write about short terms goals you've set for yourself this month. For an obsessive list maker like myself, this prompt was easy peasy! I'm *way* ahead of you, Challenge ... I made a list of short term goals on the 1st of the month. :)

Stephanie's Goals for February 2011 ~

1. Read Breakfast at Tiffany's = done. Movie was WAY more romantic.

2. Buy silver nail polish = done. Actually, I bought 2.

3. Host a cupcake tasting party = scheduled for the end of the month.

4. Make homemade Valentine's = Doing this today while I watch the Super Bowl.

5. Go running every morning before work = epic fail so far, I'm afraid. Epic fail.

Hope everyone is having a great Sunday. I'm still feeling pretty sick (boo!) so I'm skipping out on the Super Bowl party to watch the game at home in my jammies with hot tea and soup. I'm cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Go Green Go!

love love xox

Jesus ♥'s me, even when I'm sick

2011-02-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

Wow, folks. I am hardcore sick. What started out as a bad cold seems to have morphed into a ridiculous flu and so I spent the whole day today in bed trying my hardest not to pass out. Luckily,12 hours and a bowl or two of chicken noodle soup later and I'm feeling a wee bit better. Better enough to write a blog post at least.

The prompt for day seven was to write about someone/something who has had the biggest impact on your life. Immediately, I thought "well, Jesus of course." But then I started to second-guess my choice thinking people might find it too preachy, too awkward, too politically incorrect. I toyed with the idea of writing about my amazing momma, Wendy, who is seriously one of the greatest women to walk the earth and whom I adore. Look up "world's best Mom" in the dictionary and I bet you'll find her photo there. I thought of writing about my sweet boy who is stuck in San Fransisco for work (again!) but who took the time to go on a little road trip across the city and find the new Anthology magazine for me. He's a keeper, y'all. I could have written about my besties who make me laugh every day and who love me despite the fact that I'm bossy and stubborn. Or the college professor who taught a class on The Ethics of Art that made me fall in love with Dorothea Lange. Or my figure skating coach, or my sister, or my pastor, or my daddy - there are *so* many people who have left footprints on my heart.

But, at the end of the day, no one has impacted, influenced, changed, transformed and inspired me more than Jesus Christ. I don't want to get into my whole testimony because it's long and complicated and it would turn this blog post into a novel. Long story short - Jesus is at the core of every decision I make, every step I take, every value I embrace, every good thing that has come into my life. And as a result, to quote song lyrics from the amazing Brooke Fraser, "I am changing, less and less asleep. Made of different stuff than when I began."

Jesus, you make all things new. Thank you

catching up

2011-02-02T11:58:00.001-08:00

Uh oh ... I'm falling behind on the 30 Days of Blogging Challenge. I've got an excuse, though - I'm sick! Fever, achy back, sore throat, horrible cough, the works. *blah* I've been downing cough drops like candy and drinking orange juice like a camel drinking water in the desert, so hopefully I'm back to my usual perky self in a day or two. 'Cause really, being sick SUCKS. :(

OK, enough with the pity party ... time to play catch up!

First up, Day 4. The prompt was to write about a habit you wish you didn't have and trust me, there are MANY habits I wish I didn't have. I wish I didn't fall asleep with my makeup on as often as I do (pretty much every night if I'm being honest). I wish I wasn't so jumpy. I can't even tell you how many times my roommate has casually walked into the kitchen, said something to me and subsequently caused me to jump about ten feet in the air because she's startled me. It's starting to get really embarrassing. I wish I wasn't so competitive at board games.

Day 5, a picture of somewhere I've been :

When I lived on the east coast, we went to Maine every summer. Even though I now live just blocks from a Pacific Ocean beach, it's just not the beach to me. I've become a west coaster in many ways, but when it comes to the beach my heart is still very much on the east coast.

Day 6 - A favorite superhero & why.

So, confession - I am sooooooo not a superhero person. I didn't grow up watching Superman or Spiderman or Power Rangers or any of that stuff. I also never read any superhero comics, although I did have quite the Archie stash. In high school, I did watch an episode or two of Smallville so I'm gonna go ahead and say that Superman (aka Clark Kent) is my favorite because hello! Have you seen Tom Welling?? He can rescue me any day.

That's it for now! I'm still two days behind, but this post is long enough as it is so I'll continue playing catch up tomorrow.

xox

Mini Me

2011-01-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

Day three of the 30 Day Blogging Challenge, and the assignment was to find a childhood photo of yourself and post it. None of my childhood photos are digital and, since I don't have a scanner handy, that means posting them up on my blog isn't an option. I find manage to find one on my hard-drive, though. This one -

That's me and the amazing Reverend Dr. Anthony Bailey. He was the minister at the church my family attended as I was growing up until he left to go serve in Kingston, Jamaica. He now lives and preaches in Ottawa, Canada. And me? Those seeds of faith he planted have grown and continue to blossom. If I can impact the world even half as much as he has, I'll leave a happy woman.

Happy Friday!

xox

story of a blog name

2011-01-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

Today marks day #2 of the 30 Days of Blogging challenge and today's prompt is to talk about your blog name. My blog name is, obviously, Here's Looking At You Kid.

Many of you may recognize that line as a quote from one of my all-time favorite movies, Casablanca. For those of you who ~~have been living under a rock~~ have not seen the movie, the quote is made by Humphrey Bogart in a toast to the love of his life, Ingrid Bergman. Because I'm such a nerd, I actually did a little research and found out that the line (which is now one of the most famous movie lines of all time) actually wasn't written in the original screenplay. According to information collected by The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Bogart actually made the "here's looking at you, kid" comment as he was teaching Bergman to play poker off-set. Directors loved it so much they incorporated it into the movie.

As for me, I love this quote for so many reasons. I love it because it's sweet and affectionate without being over-the-top mushy. I love it because it's something I would say. I tend to call everyone "kid" regardless of their age. "I love that kid!" .... "I can't believe that kid!" ..... "Listen, kid ..."

I love it because my Dad isn't one to use terms of endearment (he's never called us "sweetheart" or "honey") ... but he does call us "kid". All my life, no matter how many birthdays I celebrate, I have always been and likely always will be referred to as "the little kid" by my Daddy.

I wish I had some heartwarming, fascinating story as to how this movie quote became the title of my blog, but I don't. I needed a blog name, I liked the quote and next thing I knew I was typing it in. I know it's not the most original blog name in the world & I've thought of changing it a few times but I can never bring myself to do it. This ol' blog just wouldn't be the same without my favorite movie quote up there.

So now I'm curious - what's the story behind YOUR blog name? If you're not playing along with the 30 day challenge, I'd love for you to spill the beans in the comment section below. Come'on, inquiring minds wanna know! :)

xox

30 Days of Blogging

2011-01-26T17:50:00.001-08:00

I stumbled across this fun challenged on Eva's blog, Lovers in a Dangerous Time. Basically the idea is to get to know your friends in blog-land a little bit better. Everyday, for 30 days, there are simple prompts that will get you writing about topics you might not usually cover in a typical blog post - things like habits you wish you didn't have, bucket lists, cravings, your day job, etc. It sounds like fun, so I'm joining in!

For day #1, the assignment is to post a recent photo of yourself and reveal 15 random facts. Easy peasy, right? Here is a recent photo of me (snapped about a month ago ... wait, is that recent?)... It was taken by the crazy talented Chelsea from CBR Photography.

And here are 15 random facts about me ...

1. I absolutely LOVE living in Vancouver and don't see myself moving anywhere anytime soon but, if I were to pack my bags and go, I'd probably move to London. Or Paris. Or Geneva. I would love to live in Europe someday, at least for a year or two.

2. Speaking of Europe, in university I applied to go on a student exchange to Geneva but pulled out at the last minute. Bottom line? I was a big chicken terrified of leaving my parents. That decision remains one of the biggest regrets of my life thus far.

3. I begin every day with a warm beverage - coffee, tea or hot chocolate, depending on my mood.

4. I am a history buff. I love reading historical novels, watching PBS documentaries, soaking up the facts. I even minored in history in university. In spite of all this, I'm absolutely terrible at remembering the dates of major historical events! I can remember the order that things happened and precise details of what took place, but the exact date? Forget it.

5. I can't wait to get married! :)

6. I can't wait to get pregnant! :)

7. My hair has been blonde, dark brown (almost black), red and every shade in between. Being a redhead was my absolute favorite. I'll be going red again one of these days.

8. I collect chandelier earrings (they're my favorite fashion accessory) and I refuse to wear necklaces because I think they make my neck look fat.

9. I cry every single time I watch How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.

10. I don't watch much TV these days but when I do plop down on the couch for some down time, I usually watch the Food Network or The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Don't judge me.

11. My favorite kinds of food are Italian and Thai.

12. My dream vacation is to go to the Santorini Islands in Greece.

13. I am known as the "cupcake queen" amongst my friends and can bake several kinds of yummy cupcakes. I have not, however, been able to conquer the art of icing and almost always end up using store-bought icing.

14. I'm the kind of person who washes her dishes immediately following a meal and can't fall asleep at night if there are still dirty dishes in the sink.

15. I waste way too much time on Facebook. What can I say?! It's the perfect place to procrastinate! :)

If you want to play along, just take a look at the daily prompts (Eva posted them all on her blog) and write your little heart out!

xox

I'm having a party...

2011-01-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

... no, it's not a birthday party. It's not a holiday party or a special occasion party or anything like that. It's a "let's just have a good time for the sake of having a good time" party. It's a "come one, come all, the more the merrier" kind of party. It's a "let's stuff our faces" party.

It's a cupcake tasting party.

I've been wanting to host a cupcake tasting party for a VERY long time but I just never got around to organizing it. Well, the time has finally come and the date is set for late February. I plan on baking at least 5 different kinds of cupcakes from scratch, having little voting cards where my guests can vote for their favorite and cute little take-out boxes to send them off with a cupcake or two to enjoy later. This afternoon, I did a some online shopping and purchased these goodies for my party from The Cupcake Social store on Etsy -

Zebra-print cupcake liners

Red paper straws

Black damask cupcake liners

Choosing cute liners to bake my cupcakes in was easy. Actually choosing the recipes I'll be baking isn't quite as simple. Root beer cupcakes and red velvet cupcakes are a must. Chocolate and vanilla are always popular choices, but they're kind of boring. Lemon cupcakes could be cute. Peppermint? Peanut butter? Coconut? Cherry, cookies 'n cream, lime, fudge, caramel, Irish cream? I've got a headache just thinking about it. Thank goodness I've got a month to narrow it down!

What kind of themed party would you like to host someday?

dreaming of a fireplace mantle

2011-01-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

My friend Meaghan has a fireplace in her bedroom. This makes me ridiculously jealous because I LOVE fireplaces and to have a fireplace in the bedroom of all places would just be a home decor dream come true for me! The real kicker, though, is that her fireplace has a mantle and on the mantle she has, among other things, a large framed black and white photograph of Miss Audrey Hepburn taken during the filming of the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. *Oh, be still my heart.*

I've been daydreaming about my own fireplace mantle - which, mark my words, I will someday have even if I have to buy one of those "fake" fireplaces from Home Depot - ever since and trying to decide which black and white photo I'd embellish it with. Today I was browsing through blogs and stumbled across a post by Roxy on photographs taken from the New York Times (see here). One thing led to another and I soon found myself on the New York Times Store website where you can actually buy "exhibition-quality" prints of photos that have appeared in the newspaper throughout the years. Being the proud New Yorker at heart that I am, I immediately fell in love with several of the shots especially the one of the Brooklyn Bridge at night, taken in 1971 by John Soto (here). Unfortunately, the print sells for $199.00 and that is just WAY out of my budget.

Luckily, I've taken some pretty great shots of New York over the years and London Drugs will blow up a photo for less than $20. I'm leaning towards having this one blown up to 11 x 14" and putting in a simple white frame -

It won't grace a fireplace mantle anytime soon (boo!) but I'm sure I can find a temporary home for it in my living room. Maybe I'll even pick a few favorite travel photos and make a cluster of photos, like this -

Photo Credit - Mekorah.com

I could put the taxi photo in the middle and then four smaller photos from other cities I've visited on either side. Don't ya just love it when you find creative ways to get the decor look you want at more than half the price?!?

If you're looking for creative, inexpensive ways to showcase your photos, I found this post really inspiring! Photos are such a great way to decorate a place and make it "yours" without dropping a small fortune and if you happen to change your mind a lot (as I do) you can just print out new photos for a whole new look! Love it.

Snooki Confessions

2011-01-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

Let's begin this rainy Tuesday morning with a few confessions, shall we? I sometimes fall asleep with my makeup on. I'm on a mission to try and eat fruit for breakfast each morning, and have convinced myself that Strawberry Pop Tarts totally qualify. And, last but not least, I've got a bit of a soft spot for this crazy, fist-pumping, big-hoop-earring-wearing, self-proclaimed Guidette ~

Photo Credit - US Weekly

I don't watch her hit television show, Jersey Shore, although I've seen a few snippets of it here and there. I don't agree with very much that comes out of her mouth. I think it's a shame that she and her friends believe getting smash drunk and "hooking up" with random people is a fun way to spend a summer. And I definitely don't think that the show is an accurate portrayal of people from New Jersey. But, all that aside, I LOVE the poof.

"The what?" you ask. The poof, my friends ... Snooki's signature hairstyle. It's like a ballerina bun meets a 50s beehive meets a mountain of hairspray. I must be a child of the 80s, because I *LOVE* it. For the past few days, I've been trying my best to emulate the poof effect but, with my thick curls, the look is obviously different. (And by "different", I really mean epic fail. It just winds up looking like I've got a ball of tangles on the top of my head.)

OK, lovies. Your turn to 'fess up. Make me feel better about my makeup habit and my fruit delusion and my poof obsession by sharing your own random confessions.

♥ Stephanie xo

a home for my books

2011-01-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of reading lately and now have books scattered everywhere. There are books on my floor, books on my desk, books on our coffee table in the living room. There are books in the kitchen, books in my closet, books in the hallway. (OK, no, there aren't really books in my hallway ... yet) Today, I was looking around at the literary chaos and thought to myself, "Self .. you REALLY need a bookcase."

I've been keeping an eye on Craigslist and have strolled through Winners and the thrift shops in my neighborhood, but I haven't found anything that really catches my eye. Sure, I've found bookcases but they're either not the right color or they're too big and bulky or they're just downright ugly. I want something that looks great in our apartment and matches the rest of the decor. I want something practical, but not boring ... something stylish, but affordable. Something perfect. Turns out perfect is a hard thing to come by, so the search continues.

I'm starting to doubt that I'll ever find the ideal bookcase (at least, not one that falls within my budget) so I decided to google "book storage" for inspiration. And wowza - inspiration overload!

That's pretty much my dream living room right there .. pink sofa, lots of pillows, simple bookshelves on the wall. Love it.

I love the artsy look of books piled on the floor, but when it comes to my own personal space I think I'd prefer to have my books lined up on a proper shelf where I can see the titles clearly and not have to search through things to find the book I'm looking for. Plus, I'm so clumsy I'd probably trip over the books on a daily basis. I do, however, love the idea of having huge art prints in my reading/library area. Note to self: I must get on Etsy later tonight to find some good ones!

Love the idea of having just a few books piled neatly on a little cake stand like this, with a candle or small statue on top. I think this would look super stylish on a bedroom dresser or a coffee table. I might do this with a 2 or 3 of my books. Unfortunately, though, I still need to find storage for about 65 other books! :(

How do you store your books? Do you have them all on a bookcase, or have you found a creative way that works for you? Please share - I'm desperate!!

Photo Credits ~ first photo unknown (sorry!), second and third photos from Apartment Therapy, last photo from The Chic Line (amazing blog, one of my faves!)

Perusing The Cheese Aisle

2011-01-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

"After you've arrived [at the cheese counter] it can be a huge leap to actually decide on a particular cheese to buy."

So says Laura Werlin in her book, Cheese Essentials ... a book which has become essential to me in my quest of becoming a cheese connoisseur. (See this post if a "what the heck?!" look just popped up on your face). Now, I'll be honest. When I read that line, I stifled a little laugh. I mean, really. A huge leap to decide which cheese to buy? Is she serious? It's cheese shopping, people, not house hunting. Cheddar or swiss ... white or orange .... how complicated can it be? Answer: Complicated.

I braved the cheese section at Choices Market the other day. I didn't realize I was "braving" it until I walked over and was bombarded with an assortment of 60+ cheeses. I took a deep breath and jumped in, checking out the different labels and trying my best to look like I knew what I was doing. I knew I was nowhere near ready to venture into a gourmet cheese shop but, in my naivety, I assumed that having read 100 pages in my guide book, I was prepared to face the cheese aisle of a grocery store head on. It's one thing to read about cheese in a book ... it's another thing to have it sitting there in front of you with a lofty price tag. (Side note: Who knew cheese was so flippin' expensive?! Call me crazy, but I consider $29.95 for cheese a major investment and not something to be taken lightly!! Turns out cheese shopping is like house hunting after all ...)

In the end, I settled for Havarti because 1) I just finished the chapter on fresh cheeses and Havarti is a fresh, semi-soft cheese and 2) it was the cheapest option.

One cheese down, hundreds more to go. Take that, cheese aisle.

PS - If you've got any good recipes using Havarti, send 'em my way!

how do you measure a year?

2011-01-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

How do you measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife? In five hundred, twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes ... how do you measure a year in the life?

- lyrics from RENT

A year ago, I boarded an Air Canada flight with a one-way ticket and flew across the country to begin a whole new life. I realize that sounds incredibly melodramatic, but it's the honest truth. I moved to this lovely city by the sea for a variety of reasons but, at the end of the day, my intent was to spread my wings of newly-discovered independence and "make it" on my own. I left behind everything I was familiar with ... my friends, my family, my day-to-day life ... and took a chance at something new. When I landed in Vancouver on that rainy, foggy evening I knew I was in for a crazy adventure but I had no idea just how much the next 365 days would transform me.

I am not the same girl I was a year ago. I've learned so, so much - about myself, about the people around me, about faith, about God, about life in general. From the big to the small ... learning to navigate around a new city, learning to do the Slumdog Millionaire "Jai Ho" dance, learning how to balance a budget ... a year later, I now look back at every moment and every experience with gratitude and pride.

I look back at my year and I can't believe some of things I was blessed to get to be a part of. Singing the national anthem on a bus full of strangers when Canada won gold in men's hockey during the Olympics, driving down the Sea to Sky Highway on a cool summer evening with the wind blowing through my curls, long walks along the beach, early morning coffee dates and fine dining with friends ... this is the stuff chick flicks are made of, folks!

Oh, it wasn't always peaches and cream. To those of you still living at home with your parents, hear me on this - having your own place and your own life is NOT all cute home decor and cupcake baking. I wish I had used this blog more often to document the struggles I encountered and the homesickness I often felt. Regardless, I can honestly say that I'm thankful even for all the not-so-awesome moments as they made me a stronger person and showed me how brave and determined I can be in times of trial. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it in a heart beat.

2010 was all about learning experiences and seizing new opportunities, and I hope to keep that momentum of personal growth going in 2011. In addition to eating more cheese, I've added a few more goals to my list of things to accomplish in 2011. My list of resolutions is now as follows ~

1. Become a cheese connoisseur

2. Cook or bake a total of 36 new recipes + use my cookbooks more often

3. Read more poetry

I'll keep you all updated on how my resolutions are going as the year progresses. My word last year was "trust" and it turned out to be completely appropriate as I learned to trust God, others and myself. My word for 2011 is going to be "love".

I'm going to measure my life in love. ♥

cheese and other goals

2010-12-30T15:22:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I told a friend of mine that my only goal for the new year was to eat more cheese.

I was munching on a slice of cheddar at the time and my comment was more of a joke than a serious reflection of what I wanted to do in 2011 ... but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it really would be fun to eat more cheese. After all, I like eating cheese and I live in a city full of gourmet cheese shops. It wouldn't hurt anyone (except, perhaps, my waist line) to get into the habit of eating cheese on a regular basis. As I pondered this, I began to realize that I really don't know much about cheese other than the basics: you put mozzarella on pizza, cream cheese on bagels and feta cheese in Greek salad. If I was going to eat more cheese, then I might as well invest some time learning about cheese, right? Being the kind of girl who enjoys approaching things with a "go big or go home" attitude, I decided that if I was going to eat more cheese and learn about cheese, then I might as well learn everything and anything there is to know about cheese. And, with that, my goal of becoming a cheese connoisseur was born.

Earlier this week, I used some of my Christmas gift money to buy a book on cheese (Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials) and have been happily reading about fresh cheeses, semi-soft cheeses, wash-rind cheeses and the like ever since. In fact, I'm getting into this whole cheese thing so much that I think I'll take myself on a little weekend trip to a dairy farm in the Okanagan Valley this spring. Maybe I'll host a few wine & cheese nights or, better yet, start my own cheese tasting club! The options are endless here people and I do believe there may be a tiny cheese obsession brewing.

I know becoming a cheese connoisseur is a completely random goal to have and I'm well aware that you probably won't find "eat more cheese" on many resolution lists. But you know what? It makes me happy. The idea of eating lots of yummy cheese and learning all about it, as crazy as that sounds, makes me deliriously happy. And, at the end of the day, isn't the whole point of a resolution to make the new year a happier one than the year gone by?

I'd love to know what resolutions you all have - especially if they are as random as mine! And if your list is full of ~~oh so boring~~ traditional resolutions like "lose 10 pounds" and "pay off debts" then I hereby challenge you to add one crazy, just-for-fun, makes me happy resolution to your list. I guarantee it will end up being the first one you cross off as successfully accomplished! :)

xo

Happy Christmas

2010-12-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

Well, folks - it's here. I am officially on holiday for 12 glorious days and will be heading to the airport bright and early tomorrow morning to catch my flight to Montreal. I've decided to take some much needed time away from the computer and won't be blogging again until boxing day (at the earliest) so I wanted to wish you all a very merry & wonderful Christmas before I log off. I hope you get everything you wish for this Christmas & are able to enjoy quality time with people you love. My wish for you this season is that the peace and joy of the Savior fill your heart and overflow into all aspects of your life.

Christmas blessings to you and yours, from me and mine :)

xoxo

more sneaks ...

2010-12-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

I'm so stoked about how these turned out, I just couldn't wait to share ...

All photos by CBR Photography (see previous post)

love, love, love 'em! xo

sneak peek

2010-12-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

To celebrate my weight loss and the fact that I've survived (and thrived!) during my first year living in Vancouver, I booked a photo shoot with Chelsea Roisum of CBR Photography. The idea was to snap photos of me around my neighborhood to showcase and celebrate my fabulous west coast life. Chelsea was sooooooo awesome to work with; I really couldn't have asked for a better photographer. She was loads of fun and made me feel totally comfortable and her photos are just gorgeous! Here's a sneak peak ....

That photo was taken down by the beach, right near my church. You can see some of Chelsea's favorite photos from our shoot here. (And yes, those photos were taken in December ... on Saturday, to be exact! As you can see, no snow here)

Be sure to leave her some love and let us know which one is your favorite. :)

xox

book thoughts ...

2010-12-17T12:32:00.001-08:00

Not too long ago, I had a friend over at my apartment for the first time. I gave her a quick tour of the apartment and left her to wander about for a few minutes while I prepared some tea. When I came out of the kitchen, I found her standing in my bedroom carefully scanning my bookshelf.

"I have this theory that you can find out a lot about a person by the kind of books they read," she told me without looking up.

"Really?" I asked, intrigued. "So what do my books say about me?"

She pondered this for a moment before answering:

"You're all about food, God and dating."

I had to laugh because her analysis was right on the money. I forgot all about her theory and our conversation until I ventured into the "Teen" section of Chapters yesterday to pick up a Christmas gift. I haven't been in the teen section of a bookstore in years - not because I think of myself as too old to read a book aimed at teenagers, but because my basket tends to be loaded up with novels before I can even step out of the "New Releases" section. The last time I made it to the teen's section, Babysitters' Club books were still bestsellers and Harry Potter was just a character in a novel, not a multi-million dollar franchise.

Needless to say, stepping into the teen section was quite a shock. Not a single Babysitters' Club book in sight ... it was just row after row after row of vampire novels with dark covers and titles written in red font made to look like blood. I grabbed the gift I was searching for and got the heck out of there 'cause, honestly, it creeped me out.

I'm not against vampire novels. I'm really not. I'll admit that I've never read any of the Twilight novels (or any other vampire series) so for all I know they are totally wholesome, uplifting wonderful works of literature. All I'm saying is that there was something sad about seeing the whole the teen section looking so dark and depressing and grotesque.

To cheer myself up, I picked up this book on my way out of Chapters ....

The Christmas Chronicles (aka the Autobiography of Santa Claus). The book begins like this: "You're right to believe in me. Oh I know it's hard sometimes. There are always people eager to tell you there isn't a Santa Claus, that I'm just a story made up long ago ..." I read that and was hooked, so this will be the book I read on the airplane next week.

Anybody else doing any reading over the holidays? And what are your thoughts on the whole "you are what you read" theory?

-xox-

December (so far) ...

2010-12-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

Well folks, we've officially hit the one week mark. This time next week, I will be getting cozy in the home I grew up in surrounded by my precious family. The last time I was in Montreal was back in April and even though I've seen both my Mom and my best friend since then, I'm definitely ready to get on that plane and fly east.

As excited as I am to spend the holidays with my family, I've really enjoyed my first Christmas season here in Vancouver. I thought I'd share some photos of my magical December (so far) ....

This cute pink tree was an early Christmas gift from Jen & Roland

St. Paul's hospital downtown, all decked out in holiday lights with a huge nativity scene.

Snacks at my Tree Trimming Party

Baking Christmas cookies with my church girls

Cold, rainy days call for hot Asian soup!

slowing the pace

2010-12-11T18:16:00.001-08:00

I recently read that quote on a blog and it really struck a chord with me. From the 1st of December until the moment I fly back to Montreal on the 23rd, my schedule and calendar are just booked solid with dinner and coffee dates, parties and meetings and last minute Christmas preparations. Christmas has always been a busy time of year for me, but this year it's just INSANE how many things I have going on. Take this week, for example - Monday was the last women's Bible study before Christmas, Tuesday a group of us girls had a Christmas cookie baking party at Jen's, Wednesday another group of us went shopping for Christmas presents for the families in need our church is sponsoring, Thursday I had a dinner date with some friends and Friday a group of us went to the Vancouver Christmas Market downtown. When I woke up this morning and thought about all the things I still have left to do, I knew I was going to have to pick and choose. As much as I want to do everything and see everyone and take it all in, you can only run for so long before your body demands a well-deserved break.

So, tonight, I chose to skip out on a Christmas party and instead stay home in my jammies, sipping tea and honey and listening to Christmas carols on the radio. I'm also thinking about all the random things that have me rejoicing these days ...

I am rejoicing in the fact that I had friends over for dinner last weekend and walked into my kitchen after we'd eaten to see Alan washing my dishes for me. He washed each and every one. If you know me well enough to know how neurotic I've become about dishes being washed immediately following a meal, you will understand why this simple act meant so much to me.
I am rejoicing in the fact that I have such a generous, kind-hearted boss who finds great joy in showering his employees with words and acts of gratitude. I received my Christmas bonus last week. It's vulgar to talk about money (or so I've been told) so I won't go into great detail ... but let's just say, my Christmas bonus has essentially paid for my entire trip to Hawaii.
I am rejoicing in the fact that I have found such a wonderful friend in Xinxin. Nobody can replace my friends from Montreal and the bond I share with them, but after living in Vancouver for almost a full year it is so wonderful to have a west coast bestie too. Yesterday we were on the bus and somehow we got on the topic of marriage and weddings. She asked if she'd be a bridesmaid at my wedding. I answered "of course, absolutely!" ... and I meant it. I know those kind of friendships aren't easily formed, and I am so grateful that I've found such a great friend so soon.

So if you, like me, have been rushing around frantically trying to get everything checked off your holiday to-do list, I encourage you to take an hour or two this weekend for some quiet time of reflecting. No matter how hard life is, you can always find a thing or two worth rejoicing if you just take the time to ponder it. :)

love + holiday hugs, Stephanie

Deck the Halls

2010-12-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are some photos from my Christmas Tree Trimming Party last week. Xinxin took most of the photos with her camera but she's been busy with final exams and hasn't had a chance to send them over to me yet, so you'll just have to make do with the few shots I snapped on my camera ...

We drank Eggnog and hot chocolate

We cuddled and laughed

We admired all the little ornaments, some new .. some from my childhood

... and, last but not least, we posed by the tree. :)

Even though it's been tradition to put up our tree on the 1st of December, when I lived at home it was usually just my Mom and I who decorated. This was my first time throwing an actual party to kick off the season and it was such a blast. In fact, it was *so* much fun that I'll be turning this Tree Trimming Party idea into an annual event!

xox

All Greek To Me

2010-12-03T23:15:00.001-08:00

Tonight, a group of my friends and I went out for dinner here ...

{ photo credit - Waqas Ahmed }

Stepho's Souvlaki Greek Taverna is, according to many, *the* Greek restaurant in Vancouver. Popular among both tourists and locals, it's located right downtown, on Davie Street, and is known for its inexpensive but delicious souvlaki, pitas and lamb roast. I was really excited to try Stepho's, not only because I've heard so much about it, but because I rarely eat downtown. There are so many fantastic restaurants and cafes right in my neighborhood (Kitsilano) that there really isn't any need to venture across the Burrard Bridge into the downtown core to find good food. That being said, one of my goals for 2011 is to expand my foodie insight to all corners of the city ... and Stepho's downtown was a great way to kick-start that goal into motion.

From the outside, it certainly doesn't look like anything to write home about. Nestled cozily between a little convenience store and a sushi restaurant, it actually looks a little run-down. As my friends and I joined the queue of diners standing outside, I wasn't convinced that the 45 minute wait was going to be worth it. Luckily, once we stepped inside I was pleasantly surprised. They've made the inside of the restaurant look like a little Greek village with one half of the restaurant looking like a little house and the other half like a garden. The service was fast, our waitress was friendly and our food arrived about 10 minutes after we ordered it. I ordered the moussaka and it was very good - not the best moussaka I've ever had, but delicious nonetheless.

{ Grace, Bo and I enjoy some warm Greek bread }

So, is Stepho's worth all the hype? Yes and no. I loved the atmosphere ... the authentic decor, the Greek music, the jars of olive oil and the vintage wine display. I loved the checkered blue and white table cloths and the flickering candles and the little vases of flowers on each table. I would happily wait 45 minutes in line, on a chilly Vancouver evening, just to sit in a place that makes me feel like I'm in Greece. As for the food ... well, while I certainly liked and enjoyed it, truth is it's not the best Greek food I've ever had. Dishes at Stepho's average $7-$12 and you get what you pay for ... it's yummy, but it's not the creme de la creme. Will I go back? Yes, probably many times. Will it get my vote for best Greek restaurant in the city? Sorry, Stepho's, but no.

What's your take on restaurants with hype? Do you find they typically deliver, or do you usually leave feeling a little disappointed?

xox

Heart Full Of Happy

2010-12-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

Happy December, everyone! Last night was my fabulous Christmas Tree Trimming Party. I had a wonderful group of friends over, and we ate Christmas cupcakes (above) and gingerbread cookies and drank eggnog and hot chocolate. We laughed, we sang (well, Virginia and I did) and we decorated. My tree looks wonderful and I'll share more photos of the party later this weekend ... but, for now, I just wanted to share some of these thoughts that are on my heart today.

I am blessed. So, so, so blessed. Blessed to know such fantastic people. Blessed to get to call them my friends. Blessed that they care and love me for the crazy, Christmas fanatic that I am. Blessed to have found people who just "get" me. Blessed that they're all so thoughtful and generous and that they showed up with chai latte mix, apple pie and even a present for me to put under my tree. Blessed to have laughter (lots of it!) in my life. Blessed to have special people to celebrate with, both here in Vancouver and in Montreal. Blessed, y'all - that's what I am.

I've been telling people that more than anything else this Christmas, I just want to "get back to basics". I want to get back to the heart of the season and focus on what really matters. Lately, I've been forcing myself to ponder what is left when you strip away the commercialism and the expensive gifts and the overall frenzy of the holidays ... and I've been getting my answers, loud and clear. You're left with an infant King in a manger, born 2010 years ago. You're left with worship. You're left with showering people with kindness and love and quality time instead of (or in addition to) presents and cards. You're left with friends. You're left with family. And you know what? That's all more than enough to fill my city girl heart with happy.

~xox~

Christmas Sneak Peeks

2010-11-23T12:29:00.000-08:00

Let me just begin by saying that it is cold here in Vancouver. Very cold. Bleeping cold. Cold like I'm sitting here in my office wearing mitts and a scarf kind of cold. Yo, Mother Nature - did you miss the fact that we've got palm trees everywhere?! Take your freezing temperatures and your frost and your ridiculous wind chill elsewhere please. Brrrrrrrr!

Now that I've got that off my chest, I'd like to warm things up by sharing a few sneak peeks of my Christmas in the City tree. Obviously the tree isn't up yet but I have pulled out my box of ornaments in preparation. Here are some of my favorites:

New York City taxi cab, loaded up with presents. Love it.

(purchased at Pier 1 Imports)

Zebra print bulb because y'all know I love zebra print.

(Purchased at Pier 1 Imports)

And, I'm not gonna lie, this last one is my favorite ....

City skyline ornament, made by yours truly!

Last Friday night was girls' night and we decided to branch out from our usual routine of board games and chick flicks and make some Christmas crafts instead. I, being the self-proclaimed "Martha Stewart wannabe" of the group, was in charge of coming up with the craft idea. Turns out, making your own Christmas bulbs is easy peasy.

I bought some clear glass ornaments at Michaels and busted out my glitter, Sharpie pens, acrylic paint and self-adhesive rhinestones and bling. We all had a blast getting creative and everyone came up with really unique, clever designs.

That's it for now. I'm off to grab a coffee from Starbucks.

-xoxo-

The Chocolate Chronicles, part 1

2010-11-20T00:04:00.000-08:00

Xinxin and I are both foodies and every time we hang out together, our conversation always finds a way of shifting to food.

"Have you tried such-and-such restaurant yet," she'll ask.

"No, I haven't. I've heard of it, though."

"Oh, well we HAVE to go! Add it to the list."

"Consider it added. Oh hey, that reminds me ... have you tried such-and-such cafe?"

I'm not even kidding, this is how 99.9% of our conversations unfold. The list (and yes, we really do refer to it as "the list") is a continuously growing collection of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, delis, grocery stores and sushi bars that we have promised to explore together. One of the places on the list was Thomas Haas Patisserie. Xinxin is a big Thomas Haas fan, and when she heard that I'd never been it was one of the first things she added to our "must try" list. Then Lynda showed up at Grace's birthday party with a Thomas Haas crispy chocolate raspberry cake and goodness gracious it was "shut your pie hole" delicious! What really sealed the deal, though, was the ridiculous craving I've been having lately for French macarons. When I did a little research online and found out that Thomas Haas apparently has the best macarons in the city, I knew we had to cross this place off the list pronto. So a chocolate date was set, and this afternoon Xinxin and I braved the damp rainy weather outside to get lattes and dessert here:

Thomas Haas grew up and began his career as a culinary genius in Europe. He came to North America in 1995 and has worked as the executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons Vancouver Hotel and, later, as executive pastry chef at Daniel restaurant in NYC. He's appeared on Martha Stewart several times and was voted one of the top ten chefs in America by both Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines, so you know he's the real deal. Needless to say, with credentials like that, I had some big expectations for his patisserie.

Truth be told, it doesn't look like much from the outside. In fact, I've passed by here a bazillion times during my strolls down Broadway Street and I had no idea it was even there until I googled it to find out the address. But trust me ... once you step inside, it's love at first sight. Chocolates, truffles, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, macaroons, croissants, danishes, breads and scones all neatly showcased in clear glass shelves, each one calling out to me. I eventually chose a champagne truffle and Xinxin ordered almond mascarpone. And, of course, we ordered six French macarons in pistachio, chocolate and raspberry flavors.

The champagne truffle was delish, but the French macarons are what really stole my heart:

I'm not gonna lie - this place is just a tad bit crazy expensive. The $7 truffle didn't really surprise me as that seems to be the going rate for gourmet desserts here in Vancouver, but six macarons cost a whopping $9.99 .... and in case you can't tell by the photo, they are teeny tiny! Gosh.

Overall impression - Thomas Haas is definitely home to some absolutely fantastic goodies and I'll be back for more French macarons when I need an indulgent pick-me-up, but with such a lofty price tag I doubt this patisserie will become one of my frequent favorites. And that's probably a good thing, because I could seriously eat those macarons every day, all day, for the rest of my life.

Love + chocolate, Stephanie

xox

Gimme Gimme ♥

2010-11-19T14:54:00.001-08:00

For the past few weeks, I've been toying with the idea of a makeover. In a nutshell, I want to dye my hair, change my wardrobe and buy lots of cute stiletto heels. Reason? Well, I've lost 35+ pounds and none of my old clothes are fitting quite right anymore. As if that weren't reason enough, I just got a raise at work (helllllooooooo extra funds in my frivolous spending budget!) and there's a new year right around the corner so no better time for a make over than now! I guess what it really boils down to is that I'm now officially living this fantastic "grown-up" life and my university wardrobe of jeans and flip-flops and printed tees just ain't cutting it. I've been browsing fashion blogs this week in search of some fashion inspiration, and I'm totally in love with these finds -

Stella McCartney

I can totally imagine myself lounging around in this, sipping lattes. *sigh*

Badgley Mischka

I WANT this dress for my birthday party in May. I want it soooo much!

Club Monaco

This is totally appropriate for the office I work in & I love it.

I can't afford any of those items (boo!) and even if I could afford them I don't think I'd ever be able to justify spending $600+ on one piece of clothing. But I am serious about the makeover. It'll be great and it'll be done "on budget" - I promise, Mom! :)

~ xox ~

A Tree With A Theme

2010-11-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again - one of the most exciting parts of living on my own, away from home for the first time, is getting to create my own space and do my own thing. I love my family to bits and I sure do miss the creature comforts of my childhood home sometimes ... but, really, there is such freedom in getting to make my own decisions. Some of these decisions are important ones and take a lot of serious contemplating ... for example, do I buy or do I rent? Do I live in this neighborhood or that one? Do I sign a lease, or do I insist on month-to-month?

Other decisions, though, are much more fun and with the holidays right around the corner, I'm getting to make LOTS of fun decisions. In my family, we put our Christmas tree up every year on December the 1st - regardless of what day of the week that falls on. I'm the kind of girl who likes to ride the Christmas train as long as she possibly can, so I knew that this was a tradition I was going to carry with me into my new place. My tree's going up on the 1st and I have a whole group of friends coming over to drink eggnog and help me hang ornaments.

My mom sent me a box in the mail of some of my favorite Christmas ornaments from my childhood, but there aren't enough there to decorate an entire tree. So, tonight, I went ornament shopping. This one store had a whole floor devoted to Christmas goodies and they had a bunch of trees showcasing the ornaments and decorations available. Each tree was done up in a different theme and I decided right then and there that I wanted my tree to have a theme too. And I knew exactly what the theme was going to be - Christmas in the City.

Think lots of pink, purple, silver and gold. Think lots of bling. Think ornaments with skylines and city landmarks (Eiffle tower, Empire State Building, Big Ben, etc) Think teeny tiny shopping bags and shoes and sparkles and bling ... did I already mention bling?

I left with my arms full and I am *SO* excited for the party on the 1st.

I ♥ Christmas. I ♥ City Life.

It's the perfect theme for my tree this year.

xox

food for thought ♥

2010-11-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I was browsing through a stationary store when I stumbled across a card that said: This is your world. Shape it or someone else will. That card ended up coming home with me, and has been sitting on my window ledge by my desk ever since.

I have to remind myself on a daily basis that this is my world and by God's grace I am equipped to shape it. I know that I won't be able to fix all of the problems in my friends' lives, but I can listen and I can love and I can support. And, in doing so, I am "shaping" a tiny part of the world.

No one person can change the whole world, but we can all do our best to shape one little part of it. xox

missing in action

2010-11-11T18:10:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone!

I realize that it might seem as though I've fallen off the face of the planet recently but I have a VERY good reason for my lack of blogging this week. We've had a little problem at the apartment with ..... mice. Yeah. I know. We can all squeal "ewwwwwwwww" together right about now.

I wish I could explain the chaos that has been my life for the past 48 hours but there really are no words to do it justice. Let's just say, there was some hyperventilating going on and lots of tears and screaming and brooms banging. I spent the last two days sleeping on my friends' couches, and tonight will be my first night back in the apartment.

The good news is, traps have been set and the hole we found in the bathroom which was most likely their point of entry has been sealed off and nobody has seen any mice lurking about recently ... Bad news is, there were mice in here and the thought of mice in my home just grosses me out!

So there you have it, friends - city life isn't ALWAYS quite as glamorous as it may seem.

In the midst of all this, I'm trying to count my blessings. Katie and I have lived here for almost a year now and haven't had any kind of problems with unwelcome critters until this week. And we'll gladly take mice over bedbugs or rats or *heaven forbid* cockroaches. I'm feeling blessed that I have a friend who is a trained zoologist and who studied rodents in Costa Rica for a year ... she has been in and out of this apartment over the last 48 hours investigating and has assured us that all should be fine from here on out. I'm grateful to be surrounded by wonderful friends like Suzanne and Lynda have been so sweet and supportive. I'm fortunate to have had a place to stay when I was too traumatized and grossed out to stay at my own apartment. This could have been *SO* much worse.

I hope to be back to my regular posting soon! I have lots of crazy fun things coming up - a gazillion holiday parties, etc - and I still have tons of journaling from Shimelle's class to share. Fingers crossed that things go back to normal by this weekend.

xox

Kiss The Girl ♥

2010-11-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm kind of the happiest person on the planet today. Why? Because I am a huge Colbie Caillat fan (I was her "friend" and fan on MySpace long before she got a record deal and had her songs being played on the radio) and while perusing YouTube, I stumbled across the video clip above. Here's a little known fact about me - my favorite Walt Disney song is Kiss The Girl from The Little Mermaid. I know there are far more romantic songs in the Disney repertoire to choose from, but Kiss The Girl still holds my heart ... it must be the Caribbean in me! Anywhoo, Colbie's rendition of this song is so brilliant and I love the video clip too. I've been playing it on repeat and it makes me smile so much!

So indulge me - What's your favorite Disney song? I'm also a huge fan of You'll Be In My Heart from Tarzan ... and Strangers Like Me from Tarzan and Son of Man from Tarzan... and pretty much all the Tarzan songs, which is funny because I actually really did not enjoy the Tarzan movie! lol

kisses + hugs

xox

Sweet November.

2010-11-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

My digital camera is still broken and I am too busy saving my pennies for Christmas presents to buy a new one ... but this little inconvenience has made me realize that my cell phone camera can take some pretty killer shots. I snapped that photo this evening, while sitting at the Starbucks closest to my apartment, sipping an eggnog latte (they're back! 'Tis the season!) and reading fashion magazines. It was a lovely way to unwind after a busy day at the office.

November is off to a wonderful start. I know we're only 4 days in, but really - so far, it's been great! October was just crazy busy but November has crept in quietly, softly, and it seems the frantic pace of October is behind me. I'm sure when December arrives, I'll be overwhelmed with holiday preparations and shopping and trip planning ... but for now, I'm enjoying quiet evenings with people I love. It's really refreshing.

I was reading Kelly's blog today on my lunch break, and I definitely resonate with what she was saying. Happiness has hit me like a truck, too. Like her, my life is full of happy, with lots of "pinch me" moments. This autumn has reminded me that it really is the little things that make life so magical.

Little things like going to see Casablanca in black and white at the cinema with Grace, eating popcorn together and sitting there completely captivated by the wonder that is Ingrid Bergman. Little things like spontaneous sushi nights with Xinxin at our favorite sushi place on Sasamat Street, eating tuna tempura and swapping relationship advice. Little things like walking along Granville Street in the morning and seeing the fog lift, revealing the snow-cap mountains off in the distance. Little things like text messages from Jessica saying "je miss le you" and quiet evenings at Starbucks and grocery shopping at Meinhardt's Gourmet Grocery and listening to the same Duffy song over and over and over again. Little things like soaking in a warm bubble bath on a Sunday evening while watching Breakfast at Tiffany's on my laptop. (The laptop was on the bathroom counter, far away from the tub - don't worry! I didn't have it in the tub with me, lol).

Just random thoughts on my heart tonight. I hope wherever you are in the world tonight, you're feeling as blessed as I am.

sending lots of love your way

xox

Proof ...

2010-11-04T13:12:00.001-07:00

I feel like I'm falling behind in Shimelle's class which is ridiculous, really, because I'm reading the daily prompts and journaling a little each day ... but I just feel like I haven't been writing anything of substance. Certainly nothing worth sharing on the world wide web. That's why prompt #8 was such a breath of fresh air for me. It was all about using multiple perspectives to share a story ... using things like emails, Facebook messages, etc to capture "both sides".

As soon as I read the prompt, I knew what I wanted to do. I'm working on a page called "Proof that Vancouver is finally home" and my proof is going to be recent text messages on my cell phone. When I first moved here almost a year ago, I didn't know anybody. I didn't have a single friend. These days, when I flip through my cell phone, I'm amazed how many wonderful friends I've made in such a short amount of time. I'm so blessed! I don't just see random messages, I see messages from people who know me. People who care. People who want to spend time with me. People who live here, in Vancouver ... oh, and a best friend back in Montreal who I still send text messages to on a daily basis.

Here are some of the messages I'm planning to include -

10/07/2010
Kim writes - Girls night at my place tomorrow

10/15/2010
Lynda writes - Are you going to Michaels?? What time are you going?

10/16/2010
Suzanne writes - The sale you mentioned was at Urban Planet, right? Not Urban Barn?

10/20/2010
Dave writes - You know I got no love for office jobs!

10/21/2010
Xinxin writes - Do you want to have dinner with me? I'll cook something.

20/22/2010
Jen writes - What are you doing tonight? Wanna have dinner with me and Anwen?

10/25/2010
Jessica writes - Yeah it's pretty bad. It's the rock bottom of hot chocolate. Ewww, sorry! I wish I could've stopped you.

10/29/2010
Rhoda writes - Hey Steph! You have plans for tonight? How about an impromptu dinner date?

xoxox

Morning Routine #2

2010-10-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the layout I made with the journaling I wrote for prompt #3 ... I'm sorry the quality of this photo is so crappy, but my camera's broken (boo!) so I had to use my cell phone camera. I think you can still get the general gist of the layout, though -

I wish I had a better photo to share, but oh well. That will have to do for now. Maybe at the end of the class, I'll dedicate one blog post all of the layouts I've managed to do. Fingers crossed I'm able to have my camera fixed by then!

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. It was a beautiful fall weekend here in Vancouver, which was *such* an unexpected blessing since it rained all day, everyday, all week long.

xoxo

Sparkle On

2010-10-30T17:08:00.000-07:00

Remember how I said I was writing a letter to my Christmas tree for prompt #4 of Shimelle's class? Well, here is ...

Dearest Christmas Tree,

How lovely you look, all lit up with your pretty bulbs. I am *so* glad that I didn't let Katie talk me into getting one of those Charlie Brown trees. I just don't get the whole Charlie Brown thing ... the flimsy branches, the falling bristles, the whole "woe is me, I can barely hold myself up" demeanor. I don't see the allure. ~~Maybe~~ Probably I am just being materialistic in my belief that Christmas trees should be big and round and breathtaking and full of things that glisten and sparkle. But I'm also being sentimental. Growing up, we always had beautiful Christmas trees. They were the centerpiece of our living room for the entire month of December. We had special, personalized bulbs from "the North Pole" and lots of pretty homemade ornaments that Mom made in our kitchen. We'd tie little red ribbons to the end of the branches and cover the tree in silver icicle strings. My sister and I would take turns putting the angel on the top of the tree - one year she would do it, the next year I would it - and we'd often have arguments about whose turn it was to do the honors. We'd get hoisted up on Daddy's shoulders and carefully reach over, putting the angel at the very top of the tree. It was a big moment, seeing the tree all finished and looking whimsical. But anyways, the point is - it just wouldn't be Christmas without a beautiful tree. So thank you for being the beautiful tree that you are. I appreciate it.

Sparkle on,

xox Stephanie

A while ago, I found a photo of me at 5 years old, on my father's shoulders, reaching over to put the angel on top of my tree. I've been dying to make a layout documenting my childhood holiday traditions, but never got around to writing the journaling. I'm planning to use that photo of me plus a photo of this year's tree (my first tree in my first apartment) with that letter as the journaling.

I managed to squeeze in some scrapbook time today and made a layout about my morning routine using the journaling I came up with in prompt #3 ... unfortunately, my camera's not working at the moment so I'm going to have to wait until tomorrow to post it but I'm really pleased with how it came out! Looking forward to sharing it with all of you!

xoxo

PS - For those of you who are in the class with me and are wondering what I'm doing for prompt #5 (fill in the blanks) ... I've sent off a little Mad Libs survey to my bestie in Montreal, and she's going to be mailing it to me on a postcard with her answers. Then, I'll return the favor and mail her a postcard with my answers. Fun times!