Still workin', still treatin'

It's that time of year, you know the season full of weird weather, end of term panic, and—worst of all—the onslaught of students who have just realized that they are on the verge of failing. Oh, how I love the joys of grad student life.

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I was so happy that Ryan returned safe and sound after 3 weeks abroad (and the souvenir cookies are lovely too).

Round, round, get around, I get around...

I truly have a love-hate relationship with exercise. Once my heart is pumping, the endorphins kick in and life is good. Some serious problems arise when I can't actually do the workout (hello weird yoga poses and impossible ball exercises).

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I was so lucky to be able to fit in a weekend trip home to visit my family and some friends. Rather than driving, I opted for the most refined way to travel: the train. I also indulged with the following treats:

My mom and I revived these adorable rooster egg cozies from my childhood.

I was completely transported to Downton Abbey as I started watching the series on the train (credit).

It's the thought that counts...

In an earlier post, I mentioned that I was blown away by how my family and friends really made me feel special on my birthday. The notes and gifts were so sweet and incredibly thoughtful. All of them meant so much to me, but I wanted to share with you one of the cutest gifts I've ever received. 

Cooking for 1: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Like many of you, I absolutely hated the cafeteria food in residence. I eagerly awaited the opportunity to cook for myself after months of bagels and peanut butter (the only things that were edible). In my second year of university, I moved into an off-campus house with 4 amazing girls. Armed with my mother's recipes (e.g., homemade spaghetti sauce, baked lemon chicken), my first attempts at cooking had varied success. Two major issues arose:

February 29

February 29 only comes around once in awhile. My friend has his birthday today and he knows better than anyone that we should use this extra day to do things we wouldn't normally do. What a perfect day to treat yo self. Maybe you can't take the full day off, but life's too short to be a workaholic for 365 days (let alone 366). What are you going to do to mark this leap year?

Photo credit: here

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This weekend was tough for a number of reasons. I have to say that I'm not proud of my meltdown (thanks Gav for helping me out). Here are a few of the things that reminded me that I am one lucky girl:

The beautiful roses Ryan gave to me for our Valentine's Day are still going strong!

I happily watched as the park received a glorious blanket of snow in a matter of hours! I love the contrast between the greenery indoors and the white outdoors.

A year later

Sometimes I'm my own worst enemy. I tend to bully myself without even realizing it. Maybe this strategy helped to motivate myself in the past, but trust me it's not a great game plan for life.

Joe Beef for Valentine's Day

Ryan and I were both feeling sick and didn't have time to do anything for Valentine's Day last week. We wanted to mark the occasion, so we decided to stuff our faces this week at Joe Beef - a restaurant that's drawing international attention for its fine cuisine and non-fussy atmosphere. Apart from returning home like bloated whales, our evening did not disappoint!

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This weekend was mainly spent getting over a nasty cold/flu, but I managed to plow through tons of grading and to treat myself!

 Enjoying the last gasps of sunshine on a late afternoon walk with Ryan.

Celebrating birthdays of two friends (don't you love the circular message of the candles?)

Kid food for adults: Shake 'n Bake

Comfort food is exactly what we've been craving lately. I'm excited to share this recipe with you, but I can't take credit for Ryan's idea. It was so much fun (and tasty) to recreate a favourite from his past. Say it with me: "shake n' bake"! 

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Since I'm capping off another cra-zay week with non-stop meetings from 8:30am to 7pm, here are a few things that are keeping me going:

Trying Bumble and Bumble products when I treated myself to a long overdue haircut

Admiring the tulips still opening (a birthday gift that keeps on giving)

Are homemade burgers better?

This question came from my fiancé as we stood looking at the multitude of boxed burgers in the freezer section. Thinking back to a nostalgic time in my childhood, I recalled how my mom would mix ground beef and other tasty ingredients and form perfect patties with a little press. I've been trying to find new things to spice up our dinner menu, cut costs, and reduce the amount of packaging that we buy.  I've noticed a lot of restaurants and my friends are bringing sexy [burgers] back. So, why not?

We bought some nice extra lean ground angus beef (on sale) and away we went!

[More after the jump]

Wait, did I just turn 1 year older?

It was the perfect storm of sorts: all of my commitments culminated in back-to-back meetings over 3 days, 40 papers took 10 hours (instead of my estimate of 6 hours) to grade, I somehow painfully sprained my abdominal muscles in spin class, and I was supposed to celebrate the anniversary of my existence in the midst of it all.

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Sharing a decadent dessert (fried waffle with ice cream and caramel syrup) with 2 lovely ladies

Seeing happiness and inspiration in unexpected places

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A place for everything and everything in its place

1) OXO utensil organizer from the Bay
2) LUNS writing/magnetic board from Ikea
3) SLOM jar with lid from Ikea
4) Drinn wall mounted cell phone holder from Zone
5) Knape & Vogt spice drawer insert from Home Depot

I wanted to do a post showing before and after photos of some organizational projects I have on the go. Right now, the extent of the post would be before and midway. I'm having a little trouble... Unlike one of the bloggers I read, I cannot simply hire a personal organizer to tackle some of these issues. [Click to read more]

Kid food for adults: macaroni and cheese

Today is your lucky day because I've decided to share one of my prized recipes. When I moved out of residence for my second year of university, I asked my mom for some of her recipes and her homemade macaroni and cheese was on the top of the list. Over the years I've adapted it a little bit, but its essence is retained; it's comforting, wholesome, and delicious. [Click to read more]

Cabernets and Pinots and Malbecs! Oh my!

When choosing wines last week for a birthday dinner, I realized that I've reached that important stage in one's life when one ought to know a few things about wine. I believe my first education on the subject occurred while while watching "Sideways," see clip here (and, consciously or not, I've never bought Merlot since then). There's definitely room for improvement!

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Rub a dub dub

It's been such a busy week! My back was sore from all of the hours spent baking and cleaning. I just started a pretty intense exercise regimen, but I've also been spending a lot of time in front of the computer. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty tired this weekend. I've been searching for a spa or massage package from Groupon, but unless you are looking for botox injections, cellulite reductions, or helicopter rides (seriously, what is going on?), it really isn't much help!

I decided that I could make my own little spa getaway, right in the comfort of my own home. Welcome to the oasis. [Click to read more]

Let them eat cake! (updated)

Unfortunately, this won't be a post about how I made this magnificent cake pictured above. My experience baking yesterday should serve as a useful example of what you should *not* do on your quest to treat yourself and those nearest and dearest to you.

For every success in the kitchen, I probably have 3-5 near disasters.  My problem is usually 3 fold: [read on]

Inspiration boards

Lately I've been organizing my ideas with inspiration boards. Using websites like pinterest, one can create a "virtual pinboard," which is kind of like a scrapbook or bulletin board with digital photos instead of magazine clippings. I love being able to compile all of the beautiful images I've collected from web searching and share with family and friends.

Here are two colour schemes for our fall wedding that I've been considering. I've also been making inspiration boards for decorating ideas, home projects, and even recipes. I've really been inspired by the community of "pinners,"especially their pins of bold colours and contrasting textures.

This creative organization of my hobbies has influenced my approach to graduate research as well and I feel refreshed for the work ahead. Awesome.

Photo credits: here and here

Happy New Year

Winter is finally here, the holidays are over, and 2012 is in full swing! I'm excited about all of the events upcoming this year. We have some big birthdays coming up, my fiance is finishing his degree, and we have a wedding to plan. What a fantastic year ahead. Stay tuned!