A Saturday at the Park.

This weekend was one of those relaxing Beijing weekends. One of those weekends where it felt like I actually lived in this place and wasn't just a visitor or tourist. It felt routine and kinda like home. 

It sort of reminded me of some of my favourite weekends while I was living in Calgary. Waking up on a Saturday, grabbing a coffee, and spending the day outside reading/running/exploring in some of my favourite parks. This weekend, I checked out Yuyuantan Park in the western part of Beijing. My friend Amanda "went" to this park last year. I use the term "went" lightly because she didn't actually go INSIDE the park, but spent her day outside the park frolicking in the lilacs. Unknowingly. Until going home and talking to her boyfriend, she really thought she was in the park the whole time. So cute. And innocent. I remember Amanda telling me this story vividly over a Skype date last year, so I was really excited to go with her this year. 

We drank wine, we played cards, we ate so much food, and we napped. The sun wasn't really shining brightly as there was the usual light layer of smog covering the sky in Beijing that Saturday. But it was still a nice spring day, and I wore a dress, and I felt refreshed. I breathed easy. We honestly didn't really explore or walk around the park that much. We found a perch and we just sat and relaxed and laughed. 

Honestly, the park was kind of grey and worn down. Probably because of China air and because of all the people trampling around. And it definitely wasn't quiet between the karaoke beside us and the people everywhere. But it was nice to see different sights. And drinking wine in a park is just fun all on its own! It felt routine, and it felt like Canada...but then a Chinese family would run up to us and ask us to have a picture with them and I would quickly snap back to reality and remind myself that I'm the minority in this country. I'm a walking tourist attraction somedays. I stick out like a sore thumb. Someday, I want to run up to them and do the same...but I think the thought of it is more funny in my head then it would be in reality. Right? 

You Shall Not Pass!

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." - Gandalf (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring).

 

Ok, please don't roll your eyes when I say this...but until this past weekend, I had never watched any of The Lord of the Rings movies. Actually, I shouldn't say that. In high school I watched The Fellowship of the Ring at my best friend Sara's house. But, like every movie I watched at our sleepovers, I probably fell asleep. I honestly didn't remember anything about it when Jenny and Andrea suggested we watch the trilogy. Also, when they suggested we watched the trilogy I'm pretty sure their mouths dropped to the floor. I think there was mild disappointment on their parts from this revelation (as well as everyone else I've told since Sunday - yes Katie, that's you!) 

What did I think of the movie? .... AMAZING! But I didn't expect anything less. I CAN NOT WAIT to watch the next movie. 

Frodo and Sam and their "bromance" melts my heart.

I want Gandalf to give me advice everyday. My favourite quote from The Fellowship of the Ring is quoted above. Wow. Relevant! 

Can someone please explain to me how I waited this long to watch such an epic trilogy? K thanks.

Welcome to Dinner Night!

Since moving to Alberta, some of my friends and I have started a monthly dinner night ritual. These nights see a pair host dinner where they create a main course to share with 6 guests. The 6 other guests rotate between bringing dessert and beverages. The nights usually end with board games and other fun activities that tend to lead into a session of gut-busting laughter. Food, friends, and games...what else could be better? 

This weekend, Andrea and I were up to host dinner night. Before I go any further, I need to back track a bit about a month to Christmas 2012. For Christmas, Mom wrote out some of my favourite family recipes and arranged them into a book for me. What a special gift! So, I knew immediately that I wanted to make one of these family favourites for my friends. Meal of choice? Lasagna! And I don't think I've ever been so nervous to cook for a group of people. The meals we have had so far during these dinner nights have been outstanding! Homemade tacos (and by homemade, I mean EVERYTHING made from scratch - from the tortillas to the refried beans) and delicious comforting chili at another. Also, I was making a recipe I have never made before. Not always the best idea when hosting 6 people for supper, but with patience and by following the recipe exactly, I knew I could do it...(and with a little encouragement and reassurance from mother and father dearest!) 

 Good thing I read the recipe earlier in the week before making the lasagna on Saturday! Because to my surprise, I had to let the sauce simmer for 4 hours. I completely understand why this step is necessary - to help develop and marry the flavours together. So the sauce simmered, and simmered, was stirred and stirred, then simmered some more. In all honesty, this recipe is super simple, just takes time. 

Once the sauce is done, and the lasgna noodles have been cooked in boiling water, all that's left is to layer everything together. A little bit of sauce needs to be placed on the bottom to keep everything from sticking, then you layer noodles, sauce, cottage cheese, and mozzerella cheese, repeating until the pan is full. I made two layers. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 hour and you've got a gooey, delicious, cheesy main course. To go with the lasagna, Andrea made her mother's homemade caesar salad. The dressing Andrea made was to die for! Garlicy and creamy, it truly is a good thing we were all eating the same meal. Garlic galore. And it was a hit! 

I've really been enjoying these dinner nights. I'm getting to know new people, getting to explore the things I love (cooking and food!) and I'm getting to try new things. It's an affordable way to have fun in this large city! I Skyped with one of my good friends, Cara, yesterday. During our talk, we discussed how sometimes I feel like my life is stagnant and I'm not going in the right direction. When I told her about these fun dinner nights, she was amazing in reminding me that this is proof that I'm putting myself out there and finding new adventures. Sometimes it's hard to keep these things in perspective when you watch other peoples lives develop and change as well. But it's good friends like Cara that keep me level headed. And it's these dinner nights that keep me passionate and allow me to have fun!

My Weekend.

I had a good weekend, did you?

Friday night I went to a dinner party at my friend Jenny and Gary's. Gary made his homemade tacos, and they really gave me a new perspective on how delicious such a simple meal can be. He made the tortillas from scratch, as well as the guacamole, salsa, and refried beans (I LOVE REFRIED BEANS!).  My mouth is watering just thinking of all the flavours that exploded in my mouth. These dinner party nights are going to hopefully become a regular occurrence in my life. There is a group of 8 of us in total that will rotate dinner party duties once a month. Andrea and I will be hosting in the new year sometime, and I am really looking forward to having everyone over to our place where we cook for them. I love to cook, and I don't often get to cook and share my love for food with other people. I'm quite excited to partake in this routine and learn new things as well as share some of my own secrets.

On Saturday, Jenny, Andrea and I went to Banff for the day. Andrea's aunt filled us in on some Christmas events that were happening in Banff on Saturday and invited us to meet them there. Mainly, we wanted to walk down the shopping street (Banff Ave.) and check out all the cute little shops and stores, take in the Christmas parade, then have a nice meal at a pub. And we accomplished all of those things. I picked up a few small Christmas presents for friends and family, as well as enjoy a holiday beverage while slush fell from the sky (I say slush because it wasn't snow, nor rain, nor freezing rain. Just slush). We watched the cute little Banff parade and almost froze our toes off in the process. Then we had a wonderful meal at a pub above the shops called "Elk and Oarsman." I had a lamb shank with a yummy honey barbecue sauce, butternut squash bread pudding and grilled vegetables. A nice beer to wash it down made for an almost perfect meal! Our table was right beside the fireplace, and the restaurant had this ski lodge feeling about it. The ambiance was comforting (minus the drunk middle aged man who spit on a woman at the bar and got kicked out...) 

Here are some pictures of my day in Banff: 

There was something about the snow covered mountains, bright Christmas lights, crisp and cold air, and quaint small streets of Banff that made us feel like we were in the Swiss Alps somewhere. I felt comforted, warm, and happy. I said to Jenny on our way home that night that as the days pass and I experience more of the west the more normal and comfortable it feels. I'm so excited to come home to the Maritimes for Christmas and to see all of my closest friends and loving family. But I know when it is time to come back to Calgary, I'll be okay. Because I'm making a new home, slowly but surely. 

A Weekend Getaway.

This Thanksgiving long weekend, my Great Uncle David invited me to spend the holiday in Vancouver. I was thrilled when I got the invite, and even more thrilled when I was able to get the Friday off to spend 4 days in the city. It certainly was a whirlwind trip, but it was absolutely fantastic and the best possible way to spend the Thanksgiving weekend!

After getting completely lost on my way to the Calgary International Airport Friday morning at 5:30am (details to come in a future post about my bad sense of direction), I flew over the Rocky Mountains and landed in Vancouver at 8:30am. A warm hug and quick catch up chats later, Uncle David and I began our weekend together by checking out his humble abode and remarking on the beautiful weather. I was excited to see the sun and its warmth in Vancouver because recently it has been bloody cold in Calgary and we've seen many a snowflake fly. Uncle David has a rooftop deck that I admire. It looks out over the harbour and along the mountains. You really can't get a better view. I can see myself spending many many hours in the summer on top of his house taking in every minute of the scenery and peacefulness. I hope that in my future trips I get to spend more time atop the deck! (hint hint Uncle David!)

After taking a walk around the University of British Columbia campus and checking out the Anthropology Museum, we finished the night off with a fantastic and delectable dinner at Cactus Club Cafe - a restaurant owned and run by celebrity chef Rob Feenie. Now, I've written before about my love for food and everything about it. So when Uncle David suggested we check out this restaurant I was so excited to take in my first meal at a celebrity chef's restaurant. A big deal for this foodie. I had a seared halibut atop noodles and a vegetable medley with a saffron cream sauce. For dessert, we enjoyed a chocolate mousse with a caramel foam and toffee bits and a drink of cappuccino. Yum yum yum!

Saturday was another fantastic day weather-wise. David took me to Grouse Mountain - the peak of Vancouver. I can't describe in words how magnificent the view of the city is from atop the mountain. You also get a great view of the different mountain ranges. The pictures don't do it justice, but at least they'll give you a taste.

After our adventure on the mountain, David ventured home for a much needed nap and I went to Robson St. and did some shopping. Can never get tired of shopping! I'm quite proud of myself - I looked up the bus schedule online and found the proper bus to get me to the shopping district and back to the hotel. Didn't get lost once! A different story can be said for my first bus trip in Calgary (another future blog post about my bad sense of direction?!) I bought a new pair of shoes on my shopping adventure and wore them on our dinner cruise along the harbour and Falls Creek that night. Another great way to get some beautiful views and pictures of the city. The city looks so majestic at night. The lights reflect off the water and create a wonderful ambiance. If only it hadn't been so darn cold!

Sunday was an action packed day! David and his friend Marg meet for breakfast and walk along the sea wall on Sundays. So I joined in on the fun. Now, I must add that the night before the new shoes I wore gave me quite the gash on my right heel. So wearing sneakers and walking approxiamtely 10 km that morning I knew was going to be painful. But it was totally worth it! That was probably the most beautiful walk I've ever taken. It was sunny out and warm, but not too warm that I was drenched in sweat by the end of it. Lots of people take in this unique walk. And not only do they walk, the rollerblade, skateboard and bike too! Which leads me to the next part of my day. I rented a bike later in the afternoon and biked around the rose gardens in Stanley Park and then back along the sea wall. Everyone rents bikes in Vancouver. I can probably direct you to 5 different rental shops within a 7 block radius from the hotel I was staying at. My bike had a cute little basket to hold my purse and leftover noodle take out from a cute noodle pulling restaurant around the corner from my hotel. I got some great pictures of the city on my stroll and bike ride on Sunday (and on the bus tour I took between the two). Did I mention that it was an action packed day?!

That night, David and I went to the lookout tower restaurant and had supper. This restaurant had a rotating floor so that while you ate and chatted, you got to see some beautiful sites of the city from every angle. I mean, I saw EVERY INCH of the city at night from up there and I didn't have to move (the floor did that for me). The food was delicious, the sites were breathtaking, and the company couldn't have been better. It's difficult to pick one thing that I enjoyed most of all the fabulous things I did while in Vancouver, but I must say that this is on my list of things to do again whenever I return.

After a busy busy busy three days in Vancouver, David and I both agreed without conversing with one another that Monday we needed to slow down. After having breakfast, I strolled out to the beach and sipped on a coffee, read a good book, and sat in the sand wiggling my toes through it. Nothing feels better then sand between your toes and the sun beating down on you. The smell of the water and the sound of children splashing around brought a smile to my face and a peace in my heart - like nothing I've felt before in a long time. The feelings are returning slightly as I write this all down...

The rest of the afternoon before my flight departed back to Calgary was spent with David on Granville Island checking out the fantastic market and people watching on the boardwalk. They had some decent buskers performing, but I think the performance from the plethora of children chasing pigeons was top notch. I found myself in tears giggling at their presistence and tactics on several occasions.

What a fun filled weekend. I'm still tired and haven't gotten caught up on sleep. That's okay though, because it was totally worth it!

PS - did I mention that I came home with a tan?! The weather was so perfect that this pale red head came home with a slight tan. Yes, sir!

It's Good to be Happy.

I've been living in Calgary now for 6ish weeks. Almost 2 months. It really doesn't seem like it's been that long. Which I guess is a good thing because isn't it the saying "time flies when you're having fun."

I've been working at my job for about a month now. I'm enjoying it quite a bit, as I relayed in my previous blog post. It's so nice working with children again. Many of my closest friends and family will know that I am NOT a morning person. My Uncle David on the phone last week jokingly (or at least I'm hoping so!) said that I can be a bit unpleasant in the morning. I told him that I like to keep the beast inside so as not to scare people away - hence why I just stay quiet in the mornings. With this job, I have be up and at work at 7am. Eek! However, it's the children that motivate me to get to work on time and to be my perkiest so bright and early in the morning. They continue to melt my heart, remind me why I went into a profession working with children, and blow my mind with their brightness. I've been saying to everyone that I think this is the perfect job for transitioning between being a full time student and finding my career as a teacher. I'm really really happy!

In addition, this is the first job I've worked strictly Monday - Fridays. Every weekend off! I hardly knew what to do with myself at first. However, I've quickly learned that weekends are a great time to get caught up on sleep, get the things done on the to-do list that pile up throughout the week, explore this new city I'm living in, and to catch up with friends and family via Skype. This weekend I had a long but much needed Skype date with my friend, Amanda who is living in China for the year. We talked about our new lives and our new adventures. It had been over a month since we talked to each other, and I truly and honestly missed having her in my life. It made me appreciate the time we had together as roommates when living in Fredericton. Miss you. I also got to Skype with my parents. Man, do I miss them. Seeing their faces and being in the presence of their motivating words, updates on family and their lives, and my Dad's hysterical sense of humour relaxed me and reminded me that I did the right thing moving to Calgary. I couldn't have gotten through this month without them and their support, and I can't thank them enough (I know you're reading this, and I mean every word!) 

There is a lot to do in this city, and a lot to see - and I haven't even put a dent into it. I'm going to dedicate more of my time here really getting to know this city and getting to know new people. But for now, I'm feeling pretty blessed to be in a place where I feel safe, loved, and happy. 

I want to end this blog post quoting something my Grandmom said to me not all that long ago. Keep in mind that my memory isn't the greatest, and I may not be saying this in the exact words that she did - but I definitely have the gist of it and the meaning behind it.

"For the first time in a long time, it seems like everyone is happy again. And I couldn't be more proud of our accomplishments as a family."

... I couldn't agree more Grandmom. 

Update from Calgary - Week Two

Another week has come and gone. My mind can't fathom how quickly time is flying by. I've been in Calgary for a little over two weeks! The longer I'm here the more I love this city. I can't believe how quickly I've adjusted to this life. Mind you, I still have some adjusting to do. All things considered though, I thought at this point I'd be in rough shape between home sickness and stress. But alas, I'm happy, healthy...and employed! 

That's right. After applying for about 8 different jobs, I received an email inviting me to an interview for a job as a Program Director and accepted the job 24 hours later. I start my training tomorrow morning, and I am so excited to get back into working with youth and starting a regular routine. 

Besides getting the job this week, I also took two days to recertify my First Aid and CPR. I feel like I spent the majority of my week traveling on buses and CTrains for interviews and courses. Calgary is a BIG city. So sometimes when you think it might only take 20 minutes to get somewhere, on the bus it's usually doubled plus some more. So, to get to my First Aid and CPR course this week that started at 8am, I had to be on the bus for 6:45am. Those of you who know me well know that I am NOT a morning person. I can't wait to move into my apartment and set up the ol' Keurig and have a cup of coffee instantly with the flick of a button.

I love the downtown area of Calgary. I only live about a 10 minute car ride away from the city centre. Last weekend, I found a cute little cafe that has wifi and sat outside in the sun skyping with Kathryn. I did the same thing on Thursday after my interview and skyped with Sara. What in the world would I do without Skype? It's keeping me in touch with my loved ones and making me feel like I'm still part of things. In fact, I even skyped with my Grandmom this week! I'm so proud of her for being able to figure it out, and it was so nice to see her face. The conversation just feels a little more personable when you can see the person rather then just here the voice - especially for me: the hand talker.

This weekend was nice and relaxing as well. On Friday, Andrea, Jenny, and I went shopping at a mall downtown, had supper at a delicious restaurant called "Earl's" and hit up some Noraebong (Korean Karaoke). Fun, relaxing, and a great way to celebrate us all being employed and loving life in Calgary!

Andrea and Jenny have gotten me addicted to the show The Vampire Diaries. After sleeping in and running errands for the first part of the day, we had a movie night and watched what I'm pretty sure was 7 episodes of the show and dined on some pretty delicious snacks. Mmm baked brie! Today, we got up much earlier and ventured to the Calgary Farmers Market. What a neat place! A wide variety of places to eat and lots of local food and treats to choose from. I had a burger from Silver Sage Burger and a cream puff from Cruffs. Mmm! I also bought some local corn on the cob, green beans, and HUGE peaches. I think that made for a very successful first trip to the Market.

All in all, life is swell. I started journaling again - which I'm hoping to do a better job at keep up more often this time around. No fear though, this blog will still remain intact.

Oh, What a Weekend!

What a fantastic weekend this past one was. There was so much going on, but at the same time, I had lots of time to lounge around and relax and get caught up on some much needed sleep. 

Firstly, I went to see The Hunger Games on Friday with Sara and Amanda. After doing my first internship at a middle school in a grade eight classroom, I learned quite quickly about the newest phenomenon that is The Hunger Games. So, last month, I sat down and powered my way through the first book of this trilogy. I think this was the first time that I've read a novel where I quite literally couldn't put it down. Considering this was a novel written for young adults, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat as a woman of 23.  

Needless to say, there was much hype between my friends and I about the release date of this movie. We all knew it was going to be so fantastic. But much like any book fan thinks, it's hard to do a book justice in movie form. And I have to admit, I am a believer of this when it comes to The Hunger Games movie. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the movie. I give it a solid "it was good." However, I felt that some scenes of the movie were very rushed, especially the ending. Within a matter of two or three minutes, the movie wrapped up and skipped a lot of my favourite parts of the book. Also, I would have liked to have seen the realization that Katniss has about the origins of the wolf mutations. I feel like that is such an important part to the story and to Katniss' character. 

On the other end of the spectrum, there were some things that I thought the movie did well. *Spoiler alert (don't say I didn't warn you!!)* - the scene where Rue dies I thought was done very well. Also, the scenes that lead to the actual Hunger Games where the tributes are training I thought were done really well as well - especially when Katniss shoots the arrow at the Gamemakers. 

So, all in all, the movie was good. However, I did expect more considering all the hype. I feel like the movie tried to cram in as much of the book as it could, and as a result, some areas were done poorly and sped through too quickly for my liking. 

******

So, the weekend carried on and my excitement grew enormously on Saturday morning when I woke up remembering that this was the day I would see Hey Rosetta! for my fifth time. My dear friend Adam helped me to realize that in my five years of university I have attended a Hey Rosetta! concert each of those years. Whether they were opening for another band or were the headliner, I took every opportunity I could to take in their magical music. 

And this concert was far from a disappoint. They were fantastic! Sara, Tyler, Adam, and I arrived promptly at 8:04pm to get in line for the concert. I am always bound and determined to be in the front row of any of their concert in hopes that the gorgeous Tim Baker and I will make eye contact. WELL, this time I was so lucky to be in arms reach of time as his keyboard sat directly in front of me. Just the thought of how close I was as I write this gets me all giddy inside. 

A fantastic night with amazing, magical, and beautiful music. I just can't think of any other way to describe it. Just incredible.

Oh, and did I mention that I snagged a third playlist to add to my collection - this one signed by Josh (bass player/back up vocals) and Phil (drums). Yup, I did.

Take a listen to one of my many favourite Hey Rosetta! songs. I'd have to say that my favourite part of their performance Saturday night was when they sang this song. They truly are the best band to hear live. This is a studio recorded track, but it is still fantastic! Enjoy :)

I Love Weekends.

What a happy weekend this past one was! Extremely busy and filled with love. Wish every weekend were like this.

Thursday was winter formal night, and my great friend Cara traveled all the way from Vermont to spend the weekend with her university friends. It was a fabulous night and probably one of my favourite formals! Everyone was happy and having a good time. I got to see some great friends who I haven't seen for what feels like months. I wish I could relive that night over and over again.

Friday was also an extremely busy day. After teaching all day, I zoomed home to spend as much quality time with Cara as I could. We ended up going to Snooty (one of my favourite restaurants!) for dinner with friends. Minus the enormously long wait (...again - considering it was a Friday night and we wanted to seat 7, I'll forgive and forget), the evening was joyous and full of laughter. It warms my heart just thinking about the great fun we had. Later, I attended a staff party for the school I'm interning at. It was great getting to know some of the staff outside of the classroom! I really felt part of their working family.

Saturday was great! I spent a wonderful morning walking around the market and having heart to hearts with Cara. She always knows what to say to make me feel better and helps me make some difficult decisions in life. If you're reading this Cara - thank you!

Afterwards, I jumped into the car and zoomed off to visit my Grandmom. She had the 3 granddaughters for the night and we helped her decorate her Christmas tree and enjoyed a delicious home-cooked dinner. That night, we watched two movies - a Christmas one, "Santa Baby" and a pre-teen gymnastics movie called "Stick It." I thought it would be a great movie for my cousin Rebecca because she is a gymnast. She loved it! And so did Grandmom and Rachel.

Sunday saw the end of another weekend. They always seem to fly by so quickly! After a delicious breakfast of pancakes, bacon, homemade rolls, and coffee, Grandmom and I ran some errands, picked out a beautiful wreath, had a delicious dinner at a restaurant called "The Mediterranean" and then ventured home. It was a short, but wonderful visit! And now I am anticipating and counting down the days until the 21st when I head back to her place for the Christmas holidays!

How was your weekend? Anyone out there as excited for Christmas as I am?

Thanks for reading!