Monthly Archives: December 2011

enjoy the ride

30 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by in inspiration

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Accept and embrace change. However good or bad
a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing
you can count on. So embrace change and realize that
change happens for a reason. It won’t always be easy or
obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it….
[And] above all, laugh when you can, apologize when
you should and let go of what you can’t change.
Life is short yet amazing. Enjoy the ride.

That’s from one of my favourite inspiring posts from Marc and Angel Hack Life: 18 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I Was 18. It articulates exactly how I try to approach life. They’re words I live by. So should you. Love the ride.

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margaret atwood

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in eco, tech

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I’ll happily end 2011 with @MargaretAtwood RT’ing me! #literaryheaven

Published by Canopy, a Canadian nonprofit group dedicated to forest preservation, Toronto writer Margaret Atwood’s new book, In Other Worlds, had a soldout limited-edition straw-paper print run in both the U.S. and Canada. Called Second Harvest Paper, straw paper is made from materials produced by harvesting wheat and recycling paper. It’s a rare product, as there are currently no pulping facilities that can turn that straw waste into pulp. The paper used for the limited-edition books was made in a small batch by Montreal’s Cascades Fine Papers (which makes the Cascades brand recycled toilet paper and paper towels), using flax straw from Alberta and wheat straw imported from China. That means no trees were harvested in the production of the books. Straw paper is an innovative, sustainable product that garnered In Other Worlds the honour of TreeHugger’s top green gift of 2011.

winter solstice parade explodes with excitement

27 Tuesday Dec 2011

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Last week, I mentioned Red Pepper Spectacle Arts’ annual Kensington Winter Solstice parade, formerly called the Festival of Lights, in Kensington Market. Here’s a selection of pics I took in Alexandra Park, where parade participants – toting handmade paper lanterns – congregated around a gigantic papier-mâché hand and a colourful collection of talented musicians and dancers.

The celebration was filled with dancing, music and loads of fabulous handmade lanterns, including this cute coon.

One of the cutest lanterns of the evening! Now, this is a raccoon I wouldn't mind meeting in the middle of the night. I couldn't take my eyes off him, all glowing blue (my fave hue – it's true!) and mischievous looking.

About half an hour into the festivities at Alexandra Park, along came the dancers carrying lit torches. They formed a ring around the giant papier-mâché hand. I should have known what they were gonna do next!

As the dancers were readying the torches, the crowd went wild, waving and dancing and hollering. Even more lanterns seemed to pop up!


Then the smoke started...

And suddenly the papier-mâché hand, which was holding a heart shape, was ablaze, and cheers spread across the crowd like wildfire. (Pfft. I had to!!)

Sparks were flying, the crowd got even more excited, and the celebration culminated in an awesome light show and drumming circle.

i heart my “tv sucks – ride your bike” bumper sticker

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in bike, gear, travel

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This TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike bumper sticker from the Bloomfield Bicycle Co. has been stuck to my bike since I bought the awesome sticky slogan back in 2009, when I cycled through Bloomfield, Ontario, on the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure, an exciting 8-day supported bike tour along Toronto’s Waterfront Trail, from Niagara, Ontario, to Rivière-Beaudette, Quebec.

I’ve never seen another TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike bumper sticker in Toronto, since Bloomfield is a good 4-hour drive away, though I’ve spotted tons of Bikes on Bloor “protest” bumper stickers plastered on everything from bikes to bikes stands to bike helmets.

So was I ever excited to find another TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike sticker when I went to lock up my bike yesterday! Made by the Bloomfield Bicycle Co., a bike shop in the wee village of Bloomfield, in the picturesque Prince Edward County, the sticker is a mere $1 for the 5-inch bike-size version (the 10-inch car size is $2). The County, as locals call it, is an eastern Ontario hot spot for road cycling and leisure riding alike, with low-traffic country roads overflowing with galleries, wineries, cheese shops, a cidery, a brewery and even a lavender farm. Hence, the popular bike slogan.

Whenever I tour Prince Edward County, I make sure to pop into the Bloomfield Bicycle Co. for their terrific lube (if you bring back your used bottles, they’ll refill them at a discount) and to soothe my soul by checking out their TV Sucks gear, such as the stickers and T-shirts and jerseys. Though I don’t really believe that TV sucks, I do think more people should turn off the boob tube (or computer) and get outside year-round, and I proudly display the slogan to all Torontonians when I lock up my bike in the city.

I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for another sighting!

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What: Bloomfield Bicycle Co.‘s TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike bumper sticker
Where: Bloomfield, Ontario, Canada 225 Main St., Bloomfield, Ontario, KOK 1GO; 613-393-1060. A picturesque little village in the lovely Prince Edward County, a cycling, foodie, art lover and wine aficionado’s haven.
When: Prince Edward comes alive with cyclists spring to fall. Many cyclists camp at Sandbanks Provincial Park, about a 12 km ride from Bloomfield.
Cost: Bike version $1 (5 inches); car version $2 (10 inches).
Why: Featuring a catchy slogan for cyclists, the sticker is a popular purchase! 

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Oh! Wouldn’t this helmet be perfect for Ms. Minnie Mouse?

Looking for other stylin’ bike gear? Check out…
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Bike Helmet Fit for
Minnie Mouse
Girly Gear to Light Up Your Ride
Use Your Knog(gin): Ride with a Bright Bike Light
‘Cause I Love My Brain, I want a Nutcase Helmet
Ring My Bell: Ciao Bello to My Public Bike Bell, Federico! 

let it snow!

21 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in outdoors, tech

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Though we’re lacking in snow here in Toronto and much of Canada, we can still enjoy gently falling flurries and frosty windows on which to write messages to ourselves. Just google the phrase let it snow in Firefox, and watch the snowflakes fall across your screen, then be amused as your screen fogs up with frost. Write whatever bon mots you want on your now-frosty “window,” and defrost when you’re done. How cool is that? (Yeh, I said it.)

A ho-ho-ho-holiday cheer on a faux frosty morning put a smile on this snowbird’s face.

winter solstice (or let’s skate, toronto)

20 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by in art, crafts, outdoors, sports

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My first skate of the season! OK, so I'm not actually in this pic, as I was behind the cam, but I was having just as much fun as those people gliding across the ice, trying not to fall.

Sadly, I’m spending the holidays here in Toronto. No, no, it’s not so bad. Spending the holidays last year in Costa Rica was divine, but as I’ve said before, I missed all the fun and family time in the Great White North while I was hiking great wild jungles in the south. But this year, we’re sorely lacking in snow here in T.O. Though it has been unseasonably warm (Toronto’s warmer than Texas and L.A.!), that hasn’t stopped peeps from having winter fun. Witness the families speeding around the rink at Nathan Phillips Square this past weekend. Somewhere in that crowd is the lovely lady who nearly gave me a black eye and bloody nose when she suddenly threw her arms out, whacking me in the face as she tried to catch her balance. And, yes, I was laughing along with her, cracking a joke that I don’t really need these glasses to see….

My goal for the holidays, aside from spending as much time with my family as possible, is to hit the rink every day. By no means am I a good skater, mind you. On Saturday, I had to ask a kind gentleman to hold my hand so I could step down onto the ice! And I had a few near collisions too – as the collidee, not the collider. But it’s always a hoot to try not to fall while feigning graceful glides (in my mind, I resemble a speed skater), and watching others fall funny or make every attempt not to fall is def good for a giggle.

So a-skating I will go before I head over to Kensington Market on Wednesday, Dec. 21, with my lantern in hand, ready to join the annual winter solstice parade. Winter solstice, symbolic of rebirth, marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, when the sun’s maximum elevation is at its lowest. Organized by Red Pepper Spectacle Arts, the parade in Kensington is a tradition, and many participants come prepared with a lantern made at Red Pepper’s PWYC lantern-making workshop the weekend before winter solstice. Be warned, this isn’t a parade that you watch from the sidelines – the route is usually so packed and the parade moves so slow, there’s really no room for folks to merely watch. And unless you’ve snagged yourself a prime rooftop perch, it’s ever more fun to join in the parade and light up the night!

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What: Kensington Market Winter Solstice parade
Where: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The parade starts at the corner of Oxford Street and Augusta Avenue, proceeding through the market and ending in Alexandra Park at 8 p.m.
When: Wednesday, December 21, 2012, 6:30 p.m.
Bonus: Bring your lanterns and noisemakers.
Dress in colourful costume. Go with the flow!

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Ohh! Fire! Take a look at
how vibrant the parade
was in person…
Winter Solstice Parade
Explodes with Excitement

Check out Nathan Phillips Square
at night…
Skating in the Rain

holiday wreaths

19 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in crafts, decor, diy

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Admittedly, I’m not a fan of red. I’m much more of a pink and purple kinda gal. And for the holidays, the decorations I’m drawn to embody that pretty palette: lilac and pear green or turquoise and apple green Christmas balls; a glittery faux silver eucalyptus wreath; hot pink or apple green bows on doorknobs; white twinkly lights; and someday, my cotton candy pink Christmas tree!

Last year I intended to make this easy-peasy feather boa wreath from Sarah Richardson’s 2009 holiday party episode. I even stocked up on five fuchsia feather boas post-Halloween! But I got lazy with the execution, which in reality consists only of wrapping a boa or two around an LED wire wreath form. Maybe I’m just too frugal to buy an LED wreath – I have been trying to figure out how to repurpose an old wire hanger as a wreath form. And now that it’s only 6 days till Christmas, I’ve given up on this crafty pursuit…maybe next year!

And it should be of no surprise that I’ve also been hoping to make this butterfly wreath – what’s more girly than ethereal white wings? As with my pink tree, it graced the pages of Blueprint’s November/December 2007 holiday issue. But delicate faux butterflies aren’t the easiest to find, so this project also has to wait till next year. (If you sense a theme of procrastination, good on you!)

However, it should be a surprise that I LOVE this 24-inch red poinsettia wreath ($39.99) from Canadian Tire. That’s right. I said it: red. Sure, it’s got traditional red poinsettias scattered all over it (plush velvet, natch), but it also has loads of baubles that resemble rhinestone brooches!

Behold, here is my existing wreath, the silvery eucalyptus beauty mentioned above. The photo doesn’t quite capture the glitter scattered all over the sprigs, but this wreath sparkles. And makes me smile!

For more holiday inspiration, take a peek at my crafty card idea and the Christmas tree I’ve been coveting since 2007. 

best purchase ever no. 2

15 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in bike, fashion, gear, travel

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Last month I wrote about my favourite travel shirt. Now let me introduce you to my favourite lightweight travel shirt: the Icebreaker Meridian, shown here in Jungle, a lovely mossy green. (Let me confess that I also own this top in Mystic, a bold shade of cobalt I adore, and Fiesta, a true bright pink. I just bought the latter on a Black Friday online shopping spree. Yay!)

My new go-to shirt – year round – is Icebreaker's Meridian Superfine 150.

I originally wanted to buy this T-shirt for a family camping trip to Algonquin in early July, but couldn’t commit to the hefty $70 price tag. I could justify spending 60 euros on my beloved SmartWool tee because it was versatile – a heavier weight with long sleeves and a zipper – and, heck, I bought it in Spain when desperate for an extra layer of warmth at night in the uninsulated pilgrims’ hostels on the Camino. But $70 for a short-sleeve shirt seemed ridiculous. Yet still newly in love with merino wool and all its benefits, I scored the Meridian for a midsummer cycling trip along Ontario’s Lake Huron. Again, in case you missed the head: Best. Purchase. Ever. No. 2.

The Meridian is surprisingly perfect for summer’s humidity, as merino wool is breathable and has natural wicking properties. Though lightweight (Superfine 150), it’s also quite warm in cool conditions, ideal for chilly summer nights. Believe me, I wore it under my SmartWool every night, and it kept me warm as a base layer. And being merino, it didn’t smell from continuous use, and it dried in an hour when I did wash it. With a feminine cut, deep V neck and short raglan sleeves, the Meridian is flattering on a petite gal with curves, as the hem sits just under the hip bones and is slightly longer in back.

One caveat: The fit of my first Meridian T-shirt is better than my more recent purchases. Rumour has it that Icebreaker switched manufacturers, so this year’s Meridians fit looser than the 2010 ones. That would explain why my Jungle tee is shorter and more fitted than my Mystic and Fiesta ones, though they’re all supposedly the same size. Keep that in mind if you’re it ordering online. I can’t wait to see what juicy new colours Icebreaker rolls out next year!

And in the meantime, check out my Best Purchase Ever No. 1, a shirt I’ve worn through spring, summer, fall and now winter.

Another advantage of merino is that it packs small. The Way of the Lightweight Backpacker reveals how, thanks to merino, I’ve narrowed down my packing list to 18 things.