Big Day Downtown #4: Pick a Card, Any Card (Part 1)

It's the most wonderful time of the year again - no, I don't mean back-to-school or Christmas. I mean, Big Day Downtown time - YAY! 

This is my 4th year participating (you can read up on past year's here, here and here), and I think this year was the most fun yet - we were given a stack of cards and we had to randomly choose any 3 and base our experiences around them.

I ended up with:

A very cool twist, but I have to say, I had trouble finalizing my plans! I had ideas, but I really wanted to do things I hadn't done before, visit new places and try new things rather than go with the tried-and-true. Might as well make the most of the experience, right?

I decided to plan one activity related to each word. First up is "Inspirational".

A place I am inspired by but have never visited is Pier 21 Museum of Immigration. What is more inspiring than people starting a whole new life in a foreign country? Over 1 million people came through here to rewrite their life stories, and many left loved ones behind in the process. Sacrificing everything safe and familiar in order to build a better life for yourself is an incredibly brave thing and I have a lot of respect for it.

Our visit started with a film that gave us some history about the museum throughout the decades and outlined some stories from specific immigrant families and their experience entering Canada. There were couples with children from Eastern Europe and Italy, English war brides, many of whom hadn't seen their Canadian husbands in over a year, orphaned children from Europe, and wounded war veterans returning home.

I was surprised to learn that the Pier was not only an entry point for immigrants to Canada, but also the main deployment site for troops heading over to Europe for the World Wars. Coincidentally, the Amazing Race Canada teams visited the museum on this week's episode (did you watch?).

After the film, I loved reading all of the old travel documents displayed throughout the main museum- passports, medical records, luggage tags and even menus, etc, from the ships the immigrants would have arrived here on. I also loved the stacks of vintage suitcases covered with worn labels and painted on numbers. Walking through, I felt what the place must have been like 50-100 years ago when it was teeming with men, women and children, waiting and hoping.

The museum is currently open 9:30am-5:30pm, and admission is very reasonable (only $7.80 for an adult). They also have a small shop with some great handmade items from around the world.

I say this often, but I feel pretty lucky to live in Canada. We aren't perfect, but every time I take a trip, I am happy to come home to a place where I have the freedom to live the life that I want. Not everyone is so lucky and my outing to Pier 21 reminded me of that.

Next, it's time for Part 2 - Social and Dramatic!

Doors Open Halifax

Hot on the heels of my Open City adventure, I'm hoping to take in another cool, upcoming event that promises to 'open' up Halifax, specifically the secret parts that most of us would never normally get to see.

Doors Open Halifax is taking place this Saturday and Sunday (June 8th & 9th) and the idea is that buildings of some significance (either historical, architectural or cultural) will open their doors and invite the public to explore - for free! This is an even that actually takes place in cities all over the world (the first one was in Glasgow, Scotland in 1990) but this is the first year for it in Halifax.

Many of the venues are buildings that many of us probably walk or drive by on a regular basis but have never actually been inside - some may have NEVER been explored by the public before!
Some of the buildings will feature tours of special areas not normally accessible and special exhibits.

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For example, the Royal Suite on the 2nd floor of Government House, where the Queen stays when visiting Halifax, will be open to the public for the first time since the renos were completed. How cool would it be to stand in the Queen's Halifax bedroom?!

Alas, I am hosting a bachelorette party for one of my bff's this weekend and therefore will not have much time to explore, but I'm hoping to at least get to one or two places on Sunday.

One venue that caught my eye was the Keith's Brewery. I'm sorry to say I have lived in Halifax pretty much my whole life and have never visited this local institution. I have always wanted to but have never had the opportunity - until now. For OD, Brewery is open for FREE self-guided tours between 10am-4pm! They will have their usual actors in period costume hanging around, but you are free to wander as you wish. What a neat way to see a building I have always wondered about...I love to wander and quietly absorb things so this is perfect for me...oh and the no cost thing doesn't hurt either (an adult tour of the brewery normally costs $16.95).

Other venues I'm hoping to check out are the new King's Wharf development (think waterfront luxury with an unparalleled view of the Halifax harbour skyline - my only chance to see inside the penthouse, or any unit, since I will never have enough money to actually LIVE here!), and the new  Central Library (currently under construction), where they are having an "Around the Block in 264 Years" tour, showing findings from the archaeological dig of the site, and a 3D Virtual Tour of the completed library. This new library is easily the most exciting development currently underway in our city, so I would love the opportunity to see it 'before' completion then compare it after.

I wish I had more time to explore all the buildings, but the timing just didn't work out. If I do get out and do some exploring, I will be sure to report back! And that doesn't stop you from getting out and enjoying the event - consider playing "VIP" this weekend and heading out to see inside the secret and significant buildings that surround you every day. You never know, you may learn something new, and this should always be encouraged :) 

Check out the Open Doors Halifax Facebook and Twitter page for all the details!

I've Got Events To Keep Me Warm

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Have I mentioned that I hate winter? Well, I do. And February has got to be the worst month of the year in Nova Scotia. It's long enough after Christmas break that the holiday seems like a distant memory, far enough away from Spring and the next long weekend that the days seem to drag on. AND, as if that was not bad enough, we seem to get most of our snow in February - big storms interspersed with warmer, wet days, resulting in a whole lot of dirty slush all over town. You can see why one would become hateful and depressed at such a time!

That being said, what is getting me through is the great events happening in February and March. Here's a few that I am looking forward to:

1) Stargazing and the Science of Love: My boyfriend and I decided to visit the Discovery Centre this Thursday, for a unique Valentine's Day outing that is romantic without being cheesy. Adults looking to "mix it up" for V-Day can do some stargazing and listen to a talk by Matthew Numer, PhD, on "The Science of Love and Attraction". Can't beat $10 for a night of learning something new together. Plus, we are going for supper at Piatto first, a place I have been looking forward to trying since it opened (I had two separate people tell me they had the best pizza of their life here!). The only thing better than learning is learning with a belly full of delicious pizza!

2) Savouring Some Delicious Cocktails: The Savour Food and Wine festival is taking place for most of the month of February and there are tons of great events happening. Alas, I am not able to make it to the main event - the Savour Food and Wine show - but we are hoping to take in the Imbibe cocktail event on February 21st. This is basically a gathering of the best mixologists in Nova Scotia (along with a couple of special guests, including Jeremy Parsons, who is heralded as "one of the top mixologists in North America") and a chance to sample some of the most delicious and innovative drinks that local restos are pouring. Trying to sample as much as possible without getting totally sloshed on a weeknight will be tough, but I am up to the challenge!

3) North End Tour of Yum: On March 9th, the boy and I will embark on the North End Fantasy Food Tour, and I will finally get the chance to try two more places that have been on my list for a while - Ace Burger (from the guys who brought us the Brooklyn Warehouse, one of my favourite restos in Halifax), and DeeDee's (who apparently makes amazeballs gelato and burritos). We will also stop at an old standard favourite of mine - Java Blend coffee shop. Their coffee is delicious and the owner is like a local business powerhouse (he just opened a new brewery and is always willing to donate an awesome item to the silent auction for my sister's work). Guessing I will be supremely stuffed by the end of this evening, but I KNOW I will be supremely happy.

4) Tedx Nova Scotia: I have never attended a Ted conference before, but I am really hoping to get the chance this year (March 10th). In case you couldn't tell from #1, I am a bit of a "learning nerd" which means I really enjoy any event where my brain can soak up tons of interesting information and my synapses are fired off in quick and constant succession. The full list of speakers isn't posted yet so I'm not quite sure what specific sessions I will be attending but I am sure there will be some great choices. If nothing else, the Ben Caplan concert should be fist-pumping. I really enjoy the event motto "ideas worth spreading" - it could easily be a life motto for me!

The snow may be snowing and the wind may be blowing, but I will weather the storm thanks to all the fun events to keep me warm this February and March!

Pod Squad

I attended my first Halifax Podcamp this past weekend and I'm so glad I finally got there.

Podcamp is an "unconference" about social media and marketing, which basically means it's an informal conference - anyone can host a session and discussion is encouraged. Best of all, the entire day was FREE!

Although I don't do any marketing or social media work at my day job, I hope to someday and I am very involved in social media in my spare time and hope to pick up more contract work to keep my communications skills up. So, the information was certainly useful to me on a personal level and I think anyone who spends a significant amount of their time on social media or marketing activities would find the information helpful, whether it's your day job or not. Learning new things is never a bad way to spend a Sunday!

I attended 3 sessions altogether - Branding in the Digital Age, How to Get Good Ideas, and the 5th Annual State of Social Media in Atlantic Canada.

The first session (delivered by Sean Williams of Brand Bandit) reminded me of being in PR class, but in a good way. He refreshed my memory on the basics of branding and brought up good points about how a brand is about the emotional side of a company or person as much as the physical and practical points.

The second session (delivered by Mike Hayes of Free Agent Factory) revolved around strategies for coming up with ideas. A lot of the suggestions Mike gave seemed like 'no-brainers' (two heads are better than one, rest up, fuel your brain, etc) however they are also things that most of us don't remember to do when we're actually in the moment. I will definitely keep some of the tips in mind next time I am sitting down trying to get some ideas on paper.

The third session (delivered by Giles Crouch of Media Badger) was basically the keynote of the conference (if there was a keynote) and presented the findings of the annual survey of social media activities in Atlantic Canada. Some of the findings were really surprising (activity on Linkedin increased by 67% over last year) and eye-opening (women are 8x more likely to share content then men). It was all a fascinating exercise in psychology and it was nice to see some local stats. This session was definitely important education for anyone who deals with social media and marketing in Atlantic Canada. (Psst you can read the report highlights here).

Not only did I attend a bunch of free, great sessions but I also had a lovely latte and croissant (prosciutto and provolone - gah!) from Two If By Sea - one of the best cafes in HRM (imho) and an even lovelier brunch at Nectar Social House with fellow Podcamper, Megan. Wow! This place is gorgeously decorated inside and the food is delish. My poached eggs parisienne was a refreshing detour from my usual eggs benedict and (coincidentally) our waitress was a fellow tweep who recognized us from our avatars (did I mention the Halifax Twitter community rocks?).

I also had a twist on the usual mimosa - a "nectarosa", which was cranberry juice and champagne. Very refreshing! I will definitely be back to this little downtown Dartmouth gem!

Social media is so much fun when your local community is so active, friendly, supportive and interesting. I'm proud to be part of the Halifax social media tribe!

Culture Central

One of the things I love about my city is the extremely dynamic creative community that we have here - Halifax is just full of artistic people who are always coming up with cool new ideas and putting them out there. And the creative community here really is that - a community. There is a real sense of camaraderie, support and collaboration that is really heartwarming.

I witnessed just such an event on Saturday night - a fashion show for fellow blogger and designer, Mo Handahu. Her line, Clutch Culture, is all about vibrantly printed clutches in various sizes that she makes all herself by hand. I have followed her blog for a while and have always been a fan of her fun, vintage-inspired style, not to mention her humble and sweet personality, so I was excited to see what her offerings for Summer 2012 would be.

The event took place at FRED, which is appropriate considering both FRED the place and Fred the person are major players in the creative scene in Halifax. I almost got whiplash from turning my head every which way to see all the gorgeous outfits in the room! The performances by two singers on acoustic guitar before the start of the show were lovely, and set a nice relaxed tone for the show to come. *All photos by me, unless otherwise stated*

This girl had a killer voice (and heels!)

I even enjoyed the commentary from Fred himself (aka Fred Connors) - he was a little, shall we say, "off-the-cuff", but I enjoyed his enthusiasm and frankness. His comments about how important it is to support the creative community we have here really spoke to me. I personally don't think he will win the mayoral race, but I would consider giving him my vote (this city needs fresh, hip blood!).

Friends and I, waiting for the show to start

I loved the styling of Mo's runway show - the models in the first part were draped in oversize neon blazers (perfect match for the 90's theme), skin-tight, graphic print dresses and neon Wayfarer-style sunglasses. It all said Miami-heat to me, which is perfect for a summer line.

 Everything worked really well together and complimented the bags rather than overpowered them.

The models in the 2nd part looked in every way like African warriors with their white body paint and gorgeous batik headwraps. I love the diversity in the models - a variety of skin colours and body types were featured, which was refreshing.

Gorg body paint

I loved these graphic shorts *Photo by Kimberly Piccott*

Well done, ladies!

All the looks really encapsulated the Clutch Culture "style" and the vibe of the brand is apparent throughout. As the bright, lively styles strolled in front of my eyes and the music pulsed in my ear, I could almost see 16-year-old Mo hanging out, creating and figuring out her path in life.

You've come a long way in 14 years, baby - can't wait to see where you go from here!

So many beautiful prints!

best in show

The Westminster Kennel Club has officially crowned "best in show" for 2012.

Internet - meet "Ch Palacegarden Malachy" a.k.a. "Malachy,":

Just look at that gorgeous fur. This little guy is proof that good things come in small packages (ok, I'm biased since I myself come in a small package, but that doesn't make it any less true).

I really don't know anything about dog breeding or dog shows. Heck, I don't really know much about dogs period (I'm really more of a cat person *gasp* -don't tell-). But I love this dog show!

Why? It is silly and pompous in a delightful way. I mean, that dog's name! It is just so long and weird it's hilarious. What is he - half Chinese, half Irish?! And how are you supposed to fit a name that long on a dog tag? It sounds like he should be a character in the movie Clue.

(Obviously kooky names are the norm for this show though - one of the other top dogs was a German Shepherd named Captain Crunch. I can't even explain to you how awesome that is).

And it's not only the names, but these dogs are more groomed and primped than the contestants on Toddlers and Tiaras.

Whaaaaaaat? I always knew Snooki was a dog (oh snap). That is one wicked pouf. Can dogs use Elnett?

How many times a night do you think the owner of lil' Malachy brushes his/her*fur? I am guessing they (and it) are about as vain about that mane as Marsha Brady. I mean, seriously, that is some glossy fur (I want to reach out and touch it, is that creepy?). These doggies prance around with their perfect hair and their noses in the air like an animal version of Miss America (if only the bikini-barbies on MA also didn't talk-that spectacle might actually be tolerable to watch).

I also love this show for the things it has taught me - for example, did you know that the "Toy" category (where Malachy competed) is the most competitive? Makes sense, I guess, those little dogs are always the most scrappy.

Know what else is cool? The head judge of this year's competition sits on the Board of Trustees for Take the Lead, which is a foundation that "provides direct services, support and care for people in the sport of purebred dogs who suffer the devastation of life-threatening or terminal illness."

What a cool organization! And I would have never known it existed had I not decided to write/research this blog post.

So, thank you WKC and Malachy for providing me so much amusement via your slight ridiculousness and pomposity, and most of all through your enduring love and respect for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

Dolla dolla bills, y'all

 *the WKC website lists the gender as "Dog". Very helpful, WKC, very helpful
**Oh, by the way, the WKC is on Twitter! You KNOW you wanna follow them)

downton abbey

You guys, I have a new obsession and its name is Downton Abbey.

As is the way with many things I become obsessed with, I kept hearing about this show and how great it is from everyone around me, so I decided I needed to check it out too. Gosford Park is one of my favourite movies and I knew the concept was similar so I figured I would like it.

Well, needless to say I bulldozed through Season 1 in rather quick order and I am now downloading Season 2 (which is in progress) and I literally cannot wait until I see the next episode. Once I catch up I will be very sad at having to WAIT for new episodes (and even more sad when the season ends entirely and I have to wait several months!! AH #thehorror). 

I. LOVE. IT. 

First of all the setting in the English countryside is just beautiful. Heck, the entire styling of the show is great, from the costumes and sets through to the props. It all feels very authentic. And, the servants are very believable in their roles - you would think they had been doing it for years!

The women on this show are always wearing the most beautiful dresses.

Secondly, there are so many different characters and each has their own unique storyline. Obviously some characters are featured more often than others but you pretty much see every character at least once an episode and they each have at least some small part in the plot. And the more prominently featured characters are so multifaceted! I am pretty sure each one has a secret or a past they are carrying around and  they each are constantly surprising me by their actions, words and decisions. These characters are not boring or flat by a long-shot.

I think it's safe to say you are carrying around one of the biggest secrets of them all, am I right Lady Mary?

It's particularly refreshing to see such complex and fiery female characters, especially for a series set in an era that dictated very stringent societal rules for ladies (particularly wealthy ladies). Emersing oneself into the lives of these women really reminds you at how few choices they had back then, and how little was expected of them. Most of the rich ones basically sat around and waited to be married off, then spent their married years devoted to their husband's pursuits instead of her own. Most of the poor ones just went to work as soon as they could and spent their life scraping by, also not able to have their own lives due to circumstance. 

The show in general is set at a very interesting time in history, starting off just before the outbreak of World War I and the start of the suffrage movement. I find it interesting that this era was still connected to the traditions of Victorian times, yet was on the brink of some major shifts in thinking and living. It must have been an incredibly exciting yet scary time - for people rich and poor.

Speaking of rich and poor, I love the honest and close depiction of the lives at each "level" of the house - upstairs and downstairs. I like that the focus isn't just on the wealthy family who owns the house but also on the people who help keep it running. The house essentially has two separate worlds coexisting (in a manner of speaking) inside it and we get to see the ins-and-outs of each one but also how the two occasionally collide. 

I actually find it refreshing that the Earl and his family (for the most part) are very kind and generous to their servants. I am sure this was not the case in all households back then, but I think the common stereotype about wealthy manor and land owners of the time is that they were often domineering, abusive and unfair toward their staff. It's nice to see a family that, even though there is a clear class distinction between them and the servants, obviously cares about the well-being and contentment of everyone in the house. (The perfect illustration of this is the scene in one of the last episodes in Season 1 where Lord Grantham asks Sybil, "Are you saying that I cannot enter my own Library because one of the maids is interviewing for another job?!" then just walks away like, "Ok, that's cool. I'll wait." lol. Hilarious). I was surprised by this dynamic and I guess that is why I like it so much.

Speaking of Sybil, is she not gorgeous?! 

The show is very educational of course, and very proper and serious on one level, but it still has enough soap-opera-esque drama to keep you laughing and on the edge of your seat! There is a nice helping of lying, backstabbing, secret love affairs (acknowledged and not) and gossiping. There are also lots of hilarious one-liners, mainly courtesy of Maggie Smith as the Dowager Duchess. She certainly says what she thinks - it's awesome!

Now if you will excuse me, I must go start Season 2. I should re-emerge in about a week. 

mad-derision

Well, it seems the Material Girl (although she's far from being a Girl now) is who everyone is talking about this morning. See there was a little football game on last night called the Superbowl...

The grand entrance of Her Royal Empress of the Roman Empire

...don't ask me! I only watched for the anthem (Kelly Clarkson KILLED it), the commercials and the halftime show - I really couldn't tell ya what went down on the field. I can't say I was excited about seeing the halftime show, but I was intrigued. In the end it was only "meh" for me. This is fitting considering I'm basically "meh" about Madonna in general. 

She's a very polarizing person* (at least judging by the live tweets of her show last night) so it's fitting that my opinion of her is also split. I don't dislike Madonna but I don't particularly like her either. 

I think I like the Madonna of the 80's and 90's better than the one of the 2000's. I respect her as a powerful woman who has forged her own way in a fickle industry (partially through a bunch of shrewd business decisions) and as someone who has blazed a trail for a lot of other female pop stars. In a way, she is the original female pop star and she definitely deserves props for that. She was always pushing the envelope and being provocative and I give her props for that too. 

However, it seems like she has either lost that spark of provocation or she is trying too hard to continue to be provocative in a world where provocation is almost mainstream. You have to try pretty darn hard to be provocative nowadays because it has all been done before. Being political and pushing buttons may have caught attention 20 years ago, but it is sort of old news now.

Where is a trailblazer to go when most of the trails have already been blazed? You end up circling back on trails you went down a long time ago and repeating them and suddenly you are behind all the others rather than in front. All of a sudden you are no longer relevant and you actually are kind of a joke. 

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This is how I feel about Madonna - I feel like she's almost become a caricature of herself, playing a part.

And I would probably have more respect for her if the music she has produced in the past few years was actually good. So much of it is the same ol' pop/dance tracks we've heard a million times before with guest spots from hot, young artists in an attempt to give them more hipness (almost as if they KNOW the song is not hip otherwise). Nothing special. Madonna's best music? Her 80's and 90's stuff...the songs she produced in her hey-day. Her music has always been pop, but at least her old stuff had some "spice" to it - some uniqueness and substance.

Aside from the music, it seems like she has become more and more egotistical over the years as well - attention-hogging with silly antics like her promotion of Kabbala, parading her daughter as arm candy around the social circuit, and vanity project after vanity project (and continuously going around talking about how great each of these projects is). And don't give me that "oh she's a legend, she's earned the right to brag" crap. Just because you are one of the most famous people in the world and are a pop culture legend doesn't mean you have the RIGHT to act like a jerk. 

I am so sick of the argument about her looking so good for her age too - she absolutely does (there's no denying that) but that is also not an excuse to be BLAH. Just because you are 53 and look 33 doesn't mean you get a free ride to "do whatever you want-ville". I'm sorry but I don't care how old you are or how good you look in thigh-high boots, you still have to bring something more to the table to impress me and make me look up to you.

Anyway, bottom line is I don't dislike Madonna, but I don't particularly like her either. And I thought her Superbowl show was...not bad - again, didn't love it, didn't hate it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if she had just stayed home and let M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, Cee-Lo and LMFAO take over.

Regardless of the Superbowl show, I think if Madonna actually showed more personality, uniqueness, humility and some of the old spark she used to have, maybe I wouldn't be so 'in the middle'. 

*of course, I'm sure she enjoys being polarizing

Back to Life, Back to Reality

Well, I'm back from vacation! Well, I was actually back yesterday but considering yesterday was a holiday in Canada and we had been driving since the previous morning, I was pretty zonked yesterday and not up for doing much of anything productive. Today is the 1st official day back to "real-life"...

I had a lovely vacation though! It was just so nice to get away, have a change of scenery and make our own schedule for a few days. This trip was an interesting one in many ways* - of course, the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of the places we visited were all interesting - but it was also a milestone of sorts because it was the first extended trip that the boy and I took together.

I always say that if you really want to get to know someone and learn whether or not you are truly compatible with each other, you should take a trip with them. When traveling, you can see sides of a person that you might never see interacting with them on a day-to-day basis. You could know someone for decades, talk to them on the phone or see them every single day, and exchange many deep, dark secrets and still be surprised at how they act and how you get along when you travel together.

Generally when you travel, the full gambit of emotions tends to come out at one time or another. Travel is tiring and it dehydrates you, plus you are eating, getting up, going to sleep and doing other things at different times (and sometimes in different ways or in a different order) than you normally would, meeting new people, being thrust into completely new situations and generally experiencing unfamiliarity wherever you turn.

This, of course, is one of the great things about travel (and one of my favourite things about it) but it can also wreak havoc on your disposition. Regardless of where you are going and when, the actual "traveling" part of the travel is not the most enjoyable - it's normally very tiring and tedious (being squeezed into a tiny airplane seat or standing in endless line-ups when flying? Sitting in traffic and staring down seemingly endless stretches of highway, dealing with reckless morons and countless detours when driving? Anyone?). I personally hate the actual "traveling" part, and just can't wait to GET to where I'm going. It depends of course, but generally I wish I could just teleport myself to wherever I want to go and skip all the bull.

Given the fact the traveling can often be tiring and tedious, it often means that either you, your traveling companion or both end up cranky, irritable, moody, stressed and frustrated at some point or another and this means that one or both of you gets to see the other in a light that is not necessarily the most flattering.

Aside from the conditions of traveling, different people have different traveling "styles", meaning that they like to structure their trip in different ways. Some people prefer to be uber-organized and have every hour of every day planned ahead of time, and like to cram in as many sights as possible during their time in that place. Some people prefer to be laid-back and not plan anything, just go out and wander and see where the day takes them. Some people like to visit every museum and read every plaque, while some people are content with a quick look at one or two things, or prefer to skip the tourist attractions altogether in favour of exploring back alleys.

I would say I am somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. I DO like to make the most of my time somewhere, so I try to figure out what main things I want to see before I go and at least come up with a basic plan for what to do and when. I also like to try and get up as early as I can so that half the day is not wasted. However, I DO NOT like to schedule my day so tightly that I have no wiggle room and I am exhausted after only a few hours. I like to keep my schedule flexible and I always like to take time to just wander and explore and visit some lesser known sights.

Given my middle-of-the-road traveling style, chances are I would go nuts traveling with someone whose style is closer to either extreme end (hyper-organized or super-laid-back) or has completely different interests. For example, my mom and I travel great together because we tend to want to visit the same sort of attractions (we both love anything arts-related, interesting museums, historical places, shopping/markets, etc) and we have a similar attitude to travel. On the other end of things, when I visited Amsterdam a few years ago with a group of girls from a University in the US (we were all living in London at the time taking a course at Regent's College), one of the gals and I ended up breaking off on the second day because all the other 3 wanted to do was sit in "koffee houses" (for those of you that are not familiar with Amsterdam's well-known attractions, it should be noted that these places do not actually serve coffee) all day long. BOR-ING. And lets be honest, if I really wanted to smoke weed all day long I could do that at home.

Luckily, I have discovered that the boy and I have similar travel styles as well because we traveled quite well together this vacation. I would definitely say I am more of a "planner" than he is, but generally we wanted to visit the same things and were open to suggestion from the other person.**

Which brings me to another point about traveling companions - you also need to remember that it is your COMPANION's trip too. You should try and compromise and do your best to ensure that you BOTH get the most of the trip. Don't throw a tantrum because you do not get to do exactly what you want when you want. Guess what, kid?! That's life. I'm not saying you should compromise all the time as you are guaranteed to not have any fun and I do not think you should miss things you really want to take in just because your companion doesn't want to, but you should be flexible, considerate and open-minded. If you can't manage to do that, you should probably travel alone. Or if you and your companion really cannot agree on a compromise, than go your separate ways for a few hours! Hello, you are not attached at the hip! And trust me, you will regret it forever if you come home having followed someone else around the entire week when you really didn't want to.

Anyway, my point is you may not be a good traveling companion for everyone in your life, even for people that you see on a daily basis and love very much, and not everyone in your life will necessarily be a good traveling companion for you. And that's ok! But if you can find someone that you can travel with, it is certainly a nice thing and I think it's a tougher thing to find than a lot of people realize. I am happy that the boy and I made it through this trip without murdering each other (as you can see, I am clearly still here and I can assure you he is, too - you will just have to trust me on this one, unfortunately). I see many more trips in our future and that makes me really happy. Traveling is something I really enjoy and will always really enjoy, and it is so nice to have someone in my life that shares my passion. We are already planning our NEXT road trip!

Who do you like to travel with and why? What is YOUR traveling style?

*this trip was also awesome because it means I get to cross another item off my 30 B4 30 list!! (see left sidebar) That would be #20: Take a Road Trip - DONE! Bazinga!
**of course, it helps that my boy is very laid-back and easy to please - I have to admit I would not necessarily say I am "laid-back" (I tend to be high-strung and a "worrier") but he is helping me do this more and I am becoming more so over time when it comes to travel

I'm an "inextrovert"! What about you?

Man, I hate Mondays. I hate them even more after staying up until midnight to watch the Golden Globes. I always say I'm not going to stay up and watch the whole thing ("ok, next commerical break, I'm going to bed...") but I always end up doing it. I live-tweeted throughout the whole evening, which was actually fun! It was like sitting around chatting about the show in real time with your friends. Plus, making fun of celebrities is always a good time. I love how Ricky Gervais can make them squirm! Mwahaha.

Anyhoo, one thing I do like about Monday's is that it means the "Monday Morning Motivator" will be in my email inbox! I signed up for this weekly email a while back when I was researching career coaching. It's sort of an email "newsletter" sent out on Mondays by CareerJoy, a "Canadian Career Coaching Company", and it always contains a short headliner advice article that is usually an interesting read.

This week's email headliner, entitled "Yes, but I'm an introvert...", caught my eye. The article states:

"Are you an introvert or an extrovert? If you are in introvert you are in good company. Introverts make up around 25% of the population. Some famous introverts include, Barbara Walters, Warren Buffet & Pierre Trudeau. Carl Jung defined introverts as "inward turning" and extroverts as "outward turning." Introverts are more energized alone, extroverts are energized by people. The classic myth is introverts are not as good with people, as extroverts are. We are all social beings, introverts can in many ways be better with people, they tend to be better listeners, more creative and more analytical. There are many advantages to being "inward turning" I would argue that it has never been a better time to be an introvert. With the rise of social media tools like, blogging. Linkedin, twitter and Facebook, great platforms for the person who is more introverted by nature. Social media is an "introverts" paradise."

This article mainly caught my eye because I've always considered myself to be an introvert. But on the other hand, I would consider myself to be an extrovert in some situations. Generally, I'm a shy person who is really uncomfortable approaching strangers and it takes me a while to warm up to people. However, I also enjoy socializing, meeting new people and having conversations. Which side of me predominates really depends on the dynamics and circumstances of each individual situation. I cannot be around people all the time (I have to have alone time and some social situations give me major anxiety) but I also can't be alone all the time either (I start to go stir-crazy if I don't socialize for a while and I love just being "out" with people where things are happening).

I know this is a complete contradiction but I'm willing to bet that the majority of people are this way, i.e. a mixture of intro and extroversion.

The thing that really gets me is that being introverted in our society is sort of seen as a negative thing. As Alan says above, "The classic myth is introverts are not as good with people, as extroverts are", and as someone who has been  classified as "introverted" pretty much her entire life, this stereotype is frustrating. (this post sort of relates to this one, where I discuss my Myers-Briggs personality type).

In our society, introversion is generally associated with anti-socialness (or at least poor social skills), being uptight and conservative, risk-averse, and agoraphobic, whereas extroversion is associated with being fun, talkative, adventurous and charismatic. For some reason, if you have a quieter personality and are a listener or thinker rather than a talker, than you are seen as wierd, mysterious, or as an outsider. Someone who doesn't like people and isn't open to new ideas and experiences. Just try Googling "introvert" and check out the image results (lets just say many of them are depressing).

I have struggled with shyness and self-consciousness my entire life, and I still struggle with it. I've come a long way and I become more and more ok with it as I get older but this is probably something I will always have with me. I'm becoming more and more ok with the fact that it's part of who I am but I can't lie, it's frustrating not being one of those people who (seemingly) feels comfortable talking to anyone about anything.

Much of the frustration that comes from being a "quiet" person stems not so much from wanting to change this about myself but from the judgments that people make because of it. I've had so many people assume that I just don't like people, that I have nothing important to say, that I'm a "goody-goody" who is timid and weak and obviously those things are completely off-base. I have had people even assume that shyness is something that I chose, that I can just snap my fingers and magically be outgoing all the time. Trust me, if it were that easy I would have done it by now. I do agree that my shyness is something I can work on overcoming by putting myself outside my comfort zone (and I try to do that as much as possible), but it's a lot easier said than done.

I just think there is something to be said for being quiet at times. I think there is something to be said for holding some things back, for thinking and listening before talking, for observing rather than interacting, for taking time to recharge and reflect, for having fewer, closer friends rather than a humongous social circle. It doesn't mean I won't chew you out or stand up for myself/loved ones if I feel the need. And you might find this hard to believe, but I actually love going on adventures, having opinionated heated debates, and I've partied too hard many times (hey I've got "skydiving" on my "30 B4 30" list, ok?)

I'm sorry if this sounds sort of "rant-y" as I didn't intend it to be. I'm not trying to get on a soap-box here and rant about how no one understands me. I just wanted to say that (as a traditionally "introverted" person) I have had many people make assumptions about me based on that alone. I may be an introvert, but that's not all I am. And extroverts are much more than their general personalities, too. Human beings are extremely complex creatures and it's not as simple as sticking a label on someone's shoulder and calling it a day.
In any case, regardless of what categories you do or don't fit into, it's not about the cards you are dealt it's how you play them.

Just remember, in games of chance (like life) it is often the quiet, unassuming ones you have to watch out for! (mwahaha) *wink*

Fashion Friday: Man, I feel like a woman*

My favourite outfit this week happened mid-week, which is odd because (and I think I can speak for everyone when I say this) Wednesday is not normally the "peak" day of the week for me. In fact, quite the opposite ("slump" day). Like, you are far away from the weekend on either end, which is slightly depressing.

Anyhoo, I really love this blazer - it's so comfy and instantly makes whatever I throw it onto more polished (I'm definitely seeing a pattern here in what clothes I like/why I wear pieces because I keep writing the same thing every week). It has shoulder pads, which actually I HATE, but these ones aren't too bad. I find the wider shoulder actually quite flattering (I have really small shoulders so I probably should wear padding, but for some reason they always make me feel like a linebacker).

Another pair of flats! Yes, I wear flats a lot. Most of the time actually. I have wide feet and I'm on the go alot so I just can't realistically wear heels like, ever. I LIKE heels and have many cute pairs but I only wear them if I know I'm going to be sitting alot. What I like about these is they closely resemble these popular Tory Burch pair, but were probably 1/5 of the price (thank you, Hudson's Bay Company, which -for the uninitiated-is a great store. Speaking of which, did my fellow Canadians hear that Target is buying up Zellers and about 200 Zellers stores across Canada will be replaced by Targets?! I'm sorry for Zellers, but I'm not going to lie, super excited! I love Target!).

These pants are great too - I got them for (get this) $14.99 on Boxing Day! They are a stretch black cargo pant from Reitmans, which is a chain that sells these great "comfort fit" pants with a comfortable waistline (no buttons or zippers, wide band). And best of all, I didn't have to HEM them! You don't even understand how excited I get when that happens, because...well, it never happens (I'm 5 foot nothing, y'all. No one makes pants for midgets like me so I always have to cut about 4 inches off my pants before I can wear them).

This t-shirt is another one I've had for years - I love the necklace detail on it. It's - you guessed it - comfortable yet polished! Obviously this is my fashion mantra!
I really like menswear looks on women. I don't really know why, I just think pieces like wide-leg trousers, blazers, tweed vests, hats, etc, work really well on women's figures. I find that, since I am curvy and I never like to be too dressy or too "done", menswear looks give me a balance in styling and flatter my shape. I look much better in tailored clothes with some shape - anything too flouncy or fluttery just makes me look like A) a five-year-old, or B) a super-fat five-year-old (either way = bad).

I guess in a way, this kind of look remind me of the '70's a lot, too. Man, I love the '70's. And I didn't even live through them (not even close). Have you ever felt a "connection" to a particular decade? Like you feel as though you should have been there for it? That's how I feel about the '70's. Well, and the '60's too. The '80's were a lot of things, but not a great one for fashion (lets be honest here).

Just look what this look did for Woody Allen's career:

If you don't know who this is, then I'm sorry you need to read more magazines and watch more movies. Now!

This look is a little TOO masculine for my taste, though. The key for me is to incorporate lady-like accessories when I wear menswear, to ensure I don't look silly (like I'm wearing my dad's clothes). As you can see above, my flats and jeweled top tone down the masculinity/sharpness of the blazer and pants. It's a great trend to follow if you want to look effortless and not too dressed up.

Here's some other gals who I think pull off the women-in-menswear look perfectly!

Via Harper's

Janelle Monae is just adorable! I would look completely ridiculous in the outfits she wears, but her look suits her perfectly and is really stylish (and she wears pretty much ALL menswear ALL the time)



Via here

Ralph Lauren Rugby

LOVE the middle look. Via here.

Another icon of menswear for women (Marlene Dietrich).

Have a stylish weekend!

*please excuse the stupid title. I'm not really a Shania Twain fan in particular, it just worked for the post. This is the most originality I can manage for a Friday, sorry.

Royal Flush

I have been experiencing Monarchy Overload lately.

Between Kate & Will's engagement (another one bites the dust *le sigh*), seeing the King's Speech the other night (which you MUST go see if you haven't already, by the way), and watching a documentary on Princess Margaret last night I've quite had my fill of the royal family and it's various idiosyncracies.

However, it also got me thinking, not about how jealous I am of all their money, ponies and mansions (even though I am...Harry, call me!) but about how their entire existence revolves around OBLIGATION and DUTY. Sure they have lots of money and admirers and lead very glamourous lives, but they also have an awful lot of expectation resting on their shoulders.

There is one particularly heartbreaking scene in The King's Speech where Colin Firth (aka King George VI) sits down to review the program for his upcoming coronation. He opens the folder, begins to read...and bursts into tears, moaning about how he didn't want this. I felt so sad for him in that moment I just wanted to reach through the screen and give him a big hug and it occured to me how overwhelming it must be to be in a position of prestige and power. It's one thing to come from nothing and to build yourself up TO a position of prestige and power, but it's quite another to be born into it (and therefore expected to uphold it whether you like it or not, or risk being completely ostracised).

The idea of being a Princess is certainly an appealing one in a romantic sort of way, but there is no WAY I would want to live a life of constant scrutiny, nor have everything I do and say be dictated to me by other people. No wonder families such as the royals and Kennedy's are plagued by such dysfunction!

I did not know much about Princess Margaret before watching the documentary on her last night, so I was unaware that in the 1950's there was an enormous sensation concerning who she could marry. Most of the documentary focused on her relationship with Peter Townsend, with whom she had a slow-burning romance in her late teens/early 20's. You can imagine the issue even if you're not familiar with the story either - they wanted to marry, but according to royal law at the time they would have to either a) get permission from the Church of England (which did not allow divorce) or b) Margaret would have to renounce her title and life as a member of the royal family. *

There are many more details to the story, of course, but the important thing to know is that in the end, she chose to keep her title and NOT marry the man she loved. Never mind the fact that he was a decorated and well-respected war hero, as well as a friend of their family for many years, the fact that he was divorced and a commoner overwrote everything and it's almost as if the decision was final before it was even made.

The fact is, someone in that kind of position cannot make their own decisions, or at least not make decisions based purely on their personal desires. Their decisions are manipulated and managed by "handlers", their inner circle, and the wants/needs of the people of their country. How devastating it must have been to walk away from love to fulfill duty (the heartbreaking photo above provides some insight into the pain she must have experienced). In my mind it would take a very strong, brave person to make such a choice. Imagine having to consult a panel of people for every major decision in your life! (Dear God, shoot me.)

The point is (never mind my overarching opinions about the monarchy in general - that's for another post), I feel sorry for these people. It seems to me that there are more burdens on the shoulders of people like them than we "commoners" will ever know or understand. It's not all carriages and hunting trips and balls and banquets. Underneath the veneer of shimmer, smiles and crowns there must exist a lot of anxiety, loneliness, and resentment. These are, of course, emotions that we all deal with and have to hide at times, but the difference with "average" people like you and me is that we're not doing so while living underneath a glass dome.

If it's one thing I've learned from the royal family this week, it's that there is something to be said for being common.

(although having a pony would be pretty freakin cool)

*not sure if these rules still apply - anyone know?