Raincouver

I randomly ran into an old friend at the airport on the weekend who informed me she would be moving to Vancouver later this week. She asked me how I handle the rain, and on a day like today, it seems like the perfect opportunity to share.

Well as all Vancouverites know, it rains here and it rains here a lot. While we've had a fairly dry summer, today is a reminder of what November-February is typically like. My first experience of "winter" in Vancouver was depressing. I was a starving student, trapped in my apartment, wishing for a nice clean layer of snow to make everything look pretty again.

My wish didn't come true, but what did happen was a very generous Christmas gift of some Burberry rain boots and voila! My attitude about the rain suddenly changed. The thing is, we live in Vancouver and that means the rain is inevitable; we can't change that. What we can change is our outlook. By embracing our rainy season, it somehow adds to the charm of this beautiful city.

So while the rest of you are boo-hooing about the weather, I'm busy coordinating outfits with my favorite pair of boots. Now all I need is the matching umbrella!

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West coast LEAF

While I was completing my Public Relations studies at Langara College last fall, two of my classmates and I took on a volunteer opportunity at West Coast LEAF. We were asked to help out with their PR initiatives. Our work included setting up a Twitter account, creating a newsletter, event listings, and finally we decided to create a PSA announcement.

After we perfected the concept and gathered the materials needed, we were able to contract the very talented Ryan Anderson to record and edit our video. The day of shooting was a cold Vancouver Fall day, and asking random people to hold up a leaf and stare into a camera met us with some challenging reactions.

Now the video has been complete, and was debuted at the West Coast LEAF Equality Breakfast in March of 2010. The video will also be shown at the Festival Cinemas chain for the month of September.

Without further ado, check out our PSA announcement below.

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Lost

Who watched the Emmys last night? And who was as disappointed as I was that Lost didn't win any major awards?! Seriously, what the hell happened?! Lost is/was the best show of all time.

I only recently got hooked on Lost; I started watching it from the very first episode in February of this year. Six seasons is a lot to watch back to back, but this was a labor of love. By the time the final episode aired, I was caught up and watched it on TV (with baited breath), like my other fellow "Lost-aholics".

For all of you still trying to fill the hole in your hearts left by Sawyer, Jack and Kate, I have good news and I have bad news. The bad news is you can give up trying; there are no comparables. The good news however, is that there are a lot of us out there, and it would seem like many of you have started Lost blogs.

Consider this our group therapy.

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Home sweet home

As I've mentioned, I was able to squeeze in a quick trip to my hometown of Moncton, NB over the weekend. A trip home means many things to me, seeing my friends & family, taking in the hot Atlantic sun, but above all else, eating all the sea food my heart desires.

This trip was no exception. I filled up on New Brunswick's greasy golden child; Deluxe French Fries where I had a fish and chips meal like no other, lobster drenched in butter, bacon wrapped scallops and washed it all down with some Nova Scotia wine. The one thing I sadly didn't have was a poutine (not for lack of trying).

All in all, a fantastic trip home! I'm missing everyone already.

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Friday Recipe

I’ve been pretty absent on the web this week as I’ve been in meetings in Toronto, and last night hopped a flight to New Brunswick to visit with friends and family. It’s always fun to come home and see my loved ones, and even more fun is having my parents cook for me!


Tonight we’re hosting a BBQ with the traditional summertime favourites - burgers, sausage, chips & dip and my number one summer treat; corn on the cob! My recipe today is a simple twist on my old time fav, BBQ corn on the cob.

• Soak the corn (husks still on) in a pot of cold water, and let it soak for 2-3 hours
• Now place the wet corn (still in their husks) directly on the BBQ at a low temperature
• Close the cover and let it steam for about 15 minutes.

Voila! This couldn’t be easier, even if it tried. The best part is that the corn is so juicy it hardly needs butter. (Now that our clothes are feeling a bit snug, we’re asking ourselves why we gave in to all of the ice cream, patio beers and corn dog cravings all summer).

Celebrate the end of the season with a BBQ of your own, and let me know your corn on the cob secrets!

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The Secret Garden

About a month ago, I went to the Secret Garden Tea House with some girlfriends for high tea and yummy treats. I wasn't sure what to expect, since I'd never been to anything like that before, but we got dolled up and headed over with high hopes of finding our new Sunday "hang out" spot.

First off, they have a huge list of teas available, (I had the Lemon Mango Punch, which was just as amazing as it sounds).

Secondly, the treats were out of this world. Seriously delicious sandwiches, scones, and sweets. For those two reasons alone, I definitely recommend a visit.

The atmosphere was so calming, it reminded me of my Great-Grandmother's house, except for some reason this was more fun and my Great-Grandmother couldn't bake like that (sorry Nana).

It was a teeny bit expensive at $25 per person, but I would say for the experience, it was so worth it.

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Urban Gardening

Living smack in the middle of downtown Vancouver is amazing when it comes to being close to everything and everyone. Not so amazing is the loss of green space. Though my building lacks in the amenities department, (we don't have a gym, a pool is totally out of the question, in fact I don't even have a parking space), lucky for me, what I do have is the most amazing rooftop patio, with huge garden beds.

This year I've grown lots of veggies like tomatoes, lettuce, onions, carrots, basil and dill. On top of that, I've also grown flowers, including these giant sunflowers.

I had never fancied myself a gardener, but it turns out it's pretty fun and surprisingly relaxing!

My veggie garden

Sunflowers growing wild

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Friday Feature Recipes

Since I'm trying to expand my cooking skills, I'm going to start including a Friday Feature Recipe post. If you give my reco a try, let me know your thoughts and suggestions!

Today we had a potluck lunch at work, organized by the social committee, which I am a part of. It was a huge success and a great opportunity for everyone in the office to show off their kitchen skills. I decided to make a Greek salad, and though I'd never made one before, I think it was a hit!

Here is the recipe I used:

1 Pint of Grape Tomatoes
1 Green Pepper

1 Cucumber

1 Small Red Onion

6 ounces of Feta Cheese
1/2 cup of olives

3/4 Cup of Olive Oil

2 table spoons of vinegar

2 table spoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of Oregano

First I chopped up the veggies, and in a separate bowl I mixed the dressing. Easy as can be!

The only down side of a potluck is the inevitable over eating, followed by a sleepiness that can only be compared to a deep coma.

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Yaletown Pet Hospital

I am definitely an animal lover, especially dogs. So much so that when I was 20 years old, I decided to adopt a cocker spaniel, who I named London. A lot of my friends thought I was crazy but 5 years later, London is still my faithful side kick.

A few weeks ago I called Yaletown Pet Hospital to make an appointment for London to get his vaccines and a physical. I was worried about how much it would cost, since anything with the name Yaletown in it tends to come with a higher price tag, but this place is on my street, and you can't beat a 2 minute commute. They said they weren't taking new patients, but that they would squeeze him in 3 weeks from now.

The day finally came yesterday, and the physical went great! Not only were they kind to my wallet, but they even suggested he not get all of the expensive vaccines he had had in the past. On top of which, he only needed to return for his Rabies shot every 3 years (vs annually, like his previous vet recommended).

I really appreciated their honesty and professionalism, even at their own expense (I was ready to shell out for the complete list of vaccines and services). If you're looking for a place to take your pooche, I highly recommend the Yaletown Pet Hospital!

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Social Media Pays the Bills!

Has everyone heard of Gabi Gregg, the recently hired Tweet Jockey at MTV? Well if you haven't, this lady has landed (possibly) the best social media job out there, on top of which she is getting one fat pay day! Gabbi is on a $100,000 annual salary to run MTV's Twitter and Facebook accounts.

This got me thinking, being in PR, I tweet on behalf of clients all the time. The average pay (I've seen) for social media, typically doesn't surpass the $18 per hour rate. Obviously MTV is aware they are over paying Gabi, but I think by having such a highly publicized campaign, they bring light to the importance of social media for businesses in these modern times. I think this is a great first step in showing other companies the value behind Twitter and having an online presence.

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Subeez Cafe

With this dreary weather we're having today, you're probably not thinking about where you're going to have brunch with your girlfriends this weekend. Lucky for you, I'm always thinking about food.

One of my favorite brunch spots in the city is only steps outside my front door; Subeez Cafe. Located on the corner of Homer and Smithe st., Subeez showcases trendy art (including a crazy centaur statue) that changes every month, and one delicious breakfast menu.

I tend to stick to the Mushroom & Goat Cheese Eggs Benny, but I have tried almost all of the items on the menu, including the Strawberry French Toast (oh my god, so good) and the Classic Breakfast, which comes with baked beans.

Everything on the Breakfast Menu is under $15, leaving room in your budget for the perfect Sunday Caesar.

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Chelsea Handler to host VMAs

Yes! I told you all about my love for Chelsea Handler last week, and today I've learned that she is set to host the VMAs on MTV! I am loving this news but wondering if she'll still have the same edge with the inevitable MTV censoring. Chelsea said in a statement;

"This has been a huge year for hip-hop and rap, and it is well-known that I have the closest ties with these communities – musically and sexually."

Oh Chelsea. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us at the MVAs. I'm sure it will be both hilarious and highly inappropriate. The big event goes down on Sept 12th. My DVR has officially been set.

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I heart it

A few months ago some girlfriends introduced me to, what has now become one of my absolute favorite websites; We Heart It. The site is updated by users virtually every second, with inspiring, girly, yummy and gorgeous images. Think FlickR but über feminine.

We Heart It is my go to source for new background images on my Blackberry and computer desktop. Once you're a member, you can "heart" pictures while you surf the web, and they automatically are posted to the site. It’s definitely worth checking out, and while you're there pop by my profile to see some of my favs.

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Fall hair

Today seems to be a bit cooler than it has been here in Vancouver these last few days, which makes it the perfect time to start talking about Fall looks.

Last night I was reading the September issue of Lou Lou Magazine, and a big hair trend I noticed is the fish bone braid. I have very long hair, so I'm always on the search for a new way to tie it back. The side braid was my favorite look this summer, but it was getting tired. The fish bone is a fun new twist on the braid, and so easy to pull off. For directions, click here.

My super long hair

 

Fishbone braid

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Y.E.S!

After confessing my shopping addiction yesterday, it only seems right that I mention my annual clothing donations too. (I'm not all selfish!).

I've recently been introduced to Y.E.S! which stands for Young Executives for Success. This amazing Women's organization participates in Dress for Success, a charity that supplies low income ladies with fantastic suits and clothes for the work force. In the past I've donated bags and bags of clothes to Value Village, but after reading up on Y.E.S!, I'm thinking this could be the perfect networking group for me (and my gently used clothes).

For those of you interested, membership is $100 per year (all of which goes directly to Dress for Success) and the networking events take place at hip lounges around the city (think V at Earls in Yaletown).

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Bachelor Pad

Ok, I was definitely slow to get into the Bachelor and Bachelorette, but now that I'm fully on board, I've become victim to their latest guilty pleasure: Bachelor Pad.

I was half watching it last night and missed most of the "plot", but what I did catch is the following:

• Girls binge eating pie and then ultimately purging. Honestly, couldn't they have chosen a better challenge? Last week was Twister in bikinis, which if I do say so myself, was a lot easier to watch.
• Someone wearing a ridiculous pink tutu.
• Chris Harrison wearing a seriously mismatched shirt and tie combo.
• And last but not least, Gia is bad?!?! (She was my favorite on the Bachelor)

Can't wait for next week's drama. The previews look intense!

One of these things is not like the other...

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Coach

I've always been open about my shopping addiction, and friends know that I'm always the one to splurge and (over) spend on impulse buys. When I recently discovered a rip in the liner of my purse, I was semi happy because this gave me an excuse to buy something new.

I made a trip to Pacific Centre to find the perfect change purse. I always walk past Coach and never go in because it's not really my style, and if I want giant C's on my bag, I want it to stand for Chanel. However on this day, since Chanel is definitely out of the question (due to lack of funds), I decided to pop in and see what they had in stock.

I was so pleased to find the perfect change purse! I love the burnt orange color, the sales team was fantastic, and best of all it only cost $38! Suddenly Coach is looking better and better! The only problem is I think I need the matching bag now, non?

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September Music guide

September, September, you're only a month away.....

Has anyone seen the lineup of phenomenal bands coming to Vancouver this September? We're talking Electronica / Hip Hop gods Ratatat at the Commodore, French dance group Phoenix at the PNE, and Canada's golden band The Arcade Fire at the Pacific Coliseum.

I don't know if this means anything to all of you, but what it says to me is start saving my money NOW.

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Hot Days and Sticky Skin

Now that the summer heat is full force, so is the sweaty, oily skin. I have always been a little bit OCD when it comes to washing my face, but with this hot and sticky weather, I've kicked it into over drive! My absolute favorite line of skin care products is, without a doubt, Clinique.

The Clinique 3-Step Skin Care System has been my (twice daily) routine for a number of years now, and I can honestly say it keeps my summer breakouts at bay. If you haven't already tried it, head over to Sears or The Bay and ask the Clinique rep for some samples and get ready for happy, glowing skin!

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The Perfect Friday

Friday on its own is pretty amazing, but Friday with old friends takes things to a whole new level.

This past Friday (the 13th, might I add) I met some girlfriends after work at Rodney's Oyster House for oysters and bevvies. It's no secret that Rodney's only has male servers, making it the perfect spot to catch up with the girls. After we had our eye candy fix, we headed over to Goldfish where we enjoyed the Yaletown crowd and a glass (or two) of bubbles.

Nibbling on finger food can only hold a girl like me over for so long, so we decided to head up to Granville to check out new spot The Factory. This used to be the home of Whineos, which we were all HUGE fans of and heartbroken to see go, but The Factory is pretty cool and dirt cheap. I'm especially fond of the jukebox which houses a number of bands I'm loving like Vampire Weekend, LCD Soundsystem, and MGMT.

Home and in bed by 11pm, this was one eventful Friday!

At The Factory after seeing how cheap my bill was!

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Sproat Lake

I'm the first to admit I'm not much of a camper, but when a group of friends suggested we go to Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island, I was persuaded.

We spent the day on the lake and the night sitting around (what would be) the fire (damn those fire bans). Even without marshmellows and hot dogs, I was surprised to see how much fun I had! Sproat Lake is gorgeous, and the weather couldn't have been better. 

Maybe next year I'll dare to do a two night camping adventure, but for now, I'm just proud I lasted 24 hours!

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Wild Garlic Bistro

24 hours and counting, and I still can't get the taste of garlic to go away. A small price to pay for one of Vancouver's best kept secrets. Wild Garlic Bistro is a cute little spot in the West End. The menu revolves around garlic, which I am a huge fan of.

I went with a girlfriend of mine for a Saturday night treat. We shared a few of the items on the Tapas Menu, including the Slowly Roasted Candied Garlic with Crostini and the Roasted Garlic & Camembert Cheese Fondue. I don't need to tell you it was delicious, that would be stating the obvious, but what I will tell you is how impressed I was with the price points, ambiance, and quality of food. On top of yummy grub, this place has some of the cheapest drinks I've seen in town!

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Chelsea Handler, you're my idol

I thought that absolutely EVERYONE had heard of Chelsea Handler, comedian, author, late night talk show host; but it seems as though some of my friends have not. This needs to be corrected straight away. I've been a Handler fan for years now, her books are hilarious and her dry sense of humor can make me laugh on even the crankiest of days.

Chelsea is the host of Chelsea Lately, which sadly, I cannot get, even with my lucrative cable subscription (what's up with that Telus?!) but I have had the pleasure of reading her books, and catching her on Leno, Jimmy Fallon, and Regis & Kelly. This lady is funny, but be warned; she is not for the faint at heart.

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Hello world!

Well it was only a matter of time before I started my very own blog. I'm a pretty avid Twitter user, but sometimes I just can't fit all I have to say in 140 characters. I'm hoping this blog will give me an outlet to share the latest and greatest in my life, as well as chatting up my favorite spots in Vancouver to shop, eat, and people watch.

I'm still figuring out the layout/design of this thing, so bear with me.

Thanks for stopping by, and if we're not already Twitter friends, lets make that happen asap.

XO
B

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