Kashi does the body good

I love, love, love Kashi cereals!

I think they are fantastic tasting, and from what I can tell, they also seem to be rather good for you. They contain all natural ingredients, no preservatives, and some of them are organic. There are many different varieties, and they do vary in their nutritional benefits so you do need to read the nutritional information to compare.

My personal favourites are "Go Lean" (5 grams of fiber, 13 grams of protein per serving) and "Organic Cinnamon Harvest" (6 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein per serving). I love mixing several varieties together in my bowl and creating my own unique cereal combination making the possibilities endlessly delish! They taste yummy, and they fill you up. Cereal perfection!

Then for all those who live in the US, there are also the Kashi Go Lean Crunchy bars. Yes, sadly enough these are not available in Canada (and I have been waiting a few years already). Definitely worth importing from the US if you can. These are amazing all natural protein and fiber bars. They are scrumptious and vary in protein content from 6-9 grams per bar, and fiber 5-6 grams per bar, all for an impressive 150-180 calories per bar. I love to eat these when I'm rushing out in the morning and don't have time for a proper breakfast, or when I'm working a particularly busy shift and I don't have the time to scoff down anything else. Of course, it is fine to take your time eating these too, I'm sure they'll taste even better :)

Do your body good!

Pregnant in heels

Sounds crazy doesn't it? Well, it is!

I hardly watch any television, because so little of what is out there manages to grab and hold on to my attention. This Slice(Canada)/Bravo (USA) channel show however has accomplished exactly that.

Oddly enough I am not pregnant, and in fact my pregnancy years are w-e-ll behind me. Also, even when I was pregnant I absolutely never wore heels, or even considered it (after all I was balance challenged in flats). Yet somehow, I find this show a total blast.

The pregnant women on the show are mostly totally whacked (entirely out of touch with the real world), however the "star" of the show, Rosie Pope the maternity concierge, is quite endearing and knowledgeable. It is interesting how she confidently rocks her clients' worlds with practical reality. The added interesting thing about her is she seems very intelligent, and is able to explain many medical issues with total clarity and accuracy. This is something precious few lay people manage to do, no matter who writes their scripts for them. I believe she is bright enough to genuinely understand the stuff she discusses (apparently she briefly studied neuroscience at Columbia). Her show also touches on a more somber side of her life, as she is amazingly candid about her own serious struggles to conceive her second child (failed IVF, ectopic pregnancy, etc). Entirely refreshing.

Thus the reason, I, a non-pregnant, rarely heel wearing, reluctant TV watching woman, am rather hooked on Rosie Pope and her Pregnant in Heels show. Worth at least a peek I think.

She also has an informative website (it includes a link to her blog) www.rosiepope.com

Enjoy :)

Time to make a new friend

If you don't already know about Etsy, I think it would be worth your while to get acquainted. Etsy is an online community that connects you with cool artisans from all over the place, and lets you find truly amazing and unique handmade items. I have been an Etsy fan for a while, and have managed to find incredible deals there. I have found everything from stationary, to wall decals, to jewelry, to art work. The list is practically endless. Before you think this is the kind of sometimes shabby stuff you find at the local craft fair, think again, these are top notch professional quality items minus the middle man. You  have to check it out to understand.

The other unique part of this experience is that you can also communicate directly with the different artisans and commission entirely custom items. Incredible!

Check them out. www.etsy.com Fun and fantastic stuff!

How about you?

Isn't that juicy food for thought?

Crazy how many varied things I can come up with... 

Now the challenge is to figure out a way not to let fear of x/y/z  hold me back. 

Not so easy, yet very interesting.

Enjoy the self-contemplation!

Manicure Pedicure 101

I'm a firm believer that every girl should know how to accomplish her own fabulous manicure and pedicure, as a rite of passage.

Getting it done in a salon can be pricey and dicey, and even if you can easily afford it and revel in the pampering, in life, its always smart to have a back-up plan.

Years ago one of my beloved Croatian cousins shared with me that she often did her own nails, and when I marveled at how amazing they looked, she pointed out that it doesn't take a genius, it just takes practice. In fact, she said the first hundred times would be hideous, and after I'd be on my way. She was right!

Here are my tips on how to do it yourself. First, you need the right tools, and secondly you need to be patient with your artistry. You'll get there. Promise.

You can likely buy everything you need at your local pharmacy. Buy the best clippers, files, etc that you can afford and they will literally last you a lifetime. Yes, Tweezerman products are pricey, but they are worth every penny.

Items I recommend:

• Good moisturizing nail polish remover and cotton pads
• Good quality nail clippers (Henkles or Tweezerman)
• Good quality cuticle pusher (Tweezerman)
• Good quality cuticle clipper (Tweezerman or Revlon)
• Metal nail file (for nail edge)
• Cardboard buffing nail files for nail bed
• Base coat (First Base by Essie)
• Nail polish (Essie or Butter London)
• Top coat (Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat)

This is how you do it:

1. First, remove all of your old polish. Even if you aren't wearing any, wipe every nail with polish remover to remove any natural oil and dirt residue.
2. Cut your nails to desired length with nail clipper (short is always best, and easier to work with).
3. Push the cuticle down off each nail with the cuticle pusher.
4. Cut the cuticle and hangnails off with cuticle clipper (do it slowly until you get the hang of it so you don't cut your skin and bleed). Yes, I know, they always say just push the cuticle down. I don't know any professional manicurist who doesn't cut the cuticle off, and I find there is no way the manicure looks as good or lasts as long if you don't.
5. File down the nails.
6. File all the rough parts of the nail (often the part of the nail you pushed the cuticle off of needs to be smoothed out).
7. Wash your nails with water only to remove all the fine residue from the filing, and wipe dry.
8. Apply Essie "First Base" base coat (the best one I have ever tried).
9. Apply the nail polish of your choice (I think Essie is particularly easy to work with). Start with light pink or nude colors (Essie Mademoiselle is a good bet) because they are more forgiving. Always use as little polish on your brush as possible, to give as thin of a coat as possible. Try to put the first brush stroke in the middle of the nail (that way if you have too much polish on your brush it spreads out rather than pooling into the crevice at the side of your nail and making a mess), and then work the next strokes beside the middle one. Don't brush all the way to the base or sides of the nail bed, rather put the brush down on your nail further away from the edge, and gently nudge the brush down to the base and sides (this is how you get full coverage without any globbing at those difficult spots).
10. Wait about 5 minutes between coats. If you have put a very thin coat on, it should be dry to the light touch in that length of time. Often when you are starting your coats will be thicker, so you'll need to give yourself more drying time. Try not to do more than 2 coats, or else it will take a long while for your polish to set and be smudge proof. 
11. After the second coat you don't need to wait more than 2 minutes to apply the top coat I recommend. In fact, by the time you have finished applying the polish to your second had, it is time to start with the top coat on your first hand. THE world's best top coat is Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri Anti-Chip top coat. It dries your nails in 60 seconds flat. Seriously it works! 60 seconds after application they will be dry to light touch. I would recommend being careful with your hands for 20 min to ensure absolutely no damage. Also, this is the necessary magic ingredient that will ensure your hard work lasts. I wash my hands probably a hundred times a day (at least) when I work, and my manicure can last an entire week with this. If you aren't this hard on your hands, yours may last longer. 
12. Follow the same instructions for your toes, other than making sure to use a pumice on your heels in the shower if you need it, wedge little cotton pads between your toes if they overlap, and wear flip flops for at least 2 hours after a pedicure before putting on closed toe shoes to ensure no damage (if you wear socks you can probably put them on in an hour). Pedicures can last 2-3 weeks. 

Now that I have gotten quite swift at this, I can manage dark polishes as well, and I can do both a mani and a pedi in about 45 min. 

Best of luck, and remember patience & perseverance. Always keep it fun, and never sweat the small stuff!

Allez-Up

The friendliest place in the world to enjoy indoor rock climbing.

My daughter and I got into this a couple of years ago, and our love for it is still going strong. This is one of those simple, yet incredible places where you immediately feel comfortable even though you might be heading into entirely uncharted territory for yourself.

If you are a beginner, they aptly take you under their wings and belay you (support you with a harness to prevent you from falling if you slip) as you embark on this new adventure. If you are an experienced climber you can get certified to belay with a friend, and they also most certainly have walls that will challenge you.

The cost is reasonable ($17.50/person for non-members, with a minimum of two climbers, belay provided), it is a great work-out if you push yourself. I find that rock climbing is one of those activities that occupies your mind while you are working on your body, and therefore is a real break/escape from the other things in life.

If you need them to belay you, book your visit ahead of time.

For more detailed information: www.allezup.com

If you don't live in Montreal, I'm sure you can find a great indoor rock climbing place near you.
Try it. It's a blast!

(picture not from Allez-Up)

Fiji

Simply THE best tasting water this side of heaven!

I'm sorry, I guess I'm a teeny bit of a water snob... I do come by it honestly though. The problem is that I'm kinda defective, in that I find it a daily challenge to drink a healthy amount of fluids. In an attempt to at least force myself to drink something that is both good for my body, and good tasting, I have allowed myself to regularly indulge in the world's most delicious water.

What exactly should water taste like you ask? Absolutely nothing. That is the key. For water to be its most pristine sparkling and refreshing self, it can't be tainted with even the hint of flavor or aftertaste. Fiji accomplishes that to pure smooth perfection. Their website explains it more detail than I can: www.fiji.ca

Water does the body good.

Treat yourself, and experience the difference. 

Something to ponder...

Every so often a brilliant writer out there manages to write something that really makes me think. This link is to a piece that was published in the NY Times, and accomplished exactly that for me, it is about Steve Jobs
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/opinion/sunday/steve-jobss-genius.html.

One of the aspects in this article that resonates most with me is the notion that the future of innovation is in the hands of the children out there who are the most creative, the most genius if you will, among the mass of overachievers. Nurturing rather than folding that naturally creative spirit into a box is the challenge that society faces.

Check it out and see what you THINK.