Wednesday, December 12, 2012

WEEKLY QUOTES

I LOVE WISE WORDS

I truly believe that a happy mind is a drug curing the world of sadness. 
Helping others, laughing, uplifting thoughts, courage, action, and curiosity are all the things I never get enough of. It what makes me continue to live and seek out the best of tomorrow everyday. 

Do not let sadness or anger enter your life: Stop, breath, and always remember that it's just a moment. If you choose to flick it off and continue life, you will only be happier. 
Let that bad situation suck you in, and your in trouble . You just wasted seconds of your life that you will never get back doing nothing, instead of enjoying it. 

HERE IS TO LIFE!











Monday, December 10, 2012

This time..calls for HAPPINESS!



What happened to the " most wonderful time of the year" concept?

Everywhere I have been going or anyone I spoke to only complains about winter....I get it: more rainy/snowy/slushy/cold/ dark days vs. warm/sunny/ flower filled air days.

It's just weather, in the end its what YOU make out of the day. I want to share some of my tips to not feel ' under the weather' during this beautiful season- I am not saying this just because I am a December baby, I actually love it because of the endless memories and things it brings.

Things I do to stay cheery during the icy season: 


  1.  Wake up and do a few 'good morning' stretches. [ reach as high to the sky as you can on your tippie-toes, and bend from side to side. ] 
  2.  Start the morning with a warm cup of tea or warm water with lemon & honey. 
  3.  Make sure to eat lots of veggies ( variety of colours everyday)  & stay hydrated even if you don't feel like it in the cold. Your body & skin will thank you later !
  4.  Listen to my favourite playlists on 8tracks.com [ recently discovered this...my holy grail to put me in a cheery mood even during exam week] 
  5.  Get moving...outside! With the lack of sunshine ( I know its hiding behind the clouds & UV rays are still something to consider), it's important to not lock yourself in your home even if its cold. We are lucky enough to have discovered waterproof boots/ mittens/ hats/ scarves & puffy coats - so no excuses.  
  6.  Watch some holiday movies ( I will later post my favourites...!!) 
  7.  Go to a local christmas tree farm [ no need to buy a tree] to hang out & smell the pine trees ( Hey we all do it...and love it!) , grab some fresh apple cider, and perhaps they even have tobogganing hills & horse rides at your local farm. 
  8.  Christmas markets...more and more towns have them & they are a free, fun way to put you in a happy mood!
  9.  Get enough sleep of course! I hate sleeping and wasting my day but I know running on 4 hours is bad in the long run for my skin, health, and productivity in anything. Get in the habit to sleep at least 7-8 hours of sleep.  
  10.  Indulge in the holiday hot cocoa & sugar cookies ( REMEMBER: moderation is key to a happy life) . 
  11. Volunteer...it's the season of giving and you most likely have some free time...so why not do something good for others. I love doing things for others and only expect happiness in return...that is the best gift I can get any day. 
  12. Try a new sport  ( okay this is a tip for # 5 ) : I love to ski downhill & cross country but have always wanted to snowboard so will try it out this year. I love challenges and I am sure you will too! 
  13. Or relive your old childhood memories: make snow forts with friends & have a fight, snow angels are never boring, skating/ learning to skate,  or snow cones...snow is so versatile- use it while its here. 




There you have my list of things I do to keep me happy during this cold/ dark season ( in my opinion one of the most beautiful seasons apart form Fall. ) 

What do you enjoy during winter?  Any tips to add to the list - I'd love to hear! 

- Nicole 


Sunday, December 9, 2012

NEW LIFE.

Hey!

It's been a while since I last spoke. I will try to make a habit of posting more often. 

Much has happened since my NYC internship: I began school ( I will talk about this later), spent the whole summer in Europe ( show some pictures soon!) , had several jobs & learnt about my food allergies ( slowly).

But most importantly: began to learn who I am & embracing it.

I used to think life was all about clothes, fashion, money - never popularity surprisingly. Of course I loved other things such as the outdoors and living an active lifestyle...but growing up I think all of us had that guilty phase we surpassed [ read: hopefully] through our teen years.

I have.

Sure there are still times I look in the mirror and hate what I see...but have learnt to get over it a few minutes later and move on with my life. THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST THING TO HAVE HAPPENED TO ME!





I honestly stopped caring what people think about me. I realized finally that I will NEVER please everyone. I can only please myself and hey, if I'm happy that is what counts at the end of the day.

I also took an approach on a simpler lifestyle...referring to a non-consumer driven lifestyle:

  1.  Gave away almost all my new clothes I worked my butt off to buy for my new school year to my younger sister. 
  2. Gave away my new Iphone in exchange for a " ancient" Blackberry ( I don't want a cell in general- but I guess it's a safety device to have for late night walks in the big city). 
  3.  Threw away almost all my things in the bedroom ( apart from a mattress, blankets, computer, mirror, books and hygienic utensils. 
They may not seem drastic, but it's small things like these that give me a happier life.  Of course I still love music and movies and dressing up for a party- but if I had to, I could live out of a suitcase for the rest of my life ( not as a dirty hippie, but as a casual/ non- fancy looking girl) . I guess you sort of have to learn to if you love to travel like me- on a tight budget where your suitcase/backpack is your hotel and your legs are your car.  What I am saying is that of course I love THINGS that life gives, but I prefer a life where THINGS don't define my happiness. It is my MINDSET and OUTLOOK on life that defines it. 

        "you can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one"

With my previous years I have been through lots of tough situations from divorce to sickness to depression. I have seen it all and it pushed me more then ever to be the change  in my life. I did not have to let these things bring my life down, nor will I let them or anyone or anything anymore. This is my promise to myself - for the best. 

And with my allergies ( not diagnosed by doctors but by myself) I am following a Gluten Free diet and somewhat Dairy Free ( I know I have lactose intolerance but believe eggs/lactose-free milk still cause problems and maybe even cheese...I am working on finding out).  I will talk about this soon too- so keep up to date ! 

Anyways I am so excited to be back to the blogging community & to enjoy my holidays!

What are your opinions of living a simple life? Can you live one....what can you not live without? 

- Nicole





Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Sweet Sweet Sex & The City

Good food, good movies and loved ones is what makes a perfect weeknight ( well weekday in my books). 

In celebration of my current Francais obsession, I have embraced the French simplicity of life in the form of deserts: Tart Tartin anyone? 






It was my first time making it, with the use of pre-made philly-dough ( note to self: Never go for pre-made...fresh is always best). Although the recipe specifically called for proper pans, I opted for the low-end oven dish I had left ( that I have yet to burn) which resulted in caramel-free apples. All turned out well except my naked apples left their friend 'mr.caramel' stuck to the pan.

All in all my simple French desert was no disappointment for my mother and I, as we sat on the cold, windy evening in her bed cuddled watching Pride & Prejudice, followed by another night of Carrie Bradshaw.



While enjoying our fresh treat with a scoop of double chocolate fudge ( note to self: Mr.Ice Cream is your enemy) and Pecan ice cream and the perfect flicks I realized that simplicity is what makes life enjoyable. When you can just get away from the hectic driven world and live in the moment. No wonder the French follow by the " Joie de vivre"....as do the Spanish "Viva la Vida"....and Italians "La Dolce Vita"...hmm this has got me wondering what do the Euro's have that us Canadians are missing? I believe that is one of my next goals in life to one day discover...hopefully in the not to far future.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Oh julia childs....

After a well deserved afternoon stroll down by the lake I headed back home to realize I have no movie to watch before I hit the sheets. As I entered my public library I browsed through the movie section without too much excitement as the same old titles glared back at me...*sigh*....Until I luckily stumbled upon a movie I was meaning to borrow for quite a while now: " Julie & Julia".



This may be shocking but I always heard of Julia Childs, just never knew who she truly was. Like many women I believe she became an all time classic in America because we can relate to her. She was fun, witty, and loved food ( not to mention many of us envy her marriage...I myself am too young but if I ever get a guy like that..man oh man...my life will be complete). 

The fact her book was based off french cuisine was a coincidence as for the past year I have had a obsession with the art of gastronomic cuisine. This has only furthered my interest to whip something up today in honour of the french... let's see what my bank account will allow in my kitchen. 

I will update with my findings at the end of the night .