Sudoku.com (app) - I've been obsessed with this game. I recently rediscovered my love for this puzzle. It's something I do when I'm watching or rather, listening to TV, or when I'm on the streetcar heading into work. I like the way it challenges me to think and consider all the different possibilities. It's about more than just one box.
Blood Orange concert at Danforth Music Hall - This is one of my favourite concerts. It was a beautiful evening. It was a truly beautiful concert. It felt like an otherworldly experience. It was transcendent, ethereal. Blood Orange is much better live. The music is good, but it is a different experience to hear it live. He is amazing, the instrumentals are amazing, his backup singers have the voice of angels. I felt the music vibrating on my skin, into my soul. When I heard it, I almost cried. There can be so many things we do wrong, but this - that moment - cannot be wrong. Nothing quite so beautiful can be wrong. It was so, so lovely. So, so transformative.
Westworld - I'm very late to this bandwagon, but I'm glad I joined anyway. I think it's a powerful look at where our technology is headed. It's a powerful look at how we decide to treat the world and its people. In the second season, there is a conversation between a couple of characters that I found particularly powerful. It talks about Westworld and the other AI worlds as where we go to commit our sins without fear of judgment. It is where we can be our worst selves with no repercussions. If there is God to watch us, what kind of sins will we commit? It's a truly frightening thought.
A Star is Born - It's all that it's hyped up to be. Lady Gaga is a wonderful actress just as she is a powerful singer. While this will not go in the list of my favourite films of all time, I thought the way that it treated addiction was worth commemorating. It is an honest look with no way out. It doesn't allow or provide excuses for one of the cruellest things we do to ourselves.
Imanishi Japanese Kitchen - I can't believe how long it's taken for me to visit this restaurant. It really is a true gem and now I can see why. I'm not 100% sure but I think it is in the style of Japanese home cooking. Or at least, an elevated version of that. The food is so well then. There's not much pretension to the place. It feels very homey and practical. The food is great - a lot of smaller dishes that go well with drinks. I think I want to make this into a regular spot.
Something one of my favourite yoga teachers, Krista, said in class - We think of life as something that happens to us. What if we thought about life as something that happens for us? What if instead of life happening to us, we thought of life as happening through us? What a powerful sentiment.
Showing posts with label monthly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label monthly. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Monday, October 1, 2018
September Favourites
Good Girls - This show is hilarious. It's a NBC show but I watched it on Netflix. I am a big fan of Christina Hendricks after finishing Mad Men. Three women in Detroit are friends and each has her own desperate reason to need money. Their solution? Rob a grocery store. The plan seems to be fail-proof until they steal more than they accounted for and they learn there is some gang involvement. The show premise reminds me of Nancy Botwin from Weeds and Walter White from Breaking Bad. Ordinary, seemingly good people face unpleasant circumstances and they turn to the dark side. Chaos ensues.
Sam James Chinatown - It may be the routine more than the coffee, but it is a routine I really enjoy. It's a little bit of peace. It's a treat. Here, I will be honest and say that I'm making more money than I'm used to. It's not a lot of $$/hr but it's a full time job. As a result, I justify this $2.50 to $4.50 expense every morning. I've earned it.
Every morning, I leave home around 8:10AM and walk over to Sam James. My usual order is an Americano in my KeepCup, but I will occasionally get a brew coffee or an almond latte. I then hop on the 8:20AM streetcar and make it into work around 8:45AM. Monday to Friday routine.
Glossier You solid perfume - Everyone has been raving about this perfume and I finally understand why. The scent is hard to describe - there's barely any description of it online. I'm not sure if there are scent notes somewhere. To me, it smells almost like a baby, but in the best possible way. Every time I wear it, I wonder if innocence can be a scent because that's what it smells like to me. Try it, please. I really like it.
*My only qualm was that the packaging for this was so excessive. The solid perfume itself is wonderful. It's small but heavy. That's fine but the hard plastic wrapper, the foam rectangle and elastic band that wraps the small solid perfume is so over the top.
Farmacy Honey Butter lip balm - Admittedly, this was a total impulse purchase but it's been the lip balm I've been gravitating towards. The scent is faint. There's no colour. It's very moisturizing. I believe in all things Asian beauty and skincare products. They can do no wrong.
Sam James Chinatown - It may be the routine more than the coffee, but it is a routine I really enjoy. It's a little bit of peace. It's a treat. Here, I will be honest and say that I'm making more money than I'm used to. It's not a lot of $$/hr but it's a full time job. As a result, I justify this $2.50 to $4.50 expense every morning. I've earned it.
Every morning, I leave home around 8:10AM and walk over to Sam James. My usual order is an Americano in my KeepCup, but I will occasionally get a brew coffee or an almond latte. I then hop on the 8:20AM streetcar and make it into work around 8:45AM. Monday to Friday routine.
Glossier You solid perfume - Everyone has been raving about this perfume and I finally understand why. The scent is hard to describe - there's barely any description of it online. I'm not sure if there are scent notes somewhere. To me, it smells almost like a baby, but in the best possible way. Every time I wear it, I wonder if innocence can be a scent because that's what it smells like to me. Try it, please. I really like it.
*My only qualm was that the packaging for this was so excessive. The solid perfume itself is wonderful. It's small but heavy. That's fine but the hard plastic wrapper, the foam rectangle and elastic band that wraps the small solid perfume is so over the top.
Farmacy Honey Butter lip balm - Admittedly, this was a total impulse purchase but it's been the lip balm I've been gravitating towards. The scent is faint. There's no colour. It's very moisturizing. I believe in all things Asian beauty and skincare products. They can do no wrong.
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
April Favourites
Lululemon's April Fools prank - Everything I do now is a little ad related. It's a lot of where my focus is. It takes up a lot of time, and it's not time condensed to a few hours but all over the place. So, I was excited about the branded April Fools stuff. I love Lululemon as a brand so I may be biased about this. Lululemon's April Fools prank was an AI device similar to Google Home (and others) called Om. It spoke to the me who loves yoga and aspires to meditation and whole living.
(All the best 2018 pranks found here.)
The dark chocolate walnut cookie at Dark Horse - I have always said that I am not a fan of chocolate flavoured pastries or confections. I don't like chocolate cake. I don't like pain au chocolat (read: chocolate croissants). This cookie has changed my mind. It is the perfect amount of crunchy and oozing melty chocolate chunks. The dark chocolate stops it from becoming too sweet, but it still tastes rich. The walnuts are a nice touch. They are part of that crunch but doesn't add or distract from the overall flavour. This is not a dry cookie. It also looks so interesting. It looks almost like a scone at first glance. I really enjoyed it. (Yes, I know this is a lot to look into a cookie but that's just how much I enjoyed it.)
Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads by Luke Sullivan & Edward Boches - This is not my favourite book. I find parts of the book rather dull. Having said that, I think this is an important and useful book to read for my advertising career.
Dark House Cafe at Spadina - Dare I say that this is my new go-to coffee shop. I no longer go to Early Bird because of their focus on food over coffee now. Dark Horse on Spadina has been my go-to recently because of the big work tables and big open windows. The atmosphere is great. I think because of where it is and how space is laid out, it encourages more of a work environment than a social one. This has been part of my April routine.
(All the best 2018 pranks found here.)
The dark chocolate walnut cookie at Dark Horse - I have always said that I am not a fan of chocolate flavoured pastries or confections. I don't like chocolate cake. I don't like pain au chocolat (read: chocolate croissants). This cookie has changed my mind. It is the perfect amount of crunchy and oozing melty chocolate chunks. The dark chocolate stops it from becoming too sweet, but it still tastes rich. The walnuts are a nice touch. They are part of that crunch but doesn't add or distract from the overall flavour. This is not a dry cookie. It also looks so interesting. It looks almost like a scone at first glance. I really enjoyed it. (Yes, I know this is a lot to look into a cookie but that's just how much I enjoyed it.)
Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads by Luke Sullivan & Edward Boches - This is not my favourite book. I find parts of the book rather dull. Having said that, I think this is an important and useful book to read for my advertising career.
Dark House Cafe at Spadina - Dare I say that this is my new go-to coffee shop. I no longer go to Early Bird because of their focus on food over coffee now. Dark Horse on Spadina has been my go-to recently because of the big work tables and big open windows. The atmosphere is great. I think because of where it is and how space is laid out, it encourages more of a work environment than a social one. This has been part of my April routine.
Monday, April 2, 2018
March Routine
I haven't been in a great space mentally and emotionally. I am a black cloud more often than I would like. With this in mind, I'm not sure I can say that there are 'favourites'. There are routines that make me feel better though. Here they are.
KeepCup and picking up coffee at Capital, etc. In last month's favourites, I talked about getting my KeepCup and how much I loved it. Because I purchased it at the end of the month, it became more of a routine thing this month. I have been trying to stay mindful and bring around with me. I try to make a note not to buy coffee when I don't have it. So far, I have only used 2 paper cups in the month and a bit I've had my KeepCup. Once, on my first date with Spencer and even though we were seated at the cafe, we weren't offered for here cups. The second time I had forgotten my KeepCup at home but I still wanted a treat after work. Not bad though for a month and change!
Working on the couch to music. I have gotten really sick and tired of working in my room. My room is small and my one friend once told me, it's distracting. I either work at my desk or bed. The bed is terrible because I just fall asleep. Sometimes the desk just doesn't inspire productivity. Instead, I am easily distracted by all the things I have in my room. Working on the couch or at the dinner table has been really good for this. The change of scenery - even if only moving from my room to the living room - has really helped. My go-to playlist while working has also been the Coffee Table Jazz playlist on Spotify.
Goldfish crackers. My mom on a recent trip to Costco bought a big box of snack-pack Goldfish crackers. I claimed them. I love the convenience of these. It's just easy and simple to throw into my bag for school or work. For me, my productivity lives and dies with my hunger. These have also become such a routine that Suzie, one of my wonderful classmates, bought me whole wheat Goldfish crackers that she saw on sale!
KeepCup and picking up coffee at Capital, etc. In last month's favourites, I talked about getting my KeepCup and how much I loved it. Because I purchased it at the end of the month, it became more of a routine thing this month. I have been trying to stay mindful and bring around with me. I try to make a note not to buy coffee when I don't have it. So far, I have only used 2 paper cups in the month and a bit I've had my KeepCup. Once, on my first date with Spencer and even though we were seated at the cafe, we weren't offered for here cups. The second time I had forgotten my KeepCup at home but I still wanted a treat after work. Not bad though for a month and change!
Working on the couch to music. I have gotten really sick and tired of working in my room. My room is small and my one friend once told me, it's distracting. I either work at my desk or bed. The bed is terrible because I just fall asleep. Sometimes the desk just doesn't inspire productivity. Instead, I am easily distracted by all the things I have in my room. Working on the couch or at the dinner table has been really good for this. The change of scenery - even if only moving from my room to the living room - has really helped. My go-to playlist while working has also been the Coffee Table Jazz playlist on Spotify.
Goldfish crackers. My mom on a recent trip to Costco bought a big box of snack-pack Goldfish crackers. I claimed them. I love the convenience of these. It's just easy and simple to throw into my bag for school or work. For me, my productivity lives and dies with my hunger. These have also become such a routine that Suzie, one of my wonderful classmates, bought me whole wheat Goldfish crackers that she saw on sale!
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
July Favourites
Is this overdue? From last month:
Green juices - Call me a hippie/yuppie/trash, but I'm a believer. I love green juices. I particularly like the ones with lemon, ginger and cayenne.
Not dating - As I write this, it's only midway through the month but I haven't been on a date this month. I deleted all my dating apps. I go to parties. I meet new people, but only with the intention of making friends, not potential boyfriends. I'm having a lot of fun. It's light hearted. This is different for me and it's good for me.
Canada's Wonderland - OK, not really. We arrived late on a Saturday so it was crowded and we waited an hour for every ride. But I haven't been in 4 years and being there with my best friends was great despite all the waiting. Also, the Behemonth and Leviathan were absolutely heavenly.
Sam James Americanos.
Sam James Cold Brew.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - Although I won't finish this book until August 3rd, I read most of it in July. The book is from a different time period, a different era almost considering the differences in culture and acceptance. Lydia is the middle child and the favourite of her parents, James, a Chinese man, and Marilyn, a White once-overachieving woman. Lydia drowns in a lake and the family falls apart. The way that it approaches family expectations, interracial relationships, being racialized, being a professional working woman versus a stay-at-home mom... These are all good things, and Celeste Ng approaches them with such a delicate air. I really enjoyed it and I'm trying to convince my best friend to read it so we can discuss it.
Green juices - Call me a hippie/yuppie/trash, but I'm a believer. I love green juices. I particularly like the ones with lemon, ginger and cayenne.
Not dating - As I write this, it's only midway through the month but I haven't been on a date this month. I deleted all my dating apps. I go to parties. I meet new people, but only with the intention of making friends, not potential boyfriends. I'm having a lot of fun. It's light hearted. This is different for me and it's good for me.
Note: while I haven't been in a full fledged relationship, I'm used to dating. There are the first dates that don't go anywhere, the flirtations that last longer, and the guys I date for a few months here and there. There's usually some guy in the equation even if it's not really serious. It's refreshing to not. I like meeting new people, I like making new friends. I like spending time by myself, laughing with the friends I have. It feels like time to appreciate the great people and the great things I already have in my life.Bonfires - A quintessential part of summer and being young. It's the fiery blazes and the smell of roasting marshmallows and hot dogs. I've been to a couple bonfires so far this summer. There's something to them. I can't complain about anything. It is something that says good about the world and being so young in it.
Canada's Wonderland - OK, not really. We arrived late on a Saturday so it was crowded and we waited an hour for every ride. But I haven't been in 4 years and being there with my best friends was great despite all the waiting. Also, the Behemonth and Leviathan were absolutely heavenly.
Sam James Americanos.
Sam James Cold Brew.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng - Although I won't finish this book until August 3rd, I read most of it in July. The book is from a different time period, a different era almost considering the differences in culture and acceptance. Lydia is the middle child and the favourite of her parents, James, a Chinese man, and Marilyn, a White once-overachieving woman. Lydia drowns in a lake and the family falls apart. The way that it approaches family expectations, interracial relationships, being racialized, being a professional working woman versus a stay-at-home mom... These are all good things, and Celeste Ng approaches them with such a delicate air. I really enjoyed it and I'm trying to convince my best friend to read it so we can discuss it.
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