Treating Bean

The other day, I was at the Eaton's Centre which I don't frequent often, despite me working so close by. I was still in the festive mood and decided to treat myself to a childhood memory...An Orange Julius (the original). The company has been around for 80 years. The cold smoothie type drink is a blend of frozen orange juice, dairy creamer, powdered sugar and crushed ice. I wasn't sure whether it would taste the same as I remembered. I shelled out $3.66 for a small and slurped some up. Mmmmm!!!! A little brain freeze and nostalgia brought on a big satisfied smile....

A kid at heart

At Christmas time, I truly become a kid at heart. I love the snow, walking in it and playing in it. I do watch Frosty the Snowman if I can. The spirit of the season warms my heart and sometimes I wish it could be Christmas all the time. People just seem nicer. The air is fresher. Families and friends are closer. Last night, I watched a new favourite Christmas movie - The Polar Express. Here is a quote from it that rings very true..."Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see". I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, no matter how and what you celebrate. Let there be an abundance of peace, joy, love, respect and understanding.

Alter Ego

In a discussion I recently had with a friend, we were talking about amongst other things, creativity and the Internet. This virtual world has indeed opened up a huge arena for individuals to become creative and crazy, exploring subjects, art and issues that they would have never dreamt of venturing into in the "real world". One can be ultimately creative without boundaries, for the most part, as the facades and walls of inhibition can come crumbling down. In the end, no one will know it is you who ventured down the road, unless you want them to know. It is quite refreshing. So, this friend of mine is transcending his own creativity and delving into new avenues. In order to do this on a non-judgmental, non-personal level, where total freedom can be felt, it may just be the best thing, to create anonymously. Tell no one that it is you behind a certain blog or website. This way, you know that if your friends, work colleagues etc., stumble upon your stuff, they won't know it is you. The benefit is you can say and do whatever you want to and know that there won't be any personal repercussions. You can feel comfortable in knowing that even if you are spilling your emotions out, your boss won't know it is you who's bad mouthing him etc. I have wanted to express myself more creatively and feel that the best way to do it is to hand it all over to my alter ego. Let her take care of it and have fun with it.
And no one will ever know who she is.....we both like that idea and look forward to where it may lead. Catch me if you can...

My favourite words...well some of them anyways..

OK, it may be kind of strange, but I do have some favourite words...alright, MANY favourite words. Who doesn't? Here's a few to share in no particular order. I just like the way they sound, how they roll off the tongue...here goes!
chi
ventricle
quaint
canope
saavy
escapade
dahlia
sumptuous
passion
delicacy
aristocratic
foie gras
preposterous
hyperbole
delapidated
anomaly
zinfandel
anemone
dazzle
vortex
dulce
quarantine
sierra
peony
fandangle
narcissus
choucroute
monstrosity
disdain
kinetic
leverage
inuit
tenacious
cyclops
ventriloquism
aura

Kewl Yule - Unique Gift Ideas

Many of you may be like me in that I really don't NEED anything. Or at least nothing that my friends or family can really buy me. I always like to try to give unique gifts that cater to that special person, and if I can add some of my own creativity then that's an added bonus! However, often things get so busy, especially around the holiday season, that I often find myself scrambling to find that certain something. Here's a list of unique Christmas, um....Holiday or Festivus gifts!

For the Chocolate Lover: Cocoa Camino is a line of premium Fair Trade Certified and certified organic chocolate, cocoa and sugar products produced by La Siembra Co-operative. La Siembra’s mission is to offer high-quality Fair Trade Certified organic products that improve the livelihoods of family farmers and the well-being of communities at home and abroad. Check them out at cocaocamino.com. The chocolate tastes wonderful and they have some funky natural flavours like dark chocolate and green tea or dark chocolate with chili and ginger. Dominion and some Loblaws carries this brand.

For the Nature Lover/Outdoor Freak: Assorted Artisan Water. Yep, that's right. Give the gift of water. Everyone drinks it and everyone needs it. So make it sexy by giving bottled water that people normally wouldn't by for themselves. Buy a variety and maybe put them in a nice backpack, nylon or canvas shopping bag for a little extra. (see www.mec.ca for outdoor supplies).
Water suggestions:
Saratoga Springs - gorgeous indigo glass bottle. Source: Saratoga Springs, NY
VOSS - sleek cylinder glass bottle. Source: Norway
Badoit - natural sparkling water in red bottle. Source: France
Fiji or Viti Water - plastic bottle. Source: Fiji
Purely Sedona - Source: Arizona
Zephyrhills - Source: Florida
Vitamin Water - water infused with vitamins and natural fruit flavours. They have a whole array of water products. Visit www.glaceau.com

For the Geek: Gadgets, techie stuff...lots to choose from however, normally these types are quite particular. So, play it safe...if you know they like Macs (for instance...yes, YOU know who you are) then how about a year subscription to a Mac magazine? OR if they are a game fan, there are some inexpensive games out there for $20. www.wired.com is a good source for what's hip and upcoming. See this recent article: http://www.wired.com/gadgets/gadgetreviews/magazine/15-12/wl_gifts

For the Foodie: Well, anything really goes here. You can purchase a cookbook, spices, sauces, marinades, dressings. And you don't even have to go to a gourmet store (like Pusateri's or Williams-Sonoma)to get some interesting stuff. Your local Loblaws has some cool products for the holiday season. You can also attempt to make your own for your foodie friend to try! You can make a recipe book for them to put their favourite recipes in. Kitchen utensils are always a nice gift. Garlic press, wooden spoons, thongs....all very useful to a foodie! Take a look at www.allthebestfinefoods.com, www.cheeseboutique.com and www.cayneshousewares.com

For the Man's Man: BBQ, Sports and Beer. How about getting him a specialty sports channel on cable? Or hand select some specialty beers from the LCBO - they have a HUGE variety. BBQ cook book, or utensils will hit it big with this guy. Try the following links for more info: Homedepot.ca; www.lcbo.com and www.bbqs.com

The Girlie Girl: ACCESSORIES!!!! Clothes are sometimes difficult to buy for someone else unless you really know their style, size etc. But accessories can go a long way! Custom jewellry, purses, scarves, gloves or even more personal...nail polish, lipstick, spa products. It's all about pampering and pretty! Take a looksie at www.etsy.com; www.tilajewelry.com and www.sabon.ca for some unique items. The Bay always has some great sales on this time of year too!

I have NO frickin' IDEA!!! - OK, calm down....we've all been there. If you find yourself in a pickle (which doesn't sound like too much fun, even though I LOVE pickles...) here's what to do....GIFT CERTIFICATE. That's the best bet. The safe stores to get these from are Chapters/Indigo (unless the person cannot read), LCBO (unless they don't drink alcohol), Loblaws (unless they don't eat). Or buy a lottery ticket, scratch n' win card. And if you REALLY don't know them, then why the heck are you giving them a gift in the first place???? Save your money, wish them Merry Christmas or the like, give 'em a hug and that's that. If it comes from the heart then that's really all that matters in the end!