DQ

There is an Orange Julius / Dairy Queen store a block from our apartment building. When we first moved I didn't really blink twice when I saw it. I associate DQ with ghetto urban areas, in a Checkers and White Castle kind of way. Man, did I miss out in the first half of my year here!

Melvin finally twisted my arm and made me try a Blizzard and the creamy goodness just brought me back...back to I don't know where, but just brought me to a good place, I guess!  DQ has really reinvented itself here in Canada. You see a line out the door on a regular basis and it is not even summer yet. We do regular DQ runs, which is SO bad, but here's the best part....

MINI BLIZZARD

JUST ENOUGH TO SATISFY YOUR CRAVING!

It's wonderful...my favorite flavor right now is the Banana Split and Melvin's is the Double Fudge Cookie Dough.  Hmm, Hmm, Good!

TIDBIT: If you join the Blizzard Fan Club (and yes, we did), you get a 2 for 1 (any size, yes even the large) AND you get a free Blizzard on your birthday!!

Love Hate

My sis is engaged and I've been trying to help her figure out dates and venues in the NY region. I love that it is not even 8:00 AM PST and I'm able to correspond via email with 3 various venues and a caterer and am getting responses. This is how we get things done!  (obviously this is a trait that is lacking in Canadian culture)

Since we arrived, I've been venting that the barristas at Starbucks wouldn't survive a second in NYC!

This "sense of urgency" and world of blackberries, however, is one of the reasons I wanted to leave that rat race. I definitely do not miss the hum of my blackberry throughout the night or the post-it notes by my bedside table in case I remembered things for work (hey, I am a meeting planner).  I wonder where in the world we can find that balance?

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

This week flew by...the sun was shining so we were out and about all week. Wednesday, Melvin and I had a date night and took our bikes out on the seawall to enjoy the cherry blossoms blooming. It was also Vancouver's 125th birthday, so not realizing it was happening, we rode by the Olympic torches, which were lit up and the outdoor concert. What a great night to be out on the bike.


I FINALLY found a family we could babysit swap with, so my friend came over and insisted we stay out late so she could watch this movie she brought over.  No problem. They have 2 kids exactly the same age (in fact, their little one has the same birthday as Amelie) and having the same nap and bedtime schedules helped a ton. So, it is now Friday night and I'm sitting for them. 


They have no TV.


UGH


All good, free date nights are well worth this sacrifice.

March Madness

Last night a friend of mine had a March Madness Finals Party...

I haven't watched one game nor have kept track of who was winning, losing and so forth...


Who cares?


I love wine and cheese, home made cookies and adult interaction, so we dialed the babysitter and we were there! It would've been 10 times better if I had a bet riding on the game.


I rooted for UConn...Why?  Well, because Melvin and I had our first kiss at UConn...duh, why else? 


Melvin rooted for UConn too.  Why? Well, the best player was from the Bronx. Humph.


Winner?  UConn!

Summer is near...

After a week of GRAY, yesterday was sunny and glorious at about 75 degrees. It was wonderful and of course, everyone was out in their kayaks, paddle surfboards, bikes and skates. Julian met up with "his best buds" at the playground - two of them had scooters and one was on his walking bike (i.e. Strider).  It was hilarious as they were the kings of the playground, racing around on their wheels, and trying to make conversation with these 3 girls, who were about 8 years older than them...while the girls told them to go away. 

In other Julian news...his teachers had to separate him and his girlfriend, Alyssa, for 30 minutes yesterday. Turns out they are just stuck like glue, inseparable, and are not interacting with any of the other children. They found tremendous improvement in his "drawings" after they were separated...it went from scribble to nice circles and shapes. hahaha...I don't know what to think of all that.

I think we are going to have our hands full with him!

Glad it's over!

The 30-day challenge ended today...thank goodness! It was wonderful getting unlimited yoga, spinning and meditation classes, along with infrared sauna, but it was exhausting! Scheduling was a nightmare because I had to go before Melvin went to work (which means 6:00am) or after the kids were in bed, since Amelie is still nursing at night.  Whew!

I was pretty successful. I had to miss 2 days though...Why? Well, on Sunday, we had a birthday party to attend. Since I wear my sneakers all week long as a stay at home mom, I thought I would rock my new platform shoes.  Unfortunately, the driveway was as steep as it could get and my ankle gave out.  I was holding Amelie so my motherly instinct kept her completely safe while I tore up the first layer of skin on my right knee. I was fine, but my ego was a bit bruised and there was no way in hell I'd be able to do any "on the knee" type postures or go to a spinning class!  

Now that the 30-days have passed, I will have more time to blog.  What's happened this past month that I will need to catch up on?

* Amelie is now an avid walker...she is quite feisty these days

* Julian and I had our first dentist experiences outside of the U.S. 

* We booked our trip to Hawaii for our friend's wedding

* I bought 3 colon hydrotherapy sessions at a very discounted price on livingsocial.com

* I am volunteering to organize Yaletown Toddler Group's meetings

* I am starting to think about Julian's kindergarten future (crazy!), since I need to register in November and there are a lot of choices and wait lists and we are at a bit of a disadvantage since he was not born here (I think it's a disadvantage, if anything, it just creates an extra step).

More on everything later!

Surviving Spring Break

Julian's preschool follows the same schedule as the schools within Vancouver, so this past week was Spring Break.  There was no way I could survive a full week of him bouncing off the walls at home, so I enrolled him into Roundhouse Community Centre's Little Trekkers Spring Camp.  He had a blast. Each day, he came home with a project - potted plant, bird feeder, large bumble bee, underwater collage, etc. It surpassed our expectations and we were relieved he loved it, considering he had different teachers and different kids to deal with. We'll definitely be registering for future camps at the Roundhouse Community Centre.

Melvin and I realized how beneficial having something for himself every day was, so after deliberating back and forth, we decided to bump up his days at preschool next fall to 5 mornings.  He'll be getting ready for kindergarten next year and I think it'll be better for him.  We're (I'm) excited, but at the same time, I can't believe how fast he's grown. I also realized how much I missed out being at work full day and with my travel schedule. Time does fly!

With Julian being in camp this week, I had the time to prepare for the Kids Yoga Workshop I taught today for parents & preschoolers.  I was petrified and did some major preparation. It surprised me that I was more nervous than for adult classes, but children are SO unpredictable!  Anyway, I think it was a success and it was fun too. It certainly helped that I had a preschooler at home - it was easier to think of triggers to get their attention back and to relate to the kids.  Fun stuff!

Belgian Restaurant Week

Tomorrow starts Belgian Restaurant Week in NYC and my mouth is absolutely watering thinking about it. If you have never had a Liege Waffle in your life, you haven't lived. In my opinion, it surpasses the traditional Belgian (aka Brussels) Waffle BY FAR. Just enough crisp on the outside with pearl sugar balls throughout, caramelizing the chewy goodness within...YUM...WHO NEEDS SYRUP?

Someone please, please go to one of the Belgian Restaurant Week events in NYC and report back to me. I want to relive my moments in Bruges, Belgium!

Luckily, we have Patisserie Le Beau in Vancouver to satisfy my Liege Waffle cravings!

LIEGE WAFFLE

Rough Week

This week was a bit rough...It was Week 3 of my 30-day challenge and I'm EXHAUSTED...not to mention that just because I'm working out, I feel I can eat anything in sight and thus, gaining weight in the process.  In hindsight, 30-day challenge didn't do me much good, but I will finish it off...only a week and a half left!

On top of that, both kids had colds = broken sleep, whining, moaning, crying...

On top of that, I got another contract job so trying to work in between...

On top of that, attempting to wean Amelie from breastfeeding, so dealing with that change and emotional baggage tied to it...

I'm also volunteering for this mum-run toddler group in Yaletown. Each week, we bring in speakers from the community covering topics from will/estate planning to sleep training. I'm going out tonight with some of the mothers, so that is a good thing...I think they are normal people, but you can never tell unless you get to know them.  One of them told me that if she had two kids, she thinks she'd be an alcoholic.  You gotta really love that.  Made me feel a bit like superwoman, so I figured they were cool enough :)

...off to get my vino at UVA.

Hiroshima in the Morning

My friend told me all about this new book and the controversy it has stirred in the U.S. It's called Hiroshima in the Morning and is a memoir about a woman that received a 6-month fellowship in Japan and during her stay there, decided she did not want to be a mother (she has 2 children) anymore. She proceeded to get a divorce and the children stayed with their father, while she pursued her career.  I'm #7 on the waiting list at the library (I'm also #230 for Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, but that is another blog story...hopefully I'll get to read it this year!).

My immediate impression, without reading the book, is that this woman identified WAY too much with motherhood. It's a constant struggle for mothers - finding, losing, finding, losing our identities - but I don't believe it is healthy to identify with motherhood solely or our careers solely. Mothers are not just mothers and professionals are not just professionals...not healthy.

...and seriously, if you "never wanted to be a mother", why did you have TWO children?  It's not a fad and it's not an accessory to have a child. Children are forever...if you don't want them, it's called birth control!  Again, I have not read the book, but just my immediate impression.

Satsang

Today, Melvin and I attended a Satsang.

Satsang (Sanskrit sat=true, sanga=company) is in Indian philosophy that involves (1) the company of the "highest truth," (2) the company of a guru, or (3) company with an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth. This typically involves listening to or reading scriptures, reflecting on, discussing and assimilating their meaning, meditating on the source of these words, and bringing their meaning into one’s daily life. Contemporary spiritual teachers in the West frequently come from the East but can come from any part of the world.

(1) the "highest truth" was about Spiritual Intimacy...about relationships and the awareness of our actions in them and how we evolve with our partners.

(2) the "guru" was my very spiritual and amazing yoga teacher: Shakti Mhi

(3) the "company" comprised of gay, straight, women, men and one dog

We did, indeed, meditate for 10 minutes, didn't read any scriptures but as usual, enjoyed the enlightening words of my yoga teacher and her partner, Pepe Danza, an amazing musician and artist. It promoted wonderful dinner conversation for Melvin and I and hopefully a reminder to be aware of what is needed in our growing and ever-changing relationship.

Mantra = listen

Yantra = see

Tantra = feel

Before Kids...

A few weeks ago, I was cooking in the kitchen with one child hanging onto each leg and yelled out to Melvin asking him a question..."Hey! Do you remember what we used to do with our time before we had the kids?" His response, "I have no idea."


It's funny how kids consume your time. Even with all their naps and their 10-12 hours of sleep per night, how on Earth could we possibly still feel exhausted, right?  My response, "I have no idea!!"


Well, tonight, I was sifting through old pictures just because and I realized...Wow, we really traveled...thank goodness!!


Lesson of the Day: Travel and see the world before you have the kids!  It just gets more expensive and more difficult after they come along! 


Oh...and we used to work out and sleep a lot more, as well :) Love the little munchkins, but man, those were the days!

First Steps

Julian has been "coaching" Amelie on how to walk...his technique: pulling the front of their toy shopping cart while she struggles to keep up and "walk" by hanging onto back.  It's been really cute and fun watching them interact in this way.

Well, I guess all the "practice" paid off because Amelie took her first 5 steps yesterday!

Meanwhile, Julian gets home from his swim lesson today and we have this funny conversation.

Julian: Mommy, mommy, I put my head in the water!
Me: Really?  That's wonderful!  How long did you do it for?
Julian: 10 weeks!!!


My, how fast they are growing up!

Krispy Kreme "Beignets"

I was walking back from my Power Yoga class (4th day-check!) and stopped for a sandwich shop for lunch...Out of the corner of my eye, I see stacks and stacks of Krispy Kreme boxes at the shop across the way!

I ordered my sandwich and then made a beeline for the shop. Turns out they are fundraising for a local dance company and their upcoming tour. One dozen, please....

Then, I looked down at the box and it said "Product du Canada"....huh??  So I came home and googled it and turns out Krispy Kreme was created in North Carolina...Why did I think it was from NYC?  I guess I think everything started there...LOL

YRide

I started the YYoga's (Studio Chain in Vancouver) 30-day Challenge this month, which means I need to try and go to a class every day for the month of March. Just because I've been teaching yoga does not mean I've been diligent practicing it, so I figured this would be a great motivator for me (since I paid for it) to get back into it. I think Melvin is totally ecstatic because he knows when I'm in my "Yoga Zone", I'm in a better mood, more patient and don't fall asleep at 9:00pm every night, since I have more energy. Yoga really is amazing.

So my first class of the month was called YRide, which was a spinning class and a 15-min stretch at the end (weird for a yoga studio, I know). Mind you, I haven't taken a spinning class since pre-Amelie (or maybe pre-Julian), so my bum was like WTF. 

Luckily, I went back to my yoga teachings and remembered to: Just breathe...

When you separate yourself from the pain and recognize it is just "the moment", it passes really quick and it's like it was nothing.  Remember that next time you're at the gym...or in labor.

Home Buying Process

...in Vancouver / Canada is really different from the US!

- financing can happen in 3 days, instead of 40!
- "closing day" is really 15-30 minutes in the lawyer's office signing papers
- the lawyer really does all the work, so you actually feel good about the fee
- "picking up the keys" really means "picking up the keys"...simple as that
- a "final walk-thru" is not the norm here, we had to request it

Today, we got the apartment keys in our hands and I had 4 potential tenant appointments. Of course, a movie was being filmed in all of the common amenity areas, which meant I couldn't show the tenants the best part of the building....SO ANNOYING! No news yet on "that perfect tenant"; however, we are in no rush.  We're hoping to enjoy the views from the 42nd floor lounge this weekend.

Most Livable City in the World

For the 5th year in a row, Vancouver makes #1 again on the Economist Intelligence Unit list.

Our building is right behind that bridge!

Check out the article!

Vancouver took top spot with a score of 98 per cent based on rankings including health care, infrastructure, culture, environment and education. The Economist surveyed 140 cities.

After living here with 2 kids, I couldn't agree more!

Visitors

Our visitors from Philadelphia just left...waahhh...we love having visitors and showing people around our new city. It started off a bit rainy (big surprise), but was followed by 4 solid days of sunshine! As always, it was wonderful catching up and spending quality time with great friends. 

Whistler involved snowshoeing, snowboarding, grilling, spa-ing, hot-tubbing, shopping and of course, EATING.  Julian went to Whistler Kids Snow School, which is an AWESOME program. It runs from 8:30am-3:30am and includes lunch, 2 snacks and ski lesson!  It was tough leaving him and there were some tears during drop-off, but at the end of the day, he really enjoyed it and wants to do it again!

Vancouver involved sightseeing, walking, driving, boating, shopping and of course, EATING.  We also dined at a fabulous French bistro called Salade de Fruits Cafe.  It was actually a wonderful surprise, as I didn't expect much, but it was truly....FABULOUS. It is really hard to find an authentic French bistro, but this place was truly authentic, French server and all...the fries were awesome and the moules portion was huge!  We will be going back really soon.

We really hope our visitors enjoyed everything as much as we did!

Valentine's Day Lesson

...never eat 2 baskets of Chipotle Powdered Fry Bread...

...and then rub your eyes...

Here's to another yummy dinner at Gastown's Cobre!

Hmmm...Rugelach!

Wednesday night, Melvin and I went to that symposium about Camel's Milk, which I mentioned in a previous post has amazing benefits to the human body. I won't go too much into it, but I don't understand why this stuff is not in North America.  I know for sure that Julian would no longer be allergic to peanuts if we had him drinking this stuff for a week.  The studies that have been done since 2005 show this. Also, studies have shown that it'd cure or stabilize people's diabetes, since the milk naturally has insulin in it.  I will spare you of my insight and you can click on the link below if you're truly interested.

CAMEL MILK FOR HEALTH

Moving on, the point of this post is that the keynote speaker of the symposium was Professor Yagil of Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Israel.  Naturally, the Jewish Community welcomed him to Vancouver and the symposium was hosted by the Congregation of Schara Tzedeck.  Well, all I have got to say is...

Man, do I miss Rugelach!!! 

Refreshments were served at the Temple during the symposium and I snagged a plateful of Chocolate Rugelach, ignored Melvin's face of embarrassment by the mound of goodness on my plate, and savored every minute.