Video Monitors

...thank goodness for them!  Amélie started standing up in her crib (and everywhere else) and if I didn't have the video monitor to see she was hanging out, she surely would've fallen out last Wednesday!  We lowered the crib mattress soon afterward....ahh, another milestone. 


They grow up so fast!

Raclette

Our new favorite cheese is Raclette, from Switzerland, and is considered one of the best melting cheeses, so we've been using it on burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, omelets, etc.  
This morning, as we were munching on our cheese omelet, I went off on one of my "ugh, I can't believe people eat Kraft singles when they can have this stuff" rants.  Which typically sets Melvin off on his defense of Kraft singles!
Let's face it, Kraft singles was a staple in most of our homes growing up.  Why would we ever question why it lasts for a year in our refrigerators without a sign of mold?  I usually go on about how it's not real cheese and Melvin goes on to say that it is and yada, yada. Well, this morning, I looked up the ingredients of Kraft Singles vs. the Racelette currently in our refrigerator.  


Here is what I came up with:


Raclette: Milk, Salt, Cultures, Rennet, Calcium Chloride, Annato
The only thing questionable in there is calcium chloride, which I looked up and appears to be a firming agent that is approved in foods produced in Europe.  It is defined as the "salt" of calcium and chloride, so it heightens the amount of sodium.  Rennet is an enzyme from a calf's stomach, which is really gross, but is not a chemical. 


Kraft Singles: Cheddar Cheese, Milk, Whey, Milkfat, Milk Protein Concentrate, Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Sodium Phosphate, Sorbic acid as a preservative, Apocarotenal (color), Annato, Enzymes, Vitamin D3, Cheese Culture, Yellow Dye
Hmm, kinda scary...Calcium Phosphate is used for fertilizers and is used as a rising agent in foods. Sodium Citrate is a salt product and is simply a food additive.  Sodium Phosphate is described as a laxative, but can be used as a meat preservative, as well (huh?).


My conclusion?  Well, I was happy to see that Kraft actually has cheddar cheese in there.  And no, it will not be a staple in our household...

Pão de Queijo - Pan de Queso (Cheese Bun)

Sometime in my past life, pre-babies, pre-marriage, pre-major responsibilities, I had the opportunity to travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Future hosts of the Summer Olympics, World Cup...also known the land of beaches, bikinis, babes and oh, the best plastic surgeons in the world.

During my visit, I picked on these delectable treats called Pão de Queijo, which Brazilians often serve in place of the "free" bread you get at a restaurant.  The outside has just enough crustiness and the middle is filled with chewy goodness.   Very addicting, I must say!

I found a place in Vancouver that actually makes a gluten-free, wheat-free, yeast-free, non-dairy version of them at this place called Quejos.  The second I found out, I loaded the family into the car and off we went.  Certainly not as good as Rio, but a nice find, in my opinion.  I'm a bit obsessed with them now and found a super easy recipe for them (the recipe is not dairy-free, is certainly low in carbs because of the manioc - yuca - starch).

I'll be making batches of these bad boys and freezing them!  Enjoy!

Pão de Queijo - Pan de Queso
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup tapioca or manioc starch(225 grams)
  (recommend manioc starch)
• 1 egg
• 100g of grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring to boil in a big pan the water, the milk, the oil and the salt.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tapioca starch. Mix well with a wooden spoon and let it cool down.
3. Put the mixture in a bowl, add the eggs and knead well.
4. Add the grated cheese and keep kneading until the dough is smooth.
5. Roll 1 tablespoon of mixture into small balls.
   (Tip: Grease your hands with oil if it's too sticky.)
6. Place the balls onto a greased baking tray.
7. Bake the cheese buns in hot oven (350 degrees) for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Put the cheese rolls in a basket and serve them warm.

CHEWY GOODNESS!

ooh, la, la...Shangri-La!

Today, I had the opportunity to visit the Shangri-La Hotel for a site inspection and afternoon high tea with the Canadian Tour Guides Association of British Columbia.  I'm consulting with a local destination management company in Vancouver, so off I went.  What an amazing property!


First off, it is the tallest building in Vancouver (who would've known) with 61 floors.  Secondly, only 8 floors are hotel rooms!  The first 6 floors are meeting space, restaurant, lobby, spa, etc. Floors 7-15 are hotel rooms, housing 119  and floors 16 - 61 feature residences (16 - 41 are actually called "live/work" units)!!  Very exclusive, obviously.  


The hotel is extremely luxurious and features this amazing Brazilian Rosewood throughout.  The spa is to die for, with 6 treatment rooms, all of which are "spa suites" with a tub and toilet within.  


It was interesting to meet new people and I'm always game for High Tea.  It wasn't as impressive as the Empress Hotel in Victoria, but I'm not complaining!  Next stop at the Shangri-La:  MARKET Restaurant by Jean-Georges (don't make me beg, Melvin)

A little taste of Germany...

In Germany, during Christmas season, markets are held in towns, cities and villages throughout the country. They evoke a festive season and are a popular stop for locals and tourists alike. Here, you will not find any commercialism or mass quantities of produces, but rather handmade crafts, ornaments and best of all, Bratwurst & beer! 

For the first year, and hopefully not the last, Vancouver recreated the famous German Christmas Market downtown at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza. We made the mistake of going to the Vancouver Christmas Market on a Saturday afternoon (massive crowds); however, it was such a great atmosphere with a Carnival band, characters walking on stilts, hot apple cider, mulled wine and the smell of Bratwurst and onions floating through the air.

Christmas trees were freshly cut and lined along the perimeter of the market, wooden booths housed unique vendors.  We made it in just before the square reached capacity.  I hope it comes back next year, but at a bigger venue next time! 

OpenTable

I've always been a big fan of OpenTable and we use it frequently for our date nights, dinners with friends, visitors, etc.  I'm always anticipating those 100 points you get after a dinner, so once I reach a certain amount, I get a measly $25 voucher in the mail.  Hey, $25 is $25...

Well, recently, I've been noticing that restaurants are linking OpenTable to their own websites, so you can easily make a reservation on the actual restaurant website.  I thought to myself, well, this is convenient...and then I started to notice that as many reservations I've been making, my points were not moving on my OpenTable account!

Did you know that if you make that reservation on the "restaurant website", you don't get your dining points?  How messed up is that???

Like Father, Like Son

Julian's teachers told me all the girls in his class love hanging with him...A couple mothers inquired "Who is Julian?" as their daughters talk about him at home. 

My reaction?  Oh? How interesting...

I wonder if he'll have twin "girlfriends" in Kindergarten like his father did?

I think...

that PMS causes writer's block.

Disney on Ice

Such a great show for the kids! I highly recommend it. We went to a show yesterday afternoon at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver.  It was super chill and casual, so that the kids could get up whenever they need to, eat/drink as needed and go for potty breaks easily.  It was a nice way to end the weekend.

Auntie Char left us this past Saturday and it was sad to see her go.  We look forward to May when she'll be back with cousins and significant others...for an Alaskan Cruise!  6 more months!

Filipino Foodies...

This is for you!!

Happy U.S. Thanksgiving

We didn't have an official Thanksgiving this year, as we were in NY during the Canadian Thanksgiving and are in Vancouver during the U.S. Thanksgiving.  My sis has been here visiting this week, but today we're doing an unconventional Turkey Day.  For one, we're not having turkey...we're doing like the Jews do on Christmas and ordering Chinese food...and blueberry pie, of course.  Can't wait!

We are also decorating our Christmas tree (we never pass up my sister's presence, as she does most of the work)...Melvin "worked" from home today, while we watched some football, checked out a consignment shop and looked at the unusual snow falling onto Vancouver's roads.  Vancouverites cannot handle snow!  I saw a VW Golf spin out on 1/2 inch of snow this morning during a walk I was taking...seriously?

All in all, it has been so nice to not fight over whose family to visit and when during this holiday season!  Or, having to load the kids up to visit one house after the other, ruining nap times, etc. in the process...

Here's to our first Thanksgiving in Vancouver! 

Ziptrekking

We went to Whistler for the night, since my sister is in town.  We had some good times ziplining on Whistler Mountain with Ziptrek Ecotours.  I had been ziplining in Costa Rica 5 years ago, but between my older age and two kids later, I'm definitely not as ballsy. Maybe it was the snow, the fact the trail was slippery or perhaps the 1100 foot lines?  It took awhile, but I finally loosened up and even went upside down on the last line.  Good times! This particular company is big on sustainability and the environment so it was quite educational and our money went towards charity.  I highly recommend it!

Whistler rocks...

La Niña

La Niña has arrived to the Pacific Northwest…

This week, Vancouver metro received snow two nights in a row, which is extremely abnormal.  It is quite common for an entire year to pass with no snow in sight.  When it does come, it doesn’t stay very long, which is fine with me.

La Niña is associated with cooler than normal water temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, unlike El Niño which is associated with warmer than normal water.  In the continental US, during El Niño years, temperatures in the winter are warmer than normal in the North Central States, and cooler than normal in the Southeast and the Southwest. During a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast and cooler than normal in the Northwest. 

Speaking of La Niña, my younger sister arrived last night for a week-long visit.  We have a ton of fun things planned this week!  She is out getting a $40 90-minute massage now and this morning, we took her by the beaches and Stanley Park for pictures, followed by the Vancouver Baker’s Market.  When she returns, we'll walk along the seawall and go for dinner at Nu Restaurant, which specializes in seafood and foods found within 100 miles from here.  We got a table right on the water in False Creek, so it should be a great first night.

The snow will also benefit our trip to Whistler tomorrow, as it forced the resort area to open the season early!!  We got really lucky getting a room at "off-season" pricing and then having the resort start its winter season a week early.

Updates on our trip to follow...

Xanax please?!?!

...or any drug should do.

I thought my 2-hour journey to Washington and back this morning with a crying baby in the back would take me over the edge.  I got through that just fine, but then my toddler realized he is now 3-yrs old and doesn't want to take his afternoon nap.  I am not having that - I worked too hard to get them both on the same nap schedule and that is my time to get some work done, surf the net, shop online, cook , etc.  That was easy though...lock him in his room for 2 hours of "quiet time".  He decided to pee in his underwear twice. No problem!  Let's change those bad boys.  What did it for me was the 90 minute tantrum...while trying to cook dinner for 3...and puree food for 1, while Julian asked for every food item we didn't have in the house and while Amelie let out massive cries in her frustration to sit up, crawl and move her chubby little bum.

Someone get me a glass of red wine pronto!  It should go nicely with the burnt quinoa.

I will be escaping to the infrared sauna tonight...for a few hours.

Brandi's

I've been doing some marketing for my friend's beauty clinic for a few months now.  I had a very important task this past weekend...

She was trying to target a new market segment: Strippers.  Off we went, trying to sell some treatments to some of the strippers in town (hey, this recession is requiring some desperate measures).  Naturally, we ventured to the fanciest strip joint in town - Brandi's

This was actually the place where Ben Affleck allegedly cheated on JLo. That's right, I got to see the private room and all.  Melvin was quite jealous...

Happy Birthday...

Julian!  I can't believe you are 3 years old today!

Julian had a month long celebration for his birthday with a small dinner celebration in NY last month to cake & ice skating with his twin friends yesterday, a birthday play date today and treats with his class tomorrow.  We are cutting the sugar off tomorrow afternoon!

Amélie turned 7 months today and started crawling.  Yay for getting old!

Boga Yoga at The Beaumont Studios

Before I get into my yoga update, I wanted to share the disadvantage of too many glass walls and windows in your home.  As I was giving Julian a time out in our "solarium" yesterday, I turned around to storm off...right into the glass wall.  I'm talkin' cheek on glass, stubbed toe, the works.  Needless to say, that ended the time out very quickly with a burst of laughter from Melvin, Julian and even Amélie.


Moving on...I taught my first class at The Beaumont Studios tonight.  Melvin came out for support and I had 6 people in total.  I taught an hour long class under candlelight and I think it went pretty well.  Teaching is definitely tiring though, especially after a full day with the kids...

Infrared Sauna

We've been ecstatic that our building just built an infrared sauna.  After the kids are asleep, we take turns going down to use it either before or after a gym workout or swim.  It's pretty damn awesome.


What is the different between this and a regular sauna you ask? An infrared sauna is a sauna that uses heaters emitting far infrared radiant heat. Unlike traditional Finnish Saunas, infrared saunas do not use steam, (which heats the air, and thereby the user), but instead use infrared radiation to directly heat the user.  It is the same heat the sun emits, but without harmful UV rays.


It is the same heat that is used for newborns in the "warmer" at the hospital and in incubators for premature babies.  There are so many advantages to using an infrared sauna that a lot of spas and wellness centers are building them these days.  

• Removes Toxins
• Reduces Stress
• Improves Skin - clears cellulite, tones & hydrates cells and pores
• Burns Calories - as much as 600 calories or more in a 30 minutes session
• Pain Relief - Arthritis, muscle spasms, joint stiffness, sprains
• Strengthens Cardiovascular System - stabilizes blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output and increases metabolic rate

With that said, if you come out for a visit, don't forget your swimsuit!

Remembrance Day

We had a great laugh at this!

Today was "Remembrance Day" in Canada; Veteran's Day in the U.S.  Everyone was on holiday and we were going to head to Seattle for a long weekend.  However, I was talking to a friend and she was like, Uh, you know everyone will be on the road right?  That's all she had to say to change our plans.  I'm not trying to sit in the car for 3 hours just to cross the border, which should only take 45 minutes.  We'll have to reschedule for another time, when people are working!

Instead, we headed to Stevenston Village, a fisherman's marina in Richmond, B.C.  We had a great time in this very cute village and dined on some fish n chips, of course.  The fishing boats line up each day on the dock and sell salmon, tuna, shrimp and crabs right off their boats.  I love it.

Then, we went up to North Vancouver while the kids napped in the car and found the Salmon Hatchery, which is where the salmon are trying to swim upstream.  It is very similar to the facility in Seattle, which I went to awhile back.  Always very interesting to see and I recommend everyone to check something like this out one day.

When the kids woke up, we headed to the Vancouver Aquarium. Julian didn't know where to run between the jelly fish, dolphin show and beluga whale.  It was a great time.

This had to be the most eventful Veteran's Day / Remembrance Day I've ever had in my life!

What's in a Name?

Julian was drawing quietly last night...

Mommy:  Hey Julian, what are you drawing?

Julian: I'm drawing Papi's name.

Mommy: Oh yeah?  What is Papi's name?
Julian: His name is Melvin.  I'm drawing mommy's name too!

Mommy: Wow...What is Mommy's name?

Julian: Babe.

LOL!