31.7.08

A Breath of Fresh Air

You know those days, when everything is in equilibrium? When all your troubles seem nothing but frivolous? When, while jogging down a road, you slow your pace to a stroll simply to inspire the surroundings and moment?

It's days like these, when the temperature is nothing but a perfect mild - not too hot nor cold - and I walk down a tree-lined street with a lake view and houses brimming with ingenuity, beauty, and uniqueness that I really, truly, absolutely feel happy.

Quite the one-eighty since yesterday, eh? :)

30.7.08

I feel like shit. The rain pouring outside encourages nothing but a cozy corner in my pj's with a Charleston Chew by my side and my beloved computer.

And, going along with this emotion I can't help but voice the fear that has been floating around in my head for the longest time - will I ever settle down? Get married? Find someone to get married with?

It worries me. There are the few out the who never find "the one". I don't even know if I will get married - the statistic saying that 50% of marriages divorce left me feeling a bit more skeptical about marriage.

Siighh. Just my musings.


Anywhoo, this here is keeping me afloat:

Forever - Chris Brown

29.7.08

Mission Accomplished


And so the journey comes to an end. I have purchased my beloved Charleston Chews.

The ride wasn't easy. I was forced to use my last option and email Customer Service to hint me on where I could find the candy bar. They replied with a detailed list of the mini version, the full bar version, and the 24-pack, meant for independent retailers. On the list, I was only interested in the full bars because, well, I would much rather indulge on an entire foot-long delight than just have little samplings of it in the form of little mini pieces. After consulting my handy dandy maps.google.com, I found but three places that were accessible to me. And so, after three days of diligent searching, I made the long journey to Parliament Street (walked all the way across downtown, man) and found the red X on the map - The Bargain Shop. A quaint little place, featuring dollar Gillette deodorant and Abercrombie. And of course, Charleston Chew candy bars in both vanilla and chocolate for the very affordable bargain price of 50 a pop.

And so I bought five.

See you in five pounds, readers.

28.7.08

I'm in a kind of mellow/late-night kinda mood. I thought a little bit of classical would be just right in accompanying me in this late Monday night. This is what I'm listening to and seem to quite like:


Steven Reich - Cello Counterpoint (2003)

although it sounded better on musicovery.

Musicovery

While browsing through http://www.ablogaboutthings.com, I came across http://www.musicovery.com . A radio station that allows you to customize what you want to listen to according to your mood, your favorite genre, or even what kind of dance that makes one wanna get down with it at the moment. Nice little discovery.

I never thought I would feel for a robot

Now isn't that cuuttee. Wall-e had just the perfect amount of cuteness and action to keep my very ADD mind on topic. Between the dramatic capture of Eve to the auto-crazed steering wheel, Iguess there wasnt much time for my mind to wander (signs of a good movie).

The movie was truly remarkable, although I was set for a bit more seriousness and depth...although I think I'm getting a bit ahead of myself - this is a kids movie, and it did play the part (although I must add, it seems just a wee bit darker and less candycane cute than the rest of the bunch).

But I love Wall-e! I almost cried when he stayed by Eve's side all the way through her plant-holding. I didn't expect to feel for a robot. But Pixar, you truly did your job.

27.7.08

Wall-e


I'm really excited to go see Wall-e tonight. I mean, I'm not completely sure why. I is just another kids' movie with a subtext. I think it's because it's ideal for me right now - a satisfying mix of both cuteness and serious drama.
BTW, I love how lately, well, kids' movies are the best movies coming out (sorry all you Dark Night/ Mamma Mia lovers). I just really think the writers these days are onto something and are doing something really quite genius.
Tell you how I liked it!

Charleston Chews


I have been searching for Charleston Chews everywhere. On Friday, I even spent a majority of my day (how I love having summer) going from convenience store to convenience store to grocery store on my way searching for the chewy chocolate-covered nougat bar.
But nothing.
I have emailed the company that owns this delicious delicacy asking who sells these.
Keep you updated on what they say and the remainder of my quest to find the Charleston Chew.

21.7.08

Dollar Store

I went into a dollar store looking to buy a glue stick for a project I have been doing lately. I saw a woman with a shopping cart full of food paying for it at the cash register. I have always seen the food at the dollar store, and have always been advised against food at the dollar store for obvious reasons. I should have realized that, in fact, there are people who depend on such low-priced food, no matter its origins.

I wonder what it must be like to live such a life. I myself can only imagine. This lady at the dollar store, with her 50 cent bag of chips and 2-for-1 can of beans, made me quite happyindeed.

19.7.08

SYTYCD! Top 10 Results



Byebye Kherrinton and Gev!

I was right about Kherrington. But not Gev! Aww.

Well Im sad to see both of them go. The competition is seriously heating up now because, well, everyone is just so effing good. I think it'll be a bit weird now, not seeing the two on the show - I had gotten so used to them and however cheesy, they were a big part of the show.

But I can't help but say... told you so. Well sort of. However sad I was to see the two go, I kind of expected it. Even Gev.

I'm telling you, next guy to go will be Mark. If not, he'll be staying only for his personality, because Twitch, Joshua, and yes, I admit, even Will are much better dancers.

For the girls, I'm not sure. I was going to say Courtney, but she has been stepping it up lately and I am realizing what a really really good dancer she is. So I don't know. I'll have to see next week. But it's very possible that Comfort. Sorry honey. But seriously, the girl cannot ballroom dance. Period.


See ya later, alligatah.

<3>

"The Peak of Perfection in Handmade Chocolate" indeed


While on the subject of Niagara-on-the-Lake: today I ate the most deliciously exquisite chocolate. Almost ever. Yum. Where, you ask? Why, at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, of course.


When I first saw the tiny shop with the words "Chocolate Factory" on Queen Street in NotL, brimming with people, I knew I had to go in. Inside, chocolate galore. And none of the truffles or chocolate that you get in bombonniers but never eat (i hate marcepan or really dark chocolate, sorry). Milk chocolate, my loves. And plenty of it. Seeing as how my mother was in a good mood today (it is quite wonderful still being under the care of my parents. I can't complain...) I had nothing but to point at anything I wanted.


I am usually a horrible decision-maker, but today luckily my decision was easily made and I chose a peppermint patty, cranberry bar, english toffee bar, something called a Tiger Bomb (best one) and a peanut butter cup (although, props to Reese's - you guys are still number one in my heart). And my mom threw in a bag of chocolate-covered almonds.


I must say, today was a pretty good day.




Okay so I thought this Rocky Mountain place was a One Hit Wonder kinda deal - turns out they're all over the place, US and Canada. Check 'em out and find a place near you!



Niagara-on-the-Lake






A cute little town, it has all the charm (and price tag) of a cozy town overflowing with vineyards.

It was a bit muggy today, but the main street looked really cute (although not quite Quebec City cute - NotL definitely has an architecturedifferent from, but all the while retaining the qualities of a Quebec-like city). Perhaps Quebec City seemed a tad more modern? NotL seemed to be stopped in time. Very picturesque, especially the little houses we saw walking astray from the main street and through the more residential area.




In this house sat an old lady with a white-haired bun neatly pinned to her little old lady head. She was drinking tea, too. And she had a cat.

17.7.08

SYTYCD!

I don't know HOW or WHY I haven't yet blogged about this, but SYTYCD is MAH SHOWWW! God I love it. (SYTYCD = so you think you can dance). But what better time to start talkin' 'bout it than now - the top 10.

Before I start, one thing - I'm a late watcher. Very, very late watcher. I watch every single episode the next day because, well, ironically, I'm at salsa class when it's on. So now - GO!

'Kay last last night the top 10 performed in their new couples. Honestly, I liked the old ones and had gotten quite comfy with them, but there are some great new combinations now. My favorite favorite favorite: Katee and Will! To date, I haven't been a big Will fan (I have not understood what the hype was about the kid) but WOW! Him and Katee are on FAYAHHH. I love Katee. She's my fave on the show. Their Broadway routine was...okay. I love Tyce Diorio, but more for his contemporary, to tell you the truth. The routine was okay, a little boring and...off. But their pas de deux (sp?) was AMAZING. LOVEEEE. Really. It showcased their absolute talent amazingly and really proved that they are the best dancers on the show (A little too soon to say? Eh, I don't think so :) ).


I'm really sad to see Courtney and Gev split up but...oh well. The Courtney and Josh duo - at first, I was a bit skeptical, but after seeing them dance together, they are way up on my list after Will and Katee. Their Rumba - OW OW! Maybe next week Josh will be next on the shirtless train - woot woot one can only hope.

I liked Gev and Chelsea, although, seriously, two great couples were split up - Gev&Courtney and Chelsea&Mark. Mark and Kherrington probably did the worst. Bleh. I love Mark but he didn't cut it for me. And, is it just me, or is Kherrington seeming a little weak lately? I don't know, but she seems really sluggish and laconic lately. She started off at the top of the hot list at the beginnign fo the show, but she's cooling down, and fast.


Comfort's back! Her hip-hop routine with Twitch - AMAZINGNESSSS! I really liked it, although I hoped there would be a wow moment...or two. But all in all, I loved seeing the pair doing their thang, if you will.

Uhh that's about it. I think that Kherrington is going to be catching the next plane home. And Mark, make sure you buy a ticket for that plane, too. Sorry buddy. You were great.


Catch you later, when I watch the results show!


<3>

16.7.08

Money money money, its so funny

Purchased yesterday:





UFO-green and black (not pictured) leggings. They add quite a pop to an outfit, eh?
From American Apparel.
sidenote: you know, Ive always wanted to go to the store. I've heard so much about and was quite deprived of it over in Houston. But I went and saw and tried on - all in all the store is great for basics, although I do think many of the things are over-priced, being that they are so simple (I will pay more for something original - pay for design and creativity, right?). BUT I probably will be coming back for said basics. I mean, they're so hard to find, and when you do find them, the fit,etc. - it's hard to find a perfect one. Luckily, American Apparel here makes that job quite easy.




Black and white bohemian skirt at French Connection (it's shorter than it looks here in the picture - it's pretty high-waisted, you see). I LOVE this skirt - it is one that I have been looking for for forever. I'm not a big skirt fan (I like 'em dresses) so to find one that I adore is a scarcity. It's perfect for the hot, summer days and being that there's summer in where I live 6 months a year, this here skirt is ideal. And it has pockets.





I also bought a blue top from French Connection.

I had reached the point where I was looking into my closet and really truly seriously putting on my thinking cap, trying to find a creative way to incorporate the many items of clothing I had already worn a gazillion times. I knew it was time to hit the stores, but I was tired of the malls. I wanted to walk down and street and look into windows. On Yonge Street I found French Connection. I had gone in there before and I loved everything I saw in there - it was probably the first store in which I was willing to buy everything I saw. Yesterday, it was the 60% off sale that let me regain faith in the place. I also hit up American Apparel for the reason mentioned above.


Things learned:
1) H&M is no longer a go-to store. Sorry H&M, but the clothes are just not cutting it anymore. sure, there are the few here and there, but seriously, nothing is fitted and it just kinda hangs. And not in a good way.
2) Open-air shopping is best. Explore the city, right?

14.7.08

Vroom Vroom!

Guess what?! Yesterday, I had a very...sporadic day. In the afternoon, as I was getting ready to go off to Queens Street, hoping to hit Urban Behavior, possibly some other shops they have there. Buckling my sandals we got a call asking us to go on .... a MOTORBOAT! I went of course. Ahh the sweep of lake air through my hair and across my face. The rocking; the crash of waves. I even sat on the front, and that was amazing - the water splashing all over. And, let me tell you, that is one hell of a way to get a tan.

I have now added one more thing to my list of things to do before I die :
Buy a boat.

12.7.08

Where the Hell is Matt?

A nice little film that will put a smile on your face. I found it on yahoo, so I'm sure many of you have seen it, but for those who haven't...

http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/2977277/8534761

Just goes to show everyone is the same.

ONE LOVE.


PS visit Matt's website at http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

11.7.08

To Her Majesty, the Queen

To all those who have been here, I'm sure you know what I am talking about. To all those that plan to visit, I highly recommend it. And to all those who have no clue and/or do not fit into the above mentioned categories, read on, my darlings.

People, I am talking about Queen Street, here in Toronto. Now, Queen Street, if I am not mistaken, is a veeerryy long street in Toronto, but there is one chunk that I particularly like and have therefore decided to blog about.

This evening I went out to Queen Street on the part ending at Chinatown Spadina all the way to, uhh, somewhere a little bit above Roncesvalles. The place, like many places in Toronto, reminds me of New York, particularly SoHo (or what I think is SoHo in New York - our bus-tour-guide was not very good at pointing that out) but better. It's a personal opinion, but I like it better because I think it has a bit of a Toronto feel to it. The area itself is, I guess, not the most manicured, attractive, rich, whatever. But it doesn't matter. Actually, it does matter. That is what gives it its rawer feel. You feel alive and happy and like there is so much going on around you. You look around and see the wonderful and creative boutiques and coffeeshops and restaurants, bars and clubs and you just feel amazingly wonderfully alive. And, the well-dressed-people per capita ratio is quite high, might I add.


I walked into this lovely book shop with not-so-typical books - I mean, there was nothing wrong with them, they weren't old ETC but what they did have in stock was quality. Photography, Art, Fiction, Non-Fiction. Yum. I, myself, bought a little leather-bound book calendar for the upcoming school year (its in a month and a half, I know) with a flower design (not the cheesy-cute though, oh no). And for the price of 14.95, I am quite pleased. And the salesguy was really nice. And the saleswoman. Nice atmosphere of the place, in general.

If I remembered the name of the place I would tell you, but I remember it was right by Trinity Park, so look there (BTW Trinity Park = Toronto's Central Park? Im telling you, the similarities are endless)

byebye,
martha

Friday Night in the Big City...

...and what am I doing? Why, sitting on my bed skedoodling, of course. Well, trying to. Getting ready to. You see, I have this thing for crayons and colored pencils and markers. I think it's the awesome array of colors that every single yellow box of 'em contains. This evening I rode my bicycle over to Shoppers Drug Mart to buy myself some minutes for my phone (exciting, no?). Of course, right beside the rack with the various cards was also the school supply section with various yellow boxes of various kinds of markers and colored pencils. I couldn't resist. You see, I especially like the off-colored markers - you know, magenta instead of red, a limey green instead of the usual pine forest one, ya know. So, in the end, I ended up going to the cash register with not only my Rogers Prepaid Card (which was of course what I went in to get) but also a 20-pack of Supertips markers, a 24-pack of colored pencils (I was quite serious when I said that I love colors), and a sketch pad (I've always wanted one. I guess something to do with the image of sitting at a cafe in Paris, sipping strong, black coffee, sketching away...). I love you Crayola.


But honestly, it is set up to be quite a pleasant evening.
I quite like this kind of quiet time - sitting and possibly coloring (after I finally decide to - I want my first page to be really nice - it will, after all the one I will be seeing most often when I crack open said sketch book in the future).

okay, well, happy coloring!

Untouched

I first heard this song on So You Think You Can Dance (drool) and it really caught my ear. I LOVE when classical instruments, especially violins and cellos are intertwined with rock sounds (made by drums and such). Here's a song by the Veronicas - Untouched. Music good, lyrics etc bad. :) Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlcQ_caZrk

3.7.08

Just a Little Bit Longer

Sorry for the delay, but I was in Quebec City (yay) and it was impossible to find me some Wifi. Oh well. Be back soon...