daily musings
This is a tumblelog, kinda like a blog but with short-form, mixed-media posts with stuff I like. Scroll down a bit to start reading, or a bit more to read more about me.
Tea Facts
I love tea so much that I just HAD to share this =)
Black tea
Think black tea makes you feel good? You’re right. It’s been proven to help you de-stress fast. It also helps eliminate bad breath. Plus medical research indicates that it lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and reduces bad cholesterol.Green tea
Want to stay slim, trim and beautiful? The antioxidants in green tea just might slow signs of aging, prevent the flu and raise your metabolism. More dramatically, it’s being shown to prevent and slow cancer, and help with arthritis and bad cholesterol too.Oolong tea
This one’s known as a fat-buster in China, and science is indicating that it does indeed speed up your metabolism, burn fat and block fat absorption! Use it to fight expanding waistlines, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.White tea
Science is saying that white tea might be more effective than even green tea at preventing cell damage, shrinking cancerous tumours and stopping the growth of cancer cells. Plus it’s becoming the new cosmetic fix for aging skin. Beautiful!Pu’erh tea
Traditional Chinese medicine prizes Pu’erh as a wonder tea. It’s said to aid digestion, cleanse the blood and help with weight loss. Studies in Europe are also saying it busts cholesterol as effectively as some medications.Rooibos tea:
It’s said that rooibos helps you recover from hangovers, and that it could slow dementia. Plus there’s evidence that it fights skin cancer and boosts the immune system. And it’s supposed to help with insomnia!Maté tea
Yerba maté is a fabulous stimulant, without the jitters. It’s also full of antioxidants, so there’s scientific speculation that it could have anti-cancer properties, help stimulate the immune system and protect against disease.Herbal tea
Herbs, spices, fruits and flowers have long been used in traditional medicine to cure everything from headaches, stomach bugs and colds to stress and insomnia. The power of the tea depends on its ingredients.
Falling out of a Rut
So from daily to weekly to monthly and now bi-monthly… we don’t realize how easy it is to fall out of a routine. And once you’re out of that routine – you don’t even realize it.
In case you couldn’t guess, I’m talking about keeping an up-to-date blog. Not difficult – but harder that it sounds.
Here’s to getting back into the swing of things!
Travel Much? Next Stop: Chicago
It’s been a whirlwind of a summer! From Toronto to New York to San Fran… And now Chicago!
Oh the Windy City… this was my first visit there and I LOVED IT! Who would’ve thought the mid-east US could be so scenic and beautiful?
The architecture… the history… the shopping… the parks… the food… And by the second day there, I had people stopping me in the streets asking for directions!
Here’s my mini-city guide:
Shopping
- Magnificent Mile and Gold Coast area - definitely! The Nordstrom is a must, along with the Bloomingdales!
Touristy Things
- Millenium Park (Ummm… how could you pass up the opportunity to see a reflection of the entire city - and yourself - in a jellybean?)
- Architectural Boat Cruise (an amazing tour through the river and onto the lake itself - here’s where you’ll find the best views)
Food
- Brunch at the Ralph Lauren restaurant and dinner at PF Changs (I am so content)
I’ll be back…
That’s right. You heard me.
I’ll definitely be back to the beautiful city of San Francisco!
We couldn’t have had better luck if we tried… middle of July and 24 degrees?! That’s almost unheard of! They say that San Fran usually has an Indian Summer in September… but the city showed us all its beauty!
The city was calling our name… our 4 days were filled with shopping, eating, shopping, shopping, sightseeing, eating, and more shopping… Who would’ve thought that SF would have SUCH amazing shopping? But perhaps it was just the time of year. Let’s just say the damage on the plastic was done!
A little too successful of a trip.
Dear New York…
I love you.
Seriously - I often ask myself, “WHY… why don’t I live in that beautiful city?”
The people, the sights, the streets, the architecture, the transit, the lifestyle… sigh… I honestly could go on and on and on and on about how much I love NYC.
I just returned from spending 4 days there - and I’m not gonna lie, I actually cried when I was leaving the city - if that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
It’s funny - but I actually feel like myself in New York - it’s this feeling that I haven’t been able to duplicate anywhere else in the world and I don’t really notice it until I’m in that city. I just think it’s a sign that I belong there - that it’s my Element.
Another goal to add to my bucket list? HELL YES.
I will live in NY for at least an year at one point in my life (preferably in my 20’s).
Mr. Sun - Where are you?
Summer Solstice.
Today’s the day, and while it may not feel like Summer here in Vancouver, it’s still nice to know that good weather is yet to come. I feel like Summer is when everyone is in a good mood, the traffic is light, the patios are buzzing and life is good.
Although I have to say, I still cannot believe that next week is JULY! July! Where did you come from? Has it already been 6 months since the Vancouver Winter Olympics? I swear we had better weather in the Olympics than we are right now! Time is flying so fast and 2010 is more than halfway done…
Now is the time to set goals for the last half of the year… What do I want to accomplish in the next 6 months? My list of to-do’s is ever growing, and I so badly want to cross some things off!
These are my summer to-do’s:
- Take photography classes
- Take a wine course
- Hike the Chief (this amazing viewpoint just north of Vancouver)
- START wedding planning… (and so opens a can of worms)
Oh the Summer. It really puts things into perspective (for me anyway)…
So Fresh and So Clean
Having recently moved, I’ve come to realize that clutter is bad. You know how sometimes you like to hang on to those little things that may mean “something” to you, but you keep it filed away in a closet at the back with mounds of stuff covering it? Well – 5 years later, when you’re moving and you uncover this “treasure” – it’s like “WHY was I hanging on to this? I could use this space for so many more usefully things!”
So true. So true.
We think that clutter makes a house a home – but really, try cleaning out your closet this weekend and getting rid of things you haven’t touched or looked at in 1 year – I DARE YOU. You will wake up the next morning feeling lighter, refreshed and more spacious! I’m serious. Clutter has a huge psychological effect on your. The different between falling asleep in a messy room and drifting to bed in a spacious clean room is astounding! If you had told me this 2 years ago, I would’ve said “Nonsense! It’s just stuff! What’s the big deal?”
But it really is amazing how much of a big difference this little update can make in your life.
Great Expectations
The funny thing about relationships is that expectations come with them. And while you think you may be doing just fine and dandy managing these expectations, every so often the world will come crashing down on your head - without warning. When it happens you realize that communication is the most important part of any relationship - communication and honesty.
Relationships are about compromise - giving a little, getting a little. And when you start giving a lot and getting barely anything in return - it’s not healthy. Not that you should expect anything, but it’s almost implied. And while not having expectations means you’ll be pleasantly surprised every time something nice happens, it’s also not natural.
Relationships are funny like that. Oh so funny.
FIFA World Cup 2010 - Let the Excitement Begin!
Well my friends, the time is upon us once again. It really only feels like yesterday that we were following the World Cup in Germany… how time flies!
The extravaganza commenced with the so aptly named “Kick-Off Celebration” where a host of stars including the Black Eyed Peas, K’naan and Shakira performed! I’m so in love with Shakira’s song for the World Cup, ‘Waka Waka (Time for Africa)’. I wish I could say that I was writing this LIVE from South Africa, but alas, I’m not… I can only imagine the mix of excitement and nerves all over the world in anticipation for the first match of the cup in a mere 7 hours!
They’re actually opening the sports bars at 4am where I live to accommodate those die hard fans in spite of the time difference! I think it is absolutely amazing how this one sport can bring hundreds of millions of people together whether they’re rooting for the same team or another, it’s this one sport that connects everyone - the common thread.
