Vegan Edmonton

So, I'm laying in my bed at the moment having just gotten home from a really delicious dinner with Forever Bestie and I got to thinking about humans... Now, before you start assuming I am having some sort of epiphany moment about human beings - stop!

I'm really just thinking about the reactions that people have when I tell them I am a vegan, or how I just finished eating at a really amazing vegan restaurant. 96% of the time people will turn up their noses to thee idea that a restaurant could forego serving meat (and apparently it is even worse to consider not having cheese on the menu - GASP!!!!) Let's get real though... As great as some of those people think they are... We need to back the fun bus up and get a little bit more liberal for a second (for lack of a better phrase I used that one.) There is a heck tone of wicked awesome places right here in Edmonton that are meat and animal by product free... I think it's about time some of us try them and stop being so hesitant! 

Let's just chat about the great places for a second, shall we!? 

Padmanadi: I believe this is the one that most people know about, in my opinion it is also one of the easiest to convert omnivores to try. Their menu is full of Asian style delights of all different kinds from classic Ginger Beef to Mutton Curry. I have to admit that I have tried plenty more than I should let on, but I keep going back to have more delicious dishes! Their "meat" dishes are incredibly similar to what they are imitating, the texture and flavour is dead on and as someone who has eaten meat in their life I feel as though this statement rings pretty true! 

Cafe Mosaics: Can someone say home food? I crave a hearty plate of food some days just like any other human being, and when those days hit and I have the cash in my pocket you can bet you will find me at Cafe Mo! Since they finished renovating there is way more space to sit, the Cafe is bright cheery, friendly and always buzzing with people! And I mean seriously!? The burgers and tofu scramble... So good, I cherish the times I get to go. Also guys, they have a wicked beverage menu now... So many fancy coffees and juices - you have no idea! Go - just go. 

Veggie Garden: Okay, this place is not for the faint hearted... Not because of the food but because of the location. It is nestled right into Chinatown next to Milla Pub and the Hope Mission? (Correct me if I'm wrong). So on the outside it doesn't look like to much, but the inside is full of the delicious aroma so classic Chinese takeout. I have only ever been served by the one lady and she is adorable! Eating there is like eating with your family... And it won't cost you an arm and a leg! One day they will deliver and that day I will never have to leave my house again! 

Loma House: This place I learned all about through Instagram (the wonders of social media, amiright!?) and I've really enjoyed it since the first time I went to visit. Again, it is small and family owned so you are treated as such when you arrive. Even beyond the tasty meals you can purchase at the restaurant they have freezers full of products to purchase to give you the opportunity to go home and recreate or create new meals with the animal free by-products they have. Seriously, we need more places like this in Edmonton!  

Blue Plate: Okay, this restaurant is not entirely veggie friendly but they definitely have an abundance of vegetarian/vegan meals you can enjoy when you go there and it is a staple for me when I am going for dinner with a group of people that don't conform to my same eating habits. I find the prices to be slightly steep but the food is always good!

Noorish: I have to admit that I don't go here often but when I do I am not at all disappointed. On top of being fully vegan, they also boast a number of raw items (dessert included) and take a really fantastic holistic approach to the way food is made. At Noorish it isn't just about filling your belly but also being conscious about what it is you are putting into your body and how it can benefit you. Plus, they have yoga classes... And the people that frequent there are wayyyy cooler than I am. 

The Buckingham: Again, not solely vegan and also not alley a restaurant! This is a pub on Whyte that has a handful of pretty tasty vegan and veggie items. They are all pub style food and taste really good while you sip on some beer but things can get a little dicey sometimes! I ordered veggie meatballs once and they served me regular meat ones. After trying to explain it to the waitress she still insisted they had no animal product in them. Since you will likely be drinking while there, just be cautious and keep in mind that things can be deceiving sometimes! Trust your gut, guys! The corn dogs though... OH MAN!

Mercury Room: I have only been here a couple of times and although it is a restaurant and a venue, I've only gone to eat food. Each time it is phenomenal! They understand the idea of presentation and taste going hand in hand. Honestly I do not leave disappointed ever. The chefs there always seem to be coming up with new and really innovative ways to create vegan versions of some classic favorite dishes and they are never lacking in the tasty department. Can we also talk for a second about the server? He is a delight, very attentive and super helpful! If you have gone to one of their brunch or dinner services I am certain you know exactly who I'm talking about - he's wonderful!

Sailin' On Food Truck: Jay and I LOVE Sailin' On. I managed to convert him with just one visit. Jay's love for the coconut bacon is like no other, and that is the only way he is able to question where it is we will be going for dinner/lunch or whatever! Since it is the winter we haven't been able to make it to a lot of the pop up events that have been going on, but once summer hits believe me - we will be finding this truck a lot! It is the first (and only) vegan food truck in Edmonton, and the guys running it are great! You can tell they have a passion for what they are doing, and it makes it easy and exciting to go and visit them to see what sort of new concoctions they have come up with. The Rueben will be my all time favorite for basically forever... that and the BLT... and the tacos... and the corn dogs (yeah... the same corn dogs they have at The Buckingham!)

Remedy Cafe: This place has blown up in the last year or so, they have added a number of new locations around the city and they continue to be incredibly prosperous and I could not be happier for them! While they are not strictly vegan, they cater beautifully to those who choose not to eat animal based products. Everything has a home made feel to it, and their chai still remains unmatched in my opinion. It is the perfect balance between sweet and spicy, the scent fills the restaurant and warms your soul all at the same time. Along with the extensive menu, they also have an amazing array of desserts from cupcakes from Blue Rose and cookies from Bloom (I talk about both of these guys later), along with tons of other treats for vegans and gluten free individuals!

Arcadia: Fact, I have not been here yet. So although I wish I had more to say about this place I don't. I believe I will be hitting it up next week sometime to check out all their tasty sounding dishes (obviously I looked up their menu) as well as whatever entertainment they will be boasting that night! Reality is though, I have heard nothing but really amazing things about their food and the venue in general! Can't wait, see you guys soon!

Clever Rabbit: Another favorite of mine, when I lived downtown I used to frequent this place and I was never ever disappointed. The decor is adorable, and their walls are always covered with adorable art featuring all sorts of animals but mainly rabbits (obviously!) The food is simple, but delicious. The walnut chickpea burger is the most amazing... and I can't even begin to explain to you how good their homemade salsa is.

Farrow Sandwiches: These guys are relatively new as well, but when they do a vegan sandwich they are not joking around! Not even a little bit. Not only are their flavors on point, but the names they come up with are memorable! The sandwiches they make are always different and always extra interesting. For the most part they have one vegan sandwich at a time, but there is no need to worry not only is it likely really tasty but they will come up with a new one in no time!

Earths General Store: Okay, not a restaurant... I understand that! But still... it is a small little shop packed full of really amazing vegan treats, produce, groceries, beauty products and pet food. Also... they sell Sailin' On coconut bacon. Go there... just go! 

Blush Market: Again, not a restaurant but since this place is located right on Whyte Avenue I tend to pop in once awhile. Especially if I am looking for a certain product. I have to admit, I do find their prices are a little higher then some other places but the quality matches the price for sure!

Planet Organic: I think that most people know that this place exist, and for good reason! It is the most easily accessible mecca of tasty vegan and organic stuff! It is the only place that I have been able to find some of the soy free vegan seafood that I crave once in awhile on those days that you just don't feel like getting fancy in the kitchen!

I am about to start talking about some of my favorite vegan humans here... they fill my belly with tasty treats and are LITERALLY the only reason I go to the Farmer's Market some weeks. 

Blue Rose Vegan: The selling point for this girl here is her ability to make cheese buns. The first time I tried them I knew they were perfect and her ability to bake things - and on top of that to bake them without animal products is amazing. I'm pretty sure she is my soul mate. Also, she has started Snack Attack box with a couple other vegan homies and it is brilliant! I admit I have only purchased it once but I was not disappointed and I fully intend on doing it again and again! 

Bloom: Cookies! Need I say more? I think Bloom was the first experience I had in quality Edmonton baked goods. I purchased them at the Farmers Market one summer and was totally floored that they were completely vegan. Since then they have branched out and sell at Remedy and Sailin' On. Probably other places too, basically because they are downright delicious.

Frickin' Delights: Mandy and her husband are adorable! They make me smile every time I see them and it totally warms my heart that they remember me by my Instagram handle. It secure my feelings about social media being able to bring together so many people! I have ordered her donuts to my office on more than once and the girls I work with flock hard to give them a taste. 

Long Lost Foods: Another Farmers Market find and they continually produce the most tasty treats for me. Seriously... Who needs to cook when these guys are around! 

So yeah... I feel like this is some major proof enough that there is no reason for people to doubt the delicious vegan options out there. I mean... With all of these to choose from who would actually miss cheese!? 

Also, my rambling is not meant to be a critique or review of these places at all. I have done reviews on some of these guys but please, please, please try them all out and then share all your feels about them! 

If I have forgotten any delicious treasures leave a comment below and let me know about them so I can try a new restaurant or tell you how much I love them! 

Be well. 

Whistler, my love.

It has been a couple of days now since I returned from my most recent trip in the mountains, and I can't help but look back and smile but also wish with my entire heart that I could return back... even just for a couple more hours!

Everything about the trip made life seem so easy, a smile was effortless, and there was no time limit on anything that we did (except leaving Whistler at a decent time to come home).

The whole weekend was full of laughs, jokes, and new adventures for all of us. It was amazing!

I have to admit that I was a little nervous about being the only lady on the trip, I felt like the things I wanted to do would get pushed aside, that the entire weekend would be full of guy talk, I would find myself spending more time alone than I would have preferred, or the worst: not being able to stop and pee as many times as I knew I inevitably would have to!

I wont bore you with 700 details about every little moment of the trip, but I did want to share with you the feelings and emotions that taking a little getaway can provide you with. Especially if you are someone like me who has left their heart in the mountains only to go back and retrieve it once a year (or so...)

The lifestyle in a place such as Whistler is calm, no one seems to be on a schedule of any sort and you can make a new friend every time you turn a corner. How could you go wrong with a place such as that?!

It gives you amazing perspective on the way we live our day to day lives, we spend so much time rushing to get to work or home from work or to an appointment. You begin to lose touch with the rest of your life, and taking a couple extra minutes in the morning to sit and drink a cup of coffee, or chat with your cat in the morning. I think I spend way to much time toiling over anything and everything and I get caught up in the anxiety that I feel about things that I really cannot help.

Anyway! After I was able to get all of those sobering thoughts aside, I moved on to enjoy my trip. The weather was gorgeous, the sky was clear and the mountains surrounded me. Please, tell me how you could not be happy about that!

Since two out of the five of us did not partake in any of the dangerous winter sports (such as snowboarding), we decided to use our time wisely and explore the town and hang out in the hot tub! I also managed my time well and honed a little bit of creative energy to work on a couple of drawings while I was there! In the evenings we all hung out, drank a couple beers and played games. I don't believe the laughing ever stopped during the entire time we were there!

On Saturday we decided to take a short drive up to Vancouver since the boys were taking a rest day from snowboarding. A couple of them have never seen the coast before, so it was definitely a treat, and so lovely to see their faces when we hit the beach and all you could see was the ocean for miles and miles. To me, it brings peace, each time the tide comes in and goes out again just a little bit more of worries get carried away with the water. You can't help but breath a sigh of relief when you are out there, since in the grande scheme of things life is really great!

Then came the boys adventuring spirits! They climbed anything and everything they could find. I am pretty sure we spent 3 hours alone just jumping and climbing over rocks, and my legs could feel it the next day for sure! They even took to searching for crabs after finding a couple shells. Surely enough, you turn over enough rocks you can find hundreds of tiny little crabs scrambling to run away from us! Obviously we managed to grab a couple, and I was feeling especially brave when it came to holding one. Though that did not last long at all.

Time just managed to get away from us that evening, and we didn't leave the beach until after the sun went down. Honestly though, give us a case of beer and we probably would have sat on the rocks for the rest of the night until we could see the sun come up.

I could likely go on about how glorious this trip was, how much I want to go back, and how much I really did not want to come home... but that wont change the fact that I have to wait a little bit until I can head out to the mountains again! Until then, I will reminisce about how great the mountains are, my reaffirmed love of BC, the utter serenity of the ocean and how great getting away even for a couple of days can be!

The boys were wonderful, they did not make me feel out of the loop at all through the whole weekend! I even confirmed my ability to be a wonderful doting human and cooked them dinner/breakfast a couple of times!

With this, I will leave you with a little more ocean/mountain spam, because - why not?

I have not even plugged the fancy camera in yet and I am loving the pictures I took with my cell phone. Especially this last one. I MEAN COME ON! The most beautiful thing in the world is photographed for your viewing pleasure right below!

Be well.

100 Things Women should know, especially if they don't already!

I saw a blog post the other day titled "101 Things I will Teach My Daughter" (or something to that same effect), and I got a little bit of a chuckle while I read through it. Then I thought to myself that I truly believe that there is a pretty hefty list of things that I believe women (and men too, I suppose) should know, or at least have someone mention.

SO! I have compiled a list of some of the things that I feel are the most important to know for day to day life. Obviously some of them are pretty trivial but on a day like a "Bourbon Monday" (which is what we call a normal Monday in our home), you kind of have to live for the little things because they keep you sane.

1. Give PMS anything it wants. At the end of the day your uterus is in complete control of your mind, at least for 3-5 days out of 30.

2. Sometimes your socks match, sometimes they don't match and they are not clean. Accept it.

3. Drink all the water.

4. Carbs are not the enemy in your life, but make sure they are the good carbs... fruit/veggies.

5. If you do eat a bowl full of carbs for dinner, that is cool.

6. Find physical activities that are fun and that you can do with your friends. It makes it better.

7. Don't pay a ton of money on beauty products, they are the least important thing in your routine.

8. With that ^^ being said, do what you want with your face/hair/everything. Make sure it is what makes YOU comfortable. (Turns out I REALLY REALLY like heavy eye make up and huge lashes.)

9. Red lipstick. Everyone has a shade. Wear the crap out of it.

10. Laugh out loud, a lot. You will be surprised how good it makes you feel.

11. Write "to-do" lists and actually do them. (I am the most guilty of not doing this)

12. Accomplish something that you love daily. Even if it is miniscule.

13. Be happy alone and you will be beyond happy in a romantic relationship.

14. Own at least one "grown up" outfit. They come in handy when you least expect it.

15. Don't be afraid to apply for jobs you may not qualify for.

16. When you interview, ask for what you believe you are worth plus more. Not what you think they want to hear.

17. Be kind to people, it comes back at you ten fold.

18. Do not allow anyone to walk all over you.

19. Know your worth.

20. Trust people, but only when they give you a reason too.

21. Give people a reason to trust you.

22. Wear season appropriate clothing. Practicality is really sexy.

23. Sunscreen spf 100 exists for a reason.

24. Be educated.

25. Remember a degree or Phd is not the only kind of education.

26. Let other people teach you things, especially about life.

27. Try to learn from your mistakes the first time you make them. If you make them again, just keep learning.

28. Mistakes made are not bad.

29. Breaking down is not a sign of weakness.

30. Drink tea.

31. Drink wine, whiskey, beer or gin.

32. Or don't drink wine, whiskey, beer or gin.

33. If you wanna wear sweats, do it.

34. Show emotion and vulnerability with your friends.

35. Exercise is important. Beautiful souls need a strong support system.

36. Hope for love and contentment.

37. Strive for contentment within yourself.

38. Listen to music.

39. Enjoy silence.

40. Sex is important. No matter how you swing it.

41. Your body is your body. Do not ever do anything that you feel uncomfortable doing.

42. Be with someone who you are able to laugh with between the sheets. It makes it all that much better.

43. Be gracious, be humble and have good intentions.

44. Be strong in your beliefs, whatever they may be.

45. Don't let someone else belittle your belief.

46. Opinions can be interesting, but there are countless ones.

47. Learning is super fun. You just have to find what it is you are interested in learning about.

48. Do not underestimate the size of our planet.

49. Travelling is fun, no matter where you go.

50. Take pictures. They spark the memories that drive the stories.

51. Tell lots of stories.

52. Get excited about things.

53. Live with a room mate, even if it is for a little while. It teaches you a lot about yourself and other people. If you are lucky said room mate will become one of the closest friends you have ever had! (This happened to me, so I promise it isn't a myth.)

54. Expensive gifts are never better then thoughtful ones.

55. Do little things for people. As insignificant as they may seem.

56. Stand up for what you believe in.

57. Dinner tastes better when you cook it yourself, or with friends.

58. Watch TV, but not to much.

59. Don't wash your hair everyday.

60. Wash your hands more time then you can count in a day.

61. Get up in the morning with lots of time. Starting your day rushing is no way to live your life.

62. Tell those you love that you love them, often.

63. Call your parents!

64. Don't teach your parents how to text, or send picture messages for as long as possible. (If this does happen, prepare yourself for countless cat gif's.)

65. Stay up late sometimes.

66. Play board games.

67. Keep your level of competitiveness to a minimum... if possible.

68. Remember how to do simple math in your head.

69. If live plants are not your thing, don't even try! (The plastic ones that I have are flourishing.)

70. Don't expect to leave Ikea empty handed, ever.

71. Shop at the Farmer's Market.

72. Make eating dinner out special.

73. Keep a box of memories. Look through it often.

74. Don't be judgemental.

75. Have tons of pillows on your bed. When you think you have enough, throw a couple more on there.

76. Triple check that you have your keys before you lock the door.

77. Get a pet. They are kind of great!

78. Do not apologize for the amount that you love your pet.

79. Help your friends, whenever possible.

80. Help anyone, whenever possible.

81. When you have to pee... pee. Don't hold it.

82. Try to be early for things.

83. Shaving your legs is the worst thing you have to do... but it is kind of worth it when you climb into bed and it is all smooth.

84. Keep your toenails painted, it is a cute surprise when you take your socks off.

85. Salad is not your only option when you go on a date.

86. A little bit of sarcasm goes a long way.

87. Confidence is real sexy.

88. Men with beards.

89. Always have a little snack in your purse. There has been to many times that I am stuck somewhere and really hungry.

90. Never expect to finish a tube of lip chap. Just try to keep them all over your house.

91. Keep lotion all over the place too.

92. Candles are great.

93. Sometimes your house smells a little weird. This is when candles some in handy.

94. Put hot sauce on all the things.

95. No one is the wrong body type to wear shorts, or a bikini for that matter.

96. Dresses are the easiest outfit to put together.

97. Eat cereal with a large spoon. Just try!

98. Sometimes you have to cry.

99. Pizza. All the kinds of pizza.

100. No one has the ability to tell you if you are living your life wrong. Make your own choices, believe in yourself, stand tall, stay true, and hold your head up higher then you believe you can.

I think that is enough for the time being. Please share if you think there is anything else that should be added!

Be well!

My fight against body shaming.

While this is a topic that I think about quite a lot in my life, it is something that I have been doing some reading on the last couple of days and I have found myself to be quite enraged and very motivated to do something about it, or talk about it, or just do something - ANYTHING!

Fat shaming - well, body shaming in general.

To begin I would like to make a statement (one that I always thought was pretty obvious). Shaming is not a catalyst for change, it is a paralytic.

Not only does this effect women, more and more men are being shamed for what they look like.

The fuel behind body shaming is strong in society these days, it has gotten to a point in which people of every shape and size are being shamed for how they look. What has become of us? Where is the acceptance and support that we should be giving one another instead of tearing someone down for being a larger size or for being thin.

With the rise of body positive movements comes a rise of shame. I love the fact that people such as HonorCurves (#honormycurves) and Tess Munster (#effyourbeautystandards) have been a driving force behind women accepting their bodies whatever they may look like, but there are still human beings in this world that feel like shaming individuals is the most important why to get the point across.

Men and women who are on the larger side are being told that they are 'too fat' and 'unhealthy' but on the opposite end of the spectrum we have individuals telling someone who is thin that they need to eat a sandwich or that bones are not sexy. I think my breaking point was seeing a meme online that had a simple statement - "An idiot can drive a straight line, but it takes skill to handle curves." How is that even relevant!? I do not find it clever in the least, I find it incredibly reductive and I think we need to focus on a positive outlook!

I suppose my point here is: from now until the end of this world there will be people of all different sizes and shapes inhabiting the earth. Instead of focusing on the 'flaws' that people have, we celebrate how each and every person is unique and beautiful! If we decided on some sort of perfect body for men and women things would get pretty boring. We would lose attraction to one another and there would be no qualities to admire in one another.

As a woman who has a set of curves, I struggle with hearing the negative comments about my weight and how I look. People have told me for years that I 'have a cute face' but my body isn't perfect... well no kidding it isn't perfect! The last time I checked the person barking these comments at me were pretty far from perfect as well! I strive to live a healthy lifestyle and I will have days that I do not eat the best food and I could probably exercise on a regular basis more often, but I do not consider myself unhealthy in the least. People assume that my diet consists of fries and ice cream but in reality I consume primarily fruits and vegetables - but of course this is not something that people assume when they look at an individual who is plus size. Assumptions need to be thrown away and in turn we need to try genuinely caring about people and taking some time to get to know them as a person instead of treating them like a disease or a fetish. We should no longer assume that someone who is thin rarely eats and we should no longer assume that someone who is larger is eating on a constant basis.

The more we shame people the more we push them into a cave of depression and self harm - that helps nobody! It breaks my heart that I allowed the comments and my own self doubt to drive me towards and eating disorder and it breaks my heart even more that this is happening to more and more men and women (especially our younger generations) every single day. The awareness needs to be created and we need to raise a generation of acceptance.

From this day forward I will strive to help end body shame and bring awareness to the issues that it is creating. I will accept people for who they are and what they are because the shape of your body should have no bearing. We should be strong self loving individuals, always.

My hope is that positive energy will one day spread much faster than negative energy does.

Be Well.

These are a few of my favourite things...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are just a couple of my favourite things, and I wanted to take the time to share a couple more of my favourite things.

I am sure you are thinking what spurred such a post! Even if you are not, I am about to tell you. 

The last couple of weeks I have found myself surrounded by some pretty negative people, individuals who just cannot seem to focus on the really great things in life and instead they are so much more concerned with anything even slightly unfortunate that is happening. I finally cracked the other day when one of the brewer maintenance men came in to do some work on our equipment and he was in such a foul mood that it made me ill to my stomach. He spent the first three hours that he was in the cafe grumbling and sighing audibly while he mentioned more than once how his day was horrible and he doesn't like doing this and wants to quit. Now, I cannot say that I am for sure free of guilt in this area of life, but I would like to think that for the most part I do my best to have a pretty positive outlook on life, and I am at least able to recognize when I am being unnecessarily ridiculous! 

So anyway, moral of the story is - whenever I am having a negative or sad day I have committed to making a short list of all the things that are currently making me happy, or always make me happy! This week... these are the things that I have been thinking about the most.

Ginger beer - I know that some of you guys don't drink, and that is totally cool... but I have to admit that I have a fondness for ginger beer (ginger anything really), and so I thought it was important that I added this to the list.

Daughtry - the band, obviously! They recently released a new album, and I am in love with it! All my friends know the fondness that I carry in my hear for Daughtry. I have always find that he writes and releases albums that link up eerily well with my life and on more then once occasion I have found myself blasting his songs and singing along with tears streaming down my face! I just love him and his band more then I can explain! Here... listen to these.

I could likely go on until I have posted all of his videos and links to his songs, but for now I will leave you with these... maybe you will understand my love for him?

This brings be right into the next thing that gives me butterflies, or just makes me smile - that moment in a song when all of the music cuts out and you are left with just the voice of a singer. For just a small moment that is all there is, and then the music comes back in a wave! I cannot explain how much I enjoy that moment, it gets me every time it happens. 

Citrus anything! I do not like floral scents, I will be the first one to admit that. They give me a headache, and kind of just make me sick to my stomach. That being said, I gravitate towards citrus scents... my shampoo has citrus notes, my body spray is citrus, most of the candles I buy are citrus (except the pumpkin ones). Beyond scented things I love citrus flavoured things, my favourite coffee has citrus notes, thai food rocks my world... lime everything... tea, candy, and don't even get me started on orange juice - I wish I had some right this moment.

Beaded jewelry... it is kind of the best! Bracelets, necklaces rings... anything with beads has me hooked. I love that they are able to make a statement in my outfits, especially since the rest of my wardrobe tends to be pretty minimalistic!

Huge eyelashes. Honestly, the only thing that keeps me from wearing falsies on a daily basis is the ridiculous amount of steam that I have to deal with at work. I have always been kind of a sucker for the bold lashes, or bold eye makeup in general! I think there is something about it that is attractive and alluring! Until the day that I do not have to hover my face over a steam wand or retrieve things from a sanitizing machine hotter then any sauna I have ever been in, I will pile on the mascara and it is pretty unlikely that you will hear me apologize for it! 

Anyway, I think that is all right now. The more time that I spent making this list the more I realized that there are so many great things (even small things) that you are able to get excited about instead of mulling over something trivial and silly. This list may seem pretty superficial, and realistically it is, but I still think it shines a light on the things that we need to focus on rather then something you cannot help. 

Stay positive, there are to many little joys in life to allow negativity to take over. 

Be well.

Single nature, at its finest.

I continue to make the best of each situation I am in these days, and regardless of what is on the horizon for me (I look forward to it, whatever the fates have in store for me), I felt like it was necessary to share some of the greatest parts of being single. We all think it... all the time, but a lot of the time we suffocate those thoughts because there is that shrill voice telling you that YOU MUST do whatever you can to land yourself a monogamous relationship again as soon as possible. Dang it... stifle the shrill bitch and love your life. Whatever stage you are at! Allow all the cool things life has in store to just happen organically. 

I am not declaring a moratorium on men by any means, I am simply celebrating all the wonderful things about being single for those of us who are (at the moment and for as long as we consciously choose to, without backlash from the societal standards - yep - held over our heads) and to maybe even make those in relationships a bit jealous... am I right, eh!?

Although this may be directed primarily towards women, I believe that it is pretty easy to move a couple words and thoughts around to fit a man. So men, relate all you need!

1. Guilt free flirtation. Now realistically... I flirt all day everyday, I have found that it makes my job a little bit more interesting and it makes the time pass. Plus tips (a girl needs the extra cash sometimes). You can giggle and flip your hair until you pull a muscle if that is what you choose to do, and there will be no feeling of guilt or that looming potential of "going to far"... and no boys will feel the need to spread their peacock feathers or establish dominance, because apparently that never goes out of style for anything with testosterone.

2. The bed is yours, all yours! If you want to fill it up with 1500 pillows... do it! If you want to lay starfish right in the middle of your bed the entire night... do it! If you want to burrito yourself up in all of the covers... do it! If you have to get up in the middle of the night to pee... do it! We no longer have to worry about disturbing that special boy who was sharing the bed with you! 

*Disclaimer... if you have a cat like mine, you will NEVER GET THE BED TO YOURSELF AGAIN. I think it is important to point out that he is currently laying smack dab in the middle of the bed with his head on a misplaced pillow while I ball up in the corner of the bed typing away. I mean, who does he think he is... 

3. You don't have to think about wether or not your boyfriend will like the outfit you are wearing. So, I have these leggings... well 2 pairs of leggings, and I love them! I mean LOVE THEM. They are a level of tacky and gorgeous that I have a hard time explaining well. One of them is a floral print, and the other is a faux leather. They are majestic, and I am majestic in them. However, the last 2 males that I was involved with hated them, and I resented them a little bit for them! Ladies, men know almost nothing about women's fashion so wear whatever you want! Eccentricities are then best. Man, I think I might go put those floral babies on right now. Rock it all day, everyday.

4. Red lipstick? Wear it all the days, because no man is going to try and inhale your face at any point.

5. All of the delicious food in your cupboard and fridge that you bought in a hunger filled PMS driven trip to the supermarket is all yours! You won't come home to find an empty bag of gingerbread oreos, those babies will be there to coddle you until YOU have eaten them all. 

6. Grooming doesn't exist... you can also look like complete garbage when you are at home by yourself, because you know that your room mate has already seen you at the absolute worst you could be at because you locked yourself in the bathroom accidentally when you were dying your hair and you needed her help to mix the second bottle of dye. Don't forget you chose that time to not wear pants... (true story). In realty, when you are at home you can basically do/look like whatever you want. You have no one else to impress, nobody who you have to consider when choosing a movie (unless it is movie night with the roomie, that is entirely different), nobody that you have to double check with when cooking dinner, nobody to worry about bothering if you want to stay up late and watch questionable television in your bed.

7. You no longer have to question where half of your stuff went, because it is no longer at your boyfriends house! Wear whatever you want whenever you want since there is no chance your wardrobe is spread across the city. Bonus, you don't have to carry around half of your life in your purse - just in case you spend the night at the boys house! 

8. First kisses... first everything, really! As awkward and weird as dating is (and whoever says anything other then that is lying... mostly to themselves), there are still those super fun 'first times'. It gives you that funny feeling. And unless you are a socially awkward, slightly racist, super sarcastic, introverted, but a truly well meaning human (much like myself) - getting to know someone is super fun! I suppose I would have to admit that it can be fun, even for those who are inept at life.

9. There is no tiny little imaginary pedestal that you have to balance on everyday all day. I don't know if this rings true for a lot of people, or any people really. I always feel like I need to attain a girlfriend-esq demeanour when I am in a relationship. Not even out of obligation, but because I want too. I like to be someone that my partner is proud of, and I try my darndest not to do those small little things that I know said parter does not really appreciate. Maybe once I find someone who is ideally suited to me this won't be an issue anymore, but dang it gets exhausting trying to make sure that you continue to be the person your loved one fell in love with. Anyway, when you are single you can be whoever you want to be. If you want to be cranky as heck one day, you can be. If you want to be in a silly mood which ends you giggling as the most inane things, you can be. If you want to sit on your bed and listen to Chris Daughtry sing about a woman who is waiting for her Superman while you cry, you can! These are all characteristics that make us human, and what makes us human makes us beautiful. FRIG! I think I just had a breakthrough, any man who wants me gets all of me... all the time! I think I just threw away my pedestal; I will stand on my own two feet - as shaky as they may be!

10. Okay, so this is one of my favourites. Also another one that is a little bit more serious then the rest. As a single person, you are able to spend all of your time learning who you are. You are able to focus on all of the little (and big) things that might have been neglected because you got yourself wrapped up in a relationship that would inevitably fail. This one hits me real good and hard every time I think about it, because I know how that I allowed myself to get way to distracted by one of my partners and I lost myself. The seriousness of the situation was so much that I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to find myself again. GUESS WHAT THOUGH, GUYS! I totally did. I spent almost a year searching for all those things that make me happy, just me... no one else! When you don't have to focus all of your energy (or a lot of it) on another person it frees up a lot of time for you to 'do you' - that phrase still makes me chuckle. I feel like I am finally able to say with confidence that I know who I am, I know what I want to do, and I kind of sort of know how I am going to get there. I now have a much better understanding of who I am, and what I am about because I took the time to get to know myself rather then get to know someone else or turn myself into something I didn't really want to be. A funny thing happens when you take time for yourself too... everything else around you seems to be a little bit easier! My job is no longer quite as emotionally exhausting, some of my other personal relationships with people have fallen into place, mundane life chores and errands really do not seem so bad anymore. It is just funny how all those things seems to work themselves out.

This list could go on forever, I can guarantee that but I think that is truly because I have made such a decision to be so happy with my life no matter what is happening! I am not perfect, I will have bad days and that is okay! But I mean... I made my life what it is, so I am going to enjoy all of the minutes of it! 

I hope you were able to share some laughs with me, and for those who are in a position to relate - I hope that you did! For those who are not single, I hope you were able to take something from this, whatever that may be! 

Till next time, be well! I am off to go flirt with some boys.

It's 2014.

I find myself browsing through some of my old posts and I realize just how long it has been since the last time I posted something... I have found that lately I have been starting countless posts but not being able to finish them. I truly hope that in the New Year I will be able to share my life and experiences with everyone that much more.

Speaking of life, I thought it was appropriate to share what I am hoping for this coming year!

2013 was not one of the greatest years of my life, I think that I could go as far as saying that it was one of the most emotionally taxing and heartbreaking years of my life but I would like to turn these experiences into something of a positive nature because, I have also learned that it is useless to dwell on such sad experiences. The reality is, they teach us something - sometimes they teach us a lesson that we have no desire to learn (but fate as this funny way of knowing what we need as opposed to what we want) but they also have a tendency to teach us things we didn't know about ourselves but truly wanted to know!

I hope that this coming year teaches me more about myself as an individual, 2013 taught me that I am stronger, more independent and far more resilient than I ever thought I could be. At the beginning of the year my heart was shattered and at the time (even the couple of months following) I didn't think that I would ever be able to recover from something like that. Here I am today though, recently single again, handling it much better then I ever thought I would. Don't get my wrong, being passed up on or being broken up with is still heart wrenching and everyone should take the time to work through their feelings and emotions the proper way but I am still living! I know now that I do not need to rely on any other human to make me complete and the reality is that I need to be complete on my own before I can allow another soul to bond with mine (that makes me sound like a yogi)!

My plan for this year also has me venturing even further into the world of art, the last couple of months I have done more painting and more drawing and more art then I have in the past couple of years and it has felt amazing! I know this is my calling, and I know that I am required to use the natural talent that I possess along with the skills that I have worked hard on to share a message, my message, with the rest of the world. I hope to have my work shown in a couple of local spots this year, and sell as much of my work as possible! This means a new website is on the way, and expect to see a lot more art posts flood this blog page!

I have moved again, back in with my old rookie Sarah and I think it is safe to say that this has been a long time coming for the both of us and so far everything has been delightful. We are still getting a little bit settled in since we are both busy with work and life it is something that hasn't been a quick process, but we are both happy and both at a point of being comfortable in a house filled with love, creativity, and respect for one another. I am excited for our relationship to become even more stronger then it has been in the past as I have the opportunity to learn from Sarah and I hope that she is able to learn from me as well! Speaking of relationships, this year has been a great one for friendships in general. It is funny how when a romantic relationship ends it is able to open doors to a friendship stronger then one you could imagine. I hope this year that I am able to become closer to those around me, there are no more road blocks to friendships in my life and I am able to throw everything I have into my love of those around me and the things that I love to do.

Again, this year is going to be another year of personal growth for me. I will no longer put myself into positions of heartbreak but growth. I will no longer belittle my beliefs and my virtues because it would better a situation. I will learn to become even more independent, both in and out of relationships. I will begin to treat everyone I encounter with the utmost respect since that is what I would expect from everyone else. I will finish the projects that I start, and I will share my excitement for all of the things that I do!

My wish for everyone else is that their year is the greatest one that they cold ever imagine, or even greater. Remember to take time for yourself, take time to honour your passions and fulfill even the smallest of dreams. Do not compare yourself to others, because there is no scale to compare two separate beings. Love to the fullest, and love in entirety. Cherish the moments in which you find the greatest amount of contentment, and the more stock you put in needing to be "the best" the more disappointment you allow yourself. Strive to be "your best" and when you find someone who may be better then you, celebrate them and learn from them. Begin to search within yourself and learn who you are and who you want to portray yourself as to the rest of the world, in that you will find a sense of peace.

Be well, happy 2014!