Author: Lila

Categories
Current Addictions

Current Addictions

Ad·dic·tion
/əˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun

  1. the fact or condition of being dependent or “hooked” to a particular substance, thing, or activity.

Book: Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie
*not available until August; but I can’t wait and I am constantly checking for updates, reviews and the latest gossip about it!
App: Relax Melodies (for sleep, relaxation and meditation)
Workout: AK Jump
Song: The Bones (Maren Morris)
Food: Chocolate 5 Seed Butter (Beyond the Equator) 
Drink: Green Goodness Juice (Bolthouse)
Show: Schitt’s Creek (Netflix)
Cosmetic: Drybar Prep Rally Prime & Prep Detangler
Clothing: Paperbag Waist Shorts (Ricki’s)
Jewellery: Sur Necklace (Uncommon James)
Product/Service: True Royalty TV; “the world’s first TV channel dedicated to all things royal”

Categories
Travel

Flashback Friday: Calgary Zoo Tour

As a result of the pandemic, I haven’t been able to see my best friend in months. I know I am not alone; EVERYONE on this planet is missing their friends and family greatly. Facebook often reminds me about the memories I have made. I have spent a fair amount of time scrolling through photos looking at all the fun my bestie and I have had. This is why I wanted to flashback and remember it all!

Last year, my best friend and I did a “gift card weekend.” This is when you pool all the gift cards you’ve received over the past year and just “go to town.” That girl’s weekend was jam packed with fun; it included breakfast at Brokin’ Yolk, seeing Aladdin at the Cineplex VIP theater and completely indulging in food and beverages, shopping, a brewery crawl and a stop at the Calgary Zoo! 

The zoo features over 1,000 animals and 272 different species. The 120 acre facility comprises six zones: Africa, Canadian Wilds, Penguin Plunge, Dorothy Harvie Botanical Gardens (with butterfly enclosure), Eurasia and Prehistoric Park. An added bonus was that while we were there we got to see the pandas!
My favourite parts were the: flamingos, the giraffes and the penguins.

Categories
Food & Drink

Curating A Charcuterie Board

From chair = meat and cuit = cooked; charcuterie is a branch of cookery that is dedicated to prepared meat products like bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galatines, ballotines, pȃtés and confit predominantly from but not limited to pork.

However, it is not simply about putting a bunch of deli meats, cheeses and fruits on a platter or board there is an art to it…you want to create contrast between the items in terms of texture and taste. Today we offer some helpful tips so you can properly curate your very on charcuterie board for summer entertaining.

Basic Meats…
1. Rillettes (similar to pȃté but much coarser in texture)
2. Mousse (finely blended meat and liver; very very smooth in texture)
3. Cured Ham (such as jamón ibérico, salami, prosciutto, etc)
4. Sausage (such as mortadella, chorizo, pepperoni, etc)

*Be careful when using smoked meats they can overpower all the other items; limit yourself to one smoked option for your guests! The same applies to cheeses and nuts!

Basic Boards…
When I get together with my best girlfriends, we create charcuterie boards for one another that reflect our tastes and highlight great local products as well as throwing in a few “fancy” or “exotic” items. Personally, I like to add wild game meat that I harvested myself. But, basically boards feature….

1. Pickles & Spreads
2. Cheese & Fruit
3. Vegetables & Citrus
4. Toast & Meat
*Our boards tend to be LOADED!!

Putting It All Together…
-Pair chewy with smooth
-Pair spicy with sweet
-Feature cold and warm
-Estimate about 2 oz of meat and accompaniments per guest

Tried & Tested Recipe…
Meat: Hungarian Salami, Prosciutto, Deer or Goose Pepperoni, Mortadella, Thinly Sliced Turkey, Freybe Herb Pȃté.
Cheese: Brie, Havarti, Gouda, Manchego and Mozzarella.
Antipasti: Black Olives, Garlic Stuffed Green Olives, Pepperoncini, Sundried Tomatoes and Gherkins. 
Spreads: Wholegrain or Dijion Mustard, Fig Jam
Fruit: Dried Apricots, Craisins, Blueberries, Apples, Fresh Grapes
Nuts: Almonds, Cashews or Pistachios
Carbs: Baguette (sliced), Melba Toast, Breadsticks (soft), Breton Crackers

For those looking to experience excellent charcuterie at a restaurant rather than making a board at home we suggest…
Charcut Roast House in Calgary
Sabor in Edmonton

Categories
Reflections & Lifestyle

Fly Fishing Essentials

Fishing can be a very expensive hobby; as a beginner, I don’t really want to be shelling out big money. The amount of gear I have compared to my husband’s is pretty minimal…but then again sometimes I ‘“shop” out of his stockpile. For me, fly fishing is more about getting outside and spending time with my husband while exploring the Forestry Trunk Road. I did my first float on the Bow River between McKinnon Flats and Jensen’s in Calgary last summer and my goodness; what a beautiful ride!

What equipment am I carrying in my waist pack??

Fly Rod & Reel
Fly Line
Leaders
Backing
Tippet
Waders
Wading Boots
Polarized Sunglasses
Buff
Wading Stick
Net
Fly Floatant
Strike Indicators
Fly Case with Assorted Flies
Forceps
Fish Nippers
-Bear Bell & Spray

There are TONS of other products and items available of course, but right now, I don’t need it. If you are just starting out and want to minimize costs you can forgo the waders and boots (I did my first year; however, spending the day being wet and cold in mountain streams wasn’t the greatest). 

Great places to gear up…
–The Fishin’ Hole
–Orvis

**But don’t discount the little fly shops in small towns and backcountry areas; they are hidden gems and also carry flies and other equipment that works best in that location!

Best Brands…
–Rio
–Reddington
–Fishpond

Categories
Food & Drink

All Hail Caesar!: Drink Tribute

You can bet that Canadians everywhere this week happily sipped on Caesars while celebrating Canada Day!

A Caesar is generally composed of vodka, tomato juice, clam broth, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. It is served over ice in a glass rimmed with celery salt. Traditionally, it is garnished with a stalk of celery a lime wedge. Don’t confuse this tasty concoction with a Bloody Mary (common in the US); what really sets this Canadian refreshment apart is the clam broth.

The Caesar was invented in Calgary, Alberta in 1969 by restaurateur Walter Chell to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant. It has become incredibly popular; so much so that over 350 million Caesars are consumed every year!  Let’s raise a glass to summertime in Canada!

Classic Recipe
1 oz Vodka
1 dash of Hot Sauce
1 dash of Worcestershire Sauce
8 oz Clamato Juice
1 Tbsp Celery Salt
Celery Stick
Lime Wedge

-Wet the rim of a cocktail glass with the lime wedge; set aside for garnish.
-Place celery salt in a small dish, and press the rim of the glass into the salt to coat.
-Add ice to the glass. Pour vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce over the ice.
-Top with tomato-clam juice.
*Garnish with lime wedge and celery stick (and straw).
ENJOY!

*To add a little flare, personally I love adding pickled asparagus or a homemade extreme green bean! 

By far the BEST Caesar that I have EVER had was at White Spot. Nat’s Caesar is a signature drink that you MUST ORDER! The garnishes are plentiful (slice of pickle and green olives) and the addition of horseradish and their secret spices take the drink up a notch. In a close second is the Caesar from Cactus Club; complete with their own special Caesar spices including chilli flakes and garnish: borettane onion, bocconcini, vermouth olive and peruvian pepper (at one point it came with a pepperoni stick). How can you not order multiple rounds?!?!?

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

Categories
Travel

Happy Canada Day: My Canadian Compendium

The Social 20 curriculum in Alberta is all about nationalism and the role it plays in the world; students wrestle with this question: “What does it mean to be Canadian?” While this is a loaded question with a plethora of answers; there is a variation of this question which is MUCH easier to respond to… “What do you love about Canada?” Since it is our country’s birthday today, I figured I’d share a ‘few’ of my favourite things about this great nation from West to East!

In general…
1. Rights & Freedoms 2. Landscape: Our Great Geographic Variation  3. Safety 4. Kraft Dinner 5. Our signature drink, The Caesar 6. O Canada 7. Hockey 8. Canadianisms & Humor  9. The Maple Leaf 10. Bilingualism 11. The Canadian culinary scene that has exploded!

British Columbia…
12. Sturgeon fishing in the Fraser River 13. Haida Gwaii 14. Vineyards of the Okanagan 15.Walking the Seawall in Stanley Park 16. Barkerville & the Cariboo Road 17. The Empress Hotel in Victoria 18. Whistler-Blackcomb 19. Great Bear Rainforest 20. Hiking the West Coast Trail & Grouse Grind 21. Sailing in the Pacific Ocean

Alberta…
22. Calgary Stampede 23. National Parks: Banff, Jasper, Waterton, Elk Island & Wood Buffalo 24. Edmonton Ice Castles 25. Royal Tyrrell Museum 26. Views from the Calgary Tower 27. Pioneer & Fur Trade Experiences: Dunvegan, Fort Edmonton, Stephansson House, Ukrainian Cultural Centre, Victoria Settlement, etc 28. Quirky Tourist Attractions like the Gopher Hole Museum, Curbside Museum, World’s Largest (perogy, sausage, pysanka egg, beaver, etc) and seemingly random art installations. 29. Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump 30. WinSport/ Olympic Park 31. Fly Fishing (Forestry Trunk Road & Bow River)

Saskatchewan…
32. Sunsets in Saskatchewan (after all it is the “land of the living skies”) 33. Tunnels of Moose Jaw 34. The last two Fuddruckers are located in Regina & Saskatoon 35. RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina 36. Little Lake Manitou 37. Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park 38. Mosaic Stadium  39. Lake Diefenbaker  40. University of Saskatchewan’s stunning campus

Manitoba…
41. Polar bears in Churchill 42. The French Quarter 43. Experiencing Metis History and Culture  44. The Forks 45. The Spirit Way 46. Buffalo Point Resort 47. Little Limestone Lake 48. Festivals like Gimli’s Icelandic Festival & Festival du Voyageur 49. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet 50. Canadian Museum of Human Rights

Ontario…
51. Niagara Falls 52. Parliament Hill 53. Algonquin Provincial Park 54. Distillery District 55. Great Spirit Circle Trail 56. Thousand Islands 57. Casa Loma 58. Ice Skating on Rideau Canal 59. Stratford Festival 60. Toronto International Film Festival

Quebec…
61. Underground City of Montreal 62. Old Quebec  63. Parc National de la Jacques- Cartier 64. Montmorency Falls 65. Quebec Winter Carnival 66. Gespeg Mi’gmaq Interpretive Centre 67. Plains of Abraham 68. Mont Tremblant 69. Sugar Shacks 70. Biosphere Museum of Montreal

New Brunswick...
71. Village Historique Acadien 72. It is the ONLY officially bilingual province in the country 73. Boasts year-round glamping 74. Metepenagiag Heritage Park 75. Indulgent spas 76. The Bay of Fundy 77. Historic Fredericton 78. Camp Enrage 79. St.Andrews-by-the-Sea 80. Sugarloaf Mountain

Nova Scotia…
81. Lobster 82. Bird Islands to see the Puffins 83. Mahone Bay 84. Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse 85. Lunenburg 86. Eskasoni Cultural Journey 87. Cabot Trail 88. Incredible breweries 89. Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site 90. Bluenose II

Prince Edward Island…
91. Clam digging 92. Golfing at Crowbush Cove 93. Beautiful Charlottetown 94. Legacy of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery & Avonlea Village 95. Drives along the coast 96. Confederation Bridge 97. The music scene & pub life 98. Rock crab fishing 99. Seal watching 100. Biking the Confederation Trail

Newfoundland & Labrador…
101. Experience the oldest English founded city in North America: St. John’s 102. Whale watching  103. Getting “Screeched” 104. L’Anse Aux Meadows 105. Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve 106. Torngats Mountain 107. Cod fishing 108. Iceberg viewing 109. Gros-Morne National Park 110. Fisherman Museum & Memorial Garden

Yukon…
111. Yukon Wildlife Preserve 112. Dawson City 113. Sign Post Forest 114. Watching the Northern Lights 115. Bonanza Creek 116. Jack London Museum 117. Donjek Glacier 118. Takhini Hot Springs 119. Caribou hunting  120. Emerald Lake

Northwest Territories…
121. Great Slave Lake 122. Inuvik 123. Experiencing Dene art and culture 124. Old Fort Providence 125. Ice Roads 126. Canoeing in the Keele River 127. Northwest Passage 128. Canol Trail 129. Yellowknife 130. Dempster Highway

Nunavut…
131. Wildlife of Ellesmere Island 132. Beauty of Pond Inlet 133. The reclamation of Inuit control over their lives, culture and governance 134. Dogsledding experiences 135. Glaciers of Sirmilik National Park 136. Inuit arts and cultural experiences/festivals 137. Belcher Island Walruses 138. Ability to camp at the “Top of the World” 139. Remote and tranquil Repulse Bay 140. Baffin Island

In general…
141. Publicly funded health care 142. Democracy 143. Multitude of natural resources 144. Our “funny money” 145. Peacekeeping participation 146. We are “Hollywood North” 147. We are the second largest country in the world (sq km) 148. Heroes like Terry Fox, The Famous Five, Chris Hadfield, Tekahionwake (AND SO MANY MORE) 149. Being a land of opportunity 150. High level of quality of life 151. Solitude 152. Multiculturalism 153. Canada Day Celebrations

Categories
Reflections & Lifestyle

Treat Yourself… to a Hot Stone Massage

After an imaginably stressful second semester I decided to spend my summer, treating myself to some pampering to recharge my batteries and of course to re-focus on self-care. I always wanted to do was to have a hot stone massage.

What is it?
A massage that combines a firm touch of Swedish massage with the gentle touch of warm basalt stones which are warmed to a temperature of approximately 120°F. The stones are placed on key points on the body (which may include spine, stomach, chest, face, palms, feet or toes) to warm them. Other stones are used with oil to perform the massage. Sometimes cold stones are used afterwards as a way to soothe swelling blood vessels and skin.

What are the benefits?

1. Muscle Tension/Pain Relief…
By increasing blood flow to the area(s) causing you grief. It is effective for reducing spasms and inflammation.

2. Stress/Anxiety Reduction…
It is well documented that massage is an effective way to induce feelings of calm and relaxation therefore helping to promote better mental health.

3. Sleep Improvement…
Those who partake in massage tend to fall asleep faster and experience deeper and more restorative sleep. As well, when they wake up they are more alert and active.

4. Immune System Boost…
Massage has the ability to lower certain hormones responsible for regulating blood pressure and water retention.

5. Illness Symptom Reduction…
Further research has been conducted; findings support the belief that massage can help alleviate sleep issues and reduce trigger points for those afflicted with fibromyalgia. For those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis massage is linked to decreased pain and increased grip strength and range of motion. An extensive multi-year study found that massage also contributes to less intense pain, fatigue, stress, nausea and depression in those with cancer.

My two-cents….

Ultimately, I love using techniques like massage, chiropractic care and acupuncture as an alternative to over the counter and prescription medications to manage my pain, stress and illness; especially to help manage my migraines.

Categories
Travel

Flashback Friday: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

Initially every Friday on the blog was supposed to be dedicated to travel because not only is it summertime but I absolutely LOVE to travel. This love of travel is on hold due to the pandemic; so our series will shift slightly… I’d like to introduce you to: “Flashback Friday: The Travel Edition”

I am a total history geek and I had the privilege to be able to travel to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump; which is a “UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site that preserves and interprets over 6,000 years of Plains Buffalo culture. [Where] through vast landscapes, exhibits, and diverse programming [you can] learn about the cultural significance of this cliff to the Plains People [of Alberta].” It is located about 15 minutes northwest of Fort MacLeod. 

According to Blackfoot legend, a young brave wanted to watch the buffalo plunge off the cliff from below, but was buried underneath the falling buffalo. He was later found dead under the pile of carcasses, where he had his head smashed in.

Categories
Travel

Hike AB

With restrictions on travel, regulations regarding self-isolation, reduced airline service and of course increased travel costs stemming from the pandemic; this summer’s vacation will consist of exploring new local areas and hiking, provided those areas are open. I do a fair amount when hunting and fishing however, I do enjoy leisurely to moderate treks with friends and family members. My favourite trails include…

Jasper
-Jasper Discovery Trail
-Lake Annette Trail
-Pyramid Trail
-Valley of the Five Lakes
-Maligne Canyon Trail
-Mary Schäffer Loop
-Pocahontas Mine Trail
-Source of the Springs
-Toe of the Athabasca Glacier
-Path of the Glacier Trail

Banff/Lake Louise
-Marsh Loop
-Johnston Canyon
-Sulphur Mountain
-Twin Lakes
-Lake Taylor
-Moraine Lake

Canmore
-Bow River Loop
-Three Sisters Pathways

Now you know my favourite spots; what about my favourite gear???

Three pieces I am really loving include…

–RedHead Women’s Skyline Waterproof Mid Hikers
*so comfortable; the only pair of hiking boots that have not given me a blister and offer great support|

–Sitka Cloudburst Jacket
*you can’t go wrong with any of the Sitka gear; it is a little pricey but so worth it; excellent quality!

–Yeti Rambler Water Bottle
*I love all the Yeti gear; keeps water refreshingly cool!

Have a hiking expedition we should check out? Leave a comment!

Categories
Reflections & Lifestyle

Coping with COVID-19: Reflection on School Closures

As I sit at my computer, my heart is heavy. It is the last day of the school year; the last day of a very non-typical school year.

My heart is also heavy as I think of all the chaos and pain this pandemic has caused even though in most places, “business is once again resuming.” I think of those who succumbed to the illness, I think of their loved ones who grieve. I think of those still fighting a courageous battle to overcome the complications from COVID-19 after it ravaged their bodies. I think of their loved ones who pray and hold vigil; the ultimate embodiment of hope.

Over my 11 years as an educator; I have had some difficult years… whether it was deep cuts to the budget resulting in the cut back of services, instruction and supplies which is so detrimental to the education and future of our students; or student trauma and death and now… the COVID-19 closure.

As I watched the government update in mid March; it was as if I had been punched in the stomach when the Chief Medical Office, with great reluctance, announced that K-12 schools would be closing… indefinitely!

Teachers love personal interaction and routine; the COVID-19 closure ripped that away. I thought of my students. Not being able to see them over the summer is difficult enough. But not being able to see them until school (hopefully) re-opened in September… almost 5 months away… made my head spin!

My coworkers and I frantically texted each other trying to figure out what this closure would mean to the physical, emotional and mental health of our students. So many questions; so few answers at the outset; this was uncharted territory!

-What about the students who rely on us to provide breakfast and lunch?
-What about the students receiving one on one support?
-How do we foster and maintain relationships?
-What about those accessing mental health services (from us or from outside sources)?
-What about the effects of crisis and job loss on the families?-What about our students in grade 12: how would this affect their graduation and their future post secondary plans?
-How do we support online learning?
-What about access to technology for students? 

We had ONE week to prepare work for students (both on paper and digitally) that conformed to the standards set by the Ministry of Education and our school board, clean out lockers, facilitate student pick up of their things, gather all of our materials to take home so we could work there instead. Then the remote learning phase would start. We traded walking around our once bustling and vibrant classrooms full of kids eager to connect with us and learn, for our kitchen tables where we would sit tied to our Chromebooks for 8 hours permanently logged into Google Classroom or on a Google Meet.

I must say that our school and board did a tremendous job bridging the gap and facilitating the transition from classroom to online learning. Our students were incredible! They rose to the challenge and showed how resilient they are and I couldn’t be prouder of their progress and perseverance!

As always our concern is about our students, however, in typical teacher fashion we often neglect our own wellness. The pandemic caused me a lot of anxiety. I did develop some positive coping strategies (however, I also developed some negative ones too). What got me through the COVID-19 Closure was…

1. Routine 
2. Regular coffee sessions
3. Spending time outside
4. Working out or moving my body
5. Actively participating in a relaxing activity 
6. Turning off the news

Routine
-Getting up at my usual pre-closure time.
-My online class schedule followed the same in-class timings.-I got dressed as if I was going to work in my teacher clothes.
*There were times where I fell off the wagon in terms of my routine; when my sadness and anxiety overwhelmed me. I’d get up 20 minutes before class started, keep my pajama pants on but put on a nice shirt, I’d couch surf on my breaks rather than go outside and forgo my workout. These were not good days!

Coffee Sessions
-A Google Meet or a Zoom call with coworkers or friends while enjoying a cup of coffee and just talking about other aspects of life and not focusing on COVID-19.

Spending Time Outside
-I took all my allotted breaks outside and even ate meals outside.
*Never did I think I would miss hallway supervision at lunch; but I REALLY did!

Working Out or Moving My Body
-I found a great short workout (7 minutes of stretching) in the Nike Training Club (NTC). I did that before work. I used the “plan” feature on the app to find a schedule of workouts I could do after work.-I also went for walks on my lunch break or I pulled a few weeds and watered plants in the garden.

Relaxation
-Yoga, colouring, writing, reading, playing games, birdwatching, doing puzzles, listening to music, catching up on and discovering new podcasts. *You know, all the stuff you shelve so you can get other things done. I had to consciously make time for this stuff; these are all the activities that fill my bucket… you can’t pour from an empty bucket!

Turn Off The News…
-The endless COVID-19 updates and posts on social media became too much. I couldn’t handle it. So I simply STOPPED tuning in each day at 3:30; I chose when I wanted to listen (once a week) and stopped myself from being bombarded.The fate of the upcoming school year is still in limbo. We have a tentative plan but that could change (all we can do is hope and pray that COVID-19 dies down, that those still fighting recover quickly and that we can get back to a routine that is as close to “normal” as possible). I can’t wait to be reunited with my students in September!