Start of summer

It sucks getting older .. Why?  Because injuries take longer to heal.  In the last few months, I had a nagging rotator cuff strain that I had been trying to fix with strength training.  I've had the same injury before and strength training helped fix it.  But this time, it wasn't as effective as it was in the past so I had to seek alternate treatment.  I guess it also didn't help that I had strained it even more by playing in a competitive tournament when I should have been resting.  Anyway, I went to see an acupuncturist and he told me to stop playing for a few months to allow myself to heal.  I've had to put all sports on hold .. No tennis, no badminton, no golf, and no pole dancing.  Anything that requires arm strength was out of the question.  I was bummed .. I'm still bummed.

But I'm determined to get the most out of the summer.

I went hiking last weekend in Gatineau Park with some friends.  It was my first time there and it was a gorgeous day to go.  I also went to Westboro beach to take photos for my photography assignment.  One of the category of shots that was required for the assignment was Freeze Action.  Usually I'm a freeze action pro due to all of the badminton photos I've taken over the years but for the assignment I was stumped.  Luckily, my coworkers gave me some good ideas on where in the city I could look for interesting things to shoot.  It also allowed me to discover parts of the city I didn't know about.

In two weeks, I'm going skydiving with my coworkers.  It wasn't something I wanted to do or even thought about, but one day my team brought it up and I thought .. Hmm, why not?  When am I going to have the opportunity to do this?  So I signed up.  It's a tandem jump so I won't be doing this alone .. I'll be strapped to an experienced jumper.  It's scary and exciting at the same time. 

Since I can't participate in any sports, I will focus on yoga for next two months.  It will help the mind, body, and soul.  Lately, my mood has been up and down .. I've been reactionary to things I've heard or been told.  It has caused me a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety that my physical health has been affected in a way.  I need to re-centre and re-balance myself .. It took years for wounds of the heart to heal.  When new wounds are created, I have to take care of myself sooner .. 

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we have some catching up to do!

geezus .. has it been this long since i updated my blog?  things have been pretty neutral .. i guess.  let's see .. 

i'm back in school again .. but this time, i'm taking a photography course.  i've been taking photos for a number of years now and i guess i just figure taking a course is way easier than reading a book on photography.  i'll be the first to admit, i can't learn from books alone.  i need to interact, ask questions, and get some kind of feedback (ie. am i doing this right?).  so taking a class is way more helpful to me than buying a bunch of books that i probably wouldn't read.

the course is okay .. just okay.  many students in the class are first time SLR camera users.  most had bought their first DSLR and were learning how to use it.  i'm still using my old XSi from 8 years ago.  i may not have the latest and greatest camera but my pictures are still pretty awesome, in my opinion.  it's not the camera that does the work .. it's the person taking the picture.

right now, i'm busy trying to finish up my final photography assignment that is due at the end of the month.  sigh .. i've got the majority of the shots i want but i'm a bit of a perfectionist so i'm hoping to get some better shots next weekend when i hit the gatineau hills with some friends.

work has been busy but fun.  love my job but also love playing hard.  unfortunately, playing hard had to take a back seat for the summer.  i sustained a rotator cuff injury that has kept me off the courts for the last few months.  i hit the gym to try and strengthen it but it didn't help.  i guess it also didn't help that i was still playing in an advanced league.  :P  i went to see an accupuncturist today and got my first treatment.  my accupuncturist asked me to stop playing for a few months while the muscle heals.  it was kind of funny the way the doctor asked .. he said "you are so young, you will have many years left to play .. you're not even half my age!"  .. i didn't have the heart to tell the man that i was a lot older than he thought.

i don't know if there are plans to return to Toronto any time soon .. i'm kind of enjoying my independence here in Ottawa.  i've learned a lot being on my own and not having anyone to rely on.  it doesn't get lonely because i have a good balance of spending time with a few close friends and being by myself.  sometimes all i want is to enjoy the silence.  it also forces me to go out and find stuff to do .. i've had the opportunity to try a lot of things like muay thai boxing, ju jitsu, badminton, wine tasting, etc .. next on the list .. pole dancing!  i know .. me!  on a pole!  .. dancing!  hahaha .. one of my friends wants to try it so why not?  :)

no worries, i'm not switching careers .. nor is this a mid life crisis.  it's just going outside the box .. something we all should do every once in a while.

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she works hard for the money ...

november was officially crazy.

clocked over 200 hrs of work last month and all billable hours.  everyone has been saying to me .. "wow, you must be rich these days".  me?  no.  the company?  perhaps.  it really makes no difference to me because i don't see most of it.

i took on a challenging piece of work on the project so i put in a lot of time to make the feature better.  it's a high profile piece so the end result would mean job security for a while .. and a well paid job to boot.

although it is tiring some times, it makes me really look forward to the weekends.  but last month, i've worked every single weekend as well as holidays (ie. remembrance day).  now i'm in the final push .. if only i can make it until christmas.  only then will i be able to take a few days off before it starts all over again.  release date for our project is jan 15th and so much has to get done.  even with a team of 10 testers, there's a lot of work to go around.

on the sporty side, badminton has been fun.  i play with a great bunch of guys and a few girls here and there.  i've noticed that i'm pretty quiet these days and i keep to myself a lot.  probably because i'm so committed to work that i don't accept social invitations as much.  i've got to learn to balance that a bit more.

i have been taking care of myself.  i'm not as hard on myself when certain chores don't get done right away.  i do get to them but i don't sweat it.  i eat well .. very well.  it doesn't mean filet mignon and truffles every night.  it means lots of fresh organic produce, higher quality protein.  i still find time to hit the gym and stay in shape.  and once a month, i will do a girls' night with my closest girl friends.  oh and every once in a while, i'll be bad and sneak in some potato chips.  my vice .. :)

december is fast approaching and soon it will be new year's.  i'm pretty happy with the way 2014 turned out.  i'm looking forward to 2015.  one of my best friend's just got engaged and i'll be helping her plan her wedding.  i'm going on the assumption that i'll be invited so i'm looking at a dress for myself .. i just love shopping for cocktail dresses.

these days, i'm obsessed with dresses by sue wong.  the dresses aren't cheap but you only live once, right?  :)  if i find the right dress, i'll be sure to post it here.

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September, where did you go?

September was a great month.  i started out taking a short weekend trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia.  i didn't have the funds to join my family on their cruise vacation but i needed a break badly.  the entire summer was spent working long hours.  i barely took any time off except when i really had to for medical appointments.  despite working the long hours, i still didn't have the means to take an extravagant trip .. so what does a girl do?  two words: AIR MILES.  :)

i funded my entire trip with air miles.  i've been collecting for a while now and what a better time to use them!  i just had to pay for the taxes which was minimal.  but i spent a wonderful three days in Nova Scotia .. and i didn't have to sacrifice a work day.  the weather was perfect and i saw almost everything i wanted to see .. from wineries in Wolfville, to the tides at Blomidon Park, Peggy's Cove, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay .. by the end of the trip, the rental car's service light came on.  :)  same thing happened when i went to Kelowna a few years ago.  also, i think i put close to 800 km on the car in 3 days!!  nuts eh??

but it was so much fun.  i am definitely going back because i didn't get to see Cape Breton Island.  a nice retired couple said i had to come back to see it but i needed more time because the drive from the airport to CBI was about 3 hrs way.  apparently it's stunning out there.

on the work front, i recently interviewed for a new contract position and got the job.  the great thing about the new job is that it pays more than my current contract.  but i recently switch projects at my current contract and i am starting to love my job again.  and when i say 'love my job' .. i really do love it.  i go to work early, stay late, i am really focused on the tasks, and it challenges me in new ways.  i have a great boss, brilliantly fun team members .. since it was so difficult to leave the team, i've offered to work part time on with them since my new job is in the same building.  i'll work at the new job from 8 to 4 and then from 4 to 7, i will work part time at my second job.  i know it sounds like a huge undertaking but it's temporary and when you love what you do, it won't feel like work.  i mean heck .. even now, i work long hours and i still have the energy to play badminton!

Speaking of badminton, life isn't all work and no play though.  I joined a competitive badminton club this year.  finally made the jump to the Westboro badminton club.  on any given night, there are maybe 3-4 female players including me out of 50 players.  i don't mind as long as the games are decent.  i need to be careful though .. my shoulder has been bothering me a bit.  which reminds me .. i need to hit the gym for some strengthening exercises.

at month end, i volunteered at the Ontario Wine challenge on behalf of the National Sommelier Guild.  yup, my first serving experience.  i think the organizers were extra concerned for me because i had this fearful/nervous look on my face all day.  but i did it .. no wine spilled, no glasses broken.  i also scored tickets to the Ottawa Food & Wine show.  i got to see all of the wine submissions for the OWC.  other volunteers were eager to try some of the wine .. me?  no thanks.  i wasn't impressed with the line up of wines.  most were general list wines available at the LCBO.  they are not the best wines produced by the wineries .. in fact, my friend Evan was one of the wine judges and even he could tell they were mediocre wines.  it's like why would Beringer submit a wine from their low end Stone Cellars line when they have Knight's Valley which is one of their better mid range wines?

despite that, the experience was great.  i even brought my camera and took some photos of my favorite wine judges. i might also be volunteering my sommelier skills at the tutored tasting sessions at the Food & Wine show.  it'll be a completely different environment so hopefully i'll get better with practice.

with my busy schedule, i missed out on harvest at Norm Hardie's this year.  it was a real bummer because i've participated in the last few years.  i had a dental appointment scheduled that morning :(

after catching up with Evan, i realized how much i missed wine education.  he and my WSET classmates have moved on to the diploma program.  i was really hoping to join them but my health issues at the time prevented me from doing it.  now that my health issues have cleared up, i am looking to go back for more .. maybe French Wine Society?  :)  stay tuned.

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Good bye summer

I know it's a bit too early to say it but I'm glad that the summer is coming to an end soon.  Autumn has always been my favorite season so I can't wait for it's arrival!

I worked a lot over the summer and focused a lot on making my health a priority.  Well, much of that has paid off.  I went for a check up and my test results came back normal.  I guess the previous test results were just a one time spike.  My doctors were happy and so was I .. For months, I worried that my wine courses were beginning to damage my health despite being extremely careful.  I thought that maybe my health was weakening due to all of the tastings I had participated in.  But it was actually okay.  My cautiousness was a good thing.

I still enjoy wine but it's not a daily practice any more.

During my previous exam, I thought the doctor told me I had developed fat in my liver.  It scared the heck out of me.  A fatty liver is an invitation to cirrhosis and that is just plain bad.  I researched ways to reduced or eliminate this and the only way to fix it, was with diet and exercise.  This was the real reason why I started insanity.  I needed something that would kick my butt hard because the gym thing wasn't working.  I needed something that would make me work and sweat.  A large part of a successful weight loss program is diet.  So it wasn't just about doing the exercises.  I had revamped my diet and I'm beginning to see the changes.

I confirmed with the doctors whether my liver was showing signs of fat deposits and he said no.  All along, my results never mentioned any signs of a fatty liver.  It was just my own misinterpretation.  Whew!  Was I doing insanity all for nothing?  Well .. Even though it turned out to be a false alarm, it was much needed.

I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.  

To celebrate, I got my hair done by my favorite stylist.  I've got a couple of girls night dinners coming up and I'm excited to face the rest of the year.

For some reason, I feel blessed and grateful for all that has happened.  I'm one of the lucky ones. 

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more decisions ..

i was back in toronto for a brief visit around the end of June.  usually i don't have time to see friends because my time is usually taken up by family.  i don't visit toronto as often as i used to so when i do, it is likely a family birthday or holiday (like Mother's day) and that means family time.  i want to say that it's not because i don't want to see my friends though.  i do miss them .. but i can't take that much time off so visits are short.

during my visit in June, i manage to fit in some friends time!  woohoo!  i met up with my old colleague, Gav.  we had been talking about getting me to move back to toronto for a few months and that he was looking to hire someone in the QA department.  after our meeting, i learned about the company and what the job would be like.  i was sold.  i loved the opportunity and prepared myself to take the job.  i started looking at apartments in downtown toronto, i looked at what badminton clubs were around and affordable, i looked at what it would take to sell my home in ottawa.  and the more i looked into this, the more my happy image of a smooth move back started to break down.

my housing options in toronto were pretty bleak.  everything was smaller and more expensive .. with an emphasis on expensive.  expensive would mean that i might have to give up joining a badminton club.  the good badminton clubs in toronto are also expensive.  gas, car insurance, property tax, etc .. more expensive.  would i be able to support myself in the long run?  i wasn't so sure any more.

then i looked at moving.  my mortgage is a closed mortgage and it renews in 2016 .. if i pay off the mortgage before 2016, i'd be paying a penalty.  the mortgage wouldn't be the only thing that i would be paying a penalty for cancelling before the renewal period.  i had other contracts that i had committed to that also expire in 2016.  the amount of furniture and stuff that i own is crazy.  i would never be able to fit all of this in a 1 bedroom condo.  i would have to sell of everything at a loss and then repurchase something new - cha ching.  i had a real estate agent take a look at my house for an estimate and i wasn't impressed.

overall, i was at a financial disadvantage.  but most important to me .. i did not want to 'start over' again at this age.  i hate moving and i would want my move back to toronto to be the final move i ever do.  but my dream is not to live in a 1 bedroom condo with hopes to move into a house of some sort later on.  let's be honest, owning a house with a single income is difficult.  and i'm actually living my dream right now - it's just that it's not in toronto.  i love the home i have and i love being responsible for me.  ottawa is affordable but it's not home.  that's the only drawback.

so i had to turn down the job offer.  it hurt so much because i really wanted the job.  the work was what i wanted.  but work is only one half of the 'work/life balance' equation.  i couldn't find a way to make the 'life' part work.  it saddened me because i wanted to move back but it just didn't make financial sense.  yes, i love my family and friends .. but in the end, i have to take care of me.  i have to support myself and i have to do what is best for me.

i also found time to see sluggyb while in toronto.  we met up in parkdale for tacos at the Grand Electric.  we both tried the scrapple - which is ground up cow parts formed into a patty and then deep fried.  the scrapple was the meat item in a taco.  with all the sauces and deep frying, you could barely tell what it was.  i dunno, i can't say that i'm on the taco bandwagon.  i think that the toppings can be overwhelming flavour-wise and it causes the taco to break apart in your hand, creating a huge mess.  it was good but two was enough for me.  the after lunch gelato was tasty though .. i had a lemon and olive oil gelato which was quite nice.

after getting through that period, i started to focus on life in ottawa.  i had held off on joining a badminton club in the 2014-2015 season but now i can decide which club suits me.  i am also thinking of going back to school to take photography courses.  i've always enjoyed school but i've also found that claiming tuition boosts my income tax return.  it's win-win.  :)

i've been pretty good on the wine front.  recently i sold part of my wine collection to a friend of mine.  i had three bottles of wine from my BC trip that has been aging in my cellar.  i didn't want them to go to waste so i sold them - if i can't enjoy them, i would want them to go to someone who would appreciate them.  my former classmate and friend, Shawn bought them.  i've been alcohol free since my WSET 3 exam and worked on my health.  insanity is fantastic .. i'm on to month 2 now and oh my word .. it's so hard!  but so much fun.  i just love pushing myself physically because i know i can do this.

i'm preparing myself for my next specialist visit in August.  i hope that my results will be better.  i've altered my lifestyle for the better.  i've always ate healthy - there is hardly any processed foods in my home.  everything is fresh and cooked from scratch.  in the last few months, i've cut down on carbohydrates - i limit my bread intake to just pita bread.  i don't eat any other bread.  i don't eat rice that often any more - instead, i have organic quinoa.  i eat a ton of veggies - cabbage, kale, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.  i buy locally grown veggies and organic whenever possible.  i still play badminton once a week with an advanced group of players.  i'm always drenched in sweat after 3 hrs of badminton.  sometimes even i can't believe i can play like this at my age.  :)

i could really use a vacation but i'm enjoying my routine so far.  maybe vacation will be a trip to the spa.  with labour day, thanksgiving, and remembrance day in the next few months, i think that should be enough of breaks to keep me going until christmas.

life is good ..

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food, visits, and Insanity

time to catch up on my blog .. let's see, where did i leave off?

ah yes .. WSET Advanced Level III .. the results are in ..
theory - pass with merit
tasting - pass with distinction
overall - pass with merit

argh!  i missed an overall pass with distinction by a hair.  i was actually quite disappointed with myself.  usually i'm better at the theory portion but i've gained a lot of confidence in my blind tasting skills.  less than 50% of the class passed so it wasn't an easy exam.  my mentor was proud of my accomplishment - i went into the WSET program without having to take Level 1 or 2.  i also had to learn the WSET tasting note system which is entirely different from how we took tasting notes at Algonquin.  it really helped that i studied with some of the best sommelier students from my Algonquin days.  the four of us would volunteer to provide tasting notes verbally at every class.  the only way to get better is to participate and not be afraid to get it wrong.  i think that was a contributing factor to our success.  i should be picking up my certificate and pin soon - yes, there is a pin for Level III!

after the exam, i stepped away from wine.  i took a clean break from it and started to focus on my health.  i started hitting the gym again and did some research on food source.  it led me to the world of grass-fed beef and free range pork.  i'm not a vegetarian by any means and i appreciate a good steak .. but i've always wanted to know what the big deal was with grass-fed beef and free range pork.  i contacted dan o'brien of O'Brien Farms in Winchester, Ontario to talk about his cattle.  i drove out to Winchester one afternoon to meet with dan in person.  he had quite the operation and it was so cool to see these beautiful animals up close.  it was so much better than going to a regular farm even though this farm only had cows.  we walked through the pen .. i saw how well the cattle were treated.  the type of cow used for producing their beef is the simmental breed.  they are never injected with hormones, no antibiotics, and no GMO (genetically modified) feed.  they go through intense grazing in the pasture and are rotated on a daily basis.  they are not packed into tight quarters so they get a lot of free space to move around in.  it was kind of funny when they hear our footsteps approaching, they all come stampeding out of the pen.  dan says they think it's a wolf approaching so they are running away.  how cute. :)  at the end of my visit, i was able to purchase some steaks at a very decent discount.  at the time i didn't know it but dan's beef is sold at a premium in high end butcheries and restaurants.  when i made one of the striploins, i was blown away.  i've never had a striploin that was so flavourful and so tender.  there was absolutely no smell when i opened the package and it cooked up nicely on my grill.  i learned a lot from dan and he has become a great resource for excellent beef.  most commercial grade beef is produced from cows that are corn-fed with who knows what to allow cows to get bigger faster.  cattle is usually kept in tight quarters so there is little room for them to move around.  the resulting product is generally bland and if there are any antibiotic or gmo injections, it's in the meat that you are consuming.

after my beef experience, i moved on to the world of free range pork.  most of the pork found in regular supermarkets tends to cook up dry.  i've never been able to cook a decent pork chop because it always ends up dry.  ida vallincourt of Pork of Yore suggested that i go to Brian's Butchery to try their pork.  the pigs at Pork of Yore are free range heritage breeds - they have two different breeds: tamworth and berkshire.  free range means they roam freely in their natural environment and are given a lot of space to lounge around in.  they are fed a natural feed of grass and grains but also no antibiotics or gmo products.  the meat is slightly darker than what you see in supermarkets.  the pork chops i bought, had this rim of fat around the meat.  usually we don't eat the fat because it's not good for you, right?  apparently the fat from the free range pork is good for you because it contains none of that saturated fat (ie bad fat) and boy, was that rim of fat tasty.  the meat had a slight smoky (think bacon) flavour.  the pork chops i had were from a berkshire pig.  i met ida at the farmer's market recently and we had a long discussion about their pigs.  one of these days, i'm going to head to their farm to see the piggies up close.

next up, i will be trying free range chickens and farm fresh eggs.  my source?  beking farms.  they are known for their farm fresh eggs and i'm excited to see how they compare to regular store bought eggs.  apparently there is a difference - not only in taste but in price!  i don't mind paying a premium if it is top quality protein.   hopefully by my next post, i'll have an update.

as i mentioned earlier, i've started hitting the gym and my friend mentioned that he was exercising as well.  he started the Insanity program.  hmm, really?  i borrowed the dvds from him and decided to give it a go myself.  omg, the first few days was brutal but i got used to it fast.  am i seeing results?  well, slowly .. with all exercise programs, diet plays a huge part in the success or failure of the program.  they say that diet is 90% of the program.  it is important to eat right so that the muscles have fuel.  most people think that all they have to do is cardio or weights but when you start to exercise like that, you need to increase your caloric intake with the right foods.  my weight gain was caused by the fact that i cut down my caloric intake when i wasn't hitting the gym as often.  i thought .. since i'm not exercising to burn off these calories, i should just consume less so there is less to burn.  make sense right?  no.  what happened was that by eating less, i put my body into starvation mode.  i drastically reduced my metabolism (bad) and every bit of food was being stored because of this starvation mode.  a trainer scolded me and said no, you have to eat and eat good fats.  you need fat in order to lose weight.  so i started to eat good fats like avocado, raw almonds, and greek yogurt for added protein.  i cut down on rice consumption - very difficult for an Asian person.  when i do have rice, it's 25% jasmine rice and 75% red rice which is better for you.  i also cut down on bread and pasta.  cutting down doesn't mean cutting out.  i still have them, but just not as often as i used to.  pasta is something i have once a week and usually on tuesday/wednesdays because i need carbs for badminton.  one thing i cannot do - brown rice pasta.  ugh!  my sister gave me some and i tried it the other day .. it's the most disgusting thing i've made.  it tasted funny.  i know my sister meant well but it was not good.  i feel sorry for anybody who is on a gluten-free diet.  :)  (side note:  going gluten-free when you don't have celiac disease is not a good thing.  a lot of celebrities swear by it but it's not a good diet for those who don't have an aversion to gluten).

i must say, the workouts have had a positive impact on me.  it used to be tough to drag me out of bed in the morning but after the intense Insanity workouts, i get myself out of bed a lot earlier and without that feeling of dread.  i have more energy and i feel quite good.  that's the important part.

lastly, i made two trips back to Toronto in a span of two weeks.  the first trip back, my brother was in town with his family.  i don't see them that often so any chance i get, i would make the 4 hr drive to spend time with everyone.  with everyone together, it was the right time to go to the cemetery to pay our annual respects to our grandparents.  visiting the cemetery might sound creepy but i make it fun and educational for the kids .. i quizzed my niece Amanda on her math skills by having her determine the age of the deceased.  you could see the wheels turning in her head as she would do the calculations.  i also printed off some sheet music for my oldest niece Amelia - the song was "All of Me" by John Legend.  Amelia hasn't been enthusiastic about piano but i wanted to give her something fun to work towards.  she was excited to have the sheet music for this song that she liked.  she told me that her classmates all knew how to play the song.

two weeks later, i drove back to celebrate Mother's day with my mom.  we had a barbeque at my sister's place and while i was there, Amelia pulled out the sheet music for "All of Me" and played for me.  she wasn't perfect but i was happy to see that in two weeks of secretly practicing, she played very well.  i gave her a second song to learn - "Listen to your heart" by DHT & Kelly Clarkson.  she and Amanda listened to the song and smiled.  it's not from their generation but they both liked the song.  can't wait to hear them play during my next visit.

mother's day was great.  i took mom for breakfast at a local diner.  she loves her bacon and eggs!  :)  i think being able to take her out and chauffeur her around makes her happy.  she doesn't drive and relies on others a lot.  she is never afraid to ask me to drive her anywhere .. i even drove her out to a temple on the west end of the city.  she had been wanting to go to the temple to see the plaque for my grandparents.  when we got to the temple, she said she forgot the plaque number.  sigh .. :)  luckily, she showed me the night before so it was still fresh in my head.  (mom, what would you do without me?? :)  we spent some time checking out the temple, i said my prayers, and we each made a donation.  i wrote my mom's name and my name in the donations book.  i thought it was good mother/daughter time.

anyway, that's a long update .. it's time for some insanity plyometric cardio and P90X ab ripper.  have a great weekend!

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Roadblocks

In a recent visit to the hospital for a check up, I was advised by my doctor to give wine education a break.  Although my doctor did not explicitly say 'no, you cannot continue' .. he wasn't as supportive as he was in the past and suggested that maybe I should think about other avenues of the hospitality industry.

My test results were showing a negative trend so before it gets worse, it was best that I give the wine thing a rest before making any new plans for more wine education.

To be honest, taking a break from wine education was something I wanted to do anyway so I wasn't too disappointed when the doctor didn't give me his thumbs up. Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy wine education.  As I've said before, there is something about the complexity and challenge about it that makes me feel alive.  It requires me to think on so many levels that it keeps me sharp.

WSET was intense and challenging but I somehow felt that I took it at the wrong time.  The period between December and February was tough for me.  There were many business/work related tasks that required my attention that I often had to put studying and hobbies aside - which meant that wine had to take a back seat.  I wasn't happy that I had give up study time for business matters but business matters is what pays the bills so I had to give that my full attention.

I was stressed out to the max but there was no time to curl up in the fetal position and cry about it.  I'm a tough cookie and us Ng girls don't deal with stress that way.  I kept my head down and worked through that to-do list.  I told myself that I'll take a break when it's over.  I stopped going to badminton, I cancelled all social meetings, and skipped all wine tastings.  I had no life.  But boy, the month went by slowly and every day, there was an urgent issue to deal with.  I barely had time to make an appointment to get my car in for service.

I managed to fit in 1 weekend of studying for my WSET exam.  My instructor said if you want to pass with "distinction", you should read the book at least 4 times.  Sigh .. I only read the book once.  I spent my time focused on the theoretical material and less on the tasting.  My tasting skills are pretty sharp, despite not practicing at all.

On exam night, the blind tasting portion of the exam was first.  We had to produce tasting notes for 1 white and 1 red.  I wrote the tasting note for the white.  We were given a choice of three wines that it could be.  My notes concluded that it was a Pouilly-Fuisse.  I moved on to the red.  I wrote the tasting note for the red.  When I looked at my choices, there was a Cotes du Rhone Villages, Barbaresco, or New Zealand Pinot Noir.  Right away, I knew it wasn't the Barbaresco.  Italian reds are one of the easiest reds to pick out and this was definitely not Italian.  Pinot or Cotes du Rhone Villages?  Based on my tasting note, there wasn't enough Pinot characteristic to strongly conclude that it was a Pinot Noir.  It did have a lot of characteristics of the varietals that you see in Cotes du Rhone so that was my decision.  After talking to my tasting group members, most had chosen Pouilly-Fuisse for the white but New Zealand Pinot Noir for the red.  I admit, I started to doubt myself .. after all, I don't practice tasting at all.  But based on my theoretical knowledge, I couldn't make that conclusion.  When the wines were revealed, the white was a Pouilly-Fuisse .. and the red was a Cotes du Rhone Villages.  Not bad for a theory-based wine taster, eh?  :)

The written exam was tough but not because the questions were difficult.  When we wrote exams at Algonquin, there would be a lot of time left to double .. even triple check your answers.  For the WSET theory exam, there was absolutely no time to go back and check your work.  You had to be sure of your answer.  The written portion was like a chemistry exam and the Chem Eng student in me was so into it.  I wrote like mad .. at some point, I just thought .. you need to give me more space to explain this because I could go on and on about this!  I know .. NERD alert.  My hand hurt but I was glad it was over.  I hope I passed ..

But you knew that this is how it would end up .. just when I'm getting really good at this, I have to stop pursuing it.  I would have been a great candidate for WSET Diploma but I can't do it for the sake of my health.  But I'll probably be okay with a sommelier pin and a WSET Advanced Level 3 certificate.  (BTW, when you finish WSET Diploma, a pin is awarded .. I would have loved to get another pin!)

As always, I try to look at the lessons that I'm being taught.  If I were to guess, I think the lessons this is trying to teach me are ..
1. Trust my instincts.  There have been countless times during my sommelier course tasting exams where I doubted my own skills and went against my instincts.  And it was during those time that I would score poorly on tasting exams.  My gut answer was correct but because I doubted myself, I chose the wrong answer.  For this tasting exam, I was going to choose the New Zealand Pinot Noir because I started to doubt myself .. I could hear the voice "Pudgy, who do you think you are?".  But I stuck with my instincts and kept my answer as is.

2. Learn to let go of the things you love.  As much as I love wine education, I have to let it go.  It doesn't mean I stop loving it.  It just means, I won't dedicate so much time to it .. and maybe focus on other areas that need attention.  Wine will always be there and my connections to the wine industry will still be there.  There are plenty of other things that I need to go back to .. like taking care of my health, exercising, golf, baking, photography, yoga .. interior decorating?

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mixed feelings about graduation

sommelier graduation has come and gone.

i didn't realize that the end of the program would bring me a sense of sadness.  i've had a bit of time to process my journey over the last two years.  i remember when i started the program, many felt that it wasn't a good thing for me to do.  the reasons ranged from my physical health to my emotional health.  even knowing this, i went ahead with it anyway ..

i sought the approval of my doctors before enrolling.  my family doctor didn't approve.  my specialist gave me his blessing but on the condition that i be sensible about it.  at the time, if both doctors said no, then i'd strongly reconsider but i had already made up my mind to do it.  throughout the program, i did not take this "blessing" for granted.  there was always a voice in my head that said if i did anything to screw up my health, i wouldn't be able to finish the program.  this voice kept me in check and not once did i overindulge or drink to cover up pain or fill a void (and there was a lot of pain during the time).

it took a long time for my family to accept this new hobby of mine and because of that, i never really got to talk about my experiences early on.  with every course i completed, i got better and better at it and i wasn't able to share the joy i had in my accomplishments.  although my original intention was to impress someone, it started to change as i progressed.  i discovered that being in school and learning something new .. was a part of me that i really missed.  i rediscovered who i was .. and i started to become truly happy again.  i set my sights on the excellence award.  i believed that i could be a contender for the award, despite the lack of wine tasting experience.

i worked hard at the theoretical aspects and it helped me become a better taster.  yes, there are some benefits to sampling a lot of different wines to help you become a better blind taster but for someone like me, i relied on my knowledge of winemaking and viticultural practices to help me become a better blind taster.  if you know how it's grown, how it's made, and where it is from .. you can pretty much figure out what's in your glass.

the service exam was probably the most difficult test in the entire program.  there was no way to practice for this.  i remember putting together my wine list for the exam.  i remember losing sleep and worrying that i wouldn't be able to pronouce any of the wines on my list.  i also remember feeling defeated throughout the mock service, despite judge and wine critic Vic Harradine telling me that i was doing an excellent job.  when it was all said and done, i scored an A+. 

i wish i had better news to report in this post but my grades weren't enough to win the award on grad night.  i felt like i let myself down but i know that it wasn't meant to be.  the original intention to win the award was to prove myself to someone who really didn't matter.  and because of this, i knew that it wasn't going to happen.  the lesson that He would have me learn is that it is more important to believe in myself than to look for the approval of others.  and that i cannot change others - the only person i can change is myself.  i understand that now.  maybe if i believed in myself from the beginning, the story would have ended differently.

there is still more studying to be done.  wset level 3 exam is coming up and i've got to do my best .. for once, this was something i chose to enrol in because i believed in myself.  after this, my tasting group is looking to register for wset diploma (level 4) - a pre-requisite to Master of Wine.  let's just take this one step at a time, shall we?

 

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goodbye 2013 .. hello 2014!

seemed like jan 2013 was just yesterday.  already a year has gone by.  time to look back at some of the memorable things that took place and a look at what's in store for the next 365 days.

finishing the sommelier program was probably one of my biggest achievements in 2013.  when i started the program back in 2011, i did it for all of the wrong reasons but by the time i finished, those reasons no longer mattered.  i enjoyed every minute of it - ok, maybe advanced sommelier wasn't my favorite course and the service exam was one of the most nerve wracking experiences of my life .. it was necessary.  you discover a lot about yourself when you learn to deal with uncomfortable situations.

in the summer, i got to take a break from school and go on some interesting trips.  i finally got to visit the niagara wine region.  and for my milestone birthday, i got to spend the day at Langdon Hall.  i swear, it will be my birthday present every year from now on because that place is the definition of heaven on earth.

in late august, i got to visit Whistler/Vancouver for a friend's wedding.  Ziplining in Whistler was fun but when i saw the mountains again, i just stood there and stared .. they were beautiful.  for my friend's wedding, i got to play amateur photographer as well.  yes, i shot in a dress and 3.5" heels for a full day.  :)  i was a royal mess afterwards .. i sure hope there aren't any photos of me from that day.  oh wait .. there was a photo of me.

lastly, the wine education didn't end when i finished the sommelier program.  i continued my wine studies by enrolling in the WSET Level 3 program.  my mentor, Eugene, was already telling others in the wine industry that i was going to study WSET.  i think he sees potential in my wine skills.  my classmates are expecting me to join them for Level 4 in April but i'm not sure if i can afford to continue.  the two year commitment isn't what's holding me back.  it's the cost of studying that is becoming a strain on me.  although i love the subject and i love the group involved, i may not be able to handle it financially.  at some point, i need this training to pay off .. a return on investment of sort.  how does one with no sommelier or restaurant experience land a sommelier job?  i'm not about to give up my day job but it would be nice to have an evening or weekend job to help subsidize this expensive hobby of mine.

2014 looks to be a busy year.  so much to look forward to .. you know me, always up for an adventure.

happy new year everyone!

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december already?

yikes.  december already?  why does it seem like time is going a lot faster than i want it to?  anyway, christmas is fast approaching and i have yet to do any christmas shopping.  things have been so hectic that it seems as if there is little time for anything.

work has been crazy busy - i've been picking up the slack on system analyst work on our project as well doing regular duties.  in the month of december, i'll be taking one day off aside from the regular christmas and boxing day holidays.  which means i won't be in toronto for a long stay this year again.  it really sucks because i haven't seen my friends in a few years now.  i have missed the birth of their kids and seeing the news on facebook or on their blogs is just not the same.  i know they understand that it's not easy for me to always take time off to visit though.  since i am on my own, i have to look after myself first .. the bills don't get paid when i don't work.  i'll have to carve out some time around February or March to see them.

oh and remember the chairs that i ordered in the summer?  they've finally arrived!  haha .. i know .. i almost forgot about them too.  they are being delivered this weekend and i'm so excited to see new furniture in the house.  because of the new furniture, i chose not to put up my christmas tree this year.  i haven't had a lot of luck with plant life in general so i decided to keep the tree in storage.

i'll post a pic of my fancy chairs in their spot later on.

this year, we are spending christmas in niagara falls, new york.  i decided to organize a family trip there .. partially to get everyone some down time and away from chores .. but also to engage in some retail therapy.  my sisters and i usually bond over shopping because we end up styling one another.  my sisters are great with that and i feel good in the end as well because i know i will wear the pieces that i buy.

anyway, i should get back to work and studying.  yes, i'm still studying wine .. i've got a great group of study partners and we bring out the best in each other .. which is why i've chosen to continue studying.  it's social and challenging at the same time.

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advanced somm - completed.

sommelier program?  check.

to say that it's been a crazy two months is an understatement.  the final weeks of the advanced sommelier course brought out the hermit in me.  i had to shut out everyone in order to complete the course.  out of all the courses in the program, this was the one course i had the most difficulty handling.  i have no idea why because last winter, i took two courses and it wasn't this bad.  i think i just put a lot of pressure on myself because my average was on the line.  i worked hard over the last two years to maintain my high standing and there was no way i was going to screw that up.  i love the subject but i'm still asian .. grades matter.  :)

anyway, it's finally over.

my tasting exam was last wednesday and it was not easy.  we had to blind taste six wines - 1 sparkling, 2 whites, and 3 reds.  we also had to provide tasting notes and sommelier descriptions for each wine.  although i'm sure i passed, i don't think it was my best work.  plus, there was a cabernet sauvignon that tasted like it was cooked.  it was not a great example of a cab sauv. 

the service exam was even worse.  i'm not a 'service' kind of person.  it's just not natural for me.  the night before the exam, i couldn't sleep.  i tried hard to remember the names of the wines on my wine list and during the mock service, i couldn't remember any of the wines.  i just blanked out.  when it came to opening the bottle, i used Green Lane Winery's riesling.  my bottle opening technique was spot on -  the foil was cut clean, my cork screw didn't pierce the cork all the way through, i removed the cork without making a sound (which is very difficult to do), i followed the procedure all the way through .. even the small stuff.  i answered the theoretical questions properly, i gave good reasoning for my wine suggestions .. except if you asked me what specific wine on the list would be great for a dish?  i couldn't remember anything .. :(  luckily, i wasn't asked too many questions on specific labels.
when it was over, i was still pretty tense but also exhausted. the week leading up to the exams was draining.  graduation is in February next year.  i'm pretty excited to graduate - hopefully with honours.  :)

is this the end of my wine education?  well .. we'll see. :)

although i've completed my sommelier certification, i do not refer to myself as a 'sommelier'.  a sommelier is a job title that one holds in the service industry.  that is not what i do.  i am still the person in the software industry and working a regular tech job.  but i'm a student of wine .. will always be.

oh .. just to touch on the Ottawa Food and Wine show this year.  the tasting alley event was not impressive this year.  in previous years, i got to taste some very nice wines like Cakebread Cellars cabernet sauvignon ($100 a btl).  this year, it was just average.  the best wine i sampled was the 2010 Chateau Pipeau which is a Vintages Essential at $37 a bottle.  the crowd was very 'meat market' like which is a huge turn off.  two guys tried to pick me up and i just rolled my eyes and walked away.  i attend wine shows because i want to try interesting wines but this event is quickly becoming a singles' pick up joint.  gross.

p.s.  big thank you to Vicky for her advice on getting through the wine list project.  it really helped.  :)

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Month end .. Finally

Been working like crazy these days .. Juggling school work, wine events, home stuff, business stuff, and work.

Glad that it's month end but next month will be just as crazy.  

I'm not complaining .. I know that it was my choice to live here and handle things by myself.  If I didn't do it, I'd never learn how to be truly independent.  But the important thing is, I am learning and if it was easy, it wouldn't be fun. :)

So if I don't call or don't answer email or text on time, there are more pressing issues that need to be dealt with first. 

Oh and there will be a post on the Food & Wine show soon .. As well as a blurb on my final weeks of Advanced Sommelier.  Yes, I can see the finish line.

Still striving for excellence and not perfection. 

Take care,

Pudgy

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Taste Ontario 2013

i attended Taste Ontario for the first time this year.  i was lucky enough to have won a few tickets to the event so i invited mandy and susan to come along with me.  the event was coordinated by wine country of ontario and the lcbo.  it  was advertised as a taste and buy event and showcased many ontario wineries.  of all wineries present, i was mainly interested in two producers - Bachelder wines and Charles Baker wines.

Bachelder wines is owned by Thomas Bachelder, who was the former winemaker at Le Clos Jordanne in Niagara.  Thomas Bachelder also owns vineyards in Oregon and France and his wines are often highly rated.  The wines are also a bit on the pricey side (ie. around the $40 mark).  I really wanted to try his chardonnay and to see what all the hype was about.

Charles Baker wines was another Niagara producer that have caught my attention in recent days.  The wines are sold through stratus winery and are popping up on a lot of restaurant wine lists.  They were offering two versions of their riesling at the show .. and i love rieslings. :)

So what did i taste?

first up .. some bubbly from Henry of Pelham.  they had the cuvee catherine brut.  it was a great way to start off.  tiny bubbles releasing aromatic notes of toast, citrus, and minerality.  it was dry and a great palate refresher.

my favorite vineyard, Vineland Estates was there with their Expressions in D collection.  I have the entire set of rieslings so it wasn't something I was interested in trying.  besides, when i was at the winery this summer, I got to try all four rieslings and they were fantastic.  my friends tried it and was impressed with the medium sweet rieslings.

susan was on the hunt for some fabulous pinot noir, so i steered her towards one of the best producers in Prince Edward county - norman hardie.  Norm was behind the table pouring and he remembered me from the harvest event the week before.  susan was impressed with the county pinot noir but it was the first one so it set the bar high.

we also tried the pinot noir from Le Clos Jordanne.  they had the village reserve and the claystone reserve pinot noirs.  behind the table pouring was winemaker Sebastien Jacquey, with whom i've had the pleasure of meeting during the summer.  his pinot noir was very nice.  the claystone was the better of the two.  the difference is the lot in which the grapes were picked from.  susan also liked their pinot but norm's still had the edge.

while at the tawse booth, i sampled their cabernet/merlot blend.  it was one of the best red blends i've had - bursting with fruit.  well done, tawse.

at the cave spring table, they had their chardonnay musque.  i didn't visit the winery but i heard that they had one of the better chardonnay musques in the niagara region.  and indeed, it's one of the better ones.  it was definitely more aromatic than the one by chateau des charmes that i tried a few months back.  it was a fan favourite and it's not an easy one to find at the LCBO.  i highly recommend you try this if you're looking for something different.

unfortunately thomas bachelder wasn't at the bachelder wines table but Mrs. thomas bachelder was there.  She was so lovely!  i tried the wismer vineyard chardonnay and it was buttery goodness.  is it worth $40?  well, i'm not a big fan of chardonnay to begin with so if i had $40, i would probably spend it on something else.  but if you're a chardonnay fan .. go for it.

thomas bachelder may have been MIA but charles baker was not.  he was actually pouring the wines!  i introduced myself and sampled the ivan vineyard riesling.  classic niagara riesling and oh so good.  clean, crisp, minerality, citrus .. loved the wine.  then i compared it to the picone vineyard riesling.  the picone vineyard riesling had some petrol notes on top of the usual riesling characteristics.  it's a gorgeous riesling and available for purchase at the Stratus winery or through Vintages online.

other less impressive wines that i got to try included Good Karma, a chardonnay by Flat Rock cellars, a 2008 fume blanc by peninsula ridge (this was awful, imo), jackson triggs entourage grand reserve method classique brut (this was pretty good), and pillitteri's vidal icewine (my sample had a piece of wax in it. eww).

wow .. one of the best wine events i've attended so far.  i loved the selection of wines offered but unfortunately, the organizers fell short on the "buy" part of this taste and buy event.  there were no order forms whatsoever and susan wanted to buy!  that's a fail, LCBO.

anyway, next up is the Tasting Alley event at the ottawa food and wine show.  i'm attending the Saturday night event and it's sold out!  i usually get dressed up for events like this so my black chiffon mini dress will have to come out of the closet.  ;)  

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lacking motivation?

i'm behind in my blogging again. :(

still haven't posted my update on the Taste Ontario event that i attended a few weeks back.  but don't worry, it's in the queue.

this is one of my less upbeat posts and i'm calling on my fellow readers to give me a boost.

as you know, it's my last course in the sommelier program.  this course is mainly about the role of the wine director or sommelier in the restaurant business.  for our final project, we have to create a wine list for a local restaurant and provide justification for our choices.  choosing the wine is fun but pricing the wine is the part that i'm not crazy about.

i think it depresses me to know how much a customer has to pay for wine at a restaurant.  and when i price the wine for the wine list, i think to myself .. i would never pay this much for this wine.  if i wouldn't pay for it, i wouldn't expect others to as well.  not only that but there's a part of me that feels that i'm gouging the customer.  and i am struggling with that.

for me, if i want to make wine more available to customers .. i don't think i would charge restaurant patrons 2.5 times what it would cost if you simply bought it at the LCBO.  for example, cave spring CSV riesling .. it costs around $23 at the LCBO.  great riesling for $23.  but on a wine list at a restaurant, you're looking at $50 for the same bottle.  $50!!  who would pay $50 for a bottle of riesling that costs $23 at the LCBO?  not me.

maybe that's why i rarely eat out.  and if i do, i never order wine.  i've perused the LCBO enough to know how much things cost without even having to look it up.

so i feel torn .. i understand that a restaurant has to make money to stay in business.  i understand that wine sales is a big part of a restaurant's bottom line.  but how do you balance that without feeling like you're gouging the customer?  the paper is due in a few weeks and i haven't been able to think of ways to promote wine that i feel good about, that benefits the restaurant, as well as the customer.  when i believe in what i'm doing, that's when i churn out my best work.  and so far, i haven't had that feeling .. and it concerns me.

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harvest 2013 @ Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard

it's that time of the year again .. harvest time!  this year, i went to norman hardie winery to participate in their public harvest event.  i met norm last summer and he was kind and generous enough to do a 1-on-1 tasting with me of his county pinot noir and chardonnay.  so my loyalty to norm is quite obvious.  i do believe he makes some of the best pinot noir and chardonnay (if not the best) in Prince Edward County.

anyway, i got up at 5 am on a saturday morning to make the three hour drive to wellington county.  i don't get up at 5 am for anybody or any job.  but a volunteer grape picker?!  hell yeah.  :)  i picked chardonnay for 4 hours and not once did the "city" girl side of me come out.  i was in full "farm" girl mode.  normally, i get all squeally when it comes to bugs but while i was picking, none of that entered into my mind.  yeah, the occasional lady bug landed on me.  i was surrounded by the sound of crickets.  there were bees, wasps, and dragon flies swirling.  spiders, bugs .. you name it, it was there. but it didn't bother me.  when you do what you love, nothing matters.

by the time i was done, we headed back to the winery for a fantastic lunch.  i wasn't able to stay since it was getting late.  when i said good bye to norm, he said he remembered me .. it took him a while but then he connected the name to the face, the light bulb went on.  :)

harvest is only one of many wine related events that i will partake in over the next few weeks.  i have a taste ontario event in october - i'm excited to try the riesling by charles baker and the chardonnay by bachelder wines.  bachelder wines are usually quite pricey and i'm never certain whether the wine is worth the price tag.

in november, it's the annual ottawa food and wine festival.  my ticket for the tasting alley has been purchased and i'm excited to go.  i missed the show last year because i chose to attend toronto event instead.  i was pretty disappointed in the toronto show so i'm glad to attend the ottawa show this year.

time to get some rest.  until next time ..

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we are not invincible

i recently took an mma class at a local martial arts gym.  i've been wanting to take a self-defence class in a while so i figure this would be an excellent opportunity to do that and change up my regular work out routine.  i know i have a pretty active lifestyle as we speak - badminton, tennis, running, strength training, and now brazilian ju jitsu and muay thai boxing?

on tuesday, i had my first class on brazilian ju jitsu. i wasn't just the only newbie in class but i was also the only female.  the instructor partnered up with me and spent the class trying to help me get up to speed with the rest of the class on the basic moves.  i learned how to get out of certain holds, and also to get someone off me if they were sitting on top of me.  much of the sport has to do with using your opponent's body weight and momentum to your advantage.  it isn't really about your own strength so even a small individual like me, can do this.  the instructor gave good pointers on how to defend yourself when you're on the ground.  Kick and push your opponent's head away and then get up and run.  run?!  don't you stay and pummel your attacker a few more times?  he said no, not the goal.  violence is never the answer.

by the end of the class, it felt like i didn't do much but the day after, my back was sore.  i did not fall hard on the mat, i did not twist anything.  but the fact that you have to use your own body weight as well as your opponents body weight to flip your opponent over, you end up using every muscle in your back.  i may have flipped my opponent over, but it also took my own body weight to balance myself.

on thursday, i was invited to take part in the muay thai advanced class.  i've boxed before so punching is not new to me.  the instructor gave me pointers on how muay thai boxing works.  the stance, the punches, the kicks, using the knees, etc.  i got the punching down .. but without doing a test on how hard the bag was, i did a full kick and it felt like i kicked a cement post.  my foot was instantly bruised.  i'm not going to sugar coat it .. it hurt.

the others in the class - all male .. were instructed to do their warm up and then spar.  i worked the punching bag.  i kept my guard up .. and i hit while the rest of the class did warm up.  at one point, one of the guys stopped to watch me punch.  he said my punching technique was very good and to mix it up, i should throw in some foot work and move around the bag.  so i worked on that.  i tried to move on to kicks but after a few tries i noticed that i developed a bruise on my shin and it was beginning to swell.  ugh .. 

i decided to work on knees - ie. knee your opponent in the groin kind of thing.  i learned my lesson from the kicks so i didn't go all out on the knees.

after an hour of hitting, kneeing, kicking .. i called it a day.  it was good.  until i got home.  massive bruise on my knee turned purplish blue, the bruise on my shin was throbbing, my foot had small bruises, and my knuckle had a bruise on it too.  i spent the rest of the night, icing the spots with a bag of frozen peas.

the lesson with this?  doesn't matter how in shape we are.  we aren't invincible.  age does catch up with you and you simply don't heal the way you did when you were 25.  i'm in pretty good shape but in reality, the body doesn't heal that fast due to the existing wear and tear - even if we don't feel it.

my parents would think i was insane for doing what i did.  but at some point, you gotta know what your limit is.  i think i found mine. i'll be spending the weekend nursing my wounds.

badminton starts on monday.  :)

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when in British Columbia

My first visit to Vancouver came courtesy of my friends Clement and Gigi.  I was invited to their wedding ceremony and reception in the beautiful city of Vancouver.

I was excited to see the city because I've heard great things about it.  During my last visit to BC, I wasn't able to make it out to Vancouver.  This time, I booked five days to be a full-on tourist as well as attend the wedding.

On day 1, a few friends and I went to Stanley Park.  We walked about 1/3 of the park before finding our way out for some lunch.  The park is enormous .. With the weather so hot and sunny, there was no way we were going to walk the entire park in a day.

For lunch, we went to the most recommended ramen restaurant in town - Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. Was it as good as they say?  I thought it was ok.  I wasn't blown away. The broth was a tad salty and greasy despite me asking for less salt and less lard.  Anyway, it was my first ramen experience so bucket list item? Check.

Later that night we attended the wedding rehearsal at St. Augustine church. The church had a plain exterior but inside .. Wow.  It was beautiful.  With the sunlight shining through the stained glass windows .. I sat in the pews and took it all in. The photographer in me kept looking for the perfect spot to take photos.

I woke up early Friday morning to meet up with Shirley and Briant to head out to Whistler.  Our plan was to do zip lining and the Peak 2 Peak hike.  I had never been zip lining before but a coworker had highly recommend that I do it.  So I did. :). The zip lining package included 5 zip lines. The first was 2500 ft, followed by a 400 ft, 300 ft, 2200 ft, and a 500 ft.  I screamed and held on so tightly on my first zip that my hands hurt.  As we completed each zip, it got more fun.  By the end of the adventure, we were zip lining upside down!  

After lunch, we went up the mountain via gondola and then by chairlift.  It was probably the scariest chairlift ride ever.  The ride was at a 50 degree angle but felt like 90.  The chairlift would stop half way up, the chair would swing a bit. When all you see is the mountain side beneath you, it's petrifying.  When we got up to the mountain top, the air was crisp and clean.  The views were gorgeous.  We completed a few hiking trails before riding the gondola across to the other mountain top - hence the name of the hike "Peak 2 Peak".

The views of the second mountain was nice but not as beautiful as the first one.  I saw snow capped mountains, emerald colored lakes, and wildflower.  I never thought I would see the mountains again but thanks to my adventure seeking friends, I got to see it again.

On Saturday, I was up early again - are you seeing a trend?  :). I had to get ready to be at the bride's house to help photograph the wedding.  They had hired a professional team of three photographers for their big day  I was the fourth shooter.  It was my first time shooting a wedding.  I've always wanted to do this but the opportunity didn't come along until now. Clem and I used to shoot the badminton events together so he kind of knew what my photography skills were like.  My shooting style is photojournalistic - I tend to capture the natural expression of my subjects.

I liked a lot of the photos I took and I think Clem and Gigi will be pleased with them as well.

I can now check "photograph a wedding" off my to do list.

The day after the wedding, a few of us decided to hit Lynn Canyon for a hike and to walk the suspension bridge.  It was a different kind of hike and so much stair climbing!  After hiking for three hours, we decided to head back downtown.  My friends are avid cyclists.  And me?  I've never biked before.  I never had a bike as a child and so I never learned how to ride one.  We went to EzeeRiders and rented three bikes and a trailer portion.  The trailer attaches to one of the regular bikes to create a tandem bike.  I wasn't going to do it at first but Shirley encouraged me to try.  It was the perfect opportunity to learn.  So I went along.  My lead cyclist was a strong cyclist so he would be able to control the bike.  He guided me through the ride as we biked around Stanley Park.  Our ride was perfect because the sun was starting to set and the scenery was breathtaking.  It was a great first bike ride - yes, I pedaled and got the hang of it.

I had the best time in Vancouver.  I left with three bottles of wine, six bruises on my legs, and many items crossed off my to do list.

I definitely will be back :)

Cheers,

Pudgy

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inspired by nate

it's important how we feel in our homes, because feeling good makes us more gracious.  and that makes it easier to welcome others not only into our homes but into our lives.

i saw this quote this morning by nate berkus.  it almost made me cry.

for years, i put off decorating my home. that feeling of not belonging and not knowing where i would be in 5 years caused me to put off buying good furniture.  i would buy temporary pieces but the word "temporary" constantly reminded me that Ottawa wasn't my real  home.  it saddened me because i hate moving around and starting over.

when i bought my home, i figure that it would be temporary.  i would flip it and then move again.  but as i started designing the interior and choosing the fixtures and finishes, there was an attachment being created.  i used to say that "when i get my own home, i would do it my way." and sure enough, the opportunity came and i was designing it with my vision.  i continued to struggle with staying versus moving.  and over time, coming home to a place with 'temporary' pieces made it difficult to enjoy.  the only room i found joy in was my kitchen.

nate's quote is very true.  home should be like a warm sweater on a winter's day - it hugs you and gives you that sense of security, accomplishment, and comfort.  home hasn't felt like my home because i've been reluctant to commit.  what was the point in buying furniture to suit a house that i was going to sell in a year or so?  i've been told by many that my next step should be to turn my home into a real home.  a place where i feel good being in and look forward to coming home to.  over the weekend, i went furniture shopping .. and i bought a set of accent chairs that i had been looking at for months.  these are not temporary pieces and i know exactly where they would go.

i waited so long and wondered why i never felt like i belonged.  now i know.  i didn't realize how big of an impact this "temporary" vision had on me.  buying my first permanent pieces was a good thing for me.  i used to think that buying stuff also meant filling the void and i didn't want that to be the reason.  i didn't want to look at every piece and know that i bought it because i was empty.  i needed to fill the void with my own truth of who i am and what i stand for.  and i wanted to look at my furniture and know that it was a design decision - rather than an emotional one.  but coming home to an empty house and staring at empty rooms also reminded me of why i was waiting and the negativity attached to that feeling.  but most importantly, the empty rooms reminded me of what i had lost.  i would stand in the empty room and know exactly why it was empty.  i didn't want to fill the void during an emotionally turbulent time but the longer i took, the less "gracious" i was and i began shutting everyone out.  Perhaps adding a few pieces will give me the boost I need.  maybe once i am able to feel good in my home, i will be able to welcome others in.

my new accent chair

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registered

registered for the final course in the program.  i have mixed feelings about it.  on the one hand, i'm absolutely petrified of the service exam that will be part of the final course.  the last time i worked in the food industry, i was 17 years old.  but this service exam is more like an oral exam on wine knowledge.  although i'm okay at the subject, i'm just not good at oral exams .. i tend to freeze up and forget everything.  i'm going to need a lot of practice.

at the same time, i'm not about to quit with just one course left ...

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