Jacks in the city

Modern Art Sculpture in English Bay

2011-07-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

Yet another sculpture in Vancouver - two giant sized diamond rings. I really have no idea why they are here, but what a way to propose to the one you love. Although, I am sure they will need to have the ring resized...

Sidewalk Etiquette

2011-07-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

A few times a year, there seems to be a bit of a need for a city wide pamphlet to go out to all the people walking on the city sidewalks. The pamphlet should be about sidewalk etiquette. I notice that during holiday seasons throughout the year, there is an influx of people who do know understand how to make their way through the crowds of people on busy downtown sidewalks. Nothing overly wordy needs to be written up, just a few key points, like going with the flow of traffic, not gathering in the middle of the sidewalk so others can still pass through, these sorts of things. It makes life a lot easier for everyone if we thought about the people around us and were more considerate. Not that I REALLY want the city to have to spend millions (if not billions) on such a project, but it would be nice for everyone to have a friendly reminder to swing their cigarette wildly in the middle of a crowd...

Unique Flowers Around Vancouver

2011-07-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Vancouver seems to be constantly in bloom. That's right, even in the winter time, something is blossoming and it is one of the things I love most about this city. I have taken a few pictures of flowers I can not quite place, but seem to stand out against the sea of the usual blossoms. The first picture shows a flower that almost looks tropical. There are a few downtown that have this tropical type look and feel to them but I have yet to figure out what they are. The second picture is of flowers on a climbing vine which I had never seen before even though it is on my regular route. If I find out what these plants are called, I will update and let you know. What are your favorite blooms?

Car sharing in Vancouver

2011-07-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

I took this picture the other day because I have noticed the new 'Car2Go' smart cars everywhere downtown! This particular one was parked right outside my condo complex and I assume there is a neighbor of mine that is using it frequently. My husband and I use the modo car coop as there are plenty of cars all over the greater Vancouver area and we can use different sized cars for whatever the occasion. We have been a member for around 3 years now and I have to say that I enjoy the car sharing experience. Sure, there are times when you get a car that is a bit untidy, but most of the members are good about that sort of thing. I think the best part is not having the worries of owning a car - gas, servicing, payments - all the annoying bits. lol If you are interested in car sharing, check out www.modo.coop , zipcar.com , or car2go.com . All options are better for the environment and gives you less stress. Although, it will not cure any road rage...

Sunny days + Bubble Tea = :)

2011-07-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

So you already know by the title that I am getting a bit creative today. Maybe good or maybe not so good? Either way, I am a happy camper since the warm weather has hit. Since it is not supposed to stick around past today, I thought I would do a shoutout to all the bubble tea shops in Vancouver. I don't think I can go a summer without a nice cold sweetened milk tea. It is a nice change from the summer drink standbys of lemonaid and iced tea. It can be light and fruity or thick and frosty when blended with ice. Oh course, I can not forget the tapioca pearls that make the tea have 'bubbles'. If you don't like tapioca pearls, maybe have coconut meat instead. Also, for those on a budget, go to the local asian supermarket and make bubble tea at home. Now if I could only get my husband to actually get tea instead of coffee or a fruity version...

Panic in the Park!

2011-07-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

Louise (my dog) and I were walking through Nelson park enjoying the lovely summer afternoon sun, when we heard sirens. A fire truck came down the street and then just stopped in the middle of thurlow, I assume, because turning onto Comox street is a bit difficult for a huge truck. But then the fire fighters jumped out and ran over into the park. I became increasingly confused at this point since I had seen no smoke or fire in the park at all. When I rounded the corner though, I noticed all three firefighters trying to help out one of the men in the park. Soon afterward, an ambulance came to take over. I just wanted to write this up as a thank you to the emergency workers and fire fighters for going to help regardless of what energency there is.

Vancouver Finally Warms Up!

2011-07-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

I have recently challenged myself to do a blog post (and video) a day for 30 days. Since the weather here in Vancouver had been so blah and no where near spring/summer conditions, I didn't think I would have any problems fulfilling my goal. AND THEN...summer had decided to finally show up! All I want to do is take long walks by the beach along English bay or leisurely enjoy a bbq dinner on the patio. Temptation is so hard to resist! Oh and don't even get me started on netflix...

Modern Art on Display in Yaletown

2011-07-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

I have noticed over the years, that Vancouver has acquired quite a few pieces of what I like to call "modern art sculptures". There are a few that popped up by skytrain stations and parks right in time for the Olympics. So a month ago, my husband and I were out strolling around Yaletown and decided to go to Starbucks. This piece of modern art was sitting (laying?) right in front of the Starbucks.

I really have no idea why a giant sized head is sitting in a small park area in Yaletown. I realized in an instant that it might be a good place for people to meet up if ever lost.
But my true question when seeing these structures is 'how do people sign up to make this art for the city of Vancouver?' Exactly what is the protocol for this type of thing? I have never heard of anyone who even knew how the artist was selected or how much money was given to said artist. More importantly, I want pictures of how they make these massive pieces of art because that seems even more fascinating to me than anything else.

Goodbye to the Neighborhood Church

2011-07-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

The west end of downtown Vancouver can feel like an oasis from the hustle of the downtown core and is probably the closest thing to the suburbs you will find. There is a strong sense of community and people actually know (and speak) to their neighbors. It was a great shock to most to see the old community church be bought and torn down in the last few months. The church was non denominational and welcomed all who was in need, including even the most down trodden. What was worse is that the new owner wanted to put in a huge condo complex that wasn't in keeping with the rest of the complexes around the 'hood. I just wanted to say good bye to a local hang out for me and my dog. I didn't think I was even concerned about it being torn down until I saw the wreckage with my own eyes. I leave you now with a few pictures I had to take to remind me to always appreciate the things around me.

Fresh sheet day!

2009-05-20T23:55:00.000-07:00

Its almost midnight and I am finally in bed! Long day for me as I was trying to get a lot of household chores done and out of the way. I usually like to have them mostly done before the weekend. Thursday will be busy this week though as I am going to Ikea for half a day! YAY! Will try and remember to take a picture to show you what I buy. Probably just a few odds and ends but I will be looking at some furniture. Anywho, as I already blogged first thing this morning, you all know I was up pretty early. I had several cups of candy cane green tea as I feeling a bit off...or maybe just sleepy. lol
Either way, by 10am I was too hungry to worry about feeling bad and made myself a salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Its topped with the last of the red pepper hummus (must make more of that soon!) and sourdough rye wasa crackers. I think all the garlic from the hummus helped me feel a bit better. :)

I was still hungry so I had my breakfast! lol More puffed kamut cereal with Envirokidz panda puffs and almond milk. I also threw in the other half the kashi granola bar I had from yesterday.

Dave was late for dinner again and didn't let me know until I was about to eat the coffee table, so I just grabbed a cracker and swiss cheese to snack on while he was on his way home. Decided to splurge and have a little glass of red wine.

It was after 7 when my husband and dog came home from the office and I was starving and running around trying to finish off my chores (laundry takes forever sometimes).

We decided to get a Chicken taco pizza from panago. Ate all but one piece between the two of us! AND we then went crazy and decided to have pecan sundaes at Dairy queen! We have some buy one get one free coupons for them so its a cheap little indulgence. Unfortunately, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and could barely eat half of these treats. So in the freezer for another day!

Well, I should be getting to sleep since I have another big day tomorrow and I need to make a list before I go. It is never wise for me to go to Ikea without direction as I will end up looking at everything! And it looks like its time to clean out the fridge before grocery day...blah. At least I can enjoy my freshly laundered sheets now. Night all! Have a lovely Thursday!

Paint swatches and snacks before dinner

2009-05-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I finally got to some of the paint and home building supply stores to get some paint samples and tester tiles for the bathroom.

After two years of living here, we decided to finally do some renovations on the condo. Mainly because there are a few things that need to be changed out. But before we can do anything we have to plan it all out and ask permission from the strata board. So, don't expect a lot of demolition pictures on here any time soon.
As I was looking at paint chips in the morning light, I had Nature's path puffed kamut cereal mixed with Envirokidz puffed cereal blend of corn, millet, and kamut. Milk of choice was unsweetened almond breeze almond milk and candy cane green tea on the side. It was the last of one of my children's cereal and I liked it alot, but I have a feeling its discontinued since I couldn't find the cereal on there website anymore.
After breakfast, I had some daily chores to do and didn't even break for a mid morning snack! Needless to say I was hungry by lunch time and had a two plate combo of food! hehe I am trying to eat up these LARGE 12" pitas I bought awhile ago, so I had half of one spread with homemade red pepper hummus and some grated swiss cheese and toasted the whole thing. I also had some leftover homemade vegetable barley soup that I had on the side with good ol' ice water.

The second half of lunch was sliced strawberries and bananas with some graham crackers and peanut butter. Tasty!!

Did some more purging of clutter in the kitchen and it looks like I will have a whole kitchen set to sell on craigslist! Its amazing how much stuff one can collect and not really need. I was thinking instead of selling it, I might see if I can give it to a family in need. I also have a huge bag full of clothes to give away as well. By the end of this 'clutter cleanse', I might need a truck to haul it all away! ha!
Anyway, found out as I was making dinner that Dave was going to be going to his ride for cancer meeting, so he would be late. So I stopped that dinner in favor of leftover chili and cornbread. But since I was waiting for him to arrive back, I had my after dinner snack before dinner!
I just made a simple salad with more hummus and dried pita chips on top.
After that, I had some more strawberries with half a kashi trail mix bar.
Dave FINALLY came home at almost 9pm and I was starving!

Homemade black bean veggie chili to the rescue (with cheese on top)! Oh and the cornbread is a family favorite that I got from here. I can't believe how long I have been making this recipe, but its SO GOOD! I would gladly buy Jiffy's brand corn muffin mix, but they have LARD in it, so that is not going to happen here!
This recipe might be even better than Jiffy's brand anyway, and certainly healthier for you!
We also had some blueberry cake for dessert that I made from this recipe. I changed it a bit by taking out the seasonings, and adding lemon flavoring and salt instead. Also doubled the amount of blueberries because I love lots of fruit in this kind of cake. Also used almond milk instead of soy milk as that is the only unsweetened 'milk' I have in the house.
It turned out pretty good, but next time, I will just lemon juice/zest instead of lemon flavoring as it has a bit of an aftertaste. Otherwise, very tasty. Thanks Happy herbivore!

So, that was yesterday's feast, and so far all I have managed to do is do a blog post and have a cup of tea. lol Time to start the day! Have a good Wednesday everyone!

Dustin' off the ol' blog and ready to organize!

2009-02-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

Whoa! It's been a long while since I've been on this thing. Going to be using it to keep track of household stuff from now on. I have been writing out my weekly menu plan to keep me from getting take out. When I get a new camera, I will also be showing my household projects. Other than that, I will check in at least once a week with my meal plans and a bit about what is going on with me. If you want some more great ideas to help plan your meals, go to http://orgjunkie.com

MENU PLAN MONDAY:

Dinner:
-Monday: BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, smokey greens, and cornbread
-Tuesday: broccoli cheese soup w/ crackers AND Shrove Tuesday pancakes for dessert :)
-Wednesday: chickpea and lentil curry, basmati rice, and garlic naan
-Thursday: spaghetti w/ salad and rosemary bread
-Friday: fish burgers w/ oven fries and coleslaw

Lunch:
-Monday: ramen or hummus w/ veggies
-Tuesday: leftover Chinese food or hummus or soup
-Wednesday: broccoli cheese soup w/ salad
-Thursday: leftover curry with naan
-Friday: stuffed peppers w/ avocado and salsa

Breakfast:
cereal or homemade granola w/ yogurt or milk

Dessert:
Shrove Tuesday pancakes
apple crisp
crepe suzette
*NOTE: freeze half cornbread and pancakes for later use.

Back from Germany, sick as a dog?!?!

2007-07-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

Long time to no speak everyone! I just got back from an 8 day trip to Germany, to see one of my closest friends get married. Of course, I took way too many photos and not too many of myself. And right before leaving to come home, I got REALLY sick - can't get out of bed kind of sick. So, I have been recovering since July 1st and finally making enough progress to post this quick update. I hope everyone enjoyed their Canada Day (July 1st) and/or 4th of July holidays!!!

Oh...btw...I am still hoping to make it to the Chinatown night market this weekend...even if I need to be wheeled there! hehehe

Backlog blog

2007-05-21T13:59:00.001-07:00

I'm back! I have been absent for awhile now, mostly because I had to wipe my hard drive clean which meant I lost all my pictures too. Then a few weeks ago, I had to take the computer back in and got a whole new hard drive (which means I lost my pictures AGAIN). Thanks to my husband, I can update everyone using his computer.

Back in April, we went to a housewarming party for our friends, Bill and Colleen (and Daisy the dog). They bought a beautiful new condo out in Langley, BC. As you can tell, it was a quite a fun party. I love going to Bill's parties because he makes some of the best fresh salsa and guacamole I have ever had. They also showed off their new rio5 and spectra cars from Kia too. I am very happy for them and I can't wait for the wedding in the Dominican Republic!!! Woohoo!

I've also been walking more and taking pictures of all the spring blooms. Its nice to see fresh blooming flowers and trees in front of all the condos and churches in our neighborhood. Louise the pug likes sniffing at them too. The above picture is only a small sample of the different flowering plants in my area.

For May 5th, or Cinco De Mayo, we had a lovely feast of nachos, Sangria, tacos, and flan. I am trying to cook lots of different foods lately too.
I made this udon soup for lunch one day which was way too much for one person. It was tasty though! Next, I will try making ramen from scratch. Stay tuned!
May 6th 2007, Vernon "Grampy" Sweeney, past away at the age of 83. We all will remember him fondly. My husband had to go back to Halifax, NS for the funeral. So, to cheer up the dog and myself, we decided to take walks down by the ocean and Fraser river since we couldn't go back to the Atlantic ocean and pay our respects.

When David (my husband) returned, we decided to all go to the river for a walk with the dog. As, you can see, she had lots of fun and met some new dogs too. To see more, you can just head over to Louise's blog.

Louise and I also ran into one of the local neighborhood skunks one night. Thankfully, we were not sprayed, but the skunk didn't appreciate Louise's excessive barking. Click on the above pictures to get a better look at the skunk. It was kind enough to let me take these pictures from 10 ft away.
Well, that gets everyone up to date somewhat. I will post soon, as I am having lots of adventures over the long May weekend holiday here. Hopefully, I can get a new computer soon so I am not keeping my husband from posting on his own blogs. Anyone want a G4 ibook laptop computer?

It's a bird, it's a train, it's macaroni!?!

2007-03-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

So, I did it. I finally took my first skytrain adventure. Ok, technically it is my second skytrain ride, but I don't remember much about it since it was 10 years ago when I first met my now husband. So being all lovey dovey with him, I didn't really take the time to remember much about the train ride. Anywho, we ( my husband and I) decided to do a little shopping at Metrotown and Brentwood. Not having a vehicle meant we had to take the skytrain. I was really excited to go even if it meant going in the rain. So with our shopping bags and umbrellas in hand, we set off on our adventure. By the time we got home several hours later, we decided that it was way too much work to carry a lot of groceries back home. Even saying that, I had lots of fun riding the train and while I won't bring home gallons of milk again, I will be riding the rails before you know it!
I am finally getting used to the seagulls that love to scream their heads off first thing in the morning. I realized that they were only loud when the dumpsters were full as they were probably bubbling over with excitement to see such a "feast". Even still, they scared me yesterday while my husband and I walked over to Ramano's macaroni grill.
I was treated to the Trio Milano which is caesar salad, roasted garlic cream sauce pasta with chicken, and lovely chocolate cake. It was so good, that I ended up overeating but it was worth it! I will be going back there again.

First week in Van-city!

2007-03-11T21:56:00.000-07:00

Finally, moved into our new condo in downtown Vancouver! Moving day was a bit crazy, and we had a big mixup with our storage area. So much so, that we almost cut a lock on a storage locker, only to find out it was the wrong locker! Will have some pics of the new place as soon as we finish unpacking and organizing the place a bit. So, what have I been up to since move in day? Well, I have been shopping for stuff we needed for the house so that means a trip to Daiso.
This is a great "100 yen" store (although, its 2CAD here) and I am addicted to this store. I can't leave daiso without spending too much money, but somehow, its still cheaper than most other stores in town. I will probably do some posts on some of my Japanese items i got there, as I would love some help translating some of the instructions! My husband also took me to a play at the Gateway theatre called "The bond". We have also been enjoying walking downtown and getting to know our neighborhood more. Anyone know of any good places to go in the West end?