tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50929231990039592002024-02-08T06:14:29.146-08:00The Sky Collector<a href="http://skycollector.blogspot.com"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/pinkcloudheader3.jpg" border="no"></a>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-18678795655382484082011-08-15T22:45:00.000-07:002011-08-15T22:46:09.376-07:00Climbing Big StuffMy summer has been going pretty amazingly. I've developed a new affinity for hiking and hit a few trails recently. Something about the rewarding view you get at the end of a hike makes all the hauling ass up the mountain worth it. You feel so accomplished afterwards!<br />
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This was a hike in Minnekhada Park in Coquitlam. It was a very easy hike and not a bad view!<br />
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This one was a hike to Lindeman Lake in Chilliwack Lake Park. Such a pristine lake in a valley.. the water was like a duotone bright blue and green!<br />
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And I just hiked the Stawamus Chief in Squamish with my friends this past weekend. SO MUCH FUN and the experience at the peak was so worth it. I didn't bring my DSLR on this one though.. my camera and myself would not have survived the strenuous hike up there haha. Near the top was the best part: it was practically a stretch of vertical rock that we climbed precariously with some chains to pull ourselves up. It was basically rock climbing except without the ropes. Here are some crappy pictures and a shaky video from my phone instead!<br />
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We lay there at the top in the sun for a while and it felt like pure joy. This one was the hardest hike out of the three but also my favourite one. I can't wait to go back and hike the other two peaks (you can see the second and third peaks in the video at around 0:35!).Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-84897601469216442032011-06-20T22:07:00.000-07:002011-06-20T22:16:07.706-07:00The True VancouverFriday, my friends and I went to celebrate Julia's birthday and on our way to the restaurant, we went by downtown Granville St. and took a look at the aftermath of the Vancouver riot that I'm sure people all over the world has seen, unfortunately. Everyone has seen footage of flaming idiots setting cars on fire and beating the crap out of people for no reason. I don't need to talk about how disgusted we were and how freaking embarassing that was for Vancouver. But that was not the real Vancouver. Before that night even ended, I already got facebook invitations to the riot clean up from REAL, sensible people in this city. Hundreds of people came out the next day to clean up the mess that the rioters left, smashed windows were boarded up, and passerby's wrote messages on the boards, stuck thank you & sorry notes on police cars, made chalk drawings on the ground, and street performers sang songs about our city. Best part is: the rioters responsible are getting discovered and arrested left and right thanks to photo, video, and stupidly enough, facebook/twitter evidence from the rioters themselves. <br />
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Unfortunately, only a small amount of people will see how true Vancouverites put our city back together compared to the millions of people who watched our city burn.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-29147112011567171082011-06-10T18:46:00.000-07:002011-06-10T18:46:03.094-07:00Recipe MavenAfter seeing <a href="http://www.elanaspantry.com/lemon-poppy-seed-bunny-cookies/">this recipe</a> for lemon poppyseed bunny cookies and realizing that they used the exact same bunny cookie cutter that I have but couldn't find a use for, I HAD to try it!<br />
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Several broken bunnies and sticky but lemony smelling hands later, we noshed on our cookies! We definitely messed up a bit. We rolled out the dough way too thick so that they were more like crumbly, almond patties than crisp cookies. So I can't give a proper verdict on the recipe but it was fun anyway and they're shaped as hella bunnies!! What could make food more fun?! <br />
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Totally unrelated food item:<br />
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<a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2011/03/28/5-ingredient-no-bake-vegan-date-squares/">These no-bake date squares</a>. I made these a while ago and I inhaled them in less than a week. And periodically stuck a fork in to just eat it straight out of the dish. The whole batch of them. In mah belly. I take back everything I said about disliking raw nut crusts (but I still think that sounds really awkward) because this almond & medjool crust was SO GOOD! I followed the recipe to a T and the only thing I would change next time would be to swap out the <b>1/2 cup of water</b> in the date filling and replace it with <b>1/2 cup of coconut oil</b>. The filling didn't set in the freezer even after a few days and was still mushy and sticky. But other than that.... seriously. <b>Make them.</b> SERIOUSLY.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-5682903124662965152011-06-10T18:06:00.000-07:002011-06-10T18:06:23.974-07:00100 NightsOh my gosh. Massively overdue photos. Wilson and I came here to 100 Nights for dinner two months ago! And I'm only posting now.... whoops. I spent yesterday and today catching up on some <a href="http://gailn.yelp.ca">yelp</a> reviews and figured it was time to update this blog as well. Holy moly. This is the same review I posted over at yelp.<br />
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It probably wasn't a good idea to come for dinner at 6:30pm on a hockey night because pretty much every single person there was only there for drinks and to watch the game on a huge TV they rolled out. <br />
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I felt like our server judged us when we didn't order drinks (I hate it when servers do that anywhere) and he seemed a bit taken aback when we said we were ready to order our dinner. Overall, very pretentious and not very friendly. <br />
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To start, he brought out these two crab crostini-type appetizers that were on the house. It would have been a nice surprise but it's funny because I don't eat meat and my boyfriend is allergic to crab. My boyfriend took one for the team, however, and finished them off so that we wouldn't have to feel bad about sending it back... even though it made him itch for the rest of the night.<br />
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I had the ravioli and chocolate torte for dessert. The ravioli was decently good - creamy and cheesy, like a ravioli should be. As for my dessert... I appreciate that they were innovative with it - it consisted of a plate of random things like two raspberry marshmallows (which I thought were pretty cute), the little block of chocolate torte, what looked like some cookie crumbs (I have no idea...), and a tiny cup of some kind of custard sauce. It was really strange. I had no idea how to eat it. <br />
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The ambiance seemed kind of confused. I understand that it's supposed to have this artsy, trendy kind of feel but I didn't get it. The decor didn't really go together and it just didn't make sense. The chairs are literally white, folding, wooden chairs from your backyard patio. Not to mention the very loud music.<br />
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So basically: pretentious servers, sub par food, and I don't even like the atmosphere of the place enough to come back just for drinks.<br />
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<i>(left)</i> They had an awesome bathroom though. But again, it looks nothing like the outside. Makes no sense to me at all.<br />
<i>(right)</i> The more exciting event of the night was the Langara Photography Grad Show at Roundhouse. This was a few days after I got accepted into the program so I really, really wanted to go and see the 2011 grads' work.<br />
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Starting with the only food photographer first. Elle. We saw her doing a food shoot with a Hasselblad (completely irrelevent information but geez *drool*) during our tour of the department. She's amaaazing! Her portfolio book, photos, presentation, everything was probably my favourite out of the whole show.<br />
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Amanda's the only photojournalist out of the whole grad class. Very different work from everyone else but that's what's so admirable about her. She was the one who led the tour for my group! She's also one of the students who did the program in 3 years instead of 2, which I'm considering doing.<br />
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I was super impressed with most of the grad's work. It was almost surreal being there and knowing that I'm going to have my very own wall there in two or three years to display my own work! It was great seeing what they came out of the program with so that I have a sort of standard that I know I want to aim for or exceed.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-90155420501225992932011-05-14T22:47:00.000-07:002011-05-15T20:05:33.391-07:00Emily & IsaPrior to my portfolio review with the photography program, Emily & Isa offered to do a shoot with me to add some newer photos into my portfolio. These were from the end of April and they're finally finished now that I have the stress of getting into school off my back. I'm more than grateful that they offered to be my models because my portfolio was horrendously outdated and I hadn't had any new work in months! <br />
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<b>A few things I learned from this shoot:</b><br />
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<b>1)</b> When scouting locations prior to the shoot, think of exact poses and composition in the found locations OR scout with a partner. I went to the park to look around a few days ahead but I found that the area looks completely different when you put an actual person in the shot and having someone there would have been much more helpful in getting a better idea of how the shot would look.<br />
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<b>2)</b> Have a specific set of poses, looks, mood, and composition for each location and model. Most portrait photographers don't do this and don't advocate doing this and would normally go into a shoot with a general idea but not exact shot ideas (a workflow more akin to fashion photographers). BUT I think this would help me immensely. I tend to get flustered when trying to coordinate location, pose, composition, the settings on my camera, light, and focus all the while trying to make small talk and prevent awkwardness (something I'm not good at normally already).<br />
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<b>3)</b> Change up the angles! I didn't realize until afterwards that I had waaay too many close-up headshots and not nearly enough full body shots or shots of Emily & Isa together! I tended to shoot straight-on as well, either with them sitting or standing. With all the crazy ideas floating around in my mind, I definitely could have been more creative.<br />
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<b>4)</b> Assistants are ridiculously useful. I bossed Wilson around as our assistant for the day and he was such a help. As I said in point #2, I have trouble coordinating everything at once and so having someone carry all our bags, hold the reflector, hand me stuff, hold things into the shot, and ease my nerves was indispenable. I don't know how else I would have done it! Thanks Wilby!<br />
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Gotta learn from experience, right? I learned a whole lot from this solo shoot and maybe those points will help someone else in the same position. Here are some of the photos!<br />
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This is the diptych that made it into my portfolio! One of my favourites.<br />
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TELL ME Isa/this photo doesn't belong in an AE ad?!<br />
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Thanks so much Emily, Isa, and Wilby for all of this!Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-1871308408617474462011-05-06T22:20:00.000-07:002011-05-06T22:20:25.639-07:00Armed With CamerasGUESS WHAT? GUESS WHAT?<br />
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Don't guess, I'll just tell you. I'm happy to announce that I won't be a confused university dropout for the rest of my life. I got accepted into the photo program that I applied to for September! I had my entrance exam, interview, and portfolio review with them Tuesday & Wednesday of this week and I just got my acceptance tonight! They told us there were 128 applicants for 28 seats in the program and that 2 people were already accepted on the spot on the first day of interviews. Pretty depressing odds. But whaddayaknow! They had room for this awkward little girl too.<br />
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I'm beyond excited! Before Tuesday, I was starting to doubt whether I wanted to be in the program at all because that just means paying more money for two or three more years of school when I could probably learn almost everything I need to know on my own from books/internet/experience. But after the orientation, I want to be there more than ever. It made me realize that I have SO much to learn and I NEED the connections they lead you to at the school. <br />
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These are a few pictures I took out of the roll of film I shared with Wilson on Sam's Nikon F80. It was my first time using a manual film camera and I'm proud to say that I'M HOOKED. There's something so special about film that I think only people who have shot in it will understand. The feeling of holding prints that you <i>made</i>, the action of translating what you see into a physical item on paper, not knowing what you're going to get until they're developed.... it's magical! We used a roll of Kodak BW400CN for these. I'm majorly disappointed that these scans don't represent the actual prints at all! The quality, contrast, and detail is so different and so much better in person! These are not great pictures but because they were my first and because I have the physical prints & negatives next to me, they mean more to me than they probably mean to anyone else. Part of the magic of film, I guess!<br />
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Now that I have the stress of getting into school off my back, I'll won't neglect the blog as much. Or at least I'll try! Tomorrow, I'm going out to dinner and going to see the grad show from the photo grads of this year at the same program I'm going into. Should be an eyeopener!Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-28573769278653052592011-04-04T22:23:00.000-07:002011-04-05T01:43:19.417-07:00Two OhI turned 20 yesterday! My group of friends and I had dinner at <a href="http://www.wildricevancouver.com/">Wild Rice</a> (wasn't a fan) and then played Wii Mario Party and Taboo for drinks for the rest of the night. OH! OH! OH MY GOSH GUYS. No one is going to understand how awful this was for me but I brought my camera, as I do to almost everything, and realized I had left my battery in the charger when I got to the restaurant. It was terrible!! It was like I had left my pair of eyes at home or lost my right hand! I was destroyed! Of all days, I didn't have a camera on my own birthday. I don't think people understand that I have to take pictures of EVERYTHING to have a record of it! Otherwise I feel like I've lost a chunk of my life and no one will ever know about it! Luckily, we swung by my house after dinner so I could grab my battery before we went to Megan's so at least I had the use of my camera for the rest of the night. Do I sound like a crazy person yet?<br />
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Crisis story over. <br />
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Right after midnight, we had cake! They got Harry, Ron, & Hermione printed on my cake :D Ehehehe, so awesome! I'm not sure if you've ever played Taboo boys vs. girls but I'd like to know if all other guys are equally as bad at Taboo as my guy friends are. I'd like to think that females are just naturally more adept at making meaningful connections and reading minds. ;) It was hilarious though - I'd loved it!<br />
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Gave Chris a T-zone mask hahaha.<br />
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It was so much fun. I must have laughed my kidneys out as I seem to always do whenever I get together with these people. So much love (or not - insults seem to be the way some of my friends bond - it's not really a bad thing!) to go around!<br />
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And then on my actual birthday, I got some take away to share with Wilson for dinner from <a href="http://organiclives.org/">Organic Lives</a>, one of the only two restaurants in my city that have a 100% raw menu. I was really excited to try it - excitement that was a little hampered when I stepped into the place and saw that it looked like a makeshift cafeteria in a warehouse. <br />
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Nonetheless, I ordered the "spring roll". It was a bunch of Thai spiced veggies wrapped in a sheet of dehydrated...something with a side of curried kelp noodles & mango chutney. This description may be entirely inaccurate but it's what I tasted. <br />
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And I also got the sea veggie sushi. <br />
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I was most excited for the raw desserts and got an apple cinnamon torte and strawberry cheesecake. <br />
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To be honest, I really didn't like the food at all. I'm ALL for raw food. I think it's amazing and innovative and can taste amazingly good. But the things I ordered just missed the mark for me. I enjoyed the sushi but that was it. With the desserts, I think I might have been influenced by a bad experience when I made a raw pumpkin pie. I never documented it here because I didn't want anything to do with it afterwards but I was quite proud of it. The pie itself was delicious but I just went crazy and ate waaaay too much of it at once and from then on, the smell and taste of raw nut crusts found in the majority of raw cakes & pies just repulses me. Which really blows because I really wanted to love the stuff I ordered from Organic Lives. I really hope I just chose the less than satisfactory items off the menu and that the next time I go, I'll order something really good and get a real taste of raw food.<br />
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On a completely different note, here's a bunny shaped cookie cutter and a giant lint roller. Not your typical birthday present is it.<br />
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Anyways, so that was my birthday weekend. It's strange to be able to say that I'm "in my twenties" now. I'm just a baby!Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-45803062560502758852011-03-18T19:53:00.000-07:002011-03-18T20:09:45.679-07:00The Second Sign<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9996copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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BFAST! Flax bagels with ricotta, honey, sunflower seeds, and strawberries! I bought a tub of ricotta for the first time thinking it would taste like cream cheese or feta. Err... I was definitely wrong but it tastes amazing mixed with honey! Looking at it makes me happy.<br />
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Now I need to use the rest of the ricotta somehow once I'm out of bagels. Ideas, anyone?! The container says it's good for stuffing into pastries & pasta and I do have a ricotta & peas ravioli recipe bookmarked. Might give that a try.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9958copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<b>Second sign of spring:</b> when I start sneezing all the time. I don't even have allergies as bad as a lot of people. Not complaining though. I'm getting so giddy whenever I see signs of life outside - like these berries on some trees near the rabbit shelter. I even saw a tree full of cherry blossoms in full bloom today!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9951copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<b>Bun of the day:</b><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9894copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9895copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Ronnie!! He's SO adorable! Every time I play with him in his cage that he shares with 4 other rabbits, he does this thing where he digs furiously with his front paws into my sleeves or body of my sweater and then pulls at the fabric with his teeth. And he'll do that over and over again the whole time I'm there. Not quite sure what he's looking for so intently but it's hilarious!<br />
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Now I'm off to a friend's house for a Harry Potter movie marathon! <br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_0094copy700bord-1.jpg"><br />
Awwwww yeah :D I feel like wearing my Gryffindor/Ravenclaw scarf and bringing my chopstick wand with me. Does that make it too obvious that I have an obsessive problem?<br />
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<b>Questions:</b><br />
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<b>What's your favourite movie?<br />
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How do you feel about book-turned-movie films?<br />
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How are you spending your Friday, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0">Friday, gotta get down on Friday</a>?! </b><br />
(on a side note: I think it's kind of awful that everyone's bashing her for her awful song/singing. It's her money-greedy record label that should be getting the hate. They signed her knowing full well that she's not the greatest singer out there and even knowingly wrote her a bad song. She just did what every other 13 year old would do if offered a record deal & jumped on the opportunity. Just my two cents!)Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-80014272346472359202011-03-13T20:41:00.000-07:002011-03-13T20:41:47.339-07:00BubblyI've been liking yogurt for breakfast lately. I haven't had oatmeal in weeks!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9861copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Just plain yog with honey, banana, and blackberries. It makes it feel like summer.<br />
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I've started seeing local grocery stores stock strawberries which only means one thing: warm months are near! It certainly doesn't look like it (my window is currently being pelted by rain) but some trees in my neighbourhood have started growing tiny little buds. I am SO ready for spring & summer!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9878copy700bord.jpg"><br />
And gigantic everything-AND-your-kitchen-sink salads. Just chuck it all in there!<br />
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Have you ever heard of seasonal affected depression/SAD? I feel like I'm mentally being affected by the gloomy, dark, short days this winter. My body is crying for sun! I recently learned that most people don't get sick in the winter because of the cold. They get sick because they lack vitamin D from sun exposure and they're cooped up indoors all the time where germs flourish. I'm super jealous of everyone living somewhere where "cold" is defined by something ridiculous like 8 degrees Celsius. Although, I feel so ungrateful complaining about rain & cold when terrible natural disasters have been happening on the other side of the world. Watching earthquake/tsunami footage is terrifying. I just can't imagine.<br />
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Bun of the day:<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9763copy700bord.jpg"><br />
This is Mandy. She was the first bunny to let me pick her up! She was so sweet and calm and buried her head into my elbow.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-19939013966568714452011-03-04T20:40:00.000-08:002011-03-04T21:02:37.698-08:00Asian & A Little EgyptianSome om noms, finally! I was sort of in a rut for the last few months and never felt like taking pictures of my food but I'm feeling inspired again. I really admire bloggers who can put so much effort into taking pictures of every meal and posting every single day. I don't know how you do it! I would be so burned out.<br />
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I made a version of <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/01/17/white-bean-breakfast-hash/">Jessica</a> and <a href="http://wholewheatorbust.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/2706/">Lauren</a>'s White Bean Hash for lunch. I just switched out the meat and replaced it with sesame & garlic marinated tempeh and cooked & drizzled everything with sesame oil.<br />
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It was so yummy! Buttery white beans, salty tempeh, fragrant sesame oil, and plenty of protein... omg! It was my first time trying tempeh. I'm not really sure what to think of it. It seemed so weird to me at first when I took it out of the package. I was starting to wonder if it was really for eating. I just saw a recipe for a <a href="http://toneitup.com/blog/2011/03/we-love-food-friday-thai-peanut-butter-tempeh/">Thai peanut tempeh</a> so I want to give that a try for sure! Let me know how you like your tempeh/any good recipes!<br />
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And here's the bun of the day:<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9749copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Pharaoh bunny is not amused.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-76660395830535584462011-03-01T20:38:00.000-08:002011-03-03T22:32:46.689-08:00Down For The CountFirst thing I noticed when I got to the bunny shelter for my shift today was that a few cages got swapped around to accommodate some new bunnies we received from Victoria. I went around to the other side of the room where Olga was getting some hay to bring outside to the other bunnies and saw that the bunnies that like to huddle moved in with 3 other bunnies in the large cage. I pointed it out to myself out loud and Olga said "Yeah, I moved them in there because Sandy's gone now."<br />
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Just the week before, Nicola, the other girl I volunteer with, was saying how she wanted to adopt Sandy. I started getting excited that she must have followed through with her thought and adopted her! I asked Olga where she went.<br />
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She stopped at the doorway and turned around. "I had to get her euthanised."<br />
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<i>Thunk.</i><br />
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That was the sound of my heart hitting the cold, hay-strewn ground. That thought was sitting at the back of my head but I hoped that it wasn't true. Last post, I mentioned that Sandy had a lung problem and had trouble breathing. Well, turns out it was lung cancer and the vet was surprised that she even alive because she barely had any lung left.<br />
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I had no words while Olga explained to me what happened. I nearly cried right there but saved them until I got home. I spent the rest of my shift cleaning cages and thinking about Sandy the whole time. I wonder if her friends, Herbie & Ronnie, know what happened. They were always together. I wonder if Sandy knew what was wrong with her. I wonder if the bunnies talk amongst themselves at night and gossip about why Sandy never came back from her visit to the vet. There was also another bunny who was euthanized at the same time. Simone, I never met her, but Olga told me she had lacerations all over her chest.<br />
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<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="700" height="555" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XEd_Bo1qjys?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
The brown one is Sandy.<br />
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But enough sad news for the day. Here's some buns of the day instead.<br />
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Above and below are Lois and Clark. Or Clark and Lois. I don't know which is which haha. Clever names, right? More than one of you should get the reference.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9743copy700bord.jpg">Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-61037878495705166552011-02-17T22:24:00.000-08:002011-02-17T22:27:38.475-08:00Long Eared, Chubby Cheeked FriendsBesides being bored out of my mind without any school since December, I've been volunteering at a rabbit rescue shelter. The Vancouver Rabbit Rescue & Advocacy is a shelter run out of the founder's own home. The rabbits take up residence in her backyard, garage, and basement. It's amazing!<br />
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I've been going there to help clean cages twice a week and if you've ever had bunnies as pets, you'll know that they enjoy taking part in recreational pooping. You have to clean their space & litterboxes everyday otherwise it gets really foul. Not a glamourous job at all but getting to see all these friggen cute faces makes it soo worth it!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9558copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Noms? This is Stewart. He was very bitey (not just on the cage) the day I was taking photos of him. He also particularly enjoys ripping up the newspaper laid out on the bottom of his cage and making a big mess for us to clean up.<br />
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This is Larae. Such a beautiful colour! She lives in her cage with her sister Harlow.<br />
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Barnaby. I've been told that he's really silly and does funny things but I've yet to witness his antics!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9585copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Ronnie, Herbie, and Sandy. Okay, these three are real characters. Ronnie rarely moves. Herbie is a cute Lionhead who a bad case of fur mites previously and is missing large patches of fur and the other two always have to groom his fur for him. Sandy has a lung problem and often holds her head up in a certain way and makes noises when she breathes. They're all sort of misfits but they love each other & they're ALWAYS huddled together like that. It's so cute.<br />
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Gavin has the softest fur EVER!<br />
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Cute face.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9645copy700bord.jpg"><br />
This girl arrived at the shelter last week. She was found abandoned in East Van. I don't think she has a name yet but everyone compliments her on her beautiful coat. It's like a gradient!<br />
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The bunnies live primarily in their cages in the garage and in pens in the basement. They get rotated out to run around and play in the backyard twice a day, which is when we go in and clean the emptied our cages. There are at leaaaast 40 bunnies here! A number that's both amazing and sad at the same time because it means they've all been abandoned in some way. <br />
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On each of their cage doors, there's a a little white board that tells you about their personality and how they ended up at the shelter. I can't count how many times it has said that they were neglected due to uninterested children or abandoned because they were too much work. That's pretty much a direct result of buying rabbits from a pet store for a child or as an impulse Easter/other holiday gift. It's so sad :/Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-58228087242050680922011-02-14T22:51:00.000-08:002011-02-14T22:55:25.627-08:00Self-HugsTalk about a fail.<br />
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Of course I would fill the muffin tins way too high thinking that the cupcakes wouldn't rise much. Of course I was wrong. Of course that meant I would have to cut off all the tops of the cupcakes to de-mutate them. And despite my little oopsie, I'm proud to say that my V-Day cupcakes turned out very well! Not too bad for my first time!<br />
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Valentine's Day. The love-it-or-hate-it holiday. One much more important lesson I've learned today - more important than the flowers, chocolate, and cutesy gifts - is the importance of self-love. I've seen it come up a few times today while reading my blog feed and it couldn't be more true. I can't put my heart into anything or anyone else without first being confident in myself, knowing who I am, and accepting everything about myself. Without being the mess that I am in my own head. I think I may have lost myself and my esteem along the way. Now more than ever, I need to rediscover & re-appreciate my lost self-love. I hope that all of you, whether you have special people to celebrate the day with or not, use the day (and everyday, for that matter) instead to give yourself a hug for everything that you are and everything that you do. <br />
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There should be a holiday for that.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9533copy700bord-1.jpg"><br />
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P.S. my cupcake recipient approved :)Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-70344008820582443532011-01-10T20:52:00.000-08:002011-01-10T21:01:25.658-08:00Dream NowI went to <a href="http://www.medinacafe.com/">Medina Cafe</a> with Wilby last week for lunch after having wanting to try it for a while. I wrote about it on <a href="http://gailn.yelp.ca">yelp</a> so I won't go into detail here but to sum it up: I had the lavender latte and la tartine & both were deeeelicious! I love it when I see simple, whole foods beautifully presented and put together so well! I really liked the place & will definitely go back.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9356copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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While everyone else is going back to school for the Spring term, I'm going to be sitting here at home because ... I'm not going back to school. Shock horror! Not back to my university anyway. After 2 years of going to SFU for Biology, I've decided that I really can't do it. I still LOVE biology (I could cry watching Planet Earth just because the universe is so amazing!) and I really wish I could do something with it for the rest of my life but I hated the "getting there" part. <br />
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I hate the school system at SFU. I hate how the grade you get isn't based on what you're capable of but is instead what mark you get COMPARED to everyone else in the class and if everyone else is getting lower marks then you get scaled up. I hate how the class average on exams is often something like 30% and all the marks are scaled upwards so that people pass the class. The classes don't reflect how interesting the subject is at all. I really can't understand how some professors & TA's I've had got the position in the first place. I hate we're paying $600+ a course to read a textbook front to back. And we're spending 4+ years & dropping $30,000+ for a one-line title to put on your resume. I hate that you're just another mass of flesh taking up a seat in a lecture hall of 400 other people and that you could go through 4 years of school without anyone ever knowing your name. I hate 3/4 of the people in a class don't actually belong there and they're only getting by in the class because of mark scaling (I'm included in this category). I hate how everything is based on luck, not your own hard work.<br />
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That's a lot of hate there! I felt like I was wasting away my life! I couldn't see how anything I was learning outside of my biology courses was relevant to me. <br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9362copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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So I've decided to completely change the direction of my life. I'm going to a college for a photography program this Fall. That's the plan, anyway. That completely depends on if I get accepted or not. I just applied. Wish me luck! I really need it. And if I don't get into the program then I'm on my own. I'm not going to go back to SFU. I'm going to learn everything on my own, read a ton of books, learn from everything & everyone, and shoot like a madman. You might be seeing a lot more food-unrelated photos here soon. <br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9363copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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Saying that I'm scared doesn't even begin to cover how I feel. I feel like I don't have the security of a degree in something that every person seems to have in order to be considered "educated". I don't know if I'll find any work or if this is really what I want to do. I'm not expecting to make much money, if any at all, in the 5-10 years (or longer!) after my program or after trying to teach myself. I'm dreading that people are going to tell me that I can't make it and can't make a career out of photography during those years where I'm trying to gain experience. But I know I have to do this! I have always been a dreamer of big dreams but for the first time, I'm actually going to chase it. I hope you'll stick with me on this journey!Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-33767959572188728282011-01-07T22:38:00.000-08:002011-01-07T23:35:55.167-08:00Natural & Not-So-Natural WondersMan have I missed these! I went on a photo trip last week with Wilby, Jeff, and Sam to Cypress. We went to Lighthouse Park on Cypress first where we took a <s>mini-hike</s> walk in the park to find a sweet cove with a great view & neat things.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9085copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Sam doing what he does best - jumping off big shit.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9096bwcopy700bord.jpg"><br />
Check out this piece of eroded driftwood! Isn't it naturally carved and worn away in the most beautiful & intricate way?! I was in love with it! So inspiring.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9101copy700bord.jpg"><br />
LOOK AT IT! It makes me feel like painting a picture or something really artistic that I don't have the skill to actually do.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/lighthouse-1.jpg"><br />
And then we found the <i>lighthouse</i> in Lighthouse Park. Oh so creative name.<br />
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Further up the mountain, we stopped by a viewpoint of the city. First thought: is that SMOG? And yes, it is. I've never seen the smog that bad in Vancouver (but then again, I've never really had a view of the city from this high during the day before). I'm sure this doesn't begin to compare with LA or China but it's still unsettling. Good job, Vancouver. Not to mention, it made these pictures a pain in the ass to edit!<br />
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BAM! SNOW!<br />
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We reached Cypress Bowl at the top and was greeted by a lot of a certain powdery white substance that we've been lacking in the city. It hasn't snowed here since November when I posted those snow photos last - VERY uncharacteristic of Vancouver.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/liftsnowboards-1.jpg"><br />
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We were on our way back down during the sunset and we stopped on the side of the road to see this. Breathtaking!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_9305copy700bord-1.jpg"><br />
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We ended off with Starbucks at the new one on the corner on Boundary that we never knew opened. So nice, comfy, and quiet there. We just talked and talked and played with cameras. It was exactly why I love going on photo trips with these people. It's not even about the photos. The best part is just hanging out with extremely laid-back, unassuming, hilarious friends. :DGailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-76045866339053109082010-12-30T03:07:00.000-08:002010-12-30T03:07:16.390-08:00Generation AI'm behind on pictures as usual.. this is Christmas dinner with Wilby at <b><a href="http://locusonmain.com">The Locus</a></b>. We were originally going to go to <a href="http://grubonmain.ca">Grub</a> but I forgot to call to make reservations until a few hours before we left and they were full until 9pm! <br />
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The Locus turned out to be awesome though and just down the street from Grub. Amazing tasting food! I had the risotto cakes and a chocolate mint creme brulee. The risotto cakes were so good, omgash. I can't for the life of me figure out what their seasoning was - it made mushrooms taste like bacon. Weird! But I wasn't much of a fan of my dessert because A) I don't like mint and B) I discovered that I don't like creme brulee. Just wanted to try it, that's all! If you're interested or might come visit Vancouver anytime soon, you can check out my restaurant reviews on my <b><a href="http://gailn.yelp.ca">yelp</a></b>!<br />
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<u><b>Books I've been reading lately:</b></u><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8625copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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Why yes, two of those are cookbooks. Doesn't everyone read cookbooks like novels? <b><i>Generation A</i> by Douglas Coupland</b> is particularly interesting. I seriously just randomly picked it up off the shelf at the library because the cover looked nice (I judge books by their covers). I've only just started it but it's basically about:<br />
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1) our world in it's technologically advanced future where all the bees in the world have gone extinct<br />
2) all the food crops in the world have died out as a result of lack of pollination<br />
3) all the crops remaining are genetically modified with "patented genes"<br />
4) everyone is obese<br />
5) 5 people in different parts of the world are stung by a bee (they're supposed to be extinct) at the same time<br />
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It's such a coincidence that I picked up a satirical book about food. ESPECIALLY after watching <b>Food, Inc.</b> just a few days before. The book even name-dropped Monsanto and I practically yelled "I KNOW WHO THAT IS!!" upon reading it after learning about it from Food, Inc.<br />
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It's a really good documentary. I was disgusted. Disgusted at what happens in the industry and all the deceptive ways major food companies & the government pass pure garbage as food that people ignorantly consume. If you have an hour or so, I'd recommend watching it!<br />
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<b>What are you reading?</b><br />
<b>What's a good documentary you've watched?</b>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-20339366630858093412010-12-24T20:56:00.000-08:002010-12-24T20:56:29.526-08:00Animal PartyI want to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS! I've been dabbling in the holiday festivities this past week and I've been in such a food coma. And it's not even Christmas yet! I hope you're all having tons of fun because I am!<br />
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I had Christmas dinner with my friends at Mary's house two days ago and it was so nice hanging out together. I rarely see most of them during the school year. <br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8667copy700bord.jpg"><br />
They brought salad for me :)<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8669copy700bord.jpg"><br />
My quinoa stir-fry from Veganomicon. I liked it! But most were cautious about eating the strange squiggly beady things that no one could remember the name of. It probably would been more appreciated had I been dining with people who eat like I do!<br />
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Saooo much food! I've eaten so much over the past few days that I feel like my digestion has just stopped! I'm never hungry anymore! AaaaaH!<br />
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I haven't built a gingerbread house for as long as I can remember and that's probably a good thing because I'm terrible at it! But Amanda & I still ended up with a pretty darn snazzy house. It was so much fun! <br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/gingerbread.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8713copy700bord.jpg"><br />
This one's ours! The giant red thing in the front is a doorbell, fyi. It even has gargoyles!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8740copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Emily & Megan's. Complete with support beams for the splitting roof.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8698copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Mandy & Julia's. There's a dude suntanning on the lawn.<br />
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Desiree & Amy's. I should point out that 1) Desiree is practically formally trained to decorate gingerbread houses (her & the culinary arts program in high school built <a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_5183copy.jpg">this</a> a few years ago - crazy right?!) and 2) Amy is an art student. When you put those two people together, you're pretty much going to get something crazy looking. They even cut hella fir trees out of Fuzzy Peaches!<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8739copy700bord.jpg"><br />
And then there's Mary & (the other)Amy's teepee-turned-igloo-after-it-fell-apart. Hahaha, I love it.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8717copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8716copy700bord.jpg"><br />
Our little gingerbread village!<br />
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<b>Which house is your favourite?</b><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8751copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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Anyways, I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas!Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-61907236090596039832010-11-25T18:55:00.000-08:002010-11-26T21:48:20.954-08:00Stillness<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8453copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/snow1.jpg"><br />
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BAM! Snow. We had a bit of a snowstorm today. I don't know about you, but I love that stillness in the air whenever it's cold & snowy. Maybe it's the fact that everyone's taken refuge indoors and traffic slows down & stays on the main streets. Everything is just so <i>still</i> and quiet. All you can hear is the snow squishing under your shoes and the sound of your own breath. It's heavenly. But I probably won't be saying the same thing in a few days when this mess gets slushy.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/icetrees.jpg"><br />
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Happy Thanksgiving, Americans. While you guys are all having long weekends and Thanksgiving feasts, I'm here freezing in my basement and hoping classes are still cancelled tomorrow so that maybe I can have a long weekend too. But I'm just kidding. :) Enjoy your day! Canadian Thanksgiving isn't nearly as a big of a deal here, it seems.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-73358318407661970112010-11-20T19:22:00.000-08:002010-11-20T19:22:10.638-08:00Deathly HallowsI just watched Harry Potter.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/cryinghp.jpg"><br />
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That is all.<br />
(IT WAS SO GOOD)Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-58965679529103541282010-11-17T21:34:00.000-08:002010-11-17T21:34:23.697-08:00Coming Up With Titles Is The Hardest Part Of BloggingLunch today:<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8371copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/sammie.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8397copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8416copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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Hummus, mustard sprouts, avocado, black pepper, all on this neat little sunflower seed bread I found at Whole Foods. It's all compact and squished into a little package - totally looks like <a href="http://healthyexposures.wordpress.com">Jessica's</a> pumpernickel with the awkward couple on the packaging. Mine has a photo on the label in the same spot too - but just not of a nuzzling couple haha. I've been kind of obsessed with avocado lately. Most days I'll just have a single mashed avocado on toast. So simple but SO GOOD. And yeah, I totally use my own clothing to lay down as "backdrops". Annnnd I picked up some wheat berries to try yesterday. Can't wait to try sprouting them! I'll share process photos. <br />
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Other news: I have been hating on school (WINTER BREAK PLEASE RIGHT NOW) and working on <a href="http://gailngphotography.com">this baby</a>. My photography site! Chchchcheck it out when it's finished. And I (badly) want Rihanna's hair:<br />
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OBSESSED.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-73731720672950642442010-11-08T15:50:00.000-08:002010-11-08T15:50:10.435-08:00Clouds? Pillows? Nope & NopeGuys....<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8231copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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I think<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8233copy700bord.jpg"><br />
<br />
I just found<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8236copy700bord.jpg"><br />
<br />
the best<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8241copy700bord.jpg"><br />
<br />
vegan pancake recipe<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8245copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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that I've ever made.<br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8270copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8272copy700bord.jpg"><br />
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With my newest obsession: cranberry sauce. I've been making it to go with nearly every meal. My wooden spoon even turned perma-pink! <b>And a confession:</b> the pancakes in these pictures <b>aren't</b> the actual ones made from this recipe. I just didn't want to take the pictures all over again. I promise they look <b>way better</b>.<br />
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I used honey in both the pancakes and the sauce but if you're vegan, go ahead and use any other sweetener you like! The result shouldn't differ too much from the cloud-like fluffiness of these pancakes. Even the batter had a mousse-like texture.<br />
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<b>Soft & Fluffy Pancakes</b><br />
<i>serves 1</i><br />
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1/2 C whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 T honey (agave/date syrup/maple syrup/etc if vegan)<br />
1 T baking powder<br />
1/2 C almond milk<br />
1 T extra virgin olive oil (I used cold-pressed)<br />
tiny pinch of salt<br />
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You know the drill. Combine the dry. Combine the wet. Add wet to dry. Mix 'em up. Use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into a pan on medium heat. Two big, heaping tablespoons for each pancake gives you exactly 4 small pancakes. Flip when the edges aren't mushy anymore.<br />
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<b>Basic Cranberry Sauce</b><br />
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1/4 - 1/2 C fresh cranberries<br />
2 T honey<br />
enough water to almost cover cranberries<br />
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Heat water & cranberries in a deep pan on medium heat until cranberries start popping. Lower heat to a simmer. Squish the cranberries with the back of a wooden spoon & stir occasionally. Add honey & more water if it becomes too jam-y. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. <br />
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<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_8291copy700bord.jpg">Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-23386181148194866092010-10-10T19:12:00.000-07:002010-10-10T20:45:09.449-07:00Real Food<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7593copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br />I had a pancake phase sometime during the last month and I winged some pancakes on various weekends when I was able to have a leisurely morning to take as long as I wanted to make breakfast. These were some vegan coconut banana pancakes and they were so good I'm not ready to share any recipe yet because after I made them, I looked at some actual legit pancake recipes and I realized I didn't put any baking powder/soda in mine. They still seemed to work though! So I don't know. I should probably try it again the proper way before sharing. <br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7601copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br />I have also taken a huge interest in raw food. I had a week where I challenged myself to stay 100% raw but I failed. It was hard ONLY because of the large volume of food you need to have at hand. When you're eating raw, fruits & vegetables make up such a small part of your required caloric intake so you have to eat lots of it. I had a lot of trouble keeping enough fresh produce in the house for the week while restricted by my weekly grocery budget. Especially if you're buying mostly organic, it adds up to a lot of money, unfortunately. <br /><br />That realization was infuriating. The fact that it's so much cheaper to eat unhealthy, processed, and packaged food than to eat a big salad where all its contents grow from a tree.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7701copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br />Another thing brought to my realization while learning about raw food was all the corporate bullcrap going on. The <b>food pyramid</b> is <i>bogus</i>, in my opinion. Wilby asked me if I ever noticed how <b>grains</b> are the largest group on the food pyramid released by the Canadian government (or the USDA in the states). Fruits and vegetables are second. Why are we supposed to consume more <i>processed</i> food than natural plant food? You always hear people telling you to eat more fruits and vegetables. Want to fight illness? <b>Eat more veggies.</b> Want to grow up to be big and strong? <b>Eat more veggies.</b> Want to lose weight? <b>Eat more veggies.</b> Your mother, your doctor, everyone says that. They don't tell you to eat more bread. Or sneak more pasta onto your plate at dinner. So why does the government tell you that? Simple reason: <b>money</b>. <br /><br />The grain industry holds such a huge monopoly over our food. Chips, bread, pastries, pasta, noodles, rice, cookies, crackers, even oats. They've become such staples in our diets & the manufacturers are raking in the dough. The government doesn't make any money (maybe from land taxes or something but not nearly as much) when a local farmer grows up a crop of fresh fruit or veggies and sells it at the farmer's market. None of that food goes through the government or any kind of facility at all. They don't benefit = they don't endorse it. <br /><br />Another thing about the food pyramid is the dairy & meat part of it. I'm not even going to start arguing about that one but many of you & me all know that vegans & raw foodists have been living fantastic lives without any of those. They're not necessities. They're big business products being pushed on us to buy. And it's even more angering that the food pyramid is something teachers are required to teach us in grade school! Sure, I guess it's not a terrible diet to live off of, many people do and that's great for them, but it's certainly not the <b>only</b> way to eat so I don't think we should be taught that like it's a set of rules that we must live by or else we'll contract some horrible disease and die.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7698copy700bord.jpg"><br /><center><i>You know you've made a good smoothie when it holds its peak!</i></center><br /><br />Clearly, I'm still eating grains (re: pancakes). But some raw tricks & recipes I've learned have still stayed with me. I eat mostly raw when I'm at home now and avoid cooking my produce, nuts, and seeds as much as possible. Smoothies have been a huge part of my meals. They are amazing, 100% raw, fast, easy, taste soooo good, have pretty colours, and there's virtually no way you can mess them up! This beautiful yellow (I think I seriously squealed after it finished blending because of the colour that resulted) one had:<br /><br /><b>1 banana<br />1 apple<br />1 navel orange<br />meat of half a young coconut<br />& watahhhhh</b><br /><br />It's probably the simplest one I've made and yet one of the tastiest. Simplify your life! Food shouldn't have to mean a 15-ingredient recipe followed meticulously. <b>Real food is simple.</b> And the most delicious when it is. When's the last time you ate an orange and I mean <i>reaaally</i> ate it? Like peel each segment apart, look at the brilliant colours nature gave it, observed each tiny dome of juice, held it up to the sun and tore it in half and watched the droplets catch the light, savoured each slice in your mouth like a piece of expensive chocolate, or noticed every single flavour it had - spicy, sweet, bitter, sour, all of them at once? <b>Real food is amazing.</b>Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-73246836200721797422010-10-09T22:13:00.000-07:002010-10-09T22:34:23.601-07:00Summer?Holy crow, where have I been. I feel like I fell off the face of the earth for a whole month. Ever since school started, I've been swamped in reading, reading, and more readings. Shortly after I replaced my camera, I fried my computer. I literally fried it - it involved a huge white electrical flash and the smell of burning. So I didn't have a computer all month and freaked out the whole time over the possibility of losing all my very important photos & files (they were saved!). So I've just been having the best luck ever, it seems... breaking my camera, frying my computer, passing out, knocking my teeth out.. yep, I've been reaaaal fortunate.<br /><br />But besides my great luck, I have so much to talk about and I can't wait to show you what I've been eating, what I've been doing, and pictures I've taken but haven't even begun to edit. <br /><br />I needed to post these pictures asap because they were all the way from the first week of September! Kind of unfitting now that it's way past summer and tomato season is winding down (or over?) but here they are anyway. Some beeeautiful heirloom tomatoes from the farmer's market at Trout Lake. Choosing them was like being in a candy store! They looked amazing and tasted incredible.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7251copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br />You really don't know what a real tomato tastes like until you eat them organic & local. Supermarket ones just pale in comparison. I could've eaten them like apples.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7273copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/tomatorow.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_7270copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br />This makes me wish it was still summer. I miss summer produce! But I can't wait to show ya'll the new in-season food I've been trying.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-12317715495085513952010-09-02T22:07:00.000-07:002010-09-02T23:53:37.534-07:00Sunny Days No MoreIt's funny that I post this now because just 2 days ago Vancouver had a record-breaking rainfall. We <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Vancouver+breaks+time+rainiest+record+August/3466302/story.html">broke our record for the rainiest day in August</a> in almost 6 years. Vancouver is known for it's rain but I don't think I've seen anything like Tuesday's rain before. The skies were literally just dousing us in a really consistent and heavy rain. Like someone up there left the tap running for far too long and it flooded the sink. What a way to end August.<br /><br />But anyways, before all that, Wilson & I went swimming at the Kits Beach outdoor pool sometime last week. We've been trying to cram all the things we wanted to do this summer into the few days we have left before school. The pool is supposed to be a saltwater pool but it didn't actually taste salty. And I know that sounds really gross because I basically just confessed that I drank pool water with who-knows-what in it... but it happens to everyone, right?! The pool's also supposed to be the length of four Olympic pools. Not sure how accurate that is but it sure tired us out swimming just a single length of it. That's really sad..<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1603copy700bord.jpg"><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/butt.jpg"><br />Some booty fo you.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/shirt.jpg"><br /><br />This was also the day I <i>broke my camera</i>. Yeah. I broke it. Which is why I haven't been posting. I dropped it while we were taking those silly pictures and it bounced once on my towel but that didn't stop it from making a second bounce on the pool deck ground next to it. ....It didn't bounce anymore after that. <b>The damage:</b> the bottom of the body cracked, the left side right next to lens popped out, the lens release button is jammed in, the shutter sticks when pressed and only releases when pressed again, and because of the shutter problem, it can't take any pictures. The lens that was on it at the time wasn't even mine! I borrowed it from Sam and I'm so damn lucky that it was fine after the fall. <br /><br />We rushed it to Broadway Camera right afterwards for some damage control but they said it was too serious and just directed me straight to the Nikon office. We went to Nikon on Monday and I just received my estimate for repairs and they actually refused to repair it because it wouldn't be "economical". Instead, they offered to trade it in for a refurbished D90 for $640. Which is actually a great deal and the D90 is my dream camera. Buuuut the problem with that is that I don't have $640 right now. <br /><br />Plan B: we scoured craigslist for another D50. Found one! We just went to pick it up tonight. I'm down $250 (well, Wilby is because he's lending me the money) but at least I've learned my lesson. Always strap in! :/ Especially important now that I have a sort of quasi-job as a photographer! But more on that next post.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5092923199003959200.post-19760695372198992762010-08-29T16:37:00.000-07:002010-08-30T19:06:00.071-07:00SeawallLast week, Wilby & I biked the Stanley Park seawall. I'm loving these long-ish bike rides. I feel so accomplished afterwards! We made lots of little photo stops to take pictures that I'm going to dump below.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1483bwcopy700bord.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_3512copy700bord-1.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_3528copy700bord.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1499copy700bord.jpg" /><br />There were A LOT of other bikers/rollerbladers/walkers/runners out too because it was such a gorgeous day.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1486copy700bord.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1493copy700bord.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_3569copybw700bord.jpg" /><br />This was not my idea.... But awwwww yeah. ;)<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/seawallbikeroute700bord.jpg" /><br />I even drew out our route for you! It was about 12km in total. We hadn't planned on biking the Coal Harbour part but after we came out of Stanley Park, we just happened to be at Coal Harbour so we thought we might as well just bike to Waterfront and get on the skytrain there instead of getting on a bus to go to Burrard THEN get on the train.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1518copy700bord.jpg" /><br />There were SOOO many beautiful views along the way.<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1531copy700bord.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1523copy700bord.jpg" /><br />And so many quirky momuments & structures I've never seen in Vancouver before. Like this random tree on a rock! I'm sure there's a proper name for it...<br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1549copy700bord.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/detour/DSC_1558copy700bord.jpg" /><br />This is the Lost Lagoon. Spooky name but a gorgeous, totally not scary place. In the daytime, anyway.Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08294900139654458014noreply@blogger.com2