Summer Bucket List: Balcony Garden

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Last year on my summer bucket list I put down balcony garden as one of my goals as I’ve never had a green thumb before. Plants and me don’t really get along. They can’t tell me they are thirsty or if I’ve drowned them in water. I had 1 planter and 2 smaller containers in 2013 and kept them alive last summer! Go me! So this year I decided to go a bit bigger. I didn’t plan my trip to the garden centre at all. I just grabbed a cart and started filling it.

I only bought one bag of soil on my first trip and clearly underestimated my needs. I was only able to plant two of the long planters, my herb garden and a dahlia plant until I went back a few days later and bought two more big bags for the third long planter and two standing planters I bought.

2013 / 2014 Winter Bucket List

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I’m kinda sorta in love with bucket lists lately. If you remember I made a summer one this year to rock the season to the fullest. So to ensure I do not hibernate this winter or miss out on life despite the cold and the snow here without further ado is my Winter Bucket List!
I luckily have already had the chance to go to the Christmas Market in the Distillery District so cross number one off the list. It’s the perfect family outing, romantic date or best friend bonanza. I’m so thankful that my girl Michelle was my date. I wouldn’t have asked to be there with anyone else. She’s been a great rock in my life this year. It’s always a beautiful thing when former friends come back into your life at the right time in the right way.

We both tried mulled wine for the first time. I could’ve had more than one glass. Way more 😉

Just stare at the tree for a few seconds and tell me you don’t believe in wonder. I dare you.

What’s on your winter bucket list? Are you going to make one?

Update: Here’s what I accomplished over the winter of 2013/2014

Camping Packing Tips

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I got this cute Facebook message from a reader that is 1. adorable and 2. gave me a great idea for a blog post!

If you remember I went on an epic canoe trip to Algonquin Park this past summer. My canoe trippers were just as OCD as me and we actually made a packing list in a google doc that was shared with them team! These are my kind of people!

So let’s help my girl out. Here are the camping packing tips you requested. Hopefully others find it helpful too!

What to pack?

On my canoe trip I brought a pair of under fleece pants and then waterproof over pants. I technically should’ve just brought one but I didn’t want to purchase something new at MEC. I did bring two tshirts but I can get away with one. I just like putting on a fresh shirt in the morning.

I brought a light light long sleeve and I brought a cold gear under armour long sleeve. If you’re camping in the late fall I suggest the cold gear under armour only.

I slept in lululemon tights, a long sleeve and put on my hoody halfway through the night when I got cold. You can get away with just 2 pairs of socks. Wear one until filthy dirty or they get wet. Keep one pair for dry at the campsite.

I suggest purchasing a quick dry towel from canadian tire or MEC. You probably won’t be swimming in the fall but if you want to wash your face you can use this to dry it.

I actually brought 3 pairs of shoes and it was a bit too much. I could’ve gotten away with just the wet shoes for portages and in the canoe and flip flops at the campsite. I liked having my trail runners though for comfort.

The headlamp is key for around the campsite. Get one that has the red setting for around others so you don’t blind them. This was a lifesaver for midnight bathroom breaks. I don’t know how I camped as a kid with just a flashlight.

I purchased a barrel sleeping bag from Canadian Tire for this trip as I needed a new one. I got a lightweight bag liner since we camped in the summer but I would recommend a fleece liner for fall camping.

Baby wipes are your key to staying clean. I gave myself a morning wipe down with those babies 🙂 You can use them after bathroom trips too. Hand sanitizer works better as it doesn’t leave waste. I kept used ones in a ziplock bag in my pack.

I forgot to put water bottle in the picture!!!! DON’T FORGET!! You must stay well hydrated! Pattling and portaging can really dehydrate you. I didn’t nearly drink enough while camping this summer and we got a few headaches from our travels and then chugged water at the campsites.

My favourite purchase from MEC for the trip was my collapsible bowls & cup.

You don’t have to purchase an axe. If you’re leaving from The Portage Store in algonquin they rent out axes. They also gave us a garbage bag. We were pretty good and ate everything we brought with us but the packaging we used for the food went into this and then back into the food barrel.

We didn’t bring a tarp with us this summer but this would’ve been key if it rained.

What should you pack for snacks?

I brought Vega Sport Protein Bars but we had to eat them the first day as they were covered in chocolate. I would recommend bringing their Vibrancy Bars or Endurance Bars instead.

I also packed nuts & dried mango slices in zip lock bags for snacking fuel in the canoe. I stored them in the top pouch of my backpack so I could easily get to them.

Regarding the man seeing you at your “non best”. I say embrace it. Enjoy no makeup. I considered mascara but come on!! Enjoy not having to worry about that. They should wake up beside you and realize they are truly lucky to have you beside them. But sunglasses and headbands are definitely needed regardless 🙂

Algonquin Park Canoe Trip

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Get ready for a picture overload!

I am loving my summer bucket list. It’s making me love life and super happy to have all these experiences. Early in the Spring I was invited to join a canoe trip up to Algonquin Park and couldn’t have been more excited. I met everyone through the Lululemon Run Club on Queen Street West that I attended throughout the winter & spring and have formed great friendships from it.

So six of us headed north last Friday morning on our wilderness journey. We rented ultralight Kevlar canoes from the Portage Store on Canoe Lake. We had mapped a decent route that would take us to Tom Thomson Lake the first night and then Burnt Island Lake on our second night.

We hit the water on Canoe Lake and due to my obsession with the death of Tom Thomson begged and pleaded to go see his “initial” gravesite. He’s not actually buried there anymore but in Mowat cemetery on the same lake. Rumour has it that he was dug up and buried on his family plot near Owen Sound Ontario but many years later a body was dug up at the site we visited. At first it was believed to be an aboriginal but due to forensic advancement it was proven to be Tom Thomson. When we hit the dock to the gravesite memorial I went running up the hill leaving Michael my canoe partner madly holding onto the dock. I was that excited to see it.

Sarah and I even did some good old fashion wilderness yoga in front of the totem pole memorial and there may have been some levering done by Sarah & Marek on the cairn. I may have yelled at them to get off but then went with it because the picture is kinda epic. Please oh please may we not get in trouble for this.

I had to include this picture. Because my friends are hot and have sexy muscles canoeing 🙂 So we headed off to handle 4 portages. Picture below of Marek powering through with the canoe and Daniela with the “Taj Mahal” (our massive tent)! Our canoeing teams traded off carrying the canoe each portage. Everyone carried their pack and Sarah who is an absolute rockstar carried our heavy heavy food barrel every single trip. She’s badass. Michael definitely did most of the heavy lifting for our tandem and saved me on two portages when the canoe was threatening to flatten me to the ground. I would like to believe I redeemed myself on the last day on a long portage. Even dropped the canoe and realized my hat was missing and had to trail run it back to the hat and back to the water. My trail runners finally got good use!

So we actually ate like kings and very healthy! I’m going to post tomorrow our menu as this post was going to be way to long with all the food recaps. We splurged on desserts and bulk barn candy to snack on but that’s a ok because we really did burn a ton of energy paddling & portaging. We definitely didn’t slack and I felt like we were constantly racing to the next portage or lake or campsite.

To make camp on Friday night we found an amazing campsite on the East side of Tom Thomson lake so we could watch the sun set. An integral part of the first day. The first picture in this post is just when the sun dipped below the trees. Daniela, Michael and I set up the “Taj Mahal” as we called it as soon as we hit the campsite. This tent was magical. It could seriously fit at least 7 people like sardines so 4 people in the tent was glorious. We even had a divider for girls & boys sides. Yes we’re adults. See photo below. I swear I did more to help than just hold one set of poles but the picture was snapped at an amazing time to make it look like I just hold poles 🙂

Firewood was needed. Machete’s were used, axes were broken out. Rocks were broken. See second picture below. The boys grinned and giggled like little kids and the girls cautioned safety! Typical right…

And then we just relaxed and enjoyed the perfection that surrounded us.

Daniela and I were both Camp Tanamakoon campers as kids. We may have serenaded Michael on the drive up to the park and then on the water with countless camp songs. Daniela also remembered a canoe trip tradition of bringing rope for bracelets. Yay canoe trip friendship cheesy bracelets. Below was the wind shelter constructed to burn the ends of the bracelet so we could melt the ends and connect them.

First night nothing crazy to report. We passed out before 10pm. Rockstars we are. After we packed up the next morning and did some Macgyvering on the Taj Mahal as the bag kinda sort of broke we headed back out on the water for a doozy of a day. 8 portages in total and we knew pain was coming!

On Saturday we found an island to have lunch on. Just picturesque.

We found the most amazing campsite on Saturday night. We had paddled a bit around the lake and even raced three canoes from a boys camp for a campsite but we were patient and finally found a huge site. It even had a fireplace!

We lucked out with weather and it only started to rain as we headed to bed that night. Again around 10pm and we even had an afternoon nap. I think we’re old. Thank you Mother Nature for the amazing weather! I only had to pull out the rain gear once at 2 am for a middle of the night trip to the throne box. If you don’t know what a throne box is…. you’re missing out on life lol.

And then it was time to pack up and head back to the city, but not before one last picture with my girl. I’m so glad I got to spend time with Daniela. More canoe trips please!!

The last day of paddling was hard. We had some epic winds and waves. Marek captured a picture of Michael and I powering home. The picture is deceptively calm because we paddled through some pretty strong head winds our entire third day on the water.

The crew below. From left to right. Sarah and her man Ian (who are freaking adorable together and Ian is freaking hilarious – we were never bored with his jokes) I had only met them once before through Marek but eased into a great time with them. Sarah was way too awesome to hang out with and more canoe trips need to be planned. Marek (or mini Marek, he’s tall but decided to squat like he had to pee for this pic) is third from the left then Daniela, Moi & Michael!

I already want to go back. The beauty of Algonquin Park can really not be captured in pictures. You must go and experience it and let it soak in. Stay tuned tomorrow for all the amazing food we ate while tripping.

Summer Bucket List: Healthy Picnic

7 / 3 / 135 / 3 / 19

I didn’t put “have a picnic” on my summer bucket list but it’s definitely something I wanted to do this year. So last week the idea started floating through my head…

I started a Pinterest board for healthy picnic ideas.

Then I made a menu on my iPhone using the notes app. Plain and simple. The only thing I was worried about was planning the portions for my boyfriend. The man is a bodybuilder and often eats my bodyweight in food at one sitting so I wasn’t sure on how much I should serve him.

Last Saturday morning came and I got myself to the grocery store. Got all the provisions and prepared everything for easy packing or cooking right before we head out for the picnic. I wasn’t sure when we’d have it on the long weekend but I wanted to be ready for spontaneity (planned spontaneity).

Sunday came and the weather was perfect so I headed out with the man and we bought ourselves a nice blanket from Walmart. I had found the perfect wicker picnic basket for a reasonable price on Pier 1’s website. I was hoping to go but we were running so many errands on Sunday we opted to not get the basket because I decided the cooler I had originally packed the food in was just as good!

I served store bought guac (opted for this as a time saver) & flax seed blue corn chips as an appetizer.

Drinks were refreshing cold bottles of Rise Kombucha (a favourite brand of mine) from Montreal.

The main course was Turkey, Quinoa, Green Onion & Red Pepper wraps (we opted for Ezekiel wraps). I cooked up the mixture quickly before we left so the filling was still warm!

And then dessert was the fruit salad served in waffle bowls (I got the idea for cones from Pinterest for cones but saw the bowls at Loblaws and got excited. We bought a mini donut maker at Canadian Tire earlier and I tried making the Tone It Up healthy donut recipe. They turned out great! I used Magnum Quattro for the protein powder.

The key to serving a healthy picnic to a bodybuilder is to ensure he goes for all you can eat sushi at lunch and then has no appetite so your portions for him work out! 😉

Have you planned or gone on a picnic yet this summer? What’s on your menu?