Some of the amazing meals I've created lately

I truly believe industrial nations suffer from a social disease where putting garbage into our bodies is acceptable. It isn’t. Ever.

The excuses are as ridiculous as they are many. “I don’t have time to cook” or “eating healthy is expensive”. If those statements were true, it means you are effectively unable to survive. There is NOTHING more important than the fuel you give your body. (If you are truly destitute and rely on food banks for sustenance, I would then agree that the underfunded state of these institutions is resulting in the malnutrition of society’s most vulnerable, but that’s another topic). I’m an extremely busy person with a budget like everyone else, but I accomplish the planning and work necessary to meet the necessities of a healthy lifestyle first.

This is not to imply that changing such deep culturally/socially ingrained habits is easy, but it’s far from impossible. Our society revolves around marketing, convenience, and the almighty dollar. Reject these things from your food. Personally, I’ve struggled with my relationship to food for most of my life. In recent years, I was stuck in a cycle of habitually under-eating and “emotional eating”. During times of stress I would run a nutritional deficit for weeks at a time leading to rapid weight loss, then store fat like a polar bear when I began eating “normally” again. Although I am not an overweight person, I have stored a bit of extra body fat. More importantly, my health was not being taken care of and I was unable to meet my fitness goals.

Although my diet has always consisted of mostly whole foods and I’ve been vegan for two years, I had previously failed to make any significant changes in my habits. Last month I sought help with a nutritionist through a local chain of clinics. She is vegan and is a certified personal trainer to boot. I have followed a comprehensive plan for five weeks that involved only whole foods with the right nutritional balance. Having a plan tailored to me and being accountable to someone else has been invaluable. Best of all it was affordable, although I realize that may not be the case for everyone. If it’s something you can possibly manage, I highly recommend a nutritionist or registered dietitian. It’s even more important than your gym membership.

Alternatively, I have been reading a great book entitled “The Eat-Clean Diet” by Tosca Reno. it is geared towards omnivores, but if you need a starting point, this book is quite comprehensive. It breaks down a general metabolism-fuelling way to eat. The idea is to eat lots of whole foods consistently throughout the day and with the right balance of nutrients. I find it very useful for understanding how my body uses what types of foods and when is the best time to eat them.

Another tool in my toolkit has been Angela Liddon’s Oh She Glows site. Like me, Angela has struggled for years with disordered eating and poor body image. Her site is an amazing collection of (mostly) vegan healthy recipes, healthy living tips, and fun anecdotes from her daily life. I can’t express how much of an inspiration Angela has been.

My results after these 5 weeks have been as follows:

I’ve dropped 8 lbs and nearly an inch from my waist
I’ve doubled the amount of food I consume in a day
I eat nothing processed or refined whatsoever
I drink 3-4 litres of water per day, (these last two are mostly unchanged from before)
I’ve increased my energy level
I take in intense physical activity 4-6 hours per week in addition to my lifestyle of walking and taking public transit everywhere
I’ve reduced my alcohol intake from about 10-15 units to 2 units per week (ex: 6 oz of wine)
and best of all I’m happy as a clam!

I know a diet overhaul may seem like a daunting task, but think of nutrition as the foundation of your life. The bricks and mortar are food and physical activity. If your house is built on sand, then nothing else really matters.

In 2012, I want to celebrate simplicity. Personally it’s been a rocky couple years for me and if this one is boring as all get out, I would be thrilled. With that in mind, I want to share a few personal goals for the year. If I seem a little self centered, you betcha I am. This year is going to be based around self-love, nuturing, and maintaining the growth I achieved in 2011. I think we all get caught up on new achievements. I figure keeping the focus narrow and staying on the same path is best at times. I think about previous years where I’ve had rather broad goals like better health, travel, better personal relationships etc, but how do I narrow that?

- Spend more one-on-one time with the people who really matter – I think I grew apart from some really special people this year. It’s easy to get distracted by an event, a problem or even a shiny new friendship, but don’t take for granted what you already have.

- Seek professional help with a nutritionist – This the final plunge in “correcting” my eating habits. I’ve managed to go vegan and eat almost entirely whole foods, but I have never been able to stop skipping meals and eliminate some unbalanced habits.

- Replace my SLR and get back to my love of the lens. – I was an avid amateur photographer for years, but this year my 2005 Pentax body kicked the bucket. It’s an investment, but so much more necessary than my other “luxury” purchases.

- Spend more time just kissing – This might sound ridiculous, but I think in love it’s easy to get routine and maybe be a little too um… shall we say “goal oriented”?

- Balance out my fitness routine – Specifically, add more cardio and yoga. I got really heavy on strength training since the summertime and some of my other activities went out the window.

- Try an adult ballet class in the spring – I keep telling myself to get back to dance, but I’ve been quite literally afraid to! I’ve said the spring because I need to get my weight and diet in check before taking on new physical activity.

- Re-visit Paris or try some place new – I’ve had a pauper’s trip to Paris on the brain since a man friend went backpacking in Europe. Yes I went several years ago, but I’m certain I would appreciate the city so much more now. Frankly… I think I deserve some romance!

- Stick with my French tutoring/study – My job is going to require me to meet a certain level of bilingualism. I’ve registered for a particular tutoring program already.

- Keep up with creating jewellery – I managed to make a few pieces at the end of 2011. They turned out fairly well for being out of practice, but weren’t as “finished” as I would like.

- Everything in its place/pare down – I want my home to be a place of pure relaxation and for that to happen I really need to keep working on de-cluttering. I’ve definitely made huge strides in certain spaces, but frankly I have too much STUFF. It’s amazing what we in the west can accumulate.

- Keep on writing – In 2010 I got about 50 pages of raw material into a novel. I ended up in a different place mentally and abandoned it, but there is definitely material there that shouldn’t be completely ignored. I think writing anything at all is an excellent mental exercise. There’s a lot to be said for keeping a journal or even a little self-indulgent blog such as this one.

- Have more quiet time – More solitude, more time reading and writing. I tend to be a social butterfly and this past year I definitely spent too much time out and about. While supporting my city’s vibrant arts and culture scene is important, personally I was sometimes using my social outings to avoid dealing with emotions and responsibilities that were less than pleasant.

- Have everything in place to house/condo hunt by end of year – I am not pressuring myself to actually find a property by then, but I want to be READY. This primarily involves my finances and job security. I think with big life changes like this it’s easy to want to rush into something because you feel like you should, but I want to recognize I could be in a different position with lifestyle/family/job/partner and want to hold off for awhile longer.

- Don’t be a people pleaser to my own detriment – Even as an adult, I at times will “get in with the wrong crowd”. In life you are always going to run into people who are toxic. There’s a healthy balance between being closed off to others and making excuses for their poor behaviour or lack of morals. Trying to see the best in others is great, but not if you have to turn the other cheek so often you get dizzy!

- Bobby McFerrin all over the place. – Don’t worry, be happy. I’ve had to tell myself this in order to get the ball rolling towards it actually being the case. If it works, I fully encourage doing so loudly, publicly, and repeatedly!

Inquiring minds must know… what are your plans for this year?

I did feel I owed a brief acknowledgement of Christmas and the Holiday season. I am apologetically agnostic, but I adore the pagan tradition of erecting a tree in my living room, covering it with crazy crap and praying to the General Electric gods by stringing up hundreds of tiny lights. I love Christmas. I love buying friends and relatives little presents or baking them treats. I love having an excuse to get together and have a party. This year I discovered I also love soy nog with a healthy dose of spiced rum.

A lot of folks will reject Christmas outright and complain about the commercialism and forced sense of brotherhood with your fellow man. If this season makes you that miserable, probably yr doin it wrong. There’s no reason why gift giving has to involve Wal-Mart or break your bank. Personally I choose a few close family members and old friends to give to. They receive either hand-made goods, or goods of a sensible monetary value from local retailers. I love to celebrate the re-gifting of items I think others might enjoy as well. There’s enough waste in our society that we should strive to pass unused items on without feeling “cheap”.

On that note, one of my favourite Christmas traditions is to decorate while watching “A Muppet Family Christmas”. If you know me, you’re probably well aware of my Muppet love. This 1988 cross-over special included an appearance by the Fraggles where they sing “Pass It On”. The Fraggles have a holiday similar to Christmas in which they “pass on” the same pebble year after year. Enjoy!

La-la, Pass it on.
When it’s nice and bright,
And it brings delight,
Let your heart choose right,
Gotta, pass it on.

When it rolls real good,
Like a rollie should,
Then it’s understood,
Gonna pass it on.

When you’re giving love away,
Love will come again to stay.
What you give is what you gain,
When you pass it on.

When I give a gift to you,
I know you’re gonna give it too.
That’s why givin’s what we do,
As we pass it on.
Pass it on Pass it on
Pass it on Pass it on

Wish upon all the good things that you do.

Pass it on Pass it on
Pass it on Pass it on

When it’s gone,
It will bring good luck to you.

When you’re giving love away,
Love will come again to stay.
What you give is what you gain,
When you pass it on.

When I give a gift to you,
I know you’re gonna give it too.
That’s why givin’s what we do,
As we pass it on.
Pass it on.

Third Space Gallery presents “Signals” Le Faubourg – September 29, 7PM

Update: I had mistakenly identified “Signals” as the title of Sophie’s performance. It is in fact a series of works presented by Third Space throughout this fall and winter.

Third Space has moved on from their temporary home in Market Square. Sophie Castonguay’s “Signals” will be presented at Le Faubourg, 125 Prince William Street between 7 and 8 PM this evening. Castonguay will present two performance pieces : « Je te donne ma parole » and « Tu m’enlèves les mots de la bouche ». The latter will ask the audience to read aloud sections of text in coordination with Sophie’s performance.

From Third Space’s website: “Sophie Castonguay has exhibited across Quebec and Ontario, as well as in Europe. Her work forms a commentary the nature of the audience and its role in performances, and often involves technology and new media.”

This is a bilingual performance by the Montreal based artist. An artist talk will take place Saturday October 1st at the Saint John Free Public Library from 2 to 3 PM.

Tiers-Espace présente « Signals »

Tiers-Espace a demenagé de leur espace temporaire à Market Square. « Signals » par Sophie Castonguay sera présenté au Faubourg, 125 rue Prince William, le 19h à 20h ce soir. Castonguay présentera deux presentations, soit « Je te donne ma parole » et « Tu m’enlèves les mots de la bouche ». Ce dernier demandera aux spectateurs de faire la lecture d’extraits de textes dictant ainsi la présentation de Sophie.

Du site-web de Tiers-Espace : « Sophie Castonguay a exposé son travail à travers le Québec et l’Ontario ainsi qu’en Europe. Elle utilise fréquemment les nouveaux médias et nouvelles technologies et remet en perspective le rôle et la nature de l’audience dans le médium de la performance. »

Cette présentation par l’artiste montréalaise sera bilingue. L’artiste donnera une conférence le samedi 1er octobre, de 14h à 15h, à la Saint John Free Public Library.

I mistakenly plated this meal on a smaller plate rather than full size. Mushrooms in the rear view mirror may appear larger than they are.

I could have sworn I had previously posted this recipe, but perhaps not! This is not a meal I make often, but when I do it’s a great treat.

Portobello Mushroom Burger

1 large portobello mushroom cap, well washed (de-gilling optional)
1-2 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp oil (I use sesame oil)
Oregano, sea salt, & black pepper to taste.
1 tbsp Tofutti herb and garlic cream cheese
1 tsp Sriracha (opt.)
Multigrain bun (I prefer the thin type myself)
Toppings as desired: I prefer a leaf of kale or some baby spinach, & a tomato slice. Occasionally ketchup.

Brush portobello with oil and spread garlic on interior. Personally I don’t de-gill because I like to get my garlic and oil all in the little grooves. Sprinkle spices to taste. Grill until tender and browned. Brush bun with oil and grill until slightly toasted. Spread Toffuti & Sriracha on bun. Top as desired.

Fresh Cut Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

1 large sweet potato
Approx. 1 tbsp oil (I use sesame)
Pinch of fresh mint flakes
Cayenne, garlic & sea salt to taste.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel & cut sweet potato into thin shoestring style fries and spread onto plate. If you do not have a fry cutter, use a chef’s knife CAREFULLY. Spread onto pan. Spray or brush lightly with oil. Toss on pan and spray again. Spice as described above and toss. Bake for approximately 8 minutes and toss/flip. Bake another 4-7 minutes until fries are crispy and serve.

I’m currently testing out Jason Natural Tea Tree Deodorant Stick. The description provided by Jason is as follows:

“This natural deodorant combines age-old botanical secrets for long-lasting protection. JASON Tea Tree Deodorant Stick is formulated without Aluminum Chlorohydrate. Formulated with Certified Organic Tea Tree Oil, well known for its anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties, as well as Azulene, for its skin soothing properties. Enriched with Certified Organic Corn Starch, this deodorant delivers energizing freshness.”

Indeed it smells delicious, applies easily and does not appear to require re-application as frequently as Aromaco. I never really liked holding the Aromaco deodorant directly in my hand anyway, although I acknowlege the applicator creates waste. It hasn’t been workout-tested as of yet, so we’ll see how it holds up.

My goal is to buy my own home or condo by the end of next year. It’s an all consuming fantasy that has me browsing MLS listings in my spare time. I figure with a conservative estimate, I am ¼ of the way there. I’d be a heck of a lot farther if I could stop giving in to “little luxuries”. There is nothing that lowers my stress level like having my finances in order.

I’m trying to “find” money by cutting back in ways that won’t make a big impact on my enjoyment of life. The money I’m “finding” is really money I’m wasting. There are a lot of n-brainer ways to do this, but asking yourself the right questions and applying the answers to your life can be pretty challenging.

Can I make this at home?

This applies to not only buying lunch through the work week, but coffee, smoothies or snacks that I might feel compelled to pick up during the day. I find my biggest motivation for spending during the workday is boredom. I want to get out of the office, socialize with the barista, ANYTHING to break the monotony of the day. It’s perfectly fine to do that once in awhile, but on average I’m spending 15-20$ per week on coffee and another 30$ on lunch. That could add up to 200$ per month. I still have my first coffee at home in the morning as well. I could happily cut down to a boughten coffee twice per week and lunch twice per month. FOUND 150$ per month

Can I play salesmen?

How many of us still have once-worn or never worn apparel taking up space in our closets? In my fair city a group of 10-15 gals get together once per season and rid our closets of old clothing at a local flea market. Table rental is about 12$, but you can split with a friend. I have a lot of nicer stuff this round and I project to make around 75-100$. I’ve got an additional set of goods that is eBay bound as well and I project to make about 250$ as a conservative estimate. This goes for any old furnishings or other “junk” you have around that you can list on your local classifieds. FOUND: 350$ per season

Do I need to pay full price for this?

The answer to this question is probably no. Yeah, yeah we all know about sales and couponing, but I come from the instant gratification generation. Household items like toiletries, detergent, etc are on sale somewhere literally all the time. If they’re not, don’t buy it. Just don’t. Stock up when you can take advantage of a sale and avoid an emergency situation that leaves you paying 10$ on toilet paper. Just taking advantage of the lowest average weekly sales every time will save me 30-40%. FOUND: 20-25$ per month

Can I fix it instead of replacing it?

The source of this problem for me is just plain laziness. If a coat or sweater button falls off, it usually sits in the closet until I forget I own it all together. Same goes for footwear that may need the heel lifts repaired or the soles glued. The services at my local cobbler are all under 10$. I can save a 100$ pair of shoes this way. For me this is huge as I’m hard on my footwear and difficult to fit. I’d be looking for new footwear every couple of months otherwise. Broken handbag zipper or leather that needs cleaning? If your local cobbler doesn’t offer these services and you don’t have a leather shop, try speaking to the manufacturer. Make a list of the stuff you need repaired. Do it right now. On average, this would be FOUND: 300$ per season.

Do I need this in my grocery cart?

I eat a vegan diet and mostly whole foods, organic when possible. Because of that my grocery bill is anywhere from 80-100$ biweekly for one person. I consider this fairly high. Where a person can cut down in this department is fairly personal. For me my organic multigrain cereals are costing me an arm and a leg (Damn you, Kashi. DAMN YOU). Steal cut oats can be made just as tasty and definitely have more bang for my buck. Furthermore, anytime I buy vegan friendly “junk food” it’s usually 3x as much as your conventional treat. I may as well save the guilt. When it comes to the staples, try to apply the same philosophy as your household products. If it’s not on sale Don’t. Buy. It. The advice telling us not to grocery shop while hungry rings true for me as well. FOUND: 20-40$ bi-weekly.

A few other things to keep in mind:

- Ask your cellphone provider if you are getting the best rate possible for your needs. Threaten to go to a competitor. This goes for home phone, internet and cable service as well.
- Pay any credit card debt off as fast as possible. Keep that credit card at home on a day to day basis.
- Return your bottles
- Look into claiming your charitable donations on your taxes
- Make your date a lavish dinner instead of taking him/her out to eat. Grab a bottle of vino from a local seller.
- Walk. Bike. Take public transport. You really don’t need that car all the time.
- Don’t impulse shop. Put it on hold if possible and think about it. Unsubscribe from retailer emails. Yes, this is a great way to be notified about sales, but for me it just leads to more consumption. I limited the retailers and sample sites I receive email from and I feel pretty great about it.
- If you need a particular piece, try to thrift it.
- Support used book and record stores

If you’re thinking none of the information in this post is new to you, you’re probably right. But do you put it into practice?

This album came out last year and I had the pleasure of seeing lovely Rae at Gallery Connection several months ago. His music hurts my heart in that wonderfully good way. It’s one of my most played albums.

My wardrobe is having a personality crisis and outfits are a struggle. Part of my problem is my personal style is a bit helter skelter. I like a little boho and femininity as much as I enjoy more structured looks. I’ll be doing a closet inventory and taking the results of my pared down items to the flea market before replenishing my autumn appropriate pieces.

I’ve been working on a bit of a look book to help with the process. Keeping with the aforementioned themes, I want to inject a bit of artistic whimsy in my casual wear and some pre-war/wartime vintage for my girlie outfits. I’ve taken just a tiny bit of influence from the well-dressed gentlemen in my life as well, because a masculine touch never hurts.

Mostly I’m desperate for closed toe footwear and my cardis are either summer weight or worn out. My job is such that I can essentially wear the same clothes I would wear day to day to work. Talk about flexibility!

Et voila. Some of the goods pictured I specifically desire and others are merely used as inspiration.

1.Feminin tank/tunic – Free People Crinkle Tunic
2.Dark denim high-waisted skinny jeans – J Brand “Maria”
3.Coloured knitted cardigan – Anthropologie Stash Away Cardi in yellow
4.Floral scarf – H&M
5.Red wellingtons – Hunter Original Glossy – available at Urban Shoe Myth
6.Over-jean boots – Madden Girl by Steve Madden Preppie boot in Black
7.Gold or accented gold chunky bangle – Marc by Marc Jacobs cork bangle
8.Brown heeled oxford – I used to hate these, but the trend is growing on me. Pictured is Kimchi Blue woven oxford from Urban Outfitters
9.Whimsical tee – Numph “What’s Hoppenin’” Tee

1.Bohemian slip dress – Free People Vintage Slip Dress
2.Petit boyfriend blazer – Pictured is Topshop ¾ sleeve blazer
3.Mid-heel brown pump – Pictured is by SW Sadee pump
4.Curve flattering straight cut trouser – Pictured are Alice & Olivia “Andrew” trousers
5.Black high heels – Michael Kors “Pressley” pumps
6.Thick knit wrap/cardi – Jack BB Dakota “Donegy” sweater – available at Je Suis Prest
7.Structured messenger bag – Mulberry “Alexa” is pictured, but I actually have my eye on a Co-Lab at Je Suis Prest
8.Fall weight coat – Jack BB Dakota Cromwell Coat – available at Je Suis Prest

1. Black men’s hat – Pictured is Topshop Fedora (sadly I had this near identical hat and lost it)
2. Short day dress – Modcloth Marigold-en Girl Dress
3. Western inspired ankle/mid calf boot – Pictured is Frye “Carmen” harness boot
4. Vintage locket – Pictured is Topshop Victorian locket
5. 1940s/50s inspired cardi – Modcloth “The Prim of Your Life Cardigan”
6. Maxi skirt – Free People “Morning” Glory skirt
7. Mandarin collar blouse – Pictured is Oasis Crinkle blouse
8. Grey/coloured cords – Pictured are Paul Smith straight leg cords

Collections made with Polyvore, of course.

Summer’s End Folk Festival – I’m island bound with my artsy loves for the last weekend of the summer.

How to Deal with Salespeople – Being nice when you’re in a rush, frustrated your rear is large etc is actually really hard for the more self centered of us (ie. me).

Piewacket has an estate sale – “Porn” for the retro household effects lover. Too bad I’m not near Atlanta.

7 Tips for Creating a Cozy, Calming Bedroom – I’ve been workin’ on my love nest

Rock Version of Silent Film Classic ‘Metropolis’ to Hit Theatres This Fall – I keep flip-flopping as to how I feel about this. I love Fritz Lang and it will be interesting to see how this turns out.

New Chanel Le Vernis – My local authorized dealer just got in Peridot, Graphite and Quartz. I’m rocking the Quartz right now and the Peridot is gracing my vanity with its presence.

What the Water Gave Me – SO into this song right now. November is too far away. Listen here

Notable Quotable: “My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.” – NDP leader Jack Layton, from a letter released to the public after his death on August 22nd, 2011.