December 30th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
Anyone else still nursing a Christmas-cookie induced hangover? Whoooogg. I shouldn’t have eaten that last gingerbread man. So tasty, so delicious… Something about the tight fit of my pants reminds me that it’s time once again to make my New Year’s resolutions.
Oh, stop groaning! I’m here to help!
First of all, if you can’t think of any good resolutions, here’s a list of top ten suggestions. Feel free to print it out and pin it to your fridge for all family members to see.
- Spend more time with family and friends
- Learn a new skill or hobby
- Volunteer
- Start exercising
- Lose some weight
- Quit smoking
- Cut down on the drinking
- Enough with the stressing
- Pay more bills on time
- Get organized
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 Brought to you by: http://flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/ |
What? You’ve already made your resolutions and need help sticking to them? Let the professionals at Reader’s Digest help!
Posted in My Bests, Personal | 
No Comments »
December 28th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
| Beat the winter blahs with these family-friendly Ottawa activities this January!
Christmas Lights across Canada: Don’t miss downtown Ottawa aglow in over 300,000 lights. Tour over 70 illuminated sites, including Parliament, with the help of an easily downloaded map.
Daily until January 7, 2009, from 4:30p.m. to 1a.m. |
| Outdoor Skating at Rideau Hall: Since 1872, Ottawans have laced up skates for a spin at our Governor General’s house, weather permitting. Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 5p.m. From January 5 to March 15, 2009.
Growing up Organic: Kids ages 11 to 15 learn about eating locally, through visits from chefs and farmers. Every Tuesday, from January 13 – March 3, 2009, 6:30p.m.-8:30p.m.
Music Under a Midnight Moon: Two hobos make music in the most unlikely places in this symphonic adventure that’s entertained families for years. With the NAC orchestra and Platypus Theatre. Saturday, January 17, 2009, 1:30p.m. or 3:30p.m. showtimes. |
 Ice skating at Rideau Hall! |
| Royal Winnipeg Ballet – Peter Pan: Neverland comes to life – complete with giant pirate ship, ticking crocodile, and Peter Pan flying across the stage. January 22-24, 2009, 8p.m. |
Posted in Ottawa | No Comments »
December 26th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
Ahh Montrealers – a little snow never stops the party, even outside! If you’re in Old Montreal this winter, discover these “hot” spots:
Winter Bar: In the big top, or cozied up to one of the fireplaces, enjoy drinks and music under the stars at the Old Port. Techno fans – you’ll love Electronica Thursdays. Skaters – take in a few rounds on the rink before gliding in for rounds at the bar. Open Thursday-Sunday, till March 8, 2009.
New Year’s Grand Bal: Count down to 2009… Montreal-style! Head to Place Jacques-Cartier for live music and a midnight fireworks extravaganza. Arrive early – previous years have welcomed over 40,000 party-goers! On December 31, from 9p.m. to 1a.m.
Igloofest 2009 (French-only website): Dance off those holiday cookies with some of electronica’s hottest artists. Set in a magical igloo village, DJs will ply the skies with music for six wild evenings. Fridays and Saturdays, January 16-17, 23-24, and 30-31, 2009.
Take that, winter!
Posted in Montréal | No Comments »
December 23rd, 2008 by vivian is virtual
Need a little boost of the ol’ holiday spirit? Do what I did and visit Mont Tremblant, located in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal. Words will fail to express the beauty of this stunning winter destination, so let my photos do the talking…
Mont Tremblant church. Amazing how a few simple strings of light can make the darkness sparkle with magic...
Main Street in the Mont Tremblant village is dotted with boutiques and shops that will have you pressing your nose to the glass like a child, mouth wide with wonder.
Mont Tremblant Village is a charming cluster of buildings seemingly plucked from a fairy tale.
You can't feel cold when surrounded by so much light, mirth and warm holiday spirit!
To see more, visit my Flickr photostream!
Posted in Travel in Canada | 2 Comments »
December 19th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
No preamble necessary… here’s a quick round-up of my favourite holiday desserts, recipes included! Travelling this December? Bring your treats to nibble on during your journey – they will definitely put you in the holiday spirit.
- Go all historical and try a traditional plum pudding. This Christmas favourite – which traces its roots back to 17th-century England! – actually contains no plums. But it is chock full of raisins, dried fruit and nuts.
- Want to make a real gingerbread house? With a door and shingles and iced windows? The real challenge: not nibbling as you bake…
- My latest craving is for chai cupcakes! The spices are very Christmas-y and you can decorate them to your heart’s content… Oh, cupcakes, I love you!!
- And what would the holidays be without the linzer torte cookie? This site even has a Christmas cookie countdown, with a new recipe for every day in December. Yum!
Brought to you by: http://flickr.com/photos/bossacafez/
Posted in My Bests | No Comments »
December 16th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
| Have you booked your train ticket home for the holidays? Did you get all those presents wrapped? Did you remember the chocolates for Aunt Patricia?…It’s okay – don’t panic! At least you know that during your train ride, you’ll have plenty of reading material to relax with.
Here’s my recommended reading list for holiday travellers: |
 Brought to you by Pennington: http://flickr.com/photos/byebyeempire/ |
- Love to read about other intrepid travellers? Check out Elliott Blog’s list of 50 travel blogs you can’t live without.
- Passionate about design? Then spend some time on WebUrbanist.com, bringing together the best in design, urban art and architecture.
- Try not to wake up your fellow travellers with your laughter when reading Stuff White People Like.
- Hoping to catch up on your knitting? Get inspiration from the BrooklynTweed blog. And in case you make a few too many gorgeous winter hats – I like purple
- And for those of you who can’t get enough of the future, there’s good ol’ TechCrunch!
I’m going to curl up with a cup of tea and start my reading early!
Posted in My Bests, Travel in Canada | No Comments »
December 12th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
 Brough to you by JayLuan on Flickr |
Hello winter!
Don’t know how you’ll make it through this cold, cold day? Hot chocolate is the answer, people!
If you’re at the office right now, duck out while your boss isn’t looking and buy the following ingredients:
- 6 oz (175 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup 125 mL) water
- 3 cups (750 mL) milk
- Whipped cream
Then when you get home, follow these instructions: |
- In a heat-proof bowl placed over a saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with water until smooth.
- Meanwhile, heat milk in a saucepan until steaming and small bubbles appear around edge.
- Whisk in chocolate.
- Pour into four mugs. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Or sprinkles. Or cinnamon.
And three sips in, you’ll probably start to lose the shivers!
Posted in My Bests | No Comments »
December 9th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
Don’t get grumpy about the snow – it’s beautiful out there! And it means we’ll be able to skate at outdoor rinks soon! So get your tuques on – here’s a list of fun outdoor skating rinks in a city near you…
Brought to you by Clairity @ Flickr
Posted in Montréal, My Bests, Toronto | No Comments »
December 5th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
Brought to you by: http://flickr.com/photos/krisdecurtis/
A friend recently told me about Earth911, a website dedicated to helping us earthlings make every day a little bit greener. In addition to useful recycling tips for everything from household cleaners to metal, from eyeglasses to motor oil, the site also features a slew of interesting articles for the holiday season.
What? You didn’t notice that it was December already? Catch up with these quick links:
Posted in Environment | 3 Comments »
December 4th, 2008 by vivian is virtual
I feel like Santa Claus today!
Would you like to win $200 in VIA Rail travel vouchers valid for trips anywhere in Canada? Who wouldn’t?
To enter VIA’s new contest, simply become a fan of Vivian (me!) on Facebook before 11:59pm on Tuesday, December 30, 2008.
The winner will be announced in early January. Until then, Ho! Ho! Ho!
Thanks to fabbriciuse for the snap (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabbriciuse/)
Posted in VIA Rail stuff | 2 Comments »
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