Private beach near Falmouth, Jamaica.

I just returned home from a wonderful vacation in Jamaica with my family and good friends, and while I was away I had some time to spend reflecting on how fortunate we are to be able to vacation in such a beautiful place year after year.  When visiting a place where the average family lives far more modestly than what our children see here in our daily lives, we have tried to incorporate a life lesson for our kids about gratitude and generosity.  It has become a yearly tradition for us to take some time away from our vacation to visit a school or orphanage and we always bring a couple of suitcases of donations with us.

Where do the donations come from?  Well, basically they come from our kids.  Each year for our children’s birthday parties we encourage friends that attend to bring donations for our trip to Jamaica instead of gifts for the birthday girl/boy.  Some years we ask for school supplies, other years we collect new and used sports equipment, and sometimes the need is just for basic toiletries like shampoo and toothpaste – but the idea is that instead of gifts for our children, the party guests bring along donations for us to take on our trip that winter.  We always have a great response to the request, and it is a great lesson even for the kids attending the birthday party.

A sample birthday invitation that we used one year for my daughter.

Does that mean our kids go without gifts entirely?  Umm, no!   We have a big family that still bring gifts for the kids, and of course mommy and daddy buy gifts as well- but I feel that this way the crazy excess of a birthday is cut down, and we have the benefit of explaining how great it feels to give something to others less fortunate.

How do my kids feel about this whole arrangement?  We have been doing this for over 5 years, and in some years we have received more challenging questions than other years.  But a quick reminder of the conditions that we have seen at an orphanage on a previous trip and a “so you’re saying that you need a new lego set more than the kids at the orphanage need pencils and paper for school??” generally puts a quick close to the conversation.

Where do we visit?  We have visited a couple of different orphanages in past years, as well as some local schools.  If we have a contact person we try to get a “needs list” ahead of our visit so that we can make sure that we’re bringing what is most needed.  One year we purchased a sewing machine for an orphanage trying to teach girls useful life skills to help them find jobs; another year we donated money to purchase chickens for the orphanage to raise; this past year we brought an internet router to a public school for their computer room, as well as a used digital camera… the list varies each year, but certainly whatever we bring is always welcome and appreciated.

Preschool kids lining up to go inside for lunch at an orphanage.

Nap time!

What do we do when we visit?  Often our trips involve a tour of the facility, and sometimes a presentation or greeting from the children if the timing permits.  Sometimes the kids are a bit shy on both sides to start with, but often a game will begin and everyone loosens up and has a good time.  This year we visited a local public school in the morning on a regular school day, and so our kids were invited to spend some time in a fourth grade classroom.  The kids each sat in a group with the local children sharing information back and forth about our countries – a wonderful experience on both sides.  It was great for our kids to see the differences in classrooms in another country, and to appreciate how much space they have in their classrooms at home!

Outdoor play time at a local school.

Lining up to go back inside.

My son playing a game with one of his new friends.

Our kids teaching cup stacking at an orphanage.

Even if your family does not have the opportunity to take donations overseas as we have been able to do with our kids, there are still many opportunities in your daily lives to teach your kids the value of generosity and giving back.  Here are a few ideas for giving back in your community…

1.  Volunteer at the local food bank.

2.  Sponsor a child in another country – we sponsor a 9 year old boy in Africa through World Vision.

3.  Organize or participate in events involving environmental responsibility in your neighbourhood – last year I helped to organize an Earth Day cleanup at our public school in the green space surrounding the school.

4. Volunteer/donate to the local humane society – my sister-in-law has even organized a birthday party at her local SPCA and party guests were encouraged to bring donations instead of birthday gifts.

And just a quick note to our family and friends that oblige us each year by donating to our suitcases.  Your generosity does not go unnoticed, is so appreciated!

All photos by Anita Woo.

Please note that due to privacy issues, I was very limited in the photos that I could put up from our visits to the orphanages and schools.  If you would like information on the places that we have visited, please leave a comment and I will get back to you!

It was 1989 while watching the movie Steel Magnolias that I was first introduced to Red Velvet Cake. Shelby, played by Julia Roberts, has a special groom’s cake (a southern tradition) baked for her wedding. It was shaped like an armadillo, which on its own was quite unique, but it was when they cut into the cake that I was entranced. It was bright red inside. Now those of you who know me know I have a bit of a thing for red – ok more than a bit…perhaps obsession would be a more apt description. Naturally when I saw this vibrantly coloured cake I experienced a serious case of dessert lust and perhaps even envy.

HISTORY

I started to research this cake not even knowing its name. I soon found out that it was known as Red Velvet Cake. I also discovered the origins of this cake are somewhat sketchy. Some claim that it was originally a Southern (USA) recipe; however, others claim that it originated in the North. The Waldorf Astoria has been laid claim to this recipe in a story which is now regarded somewhat as an urban myth. There are also stories that the cake was the invention of the Eaton’s department store chain in Canada. It was promoted as an exclusive Eaton’s recipe and was a well-known dessert in the store restaurants in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Any Eaton’s employees who knew the recipe were sworn to secrecy and many believed it to be a recipe developed by Lady Eaton herself.

There are just as many recipes (if not more) for this popular dessert as there are stories about its origins. Google Red Velvet Cake and you will find many versions of the recipe and variations on the cake; some are great…some, not so much. If you want to pick the right recipe there are a few things you should know about what makes a successful Red Velvet Cake. It’s all about the chemistry. So grab a stool kids and gather around the lab table…

Today’s lesson…

CHEMISTRY IN THE KITCHEN 101.

Make sure your kitchen is clean and that you have a good amount of clear space on your counter…get your mind out of the gutter people – this is not that kind of chemistry lesson…ok all suggestiveness aside…

Baking is both an art and a science and Red Velvet Cake is an excellent example of this. Looking at recipes for Red velvet Cake you will notice two things:

1. Many recipes call for buttermilk rather than regular milk.
2. Many recipes do not use baking powder, but rather baking soda and vinegar as the leavening agent.

These ingredients are crucial to a good Red Velvet Cake recipe. Why? Well, the red colour of the cake is actually caused by a chemical reaction when combining alkaline ingredients (baking soda,) with acidic ingredients (vinegar, buttermilk) and cocoa powder. Cocoa powder contains pigments called anthocyanin. These pigments are found in several plants and can appear red, purple or blue depending on pH. Because their color changes with pH, anthocyanin can actually be used as pH indicators. In acidic solutions were the pH is <7, the pigments turn pink, purple in neutral solutions (pH ~ 7), greenish yellow in alkaline solutions (pH > 7), and colourless in very alkaline solutions…but I digress…

The point I am making is that the reaction of acidic vinegar and buttermilk tends to better reveal the red anthocyanin in the cocoa. Therefore, if the recipe does not call for baking soda, vinegar, and buttermilk it is not the recipe for you. The substitution of baking powder will lessen the red colouring which is such a large part of the cake’s allure. The same can be said if the recipe substitutes regular milk for the buttermilk. Buttermilk also lends the cake a much richer flavour.

Another ingredient found in every Red Velvet Cake recipe today is red food colouring, but this was not always the case. Many years ago natural cocoa was used in baking. Natural Cocoa is acidic and lends itself well to the chemical reaction necessary to produce the red anthocyanin. In more recent years, however, Dutch Processed cocoa powder has taken its place. This processed or refined cocoa is treated with alkalizing agents thus enhancing the cocoa’ brown colour and smoothing out the flavour while at the same time lowering its acidity. The use of a more alkaline cocoa tends to produce a lighter red colour than natural cocoa. It is thought that red food colouring was introduced to the Red Velvet Cake recipe to deepen the colour when using refined cocoa and /or because somewhere along the line the old fashioned red was thought to be just not red enough.

One more science note, before you all become bored and start playing with your Bunsen burners… Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is the source of carbon dioxide and is activated by an acidic agent such as vinegar.  This activation releases the CO2 into the cake and leavens the batter, but note the vinegar reacts with baking soda quickly; retention of gas bubbles is dependent on batter viscosity and it is critical for the batter to be baked before the gas escapes. Therefore, in order for you to get the best results from this leavening agent, don’t leave your batter sitting around. Get it into the oven as soon as possible.

THE RECIPE

Now that you all know more than you quite possibly ever wanted to about Red Velvet Cake, let me introduce you to my velvety desire. Below is the recipe I have used for over twenty years.

RED VELVET CAKE

Cream together:

• ½ cup (125 ml) shortening
• 1 ½ cups (375 ml) granulated sugar

Add:

2 eggs

Mix together into a paste and add to above:

• 2 tbsp. (25 ml) cocoa
• 1 2-oz. (60 ml) bottle of red food colouring

Add:

• 1 tsp. (5ml) vanilla
• 1 tsp. (5ml) salt

Add alternately:

• 1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
• 2 ¼ cups (550 ml) sifted cake flour

Note: Always start with the flour and end with the flour.

Mix together and fold into batter:

• 1 tsp. (5ml) baking soda
• 1 tbsp. (15 ml) white vinegar

Pour into two 9” cake pans and bake for 30 minutes @ 350° F (180° C).

Alternately for a 3 layer cake: Pour into three 9” cake pans and bake for 25 minutes @ 350° F (180° C).

For Cupcakes: Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting

For these cupcakes I used Paula Dean’s recipe for Cream Cheese Icing from the Food Network.

Red Velvet Cake is typically a three layer cake, but for the purpose of this blog, and for the sake of my waistline, I have chosen to bake cupcakes. This way my small family can enjoy this velvety dessert without having to consume an entire cake and today being Valentine’s Day,  I can give the rest of the cupcakes to unsuspecting “valentines “ , kind of  like cupid!

…now where did I put that bow and arrow.

Photos by Lyndsay Jenkinson

My Bookcase Runneth Over…

Who still has real books on their shelves? While I love the new electronic gadget my hubby bought me for Christmas, there is something about the feel and smell of a real book that gets me all nostalgic. You can take a real book camping, you can share them with your friends, and best of all of you can read them in the bath without fear of being electrocuted (is that a myth???).

Take a look at the status of my bookcase! You can learn a lot about someone from what they keep on the shelf. I recently cleared out my parent’s house, and their bookcase was filled with books about World War II and Elvis. My bookcase is full of cookbooks (those of you who know me please stop laughing), diet books and parenting books.

So I’ve decided that while I’m cleaning out my bookcase, I’m going to have a good old-fashioned book exchange – time to get rid of some clutter, acquire new reading material and hang out with some pals.

These invitations are really easy to make…

I got the idea for these invitations online at Whatever DeeDee Wants.  The library pockets are from a local teacher supply store, and the inserts are 3×5” index cards from the dollar store.  I used the American Typewriter font to give it that authentic library feel. Use your word processing software print options to set the paper size to that of your index card. You can download the template for the 3×5” invitation by clicking here .

Here are some suggestions for holding a successful book exchange:

• Invite a variety of people.
• Ask your guests to bring 2 or 3 books that they are completely done with – even if you write your name on the inside there’s a fairly good chance you are not getting your book back.
• Ask your guests to fill out a little information about the book; why they liked it, easy/hard read etc.
• Set up a couple of tables so that the books can be displayed according to genre…it will be your own little library!
• At the end of the evening, donate any books that are left behind.

Now for the food and drink. 

First of all, if anyone offers to bring something, say “sure, thanks!”.  Second, keep it simple.  If you want to have a good book exchange, you are going to invite more than a couple of people.  Serve finger foods that you can prepare mostly in advance – you want to spend your time scoping out the best trades, not with your head in the oven.

The Food Network and Martha Stewart have some great appetizer ideas.  Here are the recipes I’ll be using,

 Italian Style Sausage Skewers

Olive Tapenade and Goat Cheese Crostini

Flatbread with Bacon and Scallion Pesto

These are the Italian Style Sausage Skewers I made – even my kids ate them!  They are made with turkey sausage from Longos, and are very tasty.

Keep your drinks straight forward, and preferably something that you can make in a punch bowl or a pitcher for easy refills.  How about some White Wine Sangria?  Here’s what I used to make mine…

• 1 lemon
• 1 lime
• 1 orange
• ½ a quart of strawberries
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 oz Cointreau
• 1 litre club soda
• 1 bottle Canada White wine (This wine is from Konzelmann Estate Winery in Jordan, Ontario.

Cut all the fruit into nice pretty pieces. Sprinkle the sugar to coat the strawberries and let rest for a couple of minutes. Place all the fruit at the bottom of a pitcher, and add Cointreau and wine. Add the soda water just before serving.

Ta da!  The final product.  I ensured the quality of this recipe by several taste tests.  Yummmm!  Added bonus; when someone spills it won’t stain the carpet.    Finally, don’t forget to offer some sparkling water with lemon and lime for the drivers in the group.

Book Exchange Variations….

Why not have your book exchange with some friendly co-workers on your lunch hour?  Note: bring your own lunch, and lose the Sangria.

Do you have a lot of children’s books? Make it a parent /child book exchange on a Sunday afternoon. Yet again, minus the Sangria but substitute hot chocolate with marshmallows.

 Happy Reading!

Photos by Deb Haire

To learn more about Deb see our Guest Chicks page.

These days, Disney and movie characters adorn boxes of drug store Valentines, but they lack the charm of the Valentines of yesterday.  Dismayed by the commercialism of yet another holiday, a few years ago I started creating personalized and unique Valentines for my kids to give out at school.  You can do the same for minimal cost and effort.

My personalized Valentines include photos (no surprise there) and some simple text.  The tool that I use to create my cards is Photoshop, but you could use iPhoto or even a document editor like Word and add clipart and text to a photo that way.  There are also probably several smart phone apps that would do the trick if that is what you have available.

Here are my kids Valentines from the first year that I began this project.

The next year Valentine’s Day fell just after a trip to Jamaica, and so I was inspired to use images from the trip.

Alas, my son has now decided that he is too old for Valentines, and so last year I created something fun with my daughter using images captured on the beach.

This year I have worked on a couple of ideas that I will use once our Valentine’s Day photo shoot is completed.  Here they are using images from my photo library.

So don’t feel stuck with boring box-store Valentines, get out your camera and be creative.  And please share your results, I always love to see what other people come up with!

All photos by Anita Woo.

We have become aware, and some might argue obsessed, with keeping our children safe. Not so long ago things were very different. Children of the 80’s did not sit in car seats or infant carriers. Now, by the time your child is 8, you will have gone through infant carriers, rear facing car seats, front facing car seats and then finally graduated to a booster seat which your child may leave by law when he or she is 8 yrs old, 80 lbs in weight or 4’9” (57”) in height, whichever comes first. If you decide to go to with the weight or height requirements you could very well still be sporting booster seats in your car until your child is 11, but the safety precautions don’t end here… even going out to play requires more safety equipment than ever.

Many of us are padding our kids up for every sport and helmets are everywhere. Some might even say we are bubble wrapping our kids. Hockey personality Don Cherry is well known for his position on helmets in the world of hockey. In addition to his controversial opinion that helmets emasculate the sport of hockey, Cherry has expressed the opinion that if helmets were removed we would see less high-sticking and dangerous actions. Perhaps he has a point in that wearing a helmet might give one a false sense of security and lead one to take more risks, but here is where my agreement with Cherry ends. Apparently, however, there are plenty of people who have similar attitudes to Mr. Cherry.

This past Friday, the CBC published a story about a study on wearing helmets for tobogganing:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/01/19/toboggan-helmet.html  This study, which was done at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute in Ottawa, was published in The Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics.  This study is in favour of wearing a helmet.

Ok, no surprise here. I was, however, stunned to read the harsh comments made following the post on the CBC website. Some commentators appeared to be furious about this posting and seemed to feel that if we make our children wear helmets that we are raising “idiots” and “cowards”. In addition, the term “Nanny State” was tossed about in many comments. I had a strong reaction to these comments – questioning the intelligence of these commentators and even wondering if these idiotic attitudes were a result of a few too many bumps on the head…something which might well have been avoided by wearing a helmet!

NO ONE is saying we should bubble wrap our kids nor are they saying don’t ski, snowboard or toboggan. COME ON you anti-helmet people! What is the big deal about wearing a helmet while tobogganing or skiing? Some of these commentators expressed that we should send our kids out the door wearing helmets to walk to school or better yet, give birth to babies who come prepared wearing helmets. Yes, accidents happen and you could slip and fall on the icy sidewalk and hit your head, but no one expects or thinks that it is taking a risk to walk on the sidewalk. Racing down a steep slope on a snowboard, skis or even a toboggan at fast speeds definitely increases your risk and potential to fall and hit your head so why be stupid about it. Isn’t your head or your kid’s worth the cost of a helmet? It is a small price to pay to protect your head. No, it is not fool proof as is evidenced by the recent death of Canadian skier Sarah Burke this past Thursday after a ski accident where, yes, she was wearing a helmet. For those of you who would argue that Xtreme sports such as freestyle pipe skiing are the type of sports where you are going to fall and hit your head and, therefore, are the only circumstances in which you need a helmet, let’s go back to March 2009.

Many will remember that Natasha Richardson fell and hit her head while on a beginners slope at Mont Tremblant, Quebec. She later died of her head injury in a New York Hospital. Yes, Richardson was reportedly not wearing a helmet when she fell. Many expressed the opinion that she might not have suffered such a severe head injury had she been wearing one, but medical experts could not confirm that her injury would have been prevented by a helmet. There are some head injuries which cannot be prevented by a helmet due to the rotational forces in the brain. The point here is that falls can happen anywhere whether it be in a daring extreme sport or slowly sliding down the bunny slopes. Helmets are not a guarantee, but they can increase your odds or surviving a hit to the head so why wouldn’t you wear one when participating in a sport?

My emotional and personal reason aside here are a few more things to consider about wearing helmets:

• Children have underdeveloped skills physically and are more likely to fall, therefore, more precautions are required to protect their heads.
• Concussion is most common head injury and especially for the young developing mind it can cause lasting damage. Even as adults repetitive concussions are not to be taken lightly and can have long term impact – case in point, Sidney Crosby.
• Studies show that head trauma, in particular concussions, lead to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. http://articles.philly.com/2011-07-25/news/29812887_1_brain-injury-brain-pathology-brain-samples

So there you have it. I am obviously in favour of helmets. Was I always? Not completely. I ski, rollerblade, roller-skate, bike, skate, and enjoy tobogganing, but grew up in an era when no one wore helmets except in hockey, football and baseball. Many years ago, I did start wearing a helmet for biking and rollerblading, but really didn’t give it much thought for other sports. Even when I bought my daughter her first pair of skates 4 years ago, I was surprised to realize that I needed a helmet too. I was caught off guard, but after about 2 whole seconds of thought I went straight to the helmet section of the store, daughter in hand, to try on helmets. My daughter, not knowing any different, had no objection to getting a helmet. Her only objection, in fact, was the colour. She wanted the white/girl helmet, but the only helmets they had left were black. Seeing her disappointment and realizing that finding a white helmet late in the season might prove to be a challenge, I promised her that I would do something special with her helmet and it would be even better than the white one she had wanted.

My daughter wanted to learn to skate and I wanted to do it right which meant wearing a helmet…and also doing it in style. So here is what I did. It was very easy, and is a great option to parents whose little girls are getting their brothers hand-me down black hockey helmets.

Who says black helmets are just for boys...

Here’s what you need:

• Acrylic Interference/Iridescent paint – the colour looks creamy when wet but then deepens to a nice, iridescent shade when dry/cured.
• Sponge tip blotters/dabbers
• Snowflake Stencils – I took a strip of 4 and cut them into individual snowflakes. NOTE: that you must make cuts in the excess plastic around the stencil to allow give as you place the flat stencil over the curved surface of the helmet.
• Flat-back crystals in an AB (Aurora Borealis) finish.

How To:

• Place the stencils randomly on the helmet and secure with a bit of tape.
• Blot or dab the paint over the stencil. Note for the smaller snowflakes I simply only applied paint to the inner portion of the stencil.
• Remove stencils and repeat until in other areas of the helmet until you snowflakes dispersed over the entire surface of the helmet.
• With the end of your dabber or a paint brush, place a dab of paint in the centre of each snowflake. Next place a crystal in the dab of paint.
• NOTE: It doesn’t have to be perfect and it is likely that your snowflakes will not be, but I actually like the slightly messy effect here.
• Wait 24 hours for the paint to cure.

My daughter loves her helmet and we have received many compliments on it, but more importantly she loves skating and has no fear of falling (nor do I fear her falling for that matter). It was a small effort and worth it to give her a stylish helmet to protect her head.

There are lots of options out there for helmets and should you not be inclined to break out the paints and paint a brush that is ok. The important thing is to buy a helmet that fits, is appropriate for the activity AND to wear it.

As for the “Nanny State” commentators, who believe that we are over legislated, I have this to offer: In Ontario helmets are only mandatory for children for hockey and biking. Although recommended, they are not however, mandatory for skating, tobogganing, skiing or snowboarding. It is your individual choice.

That being said, why be stupid? Use your noggin and save a melon!

Attitude, Helmet, & Photos by Lyndsay Jenkinson

Currently I’m in the process of preparing my condo to list to sell.  As I paint, scrape, scrub, and purge belongings that are circa 1999, I reflect on all of the good time and memories I’ve created with friends and family in my home.  It’s been a home filled with lots of love, laughter and plenty of cocktails.  My condo is the “Cheers” where my friends meet, and gather around my kitchen island – the perfect guinea pigs to try my latest culinary creation.  By the way, they are willing guinea pigs and, so far, there have been no complaints.  My living room is where I write most of my blogs with my Macbook on my lap and my faithful dog, Jasmine, curled up on the floor by my feet.  It’s with mixed emotions that I sit with my Macbook on my lap and write this last blog as one of Those3Chicks.  It has been a fantastic year of blogging about my passion for running, cooking, creating cocktails and all things peanut butter, but it’s time for me to “hang up my pen”, at least for the time being.

It’s time for me to move on the next chapter in my personal life.  I wish to share with you that my partner and I are both selling our condos and have started the process of house hunting to buy a home together.  Selling and buying real estate at the same time can be a stressful undertaking but I’m confident that our places will sell quickly and that when we find the right house it will speak to us.  I look forward to creating new, fun filled memories together in our new home.  I’m excited to cook in a new kitchen and even though a gas stove isn’t a must, it’s definitely on my wish list.  A backyard with a small vegetable garden is where I look forward to spending my summer weekends.   I’ll be calling on my fellow chick, Lyndsay, for decorating and paint ideas in exchange for a backyard barbecue supper.  No doubt, our friends and family will still congregate in our kitchen eagerly waiting to sample a new culinary creation along with a glass of my latest vintage discovery from the LCBO.  One of my favourite websites, Map My Run, is going to come in handy as I map out new running routes in and around my new neighbourhood.

I’ve had the good fortune of working with two amazing women, Lyndsay and Anita.  Writing isn’t something that necessarily comes naturally to me, so being a part of this team has pushed me to try something I never imaged I could do. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity.  Not only have I have learned so much about many topics from reading their blogs, but I’ve also come to understand a lot about the world of blogging.  This is invaluable information that I will take with me.  Thanks, Chicks, for bringing me into the twenty-first century!  Thanks, readers, for your interest and support.  You’ll probably see my pop in as a guest blogger for the Chicks whenever I have a new recipe, cocktail, or running story to share. This isn’t goodbye but merely so long for now.

My parting gift to you is the long-awaited answer to the question many of you have asked me, “What is the right wine to pair with peanut butter?”  The answer:  Reisling.

Cheers!

Diana

(Photos by Scott Gorman)

Kilauea volcano, Hawaii

I was a bit curious to find out the truth about the hard reality of resolution making, and so I did a bit of research to see how many of us really stick to it and make real changes that last beyond the first days and months of a new year.  It turns out that about 51% of Canadians and 40 to 45% of American adults make resolutions each year.  How many of us actually follow through?  Sadly for those of us in the Great White North, only 52% of us make it past the first month.  In the US, 75% make it past the first week, 64% last a month and by the end of the year 88% of Americans have given up on their resolutions… so a mere 12% will be successful.

What are the most popular resolutions you might ask?  I would bet that most of us can guess at more than a few at the top of the list.  According to this awesome radian6 infographic, which looks at social media conversations just before and after January 1st, 24% of people want to exercise more, 23% of us would like to lose weight, 20% would like to try new things, 9% want to save more money and 7% will try to stop smoking.  Any of these sound familiar?  Are some/all of them on your New Year’s resolution shortlist?

With your list of resolutions looming ahead like a huge mountain that is too much to climb, why bother making resolutions at all you might wonder?  Before you throw in the proverbial towel on your resolutions for 2012, there are ways to help increase your chances of being one of the 12% that sticks it out to the end of the year and is successful with living up to those resolutions.

Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Be specific

When most of us think about our resolutions, we throw out a blanket statement without any thought of how we will measure the success/failure of that resolution.  Let’s take a popular one as an example.  If I say “I want to lose weight”, it comes without a specific goal and time frame – if I say “I want to lose 10 lbs by bathing suit season” I have a goal that is specific and therefore more tangible.  Adding a time frame to your goal helps set the wheels of change in motion, and makes it much more likely that you will stick with your resolution and see it through.

Break your goal down into measurable, manageable pieces

Sea turtles, Hawaii

When you set a larger goal, sometimes the size and magnitude of the task can be overwhelming and may cause you to give up before you even start.  For example, one of my goals for this year is to de-clutter and organize my home.  It is a task that I have been procrastinating on for quite some time, mostly because the job seems too big to achieve in a manageable time-frame – and so I don’t want to start.  For this year, I have decided to approach the task in a way that I can manage.  I plan to tackle one room in the house per month.  One room, de-cluttered, cleaned and organized in 30 days seems doable, and so I think that over the course of the year I may finally achieve my goal.  I’ll let you know….

Be realistic

When we set the bar too high, we set ourselves up for failure before we even start.  If your resolution is to go to the gym every day in the new year when you’ve only been managing once every few weeks previously, you are most likely going to fail within a short period of time.  A more realistic goal might be to hit the gym a few times a week, and then add walks on your lunch hour or take the stairs in the office rather than the elevator, etc. to add extra exercise to your day in manageable amounts.  Taking it slow and working towards your goal in a realistic way will help ensure your success in the days ahead.

Reward success, move on from failure

When you look at the statistics that I quoted above, it seems more likely than not that you will not make it to December 31, 2012 with your resolutions intact.  One of the keys to keeping your resolutions alive is to celebrate your successes along the way, and keep moving forward even if you fall off the wagon occasionally.  If your resolution is to save more money this year and you just can’t walk by that designer purse in a moment of weakness, enjoy the splurge and then move forward towards your goal tomorrow.  And remember, “success is a journey not a destination” – Ben Sweetland; take the time to savour every moment.

Wicklow, Ireland

In my research about New Year’s resolutions, I came across something that I just had to share with you.  The following are the resolutions written by the author Virginia Woolf in 1931 (via  bloggingwoolf.wordpress.com).

January 2, 1931:
Here are my resolutions for the next 3 months; the next lap of the year.
To have none. Not to be tied.
To be free & kindly with myself, not goading it to parties: to sit rather privately reading in the studio.
To make a good job of The Waves.
To stop irritation by the assurance that nothing is worth irritation [referring to Nelly].
Sometimes to read, sometimes not to read.
To go out yes—but stay at home in spite of being asked.
As for clothes, to buy good ones.

It is amazing to me that the resolutions of someone living eighty years ago are not far from what I might write for myself in this coming year.  To be kind to myself, to take the time to do what I love to do, to accept social engagements with people that I want to see, but to feel free to decline as well if it is the best thing for me and my family, and to treat myself once in awhile with something nice.  Sounds like a great start to 2012, with only blue skies ahead!

Coast of Hawaii from the sky!

Sources for statistics:

http://proactivechange.com/resolutions/statistics.htm

http://www.buzzfeed.com/sly/a-visual-guide-to-new-years-resolutions-infograp

http://www.radian6.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/R6_NYResolutions.pdf

All photos by Anita Woo.

Colour. It is a simple word, but it can strike fear in many. You can see a dress or a sweater in a fantastic colour and it can set your heart a glow. You might purchase the dress and wear it with spirit and pride, but why is it you would never think to use such a glorious colour in your home? If the colour of an item of clothing can make you feel so uplifted, chances are it would do the same on a wall in your home.

Many people flirt with colour in their wardrobes but have a serious fear of commitment when it comes to using colour in their own home. As a result, many live in builder’s beige homes, secretly longing for more, but letting their fear rule their decisions. Fear that they will make a mistake, perhaps choose the wrong shade of red…well time has come to starting courting and enter an adult relationship with colour. Check your fear at the door and follow along. Here are some rules of engagement:

GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR EMOTIONS

Repeat after me: ANYONE CAN PICK COLOURS. Yes, that’s right! Anyone can pick colours – for themselves at least. Yes there are people who seem to have a gift when it comes to colours, but anyone can learn about colour and how to use it.

The most important thing you have going for you is intimate access to your emotions. Everyone has an emotional response to colour. Do warm colours such as red make you feel cozy or agitated or even oppressed? How about cool colours? Does blue make you feel relaxed or leave you with a chill? We all know what we like and dislike. Picking colour is more about recognizing those responses and harnessing it with a bit of knowledge to make a decision, making it your own style and having the confidence to know that it is just as valid a choice as  something picked by a designer or decorator… that is unless you are colour blind.

Even if you hire someone to pick your colours, understanding your emotional response to colour would be extremely helpful in aiding your designer/decorator in his/her job. Let’s face it, if a designer picks a colour scheme in cool colours while not realizing that you find them to be chilly, you will not be comfortable in your newly decorated space. You will be left feeling cold and likely with a higher heating bill as well. Think of a designer as a match maker. If they are looking for the ‘right one’ for you, the more information you can give them about your likes and dislikes the more likely they are to make a good match.

SOME LIKE IT HOT: UNDERSTANDING WARM AND COOL COLOURS

Using colour effectively also requires an understanding of what a colour can do for you – or rather for a room. In order to understand this, you need to know a bit about warm and cool colours.

Warm colours are colours beside and including red, orange and yellow on the colour wheel.

Warm Colours

Cool colours are the colours beside and including blue and violet.

Cool Colours

So now you are asking what about Green. It is beside yellow on the colour wheel and also beside blue – so which is it? Warm or cold? Both actually! Mixing colours can adjust them and can make a colour cooler or warmer. Green mixed with more yellow becomes a warmer and more advancing colour. Mixed with more blue, green cools down and recedes. Purple is also another colour which can be warm or cold depending on how it is mixed or where it falls on the colour wheel. The more red there is in the purple, the warmer it is. The more blue there is in the mix, the cooler it is.

This is not to say that all colours are strictly defined as warm or cool. There is a gray area – yes, even gray, though traditionally thought of as a cool colour, has a warm side…but before your eyes completely glaze over and I’ve lost you for good let me stop here. There is much to be said about colour – like why yellow is not an easy colour to pick and why it is also not always a great idea for a nursery – but I don’t want to overwhelm you. My motivation here is to introduce you to the basics of colour theory in the hopes that some sparks may fly and you will start to date some exciting, new colours and leave the boring, safe neutrals behind.

Why do we care if colours are warm or cool? Warm colours advance in a space. Cool colours recede in a space. So what does this matter? Well knowing a bit about colours is useful when it comes time to pick paint for a room. Painting a small room in a cool colour can make it appear larger and painting a large space with a warm colour can make it feel cozy. Studies also show that the colour can vary ones perception of temperature in a room. For instance, an overly warm room can be made to feel 5% cooler by painting it a cool colour. Conversely, a chilly room can be made to feel warmer if painted in a warm colour.

DATING PAINT COLOURS

One great thing about dating colour is that unlike real life relationships, if you are admiring your girlfriend’s new guy… er… colour, you can date him…I mean ‘it’… too. All is fair in love of colour. Simply ask her about her colour and she’ll be so pleased you like her taste that she’ll not only give you his name but his number too…Helloooo Tall, Dark, and Handsome, Benjamin Moore 2128-30.

Keeping it all in the family - tones, tints and shades.

Another great thing about dating colour is that this is not a monogamous relationship – you can date several colours at once. I must caution you though, in order that every colour you are dating remains comfortable with your arrangement you must date colours which get along. You may chose colours in varying shades or tints of the same colour – you know, keeping it all in the family, which is an easy way to match your mates. However, if you desire relationships with more diversity, try using 2 different colours in a harmonious colour scheme. Harmonious colours are colours which are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. For instance, blue and green can get along beautifully creating a calm and serene environment, but to do this successfully you must know the rule about tones. Tone refers to the lightness or darkness of a colour. A successful harmonious colour combination will take this into consideration and use colours that are of the same tone. Using a pale powder blue with a darker and/or brighter green is not a good idea and is sure to cause a disturbance, albeit a visual one in your home.

Use a Colour Wheel to find Harmonious & Complimentary Colour Combinations

If you are feeling very daring, try using complimentary colours in your home. Complimentary colors are opposite each other on a colour wheel, for example blue and orange, red and green, purple and yellow. This combination can make a big impact but it you want to avoid assaulting your senses do not use these colours in equal amounts in your decor, but rather in thirds, two thirds one colour and one third the other.

THE MORNING AFTER…

So let’s say a colour has caught your eye and the attraction is serious enough that you are considering bringing it home with you. Well before you go crazy and make a full blown commitment to this colour by painting your entire room right away I would like to offer some advice. Slow down, take it easy and take the next logical step in your relationship. My Mother used to say, “You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it, so why would you marry a man without doing the same…” While Mom was talking about romantic relationships I believe the same advice could be applied to your relationship with paint. There is nothing worse than realizing that what looked so good under the dim lights of the restaurant was not meant to be in your bedroom in the bright light of day. Before you marry the paint, test drive it on a large piece of foam core. Move it around the room testing all walls to see how it suits the room and you.

Trying the paint out on a foam core also has added benefits. Just as with any budding attraction, should you bring it home with you, you might be surprised how it looks like in a different light. Colours which look great on the colour chart under fluorescent lighting in the paint store will look much different at home in a sunny room or lit by incandescent lighting. Tungsten bulbs give a slightly yellow light; halogen gives white light, while some fluorescent bulbs can give flat, cold light. All these lights can all affect how the colour looks. Your best bet is full spectrum lighting, which mimics daylight, to show a colour at its’ best. A room’s exposure can also greatly affect a colour. In a room with a northern exposure, the daylight is a cool northern light, therefore, colors will look cooler and even a bit bluer than they would in a room with a southern exposure. My advice – Spend a bit of time together, date your colour before you decide to commit. It will need to be experienced in all lightning situations to see if it is worthy of a 24/7 commitment or if it’s just a one night stand.

There is no easier or less expensive way to change the look of a room than by changing the paint colour and just as a sassy red dress can spice up your wardrobe, colour, beautiful exciting colour, can breathe life into a room. So dump that builder’s beige and look for a new beau or three. Dating colour can be fun. Committing to it is even more rewarding and if after a year or two, you find your relationship with a particular paint is waning, simple move on to the next enticing colour. Neutrals were a safe place to start your relationship with colour but it is time to take a chance and make your heart sing. True love is only a paintbrush away…

Photos by Lyndsay Jenkinson

There has been much debate and discussion about how creators will keep the show current.  Here is one suggestion.  While Veuve Cliquot will always be in vogue, Vodka (like cranberry) is sooooo 90’s.  Pomegranate is the new Cranberry and Rum may very well be the new Vodka.  So, just in time for New Year’s Eve, I’ve come up with a Patsy and Eddie worthy cocktail:  Diana-fied Crimson Tide

1 ½ oz. Havana Club Rum (or your favourite amber rum)

1 ½ oz. Pomegranate liqueur

2 oz. Cranberry juice

1/8 wedge of Lime (juiced)

Splash of any dry sparkling wine (Cava or Prosecco are excellent)

2 Sprigs of fresh Mint (one for garnish)

Pomegranate seeds (for garnish)

In a shaker combine ice, rum, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice, lime juice, and one sprig of fresh mint.  Shake it “like a Polaroid picture” then strain and serve in either a martini glass or a champagne flute.  Top up the glass with Prosecco, drop in a few pomegranate seeds for garnish and finish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Raise a glass, remembering to make firm eye contact as per the drinking instructions of Eddie and Patsy  (“Eyes, darling, Eyes.”) and, as we three chicks say, “Happiness Darling”.

(Photos by Noelle Jenkinson)