30 before 30?

30 things to know before 30. Seeing as how I have just 6 months before my 30th birthday, I thought I would have a gander. This "list" became famous in 1997 by Pamela Redmond Satran and was rewritten in 2005. It was originally an article in Glamour magazine and is now a published book available for all young women to read. Some items every woman must have on the list include: a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill and a black lace bra, a friend to laugh with and a friend to cry with, a decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone in your family. OK, I already feel slightly inadequate. What we should know: how to fall in love without losing yourself, how to take control of your own birthday (I will never learn this one), how to quit a job, break up with a man and confront a friend without ruining the friendship. I guess these are all worthwhile lessons. I am not sure the book will be worth a full read since the list is already quite comprehensive. Though it is nice to know that not everyone has everything on track by 30 and knowing yourself and what you want is the greatest accomplishment of all.

DO-BUY

I went to Dubai this past winter and in a nut shell, it is Las Vegas on crack (except no alcohol or illegal drugs). You can get prescription medications (antibiotics, Viagra etc) from the pharmacist for cash. Dubai is a cool place to see but really, its just tall sky scrapers in the middle of a desert. The Emiratis have taken every western monument and made it bigger and better. Want the worlds largest mall? DONE. The worlds tallest building DONE. A 6 star hotel..done and done. The city is 80% expatriates (Americans and Asians) who dont have much regard for the local culture or language. They are there to make $, party and leave. Speaking of partying, sure the clubs are fun and all, however alcohol is only allowed on hotel properties. So all clubs/bars are highly controlled at hotel sites and its tough to buy or consume alcohol even in hotel hallways. Though it may seem like a desert paradise, the Emiratis keep tight control over residents and visitors. Their rules are strictly enforced and its not easy to forget that you are their visitor and must abide by their customs. By all means, stay and shop and enjoy almost all the places you could at home (Starbucks, Versace etc). Spend your money in the lush hotels, boutiques and warm sandy beaches. Get lost in the landscape of the crazy buildings and beautiful architecture but remember Dubai is anything but home.

Must Sees:  Ski Dubai
                   Burj Khalifa (world's tallest building)
                   Burj Al Arab (Six star hotel)
                   Dubai Mall
                   Mall of Emirates
                   Palm Islands
                  Mahiki

Its not always rainbows and butterflies

Ok so I came to the realization that I will never be Serena Van Der Woodsen or Blake Lively for that matter. But that doesn't mean I can't copy everything "they" do. I keep meaning to look up where Serena's famous wall decor came from and I finally got to it this morning. Of course, its not sold at retail but rather a commissioned piece by Paul Villinski. Something I clearly can't afford..sigh. I must say..his creations are gorgeous especially considering that they are crafted out of recycled beer cans. The next best do it yourself version I could find was by Umbra. It pales in comparison to Serena's wall, but at least its cheaper and crafted from your very hands lol.

Joe Fresh

$3 nail polish in bright colours..$29 coral skinny jeans and the cutest scarves and hats are some of the reasons I find myself shopping at Joe. My boyfriend hates that I buy clothes where most people buy lettuce and BBQ sauce, but I love good quality clothes at a bargain. Joe is the clothing line found in most Loblaw's stores and it now has its own flagship locations in Toronto and NYC..not bad! Joe Mimran (formerly Club Monaco) is the brains and design behind Joe Fresh and its hip young style. Ok so the clothing isn't perfect..not all items are in stock at each store and if you don't grab a dress it when you see it, good luck ever seeing it again (especially in your size!). You snooze you lose girlfriend. Then again, that could be a marketing strategy as the clothes change quite often to keep new customers coming. Some of the sizes are quite big so even though you can return items easily, make sure you pick a size smaller than what you would wear at other stores as the clothes tend to fit a bit big. Check it out if you haven't already and be prepared to tell people where you bought your new dress or shirt as they WILL ask. Wear your Joe clothes with pride (even if they were in the same shopping cart as your eggs yesterday).

Bon Iver

Bon Iver won the 2012 Grammy for Best New Artist and it was well deserved. Struggling with mono at his dad's cabin in the woods of Wisconsin, the music and idea behind Bon Iver (bon hiver - "good winter" in French) was born. Somewhere between the plaid shirts and cold weather came the inspiration for hits such as For Emma and Skinny Love. The music is a little folksy for me but I love playing it during long drives or blasting it as background music in my house. The band's version of "I cant make you love me" has brought many to tears. Its rare to have musicians write, produce and perform their own music these days..especially with such passion and emotion. The fact that the band has become so popular and is now winning mainstream awards, restores my faith in us all and our ability to recognize real talent.

The rental search made easier...

Looking for a new pad? Its stressful isn't it? I have been there many times before and it can be quite the process. Enter PADMAPPER..a website that consolidates all home search engines (craigslist, view it, kijiji) for you on a nice map of your desired city. You can narrow the search by location, number of bedrooms and price range etc. Its easier to look at apartments using the map locator anyway. They also have information about the local area (walk scores, whats nearby and price comparisons). Its only for rental units though, so eager home buyers are stuck with mls.ca for now..suckers!

What's Cooking?

Sous Vide..ever heard of it? Its a newer method of cooking food in air tight plastic bags for a longer period of time (hours) in low temperatures in order to preserve the food's taste and freshness. The newest trend in cooking/food preparation has spun a whole plethora of products to assist with sous vide. But really..who has time for this? TV dinners and fast food are popular for a reason..people don't have 15 hours to cook a flank steak. Or better yet, most lifestyles don't allow for people to plan meals and cook this far in advance. Anyway, it seems to be a food "sport" among those that are male and into the science/math behind it all. I am all for new and exciting things to try, but the food better be DAMN good in order to justify the time and effort. There's also the whole issue of food safety as the lower cooking temperatures and air exposure leave the food vulnerable to all kinds of bacteria..sheesh! I will stick to my slow cooker once a week..its slow enough for me already.

No Love from the Pinterest..yet!

Anybody on Pinterest? I have a lot of friends who have recommended this site for me as it seems to be the newest social networking fad. Apparently it gets more hits/views than facebook right now..eat it Zuckerberg! Anyway, I "requested" an invite weeks ago to join the site and I'm still waiting to be "accepted". I feel like the last kid selected for the baseball team. The premise behind the site is digital scrapbooking, where you are able to "pin" interesting things to your page and have your friends comment and the like. I guess its best used for those who are doing renovations, planning a wedding or marketing their brand/products online. If you aren't a member..check it out and let me know if you are cool enough to be selected. (Though I am sure the start up company is just short staffed). At least that's what I keep telling myself!!

Five Years too long?

I saw the Five Year Engagement last night...meh! It comes out this Friday to a theatre near you but don't rush out to see it. I easily could've swapped out Emily Blunt for another chic flick actress like JLo or Jen Aniston. Jason Segel was a bit funny..but not as good as he was in "I LOVE YOU MAN" or "Forgetting Sarah Marshall". Most of the jokes were sadly already shown in the previews/commercials. It had its funny parts but was pretty predictable and kinda lame. Also, too many british accents for a movie set in San Fran for me anyway...keep an eye on Chris Pratt though..he was cute and very entertaining..the highlight of the movie if you ask me.

Homeland - a must see!

This show is pretty awesome. It wrapped its first season this past fall and also was a hit at the Emmys this year. Remember Claire Danes..from My So Called Life? Well she is back and better than ever. In fact, President Obama just admitted on Jimmy Fallon that Homeland is his favourite show. Great taste Mr. President!! The show has some intriguing story lines and characters that pull you in. I can only comment on the first five episodes which have left me nothing short of addicted. I cant wait to find out what happens and for season 2....coming to TV on September 30, 2012.

More of the Kardis!!!

Just when you thought you had seen the end of Khloe, Kim, Kourtney and all those other K’s…the family just signed on for THREE more seasons. Love them or hate them..its a done deal! I used to be a huge fan but then I went through Kardi overload and got a bit tired of their drama. Anyway, it could be worse..or could it? At least this season we get to see firsthand the newest K to the klan..KANYE..what what!!!

Love This BAND!!!

If you haven't bought their CD yet or downloaded their album on ITunes..then what exactly are you waiting for??? ITS AMAZEBALLS!!! Have a listen to the video (Little Talks) and fall in love with Of Monsters and Men..the best thing from Iceland since their bloody erupting Volcano!!

Draper looking Dapper in Plaid?

Don Draper can never look bad. This is just a statement of fact. I am still not sure how I feel about his recent plaid sport coat debut a couple weeks ago. His new wife bought it for him and I must say, I have mixed feelings. Mad Men is one of my favourite shows and its impact on the fashion scene has been awesome. Men are now bringing back the "dapper" look of the 60's with dark framed glasses, suave hair and of course, the yummy three piece suits and occasional fedora style hats. Even Banana Republic has joined in, debuting a Mad Men collection for the second time.  I have even been to a couple Mad Men themed parties..there is no end to the fun you can have. Anyway, back to the sport coat...perhaps this is an ode to the change in wardrobe experienced by men in the 50-60s when they slowly transitioned from full suits to business casual (turtlenecks, blazers and the like). Or maybe the coat is a symbol of how Draper's new wife (who no one really loves..where is JJ these days???), has a greater influence on his life and fashion choices. Draper looks so dapper in dark well fitted suits...he doesn't conform to fashion trends. I think he looks like an awkward lumberjack trying to fit in...when will this nightmare be over??

The lost art of customer service

When is the last time you experienced really good customer service? Most of the time,  you probably feel like companies don't give a shit about you, and you may be right. When I travel to the States, I am bombarded with friendly customer service from employees of stores and restaurants. Actually, its borderline creepy. Perhaps that's because in Canada, we aren't used to someone wanting to genuinely help us out. Customer service usually varies between "I am desperate and want to stalk you" or "Texting my friends on my bberry is more important than you right now".  Companies used to bend over backwards for valued customers. You would think the recession would only motivate organizations to want to retain customers even more. I must say, American Express has outstanding customer service. They made this the focus of their new training program a couple years ago, and its really working. Employees aren't trained using scripts and talking points like other customer service representatives. Instead, they are taught empathy based training, and its working. I am completely loyal to Amex for this reason. Sure I pay a $120 annual fee for a host of perks and benefits, but when I call Amex for any reason, I am reminded why I don't mind paying. Their employees really "care" about your situation and work with you to solve it in a speedy manner. Even if they're faking their empathy, I don't care..its brilliant!! However, customers shouldn't have to pay extra in order to receive customer service, or in my case, avoid other companies that suck at it. One can blame lack of training, the gap technology has created between people or just plain apathy of most people towards others. Companies can use whatever excuse they want but customers aren't likely to forget bad experiences overnight.

How About them Apples?

Has your Ipod failed lately? Or your Iphone? It seems as though products are built to last 2-5 years these days. Whether its your cell, Ipod or LCD TV, chances are you are replacing devices more often than our parents ever did. My parents have appliances and TVs that have lasted over 15 years..crazy eh? My Ipod lasted 26 months before I held its funeral last weekend. This week alone, two other friends of mine had to replace their Iphones. Apple has a return/recycle program but its pretty much useless. They "recycle" your dead device and give you 10% off of a new one. So I decided to save the $20 and keep my Ipod since it still can play music on my Ipod dock at home. These devices, in particular Apple products, are meant to last a short time, just long enough past the one year warranty. Once the device has an issue, its over! I mean..there's no way of repairing it. You just have to cough up another $200+ for a brand new device. No wonder Apple is the richest company in the world. Sadly there is a field full of these "recycled" devices somewhere..le sigh!

Sunday Afternoon!

Oh the lazy Sunday afternoon...my most dreaded part of the week. You are most likely tired from Saturday night's activities OR dreading Monday morning..or in my case, BOTH. You have a million things to do that you avoided doing all week but no motivation to do them. Maybe this video will help...it always cheers me up!

Education is a life long process?

These days a bachelor's degree is about as common as a high school degree was ten years ago. In the competitive job market, one must have several degrees or experiences to set themselves apart. Of course, its not easy paying for more education and forcing yourself to jump back on the study train once you are done your undergraduate degree. However, if you aren't going to continue to upgrade your skills and education, then the next person in line for your job WILL. Depressing..I know! By the time we graduate with our Bachelor's degree...most of what we have learned will be obsolete. Education just isn't keeping up with the job market and the needs of employers out there. What can we do about this? Enter COURSERA and ITUNESU...both resources for (mostly) free courses on various topics in Science, Business and the Arts. Both websites offer seminars and courses from reputable universities that one can add to their resume or portfolio. Ok, so it may not be the same as a double major or a post-grad degree, but it WILL go along way in showing your employer (or potential employer) that you are a self-disciplined, eager, motivated quick learner. They don't need to know that you completed most of the course drinking wine in your pajamas while texting friends...yes the beauty of online learning!!

Following the Stars..

OK so I know this sounds like a pile of nonsense..but the optimistic/dream lover side of me forces me to read my horoscope everyday. Its scary how much I resemble the qualities of a true Sagittarius. I started reading my horoscope a couple of years ago and even though it doesn't always apply or make sense, it has been fairly accurate overall. I am a faithful follower of Phil Booth and though I hate to admit that I have "cheated" on him a couple times (with other astrologers), I always come back in the end. That's loyalty right? Try following him for a couple weeks and see if he "speaks" to you. I swear, I am a very logical and scientific based person..but like GG and TMZ etc..this is another one of my guilty pleasures..don't knock it till you try it!

Turkish Delights

I recently traveled to Istanbul Turkey in February and was pleasantly surprised by all the city had to offer. With a population of 17 million, Istanbul offers the best of Euro-Asia and is a four hour flight from 65 countries. It may not be a top travel choice for some, however, it is now one of the top 12 travel destinations. Istanbul is full of rich history, interesting culture and a pretty cool party scene. Must sees: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Reina (one of the world's top night clubs), Turkish Baths and of course, the late night hookah and shawarma places. The shopping is awesome, the people are friendly and the food is to die for. Flights with Turkish Airlines are relatively cheap and the service was superb. There's something to be said for Istanbul - a bridge between old and new connecting Europe and Asia - my new favourite city!

Onesie Chuck

I saw this a couple weeks ago on GG and I really couldn't stop laughing. Coming soon to the streets, the male onesie...in athletic form? Not sure if Mr. Bass was coming from an Olympic event or a local nursery school..but somehow I don't think this is the last we have seen of the male onesie. BTW..you can completely zip him up from head to toe (literally) and enclose him into his red jumpsuit..but who would want to do that? Unless there is room for two in there Mr. Bass?

One isn't the loneliest number?

I started reading this book last week and I find it quite interesting mainly because the idea that the majority of North American citizens live alone, is rarely spoken of.  Commercials and marketing campaigns are so often directed towards the family unit even though its well documented that more than half of people now live alone. We are told by the media that living alone can lead to loneliness and depression. However, it it quite the opposite. Those who live alone are less depressed and more likely to engage in social activities and are happier in general. Of course, living alone in these economic times is tough for all ages, but going solo is worth the price to most people. No longer imprisoned by social stigma, more people are branching out and choosing to live alone representing a significant untapped market for many potential products. It will be interesting to see which companies capitalize on this opportunity?

If you haven't experienced the joy of therapeutic waters then you are missing out. The newest trend in spas is water circuits where you pay $30-60 for use of the spa's waters/baths (steam room, sauna, cold plunge pools etc). The experience leaves you relaxed and "detoxified" (whatever that means). In lieu of spending $60+ for a one hour massage, you can spend about half as much for a relaxing spa experience. A lot of places also let you use the waters when you purchase a massage (which you may be able to claim with your health benefits - double bonus!!). This is a great idea for a girls weekend or bachelorette weekend. Although most facilities require silence in certain areas and you certainly won't wanna booze or party after this experience..so save it for the hangover day of the weekend when you have nothing scheduled but R&R. You will want to pass out after your waters experience.  Body Blitz Spa - Toronto is a women's only indoor water spa, Le Nordik is located in Chelsea Quebec (ten mins from downtown Ottawa, and is a gorgeous outdoor spa that I didn't want to leave last summer. My new favourite is Strom Spa in the Montreal area because its pretty new, beautiful and not that busy. Le Scandinave spa is also a popular place with many locations in Canada, but it is too commercialized and being wait-listed to use the waters is NOT relaxing...sigh!

Shit Girls Say...coming soon to bookshelves

"That dog needs some water!" "Is that hummus?" "Where are you?" "Listen..Listen..Listen". If you don't know what I am talking about, then you clearly have missed the three videos entitled "SHIT GIRLS SAY" on Youtube. As a female, I find them hilarious..mainly because they are SOO true. Girls do say the same shit all the time..but don't get sucked into all the other knock off videos cause they are LAME-O. These videos are now going to become a book written by the original video makers/Toronto comics Kyle Humphrey and Graydon Sheppard. I am sure a lot of us will run out and buy the book..though I am skeptical as to how many pages they can fill with "shit girls say"..surely we don't say enough stupid stuff to fill 200+ pages..or do we? "Urgh I can't believe I just ate all that!!"

The One and Only Diet..lose 20 lbs in 30 days!!

Timothy Ferriss...have you heard of him? Author of The Four Hour Work Week and The Four Hour Body is truly an inspiration on how to live a good and successful life. I have started following his diet in the FOUR HOUR BODY book and after two weeks, I am very happy with its results. Here are the rules/guidelines:
1. Avoid White Carbs (white bread, potatoes, pasta etc)
2. Drink A LOT of Water..don't drink your calories (aka no sports drinks, pop etc)
3. Eat Only Slow Carbs (Lentils and Beans)
4. ONE CHEAT DAY A WEEK (Amazeballs..go nuts and eat whatever you want!!)
5. Eat the same meals over and over again
6. Oh ya..no fruit




Believe it or not..its not that bad. After a week or two I didn't even wanna cheat on my cheat day. Weird right? I forced myself to stuff my face on my cheat day so it was easy to stick to the diet all week. He also allows red wine on this diet..so for all those wineos out there...you can sleep easy knowing you aren't depriving yourself of your guilty pleasures...check out the website/book for more info

The delusion of Gossip Girl

Have you been sucked into this show yet? I avoided watching Gossip Girl for years..but have recently become addicted to this show. I must say, I am so glad this show wasn't around when I was a teen. I had a hard enough time comparing myself to Donna or Kelly on 90210. Can you imagine being 16 and thinking you are going to grow up and be like Serena Van Der Woodsen? Considering these characters are in university/working full time, they certainly don't seem to be busy. Don't get me wrong..I love this show and secretly dream of a rich life with Chuck Bass..but really...really? How can this type of show be good for teens or young adults? What are they going to do when they graduate and realize they will never be able to live in Manhattan, let alone the Upper East Side? I guess it doesn't hurt to dream...I am as guilty as every other viewer. Maybe this show should have a disclaimer? After all...not everyone is a Vanderbilt or heir to a hotel empire..sigh!

Really though..What is next? Aren't we all searching for something more? I am finishing up my MBA program and even though many would think the world is my oyster, I have yet to find any opportunities to fit my skill set. I am lost in a world of job postings, random start up ideas and of course, debt. To say nothing of the pressure for me to buy my own house, raise a family and live a well balanced life...FML! Anyway, this blog is about my path thus far and hopefully towards a happy future. Will you take this journey with me? I promise inspiration, exciting ideas and plenty of venting sessions. As a 29 year old struggling to find her way, I hope we can help each other..xoxoox







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