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.