Wide Angle: Vol. 17

Pin It Time is one of the most fascinating concepts on the planet. There are moments when it drips by at a pace so slow that if it were a visible construct you wouldn't be able to detect movement with the naked eye. And then there are times when it moves so quickly you can scarcely remember it at all.  The last couple weeks I have experienced both ends of this spectrum and I can't say either is better or worse, it just is.

Work has kept me increasingly busy, which makes the days disintegrate before my eyes. While a bad cold/flu type thing has kept me laid up on the couch for the entire long weekend making it feel never-ending. Time, it seems, is a fickle little beast. All this to say I don't understand how two weeks have gone by without a post, but it has. oops!

Anyway, here I am with a quick little post to take a long overdue wide angle look at the goings on in my life. On, on...

1. This is how I spent my transition to the new year. The colours in this country (Cuba) were so vivid and dreamy.

2. This is what my world looks like now. Frozen and grey. With record breaking cold temperatures in Toronto lately, I would give a lot to be back on the perfectly warm beaches of Cuba... 6 weeks feels so long ago.

3. & 4. If you follow my instagram, this is not the first time you've seen my cat. It won't be the last time either.

5. Starting back in the world of work mid-winter is an interesting and slightly depressing time. Beside the fact that you now need to leave your cozy home at an unseemly hour of the morning, you also happen to feel like the world is always in a dusk/dawn state. On rare occasions you get to see some beautiful pinks and oranges, but mostly you feel like you always live in semi-darkness.

6. Did you hear? I made doughnuts.

7. This is how I spent Friday night and it was amazing. A giant salad and glass of scotch. Perfect.

8. There is a lot of seafood on that two tiered platter. I (and Other Half) ate it all. It was amazing.

Until next time!

Wide Angle: Vol. 16

Pin It Happy Monday friends! This month's instalment of Wide Angle, in which we take a look at what's happening behind the scenes is brought to by a lot of nature walks and scenic sunsets. My first autumn back in Canada did not disappoint with the amazing foliage change, and while that's all done and gone by now (we even survived our first snowfall!), these images are relaxing to my mind and soul and hope they do the same for you.

1. & 2. This doesn't look like downtown Toronto, does it? But it is! This is why I love volunteering with Evergreen Brickworks. They are smack in the middle of Toronto (in the Don Valley) and my commute there (photo #1) and the site (photo #2) are some of my favourite Toronto scenes, because they are the most unexpected.

3. Sunset on the road. This was mega.

4. There were so many perfect fall leaves this year it blew my mind every single day. I like fall, but I also find it sad, because it signifies the end of summer and the impending doom of short sunlight hours and bitter cold temperatures. However, it's impossible not to be happy when such amazing colours are thrust in your face.

5. Another scene from the Brickworks and a solid message to boot!

6. An end of season stroll with husband and dogs is a pretty blissful time.

7. Please, if you know what breed this dog is, tell me!! It's just so amazing and huge and, I mean, those ears!

8. Nothing makes you feel more fresh and ready to take on new things than a good haircut. I'm pretty picky about who can cut my hair, and so didn't get my haircut once while living in China (for the best really, curly hair is just not in their repertoire). I travel 45 minutes to a different city entirely to get mine done and it feels worth it every time!

Until next time!

Wide Angle: Vol. 15

Pin It Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving! A day made for taking a moment to find gratitude for the big and small things in your life. I have a lot to be thankful for this year and I was lucky enough to have not 1, but 3 hearty meals with family.

Because I've been in France for the last week (yes, it was great), and I'm still fighting some bleary-eyed jet lag, I don't have a food post or a travel post. Just quick little look at what's been happening behind the scenes.

It's been busy and awesome and I'm thankful for every second of it. So let's get to it.

1. & 2. Are a couple of glimpses from when I was exploring the new neighbourhood. Unfortunately the ferris wheel was a temporary installation for a local street festival.

3. That gold french press is the thing of dreams. It was given to be by my sister as part of a wedding shower gift and it makes coffee time feel 1,000 times more glamorous, instantly.

4. Beautiful flowers also help make coffee time extra special. Just saying.

5. Did I mention I went to Paris!? I had the chance to stay with two wonderful human beings in the most picture perfect Parisian apartment. To make it even more perfect, one of them happens to work around the corner from this famous site. A fact I was informed of but didn't truly believe until I parted ways with her and then stumbled on this view. I was charmed.

6. After Paris it was time for some good ol' country life. This also led to a few side trips, which led to ridiculously charming views, in ridiculously charming villages. France is charming.

7. This is where I'm lucky enough to call home (in France).

8. That is not a painting, I swear. Coulon in the Marais is a sweet little village with some pretty great views. It is also the home of a cafe that will serve an entire baked camembert on top of a salad. I ate the whole thing.

Well friends, that's me. I'm going to spend the next couple days getting over this jet lag, but I'll be back soon, and hopefully with something tasty to share!

Wide Angle: Vol. 13

Pin It You know what's busy? Summer. Summer has got to be the busiest time of year, but in the best way possible. It's full of food, drinks, cottages, pool days, patios and just general plans. Throw in the final weeks of wedding planning and ooooooh boy the days fly by.

As you probably guessed by the title of the post, it's time for another wide angle look at life behind the scenes… much of which will involve all these plans. It's been a great summer so far, but also one of the busiest.

1 & 2 - As I wrote about here, leaving our jobs behind in China was very bittersweet.  We had to say goodbye to a lot of great humans, colleagues and students alike. On the plus side, I got to feel like I was in high school again by getting my yearbook signed.

3, 4, & 5 - Before leaving for Canada we did a little traveling around China to squeeze in some pretty major sites that we hadn't yet had a chance to see in our travels. Beijing was the first stop and had some pretty cute street art with a message, and sitting serenely on the Great Wall was one of those moments that feels more surreal than anything else. Finally, I found some flowers in the mass of concrete that is Beijing, they were hidden in Jingshan Park behind the forbidden city.

6 & 7 - Our next stop was the Guangxi Province to see the karst formations around Yangshuo, and the Longji rice terraces. Totally worth it.

8 - This is what two years of life for two people looks like in suitcases … not that bad.

9 - Getting welcomed home with some Canadian themed flowers was pretty great!

10 - Those pool days I mentioned up above are usually spent with these people. These are the best people.

11 & 12 - Canada is beautiful and has a lot of nature to offer. Both Other Half and I have marvelled at the clouds since returning and the quality of sunsets has been unreal. The garden this flower comes from is one of my favourites, and this bloom is particularly charming.

13 - When it rains, we play Settlers of Catan (get into it) and eat ice cream sandwiches. It's the best.

14 - This is my city. And I love it.

What's been going on behind the scenes with you?

Wide Angle: Vol. 12

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Sometimes I talk like someone with a lot more street cred than I myself possess, so you'll forgive me when I say … it has been hella busy up in here.

There's only 12 teaching days left before exams start, and then only about 5 days after that to get it all marked. Then another week to pack up our life here, 1 week to do some last minute travelling (I cannot leave this country without visiting the Great Wall) and then go HOME! It's so close I can taste the daily salads and free flowing drinkable tap water as I type this, and oh it tastes good!

There's been a lot going on behind the scenes lately too, so let's take a look.

1 and 2: I did one of those things that makes my life sound like a movie. I had a bachelorette party in Singapore. I dressed my nails up like tuxedos for the occasion, I got dressed up and ate fancy food on top of fancy buildings, and (not pictured) I danced my tukus off with 5 great friends until the very, very wee hours of the morning.

3 and 4: I've already written about it here, but I discovered a great fondness for Nepal. Here are two shots from the guesthouse in Kathmandu - one from the street just outside and the other from my room.

5: I made mug cakes for days after this.

6: Sometimes people surprise you with really nice things - like Starbucks and homemade muffins in the shape of Mickey Mouse.

7: Because I just can't seem to sit still, Other Half and I hiked around Tiger Leaping Gorge for a couple of days on a recent long weekend. This was basically the view the entire time. There were many moments of awe.

8: More surprises, this time my favourite colours in my favourite pattern. Love.

9: Wedding planning is fun. Pretty notebooks and lavender coffee make it even better.

10: I've owned many pairs of Converse shoes in my life time (often many at one time), but these new leather ones with fluorescent trim might just be my favourite. I called them my grown up sneakers because they're made of leather - Other Half promptly reminded me that grown ups don't wear fluorescent pink. Hah! I'll show him!

11: This little fella was hanging out at school the other day, his wings are magical.

12: Don't mind me… just going to go on a little over night trip to the beach and call it work. This will be a tough job to leave.

Well, that's me! What's new with you?

Wide Angle: Volume 11

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It's been awhile since we've had a wide angle view of life around here, so let's get caught up on my recent day to day, shall we?

1. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a Black Sesame Ice Mountain.  It's a literal mountain of shaved ice with a black sesame paste/syrup combination and a dollop of vanilla ice cream.  It is a sensationally random dessert found at our new favourite dessert place (Dessert Story in Coastal City) and it is just the right amount of sweet.

2. A view of our street all dressed up for Chinese New Year!

3. & 4. A couple of views from our recent trip to Burma (Myanmar), with a full (few!) posts on that trip coming up next month!

5. Manicures in this town are cheap. I take advantage and have a little fun with it while I can.

6. In case you missed the memo ... CANADA WON THE GOLD IN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S HOCKEY! I'm not exactly a big watcher of sports, but when you live in China and come across a bar packed with other Canadians cheering on your home team... well, it's pretty exciting.

7. & 8. A sneak peak of what to expect on the blog next week - pizza!

So, that's me... what about you?

Wide Angle: Vol. 10 - Falling Behind

Pin It It's been weeks since my last post, something I vowed myself I would not do.  I won't pepper you with excuses, but I will apologise and say this isn't even the travelogue for our recent trip to Palawan (the nerve!), a post I am working on, but it's taking time.... lots and lots of time.

So, for now, here's another wide angle look at my every day!

1. and 2. There is a city in southern China that has an entire area dedicated to weddings.  Guangzhou Wedding Street was obviously a must see for me this year, and this is what I found.

3. If one city is dedicated to weddings, it makes sense that another will be dedicated to Halloween. Hong Kong's halloween street is always a mad house in the weeks leading up to the big day, but deals abound.

4, 5, and 6. I've been wanting to do a colour run for a while now but I'm always away when they take place in the Toronto region.  Miraculously this year, The Color Run came to both Beijing and Guangzhou and so I was off like a shot to sign up for that one! This was one of the best things I've done in awhile.  The atmosphere and lively and friendly and because it's not a timed race, their isn't an ounce of competitiveness to worry about - a great first run for those who need the confidence (like me).

Until next time!

Wide Angle: Vol. 9 - Back Again

Pin It While I've been getting into the routine of being back at work, and back in China, I also seem to have been getting into the routine of ignoring this wee lil blog.  That's not my goal. My goal is actually to make the very best of this year, use my knowledge of the city/country/school to it's fullest and maximise my fun time... and then share it all with you!

That's the goal. I'm still working on it. So while I work on that, you take a look at the last couple weeks of my life as told by my iPhone.

1. and 2. This time of year Shenzhen is hot (like HOT!!!! hot) and sunny, and everything looks a little more positive. Looking up on my walk home had the instant payoff of this beautiful view, and stepping outside my classroom was also a bit of a reward.

3.  One MAJOR improvement over last year is getting my very own oven - obviously celebratory chocolate chip cookies were in order.

4. Another improvement? A bigger apartment, off campus and 2 bathrooms! whoa!? 2? I've never had that before. And so slightly less obviously, but still awesomely, some robot stickers were in order.  Here we can see our guest bathroom.  I really want people to know what to expect from us... I think this does the trick perfectly

5. and 6. Nights out in Shenzhen (for us) mean sushi. Lots and lots of sushi. Followed by a walk home past rollerblading lessons... this was a particularly good one.

7. and 8. Another goal of mine is to do a lot more exploring of Shenzhen ... you never know what you're going to find. One day it's directions to a juice bar, the next it's jewellery at a craft fair. Win!

Wide Angle: Vol. 8 - Off Again

Pin It I'm sitting in the Toronto airport waiting for our flight back to Hong Kong to begin our second year in China. That means that my glorious summer of fun, food, family and friends has officially come to a close and I'm now left with great memories and too tight jeans (totally worth it).

To tide the time until we settle in China and get our internet booked up and oven purchased so that I can start blogging regularly again, here's another wide angle look at my everyday.

1. Canada Day was spent with friends, beer, and bocce.  A look here at my best shot.

2. Just a simple glance at some of the amazing food I've been enjoying.  A falafel burger at The County General in Toronto. Yum!

3. and 4. Flowers, flowers, everywhere! I literally cannot get enough!

5. and 6. I spend A LOT of time out doors this summer in the great nature that Canada offers.  Here are Tobermory and Lake Manitowaba, respectively.

7. A walk with friends in Hamilton's hidden trails

8. An ice cream festival led to some time with furry friends ... win win!

9. and 10. Last, but absolutely not least, I GOT ENGAGED! A picnic in a meadow led to happy tears and many glances at my left hand. We also managed to find a venue mere days before our flight out for the year and I'm am SO EXCITED for the beauty that will be a farm wedding in my hometown. WOOP!

Until next time!

Wide Angle: Vol. 7

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most photos via my instagram

The first week of hometown love has been a busy one! While I adjust to the time and get caught up with all my favourite people in the world, here's another look at my day to day.

1. We moved into a new apartment the day before we left China - this is our view from the 15th floor (much impoved from our non-view of the 6th floor residence building!)

2. Flying out of Hong Kong means a stop at Pizza express for a tasty treat and cold drink.  Here, my first iced tea in many months.

3, 4. Two monumental occasions: my first glass of tap water in 10 months (I'm basically addicted to the stuff now), and my first big salad made of fresh fruit and veg. purchased that morning.  It was the best salad I've ever eaten.

5. Love on a blanket.  Zorra and I have been inseparable this past week.

6, 7, 8.  Right after I got back from China I had to head to the UK for funeral of my grandfather.  A rose from his garden, the train journey from Waterloo to Weymoth, and a stroll along the Weymouth beach - all quintessential for visits past and future.

My grandfather was a immortal legend in my mind, and his loss has not been an easy one.  As a man of 91 (and 3/4's) he lived a long and full life.  He was always patient, and funny, and kind. I aspire to be half as good in the garden as he was and live as smartly and as wholly as he did.  I miss him everyday.

love.

Wide Angle: Vol. 6

Pin It .

Less travel, more writing. That's what I said in the last post, right? Well... I sort of forgot about the last long weekend of the year - 4 glorious days off for the QingMing Festival. We leave tomorrow morning, so those Halong Bay photos are going to have to wait a few more days.

I'm actually pretty excited about this trip, because it will be my first time going somewhere within China on a holiday. We've seen a lot outside of the country, but absolutely nothing inside of it. We're headed to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Army and other such delights, so while we do that... you can look at what else has been going on in the day to day!

1. The Shenzhen ferry terminal likes to serve their coffee in fairy cups. It makes me feel pretty fancy.

2. A hot dog stand in Hong Kong, and my old nickname. Clearly, a name meant for food related things.

3 - 6. We went to Macau recently, and it was awesome! Not only did it include a stop at the famous Margaret's Cafe de Nata for the best egg tart I have ever had, but it also included a trip to the House of Dancing Water show, which was cirque-esque spectacle based in the water. Obviously, it was great.

7. Our neighbour turned 60, so we celebrated with cake. I can't tell you how much I miss regular cake. I want cake and I want it to be just cake and icing. They don't do that here. They are always loading in the whipped cream and fruits and who knows what else. I get it - cake isn't their specialty - but maaaaaan could I go for a slice of fudgy chocolate cake right now!

8. Every year at our school we hold a heritage fair to celebrate the many heritages represented by our students. The best part is the food fair section (obviously) and includes tents for East Asia, India, Europe (basically all French), and North America. I couldn't get enough of the India and Europe areas... endless supplies of bhaji, samosa, quiche, sable pistache, and so, so much more. It was like a dream.  I made 3 dozen butter tarts for the North American table, and I guess they were good because they were gone before I got one!

Anyway, that's all for now! Hopefully I can get caught up on my writing once this last mini-break is finished. Until next time!

Wide Angle: Vol. 5

Pin It Ahoy there! Other half and I are traveling through Laos with some of my side of the family, so while we do that, here's a peek at other things that have been going on in my life.

 All photos are from my instagram account. You can follow me here: @theredhead_said

1: A little late to the game on this one, but this is what a Starbucks Christmas cup looks like in China.
2: Juxtaposition Pilsner: this is about the best name for a beer I've seen in many a months (Ontario micro-breweries are also great at naming their beers)
3: The Russian ballet came to Shenzhen, they performed Swan Lake. I couldn't not go.
4: This is what a 10 year anniversary of an international school might look like if you live in China. Lots of lights. Lots of water drums. Lots of music. It was pretty wild.
5 and 6: Number 5 is what Hong Kong looked like the night my parents surprised me before Christmas and number 6 is what it looked like the day I left for Cambodia. Two great views.
7: A care package from home is an amazing treat when you live very far away from it.
8: This is what you need to eat when you eat too much care package. Also, this is an amazing reminder of how beautiful food is, naturally.
9: There's a Mexican place in Shenzhen that used to offer half price fajitas on Wednesday, I was a regular. They don't offer that any more but they do offer giant mojitos on Fridays. I'm a regular again.
10: Pantone colour of the year. Just because.

Wide Angle: Vol. 03

Pin It Confession: Other than the one attached to my phone, my camera has not seen the light of day since landing in China. The last couple of weeks have been a blur. Attempting to find my way to and through the grocery store was a daunting task. Pair that with the plan and prep for my new role as a teacher and well, I've essentially been in a daze of new-ness for the last while.  I'm trying to fix that. I'm trying to build photo time alongside my prep time so I actually have something other than my boring thoughts to share. I'm working on it... 

Also, I miss cooking, a lot. And baking, even more. I'm also trying to fix that. Currently we have a toaster, a microwave and a coffee pot. The plan in the next week is to also acquire a hot plate and a rice cooker ... I can hardly wait! (Typing that just made me realize how different life is here ... I'm excited for a hot plate and rice cooker - gone are the days of Western sized ovens and cooktops)

But enough of my jibber-jabber ... on with the photos! Here is a selection of Chinese delights for you to ponder.

1. My new favorite tree - yet to be identified.

2. The outrageous Sichuan restaurant around the corner

3. KFC. Egg Tarts. Get into it. Seriously.

4. Let's go shopping! A sign that is guiding the way, in the most unhelpful manner possible.

1 & 2. Dim Sum! The ability to speak mandarin is crucial in most restaurants, at least here you could point.

3. These contraptions (head massagers? space age computers? brain use improvers?) are all over the place in Coastal City (Mall) ... I cannot imagine why.

4. Angry Birds. Also everywhere. EVERYWHERE. This was a clock display. If you choose, you can also get dishes, clothing, notebooks, toys, chopsticks and more all emblazoned with our old friends, The Angry Birds.

And that my friends, is another installment of Wide Angle. In the coming days I hope to do both cooking and exploring ... let's hope that makes it here as well!

Wide Angle: Vol. 02

Pin It I thought it was about time for another issue of Wide Angle, where I replace the more formal posts and photos with an informal look at my everyday.

A compilation of summer snaps that include:

1 - city walks (in Toronto)

2 - puppies!

3 - a treasure map to my favourite restaurant

4 - one of the greatest views I know (in Turkey)

5 - roosters that hang out at castles (in Bodrum)

6 - sponge for sale (in Bodrum)

Clearly, this summer has been a great one. We leave for China tomorrow, and even though it feels like it's been one giant whirlwind, all I need to do is look at these photos and remember all the great times I had with family and friends, and I can relive those moments of relaxation again - even if only for a few blissful seconds. 

How has your summer been?