Top ten fancy camping checklist

I must admit to you that I've never been camping? Am I missing out on something sweetie? Don't be too shocked and please its not polite to have your mouth open so wide!

It wasn't always like this. If you had asked me this embarrassing question about camping before I moved to San Francisco I would have said yes. Doesn't overnight summer camp in the Northern Ontario forests count for four years?

Ah it so doesn't.

My Canadian experience of camping is completely different to my Bay Area friends. Camp Tamarack was a four star camp that kept their campers in cabins, eating in a dining hall, tennis courts, swimming in the lake and participating in summer plays. The only true camping part that I remember were the massive mosquito's and canoe trips.

But have I ever slept on the floor of a tent in a sleeping bag under the stars? Honestly sweetie, maybe once. Or have I ever thrown myself down a river for hopes that I'll stay on the rafting boat and lived to tell the tale?

Come on seriously, me?

But mark my words, I would go camping if I had some of the comforts of home. So let's list them for my camping friends. To bring me along I would need the following...

Top ten fancy camping checklist

1) My flat iron (What there aren't any outlets at a campsite?)

2) Jelly shoes for the shower (The lake is the bath...this has to be a joke!)

3) My Tempur-Pedic Swedish neck pillow

4) Sigg water bottle

5) Sunblock with at least 30 SPF

6) Prescription coach sunglasses

7) Music

8) Grill

9) Bug net

10) Toilet paper

And now that you know my dark secret about camping, do you think we can still be friends lovely? Can you answer these questions then...is camping something I just haven't been introduced to properly and where do you plug in the flat iron?

My most embarrassing moment

I’ve had several, but this has to be my most embarrassing moment. Hold on sweetie as I share with you a dark secret that happened to me in high school. I can't wait to hear about yours...

Did I rebel in high school? No, but at one point I cut my hair and dyed it red. Did I throw caution to the wind and not care about grades? Nah, I was usually the teachers pet. Did I get into a scandal with my friend's boyfriend? No way! I usually helped my friends with their relationship problems.

Ah, high school how I miss thee!

My most embarrassing moment happened when I was trying out for the dance team at school. Sure this doesn’t sound traumatizing, but trust me it so was.

After moving to Newport Beach, CA from Toronto I thought I could fit in with dance. Surely my new peers would forget about my Canadian accent while I was dancing. The thing I forgot was my brother was also at my high school and he had other plans for the dancers (like throwing Milk-Bones at the cheerleaders).

So my horrible, years in therapy, worst moment ever, please don't tell anyone came when I had to audition in front of the entire school to make the dance team.

To make the team, we had to perform in the school gym so our peers would vote. It was half based on skill and half a popularity contest. Right before it was my turn to try out, I started to help my younger dance competitors with their portion which was different to mine. I stood proudly on the sidelines as the girls I had helped performed.

*Picture courtesy of the movie Grease while dancing at Rydell High.

Then came my turn, the music started and I began to dance the younger girls dance.

I froze in front of the entire school...

And since I was the only Canadian girl, it was pretty hard to cover up my frozen performance as I finished most of my sentences with eh! So how did I recover from my most embarrassing moment? The dance team gave me another shot and let me try out later in the day. And I was voted in. OK now I'm ready to hear your most embarrassing moment? I promise to keep your secret.

Our love story: Winter Wonderland

What is it like to date a Canadian born Californian? Well, I guess you would have to ask Honey that question. I tell him stories about what its like to move from country to country (check out these moving posts), I can ice skate and sometimes I smile so much that my face hurts. But how do you explain what its like to live in a Winter Wonderland? Or suggest to a native San Franciscan what to pack for winter weather?

A couple of weeks ago, Honey and I traveled to Boston and to New Hampshire. There is no way to describe to someone with California blood what the cold feels like when it hits you in the face. In Boston, the weather felt like a back and forth slap.

I smiled at Honey and said, “Welcome to the Winter Wonderland.”

And yet I found something so peaceful and calming about the snow. The snow is a reminder of my childhood, of past holidays and of a slower pace. Slower pace because the weather slows you down.

Only these things exist in a Winter Wonderland:

1) Coffee and hot chocolate are a necessity not a fashion statement.

2) Talking on a cell phone without gloves on, can promote frostbite.

3) Will someone tell me what the formula of slush is?

4) The Wikipedia definition of an East Coast city says: pros great place to raise kids, cons do you like winter?

And

5) Fresh powder doesn’t come from a machine!

The good news is that we both adapted to the winter in a warm way. Boston and New Hampshire reminded me of my love for tea, soup, chilly bundled up walks, sitting and talking for hours in a restaurant and boots with pom poms. OK, I never really lost my love for pom pom boots. All in all, it was a wonderful trip. What do you love when you're in a winter wonderland?

Insider: Toronto fashion and photography

When people find out that I'm from Toronto, they tend to ask me what the city is like. I've always explained it like 'A cleaner New York' bustling city. As I'm here for ten days with my family, I wanted to share with you some amazing fashion and photography that is happening in my hometown.

Starting with Babak (above photo) who takes raw and stunning pictures. He has such a great eye and seems to be able to do everything from rock 'n' roll to beauty shots. I plan to interview him while I'm in Toronto and share with you more of his story and pics in a future post.
Check out this Toronto street fashion photography blog. Mens wear never looked so good.

We go to the Toronto Eaton Centre which houses more than 230 stores, restaurants and services. If you are in need of some retail therapy, then this is the place to go. Just remember to wear very comfortable shoes.

If I walk around the Eaton Centre twice, can this be considered my exercise for the day?

La Mimi Style fabulous Toronto fashion stylist and blog (pic above). I love her flirty and fun style. Stay tuned for a post about La Mimi as well.

Past Project Runway Canada contestant and Toronto designer Shernett Swaby is now offering her handbag line. These bags are unique in the shape, fun to carry and owners of these fab bags get stopped all the time about where they got them.



Toronto retro picture by Andrew Fare. Comment below and tell me, are you surprised about the fashionistas coming out of Toronto?

Movie: The Proposal

I am all about a great proposal story. Last weekend, I saw 'The Proposal' starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Sandra plays a successful New York book editor. Ryan is her right hand man (assistant), forced into marrying his boss so she isn't deported back to Canada.

This was a cute movie and I enjoyed watching the female lead, written from a man's point of view. It was fun and I laughed out loud several times. The only thing missing was Sandra Bullock's Canadian accent. I was waiting for her to say, "Let's get married next week, eh!" Is this a movie you might go to see?

Goodbye Michael Jackson

I remember the first time Michael Jackson's music had an impact on me. I was ten years old and our fifth grade class had just finished our annual ski trip in Northern Ontario-Canada. At the end of the day, we sat on the school bus, patiently waiting to drive home after a long day of cross-country skiing. After our teacher took roll call, she realized that we were missing one student. It was very scary. One of our peers, was stuck a trail. The students on the bus sat scared and waited as a search party went out to find her. Our parents were informed about the situation, who were waiting to pick us up in Toronto.

During the next two hours, I calmed myself by playing on my cassette player the song 'Man in the Mirror.' I remember listening to the song over and over while learning and relearning the words. The song seemed to talk to me with phrases like, 'If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make a change.' Michael Jackson's gentle soul seemed to touch mine, as I sat waiting anxiously for news about our missing friend. The search party found "Melissa" scared, cold and ready to go home. 

All of these years later, I can still remember the words to the song.

When I heard the news that we lost Michael Jackson, a little piece of my childhood died. Goodbye Michael and thank you. What are some of your favorite Michael Jackson songs? 

Moving from Canada to America: How do you surf?

We had been living in Newport Beach, Ca from Toronto for about six months when I was asked to go surfing. Uh surfing was not something that this Canadian girl had ever thought of, let alone tried to do. If I had been asked to go downhill or cross country skiing then I would have been totally ready. Instead, I smiled sweetly at my new friend and asked her "How do you surf?"

She gasped at me and wondered how anyone had ever lived without surfing in the Pacific Ocean. (I am pretty sure at this point, I also only had one piece bathing suits and no flip flops. Oh the horror.) 

When I went home to ask my parent's if I could go surfing with her family they asked me why? Wasn't surfing only for boys? Would I get hurt? Please could I put on a lot of sunscreen? Actually the sunscreen was a great point as my pale white Canadian skin was screaming to be burned. (Yes, we all get burned first before we tan, but I freckle and turn bright red first and then the brown comes.)

My parent's told me that if I go then I had to be very careful and get people to look out for me. I really had no idea what was in store for me. My friends parents picked me up in their convertible Mercedes (seriously) and they all (including her father) wore pony tails, flip flops, shorts and had their surf boards sticking out of the back of the car. Their dog was sitting with his head out of the window.

I was wearing my one piece bathing suit, with sandals, a lot of sunscreen and carried my towel. Her family let me know that I could 'borrow' one of their boards. We drove down to Corona del Mar beach and I was completely out of my element. Her family had probably been to this beach a million times. I was still trying to get my skin use to the new sun and keep the sand out of my bathing suit :)

Her family gave me a short lesson of surfing with the board on the beach. Words like surfing is simple, you'll be fine, you'll never know if you like it once you try, were all used. All I needed was a good 'don't be chicken' and I was ready to go.

I swam into the ocean with my new friend and paddled out to the waves. We were gossiping all the way so I thought 'surfing isn't that bad'. I was enjoying surfing so far. And then she grabbed her wave and rode it into the beach. She stood up on the board, hardly wiggled and smiled all the way. I swear to you that I saw a golden retriever swim by surfing on it's board.

My first time surfing was a little different and I truly learned what wipe out meant.

I saw my wave, paddled to it and then tried to stand on my 'pink' board. I slipped off right away and then flew hard into the ocean. This was pretty much how the rest of my day went. By the end of the day I was exhausted, had a lot of salt in my eyes and lungs and was starting to complain.

My friend's mother saved me when she then introduced me to a bodyboard/boogieboard. All you have to do is lay down on this board, not stand up and boogie your way in. I was officially an Orange County girl.  Have you ever tried to surf? Had an experience like this?

Moving From Canada to America: The New Canadian Girl

After a lot of tearful goodbyes to our friends and family, we sold our house (within weeks), stored our furniture, took our dog and flew to California. Saying that the O.C. was a culture from growing up in Toronto, Ontario was a shock to us would be an understatement. We went from watching Degrassi Junior High to Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Health insurance to paid insurance and Bayview Village mall to Fashion Island.

At least my brother and I had each other. We entered the school and found the front office to let them know that we were new student's. I'm sure I ended my every sentence in eh! as I noticed that they kept ending their sentences in dude! My bro was taken to his new 7th grade class and I was escorted by a girl 'Jenny' who was the same age as me, but looked like she was going on thirty. Jenny asked me where was I transferring from. I told her Toronto. "Where?" she asked. "Um, Toronto" I responded. "Wait your Canadian?"
"Yes, we're Canadian eh!" I said.

Jenny then exclaimed "So your the new Canadian girl!"
I smiled from ear to ear and said "I guess I am."

Jenny then took me to my new homeroom class. As I entered the class, I felt all of the students look me up and down and I just about died. I found an empty seat and was glad to have a few moments to sit and catch my breath. I could see Jenny talking in the corner to some other student's and whispering. I wondered if she was talking about me or about my Betty Boop shirt?

Finally, what felt like forever a girl that Jenny was talking to came over and sat next to me. Her name was 'Tamara'. She asked me "Are you the new Canadian girl?" I could see a theme forming "Yes."
"I've never met someone from Canada before can I ask you some questions?"
"Sure eh! (*Please know that within months I never ever said eh again as I couldn't take the strange looks.)

Tamara asked me "What's it like to wear snowshoes, live in an igloo and have you ever felt the warmth of the sun before?"

I thought oh boy, do we have our work cut out for us. I smiled and told Tamara that Toronto is a metropolitan city, a cleaner New York. Filled with the arts, restaurants, sports and freezing in the winter, but hot and humid in the summer. So hot that my friends and I would go to cottages in the summer and swim in the lake.

So throughout my High School experience, I was always known as the friendly Canadian girl. I guess it could have been a lot worse. When I tried out to be on the cheerleading squad or when I tried out for the High School plays they remembered me.

We knew we were in an alternative universe when you walked in the High School parking lot. Why you may ask? Because the students drove nicer cars then the teachers. Imagine how the teachers must have felt when the sixteen year olds drove BMW's and Mercedes as their first cars. This Canadian girl drove a white, convertible Cabriolet Volkswagen which was perfect for taking my cheerleading pompom's and friends surf boards to the beach.

I didn't realize how much I had started to change until picture day. As a squad we took cheerleading pictures to hand out to our family and friends. My picture was of me sitting by a pool, my long hair tied with a white bow, posing and wearing my baby blue cheerleading outfit. I bought extra pictures and decided to send them to my friends in Toronto. I wrote little notes on the back of each note. When my Canadian childhood friends received this picture they had a field day. I looked so much like an American while my friends in Newport kept calling me Canadian.

Now I felt like I didn't really fit in in either Newport Beach or Toronto. And as if being teenager and moving wasn't hard enough :) How do you think you would have handled Tamara's questions? What was your favorite tv show from the '90s?

Moving From Canada to America: The O.C.

Imagine that you are fourteen years old, living in Toronto, Ontario and really excited to start high school with all of your childhood friends in the Fall. Your parent's sit you and your brother down to tell you that your family is going to be moving away. I thought to myself "OK we're moving neighborhoods again." And then the bomb was dropped. Your family is going to be moving countries. We assumed that it's going to take months to prepare a move like this. We were wrong. My family was moving from metropolitan city Toronto to beach town Newport Beach, California in the next month.

My brother and I knew that my parent's were having marital problems, but we had no idea that they would make the decision for all of us to move Countries. My father was working with his brother at the time on his accounting business software so my father was able to arrange a work visa for himself and try to open up an office in the States. Instead of my parent's separating again they decided that they would give it another try and move us away for a fresh start.

My brother and I were shocked. First we knew were going to miss our childhood friends. Second we couldn't imagine our new home as we had never been to Newport Beach before. We had been to Disneyland and had visited L.A. once, but I had never thought that we would move to California. Third we wondered if our parent's would stay together as they were having many problems. Of course we were willing to try, but we were very scared of the change. My mother told us at least we all have each other.

At the time there were no shows like Laguna Beach or The O.C for us to reference. (Everyone always asks me what was it like going to high school in Newport Beach. And yes it was similar to the shows. Crazy I know.)

After a lot of tearful goodbyes to our friends and family, we sold our house (within weeks), stored our furniture, took our dog and flew to California. Saying that the O.C. was a culture shock to us would be an understatement. We went from Maple Trees to Palm Trees. From boots to sandals and skiing to surfing. I wondered if we would ever fit in.

My family enjoyed a sun filled month on the beach while getting to know our new area. (I know it sounds horrible, but not to worry we managed :) Newport Beach seemed to make their women and teenagers very different to Toronto. They were perfect, with perfect hair and makeup and always wearing workout pants. My mother and I had also noticed that in the magazines there were a lot plastic surgery ads. And this was in 1990.

Our first day of school seemed to come very fast. On my first day of High School, I tried to wear my hippest California outfit which consistent of a Betty Boop top and matching cut off jeans. (Oh the horror!)

Together I remember my brother and I walking up the foreign steps to our new school. This school was completely different to any we had known as it had outside lockers and an Olympic pool for water polo. We took a deep breath and entered the sea of faces that we had never seen before.

I will never forget seeing sandals on the feet of almost all of the students and some of the teachers. To me they looked like Flinestone shoes and they were wearing them with socks. I stopped a student that was younger then me and asked her about the sandals. She told us that they were called Birkenstock's.We had never seen them before so I asked her why would they be worn with shorts and socks. She looked at me like I was crazy and responded " The socks are to keep their feet warm from the sandals. Duh!"

The new Canadians had officially arrived. What was it like when you moved to a new city or Country? Do you think it's harder to move as a child or as an adult? * I took the above photo of Laguna Beach in the midday sun. It's one of my favorites.

The Best Bagel Restaurant: Toronto's Bagel World

I hope that there are no holes in this story. Last week I was in Toronto, Ontario for 10 days. My family took me for brunch at Bagel World which has been a Toronto tradition for 45 years. They had great grilled cheese bagels, but not great service. The bagel restaurant has great nosh, a full menu, but what I want to describe to you was the scene.

Although I was born and raised in Toronto, I think I was too young to really understand the Jewish Bagel Scene. Let me try to paint the picture for you. I could hear the Seinfeld music in my head as my aunt, best cousin and I walked through the doors into the restaurant. We walked through the Bagel World restaurant doors and I could feel all eyes on me. The customers were trying to see if they knew me or if they knew who I was with. The restaurant had no color on the walls, was packed and we combed the room to see if there was an empty table to sit at.

While walking through Bagel World, to the back empty table, someone grabbed my Aunt's arm as if they knew her. Turns out my Aunt hadn't seen this lady for years. I felt that since I had left Toronto and Canada at the age of fourteen, there was no way someone would know/remember me. I was wrong.

We sat down at the table, took a look at the greasy menu and all ordered coffee and orange juice. Every time the front door opened the restaurant customers seemed to stare at the fresh meat walking in. My Aunt asked my cousin " See that man...no not at that table at the table by the window. Isn't that Mr. Cohen and you went to school with his son?" My cousin looked over at the man. "No ma. But they do look alike."

I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich on a bagel and orange juice (can you hear the the Seinfeld music?). The good news is that the bagel was wonderful. I commented on how good the bagel was to my family and was told "of course it's great. Bagel World has been here for 45 years."

Then my Aunt tells me to look over at a table two tables away from us and asked me if I recognized the woman sitting there. "Come on Auntie. I moved to California a long time ago I am sure I don't know her!" My aunt told me that the woman knew my mother. I suggested that I should go over and say hello or kiss her on the cheek as my mother died 11 years ago and this could give her a fright.

Oy!

We finished up our meal and asked for the check. An elderly man walked past us and said, "Oh what lovely ladies." Bagel World a tradition, packed full of customers and I would go back to the restaurant just for the scene. Do you have the feeling that maybe they know something that we don't?


www.bagelworld.ca/