I recently posted on Dove Chocolates and the Pleasure Kit I received, and they’ve just informed me that they’re still looking for women across Canada to receive free chocolate to try out and share with friends.
You need to be a female between 25-45 living in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and a chocolate lover who is socially active both in the real world and online. If that sounds like you and you’d like to receive a kit containing a ton of chocolate, journal, wine glass and foot pamper pouch all tucked into a handy tote bag, then click here to complete the pre-qualifying survey.
Horray for chocolate!
Took a wonderful trip to Saltspring Island on Wednesday with a couple of friends, and found this great blouse at a store in the town centre for just a couple bucks:
Also visited the beautiful Bullock Lake Farm bed and breakfast where I picked up farm fresh eggs, met some Muscovy ducks and checked out their wool shop. This is definitely where I’ll be staying next time I spend a night or two in Saltspring, so idyllic!
My mom handed off this old recipe box that belonged to my Grandma - she had so many recipes, so this is just one of many boxes. My Grandpa made this one out of an old cupboard, and I hadn’t really gone through it until today. Mostly desserts, but I love these old housekeeping and hosting tips:
“Sherry before dinner is in good company with: tiny, sizzling pork sausages mounted on a whole golden grapefruit. crackers and a cheese spread mixed with finely chopped pickles and chives. thin slices of chipped beef rolled around a cream cheese and horseradish filling.”
I’ve been back on the Dubonnet train lately, and I want to learn more about other fortified wines such as sherry and port - this little card reminded me of that!
Dessert wines 101: Wikipedia explains that, “After fermentation is complete, sherry is fortified with brandy. Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, all natural sherries are dry; any sweetness is applied later. In contrast, port wine is fortified halfway through fermentation, stopping fermentation so not all the sugars are allowed to turn into alcohol and so leaving a sweet wine.”
I may add some more photos soon, as there’s a great old magazine pull out called “Summertime drinks” with 5 tasty recipes that will be nice to share once the sun comes out again.
In case you didn’t already know, you can find some pretty wicked steals at thrift shops like the Salvation Army, and they’re throwing a fashion show tomorrow [May 14] to prove it. Imagine what a fun job that would have been, scouring through all the clothes over the past weeks and selecting items in preparation for the show - I likely would have had a rotating batch of runway outfits with every new delivery of clothes!
You can enjoy high tea, a silent auction, gift bags, door prizes, and of course the unique fashion show featuring thrifted goods. Tickets are $20, however the show is nearly sold out so if you don’t yet have your ticket, call around to various Salvation Army locations because that’s your only hope in hell. No tickets at the door.
Four Seasons Hotel, 791 W Georgia, 1:30pm
PS - If you attend, you should celebrate the art of thrifting by wearing some of your own favourite finds!
300 women across Canada were selected to receive a Dove Chocolate Pleasure kit, which included 20 purse packs (small boxes containing 4 individually wrapped chocolate pieces), 4 chocolate bars, 3 cartons containing individually wrapped chocolate pieces, a journal, a foot pamper pouch, a tote bag and a wine glass - and I was one of them. This is a really efficient way to market a product, I think. My friends love me right now, as I am continually feeding them chocolate. I carry chocolate around in my purse, and I even have a little bowl of chocolate treats on our coffee table, just like Grandma.
Each individually wrapped piece has a printed note inside - some are cheesy and cute (”Read a trashy novel,” “A push up bra isn’t cheating,”) while others prompted unsavoury memories (”Remember your first,” — no, thanks). When opening them with friends, it’s really easy to find relevance in the little messages and have a good laugh over them. Like fortune cookies!
Continue reading ‘Dove Chocolates Pleasure Kit’
Finally found a bicycle the other day, after a painstaking search. My quest began at JV Bikes with some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced; led to Reckless Bicycles which had amazing service but I couldn’t afford the brand new Biria bike I wanted; and ended with craigslist and finally nabbing an old cruiser before anyone else.
I got an Apollo Capri, 19.5″ frame, red with chrome basket and chain guard. I may give it a facelift soon - maybe a brown leather seat and matching handle grips, and perhaps some new pedals. Otherwise she’s golden!
For my inaugural ride, after years of not being on a bicycle, I was brave. Started in Gastown, rode along the seawall from Science World, stopped and picked up Carleen and her ol’ bess at Burrard, and straight on to Third Beach at Stanley Park for a well deserved rest. Aired out our swits, dug for clams and took some photos. Cut through and took the Coal Harbour seawall route back home, and managed to cycle within traffic without injuring myself, thumbs up!
All we can talk about now is, where to cycle to next?
Pangea Day is a live global film event which concurrently showcases 24 films in 4 hours all around the world, in an effort to bring people together through film in the name of social action. Speakers, films and music will be broadcast in 7 languages to millions of people around the world, and afterwards everyone who participates is encouraged to facilitate community building initiatives to uphold that connection. It sounds like a really inspiring event and I’m quite excited to check it out tomorrow.
The event begins May 10 at 18:00 GMT - that’s 11am in Vancouver - check out the Pangea Day website for venues in your area, and if you’re not in the PDT zone it will begin at a different time.
Remember, today is the dace sample sale - I just went by and grabbed the red Charmer shorts from SS07, a sample top from SS08, and the white shirt which is from a couple years ago I think. I’m thrilled that I got some in-season items, especially given my current penchant for acquiring jackets. Sale runs until 7pm tonight.
There is also a noteworthy sale happening in suite #204, with Spiewak jackets, Sessun clothing, Lacoste bags and more. Definitely worth checking out, not sure what time it runs until though.
Check it out at 343 Railway, units #201 and #204.
Not all handshakes were created equal, and when Carleen, Pariya and I got together yesterday at English Bay for a meeting this topic came up. We ran through the top 5 most common handshakes we experience on a regular basis.
The Power Shake:
Ideal for business meetings, interviews, or whenever you want to make a solid first impression with a solid person. Safe to say that this is always our default shake.
The Dead Fish:
Ideal for when you really dislike the person you’re shaking hands with, you don’t care to know them, or when you’re feeling lazy and inattentive. Not fun to be on the receiving end of this one.
The Kiss of Death:
“The Dead Fish, Extended” … Ideal if you’re wearing gloves, when you think you’re high class, or are blatantly inviting a hand kiss. A rarer occurrence.
The Limp Tip:
This shake could only mean a few things: the shaker is fragile, is extremely shy, or has very sweaty hands.
The Secret Handshake:
These ones are fun, but seem to be on the down and out. Can mean you’re part of an exclusive club, are elitist, or are simply having one helluva good time. You probably don’t want to know what The Conveyor Belt secret handshake is…
Back at it again!
And Vivienne Westwood high-waisted cropped pants. The buttons and pockets are hidden by the front panel that buttons up near the hips - very cool:
I also spied a book by Mark Vonnegut, Kurt Vonnegut’s son. 15 pages in and I’m hooked!
