Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category

In My Bag


I meant to do one of those “what’s in your handbag” posts last year.

I took pictures and everything but never got around to posting them.

The pictures were also my practice at taking photographs in low light settings (without flash).

It was quite interesting; I turned the lights off, lit a few candles, fiddled with my camera settings and tried to steady my hands.

And although I didn’t tweak and try all the low light condition tricks I’d learnt, I like the way the pictures turned out for a first time exercise.

It also convinced me that I needed a tripod.

What's in my bag?

So here are the contents of my handbag, here’s another view.

I read somewhere that your purse is like an extension of your home – the part of your home that travels with you.

I don’t carry a lot of things around (but that’s relative).

I also like to put stuff in pouches and cases so that it’s accessible.

Black

I’ve had this bag for years, it’s nothing special, just your average black bag with some buckle details.

It’s one of my favourites, a little heavy but roomy.

I can get almost everything in there and it still doesn’t look like I’m carrying the whole world in my bag.

Flip Keys

Kate Wallet

  • The Flip Mino – This comes in handy for spontaneous videos shoots.
  • Coin purse/key chain – I like that it’s red
  • Pencil case – It came as a cute set but also holds flash drives, fountain pen cartridges and a tiny vial of vintage perfume
  • Wallet – Contains all the wallety stuff, this wallet is lefthander friendly because the card slots are to the left.

Write Stuff

Sac Keep Clean

  • Journal – To write stuff
  • Contents of the brown accessory pouch – measuring tape, compact mirror, Altoids, solid perfume, toothpicks, lip balm, hand cream, ear plugs & pain pills (for when…)
  • Camera – In it’s colourful pouch to take pictures of stuff.
  • Tissues & Wipes – Very handy.

Holder Gloves

Pens Headphones

  • Business card holder
  • Gloves & Bluetooth Stereo Headset
  • Pen & Pencil
  • Headphones – My brother’s but he let’s me borrow it sometimes.

And finally, a reusable shopping bag and my phone.

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2009. The Year Everything Made Sense!


Caution: This post is very long and contains lots of pictures… think a year’s worth – I’m sorry?

Yaye over at Cos We African Women… wrote a lovely post about choosing happiness when she finally came to the realization that happiness is a decision.

2009 was a little like that for me too. I started the year out with a very simple resolution and a decision to be happy and true to myself.

This year, I laughed more, loved more, and appreciated the people in my life more and I loved my life.

I worried less about the things I couldn’t control and whenever I was given the choice, I chose happiness.

I celebrated the positive and learned to appreciate the not so positive, in all it was a good year.

Now, the year in pictures:

January

Mom getting blood

Georgia Street Blood

December just rolled into January for us as my mom continued her treatment for breast cancer.

A slight glitch, the chemo drugs made her anaemic so she had a blood transfusion.

To the hero who gave blood on Christmas Eve 2007, it went to my mom – thank you!

February

Neupogen

Canada Place & Buildings 8:18AM

February was a blur as the ‘cancer drama’ continued, my mom started Neupogen injections to help boost her white blood cells.

The drug costs a ridiculous $1971.63 for each round, she had four prescriptions over four months. Wow!

Some mornings I just sat at my desk at home instead of hurrying to work. I walked a lot.

March

BC Place & Downtown

els - 2010 village Josie and Larry

I loved March! It was spring, magical and beautiful.

Flowers bloomed, birds chirped, I went on longer walks and love was in the air.

April

Deck

els - Pacific Place Nanaimo

April was Baldwin House, Seattle & Nanaimo

May

Convention Centre

Commercial Drive Stationv Yaletown

May was exquisitely beautiful!

June

After Surgery

Sisters Untitled by Martha Sturdy Els

June was the mastectomy, it feels like years ago yet I remember it like it was yesterday.

I also got a new camera in June, went to a couple of festivals and picnics, made coconut milk ice cream and celebrated getting older.

(more…)

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Watch This Movie: I’ve Loved You For So Long


I’ve Loved You For So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t’aime) is a simply done yet lovely French movie.
It’s written and directed by Philippe Claudel who is also a French Professor (of Literature).
I absolutely adored this movie; it’s one of the best movies I’ve watched this year.

It’s a moving story about two sisters who reunite after fifteen years apart and try to forge a relationship under charged circumstances.

Kristin Scott Thomas is amazing in this movie; her performance is raw, subtle and authentic as the older sister Juliette who comes to live with her sister after spending fifteen years in prison for killing her young son.

Elsa Zylberstein plays the unwaveringly loyal younger sister Lea, her unquestioning and unconditional devotion to her sister is quite touching.

Movie: I've Loved You For So Long

Their scenes together are captivating.

The rest of the great cast are Lea’s untrusting husband, her two daughters; the grandfather who doesn’t speak, Juliette’s parole officer and Marcel, Lea’s colleague and friend who takes a liking to Juliette.

There’s a mysterious element to the movie that adds to its brilliance. I’m not sure it if was deliberate, but there’s an underlying suspense in every scene – you never know what to expect.

Movie: I've Loved You For So Long

I liked that the movie wasn’t over the top, it’s emotional but it’s not a tearjerker. It’s subtle and affecting, it’s one of those movies you still think about days after you’ve watched it.

It was touching to watch Juliette evolve from a silent woman devoid of emotions, and even mean sometimes to become a woman who slowly allows herself out of her own prison to live again.

The movie has so many layers, and it all fuses together for a solid end.

My only disappointment with the movie is when we finally find out in the end why Juliette killed her son.

While the reason renders us sympathetic to her, it still doesn’t make a lot of sense, maybe it’s because I don’t have kids.

I still don’t understand why she wouldn’t seek help elsewhere or talk to someone.

Movie: I've Loved You For So Long

I loved Juliette’s gradual bond with her young niece, one of my favourite scenes in the movie is when they’re together playing À la Claire Fontaine on the piano – which is also where the movie gets it’s title from.

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Mink Chocolate


I miss the excitement of US Thanksgiving.

I miss the rush of preparation and the travel leading up to the day, the food, festivities, gathering and cheerful gratitude of the day, and the retail madness that follows the next day.

The Canadian version somehow doesn’t quite manage to evoke all that, but I’m grateful for a holiday in October.

For our Thanksgiving last month we got some Mink chocolate bars.

Mink is a chocolate café here in Vancouver; their chocolates are handcrafted here using the finest Belgian chocolate.

The bars come in beautiful arty packages with fun catchy names.

Mink

I tried two; The Girls’ Favourite and Mermaid’s Choice.

Mink Chocolates

The Mermaid’s Choice is a dark chocolate with ganache filling of burnt caramel and fleur de sel with a hint of rosemary.

The taste is amazing! The sweetness of the caramel and the salt makes for a very flavourful combination.

The dark chocolate shell is smooth and creamy and has a nice crunch.

The Girls' Favourite Mink

The Girls’ Favourite is a 30% cacao milk chocolate with French hazelnut and almond praline.

It’s smooth and nutty with just the right amount sweetness to it. It’s rich and decadent.

Chocolates

Since today was a normal working day for us, I went by Mink Café on my way from work and got the Dream and …By Any Other Name bars.

We had them for dessert after our lovely dinner while pondering the things we’re thankful for again.

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How to Smell Good


Vanilla & Anise

I didn’t think vanilla and anise go together, but the folks at Jo Malone did, and it’s my new favourite scent.

I love Jo Malone perfumes, I like the concept of combining scents to create a unique scent.

Vanilla & Anise Jo Malone

It’s the perfect cold winter’s day scent, the first notes are fresh and heady, and then mellows into an exotic citrusy scent.

Here’s how it’s formally described:

Vanilla & Anise, the latest fragrance from the World of Jo Malone™, transports you to the floral landscape of Madagascar and captures the fleeting moment of the blossoming rare vanilla orchid. The fragile cream and white flowers found on the vanilla vine are a precious discovery: only one or two appear in the morning, and seemingly vanish by late afternoon.

Jo Malone

Vanilla & Anise Vanilla & Anise

I was initially a little sceptical because I detest anything vanilla scented that isn’t food and anise smells like liquorice, which isn’t a scent I’m crazy about.

But this works! It doesn’t have that sweet vanilla smell, the sharp anise scent counters well with exotic scents like neroli, wild fennel, tuberose and white amber.

Vanilla & Anise

Interesting fact: I got the perfume at the Jo Malone store on 23 Brook Street in London (Mayfair), Jimi Hendrix lived at that address in the sixties.

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