Explore The City You Live In

Well, hello! I'm sure some of you probably thought I dropped off the map there for a while but I'm still here. :) This may very well have been the longest period of time since I began blogging regularly that I haven't posted. I spent 8 days back home in Toronto visiting family and friends and have been trying to play catch up once again and prepare for some home renovations. As some of you know just a few weeks before that I visited my hubby in NYC and before that I was in California, so this has been an eventful spring to say the least with 3 trips in 5 weeks! The good news is that I'm going to be sticking around here for a while and Paul is finally coming home next week from being away in Vietnam for a month as he completes a summer course for his Master's Degree. I'm excited for us to be in one place for more than just two weeks at a time!

It had been nearly two years since I had travelled back home to Toronto to visit some of my favorite people and with the beautiful weather, I couldn't wait to get out and explore and re-visit places that make me giddy with excitement. One place I always enjoy is the Distillery District downtown where one of my besties and I spent Father's Day since neither one of us are mothers yet and we didn't have our Father's nearby to celebrate with. The architectural beauty, blooming flowers and bustling shops, art galleries and outdoor cafes were even more inviting than I remember.

{Two of the many areas in Toronto's Historic Distillery District-June 2011}

It's amazing to me how often we can take for granted what we have until we no longer have it anymore. I've been living in Florida now just shy of 5 years and while Toronto will always be where my heart truly feels at home, I don't want to miss out on so much of what my own city has to offer while I'm here. Paul and I love to explore Florida and see new areas other than just ours but there is something special about getting to know your own city. I love re-visiting our go-to restaurants but we make a point of exploring many new ones, attend local festivals, fairs and events. We frequent the parks, gardens and attractions in our area and love the local farmer's markets but there is still so much more to discover. I've always wanted to pack up a blanket and a picnic basket and head to an evening black and white movie in the park and now that the hubbs will be home I'm thinking this year it will finally materialize.

If you're also feeling a little bit like you could explore your own city in greater depth, why not....

1. Capture your City in Photos-Take your camera to some quaint streets or a community with great architecture and take some photos, print them in black and white and create local and inexpensive framed art for your home which truly reflects where you live.

2. Google your City for a Calendar of Events-Head out to an event per month that you've never attended before in your town. Many of them are free and provide a new experience without breaking the bank. There are generally many in the summer months and during the Christmas holidays.

3. Act like a Tourist. Check out a Guidebook and head out to some local attractions that tourists frequent when in your area. If your city has a sightseeing tour via a double-decker bus, ride it! To make the experience more authentic, if you can afford it, stay in a hotel that you've always wanted to experience for the weekend

Although it's only an hour away and a huge draw for tourists, I had never watched the space shuttle launch from Kennedy's space station. So, last year we packed up and spent the day at the beach then drove over to a nearby park where we set up a picnic and waited to see the shuttle in action, it was a neat experience.

4. Shop Independent, Local Stores-With the popularity of convenient big box, one-stop shop type stores, it's easy to sometimes forget about the unique little shops in your own town. They're often where you'll find a cute, handmade dress that nobody else will ever own or the perfect one-of-a-kind home decor accessory. These stores are often pricier, but you can shop with a small budget in mind and pick up something small that lives in your house that will remind you of your city and the outing.

Last summer we went to Sarasota for 5 days. While I could have picked up beautiful white sea stars from anywhere in Florida, I purchased a large one that lives on a shelf with leaning frames in our front entry. I think of our first trip there together every time I see it. I'm hoping to find some local art to display in our home this year.

5. Give Back-Volunteer and meet other great people in your city and help beautify it or help others in your community and make a difference.

I can honestly say that volunteering is always a great experience for me, I participate in local river and waterway cleanups and it's so gratifying knowing we left the area free of fishing lines, trash and other items that harm the wildlife and contaminate the water in the area. It's also a great way to chat with and hear from others about great things to do in the area while making an impact.

How do you explore your own city, what are your favorite things to do in your town?

Have a wonderful weekend, I hope you discover some place new!



*images: (1)

30 Things Every Woman Should Know

As women, we are expected (and put a lot of pressure on ourselves) to do many things well. Some things come easier than others and often times a crash-course here or there is all that one needs to acquire the extra skills. Maybe you'd love know how to make the perfect bed? Perhaps you wish you could arrange flowers like the pros or you may just be wondering how to break open and enjoy a delicious lobster.

According to Martha Stewart, there are 30 things that everyone should know. Since this blog's audience is women-only, I changed the post title accordingly. I thought I'd post my favorite 5 for you and you can check out the other 25 on Martha's website. I love lists like this, they force me to brush up on my skills. I hope you will find them equally beneficial. :) *All how-to content below from MarthaStewart.com.

HOW TO:

1. Make a Bed- Begin with a good-quality mattress and box spring. Protect the mattress with a cotton cover; Martha adds a wool pad. 

Unless you're using a fitted sheet, make hospital corners with the bottom sheet, starting at the bed's head: Drape the sheet evenly over the bed, leaving about 1 foot of fabric hanging beyond the head. Stand beside the bed, toward its center, and pick up a side hem. Pull the hem toward you into a taut crease, then raise the creased section over the mattress so the sheet makes a triangular tent over the bed. With your other hand, smooth the sheet flat along the mattress's side. Then fold the creased section down over the side, and tuck the sheet snugly under the mattress. Repeat the process at the foot and other side of the bed.


Add the top sheet, and make hospital corners at the bed's foot.

Leave the sides untucked for easier sleeping. Finish with a blanket, quilt, or down comforter.

*If you are a visual person like me, click HERE for Martha's video on how to properly make a bed

2. Eat a Lobster- To get the most meat with the least effort, have nutcrackers and small forks or picks on hand. (Get even more out of your lobster by using a rolling pin to ease the meat out of each of the eight legs. Apply pressure from tip to base.) Some people enjoy the green liver, or tomalley, from the lobster's carapace, or body; mix it with lemon juice or butter and spread it on crackers.

Remove lobster from pot with tongs; let cool. If you like, snip the tips of claws and let liquid drain out. Remove rubber bands. Twist claws with their knuckles from the body. Separate knuckles from claws. Crack knuckles open; remove meat.

• Grasp "thumb" and bend it back to snap it off.
• Crack claw in half; remove meat.
• Pull off legs. Twist tail from the joint where it meets the body.
• Pull off tail fins. Bend tail backward to crack off end of shell.
• Use your fingers to push tail meat out opposite side; remove with fork.

* Click the link for Step-by-Step photos on how to eat a lobster.

3. Arrange Flowers- Flower arranging is an art, but the art is easy to master when you follow a few simple techniques. This technique, courtesy of wedding designer Karen Bussen, uses kale, ranunculus, viburnum, and lamb's ear to create an elegant and unforgettable arrangement.



Tools and Materials

Ribbon
Vase
Clippers
Floral food
Floral knife
Clear rubber bands
Kale
Ranunculus
Viburnum
Lamb's ear


Arranging Flowers How-To

• Embellish a vase with wide double-satin ribbon. Cut with pinking shears and secure using double-sided tape. Wrap a contrasting narrow ribbon over first ribbon. Secure with a simple knot and clip ends at angles.
  
• Fill a vase with water and add floral food; set aside. Start with three to four stalks of kale to create a basic structure. Add clusters of viburnum and ranunculus; secure flowers with rubber band.
  
• Create a collar with lamb's ear so it drapes over vase; secure with rubber band.
  
• Trim stems short enough to be hidden by ribbon on vase. Place flowers in vase.
  

4. Cooking a Turkey

GETTING STARTED

Have ready the following equipment:


Large, heavy roasting pan (not nonstick)
Roasting rack (V-shaped or flat)
Toothpicks or small metal skewers
17-inch square of four-ply cheesecloth
Kitchen twine
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer
Fat separator

Remove giblets from the body and neck cavities, and reserve them; you can make Giblet Stock while the turkey is roasting.

Rinse the turkey under cool running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent them from burning.

STUFFING THE BIRD

Insert the stuffing just before the turkey goes into the oven; never do it ahead of time. And don't pack it too tightly, as the stuffing won't cook evenly and bacteria may grow; also, don't forget to stuff the neck cavity.

SECURING THE NECK FLAP
Pull the flap of skin at the neck down, and use toothpicks or small metal skewers to fasten it.
TRUSSING

Pull the legs together loosely, and tie them with kitchen string; a bow will be easy to untie later. Any kind of sturdy white string or twine will do, as long as it's made of cotton, not polyester (which may melt in the oven's heat). Rub the turkey with butter, and season it with salt and pepper.

THE BASTING PROCESS

Cover the turkey with cheesecloth that has been soaking in butter and wine; the cloth should cover the breast and part of the leg area. Make sure the cheesecloth never dries out or comes into contact with the inside walls of the oven; in either situation, it may ignite.

Every 30 minutes, use a pastry brush (better than a bulb baster) to baste the cheesecloth and exposed area of the turkey with the butter-and-wine mixture. (The turkey pictured here is out of the oven, but basting should be done in the oven and as quickly as possible, so the oven temperature doesn't drop.) Watch the pan juices; if they are in danger of overflowing, spoon them out and reserve them for the gravy.

After the third hour of cooking, take the turkey out of the oven. Carefully remove the cheesecloth, which will have turned quite brown, and discard it. Baste the turkey with pan juices, taking care not to tear the skin, and return it to the oven

TEMPERATURE TAKING

After the fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (if you poke a bone, try again); when the temperature reaches 180 degrees, the bird is ready.

CARVING

Use a thin-bladed, flexible carbon-steel knife to carve the meat into thin slices.

5. Pack a Suitcase- There are a few ways you can pack efficiently for your next trip. Start by putting your shoes on the bottom of your suitcase. Shoe bags help protect your shoes from the stress of travel. Place jeans on top of the shoes, followed by underwear and socks. Buy several pairs of identical socks; this way, if a single sock gets lost, you'll have another to match. Next, pack sweaters of different weights in large, resealable bags. Shirts and pants go in last; place them inside garment bags (your dry cleaner should be able to supply you with extra bags) and fold them on top of the suitcase. Don't forget to include a sewing repair kit, books, and perhaps a portable stereo, an electronic game, or other entertaining items.



If you haven't got a chance to read them, here are some of my previous travel tips which share some great info on how to make your life much easier while preparing for your next trip, and what you should never leave home without.

What do YOU believe is one of the most important things a WOMAN should know how to do? Whether it's on this list or not, I'd love to hear what you think!