adding juice...

Today is day four of my juice fest.

My amazing husband got me an amazing new juicer, replacing Old Faithful, without me even having to ask for it! I love him so.

Ta da!

But back to the juice...

For the past few days, I have been adding one big, huge green juice into my daily diet, usually right after my morning lemon water.

Now don't get me wrong, I still follow it up with a coffee, sometimes even with eggnog (albeit it's organic eggnog) and I've been proudly polishing off every last Christmas truffle I can find in the house (there are a lot!)...

The juice is simply my healthy treat for my cells. No drama. No cleanses. Just pure juice love.

It tasted (and looked!) much better than this sad pic...

Here's this morning's juice:

• Handful of romaine.
• Handful of kale.
• Big handful of parsley.
• Half of a cucumber (peeled as it wasn't organic).
• One apple.
• 1 inch piece of ginger.
• Lemon juice to squeeze on top when it's all done.

To quote one of my favourite ladies, Ms. Kris Carr, "Make juice, not war."

Much love,
mxo

love life...

mxo

wagons...

Here's the thing about wagons: they are notoriously difficult to stay on. Especially when they look like this:

No thank you!

Lord knows I've had a hard time staying on them. My usual strategy is to get on and speed so quickly that I go flying off. My wounded ego (and sometimes broken bones) then take awhile to heal before I get back on.

It's not a good stragedy. So I'm trying something new: go slow/ be kind (I couldn't decide which one to go with, so I'm going with both).

In my many years of yoga-ing and exercising and dieting and cleansing and otherwise being a happy, healthy yogi, I've come to learn this: the secret to success is to start slow, to incorporate your new goal into your life, because when you try to rework your life to meet your new goal, it often doesn't stick (this is why the vast majority of New Year's resolutions flop a couple of weeks later).

So when you're planning your New Years resolutions, I would suggest this: write your resolutions, then write your plan for how to arrive there. Break it down. Be detailed. Think of your resolutions as where you want to be in 12 months, your end goal and not where you must be immediately.

Example:

• I will go to the gym five times per week. Unless you're already going four times every week, I suggest this modification: I will go the gym five times per week by December. In January, I will start with one day a week and I'll find the time that works best for me (i.e. maybe you're a morning gym rat). In February, I'll go two times per week. Etc.

I say all of this to myself first and foremost because I need to hear read it.

I'll post my 2013 goals soon to keep myself accountable. Yikes!

Hope you're all having a Happy Happy Holly-day! And please indulge now. Live a little! That's what the holidays are for. January is for dealing with the aftermath. :)

Much, much love.
mxo

passion muscle...

I've been feeling very introspective lately. Pages and pages of my journal have been filled with random musings.

And it helps that I was able to completely unplug for a whole week, soaking up sunshine, yoga and surf in Nica.  :)

Me, learning to rip it!

Today's musings have to do with passion.

A lot of my friends (myself included at times) are really struggling with this idea of passion - not only living it, but even just finding it.

It's hard.

Many of us aren't born with one clear, driving passion to be a doctor, musician, artist or poet.  Many of us have to figure out what our passions might be (I'm using the plural here intentionally).

We can get lost and quite frustrated by the hunt.

But here's the thing - what if we have it all backwards? What if the point isn't to find passion but to bring passion instead. What if passion is like a muscle that you have to exercise?

I bet a lot of it would feel like fakery BUT some of it wouldn't, and through the exercise, you'd find the thing(s) that really make you tick.

Here are two of my favourite ladies discussing the subject:



Food for thought.
Much love,
mxo

10-year-olds...

Two things are about to happen in the next month or so:

1. I'm going to be an aunt. My very best friend is almost 8 months pregnant with a baby girl.
2. I'm going to Nicaragua to visit my brother-in-law with my hubby and some friends.

Here's why these two things are related:

• On one hand, I want to be such an amazing, positive influence in this soon-to-be kid's life. I want to help grow her into a strong, confident woman. (I'll have to rethink my strategy somewhat if she comes out a boy...)
• On the other, this looming beach vacation has left me suddenly concerned about my "problem" areas. I've been worrying recently about not being "bikini" ready. 

Those two things just don't jive and yet they are completely related.

The kicker is this: if we want to change the world, we must start with ourselves. If I want to be a role model for her, I have to lead by example. I have to practice what I preach.



And I preach this:

• We are all beYOUtiful and unique.
• We are objectified enough by the media, society, etc - let's not do it to ourselves, and let's not do it to each other.
• Let's celebrate our own beauty.
• And admit to girl crushes (my most recent gc's include: Gabby Bernstein, Marie Forleo, and Kris Carr).
• ... oh yes, and let's define beauty holistically - like inside and out. 

So next time you're heading towards negative self-talk or gossiping for that matter, picture a 10-year-old hanging on your every word/ thought. What would you want her to learn?

Much, much love.
mxo

the tough moments...

This week has been difficult. I'm going through something at work that really shouldn't be that big of a deal, but for some reason, it has rocked me to my very core.

I can't help but feel like something bigger is going on, like I'm in the midst of a bigger change, but I can't see it yet. Right now, I'm in muck of it and my chest is tight.

But I've realized this in the past few months:

 life is beautiful because of it ebbs and flows. 

Everyone will always have ups and downs, and that's just part of the process.


The less we fight it, the more we let ourselves just experience this moment as it is, the sooner we will figure out what it's for.

I get that hearing how grateful you really should and how much worse it could be (a.k.a. perspective) isn't always appreciated. Sometimes you don't want to be told to snap out of it. Sometimes you just need to feel the rawness.

So feel it. Like really, truly feel it.


And, dear reader, whoever you might be, I hope you can find comfort in this:

• This too shall pass.
• Everyone you see feels the same way you do. You're not alone.
• One day you'll look back and understand, but for now, just take care of yourself in whatever way you need to.

Love u.
mxo

This is my happy place. That's me, the blondie next to the gorgeous bride. :)

Perspective

Today was a sh*t sandwich kind of a day.

I cried... a lot. I b*tched and moaned. I bailed on one of my best friends. It wasn't pretty.


But then the universe sent me this little nugget of wisdom:

"be thankful for what's right rather than complaining about what's wrong"

And this.

And this.

Trust me, I know it's hard to see the forest for the trees when you're in the muddy thick of it, but I promise you, there is a forest.

The universe has your back. Oh yes, and this: if not this, than something better.

Much love!
mxo

burn out...

Last time I attended a pretty amazing Q&A with Brett Wilson.

I have also been devouring his book, Redefining Success: Still Making Mistakes.

Tonight, after some 15 days straight of work (yup, including weekends) and most of them overtime, I left work in a haze. I was so absolutely out of it that, thankfully, all I was able to think about is how ridiculously I have been living recently.

I have been heading FULL steam ahead towards burnout. Silly Maya.

It took me awhile to realize it this time because I've built my body up to a healthy, strong state and emotionally, I've been kicking it. But burnout is burnout and it gets everyone eventually if you don't change your habits.

But back to Brett and how he handsomely fits into all of this (he is quite handsome!).

When I picked up his book, I was really expecting a guide on how to become super stellar at business. It's not that, at least not really. It's a guide on how to become super stellar at life from someone who had to make some mighty mistakes to figure it out.

I think everyone should read this book but for now, here's one of the main takeaways: life is about so much more than work and your career.

• Health must come before everything else because without it, there is nothing. 
• Relationships must come directly after because without them, nothing really matters. 
• After that, you decide, but somewhere near the top should be community engagement, giving back, or just generally, being a kickass person.

Without those elements, there is no true success. Without those elements, Maya is a crazy person.

So that's it, I've stopped cold in my tracks before it got messy.  Now I'm redefining my non-negotiables, my priorities, my "be the most stellar Maya I can be" list. I encourage you to do the same.

I leave you with something my partner in crime said that really stuck,

"What do you want to remember about your 20s [30s, 40s, etc] - that you worked late every night or that you worked a bit, saw your friends and family, had fun, felt great, etc?"

Noted.

Thanks universe!
mxo

roasted strawberries and happy choices...

This past month has been wonderful. Really, truly wonderful.
I feel like I've really hit my stride. 
It all really boils down to a few ideas I've allowed to percolate in my mind. 

Here goes:

• Happiness is a choice.
• But it's one you need to make constantly. 
• Believe in miracles.
• And that the universe has your back. It does.
•  When all of the above fails, remember that there are always extraordinary things happening. 

Oh, and this weekend I made these: roasted tomatoes and roasted strawberries! So yum!  

Roasted Strawberries:

• One big carton of strawberries.
• 1 tbsp maple syrup.
• 1 tbsp port wine.
• 1 tsp vanilla.
• 1 tiny pinch salt.
• 1/2 tsp olive oil.

Preheat oven to 350f. Trim strawberries and cut them in half. Place them in a baking dish (not a baking sheet as the juices will drip all over your stove... messy!) Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour over strawberries. Give the berries a swirl so that they are equally covered in liquid. Bake for 30-40 mins. Let cool and enjoy alone, over yogurt, with granola, in a salad... YUM!



At the same time, you can also make Roasted Tomatoes!

• One big carton of cherry tomatoes.
• 2 tbsp olive oil.
• 1 tbsp maple syrup.
• 1 tbsp white wine or white balsamic vinegar.
• 1 pinch salt.

Preheat oven to 350f. Cut tomatoes in half. Place them in a baking dish (not a baking sheet as the juices will drip all over your stove... messy!) Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour over tomatoes. Give the tomatoes a swirl so that they are equally covered in liquid. Bake for 30-40 mins. Enjoy!

Finally, please send some love to my friends, Mark and Lynne, and help Mark heal. 

Much love.
mxo

let yourself be...

Over the passed few years, I too have gone through quite a few "I shoulds". Many have been documented on this very blog. This past year, I have tried very hard to unlearn each of them.


I should do yoga every single day. I did that and I ended up exhausted.

I should wake up at 5am and go to yoga, pilates, or the gym. That was fine until I burst into tears one night when I set my alarm for 4:55am.

I should sleep the same amount at the same time every night. All I have to say is that it sucks leaving a dinner party early to make it home for bedtime.

Oh yes, and then there was the whole no gluten, no animal products, no coffee or alcohol thing. That landed me in the hospital.


It took me awhile to learn that the "should" strategy just wasn't working. The hardest part was the ego, but that tends to be the case. But I was desperate, so for the past several months, I have tried another strategy: let myself do, eat, not do, and not eat whatever the moment calls for. I've tried hard to let myself be (two steps forward, one step back each and every day). And guess what, folks? It's working!

Now don't get me wrong, I still believe in what drove me to all of the above - the power of yoga, healthy eating, challenging yourself, etc. But here's the major, major game-changer: moderation, and as is best for you - your unique you. The moment a healthy life decision become a stressful dogma, it has defeated its own point.

When I think of letting myself be, I think of this... Cali.

Life is too short to miss out on pleasure, too long to be miserable, and too complicated to fit into anyone else's mold.

Find your own balance. Be kind to yourself. Listen to your gut, and all that jazz.

mxo

today...

Today feels like...

... New Neil Halstead.
 

... Texts from good friends about new life. Bless.

... Homemade apple almond butter. 

Apple Nut Butter:

• 6-8 large apples, cored and sliced into big chunks. Keep the peels!
• Splash of orange or lemon juice.
• 1 tbsp vanilla.
• 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Nut butter of choice (1/2 cup or so for every 1 1/2 cup of apple butter).
• 2 tbsp maple syrup.
• Pinch of salt. 

...first, the apple butter: 

Place the apples in a slow cooker with the splash of OJ. Set to high and let it simmer for 4-6 hours. The longer you cook the apples, the more condensed the butter will be. Stir occasionally. Let it cool, then blend until smooth. It's super delicious on it's own.

...then, the nut butter:

Place 1 1/5 cups of apple butter, 1/2 cup of your favourite nut butter (I used almond), and remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend. That's it. 

So yum.
mxo

 

giving thanks...

Here are 100 things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving 2012:

Core love.

1. My husband, and his relentless patience and acceptance of all that is me.
2. My family. New family, old family. Here family, there family. Love.  
3. My friends!!
4. Core. So many years, so many chapters. So many tears and giggles. So much love.  
5. My house. Despite the recent plumbing, electrical and deck issues, this place I call home is pretty rad.
6. That I never really had to struggle. Even when we were dirt poor, my parents hid is well (most of the time). Now I have the world. 
7. The fact that most days I wake up healthy, as do the people I love.
8. Croissants. I really have to eat more of them. :)
9. My cat. She is kind of like her momma. 
10. This time of year. September through January is my absolutely favourite.
11. CHRISTMAS!
12. The little bundle of joy that is currently in my bestie's tummy, who will come in December and give me the best present ever: being an aunty!
13. My bestie. You know you have a special bond with someone when you can spend every single weekday and many weekends with someone for 10 years straight and still love them dearly. 
14. Nature. 
15. "Thanks nature!" 
16. My polka dot pajama short-shorts. 
17. The ocean.
18. Yoga, and its ability to completely shift my mood and remind me just how much I have to be grateful for.
19. The fact that I can go to yoga and move all of my limbs in all sorts of directions.
20. That life can change on a dime, in a split second, or a moment.
21. Cozy fall sweaters.
22. Boots!
23. All of the friends I have all over the world.
24. All of the trips I get to take all over the world!
25. Books! Even smutty books like 50 Shades... ;)
26. Movies, I loooooooove movies, especially romantic ones.
27. Vegetables. I really, truly love them.... even brussel sprouts!
28. Yogaglo. Genuis.
29. Autoshare. Genuis. 
30. Lessons. 
31. That there's still so very much to learn.
32. COFFEE!
33. Mercatto, and getting to chat with Alice every morning as she makes my delicious Americano.
34. "Go big or go home." 
35. Wine. Lots and lots of wine. 
36. Bourbon. Who knew?! 
37. That when I wake up after a night of drinking too much wine and bourbon, I feel compelled to apologize for loving my friends too much. It could be worse and I should just relax. :)
38. Sparkly tops.
39. Forever 21! So long as I can fit into their crappy clothes, I will wear their crappy clothes... especially the sparkly tops.
40. The fact that I get mistaken for a teenager at least once a week. I've stopped fighting it.
41. Hipstamatic. 
42. Toronto. 20 years of living in this city and I still love it.
43. Stumbling upon a Jill Scott album I hadn't yet heard. Yippie. 
44. Commas.
45. RONCESVALLES!! BEST neighbourhood in the city, by far.
46. De La Mer and the lovely owner who always "accidentally" undercharges me. It's our thing. 
47. Lit Espresso Bar.
48. Lunch Box. 
49. Quotes likes this, "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." W. James
50. The Quote Monster, my sister-in-law. She doesn't even know how amazing she is or how much I love her.
51. The fact that I get to call uber ridiculously talented people like ECB, PD, and so many others my friends.
52. Alright, fine. The new sound system, when the AirPort thing doesn't cut out.  
53. That I can drive and one day I will learn to drive standard. Who wants to teach me? ;)
54. My job, and my cool new boss and awesome colleagues. I grumble often but it's not lost on me just how lucky I am.
55. The fact that I'm good at my job. 
56. Music!
57. Carole King. I am so digging Tapestry right now. 
58. Oh, and uber sexy Lana.
59. CBC Radio 2. Every single day at work for the last umpteen years.
60. That we are all special. That's right, I said. I'm Gen Y after all; we got medals just for showing up.
61. El Coco Loco!! Family-owned paradise...
62. ... and awesome brothers-in-law that do amazing things like Waves of Hope. 
63. Despite the fact that I'm an uber sensitive sap who can't quite figure out her schedule (sorry!), I still have oodles of friends who love me dearly.  
64. Words like oodles.
65. Being weird. Whatever, it's awesome. :)
66. My food processor...
67. ... and my mom's gazpacho which I make in my food processor.
68. Pinterest. So many pretty things.
69. California. 
70. Yoga.
71. This country. Seriously folks, we are really, truly and very lucky. 
72. My other country, even though I neglect her so. Polska!
73. Being a woman.
74. Being a woman who lives in a country where I can work, vote, decide what I want to do with my body, and decide what I want to do with my life.   
75. My blue eyes and strong thighs. My curvy spine and dirty-dishwater coloured hair. The fact that I can do the splits and stand on my head. 
76. My tattoos.  
77. Savasana adjustments with lavender-scented lotion. Bless you, wonderful teachers!
78. Hugs...
79. ... oh, and kisses! 
80. The plethora of amazing restaurants in Toronto. 
81. Dinner Club. My boys. xo
82. My yoga ladies. You inspire me so. 
83. Streetcars.
84. Lululemon pants. How do you manage to stay dry-looking (though not at all dry) after a 90-minute sweat-dripping-from-places-I-didn't-know-could-sweat class?
85. The TTC. Most days I complain about you but I still love how quickly I can make it to work (and home!)
86. Getting over my fear of flying. Yay me!
87. Makeup. 
88. My iPhone. Es beuno.
89. Guacamole.
90. When my adoring husband gets home first on garbage day and puts the bins away. Bam.
91. Chhhh chhh chhhocolate!
92. Those "healthy" cheesy puffs you can get at Mercantile. Yum yum.
93. Hil's rice crispie treats... YUM YUM!
94. The new Adele 007 track. Dear god.
95. Ms. Badu.
96. Sunshine. Seriously. 
97. Having three Thanksgiving dinners to go to. Bring on the turkey. 
98. Cozy pants.
99. From last year: That if we try hard enough, we can all find at least one thing to be grateful for, even if it's the fact that we're still breathing.
100. Thanksgiving.

Me, in Cali. Happy as a clam. 

happier at home...

Whenever I find myself in a bit of a life pickle, I always seem to end up in the one place I know I will find answers: the bookstore. Somewhere in those millions of words, I know someone will have written something I need to read. So I wander amidst the shelves gently touching covers, reading sleeves, and leafing through pages. Without over thinking it, I try to let the book find me. And somehow, usually, it does.

Today I took my somewhat weary heart to my favourite bookstore, the Runnymede Chapters. There's something about that place that I just love. Perhaps it's the fact that I can still fondly remember my very first date at what was then the Runnymede Theatre. He took me to see Titanic. I was 14. It was lovely. 

But back to today... I wandered around Chapters killing time, pondering, and then I saw it. 

"Happier at Home" by Gretchen Rubin.

The sequel to the book that started this blog! A few paragraphs in, I stumbled upon this:

"Why, I often wonder, is it difficult to push myself to do the things that bring happiness? So often, I know what resolutions would make me happier, but still I have to prod myself to do them."

And there it is, exactly what I've been wondering for a very long time. I feel the blogging itch coming back! 

That's it for now... I've got pages and pages to read!
mxo

best croissant in TO!

I have an idea. I've had it for awhile.

This idea essentially combines the following:

• my ridiculous love of croissants...
• ... and Saturday post-yoga coffee dates.
• my goal to rediscover the pleasure in food...
• ... and to explore more of Toronto. 

So, without further ado, I am launching my new project: 

The Hunt for the Best Croissant in Toronto!

I'll be exploring some of my usual stomping grounds (Lit Espresso Bar, Thor, Mercatto) and some new ones, like BlogTo's list.

first edition: Thor's Croissant

Today was my first, official, project-related croissant tasting and boy did I enjoy it! I met my lovely sister-in-law for yoga at 889 Thompson and after, we look our super-stretched and zen bods to Thor Espresso Bar for some almond mylk lattes, croissants (me), and power cookies (her) - side note: if you're looking for a meal in cookie form, you must try some of the amazing cookies at Thor.

But back to the croissant...

Terrible, terrible picture of a truly delicious croissant.

flavour: good ol' reliable butter (a.k.a. plain)

rating: 8/10

butteriness: major

flakiness: ideal 

pairing: almond mylk latte

Thor's croissant was small but mighty. The inside was super duper buttery and the shell crispy and flaky. It was truly delicious. My only complaint: it was a wee bit too buttery. I had to wipe my fingers after each taste, and silence the judgy inner calorie-counting critic (I'll deal with her soon). But it was good enough that I look forward to going back soon.

This project is going to be fun with a capital YUM!

Any recommendations for places I absolutely must try?

mxo

P.S. I am also going to use this as an opportunity to improve my iPhone photography skills. Apparently sunshine = shadows. No part of this croissant was black. It was beautiful. Silly Maya. 

beautiful messiness

August hit hard, so hard that it the reset button on my life. I turned 28 and a few things happened to remind me just how fleeting life really is. 

I've also started to really truly accept that life is supposed to be messy. 

My pops and I...

Somewhere along the way, many of learned/ decided/ started believing that:

• life is supposed to be neat and tidy, and
• if I only do x, or stop doing y, my life will finally be neat and orderly, and I'll be happy.

Until a few days ago, I completely subscribed to all of the above. This whole blog has been based on these ideas - if I only do more yoga, eat less gluten, run more frequently, save more money, etc, I'll find the missing puzzle piece and then I'll be happy. All of this assumed that I wasn't happy and couldn't be happy all along.

I've recently realized that that kind of thinking more often than not leads to anxiety, burn out, and generally missing the beautiful messiness that is life.

Now, after all that August was, I've been mulling this over instead:

"We think we're supposed to figure out how life should be, and then make it that way... How did we come up with the notion that life is not okay just the way it is, or that it won't be okay the way it will be? Who said that the way life naturally unfolds is not all right?"

                        ~ the untethered soul

mxo

have a ball...

More and more, I'm realizing this absolutely true:

 

Happy birthday, Lucille darling!

mxo

summer and grandpa...

Boy, oh boy, where has the time gone?!

Well, it went here:

At Amanda's shower with Hilly, one of my very favourite people on this planet...

At my darling Amanda's bachelorette party. See how much I love these girls?!

At Amanda's wedding with my CORE, my besties. Have you ever seen a more stunning bride?

What a perfectly perfect summer it has been.

Hemingway, not my grandpa... :)

Today I want to tell you a story about my grandpa, Witek. I can't find a pic of grandpa unfortunately, but he looks a lot like Ernst Hemingway.

Grandpa was born in Poland 84 years ago, where he lives to this day with my lovely step-grandma, Wanda. Some four decades ago, he lived like most Polish men then (and well... now): eating, drinking and smoking too much, never exercising, working too much, and breathing in the polluted Katowice air -  at the time, Katowice was the most polluted city in the world as it was coal-mine capital.

But then something happened to grandpa... he died. He went in for kidney surgery to get one of the malfunctioning buggers removed, but something went wrong and he flat-lined. For something crazy like 16 minutes, grandpa W was pronounced legally dead. 

Then the miraculous happened: he came back. To this day, he won't share any details of what he experienced in those precious minutes between this world and whatever comes after, but one thing is for sure: he came back different.

Almost immediately, the once completely unhealthy Witek transformed into the healthiest person I know, even now in his 80s beating those FAR younger than him. It's as if he learned the magic recipe to life and has applied it ever since. The proof is in the pudding*: he's healthy and vibrant, and happy as a clam.

So what are his secrets? They go a little something like this:

• "Mniej żreć" or eat less. Grandpa sticks to three meals a day with very little (if any) snacking, and makes sure stop eating when he's 80% full. Meals are always, always consumed slowly, sitting down with no distractions.

• Whole, real foods. In the summers, grandpa and Wanda eat almost entirely a local, organic, whole foods diet. They live in an old farm house where they grow their own organic fruits and veggies. They get their dairy and eggs from the farm next door, their meat a few doors over from that, and ... you get the idea.

• Exercise! Every year, he bikes 2500km in the warm weather and snow-shoes roughly the same in the winter, weather permitting. This past year, because the weather was what it was, he couldn't finish his usual 2500km biking season and the snow was nowhere to be found, so he bought himself a stationary bike and decided to finish everything indoors. "It's deathly boring," he told my dad, "but it's entirely necessary." He also takes daily walks through the countryside near his cottage and he's the sole handyman, renovating the barns, managing heaping piles of organic compost, gardening with Wanda, etc.

• Fun. Grandpa makes his own plum brandy each year and always enjoys a glass of it each evening. He also shares a very dark, nutrient-rich beer with Wanda around noon each day. They always enjoy a piece of homemade cake after dinner or a piece of dark chocolate. And they are huge travelers, traveling all over Europe and taking all sorts of fun adventures. 

• Naps. Without fail, he always naps for 20 minutes after dinner (dinner comes much earlier in the day in Poland). If you dare bother him, you are dead. He sleeps the same amount each and every day, and he never oversleeps. They are always up at 5am (note: this is TORTURE when you're the 13-year-old staying with them for the summer!)

• Brain food. He reads and does crossword puzzles, and has recently learned to use the computer. But he respects screen time and sticks to one short "program" per evening. No mental garbage for grandpa.

• Social butterfly. My favourite memories from my summers at grandpa's cottage are of all the visits we had with his neighbours, friends, etc. Every evening, we would go play cards or chess with some one, and I'll always remember the afternoons we spent at his legion club.

• Save, save, save. He meticulously writes down every single penny he spends in a small notebook with graph paper. He makes sure his money serves him, and doesn't rule him. Grandpa is also a minimalist, buying only what he truly needs and saving the rest for fun life adventures.

• Moderation. All of the above goes out the window a few of times a year when grandpa and Wanda go out for extravagant dinner parties, eating, drinking and dancing until the wee hours of the morning (like 4am).

If you've read "The Blue Zones", you'll notice this sounds very much like the various centenarian populations around the world.  You're probably also realizing his secrets aren't that secret at all - we all know we should do this stuff.  

Above all, his secret is wisdom: the application of knowledge, the doing of what he knows he should do.

There's one thing I know for sure: he's my role model and I want to live like him.

More blogging to come soon, I hope. 

mxo

* Can someone please explain to me why pudding has anything to do with proof?!!

unplugging & unfacing

I did something drastic yesterday... something very un-Maya like.

 

I quit Facebook. Cold turkey.

Why would I do such a thing? 

For a few reasons really:

one: the cultural documenting epidemic...

I'm a little unease with what Facebook is doing to our culture. The more events I go to, the more people I visit, the more I realize that many of us are living our lives in order to document them. We are always snapping pics, searching for the next sound bite, and otherwise trying to validate what we are doing for an audience. All of this comes at the expense of truly experiencing our various moments. I'm trying to live more in the moment and less in the "hey world, look at what I'm doing and how many cool things I've done" mentality.  

two: the time-sucking...

For me personally, Facebook was becoming a profound waste of time. Sure, it's nice to connect with certain people, especially those that are far away - I'll miss that - but all in all, FB was serving very little purpose in my life. It was a total time-suck at best and an inauthentic connector at best. I want to make a point of really connecting with people - seeing them, calling them, even sending a personalized email. FB was almost too easy. 

three: better things to do...

Life has been really, really busy lately and I've been complaining about my lack of free time - time to go to yoga, pilates, for a run or a coffee date. I heard this amazing quote somewhere recently. It went a little something like this: "If you want more time, turn off the TV." In my case, TV = aimless interneting. 

four: a challenge...

I wanted a challenge! :) I wanted to see if I could go two months without FB and how that would change me/ my life/ my relationships, etc. I may go back in a few months, but for now, I want to give this a serious go.

After the initial withdrawal, I am feeling great. It's nice to be a little mysterious and to wonder what folks are up to. I do worry that I'll be forgotten... but it's a risk I'm willing to take. 

View from our room in Deerhurst last weekend... perfect place to unplug.

Happy t&s,

mxo

cucumber mondays...

Happy Victoria Day! 

This long weekend could not have been more perfect in Toronto. 25-30c and pure sunshine each and every day. Wow. 

Today I hopped on my bike and met my mom some 20km away in a beautiful, beautiful park by the lake. It was my second bike ride of the year so needless to say, I was a little zonked when I got home... zonked and hungry!

I popped open the fridge looking for something light and fresh and very, very delicious. Somehow I ended up with my grandma's cucumber salad ("mizeria" in Polish) but with a happy healthy yogi twist. The name of the salad translates to "misery"... but it's anything but miserable. It's delightful.

mizeria (a.k.a. cucumber salad)

• 1 cucumber, washed and trimmed (peel please if not organic)
• Dash of salt
• Pinch of pepper (I used Polish herbal pepper because it's ridiculously yummy)
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt.
• Juice from half of a juicy lemon.
• Fresh dill and lots of it (I threw in some chives and mint because I was shy of dill)

Slice the cucumber into super, super thin coins. Combine everything but the cucumber in a bowl. When it's all mixed together, throw in the cucumber and make sure every last coin is coated. Throw over some fresh spinach or arugula, serve on crostini, or eat straight out of the bowl with a fork... just like I did. :)

Typically this salad is made with sour cream but the greek yogurt provides a super healthy alternative packed with protein and healthy bacteria your gut will love. Also, forgo the traditional white vinegar for some healthy lemon juice or apple cigar vinegar. A perfect summer salad!

Happy tumbles and stumbles!

mxo

P.S. Legend has it that the name came from a homesick Italian princess who married a Polish king back in the 16th century. She loved this salad but it reminded her of her native Italy and so she cried and cried and cried... she gave the salad a bad rep, if you ask me! :)

sunday musings...

I started this beautiful Sunday morning like this:

Almond mylk latte + magazines + deck = perfection.

I stumbled upon a fantastic article by Maggie Gyllenhaal in O Magazine in which the beautiful actress describes her struggles with seeking approval and how she started trusting her own instincts.  

Her aha moment was realizing that trying to be everything to everyone - a great mother, wife, actress - was a sad and futile waste of time. Ultimately, she came to realize (and she admits that it's on ongoing struggle) that, 

"It's all right if others don't approve, because I believe in what I'm doing[...] This is my work. I'm doing the best I can. I know not everyone will love it and that is fine."

So for today, try to be your best self just for yourself, regardless of what others think.

Happy tumbling & stumbling!

mxo

the kind cure...

Last week, I wrote about my ongoing relationship with IBS. This week, I'm going to cover what I'm doing about it. :)

What I'm about to say may sound like sacrilege, especially if you know me personally, but so be it. A few weeks ago I finally admitted to myself that my constant cleansing and inconsistent dietary dogma just plainly weren't work. Truth is, I'm tired of it. Then, whilst in my oh-so-flattering hospital attire, I realized that I needed a slight paradigm shift (well, I realized it awhile ago but it really sunk in last week).

Here it is: I have decided to cure my IBS with... wait for it... kindness!

 

Here's why: There is an absolute wealth of information out there about how to be healthy. Some folks argue that a completely plant-based diet is the answer. Others suggest wheat is the devil (I read that exact line somewhere last week). Others still convincingly argue that dairy must go, or sugar, or both, and most agree anything processed is a no-no (well, I agree with the last one). 

But with the plethora of information available, and everyone's good intentions, it's easy to get down right lost. I know I did. I read so much and listened to so many people, that I started to see all food as the enemy. 

It's really no wonder my gut said "no thank you!"

While it's certainly great to take an interest in your health and be proactive, I think it's even more important to do so with a discerning eye. The best prescription is the one that works for you because no two of us are the same. 

Apparently I am a chocolate monster... :)

How do you find the perfect prescription for you? By really, truly listening to what your body and self need - not what you think you want because you have deprived yourself for so long, or what you think you should want because you read it was healthy, but what you truly really need at that moment. Trust yourself to know the answer.

The only stipulation I'll add is that it would help if you respond with real food (i.e. if you want bread, go to your local bakery and get the fresh baguette made with five ingredients rather than the suspiciously fluffy white stuff with 50,000 ingredients) - your taste buds and health will thank you. But even this stipulation can be broken, as we are all human after all! :)

And here's the thing, after over a week of this kind approach, I can tell you honestly that I have never been happier about my eating and my gut has never been so joyous.

Phew, another long one. Thanks for reading!

Happy tumbling & stumbling!

mxo

P.S. I almost forgot! This kind approach is also quite thrifty. You can save yourself the magical potions and fancy pants foods, and focus instead on wallet-friendly whole, real food.