Fabulous food for fabulous folks

I love to eat out.  Can I say that? I really do.  I also love to cook, but living in a massive city for the first time ever, I am finding all kinds of little local places that I love.  I am out for lunch often for business meetings so I get a chance to try a few options a week usually.

Here are some favorites (local) with menu items right off their websites!

• URBAN DINER www.urbandiner.com

~ funky diner style food.  Today for lunch I had...
DINER MEATLOAF SANDWICH Cranberry Chutney, Sharp Cheddar, Roasted Garlic Aioli, a Diner Specialty…
with a side of chili

• BLUE PLATE DINER www.blueplatediner.ca

~similar style, fancier and more expensive.  Had a very eclectic menu but amazing atmosphere.  Last time I was there I had....

ITALIAN MEATLOAF

A zesty version of traditional meatloaf – mild Italian pork sausage, ground beef, finely-diced carrots, onions, celery, basil and thyme. Topped with a garlic, basil & tomato sauce and shaved Grana Padana parmesan cheese. Served alongside mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.

• GURU www.gururestaurant.ca

~most amazing east indian food EVAR!!!! I love their butter chicken with the coconut rice.  Wow.  Just wow.  Eat there if you get a chance

I know this is a boring post, but I love food and when I find an amazing place to go and eat? I make sure I tell people.

Issues

I have a funny issue.

Bear with me.  This whole post might seem ridiculous.  13 years ago, I gained a lot of weight.  I had a brain aneurysm and went from 128 lbs to 260 lbs within a year from medication.  Over 60 of that in the first 3 months.  It was insane.  One of my biggest pet peeves with over weight people is that they do not dress for their bodies and so I was stuck in that situation of wanting to look cute but looking rather...shall we say...nasty.  I did not know how to do my new hair, how to put makeup on my new skin color or how to dress this new body! One of the things I was adamant about was not showing off my fat rolls.  This might sound harsh but seriously? Do you need to wear your clothes wrapped so tight that I can count your back fat rolls from 50 paces????

1....2.....3.....etc

 Google "people of Walmart" to get an idea of what I am talking about.  So, if I could fit a 2x? I bought a 3x.  I bought styles that still looked good (once I figured out how to dress the voluptuous me) but never bought anything fitted.  I have now spent the last 13 years wearing fairly loose clothing.  Not insane "check out the lady in the tent" style, but definitely no back roll counting was happening.

So now we have yesterday.  Husband agreed that I was in desperate need of some new clothes.  I was down to 2 pairs of jeans, 1 really worn out, 3 work shirts and a few extras shirts and hoodies.  Definitely not what I wanted.  So we went shopping.  This was an adventure! We went to a massive mall (one of the biggest in North America) and shopped.  Funny thing? I have never been in most stores.  I was used to Torrid (while in the states), Additionelle, Penningtons and the back corner of Reitmans.  We walked for quite a while before we even went in a store! Now I have a little body issue.  I still think I am a size 24 and I might be closer to a 14/16.  A large in regular clothes.  We ended up getting a lot of really great deals and walked away with more than I ever thought! Did you know that when you buy regular size clothes you can pay less than $50 for a shirt? WHO KNEW!!! Think of the money I would have saved over the years.  Crazy :)

Now here is the issue.  Husband was the one who looked at me in the clothes and said if they were good or not.  I did not really give an opinion.  As long as they were comfy? And he gave me that "look"? I knew I had to get them.  Now for this morning.  I got dressed in a new outfit, looked in the mirror and did not see fat rolls.  Felt kinda cute actually! But as far as my body? It has not had fitted clothes touching it in years! I have been checking myself all day and every time someone looked at me? I thought I could hear them counting.  I have never felt so uncomfortable!

How do I deal with this? I know it is in my head but seriously? Has anyone else ever dealt with this before? I mean...seriously.  This is nuts! Husband told me all day how good I looked and I was constantly feeling my back to see if people might see anything! Here are some before and after pictures to see what I am talking about.

Me at my heaviest.  You can just imagine the fat rolls! Hey, now realize that I am not one of those people that thought I was hideous and hid.  I actually thought I was kinda pretty for a bigger girl!

And now me:

This is me about 20 lbs ago! I just realized I have no current pictures.  Time to do something about that! There is a slight difference as you can see.  You think I would be happy! I think I am.  I just have to figure out this new body.  Any advice?

A few of my favorite kitchen things

I love to cook.

Not fancy schmancy stuff.

Just good ol home cooking.

Hearty, healthy, filling and tasty.

I have a fairly well stocked kitchen.

These are a few of my favorite things that I own or want!

From Crate and Barrel.  So pretty and fun to use!

Le Creuset.  Wow.  I want the whole set.  I am starting my collection this year for Christmas.  One piece at a time.  I love the red, blue, orange and carribean.

My mixer

My blender

My panini press.  Yes.  I own a commercial panini press.  It has to do with my job but is a nice perk!


These are a few of my favorites.

What are yours?

Is there a kitchen gadget that I have to have?

The bucket.... Part 2

A comment was made about travelling! Oh boy do I have a list of places I want to go.  I have been fortunate enough to do some travelling over the years but the list keeps growing!

Here are a few of the top ones:

New York-winter

New York-summer

Great Wall of China-I have always wanted to see it for some reason.

Fiji-a hut over the water

And pretty much all of Europe! There are so many places I want to see.

Some other trips I want to do:

• Route 66 through the states
• Portland to San Diego drive
• Drive all the way across Canada
• Las Vegas again
• LA again
• New Orleans
• Bahamas
• Texas
• Boston
• Vancouver Island
• Portland
• Australia
• New Zealand
• Thailand
• Philippines

I could go on all day.  At one point, there were over 50 on the list.  I am sure it is larger now! Where do you want to go?

The bucket....

Have you ever written a bucket list? I was over on http://heymrswilson.net/ and saw her list of things she wants to do.  I was inspired to write a new one.  I wrote one years ago and have actually managed to do a lot of the stuff on it.  I am going to spend some time this month coming up with a new one and writing down what I have done from the old one.

Some things I will add to it are:

• sky dive
• bungee jump
• go to New York and take a horse and carriage ride through central park
• watch a birth/delivery.  Not being able to have kids has made me desire to see it happen.
• buy sexy boots! 
• spend a month living on a beach somewhere
• walk part of the great wall in China
• wear a bikini
• publish a cookbook.  Even just for my friends and family
• make a difference in someones life
• be successful in my business
• own an old character home 
• successfully grow my own veggies
• take a completely spontaneous trip.  No planning at all.  Book the tickets and everything no more than 72 hours in advance.
• do a road trip based on where the radio takes us! (a scene from an old Drew Barrymore movie.  Country is left, rock is right...that sort of thing)
• get hair extensions
• food tour of Texas
• learn to sew
• learn to arrange flowers
• take cooking classes
• take my whole family on a vacation
• own a whole kitchen of Le Creuset pots and pans
• laugh more often
• take singing lessons
• own a Porsche

I know.  Silly list.  But these are some things I want to do! I know a lot of them are material items, but who cares? I will do them one day I hope.  Some things that I have already done and have crossed off my list are:

• see Bon Jovi in concert
• go to a Broadway play
• go to the Atlantis Paradise Resort
• drive an Austin Mini
• own a home
• get married
• have a red car
• travel to Europe
• have a Mohawk
• pierce my nose
• cook a different meal every day of the week for one month

Please note I only did a faux hawk.  I have to work! And see the nose ring? 

This is a picture from last December.  Wow.  I look different now! Loving the hair color though!

The list could go on and on.  These are a few.  What are some of your items? Are they all physical? Emotional? Mental? Material?

NaPoBloMo

So I keep seeing this NaBloPoMo thing everywhere and have decided to try!

It stands for

National
Blog
Posting
Month

It means that you have to post something everyday for a month.  We will see how I do!

Today? You get photos.

I have been continuing to work on the epic photo project of 2011.  Here are some pics from my parents wedding.  they were married in 1975 I think.  So cute!

Look at those dresses!

Threatened

Have you ever been threatened?

I have someone threatening my business right now.

I am not sure how serious it is but could be bad.

He is making some incredibly horrible accusations about the business that do not even make sense and is insisting that "with the joys of internet, we can go viral and bring this information to the public".

Please pray.  I am trying to figure out what to write back.  He needs a reply by tomorrow.


Thanks.