Life in Heels and Flip Flops

Uncommongoods - Quirky, Personalised Gifts You Will Love

2016-10-29T11:18:00.002-04:00

I have these stemless wine glasses in my cart

This is a sponsored post that contains affiliate links.

Lately, it has been hard for me to write but this weekend I feel inspired to work on a couple of projects. I have also been puttering around home sites a lot lately, as my mum and I have been on a decor mission the past couple weeks. I love home decor sites and unusual home accessories, and so when I was introduced to this site - Uncommongoods.com - I was pretty excited by some of the cute stuff available for the out-of-the-box kinda person.

For the quirky homemaker, there are some really cute items which can make great gifts for family members or friends who have a bit of an unusual style. The stemless wine glasses in the photo are definitely going to be part of my kitchen and entertainment arsenal, but there are dozens of other great finds on the site.

I took a look through their gift registry and what I like most is that you can personalise some of the items like THIS ONE which is part of their anniversary catalogue. You can check out some other items here.

You can also take a gander to their birthday gifts page, where you can browse through gifts for her for your girlfriend or BFF. Or if you are in baby shower season like one of my friends is now, and you have a shower to go to every 5 minutes and you want to be different and not give diaper cakes, then check out those gifts here. OMG - the stuff there is so damn cute.

There is not just stuff for the house, but you can pick up great jewellery and other types of gift items on the site as well.

I am pretty excited to get the stuff I ordered and will be sure to share them with you once I get them. What I really like is that these are items made by small artisans - they are not big brand/chain mass produced items which you will find in every home. The items are pretty but also are made with sustainability in mind, so environmental impact is low. If you like something a bit unique and love to support the independent artist, then Uncommongoods.com is a great place to start.

Although this post is sponsored, and I have been offered products as compensation, the opinions here are entirely my own.

Bienvenidos a Mexico City - My Memories of Mexico, Pt 5

2016-09-16T16:30:00.000-04:00

When I had planned my vacation, the plan was to do Mexico City first and then relax on the beaches of the Yucatan peninsula, but I changed it up – for a good reason . When I tacked on Mexico City to my vacation, there were raised eyebrows and some were outright aghast. “By yourself? You mad?” Surprisingly, one of the reasons it took me so long to visit Mexico, a country that for such a long time had been top of mind for my solo black girl adventures, is because everyone swore up and down it was too dangerous and I should not go alone.

What changed this time? I asked myself the question – Is anywhere safe these days? Less than 3 months after my visit to Paris last year, there was an attack on the City of Light. Of course, I did my due diligence and and did my research research research and I was convinced that with all the proper solo girl precautions, I would be fine.

The only thing that truly worried me about the city was whether I would survive the altitude. Mexico City, as most of you would know, is about 7200 feet or 2250 metres above sea level. High altitude is not my friend for a couple reasons, so those were the real concerns for me, but I survived – again, with solo adventurer precautions in place.

I was overly cautious with my transportation to the hotel and booked the hotel shuttle instead of taking a public taxi outside the airport. The first thing that struck me was how big everything seemed in the city. Driving from the airport to La Condesa, I passed massive office buildings and skyscrapers that loomed over us as we drove through the streets. Driving through the streets though. Mexico City has a population of over 21 million people, and surely at least 20 million have a car because the traffic is MIND NUMBING. I thought my daily commute was bad, but this was horrendous. On any given day, I was trapped in a taxi with a driver who would utter what surely had to be cuss words in Spanish under his breath.

I will admit – the mammoth metropolis that is Mexico City can be a bit intimidating which is why I was so glad I had booked a hotel in the leafy suburban paradise of La Condesa. This was the reason I changed my entire schedule because I really wanted to stay in this hotel and it was not available for my original dates. I did not regret the change because it exceeded my expectations. The neighbourhood, the people, the great array of restaurants within walking distance, the safe and comfortable environment, so much so that I felt indifferent to walking along the promenade after 11pm. Amazing. I was in love.

The fountain just outside my hotel door, along the Avenida Amsterdam

La Condesa is a great neighbourhood for pet lovers. I saw a LOT of pampered dogs during my stay here.

Love the colour along the Avenida Amsterdam.

Green and serene in Mexico City - steps away from my room.

Secret Swims in Sacred Cenotes - My memories of Mexico, Pt 4

2016-08-23T08:24:00.002-04:00

After ruins visiting and temple climbing, we had worked up quite an appetite. Lunch in Mexico is around 2pm, which for me, is late as my corporate body clock operates with a midday lunch alarm.

We headed to a Mayan community where lunch was waiting for us, and boy, did it smell good. What a quaint little set-up it was though – tables and chairs set up under a thatched roof, with some of the cooking being done outdoors in what may have been the traditional Mayan way, but which I am sure was done for the benefit of tourists. Still, it was nice to see the tortillas being fried right in front of us.

Inside our lunch area

Frying up those tortillas - which were really good, by the way. We had seconds and thirds

Lunch was delicious, lemme tell ya. We dove right in to the meal that was piping hot and in ready supply and included tortillas, honey potatoes (nom nom), black beans, lentil soup, chicken in a mole sauce and salads, and of course, there were three degrees of salsa - mild, spicy and muy caliente! lol.

Section of the lunch buffet

About to dig in - so hungry and this was all so yummy

After lunch, a post-lunch coffee (even the Mayan community understands the power of coffee) and a rock in the hammock, we were off to a nearby cenote. The most interesting part of this visit though was the welcome. We were given a traditional Maya shaman welcome, complete with chanting, sprinkling of water, and welcoming words. By this time, I was really a bit tired, but the cenote was calling.

A cenote is a natural underground river caused by the collapse of the porous limestone bedrock. It is cavernous almost, with cool (read: cold) water and which was central to Mayan civilisation, and which they believed was a portal or channel to the gods. These beautiful underground pools are great for swimming, if cold water and bats do not deter you. Shamelessly, bats are not cute to me, and my cenote adventure was quite brief but it was oh so lovely. There are about 7,000 cenotes across Mexico, some more popular than others and which are heavily marketed towards the tourist crowds. The quieter ones, like the one we visited, are just as beautiful. There was a rustic little outdoor shower where we could wash off our Sephora and Bath and Body Works products before getting into the cenotes which are environmentally protected and which generally are water sources for these communities.

Cenotes are environmentally protected so showers before swimming are a must
- to wash off sunscreen, anti-perspirants etc

View from ground level down into the cenote

Inside

Afterwards, we took a slow stroll through the rest of the village which was very different to what one is normally used to and where life is a hybrid of modernity and traditional Mayan culture, and where life is generally much simpler and less hectic. It was a long day, but it was a good day and I took a nap on the way back to Playa del Carmen to relax for the rest of my stay there.

One of the homes in the village - love the decor

Awesome Adventures: Tulum and Coba - My memories of Mexico, Pt 3

2016-08-17T13:18:00.000-04:00

The next adventure would be a day trip to Tulum and Coba and a cenote. I would spend the day with a lovely French couple from Brittany, who spoke no English. Bad enough that my Spanish had been dismal throughout the trip, but then I am forced to speak French for an entire day, when I was really trying to focus on my Spanish. Well, the next day, I kept mixing up words with the hotel staff, and that was fun! lol. But what a great couple - we had so much fun!

It is an easy enough trip from Playa del Carmen, and so we were off.

Tulum - Beautiful seaside Mayan ruins. It was a crisp , warm day with blue skies and without a doubt, the best way to see the cliffside ruins of Tulum. While not as large as Chichen Itza, it surely does one-up it with its location, nestled above the clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. If there was any Mayan envy, it had to be all aimed towards the guys at Tulum who had to wake up to this gorgeousness every day.

It was really a beautiful site and surprising that back in the day, people from other cities across the seas steered little canoes or boats across the choppy seas as Tulum was an international trade hub. The walled city itself traded a lot of tuquoise, jade and salt - I mean - duh. As with the Amerindians in the West Indies, European diseases via Spain, killed off the Tulum Maya and the ruins left behind remind us of a time when original settlers lived full and rich lives, with their religious practices and simple way of life.

The Temple of the Winds at Tulum - worship of the wind god happened here

One of the ruins scattered on the complex

While I did not take a dip in the waters down below, it sure did look tempting.

Coba - Much larger and more extensive than Tulum is the Mayan city of Coba, which was an important trade link between the coastal traders and the inland cities. Where Tulum is believed to have a population of roughly 5,000, Coba's population was about 10 times that. And unlike Chichen Itza, a lot of the site is unexcavated. The site sits against jungle, with much of the structures having been overtaken by nature. The time and expense of archaelogical excavations mean that the majority of Coba may sit undiscovered for years and years. An extensive network of roads linked the inland cities to Coba.

The Oval Temple

Now when I planned this little adventure, my main worry was actually about the cenote visit and the fact that I cannot swim. I did not want to have the adventure be wasted simply because I am a land baby. However, nowhere in the fine print did they say anything about having to ride a bike. The last time I had ridden a bicycle, I was 10 and while a BMX speedster and top (read: only) female rider on my street, quite a few calendars have been ripped up since then and so I am sure I turned white, if that is even possible for someone of my hue, when the man started talking about riding a bike to the ruins. He sold it as "you never forget" and while there was a pedicab option, he also made it seem that I would be the biggest chicken if I did not take the cheaper bike option. Needless to say, after five minutes of cajoling, I was perched on the seat of my rented bike, trying my best to not fall over. It took me a good 10 minutes to finally be able to pedal down the path without 'breaking my ass' and I was reminded just how much I liked biking. I was soon passing people and snickering to myself about my reclaimed prowess.

Renting the bike or the pedicab is recommended as the site is quite extensive and if you like walking, then great - but it just saves so much time as well. The day was pretty hot and humid as well, so the bike ride worked out better than the walking.

I stopped along the path to look at some of the smaller structures on the site but of course, the main draw is the main temple known as Nohuch Mul. Unlike the pyramid at Chichen Itza, the temple at Coba is still open to visitors to climb. Yes, I decided I would climb it. The structure is about 130 feet high, with about 124 steep and narrow steps taking you to the top. It seemed like a good idea from the bottom but by step 20, I was regretting this decision. This climb is not for the faint hearted nor for someone who is not that thrilled at heights. It is a hard climb up but an even worse descent, and I saw many people literally on all fours going up, and scooting down on their butts. I however took the decision at step 20, that I had seen enough and there is a thick rope in the middle of the structure to help with the ascent and I guess more for the descent.

Visitors making the climb at Coba

Another view of the 130ft high temple at Coba

My female French travel mate, like me, also turned around when the going got rough. But please - do it, if you are so inclined. Where else can you climb an ancient temple? The view from the 20th step was pretty awesome so I can only imagine what the view was like from the very top.

Mayan village and cenote - in the next post. lol. Sorry guys.

Chichen Itza - My memories of Mexico, Pt 2

2016-08-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

When I told some people I would be going to Mexico on vacation, everyone assumed I would just be sitting around on a resort drinking margaritas all day. Again, not my style.

One of the main reasons Mexico had always been on my bucket list was because of the many ruins dotted across the country. The Yucatan peninsula is no different, despite the mega resorts lining the coastline.

Chichen Itza is one of the new 'seven wonders of the world'. To get there, I lined up a guide and to get there ahead of the crowds, I was dressed and waiting in hotel reception at 5am. Yes. 5 o'clock in the morning. The struggle was very real! Special thanks to my hotel concierge for packing a lovely takeaway breakfast for me, which came in so handy as the breakfast provided by the tour was not to my liking.

The 5am start is so worth it though because we got there ahead of the hundreds of tourists who start really filling up the place around 10am. Our guide, Marco, an archaeologist , was a treasure trove of information about Mayan history and the history of the site, the excavation efforts etc.

El Castillo, or the Temple of Kukulcan, the massive pyramid which is the centrepiece of the Chichen Itza complex stands at almost 30 metres high and served as the temple to the god, Kukulcan - the feathered serpent god. Every year, during the summer and autumn equinoxes, as the sun sets, the play of light and shadow creates the appearance of a large snake slithering down the pyramid. The various stories recounted by Marco really gave us some insight into the mysteries of the Mayans, who were clearly so far ahead of their time. The engineering mysteries, including the very spooky but amazing acoustics are testament to this.

El Castillo or the Temple of Kukulcan - the highlight of Chichen Itza

Up close - with no crowds

One of the most interesting areas, aside from the pyramid itself was the large playing field with dimensions which make it larger than today's American football fields. Ornate carvings show images related to the game that was usually played there - a game consisting of 13 players, trying to get a solid, heavy rubber ball into a hoop at the far end of the court. The story as told to us was that the captain of the winning team was usually decapitated and offered as sacrifice, as he would have represented the best of the best. The carvings show such a decapitation - creepy. Whether this was true or not, the majesty of the ball court, the perfect acoustics aimed at helping the king 'suss' out his visitors and the carvings throughout the complex - incredible!

Of course, I can hardly share everything Marco told us during the 3-hour tour. I really recommend this tour as there is so much to learn, and the site is really stunning. The early morning tour was worth it as it meant I was back in Playa del Carmen just after lunch time which allowed me to sun and recoup the sleep lost from the early morning start.

Mis recuerdos de Mexico - My memories of Mexico, Pt 1

2016-08-10T16:36:00.000-04:00

Roof top shenanigans!

It's been more than a little while since my last blog entry here. I really just have not been motivated to write. At all. This year has not been a very good year, and I guess it is easy to not bother. Then a few people asked whether I would blog my vacation as usual because apparently 'my' Mexico looks different to other people's Mexico. That was funny. I had not planned to but I will try and maybe I need the little push to write here again.

This was probably the first vacation that I did not really plan that much - it kinda just happened, but that can be a good thing. Not always good for the budget, but good for life.

Mexico has long been in my Top 20 travel spots and for years, I would look at it, think about it, make excuses why I should not go at that time, and forget about it. Well, this time I looked at it, thought about it, made the regular excuses, started planning a completely different vacation and somehow circled right back to Mexico, and then booked it.

Arriving at Cancun International Airport did not bode well for what the rest of the trip would have been like. The wait for baggage lasted over an hour, and this was followed by an almost brutal female Customs official firing away at travellers in rapid Spanish.

But from the moment I stepped outside, I was in Quintana Roo, Mexico - land of, what I would soon realise were many stories and mysteries. I had pre-booked transportation from Cancun airport to my hotel in Playa del Carmen and within 45-50 minutes, I was being greeted with a colourful, albeit sweet, tropical looking drink at The Palm at Playa Hotel.

I chose to stay in Playa as opposed to Cancun because I knew I would absolutely loathe Cancun with its mega resorts and all-inclusives. That is not my typical vacation. Cancun really is not my style - not my cup of tea. While Playa is not totally unlike Cancun, it still had more of a laid back vibe, villagey, community kinda feel and more boutique hotel options. I really did not envision sitting in a big commercial hotel, eating mass produced all-inclusive food for 7 days, surrounded by drunk tourists.

I really liked Playa del Carmen. Avenida Quinta is a pedestrian zone, with loads of shops and restaurants and bars. I literally could step outside my hotel and be in the centre of the action, and step right back in and be back in my own personal oasis.

My experience with this hotel was remarkable from start to finish. While making all my vacation bookings, somewhere in between my credit card was compromised and after an early morning notification from my bank, the card was cancelled. The hotel therefore could not charge the deposit for my room but Silvia - the greatest ever - held my room for the 5 days I needed to get a replacement card. After that, the service here was outstanding. I was upgraded to a suite, had the best team attending to my every need and was always surrounded with the warmest and kindest people.

Welcome drink and brownie at the hotel. That brownie was da truth!

So much living space for little ole me, but I loved it! The balcony was enormous and I spent
many an evening maccoing the sights from above

The best part - that bed was life!

Everyone had a smile and bent over backwards to make sure guests were comfortable. On the day one of my tours necessitated me leaving the hotel at 5am, the concierge, the amazing, amazing, amazing Sandra, ensured I had breakfast to go, ready and waiting. The hotel has the best rooftop pool and bar area, with excellent mojitos. Not to be left out is the restaurant on the ground floor, Aroma Cilantro, where I had breakfast every day and almost every dinner as well. The food here was so amazing. I guess you can call it a creative take on Mexican street food and typical dishes with chilaquiles for breakfast, tacos, quesadillas, and sopes.

Chilaquiles - my Mexican life had begun. Breakfast on my first morning.

I will not recount the story that comes with this lunch but will only say this was amazing

The Roof Club at the Palm was where I spent several hours baking in the sun and drinking (lots of drinking), while reading. The cocktails were fabulous and the service team - outstanding. Sadly, all my roof photos include yours truly, so you don't get one. lol. But take a look at this photo, courtesy Visitroo.com

Photo credit: Visitroo.com

Truth be told, the people I met during my entire trip were all wonderful. I always thought Trinis were warm but Mexicans proved to be our rivals in that category, outdoing us in the area of service by miles. I had read before I got to Mexico that there is a strong tipping culture and was advised to tip regularly. When you get the service I got throughout my stay, tipping was a no-brainer.

I'll take you outside the hotel in the next post but for now, this was my first dusk on my first day in Playa, as I sat thinking - boy, did I need this!

Sun sets on my first evening in Playa del Carmen

2015 - Finding those Moments and Moving Forward

2015-12-30T07:48:00.001-04:00

Back in March, I did a check in on 2015 - to assess how I had been doing to date with my goals. It was a slow start but it was not tragic. However, somewhere between then and now, it went downhill and 2015 was a dud of a year. Too much work and work-related stress and concerns definitely, which led to exhaustion and indifference and bad moods. Still, there were many brilliant moments.

Aperol spritz - The drink was amazing as was the vacation on which it was consumed daily. Venice, Florence, Paris - brand new adventures in the first, making fresh memories in the next two. It was a really great vacation.

Being the best aunty ever - There were sleepovers, game days, sous-chef training. This aunty gig kicked into overdrive this year and as I type, I have a sleeping 5 yr old next to me. We watched Paw Patrol, played with his new crane and had chocolate. Last night I had to dig deep into the grey matter to remember bedtime stories, but in the end the 3 little pigs survived the wolf but they were all then eaten by a dinosaur.

Best Big Sister - Mentoring has been a joy. I loved being a Big to my Little this year. She is so creative and smart. Volunteering is a gift that really does keep on giving. I am looking forward to another such project in 2016. If we can lend support to those who need it, let's do it!!!

More time with friends - There were some epic breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and such this year. I spent less time on social media and more time in the present.Sadly the blog was included in this - will do better! Friends will be visiting in 2016 and I am excited and so too, I hope, I can return the visits, amidst all the belt tightening ahead.

Birthday - This was a low-keyed birthday by usual standards but it was spent in Miami, where the weather was good, the fruit and veggie smoothies were popping, the shopping was constant and catching up was mandatory.

The food - Probably explains why I am no slimmer at the end of the year but this was a foodie year for sure. Whether I was cooking it myself in the hills of Tuscany, or in my South Trinidad kitchen, or breaking bread with friends at various foodie haunts at home and abroad, my palate definitely had its fair share of fun this year.

Health and fitness - While I am no slimmer on December 30, it was a year of fitness firsts. The Fitness Challenge pushed me to focus on healthier eating and at year end, I am part of a training group which has tried to kill me but somehow I have managed to survive and more focused on not sabotaging all this hard work with drinks and snacking.

Health issues - personal and otherwise - were probably the main Debbie Downers this year, aside from professional stress - from my nephew being in hospital for a week, to his mum being in hospital for 2 weeks, to my mum being worried about her health, to me having to get tests and now minor surgery - meh meh meh. So it is a good reminder to all to not take your health for granted. Emotionally, it was also a bit of a rollercoaster for me and I had my fair share of things on my mind and on my heart that kept me from being my true self all the time. Each day is a journey - glad for each day so now to work on the 'stuff' day by day.

I am taking 2016 in hand and owning it. It HAS to be better than 2015. Going into this with fresh eyes, a clean slate and an open mind.

Wishing you all a brilliant 2016!!!

Avoid the Holiday Rage and Embrace these Holiday Tips Instead

2015-12-23T13:31:00.001-04:00

It has been a REALLY long time since I have been here and I apologise. But life happens. I don’t usually do my 2015 round-up this early but I must say, 2015 was not the greatest of the great. Sure there were some awesome moments, but it was not an award-winning year. Still, I am happy to have been here with you.

So it’s the holidays – another ‘winning’ time of year for me. God! I cannot say I loathe holidays but I do hate the way the holidays make people act a little cray cray. The season of love and giving has become the season of road rage, car park rage, Toys ‘r’ Us rage, supermarket rage, department store rage, etc. Everyone is so angry because there is traffic, silly people standing around in stores doing nothing, people picking up the last bottle of Chardonnay you spotted from a mile away and thought – that would be great with Christmas dinner. People are awful this time of year.

While you may get tips for the holidays that include where to shop, when to go and so on, please heed the following tips as well:

Remember the reason for the season. People get themselves worked up over the holidays – worked up over material things, and other nonsense. The cleaning, the cooking, the shopping. The season should be fun and filled with warm memories of great times with friends and family. Don’t lose sight of that.

Appreciate those who work for you to enjoy the holidays. The guys and gals who work really crazy shifts and work long hours in the toy stores, department stores, supermarkets and so on, just so you can get that Elsa doll for little Dana, or that bottle of Flower Bomb for your wife – these people have families and loved ones too. They have homes which they would like to clean and trees they would like to decorate with their kids. Everywhere is busy and crazy and I personally cannot even fathom working in that type of environment without busting a blood vessel, so I appreciate those who do. So be considerate and appreciative when and where you can.

Remember those less fortunate. That grab for that last Elsa doll and the whining that the supermarket does not have the wine you want - pales in comparison to what so many among us lack. The senseless road rage to get to the store to get a parking spot to spend tonnes of money on something so insignificant in the grand scheme of things can often seem so obscene. Invest a bit of that energy to make the holiday a little brighter for someone else and see how good it feels.

Be considerate to those who may not have anyone for the holidays. Some people are alone, plain and simple. Some have lost close loved ones, or have moved away from family – sometimes in a new city or new country. The life of the single man or woman, is not always as fancy free as some make it out to be. It can also be a depressing and lonely time. Seniors, with no close relatives nearby, can have a terrible holiday season. It never hurts to invite someone who may not have the bustling big family and the huge love around them to join in on your celebrations. It can go a really long way.

(Have you seen that awesome Publix commercial? Warms my heart)

I just wanted to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to my 2 readers out there. Tomorrow I will do my annual baking and I will spend Christmas Day with the family, including my brother and his munchkins, and other relatives. Be safe. Don’t over-eat. Avoid the rage. Love and blessings.

Solo Traveller Adventures: From Florence to Paris, with Love

2015-09-17T14:35:00.000-04:00

I could tell you so much more about Florence - about the great people I spent time with, about that night we - a Trini, some Italians, a Polish grad student and a Kazakh went to a belly dancing show after our wonderful aperitifs, about the smells and sounds of San Lorenzo Market, where I spent a few hours just people watching, buying coffee (of course!) and truffle oil and wine tasting, about how I accidentally ended up in Trattoria ZaZa while looking for another place (of course I got lost!) and had the most amazing lunch ever.

Ossobuco from Trattoria Za Za

But then if I went through all that, I would not be able to share a few photos from my relaxing return to Paris. I planned nothing at all for Paris - no tours, no visits to monuments. I just had a hotel reservation and that was it. I wanted to just be - to be unorganised, unscripted, unscheduled. Wanting to not be a part of the mad rush that Paris typically is, I chose to stay on the hill - Montmartre - my favourite part of the city. And during my short visit, I headed to my breakfast spot every morning with my Kindle, had a bowl of coffee, brioche and jam, visited the Sacre Coeur, people watched, drank wine, ate pastries, ate French food, spent time with a long lost friend, drank more wine, spoke in broken French.

I had this the first morning I had breakfast at Coqueclicot in Montmartre and could not finish it all
Breakfast after that was much lighter. lol. A bowl of coffee was too much even for me!

Le Sacre Coeur - oui!

I love walking through Montmartre - fave part of Paris

Montmartre views

Th view of Paris between the trees on the hill

Wonderful little place if looking for a bite in Montmartre!

Dinner at Autour du Midi, Montmartre

This is what you call a mall!!!

I also took a trip out of Paris for a day in Provins - a well preserved medieval city about 2 hours away from Paris by train. What a lovely day out of the city. Provins was not only quiet and stress-free, but also very quaint with its medieval fortresses, bistros and homes.

I just liked this.

Le Tour Cesar in Provins

Loved this church in Provins

The town is really well preserved. It was a real throwback kinda visit.

Lovely crepes were had here!

The view while walking along the top of the defensive ramparts

For those who love doors

Of course no visit to Paris would have been complete without one special visit. You just must!

No description necessary

Solo Traveller Adventure: Journey to Cinque Terre

2015-09-12T07:31:00.000-04:00

If you ever get tired of life, bypass the therapist and decamp immediately to Cinque Terre. - Lonely Planet

On my first visit to Florence, I wanted to do the trip to Cinque Terre but somehow it never happened. This time it was going to happen and it did. Like the good traveller, I had pre-booked everything beforehand, and had planned for this trip. It was a hike, and not just a cutesy walk about town. So I had upped my incline sessions during my workouts (lol) - ready to go. However, one can plan and plan but you don't cater for:

1. Blisters - all this tourist walking in Venice and in Florence had taken a toll, and I got blisters, as I always seem to while on vacation. Not cool. I soaked my feet the night before, hoping for the best.
2. Pre-hike drinks - While I was not drunk or hungover, I was tired after a night out in Florence. And while I put my sunglasses on, pulled the blinds and slept on the bus, I was in no shape for walking 4.5km!
3. The HEAT!!!! - It was 40 degrees Celsius. Nuff said. It was horrible.

So when we got to Cinque Terre, I already figured this hike was not going to happen. When given the option to take the train and wait for the group - I did. lol. All my morning workouts down the drain.

But it did not make Cinque Terre any less beautiful. For those who don't know, Cinque Terre which translates to the Five Lands is situated along the coast of the Italian Riviera, in the Liguria region of Italy. Five ramshackle yet beautifully quaint villages - Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore - built along the cliffs, along steep terraces overlooking the ocean. Actually our guide told us there are more than 5 villages but Cinque Terre just had a nicer ring to it. lol.

Just a note on our guide, Fabian, who was funny, knowledgeable and so friendly.

The views from the terraces are breathtaking. We arrived in Manarola and the views were immediately taking our breaths away.

View from the terraces of Manarola - this was a downhill hike, but careful of the terrain

Beautiful Manarola

The village itself - Manarola

The villages each have their own unique spirit and again, food and wine played an important part of the day.

I don't remember much about the first village but we lunched in Corniglia, in a cute family run place with great views of the ocean. This however came at great cost, as it was quite a hike up almost 400 steps to get there, in the punishing heat. And this was the easy part.

Lunch though, was well worth it. Pesto has its origins in the Liguria region, so of course no lunch would be complete without it. Pasta with the best pesto I had ever eaten was preceded by a seafood starter comprising of such lovelies as octopus and anchovies.

The first plate in Corniglia consisted of stuff like octopus, crab balls, calamari and anchovies
I really enjoyed this and ate it all.

So simple and yet pesto is always so amazing

There would be no wine with lunch, in preparation for the 4.5km hike up the steep cliffside in the 40 degree heat. It was at this point, I said - not today, and took an easy stroll to the bus stop and to the train station. I was not the only one either. It was terrible how hot it was. So while the others continued on the hike, we took the train to the village of Vernazza. It was in Vernazza that I found a table under an umbrella and took in the sights of people sunning on the rocks on the beach, licking sticky rivers of gelato from their arms or just having beer or wine in the shade.

The worn elegance of the town of Vernazza

Beautiful coastline views in Vernazza

View from behind my wine glass in Vernazza

I met up with my tour group peeps, who were all sweaty and busted, and one was so surprised that others had taken the train because he was too embarrassed to admit he wanted to pass on the hike as well. Funny. After a few more gelatos and soaking our heads in water, we took the train to Monterosso.

In Monterosso, I did some wine tasting. Where Chianti is known for its red wines, the Cinque Terre DOC produces lovely white wines - which are my preferred wine, so of course - bring it.

Cinque Terre DOC white wines - all for me!

One of the beautiful spots in Monterosso

By now, the sleep debt was weighing on me, but so much more to do and see. Next we hopped on a ferry which would be a 40 minute ride along the coast - where you could get a different view of the five villages. The ferry would drop us off at what was my favourite of all 5 - Riomaggiore.

We took a ferry from Monterosso to Riomaggiore and got to go past all the villages we had been to before

Ferry views - one of many on the 40 minute journey

Riomaggiore!!

Oh how lovely - Riomaggiore

Oh how I loved this village. The energy was different. The people seemed more passionate, friendlier, the village itself, more contemporary. I found while the town itself still had a worn appeal about it, there were touches of the 21st century which made for a lovely contrast. Maybe it was because it was the 'youngest' of the five villages, built up around the 1300s. Yeah - that's the kind of cougar bait we are talking about.

And my fave part was the seafood mix - which is as 'fast food' as you get here. Various types of seafood, battered and fried, and for 5 euros, you get a huge cone of niceness - calamari, anchovies, shrimp, anything you want - you customise your cone.

You could have deep fried veggies or fries as well with your seafood mix.
Wide assortment of yumminess

My seafood mix order consisted of vegetables, shrimp and calamari. This was beyond beyond good!

Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must visit. I would recommend the hike as well, which is offered by Walkabout Florence, but August is probably not the best time to try this. But it is a must - really. It is the only one of the tours that ensures you visit all five villages.

After a great day in Cinque Terre, I took it easy for the rest of my time in Florence before heading to the City of Lights. So we go to Paris, up next.

Solo Traveller Adventures: Cooking in Florence

2015-09-01T21:59:00.002-04:00

Having visited Florence before, I had done all the major sightseeing and really wanted to take it easy a bit. Of course, this did not happen, as I kept myself busy doing all sorts of new things, including a wonderful one day cooking course.

For those who are regular readers of my blog, you know food is an integral part of my life – dining out, cooking and trying new recipes, including making healthy eating exciting and fun. So when I saw this activity listed among the various tours one could do from Florence, I booked it.

The tour hosted by the great team at Walkabout Florence (my second time using this great tour company) and would start in Florence itself, and as predicted, I got lost trying to find the meeting spot. Let me just say that this time, Google Maps led me astray. Getting lost meant being late, which meant keeping the group waiting, which made me angry, cause I hate making people wait, but woosah – let’s continue.

Our wonderful guide, Valeria first took us to the various markets, where we picked up the various main ingredients for preparing our menu for the day. Quite an interesting little walk, as we learnt which types of tomatoes were best for sauces or for bruschetta, for example, sampled cheese and also had a very important stop before heading to the bus that would take us to the farmhouse – a coffee stop. I am sure it was a bit of a lesson for some of the Americans on the tour to learn that frappuccinos are a Starbucks invention and Italians’ idea of a cold coffee beverage is the shakerato – espresso and ice cubes shaken in a cocktail shaker with a bit of syrup, and served. For the hot day, everyone had one of these except me – gimme a cappuccino, buddy. Give it!!!

Fresh veggies at the market - ready for our bellies

Picking up our awesome pork loin for roasting at San Lorenzo Market

Shakerato - espresso shaken (not stirred) and my lonesome but awesome cappuccino

Next stop – the farmhouse, in the hills not too far from Florence, but absolutely gorgeous. Here we would meet our ‘teacher’ for the day, the lovely Carmela who spoke no English but her passion for her cooking and for food was evident. Our guides, Valeria and Lavinia took us through what we would be doing for the day and our menu included

Bruschetta
Fresh homemade egg pasta
Ragu meat sauce
Pizza
Roast pork
Patata al rosamarino (Roast potatoes with rosemary)
Tiramisu
Florentine gelato

This was the best fun and the best tour I have done. While the dishes themselves were not that hard, there were little gems shared during the day which would serve me well in the future with my own cooking. While I do a fair amount of cooking myself, I was always a bit gun shy about going to a class, but this was a lot of fun, with a great bunch of people.

Check me out cutting up that bread for our bruschetta

Aren't our tomatoes sexy?

Bread toasting and wine - Round 1. lol.

Always amazed at how simple but how amazing bruschetta is. I heart bruschetta!

It seemed to be a great bonding activity for couples especially, with newlyweds, not so newlyweds, and newly engaged couples, joining us three single solo travelling girls on this culinary adventure. My favourite part was preparing the pasta, which I always thought was beyond my amateur skills, but it is so easy it is ridiculous.

My pasta - the finished product - left to dry for 30mins before boiling (and eating!)

Our ragu doing its thing - slow cooked for 2 hours!

The end result of our hard work - this was so nom nom

Oh wait – that was my second favourite part, after eating the pasta and all the other goodies we slaved over a hot kitchen table in 40 degree heat to prepare.

We also made our own pizzas and washed that down with Italian beer

Our roasted potatoes

This pork was everything. I have already replicated this awesomeness since being back

A for Awesome - Awesome tiramisu. A is also my first initial.

Eating and drinking. We did a lot of drinking too. A lot! Lol.

The belle of the ball - Chianti Classico. And our hosts were not stingy with it either.

I would do this again in a heartbeat and it is such a great activity for single girlfriends, or couples to do together as an aside from the sightseeing. I met some wonderful people, learnt how to make some of my favourite foods, ate a lot (soooo much food!!!) drank some amazing Chianti reds (and beer) and made a lot of great memories. Thanks to the Walkabout Team for a great day and to great peeps like - yes, gonna give you a shout out - Danielle, Jamie, Libra, and Sarah - for the laughs and the good times.

You can check out more tours on Viator or go directly to Walkabout Florence and just choose one or two, or five! They are a great bunch! My next post will feature Walkabout again as I took a trip out of Florence for some coastal fun.

Solo Traveller Adventures: My Return to Florence, Italy

2015-08-28T07:57:00.000-04:00

I have told friends that so far, Italy is my geographical and spiritual soulmate. Of course, if I continue to be blessed enough to travel to more new places, this may change but what will not change is how connected I always feel when I am in Italy. And moreso, in Florence.

I first visited Firenze back in 2010. I had a lot on my mind at the time. Funnily enough, I also pondered whether I wanted to take a vacation this year, but again, I went with God and jumped on the plane and I thought, one of the most relaxing and wonderful trips ever was my trip to Florence and so I added it to the itinerary and in fact, it was the primary destination as I stayed here the longest.

Someone asked me why I love Florence so much. It’s hard to put into words why you may love a place as much as you do.

If I had to liken it to a boyfriend or lover, I guess one could say I love Florence for its -

Warmth – My first visit to Florence was my first visit to Italy, and the city set me up for the fall I later had in Rome. The friendliness and warmth generally from the people I met along the way made me feel at home and ever so comfortable. Rome was the complete opposite as you know – cold, bordering on hateful (#travellingwhileblack). Before I left, I told one of my Italian friends that I hoped Florence had not changed, or that the love I felt five years before was not a one-off. But like an old friend, Florence welcomed me back with open arms.

Smells and Tastes – Robin Leach said ‘In Italy, they add work and life on to food and wine’. Florence, to me, is synonymous with great food. Add amazing Chianti wines and you are never short of gastronomical pleasure. The food was the main highlight of the trip!

The best ossobuco ever

I took a lunch break in Fiesole and decided it was the perfect time for pizza

Chianti! Chianti!

Beauty – Florence and the rest of Tuscany are like a living postcard. One sight that always captivates me, no matter how many times I see it, is the magnificent dome of the Duomo rising into the clouds, looking down on the city. You have to see it to understand how jaw dropping it really is. I think what I also love about Florence is that it is a city that does not have that stifling city feel, like Paris or Rome. Add to the fact that it is in Tuscany, and you are a heartbeat away from rolling green hills, vineyards, fresh country air and a much simpler life, and Florence is really pretty damn perfect.

The moment the Duomo starts peeping above the city is my fave sight
while walking through the streets of Florence

View from Fiesole

The romance of Florence - sunset over the River Arno

Next I will tell you about the best experience I had in Florence this time around and of course, it involved food.

Solo Traveller Adventures: Eating Out in Venice, Italy

2015-08-21T10:59:00.001-04:00

The general rule of thumb when eating out on vacation in Europe is - do not eat in places near the main tourist attractions. These places generally are geared towards convenience and sightseeing appeal, and not focused on quality or taste. I am sure or hope that there are exceptions to this rule, but safer to go off the beaten path when it comes to grabbing lunch or dinner. There was one night in Venice when I broke this golden rule because I was so hungry and it was so late that I sat myself down at one of these establishments, hoping that this would be one of those exceptions. It wasn't. Eating that dinner that night made me remember a conversation with an American duo who claimed Venetian food was the worst - clearly they had eaten at one of these places.

I did not leave Venice with the same conclusion though. Asking locals for a recommendation is usually a good call so don't be afraid to go beyond your comfort zone as a visitor to a new city. Even before this very bad experience, I had already been lucky to have two amazing meals at Impronta Cafe, which is not a traditional, hole-in-the-wall type of place but a more modern cafe experience. The lunch, aperitif and dinner experiences at Impronta Cafe were all very good - great food, very well done and presented and great service.

Spinach and ricotta ravioli in pesto. This was beautiful. Grazie, Impronta Cafe.

Impronta Cafe's roast suckling pig with purple potato mash and apple puree. The pork was decadent.

The best meal I had in Venice was in one of these hidden gems off the beaten path - a place recommended by Damiano, my B&B host. One needed to make a reservation to dine at La Zucca - a small, intimate place not too far from the San Stae vaporetto stop. I completely loved this dining experience. If you are looking for that romantic Hollywood setting for dinner, then no - you will not find it here. There were no tourists, no romantic view of the Grand Canal - in fact it is located on a back street and the view was of graffiti on the opposite wall. But from the moment I sat down to the moment I bid the owners a good night, it was an amazing evening. Great food and service that was so warm that you almost felt like family. You want to feel that when you are away from home. I appreciated it. This was a great, great, great recommendation!

I had an outside table so I could people watch. Check out the graffiti wall view in front of me.

It was so fresh. So fresh. No description needed. But La Zucca's pesto was 'burst in your mouth' fresh.

Grilled pork cooked in marsala wine with baby onions at La Zucca. This was everything!

La Zucca dessert - panna cotta in chocolate sauce. Possibly the best panna cotta ever.

I also enjoyed a couple gelatos from Gelateria White - a very slick and contemporary gelato establishment, where the gelato was self-service and sold based on weight and mix of toppings from candies, to fruit. You basically create your gelato fantasy yourself and it is pretty good gelato as well. Great stop while walking the streets of Venice after hours.

And while I can surely not make a sweeping conclusion on who had the best aperol spritz in the land, I will recommend this aperitif to any visitor. Aperol, prosecco, sparkling water and an orange slice - so simple but so wow. It was my drink of choice for my entire stay in Italy (and even beyond) and the best ones I had at Da Sandro Bar. and Al Todaro. I did try the Hugo aperitif as well but while it may be all the rage, it did not do it for me like the tried and tested aperol spritz, but we still took a photo!

Hugo aperitif - champagne, elderflower syrup, lime juice, mint and a view of the Grand Canal.

While Venice may not be Bologna, Naples or Florence when it comes to the foodie excitement, if you do your research and due diligence, you can leave the city with super fond memories of a great dining experience.

But up next...we move on to my fave Italian city (so far) and my second visit to Florence. Love.

Solo Traveller Adventures in Venice - The Highlights

2015-08-20T07:02:00.002-04:00

Venice is indeed a romantic city. There is no doubt about that. However, that should not stop the single traveller from still visiting this beautiful city. Besides getting lost in the maze of streets and canals, there are still many things for travellers to do, especially if there is no significant other, or even a travel buddy.

So as a tourist, I had a few places I definitely wanted to visit in Venice. As most people know, I am a history buff and so I will always always always look for the museum in a city. I have been blessed to visit some of Europe's most spectacular museums and galleries like the Prado, the Louvre, Uffizi, Rijksmuseum, National Gallery, among others and now, Accademia in Venice.

Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice

Loved the woodwork in this room,and of course, the art - Gallerie dell'Accademia

St Mark's Basilica was also beautiful - always a bit of a sombre moment when visiting the great churches in Europe. Just a note to the uninitiated, when visiting churches, please respect that it is indeed a spiritual house and be modest in one's attire. Walking with a shawl or sweater would save you being barred from entering.

I also had the chance to see the square when it was devoid of human life. I would recommend setting the alarm for sunrise and heading to St Mark's Square to see the full beauty of the square when the tourists are all asleep. Beautiful.

View of St Mark's Basilica from the outside. No photos allowed inside.

The peace and quiet of St Mark's Square as Venice just begins to wake up.

Palazzo Ducale or the Doge's Palace. The artistry and attention to detail here were extraordinary. I am always amazed at just how much work went into these palaces in an age where technology was basic but innovation still amazingly high. Something to think about, millenials. Really enjoyed this visit.

The detail in the ceilings, paintings, walls and even the doors is magnificent. The tour of the prisons within the palace walls was also one that was a bit sad, particularly of course, walking across the Bridge of Sighs - so named because the view from the bridge, as limited as it was, would be the last view prisoners would have of Venice before being sealed behind the huge and heavy doors of the dungeons.

Exterior of the Doge's Palace in Venice

Just one of the many spectacular rooms in the Doge's Palace

The doors of the prison cells that locked away life for years and years in the Doge's Palace

The last sight of Venice the prisoners would have as they crossed the Bridge of Sighs

But the easy pace of life on the island of Burano was a highlight. I took the vaporetti from Venice to the outlying island of Burano, famous for its beautiful lace. I had planned to visit all three islands but the heat and exhaustion made me make a tough choice as to which of the three - Murano, Torcello or Burano - I would make the effort for. The glass blowing of Murano has been cited as a great treat but I was far more interested in just chilling, and so took the ride out to Burano instead. A great difference to the tourist-mad mainland where streets were quiet and locals sat on their doorsteps chatting or observing the tourists taking photos. The selfie stick phenomenon was a real source of amusement for the Burano folk as it was almost death by selfie from the visitors. Love love the kaleidoscope of colour in Burano and strolling through the quaint and peaceful streets as dusk began to fall was calming and wonderful. Burano is also well known for its lace and there are several shops where you can purchase a variety of lace items, from clothing to fans, to umbrellas to home accessories. A must for anyone visiting Venice I think. Your multiple day travel pass (mentioned in the last post) will also cover your journey to the outlying islands, so definitely invest in one if you are staying in Venice for a few days.

Burano - a quiet and welcome escape from tourist-riddled Venice

Loved the splash of colour all across the island of Burano

Peaceful Burano. Love,

More importantly, just take it easy. Walk the streets and explore all the little nooks and crannies, take a tour of the Rialto market when it is at its peak, and sit along the canal with an aperol spritz and just people watch - the best part of any solo traveller adventure in Venice. Will share my favourite eats in the next post.

Aperol spritz - the best thing ever. Sip one while sitting along the Grand Canal and life is golden

Woosah -Vacation begins, in Venice

2015-08-06T11:26:00.000-04:00

View of Venice from Palazzo Ducale

And I went 'woosah'.

It is vacation time and the first stop and only unfamiliar destination of this vacation adventure - Venice. It has been amazing, beautiful and tiring. Lol. Besides carrying around a massive sleep debt from the last work week and from paranoia that I would oversleep in my hotel at Gatwick and miss my 6.45am flight to Venice, I also decided to use the first day to 'explore' the city. By foot. It is one of those cities where you should walk - all the narrow 'calles' or streets or as you may call them when you see them 'alleys'. The city is a virtual labyrinth of narrow, sometimes poorly lit alleys. August is usually a dull time for a lot of cities when it comes to resident life. So while the main areas were teeming with tourists, the off beaten paths were virtually deserted.

This was how I came to be lost in Venezia. They say getting lost is a must and the guide books say don't worry if the snaking labyrinth swallows you whole. And so when I realised I was in No Man's Land after half hour, I chuckled to myself. Giving you the reminder as context - I absolutely suck at directions, maps etc. I would get lost in an empty room. I am daft like that. So lost and although armed with 2 maps, I knew this had the potential to be very gruesome. Add to that, I was off the beaten track so not an American or Japanese tourist group in sight. Two hours later, somehow I found my way back to the Rialto Bridge and among human life forms.

But it has been great - so far a much more palatable experience than Rome was, Rome being my benchmark for uncomfortable vacation destination. The people have all been very warm, very welcoming.

Venice is also pretty great for my waistline. One, Venetian cuisine is primarily seafood-based and I am not a huge patron of fish. Well okay...I hate fish. Saving my gluttonous ways for the rest of the trip. But what I have eaten so far has been amazing. The manager of the B&B where I am staying has been pointing me to places the locals would go. Venice gets a bad rap for sub-par cuisine mainly because a lot of places serve these ridiculous 'turistic' menus. It's like Chinese restaurants that serve what we love as Chinese food but the owner would not ever eat what they sell. Will leave the food for next time.

Secondly as it relates to my waistline - the obvious:- the walking. My room is on the top floor of the B&B - so lots of stairs. Though I have a travel card that gives me unlimited travel on vaporetti for the specified time period, one still walks a fair bit especially when lost, which is every day for me.

Venice is absolutely beautiful. You know what it is like from reading about it or seeing it in movies but you can never be fully prepared for the beauty of the city - a city floating on water. Beautiful by day, enchanting by night. Of course the second best thing to do after walking the narrow calles is to take a trip up the Grand Canal. The best way in which to do this is via vaporetto or water bus. Sure you can do the whole gondola thing but that would mean shelling out about 80euros for that pleasure. A single ticket for 60 mins on the vaporetto costs €7,50. In my case as I was there a few days I shelled out for a multi-day ticket and after getting lost on the first day, I relied heavily on the vaporetti for the rest of my trip. If you can use the London underground or the NY subway system, you will have no trouble with the vaporetti network which is only different as it runs on water.

Vaporetti are slow and during peak tourist sesson, hot. The crush of humans at any given time was enough to turn even the most enthusiastic tourist into a sourpuss. But it was never for long as the city views are amazing.

And you do not need to book a room oveelooking the canal to enjoy Venice. I did not and I still love it. Venice was planned as the true touristy part of the vacation so I did the main 'must do' sights but retired early from tourist life to slow it down and do nothing but enjoy the simpler things of the city - buying fruit in the Rialto market, sipping on aperol spritzes before dinner, night time stroll along the Rialto and onwards to St Mark's. It has been truly lovely.

Healthy Eating in the Southland - The GoSmart Food Company

2015-07-10T17:33:00.000-04:00

It's been a while. I have totally broken my 2015 resolution to have at least one blog entry a week with my absence but real life calls. Today was no exception and with a full day, which meant I was up at the crack of dawn (okay, not quite but 6.30am on my day off is pretty early) and out of the house with just a slice of toast in my stomach. Thinking ahead though, I ordered a meal from The GoSmart Food Company - a door-to-door delivery service providing healthy gourmet meals. Their website describes the approach best

We exist to provide healthy gourmet food to our clients in a way that is convenient, utilising smarter choices and clean eating concepts. We believe that if you live smarter, you will indeed live a better life.
Our philosophy is that when you decide to GoSmart you are making a lifestyle choice as eating healthily should be a way of life and not a fast-track approach to weight loss.

But the BEST part of it all - they are based in SOUTH TRINIDAD!!! I always love when I can get great food options on my side of the island, and so hell yeah, I was going to support.Because I work in Port of Spain, the window of opportunity for trying this out would be small to nil, but I knew I would be in San Fernando all day and eventually would feel the hunger worms biting, so I placed an order yesterday for delivery today.

The service delivers to clients in San Fernando and surrounding areas, and because I also do not live in San Fernando (the universe is really against me here), but would be doing business in the area, my delivery was planned accordingly.

So how was it? The meal was excellent. It was fresh, wholesome, very filling, well packaged. On the menu today - Rainbow prawn with stir fried kale and bok choy, with ginger-garlic rice noodles, and a light mango and coconut mousse.

This is such a great service for Southerners who may not, like me, cook all their lunch-time meals during the week but still want to eat clean and be healthy. It is convenient as all you have to do is use the order form, drop them a message via their Facebook page, or give them a ring and the food is brought to you. No traffic, no fuss. It's great. I wish them all the best as they continue to make great meals for the great people of San Fernando.

You can check out The GoSmart Food Company -
Website - www.gosmartfood.co
Facebook - The GoSmart Food Company
Email: orders@gosmartfood.co
Tel: 397-6278

I am NOT the Biggest Loser

2015-06-06T08:36:00.000-04:00

I fell in love with mixed greens and
did a lot of fresh veggies (that's not canned corn, friends)
and paired them with regular stuff like beans
and lean meats/chicken

The Biggest Loser Challenge at work ended a couple weeks ago. I did not win the prize. But I guess the real victory was getting off the couch and getting off the doughnuts. The competition was super fierce. There were people taking 3 spin classes a day and stuff like that, and eating just a banana for breakfast, with water for the rest of the day.

In the end I lost 11.5 lbs through hard work, sweat and a healthy diet.

I did not starve myself. I always had a full breakfast, with 2 egg whites, a roll and a smoothie...okay okay, and coffee. I had a fresh lunch and would keep dinner as light as possible, without starving myself.

I did not go to the gym 3 times a day. I went once a day and did what my body could manage in the time I have before work.

I cut out snacking, consumed more fruits and vegetables, more raw foods.

I challenged myself to make salads that were fun and exciting, because I have always had a love/hate relationship with salads.

I did not get as much sleep as I should have, and this has always been my downfall, but I still felt better.

I did it for myself really - to win was always a goal as well but really, I knew it was necessary. So cheers!

Love is the Greatest Adventure - TW Wed-Zine 2015

2015-05-29T22:09:00.004-04:00

Behind the scenes of the TW Wed-Zine photo shoot
Photo credit: Antony Scully

So have you started planning your wedding?

More than half of single women have already planned their wedding before they have found a groom...
Millions of women still looking for 'Mr Right' have researched elements churches, flowers, reception venues, bridesmaids dresses and the car which will take them to the church.
...nearly two thirds of single females have planned their wedding day since they were a child.
And 34 per cent of unspoken-for women regularly browse the web for inspiration on flowers, dresses and elaborate venues.

- Findings of an Interflora survey in the UK, as reported by The Telegraph.

As a single gal, I can attest to this, and unashamedly. A woman's wedding day is something that has its genesis from perhaps as early as when she got her first doll. Whether it is a lavish 600 guests-strong affair, a simple beach wedding, a subdued civil ceremony or an intimate destination wedding, a woman's special day is something she has been planning in one form or another, for years.

When the question has finally been popped, the real work begins - taking the childhood dream from an idea to reality. A lot of times, the dream has been formed through media experiences - what a girl sees on tv, or in the movies, or in glossy foreign magazines. For local couples though, the search for ideas, concepts and recommendations is much closer than they think.

Trinidad Weddings has just released its latest issue of its increasingly popular TW Wed-Zine - a top resource for brides- and grooms-to-be (yes, grooms plan too), and is an official how-to, go-to, what-to for weddings in 2015. Also popular among wedding vendors, planners and students, the TW Wed-Zine is not only a great resource, but it is a locally produced resource and one that is of an exceptional standard.

TW Wed Zine 2015

The beautiful brides of the TW Wed Zine 2015 cover
Photo Credit: Aarti Gosine

I love that one gets a full feel of what a wedding can be - from the international trends to what can be delivered locally from industry experts. Editor and founder, Simone Sant-Ghuran launched the 2015 magazine recently at ZaZou Bistro Moderne at the Trinidad Country Club, which in my estimation, oozes love and romance so it was a perfect venue to talk love, marriage...

...and adventure.

This year, the magazine’s theme of “Love is The Greatest Adventure” ties in with an emphasis on outdoor weddings. This issue features several take-your-breath-away love stories from deep in Tobago’s mangrove, a Port of Spain hill top, a rustic log cabin, the Temple By The Sea at sunset, the Wild Fowl Trust, a residential garden and even, the first Catholic wedding held “down the islands.”

TW Wed-Zine Founder and Editor, Simone Sant-Ghuran at the mag launch at ZaZou Bistro
Beautiful dress by CLD - Charu Lochan Dass and accessories by Rachel Rochford

Roses and chocolate at the mag launch - what says love better?
Flowers provided by Latitude 0 and Floral Artistry by Flowers to Treasure
Chocolate Tarts provided by the awesome team at ZaZou Bistro Moderne

Weddings are not all cut from the same cloth and the magazine recognises that couples all want something unique to them. The assortment of wedding stories and ideas can only help the excited lovebirds to refine what they want out of their big day - or at least one hopes, if they are not like me - always overly excited about the choices available.

But it is a must-buy I think. I don't know of anyone who has been married, who has planned their wedding, and who has not referred to someone or something to bring their wedding dream to reality. Love is an adventure and planning a wedding should be an adventure - a good one. There was one day in London, a friend decided she just wanted to go try on wedding dresses. Neither of us were engaged - hell, neither of us were dating. But it was great fun telling the salesgirls about the dream wedding neither of us were having - at the time, But hope for the day is alive. Every girl has that dream wedding in their minds, and I think TW Wed-Zine is an amazing ride for those chasing the dream.

-----

This year, readers anywhere in the world can also purchase a hardcopy if they wish. Both the digital and hardcopy versions can be purchased HERE.
The TW Wed-Zine is sold at 30 retailers throughout Trinidad and Tobago
For more visit the website - www.trinidadweddings.com
Check out the behind the scenes video for the Love is the Greatest Adventure themed cover below.

My (Somewhat) New Role as a Big Sister

2015-05-08T19:14:00.000-04:00

For those who may not know me, I am a big sister. I have one sibling - a younger brother. We used to fight, make up, watch tv together, go out together, participate in kitchen adventures together, meaning I would cook and he would eat. Being a big sister to him, as annoying and vexing as he can be at times, is a great thing. He is super lucky to have a sister like me. lol

Now, I am a Big Sister again. This time, it is to someone I only met this week and whom I am just getting to know.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am finally participating in the Big Brother/Big Sister Programme, with the Heroes Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago. I am matched with a Little through the Foundation's new Corporate Workplace Mentoring model, which facilitates the recruitment of Bigs from one organisation and brings the Bigs and Littles together in the workplace, albeit in a non-stifling, casual setting. It can be really hard for corporate types to make time to volunteer. Personally, my work days start when I open my eyes at 3am and they end when I get home some 16 hours later. My weekends can often be a rush, so carving out the time at work is perfect for me. For those of you out there, who want to give back but struggle with being available and committed, this could work for you.

I was soooooo excited about this, I cannot tell you. I have always wanted to participate in this programme after hearing of the heartwarming and fulfilling experiences from others who were part of similar programmes overseas. I was a teenager once, believe it or not, and remember some of the angst, the confusion, the pressure of transitioning from girlhood to womanhood. I had the support of family and at school, we also had the support of our 8-hour mothers - our teachers. But there was nothing quite as powerful as having someone who looked like me, sounded like me and who went through the same trials and joys as I did, reach out and offer words of support and advice - not as a teacher or a priest, but as a friend.

So being a Big Sister is my way of paying it forward to a young woman who is just where I was at that age - trying to find her own space in the world. I am thankful for all the influences I have had in my own life and having never had a little sister, I was really excited about being offered this great opportunity.

So I met my Little Sister this past week and she is so cute. I had asked that I be matched with someone creative, who likes the arts, music, books and the like. Someone not too quiet as I am chatty. She is an amazingly talented artist - she sketched for me and she is really good. She loves to sing and she loves music so in that regard, we are exactly the same. However, I do not like Ariana Grande - she is a teenager so I will give her that. We both like sports but she likes playing sports while I am a mere albeit often obsessed spectator. She likes languages, as do I. She likes to write, but not to read -an odd fact I thought but that is who she is. She wants to see the world with the Maldives being at the top of her list and she was not impressed that I travel regularly but that I had not yet been to her top spot. We learnt some more about each other, realised we have quite a lot in common.

I am not surprised by that because the process to become a Big Sister is a rigorous one. Besides all the screening to ensure you are not a felon, there is a deep dive interview where the coordinators get to REALLY know you so they can match you with the Little most suited to your personality. The Little also undergoes this deep dive because the matching is so important.

In the end, I have a new Little Sister who is smart and lovely and talented and who I am really excited to get to know. My Little and I will be matched for about a year and will see each other twice a month. So far, she seems to like me and I like her, so cheers to that!

All the Big Sisters at work are excited and so are our Littles. Nothing beats volunteering, in a way that is meaningful to you. Whether it is reading to the elderly, helping a young person in life, building homes or helping an NGO with their accounting, their marketing or governance, or in whatever your professional area of expertise may be - there is nothing quite like paying it forward. Looking forward to a great year!

Learn more about the Heroes Foundation
Learn more about the Foundation's BBBS Programme
Follow them on Facebook
Read more about their Corporate Workplace Mentoring

Fat Girl Problems

2015-05-01T21:27:00.001-04:00

After the gym, sometimes breakfast has to be quick
aka smoothie alert. Blueberry and almond protein smoothie

Trying to lose weight is a real nightmare. Putting it on is fun and easy. Date nights with girlfriends, with those yummy cocktails and cute fried appetisers; along with rich entrees and decadent desserts. Weekend stay-ins with Netflix and shrimp fries with Thai sweet chili sauce. The real killer - work events - schmooze and lose...lose your willpower to resist glasses of great wine and bite sized goodies that demand you pop another and another and another. Family get-togethers, where there is always food, always a lot of alcohol and aunties watching you cross-eyed if you try to politely refuse.

But when you are trying to get all this excess baggage off your body, not that easy. The early morning wake up calls to unwillingly subject oneself to cardio and other torture devices, or to try to get a workout outdoors before the morning heat and glare get the better of you.

Last night the family got together for a good ole family time. I drank nothing and when offered a plate heaping with roti and curry - my kryptonite - I politely (yeah, that is my excuse) ate the vegetables, a bit of the chicken and gave my mother 95% of the rest. Nightmare.

It has been tough going but the competition element of it has been keeping me really honest. The first couple of weeks, I admit, I had chips once in a while. But I have been super good this past week and for good reason. The people at work are hard core in trying to win this thing and I see my chances of winning slipping away. But I am still doing it because it needs to be done and I need to do it for myself. Still...winning would be nice.

The numbers thing is always complicated. I hate scales and on my second weigh in, the weight numbers were up ever so slightly but the fat percentage was down. This is apparently a good thing, but when you have been programmed to count just the pounds/kg, it can be a bit of a buzzkill. But rallying.

Eating lots of salads and veggies, soups (I love soups so this is easy) and cut out the sugar and the snacks. The snacks have always been my problem so this is a small miracle. No cake. No cookies. No chips. No Haagie. Lots of water, tea and my post-workout smoothies. Getting more sleep, though still not enough. The hardest part has probably been trying to keep my meals fun and creative. I am not one for those crazy diets - onion soup diets or liquid diets. I eat like a real person, just without an excess of the "fun" stuff. Food should never be boring, even if one is trying to be healthy.

Part of my weekly supermarket stash last weekend. Fruits and stuff for teas, fruit juices and smoothies.
Greens for salads.

Chicken quesadillas and greens for dinner. Salad by itself - not food. That's torture...

...unless the salad is epic like this one - mixed greens, grated carrots, roasted onions,
chopped black grapes, pommerac, homemade garlic croutons, and some baked chicken.

So wish me luck. The battle wages on. Another weigh in this week so game on!

That Bruce Jenner Interview

2015-04-24T23:29:00.001-04:00

Bruce Jenner took what has been paparazzi fodder and ridicule for months, and made it real and human, in his interview with Diane Sawyer tonight.

I tuned in because this was a story we had not been privy too. While a part of the Kardashian reality debacle for 8 years, Bruce was always a supporting act, and never the star. And yet, as he said, he was the one with the story - the real story; a story that meant something to some people - to those people who try to navigate life with a lot of questions about themselves.

Gender confusion is still something many people grapple with. I grapple with it - not me not understanding whether I am man or woman. I am a woman and I am clear on that. But I never fully understood how others could not really share that sense of comprehension about themselves. There are a lot of things in this world that I do not necessarily agree with or fully understand. But what I do understand and appreciate is the ongoing quest to be happy. Happiness can sometimes seem so far out of reach - you seem to have to stretch just a little bit further to reach that fruit that is just, just out of reach. Living a life where it seems true happiness evades you is not really a life. Contemplating suicide, as he confesses he did, because you are in constant fear of what society will say or do, is not life. So when a guy feels he is happier living the rest of his life as a woman, after 65 years of living what he feels has been a pretence, then I am okay with that. Living half of a life is painful. It is empty. It is callous for us to ask anyone to do that. In the end, all any of us want is to be happy and for our loved ones to be happy - or at least that is what we should want.

I think Diane and Bruce handled the interview beautifully and brought it back really to the human condition, and made it less of a spectacle than has been made of it in the past several months. That people are harmed by others, or harm themselves because of their choice is very sad to me. The images were disturbing but hopefully there is just a little bit more understanding. Glad to see his children have been so supportive as it is clear they were his central concern. I don't agree they all had to be on-camera to prove their love for him. They are dealing with their own issues and fears I am sure. And also, I think the Kardashian girls recognised this was not their moment, but his (or at least I hope they were really being this generous). I appreciated that they were not there to bring it back to that circus level, but he could tell his story in his way, on his time, by himself.

I thought he was very brave and honest. I respect that it is a very private journey and so we did not need to see him as "her". I respect the way in which the 2-hr interview was conducted with it not being a tabloid-esque expose but a deep and meaningful, often touching, sometimes funny perspective from someone trying to come to terms with himself, and the challenges others like him face. I always felt a bit sorry for him on that silly reality show but he is a very brave guy and I give him a lot of respect for that.

I wish him the best.

Learning and Owning your Sadness in pursuit of Happiness

2015-04-11T08:23:00.000-04:00

I read this article this week and it truly resonated with me.

The Secret of Happiness? Stop Feeling Bad About Being Unhappy.

Now while I make a conscious attempt to be fun and bubbly most of the time, the reality is...wait for it...I cannot and am not high on life every day. Yes, I preach the whole 'life is beautiful' spiel because I truly believe it is and you just need to pick up a newspaper, turn on the news or talk to friends or random people to appreciate the blessings in your own life as compared to the horrors in our world.

But that is just it. The world itself is not a utopia. The world is a dark, grim place where people hate each other so much that they lie, attack each other, kill each other, start wars and the like. Where mothers look at their toddlers while they sleep, eyes filled with love and hearts with gratitude for this small blessing in their lives but still ponder and sometimes feel a bit guilty for bringing them into a world where we have to reaffirm that black lives matter or girls are awesome or gays have rights too, because so many are still ignorant or dismissive of these facts.

And these are global issues, which filter down to your own lives in Trinidad, New York, Nassau or Pretoria because you cannot divorce your personal lives from the psychosis around us.

But getting off the cloud above it all and coming back to the space where you, the mother, wife, sister, daughter, employee, friend, person are living his or her own life right now, at this moment - you have your own personal problems. We all have problems. Full stop. Punto finale. We wake up each day and we face one thing or another - exhaustion, dead end job, screaming kids, bills, loneliness, cheating spouse, illness, death, fear - the list goes on. Recently, in supporting two friends, I encouraged them both to work through their sadness on their own time. Too many times, we get frustrated with friends and relatives when we feel they are wallowing in the murkiness of their experience for too long. But that's just it - it is their experience, not ours. Where I would have a concentrated, contracted period of darkness, another person may need months to get past the hurt from a similar event. I know a guy whose son died in a freak accident almost 15 years ago, and he just never truly recovered from that until his grandson was born recently. Now the light in his eyes is finally shining again - after 15 years.

We edit life every day - we post photos of happy moments on Instagram or Facebook; photos of cocktail hours with friends or vacations or special moments with significant others. We rarely, if ever, post photos of the darkness - when we sit alone in a room and cry, or we are so depressed we cannot get off the couch. And that's okay because that is our truth. The universal truth though is that pain is just a part of life and we must accept that. To me, pain allows us to cherish the happy moments. They go hand in hand. A world that pushes happiness down our throats, without acknowledging that it is unrealistic to always be on top of our emotions, almost making us feel bad about being unhappy, is a world that creates us to feel badly about ourselves, makes us envy others, makes us edit our narrative to promote an unrealistic image of who we are.

I go into deep, dark places sometimes. Deep, dark places. I edit. It is my truth. I don't have to share it with the world if I don't want to. I don't claim to be the happiest woman alive. I accept that I cannot be 'up' all the time. When I am not 'up', I want others to appreciate that I am human and I have hurt and pain and fear as much as I have all this love to give. I cannot dismiss how I feel because you have placed an expiration date on my emotions. We can be happy. We can be content. But we can also be unhappy and constantly searching for answers to life's many questions. That's okay. We don't dwell on it but we accept it. I accept my truth.

That's it for today

When being the biggest loser is a good thing!

2015-04-04T04:50:00.002-04:00

Our homemade ice cream, topped with cookie bits

Last night, part of my aunty duties involved spending time in the kitchen, forging relationships over a pail of homemade ice cream. The excitement on the face of a 4yr old over an electric ice cream mixer and seeing a milky concoction morph into smooth textured goodness was priceless. What is not so priceless is that I have been dipping into the tub of ice cream all day!

I mentioned that one of my goals for 2015 was around health and fitness, and that I would be participating in a health and fitness challenge at work. Kind of like The Biggest Loser, but without Jillian Michaels, excessive exercising and the cameras,

So I registered officially this week, so yes, this is really happening!!!

But it was a very traumatic experience to say the least. While I knew I had put on (more) weight, seeing the numbers really affected me deeply. And not just the gross number of pounds flash before your eyes, but on the nifty self-esteem killing device known as the Body Composition Monitor and Scale, you get your body fat percentage, body mass index (BMI) and skeletal muscle among other mind numbing stats. It was a wake up call for sure. Sharing this information with a third party did not help minimise my discomfort. I will admit I was ready to jump in front of a truck after that. lol.

The only churning will be me churning away in the gym

So over the next 8 weeks, we will be working within teams, with the dietitian, and with the fitness schedule to bring these numbers down in a healthy way. There is no expectation that anyone will look like Beyonce after 8 weeks, but the hope is that we will adopt healthier habits and make use of the resources available to us. I am very competitive and so the competition element will go a long way in keeping me honest and motivated. I will admit, a bit of depression has set in over the past few weeks, and this has been my main enabler as I am a comfort eater. I know it has to be more about my health and wellness, etc, but kicking ass is a great motivator as well. I have a target I am working with and so there will be no more aunty/kiddies ice cream sessions.

This weekend is a tough one - a 5-day weekend with hot cross buns, and get togethers, and already, 2 days of feeling ill and tired. But I gave myself today to rest, regain my strength and not care. That is the lie I told myself every time I opened the freezer today. But it's game on now. Wish me luck!

Me vs 2015. What's the score after the first quarter?

2015-03-28T09:25:00.001-04:00

Cheers to a commendable first quarter!

So the first quarter of the year is almost over and I am reviewing my KPIs.I will admit, it has been a slow start to the year. I looked at my list and while I have not tackled all of them, I have made some inroads into others.

1. Spend more time with the family.
I have been doing a really good job with this. Soon, they will be begging me to go away. I have been getting my mum to try new things/experiences, and just this morning I was greeted by chubby cheeks as the niece and nephew came over. I have been seeing them much more - doing aunty things like taking them to participate in Kiddies' Carnival, taking them for pizza and ice cream, playing 'sling shot' (I enjoyed this more than they did!) and just sitting and watching silly shows that are not on MY Netflix profile but on theirs. I have also been trying to make more time for my friends too. It has been a good start!!

I have more yogurt and fruit, and less ice cream

2. Health and fitness
Well, I have actually put on weight and I don't need to stand on a scale to confirm that. I just know. I know how I have been eating and I know how I have been slacking off at the gym. I know. However, I have taken a bold and almost traumatic step - I have registered for a health and fitness competition at work. It is a Biggest Loser type initiative and while I will confess, the actual prize (though I do not know what it is) is what drew me to it primarily, I know I need something to motivate me. I have found it hard to stay motivated on this for some reason this year. The traumatic part of this is that I am going to have to publicly declare how fat and unfit I am - well, at least to 2 people - the nurse and the dietitian. I neverrrrrr stand on a scale and now I am going to be haunted by that figure and by the fact that others will also know. lol. But over the next 8 weeks I am going to give it a good go, especially as it is a team event and I cannot let my teammates down.

3. Travel
I have not gone anywhere yet but I generally do not travel at this time of the year. But I do have a fair idea where I am going mid-year. This is probably the easiest of all my KPIs and the one that would most likely make anyone who knows me say "duh".

4. Paying it forward
This is an important one. Too often we work, make money, enjoy the fruits of our labour without reflecting on how we got there. On my path to awesomeness, I had an incredible circle of friends and family and people I met along the way, and who have since become gems in my circle. They have all in one way or another been support and comfort through personal and professional milestones. I am nothing without my circle. I also know that even though I may gripe about little things like being tired all the time or being a bit too fat for life, I have been blessed and I do not have any real earth shattering issues. But some young girls start their lives under more challenging economic and social circumstances, and may need someone to be in their circle. So this is why I am on my way to being a Big Sister to a Little Sister in the Big Sister Programme. I am most excited about this. I have always always wanted an opportunity like this and when it presented itself to me at last, I ran with it. I am so happy to be able to write a positive progress report on this KPI and so early in the year!

5. Stretch myself in the kitchen
I love to cook and I cook often, mostly my lunches for work. But I also wanted to try things I have always been less confident about or have never tried before. I tried making croissants once as a teenager and they were like lethal boomerangs. I saw a recipe for pain au chocolat this morning and decided I would try my hand again this weekend. But I have also done some fun things like new flatbreads, stuff involving the dreaded pie crust and been learning how best to cook different kinds and cuts of meats.

Blind baked my pie crust for a lovely spinach and mushroom quiche

6. Blog at least once a week
So far, a resounding success. I have a blog entry for every week of 2015 so far. It is a miracle! It has not been easy, but I have done it! (cue super hero music)

So I know I have to get off Netflix and get a jump on some of the other items on the performance contract and get to work. But so far, hey...doing okay. I will not let 2015 kick my ass.

Netflix - So Evil, but so Good

2015-03-21T00:38:00.003-04:00

Life? What is life?

Binge - to excessively indulge in something.

Some of us already participate in excessive behaviours - binge-eating, binge-drinking, chain-smoking, shopping sprees. Then came Netflix and binge tv.

I have been a Netflix subscriber for a few years now but never really actively used it, as I was busy with school, then with work, and in between, busy travelling, socialising and having a life.

Then came Christmas 2014, and my brother came over to the house with the kids and asked why there was no Netflix on the tv. It was still only a cute app on my tablet. In order to keep the kids occupied, he went ahead and added Netflix to the tv,and that was when it all went downhill.

Later when all the family had gone, the dishes were washed and I was all snuggly in my pyjamas, fluffy socks and with a glass of white wine, I sat in front of the tv, turned it on, and since there was nothing besides warm and ~~vomitty~~ fuzzy Christmas specials on, I flicked on Netflix. There in big screen wonder,was the beginning of my binge tv existence.

Over the long holiday weekend, I started in on Downton Abbey, finishing the first two seasons in record time. I have since brought myself up to date, having completed all five seasons on Netflix and via streaming. Then I moved on to The Fall, followed by Luther, and Orange is the New Black.I just today opened up The Killing, after a failed outing with Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which is way too looney toons for me.

One of my fave shows is Orange is the New Black

I love me some Idris. DS Justin Ripley and DCI John Luther - Luther is also on Netflix

But Netflix is evil. Plain and simple. You switch it on to watch Episode 3,saying to yourself, after this episode, you will go feed the dog and do something worthwhile with your life. Before you know it, the dog is scratching at the door, the sun has set and you're still on the couch with snacks and on Episode 8, unaware of life around you.

Netflixing
- the act of watching an entire season of a show in one sitting
- a totally valid excuse for avoiding social obligations

How then do you end up on the couch for hours at a time, to the detriment of your friends, family,dinner dates and normal life?

Entertainment minus the wait - TV producers are generally trying to entertain you and keep you on the edge of your seat. You sit and watch an episode of your fave show on Tuesday night, it ends with a hell of a cliffhanger and you go "Ohhhhh snap" but then what? You have no choice but to take off the tv and wait 10,080 minutes til the next episode airs on the next Tuesday night. That can be real agony. With Netflix though, you don't have to endure those 10,080 minutes, or worse, but instead in less than 15 seconds can find out who shot J.R. - well, you know what I mean.

No commercials - Good tv with no interruptions. However, unless you have the emotional willpower to hit Pause, to go use the bathroom or feed the dog or children,this can be a really bad thing as well. lol.

Great tv all in one place - I love the one-stop-shop-ness of Netflix. I can choose to watch a movie or a tv series I may never have watched for one reason or another. I love that Netflix itself has also pushed the envelope with its own shows as well like House of Cards, and Orange is the New Black. I don't have to resort to watching Lifetime any longer.

It's portable - Physically portable via the fact that when you leave the couch and the SmartTV you can still pick up your fave show on your laptop, tablet or phone.And of course, no matter where you are, you can pick up exactly where you left off.

Take your pick from the treasure chest that is Netflix.

So if you are an amateur at the Netflix hustle, here are some quick tips to note before embarking on a long weekend of quick showers, no human contact and hours and hours of tv and movies.

Clear the house or have a Netflix buddy who is also a true believer -Nothing worse than being interrupted during your Netflix marathon
Clear the schedule - Do the shopping, sweep the floors,feed the dog, farm out the kids before settling in on your couch with your remote, tablet, laptop or smartphone
Make sure you are properly dressed - Comfortable, loose clothing works for me and if it is night time, you must have your blankie.
Make sure you have marathon fuel aka food and drink - Netflix snacks are a must. I also like to have a nice wine open and ready to go for those unforgettable tv moments.

I was gutted when I heard that Fox had handed over Empire to Hulu and not Netflix so I am back to lying in bed with my tablet as I catch up on that. Not as fun as sitting on the couch looking at a much larger screen but Empire is as binge-worthy as they come. I have a whole separate post for Cookie Lyon, who is just my everything right now. But Happy Netflixin' this weekend, friends.