The Birthday Weekend That Was...Sunday & Monday Edition

On the Sunday of my trip, I allowed myself to sleep in a bit, since I was so sleep deprived from my long day the day before. When I finally got up and got ready, I headed out to Etobicoke and went to IKEA. I had a shopping list full of things I had held out on buying for my new apartment because I knew I could get them for so much cheaper at IKEA. I took the subway out to Kipling, waited for the IKEA shuttle, and finally reached my destination.

I spent a few hours at IKEA, so that actually took up most of my Sunday, what with the travel to and from and the strolling the aisles. It was dinner time by the time I got back to the hotel and dropped off all my purchases. I met my aunt for dinner at Red Lobster, another favourite food joint, and we chatted and caught up on all our news.

That's something I did an awful lot of on this trip: talk. And I said pretty much all the same stuff (as all my news was the same) but it was all to different people. So even though I grew a little tired of repeating myself over and over, I was happy every time to hear about the other person's news. I know I've said it before, but it's always so nice to catch up and learn what's changed in a friend's life, or how they've grown in some way.






I knew a trip to Toronto couldn't happen without stopping by CTV and seeing my pals there. I miss the people and the place so much, so I really wanted to pop in and see it again, so I did that on Monday. As was the usual on this trip, it was so great to see so many friends and catch up again. I miss my Dance Family all the time! How could I not, when I really had the dream job there, working with such amazing people?

I made a few other stops at favourite cupcake shops, familiar subway stations and walked down my favourite streets. When it was finally time to head back to the hotel and pack for my flight, I didn't have any unfinished business. I'd seen and done all the things I'd wanted to do on this short trip, met up with the people I really wanted to, bought the things I'd been longing for. I only had three days in the city but I packed so many things into those three days, it was like a small recap of my life in Toronto. A taste of all of my favourite things about this place I used to call home.




This whirlwind trip was exactly the birthday present I'd been searching for to give myself. A chance to be in one of my favourite places, surrounded by my favourite things. And when it's your Champagne birthday, you really do have to make it special. After all, it only happens once in a lifetime. :)

The Birthday Weekend That Was...

As I said in a previous entry, on March 27, I celebrated my 27th birthday, also known as my Champagne birthday. Now, here's something you may not have known about me: I like to make a big deal out of things. Whether it's birthdays or Christmas or Valentine's Day, whatever, I'm all over it. (Remember the Royal Wedding this time last year? Yeah. I was up at 3am and hosted a Royal Wedding breakfast for family and friends, complete with fascinator. All while wearing my PJs. It's how I roll.)

So for something that only happens once in my lifetime, I really had to make a big deal about it. I hummed and haa'd, and decided a party wouldn't be enough. I usually have a party, but this year had to be different. I needed to really mark the occasion somehow.

I had been missing Toronto a lot lately, and kept reminiscing about all the places and things that I used to visit and do there, and then, at the beginning of March, it hit me: Why not go to Toronto for a weekend? I kept looking at my schedule, looking at all the work I had to do, and checking the prices of flights, and I just didn't think I'd be able to do it. I was pretty bummed. So I went back to moping about the lack of celebration surrounding my big day.

About two weeks before my birthday, I received an email from Air Canada, advertising a 50% sale on flights throughout Eastern Canada. I checked, and sure enough, there was a cheap, cheap flight from St. John's to Toronto's downtown airport. I thought it through and finally decided there really was no way I could ignore this opportunity. I could go to Toronto for a long weekend and come back to Newfoundland the day before my birthday. So, I checked with the boss and then I was off!

For the time leading up to the trip, I was pretty much giddy all day long. I planned my three days there down to the hour, figured out where I'd visit and who I'd see and what I'd buy. When 5am on Saturday, March 24th came, I was on my way...

Check back in a couple of days to read all about my weekend, starting with the fun-filled Saturday!

Another Year Has Come and Gone...Goodbye, 2011!

I've been doing some reflecting the past few days - well, the past couple of weeks really - about how I felt about 2011. I can say right off the bat that it definitely wasn't my favourite year, and didn't turn out to be "The Year of Elizabeth...Again". I gave up on that a month or so in and decided I didn't need it to be. I'd save it for the next year. :)

Like 2010, however, 2011 was still a big year of change: change in jobs, living situations, relationships and most of all, change in me. It's funny to look back and think, "This time last year, did I ever expect all the things that have happened to have happened?" This time last year, would I have thought I'd be back living in Newfoundland? Probably not. It wasn't in my plans, but I am glad it happened. There have been a lot of things I've experienced, both good and bad, but it's all added to an eventful year.

And so, enough rambling. Let's do a recap of what 2011 held for this girl:




- Celebrating my 26th Birthday at home with my family and friends in Newfoundland after being away from them for months!

- Getting up at 3am to watch "The Wedding of the Century", the Royal Wedding coverage and ceremony, and having a "Royal Wedding Breakfast" for family and friends!

- Beginning work at one of the most amazing jobs I think I'll ever have: working on a television show for a national television network and meeting some wonderful new friends! 

- Working at CTV definitely had its perks: I got to work the CTV Upfronts and the MMVAs (Much Music Video Awards) and cross paths with lots of amazing musicians, actors and celebrities. It was really neat to see how things work behind the scenes!

- Getting to see Coldplay, one of my favourite bands in concert for the first time, was a real dream come true!








- Having the best weekend of my year with three of my best friends in Toronto. We came from all across the country for 3 days of hilarious chats, exciting wedding dress excursions and lots of dinners and drinks!

- Getting to visit Niagara Falls and Ottawa, two places I haven't been in a long time, to see family and friends before I left Ontario.










- Coming home and beginning work at the place where I started my PR career last year: the best marketing communications agency on the east coast!




So, as you can tell, it's been an eventful year. And after reflecting on all the things I've listed above, maybe it wasn't such a bad year after all!

One of my favourite things to do in life is learn: learn new recipes, learn about a new area of the world, read a new book, visit a new place, try something different. I really believe in living life to the fullest, and I try to practice that in my career and the rest of my life.

2011 was an interesting year, but to be honest, I've been looking forward to 2012 for months, for a number of reasons: My champagne birthday is coming up in March, and since it only happens once in a lifetime, I intend to make it the most memorable birthday of all; one of my best friends is marrying her long-time boyfriend, and her three bridesmaids are myself and our other two friends. A wedding of friends is something to definitely be excited about; I intend to take better care of myself and spend as much time with family and friends as possible, because as I've learned the hard way, you never really know how much time you have left with them.

And so, I can finally say, "So Long, 2011!" You helped me grow and I experience a lot. Here's to 2012, the Year of Elizabeth!

Happy New Year! This will be the best year yet!

"Twenty years from now, you'll be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So sail away from the safe harbour. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain