2015: A Year in Review

It's that time of year again - my annual year in review. I've done this a few times since I started blogging and I like doing it because it forces me to reflect on the past 12 months and take in all that's changed in my life. So, let's go:




- I hit the big 3-0 this year and celebrated with family and friends in style with a fancy pink and gold sparkle party. The glitzy glam night was exactly how I wanted to enter into my next decade. 






- I spent some time in the hospital and had emergency gall bladder surgery! What a whirlwind three weeks that was. As painful as the experience was, I know I'm much better off now that the ordeal is finally over. 







- My wonderful brother married the love of his life and I finally gained a sister. The wedding was one of the most beautiful I've ever been to and I was so honoured to be involved as a bridesmaid. 

- Some of my girlfriends and I began a monthly brunch club, where we tried different restaurants around the city. It was so good to have a regular date with friends, to catch up over delicious food and of course, obligatory mimosas. We love brunch club!!

- After a hectic first half of year with work and surgeries, I finally took a vacation in August and went back to my second home, Toronto for a week of friends, food and familiar haunts. It was so good to be back and to get the city into my blood again. 

- I celebrated the ten year anniversary of the term that changed my life. I've mentioned time and time again in the blog how my experience in Harlow changed my life. During the autumn, I remembered where I'd been on a particular day or what I'd been doing during a certain period of time. It's hard to believe ten years has passed since I was with this group of people. 

- I took another last minute trip to Toronto in December, this time meeting up with my folks and taking my mother to a taping of one of my favourite television shows, The Social. We had a great time! 

- I also popped outside of Toronto and spent a weekend with two of my favourite gals, shopping and visiting wineries in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region. Lots of laughs were had those couple of days! 

- I enjoyed a magical Christmas break packed with brunches, lunches, coffees and parties with friends from home and friends from away. It's always a whirlwind time of year, but it's always so good. 

So there you have it. 2015 is in the books. It was a good year with me turning 30 and my brother's beautiful wedding, but I have a feeling there's big things to come next year. 

I usually like to come up with some kind of motto or quote to live by for the upcoming year. This year, the one I'm really feeling is one I've used before and even blogged about recently during my #NaBloWriMo challenge. "More fun, less fear" is what's going to push me through into 2016 and stay with me throughout the next 12 months. Let's see how it goes. 

Here's to new beginnings, new experiences, fresh perspectives. 

Welcome 2016: more fun, less fear!

Dear Jamie, I Love You

So by now, if you've read past entries of my blog and especially the Transatlantic Tastes section, you must know that I'm a big fan of Jamie Oliver. I've been an admirer for quite a few years, always tuning into his different television series on the Food Network and buying a number of his books (I've lost count but I have at least five, I'm sure of it.) I even had the pleasure of meeting him five years ago while living in Toronto!

I've cooked my way through a number of his recipes and shared them with friends and family. Some of my favourites include a classic Tomato Soup, delicious Crunchy Garlic Chicken and my absolute favourite that I make on a regular basis, Cherry Tomato Sauce with Cheat's Fresh Pasta, the first recipe I tried out of one of Jamie's cook books and one that has remained in my recipe box for years.

Are you a fan of Jamie Oliver? Have you tried any of his recipes? Let me know in the comments below!

Big City versus Small City

I don't think anyone would be surprised to hear that life in Toronto is a lot different than life in St. John's. While they may be in the same country, they really couldn't be more different.

Toronto is face-paced, energetic, lively, loud, there's always something to do, the best concerts come to town, movies and television shows are filmed there every day...it offers so much that a small city like St. John's never could.

St. John's, on the other hand, is slower, a little more easy-going, more quiet, and while you won't see it everywhere, you will more often then not get the ol' "wave and nod" while driving past some folks walking down the sidewalk. While there's not as much craziness happening like in Toronto, it certainly does have its charms, that's for sure.

When I first moved to Toronto, I didn't like it very much. I found the people unfriendly and the city big and harsh. It took a while for me to get used to it, but when I finally found "my" Toronto - the little life that I created and built up around me in this massive metropolis - I loved it. I loved going to my regular haunts, I loved riding the subway and walking along Bay Street being surrounded by towering buildings and the sounds of busy traffic. I became more familiar and more comfortable in such a large place, and I was sad when I left.

When I think about it, I really can't choose which place I prefer. Sometimes I lean more towards a quieter life in St. John's, still fun and exciting, but not the same way Toronto is. Other times, I crave the hectic, loud craziness of Toronto, and miss it fiercely. I might be in Newfoundland now, but I wouldn't rule out another stint in the T Dot in my future.

Meeting Chef Chuck

A couple of year ago, while living in Toronto, I took advantage of Chef Month at Indigo - a month of book signings by well-known celebrity chefs from around the world. I've had the opportunity to meet such fine gentlemen as Gordon Ramsay, Massimo Capra and of course, my all time favourite Essex boy, Jamie Oliver.

As you may already know, I like to watch the Food Network pretty often. And by "pretty often" I mean, "every single day". (It's educational! It could be worse, I could be watching Married to Jonas or Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Notice how I linked out to Jonas but not the other? Yeah. Don't even Google it, it's 10 seconds of your life you'll never get back.)

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, one of Canada's favourite celebrity chefs, Montreal's own Chuck Hughes, paid a visit to Chapters St. John's, so I decided to pay him a visit and add another cookbook to my growing collection. Let me just say, what a lovely man, in looks and in manners. My friend John was kind enough to take a few snaps and let me use them for my blog! Thanks John!

I asked Chuck how he was enjoying his stay, and he said he loved Newfoundland and was having a great time. He managed to sample a Newfoundland delicacy or two while here, including these delicious treats...(apparently Pineapple Crush is a thing of mystery to the rest of Canada? Who knew?)

And so, another cookbook to add to my collection. There are a lot of interesting recipes in it, though mostly seafood-centred, so unfortunately, not of much use to me. But, buying the book was definitely worth being able to meet the man. Thanks for being so lovely, Chuck!

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...Saturday Edition

...When I arrived in Toronto, I couldn't wait to get off the plane and get back in the city. I really had missed it, more than I'd realized. After dropping my luggage off at the hotel, I walked down to one of my favourite places of all: the St. Lawrence Market. I've talked about the Market a few times in the past, and how much I love it, so it really shouldn't come as a surprise that it was literally,( after checking into my hotel) my first stop on my trip.




The market has long been one of the spots I always visit when I'm in Toronto, because as much as I love St. John's, there's nothing of the St. Lawrence Market's equivalent in my hometown. This is the place I think I miss the most. Coming here every Saturday morning, stocking up on my fresh, local fruits and veggies, buying some perogies and pasta, picking up a bouquet of fresh flowers....I loved it.

One place I love in the Market is a little vendor outside on the southwest side. A local artist, originally from England, sells her watercolours from her stall almost every Saturday. I came across her a couple of years ago and bought some handmade greeting cards and a mini painting from her, and fell in love with her art. Before I moved back to Newfoundland in October, I went to the Market one last time and went to her stall. I bought one of her paintings and it hangs in my office today. So, when I decided to come to Toronto for the weekend, I knew I had to seek her out and buy some more artwork. 


I managed to find her email address a few days before and asked her if she’d be there that Saturday, and she said she hoped to be. I hoped and hoped, and sure enough, as soon as I arrived at the Market, I sought her out and found her in her usual spot. We chatted for a while and then she let me peruse her artwork until I decided on a couple that I thought would hang nicely in my new living room.

Pleased with my purchases, I said goodbye to the lovely artist and continued my shopping. Of course, I had to stop and pick up some perogies from my favourite Ukrainian place, and get some delicious fresh pasta and sauce from the pasta place upstairs. Both were just as delicious as I remembered. I really love how they actually make the pasta right in front of you, and you can try scrumptious samples anytime. I'm one of those people that goes and gets a sample...and then goes back 15 minutes later for another one. I can't help myself! 

After I finished my Market shopping, I headed to lunch with my old roommates. We’d stayed in touch after we all went our separate ways when our lease ended last summer, and as soon as I booked my trip, I contacted them to meet up. It was great seeing the girls and catching up on all their news. Jobs and wedding plans and exotic vacations filled the stories we told. It’s always so nice to catch up with friends after long absences.

Another one of my favourite things to do in Toronto, and anywhere, really, is get my nails done. It's one of my vices. I can't help it. I know some people might think it's silly, but there's something about getting a manicure that can make a girl feel like a million bucks. And what better place to go then a salon where everybody knows your name? (It's like the Cheers of nail salons.) Shortly after I booked my trip, I emailed my friend and nail tech at the salon and set up an appointment. It was great to see her again and to catch up on her news, and of course, get a fresh new coat of polish on my nails. There's just nothin' like it!


Later that night, I had dinner with some of my Indigo TweetUp ladies. We went to our usual spot, CANTEEN, where I had a delicious meal, a great time catching up with some pals, and some covert celebrity spying. (One of the guys from The Vampire Diaries was there that night, but I don't watch the show so I didn't really know who he was. Ha!) It was so fun to see the ladies again, it was like no time had passed at all.

To end off the night, I walked back to the hotel, stopping at Marble Slab on the way for a yummy ice cream, and then it was off to bed. I'd been awake for almost 24 hours and I desperately needed some sleep to be ready to tackle all the things I had planned for the next day!

Sunday and Monday are yet to come! Check back soon!

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!

Happiness Is...

...A spur of the moment trip, to a city where you lived for a few years on your own, away from close family and friends, left to create your own, new little life.

...A new book by a favourite author, just waiting to be opened and devoured.

...A coffee date with a good friend, catching up on all the events that have happened during months of separation.

...A fabulous meal, cooked by myself, full of nutritious, delicious ingredients.

...An evening spent curled up on the couch watching a favourite film.

What is happiness to you? :)

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today I celebrated my 27th birthday. I turned 27 on the 27th.

Now, some of you may not know this, but when you turn the age of your birth date, it's called your Champagne Birthday. And since I'm a big believer in celebrating special things like this, I decided way back at the beginning of the year that I would have to do something really big for this birthday.

After weeks of thinking and failed plans, I came across a seat sale on Air Canada, and decided on the spur of the moment to book a trip to Toronto for the weekend before my birthday...and off I went! I'll be posting an entry in a few days once I'm settled again, but in the meantime,

Happy Birthday to Me. :) 26 was a good year, but I know 27 has so much more in store for me. Here's to the next 12 months!

Recommended Reads Part 2

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about five of my favourite blogs to read, and explained some of the things I love about them. I promised a part 2, and I don't like to disappoint; so here's Part 2 of my Recommended Reads!

a diary of little things and curiosities

I can't even remember how I came across Laura's blog, but from the first post I fell in love with it. Laura has this way of writing that sucks you in and makes you want to go back and read all of her blog entries. Whether she's blogging about where she lives or how she feels about something, her style is captivating. My favourite part of Laura's blog is her "Today I Believe" series, which I've blogged about before. She has a way of putting into words exactly how I feel about something, but can't seem to put into words myself. Her blog is a great read!


Notamodel

Amanda and I went through our PR program together a few years ago, and back then she was a blogging pro. I love reading Amanda's blog and catching up on her photo series, or her reviews of products that she's tried over the years. I also really like the premise of her blog "not a model", meaning that nobody's perfect, but everyone is beautiful in their own way. That being a notamodel is more about accepting yourself and embracing yourself. It's a refreshing read for sure!


It's a Colourful Life

Meghan and I have been best friends for over twenty years and ever since we were little, I knew she was really artistic. Whether it was doodling on the corners of notebooks or decorating display boards for school projects, Meg has always been creative. So when she started an interior design program last year, it really came as no surprise to those of us who know her. Since she started her blog last year, she's filled it with pictures of great decorating ideas for the holidays, beautiful furniture and creative ways to use the most random of items (like mason jars!) For some design inspiration, check out Meg's blog; you just might get some ideas for your next DIY project!


Gravitas & Giggles

Sara is one of my best friends from university who I did a term abroad in England with. It didn't take us long to become fast friends with our shared love of things like ruggedly handsome foreign men and coffee. Sara is a wonderful writer who composes poems, short fiction and has even written some children's stories. She posts her writings every once in a while on her blog, along with musings about books or her thoughts on the art of writing and of literature. What draws me to her blog the most is how she writes - so thought out and words carefully chosen, her poetry isn't the only writing that's magnificent; even just her every day blog is.


stephanie fusco 

Stephanie is a fellow PR girl who lives in Toronto and blogs about fashion, lifestyle and living in Toronto. Like some of the other blogs I enjoy reading, she writes products reviews and tells about her experiences at events around Toronto. She recently attended the launch of Banana Republic's Mad Men collection, which had some gorgeous pieces, like the Betty dress. Stephanie and I share a love for the colour pink, so usually when she posts about an article of clothing that comes in our signature colour, I fall in love with it too! Check out Stephanie's blog for some great posts about fashion, TO events and PR musings!


So there you have it - my weekly reading list. These blogs never fail to educate me on the latest trends in fashion, the hottest new restaurants in Toronto, great design ideas for my home, and new ways to cook healthy treats. I always enjoy posts from the bloggers listed above and in Part 1, and if you check them out, you might find that you enjoy their blogs too. :)

Happy Reading!

This Blogger's Recommended Reads!

I've been thinking about this week's blog post and I've been trying to figure out what to write about. Transatlantic Tastes is still on hiatus, but will hopefully be back next week. In the mean time, a blog post by my cousin-in-law, Colleen, got me thinking about blogging.

Colleen is a faithful blogger who posts nearly every day. Almost every morning when I come into work and turn on the ol' computer, one thing I do while I'm waiting for my email to load is go read her latest blog post. Doing this yesterday made me think about the other blogs I like to read regularly.

So, in the same sort of way people on Twitter participate in "Follow Friday" and recommend Twitter users other people should "follow", this post is my recommendation to you for blogs that you may enjoy reading, because I sure do!

{Every Day}

My cousin-in-law, Colleen, writes a wonderful blog from her perspective as a new mom. She talks babies, family, recipes and running, just to name a few topics. One of the reasons I love Colleen's blog is because she always posts amazing recipes, and her photography displays her culinary creations beautifully. As well, I always love seeing new pictures of my new little cousin, and her blog is a great way to keep up with how much he's been growing!





Shades of Aquarius

Katie and I went to PR school together a few years ago, and back then, I knew she was super fashionable. I think this girl has always been fashionable. But what I didn't know, and soon learned from her blog, is that she's also an amazing cook. Katie has blogged about so many delicious-looking and sounding dishes that she's made, I've had to make a list of the ones I'm dying to try myself, just to keep track of them all. I always enjoy reading her blog because I get to see what's happening with the latest fashion shows in the industry, and learn a new recipe while I'm at it.


It's a savoury life

Rebecca is a friend of mine from high school who lives in Ontario and works as a dietician. Her blog is generally consists of recipes and ways to take better care of yourself in terms of food and health. One thing I love about Rebecca's posts, however, is that as a dietician, she explains everything that she's posting about, like telling you the health benefits of different beans, or listing out a recipe for a deliciously healthy pizza and telling you which veggies would not only taste great on it, but the nutritional information that goes along with them. Her blog has made me stop and think about different foods that I used to avoid, but now include in my diet regularly.



The A List

Alanna is another former PR classmate from Toronto who writes the super popular blog, The A List. If I ever want to know what's happening in the celebrity world (and really, who doesn't?) I turn to Alanna. I love catching up on all the latest gossip and videos that Alanna posts, especially the videos about Sophia Grace and Rosie these days! Alanna also attends a lot of entertainment functions around Toronto, so it's really cool to read about her experiences at things like TIFF.




the rural knitter

Kayla and I studied abroad in England together during our undergrad, during the best months of my life (and possibly hers). Kayla's worn a few different hats in her time, (figuratively) but these days, her recent hobby has her wearing many different hats (literally). A newcomer to knitting, she picked up the skill faster than I could ever hope to, and has made some amazing pieces, one of which I'm sporting in the picture below. I love reading Kayla's blog and seeing what new piece she's knitted. Maybe I can wrangle a pair of mitts of of her sometime, to match my gorgeous pink hat. :)

So, these are some of the blogs that I read regularly and always look forward to new posts from. If you're looking for something to add to your reading list, why not check out one or all of these wonderful blogs?

I'll post Part 2 of my Recommended Reads next week. Until then, have a happy week!

This Time Last Year...

We're taking a brief hiatus from cooking this week in our Transatlantic Tastes series, due to visitors to our respective homes. And when we cooked last week, my camera died just as I was about to take a picture of all my ingredients, so I don't have a write up about that recipe just yet...but, I decided to blog about food this week anyways!

I was browsing my Twitter feed on Saturday afternoon, and my pal Sarah tweeted that it had been a year since our Indigo Tweetup at LUMA. What a great experience that was! It was so nice to meet fellow food and book lovers, and to come together to talk with people from our favourite bookstore; we all had so much fun. Not to mention the fact that having a delicious meal prepared by one of Toronto's finest chefs, Jason Bangerter, and meeting three of Canada's most well known celebrity chefs, Chefs Massimo Capra, Jason Parsons and Michael Bonacini, definitely made the experience one of the highlights of my Toronto life! The food at LUMA is absolutely to die for. If you ever have the chance to eat there, you must. Chef Bangerter is a culinary genius.

We did have a mini reunion in September just before I left for Newfoundland, which Sarah blogged about, and it was so nice to see the ladies again. I'm hoping to plan a weekend trip to Toronto in the next few months, and one thing that will definitely be on my To Do list for that trip? Another meal with my Indigo Tweets ladies. :)

So instead of writing a whole new entry about our fabulous dining experience this time last year, why don't you read about it right here?

Have a great week!

Toronto, How I Miss Thee

As you probably know by now, (and if you don't, what parts of my blog have you been reading?? Kidding!) I used to live in Toronto, going to school and working in the public relations industry. While I love my home in Newfoundland, now that I'm back in St. John's, I realize that I do miss Toronto an awful lot.

When I first moved to the Big Smoke, I was going to school and living in Etobicoke, so I didn't get a chance to explore downtown Toronto a whole lot. But when I moved downtown after finishing school and lived in an apartment with some friends, that was like a different life altogether.

At the time, I was on the job hunt looking for work, with not much to do and little money to spend. While there were days I stayed home and watched a lot of television, (it was then I discovered and became obsessed with the Food Network -  a healthy obsession, I like to think) all that free time gave me a chance to explore the city and get to know it better. I learned street names and subway stations, districts of the city and where popular attractions were located.

Being away from Toronto has shown me how much I really do miss things like:


I miss living with my roommates in our brick townhouse in the heart of downtown Toronto. My friend Heather and I had gone through our public relations program together and our friend Brittany and later, new roommate Kristel, both strangers in the beginning, became fast friends, and are still friends of mine today. It was really nice, being able to come home at the end of our days, make dinner and talk about what had happened at work, and then watch some tv together, play video games, or just chat. I miss those days, girls. :)

I miss walking to the St. Lawrence Market on Saturday mornings with my buddy Paul and having pasta, buying fresh produce and stocking up on perogies. Being able to buy your produce from somewhere other than the grocery store is something that's rare in St. John's. I know we have a couple of little farmer's markets in the city and surrounding areas, but they're nothing like the St. Lawrence Market.





You must know by now that I love cupcakes. I mean, seriously love. So when in a big city like Toronto, there were bakeries and sweet shops that sure, sold cupcakes. But then there were cupcake shops, dedicated to just cupcakes.





Those were the places I used to visit fairly often...so much so, that the staff at one of them began to remember me. I knew then I had a problem. A cupcake-addiction problem...but it's fine, all things in moderation, right? I miss the cupcake shops I'd visit the most, like Prairie Girl Bakery, or Dlish Cupcakes. Both their cupcakes were so delicious.

I know my Toronto friends might think I'm crazy, but I miss riding the subway. (okay, I certainly don't miss the delays on the TTC, but I do miss riding the train sometimes.) I miss getting on the train and letting it take me to wherever I was going, listening to the stops being announced, seeing the people on the train with me, wondering where they were headed. Every once in a while, I'd run into someone I knew on the train (which was rare, since I didn't know very many people in Toronto) and that would always delight me; that in a city of millions, it's still a small world after all.

I miss the atmosphere of the city; so busy and noisy and full of lights and massive buildings and strings of traffic. Those are things that, no matter how much I love St. John's, it just doesn't have, like Toronto does.





My time in Toronto had a big impact on my life and the person I am today. I was out on my own in a city that, while I had visited numerous times on family vacations, was still strange to me. It was a big change. But it was one I had craved and one that I had needed for a while. And because it had such a positive impact on me, there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss that city and all it offered me.

While I do miss Toronto, and still wish I could be back there sometimes, when your home looks like this, it's hard not to feel happy that you're from such a beautiful place like Newfoundland.

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