just percolating...
I haven't found a home for this article, so I thought I'd share it on my blog. Perhaps it will entice you to take a long weekend in New York's Bowery district? If you do ... please come back and tell us all about your adventure! Hubby and I have been desperate to run off for a weekend in NYC again, but I've already booked the grandparents in to babysit as part of my Winter Resolution, so I may be pushing my luck to expect two weekends sans … [Read more...]
As of late, it has come to my attention that I am an impractical girl. I have been stubbornly resisting this label. I like to consider myself a practical person -- getting what needs to get done done, leaving the rest; buying sensible, well-priced things; leaving the rest. Sadly, I think this might have been a case of living in suspended disbelief. My first hint should have been the fact that Hubby does not let me do the grocery shopping. His … [Read more...]
For my friends not on twitter. Here is my day, via tweets starting when I woke up .... It is exceptionally difficult to make decisions without caffeine. No coffee maker in this hotel room. Must throw on baseball cap and go find a Starbucks asap. I guess I should change out of pjs too. This is rough. Yes, Latte in hand now. Life is good! Man, it's not even 10:30 am yet and @thegrumpymama and @thevoog have me craving Chinese … [Read more...]
Writers are always on the hunt for ways to improve their craft, and I'm no different. I'm always sniffing around for new ideas, new initiatives, new ways to learn. At BOLO the other night, I overheard a number of bloggers mention that they were writers as a day-time gig (alot of fellow corporate communicators) as well as some stay-at-home-moms who said that they aspire to be writers. So, I thought that I'd share some interesting writerly … [Read more...]
In continuation from yesterday .... July 2011: By this time, our family had moved into a new home while simultaneously welcoming overseas family to Canada for the first time. It was busy, but we had fun! We shared as much of our area with them as possible, including Canada Day in downtown Ottawa and a visit to Toronto. A sense of relief was also felt by Hubby and I as we settled into our new neighbourhood and adjusted to the change. In total, … [Read more...]
I started up this blog just over a year ago as an outlet for personal writing -- the kind of writing that doesn't take place during my work day in corporate communications. I envisioned it as my own little creative and social sandbox for my free time. But what I didn't realize then was just how much I would enjoy playing in this sandbox. And I think the reason I love being in this space so much is because it's a constant learning joy ride. I … [Read more...]
You can save big if you're willing to book a hotel without knowing its name ... and other online secrets Yes, New York City is notorious for its $400 hotel rooms the size of the average Barrhaven bathroom. But I still wanted a weekend getaway: I wanted a beautiful hotel, an inspiring evening of theatre, some great restaurant eats, and of course ... shopping. My friends cautioned me that my budget would leave me hostelling with binge drinkers … [Read more...]
Back in October for Month of Me, I celebrated my 40th by hitching a ride with Kerry to Brooklyn. We didn't actually know each other, more than a few emails here and there, but that didn't stop us! We spent a great few days wandering together and then parted ways when my mom arrived into the Big Apple so we could jointly celebrate our birthdays. While in New York, I only bought a handful of things. But what I bought seems to indicate that I am … [Read more...]
The "Month of Me" project that I first told you about here is coming together mighty nicely! On October 5th, I will be toasting a happy birthday to my mother in New York City ... here's a little more on the that ... On this day 40 years ago, a young woman was seven days overdue to give birth to her first child. Due on September 15th, there was no doubt in her mind that this baby was conceived during her husband’s short break during army boot … [Read more...]
When this whole crazy "Month of Me" concept started to solidify, I started to consider "what exactly would I want to do if there was no one else influencing the decision?" At first, it was easy: I would accept an invitation to She's Connected even though that would mean booking time off work that I wouldn't be spending with my family and even though my only real reason for wanted to go was curiosity and a bit of "fun factor." Same for the … [Read more...]
I can remember my father telling me that when he was young he dreamed of having a house full of books and art. I can also remember the look of contentedness he had on his face as he sat in his own home telling this to me. You see, I can never remember us living in a home that wasn't full of books and art. Granted, there were always far more books than art. Much of the artwork that we had on the walls when I was a kid was of his own creation. … [Read more...]
I'm going to be self-indulgent here and look back at the year that was on Coffee with Julie ... perhaps I'll learn something or perhaps I will learn that I need to learn something in 2012! January 2011: The new year started on a very high note when I found out that Coffee with Julie had placed 2nd and 3rd in two Canadian Weblog Awards. Then I started a thread of posts on over-consumption (I had so many other posts I wanted to write about on … [Read more...]
#1: Stayed in Brooklyn, New York. I've never visited Brooklyn before. But I would encourage anyone to do so, it's very vibrant and there are a ton of interesting neighbourhoods. Williamsburg, in particular, is quite "hip." #2: Baseball played on concrete. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that there is no sliding into home plate. On this large concrete are, two teams were playing back to back. #3: A store … [Read more...]
A major highlight for me when it comes to attending BlogWorld (now called NMX, short for New Media Expo) in New York City is that Book Expo America takes place at the same time, in the same building AND your pass for NMX also grants you access to Book Expo. Books and Blogging, all day, for three days -- How can I NOT attend?! This year, I took only one carry-on bag and it was half-full to allow space for books on the way home. So, although … [Read more...]
A while back, I decided that I'd really like to attend Blissdom Canada, which is a blogging conference taking place in Toronto next month. I thought, hey, I love blogging and it's my 40th birthday in October, so why not? All the tickets were sold out ages ago, but I was able to buy a ticket from someone who wasn't going to be able to go. (Although I am still hoping to win a ticket so that I can recoup my cash. Keep your fingers crossed for … [Read more...]
This is post is a continuation of this one here if you'd like to catch up. Coffee with Julie reader Sarah McCormack of Photos with Sarah is sharing her recent experience at Great Wolf Lodge with us! ************************* The water park itself was incredible, lots of slides for all age groups. I would recommend it for children ages 3-13. Although there are some big, thrilling slides, they may not be as thrilling for … [Read more...]
Edited to Add: The New Mother & Baby package had a total of 5 entries and the winner via Random.org was Tracy! The winner of the Toddler package had a total of 14 entries and the winner via Random.org was Judy! Congrats to you both and thanks to you all for participating in the fun! I got back from the BlogHer conference in New York City late last night and I'm still processing everything -- it was non-stop activity from morning until … [Read more...]
I've been meaning to tell you about this book store for ages. Ever since I returned from my October trip (Month of Me!) trip to New York City, that is. I already told you about Spoonbill and Sugartown Booksellers, but Kerry and I also visited another independent book store by the name of McNally Jackson Books. Photo credit: Yvonne Brooks. Photo source: McNally Jackson Books. McNally Jackson Books is in the NoLita district of Manhatten, … [Read more...]
Recent Comments