I never made it to the cleaning products aisle. I got caught in the organics, healthy, and pseudo-healthy products aisle. It’s pretty fantastic in there. You just never know what you’re going to find. As evidence, check out this breakfast cereal:

I just knew I had to have it. I reached up and grabbed it from the shelf, but swallowed heavily when I saw the price. For this small 8oz bag, more than $11.00! Before putting it back on the shelf, since it was clearly too expensive to buy simply as a gag, I reviewed the ingredients. Turns out you only need two tablespoons of this Canadian-made cereal each morning and the ingredients are heavenly healthy.

Well, that sure made justification easy! In my grocery cart it went.

I’ve tried it twice now. The first time sprinkled on yogurt, which was pretty good. And the second time was on its own with milk, which tasted like a gravel mixed with ashes from an old fire pit.

You win some, you lose some. And in this edition of impractical purchasing, I lost.

p.s. In a “Holy Crap!” moment this morning, I received an email informing me that the Coffee with Julie blog has placed 2nd in the Family & Parenting category of the 2011 Canadian Weblog Awards. The 1st place award went to Home to Heather, and the 3rd place went to Under the High Chair — both of which I plan to drop into my Google Reader this morning. These awards have a special place in my heart because they’re juried by bloggers and blog enthusiasts for quality, not popularity. It must be a hella lot of work organizing and judging these awards (all volunteers) so I feel very honoured and grateful.

It was my party, and I just wanted to wear sweatpants and have a few laughs with my girlfriends. But, believe it or not, in the photo above we were actually creating a special masterpiece just for me, the birthday girl! After it was all said and done, I had our creation stretched onto canvas by 4 Cats ($75 fee). I am so happy I did. It is such a fantastic piece, so filled with memories for me now.

So without further adieu, here is the final reveal of our group creation. It’s on the bookshelf in my office — my favourite place in our new home. (Forgive the photo quality. The photos from the party were taken by my friend Andrea, who is a talented photog, whereas the one below was taken by me on my phone.)

We all had such a fabulous time at the splatter paint party. I really recommend it! I’ve since been back to the 4 Cats Arts Studio to drive Stella to a children’s workshop. The place really is awesome, and I particularly like the owner Emaly. If you decide to head on over to Hintonburg to check it out, please say “hi!” for me!

While in New York, I only bought a handful of things. But what I bought seems to indicate that I am not a particularly practical girl (see Part 1 for evidence.) This is Part 2. 

Hubby called out, “I think she’s here!” I skidded over to the front window of the house and sure enough, there was a blonde woman sitting in a car idling out front. I popped my Birks on and went outside. I could see she was reading on her e-reader and I knocked on the window and waved. She explained that the drive to my place had taken less time than she’d anticipated. I insisted she come inside and have a coffee or something. This was Kerry, and we were going to drive to Brooklyn from Ottawa that day. Woot! Woot! I was so excited.

I ran about the house frantically stuffing things into my bag and then started kissing the family goodbye. The door to the front hall got opened and closed before Kerry could say, “Don’t forget a jacket.” I’ve been needing a new mid-season jacket for AGES. The one I have is fine enough. But it doesn’t cover the butt and isn’t warm at all. So I just shrugged happily and said, “I’ll buy one there!”

Only now that I’ve spent some time with Kerry do I realize how crazy she must have found me that morning. She is a very organized person. It would not surprise me to find out that she’d had her bag packed and ready to go weeks before hand. Now that I am no longer a virtual stranger, I have no doubt that if she was in that position again, she’d say with a straight face: “Take your jacket. Don’t be a dumb ass.” But she was standing in my front entrance with a bunch of strangers, so she simply bit her tongue and we went on our merry way.

Needless to say, it was not long after we’d arrived in Brooklyn that she lent me an extra jacket that she had with her. She didn’t seem in any rush to get her jacket back from me, so we didn’t rush out to go clothes shopping. Instead, we spent our time walking the streets, visiting museums, and browsing book stores.

But on the way from one place to another, we happened to walk by a shop window that had a fabulous jacket hanging in the front window. We decided to go inside and check out the price. It was $330. I didn’t even want to try it on at that price. But Kerry insisted. It was a great fit and a great colour. Kerry also inspected it for its practical features like waterproofing and whatnot and was suitably impressed. She then began some kind of complex mathematical calculation that involved estimating how many times I would wear it, and for how many years, and what that equated to in a per/wear cost. My eyes were starting to glaze over and I decided that I needed a coffee in order to decide if I would buy it or not.

We had the coffee. I didn’t go back and buy the jacket.

I felt quite pleased with myself about it, actually. I am so disciplined! I am so frugal! Hubby will be so impressed!

Fast forward a few days and I was now staying with my mom in New York City. I really wanted to show her around SoHo, with its funky shops and cafes. It was her first time in NY, so I thought it was a “must do.” While there, we popped into a favourite shoe store of mine: Camper. I’d never actually bought any shoes there yet, but on practically every visit to New York, I’ve gone to visit Camper. The shoes are uniquely styled and are reputed to be very comfortable too. So off Mom and went!

We oogled. We aahhhed. I grew particularly fond of these black booties:

They were black. Black is practical!

But they were priced at $205.00. It seemed a bit steep, especially considering I didn’t actually need any black booties (I already have two pairs).

Both Mom and I walked out empty handed. I was unsure I wanted to spend the money, and she was unsure that they would be comfortable. Both highly practical considerations, right? Right.

So we went and had a cafe lunch at a sweet, little Italian place. We were seated at the front windows, which were actually glass doors that could be folded out in nice weather. The weather was not only nice — it was wonderful! We sat and watched all the shoppers stroll by while we ate. When we were done, Mom thought we should go back to Camper again. Who was I to disagree? Besides, it was her birthday, so I needed to indulge her. Right? Right.

This time, we both tried on a few pairs. And both of us left with one pair each. You’re thinking I was impractical and bought those steeply priced black booties, aren’t you?

No, no siree! Instead, I bought a pair of steeply priced blue swede boots. Everyone needs a pair of bright blue boots, right? They’re practically a wardrobe staple, really.

Warm, waterproof jackets are so overrated.
P.S. Both Mom and I are finding our Camper shoes to be sooo comfy! (She bought these ones.) Very happy with our purchases all these months later.

P.P.S. I just found out via Twitter that Coffee with Julie is shortlisted in the Canadian Weblog Awards! So, so, so honoured to be in such great company!

I don’t know about you, but I just love poking around people’s bookshelves and knowing what people have cracked open and set their minds to. So I thought I’d return the favour, so to speak.

This month, I will update my widget to show the following books that are currently sitting bedside — some waiting patiently, some already started.

The Meaning of Children by Beverly Akerman

I wasn’t sure what to make of this book when I first heard the title and saw the cover. I thought perhaps it was a non-fiction piece when Annie from PhD in Parenting suggested a few of us head out to the author’s reading when Akerman, a Canadian writer, was in town. But it is actually a collection of 14 short stories — each unique in its own tale and perspective. Katherine Hewitt of the Globe and Mail sums it up nicely: “Each story is an independent experiment, with varying results. But the sum of its parts is positive.” I really enjoyed this book. If you like short story collections a la Alice Munro style, I think you will too.

Enchantment, by Guy Kawasaki

I picked up Enchantment to participate in the Business Book Club that Karen at The Media Mesh started up. I haven’t started the book yet, but I’m really interested to participate as soon as I can get it read. Mostly, I’ve been wanting to read it because I admire everything that Kawasaki has achieved — he founded Alltop.com, held a key role at Apple, and is the author of 10 books. Not too shabby, eh? The book has become a sort of touch point in marketing circles, and I’d like to understand all the buzz.

The Hundred Dresses, by Eleanor Estes

I was inspired by a recent post by Andrea on her blog A Peek Inside the Fishbowl to start up a Mother-Daughter Book Club. I reached out to a few girlfriends who had daughters the same age as Stella and shared the idea and they immediately jumped on board. For our first book, one of my friends suggested The Hundred Dresses because, although it was originally written in 1944, it touches on the timely topic of bullying.

One Day, by David Nicolls

I had started to read the book Sarah’s Key but was really finding the material too emotionally disturbing, so I reached out to my Twitter folks for a “light reading” suggestion. I can’t quite remember who suggested this One Day, but I picked it up and couldn’t put it back down. It seems I was not the only one who read it compulsively, as this NY Times review attests, and now it is being made into a movie with Anne Hathaway. It is an interesting take on the classic Ross-Rachel long suffering, unrequited love story.

The Wealthy Barber Returns, by David Chilton

If you’re of my vintage, you’ll recall the original Wealthy Barber book, which was released in 1989 and was a hit with its story-telling format for finance lessons. I recall this book, handed to me by my parents I think, as a welcoming way of learning about managing your own personal finances. I’m about 3/4 through this book of Chilton’s and I’m finding it just “okay.” I suppose if I was a young person who was just starting out and needed to learn the basics, I’d appreciate it far more. But as it is, I am not gleaning much in the way of new insight and his jokey humour is starting to wear on me. However, Chilton’s approachable style to finance remains a breath of fresh air, and I’m definitely getting some good reminder notes.

Okay, so let’s be real … I have way more books than this stacked up high, teetering away on my bedside table (it’s a bit of a “problem,” says Hubby), but I am going to take a rest here. So tell me, what’s on your shelf?

Some of the most cherished homemade gifts I’ve received include a quilt from my mother-in-law for each bed in the house, a quilt from my special Aussie girlfriend Nat, and a scrapbooked collage from my mom. As for gifts from Hubby, I can’t even list the number of homemade gifts he’s made for me over the years. He is crazy-talented and I’ve received everything from jewelry, decorative boxes, and artwork to a cedar-strip canoe and a bed!

This year for Christmas, I was fortunate enough to receive two homemade gifts. The first was a painting by my father. Hubby and I are beyond thrilled with this since it’s the first painting that he’s painted especially for us. And the second is this very groovy tote from my sister and brother-in-law. Check it out! (You know it’ll be on my arm at the next BlogHer or Blissdom, don’t you!)

On the front is the image that represents the age-old saying: “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

And on the back, you can see that the tote has been customized for the blog! Here is a close-up shot:

They also gave me a cookie-mix in a jar. I’m glad it looks pretty in the jar on my shelf since, well, I don’t bake or cook. But it’s the thought that counts, right?

After making my first visit to the largest Ikea in Canada, I find this rather perplexing since I would much rather shop at my local Walmart than my new, huge, local Ikea, that’s for sure. Perhaps it’s that Ikea, with its design aesthetic and clever ads, is just more trendy and easier to like? More, how shall we say … yuppie.

I’m sure there are lots of sophisticated reasons for hating Walmart more than Ikea, but really, I think we’ve all probably been too gentle on our Swedish friend. Both pay their employees low wages, both have a significant impact on landscape due to the sheer size of their stores, both list China as a major supplier, and both encourage mass consumption.

But let’s put aside the “big perspective,” for a moment and let me rant, as an individual, about how irksome my recent shopping experience was at Ikea.

1. Reserved Parking for Hybrid Vehicles: As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a whole bunch of available parking spots right near the front. I assumed these spots were reserved for drivers with disabilities. But nooooo … these were for hybrid vehicles. Ha! Who does Ikea think its target market really is? The people shopping at Ikea are driving in from the suburbs in their mini-vans and SUVs or hitching a ride with their roommate in a beat-up second-hand car. Silly Ikea. Those hybrid car owners are strolling about their local, gentrified neighbourhood boutiques. So, there they sat — all these prime parking spots — empty.

2. No Windows: Enclosed spaces are not for humans. They might be necessary for transporting humans — like elevators or airplanes — but they are generally unpleasant. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be building codes for bedrooms to have windows, or office designs built around windows. Windows are pleasant. There are no windows where the products are in Ikea stores. It’s the same premise that casinos use, which helps people lose track of time and spend more money. Ikea’s funneling system (see #3) seems to magnify the effect that no windows has upon me.

3. The Lab Rat Syndrome: All Ikeas are built to push consumers past every single one of their wares. It is a single funnel that you are extruded through like an object or animal …. or, well, worse. The smaller Ikea we had in Ottawa did this of course, but its scale was so much smaller that it was merely irksome. On this more massive, larger scale? We moved between feeling like cattle being prodded through to the slaughterhouse to lab rats being observed from up high as we muddled through a maze. It felt uncomfortable. Too controlled. I had to fight an overwhelming sensation to run madly screaming, “Help! Where’s the exit?!”

4. Enviro-Cool: It seems that Ikea has jumped on the enviro-cool wagon. I’m all for enviro-friendly, but enviro-cool is just grating. Take the hybrid parking noted above. This is touted as one of their many eco-friendly features. But who are they kidding? All Ikea furniture is destined for the landfill — it cannot be passed down from generation to generation, heck, it can’t even be used second-hand because it won’t last long enough for that! Another stat used in virtually every press release and blog post that I read noted that this Ottawa Ikea store was 40% more efficient than its last store. Sure, that’s great … but if it really wanted to be enviro-friendly, it wouldn’t be the 18 times larger than the arena at ScotiaBank Place! The size is just crazy big. Too big, in fact, to be enjoyable (see #3).

Photography credit: Julie Oliver, Ottawa Citizen.

5. The Ottawa Sky-Line: Anyone who has recently driven eastward from Kanata on the Queensway on the way home from work has wondered: “Huh? What is that large light?” Only to find that it is the new, huge electronic billboard on the side of the Ikea building. Change to the horizon and our day-to-day landscape is inevitable, but this one is so ugly that it’s hard not to feel a little put out by it.

So there we have it: why I did not enjoy shopping in the new and “improved” Ottawa Ikea. In this case, I didn’t find bigger to be better. You? Love or hate, share your tales in the comments below.

Not just any Ikea store, mind you, but the biggest in Canada (for now). 427,000 square feet.

There was quite a bit of real excitement in Ottawa about this new store, as well as some manufactured excitement (like the press release warnings that traffic on the Queensway would be slow due to opening day, but in actual fact, numbers for the store opening were not that high).

One smart PR move was to invite a group of local Ottawa media, including bloggers, for a sneak peek of the store. There were also blog sponsorships and giveaways, as well as giveaways to those waiting in line out front of the store. I was not a sponsored blogger, nor was I one of those waiting in line on opening day, so I couldn’t help but remain curious about this mega-store. Yesterday, I made the trek out there to check it out. I left with a few items that I love.

These two white frames were 50% off regular prices — perfect for the wildlife photography (that came with black mattes) that Stella picked out for her bedroom at Ottawa’s recent Originals artisan and craft show. 

I also picked up two hall mats, with rubber backing, for the front entrance. I love how the colour blends in nicely and the material has a less “industrial” look that most others I’ve seen.

And an orchid for the house. I’ve been admiring my Mom’s for ages, but Hubby and I are terrible at keeping plants alive. I recently read that steam from the shower is a great environment for orchids though, so I have put it in our ensuite and I’m hoping for the best.

But despite being very happy with the actual products I brought home, I didn’t enjoy the shopping experience at all. It was like all the things that irked me about Ottawa’s smaller, original Ikea store were magnified to monstrous proportions. So much so, that I highly doubt I will ever go back again and will simply order online. (Stay tuned, I’ll likely do a rant for you on this tomorrow. Lucky you!)

If you want to try it, you’ll need:

• Brown paper bags (Michaels)
• Paper doilies (The Dollar Store)
• Glue for sticking the doilies on the bag (The Dollar Store)
• Ribbon (Michaels)

So, in that spirit, I thought I’d share some gift ideas that I think are “winners” under the $30 price range. Some are products that were sent to me to review and some are simply things I’ve come across on my own.

1. Walrooz sleds: These cheerful sleds have a super-cute walrus design that my kids immediately loved. I admit I felt a tad disappointed when I received a sample of the large sled ($11.95) and a smaller connecting sled ($7.45) — they seemed smaller and thinner than I expected. But then I remembered that my absolute favourite sled as a kid was a Krazy Karpet (if you grew up in the 70s, you know exactly what I mean, don’t you?!). Anyhow, we haven’t had a chance to actually test these out on snow, but both kids (age 3 and 9) keep practicing down the stairs in the house and they are a real hit. The handles have held up to all the abuse and the linking mechanism is so perfect for how kids really do like to sled.

2. LeapFrog Fridge Words: I have yet to meet a child who wasn’t fascinated by LeapFrog’s series of magnet toys ($19.99-29.99). My kids have loved them all. You can read a post here on this toy and “interesting” ways in which my daughter has played with it. Tip: Keep it stored inside the kitchen cabinet and pull it out only when you really need some child-free time, like when you’re cooking dinner.

3. Warriors: Power of Three Box Set: If you’re going to give a book, it always feel a little more special to give a boxed set. Some of my favourites gifts from when I was a child (and I still have them in my book case!) are the Anne of Green Gables, and The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory sets. I still love these sets and would still recommend them for kids today. But if you are looking for something a little “now,” both boys and girls are really enjoying this series called “Warriors.” Although the name sounds a tad violent, it is a series about a clan of cats. The starter set in the picture below is priced at $17.10 and was given to Stella on her 9th birthday by a good friend. (For more book recommendations from Stella, check out the right hand column of this blog, where she had identified a number of them.)

4. Sculpey Sculpturing Compound: Available from Lee Valley (the sampler pack is $29.50), this set is for the imaginative child who dreams, doodles and talks of fantasy creatures. It’s a great treat to pull out on a weekend with some hot chocolate, and the bonus is that unlike so many other crafty activities, it makes so little mess.

5. National Geographic Kids subscription: Remember how exciting it was to have a letter arrive to the house with your name on it? Well, even though mail is rarely ever delivered to homes anymore and people rarely ever send letters anymore, kids still LOVE getting mail! A magazine subscription is a gift that lasts the whole year. Owl ($39.50) has a science bent, Kayak ($21.95) has a historical focus, and National Geographic Kids ($22.00) covers a lot of critters and creatures. To present as a gift, pick up the current issue in the stores and wrap with a ribbon and a little explanatory note. Tip: If you are buying more than two magazines subscriptions, you can purchase from the Magazines Canada site and receive the third subscription for free.

6. Little Dottie Bracelet: Stella & Dot have the sweetest jewelry sets for girls. And the best part is that they come in a gorgeous little tin (okay, okay, I am a sucker for packaging!). My favourite is the Little Dottie Bracelet ($16.00) and matching necklace ($29.00). Stella isn’t into jewelry really, but I recently gave my niece the bracelet for her birthday present and she absolutely loved it.

7. The Tiny Perfect Dinosaur: It’s no secret that many children are afflicted by a serious dinosaur obsession at some point in their lives. Stella went through a full year period where she insisted that her middle name was “Dinosaur.” Naturally, then, we have spent our fair share of time at the Canadian Museum of Nature. The gift store is always a highlight, but you can skip it and buy online if you’d like. Here, the Stegosaurus of The Tiny Perfect Dinosaur series is shown below, but the entire series is now on sale for $5.95 each. It includes a book, a poster, and a dinosaur egg that has the skeleton inside which you are to put together yourself.

8. Cook & Play Potsy: My son is three and he just loves to play house and cook like his Dad. But trying to find imagination toys related to the home in any colour other than a gawdy pink, at a reasonable price, isn’t an easy task! So I was quite pleased to be sent this Leap Frog toy to try out. The packaging features two girls playing with this toy, but as you can see, the pot looks pretty gender neutral and has a fun animated face on it. Like all Leap Frog toys, it has a ton of educational features built into it and it’s priced at $24.99.

9. Art workshop with 4 Cats Arts Studio: This studio for kids is an amazing concept that is taking off all across Canada. In Ottawa, we have a location in Hintonburg (which I profiled here for my 40th birthday party). Rather than a concrete gift, you might want to consider giving an experience — the winter workshops that are being offered in the upcoming season range from $18-20 — and really are fabulous value for money. Age ranges run from 3 up to 15 and there’s a variety of offerings.

10. Zoob: For the child who gravitates to lego and building blocks, Zoob is the cool new kid on the block. Bright, colourful and easy to use, it’s recommended for children aged 6 and up. I was first introduced to Zoob sets by the owner of My Toy Shop in Manotick, but since then I’ve noticed that Tag Along Toys, Mrs Tiggy Winkle’s, and Scholar’s Choice also carry them. The 75-piece set below is priced just under $30.

I hope that this has renewed your faith in reasonably priced toys and gifts! There are so many out there, and kids are just thrilled with them. If you have other faves to add to these, feel free to leave a note in the comments. 

I used to be a Large Double Double, girl. Now I’ve managed to wean myself to 2 Cream, 1 Sugar. I know, my self-discipline is amazing. A-MAZE-ING. One day I will move to milk and no sugar, but I could be really, really old by then. Like, maybe when I’m really old and have completely lost all my faculties so that I know longer can remember how much better coffee is with cream than milk. Then. But only then, I think. (My grandmother, who has all of her faculties, likes her Timmy’s as a Triple-Triple. Just saying.)

On many most days though, I need to add some real expresso beans to the mix. This results in me spending embarrassing amounts of money on lattes. If I only count how much one latte a day costs, it’s fine. But to add that up over a week … or *gasp* a year? Yikes.

So when I received an email this week from a PR agency letting me know that Timmy’s was launching into the latte world, I was interested. Interested by skeptical, because that sickly sweet French Vanilla thing they’ve been marketing as cappuccino is definitely not cappuccino!

But, listen, Tim Horton’s is actually going expresso! Real expresso beans my fellow caffeinated friends! Here is a clip from the news release issued at the beginning of this month:

Tim Hortons today announced the biggest new specialty coffee introduction ever in Canada – at more than 2,500 locations – with the addition of lattes, mocha lattes and cappuccinos made with premium espresso. Starting at $2, the new drinks offer guests a delicious, fast and convenient choice for lattes, at a value price.

Here are the new expresso-based coffee options:

• Latte
• Cappuccino
• Flavoured Latte
• Flavoured Latte Supreme
• Mocha Latte
• Espresso shot (single or double)
• Tea Latte

I am game for trying all of these (even a “tea latte,” whatever the heck that is!). And I am going to receive a gift certificate so I can do precisely that. But don’t put your frowny faces on because I also have two gift certificates for Coffee with Julie readers!

I figure that a coffee giveway is perfect for TGIF, so I will announce the winner this Friday, November 18th at 3pm. There are two prizes, each is a $25 gift certificate to Tim Hortons. To enter:

• The easy entry: Leave a comment telling me if you drink expresso coffee or not.
• Making you work: You can have one extra entry by following @TimHortons on twitter, and then coming back here and leaving me a comment to let me know.
• So, just to be clear: each person has a maximum of two chances to enter.

Good luck!