WHOA lansi

francophile, oenophile, logophile, turophile

Tag: Currently

Currently

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It’s been a while! Over the last couple months, I’ve spent a lot of time out of the country, so I fell off the blogging train. I’m excited to share all the amazing places we’ve been exploring once I sort through all my thoughts (& the millions of photos I took). Until then, here’s an update on what’s going on in my life right now.

Reading: A lot of Bon Appétit. The last couple of years, my parents have gotten us a subscription for Christmas & I really love it. The stories are great, & I find myself going back to many of the recipes too. I finished the books I’d bought for our trip, so this is a good in between, while I figure out what I want to read next. I’m thinking of re-reading The Diary of a Young Girl. We visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam last month & it’s such a moving museum that now I want to re-read her diary. It’s been years since I last picked it up. I’d love any book suggestions you may have though – I’m always looking for my next good read!

Watching: Game of Thrones. Duh. My friend groups are split between people who watch every episode as they come out & those who wait until they can binge the whole season. Usually, I wait to watch, but this year I’m going with the weekly viewing. I’ll probably also re-watch the whole thing at the end of the season though.

Planning: TWO weeks until I leave for two whole months! In case you missed this, N has been living in the Bay Area since February. He flies home for the weekend every 3 weeks, so Odin & I have been on our own most of the time for a while now. I’ve decided to take a leave from work & drive down to California with the pup. We’re going to head out to Vancouver for SeaWheeze & then take the PCH down through Washington & Oregon to California. I’ll spend a couple months with the hubs, living that California life, before returning to Canada (& reality). I’m pretty excited, but there’s so much to get ready before I go. We just got back from 3+ weeks in Europe so things are disorganized, to say the least. It didn’t make sense to head out to Vancouver, come back here, & then drive down, so I’m just rolling with it. It’ll all come together, I’m sure.

Thinking about: Helmets while biking. I posted an Instagram story about my thoughts on biking with or without a helmet & it got a lot of responses. This article (this one too!) & our recent helmetless bike adventures in Europe got me thinking about why I wear a helmet in Calgary. It’s largely because it’s so taboo not to. The perception that cycling is unsafe is so ingrained in our minds in North America.  I don’t personally believe that it is an unsafe activity, or a difficult one, & I love seeing how many more people are getting on their bikes in this city. I believe this is largely due to the city’s actions in making biking more safe & more accessible, but we still have a long way to go. There is still a lot of anger towards bikers, & that scares & discourages people, including myself sometimes.

I’m not saying I’m going to stop wearing a helmet, but I agree with a lot of points in both of those articles & frankly, the anger directed at bikers who choose to go without a helmet (or heaven forbid, bike on the road) needs to stop. It’s not helping anyone.

Eating: We ate so much on our trip that I’ve been trying to eat a lot of vegetables, at least during the week. Part of the reason I wanted to go back to Germany & Czechia is because I really do love the food in those countries. I sampled all the beer, ate my weight in fried cheese (obsessed!), & indulged in more pork knuckles over the course of a month than anyone probably should. It was definitely worth it, but there was a serious lack of greens, so now I’m trying to get them all in.

xo

Currently

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Thinking about: Thirty. I’m not even a year into my thirties, but life is so different. We’re at a stage where more friends are married or engaged than not & some are having babies. You’re more likely to find us at home playing a board game on a Friday night than out at the bar. Don’t get me wrong, we still go out a fair bit, but it’s so different. I find myself needing, & wanting, to prioritize workouts & eating healthy – something that’s always been important to me, but is even more so these days.

Drinking: Bone broth & coffee. I continue to be one of those “but first, coffee” people. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I’ve also been having a cup of bone broth in the mornings from time to time. With the flu making the rounds at work, I figure it really can’t hurt to boost my immune system!

Reading: I read The Cuckoo’s Calling in Mexico & loved it. I’ve always been a fan of mysteries, & this one is full of suspense. I highly recommend it if you haven’t already read it. I’m now reading the second book, The Silkworm & I’m sure I’ll ready the third one afterwards too. Once again, I have NO CLUE who did it, but I love that about mysteries. I’m pretty sure Strike will figure it out before me, but I enjoy coming up with my own theories.

Let me know if you have any other reading suggestions – I’m always looking for new books!

Loving: The weather! We had such a mild winter, & this is one of the first times I can remember it feeling like spring at the beginning of spring. I’m sure we’ll get at least another dump or two of snow in the next couple months, but I’ll take this weather while it lasts.

I’ve had a free trial at Union Fitness this past month & I’ve really enjoyed putting some more variety into my workouts. I’ve tried hot yoga, barre, & some HIIT classes & they’ve all been really fun. I think I’m going to a morning TRX class tomorrow & I’d like to get in a few more yoga classes as well as maybe a spin one. I doubt their spin classes will compare to my beloved YYC Cycle, but they’ve got some combos that intrigue me (Spin + Abs?!).

Watching: A lot of Netflix. I’ve started House of Cards in the hopes that N will watch some while I’m at work next week. I’ve also been really enjoying Full House from time to time. I can’t believe the Danny was thirty in the first season. That just blows my mind! It’s like when I realized the cast of Friends was supposed to be twenty -five in the first season. So bizarre. One other show I’ve really enjoyed is Younger. Have you seen it? It’s such an interesting premise – I highly recommend it! & does anyone still watch Suits? The last season blew my mind!! It sounds a bit like I watch a lot of TV…haha

How about you? What have you been up to? This post was inspired by Sometimes Sweet. Find previous Currently posts here.

Currently

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Thinking about: Winter & everything that comes with it. I trekked to work today in my sorels & my feet were toasty, but I can’t help feeling like it’s more of shlep than a walk. It always takes me a few weeks to get used to all the winter gear & the extra time it takes to get out the door. I also really need to get my winter tires mounted on steel rims & onto my car. I’m still driving on three all seasons & one winter tire after hitting a massive rock on the highway last winter. It’s time to switch that out.

The events in Paris & Beirut last week have also been on my mind. It’s hard to go a day without hearing or discussing the Syrian Refugee Crisis. There’s a lot of fear out there, & I won’t claim to have a solution, but I am happy to have heard some balanced responses from our country’s leaders. You may not agree with me in that assessment, & that’s ok, but this is as far as I plan to delve into the subject on this platform.

Drinking: Bulletproof Coffee. We’ve been doing the Bulletproof Coffee thing for a week now & I really like it so far. I find I’m not as hungry throughout the day, but feel like I’m treating myself to a latte in the morning. It sounds weird to most, but I’m enjoying it so far!

Reading: I’m halfway through Looking for Alaska right now & it’s probably my favourite John Green book so far. I read Bringing Up Bébé last month, & really enjoyed it too. Pamela is funny & i find the topic to be fascinating. I loved reading not only about her experience raising children in France, but also her observations of French parents compared to American parents. I definitely recommend it even if, like us, you aren’t planning a family at the moment!

Let me know if you have any other reading suggestions – I’ve got a Chapters gift card to use!

Loving: New recipes! N & I took Friday off work last weekend & I proceeded to spend the rest of the weekend cooking. I literally didn’t do a whole lot else outside of workouts & a game night with friends. I was excited to find some real great recipes last week & was overjoyed when they all turned out fantastic. I will definitely be adding some of them to the rotation. & with winter making its appearance, I’m so ready for braising & roasts & all those comforting cold weather dishes!

Watching: We just finished the first season of Narcos, which I really enjoyed. Now that we’re done, I haven’t moved on to a new show though. There isn’t anything I’m super excited about & I’ve been trying to fill my time with other things (like cooking & games & workouts & reading). Do you have any good Netflix recommendations for our arsenal? I like to have some for those really cold days (& our new couch arrives this weekend, just in time for us to cuddle up & watch some quality TV! haha)

How about you? What have you been up to? This post was inspired by Sometimes Sweet. Find previous Currently posts here.

Currently

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I’m definitely going to miss this part of my commute

Thinking about: our move. We found a house, wrote an offer, & are now moving in one week. After looking for a year, the actual buying process flew by once we found a house. Or maybe I should say, once I found a house.

N was up north, so I saw the house, made the decision we should buy it, wrote an offer with our agent, & then got all the deposits & everything ready. Literally no one else (including my parents) saw it except me. (Unless you count on snapchat, which you shouldn’t. Who buys a house based on snapchat videos?! We do, apparently.) Luckily N trusts me, & when he saw it for our inspection, he was happy with the choice. & now here we are. I’ve been feeling sentimental towards the little things I will miss, but excited about all the great things ahead. Until then, I’ve got a million lists in my head & packing on my mind.

Drinking: tea. I’ve been on a tea kick lately at work. I think because I was sick last week. At home, we’ve been drinking beer lately. I think we need a break from that though so I’m thinking about doing a whole 30 challenge after the move. (I’ve yet to tell N this…)
Reading:Le Petit Prince. I picked this book up as a placeholder gift for our anniversary. I’d ordered a wedding photo book, but it wasn’t going to arrive in time for our trip. When I finally stumbled upon a French copy, I knew I had to have it. A longtime favourite, I’d translated a passage for our wedding ceremony, making it even more special to me. I only just started it last night, but so far I’m really enjoying reading in French (being a children’s book, it’s an easy read if your French skills are a little rusty).
I also just received a few books I ordered online (cuz who doesn’t need more stuff as you’re trying to pack up your condo). I bought Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska, & Bringing Up Bébé. I’d like to cut back on the amount of TV I’m watching so I’m hoping these books help. I realize I just told the internet that I bought a book about raising children, but don’t get any ideas there. Seriously. I heard it was funny & the subject intrigues me. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Let me know if you have any other reading suggestions – I’m always looking for a good read.
Loving: Packing. Just kidding! Does anyone like packing?
This city! I’m volunteering for Beakerhead this weekend & it’s been a great reminder of how much fun our city can be. Combining science, art, & engineering, this festival is a hands-on, citywide event with a little something for everyone. It culminates in a Saturday night street party. I love how this city totally embraces events like this & am so excited to be attending (& volunteering!) this year!

Watching: Love it or List it. Excessively. I don’t know if it’s because we’re in this new house mode or what, but I marathon watch that every chance I get. It’s ridiculous & out of control. All the more reason to get into these new books!

How about you? What have you been up to? This post was inspired by Sometimes Sweet. Find previous Currently posts here.

Currently


Thinking about how quickly time passes. Just last year we took these engagement photos & were looking into details for our wedding. Now we’re married, back from our honeymoon, & looking to the next step (no, not babies. Stahp) – a house. I knew our wedding day would fly by (everyone says it does, so we heard it a million times), but it’s still kind of surreal. I’m halfway through the process of officially changing my name & we’ve been talking to banks & brokers & it’s still kind of like whoa. Hold up. We got married, guys.

& then we had an epic honeymoon. I’d like to stay with 2014 for a little while longer, but I know in no time we’ll be into 2015. I’m excited for everything that’s coming, but I’m also still really happy about our present & trying to live in it a little bit longer. I’m trying to hang on I guess. The older I get, the quicker time seems to pass. My twenties have been great & I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to them.

Drinking red wine, lately. We spent the weekend cooking a couple of nice meals & I always find a good bottle of wine makes dinner feel a little bit more special.

Doing a lot of things I never thought I’d do. I was thinking about that this morning as my early morning spin class was wrapping up. Our awesome motivator, Alex, was talking about how we were all game changers for choosing to come to spin & choosing to wake up at 5 am to do it. Both of those are things many people would never consider.

Honestly, spin was not something I ever thought I’d enjoy so I was surprised when I found myself looking forward to these classes (& willing to wake up before the crack of dawn to participate). This isn’t the first time this has happened to me either. There was a time when I thought running more than 5 kms would kill me. I vowed I would never be a runner. My five half marathons are evidence that I was quite wrong.

There are so many examples of this in my life & I think it just goes to show that you’re capable of so many things you never thought possible. Sometimes you just have to give something a chance & see where it takes you. You never know what might become a staple if you step outside your comfort zone.

Loving trying out new recipes. As much as I love summer, the cooler seasons are my favourite in terms of cooking. Cold weather cooking is totally my jam – roasting, braising, slow cooking, it’s all so delicious. & we have some fancy new wedding gifts to help in this department.

Watching so many episodes of Suits. It’s kind of ridiculous, but mostly awesome. Have you watched this show? It’s smart & hilarious & great. I want to be friends with so many of the characters. We’re almost caught up sadly, so I’m not sure what we’ll do with all our free time once it’s done. Blog more perhaps?

Thanks to Megan from Freckled Italian for the post inspiration.

Currently


It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. Let’s get caught up here, okay! 

Reading 
Wild. I finished Game of Thrones. Finally. I liked the story & the writing is good, but I don’t think I’ll continue with the series. I’m up to date on the Television series so it makes it much harder to get into the books. Fail, on my part. Wild though. I love Wild so far. Now this is my kind of story. I look forward to reading a little bit every night at bedtime. 

Watching
How I Met Your Mother. I’m not a huge TV watcher & we haven’t been home a lot in the evenings. I tend to spend my time cooking, working out, or seeing friends & family which is definitely fine with me. I’ve been finding I need a night at home once a week though, especially when the weekend has been particularly busy.  I like having a show that both N & I enjoy to curl up on the couch together with. I’m not sure what we’ll do once it’s over. Maybe I’ll finally convince him to watch a little more Anthony Bourdain with me. 

Making
I’ve been making a lot of plans lately. We usually slow down in the winter, but with all this wedding planning, I feel like things have been busy. I’ve also been making time for runs and workouts. I’m running the Scotiabank Calgary Half Marathon in June so training has officially begun. 


Feeling
Scattered. I really feel all over the place lately. I’ve heard comments that after your wedding it can be hard getting back to normal. You’re so used to this whole piece of your brain being dedicated to planning this event, & once it’s over, you’re left wondering what to do with yourself. I can definitely understand that. I often find my thoughts wandering to random details I need to figure out. It’s fun, but a little bit scattered too. 

Loving
All these plans we’re making. On top of the wedding, we’ve got this great honeymoon planned and I just can’t wait. Fun bachelorette ideas are floating around, we’re going to do a wedding shower, and then there’s the regular fun that comes with spring and summer. I can’t wait.  

Thinking 
That time passes so quickly as we get older. I’m serious. What happened to 2013? Just like that, it’s gone & we’re well on our way to 2014. I lose track of time so much easier now and suddenly another month will have passed. I’m running my fifth half marathon in 3 months. The last year of my 20s begins in 4 months. I’m getting married in 5 months. Whoa Lansi. 

Craving 
Steak. We’ve been talking about grass-fed beef today with friends & it’s got me thinking about the delicious steaks we ate our way through. I’m sad they’re gone; I could go for one tonight. 

Struggling 
With mornings. I’m not tired throughout the day, but I’ve been having a tough time getting myself out of bed. You’d think it’d be easier with the days getting longer, but it hasn’t. This weekend was busy so I’m attributing it to that. I need a good couple late mornings to set things right.  

Wearing 
A yellow skirt and chambray top without any tights. That’s right, bare legs. It’s glorious & I really don’t want to go back to tights when it inevitably cools off again here.

Catching up 
With friends & family. N’s brother has been in town so we’ve seen him a few times & I’ve been making time for dates with other friends I don’t see often enough. 

Currently


Reading 
Game of Thrones. Still. I’ve been reading this forever and really need to finish it. Perhaps doing a currently post with motivate me to get back on the reading train. It’s embarrassing to post the same thing every time. I also have a subscription to Runner’s World so I monthly put books on the side burner to read my magazines. 

Watching
Love Actually, Home Alone. I’m trying to get into this the Christmas Spirit like everyone else. It’s not Christmas until I’ve seen Love Actually, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street. N grew up with the 90s version of Miracle on 34th Street and I grew up with the original 1947 version. Personally, I can’t get into the newer version. Natalie Wood is the only Susan Walker in my world. 

Making
I’ve tried to be creative with our meal plans lately instead of falling back to the same old recipes time after time. There’s been a fair bit of experimenting lately. I should also make some cookies again soon. I tested this recipe recently and I can’t even tell that they’re paleo. Win. I’ve started making my usual Christmas Cards. At least my lack of Christmas Spirit isn’t coupled with a lack of creativity? 


Feeling
Ready to escape this winter weather. We’re finally out of the deep freeze for a bit, but I’m very ready for our trip to Mexico at the end of January. 

Loving
The next few weeks full of family and friends. We’ve got my Christmas Party, family dinners, cocktail parties, and a weekend in Banff coming up and then it’s Christmas. It should be a fun few weeks. 

Thinking 
Too much. All the time. & wishing I’d learn to stop overthinking everything all the time. Maybe someday I’ll actually get it. Until then I’ll be here, driving myself crazy with my hypothetical scenarios. 

Craving 
Everything I know I shouldn’t eat. I think my body wants to add an extra layer of fat to keep me warm in these subzero temperatures. I’m especially craving anything involving melted cheese. Raclette and Poutine top the list. How French of me…

Struggling 
Things have felt off lately and I can’t quite put my finger on why and what to do about it. 

Wearing 
Pants. Way too often. I don’t particularly like wearing dress pants, but it’s been much too cold for dresses and tights lately so I’ve had to suck it up. I hope the temperatures rise a little bit so I can get back to my usual winter wear. 

Catching up 
On blog posts and taking pictures and posting. Maybe someday I’ll get this down? 

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