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~ anecdotes about food, travel, life.

la vie en aubergine

Monthly Archives: October 2011

on sea shells and chocolate milk

26 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by lavieenaubergine in travel

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food, memories, travel

one of my earliest travel memories is of going to Florida when I was a kid.  it was an extended family vacation, which probably meant more stressful logistics, bickering, and difficulties in accommodating larger parties in restaurants, not that any of us kids had much say in things.  i know we went to Disneyworld, Epcot, and the Kennedy Space Centre, but without the photographs and souvenirs, i’d probably have forgotten all about it.

there are two things i can vividly recall from that trip. the first was being at the beach (in Miami apparently).  the sound of waves rolling onto shore, the graininess of sand between my toes, and my parents picking up sea shells and brushing them clean.  we may have collected them into a bag or in pockets, either way, my 4-year-old self was thrilled.  having lived in and around Toronto my whole life, going to the beach was not a common occurrence, then or now.  somehow many of the beaches i’ve been to lately didn’t have a treasure trove of shells, but i always look :)

the second memory i have from that trip was the joyous moment when i finally got the chocolate milk i had repeatedly been requesting from my mother.  it may have been during one of the hectic family dinners in an all-you-can-eat restaurant, or lunch in a fast food joint, those details aren’t important.  i’ve never been a big fan of drinking just plain milk.  sure, the occasional super cold glass of milk (in conjunction with some chocolate chip cookies of course) can hit the spot, but these days, i get my dairy in other forms.  still, the odd time i open up a little carton of chocolate milk and take a sip, i cherish that little bit of nostalgia that comes over me.

milo and milk before mixing togetherin the Australian outback, i came to grow fond of adding a few spoonfuls of Milo to my cold milk. a refreshing and chocolaty drink to enjoy on lazy afternoons sheltered from the sweltering heat.  i’ve not done research, and i’m not too convinced that Milo is that great for you, but surely it is a better alternative to the artificial, sugary chocolate syrups out there (i hope!).

there’s something satisfying about letting the Milo sit at the top of the glass, when taking a spoonful gets you that chocolaty crunch* mixed with a bit of cold milk.  it’ll never be chocolate milk that brings back memories of Florida but now when i have this substitute, i get to revisit the experiences i had back in a tiny town in Australia.

what are your first trip memories?  do any food memories relate to your travels?

*Milo isn’t the same around the world. at least the Canadian version seems to be finer in texture and dissolves faster in milk, thereby lessening the amount and time possible for that milky-Milo crunch.  shame.

kale can be tasty

15 Saturday Oct 2011

Posted by lavieenaubergine in food

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detox friendly, food, recipe, vegetables

confession time – certain vegetables and i haven’t always been the best of pals.  our friendship got off to a slow start, and though people know me to be a food lover, i admit that i used to have quite the distrust for certain veggies.

now, i’m sure i am not the only one with such issues, and i could rhyme off a myriad of reasons why this all happened to begin with.  the only point that matters now is that i am making efforts to strengthen relationships with les légumes.  like many things in life (people included), keeping an open mind really helps.

on the bright side, i have gotten a lot better in the past few years.  it feels like time to publicly address some innocent vegetable victims, starting with kale… there’s more to read…

getting back in touch with nature

12 Wednesday Oct 2011

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travel

i’ve grown up in and around a big city, with a family who wasn’t keen on outdoor excursions such as camping or hiking or weekends at a cottage.  i know i’ve seen more wilderness outside of Ontario and much more outside of Canada than I have here in my own province.  a trip north to Algonquin is on the bucket list, but besides that, there is so much to see within just a couple hrs drive from the GTA.

a few weekends ago, my friends and i went down to the Niagara region for some hiking in the escarpmentwine tasting, and we also fit in a hike in part of the escarpment.  while i probably learned this in school, i obviously have forgotten that the Niagara escarpment was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve back in 1990.  it’s quite large and offers many opportunities for activities like hiking, camping, and fishing.

our 2hr hike was in and around Websters Falls and Tews Falls in the Hamilton area.  Did you know Hamilton is the waterfall capital of the world? we didn’t prior to hiking there!

websters falls, with all the visitors strategically cropped out of view

the weather was still relatively warm then, so the leaves were just starting to change colour.  Websters Falls was packed with people sitting around soaking up the sun, and those walking behind the falls for the experience.

having seen the wonder that is Niagara Falls numerous times, and having visited many smaller ones in Australia and New Zealand last year, i can’t say Websters was particularly jaw dropping or awe inspiring. but waterfalls are generally all pretty and it was definitely a really nice change of pace getting out of the city.

Websters Falls is part of the Bruce Trail, in the Dundas area, northwest of Hamilton. 99 Fallsview Road, Dundas, ON L9H 5J7

to new beginnings

09 Sunday Oct 2011

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…my head is filled with things to say…
              – I Want to Tell You, the Beatles
 

autumn is my favourite season.  i suppose the childhood conditioning of “back to school” still triggers the nostalgia of fresh starts and endless possibilities.  having a birthday at the start of this season echoes these sentiments.  and so, with the fall of 2011 underway, i think fondly of the loveliness of leaves changing colour, the crispness in the air at dawn and dusk, the surprise of glorious, warm days that show summer hasn’t quite given up the fight.

today was such a one, with temperatures so comfortable, the tank tops, sun dresses and flip flops were worn in full force everywhere i went.  tomorrow promises to be the same.  such a wonderful gift for a happy thanksgiving!  in past years, there have been occasions when i was abroad on this holiday.  this weekend, i look forward to cherishing time at home with family and friends.

being amongst people and places that keep me grounded, and having the chance to reflect a little on all the experiences that have made me who i am today, this autumn, it seemed fitting to add one more new beginning.  there have often been ideas, stories, things that i’ve thought about putting into written (or in this case, typed) words.  life will always be busy, but the time finally felt right to start a blog :)

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