Exhaustion and a Thank-You.

So I have spent the majority of my day in 2 separate airports in Canada. Yes, I am tired. Which is further enhanced by the large glass of wine that I am consuming as I while the hours away, awaiting my bus to Kingston. However, I just wanted to say how privileged I feel at this moment. I am killing time catching up on wedding planning, and have had the chance to visit multiple provinces (including cities I have never seen before) in less than a week. I am prepping to graduate from my program in May, an accomplishment that I feel has been in the making for a number of years.  None of this would have been possible without the love of my friends, who unbeknownst to them, have joined me on my journey.

Yay friend-mug!

[FR-L, LH, AT - Your messages and e-mails have worked wonders on my spirit - I need to add you guys to my mug! JS - Where the heck were you that weekend? You also need to be added to the mug! :)]

Then there are the friends that are in this battle with me together. Who post on Facebook their latest interview woes, letting us all realize that we are not alone. Each message and hello helps me get through these crazy times and I love that my comrades know exactly how I feel.

Of course, the love of my life is also to thank. He is the reason I am planning our wedding, the reason I wake up happy every morning; he is my relentless cheerleader and supporter. When I am around him, something happens; I can't seem to wipe the goofy smile off my face, and I feel as though I have boundless energy (except when I decide that I need a nap...bah!). My prep pre-interview: "M, just be yourself." I rehearse that to myself before I enter each room entitled "CaRMS Applicant Interview Room", and hope that this will reflect my passion, sincerity and genuine demeanor. Thanks for the advice MP!

Hi Markoo!

Last, but not least, I have to thank my family. Who believe in me even when I cannot believe this is where I am at; and when I am scared senseless that this is where I am at. ;)

Wow. Wine and exhaustion makes me slightly emotional. Love.

The Interrogation

Okay, not really an interrogation at all. The interviewers were lovely, the questions were straight-forward, and the night was well-run. And I still managed to be extremely nervous! Bah!

I must say, the University of Toronto is certainly one shiny, polished package. I was immediately impressed by their opening video, their question and answer sessions, and the statistics stating a 96% pass-rate for the national examinations. That is impressive. Post-interview some UBCers immediately headed to an Irish pub (Finn MacCool's) on University and Adelaide where I mowed down a burger and some yummy red.

Source: http://mcluhan.ischool.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/utoronto-logo.jpg

Today I caught the train from Toronto to Montreal. I have been walking EVERYWHERE, which makes me so glad that I only brought carry-on luggage on this adventure. Although I didn't pack a sweater and at times I have been freezing my keister off, despite it being only about -5 C here in Montreal. That is still COLD to this Vancouverite! ViaRail was amazing, but 5 and 1/2 hours is still a long time to be sitting in one spot! However, I am now almost finished the newest Daniel Kalla novel, The Far Side of the Sky, which has been an excellent read! I am fascinated by history at the moment and this book is fulfilling some of my relentless desire to learn more.

Pretty cover, non?

Source: http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/10/07/book-review-the-far-side-of-the-sky-by-daniel-kalla/

Anyway, enough procrastination. Time to return to this interview business! Wish me luck tomorrow for a) finding a cab in the early morning hours, and b) improving my interviewing skills!

Bonjour Mes Amis

As I sit here in a Montreal Starbucks, I can't help but be in awe at the fact that 4 years of medical school has passed by, and I am now interviewing for a residency position. I am flying across Canada in the next 3 weeks, and have already enjoyed my first stop in Toronto. Crazy, right?!

Although it didn't go as well as I would have liked (I blame it on me being such a Nervous Nelly!), I am determined to learn from each interview I attend. This is where Starbucks comes in. Free WiFi, and located directly across from my hotel. What more could a girl as for? I can prepare for my interview, blog, and sip on a soy latte. Bliss!

It is beautiful here right now, with a light dusting of snow on the ground (I heart snow!), and my hotel is directly across form the Place Des Arts with its beautiful lighting and architecture. Wiki informs me that this centre houses 5 theatres...a reflection of Montreal's love of culture and arts?

So for a little recap of Toronto....I stayed again at the Hyatt Regency, a great find on Hotwire, which is now officially my new favorite travel site, although I will be trying out Priceline in the very near future for some cheaper options! Funnily enough, I ran into 2 classmates on the flight, and we were sitting in consecutive rows (i.e., 7, 8, and 9) on the plane - how crazy is that? I guess, like minds think alike? ;)

View of King Street West, directly across from the Hyatt. 

(Please excuse the iPhone photos!)

Anyway, I was happy with where Hotwire placed me. There were multiple restaurants right outside my hotel, as I was staying in the heart of the "entertainment district". Close by there was also the TIFF. Bell Lightbox, and an O&B Canteen. This canteen looked great, and I regret not heading inside. Looking at the website, it appears that there are a number of eateries owned/operated by O&B, including the famous Canoe restaurant. I was actually impressed and astounded by the number of neat little cafes carrying fresh loaves of bread and other tasty baked goods scattered around Toronto. There was even a little market cafe located directly inside the Eaton Center. P.S. Eaton Center is possibly the most amazing mall that I have ever been into. My hotel was also situated extremely close the CN tower and other touristy locales, and I found it extremely easy to walk around (i.e., Toronto seems to be an extremely walkable city, and from what I hear also has some great public transportation!). 

Tip: Heading to Toronto soon and in need of some WiFi action (and not willing to charge the $15 hotels charge - WHAT!!?), check out this blog detailing some great coffee shops located around town!

What hotel room would be complete without a copy of Where (insert city here) magazine?

View of CN Tower outside my hotel room window!

Anyway, for the first night's meal, based on a recommendation from some locals (thanks, MH!), a group of us headed to Terroni, an Italian joint located on Adelaide Street. The decor was lovely, with romantic nods to Italy all around, from the San Remo tomatoes lining the wall, to the soft lighting and Italian street signage. Bellisimo! I had a delicious gnocchi with fresh tomato sauce, basil and ricotta. And a nice, refreshing Italian brewski - my favorite! Simple and satisfying. A couple of the girls ordered the Margherita pizza which they declared to be akin to those found on the streets of Rome. So as you've probably gathered, Terroni was a win!

Toronto at night.

The following day, pre-interview was spent a) worrying, and b) doing not a whole lot. I slept in (it's amazing how tiring sitting on planes can be - go figure!!), got my passport photos taken for my interview (very Melanie, last minute-style, I know!), met friends at Eaton Centre, went for coffee (Starbucks is taking a forefront on this trip), went on the elliptical (yay for using the runners that I stuffed into my carry-on suitcase last minute!), and got ready for the big event.

To be continued....

Coffee Shop Hoppin'

Waking up to attend a 9:00AM lecture can be painful. Especially when you have to drive 30 minutes to get there. Especially when you haven't attended a lecture in over 6 months. How to make it a more positive experience? Wake up earlier than usual and give yourself a treat! 

For the past couple of weeks my carpool crew and I (LOVE having classmates that are both friends AND neighbours!) have been hitting up a different coffee shop every morning. It's awesome to be able to wake up looking forward to your next adventure, not having to worry about where your breakfast or next jolt of java is going to come from. I for one, cannot function without a healthy dose of caffeination in the not so early hours. 

~ Here are the shops we have frequented so far: ~ 

1. 49th Parallel

Located on Vancouver's trendy, yuppie, baby- and yogi-friendly 4th Ave, this place smelled like cheesy heaven when we arrived. I was informed that their scones give off this enticing aroma as they are carried from oven to case. Yumm-o! I resisted (very unlike me), and ordered an Americano (my staple) and a fruit salad. Delicious. Their coffee is bold but smooth, and is also served at one of my favorite local breakfast joints, The Edge Cafe.

PS - I also love their new ceramic mug collection. Vintage, right?

Source: http://www.49thparallelroasters.com/collections/ceramics/products/10-5oz-mug

2. Arbutus Coffee

Vintage chic with some eye candy serving up the 'spresso. Can't really complain about that. Plus, they get great reviews for being cozy and quaint. A nostalgic nod to the Vancouver of yesteryear. Love love. I have also tried their sandwiches at a previous visit, and I can't complain about those either!

3. Baguette and Company 

Real French people work here. So it has to be good. They didn't know what a travel mug was, or at least chose to ignore it, because that's how they roll. Delicious goodies were served, including Pistachio Danishes, Almond Croissants and Berry Scones. This little gem gets some solid reviews on both Yelp and Urbanspoon, with one reviewer noting "The baguette is comparable to Paris quality". Enough said.

4. Innocent Coffee

As MH noted upon exiting, "I feel like I just walked out of an Ipad". Touche, mon amie. Haha. Yes, it is stark white and modern, with just a Macbook serving as their till. But they had good coffee (Americano for this girl, of course), and apparently quite some yummy eats. It's such a cute little place that despite feeling very Apple/Ikea-inspired, you can't help but fall for the place. There are a number of online reviews that tout this locale as a relaxing and quaint location to grab a cup a joe, with many comments on the excellent customer service.

Although we did not venture upstairs on our brief drive-by, there is apparently an "Upper Room" that doubles as an art gallery/sitting area. Definitely will have to check that out!

5. Cafe Citadella 

Urbanspoon: 108 votes, 97% rating. Wowza! This Esspresso Bar/Bistro located in Fairview Slopes (Ash & 7th) is such a cute spot! I absolutely love old converted manor homes, and cannot believe that this is the first time that I ventured to this cafe! Great coffee and free wireless. Delicioso! 

So....

We are planning to continue our tradition tomorrow, although this time on foot! I have a feeling our adventures just may take us to one of our favorite neighborhood spots (Elysian, anyone?), although I would be open to trying out something different! 

Self-Serve Awesomeness.

So it probably could not be worse timing. I have a once in a lifetime dress to fit into in about 4 months, and I now have the most A-MAZING place opened approximately one block from my house. This magical place has been open for less than a week, and MP and I have frequented about 2/3 of the total number of days that they have been open. Although magically low-fat, this little gem still is probably not the healthiest thing that I have ever eaten. And I like to go back for seconds.

It is self-serve, and consists of a cornucopia of flavors. From tart green apple, pina colada and creamsicle, to cookies'n'cream, red velvet cake and cake batter.

Yes, my friends, I have been patiently waiting for this place to open for over a year, and it has FINALLY ARRIVED.....

Source: http://dinehere.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/restaurant_detail_full/sites/default/files/r_images/111351.jpg

MENCHIES

Yes, Menchies. You do make me smile. Not only because you serve amazing frozen-yogurt deliciousness. But also because you are frequented by the likes of Selena Gomez, Justin Beiber and Taylor Swift. And you have the paparazzi pictures to prove it. 

Source: http://d35pkeb05qrns1.cloudfront.net/preset_12/news/justin-bieber-selena-gomez-couple-400.jpg

What can beat celebrity sightings and a huge serving of frozen yogurt? That's pretty up there in my books!

This ain't no puff pastry.

Can you believe that I have over 50 semi-completed posts in my "Blogger Dashboard" just waiting to be tweaked and posted? I am excited to sift through them, fix them up, and get them out into the abyss of the world wide web!

One such post is this - a small tribute to a few culinary-inspired movies. Can you remember a time when this guy was the only real chef on TV?

Source: http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2011/08/emeril-lagasse-top-chef-texas-season-9-hugh-acheson.jpg

Remember his spice-it-up sound effects? "Let's kick it up a notch!"...."Wham!"...."Bam!" Which, in the true spirits of a live studio audience, was accompanied by raucous cheers, laughter and applause. Oh, Emeril! Yes, maybe he was a bit much, but he definitely paved the way for a few of my faves like Jamie Oliver, Rachel Ray (I used to ADORE watching her say "I'm a cook-ie, not a chef!"), and the beautiful Giada DeLaurentis. I particularly enjoyed Rach's "$30-a-day", where she travelled around North America and showed the cheap-skates (ahem, I mean the thrifty-folk) how they could munch at restaurants without breaking the bank.

It's interesting how in such a short while our tubes and therefore, let's face it people, our lives, became dominated by reality TV shows and celebrity chefs. And then a combination of those two genres in shows such as "Top Chef", Gordon Ramsey's "Hell's Kitchen" and his more exciting and realistic "Kitchen Nightmares" (I'm partial to the British version). 

Well, friends, cooking extends not only to our humble homey TV sets, but also to the big screen. I saw this advertised quite some time ago, and thought it looked awesome. I actually bought tickets for 2 to the screening and unfortunately had to miss it. But that does not mean that I have forgotten! 

Kings of Pastry: 16 Chefs. 3 Days. 1 Chance.

http://kingsofpastry.com/

Imagine a scene never before witnessed:Sixteen French pastry chefs gathered in Lyon for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates to six-foot sugar sculptures in hopes of being declared by President Nicolas Sarkozy one of the best. This is the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition (Best Craftsmen in France). The blue, white and red striped collar worn on the jackets of the winners is more than the ultimate recognition for every pastry chef – it is a dream and an obsession.

Theatrical Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ANUMYH07-Q

Sounds pretty enticing, no? Okay, maybe the excitement of piping and sugar sculpture is not for everyone, but I do love me some serious pastry. I have yet to watch this film, but will force MP to watch it with me once I get back to the city!

What other cooking related movies do I rank among my favorites? Well, number one would have to be  Ratatouille. Did you know that the famed chef Thomas Keller had a part to play in Ratatouille, the movie?

Source: http://www.luxecityguides.com/luxetasy/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/thomas-keller4.jpg

Look - it's me standing almost in the same location as Tommy-Boy himself! In front of the famed "French Laundry" restaurant in Yountville, Napa, California!! That place deserves a post of its own, along with the other Yountville hot-spots, so I won't deliberate!

Anyway, if you haven't seen this flick yet, this is such a heart-warming story of a culinary marvel in the form of a little rat! Hahaha...it's totally awesome!

Here's a cute NY Times article entitled "A Rat with a Whisk and a Dream". How cherie, non?

Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PjETEQ8gO7M/TED17mPANeI/AAAAAAAAAxk/JVXDf0RtUpk/s1600/3990615405_9b5b231ac6.jpg

Then there are also No Reservations (LOVE Catherine Zeta; the movie got horrible reviews, but I still like it!), and Julie and Julia, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Source: http://steamykitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/julie-julia-movie.jpg

Source: http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTI1NzQ5MzU1OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzExODU0MQ@@._V1._SY317_.jpg

Anyone else have more to add?

Actually, referencing these celebrity chefs has given me a great idea - do spotlight posts on celebrity chefs and the up-and-comers who are changing the food scene! The perfect idea for a girl who has a big soft spot for a good-looking extremely talented chef! :) 

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

...Or at least I hope it does. My unreliability in blogging over the past 7 months (i.e., TOTAL lack of blogging) is shocking, and I hope you believe me when I say I AM OFFICIALLY BACK TO BLOGGING ACTION!

Yes, my last post did report that I was back from my prior hiatus, but 3rd year medicine is not a friendly one. And got unfriendlier as it progressed, I might add! SO now, I am officially back. I am excited to entice you with pictures of California wine country, reflections on my love of graffiti, and maybe add in a post or two on the planning of the upcoming nuptials of MP-squared.

Please rest assured my friends. Although I have not been writing my heart out, and have indeed been eating my heart out. Now, I must go on a mission to exercise my heart out as I strive to get buff semi-fit for my wedding!

I just had a free dinner at Heidi's Restaurant (aka "Cranbrook's Elegant Dining Experience"), which I must say was also very good. I started with an organic greens salad, then had maple glazed salmon for the main, and finished with a piece of apple streudel and a coffee. The last course was a total miss, but I enjoyed the other two, especially since I was UBER hungry! I must highlight the food was FREE, and apparently this place is quite expensive, so I can't be certain that I would feel the same way if I were paying a hefty bill! I am not really sure what the Cranbrook food scene has to offer, but the actual scenery is quite amazing!

Source: http://www.cranbrookveterinary.com/ImagesMisc/144-4466%20Fisher%20Cranbrook%20Zoom.jpg

You honestly have got to love the shear awesomness of the Canadian Rockies! However, I was slightly shocked that I had to scrape the frost off my rental car with my trusty Chapters discount card this AM. BRRRRRR!

I am planning to hit up "Hot Shots Cafe" sometime this week for a combination of thai food (?! - yes, they serve Thai food), and a simple Americano (my fave!).

PS - TBird - the hospital cafe sells Kicking Horse Coffee - it made me think of you, which was especially comforting on my first day in a new place! xox