Rise and Shine, Sleepy Head! (or Learning How to be a Morning Person)

Mornings are not my jam!  No matter how hard I try, I'm always begrudgingly pulling myself out of bed 15 minutes before I have to leave the house for work, usually throwing my whole day off kilter.  The only benefit is I've mastered the 2 minute make-up routine (although probably not as well as I think!)

I like to pretend it's not really my fault.  I've always had energy problems, from low iron, B12 and thyroid, so it's easy to hit that snooze button one more time and put the blame somewhere else.  Along with general healthy well-being, getting a good nights sleep helps with productivity and happiness, amongst many other perks.  I hate how rushed and unsettled I feel in the morning, never having time to make a lunch, let alone a cup of coffee.  So along with the health and focus benefits of being well rested, being able to prepare for the day means I could save myself some money along the way as well.

Here is some research I've found on getting enough sleep and the effects of a good morning routine:

• Arianna Huffington talks about how to succeed (Hint: get more sleep!).
• Jeff Iliff shares the effects of sleep and the brains ability to receive and rid itself of essential nutrients.
• Leo Babauta extols the virtues of rising early, and shares some tips on how to do it.

And here are some strategies and routines I want to try to put into place:

• How to take back your mornings (with fun infographics!)
• Start my day with this morning brew to help with digestion and kick up my energy levels.
• Get energized with this yoga sequence.
• Have a morning boogie to these classic hits.

 Who knows, maybe this will make a morning person out of me yet!

(Image from here)

Oh Hello 2014!

For me, 2013 was quite a year!  Full of big accomplishments (finishing Masters thesis!), big changes (moving back to Toronto) and big adventures (trip to Vietnam and Cambodia).  It was a year I mostly wished away (see 'finishing Masters thesis'), so it seems to have flashed by.  While I'm definitely looking forward to 2014, the changes in my life that occurred in 2013 have allowed me to become a more relaxed and engaged person.

Last year, before New Years Eve, I put it out to the universe that 2013 was going to be a good year, and indeed it was.  So this year, I'm putting my intentions for 2014 into writing.  I feel that 2013 was about major life changes, so this year is about all those small things that bring joy to the every day.

So here goes, my hopes for 2014:

1.  Slow down
2. Read more and watch less TV
3. Put on a photography show
4. Finish more creative projects
5. Have more dinner parties
6. Be a more thoughtful, supportive friend
7. Lose 10 lbs
8. Do more weekend adventures
9. Become more politically aware
10. Fall in love

I wish you all an amazing year ahead!!

Water Water Everywhere

This past weekend, I visited the R.C Harris Water Treatment Plant in the East end of the city.  The historic building was open to the public for Doors Open, an annual celebration of architecture in Toronto.  It was a beautiful blue sky day and it was so nice to just be on the water!

Inspiring People: Alison Brooks

Congratulations to Alison Brooks for being named Woman Architect of the Year by The Architects' Journal.  A fellow University of Waterloo grad, Brooks moved to the UK and started Alison Brooks Architects in 1996.  The firm jointly won the the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2008 for Accordia, a high density housing project in Cambridge, UK.

She has spoken out about the need for better support for woman and childcare, an essential component for any working mother, especially in the competitive, and male dominated world of architecture!  

Her buildings have a subtle elegance and she strives for quality and craftsmanship no matter what the budget.  She is praised for bringing beautiful housing to everyone, not just the rich!

Photos: here, here, here, and here
Video: here

Solange, Sapeurs and the Summer Sun

When this video for Solange Knowles single, 'Losing You', came out last year, I was immediately drawn to the colours, style and fashion of both the singer and those around her.  Shot in the township of Langa, in Cape Town, South Africa, the video reveals its vibrant culture and community.  For me, though, the main stars are the Sapeurs, the fashion dandy men of Brazzaville, the capital city of the Republic of the Congo.  Supposedly the video was inspired by the book,  Gentlemen of Bacongo by Daniele Tamagni, who photographed members of the Le Sape Society, or 'Society for the Advancement of People of Elegance'!!!  Now doesn't that sound like something you'd want to join!!

I've been really into West African fabrics recently, from kanga to wax cloth.  My mom, on a recent trip to South Africa, brought me back some different patterns and sizes of fabric and I can't wait to figure out what to do with them.  Love these bags from Lalesso x Pichulik and these huge floor pillows from Tamara Magal in Lonny magazine.  Oh the endless possibilities!  It doesn't hurt that these colours fill me with longing for the summer sun and keep these dark winter days from being too gloomy!!

Photos from here & here.

Distant Shores: Angkor, Cambodia

 A few zillion photos from our visit to the temples of Angkor in Cambodia.  They include Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Ta Keo, Pre Rup, and Preah Khan.  We definitely did not have enough time there to properly explore, especially away from the crowds, which was a bit disappointing, but overall, it was an amazing archaeological wonder!

Distant Shores: Saigon, Vietnam

I recently returned from a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.  Visiting Angkor Wat in Cambodia has been on my travel bucket list for quite some time, so as a (almost) grad trip, I made the long trek over.  Here is a little glimpse into what I saw.  I have waaaaay to many photos, so have divided them up between a few posts.

These first photos are from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam.  We were there in the weeks leading up to Tết (Vietnamese New Year) so the streets were decorated with lights and there were a lot of couples getting married (supposedly good luck!).  Saigon was an amazing, vibrant city, with a real cosmopolitan feel.