Friday 19 July 2013

Enchantment.... It is written in the clouds!

We've had quite a week of weather, I've had the luxury of snapping really clear shots of the moon this week as well as cloud formations with sunset backdrops which together provide the perfect spectacle. This week has been rather busy, and on top of driving around in the heat, going to the gym, rollerblading lakeshore, all in 35+ degree weather, I was due for an evening of relaxation. I picked up pho on the way home, made some gluten-free cinnamon-sugar dusted coconut cookies and then took a peep outside to see what I may have been missing. To my surprise, I saw a piece of a cotton-candy coloured sky in one direction, and complete darkness, which somewhat resembled a death rider scene from Lord of the Rings, in the other.
 In case you're not familiar I've attached a photo of what a death rider is. I had to go for a walk in my joggers and flip flops to get some shots, I thought about what I was wearing outside for a minute, but then I was so excited by the clouds that I just went for it and walked around the block to get a few different angles of the clouds. So, without much further ado, I shall attach these cloud shots.






And there you have it, you can see why these are simply something I had to share. It's almost a panoramic view of what the sky looked like, without the black, I didn't snap shots of that. Actually as I write now the thunder and lightening has once again started. If I timed the lightning I could get a cool shot of it I'm sure, but I think that may be picture overload for one night.
This was admittedly one of the best nights I've had all summer, don't get me wrong I've had some much larger nights of entertainment and friends, and more to come, but the stormy nights that sneak into the week are always a welcomed splendor.
Night night!

Sunday 14 July 2013

Flooded Monday to Sunny Skies and Summery Times

 
Monday began with the dark (to the right), it rolled in to Vaughan around 4:30ish. What started with a beautiful day, quickly turned into a blackened mess. The rain came down so hard, if you were in a building you didn't want to leave. Then of course the power went out, it was temporary in Vaughan, but people in Toronto were without power for hours, and some without internet for days.

The flooding on lakeshore was extraordinary, not like the flooding in Calgary by any means, but it was not on a small scale. Below is a picture of lakeshore, downtown Toronto. Never in my life has this ever happened, pretty wild.

 






Humber Bridge
 The calm after the storm was great. We had a few really nice evenings, Thursday was the best. I had been trying to hook up with someone for a wicked rollerblade on lakeshore, Thursday was the day. We went from 230 Queensquay E all the way to Humber Bay, so it was around a 25-30km round trip rollerblade. Took us just over 2 hours, what an incredible time, my muscles are actually still sore! My favourite spot was crossing the Humber bridge, we stopped and noticed the love locks people put on the bridge, so romantic, such a cute idea. I want to one day put a lock there. This is a shot of the bridge, if you ever get the chance to rollerblade down there, do it, don't hesitate. If not rollerblade then bike or walk it. This reminds me more of why I should be living downtown.....within the next year :)


To conclude other acitivities from the weekend another time as it's still midday Sunday!

Monday 8 July 2013

The drab has surfaced......the drab has surfaced!



I will treat this entry as I would a journal entry, becuase this is what I feel right now.... and I feel like I need to be released.

This past week has incorporated a crap load of rain off and on, as well as super hot sun. It actually has been sort of like a bipolar week, and I think it's completely messed up my brain (that and/or the lack of sleep/drinking/occasional hoot). Why is it that when the combination of these things occur the brain matter rumbles and spits out garbage for your mind to deal with. I blame it on the alcohol, it's the most depressing of the three mentioned. Maybe I should just quit drinking on nights out.....or nevermind, that won't work.

haha... for real though, I've had some amazing weekend nights, nice dinners DT TDot, walks around the city and inside the sky scrapers, as well as a house music night :)

So, lots of music and pas de adventeurs, so pas de photo for the blog. However I have had an amazing time, and I'm dreading my bestie moving back to NS, very much so, at the end of August. It has me wondering what I should do next, do I need to explore another city? I wish I could roll the clock ahead to see what is going to happen with work, and then roll it back and just live in the moment..... Ah yes, living in the moment... so easy when having fun times, so hard when it comes to the seriousness of life (perhaps this is where people drink and not dwell on the seriousness, or even dive into a book).






 
Keeping calm and imagining seems to be what I do as well when the days are super raining and I've lost some ambition to hit up the gym. Lately I've been thinking a lot about how much I'd love to start my own catering company, perhaps start volunteering at one to get the swing of things on the side and then pull a full monty and live it. I've never been turned down for my food, even this week when I made tarts for a bake day at work, they turned out better than I had anticipated. They always say to look at what you have a natural talent for.
Food is one of those things where the big stigma associated with it is that it's not profitable starting out and you deal with a lot of bullllllshat.Knowing me.... that wouldn't prove to be an amicable situation for me to be in. SO, perhaps I should start compiling a portfolio of everything I've made, so I can remember the dates and times that it hit someones pallette and they were in love. Funny thing, this happens to me only so often, there is such a major difference in food when you eat it from someone who is just preparing it because they have to, and then food prepared by someone who LOVES, loves, loves food, to experiment and be passionate by pleasing their foodies (AKA Jenna :)).

I think one thing that's got me the most today is seeing my mistakes from the past in everyone else. I know it's part of living life, but it's so difficult to watch people in the same situation you were in years ago without wanting to help. Life has taught me you cannot help someone who doesn't ask for it, so I am biting bullets. I now understand how frustrating it is for people to watch their family or friends drift back to someone from the past who is completely and utterly undeserving of their love/time/care. It's complicated I know. The worst part is looking back and reflecting on how much you were used in the situation and that all you can do is swallow that pride and keep going until you reach the light at the end of the tunnel (AKA a suitable man or woman). This little bandaid (above right) goes for girls walking away too, not just guys... Letting go is the hardest but will feel so good in the end because if someone is walking, it's not meant to be..I promise. I like to think in the past year I've reached a light, it doesn't have to do with going back to undeserving individuals, but it does have to do with paying attention to the red flags and listening to your intuition.

Just be a fighter, follow the above motto, reach for those stars, screw the social norms and expectations. DEVIATE from the plan once and a while, you will be happy you did, and in those moments you will meet some of the most interesting people on their own paths.

See this tree to the left... he's a fighter, look at how many branches they've chopped off, and how he prevailed. That is what you need to be built of if you want to get through life. And... BTW, people will knock, they'll try to knock you down.... it's gonna happen, but just take a deep breath, remember, we are not dealt the cards we are unable to deal with, it's all about strategy.


x Jenna

Monday 1 July 2013

Oh... Oh Oh Canada. I really do cherish thee.


Happy Canada Day!

 
One of my favs - Emily Haines
The weekend began with these awesome people showing up at my place Saturday morning around 11:30. We had a blast, the weather was perfect, super hot by the time we hit Butler's Barracks at Niagara-on-the-Lake. After listening to Yukon Blonde, Serena Ryder, and Jimmy Eat World, I was more than pumped to see Metric perform. Metric is very likely 1 of the top 5 bands I love most these days. Anyhow they did not disappoint, the storm clouds rolled in while they began and it pissed rain, exhilarating! I loaded some shots from the day. The storm passed quickly, then City and Colour came on stage, they were great too. Look how happy Emily Haines from Metric is on stage... that's when you know they're truly proud to be Canadian and performing on home land!

 

 


Saturday came to an end when we got back to my place from Niagara at 2:30AM. Had I of been 10 years younger it likely would have continued :) Then came Sunday. Sunday was off to a rough start after all the fist pumping and jumping up and down from the day in the sun and concert before. However, I knew, Digital Dreams would be nothing to miss. It was the second day of the festival on lakeshore in Toronto, I knew once my friend and I got there we'd be lovvvvin' it! We met these really cool people, danced, jumped, fist pumped much more and had suuuuuch an amazing time. Where has this been our whole lives? Oh right... we don't get these kind of festivals in Halifax. So much confetti, costumes, glow sticks etc. Below are some pictures. I also attached some of the fireworks I caught today after a 5 hour concert in Scarborough with the Auntie D today of quartets from all over the world, it was literally music to my ears :) This whole weekend has been, in like a lion, out like a lamb as they say.... looks like this saying holds true for now!