The Oatmeal Effect

It all comes down to moments.

First up we have the everyday moments. The ones that blend together until impossible to distinguish.
They are mundane, tedious but completely necessary. I'm talking the daily stuff: bringing bristles to morning breath, hitting a gas pedal, swallowing a brown bag lunch, small chitter chatter, hitting reply to an e-mail, pulling a cardigan out of a closet.

These daily moments are effortless and require nothing but a willful memory.

When we get lost in the daily moments, we know that far and few between are those other kinds of moments. The ones that leave you reeling, craving more, and affect your body with a physical reaction.

Moments like stepping off a plane into another world, meeting someone new or the beginning phase of just about anything. The new, frightening, amazing, would-be-impossible-to-recreate-everyday-of-the-week kind of moments.

So we wait. Wait for the big guys. Wait for the weekend. Wait for the moments that will be remembered. So we search or plan or sleepwalk through the days until something, anything happens.

I call this The Oatmeal Effect. Life is like a bowl of steamy oatmeal. How you prepare it, what you add to it, how you consume it.

Some people are completely content with their straight from the box oats. They relish in their routine, in the consistency of everyday life. They like their oatmeal ordinary and uncomplicated. They eat it everyday knowing the benefits of sticking to something safe, healthy and reliable.

While others need the sweetness of the berries, or the rush of some brown sugar. They pile in the extras until it no longer resembles what it was. Some people only live for the thrills in life; those moments that somehow allow for the feeling that brings the flush to a cheek or the spark to a hair end.

Everything else is just the in-between.

Life can't just be a quest for fireworks and champagne everyday, but it shouldn't be as beige as a dentist's office either. I think the secret is learning to find the balance between the spark and the routine, and try to realize that we need both to understand the other. I know that sometimes just fulfilling daily tasks can feel arduous when there's nothing exciting looming on the horizon. I know that it can bring even the most Goldilocks of us down.

However, if we're always planning and waiting and imagining the big moments, we'll miss all the ordinary greatness right in front of us. No trip right now can compare to sitting with and listening to "Little" (my personal nickname) for baby Daniel, while he laughs his head off.

When I look at him I realize that you can find happiness in just about anything.

I mean look at that face, his happiness is contagious in the most simple way.

So I will conclude with this: People who only crave sugar will never enjoy the moment because their minds are already looking for the next best thing, while people who never spice up their oatmeal are just terrified to step outside their comfort zone and try something new.

I dare to ask, how do you take your oatmeal?

[*note: my house is under extreme renovations at the moment, so I don't really have any oatmeal or a real kitchen to make it in, hence my fantastic or rather sarcastic drawing skills.]

J'Adore Summer

Today is officially the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, so what better way to kick off the sunshine than painting the tips a new polish?

My friend Amalia introduced me to Creative Nail Design (CND) nail polish since her mother and aunt use it at their spas. I've never tried the brand before, but I was seduced by the effects option. Immediately, I was impressed with the smooth application and couldn't wait to try the sparkles.

Pink is not my colour. I rarely ever wear it clothing wise, but enjoy incorporating it into my beauty routine. My style is more classic, but sometimes I like to go beyond the traditional and glam it up with something outside my comfort zone and character.

The Nails: Gimme Some Sugar in "Sweet" and "Sugar Sparkle" 

 The ring: Forever XX1

The sparkles are a bit flashy but I believe that's how summer should be. Everything in excess until the cold winds of winter sweep in and make us a little more cautious with our style and hearts.  Below is a list of things I adore about summer.

J'Adore: Bare legs. Rooftop patios. Sea salt. Golden hair. Barbecue air. Double scoops of gelato. Happier people. Longer days/nights. Bonfires. Glowy skin. Sweaty runs. Cold showers. Vacationing. Straw hats. Living underwater. Drive-ins. Outdoor concerts. Road trips. No socks. Freshly cut grass. Golf. Seedless watermelon. Late night anything. Smell of sunscreen. You.

Lastly, it's also my parents' 24th wedding anniversary today. It's interesting how they've only ever known one relationship with each other. They met in highschool and tenaciously carried through and built their life together. I admire this rarity, especially when today it seems people get bored with their relationships the same way they change their cell phones. So cheers Mom & Dad. xo

I thought this photo was appropriate as it was taken when Italy won the World Cup in 1982. Let's see if they can pull it off in 2010. Check out their matching outfits. Adorable.

Real Models Eat Cupcakes

As I raced to meet 20-year-old Sabina Cavrak my dominant thought was, Should I have worn heels to interview with a model?

Cavrak is a 5'11 blue eyed stunner with the kind of body that causes men to politely salivate. She's of Croatian descent, and has a laid back love of life that makes even the most relaxed, happy hippie look like a disheveled pessimist.

Before our cafe meeting, Cavrak and I were just plain Twitter followers until she wrote a post on her blog about Not A Model. She talked about how she struggled with her own body image and her experiences trying to break into the modeling industry. I thought she'd be perfect to interview to catch a glimpse of the wannabe model life.

Cavrak got her start in modeling at age 14. It's in her blood as her mother was also a model. "My mother is a dead ringer for Brooke Shields," she says. Despite being recruited by a top agency, they told her that she needed to lose the baby fat in her face. Preoccupied with regular teenage stuff like boyfriends and highschool, she decided to put modeling on hold. As the years went on, she explained how people have always recruited her to join agencies and become a model. Even Stacey McKenzie offered her card and asked why she wasn't walking the runways.

"It's the same deal every time," she says. "People tell me I should model and the agencies tell me I need to lose weight."

Although she doesn't fit the mold, she claims she's never dieted and she has no intention of wasting away to skin and bones. "Even if I worked out all day everyday, my body isn't made to look like that," she says. After years of insecurities as an "awkward teen" (yes, I didn't buy it either) she's happy with the way her body is now.

Her resume boasts jobs that clearly require someone easy on the eyes. She's worked at Hollister, starred in a friend's music video and was part of MuchMusic's Doin Costa Rica reality television series. It was in Costa Rica that she found a life motto at Del Mar surf camp.

"It's called pure vida which stands for pure life. I spent time with people who lived in huts and were the happiest people I've ever met. They know what life is really about."

Cavrak says she remembers idolizing Paris Hilton, when Hilton first appeared in the Guess campaigns. Funnily enough she met Paris and Nikki in a bathroom in California and was no longer starstruck. "These people have all this power and money and they decide to sit around and gossip about nothing," she says. "It's funny how things change." 

While I was intimidated by her height and overall babe-ism, by the end of the interview we were chatting away like two schoolgirls. We talked boys, (yes, even models have male troubles) music (she hates Taylor Swift, I know I gasped at this) and movies (she's a fan of the Star Wars Trilogies). It was then that I realized that being intimidated by someone's appearance melts away once you get to know them. Oh and even in heels, she'd still be taller than me.

I asked her to use one word to describe herself, she chose happy.

You better believe it.

Check out her blog at: http://sabalinababalina.blogspot.com

*Note: I had to disable the comment feature for this post as people started to get mean and negative. I can't vouch for anything beyond this interview and the purpose of it for Not A Model. Let's stay positive folks please. Negativity is not appreciated here.*

needle in a haystack

My World is Full of Colour, My Roots Are Shining Through

People can get really heated about coffee. (no pun intended)

It has been awhile since I've posted about cafe reviews. Recently, one of my reviews was received with some very intense comments and things got personal. I'm hesitant to admit that I was really hurt and affected by some of the stuff written. I'm not the type of person who likes to let others dictate my mood.

Everyone told me to ignore it. They said, "You have to toughen up if you want to be a writer." Easier said than done. I've once said that blogging, or writing is like peeling off a layer of skin and hoping no one throws a bucket of vinegar on you. Writing to me is personal, so it's hard not to get attached or worked up about it.

I'm currently reading Valerie Bertinelli's memoir Losing It, and this quote resonated with me:"You can get a thousand compliments, but it's the one criticism that will stick with you."

Needless to say I was pretty down about the whole thing, until I went to my latest review at Petit Thuet (244 King St E). The entire visit I was reminded why I enjoy doing these reviews. The people were so accommodating and the food and desserts were lovely. So check it out on blogTO with photography by Stefania Sgams. The macarons were insanely good.

Colour brightens up anyone's world right?

Lastly, I want to say that I do appreciate criticism and feedback, it can be very valuable. However, when people start equating my writing with my hair colour (yes the dumb blonde comments came about) I don't really have the patience for you. Instead of attaching a link to that review, here's a photo of me at the review taken by Cory.

My expression is a bit off. I guess this is my best, "Please don't interrupt me while I'm twirling" or my "Why did I agree to getting my photo taken voluntarily?" look. Stereotype me all you want, but I dare anyone to beat me in a quick quip contest. Double dog dare.

Free Yoga? Yes please!

It's no secret that I love yoga.

I've blogged about it, tweeted about it and preached about it to anyone who will listen. My good friend Kelly who is also a fellow blogger once said, "Saying you're not flexible enough for yoga is like saying you're too dirty to shower."

So when Kingwest fitness (171 East Liberty Street) approached me to speak about their All You Can Yoga event, I was happy to inform my lovely readers. Located in the bustling Liberty Village in Toronto, the All You Can Yoga program offers anyone and everyone the opportunity to attend free yoga classes, back to back and on multiple days. There is no need to register, just show up!

Dates: June 5-6, July 10-11, August 14-15 (weekends)

Classes are daily at: 10a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m., & 3:00 p.m.

By helping with the promotion of this event, I will be a member of the gym for 3 months. So I hope to see you (if you live in the city) at the yoga classes. I'll tweet & blog reminders for the July and August sessions. If you see some girl with lots of hair toppling during toppling tree, yeah that's me.

Queen of the Vintage Find

Meet Lisa.

We met in a creative non-fiction writing class in university. I complimented her fantastic style (she's vintage meets hip) and we bonded over the fact that while we were both in love with writing, we didn't fall into the tortured "my prose don't stink" artist category.

We got past the "just friends in class" thing when we ended up on a two hour train ride from London to Toronto. Instead of turning up our iPods, we gabbed the entire time about everything from bad dates to plaid shirts. I admire her for making the swift transition from university student to city gal without ever having to kick it with the parentals, and she always takes me to the best little restaurants and thrift shops.

We've maintained a friendship post-university and while we don't see each other every week, we never coat our conversations with fragrant syrupy honey. We tell it like it is. You don't actually like him, you're just bored. He's playing games, you either play back or move on. You're scared of commitment. That's a red flag. Yes, "relationships" come up a lot.

Lisa is a talented writer. Everything she writes sounds like beautiful musical lyrics. Her blog, Canadian Love Song is an arrange of melancholy, sweet musings about love and city life.

Dress & sunglasses: vintage from her Mom.

Apologies for the photo quality. I didn't have my camera, so my Blackberry had to do. I had problems sending them online and some were barely visible, hence posterized Lisa.

If you have a story or you want to share your non-model style, e-mail me at write.notamodel@gmail.com xo