Social Media and Job Hunting. It works!! Here’s my Story:

I went away on vacation, only to return last Wednesday to find out that I was unemployed. I immediately updated my profile on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.  I stated that I was “Seeking Employment as a Sales Rep or a Community Manager”. Immediately I had two replies on Facebook to contact two separate companies and two retweets on twitter.I was impressed.

By 1 p.m…I had a meeting with 3 foodie friends (@TheBumpercrop, @afoodgypsy @lisataerk). They brainstormed with me and delivered a “go-Vicky-go” type of speech.

The pep talk worked!!

On Thursday, I met with @nearafar who also answered some more job hunting questions and gave me another pep talk.

On Friday, I received emails from @HorriblePeanut @FiestaCupcakes @CDNFoodieGiirl, and @Labamboche with leads. I was truly feeling supported by my twitter friends. Oh yeah – there was another friend (who sadly is not on twitter) who sent me numerous emails with ads too.

On Sunday I met with @sackman66 at 7:45 a.m for TWO hours of networking. WOW..I was on a roll. My friends were really there for me and I was ever so grateful.

On Monday morning, I had a phone call with someone from twitter who was looking for some assistance with her start up .We even met for coffee in the afternoon. Sadly it wasn’t a great fit but once again “twitter’ made the connection (thru a retweet cause I wasnt following her).

On Monday nite, I finally sent out my resume to one of the companies that contacted me thru Facebook earlier last week.

On Tuesday morning, I heard from her and at 2 p.m I was in the office…. armed with my MacBook, iPad, and iPhone….ready to work!!

Now how awesome is this story!! Whats even more awesome is I’m working with a company that I really believe in and when I walked into the office I knew FOUR people (thru twitter of course).

I have to finish this blog entry with this photo. The office has this machine in the kitchen:

 

It’s a VITA MIX and my boss was all too happy to demonstrate how it works!! This means, I was treated to this delicious bowl of hot soup that was made in less than 10 minutes.

I am now working for Shes Connected and I’m beyond thrilled to be part of this team.

Morale of the story: Use Social Media if you are job hunting and don’t be afraid to change your profile!!

 

I’ve posted a recipe before that was less than 140 characters, but I think that this recipe takes the cake. HA HA.

You know when you want just a “little something” but you don’t want to make an entire cake? Here’s the solution to your problem. Naturally I found this recipe on Pinterest..which is my latest addiction.

Here’s what you need:

Two boxes of Betty Crocker cake mix. Please note, that one of those boxes MUST be Angel Cake.

Here’s the recipe:

1. Mix the two boxes of cake mix into a zip loc bag.

2. Put 3 tablespoons of cake mix into a mug. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Stir.

3. Put the mug into a microwave and cook for 1 minute.

Voila – a perfect size portion of cake. Of course, I added the perfect size scoop of ice cream to make it even better!!

P.S. Store the mixture in an airtight container or just keep it in the zip loc bag for future “treats”.

Seriously…how awesome is this recipe? How awesome is Pinterest?

Disclosure: I am part of the Life Made Delicious Blogger program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

This past year has been a busy one so I haven’t read as much as I would like to. But I knew while on vacation, I would be sitting on the beach for HOURS (and hours) and would resume my relationship with my beloved Kobo!! I did my homework and spent some time on GoodReads, Kobo, SavvyReader  and Rayment’s Reading Rants and Rambling. After a lot of clicking, I finally selected my “vacation reading”. Yay for me!!

When I selected these books – please keep in mind that I was looking for books that were going to be perfect for  the “Beach”. i.e I wasn’t selecting a 600 page book or anything terribly serious. Guess what? Mission Accomplished

Here’s what I read:

1) Hilarity Ensues by Tucker Max

Please don’t judge me but I simply love his writing style and I love his stories (again, please don’t judge me).  I can’t believe how many times I laugh out loud when I read what type of trouble this guys gets into. I have read both of his other books and this one did not disappoint.

2) BossyPants by Tina Fey

Again, I laughed out loud and read several passages out loud to my mom. I really enjoyed  this book and truly hope that she continues to write. PS When I wear my glasses – I’ve been told that I kind of look like her.

3) The Lover’s Dictionary: A Novel by David Levithan

I was so sad when this book ended as it was beautifully written. The format of this book is so unique and his writing style was unique too.

4) I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

It’s. A. Beach. Book. Period. I’m not going to tell you to rush out and buy it but if you are looking for something light and fluffy – this is it.

5) Before I Fall Asleep by S.J. Watson

This book totally surprised me. I couldn’t read this book fast enough.  PS Wouldnt surprise me, if this book becomes a movie one day

6)  Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

I’ve read her other two novels (1. Peony in Love 2. Sunflower and The Secret Fan) and was hoping that I would like this book too. I did. I enjoyed the characters, and the story and learning more about this time period in China.

7) Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman. This was probably not an easy book for Deborah Feldman to write, but I applaud her for her courage. I enjoyed this book and from the get-go, I was immersed quickly into her world. I hope there is a sequel to this book so we can learn more about her struggles and growth as she adapts into the secular world.

7 day vacation and 7 Books…..clearly I was in the mood to read!! I hope I continue to read throughout the year and not just when I’m on a beach. Any other book recommendations.?Please share.

 

There are no words to describe the perfect scenery that I have witnessed while vacationing in the Cayman Islands. It’s been a wonderful week of great weather, great books, and DOING NOTHING. This blog entry will be short and sweet – just like my vacation.

 

 

 

After landing in Cayman, the first thing I did was head to Kirk Supermarkets. I went there last year for my grocery supplies and went there again this year. This meant that I was somewhat familiar where everything was located and  could be on the beach by 430 p.m (we landed at 2:30 p.m – by the way).

Seeing as were staying in a private residence, I knew that we would be eating breakfast and lunch at home and only going to restaurants at dinner. Plus, we brought a lot of essentials from home. This means, I bought only the essentials: bread, veggies to make a salad, eggs, a case of diet ginger ale, a cantaloupe, bananas, and some cheese. My lovely bill was over $70. Trust me, Kirk Supermarkets is by no means a high end grocery store, but everything is imported so this means prices are higher than what we are use to.

I did however find a few things that caught my eye as “interesting”. (and imported)

Ginger Gingeng Up and Cawston Press Juices in two flavors:  apple and ginger and apple and ederflower:

Ginseng Up is a 100% natural soda and I found it quite refreshing after spending 8.5 hours on the beach. (I know, it was a rough day..HA).

The Apple and Ginger juice was also a winner as I love ginger in anything.

But I think I liked the apple and ederflower even more. The combo of the apple and elderlflower was dynamite.

Sadly Cawston Press is located in the UK. I have never seen in it on the grocery shelves in Canada but will look out for on my next trip to Buffalo. You never know right? I might have passed it on those many trips I take to Wegmans!!

Kirk Supermarkets is known for importing products from UK, Asia, Latin America and South Africa. This means, that I hung out in those aisles a little longer.

Look what else I found?

Havent tried it yet…but I will.

I am also noshing on stuff I bought at  John Vince: We really tried to bring as much as possible from Toronto. I swear my bag is going to be 10 pounds lighter on my return trip.

On this plate you will find: cinnamon and black balls, (childhood memories), Australian crystalized ginger (not just ordinary ginger), Wasabi roasted broad beans and garlic flavored roasted broad beans. Plus, my favorite: peanut butter filled pretzels.

My mom and I are very happy noshing on the beach!!

As for restaurants: We went out for dinner the first nite toCimboco. We went there last year and loved it so much that we even ordered the same dish from last year.

 

We inhaled this island-style sandwich tucked into their fire roasted flat bread and filled with traditonal Caribbean curried vegetables. This is “my type of perfect meal”.

Stay tuned for more Cayman Adventures through out the week!!

p.s. finished one book already…my goal is to finish 3.

 

 

 

 

I have a feeling there are two camps for this holiday…the camp that dislikes this holiday and the camp that likes this holiday.

Personally, I like this holiday. This year, I am celebrating in style. Here’s what I will be doing.

a) I am going to the Cayman Islands. Thats right – by 3:30 p.m on Feb 14th – I will be on Seven mile beach. I went there last year, and had such a relaxing vacation, that I am going back to the same strip of sandy gorgeousness!!

 

b) I will be applying Body Shop  Shower Cream from their Chocomania collection, after a day in the sun as my skin will really need it. Trust me, I do nothing but lie on the beach. I know, I know…lying in the sun all day is not good for me but I promise I use a really good sunscreen. PS If you need a last minute gift – run to The Body Shop to buy any product from this Chocomania collection.

c) I will be eating my Neuhaus Chocolate. I buy myself ONE chocolate from Pusateris every year. True Story: I use to sell Neuhaus when I worked in the gourmet department at Holt Renfrew as a teenager.  I can still remember having a line up of dozens of men, waiting to by chocolates.

d) I will be reading from my beloved Kobo ALL WEEK (not just on the 14th). I downloaded…Hillarity Ensues by Tucker Max (please don’t judge me), Bossy Pants by Tina Fey and Dreams of Joy by Lisa See. Probably in that order.

I simply can’t wait to celebrate Valentines this year…for many reasons.

Stay tuned for more blog posts from sunny Cayman Islands!!

 

A few years ago, I had a doughnut at the Doughnut Plant in New York City. I then came to the realization that not all doughnuts are created equal!!

i.e there’s a HUGE difference between a commercially made doughnut and one that is made in house in small batches.

I also have been lucky enough to have discovered Suzi Q Doughnuts in Ottawa as well as doughnuts from Fraser Cafe.Therefore my quest for “really good doughnuts” continues.

Thanks to twitter I discovered  Thor Espresso Bar was serving  Glory Hole Doughnuts…..which means, I HAD TO GO. (like a good foodie)

Here was the Doughnut Menu:

I decided to order the lemon meringue doughnut and I wasn’t disappointed at all. The curd and the meringue were perfect which resulted in an awesome doughnut experience.

Clearly the donughnut required a coffee so here’s a picture of a perfect cup of coffee:

The owner of Glory Hole Doughnuts took time out of her busy schedule to chat with me one day. I found out more about her background (she’s a trained pastry chef) and why she opened up this business. (she simply loves doughnuts). I also found out that there’s a rotation of 11 flavours. I really think I should organize a Doughnut Tweet Up so we can try all the flavors!!

Who’s in?

These doughnuts are really really popular so go early!! It was worth the drive downtown on a Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.!

Glory Hole Doughnuts can be found at the following locations on an ALMOST daily basis (best to call first)

Thor Espresso Bar: 35 Bathurst St, Toronto, ON (416) 451 8736

The Burger  Bar 319 Augusta Avenue, Toronto ON (416) 922 7423…SATURDAYS ONLY

 

It’s winter (well kind of)  and generally that means that I like to curl up in a movie theatre and watch movies. You certainly won’t find me watching movies in the summer, unless it’s raining outside. Now, I’m not a movie critic but I wanted to share with you some of the movies I have seen over the last few months.

Here’s a list of 8 Movies and 8 Reviews:

1. War Horse: I wanted to see this Steven Speilberg movie only because Steven Speilberg directed it….not because of the story or the horses!! I’m glad I saw it as it really did capture my attention. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon escape.

2. The Artist: I saw this movie, immediately after reviewing all the rave reviews. It was indeed a “different” type of movie and well acted.  Would I rave about it? No.. but I wasn’t sorry that I saw it.

3. The Descendants: Watching George Clooney for an hour and 50 minutes – is never a bad thing. Oops Im suppose to be reviewing the movie and not rating how gorgeous the actors are!! I can’t say I loved this film as much as everyone else did.

4. The Iron Lady: If Meryll Street doesn’t win best actress for her role in Iron Lady..I will scream. She is just brilliant in this role. As for the movie – I found it totally entertaining and loved it.

5. Mission Impossible: I like Tom Cruise and I like action movies, therefore I liked this movie. It’s not  a brilliant movie but it’s exactly the type of movie I enjoy.

6. Tinker Tailor Solidier Spy:  I cant review this movie as I didn’t understand any of it even though I was awake for the entire film. Please don’t judge me.!!

7. Hugo: Again this movie was getting great reviews so I felt I had to see it. Guess what? I had the BEST nap during this movie. I really should see it again.

8. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo:  I liked the book and I liked the movie. This movie certainly captured my attention.

Movies still on my list: My Week with Marilyn. I hear the acting is outstanding and want to be able to compare it to Meryll Streep in The Iron Lady.

Thankfully, companies like General Mills understands movie-lovers, so they partnered with Cineplex Odeon to make it easier for people like me to continue to head to the cinema!! Click here to read more about this fabulous offer:

https://lifemadedelicious.ca/Home/OffersandPerks/Cineplex.aspx

What movies have you seen? What movies are on your list to see? As always – would love to hear from you.

One more thing: Check out this awesome website  Bind Movie Critic. I stumbled upon Tommy Edisons’ website on twitter and I am really enjoying his reviews.

 

 

I have succumbed to yet another social media obsession called Pinterest. You will notice a little gizmo on the side of my home page that says “follow me on Pinterest”. Some of you are probably asking “What is Pinterest”, so let me explain.

It’s basically a board that enables you to “PIN” things you like. Naturally I have a ‘food board”and a “design board” but you could have a “things that are funny board” or a board that is about “fashion” or a board for “planning an event”  etc. It’s very visual – it’s very easy to use -and it’s VERY ADDICTIVE.

One day I was skimming thru Pinterest and came across this photo:

I said to myself “that is SO cool” and later that day found myself buying a fish bowl from the dollar store and then bought blue jello and swedish fish. I guess I was in a “Martha Stewart” kind of mood.

I also showed the above photo to a friend, who said ‘how are you going to get the fish to float?”. I replied “Im sure there’s instructions somewhere on the internet”. Guess what? Did not find ANY instructions and indeed my fish sank quicker than I could say “please don’t sink”.

I then morphed into Macguivre and started to pull together a few items that might help my fish from sinking: plastic forks, elastic bands, chopsticks and tape. DON”T ASK.

I stuck the fish bowl into the fridge and when I pulled out the fish from the forks – it was not pretty.

Lesson to be learned: I am clearly not fit to try Martha Stewart projects and I’m not Macguivre. My final product did not come out anything remotely looking like the photo that I saw on Pinterest. But I must admit – I had a good laugh.

By all means, if anyone wants to try this project and let me know how they prevented the fish from sinking – please let me know.