It’s now February 2017 and for many of us the Near Year is the start of developing the New You. However often we set unattainable health-related goals. (Um, far too often) Which is one of the reasons I’m not signing up for a 10k race.  I’m trying hard to have goals I can achieve!!

Plus there’s competing information out there, which makes it difficult to understand how to be the healthiest version of yourself or to know where to start.

Heres’ some interesting stats:

• Half of Canadians find it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle yet 73 per cent wish they were healthier;
• 62 percent of Canadians make New Year’s Resolutions and the most common resolution, according to 80 per cent of the country, is to live a healthier lifestyle;
  Yet, the majority of the country (86 per cent) agree they never stick to their New Year’s resolutions and many do not even attempt making health related resolutions stating it is too hard to stay on track.
• Over one third (34 per cent) of Canadians are unaware of how to tackle resolutions

I’ve made an effort to use this Yoga App to help me improve my flexibility. I’m a disaster when it comes to flexibility and it’s time to address this issue.

I’m also enjoying this app because it has a calendar embedded in it so that I can keep track how many days I actually did the 10 exercises. Here’s what January looked like. Not bad eh? As you can see I started off strong and then got distracted with “vacation mode”.

I’m also aware that I need some vitamins in my life!! With nearly 100 years of experience, Jamieson’s team of experts have done the work for you and identified Multivitamin, Omega-3, Probiotics and Vitamin D as the four products Canadians should take every day as a foundation for healthier living.

These four essential supplements provide me with a perfect foundation to baseline health, which targets my digestive system, heart, bone and whole body health.

I’m a big believer in the whole picture; exercising regularly, good food choices (I’m trying), getting enough sleep, and taking Jamieson vitamins. 

I’m also a huge fan of meatless Mondays. There’s nothing like starting off your week with a lot of colourful healthy food.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful New Year that includes a Healthy New You and Jamieson Essentials too!

For more information on Jamieson Essentials visit jamiesonvitamins.com.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this blog post, however all opinions are my own

 

I’m ending 2016 with some serious splurging. Splurging is generally not a word in my vocabulary but for some reason I really needed to “splurge”.

It all started with a overnight get away to Millcroft Inn where I hung out in their heated outdoor hot tubs. What a treat. (ps there will be another blog post about my stay at the Millcroft Inn – don’t you worry!)

When I returned to Toronto I still felt like relaxing, so I went to the Korean Family Spa. It doesn’t compare to being in Mexico but I welcomed the opportunity to enjoy their 8 different saunas and their wet steam room.

Then I did some shopping at Fluevog. Can’t wait to wear these two pairs of shoes! It’s a good thing that I have a few events in January because I certainly want to wear them and not have to just look at them in my cupboard.

Oh ya – I treated myself to my very first Le Creuset. I have facebook to blame for this splurge as one of my facebook friends told me about a Le Creuset sale at the Bay!! Before you know it, I was doing some online shopping. I haven’t used it yet but I know I’m going to enjoy these dish. I just hope I don’t keep buying more!!

I didn’t splurge on a fancy dinner or fancy food because I’m perfectly content these days to cook at home plus I’m trying to eat “healthier”. Here’s my version of a healthy banana split. Basically it’s a banana, stuffed with Plain SKYR. topped with strawberries and chocolate covered quinoa puffs. If you haven’t tried SKYR yet, you should. It’s got 22 percent more protein than Greek Yogurt.

My healthy banana split looked like this:

I’m looking forward to 2017. …more travelling, more friendships, more fantastic food and more adventures. Naturally I will try to share this experiences with you via my blog, facebook and Instagram too!!

Wishing you a fabulous New Years too.

 

 

Once again, Momwhoruns hasn’t been running. Truth be told, I didn’t go to the gym once throughout the entire year. That’s right – not even once.

I wanted to go to the gym but simply didn’t have the physical time or the emotional strength. Since my dad passed away, I decided to go to synagogue on a daily basis (for either morning services or evening services) for an entire year. Going to services daily was something I had never done before and was a huge commitment. It certainly wasn’t easy but it felt like the right thing to do and I have no regrets.

My year of mourning has now ended and decided that going back to the gym would also be right thing to do. Guess what? I’m loving it.

My sister was getting great results (Yay Mandy) with a trainer and I decided to take the plunge as well and ask her trainer for some assistance.

Erin has a company called “30 In 30 Fitness.” Which means $30 for 30 minutes of Fitness. LOVE IT. This concept fits my schedule and my budget. What’s not to love?

She’s got me doing a whole bunch of exercises that don’t require a gym or fancy equipment.

Not to mention I’m being more “mindful” of what I’m eating. Which is half the battle ..in my humble opinion.

I was so inspired that I even created a Pinterest Board with more exercise suggestions. Take a minute and check it out by clicking here!

I haven’t weighed myself but after two weeks I know that I’m less bloated. There’s something about getting off  NETFLIX or off of my computer and moving my body that actually feels good.

Not sure I’m signing up for a 10 km race this year but I’m definitely signing up to “get off the couch”. Know what I mean?

Looking forward to a healthier 2017.

Cheers!

 

I said “bye bye” to my Versa for a week and happily accepted the keys to a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze. This is clearly evident in this photo.

This beautiful car has so many cool features but here’s three features that really were my favourites.

1. This tiny pocket that cools down your phone, when the car is running!

2. The fact that the steering wheel will heat up. This is certainly a very cool feature when you live in Canada! Bye bye frozen fingers.

3. The BOSE sound system. OMG!! I generally do not care about such upgrades but this certainly caught my attention….immediately.

4. The technology features- certainly appealed to me. (especially seeing as Im in my car all day long as a sales rep and use way too much data).

5. The fact that I didn’t have to push a button to open the gas tank. I just had to push it and it opened…OLD SCHOOL. This made me smile.

Just in case you want to know the new features for 2016 – here you go:

-a larger lighter design

-all new standard 1.4L turbo engine. Fuel consumption ration of 5.6 L/100 Km

-stop/start technology with automatic transmission enhances fuel efficiency in stop-and-go driving (the story of my life as a sales rep who is on the roads in GTA traffic)

-available Android Auto and Apple Car Play compatibility allows smartphone features to integrate apps wth Chevrolet MyLink (yay..yay..yay)

I will be honest, I have only driven used cars since I started driving at the age of 30. However after driving this car, I swear I would I consider buying a new car. I was totally in love with all these features.

This car certainly is on my radar.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post however all opinions are my own.

For more information:

Website: http://www.chevrolet.ca/2016-cruze-compact-car.html

Twitter and Instagram: @ChevroletCanada

Can’t believe it’s already November. However despite the shorter hours of daylight – there’s some incredible events taking place in November. Here’s my round up!

1. Eat to The Beat:

The countdown is on to one of the hottest food events in Toronto! The 21st annual Eat to the Beat presented by KitchenAid® is a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) that features 60 female chefs supporting people living with breast cancer on Tuesday, November 1 from 7 pm – 10 pm at Roy Thomson Hall. General Admission Tickets are $189. Please click here for more information

 

This delicious event is taking place on Sunday, November 6, 2016
from 11 am to 6 pm at Roy Thomson Hall. There’s chocolate making classes, chocolate eating contests and of course, chocolates to sample and to purchase! Please click here for further info.

3. Nosh Fest – Nov 13, 2016, Wychwood Barns.

For more information, please click here!

Other November favourite events include the Royal Agricultural Fair (Nov 4 to 14) and the One of A Kind Christmas Show  (Nov 24 to Dec 4th)…especially late night shopping with free parking!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful November!

 

The other day I received the following message via facebook.

Hi Vicky- sounds like you are having a great trip… My parents are in Jerusalem now and are going to tel Aviv tomorrow to the Sheraton. Do u have any suggestions for them? where they should go… Different ideas than the regular .. Thx

Here’s a list of attractions that I’d visited over the last few days that I suggested to my Facebook friend:

1. Tel Aviv Museum of Art: I hadn’t been to this museum in over 3 decades and I’m so happy that I went. I must admit that one of the reasons I went was because a foodie friend of mine went a few months ago and his photos on facebook really impressed me. The building itself is stunning not to mention the exhibits themselves. It’s also a great way to escape the sunshine between 12 and 2 pm!!

2. Sarona Market: Even though I was in Tel Aviv in April 2015 – this market opened just after I left.

This market brings the “best” of the country to one place. The variety of food in this market was perfect – restaurants, beer, wine, candy, fresh fruit, halva, bakeries, paletas, etc. My tummy was in heaven. I must add that I was lucky enough to have a “tour of Sarona Market” with a well respected Israeli Food Writer. Highlights of my tour included: Captain Curry and Forela Fish Bar.

Here’s a photo of my delicious Smoked Trout Shawarma from Forela Fish Bar!

Seriously, how pretty are these olives?

I couldn’t bring back the olives with me on the plane, but I certainly did buy  Rusty’s Almond Butter (with Halva) which is made here in Israel! #supportlocal

3. Carmel Market: This market is a true Israeli Experience. Its crowded, busy and so much fun! I visit this market every time I’m in Tel Aviv. It’s a must.

4. The Old Tel Aviv Port:  A great area to stroll around as it’s on the water and this adds to the atmosphere.  There’s plenty of restaurants, retail stores, cafes and ice cream to keep Israelis and tourists very happy!!

5. Delicious Israel: They offer unique food tours and food experiences. I was able to participate on a food tour of Levinsky Market and it was certainly a highlight of my trip. Read more about my tour by clicking here.

6. Nahalat Binyamin: I love this outdoor arts & crafts fair that is held every Tuesday and Friday. I always find gifts here and happy to support Israeli artisans. Not to mention it’s a fun scene.

Sadly I only took a photo of this piece of jewellery and I’m kicking myself that I didn’t buy one. #nexttime.

Attractions I didn’t have time to visit:

–Old Jaffa Port: Such a gorgeous place to walk around but I just didn’t have time.

–A Cocktail Bar; Apparently Tel Aviv has some pretty swanky cocktail bars (click on the link – pretty please)  and after googling “Cocktail Bars in Tel Aviv” – it’s evident that I need to go on a “cocktail crawl” on my next visit.

–Jewish Diaspora Museum: I haven’t been in decades but it was always one of my favourite museums.

Tel Aviv is a beautiful cosmopolitan city with a lot to offer. I was fortunate enough to stay in Tel Aviv for 7 full days and can’t wait to visit next year!!

For more information about Israel – please click here.

Last month, I took a personal day so I could preview the movie “Bad Moms’ and get spoiled at the beautiful Chateau des Charmes!

The invitation looked like this and I had a feeling it would be a fun event and I was right!!

I knew immediately that I had made the right decision to take a personal day off, when I was served a mimosa on the bus.

When we arrived at the theatre, we grabbed our seats and then proceeded to laugh our way through the movie. The cast is stellar and there are a few scenes that are nothing but hysterical.

I loved the characters, the acting and even the music!!

After the movie, we went directly to  Chateau des Charmes. (1025 York Rd, Niagara -on-the-Lake). When we arrived, there was staff greeting us with more drinks. Again, I knew I made the right decision!

Then we headed to their beautiful new tent for a delicious lunch.

The movie indeed brought back a lot of memories for me as I’ve had my “moments” as a “Bad Mom” over the years! For example:

As  I write this, I’m reminding myself that I MUST submit the bus form this week. See what I mean? LOL

I liked this movie so much that I gathered few friends and we all went to see the movie together at Yorkdale. Indeed everyone enjoyed the movie. (including me despite the fact that I had seen it).

I’m not a movie critic, but I can tell you that this film is certainly entertaining.
So grab your mom or your friends and go have a laugh!

PS Thank you eOne for inviting me to this event.

In the event that you don’t have a cottage or you aren’t taking a summer vacation – DON’T WORRY.  I swear to you, that there’s no shortage of events and festivals right here in Toronto.

BlogTO recently posted: Top 54 Festivals in Toronto this summer. Click here to read that list. It’s quite impressive.

BlogTO also posted: Top Ten Food Festivals near Toronto this Summer. Click here to read that list. Again – quite impressive.

I love BlogTO. Don’t you? May I suggest that you subscribe to them or download their app so you can stay on top of all the fabulous events/restaurant openings, etc that are taking place? #hint.

There’s also neighbourhood events like the Mount Pleasant Village Shop, Dine and Wine on June 16th.

My Summer Bucket list includes:

–Camping: Went last year to Elora. As you can see from this photo we picked a pretty quiet spot. #score

-Hiking in the Hamilton area to see waterfalls. Specifically Webster Waterfalls. (which I keep seeing photos of on the internet)

-Learning to row. (I say this ever summer)

-Biking along the lake shore and on county roads. Believe it or not I bought this used bike in the Spring of 2015 and have never used it. ARGGHH

-Visiting a pick-your-own- cherry farm.

Let’s see what I can accomplish. Time will tell.

Have a wonderful summer everyone!

I’m a big fan of community events and love to support them. Therefore I’m blogging about a community event called Shop Wine and Dine, that I thought I might share BEFORE the event takes place. I know how much you hate when I blog about something AFTER an event.

So mark your calendars for the Mount Pleasant Village Shop Wine & Dine event on June 16th from 5 to 9 pm. FYI – Mount Pleasant Rd is located between Eglinton and Davisville. RAIN OR SHINE.

Retailers and restaurateurs will “roll out the red carpet” for local residents, people who work in the neighbourhood, shoppers, and commuters heading home. Guests will be entertained by live bands,    shopping sales, and order from specialty restaurant menus created exclusively for this event.

The event will feature 4 to 6 live bands along the street which will certainly create a festive environment. Plus many retailers will be offering specials. For example: Manor Hair Salon will be offering FREE braids and Healthwinds Spa will be delighting visitors with free hand massages. You can even drop into Saati Fine Jewellery for an inspection and cleaning. Please note that parents can leave their kids for $5 at Kidnasium  (limited space – call ahead to book) while they walk along Mount Pleasant. Click here for more information about this great service.

Trust me, the whole street gets involved and it’s a lot of fun.

I encourage you to spend some time on their fabulous website so you get acquainted with the shops and services along Mount Pleasant. It truly is a fabulous community with lots to offer.

Website: www.mountpleasantvillage.ca

Twitter: @Mt_Pleasant_BIA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountpleasantvillage/

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post however all opinions are my own

 

 

Here’s a few ideas for you and I hope you like them. I really tried to be creative. #justsayin

1. Give mom the gift of a one-on -one computer lesson.

Here’s a photo of my mom using my old iPhone 5. Bye Bye Flip Phone! She had one on one lessons with a friend who specializes in teaching seniors how to use smartphones/facebook/tablets etc. BEST GIFT.

2. Give Mom a calendar with 12 of your favourite photos.

I’m in the process of doing this RIGHT now using the new Kodak App. Oh how I love technology.

3. Give mom a new appliance from Breville.

I’m in love with all my Breville appliances and she will be too!

4. Give mom the gift of Technology. Take a peek at what Samsung has to offer these days. See this wireless charger? I know I would be one happy mom if I got one of these. LOL

 

5.. Give mom a subscription: May I suggest a subscription to Netflix, or Texture? (I’m a fan of both)

6..  If you have old letters that she sent to you at camp…. bring them out and read them to her. Seriously, this is so much fun.

7. Head over to Etsy. There’s no shortage of unique gifts on this website.

Hope these ideas were useful and have a wonderful day.