Victoria's Island

Things

When I was writing regularly on this website I used to tell you about recipes I've tried out, books I've read, television shows I was watching - and in general tell you all sorts of terribly exciting facts about my life. Sadly this has not been happening lately. 

I'm not sure if I'm burnt out from blogging or if I'm starting to feel as if there really isn't much to say... Nonetheless there are times like now when inspiration does strike and lucky enough to let my fingers dance over the keyboard.

I thought that since we're in the last month of the year and most of us are getting rather frantic about the impending holidays and all of the action that this so-called relaxing time brings, that it was appropriate to tell you about the stuff and things I'm into these days. (Hold on tight - you never know what you're going to learn about me - heck I'm shocked to learn some of these things.)

• Remission. I might be jinxing myself here but I'm pretty stoked to say that I'm in a full remission. I've been healthy for a while now. I can eat whatever I want (well with the exception of corn and black beans). I feel good and my energy levels are coming back at a good rate. I'm only on two medications now. Of course such is the reality of ulcerative colitis that this remission could come crashing down tomorrow - I could wake up and be in a flare. I just never know. But for now I'm in a remission and for this I'm extremely grateful.
• Vegan. I've been toying with becoming a vegan for sometime now. While I'm not a "full vegan" - I'm pretty darn close. My gastro doctor still wants me to eat eggs and fish - so I'm doing this. But the bulk of the food that goes into my mouth is in vegetable, fruit, nut, seed or grain format. I like this - I feel better on less meat. I do this for health reasons but the more I learn about factory farms, I'm horrified with the treatment of the animals that we eat - and this is just another reason for me to eat less meat and more green stuff. Along the way I've discovered lots of great recipes and had more hits than misses in my little suburban kitchen. Just this evening I made a raw paté with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, red onion, red pepper, tahini, and lemon juice. Delicious particularly when plopped into mega large romaine leaves.
• Cyclocross. This has not been a normal cyclocross season for me. I didn't travel to any races (okay I did travel to many small towns around Ottawa) - rather I raced in the local Eastern Ontario Cyclocross Series. I had a blast. I wasn't anywhere close to the front of the race but I still got to race other women and push myself. Racing in my local series has reminded me how awesome this sport is. I may not be racing in Belgium or lining up for the next World Cup - but I still had a super fun season.
• Reading. I'm really tring to make more time to read. This of course goes hand-in-hand with spending less time on the computer.... I'm currently reading Anil's Ghost - fantastic book. I heard that Kate Atkinson has a new novel coming out so I'm hoping this will be the next book on my list. If not then I think Behind the Beautiful Forevers will be my next read - I listened to Shelagh Rogers interview Katherine Boo and I really would like to read this book.
• Snow. In years past if you asked me my opinion on snow, you would likely hear something like "I don't like snow. I'd like to live somewhere where I never have to see snow again". Well, I'm commited to embracing winter in snowy Canada. This means I'm in favour of snow. I'm stoked to get out for some skate skiing and snowshoe running this winter. Of course, I'd like someone else to take care of the shoveling...
• Netflix. I love Netflix. When living in a house with a television that doesn't really work like a television - Netflix becomes a useful website/service. Thanks to Netflix I can watch silly shows like Drop Dead Diva, documentaries like Hungry For Change, movies like The Interpreter and generally be a couch potato. I also watch Netflix when pedaling away on the bike in the basement - helps pass the time to watch  - especially when I can stare at Hugh Grant in one of my fave films (Love Actually, About a Boy, Notting Hill, etc.).

Okay, so this about sums it up. As you can see nothing to groundbreaking here... Of course it goes without saying that my favourite guy (a.k.a. Marc) ranks at the top of  this list as does the Murphster (who knew a cat could snore so loudly).

And just because I know he reads this website and likely knows more about his big sister than he is comfortable knowing:

Happy Birthday Gregory! Have a great day on Tuesday. Enjoy some Nesquik or other equally sweet and chocolatey delight. Keep on keeping on. I'm proud of you. Love your big sister.

The Spirit of the Times

Uhm, can you believe it is December 3? Like most people, I'm kind of shocked that we're in the month of craziness...

As you likely know, for the past five years, I haven't spent December in Canada. I've been in Belgium racing my bike and blissfully unaware of the commercialism that has overtaken Christmas. In Belgium (and a lot of Europe), Christmas is still primarily a religious holiday. Children receive presents but people don't go over-the-top. There are a few decorations but the icicle lights don't go up the day after Halloween. Christmas is subtle and understated - with most people really just enjoying a good meal with friends and family and not stressing about the "perfect present".

This is the way I like it. Marc and I stopped exchanging Christmas gifts many years ago. We both found it crazy to be stressing out over what to buy one another. 

I guess I got used to the relaxed and quiet Christmas - so much so that I'm having trouble adjusting to the North American version of Christmas. People are really a bit intense about this day and holiday. For some reason the stores are packed, people are desperate for the latest gadget/toy, and the grocery stores are doing a good job of convincing people that December is all about fat, sugar, and excessive eating. 

Sorry, I don't want to sound like a downer here - but it just seems that the spirit of Christmas has gotten lost in the piles of presents, boxes of chocolates, and endless rolls of wrapping paper.

This year, Christmas will be very different for me. Marc is leaving for Belgium today and won't be home until mid-January. It will be very hard to be apart over Christmas but I know he'll be well taken care of by our good friends in Belgium and I know he'll be out racing his bike on Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day - doing what he loves at this time of the year only makes sense. I'll be hopping in the trusty Matrix and navigating Highway 7 with my ulitmate destination being Lakefield. It will be great to spend Christmas with parents and will help me from wondering what Marc is doing and if  he is okay. I'm looking forward to sleeping in, taking the wonder dog out for a walk or two, going for some runs, eating some chocolate and just chilling out.

Christmas should not be about stress and anxiety. It should be about doing what makes you happy. If this is going for a day long ski in the Gatineau Park then go for it, if it is sleeping in and watching movies all day then do it, if it is about cooking up a storm and sitting down to a meal with your extended family then make sure it happens. Just remember that it is not about the presents it is about being in the present.

A Final Friday in NYC

You know the saying "time flies when you're having fun" - well someone should print this on a t-shirt and sell the t-shirts on every corner of New York City... Our trip flew by and really it was because my mom and I had so much fun. 

Friday was really a half day for us and we took it at a leisurely pace. The breakfast room at the hotel was packed with a tourist group so I convinced my mom this was an excellent reason to go out for breakfast. Luckily Le Pain Quotidien was nearby and I really really wanted to go there. I first discovered Le Pain Quotidien in Leuven, Belgium and it has been one of my favourite spots ever since. I know it is a chain but who cares - it is a fantastic cafe/restaurant - the food is good, the hot chocolate and coffees are served in beautiful white bowls, the granola is spot on - yes - I like this place. 

That was darn fine hot chocolate!

A leisurely and healthy breakfast was  had and then we were off to do some browsing and acquiring... The first place my mom and I saw in New York City that we really enjoyed was Bryant Park and this is where we returned. We both wanted to pick-up a few items for ourselves and for others. It was the perfect day to be at Bryant Park, warm with a brilliant blue sky - I was content to sit and watch the skaters and listen to the businessmen strategize and rant abou their colleagues...

One very cool thing we did is walk over to the New York Public Library - this amazing building is basically on the othe side of Bryant Park. Wow -what a building. I could spend a day in there just sitting, reading, people watching. The building is immense and it is so amazingly quiet. Here are a couple photos from outside the buidling:

All in all, a great last day was had in New York City. It was just nice to relax and hang out with my mom on the last day of our trip. Purchases acquired we made our way back to the hotel to catch our shuttle. We were advised to take an early shuttle because New York traffic can be a bit crazy at times. This meant we were at the airport rather early but the Porter lounge has free Wifi and unlimited drinks and snacks - so we were all set. 

What a great trip - I've wanted to visit New York City for so long and it was such a treat to be able to experience this city with my mom. It isn't often that we get to spend time with our parents and it is so important to take the time to do so and to really appreciate it. Thanks mom for such a super trip - I wouldn't have wanted to do this with anyone else. (Where do you want to go next?)

 

Thursday in the Big Apple

Wednesday as you saw was a full and very good day. Thursday turned out to be more of the same. By chance we discovered that there was a "chance" that we'd be able to visit the 9/11 Memorial. Normally, you have to reserve a ticket months in advance, but because of Hurricane Sandy, advance tickets were not required and entry to the 9/11 Memorial was on a first-come basis.

So we decided to hop the subway and make our way to the other end of the city. We decided to start out a bit later in order to miss the rush hour crowds on the subway. This worked out well. I do have to say that the subway system in NYC is not as easy to understand as that in London or even Tokyo! But with some assistance from a friendly person sitting in the booth under the famous Grand Central Station clock, we managed to buy some tickets and get on the right subway train. 

It is hard to describe the 9/11 Memorial. Lets just say that if you are in New York City - go visit - you won't regret it.

This tree is the only tree to survive the attacks. It has been named the "Survivor Tree".

After this experience we started walking and explored the area around the 9/11 Memorial. We visited the Lolë store and after some browsing we walked back to a very nice restaurant we discovered. It turns out Sarabeth's is a very nice restaurant indeed. We had a very pleasant and relaxing lunch - best omlette I've ever had!

From here we did some more walking and soon found ourselves in the middle of Soho. Our mission was the famous Purl Soho knitting and quilting store. Well this small store did not disappoint. I was so very tempted to buy some yarn, but I resisted... I have enough unfinished projects here at my house. But my mom had a good browse around and came away with some excellent finds.

We wandered around Soho and soon found ourselves at our next destination - the famous McNally Jackson bookstore. What a great little bookstore. We poked around and were soon walking again. This time to our final spot - NYC Velo. Yes, a bike store. This one came highly recommended. This walk took us to a new area of the city which was full of eclectic restaurants, coffee shops and shops. I picked up a few snazzy items and then we decided to rest our weary bodies. Time for some tasty coffee-like drinks and a very delicious looking dessert for my mom.

We zoomed through the city in our speedy yellow taxi, getting out at Grand Central Station. We discovered on Wednesday that the subway station was home to a Christmas fair. So of course we had to check this out. I bought a super cool bag and we wandered around considering many purchases. Suffice it to say, we were now both wiped out... We chose a chilled out evening with a meal at a tasty Turkish restaurant right next to our hotel.

A walk over to Times Square reinforced how tired we both were - with no patience for the crowds, soon enough we were back in our hotel zoned out watching the Food Network. Another very good day in the big city!

Hump Day in New York City

I'm pretty sure I mumbled something about writing daily updates about our trip to New York City... Well, this didn't happen - for this I blame New York City. Yes, sorry Mr. Big Apple but you filled our days with so much to do and take in that by the time we got back to our hotel, I was wiped out.

But today, I'm rested and recovered (now that I'm back in rather sedate Ottawa). So here goes nothing - a recap/round-up of what we saw, discovered, walked by, sat in and simply enjoyed.

Wednesday was a full day. A very good day. We decided to follow a walking tour of Manhattan that we found online. This was a great idea by mom - it allowed us to on a "self-guided" tour and take in what we wanted - moving along at our pace. Suffice it to say - we walked a lot that day. So much that by the end of the day - my legs were actually a bit tired!

We started our day by exploring Grand Central Station. I've been to a lot of subway/train stations and there is something different about Grand Central Station. For all of its busyness, there is a sense of calm in the place. After taking some photos we discovered that there was a Christmas fair taking place as well - very cool and we made plans to return on Thursday to take in the little stalls/shops. These photos don't do Grand Central Station justice - you'll have to visit yourself to get the full experience (remember to look up).

After visiting this impressive train station we walked back out through the Met Life building and continued walking. Our tour lead us by St. Bartholomew Church - we wandered inside but were quickly asked to leave as preparations were underway for a private event. (Very strange to see a churck without any pews in it...)

After a bit more walking along Park Avenue we made our way to the hustle and bustle of Fifth Avenue. At this time it was probably only 9:30 so this infamous shopping street was rather calm. (A few hours later we would discover the real meaning of "busy" and "packed".)

We walked along Fifth Avenue peaking in the windows of many fancy schmancy shops. It is interesting to see the people who can actually afford to shop in such fancy shops on a daily basis - many seemed to be older and had an interesting "look" to themselves.

On a recommendation from our friend, we kept our eyes open looking for Rockefeller Center and the famous tree - the tree was delivered on Wednesday and was being set-up and decorated as well. Well, Rockefeller Center is not hard to miss thanks to this guy out front:

And here is the tree, ready to be hoisted:

From here it was more walking along Fifth Avenue with stops in at FAO Schwartz to check out this massive toy store. We also stopped in at the Apple Store - honestly - not that impressive. The one in London is much nicer. The store on Fifth Avenue is cramped and very noisy. 

The next major highlight on our walking tour was Central Park. Admittedly, my mom and I didn't have much of a "plan" for Central Park and we were starting to feel a bit of hunger... We wandered around this massive park, taking in the ponds and really just enjoying being in the peace and quiet. It is amazing how serene the park is.

We decided to walk down Fifth Avenue back to the Rockefeller Center for some lunch and to sit down for a bit. This is when we discovered the crowds. Turns out that most tourists and New York City folks come out later in the morning... After a relaxing lunch at a bustling burger joint in Rockefeller Center we were off to Top of the Rock. The Top of the Rock is all about incredible views of the city. Very impressive and well worth the time and money. 

And good news - the tree is up!

At this point we had pretty much completed the walking tour. So we decided to go to Macy's. The New York City Macy's is the biggest Macy's there is. Well, it is big. And it is crowded. My mom and I browsed around but really we sought out a place to sit down and drink something warm and tasty. Good news is that the Macy's has more than one Starbucks...

Since we were going to see The Lion King that evening, we walked back to our hotel - battling more crowds and rested up for a while. Suffice it to say - The Lion King was fantastic. Our hotel was a mere two blocks from Times Square so we had lots of time to take some photos and relax before the show. Time Square is something you can't really understand until you see it. I've seen similar billboards in Tokyo but Times Square is over-the-top.

Inside the Minskoff Theatre:

The show was a great way to end a fantastic day. We saw so much and simply enjoyed the walking, the discovering and the talking. A really great day. (And yes, we were tired. But very happy to have done the walking. I was impressed with my mom's stamina for such a long day of walking.)

As for Thursday? Well, I'll tell you all about this day in the next post - I've got to get myself organized so I can go race my cylco-cross bike out at Upper Canada Village. Today is the second last race weekend in the Eastern Ontario Cyclo-Cross Series and even thought it is -5 right now, I'm going to go ride around in a spandex suit.

NYC Discoveries

Well the first day in New York City is almost in the books. The travel was super easy and we lucked out with a shuttle that dropped us right in front of our hotel. 

After a quick check-in we were out and exploring. Our plan was to walk towards the Garment District and get some lunch. As luck would have it, we stumbled upon Bryant Park which in the winter has an outdoor skating rink and many outdoor stalls selling a range of items from soap to Christmas ornaments to New York City souvenirs to chocolate. We decided to eat a restaurant called Celsius - sitting outside under a heater watching folks skate.

After lunch we wandered around Bryant Park checking out the various stalls and made note of some interesting items. Then it was on to the Garment District. We spent a lot of time here looking at fabric and button/bead/ribbon stores. My mom made some good finds. I must say these stores were for the most part enormous!

Along the way we stopped at some interesting shops including Desigual, Muji and Uniglo. A few purchases were made...

To keep things interesting I suggested we go for falafel for supper and promptly found a falafel restaurant that was rather a far walk. But we made it and the world famous Mamoun's Falafel lived up to expectations. The walk was interesting and along the way we passed the Flatiron Building, Union Square, Madison Square Park and the Museum of Sex. All in all - an interesting walk. After a tasty meal we decided to take a taxi back to the hotel. 

Tomorrow the plan is to do a walking tour of Manhattan where we will take in Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station and a myriad of other places. In the evening we'll sit down for a bit and watch the Lion King. The "plan" after the show is take in Times Square. (Yes, another full day planned.)

Almost Time

(It has been a long time...)

So the big day is almost here. Next week I'll be hopping on a plane, meeting up with my mom and we'll soon find ourselves in the Big Apple. 

We have 3.5 days to explore the city and check out a shop or two. Neither of us have been to the big city before so this should be a very fun trip.

Our hotel is down on Fifth Avenue - so we're well located to make the most of the city. So far we've booked on show - The Lion King. I've heard that this show is a real spectacle so I'm really looking forward to it. 

We've got plans to hit up the Garment District and I've got one bike shop on my "must visit" list. Along with this we have plans to visit Rockefller Center (Top of the Rock), Central Park, the High Line, Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Times Square, MOMA and Grand Central Station.

We're taking each day as it comes with no "fixed" plans. Just the way a vacation should be.

So stay tuned to this space next week - I'll do my best to update you on our discoveries and post a photo or four.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving is not a holiday I typically get excited about. Normally we're away at a cyclo-cross race or I'm in the midst of packing my bags to get on a plane - so the holiday gets overlooked. But this year we're home and are able to take in the long weekend and holiday action.

Earlier last week my colleague from India asked me about Thanksgiving. I couldn't really explain the holiday to her. I think I summed it up with: people get together and eat a lot. That's it. I might have mumbled something about Christopher Colombus and North America. 

Yes, I forgot and neglected the whole concept of being "thankful". Now I don't believe this is entirely my fault. I blame popular culture and the media. Most of the hoopla surrounding Thanksgiving is about the turkey, the pumpkin pie, and football. And if you were in the grocery store this weekend or even Wednesday or Thursday, you likely saw people with overfilled carts of copious amounts of food. So ya, food, seems to be the big deal about Thanksgiving.

But yesterday and today, I've started to feel a bit differently. Maybe it is because we didn't have a big Thanksgiving meal or do anything really special. We raced our bikes in Perth yesterday. Had a relaxing afternoon. Good night visiting Marc's parents, sister and brother-in-law and chilled out at home. Today has been equally good - some cooking, reading, running, cycling and generally just doing what we want to.

I didn't think much of this activit until I turned on CBC Radio this morning and listened to stories about people who go out of their way to help others, to make a difference in people's lives and to generally give of themselves. This is when the message of "thanks" sunk in.

I realized that even though I'm not doing what I "planned" and that life these days doesn't seem to be all that "fair" - I'm pretty darn lucky. No, I'm not going to Belgium this year - instead I'll be skiing and snowshoeing in the Gatineau Park. No, I'm not chasing UCI points racing all over Europe - instead I'm racing in the local Eastern Ontario Cyclo-Cross Series. No, I'm not as fit as I once was - instead I'm having fun commuting to work, running, and doing yoga without concern for training plans and wattage numbers. No, I can't eat whatever I want - instead I have to follow a restrictive diet - but at least I can eat and I'm no longer going to the bathroom 30 times a day.

Sometimes it takes a while for these messages to sink in... The trick now is in remembering them and not losing sight of this bounty.

Happenings

Honestly - not a lot of happenings to report. But for some reason, this space seems to get neglected far too often. I'm chalking it up to a few things - not a lot going on, spending my entire day writing leaves me a bit drained in the evening, and some days I kind of forget about this little space on the web. (I know these are not reasons - rather poor excuses.)

I could make some kind of pledge to write here more regularly but I don't want to commit to something that I don't know if I can uphold. (Yes, taking the easy route here.)

So enough blither-blather - what has been happening? Hmm, well I raced on the weekend. It was fun. I was slow and made many technical mistakes - but it was fun. So much fun that I'm going to do it again this weekend. I have a feeling that racing with zero fitness will really help me "enjoy" my racing season - I'm out there for pure joy and fun - no UCI points to chase, no World Cup points to think about, no qualification standards - simply riding my bike and having fun.

I bought some running shoes. After taking 10 days to recover from my first run - calf muscles were very unhappy - I managed to get out for a run again on Tuesday. I ran for a whopping 20 minutes - good news - no calf pain. So I'll go out again.

Still commuting to and from work. Love these early morning rides in particular - what a great way to start the day with the sunrise. And I most definitely appreciate the tailwind on the way home.

My dad came up for a visit a couple of weeks ago. This was great. We put him to work with a big job that we had neglected - the too-high loft bed is now  a fully functional regular bed. Don't worry we rewarded him with a good meal out, some delicious Chinese cream buns, a couple of Magnum bars and some tasty drinks from Starbucks (don't tell my mom!).

The countdown is on to the big New York City trip. I can't hardly wait. I've got so many bookmarks of places to visit, stores to check out, restaurants to visit - I dare say it will be an action-packed four days. 

Murphy is still fat and happy. Actually maybe even more so since we are giving him more wet cat food and the little girls on the street have taken a shine to him - he loves licking their little hands looking for cat treats.

Hmm, what else. Well, I'm just finishing reading a very challenging but worthwhile read... A while ago I listend to an interview on NPR with Terry Gross and Portia de Rossi - about de Rossi's book. I found the interview remarkable and put this book on my "to read" list. I'm glad I read the book. But it is a challenging read - de Rossi is so honest and really lets you get into her head. It is disturbing to realize that she was likely not alone with her "weight struggles" - it is horrible to think that she dropped to 82 pounds and no one apart form her immediate family started raising alarm bells. I shudder to think of the image problems that so many other models and actors are dealing with. This book is worth reading - if anything to give you pause about your own body and weight issues (yes, we all have them) - this book is a huge dose of perspective.

I'm not sure what I'll read next. Thinking of re-reading The Life of Pi in anticipation of the upcoming movie.

So, that is about it. Thanksgiving this weekend. Strange holiday really. My colleague from India (she moved here three months ago) asked me about Thanksgiving. More pointedly she asked "what do you do" - all I could really tell her is that people get together and eat mass amounts of food. She found this interesting and likely a bit strange - a holiday where we just sit down and eat lots of food? And why do we eat turkey - again I couldnt' explain this... 

However you spend the long weekend - I hope it is with family and friends. We'll be racing in Perth on Sunday and chilling out the rest of the time. (With a little garage organization thrown in for extra fun!)

Gobble gobble.

Any Better?

This is a question I get asked a lot. So I may as well answer it. Yes, I'm slowly getting better. But (there is always a but)... I'm not out of the woods yet and far from it. The drugs are working but I'm also tapering off the drugs so there is lots of risk and unknown with what will happen next.

Am I in a remission? I honestly don't know. I'm still eating a low residue diet but I'm adding in some new foods here and there to test things out. Do I feel better? Well, a lot of the terrible ulcerative colitis flare symptoms have subsided but I still get tired very easily and I would like to sleep more (thank you prednisone).

With all this though - I'm good. I'm much better than I was three weeks ago or even six weeks ago. There are no answers with this disease - really just always questions and a bit of doubt and concern floating around in the back of my brain - worrying that things could go terribly wrong again.

But this is not holding me back. I'm working slowly at rebuilding my energy and some fitness. I'm able to cycle to and from work now (22 km each way) - I'm slower than I was but I honestly don't care. I'm rebuilding my core and overall strength with an at-home yoga practice and some push-ups. I'm trying really hard to listen to my body and to let it rest.

I learned last week that there is a fine line between pushing and doing too much. By Friday my body had had enough. I spent the weekend "resting" so I could be sure to have the energy to go out with my friend Valerie on Saturday night to the Ottawa Folk Festival and then on Sunday I rested so I could be sure to have a good night out with Marc and our friend Ken. In the past I would I have tried to squeeze in a bike ride or a yoga work-out -but instead, I slept, I read, and I let my body do its thing.

This week has been going fairly well. I did make a stupid mistake last night - I wasn't feeling that hungry so I had a bowl of puffed rice cereal for supper. Pretty dumb because today my legs were completely empty during my cycle into the office. Yes, sometimes I have to learn things the hard way...

Really, that is about it. I'm not doing much these days. Working. Bike to and from work. Yoga. Reading. Chilling out. I'm looking forward to being 100 per cent healthy so I can get out and enjoy the winter - cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating on the canal - I want to do it.

I'm better - getting there. There are lots of pieces to this healing puzzle. Physical. Mental. Spiritual. Slowly but surely I'll get to the point when I can say "Yes - I'm Better" - in fact I just might shout this from the tallest building I can find when I know I'm there.