Twitter

So I just got a real twitter account! Very unlike me to be so late in joining a trend but I've had one for ages just to follow others but now I promise I will actually tweet!

Follow me @bougeotte21

Wedding Season

Mood: Content
Quote: "The three things a guy should want to change about his girl is her last name, address and her viewpoint on men" - Kid Cudi


Its that time of year again...wedding season! If you pay close attention you can hear the bells ringing, see the rice flying in the air and smell the roses of ridiculously expensive bridal bouquets. This year is especially special as we have all just witnessed the most famous wedding of recent memory...the Royal Wedding of Kate and William!


And due to the fabulousness of the Royal Wedding and the rekindling of my lifelong obsession with Royals, I have been inspired! Especially in terms of fashion and specifically, headgear for the church ceremonies! I am desperate for an uber fashionable fascinator a la Victoria Beckham or Princess Beatrice (I liked her hat okay!). However, being as I live in Canada, it would be pretty hard to pull this off:

...so I must instead settle for a more subtle and small "pseudo fascinator".


I have been looking everywhere for them and the place I have had the most luck (not including vintage and boutique shops in the city) is at Aldo Accessories. There are black or white ones that are attached to a headband that would be convenient, or ones that just clip or pin into your hair with one large feather in the middle.


I recently bought a dress for the church ceremony from BCBG that is a blue/silvery colour and since I will be attending church earlier in the day, I am thinking of going with white.


UPDATE: I came to the conclusion that the more real fascinators looked like either bridal wear or funeral apparel so instead, I chose this cute feather to wear and it was such a hit!

It worked well with my outfit for the church ceremony. Got lots of looks and compliments! Will definitely have to rock it again at the next wedding...

Oh and on the topic of the Royal Wedding, I had to add this funny picture that people have been sharing on Facebook:

I'd just like to point out that it is completely inaccurate to the actual Disney movie in terms of colours; Prince Charming's suit was white/beige and the step sisters' dresses were green and purple (and not nice to compare poor Beatrice and Eugenie to them!!!). Funny though, nonetheless and I appreciate the comparison to my favourite movie of all time :)

Great Strides: Marathon for Cystic Fibrosis

It was this time last year I first thought about running a marathon. It was always something I had wanted to do and never something I thought I actually would. But after so many of my friends had done it and been so successful and fell in love with the whole thing, I decided I would do it too. This time last year in Sydney, I was pretty down and looked into doing the City2Suft, which is the biggest full marathon in Sydney. I didn't end up registering (though I did show up at all the parties!) and have regretted it ever since.

Now that I am home and after a full year of contemplation, I have finally committed to one! All it took was a good cause close to my heart. And a bunch of friends to do it with. And not actually having to run...more like a walk, but fun nonetheless! Its called Great Strides and benefits Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Its also at the Toronto Zoo!!! Should be so much fun. Really looking forward to it. And today it may be a walk but next time it could be a run! The only downside I see is that I will be at a big wedding until late late late the night before and may not be at my top form at 8am for a walk. But I will pull through. Sara who will be joining me will be coming back from Jamaica and a whole week of straight drinking on the beach so she'll feel the pain as well. We can then go visit all the animals at the zoo (even though I had enough of the zoo when I left Oz...). Will keep you posted on how the walk goes but if anyone wants to sponsor me and donate to a good cause please let me know!

UPDATE: Got a few sponsors and did the event on Sunday. It was fantastic and exhausting. Can't wait for next year!

In$@nit¥!!!

The new workout that I've been trying out lately is INSANITY by Shaun T. If you haven't heard of it you either live in a rock or Australia (some argue that's one in the same) or your not a fan of the latest workout fads in DVDs. It is known to be one of--if not *THE*--toughest workout DVD out there. The P90X of dvd workouts minus the hassle of weights or equipment.

The breakdown is all cardio for 40 to 60 minutes a day for 60 days. There is a calender to follow with different types of workouts for each day. I've been doing it for a week or so and trust me when I say, you really have to be insane to come up with that stuff! 40 minutes seems like a short workout but it will be the toughest 40 minutes of your life. If you don't have a pool of sweat beside you at the end of the workout, your not doing it right!


So far so good with this workout. Even though its tough its kinda fun to see what crazy things shaun t comes up with. Event the "cardio rest" day will have you working hard. And I never thought I'd be so sore from a workout without any weights what so ever. The only downside is I've been stuck on the "pure cardio" day because the title intimidates me. Will keep you posted on that one...

UPDATE: pure cardio wasn't as bad as I thought...

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!

 Current Mood: Thrifty

 Song: Extreme Couponing Theme -TLC

I love Spring and all things that come with it including the Fashion. This season I can't stop obsessing over shoes. 

First off, wedges are in! I was hearing some buzz over wedges coming back then I saw them on Kate Middleton and knew they would be a hit for the season.

Kate's are cute but I don't know how a non-princess can pull off the patent leather + braided heel combo. But you know they are officially a hit with the masses when Forever 21 comes out with their own line of wedges for the season.

My favourite ones so far are these black ones with a soft material and the cork/basket weave print on the sole. However, it doesn't seem like they are available for sale on the website as of yet.

I'm happy this trend has come back because all us girls know its much easier to walk in wedges than full out high heels.


Secondly, not something new but something that I am just thinking about getting for myself: Easy Tones. I need new athletic shoes anyways and I figured that with most of my jobs being those where you have to stand for hours on end, might as well get a workout in with my footwear. 

EasyTones sound great in theory but I'm a little skeptical that they really work. However, I was assured that after wearing the shoes and standing all day you will get the same feeling of the "burn" after a tough workout.

My other problem is that I can't find the exact shoe in the above picture, which is actually kind of cute, and all the other ones I've seen in store are pretty ugly!

So then the question goes from "to EasyTone or not to EasyTone?" to "What brand of Toning shoes are the cutest?"

There are the Sketchers brand called Shape Ups that I am partial to just because Kim Kardashion is the spokesperson (what can I say, I'm a sucker for the celebrity endorsements!).

While there are more colours and styles, they all seem to have this bubble shape to the soles which both make it obvious they are Shape Ups (a women needs to keep these secrets to herself!) and its a throwback to the Spice Girls platform era which I'm not ready for.

I've also found out that the Rebock brand is the only one approved by the Canadian Health Association, so they seem to be the way to go. Price wise however, I am going to look into a deal or some discounts. This is perhaps because Extreme Couponing is on in the background and I am inspired to save!

Top 25 Destinations in the World: BUCKET LIST

Trip Advisor has just released their list of the Top 25 Travel Destinations in the World. I have only visited 5 which makes me pretty sad (that's only 20%...not even a PASS). Fail, fail, fail. But the places I have been to are:

Sydney

New York

San Francisco

Las Vegas

Okay I lied, I've only been to 4 :(

But I lived in the #2 destination for over a year...that counts for more right?!

And I have a plan. I can visit London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Prague, Venice, Florence and St. Petersburg all in one big Eurotrip that I am planning for next summer. I have a friend who is from the #1 destination, which is Cape Town, who promised he would take me for a visit in exchange for bottles of jerk chicken sauce from Canada. Queenstown, New Zealand is on the list and I'm hoping having a Kiwi boyfriend will be advantageous to that destination. That leaves various tropical destinations that can be left to do separately when I can, Asian destinations that will have to be done from Australia (including Thailand) and South America which can also be done as one big trip in the future.

Whew...let's make it happen, preferably before I reach the dreaded age of 30!!!

Oh, and can anyone tell me how/when I can get my $40,000 diploma in the mail?

Overdue

Current Mood: Creative
Countdown to SUMMER: 36 days
Music: Rolling in the Deep - Adele


As I am adjusting back into home life and now have 3 jobs that keep me extremely busy, there are some things I failed to mention!

GRADUATION time came and went. Unfortunately (obviously), I could not attend the festivities but my fellow masters were there and looked like they had a fantastic time. My dear Patrick even stole a program for me! So CONGRATS MASTERS...it was a wild ride that I wouldn't trade for anything in the entire world. It was a privilege to graduate beside you (figuratively). MISS YOU ALL.

Looks like heaps of fun! 

And also, some way overdue pics from Vancouver and my baby Aiden who just recently celebrated his 1st birthday. Miss you boo!

That is all I can think of that's missed for now, will update as needed.

SKYPE...

...is a LIFESAVER!

that is all.

Missing you gets easier every day
because even though it’s one day
further from the last time we saw each other,
its also one day closer
to the next time we will meet.

Open Letter

Letter from Zaira (aka mommy) that hit close to home and was very comforting:

mommy hasn't talked to you in a really really long time!

i just saw your blog and it's your last full day! i hope you enjoy it A LOT and i want to talk to you soon!
probably once you're back on north american soil - even canadian soil!

be strong littlest one (who has grown up the most) and know that whatever needs to happen in your life, will. and whatever you need to make happen in your life, you will!

ps i love you

Thanks mommy. Love you too.

art that imitates life, or life that imitates art?

"Bruised" - Jack's Mannequin

I've got my things, I'm good to go
You met me at the terminal
Just one more plane ride and it's done

We stood like statues at the gate
Vacation's come and gone too late
There's so much sun where I'm from
I had to give it away, had to give you away

And we spent four days on an
Island at your family's old hotel
Sometimes perfection can be
It can be perfect hell, perfect...

Hours pass, and she still counts the minutes
That I am not there, I swear I didn't mean
For it to feel like this
Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised
And don't fly fast. Oh, pilot can you help me?
Can you make this last? This plane is all I got
So keep it steady, now
Cause every inch you see is bruised

I lace my Chucks, I walk the aisle
I take my pills, the babies cry
All I hear is what's playing through
The in-flight radio
Now every word of every song
I ever heard that made me wanna stay
Is what's playing through
The in-flight radio, and I
And I am, finally waking up

Hours pass, and she still counts the minutes
That I am not there, I swear I didn't mean
For it to feel like this
Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised
Don't fly fast. Oh, pilot can you help me?
Can you make this last? This plane is all I got
So keep it steady, now
Cause every inch you see is bruised

So read your books, but stay out late
Some nights, some nights, and don't think
That you can't stop by the bar
You haven't shown your face here since the bad news
Well I'm here till close, with fingers crossed
Each night cause your place isn't far

And hours pass, and hours pass...

Yeah, yeah, she still counts the minutes
That I am not there, I swear I didn't mean
For it to feel like this
Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised
And don't fly fast. Oh, pilot can you help me?
Can you make this last? This plane is all I got
So keep it steady, now
Cause every inch you see is bruised, bruised, bruised

every inch of me is bruised...

I'm back on Canadian soil. And it feels weirder than I ever thought possible. How can someplace so familiar, a place I've grown up in and spent my whole life in, be so foreign and so different. I've realize now that Sydney had become my home and I now feel homesick for it. Already. It's been about 24 hours since I landed and I've already had to Skype my new/old home twice.

The scene at the airport was quite dramatic, ripped right from a movie. Many tears were involved  and all during the flight as well. And I didn't cry at all when I left home nor were tears shed while saying goodbye to my Sydney family. However, at Kingsford Smith I just couldn't hold it in any longer (OK I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry pretty much from the moment I woke up as well).

And the jetlag. Don't get me started on the jetlag. I'm exhausted all the time but I cannot fall asleep. I am hungry all the time and can't stop eating. The Canadian weather has also decided to jolt me right back into it and it has been snowing all day. I almost forgot about snow. I also forgot the distinct smell of winter. It's been over a year since I've smelt the bitter mix of cold and snow.

Luckily, my family makes me happy. When I am with them I almost forget about how much I miss Sydney. I am also going to see one of my oldest friends tonight who has recently moved to Vancouver. All good things. Let's hope the pain and feeling of loss subsides with time...

...if my body was on fire, you'd watch me burn down in flames...

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! One more full day left in Sydney. Craziness. It is 12:30am and I can't sleep, probably stressing out thinking about what is happening. It didn't really hit me until my last goodbye dinner tonight that I wouldn't be seeing these people--my friends--for an indefinite amount of time. 

[p.s. went to an awesome African restaurant called Radio Cairo for dinner with the best food ever. All the dishes were amazing topped off with the most interesting and yummiest dessert of African Mint Ice Cream. I am so full I don't think I need to eat until next week! I definitely recommend this spot to eat on the north shore.]

My coping mechanisms so far have consisted of getting into stupid fights (in order to make myself feel better about leaving and the person closest to me as miserable as I am), pretending that its just a quick trip home and making grand plans once I get there. Only the last one has proven somewhat productive.

Plans for my last day include a beach outing, centre point tower (which I have surprisingly never done) and quality time with the bf. For now, I will try and watch everything on my foxtel that I've recorded to watch "later" (including this random 90's movie with Mark-Paul Gosselaar--yum!) and google how to adjust to coming home after being away. Hopefully I'll be able to fall asleep soon...

it's a beautiful night, we're looking for something dumb to do...

One week left. Eeeek. At least the crying has stopped (for now).

Been packing half a bag per day and then getting sick of it, but as I only have 2 bags, that's 4 days of packing (one already down). Last weekend will be filled with sightseeing with the bf's family who is in town. Couldn't think of a better way to go. 

I didn't really want to do anything for my goodbye, especially throw a party celebrating it. But I do want to see everyone and spend some quality time, so some low-key goodbye dinners are up next week. Let's see how well I can hold it together! Here we go...

sunday morning rain is falling...

I have officially booked my ticket outta here. I leave February 25th at 4:30pm and will be back on Canadian soil the same day at 3:30pm (woo hoo I gain an hour --  doesn't make up for the whole day I lost on my way over). Even though the date hasn't changed, even though I have been planning on leaving on the same date the whole time, something about booking a plane ticket makes it real. That date is daunting, looming over me like a Sunday afternoon and now everything I do in Sydney is drenched with that same feeling. Everywhere I go, everyone I see is my Sunday afternoon. I try to memorize them and etch them into my memory so I can take them all with me on my travels back home. I treat everything as if its the last time I will be seeing, touching and feeling it though I hope it won't be the last.

On a positive note, I had the most perfect Valentine's day anyone could ever have. I got to go up to North Head with the most beautiful views of the water and the whole city

[SIDENOTE: To be honest, we thought we would avoid the masses and instead of going out for the usual dinner, we decided to have a picnic somewhere beautiful. Due to the rain, the picnic took place in a van with the door open--still pretty romantic. When we got up to North Head, thinking we were all cool and original and better than all the other couples at the same old boring dinner, we found all the carparks full of couples who thought the exact same thing. It was pretty funny and just added to the atmosphere! Still awesome but we just weren't as romantic as we thought we were!]

I realized how much I will miss little things like living so close to the ocean and the view outside my own window. But I won't take it forgranted in the short time that I have left. I hope everyone had a great V-day! :)

Complications...

There are some things I would never take back but admittedly, my life would be a whole lot easier right now if they didn't exist. For example, the amazing friends I've made here in Sydney. Many I met the first week through other friends and many I slowly developed friendships with during uni. It took a whole semester but afterwards, I found my group of new BFF's that I made all on my own. A nice mix of Australians, Americans, a Canadian and even a Dutchie thrown in for good measure. These are the people that became my family when I didn't have one close by. All these people I let into my tightly knit circle are now a part of me that I can't bear to let go and say goodbye to, even though I know we'll be lifelong mates.

Not to mention the biggest complication of all: the boyfriend. Considering we haven't been apart since last year for more than a week at a time (and that was before we were dating) this makes things a lot more complicated. If we never met, never hooked up, never fell for each other, I imagine that though leaving would be hard, it wouldn't break me. After all, I know my friends will visit and I will visit them time to time and we'll keep in touch through skype and stalk each other through Facebook which will get me through the time between visits. But Skype and Facebook are certainly not enough to get me through who-knows-how-long without seeing him. It breaks my heart already and I haven't even booked the plane ticket yet (besides, I always said I was too insecure to be in a long distance relationship haha). 

So though I do sometimes imagine a less complicated world where I didn't find amazing friends and an amazing relationship where leaving would be no big deal and I would actually look forward to going home to my old life and my old friends, I wouldn't take back this mind blowing year filled with the sweetest memories anyone could ever have for anything in the world.

The End Where I Begin

So most blogs start out by documenting the beginning or inception of a special journey or new direction in one's life. Mine will begin at the end of the most thrilling, frightening, exhilarating, satisfying, daunting and wonderful year of my life. The year I up and decided to move half way around the world from Toronto, Canada to Sydney, Australia after never being away from home more than a month in my entire 23 years. 

The past year has been one of many firsts; first goodbye, first apartment, first love, first masters degree, first time living with a boy, etc. etc. It has been a year filled with ups and downs and curve balls thrown at me in every direction. And though I doubted myself, I have come to adore Sydney and living on my own and am quite sad to leave. I will be kicked out of the country, on account of my student visa running out, in a few short weeks and leaving my new Sydney family behind to go back to my old life which I left exactly 382 days ago.

I am both terrified and excited by this move. It is bittersweet as I have come to love my life in Sydney and am depressed just thinking about all the beautiful people I've met--my new family--that I must now leave behind. At the same time I have not seen my family and most of my friends in so long, I am busting to be with them again. It is an odd feeling, much like the one I had when first arriving to Australia. Sad to leave, scared of the future, but so ready and excited to do something new. Another similarity from when I came to now that I'm leaving is the unknown. I had no idea what Sydney would be like, how long I wanted to stay and what would happen. And now I have no idea what being at home will feel like and if I will stay or come back to Sydney. Somehow though, I have always been at peace with not knowing, and if it turns out anything like last year did, then bring it on!