Prix D'Excellence

Very proud for the continued success of the team I have the opportunity to work with. We recently picked up another award, The Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) Silver Prix D'Excellence for Best PR/Marketing/Communications Initiative for "Catch Your Career Dream", a campaign promoting Indigenous student success stories. The campaign included a wall calendar, social media component and web presence. My role was art/creative direction and design. 

Guided by the principles of reconciliation and a goal to create long-term positive change, the indigenization efforts of the organization I work for holistically integrate Indigenous ways of knowing, teaching and learning into practices, procedures and services. Indigenization is our social and collective responsibility and it enriches and benefits all aspects of our institutional culture.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Lavender Cookies 🇫🇷

Throughout my travels, I've had the opportunity to try many new foods and unique flavour combinations. One country in particular has really opened my eyes and palette to a new world of culinary possibilities: birthplace of Le Cordon Bleu, France. 

France has not only mastered taste, but also visual presentation. It is a feast for the eyes as well as the tongue. A plated dinner is a work of art that elicits a gasp; walking into a French bakery is sensory overload with beautiful, unexpected bursts of colour hinting at the explosion of flavour to follow. Now that I'm learning to cook and bake, I want to bring this experience to my own kitchen. 

I recently put this into practice by baking dark chocolate lavender cookies. France incorporates a number of floral notes into its cuisine and while some are an acquired taste – I've had a rose spread from Versailles that has lingered, for the most part unused, in my cupboard since forever – lavender paired with rich dark chocolate makes for a heavenly, decadent dessert. Primarily cultivated in the Provence region of the country, the herb is a member of the mint family and adds a sweet, citrusy note to cooking. 

I scoured the internet for a recipe to use as a base and then modified according to my own preferences (bit more chocolate and of a richer variety; slightly less lavender as I didn't want it to overpower). One bite of the finished product and I was transported right back to the banks of the River Seine. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp red dutch process cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp lavender buds
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large omega-3 eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp organic Madagascan vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups 70% dark chocolate chips
• powdered sugar for presentation

1. Lightly crush lavender buds.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and lavender. Stir until mixed well. 

3.  In a large-sized bowl, whisk softened butter with brown and granulated sugars. Add eggs and vanilla extract and then whisk more until it develops a creamy texture. 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Add dark chocolate and mix until blended. 

5. Let stand in refrigerator for 24 hours for flavours to settle. 

6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking tray with tinfoil and then scoop approximately 12 balls on top. Bake for 12 minutes. Repeat until all dough is used (should make approximately two dozen cookies). Sprinkle with powdered sugar for presentation. 

Manchester

The first real concert I went to was the Smashing Pumpkins' "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" tour. I was sixteen. My mother - yes, my mother - accompanied me. The music was as good as it could have been in an arena that lacked proper acoustics but it was memorable moreso for these two occurrences:

1) when the band's bassist, D'Arcy, decided to make fun of my home and native land (and the crowd appropriately booed her in unison); and, 

2) being thoroughly mortified after running into a much cooler classmate who appeared to be there without either of his parents acting as date for the night. 

The cool. The uncool. Showing adulation or heaping scorn. The concert is a great uniter of people from all backgrounds seeking a common, shared experience through the power of music. Years later, I would return with my mother – yes, my awesome mother – to Winnipeg's newly built arena to witness the commander of Beyoncé in person in which 16,000+ people of all colour and creed danced along to every single beat. Heck, I STILL practice those moves to this day in the privacy of my condo (with the blinds closed). Or how could I forget the epic Paul McCartney show when 33,000+ people filled the evening's amethyst sky with harmony while singing along to "Hey Jude"? I felt chills! It was magic. And I haven't even gotten into the M.I.A. and The Hives shows that have provided some of the greatest moments of my life. 

The concert allows people to unwind together and to dream together, amongst strangers, amongst friends. It invites new memories, while a lyric may initiate reminiscing over old ones. It is supposed to be a safe space for all, if only for one night.

As the world seems to become darker day by day, we must remember that light. 

Playing with the Universe

Ask and ye shall receive.

I've noticed that when I start to desire something in life, the universe somehow conspires to make it happen. This is rather fortunate, even though it may not always be exactly what I want (or initially expect it to be). Case in point, over the past few weeks I have been vocalizing my desire within the office to become more involved in international assignments. I met with the department manager to learn about specific qualifications required and where my current skillset needs further refinement. I even started researching degrees I could obtain to help become successful in the area, such as in the International Relations or Political Science fields.

Just a few days ago, I even posted a story from Humans of New York that described a longing to take on new challenges and become "a tourist in one's own life". It spoke to me deeply. It was incredibly reassuring to know that others feel this need for adventure and risk, that to most may seem foolhardy. My siren call to the universe was growing louder and louder. 

And then, just yesterday, I received a response. 

Yesterday, I was contacted by a senior recruiter at a foreign university informing me of an available position I might be interested in. The position is similar to my current role in design and would be a lateral move. The country, however, would provide plenty of the "challenges" I seek; located in the middle east, the country is one of the wealthiest in the world – and the remuneration received, including accommodation, would be reflective of that. However, it is also a place where my gender is not treated with equality. While the University compound and surrounding area itself appear a bit more "liberal", this would counter my own beliefs and expectations of freedom in society. 

Part of it feels right. But it doesn't feel right now. The experience, insight and understanding I could gain by living in a foreign country, even if only for a year or two, would be immeasurable to my personal growth. And, to be honest, the opportunity to make more money than I've ever dreamed is also very intriguing. But leaving people I love and need to care for right now is also not negotiable. I feel very conflicted. 

I am comfortable but I am complacent. I don't know which will influence my decisions in life moving forward, but part of me knows the universe is listening and will give me what I need. 

A Tourist in Your Own Life

Humans of New York started out as a blog dedicated to showing street portraits of the city's diverse inhabitants. It has since expanded globally and also shares stories as well. Some are humorous. Some are heart-warming. My favourite, though, are the poignant, revealing confessions that normally remain buried in our hearts and hold weight on our souls. The confessions that delve deep into what it actually means to be human. 

The following was posted on the blog this week. As I read it, I felt pause and then an overwhelming sense of empathy. I feel like I could have written it myself:

In loving memory

Some of my earliest memories in life happened at my maternal grandparent's house. The maroon-coloured bi-level home was located in Saint Boniface, Winnipeg's main French district. My mother's family had moved there years earlier after relocating from the Quebec interior. They were French to the core, with the language being the only tongue spoken. I remember entertaining myself as they conversed, wandering about the house while "playing" with my imaginary friends. My earliest memory, in fact, is of finding a toy dinosaur (brontosaurus) while exploring their unfinished basement. I don't know why this particular recollection has stayed with me all these years but it remains as vivid as yesterday. 

I also recall the decor of the home being quite lavish to my childhood eyes, with everything perfectly, painstakingly colour coordinated. Everything in the bathroom, including tub, sink and tile, was a light pink akin to Pepto Bismol. The living room was various shades of dark green with the carpet resembling moss growing beneath my feet. It was in this space that I recall my first taste of beer as two of my cousins dared each other to sneakily take a sip from my grandfather's stein. I joined in. It was repulsive to my childhood self, and, admittedly, still is today. Between taste and touch and sight, this home and the colourful people within it slowly set the path for me to become the woman I am today. 

As a result of family turmoil and the unravelling of their nuclear unit, I lost touch with my grandfather for many years. Decades. The last I saw him was at my father's funeral in 2014. He had seen the obituary in the local newspaper and used the day to extend an olive branch towards my mother. During a day of much sadness, the reunion was a positive highlight. A reminder that forgiveness and love are pivotal in human wellbeing. 

This past Sunday, I learned from my mother that my grandfather had passed away at the age of ninety-one. It was a long life filled with more hardship than he deserved to carry but he also left a long legacy of which I am proud to have a part in. 

May he rest in peace. 

Bon Appétit

Over the past while, I've been developing a skill that most who've known me from a past life might be shocked by. I am learning how to cook and bake and am thoroughly enjoying it.

It started out with someone in my life making the effort to cook meals from scratch for me and educate me about the harmful effects of processed foods. Admittedly, I wasn't entirely on board with this at the beginning. I chose to live in ignorance. I enjoyed returning home after a stressful day of work and doing the absolute bare minimum in terms of giving myself sustenance because I just didn't have the energy. I preferred to nurture myself with sin rather than something wholesome because I believed its enticement was unfeigned. 

I remember many a car ride while driving past the golden arches in which I defiantly proclaimed "just let me have a freakin' burger!". 

But my friend was unbowed. He continued to demonstrate the creativity that could be utilized in the kitchen and this drew me in. Food wasn't just food anymore. There was a blend of artistry and science that compelled me to explore on my own. 

And now I've become a food snob. 

I am just in the initial stages but my eating habits have completed changed. I no longer crave fast food or anything that is convenient in the frozen aisle. I visit the grocery several times a week and buy everything fresh and - as was taught - make as much from scratch as possible. While work stress remains, I genuinely look forward to returning home and spending time in my kitchen, mixing and seasoning, chopping and kneading. In a sense, I now preserve my energy for it. It has become my time for zen. A moment with myself where I get to nourish both my belly and mind. 

Perhaps the best compliment I've received on this new path is from my best friend (and now tastetester). After sampling some sticky toffee pudding I made, her reaction was "if I were a dude, I'd marry you."

Bon appétit. 

---

Last weekend I baked pumpkin chai muffins. They were absolutely delicious! The recipe can by found in the amazing cookbook "All The Sweet Things".  

Book Recommendations

The Vanished: The Evaporated People of Japan in Stories and Photographs
Written by Léna Mauger and Stéphane Remael

Over the past couple years, I've fantasized about disappearing. I'm not sure if this is a part of life that everyone goes through at some point, a rejection of adult responsibilities and societal obligations that increasingly seem outdated and moot. Perhaps it's just daydream nation needing a distraction from the everyday monotony or, now, everyday chaos. I do think about it a lot though. To the point where I'm aware of how far my meagre savings will go towards the alternate existence I have mapped out in my head should I ever choose it.

There are, of course, people that willingly walk away from their lives. It is actually a big phenomena in Japan where nearly one hundred thousand people vanish without a trace each year. I recently read the book "The Vanished: The "Evaporated People of Japan in Stories in Photographs" which tells some of these stories (anonymously for the most part, of course). It was a fascinating read that described an insane corporate culture where business has an iron grip on employees. A culture where deviation from the norm can bring about the deepest shame. 

Some of the "romance" of vanishing into thin air was washed away after reading this. But it also gave me more insight into why I might be harbouring the desire in the first place. 

Favourite line: "Often, that's all they're waiting for, a word, a gesture."

---

All The Sweet Things: Baked Goods and Stories from the Kitchen of Sweetsugarbean
Written by Renée Kohlman

I have never been a cook. Surely never a baker. But when a friend noticed how much I was spending on dining out (and all the unhealthy processed foods I was eating when at home), he started teaching me how to cook. A few lessons later and I discovered that I could make meals as good, if not better, than what I was getting at my favourite restaurants. Cooking has become my new passion. With my art & design background, I not only want to make things taste good but look amazing too (as none of my taste-testers have fallen ill, I'd say that I am successful thus far). 

Canadian-based blogger Sweetsugarbean recently released a very beautiful, easy to follow cookbook that focuses on "All the Sweet Things". I have tried a few recipes so far – including a very easy, very tasty raspberry clafoutis – and am highly recommending it. My summer goal is to make a new dish each week. Follow me on Instagram to see the results. 

Vintage Clague