Let's Make a Deal

Image by Pierre-Paul Pariseau, Swerve

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love me a bargain. And these days, I do much of my deal-seeking online.

Have a boo at my latest piece in Swerve all about the wonderful world of online garage sales and auctions. I'm feeling the itch to bid just talking about it!

Canmore B&B for Champions...And Regular Folks Too.

If you're heading to Canmore, and you want a cozy and friendly place to stay, check out the Paintbox Lodge, a boutique B&B hidden in the town's downtown.

What's particularly special about it is that it's run by Olympic Medallist Sara Renner and her World Cup Champion husband, Thomas Grandi. Now, if that doesn't guarantee a breakfast for champions, I don't know what does.

In fact, the lodge offers wonderful cooking classes in its stunning Miele kitchen so it's perfect for a night of wining and dining, and then right off to bed!

Take a look at my story in Avenue Calgary.

Nanny Cam; Yay or Nay?

What do you think of using a nanny cam to monitor you child's caregiver? I'm against it. I think it's an invasion of privacy and a false sense of security. My husband, on the other hand, would be all for it. Anyhow, I duke it out with a fellow parent for Today's Parent magazine. Let me know your thoughts!

California Dreaming

Fresno County's Blossom Trail, photo courtesy of Fresno CVB

I'm just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel after being sicker than I have been for years. I caught the flu--what the doctor tells me is the "most vicious stream" he's seen in years--from none other than my own little cesspool of germs, my dear, sweet toddler, Annabel.

And so I start the New Year, looking fondly back at some of my less flu-stricken times, such as our trip down to California, back in April.

That was our first family trip beyond the borders of Canada, and we decided to road trip from San Francisco to Fresno and then Sacramento. It was a super fun experience, and Jason and I learned a lot about travelling with a wee one as we checked out some lesser-known gems of California.

Here's a look at my story in Avenue Calgary magazine.

You can also learn more about Fresno in my City Palate story. I know, you're thinking, why'd you go to Fresno? Well, read the story and find out. (The story starts on page 42, and it helps to view it on a single-page spread vs. a double.)

Calgary's Big Bird has Chicks, I mean, Franchises

Photo from chickenonthewaycalgary.ca

I had my first piece run in Canadian Business magazine last week. Pretty cool. It was kind of weird to see it in print so quickly because CB is a biweekly pub. Normally, I'm waiting months from the time I file a story to when it publishes. Wrote about how the local fast-food haunt Chicken on the Way has started opening up franchises in a big way. Co-owner Russ Dunn told me they go through about 1700 pieces of chicken on an average day! That's roughly 33 million pieces of chicken since they opened in 1958. That's a lot of poulet!

In addition, this story gave me the chance to work with my former Alberta Venture editor, Mike McCullough, again. He also worked with me at AMPA as a board member before he moved back to Vancouver to take on his current CB gig. It was fantastic to work with an old friend again. Just like editors like to hang onto good writers, writers like to hang onto good editors!

Maui Eats: Pineapple Grill

Annabel colouring a pineapple at Pineapple Grill

I did a lot of, ahem, research on Maui's culinary scene when I was down on the island in September.

Here's my first installment on the Hip & Urban Girl's Guide. First up: The Pineapple Grill with Chef Issac Bancaco. My mouth waters at the thought.

Canadian Living Blog Up and Running!

Hi y'all!
Just an update that my Canadian Living Moms blog is up and running! It's been many months in the making so I hope you'll take the time to check it out and give me your thoughts. The focus of my blog is to talk about what's newsy in the world of parenting--new trends, breaking news, stuff that makes you go hmm...

So talk to me. What commercial recently made you weepy? What politician made you mad? What new product is ingenious? I wanna hear all about it!