Bragging about Bragg Creek

Got the chance to write about the little hamlet where I live, Bragg Creek, in the May/June issue of Where Calgary. Bragg has all sorts of wonderful offerings, and is located about 25 minutes west of Calgary. (I know it says 45 minutes in the story, but that's from downtown, and frankly, for slow drivers!) Five years in, I'm still really glad we made the move, especially when it's a nice summer day with the birds and deer frolicking in my yard, and you can see the mountains in the distance. Ahhhh. Come for a visit, will ya?

BC Delights: Sea Salish Chocolate Bars

So I'm working away, and I start to have a severe sugar craving. There's no point in trying to ignore it. Such cravings never just go away on their own. That's when I remember the box of Salish Sea Chocolate Bars given to me by Tourism BC and its partners. They were in town last month and graciously hosted a bunch of us journos to a delicious meal at Model Milk restaurant. The menu showcased BC goods of course, and I enjoyed Dungeness Crab and Macadamia, BC Steelhead (wow!) and polished things off with a serving of Lemon and Okanagan Blueberry Pot au Creme. My mouth salivates at the memory.

It all makes me eager for my next trip to BC, happening most likely in July. In the meantime, these "Crow Bars" will have to tide me over. (I'm enjoying the play on words of the name though I'm not sure it's deliberate.) Check out the amazing artwork by Jim Hart on the packaging and the bar itself. You can see my craving could not wait until after the photo was taken...yum, yum, yum.

San Francisco, How I Adore Thee

Last month, I took a trip down to California with San Francisco as my first stop. It'd been 10 years since I was last there and my circumstances had changed a lot. The first time I was a recent uni grad just itching to get away so I flew down to stay with my buddy Dan. At the time, he lived in the Mission, which sounds cool, and sort of is if you don't mind that it's also really ghetto. In fact, I still remember his strict instructions regarding taking the BART. "Make sure to get off at the second Mission stop. Fewer crackheads there." It was a week of taking in the sights (e.g., Alcatraz at night!), staying up late, frequenting bars and a lot of walking around and stumbling on uneven pavement.

Annabel at Alamo Square in front of the famous "Painted Ladies"

This time around, I went with my hubby and 18-month-old daughter Annabel. Needless to say, there were no late nights and no bars, but no crackheads either. We still did a lot of walking around, but this time with a stroller in tow. And my buddy Dan is now a married father of three so our reunion was hardly rowdy! Regardless, I still had a great time and this city by the bay remains one of my favourite places. Have a boo at my story in the Hip & Urban Girl's Guide.

Feeding Baby...Without Going Crazy

Annabel's first feeding; not sure if she's digging it!

I made the decision early on that I would at least try to make all of Annabel's baby food for nutritional and financial reasons. But that doesn't mean it was always easy especially since I'm not exactly Julia Child. Plus, Annabel is quickly becoming a bonafide Picky-Pants. Still, it was worth the effort. See my story in the May/June issue of City Palate, now on stands! (The story is on page 20, and be sure to use the zoom tool at the top of the screen.)