One woman’s trash . . .

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Is another woman’s treasure. This saying rings particularly true when it comes to me and antique finds. Anyone who knows me, also knows that I swoon over a dusty phonograph and pine for Victorian button tucked couches. The only problem with antiques is that you usually pay an arm and a leg for them, so when a friend of mine offered to give up two antique picture frames, I was overjoyed and snatched them up right away.

The frames were dated, as they surrounded an array of pressed flowers on a bed of green felt, totally circa 1970. I saw no reason that these brassy frames couldn’t be turned into something chic and stylish to spice up the grey walls of my bedroom.

I’ve always been fascinated with home decor tips that suggest using empty frames to fill a wall space. I almost find it to be counter-intuitive to hang something, that should contain a work of art or glimpse of a memory, with an empty space in the middle. However, after seeing it executed in a way that made the home seem warm instead of empty, I thought the empty frame idea might not be so bad. I also liked the use of this decorating style here and here.

After emptying out the frames, they still needed to be spruced up.The brassy edges were tarnished and gold simply isn’t part of my interior decor colour palette. I saw great potential in these two pieces as intense black frames and the DIY process of making them new-age chic was so simple!

This is what you need:

I used an auto-air colour paint, usually used for car touch-ups, because it will adhere best to metals. After 12 hours of drying, the frames were ready to hang.

As you can see, a very simple process for a rewarding final product. . .

Tell us what you think about picture frames with no pictures! Chic or cold? Ala mode or overdone?

When The Going Gets Tough…

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Most of the time, it’s easy for me to know that I lead a wonderful life and am incredibly blessed. But sometimes, just like everyone else, I get in a funk when life takes a tailspin. The combination of a lot of little things and a few big things have literally felt like a downward spiral that makes me want to run into a dark cave and hide until the invevitable upswing HAS to happen.

Oh hey, cave. It's me, Meghan.

But, since the world keeps on spinning and I don’t have any mysterious caves just around the corner, I’ve had to face this like everyone else. Luckily, I have the most wonderful friends who put up with the various emotions that are associated with a bad day, week, month… When I’ve been angry and frustrated or when I’ve been a complete mess and shed some tears, they have been there with positive thoughts, prayers, advice and support.

And so, this is an ode to my friends, nuts and otherwise, you are all the little rays of sunshine that make life a bit more bearable when it seems like it’s spinning out of control. Here are a few of my favourite movie moments that show just how great girlfriends can be…

Sex and the City
While I’m nowehere near the point in life where motherhood woes are beating me down, the fact that Miranda encourages Charlotte with “sips” is just too perfect. From experience, sometimes a little tequila is all you need…


The Babysitters Club Movie

This blast from the past is exactly how I feel about my friends. When the world is dumping on you, whether metaphorically or literally like the rain storm in this scene, sometimes you just need to be rescued by your friends.


Now and Then

And sometimes, you just need your friends to help you kick some ass!


Thelma & Louise

And well, let’s hope that I never go so far off the deep end that the deep end is a canyon. But, the best part about my friends is that I know if I had to, they’d all be ready to ride shotgun…in a nutshell.

The Bachelor Recap – Episode 8: Chariot or chug, baton or bust, talk or tears, wedding or RUN.

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“You are the company you keep.”

Right?

I mostly agree with this statement. I think in general, the people you surround yourself with can say a lot about you. For example, me and my best girls, we’re all “nuts”. Ha. Seriously though.

But, does the statement still apply when it comes to family? Is it possible to be a completely sane, normal functioning human but have a family that belongs on a TLC after school special “The Terror Within”? Or what if you’re parents seem lovely but you’re completely cray … Teenage angst? Black sheep? Forgotten child?

In any case, the Bach leading ladies were on a quest to prove that they really are “the one” for Benny Boy with aid from a few family members. What we found was one cool family, one adorable Dad, one still crazy girl and a one sure fire send home.

Lindzi’s date started with … wayyyyyy too much makeup.

Tone it down, Lindzi!

Seriously, the girl has got to tone it down. She is so pretty! About 10 layers of makeup and 40 minutes less a week in the tanning bed and she’d be golden (no pub intended).

Lindzi also rehashed her “Welcome to dumpsville, population you” story. Now, let’s discuss this. I seriously thought that was just her shtick to get on the show. I mean, come on… WHAT adult would EVER say something like that? It’s impossible. So when she opened up about the fact that she thought she was going to marry Mr. Dumpsville I was floored. Completely shocked. HOW could a normal, sane, pretty young woman be with someone capable of such idiocy and more importantly, WHY would you ever admit it?

She also admitted that Dumpsville was her only ever boyfriend, which means she’ll probably blow it on the fantasy date. “That or Ben’s going to faint when her entire face rubs off on her pillow.” – Jess, on the sole inhabitant of dumpsville.

If the girls are to be judged by their parents, then Lindzi redeemed herself big time. Her folks seem fun loving, wild and RICH. Just an everyday chariot race to start the evening off. Followed by Smores and lots of drinks meant that this date was more fun then most of Ben’s. Where can Mr. Harry Cox (YES, that is her father’s name) sign up to be the next Bachelor? WHERE.

If  you watched the show last night, you’ll know that Kacie B was just DOOMED from the get go. Her marching band, baton-twirling entrance made us all cover our eyes in terror.

@inanutshellca "I can't speak. I feel like this is a scene from drop dead gorgeous." - @JessHuddles #thebachelor

She then proceeded to yap like a small dog when she flung herself into Ben’s arms, despite how it rained on her parade. Literally. It was raining and she legit brought a parade. Imbecile.

The beginning portion of the date did however allow us to contemplate what kind of atrocious mane of a head would be created if Ben and Kacie were to breed. Shudder. We think this likeness of Ben pretty much sums it up:

If the hair, marching band and overall lackluster performance of the opening part of Kacie B’s date didn’t solidify her limo ride home, her parents definitely put the seal on that envelope. Holy mother of Mary.

This. is. a. disaster.

Were they ever on Team “Loathe Ben” … from her Mom telling him they didn’t want them to live together after engagement … to her Dad just flat out disagreeing with the whole scenario, this date was more awkward, less …anything positive. Ben handled it well tho: “I have feelings for your daughter andalsosomeoftheotherwomen.” Just DYING to get outta there.

As always, our male correspondent @Bakkesy summed it up best:

@Bakkesy: Just apple juices and long, weird talks at the Kacie B household. #getmeoutofhere @BenFlajnik

Overall the B family was just brutal.

@inanutshellca “Wow. I completely foresee Kacie B blowing up her family home after this.” – @JessHuddles #thebachelor

Of course the real main event was finding out what kind of creatures Courtney spawned from. No wonder they kept this hometown date for last, we were getting antsy about it four minutes into the show.

@inanutshellca Waiting with bated breath to see the cyborgs that are Courtney’s parents. #thebachelor

But one more date stood in our way, Nicki’s. Can’t say we were made about it at all. Nicki’s date was fun and cute and NORMAL. Despite coming from a divorced family, her parents came together to make Ben feel special and welcome. Nicki’s Dad made our room full of Daddy’s girl die with his adorable speech about protecting his daughter. And so, Nicki sails into first place as our favourite and … NICKI’S DAD WINS MVBD (Most Valuable Bach-Daddy). Way to go you soft hearted, weeping, rock of a man.

 @Bakkesy Not a dry eye in the place with @jamesmay021 #Lyon #Thebachelor

“If the Dad is crying do they lose extra points?”  – Meg, on being ruthless in our #BachPool.

Cyborg time.

Mom-myyy?

Despite the fact that Courtney’s dad wore a terrible argyle vest, Courtney’s mom looked like a female Bruce Jenner and Courtney’s sister openly talked about the skinny dipping date in front of her parents … the whole fam was borderline normal. It was upsetting. Seriously. I could not WAIT to see what kind of spells they were going to cook up over a cauldron while Ben ate a gingerbread cookie.

But alas, Cray Courtney almost seemed normal for a few minutes … UNTIL. She left the relatively normal fam and decided to venture out on her own to stage a FAKE wedding. WHAT!? If this had happened with any other girl Benny Boy would have ran for the hills. In fact, I was sort of pleased as it was happening because I thought he just might. But, the lovesick little winemaker is clearly enamored with the SUPER intelligent and sweet (please!) model. Yuck. If a fake wedding can’t deter him from this backstabbing brunette, then it’s a done deal. They should have just ACTUALLY performed the wedding right then and there. Shucks.

IS THIS HAPPENING!?

We all let out a sigh of relief to see Ben back in L.A and back in the arms of Chris. B. Harrison. Wish he was a Bachelor option, always knows just what to say … almost like it was scripted.

Just a truly compassionate individual

But, despite deliberations about who was going home it was clear from the first twirl. Bye bye Kacie. Shockingly she showed an incredible amount of class and grace as she said her goodbyes to Ben and left the premises. Only to unleash the FURY when alone in the limo. Poor sweet Kacie B. was dropping f-bombs like it was her job and was not doubt plotting the arson that will take place on her family home. No hearts in the sky with her hands tonight, I’m afraid.

And so ends another thrilling episode of the season and another BachyParty for the books. A family day well spent with our Bach Fam. Nothing brings people closer like blood boiling drama …

#BachPool Standings

Shannon 411
Kate 398
Rhiannon 328
Jess 299
Catherine 293
Meghan 227

To make myself feel better about my dismal standings ... here's Jenna. I miss her. #Jennaiscray

The Bad Kind of Mind-Blowing

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Do you find yourself contemplating a single moment for days on end? Rehearsing a split second remark, choice of words or glance over and over again? Don’t you wish you could rid your mind of all the second guessing and scrutinizing? Does this sound like an infomercial yet? All questions aside, there’s no doubt in my mind that many of our readers suffer from the acutely widespread infirmity of overthinking. If I’m incorrect in my assumption, I know that you’ve at least listened to a friend ponder, analyze and question incessantly, all the while wondering to yourself when it will end and what you can say to make it stop.

Other than being a complete waste of perfectly productive thinking time, overanalyzing is often an altogether negative activity. The longer you question a given scenario, the more room you leave for damaging conclusions. Without sounding like a self-help expert or a Dr. Phil episode, I believe that taking the time to become aware of a habit like overthinking is important, and having the ability to control it will make room for fresh and fruitful reasoning. Tina Fey once said, ”You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” While I’m sure you spend your time analyzing more serious situations, the premise of it all is right there in her words. Overthinking will get you nowhere. If you haven’t thought of whatever you’re searching for already, it’s not going to magically appear amidst your ridiculous assumptions and doubts. The key to stopping this futile process is in the following steps, and if I’m wrong, then at least I’ve distracted you for a few moments.

1. Acknowledge If you’ve ever stopped and said the words “am I overthinking this?” You probably are. Once you’re aware of the process, you’ll begin to notice yourself doing it more and more. Instead of brushing off the label you’ve given your activity, stop yourself from continuing and be aware of it the next time it happens …and the next time.

2. Don’t Assume This is probably the most toxic thought process out there. Making assumptions about people or situations is incredibly unproductive, and most of the time we don’t even know we’re making them. Be conscious of the thoughts you have…are they fact, or is that wild imagination of yours secretly at play? The more overthinking you do, the more assumptions you’ll likely make.

3. Talk it Through Of course there’s no way around actually tackling a subject that’s bothering you. But if you keep it in rather than talk it through, it will remain in your puzzled brain for way too long. Discuss things with someone who’s removed from the situation and make it brief. Overthinking can happen out loud too!

4. Get a Hobby If you’re at the point where your thinking process is overworked and unproductive, do something that you love to get your mind off things. Go for a run, write a blog post, read a book, cook a meal…whatever it takes to get your head out of the gutter.

5. Tackle the Problem If the thing you’re contemplating is a serious matter that you truly can’t shake, tackle it head on rather than mulling it over for weeks. Call the friend who upset you, approach your boyfriend about his behavior, write a letter, do whatever it takes. You may find out the person never knew this was an issue.

6. Forget about Perfection A lot of thinking time is spent worrying about our behaviour, our words or any other possible formula of situations. Remember that nobody’s perfect and fretting about the past will truly get you nowhere. Many of the mistakes you make will be forgotten by others, only to remain on your list of regrets. Try not to put yourself up on a pedestal, you have plenty of time for redemption.

7. Be Proactive If there’s anything good that can come out of overthinking, it’s a lesson. If you feel bad about your behavior, take a mental note for next time, and then move on. Feeling sorry for something you can’t resolve is, again, pointless.

8. Look Ahead Remember when you were in high school and every crush, every exam, every argument seemed so monumental? As much as those teenage years are our most dramatic, we don’t really stop thinking that way. When you’re worrying about something, thinking about how important it will be in 6 months might help calm you down. Remember, it’s all relative.

Evidently, there are certain thoughts that you’ll never escape, some more serious than others. But no matter what, controlling the time you spend analyzing a problem is definitely something you can tackle and managing unhealthy thoughts is important for your mental health. There’s nothing worse than wasting your time on a problem you’ve assumed exists, and keeping it all in will only make your habits worse. While quitting cold turkey is definitely not an option, limiting the time you spend scrutinizing is completely feasible …in a nutshell. 

Go to Town.

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Ottawa has finally seen its first inkling of a Montreal-style bistro. Humming with good vibrations, Town has managed to cup its hand around the coal of “trendy” and amalgamates it with decadent food, fine service and a spicy wine list.

Can you tell that this will be a rave review?

Town is located in the heart of the golden triangle and stretches back along a narrow  piece of real estate which enormously lends to that wonderful cosmopolitan vibe. It is tiny and cozy, not to mention the place is always packed.The service is wonderfully attentive without being invasive and the servers know their sh*t.

On to the food.

Well, I couldn’t have been happier. Tuna tartare with truffle oil? Yes please. Beef Carpaggio? Bring it on. Ricotta stuffed meatballs? Err, not something I would usually order on a menu but folks, this dish is beautiful. You can practically cut the meatballs with a straw. The wine list was also perfectly suited to a restaurant of this caliber. Many of the eye catching bottles were also offered by the glass- a must in a small plates establishment. Did I mention that not only do they offer an array of small plates for the variety-nosher, but also a good selection of hearty entrees as well.

It seems like Town has it all, at least enough to keep this foodie happy and going back for more.

Town

296 Elgin St.

613.695.8696

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Friday’s Fashion Fix

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We’ve heard it time and time again…winter forces our floral, colorful, bold items to hibernation, releasing those drab and dull pieces that do nothing for us but keep us warm. Rather than bringing out your summer pieces and reinventing them with layering, I think it’s more worthwhile to look at colour combinations that satisfy the yearning for rejuvenation while keeping you season-appropriate. Seeking out a warm coat in a fresh hue will breathe new life into your day-to-day routine, and reaching for a bright pant will offer your chunky sweaters a fun, new playmate.
Grey is a go-to in cold months, but pairing it with denim or black is way too expected. Add a soft pink to your look, and maybe even a touch of silver. Winter wardrobe made fresh indeed.
An icy blue shade for winter is so ideal. Add to that your deepest purple and you’ve got yourself a lovely pairing. Green has been absolutely everywhere this season, especially that dark evergreen that us Canadians know so well. Spice things up with a pop of pink mixed with neutrals and you’re head-to-toe in winter color blocking.
Next time you’re feeling colourful, grab two shades of bright rather than one, mix and match tones and textures, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes; all this for a look that says the winter blues don’t exist in my world …in a nutshell.

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Beating the left behind blues

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As you get older, it’s inevitable that the list of things you’re going to miss from your younger years continues to grow and grow. In elementary school you start to miss bedtime stories and getting away with refusing to go anywhere unless the means of transportation was your Dad’s back or shoulders. In high school, you miss having three recesses and your mom make your lunch (with a note!). In university you start to miss living free, essays that were two pages long and having someone shake you awake in time for class.
And while I’ve coped pretty decently with all of the above thus far, I’ve made my way to another stage of my life. The working world. And while I CAN appreciate the hefty paycheque, lack of homework and post-5 pm cocktails … there is definitely a long list of things I look back on fondly from my younger years.

The biggest, of which being: TIME. OFF.

Monday marks the beginning of “reading week” for university students in Ottawa and just around the corner is March Break … so while I toil away day in and day out at my desk, it feels like the whole world is departing on vacation. Talks of Mexico, Dominican, Cuba, Florida, Greece are starting to wear away at my psyche. It’s practically all I can do from showing up to work in a bikini and creating vats of sangria in the office coffe pot.

But alas, I suppose I’ll keep my composure. And while my eyes may twitch at the phrase “I need to start packing” or “base tan” I have found my own little ways to trick my brain into thinking, I too, am just a few days away from being a beached whale on a coast somewhere, being fed grapes by a newly friended squirrel monkey. Sigh.

So for my most recent dinner party I made an appetizer that made me think of balconies, ocean waves and coronas instead of the more depressing reality of salt-stained boots, anti-freeze and shovels.

Easy-Peasy Coconut Shrimp Recipe + Sauce

Ingredients

SHRIMP:
- bag of approximately 24 raw shrimp, peeled
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut

SAUCE:
1 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish

SHRIMP directions

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

-Beat the eggs in a cereal-sized bowl

- Pour flour into another small bowl and play coconut into a third

- Take a shrimp and dip it in the following order: flour, egg, flour again, coconut. You must be a little extra agressive at the coconut stage, to make sure each shrimp gets well coated.

- Place shrimp on a non-stick baking sheet

- Repeat the process until desired quantity of shrimp is finished

Place the baking sheet in the pre-heated oven and let the shrimp bake for 10 – 12 minutes, or until golden brown. ** Note: For extra crispy shrimp, fry in a pan with a bit of oil. **

SAUCE directions

Combine marmalade, dijon and horseradish and stir well. For added sweetness, add a drop of honey. Serve together.

…And voila! Pull out the old blender, make a batch of rum-heavy daquiris, put on your best “sounds of the sea” CD and kick back with your feast. For any working gal that is chained to your desk, like I am, it will ALMOST do the trick.

Wanting this.