Another year has come and gone and we couldn’t be happier that inanutshell is still going strong! 2013 brought many things to us nuts and we’re so proud that our blog has continued to grow with us and reflect our ever-changing interests and adventures.
Jess, as always, kept our ears happy, with posts about musical acts to fill our iPods. She brought us some awesome playlists, made us proud to be Canadian, and even gave us some guilty pleasure workout jams to keep us motivated in the gym. She also put together a list of great kid-friendly music, for parents (and cool aunts & uncles) to share with youngsters. She went outside of her comfort zone this year and finally tried yoga. She wrote an interesting piece about tattoos and inspired our readers to enjoy a stay-cation in loo of a vacation. She also gave her insight into music festival season. Then she treated us with an inside look at Polaris Music Festival and Gentlemen of the Road in Simcoe. And, if all that weren’t enough, she wrote one of our most popular posts of the year, about loving all the right people.
Kate, our resident foodie, took us all over Ottawa’s restaurant scene this year, with reviews of some of the best places in town. She shared her experiences of Elgin’s new sensation El Camino, long-time favourite, Murray Street, Westboro’s gem Supply and Demand, the delicious Albion Rooms in the Novotel and many more. She also got picked to try one of Ottawa’s most mysterious and prestigious foodie events, Eat Cobra, which was one of 2013’s highlights. But, Kate isn’t only a restaurant connessour, she actually gets her hands dirty in the kitchen too. This year, two of her best recipes included some delicious fish tacos and a refreshing tzaziki salad. She also got Gatzby Fever (who didn’t) and was happy to show us her knack for interior decorating in her new apartment. Last, but certainly not least, she shared her vast knowledge of wine with us when she posted about her trip to Niagara, her tasting with Rosewood Estates, and gave us some suggestions for more home-grown favourites.
Kaylee, known as our resident fashionista, really showed us how well-rounded she is in 2013. She taught us how to dress in the bitter cold (you’re welcome, seeing as it’s -36 as I type this), and how to stay stylish all year round as well. She also highlighted some menswear, which our male readers loved. But, aside from her insight of the runway, she also gave us a look into some Toronto hotspots and events, including Rock Lobster, the Flower Market and the Louboutin Exhibit. She blogged about her experience at Gentlemen of the Road and taught us to be spontaneous. She also challenged herself to complete Sobuary and plant herself a home garden in the city. She showed off her crafty side and made herself a DIY cork board, which made all the other nuts extremely jealous. Finally, she made us girls take a good, long, hard look in the mirror after undertaking a social experiment to see why girls are so mean to each other.
Like years before, 2013 saw some really fantastic newsworthy stories from Catherine. She talked about those pesky Sens, Rob Ford and Miley Cyrus when they garnered high media coverage (for very different reasons). She got personal when she talked about the quarter-life crisis, that all the nuts experienced at some time or another over 2013. She brought us the hilarious post about the 14 guys every girl meets, which was another top-viewed post of the year. And, like always, she provided us with some awesome bucket lists to spice up the seasons. She challenged herself physically, when she attempted and then successfully completed a 30 day yoga challenge, which was so impressive to all of us nuts. She took the reigns when the Ottawa chapter cooked live lobster, which was terrifying but delicious. That wasn’t her only highlight in the kitchen, though. She also brought us her homemade chili recipe and some quick and easy breakfast ideas for busy gals on the go. Then, she showed us inside looks into her trips to Niagara Falls and Dublin. Finally, she’s challenged all of us to be kind going into 2014, and I couldn’t agree more with her sentiment.
As for me, well, I got to try Ottawa’s best breakfast spot and got to tag along with Kate to two installments of Chef’s Night at Oz Kafe, which both blew my mind. But, I wasn’t only eating out. I also spent some time in the kitchen, whipping up some simple salads with quinoa, vegetable pasta and avocado. I did a feature post called Eat This, Not That which was popular with our readers because it focused on alternative snack ideas and, still on the healthy kick, I blogged about a lecture I attended on how to live to be 100. I looked at some interior decorating tips and re-vamp tips for tired places around the house and I gave my honest commentary (from my couch) on two of Hollywood’s biggest events, The Golden Globes and The Oscars. I also did posts on some of my favourite holidays including Valentine’s Day, Canada Day and Halloween, including a how-to for the coolest mummy-cupcakes. Finally, in keeping with one of our main nutshell themes, I focused on lots of local events this past year, with installments for every season.
As you can see, we’ve been busy here over the past year and we can’t wait to keep bringing you new, fresh content over the course of 2014. As always, we love to hear from you so if you have any ideas, please feel free to reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by e-mail at [email protected]. Happy New Year!
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