WND Cooking Class 2!

Tonight, in our second cooking class, we made:

• Vegetable Tortellini Soup
• Greek Village Salad
• Spinach Pie
• Strawberry Shortcakes

I liked it all except the Spinach Pie. It was alright, but I think I would prefer them as small hors d'oeuvres with the phyllo wrapped around the filling rather than as an entire pie.

Strawberry Shortcakes were yummy! They were my favourite of the list above!

Week 19 comparison...

Here's Di and I at Week 19. I took her photo off her blog just to compare.... do you see what I see?? Why is ONE of us so much bigger?!? (No 9-pounder, no 9-pounder...)

Wednesday Night Cooking!

Tanaz and I had our first cooking class tonight! We signed up for a class in Markham called Good, Fast & Cheap!

I actually really enjoyed it! The teacher is good at giving small tips and advice such as how to cut vegetables/fruit easily, using your knife properly, what kinds of ingredients to buy that's healthier, etc... plus she's funny! Not to mention she said I had a great smile! hehe

Each week we'll be making a soup, salad, main course and dessert! Tonight we made:

• Cream of Tomato Soup
• Grilled Asparagus and Melon Salad
• Beef & Mango Wraps
• Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes with Walnuts

I thoroughly enjoyed each item we made... she's got great taste! It was hilarious though, because when Tanaz signed us up she used her sister's account to register me into the class (it's cheaper when you're a Markham resident - which I am not!). So the entire class thinks my name is FARAH! We had name tags today, and the teacher asked "Farah, can you please go into the fridge and get the prosciuitto?"... it took a second for me to realize that she was talking to me! haha. And then the whole class thinks that's my name, so I just have to remember to respond to it!! :)

Earthquake in Toronto??

We all felt it - well, most of us anyway. What were you doing at the time of the earthquake? (at around 1:41pm today)

I was having lunch with my sisters and a co-worker of theirs. We were all just chatting, and then I suddenly felt the ground moving a bit. I thought it was someone 'heavy' walking just outside the doors, but then we noticed the computer monitor swaying back and forth. We were all like "What IS that?". We thought there may be some heavy construction going on... or maybe it was just the building.

I called Ron shortly after and he felt it too! And then the news on the TV at the office confirmed that it was in fact an earthquake! What the?? In Toronto?? I actually felt a bit sick after ... motion-sickness, maybe?

Experiencing a bit of the G20 craziness!

I went to my Clinic appointment today after work located at King & University, only to find 6 security guards in the lobby of the building. Apparently, you need an access card to use the elevators... otherwise, you have to report to the security desk. So off I went to the security desk. Our conversation went like this:

me: Hi, I have an appointment upstairs at The Clinic

guard: What's your name?

me: Sally

guard: What? I can't hear you.

me (louder): SALLY

guard: I'm not deaf, geez! You have to sign in. And I'll need to see some I.D.

(so I sign in and give back the clipboard with my I.D.)

guard: You didn't even sign in.

me: Yes, I did.

guard: Oh, take the elevator. Tell the guard I approved you going up.

me: Ok.

guard: And you're not welcome.

me: Good, I'm glad I didn't say it. (and I walked away) :P

How RUDE! I get that they have to have this 'tough' image, but do they know who they're talking to?? hehe..... I was so mad after that. Good thing the massage I got at my Clinic relaxed me!

I then met up with Quel and we had dinner at Milestones (at Yonge/Dundas)... outside on the patio... what a beautiful day! I headed back onto the subway and noticed all the guards everywhere! I felt like I was somewhere near a prison! The dinner was great - but I decided I'm not heading downtown anymore until after all this G20 crap is over!

Visiting our Poppa's...

It never occurred to me that both Ron and I look like our dads! We visited my dad for lunch and then it was off to visit Ron's dad for dinner. All in all a great day - the sun was shining, there was plenty of food to be had, and it's always great to spend a day like this with family.

I worked for the wrong magazine...

All these years of working for a magazine - I should have worked for this one!!

Oprah Winfrey has always been extremely generous with her staff and fans. In the past, she’s given cars and many other spectacular gifts to audience members on her show. Now Oprah has decided to give her staff of O Magazine (even the new guys) special gifts to celebrate their work and dedication to make O Magazine one of the top selling print mags in the game for 10 years now.

So what did she give them? She gave them all iPads with their customized initials and a leather iPad case and nice check for $10,000. A spokesman said:

“These were personal gifts to the staff from Oprah to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the magazine.”

Oprah, we would damn near pay you to be our boss!

Read more: http://gossiponthis.com/2010/06/18/oprah-anniversary-o-magazine-ipads-10k/#ixzz0rK3S0bU4

Where the ladies at?

While Ron was out writing his exam, I met up with the ladies to watch Sex and the City 2. We first met at Saads' place, where she prepared a delicious Middle Eastern and Chinese food lunch... it was delicious complete with cosmopolitans to drink! We then headed out to Yonge/Dundas square to watch the movie. It was alright... seemed like just a longer episode of the show (2 hours longer), but entertaining just the same. Thanks so much for organizing Saads! It's always nice to get together with the ladies! (photos courtesy of Diana - thanks Di)

An oldie but a goodie!

Eggs in a Nest.

When we were in grade 7, our teacher Mrs. Robbie taught us how to make this in our Family Studies class. It was one of the first things we learned how to make. And to be honest, I don't think I've had it since then!

While we were in New York, Di made breakfast one morning... and she made Eggs in a Nest. It totally took me back to grade 7... and it was so easy and good!

So I thought I would attempt to make this grade 7 dish this morning for my husband. It's his last day of studying before the big exam tomorrow, and I wanted him to have a good start to his studies. The verdict? He liked it! :)

I'm hoping to make this easy recipe more often now. Thanks for bringing it back to me Di... Mrs. Robbie would be proud!

We're famous!

As I was reading Saadia's blog, I came across her most recent post where she talks about seeing Ron and I in the Ryerson Alumni magazine! I thought that was hilarious! I actually do remember sending in a photo of our wedding day during my unemployment days (that's what unemployed peeps do when they're bored afterall), but I never heard from them!

The only problem is, I now look like I'm OLDER than Ron, as it says (I took out our last names):

Sally, Graphic Communications Management '98 - married Ron, Ted Rogers School of Business Management '01, on July 17, 2009.

When in reality, Ron did part-time studies which took him a long time to graduate! I thought I needed to clarify that. :P

Preggos in the city!

Di and I just got back from our weekend in NYC!

Friday night - we landed and Sooky picked us up from the airport. We then headed to a Stop & Shop for some groceries - we needed some snacks!!

Saturday - we got a good start in the morning and headed to Woodbury Commons shopping outlet. I wish I had a bigger suitcase as I could have bought so much more at the Williams Sonoma store! The weather was hot and humid, and we shopped our hearts out. And as if the outlets weren't enough, we also stopped at Pacific Palisades mall (they have a huge Ferris wheel in the food court!) on our way home to complete our FULL DAY of shopping. I was totally shopped out (and out of room in my suitcase).

Sunday - we headed into Manhattan. We had lunch at Sarabeth's, and I had the most amazing crab cake sandwich I've ever had.... yum! We then walked to the theatre district to watch Mary Poppins! I enjoyed it, but I think I would have enjoyed it more without all the babies and kids in our theatre (especially when one kid started kicking my seat!). After the show, we made a quick pitstop to Magnolia Bakery for some cupcakes, and then it was time to head back home. We had Japanese for dinner nearby and then I was ready for bed! With all the walking around the city, I was pooped!

Monday - Di and I packed our suitcases - full to the max! We headed to Stamford mall to pick up one more thing I had to get for Ron (the one thing he asked me to get him - his cologne!) We then met Sooky for lunch at California Pizza and then relaxed back home until it was time to head out to the airport.

All in all a great trip! It's weird because it took me back to the days when Di and I visited in the past - before marriages and pregnancies... just the two of us visiting Sooky. I actually forgot that I was married and pregnant at one point! Thanks for a great time Sooky! :)

And the winner is...

You can decide for yourself. The final answers are:
1. I got threaded (check out the 'before' photo - yeesh!)
2. I'm wearing makeup
3. THE BRACES ARE OFF!! WHOOHOOOOOOO!!!

The BEFORE photo was taken in the morning before I left for work, and the AFTER photo was taken when I got back home that same day. (so I was preggo in both shots)

Welcome back the real Sally smile!

Can you spot the difference?

There are 3 things that are different from the BEFORE and AFTER photo below. Can you spot it?? (answers in tomorrow's blog post)