STEPH CORKER!

Isn’t it awesome to see the creativity that oooozes during Hallowe’en?! I’m always so impressed!  While my costume creativity isn’t worth blogging about, the “HR Team” at lululemon is really somethin’ special:

And this lil trick+treater was my favorite:

In the name of Pumpkin season, if you find one that hasn’t been carved…try this out:

Pumpkin Soup in a Pumpkin

It starts like this:

Then, you clean it out (toast the seed, obviously), and add this or some combination thereof all inside your pump:

(I used 4 gloves of garlic, carrots, celery, left over zucc, 1can coconut milk, 1c veg broth, S+P+spices galore)

Place the one-heck-of-a-full-pumpkin in the oven at 325 for about an hour, +/- 30min:)

Scoop out the insides to blend in your vitamix and POOF! Delish soup! Crunchy cracker + a bowl of soup…..smells like Fall in our kitchen.

I’ve been praying for a rainy Sunday for a few weeks now….rainy enough to make a long run feel fresh and cold enough to want to spend the rest of the day curled up inside with candles lit, kitchen treasures to create + perhaps some knit1purl1 action! Today is THAT day! #yes

Post the long wetcoldfresh run with The Board of Directors of girlfriends, I whipped up these power pancakes for breakfast. My man informed me they taste like “oatmeal outta a pan”. I think they taste like oatmeal-gone-even-better! They are worth trying – and easy to boot.

Throw these things in a bowl + mix:
2eggs
1 1/2 c-ish of oatmeal
1c-ish cottage cheese
sprinkling of cinnamon + nutmeg
drizzle a wee bit of agave

It will look something like this:

They cook quite quickly. Faster than normal pancakes in fact. Low/Med heat until golden brown is perfect. We like making smaller ones so i used a 1/4c of batter per ‘cake.

Like great accessories can make an outfit, great toppings make a power pancake! We threw frozen blueberries on a couple + pb+banana on others.

Enjoy…a SundayRestDay. xo

(why these pics are publishing upside down, i’m not sure….try tilting your head….the world thru a different view is usually not a bad thing:))

Just like a Vitamix is simply the best “blender” (in quotations, because really, it is SO much more than just a blender), a Scanpan is absolutely the very best pan to have on your stove.

Our recently tried-tested-true-verywellused pans needed to be replaced. My man was determined to finally have a cast-iron pan in our home and I was keen to increase our all-clad ownership. We meandered thru our local Ming Wo and “compromised” on bringing home the Scanpan. It was no compromise – it is terrific. Totally non-stick, enviro-friendly, superfastheat, dishwasher compatible (tho it won’t go in there, oh no!), light enough for me, perfect depth. It’s great! And they are on sale! #justsayin

They just so happen to be made in the Happiest Place in the World – no coincidence!

Made in Denmark.

Note: my man just rolled his eyes as he walked by and said, are you really blogging about this? Naturally, i respond with a big fat yes…because it is actually fabulous! And all great things are worth blogging about:)

I blog about kale, crunches + km’s. I’m most passionate about living a life beyond your wildest dreams. I’m surrounded by amazing human beings who i love lots. And i’m not usually one to be expressing “politically charged” statements…but what the FRANCE is with this Occupy Movement?!?!

We drove thru downtown Vancouver the other day to see our entire Art Gallery lot covered in tents as people camp out + think they are starting a movement?! They are sucking tax dollars, uninspiring the younger generation + leaving a less-than-desired mark on our land – no dent in the Universe, as Steve would say!

There is a divide between the low/middle class + the upper class because of choice + self-responsibility. Life is a choice. Where you earn your money + where you spend your hard-earned-dollars are an expression of your values. The upper class didn’t get there without making choices and sacrifices along the way.

I go to work to earn money and pay taxes. My choice. What is not my choice is the amount of money taken from the gov’t to pay taxes and right now my tax dollars are paying for police officers to earn overtime to ensure an entire city doesn’t erupt over this stupidity? Seriously? I respect the system of paying tax, but I’d far rather pay less taxes if I’m supporting a public camp-out.

My only request is that you too start earning money and contributing to society in a way far greater than a tent + a complaint. After all, we live in the easiest place in the world to start your own business – no one is stopping you. Create a real movement – create a legacy for your children. For Pete’s sake, go forth and occupy your own greatest potential, goshdarnnit!

As last week came to a close, I realized that a lil bit of crazy, a lil bit of love + a whole lotta fun transpired. It made me pause and think how last week might in fact have been a snapshot of the greater whole…

It started with the world’s most-fun-team meeting the global team at lululemon’s leadership conference:

I then had a wee stumble on a run where i thought a stick on the sidewalk was merely a stick, as opposed to a small tree. It was dark. The tree won. I was superman’d out on the sidewalk with bruised hands, bumped up knees and chafed nipples to boot! (It was cold – needisaymore.)

Marcus Buckingham graced us with his presence and rocked the room! We’re in love with Strengths Finder already and he brought us his newest book “StandOut” – it’s worth it.

To my utter surprise (read: stunned meets shocked, in fact) as the Conference was wrapping up, I won the Spirit Award. Speechless. This I share this with you from a place of utter gratitude and really, if i could do it all over again, what I shoulda said at the mic is that spirit is a reflection of the fun you surround yourself with. Every remarkable human being in the land of luon is the possibility of seriously spirit!

TeamSoMuchFun had brunch outside of the office at Medina Cafe – only the very best brunch in town – to close the loop on two remarkable days.

I experienced a new H2O lab in Vancouver called Lavar Spa. If the 18L flush is your cup of tea, then it is worth the experience. Though…i must say, they will weigh you in and want to protrude your personal space.

And lastly, i got hammered on a ride from Suck-it-to-me-Susie, who never let’s me off the hook + TheMachine (aka Diane!), who rides her bike as fast as horses gallop! These two chics make up Team SDS and are deserving of their own feature…you will be hearing lots about them over the coming months. Stay tuned….

That’s a wrap! Life is full, abundant + prettyfreakin’rad. XO

I’m wide eyed and bushy tailed ay 2AM, relishing in the beautiful feeling of jet lag that only happens when you cross the international date line and experience a 15hr time difference….it feels oh-so-appropro to take this time to share the highlights of my first Chinese experience…

Hong Kong was a lil slice of the future. Yoga studios are exceptional; expats are everywhere; shopping is redonkulous + the “Peak” was their version of the Grouse Grind. Being an island, it did have a smaller feel than mainland China.

Shanghai was a whirlwind. The city is mASSive! I spent one remarkable day experiencing the best dim sum, chinese massage, tailor shops + roof top patios, followed by shopping malls and hotel meetings. Before i knew it, i was on a plane to Beijing…

Beijing was a world of cultural experience. I got ripped off in an ally by a dude on a bike and bargained by face off at the YaShow market. Met remarkable people; walked the Great Wall; ate amazing food!

The AsianInvasion in Numbers:4 – average number of hours slept each night
17 – pairs of shoes that I imported from the market
3 - remarkable hotels
8- average number of lanes of traffic, where at least 10 cars were driving side by side
20 – distance in centimeters required to pass a car! (note: that is NOT alot.)
2 – hours spent getting a chinese massage
0 – uninspiring people i met….everyone was remarkable!
301 – km/hr the train travelled from the Shanghai airport to a really shady subway stop
76 – floor of the rooftop outdoor swimming pool at the W hotel!
4 – number of yoga classes I attended (where there was at least 30% lululemon represented!)
12 – emails in my inbox by the end of the flight home

…pictures to follow…

It’s good to be back in Canada! There’s no place like home…looks like the sun is about to rise – time to go for a run!

Because of the happiest girl I know, I have come across a new really fabulous blog (err, woman!) who shares her tales about all things running + eating. Tonight we had lentils + spinach over rice noodles – it definitely falls in the nutritious, delicious + oh-so-easy category.

Like all great things, this too deserves to be shared. Thanks JT, xo.