10 things: getting to know curls & coffee

I think Meg is adorable. Reading her blog, Curls & Coffee, leaves me feeling... well... good. About the world, about myself, about life. And tucked neatly inside each of her posts are amazing photos that she finds from all over the web.

I wonder if it's the salty Vancouver air that brings on such inspiration?

On to Meg's 10 Things...

Favorite thing about my house: the balcony. We live on the west coast of Canada, and my balcony faces south-west towards the gulf islands and the ocean. The view on a clear day is absolutely gorgeous - water and shadows of islands rising out of the distance. i love to spend time on my balcony on a rainy day, reading in a giant red arm chair that is perfect for snuggling up in.

My signature dish: we love to cook pasta, and make it at least once a week (we make tons, so there's always leftovers!) it's so easy to make whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, and we cut tons of veggies into the sauce and add random spices so that it's a little different every time and so healthy and satisfying. it's fun to decide every week at the grocer's what new vegetables to buy too - we've tried many new veggies by cutting them up and throwing them into our pasta!

Book I can read again and again: Emma, by Jane Austen. I love the sarcastic wit, the blind optimism, and the inability for Emma to ever get her foot fully out of her mouth. She reminds me of me... and I love love love this book. I read it about once a year.

If I had one do-over: I'd re-think my university major. I majored in Science, but I've become interested in so many things along the way - history, social work, student development... I would have liked to realize earlier just how many amazing programs, minors, and even elective courses there were available to me in order to study these topics in more depth.

When I need to unwind: I go for a run. If I'm really stressed, I'll leave the ipod at home and run to be alone with my thoughts. Running helps me sort through whatever is going on in my head, and it really helps to get the stress out.

Celebrity crush: John Krasinski. He is adorable and genuine, and I absolutely love his grin.

Words I live by: family first. My family is absolutely the most important thing to me, from my husband to my brothers (now that I'm married I have 4, with two sisters-in-law!), my parents and in-laws, my aunts and uncles, my grandparents, and my 95-year-old great grandmother. I have learned so much from my family, and I know they are always there to support me. I am so lucky to have a close-knit family who loves and cares for each other so much.

On Sunday mornings you'll find me: trying to sleep in. My husband is a night owl & I'm quite the early bird, and Sundays are the one day I try to stay in bed until he's ready to get up. I usually cave though, and sneak out to make a coffee or go for an early morning walk to buy a paper. When I get home, he's always still in bed!


I could spend the whole day: browsing through an outdoor market. We're lucky in Vancouver to have a farmer's market on granville island, which I visit as often as I can, as well as several craft markets that happen seasonally. i love strolling through booths and tables set out with unique wares that were lovingly made or grown by locals. Of course I'd have a latte in my hand...


I feel my prettiest when: I'm confident. Which usually comes most when I'm running on a regular basis, or having a really good hair day - not always easy with a crazy head of temperamental curls!

Thank you so much, Meg! It was a pleasure. ;)

(Photos via {Manda} here here and here.)