HERBAL COFFEE

When I moved to Chicago for school I quickly learned that I needed to figure out how to never ever get sick. I moved to a new country and there was no one to take care of me! I needed to learn how to take care of myself. I was told numerous times during my orientation that,  "the amount of information thrown at you is like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant" and it's so true. I knew if I got sick I would fall so far behind in school so I promised myself I would eat healthy and that's when my new journey of healthy eating began. I have become a little neurotic about reading ingredients on every food product and try to educate myself (and Mark...but he never listens to me) about what I put into my body. Like any student, I consume more caffeine than I should and recently discovered a natural organic coffee replacement :)

Teeccino is a company that makes herbal coffee and teas and I recently purchased Vanilla Nut, Maya Chocolate and Almond Amaretto (I'm saving this one for Mark). 

Maya Chocolate 
Ingredients: Roasted organic carob, organic barley, organic chicory, organic ramon seeds, natural chocolate flavour, organic cocoa, chile flakes.
Impression: the aroma smelt so similar to coffee. It had a more bitter dark chocolate taste than I was expecting so I added milk and sugar. I was expecting a more chocolaty taste and was a little disappointed with this flavour - it was okay.

Vanilla Nut
Ingredients: Roasted organic carob, organic barley, organic chicory, dates, almonds, organic dates, natural vanilla extract, natural nut flavor, figs.
Impression: I could definitely smell and taste the dates in this, but I quite enjoyed the flavour more than the Maya Chocolate. I drank this the first time black and the second time as an iced beverage which was delicious.  The acquired taste of this flavour may take some getting use to.

Overall, I think this is a great product if your looking for a flavourful beverage to enjoy that does NOT contain caffeine. If you are trying to cut down on your caffeine intake it is suggested that you mix your favourite coffee with Teeccino and gradually wean yourself off of coffee. Unlike coffee, Teeccino won't lead to insomnia, irritability, muscle tremors or heart palpitations, rather Teeccino can help nourish your body. It has no caffeine, it is non-acidic so it won't erode your stomach lining, it has antioxidants, provides a natural energy boost and more. 

I'm still getting use to the taste of Teeccino and won't go throwing out my coffee and black teas just yet, but I enjoy having a variety of beverage options for those late study nights.

-A

RECORD CRAZY

Hey guys,

This summer has been such a busy one for me. The only thing that seems to get me through some stressful days is my growing record collection. I figured since I have a little time I would update you guys with 6 records "spinning" this month.

• Adele : 21 - melodic with great slow jams and some up beat tracks. Adele delivers a great performance, a must have for those who appreciate ballads.
• Lauryn Hill : The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - I grew up listening to Lauryn Hill so it was only fitting to grab this LP.  No words can explain how awesome this album is. Soulful and powerful Lauryn Hill is a must have in anyones LP collections
• Lorde : PURE HEROINE -  I have to be honest I was a little hesitant picking this LP up. I Youtubed the full album before grabbing it.  I was pleasantly surprised.  PURE HEROINE has become a favourite of mine. Electronic with great beats, LORDE really shows why she deserves all the hype.
• Florence and the Machine : LUNGS - "The dog days are over" - Florence Welch the lead singer delivers amazing vocals 
• Justin Timberlake : FUTURESEX/LOVESOUNDS - Great R&B Justin Timberlake brings sexy back with great transitions between amazing tracks.
• Mumford & Sons : BABEL - A feel good uplifting LP.

Hope you guys are doing well!

-M

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

I've always wanted to open a bakery/coffee shop since high school. There is something about the atmosphere about walking into a small bakery filled with heavenly scents of fresh baked goodness. I remember my parents use to make their own bread on the weekends and there is nothing better than walking up the smell of freshly made bread. We live in a fast pace society that we forget to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life like good home cooked food. Every time I come home I make my favourite chocolate chip oatmeal cookies which I have perfected over the years.

Time: 25 minutes | Yield: 3 dozen

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 c. butter
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 3/4 c. dark chocolate chips + 2 squares of white Baker's chocolate chopped up

Method

• In a bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon 
• In a mixer cream butter softened at room temperature, sugars and eggs together
• Gradually beat in flour mixture until blended
• Stir in oats and chocolate chips
• Drop dough by tablespoon (I used an ice-cream scooper to keep the size consistent) onto an ungreased pan
• Bake at 375°F for 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 10 minutes for crisp cookies

Enjoy!

-A

FRAMED INSPIRATION WALL

Hi,

So lately I have been feeling uninspired.  The weather sucks in Winnipeg (as I am writing this blog post it is snowing out, yes I ask myself this all the time... WHY DO I LIVE HERE and YES IT'S MAY!) and since my bedroom is situated in the basement there is hardly any natural light that comes in.  For the longest time my desk was facing a blank wall.  Very uninspiring.

*Cue - Unintentional shopping spree to IKEA*

I have always wanted a framed walled similar to this picture below

PHOTO: http://nijihomedesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Ideas-Wall-Decor-Design-with-Art-Picture-Framed.jpg

Believe it or not IKEA has a very small "AS-IS" section with many items blown out for ridiculous prices.  I saw several 5 X 7 black frames on sale for $1 and knew I could use them to make an inspiration wall. 

SUPPLIES:

• 2 pkgs - 3M Frame Picture Tape (Here is a coupon)
• 9 - 5 X 7 Frames of your choice I used these by IKEA 
• Level App
• 9 of your favourite photos 5 X 7 
• Laser Jet printer

INSTRUCTIONS:

I highly suggest planning the frame configuration before you start sticking things onto the wall.  You can stagger your picture frames to your liking but I kept mine very simple and did a 3 X 3 square.  I also wanted to create drama by printing 7/9 photos in black and white (using Photoshop) and 2/9 of the photos in colour.  Using a laser jet printer is an inexpensive way to print high quality images. Below is the configuration I came up with.

1. Place photos into picture frames
2. Place 3M tape on the back of the photo (preferably on the top, centered.  Follow the instructions on the packaging)
3. Using the mobile level app make sure the image is level to the wall
4. Repeat until the desired configuration is achieved)

This is such a quick and inexpensive way to turn a wall into a personalized art installation.  I am so happy with how it turned out!  I would love to hear your thoughts on this little project in the comment section below.

-M

HEART & STROKE

Hi,

A month ago I attended a CPR course geared toward healthcare providers.  To be honest I was putting off doing the training, but was forced since it is a requirement for my course of study.  I was pleasantly surprised on how informative this course was.  

I took the course at The Canadian First Aid Training Centre in Winnipeg.  The instructor was very funny and honed in on the important aspects we needed to know.  Many of the students I sat in with were nurses, doctors and paramedics so it was nice to see their take on healthcare.  The material was delivered by the The Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation.  Through video demonstrations I was able to perform CPR and utilize an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) on dummies (infant and adult).  Being part of the healthcare field we were also taught how to preform Basic Life Support (BLS) in groups of two.  

It was a very informative 8 hours session, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Here are some pictures I was able to "sneak" in during break sessions;

I highly suggest taking this course.  You never know when you can save a life!!!

-M

WATER SNOB

Confession, I am a huge water snob. I don't like drinking tap water because I think it taste funny, but I don't have a water filtering system in my apartment and I think buying bottled is a waste of money because the plastic bottles are wasteful and water should be a free commodity, right? I usually boil my water and drink it with slices of lemon but lately I've noticed the water started to taste funny and I could see white specs floating around in my cup. When I looked at the bottom of my kettle it was covered with limescale (limescale is a white deposit commonly found on the inside of pipes, pots and kettles, caused by the leeching of minerals from water) and you won't believe how easy it is to clean!

Supplies

• 1/4c white vinegar

Method

• Pour vinegar into the kettle and fill it with water to the "max" line on the kettle and boil it
• After boiling is complete, empty the contents and fill the kettle with water and boil once more to get rid of an excess vinegar residue

Try this trick, it's quick and easy and your water will taste much better afterwards. You might have to repeat this every 3-4 months depending on how hard your water is. To avoid limescale from building up don't leave water sitting in your kettle. You can pour any excess water you didn't use into a glass jug or mason jar to drink later or water your plants with.

-A

APPS

Sorry about the staggered posted we have just been so busy with school and blogging kinda took a backseat.  Anyway you probably don't care and just want to get to the meat and potatoes of this post. We just want to share some of our favourite apps on our iPhones.

If it is one thing we cannot live without it would be our phones as it connects us wherever we are.  Aside from the amazing features that come with the iPhone already, ie. FaceTime and iMessage we would like to share our top 5 apps we use on a regular basis. Also stay tuned to the end of the post as we have EXCITING news to tell you!

Ashley's Picks

1. PuddingCam - It allows you to take a variety of pictures by choosing various old school cameras and different film types
2. 8 Tracks - If you're a lover of music this app allows you to enjoy a wide spectrum of music genres and pre-made playlists

Mark's Picks

1. Shazam - Have you ever walked into a store and wondered what song was playing? This app allows you find the artist and song currently playing with the tap of a button
2. Nike+ Running This app allows you to map out your run, it syncs to the Nike Fuel Band, and tells you all the statistics you need to know about your run (distance ran, pace, calories, etc.)

Mark and Ashley's Picks

Viber - Newly redesigned.  This app allows you to use your data or wifi to call and text anywhere in the world, free of charge!

We really hope that you enjoy the applications we listed.  At this time we would like to share some exciting news with you.  We are officially launching our Facebook and Instagram pages! Please like and follow us!

-M&A

CARTOON

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to share an illustration that Mark's cousin Jaime sent us.  She is a writer for Eat. Geek. Play and an illustrator out of Los Angeles.  We were so flattered when she reached out and illustrated us for her tumblr page, check her out here: jamierosaurus.

The Spring Couple. We love it Jaime! 

- A&M

CONTAGIOUS CONFIDENCE

"Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud" - Kushandwizdom

As I was walking down the hallway to class last week I passed 2 students and a staff member walking in the opposite direction as me. I kept looking up and was going to give them a pleasant morning smile, but every single one of them walked by with their heads down. I know it can be awkward when you are walking down a long hallway and someone else is walking toward you and you don't know where to look or how long to smile for, but I think it's much better to keep your head held high and just smile at the people passing by you.  I don't know why I was so bothered by the fact that no one looked up. I didn't know any of them, but it's always nice when a stranger passing by smiles and says hello. I feel that people nowadays either are socially awkward, are too consumed by their cellphones, or just lack confidence and don't want to be noticed by others.

I know this may sound creepy, but I enjoy people watching and just observing the behaviours of others, and the individuals that I remember the most are those that walk around with confidence.  I think confidence can leave a lasting impression on anyone and is a difficult thing to master. To me confidence is accepting your flaws, embracing your failures and loving who you are. It's not something you are given, but something you build overtime and no one can take it away but yourself.

-A

OOTD - SPRING LAYERING

Hello Everyone!

PHOTO: Winnipeg 6 Day forecast - Yes we are still in the negative but it is better than -50. I'm not complaining.

Spring has finally sprung in Winnipeg (let's not talk about the possibility of flurries this weekend)! Having lived in Winnipeg most of my life, this winter tops the worst it has ever been.  But let's not be such Debbie Downers, the bright side to living in the Prairies is enjoying all the seasons nature has to offer.  

Moreover, Spring and Fall are definitely the two seasons I look forward to every year. Why you ask? Well for the sheer fact that you can layer!  I am a firm believer in investment pieces, which are classic staple pieces that are a little more in price point, but are justified by its sheer practicality and use - Ashley can vouch for me on this.  I like to mix and match not only investment pieces, but pieces that can carry me through season to season.  This post is dedicated to what I would typically wear on a spring day out to run errands or meet up with friends for some beers.

An awesome investment piece I have used over the years is a jean jacket by Levi's, it truly transforms any outfit.  My style tip is to get one that is tailored to your body type. Levi's are coming out with new designs of their classic jean jacket only this time with slimmer fits, great for you hipsters out there. I chose this "U" neck t-shirt from JOE FRESH to layer underneath the jean jacket, inexpensive and a subtle change from the "crew neck" or "v-neck".  For bottoms, slim fit chinos have been in my spring lineup for many seasons now. These chinos are from TOPMAN and I style them rolled up.  I know you guys are wondering why I chose these shoes, and the reason being that Double Monk strap shoes are such a classic style and dates back to the British Aristocrats from the 70s. This shoe from ALDO features brown suede exterior and a crepe sole, perfect for a spring shoe (did I mention it is on SALE)! These shoes could easily be worn with dark denim jeans.  I usually wear these as is with no socks (think Parisian)! These shoes take a simple outfit and adds an unexpected twist.  

One thing that I do skimp on are accessories.  I like to keep it simple and practical.  Every man needs a good time piece.  I would highly suggest this Casio watch in gold, it pairs off with many outfits including this one.   Digital watches have been very trendy lately and has been featured in GQ on many occasions.  Since it does get quite sunny in Winnipeg during the spring I usually wear this Boston Red Sox Baseball cap.

To recap, spring doesn't need to be such a drab, try layering your outfits!  Invest in pieces that will last.  Tailored items are key for a professional and well put together look.  Tell us what your person style story is in the comment section below.  

PHOTO: Boston Red Sox Baseball Cap - Foot Locker,  Slim Fit Trucker Jean Jacket - Urban Outfitters, U Neck T-shirt - JOE FRESH, Slim Fit Chinos - TOPMAN, Gold Timepiece - American Apparel, Double Monk Straps - ALDO

-M