I am a writer, editor, artist, and traveller. You will probably find me drinking tea, typing on a keyboard, and listening to music at 3 a.m. Otherwise, I'm entering contests, winning cool experiences that lure me out of my hermetic existence and into the sun.
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As the days turn colder and the excitement of the holiday season dies down, we find ourselves looking for warmth and quiet comfort. I found both at Rubens earlier this month. Bundled up in my scarf and red coat, I went inside and ordered strawberry tea for myself and hot chocolate for my husband, Ryan. I paired my beverage with my two favourite chocolates: passionfruit matcha and English toffee. Ryan opted for their sinfully delicious brownie.
We sipped and munched away happily while I tried to decide how to spend the rest of my $50 this month. My thoughts turned first to my parents. My Dad who was celebrating his name’s day in a few days, got the milk chocolate almond bark (his favourite Rubens product). My Mom, who was planning a dinner party for 30+ people, got some sugar-free chocolate (diabetes is no fun). Then, I remembered a friend who had just been fired. Chocolate therapy was in order and green apple truffles were the remedy of the day.
A chocolate fruit assortment was intended for another friend, but due to a bad day I had later in the month, it never reached her. I can tell you, though, sometimes a little selfishness is very, very necessary.
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For those of you following my winning ways, I am still entering contests. Watch this space for updates!
Happy New Year, Everyone! Well, 2012 has come to a close and it’s hard to believe we’re already in 2013. Upon looking back at my winnings this year, I am pleased to announce that 2012 was even more successful than 2011. To recap, I won:
10. a week at The Hungry Oven Cooking Camp for my niece Olivia, again from hummingbird604.com
The total amount of the winnings is difficult to calculate, but it is approximately $1300. A $200-300 increase over last year. I enjoyed winning all of these prizes and particularly giving my niece the opportunity to learn how to cook. I will still be enjoying free chocolate up to and including the month of May. It was great to take the chocolate to Greece and share it with my relatives. My friends and I also enjoyed it at Christmas in some delicious fondue.
I apologize for the long gap between posts. Since I came back from Europe at the end of October, life has been busier than I could have imagined. A nice escape from all the chaos has been going to Rubens, though. During the last two months, I have gone in and sipped their delicious strawberry black tea while making decisions for Christmas presents and getting supplies for my Christmas party. I’m afraid I can’t tell you about the former just yet, as it would spoil the surprise for some people on the 25th! However, in terms of the latter, I managed to get a large bag of milk chocolate buttons which were put to good use in a big pot of brandy-laced fondue. I also chose a dozen marshmallows dipped in various yummy toppings.
I write this latest instalment high above the clouds. My long journey to Greece has begun. And so, incidentally, has Rubens. As I return to see my family and the bluest of blue seas, I have chocolates in tow. My suitcase is filled with the familiar red bags and various assortments to delight Eleni, Dimitri, Yianni, and many more. My hope is they will enjoy the chocolate almond bark, caramels, and fruit flavours all the way from Canada.
My quest for more contest wins will be curtailed for the next little while, as online surfing is going to have to give way to lots sun-drenched picnics, sandy toes, and new adventures. I’ve had a very lucky year so far and hope to bring you more tales of my winning ways in the autumn.
My niece Olivia just finished her week at The Hungry Oven cooking camp. As you can see, she means business in her new apron! She learned to make many delicious things this week and I’m told that they were so delicious that the food she boxed up to take home didn’t always make it out of the car! Well done, Olivia! Auntie Rebecca is so glad you enjoyed your week.
Auntie Rebecca also really enjoyed the mint chocolate cupcake pictured below and reluctantly gave the other cupcake to her husband. Now, she is going to go for a run…
So, it was my birthday on the 15th. Let’s all observe a moment of silence for the aging process…now, back to chocolate! I ordered a cake to share with my family and friends from Rubens. It was the definitive chocolate cake. Other cakes aspire to achieve this level of chocolaty goodness. Please see the amazing picture and how nicely decorated it was! Check this space next month for another instalment of “A Year of Chocolate Continues”.
This month was also eventful, as I won a prize for my niece Olivia from The Hungry Oven cooking school, courtesy of Hummingbird604.com. Olivia will join a cooking class for a week and will receive an apron, a backpack, a cookbook, and copies of the recipes they use. Again, check this space next month to hear about her experience learning to cook. I started cooking at age nine, so Olivia will have a head start, as she’s just six and a half!
Win #9 has followed very quickly on the heels of Win #8. However, I am very grateful to have won $100 towards transportation on West Coast Express. I have been taking the train off and on since I was a student at UBC back in 2001! I have always enjoyed the beautiful view from the train first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. The train is also usually quiet enough for me to catch up on reading or work. I received a food/drink voucher for the onboard coffee shop, as well. I can guarantee it will go towards a nice cup of tea one day soon.
If you haven’t taken the train before, I would recommend giving it a try. It is definitely the fastest way to get downtown from the suburbs. It is also stress-free which makes a nice change from fighting the traffic in rush hour. Also, if you are planning to take in the fireworks this year, there is a train on August 4th that will get you there and back.
*I won the $100 and food/drink voucher by entering the “Care to Comment” contest. I filled out an entry form with my feedback on some questions posed by the West Coast Express’ Commuter News.
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”― Charles M. Schulz
Now and then for me has become every month, thanks to the wonderful generosity of Rubens Chocolate! Yes, that’s right I’ve won chocolate for a year! This was also the easiest and least deliberate of any win I have achieved so far. I like Rubens Chocolate. I “liked” their Facebook page. I won chocolate for a year! However, I have gotten a little ahead of myself. Let’s start this story at the beginning:
Rubens Chocolate opened in my neighbourhood a few short years ago. My husband was incredibly excited. He rode down on his bike on their opening day and immediately purchased a big box and was given a large stuffed bear that says, “I loooove chocolate!” every time you press its hand. Both of these he presented to me with an enormous smile on his face. Since that day, we’ve returned to Rubens again and again with our family and friends. On hot summer days, we’ve cooled down with their ice cream. On cold winter nights, we’ve grasped cups of strawberry black tea and hot chocolate in our mitten-clad hands while eyeing Christmas presents for others…and ourselves!
Well, starting last week the tradition of going to Rubens continued in a big way as I came down to claim my prize:
I brought my husband and mom along, hence the picture of two smiling people! I gave my husband a box of assorted chocolates, which he kindly shared with me! My mom chose a sugar-free box of chocolates because, well, diabetes. We also picked up a bag of chocolate almond bark for dad. Then, we sat down for some coffee and strawberry black tea, of course.
I’ve only had a few chocolates since that day, as sadly, the flu and chocolate don’t mix well. My favourite chocolate so far has been passionfruit matcha. A unique taste that has to be experienced, rather than described. It also had a nice soft texture that made it easy to swallow with a sore throat.
In the coming months, I’m planning some chocolate-themed parties for friends and family. Next month is my birthday, so look for some Rubens chocolate to appear on my big day.
*For those of you who have been following this blog for awhile, you know that my biggest win to date has been $500. Now, I am pleased to announce that it is now $600, as Rubens has given me $50 a month for the next 12 months to spend on chocolate. Again, very, very generous.
**I am also pleased to announce that I have just been notified about Win #9! I will know more by the end of the week, but will simply tell you that my next prize is transportation-related. Guess if you can!
All too often cooking is a means to an end. We grab our pots and pans and a cacophony of stainless steel echoes throughout our houses. Dinner must be ready by such and such a time, so we can complete tasks a, b, and c and eventually collapse in a heap. So, last night when my husband and I made our way into the Dirty Apron we broke the cycle, if only for a little while.
I was fortunate to have won two spots for us through the B.C. Dairy Association‘s “Get Your Hands Dirty” contest. I had to submit some ideas for how to cook locally and then had my name drawn at random, along with several other winners whom we met at the class. We were introduced to one another in a beautiful room with antique chandeliers and long wooden tables. Sparkling wine and hummus and eggplant dip with small pieces of baguette graced our lips as we took it all in. I felt very relaxed and would have been quite content to sit and sip the evening away, but soon we were led into the kitchen and watched what we would be making.
Chef David Robertson greeted us and began by showing us how to make our dessert, chocolate pate. We began with dessert first because it had to sit in the fridge for two hours and set before it could be served. As you can guess from its name, this was not a particularly low-calorie sweet. It was pure indulgence of the Julia Child, “everything is better with butter”, variety. And, as I folded melted chocolate into layers of whipped heavy cream, I heard a voice in my head mutter something about the hours in the gym it would take to burn it off. I quickly silenced it by tasting some of the residue in my bowl after watching the rest of the chocolate cascade into the most adorable mini loaf pan.
Then, it was onto the first course, poached sablefish with buttered crab. Yes, butter. The Dairy Association was the sponsor, after all. We also used a variety of fresh herbs, including tarragon, which I had never tried fresh before. The dish was not difficult to make and I did learn how to plate it attractively, which is something I normally don’t spend much time on, especially if I am the one eating it. It was certainly nice to sit at the table and then dig in. It was fantastic. The combination of flavours I think had more to do with this than my abilities as a cook, though. I also enjoyed another glass of wine and good conversation with my classmates.
The next dish was venison. I’m not a huge red meat fan and I have to admit I would probably never eat Bambi again, but the sauce that went atop him will certainly go in my repertoire. Shallots, garlic, red wine, cassis, beef stock, and salt and pepper. Reduce all of these to a syrupy consistency and you have pure heaven. I love shallots and garlic, so I didn’t even strain it. It also paired well with the celeriac puree that the chef made to accompany our main course. I also impressed others by getting my venison to stand upright on the puree, but I will let you in on a little secret: I put a prune wrapped with bacon under it just enough to secure it in place.
Finally, we decorated our chocolate pate with some rhubarb coulis and ribbons the chef had prepared. It was a very rich dessert that I was glad to pair with some English breakfast tea. We left at 9:30 p.m., clutching out “Dirty” aprons and butter-splattered recipes, very happy to have learned to take the time to make and taste something truly, uniquely ours.
Imagine coming home after a day of running late for the train; writing to meet a deadline; and trying to ignore the irritating blister on your toe. You feel stressed and tired, so you empty some Juicy Mint Aromatherapy Bath Salts into a warm bath. Slowly insert one foot, then the next, and finally lie back. Feel relaxed? Well, I do, because I’ve actually done this!
Thanks to Clayburn Comforts and Body Works and my own leprechaun spotting abilities, I had $50 to spend at their shop in Clayburn Village, Abbotsford. Yes, there were several leprechauns hidden on the company’s website in late March and after hours of diligent hunting, I found them. I do mean hours, as they were hidden extremely well. In any case, I went to their shop and came back with five products:
As you can tell, I love the bath salts. They smell fantastic, as the combination of grapefruit, lemongrass, lime, and spearmint is a real winner! What I’m amazed by is how fragrant the whole room becomes when I use them.
The Juicy Mint Soap has the same scent, so it is also very pleasant. The texture is nice, as it has ground up lemongrass and candula flowers in it that makes it into a kind of exfoliating scrub, as well.
The deodorant has a similar fragrance to both the soap and the bath salts. I think it’s the lemongrass that makes it smell so great. I find the deodorant lasts all day and does work during my rather intense one-hour yoga class. The price is a bit steep for the full-size version. I gasped when I saw it was $17.95 for 75 grams, but the quality of the product is so much better than any five-dollar brand I’ve bought from the supermarket.
I have only tried the foot butter and muscle rub once, so I will provide you with a review of those products when I’ve had more of a chance to put them through their paces!
Anyway, I’m hooked! These products are all-natural, made locally, and, most importantly, they work. I recommend you take a little road trip out to Clayburn Comforts and treat yourself.
