Monday, 23 September 2013

So....I Went Flippin' Apple Pickin'!




I can practically hear the streets of Catford and Penge where I spent my childhood and adolescence crying either with laughter or with sorrow. Kmt.

Go ahead. Revoke my Oyster! Take away my ballet flats and just give me a pair of wellies.

I'm turning into some nature loving farm girl out here! Apparently Aleksey Vayner was right - Impossible Is Nothing.

I VOLUNTARILY took my two foot and walked my good-good sneakers (oh yeah, even my vocab has been poisoned) in the mud- YES, you heard - and went and picked apples off literal, physical trees instead of a supermarket shelf. I even ate some without washing them. Was even out in the rain, no hood or hat.

If there is a black girl/person reading this you know that this just got REAL if my headpiece is out in the rain and I don't care and I'm just eating nature with no suspicion!

Tbf though it was like spitting/drizzling so I could firm it.

My backside even road in the back of a tractor like a BADMAN!

I'll just admit it. I had fun dammit. I don't even care.

Now, I don't know Ima consume what is approximately a JD Sports bag full of big booty lookin apples (as you can see, my measurements and approximations still remain firmly in Londonese). 

But it looks like Ima have to resort to making apple tarts, gallettes (Oh My LIFE! Google these sexy creations and get you soooooome! They're like oatmeal cake/cookies with apple chunks, these and a cuppa-cha with Close The Door playing in the back on a cold winter's day would be enough to get me comatosely relaxed). Go ahead, press play, listen and feel the vibe while I continue to type.


Recipe ideas me and Le Bonne Gang (what me, my flatmate Dan, Aimee and Joe who live 1/2 hour away, have dubbed ourselves because we're just sick like that) have come up with includes crumble and ofc candied apples - a necessary activity in support of Fall and Halloween festivities obviously.

On that note, I'd like to add.

The struggle is REAL. I'm fighting a losing battle against the chubb it seems.

Between apple cakes, beaver tails, waffles, pecan pie and ice cream, peanut butter cheesecake and whatever else we usually consume when the Gang is ensemble, I don't stand a chance. My only comfort so far is that Joe eats as much as I do and enjoys all the bad stuff with me, always one I can count on to get chunky with me lol. But alas as I'm not 6 foot whatever and don't have the same levels of testosterone (thankfully ofc) or whatever the scientific explanation is, I will just remain short and heavy loool. #BLEAK #PEAK #BADTIMES and whatever other hashtags can mock the hopelessness of my affliction.

BUT.

In the spirit of going crazy and doing things I never would, I am going gym hunting this week. Putting a stop to the madness aka making sure I get my money's worth out of the Old Navy gym gear I actually allowed myself to spend money on.

So far in the Battle of the Chubb or the Chubby Wars, Canada is winning, but its only month 1/9 so game on....

Note to self - post about the failed night out in Ottawa, how I evaporated my first pay in 3 days and how some of my pupils clearly don't rate my life (y'all can take this as a coming soon announcement lol).

I'll end with another shock. Everyone that knows me or is afro caribbean themselves know that we do not consider or even use the word picnic in the same way as everyone else. There will always and forever be hot food, meat, rice etc, otherwise we're not involved. Well today I even had a quebecois picnic with the family we live with (they invited us apple picking in the first place - please, you thought I'd go of my own volition? Baby, no).
See that plate. No. Hot. Food. Involved.

And it was actually banging! These people can cook some food!! Being in Yes Man mode has its benefits lol.  Anyway, I'm gonna get ready for school tomorrow so laters!



#Selfie because I'm so utterly attractive getting my #5aday

Tuesday, 17 September 2013

We In Canada Baby! - Québec To Be Precise


THAT'S RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS

I know. 
I'm probably lucky to just have an individual boy and or girl by now...not even plural...

So let me explain myself.....after so many long months of separation and neglect – after I promised I would get back on this ting- I’ve decided I want to start blogging again.

Now, let me not lie and say it’s because I immediately rediscovered my passion for blogging. That wouldn’t be fair to you (whoever is still reading this, which might just still be me, lets be real). 

I’ve finished uni, which means no exams, no hand-ins. No. More. Dissertation! (Thank you JESUS!), for the rest of this year at least....which meannnnnns...... over summer I had NOTHING to fill my days!

Without that and classes and deadlines I had no motivation to get up in the mornings, and I wasted my days baking, eating, watching TV and basically getting spotty and chubby. No body wants that. Especially with summer on the way. 

Now forgive me but I’ve never been a die hard ‘get that summer body’ girl, or at least, never managed to commit to being that way - sorry, I  hate running with a passion and don’t see the point of going running in high risk areas at the crack of dawn or dead of night, and I love my food too much and I’m a lazy bum anyway - I call myself a 'free spirit'...which basically means I can’t commit to anything for more than a few minutes/hours/days/weeks (IF I’m lucky).


Right, so, to conclude this portion of my announcements:

I’m BACK.


Hopefully with daily/weekly updates for y’all, and I will endeavour to  put up pictures with every post. Errybody loooooves visual aids!


NOW.

Back to business.

So...for those of you (singualr or plural I'd rather not know. Ever.) who don't know, my new address is a little farther to the left side of the globe.

All the way across the damn pond to Buckingham Palace (in Quebec)! 

FYI fake Buckingham, not a fake palace! LOOK:




This.Is.Liiiiiiiiiiiiife.

Or at least this is how I'll be living for the next 9 months! I'm an official British Council English Language Assistant (for those of you that don't know, get to know, my name is not Google, your search engine is your #No1 explanation provider). So I'm working in a primary school out in Gatineau (again, your search bar is your friend) with 6-12 year olds. God give me STRENGTH. These kids are not easy.


So basically, when I'm procrastinating class prep, am having a lazy day, don't have a life or something generally marvelous happens Ima update this sucker.

There may even be quebecois french word/expression of the day posts (I can feel your excitement through the screen).

So. I'll end with another picture. 

I call it: 

the reason I don't run in Canada #HighRiskArea #DefinitionOf

Kmt. Lookin like Mufasa mountain lion cousin about to jump out and finish me.

Wednesday, 12 September 2012

Back At It Again!

Not even gonna stay on here long.

Back from my year out in Cuba and summer with friends....

Not gonna lie and say I'm happy to go back to life and back to reality....

But,
La Vida Es Así 

As you will soon see, I am now campaigning to be an official inglesacubana, dual citezenship

#dreambig #esosisuenacomoseve


Yes. I tweet. Yes. I #hashtag too.

@moniquekoolaid

Thats right. Koolaid.

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Soooo......When did it decide to become February 2012 without me?

OK OK OK!

I'm sawwwwwreeeeee guys!


I am officially so far beyond behind in updating this blog I'm basically still stuck in 2011!

So, lets get right to it shall we with a round up of the end of the year highlights.

I flipping turned 21 WOIIIIIIII!

Had a candle in my blondie icecream sundae!


-praise break moment-  We say Halleluh!  [ FYI pronounced hallay-loo, as by me and my cousin] Another year, another milestone in my life and I'm still here!

Actually happened in Spain, pretty crappy, best memory is from my work colleague, lover her to bits!



Celebrated it @FrankieandBennys with some of my lovelies:










UoM/VO crew and Cator Gyaldem represented! 

It was definitely memorable, but can't forget on Xmas day my whole family gave me a belated 21st to remember! It was an amazing xmas/bday <3


NYE

.....BOOOOOOI........

Lets face it-
unless you're rich on the raving/house party scene 
are guaranteed a good night and or a midnight kiss 
or are going to church to ring in the new year 

Its destined to be a let down.


I am NOT standing up in the cold to watch fireworks in central and sing Auld Lang Syne [ Didn't think I knew bout them ones huh? well SATC is good for more than clothes boi! ] with a bunch of strangers and not get home till the 2nd of January because of wall to wall rammoutness [ YES I invented an adverb ] no sir!
And me and raving have moved from friends to occasional acquaintances so....

I spent it with my cousins watching movies films and eating, and with my camera:


my love affair with b&w

chicken pizza, chicken wings, garlic bread and fries for 3!

Raise your glass and cheers to dat! -Soft drinks only tonight boi!

baby cuz no longer a baby

3 2 1 ... 2 0 1 2
 It was over before it even began, typical, another year gone, like I wasn't even present for 2011.....

Newest updates of the new year:


  • 10 days till Havana is my new home!
  • Camera affair continues
  • Christianity renewed
  • Baking addiction/affliction/affection has arrived!

Oatmeal rasin cookies and cupcakes are my new speciality, beware. Don't judge them by how they look, they may as well be laced with sugar-crack.....







So yea, Cuba is the new frontier I eagerly await!

I'm gonna end this post on the happiest end note of 2011, the year of the 21!

Moment 4 Life


Thursday, 8 December 2011

Consumerism is a Disease....

....for sure..... and I'm well into the final stages....

Yes, this post (soon to be followed by another) is about my shopping over in the land of España. I have done basically NO souvenir shopping- sorry guys!

BUT

I have been on an absolute mission!
NOT to reinvent myself
NOT to redo my entire wardrobe
NOT to find a new style

Just, to buy what I love, make it my own and not have a price limit to pay a little extra for good quality stuff.

Don't get me wrong I've still bought some crap that I don't need, or fell apart after a while or which looked good at the time, but weren't really all that.

ANYWAY, I decided to share, just because...

Life update after the photos y'all.

my suitcase from the Chinese shop 18 euro yesboi!

my lavender candle and organic sweetrose hand cream- expensive but worth it - thanks Natura

My H&M tutti frutti body spray- YES

My homeless gloves from Shana- so I can actually feel my hands on the way to work

My Springfield jacket, down from 40 to 20 Euros!

My b-day present dress from Bershka that I was bang-on!

My satchel from Springfield- set off the alarm in every shop I went into for weeks..kmt

Long sleeve LBD from Sfera

15 euro skinny jeans from Ch. shop fit so good! Jeggings from Stradivarius and sweat pants from Madrid!

Skirts from Shana and Matsuri shorts- they look massive but my bum is massive so bothered!


 Now the goodstuff for Triona :)


Mac purchases- tinted moisturiser, mineralise blush (Gleeful) - been waiting to get that since NYC, concealer, and highlighter sample-YES M.A.C

Sephora- where to begin, thanks to my loyalty card, foundation brushes, sharpener, topcoat, primer and foundation samples...

And my Sephora liquid eyeliner- AT LAST! My arm is complete! <3

Another party tomorrow

FLIP!

I know they say I'm a party pooper but I'm just so BORED! I don't think I should have to get drunk just to have fun, why can't it just be fun in the first place? LONGGGG! Ah well!

Started packing, 16 days till I go home and counting......


XXXX