VernetteOutLoud

7 for SEVEN

It’s the last Monday in August 2016. Ya’ll know once we get to September…that’s pretty much it for 2016. I mean people are already counting down the number of Sundays to Christmas – there are 16 more Sundays in case you were wondering. Start making dem lists and checking ’em twice!

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my 7 for this week:

Mid-week Holiday. You guys I need a break, a vacation, a time out of time. We have holiday on Wednesday – our Independence Day – and I am looking forward to sleeping in. I am grateful in advance for the total vege-fest Wednesday is going to be.

Two Fridays in one week. Today I was totally psyching myself out by thinking that we are going to have two Mondays this week. This is what happens when you have a mid-week holiday. But I caught myself and decided to celebrate the little things and the fact that while this week might have two Mondays, we also get two Fridays and you gotta love that. So yay for mid-week holidays.

Surviving last week. I shared a bit about my week on Saturday over coffee. It was one of those where it seemed like things just kept going downhill with no end in sight. But the week did end and things are settling down now.

The entire Me before You soundtrack. I read the book and then I watched the movie. Now ya’ll I love the Khaleesi (Emilia Clarke) in GOT but she really brought Lou to life. You can listen to the soundtrack that is my new favourite earworm here.

My 7 for Seven this time last year. A reminder that time moves on and if we don’t stop to appreciate the little things that make up this life, we lose sight of what really matters. Love and Family.

Getting better at my latte art. I’ve been working on getting my ‘heart’ right and I’m getting there. It actually looks like a heart now and not a butt anymore. The goal is to do a swan. We’ll see.

And finally, I am grateful to Teyana Taylor. Her post-baby body and that VMAs performance launched a thousand diets and gym membership renewals today. I know she certainly had me reconsidering my food choices all day.  

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? How is 2016 shaping up for you? Feel free to share below!

Rabbit, Rabbit – 7 for SEVEN

7-for-1Aaaaannnd…we’re back!

I’ve been up to a lot in my time away from this space and I’m just so happy to have proven the little imp on my shoulder wrong and hit publish on this post.

Things have been silent here for two reasons: work – I have been on a new desk since May and it has been draining me, and I have been seriously questioning the value I am adding with this blog.

Those things coupled with a healthy dose of laziness resulted in many unpublished posts. But here we are in August! Freaking August ya’ll…the year is practically over! Here we are in August and the urge to blog finally overcame the fears that I have been letting consume me.

I don’t know about you, but nothing like a new month, new week, in my case new year (my birthday was last Saturday) to inspire a blog post. So I am going to harness the energy of new beginnings – first day of the work week, first day of a new month to share my first 7 for Seven in months – to get going once again and FOCUS.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my first 7 for August 2016:

Starting. It’s been a struggle to get going. 2016 started with so much promise and but a lot remained the same – sameshit stress, different day – so I spent the better part of the last couple months justifying to myself why it easier not to blog than to hit publish and worry about the value I was adding. But as I stated earlier it’s time to get back to the business of blogging and just start already. So here’s to starting small with joyful hope for great things ahead.

My nephew. Baby S is now five months old and every time I see him, he reminds me that love truly is awesome. Watching him learn and grow and discover the world around him has been an amazing experience thus far. I am awed and grateful.

Adulting. The struggle is real! I wish I could find a way to crawl back into my mother’s uterus and stay there. When you’re a child…nobody tells you how hard adulthood can be sometimes. There are no guide books on how to manoeuver this phase in life. You’re pretty much making it up as you go…mostly by making mistakes and learning from them. When you don’t learn the lesson…that shit comes back to bite you on the ass until you do. Here’s to learning my lessons well.

Which brings me to learning that Not Everything Is About Me. Everybody is fighting their own battle, their own demons. And most times, they are caught up in their own drama. While it might be tough at times, I’m learning not to take things personally.I’m learning this the hard way…but I am learning.

My Cohort of Awesome. The older I get, the more grateful I am for the people I chose to walk this journey with. I would not who I am or where I am without the love and support around me.

Learning to Let Go. Boy has 2016 been about me learning to let go and truly letting God. I had plans for my birthday that totally got turned upside down in the space of a few hours and I had to make a decision that not only cost me money but also a couple friendships as well. However, once the decision was made, I was okay. I was at peace and that was priceless. Then a series of events unfolded that underlined exactly why I need to trust my process and my progress and it reminded me that I am always exactly where I need to be.

And finally, I am grateful for another year of life. I am so full of gratitude for the blessing of another year of life. I have said too many goodbyes this year already not to be grateful when I wake up in the land of the living each day. I spent my entire birthday with family and it was a poignant reminder of who and what is important. I am excited for this new year of life. My intention for this new year of life is to be: Bolder. Braver. Better.

And I am living in joyful hope for another year filled with:
Gratitude.
Really good coffee.
Drinks with my sister.
Tiramisu with friends.
Sun on my skin.
Trust.
Slow mornings.
Rainy Sundays.
Avocado toast.
Red eye sunrises.
Writing my own permission slip.
Sauna on “me-days”.
Family dinners.
Belly-laughs.
Loving with my whole heart.

…and most of all
Abundance.
Adventure.
And Infinite Possibilities!

I’m ready. Let’s do this!

I hope that by paying attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? Feel free to share below!

 

7 for SEVEN

 As February began…so it ends…on a Monday!

20160228_120322HAPPY LEAP DAY EVERYONE! I hope you made the most of this “extra” day.

This has been the best February of my life! I’m going to share with you in photos some of the things that has been happening this month. All of which has lead to some amazing experiences, great connections and plenty plenty love.

The FOCUS this month was on starting and moving forward…and not worrying about the destination. I was more concerned about “taking the next little step” than where those steps are leading me. And I am proud to say that progress – though small – has been made in the directions of my dreams.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my 7 for this week [with some photos to add some perspective]:

The little light that is now shining for all the world to see. I AM OFFICIALLY AN AUNTY! I am one big ball of happy right now…because our family has been blessed with this pure light. It’s been 4 days of amazement and I am feeling aaaall the feels. Because I cannot share the photo I really want to share, I will share one that kinda says how I feel.

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Taking back all the bad things I ever thought about over-eager parents who over-share about their children on social media.  I.get.it.now. I want to show off our little treasure. I want the world to see and echo a collective “awww” when they see that cute little face that I just want to love up. I get it parents. I get it aunties. And I am officially sorry for all the bad things I ever thought about your kiddie pix.

This Love I feel. I have never felt this way before – excited, awed, protective, joyful, hopeful with a healthy dose of fear all bubbling together for this tiny human. The thing that amazes me about the depth of this feeling is that…I’m the aunt. Not the mother. So I can only imagine what THAT feeling must be like. And I am looking forward to it.

Learning to make peace with colouring outside the lines. Soooo one of sweetest people I know gave me a colouring book with crayons as a Christmas/New Year/Galentines Day present. By the end of the first weekend with the book…my thumbs were sore from colouring. I forgot how much fun that activity was. And just how much I enjoy bringing a page to life with colour. The downside with “adult” coloring books…is that the designs are intricate. Tiny lines and fat crayons can make for some frustrating moments. But…I’m learning to let go of the need to stay in the lines and I’m pretty happy with my result.

20160229_204404Still sticking with my fitness plan. So proud of that myself that two months into 2016, I’m still making good decisions when it comes to diet and exercise. I’m not going to lie…some days it is a bitch to work all day and then go work out but I’m sticking with it. I feel better when I do.

Which brings me to (because random and I deserve it for sticking with my sensible eating plan thus far) – Homemade Coconut Ice Cream. An extra special treat is homemade ice cream…but there is something heavenly about homemade coconut ice cream. When it is made well…it’s the perfect mix of coconut (real coconut) milk and sweetness. That’s a two-scoop cup below. I had all of it and I’m satisfied to report that it was fantastic.

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And finally, I am grateful for my very own blue bird of happiness. 20160229_193910

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? How is 2016 shaping up for you? Feel free to share below!

7 for SEVEN

7-for-1

Don’t you just love it when a month begins on a Monday?

So folks, we are in February. It’s Day 32 of 2016. There are 334 days left in the year. If you’re like me…then January was more of a waiting for the dust to settle, things are out of sync, I made all my lists but I still can’t seem to start kinda month. The struggle was too real.

That’s why I’m using the energy of firsts – first day of the work week, first day of a new month and first 7 for Seven for the year – to get going once again and FOCUS.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~ Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my first 7 for 2016:

Starting. It’s been a struggle to get going. The year started with promise and but a lot remained the same – same shit stress, new year – so I spent the better part of January, trying to get my bearings and now that I’ve achieved a level of ‘normalcy’ it’s time to just start already. So here’s to starting small with joyful hope for great things ahead.

The little light that is glowing and growing. My family is witnessing our own little miracle and I am truly grateful that I can even type this today. Only God knows what the future holds but for now…today…in this moment we are awed and hopeful.

Adulting. The struggle is real! There are no guide books on how to manoeuver this phase in life. You’re pretty much making it up as you go…mostly by making mistakes and learning from them. When you don’t learn the lesson…that shit comes back to bite you on the ass until you do. Here’s to learning my lessons well.

Which brings me to learning that Not Everything Is About Me. Everybody is fighting their own battle, their own demons. And most times, they are caught up in their own drama. So don’t take things personally. Learning to let some things go will be the best skill you can develop. I’m learning this the hard way…but I am learning.

Sticking with my fitness plan. On my vision board for 2015, I put ‘hire Personal Trainer’ as one of my goals. While I didn’t exactly hire a ‘personal’ trainer, I have joined a group of fitness seekers like myself and our trainers are actually sadists in sweats. (Stay tuned for a full recap of my 16-week odyssey.)  Sadists they might be, but 10 weeks in, I am pleased to say that I’m seeing positive results.

Conquering mountains. 2016 started with me rekindling some old loves. This included my love for hiking. Our group explored Mt. Tabor and you can read all about it here. Climbing this mountain was more than just exploring a new place and getting the best photo op. It was about starting again. As I wrote in that post, “you have this one, short life. Sometimes, it’s going to be uphill and you might have obstacles in your path to crawl over. And sometimes it will be nice and shady and some moments will take your breath away. Sometimes you will need to ask for help. You will fall and you will get up. And yes, you can go it alone…but it is far more fun to travel with friends, people you love, people you can belly laugh with. Getting to the top is only part of the fun. And oh so worth it! But you will never know, unless you take the first step forward. You have to start.”

And finally, I am grateful for my brother because he listens.

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? How is 2016 shaping up for you? Feel free to share below!

The 10 Best Things I Ate In 2015

I was fortunate this year to have travelled to a few new places and tried new foods. I would love to share some of my best foodie moments with you.

10. Chocolate gnocchi IMG_20150429_073557

Because chocolate is my love language…I tried this pasta creation, while exploring Borough Market. This ‘market’ is foodie heaven, if you’re ever in London and have some time to spend wandering around, trying new foods and new twists on old favourites…this is one you won’t want to miss.

9. Red curry and egg fried riceIMG_20150423_132550

I love a good curry. But in my experience up until April this year…I have only ever had yellow curry. So it was a culinary wonder to try green curry and red curry. Thai food is amazing!

8. Venison burgerIMG_20150428_073347

Oh the wonders of Borough Market again. This premium venison burger created with meat sourced from the Highlands of Scotland was accompanied by a slice of Gouda cheese, bacon jam (my first time trying such fare) and red onion relish, all contained in a sturdy brioche. Whoa! I savoured every bite of this hearty lunch!

7. Avocado ToastIMG_20150715_100942

Now I have always been a fan of avocado or zaboca as they are called in Trinidad. Add two siblings who hated it and my mother and I pretty much went halfsies when we had avocado on the menu. I thought I had it every possible way – as a side for lunch, with breakfast, in a salad, in dips, in a smoothie, soups, I even had it in chocolate chip cookies. But I never had it quite like this. You see this avo-toast at Chelsea Market was a game-changer. I’m talking, every avocado I’ve gotten since that morning has been used to dress up toast in this simple yet fahncy way. What makes it so special: The cumin salt and that drizzle of olive oil. Next level business right thurrr! That cumin or geera as we call it in Trinidad is the shizznit!

6. Chicken Soup – Cuban style

IMG_20150220_140550For the past three years I opted out of Trinidad Carnival (unheard of in some circles but I’ve been bored with the Carnival scene recently) for a week of relaxation in Miami. This year was no different…except I was sick like a dog. I had all these self-guided  food tours and shopping trips planned for my bestie and I, but only made it to El Pub Restuarant in Little Havana and one other spot. Because I had the flu and couldn’t get medication from the pharmacy *because I needed a prescription to get freaking advil…thanks meth heads* I made sure to eat well. This soup made it all better. That wedge of lime…made all the difference.

5. Dark Treacle TartIMG_20150425_144658

I read about treacle tarts in storybooks as a child, not really knowing what it was but understanding that if it was in my storybooks…it had to be good. As I got older, I forgot all about the magic tree and the treacle that could be found in the worlds at the top. Until I was in a restaurant in Covent Garden and there it was on the dessert menu: Dark Treacle Tart. I just had to try it, if only to finally satisfy the little girl bookworm with a fantastic imagination still inside me.  She was not disappointed.

4. Homemade Tiramisu

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Ya’ll know this list would not be complete without Tiramisu! I’ve already shared here just how much I love Tiramisu…but when it’s your “Welcome to Bristol. I made this especially for you from scratch with Marsala wine too” gift…you feel extra, extra special and loved. I have the best friends.

3. Scotch Eggs

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Another Borough Market food find – Scotchtails scotch eggs. This little morsel has been around since 1738 and has certainly stood the test of time. And I can definitely see why…that yummy yolk and flavourful pork was really saying something.

2. Cream Tea Perfection

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Perfect was the only way to describe this day and this treat. After exploring Wells in Somerset with all its 800 year-old history, my friend and I picked up all the makings for a cream tea at the market: freshly baked scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream. We then made our way to the farm she grew up on…think rolling hills and lazy cattle not unlike a trip to Pemberley *nod to my book nerds* there were pheasants about as well. The cloudless sky was a bit deceiving because even though the sun was out…it was still cold. That didn’t stop us from taking advantage of the beauty all around and having our cream tea in the garden with the farm house and rolling hills as our backdrop. Perfect…doesn’t seem adequate…but it will do.

1. Kanom Krok

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My favourite dish for 2015 is vegan. Yup…vegan after all the meat that came before. Kanom Krok – which is also the name of the food stall where it is sold – is market food at its best. This was my absolute favourite food find at Borough Market. These little moreish bits of heaven are made from ground jasmine rice and coconut milk. The mixture is then poured into dimpled cast iron pans. Toppings can vary but I had sesame seeds with mine.

The mixture is cooked until crispy golden brown on the bottom but almost custard-like on the top. It was delicious and delivered a rather satisfying YUM!

Now because I spent of most of that day exploring the Market and having many small bites (and in some cases rather large ones), by the time the lunch crowd cleared I was a bit full. The serving is double what you see in my photo. So I ended up sharing the other half with a fellow tourist – a Dutch teacher on a field trip with her art class. She said the Thai treats reminded her of her native pancakes called Poffertjes (poh-frah-ggers). Food really brings people together and I was able to learn about two cultures and the similarities of both. Full of Win!  

Happy Tummy. Plenty memories. Most of the good ones had a lot to do with the people I shared the meal with as well as the absolute yumminess of the food.  I love hearing from you….what’s the best thing you ate this year?  Please share below!