My 'One Moment' of last week: Sibling Reminiscing.

Preface: You're probably wondering who the cuties are down below... Well up at the top is lil' sweet pea sis. The guy with the mustache in the Pampers box is my Michigan-to-Argentina motorcycling brother. And the third photo? Well that would me along with über-taller little brother and big brother G.

Know the song Sunscreen - Everybody's Free performed by Baz Luhrmann? Well there's this line:

"Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future."

And it's so true. Not to mention I feel so fortunate to have four links to my past and reinforcements in the future!

The thing is we five siblings are scattered across the globe. Yes, currently my Michigan-to-Argentina motorcycling brother is doing just that. In fact, he just wrapped up some volunteer work in Guatemala :) As you may know sweet pea lil sis is in Michigan. And über-tall little brother, well he just arrived in Toronto from the Philippines, and it's been nearly two years since G and I have seen him!

Excited therefore we were! So when one of us began unexpectedly recalling our oldest childhood memories over dinner one night, we just couldn't stop. After all we all had such great childhoods... You know, tattle-tales, fights (of the water and screaming variety) and all. Cue cheesy music and tearful thank you to mom and dad here. Yet, seriously that moment was definitely worth taking in and appreciating, hence... My One Moment of last week: Sibling Reminiscing.

While all five of us weren't together to remember:

• the lemonade stands turned lemonade franchises (we were entrepreneurs even back then);

• the make-believe games complete with make-believe Monopoly money customized with our faces on it (courtesy of mom's photocopier);

• and the grocery store trips that ended with two overflowing grocery carts and I don't know how many bags of milk (dad contemplated buying a jersey for the backyard);

To name a few... I certainly can't wait wait for the day when we are crying from laughing to hard at all our wonderful, memorable (mostly silly!) childhood stories!

Have any sibs? And/or just plain awesome childhood memories to share?

xo,

tee.

Not sure what all this One Moment mention is about, click on the button below to learn more about this great online meet up started by À la mode Stuff.

"Look at me! ME!"

Am still putting together the photos for last week's One Moment (hopefully before finding myself two weeks behind in the meet-up!) In the meantime a graphic fortune cookie fortune...

Not sure who the artist is. But Sweet Pea Sis forwarded this to me and I thought it post worthy. Bottom line: Don't be shy. Start by smiling at that cutie over there! It might just be me ;)

xo,

tee.

"Three little birds sat on my window. And they told me I don't need to worry."

Found here by hollaholla.

On Monday morning I woke up to discover Sweet Pea Sister sweetly prepared me a special playlist to get me pumped up this week, here is an excerpt of the note that accompanied the songs...

"On this very special morning, I have put together a very special mix tape for you, named MOM. Because nothing can cheer/pep you up, like a mom.. hehehe.

M.O.M. stands for Morning Of Mixtape! It's a compilation of happy, fun, inspiring and random songs that I thought you would enjoy listening to the morning of your big week."

I love my mom, but I must say Sweat Pea Sis certainly knows how to cheer and pep me all on her own ;)

Now to share what I've been listening to every morning this week to get my groove on... Track one of M.O.M....

Corinne Bailey Rae "Put Your Records On" from Orange Films on Vimeo.

Thank you again dear, Sweet Pea! And wishing you all an excellent week!

xo,

tee.

PS - What are some of your favourite songs to dance to in the morning?

My first ever Passover Seder.

So post-mini-Michigan-getaway Sweet Pea Sister came back with us to Toronto for a week-long visit. I have therefore been unintentionally kept away from Blogger, and have instead been gallivanting/showing off my new 'hood and covering my face with guck... a.k.a. spending quality time with my sis. To make it up to you, a photo of our gucky faces...

Hopefully, we haven't traumatized you 0;D Can you tell we're sisters?

Now for the promised photos of my first ever Passover Seder courtesy of the loveliest host family a high-school exchange student could have, Sweet Pea Sister's host family...

A few of the things I learned about Passover Seder:

1) It's the best holiday to be new to because it's all about asking questions...

2) Four questions asking why this night is different from all other nights to be exact:

• "Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?"

• "Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat only bitter herbs?"

• "Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?" and

• "Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night we eat in a reclining position?"

3) Along with four questions, we have four glasses of wine (mmm!)

4) Afikoman (Hebrew language: אפיקומן, based on Greek, epikomen or epikomion [επί Κομός], meaning "that which comes after" or "dessert") is a half-piece of matzo which is broken in the early stages of the Passover Seder and set aside (or in our case hidden) to be eaten as a dessert after the meal. Everyone at the table who doesn't yet have children searches for the hidden Akikoman and whoever finds it wins a prize!

After the consumption of the Afikoman, traditionally, no other food may be eaten for the rest of the night. Additionally, no intoxicating beverages may be consumed, with the exception of the remaining two cups of wine.

Now am off to a Good Friday Procession with big brother G and Sweet Pea Sister in my new 'hood... The weather (25C!) couldn't be more perfect out!

Happy Easter Triduum!

xo,

tee.

Motoring through Motown snapping photographs.

As mentioned my big brother G and I went on a mini road trip to Michigan this weekend. We came to visit our lil Sweet Pea sister and her host family. (She's on a year long high-school exchange). May I just say Sweet Pea sis has one of the most loveliest host families on earth? In fact, her host dad Greg took us on a little tour of Detroit.

Here a few photos from our 3-hour journey through "Motown." Turns out the "post-apocalyptic" American city still has some hidden gems and glitters of new inspiration...











From Bloomfield Township, driving south on Woodward Avenue (the first mile of paved road in the world!) catching a glimpse of a Frank Lloyd Wright original, popping our heads in to the magnificent interiors of Fisher Theatre and the Guardian Building, walking through The Conservatory on Belle Isle, to walking around the whimsical open-air art world of found objects (including abandoned homes) known as The Hidelberg Project by artist Tyree Guyton... It was an absolutely delightful afternoon! Thanks again Greg :)

More photos to be posted soon. Tomorrow all about my first Seder!

xo,

tee.

(Belated) Happy Pi Day!

My dear sweet pea sister, who herself is awaiting college admission results, told me yesterday that MIT has a tradition of making admissions results available on 3. 1 4 1 5 9...

Recognize the number? It's π (Pi), as in MIT reveals who's in on March 14th at 1:59pm, also known as Pi Day. By the way, it turns out Albert Einsten's birthday also falls on March 14th. Go figure! Leave it to the world re-known institute of technology to be that geeky!

Remember π? A mathematical constant whose value is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter in Euclidean space?

time for pie by simply photo

I must admit, I don't recall the last time I used π... I do however recall the last time I ate pie! It was moving day, when I thanked my friends for helping me move (yet again) with pizza, beer and blueberry praline pie from none other than my fav Madeleine's Cherry Pie and Ice Cream... Mmm, yum!

And so in honour of π and the yummy variety... An awesome one minute apple pie video, also courtesy of my sweet pea sis.

Warning, it will make you want to bake pie:

one minute Apple pie from Sergey Yazvinsky on Vimeo.

xo,

tee.

PS - Coincidentally foodie friend It All Starts with Butter, posts "Baking is for Mathematicians." Check out his post if you prefer cheesecake :)

hello !

by reina takahashi

First and foremost, a special welcome to my dearest eco-lovelies of my former ecojotter thoughts blog! And of course HELLO and welcome new readers :) Thank you for checking out my new blog... Much like my ecojotting ways, yet hopefully so much more, I shall share my personal thoughts and delightful stumble-upons here at a cuppa tee.

Some will continue to be green, like this too-cool-not-post eco-concept "light tree" by industrial designer Omar Huerta that "mixes hydroponic techniques with the best and the latest in solar technology to provide a unique lighting system that also grows plants and is powered entirely by renewable energy." As shown below and found on ecofriend:




And others will just be random splendid finds or recommendations such as the following video my sweet pea sister sent me:



I heart stop-motion! That's it for now folks...

xo,
tee.