Visit your local library

Still reading real, physical books like me? I know Amazon can deliver books right to your doorstep, and sure, it's a super cheap way to get your hands on new books, but wouldn't it be cool to get new books for free? Sounds crazy, right? Remember those places that are free to join, free to visit, and let you borrow books for free? Libraries are all around us, but they might not be for much longer. Most offer internet access, music, movies, and a comfy, quiet hangout so you can curl up and get acquainted with a good read. Toronto public libraries are under attack as a means to save money. Don't let this happen! Book lovers who can't afford to buy books, students studying, kids who are learning to read, clubs who meet to discuss their passion, tutors who lend a helping hand to those in need, a completely free way to spend an afternoon, shelves upon shelves of wondrous books GONE. This is cultural suicide. Don't let this happen to our city. Support libraries. Visit them. Borrow books. Volunteer. Attend an event. Voice your opinion. Sign a petition. Tweet about it. Blog about it. Email Mayor Rob Ford mayor_ford@toronto.ca. Call him 416-397-FORD (3673). Keep reading. I hate to think of a Toronto without free access to books for everyone...

TIFF Toronto International Film Festival

Go to TIFF this year! Have you ever been to Toronto International Film Festival? Do you say you're going to try and make it next year, year after year, and have still never been? Today the first official press conference for TIFF 2011 aired, and the opening film was announced to the world: Davis Guggenheim's From the Sky Down is a documentary featuring music group U2. The list of films is finally posted, and the movie lovers of the world are blogging, tweeting, and facebooking like mad. A Dangerous Method, Take this Waltz, Melancholia, Twixt, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Jeff Who Lives at Home, The Ides of March, Drive, Chicken with Plums, Rampart, Dark Horse, Albert Nobbs, 11 Flowers, and 360 are a handful that I personally cannot wait to see. So many great concepts, directors, actors, and such a diverse collection of films! Not a huge movie buff? Then come for the A-list celebs! George Clooney, Jane Fonda, Keira Knightly, Madonna, Seth Rogan, Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams, and the list goes on!

Read an eBook

Have you read an eBook yet? What are your thoughts about eReading? As a book lover, I was hesitant at first... but of course, I finally decided that if I was going to continue pointing out the possible downsides to this evolving medium, I had better try it out for myself. I was initially concerned about the price of eReaders, but as I continue to do my research and gather opinions about this matter, the low prices of eBooks outweigh the initial cost of the device, if you are an avid reader. Second, I was concerned with the potential for eye strain, and also that reading on a screen may encourage scanning through the text, which could be a frustrating distraction.

While I don't see myself running out to purchase an eReader in the near future, I admit that I will no longer be voicing any of my initial negative assumptions about this reading experience. The portability, affordability, immediacy, and overall convenience seem to outshine the few remaining arguments against eReading. I did not experience any eye strain, and I was able to really engage with the text after all.

This new way to read encourages reading among individuals who would not be reading regularly otherwise, and that is awesome! If you haven't tried reading an eBook yet, try it!

Conquer your Commute Coma

Today in particular I was feeling bored of my regular, day-to-day drive/commute/walk to work and back routine. It was such a nice day out and I didn't feel extremely rushed, so I decided to walk down different streets to get to the train station. It was so refreshing to see different shops, restaurants, and parks, rather than the ones I've become accustomed to seeing every day, twice a day. It sounds so simple, and it is, really. But I was pleasantly surprised how much my mood improved by simply turning off autopilot for 20 minutes. So if you're feeling like a zombie, enslaved by the 9 to 5 grind, passing the same people, buildings, streets, everything every day, like I usually do, mix it up! Take back roads, explore. Even if you know the city like the back of your hand, it is nice to experience new surroundings that depart from your usual settings that have now become a hazy, tiresome blur. Don't walk? Take a detour on your way to work, or on the way home. Download some new songs to listen to in the car. Take a train or bus? Bring a book. Have you got a bike rusting away in the garage and live close to work? Save on gas and traffic agony by bicycling to work! What better way to start your day than to break the daily grind routine with a simple and refreshing change to awaken your senses?

Fresh Restaurants - Gourmet Vegetarian Dining in Toronto

I am crazy about these restaurants! There are 3 locations downtown Toronto: Queen St. W, Spadina, and Bloor. My favourite dish is the Super Protein Salad, which is filled with all kinds of goodness! Chick peas, goji berries, grilled tempeh, grape tomatoes, cucumber, puffed quinoa, currants, pistachios, and almonds on a bed of mixed greens, drizzled with your choice of fresh dressings. My personal fave is the tahini dressing. Fresh restaurants offer a variety of fresh and healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, each one of them either vegetarian or totally vegan. They have an awesome take-away menu as well. Don't even get me started on their fresh juices, smoothies, and shakes. If you're feeling brave, try a wheat grass shot! Surprisingly tasty.

Game: Mancala

I absolutely love this game! It looks simple, but there is strategy involved. It has apparently been around for thousands of years, but not many people seem to know it. My friend received it as a gift and we were playing up at the cottage. It is so addictive. You can find the game in toy stores and other game/puzzle shops. The board has a total of fourteen pits and 48 stones or marbles. If you don't have a board you can improvise with an egg carton, two cups, and stones or beads. This is a two-player game, but it goes quickly and you can easily take turns and compete with more people. I won't get into the details of how to play the game here, but there are a ton of great sites that explain the rules of the game online. Once you get the hang of it, you can scoop up your opponent's beads, strategically get a series of extra turns, and put a stop to your opponent's planned attacks. The objective is to have the most stones in the larger pit at your end of the board by the end of the game. It might sound boring and simple, but I'm telling you it is a ton of fun and things can get very competitive. Give it a try sometime!

Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" and "Double Delicious" Cookbooks

Jessica Seinfeld has created two incredible cookbooks --"Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to get your Kids Eating Good Food" and "Double Delicious: Good, Simple Food for Busy, Complicated Lives." Sure the first one is meant to get kids eating healthy, whole foods, but these recipes can help anyone to make healthy choices in the kitchen. Seinfeld sneaks vegetable purees into everything, even desserts! I thought pureeing all of the vegetables would be a pain, but it was so simple. You can even prepare a whole bunch of pureed portions and freeze them for another day. I decided to try and make the chicken cannelloni dish, which uses cauliflower puree, and whole wheat lasagna noodles (or any other healthy alternative; gluten-free will work as well). I have never successfully made anything from a cookbook. It was absolutely delicious and I didn't feel guilty grabbing seconds. Seinfeld's books include nutritional information, shopping lists, photos, and fun comments from her family about each recipe. Check out her website or head straight to Amazon for a sneak peek!

O.NOIR, "dine in the dark" restaurant

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be blind? O.NOIR is a "dine in the dark" restaurant where you literally dine in a pitch black room. If you have never visited a restaurant like this, I highly recommend it!

It is such a strange experience. Upon arrival we were invited to have a drink and read through the menu at a bar in a lit room. Once we ordered, and had a drink or two, we were introduced to our blind waiter. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention? All of the waiters are completely blind! So we met our waiter, were instructed to turn off our cell phones, and guided into the darkness.

We followed each other with outstretched arms trusting one another to guide us safely to our table. Our waiter kindly described to us what we could find on our table as we proceeded to feel around and get familiar with our cutlery, glasses, and serviettes (which will come in handy later, believe me). It was so dark, I couldn't even see my own hand. I couldn't see how large the room was, how many people were in the room, or how close I was to other guests.

The food was absolutely delicious. It was such a bizarre sensation as I tried to locate my next bite of food on my plate with my fork, find my mouth with my fork (with an undecipherable amount of food on it - sometimes none at all), and try not to make too much of a mess. Also, if you're feeling brave, you have the choice of ordering a "surprise" appetizer, entree, and/or dessert!

Any Ideas?

Hey, if you have an idea for something new for me to try, please share! Also, feel free to let me know what you think of things you've tried recently. 

Thanks!

Wakeboarding

I tried wakeboarding when I was ten years old, and I could not get up on that board for the life of me. It felt like I was having a tug-of-war with a speed boat! I just didn't have the strength to pull myself up. I was at my friend's cottage, and usually I would just sit on the boat and spot the others while they took their turns. I finally got the courage to try again on the weekend and I did it! It was so much fun that I just had to share. Wind blowing in my hair, water splashing up, competing with the force of the boat, and feeling super cool of course. The next day I could hardly move! It felt like I had been to the gym for hours the day before. Skip the gym and hit the lake instead? Yes please!

Hot Yoga

The key to staying fit is finding exercises that you actually enjoy! I used to think that yoga was just breathing and stretching, and couldn't really replace a work out. I had tried it a few times, and it felt great, invigorating, but I never felt like it was an effective way to shed pounds. Readers, if you haven't tried hot yoga, you are seriously missing out! There are many kinds of yoga and hot yoga, but I recommend Bikram hot yoga. It comprises 26 poses which were developed by Bikram Choudhury from Hatha Yoga. The poses are done in sequence, and each is repeated. These poses work every part of the body. The room is heated to 105F or 40C (which I think is relaxing all on its own). Why the heat? The warmth allows your muscles to loosen, and for you to push your body. The heat combined with the yoga purifies your body, eliminating toxins, waste, and other impurities. When I left that studio, I felt like a new person.

Edamame (soy beans)

Have you ever tried these? I first discovered them in sushi restaurants, served as an appetizer with salt sprinkled on top. I absolutely loved them, and have ordered them every time I go ever since! I stumbled upon a bag of edamame in my local grocery store recently and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I had them for lunch today and they are just as tasty as they are in sushi restaurants! You can buy them in shells (like they serve in restaurants), or shelled. All you need to do is boil them up (or microwave apparently), and add a touch of salt! So good for you, full of protein, potassium, and fibre. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a salty snack every once in a while?

First Post

Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. My name is Sarena, and I'm from Toronto, ON. I will use this blog to post about new things I try. It has always been a goal of mine to try something new everyday, so I have created this blog to share my experiences and opinions of each and every new thing I try. What kind of new things am I talking about? Well, it could be anything! A new product, or some kind of food I have never tried before, a new sport or exercise, a new restaurant, or store, a new music band, a film director's work I've never seen before, a new craft I'm trying, or a new place I'm visiting. The possibilities are endless, and I hope to provide my readers with entertaining and informative opinions about something new everyday.

Yours truly,
Sarena