Quarantine Life Lately

Looking back at recent posts, I realize that I've done a lot of grumbling about work and being at home 24/7. But hey, life wasn't all bad! I'm grateful that I'm still gainfully employed, my loved ones are healthy, and I can WFH safely during a global pandemic. Plus, there were a few bright spots this summer. Here's a quick look at some highlights that occurred away from the laptop and the Zoom calls.

Tofino

You've probably seen me mention our long weekend in Tofino ad nauseum here and on Instagram, but in my defense it was: 1) the most incredible 3-night stay at the Wickaninnish Inn; 2) a mini trip to celebrate Lawrence's birthday; and 3) probably the only vacation we're taking for a looong time. We splurged and booked ourselves a couples' hot stone massage at the Ancient Cedars Spa, and had a birthday dinner and departure day brunch at The Pointe Restaurant. (The rest of the time we ordered room service. A hot carafe of strong coffee, bacon and eggs, a view of the ocean—what a way to start the day!) It was such a treat to be able to have this luxurious experience and be right next to the ocean. We popped down to the beach for socially distanced walks whenever we could. The sea and sky, the rocks and waves—it all looked so different from one day to the next, when the sunny blue skies gave way to fog and light misty rain.

Vancouver Art Gallery

If you're looking to escape for an afternoon, might I suggest the 'Modern in the Making: Post-War Craft and Design in British Columbia' exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery? I went recently with my BFF and it was fantastic. This comprehensive look at midcentury modern design in BC is on from now until January 3, 2021. Everything was laid out beautifully, especially the furniture. At one point I joked to my friend that it was "like walking through IKEA, but make it art."

More exhibits were on the upstairs floors, including an installation by Douglas Coupland called "Slogans for the 21st century" which made a nifty background for the 'gram, ironically enough. My bestie and I practically had the whole place to ourselves, and we felt safe the entire time with the VAG's mandatory mask and timed entry policies. This is an excellent idea if you're looking for something to do indoors when the weather changes. Looking at art, and engaging with something outside of my normal everyday routine, definitely lifted my spirits.

Ramen eggs and salad days

No sourdough in this kitchen—in fact, it has been way too hot to turn on the oven! Our dinners lately have been salads with mix-and-match ingredients meal-prepped in advance, including ramen eggs. I've always loved these savoury, marinated, light-brown-on-the-outside, soft-yolk-on-the-inside eggs from ramen shops, and as it turns out they're ridiculously easy to make. My go-to method involves 6.5-minute soft-boiled eggs. For the marinade, I pour 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup mirin into a large mason jar, and then fill it up halfway with water. I make 8 eggs at a time for salads and quick lunches. One batch usually lasts 2-3 days. The longer they sit in the fridge, the more flavourful they get.

Barre

Yes, I'm still doing Bar Method classes via Zoom! I can't begin to describe what a stress reliever this has been. Every day I'm so grateful that I can get my workout in at home, that it can challenge me as much as an in-studio class, and that the Vancouver Bar Method studio has done such a great job making us all feel connected even in these trying times. Since it looks like I'll be working out at home for the foreseeable future, I decided to invest in a serious equipment upgrade. The biggest and most expensive purchase was my new Bootykicker portable barre, which Lawrence got me as an early birthday present. I'm planning a detailed post on my at-home barre setup soon, but (spoiler alert!) I love the Bootykicker so far.

TV

I've been watching so much TV, I feel like we've scrolled to the end of Netflix. Here is what we've enjoyed over the past 6 months, separated by streaming service, in no particular order. Do you have any recommendations?

Netflix:

• Indian Matchmaking
• Selling Sunset
• Cobra Kai
• The Baby-Sitters Club (LOVE. In fact, not only is it my pandemic comfort re-watch of choice lately, it also sent me on a nostalgia trip downloading and rereading the books, which explains why there was no book review round-up last month.)
• Never Have I Ever
• Crash Landing On You
• It's Okay to Not Be Okay
• Tunnel
• Kingdom
• Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
• The Old Guard
• #Alive

Amazon Prime:

• Little Fires Everywhere
• The Great
• Blow the Man Down

Disney+:

• Hamilton