Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich

You'd think it would be easy cooking for someone who, when you ask, "what do you want to eat?" the reply is almost always "Whatever, I don't care." But it's not as easy as it sounds!
Today for lunch I had a craving for something a little out of the ordinary and Alex didn't have a preference for anything in particular, so I made a Chicken Salad sandwich with Curry and Turmeric.
Although I've had chicken salad before, this was the first time I've ever made it. I thought I'd add some curry and turmeric to the chicken before baking it, and it turned out really great.
I think Alex even enjoyed it!

Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich (approx. 300-325 calories)
1 chicken breast
1/8 tsp. curry
pinch turmeric
2 stalks celery
2 green onions
1/4 cup green pepper
1/2 tomato
1 - 2 TBSP light mayo
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the chicken into small pieces sprinkle with curry and turmeric, bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until done. Let cool completely.
Cut up all the veggies and toss in a bowl with mayo, salt and pepper. Once the chicken is completely cooled mix with the rest of the ingredients. Serve on whole grain bread or in a whole grain wrap top with lettuce. Enjoy!

Life Lesson #3

You know that feeling you get when you believe something to be true, and then you are proven wrong? It's kind of an awful feeling! It seems that lately, I have been experiencing this phenomena a lot more often than usual and I must say, it is humbling. I consider myself to be a fairly intelligent, educated woman, but I was really starting to beat myself up over being wrong about so many little things.
So, I guess I took it as a 'sign' when I was reading this "Life Lessons" article to relax and accept the fact that I'm not right all the time (*gasp!) and it's OK!

3. You don't have ALL the answers
"By and large, people don't like to live in the realm of  'not knowing.' It's terrifying. Which is why everybody wants to have all the answers. Atheists think science has the answers. Religious Fundamentalists believe their particular theology does. But 'not knowing' is a richer and more gratifying place to be. I have no idea what's going to happen to me, why the universe is the way it is, or what will happen to my life force once my body stops working. You probably don't either. So just breathe and live in the great, beautiful mystery. And floss regularly."

(Real Simple, February 2011, p. 50) 

Life Lesson #2

I am 100% guilty of Life Lesson #2 (and so is my hubby, even though he'll never admit it)!

2. You spent a SMALL FORTUNE on yourself.
"Even in this day and age, many people still don't level with their spouses about how much they paid for some coveted service or item, like a salon treatment or a fancy new grill. Indeed, it can be difficult to own up to, say, a $70 haircut at a chic salon when your husband shells out $22 at the barber. But keeping money secrets in a relationship creates bigger conflicts down the road. Sure, in this economy, sharing such information may lead to a discussion about cutting back, but your partner will also get a better understanding of what you value most - and those converstions will ultimately bring the two of you closer."

(from Real Simple, February 2011, p. 50)

Like I said, I am guilty of spending small fortunes on myself on the most inane things (like my new leather Cole Haan triple zip satchel purse **swoon), and usually I am too embarassed to tell my husband the true number, so I have taken to subscribing to his "1/2 it or double it" when he asks me how much I spent on something! But, I guess I can truly admit we are not quite "there" yet on full disclosure of our expenditures. I think things are changing though now that at least one of us is done University, and I imagine we will begin to share expenses and money more openly when we are both earning and contributing.
One day at a time!

Greek Pizza

Tonight I was craving pizza but I know all too well the calorie count in traditional pizza is usually in the quadruple digits for 2 or 3 pieces! So, I made a low cal version of Greek Pizza (with ALL the flavour!)

Greek Pizza (approx. 275-300 calories)
2 small whole wheat tortilla wraps
1 TBSP pesto
30 grams feta (approx. 2 TBSP)
1/4 cup tomato cut in chunks
1/4 cup red onion cut in chunks
1/4 cup green pepper cut in chunks
1/8 cup kalamata olives, de-stoned, cut into pieces
1/4 cup cooked chicken breast (with greek seasoning)

First, cut up chicken into little pieces, cook in fry pan with a TBSP water and sprinkle Greek seasoning.
Spread pesto between 2 wraps and layer feta, onion, pepper, tomato, olives and cooked chicken on top, sprinkle with oregano. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until base is a little crusty.

Life Lesson #1

One of my very favourite magazines is Real Simple, and for so many reasons! It is filled with so many little things to help you around the house, or new uses for old things, etc. that I always like to share with my family and friends, and the latest issue (February 2011) is no exception!

In particular, this month there is a page called 'Life Lessons' (p. 50) and there is one excerpt that I want share.....

1. Your house is USUALLY a disaster area
'The next time you entertain, don't pretend that your place always looks perfect. It's as annoying as a stick-thin model saying she eats like a horse. If someone compliments your home, be honest and say "I've spent the last two days cleaning up. You have no idea what was behind that side board!" It's impossible to keep it together at all times.
Wouldn't you rather be friends with someone who owns up to their imperfections? I know I would.'

You may ask, why this excerpt, Kellie? Well, simply because that is me in a nutshell! I LOVE to entertain and host dinner parties or 'Rockband' nights, but I'm always stressing out, trying to pretend I'm the best house-keeper, HA! Far from it!
So, here I am, I'm "coming clean" about what my house USUALLY looks like!
Please, just don't 'pop by' for a visit to see it in person.

Striving for perfection

Growing up, I was always a B or C student (with the exception of grade 7 when I made the honour roll with straight A's, and and my 2nd year in University when I made the Dean's Honour List), so needless to say, I guess, I just got used to it. Getting an A on an assignment or a test came few and far between for me. I never really believed in myself, never believed I was smart enough to be an 'A-student'.

Then came college - FAIL.

Then came University. It took some getting used to, getting back in the game - I was 26 going on 27 when I started at the U of M. My choices consisted of 2 Nutrition classes (which still stick with me to this day, so glad I took them), and Statistics. Oh my god, statistics. What a NIGHTMARE! Poor Alex, is all I have to really say on that subject.
Poor Alex, and Thanks Alex ... if it weren't for you, I definitely would've failed!
After working my butt off for 2.5 years, striving to achieve and maintain a GPA over 3.5 so I would get accepted into the very competitive Environmental Design program,  all of my hard work paid off.

Or so I thought.

2009-2010 was, by far, the most academically challenging year of school I have EVER faced. Never had I cried so many times, never had I wanted to quit so many times, never had I pulled so many all nighters, and never had I stressed myself out to that point before. All in the name of maintaining that 3.5 GPA so I would be accepted into the third year of the ED program, and  into Interior Design - my ultimate goal (the thing about this is that I didn't realize I would have to apply to get into 3rd year after already applying to get into 2nd year ED). This time I can say all of my hard work has FINALLY paid off! Now, I can relax a little and enjoy myself and enjoy everything I am learning. I am currently maintaining a GPA of 3.43 and I am perfectly happy with that number.
I am going to give it my best. I am going to work hard and do my best, and if I get B's again, I am ok with that. I understand that at this point in my academic career, grades are mostly subjective, especially in the creative design world. If I get a B, as long as I did the work to my best abilities, then I understood the assignment. I understood what the results meant and how they are to be applied to my field. Just because someone else got an 'A' doesn't necessarily mean they understood the information better, it could mean the grader liked their layout and/or theme of the particular paper/presentation better, or whatever.

In the end it comes down to understanding. Do you or don't you? I could take a final exam and cram all the information into my head the night before and forget it all the second I leave the test (and still manage to score a 98%) but I am no better prepared for "the real world" than I was before I even took the class...

Favourite Things: Reading

I just finished the "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" series, and it was very well written and worth the 7 months it took me to finish the 3 books, I am a very slow reader! The series is set in Sweden, so at times it got a little confusing with the streets and towns and such, but the story was well written and well researched. I definitely recommend reading these books!

I just started reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett and it is un-put-downable, if that is even a word! The writer has captured the voices of the characters in such a believable tone I feel like I am right there living in the story! This book was a gift from my good friend Colleen and I have had it for quite a while now. I kept choosing different books to read, but over the Christmas holidays my sister-in-law Bre was reading it and she was telling me how amazing it was, I caught her sitting on the couch reading a couple times while everyone else was downstairs watching tv! Now I understand why!

I also just found out that this book  (along with the "Tattoo" series I mentioned above) are being made into Hollywood movies, so I am anxious to see those when they are released. Anxious because, as has been proven in the past, the movie is almost NEVER as good as the book, they cut stuff out, change the story line, or just plain don't do it justice. For example, "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult is one of my all time favourite books and I was so excited for the movie only to be sorely disappointed with how much they changed (not only in the ending, but also that they left out so much of the brother's story). On the other hand, another of my favourite books "Memoirs of a Geisha", was also made into a movie and it was phenomenal. It followed the book perfectly and it was how I imagined it when I was reading the book.

I suppose whether you love or hate a movie based on a book depends on if it is portrayed how you imagined it in your mind. I just think if you're going ot do something, do it well or don't do it at all!

Favourite Things: Breakfast

I am a big fan of breakfast, so much so I kind of take it personally when I hear a friend or family member say they don't particularly like the meal-time. Sure, I can understand maybe not liking eggs, or pancakes, but I just cannot comprehend dis-liking an entire category of meals. I think breakfast gets a bad wrap, I mean, you never hear people say "I hate dinner".
Oh, I literally salivate at the thought of waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and buttered toast, the sound of eggs crackling in the frying pan, and let's not forget bacon, ohhh the bacon (in this case, my husband is right, bacon does make everything better)! This is, in my opinion, a traditional perfect breakfast, maybe throw in some hashbrowns to complete the profile, but lately (and since on my 'non-diet diet') I have been feeling a little bored with the ol' stand-by, so I searched out a couple healthier recipes for my favourite meal-time.

Whole Grain French Toast with Cinnamon and Fruit
-1 slice whole grain bread
**(be sure to choose the whole grain bread over the multi grain bread, multi grain bread is deceptive, the grains are usually pulled apart and stripped of their nutritious qualities, much like in white bread)
-1 whole egg
-TBSP sliced almonds
-ground cinnamon

-fresh fruit (1 whole pear and 1 whole kiwi; or, 1/2 cup raspberries and 1/2 cup blackberries; or 1/2 cup strawberries and 1/2 cup blueberries ....... I have tried each of the 3 combinations and they are all delicious)

Do not pour syrup on this, just sprinkle cinnamon on each side of the bread as you're frying it then pour the fruit all over the french toast and finally sprinkle with almonds. You are in for a TREAT! (and it is filling enough you won't need to eat again until lunchtime!)

Eggs Florentine
-1 egg
-1/2 whole wheat english muffin
-6-8 fresh spinach leaves
-thick slice tomato
-TBSP fresh goat cheese
Spray a ramekin with cooking spray, crack the egg in the dish sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, layer the spinach, then the tomato, then the cheese. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, or until the egg is as done as you like it. toast the english muffin and place the egg on top. (In a hurry? Pop it in the microwave instead of the oven for max. 1 minute, but be sure to cover it because the egg tends to explode a little!)

Scrambled Omlette in a Whole Grain Wrap
-1 whole egg, 1-2 egg whites
-1 cup of fresh veggies (green onion, green or red pepper, mushroom, tomato, etc. Whatever veggies you have/like)
-1 TBSP Hot sauce
-1 slice lowfat Jarlsberg cheese
-1 tsp lowfat ranch dressing
-1 whole grain wrap
Beat eggs and egg white(s) with veggies and half the hot sauce, cut up cheese and beat in with eggs. Pour into a frying pan and scramble. in a seperate bowl, mix ranch and rest of hot sauce and spread on wrap. Once the eggs are done, pour into wrap, roll up and enjoy!

When I find more yummy recipes and try them out (and add/change things to make it my own) I will post them on here to share! Til then, don't dismiss this meal time based on the old boring stand-by's of pancakes and syrup and fried eggs on toast (as yummy as they are), try switching it up a little!

Salmon in Lemongrass broth

I am on here today to admit I fell off my 'non-diet diet' wagon last weekend.
I celebrated my birthday the only way I know how, a weekend full of red wine, tequila, and deep fried foods with great friends! Of course, I fit in a little exercise skiing for one of the days so I am going to try to convince myself it all evens out in the end!

Today I went grocery shopping and picked up all the fresh fruit and veggies required to get me back on the wagon, and already I feel better. I should maybe start by reminding myself not to feel too bad about celebrating over the last few days, because when I started this little journey I weighed 155 lbs. and this morning I am happy to say the scale stopped at 148 lbs. so, yay me!

Tonight I decided to have Salmon in Lemongrass broth (I would say the calorie count is around 300):
This recipe is for 2 servings....


Ingredients
• 2 oz. pad Thai or fettuccine noodles
• 2 T minced fresh gingerroot
• ½ stalk lemongrass,* outer leaves removed, core thinly sliced
• ¾ jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 1 ½ T fish sauce* or low-sodium soy sauce
• 8 fresh mushrooms, stemmed, each cap quartered
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 large carrots, trimmed, peeled, and thinly sliced
• 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
• ½ t canola oil
• ½ cup Cilantro leaves, for garnish

This soup is so delicious and FRESH, and it takes less than 30 minutes to make. Love it!

my world 30.1

I just celebrated my 31st birthday, so I suppose it is time ot update my blog title.
I'm just so clever! HA!

Keeping up ...

I am proud to say that - with the exception of Friday night and all day Saturday - I have been keeping up with my 'Cinch' eating plan! The meals are so filling and so tasty, I am not finding it difficult to follow through with this! I think the hardest part is the meal preparation, or rather, the hardest part is motivating myself to wash and cut up all the veggies, etc. I guess doing this has also made me realize that however much I love cooking, most weekdays I am just too lazy to bother; it is so easy to just thaw out some ground beef and boil up some pasta for spaghetti and meat sauce - one of my top 5 favourite things to eat - but, I am loving getting in all these fruits and veggies, it makes me feel good about myself!

So, as I said before, this is all with the excepetion of Friday night and all day Saturday. Alex was supposed to come into town this weekend and we had dinner plans with 2 of our good friends, Ingrid and Andy. Well, due to the enormous amount of snow we've gotten pounded with over the last few days, the highways were too bad for him to travel on, so it was just the 3 of us. The plan was for me to go to their house for a couple pre-drinks, and I must say I have never seen Winnipeg streets that icy before, it was scary driving out there! (Scary, mostly because I was driving Alex's baby, the Audi S4, you know how terriefied I am of getting into an accident in that car, even if it wasn't my fault I would feel so awful! But, the car handles like a dream, even on pure ice, it is such a pleasure to drive that car!) Anyways, so Ing and I polished off a bottle of red (Nugan, a blend I picked up at Costco, very nice wine) then Andy drove us to Bistro 725, by far one of Winnipeg's BEST restaurants. We had the most phenomenal meal. Started off with a couple Pomegranate Prosecco's (Prosecco is a dry Italian sparkling white wine), I'd never heard of it before, it was a new twist on one one of my old favourites -MIMOSA'S!! After 2 glasses each of those, we switched it up to a Ginger Apple martini, blah, we sent them back and ordered a bottle of Prosecco instead!
Then came the food.... we all shared a few 'small plates' and a cheese board. We ordered: the shrimp gnudi, duck confit (a recipe they've changed since the last time I was there, an OMG this was AMAZING, the duck was so tender and flavourful and the sauces - I think it was a wild cherry and cheese sauce - fit so well, I could've eaten 2 of them!), mushroom and blue cheese mussels, veal and foi gras sliders, and tenderloin of bison (I think it was bison?!). I swear the food gets better everytime I go there! After the delicious meal, we ran across the street to Luxalune, a pub I used to work at a few years ago. We just sat for a drink then came back to my house for a nightcap. All in all, a wonderful evening!
The Audi had a sleepover in the Demchenko-Bell's garage, and Andy was nice enough to come and get me Saturday to pick up the car. Saturday was, of course, a day of recuperation - damn you, Prosecco - and I ate nothing but junk food all day (and it was delicious!)

But now it is Sunday and I have a lot of catching up to do. Laundry, clean house, journaling for one class, photos and meausrements for another class, poster's for studio presentation, and I have a few phone calls to make. Guess I better get a move on!
till next time...

childish behaviour

When I was younger, in grade school, going through some bad times being bullied, etc. I remember thinking I can't wait until I grow up and become an adult because adults don't act childish.
HA! Talk about naive thinking!
Surely, I thought, by 3rd year University, gilrs, *ah'em, women, would not act like little children and stomp away in a huff only to return later, angry, and try to stir up trouble by lying or complaing to anyone who would listen. Clearly, I thought wrong!
There are some people in this world, I guess, who assume their ideas are the best, and won't consider or listen to any one else's thoughts or comments. And when they realize that a majority vote is in favour of someone else's superior idea, they leave... only to return a couple hours later crying that everyone else was ignoring them, and then getting angry because they were absent for the remainder of the decision making meeting and ended up with the "shit-job" that noone else wanted.
Well, honey, you snooze, you lose. "Grow up" is all I have to say to you. You are in 3rd year University, if you can't hack it and take criticism at this point in your life and academic career, well, then I suggest you crawl back under that rock where you have been living and leave the work to the responsible adults.

It's a "cinch"

Day 2 on my non-diet diet actually went very well!
I felt a bit hungry when I went to bed last night, so I downed a large glass of water and nibbled on a few carrots and sunflower seeds (my weakness!)
I was feeling great when I got up this morning, but I looked at my menu and saw what I was supposed to have for breakfast and thought, there is NO WAY I am going to make through my morning on that alone!

breakfast
I made the Berry Almond French Toast (approx. 200 cal)
- 1 slice whole grain bread
- 1 whole egg, 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds
- sprinkling on cinnamon
As I was making my meal, I thought, hmmm, I wonder if it would be ok if I snuck some syrup on here, this is probably going to be pretty bland... nope I was wrong again!
This breakfast was PHENOMENAL! And it kept me FULL until lunchtime (breakfast was at 9 a.m. lunch was at 1 p.m.)

lunch
I had leftover Turkey Mock Tacos for lunch (approx. 300 cal) and 1/2 cup of fresh gooseberries (approx. 35 cal).

I ate a snack bag of rice crackers when I got home around 3 pm to hold me over till dinner time (85 cal)

dinner
I made the recipe Chcken Pesto Pita (approx. 450 cal), I don't think I'll make this recipe again, or else I will omit the balsamic vinegar and replace it with lemon and white vinegar or something else I like better, it just had a bit of a funky taste!
- 1 regular sized or 2 mini whole grain pitas
- 1/4 cup cucumer
- 4 large romaine lettuce leaves
- tomato
- fresh garlic
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 oz chicken

If I get hungry later I plan on having either the Sonoma Snack again, or a mini bag of lowfat popcorn (approx 100 cal).

I love it when I prove myself wrong! I was so skeptical looking at these recipes and I always think I will never be able to follow through with my plans, but I am so far (ya, ya, I know it's only day 2!) BUT, I have tried to convince myself that it is only 1 month. 30 days. that is it, if I can stick to it for 1 month and lose 10 pounds, then I will stick with it for longer because I am seeing results!

Being accountable....

I am not one for dieting, never have been, but I am one for trying to live healthy and maintain a healthy weight.
I am lucky, I have 'thin-ness' in my genes, so all my life I have never had to worry about what, or how much, I eat... Until now!!
My brother always joked that once I moved away from home (in 1998), I would inevitably gain the 'freshman 20' but it never happened, and I worked in bars and pubs where deep-fried was not only a food group, it was a meal staple for me.
I'd have to say I looked and felt my best between ages 24-26, when I got engaged and married my wonderful husband. After the first year of marriage, things for me started going downhill. It isn't like I became complacent and didn't feel like I needed to "look good" anymore, I didn't get lazy, I maintained the exact same lifestyle I had for the past 8 years. In fact, my lifestyle probably improved because I stopped working in the restaurant industry and stopped eating fried foods every meal. ALSO, I quit smoking in July 2006. Until that point I was smoking half to a full pack a day.
The reason I am splaying this on my blog is because I think I should be accountable if I say I am going to change and live a healthier lifestyle. I think that if I say I am going to do something, then by writing it on here I need to be accountable to myself, not let myself down.
So, yesterday I bought myself a scale, a dreaded scale!! I stepped on it when I got home and am (sadly) reporting I am the heaviest I have EVER been in my entire life. 155 pounds.
Now, I am not one for new years resolutions so I am not saying that is what I am doing here, but I realized right before Christmas it was time to change some things in my life, time to turn the page and start a new chapter. I realized this when I had to go and buy new jeans because none of my pants fit me anymore. I realized this when I looked at recent pictures of myself and saw chubby cheeks, plumpy arms, and a flabby belly (especially when I compared it to my honeymoon picture 5 years ago!) I bought the January Shape issue and on the cover they say I can drop 10 pounds in 1 month, so I am going to accept that challenge!
In the magazine, they give recipes for 20 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) that I can mix and match daily. I read through each recipe and I have to say that they all look extremely tasty, no bland diet food here! My next thought was, ya, but I am going to STARVE because portions are usually tiny. Not true here either! So, I went through the recipes and made my grocery list.....

Day 1
breakfast
I made my own recipe of a scrambled egg omelet with veggies (approx. 300 calories)
- 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites
- few splashes of red hot sauce
- tomato, green onion, mushroom, red pepper
- jarlsberg cheese
- whole grain tortilla wrap
- 1 tbsp ranch + 1 tsp red hot sauce

lunch
I made a spinach salad with fruit (approx. 200 calories)
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup fig-balsamic dressing (YUM!)
and I had a snack of honeyed popcorn (100 cal) and vanilla Activia Dessert yogurt (100 cal)

snack
the meal-plan says you should have a snack if you're getting hungry, so I made their  Sonoma Snack (approx. 175 cal)
- 10 black olives
- 1 cup red seedless grapes
- 1 serving of wheat thins (11 crackers)
- 4 cubes laughing cow spreadable cheese

dinner
I made the recipe Turkey Mock Tacos from the meal plan (approx. 300 calories)
- 3 oz extra lean ground turkey, 'fried' in water
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
-1/4 cup red pepper
- 1/4 cup red onion
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 fresh avocado
- 1/4 cup corn
- 4 large romaine lettuce leaves

I was looking at this recipe thinking '3 oz. of turkey?! This will be like an appetizer! I couldn't have been more wrong! My plate was heaping when I made the 4 tacos with the romaine leaves and I was stuffed when I finished eating!

So that was day 1. Let's see if I can continue another day.....

Black Friday

Dear Whoopi Goldberg, just so you know, it's not called "Black Friday" because the world wants to take a hit at black people, it's called Black Friday because way back in the "olden" days when store owners had to write down losses and profits in pen the profits were always done in BLACK (and losses in red). The day after Thanksgiving was always such a popular day to go shopping so the stores cash sheets were always rows and rows of black pen because they made such a big profit.
This is why it's called Black Friday, not 'African American' Friday, it has nothing to do with race.

time for a change

It's time for a change to my blog. I've left it for a year, entirely because it started out as a school assignment - hence all the "ecology and design" entries - but I've decided that I have more to say than will fit on my facebook status! As my hubby always reminds me, I am a facebook-addict.
hmmm, nothing like trading one addiction for another!

week 10 - November 19, 2009

What are designers: editors, inventors, or composers?

I believe designers are editors. Why? Because in reviewing the last few decades I don't think anyone has come out with anything "NEW", rather that old ideas have been recycled and fused to create that 'new' thing; I suppose this is reminiscent of the idea of 'fashion logic'. I think the days of invention (in the design field) are slowly dwindling out, but of course since I can't see into it, I don't know what the future holds. I can only hope I am proven wrong, and the problems we have today will soon be solve-able; that the future city won't be plagued with environmental issues.

As this will be my last blog for Ecology and Design I would like to sum up my thoughts on the subject. The future of design is undoubtedly unknown. As students in the beginning stages of our design careers we must learn to take responsibility for our actions starting now. We must initiate a 'collective ownership agreement' with ours peers and promise to start making changes for the betterment of the community as a whole. I have no doubt we will hit 'roadblocks' when trying to change people's minds, but we must persevere and live by the high standards we will set for ourselves.

week 9 - November 12, 2009

Field trip week. No class this week.
I went to the new Manitoba Hydro building, and I don't really know what to say other than wow! I would love to see all future buildings held up to that standard.
I also went to the Strawbale building on campus and was a little disappointed, especially after visiting the Hydro building! Regardless, I can respect the Strawbale building for what it is, and what it represents.

week 8 - November 5, 2009

What makes a place?
Place-making, in my opinion, is not a single idea, thing, or feeling, rather a mix of the three. Something or somewhere becomes specific when it is given a social identity; when aesthetics and people combine to create a community from ideas, things and feelings. It takes societal participation to 'own' a place - that could range from using local materials to local designers - and in doing so, we become accountable for our sustainable practices.
Our choice to practice sustainable design will mark an epoch for future generations and will give them an excuse to maintain history.

week 7 - October 29, 2009

The question raised in today's class was how to bring agendas such as logistics, strategies, placemaking, byproducts of design and the management and delivery of design into the classroom? It is my understanding then that by asking this question, such ideas have been neglected. My answer as to why is because it is difficult to impart wisdom when, maybe, no one really knows how to be conservative with resources or how to deal with ecological concerns in today's world. The problem is that there is no enduring value in the design world today, as I stated in my previous blog. The concensus is focused on glamorous "IT" projects that no one will remember a year down the road; even top architects like Peter Eisenman don't expect their buildings to last longer than 5 or 10 years. So, how do we change this way of thinking? How do we change the enduring logic of obsolescence to enduring value when everywhere we look the value is placed on the short-term. My humble opinion is to start 'force feeding' society sustainable practices and long-term goals. Out with the old and in with the new.
I'm not saying it will be easy, but the only way to change these bad habits is to get rid of the temptations.