Greek goddess?

Husband, the kids and I are off for our summer vay-cay in Greece in less than 3 weeks. I've already bitched shared my dilemma about only being able to take one suitcase per person (thanks for nothing Air Canada) and how challenging it will be to take enough of the "right" clothes to Europe.
 I don't want to stand out as boring/bland/conservative North American girl. Yes we go every year so it's not like I don't know what I'm up against but it seems like the women there just get more and more glamourous with each passing year.
Greek girls work hard to look good. They bring their A game... always. They may not be the most beautiful women in the world, but they won't go down without fighting to be fabulous! Doesn't matter if we're out for drinks, at the beach, grocery shopping, at the park or wherever, the women are dressed up and have got it goin' on! (I suppose for them it's just 'dressing', not dressing 'up'...)
 When we go out to clubs, I'll try and look as trendy/cool/un-old as I can (within reason) and no matter what I'm always lookin' kinda meh and mediocre in comparison. (And no I don't go through life comparing my self to other women, but everybody does sometimes right?!?)
You wear a cute black dress and your hottest heels but by Greek standards you look like Betty White heading to her weekly Bridge game.

{Just call me Betty...}

You think you've got great accessories, they're already sooo last year. You put on false lashes, as much eye shadow and eye liner as you can without totally looking like a tranny hooker and it's still too tame. It's enough to make even the most put together, stylish girl feel like a total frump. When I'm on holiday, frump is not the look I'm going for...

Glamour is a way of life in Greece.

Exhibits A and B...

{Eleni Menegaki- Morning Talk show host, kinda like the Greek version of Kelly Ripa. She's 41 years old and has 3 kids}

{Anna Vissi- Greek pop star, born in 1957. That's right, 1957.  She's been popular for decades and is kinda like the Greek version of Madonna}

So my suitcase packing anxiety levels are growing a tad bit. The question is what to bring? Every year I can count on attending at least one wedding or baptism party (which is as big of an event as a wedding) and will need dresses for those. We'll be going out for drinks (lot's and lot's of drinks), we'll go to a few Greek clubs (Bouzoukia) and to a few nightclubs (which are always amazinggg.) 

I'm going to need jeans, tops, every piece of summer clothing I've ever owned, at least 6 dresses and about 10 pairs of sandals/heels/flip flops etc.  No jokes. That's not even starting on the "swimwear" I'll be taking. Women dress up to go to the beach...fully accessorized and everything (no surprise.)

I totally take for granted how laid-back our fashion is here and how I don't have to look fierce every time I walk out the door. Apparently we have it easy. Or we're lazy....?

Favorite Hates

This has been A week and I'm glad it's coming to an end. We're still fighting the tummy bug of the century in our house and I've gone through more baby wipes, done more disinfecting, loads of laundry, and scrubbing of surfaces than any woman should ever have to do. Ever.

 I'm calling this the Haus of Ca-ca (not to be confused with the creative minds that produce the Haus of Ga-Ga. Lady Gaga might not like the comparison....)

All this poop has made my mood kinda sucky-la-la and because of that I'm featuring another edition of My Favorite Hates. The stuff that I just enjoy disliking.  

The slouch sandal. Could there be a less flattering sandal ever made. Let's just cut off your ankle and add an ugly sleeve of fabric so we can make your legs look shorter. Yes, that's the look every woman is going for.

Japanese Anime cartoons. What could be lamer?!  Now my son is starting to think that Bakugon and Beyblade characters are cool. No son they are not. Dumb names and even more dumb story lines with characters that have overly large heads and eyes. And they are most definitely not child friendly. Who came up with this crap? Oh right, the Japanese. Ok, Japan you make great cars but bad cartoons.

Glenn Beck. The ultra right wing and ultra annoying American conservative and political commentator.  Fox News gave this guy his own show. How did this happen? Oh right, Fox News. Nough said.

Bits and Bites snack mix. Why do they always give this to you on an airplane?  I know that some people like these, but they are so redonkulously SALTY. It's bad enough to be stuck beside some stranger on a flight, now you get to eat a salty pack of MSG laden carbs.  Dehydration and then bloating is exactly what I want from a good airplane snack.

Transitional Lenses. Ok, so they serve a purpose. You don't feel like putting on your sunglasses so why not have a pair of glasses that can shade automatically?  I'll tell you why not, because they're ugly and lame and ugly. Don't be so lazy. Grab some decently cool sunglasses like the rest of the world. Unless you want to look like your Uncle Bernie these are never acceptable. And don't ever do this to your children, they'll be ridiculed for days. Just saying. 

So since I'm feeling especially snarky this afternoon, hit me with YOUR fave hates!

Why can't I see the bugs that are making me run to the bathroom?

I was going to post about our wonderful Father's day weekend but instead I'm gonna have to write about poop. This house has been taken over by an illness. Apparently Kid #1 has brought home the stomach bug of the century from his disease factory preschool. He's been sick since Sunday night running to the bathroom every 10 minutes and isn't too pleased about it either. (Thank God for wipes, at this point t.p. just isn't an option.) Then he ask, "Mom, why can't I see the bugs that are making me run to the bathroom?"
"Logical question Kid #1 but I'm up to my elbows in ca-ca and Lysol wipes, so this is no time for a biology lesson.  Go ask your dad."   Witness another pro-star parenting moment by Mama.

{Kid #2 not feeling too good. Sometimes your bottle and stuffed cow are all you want}

Of course just today I get an email from his school explaining that a wicked disease is going around and just about every poor kid has been yaking and pooping the weekend away. Now Kid #2 is afflicted too. I have cleaned up more poop in the last 72 hours than in the last year combined. Lysol is my friend. Ain't no way I'm going down too.

{I heart Lysol}

Grow Grow Grow

Lately there's been a swack of products claiming they can help make your eye lashes look fuller, longer, and more fabulous. Fabulous is good right, so I've decided to jump on the lash-growing-miracle bandwagon. L'Oreal's Lash Serum claims that it can overhaul your scrawny lashes and turn them into gloriously long, conditioned and fuller lashes. After about a month of using the Lash Serum I'd have to agree that my lashes do appear to be fuller and stronger (less fallout.) But are they longer? Hard to say. I want to say that they are but there isn't any actual medicinal ingredient in it that would cause actual lash growth. But for the price it is a decent product and if you're committed to applying it everyday it's worth it.

I'd really like to get my hands on the by prescription only product Latisse that Brooke Sheilds is pushing  promoting right now. But I'd feel kinda silly asking my doctor for an Rx. "Yes, I'd like a prescription for lash growth liquid in a bottle.... no seriously."  He's a great doctor but he's also a "woman, don't you come up in here wastin' my valuable time!" kind of doctor.  But just check out Brooke's results below. Tough to beat!!  Maybe it's time to hit up an internet pharmacy?? 

I've also heard a lot about the Phyto line of vitamin supplements that are supposed to make your hair grow stronger, thicker and FASTER.  From Sephora's website: Harnessing the power of natural elements, each daily dose of this nourishing vitamin, essential fatty acids, and antioxidant blend promotes healthy hair growth, strengthens nails, illuminates skin, and fortifies (and lengthens) lashes. Hair regains its density and shine.  Sounds pretty awesomesauce to me!

Any product that can improve my tragically thin, fine hair would indeed be a miracle in a bottle.  I'm up for that...bring on the hair growing magic!  I seriously have the slowest growing head of hair in the world. I can go months between highlight touchups. So will taking this stuff make my hair grow faster, thus requiring more visits to the salon? Hmmm all in the name of thicker, more fabulous hair right?!

 I swallowed the $75.00/bottle price tag. And since the product seems pretty natural with a lot of different oils in it maybe it'll work?  The helpful sales assistant at Sephora did warn me that her husband tried the stuff and he had to give it up because it sent him running to the potty, it apparently has a bit of a laxative effect (mother- frack, why does everything have to have side effects?!)  Fingers crossed my tummy won't betray me on this one. Glorious hair, I'm expecting you to arrive within 6-8 weeks with the following results:

{I'd take the great hair, AND the great body....}

The Stampedes a comin'

In a few weeks time the city we're in will be going a little bit crazy and a whole lot country for the Calgary Stampede, the worlds' largest outdoor rodeo. It's a yearly event that lasts for 10 days with parades, a mid-way, BBQ's, dancing, massive parties, a huge outdoor rodeo, concerts, fireworks and stage shows. Hundreds of thousands of people will come together to celebrate our western Canadian heritage by getting their par-tay on!  Really more than anything it's an excuse to get up and start drinking at 8:00a.m. (if that's how you roll...) Stampede Pancake boozefests Breakfasts are a strong tradition in our city!  Whether you're "country" or not everybody loves this time of year. It means summer is finally here and it's time to get a little wild! Can I get a Ya-hoo!

Calgary is a city of a little over a million people and Alberta (our province) could be thought of as the Texas of Canada. We've got cowboys, rodeos, a whole lotta oil and wide open prairie. We've got no shortages of cattle ranches, and friendly, hardworking people.  But unlike Texas, what you won't find are guns, cheerleaders, college football fanatics and beauty pageants (that stuff just never caught on up here...)

This is a corporate city with several major international and national organizations and companies having their head offices here. Our oil and gas industry is booming and people work hard but make no mistake, Calgary is a young city (average age is 35 years "old") and it loves to party hard too!

{Bust out of that suit and grab your boots!}

{ all images via Google images}

So soon enough I'll have to dust off my cowboy hat and pull on my cowboy boots (yeah I own them) and my friends and I will have to hit up our fair share of Stampede parties, Pancake Breakfasts, and BBQ's. (Ok maybe just a few, Mama's getting old...)  I'm about as much of a city mouse as you can possibly imagine, but I'll admit I enjoy bringing out my inner cowgirl for a few days every year.Yee-haw y'all! 

So if you wanna come and join the party, Calgary would love to have you!

www.calgarystampede.com

Hmmkay I'm not a paid sponsor of the Calgary Stampede but I do like to tell my peeps about a good time when there's one to be had. Just lookin' out for y'all. (and apparently I've developed a southern drawl??!)

Soccer mania, festival good times and rockin' the Casbah....

We have been having one heck of a never ending winter spring here, but this weekend the sun gods decided to come out and play! We had 3 days of 26 degrees celsius (79 F) temperatures and not a cloud in the sky!  But now we're back to having a cold, rainy week ahead of us.  How do people that live in rainy climates not go crazy? I miss the sun already....*sigh*, but least my lawn is green...

{London in the rain? Pass...}

Unless you've been living under a rock you probably know that the World Cup 2010 is taking place in South Africa right now and soccer mania has begun in our household!  Unfortunately Husbands beloved Greek team did not win their first game against South Korea, but he's convinced they can make a comeback (me, I'm not so sure...but I won't be telling him that!)  Soccer is sacred yo!

This weekend we came out for our communities annual Greek Festival. Three days of fantastic food, games, dancing, live entertainment, drinking and more food all under a gigantic tent!  It's a way for local Greek-Canadians to share their heritage and culture with the rest of the city, it's also known for being a pretty huge party!

{ Say Cheese.  Kid #1 with a sharky painted face taking a swim in the ball pit}

{Seriously yummy, Greek salad and Souvlaki}

{One of the Greek youth dance groups, can you say OPA?!!}

image: Christina Powell

Sunday night we went out for dinner with friends to a Moroccan restaurant called "The Sultan's Tent." It was my first time trying Moroccan cuisine. Exotic indeed! 

{We rocked this Casbah...}

{Spicy veggies and beef cooked in a Tagine}

 We ate some seriously authentic middle-eastern food and it actually wasn't too bad. I'm not gonna lie though, I was thrown off by eating with my hand (that's right, you can only eat with your right hand) no forks, not even both hands. Challenging? Yes.  Maybe I should try this at home because you definitely eat less and more slowly, though wet-wipes are pretty much a necessity! Could this be a new dieting technique for Mama to try?

Summer's a comin'!

Summer is coming and that means that soon we'll be off to Greece for our yearly summer holiday. Husband is from Athens originally but we have a place just outside of the city on the sea.  I've got tones to do to prepare for the trip and apparently now we're only "allowed" by the airline to take 1 bag/person.  Have they gone crazy? How am I supposed to travel to the other side of the world with ONE suitcase for myself? Do they not know that we're going to Europe, where people actually dress really well like ALL the time?   I guess Kid #1 and #2 will be sharing a suitcase this year to free up another bag for Mama. Obviously.

{Only 1 bag. Say whaaat?}

We're heading to our summer home for a little over a month. That's right, I'm going to our home, which means I need to bring STUFF for the home. Like lots of stuff.
One suitcase only Air Canada? REALLY?
So somehow I'm supposed to defy the laws of physics and stuff three suitcases worth of things into one.  Already this trip is stressing me.

I've got lots to do to get ready and one of the main things I need to do is brush up on my Greek.  I've talked about the mission impossible challenges of learning this language before here.
I've taken classes but I finally broke down and bought  the Rosetta Stone Language Program (you know, the language CD's they're selling by late-nite infomercial.) So basically I'm trying to teach myself Greek. I had a good base of understanding and I'm not a complete Muppet but dang is it hard...

{Box should read: Contains mind bending-ly difficult language lessons. Morons need not attempt}

{Learn Greek you say?}

So now, instead of reading blogs all day I'll be trying to spend my time practicing Greek. Why is nothing ever easy?

Champagne in a can, cuz I'm classy like that....

On Friday I went with my own Mama and headed downtown to go shopping at Holt Renfrew (kinda like the Neiman Marcus or Saks of Canada.) I was planning on picking up my beloved Marc Jacobs bag but of course what I wanted was completely sold out until the fall. My mom stumbled upon this little beauty and I snagged if for a steal! Regularly $599.00 on for $239.00. 

{Tory Burch Bombe Tote in Raspberry. I'm no Prep but I loves me some Tory Burch}

Finally I got around to seeing SATC 2 with some girlfriends on Saturday nite. I had done my darnedest  to dodge reading the reviews and knew that it would be pure fashion fantasy and really just a lot of Hollywood fun. And of course there was no shortage of shoes, amazing outfits and jewelry!  (Really, who dresses up and wears heels all day, like at home, in your house?) Apparently they do that in New York...

{Has any woman with a blog out there not blogged about SATC 2 yet?}

After we went out for a drink and I finally tried Sofia Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine in a mini can.  Champagne for one?! Yes please.  Delicious and it comes with a handy drinking straw.  Like a grown-up "juice" box.

Sunday was all yard work outside (the snow has finally gone, praise the Baby Jesus!) and since it was warm out I felt like a summer supper of Baja Fish Tacos made with fresh Halibut. Fish tacos aren't really popular in Canada but my whole family adores them (a great way to get my kids to eat more fish.) Seriously yummy! Check out this super easy recipe here.

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend with great weather, now let's get through Monday....