Cool friends doing cool things

Name: Sandra Chabot
Occupation: Studying Holistric Nutrition at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition
Website: www.freetobloom.ca

I met Sandra a few years ago through a mutual friend. Throughout my time of living in LA, Sandra has undergone a lot of changes and has shifted her life in an beautiful direction. She is completely focused on her health and well being and loves to share her knowledge with others on her amazing blog- Free to Bloom. She is currently studying Holistric Nutrition at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition and once I am back in Toronto we are going to swap Yoga and Nutrition Lessons with each other! Cannot wait! It seems like "being healthy" is quite trendy right now and there is an overwhelming amount of products and information out there at the moment so I chatted with Sandra about some of her must haves, the reason for her shift

If you had to pick one food item that you could not live without, what would it be?
Clearly a really tough question, but I would say lemons. I use them every single day. They're just so cleansing and help get things moving. When life gives you lemons, you know it'll be a good day!

What's your favourite morning smoothie?
Green and packed with nutrients. Mine usually consist of either spinach or kale, zucchini, lemon, parsley, an apple or pear for sweetness, protein powder, and a very long list of additional goodies that provide me with mind-body energy for the day.

Describe a typical Monday for you.
I start every morning by tongue scraping and drinking a big glass of lukewarm lemon-cayenne water. Mondays I have school, so I head to class for the day making sure to smile at strangers on the way. In the evening, I take it easy and get myself organized for the week ahead - I’m all about R&R. Then dinner. I’m very lucky to have a wonderful man who cooks gourmet meals. Afterwards, I’ll indulge in a hot epsom salt bath with some aromatherapy. Of course, this is complementary to all the studying and FTB work I have to do.

Favourite place in Toronto to shop for healthy groceries and products?
The St. Lawrence Market is truly a gem. I get all of my local and organic produce there on Saturday mornings. Believe it or not, it’s actually cheaper to shop for two than it ever was shopping for just myself at conventional supermarkets. For all of my extra goodies I stick to Essence of Life Organics in Kensington Market or Vibrant Lifestyle in Liberty Village. Community is important. 

What made you change your lifestyle?
Energy. I needed more of it and I wanted to eliminate the bad energy. My first big shift was going vegetarian, which now after three years solid I’m slowly going off of it. Our needs change and we have to be aware of this to maintain optimal health.

5 products you think every person living in a city should not be without.

#1. A BKR glass water bottle (they are so darn pretty and sleek!)



#2.  Buffered Vitamin C for stress and immune support. 

#3. A good pair of running shoes preferably with neon on them

#4. A salt inhaler- Amazing for respiratory issues. I use it in the mornings and before bed to feel a little more zen

#5. A shower filter- both your skin and insides will thank you!

Tweet

All of the lights

Shorts: Aritzia, Top: Urban Outfitters, Shoes: Target, Necklace: H&M

Trying to soak in all of the LA staples before I leave to go back to Canada and the lights at LACMA are definitely one of my favourite spots. Whether it's day time, night time or the sun is setting, they are capitvating.

I had fun running through the paths of lights with my new sneakers from Target. I have been searching for a good pair of these sneakers for a while and didn't want to spend over $500 on the Isabel Marant ones (still accepting donations though!). I was blown away when I saw these at Target for $34.99. YES...ACTUALLY. They only had one pair left so I made the size 6 that was available somehow work. My feet may not be AS excited as I am.

Tweet

Hang gliding in Rio

THROW BACK THURSDAY to a not so long ago time in Rio De Janerio, Brazil.

I didn't think it had it in me to jump off a cliff and hang glide but I DID IT! I was effing scared but jumping was the hardest and most intense part. Thankfully the instructor spoke broken english ( actually he spoke a total of like 4 english words) and did a bad job at communicating when we were actually going to jump. I thought we were going to practise for a bit but when he dragged me up onto the platform, it was GO time. It all happened so fast that I didn't really have time to chicken out! And I am glad I didn't because it ended up being the most amazing experience.

I felt like a little bird just gliding along in the air (not when the wind picked up though and shot me up back into the sky- SCARY!). Rio is such a perfect place to do this kind of thing because not only do you get to see a national forest, you get a view of the famous favelas, the sky scrappers and the ocean.

LOVE.

Tweet

Working with the Krazy Kardashians

Before moving to LA, I thought it would be smart to begin applying for some jobs. Seems prettyyyy logical.

I didn't secure anything immediately though and landed in LA with a craigslisted apartment, no car and more concerning- no job.

A few weeks after rolling around in the sand and wondering if I made a huge mistake, I was lucky enough to land a gig at Sacks Productions- an event planning company that planned some pretty wicked events. Since I missed a solid two years of blogging, I thought it would be great to highlight some of the fun events I worked on over the last year and a half.

Above are photos from Kourtney Kardashian's baby shower for baby P. Although I wish I had more to show, it's pretty hard taking sneaky photos while your boss breathes over your shoulder. I loved the simple pink hues, the cotton candy station ( not pictured), the flamingo's and the pink balls that floated around in the pool!

Tweet

PURE LIFE: Costa Rica

My trip to Costa Rica was a complete tease; like having a bite of chocolate and then having to give back the rest of the chocolate bar after it tasting like heaven. 

We only had 3 days in the country but we made sure to cover all the bases of the area we got to see. We travelled from San Juan del Sur to the surf town of Tamarindo and stayed at an eco lodge about 15 minutes from the downtown core.  At our lodge, there was no music, no television and  basically zero distractions ( And yes i DID survive if you must know).  We spotted monkeys, large frogs ( size of my head) and some beautiful birds floating around the property and it made us really feel like we weren't in Kansas anymore ( we also spotted a stray cat carrying a large mouse in it's mouth but I am trying to blank that visual out- YUCK).

We went zip lining, waterfall hunting, horseback riding,  tubing down the national park river, hit up some hot springs, tested out some natural  mud baths, and surfed. Woah that made me tired from just typing all that. It was a heavy duty two days and I came out with only two bruises, a sore throat from screaming and feet that look like their only wish in life is to have a pedicure. We spent the next day not moving and basically just relaxed. 

I can't wait to go back and see more!

Tweet

CITY GUIDE

When you think of Palm Springs you either think of three things: Elderly people with leathery skin living out the retirement dream, gay guys who wear Hawaiian shirts that you want to be BFF with or the Coachella Music Festival-an overload of hipsters and trend setters. While all three of these Palm Spring stereotypes are alive throughout the year, it is also an amazing getaway that is only two hours away from Los Angeles. It is warmer, relaxing and has barely any traffic which is why my friends and I have scooted there several times over the last few years

If you find yourself there, here are a few things I recommend:

BEST HOTELS

IF YOU ARE SPURLGING- Parker Palm Springs.
If you have some money to spend ( or free credit card points that need to be used- Aheem- what I did!), stay here. Only downfall of this, is that you may not want to leave the property during your entire stay. It is THAT good. Designed by Jonathan Adler, this hotel is more like an adult disneyland equipped with a "Lemonade Stand" bar and one of the best spas in the city-Palm Springs Yacht Club ( where "a stiff cocktail" is recommend during treatments). The hotel amenities alone include Blistex, L'Occtaine and Hermes Soap ( ACTUALLY). Tip: The cleaning staff leave their carts unattended in the hallways for minutes at a time. You didn't hear it from me...


IF YOU ARE GOING ON A GETAWAY WITH FRIENDS-The Ace Hotel or The Sagurago.
If you are a 20 or 30 something looking for a fun, filled weekend with friends, either of these crash pads will do. The Ace hotel is a hipster dream. You may have the urge to buy a fedora when you are there but even if you are not a hipster, does not mean you will not love it! It has a bohemian camping feel to it ( I mean there is an RV parked out front at all times and a 70's diner within the grounds) yet feels handcrafted and thought out. The Ace is decked out in khaki's and neural tones, while The Saguraro hotel makes you feel like you are living inside a highlighter pack. Serious bright colours paint the walls of this hotel and the pool scene is not to be missed. The restaurant within the hotel is pretty top notch as well.

BEST RESTAURANTS

Brunch

Cheeky's- Legendary breakfast/lunch eatery with innovative gourmet menu

Lunch

Native Foods Cafe- Palm Springs is pretty close to LA after all so you shouldn't be surprised that one of the best and most popular lunch spots is a vegan joint. Think fresh lettuce wraps and rice bowls...so yummy

Dinner

Citron-Kelly Wearstler's hip Palm Springs Bistro! Need I say more? It is decked out in canary yellow and white design paired with mirrored walls....very old Hollywood Glamour. 

BEST ACTIVITES

While Palm Springs is more of a "don't leave the lounge chair" type of escape, there are many activities for those who don't like to sit still.
☻Hop on the Palm Springs Arial Tramway. You can get some amazing bird eye views of the valley!
☻Most of the hotels offer bike rentals so hop on a bike and take a stroll through the town. There is no better way to see the city!
☻There is a serious art scene in Palm Springs. There is a reason they host "Modernism" Week there! Check out the Palm Springs Art Musuem or take a self guided tour of a few of the galleries within the city. Check out more here
☻Hike the Pacific Crest Trail in San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness.

Tweet

Here I go Again...

I thought I would be done talking about Madera's Village but apparently I can't stop. Here are some more pictures from paradise. 

I am missing the family dinners filled with homemade food from local Nicaraguans,  the howler monkeys waking me up at the crack of dawn, the bonfires on the beach filled with rum, squishing into the back of a van or pick up truck, hearing British accents, American accents and accents from cool people from all over the world, surf talk about "swells" and currents, the smiles between the locals and the expats, the sunsets that start out as yellow and turn to a bright orange, pink, purple portrait, the airy ocean breeze, not having to use a brush or blowdryer, having it be completely acceptable to go to dinner in bare feet, interesting facts that I would learn each day about how beautiful of a country Nicaragua is and SO MUCH MORE.

You so amazing, Nica!

Tweet