The Tasting

"Shit. I'm going to be late." 

I frantically summoned an Uber to the middle of nowhere (read: Corus Quay).

Our tasting was scheduled for 6 p.m. and it was 5:40 p.m. when I hopped in the car. I had twenty minutes to hoof it to the venue. Peter's sitch wasn't much better. He was battling downtown Toronto traffic in a Car2Go. 

Beads of sweat dripped down my face with every passing minute. I HATE being late. Not only do I think it's rude, it's also one of my top three anxiety inducers (probably because I consider it so rude and I hate being hypocritical - another anxiety inducer). 

My driver pulled up to our venue at 5:59 p.m. and I sprinted up the staircase, burst through the front door and shouted,  

"I'm here for the tasting!"

Sometimes, I have a flare for the dramatic. 

My parents were already there, patiently waiting. Usually they're late, and I know they were secretly relishing in this reversal of roles. Before I could even ask about Peter, a Fantasy Farm wedding coordinator introduced themselves, and asked if the tasting could begin.

Uh oh. The thing with the tasting at our venue is that it happens regardless everyone is there or not. The venue wants to respect the chef's time, which I totally get. Also the reason I was a hot sweaty mess.

"Umm... we're missing the groom."

At that point, Peter also frantically burst through the door, but did not announce his arrival like I did. With everyone there, the tasting could begin. 

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When booking the tasting, I asked the coordinator how many full meals we should order (the bride and groom's tasting is free. Every additional meal is $50). She suggested 3 for 4 people. I appreciated her honestly, because they could've made an extra $50 from us. 

How was the food? Really, really, really delicious! Sometimes food at weddings can be a bit blah, but the chef brought the goods and we are really happy with what we are serving. And what are we serving? Menu below! 

APPETIZER - Butternut Squash Soup with a Chive Crème Fraishe

PASTA - Handmade Rotollo

MAIN (CHOOSE ONE) - Vegan Stuffed Pepper, Vegetarian Stir-Fry, Atlantic Salmon

DESSERT - Chocolate and Raspberry Crepe  

When Your Wedding Workout Plan Is Put On Hiatus

I hate to write about this, but it's on my mind. 

Working out. Getting in shape. Eating right. Fitting into the dress. 

It's something I think most engaged couples think about. All eyes (and cameras) are on you -- why not look your absolute best? 

For the past two years I've made healthy living a big part of my life. I started working out on the regular, and incorporating more vegetables into my diet. The result? I lost a bunch of weight and gained muscle. Funny how that works, isn't it? 

People took notice, too. When I would run into people I hadn't seen in a while their first reaction was usually, "Wow! You've lost so much weight! What are you doing/what did you change?" As I became healthier, not only could I open a jar a pickles (once a difficult task that involved knives and hot water), but my anxiety lessened, and I was able to get a restful 8 hours of sleep a night.  

Over the past two months I've had a pretty intense work schedule. Not only have I neglected my blog, I've neglected my health, too. While on the road we ate a lot of fast food, and well, I wasn't exactly motivated to work out while travelling. The result? I've gained some weight back. Not exactly the thing you want happening 3 months before your wedding -- especially if you've already bought a dress. 

The past two months have been the complete opposite for Peter. He bikes 100 KM a week for work, hits the gym, and maintains a mostly vegan diet. So! Starting today, actually starting tomorrow because I ate this today, I'm becoming hardcore. What does that mean? Eating as healthy and vegan as I possibly can, and working out 4 -5 times a week. Peter and I both want to look good in our photos, but more importantly, we want to be as healthy as we can we start on this new chapter in our lives together. So, while I'm upset at my setback this summer, I'm up for the challenge of turning things around.