Beginnings Hello and a Happy New Year! We hope your 2010 is brighter than ever. Others have not been so lucky this week. As (we hope) you all know, Haiti's capital was struck by the country's worst earthquake in over 200 years. Tens of thousands of lives were lost, many were injured, and millions are without shelter, food and water. It's devastating beyond words and we simply must do our part. We have compiled a list of mobile and online options for making donations. If you can forward this list to a friend or family member, please do. Let's help give a nation hope for a new beginning. We've been inspired to pick our Word of the Year, an intention encompassed in one word that will set the tone for the year. Never heard of it? Well, read on. It is a great alternative to making resolutions and it is worth a try. We are also paying tribute to our grandmothers' legacy of sharing good food by featuring two family recipes: Dan's Grandma Rose's Sour Cream Cookies and Joy's Grandma Viv's Oatmeal Cookies. Every family has recipes passed down from their beloved matriarchs, and we are honored to share ours. Let January be the month we start a good habit of sharing and giving.
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We will not be having a giveaway this January. It doesn't feel right in the midst of a terrible tragedy in Haiti. In lieu of a giveaway, we donated $50 to Médecins Sans Frontières Canada (Doctors Without Borders) and the Canadian Red Cross for the Haiti relief. We urge you to do the same and help with what you can. TEXT-TO-DONATE (money donated will appear in your next wireless bill) Be an informed donor and check your charity in Canada and USA. |
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I first read about Christine Kane's "resolution revolution" in 2008, when she encouraged her readers to pick their Word for 2009. Christine's approach leads you to pick one word to guide you through the year. Resolutions never stick, in my experience, and by spring it's gone along with the cleaning. A word? It's easier to remember and keep.
Do you want to give it a try? Why not share your word here? |
How to pick your word. This is a word, an intention, that will see you through 2010, so make time to choose it. Get your journal or a piece of paper and go somewhere you won't be distracted. Turn off your mobile phone for an hour--even that is good for you! Think about your resolutions, goals, and year-end expectations. Personally, I list them down to make it easier to go through them. Now ask yourself Why you want to achieve each of them. And then ask What is stopping, have stopped, have prevented, or might prevent you from achieving those. This simple exercise will help you clarify your intention...or what you really need in your life. Your word will fit you like a glove. Sometimes, you'll know right away which one feels right for you, other times it will take more thought and meditation. You can also have a look at Christine's |
Congratulations to our Knork Winners! Please email your full name and mailing address to gourmeted@gmail.com. |
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Food Photography Class with Jackie Connelly Last January 9, I braved the Vancouver rain to attend Jackie's workshop with other food bloggers and food-minded individuals. It was fun to learn in that kind of environment where people don't think you need help because you take photos of food at an alarming rate. :-) It was very interesting to see Jackie's gear and food styling kit: anything from atomizers to tweezers. After the introductions, a lecture on food styling, using one's camera and setting up for shooting, it was all hands-on time. We had 3 shooting stations with different lighting: daylight, incandescent/restaurant light, and artificial light with a softbox. Taking photos of food in a small area with a group of foodcentric people is quite challenging: there's an arm there, a shadow there, and you'll have to wait for your turn to take the vantage point you've been eyeing. Despite of these limitations, I was still able to get a few good shots. I love how everything just pop with the food lit with a softbox [using 70mm f2.8 Macro lens]:
But I also have a soft spot for a little bit of blur, as you can see from this photo taken under incandecent light that's been 'softened' by a diffusor [using 50mm f1.4 lens]:
All in all, the class was very informational and I'd definitely recommend it! Visit JackieConnelly.com for future workshop dates. ~Joy |
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