Here's to an amazing 2013

2013.  It's finally here!  We all survived the Mayan Apocalypse.  Thank goodness, sure we would all love more time on this wonderful planet.

I worked only one month in 2012 - January.  The rest of the year was spent with my beautiful son Aarav who was born in February.  Wow has the time flown by.  This past year has been the most incredible journey, full of lots of challenging & rewarding moments.  Before him I was a woman always working and socializing.  Busy, busy busy.  It was so nice to have time to relax and enjoy and spend some much needed time with my family.

As we launch into 2013, it is a time to not set resolutions (as most of us will break those) it is time to set goals for the year.

This month I will be returning to CBC Vancouver as the weekend weather host, also back to Virgin Radio to continue my role as an on-air announcer & entertainment blogger. I will also be freelancing a lot more in the world of print and something new to the roster - I have signed on to handle Media & Marketing for the BC Children's Hospital Annual World of Smiles Telethon.  So excited about this.  Since I also blog for work quite a bit my personal blog often gets neglected.  Will try to keep up with it this year too.

Balancing all this along with being a wife & mom I am sure will be challenging but I welcome those challenges with open arms this year.

I am also hopeful to loose the last of my holiday pounds and lead a more active lifestyle this year.

Wishing you & yours all the best in this new year.

XOXO
Simone

Topshop comes to Vancouver - FINALLY!

Every time I head to the UK, Topshop is on the top of my shopping list.

I love visiting the Oxford Circus location and perusing through its massiveness to find threads that are so stylish and chic.

I am thrilled that The Hudson's Bay Company has brought the Topshop Topman brand to Vancouver as a part of it expansion plan.

Trust me the store lives up to all the hype!

I attended the media viewing on Wednesday, Oct 17th, and it was an amazing private shopping experience.  I arrived right on time and there literally no one in the store! So I had it all to myself.  I was on limited time as I had brought my almost 8 month old baby with me, and he's teething so he gets cranky fast, but it was enough time for me to pick up a berry coloured sheer top and a few accessories!


I was very impressed with the layout and how they had displayed all the items.  It's easy to get lost in the 33,000 sq feet of space but it's pretty easy to find everything.  They have a massive shoe area, gorgeous maternity wear, a petite & tall section, lingerie, makeup and of course accessories on the Topshop side and then there is also the Topman, which I have yet to visit.  Think i'll take hubby to that area when I go next.

I'm assuming it will be very chaotic to check out over the next few weeks, but if you are downtown it's worth setting aside some extra time to drop in - like 2 hours (like I said it's massive).

Happy Shopping

Waiting for Baby G

Wow it has been a long time since I have blogged on my personal blog site.  I think because I am Virgin Radio's Digital Content Producer and online blogger - blogging all day doesn't quite translate to wanting to blog as much in my spare time.

Lately I have had a lot of spare time.....off work, but have managed to keep myself very busy as we wait the arrival of Baby G.   I have been off CBC since December 18th, and my last day at Virgin Radio was Jan 27th.

Taking off all this time has been so great before baby comes.  I know some people will work right to the very end, but i really was encouraged by friends and family who have done it before, to take the extra time off.   It's the last time in life you will truly get to indulge in all the selfish things you want to do.  Then when baby comes.....i am sure baby will want lots of our attention and time!

So far days have been spent in my pj's, catching up on PVR'd shows, eating, sleeping, hanging out with friends and family and finishing the nursery.


I have felt great this entire pregnancy (knock on wood) and keep waiting for it to get harder.  So far nothing too challenging has come my way.  Sure I get up 4 times a night to pee, have felt the occasional braxton hicks contraction and move at the speed of a sloth, but overall still feeling pretty fantabulous.

The hardest part right now is the waiting.  I am very impatient, and since i am almost 39 weeks, the baby could really come at anytime....or it could take it's sweet time and come late.  It's hard to plan day to day activities knowing that you could really go into labour at anytime.   Would hate to have my water break in a post restaurant in Yaletown.

It's also hard not knowing the sex of the baby.  I would love to indulge all my free time in online shopping, but i have so many neutral items, that i think it's wardrobe is pretty maxed out.  At the same time i am so excited to find out what the baby is, and what it looks like.   The hard kicks in my ribcage indicate it is a strong baby and feeling it low in my pelvis makes me think it will be tall like daddy.

If you want to leave some comments on how to fill some more of my spare time before baby - feel free.

Thanks for stopping by
Simone

Staring at women's breasts are healthy for your man!

You may want to kill him when he looks at another female's chest but you could be hurting his health by stopping him.

A new study done in Germany reveals that it's healthy for men to stare at women's breasts. 

Researchers told Fox News they instructed some men to refrain from looking at breasts for for five years (uhm who were the poor guys that had to do this?)  while others were encouraged to stare for at least 10 minutes a day. 

The men who stared everyday had lower heart rates and lower blood pressure.

P.Diddy is obvioulsy healthy - although Justin may come after him!

Chocolate better than fruit?

A new study by Hershey’s reveals that chocolate is better for you than fruit because dark chocolate is richer in health-boosting antioxidants than juices made from blueberries, cranberries and other so-called ‘superfruits’.


But however, adding sugar and milk to a chocolate bar will dilute its benefits.


Cocoa and dark chocolate have more flavanols, an antioxidant credited with preventing wrinkles and heart disease, than fruit.


My suggestion: Dark chocolate dipped strawberries!  - best of both worlds.

TV SCENE - Men & News

As the Weather Reporter on CBC Vancouver Weekends, found this article to be interesting!

A new TV study by two Indiana University scholars reveals that the "sexier" the female host/anchor, the more attention men pay, but the less they remember.

The researchers had their subjects watch two newscasts. 

In one, the anchor, "was dressed in a tight-fitting dark blue jacket and skirt that accented her waist-to-hip ratio. She also wore bright red lipstick and a necklace." In the other, the woman wore "a shapeless and loose-fitting dark blue jacket and skirt," and did not wear a necklace or lipstick.

When asked 10 questions about the casts and their stories, men remembered "significantly more information watching the unsexualized anchor deliver news than her sexualized version." 

The reverse was true for women, but the effect was far lower. 

Hmm interesting.  Always thought men tuned in for the great Journalism! ....lol

 

Jan 26th India Republic Day

Last night I co-emcee'd the India Republic Day Celebrations held at  The Pan Pacific Hotel along with OMNI TV's Entertainment Reporter Tarannum Thind.

Hosted by the Consul General of India, and the Consul General Ashok Das, there were many prominent Member's of Parliament, MLA's and Councillors in attendance.

With the Gorgeous Tarannum Thind my co-emcee

The Chief Guest of the evening was the Honourable Colin Hansen, Minster of Finance and the Deputy Premier of British Columbia

The event featured entertainment and bollywood dancing from Shiamak Davar International, along with a Fashion Showcase from Crossover Bollywood Se (who also dressed me in a beautiful Neeta Lula piece for the evening) and delicious Indian Cuisine.     More info India Republic Day

With United Realty's Mandip Gill - My Date

On Stage

Busting a move with Rohan ( Shiamak) Raanee (Crossover) and the dancers!

                                                                                                                Cracking Jokes with the Crowd

With the Crossover Bollywood Se Models, Raanee Khaira, Kamal Sharma