European Dreams

over the past decade, i have made frequent trips to the uk. my most recent trip has been by far the most memorable one of them all. between sampling some of the finest cuisine that england has to offer and going ice-skating with my cousin pragnesh and his friends, i was having the time of my life. my favourite moment? enjoying a night out in london. it was simply unbelievable! you had to see it to believe it! colourful billboard displays, long cues as restaurants were filled to maximum capacity, and lots of people walking down the streets. i have never seen anything like it before and must admit, it captured my imagination. after having so much fun during my stay in the uk, coming back to canada was a little depressing. maybe next time, i will stay longer.

Cheesecake Tuesdays

come on, people, let's admit it. there is nothing like enjoying dessert after a nice home-cooked meal. ice cream? good choice. a slice of apple pie? even better. chocolate cheescake? now we're talking! i still remember it like yesterday. i ventured into bridlewood mall, came upon a coffee shop, and was about to buy a chocolate chip cookie. but something else caught my eye. indeed, it was a cheesecake but it was unlike any other that i had ever had. with a rich & creamy chocolate covering, a moist interior, and a toffee-filled crust, it just might be the best kept secret in toronto! so, here i am today, overcome with excitement as i get ready to indulge in a little taste of heaven once more. i guess some things never change.

Scarf Lovers Unite

before this winter, i wasn't really into scarves. i thought they looked ridiculous, tacky, and could not even begin to fathom why anyone would want to wear one. of course, that was before i purchased a scarf of my own from a local mall. i wore my juventus scarf all winter long and during that time, became incredibly fond of scarves. scarves keep you warm, make perfect fashion sense, and complement what you are already wearing. so, what did i do last week? i wandered into the local mall and bought another scarf, of course! too bad i won't be able to wear it anytime soon. afterall, summer is just around the corner. but come next winter, you can bet that i'll be proudly wearing my manchester united scarf for everyone to see.

An Unforgettable Adventure

there are certain moments in your life that you will never forget. for me, taking such a trip down memory lane inevitably leads to the summer of 2007. a good friend of mine worked at a power plant in the northern ontario town of kincardine and invited me over for a weekend. on friday, nitin showed me around kincardine. we started off by walking along the beach followed by a casual stroll around town. on saturday, we drove over to the neighbouring towns of port elgin, southampton, and owen sound. owen sound was my favourite. nitin and i walked around town, took pics of some historical buildings, and even had time to go pedal-boating. on sunday, we went canoeing. it was the first time for the both of us and we didn't quite know what to expect. after three hours of canoeing, i must say that i have never had so much fun in my entire life! all in all, three fabulous days and memories to last a lifetime. what more could anyone ask for?

Ready, Set, Jump!

the greatest thrill of my life, thus far? it would definitely have to be my skydiving experience from a few years ago. the location site was on a country road 40 minutes north of toronto. i arrived at the parachute school at 8am in the morning. i registered, took an in-class seminar, and before i knew it, i was in the back seat of an airplane, having my parachute loaded into my backpack. i had been patiently awaiting my turn as two skydivers jumped off before me. i was the last jumper. as i dangled my feet at the edge of the plane ready to jump, i remember thinking "you can do this. don't panic. everything will be alright." as the instructor counted one, two, and then...three, i was still in the plane! as soon as he said "three", that was supposed to be my cue to jump out of the airplane! but for some reason, i was frozen in panic. the instructor told me to get back in the airplane. upon landing, he told me that i was too stiff and that i had to loosen up. so, after watching a few more skydivers take their turns and asking the instructor a few more questions, we went back up again. this time around, there were no mistakes. i was more relaxed, jumped off the plane on a count of three, and displayed perfect technique. not bad for an amateur, eh?

Fly Like an Eagle

growing up, i enjoyed participating in a variety of activities. however, it wasn't until i was 12-years-old that i discovered something that i am still very passionate about to this day...running. it was grade six and it was track & field day at our elementary school (aldergrove p.s.). the boys were grouped together to determine who would get to represent aldergrove p.s. at the regional track & field championships. i won both my races in individual heats, went on to represent our school at the regionals in the 200m, and even came back with a 6th place ribbon (it's the red one in the pic on your left). after that thrill ride, i thought to myself, "wow, kid, you sure are good." over each of the next two years, i went on to win more ribbons during track & field day at aldergrove p.s. (mostly in short distance races such as the 100m and 200m). i even managed to qualify for the regionals once again in the 200m for the second time in three years. unfortunately for me, i wasn't able to finish in the top six in the regionals this time around and hence, had no ribbon to show for my efforts. nonetheless, i will always look back with fond memories of my days in elementary school track & field.