ARIIA by Azora Group is a new townhouse development located in the Norquay Village, East Vancouver. This project will offer a collection of 10 two and three bedroom beautiful townhomes for the modern family, situated in a serene tree-lined setting. ARIIA offers a stellar location with easy access to other cities from the nearby skytrain station, or arrive at Downtown Vancouver in just 15 minutes by car. Recently there have been community enhancements, including bike routes and public spaces such as Slocan and Norquay Park, as well as the community fruit orchard.
NUDE by Battistella is a new 18-storey highrise condo development located in Calgary’s most dynamic neighbourhood, the West Beltline. This project will offer 177 homes, sizes range from 400 sqft to 800 sqft. Inspired by timeless architecture, NUDE reflects a considered aesthetic where symmetry and articulation combine to create a simple and calm elegance.
Duchess & Horley by Baron Projects and Priivan Development Group is a new townhouse development located in Vancouver. This location is fantastic with Vancouver’s ONLY mandarin elementary school directly across the street and the 29th Ave. Sky Train station only a few blocks away. This project will offer 6 units, sizes ranging from 995 – 1196 sq ft. with 3 bedrooms + flex.
2030 Barclay by Marcon Developments is a new 10-storey concrete building development located in downtown Vancouver’s West End. This project will offer 14 2-bedroom, five 3-bedroom homes, ranging in size from 1,661 sqft – 2,341 sqft. Conveniently situated just a half block from the outstanding Stanley Park, and within walking distance to numerous restaurants and shops along Denman and Robson streets, 2030 Barclay is an exceptional example of Vancouverism.
644 Como Lake by Woodbridge Properties is a new condo development located in Coquitlam. This project will offer 116 market condominiums, sizes range from 539 sqft – 1,156 sq ft. By choosing to live at 644 Como Lake, you’ll appreciate the growing value of this burgeoning community and the convenient mobility offered by Skytrain’s Evergreen Line.
Vista Green at The Falls by Kerkhoff Construction is a new collection of 66 duplex-style townhouses development located in Chilliwack. You’ll enjoy stunning views of the golf course, Fraser Valley and mountains, as well as the convenience of having shops and services a short drive away. Surrounding you is the beauty of nature and an abundance of recreational opportunities. It’s like being on vacation every day. And for those who like to travel, you can lock up and leave with complete peace of mind.
3535 Princeton by Nordel is a new townhouse development located in Coquitlam. This project will offer 27 executive townhomes with rooftop patios that provide a rare opportunity to enjoy outdoor entertaining from the privacy of your own home. Bordering Burke Mountain Creek and a protected green space, family living is made easy with 3, 4 & 5 bedroom townhomes boasting between 1,370 to 2,523 square feet of open living space. Within close proximity to the convenience of city life, this is a home for those who value living in a natural setting.
Hudson & Singer by Tridecca Developments is a new 6 storey condo development located in Langley. This project will offer 152 units, sizes range from 495 sqft to 1262 sqft. Residents will have exclusive access to the Avondale Room – a fully equipped theatre and lounge, perfect for watching the game or entertaining with friends, featuring luxurious furnishings, a full kitchen, coffee bar and patio area.
Akimbo by IMANI Development is a new 40 storey mixed-use highrise development located in Burnaby. This project will offer 350 units, sizes range from 460 sqft to 1405 sqft. Akimbo stands for self-expression – a bold assertion of modern design the likes of which Brentwood has never seen. A strong, uniformly-designed single tower, while coming alive with an organic sense of movement. Akimbo means you’re not settling for anything less than exceptional.
Union Living by Square Nine Developments is a new 19 storey condo and townhouse development located in Coquitlam. This project will offer 102 market condominiums & townhomes. Union is a walk to the main SkyTrain interchange station, connecting Coquitlam to all major areas of Metro Vancouver via the Evergreen and Millennium Lines. You will always be connected.
Poor sleep is something many of us, including me, have problems with. As the stress & problems of daily life mount up, we watch till late at night on our iPhones things which have zero relevance, and we generally stay up too late - because finally the kids are in bed and we want that me-time. The bill for this comes the next morning when the alarm rings early and you have a hard time to get out of the bed and start your day. If you suffer regularly from a bad sleep at home, it’s time to detox and put your bed up outdoors.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is - I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on blogger transparency and affiliate links.
Research from leading Universities across the globe has shown that the modern human that you and me are sleeps up to two hours too little each night. That not only has the immediate effect of feeling tired or sleepy in the morning, but in the long-run your general health will be deteriorating and you’re opening up the door to sicknesses like cancer, type-2 diabetes and heart diseases, amongst others. Much of this has to do with where we life: In our cities and homes we are no longer in touch with the natural light-dark cycle of nature - especially in big cities it can feel like it’s “light” outside all the time. Sitting with a tablet in hand on the sofa or watching “just one more Episode” of Game of Thrones doesn’t help much either to get at a good time into bed.
“The ramifications of insufficient sleep are quickly felt: Studies show that just one night without proper rest quadruples your risk of catching a cold.”
So while it might sound counter-intuitive for the city dweller to go outside to sleep well (“What about the bears and spiders?”) the reality is that after some activity in the mountains & forests and the fresh air you are bound to have a good night’s sleep. Especially since there should not be any lights, tablets and TV Shows keeping you awake. With this article I want to encourage you to go sleep outside in nature if you suffer from poor sleep at home, and what follows are my tips from over a dozen years of experience of sleeping outdoors.
When to go sleep outside
No, you don’t need to go to sleep when the sun goes down and wake up when it nips back up over the horizon the next morning. Depending on the time of the year I like to be at my camping spot between 18 and 19 o’clock in the evening, have the tent and bed set up while it is still light and then have dinner. If it’s possible I like to also sit around the campfire and drink a hot chocolate, not only is watching the fire so relaxing, that hot chocolate also will keep you warm at night. I need my 8 hours of sleep a night, but just like people are not the same also the sleep needs of every person is different - some can manage with 6 hours a night, others need their 9 hours to feel good the next day. There’s no right or wrong when sleeping outside (or inside, for that matter) - when I feel tired, which outdoors is usually around 22 o’clock, I go brush my teeth, have that final pee (because I don’t like to get up & out in the middle of the night!) and snug up in my quilt. I often have an Alarm set for the next day, but the reality is that I am awake around sunrise and then just nap till I feel like I want to get up. This is especially amazing if I don’t have a schedule to adhere to or have to be somewhere at a certain time. I potter around in the mornings, packing up while having breakfast, and slowly getting ready for another day of hiking.
Keep that phone off
If you sleep bad at home the reason could be the phone, computer or tablet which you’re starring at on the sofa. So the Number #1 Rule when going to sleep outside is to keep the phone off. Yes, it’s tempting to upload a photo on Instagram, check the Twitter feed or something else meaningless which you can do on Social Media. From my own experience of sleeping outside for the past 20 years I can only recommend to not use the phone in the evenings. Keep it in Airplane mode, but keep it away and don’t watch on that tiny screen while you’re out in nature. Chances are you could see the Northern Lights in the sky instead, or watch the millions of stars which illuminate the night sky and which you can not see in the city.
Sleep next to a creek!
Sleeping next to a creek or river - for some a sure way that they feel like they need to pee all the time, for others the most relaxing sound to fall asleep to. I really like to camp next to rivers and always try to have one close by - on my recent backpacking trip in Vålådalen I slept every night next to a river, and it was glorious. An advantage of sleeping close to that relaxing sound of water rushing over rocks and pebbles is that water for brushing your teeth, cooking and coffee is never far away - and if you want to kick-start the next morning, a quick dip in the river will have you wide awake in no time! (Bonus Advantage of sleeping next to a noisy creek: You don’t hear the bear and reindeer walking through your camp at night!) 🐻 🦌
Afraid of the dark?
Fear of the dark is something we learn from our parents and society. Homo Sapiens, you and me, we are the top of the food chain and pretty much every predator in our natural environments will make a wide path around us whenever they see or smell us. Wolfes, Wolverine, Lynx and Bears - they will not seek you out at night in your tent to come snack on you. Now Mosquitos, that’s a different story. But: You can learn again to not be afraid of the dark. An evening stroll in the park or forest can be a good way to start this, and it might take a few times sleeping outside to feel comfortable and not afraid - though soon you will realize that the dark forest or mountains hold no danger, and you can go to sleep safely.
“Long term, regularly shaving an hour or more off your required sleep increases your risk of certain cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, obesity, cognitive decline, depression and heart disease.”
I think MicroAdventures are a good way to start getting used to sleeping outside. Even better is it to take a friend or two along - just make sure they don’t snore! These can be squeezed in during the work week - take the bike or train to the hills after work, hike to your sleeping place, roll out the bivy bag, get some water for tea and dinner boiling, and then watch how the stars are coming out. Gear-wise there seriously isn’t much needed for a good night outdoors: A sleeping pad, a quilt or sleeping bag, maybe a tent or bivy, and possibly a pillow. All of that fits into a 20 l backpack, including some dinner & breakfast, a light stove and a water bottle. I would recommend that if you head out fot the first time to sleep outside to loan the gear from a friend or online, and if it feels like you enjoy sleeping outside and the activity of hiking & backpacking, then invest in the best gear you can afford! Here’s my recommendations for comfortable & warm gear for sleeping outside:
A sleeping pad is the mattress of your outdoor bed, and super important. I recommend a thick and insulated pad like the Therm-A-Rest XLite or Therm-A-Rest XTherm if you easily feel cold as the base of your bed. Cover yourself up with a quilt as it gives you more freedom of movement - just like your blanket at home. A synthetic quilt like the As Tucas Sestrals quilt is less sensitive against moisture, while a down quilt like the Katabatic Gear Sawatch is a bit lighter and warmer still. I don’t use a pillow anymore, but just roll up my Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hoody which I wear during the day and which makes for a comfortable pillow.
If you prefer a bivy or a tent depends on how much “house” you want to have around you. A bivy lets you see the stars on a clear night, while a tent gives more protection when it rains and is windy. All of this and some more fits into the ULA Photon or the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter backpacks, with room for a stove and more. Finally, on long backpacking trips I carry an extra pair of woolen socks, a dry pair of boxer shorts and a 2nd Houdini Activist Message T-Shirt and the amazing Houdini Lodge Pants for sleeping in.
Good night!
So, if you woke up tired and sleepy this or last morning, and you feel you need too much coffee to go through the day - consider sleeping outside. Together with a switched off phone and no electronic devices and a creek which runs by your comfortable and warm bed in nature you’re bound to have a healthy sleep (just don’t stay up watching for Northern Lights too long!). While one night outdoors is great to get a healthy dose of sleep, I feel after three or more nights one really starts to sleep much better in nature - so after your first couple of Microadventures, why not plan for a long weekend of sleeping in the hills or forests? Leave a comment if you slept outside this week, or plan to go!
How much did you spent on your last piece of outdoor gear? And how much did you support your favourite blogs in the last months? If you enjoy The Week in Review & other articles buy me a coffee - I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
Camellia Residences by ATL is a new 5-storey condo development located in the heart of Surrey. This project will offer 37 studios, 75 1-bedrooms, and four 2-bedrooms living home. Camellia Residences is an affordable and home-like retirement community. ATL Senior Living provides culturally appropriate and affordable housing options for seniors. They offer, primarily, independent living units with assisted living packages. Camellia is perfect for seniors who wish to live a life free from daily chores and want to create friendships with like-minded individuals.
The Paramount by Keltic Canada is a new condo development located at the corner of No. 3 & Cook roads in Richmond. This project will offer 536 market residential units, sizes range from 425 sq ft – 1,075 sq ft. Enjoy curated luxuries and exclusive access to the Paramount Private Club, Spa and Wellness Centre, and a lush urban oasis with relaxing water features. At this exceptional location, the world is at your finger tips.
Denby is a new collection of townhomes located in Langley. This project will offer 64 townhome residences, sizes ranging from 1,984 sqft – 3,008 sqft. Choose from a main floor with finished basement home or a 2 level plus finished basement home all with side by side garages. Situated on a quiet country road, just a few short blocks from the town center of Langley’s Murrayville neighborhood, Denby offers country inspired living, with the added comfort of urban convenience.
Ask a Swede about Åre and they will know: This is the place to be in the summer for Downhill biking, hiking, kayaking and many more outdoor activities, while in the winter this small village with it’s cozy Cafés, outdoor shops and restaurants becomes a bit bigger as people come to ski on Åreskutan and the surrounding mountains. I spent the last week in Åre and Vålådalen enjoying the Swedish nature & hospitality - here is what you can expect!
Disclosure: This journey was supported by the local tourism bureau and partners, but I did not got paid to write about this trip. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is - I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on blogger transparency and affiliate links.
I travelled via Ferry and train to Åre, which is very easy but it takes some time. A good book, your favourite Youtube show and naps will make the time go by fast, and before you know it you’ll be in Åre, not far away from the border with Norway. You’ll get the full information on how to get there, where to stay and what to eat soon, for the moment just enjoy these images and short tidbits about my autumn week in Åre and Vålådalen 🍂
On my first day in Åre I went hiking, trailrunning and explored the little village. Even in the off-season that is now there were plenty of people out on the mountain and in the village, and after some rain throughout the day it cleared up and became a nice evening with a spectacular sunset.
Eight years ago I have been in Vålådalen (and go read that article it’s still AMAZING!) and I was excited to go back. Heck, to be honest, I want to go back there right now. The autumn colours were on point, the bilberries sweet and big, and the scenery just sublime. A detailed article only about the backpacking trip comes soon so stay tuned for that, too.
After 92 amazing kilometres of backpacking it was back to Åre and doing something which I have never done before: Downhill Mountain Biking. A sport I had & still have a massive amount respect for, and was scared of. But with my Guide Jesper I became confident and had so much fun ripping down the trails, taking these high turns, learning to jump (still learning 😂) and feeling confident on these narrow trails. Wow, that was soooo good.
There was great vegan food, tasty local beers, delicious crepes & coffee, lots of bilberries, great views and friendly people.
How much did you spent on your last piece of outdoor gear? And how much did you support your favourite blogs in the last months? If you enjoy The Week in Review & other articles buy me a coffee - I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
Soleil White Rock by RDG Management Ltd is a new 26 storey condo development located in White Rock‘s most urban location. This project will offer 178 contemporary 1& 2 bedroom air conditioned concrete homes.
Tsawwassen Landing by Onni is a new townhouse and single-family home development located between Tsawwassen Drive North & Salish Sea Dr. Tsawwassen Landing offers affordability without compromise. Next door to the Tsawwassen Mills Shopping Centre, this new community has something for everyone. Walk one of the area’s scenic trails, play a round of golf, or watch the sunset from a nearby beach. Embrace Tsawwassen’s picturesque setting in everything that you do.
University District is a condo and townhouse development located in the heart of Surrey. University District will include over 700 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes, all designed with you mind. Efficient and liveable floorplans, thoughtful finishes, and over 23,000 SF of gym, lounge, pool and amenity spaces are all included in this community.
“How much longer?” I pleaded in the direction of the long space-time tunnel that separated me from my midwife.
My mind had leapt back on stage and grabbed the mic. You can’t do this, it said. You’re going to die. This is literally going to kill you. Who do you think you are trying to do something like this. You don’t have what it takes.
The relentless stream of negativity made everything worse.
I thought, as so many birthing women do, that I would be annihilated in that moment.
And perhaps I was. Perhaps my mind broke open and one layer of its lies fell to ashes on the ground.
But then, in my deepest moment of surrender, it was over.
Initiation and why we need it
That would not be the last time I’d find myself on my knees pleading for mercy, desperately demanding how much longer? But the lived experience of moving through fear would stay with me as an imprint to draw from in these darker times. As a means of distinguishing the tantrum of the protective mind from the deeper faith of the soul. I would bring with me to future birth canals, a knowledge that the screachingly excruciating tight spaces lead to new grand openings, upleveling, and expansion. And I would know, deep down, that I would be ok, even if I struggled to believe it.
This is what initiation is for – it is a lived experience that exposes the illusion: the ego, the mind, and our attachment to control for the limiting forces they are. Initiation brings us to the brink and demands that we bow as we are pushed off the edge…only to find that we can take flight when we thought we would plummet to our deaths.
We need initiation to begin the adultification process. To begin to tap into a sense of who we are, of our divine and primal power, and to begin to experience a core sense of self that doesn’t not change when our opinions or personality do.
Because we are no longer ceremonially initiated by our tribespeople, as men and women, we are all still being driven by our childhood wounds. We have not yet discovered who we are as an impossibly unique contribution to the greater design. We are walking bags of unexamined trauma, unprocessed emotions, and maladaptive patterns.
The wound
Many believe that every living human has sustained a cardinal psychoemotional injury by the age of 7. A wound that triggers shame and inadequacy. This wound could be severe as in violence or sexual abuse, or it could be that your mom said your sister could have ice cream but not you. The response to this wound is our personality, our defenses, our habits, and ultimately, our beliefs about ourselves and the world.
We carry these unprocessed emotions in our bodies and our bodies try to show us that we can run but we can’t hide…these are called symptoms, illness, and disease. But, identifying with a disease (I’m a cancer patient, I have Depression) is like saying that the smoke alarm is the reason the house is burning down. You are not your disease. It is helping you to see what you need to look at, deep inside.
It is in this way that the child self runs our lives. Always beneath the surface, this wounding program is activated by anything and everything that smells like, feels like, looks like, or behaves like the characters in our primary injury. The wound wants to be seen, and so it is always actively commanding our attention.
We go out of our way to attract experiences that confirm our beliefs. Take one of mine for example – I have a programmed belief that no one has my back…that when things get tough, no one can or wants to be there for me. They can’t handle me and everything I am. I developed this belief through a childhood wound.
For many years of my life, I collected experiences that confirmed that belief. I would find that colleagues would scatter when I came under media attack, that family and friends abandoned me in one of my dark nights, or that I would repeatedly fail when trying to assemble groups of like-minded researchers and clinicians.
Then there is a patient of mine, Sarah. At least four times in her life, she was reflected that she didn’t have what it takes. Her school counselor discouraged her from applying to top tier schools, she was told to reconsider her artistic ambition to open up a gallery, and she has been medicated for years by a doctor who told her that she couldn’t handle the stress of a powerful but unstable relationship in her life.
Identifying these patterns and beliefs is a way to take responsibility for everything in life that feels unfair. It’s a way of recognizing that you have control, exactly in the times and spaces that you feel most victimized. Of turning out the monsters in the closet. What if you didn’t struggle in the ways that you do – then what would happen? What would that be like? You’ll find, as shocking as it is, that you are getting something out of being a victim…safety, being right, being blameless.
Facing this wound and working with the relationships that will help your childself feel heard is the hardest work we will be asked to do in a lifetime. And the house of cards that we had held up for, sometimes decades…well, it might need to fall.
The confusion, pain, and disorientation that can come with that will characterize your rock bottom. And perhaps your final birth canal. The final dark night. The final trial.
This process results in the energetic shrinking of your parents and childhood authorities, so that they become a smaller part of your psychic landscape. So that the frustrated need of your child self to be seen and honored by them, is lessened. Ideally, at this point, you are held by others in your tribe who see you and honor you, authentically.
The One Big Lie
I want to make sure that you can identify the one big lie that your mind will tell you when you are in that dark night. The lie is:
I am never going to feel ok again.
That’s it. This is the lie that drives people to self-destruction. It is the pole holding up the banner of hopelessness. It is the dark cloud obscuring the sun.
This lie drives our fear and activates the unbalanced masculine principle so that we scramble to do, fix, mitigate, and stem the bleeding in whatever way possible.
If you have encountered this lie, here are some tips from someone who’s been there, and who has worked with hundreds of women whose minds have trumpeted this falsehood at various moments in their transformational process.
1. No decisions
We are used to making decisions from our intellect. Pros and cons, better now than never, safe than sorry. In these times of your life, however, when time slows down, and where you feel the ground moving beneath your feet, proceed in a different way. As my teacher Swaranpal always said, when you don’t know what to do, wait until you do. You will know when you have to make a move and what it is supposed to be because it won’t feel like a choice any longer. That doesn’t mean you won’t still be bracing against it, it will simply be clear that the only way forward is through. Ending a relationship, quitting a job, confronting a family member, sharing a long-held secret. This is what it feels like to make decisions from your intuition.
2. Ask for prayer
I was once accused by a therapist of never letting anyone in my life know that I needed them. She was right. In your dark night, ask for help. You might even ask for someone to pray for you. In my most recent struggle, one of my dearest built two altars for me that burned for weeks. And I asked 5 other friends to pray for me. And not just in the colloquial oh yeah I’ll send you good vibes sense. In the real, focused, intentionality sense. In fact, data on remote healing is pretty remarkable demonstrating improved healing even when people don’t know they are being prayed for. Ask them to pray for an easeful transition, for spiritual support, or for what is in your best and highest to manifest. Ask them to hold you in love.
3. Safety Mantra
There may be whole days during which you feel like you are going to disintegrate from worry, unease, and deep discomfort in your own skin. Pick a safety mantra. Mine has been simple: You are OK. Literally, that’s it. I would say that hundreds of times a day at the worst of it. You could choose, I am loved. This will end. I have everything I need. I will only experience exactly what I can handle. Or anything that you wish you could hear whispered from on high. Whisper it to yourself…a lot.
4. Stop life as usual
Because society makes no room for breakdown/breakthroughs, we are enculturated around our persistent functioning, reliability, and productivity as the metric of ok-ness. When you are hitting a rock bottom, make space. Cancel meetings, get quiet if you need to, tell people the truth – that you are going through something and need a pause. The energy you reserve by doing this will channel directly into your process.
5. Let it move through
Many believe, and I have experienced, that the soul may want to leave the body during these alchemical transitions. It is a kind of dissociation. In fact, there’s a flower remedy specifically for this: Clematis. Get back in your body through sensuality. Turn on music that feels like your mood. Move the energy through. Take a bath. Get a massage. Make love or self pleasure. Often these things will feel like the last choice on your list of possibilities. That’s your fear speaking. Let your soul know that your body can hold it.
6. Call in quantum possibility
As a quantum physicist and Rupert Sheldrake fan, I like to bring science to the mystery of the human experience. Because the future is pulling the present toward it – through Attractors – you can reach out to one of these quantum possibilities with your mind, body, and soul. You can envision a scenario that feels most harmonious and expanded, even if impossible, and you can call it in. Or you can simply make room for a possibility that cannot be envisioned from your current state. Feel, in your body, what this possibility would be like to live. Feel it into being.
There’s somewhere we haven’t wanted to look. There’s some primal fear that we’ve been running from our whole lives. There’s a big thing we have to forgive, a conversation we know deep down we have to have, a heavy secret we’ve been towing around. Rock Bottom is when we can run no more. It’s when it’s time to turn, face it, and bow down in surrender. Remember, in this moment, that impermanence is the only real constant in this life experience. Change, evolution, and growth define living, and this moment in time will indeed pass. I promise. And you will come out the other end of it, having let it all fall apart, marveling at the possibility that you could have ever considered living uninitiated to the self that has emerged.
One of the largest projects to be developed in the region, Lansdowne will be built around a diverse array of facilities, activities and environments that provide opportunities to take pleasure in public life and celebrate Richmond’s unique heritage. The 50-acre Lansdowne community will include a diverse range of housing types, including affordable housing, townhomes, mid-rise, and condominiums, all linked by great green spaces to convenient services and excellent transit. With celebration spaces, shops, offices, cafes and restaurants, the No. 3 Road commercial precinct will anchor the Lansdowne Village Centre, while a wide array of homes and amenities round out this transit-oriented, master planned community.
A few months ago I got ROPED INTO* making some ‘Drake on Cake’ style vegan funfetti cakes for my mate Laura’s wedding. Using my prior knowledge of the uselessness of British sprinkles to produce a satisfying funfetti effect (the sprinkles here are always naturally dyed so they just lose all colour upon folding into cake batter), on visiting the US I left room in my suitcase for a) American multicoloured sprinkles and b) Birthday Cake flavoured Oreos – a request from Laura.
*(I’m only joking Laura it was a pleasure to make you those cakes hehe)
Now cut to the post-wedding cake situation: I have a BUNCH of sprinkles leftover so I decided to DIY some oreos and put the sprinkles in the filling!! (Inspired by the previously mentioned Bday cake oreos). I used the clear vanilla extract from the cakes too for an even more ‘real’ oreo flavour but if you’ve got the proper vanilla extract on hand, that’s also delicious.
Since coming back from university and moving into my parents’ home again, I had to consolidate a LOT of my ingredients into their cupboards (thanks mum & dad for putting up with this :’D ). Luckily, I’ve been working with OXO and their POP containers were the serendipitous solution to this situation – I tipped all of the half-empty bags of flours, sugars, cocoa, SPRINKLES etc into all the appropriately sized airtight tubs and next thing ya know, the baking cupboard was organised! It was also perfect as I’m moving to a new flat and now I can have the most organised pantry in the WORLD #blessed. I love the POP container accessories too like little scoops or levellers which you can stick onto the underside of the lid – perfect for measuring all my baking ingredients out. You can see them in action in the video above!
These little wafers pack a punch of chocolate flavour – they’re cocoa-heavy plus I pulsed in dark chocolate which really pumps up the richness. It’s deffo a different flavour to proper oreos but actually, dare I say it, BETTER (?!?) than standard oreos. Give them a go and see what you think!
DIY Birthday Cake Oreos
makes ~20 sandwich cookies
240 g (2 cups) plain flour
85 g (1 cup) cocoa powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
180 g (13 tbsp) softened butter
3 tbsp coffee
FROSTING:
150 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
300 g (2 cups) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
pinch of salt
1 tsp clear vanilla extract
4 tbsp multi-coloured sprinkles
Place the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, dark chocolate and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Blitz together until the chocolate has been broken down into a fine crumb texture. Add the vanilla, butter and coffee and blitz again until the dough comes together. Tip out onto a piece of baking paper, pat out into a square, wrap up in the baking paper and chill for at least 2 hours until firm.
Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF) / 160oF convection.
Roll the dough out to around 5mm (~1/4-inch) thick. Use a 4.5cm (1.75-inch) round cutter to cut out cookies. Transfer to a lined baking sheet spacing the cookies a few cm apart (they’ll spread a little when baking).
Bake for 8-10 minutes until firm but still a bit soft in the centre – they’ll crisp up as they cool. If you have a patterned cutter you can press this into the cookie now to leave a decorative impression. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
For the frosting:
Cream together the butter and icing sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in the salt and clear vanilla extract (this is what will make the cookies taste more birthday-cakey. If you just have regular vanilla extract that’s fine too but it won’t taste as ‘true’). Gently fold in 1 tbsp of the sprinkles.
Assemble:
Take a cooled cookie, pipe or dollop some of the frosting onto the underside. Sprinkle with some of the multicoloured sprinkles and sandwich together with a second cookie. Repeat with all the cookies.
Store the cookies in an airtight OXO pop container for up to 5 days (They may soften over time as the cookies absorb moisture so are best eaten soon after making).
1555 Robson by VivaGrand Developments is a new mixed-use 28-storey tower located at the corner of Robson and Cardero streets in Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood. This project will offer 153 market condominiums and 24 social housing units. Designed by IBI Group Architects, 1555 Robson will include three street-level retail units, office space on the second and third floors. Experience the convenience of sustainable urban living at 1555 Robson.
How much did you spent on your last piece of outdoor gear? And how much did you support your favourite blogs in the last months? If you enjoy The Week in Review & other articles buy me a coffee - I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this article to help finance the website. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.
I’m moving out of my parent’s home next Monday!! One step closer to being a real adult, uh oh. As my mum and dad were leaving for a holiday this week, we had a goodbye dinner for me and my boyfriend featuring this charred tomato dish from Ottolenghi’s new book, Simple*.
We made flatbreads from my book and some hummus – well, ok, I had a call to take so Andy actually made the dough and hummus alone which he was v surprised I left him to do unsupervised. Then we had too many very strong margaritas and ate chocolate cookies (recipe coming this weekend!).
If you’re familiar with Ottolenghi’s recipes, you know that sometimes they can sometimes contain quite a few ingredients and/or steps. His new book features recipes which are more pared back but still full of flavour.
This dish is the perfect way to say goodbye to the tomatoes of the summer time. You roast and grill them so they blacken becoming boiling hot, charred tomatoes which are poured over a bed of cold yoghurt. It sounds simple and it is, but it’s one of those dishes that once you make it you’ll probably end up making it again and again to have as a starter or part of a mezze for dinner as we did here.
*affiliate link
Charred Tomatoes with Cold Yoghurt (Ottolenghi)
serves 4 as a starter or as part of a mezze
Extracted from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Press, £25)
350 g (12.5 oz) cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves (peeled and finely sliced)
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs fresh oregano
1 lemon – (zest of one half shaved off in 3 wide strips, the other half grated)
salt and black pepper
250 g (9 oz) fridge-cold extra-thick Greek yoghurt
Put the tomatoes in a rimmed baking dish that’s just large enough to accommodate them all snugly. Add the oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper. Toss together with your hands.
Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling, then turn the oven to the grill setting and grill for 5 to 7 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.
While the tomatoes are roasting, mix the yoghurt with the grated lemon zest and 1/4 tsp salt, then return to the fridge.
Once the tomatoes are ready, spread out the cold yoghurt on a large plate or shallow, wide bowl. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, as well as the pan juices, lemon peel, garlic and herbs, and finish with the remaining oregano and chilli. Serve at once with some flatbreads or sourdough.
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This trope has entered our vernacular, perhaps a catchphrase for the sense that something is really wrong on this planet. While there is an acknowledgement that we humans are really making a mess of things, what often accompanies that acknowledgement is a sense of helplessness.
What can one person do? If I have to do something…if it becomes that urgent…won’t some authority make a law or at least give me clear directions?!
As is the case with so many elements of the human experience today, it’s time for us, as individuals, to take matters into our own hands…together. Gone are the days of gurus, unquestioned leaders, and esteemed experts. We are all feeling our way in the dark…what my friend, Charles Eisenstein calls the “Space Between Stories.”
In his latest masterpiece, Climate: A New Story, Charles takes on the subject of climate change, but more the question of what the various manifestations of ecological degeneration truly represent. Like any issue that activates the tension between vulnerability and responsibility, climate change theories and associated agendas are highly polarized.
Whether you believe that humans are behind climate change, or that the whole thing is a left-wing hoax, there may be, he asserts, a place for all of us to meet on this issue that unites all others: our relationship to the earth we stand on as a reflection of our relationship to each other, and even to our ourselves.
Perhaps we can acknowledge that we have developed some bad habits, as a collective. And it’s time for someone to point those habits out and give us the opportunity to perceive choices we may not have known were possible options. Charles states:
Our intellectual habit is to find the One Cause, our scientific programming is to measure it, and our political gearing is to attack it.
And, as is the case for our inner ecology (think low serotonin, strep infection, too much stomach acid, cholesterol, or joint pain), planetary ecosystems do not respond well to warfare against an isolated variable perceived to be “the problem.” This is, in part, because these are eco-systems, rife with interdependent relationships, unseen influences, and conditional effects.
As we move beyond seeing the body as machine, we are invited to extend that complexification to our understanding of the environment.
Treating the symptoms vs the root cause
Even if you haven’t followed the discourse around climate change, you probably know the metric buzzwords – carbon, greenhouse, emissions, temperature, alternative energy etc. Is it possible that in the debate around measuring what’s happening and how badly it’s happening, we have been distracted from a true root cause of ecological crisis? Are those of us dedicated to limiting emissions simply measuring the pain scale and applying Tylenol to the problem?
Charles writes:
What is typically measured is that which serves the economic and political interests, and unconscious biases, of those who commission the measurements. Then there are those things which we don’t bother to measure because they are fundamentally unmeasurable, such as the sacredness of land, or of the water feeding the Ganges.
When we focus on quantifiable metrics of the climate problem, we may be led to believe that the control of these metrics brings us closer to planetary safety or even healing, when in fact, the root cause drivers of ecological destruction remain active.
We can’t win the fight by fighting
As a health freedom activist, I had to reach a burnout window of total surrender before I could appreciate that I was risking, as Nietzsche says, becoming the monster I was fighting. Charles’s book, The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible, contributed a language to my transition from fighting to feeling, from empowering my perceived enemy to embracing my own healing as the path to global regeneration. In Climate: A New Story, Charles elucidates this further, writing:
If the “fight” against climate change is a war, it is clear which side is winning. Greenhouse emissions have relentlessly increased since they were first widely acknowledged as a problem in the late 1980s. Deforestation has also continued and in some places even accelerated since then. Nor has any progress been made in altering the basic fossil-fuel- dependent infrastructure of society. If war were the only answer, then we would have to respond by fighting even harder. If there is another way, then the habit of fighting becomes an obstacle to victory.
He makes a compelling argument for the need for us to relent and sit in the confusion of the mess we have made until the path out of it emerges.
Feel the hurt
A point of powerful overlap between my advocacy for the personal meaning of bodily symptoms including depression, grief, and pain and the message of this book lies in the imperative to feel the grief around global destruction of sacred habitats… “(t)hat moment of humble, powerless unknowing where the sadness of an ongoing loss washes through us and we cannot escape into facile solutioneering, is a powerful and necessary moment”.
Perhaps, the way toward healing this planet, relooming the fabric of our lost cultural heritage, and providing our souls a true home, is to finally stop and feel the sadness of loss and death all around us – polluted waterways, extinct species, reduced vibrancy and vitality all around us. We have to walk through the wound, not around it.
One of the ways that we allow ourselves to feel this hurt is to appreciate the design of it all – even our vast mistakes and missteps, there is meaning. Awareness of the impact of our decisions – whether that’s treating land like a commodity that ultimately runs fallow or taking an antidepressant we later struggle to taper from – is the first step toward feeling our way into new options.
Charles writes about how important it is for us to perceive the emergent sentience in all of the natural world – to disabuse ourselves of the earth being only as valuable as what it can do or produce for us. This is a plea to awaken to the sacredness of the natural world….the trees, the soil, the water, and to enter into a cooperative dynamic that eases our sense of existential displacement, loneliness, and bereftness.
I am left, reading this book, with a deep sense that all of our micro-initiations, all of our personal struggles, and all of the wounded healers surfacing…that all of this on an individual level is preparing us for the collective initiation to a new civilization based on a new level of consciousness. And I believe that Charles is correct when he writes:
Ultimately, climate change is challenging us to rethink our long-standing posture of separation from nature, in which we think we can endlessly engineer our way out of the damage we have caused. It is calling us back to our biophilia, our love of nature and of life, our desire to care for all beings whether or not they make the greenhouse gas numbers go up or down.
I am ever grateful to have wise counsel and guidance in the intense work of feeling all that unfeeling has wrought.
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Camp Ousland is an annual get-together of like-minded outdoor lovers on Manshausen Island, just a wee bit south of the Lofoten Peninsula. If you want to experience the beauty of Northern Norway with superb views on the Lofoten Peninsula, some amazing company and great activities, this is the place to be!
Disclosure: I’m a Helsport Ambassador and I was invited to Manshausen, but did not got paid to write about this trip. As you know: I’m keepin’ it real and tell you how it is - I maintain full editorial control of the content published on Hiking in Finland. Read the Transparency Disclaimer for more information on affiliate links & blogger transparency.
So yes, I’m a Helsport Ambassador, I was invited to this weekend in Norway, and I had a really good time. There were my kind of people, Northern Lights, exciting activities and as you will see throughout this article, some breath-taking scenery. Did I mention the great people already? No? Well, there was the Sisterhood of the Rope on the Nordskott Traversen, climbing buddies, fellow Helsport Ambassadors and friendly people from all across Norway, with a few Swedes and Europeans thrown in, too. Add in good food, a great location, an inspiring host and a Sauna and you’re bound to have an amazing event - whatever the Norwegian weather decides to throw at you!
When you sign up for the event you can book yourself in for several activities - from Sailing on a trimaran, a Kite course, Free diving, Halibut fishing, the Nordskot traverse or a guided kayak trip - there’s lots of options and you’re bound to find something you’d like to try. I myself was climbing, did the Nordskot traverse and visited the cave, and then also went packrafting on my own (I did bring my own raft). As you’re going to an outdoor event the people who will be in your group will most definitely be on your own wave-length, so don’t worry - even if you’re going on your own you will have a great time and meet good people!
After I arrived on the island there was a communal BBQ and then Børge Ousland, the famous Norwegian adventurer and explorer, welcomed us to his island and the weekend ahead. I used this time to meet some people, like Bjørn whom I have followed for a long time on Instagram, and get to know my fellow ambassadors. As I had a long day - I got at 4 am that morning - I retired early to my tent, and called it a night.
The next day I went climbing and rappelling at a nearby crag. Nothing difficult but good fun to get the people who have never climbed into it. The day started wet and rainy (not really good climbing weather) but ended up sunny and nice. We returned after the climbing to the island, had a warm shower and got ready for the big meal - this evening we would all together eat Whale, prepared by one of Norway’s best chefs. I have to say I was sceptical for ethical reasons to try Whale, but in the end my curiosity got the better part of me and I tried it. And what can I say - it was tasty! It certainly won’t be something I would look for in the supermarket (especially since nowadays I eat 95% of the time a vegan diet) but back then it was something I was curious to try. After the dinner together there was a Pecha Kucha going on which I followed for a while, though as the majority of presentations were in Norwegian I again left for my tent to go to sleep.
The next day I was signed up to go halibut fishing, but by a lucky coincidence I could switch with Helge and got to go on the Nordskottraversen, which I really wanted to do. The Nordskottraversen is a wonderfully exposed ridge walk, and we had the best Guide - Thomas - and an amazing group with Merete, Tina and Ellen. At the start it all looked weather-wise still OK - cloudy, not bad. But once we were down on the ridge after the short abseil the rain and wind moved in, and it was a real adventure. I was soaking wet on the outside, but warm and happy about the adventure in great company. As we moved off the ridge and were bushwhacking down the mountain the sun even came out again, and as we arrived back at the shore we had nice weather! After the boat ride back to Manshausen everyone was happy to get into the warm Sauna or a hot shower, and then get ready for the Saturday night Party on the main land. Bacalhau was served and was delicious, and then there was live music and drinks and dancing and good times - I have heard, as I myself was again retiring around 22 o’clock to my tent 😂
(This image is a good example to give you an idea of the scale of the ridge - it is LARGE! There’s one person standing at the start of the ridge to give you an idea of the scale.)
(And in this image you can spot another group a wee bit further down the ridge from us)
Sunday came around nice and early, and it was a good looking day. I wasn’t booked in on any activity that day, so I simply joined a walk to a nearby cave. It was totally chill and nice, with good views and good conversations. After we returned once more to Manshausen you already could feel the atmosphere of departure at camp - pretty much everyone was leaving today with the ferry back to Bodø. As my flight wasn’t until the next day I stayed another day on the island, chatted with Børge and the people who were still here, went packrafting and just enjoyed the beautiful views now that it finally got really sunny with clear skies!
That night I also put my alarm for midnight, as I had a hunch that on this first weekend of September there could be a chance of Northern Lights. And as I looked tired out of my tent - bright green Northern Lights were dancing across the sky, with a beautiful starry sky behind it. I took my Tripod and camera out and shot till the battery was empty, and then retired back to my quilt in my warm tent. It’s always worth to put your Alarm for midnight when the Northern Lights season is starting, as that is just something so special and pretty that I always will get up for it. The next day I departed with Børge and the others back to Bodø, and after a long day of travelling I arrived relaxed and with great memories back in Vaasa!
In conclusion, this was a well organized event at a great location. Just to meet up with friends I’d go again, and the location is just ❤️ If you have nothing planned for August - September 2019, keep an eye on the Helsport Facebook page where the next event for 2019 will be announced, book a flight and make sure to add a week before or after the event to visit the Lofoten, too! View more photos on Flickr.
How to get there
To get to Manshausen you take a plane to Bodø and from there the ferry to Manshausen, Nordskot is the place to get off the boat. Then you either can inflate your packraft and paddle over to Manshausen Island, or wait till one of their boats comes to pick you up. I did the latter =) The Ferry from Bodø to Nordskot you can book here, but usually you also could just walk on the ferry and get a ticket. My definite tip would be to attend Camp Ousland and then hang on another week in the Region - for example you can take the ferry onwards to Svolvær in the Lofoten, and explore that inspiring place.
Accommodation
Those that know me will be aware that I really like to sleep under a Tarp or in a Pyramide Shelter, though there are situations where a tent is the way to go - especially if you don’t need to carry the tent far (or can make someone else carry it)! My weekend on Manshausen Island in Nordland showed me the benefit of a large apsis to store gear and a dry, spacious inner to sleep and chill while the rain is pounding the flysheet. Obviously my tent was from Helsport, this time around I was sleeping in the spacious Lofoten Superlight Camp which I really like - more on this tent at some other time, though. If you don’t want to sleep in a tent or under a tarp while at Camp Ousland, you also can sleep in one of the amazing houses, on a boat, and some other indoor options are available, too.
How much did you spent on your last piece of outdoor gear? And how much did you support your favourite blogs in the last months? If you enjoy The Week in Review & other articles buy me a coffee - I work Full-Time on Hiking in Finland to bring you inspiring trip reports, in-depth gear reviews and the latest news from the outdoors. You also could subscribe to the rarer-than-ever Newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube for more outdoorsy updates!
