USA – Raising Jordans

Canadian Thanksgiving: Pomegranate-Blueberry Glazed Roast Turkey

November 18, 2014

Canadian Thanksgiving has come and gone, but luckily we Canadians live in America so we still have American Thanksgiving to look forward to. This recipe for Pomegranate-Blueberry Glazed Roast Turkey is my go-to for any meal intended to feed the masses. We hosted Canadian Thanksgiving a few weeks back where this dish was the main attraction. Next week, we will be cooking another bird for friends who remain in the city for American Thanksgiving, where again this recipe will take center stage. This non-traditional approach to prepping a turkey leaves you with a moist, succulent and flavorful meat that is always a hit. So be prepared to hide any remnants you want to keep for leftovers during your feast otherwise you may be disappointed to find nothing left once your guests depart. This thanksgiving we hope you enjoy your turkey, but most important savor those you share it with. Continue reading “Canadian Thanksgiving: Pomegranate-Blueberry Glazed Roast Turkey”

Trans America Road Trip Route

June 24, 2014

It is almost the 1 year anniversary since we set out on our Trans America road trip from our little island hometown to New York City. A week doesn’t go by that Jay and I don’t talk about the time we packed all we could fit into the back of a crossover and set out across country. So far it has been one of the best adventures of our young lives. I chronicled the entire adventure on the blog, and all those posts were and actually still is the most viewed entries on the Jordan Project. They are still being pinned again and again on a daily basis. I keep getting asked to map out the route we took to get ourselves across this great nation. So in honor of the requests and in encouragement that everyone really, really should take this trip here is the route we planned.

Before leaving we fielded comment after comment about how fun it will be to take it as it comes and stop where the wind takes us. Clearly these people under estimated my sheer level of A-type personality and the utter thrill I get in planning. Every detail was accounted for. I had mapped our route 10 months before we left, researched and booked the perfect hotel in each location and even devised an itemized list of where to eat and what to see (including a route on how to maximize our time in each spot so we could do and taste it all). Here is the result of my madness. It was sheer, perfect bliss. 12 days of bliss. Continue reading “Trans America Road Trip Route”

NYT on Teacher Education: An Industry of Mediocrity

October 22, 2013

NYT on Teacher Education: An Industry of Mediocrity

A dear friend passed this article my way which sparked a good conversation between us. She, a former educator from Souther California, and I, a newly minted Teacher from Canada, share the same heart for children and belief in the power of education. It is interesting for me studying at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College and being in the thick of the teacher education cycle, after recently going through a Canadian teacher education program. It gives me a new lens with which to view both countries approach to teacher ed, and just how each society values the merits and inputs of its educators. The article is worth the read, whether you are a teacher or a parent or just a concerned citizen interested in investing in the future of our children

Playing Tourist: Things to do in New York

October 20, 2013

We were incredibly blessed to be invaded by family the past week and a half straight. Our first visitor, my beautiful mom, came for a week which wasn’t nearly long enough. In the span of days we fit what could easily have filled weeks, and afterward we (with watery eyes) tucked her into her cab with sore feet and a full heart. It did both her and I good to explore mine and Jay’s new home together as we ventured into the heart of the city in hunt of exquisite shopping, good food and new running trails. I could not ask for a better excuse to be a tourist than her.

Then the evening after we waved good bye to mom, my dad, Peter, arrived. His entrance into the city was eventful with a less than ideal foray into the Bronx, complete with unhelpful misdirections from locals amidst the bombarding, cacophony of rush hour traffic. However, after his unwanted adventure we at last laid eyes on him and settled him into our apartment, turning him into our second excuse to explore the city a little further.

I should have been studying for midterms, and I should have been completing my literature review but instead I paused and tried my best to balance my demands with soaking in family and our city. In the midst of it all my little heart was filled to overflowing as both my parents assured me just how wholly proud of me they are and how excited they were for what waits us in the coming year as we plant roots in this crazy, overwhelmingly wonderful city. Below are some of our highlights, and suggestions for must do NYC tourist activities that make every study break that much more invigorating. Continue reading “Playing Tourist: Things to do in New York”

Meals and Monuments in D.C.

September 5, 2013

First and foremost sorry for the delay. It has been a whirlwind since we arrived in Manhattan full of learing how to navigate, toiling (unsuccessfully) to get american cell phones and meeting the incredible people I will be spending my next two years with. So that hasn’t left me much time to blog and I promise an introduction to our new home and manhattan lifestyle is coming. As for now, here is the last installment of our trans-america road trip -Washington D.C.! The capitol was a city that had a comfortable homeyness to it. Perhaps it was the heritage architecture of Georgetown or the plentiful local eateries and boutiques dotting the streets-cape that was reminiscent of our hometown of Victoria B.C. Nonetheless we ate our fill and filled our brains with all the history and wealth this vast, diverse country has to offer. Continue reading “Meals and Monuments in D.C.”

A Pittsburg Perspective

August 27, 2013

We rolled into Pittsburgh a little later than our original ETA because our geekery took over and we had to make a not so quick detour to visit Notre Dame University. However, when we came over one of Pittsburg’s famous bridges we found the city was swathed in a score of gold and black. My ample research hadn’t revealed that pre-season had begun and that on our night in Pittsburg the Steelers were playing the Chiefs. After arriving to The Fairmont Pittsburg 10 minutes after ticket sales closed, and thus an unsuccessful attempt to procure seats we decided to head out for dinner and soak in the buzzing atmosphere that only die hard sports cities on game day can emit. We walked around the historic district and selected a spot in their Market Square area to sit and people watch. After a bite we sauntered around to the river front and explored some of the art and architecture the city has been cultivating in recent years. Although Pittsburg has remained true to its roots with an abundance of Heinz (think ketchup) buildings and modern art portrayals, and their celebration of being the birth place of of Andy Warhol, gone still are the days of purely blue collar vibe. Although I would be amiss to neglect the gritty, authentic pulse that still runs deep and has very much been integrated into the new, vibrant scene that is found in today’s Pittsburg.

Eating our way through Chicago

August 26, 2013

It seems that Jay and I really love to eat and our time spent in Chicago was no exception. I knew Chicago had a few famous dishes, pizza and popcorn for example, but I wasn’t prepared for just the depth and variety of the foodie culture that would present in this midwest town. I was eager to try some of the Chicago classics but in my preconceived notions of the USA I had not added Chicago to the ranks of San Fran, NYC or D.C. when it came to their panoply of offerings of culinary prowess. Here are a few of the highlights and surprises that left us salivating in Chicago: Continue reading “Eating our way through Chicago”

Prairie life in Nebraska

August 24, 2013

Well I didn’t loathe Nebraska. When we were mapping our route and divulging it to friends and family we fielded a plethora of slander against the prairie drive and Nebraska on whole. It got to the point that when explaining our route I began to beguile that we had to stop somewhere between Boulder and Chicago so Omaha it was. However, I found the drive beautiful. Hundreds of of scorpions lining the I-80 kept us entertained for 50 miles as they bravely tried to scuttle across 4 lanes. The wild sunflowers that decorated the ditch of the road add a touch of whimsy. The open air, bright blue skies soaring above and wide spreading fields made the perfect back drop as we coasted, listening to and endless stream of radio lab and CBC (go Canada!) podcasts. As for Omaha, the sunset was stunning and any city with a Chipotle and Trader Joes is good in my books. Maybe it is the company I am in because I have yet to find a place I don’t enjoy when I am with Jay but I truly do think there is a lot of beauty to be found in Nebraska.

Now on to two nights in Chicago!

Mountain High in Boulder, Colorado

August 21, 2013

We left Boulder exhausted. It could be that our oceanic lungs aren’t accustomed to the low oxygen content in the mountain atmosphere. Or simply that the buzzing, vibrant city nestled in the crook of the Rock Mountains has so many outdoorsy activities to offer that it keeps you on your feet hiking, biking, swimming, walking and eating (we did it all) from dawn until dusk. So with only 2 nights in town we programmed our time to use the mountains and swimming holes to burn off all the calories we consumed in their amazing 50% happy hours. Here are a few of our highlights and suggestions from our overly active, sun soaked days in Boulder. Continue reading “Mountain High in Boulder, Colorado”

Salt Lake City

August 20, 2013

If Salt Lake City isn’t in your to visit list stop reading and go add it. Jay and I fell completely in love with the desert heat, friendly people, clean streets and crisp architecture that SLC had to offer.

We cruised into the city with country music blaring (because when in the southwest do as southerns do) on a Sunday afternoon and stayed in the Temple Square area. With the high Mormon population in SLC we arrived to find the entire city was more or less closed. I am talking even H&M and Macy’s close their doors on Sundays and if a store goes against the grain like Starbucks it’s closed by 7pm. We have no complaints though. The streets were vacant and the downtown core was quiet which left a lovely, peaceful feel to the city and we can’t help but be in total awe of a city that is so ardently committed to their beliefs that even mega stores that move into the area have to abide by the status quo. Even with very little open we managed to have a whole lot of fun. So here are our top highlights for Salt Lake…

Continue reading “Salt Lake City”