Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

Dear All,

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas to all my family, friends, friends I met online/in person, my fans, my readers and everyone who celebrates Christmas. Although The Armenian Christmas is on January 6th, it is also great to celebrate on December 24/25th. Wishing everyone all the best. ❤ ❤ Hugs and Kisses to all.

I also celebrate on January 6th where its my Armenian Christmas too. This is an exciting time of the year.

Happy Holidays with great health, happiness, and great things. Best wishes always.

Cheers to you and your loved ones. 🙂

Love,

Talin Orfali

A Highlight,

This Christmas, It was my first time marinating and cooking my very first turkey…. The end result — SUCCESS!! 🙂
I usually cook chicken, and other meats, but it was my first for turkey. I am so proud of myself and I did it all on my own. 🙂 – I also cooked the whole Christmas dinner..

2015 is here! Welcome!

Hello everyone, now that 2014 is behind us, hope everyone had a pleasant, fun and great night when ringing in 2015. Here are to new beginnings this year. I can’t believe it is the second day already. Time is already flying by. before you know it, we will be putting up our Christmas/Holiday decorations once again. I remember the days when I always wanted to go out for new years and celebrate outdoors or at a banquet hall full of people, but nowadays, I just want to spend a quiet, fun and relaxing time at home with my loved ones with good food, snacks, a few drinks, and unwinding during the holidays is all that is important. I know its fun to get dressed up and to go to parties and everything, but I just don’t feel it anymore. I’d rather be at home all cozy and warm and just relaxing.

I don’t know if you feel the same way as well. To me, new years is just another day with another year added. We should be grateful for the days we have, for the years we are on the planet, and we should be grateful for all the blessings and everything we have. That is the most important thing that people really should focus on. Some people are so into vanity, materialism, and all that stuff, however the true meaning of the holidays and as well as everyday is to count our blessings and be thankful. There are so many unfortunate things happening in our world today, and we should always look at the bigger picture as things can be worse.

Always think positive, look at life in an optimistic way, be happy, live your life. Health, happiness, and positivity is the most important things in life. everything else is secondary. As 2015 is now here, I wish everyone a blessed year ahead and beyond. Lets create more memories, good times, motivate each other, encourage each other, have each others back, and share our stories with one another.

Many blessings and good times to everyone. Best wishes to all!

Cheers to 2015!

The Last Blog of 2014 – The Year Flew By

Hello everyone, this is going to be my last blog of 2014. I cannot believe how quickly the year flew by. It felt just like yesterday we were celebrating the beginning of 2014 and now, here we are again ready to welcome a new year which is about 24 hours from now. There is so much I want to accomplish and achieve in 2015, and I have created a personal bucket list of goals to attain and so much more. In the blogs coming, everyone will eventually find out what they are. For now, it is something personal to me until I post my journey and stories of it all in the coming 12 months of 2015. So keep checking back to see it all unfold.

I know a lot of people are setting up and getting ready to ring in the new year and some are already celebrated 2015 in the world already, so I am going to keep this short and wishing everyone a safe, happy, healthy, positive, optimistic and great year ahead, and may it be everything you wish for it to be. Keep smiling, keep shining, keep your head up high and always be who you are, and know that whatever you do, and want to do, when you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Everything and Anything is possible in life. You just need to work hard at it and never give up.

Thank you to my readers, fans, family, friends, and all my supporters.

I am excited for another year filled with blogging, writing, and pursuing my dreams in social media, writing and so much more.

Here is to New Beginnings.
Cheers!

Love,
Talin Orfali — WordPress

Highlights of 2014 – More Great times – Been a great year

2014 was a mix of the good times and the bad times, but mostly good times. This year I got to do many things, travel to different places with my boyfriend, friends, and family, and so much more that I will be sharing. Here are the highlights of my year in no particular order:

– My lovely friend/sister surprised me with Boston Red Sox Baseball tickets for my birthday 🙂
– Got into my first relationship with a lovely man and still going strong.
– Went to a couple of Basketball Games – Toronto Raptors,
– Went to a Soccer game Toronto FC With my boyfriend and good friends in New Jersey/New York

– Traveled to New York City / New Jersey
– Traveled to Boston, Massachusetts
– Traveled to Varadero, Cuba and Cayo Coco, Cuba
– Traveled to Ottawa, Canada
– Traveled to Niagara Falls

– Went aircraft Spotting at Toronto Pearson Airport Several Times
– Created beautiful memories with my loved ones throughout the year
– Went to an Airport Street Festival where I got up close and Personal with Toronto Pearson YYZ
– Went Mini Putting with great friends.

That is about it for now… I can’t think of anything else. There was so much that happened.

—- Have a happy New Year and great 2015. Wishing you all the best.

Welcome 2014! Happy New Year!

Hello everyone, Now that 2013 is behind us, looking forward to brand new year, a fresh start, another 365 days. I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year 2014. I wish you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, prosperous, successful year. Wishing you the best, and may 2014 be full of love, great and happy surprises, great memories and so much more. What are your plans for 2014? What are your resolutions? Do you keep up with your resolutions? What changes do you want to see? We can all make a difference in the world if we all pitch in and do our best to make this world a better place.

Are you planning to travel in 2014? lets see what 2014 has in store for all of us. I hope that everything will go well and we will go through another year. I know every year, we have our ups and downs and things always change in a year, but I hope that everything will be ups for everyone. I cannot believe 2013 is over. It went by so quickly. It seems just like yesterday we were celebrating 2013, but now onto another year. It seems like every passing year, time and the days are going by quicker and quicker.

This year I plan to attain, and accomplish many goals I have already set out. I do a lot of reflection the last week of the year thinking about what to do for the year ahead. Well, Goodbye 2013. Welcome 2014!

Wrapping up 2013 – Highlights of My Year

Wow, what a year it has been. Today is the last day of 2013, and there have been ups and downs, but mostly ups, and I have been so blessed in the past year with such incredible and beautiful Highlights, that I will never forget and I usually jot down all of my highlights in a note so that I can look back to see what I have accomplished, where I traveled, and other important days to remember. Here are the highlights of my year:

Did a Bit of Traveling by air and on the road — traveled to Dominican Republic, Boston, Massachusetts, (Had a Layover at the airport in Newark, New Jersey when I was landing I saw New York City — Yes I consider that A place I went to and saw this year), Visited Michigan, Cambridge, Ontario, and Niagara Falls.

When I visited Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo, went to the Be Live Hamaca Resort where I met incredible and lovely people and we became friends. It was a great gathering.

I had always wanted to go and eat and drink at “CHEERS” Bar in Boston, Massachusetts, It was an iconic TV Show from back in the day in the 80’s and 90’s, and I scratched that off my bucket list. Thank you to my kouyrigs/sisters in Boston for making that possible and for making that happen. Had Nachos and Beer there. Its a must to have The Cheers beer.

I visited the iconic and popular University of Harvard, touched John Harvard’s Shoe. toured Harvard Square and its vicinity, and ended up Graduating (lol)

Mastered the Boston Accent — MASTAHD THAH BAHSTAN ACCENT

Tried Sushi for the first time ever in the summer and I loved it. Now cannot get enough of it. Thank you to someone who is very dear to me, who introduced sushi, sashimi, maki rolls and so much more in the Japanese Cuisine.

Had the best lobster ever at the Lobster Pool in Massachusetts. I also dined at the Cheesecake factory

Went to a few parties here and there.

Attended Bible Studies and Conferences

Went to the Armenian Toronto Summer fest with my great friend, but I call her my sister from Montreal that I did not see for a while. It was a great reunion.

I am proud to say that this year one of my friends became a Contestant on Jeopardy and I can finally say I know someone who was a contestant on Jeopardy.

Met some of my Online Facebook friends in person, whom are like family to me now.

My Blog and Social Media and marketing success went through a roof, where I got an offer to write recipes in the Food and Drink Magazine, I have Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, Arlene Dickensen, and Jim Treliving subscribed to my blog. They are from Dragons, Den, I have reached close to 400,000 blog hits, Famous chefs such as Massimo Capra, Jamie Oliver, and Jacques Pepin and more have followed me as well. My LinkedIn Profile has been seen and followed by Arlene Dickensen. Plus so many people around the Globe have viewed and followed my blog from places I had never even heard about. Many people have added my blog site to their websites. So many more highlights that I cannot even remember them all. Thank you all for the support, and I will continue doing my work in 2014 and beyond.

I have written over 700 Articles.

Accomplished many personal goals and achieved excellence

All My cousins and I reunited for the first time since 1999, the summer I came back from Armenia.

Here is to 2014, with many more highlights to come.
Have a lovely New Year and best wishes, Health and happiness.

The Boxing Day Rush – No Thank You

Well, it is that time again where Christmas is behind us, and today is boxing day. Many people will go or have already gone out for Boxing day shopping to get their hands on great sales and deals in the retail world, where people get discounted products and everything. I am one of those people who has never gone out to shopping centers, malls, and plazas to go shopping on a crazy day like today, and it just gets me stressed out. I really do not feel like getting trampled on, and attacked by other people. I would rather go shopping at a later time and not battle through big and long line ups, and I would rather shop being sane, then insane. It’s winter time, its cold, snow on the ground, what am I going to do? I would rather stay warm at home and relax, then having to venture out. The time I do go to Malls is Mid January, where things have calmed down, and where I can shop in peace.

Do you like to go shopping on Boxing day, or are you like me and stay home or stay far away from anywhere that requires shopping? If I really do not need something, I do not purchase it. Even if its on sale. When I do need something stores will always have something, so I am not in that rush to get something if I am not going to be using it. How about you?

Well, new years is a few days away. Cannot believe 2013 will be over and gone in less than a week. This year went by so quickly. It is unbelievable. How was 2013 for you? Did you do anything exciting? what were some of your highlights? Have a blessed new year, all the best to 2014.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year – Love Talin Orfali

It is that time of year again. I cannot believe how quickly 2013 flew by. Just yesterday we were celebrating Christmas and New Years for 2012/2013, and now as 2013 is coming to a close, were doing it all over again with putting up the lights, the decorations, finding that perfect tree, or putting up a tree that has been in storage. I love Christmas time when everywhere is decorated with beautiful colours, beautiful Christmas lights on homes, wrapped presents, ornaments, tinsel, snow globes, candles, manger, stables, the nativity scene, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, the Elves, Snowman, Mistletoe, Cookies and Milk, candy canes, the food, the celebrations, and of course and especially celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with Mary and Joseph and the Three Wise Men and how Mary was chosen to give Birth to a King.

What are your Christmas traditions in your family? What exciting things do you do? Some families put on Christmas Sweaters, some families play games, and so on and so forth. What do you like to cook and serve to your loved ones? Christmas for me every year is always different, either we have a lot of people come over, some Christmases are spent going to other peoples homes, or going out to a party, so I cannot really say what is tradition with my loved ones, but every year is always different, but we do manage to always find a way to get together. When we do, we love cooking turkey, ham, rice, vegetables, gravy, and other things. I love baking my signature cinnamon cake which people I know love it, so they want more and more of it. It has been such a long time I have not decorated a Gingerbread house, but I think I will do that this year.

I love watching Christmas movies at this time of year like Miracle on 34th street, Home Alone 1 and 2, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Jack Frost, Four Christmases, Santa Clause, Santa Clause 2, I also love watching the Santa Claus Parade on television. I must have watched Home Alone 1 and 2 8 or 9 times this year alone on TV and I just love that movie especially. There is something about Home Alone 1 and 2, that make you get pulled into it and its so hard to flip the channel. After that Home alone 3-5 was all downhill and I did not enjoy them as much because when you change Characters, when you change the setting, it won’t be the same as the first 2. I know Home Alone 1 and 2 by heart, and if you put the movie on mute, I can say the whole script.

Anyway, lastly, I also want to acknowledge those people who are not so lucky during the Christmas and New Year Holidays, that are alone, but not really alone because there are people in this world that are thinking of them and one of them is me, people who do not have a warm home to go to, those who are less fortunate, those who cannot afford or who do not have enough to provide for their families and I’d like to reach out to all of those people around the world and tell them that I am thinking of them and they are in my heart, mind and soul and my thoughts and prayers are with them all and I wish them the best for 2014 and I hope that they too can have a nice and lovely Christmas. I want them to know that they are not alone and that I am with them all. The presents and Materialism shouldn’t matter, but all that matters is togetherness and creating memories.  I wish everyone peace, harmony, happiness, health, success, and all the great things of life. I wish everyone a prosperous, great, and lovely new year. Many blessings to all and wishing everyone all the best. With love always, Talin Orfali

Kitchen & Time Saving Tips for The Upcoming Holiday’s

It is that time again and it is quickly approaching where we are just a few weeks away from Christmas and New Year holidays, and a lot of people get so frustrated, and are confused with what to cook, what to do to save time in Kitchen and so much more. The Holidays are about spending time with your loved ones, making memories and cherishing precious and personal moments with them and to spend less time in the kitchen, which is why I have these tips and tricks to help you in that department. Well, without further a do, here they are:

— 1 or 2 weeks before your big dinner night with your loved ones, decide on the menu and what you will cook and serve as snacks, as dinner and dessert. We know how hectic it can be to make several types of dishes, but simplicity is key. Do not overload your table with so many options of foods. Limit the amount.

— a week before the big event, do all your grocery shopping. Do not wait until last-minute as that time is to start preparing the day or 2 before, but if they are foods that will need to be prepared on the day of, make sure you start early in preparations.

— If you have more than 10-20 people or more or less, it is a good idea to buy Christmas Holiday style disposable cutlery and plates to set the table or set them to the side like a buffet table along with of course napkins, disposable cups and glasses for juice, soft drinks, wine, beer, alcoholic beverages, so that no washing dishes are involved. Keep the garbage bags on standby where you can get a reach of it quickly. (The only washing of dishes would be servers, and plates, pans that have the food that is cooked from it.

— Before your loved ones arrive, set all the desserts to the side where it will be quick to bring out.

— Do not spend half your time in the kitchen. Besides your loved ones came to get together and spend time together, to see each others faces. Preparation in advance is so important to do. Do not be afraid to ask for help, and delegate tasks for the whole family to do before others start coming over.

— Of course the house should be clean and tidy, use a rug at the front of the door to put people s shoes and organize them so that shoes will not be everywhere. make room in your closet for people’s coats. So take all the coats out that you and your family who live there and take them and put them in another room. If you have enough space for all jackets in your closet, then its all good.

— Before the meal, when people start knocking on your door and come in, have vegetable trays and chips bowls on the table or whatever snacks you will serve, but not over indulge in the snacks so that you have room for the main dinner. Then after the dinner is done, put out the snacks and dessert table. again limit the desserts as well.

— In the kitchen when you are about to start cooking, take out all cooking equipment out and once you use something and will not need it anymore, simply wash them, dry them and put them away, so that you have less dishes to wash later.

— when your loved ones are over, make sure everything is ready, then all you do is just bring them over to the table which won’t take more than 5 minutes, keep the food warm on the oven, until it is time to serve. After serving your food, and after eating, clear the table and of course throw out the disposable plates, cutlery and cups and glasses, then just give the table a quick wipe. Then quickly convert it to the dessert table where everything is self-serve. Also use disposable dessert plates and cutlery as well.

— Leave the washing of the big dishes until later so that you can enjoy your loved ones to the fullest and if people want to volunteer to help you clean and wash, allow them and it will be fun as well-doing things together. just not all on you.

— make the coffee, espresso and put the water into the coffee maker, in advance. after dinner, just press the button and the coffee will start to brew. Also make those disposable cups. Remember less washing the better it is for you.

— decide on decorations on table, centerpieces and theme. I have read that people dress up in Christmas sweaters, and same colours, sometimes people just come in anything.

— This is super important if your loved ones have a little too much to drink, do not allow them to drive a vehicle and make sure they stay over, until they are sober to drive again. Do not drink and drive and enjoy the holidays responsibly. You can save your life, your loved ones lives and others lives who share the road with you. When you know there is alcohol involved and you know that your loved ones will drink, ask to collect everyone’s car keys and place them in a basket and put the basket in another room and keep the door locked and when people leave just bring the basket out and let people grab their keys only if they have not drunk. or if they had one drink or something that still gives them the capability to drive.

— When nature calls, some of your loved ones will want to use the washroom. It is a good idea to have paper towels on standby so that your towels won’t be soaking wet when another person decides to dry their hangs, and a couple of rolls of toilet paper on the side, and extra hand washing soap if need be.

That is all for now, but if there is any particular questions you need to ask, do not hesitate to comment or personally e-mail me. You can find my e-mail on my contact me site which is located on top of the page. Thank you and have a great, safe, happy Christmas and Holiday season!

 

Happy New Year Everyone! Welcome to 2013!

Since 2012 is behind us, I would like to wish everyone an official Happy new year 2013. May 2013 bring everyone happiness, luck, great health, love, success, the best and among all great things life has to offer. I am really happy 2013 is here. I feel like great things are going to be coming up this year. I just feel it. I started my new years resolution to lose weight and keep it off without giving up and without stopping half way. I am in this for the long haul, and for life, health and much more. What are your new years resolutions? What do you expect for the new year? What plans and goals do you want to achieve and attain? Lets start 2013 and end 2013 with being kind to one another, respecting each other, appreciating the people and things we have in our lives, being satisfied with what we have in life, to be thankful, grateful and among other important things. We all can make this a great, happy and wonderful place. It all starts with a fresh new start to a new year and ending the year the same way. If we all do our part, the world can be a better place. I have so many plans for this year and I will achieve the goals I have made a list of and much more.

I am going to get out there more to find my better half and get into a relationship of course for the right reasons, and when time is right. I know I will find someone when I least expect it, and everything will find its way. I will get a great job that I want and I will get the job I want when I work super hard for it. Time starts now. I will definitely work harder to achieve that, and a lot more. I am very happy and excited to be traveling this year again. I will continue to blog, write, promote, do my best in the social media world, work harder for my blog, achieve and go to great lengths to help people, to volunteer more, Social Networking, working online, introducing new things, new topics, a fresh new start with everything. It will be a great year, I know and feel it with my gut instinct that this is going to be my year to shine. When I feel something and when I know things will happen. 99% of the time, it always happens. What steps will you take to achieve your goals? What are your major plans? It is always great to have a plan and go for it. I am super happy with all that I have and all the experiences, memories, and everything I learned in 2012, and I will keep on learning everyday and experience more things I haven’t in previous years. May 2013 be incredible, and a special memorable year for each and everyone of you and your loved ones.

Enjoy and all the best to you all. Do not Drink and Drive, be responsible, and be safe.

2012 Is Almost Over – Came and Went So Fast – Time Is Flying By Quickly

Can you believe how fast 2012 went by? It was like yesterday we celebrated 2012, and now were back toward the end of the year and ready to welcome 2013. Can you believe how fast it went? I can’t believe it. Well, It has been an up and down year for me, but I learned a lot of new things this year. I learned a lot about how people are in society, myself, my strengths, new experiences, about blogging, about social media, about different things that I had never experienced before. You name it. This year was an interesting year for me. Unfortunately, I lost loved ones, God rest their souls, I had the pleasure of traveling to different destinations, I met new friends, let go of people who weren’t really my friends, let go of those people who were true to me, above all, I kept a very positive attitude, and I didn’t let negativity overpower me. I sometimes had mixed emotions about certain things, but that is normal and we all have days where we are down and days where we feel sad, but This year taught me the importance of not taking things to heart and not being attached to things so quickly. 2012 taught me so much. I remember by detail what happened this year for me. I got closer to my great friends, and family, I got to see my cousins after 13 years, I had the pleasure of meeting family I never met before. It was quite an interesting year, mostly ups and that really puts a new perspective on things. I got to see a live filming of CSI Las Vegas and I was a few feet away from Actor Ted Danson, George Eads, and Jorja Fox, I got do a lot of things which are incredible, and I look forward to accomplishing a lot more in 2013. I feel like 2013 will be my year to shine, and will be my year to do more than I did in 2012. I believe each year that passes, we learn valuable lessons of life and I believe that with whatever and however we approach it, it teaches us things of life and I like to prepare myself in advanced. Sometimes you can’t prepare for things that happen out of the blue, but I truly believe that things work out in the end and that things will be better and fine. Lets see what 2013 has in store for all of us and what will occur. We don’t know, but we will see.

I just have this feeling that it will be my year. I don’t know, but when I get this gut feeling, it always happens. Lets see what happens. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous, Happy, Healthy new year 2013.

I Love This Time Of Year During Christmas Season

Since I was a little girl, I remember when Christmas was approaching and I would be so excited to wear different dresses and see my cousins who would come out of town and those who are in town. I remember how much fun we all had together and we still do. We had so much food cooked every year, each person would bring something, and then Santa Comes over, and sings along with us and everything. We used to go all out. I love this time of year when my family comes together and celebrate the greatness of Christmas and the bonds and memories of it all. When we had Christmas parties at my cousins house, there would be Christmas Carolers coming over and singing a few Christmas songs and then heading over to the next house wherever you would call them. It was super nice and I would look around the room to see my family and just enjoy those moments when these songs were being sung. I said I am so lucky and so thankful to God, I have a great family like them and they all have a special place in my heart, my life and beyond. I would do anything for my family. I remember Traveling to Daytona Beach, Florida for 2 weeks during Christmas and New Years. We made a road trip out of it and we drove all the way to Daytona, It was long for me at the time in 1997 because I was too young to drive, and I was so bored, I said are we there yet? LOL, but when we went down there, we went to a Christmas party and then we went to this restaurant for New Years. It was a fun time. We have also been on Some Cruise Ship vacations during that time of year. I will never forget these moments for as long as I live. In the recent years, It has become difficult to get together with family, but this year we will be celebrating altogether in one roof again and I am very happy and cannot wait. Merry Early Christmas everyone! Enjoy!

What are your traditions and memories you have had?

Time Is Surely Flying – Already Mid November

This morning when I woke up, I couldn’t believe that were already in mid November. Craziness. Were now a month and a half away from a new year of 2013. It is unbelievable how the days are going by so quick, but I am not complaining, let all this cold weather go. I do not miss this cold weather at all lol. I am really blessed of the year I have had,  but some things had its downs, but mostly ups this year. Well, today I am keeping it short and sweet because I have so much to do today and I am just here to wish you all a great day and have a wonderful week. I will be back to post tomorrow. 🙂