Throughout the academic year, Melinda Giampietro, Options Founder/President, will share some of her favourite things in her monthly Founder’s Feature. Melinda loves reading, data, research, and following academic and adolescent news around the world.
November’s Podcast of the Month: Admissions Office Canada
Ok. Let’s chat. I spent all summer creating Canada’s only current post-secondary focused podcast. It was so much fun and so, so, so hard. It launched a few Tuesdays ago. You can find Admissions Office Canada on Spotify↗ , Apple Podcasts↗ , and Amazon Podcasts↗ . You can even watch the first episode on YouTube. You can also follow along on our website↗ , Instagram↗ , and LinkedIn↗ . PLEASE tell all your friends about it, and give it a positive rating. I owe so many people thank yous, but a short list includes Options Taryn and Alyssa, all the university folks who participated, Beedie for their sponsorship, and our awesome producer, Brayden, at Podfather.
November’s Cookbook of the Month
This book makes me so excited. I have followed the Broma Bakery blog↗ for years. It never fails me when baking for Team Options or my family. When Sarah Fennel’s first cookbook Sweet Tooth↗ came out last month; I immediately trekked to Indigo to snap it up. It is fantastic. The beginning of the book is a simple guide to better baking. I really enjoyed the “Never Overbake Again” section. I have already tried three recipes: Jam Jam Bars, Maple Glazed Apple Blondies, and Coffee Cake Cookies↗ . I also really appreciate the “Dessert for One” section at the back of the book. This is the perfect holiday gift for the baker in your world.
November’s Book of the Month
One of my students chose to read Bad Cree↗ , by Indigenous author Jessica Johns for his summer reading assignment. I really enjoyed its perspective and partial Vancouver setting. I didn’t realize it was of the horror genre when I purchased it, but there is definitely some gore here. Yet, I found the book interesting in its commentary on dreams, reality, violence, family, and nature. I enjoyed learning about Indigenous culture and their stories and perspectives. Watch out for the crows!
November’s Concert Song of the Month
If you followed Founder’s last school year, you know that I keep a bucket list of songs that I would like to hear live in the Notes app on my phone. I got another song off the list a few weeks ago at the Abbotsford Events Centre. I saw Jordan Davis open for Thomas Rhett a few years ago; his energy was so good. It made me a fan. I love the song “Banks,” which was released four years ago by NEEDTOBREATH. They re-released it recently with Jordan Davis singing on it. It’s my current favourite song. It was so fun to see him sing it live from the pit on a rainy Sunday night with some of the Options team. It was the last show of Jordan Davis’s Damn Good Time tour, and it had such a playful, authentic vibe. I’m here for all the valley country concerts. You can watch a version of the song here↗ .
November’s Restaurant of the Month
My husband and I went to Toronto in October. I revisited many campuses, but I was most excited to try some new restaurants. I did a lot of research to sort through the many, many recommended restaurants there. Good dinners are a full-contact sport in our family. I found Restaurant 20 Victoria↗ on the Michelin site↗ , but I couldn’t find a website for it. I was intrigued, and I love a female head chef. So, I made a reservation on Tock hoping for the best. It was such a special experience. We sat in the “bar” area to watch the four-person kitchen staff at work. We learned so many things about final bloom tomatoes and sharing tuna with a local sushi restaurant. It was an exceptional meal and the loveliest, warmest atmosphere. Thanks, DLG.
November’s Giggle of the Month
One of my work avoidance strategies (after watching Carpool Karaoke and Taylor Swift’s surprise song sets) is reading university newspapers. I find them a great source to get the pulse on campus, and I especially enjoy the editorials. I got a really good giggle out of this article↗ from the Harvard Crimson. A statistics major argues “Harvard is Not Home to America’s Best and Brightest.” The first half of the article has some solid insights into the admission process, but it was the second half, which explores brand versus quality of education from a student’s point of view, that made it an interesting read.
To read more Founder’s Features, check them out under the Options News↗ category.
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