2017 - A Year of Outstanding Streaming (#Ad) #Streamteam @Netflix_CA

A Look Back: 12 Months and 12 Netflix Original Series 

Disclosure: As a member of the Netflix Streamteam I receive special 

perks for my participation, posts, and sharing. All opinions are my own.

As 2017 comes to an end, I thought I'd take the time to highlight some of the Netflix Original series I had the pleasure to watch over the past year. This is by no means a complete list, but it does give you an idea of the quality and quantity of content created by Netflix. 

My Year of Bingeing in Review:

January: Riverdale (Season 1) TV-14 

February: Santa Clarita Diet (Season 1) TV-MA

March: Marvels Ironfist (Season 1) TV-MA

April: 13 Reasons Why (Season 1) TV-MA

May: Girlboss (Season 1) TV-MA

June: Unbelievable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 3) TV-14

July: Friends from College (Season 1) TV-MA

August: Atypical (Season 1) TV-MA

September: Marvels The Defenders (Season 1) TV-MA

October: Mindhunter (Season 1) TV-MA

November: Argon (Season 1) TV-MA (subtitles)

December: The Crown (Season 2) TV-MA

If you haven't had the pleasure of watching the shows listed above be sure to take some time in the new year to check them out.  

Wishing you a Happy New Year and Happy Streaming in 2018!

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about a year of streaming.

No Power - No Problem: I Download @Netflix_CA Faves to My Tablet (#Ad) #Streamteam

Power Outages (PO) ... 

Living in Canada you expect and prepare for at least a couple during the winter months. 

Disclosure: As a member of the Netflix Streamteam I receive special perks

 for my participation, posts, and sharing, All opinions are my own.

But did you remember to ...

Include downloading some of your favourite Netflix shows and movies to your tablet or phone as part of your Powers Out - What Now Preparedness Kit (POP Kit)? Recently I was happily watching a series on Netflix (ummm ... no surprise there) when we lost power. I soon realized there is nothing more frustrating than losing power half way through an episode of an action drama. To make things worse this happened in the evening (aka anything past 5:00 pm this time of year) so there was no light by which to read, or write a blog post, or clean the house. Okay, the "clean the house" thing wasn't going to happen regardless of whether I had power or not. So there I sat in the dark ... feeling frustrated ... UNTIL ... I remembered! I had downloaded the very same series I was watching to my tablet before leaving on a recent road trip. I thought this feature was great for travel (which it definitely is!) but as a Life Hack and part of a POP-Kit it is brilliant! 

Be Power Outage Ready ... 

Be Scout-like, and be prepared by putting together a basket or box of essentials you'll need to stay happy and entertained during a PO. That might include snacks, bottled drinks, flashlights, portable battery chargers, and a cozy throw. And now I know to keep a few series or movies downloaded to my tablet just in case. If the forecast is calling bad weather, heavy snow, freezing rain, or thunder showers, I also add a few of Hubby's, Thing 1 and Thing 2's favourites so we can "ride out the storm" so to speak. 

If you haven't ... why not?!

If you've already used the Netflix App to download shows or movies to your tablet or phone you know just how easy it is to do. And you know how great being able to watch a couple episodes of a show, or a movie without wi-fi or the internet is. If you haven't ... first, What are you waiting for! and second, you can find more information on how to download Netflix shows and movies to your devices HERE. You can find the Netflix App for iOS in the Apple App Store or for Android in Google Play. 

Have Netflix will Travel!

"Netflix to Go" (as I call it) is a travel essential, and  warrants repeating it's a must have whether traveling by air, train, or embarking on a long road trip. Most airlines have done away with the drop down screens for movies, and now require you to use you own device, and have their App to assess in-flight entertainment. Most also charge for at least some content, and to rent a device (and the fee is not cheap). I can honestly say I do not travel without my Netflix to Go, and use it both enroute to watch some House of Cards on the plane, and once I have reached my destination to enjoy a bit of GirlBoss. 

There is no shortage of options to download, so you are sure to easily please everyone in your family.

If you're a parent ... 

You'll appreciate being able to control what the kids watch in a hotel, or while visiting family and friends over the holidays, since you decide what is appropriate to download for your kids to watch. Plus Netflix has just launched a Netflix Family Facebook page where you can find and share all sorts of information, tips, updates and stories, including family travel "experiences". 

I'll show you my list if you show me yours ... 

What do you have in your My Downloads? And if it's empty what are you going to add to that list as soon a you finish reading this post? Currently "My Downloads" include:

• The Method (Series, 2015, TV-MA, subtitles)
• Sadqay Tumhare (Series, 2014, TV-PG, subtitles)
• The Many Faces of Ito (Series, 2017, TV-14, subtitles)
• Colony (Series, 2016, TV-14)
• Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (Movie, 2006, TV-PG, subtitles)
• People You May Know (Movie, 2016, TV-MA)
• Bushwick (Movie, 2017, TV-MA)
• Wheelman (Movie, 2017, TV-MA)

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about being Power Outage Prepared. 

There's a "hot" new eatery in #Ottawa - #MoralsVillageHotPot (#Ad) #Ottawafood #OttawaEateries

More than a meal ... a dining adventure.

Disclosure: I was not compensated, nor obligated to post or share about this experience. 

However as I was an invited guest or plus-one I did receive my meal free of charge. All opinions are my own.

When Julie (Try Small Things) invited me to be her plus one for dinner at the newly opened Morals Village Hot Pot Ottawa (located at Riverside and Hunt Club), she didn't have to ask me twice. My decision to accept her invitation was a good one, because our meal turned out to be an interactive dining experience. My first impression was the warm reds and golds of the beautiful decor, and the welcoming and friendly greeting we received from the staff. 

Things I learned as a Hot Pot newbie:

• The Morals Village name comes from their commitment to giving back and community. In keeping with that sense of community it's not surprising most of the seating is communal style with a flat top stock pot burner at each seat. 
• Hot pot is a traditional Chinese dish using soup stock to cook a variety of ingredients. 
• Morals Village is an all-you-can-eat restaurant with a flat fee that includes the hot pot ingredients. (Note: the stock and beverages are not included in the flat rate. Visit the website, or restaurant for pricing details). 
• The staff is friendly, and knowledgeable, which is important for a Hot Pot newbie like myself.
• Over the course of a meal the stock in your pot is topped up. Staff explained this was to keep the stock from getting too salty as liquid evaporates from the boiling stock.   
• The reason there are two sets of chop sticks (one white, one black) is to avoid cross-contamination. One set is for raw meat, and the other set is for cooked items. 
• My chop stick skills are virtually non-existent. 
• Elastic waist pants are an excellent fashion choice when hot-potting. 
• Sharing a hot pot meal with friends or family is a perfect choice on a cold day.
• I really really like my hot pot experience. 

The Stock:
The experience starts with choosing from one of a dozen stock options (priced from $3 to $8) that you will use to cook your chosen ingredients. Your pot-o-stock stays piping hot by way of table elements. I opted for the Mountain Cliff Wild Mushroom soup base which was very nice. 

The Ingredients:
There are dozens of ingredient options, with everything from fried pork skin, quail eggs, and squid rolls to seaweed, lotus roots, and tofu. Each visit is a new opportunity to be adventurous in your choices, and customize your eating experience. To my mushroom soup base I added: Rib Eye Beef Slices, Japanese Crab Meat, Broccoli, Sweet Corn, Napa Cabbage, and Japanese Udon Noodles. 
Into the hot pot they went, and not to start anything but ...  yes I stirred the pot. 

Service with a smile ...

The Toppings & Sauce Bar:
I bet you're thinking there is no way to top that ... but indeed there is. There are a dozen sauces, dips, and toppings to pair with your hot pot meal. This is where you'll also find spring rolls, sesame balls, and deep fried buns. I recommend all three! 

The Ice Cream Finish:
What better way to end a hot and spicy meal than with a sweet ice cream cone filled with Morals Village made-on-site vanilla soft serve ice cream. 

From start to finish it was a wonderful night, that included a great meal, shared with a fabulous friend. It doesn't get much better than that in my opinion. So next time you're in Ottawa, looking for a new dining adventure or find yourself asking "Where should we go to eat?" you might want to give Morals Village Hot Pot, or one of these Ottawa eateries a try. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Ottawa eateries, and adventures in dining.