Hmm, so what are the essentials? I’m a spirited, happy, sarcastic, unpredictable (but genuine), marine ecologist/fisheries scientist with a passion for travel, a weakness for good tea, and an addiction to Q-tips. (Or maybe I just like clean ears?) I love challenges, languages, lemon baked goods, (seriously—this is what I find essential?), and big, impossible dreams. I also don’t understand why most people aren’t as fascinated with bluefin tuna as I am. Seriously.

Basic life chronology: I was born in Vancouver and spent my childhood in the city and the valley. After high school, I high-tailed it back east to do my undergrad in Guelph and gain some life experience. (Essentially this is a nice way of saying that I froze my ass off in Ontario for five years while studying fish on the side.) After gaining much perspective and knowledge from the Ice Age, I returned to Vancouver in September 2011 to undertake a MSc. in Zoology (specifically studying high seas fisheries ecology and management) at the UBC Fisheries Centre. In returning home, I realized that I actually didn’t mind the rain too much (I guess it’s in my blood), and that life on the wet coast is actually pretty sweet. But since I can never stay still for too long, I subsequently found a new adventure (a.k.a. PhD) that brought me to the other side of our beautiful country in 2016. And I’m having a total blast freezing my ass off once again. (At least there’s an ocean this time.)

As far as blogs go… I don’t consistently follow any (I probably should?), although I do religiously go to Smitten Kitchen, Minimalist Baker and Oh She Glows for amazing recipes. I also think David Thorne is absolutely brilliant and visit his website whenever I’m in need of a good laugh. And, while I have no real agenda with my own writing, it tends to be a mixture of personal thoughts and experiences, recipes, and, of course, ocean things. Pretty much just my life. Which is undoubtedly as fascinating to the rest of the world as it is to me. I also love photography so most of the pictures on here are my own.

Oh, and I almost forgot— my name is Laurenne.