(via somethings hiding in here on flickr)
Liam has a white collar job now, so he gets to dress up to go work, which we are both enjoying. He’s been hunting for bowties, specifically, but are they ever hard to find!
I would buy him one of each of these! They are so very pretty! I especially love the colours in the fat-striped, linen one.
(via Polyvore)
This is the winsome new Anthropologie dress I got this weekend. It’s called the “High Seas,” and it’s by We Love Vera (and yes, I do love Vera – I always search thrift shops for Vera scarfs, but I have never been lucky enough to find any).
I’ve never bought clothes from Anthro, but we’ve got a sort-of-belated-wedding-barbecue-thingy coming up this summer, all the way back in Liam’s hometown of Thunder Bay. I figured I could splurge a little since I was so reasonable about clothes all through last year (my J Crew wedding dress actually cost much less than this – on sale).
I was worried nothing would even fit me, but I walked in, saw this hanging on a rack, and knew it was meant to be. Sure enough, it fit like a dream.
So this is – ideally – how I’d like to style it. Though I’ll probably end up wearing it with things I already have, because that’s the kind of girl I am.
That Hideous Strength
(via Melinda Josie)
This week I visited Lauchie Reid’s first solo art show at Narwhal Art Projects here in Toronto.
Lauchie is actually an old friend. He went to high school with Liam, and I had heard many a tale of his escapades, long before I met him.
When I finally did meet him, I wasn’t just introduced to him, but to his art (along with the art collective he is a part of: Team Macho).
His art: is amazing. I think it pretty much has everything going for it possibly could – it’s funny, it’s beautifully rendered, it’s mysterious, it makes you think, it makes you feel, it is Art with a capital A – but you could still hang it on your wall over your couch and it would make you really happy (well, most of it anyways… some of it’s a little too creepy – for me anyways).
I always support my friends in their artistic endeavors, because I know how hard it is to put yourself out there, but even if Lauchie weren’t my friend I would seek out and support his work. It’s that good.
You should go see it while you can.
I have finally (finally, finally!) sorted through, and edited our photos from France, and posted the best of them up on the series of tubes for all to see. To see them all, just just click here to go to their set on flickr.
This year, I got what I wanted!
Tommorow is my birthday.
For it, I want the following:
Thank goodness January is almost over. It’s my least favourite month next to… Oh. February. Ick. There’s that to look forward to…
This January, I planned ahead a little and decided to not let it get me down. Or at least, less down, anyways.
Here are the things that have been getting me through:
They were a big Christmas/Birthday present from my mom (my Birthday is in Early Feb.) They are warm and cosy, but also tough, resiliant and kick ass. With a warm pair of socks, they pretty much stomp on the heads of those (admittedly practical, but sorta fugly) sorels that everyone’s been wearing this year. And they’re going to last forever and look more and more amazing as they get broken in. As a bonus I feel like a superhero in the things.
It was also a Christmas present (we found it for mega sale at Winners!). It is exactly what I wanted and I was surprised to stumble across it for such a reasonable price. It is a warm little wrapper of a coat that looks like sophisticated trench on the outside, but is actually kinda sporty and functional on the inside. Best of both worlds! It’s even pretty aptly named – If you enjoy swanning about in a moody, foggy, pre-war, noir-ish fashion. And I do.
After a summer spent walking and swimming whenever possible, I pretty much lazed around all fall, and I felt icky for it. When both my sister and my brother’s girlfriend got Wii fitness games for Christmas, I started seriously considering the possibilities of using that cute little white box as a legitimate fitness tool. So I did a little research and decided to make Liam take me out and buy me my Birthday present early – in the form of these two games.
So, are they a real workout?
Yes, Definitely.
I am sore in all the right places after playing them, especially the EA game. While the resistance band that comes with the game is a little wimpy, as are the warmups, I am definitely feeling the burn, as it were. You don’t get too bored, as there’s a different balanced workout everyday. You can set it to whatever level of activity you feel you’re able to handle, and it’s not judgey (unlike the Wii Fit), just encouraging. Which is really the best part. It makes it really easy to set up a schedule, and follow through with working out everyday.
It is, however, still working out. You will sweat. You will get sore. You will not forget that you’re working out. It’s fun, yeah, but not as much fun as playing a traditional video game. Although you do get to do it from the comfort of your own home.
Gold’s Gym is just a fun cardio boxing game that’s a good addition to Sports Active when you’re getting bored with the more traditional workout it offers. Punching stuff is fun. Period.
My mom got this slowcooker magazine/cookbook for Christmas in her stocking and I drooled all over it. We didn’t have a slowcooker, but thankfully they are cheap things to own. We found a cute one for 25 bucks, bought our own copy of the cookbook and have cooked our way through the thing, and every dish has been delish. Seriously, I have seldom used a cookbook so thoroughly, and I have a HUGE cookbook collection. Highly, highly recommended. Plus, I am totally won over by this whole “slowcooker” thing. It’s so cozy to have yumminess stewing in the house all day during these long, cold days.
Yeah, this is just a cheap drugstore lotion. But it is also MAGIC. My skin went insane this winter with this crazy eczema thing, and nothing, NOTHING made it feel better. It was literally like wearing tight leather gloves made of my own skin on top of my hands and it was peely and bumpy, and euuuuuuuuughhhhh sooooooo gross and uncomfortable. I tried EVERYTHING. Mostly organic and natural remedies.
I finally got a sample of this stuff in a magazine, and thought why not? Things couldn’t possibly get any worse. Things didn’t get worse. They got better. My ouchies magically went away. Poof!
So I ran out and got a bottle and things have been hunky dory and super soft ever since.
It’s a new year.
Normally, I don’t pay much attention to the passing of a year, more than send out a little hope and a prayer that the next one will be a good one.
But this year, I heeded the passing a little more than usual.
I didn’t do anything particularly special – we went to our good friends house and had southern food (biscuits, gravy, black eyed peas and collards! – traditional good luck foods in the south) then played Super Mario Bros Wii, and mercilessly mocked the teeny hoppers on New years Rockin Eve.
But the years passing could palpably be felt. If only because, where so many others claimed to have had a tough, miserable year, I had the best year of my life.
I swam all summer. I made my own beer. I crafted up a storm. I saw my friends on a regular basis. I made new friends. I hung out with my lovely family. I partied. I threw parties. I wore cute oufits. I grew my hair long. Liam learned to make delicious homemade bread. I went to the opera…
I got married!
I went to Paris!
It’s not like we didn’t have any problems, any hardships to bear. Liam did lose his job, afterall.
But somehow, we were able to overcome it all this year in ways both simple and small, and huge and overwhelming.
And I felt last years passing with trepidation. Worry that this new year can’t possibly be as wonderful as the last one.
We are brining our first turkey, and it does look rather pretty (as Nigella’s Christmas cookbook said it would). I’ve never made one before, but since they were on sale, and I got a big honking roasting pan for a wedding present, I figured: why not?
In other less pleasant new, as you could tell from my tweetings, we have Christmas mice! Not as cute as it sounds, I’m afraid.
Thankfully we have a house full of (now) seasoned mouse hunters, and have caught and released all the creatures we’ve found so far.
Also thankfully, they seem to solely be living in our lower kitchen cupboards, which store mostly cookware and well sealed pantry goods.
The little buggers were smart enough to claw through the plaster in the exact right sliver of a spot on the wall, which was not covered in wood, and would give them entrance to our cupboards.
They were not, however, smart enough to choose a house wihout 3 resident cats.
Yesterday, we took a little wedding related day-trip. We went to Guelph to visit the Biltmore hat company – one of the last places in North America still making gentlemen’s hats the old fashioned way, and have been doing so since World War One.
We went to the factory outlet there, and got a pretty good deal on a beautiful little pork-pie for Liam’s wedding ensemble. In case you were wondering (and I just know you were) Liam is a 7 and 1/8 hat size.
While we were there we also tried on various fedoras, trilbys, bowlers, ten-gallons, newsboys, and boaters! Fun!
I’ve been meaning to post a review of my lovely Moop bag for, pretty much ever (I even took pictures – note the Christmas tree in the background).
After a (literally) lifetime long search for the perfect bag, I think I finally found it. It’s the “tote” from Moop.
Most bags these days are way too big, shoddily made, ridiculously bedazzled, horrifying coloured, and slide right off your shoulder. Darn females and their eschewing practicality for fashion!
Anyways, this bag is none of these things. It’s pretty much perfect. Well made, functional and design – as opposed to fashion – oriented. Because it’s practical instead of trendy, I think I’m going to be able to use it for years to come. But it’s stylish too, I think, in a industrial, utilitarian kinda way.
Best of all, it has all these wonderful little organizational pockets on the inside – one for your wallet, one for your cellphone, one for a pen, one for a book, one for a notebook, and a little ring to clip your keys on.
The attention to detail is really quite amazing – all the seams are reinforced, all the hardware is coordinated, the cell phone pocket even fits my iPhone like a glove!
The added practicality of having tote straps in a addition to an over the shoulder strap – well, it’s genius, really. It makes grabbing it on the go super simple, but taking it out for a hike or long day on public transportion just as do-able.
My only recommendation would be that if you get something in the corded canvas, it picks up a bit of cat hair. I got black, and I have kitties with white fur – I should have gotten gray, but I’m digging black these days. So I’ve resigned myself to a lifetime of lint rolling.
Other than that, it’s held up pretty darn well to regular use for the past few months. It still looks brand new (minus the cat hair).
Highly recommended!
I grew catnip in my little deck-top herb garden this summer, and though it is long dead, it still attracts kitties from across the neighborhood.
Our little ones are very territorial though. They hate all other kitty visitors. I am usually alerted to a friend at the back door by crying, screaming, or even occasionally a hiss.
This just makes the whole thing more entertaining for me, of course.
If our small, furry guest looks friendly, I go out to give it a few pats, and maybe even let everyone share a treat (which definitely helps to calm the kitty anxiety – I think this tactic works well for small, furry children as well).
So, yesterday, as we were sitting at the dentist, word started spreading on Twitter that LeVar Burton was hosting a tweetup at a bar in Yorkville.
Since Liam had the afternoon off due to dentistry, we started talking about it – how it might be interesting to go.
Liam was a huge Trekkie as a kid, as were most of his friends growing up in Thunder Bay, so he was all for going. I on the other hand waffled for little while. While I was certainly familiar with Star Trek (though never self identified as a fan) I was definitely a Reading Rainbow fangirl:
If you knew me as a child you know one thing for certain: My nose was in a a book 90 percent of the time. Watching Reading Rainbow made me feel a little more normal about my love of literature.
Suddenly, I realized that the little kindergartner inside of me would pretty much black out at the opportunity to meet one of her heroes. I had to do it.
So we went.
And it was amazing.
LeVar is pretty much one of the kindest, most genuine, most attentive celebrities I’ve ever met. He made time for everyone in the room. I was able to tell him how much I appreciated what he’d created in Reading Rainbow, and he really seemed pleased to hear it.
This all probably sounds silly to most of you, but he pretty much fulfilled a childhood fantasy for me, and I’m still floating around today, on a little bit of a high.
So here’s my advice to you: if you ever get the opportunity to do something you wanted to do as a child, but may have thought you outgrown: don’t think twice, do it! Your inner child will be eternally grateful.
Ok, so I never managed to get those recipes up – and they are coming, I promise, but I have been distracted by my birthday present – which finally got here at the begining of the week, and on which I am writing this very moment.
That thing is, my friends, an iPhone.
Yes, yes I have become one of those people.
To be fair, our contracts had run out, and Liam got a great deal – although I did tell him there was no need for something so extravagant.
But here it is, the precious little thing, and I already love it dearly.
So thank you to my boy. You figured out my hearts desire, even when I myself didn’t know what that was.
Today is the second incarnation of a new holiday here in Ontario: Family day. Which is actually a pretty nice reason to have a holiday. And we have kinda needed a holiday around here. Turns out getting engaged makes you a hot commodity. We haven’t had a weekend to ourselves since before Christmas!
It was my birthday this week, so we actually had a family day yesterday – my mom, dad, brother, sister and her boyfriend came over and we all had delicious exotic takeout (Pakistani curries, kebabs, nan, and handmade kulfi!). Living next to Little India is pretty awesome.
As a birthday present they also did a bit of a revamp to my bathroom – my dad built some much needed shelving (we actually have a place to put towels now!) and replaced a broken light fixture. I sewed up a cute, stripey shower curtain earlier in the week, so it’s starting to get pretty nice in there. Pretty soon I’ll be able to show it off, I think.
This week is going to be a bit of a whirlwind too. We’re throwing ourselves an engagement party, and all our nearest and dearest friends (who happen to live nearby) are going to be showing up on Saturday night – so everything’s gotta be ready for 20-30 people cramming into our little apartment (hence the home-improvement).
We’re also trying to get our “wedsite” up and running – but all we’ve been running into are technical difficulties, unfortunately.
So, in the meantime, I’m posting my little invitation graphic.
I wasn’t sure I’d want, or need a traditional wedding registry.
We’ve been together 6 years, and have accumulated and inherited pretty much everything we need in that time, and it just seemed like an unnecessary extravagance.
But then, after six years things start to get a bit creaky and precarious, you realize the cheap stuff you got from Ikea as a student should more accurately be looked at as a placeholders, than anything with permanence.
In other words: our dishes are chipped, our towels are mismatched and faded, and our cutlery is bent and tarnished.
It’s time to invest in things that don’t come out of a boxed set for under 20 bucks. Things that, ideally weren’t mass-produced in China or for Ikea.
Being able to register for things now is a god-send – I’m old enough and wise enough know what I really need this time around, and what’s actually going to last me. I’ve already done all the research.
I just blow past the “bridal checklists” and overly-helpful, commission-getting salespeople and march right towards what I actually need, zap it with the gun thingy, and onto the registry it goes.
This time, I’m getting white bone china, 18/10 stainless flatware, and Egyptian cotton sheets.
And I don’t feel weird about it. We’ve been together, struggling for so long, it’s going to feel so nice to finally come home to nice things, things we’ll get to use for the rest of our lives together.
I’m happiest that Crate and Barrel has finally come to Canada. I know in the States that registering there is kinda cliche – but man alive! There’s a pretty good reason for that! They have the most awesome, well designed things! They have picked out all the very best, sturdiest, sexiest stuff – OXO gadgets, Marimeko tablecloths, Wustoff Knives, All Clad cookware.
You don’t know what the registry landscape was like before they arrived (just in the nick of time for me, I might add): here in Canada we have one department store (the Bay) with a very staid, very old fashioned selection of items – and that’s pretty much it. Although, I may still register there for sheets and towels, as C&B has a limited selection – and I might like a Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket – which is lovely, and a traditional item for Canadian brides (my own parents have one they received 30 years ago when they were married – and it’s still kicking around in great condition).
Interested in what I registered for? Well, I’m getting dishes called “Halo”, flatware called “Dune”, and a kitchen knife made to Samurai Sword standards.
What? Nerdy? Us? Never…
It was beautiful. Or I assume it was. It took 4 hours to do a 1 hour drive, so we kinda missed the ceremony. We totally rocked the reception though.
Bought or made homemade presents instead.
Sometimes, I like to shoot stuff. This is going to come in handy this year, I think. As stress reliever, I mean.
Seriously.
I like cheese. Plus the unpasturized stuff is not really legal here in Ontario. So there’s the added sexy-danger element.
Registries are stressful.
Bone china? A thousand dollars a place setting? Really? And I need 16 place settings? What?
Registries are wonderful!
As are stores with beautiful, well designed, edited, reasonably priced house wares (including gorgeous bone china – which is the sturdiest thing you can get, so you should use it for your everyday dishes).
They’re grey checkered high top Vans. They’re pretty cute.
Verdict: cheaper is better. Win-win!
Wedsite?
I dunno. A place on the interweebz to put weddingy crap. It turned out pretty nice. It will launch soon (as soon as Liam puts his copy writing skillz to work and fills in all the blanks).
Mine was Montreal style with smoked meat, mustard and a pickle. I thought it was pretty good, but I see what people are getting at with the gravy. It had a strong sage flavour, but I like that in a gravy, so I was cool with it.
This is a bigger deal than it sounds: Good quality flannel sheets in the winter are one of the best investments you will can make: seriously, they will change, and simultaneously rock your world. Just make sure they aren’t the cheap stiff ones. The soft ones: they are where it’s at.
It was amazing, and not as expensive as you’d think There were four of us, and we had 8 entrees (shared tapas style), 5 deserts, a bottle of wine and it came in under two hundred dollars.
You can’t do that at the keg – and this was much more special.
The black cod in particular was awesome – really fresh and wonderful, like it had just come out of the ocean. I was in love with the cheese plate – beautiful local Ontario and Quebec cheeses served with honey comb and these amazing little spiced walnuts. The fries are as good as people say they are – although actually, I think Batifole’s are just a little bit better. Just a little though.
Long story.
A very nice venue indeed.
Not bad.
Never thought I’d find a Serial Killer adorable, but, I do, I do.
(Boy, was I busy).
Sorry for the unintended holiday siesta round here, but we’ve been pretty busy wedding planning – thankfully we got a whole lot figured out.
So, I think inspiration boards (though relatively twee) are kinda handy. Just to have the visuals conceptualized and considered. So I’ve mocked one up for our big event, both to keep things coherent for me, and to give you guys a little taste of what’s to come, and what we’ve been up to over the past few weeks.
In order (from top right to bottom left ):
This is our likely venue. It’s pretty, in an urban, industrial kinda way. We really like the people who own it, and they also do the catering, which is going to be AMAZING. Having good food is pretty much priority number one for me, actually.
I have a small collection that I inherited from my grandma, so I figure I might as well use them for floral arrangements. They’re such a beautiful bright white, and come in many interesting shapes and sizes – the contrast between them and brightly coloured flowers is quite nice. They’re going to pop in the lounge space, and make a visual reference to the bright white gallery space beyond it.
Liam got me one of these babies for our anniversary a few years back, and it is my all time favourite (everything – typewriter, vintage find, gift, objet). I’m going to stick it out with a pretty, handmade “Rolodex” In lieu of a guest book. This is something I’ve seen in a few weddings recently, but still very appropriate for us (writers, typography fans, and mid-century enthusiasts).
We love birch trees – who doesn’t really, they’re gorgeous! Beyond being pretty though, they are very iconic of Northern Ontario – where Liam’s from. They’re definitely going to be a bit of a theme.
The “Rolodex” I’d like to use instead of a guest book.
I want a fascinator, probably with a little birdcage veil. This one is pretty, and close to the right colours, but pricey. I’ll likely make my own instead.
You’ve likely seen this already, but it’s definitely one of my inspirations.
I got it in a pale blue called “air” (so pretty) for less than half off – so for a tenth the price of your average wedding dress – which I am pretty excited about. It’s still in the mail, so fingers crossed it fits! I may embellish it a little with some ribbon, tulle and heirloom costume jewelery.
I also have some metallic flats in mind (because, well… Liam’s short), but I like these a lot, and think I would wear them again and again once the wedding was over.
My mom and sister think I have to many. I don’t really care. I’m gonna make it work.
The planning.
The *dun dun duh!* wedding planning *que scream.*
No.
Really.
I’ve actually been plotting for months already. And as much as I am NOT one of those girls who’s dreamed about being a princess all my life (I’ll pause here for some light vomiting) at the moment I’m actually excited that I get to talk about my plans with people, and not just quietly simmer on the inside with ideas.
Even though I’m 26 and in this day and age that’s kinda young for marriage (or youngish, anyways) believe it or not, through some strange luck, most of my friends are already married, or at least co-habitating. So I’ve already lived vicariously through a lot of their experiences and know what to avoid (seating charts for one – they sound like a quick way to lose your mind – cocktail style reception it is then!).
Last night, we and the family went out for my sisters birthday (we had southern barbecue, because we take our food seriously as a family) and things on one side of the table (the female one of course) inevitably turned to talks of pouffy dresses and fascinators. It was really fun to just be indulgently girly for once, and dream of the possibilities.
On the way out, after dinner, my mom said that all her friends told her that we would end up not speaking by the end of this, and we both remarked on how crazy that is. We may yet end up eating our words, but my mom pretty much pledged to stay out of my way, as I pledged not to get pushed around or be emotionally blackmailed by anyone about our wedding. I wish every girl (and boy) could get together with her mom and have that conversation. Because it’s not worth it otherwise.
I don’t understand what happens to people when they start planning these things, but with the way many family interactions go while planning a wedding, it’s a wonder more people don’t just elope. I’m sooo thankful my parents are actually aware of that, and want me to have a wedding that is about me and my boy, not them and their family and friends. Frankly, it actually makes me a lot more willing to consult them and their opinions, knowing they’re so supportive of mine.
Every year, I write a Christmas list for my mom. It’s usually long so that she has options, and I still end up surprised on Christmas day (In other words: I don’t expect to receive everything on this list, just a handful of choice selections). I like to have a wide price range, with a few books, some useful things, and a few fun entertaining things just for me. This year, I’ve decided to post it here so you can all see what I’m dreaming of this year.
Maybe next year I’ll go back to illustrating all my choices like I did when I was a kid.
Cookbooks:
I love Nigella, and even more so her Christmas recipes.
As I’ve said before, I love regional, American cooking, and the test kitchen/cooks illustrated/cooks country recipes can’t be beat.
I can’t decide. But my sister has the vegetarian one, so maybe I could get the non vegetarian one and
we could swap.
Kitchen Gadgets/Pie making supplies:
A French Butter bell/crock/keeper keeps butter fresh and room temperature so you can use it any time for baking or to spread smoothly on toast. I like them in turquoise, red or chartreuse – Le Creuset also makes a nice one, but it doesn’t have to be a specific brand.
2 Pie Pans (again, it doesn’t have to be fancy, I’ve seen nice ones at Canadian Tire, these are just examples – something red would be nice though).
I hear the OXO one is great – but any will do.
Again, this one’s OXO, but it can really be whatever.
Crafty Things (although it’s probably a little late for things from Etsy things to ship now)
These are gorgeous handmade hats made by a local designer, and whenever I see someone wander around wearing one of them my breath is pretty much taken away. They make everyone who wears them look epically stylish and adorable. Fellow Toronto blogger Thimble recently purchased one and raved about how wonderful it is, and reminded me that I might like one someday.
Delicious food themed soaps, lotions and potions from Bunnybuttapothecary and Savor.
I’d like to wear my typewriter love around my neck.
Gadgets and Entertainment
I must have freakishly small ear canals, because normal ear buds hurt like the dickens – if I can actually manage to get them to stay in my ears. These are much better, and very stylish and make me fondly remember my dad’s puffy old 70′s hi-fi phones. I like the green with the beige band but the whites’ nice too. I’ve actually seen these at Walmart, so I think they’re available all over now.
You run around as an anthropomorphic paint blob literally painting a town red. Sounds like fun.
Liam’s never seen it. He obviously had a deprived childhood.
The most artistically stunning of the Disney Fairy Tales, now with tons of double features, to add to my animation library.
