From NFLD to TO to NYC for five days with some of my best buds in the Big Apple. Is it weird that I’m kind of most excited to take a grassy nap in Central Park, over everything else there is fun to do? Anyway, adventure! Happy May Long.
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the final frontier
30 AprI fucking love space. I feel like this has been well established on here. It equal parts makes my heart swell with love and wonder and freaks me out completely.
Have you read about Space in the news lately? We’re moving to Mars! The Universe is WAY older than we thought. The comet of the century is going to whizz by us tonight and you can watch it live. Also, and this is my favourite story of the week, The Herschel telescope is kaput. The telescope took pictures of some of the furthest reaches of our Universe, using infrared to pick up distant galaxies. The Atlantic published some of the best pictures produced from the voyage, check ‘em out.
RIP Hersch – enjoy eternity circling the Sun.
The Orion Nebula
The Sky (a portion of it) wherein you can see over 6,000 galaxies. Note: light from some of these galaxies was generated billions of years ago and is just reaching us now NO BIG DEAL.
Andromeda’s “Eye of Sauron”-esque spiral.
Aghhh space is so cool! So mind-blowing and vast and confusing.
Capping off this post with some Space-themed apparel and accessories. Gotta get my head back down to Earth.
T-shirt via Svpply
Galaxy Necklace via Etsy
Coolest cosmic sweatshirt Sold Out but similar here
Hand-painted Vans via Etsy
Artoo Swuimsuit via Black Milk
snowbird practice
21 AprHere are some shots of my trip to FLA. I want to say that Orlando is actually really cool and not completely touristy but…I can’t. There are neat pockets though. Check out College Park, Winter Park, Thornton Park and the Milk District – all free from the hoards of Disney visitors.
Click through to view in slideshow…
Sisters in Winter Park
Delicious craft brew by the pool (and Science)
I’ve mentioned this guy already <3
A rad retro furniture store in College Park
Palm trees make everything better
An orange grove in Kissimmee
The running trail locals in Celebration
Cinderella’s Castle
It’s a Small World (still creepy)
Cracking Scrooge McDuck’s safe (yes, we did it and yes, we now swim in a room of gold coins)
My fam (minus two)
the sunshine state
9 AprLike all of my best laid plans, I’ve yet to do any of the Orlando activities I posted about last week. The Star Wars exhibition is over. The Food Truck bazaar turned out to be less-than the Texan style lot I was expecting, and the Film Festival…well, I kind of forgot that I’m travelling with a 9 month-old (today!), a new Mom and two old people (folks) who really couldn’t give a shit and so, neither can I. Instead, we’ve driven each other crazy in the car, visited some markets and outlets and spent the majority of our time out by the pool, having drinks and making plans for the next day we don’t often keep. And it’s wonderful.
Every morning, we head out for a family run around the gated community we’re staying in, or my sister and I take off to a class in Celebration’s gym. Have you heard of this place? It’s actually Pleasantville. The gym is in a hospital that has valet parking and classical music piping through the atrium. Oh, and the entire town was built by Disney. It’s so weird!!! America, you so crazy.
Please, please, please if you have any reco’s of where I should go that isn’t crazy touristy, please comment. I’m planning to check out The Courtesy Bar tomorrow night. Decent cocktails? We’ll see.
Some pics so far:
The balloon ride in Downtown Disney at night. Watched while smoking the one and only cigarette I’ve had on this trip because A. Smoking, eww. and B. The only Canadian cig I had and I detest American smokes.
Mini-golf with Dad. We had a bet going that if he won, I would be his beer/snack bitch for a day and if I won, he had to take me to Harry Potter World. We tied so we’re going to have a playoff game at Fantasia Gardens.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, America has the best retail customer service. We were shopping around Publix and a gentleman stocking some produce noticed me staring at the beer and came over to recommend some of his favourite craft brews. Goose Island’s Honker’s Ale is my favourite so far.
My sister and I in Winter Park, a fancy town rich people “winter” in. I commented on Instagram that all the ladies strolling the strip were in Lilly Pulitzer and I found out she passed away today so RIP, LP. What will the ladies-who-lunch wear now?
Sun’s coming back out. Byeeee!
FLA
4 Apr
In the morning I fly to Florida to spend some time with my parents, sister and precious baby nephew. So excited! The weather in Toronto so far this “Spring” has been JUNK and I’m looking forward to temperatures that don’t require socks. We’ll be near Orlando and, believe it or not, I’ve managed to dig up some cool shit to do while in, what some might call, the tourist trap of America.
- The Florida Film Festival is on. Loads of great features and docs to check out and perhaps some cool parties?
- There’s a kick-ass Star Wars exhibit at the Orlando Science Center, featuring “…props, costumes, models and other relics from all six of the “Star Wars” movies.”. I’m saving this as a surprise for my Dad. He’s gonna flip.
- I’m excited for the Food Truck Bazaar on Friday. I haven’t had good food truck food since Austin and I have pretty high expectations for this so-called “Bazaar”. Bring it.
We’ll also be hitting up Harry Potter World and my Dad and I are going to take surf lessons (my first time!) on Cocoa Beach. Mostly, I’m excited to spend time with Clarke, my 9-month old nephew. He’s getting so big and I never see him (they live in Alberta) so this is going to be a really special trip.
Later Toronto. You better be in patio-season when I get back.
Buffalo, Who Knew?
5 Feb
Welcome to America! A couple of weeks ago, Kristen and I crossed the border to pick up some BYOB supplies and scout out some Buffalo vintage for the shop. What started as an quick day trip turned into an overnight adventure.
After grabbing boxes and boxes of Bitters, we smart-phoned our way to The Blue Monk, a gastropub with an impressive list of on-tap beer and comfort foods. We arrived just before 5 p.m. and by the time we left, the joint was packed with the post-work crowd. Just a guess, but I bet this is a fun place on the weekends. Like somewhere someone would sing classic rock karaoke while standing on the bar.
On the hunt for the best cocktails in town, we headed for Vera Pizzeria (recommended to us by our waitress at Blue Monk). With Coffee and Cigarettes on the overhead TV, bathroom walls plastered with old Vogue clippings and an impressive cocktail menu at a whopping $10 a drink (how is it so cheap!?), we felt right at home.
After probably sampling every cocktail they had (Thanks Jon, Jess and Kerry!), along with a pizza and some mussels, we were chauffeured to the Hotel Lafayette. Designed in 1901 by Louise Bethune (the first female in the US to be officially recognized as a professional architect by the American Institute of Architects), and then updated in 1946, the hotel is in unbelievable condition.
We checked in to our Bridal Suite (fancy!) and then roamed the dark hallways of the hotel (Interesting fact: All of downtown Buffalo goes to bed after midnight on weekdays. Nothing opened and not a soul in sight), we stumbled into ballrooms and taxidermy wall hangings, grinning into enormous gilded mirrors at every turn. Just incredible.
The next day was a dreary drive back to Canada and a long delay at the border (try explaining what a bitter is to a border agent. Oh brother). I honestly never thought I’d be into Buffalo but I kinda want to go back.
The Blue Monk
Vera’s Cocktail Menu
Cocktails at Vera’s
Vintage clipping in the Ladies
Vintage clipping in the Ladies
Vintage clipping in the ladies
Our suite at the Lafayette
Caribou at the Lafayette
Deco Bar at the Lafayette
Fallout Shelter
Buffalo, you’re not totally unfortunate looking
vacation, had to get away
26 AugIf you’re from Ontario, then you probably grew up going to cottages all your life. In Newfoundland, people had cabins on ponds or, like us, salt box houses around the Bay. We definitely enjoyed swimming and camping in the summertime, but nobody takes their summer getaways more seriously than here in ON.
I’ve been to beach cottages on Lake Erie and Lake Huron and the big-time rich-ass cottages in Muskoka, but I’ve never been to a more perfect place than this weekend on Lake Weslemkoon in the Kawarthas. Our boat taxi driver put it best when he described it as “Like Muskoka before all the money and power boats moved in.”
It’s like you’re in a Tom Thomson painting - perfectly cool lake water, twisted trees, loon songs, canoes and tiny cottages perched on rocky hills overlooking it all. I slept, I ate, I swam, I hammocked, I canoed, I camp-fired and then I did it all over again. Complete and total peace and relaxation. I never wanted to leave.
all of the lights
27 Jun
Image: Matt Rainwaters for The New York Times
When I visited Austin mid-May, I made a point of checking out Roadhouse Relics - a custom neon sign shop and gallery of works by owner Todd Sanders. At first glance, the signs look like rescued or repaired vintage neon but Sanders creates them to look that way – employing weathering techniques to give that vintage feel. Here’s the man himself talking about his work to the Sailor Jerry Rum peeps (cool):
Lia and I spent so much time in the shop and exploring the back lot of treasures. Awesome vibes and incredible work. Check it out:
Red Top (those colours!!!)
Red Top side detail with a photobomb from puppy Hank
My favourite
The Crown
Beer bottle stopper detail
Fleur-de-lis
Alamo Court
The back lot of treasure
Grants wishes
I wanted to take this home so bad
note: the paintbrush
For more information, visit www.roadhouserelics.com and check out the blog at www.roadhouserelics.blogspot.ca.
dream vacation: the maderas village
4 Jun
I am dying to try a yoga retreat. I always imagined them to be somewhat regimented wake by 6, vegan food, yoga all day, bed by 9 – but that was before I knew about The Maderas Village. Nestled into the jungle over Maderas Beach in Nicaragua, the Village is described as “..undiscovered boutique resort, a summer camp for adults, or a retirement community for young people.”
On top of daily yoga classes, guests can also surf at the nearby beach. For food, it’s a communal thing and each night the entire camp/boutique resort assembles for a prix-fixe dinner of locally inspired cuisine. That’s aside from the times everyone hits up a taco shack or goes into town (San Juan del Sur) to dance the night away.
I feel like this resort is the PERFECT getaway – equal parts relaxing and exciting. So excited to visit. One day.
All photos via maderasvillage.com and Twitter.
i love Austin
31 May
Here’s a photo wrap-up of my little trip to Austin. This town has a reputation for being The Coolest and I’m so glad I finally got to see what all the (well deserved) fuss is about. Highlights include: Hiking up Mt. Bonnell to watch my first Austin sunset, meeting the weirdest (read: Best) locals, Tex-Mex everything, Hey Rosetta! in concert (best random coincidence ever) and, of course, spending quality time with my much missed friends.
My Austin picks:
Shop
- JM Dry Goods + Spartan - Beautiful local and imported textiles, jewllery, ceramics and more.
- Laced With Romance - Mix of new and reworked pieces and vintage. Amazing jewllery. I’m a little obsessed.
- New Bohemia - Less pricy Vintage clothing and a HUGE selection to boot. Take your time here.
- Feathers Boutique - Vintage dresses galore and grouped by era.
- Flashback - Huge selection of vintage – healthy men’s section too.
- Uncommon Objects - for treasures.
Eat
- South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery (get Torchy’s).
- Elizabeth St. Cafe - Sit on the patio and order a bottle of Stumptown.
- Yellow Jacket Social Club - Scene.
- Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar - Possibly the only place in Texas to get a Caesar. Awesome seafood.
Do
- Ruta Maya (Yoga at 8 a.m. Mon-Fri)
- Roadhouse Relics (more on this soon!)
- Barton Springs/Creek - laze for days.
- Zilker Park – Get situated under one of the big trees and people watch.
- A walk/bike/run along the Greenbelt - Apparently it’s flowing for the first time in years right now!
Without further adieu:
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)
XO
