Theurel & Thomas patisserie

Mexico just got a bit hipper with the addition of its first French patisserie dedicated to my favourite sweet, the macaron.  Designed by Anagrama, the Mexican design studio who did the shop’s interior and company branding, Theurel & Thomas looks like it will be a hit in its first location, the affluent neighbourhood of San Pedro in Mexico.  Anagrama did an excellent job with the white space to show off the colourful macaron and certainly achieved an elegant, stylish cafe atmosphere.  Best of luck to the new business. I’m sure it will do well.  Who doesn’t like macarons!?!?

via dezeen

via cool boom

via dezeen

via theurel thomas

via theurel thomas

icing dreams cupcakes

I would like to think of myself as a bit of a cupcake connoisseur.  By no means am I a professional baker.  Far from it actually.  I just have an appreciation for baked goods, design and art.  When someone can successfully put these three things together,  I get excited.  While reading multicultural wedding website, Wedding Nouveau, I came across Maryam from Icing Dreams.  Her company name gives you an indication of what to expect from her confections but when you see the real deal, be prepared to be blown away.  She is not producing dreams, she is creating fantasy.  Her attention to detail is like none other and what’s best about this post is that on her website she mentions she is relocated to T.Dot!  That’s right.  Toronto.  When she moves, I will get to try these cupcakes out first hand and not just salivate in front of my screen.   You can view more of Maryam’s outstanding cupcake, cake and cookie designs on her flickr page here as well as more of the Indian themed desserts that were created for her friend, that I’ve featured below here.

via aaisha shaikh

via violet cottage

via mad girl's love song

via flickr

via flickr

room colour

Why do people shy away from colour when considering interior design? 

I love how these three photos bring colour in to the space through furniture and accessories while still maintaining white walls/a neutral backdrop.  I wonder who the artist is behind the painting in the second room shot below?  By the way, Elle Interior Sweden is a gem.  Amazing design ideas.  Thanks for bringing my attention to the site, blogger from Hei!

via elle interior, sweden

via hei

via elle interior, sweden

premiere pression provence

Look at the neat packaging from French olive oil company, Premiere Pression Provence.  Olivier Baussan, the man behind L’Occitane has diverted his creative talents to the olive.  The result, a hip new Parisian outpost dedicated to celebrating the craft, culture and creation of all things olive.  The oils, dressings and spreads  in his sleek chain of (3) boutiques around Pairs highlight olive products originating from lesser known regions around the country.    The oils are organized in three categories based on the ripeness of the olive and the website offers a wealth of knowledge on the product, the region, the terroir and some great recipes.  More packaging pictures available on blog, the dieline, here.

via colunistas

via le figaro

via food intelligence

via urban grocer

chocolate chip cookies

Happy Canada Day!!  I love having a break mid week to celebrate our national holiday.  To make the most of my mid week break, so far, I read through three quarters of my June issue of Monocle magazine, the best magazine on the planet, practiced an hour of yoga and slept in!  Next up, baking for a family get together tonight in the backyard.

This is what I am baking today.  I was inspired by a post I read on blog, Some Say Cocoa:

via nytimes.com

Recipe here.

casa pagoda and duc de praslin

A couple of people I know are heading to Bangkok over the summer and I wanted to write a short post on a chocolate store and design store in the city.  First off, if you have not been to Bangkok, it is an inspiring city bursting with creativity, colour and excellent food.   Not only are the winding streets full of gems with amazing home accessories stores, furniture stores and jewelry, but also the fragrant smells of street food and flower markets are enough to make this entertainer want to pack up her bags and move there permanently. 

There is a Belgian chocolate company in Bangkok called Duc de Praslin that has some pretty stylish interior design that unfortunately I can find any shots for.  However, to get a sense of the style that is going on in the cosmopolitan city of Bangkok, let me direct your attention to my favourite furniture company in Bangkok and Shanghai, Casa Pagoda.  Casa Pagoda did the design for the chocolate store plus many more projects.   I am hoping to get back to Bangkok myself next year to do some furniture shopping, I will most definitely be paying Casa Pagoda a visit.  Man, I hope they ship overseas!

via tchochkes

via unlike

via casa pagoda

via cityweekend

via city weekend

little nicky coffee

A new, cute, independent coffee shop opened a couple weeks ago in the Queen West area (just behind the Gap to be exact) on Peter street off of Queen.  The best thing about Little Nicky Coffee Shop is that they make homemade doughnuts on premise and the smell is to die for.  They make lemonade and iced tea as well as coffee (which I didn’t try- as a non coffee drinker).  So go give that shop some love- it’s good to support the little guys on the street.

making doughnuts

making doughnuts

good egg

This post is long overdue.  There is a fabulous store in Toronto that has all my favourite things: yummy smelling candles, millions of beautiful cookbooks (I think I could buy all of them if my budget permitted), great house gifts, le creuset products and the list goes on.  Good Egg is located in Kenzington market and while I was on my lunch break a couple weeks ago, I stopped in the store and snapped some pictures with the intention of getting them up a bit sooner than today.  Unfortunately, I lost the cable that connects the camera to the laptop which delayed the process.  Without further ado- Good Egg: