in the neighbourhood

My boyfriend recently took up photography as a hobby and I have to say, I am getting as much enjoyment out of his new hobby as he is; maybe more!   When I say hobby, I don’t mean he went out and purchased a camera, he actually signed up for classes with a professional fashion photographer downtown who runs classes out of her studio.

To make the most out of each lesson, he is asked to put his new found knowledge into use and practice.  The past several weekends or so, we have been visiting different areas in Toronto and snapping shots, he on his digital SLR, me on my basic nothing special digital.  I have to say, not only is walking around your own city with a camera fun because you get to play tourist, but also you are more perceptive and notice things that maybe you would have not given a second thought to before. 

I particularly have a penchant for anything industrial looking, gritty looking, colourful with lots of textures.  I like photographic urban landscape rather than people.  We have tried this exercise three times so far and here is a sample of the Bathurst and Dupont area in Toronto.

butter cream

I just started a great new book called Butter Cream: A year in a Montreal pastry school by Denise Roig.  The book is about the author’s life and decision to quit a 30 year career as a professional writer and university teacher to attend pastry school in Montreal.  She chronicles her year of learning, baking, testing, sampling and also weaves in a memoir that includes her reflections on her mother’s and grandmother’s  kitchen.

What hooked me as a reader in the first couple pages was Denise’s reflection on her need for change in her life and the “ah ha” moment which led her to make a change.  I think we’ve all been there before but little have the courage or intuition to make a change.  I experienced making a professional change from something that I was good at and did because it came naturally/easy to me to something that I was passionate about and I couldn’t be happier about my decision. 

What excites me, and I think Denise Roig does a good job at making this clear, is how life can take different twists and turns leading you in a new direction if you allow it to and are in touch with that little voice in your head that tells you you’ve plateaued.  

So if you are looking for a good story about change, work, a career and doing what you are passionate about set to the tone of baking, this is for you!  Book is here on amazon.ca.  I am sure you can also find it elsewhere.  As always, I got my copy from the library.

via amazon.ca

little pots

I keep seeing this idea surface in a couple mediums.  Most recently I saw it in the Martha Stewart Weddings magazine for spring where they turned little potted plants into a dessert and on Jesi Haak Weddings used as table place cards.  A totally fresh idea for a wedding, regardless of season, little pots are a nice way to gift your guests and save on decor.

via jesi haak weddings

via charming weddings

clutch

I love these wild looking vintage clutches I found on etsy.com by mother and daughter team behind the brand, Angee W.  These women are super talented and I belive are operating out of Toronto and Hong Kong.  Their online store is run on etsy which is why I have included the link.  You can also get to the link via the Angee W. website.

marimekko

I found the mecca of Marimekko in Toronto.  There is a little shop on Queen West called Paloranta Art and Furnishing and affable owner, Teemu Paloranta ,who is from Finland, carries a wide variety of my favourite Finnish brand. 

I was astounded to see so many SKUs of Marimekko.  Typically you may see a platter here or a bowl and some wallpaper there but not the whole kit and kaboodle!  Chez Paloranta, you could easily accessorize a kitchen and yourself.  Teemu is also and artist and paints.  He sells his work in the store and will customize a piece for you.  

A bit about Marimekko if you are not familiar: It was established in 1951, and soon became the leading Finnish textile and clothes design company, which is easily recognized by its bold floral prints. 

If you are looking for some hostess gifts for spring (Marimekko and flowers are synonymous = spring) or bridal shower gifts, go check out Paloranta.  I personally like the large platter as a gift idea,  either way, Teemu will help you choose, he is a wealth of knowledge.

via sweet potatoes inc

via homeworkshop

via superfuture

holiday serving trays via always mod

serving tray via casasugar

garter belts

One of my close girlfriends got engaged yesterday.  I have known her for 10 years and I am so happy for her.  Her and I even have a marriage pool together with two other girls that we made when we were 18 back in university!  So far, her pick is most accurate (scary how much foresight an 18 year old can have). 

Her engagement prompted me to browse etsy.com today to look for cute wedding related accessories when a company that makes garter belts caught my eye.  Does anyone wear these things at weddings or uphold the garter belt toss?  I think it would be slightly on the embarrassing side to partake in a gb toss and not something that would be missed should it be omitted from a celebration.

Nevertheless, if you are into garter belts and are thinking of incorporating the toss into your affair, then here is a sweet little design that I originally thought was a hair band (and secretly wish it still was) from Rosebud Lips on Etsy.com.   Thankfully the company also makes headbands (among other items) showcasing their beautiful flowers made of ribbon and lace.

easter cupcake ideas

In the spirit of the long weekend and the Easter holiday, here are some cupcake ideas that your friends and family will surely love!  Enjoy.

via recipes$us

via flickr

via mccormick

via utahlovescupcakes

via lynelles cakes

joya candles

I went on a five hour walk today with my boyfriend to do some window shopping, take photographs and take in fresh air and sun.  It is the first nice day in Toronto in a long time.  Mother nature must have known that today was a civic holiday and that people would want good weather on their day off.  The streets were teaming with dogs, families, little bike riders, big bike riders, and friends all shopping, browsing and socializing on Good Friday.

A couple good finds today while we poked our head in and out of the stores on Queen Street West between Dovercourt and Bathurst.

One in particular is a candle brand I discovered called Joya candles.  Joya is a New York based candle and fragrance company, or “creative collective” as the company website totes named after the Spanish word for jewel.  Their candles are hand crafted and environmentally friendly and caught my attention for the candle holder’s design and amazing smelling jasmine flavoured candle.  They produce a line of candles and fragrances under their own brand as well as for other retailers.   The candle that I saw was part of their special collection that was released in 2007 called the Joya + Sarah Cihat limited edition candle.   Sarah Cihat is a Brooklyn based ceramic artist best known for her line of rehabilitated dishware and she co-designs the Perfume in Porcelain line for Joya.   The holder comes in six styles (three white/three black) with motifs like octopuses, skulls, peacocks and a moth.     These candles would make a great hostess gift. 

via delight

via sarah cihat