Tuesday 30 August 2011

Forever in Blue Jeans

Got me thinking about 'em, when I came across this article recently.

The Best Denim For Fall 2011
Fabsugar

Some people live in their jeans. Others don't. Some people will swear how comfortable they are in jeans. Others won't.

Me? Hmmm... In university, it was like a uniform, needless to say. When I started working professionally and would have casual Fridays, I would wear them, even though I'd be the first to say that it wasn't really the most comfortable. Now that I'm in a casual environment, I suppose I can pretty much wear them everyday if I really want to, but I try not to.

In the summer, I find I don't wear them as much as this is when the dresses tend to come out and I guess I gotta' let my legs get some Vit D too. Now what about the rest of the year, you ask? Well, lemme see...

Before this job, I probably have, what, 3 pairs, that I can actually wear. Now, how many? Hmmm, 15 pairs, I think, or so...


Gap jacket, Hudson jeans, Clarks flats

I have splurged god knows how much on some of my pairs. But I also have $20-pairs that I cannot live without. And then there are those that I could have splurged on but got them on clearance. Score!

Now tell me, am I, will I be "forever in blue jeans"? LOL

Monday 29 August 2011

Monday, Monday...

"Monday Monday, can't trust that day,
Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be..."

Like clock work, temperature decided to drop a degree or 2 (or more) today. Guess it was wishful thinking, having decided to wear a dress today. Let's just say I got a little cold today. Tomorrow, they say, calls for rain. Then, we will apparently still see some sun for the rest of the week, but it doesn't look like the temp will even hit 20's. Come on now! Not being greedy, but I just wish for a few more weeks of summer, is that so bad?

The slightly cooler temp got me thinking of my fall/winter wish list. Yes, I know, kinda' counter-productive, to say the least, to my new found goal. Hey, I figure, as long as they remain a wish list, it'll be fine. Or will it not?

Maybe I should say more like boot wish list...

Nine West at ShopStyle

Or...

Frye at ShopStyle

Or...

Halogen at ShopStyle

... you know, for some options, perhaps? What can I say, all my boots are black...

Sunday 28 August 2011

Food Club

Went for brunch today with some friends here, a buffet brunch at that! I'm telling you, not too many things can get me up early on a weekend morning, but I suppose food is one of them. Surprise, surprise.

As there's always a line-up for the buffet brunch, we actually got there 1/2 an hour before they open, so yes, we were the first in line. Yipee!



Because this is buffet after all, we knew we had to have room. As soon as we got a table, I tell ya, charge we did at the buffet line.






Now, how can one not enjoy a meal when one's view is like this...




... as one is eating this-




Food-lovers that we are, what do we talk about while we're eating? Why, creating a food club! Other people have book clubs or knitting clubs, so we figure, why can't we have a food club? Mind you, not that we're not doing this already. I suppose, we just needed to make it "official". So as we fill our bellies, we started formulating how "this food club" will operate. Lotsa' things to consider as we're slowly realizing, not clearly sure why tho' since what have we been doing all this time?

As usual, our eyes was bigger than our bellies. So after we were fully sated, we decided to go for a walk somewhere near the area. Figure, the least we can do is (somewhat) burn-off whatever we ate. Wishful thinking, perhaps...

This time, it's the Colony Farm. Quite an interesting area, really. Not just the park itself, but the area in general, it's history and all.



And boy, did the sun beat hard or what! As we walked on our chosen trail, you can see and smell summer all around. Loved it!

Reminds me of my childhood summers spent at my grandparents' farm... the feeling of the sun on my shoulders... the way the sun shone brightly then a breeze, once in a while, to cool the skin down... tall shrubs on both sides of the trail... the way the overgrown grass brushed my legs every now and then...










For a self-proclaimed city girl, I was reminded through out our walk that I was definitely out of my element, but what the hey. I quite enjoyed it.







Notice the bat sign? In case, the bats get confused and think it may not be for them?
heehee


After an hour and a half of this, I think we all felt we've had our fill for the day. Plus, we got really thirsty:p

So we headed back to more familiar grounds to quench our thirst...


LOL... while I'm not really a beer kinda' gal, that pint went down really smoothly. Down to the last drop...



And with our thirst getting quenched, our talk went back to our "food club". Members, check. Frequency, check. Choices, check. Limits, check. Minutes, done. Email, sent!

So let it be known then, that on this day, a food club is born! LOL

(Tell me, do we have way too much time on our hands? I wonder...)



Saturday 27 August 2011

2 months, and counting!

Yesterday was one of those days when I was more tired than I thought. Shoulda' known, considering I was working on some files that took me half a day to finish when it would have otherwise only taken me an hour or so. Yup. Mental fatigue has set in before I realized it.

As a little treat for myself, decided to go for mani/pedi after work. Sooo glad I did. Helped me relax a little to get my weekend starting right.

Needless to say, after having the kind of day I had, last night was not a night for cooking. Hubby and I were really tired, best we could manage was take-out from here and here, 2 of our usual back-up places when we couldn't decide where to go and/or too tired to even decide where to go. Nothing wrong with that, once in a while, right?


Lemongrass pork chop with rice and spring roll for me

Sushi (plus much more:p) for hubby
This morning, I definitely feel tons better. 9 hours of sleep, I suppose, help. And as I was talking to my sister, it occurred to me that it's been exactly 2 months today since I last bought a pair of shoes! Yes, 2 months!!! That may not mean much to some, but believe me, it does to me.

Now it feels like I have nothing to put on now. Huuhuu...




LOL. Kidding, of course! I suppose that's what's always gotten me in trouble in the past. That very reasoning. Well, at least I'm trying to do something about it now, right?

For somebody who loves shoes, I must say I've had this love-hate relationship with my feet for the longest time. My pinky toes, exactly, if I want to be more specific. For the longest time, I hated them because of the shape they're in now. As the hubby put it, this is what happens "when you insist on wearing those damn heels for 8 hours at a time" (I swear, his words exactly, LOL... ok maybe not:p). And for the longest time, neither was  I that girl to "indulge" in pedis. Not anymore, hehe. Since I've started going regularly for pedis and wearing more flats, I'm more ok now with the state of my feet/toes. Yes, these are the shallow thoughts that fill my head sometimes. *sigh* So, sue me...

And now that summer is winding down, I've thought of the footwear that never quite made it to this summer's rotation. Why? Primarily because they have heels. I do miss wearing them, so I thought I'd bring some of them out for some fresh air (guess they could be my pets too, huh?).


From centre top, clockwise:  yellow Feet First wedge, red Tahari open-toe (Winners),
black Circa Joan & David cut-out bootie (The Bay), heart-print Moschino Jeans slide (gift),
dotted Lifestride peep-toe sling-back (Winners), metallic Marcelo Paci sandals (Winners),
lilac Enzo Angiolini sandals (Winners)
 Too bad...

But hey, 2 months!!! Tic-toc, tic-toc...

Thursday 25 August 2011

Good times

Today was a mini reunion of some sort, of people who still works in our office and who used to work in our office. Some have moved one to other offices, some have retired, some have just moved on. People who, for (brief) periods in time, has provided me wisdom, with or without their knowledge.

The table was a hodgepodge of personalities, but that's what it made it worked. Otherwise, it'd have been too boring, no?

Fun company, decent food, good wine, what more can one ask for?





Fusion Asian taco dish

It was a nice relaxing evening of catching up, some shop talk, and just a lot of laughter all around.



Good times, indeed!

And as I wind down for the evening, my new favorite (summer) dessert to cap the night.


(Liberte) lemon yogurt with berries

Aaaaaahhhhh...

Wednesday 24 August 2011

A walk on the beach

As I looked out of my temporary office window...


... I realized we couldn't have picked a better day to go for a walk after work. Not a work-out kind of walk. Just a stroll kind of walk, by the beach, just to wind down and enjoy summer.

This time, it's the Spanish Bank.




As we inched our way westward, we passed by these bushes. Yummy!



Once we've had our fill, carry on, we did.


Then, as we're heading back, we have a view of downtown.


And the perfect way to end the walk? Why, food of course! hehe... Who cares if it was concession food, when you have this view, no?



Happy hump day!


Monday 22 August 2011

Table for Two, this time...

... at home, that is.

The rain finally eased up.


Then, it was time to make dinner. Today's definitely not a watch-what-you're-eating kind of day. It's almost as if my ramen lunch set the tone for the day.

In the end, I guess it became a surf and turf dinner. Surf for me and turf for the hubby.


Crab cakes with aioli
  It looked kinda' burnt, eh? I tried something different tonight. Instead of pan frying it, I actually baked it.  Guess I didn't time it quite right. Well, now I know for next time. Thank god it still tasted yummy! The side dip ended up being a cross between an aioli and tartar sauce. It was garlic-y for sure, that's all I cared for.



NZ strip steak
 Hubby's more the meat-and-potato kinda' guy... Noticed the mismatched dinnerware?:p


Caesars salad
 And gotta have a bit of greens, no? I made the dressing, though not from scratch, and the croutons. Again, bottom line, it was garlic-y, good enough for me and the hubby. I'm happy to say it's been literally years since we last had store-bought salad dressing. Why would we, when the possibilities are endless when you make it yourself, no?

We obviously don't shy away from garlic. With all the not-so-good things we subject our hearts to, I guess liking garlic is  the least we can do to help it.:)

Table for One

This is so funny coz it's so true, typically, for the city, but not today. Apparently, they get it right, once in a while.

courtesy of metronews.ca
I went outside briefly at our balcony this morning, and this is what greeted me.


Wasn't really planning to go out today. But I got hungry and didn't feel like making anything. So, just like some of my decisions lately, I decided last minute to try this new ramen place that recently opened nearby. I figure, hubby's working and this kind of food is not really his thing, I've been meaning to try this place since it opened, I don't feel like waiting for the weekend again to try this place with friends perhaps, and it's raining, so what better way to warm the belly up.

Rainboots, check. Ok, I'm ready.

Tretorn rainboots from Winners
 This place, as its sign says, before it opened, originated in SoCal (haven't heard of it when lived there, they may have opened after), and apparently, "one of the must-have food before you die" or something like that. Now, how can you not be tempted by such declaration!


I ended up ordering this.

Shio Tonkotsu Ramen- HAKATA Pork Premium rich broth Pork Broth : Pork chashu, Spinach, Bamboo, Green onion , Flied onion
-Limited to 20 servings a day -  (this is the description, right from their website)
 I thought I would go for their spicy soup, but this soup came recommended, not counting the fact that this cost the most. This is their signature soup, their most popular one, apparently. I asked why they only served 20 a day. I don't remember what the girl said. I don't think I got a real answer. Maybe she wasn't expecting to be asked that question at that moment. O well. I ordered it anyway.

This soup is not for the "light" of heart. Hello? Pork belly! I know it looked a tad monochromatic. For sure, it was rich, for a soup!


I can't say for sure that this is the best ramen I've had. It IS good, that much I'd say. The pork belly is so tender, it melts in your mouth. I guess this place can give the established ramen places on Denman St a run for their money. Hey, the more, the merrier, right?

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...