The AirTrain at JFK was half price for the entire summer! Am I the only one who finds that crazy? In a city where everything costs more with each passing day. Blown away by that. It’s back to the ridiculous/normal pricing now, but still.
I went to my first dog swim event (!) and it was absolutely heaven on earth. At the end of summer, public pools open up their pools on the last swim day of the season to let dogs go swimming and it’s as great as it sounds. (Baby Dog is too delicate to partake, but we watched from a safe distance.)
Forever a lover of autumn mums. And $9 for 9” ones at Home Depot? Get the hell out of here with that pricing. Amazing.
Autumn mums
I’ve been using GrandeLASH for almost a month now and I’m not really noticing that much of a difference, so if this doesn’t work I’ll give Revitalash a try and if that doesn’t work? I think I can officially say goodbye to lash serums at last. It’s too exhausting. I can’t care about tiny little pieces of hair for the rest of my life.
I will never shut up about how incredible this foot peel is from Target. I only need to use it twice a year and it gives you BABY SOFT feet.
Went to Dyments Farm in Dundas to try their burger and whoa. Definitely worth the drive.
Burger at Dyments Farm in Dundas, ON
In love with everything at Aerie right now, they’re reminding me of early Aritzia pieces (at the old Aritzia prices) and I should really shut up about it before it becomes like current Aritzia and therefore is way too expensive.
Came across a new way to do beach waves with a straightener and it totally works.
Are you aware that Staples recycles all old electronics? I brought in some old printers and it’s way easier than taking it to a dump.
Is The Ordinary a con? I have never had a positive experience with any of their products. Even the name makes me think they’re just messing with us?
Tried and absolutely loved the gluten-free Costco frozen pizza. Makes no sense.
The smash burgers at Oklahoma Burgers in Mississauga are decadent as hell.
Oklahoma Burgers in Mississauga, ON
Went to the Toronto Vintage Clothing Show for the first time in years and got an insanely nice coat. I only want fun coats for the rest of my life. Also got a mini glass bottle of perfume from the 40s to stay in my purse that was $5.
I made these turkey meatballs from the LCBO magazine Food & Drink and they were pretty disappointing. Must remember to not trust all their recipes.
The dark chocolate pistachios from Trader Joe’s are unholy. Could eat bags and bags of them.
Ridiculously in love with the Whole Foods pumpkin bites. A perfect autumn bite.
Pumpkin bites at Whole Foods
Some things I watched:
The Perfect Couple: Okay, I could argue for an hour about how bad this was. Yes, a whodunit is fun. But that’s where the fun ended. It was so badly written and terribly shot. God, anything can be made these days.
The Trini episode of Atlanta: what a great episode. Makes me want to watch the rest of the show.
Only Murders in the Building: Really liking this season. The Perfect Strangers moments? Wonderful. I kind of need Richard Kind and Martin Short in a scene together soon though (Clifford reunion!).
English Teacher: best new show I’ve seen in SUCH a long time. I love the kid Jeff. The music choices are so good. So many good lines, I can’t even quote them all.
Mamma Mia: I’d never seen it, so we put it on and yikes. I truly hate singing in (most) movies. Fast-forwarded all the songs. Other than that, not a terrible movie.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts: Only my ten year old nephew could get me to watch something like this. It wasn’t terrible! Weird to hear Pete Davidson in it, but definitely not the worst thing I’ve ever seen.
Hustlers: Not good. But Mister Bruce was the best part.
Rewatched: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, Dangerous Minds, Barbarian, Old. All still great.
I’m watching tons of Twilight Zones episodes each night and this quote (below) from the episode Passage on the Lady Anne just swallowed me up.
“Love has its own particular point of view. It sees everything larger than life. Nothing is too ornate, too fanciful, too dramatic. Love demands the theatrical, and then transfigures it. It turns the grotesque into the lovely, as a child does. With it, we can see what we wish to see in other people. Without it, we can’t see anything at all. We can search forever, and never find.”
— The Twilight Zone
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: finishing up my Halloween costume, cooking everything for Thanksgiving, making the leftover sandwich and I really want to see the movie Hush.
Will forever love sunflowers at night
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in August over here.
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald
Truly a great June. I haven’t eaten as many strawberries as I’d have hoped, so I need to make that happen. Other than that, I might actually be excited about summer? Here’s what went down last month:
The best tweets of the month can be seen over here.
I went to visit my parents to celebrate my dad’s 101st birthday (!), which was so great. Always love a spring visit.
Dad’s 101st birthday
Nathan mowing my parent’s backyard
Rome strugglin’
Ate an incredible conch salad from this Bahamian place Old Nassau in Toronto. My parents loved the conch fritters, too.
Went to Corleone’s in Mississauga for a quick lunch and got the junior meatball. Nothing spectacular but decent.
My oldest niece Tianna graduated from teacher’s college!! Beyond proud of this beauty.
My baby!
And speaking of Tianna, look at this gorgeous card she drew (below). How on earth did I not know she had this talent?? Really blows my mind (in a good way) when there are still new things to learn about the people who make up the fabric of your life.
Drawn by Tianna
Got dinner at Golden Diner and my god, those pancakes aren’t messing around. And that’s coming from a person who absolutely never orders/eats/likes/tolerates pancakes. They also had incredibly crispy home fries, and even the caesar salad was good if not a little too overdressed. Definitely skip the chicken katsu, though.
I watched the new Jiminy Glick clips and when he asked Nick Kroll where he was when “Queen Latifah’s show got cancelled” I fully lost it. So damn funny.
Found a lovely little bar inside Hotel Rivington with a $10 cocktail happy hour. Absolutely will return.
I promise to stop mentioning it soon (not yet), but I can’t describe how much I love the Scrubbing Bubbles Bleach Cleaner for bathrooms. It makes my life so much easier. (Don’t feel sadness for me for that last sentence, it truly brings me joy!)
I made this lemon cake and it sucked! Do you know how depressing it is to make a lackluster baked good? So unbelievably disappointing.
The best cubano sandwich ever is at La Cubana in Toronto. I’ll forever love that neighborhood (Roncesvalles).
My dear friend Richard made me (a Reno specialty?) spaghetti salad and fruit pizza and both were too good. Nobody cooks for their friends anymore! Can we please bring this back?!
Fruit pizza
Spaghetti salad
Me with Richard & Paul’s dog, Hatcher and their insane view
Visited Shukette again and it remains amazing. The only bad thing we ordered were the squash blossoms (they just weren’t crispy and the batter tasted old), but bury me in the toum (whipped garlic).
Whipped garlic (toum) at Shukette, NYC
Strawberry labneh at Shukette, NYC
Went to Ray’s Candy Store in the East Village and got an Obama coffee with vanilla ice cream. Fully recommend.
Inside Ray’s Candy Store, NYC
Got the tres leche ice cream at Bad Habit (which closes for good later this month) and it’s so smart that they sell freezer transport bags (why don’t all ice cream places do this?).
Tres leche at Bad Habit, NYC
Two things I can’t stop making:
Hummus Dip: To store-bought hummus, I add chopped red onion, cucumbers, feta and tomatoes. It’s unreal. It’d also be good as a spread on a sandwich.
Tuna Salad: To canned tuna, I mix in red onion, dijon, a small amount of mayo, grated garlic, sliced pickles, salt and pepper. Then I put it on top of a bun that’s been toasted with garlic butter and then broiled with cheddar on top. Phenomenal.
Some things I watched:
What Jennifer Did: Jesus! How did I not hear about this awful story?
I Saw The TV Glow: wow, did I hate it. Especially since the reviews made it seem incredible.
Meg 2: The Trench: couldn’t get through more than half an hour, just an abomination.
The Cannonball Run 1 & 2: I watched these movies over and over as a kid and I was feeling nostalgic this week so I put them on and OH MY GOD I finally figured out why I’m obsessed with finding the right zippered jumpsuit. (See the scene below.)
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I can’t wait to finally go lane swimming I feel like I’ve been talking about this for months I’m so sorry if you’ve heard me say it a million times, the cheeseburger dumplings have returned to Mimi Cheng’s so that’s definitely on the list, I can’t wait to see my family a ton next week when I visit again, I’ll probably watch at least a few of these summer classics and these summer vacations movies, Nathan has some crazy big news later this month that I’m so proud of and I’d really love to finally get Baby Dog in a kiddie pool to see how she likes the water.
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can see what went down in May over here.
The best tweets of April can be found over here and the best NYC earthquake tweets are over here.
Loved this part from a NYT newsletter about the eclipse written by Elizabeth Dias: “For a nation pulled apart by every manner of division, the eclipse also offered a moment of unity, however brief. It was a reminder to everyone, on the same day and at the same time, that life can be magical. That being alive is a collective experience. That there is something astonishing about being part of the greater story of things.”
I made this asparagus soup and it’d be a better recipe if it were strained, but it was perfectly fine. I think this is another one of those foods that tastes better when it’s a special at a restaurant.
I tried and finished a bottle of “hair growth support” powder and it didn’t do much. Can someone please remind me never to cut my hair again?
Am I waiting for the August Nordstrom sale to buy a coat that I basically already own but in a different colour? Obviously.
My other coat in the background: “…GIRL”
Made this New York Times couscous and why can’t I seem to remember that their recipes are very blah? It’s as if it were AI generated. Oh no, are recipes going to be created by AI in the near future? Oh my god they are, aren’t they.
I made the switch to Redken shampoo and conditioner and Nathan and I both have seen a huge difference. My hairdresser passionately convinced me that I should stop buying cheap shampoo and it really was great advice.
I made this dark chocolate strawberry yogurt bark (below) that’s pretty fun if you’re desperate and don’t have ice cream.
I know I won’t shut up about Wegman’s, but are we all aware of how good their individual cookies are? And their slices of chocolate cake? And their family-sized protein powder with 1 gram of sugar?? The deals are almost infuriating.
In NYC restaurant talk: the pasta at Ci Siamo was phenomenal (better than Lilia), the cocktails are better than ever at Manhatta, the kale caesar at Fumo is incredible, the fried chicken at COQODAQ is overrated but their chicken curry is outstanding (I also loved that they had house wines, BRING BACK HOUSE WINE + HOUSE WINE PRICES), the malt vinegar skinny fries at Motel Morris are perfection and the vodka parm at Compton’s in Astoria is only okay (again proof that TikTok famous sandwiches contain more hype than flavour).
Ci Siamo, NYC
Manhatta, NYC
Snack I can’t stop eating: hummus mixed with feta and chopped red onions (dipped with either sliced cucumbers or carrots or pita chips).
I met Harrison Ford (!) near Columbus Circle and he was very kind and extremely handsome. And I’ve never seen such a confident stride in my whole life. Man’s a stud.
Highlight of life
I’ve been making this spinach wrap (below) for weeks and can’t get over it. I’ve been topping it with shredded chicken and either buffalo sauce or tzatziki sauce.
I visited The Pastry Box in the East Village and it was ridiculously good.
The Pastry Box, NYC
The Pastry Box, NYC
Some things I watched:
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (HBO) - it was fine, I was hoping to like it more.
Quiet on Set (HBO) - nuts. Parts of it are really hard to watch.
Past Lives (Prime) - heartbreakingly good, just loved it.
Late Night with the Devil (AMC+) - I liked the style of it, but the ending was sort of ruined for me inadvertently. Hard to say if it was actually good.
Alien (in theatres) - Nathan and I saw the 45th anniversary screening of it (I’d never seen it before) and it was fantastic. Weird that I’d never seen it and weirder that I loved it?
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I’m seeing Belle & Sebastian at the new Paramount Theatre tonight, I’ll definitely go see the new fashion exhibit at The Met, I might try to see I Saw The TV Glow at the Angelika and I really want to get to Smorgasburg sometime this month before it gets too hot to enjoy.
I wrote my spring list of things that I’d love to do this season.
I served on a jury and it was an awful experience. I’m begging you to never do it. It wasn’t even a murder case and it was still horrible to be apart of.
I’ll never be above a new Trader Joe’s candle scent.
Spring candles from Trader Joe’s
My sister-in-law made one of the greatest desserts I think I’ve ever tried: lemon sorbet blended with mascarpone. It sounds so simple, but I promise you the flavour was mind-blowingly good. A perfect summer dessert, too.
My sweet dear friend Jenn sent me See’s Candies chocolates for my birthday and good god were they incredible.
See’s Candies
I made a Thai green curry for the first time and it was fine, but I think this is something that I’m only gonna order out from now on. It just didn’t taste the same when I made it at home. (It could’ve been because the coriander seeds I ground up had expired last year? Would that have made a giant difference in taste?)
I went to Niagara Falls with my family and it was such a great time.
Baby Dog in Niagara Falls
Romeo, Niagara Falls
Camden, Niagara Falls
Family!
I also went to Mount Airy in Maryland with Nathan and it was a perfect way to spend a birthday. He got a chocolate cake from Wegman’s that honestly was even tastier than my favourite chocolate cake.
The Nordstrom flagship happy hour remains one of the best in the city.
Happy hour at Nordstrom, NYC
Some things I watched:
Baywatch (season 1): Okay, the pilot of Baywatch is one of the best pilots I’ve ever seen. Honestly rivals the Lost premiere. Makes zero sense. Kind of a great show?
Ready or Not (the Canadian show): I love that you can find most of these episodes on YouTube.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I have to try the special ramp & cacio e pepe dumplings at Mimi Cheng’s, Nathan’s going to be on The Tonight Show for the third time on April 12th (!), I really want to go see the blooming cherry blossoms in Central Park and I can’t wait to see Rachel McAdams in Mary Jane on Broadway (Nathan’s birthday gift to me!).
If you’ve got any interest in reading last month’s roundup, you can read what went on in February over here.
I made a brioche french toast with homemade Nutella whipped cream that was unreasonably good. It was surprisingly hard to find a bakery that had ready-made brioche, but Whole Foods made this possible (unfortunately).
My nephew Rome really got into this book of final last words, so he kept reading them aloud all month and this (below) is one of my favourites.
I visited the new (and finally open) Central Library in Mississauga and it’s so disappointing. The layout is terrible, the kids area is practically nonexistent, the shelving is appropriate for toddlers, the parking garage uses pay parking before 6pm and even the entrance is so badly designed that the front librarians have to wear their winter coats because of the breeze coming in from the main doors.
I’ve mentioned this already, but I can’t stop myself from trying to remember the old days of Square One (the mall in Mississauga). I’ve found a few photos that triggered some things in my brain and for some reason I need to write them out here so that I don’t accidentally forget them again. Do you remember when there was the movie theatre where Goodlife is now, next to The Bay? And the toy store Toys Toys Toys next to the theatre? Or the swinging ship boat ride infront of The Bay? Or all of the water fountains in the two-level food court! A giant Burger King used to be where Earl’s is now and people would wait inside it because that’s where the buses used to stop. The slushies at Woolco (that closed in1994) are cemented in my brain as the best in the world. The pretzel stand outside of Walter’s Music and down the isolated escalator from that parking lot that was next to Sears. And the Biway, Everything For A Dollar and Grand & Toy in that same Walter’s hallway. The giant HMV that used to be next to Donato. The Marks and Spencers that had a huge clothing area and then a separate grocery area. The greeting card store (my first job!) Your Expression that was around the corner from where the TD is now. The PJ’s Pets (the pet store) that used to be where Bulk Barn is now, with their rows and rows of fish tanks. Oh my god the It Store, Le Chateau, Jacob (where Wilfred is now), Diana Sweets, Black’s Cameras, Music World, Green Earth (that store with all the spiritual items and wooden figures), the coat check at Customer Service, Starstruck Entertainment, that Victorian store that used to be outside Walmart where the Tim Hortons is, the La Vie En Rose that was hidden away, the West 49 store, the restaurant that was in the space where Chipotle is now, Glamour Shots, Pegabo, Spencer Gifts. And if you’re truly insane and you want to see video footage of the mall from the 90s, I found one.
Ate at Torrisi and yes it was fine, but absolutely not worth the money. The ham appetizer and the dessert were the only things that were unique and fantastic. I think I’m vowing to actively not go to trendy places this year, they almost always disappoint.
In love with the thin pizza at Emmett’s on Grove and how they abnormally slice it. Fully recommend.
Once every few years I’ll add a new makeup product to my routine (or update something that I’ve already been using), and I really love the Selena Gomez Rare Beauty contour stick (in Happy Sol). I’ve retired my NARS contour powder for it. I did try the Fenty contour stick but couldn’t find the right colour for my face.
I’m TikTok’s biggest critic, but I love this (below).
Started using Palmer’s Cocoa Butter at my parent’s house because of the dry air and I’m not sure that it’s the best lotion but it absolutely smells the best.
I’ll always give a new restaurant a chance, but the lunch special at Thai Villa is truly nothing special.
Air: fine, but easily could've been a Wikipedia read instead of a movie.
No One Will Save You: hated it so much.
Speed: still amazing. Tianna kept accidentally calling it “Fast” hahahah.
The Morning Show: I stopped at the first episodes of season three. Season two really turned me off, especially when season one was pretty great. The writing overall isn’t very good, so it’s a bit of a mystery why I kept watching. I think I was just desperate for something new to watch. Other season one thoughts: the music choices are terrible and corny. Why is the adolescent daughter Lizzy played by an actress who seems 40? And you might not agree with this, but Mindy Kaling is a bad dramatic actress.
Destination Wedding: I watched fifteen minutes and it’s the worst written movie I think I’ve seen in years. Had to abandon. (And this is hard to admit since I love Keanu.)
Baby Dog, January 2024
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: my annual boycott of the superbowl, I’m going to try and see Back To The Future on Broadway, my friend Dave is in a movie that’s playing at the Angelika so we’ll go see that and I’d really love to finally finish the Mel Brooks book I’m reading.
Welcome to the last monthly post of the year! I would say that this felt like a fast year but truthfully it still feels like 2012 to me so my opinions might not be reality-based. Here’s what went down last month!
Finally got dinner at Mel’s (in the old Del Posto space) and it was good! But I never need to go again.
We’ve needed new pots and pans for over a decade, so it was immensely satisfying to buy this set from Wayfair.
I made this apple crumb cake over Christmas break and I didn’t try it (!), but it wasn’t a big hit since it was only half eaten by the time I left for New York so I should remember not to make this one again. (Also I never want to become the type of person who doesn’t eat the things she makes for others, it goes against everything I stand for??)
Speaking of Christmas food, so much was made!
Still obsessed with making homemade pizza with sausage and fennel.
Two charcuterie boards: I will forever add candy to these boards going forward. And I finally made the ricotta jam jar and it was a a big hit. Absolutely should be on all charcuterie boards at all times. (The tip I use to make this faster: make the tomato jam yourself, but absolutely buy jarred pesto.)
The mushroom loaf (that I learned about from this tweet) that I will absolutely make again, it was so good.
The leftover turkey sandwich: always a winner.
The Nutella cookies: always my favourite. Next year I won’t be so stingy with the amount of Nutella.
Not every recipe can be a winner, so the losers this year? The Christmas lunch roast beef sandwiches. The meat was overcooked and tough enough that it made me instantly decide to try a new lunch recipe next year. Also I’ve messed up shortbread on TWO different recipes this month. The Alison Roman ones I always make during the holidays AND a new recipe of chocolate pistachio shortbread cookies. Both doughs were beyond crumbly, and they just didn’t taste right. So I’ll need to take a long shortbread break.
I started Office Christmas Party and stopped it after twenty minutes, it was so bad.
I finished The Crown. Oof. Other than the fact that this was, by far, the worst season of all - it really made me focus on what a terrible show it truly is and how thankful I am that it has ended. I hate that it was based on all of these real people, but so much of it is fiction. If the writers/creators would have just committed to either being fully truthful or fully fictitious then I wouldn’t be left with this feeling of disgust. There’s so much to complain about, but I’ll let it go because let’s just be glad it’s done. But really… the ghost of Diana? God, this series was sick.
The egg nog flavoured Greek yogurt at Trader Joe’s is spectacular.
Officially a nog head
We didn’t have the whole family together this Christmas (which never feels right), but we made the most of it.
Christmas kids!
Did my annual skating night with some close friends that truly heals us all, haha.
Buying skates at age 38 was the smartest decision I’ve made in my adult life
Nathan and I spent the past few days near Baltimore in Maryland and went to The B&O Railroad Museum (yes the B&O Railroad from Monopoly), which is a must-visit attraction if you’re nearby and then I had a great crab cake from Alexander’s Tavern.
Fun clouds make a photo a thousand times cooler
I told Nathan that one of his resolutions will (not “should”) be “take more photos of Liz.”
Fully regret not buying this shirt
Train museums are the best museums, fight me
Maryland crab cake!
Some things that I’m looking forward to this month: looking forward to seeing the Restaurant Week menus (it starts on January 16th), I’m going to start using this first-of-the-month checklist again and I’ll recap my resolutions from last year as well as make new 2024 ones.
September has come and gone! Welcome to grade 33, as Martin Short would say. Before we can sing the praises of this perfect time of year, here’s what went down last month:
The best tweets of September can be found over here.
Had my favourite meal of the entire season at Shukette.
I made this tomato tart and it was pretty good. It felt cool to make the bread base even though I have zero bread-making abilities (though next time I might just stick with store-bought puff pastry since it’s eons better).
So I made these pecan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and yes they’re good, but they need some sort of frosting I think. Cookie recipes are so plain these days and someone needs to take a stand against them.
Pecan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Jimmy Buffett passed away Labour Day weekend, so I finally made my way to Margaritaville in Times Square and it was actually great. The food was rough, but the drinks and the key lime pie were perfection.
Just realized now that I wore funeral clothing to Margaritaville in Times Square, NYC
Got drinks at the Chelsea Hotel and saw Matthew Broderick sitting with John Slattery, who were both babes.
Caught up with my dear friend Sarah who was visiting from Montreal!
Margaritas with Sarah
I went to Shopsin’s in Essex Market and whoa. Any time I’m craving a sandwich, I should always just come here. It’s hard for a chicken sandwich to impress anyone these days, but theirs was memorably fantastic. All sandwich bread should be garlic bread.
Fried chicken sandwich at Shopsin’s
Nathan and I went to Shot of Art to paint and it was kind of really fun.
I have been using the scar cream Mederma on this brutal wound that I’ve had since July and it’s almost magical. The scar isn’t completely gone yet, but as soon as it is I’ll do a side-by-side comparison.
Night Beast: great. Tubi has such good old horror movies.
Tourist Trap: okay, not a great example of a good Tubi horror movie, but definitely unique. Loved the ending.
The Black Phone: YIKES. Not good. To everyone who enjoyed this movie: it’s sad that your love for Ethan Hawke has clouded your vision because this was utter trash.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: I have to get my hands on these snow globes stamps as soon as heavenly possible, I have to put the final touches on my Halloween costume, seeing The Shark is Broken on Broadway with Nathan and spending Thanksgiving in Canada with the family.
Halloween decor season is upon us! Maybe this is the year that I finally put up an autumn wreath. I’ve seen the Halloween trees that people have posted on Pinterest, but I don’t think I’m at that level of obsessiveness yet, give me a few more years.
Here are some great Halloween finds that I’m absolutely thinking about buying in the next month. (I bought the pumpkin mug a few years ago and it’s my favourite thing to use but ONLY in autumn - you have to have rules.)
Ghost Stoneware Mugs
$15 at Pottery Barn
Ghost Stoneware Pitcher
$15 at Target
Wooden Oak Leaf Shape Serving Board
$15 at Target
Pumpkin Drink Dispenser
$18 at Target
Pumpkin Stoneware Mugs
$60 for a set of four at Pottery Barn
Warm Apple Pie 3-Wick Candle
$26.95 at Bath & Body Works (but I’d wait for a sale)
Halloween Grass Wreath Black
$20 at Target
Black Cauldron Mug
$14.95 at Williams Sonoma
Ghost Stoneware Appetizer Plate
$3 at Target
Ghost Tea Towels
$22 from Etsy
Pumpkin Stoneware Appetizer Plate
$3 at Target
Jack Skellington Plush Pillow
$20 at Target
Nordic Ware Monster Cakelet Pan
$39.95 at Sur La Table
Spider Web Mini Waffle Maker
$9.95 at Williams Sonoma
Staub Mini Stoneware Pumpkin, 5 qt.
$34.96 at Sur La Table
Light-Up Bats Doormat
$49 at West Elm
Coffin Crossbody Bag
$24.99 at Spirit Halloween
Recently Deceased Crossbody Bag
$24.99 at Spirit Halloween
Sitting Animatronic Scarecrow
$99.99 at Spirit Halloween
Halloween Grass & Leaf Wreath
$25 at Target
Note: no these aren’t affiliate links in this post - Target rejected me for their affiliate program (rude much?), these are all just things I’d love to have.
Summer is almost over and I think this is the first time in years that I’ve been a little sad to see it go. I was able to visit Scotland with my family, Marla came to see me in New York, I spent the majority of August in Ontario with friends and the kids, we played so much of Wii’s Warioware: Smooth Moves, I’m maintaining the tan of my dreams and I’ve never eaten so much fresh corn in my life. What kind of summer-loving fiend have I become?? In any case, here’s what went down in August.
Friend hang!
More friend hangs!
I finished my Summer Saturdays series that I loved doing. I’ll definitely do this again (maybe sooner than you think).
Also made cake pops for the first time with my niece Maya and they turned out perfect. Halloween cake pops up next.
At my parent’s house, I found myself constantly making pizza (with store-bought dough) and it’s so much better than I remember homemade pizza being. Maybe it’s because you need to heat the spread-out dough (on parchment, with olive oil rubbed on top) for ten minutes at 450 degrees and THEN put all the sauce/toppings/cheese on it and put it back in for another ten minutes at 500 degrees.
My dad got a letter from King Charles for his 100th birthday, which is a big deal whether you care about the royals or not. And since his coronation was in the middle of May and my dad’s birthday was the first week of June, there’s a very good chance that this was the very first 100th birthday letter signed by THE KING OF ENGLAND, which is absolutely the neatest thing on the planet.
Dad’s 100th Birthday letter from King Charles
I went to the CNE with my mom and it was lovely. Tried the footlong freak fries that were texturally amazing. I was intrigued by the street corn soft serve but was unwilling to spend over $5 for it. And nobody should pay over $20 for a pina colada in a pineapple so we made them at home instead.
Barbie (for the second time): would honestly go a third time if anyone’s into it.
The Summer I Turned Pretty (season two): I think I loved this season even more than the first. I loved that almost every episode had some fun event that took over the entire episode (the carnival one, the house party one, the motel one, etc.).
Outer Banks (first two seasons): I can’t explain the grip this show has on me. The disgust-turned-to-love I have for JOHN B confuses even me.
Simply Irresistible: so laughably awful, I’m surprised Sarah Michelle Gellar got any work after this. The magical crab was the best character.
M3GAN: first of all, it’s not a horror movie so it’s weird it was sold that way. It’s really not good, but also very fun to watch with kids.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit: I forced the kids to watch this one because my brothers and I saw it about ten thousand times when we grew up. Heathers love this movie.
Junior: how did I never see this 90s classic? It should be law to watch one 90s movie each month. They’re so uncomplicated and good.
The last ten minutes of Beverly Hills Chihuahua: I came home to my niece Tianna watching this with my mom and Baby Dog and I saw literal minutes of it and cried. I can’t see pretend-dead-dogs even when they turn out to not be dead. I’M ONLY HUMAN. (The movie itself seemed actually adorable, maybe.)
And So It Goes (the Michael Douglas/Diane Keaton movie): ugh! So bad. When you get Rob Reiner to do a job meant for Nora Ephron - you get this piece of shit.
And Just Like That (season two): are there people out there who don’t see what a train wreck this show is? I want to talk to them. Also, Carrie is not a cat person. Whoever made that choice truly does not understand this character. Since when does Steve speak Italian? Charlotte was the real winner of the season.
Only Murders In The Building (season three): love how it’s starting out so far, but it’s not really as exciting as the previous seasons.
Summer Rental: truly the worst John Candy movie of all time.
Talk To Me: good/original, but too much gross-out horror for me.
I got Baby Dog’s teeth cleaned for the first time in her life and it was a phenomenal experience. I was at Pet Valu and saw that they worked with an organization that cleans your dog’s teeth without putting them under anesthesia. The team at KissableK9 Care was beyond impressive and kind and the whole thing took thirty minutes. I have before and after photos that are pure insanity. I would post them here, but like… even a chihuahua likes her privacy sometimes. Cannot recommend KissableK9 enough!
My babies! (Yes their boyfriends are my babies too I guess…?)
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: putting the final touches on my Halloween costume, creating an autumn list of things to do, taking Nathan to see The Shark Is Broken on Broadway and I really want to eat the tomato salad at Shukette.
Sometimes you need a mini day trip to see a horse in New Jersey
Sometimes you need a mini day trip to see a horse in New Jersey
June was so packed with stuff, I can’t believe it’s actually over. Here’s what went down!
I started a new series of posts I’ll do for the whole summer - Summer Saturdays, which is just a summary of what I do each week. Volume 1 posted over here.
I bought this Aritzia 1/2 zip sweatshirt in both white and black and I’m really considering getting the pink one now, too. I might have a problem.
If you like dark chocolate, then you must make this dark chocolate cake. It’s the absolute best recipe I’ve ever tried. And with this chocolate icing? Unreal. It’s heavenly. (Pro tip: don’t refrigerate it, it tastes incredible at room temperature, even days later.)
Dad’s 100th birthday cake
I was about to talk about how great my dad’s 100th birthday went, but there are so many details that I’ll just do a post about it this week instead.
I will never get over how incredible the frozen yogurt at Freshii is. Nobody talks about this enough.
Freshii frozen yogurt might even be better than TCBY
Did you know about the secret, unadvertised Baskin Robbins deal? On the 31st of every month (on months that have 31 days), they offer 31% of all scoops and pints. Pass it on.
Always gonna be excited when Trader Joe’s drops a new candle scent.
Trader Joe’s salted caramel and pistachio scented candle
I tried some curried fried rice at a friend’s house recently and I can’t stop thinking about it, such a genius way to do fried rice.
I’ve been eyeing mattress toppers for a few months now (my mattress is old and springy), but they’re always too expensive. So instead I bought a thick comforter for about $20 and spread that underneath my fitted sheet and it is now the most comfortable bed in this country. It’s a strange feeling to have all the answers and still not be ruler of the world?
Officially into rhubarb now since I was introduced to this rhubarb syrup, which is a phenomenal mixer for anything alcoholic.
Lays, I love you. Never stop with your insane flavours.
Lays Italian Red Meat Flavor
I was in Canada for a bit and good god, it was a perfect spring visit.
Dinner in the sunroom during a blackout
Nephews & Baby Dog
These only bloom on my dad’s birthday
Fully recommend having friends who just GET IT
I went to Canada’s Wonderland with my nieces and there is nothing more satisfying than the end-of-day funnel cake you’re legally required to have before leaving. Also loved the new(ish) Yukon Striker.
I stopped by the new reincarnation of Zellers (it’s in a weird, small section at the back of The Bay) and the deals are wild. Go. If they bring back those Zellers diners with that gravy, they will be unstoppable.
I got a “root shadowing” done at Bloc + Mane in Etobicoke (by the lovely Amanda) and it was everything I needed. It’s a process that blends your hair colour if you’ve dyed it in the past year but you don’t want that aggressive grow-out line.
Since the new Indy was coming out, I rewatched Temple of Doom and wow is Kate Capshaw so unbelievably bad in it. Sure I’m no expert on great acting, but this is just torture to watch.
And Just Like That: I’ve said it before, but we’re in a hate/hate relationship. The dialogue is so horrid that it reinforces the idea that anyone can succeed in the entertainment business. Talent has zero to do with it.
The Bear (season two): absolutely LOVED it. Did they use an offensive amount of R.E.M. songs this season? Sure! But once you look past that, it’s a flawless season.
I bought these gorgeous olive coloured running shoes from Call It Spring that are beyond comfortable.
Men’s running shoes are eons prettier than women’s
Burger Au Poivre (everything should be au poivre, as far as I’m concerned)
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: are you aware that there’s a third My Big Fat Greek Wedding coming out?? And I can’t wait for some reason? Even I don’t really understand why, but I loved that first one so much when it came out. Other things: obviously excited for Barbie, my great friend Marla’s coming for a visit (!), I really want to find some good soft serve and I have a family trip to Scotland that I can’t wait for.
