Fall Fridays Vol. 10

That is not my tree above. Showing you my Christmas tree seems… too intimate (says the person that gives away any and every detail of daily life). I really just posted that one above because it’s one from a midtown hotel and I’m really starting to hate the picture perfect ones. They’re very pretty, but so boring. A perfect Christmas tree is like that Instagram face you can’t get away from: it’s become mundane. Anyway, here’s what happened this week.

BAKING/COOKING

I made Ina Garten’s weeknight bolognese and was blown away at how good it was. Really can’t believe that you can get that sort of deep flavour in a thirty minute recipe. Absolutely keeping this one in the dinner rotation now.

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Read the full post over here.

All of this post can be read on my Substack.

Fall Fridays Vol. 9

Last week of November! Kind of the best time of the year. Anticipation is almost always better than the actual thing you’re anticipating. Tell me I’m wrong. Here’s what went down this past week.

BAKING/COOKING

I made a new stuffing (sausage gravy stuffing) for (fake) Thanksgiving and I’m so happy with how it turned out. I’m gonna make it again at Christmas to see if my family likes it, but I can’t see how I don’t make this every year from now on. I’ve loved Chef John’s recipes for such a long time and it’s wild that he’s been this consistently great for years now.

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Sausage Gravy Stuffing

CRAVING

A phone-free holiday season. Is it even possible? Will everyone hate this idea? I’m gonna try my best to see if my family can get onboard with this idea next month at Christmas but it might be an uphill battle.

DRINKING

Candy cane cocoa in iced coffee. What can I say, Merry Christmas.

EATING

The Thanksgiving turkey dip sandwich from Deux Luxe in NYC. It’s a “turkey burger with cranberry onion jam aioli and mozzarella, ready to dunk into a house-made gravy sauce and topped off with a stuffing cranberry crunch on the side for dunking”. So good. I love a seasonal sandwich. And I’d never thought of a sandwich having a crunchy dip, but stuffing is such a genius idea.

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Turkey Dip from Deux Luxe, NYC

You can read the rest of this week’s Fall Fridays over here!

Fall Fridays Vol. 8

This is the earliest that I’ve ever decorated for Christmas and I can’t decide if it was a good idea or not. That first snowfall two weeks ago really tricked me into thinking I could justify a wreath here and a Christmas village there, but I think I messed up. There’s something special about December and decorations. Lesson learned for next year. Here are the highlights of the week!

BAKING/COOKING

I cannot wait to make this sausage gravy stuffing from Chef John. I love that man and I love everything he creates so I’m convinced this might change my life, stuffing-wise. (My favourite recipe of his that I make each Christmas is this spinach & artichoke dip.)

Also, I really want to try this with the kids this weekend.

CRAVING

With fake Thanksgiving next week, I’m making this s’mores pie that I make every year and it’s honestly the easiest/best pie I think I’ve ever made. Anyone can do it and it hits every time. I know the s’mores trend is long dead, but absolutely no one says no to a slice of this pie.

DRINKING

Silk’s Festive Nog and wow it was the worst. It was thick in all the wrong ways. Stay far away.

You can read the rest of this week’s Fall Fridays over here!

Fall Fridays Vol. 7

Earlier this week, it snowed for the first time this season in Ontario and it felt strange to have it this early. Usually I love a snowfall, but this one just felt like that guest who comes to the party too early. Like, settle down. We’re not ready yet. I also think I might not be mentally prepared for the holidays yet. Usually I’m all in, but this will be the first Christmas without Baby Dog and I don’t entirely know how to handle that. I know there are gonna be hard moments, but I’m also weary of any of the especially nice parts too. Almost like I don’t want to be happy about any of the moments that she doesn’t get to be here. I find myself constantly thinking about that quote about grief that says something like, “Life really does go on, but it’s just never the same.” (This probably should’ve just been a journal entry, but apparently Substack won’t let you use the backspace button when you’re being sincere, so that’s weird??) Onto what went on this past week.

You can read the rest of this week’s Fall Fridays over here!

Fall Fridays Vol. 6

I know women say this a lot, but I am on a mission to use less exclamation points. I mean it this time. (Okay but that was actually difficult to not have one there in that last sentence. This has to be a disorder.)

I’ve also thought of a phrase that I one hundred percent need to stop saying out loud to people because not only is it overused by all women, but I hate the connotations beneath it. And that phrase is… “Does that make sense?” after saying something that most definitely makes sense. I know that I really want to stop saying it, but maybe we can all make a pact to try? I hate how much it screams that I don’t believe what my own thoughts/opinions are.

You can read the rest of Fall Fridays Volume 6 over here.

Fall Fridays Vol. 5

Happy Halloween!

BAKING/COOKING

I made this apple cider braised pork tenderloin and it was really good.

CRAVING

Homemade Halloween decorations! So I watched a YouTube tutorial on how to make a lifesized Georgie from It and it turned out pretty great!

DRINKING

I have all this extra apple cider and I don’t know what to do with it, but I really don’t want to drink it. Maybe apple cider coffee cake? Air fried apple fritters? Or maybe I’ll just boil it on the stove so the house smells amazing.

EATING

I made quesadillas with the leftover apple cider pork and yikes was it good. Added sauteed jalapenos and onions to it to oomph it up and it was an incredible lunch.

EXPERIENCING

Took a fall drive with Nathan because Ontario is exploding with colour right now.

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LISTENING

To all of the hype around Scream 7. I am IN.

LOVING

We went to the Skydome to see the Blue Jays in a WORLD SERIES GAME and Joe Carter threw the first pitch. How is this real life.

SHOPPING

If you give out candy on Halloween, it should be law to also have a fog machine. Also, the Band-Aids that come with Polysporin on them? Life changing.

WATCHING

I saw the latest Halloween episode of Bob’s Burgers, which was just all right. Have to start the newest season of English Teacher soon.

WEARING

You can read Fall Fridays Volume 4 over here and I’m doing an autumn highlights reel on Instagram.

Fall Fridays Vol. 4

BAKING/COOKING

I made this sweet potato kale salad with hot ginger dressing and it was great. I added feta and I’d definitely make it again. Perfect autumn meal.

CRAVING

If I don’t buy these new STAMPS OF DELIVERING STAMPS soon I might explode.

DRINKING

I had a chai latte for the first time and it was so good. I never, ever drink chai tea so I thought for sure that I’d hate it but here we are. I don’t know when I adopted this ideology that I think I know everything, but I absolutely do not. What a miserable trait, I really hope it leaves me entirely someday.

EATING

Forever love a Hillstone salad. That almost-shaved grilled chicken they add to their caesars? Ungodly.

Hillsone caesar salad

EXPERIENCING

I made a batch of pumpkin coffee syrup and I think one of the best feelings in the world is sitting on my couch on a Sunday morning, drinking an iced pumpkin coffee in front of my Halloween village. I DON’T ASK FOR MUCH.

This Halloween village + me against the world

LISTENING

Officially a week until the 31st, so my Halloween playlist has started playing.

LOVING

All things baseball. The great tweets. The Tim Hortons Blue Jays cups!!

Tim Hortons Blue Jays cup, 2025

SHOPPING

I just bought these brass spiderweb coasters because 1) they look like they’ll last years, 2) I deserve to have nice things and 3) the world is burning but I still don’t want cup rings on my coffee table.

WATCHING

Old CSI episodes. It’s been so long since I’ve seen this show that I don’t remember any of the plot lines, so it’s like watching it for the first time again. Love Grissom.

WEARING

My new ivory Blue Jays crew sweater from Peace Collective. Deeply considering these shorts, too (below).

Peace Collective Blue Jays shorts

You can read Fall Fridays Volume 3 over here and I’m doing an autumn highlights reel on Instagram.

Fall Fridays Vol. 3

BAKING/COOKING

This cranberry and apple cake (an Ina recipe) is getting made immediately since cranberries are finally in season.

CRAVING

Kinda want to go back to Sleepy Hollow.

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Sleepy Hollow, New York

DRINKING

Burgundy red wine has suddenly become a new favourite of mine.

EATING

Boiled peanuts and they weren’t terrible! Tasted nothing like a nut. but definitely not bad. Hellish to crack open, though.

EXPERIENCING

Drove through Everglades National Park and saw some manatees, so that part was neat. The swarms of mosquitoes were not.

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Everglades National Park, Florida

LISTENING

Started my autumn playlist.

LOVING

The caesar salad from Publix. Unbelievably good chicken. Love this grocery store (look at these great Beetlejuice cupcakes and these monster cakes).

SHOPPING

Did I need to buy this peppermint and gingerbread man? Define need.

WATCHING

Started the latest season of Only Murders in the Building. “Ah, shrimp. It’s but the vessel for the heavenly cocktail sauce.” Absolutely love Martin Short.

WEARING

Living in this maroon bodysuit from Garage.

You can read Fall Fridays Volume 2 over here and I’m doing an autumn highlights reel on Instagram.

Fall Fridays Vol. 2

BAKING/COOKING

I made the Milk Bar pumpkin salted caramel pie and it turned out wonderfully! Incredible rich, but good. Also made this easy bacon pasta that was more than satisfying.

CRAVING

All things cranberry. The best homemade cranberry sauce of all time: a cup of white sugar, a cup of apple juice, a bag of fresh cranberries and the zest of an orange.

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DRINKING

This oat maple brown sugar creamer is great in iced coffee.

EATING

We did Thanksgiving a week early, so leftover sandwiches were back and better than ever.

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EXPERIENCING

The joys of October. Weather has finally shifted to chilly, the leaves are on their way out and the pumpkins have been bought. Look at this incredible soap my friend bought me!

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Soap made my Royal Toronto

LISTENING

A week later, this is still me at the moment:

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LOVING

The Blue Jays.

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SHOPPING

I have my eyes on so many things: this NYPL ornament, this too-expensive Aritzia sweater in brown, this Roots vest in hazelnut brown and these mouse ornaments. And I know I don’t need another pair of brown boots, but these are gorgeous.

WATCHING

I saw the first couple of Paranormal Activities for the first time and they were pretty fun. Also watched the Summerween episode of Gravity Falls with the kids and it was unexpectedly great!

WEARING

Living in this new Zara sweater.

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You can read Fall Fridays Volume 1 over here and I’m doing an autumn highlights reel on Instagram.

Fall Fridays Vol. 1

Fall Fridays have returned! Once a week I’ll post about whatever seasonal stuff I did that week so here we go!

BAKING/COOKING

I accidentally overcooked some jalapeno-popper stuffed mushrooms and they became incredible. I didn’t realize that when you overcook a mushroom, it completely loses its shape and becomes almost flattened. It was ridiculously good and I want to do it again and then use it as a burger topping maybe.

CRAVING

The breakfast sandwich from Gud Daae is an unholy amount of delicious.

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Gluten free breakfast sandwich from Gud Daae in Etobicoke, Ontario

DRINKING

President’s Choice French Vanilla iced coffee.

EATING

The Thanksgiving sandwich from Firehouse Subs is phenomenal.

EXPERIENCING

I went to see the salmon run in Etobicoke on Sunday and then went again to show Nathan yesterday because it’s kind of magical to see?

LISTENING

You know the answer to this.

LOVING

The Swiss Chalet Sauce potato chips are back and they remain fantastic.

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SHOPPING

The home decorations from Spirit Halloween really do get better each year. Absolutely love the Bates Motel sign. Even their mugs are pretty great.

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WATCHING

So many Jays games last week.

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WEARING

My first pair of thrifted Guess jeans (thank you Marla) that I had tailored and they. are. wild.

I’m also doing an autumn highlights reel on Instagram if you have any interest.

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