The Best of July 2025
That was the fastest month of all time, yeah? Here’s what happened!
I continued to write my Summer Saturdays series.
The best tweets of the month are over here.
Took my brother and nephews to do an impromptu cake tasting!
Cake tasting
Speaking of cakes, are we all aware of how good the La Rocca ones are? I tried their strawberry white chocolate this month and it was delicious. Their best one remains the caramel crunch one, though. Best grocery store cakes of all time.
La Rocca strawberry cake
My niece Tianna and I stayed at Pillar and Post in Niagara-On-The-Lake and it was absolutely perfect. I tried bone marrow for the first time (I see the appeal) and it was a perfect little getaway. (Also, a gorgeous lavender field is only minutes away.)
Lavender field, Niagara-On-The-Lake
I was craving green curry (but not wanting to pay $30 for it from a restaurant) so I made one at home with onions, peas, chicken and store-bought green curry sauce and it was insanely satisfying. Also, lasted me a full week. I have to remember to do this again.
The house-made garlic and chive cream cheese from The Cheese Boutique is heavenly.
I’ve been living in this Aritzia burgundy sweatshirt.
Beyond excited for this project.
Nathan and I went to Montreal (best thing about a road trip? McDonald’s $1 any-sized iced coffee + the free DoubleTree warm cookie) and had such a great time. First time trying their bagels and good god - eons better than New York ones. No one told me. Only regret of the trip? Not ordering this onion block from The Cage.
$1 iced coffees for life
Montreal bagel
And this should be obvious, but Quebec cheese curds are otherworldly. There is no substitution.
Montreal, July 2025
Officially in love with the Montreal brand Mimi and August (thank you, Marla!).
I will always stop at The Big Apple when we pass it on the highway. Right now they have incredible nectarines and apple cheddar bread. (We also stopped at Primitive Designs because why not?)
Apple cheddar bread from The Big Apple in Ontario
Primitive Designs in Ontario
Yearning to eat this beef stroganoff with caramelized mushrooms and crispy onions.
Had my bridal shower and it was overwhelmingly nice. I made my favourite lemon sorbet with mascarpone for dessert (I will use any excuse to make these, they’re so good). And these honey jars are such a perfect party favour (note: you do have to fill them yourself, like some sort of sap).
Lemon sorbet with mascarpone and mint
Mini honey jars
This is really a reminder to myself to never use booking.com again. I’m 40, I should know better. Stop using third party websites for booking anything. They’re all terrible when it comes to changing plans.
These are officially the hottest, most comfortable heels I now own so I should probably buy two more pairs.
I ate the greatest samosas of all time from the Lakeview Farmers Market at Zesty Fusions. Also had an incredible gluten free breakfast sandwich from Gud Daae and a great iced flat white from Delicious All Day Coffee.
Current snack on repeat: Nutella on Dad’s Cookies. I can’t stop.
Some things I watched:
Fatal Attraction: wow, I rewatch this movie a lot. Might need to look into that.
A rerun of the Lady Gaga SNL: fantastic. Love her.
Single White Female: great! Can’t believe I hadn’t seen it before.
The Bear: I can’t stand how much Eyo says “like.” Other than that, the season was fine? Not enough scenes with Will Poulter.
And Just Like That: live long enough and you’ll grow to hate Aiden. It’s a blessing that this show is coming to an end. Also, Miranda’s character progression has never made any sense to me.
I Know What You Did Last Summer: I actually liked it! I won’t ruin the ending, but I truly hated that part of it.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: OH I WONDER.
You can read last month’s roundup over here.
The Best Tweets of July 2025
The Best of June 2025
June 2025
June 2025
What happened last month? Oh I don’t know, nothing too monumental other than the fact that Nathan and I got engaged. WILD STUFF. Super jacked about it. But also here’s what else down last month…
I had no idea that Anthropologie had an entire bridal section where you can book try-on appointments! Obviously I went.
NOT my wedding dress, but good god do I love lace
I started doing weekly Summer Saturdays posts again this year.
I compiled the best tweets of the month.
We took a day trip to see the filming locations of Friday the 13th in New Jersey.
I never wear strapless bras because they’re all terrible, so for years when I need to wear one I’ll just put on a corset (it sounds uncomfortable, but I swear it’s not). The first one I bought was about ten years ago from this great place (Orchard Corset on the Lower East Side) that only specializes in corsets. You walk in, there are boxes everywhere, it’s owned by a couple - one of them looks at you, tells you the exact right size to get and you’re set. I updated the one I got recently (it lasted ten years) and they cost around $70. They fit like a dream. Praying this place stays in business for eternity. (I also learned the proper way (below) to clasp one, how did it take me so long to learn this??)
Best corset shop in the world in NYC
The proper way to clasp a corset
The chain Jersey Mike’s came to Canada so I tried their signature sub (swimming in vinegar) and it was good. I wish it had even more vinegar, though.
My cousin made this piano key holder out of my grandmother’s piano (from the early 1900s)! Isn’t it gorgeous??
Homemade piano key holder
My friend Marla made these incredible pistachio thumbprint cookies and I can’t stop thinking about them.
DO NOT sleep on the incredible sushi from Hillstone.
Hillstone sushi with Irene
The new brown sugar foam at Starbucks is a problem, it’s so good.
Nathan and I saw Stranger Things on Broadway and visually it was fantastic! The story wasn’t the best and it’s way too long, but the plushies they sold are wonderful.
Stranger Things on Broadway
Stranger Things plushie
Still dreaming about this House of CB strapless gown.
In love with the concord grape Schweppes seltzer. Tastes so similar to 90s purple Crush.
Concord grape
Lemax released their Halloween collection this year and I might have to buy the new wedding party, I don’t make the rules.
Wedding party from Lemax
Visited the Cheese Boutique in Toronto and I can’t believe how huge it is. It’s this giant cheese/meat/butcher/specialty foods haven.
This raccoon (below) came up to my parent’s window and I’m in love.
Cutest raccoon alive
My parent’s car had an air conditioning issue so I took it to our mechanic and they quoted us a minimum of $900 (!). Then I took it to Canadian Tire and they did the entire job for $275 and completely fixed the issue. Unbelievable. Love Canadian Tire so much.
I hate a sugar cookie, but the Crumbl wedding cookie was really good.
Wedding cookie from Crumbl
Something about having a Blue Moon on draft at a restaurant makes me so happy.
Draft Blue Moons = summer
Some things I watched:
Sirens (Netflix) - it was like a poor man’s White Lotus. Nice visuals, not much story, though.
Another Simple Favor - truly terrible. It’s as if AI wrote a movie about dumb hats in Capri.
The Mist - pretty good! Love a horror movie watch in June.
Milli Vanilli documentary - really good, so much I didn’t know about these guys.
Titan documentary - I wish it were more about the people on board and the details around the specific disaster rather than the company history, but maybe that’s just me.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: going to Montreal with Nathan, a million things to plan before the wedding, lane swimming and seeing the new I Know What You Did Last Summer in theatres.
WEDDING SLEEVE!
You can read last month’s roundup over here.
The Best Tweets of June 2025
The Best Tweets of May 2025
The Best of April 2025
Upper East Side, April 2025
Upper East Side, April 2025
Spring marches on! Is that good? Bad? I am the wrong person to ask. But May is here so we keep going. Here’s what went down last month!
The best tweets of the month can be found over here.
I compiled a separate list of my favourite White Lotus tweets since the season ended (includes spoilers), too.
I read and reviewed Viola Davis’ new memoir - as well as Ina Garten’s.
I did that viral onion ring snack recipe and it was really good. This is definitely an end-of-times recipe, though. Absolutely not fussy in any way.
Nathan and I went to Central Park for the first time without Baby Dog and it was brutal but nice at the same time. Why does it feel like every person on earth right now has at least four dogs? It’s an epidemic.
Central Park, April 2025
The gluten-free restaurant Thyme & Tonic remains my favourite place on the Upper West Side. That popcorn chicken is everything.
Gluten-free popcorn chicken at Thyme & Tonic, Upper West Side
The mini cubano at Guantanamera reminded me (and fell flat) of how good the best cubano on this planet is at La Cubana in Toronto. So that was sad.
The summer felt friends were released and I might have bought them all because their faces bring me joy. (Nope, absolutely nobody’s depressed over here.)
Okay, but I would die for them
The happy hour at STK midtown might be one of the most reasonably-priced places still in this city. With a patio, too!
Happy hour at STK midtown
I saw a few shows!
Death Becomes Her - absolutely wonderful. The costumes were beyond gorgeous and fun. It was really funny and everyone did such a great job. Better than the movie.
Wonderful Town - so good! My dear friend Jessie is in it, but I swear I’m not biased at all. I loved the dancing; there isn’t enough modern tap these days.
Maybe Happy Ending - a new level of terrible. More thoughts over here.
I started using hydrocolloid bandages (that I cut up to smaller sizes) instead of branded pimple patches (that are more expensive) and they’ve been working so well. Such a cheaper option and they are way bigger than the Mighty Patch ones.
I made this egg and sweet potato dish that came out great, so I’ve already made it a few more times.
Sweet potato egg boat
I gave in and bought a night serum: the Trader Joe’s one. Might return it though because my face has been flakier than normal lately, so maybe that’s why? I don’t know what the hell to do with my face. Can I just let it be a face… can that be a thing?
I refuse to learn what retinol is or why I need it please don’t tell me
I did this plant hack (below) and it really helped, new leaves are growing and it’s wild.
I got pistachio milk in a cappuccino the other day and I hope they never stop introducing new nut milks (ick, sorry that’s a terrible phrase). Just when you think they’re done, there’s another one that tastes great.
The best frozen yogurt (the really tart kind) is back at Madison Fare. Cannot recommend enough.
Madison Fare frozen yogurt
Levain Bakery has limited edition lemon cookies and black and white cookies right now and they’re so good. Such a perfect host/hostess gift.
I don’t usually endorse cookies that are $5+ but these are the exception to the rule
Yes the gluten-free pizza at Rubirosa is good, but do not sleep on their caesar salad. Unbelievable.
And speaking of caesars, L’Industrie Pizzeria makes a special sandwich each Wednesday so I tried their chicken caesar and it blew my mind right to pieces. I was going to request that they omit the banana peppers on it because I thought that I didn’t like them, but I kept them on anyway because maybe my tastebuds have changed (I accidentally had a black olive a few months ago and it actually tasted good??) so of course it tasted incredible. It was honestly one of the greatest sandwiches I’ve ever had in this whole city. The lesson? Maybe you don’t know everything about yourself.
Some things I watched:
Leaving Las Vegas - I’d never seen it before and never will again. Just awful. Anyone who liked it might be a moron.
Black Mirror (newest season) - my favourite episodes were definitely Common People and Eulogy. The Issa Rae one was appallingly bad.
Some things I’m looking forward to this month: there’s a wedding at the end of the month that’ll be a nice weekend getaway so that’ll be fun, I really want to see the new Stranger Things on Broadway, and Marla comes for a visit! All great things.
You can read last month’s roundup over here.
Sunset in Queens
