31.10.13

October in pictures

It was a photo-heavy month on my blog with all my vacation recaps, but a few more won’t hurt.


Chewbacca // sour patch kids // Essie Armed & Ready // sequins at Anthropologie // greenery outside Club Monaco on Bloor // Tim Horton’s chocolate chip muffin // jeans shopping, urgh // Ai Weiwei’s Forever Bicycles installation at City Hall // rainy Saturday morning under a quilt (made by Will’s mom) on the couch with a book on my eReader.

And more of the view from my balcony, sunrises and sunsets.

29.10.13

famous blue raincoat


Soia & Kyo trench

I tried this coat on way back in February but held off and picked it up on sale in the summer when it was too warm to wear. I really was tempted by the red version of the same coat, but in the end I went with the blue, my own famous blue raincoat.

Of course, now that I’ve started to wear it, it’s not raining.


Club Monaco top // J.Crew necklace // Anthropologie Circle the Globe Skirt (2010) // Wolford tights // Michael Kors heels

(Same day, change of iPhone case. I switch up my cases all the time, and now I have my eye on this, this, and this from Anthro.)

24.10.13

What I ate in Europe

(Previously: Iceland, London, Copenhagen, where I shopped in Europe)

I’m sure this is abundantly clear, but food is important to me. Eating is frickin’ awesome. So much so that it warrants its own post in my series of posts on my recent travels. Saving the best for last.

Iceland:

I would like to partake of the local cuisine wherever I go, but my pesky food allergies throw a wrench into those plans. While I would have loved to try whale and puffin in Iceland, I really didn't want to experience the local hospital system (as good as it likely is). I probably would have been ok (I always carry an Epi-Pen), but I figured it wouldn't have been worth the risk. So we had Icelandic fish and chips (the fish in Iceland is fantastic) and the famous Icelandic hot dogs (which were excellent).


Icelandic Fish and Chips // Bæjarins beztu pylsur (literal translation: the best hot dog in town) // chocolate-covered dolphin? I didn’t find out.

London:

I love traditional British food (when it's done properly), but London is a cosmopolitan city so you can have any kind of food you want anyway. On our first night in London, our friend took us to his local pub (The Windsor Castle in Marylebone) which has an almost exclusive Thai menu (the exception being fish and chips). Some of the best Thai food I've ever had, to be honest. After that, we had a lot of M&S sandwiches (cheap and easy), more Asian food (Chinese food in the West End), great old school Italian food at Ristorante Anacapri off Baker St, and the traditional pub food.

And Shake Shack in Covent Garden.


Shackburger and salted caramel concrete (frozen custard) with chocolate toffee.

I thought I was up on my British vocabulary (pants = underwear, trousers = pants, pudding = dessert), but I had to be reminded a few things food-wise.

  • lemonade = Sprite/7Up/ginger ale

  • lemon squash = actual lemonade

  • pickle = Branston pickle 

  • gherkin = actual cucumber pickle

I was disappointed to get Sprite when I expected real lemonade, or Branston pickle when I expected real pickles. At least I know now.


Chinatown, which is pretty small for such a big city. The dim sum was good though.

Will loved being able to pop in and out of pubs to have a good pint. (Since I don't drink, I always had sparkling water.)

The Dove out in Hammersmith has excellent food and a lovely patio on the Thames. It's also the pub where Will's sister met her husband nine years ago, when they were both working at the bar.


Fish and chips with minted mushy peas.


Sausage and mash.


All Ladurée, except bottom right, which is Pierre Hermé.

I didn't expect it, but I had quite the selection of famous French macarons in London. But damnit I wish I'd discovered Pierre Hermé sooner (available at Selfridge's Food Hall) because I think I'm spoiled for all macarons now. Ladurée just doesn’t measure up!

Another highlight for me was Borough Market. Amazing food to be had there.


Meringues || giant chocolate chip cookies || Greedy Goat Ice Cream || raspberry chili goat’s milk ice cream || paella || salt beef sandwich (with real pickle!) || charcuterie || one cracked giant chocolate chip cookie for me || more charcuterie

The main highlight and our food splurge was St. John, Fergus Henderson's restaurant. I wish I had taken more pics (like of the famous roast bone marrow and parsley salad, seen here on Anthony Bourdain's Instagram), but I only caught dessert.


Damson plum jelly with whipped cream and shortbread

Which was delicious. The Brits really know what they're doing with the jellies and cream. I definitely recommend the whole experience, and it wasn’t ridiculously expensive for a restaurant with one Michelin star.

 

Copenhagen:

Copenhagen is a cosmopolitan city too, so our eating was varied. We ended up eating Thai and some fantastic pizza at Mother restaurant in the meat-packing district. But we also had traditional Danish smørrebrød, open-faced sandwiches on dark rye bread.


Herring, smoked mackerel, and beef smørrebrød

We also had to have traditional Danishes from Lagkagehuset, kanelsnegl (cinnamon snails) and direktørsnegl (director snails, which are cinnamon snails with chocolate frosting).


Is it wrong that I giggle at “wienerstang"? (yes, I’m 12.)

It is not a cheap city to eat out in though, as with most of Europe.

I didn't expect to end up eating all our meals outside, in a Northern European country at the end of September, but we did. Restaurants have heat lamps on their patios and they also provide blankets on the back of all the patio chairs, so you can wrap yourself up and enjoy a meal outside in the cooler fall weather.

22.10.13

Where I shopped in Europe

(Previously: Iceland, London, Copenhagen)

I had no plans for a lot of shopping in Europe. Icelandic sweaters aren't really my thing, almost everything is more expensive in London, and there was nothing specifically Danish I wanted to shop for (except Lego for my 5-year-old nephew).

But there were some things I needed to shop for. I stocked up on Wolford tights for myself, my sister, and a friend (that's one thing that's cheaper in London than in North America). I was also tasked with buying Intimissimi underwear (not available in North America, even online) for my sister, and I ended up stocking up for myself as well. Seriously amazing underwear. (I recommend the seamless thongs and full-bottom seamless panties. I bought 14 pairs for myself and 9 pairs for my sister. I had a suitcase full of tights and underwear on my way home.)

After that, I was free to browse. Of course I wandered up and down Oxford St and Regent St. I also wandered around the posh part of Knightsbridge and window-shopped on Sloane St (on my way to becoming a Sloane Ranger) heading towards the King’s Rd. But I didn't do a lot of going into stores and trying clothes on. I was just happy to walk and look.

I visited Anthropologie on Regent St and King's Rd and took a lot of pictures, but I didn’t buy anything.


Regent St.


King’s Rd.

Liberty of London is my favourite shopping destination in London (after I discovered it three years ago).

 

The famous Liberty prints, in stuffed dachshunds:

And butterflies

I ended up buying some lovely dark teal leather gloves, and when I wear them I will have to put them on a string around my neck, because I am notorious at losing gloves.

21.10.13

Hej, København

(Previously: Iceland, London)

I’ve always had a fascination with Scandinavia for some reason. Maybe it’s because I like cold weather. Maybe I was Norwegian in another lifetime. At any rate, it’s been on my bucket list to visit Scandinavia and I’ve finally dipped my toe into it with Denmark. (Depending on who you ask, Iceland is a Nordic country, not part of Scandinavia proper, so it may not count).

Denmark is the happiest country on earth, according to the second World Happiness Report. The locals certainly looked happy. I definitely had a happy time in Copenhagen. It's a beautiful, clean city with some beautiful, beautiful scenery, made even better by the gorgeous weather we were blessed with.


At Nyhavn (New Harbour, though not so new, built in the 17th Century by Swedish prisoners of war).


Operaen, the Copenhagen Opera House.


It means “a leash.” Will likes it for me because I love dogs and I snore.


On the way to Amalienborg, the winter palace of the Danish Royal Family.


One of the buildings at Amalienborg.


Me at Amalienborg.


Frederiks Kirke (Frederik’s Church), commonly known as Marmorkirken (The Marble Church).


the ceiling in Marmorkirken.


The altar at Marmorkirken.


You can climb up to the dome, but we didn’t make the times it was open to do that.


Part of a large mural around the corner from the church. Scandinavians seem to like nudity. So this must be the happiest naked guy in the world.

 
I don’t remember the name of this church, but it’s in a beautiful spot.


The army barracks are colourful.


I think this is my favourite photo.


For some reason there’s a replica of David on the harbour.


I love the colourful townhouses on the north side. Hans Christian Anderson lived at Number 7 for many years.

Copenhagen is an ideal city for a boat tour.


Den lille havfrue (the Little Mermaid statue), as seen from the water. We didn’t go look at her from the front. She’s a little less than impressive…


Noma is in this building. We didn’t go, but if we’d thought about it months it advance we probably could have. Anthony Bourdain did a fawning episode of Parts Unknown on Noma (full episode here), aired after we visited of course.

On our second day, we rented a car and drove up the coast.


You can see Sweden on the other side.

Our destination was Helsingør (English: Elsinore), where Hamlet's castle is.


Otherwise known as Kronborg Castle.


The strait of Øresund separates Denmark from Sweden and connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea. Helsingborg, Sweden is on the other side.


The weather was too beautiful to be dark and brooding like Hamlet.

 
Not sure who would want to try to swim, it’s pretty damn cold.


But I had to stick my hand into the water.

If it hadn’t been so cold, I would have sat by the water all day.

Denmark is a beautiful country. Definitely recommended and I would love to go back.

(Next up: where I shopped in Europe…)

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