October 2014 in pictures

This whole blogging thing, I’ve gotten pretty terrible at it over the past few months. I’m way behind on posting about my October trip, so I’m not going to get to that until next month, and I’m way behind on reading and commenting on all the blogs on my reader. My weekend will be dedicated to catching up. It’s a good thing I only do this for fun, and I don’t try to make any money off of it, because I wouldn’t be doing very well.

Most of the pictures on my Instagram this month were from New York City and Boston, but I want to do them justice by putting them up in their own posts. Lots of puppy pictures coming! (And food. And sometimes puppy with food.)

Will's "I feel so guilty I'm leaving you to go on a long vacation even though you said it was ok" flowers // golden puppy // travelling! // trip reading // sour cherry sorbet // Korean treats Will brought home // inflatable Ursula // inflatable cat the size of a house (the head moves back and forth and it also glows in the dark) // poutine

It’s Halloween tonight and in true Canadian fashion, it’s cold and raining with a chance of snow later. Costumes are always dictated by room for a snowsuit underneath. I’ve been indulging in a bit of Halloween candy (who knew frozen Twix were so good?), and hope all the kiddies out there come home with a good haul, have fun, and stay safe.

Saturday

I got home from an extended Canadian Thanksgiving weekend in Boston and NYC (the chocolate went down really well, except I’m confused that my sister and brother-in-law don’t binge like I do, they actually eat one or two pieces and then stop, wtf is that?) on Wednesday, blog posts about my exploits upcoming, once I get my act together.

I went back to work on Thursday and Friday, but it still feels like I’m on vacation. Maybe because Will is still in Nepal (he finished his trek up Gokyo Ri and is fine, nowhere near the blizzard and avalanche that happened last week, terrible about what happened to the trekkers there), and I’m having a weekend to myself where I can do what I want. Not that I can’t do what I want when he’s here, but it’s just different.

So today I had pie, hot chocolate, and went for a lovely fall walk.

And took the opportunity to try out the camera on the Samsung Galaxy S5, my new work phone.

I picked up pie at Wanda’s Pie in the Sky at Kensington Market.

The Ontario sour cherry was…fine. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for pie?

I also went to the Distillery District, which I love.

There are locks on the letters, like on the bridges in Paris.

I just happened to end up at Soma Chocolate again. I mean, I’m there already, I can’t not go in, right?

The hot chocolate is their Spicy Mayan with milk, not sweet at all. It’s more like a coffee than a sweet drink.

Today’s outfit:

Soia & Kyo raincoat // American Apparel circle scarf // Gap zip leggings // eric michael Laguna boots

Not a great photo, so here’s Friday’s outfit:

Hugo Guinness for J.Crew Dog Tee // Gap zip leggings // Gap classic ballet flat in rose blush

I can’t resist a hound on a T-shirt.

Mmmm…chocolate

(from the episode Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk, season 3)

You’d think you’d be able to get pretty good chocolate in Boston (L.A. Burdick isn’t bad, for one), but my sister always requests that I bring chocolate from two local Toronto chocolatemakers when I go visit.

I’m happy to do it, even if I turn into Homer in the Land of Chocolate while I’m shopping for the goodies.

At Stubbe Chocolates, I picked up truffles, salted caramels, chocolate-covered Australian ginger, and an assortment of bars.

My sister and her husband ration themselves and make their stash last. If it were up to me, this would probably be gone in a week. It’s amazing that I had these for a few days in my house without tearing into them and ending up in a chocolate orgy.

I also go to Soma chocolatemaker in the Distillery District.

When I’m there, I’m like a kid in some kind of store. Of course I have to get something for myself. I love the English toffee with almonds, the dried cherries tumbled in dark chocolate, and their latest truffle of the month, calamansi and white chocolate in a dark chocolate shell (omg so good).

Blurry because I was shaking with impatience to get at them.

I have so many goodies to bring to Boston that I had to put everything in a box, and it was heavy!

It’s appropriate for what will be a food-centric weekend. As it should be, it’s Canadian Thanksgiving so I have to be gluttonous regardless of where I am.

Hope everyone has a good one and more food photos to come when I get back!

Pants!

It’s full-on fall now, after being spoiled with basically the summer we didn’t have in September. Jacket weather again. (But not parka weather. Come on. It’s not winter yet.)

And I’m wearing pants? What?

Soia & Kyo jacket (2007) // J.Crew lightweight merino sweater // J.Crew necklace // Gap ultra skinny ankle pants (got on sale for $35!) // Gap classic ballet flats in rose blush

I’ve been a staunch skirt/dress girl, but this year, I wanted something simpler. A sleeker, unfussy, uncluttered silhouette.

I’ve always been afraid of being boring (just a plain V-neck sweater and black pants?), but a big statement necklace will always save me from that. I’ll still wear skirts and dresses, it’s just nice to have another option once in a while.