Forever 29

So today is my 36th birthday, and my first reaction is OMG, when did I get this old? (Not that it’s old. Not at all. I just don’t think of myself as that age, at ALL.) So from now on, I’m 29. Forever 29!

(I think I can still pass for 25. I still get carded occasionally.)

This year, with all the crap going on (sorry, don’t mean to be cryptic about it, but I definitely don’t want to talk about it today), I wasn’t much in a celebrating mood. I didn’t care if I didn’t do anything to mark the occasion, or if I got any gifts (although my sister is getting me this gorgeous necklace and I’m not complaining), but I gotta wear a pretty dress.

Banana Republic Marimekko Collection Siirtol Siirtolapuutarha dress // J.Crew Factory Clare Cardigan // HIlary Druxman necklace // Tory Burch Reva flats

Funny story about this Marimekko Siirtolapuutarha print: I saw it as an iPhone case in Copenhagen airport on my way home from my European adventure last September, but it was almost C$60 and way more than I wanted to spend on an iPhone case at the end of an expensive trip. So when I saw the Banana Republic Dress, I pounced.

The length on the dress might be a little inappropriate for a 36-year-old, but it’s fine for a 29-year-old, right? The Marimekko collection sold out so fast, I could only get a petite size, and even though I’m 5’2”, I’m usually more comfortable in regular sizes. I might let the hem down to get another ¾ of an inch.

Since it’s a Thursday, it’ll just be a quick dinner and gelato with Will, then a proper birthday meal on Saturday (pizza again, it’s my favourite). More food photos coming up this weekend/early next week.

Taking a break from real life

I know I’m not a daily blogger (props to all that are, and thank you for keeping me entertained with my blog reader!), but I try to post at least once a week, and this was an unintentional two-week hiatus. Life gets busy, I don’t make millions from my blog (or anything, let’s be honest), so real life takes precedence.

The first week of June was crazy busy with work, and the past two weeks have also been challenging personally. The good news: no one has died, I’m fine, it’s not anything with Will (we’re great), and everything will be ok in the end…I hope. (I can’t do anything but try to be as positive as I can, as excruciatingly hard as it is to be optimistic sometimes.)

So let’s try to focus on the good stuff that’s happened over the past few weeks. (One of the reasons I like blogging is that it let’s me do that.)

My work trip to Halifax, where I managed to sneak in some sightseeing at Peggy’s Cove in my limited time there:

I’m allergic to shellfish, but my colleague had this 2.5lb monster at the restaurant at Peggy’s Cove.

I had fish and chips instead.

The day was beautiful, which made for some gorgeous views. I think I’m looking out towards where Swissair Flight 111 went down, but I’m not sure.

Gorgeous, but I was afraid I was going to fall and bash my head on the rocks (I didn’t, obviously).

A half-selfie.

It was a really short but exhausting business trip, but it was a treat to go out there.

Since then, back home, and taking photos of flowers around town:

Including this basset hound, which is much quieter and well-behaved than the real basset hound I know.

Also lots of food, of course, mainly pizza and dolci at my favourite pizzeria:

Will likes his with two runny eggs on top.

Chocolate-amaretto budino (pudding) with whipped cream and candied almonds on top, served in a trendy mason jar.

Which I couldn’t finish, so they screwed the lid on and I had the rest at home the next day.

But I’d better watch it with the pizza and sweets, or I won’t be able to fit into any of my summer clothes, which I’m now wearing. Bare legs again! It’s my birthday next week though, so I’ll cut out the bad food after that (fingers crossed).

Banana Republic tank // Baublebar x Anthropologie Seastone necklace // J.Crew Factory Clare cardigan // Anthro Scalloped Stripes Ponte Skirt (Girls From Savoy) // Gap classic ballet flats in surf blue

Not my favourite look ever, but it was fine.

Still trying to get used to this hair too. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either.

May 2014 in pictures

I like recapping my months in pictures because certain themes emerge. So this month was juice, a bunch of flowers, and binge-reading. There was a lot of busy-ness at work too, but that doesn’t photograph so well.

decor at Moo Milk Bar, my go-to cookie place // a pig at Moo Milk Bar // cookies n creme cookie and chocolate milk // fries // cat // Before I Go To Sleep // green juice // spring! // looking good, Toronto

good dog // wake up! // The Art of Racing in the Rain

June is going to be crazy. I’m starting with a business trip to Halifax tomorrow (really exciting because I’ve never been to the Maritimes), Will is away for business next week too, Will’s dad is visiting for a week when we both come back, and then it’s my birthday. Since the next week will be busy for both of us, we had a date day today.

Sausages and fries at Wvrst.

Salted caramel ice cream.

 
And a maxidress on a gorgeous, breezy day.

It’s also finally spring/summer here, which makes for great photos on the balcony. One evening, three stages of sunset:

Long overdue haircut

I’ve been meaning to get my hair cut for months. 10 months, to be exact. I even planned to get my hair cut two weeks ago, so I posted this before pic on Instagram in preparation, but I ended up postponing it.

Banana Republic tank top // Baublebar x Anthropologie Seastone necklace // Anthropologie cardigan

That’s some long hair and some fried ends. I shouldn’t have waited that long, but I think I got really attached to the length.

So I knew I would have to lose some length, but not as much as my hairdresser ended up taking off.

J.Crew Symmetrical Stone necklace // J.Crew silk cami in brilliant cobalt // Anthropologie cardigan

I almost cried. (I didn’t, but I whined a lot to Will.)

It’s my own fault, I should have had a hair cut sooner. Regular trims, maybe. I know it’s very on trend (see Karlie Kloss and Kendi, for example), but it wasn’t necessarily on purpose.

I like it now (it’s very light and unfussy and low-maintenance, I just have to wash and go), but I do miss the length and my curling wand waves. But it’s hair, it will grow back. Eventually.

Last of the tights (maybe)

Ok, it’s starting to get a little ridiculous, we’re getting towards the end of May and I’m still wearing tights. It’s still not that warm here and I don’t wear pants, I can’t help it.

Anthropologie Elementary Dress (Girls From Savoy) // J.Crew Factory Fringed Fan necklace // J.Crew Jenna’s Cardigan // Wolford tights // Tory Burch Reva flats

That doesn’t excuse the dark colours though, it’s time to ditch the black and grey (not all black and grey, just all black and grey outfits) and embrace some colour.

I do love black though. I feel safe in black.

Gap Essential V-neck tee // J.Crew necklace // Anthro Aniseed Skirt (Eva Franco – 2010) // Wolford tights // Tory Butch Reva flats

Next week: COLOUR.

Long weekend catching up

Oh, thank God for the May 2-4 and a long weekend. I can catch up on sleep, I can catch up on my blog feed, and I can catch up on my own blog. Work has been busy busy busy, but I can’t complain.

Last weekend my sister and her husband visited, so we ate.

Fried chicken (traditional and spicy Korean style) at Momofuku

Bib lettuce, dipping sauce, tabasco salt to go with the fried chicken

Pho and limeade on the first patio of the season at Golden Turtle

Club bao from Banh Mi Boys (pork belly and fried chicken)

Not pictured: a giant dim sum brunch. We were actually planning a lot more than that, but by Sunday after dim sum we were done. We felt like amateurs. Can’t eat like we used to!

It was a gorgeous warm sunny weekend last weekend, so I wore this Gap cami maxidress in charcoal grey. It was like wearing a nightgown.

I wore shoes when I left my condo. And a light sweater, because it wasn’t quite bare arms warm yet.

 

Perfect for walking around at the Beaches:

We ordered the weather specifically for our guests. As soon as they left, it was rainy and humid, and now we’re back to cold fall weather (it is freezing today, but I haven’t seen any snow yet, knock on wood).

Dark and stormy.

This was my work outfit from Thursday. I think it’ll be well into June before I can finally ditch the tights, but it may be time to lighten up a bit.

Gap essential V-neck tee // J.Crew Factory Fan Fringe Necklace // J.Crew No.2 Pencil Skirt in vivid jade // Wolford tights // Michael Kors heels

Spring inventory

In preparation for flipping my closet to spring/summer (I do that late; many bloggers are already proudly displaying bare legs, but it’s still cool here and I’m not shedding the tights until the temperatures are consistently in the 20s/70s, which doesn’t happen until late May/early June here in Toronto), I took inventory of my closet this past weekend.  While I’m sure I don’t have as extensive a closet as some ladies do, it was enough for me to think “Damn, I have way too much, I need to stop shopping and wear/enjoy what I have.”

I also did some purging, and put some things aside for debate. This top is in the undecided pile, so I wore it again to decide.

Anthropologie Slung Sash Tee (Bailey 44 – 2011)

J.Crew No. 2 Pencil Skirt in retro jade // Wolford tights // Michael Kors heels

These days I like simpler necklines I can wear a statement necklace with. So I think I might let this one go, but it might sit in my undecided pile for a few months until I decide that undecided means no.