A little sunshine yellow

I have a deep aversion to the colour yellow. I’m not sure where it comes from; maybe I was traumatized by the crocheted yellow dress my mom made for me when I was little. Maybe I’ve deeply internalized the idea that Asians shouldn’t wear yellow because it just doesn’t go with our skin tone. Regardless, I just don’t like yellow.

But a little yellow might be ok.

Club Monaco Cece Cashmere Tee (Spring 2013) // Stella & Dot Norah Pendant // Club Monaco pencil skirt // Wolford tights // Nine West nude heels

The necklace is yellow. I would prefer it in a different colour, but it’s growing on me quite a bit. I also like the pop of yellow on the deep blue.

Last week I wore it with teal:

My friend Leslie is still hooking me up with Stella & Dot, to wear and have fun with. Although I keep resisting hosting a trunk show (I really don’t like that sort of thing), I’m more than happy to borrow her samples, take pictures of them, review them, and maybe buy a few here and there, the ones that I really like. I didn’t think I’d want to buy this one, but it’s seriously growing on me. For consideration.

Always look on the bright side of life

I may have started 2014 off on the wrong foot, with my pessimistic rant about the new year last week (I think that was just PMS combined with the lingering effects of a bad cough and a bad case of I-don’t-want-to-be-back-at-work), but I’m determined to pull it back.

I was going to post my New Year’s resolutions even though I’m late and it’s already getting towards late January, but then I realized that my list is pretty much the same as last year.

But I’m not going to be pessimistic about that, I will not see that as having accomplished nothing last year,  it’s just a continuation. I’m going to continue eating healthy as much as possible, being financially responsible, not procrastinating, and definitely staying optimistic. (Glass half-full! Half-full!)

I’m also going to add these more easily-measurable goals:

• Move every day. I will never be a gym person, and that’s fine. When the weather is good, I walk two hours every weekday. Even if I don’t do that, I need to move. Even just 10 minutes a day. It’s beneficial and I can commit to that anywhere (but likely at home).
• Read at least one book per month. I always have my iPad or iPhone in my hand. I read blogs, online articles, etc. all the time, and that’s fine, but I want to get back to reading actual books. My goal is to read at least one book per month (re-reads count, I was going through my shelves the other day and realizing I own a lot of books that I want to read again). I’m already ahead, I’ve read two new ones this month already.

(A Short History of England packed a lot of history into not very many pages, so much so that I felt like I learned a lot and also nothing at all. I think everyone is reading Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and like most people I found it really funny and entertaining. Never mind that it took me two hours fighting with my Kobo and Adobe Digital Editions to download the library ebook, in the end it was worth it.)

• Wear everything in my closet. I heard somewhere that we tend to wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time (or it could just be Barney Stinson making stuff up). I think I fall into that habit, especially with something new. So I’ve done the trick of turning all my clothes hangers around and then turning them back the right way when I wear something. It’s awesome to keep track of what I’ve worn recently and what I haven’t worn in a while.
• Make an effort with photos. Last year I used my iPhone camera pretty much exclusively. I’m not going to stop using my iPhone; my goal has never been to have a huge blogger following and entice people with gorgeous photographs that get pinned all the time. In the end, my blog is for future me, and future me only wants to remember what I wore and what I did, but future me might also appreciate a few better photos every now and then.

January is the cruellest month

I heard a coworker say that January is just so DULL, and I totally agree. The holidays are over. The first full week back at work was painful. The weather has been bad. I had to layer to commute to work, and I felt like a stuffed, constricted, angry sausage. Outside of the layers, I’m still feeling constricted (thank you holiday weight gain).

J.Crew Merino v-neck sweater // knockoff J.Crew necklace // J.Crew No.2 Pencil Skirt // Wolford tights // Michael Kors heels

It’s barely mid-January and I feel like I’ve started the year off on the wrong foot. I’m already failing at the ever-popular “eating healthier/being healthier” resolution, despite (or maybe because of) all the Weight Watchers/Jenny Craig/Curves/Herbal Magic/Slimband/Special K/yogurt commercials on TV. I don’t have retail therapy to fall back on because I’ve pledged not to do that either.

I think what’s also bumming me out is that I expect to much of a new year. It’s a clean slate and a fresh start, and somehow I expect that I’ll be able to change what I don’t like easily. I expect that when the calendar clicks over to January I’ll want to do things right away instead of procrastinating, I’ll be compelled to exercise every day, and I’ll suddenly reach for the steamed broccoli instead of the milk chocolate English toffee (ain’t gonna happen).

(Seriously what would you choose?)

Of course, I know I’m setting myself up for failure this way. The calendar clicks over and I’m not suddenly embracing all my resolutions easily and freely, so the whole year is shot and why even bother trying. That will be my resolution of the year, don’t give up, keep going.

And stop procrastinating. That’s the worst one. I’ll do that one later. ;)

2014!

via

I’m finally ready to acknowledge the new year now that I’m starting to feel better again. If I were a superstitious person, I might say it’s a bad sign to end a year and start a new one sick, so it’s a good thing I’m not superstitious. Bad colds/coughs happen.

Of course, feeling better also means I have to go back to work tomorrow and wear real clothes.

New year also means making resolutions that generally won’t be kept, but I’m a believer in resolving to change/improve anyway. There’s nothing wrong in resolving to eat healthier (more vegetables! less sugar! less in general!), work out more, stop procrastinating, and shop less/smarter. If I don’t at least resolve these things, I won’t attempt them for at least two weeks.

In all seriousness, I am aiming for a less indulgent year. 2013 was pretty hedonistic for me, so I want to dial back in 2014.

One thing that won’t change is the pictures I take from my balcony. I gotta enjoy this view while it lasts!

December in pictures, and 2013 (briefly) in review

A little lighter on the pictures in December, but still focused on things that are me: food, dogs, jewellery, teal.

donkeys in the snow // milk chocolate pineapple and black pepper bar // the historic Distillery District // spicy Mayan hot chocolate // Sven the 120-lb 9-month-old Bernese Mountain puppy // jewellery cleanup // aqua Kitchenaid stand mixer, I want it but have no need for it // New York Times 36-hour cookie dough // Shake Shack frozen custard with chocolate toffee

Again in 2013, my blog and my Instagram continues to serve the purpose of keeping track of what I’ve done in the past year, because without it, I wouldn’t remember anything.

It’s a bit alarming that every year my memory becomes more and more like a sieve, I do keep the big bits (I haven’t forgotten that my sister had major surgery this year and that was a big deal), but some of the big bits I probably should have retained almost slipped through. Like the fact I spent a week’s vacation in BC in August. Will’s sister got married that week, that’s something I should be able to easily remember, from not that long ago. But apparently not. I fear early-onset Alzheimer’s.

According to my blog and my Instagram, this is what I did this year:

• Travelled a lot (by my standards). Boston, Boston again, Ottawa, Parksville and Vancouver, cottage in Muskoka, Iceland, London, Copenhagen, Ottawa again, and Boston again for Christmas (just back on Sunday night).
• Ate a lot. I even devoted an entire post to what I ate in Europe. What can I say, I love food.
• While eating a lot, managed to keep myself in my current clothes by walking and working out more. I bemoaned by fitness commitment issues (I really hate working out), but I found barre3 and realized that finding something I like is more than half the battle.
• Didn’t keep very good track of my shopping. I think I bought some knit dresses, more jewellery, easy basics, and multiples (of knit dresses and basics like sweaters and T-shirts).
• Took all of my outfit photos by iPhone. There might be one or two in there taken by someone else, but I relied on the iPhone all year to snap quick pics before running out the door.
• Took a lot of photos from my balcony. Here are some more!

This was after the great ice storm of 2013 that hit Toronto, when the drizzle cleared up and the sun came out. It was so beautiful, Will and I had to go out and take more pictures around the neighbourhood.

The sunset hitting the icy trees was beautiful, far better than my iPhone could capture.

I’m ending 2013 with a nasty chest cold/bronchitis, so there’s no partying for me tonight (not that I do a lot of that when I’m healthy anyway). I’m thinking dinner and a movie on the couch, after I get home from seeing the matinee show of Les Miserables this afternoon (I bought my ticket a few weeks ago, I’m dragging myself out to that).

Hope everyone has a great (and safe) New Year’s Eve, thanks for reading in 2013, and see you in 2014!

'twas the morning after the night before Christmas

Oh wait, that makes it Christmas morning. Merry Christmas everyone!

My brother-in-law is leaving this morning to visit his sister in BC, so we had a big Christmas dinner last night. Roast prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, Brussels sprouts, mashed sweet potatoes, and a pavlova for dessert. My tummy hates me this morning, but I'll recover in a few hours to have our second big meal, roast duck. After that, fasting. (Just kidding. It's still the holidays!)

Yorkshire puddings from Will's mom's 50-year-old recipe

 

Prime rib, medium rare, the way it should be. 

 

Pavlova with whipped cream, passion fruit curd, and pomegranate seeds. I ate a quarter of that last night. I regret nothing. 

 

Will and I flew out of Toronto to Boston yesterday morning and we were fortunate that it was smooth and painless. It was a rough few days for Toronto with the ice storm, but Will and I and most of the people we know have been very very very lucky. The power stayed on for us all weekend, and we flew out after the storm was over so there were no problems. I feel for everyone who still doesn't have power on Christmas morning, especially the kids. I kinda feel like I should be back in Toronto helping out people. I am feeling very very thankful for what I have though.

Black–the night that ends at last

I’m been in a deep blue, very un-Christmassy-like funk for most of December. Black is appropriate

Anthro Cream Confection Jacket (Idra – 2010) // Club Monaco striped top // Club Monaco Janis tuque (that’s beanie to all non-Canadians) // Gap legging jeans in indigo (I’m wearing jeans!) // Geox boots (2009) // Marc Jacobs Preppy Leather Hillier Hobo (2012)

I faked it with my bright pink tuque, but I’ve been pretty bummed. Not sure why. Probably just tired and worn out. I’ll be fine with a little time off over Christmas.

Hot chocolate helps.

Soma chocolate Spicy Mayan – not too sweet, and very spicy

Overindulging on chocolate helps too.

 
Pineapple and black pepper bar, tumbled australian ginger and wild cherries

(I’m calling December my Fatty Fat Fat Fat month, I’m pretty much eating whatever I want and it’s awesome, but I will have to shut it down come January.)

Big dogs help too.

Big 9-month-old dum puppies named Sven who already weighs 120 pounds. (He gave me a big doggie hug.)

Also dogs and bundled up small children.

And surprisingly, the snow helps too. It make me feel more in the Christmas spirit.

Red–I feel my soul on fire

The obvious title for this post is “Lady in Red,” but instead I went for revolutionary students and British/French musicals.

Blues are generally my colour palette of choice, I gravitate towards the cooler end of the colour spectrum. Sometimes I wear a bit of pink, sometimes I wear orange, but I never wear red. I’m not opposed to red, I just don’t wear it.

Antho Elementary Jersey Dress (Girls From Savoy) // J.Crew knockoff necklace from Etsy // Wolford Satin Opaque tights in anthracite // Tory Burch Reva flats

I was going to buy it in blue, but I have many blue dresses already so out of the comfort zone and into the red. (Also great sale price with the recent 20% off Black Friday promo, managed to get the promo price on the black one too. Definitely not worth the original $118, but $32? That’s Old Navy pricing. Score.)

It feels different to wear red. Saucy even.

with bubble necklace // J.Crew Jenna’s Cardigan

I love turquoise and red, but the bubble necklace seems to be competing too much so I swapped it out with the Stella & Dot Marchesa necklace.

So I’ve worn it twice so far, and I can’t believe the number of people (dudes included) coming up to me and saying “OMG, you never wear red!” I think I would have caused more of a stir if I’d walked in naked. (I won’t. It’s cold out.)