Author: aijathompson

Being Canuck

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Man, I’ve missed writing this!  I’ve needed the past few weeks to gather my thoughts and take it easy, but I’m finally ready to tackle this beauty again. Embracing the Canadian in me while being out west a few weeks ago, I pulled out my version of the Canadian tuxedo.  While denim on denim can be a little overwhelming, to say the least, my modern twist is much darker combination than those found in family photos of the 90s (no offence).  Topped with a plaid scarf, I’m not sure how much Canuck I can get! Checking out new spots is clearly something I love to do, so my recent visits to Calgary have been that much more exciting as I spend more and more time there.  This record wall is just one of the cool places we scouted out this weekend and was the perfect location for this shoot.  Along with other restaurant finds and a trip into the mountains, I can’t imagine a better way for the weekend to have gone down.

Marben

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My foodie adventures for 2016 continues with an unreal Winterlicious lunch at Marben.  With old friends to catch up with and delicious food coming our way, we couldn’t be more excited!  Their wide selection made choices so difficult because everything sounded so darn good!  We both started things off with the winter greens salad (the toasted hazelnuts were so key!).  I then flowed right into another cozy meal of braised short rib which fell apart with total ease; I’m such a sucker for winter meals and this was on point.  Lucky me, I also got a little taste of the Albacore tuna.  Followed by the hazelnut cheesecake, we couldn’t put our forks down as it was beyond delicious.   The creamy cheese filling was just so rich and fluffy!  With full bellies, we could not have been happier with our selection and will definitely be paying Marben another visit in the future.

Bar Buca

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Finally back at it with some of my foodie adventures!  With Winterlicious back in full swing, I couldn’t be more excited to visit some of the restaurants on my list.  Bar Buca was the first to try this year that hosts a menu in an Italian tapas style; whatever is ready first they brought out.  For this reason, we made sure to have a few different selections to share so we could both eat from what was brought out.  Winterlicious in itself is meant as a way to try out new things and new restaurants but never have I had such a great selection!  From the rapini, testa, and citrus salads, the lunch was starting off on an excellent foot.  To my surprise, I loved the sweet and spicy vinaigrette combined with the citrus elements and the olives.  Followed by the Mortadella sandwich and the roasted cauliflower in spicy tomato sauce, we seriously could not believe how tasty everything was!  I’d have to say that the cauliflower is what I loved most and is something …

Café Kitsuné

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After a busy holiday season, I’m so glad I had a bit of time to head home and catch up with old friends.  Reuniting with my photography genius Brianna (who did most of the photography for the blog over the summer) was one of the best moments!  After having visited the coffee shop in Paris two summers ago, I was told that Café Kitsuné had opened a shop in Montreal as well.  Since I had yet to pay a visit, it was the perfect time.  Located just west of St. Laurent on Prince Arthur, the quaint little cafe has an eclectic feel with an enormous and awe inspiring KITSUNE light along the back wall; it can’t go unnoticed from the street. Butcher block counters and tables were of course my favourite element and gave a cozy woodsy feel to the place.  With a couple warm lattes in hand and my favourite blanket scarf wrapped around me, the cold winter weather outside became that much more enjoyable! Wearing: Hat from Mendocino, V Long Sleeve, Scarf

Be Calm

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Although the new year has started on a bit of a low health-wise, getting tons of rest has definitely helped but being on the couch almost all day has made my little outings that much more important.  Regardless of your busy week or your energy levels, an hour with some fresh air and a change of scenery can make a world of difference.  As I headed south as I left home, I realized the little shop, Village Juicery, wasn’t a far walk and was calling my name.  As soon as a I stepped in and took a look at the selection of juices for the day, Be Calm was the one that jumped out at me.  After a quick little sample, I knew this was exactly what I needed to boost my mood and lift my spirits.  The mix of celery, pineapple, fennel, cucumber, and mint isn’t something I would have put together myself but it made for a perfectly sweet and calming combination. Even if grabbing a juice isn’t your thing, I know there are …

“Do one thing a day that scares you”

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Ok, so maybe not everyday.  But this quote from lululemon has been a constant reminder for myself over the past few years to push myself to the limits.  As 2015 has come to a close I’m looking back at the positives, negatives, and improvements that I can make for this year and all the things I wish to accomplish; this blog being one of them.  The ideas themselves scare me to bits!  Every post, every competition, and almost every time I introduce myself to someone.  Putting that aside,I know that what I’m doing and putting out there has helped me in a number of ways in the past therefore I continue to post every week (within reason) to get me to that limit.  Without a doubt, I will continue with this into 2016 and share everything I’ve been up to and what I’m doing to show others how easy it can all really be.  I can’t wait to see what’s next! As an aside, I’m glad the temperatures are finally dropping and it makes it …

Exams

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Better late than never, right?! Just like every other student, regardless of how much you prep, the end of semester is always tough to take.  Even with all the craziness, I still try and post when I finally have the chance.  Essentially what’s going on here is my classic studying at home look that I’ve been reppin’ the past couple weeks.  I’m not normally into graphic T’s but this one clearly called to me; it also makes me miss the snow and skiing so much!  The best part though, has to be my align leggings from lululemon.  I can barely take them off even to give them a wash (shh!).  Probably the softest things you will ever own! Alright, now back to the books!

Chobani Soho Inspired Snacks

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Just one hectic week after the next; all the finals, term projects, and assignment deadlines seem to come at once.  Regardless of how much you prepared ahead of time it always seems to hit hard.  My days have been spent with countless readings, writing, and brainstorming ideas for various design projects I have coming at me.  With all this hectic-ness though, I’m still trying to keep up with writing and ideas for my blog.  What I’m sharing today is something inspired from a little visit at the Chobani Soho while I was in New York City back in August.  Their little yogurt bowls were so yummy I tried to recreate a few recipes myself!  My two favourites so far have to be…. Plain Greek yogurt with clementine, cocoa nibs (or dark chocolate), pistachios, and honey AND Vanilla Greek yogurt with chai granola (from Bulk Barn), blackberries, and honey These combinations have at least kept my mood up while I cram and try to balance out everything else!

On a Sunday

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Oh my goodness.  The last week has been non-stop for me and it has continued right through the weekend.  It’s getting into crunch time for a few of my classes as final assignments start to pile up.  Even with the hectic schedule I’ve been working with, I needed to get some fresh air this afternoon so I headed down to Bunner’s in Kensington Market for a quick lunch before I get back to the books.  This place is one of my favourites for something quick and simple.  Their pockets are easy to eat with one hand so you can free up the other for a coffee.  Talk about perfect! I also picked up a few of their adorable baby cinnamon buns!  They’re a little denser than your typical roll, but they’re delicious in their own way.  Whenever I’m down there I love picking up a little something to share later with friends or family.

Pencil Skirt + Sweatshirt

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This crazy weather just won’t seem to cool down but I’m definitely not complaining; I’m still just wearing a sweater outside and it feels great!  Not our typical Canadian Novembers that’s for sure.  While I’m taking advantage of this warmer weather, I’m still able to show off a little without sacrificing warmth.  Wearing this pencil skirt is exactly that and better yet, it’s stretchy and comfy as ever.  Instead of dressing it up, it’s actually really simple to dress a skirt like this casually.  Wearing a classic crewneck sweater is a perfect fall way to do that; in my case, this cropped sweater wasn’t exactly what I was looking for originally but ended up being a total score!  So instead of looking like I just came out of an office, I think this ensemble looks even cozier while still keeping the tailored feature of the skirt going strong.