Just a quick check-in!

My, I forgot how exhausting the Holidays can be...

I feel to tired to share any of my own thoughts so instead I will share this quote found on Reverie:

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us" ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Coming up to "The New Year", I feel like these are wise words to keep in mind....ooh! and speaking of the New Year I must show off the fabulous menu I helped plan for New Years Eve... it's going to be delicious!)

Another thing I'm going to share is the song I've had stuck in my head all day long. Last night I watched 500 Days of Summer (for the second time) and again I will say that it is darling, and if you haven't seen it you should. AND the soundtrack is AWESOME.

Suppose that's it for now! Tomorrow I will indeed show off my kick-ass menu, but until then, it is past my bedtime.

HAPPY BOXING DAY!!

Ahhh Boxing Day, probably one of my favourite days of the whole year (seriously!)

Not sure why its called 'Boxing Day' or why it's a statutory holiday here in Canada, but you know what? Don't really care. All I know is Boxing Day is a day when one can actually justify not. doing. anything.

In my house getting dressed is optional, eating leftover Christmas dinner and too many Christmas sweets is mandatory, and the whole day is filled with a quiet calm as we all recoupperate from the hectic pre-Christmas chaos and excitement of Christmas Day. The house is usually a mess, and sometimes we clean it - but sometimes we don't. Usually we just laze about the house enjoying our Christmas loot, drink a lot of tea/coffee and just RELAX.

How marvelous.

HOME SWEET HOME

Well I made it. Despite blizzards and blowing snow my flight landed smoothly in Halifax on Sunday night, and now I am "Home for the Holidays". It's quite lovely.

I still don't quite have a room of my own, as my 'little' brother (I say 'little' because he is in fact now bigger than I am, which is a startling thought) has taken over my old bedroom in my absence; leaving me to sleep in his old room which is now a sad looking mess of his things and mine stuffed in a corner. But the familiarity of being in the house which I have grown up in is quite comforting.

AND I've gotten to see my nearest and dearest friends! How lucky I am to know people like these, I tell ya. Last night, after the crushing discovery that A Single Man hasn't yet opened in Halifax, a couple of said dear friends and I decided to go bowling instead. Hold your judgements, because Bowling. Is. Awesome. Seriously! some junk food, a pitcher of beer, 3 24-year olds with questionable (yet evident) bowling talents is a ROCKIN' Monday Night.

Only nuisance was this scene from Across the Universe popped into my head so I had I've Just Seen a Face playing inside my head for the entire duration of the game:

Fingers Crossed...

Weather Forecast: Halifax, Nova Scotia

WEATHER WARNING

Snowfall warning for Halifax Metro and Halifax County West

WEATHER WARNING

Blowing snow warning for Halifax Metro and Halifax County West

>>>Heading home for Christmas tonight. The forecast does not bode well...here's hoping I'm able to make it!

Is it bad that I've decided I want to become "a regular" at a bar?

Last night I [begrudgingly] went to my Landlord's bar to help out as some servers have gone home for the holidays. Turns out the place was dead so instead I just sat at the bar and hung out for a couple of hours. (He paid me anyway, I feel super guilty about that). The place is great though; super chill, and the people who work there are lovely. I kind of like the idea of popping into one's local pub where the staff knows you by name, and vice versa. Sitting at the bar, catching up over a drink and then carrying on with your night. Perhaps once I move into my new apartment I'll find some local pub to try out this venture. ...and/or I'll just head back to Landlord's pub in the New Year..

Hi friends!

Holiday shopping and preparations have been consuming my life lately, and while I'm sure I have a grand story to tell somewhere in my brain, I will instead just say a quick HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to one Miss Jane Austen, who was born on this day in 1775. I often express my desire to live an "Austenian Lifestyle" with balls, and gowns, and lavish country living, and marvelous men a la Mr Darcy. After reading a few of her personal letters, may I say that Miss Austen didn't seem to have fared too poorly ( admittedly I know much else of her, although I understand personal details of her life are somewhat scant). Anywho, Cheers to you Jane!

Apartment Therapy, you've hit me where it hurts..

I am in love. Deeply and profoundly in love with this apartment. I want it, I need it, it is what my apartment shall aspire to be for ever more.

Yay new discovery!

Today my dear friend and I were strolling around Yorkville when we stumbled upon a store called Anthropologie. She said she'd heard all about it and wanted to check it out, so we did.

It was beautiful! Filled with pretty albeit overpriced tops and cosy sweaters and quirky mugs and housewares, and just lovely things that I would love to have purchased. However it is Christmas shopping season and I am about to sign a lease and I have no job to speak of, so no purchases were made.

BUT they will be in the future and it will be glorious.

Check it out!

I Heart False Eyelashes and 60s Chic

VICTORY! and Dreamin' Big

Halle-freakin'-luiah!

We haven't signed the lease yet, but a lease has been drafted and the place is as good as ours. Initially we had some trepidations about the area; it wasn't really where we initially thought we wanted to live, and it's more of an "up and coming neighbourhood" than an established area BUT it is close to downtown, the apartment is gorgeous and the rent is right on target SO it's a go.

I stewed over this place for a while, but now that it's a go-ahead I can tell that I am excited and really like it.

How can I tell you ask? Why because I have been thinking, invisioning, and looking up ways to decorate my fancy new digs.

For example, I think this print (courtesy of Ciao Chessa) is fabulous and would look oh-so-cute in our bathroom
and I'm thinking a sectional sofa would be great in the living room... perhaps not this one
(even though it's the coolest ever) but something simple, classic like any of these

photo sources

and Roomie is intent on having some sort of deer, or squirrel, or antler in our apartment, so perhaps something cutsie and vintage like this for our mantle (because, that's right we have a brick fireplace!)

or maybe a couple of these little guys?? All in all, I am happy that the Apartment Safari is [temporarily at least] over and while I have nowhere near enough cash to furnish the apartment as I see it in my dreams, with some creativity, some clever budgeting and some craigslist finds, I'm sure we can make this place a wonderful starter apartment for our fab new Toronto life.

I'm a sucker for packaging

It's true, I'll admit it. Show me an attractive book cover, vintage inspired make-up casing, or a fun, quirky store and I will consider buying your product. (Please don't judge me..I can't help it!) For example, this afternoon while perusing through this weeks Now I stumbled upon a beautiful movie poster. To be precise it was this movie poster:

I mean c'mon!

Colin Firth - whom I can't help but have a crush on (and I know if you look deep inside you'll admit that there is indeed something about this adorable British man that you can't get enough of) - Julianne Moore, who is just plain fabulous, a 1960s setting, and directed by Tom Ford? I am going to see this movie.

...and then I looked up the trailer...


...and am stoked. Dramatic music, cinematography that was obviously guided by a fashion designer's eye, AND Matthew Goode ('cause I know I have a crush on him..) ?!!? I am going to see this movie.

(Of course I also said the same about this movie poster, and sadly have yet to head to the movie theatre)..

I don't know if I've told you about TOblog yet; but I'm going to.

I don't remember how I stumbled upon it, but I'm happy I did. It's a great place to read about upcoming events in the city, all things artistic - and really just a great resource for someone new to town hoping to check things out.

It's also how I discovered Circuit Gallery, which I predict will come in handy when it comes to decorating my (ever illusive) Toronto apartment.

.
.
.

Of course, I haven't been doing much browsing as of late due to the all-consuming Apartment Hunt and what has become a truly obnoxious internet "connection".. but mark my words, these sites will come in handy some day! (In the mean time does anybody want to give me the low-down on Cabbagetown? Saw a FAB apartment there the other day, however it's not so much in Cabbagetown, as it is next to it. Problem is, it also happens to be next to Regent Park - aka the shady part of town...)