Life

Summer Scenes

  1. The most incredible lunch, at Jean Talon market
  2. Favourite delivery food, eaten curbside with M
  3. Soul Rebels Brass Band at the Montreal International Jazz Festival
  4. A flypass in honour of the Royals visiting Ottawa
  5. My little housewarming party, complete with fruit-filled sparkling sangria and wonderful friends
  6. Battling live lobster
  7. Pints of cider at the perfect window seat, on Canada Day
  8. The fireworks display from Major’s Hill
  9. Remnants of outstanding nachos
  10. An espresso at one of many Starbucks runs

Life has lately been a blur of picture-perfect scenes, not all of which I’ve been able to capture on film. Between work, moving into a new apartment, running errands and spending time with friends, my blog (as well as various other beloved hobbies) appears to have fallen by the wayside. I am experiencing severe blog guilt, but can’t seem to find an hour to just sit down and write. I hope you’ll accept my photo journal as a suitable replacement – at least until I get my act back together.

You might be happy to note that I’ve been ticking things off my summer bucket list, which, to me at least, indicates that I’m actually out there living, instead of just sitting around writing about it. Does that count for something?

This is the best summer of my life, by far. I hope that yours is equally wonderful.

What memories have you made these last few months?

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!

Oh hot damn, this is my jam. It’s got me partying til the A.M. Y’all don’t understand! It’ll make you throw your hands in the ayer, ay-ay-ay-ayer.

You know what’s awesome? What’s awesome is when you walk into the grocery store and are literally barraged by the scent of fresh, local, intoxicating produce. Like, for example, these beautiful Quebec strawberries: they were begging me to take them home. And although they weren’t big fat GMOs with all that swagger, they were cute, humble, far-more-flavourful nuggets of juice that took my breath away. I lopped off the tops and have been using them to trap my fruit flies ever since. Amen.

…

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!Read More »

Fish Tacos

Ooh, child!

Life is good. Isn’t life grand? Life is great.

Here’s what’s shaking: Gwyneth Paltrow (aka wife of Chris Martin aka mother of Apple and Moses aka friend of Mario Batali aka writer/cook/singer/actress), the one and only, wrote a cookbook.

I didn’t buy it. I have a friend who equal parts loathes and envies Mrs. Paltrow (looking at you, A) and she would probably disown me. Also, it’s expensive and only a few of the recipes caught my eye. Including this one, for fish tacos.

And as you may remember, I’m trying to learn Spanish this summer, so a Mexican-themed night was certainly in order!

…

Fish TacosRead More »

Summer Bucket List

A couple weeks ago, I wrote down some of my thoughts on summer – some of the things I hope to experience before a chill sets into the air again and I’m back off to school. Today, I want to solidify my summer bucket list to ensure that despite my full-time job, I still live my summer to the fullest! Life’s good in the summer, and I don’t want to miss a thing. Here’s my summer to-do list!

  1. Have a picnic
  2. Go to the closest amusement park – July 20
  3. Spend a day at the beach
  4. Buy fresh produce at the local farmer’s market – July 4
  5. Take a hot yoga class – June 17
  6. Go for a motorcycle ride – June 29
  7. Attend a music festival – Montreal International Jazz Festival: June 25-July 4 (attended ~5 performances)
  8. Participate in Camp NaNoWriMo
  9. Throw a BBQ
  10. Practice my Spanish on BBC Languages
  11. Cook fresh lobster – July 10
  12. Take a cooking or a dancing class

Ooh I’m getting excited just writing it all down. So far this summer, I’ve already had so many amazing experiences: drinks at a live jazz club, long talks in an abandoned gazebo, reading on park benches, being showered by love by an outdoor tabby cat, poker nights with doors and windows wide open, fresh pie at midnight on an outdoor patio.. it’s been absolutely wonderful. I’ve been working hard, making friends, practicing my French (I speak exclusively French at work!) and enjoying the beautiful weather. I can’t wait to get the keys to my adorable new apartment and start making myself a home. So many exciting things to look forward to!

Tell me, what’s on your summer bucket list? Have you already had some amazing summer experiences? Let me know!

Scroll to Top