some new additions

We've been working away at making the new flat feel like home, getting some new furniture and accessories to make it our own. Thought I would share a few more photos of some new additions...

{ These small pots line the sunny window in our kitchen }

{ Terra-cotta pots - Dollarama, Cacti - local flower market }

{ Our new coffee table tray is functional and pretty }

{ Tray - West Elm, Candles - Ikea, Magnifying glass - Chapters, Civilettes - Drake General Store, Coasters - a gift from wonderful friends in Vancouver }

{ New votive candles line the fireplace mantle in our bedroom }

{ Votives - West Elm }

{ The furniture left behind by the old tenant now feels like ours with new cushions from Home Sense }

{ A key and change dish for the front hall table }

{ Wooden bowl - Home Sense }

{ A sweet treat for visitors }

{ Finally got a leaning bookshelf that fits perfectly in the corner of our living room. Makes for a fun way to display some of our favorite reads }

{ Bookshelf - Casalife }

Half of our couch is being delivered tomorrow(!!!), with the other half coming in two weeks... There'll be more photos once everything is finally in place!

a tasty pizza pie

We had a really fun Friday night. The type of Friday night that called for a Saturday spent being couch potatoes and ordering pizza. We had heard great things about North of Brooklyn Pizzeria and thought it was a perfect night for a taste testing. Unfortunately we are outside the delivery range but it was just a short drive to their Queen West and Palmerston location. The menu is simple with four featured pies, and we figured we better stick to the basics because they must do them well. We chose a pepperoni pie, but couldn't resist a slice of white when we saw it on the counter when we got there. The tomato sauce was fresh, the cheese was creamy and gooey, and the thin and crispy crust tasted even better when dipped in the roasted garlic dipping sauce. Also, the pepperoni was amazing but the White pizza was out of this world good - the peppery arugula with lemon dressing just took it to another level - I highly recommend giving both a try!

It always feels like a mini accomplishment to find little gems like this in such a big city. A laid back joint with super tasty food definitely defines a winner in my books.

fresh petals

One of my favorite things about our new place is living across the street from a fresh flower and fruit market. It makes me so happy to have beautiful vases of fresh flowers decorating our home. A small luxury that  makes coming home every day feel even more special.

strawberry lemonade popsicles

Soooo, our new apartment doesn't have air conditioning. Womp Womp.... And with these humid 30 degree days lately, we've been looking for anyway to stay cool. Enter --> homemade popsicles! I have little doubt that the $2 we spent on the popsicle mould will be some of the best money spent this summer. We went for strawberry lemonade for our first batch but I can't wait to try some more flavor combinations! 

{ I cut half a pint of strawberries into quarters then cooked them with just a 

little bit of sugar and orange juice }

{ After cooking the berries down, I blended them up in the food processor }

(blender would work just as well) 

{ Using a measuring cup made it easy to pour the puree into the bottom of the moulds }

{ Filled up the rest of the moulds with lemonade }

{ Put the sticks in before putting them in the freezer }

{ And after a night in the freezer... }

 { Voila! Frozen treats, ready to help us beat the heat! }

zara is having a sale

 

{ Demin shirt, sheer top & floral pencil skirt }

Well I know where I'm going on my lunch tomorrow... Zara is having a sale and literally everything on the website is marked down... Hallelujah. During my pretend shopping spree tonight I paired these pieces together - perfect for a casual work outfit that could easily transition for a girls dinner out.

favorite finds

Pre-move in, we did a lot of garage sale-ing, church rummage-ing and sunday night garbage picking. We did buy a lot of our stuff at different stores, looking for good deals with a few splurges snuck in here and there, but it's been the most fun seeing our creative, inexpensive finds fit into place. 

Some pieces required some serious DIY-ing but it's been worth a bit of elbow grease with how the final looks have come together. 

Here are some of my favorites finds...

{ Decanters we got at a church rummage sale for $2 each }

{ Necklace for $3 at a church rummage sale }

{ I got this huge mirror for free right before someone was going to throw it in the trash bin }

{ Wine rack for $2 at a church rummage sale }

{ We found this chair at someone's curb during a Sunday night neighbourhood walk }

{ This dresser cost $6 at a church rummage sale }

gone zane-y

I came across a new store on Queen St W on my walk home one night called Zane. They carry loads of Rebecca Minkoff purses and Karen Walker sunglasses - which are fun to browse through, but I've fallen in love with their collection of small beaded bracelets. I've been on the hunt for something special to send my little sister and knew I had found it when I saw these bracelets. They're priced well and the fun colors combined with the bit of glitzy gold make them fun for a simple everyday piece. The double strands sell for $40 and the single (not pictured) for $25. The turquoise one is in the mail and I kept the orange one for myself, and I've since returned to pick up a birthday gift. 

real men eat quiche

When I was younger, I hated quiche. I'm talking "I refuse to eat that" tantrums when my mom used to serve it for dinner. That being said, it's funny how things change :)

Quiche is such a nice way to get loads of veg into a meal, plus the protein of egg and the tastiness of cheese and a flaky crust. 

We bought frozen pie crust which made things super easy and we actually used the quiche recipe on the box for guidance. You can obviously combine any flavors you like but we used red pepper, mushroom, onion, spinach and brie. Another bonus was that we had cut up some extra veggies and had enough filling to make a second quiche to freeze for later.

We simply cooked down the vegetables together in a little vegetable oil and garlic, then poured them into the thawed crusts and topped with the cheese, herbs (basil and thyme) and the eggs that had been whisked together with the milk. You cook the quiche on 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350 degrees for the remaining 30 minutes. 

I can't wait to try some other flavor combinations. I want to try ham with cheddarar and goats cheese with roasted peppers. What combinations would you try?