packing

so europe is still far off, but i have to admit, i'm already getting a little anxious about packing my life into a backpack for what i'm hoping will be the most amazing seven weeks of my life. i am the most infamous "over packer" there is.. always concerned about packing "options"... i've been obsessed with asking friends and family who have traveled-backpack style- what the "essentials" are... so far, my thoughts are focused on finding cute cotton dresses, comfortable shorts that can be casual for day trips and dressed up for dinners or nights out, deciding which pairs of my many jeans i love most, and finding a new pair of sandals that look cute and will not leave my feet feeling like i can never walk again after hours of touristy exploring...

my plan is to bring my backpack to whistler with me this weekend. my trip will include plane rides, bus rides, walking to find my sisters place (i haven't been to visit since she moved).. i figure it'll be good practice, choosing and packing only the essentials!

wish me luck!

ps. thats my actual backpack! mines just blue :)

{photo cred, mec}

floating islands

my favorite dessert is without a doubt, le select bistro's iles flotants - floating islands. fresh merengue pouffs floating in a pool of creamy, vanilla custard-y type liquid; topped with flecks of hardened caramelized sugar. really doesn't get much better. in my current obsession with cooking and baking i have decided that i must, atleast try, to master making iles flotants, so i'm able to share the delicious with as many people as possible!!! i plan on trying this recipe very soon!

{photo cred}

ipad

i recently bought an ipad and i'm in love with it! when i was away on my girls trip, my friend had an ipad and it was so convenient and entertaining and i felt it would be perfect for our upcoming eurotrip.

i chose the white ipad 2 with a pretty tan leather cover - aesthetics are important right?

i've been downloading apps like crazy and trying to figure out how everything works! this is my third apple product, and i am continuously impressed with how great their inventions are! my favorite apps so far are style.com, pinterest (obviously), and instagram! d is obsessed with angry birds! and i have bookmarked all my favorite blogs on safari, making it easy to catch up on new posts!

do any of you have ipads? do you love them?! what apps are the best?

wanderlust wednesday

come next friday, i'll be reunited with my little sister in whistler, british columbia!... i am so super stoked to see her and i am SO excited to meet sweet baby bentley - her new puppy! oh and not to mention, i get to ski whistler blackcomb - yay for weekend ski trips!

cupcakes

i have found the recipe for the perfect chocolate cupcake. it literally produces the most moist cake with crispy edges, a delicious cupcake every single time.

...as anticipated, february has brought birthdays, and birthdays deserve cupcakes! : )

just because

guide to toronto: restaurants

so i've been gathering ideas to do a guide to toronto, sharing my own favorite restaurants, bars, places, things to do - i don't have a finished product quite yet - but i could not bear to hold out on you any longer!

i had to share my love of marben after returning for my second feast this past weekend. i eat out, a lot, and this restaurant has shot to the top of my "YOU HAVE TO EAT HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE" list!

both of my visits to the restaurants have been genuinely amazing food experiences. the wait staff are so uber passionate about the food. so many of the products they use and sell - veg, meats, cheese, wine - is sourced locally and the menu changes up quite a bit because of this. they even make their own butter! like who does that?!

they have bar stools that line the kitchen window and you can sit and interact with the chefs as they cook your meal. or you can catch up with friends in one of their cool, cozy booths.

i've tried a good portion of the dinner menu and my favorites include john's burger and denins' beef - both "must-trys" in my humble little opinion.

i have yet to try out the lunch and brunch menus. the ice cream sandwich on the lunch list looks delicious and i know their breakfast sandwich was recently featured as one of toronto life's "best eight breakfast sandwiches in the city"

there's not that many restaurants i get this excited about. go with great friends, feast on amazing good, drink awesome wine and enjoy!

fun to 'read'

I quite enjoyed reading, and looking at this article. #hunks

crochet shorts

i have been on the lookout for a pair of crochet/lace shorts and the search is finally over. i found this black pair at zara yesterday. a stretchy waistband and comfy fit makes these a new favorite and i plan to wear them this weekend with tights and heels! i was literally drooling as i browsed the zara website earlier this week, especially at the skirts!...take a look here!

peach & berry crisp

when i entered the grocery store to pick up ingredients for our dinner party on monday night, they had huge ripe peaches sitting right at the door. i've been wanting to try a peach crisp for so long and figured this the perfect opportunity! the price of the peaches, being out of season, dictated the addition of raspberries and blueberries, but it ended up being a perfect combination. i don't have a recipe to pass on as i sort of combined different aspects of a couple recipes, but it was a brilliant dessert! i feel that ice cream is mandatory with any sort of fruit crisp, but it is delicious without as well. our guests loved it, and d snacked on the leftovers for breakfast tuesday morning - which is always a good sign! :)