Farmer’s Market

Over the weekend, I went to my first farmer’s market with the bff. I’ve never had the opportunity to go before now since I didn’t live anywhere near places that did them. Now that the season is almost over, the bff has discovered a few that are within 10 minutes from us.

I didn’t go totally nuts – I ended up with a basket of strawberries, some mixed tomato grapes, honey crisp apples, carrots, red shepherd peppers, some plums, and my favourite finds: the mushrooms. I picked up some shiitake mushrooms and trying out a new type of mushroom, the lion’s mane.  I loved all the beautiful and vibrant colours of the fruits and the vegetables on display and all the vendors we visited were so friendly. Plus, there were so many different varieties that I have never heard of – like the lion’s mane mushroom. I’ve done some research on them and they are supposed to be really good for you in terms of helping with memory and pushing back dementia.

I can’t wait for the next season now that I know I have access to so much organic and fresh fruits and veggies!

QOTD – 08.08.16

Happy Monday world!

The bff came over Saturday afternoon and we went swimming with her son. After that we had a little birthday celebration for her husband; there was cake and doughnuts and some mac and cheese from Bunner’s – an all vegan and gluten free bakery. Everything that I have had there has been super yummy, from the cakes and brownies to the sweet and savoury pies! If you’re in the Toronto area, check it out!
Then we headed over to the Waterfront Festival and spent the rest of the day enjoying the entertainment, the various farmer’s market booths. The bff’s son particularly enjoyed watching the ducks and geese dunking under water and sticking their bums in the air.
Sunday was a fun reading day. Finished the new Harry Potter, so I’ll have a thing on that later this week!

Anyway, hope everyone had a wonderful weekend as well!

Sleepy Cat

Nothing makes my heart happier than to watch this kitty cat take her afternoon naps. The other two will sleep anywhere and however, but Mia loves to snuggle down into the tiniest furball to ever exist and then she covers her face as if to block out the sunlight and it’s just the cutest thing ever. I have to try so hard to not poke her and disrupt her nap time!

Personal Update

The past few weeks have been absolute madness at work and I haven’t had a chance to do anything over here.

Our backup generator was broken and we needed to get it replaced. Which they did. Without checking the voltage. Because whoever was dealing with this stuff had a lapse in brain function. So everything at work went *poof* and died. Our computers, our security systems, heating systems, etc. all just gone with a snap of the finger.
On top of that, the reservation system that we use, the previous administration didn’t back it up and when we took it over, we never thought about it so it’s been a fun few days of starting over, manually adding every single piece of data back into our system. It’s just been one big hectic, stressful, nightmare.

But I did start part one of one of my New Year’s Resolution to finally get my tattoo. I did the consultation and I am going in mid April to get this done. I’m both really nervous and really excited about it.

So that’s my mini update! Hopefully things at work will settle and I’ll have some quiet time to start reading again 🙂

I’m Going to NYC!!!

I don’t know what it is about the city, but I love it. I have basically been to NYC at least once a year since I met the bff. Most people when I tell them I’m going back to my second home, they laugh at me and can’t understand why I would go from one fairly busy city to another crazy busy city. To be honest, I don’t really know how to explain my love either. There’s just something different about NYC, the pace and the energy of the city is exhilarating.

I am so excited about going back there and I thought that I would make a quick list of my six favourite things to do in NYC!

1. TIMES SQUARE!! – I know that almost everyone would tell you to avoid this place, it’s a tourist trap. Get in, take a picture if you must, then get straight back out. I normally would hate a place like this, so many people everywhere, pushing and shoving and packed. But for whatever reason, I absolutely LOVE Times Square! The lights, the people, the hustle. There is always something interesting to see. I always make it a point to come back here even if just for a little while.
2. Broadway show – I love catching a Broadway Show any time I get the chance to. I haven’t been able to go to much, I saw Rent here and fell in love with it. I also got to see The Little Mermaid (it was AMAZING), Cinderella (it was meh, but the costume changes were amazing), and Wicked (LOVED IT!!) here. Now I’m trying to decide what I want to see next!
3. Baked by Melissa – I first discovered this place on a random walk when it was just a hole in the wall. But they were so delicious and the cupcakes were absolutely adorable! Then I forgot the name of this place and where I found it. Finally found it again a few years later and now there are locations almost everywhere! Every time I go back, I need to make a stop for these delicious bite-sized cupcakes! And just found out that they now have bite sized macaroons!
4. Dylan’s Candy Bar – This place I found out in the last couple of years and now and I have to go back every time I go back to NYC (I also found out they have a location in LA when the bff and I decided we wanted to spend a day at Farmer’s Market/the Grove!). Their gummy bears are the best gummy bears I have ever had. I always go back and stock up for the year not only for myself, but for a few other friends too! Basically any time one of us goes to NYC, we make it a point to pick up a bag of this stuff for the other 🙂 It’s an addiction!!
5. The Strand – I randomly discovered this place on one of our visits long ago. I love this book store with all the books on everything; some are used, some new, and even some rare ones. I don’t usually get anything because I would hate to have to lug it all around with me the whole day and then back home. But I still love just browsing and looking around and enjoy the other book lovers out there. One of these days I will go there at the end of the day and hope I find something I really want!
6. Central Park – This one is a given. I love coming to Central Park, as much as I love the city with all its bustling and noise, I love going into Central Park and how the noise just dies away and all of a sudden, it’s so peaceful and quiet. Either walking around and getting lost, or just sitting down and people watching, this is one of my most favourite places. Last year, we finally found our way to the little zoo and I was so excited to visit the place that Princess Mia went to get away from reality when she first found out she was a princess! 

Basically every time we go back there, these six things are on my “must do” list. But there are so many more places to go and things to do. Every time I come back to New York is a new adventure, with new things to do. There’s still a pretty long list of places and things I want to do, working on slowly adding a couple in with each return visit!

Have you gone or do you live in NYC? What are some of your favourite things to do there? Let me know in the comments 🙂

 

Cat Antics

I went to change for work today and found that Isis, my little butthead, had pulled off my sweaters and made a comfy bed for herself.
You would think that I don’t already provide her with lots of beds around the condo.

A Little Story

My BFF is a great lover of animals; so of course, her almost two year old son is being brought up to show the same compassion and love for all animals.
We were at her family dinner tonight and there was a big beautiful dog, named DeeDee. As soon as Baby saw the dog he exclaimed with open arms: “hug doggie!” And proceeded to hug DeeDee. It was the cutest thing I have ever seen him do.
The bff said he does this very often. He wants to hug the birds flying in the sky, the squirrels playing outside his daycare, any animal he comes in contact with, he wants to hug them. Except for his own little hotdog dog at home, that is!