travel palettes

Since I’m always trying to infuse the feel of the places I’ve been into my everyday life, I thought I’d create some travel palettes from some of my favourite destinations. Isn’t it interesting how the colours of each city are so distinct? I remember visiting Cinque Terre in Italy, and marveling at the beautiful pink, yellow and turquoise buildings. Amsterdam also had a colour palette of its own – mostly darker, earthy tones. I especially loved the black brick buildings there. I’m thinking of a picking out a travel palette for the next time I re-decorate…I’m kind of drawn to the Munster palette, since I’m loving all things mustard these days.

Do you connect colours to certain places? What would you say is the “colour” of the place you live? I’m thinking Toronto is red, grey, and navy blue.

have a relaxing weekend

This weekend I’m making home-made gluten-free pizza with spinach and mushrooms and watching Crazy, Stupid, Love. I’m also looking forward to wandering around the St. Lawrence Antique market on Sunday morning, and finishing the latest John Grisham novel.

Hope your weekend is relaxing and productive (and that you don’t get too much snow!)

[ photo via ]

Quintessential Cottage Country

Quintessential Cottage Country – that’s how National Geographic Traveler magazine described Muskoka, Ontario, when it included it in its “Best of the World: Must-See Places for 2012” list, which was featured in the Nov-Dec 2011 issue. The article describes Muskoka, a place I am very familiar with, as “the heart of Ontario’s cottage country.” I grew up visiting the cottages of friends in Muskoka, which is a 2.5 hour drive north of Toronto. Later, in University, I worked for two summers as a live-in nanny to a family who summered there. It was, without a doubt, the most picturesque and relaxing way to spend the summer. Even the drive up to Muskoka, often dead-locked on the highway with other Torontonians trying to make it up to their cottages for the weekend, held the promise of something great. Visiting Muskoka is the archetypical Canadian way to spend a summer – boating, having bonfires, and relaxing on the dock in a Muskoka chair. There’s so much to do in the 2500-square-mile area, which is dotted with lakes, waterfalls, and rivers. I was so happy to see that it made the National Geographic list – it’s such a mixture of old-school charm and high-end real estate, chic shops, and some of the best resorts around.

When I was a nanny, my days were filled with children’s sailing, tennis, and golf lessons at the nearby country club. Afterwards, we would go swimming in the lake, make friendship bracelets on the hammock, and collect wild blueberries that hung to the rocky cliffs. Those were magical summers, and every year I try to make it a point to visit up there.  Port Carling is a great town to visit – lots of nice patios and independently-owned shops. You can venture there by boat or by car, and easily walk the little town in an afternoon. Tours of the lakes, and the gorgeous cottages that dot them (ahem – that’s a boat house in the photo above, not the actual cottage (!!)) can be purchased through Lady Muskoka Cruises, or the traditional Segwun steamship. Resorts like Taboo and Touchstone offer great amenities, like infinity pools and modern décor, while the traditional Windermere House has been a favourite place for families visiting Muskoka for decades. If you’re traveling with children, there’s even a Santa’s Village amusement park that operates in the summer!

My favourite time of day in Muskoka is the early morning, when the boats haven’t begun their rides on the lake, and the sea-planes have not yet landed. The water is glassy and black, and occasionally a loon will cut through it as it floats by, creating ripples that spread across the surface. Sitting on the dock in the early morning, bundled up in a sweatshirt with a cup of coffee, is such a peaceful time. And at night, it seems like you can see all the stars in the galaxy – I’ve never seen stars as bright as those up in Muskoka. So while I’ve heard some grumblings about National Geographic’s inclusion of Muskoka on its recent travel list (i.e. “oh no, our real estate prices will go up! it will become more expensive to find accommodations than it already is!”), I think it’s great that Muskoka was included – everyone should get the chance to experience the slow-paced, sometimes luxurious, way of life that Muskoka has to offer.

Photo Credits: 1 2 (clockwise from top left):3 4 5 6 

Inside Alcatraz

With the start of the new primetime show Alcatraz, which I watched  for the first time tonight on Citytv.com, I started thinking back to my trip to The Rock last December, and how I never posted any pictures from Alcatraz on here. Visiting San Francisco last year, I knew that the one “must-see” for me was Alcatraz. Even though countless locals had told me to skip The Rock, as it was too touristy to be worth the ticket price, I knew I desperately wanted to go.

We booked our tickets in advance, through the Alcatraz Cruises website, since we had heard that tickets sell out quickly, especially on weekends. Tours run from 9:10am to 1:55pm, and then there are night tours which begin at 4:20pm on some nights. A night tour would definitely be a fun (and eerie) option, and if I’m ever lucky enough to be back in San Francisco one day, I will be sure to book one. We ended up going on the morning tour though, at 9:10am, figuring it would be less crowded when exploring the island.

Ever since watching the Shawshank Redemption as a kid, I have had a fascination with prison movies - for me, listening to the audio tours at Alcatraz was a treat. So many stories lie behind the bars at Alcatraz, and the history of the island and those who lived on it (other than the prisoners) was so interesting to listen to. The children of the guards and prison staff actually lived on the island, and took the boat across the water to go to school each morning. Can you imagine what that must have been like?

I found our trip to Alcatraz to be eerily wonderful, and it was definitely a high-light of my time in San Francisco. It was a rainy, dreary day, and a thick blanket of fog covered the city. I remember being astonished at the beautiful vegetation that covered the island now, especially the wonderful succulents hugging the rocky cliffs.

Here are some helpful tips for visiting The Rock:

- We stayed on the island for about 2 hours. Coupled with getting on the boat and waiting times, the whole excursion took us about 3 hours. If you’re super interested in the island, you can stay as long as you’d like, with the last departure being 4:25pm.

- If you’re looking for a fun “experience” while at The Rock, ask to be locked up in D Block, in one of the solitary confinement cells. The “guard” will lock you (and fellow brave tourists) in “the hole” in complete darkness. Seriously, I thought this would be fun. Unfortunately, after we were left in there a leeeetle too long, I started to get nervous! I guess it makes the experience feel more authentic?? Think twice about doing this if you’re a chicken like me :)

- Bring some food and drinks with you, which you can eat on the dock. Food is prohibited on the grounds of Alcatraz, but after a morning of exploring, we were glad to have packed some granola and bottled water.

- It’s slippery! If you’re there on a damp day like we were (and let’s face it, San Francisco commonly has these wet weather days), make sure to watch your footing. The pathways are a bit rugged and kind of slick, so wearing good walking shoes with some grip on the bottoms is a good idea.

- Bring photo ID when picking up your tickets (it’s required), and leave the bulky backpacks or luggage at home (they’re prohibited).

- Do listen to a walking tour. It was so interesting to hear, through their own words, the stories of some of the individuals who lived and worked at Alcatraz. It’s guided in a way that makes the crowds spread out and creates a steady, even-paced flow of people, so you never feel like you’re in the way of others, or that you can’t see something.

Anybody watching Alcatraz the tv series? I’m not sure what to think about it yet… Seems a bit far-fetched for my liking, but it’s definitely cool to see the scenic shots of San Francisco and Alcatraz.

Welcome 2012!

We celebrated 2012 at my friend's new condo – drinking Niagara wines, playing hilarious board games (like Taboo and Things in a Box), and snacking on a wonderful spread put out by Courtney. We rang in the new year with funny hats and scenes of Time Square in NYC.

2011 was an interesting year for me. So much happened, it was definitely one of those transition years. I graduated from my MBA program and started law school. I moved to Toronto full-time, and decorated a cute little studio apartment. I made new friends and got to spend lots of time with my sweet niece and nephew. I learned to knit (thanks Yvonne!), cycled from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario with my Dad, and worked at some amazing organizations (like Big Brothers Big Sisters).

2012 is sure to be exciting (at least I’m hoping it is!). My resolution? Be kind to those closest to me, for at the end of the day, they are all that matter.

Holiday Vacation

This Christmas holiday, I had three weeks of vacation from law school. When I started my Christmas vacation, I could not fathom having enough activities to keep me busy. I didn’t know what to do with myself! The first few mornings when I woke up, I kept having to tell myself, “It’s ok, there is nothing you need to be doing…just relax and enjoy!” Easier said than done. All in all, I think I did a pretty good job of just relaxing and enjoying :) When there was a lull in the excitement around my parent’s house, I seemed to resort to baking, and whipped up two cheesecakes, popcorn peanut butter balls, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, French onion soup, turkey meatballs with cranberry dipping sauce, and sautéed potatoes during my stay. Needless to say my parents aren’t looking forward to me leaving any time soon!



This Christmas was different in many ways. It didn’t snow. At all. In fact, today was so warm it felt like the middle of October! It was the first Christmas where Maxx, my nephew, actually knew what was going on. Maxx and Kendra, my niece, made our Christmas amazing – at ages 2 and 3, they were so much fun to watch open presents! We spent Christmas morning at my Grandma’s house, eating breakfast with extended family, whereas we normally spend it at home. We Skyped with my Oma from Prince Edward Island, as she couldn’t come to visit us this year.




Hope you all had wonderful holidays, and I wish you all the best in 2012…and thank you again for your continued support and encouragement in this blogging world xo