blueberry tea

we're stocked up with grand marnier, amaretto and black tea!  you see, when it's cold and rainy outside i like being indoors sipping on blueberry tea.  it is a great way to warm up.  the name of this tea is deceiving as there are no blueberries or blueberry flavouring actually in it and instead it is simply a really good warm drink that is very aromatic.

see stefan's blueberry tea recipe after the pic.



image from here



blueberry tea recipe
 
ingredients you will need:
a bit of amaretto, approx. 1oz
a bit of grand marnier, approx. 1oz
black tea, like an earl grey or orange pekoe
a cinnamon stick
a curl of orange peel
 
what to do:
in a mug of hot tea mix in amaretto and grand marnier - the amount can be varied depending on how boozy you want it. 

have a lovely weekend!

m0851

suji, my friend, has an obsession with m0851 bags - let's just say she owns many more than one - and its spilled over to me.  i have had my eye on the cute 'mademoiselle pouch' for awhile so when i accompanied suji to m0851's customer appreciation/sale party last week, i hoped to leave with said cute bag.  instead, she bought it!  that's okay though, i didn't leave empty-handed :)

  

i left with the weekend bag - in black.  it really was better suited for my needs since i am lacking a good sized basic black bag - everyone should have one, right?  i particularly love that it has that bit of slouch appeal but also polished with its rich black leather.

and, the leather ages beautifully.  they have older samples at the shop and i swear the bags do get more beautiful as they age; softer and suppler.  i love finding something that is well made (the craftsmanship is evident), timeless, and classic; it's a worthy investment.  bonus?  they are canadian made, in montreal. 

i was also eyeing that 'shopping bag' but i'll need to wait for their next big sale :)

 



mademoiselle pouch





small weekend bag











shopping bag







basket bag

m0851 also make accessories; cute rain jackets and gorgeous scarves too.  loving the images from their 2013-2014 lookbook:







for the love of books

i would love to read like it's my job.  a non-stop extravaganza, wouldn't that be lovely?  sadly, that isn't the case.  i find myself not reading enough.  i want to.  i love getting so very lost in books; being transported into people's lives, learning from them, adventuring with them, feeling for them, and the sense of zeal i get that every single person i know must read the book.  books are so special.

and when i do find myself reading it usually isn't from cover to cover.   i start a book and then i get stalled by, well, life. it's rare for me to plow through books but when it happens i am so. very. happy.  this was the case when i was recently reading lisa genova's first two books, still alice and left neglected and i would highly recommend both.  i am looking forward to her third novel - out in january 2014 - love, anthony.

there are plenty of books that i have been wanting to read and with my new kobo (a birthday gift from stefan) i can't wait to download some.  but there's one thing -  i wish i had more time for is reading.  along with yoga, it is at the top of my list of happy makers and yet it (and yoga) fall by the wayside.  'to read' is always on my to-do-list. 

here's what's on my list of books to read right now and when i look at my list i feel panicked that there's not enough time to read them all.

 

       

       

 

         

 

      

 

       

 

so, here's to committing to read more often, finding the time, and delving into this favourite activity of mine.  how often do you get to read?  

 

the following favourite books are ones i would highly recommend and see this post, if you like, for others i have recommended.

 

weekend pics, at home

we assumed our normal weekend position.  i love the familiarity of such weekends as much as i do the adventuring ones.  i think we know what we need as a family and this weekend was about taking it easy and lounging (something the three of us are fond of :). 

• early morning soccer game (there is always a saturday game)
• lingering at le marche st. george - they have such an amazing little café/shop and the best savory crepes ever i.e. fig, turkey, and brie (see past le marche posts here and here)
• engaging in 'operation stove cleaning' and mountains of laundry
• ping pong playing which was a hasty purchase that has proved a lot of fun
• eating an old favourite - it's been years - macaroni pie. rich and delicious.
• playing board games i.e. settlers and a new one called dungeons
• we made a trip into downtown to begin the gathering of gifts for our presents of peace family and while downtown we took advantage of our proximity to bel café and decided to have an impromptu lunch of a gorgeous tomato soup and macaroons!
• watching action packed movies - superman and transformers - which i enjoy as much as my boys do
• listening to jingle bells on the trombone for the hundredth time :)

all good stuff.



        

 

 

 

 

 

hope you all had a lovely weekend too, weather you lounged or adventured!