day twenty six: tee hee

Dear bff,

This photo makes me giggle.
I think his unibrow gives him character.
Why do I find ugly things so endearing?
Would it make you laugh if I told you his bean bag is lopsided so only one side of his bum is filled?
Poor thing...

♥ always,
j

day twenty five: keep on truckin

Dear bff,

Still a ways to go, but we're getting there!
All the nausea will be worth it in the end, you'll see ♥

♥ always,
j

p.s does this hall look familiar? :)

day twenty four: holding hands

Dear bff,

feeling barfy sucks

so let's focus on being healthy

just like mr.broccoli and mr.carrot

keep on keeping on my dear

♥ always,

j

day twenty three: inspired!

Dear bff,

You are that friend who inspires me to take risks and to give the left side of my brain some exercise.

Looking forward to our next sewing date so that I can show you all the tricks I will learn come spring time.

(Also looking forward to you teaching me how to knit. I promise I'll try to be a good student.)

♥ always,
j

day twenty two: laugh out loud

Dear bff,

Here are two fatties after a giant christmas dinner.
Hope this made you smile :)

♥ always,
j

day twenty one: merry merry

Dear bff,

Merry Christmas my love! I wore the black peter pan top I got at h&m at the margiela launch. I think you are the only person in the world who would give up the last shirt in your size so that I could buy it. That, along with another million reasons, is why you are my best friend :)

♥ always,
j

day twenty: starry night

Dear bff,

Saw a giant floaty star. I think this calls for some wish making!
But I'll keep it to myself so that it'll come true.
Hope you're having the happiest of happy christmases :)

♥ always,
j

p.s please ignore my giant mitt on the top left corner of the photo

day nineteen: our type of choir

Dear bff,

I've decided to sign us up for an old hag choir in 35 years. Nathan and I came across this choir at the Kensington market festival of lights parade. Their singing sounds like our wailing. I think we would enjoy it very much. (also we get to wear fake fuzzy caterpillar eyebrows).

We better start practicing!

♥ always,
j

day eighteen: two little old ladies

Dear bff,

A new Bootlegger popped up at Scarborough Town Centre. I saw it today and immediately thought of you. Oh how time flies! I still remember visiting you way back when you were still working there. Do you think we'll end up as two little old ladies sitting on rocking chairs, sipping on tea and spending the majority of our days talking about the good old times?

I think we will. Except we'll also be nibbling on macarons that our grand kids made us.

♥ always,
 j

day seventeen: tea time

Dear bff,

Sometimes when I just need to slow life down a bit, I make myself a nice hot cup of tea. Usually by the time I've finished my cup, my mind is clear and ready to tackle the next thing on my to-do list. I think we can all use a tea break or two every day.

Shall I go ahead and pencil us in for a date at Ten Ren's?

♥ always,
j

day sixteen: reflections

Dear bff,

For some reason, Christmas has always been that time of year when I start to really reflect on my life. It makes me think about all the things I am thankful for, despite the craziness of the season. So I thought I'd put together a list for you.

What Japh is Thankful for this Holiday Season
(in no particular order)

1 hot chocolate and marshmallows
2 lights and decorations
3 christmas dinner(s)
4 wrapping paper and ribbons
5 family (of course)
6 my awesome friends
7 my smelly pup
8 finding one more m&m in the package when you thought you finished them all
9 feeling toasty when it's chilly out
10 not being able to fit everything onto a list of 10

I think the little things make me the happiest. Like today when the beets in my salad turned everything pink (including my teeth).

So what's on your list of 10?

♥ always,
j

day fifteen: blossoms and pearls

Dear bff,

Thank you for calling me over today so that I could steal some apple blossoms from your freezer and admire your pearly christmas garland. (And yes, I do believe you need a few more strings to fill up that enormous tree). You know that I will be there in a heartbeat when you call, especially if it involves me sticking my finger into elephant's water bowl.

One of these days, I will win him over...

♥ always,

j

day fourteen: keeping calm

Dear bff,

I try to take a daily photo for you, but sometimes I just can't compete with the internet.

I hope that this will make you smile every time you feel overwhelmed, worried, or just plain angry:

http://calmingmanatee.com/

♥ always,
j

day thirteen: see you at recess

Dear bff,

I wasn't able to take a photo today, so I decided to draw one. This is a typical crayon picture that the 8 year old japh would've drawn. Aside from the subject matter, the background was always the same:

a sun with sun rays on the top left

a few blue clouds

birds in the sky

an apple tree on the right

a nest with an egg (or two) on a branch

an apple in mid-fall

green stick grass

Even though we didn't really know each other in grade school, I thought I'd draw you a picture now. 

I drew one for all my best friends when I was growing up.

♥ always,
j

day twelve: keeping things bright

Dear bff,

Here's a list of the positives to help you through your taste bud situation:

one. you can eat all the healthy foods that you once avoided due to their taste
two. you can explore scary foods that you never thought you could try.
three. you can really appreciate the different textures of food - something that many people forget to do.
four. you can watch the boys cry over spicy foods while you eat it like a champ.
five. vodka will never again taste like rubbing alcohol.

Let's keep our spirits bright :)

♥ always,
j

p.s finally got the blogger app on my phone! (which explains why there is no number on this picture)

day eleven: heart

Dear bff,

A heart-shaped cookie to show my love.
The cookie was inhaled two seconds after this picture was taken...
But my love remains!

♥ always,
j

day ten: poof

Dear bff,

If there is anything I like more than cotton candy, it's free cotton candy.
(Got me a stick at work today)
Sweet and fluffy - it's what dreams are made of!
And we can all use a bit more of that pink fluff in our lives.
I know you're not having a lot of sweets right now, so I will be happy to eat for the both of us until you are well again :)

♥ always,
j

day nine: timing

Dear bff,

Got home just in time to do my post for tonight!
The number 9 on the picture bugs me.
It should be lower, but I am too tired to readjust.
Just wanted to say goodnight before I go off to bed.
So, goodnight.
:)

♥ always,
j

p.s I wonder when you'll find all these posts
p.p.s Hopefully you'll find them when you need a good distraction

day eight: 12.12.12

Dear bff,

December 12, 2012.
What a day to celebrate!
Cake is being consumed.
Modern Family is being watched.
Oh, and cancer is taking a butt-kicking.

Let's keep the good times rolling!

♥ always,
j

day seven: pop!

Dear bff,

I love our mini dates - even if it's just us buying groceries (mostly snacks!) and hanging out in front of the telly watching the VS fashion show.
Catching up, ranting, snacking, dreaming.
You are my true comfort friend.

And it doesn't hurt that you send me home with kettle corn.

Week one complete!

♥ always,
j

day six: the many faces of jathan

Dear bff,

I thought that you could use more of my face in your life.
So here it is.
If this (somehow) didn't frighten you, I hope that it made you smile :)
And if it didn't, I blame Nathan for always ruining my photos...

♥ always,
j

day five: a jamie thought bubble

Dear bff,

I thought of you when I saw this colourful plate at Mezes today. 

Can we go pottery painting again? 

Or maybe I can just bring over some non-toxic paints one day and we can paint paper plates and have a picnic.

I think I like that idea :)

♥ always,
j

day four: sparkle on

Dear bff,

Despite all the curve balls life is throwing at you, you remain radiant, positive and full of life.
You are an inspiration to everyone around you.
So keep on sparkling!

♥ always,
j

day three: let's do this

Dear bff,

I promise to keep my spirits bright for the both of us so that you can focus on getting well. So put on some shades - we're going to beat this cancer like superstars!

♥ always,
j

day two: focus

Dear bff,

Sometimes it takes a life-altering event in our lives to help us focus on the important things. Like taking time to appreciate the little snowflakes on your car window that greet you on a chilly morning. Let's focus on all the good that we have even if we sometimes don't see it.

♥ always,

j

day one: a lolly to keep things sweet

Dear bff,

A photo a day keeps the smile on your lovely face.
We made it through day one!
89 days left and along with it, 89 reasons for me to update my blog every day.
Let's start with a lollipop for a job well done at the doctor's today :)

♥ always
j

best medicine in the world

I've been running non-stop like the energizer bunny for the last several weeks. As a result, my body finally said enough is enough and decided to protest with a sore throat, hot flashes, and general unpleasantness on the absolute worst day possible - Halloween. With most of my time spent working 12 hour days, last minute dress fittings and wedding shenanigans, I didn't even get to celebrate this year. Luckily! I am surrounded by the one thing that always seems to perk my spirits (aside from Nathan and his get-well packages of course): cioccolato, choklad, chocolat...chocolate. There is just something so irresistible about a smooth melty piece of chocolate that literally makes all my troubles melt away even if only for a moment.

note to self: stock up on discounted halloween chocolates some time this week...

tea time

Nothing like a hot cup of tea to slow the world down for a minute.

(at the cottage September 2012)

tealicious

When Nathan parked the car and said that he had a surprise mini date planned, I was worried that he was bringing me to this small convenience store ...

But it turns out, we were going for tea and pastries! We tried out some iced teas at tealish - an almond milk chai latte for him and a hibiscus and pear iced tea for me. Then we walked over to Nadege and ate, what I believe to be, the best chocolate pistachio pastry I've ever had. We also had a pistachio and salted caramel macaron, but the salted caramel just doesn't compare to Moroco's. It was tasty nonetheless!

i ♥ surprises

burgers: classic. comforting. tasty.

Although I'm not one to eat burgers often, I do have cravings for them every once in a while. Picking up on my craving, Nathan brought me to Goody's Diner hidden away in the middle of an industrial area near Eglington and Warden. I was quite surprised to find the Toronto East Detention Centre just down the road from this little 50's themed diner. But I figured if a detained person were to escape, they would probably try to get as far away from the detention centre as possible - so we were safe.

Anyway, back to the burger. 

on the menu

highway man with sweet potato fries

rhinelander with salad

a glass bottle of coke

My burger was a massive piece of work: cheddar and swiss cheese, a sunny side up egg, triple stacked onion rings stuffed with pastrami with Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce on top of a beef patty. My burger definitely had the wow factor, but Nathan's burger choice was actually the tastier one with caramelized onions, peameal bacon, havarti, and pommery beer mustard served on a pretzel bun. I haven't been to many gourmet burger places, but I think my taste buds know a good burger when it tastes one.

The specialty burgers were $14 a piece and came with fries or a side salad. Although some may consider this to be a bit pricey for a burger, I think it was definitely worth the money seeing as how a chain restaurant will sell their burgers anywhere from $10 - $15. What made Goody's stand out wasn't their creative burgers, their weekly special, or the quaint decor. It was the way they treated every customer who came into the little diner. Fantastic little local business that I will definitely be revisiting in the future!

tea, truffles, macarons and a jamie

I was spoiled rotten by one of my closest friends for my birthday. She whisked me away to high tea at Windsor Arms, then surprised me with a shopping spree at MoRoCo!

picture doesn't do the macarons justice - they melted a little on the way home

on the macaron menu

marshmallow

pistachio

coconut

lavender

salted caramel

truffles are a little dewy looking because I put them in the fridge before inhaling them

on the truffle menu

curry in a hurry

geisha (matcha)

think pink (champagne)

uppercut hazelnut

hint of mint

manisha (chai)

The macarons were amazing! By far the best (and biggest) macarons I've had in Toronto so far. Although they were all scrumptious, the salted caramel was the one that left me wanting a million more. It was creamy and smooth with just the right amount of saltiness.

As for their truffles, I wasn't a huge fan of their exotic line (except for the matcha truffle which actually tasted like green tea ice cream). I was also a little disappointed with the mint truffle - I was expecting a flavour similar to After Eights, but this one reminded me of toothpaste. I think I will try out their caramel truffles next time along with their nutty truffles - the hazelnut truffle was amazing! I do have to give MoRoCo points for being daring with their flavours.

Must revisit to try out all their macaron and truffle flavours in the future!

trains and tea

I finally had the chance to visit Snakes & Lattes a couple of weeks ago and it was everything I had hoped it would be! It had an expansive collection of games, extremely friendly service and a pretty good menu for small sips and nibbles. There is a $5 charge for just sitting down, but it is well worth the money because you can sit for as long as you want without being hassled. Plus, you get to revisit some childhood board games and hang out with nostalgia for the evening.

Just make sure to bring some hand sanitizer as some of the games are well used.

two eight on twenty

1 invitation to dîner en blanc

2 kidnapped to a market

3 surprise dinner number one at diana's oyster bar & grill

4 surprise lunch at goody's diner

5-8 surprise picnic dinner and shakespeare in high park

9 picnic & paint party with my signature lychee raspberry lemonade

10 homemade paint

11 painting competition

12 drying canvases

13 one happy birthday girl

My birthday weekend was a whirlwind of surprises, painting, and picnics. It was a roll-out-of-bed-no-make-up-don't-brush-your-hair-and-wear-comfy-clothes kind of weekend and I must say, I loved every moment of it! I have the most fantastic friends in the world who are always willing to embrace and participate in all my silly ideas - even if it involves using jelly paint under the hot sun. I don't think there could've been a better way to celebrate adding another tally to my age :)

p.s I am definitely going to blog about number 3 and 4, but have way too many restaurants on my to-blog list dating back to January. Where does the time go?

♪ :: simple plan featuring sean paul :: summer paradise