Just a Touch

You may have noticed that the last couple of posts I've been focusing quite a bit on details - in this post, it's all about the gloves. They're reminiscent of the days of Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Grace Kelly. Her wrist gloves are the perfect finishing touches to her outfit, like that cherry on top of a sundae. They create a clean, polished look and really pull this whole ensemble together. A little old Hollywood glamour on the streets of modern day Toronto!

A Simple Cuff

It's all in the details. I mean, granted, his blazer and untucked shirt are great as well, but it's that simple cuff on the jeans that does it for me. It's effortless, yet a difficult look to pull off at the same time (think about it, would you walk around with one side cuffed?). It's that detail that makes it HIS outfit - a signature look. 

The Artist

When it comes to friends, it's hard not to be biased. Not only is Jess one of the sweetest and the most talented friends a girl could have, she also has a great sense of style. When I saw her outfit at the "In Memory" exhibit, I was floored! Where do I start? The cat-eyed glasses with a touch of gold, the T-strap heels, the pleated peach skirt, the embroidery on her tank, the braids in her hair (which unfortunately you can't see), and the list goes on! When I look at her outfit, it's like looking at a beautiful painting. At first glance, you're instantly attracted to it. But why? The details. You have to take the time to look at all the beautiful details of her outfit to really appreciate the true beauty of the entire ensemble.

"In Memory"

One of the great things about Toronto is how the city changes when the sun sets - it becomes a playground for Torontonians. Whether it's going to a club in the Entertainment District, a bar in Little Italy, a movie at the Polson Pier Drive-In, or one of the many street events, there are endless adventures waiting for you in downtown Toronto. On this particular night, I had the opportunity to check out an art exhibit on Queen St. East where my friend Jess was presenting an installation. In Memory was an exhibit showcasing artwork on the "instability of memory - "using 'remembering' as part of their creative process, and 'memories' as material". One of the memorable parts of the exhibit was the choice in venue. Since the artwork focused on remembering a past memory, the curators chose an old funeral parlour to showcase the pieces. A suitable choice, wouldn't you agree?

The Exterior 

The Interior

(Click the photo to enlarge the description for the piece below)

Mmmm... Roti :)

Other samples of artwork

Hmmm... should I take a quick nap? 

(Click the photo to enlarge the description of Jess's piece)

Jess's Artwork :)

Her Maus Mask 

(Art Spiegelman would be proud!)

Ahoy!

It's neat to see how one's perspective on a city can change depending on where you stand. In this case, I was sitting, in a sailboat. My Dad and I got our very first sailing lesson from a friend one weekend on Lake Ontario. Even with the weatherman telling us there was an imminent storm that didn't stop us from hitting the waters - and it was worth it! It was nice to escape the hustle and bustle of Toronto and experience a type of calmness and serenity that you would never find in the city. If only Mother Nature had waited another hour before she let it rain... 

The boats at the Outer Marine Harbour 

 

Our first lesson in sailing: There's no time to relax

It ended up being more work than we expected ;)

But we managed to squeeze in some time to relax

Unfortunately, that imminent storm was approaching...
So we turned around and started heading back to the harbour

The view from the boat on the way back

Others heading out of the rain with us 

It cleared up once we docked. Just our luck ;)

Food Truck Eats

When I heard about the second part of the Food Truck Eats taking place at the Distillery district, I jumped at the chance to partake in the festivities (and took my mom with me)!  For those who aren't familiar with the event, the Food Truck Eats gives foodies a chance to sample some of the yummy eats from various Ontario food trucks (restaurants on wheels!). But this is not your ordinary fast food you get from a typical food truck, these trucks offer some neat twists on old favourites (i.e.: grilled cheese with ham and slices of granny apples).

I was naive to think that it would be a calm, relaxing stroll around the Distillery, sampling different types of food with no hassle. Boy, was I wrong! Thankfully, I read an article about how to prepare for the day, and as you can see from the first photo, I had to pack some "gear" for the event. When we got there, it was a zoo! Long lineups, big crowds, and lots of trucks! But with the overwhelming smell of delicious food surrounding us, our only concern was: Where do we start?

The Gear

Water bottle, Wet Ones, Tupperware, Forks, Chopsticks (for Mom), Napkins & Map 

The Crowd

The Trucks!

Above: El Gastronomo Vagabundo

The Cupcake Diner

Capalansky's


Twirlees Ice Cream


Gorilla Cheese

Smoke's Poutinerie

Last, but not least, the food!
Above: Pizza with Prosciutto & Arugula


BBQ Beef Brisket Slider

No meal is complete without... 

... Pulled Pork Poutine :)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie & Apple Pie 

The last dish to top off the day:
 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Soft Ice Cream

The 5 Day Challenge

No, this post is not about a new diet. Instead, I challenged my friend and co-worker, Marwa, to pull out her best hijabs for 5 days. Not only is this girl beautiful and the nicest person you'll ever meet, she has the greatest collection of hijabs. I've seen quite a few hijabs on the streets of Toronto, but the way Marwa puts hers together makes me want to wear one everyday. Not only are they amazing from a fashion standpoint in terms of texture and colour, but it also shows that one does not need to confine their sense of style to one look because of religion. Her hijabs are not just a reflection of her faith, but of her individuality and personality as well. 

Monday


Tuesday

 Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

One Smile

It's not just the vibrant colour of the dress, but that smile! What one beautiful smile can do to elevate your outfit! This photo is not only to celebrate colours and fashion, but great personality too. 

Effortlessly Chic

The best part about this outfit is how she effortlessly combines different womenwear trends from this past year: denim vest, printed, mid-length skirt, fedora, and nude heels. The result: fun & chic! 

Curves Ahead

I love how the jersey dress gracefully skims the natural curves of her body and is accentuated by her knotted denim shirt at the waist. Simple and beautiful! 

One of the Pink Ladies

The Pink Ladies (from Grease) would be proud!

Toronto

Welcome to Toronto!

(photo cred here)

Home sweet home! After 5 weeks in Europe, it's nice to be back in Toronto. Coming home, I've realized that I've taken a lot of things that this beautiful city has to offer for granted - its many cultural communities, the local events, the vibrant nightlife, etc... After starting this blog, I began pondering how I would document my hometown, and realized that I would have to take on a whole new perspective of Toronto. In a way, I've become a tourist in my own city, exploring new places that I normally would never visit, and so far it's been a great adventure! Hopefully the following posts will give you a good sense of what this dynamic, multicultural metropolis has to offer. Enjoy :)

Ruegen

Before leaving Berlin I took a trip with my friend Arvid to the island of Ruegen (located near the Baltic Sea) for some R&R on the beach. But it wasn't just about lying on the beach all day ('cause God knows what would happen if I laid on a beach for 4 days straight...) - there was also plenty of exploring to do! We visited the infamous Chalk Rocks and other small towns (Kap Arkona, Vitt, Altenkirche, and Sassnitz) along the way. These are great places to visit when you need to escape the city - but be warned - nudity is quite common on the beach (don't worry - there are no pictures of the beach in this post). 

Day 1 of our Excursions: Kap Arkona & Vitt

Watch Tower at Kap Arkona

Sanddorn is a local fruit that is popular among both tourists and locals and can be found in many edible forms (i.e.: wine, gummy bears, jam, hard candy, chocolate, etc..)

(above: Sanddorn Jam) 

Vitt 

Fischbroetchen (Fish in a bun)
Reminds me a bit of my experience with the Hollandse Nieuwe in Groningen. I did try it this time - but cheated a bit - since I got a fried fish instead of a smoked one :)




The Harbour

After a 30 km bike ride, we took a little break at the cafe 

And of course, we had to have ice cream! 

(L: Vanilla ice cream with Sanddorn Syrup)

Day 2 of our Excursions: Chalk Rocks! 

Altenkirche

While we waited for another bus to take us to the starting point of our hike, poor Arvid had to decipher the complicated bus schedule to get us there ...

...but we eventually make it to the Chalk Rocks!

And it was definitely worth the hike (and every brain cell Arvid used)  :)

Trying to replicate Caspar David Friedrich's Chalk Cliffs on Ruegen (see below). 

Unfortunately, some of the rocks had broken off for quite some time, so this was the closest we got. 

(photo cred: Wikipedia) 

The scenery along the beach 

Searching for the perfect souvenir... 

 .... and the successful results!

 Arvid demonstrating his artistic skills with the chalk rocks... 

... his masterpiece :) 

 And nearing Koenigstuhl ... the end of a great adventure!