a-line skirt

Weekend Post-Mortem

2010-07-12T08:12:00.000-04:00

We're hot, sweaty, sunned, tired and very well rocked... Opening weekend of Ottawa Bluesfest!

This weekend we got to see {among others, too tired to remember all}:

Yoav
Hole
Joan Jett
Metric
The dude from Supertramp - Freebird!
The Flaming Lips
Timber Timbre
John Hiatt Trio
Charlie Winston
Rush
The Swell Season {swoon, so wonderful!}

It's been awesome, but it's exhausting. This festival is way too long. 12 days is way too much time to devote to music and still work and keep your house in one piece and buy groceries and live life... With a bebe last year it was a relative piece of cake. With an active toddler who refuses to wear his headphones and wants to RAWK - another story...

Friday we rushed home and changed and grabbed dinner at Bluesfest. Saturday we had a family luncheon, then a first birthday party, then a much older birthday party, then another evening at bluesfest. Sunday we went for dim sum, ran some errands, watched a bit of the soccer game with friends {I was there only for the social non-soccer elements} and then back to Bluesfest. Now we sleep.

If posting is light this week, it's cause I'm dead from the rocking and rolling.
kisses, k.

Kiss and Makeup

2010-07-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

I have two current makeup obsessions: grey nailpolish and RED lipstick! In this insane heatwave we've been having I haven't been wearing a whole lot of makeup due to the melting factor. However, some Benefit Dallas bronzer, some Bad Gal black mascara, LOTS of Bo-ing concealer to hide the evidence of tossing and turning {even with central air it's not easy!} and then the va-va-va-voom factor on the lips and voila! A not too insane-looking Kaili for work.

The hair however? A completely different story. If anyone has tips on how to manage curly hair in the heat, I'd love to hear it. I will bake you cookies if it works for me! Good ones too...

The lips are a great shade of red called "Gabrielle" by Chanel. To me, nothing says red lipstick like Coco Chanel so I headed straight there. It's pretty universally flattering.

On the nails, Chanel's particulière nailpolish. It goes with everything, looks very good on fingers and toes. I'm really picky about colours of nailpolish on my fingernails, and I have not gotten sick of this one yet.

{Nail image via}

House Tour Envy

2010-07-08T07:04:00.003-04:00

I can't stop looking at Maddie and Mike's house tour over at Apartment Therapy. I love the look and feel of the place, the graphic Madeline Weinrib rug, the rhino head, just the charming and welcoming feel of the place.

I often fantasize about selling our house and moving back to an apartment, which makes LB insane, and seeing this place makes me wish that even more.

Bringing Up Baby

2010-07-06T20:04:00.002-04:00

I found this article from the current New York Magazine fascinating. It's all about how couples who have children end up less happier {but then not entirely} than childless couples. Given the changes we've gone through over the past year, I was struck by the frankness of the piece. However, I'm not entirely sure that I agree with everything in it.

It's a good read though, worth the time.

{Image from the article}

Weekend Post-Mortem

2010-07-05T19:30:00.003-04:00

Last weekend was a wonderful weekend. We deliberately made no plans to do anything other than bum around the house and get things done.

Thursday was Canada Day so we had brunch with friends, then we did a bunch of work around the house and then rode our bikes downtown to watch Elliott Brood and Owen Pallett {Formerly known as Final Fantasy}. I love the free festivities on Canada Day, and you never know who you're going to run into! We crashed at home and grabbed a pizza and vegged.

Friday was a work day for us - decided not to take a vacation day on my first week at the new job! We chilled at home all night, did a bunch of chores and got organized for the weekend. We had a lovely dinner on the deck with an even nicer bottle of rosé.

Saturday morning LB helped friends of ours dig and set their fence posts so Milo and I decided to have a maman-Milo day of fun! We had brunch at thyme and again, shopped at the parkdale market, hung out at the park, and ran some errands. We watched Happy Tears in the evening, a movie so boring that I will not even bother linking to its page on the IMDB. We had high hopes because the cast included Parker Posey, Demi Moore and Rip Torn, but no dice...

Sunday morning we had brunch with LB's family, then we did a bunch of yard work {pics to follow} and then went swimming at Adam and Daphna's and cooled off. It was so amazing!

Then Monday morning it was 45 degrees with the humidex and I thought that I was going to die. It sucked.

High/Low

2010-06-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

One of my favourite features of Style at Home magazine is the High/Low section. It's a feature that has grown with me over the many years I've been a reader. When I was in university it was all aspirational design, then in our first few apartments we would pick exclusively from the low. Now I mix in a few high-end pieces every now and then, just to give things that little extra touch.

I love this feature they did on decorating a modern nursery. What they don't get into is what pieces are worth the splurge and which are not. In my mind, the Sparrow crib is beautiful, but not that much more than the Gulliver crib little Milo sleeps in. We felt that the mattress and a good mattress pad were well worth it, while an expensive bedding set was not, since bumper pads are a big no-no in Canada. Someone's going to catch on to that and start selling the quilts individually, right? Especially since Dwellstudio is led by a Canadian woman?

Superwoman?

2010-06-25T08:05:00.000-04:00

Today is my last day at a job that I love. I have been part of this organization off and on since my second year of grad school. It's always been a safe haven for me, a place that has allowed me to really get my feet under me and spread my wings. They've given me so many opportunities I can't even begin to elaborate.

However, it's time for me to get some new experience, something to take me to the next level in my career. So off I go to the salt mines, as my dad would say...

Before I left, a particular colleague who I've come to consider as a mentor gave me this card that I thought was particulary awesome. Sorry that the image isn't better, but here's the text:

It's amazing woman! Faster than a speeding taxt! Stronger than any Tom, Dick or Harry! Able to multi-task without a single latte...and all in high heels!

Grill Day!

2010-06-25T07:50:00.000-04:00

There's a wonderful kids' store near us {well there are many, which explains why I'm broke} called Red Chair Kids. They sell beautiful items, Bugaboo and Uppababy strollers, Dwellstudio for kids, you get the idea... beautifully curated wooden toys that make my wallet jump out of my purse. We stop by every couple of weeks, we've gotten to know the owners Monica and Christine over my pregnancy and the past year, and we often leave with a little something for the big boy.

Last weekend they had a fathers' day draw, and LB won! He won his very own Weber Charcoal Grill that he is going to learn to use to create some wonderful smoky creations. We're going to experiment with the flavoured wood chips too!

I love the grill's clean lines and its retro look. It looks awesome on our new deck that we just built.

Ridin' In Style

2010-06-24T09:27:00.005-04:00

Cycling is my preferred and primary method of transportation. I commute to work on my bike and we try to run as many errands as possible either on foot {with our many strollers} or on our bikes. We have a seat for Milo that I will post about another day, and he loves it.

For me though, the key to making cycling part of your everyday life is to do it simply. I don't wear special clothes to ride {except on those really hot days}, I just throw on my bike shorts under whatever clothes I'm wearing. It's so simple and it means I can arrive at work when I want and leave when I'm ready, I don't have to worry about the bus schedule, which some days is the bane of my existence.

While I was off we decided that I needed a new bike, my previous one being a 10-year old hand me down that LB has now appropriated as his winter bike. I opted for a cruiser with a bit of pep to it, the Trek Allant. It is also way cheaper than my true love, the Electra Gypsy cruiser. I outfitted it with a basket and a cute little polka dot panier that carries like a briefcase and comes with a removable shoulder strap, the Axiom Town and Country shopper. I also decided to leave my cracked and busted helmet at home and try a more streamlined model, the Pryme V8 in black.

All in all, a great way to ride and arrive looking ready to work.

Panier image via, Bike image via, Helmet image via

Bedazzled

2010-06-23T08:09:00.000-04:00

I love the hard-edged glamour of this Fenton/Fallon Piano Cuff for J.Crew. I am so wishing that I hadn't just gotten off the phone with Laurin telling her all about how I'm not buying stuff for the summer! Damn me and my big mouth...

..

Sun Shade

2010-06-22T10:45:00.003-04:00

I am determined not to make this blog about bebe gear because frankly I try not to buy too much of it and I feel like I'm constantly surrounded by it anyways. Where my expertise lies after 14 months of being a mom is in the realm of strollers. In the past 14 months I have had 13 strollers, to me they are kind of like handbags. Go ahead, judge me - I know that it's ridiculous and I have taken a lot of flack about it from friends, family, store owners and complete strangers. The only thing I can say in my defence is that thanks to some very strategic purchases, we are at break-even position in the stroller game.

I absolutely cannot seem to make up my mind. It doesn't help either that we live in a neighbourhood where I look at strollers all the time and we walk everywhere so I place a very high premium on my strollers.

Here's the list of what we've had:

Bugaboo Bee, black {sold before he was born}
Bugaboo Frog, navy {sold when he was 5 months old, but it is my sentimental favourite, it's an excellent stroller that I would recommend again and again}
Chariot Cheetah, yellow {sold within 1 month of getting}
Phil and Teds sport, black {sold within 1 month}
Uppababy Vista, black {sold within 1 month of getting}
Peg Perego Si {sold}
BOB Revolution 12" Alumninum, orange {SOLD immediately - hated the small wheels}
Baby Jogger City Mini {sold}
Phil and Teds E3 {sold}
Chariot Cougar SX {sold}

We currently have:

Bumbleride Queen B - our go everywhere stroller, tons of room and very comfy
BOB Revolution 16" jogger in Navy - for running and wonky terrain
Uppababy G LUXE in black - for travel, the bus, crowded urban settings

I am currently coveting the Stokke Xplory and the Baby Jogger City Select with its 20 combinations, but I have promised LB that I will not buy another stroller until we have another bebe. However, I have made that promise several times already.

I have learned the following things about strollers and how I use them:

The bebe has to be able to face me at all times
The bebe has to be able to lay flat - I'm not a big fan of the carseat attachment, it has its purposes but I can't stand the thought of the wee baby compressed in there all the time.
There has to be a monster sunshade. I have been able to find a sunscreen that I like for bebes, but I still would rather keep them covered up when possible.
It has to have a big underbasket. The Vista has the best one I've come across so far.
It has to be a one-step fold.

I have just discovered this add-on sunshade at Amazon, which would have been great to know about sooner - it might have made the Phil and Teds more appealing to me, because frankly guys, your sunshade is a total joke. It's an ad for skin cancer.

DIY Book Shelf

2010-06-22T08:30:00.000-04:00

We have been after ways to make toy storage more appealing and have worked hard to integrate Emile's things into our decor. Like us, our almost 14-month old boy already has more books than we thought possible, so we keep some on the main floor and some in his room.

I came across an old spice rack at a garage sale and decided to give it a whirl. We cleaned it up and painted it a nice fun shade of red {we had some paint on hand} and hung it over our landing strip by the entrance way. He loves seeing his books, and often points them out to us until we read him one - it takes us a few tries to get the "right one".

Weekend Post-Mortem

2010-06-21T08:46:00.003-04:00

Although we had a wonderful weekend, I am now feeling very ill. Hope there's no cause and effect, I would like for these weekends to continue...

Friday night was the official launch of this summer's Backyard Cinema at our friends Kristi and Jeremy's place - we watched the Goonies under the stars, had some delicious snacks and a nice cold rose...

Saturday morning I went for a run with the new run club I've joined to keep me motivated, then we tried to clean up around the house - we failed miserably, in case you were wondering. Then we walked down to the Taste of Wellington and gorged ourselves on the free wonderful food around our neighbourhood. Then we hung out at home, put Milo to bed early and watched In the Loop. If you are at all a bit of a government/ policy junkie or in communications, this movie will be amazing for you. It's a great film for everyone, except if you hate excessive swearing, cause there is tons of it - it's hilarious!

Sunday we had a nice father's day morning - Milo and I got up early and baked cookies and made a picnic and got LB's present ready and then I managed to wake him up by smashing a giant bowl of roasted eggplant dip on my foot and the floor. Not such a nice way to start the day. We then went to Calypso waterpark for the day and played outside all day - our friends have a bebe almost the same age so they played in the little slides and the wading pool. We topped off the night with a Father's Day BBQ at the in-laws with the whole family, with BBQ Bison sausages from Saslove's. SO YUMMY!

Then I woke up feeling like crap. Le sigh...

Flower Child

2010-06-18T13:40:00.004-04:00

I have NEVER been one for floral prints, and now all of a sudden that's all I'm buying! I picked up a bunch of pretty florals at Anthro this spring and this cardi from Marc Jacobs is calling my name over at Holts. It's adorable and very versatile.

And for the record, I'd happily accept the bag too, if anyone's offering. Have a lovely weekend all!

Wonderful Shoes...

2010-06-17T10:05:00.003-04:00

I LOVE this idea that Liz posted. Such a wonderful way to spruce up a bedroom without spending very much money!

In my post-baby return to work, I discovered that my feet had grown a good half size. I, the girl who was able to wear high heels until two days before she delivered, now had to get rid of half of my shoe collection. Luckily for me, a few well-timed trips to the States yielded some beauts from Anthro and kate spade that I'd love to display.

Volume Two

2010-06-17T09:49:00.004-04:00

I bought the new issue of BUST this weekend, something that I used to do religiously but I keep forgetting to these days. Not because I don't love it anymore, the quality has remained pretty steady over the years, but rather because I would always forget. Maybe I should subscrube again!

Anyhoo, this month's cover of She & Him sealed the deal for me - I admit it, I'm such an indie cliché - I think that M. Ward is dreamy and I have a major girl crush on Zooey {but don't tell Tina Fey I said that!}. The photos are great, and the interview is very cute. They just seem like such nice people.

I've been spoiled lately, LB and I went to see them in NYC for our 5-year anniversary trip and then last week I got a chance to see them in TO with my cousin Tara! Such a fun live show, and it really made me appreciate that Zooey is in fact a talented musician too! Their dancetastic cover of Roll Over Beethoven was a great way to end a show - the dancing, meh, not so much...

Images {via}

Ground Control to Major Tom...

2010-06-15T07:42:00.002-04:00

Although not a huge Bowie fan, I do feel as though I've been orbiting the Earth for the past 13+ months and I'm just now starting to feel like myself again. I've decided to give blogging a go again, I missed all of you and you wonderful stories and comments - the blogosphere never quite lets you go once you're in!

I have so much to tell you about, there's been a million changes around here:

Our little Emile Oscar {aka Milo} born April 26, 2009
New bathroom, kitchen, dining room, basement floor and three different wallpapers
A whole new wardrobe to accomodate the post-baby lumps and bumps
A few trips here and there

However, on that note, it really is true. Plus ça change...

I'm glad to be back. I missed you all very much.

Kisses,
Kaili

Vintage Chic {but brand new}

2009-08-11T08:52:00.002-04:00

My friend Laurin showed me this fabulous necklace yesterday and I knew that you would all love it too - the good folks in the BR accessories department have done it again! The brooch cluster necklace is lovely and well-priced, in my opinon, when you factor in all of the pieces...

For you DIY gals out there, you might be able to approximate the vibe with a piece of ribbon and some fabulous brooches...

Fall at Anthro

2009-08-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

I really need to take a trip to Toronto to check out the Anthropologie stores they just opened - when the fall catalogue came today I spent about half an hour sitting on the porch forcing my mom to "look at this, isn't it pretty???!!!"

Personal faves include the puckered and pleated cardi, the hav ana sweatercoat, the revelations skirt, the sideswept sweater dress and the Barbera heels. Swoon. Plus all of the pictures were shot in NYC, London and Paris, making me want to travel so badly...

I have a feeling that this fall will be all about sweatercoats, comfy skirts and walkable shoes for me, since I will be off spending my days with the little man. These bridge that gap very nicely.

Mirror, Mirror

2009-08-06T16:38:00.002-04:00

I was at Pier 1 of all places yesterday, and happened to spot this wonderful vanity table - thanks to cousin Tara for the tip about their lovely mirrored pieces!

This vanity would be perfect in any fabulous girl's boudoir...

Milo update

2009-08-05T23:12:00.002-04:00

Since our wee Emile is now over three months and is no longer so wee, I've posted some new pics on facebook - I've made them public so that you can access them here...

Trying to get back to posting, and not of bebe, but it's hard not to think of him when he looks like this - that Marc by Marc Jacobs shirt I'm wearing is my favourite of the summer...

Perfect Evening

2009-08-05T22:35:00.002-04:00

We just had one of those amazing evenings - we hit our local park for some wonderful acting in Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing performed by local actors A Company of Fools. It was funny and entertaining and well acted, and we just sat on a blanket and played with Milo {who was awesome except for at the very end} and ate some really good chips and drank some nice red wine and enjoyed a rare beautiful summer evening...

Total bliss.

Sunnies For Sale

2009-07-19T23:38:00.004-04:00

I'm selling two pairs of sunglasses, in case anyone is interested. Prices in CDN dollars - If you're an American reader it's an even better deal for you! I'm clearing out a few things and I thought that I'd see if anyone was interested. Shipping will be extra if you're not in the Ottawa area, but email me if you're interested.

Turquoise Ray Ban Wayfarers : $100

MARC by Marc Jacobs sunglasses: $60

Life these Days

2009-07-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

There are moments of sheer frustration, but on the whole life looks and feels a lot like these two shots. I have to say that the Nikon D40 my dad bought us was one of the best gifts we could have gotten with a new bebe - such great pictures!

I can't believe that he's already 9 weeks old - he's developing a little personality, and he seems to have gotten my red hair. We couldn't imagine life without him.

Happy Canada Day!

2009-07-01T09:48:00.004-04:00

Here's to all of my fabulous Canadian readers and this wonderful country we call home. Enjoy the day drinking a Labatt cinquante while wearing your old Beaver Canoe tshirt {it's amazing- there's really no Beaver Canoe web presence, you'd think there would be a cult following but I guess it did go out of business over 20 years ago. Instead, here is a photo of the noble beaver in action.}

We're celebrating with a brunch for some friends at our place and then planning on heading downtown for some of the free festivities, but we don't want to hang out on the hill with the stroller and fight the crowds after the fireworks, so we'll be home nice and early to hang out and teach Milo O Canada in both official languages.

Bonne fete du Canada mes amis!{Image via}

Bike Dreams

2009-07-01T09:44:00.003-04:00

I have to walk by this bike several times a week, in all of its beauty, at one of our local bike shops -and it's been going on for two years! Every time they sell it, I think that it will finally end the cycle of temptation {pun intended}, but then another magically appears. sigh... As much as I keep trying to resist it, I wouldn't be surprised at all if I accidentally bought it one day. But I do keep trying...

Bandeaux

2009-06-17T14:55:00.004-04:00

My new obsession is the fabulous headbands by Petit Chapeau. They are absolutely perfect, and make any outfit feel a bit more whimsical. I am especially loving them these days because I can't wear some of my more whimsical pieces post-bebe...

I have only seen them at Victoire {who now have online shopping!} but I can attest to their fabulous Blair Waldorf meets Grey Gardens vibe...

{Images via Victoire}

New National

2009-05-29T09:01:00.002-04:00

Apparently today's music Friday. Since I am at home most of the day lately and we don't have cable, I spend a ridiculous amount of time listening to our national broadcaster, the CBC. Now I have always been a public radio junkie but this is getting out of hand. Last Friday I was totally rewarded though, with a wonderful half hour interview with the National. {Wonderful comments on the band, and not on Jian Gomeshi. Still on the fence about him, after all this time...}

The National played an unreleased and as of yet untitled song which led to 6 minutes of quiet bliss where Milo and I just sat and listened to the wonderful melancholy melody...

Au Revoir Simone

2009-05-29T08:56:00.003-04:00

I'm obsessed with the new record Still Light, Still Night by the fabulous Brooklyn ladies Au Revoir Simone. Check it out, you will not be disappointed. Normally I don't like a lot of keyboards in band, but this one is totally worth the exception. Plus, they were on CBC radio last week and they were just so lovely and nice and down to earth, so it's the best of both worlds...why can't more musicians be like that?

katie cardigan

2009-05-27T09:22:00.002-04:00

I'm prepared to make a trip to the states just to get this cardigan, I was just complaining to Laurin the other day that I own 7 black cardigans and none that add a punch of colour...

Beary Busy

2009-05-26T08:45:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry, I've been unmotivated to post of late. I find myself sitting at the computer and don't feel like writing, nor do I feel like finding pretty things to write about. I mostly feel like purging and organizing everything around the house and cuddling this awesome little peanut {who looks hilariously cross-eyed in this photo}.

I'm either going to give up blogging or go at it whole hog, I'm debating it internally and don't want to make a rush decision.

Rock Plaza Central

2009-05-15T08:48:00.003-04:00

LB and I have picked our first official date night- to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary we are going to leave Milo in the capable hands of my parents and head out to dinner and then to see one of our favourite acts, Rock Plaza Central. They have a new album coming out, but we both love love love their last record, Are We Not Horses, a concept album centred entirely on the existence of mechanical robot horses from the future. I know that it seems crazy, but you really end up feeling for those horses by the end of the record. The full sound with the banjo, the horns, the violins, they are a really talented and just plain fun group and a great way to spend our "first night out".

Hula Dreams

2009-05-14T10:07:00.003-04:00

Check out the fabulous summer hula video over at kate spade. I can't even hula under normal circumstances, let alone while wearing a cute dress and shoes and carrying an awesome summer purse - I want that fringe bag, it would be the perfect summer accessory, and one of those great mid-winter pops of colour that make me think of kate herself...

Mon Coco

2009-05-12T11:29:00.002-04:00

I have already developed many nicknames for Milo, in both official languages of course, with peanut/pinotte and button/bouton taking the lead, but the most persistent is mon coco. It sort of translates to my cutie, and it describes him quite well. Imagine my surprise and delight when the Lil Bee posted these necklaces, and I found one that says "Mon Coco" on it!

Can't wait to get it, and then he will grab it and choke me and it will be so cute and I'll just laugh while choking...

Motherhood has its perks

2009-05-11T11:44:00.003-04:00

Although LB had to work on Mothers' Day {it's hard to take the day off when you work at one of the city's busiest brunch spots!}, I managed to have a lovely day with Milo. My dad made my mom and I a pancake breakfast, we did some book shopping {I'm reading a ton while I nurse, I'm going through books at a pretty rapid speed...} and then Laurin and Casey came over to watch Milo while I did a few things around the house and then we went to my in-laws' where the men made dinner for all of the moms, which was lovely.

I didn't get a specific mothers' day gift, rather LB bought me an omnibus gift back in February to cover several years of valentine's gifts not received, the fact that I was having a bebe, and my mothers' day- it's a beautiful classic, and it goes with everything, even yoga pants {I admit to having cracked a couple of times in the past few weeks and worn them in public, against my own style rules - but I'll never wear crocs out of my garden, so we're still cool, right?}

Nothing says I love you quite like Chanel - I'd take one of these over a diamond every single time. That's how I know I married the right man - he gets that.

Crafty Cousin

2009-05-11T11:24:00.004-04:00

Not that she'd ever brag about it, but I will. My darling cousin Tara made Milo the prettiest felt craft, which we absolutely adore. Readers will know that I'm a sucker for anything with a bird on it, and when you actually make me a felted bird's nest, I pretty much swoon...

Since Milo's only two weeks old, I'll play with it for safekeeping for the time being...

Skirting the issue

2009-05-08T12:25:00.004-04:00

The thing that I am most excited about wearing post-bebe are my pretty printed summer skirts. I'm not quite there yet, but I've got them all hanging and ready for the minute they fit again. I'd love this one, it would make a lovely look, swishing along on a walk or sitting on a blanket, having a lovely late spring picnic in the park...

{sorry about the small image, I'm getting used to blogging from a different computer...}

Introduction

2009-04-27T13:13:00.002-04:00

Hello Kaili's readers, LB here to announce that Emile Oscar has arrived. At 8 lbs 14 ozs, he isn't a particular little bundle of joy, but we are very glad to have him anyway. Kaili will be back soon.

Nursery

2009-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

I've refrained from posting a ton of kid's stuff over the past 38 1/2 weeks, but I thought that I'd show you a few shots of my new office, where I'll be spending a lot of my time over the next while... I love this room so much for a few reasons - it's such a personal space, we've managed to incorporate a lot of things from our respective childhoods here that have a lot more meaning than things we could find in the stores, it's exactly how I pictured it looking, whether we had a boy or a girl, and we did the whole thing for very little money... the only new things purchased were the crib and mattress, and the Eames rocker and Tintin poster - everything else was either found in parents' basements or given to us by our overwhelmingly generous family and friends.

My mom and I took basic white curtains from IKEA that I've had for years and just added the striped fabric to the edges. We also made curtain ties, a pillow and the crib skirt from the same fabric. You can also see the fabulous Orla diaper bag Liam and Shannon bought me.

We caved and bought a knock-off Eames rocker, I've always loved them and this way we can put it in the living room when we're no longer using it here. I painted the walls a very soft beigey-yellow last year and decided to keep it, an easy and neutral base for the orange, yellow and turquoise colour scheme.

This wall is my favourite thing in the nursery - it's made up of things that Liam and I had in our rooms as kids, few cross-stitches that my mother in law made, as well as a few thrift acquisitions and the kitty from Laurin. The clown in the middle hung over our change tables when we were kids and held diaper pins...

We didn't want to lose the bed from the previous guest room, so we elected to make it work. I think that it will come in handy for naps for me. The crib is from IKEA and the quilt was bought for me as a child and used by both Liam and I. The bedspread is a vintage yellow chenille, and the afghan was made by my fabulous aunt Linda. Most of the toys on the shelf are toys we had as kids...

Signs of Spring

2009-04-23T18:39:00.004-04:00

Nothing makes me feel happier and springier than taking off my socks and wearing cute ballet flats barefoot. These were a steal at $17 from the local grocery store's Joe fresh style section. Some days they fit, other days my feet are a bit too swollen, but they always make me smile.

{Grandpapa bought the bebe a Nikon D40 for his birth present, so LB's been playing around with it a lot - we bought a 1.8 lens for it in addition to the 18-55 lens it came with, and that was the best investment we've made in a while.}

One Last Belly Shot

2009-04-23T18:18:00.002-04:00

I'm being induced on Saturday, and while I have mixed feelings about induction, I am so excited to meet this wee lad that I can't wait to get there! I figured that it was time for a final belly shot {this is for you Tara-tara} to help remember how insanely enormous this boy got at the end, hence the induction a week early. I have loved being pregnant and have been beyond lucky, so I really have nothing to complain about. Plus, I get to have a beautiful little boy in a few days so it's all worth it.

I might not post for a few days next week, but LB will be sure to throw up a picture once he's arrived.

I Heart Orla

2009-04-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the lovely Paige of I Heart You, who is also expecting a wee boy in the coming months so must be thinking about comfy and cute shoes like I am, for the link to these fabulous Orla Kiely flip flops. They will be perfect for my days spent wiling away in the lap of luxury, since as several people have so kindly pointed out to me - I'm off for a whole year with nothing to do. I'd like to point out that these people are usually without kids and don't quite get the concept of not sleeping for a year.

These flip flops are perfect for me though, and they match my fabulous Orla diaper bag.

TinTin

2009-04-21T08:00:00.002-04:00

It's not easy to find a lot of cool French stuff to decorate a nursery with, places like Etsy abound with incredible homemade stuff, all printed in English, unfortunately. But luckily TinTin, a childhood favourite of mine, is a classic choice for any child's room, or an office or anywhere really, depending on how big a fan you are. I found this TinTin poster to be a perfect match to my nursery colours, and it's child-friendly while not being kiddish.

NNNNeko!

2009-04-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

We made it to Montreal last Thursday evening to see the one and only Neko Case, despite my fears of early labour and the fact that Montreal was semi-shut down due to the fact that everyone was inside watching the Canadiens play the Bruins. It was worth all of the efforts and the whirlwind 12-hour trip, and the bebe seemed to enjoy it as much as we did - it seemed like he was dancing.

She had a screen set up as part of her stage show, and I had trouble paying attention to her during "People Got a Lot of Nerve" because the video for it is incredible. I'd love to get a bunch of stills from this video to decorate a little girl's room. Or mine for that matter. It's totally worth the 2 and a half minutes.

Plans

2009-04-17T08:05:00.000-04:00

So it's been decided! As long as the wee bebe is happy and healthy, we are taking off on a bit of a European vacation with him this fall. I'm so excited, and it gives me something to plan for to help alleviate the fear I'm having about being detached from my work.

We're going to rent an apartment in Paris for a week {will share the info once we've booked} for LB, the bebe and me, and then he will head home to get back to work and I will head across the Channel to spend a week with Liam and Shannon in their Battersea flat for some more London fun. I'm also optimistic that October in Paris and London will be a little less wet than November in both of those cities - we've had some pretty bad timing in the past.

I think that it's wonderful that I get a year off with a very generous top up from my employer and am planning on making the absolute most of it. I'm thinking of other schemes, but nothing has taken shape enough to talk about it just yet.

Lovely Swimwear

2009-04-17T08:00:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the new issue of Real Simple, I'm daydreaming about beautiful and flattering post-bebe swimwear. The line of one pieces by Malia Mills is right up my alley - so beautiful!

Lymon

2009-04-16T09:39:00.003-04:00

I got a friend and co-worker hooked on 30 Rock recently. Since watching it, he's taken to calling me Lemon, because I have a Lemon-type of job and spend a lot of my time fixing other peoples' messes, or preventing catastrophes from happening. I love it - I've never had a great nickname, and this one is great on so many levels, not the least of which being my massive crush on Tina Fey.

LB however believes that I'm different from Lemon in a few key ways - have my life more together, am less likely to let small things turn into an international affair, etc... so has taken to calling me Lime. And I like that one too. His other nickname for me is Tex, which I also like, but has never caught on. Maybe I'm just not a nickname kinda gal? {Which is another reason the Lemon moniker suits me...}

{Image via}

Bible Stories for Adults

2009-04-16T09:31:00.003-04:00

One of my favourite satirists, Jonathan Goldstein {host of the fabulous CBC program Wiretap}, has just released his take on some of the most famous biblical stories - my favourite is such an obvious one, the telling of the immaculate conception from Joseph's point of view, but the whole thing is hilarious. I read it in a day last week over the Easter weekend, it seemed appropriate.

It's a whole lot of blasphemous good times!

New Obsession

2009-04-16T09:17:00.003-04:00

I've been a strict brown-bagger for most of my life - I don't understand buying my lunch everyday, that money is for things like handbags and shoes and clothes! However, these last few days I've been working early mornings to get ready for my impending year off {I know, I'm super lucky, but I'm starting to get hives at the prospect of being away from work that long!} and the packed lunch has fallen by the wayside. To avoid overindulging in terrible take out, I've been looking for fresh and healthy alternatives for lunches in the downtown core. It's amazing how crummy lunch options are downtown, considering how many people work down here - people just seem so willing to line up forever and eat mediocre to terrible food.

Anyways, ranting aside - this new place, Toss it Up, takes care of all of my concerns. Fresh salads that you make with fabulous ingredients, or you can choose one of their pre-made options, they have wraps, bulk snacks, frozen yogurt, delicious drinks, everything that you could want for lunch. It's a good thing that I'm going on leave or I'd be broke from eating there all the time! They even deliver and allow you to order online and just pick it up...

Happy Pesach

2009-04-09T12:21:00.003-04:00

I've been sick for a week now, apologies for the crummy posting. I'm starting to feel human again, and know that a good four-day weekend will leave me feeling top notch. I need to get better, this bebe isn't going to hang around much longer!

We had the first of the two seders last night over at LB's parents' house and it was lovely. So much food, the brisket was incredible, Daphna made her fabulous macaroons, and I managed to make a trifle that was kosher for pesach. Good ol' Martha, always coming through with the good seder desserts! I played with the recipe a bit, but it was still yummy and kosher.

These are the weeks where it's a challenge to be married to someone of a different cultural background - normally I revel in it because I never have to worry about double booking special holidays and dividing time between families, but because of where pesach falls this year, I am doing two nights of family dinners with his family, and then two more nights of dinners with mine. That's a whole lot of sitting and eating, but I shouldn't complain, I know...

Travel with Bebe

2009-04-09T12:05:00.003-04:00

I am scheming about taking a month this fall and visiting Liam and Shannon in London and taking an extended holiday in Paris. Have found a few good apartment options, the challenge is to convince LB that this is in fact the brilliant idea I believe it to be...

But how much fun would that be?!??! Me and the wee one, touring around Paris, eating delicious treats, and spending time getting to know my favourite city even better...

Gumdrop Cookies

2009-04-03T13:40:00.002-04:00

My lil' bro and I used to make these when we were little, and I've been thinking about busting out the recipe again for old times' sake... They are amazing and the oatmeal helps to balance out the sweetness. We always used baking gums, because they are small and don't need to be chopped, and are not covered in additional sugar...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees...

1 c. butter
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar
Cream butter and sugars.

Mix together:
2 tsp. cold water
1 tsp. soda
Add to creamed mixture.

Sift together:
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Add to mixture.

Add:
2 c. oatmeal
1 c. colored gumdrops, finely cut {use baking gums}

Optional:
1 c. coconut

Spoon onto greased cookie sheets and flatten with a fork. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Loungin'

2009-04-03T13:15:00.002-04:00

My super sweet colleagues threw me a surprise breakfast baby shower, complete with scones and sparkling grape juice and advice on how to raise a child - don't shake it was a big one. They also totally spoiled me with this fabulous Oeuf Lounger, something that LB and I coveted long before this wee one existed...

For some ridiculous reason, they have discontinued the gender-neutral and decor-friendly brown and cream version in favour of brown and pink and brown and blue, so I'm really happy that we were able to get under the wire and get ours in this combo...

Exciting Week

2009-03-30T13:56:00.004-04:00

I know that I'm supposed to be scaling back on my activities, but some weeks just creep up on you without realizing it! I'm excited about all of the fun stuff on my plate, but I will try to get lots of sleep and drink lots of water and eat lots of good nutritious food for the bebe...

Pizza night with the girls tonight {I can wear yoga pants, so I'm okay!}
Party planning and Aquafit tomorrow {people keep dropping out of the class b/c they've gone into labour}
Coffee with Lori on Wednesday
Coffee with Daphna on Thursday
Picking up my parents from their London trip {and seeing all of the goodies they brought back!} and dinner party prep on Thursday
Dinner party at our house on Friday
Engagement luncheon for some dear friends on Saturday afternoon {details next week, at least one of them reads my blog!}
Birthday dinner for my cousin on Saturday night
Breakfast with Genny-G on Sunday morning
Dinner with Laurin and Casey on Sunday night

A big thank you to Jordan for all of her amazing party posts - I needed some inspiration last week for upcoming parties and my repertoire was feeling a bit tired... I'm far more energized after lovely shots like this!

Now don't tell my mother about these plans - she hasn't figured out how to look at my blog yet other than direct links, so I should be fine...- she gave me a big talk about my need to scale back my activities before the bebe's arrival...

Weekend Post-Mortem

2009-03-30T09:58:00.002-04:00

What fun was had, such sleep needed to recover!

Friday night started with a crush of errands on the way home and then Julie and Aaron came over for dinner - LB made hamburgers on the grill, it was amazing. Just low-key catching up with friends while we still have the chance to have an uninterrupted adult conversation.

Saturday I spent the day spring cleaning and getting things in order, anxiously awaiting cousin Tara and her husband Marc's arrival! They got here late afternoon, and they spoiled us rotten with amazing gifts for the bebe - she is an Etsy genius!!! We did an emergency run to Kiehl's for some supplies, and then met some friends for yummy Chinese and then headed out to see the Constantines and the Weakerthans. The venue was terrible {I have never felt more as though the promoter was trying to make a buck at the expense of my enjoyment}, but the night was lots of fun.

Sunday morning, we woke up to grey and threatening skies. We had a delicious breakfast of scones and then decided to brave the weather to go for a walk down to the shops near us. Well we got soaked, but we also got candy and travel mugs and camera bags, so it all worked out... We picked up tons of bagels at the Bagelshop and then had a late lunch at the Murray St Charcuterie. The food was incredible. The service? Not so much...

Malted Balls

2009-03-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have never been a fan of malt balls - Whoppers? ugh. Maltesers? don't even bother. However, the lovely people at the Candy Store introduced me to these delicious Koppers malted balls last year, and it was a whole other ball park. They are so delicious and tasty, nothing like those nasty artificial tasting imitators.... My personal fave is the mint chocolate, followed closely by vanilla and raspberry, but apparently the ultimate chocolate with 4 layers of chocolate is a delight as well. Look for them at fine retailers near you, but in Ottawa, the only place to get them is the Candy Store. The only catch is getting them when they're in stock - they go fast!

500 Days of Summer

2009-03-24T13:33:00.003-04:00

At this point, I don't think that I would mind if that happened. However, this reference is to the sweetest and best movie trailer I've seen in a long time, starring two of my fave actors - Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. 500 Days of Summer is a story about love and then falling out of love and it just looks like it was made for me. The tagline is "Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't."

Thanks to LB for being so dilligent about upcoming movies and making we watch trailers with him every week, even though I usually hate it.

{Image via}

Happy Birthday Lovey

2009-03-23T09:56:00.002-04:00

I took a few days off from work and blooging to reboot and recharge last week, and I almost forgot to wish my one and only a fabulous 30th birthday! You're my best friend and my love and you're going to be an incredible father. He's been working hard to finish off the nursery lately, and he's got a busy month installing basement floors and fixing the bathroom plumbing...

love you more than anything in the world...

Play a bit

2009-03-23T09:39:00.003-04:00

I went for dinner at Stephen Beckta's newest creation, play food and wine last week. My friend Anne and I try to keep in touch with dinners at nice places every few months, and since we don't have to pay for our husbands too, we can afford a bit of a splurge! I had the scallops to start, which were sublime, with bacon, oyster mushrooms and edamame, and then the steak frites, with a garlic aioli and some cinnamom-flavoured mushroons. I finished with a wee banana split, with homemade pineapple sauce. It was truly divine. The whole concept of the place is based around small plates - you order smaller portions at a somewhat smaller price. You'd have to be careful though - it could get away from you very quickly.

Two small criticisms: the shade of blue is institutional and made us think of elementary school painted cinder block, and the hand towels in the bathrooom are disposable. When you're paying that kind of price for dinner, someone can afford to do a load of laundry here...

Bicycle Lust...

2009-03-23T09:35:00.002-04:00

I don't think that it's wrong that I love this bike so much that I keep thinking about it. I almost impulse bought it on Friday, but then realized that I had no way of getting it home since I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant. But it will be mine. Soon. I'm in serious lust with this bike friends!

Coffee Anyone?

2009-03-17T11:09:00.002-04:00

I picked up one of these a little while ago, and I love it. Unlike stainless travel mugs, it can go in the microwave, plus it looks fabulously deceptive. You do have to be careful, since it is porcelain, but it's been keeping my decaf nice and warm all week, plus it doesn't hold the crusty coffee smell like my stainless mugs do so the transition between decaf and herbal tea is less gross...

Weekend Post Mortem

2009-03-16T10:21:00.003-04:00

Phew! I'm feeling the pressure, only 7 weeks until my due date - these weekends are becoming very precious in terms of getting things done.

Friday I ran home from work to get a much-needed haircut {I was shocked - it had been over three months since the last one!}, then picked up some last minute items and then hosted my bus strike carpool for dinner. LB made his famous ribs and an eggplant parmigiana for me and our vegetarian guest {I don't like ribs, too much work!} we talked and laughed and I managed to stay up past 11!!! We then cleaned up quickly and hopped in the car to go and look after Simon, Bob and Nicole's fabulous dog for the weekend.

Saturday morning came way too early - a quick walk with Simon and then home to finish the clean up and meet with our doula - she's an old friend and I think that it will be great to work with her. Then got myself gussied up and headed over to mom's for bebe shower #2 - it was a ton of fun and we were ridiculously spoiled. A nice relaxing family dinner where LB was again asked to make his famous ribs, this time with chicken, and then back to walk Simon and crash. He's not a small dog, so sleeping was a bit of a challenge...

Sunday morning I wrote thank you cards and organised my lists of things to do and purchase over the next 7 weeks, walked Simon in the sun, and then headed out for a few returns and exchanges and acquisitions. I spent the entire afternoon doing loads of very small laundry, putting away oodles of stuff, and getting the house in shape. LB got us Chinese for dinner and we went to be nice and early after getting caught up on our 30Rock.

Charmed, I'm Sure

2009-03-16T10:15:00.002-04:00

I've been searching for a good gold vintage charm bracelet as part of my look for summer this year, and I found a lovely one over on good ol' Etsy. I tried to do my usual and just take something from mom, but she only had a silver one, unfortunately... I am digging this with a pair of trouser jeans, a nice top to hide the post-bebe bump, and a pair of flats or cons or sparkly sandals...

J'adore

2009-03-13T13:05:00.002-04:00

I have always been a Chanel girl, from about the age of 18 and up. But these Miss Dior Chérie commercials by Sofia Coppola make me want to try the perfume. And go back to Paris right now.

Frog

2009-03-12T09:45:00.002-04:00

And for the record, the stroller's pretty snazzy too... We decided on a Bugaboo Frog, because they're fabulously well-built, look good, and because we are just those people. I love products that are pretty and functional too!

Bit of Bling

2009-03-12T09:36:00.002-04:00

I saw these sandals at Trustfund last week and I can't stop thinking about them {that means that I automatically get to buy them, right Laurin?}. They would dress up a pair of jeans a plain t, make a summery dress a little more exciting, and really just take any normal everyday outfit up a notch or two.

Is it ridiculous for me to walk around pushing a stroller and wearing these?

Summer looks

2009-03-10T14:50:00.003-04:00

I am getting excited about spring/summer looks, as they fill the racks in the stores and I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel {8 weeks to go, wee one!}. Since I am going to be off work for the next year, I am looking at developing a look for summer that does not need to be as work versatile as usual. Also, since I'm going to be spending my days getting spit up on and cried at, I need to wear things that are washable and fun, with patterns to hide any stains or leaks. When I saw this Portland Constantine clutch over at kate spade, I knew that it was the inspiration for that look. Wide-legged jeans, fun printed tops, converse, a charm bracelet, and a giant pair of sunnies to hide those sleep-deprived eyes. With that look I'll be able to have a latte and relax and look like I actually know what I'm doing!

Summer Look - by Kails on Polyvore.com

Bespectacled

2009-03-09T12:38:00.001-04:00

As a bonafide geeky gal, I loves me my glasses. I was so excited when they told me that I needed to wear glasses everyday, probably far more than I should have been. So when I saw this Beckerman necklace, I knew that it was for me. I hemmed and hawed a few days, but I am so glad that I bought it, one of my colleagues called it bling for the geeky crowd...

It's Here...and it's Spectacular

2009-03-05T07:13:00.002-05:00

I really don't have much to say except go get it, you will NOT be disappointed. I've listened to nothing else for the past 2 days. Visit her site for upcoming tour dates - April 16th in Montreal, I've asked the bebe to not come early just so that we can spend the night and see her play - it's never to be missed...Major girl crush on the Neko, but I think that it's a crush that is universal, whether you're a guy or a lady...

Choose...Juicy?

2009-03-05T07:05:00.003-05:00

I know, I know, I swore off Juicy when I took the last of my witty $100 ts to the consignment shop, but I can't get over how cute their new dresses are. I was in Trustfund the other day and every dress that caught my eye was from the spring Juicy collection. They were lovely enough that I even picked up this dress for my post-bebe summer wardrobe. It fits now, but the bump makes it a bit short for everyday wear... I got it in a lovely shade of green, which I think makes it more wearable for day and night, with flats or heels. It looks great with a big gold necklace too.

And for summer parties and birthdays, this tiered dress would suit almost any occasion.

I have to say though, although I love the dresses, their phto styling sucks. Pretty dresses look even prettier if you make a bit of an effort.

Cherry Blossoms

2009-03-03T09:24:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my charming cousin Tara, I am now obsessed with Cherry Blossom Girl, the chicest Parisian to blog her way into my heart. Her blog, fully bilingual, is a fantastic style guide for anyone on any budget, she mixes and matches high and low with ease and grace.

She also has made me crave Chloé shoes. It seems like no matter what pair of shoes I look at these days, it's a pair of Chloé shoes that invariably catches my eye and gets the drool mechanism going...

Bebe Shower

2009-03-02T12:21:00.007-05:00

I had the loveliest afternoon yesterday. Three of my dearest friends threw me a bebe shower to celebrate our bundle's impending arrival {9 weeks to go kid!} and to allow me to spend some quality time with my lady friends before I might be stuck at home for a little while... I requested a minimum of bebe themed games and events and decor, and they totally complied. They went with a bit of a "Over the Rainbow" theme to the decor and food, and it was a total success.

Highlights include:

The tower of cupcakes made to match my nursery to a t, as well as the incredible food options.

Spending time with all of my favourite ladies, including my mama.And a yoga/baby massage demo for pre and post-natal needs, with a workout just for me and a personal massage to boot! This was definetely not your average shower!

It was a beautiful afternoon. Everyone was so generous with their time, energy and the gifts for the wee one. It got me all choked up and I spent the night reading the cards and reflecting on all of my friends and the paths we've all taken. {While eating a cupcake of course...}

To dos

2009-02-27T13:22:00.003-05:00

Ever have that feeling that you just can't get on top of ANYTHING? I'm there right now... I have so many various to do lists on the go and I'm not making headway on any of them... Sigh...

Do taxes
Figure out shower outfits for Sunday and in two weeks {and go shopping if need be}
Plan meals and groceries for next week
Clean my house!!!!
Thank yous organized
Reschedule all plans that had to be cancelled due to accident
Car seat research
Schedule hair appointment
Get imac keyboard fixed
Clean out my files
Figure out what we're doing with dining room
Get a doctor for my baby
Catch up on correspondance
Decide on basement flooring, do final measurements and order it
Wash and hem bedroom curtains
Change play tickets that conflict with schedule
Frame pitcures with broken glass
Order FLOR tiles for bebe's room
Get bathroom plumbing fixed
Get organized for next weekend's trip to Mt Tremblant
Put away all bebe gear from shower
Find Tintin poster for nursery
Organise back entrance to house
Find good recyclable batteries {anyone know of any?}

And on and on and on... I'm having one of those "I'm so overwhelmed I can't even move forward" moments, but hopefully I can power through these and more this weekend. Think happy thoughts...Here's a contented picture of Margot Tenenbaum hanging out in what is now the nursery window...

Mea Culpa

2009-02-27T13:19:00.002-05:00

Sorry, dear and lovely readers, I haven't posted once this week and I apologize. While I have many good reasons, they are none of them an excuse for my bad manners...

I was in Quebec city for work from Sat-Tues
I have been working what seems like 24/7
LB was in a bike accident on Wednesday night {he's okay, but it wasn't pretty}
I'm taking care of him; and
I'm working some more

This weekend should be nice and quiet though. I need to spend some more time nursing my LB dearest, but it's also my first bebe shower so I'm super excited about that and need to get my outfit together ASAP!!!

have a lovely weekend, see you back on Monday. kisses, Kaili

Marc shines...as usual

2009-02-20T12:53:00.004-05:00

I make no apologies for my love of Marc Jacobs, even when he does weird things, like pose naked in his ads. He's still my favourite clothing designer and I think that craziness makes for better designs! I'm in lust with these shots from his Marc by Marc Fall '09 collection that I spotted over at Black Eiffel.

i love the colours, the shapes, the proportions, the boots {!!!} and in particular the middle outfit - I want that skirt and those tights NOW!!!! Such great prints, and great use of texture in building an outfit - these are totally wearable pieces that you could take from the runway and wear in everyday life, unlike many designers...

That red dress? The purple dress? Take my visa from me now Marc Jacobs, and just call me when everything's ready...

Fowl Play

2009-02-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

I decided to buy myself a bit of a mid-winter treat as part of my efforts to feather the whole nest before the bebe's arrival. I have coveted a Michael Sowa print since I first saw Amélie, so I sprang at the chance when I saw this one in the window of Heavens to Betsy. She looks so regal in our living room, hanging next to the fireplace...

Ideas for Family Pics

2009-02-17T09:53:00.003-05:00

I love this photo essay over at cjane - it's got great light, shades, colours, the whole package. Plus, the last photo just jumped out at me as exactly the tone I hope to invoke when we take our first family pics. I don't want anything super posed or staged, I want it to feel like us. Since we never remembered to take an official wedding portrait, I really want to make sure that we get a great first family shot done. Now to find a photographer who will do such a shoot for cheap - oh right - Liam!!! That's what lil' bros are for...

The other look I love is the one that Jordan did with her family and photogapher Jonathan Canlas - dressy but without any stuffiness to them, and clearly in beautiful surroundings...

Weekend Post-Mortem

2009-02-16T12:44:00.001-05:00

We made sure to spend lots of quality time together this weekend, but it never feels like enough. LB works every Sunday so I sometimes end up feeling ripped off that I can't have a whole weekend with him. But then I stop feeling sorry for myself and it's all good... but I do sometimes get sad that he spends his Sundays making brunch for what feels like half the city and I can't have brunch with my husband...

Friday night I rushed home after work and we made a quick dinner of steak and caesar salad, then we headed over to our friends Mia and Arne's house for some poker and catching up. I am not a fan, so I spent the night dealing, and wow did I manage to deal the worst mixes ever - sorry about the bad flops guys!

Saturday morning was spent gorging on french toast with peanut butter and maple syrup - seriously people, you have to try putting pb on your french toast, it's amazing! We then curled up on the couch and read the paper and watched more episodes of Rescue Me before heading out. We walked through the market, did some shopping at Trustfund, ate some delicious dinner and then hit the canal for skating and a beavertail. My first beavertail of the season - what a success! Then home for a good night's sleep.

Sunday morning was spent cleaning frantically to make up for Saturday's r&r, followed by brunch with my parents after which we attempted to go x-country skiing. After all of the melting and freezing we had last week, the trails were better suited for skating than skiing, so this 29-week pregnant gal decided not to take a chance. My mom and I spent most of the day fighting with the curtains for the nursery- the fabric is not being our friend, and then Laurin came over for some girly time and catching up. Sunday night we celebrated my great-uncle's birthday with family and came home just in time to curl up and start another week!

valentine's our way

2009-02-13T15:10:00.003-05:00

As mentioned, LB and I don't get any extra lovey on valentine's day, we try to do things for each other every day of the year, but I've been meaning to get him a few things anyways, so I decided to package them up and give him a little care package tomorrow morning. Our valentine's plans are low-key - sleep in as late as humanly possible since we're 11 weeks away from never sleeping again, spend some time reading, go skating, get me some new glasses, and grab burgers at our favourite local watering hole - Chez Lucien, a place with a decidedly unromantic vibe, but that is just our style.

LB's goodie bag includes:

1- The Watchmen graphic novel {I married a man who reads Nietzsche and comic books - sometimes at the same time!}

2- Since he cycles all year and really wants to learn how to work on his bike, the Bicycle Repair Manual

3- And since he worships the Black Keys, the new Dan Auerbach record, Keep it Hid. {That one's kind of a present for me too!}

Tulips

2009-02-10T09:25:00.002-05:00

I love tulip skirts, I have a few in my box of clothes that I will wear again in a few long months' time {I'm not complaining, I'm over the moon about becoming a mama but I've been wearing the same mat clothes for a while now} and this outfit from BR is just a perfect way to wear a fabulous tulip skirt- those shoes are great too, like an affordable version of a Miu Miu or Dries Van Norten platform.

sucker for birds

2009-02-10T09:22:00.002-05:00

I'm a sucker for anything with birds on it, and bird decor in general. Deer too, but that's a whole other story...I'm loving this sweater over at Old Navy, and it's super cute in person too. I'm thinking of going back and getting a smaller size for when my belly no longer obscures my feet...

Weekend Post-Mortem

2009-02-09T09:44:00.003-05:00

Friday was the last day sans buses in Ottawa, so my carpool dropped me off on Wellington and I ran a zillion errands and got some groceries on the way home. Then home where LB and I had a pick up dinner of cheese and olives and bread while watching Rescue Me - we are so addicted!

Saturday was the first of two days of prenatal classes. I admit it, I was completely dreading the classes and had no desire to participate, but was doing it because I felt that I had to. Wow - was I ever wrong. We took our class through Mothercraft, and it was incredible. I can't recommend it enough - I feel so much better prepared as a result of it, and so well-informed about decisions that I might have to make in the next few months. It is a completely non-judgemental environment, where all options are given equal airtime.

Saturday night we headed to the Works for dinner and the caught the bus {YAY!!!} downtown to see Coraline - what an incredible movie. It's not too scary for children, it's a fantastic tale of whimsy that we both felt had a lot in common with Pan's Labyrinth.

Sunday morning was more prenatal class, and then I came home and cleaned the house, organised all of those shoes and bags I told you about on Friday, got my post-baby wardrobe organised, did laundry and got sorted out for the week ahead - it promises to be a busy one...

i heart kate spade

2009-02-09T09:38:00.002-05:00

Although I admitted to my problem, this tote from kate spade is so cute - luckily for me they don't ship to Canada... but what a fabulous gift from your honey or to yourself!

This Weekend

2009-02-06T10:27:00.003-05:00

We have prenatal classes all weekend, so it won't be a very exciting one for us. {Unless you find said classes extremely interesting} However, to celebrate the end of the bus strike we are planning on going for a skate on the canal and seeing Coraline. We're both huge Tim Burton fans and I can't wait to see what magic is in store in this alternate universe where everyone has buttons for eyes...

I have a problem

2009-02-06T07:13:00.005-05:00

As part of my nesting efforts, I decided to get all of my clothes in order, and figure out which clothes I would be wearing during my year of maternity leave {yay Canada!}, and which I plan on keeping stored away {suits, etc...} As part of this, I brought home all of the shoes that I had stored at the office and brought together all of my bags and shoes scattered all over the house.

Then I stood back and got a little freaked out by my level of consumption. While it was nice to take inventory of all of of my stuff, it also reminded me of all of the lovely things that I have and how little I use them. For example, there are 7 kate spade bags, 2 Chanels, 3 Marc Jacobs, among others, on the bed. That should keep me going for the foreseeable future...

Then I took a complete shoe inventory and discovered 46 pairs {some not pictured here, could not shoot them all without a panoramic lens, which I don't have}, many of which are similar or serve the same purpose. Again, I don't think that I'll need to buy any shoes in the immediate days ahead.

After seeing this I am resolving to make better use of what I already own, severely limit my purchases in the coming months, and really enjoy the pieces that I have - I bought them for a reason, didn't I?

Valentine's Day

2009-02-05T10:31:00.006-05:00

I'm not super into Valentine's Day, though I do love getting prezzies any time of year... LB hates anytime that he is forced to buy a gift that expresses his love - he has very strong feelings against valentine's day, and since he's a chef he never wants to eat out on that day either. Over the past 10 years we've done a lot of different things - handmade gifts, no gifts, dinner with friends, romantic dinner at home, nothing at all, and we've never really settled on a tradition.

One thing that we always enjoy doing is walking around the crystal palace in Confederation park and having a nighttime skate on the canal, though this year nighttime skating is a bit dangerous for me- I need to be able to see the cracks on the ice in order to avoid falling.

{image via}

Another suggestion is to order from Thyme and Again's delicious take out menu for the day. I've never ordered a full meal from them, but I've had foods in all of the categories and have never been disappointed. Last year we had crème brulée in a heart-shaped ramekin from there.

This year, I'm not sure what's going on. I told LB that I want a bit of special treatment since I am having his bebe, but other than that I don't have anything specific in mind. I am in love with this ring from Anthro, and I've done my part in hinting, but that's way more than our usual budget of zero, so we'll see.

Graphically Cute

2009-02-05T10:07:00.003-05:00

My fabulous friend Laurin just sent me this link to the Alexander Girard line of toys by House Industries. This is why I'm having a baby people, to justify these kinds of purchases. I'm a big fan of Alexander Girard's designs, I have one of the kate spade bags she designed with his prints, and we want to order the Girard FLOR tiles for the nursery.

I've been very restrained in my pruchases so far, maybe a little splurge wouldn't be so bad?

Working for the Weekend...

2009-02-02T07:09:00.004-05:00

...or weekend for the working, depending on how you look at it. I apologize for the sporadic posts lately, or the lack of consistency, work has been a nightmare. I came in at 6:30 on Friday morning and did not leave my desk other than meetings... Friday evening I did a bit of shopping and then headed to Laurin and Casey's where we had a delicious low-key Friday dinner and catch-up. LB and I had a gorgeous walk home in the snow, it was magical outside.

Saturday morning, LB woke up sick, so I baked some scones {take out from Thyme and Again, not scratch...} and got him some medicine and then spent the morning cleaning and getting caught up around the house. Then my parents came over for some nursery/kitchen talk, and Daphna and Adam came over to measure for the custom bench that Adam is going to build for our kitchen, and we came up with a somewhat coherent plan for the kitchen renos that will likely happen this spring/summer, once the bathroom and basement are completed. We then watched Pineapple Express {such a terrible movie that I refuse to link} and LB headed out for some UFC while I hung out at home and went to bed early.

Sunday, I worked. I spent all day at the office, leaving just in time to make it to Bob and Nicole's for their fabulously delicious superbowl party. The girls left at halftime though, another early night to bed since I had to be back at the office at 6:30am today...

Yum!

2009-01-29T12:42:00.002-05:00

I love candy - crappy cheap candy in particular. Licorice, jujubes, swedish berries, Nibs, you name it - I have trouble resisting it. Don't give me expensive dark chocolate, I'll take a Fruit and Nut bar everyday of the week. So imagine my delight when my coworker showed up at my desk with a bag of Hershey's Cherry Cordial Kisses - they're fabulous! They're super sweet, but that just means that I will be able to restrain myself from eating more than a few at once...right?

RIP Domino

2009-01-29T09:57:00.002-05:00

I know that everyone knows by now, but I just wanted to chime in with my two cents' worth. I can't believe that it's going the way of the dodo, while magazines without an ounce of creativity continue to thrive and be published {Anna Wintour, I'm looking in your scary direction}. First Blueprint, now Domino, and I just gave them a cheque for my renewal to boot!

I can only hope that the rumours about Real Simple relocation to North Carolina in order to avoid closing are true, rather than have another publication close down. And I'm terrified about what might happen to my newly-minted Cookie subscription and my perennial fave magazine, BUST. Go and buy an interesting and different magazine ASAP and leave that copy of O right where you found it.

Classic French with a Twist

2009-01-28T10:38:00.003-05:00

I ate at a fabulous new restaurant in Ottawa last Friday night, the Black Cat Bistro. Well, new insofar that it's in a new location, with a new menu and a new chef, but not so new since it was in the market for years. But Julie and I had an incredible meal there, the butternut squash bisque with porcini mushroom chips was perfect, the steak cooked just rare enough that this pregnant lady who abhors well-done meat could still appreciate it, the frites were crisp and hot, and the lemon tart was a perfect taste of Paris - simply lemon, dusted in confectioners' sugar. However there was a bit of a twist, they torched the top of the tart so that it had the same crunch as a crème brûlée.

The look is great and the chairs are among some of the comfiest I've ever sat on - it made it a pleasure to sit for a leisurely meal... {Photo via}

Confession

2009-01-27T11:57:00.003-05:00

All of this talk about recessions and saving and scrimping and tightening our belts has made me really be careful about money. We switched to a cash-only system about a year ago, and it has been going really well, but for some reason the more people talk about the bad stuff going on out there, the more I just want to buy something really extravagant. I don't know why, and you can call me a bad person, but I am all of a sudden lusting for luxury. The Sprouse Speedy 30 seems to be catching my eye a lot lately, even though I sold my own Speedy 30 two years ago...

I'm not about to go crazy and buy it, but every once in a while it just tempts me oh so very much... do any of you notice the same temptation?

Other Options

2009-01-23T14:46:00.004-05:00

I did really like this blue danube boxy backpack from Petunia Picklebottom, but the price is quite high, and it is really and clearly a diaper bag, so that caused a lot of uncertainty on my part. I do like the bottle pockets and the roll out diaper pad, but I am just going to get a change pad that folds out instead, that way any bag can become a diaper bag.

And of course, there is always the classic, my first and truest bag love, kate spade, whose classic noel henry baby bag is enough to make me take a trip to NYC to get it right now, but the price is a bit high and I wouldn't want the baby to ruin that gorgeous bag. But don't get any ideas that I have switched allegiances because I'm on a bit of an Orla kick these days, kate is still my first and best design love.

Awesome Family

2009-01-23T14:29:00.003-05:00

I love my family, for so many reasons, I have an awesome family filled with great people who do really cool things in life and for each other. My little brother Liam lives in London with his girlfriend Shannon {and my friend - I would like her even if they weren't dating!} and they got me a great early shower gift that I won't get for a while but it's totally worth the wait. They bought me an Orla Kiely tote to use as my diaper bag - it's lightweight, it wipes clean, and it matches my wallet and bebe notebook! I've looked at many many diaper bages over the past few years, and while I still enjoy the thought of a kate spade diaper bag, the orla tote is just so much more me and my style these days.

Mona Moore

2009-01-22T12:17:00.003-05:00

I could spend days drooling and daydreaming over the site from my favourite shoe store in Canada and most likely ever, Mona Moore. {Cute, ain't it?} A carefully curated selection of shoes that are hard to find and interesting to look at, it is a girl's dream come true...

LalalaLanvin...

And these fabulous Dries Van Norten booties are on for half price - that's sensible footwear for someone who's 6 1/2 months pregnant, right?

Inspired Sleep

2009-01-21T12:15:00.002-05:00

I love this bedroom. It's a little brighter than I am normally drawn to, but I love the built-in bookcases in the eaves, it's something that LB and I have often discussed as a way to get some of the books out of our living and dining rooms and it fills up that often wasted space in rooms like ours with sloped ceilings.

{via Apartment Therapy}

Muscial Obsession: Library Voices

2009-01-20T09:22:00.003-05:00

I can't stop listening to this band from Regina, Saskatchewan, the Library Voices. They are catchy and smart, with great song titles like "Kundera on the Dance Floor." They are poppy and sing-along fun, with keyboards and great guy-girl alternating vocals, and Belle and Sebastien-esque hooks and melodies. If you're feeling the winter blahs, check them out for sure!

Animal Crackers

2009-01-20T09:12:00.003-05:00

I'm spending a lot of time looking for artwork for the nursery walls. I am torn between something cute and kid-like, or something that is more adult yet child appropriate. Compound that with the fact that I want it to be in French, because French is my first language and I want it to be his as well. English stuff is plentiful on etsy, but French stuff is hard to find - or conversely, easy to find but has to be shipped from France and paid for in Euros...

I like this alphabet, and a lot of the animals have names that start with the same first letter in both languages, but some are too hard to explain - like whale and baleine...

I prefer this one, mostly because it matches the nursery scheme and it has a cool graphic look to it.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Alternatives? Remember, it's a boy - if it were a girl, I'd throw up some vintage Vogue posters and be done with it.

Fresh from the Oven

2009-01-15T09:09:00.002-05:00

I have often kicked myself over the years for not ordering one of the Amy Sedaris fake cakes that she made for Fred Flare. I loved them, but I thought that $100 was a bit steep. What was I thinking - the very fact that I still think about them all of these years later should say enough about that!!!

However, thanks to the magic of the interwebs, I was able to find this great tutorial on Freshly Baked so that I can make my very own fake cakes for my collection of cake stands...

OMG!!!

2009-01-14T13:19:00.003-05:00

For those of you who have been following this blog for awhile now, you will know that I have developed an obsession with all things Orla. My purse, wallet, notebook are currently all Orla pieces. I love the clean graphic prints and the granny chic feel. Well thanks to Rachel, I now see that Orla's doing a line for Target - I feel a road trip coming on!!!!

Seriously? I want the apron, the canisters, anything that I can get my hands on - I saw the pear prints in person in the London shop and they're just fabulous!

UPDATE: Fabulous reader Sunny emailed Target head office and found out that the collection will be available on Sunday Feb 15th and will be in stores until Mid-May. In theory, but I have a feeling things will sell out far before that...