Five things on my short list...

1. Make a pavolva ( it's such a lovely looking dessert and I've never attempted it)
2. Go on a little getaway with my love, sans bébé... even if just for a weekend... preferably by the seaside. (Realistically, this might have to wait until Zac isn't breastfeeding anymore, but I refuse to remove it from my shortlist)
3. Take a photography class
4. Resume my abandoned yoga routine (I've become so lazy!)
5. Take Zac camping for the first time this summer... even if this is kind of terrifying to me, we love to camp, so hopefully the boy will too!

So there it is. My short list. The things I want to do in my life in the very near future (not just some time before I kick the bucket!). Hopefully by writing it and putting it out there, I will make it manifest!

What's on your short list?

*top photo from Bon Appetit, June 2013

Hey there coffee lovers...

 I'm curious - what's your favourite way to brew coffee at home?

Coffee is definitely my drug of choice in life. 

And I realized today, as I was contemplating whether or not I truly needed to buy a Chemex  (I really want one!), that I already own 4 different coffee makers (a Bodum, a Bialetti, a Breville espresso machine and a standard drip machine). Hmmmmm, no addiction here < cough cough >.

But still, I really want that Chemex! 

I also LOVE the look of this Le Creuset French press:

And I certainly wouldn't refuse it if someone happened to buy me a sleek and gorgeous 

Nespresso machine ;)

I'm also very curious to try the cold-brew method (have you tried it?).

But at the end of the day, I'll always have a special place in my heart for my single cup Bialetti.

I'd love to know, how do you brew?

Hipsterize your quotes....

Have you seen this website, Recite This? 

It basically hipsterizes anything you type.

It's fun, and oddly addictive ; )

(thanks Tanie!)

Fresh Ginger Dream Cake

If you ever needed an excuse to bake a cake - this is it.

To be honest, I'm more of a pie-person than a cake person, but this cake rivals any pie out there. And that's a tall claim. It's one of the best cakes I've ever tasted. No fooling.

It's made with a ton of fresh ginger. I was actually worried it might turn out too spicy, but it doesn't. It has a rather mild spice to it, but still deeply flavourful, and incredibly moist. So deliciously moist.

Do yourself a favour and bookmark this recipe. Whenever the day comes when you fancy baking a cake, you must must must try this one... and you may never want to bake any other cake ever again :)

Read on for the recipe....

Weekend Moments up north...

Although today is a holiday for all my fellow Canadians, my husband has to work today, so it feels like a regular Monday morning around here. But that's ok... we had a lovely weekend together and I am feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle another week.

Saturday was warm and sunny, so we strapped Zac to my husband's back (a.k.a. Zac in a pack) and went out exploring the woods. 

The warm weather up north also means the black flies will be making their unwelcome appearance shortly. But at least they weren't out yet so we were safe... for now. 

We enjoyed a candlelight filet mignon dinner on Saturday night. We eat almost exclusively vegetarian up here, so this was a pretty rare occurrence for us. Partly because you can't really buy good meat in the north (most people hunt their own).... except for every few months when "the meat man" makes the 1500km trip up from Montreal and sells good quality stuff to us hungry northern folks ;)

and a few other randoms from the weekend...

I hope your weekend was refreshing too, 

and a happy Monday to you :)

Snapshot Friday...

We've had a beautifully sunny week up north, and the warm weather made everyone feel a bit festive. Even Zac got a finger-tip taste of red wine (he is part Italian after all). And as per the forecast, the good weather is supposed to continue on into the weekend, and we are planning to buy our first barbecue :)

Bring on the weekend! Bring on summer! 

And in case you're bored this weekend and feel like wasting some time on the internet, here's a little snapshot of my life lately....

• Currently I'm eating my way through this cookbook. 
• And my friend Alex leant me this old cookbook, and as drab as Company's Coming cookbooks may be perceived - this book is uh-mazing and literally filled with incredible recipes. 
• Oh and speaking of Asian cooking, I am just dying to make these Japanese pancakes.
• Currently I can't get enough of this pinot grigio, and looking forward to making these summery grapefruit cocktails.
• Currently I'm listening to Alice Boman. She's lovely. Also loving VW's new album.
• Currently reading this book - that is one funny Canadian gal : )
• And to be perfectly honest, I've mostly been reading baby board books lately. If you have a little one of your own, this one is my absolute favourite to read.

Have a wonderful weekend, folks!

oxo

Lately up north: the world's littlest northern explorer

Yesterday was the first day that Zac and I actually enjoyed ourselves outside up here in the north. Before yesterday, we endured the cold outdoors merely because staying inside all week would drive us bonkers.

But yesterday was bright and sunny, and around 10 degrees celsius (which feels WARM up here), and we spent a good part of the day outside. 

In the morning, we cuddled up in Zac's favourite Mexican blanket, and he would dive his face under it every time the cold north wind blew. 

And in the late afternoon sun, when it got really warm, I put Zac in a sunhat and we sat out on the back porch.... and basically I became a little paparazzi... because let me tell you, that boy in that pullover hoodie and that bucket hat was just too much cuteness to take in at once. Oh my word.
That boy sure knows how to make his mamma laugh!

Sun dress, sun hat, and a bed on the beach...

What more could you ask for in life?

These pictures from Anthropologie's summer catalogue have me desperately dreaming of summer.

....which is also kind of painful, since it doesn't even feel like spring yet up here in the north. 

< Sigh >

 ^^love the airiness and asymmetrical fall of this dress^^

 ^^and LOVE the colour of this one^^

(via Anthropologie)