Love List - August

The CNE has started in Toronto and the temperatures are getting chillier - where is August going?!? Does anyone else get those feelings that inspire you to buy new school supplies around this time of year (even if you're not going back to school?) Maybe I just love new pens and post-it notes a little too much. Other than school supplies (including a shiny new owl whiteboard) here are the things I'm loving right now:

Bloomer's
It's wonderful to see great people doing awesome things!! My friends Alex and Kelly have opened a storefront for Bloomer's bakery at Ossington and Bloor.

I've been a fan of Kelly's cookies for a long time, so it's very cool to now have a place to stop and enjoy them regularly. So far the menu consists of some amazing treats which are all vegan and some gluten free. The cafe has a great vibe and it's slowly becoming one of my favourite places to sit with a tea (& treat) and get work done. A full menu is soon to follow and I couldn't be more excited to have another stellar option for gluten free vegan food in the city. Try the zucchini chocolate chip muffin. TRUST ME.



Lovebot Kickstarter
Speaking of friends doing awesome things... Almost a year ago Corbin and I went on our Lovebot adventure which led to us going to Lovebot HQ and getting to spend more time with Matthew Del Degan, the creator of the Lovebot Invasion himself! The Lovebot team has an awesome Kickstarter happening right now for the DIY Lovebot toy. The campaign has just 11 days left to reach it's goal of $30k and was chosen as a Kickstarter staff pick. Donate and get yourself a sweet DIY Lovebot!



Getting mail that isn't a bill
I received a beautiful bracelet and sweet card in the mail last week and it made my day! I had been waiting on it for awhile (getting things from the US can be a nightmare sometimes) but there's something really charming about getting things in the mail from sweet friends in a world that relies on email and texting. I'm waiting on a sweet tank that I ordered, which will probably make it into September's love list. Stay tuned!



Recipe Testing
Lindsay and I are getting ready for another year of Vegan Mofo coming up in September after last year's hummazing extravaganza. This year we're focusing on 'Foods to Fuel Your Body' and we've got some yummy things planned! I love any excuse to try some new foods out and spend more time with one of my very favourite people. It's going to be delicious and I can't wait to see what so many other amazing bloggers will be doing for the annual Vegan Month of Food!

Sorry folks, fall is coming

Yell at me all you will, but I'm a transitional season gal, and I'm a big fan of fall.
And while the last few days have been beautiful outside, the chilly air at night makes me believe that autumn is just around the corner.

And I love it.

Reasons I love fall:

fall fashion
crisp air
tea in the sunroom
hoodies
cozy blankets
soup (and it's new friend, socca)

homemade socca and squash/carrot soup

more tea
that 'back to school' feeling*
coloured tights
cardigans
anything pumpkin
anything cinnamon

Brilliant cinnamon bun from Bunners at the Veg Food Fair

more excuses to snuggle
curries (and other warm and cozy food)
wearing boots
layering
peacoats
leaves changing colour

However, I don't like socks. 

Unless they have owls on them. And I'm wearing my polka-dotted cons. Then they're pretty okay.

All in all, fall is still wonderful. Remind me that I said this when it actually starts to get cold. 

What do you like about the fall?

*Speaking of that back to school feeling, I've been invited to check out the Green Jobs Forum on Monday September 17 at the Metro Convention Centre. There's a list of amazing speakers and some pretty cool stuff happening. They're also running a contest for bloggers, where you can win a bike - who wouldn't like a new bike?! I'm also stoked to pick up a Live Green membership card - I seriously don't know why I didn't have one of these before. Admission is free and you can register online. If you're unable to attend, I'll be tweeting away with the #GJF12 hashtag. Looking forward to meeting some interesting new people and learning lots! 

Sweetness To Leave The Not So Fun Stuff Behind

There’s been a lot of fun stuff happening lately… and some not so fun stuff too. I’ve really been lucky to have such amazing people in my life to help me through that not so awesome stuff.

Fun thing #1: Belmonte Raw with the ever fabulous Dani & Miranda. Those gals are just all kinds of awesometown. And Carol’s food is seriously some of my favourite fare in the city.

Fun thing #2: lying in parks reading books, a trip to the AGO for Picasso and gluten free vegan fare & mojitos on a patio in Kensington with someone who makes me smile.

Fun thing #3: a visit from my beautiful friend Rosie all the way from Chicago. That girl has been such a great source of support, laughter and encouragement and it was such a treat to have her here in the city. I can’t wait until she comes back and when I take a trip to Chicago to visit so we can talk more about the real meaning behind Moosehead…

Fun thing #4: new blog design by the amazing My Girl Thursday. Chantilly has been nothing but brilliant in this process. She’s creative, patient and thinks outside the box. I think what she’s come up with is absolutely beautiful and oh-so-me and I can’t wait for you to see it. New blog design also means a bit more direction on this blog and a whole lot more posting. I’ve been saving stuff for unofficial relaunch, so I guess that’s fun thing #4a.

Fun thing #5: discovering new music that makes me want to squeal with joy. I had planned to attend a show at the Drake a few weeks ago to support the oh-so-talented Paula Perri who was opening for a band called Pearl and the Beard, who I had never heard of. Paula just blew me away (as expected) and I decided to stick around and see what this trio was all about. They were wonderful!! Seriously sweet tunes, beautiful harmonies, interesting mix of instruments and fantastic banter and connection with the crowd. The whole night was stellar and I’m so happy I discovered some new music that I’ve been obsessed with ever since. They’re the best.

Fun thing #6: the lilacs are out. I love them.

Fun thing #7: singing my little heart out, learning new music, being inspired and meeting wonderful new people in Tracy Michailidis’ Songbook Lab. Tracy is a fantastic performer and a generous, warm, challenging teacher. It’s been a treat to be back in class with so many talented people and I can’t wait to take it again to keep working on my audition book.

Fun thing #8: by the time you read this, I’ll be on my way to NYC! (maybe I’ll find more men in uniform??) Last week when I got a notification that Jonathan Reid Gealt was hosting a master class along with people like Adam Guettel (responsible for brilliant musicals like Light in the Piazza and Floyd Collins) and Tituss Burgess (the man is incredible), I knew I had to be there. I emailed Jonathan right away and less than 10 minutes later I was planning a trip to New York. The weekend is going to kick my ass and frolicking in NYC is going to make my heart sing; I couldn’t be happier.

I’m not going to get into the less-than-fun stuff right now, and instead focus on all this sweetness and everything great that is to come as a result of some big changes. The always amazing Jessie helped me to write a list of good things to make me happy when we were together last week and a lot of things from this list were on there. I’ve been carrying the list around with me and glancing at it from time to time as a reminder of how many good/fun/awesome things I have to be thankful for right now. Big NYC post when I return!

It’s Too Hot For Anything But Love

Found written in my kitchen and I can’t help but agree…

With that in mind – things I’m loving from the long weekend:

My new crush, Zyz

We totally fell in love over the weekend while I was housesitting for my lovely friends Stefne & John. He is just the cutest thing on the planet.

Multiple meals at Fresh

including their new gluten free vegan banana nut pancakes with tempeh bacon for brunchy on Sunday

I don’t eat pancakes often enough. These were stellar.

Round two involved a delicious cherry blossom smoothie, a baby beach bowl and many giggles with Dani. That girl is all kinds of awesome. Love some things on the new menu. Don’t love the new prices.

Other yummy eats…
including delectable Ontario strawberries

sweet treats from even sweeter neighbours

salads with sweet potato hummus on the run

and dins with a lychee martini at Insomnia.

Also had a ball dancing with my besties at Chronologic, calling out obscenities at Rocky Horror, getting my butt kicked with the new RPM release at Goodlife and loving my hair as Rapunzel in Into the Woods

Okay so maybe Rapunzel’s love of her hair is a little more manic… but you get the idea.

Annnnnd only 22 more sleeps til NYC #squeal

How was your long weekend? What are you loving?

My March Love List

Things I’m loving right now…

All things green (and not just because it’s St. Patty’s Day)

Including green juice and E3Live every dayI’m seriously feeling unstoppable as a result of the combination of these two things every day. E3Live is “100% Aphanizomenon flos-aquae blue-green algae (AFA for short) that is an all-organic wild-harvested aqua-botanical considered by renowned health authorities to be nature's most beneficial superfood.

Physiologically, E3Live® helps restore overall body/mind balance in numerous ways. Its field of action simultaneously includes the immune, endocrine, nervous, gastro-intestinal and cardio-vascular systems.

Nutritionally, E3Live® provides 64 easily absorbed vitamins, minerals and enzymes and has more biologically active chlorophyll than any known food. It is the most nutrient dense food known to mankind.”

Dan Mangan

Next to Adele and Jessie J, he’s the one thing I can’t stop listening to in my room and on my ipod. He’s amazing and I NEED to see him live ASAP.

Raw FoodSo sexy green juice isn’t the only thing that has stuck around since reading Crazy Sexy Diet… I’ve been eating a lot of raw food and feeling amazing. Lots of big salads, greens, sprouts and other goodness. I’m just listening to my body and working on doing what is best for it in this moment.

Great Fiction

I read a lot of non-fiction (especially in the form of cookbooks and other books related to health and wellness) so it’s a treat to read really great fiction. I recently finished Into the Forest by Jean Hegland and The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. Both were brilliant in very different ways.

Only Kale Can Save Us Now Shirt

Um, I kinda need this shirt from Herbivore Clothing. My birthday is just around the corner…

What are you loving right now?