I feel like I’ve got blogging fever or something – which feels great, to get into a groove with things and feel like I’m working toward really creating this blog into the kind of space I want it to be, after being largely stuck for the past year. I’m not sure what’s changed but I can tell you that I have so many exciting posts to share, so stick around.

I’ve had a rather luxurious morning – sleeping in until 9, waking up slowly with a large mug of coffee and reading the Manhattan issue of Acne Paper while downloading files for work. It’s days like this that the stress and hustling of freelancing are worth it – the luxury of being in control of your own time is a great blessing.

I actually have a DIY post scheduled for later today that I’m super excited about. I just need to take a few shots of the finished product and then I’ll put it up. First, I thought it would be fun to share a few shots from yesterday’s antiquing adventure at the Brydges Street Market. Jessi and I went with her mom and her mom’s best friend to see what treasures we could find.

I complain about this city a lot, about its lack of character and overly conservative nature, but it does have its saving graces and the Brydges Street Market is one of them. Previously unknown to me, tucked away in a big old building in the east end of the city, the market boasts 17,000 square feet packed wall to wall with great old stuff from a wide array of vendors. Here’s a peek at what we saw…

I went over my self-imposed $20 budget to pick up a faux-crystal chandelier for my bedroom and had to very firmly force myself to pass up dozens of vintage leather purses and charming tea cups (including one with a lobster that I can see myself going back for).

I love rooting through flea markets and antique stores, thinking about ways to repurpose old treasures and wondering about the past life of each item.

Have you picked up any vintage treasures lately or discovered any hidden gems in your city? I’d love to hear!

xx S.

On Saturday, with the sun shining in Toronto, I packed into the car with two of my besets girlfriends and the cutest guy I know for a mini-roadtrip. Our destination? My hometown, to see a lineup of fantastic bands at one of the dodgiest bars London has to offer.

We sipped on Starbucks, ate beer battered onion rings and giant salads at a funky diner, danced with a rocking grandma (my new hero), took pictures of our pinup inspired dresses (look for a new “what i wore” post soon), giggled over gin & sodas, cooled down with ice cold beers, hollered at drunken cads, tapped our toes to the twang-infused tunes, and visited with the coolest lady I know (my mom). At the end of the day we loaded up on Tim Hortons and candy and drove back to the city, totally exhausted from all the fun. Here’s a peek at our shenanigans …

While we missed a few of the bands, thank you to Mr. Rick and the Biscuits, Hey Loretta, The Rizdales, and The Millwinders for entertaining us all afternoon.

What adventures did you have this weekend? I hope the Monday blues haven’t gotten you down. ;)

xoxo
S.

P.S. Thanks to Andrea Dineen and Elyse Moland for assisting with photography ;)

bodies have this funny way of forcing us to give them what they need. so, that’s what my body did yesterday. it forced me to sleep. a lot. this was probably the best thing for me, after the hectic week (month, year!!) that i’ve had. but i felt out of sorts this morning after realizing i’d basically lost an entire day of my life. so i did my best to wring every drop of weekend that this day had to offer. and it was pretty great. here are a few of the highlights as captured by my instagram shots …

1. i bought myself a few brightly-coloured stems at the grocery store. it’s amazing how much cheerier a few flowers can make a room.
2. i typed up a couple of my favourite poems and wrote letters to new friends. i’ve been really inspired by melly’s 30 days of letters. so much is missed in the briefness of e-mail and text messages. and so i continue to play my small part in keeping letter-writing alive.
3. lately my eyes have been reopened to how full of possibility and wonder the world is, so i’ve spent a lot of time daydreaming and planning in my journals. do you like my new key/pen necklace?
4. i tried soygo (vegan yogurt) for the first time this weekend and made this yummy parfait. now i’m even more excited to make my own yogurt from nut milk!
5. coffee with elyse at the commons this morning. much planning and talk of the adventures on the horizon.
6. their stained glass window reminded me of the house i grew up in.
7. bed picnic with my favourite snack as of late: PC white bean dip + rice crackers. i swear the roasted garlic and sage make it even better than hummus! i’ve been going through a pack of each of these every few days since january.
8. three-ingredient vegan turtles. recipe coming at ya tomorrow, but we warned, these things are addictive!
9. pink blossoms heavy with rain as i walked home from the market.
10. i’ve had grapefruit soda on the brain since this post on miss indie. after trying it this weekend, i’m totally hooked! i didn’t follow the recipe exactly though. use equal parts grapefruit juice & sparkling water, a big squeeze of lemon, serve over ice and it’ll be delicious!

what were the highlights of your weekend? i’d love to hear!

xoxo
s.

When I was in fourth grade, it seemed like there were three teams that the girls in my class divided ourselves into. You were on Team BSB, Team ‘Nsync, or Team Hanson. As usual, I wasn’t on the popular team. I was a loyal Hanson devotee. This loyalty led to more than a few snubs, but I was happy to stand by my favourite heartthrobs. I mean, they played their own instruments afterall.

Fast forward to 2012. My iTunes library contains everything from Jay-Z to Cole Porter, but Hanson has been notably absent since I hit puberty. Over the years I strayed away from the bubblegum pop music of my youth. I went through a long punk phase in high school before settling into the more varied tastes I enjoy today. However, through a seemingly random string of events, the three brothers from Tulsa, Oklahoma MmmBopped their way back into my life this week.

For a number of reasons, I’ve been pretty sad these past few weeks, but especially over the past couple of days. I’ve felt powerless over the things that are making me sad, but worst of all, I felt as if I’d lost myself in this sadness. A close friend of mine suggested that I try on pants. This might sound strange, but I think what he meant is that when you feel like you’re drowning in something, it’s important to purposefully undertake actions that take you out of that, even if it’s only for a moment, instead of letting yourself sink. I hate trying on pants and felt incapable of finding my way out of this grief, so needless to say, I didn’t head out to the nearest American Apparel to pull on a pair of skinny jeans. But, when I was walking down Queen West, wishing desperately for some sort of relief, I saw a poster for a Hanson autograph session at HMV the following evening and I thought, “This can be my pants.”

With media passes in hand, my best friend and I made our way past the lineup of devoted Hanson fans and into the store. The band gave an intimate performance and although I’d probably insist that this isn’t my kind of music, their songs were absolutely infectious and I couldn’t stop myself from swaying my hips to the beat as I snapped shots of my teen idols. Afterward, we had a chance to meet the band (who are all incredibly sweet!) and have our photo taken. It was truly my fourth grade dream come true. I’m not going to lie, my knees melted a little.

Later that evening, I was back at the Bachelorette Pad, blaring Shout it Out, and twirling around in my favourite party dress when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I belted a lyric out into my toothbrush and thought, “Oh hey, Sarah. There you are. I’ve missed you.”

So, while I can’t claim that my sadness has disappeared completely, at least I feel like myself again and that makes all the difference, because I’m strong and I know I can get through anything. And I didn’t even have to try on a pair of pants.

What do you do when you’re feeling sad? Have you ever gotten to meet one of your celebrity crushes? I’d love to hear!

xoxo
S.