Sunday, January 24, 2016

Café 1880



I had another great café adventure yesterday at Café 1880 on St. Denis. This café is just around the corner from the Berri UQAM metro and right by the huge library where I was just conveniently headed to in the morning to run a number of errands. 

I ordered a mocha and absolutely loved it! It was a sweet, chocolatey, warm hug on a bitterly cold day! I took my time at 1880, sipping on my mocha while finishing up my book of the week. The vibe here was so great. There were lots of tables for groups to sit together, and there were also high tables along the wall for us solo coffee drinkers (like me) to read and work. 

The menu was extensive with lots of different hot drinks, cold drinks and also pastries. I was lucky that it was not too busy so I could set myself up in my corner and zone out. It was a peaceful morning and I would absolutely go back again next time I'm in that area!


 

Friday, January 22, 2016

My 2016 Book List



I mentioned in my New Year Resolutions post that I wanted to read 50 books this year. In order to stay on track, I will continue to update this page throughout the year with my reading progress and book list!

1. The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous and Broke by Suze Orman

2. The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

3. Quiet : The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

4. The 10 Habits of Highly Successful Women edited by Glynnis MacNicol and Rachel Sklar

5. I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi

6. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

7. Bossypants by Tina Fey

8. Yes Please by Amy Poehler

9. My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

10. The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

11. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari

12. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

13. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

14. Generation Me by Jean M. Twenge

15. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Taylor

16. Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People by Mahzarin R. Banaji

17. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

18. The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club by Jessica Morrison

19. #Girlboss by Sophie Amoruso

20. The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

21. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier

22. SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham

23. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

24. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

25. The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

26. China Dolls by Lisa See

27. The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss

28. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

29. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

30. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

31. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

32. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

33. China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan

34. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

35. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

36. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

37. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

38. Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Meng Tan

39. Blog Inc. by Joy Deangdeelert Cho, Meg Mateo Ilasco

40. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

41. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed

42. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

43. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

44. Drunk Tank Pink by Adam Alter

45. La fille d'en face par Linda Amyot

46. After You by Jojo Moyes

47. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

48. Keep me Posted by Lisa Beazley

49. Le jardin d'Amsterdam by Linda Amyot

50. The Lake House by Kate Morton

51. The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

52. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

In case you're interested I also have an account on Goodreads which is a website that tracks your reading list, organizes your reviews, and makes recommendations based on your interests, past reads, and those you follows.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Nest Fine Fragrance collection


I am too excited to share with you one of my Christmas presents! Anyone that knows me well, knows how much I love all things girly. My boyfriend's sister got me the most amazing gift - a travel size set of NEST Perfume Rollerballs!

Nest Fragrances is a niche brand that began as a specialized home fragrance manufacturing company. They focused exclusively on private labels (Tory Burch, Calvin Klein) and finally launched their own line on luxury scented candles in the fall of 2008. The collection expanded to include reed diffusers, liquid soap, body wash, body cream, and eau de toilette spray. In 2012 the NEST Fine Fragrance collection - inspired by the artworks of British artist Mrs. Delaney - was released.

By cutting thousands of small pieces of coloured tissue paper and mounting them on to a black canvas, Mrs. Delaney captured the essence and beauty of many flowers and botanicals from all over the world. She became famous for having created more than 1,000 botanically correct works of art.




I spent almost half an hour reading up on all of these beauties, testing them on different parts of my wrists and arms and finally trying to pick a favourite. Before I pick favourite, here is a breakdown of the gorgeous set:

1. Midnight Fleur: Exotic woods, patchouli and black amber are blended with sensual notes of night-blooming jasmine and vanilla orchid.

2. Amazon Lily: Amazon lilies are combined with lime, tangerine, driftwood and musk.

3. Dahlia & Vines: Dewy daffodils, peony and rose are blended with the essence of garden vines.

4. Verde: Wild fern and Himalayan cedar are combined with verbena leaves and vetiver.

5. Indigo: Moroccan tea, Kashmir wood and black cardamom are enhanced with hints of wild fig and bergamot.

6. White Sandalwood: White Indian sandalwood is blended with creamy almond, white musk and exotic spices.

7. Paradise: Mediterranean blood orange and white ginger are balanced with cedar wood and watery nuances.

These are going to be perfect for me since I travel quite a bit and love having a variety of scents to chose from! I have worn the Verde and the White Sandalwood a few times already and love them both so much! Stay tuned for my favourite scent since I can't seem to pick just one!

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Station W



Although I’m only half way through the passport, I think I've found my favourite cafe! Station W in Verdun is the coziest of them all! This beautiful spot reminds me of being in a cozy library with all the comfort of being at home. When I walked in, I immediately liked the set up; a long table in the middle for studying and lots of smaller tables around the sides for chatting. Against the back wall there are floor to ceiling bookshelves with reference materials and magazines.

I got a delicious latte to sip on while catching up with my friend J on our holiday adventures! Their menu is quite extensive including sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries. I can picture myself settled down here for a day of studying and reading!

My photos really did not do Station W justice, so I found a few from their website to share with you. I am confident that after my coffee passport expires, I will be going back here often!



Photo Credits: Station W Website

Monday, January 11, 2016

My 2016 Resolutions


I debated for a long time whether or not I would share my resolutions for this year on the blog. I've decided that by sharing some of my resolutions, I will be more accountable and will have a better chance of keeping them!

2016 will be a year of balance for me. One of my pet peeves is when somebody tells me they are too busy to do something. Newsflash, everybody is busy! They say the busiest people have time for everything.

Here are some resolutions that I wanted to share online. I hope that by sharing these with you I will be more motivated to follow them throughout the year and ultimately achieve a balance in my life!

1. Take more photos: It's so nice to take a trip down memory lane.
2. Blog regularly: This is my creative outlet so why not spend more time unwinding here?
3. Cut Sugar: I drink a lot of tea and coffee so this is one is key for long term health.
4. Go Fishing: It's something different.
5. Accessorize More: I have quite a bit of jewelry but always re-wear the same pieces!
6. Become Stronger & More Flexible: No explanation needed. Gym, gym, gym, yoga!
7. Read 50 Books: I will start a reading list on the blog to track this.
8. Attend a Horse Race: Any excuse to wear a big hat and beautiful dress.
9. Follow Through: I dislike flakey people, so I never want to be one! I want to stick to my word.
10. Play Piano and Clarinet: It's fun to brush up on old talents. You never forget them!

Did you make resolutions this year? What did you resolve to do or to work on?