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It's official.

I have a closing date for my condo and it's January 14th! So in lieu of "occupancy fees" I'll be making mortgage payments! Yay!!

Seriously though. This is me, all grown up. For reals. Yikes!

Weekend Update

wL called yesterday afternoon to say it only just occurred to him that it's the last weekend before Christmas and he hadn't bought any of his gifts, so would I mind going shopping with him. So off to the Eaton Centre we went to battle the hordes.

I bought my gifts at Roots and spent the rest of the afternoon playing personal stylist to wL, a surprise treat. He's lost a lot of weight in the last 6 months and I have to say that I much prefer him with a more weight on - not to say he was overweight - since he looks manorexic.

Anyway, we left the mall around 7:30 and made our way through Chinatown to pick up a few groceries to make dinner together back at my place. It was all so easy, comfortable and domestic that it made me a bit sad that things didn't work out between us earlier this year. I wonder if he thought the same? Que sera sera.

Today was a bummy day. I managed to sleep in until 10:30 despite the bright sun and puttered around at home before heading out for my massage in the afternoon. A hot bath awaits...not a bad way to spend one of the last weekends of the year.

Paint!

I went to the nearby Colo(u)r Your World this afternoon to pick up my paint for the living/dining/kitchen/study today. The specs on the label aren't quite dry yet so the colours will be deeper once they're on my walls. Since it's already mid-afternoon and I have plans for dinner and a movie with wL tonight, there will be no painting today. But at least I'm prepared now for when I am

Button-tufted AND Purple?!

I've always had a thing for button-tufted detailing in upholstered furniture - and early in my search, I was focused mainly on sofas with this detail. Crate and Barrel's Petrie Sofa is a recent obsession of mine, although I'm more than happy with the sofa I ended up getting for my space. But an email from Urban Barn was waiting for me in my inbox announcing the arrival of their new Moma Sofa and I had to gasp: I know purple isn't for everyone - it's one of those colours that you either love or hate. But I LOVE purple, and this sofa is my idea of gorgeous. I love the clean lines, the bolsters, the button tufting, the cozy velvet and the colour! Ohh!! The colour!

I can't help myself...

Because I'm a geek and can be somewhat obsessive about making lists and using Excel to organize things, I created a painting schedule for myself to track what rooms/walls need to be painted in what colour, what furniture needs to be moved to where in order for there to be space for painting and a column for notes to remind myself for example that I can't paint my bedroom walls until I've borrowed my mom's ladder because the ceiling's 10'.

Yes.

I'm THAT big of a geek.

And yes, I need help.

If you asked my cousin A though, she'd say that I was just being true to my Virgo self. Whatever. I've got a problem. And admitting it is the first step, right?

Busy Saturday

I went to Direct Interiors yesterday and bought my dining chairs! So, you know how I said I was going with Nuevo Living's Rudi Chair for my dining room? Well, in the last few days, I'd changed my mind a number of times and was most recently considering Calligaris' Ice Chair - look how gorgeous it is below in the way it catches the light:

Like diamonds, non? They're not super-duper comfortable though...so I went back to an earlier choice - Sunpan Imports' Vintage Linen Dining Chair. See:

Vintage Dining by phoenixc

I also bought Nuevo's version of Eames' Moulded Plastic Armchair for my study, and am awaiting pricing for the gorgeous Dahlia light, which I'm considering for my bedroom, if the price is right:


Here're some other things that caught my eye:

Chrome Bamboo Table by Drexel - so brilliant - like jewellery for the living room

A sparkly accent pillow that can only be purchased as part of the bed-in-a-bag set

A luxe blue, button-tufted ottoman paired with a nail-trimmed couch

And a zebra bench which I love love love

AL came along with me and bought a sofa and after 3 hours at Direct Interiors and a late lunch at Dirty Bird, aka, Swiss Chalet, we stopped at Rona where I picked up painting supplies. And because there was a Winners across the street, I, of course, could not resist and went in to browse and left with a lovely mirror with bevelled-edge detailing for my hall.

Pictures to come as soon as the walls are painted....Everything hinges on the painting of my walls now. :)

11 days and counting....

...to Christmas! It only just occurred to me on Friday when I was peeling back the tab of the day on my advent calendar. Where did the year go???

The Eaton Centre's lit up and decked out for the holidays with its Swarovski Christmas tree:

And here's my humble little 2', blinged-up wonder:

Finally...

...finished laminating Piglet's ABCs by Lindsay Brackeen:

I just have to package them up now to send out West...I'm a bad aunt, but better late than never, right?

Blue Moon

This print by Bon A Tirer Fine Art was waiting for me when I got home from work today and it is even more beautiful in person than it is online! Can't wait to frame it!

Pam and John, the couple behind Bon A Tirer are super-nice and responsive about the queries I had and they've got other gorgeous prints available for sale in their Etsy shop, including Moon Rocks below:

Mission: Execute Dining

I had some friends over a couple weeks ago for a holiday brunch/housewarming and received a copy of Apartment Therapy Presents as a gift. I read it in a week and was taken by this image from Marilyn and Peter's Home Studio:

It's Ikea's Docksta with a glass top and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I'm pretty much over the fact that it's a cheap knock-off. What's been holding me back is that it's only 41" in diameter compared to the 48" unlicensed version of the Saarinen Tulip I've been eyeing and tight for 6.

But A brought up a good point over lunch today: how often will I really seat 6 at my table? So here's my brainstorm: The Docksta with a tempered glass top with 4 of Nuevo Living's Rudi, a play on Bertoia's side chair, but without the wire:


They're light and airy and don't take up much visual space since they're clear. And for when I have a couple more guests, the Lucid Crystal folding chair from Urban Barn, which can be tucked away in my study for all the times they're not needed:


The best part of this solution is that the entire set as I've envisioned it is well less then what it would have cost me just for the marble-topped Tulip! Fantastic!

Now I just need to execute!

Happy Birthday, Piglet!

My niece, E, is 1 year old today! Happy Birthday, dear Piglet. :)

Because I'm a geek...

I taped the footprint of the tables I've been vacillating between on my floor: the 48" round Tulip and a rectangular table that I'll call Ikea's Melltorp as a proxy - this would be my super-cheap alternative:
And I keep coming back to the Tulip because I have enough long rectangles as it is with my island in the kitchen, the 3 Malms and bookcases I've got flanking either side of the table, and the rectangular coffee table I plan to put in the living area....so, round it is.

Which got me thinking about cheaper alternatives for the round table. While there are many glass top options out there, I'm against seeing people's feet when I eat so that's out. Ikea's knock-off Docksta would have been ideal, except at 41", it's not big enough to seat 6, and I really want to seat 6. Plus I'm rather partial to a white table top...so should I pull the trigger on the marble top???? UGH. Why does it have to be so expensive?

I want...

...this extendable bookcase by Reinier de Jong:

via Apartment Therapy

Like, wow.

Sick day

I woke up feeling fine but started feeling nauseous and it has persisted. So I'm home sick. Blah.

Pookie for Piglet

I stopped by Pages on my way home tonight and found this cute book which I thought would be perfect for my niece, Piglet, particularly as she's taken to dancing herself! :)

Too good to be true?

I stopped by the Winners on Spadina today to pick up some black tights for my work holiday party tomorrow night (yes, we're still having a holiday party) and decided to do a quick stop across the street at The Lifestyle Shop as well where they have my Tulip table, or rather, the Cal Dining Table for a crazy low price! OMG!

Hump Day Pick-Me-Up

I got these tulips on the way home last night as a pick-me-up for the slow as snails progression of the last week. Look at them now:

Happy Thought

Today felt like it was NEVER going to end...as does this week. UGH!

Happy thoughts... Thinking of my silly niece and her fascination with electronics makes me happy. Here she is, making a grab for the camera:


She gives you this mischievous look that says, "Look at me, aren't I cute? Don't you want to share your shiny toy with me?"

2 Jane and the freebie!

Hello my lovelies!

Mixko Butterfly Shade

Brazilian Agate Coasters

I discovered 2 Jane via decor8. Click here for the free Mibo 2009 Calendar on their site.

WIP: Study

This is what my den/study looks like right now:

As you can see from the paint chips on the wall, I haven't quite settled on the shade of green I want to paint with, which is why the space still looks like a storage area. I didn't see the point in getting all organized if I'm just going to have to pack stuff up to paint.

This is the first time I've actually sat at my desk to work....I really like the feeling of being tucked away in my little corner office....no windows though. :)

ABCs

My niece's birthday is coming up and I've been thinking about what to get her and I've decided on this adorable set of alphabet prints by Lindsay Brackeen, each piece involves a sketch, handcut new and vintage papers, collage, and hand-embroidered accents:


I was also wondering about what to give Q, my friends G&E's baby boy. He was born prematurely in September and I haven't met him yet. I figured by now, they're probably good with the usual baby stuff of blankies and toys...so I'm feeling the art route is in order. How brilliant is this Q for Quetzal print by Flora Douville:

Other alphabet prints that caught my eye include:

Limited Edition by Stephanie Fizer

Chocolate Alphabet by Marley Ungaro

The Kind Koala Knitted Knickers by Katy Holmes

Animal Alphabet by Decoylab

Alphabet Soup by Calobee

Complete Set of A-Z by Cabbages and Kings

Be still my heart...

...but look at this gorgeous bed by Shawn Lovell:

Getting SMART

I was inspired by Joyce's blog about setting SMART goals - something that's top of mind now that year-end self-appraisals are coming due - so I decided today to enter a couple races in 2009 - the SL 10K in May and the Toronto 10 Miler in July...the end game is to run the Waterfront Half in late September, but I can't commit myself to something so far ahead in advance...I know. I wimped out. But it's a start right?

So now I have to think of a training regimen to get myself into shape. The more I think about it, the more I've come to realize that I'm going to have to commit to working out in the mornings before work because it'll be hard otherwise to carve out the time.

Study in Green+Orange

I've been thinking about my den since before I left for China and was going back and forth on whether or not it should be a guest room or a study. I was leaning towards the former but on my last trip to Ikea, my mother convinced me that it should be a study...so I came home with the 5x5 Expedit and the accompanying desk.

And while browsing online for art today, I came across the 2 for 1 sale over at Blue Ant Studio. I've had my eye on their Alphabet of Design Classics for the last year and finally pulled the trigger on my purchase. My second poster is the Side Eames LCW.

I think I may spend the holidays painting... :)

Study by phoenixc

Opening night at the AGO

I caught up with wL over sushi Friday night and stood in line in the rain to get into the newly-renovated AGO designed my Frank Gehry. I walk by the AGO everyday on my way to work and have always found the spiral stairs that jut out of the southern facade rather odd, but after having climbed the stairs down, I've a new appreciation for them because the view's fantastic!

Here's the view from the inside of the northern facade - it reminds me of a ship's skeleton. In the first picture below, you can see some of the names of the Italian families who donated $10 million for the new sculpture gallery.


The collection isn't entirely new to me so we wandered through rather quickly. I have plans to go back soon in the day to take in the views of the city - preferably in sunlight.

Still here...

So my cousin M and his girlfriend I left Tuesday morning and I've been catching up on my sleep ever since. It was a short visit but it was long too because I've never myself played host to anyone before and I must say, it's rather exhausting!

We spent Friday afternoon at Pacific Mall before meeting the rest of my family for dinner. We spent Saturday wandering along Queen West to Trinity Bellwoods and broke for brunch at Czehoski before heading to the Distillery District to browse. We finished it with a big family dinner back at my mother's with my aunt, uncle and cousins in attendance. We went to Niagara Falls on Sunday so I can tell people back in Amsterdam that she's seen the Falls should they ask, and of course, winetasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake! We finished the night with dinner at Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar - I figured it was a good choice and the food served there is pretty representative of Canadian cuisine - whatever that is! Also, the tapas-style dishes meant we could try lots of different things.

M has a maternal great-aunt here so I dropped him and I off Monday to have lunch with her and did some work while I waited for them to call me back for a pick-up. I had never been to a Pottery Barn before so we spent the rest of the afternoon at Yorkdale. I think I may get this endtable from PB and this rug from Crate and Barrel for my living area. We had dinner their last night here at Foxley since they were asking for Asian Fusion. Yummy blue crab and avocado salad...and black sesame creme brulee!!! Mmmmmm!

And every night, we'd chat until 2 or 3 am so I never well-and-truly-recovered from my hangover Friday morning.

My head...

This is what happens when you agree to host a team offsite on a Thursday afternoon (the Perrier was mixed with Vodka):

I was sooo hungover this morning that I really should have "worked from home" but I had a 10 o'clock meeting that in hindsight, I really didn't need to be at, and threw up not once, but twice at work. So not cool.

2 days and counting...

...before my cousin M and his girlfriend I arrive from Amsterdam via NYC to visit for a long weekend. I'm picking them up from the airport Friday afternoon and am thinking of heading out to Foxley for dinner, and drinks elsewhere afterwards.

The rest of the weekend is going to be fairly relaxed...the only thing they've requested is to go winetasting in Niagara since they remembered all the great wine D, M's brother, brought back when I took him last. I figure we'll do a quick stop at the Falls since I has never been to Canada before, so that's our one nod to the traditional tourist stop.

WIP: Hall Vignette

While walking home through Chinatown today I found these pretty silk orchids in a sad box outside a storefront and was inspired to display them in the vase I picked up at 18 Karat this past February.

I'm still on the hunt for the perfect mirror to hang over my little hall dresser...

Back from the Motherland!

Despite initial misgivings about literally spending 24/7 of the last 2 weeks with my family, I had a fantastic time! This was only the third time we've ever gone on vacation together since my parents owned a grocery store and had to work holidays too so it was a real blessing that now that we have our own lives and are (almost) all in our 30s, we can travel together as a family and not kill each other. :)

We arrived back early Sunday morning and I have been unpacking and doing laundry pretty much non-stop ever since. There's a semblance of order now that everything is mostly put away. My sister is actually in town with Piglet for an all-company meeting until Friday so I'll probably be back and forth to my mom's between now and then.

I have a ton of photos to sift through and will post them as soon as I can. In the meantime, here're a few teasers...

Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai

Bicycles for rent, Hangzhou

Summer Palace, Beijing

15 hours...

So I'm sort of packed. Sort of, because I have to re-pack my things into a larger bag that I'm sharing with my brother. Surprisingly, all my things fit into my expanded carry-on and backpack. I didn't think I would be able to do it, but then again, it's still warm where we're going: 11 days in China beginning with Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuzhen, Hangzhou, Xian and ending in Beijing.

We'll have 3 days after the tour to split between Hong Kong and Shenzhen where my grandmother lives. I figure there will be one dedicated shopping day in HK and I've got a list that I've been adding to whenever I remember things...like the new ipod nano in purple, design magazines that I can't get in Toronto, new sunglasses, and maybe a ceiling fixture?? My mother thinks I might find something in China because so much of what we see in North America is made there anyway. We'll see.

Better get ready for bed....in about 11 hours, my brother and I board a plane for a 15+ hour flight to Hong Kong where we'll be reunited with my mother, sister, her fiance and our little piglet to get on another plane to Shanghai.

Free Day

My boss stopped by my desk for a status update on the last-minute urgent project that dropped into my lap Thursday and to give me a free day off my first Monday back to recover from jetlag because I've been working so hard recently.

Super-nice of him...but I think there might have been a touch of guilt in there because he and a couple other guys on the team are off golfing this afternoon thanks to the free passes they got for the Big Kahuna's private club in the Muskokas. I don't golf, but I think I'd rather have a free day off to spend however I wish...like maybe a visit to the new West Elm....??

Guest Quarters

My cousin M and his girlfriend I are FINALLY coming for a visit next month and will be staying with me so I have been thinking a lot about my den and how I'm going to furnish it. This will be I's first visit to Canada so I'd love for it to be lots of fun. Granted, they're only going to be here for 4 days, but you can pack a lot into 4 days!!

I've been browsing daybed options for awhile now and am thinking West Elm's circle-cutout daybed would be alright, although the overlapping squares daybed would have been better to go with with Ikea's Expedit which is what I had planned for the adjacent elevation. Or would that be too many squares?? Anyway, it's moot anyway since I'm thinking a scheme in red and black for this room and that particular daybed is only available in white....


According to their website, the Toronto store is opening on the 16th!!! I will have to check it out as soon as I'm back!

5 more sleeps...

I haven't written much about my trip to China but that's only because it seemed so far away. But now I'm only 5 sleeps away to spending 15+ hours on a direct flight to Hong Kong where my family and I will be starting our 11 day tour of some of China's greatest hits, including the Terracotta Warriors in Xian, the Great Wall and the palaces in Beijing.

I've spent all weekend sick at home with the flu or something which is crappy in the short term but good in the grand scheme of things because I'd rather get it out of my system now rather than be sick on the trip. The bummer is that I had to sleep through Nuit Blanche this weekend which I was rather looking forward to. Oh well.

Knickers on the Wall

The original ink and acrylic prints I picked up a few weekends ago are finally framed and hung in my bathroom thanks to my friend, N, who's moved back for good after living 9+ years in the US. They're so adorable I can't help but stand and stare at them with a silly grin on my face. :)

I would have had these cuties up sooner but because they were already matted in 8x8 white, I had to order the size especially online through Frames-Direct.com - my Ikea stand-by, Ribba, was the wrong dimension and I wasn't about to pay to have them matted again when the quality of the existing matte was so good.