prairie girl musings

Author: prairiegirlmusings

  • The never-ending hunt for good coffee

    The never-ending hunt for good coffee

    My first order of business, whenever I re-locate to (or merely visit) a new city, is to find all the good places for a cup of joe. This has been my mission since my barista, coffee connoisseur, and coffee shop owner cousin temporarily lived with us when I was in high school. I started drinking coffee at a young age (16?) and can now not begin my day without that liquid gold. So, without further ado, I introduce you to my favourite local haunts to grab anything from an espresso to a frothy cappuccino.

    1. Dark Horse Espresso Bar
    Large, wooden communal tables and lots of light. Need I say more? One of Dark Horse’s owners came across the communal table idea in Europe (it’s also a popular trend in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa…) and decided Toronto residents could use a little more encouragement to talk to strangers in an intimate setting. This place has the ambience down to an art and their cappuccinos are likely the best I’ve had in Toronto. I love that there are four locations yet each still retains it own sense of identity. As an English major, I also love the name.

    2. Fahrenheit Coffee
    Perhaps the friendliest service I’ve received thus far in Toronto. Extra points because it’s a two-minute walk from my office, and even more points because they make a four-shot cappuccino and have called it the “Henry” after an old regular. I absolutely love this drink on Monday mornings. I’m also a big fan of their aeropress coffee. It’s like french press, only better!

    3. Little Nicky’s
    One bite of their mini donuts and you’ll know what I’m on about! They are some of the best in the city! Their location on Peter Street is also about a two minute walk from my apartment.

    4. Bulldog Coffee
    Can’t decide on your order? They have a coffee entitled, “bulldog” that’s half latte and half cappuccino.

    5. Black Canary Espresso Bar
    With two downtown locations, this coffee shop is full of personality. Their full-bodied coffees are superb, but what they’re truly known for are their Nutella lattes. Nick is impartial to their cortados. I’ve been to both locations (one is close to work, the other close to the Eaton Centre) and they both give off entirely different vibes. Definitely worth a visit!

    Those are my top five cafés thus far, but I’m hoping to visit the following ones in the upcoming weeks:

    6. Crema Coffee

    7. Sam James Coffee Bar

    8. The Aro
    Named after a Wellington suburb, how could I resist?

    9. Manic Coffee
    I’ve walked a few times and it looks like my scene. I’ve heard only good things.

    10. Voodoo Child
    Their weekend brunch is supposedly one of the best in the city.

    Now, to find a decent cappuccino at the YYZ…

  • Are You a Hipster?

    Are You a Hipster?

    Ten signs you are in fact a hipster:

    1. Your new haircut resembles that of Dan Humphrey in the final season of Gossip Girl. 

    2. You wear a beanie in the summertime.

    3. You’ve recently started your career as a professional blogger, and you thrive on posting photos of all the ways you can style your Chucks.

    4. You’ve suddenly developed an obsession with Scandinavia, particularly Denmark. You read Scandinavian Street Style blogs like they are going out of style.

    5. You wear more plaid than a lumberjack.

    6. You work at American Apparel or are seriously considering attending one of their ‘open-call auditions’ this Wednesday.

    7. You own more than one Apple product.

    8. You love instagramming photos of latte art and stop hanging out with people when you realize they drink Starbucks and Tim Hortons.

    9. You hate when people dance or even sway at concerts.

    10. Finally, check out this video to determine once and for all if you’re a hipster:

  • New Zealand: My Spiritual Homeland

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    “I want to go places and see people. I want my mind to grow. I want to live where things happen on a big scale.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Ice Palace

    There are endless reasons why I consider New Zealand my spiritual homeland, many of which I’ve overzealously documented in this very blog. And lately, especially in the depths of winter, these reasons have been amplified. It’s gone so far that I’ve had repeated dreams about Auckland. Attending outdoor concerts with my Converse-clad mates, going for hilly, trail runs with my energetic besties, reading and drinking ciders on the North Shore’s beautiful, sandy beaches, and hosting barbecues and bonfires every other night.  What’s truly been lacking from my life, as of late, is the quirky, somewhat off-beat, sense of style I’ve seen throughout the South Pacific – but particularly New Zealand. While Melbourne and Sydney are considered “style capitals,” I’m partial to New Zealand fashion scene. I find the designers more wearable and relatable to my own style ethos.

  • Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but darling you look so delightful!

    Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but darling you look so delightful!

    Here in Toronto, we’ve just experienced our very first snow day of 2013. On Friday morning, I awoke to my own personal snow globe. Outside the large windows of my apartment, our bustling city streets were calmer than I’d ever seen them and covered in glistening powder. My Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts blew up with photos of snow-packed driveways and people cross-country skiing down Queen Street, which is usually jam-packed with streetcars, vehicles, and taxis. #TOsnowstorm and #snowday started trending on Twitter, and it seemed most of us were set to hibernate for the weekend. By Saturday, everything had pretty much calmed down. Sure, Sorel boots and Canada Goose jackets were still necessities for most Torontonians. However, with the city back in action, we were ready to go about our weekend activities. Because being chic in -10 or even -40 (if you’re originally from the Prairies like me) requires great skill, I’ve been gathering inspiration from my favourite blogs, tumblrs and, of course, Pinterest accounts. Here are my favourite ways to layer up during our cold Canadian winters.

  • Cape Town

    Cape Town

    Our month in South Africa started out in the glorious Mother City of Cape Town. Cape Town is the second largest city in SA, and the largest in the Western Cape. My sister, Stephanie has been living with my SA/NZ friend, Adrian since her arrival in August. Natalie and I were able to stay at their apartment for a week, and hang out with all of Stephanie’s co-workers and friends.

    Here are some photos from our CT excursions including a trip to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned before the fall of the Apartheid, our trek up Table Mountain, a red bus tour, The Great Gatsby musical, my 24th birthday celebrations, and a trip to my favourite market in the whole world. Our trip definitely started out on a high note, check it out:

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    Red bus tours
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    George Street Market
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    Afternoon at Camps Bay
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    Steph and Terry
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    Delicious homemade pizza
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    A must-try
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    Enjoying another market day
    Table Mountain hike
    My birthday!
    Ostrich stop
    Ostriches
    The most unusual animal
    Journaling
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    Birthday dinner
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    My cupcakes!
    Sunisha’s delicious dinner!
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    Natalie relaxing at Adrian’s
    Dad and Mom after climbing Table Mountain
    Breathtaking view
    Our amazing Congolese friend
    He carried this chilly bin ALL the way up!
    Taking a break to take in the scenery
    Awkward turtle
    Having a glass of wine with Adrian.
    A former political prisoner of Robben Island now gives daily tours
    My beautiful sisters
    Jelly fish!
  • Intern Nation: Part II

    Intern Nation: Part II

    As you know, I’ve been interning at Weddingbells Magazine for the past month. It’s been a fantastic experience so far, and some of my Real Weddings and blog posts have been published online. I’d love it if you checked them out, they are fun to read, even if you’re not anywhere near tying the knot:

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    A Star-Studded Wedding in Toronto, Canada

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    A Country Barn Wedding in Vineland, Ontario

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    Chocolate Wedding Desserts to Impress Your Guests

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    Savvy Save the Dates: Whimsical Ideas For Your Celebration
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    Aisle Runner Ideas For Your Ceremony

  • Tuesdays in Toronto

    Tuesdays in Toronto

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    I’ve always liked, not loved, Tuesdays. Love is much too strong a word for Tuesday. However, I do like Tuesdays because Mondays (despite being a fresh start of sorts) always feel a bit out of sync. I’m out of routine from the weekend’s festivities, and it takes me awhile to get my groove back. By Tuesday, I’m more present and engaged. I’m a lot happier to be back at work, especially since I know what’s left to tackle for the rest of the week. I’ve been doing a lot of blogging and writing for Weddingbells, which is basically a dream come true. I’m really fortunate, both of my internships have enabled me to develop my writing skills along with my journalistic skills. My goal this week is to learn Adobe InDesign, and get a start on Photoshop. It pays to have a boyfriend who studied design and several colleagues who went to journalism school.

    Usually after groggily dragging myself to the gym, (thank goodness it’s in my building) I spend a couple minutes online gathering my thoughts. Tuesdays are quote-days for me. I love reading and re-reading my favourites on Pinterest.

    Today, I’ve been thinking about travelling. But let’s be honest, I think about travelling EVERY DAY because I’m infatuated with new experiences and new people. The fact that I’m settling into a regular routine so easily is quite surprising to me. 2012 as you know, was characterized by travel. Yes, I finished my degree and started a new job (internship) but those experiences were overshadowed by travel.  My friend, Mary, (a Torontonian I met in Auckland) sent me this article yesterday, I urge you to have a read:

    Converge Magazine: Why You Should Travel Young

    Worthy advice! Without further ado, here are some of my favourite travel quotes and images:

    “I was not born for one corner. The whole world is my native land.”

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    “Paris is always a good idea.”

    “If your 22, (or 24) physically fit, hungry to learn to be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as wide as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them, wherever you go.”

    – Anthony Bourdain

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    “Be a traveller, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding the amazing world we live in.”

    – Andrew Zimmerin
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    “I love the feeling of being anonymous in a city I’ve never been before.”

    “She said she usually cried at least once a day not because she was sad, but because the world is so beautiful and life was so short.”

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    “Once in awhile it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they’ve been told.”

    – Alan Keightley

    “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.”

    -Jack Kerouac

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    “I fell in love with the world in you.”

  • Artsy Fartsy

    I’d like to take a moment to gush about Toronto’s art and gallery scene. Of course, there are the major galleries AGO (Art Gallery of Ontario) and the ROM, (Royal Ontario Museum) but as Nick and I recently discovered  – there are literally galleries on every street corner. Independent galleries line Dundas and Queen West. Yesterday, we stumbled upon The Design Exchange – Canada’s Design Museum. For the most part, we were seeking refuge from the blistering cold, but lucky we did – The Design Exchange is well worth a visit! We were particularly fond of the Stefan Sagmeister exhibit that’s on until March. I strongly urge you to check it out. It’s called The Happy Show, and there’s SO MUCH to love about this show. Here are some photos, I took on my iPhone of the exhibit:

    The Happy Show

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    The exhibit is honest and at times, brutally so. It’s creative and unpretentious, which is sometimes rare with graphic design. It’s functional and interactive. I’ll definitely go back if I have the chance before March. I could list hundreds of reasons why you must RUN, not walk there right now, but I strongly urge you to discover them for yourself!

  • … and so she would dance

    … and so she would dance

    “Go into the arts, I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

    -Kurt Vonnegut

    Until quite recently, all I wanted to do was dance. I grew up auditioning for ballet companies and annual production of the Nutcracker and The Lion King. Weekends were spent rehearsing my solos for competition, performing and touring with provincial companies, and teaching the wee ones how to point their toes.

    After high school, I found myself at a crossroads, seriously deliberating whether to pursue dance professionally or to obtain a university education. The practicality of a university degree is not lost on me, despite my decision to study English rather than engineering or commerce. However, I do sometimes wistfully pull out my toe shoes or attend a drop-in class that caters to trained contemporary and classical dancers. I still shed a tear whenever I attend a Broadway show, be it in New York or Yorkton.

    Dance, especially ballet, can be a controversial subject. Many argue that it imparts a destructive bodily self-consciousness, self-hatred and an unhealthy perfectionistic streak. I can’t deny that is sometimes breeds emotionally under-developed young adults, with overly narcissistic desire to succeed. For me, however, it gave me a vehicle for communication and self-expression when words didn’t seem to fit. It also taught me self-acceptance, for the parts of myself that didn’t seem to fit with my small-town upbringing. Feeling perpetually awkward throughout your high school years is certainly not a rare phenomenon, and a natural part of growing into the person you’re supposed to be. But when I danced, I felt invincible. I worked hard to master my technique, which has paid off in my adult life and in my editorial pursuits.

    Check out this video from CTV’s So You Think You Can Dance? Canada entitled “Will I” from the musical RENT. It’s choreographed by Mia Michaels, and features Saskatchewan dancer, Mackenzie Green.

  • ZA: Into the Wild

    Kruger_Lion

    Natalie, my younger sister, is a talented photographer. She took all of the photographs of our South African adventure last month. I’d like to share with you, in a series of posts, some of the amazing photographs she took. On our Kruger Park safaris, we (like all international tourists) were obsessed with spotting the BIG FIVE. Luckily, after four days of intense safaris, we saw several lions, buffalo, elephants, leopards, and rhinoceros!

    Kruger National Park:

    Leopard

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    (Zebras and giraffes are not among the big five, but still such stunning animals!)

    The white rhinoceros is extremely difficult to find due to illegal poaching.

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