lovely & lavish

new year. new changes!

2009-12-31T19:02:00.002-05:00

happy new year!

i'm so happy to announce that lovely and lavish has a new home at

www.lovelyandlavish.com

i loved my time at blogger, but i'm so excited for the move.

meet you at the new place!

also, happy new year!!!

-m

let it snow!

2009-12-09T11:34:00.007-05:00

hi hi!

very busy,
but today was the first snowfall of the year,
worthy of a post!

first snow falls are always exciting because it completes the scene,
the christmas carols have been playing for a while,
the tree has been decorated,
gifts continue to be purchased,
the first snow fall completes is the last piece of the puzzle,
it completes the season.

but snow also has very functional purposes,
after all, is it really a winter, if you haven't tobogganed?

i am not a fan of early snow falls,
they come too soon,
when I still have to trek downtown for school,
& when i still have to wait on cold platforms for the late trains,
but this year, the snow was kind enough to wait for classes to end!

i've been listening to this & this & this & this a lot lately!

&

coming soon,
my holiday gift guide,
so exciting!

hope you're seeing some snow outside your window!

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

pearl + frankie

2009-12-02T22:56:00.005-05:00

quick note.

my friend caitie & i,

like to think of ourselves as pretty witty ladies,

well... when we're in the company of each other,

we're relatively witty

our little side project,

though she's the brains behind it,

the (mis)adventures of pearl + frankie

-m

classical tuesday III

2009-12-02T22:24:00.005-05:00

hey lovelies,

still swamped with work,

but classical tuesday made me feel better,

yes, yes i know it is wednesday,

but i am drowning in work!

& besides, good classical music should be experienced everyday,

if you ask me!

this week on the menu we have:

Offenbach - Barcarolle
Elgar - Salut D'Amour
Tchaikovsky - None But The Lonely Hearts
Schubert - Standchen (Schwanengesang, D 957: no 4)
Saint-Saens - The Swan ( Le Cygne )

oh & a few days ago,

i could not tell you which exactly,

this week feels like one long (never ending) day,

i made brownies for the first time, late at night during a study break.

my wonderful friend caitie saw it as an ideal opportunity,

to add in some of her famous mockery & post it on her blog

lots of hugs,

-m

evening delights!

2009-11-30T19:04:00.004-05:00

hey!

i'm munching on strawberry jam sandwiches

& listening to - to build a home by the cinematic orchestra

the song is absolutely brilliant.

give it a listen!

kiss,

-m

update: it is now 10:30 pm & I am making brownies,

because, why not?

on (imaginary) plans to move

2009-11-27T14:19:00.005-05:00

hello again!

i'm currently writing an essay comparing the welfare states of sweden & germany,
proving why the former has been more resilient to globalizing trends than the latter.

during a study break i stumbled onto this is glamorous,
& found a post about an apartment in sweden that is on the market!
coincidence? i think not...alright, definitely a coincidence.

but, looking at those photos make me want to close the laptop,
pack up the essentials (nivea),
and catch the first flight to stockholm.

i mean it is entirely possible,
the only thing standing in my way?
reality :)

happy friday!

-m

on holiday gatherings

2009-11-27T13:56:00.002-05:00

hi hi!

just a quick post,
in the midst of essay writing (bet you guessed that!)

every year i host a little holiday dinner,
after the books are put away,
when late nights are reserved for sleep,
rather than study,
& when deadlines go on vacation
i put on my apron (from my days as a starbucks barista)
and start whipping up a dinner.

during my study break, i've been looking around, shopping for a recipe and ideas,
i always try to make meals as healthy as possible,
& a great online resource is the website cooking light

on last year's menu?
ravioli with pisatchio & walnut pesto
& sun dried tomato & feta cheese stuffed mushrooms.

this year i would love to make the salmon my friend natasha has perfected,
it is spectacular, just melts in your mouth!
but maybe i will try a chicken-based meal? for the sake of tradition?
hmmm decisions, decisions

still haven't decided on a dessert, but i'm leaning towards a layered cake.
the only thing that is confirmed is the wine, from my trip to italy during the summer.

in any case, i cannot wait to don my apron,
whip out my mom's recipe book,
put on some christmas carols,
& start.

for now,
essays need to be finished!

kisses galore,

-m

oh! the photos above are from hands that make,
anytime i think of food,
i skip there, very inspiring!

on lovely headbands

2009-11-26T11:26:00.004-05:00

quick hello!

the gifts above,
would look lovely under my christmas tree,
:)

they're all headbands from lock & mane,
si, si jolie

a tad pricey,
but a girl can dream !

kiss kiss kiss,

-m

classical tuesday II

2009-11-24T17:04:00.000-05:00

morning!

sitting in a library, with the most wonderful view,
the fog has surrounded the entire toronto sky,
but some of the skyscrapers are peaking up above the fog,
wish you could see this!

sipping on my americano,
speaking of which,do you know how the drink inherited its name?
an americano is essentially espresso shots and hot water,
during the american civil war, the soldiers, wanting to preserve the espresso for as long as possible,
would soak the shots with hot water.

on to important things: classical tuesday II

Mozart - Rondo Alla Turca
Nandel - Largo Opera (from 'Xerves')
Rachmaninoff - Vocalise for Violin
Kreisler - Liebeslied
Gounod - Ave Maria

Kisses,

-m

on cold mornings and wonderful outfits

2009-11-23T23:08:00.002-05:00

tonight, another late night study session awaits me.

but that's okay because i'm gazing outside my windows,
that are intimately hugged by the a sheet of thin frost.

this morning as i stepped outside the house,
it was eerily quiet, but i relished in the silence,
i inhaled a deep breathe of that fresh, crisp winter air,
& as i exhaled i could see the smoke of my breathe in front of me,
which reminded me of being little and pretending that i was smoking,
did you ever do that?

it was so perfect, but with one click, the car doors were open,
i slid on to the leather seats and was on my way!

The photos above are all outfits i wish i had in my closet.
perfect for waging war against the cold winter.

& a nice treat is that my good friend bojana is the model in all of the pictures!

0h! and tomorrow is my friend mila's 22nd birthday, now that's exciting!

kisses,

-m

classical tuesday I

2009-11-17T07:16:00.002-05:00

morning!

i've been finding that on occasion,
some of the library folk to do not comply
with the universal 'shhh' library rule

to prevent myself from getting distracted by the chatter,
i put on my headphones
& press play to one of my favourite playlists.

the play list is composed of classical music,
each sunday i will list 5 songs off the playlist

let's call it classical tuesday!

on the menu this week:

enjoy!

-m

si on me cherche, je suis à la bibliothèque.

2009-11-16T18:58:00.007-05:00

hey hey!

lately, i've been spending most (read: all) of my time
in the library.

spending the entire day in here does have a certain charm,
coming inside in the early morning,
and leaving late into the night,
during those steps to the exit,
there is a certain feeling,
of pride & accomplishment,
sort of a right of passage,
after all,
is it still a university experience,
if you haven't crammed for essays and tests?

although the library i have chosen to inhabit,
is less than exceptional,
it serves its purpose.

but,
the libraries above, are the ones that i day dream about;
the old spiraling stairs,
the antique columns,
& the secrets between the pages of the rustic books,
those are the things that make the perfect libraries.

hope your study space is inspirational!

-m

0h!

i stole the images above from an article about lovely libraries,
i cannot for the life of me remember the link to the article,
but if i stumble upon it again, i will add it here!

lovely mornings.

2009-11-16T12:21:00.003-05:00

hello!

long time, no blog
i know,
i know!

just wanted to quickly pop in,
& talk about lovely mornings.

mornings when you slip into the coffee shop
bright & early.

when you peek at the pastry window,
choose a lemon & cranberry scone,
watch as the freshly brewed coffee
leaves the pot & rushes to your welcoming cup.

when you sit by the window,
laptop in tow
& take a deep breathe,
knowing that the day will be long,
but for now all you need to know
is the feel of a warm cup, that your fingers surround,
the sweet smell of the scone, as you take the first bite,
& the sound of newspaper pages turning amidst chatter.

when you gaze out of the window,
& you can almost see
autumn packing up,
& winter settling in.

when you start brief errands,
& gleefully check off tasks on the to-do list.

that morning was mine,
& i loved every moment of it.

it's a monday,
here's hoping that this morning
was a sign of things to come.

lots of (delayed, often neglected ;) love,

-m

quick hello & a few other things.

2009-10-20T21:53:00.002-04:00

hi loves!

a quick post today because i need sleep so very badly

i just returned from my fencing tournament,
placed second,
considering how little sleep i've had in the past few days,
how many assignments were worked on,
how much lsat studying took place,
i'm content with the results.

now i have the night to recharge
& it starts again tomorrow

i think it's important to remind ourselves
to take it one day at a time.

so without further ado,

1. my friend caitie blogged about an issue that i think is very important, you can find that here
2. i'm currently listening to this, and it is helping the relaxation process quite nicely
3. i received a postcard in the mail today that reads:

your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.
-rumi

isn't that lovely?

exhausted kisses,

-m

pb & j on a sunday.

2009-10-18T23:07:00.004-04:00

hey!

it's going to be a long night,
presentations need to be rehearsed,
& midterms need to be studied for.

i made myself a pb & j,
some comfort food
for the long night ahead.
looks delicious, doesn't it?

& i'm listening to ray lamontagne - hold you in my arms.

hope your weekend was wonderful!

night,

-m

yum & a tune.

2009-10-16T16:29:00.003-04:00

ok, i could not resist

i've been craving Portuguese custard tarts for days,
finally googled them,
hoping it would slightly quench my craving

flawed logic
because i found this photo,
& it only heightened the craving

YUM! YUM! YUM!

also, i'm currently listening to passion pit - the reeling (manners)

voila!

-m

film for a friday.

2009-10-16T16:15:00.003-04:00

one more thing for today,

a few days ago i was watching bored to death, with jason schwartzmann
since the show started,
i wondered who his character reminded me of.

it finally clicked!

his chacarer reminded me of Antoine Doinel,
a character in François Truffaut's L'amour en fuite

i found the film on youtube,
it's quite fun!

enjoy,

-m

tea time.

2009-10-16T16:08:00.003-04:00

hi hi!

i'm afraid i've fallen victim to the horrible cold!

yuck.

a runny nose,
eyes with an aversion to any light,
& a pounding headache are no fun

but, the tea set from urban general is absolutely delicious!

now all i need is an eclectic downtown flat &
my retro tea party will be in full swing!

no kisses today,
can't risking passing on this cold.

-m

early morning musings

2009-10-14T06:33:00.004-04:00

morning!

i have been up since 5 this morning,
i think i feel a cold creeping on

too bad, cold.
you'll have to come back
when i don't have two essays due

whilst debating with my immune system,
i'm listening to

this

&

this

&

this

....

&

this

(yeah, every once in a while, T.Swift is mandatory)

i do highly recommend
running out this weekend
& buying bell x1's flock cd.
i've had it forever, and still enjoy it more & more
every time i pop it in

now i must get off my bum,
& choose an outfit.
which reminds me,
winter is creeping up.

i am one of those people who hate winter 99%
the other 1% revolves around christmas and carols
but everything else about canadian winters,
i dislike.

well i do love hot cocoa,
while listening to bon iver.

ok maybe 98%

kiss,

-m

light love.

2009-10-13T11:36:00.001-04:00

love that set!

kiss,

-m

sunday cute.

2009-10-11T17:58:00.003-04:00

hi hi!

a few adorable photos
for a lazy sunday

&

this flickr set
(jumping cats!)

smooch,

-m

nostalgic tendencies

2009-10-07T19:50:00.003-04:00

many people who know me,
know that 80s yugo rock
is one of my favourite things

...

ever.

well bijelo dugme (translated as white button)
were the leaders of the 80s balkan rock movement,
below is one of their more popular songs

everything about it is amazing,
how can you not be ecstatically happy
after that video?

ha ha

enjoy!

- m

one moment

2009-10-06T21:51:00.005-04:00

so today was one of those days,
the demanding ones.

on the agenda:

eight hours of class
... consecutively,
fencing lesson,
late night studying.

so,
i reluctantly got out of bed,
& proceeded outside,
only to be met with a downpour!

well finally,
i was done the eight hours
& exhausted,

was about to head out to fencing,
when i caught a glance
of girl guide mint chocolate cookies

the day went from being
exhausting to amazing,
in one moment.

kiss,

-m

two things.

2009-10-05T22:43:00.004-04:00

the first

the second

this site.

both kept me laughing
for quite some time!

enjoy!

-m

in a perfect world...

2009-10-05T21:45:00.003-04:00

men and women would understand each other :)

music on a monday

2009-10-05T17:23:00.003-04:00

time for some music!

tunes i'm currently bopping to...

alexi murdoch - all my days

i've been listening to his stuff since the first year of high school,
& i still love it as much as i did the first time i heard orange sky

recommended for:
summer days at the cottage,
just as dusk descends,
lying in a hammock.

favourite tunes from the album:

1. song for you
2. orange sky
3. all of my days

the antlers - hospice

i just love this band,
i can't really pinpoint why,
the music just makes me happy.

recommended for:
depends on which song you are listening to,
you could be strolling downtown,
sipping tea and listening to "two"

or

you could be coming home from a long day,
on the train commute out of the city,
whilst listening to "shiva"

so, favourites:

1. shiva
2. two (hehe, see what i did there?)
3. prologue

jose gonzalez - veneer

the entire album is absolutely wonderful,
but the song, "heartbeats" is one of my favourites
of all time.

this will be a great addition
to your "music to relax to" playlist

hope your ears enjoy my suggestions!

love and kisses,

-m

shoes! food! perfect.

2009-10-05T00:27:00.002-04:00

night!

late night post,
hope you're tucked in bed by now,
but before i do the same,
thought i'd share my evening.

first,
i got new shoes!
suede + leather laces,
aren't they just lovely?
will post my own photos soon.

went out to dinner with a few friends,
drank strawberry beer,
ate wild mushroom soup,
& devoured white belgian fudge cake
yeah, you read that right WHITE BELGIAN FUDGE CAKE
yum yum yum !

now,
i'm listening to interpol,
while sulking in the scent of my perfume,
t'was a gift :)

lots of love,

-m

currently...

2009-10-02T21:32:00.001-04:00

listening to

this here.

bjork . all is full of love.

kiss,

-m

wet fridays.

2009-10-02T21:19:00.004-04:00

hey!

the above photos from papertissue,

perfectly describe the current weather.

rainy & foggy,

it's the type of weather,

that people

LOVE

HATE,

it really spawns no indifference

me,

i love it!

maybe because the summer

was filled with brightness & clarity,

whereas the rain & fog,

evoke such a dark, gloomy mystery,

maybe because it provides me

with the perfect excuse to buy new boots!

i've spent all day studying for my lsat,

i score incredibly high on every section,

except for logic games

grrrr,

life would be so wonderful without logic games

i've cracked open a window,

am boiling some water for my tea,

i'm enjoying

the smell of wet grass & the foggy mist

much love,

-m

2009-09-30T22:13:00.002-04:00

can't wait for this to come out.

audrey tatou is by far

the most beautiful & elegant person

i've ever seen

night.

-m

birthday.

2009-09-30T22:00:00.003-04:00

hey!

today was my birthday,
wonderful way to end the month :)

munched on cake,
wrote thank yous for the well wishes,
listened to wonderful music

i have a new flickr account
& you can find it

here,
here,
& here.

ok ok they're all the same links,
did you click all three?

:)

-m

rainy monday hello.

2009-09-28T14:47:00.003-04:00

hello!

our indian summer,
is coming to an end.

here,
rain is the buffer
that occurs between seasons.

it welcomes the spring,
after a long winter,
introduces the fall,
after a delayed summer.

so,
it's raining as i read,
& finish my egg whites & cheese salad,
while sipping on my green tea.

also, got a new camera,
hope you enjoy the photos!

love,

-m

friday finds.

2009-07-03T10:04:00.003-04:00

quick hello!

love that dress.

love fridays.

love all around.

-m

friday day dreams.

2009-07-03T07:00:00.002-04:00

i really,

really,

really

want to spend some part of my life

living in paris

while on my way to work this morning,

i was day dreaming

about this period

particularly,

about where i'd rest my head at night,

about the place,
i would call home

i think the photos from haus maus
are straight from my daydreams

wouldn't it be great,

if everyone

was allowed to choose

where they wanted to live

for one year

for that one year,

they could live out their dream,

without concern for money,

or time,

or responsibilities

those worries would be replaced with

deciding which cafe I would sip my first morning espresso,

which award winning play to see with friends,

which designer store to visit first

for one year,

the parisien streets would be my catwalk,

the french pastries would be healthier than fruits & veggies

& staying out late to dance with friends,

nigh after night,

would be doctor recommended!

well, one can dream :)

welcome to the weekend,

enjoy your stay

-m

thursday thoughts and countdowns

2009-07-02T16:32:00.002-04:00

on this thursday afternoon,
i am patiently waiting
for the clock to strike 5

at that magical hour,
i will be transformed
into a full fledged discount shopper

i will roam the stores,
taking mercy on no one,
not even the naive first time outlet shoppers

but why the rush you ask?

well i must admit
i may or may not (read: the former)
bought sims 3

& you see,
as i leave on saturday,
on a journey to endless research,
press conferences,
and such,
i only have limited time to enjoy sims 3

so the rushing is quite necessary :)

things i fell in love with today:

the short film "post-it love"
if only my office had the man of my dreams
performing grand creative gestures
to grab my attention,
i guess that's why we have movies

the above photos,
love their composition!

must get going,
the countdown to 5 continues

lots of love,

-m

when in rome...

2009-07-02T16:18:00.003-04:00

....this is where we will be staying.

lovely, n'est-ce pas?

gros bisous,

-m

lunching & tweeting

2009-07-02T13:56:00.004-04:00

hi!

had a wonderful lunch today

salmon & fresh mushrooms

tonight, i'm doing some more shopping,
decided to fly in track pants,
i need ones that are comfy,
but also a tad stylish,
that should be a long search,
but when it comes to shopping,
the longer,
the better ;)

also.
i got twitter,

so...

tweet me?

love,

-m

brunch-ing.

2009-06-30T13:13:00.004-04:00

hi there!

it has been a very busy week

lots of researching,

more researching

packing,

realizing i don't need what i packed,

unpacking

realizing that i might need that after all

repacking

shoes shopping,

bikini shopping,

dress shopping,

bargain shopping,

impuslive purchases shopping

"did i really buy that?!?" shopping

yup, it has been a pretty packed week
so

i made a commitment to pay extra close attention to what i eat,

i, like a few others i would guess

have a tendency to munch on junk food when stress levels are high

today for lunch,

i went to the grocery store,

stacked on couscous,

followed by chickpea salad,

& finished with some wild rice

yum!

it was absolutely delicious!

i'm flying out this saturday,

i'm quite nervous,

well....really nervous,

but before then i need to check a few things off the to-do list

tomorrow is canada day!

sending lots of love,

-m

my father's day card.

2009-06-26T10:24:00.003-04:00

this was my card
for my dad
for father's day

the text says,
"i love you,
even though you're not beckham"

it refers to an inside joke.

didn't have time to post it earlier,
but i hope you're dad's day
was great

-m

melting away

2009-06-22T20:35:00.007-04:00

it is 28 degrees,

the aircon has decided to go on strike

& i am studying for a test tomorrow,

dear summer,

i know you've just arrived,

(*welcome, by the way!)

& i know we all begged you to come as soon as possible,

numerous times,

but if you could take it down,

just a bit...

at least until the aircon returns

it'd be greatly appreciated!

love always,

(well... not always - not so much now, as i boil in my bedroom)

------

oh! it was father's day. had a great time, hope you did too :)

cmok cmok,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

2009-06-19T17:05:00.006-04:00

i la la loveee

this above combination

tsumori chisato shirt

adam lippes sequin bermuda short

i know i know,

it may be a bit too much gray,

a bit too much sequin

for some of you

but i love it,

all of it

these pieces remind me

loft living,

lounging around,

listening to ambient music

eating breakfast,

while watching the sunrise.

love love love.

-m

runway review: Proenza Schouler Resort 2010

2009-06-19T15:55:00.001-04:00

i am absolutely in love
with proenza schoulet's 2010 resort collection

the shoes!
the colours!

so so so lavish.
it makes me think of running down a london street,
rushing to an important meeting.
but knowing that everyone around you,
is staring in amazement

spending a spring afternoon
having a picnic with friends
on a field of never ending green grass,
sipping some earl grey

or (final one, i promise)

waiting for an evening flight,
to see loved ones,
while dusk settles in

-m

perfect day.

2009-06-19T11:58:00.005-04:00

the scent of old books,

the thrill of consuming calorie infused foods,

& the feel of a spring breeze during an evening stroll

:)

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

things for a quiet thursday night

2009-06-18T22:51:00.004-04:00

i've been meaning
to post about toolo's photostream
for a long time

his images are simply spectacular,
but the words he adds to the photos,
make them exceptional

above are my personal favourites,
so clear,
yet so poetic.

absolutely love it.

& a song by melody gardot,
les etoiles.

its essential
for perfect lounging.

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

little green flats.

2009-06-18T22:13:00.007-04:00

hello!

story time.

this afternoon i was getting ready for class,
heading downtown

it was the first day
in (what seems like) forever
that i was able to sleep in
so i overdid it ....
a bit
okay okay
a lot.

when i finally got up,
i got dressed,
headed downstairs,
& with the fear of missing my bus,
i made a sporadic decision

....
i wore my green flats

now these flats have quite a reputation,
well maybe i have the reputation,

you see,
i am known for my tendency to buy
horribly uncomfortable shoes,
usually flats, which seem so innocent,
but end up waging a war with my feet,
a war my feet rarely win.

my friends will attest to the many times
i've hopped along,
my feet close to surrender
from the torture of my flats

there was the time in new york,
then the time at commencement ...

well you get the point,
i have horrible luck with these things,
expensive shoes,
cheap shoes,
in the end they are all
uncomfortable shoes

but lately i've been quite good,
really, all of my flats have fit incredibly,
sometimes i am convinced i could
run a marathon in them

well there is still one pair
that evokes much fear in my feet,
i can almost feel them tremble,
even at the mention of these flats.

the green flats.

you see the green flats are the perfect case
of appearance vs. reality.
they have a little green bow,
they look so simple,
so harmless.

oh no!

so.
i was running late,
and i opened my closet,
i looked around to scope out my choices
& saw the green flats

don't ask me why,
but i picked them up
&
slipped them on

it had been a while since i wore them,
& i am not rational when i'm running late.
yup, that's the excuse i'm using.

&
they fit like a glove.
as i walked to the bus stop,
all was well.
but as i made my way to the train,
trouble started

by the time i was walking to class
they unleashed their complete wrath
it was unbearable.

thankfully my parents picked me up,
my feet escaped the flats as soon as i was inside the car,
they waved the white flag, and had the scars to show for it.

i really should throw them out,
but they look so lovely.

now,
i'm lounging
& listening to edith piaf & charles aznavour
wonderful.

this coming weeks will be busy,
probably busier than i've ever been,
tonight is my night to mentally prepare.

wish me luck!

lots of end of the week kisses,

-m

& nicolasv's photostream is so inspiring,
paris in the spring,
sigh.

images: 1, 2

& another.

2009-06-16T15:53:00.002-04:00

another photo

of me & the glasses

told you i couldn't stop showing them off

you were warned ;)

-m

perfect gift.

2009-06-16T15:33:00.006-04:00

salut!

quite exciting news.

i've spent invested significant time

to my hunt to find the perfect sunglasses

my dad told me a story

about how when he and my mom

were on their honeymoon in italy

he found the perfect sunglasses:

the ray ban aviators, with the dark green glass

i've always been on a lookout for great sunglasses,

especially because my optometrist insists

that the outer part of my eyes is sensitive to the sun

so that sunglasses are a must during the summer

well summer came & i was still without

my perfect sunglasses

(spoiler alert: not for long...)

but i finally found them !!!

& this morning....

my mom bought them for me!!!!

i had called a few stores to ask if they carried the model i wanted
but to no avail,

i was met with

"they're really rare"

"you should get x instead, they're practically the same"

"they're rare & more expensive, so..."

but even with all of that pessimism i was hopeful,

thankfully!

they are the exact ones i wanted,

the wayfarer II

tortoise shell

now i can't stop showing them off,

my dad found his perfect pair in italy,

mine were made in italy,

& in a few weeks i will be in italy,

sigh!

all is right in the world :)

kisses,

-m

hello! long time, no blog.

2009-06-11T23:19:00.005-04:00

hi!

missed you :)

i've been away for a while
really missed this.

had quite an ... eventful week

i wrote an essay,
*fingers crossed* i think it went well

i had breakfast with natalie,
between us there was espresso & pastries
& most importantly, there was a glimpse of
what i hope next summer will be like

made lots of summer plans,
with wonderful friends

attended my first conversational french class of the summer,
il y a une boulangerie près du bâtiment de mon cours,
je dois réveiller très tôt le chaque samedi matin,
mais quand je pense à les croissants,
ça vaut le coup :)

also, i'm working on a very exciting project
with my friend caitie,
should be quite fun
& i can't wait to share it with you!

night,

-m

images: coming soon!
(image 2 - my new sandals!)

some mail.

2009-06-03T12:34:00.003-04:00

just thought i'd send this your way

i'm assuming some of you live far,

so i thought i'd send this lovely message

in my loveliest envelope,

it seems appropriate

lots of mid-week kisses,

-m

images: 1, 2

a tuesday stroll

2009-06-03T11:26:00.011-04:00

hi!

had quite a tiring day yesterday

went downtown to pick up books for an essay

ended up with at least 15 books

felt like 100

as i was crossing queen's park

i decided to sit and rest

under the majestic trees,

which provide the perfect breeze

i sat & sipped my strawberry and cranberry smoothie

& while i took in my surroundings,

i realized how lucky i am

to attend such a beautiful school

i have yet to visit a university

in a lovelier location than mine,

and i think i've visited quite a few,

it was one of the reasons i chose this university,

but in all my years i seem to have forgotten

how lucky i am to study in such a lovely

& inspiring place

so i got up,

picked up my bag, which if i hadn't known,

would think was full of bricks,

& marched onwards.

as i walked, i felt the ground shaking,

realizing that it was the subway underground

for some reason that made me even happier

it reminded me that

i'm lucky to get the best of both worlds,

the quiet that comes with being located uptown,

but also the excitement of being located

at the heart of such a great city

hope you're finding joy in your surroundings,

-m

image: 1

when the colloquial becomes poetic

2009-06-01T23:02:00.008-04:00

a few years ago i was with some friends
at a small gig,
listening to bell x1 play

they were beyond wonderful.
before they started to play lamposts,
paul, the lead singer explained one lyric in particular

"Braithim uaim tú"
which in gaelic means
"i miss you"
but it literally translates to
"i feel you from me"

i instantly fell in love with that expression
because isn't that such a lovelier way
to express that we miss someone?

to say "i miss you" is so blunt and frank,
whereas "i feel you from me"
sounds so literal and painful,
which in most cases it is

its nice to think that such a common
phrase can be so poetic

night,

-m

image: 1

thoughts on a lazy monday

2009-06-01T15:48:00.005-04:00

hello!

when i'm no longer a student

& i start a career

i think i will invest quite generously

into a good bed.

it would have to be wonderfully lavish too

for now,

my bedroom probably could not fit

any of these beds

but one can still dream :)

having one of the above,

would make getting out of bed

much

harder.

i mean, why get out of bed,

when i can stay there and pretend

that i am a queen for the day

;)

oh &

the photos are from the beyond lovely blog

floors (and) walls

love always,

-m

happy june!

2009-06-01T13:53:00.005-04:00

hey you,

happy june!

summer is getting ready

to take the stage,

while my much loved spring

exists gracefully

i thought jen gotch's photos

were perfect for welcoming summer,

they remind me of hot summer afternoons

during those rare moments when you've

run all of your errands,

crossed off everything on the to do list

& you begin to realize that you have some time

for yourself

i'm quite excited for those moments!

also. i found the photos in the newest issue

of antler magazine

enjoy & get ready for some heat,

-m

starting a new, well not quite...

2009-06-01T12:38:00.005-04:00

it's confirmed!

i've changed the name

of my blog from

tombe la neige

lovely & lavish

blank slate,

starting a new...

well not quite,

i will keep the url the same

for the next few days,

but after that,

i'm packing up,

loading up the truck

& moving to

lovelyandlavish.blogspot.com

okay okay

maybe i wont need a moving truck

my little blog is staying in the same place,

just with a different name,

a tiny makeover!

it's spring,

a change seems suitable

lots of love,

-m

monday thoughts

2009-06-01T12:12:00.004-04:00

hi!

had a brilliant weekend,
shopped,
alot

i will try and post
my newest purchases
as soon as possible

contemplating changing
the name of the blog to
lovely & lavish,
my two favourite english words

the above photo was taken last spring

during a picnik

must do that again

&

listening to remind me by röyksopp

lots of monday kisses,

-m

image: mine!

this week, I fell in love with...

2009-05-29T16:22:00.010-04:00

1. cake is amazing

cake with ruffles is a world wonder

pink cake with ruffles ...well that leaves me speecheless

& gives my sweet tooth a field day :)

2. that kitchen.
its so photogenic and perfect,
i might feel guilty actually cooking
and baking in it,
i think i'd just spend all day,
taking pictures of it.

3. the song la pluie du ciel by chantal goya

lots of air kisses,

-m

image: 1, 2

a friday kind of love.

2009-05-29T16:03:00.007-04:00

monday you can fall apart
tuesday wednesday break my heart
thursday doesn’t even start
it’s friday

i’m in love

:)

welcome to the weekend,

-m

image: 1

during my stroll.

2009-05-29T10:16:00.005-04:00

i took this on my bbbery camera
on my way to class

the fog is hiding the cn tower,
which is usually very prominent
from that spot

i must admit that i love fog,
i was born in sarajevo,
which many will argue
is the fog capital of the world

some people say that it's too gloomy,
but i think it adds so much mystery
;)

-m

wise words.

2009-05-29T10:13:00.002-04:00

very true.

-m

image: 1

my kind of morning.

2009-05-29T10:01:00.007-04:00

mornings after a night of non-stop rain
are among my favourite

while i was unlocking the car
early this morning
i fell in love
with the scent of the crisp air
the feel of the leftover puddles on my toes,
bare from my sandals
& the slight fog, dispersing

if i had it my way,
i'd stay home in bed all day
glancing out the window,
listening to the wet leaves
brush against my window

hug,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

something sweet for friday

2009-05-29T09:19:00.006-04:00

hiya!

thought i'd pop in to share something very adorable
to (further) brighten up your friday

it's a project conceived in new york
called tweenbots

the idea is best explained by the website:

Tweenbots are human-dependent robots that navigate the city with the help of pedestrians they encounter. Rolling at a constant speed, in a straight line, Tweenbots have a destination displayed on a flag, and rely on people they meet to read this flag and to aim them in the right direction to reach their goal.

initally, the creator was not very optimistic,

the vastness of city space,
the dangers posed by traffic,
suspicion of terrorism,
were all reasons to suggest that no one would be interested
in helping a lost little robot,

but!

the project was a spectacular success,
not one tweenbot was lost or damaged!!!

instead,

people all over new york helped orient the little ones
in the right direction.

you can't help but fall in love with stories

like these

it's friday!

-m

images: here

exciting!

2009-05-28T17:13:00.005-04:00

hi again!

just wanted to stop by
to announce that my friend natalie
has started a blog!

i'm so so so excited,
and you should be too
she's a wittier and chic(er) version of me

her blog is here

in other news,
it's raining today!
& although i love it when the sun
graces us with its (rare) presence,
i must admit that
romantic scenarios crowd my mind
when drops of rain rush to the ground

oh one more thing!
the photo above reminds me of
sea of love by cat power

kiss,

-m

image: 1

days with my father.

2009-05-27T10:26:00.004-04:00

if you get a moment

i highly recommend

reading phillip toledano's photo essay,

days with my father

it is beyond beautiful.

make sure you have some kleenex nearby

-m

ha!

2009-05-27T09:50:00.004-04:00

this doesn't require any explanation,
its so simple and so wonderful.

definitely made me giggle

-m

image: 1, 2

sugar rush

2009-05-27T09:35:00.004-04:00

just looking at these photos

makes me yearn something delicious

the colours are so sweet

so fun!

they make me want to run away

to paris

to spend all day

running around in my chic vêtements,

luncing on delicious crêpes,

while everyone breaks out into song & dance

sigh

that's what a good set of photos does to me ;)

gros bisous,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

some kind of summer

2009-05-27T09:07:00.005-04:00

when i close my eyes

and begin to day dream

of the perfect,

the most lovely,

most quaint,

most brilliant,

summer

ever.

i imagine the place

in the above photo,

a good book,

& those shoes

love,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

ha!

2009-05-26T13:22:00.005-04:00

this post is for natalie

at this moment,

we both feel the same way

about the same thing

the photo above

does an excellent job

of summing up those feelings

-m

my little pastry shop

2009-05-26T13:18:00.003-04:00

one day,
i'll run away

i'll open you
a little shop

a sweet
pastry shop

i'll lock myself in
& ask you
to throw away the key

in my shop
i'll have an endless supply
of everything i need
to make all the sweets
that my little heart
(& sweet tooth)
desires

-m

images: 1, 2

something to lighten up your tuesday

2009-05-26T11:50:00.003-04:00

ha ha ha.

these made me giggle,

hope they have the same effect

on you.

-m

images: 1, 2

want, need, must have.

2009-05-24T23:17:00.004-04:00

1. Lomography Diana + Nightcap Edition Camera

i think it would make
taking photographs
an even more memorable experience

2. Branch Clothing Hooks

so wonderful.

3. Vintage Canvas Tote Bag - Etsy

would be perfect for my italy trip

...
went on a shopping adventure today
it was a wonderful way
to wrap up the weekend

lovely purchases
& endless laughs
with my favourite blogette

one last thing,
can't stop listening to
ocean of noise by arcade fire

night night, kiss kiss

-m

bon matin!

2009-05-24T00:43:00.004-04:00

good morning.

:)

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

a delicious kind of day

2009-05-23T22:43:00.002-04:00

wonderful spot
so sweet,
it could give me diabetes

;)

la chanson: moi je joue - brigitte bardot

gros bisous,

-m

this week, i fell in love with...

2009-05-23T11:44:00.010-04:00

salut!

i've drafted quite a few posts
over the last few weeks
that never quite came to fruition
but i finally got around to finishing this one,
a collection of things i've fallen in love with
each week.

1. hopped over to caitie's blog,
absolutely fell in love with the above lavabo,
simply stunning.

2. fell in love
with audrey tatou in the chanel no. 5 commercial
she is beyond lovely,

i wish the train i took
for my commute every morning
resembled that one
& while i'm wishing,
i wouldn't mind a gorgeous
french prince charming either ;)

the video, is below

3. every time i listen to the "come what may" remix
from the moulin rouge soundtrack,
i fall in love,
again & again

happy saturday,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

day dreaming

2009-05-22T14:15:00.008-04:00

hi again!

couldn't stay away for long!

another story,

get excited :)

whenever i come home from a long day

or even when i'm on the train

headed home

i always take time to press play

and relax while listening to some tunes

occasionally, i listen to a podcast

called Chilled.

it sounds exactly as its name suggests,

perfect tunes to sit back and ...well "chill"

i instantly begin to day dream

it has become an instinct

i love daydreaming in general,

& my daydreams vary according to song

for some tunes,

my mind wanders to my professional aspirations
but every time i listen to chilled,
my mind instantly day dreams about coming home

to a loft with a very specific bedroom

i don't know why

but i always envisioned this bedroom

to have a cold, modernly simplistic design,

but at the same time, to boast much comfort

this morning i made my blog rounds

catching up on so much inspiration

from so many wonderful blogs

& as i came across, Hands that Make,

i read a lovely post

but this was no regular post,

it featured a picture (the above) of a bedroom

but not just any bedroom

a bedroom that practically mirrors

the one i've day dreamed about

being the uncreative person that i am,

i stood no chance of placing what was in my daydreams

on paper

but luckily, remodelista featured it.

so so so wonderful,
i think modernly quaint is how i would describe it

finally,

i highly recommend Hands that Make,
lovely blog

chilled podcast,

which you can find on iTunes

lots of love and flirty winks ;)

-m

image: 1, 2, 3

me: 1, mother nature: 0

2009-05-22T12:33:00.010-04:00

hi!

first, love the photo above!

i took it so, a bit of a bias

now,

time for a silly story

more like a "brings me down to earth" story

...

i was getting ready to head downtown yesterday

i knew that to get to my desired location

i would have to walk along a very busy sidewalk

to prepare for my catwalk debut

i donned my favourite black skinny jeans

an over sized gray blouse, carefully tucked

to appear calculated and effortless all at once

i got off the train & began my walk of fame

my head held up high

my hair settling perfectly

walking like i will always remain in my 20s

well,

mother nature had other plans

out of nowhere she sent as much wind as she could summon.

and sent it my way,

probably hoping to blow away my youthful egotism

my carefully brushed hair and side swept bangs collided

up in the air, forgetting all of my earlier effort

quelle dommage!

trying to tame the creature that was my hair,

i lift up my hands and viola! my blouse,

once so fashionably tucked into my jeans,

escaped!

my skinny jeans,

which only moments earlier hugged every curve

were now rebelling

those people walking by,

who were supposed to be the cameramen

to my model catwalk

were surely not impressed

i realized that it wasn't my day

so i proceeded down the steps to the subway,

but as the subway ran past me,

the wind following it,

brushed my hair out of my face,

and for that moment, all of that confidence returned

me: 1, mother nature: 0

;)

welcome to the weekend,

-m

image: 1

summer adventure

2009-05-13T01:13:00.007-04:00

i quite like the challenge presented in the first photo
and i have the perfect song
for the occasion

our swords by band of horses

wishing you many summer adventures,

-m

just popping in for a quick hello

2009-05-12T23:52:00.006-04:00

hey you!

long time no blog

i've slowly been settling into the realization
that it will be a busy summer
lots of tasks crept on the to-do list
major tasks
but, oh well
i'm sure there is some beauty in preoccupation

also!
i've managed to embed music to the blog
some tunes are too good not to share

the first song i chose to showcase is by fleet foxes

the song, mykonos
reminds me of winter
real canadian winter
when snowflakes race to the ground
and temperatures skydive below 0

but the reason i love this song
is that it reminds me of the magical silence
which always accompanies winter
because
while raindrops crave attention
by making sounds as they meet the ground
snow, silently settles

i'm also quite a fan of the above photos.
very vintage spring feel, n'est-ce pas?

kiss kiss kiss (for lost times),

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

me, elsewhere

2009-05-06T03:49:00.003-04:00

i'm on flickr

pay me a visit!

hug hug,

-m

simply lovely

2009-05-04T18:52:00.006-04:00

how wonderful is this photo?
very.

i don't remember where i found it,
somewhere in the blogsphere

still studying
but
this photo makes me think
of a time when
i will indulge in some pleasure reading
much needed

happy monday,

-m

dresses wish list

2009-04-30T18:06:00.011-04:00

i have wish lists
for almost everything

travel wish list
shoes wish list
concert tickets wish list

but no list is as long
as my dress wish list

i adore dresses so much
that i would trade
all the pleasures of today
to return to the 1950s
& prance around in a different dress
every day

dresses are without a doubt
my favourite piece of clothing
they are to me what shoes are
to most ladies (and guys)
i'm always craving new ones

i found quite a few
i was fond of
at modcloth

summer must haves.
emphasis on the must.

kisses,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

flickr finds

2009-04-30T17:24:00.006-04:00

i've joined flickr
and i've been browsing
instead of studying
shhh!

really enjoyed mogo!'s set

the designs are so refreshing
&
the colours are simply wonderful

i could stare at the photos all day
but
studying isn't going to do itself

in other news,
i've been trying to set up a music player
on the posts
i've encountered two problems:

1. i can't find one that is aesthetically suitable
2. installing them requires brainpower, all of which
if currently used by studying

but je vous promesse
that soon enough
a pretty and functional
player will release
wonderful tunes

they really are too good to keep to myself ;)

love,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

my kind of thinking

2009-04-30T14:59:00.005-04:00

popped over to wue
during a study break

stumbled upon
such a great
anecdote

i'm almost positive
that the mom
in that scenario
is my own

love her.

lots of spring air kisses,

-m

tea cupping

2009-04-30T10:28:00.006-04:00

hi!

hope all is well.

funny story.

for a while, i've been meaning
to post about one of my favourite
things
ever!

china tea cups

some truly epitomize
the words
"simply lovely"

funny story part,
i was chatting with my friend
and fellow blogger
ms. caitie
and demanded that she blog more often

"what about?"
she inquired.
i revealed that my next post will be about
china tea cups
& in that instant she frantically responded
that moments ago, she had entered the words
"tea cups" into an image search

crazy!

guess we're pretty connected in the blogosphere

upon this incident she's rightfully bestowed
the name,
"the tea cup incident"

back to tea cups.

their fragility & simplicity
amazes me &
aesthetically intrigues me

wishing you many tea parties this summer,

-m

images: coming soon!

lazy days, wonderful finds

2009-04-29T19:13:00.006-04:00

it's been one of those lazy days

i hid under the covers

avoiding my books

for hours

was quite abusive

towards the snooze button

oops.

i've finally surrendered

raised the white flag,

picked up those books,

and entered the library

this week

i found some photos

i really like

the tattoo in the first is beautiful,

i would never get a tattoo

something so permanent

frightens me

but it looks so lovely on her wrist

the wallpaper in the second photo

is my desktop image!

i couldn't believe it at first

also, i love her dress

the final photo

reminds me of sitting on grass

on a spring evening

without a spec of responsibility

nor a hint of worry

lots of polite european cheeks kisses,

-m

images: 1 , 2, 3

little shopping trip

2009-04-24T22:26:00.004-04:00

went on a little

shopping trip

quite fun, comme toujours

kisses,

-m

across the pond adventures

2009-04-21T02:43:00.005-04:00

i will be venturing
across the pond
this summer
to a little place
called europe

visited last year
...and the year before
...and a few others
guess i'm smitten

these photos
make me forget
the pesky parts of travelling
customs, luggage checks, long lines

and remind me of
endless photo opportunities
laughing at moments lost in translation
& unfamiliar sights

they got me in the mood
for some salvatore adamo

lots of love,

-m

images : 1, 2, 3

wonderful weather

2009-04-20T22:26:00.004-04:00

quel temps fait-il?

most adorable weather website
ever!
if only all weather channels
used such creative art
i wouldn't mind rainy mondays
and cloudy fridays

writing this before going downstairs
to brew some delicious coffee,
black.

outside, it's quietly raining
i'm wrapped in my wool sweater
listening to joshua radin
perfect companion for a night
of endless economic formulas & graphs

hope your day included some april showers,

-m

images: all

2009-04-19T20:43:00.004-04:00

chocolate
in itself
is a wonderful thing

so wonderful
that it is my chosen food item.

chosen food item?
you know, the food item
you'd choose to have
if you were stranded on an island.
yeah, that wonderful

a while ago i came across
a chocolate bar
with witty packaging
delicious AND refreshing!

i picked up a few bars
now i can't eat them
they've become conversation pieces

the packaging is oh so clever
case in point: BOCHOX
designed to resemble medication
for chocoholics

the description reads:

Relief from the symptoms of wrinkles and crow's feet without ever entering the dermatologist's office. Simply break off the desired dosage and consume; you'll quickly be overcome by stress-relieving endorphins and no longer be concerned in the slightest about wrinkles.

hope your weekend included unnecessary calories,

-m

2009-04-19T13:10:00.002-04:00

Христос воскресе!

2009-04-18T12:05:00.003-04:00

it's orthodox Easter tomorrow!
Hristos vaskrse! Vaistinu vaskrse!

being the chocoholic that i am,
Easter is always
a much welcomed holiday

calories?
well they simply don't exist!
as chocolate eggs run into my mouth
with their fellow peers not far behind

yum!

every year i plan
to elaborately paint the eggs
express my inner artiste
but alas,
the library awaits, the books need to be opened

oh well!
moms just do it so much better ;)
case in point:
moline's lovely set on flickr

hope your weekend includes lots of chocolate,

-m

images: 1 2 3

some gifts

2009-04-18T01:20:00.005-04:00

two wonderful friday gifts.

the above photo.

i love muted colours

the tune below.

i will never love you more - soko

enjoy & welcome to the weekend,

-m

image: 1

c'est le printemps!

2009-04-14T14:01:00.009-04:00

spring is here! /

c'est le printemps!

it's harder to study so i've become a social butterfly

but school has clipped my wings

& now i'm back in the library gazing outside

staring at clouds that have finally turned white

i still need to buy my italy ticket

another errand

my conspiracy theory: errands increase during spring months

but the season appeases us with white clouds,

and barely there breezes

so that we barely notice

the extra things on our to do lists

hope your day includes some sun,

-m

images: 1, 2, 3

2009-03-30T12:31:00.003-04:00

some things,
while not practical
are simply wonderful

case in point.

-m

handmade rings by Colleen Baran

2009-03-30T12:20:00.006-04:00

stumbled upon a new site
cardboard love

in love.

-m

short film, rainy day

2009-03-30T12:01:00.011-04:00

J'ai vu un film silencieux
sur le blog "le love"

si parfait pour un jour
sous la pluie

n'oubliez pas votre parapluie!

-m

2009-03-18T10:07:00.003-04:00

great post on funambula
about a collection of analogies and metaphors
submitted by english teachers
found in high school essays

below are my favourites

enjoy!

Her face was a perfect oval,
like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed
by a Thigh Master

She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli,
and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.

The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated
because of his wife’s infidelity came as a rude shock,
like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.

From the attic came an unearthly howl.
The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality,
like when you’re on vacation in another city and
Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
He was as lame as a duck.
Not the metaphorical lame duck, either,
but a real duck that was actually lame,
maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.

The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe
and extended one slender leg behind her,
like a dog at a fire hydrant.

hilarious!

hope your day includes some time for yourself,

-m

2009-03-16T16:54:00.007-04:00

Aussi loin que je m'en souvienne j'ai toujours aimé des boutons
les petits boutons les grands boutons

sometimes
the buttons on a dress
the buttons on a blouse
the buttons on a hat
were enough reason
to prompt me
to grab and purchase

i also like the expression
"you make me lose my buttons"
which is also a lyric
by the band interpol <3

video here!

hope your monday is full of things you love,

-m

Image: ici!

2009-03-14T11:52:00.004-04:00

spring is coming!

these pictures remind me
of the coming
white clouds
warm breezes
dancing flowers
flowy dresses
outdoor tea parties

-m

2009-03-14T00:18:00.008-04:00

i love songs
that make you feel
like you are spinning in circles
on a windy day

i think that if the wind could sing
it would sound like
this song

-m

2009-03-12T23:58:00.006-04:00

I’m good at getting guys to want me. Not date me, or marry me, but want me.

— Amy Adams, Sunshine Cleaning.

its a line from the new movie
sunshine cleaning

i think every girl feels like that sometimes

-m