Aprés Law

I’ve created a new blog for my trip to Paris, Stockholm & Dublin.  Why you may ask…well, I liked the layout of the new blog and pictures show up much better (plus the font is bigger for my old eyes to focus on).  The URL is http://poshpudding.wordpress.com  

One week today and I shall be in Paris – woo hoo!  Now if only I could figure out what to pack….

Rach

I’ve been thinking a lot about what to pack for Paris.  Of course there’s the electronic gadgets I am taking, but there’s the all important issue of clothing.  I mean it’s Paris afterall, the home of chic…Here are a couple of possibilities.  My friend Nicole will have to help me with my outfit selection.  Afterall, the goal is to pack a small amount in my suitcase to leave room for a bit of shopping at the markets….

I was in Vancouver last weekend to visit friends and to scope out potential neighbourhoods for Daisy and I to live in.  Sadly a lot of apartments I walked by had the evil “no pets” sign in their windows.  However, I was happy to have narrowed down my “hoods” to two:  the west end and south granville.  I hope Vancouverites do not take offence when I say parts of the west end reminded me of Toronto (trust me – its meant as a compliment!)  I loved the variety of small fruit/vegetable shops that also sell beautiful flowers for almost free.  Plus you can walk to Stanley Park and the water.  Stunning!  

South Granville appeals to the interior design lover in me, with its chic shops and je ne sais quoi.  I could see myself living there happily in a cute little apartment with Daisy.  The real hunt for our new home begins in July upon my return from Europe.   

Cherry blossoms in my friend's yard

Normally I spend the Festival of Bunnies & Chocolate weekend with my fluffy love bug, Daisy bear.  This year I’m heading off to Vancouver to visit friends & scope out neighbourhoods for Daisy and I to live in.  Sadly she doesn’t get much of a say in the matter, but she is bossy enough as it is!  I hope you all enjoy the long weekend.  May it be filled with ridiculous amounts of chocolate.  I am looking forward to enjoying a religious experience at Mink Chocolates this weekend.  miam miam!

Rachel and Her Royal Highness, Daisy

I’ve been going through my closet, packing things up to store at my friend’s place in Vancouver and I’ve come to the sad realization that I have a whole lot of shoes.  The good news is that I bought these ridiculously chic, totally impractical 21st century Dorothy shoes last year for a fraction of their regular price.  Guess I was the only one who wanted a pair of hot pink shiny shoes…  Given my chosen lack of employment next month, I will embrace this new lifestyle sans shopping and instead enjoy shopping in my own closet.  I must say, when I shopped I had great taste and honestly I’m not going to miss it – well, maybe just a little bit

Last Sunday I was struck with dreaded spring allergies.  The recent snow melt has unleashed a bizarre concoction of who knows what into the air and resulted in me spending the week in a benadryl-induced haze.  The pink pills make me sleepy…..  I could also do without the sneezing, itchy eyes and runny nose. Spring has also brought me pretty flowers.  Let’s just hope I’m not allergic to them too!  I purchased these beautiful daffodils last night from the Canadian Cancer Society.  Pretty and the money goes to a good cause.  All hail spring, allergies and all…

The main purpose of my Gap year is to explore the wide world of job opportunities out there that I am completely ignorant about.  The one thing I’m sure about is that I am passionate about food – baked goods and chocolate in particular – and I like to write, love shiny things, fab interiors, movies and fluffy critters.  Somehow I don’t know how to combine all of these into a job!  hmmm…perhaps I could write cookbook about chocolate desserts that comes with fluffy pictures (like the kids book “Pat the Bunny”)….Not exactly the most practical if one spills ingredients like I do!  

If any of you has any suggestions or ideas of what sorts of jobs I could explore, please let me know.  I am open to all suggestions and ideas – except for joining the circus (morbid fear of creepy clowns) and shark wrangler (sea critters with big teeth scare me to death!)  I have a feeling I will stumble across something absolutely incredible that I never even considered.  

Thanks!

Rach

I’m excited about purging things from my apartment and spring cleaning.  Ideally I’d love to have a house elf to do the actual cleaning for me, but since he’s on vacation, I will have to do it myself.  My goal is to keep what I love and give away/recycle the rest.    

I was looking at my bookcase and wondering what books I truly loved and which ones I just couldn’t get through (Paris 1919 – I’m looking at you!)  I will keep important references books like the Book of Useless Information my brother gave me and a dictionary or two.  I will probably keep Paris 1919, just because it makes me look smarter than I actually am and it looks pretty on the shelf.  

Two of my recent favourites are A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole and the Bell Jar by Little Miss Sunshine herself, Sylvia Plath.  Sadly both of these authors committed suicide at roughly the same age (30ish), yet both wrote with a dry sense of humour.  Dunces remains one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.  Toole won a well-deserved Pulitzer posthumously for it, thanks in large part to his mother’s persistence in getting it published after his death.  

Okay that was a little bit of a downer…now on to purging my cd collection.  Let’s just say Columbia House during the 90s resulted in some rather bad cd choices on my part.  Melrose Place soundtrack anyone?

Any of you who are avid readers of the apartment therapy web site (www.apartmenttherapy.com) know that the “Keep Calm and Carry On” wall art trend is apparently passe (at least according to the vast majority of those submitting comments).  Well, I’m not really one to follow what is considered hip or trendy (anyone who knows me will vouch for how unhip I am!) Afterall, trendy brought us avocado green and harvest gold appliances once upon a time.

However, I do subscribe to the philosophy that many things in life could be solved or at least ameliorated by more sugary snacks (i.e., world peace, bad days at work, stress, etc.).  I just received this fantastic Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake poster from Jenny Heid at jennysbakeshop on www.etsy.com.  It couldn’t be more perfect at summing up my mantra.  Thanks so much Jenny!  I look forward to framing this baby and putting it up in my kitchen.