threw a wish in a well

our beauty of a boat from the distance

towel animals are the best cruise mascot! love
so much love - first day, still pale

yumm!

first time, of course i'd fall in

barbadian rum, so delish, and so deadly

my pet

st lucia!
 
he loved cinnamon toast crunch

peurto rico - notice a colour change?


for spring break this year,

i took my very first caribbean vacation with some of my faves at school 

it was a magical time, islands hopping courtesy of a giant cruise boat 

unforgettable time indeed, with unforgetabble people 

on another note

something i promise pretty much every school break 

i really really want to dust the dust of the old blog and get to it more! 

now that i've graduated and have pretty much zero to do all summer 

perhaps it'll be a more attainable goal? 

here's to hoping! 

fresh starts

Time flies when you're having the most fun, and all of a sudden its 2012! I'm at once both extremely excited and a bit nervous for the new experiences and changes this new year will bring. I like to keep reservations simple (probably to maximize my success rate), and this year is no different. In 2012, I hope to:
- be healthier & more energetic
- be more patient & accepting
- be less afraid & intimidated, speak up more
- be more proactive & better at focusing
- last but not least, blog more!

New beginnings also provide a great opportunity to reflect on the past year. I am thankful for everyone who has been part of my life; I really could not have made it through this year without your love, support, and wise advice. Although things do not always go according to plan, sometimes that makes for a sweeter result in the long run.

Wishing everyone a new year full of love, happiness, and fulfillment!

home for the holidays

a real reindeer!

highlights from toronto christmas market & tree in dt toronto 

abundance of delicious christmas foodss 

delightful surprises from annual girls secret santa 

amazing business cards from fchiu and a fun cookie tree from our resident baker tsu

christmas tree!

mulled wine from christmas market & my go-to holiday look of peacoat and festive scarf



holiday decors everywhere !

happy new years! 

favourite girls, in my favourite picture <3 

[last three photos courtesy of fchiu ] 

Enjoyed a wonderful holiday season full of laughter, warmth, and love. Although I am generally terrible at remembering to take pictures, here's a scattering of photos I managed from around Toronto. Some highlights of the break? Christmas market, skating, and amazing get togethers with some of my favourite people <3. Hope your holiday season has brought you much joy and has left you rejuvenated for the new year !

fall has the best colours

[silk shirt - club monaco; big knit sweater - american eagle; red skinnies - h&m; toms; arm party - casio watch, assorted bracelets] 


with the drop in temperature
i've been craving big thick knit sweaters to pile on my self in search of warmth and comfort
i wouldve loved this sweater more if it was long sleeved
but for now, it'll do

had a surprisingly busy week off from school
running back and forth to different meetings with different people is a ton more confusing than attending classes
dragged my self out of bed this morning (at noon) for a quick teleconference on campus and am now burried under the covers again
seriously no more going out on thursdays

western homecoming this weekend, but i'm surprisingly not feeling it
the combo of cold weather, rain, and muddiness has really put me off
instead of being out and dressed in copius amount of purple
i'll probably be in bed nursing a steaming cup of tea
i can probably reliably take this as a sign of my advanced age

so happy news to report; i'm done recruiting!
had the most hectic and stressful week of my life
but in the end i learned so much and it was worth it 100 times over

<3

FRANK Restaurant @ the AGO

seafood ceviche


jambon persillade with housemade cassis mustard and baguette toasts


pan seared, crisp skinned rainbow trout nicoise with fingerling potatoes, french green beans, cherry tomatoes with olive, anchovy vinaigrette and lemon anchovy aioli


grilled lamb and lavender house made sausage with warm du puy lentils and grilled summer vegetables




he <3 suits

summer berry pudding with strawberries, raspberries, red currants and vanilla whipped cream


sour cherry and almond cobbler with amaretto crème fraiche





enjoyed a wonderful summerlicious dinner at the FRANK restaurant at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)
i had not heard much about the restaurant previously, so knew little of what to expect

the clean modern interior was much larger than anticipated,
with multilevel seating and an open kitchen where we could see chefs in action
the trademark AGO light wood paneling was upheld throughout the restaurant,
allowing it to feel like a natural extension of the gallery space

i had heard quite a few stories of summerlicious menu items not living up to par of the restaurant's reputation
but was very pleasantly surprised with both the taste and the presentation of the dishes
it was obviously crafted with much attention,

my favourite dishes were the seafood ceviche and the grilled trout
i'm a big seafood person
and am a fairly good judge of freshness
the seafood ceviche was beautifully presented and very light
a great way to prelude a meal
the grilled trout was warm and buttery
with a delicious seared crust

i would definitely recommend the restaurant to those looking for a nice bite after a visit to nearby galleries
the atmosphere was unpretentious, and dressing up was definitely not a perquisite!

---------------------------------
4/5
summerlicious dinner menu: $35 dinner
http://www.ago.net/frank

Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas Street West Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1G4