At School... Lu's puffer coat

I was already in love with Lu's brogues... But when I saw her winter coat, I was not expecting this. Put your sunglasses on gals, Lu's coming through!

My first... sewing project

À l'âge de douze ans, lorsque je prenais des cours d'art (que je prends d'ailleurs encore aujourd'hui), ma professeure m'a introduit à des revues de collections de mode. À l'âge de douze ans, je feuilletais des pages de Galliano, fascinée. Ma professeure m'avait ouvert la porte à un monde magique et envoûtant. Et c'est elle qui, un an plus tard, m'a offert des cours de design de mode.

En prenant une vielle paire de jeans, j'ai confectionné une jupe et je l'ai décoré d'après une jupe Galliano de 1998 figurée dans le Fashion: Taschen's 25th anniversary. C'était la première fois que je cousais. C'était mon premier projet, ma première confection.

Encore aujourd'hui, je regarde cet habit pailleté et je me rappelle que c'est là que tout a commencé.

Mojito fuchsia top

Back when I was twelve years old, my art class teacher introduced me to fashion collections magazines. Back when I was twelve years old, I was flipping through pages of Galliano, mesmerized. My teacher had opened a whole new world to me. An exciting and spellbinding world. It was my teacher who, a year later, offered me classes of fashion design.

With an old pair of jeans, I made a denim skirt, inspired by Galliano's 1998 denim skirt featured in Fashion: Taschen's 25th anniversary. It was the first time I used a sewing machine. It was my first sewing project, my first self-made garment.

To this day, when I look at my heavily-sequined skirt, I remember that that's where it all began.

At School... Lu's brogues

When I saw their fluorescent colour, I was mesmerized. You want to know more? They're from Opening Ceremony.

Chez Doval

When I invited my friends to an authentic Portuguese restaurant a few nights ago, I didn't know what to expect. I was absolutely clueless about Portuguese cuisine, and being the avid food critic that I am, I Googled it, then Wikied it, then learned it by heart (my credibility in front of my friends was at risk), and learned that when in a portuguese restaurant, one shall order cod.

Out of métro Mont-Royal, I make my way thought the deserted and gloomy street Marie-Anne Est to Chez Doval. Monsieur was already inside. I enter but there's no Monsieur in sight. The place is tiny (as most Plateau hidden gastronomical treasures). Then, I learn that in the back, there's a second room, about the size of the first. The waiters have Portuguese written on their foreheads. The place is crowded. So far, I'm amused. I give my " Portugal is the most fish/ seafood eating country per capita in Europe" speech and order... shrimp. While waiting for our food, I watch three waiters freeze on the spot, mouth open, right in front of me. They stand there, lifelessly, and watch futebol on the big screen behind my back. A few feet away, a bouncy guitarist plays everything from La Bohème to This time for Africa with customers singing along and clapping.

When my grilled shrimp brochette arrives, I squeeze my lemon on top, and dive in. The house red wine is mouthwatering- not too bitter, just light enough. My friends are really enjoying their order, I try a little bit of everything and feel glorious of bringing them there. The lamb is juicy and grilled just right, the chicken well-seared and the mussels satisfy my friend's appetite. We ask for dessert, and are persuaded to  portuguese custard pastries. We go from trying one to ordering 6 more! I take a café allongé, which turns out to be one of the best coffees I had of late, and lie eyes wide open at 3 in the morning because coffee has this effect on me, and I knew what I was getting myself into all along. No regrets. I had the most fantastic night.

olives served pre-meal

fluffy big bread rolls

grilled chicken

grilled shrimp brochette

lamb chops

rice heavily drenched in oil

portuguese mussels

portuguese custard pastries

café allongé

Il Focolaio

Once again, I had a taste of Italy in Montreal's very coveted pizzaresto Il Focolaio. This time, I brought friends and we went for lunch. We entered the eatery at 11:30, and it was almost empty, and I was very surprised because the last time I had been there, it was the absolutely opposite of empty. And ten... fifteen minutes later, Il Focolaio was so crowded and loud you couldn't hear yourself thinking.

I chose the Romana, which turned out to taste even better than I expected. The mozzarella was chewy, the crust not too thick, not too thin, the herbs complementing the ingredients so well... I was transported to my most recent trip to Italy, and on the highest notes of nostalgia, I had a taste of my friend's meals. Savvy's submarine had very good sausage, but the rest was rather plain. Cristina's Peperonata was simple  but good and Jessica's pizza was too carnivorous for an ex-vegetarian like me. (Men, you will love it!) Next time, I'll try... just the other 70 things on the menu. Have a great week!

Phillips Square: sauce, capicollo, pepperoni, spicy italian sausage, ham, mushrooms, mozzarella, green peppers

La Salsicciata: Italian sausage cooked in the wooden oven with salad, spicy peppers, olives and bread topped with bruschetta

Peperonata: sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella

Romana: fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, oregano, parmesan, garlic and olive oil

Sunny Mornings

Every Wednesday morning, the one day when I get to sleep in... and start school really late, I wake up to beaming sunlight. And any possible photographer in my house is gone for the day. Luckily this morning, my knight in shining armour was there to capture nature's Wednesday's curse once and for all.

Can you believe we're in November?

Mojito top, tailored jacket of my own making, Second yoga jeans, H&M Mary Janes and scarf

At School... Ashley's boots

Hope you had a Happy Halloween! part 2

Last Saturday, I come home from art class, and my mom says:

I want to be Gaga in the meat dress tonight!

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Thoughts in my mind:

#1 You know who Gaga is?

#2 In the meat dress?

#3 Mom you're so cool

#4 Let me call alllllll my frieeeennndss........

And that's how my Mom won the award of the coolest Mom ever among all of my friends.

unbelievable...

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

I partied so much too much this week-end! 4 nights in a row of fun. Ahhhh.... no wonder I woke up with a cold this morning. Now, all I want is the red Christmas cups from Starbucks. Let the Christmas season begin!

 Amy Winehouse (hair pouf and 463829471 tattoos included) 

 Gaga (galaxy rocks, scar on face, platinum hair, you got it!)

 Minnie and Mickey

 pretty bat

and Minnie Mouse again!