Chaos, disorder and cupcakes

Down Under.

2012-01-13T22:13:00.000-08:00

They talked to me like the waterladies in my sleep, the troublesome, weirdly beautiful wood painting of Nicoz Balboa...

My paintings are bursts, brief glimpses like when you look at a landscape from the window of a moving train, instants frozen in time, of a dream we will never dream again. They are fleeting glances at a parallel reality where animals know all. Nature lives and protects and the little girls can decide to love, kill, or die.

This strange land, inhabited by semi-ordinary creatures and little girls who are too elegant for our times, is the place where I’d like to wake up every morning and it’s the first place I see at night upon closing my eyes. The peaked cliffs by the sea fill my heart, that’s why they’re so recurrent in my paintings. For such a long time I had chosen the road of self-destruction (physically and pictorially) and now I want to put my faith in nature and its regenerative powers. The caress of the wind and the exhilaration of a distant horizon have become the new points of reference in my paintings. As well as the animals, these kind and mute presences.

In my paintings, nature and animals are solid and present and they will always remain even when the little girls have become women, then elderly ladies, and finally ashes. They will always remain even when that land has been deserted.

All images belong to Nicoz Balboa

Paper Magic.

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am completely blown away by Isabelle de Borchgrave and her paper dresses! Everything is perfectly historically accurate, handmade and hand painted. Her latest project was in association with Versailles Palace where she recreated several of Marie-Antoinette's dresses (and some of her maids as well) that are currently part of a permanent exhibit called The Livingroom of Marie-Antoinette.

Isabelle de Borchgrave – Eleanora of Toledo (Details), 2006

“Isabelle’s favorite Medici painting, is this Bronzino portrait of Eleanora of Toledo and her son. She was particularly enthralled by the richness of the jewelry, noting that “all the jewelry created by Fulco di Verdura for Chanel in the 1930s was inspired by the dress in the Bronzino portrait.” Eleanora was Duchess of Florence in the 16th century, and is credited as having been the first modern consort.

A pervasive myth tells that this exact dress served as Eleanora’s shroud, or burial gown. When her body was exhumed in the 19th century, the dress was quite similar to the one in Bronzino’s portrait. New research has found that it was a different dress, but that Eleanora was buried wearing a nearly identical pearl encrusted hairnet.

The story begins in a little house in Sablon, which Isabelle turned into a studio. There, she gave drawing classes to her friends’ children and other neighbourhood children and, thus, was free to think about her own designs. It was the seventies and, so, La Tour de Bébelle was set up there. Processions of hand-painted clothes, rolls of fabrics strewn about, pigments, brushes, gouaches, canvasses, pastels and travel journals. Everything alongside each other in a friendly, colourful and modern setting.

Journeys followed, one after another, all over the world. Isabelle discovered different cultures and began to see the world in a new light.

Following a visit to the Metropolitan Museum in New York in 1994, Isabelle dreamed up paper costumes. While keeping her brushes in hand and her paintings in mind, she worked on four big collections, all in paper and trompe l’œil, each of which set the scene for a very different world. “Papiers à la Mode” (Paper in Fashion), the first, takes a fresh look at 300 years of fashion history from Elizabeth I to Coco Chanel. “Mariano Fortuny” immerses us in the world of 19th century Venice. Plissés, veils and elegance are the watchwords of that history. “I Medici” leads us through the streets of Florence, were we come across famous figures in their ceremonial dress. Figures who made the Renaissance a luminous period. Gold-braiding, pearls, silk, velvet … here, trompe l’œil achieves a level of rediscovered sumptuousness. As for the “Ballets Russes”, they pay tribute to Serge de Diaghilev. Pablo Picasso, Léon Bakst, Henri Matisse, … all designed costumes for this ballet company, which set the world of the 20th century alight. These dancing paper and wire figures play a very colourful and contemporaneous kind of music for us.

It’s true that, today, Isabelle de Borchgrave has become a name that is readily associated with fashion and paper. But her name is also closely linked to the world of design. By working together with Caspari, the potteries of Gien, Target, and Villeroy and Boch, Isabelle has turned her imagination into an art that’s accessible to anyone who wants to bring festivity into their home. Painted fabrics and paper, dinner services, curtains, sheets, decor with a personal touch for parties and weddings,… All this tells of the world in which she has always loved to move.

Gilet d'homme, 1760. (It's not actually a gilet, more like a justaucorps.)
Men's cardigan in paper created for the exhibition Papiers à la Mode in Japan in September 2001.

Détail de la robe de Madame de Pompadour, 1755.
Detail of the dress of Madame de Pompadour.
Dress created in September 2001 inspired by a painting by Maurice Quentin de la Tour (1755).

Isabelle de Médicis (1542-1576) et Henri II de France (1519-1559)
Paper costumes of Isabelle de Medici (daughter of Cosme I and Eleonora de Toledo) and of Henri II (King of France and husband of Catherine de Medici). After two portraits respectively painted by Alessandro Allori and François Clouet (both in Palazzo Pitti, Firenze).

La Reine Polyxène d'Assie (+1737) et le Marquis d'Ormea (vers 1730).
Paper costumes realised after the portraits painted by M. van Meytens and Madame La Clementina (La Venaria Reale, Turin, Italy, October 2007).

Les filles de Charles Emmanuel III, vers 1730.
Two paper costumes of Charles Emmanuel III 's daughters, part of a series permanently exhibited at the Venaria Reale (Turin, Italy), October 2007.

Source of the first 2 pictures and text:
http://ornamentedbeing.tumblr.com
All other images and text from http://www.isabelledeborchgrave.com/en_home.php

Riding habits

2011-12-06T18:33:00.001-08:00

Riding outfits where originally all for men, women expected to not engage in activity requiring riding as it was considered not womanlike.

But during the mid-XVIIth century, we suddenly see a peculiar outfit making it's appearance: a tailored outfit, modeled exactly after menswear, complete with tricorn, gloves and necktie, but with a close-fitting bodice worn with corset and petticoat underneath, exactly like their everyday wear. The first riding outfit was born, mixing both the need for a proper protective apparatus and the excitement of dressing up, slipping into men's accoutrement and for a moment pretending to have the same authority.

Portrait of Anna-Maria Luisa de Medicis in a hunting dress, by Jan Frans van Douwen

Thoughout the century it will keep following what's in fashion for menswear, from to colors to the type of ornamentation. Reds and gold baroque's bold colors left place to a pastel, more bucolic palette... When we look at Baroness Ulrica Fredrika Cedercreutz, even her hair is made up after a man's wig up-do called catogan and worn with the feathered tricorn.

Baroness Ulrica Fredrika Cedercreutz by Gustaf Lundberg, from TheOrnamentedBeing

Little to no differences appears from Rococo to romantism. We moved from a monarchist, oversaturated costume to a more democratic one as we were entering the Industrial revolution, therefore exchanging silver and silk embrodery for velvet or cotton, and the tricorn for the top-hat, symbol of our newly acquired urban ideas. There is still no mistake to be made here, with the addition of the hat-veil and the excessive length of the skirt: it's still only play, we are still only pretending... No one would be fooled by the message here: the woman still needs a man and can only ride with a side-saddle.

Fashion plate from Le Journal des Dames et des modes, March 1830. To learn more about fashion plates from the romantic era, click on the plate to read a little snippet...

Nowadays we don't tend to ride that much... Well, at least not horse. Bus, car, bicycles... people? There's Jean-Paul Gaultier's take on it from the mind blowing exhibit at Montreal's Fine Arts Museum that took place last summer (2011). The essentials are still there: top-hat, gigantic neckwear inspired both by feminine rococo period's bows and the gigantic cravat of the romantics, then a twist with the bottom part of the outfit: not a skirt as we can find in the other periods, but pants with side buttons worn with high-knee leather boots. Notice here the uselessness of those buttons, turned into something purely aesthetic and losing their practical aspect, as it's often the case when a piece a clothing transition from a practical usage into fashion.

Is Gaultier, by leaving here the skirt, telling us that the women are not only dressing-up as a game, playing on their masculine side, but actually taking the reins and leading the way? Taking their own path and riding with men as equal? Or is this last picture opening the dialog on an even deeper way?...

Last pictures by yours truly, taken at Jean-Paul Gaultier exhibit at Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal at Musee Des Beaux-Jean Paul Gaultier Exhibit..

On sartorial diversity

2011-11-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

Image from : LURIE, Alison, The Language of clothes, United States (University of Michigan), Vintage Books, 1983,

Setting its foot in late Middle-Ages and early Renaissance, the idea of owning a lot of different garments as a display of fortune and power was at its peak in the Edwardian fashion, when not only owning a lot of clothing was important, but having a particular costume for different times of the day was expected; when you were of good society of course. The gentleman was expected to own at least 16 outfits to be considered to have a full wardrobe. Even the low-class man needed at least a couple of work clothes and his Sunday best.

As of now, this concept often seems a bit foreign, as if it didn’t age well. Changing outfit four times a day? Frivolous! But when we look more closely, we can find some sort of common ground. Look in any women magazine and you’ll find at least one page giving tips on how to transform an office outfit into a happy hour outfit… Then, if a more official evening will take place, the gal is expected to transfer into a more elegant gown and maybe more expensive jewelry. And the next day, shame on her if she would come back to work with the same outfit she was last seen wearing at the happy hour: she would be giving the impression to have spent the night maybe at a colleague, expressing lousy manners or no self control over alcohol.

So then, other than work outfits (which we assume we want to have at least five to not challenge our inner Wendy who has a Monday outfit, a Tuesday outfit, etc), what else are we expected to have in our wardrobe?

Some, like Marilyn Monroe, claim to sleep in nothing but Chanel #5 but the tradition of pajamas of nightwear is still alive, considering from the traditional 2 pieces, one-piece (!) or some more sexy forms or clothing. Then most likely a robe for colder morning and late tv nights, the equivalent of the chambrelouque (think Dracula's robe, or more contemporary, a long Hugh Hefner's coin-du-feu) from early 19^th century.

On top of that, we’ll also consider what we use to cover ourselves like coats, cloaks and other forms of outwears, and what we put underneath our costume, supporting or covering our intimate parts.

Then between 3 to 8 different everyday outfit (I already hear fashionistas yell: only 8!!), constituted of top and bottom that we can mix and match as we go. To that we can add different accessories (hats, jewelry, hosiery) to modify the said look. Most of these are expected to relate to the communication and psychological functions: to express who we are and what we believe to be esthetically pleasing. To those can be added work-related outfits, they may be extra casual, suit-looking, to uniforms or painting clothes and, as mentioned before, one or two ballroom-type outfits (or wedding outfits as ball seem more and more rare these days…)

One of the elements we keep from historic periods are sports related costumes: from the classic track suit (that is now creeping its way into the everyday outfit) to the tennis skirt, and the necessary wetsuit of surfers, bikinis and other contraptions.

Considering all of that, would you consider that we are much different than the Edwardian man with his 16 different outfits? Are our codes now less strict as to what to wear in a specific situation, but everyone expected to own a lot of different garments (in style!) to be considered well dressed? Do you think that the proliferation of cheap but trendy shops like Forever21 contributing to that phenomena?

Yarn Guerilla

2011-11-03T10:54:00.000-07:00

Some shots of FiberGrenade in action during the summer... Guts & Yarn!

There's Christine Fiocco from MétroBoulotTricot who dropped a line about us on her blog... Special points for her tshirt! (I'm so crafty I make people!)

The shadows beneath us

2011-10-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

“To rid ourselves of our shadows - who we are - we must step into either total light or total darkness” Jeremy Preston Johnson

Creating happiness

2011-10-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Quebec in the time of summer

2011-10-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered where is the happiest place on the planet (during the summer)?
Québec city.

Ever wondered where you find the only winter festival in the world that could manage to make me smile?
Québec city

And the best general tso's chicken outside of Asia?
Thang long, in Québec city.

Although, as reading the name with a French accent (Thang long : temps long, meaning long time), you can then plan ahead: it's one of the longest, most horrible table service I've ever had. That's why you bring wine, a lot of wine. (As you would have guess, it's a BYOB.) And friends. As much friend as you can manage to cram around the small tables. And don't forget to make a reservation or you'll be uncomfortably standing around for a long, long time.

Don't let them convince you with their doubtful looks: the menu is amazing. From the sweet and salty soup to the gigantic summer rolls, there's a lot to choose. I would personnally recommend to not miss the chicken in peanut sauce, nor any of they seafood soup. And be prepared: it comes in 'bucket size'.

Marie-Pierre is stuck between the heavenly sight of the steaming dishes coming from the kitchen and the delirious idea that she'll have to eventually make her choice.

See, beer. It works as a perfect replacement for wine.

Yes, we did take a while to take decisions... so much choices to juggle with!

Woops more beer. Move along folks, nothing to see here.

Now, for the best sandwiches in town. Head to Nouvo Saint-Roch, right in front of the trendy *ahem* bar Le Dauphin, you'll find La Boîte à Lunch. With their 20+ sandwiches ranging from liverwurst to avocado&shrimp, without forgetting more traditional ones like chicken salad or roast beef, this urban sandwicherie will charm you.

Always leaning toward locally produced item, they serve the amazing beers from Archibald, a microbrewery located in Lac Beauport, about 15 minutes away from downtown... Grab a can or a glass from the tap of the moment!

NSFW : Goth body ahem massager

2011-10-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

Gothic lifestyle, you said? Well there my friend, I present you...
Death by Orgasm !
Officially truly the apotheosis of the goth arsenal. It would only half surprise me if it would come with a set of velvet drapes and a bunch of candles.

For your crimes against pleasure, we sentence you to Death By Orgasm. Let the gothic-inspired range of sex toys crawl out of their coffins and treat you to a range of hauntingly pleasurable vibrations - whether it is the bullet vibrators or vibrating cock rings you decide to unleash.

Will you choose the 10-Speed Scorpion Bullet to deliver deliciously poisonous titillation? The Fang Banger Vampire Vibrating Cock Ring to make you scream with pleasure? Or perhaps the Werewolf 3 Speed Bullet to unleash the orgasmic beast within?

Whichever toy you choose to deliver your Death By Orgasm, you can guarantee you'll be waking up the streets this Halloween with your howls of pleasure.

Althought I have to admit that once you remove them from the box they present very sleek lines and a pretty alternative when you are looking for a black, grey or red implement.

Hum... bite me?

I guess it does makes a perfect gift for the opening of True Blood season.

A scorpion... really?

Gone Maschinenfesting

2011-09-18T14:40:00.002-07:00

Taking off for Maschinenfest tomorrow!
On the menu:

+ feasting and our traditional gigantic family reunion!

See you in 2 weeks!

Summer is over

2011-09-12T15:25:00.000-07:00

And once again, I have the feeling that it slipped through my hands.
Goodbye fresh produces, long walks in the market, sparkly drinks on terraces...
Hello layering, comfort food and tea-shopping spree at David's tea!

What are you looking forward to this fall?

My take on globalization and streetwear

2011-09-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

My short answer to Worn Through, based on the more than interesting discussion from New York Times' Room for Debate.

About two weeks ago, The New York Times Online featured a discussion on the globalisation of street fashion. Valerie Steele, among others, contributed a piece which suggests that with the internet and globalization there has been a homogenization affect on street style. It is no longer unique. This is a sentiment that seems to be echoed in Rei Kawakubo’s quote this past week that the current generation/trend is for fast-fashion and “to look like everyone else”.

It is true that now a google image search of the terms “cosplay” or “gothic lolita” is just as likely to bring up images of teens in Helsinki imitating those in Harajuku who originated the style, and that many of The Sartorialsit’s photos seem to have certain dêja vu quality, but is it really having as strong an affect as Steele and Kawakubo suggest?

What is your opinion of the discussion, and of Kawakubo’s statement? Is there more variety that the media simply does not show? Is the internet and globalization a source for innovation, or a source for homogenization? (from Fashion Bytes, Worn Through)

Real innovation comes from creative individuals, not from the internet.

Before the street was the way to show the result of our sartorial experiments and in a finite population, it seemed much more unique. But how many people, in how many different cities, were actually putting together a similar assemblage without anyone knowing about it? The Internet was just an eye-opener.

Most of what we sees online can still be categorized… Think about Gala Darling-Betsey Johnson bubblegum happy life, hipster-looking-streetstyle –Sartorialist carefully "unintentionally" put together, Sea of Ghost-Haute Macabre dark but elegant attire… Even when you find someone who clearly develops their own look most likely you’ll see them referring to a higher influence or trend. Yes we are all trying to be so unique, so different, so original… but as human animals, the herd instinct comes back, and the Internet is the perfect landscape for it. It's also quite difficult to 'stay hidden', every community now using Internet to share ideas and aesthetics... As you mentioned, even 'underground' communities like the Lolita world are widely expanded online but when we look more closely at this peculiar community you suddenly see differentiation pops out: a visual difference between Westerner lolitas (Country lolita), North European lolitas and 'original' lolitas from Japan. All influenced by the original style but making it their own, using the internet a shopping ressource (where we could see homogenization) but turning it into an individual combination of garments.

Well, maybe not. Now, fashion blogger also teams up with low-key stores (thinks Forever 21, H&M) and their look suddenly become more affordable, closer the their reader’s budget… Which allows them to run to the said store and get said items, recreating “blogger streetwear”. Of course, among those inexpensive clothing pops out big tickets shoes or purses, symbol of their still unattainable lifestyle. It’s, somehow, the 21st century’s version of “get this style for cheap”.

Circles and lines

2011-09-09T10:30:00.000-07:00

100 years of fashion

2011-09-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

I am completely blow away. No time now to review, but enjoy!

Steel Beauty

2011-09-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

Beer, blurriness and ... titties?

2011-09-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

Don't they perfectly go together? like a cause and effect?
Have a good week end ya'll, while I'm still buried under class assignment, Egypt madness (when can I find the time to watch the entirity of 1963's Cleopatra?? 5 hours?!) and costume shopping for a very, very gory indie theater show. Oh, and we're having a fund-raiser for it saturday night, september 3rd 2011. Will there be titties? I don't know, but definitely some beer. And blurriness. And according to the event... crack deal? Jeez. See you there.

Vintage Paradise : What goes around comes around

2011-08-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

I think I found Heaven... 10 000 square feet of vintage? TAKE ME TO NEW YORK!

WGACA VIntage Archive - Photo: Cullen Meyer What Goes Around Comes Around (WGACA) co-founders Gerard Maione and Seth Weisser have been collecting and selling vintage for over 17 years. The pair has amassed thousands of vintage pieces that are housed primarily in the company's 10,000 square foot archive in New Jersey, with pieces constantly rotating between the New York City and Los Angeles stores. Although Maione and Weisser have a soft spot for the 1960s, their vintage collection spans every decade since the 1920s and stretches as far back as the late 1800s, consisting of women's, men's and children's clothing, accessories and props. Each vintage piece that is sold from WGACA is unique, authentic and hand-selected by the experts themselves.

WGACA's vintage collection for women includes a diverse array of clothing and accessories covering more than a century of modern fashion history. Intricately-detailed dresses and hand-beaded jackets date back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras near the turn of the 19th Century; a selection of beaded Art Deco dresses from the 1920s and 1930s are so delicate they are better preserved as art than worn as clothing; and a collection of designer pieces literally span from A to Z - from Azzedine Alaia to Zandra Rhodes.

WGACA's vintage collection for men is highlighted by a broad range of denim pieces, military apparel and vintage footwear. With one of the largest collections of vintage denim in the United States, top stylists and designers across the globe view WGACA as their go-to source for denim. Meanwhile, some of the co-founders' favorite finds are authentic American, Japanese and European military pieces which serve as living symbols of 20th Century military history. Other highlights from the men's vintage collection include leather jackets, concert T-shirts and workwear.

After trying to put my hands on more info or more pictures, I found this wonderful (and by that, I mean : it's-even-better-than-I-thought I-want-to-be-there-right-now-and-buy-everything-especially-the-top-hats kind of wonderful) article by Gala Darling. Enjoy!

Dad's grand 60th birthday

2011-08-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Last May dad officially turned 60! After having fun with senility jokes and other juvenile same sort of things, there was a bonfire (ok, just a cake), lots of wine and pleasant times in the sun.

See, a bonfire.

And wine.

And yes, chives as a table centerpiece. No one does things like my family, and I'm proud of it.

A slice of juice.

2011-08-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

Designed by Yunyeen Yong | Country: Australia

“Jooze is a fictional company that manufactures fresh fruit juices, catered especially to kindergarten and primary school students. It is a company that believes that healthy eating habits should begin at a very young age.

The shape of the logo is inspired by the shape of a sliced fruit, and the handwritten typeface used is to portray a sense of fun, hands-on personality and characteristic that appeals to kids and toddlers. The logo also consists of singular bright colours, which may vary depending on the flavour of the juice. This would hopefully be a recognisable icon whereby children can relate and connect to the brand.

A simplified illustration of the fruits are to further clarify the flavours, to add visual aesthetics, and to appeal and connect to the target audience.

The juice box is shaped in an unconventional way to incorporate the essence of the logo, to gain instant recognition from the audience, and to capture their attention, especially if this product is placed alongside other juices on the supermarket shelves.”

Remembrance of a day long gone

2011-08-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

In what seem to be an eternity ago
Mike Way came to visit.
There was cooking.
There was spices shop.
There was ostriches heads, Czech beer and absinthe.
I wish it was yesterday.
Or tomorrow.

E is for Edward Gorey's house, whose tempting me to flee Montreal for a vacation

2011-08-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

If I had time for an actual vacation, I would go there and hide, then spending the nights looking at every detail with a flashlight, and hoping to meet the ghost of Edward Gorey, who lived and created happily in this house most of his life.

And of course when the morning would come back, I would swing by the shop and get the pop-up book of his award-winning set and costume design...

Bram Stoker's 1897 novel took place in the wild Carpathian Mountains, London and rural England, and various places in between. But the Dracula for which Edward Gorey created the set designs reproduced in miniature here--a version that ran to nearly a thousand Broadway performances--compresses the action to one locale: the sanatorium of Dr. Seward, near the town of Purley, somewhere in the English countryside.

Based on Edward Gorey's set and costume designs for his award-winning production of Dracula, these die-cut, scored, and perforated foldups and foldouts include:
3 pop-up 16 x 12" stage sets (only one is shown above)
Cast of 8 (15 figures in all)
Stage Furniture
4-page booklet with exceptionally simple assembly instructions, a synopsis of Gorey's Broadway adaptation of Dracula, and notes on Edward Gorey (1925-2000) and his many magical creations.

And would of course get the entire alphabet of mugs, a perfect death for every day.

Location:
8 Strawberry Lane
Yarmouthport, MA 02675
Phone: (508) 362-3909

The Edward Gorey House is located off Route 6A on the Yarmouthport Common.

Admission:
Adults: $5.00
Students & Seniors: $3.00
Children 6-12 years old: $2.00
Children under 6 are free

Hiatus

2011-08-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

Lots of crazy stuff is happening around here... I don't want to say too much about it, but let's just say that I'm looking forward for life to come back to some sort of regularity... or at least the closest to normal my life can get.

I'm dreaming of having a cold beer poured out of that tap.

Pikolo Espresso Bar : a blessing for coffee lovers in Montreal

2011-07-25T15:45:00.000-07:00

(Picture taken from their Facebook Page)

For a couple of weeks, on the corner of my block, these mysterious papers covered the window of a space that have been empty since what seems to have been forever. All it said was: Pikolo Espresso Bar. Tortured by curiosity, I kept lurking to see what would pop out of it... and there it was, about a week ago. It seems that I've been a good girl and the coffee gods decided to reward me : this place is AMAZING.

Marie-Eve, the owner, is a true passionate: she talks about coffee like others talk about love, with sparks in her eyes and a hunger for more. Her goal is to get people to discover the raw, specialized flavors of coffee from around the world... which she accomplish like a charm with her grand ability to describe with great precision every type of bean she serves.

Every cup is hand-stamped with the logo of the espresso bar... Talk about passion! The stamp was also hand made by some other ultra-passionate people over at Central Stamp... literally a door over from the cafe! In the same building you can also find the not-to-be-missed Nota Bene, which deserve a blog post of it's own very much soon!

In her search for a fair-trade coffee, she settled for Phil&Sebastian, a couple of coffee roasters from Calgary with a big, ecstatic love for coffee.

Coffee has over 1200 identified chemical compounds, making it the single most complex food item. This type of complexity is what makes coffee so exciting for us, the potential for flavor, uniqueness and individuality.

Our goal is to seek out these unique coffees, learn about their origin (who grows them, how they are cultivated, how they are processed and stored) and develop relationships with those who grow and/or process them. Relationships based on common beliefs, desire for continuous quality and a passion for giving customers an unforgettable coffee experience.

In order to do this, we travel and visit a number of coffee growing regions and establish, nourish and develop relationships with growers, millers and exporters. This exploration is extremely rewarding and is at the core of our coffee buying philosophy.
(from Phil and Sebastian's website)

And look at the gorgeous packaging... what's not to love when you know the inside is as delicious as the outside?

Menu is simple but includes all the staples of a cafe: a good strong, packed espresso, a latte where the taste of coffee is still very well present through the milk and a good selection of tea and tea drinks. I have to admit that during the winter, I have more than a tendency to fall for a London Fog. Guess where I'll be getting it.

As for cafe itself, it looks exactly out of San Francisco or New York... like what a real cafe should look like. None of those all-looking-the-same Starbucks-Second Cup-Name it. A place with a history stepping in the present urban atmosphere. A welcoming, well design environment where stainless steel mix seamlessly with dark wood stain and exposed brick walls, giving us the feeling of being suspended through space and time.

Long life to Pikolo!
If you are in the area, the exact address is 3418 B Av. du Parc, Montreal, QC H2X 2H5
If you are not, make a detour. You won't regret it!

The easiest sauce on Earth

2011-07-23T22:38:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe not. I guess store-bought ones are easier... but definitely not as tasty!

When things are as hectic as they are right now (between theater and college, I just racked 80 hours this week... and I still have about 7 days to go!), I need easy but refreshing meals... one of the staples of these weeks are potstickers and summer rolls, which I both pick up in Chinatown, couples of blocks away from Centaur Theater. I then whip up this sauce and munch away.

Soy vinegar sauce
-2 tblspoons rice vinegar
-2 tblspoons soy sauce
-1 tblspoon sugar
-1 tblspoon chopped ginger
-1 tblspoon garlic
-Half tblspoon sesame oil
-Dash onion salt

Mix vigorously (if you are on the verge of exhaustion, just like myself at the moment, take it easy on yourself!) all the ingredients. Then enjoy... and forget about the dishes stacked up. You can take care of that tomorrow.

I know you all want to know what is that other sauce we can see in the first pictures...
Well there you go.

Peanut butter sauce
-2 tblspoons peanut butter
-4 tblspoons warm water
-1 tblspoons rice vinegar
-1 tblspoons sugar

Mix until even consistency. Then make sure to not waste a single drop of the delicious mixture.

(copyright goes to the Devil, he's the mad genius behind these sauces!)

Coffee or tea?

2011-07-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

The two nectar that will fill me up for the next week and a half...
I will be all caught up in a music-hall madness and the end of my student's semester at College.
Readers, beware! Updates might be scarce and crazy.
But I'll get on the other side stronger than ever.

Are YOU more tea or coffee?

Jambalaya time!

2011-07-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

Wild things

2011-07-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

Apocalyp-Tokyo

2011-07-15T15:36:00.000-07:00

Stunning illustrations of a post-apocalyptic, out of this world Tokyo by TokyoGenso.

(via PinkTentacle)

A dark forest

2011-07-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

“This is what I believe: That I am I. That my soul is a dark forest. That my known self will never be more than a little clearing in the forest. That gods, strange gods, come forth from the forest into the clearing of my known self, and then go back. That I must have the courage to let them come and go. That I will never let mankind put anything over me, but that I will try always to recognize and submit to the gods in me and the gods in other men and women. There is my creed.”

D.H. Lawrence (British Poet, Novelist and Essayist, 1885-1930)

February... I miss you, but don't come back so fast

2011-07-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Now that we are in the middle of the summer, surrounded by it's muggy and warm presence, our ski vacation at Mont Tremblant seems so far away and so... refreshing. Minus 30 Celsius (ah, February!) doesn't seem so much like a bad idea.

Picturesque, isn't it?

I had to admit that Smokes poutine was the best I've ever had. I am serious. Even if it comes from Ontario. It took me a while to publicly and loudly admit it but there I am. I've surrendered.

Now that's a real ketchup packet!

I believe we had the prime beef poutine, which is Prime Ground Beef,Sautéed Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions. It was insane and delicious.

And we ended up driving in the little town around and had lunch in a cosy old train station transformed in a restaurant. And you all know I have a soft spot for traditionnal Quebec houses despite being a true modern design lover.

Happy 4th of July !

2011-07-04T16:56:00.000-07:00

Drink and celebrate! I'm taking a day of well-deserved time off before the Devil's parent show up for a week of boating and overeating... where I won't be able to work for a minute. So class planning and other tasks is what's on store for me for the rest of the week. But for now, sweet, sweet procrastination.

Wobbly

2011-07-02T12:23:00.001-07:00

I am unable to sleep on a proper schedule. It's killing me. My brain look like that.
I AM THE JELLO QUEEN.

Back to the regular programming in a couple.

A short, but self-explanatory post about people I miss

2011-07-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

(And if you are not in the picture and feel you should be: man, we need to take moar pictures! Mat6 and Rachel, I'm looking at you ;p
Last 3 picture credits are: PlasticModule, Sarah Lacroix Photography, Sinphoto)

Naughty salad

2011-06-28T23:50:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, I try to eat healthy... but sometimes, just like the other day, I also feel naughty. And it's widely known that naughty people don't eat salad.
Naughty people drench themselves in honey, munch on fried pickles and drink from a bottomless bottle of Pinot Noir.

But I had none of these items and was still trying to stick to the last remaining bits of my 'diet week'. So I made this seared (ok... slightly fried in sesame oil) tofu salad with bean sprout. But the secret is in the vinaigrette inspired by the ginger one you can find at BeniHana.

Salad

Lettuce
Bean sprouts
Cucumbers
Green onions
Half a brick of firm tofu, sliced
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped celery
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon tomato ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until obtaining an almost smooth texture. Chill.

Meanwhile, heat some sesame oil and sear both sides of of the tofu. Serve in on the salad, with the vinaigrette and sesame seeds.

Eating with friends - a feast for the eyes and soul

2011-06-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Sadder than destitution, sadder than a beggar is the man who eats alone . Nothing more contradicts the laws of man or beast, for animals always do each other the honor of sharing or disputing each other's food." Baudrillard, Jean

My inconditional love for the whimsical work of Janine Basil

2011-06-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

I know you saw Janine Basil's pulchritudinous (ah, word of the day!) work before.
But I can't help but keep going back to lurk at them, knowing exactly which one would be perfect for my friends... but as far as I know, I'm still not a millionaire. Or if I am, my bank definitely forgot to send me the memo. Oh, and a hint for the gentlemen out there that would be at loss in front of all that awesomeness: they have gift certificates.

All images belong to Janine Basil.

There's always friends

2011-06-26T12:40:00.001-07:00

So here I am, hours away from making the trip up north, back to Québec. As always, feeling a bit confused about what my life has become. Feeling a bit ashamed by my laziness in that half-vacation time. Feeling a bit fearfull of the gigantic amount of work waiting for me.

There's a big gap open in front of me and there's no way for me to see what's waiting on the other side.

At least, there's always friends. Always.

Europe 2010 -- Copenhagen, Denmark

2011-06-20T21:31:00.001-07:00

Next stop was Denmark. Philip sent us off on our long journey up north in destination of Copenhagen.

What we were gonna see a lot of for the upcoming 12 hours. A lot of.

To our surprise there was no need to transfer to a boat as the train actually hopped ON a boat. Yes, the entire train.

There was need for a little touristy stuff. Like a picture with Johannes Andersen. I'm somewhat of a groupie as you can call it.

I loved the peanuts & dried fruits vendor in the street. So much colors and diversity!

Ah Guillaume, you did it again!

Yes, this is a real statue. I will, unlike them, keep my mouth shut on that one.

The Observatory... Can any of you Danish friends feed me more infos on that one? I can't even remember the name of it!

My (not so) new favorite blog

2011-06-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

These peas are hollow. Not so new cause I've been following for a while now. Not so new cause I've been following for a while now. Secretly... like if I wanted to keep it all for myself.
But sharing is caring, so...

What brought me there at first was the cake pops... the multitude of them.
But what really got me hooked where the bright, amazingly lit (and stylish!) pictures.
Or maybe the convivial, down to earth writing.
Or even just that effortless but delightful Edamame, quinoa and avocado salad.

(All pictures belong to Bria Helgerson from These peas are hollow.)

Europe 2010 -- Germany: oversized bagel, 550 kg man and an ethereal place

2011-06-01T17:49:00.000-07:00

While we were traveling to Oberhausen, I had spot in the window of a bakery a thing of wonder: a gigantic pretzel. It kept coming back to my mind every time the hunger came around... I was decided to put my hands on one. After helping out to finish breaking down the last of the merch tables at the venue, under an uncertain weather, we all headed (read here: stumble) to the train station in destination of Bielefeld. And there it was: colossal, fresh-of-the oven, overly tempting huge pretzel. To my surprise, it turned out to be sweet instead of savory... disconcerting at first, but then all the better for me, the Devil would not try to steal it!

Babsi's herb garden put mine to shame (not that ours was so magnificent to begin with!), so I'm putting more effort and research into it this year!

Babsi's fabulous Indian cooking in the works. We ate like kings. I should say like pig tho, while looking (and deleting!) all the picture of us, shoving delicious food in our mouths like if it was our last meal. Ah gluttony, the tastiest of all sins.

That morning, we got woken up by Germans banging on our door, telling us to get dress, that they were taking us somewhere... Ok ok, all that was discussed over coffee and one of those wonderful breakfast that only Phil and Babsi have the secret. Heart shaped salami? They got it!

Well fed and well rested, we embarked on a journey with an unknown destination. We we about to be dumped in a ditch and never be seen again?

First meet Hermann the German. Yes, a gigantic stone German holding a 7 meters long sword. Not knowing what was waiting for us, seeing his figure through the fog produced quite an impression.

The Hermannsdenkmal (German for Hermann monument) is a monument located in Ostwestfalen-Lippe in Germany in the Southern part of the Teutoburg Forest.

The monument commemorates the Cherusci war chief Hermann or Armin and the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in which the Germanic tribes under Arminius recorded a decisive victory in 9 AD over three Roman legions under Varus. At the time it was built, the location of the statue was believed to have been very near the actual site of the battle, though it is now known through excavations that the battle actually happened near Kalkriese, a considerable distance to the west and north of the monument.

Under the impression of the repeated defeats at the hands of the French and the fractured nature of the German states, Germans began to orient themselves toward the ancient past as a source of national pride. This search for identity is exemplified in several national memorials including the near Regensburg and the Statue of Arminius.

The sword has the following inscription:

Deutsche Einigkeit, meine Stärke - meine Stärke, Deutschlands Macht.
German unity (is) my strength - my strength (is) Germany's might.

Then after a short drive and a walk in the mud (thanks, sweet sweet platforms!) was another, ever more impressive vision: Externsteine. I was in awe... until I realized we were expected to climb that thing (fuck you, horrible impractical platforms!).

"Externsteine, a site consisting of five enormous rock pillars in northern Germany, has probably been regarded as sacred since prehistoric times.

An undeniably mysterious and magical place, Externsteine is thought to have been a pagan cultic center until Charlemagne abolished Saxon paganism in 782 AD. It was then used by Christian hermits throughout the Middle Ages.

Externsteine contains a number of astronomical alighnments and other fascinating features, and attracts many devotees of Neopaganism and New Age religion."

"Externsteine is a natural outcropping of five limestone pillars, the tallest of which is 37.5m high. The pillars have been modified and decorated by humans over the centuries in a variety of fascinating and mysterious ways: holes were drilled for no apparent reason; stairs lead to dead ends; platforms serve no clear purpose; and a large space faces the midsummer sunrise. The holes may have symbolized entry-points into the earth to release its energies, as at other rock sanctuaries."

"In recent history, Externsteine has received the attention of German nationalists, including Heinrich Himmler, who in 1933 presided over the "Externsteine Foundation." Some visitors to Externsteine today are still motivated by extreme nationalism, even neo-Nazism. Just a few miles from Externsteine is Hermanns Denkmal, a monument to German nationalism."

Today, Externsteine is a popular tourist attraction but it also draws many spiritual devotees. Most modern pilgrims to Externsteine are New Age followers, who are attracted to the site by its astrological aspects and perceived cosmic energy. Neopagans, who identify with the beliefs and rituals of Germanic paganism, are also drawn to Externsteine. Both groups celebrate winter and summer solstices at the site.

Our awesome band photo. Cold wave maybe?

Yann, I see you peeking under my skirt. Or just waiting to see me fall.

It's really when getting to the forest that circles Externsteine that it gets really bizarre, supernatural... The woods around are a real shrine for Neo pagans who build alters and others offerings, the ensemble creating an eerie feeling.

The entire place seemed to be filled with an an invisible but palpable energy, vibrating with a life of itself.

I keep looking at these pictures expecting to see something... well unexpected. What, I'm absolutely not sure. Maybe fairies, ghosts... demons?

I am incapable of grasping what really happened there, but it seems that I left... changed. A bit different. Altered. The vibes got to me, I felt somehow connected with something I couldn't see. And pushed away at the same time, like if I was belonging to a place that would not accept me.

Last stop was Detmold, a little city dating back to the Middle Ages. I loved the "Death of the Horseman" bronze statue, the way it seemed to blend with the gloomy day and the wonderful historic buildings surrounding it.

I have a soft spot for German architecture... something that talk to me of dark ancient tales with a very graphic sense of style.

(Excerpts in italics are from Wikipedia and sacred-destinations.com)

There's something about Anthony

2011-06-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

There's this little something about Anthony Bourdain...
Maybe it is his old Ramones t-shirt.
Maybe it is his raw, shameless discourse.
Who knows. But what I do know is: damn, he is hot.

At no point in Kitchen Confidential, that I can find, does it say that cocaine or heroin were good ideas. In fact, given the book’s many episodes of pain, humiliation, and being constantly broke-ass, one would think it almost a cautionary tale. Yet, at readings and signings, I am frequently the inadvertent recipient of small packets of mysterious white powder; bindles of cocaine; fat, carefully rolled joints of local hydro, pressed into my palm or slipped into my pocket. These inevitably end up in the garbage—or handed over to a media escort. The white powders because I’m a recovered fucking addict—and the weed ’cause all I need is one joint, angel dust–laced by some psycho, to put me on TMZ, running buck-naked down some Milwaukee street with a helmet made from the stretched skin of a butchered terrier pulled down over my ears. Smoking weed at the end of the day is nearly always a good idea—but I’d advise ambitious young cooks against sneaking a few drags mid-shift at Daniel. If you think smoking dope makes you more responsive to the urgent calls for food from your expeditor, then God bless you, you freak of nature you. If you’re anything like me, though, you’re probably only good for a bowl of Crunchberries and a Simpsons rerun.
On the other hand, if you’re stuck heating up breakfast burritos at Chili’s—or dunking deep-fried macaroni at TGI McFuckwad’s? Maybe you need that joint.
Anthony Bourdain

Maschinenfest 2010 round-up

2011-05-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

I will say it from the start: That was not our best Maschinenfest.
We were sick.
We were tired.
We were destroyed.

Even the spaceman in the B&B Hotel could not help us get better. It's with a lot of sadness (and a bit of shame to not be stronger than our bodies) that we only hosted one afterparty... We pretty much missed half of the festival from our unability to breathe inside of the venue (both because of cigarette smoke and stage smoke) and missed most of the acts.

Although Fred seems to have way too much fun...

Lovely Elie! May we have much more breakfast moments!

Memmaker and The Devil, probably plotting a robot uprising or just plainly taking over the world.

See? I knew it!

The new venue, Turbinenhalle, is amazing. Name it, it got it all: a smaller room for the preparty, good sound system, multiple bars, a good sized room for merch area... perfect! I just wish we could have enjoy it more. Next year... next year for the debauchery of Sunday's afterparty!

Beautifully paired, the stunning Nicolette and Dutton. Perfect hosts, first-class friends, deluxe cooks, I'm out of words.

Blurry and hazy, still my most lucid moment of the week-end, when I got blown away by the unbelievably marvelous set of Matta, then topped by the incredible performance of Niveau Zero.

Maschinenfest, I swear, we will celebrate twice as much this year to make up for our loss. We will be there, everywhere, enjoying every minute, every second. And with the beginning of the lineup, it look like it's gonna be a hell of a party.

Pylon Love

2011-05-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have an insane love for pylons. Yeah, electric pylons. I know it's weird... really weird.
But there's something in their thins, long legs and arms, tiny waist and elongated silhouettes that make me think of them as giants, misunderstood kings from another planets.

And I'm not the only one, there's even a Pylon Appreciation Society. But it must be a really strange cause when I mentioned it to Emmylou Cakehead she just said : "Erm." And when even Miss Cakehead think something is strange, well, you know it's beyond the normal use of the term.

Anyhow, I stumbled over this beauty that is conjugating my love of pylons and my fascination for models. Enjoy.

PYLON by EDWIN ZWAKMAN, 2007

Dutch artist Edwin Zwakman produces large-scale photographs by painstakingly reconstructing objects and landscapes from memory! The pylon pictured above is made from approximately 400 pieces of copper soldered together. Each cable is made from vinyl, and cotton wool is used in background.

(The original post is currently unavailable ((Image : Pylon. Source : Akinci.nl), this one is via @ Vulgare)

Europe 2011 -- Geneva : cheese, invisibility (not!) and a reservation in a punk restaurant

2011-05-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

Early in the morning, still feeling a bit harsh from Halloween night (sweet white wine, I'm looking at you) we departed for Switzerland... And by harsh I really mean it. When we got picked up downtown by David who announced us that we were awaited at Les Paquis for an opulent dinner of cheese and (more) white wine, my stomach flipped a couple of time. (Vomiting on a public place in Geneva: check! At least I aimed at a trashcan.) I managed to finally get over my hangover helped by tonic and pure will. The fondue was amazing but I could not believe the amount of cheese they were expecting our group to eat! The pot was gigantic, so under the growl of our group, the Devil and me understood something was obviously wrong with the order and that we got an oversize pot... we were wrong! Apparently, that was just a pot for half of our group! I've never seen that much cheese being consumed in my life. With an insane amount of wine. All was eaten and drank, and we got the privilege of eating what our friends believe to be the best part, "la religieuse (the nun)", which is the burnt, caramelized part of the cheese at the bottom of the pot. Let's just say that we slept very, very well that night.

Next day we walked through the city, took catchy pictures of ourselves, enjoyed seeing the Swiss flag everywhere (it's so graphic, its's one of my favorite flag ever!) ...

... sat on the longest bench on Earth... really!

... almost drank from a boot at a student bar called l'Éléphant but then preferred to pick something, lets say, smaller, to keep a part of our brain alive to be able to meditate on very clever proverbs posted on the walls...

... then, more catchy pictures...

...in which I proved that not only in Canada can't I climb a tree in platforms...

... or be completely invisible if I hide only my face...

... and that some people seems to buy Nutella jars the same size that I buy my peanut butter...

And finally went to one of the last official squat in Geneva, L'Usine. There's nothing like it anywhere else in North America: It's completely run by punks-underground kids (I can't tell for sure if it's self-funded or not...), it's gritty and true, it haves a cinema, a concert hall, an exhibition room, a bar...

and a restaurant with, in all honestly, fabulous food! I have to admit I was a bit resilient at first... I mean, a restaurant where the cook and the waiter are wearing CRASS and Bérurier Noir t-shirt? But then, I also learned that a reservation was needed. A reservation in a punk restaurant? Ok ok, Swiss friends, you completely got me there. A perfect night of mayhem (controlled mayhem of course, as Swiss can do it!) with KK Null and cie.

Aim well and win!

A very special thank you to David and Dominika for their hospitality... and their bed! How awesome are people who leaves you their own bed when you visit? I'll give you a hint: VERY AWESOME!

To the 7 sins, I raise my glass

2011-04-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

These red wine glasses are based on the 7 deadly sins. Each glass encapsulates a sin, which is revealed through the ritual of drinking.

The ‘7 Deadly Glasses’ are about celebrating passion and encouraging the user to be sinful in a theatrical fashion.

Handmade in England. Designed by Kacper Hamilton

Limited Edition.
Available to order from Generate (Note that the price is only available on request).

WRATH

ENVY

GLUTTONY

GREED

LUST

PRIDE

SLOTH

What's your favorite sin?

Europe 2011 -- Grenoble: Chartreuse, Halloween and rain!

2011-04-17T15:20:00.000-07:00

After quite a bit of logistical difficulties (as it was in the middle of the French strike and pretty much all the train from Paris to anywhere where inexistent or impossible to track), we departed for Grenoble on a train journey that led us through Germany, Switzerland then France... exactly the same route that we were gonna take on the opposite direction after leaving Grenoble.

Luckily, having first class train tickets helps alot to be in a more zen disposition when your average 7 hours trips (with an escale in Paris, nonetheless! ) turn into a 15 hours nightmare.

Let's not forget the last part of the trip, when the train conductor announced that after a change of schedule, the next train station would be our final destination. From there, no information matched any schedules, printed or online. This is when I found very, very useful to speak French. After going to 3 different booths, we finally got told that there _might_ be a bus leaving for Grenoble that night... which we found, in a dark parking lot, with a sheet of paper reading 'Grenoble' taped on the front. After inquiring to the driver, who told us that there was a total of 3 seats left in the vehicle, we swung our luggage in the compartment and hopped in the... overcrowded, smelly and steamy bus. It's with a lot of satisfaction that we heard, 3 hours after departing, the crusty voice of the driver announcing that we had reached our destination. Our dear friend Guillaume picked us up, and stories were told and beer was drank. We were finally there.

After some short but well deserved rest, we slammed down some coffee and delicious French baguette and zoomed through the mountains to get to Voiron to the Chartreuse Factory!

Lots of dark corner and green booze. Me likey.

Blurry. Just like our minds at this moment of the tour.

Drinking from the source.

Finally found a bottle of the right size.

-Hey mate, I have all these empty bottles... what should I make?
-Dunno. Make lamps man. Lots of lamps.

The joy of tasting all the different chartreuses, even some that are only available there. Bliss.

Sid le Chat! He missed me so much he slept on top of me both nights!

We happened to be there on Halloween Night, so we headed to Mark XIII where lovely Aurelie was djing. You can see the magic I performed on her hair with lots of spells (and lots of aquanet).

There too, drinks were drank and fun was had. I also had the chance to meet the adorable Sophie from Nokturnal Little Place and had a grand time discussing lolita subjects under the rain!

Bewitching Aurélie!

The sun caught us still up with a glass still full in our hands... Good times!

Amsterdam ; coffee, fries & gnomes!

2011-04-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Last October, our yearly trip to Europe started, as always, in Amsterdam. I'm so in love with this city and the lovely people in it! Every minute that I spend there makes me truly and amazingly happy. You know, just like in the movies, when people hold hands and swing eachother around while smiling stupidly ? That's just like me with Amsterdam.

ah Dutchies. They know about the good things in life.
"Espresso stays hot longer in a smaller cup."

The perfect car! (Or at least very, very different from my current car!)

How cool is that apartment building? They have a GNOME over their entrance! A GNOME! (and an unidentified creepy sculpture in the window.)

I'll tell you a little secret: the best fries in Amsterdam are located on Damrak 41, at a little shop called Manneken Pis. Yes, they are Belgian fries, but that's ok... and their selection of sauce is mind-blowing. And stomach blowing as even the small cone is soooo big!

Ah Febo! The only time of the year when I get overly excited about getting food from a vending machine. Really, Amsterdam, you are the perfect city.

The tiniest washing machine I've ever seen in a laundromat! Even just one of my lolita dress would not fit in it!

Ah, cats in bars, a staple in Europe! I wish we had more of them here! I can't remember what part of our plans fell through, but we ended up in that small open-pub looking little place filled with regulars, with gigantic beers and playing very loud euro-trance. The cat was completely ignoring me and my hope of making him a cat superstar.

Later we went to join our friends Jitse (who work in a kind of Heaven: The American Book Center... I could spend hours and hours there! I think it's also where Molly Crabapple launched her book in Amsterdam) and Ilse to meet the lovely addition to their family: Tristan!

So at De Schutter we met and in between rounds of baby and catching up on our lives, we feasted on wine and bitterballen. The latter are very important to mention as I happen to have a really intense craving for them at the moment. VERY. INTENSE. CRAVING.

(Not so) Killer Ring

2011-04-04T19:38:00.000-07:00

Completely in love with Sara Lagacé's (Not so) killer ring.
13 grams of pure silver.
13 grams of pure awesomeness.

Why do I only have 10 fingers? I don't have space anymore for another gorgeous ring!

See her full shop here.

Football and Love

2011-03-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

Last October marked my first trip to Detroit and my first US football game ever! I took a train to DC and (with only a few hours of sleep in me) we flew from there to the Rock City! There, another first was waiting for me: Big Boy and his Brawny Lad. If you are unaware (as I was) of it, it's the most old school burger you can find. As stated on their menu, a brawny lad is : "Tender ground beef topped with butter and a slice of onion on a toasted rye bun." Yes, topped with butter. Of course I couldn't resist (especially with the Devil recommending it avidly.) And yes, it was awesome. Thanks god I live far, far away from that temptation.

So old school we had to have malts... I never had it before, only traditional milk shakes. When I asked the Devil what was the difference, he said: "The malt round out the flavor of milkshakes, by adding a earthy characteristic that balances out the cream and sugar of a milk shake as well as thickening them. Besides, if you like malt in beer why not elsewhere?" That was enough to convince me.

A sassy new classic molded felt fedora for the Devil. Cause he's classy like that.

On the campus (in Ann Arbor, of course!) I noticed that little guy, almost in from of M Den. Look like he just wanna hang out and be best buddy with my purse!

After couple of hours of the campus we left, exhausted by all the walking around, for dinner with Clancy and Michael in Plymouth. The place was called Box Bar and had an amazing beer selection... I mean, 40 beers on tap and 600 in bottle ?!? I ended up picking an delicious pumpkin ale and a pickle and pastrami plate!

The next day was the Game day... We got all geared up (can you imagine, we hit EVERY SHOP on the campus and got stuff in all of them! My loot: pants, panties, 2 pairs of socks, foam buddies, sticker, hairbows, long stringy ribonny hair thingy, A MUG WITH MY NAME ON IT, gloves.... and I'm sure I'm forgetting stuff!) and headed to the Big House.

As I'm obsessed by books and library, George and Janis insisted on stopping and take a look at the gorgeous one they have on the campus. It's so impressing! You don't even understand the amount of hours I could spend in there.

Doesn't it look a little bit like Hogwarts?

I really love the quote : A little learning is a dangerous thing - Drink deep or taste not.

Gearing up for the game during the tailgate... As it was my first professionnal football game ever, I wanted to go with the full gear : big foamy props, pompoms and a full maze and blue outfit!

That thing was surely pointing to the tailgate buffet: oh my, classic football food! Corndogs, hot dogs, chili, potato salad and burgers! Yummy!

The crowd on campus was impressive, all of them wearing nothing but the team colors and walking in unison toward the same direction! And I'm telling you, don't loose your friends or it's pretty difficult to find them again!... a bit like finding people at Maschinenfest. Or your coat in a pile of coats at an industrial party.

The Big House was full! According to Wikipedia, it can fits 109 901 people and "is the third largest stadium in the world and the 31st largest sports venue including auto racing and horse riding tracks, among others".

Sadly we lost, but it was one hell of a game!

Lolitas at the Washington zoo, 2010 edition!

2011-02-27T16:06:00.000-08:00

I really miss my DC lolita scene... There's (finally!) the pictures from the last meetup I've been able to attend at the end of last summer, where we went to the (fantastic!) Washington Zoo.

,

While I was taking this picture, a little girl bumped into me while talking (in French) with her parents. She politely apologized (in English) but I replied to her in French, to which answer she looked really puzzled.

"Why are you speaking French? People in the United States speaks English."
"Well, I come from Québec, where people speaks French too."
"Han. And what are you taking a picture of? There's no birds there."
"I'm taking a picture of the tree. I like how it look like a little explosion of paint when you look from underneath. Wanna see in my camera?"
(Looking at the picture) " Interesting. You're really not like the other people, aren't you?"

I guess I'm not.

Everything is interconnected

2011-02-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

Nice 0ptical art by the Devil. It's making me zen and relaxed, thinking about how all fractions of life are knit together.

Put stress in the equation and it will look like a maze. Look at it with a calm eye and you'll see an intricate pattern. Same for every problem of your life.

How to feel sharp when things seems dull

2011-02-22T00:16:00.000-08:00

-Go to your favorite tea shop and smell as much different teas as possible. Pick the one that smell like freedom and relaxation. Brew a lot and drink it, hot and cold. My current pick is Vata Ayurvedic from David's Tea, so good for the stress it's like yoga in a mug.

-Go out in a pretty bar that plays downtempo music and serves ambrosial cocktails. Get your mind off your job and do some people-watching. Just like a movie where you imagine the story as it goes. If I could travel hundreds of miles in a minutes, I would be at Churchkey in Washington DC in a blink. They have the best wallpapers (ah!) and the most amazing selection of cask beers.

-Pick a bottle of Saint-Germain or lavender liquor and mix it with club soda, tonic or perrier. Nothing better than drinking flowers to feels like a fairytale character.

-Pick a beautiful tv serie, like the Tudors, Carnivale or Boardwalks Empire. You'll be submerge by beauty and sumptuous costumes.

-Break your week routine by once or twice going to bed late to feels the night have no ending (but prepare coffee and outfits for the next morning to prevent morning stress).

-Splurge on yourself and buy something you've lurking for a while. I bought this awesome syringe necklace in light gray tint.

-Put post-it up everywhere saying: You can do it! Smile! You're the bomb!

-And remember: We always go through it.

Yucky feelings

2011-02-20T23:35:00.000-08:00

About how I feel today. It might be the stress from different adhesive refusing to cooperate at work which left me with a lot of ribbon that I won't be able to put back into place until Tuesday, the lack of sleep or just a plain indigestion.

Going to try to shut down the system and hopefully everything will be better after the reboot.

(But seriously, how creepy is that commercial? "Home is full of bad things that can hurt you very much"... wow.)

The sun is a deceptive bitch

2011-02-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

The sun is so bright in Montreal today... Deceptive bitch!
Cause then everyone will gonna believe that for once, the winter is gonna go away in February and that spring will step in, then summer in April, and everyone will be happy forever in their short skirt (yum) and nice shoes (double yum).

But I know better. I keep my thick tights close to me and focus on the fact that I can still wear layers and layers of gray and black. But I appreciate what it bring: open terraces. Cause yes, if you search for it, you'll find some. Even if it's just a couple of chairs thrown in front of a venue.

Ah, crazy French Canadians, I love you.

Life is now

2011-02-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

I've been incredibly stressed during the last week although everything is going quite well. I'm lost in a sea of "what if". What if these 2 pieces don't want to glue together, what if it look like shit, what if, what if, what if. But when it get to the facts I get to handle everything and to take care of the few little kinks here and there.

I know that situation, I've been through it many many times, and every time I ended up victorious. A few bumps in the road don't mean you're not gonna get to your destination.

To all of you out there stressing about something: breathe... and get yourself a drink. It's not the end of the world and your life is what's happening right now.

(Thoughts to my friend Dirk, who died about a year ago. You are missed my friend._

Sushi, Veuve Clicquot and love

2011-02-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

On this Valentine Day, I send all my love to my family that I love to death and that I miss very much.

As I got to spend my birthday away from my family, my cousin/brother decided to give me big treatment the week-end I showed up in Beauce: Veuve Clicquot and sushi! Anyone who know me also knows that if I could drink nothing but champagne (and lemonade!) I definitely would.

The sushi were amazing, fresh and crispy at the same time. I was a bit intrigued by some flavor that seemed just thrown together (mango-red onion?) but everything complimented really well eachother.

Even tho it all was a surprise, I seemed to have sense everything and got strawberries during the afternoon. Perfect to top off the drink, especially in my mom's old fashion champagne glasses from her wedding.

The only shot Chris accepted to leave on my camera. Shy little guy, go. I heart you!

The rest of the evening turned out to be very decadent and involving a lot of whiskey and white wine. Thanks goodness there is not pictures and it will remain hidden from the public.

Don Kenn: Post-it Monsters

2011-02-13T11:23:00.001-08:00

I really wish my doodle would look as good as those that Don Kenn draw on post-it. Follow his blog for a bit of monster spirit in your life.

When I was a kid, I was absolutely sure islands were exactly that:

Born in Denmark 1978. I write and direct television shows for kids. I have a set of twins and not much time for anything. But when i have time i draw monsterdrawings on post-it notes... it is a little window into a different world, made on office supplies. -Don Keen

New listing on LittleMissCarnage: Tassel Queen: Vintage 1980's black purse with tassel

2011-02-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

Small vintage black imitation satin purse with a tassel on the front.

There's a inner stiffener that supports it's shape and adds to durability.

It closes with a magnetic snap button.

The base measures 5 inches and increases to 6 inches at it's largest. It's about 6 inches tall and the tassel is 4 inches long.

The cord is a woven imitation satin strap and measures about 24 inches.

Click on the picture to be redirected on Etsy!

FIBERGRENADE

2011-02-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

BOOM-BA-DA BOOM!

Delicious saffron, or How I discovered the marvels of Montreal's Little India

2011-02-02T14:24:00.000-08:00

Stuff I knew about saffron:
-It comes from a plant called Crocus sativus, which is a bright purple.
-It is caracterized by a deep, bright orange-reddish color and therefore is used as a coloring agent (although turmeric. alot less vibrant, does a better job for the buck )
-It is one of the most expensive spice on the market due to the picking and drying method.

Stuff I didn't know about saffron:

-The world produce about 265 tons per year and is grown on about 90,000 acres of land, an acre producing about 6 pounds a year.
-To collect the flowers and separate the stamens for the drying process, it will take between 170–200 hours per pound.
-According to a study directed by Shahin Akhondzadeh, it could be use to treat mild to moderate depression.

All the better cause it's delicious!

This Israeli couscous recipe turned out to be less colorful than expected but delicious nonetheless. It was liberally inspired by Vegetarian Times' recipe. After reading it, it occured to me that all I had ever bought of that expensive spice happened to be in DC and that I would need to get inventive in about not hurting my budget too much but still be able to get some of that flavorful ingredient. After a lot of research and a lot of infructuous phone calls, I settled to go in Montreal's Little India in a quest to find some saffron.

We headed (the Devil joined, always ready to join on an epicurious adventure) to the general direction of Jean-Talon Ouest in order to find Marché 786 which turned out to be way smaller than I thought it would be. After turning in circle for quite a while, we decided to throw the only quarter I had in the meter... which was broken and ate the money without delivering anything. Well, that would have to do, I thought.

After we hopped inside the unpretentious, convenience-store looking store, I discovered that the place was cramped with yummy, truly indian products, most of it without any price tags on it. I quickly learned that you had to ask and deal the prices, and that it was more than useful to tell the little gentlemen for the product you were looking for. After I did so, he swiftly removed from under the counter a transparent box generously filled with the precious filaments. 10 bucks, he said. I was so baffled I did not even try to get a deal. We paid and left, then started to fear we might have been fooled and got handed something resembling saffron... but it turned out to be the real deal.

Moral of the story: trust your local communities, they know how to keep the good stuff around, and for a fair price. You can find a list of the best stores of Montreal's Little India here.

I'm very tempted to buy that book about saffron...
Do you like to read about spices? Any book to suggest?

Unexpected fun

2011-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

One of the first rule there was at my parent's house was:
Always leave your door open friends and family. Don't frown at unexpected guest, welcome them just like if you had plan their visit a long time ago.

Our house was always full on people stopping by: grandparents, neighbors, friends, friends of friends... When I moved out and got a wonderful loft in Québec city, it happened to be right downtown next to the main bus stop where people would switch buses to go to the different part of towns. As I was always welcoming, it became sort of a routine for friends to drop by for coffee, dessert or a drink, and I loved it!

As the Devil is also an Entertainer (the best, I should say!) lots of friends drop by randomly and makes our lives really exciting. There's that night where lovely Marie KidSynth & Sipherdee gave us a call, saying they were just out of a party in our hood and would like to see us...

It all started with a tiny, tiny drink...

And then, suddenly, the sun was up! Where did all that time go?

Hidden places

2011-01-31T13:39:00.000-08:00

I'm hidden for vacation.
Might be online, might not.
Back in about a week.

love you all!