antique weekend

The way I see it...you can never have too many beautiful antique treasures. Whether they're inherited from loved ones or discovered by chance it is always more interesting to decorate using pieces with a past. Taking a hint of inspiration from Sarah Richardson's latest project on a lovely country farmhouse I thought I'd try and incorporate some battered and beautiful second hand items into my own decorating plans. Luckily, the Christie Antique show was in town (well, just outta town) this weekend which meant I was spoiled for choice in the vintage furnishings department. Wheelers and dealers set up a patchwork of tents and booths on this beautiful conservative area to hawk their fine wares for quite reasonable prices - assuming you're a skilled bargainer that is.

From rustic farmhouse tables to worn in church pew benches there were large and small scale pieces of all sorts. My personal favourites included the fantastic old storefront signs, vintage typewriters, multicoloured country quilts and oversized apothecary cabinets full of miniature drawers . At the end of the day I was limited a little too much by my square footage (not to mention my budget) to pick up any grand pieces but I did find a few decorative little items to take home. My favourite find of the day: a pair of white washed deer antlers to mount on the wall or place haphazardly on a bookshelf.

Antique aficionados will be pleased to know the show makes a magnificent return at the end of the summer on September 11th. See you there!

Liberty Village

I love Liberty Village. One of the best things about it - no one knows how great it is (yet). It's like the Distillery District circa 10 years ago. Arcade like alleyways, factories transformed into lofts, Balzacs coffee, delightful design stores, award winning brunch spots ... need I go on?

I like it so much that I wrote this little piece about it here. Oh yeah, and I'm moving there.

boutique in bloom

I just finished reading about a lovely little flower shop in H&H and thought I should share my floral findings with all of you. Coriander Girl, an adorable botanical boutique in the heart of Parkdale, offers up whimsical bouquets in vintage vases alongside sweet smelling soaps, lotions and candles. Alison Westlake, the coriander girl herself, opened the shabby-chic flower and gift shop last September after forgoing her acting career in favour of her green thumb. The charming little shop is right at home amongst the increasing number of antique shops, cute cafes and vintage clothiers that seem to be popping up along the Queen (seriously) West strip. Westlake (who blogs about her fleurs here) promises that she'll create fresh and unique floral arrangements to suit any budget. So even us penny-pinching flower fanatics can walk away with a petite bouquet of artfully arranged foliage.

Visit Coriander Girl at 1537 Queen St. W. Afterward, stop by the nearby and newly opened Belljar cafe in Roncesvalles.

swirl

If someone crept into my fantasies about opening my own restaurant and stole all of my ideas and then made them come to life the result would be Swirl.

The definition of a hidden gem this cozy spot is tucked away on the second floor of a pet supply shop in Leslieville (of course). The 600sq-ft space has been converted from a one bedroom apartment into a pint-sized wine bar complete with funky patterned wallpaper and reclaimed furniture (think: vintage sewing machine tables and church pews found on Craigslist). Due to the limited space inside this charming little spot the kitchen had to be removed, but the fact that the restaurant is missing an oven doesn't seemed to be an issue.

Fresh baked bread is paired with cheese (from the nearby Leslieville Cheese Market) and charcuterie, while edible spreadables like rhubarb chutney and savoury pates are stored and served in little mason jars. The vino (there's lots to choose from and it's affordable) is also poured into a petite pot in lieu of a boring old wine glass.

Someone needs to take me (and The Selby) here immediately.

noteworthy

Although I do most writing on my beloved MacBook, I won't ever stop acquiring/loving good old-fashioned notebooks. I like to carry one with me at all times, you know, for lists, random ideas, daily musings, etc. I stumbled across an adorable (as so many things in Korea are) stationery store, which features products from an equally adorable company: O-Check Design Graphics. I especially love the notebook with the sweet little chipmunk on its cover (which of course I had to buy). O-Check also makes stationery of all sorts, which suits my current letter writing obsession quite nicely.

What's in an egg?

If I were to ever open a store (fingers crossed), I would want it to be just like Kensington Market's Good Egg, a shop "dedicated to those who like to eat". Full of beautiful books about the art and culture of food, some fun things (Jessica: look at this bicycle basket), Le Creuset cookware (it's a necessary investment!), and arguably the best selection of cards in Toronto, Good Egg really is a kid-in-a-candy shop experience for those who love food. I could spend hours exploring their shelves, and it's perfect for buying gifts (hint, hint). Plus, their website has witty titles, which I always appreciate. A very good egg, indeed.

Hidden Treasure: Cafe, Hongdae, Seoul

After taking many a wrong turn during my recent visit to Hongdae, I stumbled upon this cafe, aptly named Cafe, tucked away in one of the hidden back alleys. Pancakes, picture books, AND wine? Yes please!

There is certainly no shortage of adorable cafes like Cafe in the Seoul area, but I was in awe of this one in particular. The antiques available, the selection of fashion magazines for perusal, the quirky art hanging, the pleasant barista, the wineade I drank - happy day, indeed! The only problem is - will I ever be able to find it again?