In Jamaica There Are No Problems...

"In Jamaica there are no problems, only situations, mon."- Everyone we met

I have a confession, I was planning on blogging prior to my trip down south. Maybe it was the eight twelve hour shifts I worked in ten days, or maybe it was my dreams of fresh coconut milk, but I was on Jamaican time before I even left Halifax.

Jamaica was lovely. Positively lovely. I will be honest, all inclusive travelling isn't totally my speed. I am more of a book a flight and rent an apartment in Paris or a villa in Tuscany kind of lady. My previous experience with all inclusives in the south was that the beaches were great and the liquor was flowing but the rooms and food left much to be desired.

Jamaica blew all of my expectations out of the water. The rooms were bright and clean, the service and the food was impeccable (jerk chicken and curried goat...could eat them every day!).  The beach was only steps away and the pools were clear and crisp.

Travelling in a large group is also the way to go. Down for a wedding, there were over fifty of the bride and grooms closest friends and family. There was always someone to have breakfast with, lounge by the pool with and climb water falls with. The beach wedding was beautiful as was the beach party afterwards.

I feel refreshed and I even have a bit of a tan. I brought back some Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee and some Jamaican Rum Cream to continue to my vacation back in Canada. A few pics below!
-m

Don't Just Stand There With Your Eiffel Tower Smile....

"Don't just stand there with your Eiffel Tower smile. Tell me you love me and tell me in French!"
- Jared Kintz

With la-la-love day fast approaching, I thought I would spotlight a petite French bakery located in the heart of Halifax (cause what is more romantic then delicious French pastry!). Le French Fix Patisserie is the brain child of Geoffroy Chevallier, a pastry chef born just outside of Paris. His years of experience have made him an expert in Parisian pastries and he is currently taking Haligonians by storm.

French Fix is located on the corner of Prince street and Argyle street. It is quaint, just four tables but the coffee is strong and the display case is teeming with the most lovely of French pastries. There are several flavors of macarons to choose from, salted caramel tarts, croissants and pain au chocolats, just to name a few of delicacies they offer. You can watch the chef work his magic in an open kitchen and the decor is inviting and minimalistic, just the way I like it. They do croque monsieur sandwiches once a week and have started selling take and bake croissants...TAKE AND BAKE CROISSANTS (!!!!) 

Last week my sister and I enjoyed a lazy afternoon sipping macchiatos and devouring pain au chocolats that rivalled the ones we had eaten together in Paris. I am told they will be offering pastry classes in the near future. Oh la-la, sign me up!

You can find hours of operation and pictures of their butter laden masterpieces here- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-French-Fix-P%C3%A2tisserie/196033110431832?ref=ts&fref=ts

Don't just take my word for it, check it out and keep it local!
-m

Life Begins....

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."- Neale Walsch

Happy New year! I hope 2013 brings you all happiness, new challenges, crazy adventures and luck in love (do I sound as much like a corny horoscope as I hope?!). 2012 was a good year for me. I bought a house and made lots of new friends! Sadly it was also the final year of my all time favorite restaurant, Janes On The Common. A beautiful place that will be sorely missed by everyone in the lovely metropolis of Halifax.

2013 brings me a new career opportunity, which I am crazy nervous to start but just as pumped for all of the new learning experiences! This year I hope to become a little more healthy, a little more adventurous and  I want to spend more time with the important people in my life. Should be a piece of cake right?  So far 2013 is looking pretty bight! What are your new years resolutions?
-m

A souvenir!

Lemon pavlova a la Janes OTC

A little inspiration

A Day Without An Argument....

"A day without an argument is like an egg without salt."-Angela Carter

As everyone knows, I love many things. I love exploring to find new shops and eateries. I am always willing to try something new at a restaurant. Can you imagine how much less wonderful my life would be if my mother never dragged me to try sushi?! I also love turning something old into something new and looking for thrifty ways to mix up my wardrobe and my home. I love a good book, a strong cup of coffee and a great red lipstick. I love spending time with people who matter to me but I also love spending time by myself (particularly at coffee shops, beaches and art galleries in no particular order).

 All of these loves stem from one person, my mother. She encouraged me to always be myself, instilled good taste, a sense of adventure and an affinity to being crafty and thrifty. She taught me the importance of a good haircut, to be a kind, generous and empathic person and today just so happens to be her birthday! So happy birthday Mum, you are the very best!  You truly are amazing and I love you!

To everyone else, I am sorry for my lack of blogging, once again life has gotten in the way. I will do better. For now I will leave you with a recommendation. The Salt Shaker Deli... yes it may be a trek all the way to Lunenburg, but it is a quaint little spot with a great wine list and even better sandwiches. Totally worth the drive, there is just something wonderful about artichoke hearts and fresh olive bread, not to mention excellent company.
xo-m

There Are No Rules...

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.."-Ansel Adams

Well as I mentioned in a previous post, I recently had the pleasure of borrowing a digital slr camera for a road trip to Lunenburg. I had so much fun. SO much fun...I am going to have to pinch my pennies, collect cans and maybe even darn some socks to make one of these my very own. I know nothing about it, just the basics but found as the day went on, I became a little more aware and my pictures started to improve! Here are some test shots. Enjoy!
-m

The Soul Becomes Dyed...

"The soul becomes dyed with the color of your thoughts.."-Marcus Arelis

Loved the masonry!

I have a thing for red doors...

Fun details!

There is just something fa-fa-fabulous about a punch of color in unexpected places. I especially love color on houses, it adds character and personality. Lunenburg and Mahone Bay are full of examples of this. Character homes with some va-va-voom! Here are some snip-its we snapped on a day trip! Enjoy!
-m

Better Belly Bust...

"Better belly bust than good liquor be lost!-Jonathan Swift

My sister and I took a road trip to Lunenburg on a very crisp February Friday. She had never been and I was so excited to show her the quaint shipping community famous for building of the Bluenose that hoses many unique galleries, shops and eateries. She was pleasantly surprised at what the small community had to offer and as always the architecture and paint colors of the homes tickled my fancy.

One of the unique shops in Lunenburg is the Iron Works Distillery. What a place. Housed in a marine blacksmith dating back to the late 1890's, half of the appeal is the building itself and the other half is the amazing and unique spirits they craft in small batches. Wide plant floors, ancient beams and the smell of wood stove, sawdust and warmed liquors made for a perfect pit stop on a bitter cold day. Be sure to check it out if you are ever in the area!
-m

They actually grew pears in bottles!

The distillery contraption!

Apple brandy...they even let me taste it!

What a picture!

The Best Way To Execute French Cooking...

"The best way to execute french cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon Appetit!"-Julia Child on French cooking

Le Bistro, is a quaint French bistro located on South Park Street in the south end of Halifax that packs a lot of punch. Closed for over ten years, it had a reputation for serving bang up meals with friendly service, a fun atmosphere and nights that never ended. It was a landmark restaurant that has never been successfully emulated and has never been forgotten by it's countless regular customers. Fast forward ten years, enter a creative and driven entrepreneur that had a passion for the bistro and what it represented (she managed it years before) who begins and finishes a huge renovation and overhaul. Bring in a top notch team of a creative chef, skilled cooks and friendly wait staff and what do you have? You have the new and improved Le Bistro. The menu still provides some long lost favorites of years past and introduces some new items that will be sure to find their way onto your new favorite list. Reasonably priced mains and exceptionally priced wines and desserts, Le Bistro is a venue for all ages that offers a comfortable but modern dining experience.  Check it out but be sure to call in advance and make a reso, it gets full very fast!
-m

Live music on Friday and Saturday nights!

Don't they look firendly? Liz, on the left, is the owner and manager, she did a bang up job!

Romantic right?

I Am Six-Foot-Two, Four-Hundred Pounds

"I am six-foot-two, four-hundred pounds. I may look like the guy on the ten most wanted, you know I am nothing to be scared of. Well I'm no fun on a teeter totter honey, your feet will never touch the ground. I'm gonna do more for you than those other guys could, I'm gonna love you pound for pound."-Matt Andersen


Matt Andersen...where do I even begin? A home grown East Coast phenomenon hailing from small town New Brunswick, he plays the guitar like I have never seen before. His lyrics are witty and he has huge and endearing stage presence (and not just because he is a large man with large chops and large hair). And man oh man, can he ever sing the blues. He is the first Canadian EVER to win top prize at the International Blues Festival in Memphis and he tours over 200 venues a year. If you ever get the chance to see him, don't pass it up. I took my father to the Indian River Music festival for his birthday and I recently took my boyfriend here in Halifax. Neither had seen him live before and both had their minds blown away. Keep in mind he sells out fast, often doesn't have an opener and his only back up is a bass his very talented friend plays. Tickets are reasonably priced and he often plays for three hours... I can't wait to see him again!
Check him out at  www.stubbyfingers.ca
-m 

Not  a bad venue eh?

Indian River Church!