Basil Fawlty

In a recent post I talked about my adoration for summer beverages, specifically the Caesar, and my appreciation for inventive bartenders that add creative twists to classic concoctions. About a week after being smitten by the Caprese Caesar, I encountered the Basil Fawlty, which also left me utterly impressed, amused and a little bit buzzed...
The Basil Fawlty, named after John Cleese's character from the sitcom Fawlty Towers, may look like a minty mojito, but is actually comprised of gin instead of rum. It also contains orange blossom flower, lime juice and of course, plenty of fresh basil.

Drinking this beverage felt like frolicking in an English Garden and left me thirsty for more adventure. Fortunately, I was dining at Black Hoof, known for boundary pushing cuisine and deliciously daring drinks.

Another green summer drink worth sipping if you're not in the mood for alcohol, is Lemon & Green Tea from MangaJo, a company based out of the U.K.

I normally opt for water instead of flavoured beverages since the latter tend to be jam packed with sugar and artificial flavours. MangaJo's products however, have no added sugar and provide a refreshing way to quench your thirst on a hot summer's day.

Lemon & Green Tea are a delightful combo that provide antioxidants and caffeine to sharpen your mind when the sun casts its sluggish spell. Not to mention that the bottle is adorable and made out of glass instead of no good plastic. MangaJo also has other tasty flavours like Pomegranite & Green Tea, Acai- Berry & Green Tea and Goji-Berry and Green Tea. They're sold at Pusateri's in Toronto and retail for around $2.

The Best Jean Shorts for Summer

Like their older sibling Denim, Jean Shorts are cool and stylish. Some people wear them all year round (either they live in warm climates or they wear tights underneath). Others, wait till Coachella, which unofficially marks the beginning of jean short season!

Denim shorties go with everything and can be dressed up or down. Opt for ones with timeless tailoring and classic style. No need for dangling threads unless you're in high school or cut them yourself. Here are my top pics for this season:

1.) J Brand Dita High Rise Shorts - I absolutely love these shorts. The dark colour and high waist offers a flatering option for short legs (like mine!)

2. The Hudson Hampton - the sky blue colour of these shorts really pops and screams "let me outside!"


3. William Rast Scarlett Shorts - I love the big back pockets of these shorts. The contrast colour of the stiching and cuffs really makes them stand out.

Editor's Note: Top photo is courtesy of www.dustfactoryvintage.com and the one beneath (of Coachella) is from http://aviva.buzznet.com

It's Fiddlehead Season!

WooHoo! It's Fiddlehead season and to celebrate I made a salad based on a recipe from this month's LCBO Magazine. The recipe called for fresh fiddleheads (I got mine from the Sorauren Farmer's Market), feta and edamame. I added olives since they go so well with feta and offer a nice colour contrast to all the green. Pine Nuts would also act as a nice accompaniment.

Fiddleheads are an aquired taste (sort of like Asparagus) and to be frank they're not my #1 choice when it comes to green veggies but they look so cool and are really healthy so why not pick some up well they're in season? They also add a great hue to soups and pair well with leeks.

Customizable Golf Shoes

When spending the day at The Golf Club, it's important to look stylish and feel good. FootJoy is a brand that's known as having the #1 shoe and glove in golf so when I heard about MyJoys, their line of customizable golf shoes, I was pretty excited to create my own unique pair.

Golf, as most people know, has a history of being a conservative and preppy sport and most of the golf shoes that I looked at were pretty boring. My customized FootJoy's on the other hand, have bright green & yellow stripes, along with an adorable looking penguin, for those hot and sticky humid days, when you really wish you could take a short trip to the Arctic.

Note: Photo taken using the Instagram App for the iPhone

The Caprese Caesar

The Caprese Caesar, which I ordered at the bar on the 2nd floor of the Bell TIFF Lightbox, combines my favourite salad with my favourite drink, perfect for a pre-dinner meal (to wade off starvation) or any time you're craving cheese, as the drink is garnished with a bocconcini skewer, drizzled with balsamic and loaded with pieces of fresh basil!

Kudos to the barstaff at TIFF for extending the organization's mission of creativity to its beverages. The food at the bar was pretty good too.

If I come across anymore exciting variations of the classic caesar, I'll be sure to take some photos and keep you posted.









Photo taken using The Instagram app for the iPhone.

The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar

A friend of mine who understands my addition to dark chocolate, recently brought me back several bars from Trader Joe's when she was in New York. I happened to open this one first and haven't gotten around to trying the others yet because this one is just way too tasty to put down.

At first I was a bit reluctant to try an 85% cocoa since I'm used to bars with a 72% content, similar to how there's a huge difference between getting a B or an A in school, there's also a big difference between the 70's and 80's when it comes to cocoa percentages in chocolate bars.

But with just one small bite I was instantly hooked! The chocolate is dry at first with a mild nutty smell but quickly becomes this intense flavour, taking over your tatesbuds, reminiscent of a double chocolate fudge cupcake!

I love being able to have one square of chocolate and feel like I'm eating a sinfully decadent cupcake. What's even better is that the higher cocoa content means you're getting more flavonoids so you don't have to feel guilty about your addiction. In fact, you should be quite pleased, as flavanoids have been shown to lower your blood pressure? (FYI: I happen to have very low blood pressure)

What's even more remarkable is that there are two chocolate bars tucked away inside the package, each individually wrapped (in case your friends make your share) and the bar retails for only $1.49 (U.S.) which means it's even cheaper in Canada!

Now if only Trader Joe's would open up on this side of the border...

Back in the Hat

Well it's been about a year and a half since my last blog post and what a crazy past year and a half it's been! I fell in love, got a new roommate (my boyfriend), took up cooking, travelled extensively and played in two hockey leagues, all while working in the high demand industries of marketing and advertising.

I apologize to my loyal readers for my absense and hope that you'll continue to read my blog, be inspired and comment on my posts. The next several of which will aim to get you in the mood for summer, because I've had enough of all this rainy weather! Every day I think about sipping a caesar on a patio in the sunshine, wearing a cute summer dress, after having played a round of golf. Is that too much to ask for?