mid-life crisis

I hate to use the word "Mid- Life", but technically speaking I guess that is approximately where I am headed this coming Friday.
Assuming I live until I'm 80.

Yup, I officially turn the big 4.0. on December the 3rd.
Not entirely sure how I feel about this.
On one hand I feel better than I ever have before.
I'm feeling fit, healthy & happy for the most part.
I'm also feeling extremely fortunate to be healthy- especially after receiving some sad news about a friend who was just diagnosed with cancer- she's only 33 years old..
Appreciate every day that's for sure.
Especially where your health is concerned.

I finally feel relatively confident and secure in my almost 40 year old skin.
Regardless of the stretch marks.
I'm trying to think of them as badges of honor rather than imperfections.
Lulu just had to be two weeks over-due....not a line in sight until 3 days before she was born!....argh.
Ah well, she was most definitely worth them.
But for the record, they're not even that horrible, and like I mentioned, there are much more important things to focus on in life than a few unsightly marks on my midsection.
Then again don't expect me to be sporting a bikini anytime soon. ;

Either way, I'm not as hung up as I used to be about physical changes on my body.
If I was, then I have a long unhappy road ahead of me.
Because let's face it girls, you can't fight the aging process no matter how much eye cream you invest in.

Instead, I'm investing in things that really matter.
Like relationships, my family, exercise and my inner health.
At least these are things I have some control over.

So what does turning forty really mean to me?
Well I guess I can finally say I know who I am.
I like where I am headed.
I love surrounding myself with positive & upbeat people.
But most of all I'm just grateful to be here.
ish... at least most days...

I'm not sure what the next decade has in store for me.
I only hope it's as good as the last one has been.

trimming the tree

I almost forgot to post about the latest issue of Canadian Family Magazine.
We shot it several months ago- Christmas in August....
Anyhow I think it's a really sweet story.
I have to say how much I love Lulu's hairdo in the first shot.
I only wish I could get it like that.
Aside from me gushing over my uber cute daughter (if I do say so myself)
There's some really clever decorating ideas that my good friend Arren Williams came up with.
I especially loved the red spray painted christmas tree.
Now that is dedication!
I think we are going to do the recycled painted can lids on our tree this year and maybe even the pasta garland.
Lots of other great ideas in this issue, so if you don't already have a copy be sure and pick one up.



A behind the scenes shot of Lulu.
why is it she never sits this still for me when I'm doing her hair?

The shopping gods have been listening

I knew this day would eventually come.
"Popular U.S. clothing retailer J. Crew coming to Canada"
yipee!!!
thank-you.
thank-you.
thank-you.
next up- Target??

allergic to snack time

The other day I was chatting with a friend in the school yard who's daughter is in a different kindergarten class than Lulu.
She was telling me how frustrated she is when it comes to packing her daughter's snacks for school.
Not to mention how discouraged she was when trying to plan a class party with baked goods and food for the class.
She had just been reprimanded when she packed a banana in her daughter's lunch that day.
A Banana!
Apparently there's a kid in the class that's allergic to bananas- therefor no one is allowed to bring bananas for a snack any longer.
There is also a child in the class that is allergic to eggs, dairy and wheat.
Which basically eliminates a ton of available options for snack time.
Not to sound insensitive, but man, am I glad that kid isn't in Lulu's class.
Of course there's a few kids with peanut allergies in the class as well.
Not much of a shocker there.
We have several good friends who have kids with peanut allergies (though none in Lulu's class this year)
so we are totally used to avoiding anything with peanuts (or any nuts for that matter) when packing her snacks or lunches.
I think most parents are aware of peanut allergies these days.
I'm pretty sure it's a basic policy of most schools to avoid bringing them to school or other kids programs.
I can't imagine how frustrating it must be for the parents, not to mention the poor kids.
I mean to never enjoy a peanut butter & jelly sandwich on fresh bread washed down with an ice cold glass of milk is truly unfortunate.
So my heart really does go out to kids with food allergies.
But....
That being said, at what point do we make the kids responsible for making sure they just don't touch or go near other kids snacks?
Our friends who have kids with allergies know that eating something with nuts can literally kill them so they just don't go near other kids food.
simple as that.
I know in Lulu's class they are very strict about not sharing snacks and washing hands before and after eating.
But they are still pretty young, so things can slip by the teacher's attention I'm sure.
So I totally get it when it comes to avoiding bringing "potentially dangerous" foods into the class.
But where do we stop when it comes to banning certain foods?
I mean eggs, dairy & wheat are pretty hard to avoid if you technically don't have an allergy to them.
And bananas??
really?

Try planning a class party with that child in your class.
Cookies. nope.
Cupcakes. nope.
Sandwiches. nope.
Pizza. nope.
fruit plate. yes. oh wait...nope- well not if it has bananas on it.

Like I said, I feel terrible that all these food allergies exist- and more importantly, why are kids from this generation becoming so allergic to so many foods?
A very scary situation.
But honestly what food options are left for this mom friend of mine to pack in her daughter's snack each day?
That's a bit scary too.

c'est formidable!

We are back from our trip to France.
We had an amazing time, and it's hard to believe it was only a few days ago that we were wandering around the beautiful streets of Paris.
Fortunately none of the strikes, rioting & general political unrest affected us.
Though we did have several concerned emails and texts from friends and family wondering if we would make it back okay.
I think the media made it sound much worse than it really was.
But enough about that.

We went to three different areas of France that we love the most.
Starting with Champagne.
What's not to love about the birth place of the world's most effervescent and celebratory beverage?
We stayed in an adorable hotel in a small town called Troyes.
We'd been to the town on our honeymoon 10 years previous and said that if we ever came back we HAD to stay there.
It was even nicer than I had remembered.
It was so charming and the perfect way to begin our week in France.

We then kept driving south to Bourgogne.
we stayed for the weekend at a small cottage at the top of a hill in a vineyard.
What can I say?
quaint, spectacular views, private...perfect.
We really got to know the town of Beaune quite well.
We LOVED the Saturday farmers market and had a few really delicious meals there.
I was a bit disappointed as I had planned on taking a cooking class while there, but the unfortunately the timing didn't work out.
Ah well, maybe next time.

Then we headed back up north west to the Loire.
An opulent area.
So many chateau's and country estates it's mind blowing.
The french really know how to live in style.
"Let them eat cake" is an understatement.
We stayed in a family owned Chateau in the middle of the country.
It's been in the family for over seven generations.
As in pre-revolution.
very cool experience.
The owner is a woman was from France (my age) and her husband was from California.
So needless to say we had some great conversations at breakfast time.
I love the B&B experience- very unique and so informative.
we did a few tours of some old Chateaus- which was so perfect as I've been reading The Josephine B Trilogy by Sandra Gulland.
Talk about being able to get a visual for the backdrop of the story!
Bonus that we were practically the only ones visiting Maintenon that particular day.
I guess there is a big advantage to travelling off season.

We finished off our trip by heading back up to Paris for three days.
Ah...Paris....
Such a beautiful and inspiring city.
we stayed in the sixth arrondissement which was fantastic.
Our hotel was tres chic and the perfect spot to end our trip.
We walked, shopped, sat in cafes, people watched, wandered though gardens, musuems, walked some more, shopped, ate, drank some great wine, ate some more...
tres tres extraordinaire.
J'aime France!

There's more to say about the trip, my thoughts and observations but for now that's just the quick recap.
since we've been back things have been pretty hectic.
Lulu has been stuck to me like glue- which I don't mind in the least as I missed her a lot.
We had a birthday party to go to the first night we got home- happy b-day Rachel! great party btw.
Had a photo shoot at the zoo this morning with Lulu as a model in a Halloween costume- so SO cute.
stayed tuned for more details on that.
Life is busy and life is full...but most of all...

La vie est belle!

Au revoir

We are off to Paris today.
We, as in big daddy & I.
We were there on our honeymoon ten years ago and said that if we survived a decade together we would return to some of our favourite areas.
So here we are- married for 10 years and 5 months (not that I'm counting...) and about to jump on a plane en route to Charles de Gaulle.
My parents are manning the fort while we are away and looking after Lulu for us.
As excited as I am about a week with my man alone in Europe, I can't lie and say that I'm not just a weesie bit apprehensive about leaving my little peanut for nine days.
I know I know, Lulu will be totally fine with her grandma & grandpa- but it's just so far away....
gulp.
But it's good for all concerned to take breaks- especially for marriages.
And just think of how much she will appreciate us when we get back.
Not to mention how much we will appreciate her when we get back.

So Au revoir mes amis!
xo pg

thanksgiving

It was the most beautiful Thanksgiving weekend weather wise.
Is there anything more gorgeous than autumn leaves?
My absolute favourite time of year hands down.
Family, good food and incredible weather- couldn't ask for a nicer long weekend.
Hope yours was as nice as mine.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
Albert Camus

For The Love of Fashion

I grew up around "fashion."
Or at least in a retail sense of the word.
My dad worked in men's wear his entire life and has had his own clothing store for years.
One of my first jobs was to work in the family business and then eventually I moved on to wholesale and had the opportunity to represent designers and sell their labels.
Then gradually I started doing P.R. for fashion stylists while working at an agency and finally decided to become a stylist myself.
I started doing wardrobe for shoots, then eventually moved into Props and Set Design.

So there you have it, my abbreviated resume in a nut shell.
You would think I absolutely LOVE fashion and follow all the latest trends.

Not exactly.

Oh sure I see what looks good on other people and love to dress them (especially kids) but me?
Not so much.
I find clothing shopping to be a huge pain and a waste of time.
I find it so far from pleasurable that I would rather wax my...errr..floors...rather than go shopping.

"When it comes to fashion, many women get lost along the way somewhere in their thirties, caught up in the pressures of family or work. Reaching your forties often causes a dilemma in terms of dressing – in trying not to appear too old, or as if you are trying too hard to look young."

Ah yeah..

Plus I'm just not digging the styles these days.
It's all so Eighties, and it just takes me back to a place I've been before.
Been there (ahem...stirrup pants) done that.
Which in turn makes me feel. Old.

I mean, I love to shop at Anthopologie for example, but all those girls that work there look adorable in that boho- hippie chic look and can totally get away with mini skirts, those shoe-boot things, feathered headbands and a military jacket all mixed into one outfit.
Me, I would look just ridiculous going to pick Lulu up at school dressed like that.
As tempting as it might be...
Though I have to admit, the other day the store manager asked if I would consider a part time job there, as they are looking for sales staff.
Flattering, yes- but still, I just have a hard time with all this mixing and matching styles.
What ever happened to that nice year 2000 all black Prada look?
So simple, so effortless.
Speaking of all black.
Same goes for my other stand by- Club Monaco.
Just not working for me this season.
The styles are so frilly and shear.
I mean it's soon going to be freezing outside, I don't think a chiffon blouse is going to do the trick.
Not exactly practical.
The Gap & Banana have gotten pretty boring if I'm being honest.
Not everything, but nothing is really jumping of the racks this season.
And Holt's well- knowing the mark-up on clothing I have a hard time justifying spending so much on clothes.
Winners- don't even get me started.
Lets just put it this way, I always leave there not only empty handed- but annoyed.
All the independent shops in my neighbourhood are totally not me, plus all the women that work in them are super bitchy.
Or at least that's been my experience.
H&M and Zara- again, never have a ton of success, at least for me.
Lulu on the other hand always walks away with a killer wardrobe.

Which leaves few other options. at least ones that I have time to go to.
Time is of the essence these days and clothing shopping isn't really at the top of my priority list.
But a girl has to look and feel her best, and for me clothing usually fits that bill.
All is not lost though.
Thank g-d for J.Crew.
Not super trendy, practical but still cute.
Annoying that there isn't a store in Canada yet, but on-line shopping is actually a pretty decent way to go.
I can shop at midnight in my P.J's with a glass of wine in one hand and my credit card in the other.
No line ups, no crowds, no small poorly lit dressing rooms or crusty sales girls.
None of the styles are over the top high fashion, but I think they suit my lifestyle at the moment and I don't end up feeling like a 39 (almost 40) something trying to look 20.
Or worse a 39 (almost 40) something looking like 60.
Not there is anything wrong with 60- I'm just saying...
Not quite ready for Talbot's quite yet.

zero numbers

Well it's been quite a while since I posted about restaurants.
I'm sad that I'm no longer doing important "research" for the now defunct blog that I used to write for.
Though the old reviews are still up and running.
Anyhow the greatest part about writing that column was that it kind of encouraged us to try new restaurants all the time.
Oh sure, I love my stand-by's, but it's always fun to go to different neighbourhoods to try new things.

A couple of years back we went to Seven Numbers on the Danforth (though I think I forgot to post about it) and from what I can recall, we had a pretty decent meal.
It's super casual, with an eclectic mix of kitchy art, wax laden old wine bottles and mismatched chairs.
When you're eating out with the kid(s) at the end of a long week, a casual atmosphere is always welcome.
I also love menus that break things down into four courses: antipasti (salads, seafood), primi (pastas), secondi (meats, fish), and corntini-(side veg).
I find it's the perfect way to sample a bunch of things and also happens to be a super family friendly way to eat.
So it sounds like a great place to go for dinner right?

Wrong.

I have to say it was one of the worst meals I've had in a while.
The bread was stale, the olive oil and balsamic vinegar bottles were dirty and sticky.
Never a good sign of things to come.
the Involtini Di Manzo- Grilled thinly sliced striploin wrapped around prosciutto, green onions and mozzarella was in a word- gross.
It was onion overload.
The Beef Cheeks were...um how to put this...disgusting.
Oh sure they were tender, but also mostly fat and served in such strange tasting wine sauce.
The Grilled Red Pepper and Arugula Salad was over dressed (soggy) and even the side grilled mushrooms tasted off.
How can you screw up grilled mushrooms?
Even Lulu had to send back her under cooked orecchiette.
So in a nut shell every single item that we ordered was terrible.
Oh wait a minute, not everything- the lasagna was decent.
Oh and the service was good too.
Too bad because I like small family restaurants and it was so good in the past.
Not sure what happened.

We passed on dessert- surprise surprise....
Opted for the warm home made brownies that I baked earlier in the day instead.
In fact we should have just stayed in for dinner.

But all is not lost in the land of Toronto dining experiences, we managed to try out some fantastic restaurants over the summer.
Stay tuned for some more reviews.
Or better yet, any good recommendations?

happy new year

Even though big daddy is away, I still love to celebrate one of my favourite Jewish holidays.
When you really think about it, this time of year really does feel like the start of something new.
A new season, new schools & teachers, new routines (oh how I LOVE routines) and just an over all sense of renewal.
But most importantly, a time for new shoes...kidding...

Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy & sweet new year.