I like lavender

I like it so much that a few weeks ago Kyle and I went on a late night walk, scissors in hand, and harvested some lavender ourselves from other people's front lawns. We figured that we'd just take a bit from everywhere to get a good variety of lavender but also so that we wouldn't take too much from one place. Regardless, we used our stolen lavender to make an infused simple syrup which then traveled up north with us to a friend's cottage where it made fast friends with a bottle of gin and some soda water. I also planted some of the seeds that were left over and noticed that they have just begun to sprout. Soon we won't need to "utilize" other people's plants.

Lavender Syrup
1/2 cup fresh lavender flowers
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups organic sugar

1. Place the water and sugar in a saucepan and heat over low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes or until a light syrup develops.

2. Take off the heat and add the lavender to the syrup. After a quick stir, cover the saucepan and let it sit out overnight.

3. Strain through a fine sieve into containers and store in the fridge.

cupcake blowout

Thanks Amanda for this awesome link!

I've been busy....kind of

It's been a few days! Things have been relatively busy (and cluttered) up in here but I've been able to clean up a bit and settle in to some good old fashioned computering (or "blogging" if you will). I've been sorting things out with my student loans and American visa come September and it seems as if everything is in order. Now it's just a matter of crossing the border and settling down on the other side of said border.

In other extremely exciting news, I've finished all the granny squares (well granny hexagons) for the blanket I'm making. I'm just in the process of threading in all the yarn ends and then I'll have to crochet everything together with the grey yarn I've chosen. This isn't a great picture but I took it late at night on my living room floor just as a reference for when it's time to put everything all together.

Found this book at a thrift shop a few days ago for only $4. After spending time with a friend working on her master's in urban planning who referred to this book as her bible I figured it was worth the money to check it out. Due to the 4 other books I have on the go right now I only got through the first few pages of the introduction while walking home but I'm looking forward to devoting all of my book-reading attention to this in the near future.

I've also set up my etsy shop here. You might notice that it's completely empty but I intend to post a few things this week. I'm having a hard time with the quality of my images owing to my crappy digital camera. Yes, I went to school for photography. But everything should be up and running by the end of the week, fingers crossed.

Let's talk about Tastevins

One of the books I have been attempting to get through this summer is "The Wine Bible"by Karen MacNeil. Last night I read a chapter on wine tasting and there was a brief mention in the text about tastevins which are small, shallow silver cups used to judge the quality and characters of a wine in dimly lit cellars. These little cups intrigued me so i did some research and found out that tastevins came into popularity around 1680 in France where wealthy people would have them made by silversmiths, engraved with their names and then carry them around in their pockets. Although not often used today some sommeliers and hardcore Burgundy enthusiasts still wear tastevins on a ribbon or chain around their necks as a throwback to it's traditional purpose.

These cups are usually made of silver and are almost like shallow teacups with convex bottoms. Available light in a dim wine cellar would reflect off the surface of the silver inside the cup and shine through the wine held within to be judged for it's colour and clarity.

Because wine was often sold and stored in barrels until the 1800s it was necessary to use tastevins instead of lugging a barrel of wine into better light and then pouring some off into a wine glass.

I want one.

image from www.alhambraantiques.com

Make me rich interweb

Times are hard, life ain't cheap, so I've decided to sell some shit on the internet! I've been throwing around some ideas as to what I should offer and have come up with a random assortment of things that other people might enjoy (mostly because I enjoy said things). I hope to start up an etsy shop tomorrow and post a few things here and then the cash will start rolling in....or not.

Hopefully making things/finding great vintage stuff to sell to other people will keep me occupied as I've spent the last 2 days sitting in front of my computer crocheting my granny squares and watching episodes of True Blood and Breaking Bad. It might sound a little less pathetic if I mention that I've been ill this week with bronchitis and internet television has been my medicine.

Spotted while sipping pink cider at le cagibi in Montreal

GMC @ CCA

From the Gordon-Matta Clark archive at the CCA, I love it.

CCA continued...

There are so many photos from my time in Montreal and my internship at the CCA that I have yet to share/won't be able to use in my school presentation this fall. Lucky you, I've decided to post a whole bunch here!

Sidenote: Right now I am listening to an old Smashing Pumpkins album that used to be a staple for me in the 8th and 9th grade. It makes me smile (and feel a little old) uploading these photos while reflecting upon those angst filled years. Le sigh.

Daguerreotype of an unidentified architect at his desk

Inscription on the verso of a daguerreotype

American Confederate soldiers


Verso of a James Beard daguerreotype

Le cottage

Just got back from a weekend up north with some friends. Swimming in a lake never gets old. My clothes and towels from the weekend smell like a campfire and I've lost my voice completely. I took most of my photos with my 35mm which I have yet to develop.

Air conditionnningg

It is sweltering outside but thanks to our new-fangled air conditioning I am only sweating a small amount right now. Tomorrow night I'm leaving to go up north to a friend's cottage I haven't visited in about 5 years. I'm going to wear my bathing suit in the car and jump into the lake upon arrival. I can't wait for corn on the cob, canoe rides, roasted marshmallows, hearty laughter, acting like children and waking up on the lake. This city makes it hard to breathe sometimes (literally and figuratively).