How to separate an egg yolk

You will not regret watching this.

Our trip: what we brought back

We took it easy shopping-wise, which was nice. But we did manage to pick up a few things on our way.

This coat, because Germany was very cold and I came unprepared. And I will say, H&M is a way more pleasant shopping experience in Europe: no tweens losing their sh*t, no tornado shoppers, no lineups. Just how I like it.


But what I have been getting the most enjoyment out of are these candies:
and this chocolate:

which I dare say are among the most delicious in the whole wide world. I've been eating them every single night while streaming television. (I'm back to the grind, so I'm allowed thankyouverymuch.)


Have a beautiful week-end, wherever you are!

Fat chance

So, the intensive regimen didn't exactly work, but hopefully the 12 hours of sleep + the chicken soup Mr. D is lovingly preparing for me right this minute will conquer this thing.

isn't my husband's handwriting nice?

The soup, adapted from Grandma's chicken soup above

1 big organic chicken
Rosemary salt
Carrots
Olive Oil
Lemons
Green onions
Lots of garlic
Bay leaves
H20

De-skin and chop up the chicken. Put lots of olive oil in a big pot and throw in the onions, garlic and chicken and mix around for a minute or so. Add the water, the bay leaves, and boil for as long as you can stand. A little while later, add your veggies, salt to taste, and closer to the end, squeeze in the juice of 1 or 2 lemons, and throw the whole lemon in afterward. Gives this soup a tangy je-ne-sais-quoi.

Enjoy.

heat wave

It's extremely hot in Montreal right now and all I want is to sit on a lawn chair and eat Popsicles all day. Preferably by a pool. But since this isn't very realistic, the frozen treats alone will have to do. Lately, I've been picking up these generic ones from the corner store:

{via}

But let's be honest here- they're just not quite doing it for me.


What I really want is to get creative and make my own, preferably in some nice-looking stainless steel molds such as these beauties:

{via}

And if you're thinking, 'hey, those look an awful lot like ...' - I am aware.

Or in a pinch, one of these will do:

{via}

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In the meantime, I can be found loitering at the local A/C haven also known as the grocery store searching for other alternatives.

homemade vanilla syrup

I brought back about 30 vanilla beans from my time in Zanzibar. One went straight into our sugar jar, another few in a bottle of vodka, others given as gifts. But the most useful thing that I've made is vanilla syrup! I put it in my morning latte, london fogs, sprinkle it on crepes, practically eat it by the spoonful.

I discovered it thanks to Amanda Hesser's very simple recipe:

Vanilla Bean Syrup

- Ingredients -
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 vanilla beans, split and seeds scraped

- Instructions -
In a small pan dissolve the sugar and water over medium heat. Add the vanilla beans and stir a little so the seeds and fragrance disperse. Take the pan off the heat. When cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge.

There are a ton of recipes online, most with vanilla extract. But if you have a bean on hand, I'd highly recommend it.

Was it a good long week-end?

Here in Canada it was a regular, short week-end, but it was so beautiful out today that around 3 we said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and headed outside.

{what we packed}

As it turns out, either we're not the only ones who work from home or a very large portion of the Montreal population simply does not work. And instead relaxes on the gentle slopes of Parc Lafontaine on Monday afternoons.

It was bliss. We played frisbee, sunbathed, did martial arts (well he did), read, and then headed to la Banquise for a huge and very un-kosher poutine smothered in pepper sauce, sliced steak and fried mushrooms and onions. YUM. Then we felt rather heavy and a little gross so we decided to play more frisbee before heading home and resuming the work of the day.

end of school, a royal wedding and a birthday

The past few days have been rather eventful.


We finished school,



Had a royal wedding partay,





And celebrated this dude:


All this, right after the best vacation ever.

Good times

Amidst the end-of-semester stress/group projects/papers/impending exams/presentations/drama, it was a nice break celebrating Davina + Daniel's bachelorette/bachelor parties this week-end. Marie-Eve of Lake Jane organized the sweetest bridal shower, and the bachelorette consisted of penises, vodka flasks, sushi, strangers, sidewalk antics, pangpang kareoke, tequila shots and dancing, pretty much in that order. We are very pumped for the wedding that is now less than 2 weeks away!!

Sunday was work, + a nice brunch and pjs all day and a couple of long phone chats with my girls.

Good times all around.