What's on your fridge?

All wrapped up and ready to go!

This year one of my best ami and myself spent an evening putting together these great little magnets for all our friends. We figured everyone would have their fair share of baked goods and thought this was a great little give away at our annual Christmas party.

We roughly followed this tutorial but instead of photoshopping the pictures into a polaroid template I simply used this incredibly handy Poladroid maker and we mounted the pictures on to white foam core which created a nice clean white border.

They are a great little gift any time of the year!

xo J

Somebody That I Used To Know

Realized I haven't posted any tunes for awhile. Really loving this song from Goyte, an artist out of Australia, seems to be channeling a bit of The Police when it comes to the chorus. Super catchy and if you've been through a break up you can probably relate!



xo J

Best Bites #5: Purdy's Himalayan Pink Salt Caramels

Do you think anything named "Himalayan Pink Salt Caramels" could taste bad?

No don't think about it - the answer is clearly Heck No!

And you'd be right - Purdy's Himalyan Pink Salt Caramels - though their name be a little fancy dancy are yummy in my tummy. And will be in yours too. These chocolates have a perfectly balanced ratio of salt to chocolate to caramel. You can taste and savour each component but no one ingredient tries to shove the others off stage and hog all your taste buds.

If you have a chocolate lover in your life (and yes, I accept gifts wink-wink) Purdy's sells boxes of these precious little flavour gems for around $20 bucks. And while you're there if you happen to pick up a few for yourself - I say Huzzah! Enjoy!

xo
Jenny C

101 Best Bites
5 eaten, 5 liked (majority rules, Jessy dissents on the olives)
More about the Amis Best Bite Challenge

Best Bites #3 & 4: Heirloom Tomatoes & Castelvetrano Olives

Here are a couple notes before I begin:


1. I am not a picky eater but I really hate olives, this was the first time I willingly put an olive in my mouth in maybe 20 years.

2. This is a pretty lofty task we have taken on, completing this list of 101 best bites, so we may cut some corners here or there.

With that being said last week we knocked a whole group of items off the list (I'll be back later this week with a review of on of the beverages on the list and Jenny has a few items stockpiled to review). One meal alone we were able to taste 4 items! Two of which were the Castelvetrano Olives and the heirloom tomatoes.

So basically my teeth punctured the skin of the olive and a had to cleanse my mouth with a good swig of wine, that is how far my dislike for olives go, and what is it about them you ask? Good question and one that took me a few minutes to formulate, it is the brine-y-ness! And according to the 4 olive lovers around the table these were low on the brine quotient and got two thumbs up all around. So basically, I wouldn't put any olive any "best" list but if you are an olive fan don't listen to me and give these guys a try.

Second was the heirloom tomatoe, and this is where we cheated slightly, as these were from California and I suppose the best bites of Vancouver should probably include tomatoes actually grown in this province, but we figured we got the gist of it. While the red heirlooms tasted just like regular tomotoes that were slightly past their best before date, the purple ones were the perfect firmness with great flavor, and really were at their best with just a sprinkle of salt and good quality extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top.

Stay tuned for more bites!

xo J

Both items can be found at WholeFoods

The final countdown...

The countdown to Christmas has always been one of my favorite things. Every year in high school some friends and I would always create a Christmas countdown in our school agenda's complete with decorations scribbled in with green and red pen. The advent calendar at home was another fun extension of the Christmas countdown where my brother and I would take turns opening the window to get our daily chocolatey treat.

Since I won't be getting my apartment until just before Christmas I am sadly not decorating my place this year but this DIY Advent calendar is book marked as a must for next year! So incredibly simple yet so incredibly cute!

Check it out here to get the free download and instructions.

xo J

P.S. A big Happy Birthday today to one of my very best sister-amis...you know who you are!

Fine finds on the Crawl

Last weekend I made my first visit to the annual East Side Culture Crawl in Vancouver, after some initial distractions from a random sample sale we happened across we finally made our way down Parker Street and got to see some of the amazing local artists show off what they do best.

I was particulalry fond of the unique and beautiful ceramics on show. Two of may favorites were CuldeSacDesign and Dahlhaus .

I was really drawn to the lace on this plate by Cul de Sac

This is a real conversation piece by Cul de Sac

Love the light colours used by Dahlhaus

I wouldn't say no to a set of these by Dahlhaus

P.S. you can find some Dahlhaus of your own at Vancouver's OneofaKind Show

Images via here and here

xo J

Best Bites #2: Jethro's Fine Grub - Frosted Flake Pancakes

Yes you did read that right.

Frosted Flake Pancakes

Are you ready to behold it's greatness?

Voila!!

Frosted Flake Pancakes from Jethro's Fine Grub. Fluffy and flopping over the edges of the plate like a beautifully rotund manatee. Oh so abundant! This was the second item that the amis and I devoured from Vancouver Magazine's 101 Best Bites in Vancouver list. No, we're not getting paid to do this... we just like food and trying new places about town.

So how did this stack stack up? (yeah, I made that pun, and I'm standing behind it)

In a word: awesome

The pancakes were delightfully light. They were the perfect level of sweetness and tartness - the tartness coming from buttermilk and the blueberries. The frosted flakes functioned mostly as a textural add-on. I thought they would add a lot of sweetness, but no, once buried within and on top of the pancake batter, and then covered in whipped cream and maple syrup - sweetness wasn't a factor. The crunch was nice though, and unexpected in a pancake. These were definitely some of the best pancakes I've enjoyed in a long while. And one plate was more than enough for 3 of us to share!

But did we just order pancakes? Hahahahha no, why would we do that?


We also enjoyed a Baked Potato Omelet and Nutella French Toast

Ready.... Set...

Attack!!

The Baked Potato Omelet was a revelation. Again - the fluffy factor was off the charts! And I mean really, an omelet stuffed with all the goodness you'd find in a baked potato? You know that's gonna be great!

The Nutella French Toast was also tasty. Think 3 inch-thick slabs of challah bread slathered with a nutella cinnamon spread. Very good. Full disclosure though - as a hard core Nutella lover, and given the ratio of bread to Nutella - this could have done with a bit more Nutella. Yup I just said that. Even though you can see the craziness that is this dish in the pictures. But if you're going to have a crazy over-the-top dish as this is - then go all the way! Make that mother the craziest, chocolatiest french toast that ever was!!

Besides that clearly gluttonous last remark, Jethro's was a great breakfast experience. You can tell they make their food with love and care. It isn't about ritz at all - it's just about great breakfast done right. I'd say if you're in the neighbourhood - it's definitely worth popping in for a bite.

What's been your best pancake experience? Have you hit up Jethro's already? What'd you think?

101 foods, 2 eaten, 2 loved, 99 to go!

xo
Jenny C

Just put a pin on it

Yes I have joined the Pinterest movement and yes I see how it is an all consuming addictive passtime!

Follow me HERE!

xo J

Au Petit Chavignol and a Food Game

Hi Mes Amis!

Jenny C here - I'm baaaaack! It's been a whirlwindy last 6 months and I'm sorry that I've been away so long. Jessy has been a workhorse keeping Amis alive, thank you Jessy!

Please let me begin to make up for my absence by tempting you with cheesy, gooey, deliciousness.

Enter - Au Petit Chavignol, or as some peeps I know like to call it "Cheese"

Au Petit is a cozy bistro where all your cheesy fantasies come true. Attached to a giant cheese shop next door, Au Petit offers casual comfort fare made from lovely ingredients and the best of cheeses.

After a well needed foamy latte, my friends and I all ordered the Croque Madam: think grilled ham and cheese sandwich - filled AND encased in melty Gruyere cheese, topped with a runny free-range fried egg.

Did you just die a little?

Yeah, us too. It was good. Really flippin' good. And paired with a cup of their luscious tomato soup, it was the perfect brunch treat for a cold, rainy day.

Also, this was a perfect way to kick off a food challenge that a group of food lovers and I are taking on.

Vancouver Magazine recently published their 101 best bites in Vancouver list. Au Petit's Croque Madam is on the list - and we're going to try at least one item off this list every week as we explore new hot spots and tasty treats around our town.

Wanna Play?

When we post about another list item - go try it too and weigh in with your review! Or if you live in another fabulous place - tell us about one of the best bites in your town. Include a picture and tell us what you love about it.

Let's spread the best bite love!

If you're in Vancouver - here's the link to 2011's 101 Best Bites in Vancouver

Happy Noshing!

xo Jenny C

Baby it's cold outside!

I will admit I am a sun bunny all the way, my favorite season by far is summer time but I also love the excuse of stocking up on all things cozy and comfy when there is a chill in the air. Local Vancouver brand Granted has me lusting after pretty much everything.

While the anchor sweater is screaming my name it is out of my price range (especially knowing I will be back paying a mortgage in about a months time) but the toque and slippers are definitely items I can see myself splurging on, especially if they have an online boxing day sale like they did last year, fingers crossed they do and that I can hold out that long!

xo J

Food for Comfort

It is that time of year that whether it is grey and wet outside or clear and crisp the warmth of comfort food calls to me. One of the best places for a good dose of comfort has got to be Burgoo.

I was there last week and as usual had such a hard time making my decision, always so hard to choose from their assortment of soul warming soups, goey grilled cheese or hearty one stop pot meals. I eventually settled on the butternut squash soup with the chicken and brie sandwich. The soup had the right amount of spice with a lovely crunch of hazelnut on top and the sandwich had a great balance of chicken, brie, crisp apples and cucumbers. My two Amis had the mac and cheese which I stole a couple bites of. The Mac n' more with peas, bacon and shallots might have to be my choice next time we go.

I apologize that the pictures are a bit dark, we were seated at the patio which was lovely on a crisp fall evening, cozy underneath a powerful heater, frosty pint of strongbow cider and piping hot meal was the perfect end note to our saturday excursions.

Happy Friday everyone

xo J

Kiss Cam

This super infectious song is my current ring tone so I get really excited every time my phone rings because I love this song so much.

I also love the simplicity of the video, makes me think of summer as a teenager when you didn't have to work and the days just felt so long.

Happy sunshine-y tuesday!



xo J

The Night Circus

The circus arrives without warning. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The towering tents are striped in white and black, no golds and crimsons to be seen. A black sign painted in white letters hangs upon the gates. 'Opens at nightfall Closes at Dawn'"

- Erin Morgenstern

When I don’t have a book to read I feel like there is something missing from my day. Most weeknights I end my day by getting cozy in bed and reading for 20 to 30 minutes. It calms my mind, takes me away from whatever is lingering from work, little annoyances and worries and helps me slip into a restful sleep. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern was the perfect book for this and I purposely took my time reading it to really take advantage.

Two young magicians are entered into a competition as young children without knowing the full set of rules or consequences of what they have entered into. The mysterious Circus serves as their playing field and so much more. Morgenstern is not a complicated writer, her writing is simple and clean, but the story has a smooth flow despite jumping chronologically back and forth. Even the circus itself becomes an intriguing character of its own, one that you wish could just magically appear in your own town one day.

For me, the simplest pleasure is getting lost in a good book, this fulfilled that that on every level.

xo J

It's an arm party!

Who's at your party?

xo J

image via designscouting

Starbuck!

I attended the Vancouver International Film Festival this past Friday with a friend who I would easily call a bit of a diehard when it comes to VIFF and she is always enthusiastically trying to get us to come along. This year I took in a double header with her, and was very pleasantly surprised by the incredibly delightful film Starbuck.

Starbuck comes to us from Quebec, directed by Ken Scott, starring Patrick Huard as a lovable loser David Wozniak. David gets thrown for a loop when he finds out that the sperm bank he frequented (many, many, many times)to make extra cash back in the 80’s made an error and gave all their clients his sperm, and he is now the proud father of 533 adult children, 142 of which are seeking to find out his identity.

From an unbelievable concept comes a laugh-out-loud heartwarming tale of a middle aged screw up who finds out that he actually makes one heck of a dad, full of quick and clever dialogue and great characters, I can already see Hollywood trying to re-make this but see the original if you can!

One scene in particular where David and his bestfriend/lawyer argue over the value of a Hall & Oates guitar pick was especially priceless.

P.S. Starbuck will be playing for a limited time at fifthavecinemas , check it out!

x0 J

Design Love

As previously mentioned, I was highly excited to attend the Design sponge book signing at Anthropologie a couple weeks back, and looky here I got my very own signed copy!

I have already spent a cozy Sunday afternoon pouring over the many fabulous pages

Looking forward to proudly displaying this on my very own coffee table in a few months time!

P.S. I made a return visit to Anthropologie this past weekend and picked up these lovelies in a rainbow of colours! I have dishes! Do you know how excited I was about that?!

x.o. J

As you wish...

Vizzini: He didn't fall? Inconceivable!

Inigo: You keep using that word, I don't think it means what you think it means

This just made my life... Entertainment Weekly is doing a reunion issue and one of the featured reunions is the cast from The Princess Bride, check out here for a peek at the article and a great behind the scenes video of the photo shoot.

All my DVD's are boxed up in anticipation for my move in December but I kinda want to dig through them to find my copy of The Princess Bride, what better way to recover from a turkey coma this weekend. When I first watched the special features on the DVD the part where Robin Wright talks about Andre the Giant brought tears to my eyes!

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to everyone here in Canada!

xo J

Grey Sky Blues

We are rapidly approaching that time of year where it is not just dark when I leave for work in the morning but also dark when I leave work in the afternoon, while there are many things I reallyenjoy about fall, but I'm a sun bunny at heart and this is by far my most hated aspect. It makes me want to stay in my PJ's all. day. long.

I love you Vancouver, but your killing me with this dreary grey weather! Maybe I should just move to LA, so I could be like the always perfectly adorable Emily and still be able to wear cute outfits such as these...

Images via CupcakesandCashmere

xo J

Good Morning World!

Yes, it is Friday and I am in a cheery mood! Wish I could start every morning this way...I also wish I could start every morning with maybe my most favorite breakfast:

A perfectly poached egg on top of avocado toast with sweet little cherry tomatoes with a most satisfying cup of coffee on the side. When my Dad's cherry tomatoes were in full force a few weeks back this was my meal of choice.

I'll just have to pretend that is what I had this morning.

Besides it being Friday (and pay day I may add, always a plus) I am really excited to be heading to Anthropologie tomorrow (Can you believe I have not gone to check out their new store since they opened in May!) to attend the DesignSponge Book Signing event and celebration.

Being that Design Sponge is a must read for me on a daily basis I was thrilled that a spot on the waitlist came up. Expect a post on all the details next week!

Happy Friday! xo J

P.S. Playing silly pranks on co-workers always makes Friday awesome, lets just say desktop screensavers have been tampered with.

Homemade is the best made!

Since I wake up fairly early on weekdays I am never in the mood for a big meal in the morning so breakfast for me Monday through Friday consists of my latte and a yogurt (vanilla to be specific, it's the only yogurt flavour I like, I know boring right). The problem with that is as 10:00 am rolls around and lunch is a far off 2 and half hours away my stomach feels like it is eating itself. So to boost up my breaky I like to toss a bunch of my homemade granola on to my yogurt.

This is a really easy and fast granola to make, especially if you buy all your nuts pre-chopped and really to me so much more delicious than any store bought one, especially the organic super yuppie expensive ones.

The best part is you can put in WHATEVER you like, my favorite combination is:

• 4 cups of oats


• 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds


• 1/2 cup of chopped almonds


• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans


• 1/2 cup of shredded coconut


• a very liberal sprinkling of cinnamon (I like a lot of cinnamon!)


• 1/4 cup of vegetable or sunflower oil


• 1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup

This is where it gets a tad messy, really the best way to fully incorporate the oil and honey/maple syrup is to get your hands in there.

Pre-heat oven to 350, once you put the granola in it should take about 20 minutes or until a nice golden brown. At first I only check on it about every 5 minutes, giving it a bit of mix with a spatula so the oats evenly brown but in the last 5 - 7 minutes I check it more frequently as it starts to brown quickly (the very first time I ever made this I burnt the crapola out of it). You'll know it is getting close to ready when the sweet smell of cinnamon permeates your kitchen.

Put in an air tight container and enjoy for the next few weeks. I meant to take a picture of my yogurt and freshly made granola but then I ate it too fast!

xo J

The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo

Those who know me well know that I have had a life long love of The Muppets, it started at an early age despite being deathly afraid of Beeker, I got over that and now love them all, some people just don't get it and others wholly embrace this furry crew with me.

Now as a respectable 30 year old I don't think I can bring myself to go to the movie theatre to see the new Muppet Movie but you bet I will find a wat once it comes out on DVD.

The new trailer is a clever spoof of another highly anticipated movie, check out that trailer here to see what I am talking about, but you can enjoy The Muppets version right now:




xo J

T - 3 Months

Until my lovely little brand new apartment is ready! I bought it pre-sale in May and have so, so, so patiently been waiting for it to be done and I finally feel as though I am in the home stretch. I am ridiculously excited for the heated flooring and my sparkly appliances but the fun of decorating is by far the best, albeit also scary as I realize how much stuff I need to buy!

I love this idea instead of a bedside table, doubling as some extra storage which is perfect for a small apartment!

I was planning on getting new white bedding but I think it would be fun to have a pop of colour in the pillow cases like these.

Pops of colour everywhere! Snap Crackle Pop!

I left my old bed out in the lane with a "Free" sign on it, it was gone the next day, this clean, simple look is what I am going for with my new bed.

xo J


Images via ConversationPieces , SeventyTree , youaretheriver , CupcakesandCashmere ,

The Hot List

Here are a few newbies to my reading list:


TheBeautyDepartment - Lauren Conrad and friends dish up lots of easy and fun beauty tips and tutorials.

racheleats - moving to Italy was obviously inspirational for this foodtastic lady, lucky enough to live in one of my favorite areas of Rome she cooks up some mouthwatering dishes.

DesignCrush - Instant inspiration!

AngelaMatina - A local gal with an easy, breezy lovely style. Check out her travels, style, photography and she even throws in some easy recipes.

Happy Friday

xo J

Meat & Bread

It has been around for over a year now and I have finally got myself over to Meat & Bread. I had to go for what they are known for, the Porchetta sandwich, literally a really good bread overflowing with their juicy porchetta that was sliced right in front of you, meat and bread, what more do you need (well the chopped up uber-crispy skin and salsa verde drizzled on top doesn’t hurt).

Not only is the food good but the whole concept and execution of said concept is what makes this place a success, from the simple branding, clean décor and the friendly hipster staff, these guys know what they are doing!

xo J

Furious Love

Long before there was Bennifer, Brangelina or Tomkat there was Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger have pieced together the turbulent romance that all started with Le Scandale on the set of Cleopatra.

Kashner and Schoenberger honestly and respectfully capture the drama, excess, sex, violence and above all glamour that was Burton and Taylor, so compellingly telling the story of two people so deeply passionate for one another yet so destructive to each other. Despite all their troubles there is something truly intoxicating about the raven haired, violet eyed beauty and the tough guy Welshman and their furious love.

I've always had a weakness for stories of old Hollywood, one of my favorite parts of any issue of Vanity Fair, so I was drawn in right away and now eagerly looking forward to getting my hands on some of the movies that are said to be the settings of this truly epic romance.

They just don't make movie start like them anymore!

"I am forever punished by the gods for being given the fire and trying to put it out. The fire, of course, is you" - Richard Burton

"Since I was a little girl, I believed I was a child of destiny, and if that is true, Richard Burton was surely my fate" - Elizabeth Taylor

xo J

Giggle Fit

I meant to post this last week but then got really busy but for any one who has not yet seen the magic that is Anderson Cooper getting caught in a giggle fit please, please enjoy!

I think I watched this about 10 times last week, everytime ending in me having tears in my eyes because I am laughing so hard.




Happy Friday all, giggle on!

xo J

Let my garden grow...

...or actually my Dad's garden! As I patiently wait for my lovely sparkly new apartment to be completed my parent's have generously let me take over their basement, while there are some cons to being back with the 'rents there are definitely some perks as well. Such as having the ability to plunder my Dad's very productive veggie garden.

Can you believe this little veggie oasis in the city!

My Spoils for the day: 2 cucumbers, 2 zucchinis, a mini mountain of cherry tomatoes, 1 paddy-pan squash, a good handful of green beans, and just a sample of the field of basil growing out there. Really looking forward to the corn being ready. There is probably another 15 different types of veggies growing out there, it is really quite impressive, the possibilities are endless!

Since my parent were out of town it was up to me to polish off all these veggies so night one I chopped up a bit of everything and tossed it in some barley with crumbled feta and just some olive oil and balsamic, it was delicious, hearty and healthy. You could also do this with couscous or a small pasta. I left all the veggies raw, including the zucchini and paddy-pan because I like the crunch.

Night two I tried to finish off the cherry tomatoes by saunteing them with some onion and garlic and tossed in the blanched green beans, added some chicken broth to make a bit of a sauce and threw in some nice prawns and soaked it all up with some crusty bread. This would have been perfect tossed with some penne but I was trying to be good since I had scarfed down all that barley already.

xo J