The Swelle Life

I'm Glad Summer's Nearly Over for I Cannot Bear These...

Is it just me who really, really hates this style of sandal/thong/flipflop where the ankle is cuffed in extraneous suede or leather while the piggies go bare? It must be, because I've seen them EVERYWHERE this summer. Here in England, back in Toronto. On teens, mature women, children! The thing that I can't get my head around is that this style came out of nowhere overnight - I mean this very specific flat sandal/thong style - and so many immediately said 'Yes! Let's do this!' There was no easing into it; out of the blue we all felt our ankles needed to be adorned and padded and that it was ok that the rest of the shoe remained skeletal. Maybe that's what irks me so, the unbalanced-ness of them.

I debated whether to post this, I didn't want to make anyone feel bad because by my calculations, based on anecdotal evidence, about half of you reading this are likely to have a pair in your closet. And I don't like making people feel bad. If you love them and feel good wearing them, good for you. And who knows, in time I may even come around. (I'm just saying that to be nice.)

Wait - are these ones actually lined in faux fur? While the poor little piggies, and the heel, have nothing! See what I mean? Madness!!!

The Last Soup of Summer

Not cooking a single thing for four weeks while I was away in Canada (unless procuring food through a drive-through window counts) must be the reason I've been a hurricane in the kitchen lately. It's great to be taken care of by others but there's a limit to how long one can have it so good. I've always loved to cook and I love eating even more, but I'd fallen into the slump where the groceries from one week to another are identical except for the rotation of troubled starlets on the cover of Grazia (there are about a half dozen faces that take turns at it). 

Itching to try some new recipes this past weekend, I grabbed a stack of cookbooks and began choosing what looked most interesting but also very easy (the key to success). One of those was an avocado soup from Miss Dahl's Voluptous Delights, an autobiography of the author, cooking show host and model as much as it is book of recipes. In fact, until this point I'd spent more time reading her seasonal section introductions/life stories than actually using it for cooking. So with two creamy, ripe hass avocados from Waitrose in hand and another disguised as one - I've had it with Sainsbury's avocados feeling ripe, only to ambush me with firm, rubbery flesh once cut open - I began making the soup. It was a warm and sunny weekend and surely to be one of the last of the year, so this fresh green, chilled soup from the Summer Lunches section was an ode to the fading sun. It was really delicious with a spicy kick, quick and easy to make, and good for you. Homerun.

If you're still wearing tank tops and can't bear the idea of wool and covered necks just yet, here's the recipe so you, too, can maintain a healthy level of denial. In the kitchen at least.

Avocado Soup - from Miss Dahl's Voluptous Delights

Serves 2

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 apple, cored, peeled and sliced into chunks
• 1 cup of natural yogurt (full fat works better here)
• 1 teaspoon of dried red chilli flakes (I found this amount makes quite a spicy soup so use much less if you want it milder)
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
• Fresh chopped coriander/cilantro to garnish (I had fresh basil on hand so I used that)

Peel the avocados and remove the stones. Into the blender go the apple, avocados, yogurt, chilli flakes and lime juice.

Warm the stock to release the flavour. Add the stock to the blender and puree until the soup is a rich, smooth green velvet. Put it in the fridge for a few hours and add some chopped coriander/cilantro on top of each bowl when ready to serve.

Don't you think great dishes make dessert even tastier? My daughter loves these colourful glass bowls.

One thing I love about Sophie Dahl's cookbook is that she includes things that experienced cooks may find naff, but people like me find charming. Such as Clover's Carnation Milk Jelly. Clover is Sophie's sister who 'devoured bowlfuls' as a child. Only a week ago I was wondering for the zillionth time what exactly that pink moussy-like dessert was that my grandmother used to make for us when were little. I loved it. I recall a Jell-o box but it wasn't jelly, it was opaque and way better than jelly. Well, when I saw this recipe I thought 'That's it! That's the mystery pink dessert Memere used to make!" So I made it. The recipe simply calls for a package of strawberry jelly or gelatine, 1/2 cup of hot water and a can of evaporated milk which you whisk into the jelly and water mix once it's cooled. Let it set for a couple of hours.

I topped ours with blackberries picked that day from our neighbour's bush, there are several branches  poking through and over our fence and I told my husband there would be hell to pay if he trimmed them.

By the way, during dessert my daughter told me the milk jelly was delicious, thanked me for making her such a pretty dessert, and then said "You can have the rest of my mine and the other ones left in the fridge." It would seem her childhood dessert memores are going to be different from mine.

Treadwell and Eat Well

The olive oil was served with a berry balsamic type of vinegar (was it wild blueberry?) which was different and delicious

I'm now back in England, but while at home in Canada I had the kind of culinary treat that makes me glad for tastebuds in good working order. Having spent the first two weeks of our visit in one of my two Canadian homes, Toronto, where my own family began, we then went down to Niagara to visit my family. My husband and I were determined to get out for a special dinner and I really wasn't sure where to go. Our favourite place had a new name and a new chef and no offer of a tasting menu (our favourite thing to do is eat brilliant little plates of food for two or three hours), so we started our search anew using Toronto Life's Restaurant Guide. They have an out-of-town listing which isn't comprehensive but you can find some gems you were previously unaware of, and we did.

Treadwell was the fortuitous find, set on the Lake Ontario waters of Port Dalhousie. The chef and owner who brings the 'farm-to-table cuisine' is a Brit named Stephen Treadwell whose accomplishments include taking Toronto's Auberge du Pommier and the Tiara Dining Room at Queen's Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake to award-winning heights, and co-pioneering the concept of "Niagara Cuisine" with chefs Michael Olsen, Mark Picone and Tony de Luca. (It was Tony that was chef at what was our favourite Niagara restaurant before he left, and thanks to google I have now tracked him down again. Now we have two places to visit next summer!)

We had to go all-out with the six course tasting menu and wine pairings which were chosen and presented by sommelier and co-owner James Treadwell, the chef's son. It was this service that made our dinner extra special, James himself was a treat. Without pretension he succinctly and joyfully described the qualities of each Niagara wine and why he chose it to accompany the course, and he was right about each and every one. They both balanced and enhanced the flavours in the food, and having the pairings gave us the opportunity to try wines we wouldn't have tried, or even discovered, on our own. A little table-side education is always welcome.

I apologise for the quality of the photos as I didn't want to take too much time getting the light right when I could be eating! That sounds like a pretty good excuse.

 

 After a tasty amuse-bouche of warm, fresh yellow tomato soup (this would be presented as an amuse-gueule in France) we were served the first course of pan seared Grade A foie gras with local blueberries from Whitty Farms. It may have been the best foie gras I've ever had.

 

Roasted red pepper and local tomato gazpacho with sheeps milk and lime sorbet, presented with a cheese 'straw'. The lime sorbet was a nice surprise and just gorgeous.

 

Roasted beets with Best BAA feta, with dill and hazelnut vinaigrette. There were a few white cherries as well which I've never had before. That was by far the best feta I've ever had.

 

Seared Lake Erie pickerel with smoked bacon and tomato salad with fingerling potatoes. This was my husband's favourite.

After five glasses of perfectly matched wine and still one to go with pudding, I was off my nut. I'm the one who feels warm and sluggish after two sips of cab franc. I realised that I was no longer maintaining my elegant public decorum when I became aware that I had wrapped my fist around the fork and was punching at my succulent lavendar and honey glazed muscovy duck breast while embracing my plate. I'd like to say this was out of love - and it might have been as well! - but mostly it was because my body was becoming too heavy to support on my own:

Peach cobbler with local Whitty Farms peaches and rosemary caramel ice cream. I was so full by now that I just couldn't manage to eat all of the cobbler despite it being divine. One of my favourite things about tasting menus is that the chef always makes their own ice cream so you're guaranteed something very fresh with unique flavours. Rosemary and caramel didn't disappoint!

If you're outside of the city it's worth a drive into St. Catharines, especially on a clear, sunny day. Ask for a window table so you have a clear view of the water. Even at night it's really beautiful. (And at night you can no longer see the ducks swimming which is a small blessing when you're eating one.)

Calling all Canadians: What IS Canadian?

I'll never forget an old episode of Toronto's Fashion Television (the best produced fashion program in the world, hands down) where host and segment producer Jeanne Beker asks a number of fashion figures "What do you think of when you hear 'Canada'?" Ralph Lauren paused for a moment before answering "Nothing." That's why I'll never forget it. That stung.

Canada has never been on the fashion map, and it has no illusions about its influence on the global industry, though that is beginning to change in small yet signficant ways. I could go into that right now but I'm saving it for when New York fashion week begins so I can push off with Jeremy Laing. More on that in a week or so.

But this post isn't about fashion. Ralph Lauren couldn't have ever crossed the border into Canada to ski in Banff or party in Montreal if the name itself conjures nothing but tumbleweed rolling across his brain. (Though interestingly, his company Polo Ralph Lauren would go on to, or had already, acquired Club Monaco, the retail fashion chain founded by Canadians Joe Mimran and Alfred Sung, its original store still in operation on Queen St. West in Toronto).

Toronto, Ontario (before they approved all of the condos that ruined the skyline - you wouldn't be able to Sky Dome or the first half of the CN Tower now)

I've been thinking a lot about my home country lately, especially having just returned from a month in Toronto and Niagara visiting family. I'm an expat who's been living in England with my husband and daughter for the past five years, and I've become aware that being away from the place that shaped who you are and how you see yourself does wonders for one's sense of patriotism. My accent is actually stronger here. People love it. I don't want to blend and pretend I'm something I'm not, I want to be the Canadian living by the sea in the north east of England.

Almost daily I'm asked by someone 'Where in America are you from?" to which I respond "I'm Canadian." Invariably, grovelling apologies follow. I mean, they beg me for forgiveness, every time. I tell them it's ok, it's fine, you can stop now. I'm never offended that people assume I'm American but I do like to make it known where I'm from, because I am Canadian after all and it's not the same and I'm proud to be Canadian. And people from other countries really like us. (Why it is that they assume Canadians and Americans hate each other eludes me, but it does point to the fact that we are perceived as unique and not lumped together as one culture.)

But I have to admit that I have trouble with Canadian iconography. Geese, beavers, furry winter apparel. Really? Is that what we're about? We're the second largest country in the world in terms of land mass yet one of the least populated countries so that does leave a lot of room for natural life to flourish, but we have brutally hot and humid summers in Ontario and most other provinces and do not live in parkas. But does the essence of Canada really boil down to wildlife and weather? And the legacy of Hudson Bay Company selling beaver pelts to Europe (nearly wiping them out)?

What got me started on this post was colette's We Love Canada collection. That's nice, eh? But as you can see above, this capsule collection collaboration between Canadian artist and writer Douglas Coupland and Roots is all about that stuff. (What is going on with that jacket? Who's going to wear that, especially in Paris? Which one am I talking about? Either one. Note: Ok, those images are supposed to be gifs but they're not rotating. There's a varsity-type jacket with all kinds of stuff all over it, like 'flair', as in Office Space?) A colette podcast accompanies the promo which includes an interview with Coupland, interspersed with Canadian music, some known to me, most not. But I don't have a clue about music at the moment so that means nothing. It was all good, we're good at music. (Just don't hold Celine Dion against us and let's not talk about her husband.)

Coupland talks about how he grew up thinking that nature and things like the birch bark trees at summer camp were what is 'Canadian', and now he thinks these notions should stay in the past, that technology is the way to look forward for Canadians. I didn't quite get how that distinguishes us from anyone else but he's nice to listen to, his voice is like the crispy sugar crust of a creme brulee.

(It's funny to me that Michael Budman and Don Green, the creators of the Roots brand in 1973 - so quintessentially 'Canadian' because, well, the logo is a beaver and leaves - are American.)

I couldn't end this post without asking my husband what he thinks of our Canadian iconography, not only to gain another opinion before I put it to you but because he's published several works exploring cultural and national identity. His response was that Canada is one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world, Toronto now being the world's most multicultural city with 49% of its residents born outside of Canada. Canadian culture has always been diverse, yet we've stuck with this Victorian vision of what Canada is, inspired by a particular conception of nature, the rural, the pastoral. Antiquated and more of a reflection of how outsiders see us than how we really are. It goes deeper but you get the gist.

So, I invite all Canadians reading this, or anyone who has spent time there, or maybe you live in Vermont and your backyard actually crosses the border into Canada, to submit a photo that represents a Canadian ideal, feeling, sensibility, whatever - email link is in the top left sidebar. It should be what you think, not how you think the world sees it, and us. Tell us why you chose to capture what you did. If you can't take a photo, you can just tell us what you think of when you hear 'Canada' and what being Canadian means to you. I'm interested to hear what people outside of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal have to say but all will be enlightening.

When I collect enough submissions I'll post them and hopefully we'll be able to tell the world more about Canada than beavers (this had everything to do with fashion!), bulky snow boots and maple syrup can. Maple syrup sure is good though, eh?

 

Regretsy: Making Fun For Good

If Rodarte's second mistake was to collaborate with MAC on a makeup collection named after the notorious Mexican city of Juarez, their first was to create a pair of webby yarn tights that inspired these knock-offs.

Regretsy. Heard of it? Probably. But if not, you know those movies or novels where there's a horrific torture scene and you wonder of the writer, 'How could anyone conceive of such a depraved and hideous act? What is wrong with you?' Well, imagine that person took that idea and instead of writing it down, they looked around their house (or dump, compost heap or graveyard) and made it into an equally disturbing object. And tried to sell it on Etsy or some other kind of DIY online marketplace. Regretsy's April Winchell, AKA Helen Killer, finds these WTF? offenders, along with an endless selection of just simply bad ideas, or nasty executions of these ideas (see above) and brings them to us daily, in hilarious blog form. What makes it so funny is Killer's astute and creative responses to the items, as seen above (that's the kind of creativity we want, folks!), including the contributions of her readers - a winning bid for an Etsy Alchemy project to paint Lady Gaga devouring a unicorn while paparrazi snap shots has to be the ultimate.

Now, I love Etsy. The great thing about them is they provide anyone and everyone the means to sell their handmade creations. The bad thing about them is they provide anyone and everyone the means to sell their handmade creations. Sometimes democracy backfires. Stalin is grinning smuggly somewhere. See:

Yes, after I included Stalin in my post I searched his name on Etsy and not to my surprise, I found a short list of Stalin-related things, such as this matryoshka doll set of Russian leaders. (Does anyone know what that first one says? That splotchy head couldn't belong to anyone but Gorbachev - I loved that guy! - but that sure is a funny spelling of his name. And Stalin's. I'm obviously missing something here. And FYI: if you search Google images for pictures of Mikhail Gorbachev you'll find Ashton Kutcher in a camel coat.)

The point of this post was to highlight something that we don't usually get alongside our fun-makers: good-hearted compensation. Regretsy gives back to those who provide the unintentional humour, or horror. Well, maybe not to the person who thought a fascinator made with the real skull of a cat was a desirable item to add to one's accessory drawer (though the seller may feel proud that it's been filed deep in my subconcious, awaiting a guest appearance in one of my upcoming nightmares. Oh geez, I just heard a cat meowing outside. That nightmare is happening tonight).

All profits from Regretsy's merchandise go toward helping charities - over $10,000 so far and counting - and directly to Etsy sellers in need, such as Veronica of Ronnie’s Tender Heart (her Etsy shop is here) who is battling leukemia for the third time at age 22. Her friends have set up a shop to sell bracelets to help fund her medical bills not covered by insurance. She is currently in ICU fighting pneumonia.

Regretsy is running two auctions of bags that include fun and goofy Etsy merchandise as well as Regretsy, the book. Get the full details here.

April Winchell: I have added you to my list of smart and funny chicks that make me blow snot.

What's Your Shoe Story?

 

To get everyone revved up for The Shoe Galleries, a shoe fanatic's fantasy come true courtesy of Selfridges, they want your shoe story. And for your contribution you may just win a years supply of shoes! You won't be competing with me; unfortunately my only shoe stories involve whining, blisters, cuts, friends asking 'Do you own any shoes you can actually walk in?' and limping in bare feet on city streets with a grimace on my face and naughty words spewing from my mouth, because all of my favourite shoes have it in for me. Despite their disloyalty, I still love them. Maybe my daughter will have better luck with them one day.

The Shoe Galleries is due to be the single biggest shoe destination in the world, showcasing 150 designers with 55,000 pairs of shoes in stock at any one time and 4,000 pairs on display. That should increase my chances of at least one pair loving me back?

Part of the inspiration for The Shoe Galleries was the idea that everyone has a shoe story, whether it stems from your favourite pair, a hidden gem or your first expensive pair that cost a month's rent. Tell yours to Selfridges and not only will you get to shout about your favourite shoes to the whole world, but you could be in with a chance of winning a gorgeous new pair (one winner every week!). Plus one lucky winner will scoop a year's supply of shoes from Selfridges!

Daphne Guinness has already submitted hers and it sheds light on why she was wearing those Alexander McQueen 'reptilian' shoes in the first place - which were several sizes too big - and surprisingly she swears they were very light and comfortable! We won't get the chance to call her bluff so let's just take her word for it, shall we?

You can enter by submitting your shoe story here

The Shoe Galleries open on the 23rd September

 

Above is just one view of this shoe paradise, and Selfridges' Director of Accessories Sebastian Manes describes what The Shoe Galleries will look like when complete:

"Imagine you are in a gallery. From the entrance you see a succession of doorways, and at the end a huge window flooding the space with daylight. Your journey begins at the front, with shoes from the best of the high street. Slowly you begin to travel through different galleries until you reach the end - the couture designer gallery, flanked by Chanel and Louboutin, and a vision of Eden - the new suspended garden at Selfridges. Shoe heaven!"

And don't forget to grab some Pierre Hermé macarons on the way out!

Scenes from a Rural Niagara Zoo

There's a zoo in Stevensville, Ontario, not far from Niagara Falls. It's called Zooz. The other day my parents and I took my daughter and I was pleasantly surprised by our day. Usually I come away from public family places exhausted and not wanting to see another human for a week, but this time I left not dreading going back next year! That's a compliment. We even had the rehearsal and sound check of a Guns N Roses cover band as the soundtrack to our time at the playground near closing time (they have concerts on weekends as well). The singer didn't sound much like Axl Rose but the music was solid and made me want to do this in the sand. 

Now, I'm not sure I like the idea of caged animals unless they're being protected, but they've done a nice job creating marshes and lakes, have metal sculptures juxtaposed nicely against the foliage, and they do a hippo and giraffe feeding. Apparently the hippos spray 'urine and feces' on each other and will do the same to spectators as well. Funny how no one walks away after they tell you that. 

He, or she (I didn't see that 'part') looks sad but hopefully isn't. At one point, this pensive baboon who looked so much like an old man, actually unnerved me a bit by looking right at me. I suddenly felt self-conscious taking photos.

A pile of lemurs which looked like little freaky-eyed pandas

Every zoo needs a water park. Actually, when you have kids with you, and it's freaking hot, it does.

 

 

A rare sighting of Coca-Cola in its natural habitat

 

Giraffes are such unusual and fascinating creatures. They had a male and a female named Noah and Rainbow. If I had to name them I might have gone with Mr. Furley and Tori Spelling.

 

 

 

New Model is 'Equal Parts Björk and Snow White'

That's the description WWD gave Beth Chase, a newly discovered model from Utah, and it's spot on. We're more than ready for a face like hers. As exquisite as the angel-alien Russians may be, they've had their time. This girl is a breath of fresh mountain air. I wonder if she can sing Some Day My Prince Will Come in raspy, broken (Bjorken?) English?

You can read about how this 5'10, 19-year-old has a thing for Sylvester Stallone (I hope for her sake he doesn't find out about this) and "respects" Karlie Kloss for getting into modelling at 13, here. Ah, youth.

These two Polaroids drive home the point that aspiring models should be able to pull it off in a white T-shirt and clean face. I once saw a girl go into a modelling agency with her mother, she had an updo straight from the salon and enough makeup to spackle four faces. I won't even get into her outfit but let's just say it was tight and it sparkled.

 

 

Heart-shaped Tastes Best

 
Sorry for the sparse posts lately, blogging has been on my mind but hasn't been firing out of my fingertips much since I've been in Canada. There's something about not having your own equipment that is disconcerting. Is that a good enough excuse? If not, I've got a few more.

This post is for those who were sorry to see Cupcake Monday go - thank you for all the sweet emails and I appreciate you not yelling at me! Today I met Kari, a kindred spirit who loves treats and fashion and owns a boutique in Fonthill and looks like she just walked off a runway. She introduced me to Willow Cakes in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and for that I'm grateful. All of the treats are made fresh in their kitchen which you can see through a large window. It was difficult to choose from the two cases of pastries and cakes but I had to go for the heart-shaped berry mousse and almond tart. I love berries, and who can resist heart-shaped pastries? My dad would be one, but who cares?

It was a dream. The texture of the mousse was smooth and delicate and the berries were just the right sweetness. The almonds and pastry were so good I was surprised, I expected the texture of the almonds to be sharp but rather they harmonized beautifully with the mouse and pastry. If I could think of more descriptive words to do this tart justice I would go on. Suffice to say they know what they're doing at Willow Cakes. Which is why I brought home five more for my family!

Two Balloons

Yesterday we had a party for my daughter's 5th birthday in my parents' backyard. It was an awfully sweaty day with unbearable humidity, but she didn't seem to mind. (I'm not going to complain about the southern Ontario summers because I hear it's been 13-15 degrees back in England, that is just cruel for August.) We had balloons tied about and I took some photos with my new lens. I shot some through the netting of the gazebo and got a nicely washed-out effect.

  

 

 

She outlasted the dog.

An Escaped Gingerbread, An Adopted Duckling and Mittenless Kittens

Do these book covers conjure the scent of the clean flannel pyjamas you wore when you were four? Or the texture of the carpet you sat on cross-legged, dragging your fingers back and forth over it at the local library as you listened to tales during story time?

We were recently in Toronto staying at my mother-in-law's, who has kept all of her son's childhood toys and books. It is doubly amazing because for one, my husband didn't destroy everything he ever played with like me and my brothers did; and two, she kept track of all of it through several moves of house. (One Christmas, my brother Daniel got a toy guitar that played electronic sounds when you pressed buttons. It was his 'big' present, the one that made all of the other presents kind of seem like crap after you opened it. That guitar might sound lame but he was little in the 80s, a time when that was pretty much how things were going with music, if the dominance of Casio products was any indication. Anyway, my dad wanted to be the first to try it out, maybe he'd been dying to ever since he bought it, and he broke it. And that was the end of that. So sometimes in our house toys didn't even make it to the breakfast of meat pies my French-Canadian grandmother made. Why am I not calling it tourtiere? Probably because she's Acadian, not Quebecois.)

What were we talking about? Food? That brings us back to the books, specifically The Gingerbread Man. When I found it in the stack of retro gems and read it to our daughter, I got this flashback memory-feeling of how creepy I found that gingerbread man. Looking at it now I can't see why, but I did and it was strong. And that fox that ate him was nasty, too. Not a feel-good story for the kiddies!

Next is also a delicious subject but without the creepy, The Little Duck. Not that you would eat him! But I must tell you about the poutine I had at Coquine, a French restaurant on Yonge south of Eglinton. They make it with shredded duck confit and brie. I had to. I'm so sorry Little Duck. 

I don't think I owned this book about a boy who hatches an abandoned duck egg and raises it on his farm until he grows up and goes off to make his own duckies, but it was warmly familiar, I think it was one that was read to me at the library. Why didn't I take a photo of the page where he's getting his feathers dried with a hairdryer? He's all soaking wet and getting blasted in the face, it seems a bit much for the little guy!

 

I don't really have anything to say about the Three Little Kittens except that I hear a human voice mewing over and over when I see it, someone who read it to me must have made those sounds. Nice touch. 

They don't really make books like these anymore. Lament not, for we now have Walter the Farting Dog:

Toronto Art: Shaun Downey Finds Fame with 'Blue Coco'

Blue Coco. Shaun Downey

Carrying on with all things Toronto during my stay that is just about *sniff* up - an event that links my former home with my current one - I introduce you to Toronto artist Shaun Downey. The name may ring a bell, however, as may the painting above. Shaun's portrait Blue Coco was recently selected for exhibition in this year's Portrait Award competition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, England. Out of the 58 chosen from 2,177 entries, Shaun's work was singled out to be the 'face' of the gallery's advertising campaign, including a 9-metre-high banner at the museum's entrance on Trafalgar Square to mark the exhibition's opening in June.

It's an intriguing portrait worth a long stare or two, don't you think?

So who's 'Coco'? She's 20 year-old model Dearbhail Bracken-Roche who goes by the fashionable nickname when working. She sat for Shaun at age 17 when the friend of a friend introduced the two, and the rest is now blue-tinged history. Interestingly, she's now living and working in London and has found fame in the city, often being recognised in the street. I suppose that happens when your giant, unusually beautiful face is plastered over one of London's most famous and popular landmarks, as well as the tube stations. (How would you feel? Honoured and thrilled or completely freaked out?)

The artist and muse at the National Portrait Gallery in London. From Shaun's blog.  

As you may have guessed, Shaun prefers to paint portraits. The work featured on his site is exclusively portraiture dating back to 2004, and all of his subjects are women, though they are not always captured in the formal pose. There's a quiet calm about these pictures, as if the seemingly ordinary moment is being held not just within the frame but is occupying a pensive dimension in which we're being granted a peak. The background colours are soft yet often vibrant which make his work, in my mind, 'happy' pictures, something I'd like to look at everyday. His paintings are gorgeous.

Congratulations, Shaun!

The Doorway. Shaun Downey, 2007 

 

Green Mug. Shaun Downey, 2009

 

Holly in Yellow. Shaun Downey, 2009.

 

The Reception. Shaun Downey, 2005

 

The Old Apartment. Shaun Downey, 2006

 

Toronto Cupcake Fix: The Cupcake Shoppe

There are certain things I must do when I come to Toronto for my annual visit home. All of them involve food, but one. I must have a facial at Pure + Simple, visit the authentic French patisseries on Mount Pleasant and Bayview (complete with real French people and I don't mean Quebecois, no offence to my family); eat an Italian focaccia sandwich and a slice of pepperoni pizza from Bocconi at Yonge & St. Clair (I've been going there for 11 years and they have remained consistent throughout); and a cupcake from The Cupcake Shoppe at Yonge & Eglinton. There's a lot more eating involved, of course, and that's usually reserved for exploring new restaurants that have popped up in our absence and visiting old favourites. And I have to admit, a Wendy's Spicy Chicken must be procured as well, there's no Wendy's in England. Don't laugh!

I had to get two of the Creamsicle in case someone else got it before I could try one. I couldn't live with that.

The Cupcake Shoppe is Toronto's first specialty cupcake shop and I used to go there when I worked just a few doors down. That was about 7 years ago and like the other places I've mentioned, they are still delish and have remained consistent. They are small cupcakes with light frosting and you tend not to feel too bad about eating one (not that I ever did!). My favourite is the After Ate (chocolate and mint) and today I saw the Creamsicle for the first time and knew I had to have it. I'm on my way out to meet friends for sushi but I just ate half of one (ok, half of two) and it was oh so nice. The flavour in these cakes lingers and intensifies after you've taken a bite. That's gooood cupcake.

And the Winner of the Swelle Giveaway is...

LAUREN!

Congratulations to Lauren who won the $80 gift card for CSN Stores! Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway and to CSN Stores for providing the generous prize.

A giveaway for UK residents is coming up in a few weeks when everyone is back from hols. Hint: Shoes.

Noémiah in the National Post

 

 

Imagine my surprise and delight when on Saturday I looked down at the table in my mother-in-law's living room - we're in Toronto now! - and saw Noémiah's gorgeous illustrations by Miss Paule T.B. spanning the entire cover of the National Post's Style section! The gestural renderings of Noémie Vaillancourt's beautiful and unusual feather and chain jewellery were most obviously the highlight of the feature on Montreal's Festival Mode & Design, which practically gushed about the exciting design talent produced by this vibrant and electric Canadian city. 

Swelle Boutique currently offers an exclusive mini-collection of one-off necklaces and earrings by Noémiah. There are four pieces left!

Flip-flops: Summer's Assassins

I knew they were bad. Those flimsy slats of spongy stuff with only a rubber thong to keep us in place couldn't possibly be good for our feet. And now the reports are in from general practitioners, podiatrists and emergency room physicians that prove that the flip-flop is out to get us when we least expect it - if common sense eluded us in the first place.

Take them out of their natural habitat, the beach, and into the office, the mall, the night club - it's been done, *shudder* - and put yourself at risk of chronic foot and ankle pain, back injuries, escalator mishaps and seriously awkward looking falls, which if taped may get you shown alongside America's Funniest Home Videos' 'crotch injury' montage. 

Death by Haviana

Wearing flip-flops while driving is the danger equivalent of texting, applying mascara, shaving, and engaging in adult 'relations' - in other words, you greatly increase your chances of exchanging insurance details with an angry stranger, or worse - getting up close and personal with your local coroner.

“There have been episodes of horrific collisions caused when someone was unable to brake because their flip-flop became caught,” Joanne Banfield, manager for trauma injury prevention at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, tells the Toronto Star. 

The Silent Mangler

Banfield says there are limited statistics about injuries related to flip-flops because it's often not determined immediately that an injury is directly related to wearing the sandals.

“Someone could have a hairline fracture or a sprain and never attribute it to their flip-flops,” says Banfield. 

See? Diabolical.

Ride a bike wearing flip-flops and you may find yourself enjoying the scenery one minute and the next - losing your shoe and your balance in a split second then slamming your boy or girl crotch on the crossbar (Morrissey had something awesome to say about this: "I crashed down on the crossbar and the pain was enough to make a shy, bald buddhist reflect and plan a mass murder" - you don't want to chance that.)

For the record, I have never owned a pair of flip-flops, ever. They aren't comfortable for daily wear (I don't care what people say!), they offer zero support and make you unconsciously scrunch your toes to keep them on (however, I am acutely aware when this happens, it feels weird and nasty) which causes all kinds of anatomical problems, and I cannot wear a thong - when that plastic or rubber touches the skin between my toes it triggers something that makes me feel instantly sick to my stomach. Apparently I'm not alone on this, a friend also has the same reaction and shuns the trend. And with my track record of stepping in dog poop, I'd like a little more between me and the brown offenders than a wafer of cheap sponge. 

Photo: CycleChic.com

It's a Swelle Giveaway!

I'd like to mention straight away that this contest is open to Canadian and American residents only as delivery is limited to these countries. Sorry for that, but there will be a giveaway following that anyone readers can enter. 

This giveaway comes courtesy of CSN Stores who offer everything from shoes to dining room furniture to housewares. The prize is a one-time use $80 gift certificate to be spent on any of CSN Stores 200+ websites - in other words, the winner gets a shopping spree! The selection above is some of my picks of items you can buy with the $80, such as a Flirty apron or Jasper Conran dinner plates; or apply it toward something bigger like the duck egg blue Eames-style chair - nice!

To enter, simply do the following:

1. Tell us in the comments what you would buy with your $80 from CSN Stores

2. 'Like' The Swelle Life on Facebook

3. Follow The Swelle Life on Twitter

For an extra entry each you can re-tweet this giveaway on Twitter and post it on your blog. Be sure to let me know in the comments that you have done so, with a link back to the blog post!

Please note: there may be shipping charges or in the case of a Canadian winner, international fees, for certain products.

The giveaway closes on Tuesday, August 3rd at midnight, GMT (I'll be in Toronto!). The winner will be chosen using random.org and announced the following day. Good luck!

Summer Sale at Swelle Boutique!

The Summer Sale has begun at Swelle Boutique, with up to 40% off one-of-a-kind and limited edition dresses, tops and skirts - plus free shipping worldwide! Cue the fireworks and party streamers, and where's my megaphone? I've also installed a new photo viewer so when you click on the photos on the product pages you get a nice, slick presentation.

The Liana Dress from Neue (top left) has been a popular one to try on with the local girls, its sweet styling in Italian silk with gorgeous pleat detailing is hard to resist, but with its empire waist and button front it's best suited to small busts. If you're petite and have had your eye on the Liana, now's your chance to get this limited edition, tailored, silk dress at a reduced price. The sleeveless Viviana Dress is extremely flattering on, with stunning pleats, and there's just one left in size small. 

The Dagger Dress by Rowanjoy (top middle) has been featured around the blogosphere and is one of Swelle's most drooled over pieces. As it's a one-off it comes in only one size, a UK 10 which is true to size. The Dagger Tee is really lovely, hand screenprinted in an art deco design with a neckline of vintage floral cotton and lace appliques on the front. It's long enough to wear with leggings. A one-off in UK size 10.

What can I say about Lu Flux? Her Plume Skirt is a dream with 10 layers of individually cut and sewn plumes or petals (I like to think of them as petals) with a beautifully finished interior of organic cotton with fully finished edges. The two that are left are done in different fabrics, making each a one-off - and they're £100 off! Pair the skirt with the Bow Tie vest or Bow Tie T-shirt (only one left!) of organic cotton with an inlaid 'bow'. The Marsupium Pocket Dress is a very easy fitting and substantial one-off dress of organic cotton that fits small to large sizes. It has a band of pockets in different fabrics all around the waist and looks great cinched with a belt or ribbon. I would have shown it that way had I thought of it before the photo shoot! 

CYN.fONG, the star of Designer Series, Knitwear, has handknit three adorable tops and embellished them with textured knit bows, beading and Swarovski crystals in summery, ice-cream colours. During the summer/autumn transition you could layer a short or long-sleeved blouse under this one. Adorable!

Support independent designers and look awesome doing it!

The Worst Interior Design of 1974

"Hi, Sharon? Today I finally found shoes to match my toilet! Is your telephone leaking, too?"

Awful interior design is awesomely entertaining, mainly because we know it began as someone's vision of a beautiful and idyllic living space, and it's fun to try to get our heads around that. The 1970s - a decade I did experience nearly in its entirety - was pretty much a revolt against good taste, typified by snot-green household appliances and casino-inspired carpet and walls that my husband thinks were designed to mask 'fluid' stains. (Don't think about that one too long.)

The worst/best thing about these photos put together by omodern.com are the models. I don't know what was going on there, but this was the decade that gave us the 'Big Momma' underpants from Sears for plus size ladies, and Welcome Back, Kotter. Different things were deemed acceptable back then, such as a pervy little boy trying to get a peek under sis' skirt:

"Go on, bend over and pour us more drinks. Feel free to make a phone call while you're down there and take your time doing it."

"Honey, I know how hard you try, but your cooking smells like horse shit."

Naked and cowering over the tub, Carol found the yellow and brown bathroom fixtures multiplying at an alarming rate.

A room so hideous it frightened children to death.

Cupcake Monday! The Final Edition

As much as I love cupcakes and the incredible things people do with them, this is going to be the last 'official' Cupcake Monday. I'll still do food-related posts when I find things that inspire, and no doubt some irresistible cupcakes will be making a guest appearance in the future, but I think we've had a good run and it's time to end the formality of it here. If you are really sad to see it go do let me know and I'll be sure to include cute cuppies on a more regular basis. I may finally even roll out that blue fondant icing that has been in my kitchen since Christmas! (Will that even be good anymore? Am I daft to even ask?)

I think I'm going through a transitional phase now that my focus is on the shop, and with change usually comes a sort of shake-up. I'll still be true to what I do on The Swelle Life, it's the only way I can do it, but I just feel it's time to let this one go.

Oh, WOW! I just went to check when I published my first Cupcake Monday and I can't believe it but it was July 14, 2009 - exactly one year ago! I think that's a sign.

So, what a better send-off than Zalita's ridiculously adorable and detailed cupcake 'scenes' - a cobblestone garden path;  'Extra-cheesy Mushroom and Salami Pizza' and a Coke complete with straw; and 'Candy Pop Land' - sweets topped with sweets! 

To take a walk down Cupcake Monday memory lane, you can scroll through the last 52 posts here. I just may highlight my favourites in a follow-up post, there are some amazing things!

 

Come on, how cute is this?

Sidewalk to Catwalk: Canine Couture

 

This dog is thinking 'I know you like what you see'

Every dog should have a faux (of course!) leather coat with quilted trim and fancy gold buttons! These stylin' doggie duds are from Inka Inesca, a designer who obviously loves dogs and wants them to look good. Hey, if pups have to do their business in public why not make the most of it? And if the neighbourhood pooches are coming around for an extra sniff or two of your little guy, you'll know why.

She makes high quality, custom coats with Velcro fastenings for your furry friend based on measurements you provide, and then Fifi will be ready to strut on the sidewalk - especially if she's wearing this Chanel-inspired little number:

 

 

We lost our little guy recently. He was a rescue dog that my husband named The Dude (as in The Dude from The Big Lebowski and also known as Dude, Dudernomy, Duderino, Duder and Little Dude). We had to leave him behind with my mother-in-law in Toronto who graciously took him in when we moved to England, and he went on to have the nicest life any dog could hope for. We miss you, Little Dude. Our visit home soon won't be the same without you.

This is my daughter reading to him last summer at her grandmother's, she loved to pull up a chair when he was resting in his bed and read him stories:

 

New at Swelle Boutique: NOÉMIAH

 

Plumerie Earrings from Noémiah

Swelle Boutique has introduced a new accessories collection from a Swelle Life favourite, Montreal designer Noémiah. Her delicate feather and chain jewellery has earned her a strong following of fans who love the tactile beauty of her work.

For her Swelle Boutique debut Noémiah has created the Vintage Collection of exclusive one-off earrings and necklaces featuring her signature style mixed with vintage findings. You can view this six piece collection here. 

My favourite? The Paradis earrings, below. So cool and dreamy.

  Photos by Denise Grayson

Cupcake Monday! The Vintage Tea Set Topper Edition

Now this person went well above and beyond what anyone would expect of a decorated cupcake! The talented (and patient) Zalita has created a tiny vintage replica tea set out of sugar (I'm assuming), complete with placemat, Swiss roll and even its own butterfly-topped cupcake treat! I love the tiny spoon and the floral decoration on the teapot and cup. I'm not sure whether this was meant to be eaten but if so, there is no way I'd be able to do it. It's just too darn cute. Okay, maybe the Swiss roll wouldn't make it out alive...

The Swelle Life on Lua Jewelry Blog

Recently I was interviewed by the really lovely Lucia of Lua Jewelry, a kindred blog that also celebrates the beautiful things in design and that around us. I must publicly thank Lucia for waiting so patiently to receive a photo to accompany the interview (I liked her questions), I much prefer to be behind the camera. And if the difference between the photos of myself and that of my models tells me anything, it's that the camera prefers that, too. (And no I don't have cramps, I'm just clutching at my coat for some reason!)

Lucia is based in Santa Domingo and Miami, loves her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and brings us daily posts that are visually intriguing and not cheap with the words when it counts. It's a blog that gives a nice jolt of inspirational energy when I visit so please do take a look!

You can read the interview with Yours Truly here 

Thank you, Lucia! ♥

Paris Haute Couture: Givenchy, Gaultier, Valentino et Chanel

 

Valentino's super-sweet collection, nicely balanced with a bit of weighty symbolism in the form of cages and underpinnings that tie in with its title The Dark Side of First Love, comes courtesy of Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli (proving to be the right appointment?). This is the couture collection that made me squeal. The society ladies just won't know what to do with this one. 

Karl Lagerfeld indulged in moody-hued, embellished and beaded tapestries, sometimes with matching boots (not so sure about those but then, that's so Chanel). The first two looks are my favourites, they are divine:

The embellished transparency combined with the textured striping of this skirt and top from Jean Paul Gaultier really appeals to me. And I just love this photo of Karlie Kloss in the chic trench looking exactly like a designer's fashion illustration come to life. The girl is not yet 18 years old and is the most sophisticated presence on the runway, and no one walks quite like her:

 

Dita von Teese modelled two outfits for Gaultier. Now, I'm not sure what's going on here but I'll assume it's just an unfortunately timed photo and she's not actually doing the robot, or vogueing. Or both.

Riccardo Tisci doesn't want to show Givenchy couture anymore, he will only do private appointments so the clothes will be that much more exclusive. They were far enough out of my reach as they were but thanks for drawing that line in the sand a little deeper. Well, that's one way it was told. Another way is that he opted for intimate presentations so the details could be fully appreciated (I like that one better.) A quick glance is all it takes to see that these opulent dresses and jackets are rich with painstakingly complex textures that are exquisite and never extraneous, and for me, that is haute couture at its most indulgent and best. And Tisci managed to do it without using black (one chocolate brown dress and jacket was close). Bravo. 

According to Style.com's Tim Blanks "He claimed his inspiration was Frida Kahlo and her three obsessions: religion, sensuality, and, given the painter's lifelong battle with spinal pain, the human anatomy. The zipper pulls were little bones, a belt was a spinal column re-created in porcelain." I'm a bit tired of anatomy as a theme as its been done to death in recent years (how many ribs and skulls can one take?) and Schiaparelli and Dali did it way back in the 30s, but when it's interpreted this beautifully - who cares?

Those white sandals look a bit incongruent, no?

Photos Style.com

A Wardrobe that Looks Like a Georgian Dollhouse

I found this wardrobe with the facade of a Georgian dollhouse on the site I bought our sideboard from. It's The Furniture Rooms and they sell antiques as well as reproductions. Our sideboard get lots of compliments when people first come to our house and it's my favourite piece of furniture:

 

Now, that Georgian dollhouse wardrobe is one cool piece of furniture but it comes at a hefty price, £3250 to be exact. If I were considering spending that kind of money I would like to know more than this:

Georgian style dolls house wardrobe. The wardrobe opens up to a hanging rail and has a neat mini mahogany door on the front. h213 x w128 x d55 cm

But what's it made of, wood? What kind? Where is it made? Is it grey or white? Can we see inside? Those drawers look like a facade, is that right? Tell us more so we can convince our significant others that we really need this!

When something is so obviously special and comes with a weighty price tag it only makes sense to tell us everything you possibly can. I wrote about that in a previous post, how perplexing it is that the seller wouldn't tell us just how cool their thing is and take the chance that one or two images are enough to convince us to hit the 'buy' button. I describe every detail of the pieces in my shop, Swelle Boutique, otherwise, how will you know just how great they are? And there's a certain lack of trust that I feel when I see very brief descriptions that leave you asking questions, even when the item is a £30 dress or something even cheaper. It's our money and we want to know what we're getting, we can't see it or touch it and your words are all we have.

Luckily, The Furniture Rooms is a reputable company that delivered on a great piece of furniture (and a neat 70s vase) and I would buy from them again. I took a chance buying our sideboard based on only two exterior views and a very brief description. I just think they should do their pieces justice with more elaborate descriptions. It only takes another minute!

Here's an Art Deco Fan Lamp I passed on when I bought the others because it wasn't an essential, and it's now sold and oh boy does it sting:

And if you're into dollhouses you might like this and this and this.

Dior's Beautiful Blooms

Fans of flowers will be enchanted by Dior's F/W Haute Couture collection which celebrated the vivid colours and sensual textures of flora. And as we expect from high fashion there were some wonderful oddities to take things out of this world. Steven Jones created head pieces resembling florist's cellophane, which the models bee-like hairstyles - not 'beehive' like, they actually resembled the cinched abdomen shape of the little stingers - were wrapped up in, like a bouquet. The dresses were the usual Galliano ultra-feminine opulence, this time with some voluminous tulle skirts.

 

This is amazing hair:

And the prettiest flower of them all, the grandest of couturier/beekeepers:

Photos have been collaged using original runway shots by Monica Feudi/GoRunway.com

Cupcake Monday! The Pink and Black Edition

Today I've discovered Eva's Cupcakes on Flickr and they are most certainly among the most pretty and adorable that I've ever seen. I loved every single one of them but couldn't show them all, so I've grouped them in black and pink for this edition and will return with others at a later date. I can't find anything about Eva's Cupcakes other than photos on Eva Blixman's photography blog which I can't read because it's Swedish, but I'm wondering if Eva's skills extend to making the gorgeous cupcakes she photographs?

These Boots Were Made for...a Weekend in Paris

  

Valensi suede boots, Neue coat and Wolford tights

Update: The competition is now on! I would HUGELY appreciate your votes at my page on the Sarenza blog here. You can vote once a day until the 15th when the competition closes. Thank you!! ♥

You know how I prefer to be behind the camera rather than working it in front, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to not only get a new pair of shoes or boots from Sarenza but also have a chance to win a weekend in my favourite city, Paris. To get that chance I had to post a photo of myself wearing my new pair on my blog (done) which will then be featured on the Sarenza blog for voters. The photo with the most votes from July 5 -10 wins. Now, I'm not a very competitive person but a trip to Paris is something I'm willing to fight for. Or at least pose for.

I chose these grey suede tall flat boots from Valensi over several others I had shortlisted because I can wear them with and for just about anything, and I wanted a pair I could pull on. I've got some boots I love but I don't love putting on. These are nice and easy. I like 'em.

You know how I struggle with styled pics. Since the days of shooting into the mirror are over and I invariably get snarky with my husband when I ask him to take my shots - it's easier to blame him for photos where I look as if I watched the movie in The Ring than it is to face facts - I tried using the tripod with the self-timer. It took some trial and error and at first I had the proportions of a Shetland pony. If you don't mind I may ask you to vote for me when the photos go up. Paris is calling and I can't ignore it.

The Gorgeous Gardens of Cragside Pt. 2 (Plus a Really Cool House)

Carrying on from yesterday's post (see below) here are more flowers from our visit to Cragside's formal garden and photos of the house itself which I find hard to believe was built in 1863 but my husband doesn't.

 

 

 

Being afraid of heights I got a bit freaked out walking on the foot bridge which you can see in the middle below, but it was the only way to the house from where we were. It's not terribly high so I looked like quite a wuss.

This is our house. That's what I would be saying if I was Lord Armstrong, if he was still alive. It's built into a rocky hillside above a 4 km² forest garden. And you thought you had a lot to prune. Having seen it we can't fathom the maintenance. We took the scenic route out of there and drove for about 10 minutes, trying not to scrape the sides of the car against the rocks, before we were finally out. It is a truly stunning and awesome landscape.

The house boasts a sandstone rock garden that is said to be Europe's largest.