Scarpetta Toronto at the Thompson Hotel - Chef de Cuisine Hunter

Recently I was asked to take some pictures for a friend of mine who is the Chef de Cuisine at Scarpetta, in the Thompson Hotel Toronto. He wanted an updated profile photo for their website, and easily enticed me to do so with the promise of food. Little did I know, I was going to have a dinner experience that would change food for me forever!


I took a couple of girlfriends with me and I had the most delicious meal I can remember. I had the butternut squash soup (hold the brussel sprouts), the handmade spaghetti (which I wanted to try even though I am not partial to spaghetti but websites were raving about it - and I can tell you it's the truth!) and an assortment of desserts and italian red. The meal was absolutely PHENOMENAL!!

What good is fabulous food without your fabulous bff? 

I'm not just saying this because he's my friend, but I will never ever feel the same way about butternut squash soup ever again. It was almost to the point that I was having dreams of butternut squash soup. The cravings still exist and I don't know how much longer I can stay away from Scarpetta! I have also never ever experienced spaghetti so delicious that I was at a loss for words- Me! 

I will never feel the same way about spaghetti 

Here is the picture the soon to be famous Chef Hunter choose! 

Chef Hunter's favourite picture 

All cleaned up! 

Scarpetta was a tremendous experience and I throughly enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and the service, they were absolutely unparalleled! Don't hesitate, make your reservation you will not be disappointed! When you go make sure you enjoy three or even four courses, it will change how you feel about food forever! 

As a personal aside: 

I was craving butternut squash soup so much the following monday (and this is not something I eat regularly) that I went to the grocery store at lunch and bought a box. I brought it back to my office, heated it up, took a spoon full, and almost spit it out across the lunchroom table - it was terrible!! Immediately I stood up, disgusted, and dumped the soup down the drain. Butternut squash soup has reached an unprecedented level of food euphoria for me and everything else pales in comparison. 

Next hairstyle: Fishtail Braid

I really want to try doing a fishtail braid, I'm probably going to find a youtube video that will teach me how! And of course I will post it to show you too! 

Blake Lively looks great in any hair style, but I especially love this one! and will probably imitate it very shortly, with practice! 

I will probably try something more similar to this at first, a really tight braid is probably the easiest. 

I really like how each braid looks slightly different 

This video is a little weird with the background music.... but it's a really easy to follow tutorial so check it out! I'm going to try it tomorrow! 

How to Fishtail Braid / Plait

Burch Obsessed

I really hope that Santa baby brings me a Burch bag! I am so tired of my stupid Coach bag that is broken! I'm only using it because it's the only bag big enough to carry all of my stuff around every day (no I'm not reducing the amount of stuff in my purse).  I bought the large black leather with silver detail Julienne a couple of years ago and the handle snapped. I finally got around to taking it in, and they said sure no problem, they would send it in for repair. Apparently Coach ran out of the material to repair the bag - so they sent it back to me - broken! They sent me a gift card for half the value of the bag (not exactly) but all I wanted was my bag fixed! 

I loved this bag :( And instead of having a timeless bag that I can keep forever, that I kept in pristine condition and one day the one handle just snapped! So I need to replace this bag, I still use it because I love it, but I need to replace it with a bag that is actually going to be worth the $700+ I paid for it and last for more than 2 years! 

I do not mind paying for expensive items if they are going to last me, this bag however was a big disappointment. 

That's why I've turned over to Tory Burch! And I'm waiting for the prefect bag to come out from her to replace my huge Coach bag. 

The Reva Clutch 

 Burch Logo scarf 

Blake Lively in a Burch scarf 

This nautical inspired scarf is so cute! Too bad it's too cold where I am to wear a T shirt and scarf like this! Because it's cold I am far more conscious of the clothes in stores right now that are boxy and unflattering so I'm looking for more cute and flattering clothes, but it's so hard when it's so cold out and it's only getting colder! 

Victoria's Secret, Artizia & Jacob

I went into Aritzia today and didn't find any inspiration aside from one cashmere sweater, that really I could take or leave, so I left it. Normally I can find at least a couple of things that I just have to have, but this season the shades are just not doing anything for me. I like really vibrant colours, and they were all really dull. 

They do however have a new parka that I like, I'm over the classic parka that has been around forever, and I like this new one with square front pockets. But seeing as how I just bought a Goose jacket, I can't really justify it. However, if your looking for a winter parka - try this one out! 

Next we went into Jacob and I tried on the skirt from my last post that I really wanted, the sizes were really off and I guess the skirt is supposed to be really short and high-waisted, but it wasn't doing anything for me, so I didn't spend much time mulling it over before leaving the store. I was pretty disappointed because on the mannequin it looked really cute. 

Finally we went into Victoria's Secret, where yet again I was less than impressed. It was actually pretty disappointing! I got a couple of things, but not the one item I was really searching for. We did however smell a couple of perfumes and come across this scent: 

It is absolutely phenomenal, so I bought it! If your looking for a perfume that smells HOT this is the one! This will make you smell sexy no matter what your wearing! 

I couldn't believe how packed the mall was on a sunday night at 7 pm, what were all of these people doing? And why did they have their kids out? I don't think kids should be allowed in the mall on weekends from the beginning of November until the first week of January. It's just too crowded and hectic and for those of us trying to get things done quickly, they just get in our way, and it's annoying no matter how cute they are! 

I have warm climate envy!

I wore my Canada Goose jacket for the first time yesterday and I was toasty warm, I really wish it was warm out so I could wear fabulously cute clothes! Well ok, I am now willing to wear them under my goose jacket because I know that there is no way I will be cold under that arctic quality jacket. 

Nine West - Kaboose 

I like how the peep toe isn't that large. 

The "Bunny dress" - need I say more? 

Does anyone need a winter party dress? 

Tall, hot and lean like my friend Jess? Well how hot would you look in this? 

super cute shoes! 

cozy sweater! 

Tinley scarf 

Tiered skirt - I'm going to buy this tonight! 

from Jacob

If you want to know where any of these items come from just ask :)

Happy Shopping!

I played match maker!!

Very recently I had the opportunity to play cupid! Did this ever make me happy! 

The names and places in this story have been changed to protect the identity of those involved. However, they have not been changed enough that you won't be able to identify them if you suspect you know who they are! 


Last week a friend from work and I, let's call her Hailey, went to get a burger for lunch. We decided to switch it up and go to a specialty burger place, let's call it Quick's. While we were waiting to choose the toppings  for our burgers at Quick's the staff called the guy behind us first! Slightly outraged because we were ahead of him in line, we objected, laughing and started to talk to him, we will call him Jake. 


Because I am so observant, I noticed that Jake was wearing a corporate coat, that matched a very terribly parked corporate van out in the parking lot. Naturally, I made fun of his parking job. Hailey made fun of me for noticing this fact, however, she would come to (but has yet to) thank me later for my observations. 


It was Jake's lucky day when they tried to put peameal bacon on my burger! I was not having that! So Jake volunteered to take my peameal off my hands, so I asked the lady to put the peameal on his burger. She was MORE than slightly confused by this, but after several instructions from us all, finally figured it out and obliged. 


Hailey, Jake and I chatted for a couple of minutes and then it was time for Hailey and I to get back to work, so off we went. 


We got into Hailey's car and she made the passing comment "he was cute" and we waved goodbye to him from the car. At this point I took it upon myself to memorize the name of his company. I knew I was going to need this information if I was going to set them up in the very near future. 


I then asked Hailey if she wanted to go on a date with him. She laughed, and asked me what I was talking about. So I said, "well if you want, I will call his company later and leave a message for him to call you!" 


She laughed, but I don't think she really took me seriously, not sure why, anyone that really knows me would know that I was being serious! 


The following day, I called the company, spoke with the secretary, and told her that I wanted to leave a message for Jake, and left "my" (Hailey's) phone number. 


AND!!! 


Drum roll please!! He called her first thing on monday morning when he got the message! And they talked, and they went on a date last night!! And there might even be a second date!!! And they had something to talk about - lol the way they were set up! 


I really hope this works out so that I can tell this story at their wedding, if there is a wedding! No pressure guys! 

Feeling a little nostalgic

I'm feeling a little bit nostalgic today......... maybe it's because I'm under the weather but I got to thinking about the here and now, the moments we live and the people we love. 


Do you ever get annoyed by a parent or sibling or friend? I know I do often I will readily admit it. But one day, those annoyances will be dearly missed. Even though we don't consciously hope for tomorrow and we expect that the future is a guarantee - deep down we know that it really isn't. We know on some conscious level that no matter what we should appreciate those closest to us as often as we can, but we don't. It's so cliche isn't it, the "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" saying? 


As I get older I have started to realize more and more who the really true and well-intentioned people are around me, and I want to keep them close. I will do just about anything for those people. And those who are not well-intentioned or are far too concerned with themselves to care about how anyone else feels, they can kiss my white ass! Truly, I would rather not have them around at all. I know I can look at certain people and think that if they weren't a part of my life anymore, I really wouldn't be bothered. I don't think that is a callous statement at all, it's just the truth. 


The best of friends don't have to keep in touch or see each other all the time to jump back into that wonderful friendship.  You can be miles and miles apart from someone but still know that they care for you. Life takes us all down different paths, but those paths are never really that far apart. They are only as far apart as we allow them to be. 


I know that when I am the age that my mother is now, I will miss her dearly, even those little ways in which she annoys me by loving me or caring too much. The other night she and I were talking, and I started to get annoyed when she was peppering me with questions, but I thought to myself "one day I will really miss this" and I went and kissed her on the top of the head, and then I left the room laughing to myself. And she, knowing me so well, just smiled and didn't say a word. 


There is a huge difference between 17 and 27 as we all know or will find out. At 17 your parents are a nuisance and seem to prevent you from getting into all kinds of fun or trouble, at 27 they are your friends. There are a few years when you really wonder if they know what they are talking about, but then you find out that they really do. Even if you disagree with them partially or completely, they will always be there for you. 


So love them and everyone around you dearly, because you never know when you might not have tomorrow.