Highlights from LA and PalmSprings

A few photos from a very fun trip to L.A. and Palm Springs.

 The stunning Venice Canals

Blown away by all the contemporary architecture in Venice

This is along the boardwalk

 The lobby of The Palihouse West Hollywood!

Staying here was a huge highlight of my trip.

#dreamy!

Interior Design by Heather Ashton

Look at this gorgeous space. Full kitchen! Gorgeous mix of materials rugs, marble, velvet etc etc. Loved.

 Gjelina on Abbot Kinney!

Great food and people watching.

 On Sunset Blvd.

Another highight was visiting my friend fellow Illustrator Betsy Everitt in her beautiful home in Brentwood. Here she is in her garden.

Betsy's House on Canyon Road

#wow

 Fantastic cafe!
Joan's on Third in L.A.
Best grilled cheese sandwich ever

The Getty

Architect Richard Meier

My sketch

Incredible midcentury architecture in Palm Springs #Donald Wexler

One of my favourite places in the world to be

Saturday night at the bar at F'amilia with MM.

Dreamy Holiday Get Away

Bonjour! I've just returned from a dreamy holiday away in Montréal.

(American Readers take note!: Montréal is a beautiful historic city in Quebec Canada with gorgeous architecture, great shopping + restaurants. ie. All the charm of Europe without the expense!
Added bonus: I think they have the best bagels in the world.)

Old Montreal looking so cozy + romantic at Christmas time.

One of the biggest reasons for the dreamiest of my trip (in addition to my travelling companion bien sur!) was our hotel! We stayed at the Hotel Gault in Old Montreal and I can't recommend it enough.

Hotel Gault Exterior - I loved this elegant corner door

The Gault is a boutique hotel housed in a former textile headquarters which was built in 1871.
The façade is considered "Second Empire-style" (ie influenced by the buildings of Haussman's Paris) and features vertical pilasters carved into blue-gray limestone.  It's a five storey building with only 30 loft suites making it truly "boutique". The first floor featured a restaurant, cafe and cozy library with a fireplace. The staff were very welcoming and always friendly + helpful.

 
 Hotel Gault Exterior. Tres snowy!
The exterior of the building is in complete contrast to the very contemporary + beautifully designed interiors.

Our Room Night 1

Check out that wall - I never met an 19th century exposed brick wall I didn't like. :-)

Our Room next couple nights

 - featuring: foyer, work area, to-die-for bathroom with mod tub + lux fixtures plus (not seen in photo) - tres comfy King bed,  lots of custom closets and **2 beautiful french windows which opened up to the most dreamy view. **

The rooms were so big- they felt like little loft apartments rather than hotel rooms. SIGH.

(Don't hate me. :-)

Beautiful view from one of the french windows. 

Breakfast at L'Express

Atwater Market

 Dinner at Joe Beef

Very cozy interior with great filled chalkboards.

View from the Bar

Me on Rue des Artistes in Old Montreal

Breakfast at Beautys

92 year old Founder Hymie Sckolnick holding a postcard of himself from 1942 (!)

Closeup of postcard. (Is that not the cutest?)

Place d'Armes + Notre Dame Basilica looking very special + Christmasy

 Close up of Maisonneuve Monument in front of Notre Dame

Noel bread

Other highlights included:
- visit with Louis and Charles 
- le Cartet on Mcgill St
- a visit to Pointe-à-Callière: Montreal's Museum of Archaeology + History (A-mazing)
- very special Christmas dinner with sweet Zab + family
and a visit to Fairmount bagels to stock up on sesame bagels for the drive home.
Num num.

*Au revoir Montreal! Je t'aime.*

Cozy snowy day in Toronto

One of my fave Toronto cafes: Luna cafe at 181 Dovercourt Rd. (at Argyle)
Is it not cozy looking?
Taken on serene walk back home from the Y.

Meeting Araceli

Meeting Araceli

Delicious lunch at Rustic Cosmo Cafe

Now that's neighbourly!

Owner of Blacksmith Cycle Mike with espresso + fresh banana bread
(I know.. he looks way too young to be the owner of anything!)

The gorgeous Gazelle "Tour populair" that Mike carries in the shop.
What a beauty.

Today I popped into Blacksmith cycle (which is now open!) to continue my bicycle search.
After giving me the low down on his beeyooteeful Gazelle bikes - owner Mike offered me not only an excellent americano from the shop's espresso bar but also a scrumptious piece of banana bread to go with it. Now that's neighbourly.
I wanted to say " Where am I? In an 19th century Amish town?"
:-)

ps. The bad news is: there are too beautiful bikes to choose from.
The good news is: I can't buy them all but I can draw them all. :-)

NYC Day 7

Great Brunch at Peels
325 Bowery


Yum.

Highly recommended both for food and the interiors!

Visit to McNally Jackson bookstore on Prince at Mulberry
I bought Bruno Marni's Design as Art which I have been meaning to read for a while.

Veselka Cafe in the East Village (since 1954!)
144 2nd Avenue

Bike News: Beatrice Stolen (gasp!) + new shop in the hood!

Through tears (just kidding) I announce that my trusty companion Beatrice was stolen from me today in broad daylight. Yes the horror. Below is one of the last pictures I took of her in front of a brand new bike shop Blacksmith Cycle which is just about to open down the street! (1101 Queen St. West). Bike geeks -that's you Steve + Graeme- read all about it here. I've been peeking in as they've been working on the space and can tell it's gonna be beeyooteeful. There is a blackboard wall + an espresso bar. (!!)

But back to Beatrice...
It is a sad day + I feel a loss. Condolences can be left in the comments section.
xx

Special lunch with Sasha at the AGO's restaurant FRANK.
(love the name - named after Frank Gehry who designed the wonderous reno)

Trip to the Junction

On the weekend I took a trip to the Junction with my friend Valerie.


First stop: A visit to Reclamation Post and Beam
A salvage shop which offers architectural details + fixtures gathered at auction houses, demolitions, estate sales and on country jaunts! Amazing one of a kind finds.
2869 Dundas St West

Valerie thought this black and white gable would add some much needed character to a modern concrete loft!

I think maybe I need this pine cupboard circa 1890

Then over to Smash
2880 Dundas Street West

These old windows would make amazing room dividers

Valerie with old stocking lasts

Brunch at the beet cafe afterwards.
2945 Dundas Street West.
yum.

Windsor Arms High tea

The lovely Margot Austin with our tea and scones

The devon cream - so decadent.

After lifting up these tongs above I was filled with an intense desire to put them in my purse. (Weighty hotel cutlery always has this effect on me!)

Hotel Exterior. So charming.

Yesterday I enjoyed a lovely business meeting- slash- High tea combo at the Windsor Arms Hotel. Settling into the tea room with scones, devon cream + tea on a very cold Toronto day felt like the perfect place to be.