The new collection by Charlotte Hosten, Montreal jewellery-designer extraordinaire, has hit stores. Called Tea at Rosemary’s, the collection is meant to evoke “a ladies get together on a warm summer day in the lovely garden of their friend. Porcelain cups, women’s secrets and dreams, travel memories, carnations and daisies bouquets – true friendships between inspiring women.”

Doesn’t that description make you so happy? And the creations are such eye candy, so beautifully assembled from a lovely mix of materials.  ♥

Montreal-made La Raffinerie jewellery has been tempting me for the past few months. These African-inspired necklaces and earrings feature colourful silk or satin and contrasting vintage pendants.  Created by Julia Vallelunga of the popular blog À La Mode Montréal, these stylish pieces would add some colour and style to a simple outfit. It’s high-time I get one for myself. Which one should I get?!

The Uniform Project is the sort of fundraiser that speaks to me. I am constantly struggling to shut my dresser drawers and am way too often on the hunt for spare clothes hangers. In short: I love clothes and I own many. Too many. Oftentimes it seems wasteful and greedy when I think of the poverty that abounds in this world… The project was started by a woman named Sheena Matheiken who wore just one black dress for a whole year. The challenge was to style the dress in different ways; to exercise her creativity to make each outfit look unique. Now the Uniform Project has become more widespread with many people taking the challenge of wearing the same dress every day for a month. Montrealer Angie Johnson, of Norwegian Wood fame, has risen to the challenge and is styling one black dress every day for a month. Donations collected will go to Free the Children. Check out her daily style shots, donate, and tell me you’re not inspired.

via Lake Jane

Happy Monday! I am officially self-employed as of today. Perhaps the first day of the rest of my life? Only time will tell!

This weekend we had an amazing Lebanese meal with friends at La Sirène De La Mer. It was my first time at this Town Mount-Royal resto which serves fine Lebanese cuisine in an upscale setting. It’s nothing like the food you can get at Lebanese fast food joints like Amir here in Montreal. I would say I was among the 5% of patrons who weren’t Lebanese. Basically it’s: Welcome to Lebanon! And we ate in a truly Lebanese way, enjoying several mezze dishes placed in the centre of the table. The best tabbouleh and fattoush salads you ever tasted – the latter being my FAVE. Flavourful kibbeh, filo pastry cigars stuffed with salty cheese, and stuffed grape leaves – not just a Greek thing. Hummus, baba ghabouj and garlic sauce (apparently called toum) for dipping.  Lebanese pita and nuts and marinated veggies. The Lebanese version of steak tartar.  Spicy sausage dishes.  Skewered chicken and beef served with roasted whole onions and tomatoes and French fries…. And I’m skipping some dishes here! To crown it some arak, the Lebanese version of ouzo (see the white drink being poured in the first photo). I didn’t eat of everything because I was near to bursting. It was a decadent night with amazing company.