Fudge Brownies with Salted Caramel topping
yield: 24 brownies
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 cups AP Flour
2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips (I used Hersheys Special Dark)
preheat oven to 350 degrees, prepare 9×13 pan
1. Melt butter in a sauce pot. Add sugar and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until sugar has melted slightly and liquid is silky.
2. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Use a spatula to scrape all butter into bowl.
3. Add eggs one at a time, stirring between each one. Add cocoa powder and stir until fully combined.
4. Add baking powder, salt and flour. Stir until just combined, though make sure there are no lumps or ‘pockets’ full of flour in the batter. Add the chocolate chips.
5. Pour into a prepared 9×13 pan and use the back of a spoon to spread out evenly. Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool at least one hour before cutting.
Salted Caramel Topping
yield: 1 cup topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Whole Milk
2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
Salt, for topping
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Christmas in Bombay
WINTER 2010
Ok..not yet winter..but still wanted to capture the activity in December..Once we booked our tickets to India for christmas, we could not think or do anything that was not related to the holiday. A simple request like 'can you fix the lightbulb in my room dad?" would elicit a response.."no, we'll do it when we get back from India". Anyways, we spent our time buying gifts for everyone and ourselves.
The travel to bombbay was tiring but good. we had a stopover in paris for 2 hours..where i changed Kimberly;s dirty diaper in the children's play area..i was tired and the airport washroom (at least where we were seated) did not have a baby changetable. so there..an explanation if Kimberly ever gets to reading this post and finds out the nasty thing I did. anyways, Kyren/Yohann/Keith and mum travelled home in one car..keith told us later that the boys were looking around surprised and trying to comprehend the birthplace of their parents and Yohann made an observation "looks like the city was destroyed and the only thing that survived was the people" ha ha..that was only the beginning...when they rode in a rickshaw for the first time..they jumped in excitedly and started looking around for seatbelts..
We had a great great time in bbay..everynight we sat around until midnight sipping wine and chatting. Mum made sure we had great food which we would always remember..and she's accomplished that. fried bombils/ targollas/ coconut water and malai. Chappatis in the morning for b/fast/ brun bread/ multigrain bread/ cheese/ jam and eggs. lunch was fish curry/ rice/ 2 vegetables and fried fish. Dinner was a feast of and un-gravy dish/ cutlets/fried chicken..i am salivating even now.
Joel came running home from school everyday and devoted every minute and breath of his playing with kyren, yohann and kimberly. I miss you joel, so much. Jane/Elvido came home everyday after work and spent all of their free time with us. Fiona came in from Mauritius a few days later. she is Mrs Claus. she bought tons of gifts for the kids and homemade christmas cake which was to die for. Aunty Elsa and Noreen came and spent a couple of days with us. Aunty Elsa made the most amazing cheesestraws. kyren is begging me to learn..but i dont' think mine would turn as good as the original.
Christmas in Bbay.
We went for midnight mass and was surprised to see the entire Domenic colony was decorated with Christmas lights including the inside lanes...such a beautiful sight and so christmassy...all around the church there were shops with an abundance of christmas sweets/ decorations/ and people hurrying about trying to get their shopping done.
We had such a feast on Christmas day (Roast Chicken/ Sorpotel/ Meat Loaf/ Roast Beef/Salad/ Rice/ Sanaas/ and christmas sweets for Dessert.
The boys had a fantastic time in bombay. Their aunts spoiled them rotten. They went to the play zone at Inorbit mall frequently. Yohanna tried paper dosas and Kimberly tried a rava dosa plain.
We all went to Manori, which is a small island just outside bombbay. so serene and quite and we took a horse carriage to reach the bungalow that we booked. We played on the beach and the boys built sand castles. Kimberly sat on a fishing boat and refuse to vacate it. we had to pull her out kicking and screaming. We went to far end of the beach for a walk where couples make out..and Kimberly went into a rocky area where she parked herself and did not want to move. we again had to carry her kicking and screaming...
The smell of sea water combined with the white foamy waves should make it into the book of awesome.
GOA
We arrived in Goa on Jan 1st and stayed with the banglore gang..we went that night to dinner at Cavallis with all of them. We were 20 of us including some friends from New Zealand. We stayed at Giselle's house in Goa. We visited Jennifer/ Ronnie one day and the next went parasailing and jet sking. All new experiences for us and thoroughly enjoyable.
Anniversary
Elvido Jane Joel mum and armando dropped us back to airport. Chaotic at the airport but that was expected. In france, we took a cab to see the Eiffel tower. Paris is beautiful and we would like to go back for a longer time.
Jaron came to pick us from the airport. Karen and Lancy were waiting for us at home with food that June made. Also our fridge was stocked with all our favourite food courtesy giselle..croissants for the boys with strawberries and blue berries. smoked salmon/ humus/ and baguette.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
High-End Shopping in Toronto
Welcome to high-end heaven, Madame
Published On Fri Nov 18 2011 - Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/living/shopping/article/1089368--welcome-to-high-end-heaven-madame
Models display creations by the Italian designer Alberta Ferretti during the Cali Exposhow fashion week in Cali, Colombia, on Oct. 18, 2011. Ferretti fashion can be bought at The Room at The Bay (176 Yonge St.) and TNT (87 Avenue Rd.).
Models display creations by the Italian designer Alberta Ferretti during the Cali Exposhow fashion week in Cali, Colombia, on Oct. 18, 2011. Ferretti fashion can be bought at The Room at The Bay (176 Yonge St.) and TNT (87 Avenue Rd.).
Fernando Vergara/AP
Image
By Rita Zekas Special to the Star
Mama’s always gotta have a brand new bag.
And a pair of $1,650 Christian Louboutin suede platform sling backs with fur trim.
A girl can never have too many shoes, cashmere, chocolate, champagne or black. As long as it doesn’t make her butt look big.
The euro is in peril, the U.S. economy is in free fall, but not all of us are suffering from dollardrums.
The Hermès Birkin, the holy grail of handbags, is wait-listed for up to three years at Hermès (130 Bloor St. W.), and can run from $9,000 to $150,000 depending on the skins.
Happily, Toronto is ground zero for high-end shopping. The Mink Mile, that rarefied strip of surreal estate bordering Bloor and Yorkville, is home to big-ticket names from Prada to Escada. Everywhere you look, there is Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Calvin Klein, Max Mara, Burberry, Gucci, Lacoste, Michael Kors and Milly.
Luxury goods are no longer politically incorrect. Previously, high-end shoppers have been known to eschew designer shopping bags to transport their purchases in favour of unmarked ones lest they be harshly judged. Nobody is brown bagging it these days unless they’ve been shopping at Whole Foods.
But should Madame prefer to shop incognito, she can drop $4,200 for a pair of Gold & Wood Paris sunglasses with diamonds at Optical Outlook (104 Yorkville Ave.). Feeling frugal? Their sunglasses normally average between $500 and $600.
Afterwards, she can slip into $350 Denham jeans at Over the Rainbow across the street (101 Yorkville Ave.). Or try on a pair of $965 Helmut Lang leather leggings at Intermix, the first Canadian installation of the U.S. chain of trend-spotting boutiques, newly opened at 130 Bloor St. W.
The Room at The Bay’s Queen Street location (176 Yonge St.) is one-stop label-shopping.
Madame would summon her car for the trip downtown. Luxury means not taking public transit. Conspicuous consumers have the driver and the Bentley; a limo is too Diddy.
All the high-end, hot lines are at The Room, including Maison Martin Margiela, Balmain, Armani, Rochas, Erdem, Moschino, Sonia Rykiel, Ungaro, Roland Mouret, Proenza Schouler, Matthew Williamson, L’Wren Scott, Alberta Ferretti and Claudia Schiffer, supermodel turned knitwear designer, whose grandfather cashmere cardie sells for $695.
Two ladies are deposited on plush seating, sipping champagne by the concierge desk, with two little doggies at their feet.
The snob factor is always a driving force: at luxury stores, higher prices are often considered a mark of quality. A Henley by Balmain is a bite-me $440.
A Henley is essentially just a men’s collarless pullover shirt originally worn by rowers in the English town of Henley-on-Thames. You can get a heritage Henley at Roots for $58.
Felicity Brown, a designer from New York, is one to watch at The Room. Her deconstructed, almost lingerie-like shredded garments are reworked with contrasting tailored pieces and go for $1,500 to $3,600. Think early Rodarte.
Rodarte is one of the luxury brands selling at Holt Renfrew (50 Bloor St. W.). We loved the Rodarte wool coat with vivid fuchsia goat hair fur at the cuff and hem priced at $1,175.
The real coup for Holt’s is the new Tom Ford women’s line, which they have exclusively in Canada.
A Tom Ford tuxedo jacket will set you back $4,700; a velvet skirt costs $2,580; and a biker jacket is $8,750, which is $50 less than the price of a Hermès Kelly bag.
We have entry-level Tom Ford: the $48 lipstick and a pair of sunglasses — which we bought at Winners.
119 Corbo (119 Yorkville Ave.) favours the edgier labels like Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens, Dries Van Noten, Haider Ackermann and Ann Demeulemeester.
Go there with empty credit card.
The women’s section upstairs at George C (21 Hazelton Ave.) carries couture pieces by Giles Deacon for $34,000.
Suzanne Rogers has ordered one.
Hazelton Lanes (87 Avenue Rd.) is undergoing a facelift but is still a go-to for TNT and Fabrice jewellery store. (Other select bijouteries include Tiffany & Company at 85 Bloor St. W.; Royal de Versailles at 101 Bloor St. W.; Cartier at 131 Bloor St. W., and Secrett Jewel Salon at 162 Cumberland St.).
TNT (The New Trend) has been renovated to the size of Varsity Stadium. It is 18,000 square feet on two levels for women and a new free-standing menswear store on the second level.
They carry 350 brands of womenswear from all over the world — Comme des Garçons and Isabel Marant are huge sellers — and target a wide demographic from cosseted teens to octogenarians not on a pension. An on-trend pink Mongolian fur chubby jacket from Alberta Ferretti is $2,995 and a sexy black stretch leather dress from the French label Jitrois is $3,100.
Teens love the Free City sweat pants for $165 (Free City is better than “Juicy” on the butt).
R.A.D. (which stands for Research and Development) in the new uber cool section of town at 899 Dundas St. W., carries esoteric lines like Lost and Found, not found anywhere else.
Yorkville is a centipede’s delight. High-end footwear is everywhere including Holt Renfrew, Davids (66 Bloor St. W.), and George C, home of the Botox-injected bag by Zagliani ($3,500 for metallic gold python) and the Rocco P ostrich boots available in a variety of colours for $2,600.
Well-heeled men are wild about Harry and Sydney.
Harry Rosen (82 Bloor St. W.) is the destination for deep-pocketed gents who have no problem dropping $215 on a tie. Meanwhile, hipsters blow their trust funds at Sydney’s (682 Queen St. W.) on items by edgy, esoteric line M.A.+ from Rome.
Other high-end menswear purveyors of choice include Gotstyle (62 Bathurst St.); Brooks Brothers at 200 Bay St.; Nicolas Men at 153 Cumberland St.; Serpentine at 18 Hazelton Ave. for menfolk channelling their inner Goth; and George C, who carries the cool line Drome, featuring a magnificent leather jacket for $1,998.
The kids are all right. Trust-fund babies can be outfitted at La Boutique de Floriane at 38 Avenue Rd. for designer wear imported from France. And across the street at 45 Avenue Rd. is Devilish Angelz, “the place where trendy kids (from ages 2 to 16) shop.”
For little dapper dudes, Devilish has the Scotch Shrunk line, a pint-sized version of Scotch and Soda, featuring a checked shirt with bow tie and herring-bone elbow patches for $110.
Fledgling fashionistas love the navy blue shift dress with marabou feathers on the shoulder made by the Toronto label Matooka for $149.
If you can squeeze into a kid size, it is a bargain. Tiny Kristen Chenoweth wears clothes from Crewcuts, the J. Crew junior line.
Go west, Queen St. West, for bespoke emporiums like Magpie Design at 884 Queen St. W. for artfully deconstructed womenswear favoured by divas like Measha Brueggergosman. Or Hoax Couture at 515 Queen St. W., which made reversible fox fur coats for $5,500.
Need a pen to seal the deal? There’s Montblanc Boutique Toronto at 151 Bloor St. W.
Or high-flying luggage to pack it all in? Check out Rimowa at 101 Bloor St. W. and Taschen at 162 Cumberland St.
There are even luxury consignment resale shops. Off The Cuff resale designer menswear at 5 Broadway Ave. offers everything from Jil Sander to Etro.
Shoppe D’Or, 18 Cumberland St., stocks designer labels like Prada and Chanel, some of which still have the original tags attached. Among the booty: brand new Ann Demeulemeester biker boots for $400.
At the end of the day, luxury shoppers return to their beautifully appointed homes, furnished and burnished by high-end decor stores including:
• Teatro Verde, 98 Yorkville Ave.
• Studio B, 380 King St. E.
• Klaus by Nienkamper, 300 King St. E.
• italinteriors, 359 King St. E.
• The Art Shoppe, 2131 Yonge St.
• South Hill Home, 200 Dupont St.
• Hollace Cluny, 1070 Yonge St.
• Living Arts Design, 788 King St. W.
• ELTE, 80 Ronald Ave.
• Avenue Road, 415 Eastern Ave.
• Powell & Bonnell, 236 Davenport Rd.
• Industrial Storm, 1106 Queen St. W.
• Stanley Wagman & Son Antiques Ltd., 224 Davenport Rd.
• Robert Noakes International Ltd., 245 Davenport Rd.
Madame can settle in at home in her jammies from Avec Plaisir Fine Lingerie & Swimwear (136 Cumberland St.) and shop online at Net-a-Porter.
Published On Fri Nov 18 2011 - Toronto Star
http://www.thestar.com/living/shopping/article/1089368--welcome-to-high-end-heaven-madame
Models display creations by the Italian designer Alberta Ferretti during the Cali Exposhow fashion week in Cali, Colombia, on Oct. 18, 2011. Ferretti fashion can be bought at The Room at The Bay (176 Yonge St.) and TNT (87 Avenue Rd.).
Models display creations by the Italian designer Alberta Ferretti during the Cali Exposhow fashion week in Cali, Colombia, on Oct. 18, 2011. Ferretti fashion can be bought at The Room at The Bay (176 Yonge St.) and TNT (87 Avenue Rd.).
Fernando Vergara/AP
Image
By Rita Zekas Special to the Star
Mama’s always gotta have a brand new bag.
And a pair of $1,650 Christian Louboutin suede platform sling backs with fur trim.
A girl can never have too many shoes, cashmere, chocolate, champagne or black. As long as it doesn’t make her butt look big.
The euro is in peril, the U.S. economy is in free fall, but not all of us are suffering from dollardrums.
The Hermès Birkin, the holy grail of handbags, is wait-listed for up to three years at Hermès (130 Bloor St. W.), and can run from $9,000 to $150,000 depending on the skins.
Happily, Toronto is ground zero for high-end shopping. The Mink Mile, that rarefied strip of surreal estate bordering Bloor and Yorkville, is home to big-ticket names from Prada to Escada. Everywhere you look, there is Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Calvin Klein, Max Mara, Burberry, Gucci, Lacoste, Michael Kors and Milly.
Luxury goods are no longer politically incorrect. Previously, high-end shoppers have been known to eschew designer shopping bags to transport their purchases in favour of unmarked ones lest they be harshly judged. Nobody is brown bagging it these days unless they’ve been shopping at Whole Foods.
But should Madame prefer to shop incognito, she can drop $4,200 for a pair of Gold & Wood Paris sunglasses with diamonds at Optical Outlook (104 Yorkville Ave.). Feeling frugal? Their sunglasses normally average between $500 and $600.
Afterwards, she can slip into $350 Denham jeans at Over the Rainbow across the street (101 Yorkville Ave.). Or try on a pair of $965 Helmut Lang leather leggings at Intermix, the first Canadian installation of the U.S. chain of trend-spotting boutiques, newly opened at 130 Bloor St. W.
The Room at The Bay’s Queen Street location (176 Yonge St.) is one-stop label-shopping.
Madame would summon her car for the trip downtown. Luxury means not taking public transit. Conspicuous consumers have the driver and the Bentley; a limo is too Diddy.
All the high-end, hot lines are at The Room, including Maison Martin Margiela, Balmain, Armani, Rochas, Erdem, Moschino, Sonia Rykiel, Ungaro, Roland Mouret, Proenza Schouler, Matthew Williamson, L’Wren Scott, Alberta Ferretti and Claudia Schiffer, supermodel turned knitwear designer, whose grandfather cashmere cardie sells for $695.
Two ladies are deposited on plush seating, sipping champagne by the concierge desk, with two little doggies at their feet.
The snob factor is always a driving force: at luxury stores, higher prices are often considered a mark of quality. A Henley by Balmain is a bite-me $440.
A Henley is essentially just a men’s collarless pullover shirt originally worn by rowers in the English town of Henley-on-Thames. You can get a heritage Henley at Roots for $58.
Felicity Brown, a designer from New York, is one to watch at The Room. Her deconstructed, almost lingerie-like shredded garments are reworked with contrasting tailored pieces and go for $1,500 to $3,600. Think early Rodarte.
Rodarte is one of the luxury brands selling at Holt Renfrew (50 Bloor St. W.). We loved the Rodarte wool coat with vivid fuchsia goat hair fur at the cuff and hem priced at $1,175.
The real coup for Holt’s is the new Tom Ford women’s line, which they have exclusively in Canada.
A Tom Ford tuxedo jacket will set you back $4,700; a velvet skirt costs $2,580; and a biker jacket is $8,750, which is $50 less than the price of a Hermès Kelly bag.
We have entry-level Tom Ford: the $48 lipstick and a pair of sunglasses — which we bought at Winners.
119 Corbo (119 Yorkville Ave.) favours the edgier labels like Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens, Dries Van Noten, Haider Ackermann and Ann Demeulemeester.
Go there with empty credit card.
The women’s section upstairs at George C (21 Hazelton Ave.) carries couture pieces by Giles Deacon for $34,000.
Suzanne Rogers has ordered one.
Hazelton Lanes (87 Avenue Rd.) is undergoing a facelift but is still a go-to for TNT and Fabrice jewellery store. (Other select bijouteries include Tiffany & Company at 85 Bloor St. W.; Royal de Versailles at 101 Bloor St. W.; Cartier at 131 Bloor St. W., and Secrett Jewel Salon at 162 Cumberland St.).
TNT (The New Trend) has been renovated to the size of Varsity Stadium. It is 18,000 square feet on two levels for women and a new free-standing menswear store on the second level.
They carry 350 brands of womenswear from all over the world — Comme des Garçons and Isabel Marant are huge sellers — and target a wide demographic from cosseted teens to octogenarians not on a pension. An on-trend pink Mongolian fur chubby jacket from Alberta Ferretti is $2,995 and a sexy black stretch leather dress from the French label Jitrois is $3,100.
Teens love the Free City sweat pants for $165 (Free City is better than “Juicy” on the butt).
R.A.D. (which stands for Research and Development) in the new uber cool section of town at 899 Dundas St. W., carries esoteric lines like Lost and Found, not found anywhere else.
Yorkville is a centipede’s delight. High-end footwear is everywhere including Holt Renfrew, Davids (66 Bloor St. W.), and George C, home of the Botox-injected bag by Zagliani ($3,500 for metallic gold python) and the Rocco P ostrich boots available in a variety of colours for $2,600.
Well-heeled men are wild about Harry and Sydney.
Harry Rosen (82 Bloor St. W.) is the destination for deep-pocketed gents who have no problem dropping $215 on a tie. Meanwhile, hipsters blow their trust funds at Sydney’s (682 Queen St. W.) on items by edgy, esoteric line M.A.+ from Rome.
Other high-end menswear purveyors of choice include Gotstyle (62 Bathurst St.); Brooks Brothers at 200 Bay St.; Nicolas Men at 153 Cumberland St.; Serpentine at 18 Hazelton Ave. for menfolk channelling their inner Goth; and George C, who carries the cool line Drome, featuring a magnificent leather jacket for $1,998.
The kids are all right. Trust-fund babies can be outfitted at La Boutique de Floriane at 38 Avenue Rd. for designer wear imported from France. And across the street at 45 Avenue Rd. is Devilish Angelz, “the place where trendy kids (from ages 2 to 16) shop.”
For little dapper dudes, Devilish has the Scotch Shrunk line, a pint-sized version of Scotch and Soda, featuring a checked shirt with bow tie and herring-bone elbow patches for $110.
Fledgling fashionistas love the navy blue shift dress with marabou feathers on the shoulder made by the Toronto label Matooka for $149.
If you can squeeze into a kid size, it is a bargain. Tiny Kristen Chenoweth wears clothes from Crewcuts, the J. Crew junior line.
Go west, Queen St. West, for bespoke emporiums like Magpie Design at 884 Queen St. W. for artfully deconstructed womenswear favoured by divas like Measha Brueggergosman. Or Hoax Couture at 515 Queen St. W., which made reversible fox fur coats for $5,500.
Need a pen to seal the deal? There’s Montblanc Boutique Toronto at 151 Bloor St. W.
Or high-flying luggage to pack it all in? Check out Rimowa at 101 Bloor St. W. and Taschen at 162 Cumberland St.
There are even luxury consignment resale shops. Off The Cuff resale designer menswear at 5 Broadway Ave. offers everything from Jil Sander to Etro.
Shoppe D’Or, 18 Cumberland St., stocks designer labels like Prada and Chanel, some of which still have the original tags attached. Among the booty: brand new Ann Demeulemeester biker boots for $400.
At the end of the day, luxury shoppers return to their beautifully appointed homes, furnished and burnished by high-end decor stores including:
• Teatro Verde, 98 Yorkville Ave.
• Studio B, 380 King St. E.
• Klaus by Nienkamper, 300 King St. E.
• italinteriors, 359 King St. E.
• The Art Shoppe, 2131 Yonge St.
• South Hill Home, 200 Dupont St.
• Hollace Cluny, 1070 Yonge St.
• Living Arts Design, 788 King St. W.
• ELTE, 80 Ronald Ave.
• Avenue Road, 415 Eastern Ave.
• Powell & Bonnell, 236 Davenport Rd.
• Industrial Storm, 1106 Queen St. W.
• Stanley Wagman & Son Antiques Ltd., 224 Davenport Rd.
• Robert Noakes International Ltd., 245 Davenport Rd.
Madame can settle in at home in her jammies from Avec Plaisir Fine Lingerie & Swimwear (136 Cumberland St.) and shop online at Net-a-Porter.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Autumn 2011
Autumn Hikes
We went to the Rouge Valley Park in October...ooohh the most scenic hike we have been to so far..just thinking about it gives me goosebumps...so pristine and clean and beautiful..georgeus colours. the smell of the woods, the winding trails..it was awesome!!...we also did the Colonel Danforth trail in November which had its own charm. Here are some pics from the Rouge Valley Hike
Autumn Hike through Rouge Valley Park
Kimberly fell asleep half way through and although it was raining and raindrops were decorating her angel face, she was sound asleep.
KIMBERLY
Kim is 2 years old...and she is becoming more cute with every passing moment...In the night, when she cries either because she is too cold from sharing her blanket with Kipu, teddy or kelly (how good natured she is, wanting to make sure her cuddly's are warm). or sometimes she just has a bad dream and says 'tap you mama, tap you'..she wants me to just pat her back to sleep..when tears stream out, she yells 'eyes coming out' eyes coming out..when I wipe her tears and ask her 'now ok baby'?..and she replies 'eyes over' eyes over'...it means all good. she says 'over' when she doesn't want to discuss something..I'll say 'c'mon now finish your food'...and she responds..'food over'. I just wanted to put this down so I don't forget..my boys did a lot of unforgettable cute things but blogger wasn't around for me to record..she also sings and dances to 'move like Jagger' by Maroon Five and Bruno Mars 'lazy' song. she turns and twists her two year old body vigorously..dancing with abandon when coupled with obliviousness is super cute in children, I don;t think we would react the same way if an adult moved their body like that..need to introduce her to some good dance videos...She LOVES LMFAO..and gets all excited as their songs come on (party anthem, sexy and i know it and Yes)..She loves loves loves her papa. Here is a pic of them together.
HALLOWEEN
And how could I end this post without mentioning Halloween? The boys get soooooo excited before Halloween, all the time discussing what is really spooky!! and costumes! Joshua's house as usual was just awesomely spooky with sound and lighting effect..it does help that they have overgrown trees in their front yard along with a winding pathway to their doorstep. Kim was frightened and I jumped out of my skin and yelled when I turned around to a tap on my shoulder to face a witch. I screamed! but it was only Anna. Yohann dressed as a military soldier, Kyren went as Grim Reaper and Kim as a panda. Here are some pics
We went to the Rouge Valley Park in October...ooohh the most scenic hike we have been to so far..just thinking about it gives me goosebumps...so pristine and clean and beautiful..georgeus colours. the smell of the woods, the winding trails..it was awesome!!...we also did the Colonel Danforth trail in November which had its own charm. Here are some pics from the Rouge Valley Hike
Autumn Hike through Rouge Valley Park
Kimberly fell asleep half way through and although it was raining and raindrops were decorating her angel face, she was sound asleep.
KIMBERLY
Kim is 2 years old...and she is becoming more cute with every passing moment...In the night, when she cries either because she is too cold from sharing her blanket with Kipu, teddy or kelly (how good natured she is, wanting to make sure her cuddly's are warm). or sometimes she just has a bad dream and says 'tap you mama, tap you'..she wants me to just pat her back to sleep..when tears stream out, she yells 'eyes coming out' eyes coming out..when I wipe her tears and ask her 'now ok baby'?..and she replies 'eyes over' eyes over'...it means all good. she says 'over' when she doesn't want to discuss something..I'll say 'c'mon now finish your food'...and she responds..'food over'. I just wanted to put this down so I don't forget..my boys did a lot of unforgettable cute things but blogger wasn't around for me to record..she also sings and dances to 'move like Jagger' by Maroon Five and Bruno Mars 'lazy' song. she turns and twists her two year old body vigorously..dancing with abandon when coupled with obliviousness is super cute in children, I don;t think we would react the same way if an adult moved their body like that..need to introduce her to some good dance videos...She LOVES LMFAO..and gets all excited as their songs come on (party anthem, sexy and i know it and Yes)..She loves loves loves her papa. Here is a pic of them together.
HALLOWEEN
And how could I end this post without mentioning Halloween? The boys get soooooo excited before Halloween, all the time discussing what is really spooky!! and costumes! Joshua's house as usual was just awesomely spooky with sound and lighting effect..it does help that they have overgrown trees in their front yard along with a winding pathway to their doorstep. Kim was frightened and I jumped out of my skin and yelled when I turned around to a tap on my shoulder to face a witch. I screamed! but it was only Anna. Yohann dressed as a military soldier, Kyren went as Grim Reaper and Kim as a panda. Here are some pics
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Christmas in Toronto images
For more pics on weeks leading up to christmas
http://www.pbase.com/michaelsv/toronto_nights
Friday, September 23, 2011
Salted Caramel Brownies
Fudge Brownies with Salted Caramel topping
yield: 24 brownies
http://www.natalieskillercuisine.com/2010/08/fudge-brownies-with-salted-caramel-topping.html
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter
2 cups Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 cups AP Flour
2 cups Dark Chocolate Chips (I used Hersheys Special Dark)
preheat oven to 350 degrees, prepare 9×13 pan
1. Melt butter in a sauce pot. Add sugar and stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until sugar has melted slightly and liquid is silky.
2. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Use a spatula to scrape all butter into bowl.
3. Add eggs one at a time, stirring between each one. Add cocoa powder and stir until fully combined.
4. Add baking powder, salt and flour. Stir until just combined, though make sure there are no lumps or ‘pockets’ full of flour in the batter. Add the chocolate chips.
5. Pour into a prepared 9×13 pan and use the back of a spoon to spread out evenly. Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool at least one hour before cutting.
Salted Caramel Topping
yield: 1 cup topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) Butter
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Whole Milk
2 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
Salt, for topping
From Cooking Light (also Light and Local)
Salted Caramel Brownies
Source: Cooking Light
Yield: 16 small brownies, 12 larger ones (CL says the yield is 20, but frankly, that's too small of a brownie for me.)
I actually doubled this recipe for a 9x13 baking pan and it worked out perfectly. They were a little thicker, but honestly, I like it better that way. Be careful, these things are addicting.
Ingredients:
Brownies:
3.38 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon backing powder
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cooking spray
Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons evaporated fat-free milk, divided
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Start preparing your brownies. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, brown sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until well mixed.
Combine your 6 tablespoons of melted butter, eggs, and the vanilla extract.
Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
Pour batter into a 9x9 square metal baking pan lightly coated in cooking spray.
Bake brownies for 19 minutes or until a toothpick comes out from the center cleanly.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Once brownies are cooled, begin making your topping. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the evaporated milk. Cook the mixture for at least two minutes.
Take the mixture off the heat, add you vanilla, powdered sugar, and stir with a whisk until everything comes together and becomes smooth.
You're now going to pour the mixture over the brownies, and then use an offset spatula or just a regular one to make sure the brownies are well covered.
Allow to set for 20 minutes to set. (I found putting it in the fridge really helped with this step.
Finally, take a microwave-safe bowl, combine your chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the evaporated milk. Microwave for 45 seconds or until melted... make sure you stir it halfway through the cooking time.
Drizzle over the caramel topping on the brownies, sprinkle with your 1/8th of a teaspoon of sea salt.
Allow the chocolate to set, then cut into squares.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
This time, it’s all about you
She Says by Jessica Napier
METRO CANADA
Published: September 06, 2011 5:01 a.m.
Humans are social creatures; we crave the comfort of other warm-blooded beings in close proximity. At work we’re lauded for our teamwork skills and at leisure we’re obsessed with being connected (virtually or otherwise). And yet, despite our natural desire to seek out togetherness, there is something to be said for being alone.
No, not the sad, weepy, nobody-loves-me kind of loneliness you experience on the first night after a breakup. And not the alone time that you spend tweeting or curating your Facebook profile. I’m talking about legit solitude.
The thought of isolation makes some people very nervous. After five minutes of seclusion we feel panicky, compelled to reach for our phones and connect to the rest of the world. But when we are constantly looking to others to validate our existence, learning how to be alone is more important than ever.
I often find myself feeling desperate to disconnect and enjoy some solid me time. Not because I’m antisocial and wallowing in self pity (I’m looking at you, Bridget Jones, singing All By Myself into a tub of ice cream) but because in everyday life there is a constant pressure to be on. Sometimes I just need to switch off.
It’s so important to take time off from the daily performance of being a best friend, a lover, a co-worker, and to allow ourselves to just be. Whenever I’m by myself, I find time to do all those things I’ve been meaning to do, or I find time to do nothing at all.
Whether I’m more relaxed or more productive, I’m ultimately more myself when I’m alone than at any other time.
Single living, if your budget allows, is a marvelous luxury. You have total freedom to live by your own rules: make a mess, go out all night, sleep all day (diagonally if you’re so inclined), have cereal for dinner, listen to awful music and decorate however you please.
And if you become unsatisfied with your solo time indoors, the city can be a wonderful place for loners. You can wander unnoticed in the crowded streets, disappear in darkened movie theatres, slip into near-silent art galleries and forget the rest of the world.
Solitude in large doses may not be for everyone, but to be alone by choice — in a content and meaningful way — is an essential part of the human experience.
More about Jessica Napier
METRO CANADA
Published: September 06, 2011 5:01 a.m.
Humans are social creatures; we crave the comfort of other warm-blooded beings in close proximity. At work we’re lauded for our teamwork skills and at leisure we’re obsessed with being connected (virtually or otherwise). And yet, despite our natural desire to seek out togetherness, there is something to be said for being alone.
No, not the sad, weepy, nobody-loves-me kind of loneliness you experience on the first night after a breakup. And not the alone time that you spend tweeting or curating your Facebook profile. I’m talking about legit solitude.
The thought of isolation makes some people very nervous. After five minutes of seclusion we feel panicky, compelled to reach for our phones and connect to the rest of the world. But when we are constantly looking to others to validate our existence, learning how to be alone is more important than ever.
I often find myself feeling desperate to disconnect and enjoy some solid me time. Not because I’m antisocial and wallowing in self pity (I’m looking at you, Bridget Jones, singing All By Myself into a tub of ice cream) but because in everyday life there is a constant pressure to be on. Sometimes I just need to switch off.
It’s so important to take time off from the daily performance of being a best friend, a lover, a co-worker, and to allow ourselves to just be. Whenever I’m by myself, I find time to do all those things I’ve been meaning to do, or I find time to do nothing at all.
Whether I’m more relaxed or more productive, I’m ultimately more myself when I’m alone than at any other time.
Single living, if your budget allows, is a marvelous luxury. You have total freedom to live by your own rules: make a mess, go out all night, sleep all day (diagonally if you’re so inclined), have cereal for dinner, listen to awful music and decorate however you please.
And if you become unsatisfied with your solo time indoors, the city can be a wonderful place for loners. You can wander unnoticed in the crowded streets, disappear in darkened movie theatres, slip into near-silent art galleries and forget the rest of the world.
Solitude in large doses may not be for everyone, but to be alone by choice — in a content and meaningful way — is an essential part of the human experience.
More about Jessica Napier
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