The highlight of this month was my weekend in Chicago, and I’ll have a separate post on that up soon, because I have many things to say about all the food in this great city! In the meantime, here’s what else went on in July:
- I met my friend Heather down at Harbourfront, and we sat outside on the huge new patio called The Slip. It’s right on the water, there was a nice breeze, and it was pretty much the perfect summer night. The margaritas were delicious, but I have to give a warning about the food (don’t eat here). Still a great spot for a few cocktails though!
- The Tasty Gardener celebrated her big 40th birthday and after a bunch of us tried out an Escape Room, we went to The Craft, one of her favourites. I love everything about this place! We shared the popcorn chicken, lumpia spring rolls and cider honey flatbread to start, and then I had short rib tacos. I also had a Bodacious Blueberry Blonde beer and it was like drinking a glass of summer. I already want to go back.
- Kristine and I tagged along with her cousin to get our nails done (more on that below) and afterward we went to Old School for a late lunch. I am now OBSESSED with this place. Kristine and I ordered a General Crunch (fried chicken) Sandwich and The Little Pig (pulled pork) Sandwich and shared. I couldn’t decide which one I loved more (K was partial to the chicken). When we left I saw a couple who each had a gigantic waffle in front of them – one with fried chicken on top, the other with pulled pork – plus a skillet of mac & cheese in the middle of the table to share. Now that’s true love right there.
- I met my 39 weeks preggo friend Nicole for a last hurrah lunch at Union on one of the hottest days of the summer. We split the amazing Union Salad, which comes with double smoked bacon, potato rosti and goat cheese drizzled with honey and lots of cracked black pepper, as well as another seasonal salad we weren’t as crazy about. Plus fries to share, of course!
- After a 5+ year absense, I made a (not-so) triumphant return to Toronto’s Festival of Beer, which is now at Bandshell Park at the Ex grounds. This is something I used to go to back in the day when it was at Fort York, and you could kind of leisurely walk around and try different things, and maybe there would be a couple places to get food. Now, it’s so packed with beer tents, food trucks, and people that it’s hard to wander around. I tried a few different things I liked, but it was like 40 degrees with crazy humidity that day, so I didn’t last too long.
- I didn’t cook much this month (I usually struggle with this in the hot summer months), but pulled it together to try a couple new things: Thai Pineapple Fried Rice from Cookie + Kate, Broccoli Pesto Pasta from Annie’s Eats, and this Kale Caesar Salad Pizza from How Sweet Eats (sounds weird, but I LOVED IT).
Other non-foodie things I was obsessed with this month:
- I read so many great summer reads this month, and my favourite by far was Modern Lovers by Emma Staub. Second runner-up is Emily Giffin’s First Comes Love, then Rich and Pretty by Rumaan Alam and The Assistants by Camille Perri.
- Alexis and I went to see Ghostbusters and we totally loved it, and of course we were there on opening night with Kristine to see Jason Bourne.
- I binged on Season 1 of UnReal, and as a proud member of #BachelorNation, it was a great faux-behind the scenes look at how that show runs.
- As I mentioned above, I got my first shellac mani at Wow Wow Nails with Kristine and her cousin Maya. I was going crazy in the week leading up to this because I couldn’t decide what colour or design I wanted! I finally went with a colour changing polish (blush pink when warm, hot pink when cold) with a couple jewels and and silver chevron stamps. I was totally obsessed with it for the week I had it on, but to be honest, I don’t know if I would do shellac again. I was
slightlymajorly horrified with the way shellac polish is removed (essentially it’s scraped off), and I didn’t like the fact that I couldn’t do it myself.
Flashback!
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