Week-End Roundup (Or: A Makeover, A Silent Flick, Jamaican Proverbs and Not One But Two Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cakes in My Freezer)

Last week-end, I took a much needed break away from my clothing line and had a fantastic time.

Friday night was the second night of Terrasse St-Ambroise's Oktoberfest. My son and I headed there for a wee bit so I could drink a surprisingly huge mug of beer (I'm not sure what I was expecting, given that it was Oktoberfest but that shit got heavier and heavier as time went on, despite me working diligently at draining its contents). My son was studying for his high school entrance exams, with ear buds in, until this really loud Bavarian band hit the stage and started jamming.

On Saturday I met up with a fantastically talented and inspiring friend who has scored a two-month singing contract in Morocco. Before heading out, she wanted to undergo a make-over and add to the stage clothing she already owned and so she hired me as an image/fashion consultant. After having hit up my favourite thrift store and having her hair colour changed, this week-end was our second and final shopping trip before she zipped out of here and I had a lot of fun! After hitting up the shoe and underwear departments of The Bay, Lolo sat down to have her make-up done by Simon at the MAC counter and to receive a tutorial on how to recreate the look at herself. She looked smoking and, from certain angles, she really reminded me of Juliette Lewis. I had my face done by Simon years ago and I would definitely go back to see him, whether for clients or for myself.

A great haul!

I wish we could have hung out more but Lo has some socks to knock right the hell off in Casablanca, where she went the next day!

Saturday evening, the kids and I headed to Westmount where we saw The Phantom of the Opera presented with live music. It was fantastic!

My daughter rocking some H & M and Forever 21, at the bus stop.

We started with a screening of The Red Spectre (1907).

While a member of the Cineclub changed reels before the masked ball scene, in walked The Phantom.

Sunday the kids and I went shopping and our day looked something like this:

Last day of the season for Dairy Queen apparently means mad sales.

Once in a while, I miss Jamaica so I gravitate to one particular shelf at the super market. This time, we picked up sodas and jerk sauce.

"Puss and dwag no ha de same luck."

photo cred: Thanks to my chum Ben Kalman for the photos of The Phantom.

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25 Days of Etsy Christmas Gifts. Day Twenty-Four: Montréal, Part Four

i always know why i write about shopping locally and supporting artisans and small businesses but tonight, as i touch this particular list up and prepare to publish it, i can feel it in my bones. i, who usually avoids malls as much as i can, ended up in two of them, alexis nihon and carrefour angrignon, today. mind you, i did so because i needed supplies for all of the hand-made gifts i'm preparing for my family, this year. if all of the other reasons i've listed are not enough to make you buy from small businesses and/or online, the frazzled insanity that packs those places should be. wow!

here are ten more etsy shops based in my home town of montréal, québec. the prices and products vary greatly so i'm sure everyone will find something they were looking for!

1. i've been seeing more and more of anomal couture featured in various ways online and with good reason! check out their etsy shop for beautifully designed fashions from la belle province. 

2. i've had missy industry bookmarked from the time i started this blog and now is the right moment to point you all in her direction, as i'm sure that there is something for someone on everyone's list in this shop!

3. i'm so thrilled to feature wasteland artisan in this segment. i must admit that part of this is because every wonderfully handcrafted item made in this shop and on the table you see in the last photo, was made by my really good friend of eleven years and my daughter's "god"mother, adria. this business is comprised of adria, who works so hard at what she does and does it so well and her super sweet husband, stephane, who is there to help with almost every other aspect of running it. 

and what montréaler can feel anything but love for this amazing, miniature poutine and hot dog polymer clay pendant?? too cute!

in addition to these adorable miniatures, adria has recently begun making leather masks and, holy hell is she ever good at it! she was even asked to provide lise watier with a mask for one of their most recent commercials and, if this is what she is accomplishing after only a few months of handcrafting masks, i cannot wait to see what's in store for her in the future!

want to see more? check out adria's goods at the old skool crafts fair this week-end, saturday and sunday, from 11h00 to 18h00 at 105 saint-viateur ouest, in the basement of the saint-michel church. 

4. check out melanie and valerie's shop, classic by nature, for lovely, vintage and nerd inspired decor and accessories. 

5. for original graphics printed on stylish clothing, check out achtung baby ink. the current collection is small worth keeping an eye on, given what they're offering up and that they opened in october.

6. i recommend that you have a look at veinage for gorgeous, one of a kind, eco-friendly accessories. 

7. mes trois soeurs boasts a small but lovely collection of knitwear. it's getting cold outside so be sure to check them out!

8. femme mecanique designs offers up edgy, unisex jewelry at very good prices. i definitely recommend this shop if you're looking for something unique!

9. even if carriage 44's collection is very small at the moment, their new york loft aesthetic made it so that i simply could not ignore them when researching for this list. 

10. for adorable ipad, kindle and mac book covers, have a look at boutique id. several of the items listed in their shop made my kids say "aw!". 

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25 Days of Etsy Christmas. Day One: The Beer Lover

anyone who knows me knows that i never promote mass consumerism and rarely give in to it. that said, with christmas around the corner, the pressure is on and i get that not everyone has the time to hunt down the perfect handcrafted or vintage gift, let alone make one themselves. in order to support small businesses and perhaps save you some time, i will post ten etsy gift ideas or shop links per day, for the next twenty-five days, for a total of two-hundred-and-fifty suggestions from that site. 

today we will look at gifts for the beer lover.

1. if you know someone who makes his or her own beer or hosts beer tasting parties, this beer sampler paddle is fantastic! it's only $29.95 USD plus shipping and the shop owner, joe scanlan, will include two free lines of text engraving. the 5 oz. glasses you see here come with the paddle, too.

2. vintage beer label stone coasters by jenny and scott alexander at the painted lily . this set is $40.00 USD. it's really worth having a look at their site, as i have spotted great union jack coasters and dia de los muertos decor there, too!

3. check out this towel set for $23.50 USD! they are hand stamped with antique letterpress printing blocks, they are machine washable and nesta home will gift wrap for free. i recommend that you take the time to peruse this shop; it's one of my favourites and boasts a lot of really great items for the home. 

4. i'm really digging this handcrafted, 12 oz beer bottle carrier . they're made in new mexico and are up for grabs for $45.00 USD at pottery by dan, a wee shop that also sells stained glass panels. 

5. how about a custom bar sign by kendra's kreations for $44.95 USD?

6. know someone that has a bar in their home? this retro, chrome bar stool with an oak seat that was retrieved from a 120-year-old barn would make for a great addition! find it for $85.00 USD, along with a selection of great, handcrafted beer and irish pub-inspired items at madmor creations. 

7. along the same vein but in a different price bracket, this lovely photo, aptly named "crane street gate to guinness". it's $15.00 USD and, once framed, would be another great addition to any home bar. this and other items available at the blue rose studio.

8. if you're looking for a stocking stuffer for your beer lover or a gift that can be added to a basket of international beers and glasses of your choice, this vegan, extra dark stout soap set is perfect! it's only $17.00 USD and i strongly suggest that you browse through the other items offered at aquarian bath; i'm convinced you'll find more gift ideas there and maybe even something for yourself. 

9. one can hardly go wrong with this ultimate, personalized beer gift set! it's $95.00 USD and well worth it. ...i will no doubt be posting other items from scissor mill, as the shop is loaded with original gifts for all sorts of people. check them out!

10. another fantastic stocking stuffer that absolutely had to make this list is this set of letterpress beer coasters. they are only $8.00 CAD a set and they were printed on a chandler and price letterpress. in addition to being a canadian company, clawhammer press offers beautifully handmade print and paper products that appeal to a variety of people. i'll definitely be keeping an eye on this shop!

***none of these prices include shipping costs and, if you're outside the united states and you see that a seller has not listed another location in their shipping info, don't be shy to drop them a line and ask them to add your location. i've done it dozens of times and i've never had any issues.***

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