Mr. Pickles Fan Club

The end of my semester was capped off on a good note with the opening of Gemma Correll's very first Canadian exhibition at, where else than the most suitable of places, Magic Pony! Gemma Correll has to be one of the first illustrators I've admired, back while I was still in high school. If you're not sure who I'm speaking of, Correll is probably most commonly known for her "Pugs Not Drugs" illustration which has been made into t-shirts found at Urban Outfitters. Besides this she is recognized for all things pugs and her illustrations created in combination of comedy and cuteness. It must be fun (and convenient) when you have your very own pug life models, her dogs Norman & Bella Pickles.

The exhibit, The Mr. Pickles Fan Club, is a highlight of Gemma's pug works ranging from drawings to flip flops (I'm being serious). All the merchandise featured in the show are for sale. Hazel and I had the opportunity of swinging by Magic Pony while Gemma was doing her book signing, so without further ado, here is a glimpse of the exhibit's opening night:

Hang in There (Pug edition) $10

I really admire Gemma for taking up embroidery. As an illustration student gone textile student, I think it's a neat marry between the two fields. I recently learned how to embroider like this on a hoop over the semester and boy, is it finicky.

Of course all pugs were welcome to the event.

Upon arrival at Magic Pony there were a few snacks like pretzels and Goldfish to nibble on, but later on came the good stuff — Mr. Pickles red velvet cupcakes. Adorable, delicious, no other words.

On top of signing a poster for me, Gemma was nice enough to sign a page of my sketchbook. She was such a sweetheart!

Had enough of pugs yet? No? Check out The Mr. Pickles Fan Club exhibit running from now until May 11th at Magic Pony. For more information visit Magic Pony's website under 'Events' or the Facebook event page here.

lucky charm

Happy St. Patty's Day

A little charmer I picked when I was a kid. It's been pressed in a book for maybe ten years or so now.

snow day

It's a good ol' snow day in Toronto. And while it's usually happy news to hear you've got the day off, I'm missing out on some valuable studio work time at school. However, since I have no control over the weather and closures this weekend, I've cut my losses and replaced my worries with chocolate chip pancakes.

I hope everyone is warm, snuggly, and safe this afternoon!

MTK Winterlicious

Last Friday I managed to snag a table for two this Winterlicious at Mildred's Temple Kitchen. Nic joined me downtown after a morning class and we made our way to Liberty Village. The Winterlicious restaurant selection for me consisted of menu-lurking/drooling. MTK's menu was particularly promising and also an easy destination to pick just because it's familiar, having been there twice prior.

If you didn't know already, Winterlicious consists of prix-fixe menus inclusive of an appetizer, entree, and dessert, with usually 3 or more options in each course. Whenever Nic and I dine out, we're quite strategic in our choices; that being, we order different items so that we're able to try more food. This time around was no different, so here's what we ordered:

For appetizers I had the baked Ontario goat cheese, "drizzled with extra virgin olive oil & a kiss of Mildred’s harvest honey with salted onion crisps". So rich & creamy!

And Nic had the Italian bread soup, "a rich chicken broth infused with roasted garlic & winter herbs with shaved pecorino & crunchy croutons".

"Can I take this back now?"

For the main, I went with a Mildred's brunch classic, the huevos Monty; "black bean refritos & sharp cheddar grilled in flour tortillas & topped with eggs sunny, fresh salsa & avocado crème". 

And Nic had the pulled pork sammy; "smoked Berkshire pork, rubbed with Mildred’s secret spice blend, slow cooked on the Big Green Egg with ancho chili, garlic & onion, served with winter slaw or frites". 

And lastly for dessert, I picked the cookies to-go! I have to say, this is a smart idea on Mildred's part. A three-course meal is far too much for a petite person like myself so this dessert to-go is perfect.

Nic finished with the affogato, "milk chocolate ice cream doused with hot espresso & a biscotti on the side". The espresso was poured onto the ice-cream right at our table by the waiter. The dessert really isn't visible at all in the photo on account of the rushed photography, melting ice-cream, and hungry boyfriend factor.

Some of Mildred's menu items were exclusive to Winterlicious, but most are available on their regular menu. If you want to check out MTK I'll leave their info below. They have such polite waitstaff, an awesome ongoing playlist, beautiful decor, and (I won't spoil it for you but) a neat washroom experience.

There are only two more full dining days for Winterlicious before they wrap it up! It's a tad late for reservations but if you want to have a go at it, find the list of participating restaurants and menus here. If not, there's always Summerlicious 2013 (July 5 - July 21)!

Mildred's Temple Kitchen

85 Hanna Avenue

www.templekitchen.com

City of Craft 2012

This past month was my first visit to the City of Craft event, and boy have I been missing out! For those of you who have never heard, City of Craft is an annual craft sale featuring local vendors. It's all entailing of printmakers, jewellery designers, illustrators, graphic designers, knitters, crocheters, and sewing extraordinaires. Whittled down from 200+ pictures, here is City of Craft 2012:

The event was split into three close venues and I started off at 1093 Queen.

Hyperbolic Coral Reef Project

Paper Pusher Printworks Table

Morico

City of Craft was just before Christmas and ideal for Christmas shopping, which meant limiting purchases for myself. I left the first location with just three things: a pom pom garland from Emily Taylor, a neon diamond print from Emily Taylor as well, and a rabbit tote from Morico as Christmas gift to Hazel. 

Next I head to The Theatre Centre at 1087 Queen, my favourite of the venues.

Old Weston

Rare Specimens

Falconwright

Maudstitch

Pidpenky

I left City of Craft regretting not having bought every single thing I liked. Since it's a two-day event, it's  probably best to grab everything and anything while you're there because you may not get the chance later (my new rule for the next City of Craft).

City of Craft

www.cityofcraft.com

$2 admission

christmas goodies 2012

I was a very lucky gal this year to be spoiled silly by my friends & family. Here are some of the gifts I received this Christmas:

From Hazel: Bookhou Printed Triangle Pouch, Tattly giftcard.

Only a true friend would support my somewhat ridiculous wish for designer temporary tattoos. With so many fun tattoos, it'll be hard for me to decide how to spend my giftcard but I have my eyes on the What to Focus On Notebook Set. This print by Marc Johns is one of my favourites, one that I pasted on the front of my own sketchbook in highschool. It would seem the only appropriate next step is to plaster by favourite illustration on myself. On top of the gift of Tattly, Hazel gave me a long-time wishlist item, local & handmade from Bookhou.  

From Nic: Rilakkuma Bear Plushie, Wilfred Galope Scarf

Upon handing this first gift to me he said, "You can't return this one, but you won't want to." And he was right. Available at Magic Pony, this plush is too cute words. I love it— that is all.

I borrowed photos right from the Aritzia site to showcase my second gift, the Wilfred Galope scarf. It's so unique from it's asymmetrical look with non-identical stripes on either side. And apart from being distinct, the scarf is a 100% wool, blanket of warmth! I'll be bundled nicely this winter.

From Nina: Chloe Eau du Parfum, Herschel Laptop Case, Polaroid Photo Album

Before going on I must point out Nina's choice in gift wrap— excellent pick. Underneath the Christmas kitty wrapping was a bottle of the classic Chloe perfume. The packaging is just gorgeous! Clean, classy, and feminine. It captures and compliments the scent perfectly. Along with the perfume, I also received a much needed laptop case since the purchase of my Macbook Pro a few months ago. The Herschel one is so well-made, making me significantly less worried. And for good measure, she threw in a quirky photo album! Quite the fitting gift since we both take massive amount of film photos.

From the folks: Madewell Lace Collar Tee & Bookshop Cardigan, Free People sleepwear (not pictured), too much chocolate.

Aside from an unhealthy amount of chocolate, my parents gave me the usual suspects (PJ's & several pairs of socks) but also the cash put towards a Madewell order I placed just last week. It arrived in the mail a few moments ago (as I am typing this) so I haven't photographed them quite yet. Hence, below are the item photos right off the site. The blouse has a dressy, detailed lace collar but still a comfy and casual material, and the cardigan is just a wardrobe staple done well. It even had elbow detailing, which was a pleasant surprise. Madewell clothes are definitely made well! *cue laugh track*

Other gifts from relatives consisted of chocolate, more chocolate, money, and more chocolate. Needless to say, I might require a few sit-ups.