in new york. concrete jungle where dreams are made.

so. i was supposed to go to NYC. first to visit a friend, and then, after finding out there was a miscommunication in dates, to travel the city alone.
however, unfortunately i received a phone call today, and was required to postpone my trip.... which, is for the best i'm sure. it means spending time with my friend when i reschedule my trip, and going at a time when i don't have to worry about anything else going on.
but for now, i'm a bit disappointed.
missing out on doing a bunch'o'this:
hanging in the city, reading, writing; cab rides; some wine - i presume; tall buildings in the city; and most importantly, moma and some other museums.
SO. instead, i'm going to try to do all of those things in toronto. i'm going to make the weekend a vacation at home type weekend. and planning for my next NYC trip - so, does anyone have any good NYC tips, or better yet... any good toronto tips that i don't know of yet?
images from:   pinterest   //   veronica loves archie   //   pinterest   //   

the tales of a young woman packing

i am a disaster when it comes to packing - self admittedly. i am the one who always forgets something incredibly important, and vital. my first trip to seattle, i forgot to pack bras and underwear. i went for almost 2 weeks, and it completely slipped my mind when i was preparing. i frequently forget my entire toiletries bag, shoes, or hair products. i once forgot any type of pants, shorts, or skirt, when packing - literally, i only packed shirts.
this is partially due to my adhd, and my inability to focus, organize, etc. but i also attribute a large portion of it to the fact that i HATE packing. despite what it means - going on a trip - i am horrible at planning outfits... i often simply throw the number of articles of clothing into a bag that i will require for the number of days i will be there... and assume that they will all combine into some sort of outfit. needless to say, this is not always effective.
so, the age old question: what to pack....
from my polyvore 
the essentials. since i'll likely be going out (alone - ha!), i'll need some good heels, and some pants that can do double duty. tanks tucked into maxi skirts with a belt; long tees over skinnies with heels - all bar suitable (though i may have to do some shopping - shame). for walking the city - moccasins and boots, and skirts, cropped cargo pants, and perhaps (depending on the weather) i'll sneak some shorts in too. for the plane - leggings, long tank, cardigan probably, and my lulu circle scarf... because it doubles as a blanket. a small light purse, some aviators, and a few small accessories? can't go wrong. 
this is my plan. 

my (restful) weekend in summary

this weekend was restful, and a much needed escape from life.

last bits of a Friday work day; my escape for the weekend; afternoon walk around the water reservoir; the beautiful forest; tree line; weekend necessities (though you’ll notice I removed my watch); relaxing with old style coors after a walk; a post nap snack (vegan buffalo chicken nuggets!); jewelry photoshoot; doing some jewellery photoshoot prep and arranging (I can’t get away from working, even on a weekend to relax); what i look like with mono - dishevelled and exhausted; even the slugs needed some refreshing beverages to cool down; a Sunday afternoon walk in the sun. 

friday: i met with a client late in the day, and worked the remainder of the day from home (i also may or may not have been in my bathing suit in the sun). i then packed up my stuff, and picked up jeff, so we could head out for the weekend. drove through the border (with minimal wait) after stopping quickly at the duty free. upon arriving, we settled in, unpacked the car (and MAY have had a glass of wine), and then headed into town for dinner. had a nice quiet dinner surrounded by some locals, including local beer from the ellicottville brewing company. then, headed back 'home', and played a rousing game of battleship, with wine, and went to bed.
saturday: slept in, woke up late, and then after a quick (small) bite to eat, went grocery shopping for food for the remainder of the weekend. upon arriving back, we whipped up a huge breakfast/brunch/lunch, and then prepared for a long walk. hiked for a few hours, up the ski hills, and enjoyed the heat, and the breeze through the forests. saw the different ski hills, and the reservoirs that the 2 hills use for snow making. walked back down the hills just in time for the rain to start - which was a signal for nap time. had a good long nap, and woke up to a buffet snack prepared for me - vegan buffalo chicken nuggets with a variety of dips, and some veggies. ate a bit, and then engaged in a full out thackeray's vanity photoshoot of recent products, and commissioned pieces. then, we made a dinner of (veggie) burgers, tater tots (only on 'vacation'), salad and wine, and i tried helplessly to not look at the score of the heat/celtics game (that ended in disaster) that i was permitted to stream that night as a treat. headed to bed for another long sleep.
sunday: woke up late(ish), and then ate a small breakfast. jeff took off for a bike ride, and i took a short photo walk of my own to explore the area a bit. we arrived back together, and then made a big breakfast, and ate outside in the sun. cleaned and packed a bit, and then headed out to town before our departure, to grab iced coffees for the drive. we took the scenic route home, and crossed the border in good time (and i kept the jokes about immigrants and gun control to myself). arrived back in town, and went for a swim, had dinner, transferred some much needed music, and took some time to relax before heading back to toronto. stopped in at my parent's to see my sisters and pick up some mail, and then headed back to toronto before it got too late. unpacked, arranged a bit for my NYC trip this week, and then settled into bed (not before quickly reviewing some of the photos from the photoshoot).
hope everyone had a great relaxing weekend - as much as i missed out on a few things this weekend, that i was devestated to miss, it was a much needed weekend of getting away, sleeping (and napping), and not having anywhere to be at any specific time. much needed.
enjoy the week!

thank goodness for fridays

this weekend i'm getting away. i had a million and one obligations this weekend, but my positive mono results (from my handsome dr) meant i had to cancel everything. and, knowing me, i would have said i was going to cancel, and ended up going out, and being active/social. guess what? mono doesn't go away when you attend parties, early morning walks, and amazingly fun (and exhausting) family days. so. instead, i'm going away. i'm retreating to a place where no one knows my name. i am literally only taking 4 books, my bathing suit, and running shoes (to walk in). force myself to rest, i will.
so, in honour of this - RELAX this weekend everyone... have a good one!
image from ascot friday