MY CURRENT PLAYLIST

Hello! I hope you're enjoying your Thursday afternoon! I compiled my favorite songs of the summer into a nice, compact list. Take a listen and maybe one of these songs will end up on your playlist!

SUMMER TOAST FOR TWO

These two toasts are great for breakfast, brunch, or even as a snack. They're light, fresh, and perfect for summer!

Avocado and Poached Egg Toast

-Sourdough bread

-Half of an avocado
-Eggs
-Mini sweet peppers
-Olive oil

-Salt and pepper

First, toast the slices of sourdough bread for about four minutes. Four minutes is the perfect amount of time for crunchy yet slightly chewy toast. In the meantime, fill a small pot halfway with water. Then, add a tablespoon of white distilled vinegar. This helps the egg stay intact when you're poaching it.

MINI CANADA HAUL

Hey guys! These items were bought from recent trip to Canada. I don’t think this can even be classified as a haul because I bought less than five items, but if you guys are curious to see what I bought, then keep reading this!

White Lace Skirt-Olivia $9.99

When I saw this skirt, it just caught my eye. It’s so simple and graceful. This lace skirt can be paired with a nice cardigan or even a utility jacket. Perfect for spring!

Tulip Back Tank-Loft $39.50

I absolutely love the color of this top. The pale pink color is classy and sophisticated. I love the feel of the fabric because it’s light and airy. My favorite detail about this tank is the back. It’s two layers that overlap each other. As they always say, “Business in the front and party in the back”. I know, I’m cheesy. I would wear this top with dark washed skinny jeans and a pair of flats or flip flops.

Silver Midi Rings-Aldo $8.00

I’ve been looking for midi rings for quite a while now. When I saw this set of rings at Aldo, I had a “Eureka” moment. I just like simple designs. No mess, no fuss. So when I saw this, I knew I had to get it. The rings come in gold and silver in sets of four. It’s great for those that don’t like to wear heavy jewelry like me.

Neutral Eye Shadow Trio-Inglot 5 for $5

I love neutrals when it comes to makeup and nail polish. The two light shades are great for everyday makeup. You can even go for a smoky eye look with the dark brown mixed with the rest of the shades. This palette is very versatile.

I hope you guys gained some inspiration from my first haul!

KEM COBA

One of my favorite things about summer is being able to enjoy frozen treats such as ice cream! After our picnic, we planned our next stop which was Kem CoBa. It's hard to miss this ice cream shop because of its pink awning and lengthy lines. The line basically went around the block. Why? Because this shop is not your typical ice cream shop. They offer exotic, gourmet flavors such as Orange Cardamom, Passion Fruit, and Strawberry-Lychee. It's ice cream and sorbet made with a French-Vietnamese twist. Literally. The owners are both French and Vietnamese.

Kem CoBa translates to "third aunt's ice cream",
but technically CoBa is the second aunt in the family.
Vietnamese kinship terms are confusing!

The atmosphere just brings you back to your childhood - eating ice cream on a hot summer day. I had the strawberry sorbet which was super fruity and refreshing. Just what I needed after those Schwartz sandwiches! Kem CoBa was the perfect way to end the day. That rhymed!

Kem CoBa
60 Avenue Fairmount Ouest
Montréal, QC H2T 2M1
Canada

FAIRMOUNT BAGELS

The bagels that we had in Montreal were not like your typical Einstein Bros. bagels. I remember seeing the customer in front of us walk out with a LOT of bagels. Like a lot. The oh so popular bakery is just a couple of steps away from Kem CoBa. How convenient is that? This family operated bakery has been going strong for almost a century! You can tell they’re dedicated because they never close. The bakery’s open 24/7 all year long.

As we stood in line, I spied behind the counter to see what was really happening. I love me some behind the scenes. I saw a wood fire blazing away which was cool. The bagels at Fairmount are handcrafted and baked in a wood fire oven. Their sesame bagels were slightly sweet and perfectly crafted. Almost every spot on the bagel was conquered by a sesame seed.

Freshness is clearly the key to their success because the bagels that we bought were still nice and hot. We even brought some along with us back home. Louie, my Chihuahua, seemed to enjoy it as well. The bakery also claims that their bagels are the best in the world and I concur.

Fairmount Bagels
74 Avenue Fairmount Ouest
Montréal, QC H2T 2M1
Canada

VIEUX PORT STEAKHOUSE

Located in Old Montreal, this steakhouse does it right. I was pleased with every single course. I even got offered wine twice! No, I did not drink any.

I ordered the Caesar Salad as my appetizer and the salmon as my entrée. The pre-appetizer was your standard bread and butter which was pretty good considering it was ciabatta rolls. The second pre-app was fried calamari which was too die for. I promised myself to save some room for the actual appetizer, but I couldn’t help but eat the little fried morsels. I also had a forkful of my cousin’s salmon tartar. It was my first time eating raw fish, but I do have to say, it was pretty good.

My Caesar Salad was nicely prepared. I’ve gotta say the salmon was the star of the night. It was well seasoned and grilled to perfection. The spinach wasn’t overpowered by the garlic either. My favorite part was the wild rice; it made the dish healthy yet very filling. Overall, it was a perfect, light entrée.

Comfiest chairs ever!

For dessert, we shared a crème brûlée. It wasn’t overly sweet and the sugar crust was caramelized to the point it should be. The night ended on a sweet note with the crème brûlée and chocolate mousse cake which disappeared within seconds (hence no picture). It was a great way to celebrate my uncle’s birthday and wedding anniversary.

Vieux Port Steakhouse
39 Rue Saint Paul Est
Montreal, QC H2Y 1G2
Canada

SCHWARTZ'S

One of the well known foods in Montreal is smoked meat. This is a must have on your "To-Eat List" for when you visit Montreal. At Schwartz's, they specialize in deli meat. They sell them by the pound which is perfect for impromptu picnics like the one that we had.

While we were there, we managed to find a gazebo type of thing and set up a picnic. We bought loaves of bread and two packs of freshly sliced smoked meat. Everyone was in charge of making their own sandwich. I do have to say, my makeshift sandwich was really satisfying. You really don’t need any accompaniments for your sandwich. No condiments, no filter. It's a beauty in itself. Sometimes simplicity is the best. Overall, it was a nice snack to fulfill my hunger for the rest of the day.

Schwartz's
3895 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
Montreal, QC H2W 1X9
Canada