Archives for October 2018

Dinner Date.

“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” – Vincent Van Gogh

One of my favourite restaurants to go on a dinner date with my husband is Takoi in the Corktown neighbourhood of Detroit. Their menu can be described as Asian fusion, with flavours from Thailand and Vietnam, and can change each season. I like how I can eat at the same restaurant several times and not get tired or bored of the food. The interior of the restaurant has a futuristic Blade Runner vibe, which Brandon and I also appreciate. Good food, good atmosphere, and most of all, good company, make for the best evenings out.

Dress: Asos. Boots: Call it Spring. Scarf: Madewell. Bag: Clare V. Lips: MAC Chili.

Fashion

The Cat’s Meow

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” – Buddha

I have mixed feelings about autumn. I love summer so much that it feels as if we’d be breaking up if I would confess some admiration for the changing of seasons. I much prefer warmer weather, so fall ends up making me anxious for the colder months ahead. What I need to do is just embrace it more. It’s easier for me to do when the change in temperature is gradual and I can still enjoy myself outdoors. Walking down the Dequinder Cut was the perfect opportunity for Brandon and I to spend a beautiful and brisk autumn afternoon. At a distance of around 3 kilometres, the Dequinder Cut was not only a nice walk, but another great site that showcases Detroit’s street art. I love how a quick visit to Detroit can feel like a mini vacation, which is especially perfect when the fall routine is setting in.

Sweater: Out From Under Dress: Urban Outfitters. Boots: Call It Spring. Sunglasses: Ray Ban. Bag: Staud. Hat: H&M. Earrings: Melanie Auld. Lips: Colourpop Gracie.

Philosophy

On time.

“Time is eternity that sees its own implementations.” – Plato

I know I have been posting a lot about Portugal in the past couple of months, but there was more to the trip than just photographs and style. I would say that out of any vacation I have been on, this one had me reflecting the most, especially in regards to time. The idea of time wasn’t really on mind until we reached the town of Evora. As I mentioned in a previous post, Evora was a very quiet town. So quiet in fact, that hardly any people were seen wandering the streets, and restaurants closed rather early. Many guidebooks and websites recommended this city because its old town is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. But what really drew me to Evora was its chapel made out of bones, Capela dos Ossos. Anyone who knows me well knows that I have an affinity to bones and death. Yes, it may seem really morbid and bizarre, but it’s definitely the philosophical wonderer in me. The chapel did not disappoint. Seeing the rows and stacks of bones and skulls caused me to reflect on the small amount of time that each person has on Earth. Our time is short, but it can be profound. What we do with our time while we are alive is important. We can live our life with a negative attitude, or one that is positive. We need to make the best out of the situations we are given. The impact that one person in one period of time can make, can affect the world for hundreds, or maybe thousands of years. This reflection was the reason why the chapel was built, to ponder about our limited existence.

After our visit to the bone chapel, Brandon and I continued to roam the city, in which we saw another one of its landmarks, a Roman temple known as the Templo de Diana. Seeing this large ancient structure had me thinking about how old it was, and how it was still standing, though in ruins. It was constructed in the first century CE, almost two thousand years ago, and here I was in 2018 looking up it its magnificence. I would be surprised if a structure built today would be around for tourists to gawk at thousands of years from now. But what if that were to happen? It’s interesting for me to consider my place in the timeline of our planet. Am I near the end, or am I merely the beginning? What will stand and remain in the future? Will these what we consider to be ancient structures, disappear? Once again, time was on my mind. And this temple was not the oldest artifact that we saw.

Brandon and I took a 20 minute drive out of the city to see Almendres Cromlech, a megalithic site built two thousand year before Stonehenge. While some people may look at the site as just a bunch of big rocks, I saw it as something humbling and beautiful. Built around 5500-4500 BCE, the site was a just a small glimpse into humanity’s past. What exactly were these rocks here for? Why were they arranged this particular way? Historians have their assumptions about community gatherings the sun and moon’s movements. While I stood in awe of these structures, I just kept thinking about time as a whole, and once again my place in it. As someone who struggles with anxiety and can too easily get caught up in a moment, it’s important for me to remember that time goes on. As George Harrison sang, “Life flows on within you and without you”. So, what did I learn from all this reflecting? Well for one, I learned that I have to make the most of my time. I need to savour and enjoy it. I need to pass on my knowledge and experience to others. Time can feel like it’s moving slowly or quickly, but it really is just constant. Our time will end one day, but time itself won’t.

Where are you going in such a hurry traveler?
Stop … do not proceed;
You have no greater concern,
Than this one: that on which you focus your sight.

Recall how many have passed from this world,
Reflect on your similar end,
There is good reason to reflect
If only all did the same.

Ponder, you so influenced by fate,
Among the many concerns of the world,
So little do you reflect on death;

If by chance you glance at this place,
Stop … for the sake of your journey,
The more you pause, the more you will progress.

by Fr. António da Ascenção

Travel

The Broadview.

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney

Those who know me and have read my blog know that I love to stay at The Drake when I’m in Toronto for a short getaway (see my posts here and here). But what happens when (gasp!) your favourite place is booked? Well, it’s time to look elsewhere. Brandon and I decided on The Broadview Hotel, which is actually on the opposite end of where we are used to staying, being on Queen East instead of West. Though we did end up spending most of our time in the area we are most familiar with (it was only a $15 Uber drive away), this was an excellent opportunity for us to explore new places. We discovered new record stores, and it was especially convenient to have a record player in our room to listen to our finds. I also couldn’t help but notice that The Broadview is just a few blocks away from Degrassi Street, which my favourite guilty pleasure was named after. Furthermore, Brandon and I met up with friends in Roncesvalles, where they showed us around the neighbourhood and its many eclectic shops. This little weekend away was a perfect mix of old and new, and further taught me the importance of exploring new places.

This is not a sponsored post. All options are my own.

Fashion

Murals in the Market.

“It doesn’t make much difference how the paint is put on as long as something has been said. Technique is just a means of arriving at a statement.” – Jackson Pollock

If you’re a follower of my blog, you know that my husband and I love to take pictures in Detroit’s Eastern Market. It’s filled with vibrant murals, and every year more are added during the Murals in the Market event. This year we were able to attend and greatly enjoyed watching the artists at work. I love how the walls around the market are blank canvases waiting to be filled with creative imagery. It almost feels as if the market itself is a live art gallery, which makes for a really fun and unique experience for those who love and appreciate art. This also proved to be a great opportunity to wear a summer dress one last time before the weather cools down!

Dress: Lulus. Shoes: Cole Haan. Hat: Aldo (old, similar here). Earrings: Asos. Bag: Clare V. Sunglasses: Ray Ban. Lips: Colourpop Goldie.

Archives for October 2018

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