Kat Von D eye shadow palette...

I received this at Sephora, an exchange for the points I've accumulated... and well I'm glad I didn't pay for it... her stuff isn't cheap, but I must say I don't care for the shadows that much... the peach and the purple are all right, but the white and the black are crappy... way to much chunky sparkle, ended up all over my cheeks... the consistency is substandard as well... so blah... Kat should stick with tattoos, this is not a quality product...

Jan. 10, 2010: Brunch at the Hoof Cafe

Located at 923 Dundas Street West... this place is for the serious meat lovers...

It was a chilly morning, and we were up by 7:30am. The cafe was reviewed that week by two newspapers and it received 5 stars from both, it also doesn't take reservations, so we wanted to be sure to be there right at 10am when it opens before it fills up (we heard that by 10:30am the place is filled). We got there at 9:40am and actually waited for the place to open, and just so you know we weren't first (there was a person waiting in front of us), and after just a couple of minutes there were at least a dozen people behind me.

Right at 10am the door opened and we were welcomed in. There were just enough seats for all of us who waited outside. Anybody else coming in was looking at a minimum of a 45 min wait... Pictured below is the cafe sign and the board menu inside... everyone orders from it... to start and to warm up we had cherry filled bone-marrow doughnuts... oh my sweetness... these are the tastiest doughnuts ever... they are not on the menu board and are only served on Saturdays and Sundays... it's like an insider tip you have to ask for them :)
we also had some coffee of course... and I finally thawed out enough to enjoy my breakfast...
Jason had the Suckling Pig Eggs Benny... halved biscuit topped generously with pulled suckling pig, perfectly poached eggs, and superb hollandaise with a side of lemony dressed arugula and BBQ-spiced pork crackling puffs... wow...
I chose the French Toast made with house brioche, served with wild ginger and peach compote, maple syrup, vanilla yogurt, and toasted hazelnuts...
on the side I couldn't resist some Hot Links... and they were spicy but so delicious, resting on top of some perfect beans... I love the combination of sweet and savory...
I know this post comes way after our visit to the Hoof Cafe... but I'm sure it's still as tasty, and just as busy... and for reference the above cost us $42 plus tip...

Jan. 8, 2010: Dinner and a Show

Jason whipped up some martinis....then his super fabulous lasagna, garlic bread, and salad...
for dessert chestnut cake by Rahier
then we saw the blue collar comedy show... and boy these guys are funny... it was a long time since my tummy hurt so much from laughing..

someone is in dream heaven

these were some of the best potatoes I've ever had...

and I only had to wait 6 hours to enjoy them... I think they might make it onto the 2010 Christmas dinner menu, they were that good.. served with some chicken and buttered vegetables...

I love a great deal...

My only Boxing Day purchase...

Shiseido...

Love this line (the best sunscreen for face and eyes ever)... and this little quad was a gift for Christmas, "Q11 Rose Tones"... ranks right up there with Lorac for me if not a bit higher... awesome product... even if the dark purple seems to be a perfect shiny match for my under eye circles... have to invest in some concealer..

watch it in full screen... so awesome

Hautelook haul #2...

Lorac individual eye shadows... these little gems retail for $24.00 each at Sephora... I got 3 for $16.00... It is one of my favorite brands... lovely formula, beautiful colors, and it doesn't crease, which is excellent since I don't use an eye primer at this time... Pictured, the green eye collection, the smokey eye collection, and the neutral eye collection...

Pencils...

lately I've been attracted to color... if I could afford it I'd own the whole Make Up For Ever eye pencil line... at this time I have only one :)current collection is small but pretty...

Hautelook haul #1...

it is big and shiny and heavy and wonderful... I only needed to take out 6 links for it to fit perfectly. Originally I planed for something small and delicate and girly, but then I saw this and it called my name...

I made a great sandwich...

We visited McEwan's and picked up some beautiful roasted beef, and Swiss cheese... then with a few more ingredients, I created deliciousness...

Dec. 24, 2009: Our Christmas

Justyna whipped up some appetizers...9 full stockings...
an a beautiful Christmas tree, surrounded by our loot...
For dinner:
mashed potatoes...
mushroom sauce...
leak cream sauce...
beet puree...
red...
or white...
pickled herring...
mushroom ravioli with borscht...
two types of pierogies... cabbage and potato...
bigos... my favorite version...
carrots and beans... love it...
croquette and grouper on my plate...
peas and carrots... yum
by the candlelight...
for dessert cookies by Karolina...
and cheesecake by Justyna with strawberry coulis... there is also wafer in the background and we also had some very delicious macaroons..

Dec. 24, 2009: tiny fingers with a killer grip

Dec. 23, 2009: Honey

I was impressed...

A couple of days after our Second Annual Get Together.....

Jay: You want a beer?
Me: Sure
Jay: What do you want?
Me: Heineken.
Jay: (looking in the fridge) nope... all out... what else?
Me: Grolsch
Jay: Try again...
Me: Stella?
Jay: No
Me: My god... if it says beer on it I'll take it!

Here is the tally:
26oz of vodka
8 bottles of wine (2 white, 6 red.. we run out of red)
1 bottle of Port
19 beers

I wish I've taken a picture of all the empties on our balcony. We took them all to the beer store the next day of course...

Dec. 20, 2009: Lucy's and Jason's Second Annual Holiday Get Together

This year the party increased from 8 to 10... furniture was moved... table and chairs sourced out, along with napkins and a table cloth... It was definitely crowded... but it was also a lot of fun... drinks and conversation on arrival... and eventually we moved to dinner.

Appetizer: A trio of flavors. From left to right: potato wrapped giant scallop with spicy Thai sauce, mushroom crepe with a cream scallion sauce, lemongrass poached half a lobster tail with a mango chutney (minus cilantro... some aren't fans of it).Main: For eight it was beef Wellington with a shallot red wine reduction, scalloped Yukon and sweet potatoes, and butter braised vegetables....
For two it was halibut Wellington with a leek cream sauce, scalloped Yukon and sweet potatoes, and butter braised vegetables....
lots of white....
and all our red :)
when we were ready for dessert... I torched some chocolate and Bergamot creme brulee...
and the evening was finished off with a cheese platter
and some excellent port...