So it's a little girly. It's also darn tasty!

I'm a girl who enjoys a good beer. This was not always the case. But in university it was something you drank because it was cheap. And as I got older I learned to appreciate good beers. My new favourite beer is Fruli. Now I realize to a "purist", Fruli is probably not considered a true beer. It actually tastes nothing like beer. But I don't care. It is delicious. Light, sweet, pink and very strawberry. Total "girl" drink. It is perfection on a hot summer day. Or a cool summer day. Or any day really. Today however I discovered the best way to have it is on my cousins deck in an old beer mug that belonged to our grandpa. While it's likely not something he would have drunk, I'm sure he would have loved the fact his granddaughters were having a beer!

(and the curious little face in the bottom of the picture belongs to Denver. An adorable little Lab who enjoys belly rubs and chewing on flip flops)

Get them before they're gone!

Run. Don't walk. I don't know how long these will be in season. But I have a feeling their time is coming to an end. And you really don't want to miss out on them. Because they are good. Good. GOOD! These are not any ordinary cherry tomatoes. I had always thought that the taste of a cherry tomato was pretty standard. I would buy them at the grocery store, and they were slightly sweet. Then last year my eyes were opened to how good cherry tomatoes fresh on the vine are. Friends of mine had started growing a little tomato plant on the balcony of their condo. Their tomatoes were amazing! To think that I had been missing out on these. If only I could eat these little babies all the time! Well thank goodness for Whole Foods. I was browsing the produce section one weekend and saw boxes and boxes of these little tomatoes (and they were still on their vines! extra cute) I bought a huge bag of them, thinking they would last the week. I think they lasted two days. I could not stop eating them! They were like candy. I'm hooked. You can find them at Whole Foods and Harvest Wagon. But get there before I do, or you may not get any...

Happy as a clam

My Dad and I love seafood. And we love barbecuing. Earlier this month I was home for the weekend visiting the folks. We were watching this ridiculous BBQ show on the Food Network. Now normally I love love LOVE the Food Network. But this show was too much. The host cooks everything on the grill. This was not the ridiculous part. The ridiculous part was the live audience. I was certain that the audience was drunk. Or high. Or something. Because they got unbelievably excited about everything the host talked about. And I mean EVERYTHING! He would say "cilantro", and they would start nodding, smiling and repeating the ingredient "ohhhhh, cilantro..." It was hilarious. There was quite a bit of mocking from me and my parents. But during all this mocking, we noticed that one of the recipes involved cooking clams on the grill. Dad and I were intrigued and decided to give this a try!

So fast forward a couple of weeks and a successful trip to the St. Lawrence Market and we were ready to start grillin! Dad sat back with a beer and "supervised" while I (the family "Grill Master") started cooking. The clams were super easy. Keep the burners on a medium heat and the BBQ lid closed. Once they open, hit them with a little fresh lemon juice and fresh cracked pepper. Delicious!

I see a red door and I want to paint it black...

Sorry Mick Jagger, but I'm afraid we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one. When I see a red door, I do not want to paint it black. In fact, I want to do the opposite! When I see a black door, I'd like to paint it red! Bright fire engine RED!! For me there is nothing more classically elegant then a bright red front door. So many people choose neutral colours in an attempt to make the door blend in to the rest of the house. But I think a front door should be warm and welcoming. But as much as I love a good red door, it seems very grown up. I'm not quite ready for a red door. Which is way I LOVE this bright PINK door. I think this look is youthful, unexpected and unique.

And speaking of unique...

This little beauty is on of my favourite houses in Rosedale! The owner has been working on this display all summer. (And in case you were wondering, the mannequin is holding a fishing rod with a plastic beaver on the end). Amazingness...

For the days when you need to hit Snooze...

I am not a morning person. I wish I was. But no. The main reason I'm not a morning person is because I love sleeping. LOVE sleep! Have actually been guilty of "sleeping the day away". And while this sort of lazy behaviour is (at least in my opinion) acceptable on weekends, it is most certainly not acceptable on weekdays. Nope, on weekdays we have to go to work. Which means needing to look put together and appropriate. Urgh... If only that didn't take so long! As I've mentioned (see previous post) I have heavy thick straight hair. It takes forever to wash, and even longer to dry and style. Having to go through this process everyday can be exhausting. I had always heard people say that it's actually not good for your hair to wash it everyday. That apparently your hair is supposed to look better the day after washing it - natural oils etc. I liked this idea in theory, but in reality it never worked for me. My hair would start the day looking good, but by lunch time I looked like I was trying to achieve that "heroine chic" look. Most certainly NOT put together and work appropriate...

But all that changed after I read an article about Dry Shampoo. These products get used in place of water and liquid shampoo (hence the "dry" part). Here are a few of the ones I've tried:

Ojon Rub Out Dry Cleaner - This one comes in an easy to use spray can. It's super quick and odor free. I liked it

Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder - The cool thing about this one is that it comes in different colours that you match to your hair colour. However, I had a little trouble with this. It could be that I sprayed to much in, but I noticed that if I touched my hair I'd have brown hair powder on my finger tips. Having said that, this product gets great reviews from many websites, so maybe I just need to practice my technique.

Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo - This one is my personal favourite. Instead of a spray, it comes in a loose powder, making it really easy to control the amount you are applying. It has a yummy light lemony scent and it really does make your hair look and feel clean! I love it some much, I think I may use it tomorrow morning. Looks like I'll be able to hit snooze a couple more times...

Surf's Up

I have straight hair. It's thick and heavy. Sure, it's nice, but all my life I've wanted wavy hair. Hair like Gisele. Beachy hair. I would try curling it. Applying tons and tons of hairspray. This process would take forever, and the results would last about 30 minutes. If I was lucky. I had all but given up. And then I discovered Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray. It contains actual salt water. Used on damp air that is then air dryed, or dried hair thats been curled it gives the look like who've been been hanging out ocean side. I also like using it as a regular hair spray as it gives your hair amazing texture. Finally, I can have my Gisele-like beach hair, no beach required! Hang ten dudes!

Ladies who Brunch

I love Brunch. Like LOVE it. By far, my favourite meal of the day. And really what is there not to love about it. You get to sleep in, have delicious breakfast type foods, and it's completely acceptable to have alcohol! 

Here is a list of my favourite brunch spots:

Fire of the East Side - Any place where pretty male waiters bring fresh banana bread to the table while you wait for your meal is alright in my books!  The service is fantastic and so is the food. My favourite dish is the Spicy Rosemary Potato Turkey Hash: poached eggs, hollandaise, turkey, potatoes, peppers and cheese. Sign me up! Even the side salad of candied walnuts and mixed greens is to die for.

The Swan - Part Queen West hipster, part old school diner. I discovered this place by accident. I was supposed to have brunch with a male friend. I wanted to go to a healthy food place. He took one look at the menu and vetoed. So we walked a little down the street, hungrily searching for an alternative restaurant. We then saw the Swan. The menu was much more "boy friendly". We both ordered French Toast stuff with cheese and ham. As we devoured our meals he sat there with a smug smile on his face. He knew because of his "man-ish ways" I'd found a new favourite breakfast spot. My all time favourite dish is the Huevos rancheros. I don't think it's on the regular menu, but they always seem to have it as one of the specials when I go. But get there early. The place is small and fills up fast!

The Rebel House - A Rosedale gem! I LOVE this restaurant. I've been for lunch, drinks, and dinner (not in the same day, but believe me, I've been tempted!). But Brunch there is the best! They even manage to make yogurt and granola an indulgent treat. I've had most things on the menu and love them all. Best yet, the prices are very reasonable (especially considering the neighbourhood). I had the pleasure of eating there with friends this morning, and as I hope these photos will prove, we had a fantastic meal! I got the Rebellion Eggs (eggs benny) with half Kettle fries, half house salad (a great option that lets you feel like you're being healthy!). My friend got the Franglaise Toast. Mmmmmm.....

Welcome to the Little Honey Bee

Hello and Welcome!

So I've started a blog! I don't know about you, but I'm rather excited about it! My reasons are simple really - I like talking with people and recommending things. Some friends have told me they like this. Some have even gone so far as to say that I'm good at it (!). While it's possible they are saying this because they are my friends (and absolutely delightful people) I've decided to take them at their word.  So here I am! With a blog I will use to highlight all things I like, love and gotta have. 

So sit back. Grab a cup of tea (and maybe a cookie). And allow me the indulgence of telling you what to do ;)