Belated 26th Birthday

It's been a while since I've thrown a few random photos together and called it a blog post. Today seems like a fine day to do so since I'm celebrating my birthday belatedly on the blog and in real life. My birthday was last Wednesday but I didn't have time to celebrate because I had a wedding gig the weekend before and the weekend after my birthday. I wanted to take a break from all the editing so Frog and I hopped over to Agrikol to enjoy their patio. They have a special BBQ menu for the patio which is a little bit pricier than their indoor menu but the experience is well worth it. I just love the relaxed backyard vibe with the bright yellow picnic tables and pretty white patio sets. I jokingly told Frog that my dream wedding would be a backyard wedding with sparkling lights dangling from trees and a very warm and homey feeling. We ought to reserve Agrikol right now for our reception. He wasn't too keen on the idea :-/ Anyhow, I'm actually happy to be turning a year older. It means that more experiences, life lessons and beautiful memories awaits and that I'm getting closer to the person I aspire to be. I'm finally starting to achieve a balance between work, personal life and my creative aspirations. I know things will only get better so I'm excited to see what 26 has in store for me! Let's give 26 a BIG WELCOME HUG! 

Taco Party in the Pond

After moving out of my parent's home, I've become acutely aware of how costly a night out on the town can be. I used to eat out 2-3 times a week when I was in school but now we try to dine in as much as possible. That's why I love to host brunch/dinner parties: you get to hangout with your friend and everyone gets to stuff their face as much as possible without breaking the bank. We had a long weekend so we decided to host a taco night with a few close friends. Sadly, not everyone could make it but we still had a ton of fun and enough left overs to last the rest of the week :D   We ended the night with a Disney movie, ahhh what a blissful way to spend the night.

Laid-back Weekend Vibes

Ahhh the glorious weekend, the light at the end of the work week tunnel. The best type of weekends involve lots of lazy time, friends and delicious food. That's exactly how I spent my last weekend. 

On Saturday, Adri and I lined up at Kem Coba for scoops of salted butter, dulce leche and masala chai icecream. We both had cold/flu symptoms but we couldn't stay away from deliciousness and as always, Kem Coba delivered! We were so satisfied :3 We checked out the MAKE ceramics sale and wandered aimlessly around the Plateau. It felt so nice to walk outside without jackets. Will I jinx it if I say that summer's finally here? 

On Sunday, I met up with Phoebe and Eli for a late birthday brunch at Foiegwa. This place has been on my to-visit list for a long time so I suggested we arrive at opening time to get the best seats. We had a great time catching up and making mock-vacation plans. I'm so jealous of Phoebe who recently went to Tulum, Mexico. It's high on my vacation list but I have no one to go with because it's so hard to coordinate vacation times :(   Oh well, maybe next year. In the meanwhile, we'll enjoy our brief Montreal summer. 

Panda meets Koala in Calgary

I still remember meeting Jackie almost 9 years ago; it was the first day of Cegep and I didn't know a single soul. I walked into the cafeteria and sat down at a lone table (not wanting to stand out). Facing my table, a cute girl smiles at me, she was also sitting alone and the rest is history! After undergrad, Jackie moved to Calgary to pursue her accounting career but we maintained regular contact via texts and FB chats. I've always wanted to visit Banff but I told myself that since Jackie lives in Calgary (which is close to Banff), I'd drop by eventually... that is until Jackie announced that she was going to move to Toronto this July. It was my final chance to visit or die. Coincidentally, this year falls on Canada's 150th anniversary so all national parks are free (if you apply for a pass). All the stars were aligned and I booked my plane ticket within a week. When I told my friends that I was visiting Calgary, most of them didn't bat a lash. Not the most exciting place I know, but definitely good for some down time. Jackie and her boyfriend Daniel made sure I made the most out of my vacation by showing me around town and preventing me from napping. We ate, shopped and ate some more.  They were the most generous hosts, letting me sleep in the bed room and paying for most of my meals *O*! I felt absolutely pampered, I didn't want to leave! Anyhow, I concluded that any place with good friends is a place worth visiting. The company is just priceless =)