March 19, 2014
I ♥ Club Monaco, Let Me Count The Ways
Photo is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
When I was in high school CM was huge amongst my fellow students, with the iconic logo crew neck sweatshirt being one of the main trends of the grunge-y nineties. I knew quite a few girls who had this sweater in every colour it came in and I remember thinking, "I must have one!" I did end up having 2-3 of these sweaters and I wish now that I could say that I kept them, as they are making a comeback, but alas I did not (at that time) have the foresight or awareness of cyclical fashion.
What I love about this brand is that it was founded in Toronto (gotta love a homegrown company) in 1985 by Alfred Sung and Joe Mimran (Joe Fresh Style anyone?) and although the stores are now owned by Ralph Lauren and the clothing is made overseas, I still like that it has Canadian roots.
Another reason why this brand floats my boat is the superior quality of their clothing and accessories, I'm not kidding when I say that this stuff lasts forever and a day! I once bought a pair of light grey trousers from Club Monaco, they were snug fitting in the butt, with a slightly flared leg and a nylon tuxedo-like strip down the side of the leg. I cannot recall the exact materials that they were made out of but these pants always fit me perfect and even though I wore them and washed them hundreds of times, they still looked new. I do still have them, however, they have become unwearable from an unfortunate stain so I suppose they were not completely indestructible.
Another reason why this brand floats my boat is the superior quality of their clothing and accessories, I'm not kidding when I say that this stuff lasts forever and a day! I once bought a pair of light grey trousers from Club Monaco, they were snug fitting in the butt, with a slightly flared leg and a nylon tuxedo-like strip down the side of the leg. I cannot recall the exact materials that they were made out of but these pants always fit me perfect and even though I wore them and washed them hundreds of times, they still looked new. I do still have them, however, they have become unwearable from an unfortunate stain so I suppose they were not completely indestructible.
The other aspect that keeps me in love season after season is that they are always evolving with current runways trends but they also stay true to that crisp, clean and sometimes girly aesthetic that I have come to associate with the brand. I never go to this store and walk away without a sense of longing, both for the merchandise they offer and for a much larger clothing budget with which to afford it all.
Although online shopping on their website is not yet available in Canada, (according to their Facebook page this will be available in April 2014) I did recently go into the Rideau Centre location where I purchased two pairs of full-length skinny "Rachel" trousers for work. I bought two pairs, (a muted green and an off-white) because these pants fit me like a glove and were so comfortable I couldn't imagine only wearing them once a week! The price point on these pants was much higher than what I would normally spend on such an item, (I love quality but I am a bit cheap) so this was a tought pill to swallow when it came time to pay. Although it was more than I would have liked to spend my thoughts drifted back to that first pair of pants that I had loved for so long and that helped me to realize that some things in life are worth the investment.
Erin
March 17, 2014
Friday Lunch at the New Scone Witch
The Scone Witch was always on my list of places to try but in its previous location of 388 Albert Street (I understand there is also a Beechwood location), it was a bit of a trek for me and so I never went.
Having recently re-located to Gloucester Street just off Elgin Street, I thought it the perfect opportunity to check them out!
I love the space, it's open-concept with high ceilings and they have left the electrical and ventilation exposed, giving it a warehouse-y feel. I like that you can see into their kitchen/baking area. The floors are concrete, the walls are grey and the tables and chairs are a beechwood finish which lends a simplicity to the space but there is no warmth or cosiness factor if that is what you're looking for in a lunch spot.
Their menu is handwritten on a large chalkboard hanging over the cashes and they have a great selection of "sconewitches", salads, "mealwitches" and soups, as well as desserts and of course sweet scones. The hot drink menu included a mysterious "witches brew", (which I assume to be drip coffee), tea, latté, Americano and cappuccino.
I had the ham & gruyere "sconewitch" on a cheddar scone and my first impression when they brought it to my table (yes, there is table service!) was "looks yummy but I think I may still be hungry afterwards". I was wrong, the scone was quite filling, it was flavorful, flaky and delicious and the ham was real ham, not deli meat. The only thing I didn't care for was the mixed great which wilted quickly on the warm sandwich.
I also ordered a decaf cappuccino, which was not my favorite, it was very milky and was not poured into the right type of cup (tall cup vs. short rounded cup) but I think that I am comparing to other places I've been and there may be a different or undefined standard here.
The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was pleasent enough, although I could barely hear the music that was playing on their sound system.
My overall opinion is 4 scones out of 5 and I will be returning at some point for a delicious dessert scone!
March 14, 2014
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