Burger Bonanza

There has been quite the case of "Burger Fever" here in Halifax this past year, with a gourmet burger joint opening (it seems) every other week in various neighborhoods and enthusiasts endlessly comparing the pros and cons of each.

The Coast, in all their awesome genius-ness, decided to get in on the hype by making March 21st to 27th "Burger Week"! A whole week dedicated to eating burgers? Pretty sure this is the best idea ever (next to the hairdryer, of course). They also offered a prize of a Big Green Egg smoker/grill for anyone who visited a minimum of 3 establishments, so the boy and I promptly grabbed our passports, picked our Top 3 and spent the week trying them all out.

We decided to try 3 places we had never visited before, so this was an excuse to not only eat delicious burgers but to visit a few restos I have been meaning to get to for a while! Win-win!

1. Bearly's House of Blues, Burgers and Ribs

All photos by me

This place was PACKED when we arrived and we only got a table within 10 minutes out of sheer luck. Clearly this is a popular place on Friday and Saturday nights. I can see why, since it has a casual laid back vibe and low prices. The Bearly's Burger was one of the $5 ones from The Coast list - that's $5, TAXES IN, y'all. The price was great for the amount of food - this plate was HUGE. And the burger had some great toppings, including onion rings and house-made salsa.

Unfortunately, our service left some things to be desired, but I'm willing to cut them some slack since they were really busy. And the important thing is that the burger was delicious! Next time I hope to catch some of the great blues music they are known for.

2. Tempo Food + Drink
This is a brand new restaurant that I had heard good reviews for, so I was probably anticipating this visit the most. It just looks like such a cool, funky place through those big, open windows on Barrington Street - like a place that has interesting cocktails and takes on food. This burger was one of the most delicious-sounding on the menu, with its smoked ketchup, fried onions, candied bacon (candy and bacon in ONE?!), and tempura pickle! Who could resist all that fat and grease?!

The burger was quite tasty, although all the tempura promptly came off my pickle the minute I bit into it, which was disappointing. The prices here are also a tad higher, so it's not a place I could afford to frequent often (most dishes and drinks are around the $15 mark). The two cocktails I had were good though, particularly the "Chant", aka. lemon vodka, lemon gemello, blueberry liqueur, rhubarb
bitters, sour, pineapple. I think it's really cute that their drinks all have musical names, since I'm a music geek and all.

My favourite thing about this place is the atmosphere - the decor has a real modern, sleek feel to it with a touch of down-to-earth comfort (long cafeteria-esque counter in front of the kitchen, chalkboard special listings). They had a great-looking "lounge" area with candles and comfy chairs that looks like a great place to sit and sip a drink and talk with a friend. Will keep this spot in mind for just such a future visit!

3. Finbar's Irish Pub
This being a suburban pub, we weren't sure what to expect, but we liked it very much! It's just your basic Irish-style pub, not really anything special but the burger we had here was probably the most unique of the 3. This patty was lamb instead of beef and had a delicious sweet Guinness glaze on top, which I really enjoyed. The service here was great - all the waitresses are really friendly and helpful. Ours helped the boy pick out a beer to compliment his burger when he wasn't sure what to have, and he's a bit of a beer snob so if he's impressed with your pick, you have done something right!

Thanks to The Coast for putting on such a delicious promotion - it made our tummies very happy and also got us out to try some new places, which we are always up for! It seemed like this promotion was very popular and well-received, so hopefully this means there will be more. May I suggest something dessert-related?

Golden Girls

You guys, I stayed up for the ENTIRE Golden Globes ceremony last night! I really can't explain how I managed to do that, especially since most of the show was mind-numbingly boring and cloying, but there you go! I think I partially have the hilarious live-tweets to thank for getting me through! (check out my recap from last year, if you're so inclined)

I have a love-hate relationship with awards shows - I kind of like how shallow and over-the-top they are and how everyone looks awkward most of the time (it's entertaining). And it IS nice to see someone who you think is deserving win. But I also hate the awkwardness and shallowness, 99% of the time the jokes and "banter" between the presenters is just terrible (seriously, who writes this crap?), and most of the acceptance speeches are devoid of originality and go on way too long.

But let's be honest - the main reason we all tune in is to see the FASHION! I HATE watching the red carpet (just read this tweet and you will understand what I mean) but I love looking at all the pretty dresses.

Let's start with the good news first, shall we?

My 4 Favourite Looks

Michelle Dockery

I just thought this was very regal and elegant, but also different with the ornate gold top. The styling is perfect too.

Naomi Watts

I absolutely love this deep wine colour! The dress fits her really well - it's form-fitting yet still covered up so it's a bit sexy but still elegant. I also love the neat little train in the back - adds a touch of glamour without going over-the-top.

Claire Danes

Another colour I absolutely adore. Although this dress is quite simple, it is cut really well and it fits her personality. Claire always seems to nail a great, electric colour with a tousled, casual, girl-next-door styling and I think it suits her and how people see her. Plus she just had a baby like a month ago - HELLO?!

Lucy Liu

This is very different and I could see a lot of people hating it, but I really loved it. There are so many monochromatic dresses on the red carpet that it's nice to see a vibrant, lively print for a change. The full skirt and refined print give it an old-fashioned air, but I feel like the acidic colours, fishtail braid and simple jewelry keep it modern and fun. 

And now for the bad news....

My 4 Least-Favourite Looks

Halle Berry

Oh Halle, you are so beautiful - why do you always wear the weirdest clothes? I feel like she tries way too hard. This dress has WAY too much going on - strange print, cut-out hip, super-high leg slit, elastic tube top. This dress looks like it cost $19.99 at Sirens (and the same can be said for most of Halle's wardrobe, imho). KISH (Keep It Simple, Halle).

Jessica Chastain

It PAINS me to put Jessica on this list because I adore her and usually she looks gorgeous, but I just can't deal with this loose top. There were many moments throughout the night where I thought her girls were going to make an appearance, and it's just not flattering. Her whole top half looks droopy and frumpy. I do love the colour and her hair, but the shape is just all wrong on her. I still love, you Jess.

Emily Mortimer

Ok, I officially do not like ANY part of this outfit. She looks like she's wrapped in tinfoil. While I like me some sparkly-ness, this is just too much with the sleeves and the severe high neck that looks like it's choking her. And the sequins look cheap to me and the grey shade is really blah. Plus, there is absolutely NO other styling. Her hair looks like she just ran a comb through it and left, and her black clutch is completely out of place here.

Tina Fey

This is another choice that pains me because I adore Tina as well, and there are things about this that I like. I LOVE her hair - it frames her face beautifully - and I actually don't mind the lacy print and the accessories. However, this reminds me of a bad bridesmaids dress with the white...boob collar (?) on the top. And I'm not sure about the cropped bottom - I feel like it would have been much more elegant in a floor-length style (and more flattering). Not the worst, but definitely not my favourite (Tina looked way hotter in the glittery green halter she wore for the opening of the show).

Other observations:
* Definite trends were all-over glitter and what can best be described as "boob keyholes".
* Many ladies who seemed imprisoned in their dresses (Lena Dunham looked like she might fall over as she left the stage!) - they did not look comfortable or like they could even move. At all. Weird.
* Most people looked very unimpressed in general (Tommy Lee Jones looked like he was going to beat up Jennifer Lawrence for her Meryl comment!).
* A lot of things won that I have never heard of (Game Change), don't get the hype for (Homeland), and there was a clear obsession with American politics permeating it all (Lincoln, Game Change, Homeland, Zero Dark Thirty, Bill Clinton presenting).

Highlights for me were:
* Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell presenting together (they were hilarious and they NEED to host next year!!)
* Tina and Amy inserting themselves into the audience in weird costumes and Amy canoodling with George Clooney
* Adele high-fiveing Bond
* Jodie Foster's acceptance speech (the first part did not make sense to me, but her comments about her mother were so touching and poetic - did she make that up on the spot?! If so, wow)
* Tina and Amy referring to Bill Clinton as "Hilary's husband"
* Ben Affleck's TWO wins (for Directing and Best Drama - take THAT Oscars!!).

Now, if you will excuse me, I have a bunch of movies to see before the Oscars!

Did you watch this year? What were the best/worst moments for you? Did any dresses, presenters or winners stand out for you?

Beer Gut

All Photos by me - Seaport Brewing Co., Portland ME

Don't let the above photo fool you.

This never used to be me - I was never much of a beer person - at least until I met my boyfriend. I would have one here and there when out with friends at a pub but would never buy it for myself to drink at home, didn't really understand the differences between different kinds and always kind of thought of it as a drink better suited to males of considerable size and not so considerable manners.

However, my boyfriend is a beer connoisseur - he understands how it is made, is knowledgeable about different brands and loves to try different brews from different places. I have to say he has opened my mind considerably about beer and I find myself enjoying sampling different kinds as well, and appreciating them more also.

Do you know how much work goes into making one batch of beer? There are like a million steps! So, it takes a lot of care and patience. And there are endless flavours that can be concocted from different brewing methods, which I really never realized before. I am kind of in awe of the amount of love and devotion that brewers put into their craft.

We recently went on a road trip to New England and I discovered that there is a huge contingent of microbreweries in this area. We visited the Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine and sampled all of their bestselling brews (and perhaps picked up a few drink-related items in the gift shop). Their Pumpkinhead Ale is delicious and is now one of my favourites!

We ate out at one of Portland's most acclaimed restaurants and drank a couple other great local beers (Allagash White and Narragansett Summer Ale). We even came home with a variety case of various beer, many of them from New England (thank you, lax USA liquor laws) so we can keep up the tasting long after the trip. They really brew with love down there. You can practically feel the warmth of pride radiating through your body when you pick up the bottle and tip the liquid down your throat.

Some of our haul

Just a couple weekends ago, the Seaport Beerfest was held here in Halifax and we got to sample even more! I tried 9 or 10 to be exact, which is actually less than last year (I think I topped out at 15). This time we got to try beer from all over the world and across Canada. I tried concoctions brewed with everything from coffee and cocoa to spruce leaves and pears (another new discovery: I am also a big fan of cider now - and hey, there are some great ones made in Nova Scotia!). 

Always a lover of silly, random facts I was greatly amused by a marketing project employed by Northampton Brewing out of Fredericton - their Melonhead brew (a watermelon flavoured beer) features a photo of a crazy-looking cat wearing a watermelon helmet, which is funny enough by itself, but they actually hold a contest wherein people submit photos of their cat and each year the company chooses a new one to grace the label! We bought a bottle of this last year in Quebec with a grey striped Tabby on it, and the posters at Beerfest had a black cat with its tongue sticking out. I think I'm going to enter this photo for consideration next year, what do you think?:

I am so short I could barely get my head in that hole. For reals.

I smell best-seller.

Don't like beer? I understand, I used to be with you, but I would encourage you to give it a chance. There is so much more out there than Bud Light (lets be honest, you might as well have water as that).

Are you a beer-drinker? What is your favourite summer patio refresher? Have you ever written off a specific type of drink only to discover a newfound appreciation for it?

Department of Gossip

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Yay for new discoveries! That is what this blog is all about, after all.

It just so happens that I made two great discoveries this week (and it's only Wednesday - HOLLA!), as follows:

1) Vitamin water and vodka go really well together
2) I am a big fan of LaineyGossip

Ok, ok so #2 may not necessarily count as a 'new' discovery, simply because I already liked Lainey and her blog but first of all, I only read on a semi-regular basis (nothing to do with content, trust me - I read a lot of blogs and it's tough to keep up with all of them, y'all), and second of all you can only get SO much about a person from their posts - you often have to meet them in person to get the full dose of their character. For me, this is the way it was with Lainey - she is hilarious and dynamic in print, but even moreso in person.

Me and my date, Kim P

I was excited to be invited to her kick-off event for the Faculty of Celebrity Studies series, but also intimidated (I have to be honest) - I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable about pop culture and celebrity news, but I knew that some of the people in attendance would have vastly more knowledge than I and I was concerned about being quizzed on the spot next to them - would I make an ass out of myself? I don't like to admit it, but I was never one with enough cajones to participate in class so being 'called on' is like one of my worst fears (pathetic, I know).

Quiz time! Not sure what my mark was :(

Isn't FRED a cool space?!

Well, I needn't have worried because I was not put on the spot, nor was the environment intimidating in any way - it felt like sitting around my living room, gossiping with girlfriends over a glass of wine - not even close to the mind-numbing boredom of most traditional lectures.

I don't even like using the word "lecture" for Lainey's presentation because it smacks of pretension and scolding, and her talk (there, that's a better term) was not even close to that - in reality it was super informative, insightful, sassy, honest and witty. I found myself bouncing between laughing my head off and murmuring "hmm" and "so true" to myself at regular intervals in the manner of someone absorbing incredibly good points.

For this was not just a gab session about Kristin Stewart, this was a discussion of the greater societal issues that feed into (and are fed by) the celebrity machine. Her "thesis statements" regarding how women are regressing, celebrity as an ecosystem and celebrity as economic reflection really spoke to me and I completely agreed with her logic.

Ok, I know what you're thinking - probably something related to how silly I am for trying to make something as "shallow" as celebrity gossip deep and meaningful - but I really do feel that there are deeper issues that lay underneath most popular culture norms that shouldn't be dismissed as mere flake.

Aren't her shoes wicked?

Plus, come on - it's fun! Really, what is more fun than gossiping about people we don't know and will (likely) never meet?! And who lead such crazy, weirdly orchestrated lives! And that's the thing about Lainey - although she talks really smart, she also talks really fun - brutally honest, profanity-laced fun - and I love her for that. Let's just say that 3 hours whizzed by really quickly listening to her talk.

Oh, and did I mention I STUFFED my face with like a bajillion mini turkey burgers, goat cheese/pork tenderloin crostini thingys, and cupcakes? Those FRED folks really took care of us - so much so that I almost had to roll my super-full body (with flushed cheeks from the yum vodka cocktail of the evening - natch) out the door and home. Plus, we got to draw on the walls with markers, which is something I am pretty sure my landlord would frown upon (although I have yet to try it).

So, do me a favour...ok, actually 2 favours: Go eat lunch at FRED (if you haven't already) and read Lainey's blog (again, if you haven't already). Meanwhile I am going to talk to our Associate Dean (disclosure: I work in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Dalhousie University) about adding a new program to our roster - the Department of Gossip! I can see it now! If you haven't thought of graduate school before now, ladies, you may wanna reconsider. Pretty sure Dean Lainey's office hours would include cocktails.

*psssst! btw here's a great article in my local paper about the event: "Celebrity gossip, when it’s done right, is an observation of human behaviour." - LG*

Summer Style

Ah, this glorious time of year when the weather (finally!) starts to warm up, the days get longer and the sun comes out - I. Love. It. I love the crispness and scenery of the Fall but at heart I am a sun-worshipper. Alas, I live in a place where almost half the year is winter (i.e. freezing, wet, snow, slush, blech) but that makes the sun that much sweeter when it comes.

I really should have been born in California.

Just last weekend I put away my winter clothes and coats and hauled out the summer-wear - shorts and sandals and beach cover-ups. It felt great to refresh my closet. However, this new feeling of a fresh beginning has me itching to pick up some new warm-weather pieces too. Here's what I am currently coveting:

1. Mediterranean-style wedge sandals

I have had a pair of metallic wedges with turquoise accents (a hand-me-down from mum) that I just love for a few years, but one of them is literally coming apart! Methinks it's time to retire them (*sadface) and get something new. I love the style though, so I would love to get something similar...something such as:

These are a little higher than I would normally wear but I love the embellished straps!

Mediterranean-style shoes are perfect for summer - casually dressy and conjure images of turquoise waters, white-sand beaches and tanned limbs. And although I love the look of heels I just can't do them unless I know I am going to be mostly sitting - they kill my feet and I am not good at walking elegantly in them. A wedge is a way to have the height and flattery of a heel but keep the comfort!

All shoes from dsw.com

2. Gingham shirt

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I saw one of these super-cute tops at Old Navy last time I was in there and I had it in my hand to try on, but for some reason I ended up putting it back. Haven't been able to get it out of my head since (go figure). I have a hard time finding button-up shirts that fit (I have small shoulders and chest + wide hips and butt so often they are too big on the top, too small on the bottom) so unless the shirt has stretch or is made in a wider cut on the bottom, they don't work for me. I liked the lightweight fabric of it and the versatility of the piece is second-to-none - you can wear it to work under a sweater, vest or jacket or on the weekend tied or left open over a tank. Alas, I think the ones at ON may be gone now, but I plan on keeping my eyes open for another in my travels! Now I just have to decide if I want a red or blue check (orrrrr both?).

3. Funky pants

I have been intrigued by the printed pant trend for a while now - however, I have been scared to try it. I am uncertain they would look good on me because I have a curvier bottom-half, but part of me thinks I just haven't found the right style yet. I think a pair in a more streamlined shape or a simpler print (e.g. two neutral colours) would be most flattering, such as:

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I love the Rorschach-style of this print and the neutral colours would make them easy to coordinate in many outfits. But these springy, floral ones are great too:

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Obviously this print is more loud but the cut is slimmer which means they are still flattering. A floral is just so fresh for spring/summer! Maybe one of these days I'll take the plunge! In the meantime, I can dream :)

What are your summer fashion picks? Any pieces are you coveting for the warmer season? Do you have a summer "uniform"? Are you getting excited by the coming of the new season?

pinteresting

Ok, it's official - I jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. It seems like everyone and their dog has been talking about this site lately and I am not normally one to jump on bandwagons right away, but I thought it couldn't hurt to check it out and see if I liked it.

This is what happened with Twitter. I thought Twitter was so dumb, then eventually got so curious by all the talk about it that I just said 'screw it' and joined. Now I am obsessed (ok not quite, but I do love it alot).

I just joined Pinterest like a week ago and I already have 193 pins. Yes, I realize how sad that is.

But that's the thing with these Internet searchy thingys - you search for one thing, then that leads you to something else, which leads you over here and pretty soon you realize two hours have gone by, you have a major kink in your neck, and your kettle has boiled dry waiting for you to unplug it. However, you at least have lots of pretty pictures to look at once you get off your ass, make your tea and come back to the couch (because, let's be honest, that's exactly what you are going to do).

Anyway, Pinterest seriously is a really useful tool - I am ALWAYS finding cool recipes, hairdo ideas, decor and event planning tips, etc, and I am the type of person who has to have everything in one place, easily accessible. So, this tool is perfect for me. I love that I can categorize things however I want and then when I need inspiration, I just have to go into my boards and peruse a little. I admit it, it's handy.

I have been particularly interested in pinning in certain categories lately - including wedding ideas, dream house decor, and outfit inspiration. Yes, I also realize how sad it is that I am this obsessed with pinning ideas for my wedding and my house when I am neither engaged or a home owner, but I can't help it! So. Many. Pretty. Things!

Anyway, I may not be able to use all of these ideas now, but they are there for when I want them later!

Sigh, as if I needed ANOTHER procrastination tool. Unfortunately this one seems to be the worst one yet. And that's saying something

Here are some of my favourite recent pins:

(wanna check out ALL my pins? Follow me here)

Wedding Ideas

Wedding Mad Libs! Such a fun idea for tables as an activity for guests between courses

I would love to have my wedding ceremony outdoors - this forest setting is beautiful

DIY 'lamps' using wine bottles and Christmas lights! So lovely for a patio/outdoor reception

My Style (aka fashion inspiration)

I love everything about this outfit - so cozy and great colours

I love anything with elephants 

This is the kind of outfit I wish I could pull off on a daily basis - cute, quirky, colourful yet polished

And this is just funny. Sometimes that's all it takes to warrant a pin!

Are you on Pinterest? Do you like it? What things are you obsessed with pinning?How do you keep track of the things you discover and like?