Miss Cathie

Living adventurously in elegant simplicity...

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October Fun…

November 14, 2015 2 Comments

Goodness, October is always such a busy month!

There’s Thanksgiving, Hallowe’en, my birthday (and two of my family members’ birthdays!), as well as being in the swing of French classes.

There is so much fun and exciting energy that, coupled with the absolute beauty of autumn, there is no surprise that October is my favourite month.

Let’s start with my favourite picture –the pie I made for Thanksgiving!  It is Jane Austen themed, with Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett cut out of the crust.  I am quite proud of my ‘skills’ in making this!
Canadian Thanksgiving Pie

If you would like these Austen themed cookie cutters, I got mine from the Jane Austen Centre’s gift shop here and here.  I could browse the lovelies there all day!

***

I always love dressing up for my birthday weekend even if nothing grand is planned, and when it is to work, a less frilly outfit must be worn of course!  I still have fun through the details –combining my love for a sleek fit-and-flare silhouette with sheer tights, polka-dots and bows.  I hereby present to you my ‘practical’ birthday outfit: Cathie 27 Birthday

Jacket:  Danier ‘Bree’ lamb leather jacket in Port (2014)

Top:  Kate Spade ‘abree’ cashmere sweater in black (2014)

Skirt:  Club Monaco ‘Minkie’ skirt (2013)

Tights:  Gap polka-dot tights (2015)

Shoes:  Vaneli ‘Lenita’ pump in black Soffio patent (2013)

Jewellery:  Pandora charm bracelet –birthday gift from husband (2014); wedding + engagement ring from my husband.  White gold swirl ring with diamonds. (2014)

Cathie 27 Birthday Outfit

***

We went for sushi for my birthday lunch at 168 Sushi Buffet.  It isn’t our top favourite place to go for sushi in Ottawa, but it is a convenient location, and when the staff is not too busy, the food is fresh and very tasty.  If you catch them on a busy afternoon though, prepare to have missing items from your order and/or the food to not be up to its usual standards.  Following-up usually leads to them bringing the order in, so if you are not in a hurry, it isn’t ideal but not truly awful either –especially if you pay the all-you-can-eat price.  We sometimes simply re-order what was missing.

Sushi Couple
We two.
Autumn Heels
An autumn perspective.

Birthday 2015 Sushi
The sushi.

October was a beautiful month; I hope you enjoyed yours!  I will write in soon with my November happenings…

— Cathie

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Filed Under: fashion, fine dining, food, style Tagged: autumn, birthday, celebrating, Club Monaco, Danier, dining, Fall, Gap, Kate Spade, October, Ottawa, sushi, Thanksgiving

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

September 26, 2015 Leave a Comment

butternut soup

1 tbsp. butter

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

½ tbsp. ginger, minced

¼ tsp. cinnamon

4 cups vegetable broth

2 medium apples, chopped

1 tsp. sea salt

Melt butter in a large pot. Sauté butternut squash, onion, carrots and ginger. Add cinnamon and cook for 10 – 12 minutes, stirring often. Add water if the pot becomes dry.

Add vegetable broth, apples and sea salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree in a blender and serve.

Option: garnish with bacon pieces, raw pumpkin seeds and/or scallions.

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Filed Under: recipes Tagged: apple, autumn, autumn recipe, dining, food, soup, squash

Wandering in Ottawa…

August 3, 2015 4 Comments

A few months ago, my best-est friend came down for a glorious 11 days, and we explored the nation’s capital like tourists fresh from another part of the world.

Our gastronomical adventures (not all in one day!) included nibbling on cupcakes, sampling divine Stubbe chocolates, feasting on the most amazing pizza at The Grand, and paying a visit to Smoke’s Poutinerie for some of Ottawa’s finest cheese curds and gravy on fries.

Ottawa - Smoke's Poutinerie
Smoke’s Poutinerie Poutine. Delicious!

Smoke’s, by the way, is a very tiny establishment and is almost always full.  It was a beautiful day outside though, and em and I were more than happy to take our poutines to the street and people-watch while we indulged.

We also wandered around the ByWard Market –which extends extensively around the main building itself.  I’m not sure that I’m describing it as accurately as I would like, but it is a sprawling conglomeration of boutiques, salons, restaurants, bakeries, produce, meat, and cheese stands, etc.  that spans across several streets.  This is my impression based on the numerous ByWard Market signs that we encountered far from where we thought the market would have already ended!  You cannot compare this to the Granville Island Market.  There are similarities and differences, and each has its own distinctive flavour, but neither is ‘better’ than the other as I have heard some people hotly contest.  They are both interesting experiences to be appreciated in their own right.
Ottawa - Byward MarketWe had supper at The Aulde Dubliner, which was opened in 1992 by two Irish immigrants with a big dream.  I forget what em had, but I had the most comforting French onion soup imaginable.
Ottawa - Supper at The Aulde DublinerIt was a cloudy, slightly damp day with a brisk breeze.  I insisted on sitting outside on the balcony for the view but we finally went indoors.  In a sterling case of poetic justice, em who wanted to sit indoors in the warmth, remained hail and hearty.  I took sick after a few days.  In my defense, there was that one evening where the skies absolutely poured and we were caught in it for hours –I with nary an umbrella.

Ottawa - The Aulde Dubliner French Onion Soup
The comforting French Onion soup…

We also stopped by Thimblecakes, and I tried one of their Ugly Ducklings, which is to say, less than perfect cupcakes that they would not sell at full price, but are still too delicious to toss.  The one I had was incredibly dry and lacking in taste… and I’m not certain whether it was because it had been an Ugly Duckling for quite a while, but I was not very impressed.  The decor of the place was elegantly decorated however, and I could be easily persuaded to give them another chance and try a perfect cupcake if I were to pass that way again.
Ottawa - ThimblecakesOttawa -Thimblecakes InteriorNow before you begin to wonder at our endless appetites, we did have other sights and interests that we pursued in our fair nation’s capital! There were paper shops… Ottawa - Papery Store…which begged you to reconsider the notion that paper could ever be ‘plain’ or ‘boring’.  In fact, I’m quite positive they made me feel as if one could gather together a tasteful collection of paper, wrap it in yet more, and present it as a very suitable and exclusive gift. And there were statues!  There was one of Galahad, erected in front of Parliament to commemorate the heroic but unsuccessful attempt at saving a Miss Bessie Blount.  Then there was this scandalous sculpture of young love, sitting on a bench and engaging in a subtle –yet public!–display of affection!  I own I did not know where to avert mine eyes to…Ottawa -Shocking Young Love StatueWe stumbled upon exquisite beauty in Nature… Ottawa - Appreciating Nature…and revelled in it. Ottawa - By the Bridge and O'er the River We took a tour of the Supreme Court, and sat in on discussions in the House of Commons and the Senate, which I arbitrarily insisted on calling the House of Lords, simply to rile em‘s anti-monarchist sensibilities.  I suspect I only managed to irk her merely due to my inaccuracy.  I am, without a doubt, the best friend a girl could have. 😛 Ottawa - Supreme Court of CanadaAfterwards, we went to Parliament, which is a beautiful, stunning building.  If this edifice is capable of inspiring awe in me, I can only imagine what the ancient castles and buildings in Europe will do. Ottawa LibraryMy favourite part of Parliament was the library, of course!  It was built in the Victorian era, and survived a heavy fire in 1916.  This disaster was caused by a cigarette that hadn’t been put out properly, and the library was only saved due to the quick thinking and actions of the librarians, who closed the heavy iron door leading to it.  This is why you will notice a difference in architectural styles between the library and the part of the building outside of it.  I can’t remember anymore whether the entirety of Parliament burned down, so I’m not sure whether the rest of Parliament is also part of the newer rebuilding completed in 1920. It is a very warm, bright atmosphere, and reminds one immediately of the library in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’.  I could have stayed in there for a very long time, except we were unceremoniously shooed out of the place after not even five minutes!  This of course, went into a comment card with the polite suggestion that if the library only had one actual patron in it, surely a group of very quiet and well-behaved tourists could tiptoe ’round for a little while longer! 🙂 We then visited the Memorial Chamber, which is at the heart of the Peace Tower…Ottawa Memorial Chamber ExteriorIt was originally built to honour the fallen from the Great War (WWI), but has since evolved into a memorial for all Canadians who have died serving their country in war and peace, since Confederation. Ottawa Memorial ChamberThere are several Books of Remembrance, with the list of all known Canadians who have died in service.  The pages are turned every morning at 11:00, and there is a special calendar that ensures that each page of every book is displayed at least once during the year. The Peace Tower itself is a bell and clock tower, and you reach it via a golden elevator.  I believe our guide mentioned that the golden ‘leaves’ on the ceiling was the number of Canadians who had died in service.  I can’t seem to find this information on the internet to verify, so please take this ‘fact’ with a grain of salt. 🙂Ottawa Peace TowerThere is a picturesque view of the Ottawa River and the surrounding area from the Tower; it is not to be missed!

We also saw the procession for an opening session of Parliament… mace, tricorn hats, and all!
Ottawa - Opening Session of ParliamentOne must retire for refreshments, and we went to the incredibly elegant Moscow Tea Room.  They serve “award winning teas, small plates, pastries, charcuterie & cheeses, vodka, craft cocktails, champagne & caviar all within a sumptuous décor filled with art.  Whether you are looking for a tea, coffee, a business lunch, martinis with the girls, make a great impression during a date or just have a great evening in a lounge, Moscow Tea Room has it all.”
Ottawa - Moscow Tea RoomWe tried the Vladimir Poutine, which is a dish comprised of potato and three cheese perogies, pan seared with caramelized onions and topped with beets, goat cheese crumble and spicy vodka sauce.  The combination of textures and flavours was comforting, yet new and delightful.  For anyone who doesn’t like perogies, do not let your experience with those frozen ones you buy at the store deter you!
Ottawa - Moscow Tea Room - Vladimir Poutine

Of course, no expedition of ours is ever complete if it is not rounded off by a handful of gem-coloured macarons.  We paid a visit to Macarons Et Madeleines, and while I wasn’t particularly taken with most of their odd/avant-garde flavour combinations, one of them –an herbal and spice combination– was particularly soothing for my sore throat.  Despite the name, it seems that macarons make up only a very small part of their offerings, sadly.
Macarons & MadeleinesIt was a pleasant time, and I cherished my friend’s visit very much.  If I haven’t scared her away with my predilection for scenic routes, spontaneous capers, and bus stop mishaps, I hope we shall meet for more expeditions very soon!

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Filed Under: adventure, drinks, fine dining, food, lifestyle, style, travels Tagged: adventure, ByWard Market, Canada, dining, Experience, food, macarons, Ottawa, tourist, travel

Miss Cathie’s ‘Irish’ Tea Toddy…

October 30, 2014 Leave a Comment

As the little red bar in the thermometer continues to plummet down towards the bottom, I find myself constantly raiding my beloved tea stash.  Sometimes in the evenings though, just to make myself feel a bit more sophisticated, I reach for my man’s bottle of Baileys Irish Cream, and make a tea toddy.  It makes sipping tea more interesting.  😉

I’ve put my own spin on this recipe, but if you look for Baileys Tea Toddy recipes, you’ll likely find the original.  While I use DAVIDsTEA’s ‘the earl’s garden’ Earl Grey blend because it has extra subtle essences in it, you can easily substitute with a Twinings’ Earl Grey tea bag, or whichever brand you prefer.  Don’t be afraid to experiment and come up with your own recipe!  That’s what makes this so much fun!
Hot Irish Tea Toddy - Cathie Maud Recipe
Without further ado, I present my Irish Tea Toddy!

***

1 cup Earl Grey tea
¼ teaspoon sugar/honey (optional)
1 tsp milk (optional)
1 shot Baileys (That’s 44.36 milliliters, if you want to be fussy/pretentious like me)
1 shot Scotch whiskey (In my opinion, completely optional; I rarely add this!)
1 pinch cinnamon
Your favourite cup

Brew the tea as usual, stir in the milk, then add the sugar. Pour the Baileys, and add the dash of Scotch, which should be used sparingly, as too much ruins the flavour. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top. Settle yourself on the sofa or in bed, and enjoy with a book or while daydreaming!  And why not wear an Irish jumper while at it?

Enjoy the spice of life!

xoxo

— Cathie

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Filed Under: food Tagged: DavidsTea, dining, drink, Earl Grey, eat, food, recipe, tea, Twinings

Adorabelle Tea Room — Another Afternoon Tea Adventure…

February 22, 2014 Leave a Comment

It’s almost March, but it is still so très, très cold….

Let us just say that today, the sky sent down rain mixed with wet snow, in-between slush, and then big fat, fluffy flakes.  But em and I had an Afternoon Tea date, and we don’t cancel our GDO’s (girls’ day out) lightly, if ever!  So I reluctantly got out of my warm hole in the middle of my covers and started rooting through my closet.  I just wanted my outfit to be warm for the weather yet simple because I didn’t feel like fussing, but still pretty.

I dashed out the door, and was already in Richmond by the time I realised that I had left my umbrella and gloves on the hallway stairs… I guess they need to keep warm somehow, too.  😛
We headed to Steveston, and got there an hour early; with an hour to kill, we peeped into bakeries, smelt fish-n’-chips every ten steps that we took –causing me to not-really die of hunger and a watering mouth– and my fingers got frozen, and my hair got wet.  So I used my scarf the Grace Kelly way, but looked more like a disheveled babushka!
Adorabelle Tea RoomFinally, it was 2:00!!  We marched back into Adorabelle Tea Room –it is a historical building and was once a courthouse, so I joked that we were rabble-rousers who were going to hear the judge pronounce our sentences over cups of tea.  😛
Adorabelle SignageWhile we were waiting to be seated, we took many photos –the place may be butter yellow on the outside, but it is pure pink and white goodness on the inside!
Adorable Entryway

Snowy Day at Adorabelle
Still snowing…!

Adorabelle Tea Room -- Peeking InAdorabelle Tea Room - DecorI found the decor to be refreshing, girly, but not overdone.  Cute touches such as business cards in teacups were simply enchanting, and who could resist a mini pink Eiffel tower?  I also adored the signs in French… although ‘toilette’ is a feminine word, so it should be ‘la toilette’, not ‘le toilette’… ah dear.  It’s a good thing that I am not 100% fluent in French yet, because otherwise both English and French grammatical errors would drive me crazy!!  At any rate, the sign certainly doesn’t detract from the charm, so do not mind me!  😉
Adorabelle Tea Room - FurnitureWe were seated quite quickly, and our server brought us their teas in cute little tins, and let us sniff which ones we wanted to have for our afternoon tea.  em picked Paris, and I picked Sakura.

Paris: Paris is home to many renowned tea salons.  Their charm is recreated in our careful blend of currant, bergamot and caramel.

Sakura:  Cherry blossom green.  New harvest Japanese green tea lightly scented with the fresh taste of sakura (cherries) and rose petals.

She poured our teas, and to our surprise asked if we were right or left-handed, and then arranged our teapots accordingly… such a thoughtful touch!
Adorabelle Tea Service

The place differed in that we were not given any menus that listed out what we would be having; all the other places that we have tried so far have provided menus as well as walked us through each item.  However, that’s alright, because we still did get a little talk about what was on each tier… although it was hard to remember things midway through our meal.  I couldn’t remember what a certain sandwich was, and started to think that perhaps it was tuna with watercress, until the waitress came back and said that it was actually a Chicken Waldorf!!  Oops, what does that say about my tastebuds?? 😀  Everything was absolutely delicious though –you can trust me on that!  I dislike naming favourites in an afternoon tea service, because everything is so complementary and goes well as a whole.

Half Decent Moi at Tea

I am awful at trying to look glamorous in public places, so you get this picture of me with a skewed-up smile instead.  I’m wearing the Banana Republic x Issa dress that is the high-street version of the then-Kate Middleton’s famous Issa engagement dress.  But no Prada heels for me… just sensible opaque black tights with my ‘Beaumont’ black leather boots from DUO.
A cozy afternoon of tea and treats for a snowy day in Steveston at @AdorabelleTea.  Beautiful place, and fantastic food and service.  ❤️

At $25 per person, I think it is an affordable way to enjoy afternoon tea –especially for the atmosphere, quality of service, and attention to details that you will experience!  I am definitely planning to bring my mum there for Mothering Sunday; especially since Steveston holds so many memories for us, I know she will enjoy it there.

Hope you have a steaming cup of goodness to keep you warm today!!

xoxo,

— Mrs. Cathie

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Filed Under: adventure, style, thoughts Tagged: Adorabelle Tea Room, afternoon tea, British Columbia, dining, Experience, Steveston

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Cathie Maud

Cathie Maud

Travel, tea, trench coats.

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