Heading to MTL on Saturday
My weekend in Montreal was top notch (I never say that in real life) and so much fun. I arrived at my girl friend's place around 10am, we chatted for a bit and then off we went to shop downtown. If you've ever been to St. Catherine's Street in Montreal, you know how awesome it is. If not, let me describe: blocks upon blocks of great shops, massive stores (Forever 21 is four floors. Four. Floors. {!}), tons of places to eat and just packed with people. Stylish people (and some not so stylish people, but I love seeing the stylish ones as they seem much farther and fewer in between in the city I live in).
I told her that I needed at least two hours in H&M and after parking her car, I asked if that could be our first stop as I knew it'd be where I'd drop the most dough. Was it where I dropped the most dough? Yes, yes it was. How much you ask? Too much to disclose (just kidding, Mom). Lastly, did I actually need the full two hours? I needed more. Two floors of H&M heaven, how could I not? After carrying around a truckload of clothes on one arm and digging through racks with the other, I thought my clothed arm was about to fall off when my girl friend came to the rescue and took the massive pile so I could finish the store. Next thing I know, she's worked out an arrangement in the fitting room (see photo below): my very own rolling rack of all the clothes I collected and need to try on (thanks sweet H&M sales girl). I added a few more to that rack before venturing into the fitting room. I emerged with several unique pieces and not a single basic (good girl). I felt proud that I didn't cave and buy three more white tank tops and two in black, yet instead I focused on silk blouses, skinny pants and some amazing jewel-toned dresses.
After H&M we hit Forever 21 and I spent the rest of my time (and money) there. It wasn't too busy but the fitting room lines were pretty long (as per usual). I picked up far less than I did at H&M but still some great buys. I'll share my purchases soon!
I have to mention this, while there (around 5pm) we experienced a Occupy Montreal. Right down the middle of St. Catherine's Street, hundreds of people swarmed the street and walked up chanting and shouting and holding signs. I wish I had of had my camera with me to snap a video as a picture wouldn't have done it justice (however this video was taken exactly where I was standing, right out front of F21). I guess the protest was regarding Wall Street and started in the Financial District of MTL. It was quite the sight to be seen: all these people yelling and walking amongst the cars in the middle of the street. Nobody in their car could move until the 'parade' was over, and just when you thought it was over, they turned around and came back down. They were people with megaphones, people with signs, people yelling, people chanting, people encouraging others to join them (ie. 'Dans la rue, avec nous!' translation: 'Come in the road with us'), and people videoing the crowds reactions. Pretty interesting.
We finally headed home around 6pm and ended up ordering chinese food and staying in and catching up (over some red wine, of course). It was perfect and productive as we cleaned out her closet and styled up some great outfits while at it (and she generously gifted me with a faux leather jacket she was done with... because I need another faux leather jacket, but in my defense I do not have one in this colour). We crashed late after the perfect evening in.
Sunday I headed home in the late morning and spent the rest of the day tidying up my place and relaxing. How were your weekends?
My rack at H&M
Purchases (and sore feet)
Take-out (in actual chinese take-out boxes!)
Update: Check out what I purchased in MTL.
3 comments
All packed, ready to go. I'm on my way to Montreal today to visit a girl friend and have a girls weekend. The plan was for me to go with two other friends, but it didn't pan out at the last second and so it's just me and my MTL friend. The plan is to shop till we drop, eat some delicious food, consume one too many glasses of wine at her place, and catch up. It's been forever since we've done it and will be my first time visiting her since she moved away a year and a half ago. Not only am I looking forward to seeing her but during our shopping trip we will be hitting H&M, and as you might remember, we don't have one of those in my city, and I'm so pumped. I told her I need at least two hours in there and I should get my fix. Have a great weekend!
La Classe Couture jacket (last seen here), Old Navy dress, Aldo boots, Suzy belt, Le Chateau pashmina,
Sirens necklace & Auslini bangle
The other day while at work, a same-floor coworker exclaimed to me,
'You look just like my friend Laura!' turning to her friend the,
'Doesn't she look just like Laura?' We'd never spoken before, and so I
laughed and made a joke, 'Well I hope that's a.. good thing?' Of course
it was, she exclaimed. She now calls me Laura every time she sees me.
About a year ago another same-floor coworker, a man this time, noticed a
sparkly red (decorative) shoe I keep in my office atop a filing cabinet
(you know I love shoes). He started calling me Dorothy (as in the
Wizard of Oz) and it kinda just stuck. Over the months he'd call out to
me in passing, 'Hey Dorothy!' until one day I was in the (very large)
cafeteria at work in line at Tim Hortons. I spotted him a couple people
ahead of me, and when he was leaving, he saw me and shouted out, 'See
you later Dorothy!' When my turn came to order, I approach the cashier,
ordered and then he said, 'Do you prefer Dora or Dorothy?' I laughed
and finally said, 'Amanda'. He looked confused, with purpose, and I
explained it was a long story.
Last summer while leaving work one day, one of the security guards
asked me if my mother still works here? I must have looked puzzeled
because the other security guard chimmed in that it wasn't me, but this
girl Laura that works here (hey, waitaminute...). I guess
people were getting her mixed up with me too because we sort of know
each other and got to discussing it one day. Now we laugh and tend to
amicably call each other, 'Twin' when we see one another (as in, 'Hey
Twin, how are you?').
Regardless of how laughable the experiences are above, I'm never
phased or insulted when someone says I look like someone they know, or
makes up a cute nickname for me. Actually, in all honesty, I'm often
intriguied by the unknown person they are talking about. Could I really
have a 'twin' in the city? Have you ever been told you look like
someone? What about a celebrity? Apparently she is mine.
Just call me Laura Dorothy Laura.
Before After
I got my hair done by someone new one month ago, and she turned it grey. Okay, let me start at the beginning. I was looking for a new hair colourist and was at the point where my roots were so bad I couldn't take it any longer (ever let your hair get to that point? I always do, it's bad, but I do it every time, le sigh). So while grocery shopping one evening, I was walking behind a pretty blonde (with the perfect shade of blonde) and boldly asked her where she gets her hair done (this was, of course, after I complimented it). She gladly told me where she normally goes and I booked an appointment the following day.
When I got to my appointment, I met with my new colourist and she seemed very nice. I described to her how I came to be in her chair that day and she knew exactly the girl I was talking about from the grocery store and described her to a T. She said she knew what kind of blonde I meant (beige, not golden, ashy but platinum...) and while I sat nervously in the chair trying to focus on the stacks of magazines I pulled, I couldn't help but worry. Sure enough, I had reason to.
When she finished toning my hair, the wet result of the blonde was far from what I was used to. It was not a bright, vibrant, platinum blonde, but a dull, dark blonde (if you can even call it that). I decided not to worry as the real test would be when my hair was fully dry and styled.
While she blow dried my hair, we talked about the blue shampoo blondes should use to brighten up their blonde and remove the gold (I have been using blue shampoo for years, once a week). and other topics I tried not to peak at my hair as she was drying it, but a few quick glimpses here and there were not proving to be very promising. Once she was done drying and styling my hair, I was just about to get out of the chair when it was evident; I had grey hair! I commented to her about how grey it looked and she said something along the lines of, 'Oh that girl you saw likes it really ashy to ensure it doesn't go golden'. I tried to smile but it was forced. She could tell. She told me to not use my blue shampoo and reassured me that after a few washes, it would be less grey.
I then proceeded to pay the most expensive hair bill I've ever had in my entire life (more like two visits for the price of one!). I wanted to cry. Not what they quoted me on the phone and I wasn't happy? Awesome.
I left the salon hoping it was all in my head. I walked confidently through the mall (fortunately it was almost closing time) until I stopped in at a store and caught my reflection in the mirror. Sheer horror. Grey. Seriously grey-green hair. I wanted to wrap a scarf around my head and run to my car. I called my best girl friend almost in tears and she met me at Starbucks. I was scared to get out of the car to show her, let alone the world (dramatic, yes, but cut me some slack). She (gently) agreed it was kind of grey, very dull and not at all like the colour I normally get. I proceeded to spend the next hour mulling with her over how to fix it (this included texts to her own colourist, a conversation about dish soap as shampoo, and making bad decisions).
The next day I decided to call the salon to get it rectified, if possible. They were accommodating and said I could come in that afternoon (thankfully) to try and do something. When I got there, my colourist wasn't mean, but she wasn't the happiest to see me. She proceeded to use a very strong shampoo to wash my hair four times to remove some toner. It helped. I was less grey, but my blonde was still dull. I left feeling better, but still not feeling like myself.
Four weeks later, and lots of shampooing, and my hair looks normal in that pic above, but in real life it's still not what I'm used to. Lesson learned: next time (I will have to find another new colourist) I will bring photos of myself with the blonde I like, as well as some photos of blondes. Oh, and I won't pay an arm and a leg for a trim either.
Ever had any bad hair experiences?
* The photos above have not been modified in any way.
That was my actual grey hair two days after my appointment.
The 'after' picture is about two weeks later.
TFNC top/dress* (via Asos), Dynamite shorts, Aldo booties (last seen here), unknown tights,
Auslini bangle & Suzy earrings
My family celebrated Thanksgiving this year on Saturday. Partly because my sister is engaged and her fiance always does theirs on Sunday and partly because we had family come from out of town (yay!) to celebrate with us.
I wore the perfect outfit for eating and I got to rock my new faux leather shorts with tights for the first time, a massively flowy top that I ordered from Asos months ago (and it's been sitting in my closet) and booties. The weather was warm (mid-twenties) and beautiful. A true Indian Summer Thanksgiving. And of course I ate a ton of food (yes, I went back for seconds, and yes I had not one but two pieces of pie) and enjoyed every bite.
* I bought this top/dress in a size large, hoping it would be flowy. I got more than I bargained for as it's quite large. I definitely should have ordered a medium but didn't want the hassle of making the exchange, etc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)