The World According to SF

Closet Wisdom

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 | Fashion | 5 Comments

SF’s quotation of the day:

What is a closet, really, but a catalogue of the different personas we have auditioned and discarded? Hanging in our closets are reminders, both good and bad, of who we are, who we’ve been and who we’ve hoped to be.

Tim Gun, A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style

Ah, words of closet wisdom.

Kisses!

Tags: closet, Tim Gunn

Bicycle Gardeners!

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 | Spring and Summer 2010 | 1 Comment

A happy quiet bicycle gardener

Regular readers might remember that SF really really, no, really hates leaf blowers and loud lawnmowers. There is nothing quite so distressing as when SF is sitting on her pretty green urban balcony festooned with flowers, herbs and lettuce, enjoying a morning coffee and a newspaper in the sunshine only to have her peace brutally interrupted by a gardener wielding a leaf blower or an unbelievably loud lawnmower. Not only do these machines cause noise pollution but they are also big air polluters. But now those of us who are lucky enough to live in Montréal have an alternative because Jardiners à bicyclette or bicycle gardeners are here. These lovely people on bicycles will come to your garden and using only tools like an old-fashioned rotary lawnmower and a rake, whip it into shape with no pollution, noise, air or otherwise. Hmmm…. Do they give tips on growing tomatoes? SF suggests you check out their website which is located at:

http://www.jardiniers-a-bicyclette.org/

Tags: bicycle gardeners, jardiniers a bicyclette

The Uniform Project

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 | Fashion | No Comments

Sheena's LBD three ways

There is a designer who lives in New York City and her name is Sheena. A year ago, Sheena, had a great idea for what she called an exercise in sustainable fashion. Her idea was this: take one fabulously designed simple and versatile dress and wear it in many different ways over the course of one year. The objective? To raise money for a foundation in India that puts children in school. Sheena posted a photograph of herself on her blog every day for a whole year. Now, more than a year after she started she has raised $103,000 and sent dozens of children in India to school. SF suggests you check out her blog and see the video that she made of all 365 outfits she put together based on one simple dress. SF was really impressed! Here’s the link:

http://www.theuniformproject.com/

Tags: Sheena, sustainable fashion, the uniform project

Tim’s Going Global?

Monday, June 14th, 2010 | Others | No Comments

SF has learned that the most Canadian of all coffee shops, Tim Horton’s is taking it global. They have more than 3000 stores across Canada and more than 500 in the USA but are looking farther afield. Tim Horton’s has a restaurant on the Canadian military base in Afghanistan so why not more? Timbits in Baghdad? SF says Tim’s should bring Timbits to the world!! Three cheers for Tim!

Coming to China soon?

Tags: Tim Horton's global

Monday Morning

Monday, June 14th, 2010 | Fashion | No Comments

Hmm... what day is it?

So SF has learned that women spent an hour and fifteen minutes getting ready for work on a Monday, more than any other day of the week. This tidbit was recently published in London’s Daily Express. Apparantly, by Friday this has slipped to just 19 minutes! Hmm….does this explain casual Fridays? Everyone is just too tired to put on more than the bare minimum.

Men, on the other hand, spent a mere 28 minutes to get ready on a Monday and by Friday they are zooming out the door in 11 minutes flat. SF wonders if this is the real origin of casual Fridays – everyone was just too fed up to get dressed up.

Tags: getting ready for work, males vs. females

An Easy Dinner Idea – from SF!

Saturday, May 8th, 2010 | Cooking | 4 Comments

Turn those sausages into a delicious dinner!

Here’s an easy dinner idea from SF’s kitchen to yours. It’s a rainy and chilly Saturday here in Montreal, weather that calls for something more than salad! With this recipe, in under half an hour you can have a yummy dinner on the table and then dash off to see Iron Man 2. Add a salad and presto dinner’s ready! The tangy cornichons add a nice bite to the dish. SF uses chicken sausages for this dish but really any nice quality sausages will do nicely.

Sausages with Smashed Potatoes and Cornichons

1.5 lbs. small red potatoes, salt pepper, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 8 Italian sausages, ½ cup chopped cornichons plus 3 tbsp. brine, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, ½ small sweet onion, ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley.

Cook the potatoes. Heat 1 tbsp. oil, add the sausages and brown till cooked. In a bowl, whisk the corchichon brine, mustard, remaining oil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the potatoes, cornichons, onion and parsley and mix, mashing gently. Cut the sausages into large pieces and serve with potatoes.

Tags: comfort food, Iron Man 2, sausages and potatoes

The Sartorialist

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 | Fashion | 1 Comment

SF came across this fantastic fashion blog recently. The Sarotorialist. http://www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

There's more elegant men like him on The Sartorialist

It’s a fashion blog featuring fashion photography, especially of men’s fashion. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “sartorial” means “of tailor, tailoring or men’s clothes”. Hmm. A new word. Recent posts from Sydney Australia and Tokyo include fabulous photos of stylish and original fashionistos, especially some of the men in Tokyo. Wow! SF recommends you check out this elegant blog soon and return often.

Fashionably yours, SF

Tags: men's fashion blog, The Sartorialist

The Ubiquitous Yoga Pant

Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 | Fashion | 3 Comments

Yoga pants are everywhere. It seems to SF that they have replaced jeans as the new uniform for women. In SF’s view, the whole yoga pants trend has gone way too far. Her opinion was perfectly summarized in this quotation she read recently on the subject by American fashion guru, Tim Gunn:

Yoga pants: only in the yoga studio please!

Soft cotton jersey pants should be avoided if one is going anywhere other than the yoga studio. Many a woman is walking around New York City right now with no idea that her pants not only reveal the shape of her bottom, but the shape her bottom is in. The only dimples that one should display in public should appear next to one’s smile.

Tim Gunn has spoken. There is nothing more to say. Stay fashionable!

Tags: Tim Gunn, yoga pants

Travel Tips from SF

Thursday, April 29th, 2010 | Cooking, Others | No Comments

With summer holidays just around the corner, SF knows some of her loyal readers might be staying in a hotel. Here’s a video by British comedian George Egg that offers an alternative to room service. Hey why order in when you can cook in your hotel room?

Smart Fashionista