Cars: A New Favourite

Okay. So in recent years, I shared my love of the Fiat 500. I still think the Fiat 500 is a spunky little car, and if I had a ton of money, I’d buy it as a second summer car. I have learned, however, that I prefer larger SUVs/cars that can fit a lot of stuff in them. You know, for those times you’re in Cambridge and you need to transport a random table home (I’ll share that story one day!).

I currently drive a Toyota Rav 4, and I’d recommend it to just about everyone. Even though the tires are giving me issues at the moment, I hate spending money to keep it maintained, and I have absolutely no interest in learning about cars (it’s rare that I don’t want to learn about something, trust me), my Toyota Rav 4 is awesome and has never let me down.

But…one day…I’m going to need a new car. My latest car obsession? The Audi Q7.

Audi Q7Isn’t it nice? Do you know anyone who has one? Have you driven it? Do tell! I don’t know anything about this vehicle, but I’m pretty sure I match it. My parents had an Audi forever, so I feel completely connected to the company.

Side note: In all my years of driving, I’ve never had to drive in such wet conditions as shown in the photo above (why do car photos have to be extreme?), but if I did, it’s good to know that the Audi can handle the weather.  Audi_Q7_HeadlightIt’s a good looking car, and I’d love to take one for a test drive (while I dream about the possibility of owning one).

-1Time to save those nickels…

Travel: Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario – Part II

Yesterday, I took you on a tour of Langdon Hall’s interiors, showcasing the delicious breakfast I enjoyed and the details in the guest rooms. Today, I’m taking your outdoors. Let’s go!

White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-6White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-5Rox-Anne and I enjoyed a tour of the garden with Mario, Langdon Hall’s head gardener. It was an impressive tour because Mario knows everything about everything in the garden, and his passion for his work really shines. Mario showed us how plants are thoughtfully arranged in order to maximize sight lines, use, and growth.

White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-3here, Mario is telling us about how he and his team purposefully left space between the plants so that air could circulate around themWhite-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-9here, Mario is teaching us about sight lines and layering techniques; he thins out the grassy water plants so that the view beyond is not hiddenWhite-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-2the climbing hydrangea in this section of the garden is so pretty

The garden tour happens every Saturday at 10:30am for Langdon Hall guests. I know it’s easy to sleep in and linger over breakfast, but the tour is really fascinating, and I’d definitely encourage guests to take it. I honestly felt like I was in a Martha Stewart magazine as we walked through the various gardens.

White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-7   White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-4Now, I know Langdon Hall guests are meant to be professional and poised…

White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-1 White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-8 White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-13 White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-11but I couldn’t resist going back to my jumping roots in the presence of such incredible backdrops. It only took two tries to get the photo below (thanks, Rox-Anne!).

White-Cabana-Langdon-Hall-10I hope you enjoyed the two-day tour of Langdon Hall. Do let me know if you plan to visit (or if you already have visited).

See Rox-Anne’s photos and review here.

Thanks to Kate M. for showing us around Langdon Hall. Photos by Jordana unless otherwise indicated.

Travel: Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario – Part I

I learned about Langdon Hall last summer when I Googled something like “fancy hotel Waterloo,” and it came up in the search results. I thought I had just discovered an unknown treasure, but when I began asking others about this “fancy hotel” so close to where I live, everyone already knew about it. Where had I been living that it was unknown to me? (Kingston, London, Toronto, Europe…that’s where).

DSC_0028DSC_0034Fast forward a year, and I finally took the 20 minute or so drive to Langdon Hall, and I’m so glad I did! What a beautiful place to spend a morning (or longer). Rox-Anne (from Celebrating this Life) and I drove over early Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago to meet our host, Kate, for breakfast and a tour.

DSC_0041DSC_0045 DSC_0044 DSC_0047Everything at the country breakfast buffet was beautifully presented, and looked to be absolutely fresh and delicious. Rox-Anne opted for the lobster omelette, and, because I have such a sweet tooth, I couldn’t resist the pain perdu (French toast). The smaller slices of bread were not soggy or too sweet. The topping included slivered almonds. Yum! Chef Jason Bangerter – you’ve got my thumbs up for this meal!

DSC_0048DSC_0058 DSC_0061I followed the pain perdu with a croissant (why not!?). I honestly wasn’t sure I wanted to try the croissant because I’ve been spoiled by Golden Hearth’s croissants, but I did. And it was delicious. It was more buttery than Golden Hearth’s, but it had a beautiful texture, lots of layers, and was the perfect mix of soft and crusty.

After breakfast, Kate led us on a tour (had to walk off those calories, of course), and I was absolutely blown away by the architecture, decor, and details in each and every room. The main floor rooms include beautiful millwork, coffered and paneled ceilings, rich deep colours, and warm textiles in a mix of cohesive patterns. Brass, gold, and blue & white also make their appearances in almost every room.

DSC_0067 DSC_0065 DSC_0064above: one of the dining rooms (with walk-out to the conservatory) set up for a wedding celebration

White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-9White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-10above: a bright lounge with walls of windowsWhite-Cabana-Langdon Hall-8White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-7above: Wilks’ Bar

The fireplaces in the rooms in the main house really caught my attention. They would be so pretty (and warm) in the winter. They’re giving me inspiration for my own fireplace re-do that I’m planning on tackling this summer. The smaller tile set in a brick pattern are classic.

White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-1fireplace in the pool room

White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-2fireplace in one of the guest suites

Let us take a closer look at a a couple of guest rooms, shall we?  White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-5White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-6creams, blues, and rich woods make this suite very inviting

DSC_0091such a charming space

Look at the well-planned closets (and the fluffy robes!). A fridge and coffee station are not pictured.

White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-3The bathrooms have a spa-like feel; they’re white, bright, and have lush towels.

White-Cabana-Langdon Hall-4DSC_0089Before I leave you for the day, here are few more photos from around the mansion:

A row of paneled doors in the basement bathroom:

DSC_0097

A gorgeous stairwell in the main house:DSC_0149 DSC_0151

Commemorative plates neatly lined on the paneled walls:DSC_0152

A pretty place to perch:DSC_0154

Langdon Hall thinks of everything, so guests can really relax:DSC_0155I have a bit more to share, so come back tomorrow for Langdon Hall – Part 2.

Many thanks to Kate at Langdon Hall for arranging our visit. All photos by Jordana.

Big Announcement: I’m a Domino Contributor!

Okay. So who out there remembers buying their first issue of Domino? I can’t be the only one! I’m so thankful my mom saved all my issues after I had boxed them up thinking that it was time to share them with others (thanks, mom!). I have just about every issue in the history of Domino, everything is here to stay.

Domino-mag-White Cabana-3 Domino-mag-White Cabana-2 Domino-mag-White Cabana-14 years of Domino – my collection; photos by me

I remember buying the premiere issue, telling my sister to buy it, and then waiting every month for each new issue. Domino was my magazine! The magazine was printed from 2005-2009, and then when it was gone, well, I was very disappointed.

In 2013, Domino made a comeback, and fans have been pretty darn happy ever since. Domino published printed issues, and it has really expanded its online presence. The site is an extremely thorough resource for those who want to learn about design and need inspiration for their own projects.

Fast forward to June 2015, and I am officially a Domino contributor! Hooray! Jump for joy with me, will you?! I’m thrilled! Me? A Domino contributor? I would never have thought that this day would come. 10 years ago, I bought my first issue. Today, my name is on the Domino site. It’s just too cool.

Domino-White-Cabanavia Domino

Over the weekend, my first article went live. After seeing Lindsay’s basement makeover, I knew it would be perfect for Domino readers. She made some clever changes to this space, and it might give readers ideas for their own spaces.

makeover  (4)photo by Lindsay Stephenson

You can read my very first Domino article here (photos are by Lindsay, text is by me!).

I have a bunch of things I will be writing about over on Domino, and I would love for you to read my posts (pretty please). While I do intend to contribute articles that feature my favourite colour, I’m also looking forward to broadening my repertoire and sharing some absolutely incredible places and spaces that go beyond classic white (insert suspenseful music here).

p.s. Domino!? Amazing!

The Friday Five: Summer Sports

I’m completely un-sporty. I’ve dabbled in things here and there, but I have never really excelled at anything sports-related. Maybe swimming. I love swimming, and I was a lifeguard and swimming instructor for a long time. In recent years, I took up running, and persisted through a couple of half-marathons, but then I stopped. I can’t remember why I stopped – it probably had something to do with winter. I took tennis lessons a couple of years ago, and I think I’d like it if I continued on with it. But then I moved, and I never looked into lessons here in Waterloo. A couple of weekends ago, I took for my first ever golf lesson. That was fun and harder than I thought it would be.

This rambling of my history with sports brings me to today’s post – summer sports. I’ve rounded up a collection of sports items. I’ll admit that I’m more into them for their design than for their actual purpose. (Hey, blogger honesty over here.)

bocce-setBocce set, $149.95, Crate & Barrel

ping-pongPortable ping pong set, $48, Shop Terrain

flag-football-game-setFlag football, $59.97, Crate & Barrel

scoop-ball-setScoop ball set, $59.95, Crate & Barrel

 

croquet-setcroquet set, $149.95, Crate & Barrel

What sport is keeping you active these days? Will you try anything new this summer?

Have a wonderful weekend!