As many of you know, I have a background in education, and I have taught kids of all ages all sorts of things in my life. These days, I teach young adults, so I don’t have many opportunities to interact with young kids. I love watching young kids learn new things, and I also love to challenge them! I had the opportunity to observe my sweet (super sweet) nephews and niece trying new things when I was in North Carolina a few weeks ago, and I caught some of this learning on time-lapse video. Once I showed them the first fast video, they all wanted to be video-taped, so I now have a collection of videos that make me smile. Here are three of my favourites. I just love the kids’ facial expressions as they work through their activities.
First up is Duke. He was building a whale from a Japanese mini-lego-type kit I brought him.
Next, we have Holt who is a little inventor and needed help crafting a plastic helmet for his hedgehog who was taking skydiving flights down the stairs all morning.
Finally, we have Gigi who was writing a thank you letter. She’s putting so much thought into carefully spelling out words.
Time-lapse video is an easy and fun way to capture kids’ learning as well as their very cute facial expressions!
I think the one of the easiest ways to add a little spooky flavour into your decor is by adding bats to your walls. Wall bats are an especially easy decor option if you’re on the last-minute decor train (like me…I don’t even have a pumpkin this year!). This is an inexpensive decor strategy as you can DIY bats from black construction paper using this Martha Stewart template. It’s also not as messy as pumpkin carving. And the bats – paper or plastic – are easy to store and re-use in future years. Finally, these bats are suitable Halloween decor for inside or outside the home.
If you’re not so into bats, perhaps these skeleton flamingos are your thing. I still think they’re the best bit of outdoor Halloween decor I’ve seen this season.
I was in Detroit, Michigan for a conference last week, and I want to use today’s Two for Tuesday post to share two very different sides of the city. These are some of my observations of Detroit from the my 3-day stay.
Within minutes of arriving into the city (yes, even downtown), I noticed the gritty, abandoned, and destroyed side of Detroit. I saw homes and business boarded up with plywood slabs. I saw people living on the streets and begging for money and food. I saw questionable and potentially dangerous or illegal behaviour. I saw many, many empty streets.
I have traveled around the world, but some parts of Detroit made me feel more uneasy than anywhere I have ever traveled. In 2019, it was ranked the second most dangerous city in America (learn more here), so I guess my safety radar was right. I drove around with my car doors locked. I wasn’t fearful, but I was cautious. I was alert. As a single, female traveler, I am constantly aware of my surroundings. In Detroit, I was extra aware. There may have been absolutely nothing unsafe about the empty streets with boarded-up houses, but I wasn’t confident about this. Empty streets and the unknown – even in daylight hours – can be eerie. Some people have asked me why I drove around these parts of the city. Really, you can’t avoid them. Oh, and I was very curious.
I went to the Heidelberg Project, and I was fascinated by the outdoor art and dedication of the community’s artist, but I also didn’t linger around. While there was plenty of colourful paintings and sculptures, when I was there (mid-afternoon), the streets were void of people – except for one car that seemed to be a location for deal making (use your imagination). I didn’t want to feel uncomfortable, but I did. The quiet, empty vibe didn’t prevent me from venturing outside the city’s core, but it didn’t entice me to stay for very long.
The Heidelberg Project
The Heidelberg Project
I drove out to the Packard Automotive Plant – the largest abandoned factory in the world. Why? Because I was curious. The area and the massive, abandoned buildings made me sad. It made me think a lot about Detroit of the past – booming, wealthy, bustling, hard-working. Gone. Gone. Gone. The area was deserted. It was eerie. Again, I didn’t feel the need to explore. (Or get out of my car.)
The Packard Plant
The number of abandoned buildings overwhelmed me. The buildings hold so many stories of change, enjoyment, and hope. Now? They’re left to crumble.
On the way out of the city, I needed to fill up my car with gas. I can’t tell you how many gas stations I passed because my gut was telling me not to stop. Maybe I was paranoid. Maybe I was over reacting. But I learned quickly that Detroit changes from one street to the next. Once I was out of the core, I couldn’t be certain if I was in a “safe” district. (I only came across this article about district safety once I was back in Canada.)
On the other side of the spectrum is another Detroit. This Detroit is vibrant, colourful, artistic, and dynamic. The people are welcoming and friendly. In the downtown core, the buildings are renovated and occupied by great hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Over in Corktown, the vibe is artsy, edgy, and vintage. On the Eastern Market side, crowds of people gather at the Saturday market. Colourful (and monochromatic ones, too) wall murals are everywhere.
in Corktown
in Corktown
The outstanding architecture of years past has been maintained through Detroit’s hardships. The Fisher building, for example, is an absolutely impressive piece of architecture from the 1920s. It was completed in 1928. I was in awe of the Fisher’s opulence. Marble travertine, and brass fill this building.
The Fisher Building
The Fisher Building
In the Boston-Edison historic district my jaw dropped at the beautifully maintained mansions. Homes in this area were built between 1905 and 1925 for people like Henry Ford (car), Joe Louis (boxer), and Berry Gordy Jr. (Motown founder).
House of Walter O. Briggs (Briggs Manufacturing, Detroit Tigers owner), built in 1915
House of Berry Gordy Jr. (Motown founder), built in 1917
House of Charles T. Fisher (Fisher body corporation), build in 1915
House of Henry Ford (Ford motor company), build in 1908
These homes are incredible, aren’t they? I happily wandered the streets in this district staring at all the architectural details. I’ve also been looking at these real estate listings in the area. There are some absolutely gorgeous properties.
Detroit is a fascinating city. I would easily go back to explore. I wouldn’t mind doing a guided architecture tour. I would also like to see the Detroit Institute of Art, the Ford Museum, and more of Eastern Market as I have heard that each of these places is well worth a visit. Detroit has a dramatic history, and I think its future is going to be full of stories to tell, too.
Daniela was here recently sharing a list of sweet, pink gifts for children. She’s back today with a beautiful collection of items for you and your home (or gifts for others, of course).
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Hello White Cabana readers! Here is my second pink shopping guide for #WhiteCabanaWearsPink. This post is full of fun items that you can use to decorate your home, to wear, to treat yourself, or to buy for someone else.
Have fun shopping!
Have you seen the variety of small appliances by SMEG that have popped up in the marketplace recently? I love all the colours and the retro vibe of SMEG’s collection. If someone you know loves pink, how about treating them to a nice SMEG Toaster as a house warming/Christmas/birthday gift?
Do you know someone who has just been diagnosed with or been treated for breast cancer? Or maybe because you know that 1 in 4 Canadian woman are at risk for breast cancer makes you want to wear an awareness pin like this one. Either way, this is a great pin and product that helps raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
By now you must have seen a Sentaler coat online or in stores. Many Toronto socialites and British royalty have been seen wearing this Canadian brand. This coat has been nicknamed the “Kate†as Duchess Kate has worn it. This coat can be dressed up or down as it is a timeless design in a beautiful shade of pink.
With the unpredictable Canadian fall weather we experience, this packable jacket is a great in-between-season jacket because it can fit into your purse, it is cute, and it keeps you warm up to -5.
There’s nothing like a perfect fit Greta Constantine dress in a beautiful magenta to get you holiday-ready! This dress is also great for weddings or a New Year’s Eve party!
I hope you enjoyed my pink gift guides in honour of breast cancer awareness month.
Until next time, happy shopping!
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I love that Daniela included the Dansk casserole dish. It’s a classic style from Dansk and the lid is also used as a trivet. I have a larger version that’s great for making pasta and pasta sauce!
