Enjoy Winter, While You Can

Posted on February 28, 2015February 28, 2015 by Melissa Harrison

The other day, someone wrote into the radio station I was listening to to say, “winter’s almost over, enjoy it while you can”. It seemed like one of the most alien concepts a Canadian could encounter at the end of a particularly harsh February. It was in direct opposition to everything I had seen while wandering the Internet as I ate my breakfast. I had scrolled past three individual text-over-image posts conveying nothing other than, hey guys, remember bonfires? with thousands of likes each, an ad announcing that spring styles are in stores now!, a recipe for a summer cocktail, 11 Reasons Why We Hate Vancouver Right Now, and several other reminders of how much North America hates winter only a few hours earlier.

After my second year of trying, obstinately, to create an appreciation of winter so I could trick myself into liking it, thereby mitigating my winter sadness, I found this stranger’s words incredibly inspiring. It’s -12°C right now, -20°C with the windchill, but the sun is out and shining through the icicles that hang from every building in the city, the sky is that bright, crisp blue the you only get to see when it’s too cold to snow, the rich, dark brown branches of the bare trees are silhouetted against streets and houses covered in a downy blanket of blindingly bright white snow, I’m wearing a cardigan several sizes too big for me because I stole it from my husband’s side of the closet and I’m happy.

I think a huge part of embracing winter is getting out of the house, by choice, on days like these and spending some time soaking it all in. That’s why when my husband asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday this year, I said “go to the beach”.

I didn’t grow up near the beach so driving across the city just to see some frozen water was quite novel and exhilarating for me. My friends couldn’t understand why I would do such a thing.

It was quiet. The carousal was boarded up for winter, the obnoxiously buff volley ball guys were gone and there wasn’t a single family reuniting over hot dogs. It was just us, the birds, a few people playing hockey out on the ice and a handful of other couples in the know. It was cold, otherworldly and beautiful.

Valentine’s Day Birthday, Part II

Posted on February 25, 2015February 24, 2015 by Melissa Harrison

At 27 years old, I still get excited about growing up and getting older. I’m the only adult I know who celebrates every added year with the enthusiasm and anticipation of a child still counting the years on one hand. I make sure all of my friends are seriously aware of my continued aging.

These go out in January, by the way.

I plan a party with enough food, games and long-distance guests to get my friends out of their homes and into mine on a cold night in the middle of February, when there’s almost always some sort of weather advisory (this year it was an extreme cold warning, what fun!).

My brother drove up from back home.

I found birthday cake flavoured Oreos while browsing the liquidation sales at the ill-fated Target Canada. I bought a whole bunch and made these not-so-quick but very easy Party Oreos. I only decorated half of the cookie, my friends thought I was being lazy, I thought I was being artistic.

Dress: Modcloth // Cardigan: H&M (old) // Tights: Target // Slippers: White Noise Maker // Necklace: Modcloth (old) // Earrings: gift, received them for my 5th birthday // Ring: a family heirloom

Because I was unofficially elected to be the party food maker of my friend group, I knew that if I wanted anything fancier than a bag of chips, I would have to make it myself. I decided to not overwork myself, for once, and only make easy stuff, hence the charmingly campy pigs in a blanket. My friend told me, with three days’ notice, that he would be very upset if someone didn’t make my famous steak & egg devilled eggs, so I whipped some up along with some dirty martini devilled eggs, for good measure.

My friend Sarah has made my birthday cake every year since I moved to the Niagara Region. This year I asked for either citrus or a tangy chocolate. She brought this happy yellow cake that I discovered, when I plunged my 9″ chef knife into it, was actually chocolate! I blew out all the candles on my first try.

Birthday Cake Pancakes

Posted on February 17, 2015February 17, 2015 by Melissa Harrison

At least once a decade, my birthday falls on Pancake Tuesday. TODAY IS THAT DAY!

$Birthday Cake Pancakes \\ Sophster-Toaster$

So of course, using Jamie Oliver’s recipe for quick pancakes, I whipped up a colourful treat for myself this 9862nd morning of my life.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup skim milk
1 egg from a well-treated chicken
1 pinch Kosher salt
3 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles
a bit of butter

½ whipping cream
½ tsp vanilla paste

Method

Whisk together flour, milk, egg and salt until smooth. Add most of the sprinkles, reserving some for garnish, and whisk until just mixed in.
Put a large pan on medium heat. Add a bit of butter to the pan at the start of each cooking batch. Once melted, add the pancake batter a spoonful at a time. Fill when bubbles rise to the surface and break. Remove from pan when both sides are golden and crispy.
Add whipping cream and vanilla paste (you can add a bit of sugar too if you like) to a small bowl and whisk until the cream reaches soft peaks.
Spoon whipped cream over a stack of pancakes. Add sprinkles from a high. Drizzle with maple syrup if you know what’s good for you.

$Birthday Cake Pancakes \\ Sophster-Toaster$ $Birthday Cake Pancakes \\ Sophster-Toaster$ $Birthday Cake Pancakes \\ Sophster-Toaster$ $Birthday Pancakes \\ Sophster-Toaster$

Too full to finish.

Valentine’s Day Birthday, Part I

Posted on February 11, 2015February 12, 2015 by Melissa Harrison

I think this will be the best year of my life. We’re only two weeks into February — one week away from my 27th birthday — and the hubs and I already have big things coming together for 2015. My husband is moments away from inheriting a cottage in Northern Ontario that has been in his family since the 1920’s (don’t get the wrong idea, it’s a money-pit) with intentions of rescuing it from back tax limbo and restoring it to it’s former charm and I achieved a big goal of seeing something I made in a for-real, brick-and-mortar shop window when Craft Arts Market opened up a few blocks from my house, just to name a couple. When I was a child, I always thought 27 was the best age a person could be. I felt it so strongly that the feeling alone has survived in my memory far longer than the reason why I felt it. I can’t believe I’m finally here. I think it’s time to plan the celebrations.

$Building a Backdrop \\ Sophster-Toaster$

With a birthday that always seems to land on the same weekend as Valentine’s Day, I don’t think I’m ever had a birthday party colour scheme other than red, pink and white or a theme other than today is also Valentine’s Day. This year, I’m branching out. I’ve chosen pink, orange and gold as my decoration colours and the theme of … birthday party. Alright, I’m not great at themes.

I’ve spent the last two weeks making my invitations and decorations, and planning food, drinks and furniture arrangement. For the most part, I’m treading in unfamiliar waters and choosing nondescript seasonal decorations and food ideas over festive ones. However, there is one tradition, started by my mother, that I have never gone a year without and have decided to continue, with restraint: there will be one heart…

$Heart Backdrop \\ Sophster-Toaster$

… and I’m making it a big one. (Find the DIY I used to make the backdrop here.)

$Building a Heart Backdrop \\ Sophster-Toaster$

$Valentine's Date Outfit \\ Sophster-Toaster$ $Bow Tie \\ Sophster-Toaster$ $Valentine's Day Outfit \\ Sophster-Toaster$ $Poetic Licence Heel \\ Sophster-Toaster$

Dress: Modcloth // Bow Tie: Sophster-Toaster // Tights: H&M // Socks: The Green Room (old) // Shoes: Modcloth (old) // Hair Clip: H&M (old) // Earrings: Modcloth (old) // Bracelet: Sweet Auburn Studio

Chair is Ikea.