This Queen West Happy Place

Aren't we all thrilled that it's Friday? Our American friends have Memorial Day coming up while us canucks had a short week after May two-four. I had last Friday off so it was an extended long weekend for me.

I spent last Friday morning renewing my licence and then heading over to - gulp - traffic court to deal with my first ticket. After all that boring nonsense was dealt with Gigi and I headed west for some exercise and shopping. Okay, there wasn't supposed to be any shopping. I'm weak. I'm especially weak for clothes and accessories from the tiny shops tucked into Queen West.


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After a break at Trinity Bellwoods park (Gigi laid in the grass while I did a phone interview for Flare magazine), our trek recommenced and we popped in to Bicyclette (http://bicyclette.to/). This store is truly a gem. I got a sweet little cream crocheted bag with a long chain strap and a dress with bows (hooray for bows) all over it by a company called Peppermint. How fun?

I had Gigi in the change room with me when I realized there needs to be dog training specifically for fur mamas who shop with their babes. Gigi didn't want to stay in the dainty draped nook with me so she kept sneaking out under the curtain...threatening to expose my partially naked bod as I wiggled in and out of different outfits. We had a successful visit to the store and the shop girls cooed over my precious baby. We both left happy.

We continued sauntering along Queen and then headed north on Ossington for some vintage finds. That's the beauty of a walk along Queen West, you're always going to find something new and interesting or old and lovely. It might be a new store. A cute pup. A handsome babe. A great latte and pastry or a swanky dress to pair with your dancing shoes.

We spent a few hours walking around that day. We walked back from Queen taking Strachan to Lake Shore so we could run through the grass along the water. Gigi isn't as keen on exercising as most dogs. She really takes after her mama. We walked up to a patch of yellow daffodils and I realized how lucky I was at that very moment. I was standing in the sunshine, looking out on Lake Ontario with the city skyline behind me, enjoying a day with my dog. It was such a happy place.




Will you visit your happy place this weekend?




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