carnival

Take Me to The CNE

August 31, 2015August 30, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

Even though I’m originally from Vancouver, with every new year Toronto feels more and more like home, and there are a handful of new traditions here that I’ve adapted as my own. From Nuit Blanche to yearly pool hopping, there’s always something special to do, but nothing quite beats the magic that rolls into town at the end of August. That’s right, I’m talking about the The Ex.

Growing up in Vancouver we always had the PNE, but for some reason it was never really part of my childhood. Here in Toronto, the CNE is a must for almost much everyone, and it’s a pretty special experience to be able to walk a few blocks away from downtown and end up at an old-timey fairground filled with rides, fun food, and games. My picks this year include the swings and Wild Child’s Kitchen, but in all honesty you really need to head down there and see the sights for yourself! I mean really, is there any better way to finish up an amazing summer?

Dress Up

The CNE

September 5, 2014June 19, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to visit The CNE, Toronto’s massive yearly carnival not once, but twice! I rode the rides, played the games (and actually managed to win one!), ate all the deep fried food I could get my paws on, and of course took a whole load of photos. A whole bunch of my favourite images ran on the Bicyclette blog today as part of my bi-weekly Take Me Out post, but since I ended up with so many pictures, I wanted to share some here as well!

Though the CNE is over for this year, I also wanted to create a little “best of” guide for vegans and vegetarians venturing into the meat-heavy but oh so fun food hall. Believe it or not, there’s lots for us in there too! Scroll to the bottom for my handy little list of favourites, or simply enjoy these colourful fun photos and dream about the gates opening up again next year.

My Vegan/Vegetarian CNE Food Hall Faves:

Miami Ice – Ice pops
Wild Child’s Kitchen – Raw + Vegan snacks and juices
Tiny Tom’s – The best mini donuts
Baked and Loaded – Baked potatoes, vegan options available!
Quench – Fresh squeezed lemonade
Eative – Delicious liquid nitrogen sorbet
Swiss Waffles and Crepes – enough said!

Photos by Brianne Burnell

Dress Up

On Island Time

August 5, 2014June 22, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

Though the weather hasn’t been the best and I find myself busier with work than ever, this summer has been pretty wonderful so far. I’ve had the chance to work on a ton of fun creative projects, celebrated my blog’s first birthday, and coordinated an incredible party shoot with Bicyclette. Perhaps the biggest event so far though was Sarah’s visit.

Sarah and I have been best friends since we were eight years old, and though our closeness has come and gone, I don’t think any time has been quite as rough as this past year. Last summer Sarah decided to go to grad school in Vancouver, where we’re both from, and at the end of August she left her life here behind, including me. It was so hard to see her go, and even harder to have such an incredible year of success and excitement without really being able to share it with her. We kept in touch nonstop, sending one another cards and packages, but it just wasn’t the same. I felt like part of myself was missing.

Sarah’s visit these past two weeks was so bittersweet that it’s hard to even sum it up. We did all sorts of amazing things she wanted to do, and went a handful of places that I had promised to show her. It certainly wasn’t perfect, and if I’m being totally honest things did feel a little bit different at times, but when push comes to shove we had an amazing two weeks filled with beauty and adventure.

One of my favourite days with Sarah was when we headed to Toronto Island to shoot photos with Brianne for a Take me Out post. We spent the morning frolicking around the island taking pictures, and in the afternoon we lazed around on the beach until we were so hungry that we had to leave. It was a beautiful day filled with hundreds of tiny beautiful moments; here are some of my favourites!

Photos by Brianne Burnell