toronto

#ElaishaGoes to Terre Bleu: A Lavender Surprise

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Last summer I headed up to Terre Bleu, one of a few lavender field destinations in Ontario (especially near Toronto). The drive up past the Premium Outlet Mall was painful, I wanted to stop in and raid Restoration Hardware, but we trucked on to the remote Terre Bleu.

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We parked and walked up to what seemed to be a wooden house with a pathway cut right in the middle of it. It towered above me as we quickly scuttled in to avoid the sun. Workers in their purple shirts strolled about busy with tasks of the day. We signed up for a tour of the fields where we learned about the types of lavender when lavender would be in season and the medicinal uses of the sweet smelling bush. We visited the bees and saw them at work making lavender honey.

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After the tour and spending some time in the shop, my mum and I were ready to buy everything there. The summer sun bore down on us and I indulged in the lemonade and she got the ice cream. Since I avoid ice cream I only got a small lick off of a drop on my hand and fell in love. The flavour was subtly sweet and delicious. Thankfully the lemonade satiated my sweet tooth!

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On to the macarons: if you go, buy at least 3 boxes. Eat one either in the fields or on your way home and put the other two in the fridge (if they make it that far). The adorable purple french cookies were filled with a creamy ganache that I still fantasise about today. I also purchased some lavender oil and a pouch filled with dried lavender for my chest of drawers.

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I had the chance to meet the owner of Terre Bleu and experience the location from his perspective, too. He was very nice and educated my mum and me on lavender and how they keep the small business going.

Get a quote for this trip

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Terre Bleu reopens June 1st and I highly recommend visiting and taking the tour! The scenery, snacks and relaxation were worth the journey.

#ElaishaGoes to Versus Coffee

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It's not played out just yet! Versus coffee is one of several east end spots that I will be mentioning in my #ElaishaGoes series while I'm in Toronto. Desiree chose the spot and I'm super happy she did!

We were able to chat over our drinks and catch up after only talking on the phone for the past few weeks. It was pretty quiet on Sunday afternoon with only a few people milling about the shop just before it closed.

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All pictures by Desiree at A Desired Journey

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I wasn't the biggest fan of my matcha because I'm not used to the flavour with unsweetened almond milk (I try to avoid sugar and milk in my drinks). However, the aesthetic of the small space was to die for. The open concept blended well one into another and was filled with natural light from the floor to ceiling windows. We were able to catch some gorgeous shots while we huddled over our carefully crafted drinks.

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Visit if you ever get the chance (even if for the adorable cup filled with their famous s'mores drink). Have you been to Versus before?

What I got for $125 at Uniqlo Canada

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Uniqlo is finally in Canada.

Photocredit: Ryan Emberley

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Photocredit: Ryan Emberley

I attended the Canadian preview event this summer and was impressed with the collection of essential basics in an array of colours. I was super excited when I got the invite to the store opening so I could finally see the space (and shop away).

Like other Japanese franchises, (ie. Muji) Uniqlo is a store of essentials and convenience. When I walked into the press preview I was greeted with sake and a $125 gift card. As I strolled about I understood why members of the public lined up at 4am the next day to get their fill of the store.

Kinda went crazy tonight @UniqloCanada! Check it out tomorrow to snag some deals #UNIQLOCanadapic.twitter.com/B6u85lnAEw

— ELAISHA JADE (@ElaishaJade) September 30, 2016

After taking a gander and making some painful decisions, here's what I left the cash register with!

Thanks for watching and reading! Have you been to the new Uniqlo store yet?