Sonya's Patates Braavos: Edition #19 💌🥔

TLDR: Ottawa thrifts, TV, art

welcome note 👋 

Hello, brave patates 🥔 how are y’all doing? The heatwave in Ottawa was no joke. It felt like 44 with Humidex some days. I have a window AC unit and blackout blinds. I didn’t want the blind to interfere with the airflow so I taped paper grocery bags on the uncovered window lmao #interiordesignismypassion. Hope you have central AC!

cool things corner

Watch: I’ve been flipping between shows in the quiet desperation of having nothing good to watch. So much so that I went back to watching The Vampire Diaries, which I used to watch in Russia. I used to cut out the actors from tabloids and make scrapbooks. I was obsessed. It’s surreal watching it 13 years later but damn, is it a good show. #TeamDamon

I’m also watching Ginny & Georgia although it gets a bit too serious for me sometimes, and I finished Perfect Match (great for psychoanalysis).

Eat: my friend Lauren and I tried a local Little Italy restaurant this weekend called Corner Peach. It’s a delightful vintage-styled cozy spot. Outside of outrageous Canadian going-out prices ($20 for a veg burger and lettuce-majority salad), the service was good and the vibes were immaculate.

This week I am testing out the Keto kit from Meal Prep Ottawa and it’s delicious. This local company is earning my loyalty - after two orders they gave me a 15% discount code to use for next time. I also got a coffee with butter from Ceasar’s cafe and it gave me the benefits of caffeine without the anxiety! Fats help caffeine absorb (one of the reasons people drink bulletproof coffee with MCT or coconut oil). Don’t tell my cholesterol levels.

Shop: sometimes you find the best stuff when you are not looking. Lauren and I went to the shops after lunch. Our first stop was a giant antique store on Somerset bridge. The old dark wood furniture was all gorgeous and what I want my house to look like (termites would be impressed). I checked out the books because I collect antique and rare ones and the first book I even laid eyes on was called The Masada Plan and had a David’s star. Minutes later I found Israel’s Fight for Survival written by Los Angeles reporters in 1967. What are the chances? I also found Ancient Russian Miniatures: religious postcards from the Soviet Union, all in Russian…

After successfully acquiring these three items for just $5, we went to St. Vincent de Paul which is my preferred thrift store compared to over-priced Value Village. Lauren found barely worn Italian leather sandals by a good brand and I found a cute pointy leather handbag for just $12, and a black strapless satin prom dress for just $14.

Then we stopped at Trove Consignment in Hintonburg and I found the perfect white summer dress by Zara in soft fabric, floor length, with a tiered skirt ($36). And a black dress with a structured off-the-shoulder neckline and a skirt with black leaves and mesh ($28!!!). In this economy, thrift and second-hand are the best. Just last week I got an unworn linen RW&CO blazer from St Vincent for $10 (new ones are $170…).

Summer vibes: what are your plans this summer? Canada Day? It’s somehow already June 23rd and I’m determined to not let the rest of the warm weather pass me by. With a Europe trip complete, I’m looking forward to enjoying the Canadian landscapes at camping and on day trips. I wanted to book a cute cottage near Ottawa that has horses for a weekend, but they only rent out by the week and one week is $2500… So camping it is lol.

Work: work-wise, I’m pricing out a few services for a realtor whom I met through the Women Who Freelance Toronto group, writing Telfer articles, and working on creating referral agreements with web designers so I can use their services for my clients and they can outsource copywriting to me for theirs.

Read: I just finished reading The Great Divide, a random Canadian book I got for free from the Maps store in Hintoburg. It’s about BC, a snarky real estate developer, and Bigfoots. Yup, sasquatches (they don’t like that word though). It was delightful and so random and I just love that the author had this idea and executed it. Art doesn’t need to be all significant, serious, and meaningful. It can just be for fun. For distraction. For escapism. For entertainment. Do your stupid ideas. Someone will find it funny.

If you got this far, thanks for reading ❤️ cooked something yummy? lmk. went to a cool event or read a fun book? lmk. see you on the flip side 🥔