How To Spend 36 Hours In Boston

Last weekend, Lewis and I rented a car and drove down through beautiful New England to Boston. Our main motivation for going was for a long-awaited opportunity to see one of favourite musicians play who we kept missing in Europe due to our constant relocating this year. Of course, I also could not wait to get back to Boston, a beautiful city with lots of history and European feel that we had visited almost exactly four years ago. After a long (but worth it) drive, we arrived in Boston on Friday evening and we spent a whirlwind 36 hours in Boston before heading back at midday on Sunday. It is totally worth taking quick weekend trips because you can get a lot done in a short space of time so here's how to spend 36 hours in Boston.

EAT PIZZA AND CANNOLI IN THE NORTH END

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After a 7 hour drive with just car snacks and a stop off at the Ben & Jerry's factory (more on that another time), we headed straight to The North End, which is like the Little Italy area of Boston, for pizza, of course! We stumbled across a rather large queue for a pizzeria off the main strip and after checking out other options on Salem Street, I persuaded Lewis that we should go back to the first one - a queue is always a good sign right?! And right we were! We waited about half an hour for a table at Regina before we were seated in a cute wooden booth right next to the kitchen. We ordered a 16 inch margarita with extra ricotta to share for 20 bucks, which we enjoyed amongst the bustle and noise of this charming Italian restaurant. The queue was definitely worth the wait and it was the perfect start to our weekend in Boston.

From Regina, we strolled though the lively North End to Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street - the best place to get cannoli in town. If you don't know what a cannoli is, it's crispy tube of pastry stuffed with a creamy filling of which there are many flavours. We chose a plain cream filling with chocolate chips and went to heaven while eating these watching the Boston skyline at night. We also picked up another cannoli each on Saturday afternoon because if you can't indulge on holiday, when can you?!

TAKE A STROLL THROUGH BEACON HILL

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Located just west of the centre of Boston, Beacon Hill is an affluent, residential and beautiful area of town that is great for a calm weekend stroll admiring the gorgeous red brick buildings so this is exactly where we headed on Saturday morning. We were particularly taken by Louisberg Square and while taking some photos, an American couple pointed out John Kerry's house. As well as being home to important men of power, Beacon Hill also has lots of cute independent shops and cafes along Charles Street and although they can be pricy, it is always nice to have a little look.

VISIT BOSTON COMMON

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From Beacon Hill, just cross over Beacon Street and you are in Boston Common, a vast and diverse park smack bang in the middle of the city. The weather was stunning for our whole weekend in Boston so we took the opportunity to wander through this lovely park, taking some time to reflect whilst sitting on the bench that features in the film Good Will Hunting. The bench has a great view of the lagoon and is just perfect for people watching.

SAMPLE CULINARY DELIGHTS AT QUINCY MARKET

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Last time we were in Boston, we spent a lot of time around Quincy Market (and taking full advantage of the free Mac n Cheese samples) so we knew this was the place to head to to fill our stomachs before the gig. Quincy Market is in a beautiful old building that sits next to the equally stunning Faneuil Hall (where the Freedom Trail starts, which I highly recommend too) and is a lovely bustling retreat from the skyscrapers that surround it. Quincy Market offers lots of hot and cold meals including seafood, pizza and asian but we were there for one thing only - the cheesiest and most moorish Mac n Cheese. We certainly did not feel too healthy eating it and we definitely ate too much but it was the perfect way to get energised for the evening entertainment.

GO TO A GIG

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I often plan city breaks around going to a particular event and although your dates might not always match up with your favourite artist, going to a gig, musical or show is great way to make a trip extra special. I had been dying to see Brian Fallon (lead singer of the Gaslight Anthem) play all year so this has to be the highlight of my weekend. He played at the gorgeous Royale venue on Tremont Street, right in the heart of theatre district, and he was amazing! We had such a magical night and we even managed to meet him afterwards by hanging around the tour bus after the show - I'm a fan girl and proud ok?! 

GET AN ALL AMERICAN BREAKFAST

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On Sunday morning, having rinsed our money on cannoli and other deliciously unhealthy food, we wanted to stock up on a hearty American breakfast before hitting the road. Our Bostonian friend Bella, recommended the Trident Booksellers Cafe in the Back Bay area, which was great as we got to see another lovely area of town and the breakfast was just insane! We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table in this cafe located within a bookshop but it was so worth it. I went all out and chose the lemon ricotta stuffed French toast topped with blueberry coulis and maple syrup - and trust me it was a much as a mouthful to eat as it is to say! The portion was absolutely enormous - probably double the amount that I really needed - but Lewis was happy to help me out once he had finished his scrambled eggs and home fries. Great recommendation Bella!

So there you have it - how to spend 36 hours in Boston! If you have the time or it is your first visit to the city, it is worth spending a good four or five days there, which is what we did when we went four years ago. Thankfully we managed to squeeze in our top favourite things to do in Boston in just 36 hours - of course the only other must-do is see the Red Sox at Fenway Park but they were unfortunately playing away last weekend.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and watch out for the vlog coming on Sunday. I will certainly be doing more of these posts as I explore Canada and the USA so let me know if you have any recommendations. Next stop...New York in December!

Izzie x
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Keeping It Simple

Top - secondhand, Jeans - MONKI, Shoes - CONVERSE, Cap - secondhand

Location: Outremont, Montreal

It's Monday and as always things are all go go go here in Montreal. We just had a wonderful weekend down in Boston - more on that later in the week - and now it is back to reality and I am all about super simple outfits for days of running errands. When there are jobs to be hunted, an apartment to be cleaned and painted and furniture to be bought, all I can think about is throwing on a simple stripes and jeans combo and finishing off the look with my trusty Converse, a baker boy hat and red lips for good measure.

What are your go to pieces when you just need a simple outfit for busy busy days?

C'est lundi et comme d'habitude, il y a plein de choses à faire aujourd'hui à Montréal. Lewis et moi avons passé un super bon week-end à Boston - dont je vous parle plus tard dans la semaine - et maintenant, je retourne à la réalité dans une tenue super simple. Quand il faut chercher d'emploi, nettoyer et peindre l'appartement et acheter des meubles, je ne peux que penser à mettre des rayures et un jeans avec des Converses, une casquette marine et un rouge à lèvres rouge pour finir.

Quelles sont vos pièces essentielles pour une tenue simple?

Izzie x
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YouTube: Transitional Autumn Lookbook

Izzie x
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An Afternoon At The Market

Lewis and I love a good market. The boy even gets excited going into new supermarkets so imagine our joy at spending an afternoon exploring the Marché Jean-Talon in the Little Italy area of Montreal. I simply could not resist photographing - and sharing with you - this beautifully presented and vibrant market, which is without a doubt the best food market I have ever been to. It is full of fresh and local produce with free samples everywhere, which Lewis took full advantage of, and it was such a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

We were so impressed at the quality and price that we spontaneously decided to pick up some ingredients to make a vegetarian bolognese that evening. A basket of tomatoes, a large bunch of basil and some vegetables cost under 10$ between us and we still have loads of basil left over so we are going to make pesto tonight!

I had never made a tomato sauce from scratch before but it was super easy and tasted so much fresher and healthier than having it out of a jar. We simply fried some onion and garlic before adding lots of diced tomatoes and letting it simmer down while roasting sweet potato, courgette, aubergine and pepper in the oven. Once a sauce had formed, we added the roasted vegetables and vegetarian mince to finish off the bolognese. I would definitely recommend taking the time to source good, local produce and spending some time in the kitchen because then you know exactly what you are eating and the taste is so worth the extra effort.

The market also sells sweet treats including lots of maple syrup - of course - and pateis de nata, much to our delight. We missed out on trying the chocolate one so we shared a classic vanilla and a maple syrup - only in Canada eh? They were absolutely delicious, therefore vindicating our point of never passing up on a pateis de nata if we get the chance.

Izzie x
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Double Denim | The AW16 Edition

Denim shirt - old TOPSHOP, SIMILAR, Jeans - vintage Levi's, Boots - OFFICE, Brooch - vintage

Location: Mile End, Montreal 

Double denim is an absolute failsafe outfit and it is something that I have rocked for many previous seasons. As I mentioned in my HOW TO BE ON TREND ON A BUDGET FOR AW16 VIDEO, it is super easy to update some old looks and pieces in your wardrobe simply by adding some AW16 touches and by hitting four key AW16 trends in one look, that is exactly what I have done today.

Denim continues to be in the spotlight and this season it is all about the textures. Think raw hems, contrasting washes, patchwork...the rougher and more thrown together, the better so I paired my heavy denim vintage Levi's with DIY frayed hems together with my super old, light denim shirt for the perfect clash of textures.

It is all about strange layering for AW16 whether that be rocking a super long hoody over some girlfriend jeans or wearing clashing prints on top of each other, you have to think outside the box. For this relaxed Sunday outfit, I just tucked in one side of my denim shirt for a casual, thrown on look that still ticks all the layering boxes.

Now let's talk details. Pins, patches and brooches are still having a moment but this season they come with more sparkle and shine than their spring/summer counterparts. I absolutely love this trend because it is such a simple way to add that extra something to an outfit. I pinned this super old gem brooch to the collar of the shirt to add another shade of blue to this denim look.

Metallics are always a big trend for autumn/winter and this year is no exception. I think the reason that we all love wearing something sparkly during the winter months is because it gives a big middle finger to the cold and makes us feel better. I am certainly bringing the must-have boot of the summer into my AW16 wardrobe - well, as long as the Montreal weather permits it - and they just look perfect next to a raw denim hem.

So there you have it, four AW16 trends in one look. What are your tips for being on trend for AW16?

Le denim double fait toujours une tenue géniale et il est quelque chose que je mets depuis longtemps. Comme j'en ai parlé dans ma VIDEO COMMENT ETRE A LA MODE POUR AUTOMNE-HIVER 16, il est facile de mettre au goût du jour des anciens looks et pièces en ajoutant tout simplement des détails d'automne-hiver 16 et aujourd'hui, j'intègre quatre tendances en une tenue.

Le denim continue à être en vedette et cette saison c'est les textures qui sont importants. Des ourlets déchirés, des couleurs différentes, du patchwork...le plus brut, le meilleur alors j'ai mis mon jean Levi's du denim épais avec des ourlets coupés DIY ensemble avec un ancien chemisier léger en bleu jean clair pour un contraste de textures.

Pour automne-hiver 16, on met des couches bizarres genre un sweat à capuche oversized par-dessus d'un jean girlfriend ou plein de motifs différents ensemble, il faut réfléchir hors des sentiers battus. Pour cette tenue simple de dimanche, j'ai rentré un côté du chemisier dans le jean pour un look décontracté qui est toujours super tendance.

Maintenant, on parle de détails. On adore toujours des épingles, des écussons et des broches mais ils sont tous plus brillants que ceux qu'on portait en été. J'aime bien cette tendance parce qu'il est super facile d'en ajouter un à une tenue pour quelque chose d'extra. J'ai mis ce vieux broche au col de mon chemisier pour ajouter une autre nuance bleu à ce look denim.

Des pièces métalliques sont toujours super tendances pour automne-hiver et il n'y a pas d'exception cette année. Je pense que la raison pour laquelle on aime bien porter des pièces brillantes en hiver est pour faire un doigt d'honneur au temps froid et pour nous réconforter. Evidement, je garde des bottines must-have d'été pour mon placard d'hiver - bah, tant que le temps de Montréal me permet - et elles sont parfaites proche des ourlets déchirés.

Et voilà - quatre tendance d'automne-hiver 16 en une tenue. Quelles sont vos conseils pour être à la mode pour automne-hiver 16?

Izzie x
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YouTube: First Weekly Vlog In Montreal

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Montreal | Photo Diary & Life Update

Hello from Montreal! As you may or may not know, I recently moved to Montreal with the love of my life and amongst the stresses of finding work and an apartment, we have been exploring this wonderful city. We have climbed the 'Mont Royal', relaxed on the banks of the Lachine Canal, walked a lot around Le Plateau and Mile End and I have been pretty snap happy along the way.

I wanted to share some of the photos I have taken so far from urban streets and beautiful houses to street art and, well, photos of us! Montreal is a super arty city and there is something to look at on almost every corner in Le Plateau. I love the industrial vibe to the buildings and I am so excited to shoot outfits photos here!

As for a life update, we have had no luck so far finding jobs but we are keeping our hopes up and persevering! We are hopefully on the cusp of getting an apartment - it has been relatively easy to find an apartment despite not having a job but we are just quite indecisive! It is also quite scary signing a year lease when we do not even know if we will find jobs here! To quote Lewis: "I hope this city is kind to us" and we feel more settled soon.

Izzie x
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