A Festive Girl's Day Out - Just Afton & I

The boys bought tickets to see Star Wars on its opening weekend months ago.  Afton, my 9 year old daughter, and I had absoutely no interest in seeing the film.  

But what would we do instead|?  

It took no time at all to decide to visit a new-ish cafe near our home and check out its delectable wares.  

Saving Thyme is a French style patisserie that serves breakfast, brunch and lunch.  We arrived at 11:30 and caught the tale end of the breakfast/brunch service.   

We began our meal with an almond latte for me and a hot chcolate for my daughter.  She has enjoyed many a hot chocolate in her lifetime and she decided immediately that this was was the best she had EVER had!  Creamy, frothy, chocolately and not too sweet - it was perfect in every way!

The cafe is decorate in subtle shades of grey and white, with a few flourishes of silver.  The chandeliers twinkled and just a few festive accents were needed to add some Christmas sparkle to the space.  

For brunch I ordered my all-time favourite breakfast food - Eggs Benedict.  This one was served on a slightly browned biscuit with maple-glazed ham and the most perfect poached egg.  And the Hollandaise sauce was to DIE FOR! I am pretty sure I could have drank mugs of the stuff .

Afton enjoyed a poached egg sandwich with crispy bacon, old cheddar and  mustardy sauce.  She gobbled up every bite.  

Of course, being a patisserie, we weren't leaving until we had tried some of the sweets in the glass case near the counter.

Afton has a real thing for French macaron and immediately chose a raspberry flavoured one and a "birthday cake" flavoured one. 

She says they tasted as good as they looked!

And for me?  A lemon tart.  The crust was flaky, the filling creamy and the meringue "marshmallowy."  PERFECT!

Afton and I agreed  that we'd be back to this cafe as soon as possible.  We might bring Grandma next time, or maybe even her brothers.  We'll see.  We've got two weeks of holidays ahead us.  Maybe we'll return twice more!!

The boys would be out at the movies for a few more hours so we weren't in any hurry to get home.  So we headed next to a huge greenhouse/furniture store nearby to check out the festive decor.

Only in Canada do we add toboggans, ice skates and hockey sticks to our decorative urns!!

You gotta love a big old traditional tree in a subtle festive colours!

I totally fell in love with this pillow.  I very nearly bought it until Afton convinced me I could make one on my own quite simply.  Maybe I'll add one to the list of things I make for Christmas 2016!

Here's another "Canadian -style" urn - this one with snowshoes sticking out of the middle!

See the little guy sticking out of this pot?  I've been eyeing him each time I have dropped by this shop.  Finally, this time, I bought one of my own and he is adorning the pot outside our front door.

 Wow! I can't believe Christmas will be here in 5 sleeps!  We have friends or family visiting each day until then so plenty of eating, drinking and general merriment will be happening around here.  

How are your final days before Christmas shaping up?

Still baking?

Still wrapping?

Still gift-buying?

Well, whatever you are doing, do it with love and joy.

Everything we do this time of year should be a source of enjoyment - not a source of stress, right??

XOXOXO

Bronwyn