so far, one of the best days of my summer, is also the day we were invited by erin to take a peek upstairs, at her amazing home! it was while visitng erin at her lovely shop robber, which is such a treat, because she is just so sweet, so humble & easy going, nothing not to love about her, & love her store & love her apartment!
please note, this whole blog post wasn't planned, just happened organically & i'm sorry the photos weren't clearer, & erin was nice enough to answer some questions through facebook for me, & i appreciate that she didn't mind all my gushing over her place.
above, c/o sarah mcneil
lambspirit & your mother when she went to college,
drawing by sarah mcneil
i recognize this lil guy, artsit geoff piersol
photo above & below, c/o sonja ahlers
-It's hard for me to pick furniture pieces I'll never get rid of, because most of them are just on loan to me from my dad (who has an antiques shop) and he can always ask for them back! But I would love to keep the dining room table, and I'm also really partial to my jam cupboard (that I use for shoes) - that piece I actually own, so I guess it's a better choice.
- Nothing much came with me from Vancouver - really only a tiny table in my bedroom, and then lots of clothes and books and a few artworks... whatever could fit in my car! I didn't have anything I was particularly attached to there, since I had moved around a lot, and it was kind of nice to start over here.
- I'm still working on building my art collection - haha I don't even really like saying that, since I don't have much ART to speak of. A lot of the pieces in my place are just thrift store finds, little vintage knick-knacks I've picked up or been given over the years. I also have a few Sarah McNeil prints, and we have one original of hers in the shop from the show we had here last summer. Above my bed is a new Sonja Ahlers print from Magic Pony, and I have a few of her bunny photos too. Oh and Robin (my business partner) and I recently bought a Megan Whitmarsh piece that we're hoping to put in the store sometime soon, if we can find the right spot for it.
- This neighbourhood is super-easy to live in - so close to the park, tons of great restaurants, shops, and bars nearby, and most of my friends live within walking distance of my place. Sometimes it feels a little TOO small, but really I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now.
- Hmm I don't really have many CDs at all - my whole collection was stolen several years ago in Vancouver and I never replaced it. All my music is just on my computer and iPod now... kind of sad! I don't own many movies either, just a few Japanese ones I bought when I lived there, and some TV box sets (Felicity, My So-Called Life, Arrested Development, Japanese dramas borrowed from Robin). I do have quite a few books, though maybe not as many as I should - lots have been lost in my many moves, and I lend books out pretty often too. Lately I've been picking up classics at Value Villages, especially editions with nice covers. I'm trying to read 52 books this year (one per week) and it's way harder than I expected!
- Ohhh I am not much of a cook at all... I mainly specialize in sandwiches and other things that don't require actual cooking. I think the last thing I made in the oven was granola, which is so easy it hardly counts either, but it's pretty delicious. (about that garanola recipe erin adds I add cranberries (but only near the end of cooking, or else they burn) and use coconut instead of sunflower seeds, but really you can kind of use whatever you want!)
- I sort of accidentally collect small brass animals for my house - I don't have THAT many, maybe 10 or so scattered around, and I don't actively seek them out, but if I see a nice one for under $5-10 I'll usually pick it up.
- Hmm describing my space is hard! I guess I imagine it having an airy but still cozy feeling (if that's even possible) - I think the antiques and things on the walls balance out the whiteness of the actual apartment, which could be a bit too stark otherwise. But it's still a work in progress, so we'll see how it all turns out... I need more plants, that's for sure.
- I think I only have some books and a few accessories (a backpack, some jewelry, etc) from my childhood - no major pieces or anything with strong sentimental value. Sorry, boring!!
- It's funny, I somehow feel like I don't spend all that much time in my apartment? Mostly I just watch movies or read books or do work, nothing super-exciting... I'd like to have people over more but it's not that appealing in summer when it's boiling hot up there. Maybe I'll declare right now that I'll have a dinner party sometime in the fall, and THAT will be my new favourite apartment activity! Everyone has to bring food, though, or else we'll just be eating sandwiches.
- Nothing much came with me from Vancouver - really only a tiny table in my bedroom, and then lots of clothes and books and a few artworks... whatever could fit in my car! I didn't have anything I was particularly attached to there, since I had moved around a lot, and it was kind of nice to start over here.
- I'm still working on building my art collection - haha I don't even really like saying that, since I don't have much ART to speak of. A lot of the pieces in my place are just thrift store finds, little vintage knick-knacks I've picked up or been given over the years. I also have a few Sarah McNeil prints, and we have one original of hers in the shop from the show we had here last summer. Above my bed is a new Sonja Ahlers print from Magic Pony, and I have a few of her bunny photos too. Oh and Robin (my business partner) and I recently bought a Megan Whitmarsh piece that we're hoping to put in the store sometime soon, if we can find the right spot for it.
- This neighbourhood is super-easy to live in - so close to the park, tons of great restaurants, shops, and bars nearby, and most of my friends live within walking distance of my place. Sometimes it feels a little TOO small, but really I wouldn't want to live anywhere else right now.
- Hmm I don't really have many CDs at all - my whole collection was stolen several years ago in Vancouver and I never replaced it. All my music is just on my computer and iPod now... kind of sad! I don't own many movies either, just a few Japanese ones I bought when I lived there, and some TV box sets (Felicity, My So-Called Life, Arrested Development, Japanese dramas borrowed from Robin). I do have quite a few books, though maybe not as many as I should - lots have been lost in my many moves, and I lend books out pretty often too. Lately I've been picking up classics at Value Villages, especially editions with nice covers. I'm trying to read 52 books this year (one per week) and it's way harder than I expected!
- Ohhh I am not much of a cook at all... I mainly specialize in sandwiches and other things that don't require actual cooking. I think the last thing I made in the oven was granola, which is so easy it hardly counts either, but it's pretty delicious. (about that garanola recipe erin adds I add cranberries (but only near the end of cooking, or else they burn) and use coconut instead of sunflower seeds, but really you can kind of use whatever you want!)
- I sort of accidentally collect small brass animals for my house - I don't have THAT many, maybe 10 or so scattered around, and I don't actively seek them out, but if I see a nice one for under $5-10 I'll usually pick it up.
- Hmm describing my space is hard! I guess I imagine it having an airy but still cozy feeling (if that's even possible) - I think the antiques and things on the walls balance out the whiteness of the actual apartment, which could be a bit too stark otherwise. But it's still a work in progress, so we'll see how it all turns out... I need more plants, that's for sure.
- I think I only have some books and a few accessories (a backpack, some jewelry, etc) from my childhood - no major pieces or anything with strong sentimental value. Sorry, boring!!
- It's funny, I somehow feel like I don't spend all that much time in my apartment? Mostly I just watch movies or read books or do work, nothing super-exciting... I'd like to have people over more but it's not that appealing in summer when it's boiling hot up there. Maybe I'll declare right now that I'll have a dinner party sometime in the fall, and THAT will be my new favourite apartment activity! Everyone has to bring food, though, or else we'll just be eating sandwiches.
Aww thanks Tara-Lynn!! And everyone please ignore the fact that all my artworks are slipping down in their frames - weird side effect of extreme heat, it seems, but I've fixed them up since then! Haha.
ReplyDeleteGreat post-I grew up in this area- actually my parents are still in the same house closer to High Park.
ReplyDeleteNice to see some of the newer shops in my old hood.
I will for sure check out your shop next time I come home-
Yay Erin! I agree, I love her apartment. That window from the bedroom to the living room is the best thing ever.
ReplyDeletei love your blog!
ReplyDeletewow this space is certainly lovely. air yet cozy is how it looks - so nice!
from the looks of it i'd love to own every item in that shop. ah! if only
x anna
truly beautiful apartment!
ReplyDelete