the dance prelude

food. travel. lifestyle.

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still life.

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Some of my favourite food. 

Radishes are genuinely good-looking. More on my blog here.  

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Hi,

I will still be posting on tumblr, but will be more active here.

Sending love,

S.

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Westmount Greenhouse on a sunny Saturday.

It used (I think) to be one of Montreal's best kept secrets until we could see it on everybody's profile on Instagram. It's the perfect location if you're in need of heath, sunlight and greenness. Or if you want to pretend you're somewhere out there in the tropics.

Needless to say that this lovely place is photogenic and that I had so much fun shooting inside.

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Spending some time outside of the city feels good, even if it's for less than 24 hours. Before heading to Stockholm, I made a quick stop at Jönköping and Tenhult, where my friend Marine was living during her exchange semester. It was a haven on earth. Not a single soul. Only greenness and emptiness during the golden hour. I love that. That and fika (the Swedish coffee break). I swear I could have fika everyday. 

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The morning I left Copenhagen for good, I had spare time before boarding the train to Sweden. Everything's so darn expensive in this city, but still decided to fuel up on a sweet oat porridge from Grød. Inside Torvehallerne, Copenhagen's biggest food market, are some cute stands loaded with fresh products, smørrebrød, spices, coffee, flowers and so on. It's a must see for any food lover. Ironically, on this departure day, the sun was (finally) shining.

Looking at these pictures makes me feel nostalgic. There's just something so great about the people, the city connection with the water, the organic food, the cycling, the beauty of the streets and the Scandinavian design to die for. Copenhagen, you're truly missed. 

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I am a sucker for sweets and thus, this obviously involves afternoon teas. So when I’ve been asked to go to the new tearoom Le Parloir, I said yes right away. It’s always fun for me to discover a place and shoot around, especially when it’s so pretty as one can see. My highlights were the buttery scone (as it is supposed to be) with the Devonshire cream and the delicious and colourful macarons from Les Délices de Marie-Antoinette.

I couldn’t finish completely, otherwise I would have ended up rolling like the cutest raccoon ever, so I brought home some of the treats, along with a tea blend and a shortbread that were given to us before leaving. Overall, I absolutely loved the thoughtful service and the simple yet good food. In the end, it’s all that matters.

Le Parloir | 4354, Christophe-Colomb

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Here's a little mix of our trip to Malmö, Sweden and my last day in Copenhagen spent riding a bicycle, regardless of the eternal rain and cold. Spending five days in Copenhagen was enough to fall in love with the city, which I really miss.

Pictured above: view of Copenhagen, Malmö old town, eating Swedish meatballs (not my cup of tea though, but had to try once), beautiful light and space in a museum, brunch at Cafe 22, another view of Copenhagen while biking around and the cutest houses in the loveliest neighbourhood. I wouldn't mind living there.

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I stumbled across the cutest children store last weekend, Comme des enfants. Located on Bernard street in the Mile End and opened since only three months, the boutique is right up my alley: clear and pure design, flooded with sunlight and painted all white. 

You can find the most adorable clothes, books, tattoos, toys and decoration for your little ones. I could have spent hours shooting inside this lovely shop and discovering every product carefully selected. Make sure to stop by next time you're in the area. I just fell in love.

Comme des enfants | 122, Bernard Ouest | Website

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Copenhagen from the waterfront.

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Photo essay I: Annie

Mount Royal, Montreal

Model: Annie (sis)

Dress: Zara (old)

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My guidebook was so wrong. An exhibition was supposed to be held at the Danish Design Centre (DDC) and I was really excited about it. Unfortunately it was closed since 2012-2013 (?!? update please). Anyways, I managed to go upstairs, took a sneak peak at the office and have a look at the different fabrics and materials designers work with. Obviously, DDC is a dream workplace.

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I have always felt at home at my sister's apartment. When I have downs, her place brights me up. It's cozy and I feel safe. 

We love gathering, preparing and having dinner together. Her kitchen is loaded with cute decoration, succulents, a beautiful collection of tea cups from Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam), fresh herbs and magic cookbooks. Food is what brings us together, and this is why the kitchen has a great meaning in our lives. It is all about sharing a simple yet delicious meal over small conversations with our loved ones. 

Featured above: Blanched white asparagus with ricotta & Belgian endive from the genius Matt Wilkinson.

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It was pouring, here and there, during our stay in Copenhagen. Mother Nature wasn't really cooperating... Due to the heavy rain we stayed inside the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and later on took a guided tour on a boat (next post). FYI, yes, Arne Jacobsen Series 7TM chair are so comfortable. Soon an article about my obsession with Danish design? Probably.

We mostly walked around in the different neighbourhoods that day and I was quite happy, since there is no better way to soak in the ambiance of the city. I love the beauty and quietness of these streets. My feet were just wet and a bit tired. 

Pictured above (in no particular order): Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (and chasing light in the building), Amalienborg Place, Arne Jacobsen Series 7TM, golden hour at Kastelett (fortress), streets of Copenhagen.

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Hello Sylvie! You really take great pictures! I particularly like the one with the bikes in front of the window, and the one with the long sidewalk, and the city buildings, and... Do you take them with a camera or a phone? It was nice reading you too! Odette

Hi Odette, thank you for your kind words.

I shoot all of my photos with my Olympus OM-D E-M5 and I use a 25mm focal length. Hope this helps! 

Come back anytime.

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The rain came to say hello and we had to plan something to do. We strolled around the city centre before heading to Nørrebro (and fortunately the rain stopped), a hip neighbourhood that I really love! Especially Jægersborggade, a nice street where cafés, local design shops and great restaurants meet. Everything was closed but I made sure to come back during my stay.

Basically, bicycles are everywhere, which is something I love about Copenhagen. It’s the most safe and cycling-friendly city I have ever visited, in my opinion. The Danes ride their bikes no matter what the weather is: sunny, rainy, snowy, cold, hot, you name it. It’s impressive to see tons of bikes on the street (well, bike lanes) and huge parking racks. At this moment, I couldn’t wait to start exploring the city on two wheels.

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Botanical Garden in Copenhagen, Denmark.

I couldn't be happier to finally visit Copenhagen, as it was on my bucket list since forever.