Labour/Labor Day Weekend

Happy Labour/Labor day!

It's so hard to believe that the last long weekend of the summer is winding down. Wasn't it just last week that I wrote about the May 2-4 weekend?

September crept up way too quickly, as it always does. The weather is still summer-like here, so it's going to be  a little while before I switch out the ol' wardrobe. I'd feel ridiculous to wear my boots and thick sweaters just because that's what you see in the malls, but I like to tie in transitional pieces to my summery clothes.

Rather than worry about what I'm supposed to wear right now, I just enjoyed the weekend.

I had a half day on Friday, but I stuck around the office a bit longer than that because I was meeting my friends downtown. They weren't as lucky as I was to get off early. I hung out around the city for a bit, before meeting up with my friends and going to the CNE. For those of you who aren't from the Toronto area, the CNE is an annual fair that marks the unofficial end of summer. It's known for its carnival rides and outrageous food. We were mainly down there because we were seeing the Zac Brown Band in concert, and the venue is right next door. I don't have any photos because it's an outdoor venue and it was pouring rain. It was a great show, despite the less than ideal weather conditions.

On Saturday, a couple friends and I headed up north for the day. It was raining in the morning, but luckily by late afternoon, the sky completely cleared. We spent most of the day outside, until the sun set and the mosquitos decided to feast on my legs.

Before we hit the road, we made a few pit stops to get the essentials. One of the stops was a local fish shop that I had never been to, but will definitely check out again. They had these amazing oysters, and fantastic sword fish. I hadn't ever prepared either of these before, but I learned how to shuck the oysters (sort of) and the fish was perfect on the BBQ. Served with some awesome veggies and beer, it was the perfect meal.

Today and yesterday were spent hanging around at home for the most part, and running some errands. Despite probably coming down with a cold, I went for a run today, which is something I haven't done in a while. It's tough getting back into that grove, but I know I will.

Now, some snapshots from my weekend!

Some of the oysters, waiting to be shucked

Me, working at shucking the oysters. It's harder than it looks on TV!

Deliciousness

Grilled swordfish, grilled asparagus, and cubed baby potatoes with garlic and onion. Served with a lot of fresh citrus.

My friend and I striking a pose against an incredible sunset

As if I can avoid a quick selfie...

 Rickard's Carigan beer, now in cans. Try this if you can, because it's fantastic!

I couldn't get enough photos of the sunset

Making a small transition to fall by switching purses. These are the contents of my bag, if anyone is wondering.

My new purse that I'm so excited to use!

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend and that you're ready to get back into the fall routine!

Fingers crossed the traffic isn't too awful...