Quaintrelle Weekender

Garden-party ready: a controversial pair of shoes, a rug to get you in the mood, and a spring cleaning spritz to quench the thirst.

Welcome to Quaintrelle Weekender.

This is a short list of things I am currently loving to make eating, drinking, and hosting easier and a lot more interesting.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Garden!

Friends, this is the prep-before-the-prep weekend.

I’m spending these two days washing windows (never a dull moment around here!) and getting the plants I need to have the lanai party-ready for the season.

Le Clos Condo, as my lanai is affectionately termed, has a mix of tropical plants. I face west with relentless afternoon sun from about 2pm to sunset at 9pm, so the plants that work best for me include cat palms, which conveniently also double as a privacy screen; ferns, and sun-loving mandevilla, which Google has just told me is also known as “rock trumpet” which I kindof like more.

For years I observed the stately Ontario aesthetic of emerald cedars and white geraniums. It’s an elegant look, but one that no longer suits me – like trying to get away with a pair of shoes just a half size too big.

A few years ago, desperate for a bit of sun-saturated fun, I spotted this pool club in Miami and fell in love with the candy-apple red and turquoise theme. I immediately adopted something similar for my Toronto lanai and haven’t looked back.

This edition of the Weekender is all about getting ready for summer.

Before we get into it, I am still on the hunt for a condo-sized sun umbrella, ideally something portable but also heavy enough to stand up to blowing winds, as well as excellent swimwear that’s cute but also sturdy enough for curvy ladies like me. If you’ve got a lead, please let me know all the details.

This is Wayfair’s photo. My rug has yet to be unpacked from winter.

Small Rug, Big Impact

Indoor/Outdoor Rug

To get that breezy, bohemian vibe, one of the first things I brought to the lanai to get into the swing of summer was this turquoise and blue striped rug. It’s a cheapy, but I didn’t want to spend a lot on an outdoor rug. Does anyone? This one, despite coming in under $200 has lasted me three seasons. Admittedly, the old girl has a few laugh lines now, but I think I can eek out one more spin on the dance floor before retiring her.

The stacked planter, ready for action.

Planter Fashioniitis

Vertical Garden

I use this planter for herbs, radishes, beets and lettuce. Nothing that requires too much downward space for deep roots. My gardening skills aside, it seems to work quite well. Its compact design is functional and stylish for my balcony, and the arch of the frame allows for each box to get its own time in the sun. The only downside is I had to drill drainage holes in the bottom, but that’s not a huge deal for me.

A screen shot (obvs) from a reel I did on using my worm poop. It’s linked below if you would like to see the riveting action.

Worm Poop

Jocelyn's Organic Soil Booster Worm Manure

If you’ve hung around an organic gardening centre for any length of time, inevitably someone in overalls and carrying a Yeti full of mushroom coffee will come strolling over to let you know about their worm farm and its subsequent castings. They can talk about it for hours, and often do. I suggest only going to these places when you have extra time on your hands.

Anyway, long story short, I now have a bag of Jocelyn’s worm fertilizer for my garden. Jocelyn is the farmer, not the worm.

Shockingly it’s not cheap – I think I spent about $30 or so on a bag, but it has lasted three seasons (does worm manure go bad? How would I know if it did? Like, what’s the shelf life of annelid poo?)

I am, to put it most charitably, a fledgling gardener, so I can’t really tell you if this is miracle growth stuff or not. However, many gardeners who do seem to know their way around a hoe (a-hem) swear by it. And I say, fake it til you make it.

See also: ground eggshells

Comfort Before Fashion (?)

Crocs

Stay with me now.

I know Crocs have travelled between fashion’s It Girl and Whipping Boy so many times it induces vertigo, but I got a bright orange pair (yes, a la Mario Batali), nearly 20 years ago, and they are still going strong.

I bought them to wear in the vineyard for harvest. I’m not a grape farmer or a winemaker, but I thought a morning picking grapes would be kindof fun, educational, and look good for the ’gram. I was wrong. Grape picking is sticky, back-breaking, bee-infested, hot, shitty work (I’m delighted grape farmers and winemakers exist, but I’m even more delighted just to watch them in their element whilst I sip chilled rosé on the shaded veranda.)

Anyway, Crocs work really well to hose off the grape juice splatters and heavy, thick clay that encrusts on them from a morning in the Back 40. Much, much better than ruining good running shoes or expensive Blundstones, even though the later does make for very good winemaker cos play.

I have transitioned my Crocs to my urban garden – Le Clos Condo. As I’ve mentioned, years of gorgeous, sky-high heels have damaged my feet with arthritic toes and inflamed joints (I know! Ewww! So gross. I’m so sorry to mention feet. Eww. Sorry again.) So, not only do Crocs wash off the dirt after a day of planting, but they really are super comfy, and I can work for hours on the concrete of my balcony without an issue.

I treated myself to a spritz before the cleaning was done.

Spring Cleaning Spritz

You know the best part of a good spring cleaning party? The drink you get to enjoy after it’s done.

This cocktail is inspired by a spritz I saw on Better Homes and Gardens; it’s light, refreshing and utterly thirst-quenching.

Makes: 1 drink
Bartender level: easy

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Lillet Blanc

• 1 oz pink grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed (orange also works if you can’t handle grapefruit)

• Mint, leaves for shaking, sprig for garnish

• 3 oz dry sparkling wine

How to Make It:

1. Into a shaker filled with ice, add mint leaves, Lillet, and grapefruit juice. Shake well for 30 seconds to chill and break down the mint.

2. Double strain (so pour the drink through the shaker strainer and through a fine-mesh sieve) to catch the little pieces of mint, into a sturdy goblet filled with ice.

3. Gently top with the sparkling wine.

4. Garnish with a mint sprig and serve.

PS –

Last weekend I sent out a list of cleaning faves, but because I was labouring under a cold, I forgot to include the link to the bar towels that have replaced almost all of my paper towel usage. I do sincerely apologize.

Get these bar towels for all your cleaning needs.

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