My hubby is a romantic at heart… sometimes it’s buried deep… but it is there. This past Thursday he told me we were going into Toronto to spend the day shopping and enjoying each others company. I knew that we were going there to meet friends for dinner but that was about it.
After he pulled me away from my computer (working from home has it perks but also it’s low points, can you say “balance”?!) and whisked me off to the big city.
We drove in for a late lunch at a Greek restaurant in Greektown on Danforth and then headed into the quant Yorkville area to do some shopping. I only did a little bit of work on my iPhone on the way in… (which actually made me car sick).
As we started walking by all the beautiful shops in Yorkville, my hubby asks me if I want to go into Anthropologie, a store I had never heard of before. Yes… I’m sheltered! Afterall… I am a working mother of 4 which keep me shopping at Children’s Place and stores like that. Don’t get me wrong, I love clothes – I love great looking clothes but I also live within a very tight budget. People who have seen my closet are sitting reading this with their jaws wide open but it’s true, I’M THRIFTY. What’s a better word… Proverbs 31 woman? I’ll take that one!!
So back to Anthropologie. My hubby says, “Hunny, why don’t you go in there?” as he probably saw the drool starting to form in the corners of my mouth. As I looked in through the large glass doors, I replied, “Because I don’t like to shop where I can’t spend!” At this point of the day, I wasn’t in the mood to get all sad ’cause everything I wanted was overpriced! So what started off as a dare, I told him that I wouldn’t find anything I liked for under $100. He said, “Ok – I’ll give you $100 to spend.” HUBBY SAID WHAT?!
Sure enough, my fears were revealed, a simple sweater was nearly $200 and don’t get me started on how much that incredible jacket was! So I started looking for smaller items, surely there would be something there I could get?! It’s hubby’s money after all and it wants to get spent!
I’m also a great lover of hats. I look good in hats if I do say so myself and I found all sorts of fabulous hats in the store. I tried on this little number
(HAT) but it didn’t have a price code in it… yah… needless to say… I didn’t get it. I scoured the floor… no sales rack. Double rats! Wait a minute…. what’s that?! A staircase to a 2nd floor?!
Up on the second floor, in the very back and almost inside the tightest of nooks and crannies, I found it.
SALE! The first thing I put my hand on…. I tired on. A beautiful black/grey sweater with lots of pretty ruffles (
an Anthropologie trait). It was 50% off but still more than I would have spent on a sweater. But since this wasn’t my money….
I BOUGHT IT! The shopping bug was released! 🙂
We walked down Bloor Street towards the Bay but couldn’t go any further than
Holt Renfrew‘s amazing Christmas windows. They have valet parking and a door man. To the right of the doors we went in was the gallery of purses. I had to stop and feel the leather and try on a few… how often does a girl get to put a
$1,895 purse on her right arm?! I felt my throat closing as she showed me the price.
So around to the hat section and then onto the makeup counters where all the girls looked the same. Dressed in black and all at about a size -0. The counters looked all the same until I came across one that was all pretty ‘n pink. Again… where have I been all these years to not have heard of
Benefit Cosmetics?! The sales manager sat me down and did me all up for the evening.
My hubby…. he stood there for about an hour and just quietly held my coat and winked and raised his eyebrows up and down every once in a while. I felt so pretty. I felt so young. I felt so ….. visable. That is a hard thing to describe but I suddenly felt less invisible and old and blah. We all struggle with our self-worth you know!! I’m not even exempt from it!!
After all this shopping and getting prettied up, we met up with friends of ours for dinner, the 6 of us went to this great place just around the corner up a bit from Bloor. When I remember the name… I’ll let you know. Hubby and I both had the Wild BC Salmon and enjoyed every little bite. The conversation around the table had us laughing so loud and so hard that people at the tables around us turned to glare. I didn’t care. I was having fun. I think we closed the restaurant!! By the time we hit the street again, it was well after 11pm and on a school night!!
We finished the night off by staying at our friend’s place, it was way too late to drive all the way home and get up early for every day life.
Thanks to our friends who took all 4 of our kids overnight so a date such as this was even possible in the first place!! And then to my hubby who treated me and helped me feel more than just a mom and to our friends who suggested we drive all the way into Toronto to meet for dinner. It was an incredible day!
I want to see a picture of you all dressed up! Sounds like a lovely evening- good for you guys!
i love yorkville, my grandma and i used to go to yorkville to get hair done at her salon, you could bring your purse puppies ( only name i can think of to call them) i am so glad you got out and had a great time you deserve it…