Indigo recently opened the world’s first cultural department store for booklovers at CF Sherway Gardens. It offers a fully immersive experience, including a cross-section of ‘shops-within-a-shop’ with seamless integration of books and lifestyle products, all merchandised to inspire and delight.

The store is 33,000 sqf and quite impressive!!

This magazine selection blew me away. Can’t remember the last time I saw this type of selection.

The merchandising at this particular Indigo is also brilliant. If you are looking for any gift for any occasion – this would be store you should go to.

Need a cottage gift? A hostess gift? A birthday gift? A teachers gift? There’ s no shortage of options.

While at the event I managed to muster up the courage to ask Heather Reisman for a photo.

After taking the photo with her, I noticed this amazing wall with Heather’s Picks.

One book in particular that grabbed my attention was this book. I liked the name of the book and the tag line too!!

Happy Reading!!

PS what are you reading these days?

For more information

CF Sherway Gardens, 25 The West Mall, Toronto ON

Indigo

I’ve been going to  Las Vegas with my mom for almost 10 years. We typically leave on a Thursday night and return on the red-eye that leaves at midnite on Monday.

We keep going back to Vegas for two reasons: the food and the weather.

The weather did not disappoint. It was certainly above seasonal for this time of year and we were very happy about this!!

My mom and I take our sun very seriously and sat in the sun everyday from 9 to 5. One of my favorite activities to do in the sun is to read and that’s exactly what I did. I managed to download a whole bunch of books for FREE (thanks Tuebel) and got thru the following books:

-Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (which I’ve been trying to finish for a year)

-Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling (perfect pool book).

-The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (just started reading this book)

-The Book of Aron: A Novel by Jim Shepard (which I’ve been trying to finish since August)

-The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simpson (got thru most of it)

Not bad eh?

As for food:

Dinner #1: Lolas: A Louisiana Kitchen

We selected this restaurant as it was featured on  Diners, Drive Ins & Dives. Plus it had shrimp and grits on the menu which is something you never see in Toronto.

Dinner #2: Arawan Thai Bistro & Dessert

This new Thai restaurant opened up only 4 months ago and it was one of our favorite meals. For some reason, Las Vegas has some unbelievable Thai restaurants. (we’ve been to 3 over the years and they are all exceptional)

Dinner #3: Glutton

Another winner!! We ordered four dishes and every one was flavourful and presented beautifully.

Dinner #4: Society Cafe. We selected this restaurant as we were already at the Spa at the Encore and needed a bite to eat before heading to the airport. We scored.

Please note: This trip did NOT involve shopping. That’s right – we didn’t go to one outlet mall or one store.

Nor did this trip involve gambling’ OK – we spent $16 in 4 days on a slot machine. Does that count?

This trip did NOT involve drinking either. OK – there were a few jello shot involved. Hee Hee.

However we did go to the Spa at the Encore and it was seriously a great way to end our trip before heading to the airport.

It was a spectacular space. All 55,000 square feet of it. I took advantage of the waterfall shower, the shower with 12 sprays, the wet sauna, the dry sauna, the relaxation room, the cold plunge and the jacuzzi. Plus I had a massage.

There is a reeason why this spa is listed as one of the best spas to visit while in Las Vegas.

Sadly the trip is over, however I’m already looking forward to my next trip to Vegas in 2016!!

A while ago I blogged about movies I had seen. Now I’m going to blog about the books I have been reading on my Kobo for the past 5 days on the beach.  I have really enjoyed these books, to the point where I felt I needed to apologize to my mom for not talking to her. So here’s what I have read:

1. Sh*T My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

This book is positively HYSTERICAL. Thats all you need to know. I love when books make me giggle out loud. Infact I giggled more than once. My only complaint would be that it’s a quick read and I honestly didn’t want it to end. It was TOO funny. I hope this become a movie or I hope this guy writes another book (are you listening out there Justin?)

2. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan

This book is about an affair that Frank Lloyd Wright had in the early 1900’s. It’s historical fiction and I kinda like those types of books. The characters were captivating and the story line too. Not to mention that it’s inspired me to return to Chicago and see more architecture.

3.  Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

I love these types of books as it tell’s a personal journey that is so inpirational.  Conor Grennan is a great story teller and I hope there will be a sequel to this book one day soon.

4. Don’t be Afraid by Steven Hayward

I won this book recently by following @mountie9. She writes a a great blog – raymentsreadingsrantsandramblings . She told me I would like it and I did. It’s written thru the voice of a 17 year old boy and it’s about loss, grieving, and family dynamics. A great read for the beach.

5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skoot

This book was selected by our book club and sadly I missed the book club meeting when they reviewed it. I had been struggling with this book before I left on vacation and I’m still struggling with it. It’s an important story but I’m not sure I’m ever going to finish it.

Part Two – Books I read while NOT on vacation

1. ROOM by Emily Donahue. This book is brilliant and I’m sure it will become a movie in the next few years. It’s written in the voice of a 5 year old who is raised in a ROOM with his mom. I know it sounds eery, sad, etc…but it’s brilliant.

2. Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. I enjoyed this book too. Great characters, well written and and easy read

3. Ape House by Sara Gruen Again, I enjoyed this book. Again, great characters and a good story. Not as good as her first book Water for Elephants but perhaps that’s not fair for me to compare.

4. I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron. I laughed out loud more than once which means I loved this book. There is nothing like laughing out loud. Read. This. Book. Too.

OK..I need more books to read. Please send suggestions!!

No pun intended, but Mom Who Runs is up and running and guess what? It’s an awesome feeling.

I have been using the name @momwhoruns as a twitter handle for the last year, so it only seemed fitting that I used the name for my website too.
The first question I am asked is: “Do you run?” and I reply “well kinda….I run coz I do small triathlons”.
I am by no means a runner. I am more like a shuffler. (I am not joking)

I’m hoping this blog will be  FUN and INFORMATIVE. (with the odd spelling mistake). I like sharing information. Period. It might be about a good book, a good store, a good nail polish color, a great birthday party idea etc.

Naturally I will be blogging about food a lot, as that seems to be a big interest these days.
So be prepared for blog posts about recipes.
Don’t tell me, that I didn’t warn you.
So today is the day that I welcome you to my website.

Hope you leave commnets, forward to friends, and by all means…subscribe (see that button on the right).

Welcome!!