Take Me Out // Avenue Flower Shops
Flowers are one of those things that can totally brighten an entire day. True, they can be costly, but the colour, scent, and life they bring with them is well worth the price. I love florals of all sorts, whether I'm buying a curated bouquet from one of my favourite florists, scooping up some wild flowers on a drive home from the country, or visiting the Toronto Flower Market for special blooms once a month. Perhaps my favourite way to buy flowers though is to buy an armful from the flower shops on Avenue road and arrange them myself. Flower arranging is one of my absolute favourite hobbies, and one day I dream of having a massive garden that I can snip from to build home grown masterpieces, but until that day comes, you'll find me at the Avenue flower shops. Famous around the city for their low prices and amazing selection, these little flower shops are bursting with every petal and leaf you can dream of. There are four or five all in a row at the very tip of Avenue where it hits Dupont, and though getting there is a bit of a hike for me, the scent alone is well worth it.
Freesia! Lillies! Palm Fronds! Strange and exciting cacti! These shops really do have it all. If you're looking for a roses in every colour of the rainbow, this is the place to stop, and sometimes you'll even find rainbow roses there (yes, those are a real thing, and they're amazing!) The best part? Because the markets are all so close together, they have to compete for business, so their prices are generally lower than any other place in the city. In my opinion, the best shop is second in the row, but each store has something special and unique to offer, from orchids to massive sunflowers.
When I flipped open my Ban.do day planner this week and saw "Buy yourself a huge bouquet of flowers" was the weekend to-do, I knew exactly where I was headed. I had a little bit of money to spend thanks to my birthday earlier this week, and an afternoon picking through buckets full of flowers sounded like the perfect way to spend a slice of it.
I dressed up in one of my new favourite pieces from Bicyclette, a gorgeous floral bodycon dress by Keepsake, an amazing luxury brand from Australia. The florals in the front panel are so tropical magic, I just couldn't resist slipping it on for a trip to my favourite flower shops! I paired it with a denim jacket (which I quickly realized I didn't need), peach two-tone heels by Seychelles, and a new massive glittering iridescent statement necklace from the shop with a hint of aztec detailing to it. I also painted my nails with a polish from Trust Fund Beauty, a new Canadian vegan line that Bicyclette just started to carry in the shop!
In the end I took the Ban.do to-do a bit too far! I came home with a massive bundle of blooms so big that carrying them was actually difficult, and arranging them around my house ended up exhausting not only all of my vases, but many of my drinking glasses as well! You know that scene in Gatsby where Daisy walks into the incredible room bursting with flowers? Well, my house sort of looks like a pink and purple version of that this morning, and don't even get me started on how good it smells.
Before you go off and enjoy your amazing August weekend, I have a little challenge for you: go get yourself a big, beautiful bouquet! Whether you buy a simple bundle of roses, a massive array of blooms to arrange yourself, or a posy from a local florist, I promise it will brighten your day. Who knows, we might just bump into one another over big green buckets on Avenue Road!
[photos: Brianne Burnell]