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Vernette August 8, 2017

The Parlour Royale, A Sweet Review

A Sweet Review: Baked Treats, Chocolates & Hand-Crafted Coffee

Sharing a the love of food and trying new things is something I cherish and enjoy doing with my friends. And even more so when it’s at a new spot. Cuz, we literally live for this ish…

This soon to be café*, is a collaboration between local makers Cocobel Chocolate, Roastel Coffee and Jamie Gerard Cakes. They offer a yummilicious selection of baked treats, chocolates and you can pick up locally roasted coffee to make the perfect dessert or if you’re like me…for food for breakfast as well.

I visited this heavenly space at few months ago and have been meaning to blog about it ever since. But in light of the fact that they are converting to a “dine-in” space, I figured no time like the present to share some of the highlights of my visit.

*Unfortunately, they are closed for renovations at the moment, however, they will reopen to the public soon.

The Parlour Royale: 222-1090, 38 Royal Road, San Fernando.

Attention to details could be seen everywhere.

Samples of their treats for us to nibble on.

Give me all the chocolates!

Stand outs

Everything we sampled and took home. The chocolates are made from local cocoa and are handcrafted with love. The coffee is from local small batch roaster, Roastel. And the cakes, oh those decadent cakes are also whipped up in house. Listen people, life is way too short not to have dessert, and I say go get it while it’s hot!

I bought some macarons to have at home and I’m glad I did…because it would have been embarrassing for anyone to witness the enjoyment a single meringue-based cookie can bring a person.

I will be back for

The coffee and all the dessert things. HA! And the thrill of dining-in and sharing the love of food with my friends.

Things to note

There was no WiFi at the time of my visit and no seating. But that is about to change with the much needed and I’m sure anticipated renovations. So if you are in need of little coffee and dessert (which I am always down for) it’s worth the visit.

Vernette August 25, 2015

Quote of the Day

Vernette August 10, 2015

7 For Seven

Five years ago today…I was preparing to say my final goodbye to my mother. It was a day quite like this one – sunny, blue skies – except there was a slow motion quality to everything.

Five years later…it is still surreal. I heard her name being called at Mass this weekend and for a second I was like…”hey that’s mummy’s name.”

Grief does not get easier. All them books on it…they lie. Who feels it, knows it. And I’m learning to live with it. I’m learning how to be happy in a world that is forever changed. I’m learning to live all the lessons she taught me.

I would not be the woman I am today without them. And as painful as it might be to admit this, I would not be who I am today, if she were still here.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~ Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and I have adopted the practice and it has really changed my life in positive ways. My 7 this week is all about the woman who God chose to create me. I love her. I miss her every. single. day.

Thank you for giving me life. Thank you for being my first love. Thank you for teaching me how to let go of someone I love. Letting you go was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

Dear Mummy, thank you for introducing me to God. It is this faith that gives me the strength to move forward in joyful hope.

Thank you for showing me how to be strong. Around the time we decided as a family that mummy was not going to do any more chemo treatments, I asked her what was the one lesson she learned from her whole journey with Ovarian Cancer. She said to me that having cancer, taught her how to be strong. This from the woman who raised three children on her own, during a recession, cleaning people’s houses to make ends meet. I have so much respect for what she calls “strength”.

Thank you for my sister and brother. This journey would have been super boring without having them to blame things on. Thank you ~~drumming it into our heads~~ teaching us what is really important. Thank you for a childhood that may have lacked “wants” but was full of the things that really mattered – Love, plenty laughter and a mother who cheated to win against her own kids at board games. Yes folks my mother hated losing…to her children.

Thank you for allowing me to bathe in the rain! I’m a hardcore pluviophile and proud!

Thank you for all the support and encouragement.

Gloria Amelia Superville
May 05, 1947 – August 07, 2010
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Saviour”
Luke 1:46-48

I want to make you so proud. I want when people meet me that they see a bit of you too. I want them to know that the woman I am today was because you worked hard, you sacrificed so that I could get here. I am so grateful for the time I had with you and I hope to live a life where time with the people I love is always my number one priority!

I will pay attention to the little things today. Those little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life as I move through this day still so full of promise. By sowing these seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead and well into the week ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? What made you smile? Feel free to share below!

Vernette July 29, 2015

Why I Suck At Dating

I’ve been on three dates in the last year and five months. Yup, I know…clearly I don’t care about ticking biological clocks as someone indignantly said to me recently.

It didn’t help that I laughed in their face either. I’m at the age my mother was when she had me…and I’m the eldest. So I’m not worried folks, no need to be on my behalf. OKAY?

Right…so why do I suck at dating?

I don’t date. Ergo, I lack the skill set required or rather, I never developed the skills required to navigate these interviews for *cough* sex.

I’m lazy – I’d much rather stay at home snuggled up in my comfy bed, watching Netflix or reading a book than getting dressed up to go out with some guy and to then watch the same movie only with popcorn involved. Oh the effort!

Ugh. Small talk. I am not good at it. I will tell you pretty much everything about my day with one “how was your day”… then the guy goes all MEGO on me (you know…My Eyes Glaze Over) and I’m left thinking I’m so gauche. Awkward silence follows.

Then there is the “Oh my God…what the hell do I wear?” Too casual and I don’t care enough…dressed up…and I care too much. Where are we going? What’s appropriate? Why did I agree to this? Is it too late to cancel? Maybe. How interested am I? How much effort should I put into this outfit? Grrrr…. This line of questioning almost always brings me to…geez Vernette you need new clothes! To which, lazy Vernette whispers “you wouldn’t need new clothes if you were staying at home with your body pillow and Netflix…who BOTH love you just as you are in underwear even!” Lazy Vernette wins. Every.Single.Time.

~~Men~~ People are stupid. I’m the chick who will be “set-up” on a date with a guy because we both like hiking. Then the guy is mostly silent for the duration of the “date” not even to talk about this fantastic thing that made my friend think this would be a match made in heaven. However, at the end of the night…says some crap like he’s the strong, silent type and I’m all…hmmph too late buddy! I’m already so bored and my body pillow is waiting. I mean…really? This is what I showered and used my Victoria Secret lotion for? True story by the way.

Best Behaviour Business. Have you ever been on a “first date” and felt like you were holding in a gargantuan fart the whole time? No? Just me then? Shee-it! Okay. I really do suck at this.

Holding in a fart? Most probably!

*******
This post was originally published on May 18th, 2013.
Vernette still sucks at dating
but she has decided it is in her best interest…
that she farts freely going forward.

Vernette July 20, 2015

7 for SEVEN

Hellooo You Guyss!!!Things have been quiet around here for the last week or so because I was doing something pretty amazing!!! I just attended my first ever #BlogHer15 conference. And it was really really awesome!

I will do a full recap on Thursday, so make sure to look out for that. But for now I’m just so grateful to have been there. When I said that initial yes I had no real clue just how BIG of a yes it would turn out to be. I mean…I think I broke up with Netflix ya’ll.

For now, though as I face the task of unpacking…I will share my 7 for this week:

Being open. Saying YES. When I got to NY last Tuesday, I set an intention to be open to abundance, adventure and infinite possibilities. The last week has taught me that letting go of expectations, staying open to good things and saying a resounding yes…brings fantastic results.

This present moment…and all the moments that lead me to this point. You guys, I am so full right now. Heart and mind…and too often, I forget about the times I prayed, hoped and worked hard for something…forgetting that where I am right now is a result of many dreams – big and small – coming true. I am truly grateful to be living my dreams.

Having bigger dreams. Because I was created to live the best life I could. And that’s the only way to live this one precious life.

Travelling with friends…good company, plenty laughter and the occasional “oh my God I think we’re lost” moments are worth the experience.

Free Wifi… Because internet and I’m not about that roaming charges life.

Tiramisu with friends. This one is self-explanatory.

Other Bloggers. Meeting people who spoke the same language that I did was refreshing. The BlogHer community is an amazing treasure trove of women and men using their little patch of internet in interesting ways.

Rainy days. NYC is a boiler room at the moment. Happy to be back home in good old rainy Trinidad.

So as I go do the needful and try to settle back into everyday life…I hope that by paying attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.