At some point in time, someone decided that Friday the 13^th was an unlucky day. But on one particular Friday the 13^th, the stars aligned perfectly so that 2 friends and I had a day off from work, class and any other obligations.

So we started the best Friday the 13th ever with a late lunch at Lady Marmalade. Even after lunch time on a weekday there was a wait. I wasn’t surprised though – I’ve always heard people rave about this place (and rightly so). The ingredients are quality, wholesome and locally sourced wherever possible. I’m obsessed with Eggs Benedict on all sorts of unhealthy levels, so I ordered the Brie, Avocado & Bacon Eggs Benny, and some fresh apple cider.

The atmosphere was great too; The Beatles played in the background as we enjoyed our meals, and I couldn’t help but notice the simple, adorable art hanging on the walls.

After lunch we were craving something sweet, so we stopped by Bobbette & Belle, this modest place with a sign out front shouting “BEST CARROT CAKE IN THE CITY.” We’ll see about that, won’t we?

We walked in and were immediately engulfed in the smell of warm, buttery heaven. Next, we were struck by the sheer, familiar beauty of the place. Familiar because it feels like you’re in a home; more specifically a gorgeous, high-ceilinged, perfectly lit living room. There were couches, rustic wooden tables and flower-filled vases.

Not to mention this adorable dresser that doubles as a coffee station.

I ordered an alfajor and a butter tart (both amazing).

Laura got a red velvet cupcake (also amazing) and we all shared the carrot cake. This “cake” is basically a carrot mountain that you hike one fork-stab at a time.

It felt never-ending, but it was so easy to eat we hardly noticed. The icing was unbelievably light and airy. And somewhere in my wild tousle with the carrot cake I managed to get some icing in my hair. These are just things that happen when you love food.

The atmosphere there was perfect too. We were there for hours, just talking. It felt perfect, and we vowed to come back.

Next we fancied it up at the Library Bar in the Royal York Hotel. I love the idea of books and alcohol merging, which is why my friend got me this book for Christmas:

Honestly, the food and drinks were way overpriced. Still, the book nerd in me was all aflutter at the sight of stacked bookshelves and signature drinks named after authors… like my Alice Munroe Rosemary Martini.

We ended the day/night at Crush Wine Bar and were pleasantly surprised to walk into live music. This dude was strumming on the guitar and singing in perfect pitch.

As a bonus, he was taking requests to cover popular 90’s songs. I was up there a bunch of times, and when I was comfortable enough with him I requested Night Moves by Bob Seger, because I’m secretly an old lady.

It was the perfect day because it was a totally open day. We wandered, we didn’t tie ourselves to any plan or place, and just went with the flow; it meant we could never be late for anything and we could never miss out on anything.