Jan 26 - Books, Staying Warm & A Couple Restos
Let's Do This
2025 Fave Books - Readers & Me
I did a survey a while back on what you did and did not want to see in this newsletter. Books were not what people wanted to see… but hey ho it’s my newsletter and I know that a lot of you are readers.
I asked on Instagram what people loved in 2025 and the books above were a few listed.
Clockwise from Left:
The Favourites by Layne Fargo, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak, Culpability by Bruce Holsinger, The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier, Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall, Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the Part of Your World series by Abby Jimenez and James by Percival Everett
Other recommended books:
What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown
Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-stein
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (try eating octopus after that ever again!)
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Bury my Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E.Schwab
Salsa Daddy by Ricky Martinez (a cookbook!)
This is already quite long so instead of including my picks I’ll direct you to my GoodReads page and perhaps if we get a resounding - RELEASE YOUR PICKS I’ll link them all next time. Phew!
Huge thank you to everyone who responded and happy reading!
What I Wear When It’s Cold to Ski
Catchy title or what?
I am by no means an expert skier, but after 20 years of skiing in bitter cold and 10 years of skiing pretty consistently every winter weekend I’m pretty good at dressing warm.
For the record, I get cold easily and would rather be warm than chance it. My husband does not wear all this gear and my kids wear even less.
I use a mix of (mostly very old) ski gear and workout gear. It’s pretty much freezing every winter ski day so I dress like this most of the time.
Bottom from closest to the skin to outerwear:
-Regular bike shorts
-Wool ski or snowboard socks (you could get heated socks for an extra boost - I have some but they broke)
-Leggings. I wear regular workout leggings. I probably should wear a proper ski base layer (I love Kari Traa’s designs) but I just don’t have a pair right now.
-Fleece loose athletic cut pants (like this)
-Puffy Pants (like this)
-I have two sets of snow pants - the goretex bibs you see above (which I got for something like 80% off on the Arctyrex Outlet) and an old pair of Columbia snow pants I grabbed at Sports Experts for fairly cheap that have some puff and warmth to them. The bibs are really for alpine touring where you get hot fast plus you need something resistant against tears from the branches. I wear the Columbia ones most of the time for that extra warmth even though they might be regarded as the ‘lesser’ pant.
Tip: Technically nothing should be in your ski boot except your sock. If you do end up with leggings in there, make sure there are no folds otherwise it will rub and cause raw skin.
Top:
-Sports Bra
-Tank Top (just an old athletic one)
-Long Sleeve Top (something like this)
-Thick knitted sweater - I don’t have anything fancy - I use something old from Gap or Lululemon.
-Puffy layering jacket to keep you warm (something like this - any thick puffy layer will do but make sure it fits under your shell)
-Shell Jacket- again pick what works for you. I have an Arctyrex one that I got from the Outlet, but common brands on the slope are Montec, North Face, Peak Performance, etc.
Hands:
-I wear an inner thin glove, and a thick outer glove plus hot paws. I like this system which kind of mimics what I’m talking about. Don’t skimp on gloves - I know they can be expensive. I’ve had mine for 10 years. Good gloves are the difference between frozen fingers and a ruined ski day and good times. Almost all our gloves are Kombi.
Head:
-On the coldest of days I wear a buff (like this) PLUS this magnetic neck warmer which was a complete game changer for me. Often if you pull your neck warmer up high your goggles will fog up but this system prevents that. Otherwise I just wear the Stratus neck warmer.
-I wear a fleece hat under my helmet - something like this but anything will do.
Tip: If you have long hair do a low pony or braid under your helmet otherwise you’ll have an irritating bump.
Yes, it’s intense. But I’m not cold and enjoy my day. This combo has been tested time and time again and it works for me.
Any tips? Fave winter gear?
Restaurants - A Few Options
I know that most of you are here for restaurants and local stuff. I haven’t really been eating out that much so don’t have too much to say but here are three options I can recommend.
Georgia Restaurant - You’ve driven past it on Decarie Blvd, you’ve wondered what it is and now it’s time to go. The coziest old school restaurant also has very good food. My friends and I were very interested in learning about the cuisine and our waitress went through all the foods, where they were from and if they were significant in anyway. We just chose (all) the appetizers to get a good selection. Perfect for: Cozy lunch or dinner.
Bar Otto - Excellent, cozy Japanese fun for a night out. Perfect for: Date night, night out with the gals, or if your family is adventurous in their eating
La Sandwicherie - In the old Mont-Tremblant village was a super cute place for lunch. Recommended by Mindy from The Picture Project. Good for: Lunch! Snack, coffee, escaping from the cold.
Restaurant C’est La Vie - Located in Ste-Jovite which is the nearest ‘big town’ to the Mont-Tremblant ski area, this old school restaurant serves food which you cook on a stone. It’s a fun concept, and the kids loved it. The food and service was great. Reserve in advance.
Do you have any restaurant recommendations for me? A few recommends for Sutton from the archives.
Have you watched People We Meet on Vacation? I found it the female character so unlikeable that even though I was on a treadmill I’d rather stare at my own sweaty reflection in a mirror than cringe through the show. I’m sure the book is better (and I think I read it?)
I’d talk about Heated Rivalry but we’ve all seen it, right?
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Michelle Little is a photographer who specializes in family, maternity, newborn, headshots and boudoir. I offer studio, in-home and outdoor photography. You can see her website here and get in touch here.
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