Mimi Takes Five - #425

ONE // Cognac Bag

Last Christmas, I treated myself to a new Longchamp bag. I use their Le Pliage bag as my everyday purse and have it in a few colours that I swap out with the seasons. As I've said before, when I like an item, I get it in many colours. We were travelling for the holidays and I was browsing the duty-free, as one does. I know they typically have Longchamp stands so I checked out the colours on offer. I went back and forth between the burnt orange and cognac colours but ultimately settled on the cognac. I wanted a more autumnal colour and this one is the most versatile for my wardrobe. I wear plenty of cognac accessories this time of year so this colour was the right choice. I finally took the bag out for its debut and am loving it!

TWO // Apple Cardamom Sourdough

Here I go again with the sourdough flavour experimenting. I knew I wanted to do an apple loaf at some point but hadn't nailed down a flavour. Did I want cinnamon again? It's getting a bit repetitive. Apples work with caramel too, but I didn't want to go in that direction. I started this apple sourdough by mixing some apple cider right into the dough. I then shredded two MacIntosh apples and drained them as best I could before folding them in during my stretch and folds. Things were working out great so far. In the meantime, I decided I was going to add cardamom. That was the rogue flavour but I know it works with apples so I just went for it. During the shaping, I sprinkled in some brown sugar and cardamom. It baked beautifully! I never know what to expect when I'm winging it. It tastes slightly sweet with subtle hints of apple and spice. Next time, I could add even more flavouring. I'm also thinking this would pair perfectly with some apple butter to intensify the flavour. Either way, this one's a winner!

THREE // Fitness Tracker

I was dreading it but the time had come for me to find a new fitness tracker. My beloved Fitbit was on its last legs. Normally, I'd buy a new device and just get on with it. However, the quality and reliability of Fitbit has greatly decreased to the point of me deciding to find a new device altogether. I'm a creature of habit and had been using a Fitbit device or another since 2014. That's a long time and I didn't want to switch, but that was what needed to be done. I settled on a Garmin Vivosmart 5 and have been using it for a week now. There's a bit of a learning curve, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. The app is not the easiest to navigate (Fitbit was superior in this department) but I was able to customize it and I'm getting used to it now. The device is not as sleek and I don't love the button, but it's really similar in shape and size, which is a big factor for me. I cannot handle a large watch face, so this slimmer screen is just right. To me, this was a big change. My husband says I tend to want to learn and master everything from the get-go without allowing myself the time and grace to learn it slowly. So I did just that and hit the ground running! I'm happy I did because I got over the transition quicker. 

FOUR //Coyote vs. Acme

Well, this was a fun movie! I don't remember hearing much about Coyote vs. Acme but my husband saw it was out and thought it would be a good watch for us. I mean, you can't go wrong with nostalgic Looney Toons, right? I had no expectations going in so was pleasantly pleased when I noticed it was a mix of animation and live action. I actually love this! As for the story, I thought it was a decent plot with great character development for Wile E. Coyote, especially seeing as he does not speak. I loved the commitment to the bit. There were twists and turns and it got very emotional at some point. I must say, it was giving me vibes of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a movie that my siblings and I loved growing up. We watched it all the time! This movie is very much in the same vein. Perhaps nostalgia played a part in my enjoyment of this movie. Whatever the factors, I think it's a great watch and would be a good family movie. 

FIVE // Mustard Skirt

I loved the mustard shade of this skirt so much, I had to get it. I've been loving satin skirts lately but was unsure about the cut of this one. I took a chance on it. While I love the colour and length, the fabric is on the thin side and the diagonal seem is a bit awkward around fuller hips. While it would be better had it been lined, I decided to keep it and wear a slip under it. I'll make do because the colour is perfect and I got it at a discount. It's not the best quality and probably won't stand the test of time but it makes for a fun seasonal option so I'll enjoy it in that capacity.