lucky penny is in the business of sharing secrets, but… only with her nearest and dearest. ready for one more? soba canada.

one to always admire passion, craftsmanship and love (she did work at hermès in the not too distant past), owner/farmer/chef, ted, runs soba tuesday once a week out of ichikiri japanese restaurant.

his soba noodles are the first and only authentic japanese buckwheat noodle in the city, but… with a canadian twist. he cultivates the buckwheat himself in manitoba. (did you know it is canada’s buckwheat capital?) once harvested, he mills the buckwheat and produces his own fresh soba.

sayonara.

lucky penny may very well be “aunt of the year” with this jewel.

move over hermy the horse, there is a new toy in town… les 4 mondes colouring book by la maison parisienne, hermès. 12 pages with 24 designs (crayons not included).

aunt penny is jumping at the chance to teach her baby niece how to say “birkin”… and how to meticulously colour within the lines… or not. the petite chou is an artiste afterall.

with more brilliant ideas dancing around her head, instead of framing her silk carrés (as previously suggested here) perhaps torn pages will do the trick… and for half the price!

lucky penny smells good. she has been told a countless number of times after a double bisous… and this is her secret.

rose ikebana from hermessence by hermès is her eau de toilette day and night… its subtle notes of rose petal and rhubarb make cute boyfriend weak in the knees.

in-house parfumer jean-claude ellena says, “beautiful and minimalist, the traditional japanese art of ikebana, arranging bouquets of cut flowers and leaves using very few elements, ideally corresponded to a form of expression i could transpose in a perfume. the smell of a rose early in the morning, damp, sprinkled with dew, delicate and light.” perfection.

there are 7 other fragrances in the hermessence collection, which can all be mixed to create a custom-scent for the wearer, but this is by far her favourite.

lucky penny is a pro at mixing old with the new, especially when it comes to her closet… like mumsy’s old sequined shirt-dress paired with a *brand new* hermès belt: one of her go-to-outfits du jour.

dotted loop jewellery designer, teresa smed, is also an expert at refashioning old, found objects into new, cool pieces. over the years, lucky penny has accumulated not one… not two… not even three dotted loop items… but five!!!

“you can never have too much jewels,” her mother always said.

lucky penny’s *favourite* dotted loop piece is a vintage silk ysl scarf… refashioned with a gold chain and dynasty-esque brooch, wearable five (and counting) different ways. but she also loves her *cheap and cheerful* costume earrings, and the short, leather-and-pearls-and-chain necklace.

and now, lucky penny’s eyeing the huge statement neckpiece that incorporates beads from a vintage lamp… saving those pennies!

lucky penny must have been a parisienne in her former life. she loves les macarons, hermès et bensimon.

these adorable liberty print kicks are parfait for romantic strolls through the city of lights… and limited edition! it was love at first sight. from time to time, sexy shoesies (tired feet and blisters, natch) need a holiday.

if petites fleurs or plaid aren’t your cup of tea, bensimon has an extensive range of tennis sneakers… from ballerina flats and boat shoes, to low slouchy booties and mary janes… in a multitude of different colour ways.

en français, s’il vous plaît.