We’re so happy to announce of 5 year anniversary. It was actually Monday of last week but unfortunately we weren’t in the most celebratory mood, so we are celebrating today!
In some ways it feels like we haven’t been open very long, and in others it feels like we have been open a lifetime. The whole retail scope has completely changed from when we first opened, peoples shopping habits have changed, stores have become vastly more sophisticated visually all in a very short period of time.

It makes it even more important to continue to develop products with the designers we admire and respect like the CEREMONY collection by Claesson Koivisto Rune, Sucabaruca and Aureola by Luca Nichetto, and a new collection by Anderssen & Voll launching next month. We plan to  host more exhibitions with an even wider range of artists, designers and artisans and expand our mjolk books. These things are an extension of Mjolk and a result of all of the experiences we have had since we opened.

In celebration of these new projects we thought it would be fitting to give away Sucabaruca cookies, and even a Luca Nichetto cookie made by our friend Lindsey Gazel to celebrate the limited edition collection of Sucabaruca coffee sets which are made right here in Toronto.

We look forward to another 5 years at Mjolk, with all of us still here at our home and store in Toronto.

There are too many people to thank for the last 5 years, but we will try to thank you in person whenever we get the chance.

Last night we said goodbye to our beautiful friend Isha. She was 18 years old and her kidneys and other ailments had caught up to her age.

We found her (and handsome Grover) at the Toronto Humane Society. If you’re ever looking to adopt, please don’t pass these older cats up – they still have so much love to give and receive.

One thing I am thankful for is that the people I follow on Instagram often post about places in Toronto that I have yet to discover (@fieldguided, @framestory and @blaisemisiek). The Centennial Park Conservatory is just a short drive from us in Etobicoke. It has three sections, tropicals, cacti and seasonal. Oh and it’s free. One thing I’ve noticed about having kids, it IS expensive if you ever want to leave your house and not go to a park. A day out can cost close to $100, between parking, food and admission. So it’s always such a delight when there is something to do that is simple and free. Of course, toddlers don’t go at the same pace as we do, so we were done within 15 minutes, but I can see it being a nice place to visit in the thick of winter, for a quick escape!

On the way home we stopped in a Ma Maison on Dundas West for a treat of croissants and lattes.

A much beloved member of many households, pets often get the short end of the stick when it comes to their personal effects. You’d think that they don’t care about all this stuff, but just as I enjoy coffee from my Teema mug more than the mismatched mugs at my local diner, our cat Isha also prefers certain materials. I used to have a weird random water dish for her and she never seemed to drink any water. I then switched it out for a nice ceramic one and the bowl is empty daily! Isha has spoken! The bonus of course it that we don’t have to look at an eyesore anymore.

Wild cherry pet bowl small
$200.00
A wild cherry food bowl for a small dog or cat, handmade by Japanese wood artisan Shoji Morinaga for Kyoto based gallery Sfera. The cherry wood is very heavy, so the bowl doesn’t move when your pet is eating.

Oiled wild cherry wood bone chew toy (left)
$105.00
A hand carved and oiled wild cherry wood bone chew toy (for small dogs) by wood artisan Shoji Morinaga for Kyoto based gallery Sfera.

Oiled wild cherry wood branch dog chew toy by Shoji Morinaga
$105.00
A hand carved oiled wild cherry wood branch dog chew toy (for small dogs) by wood artisan Shoji Morinaga for Kyoto based gallery Sfera.

Talk porcelain water bowl for pets
$70.00
“Talk” is a porcelain water bowl for a small dog or cat, handmade and painted by Japanese ceramicist Shin Murata for Kyoto based gallery Sfera. There is an unglazed “talk bubble” to add your pet’s name.

About DOnG, the inspiration for the above pet products:

Humans can learn a lot from a dog like me. My name is Don, and I live in a flat with my master, Shigeo. It was empty when my master moved in, but he soon filled it with things that a dog needs. He bought tasty upholstered furniture for me to chew, carpets for me to wipe my paws on and curtains for me to tug and pull down. My master littered the floors with leather-flavoured shoes and sweaty socks, and made piles of chewable objects for me to get my teeth into.

My time as a puppy was a happy one, until the day my master came home from the pet shop with a bag of products. Some of them were functional, such as plastic containers, metal food bowls and rubber mats, but none reflected the tasteful décor and stylish objects we had at home. Rather than use pretentious pet products, I longed for simple objects made from the natural materials that belong to a dog’s world. I had often seen them when we visited the workshops of the artists and craftsmen my master knows. Even if many of them seemed too good for the average human, I knew instinctively that such objects were perfect for a design-conscious dog like me.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the much anticipated coloured versions of Sucabaruca. All of these coloured sets are made by Toronto based ceramicist Alissa Coe, who also made the prototypes for the Luca Nichetto exhibition we hosted earlier in the year.

What makes the colour so incredibly rich and vibrant is a result of the raw porcelain being stained by colour pigments. Each colour has to be mixed by hand in separate vats which is very labourous and time consuming so as a result we will only be producing 10 sets.

Each collection are hand numbered editions of 10 and come with a wooden gift box and complimentary book about the concept and production process of the coffee service.

(above) This is the Pastel version above sitting in our kitchen.

At the table pouring ourselves some coffee with Elodie.

The coffee pot being placed on the CEREMONY tray by Claesson Koivisto Rune.

A perfect pour for some cream from the CEREMONY pitcher.

Elodie giving us a hand by stirring our coffee.

Don’t worry, it’s just milk.

All of the lines on the cups and pitcher are carved by hand for every piece.

A special marble tray with ebony wood legs, a joint production between Italy and Toronto.

We had custom wood boxes made in Japan for the service. This is the same boxes used to hold precious ceramics for the Tea Ceremony, and we thought it would be a good idea to bring a ceremonious experience to purchasing the set.

Just peeking out for the photograph.

The two boxes also include a special book on the process of Sucabaruca.

you can purchase the pastel version here

The pop version here

and the trays here

Autumn is a time to get out and breathe in the earthy air. Lately a lot of people on my instagram/facebook feeds have been visiting the waterfalls of Hamilton, a natural wonder that I was completely unaware of (I guess Niagara Falls gets all the love in these parts, or so I assumed). Anyway, it’s totally a thing. I love it when places brand themselves “The Waterfall Capital of The World” too. I somehow doubt it but that’s ok! There is plenty to explore (waterfalls, Bruce Trail, Niagara escarpment)!

I inquired as to what falls were toddler friendly. This website gives difficulty ratings. We went to Tew’s Falls (#15 on their list, so those other falls must be quite something) and the nearby Webster’s Falls (the top photo), which was about a 15 minute walk down a trail that was doable but nicely challenging for a toddler and mama carrying a baby.

We were impressed. John thought I was crazy planning this outing but had to admit it was quite something. Elodie loved it but immediately wanted more, as one does when they are two and a half.

Some nice views along the trail.

I wonder how the fall colours are now, we went a couple of weeks ago. Would be spectacular.

Webster’s Falls

On the walk back to our car Elodie became exhausted (YES! FINALLY!) and had to be carried. We thought we’d have to skip lunch and head home but we decided to head to nearby Dundas (town of) to maybe grab some takeaway from Detour cafe. The main street in this small town is pretty crazy busy, which struck me as weird but it must be a thoroughfare. We had trouble finding parking and then scored a spot right out front, and Elodie hit that second wind that then prevents her from napping, so we had a lovely cozy lunch, where no food was flung, nor tears cried. WIN! Here she is feigning sleep.

All in all, a day trip I’d like to make again!