3 Things I Want to Do in 2019

Thank you, Neutrogena® for sponsoring this post! 💖As always, opinions are my own!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s wild that it’s somehow 2019, but here we are! A couple of years ago, I decided to write a list of 17 things I wanted to accomplish in 2017 rather than making vague resolutions. I really enjoyed being able to cross things off the list and reflect back on it at the end of the year. Since 2019 is going to be a jam-packed year for me, I’ve partnered with Neutrogena®to make a new list of goals that promote relaxation, detoxing, and general self-care. So, without further ado, here are the 3 things I want to do in 2019. 

🌟 Silver Bell(e)s - Neutral Holiday Decor Inspiration 🌟

I told you to stay tuned! Last week I wrote a post with a ton of colourful holiday decor inspiration photos (which you can check out here), but warned I'd be making another post for all of the neutral-loving holiday decorators out there. Don't fret - these neutral scenes include a ton of gold and silver accents to keep the space looking less boring and more festive. Again, all items featured are from Canadian Tire's 2018 CANVAS Christmas line, but I hope they motivate you to switch things up a bit this year. I've also included some pictures of the cozy outdoor space they created that can be enjoyed all winter long. Finally, this post also features the crazy DIY Yayoi Kusama-inspired infinity room.

🎁 Merry & Bright - Colourful Holiday Decor Inspiration 🎁

Last week, I was able to visit a house that was dressed to the nines for the winter holidays, courtesy of CANVAS (Canadian Tire's furniture/home decor brand). I took so many photos that it didn't seem right to let them go to waste so I figured, why not make a holiday decor inspiration post (or two)?  All of the items pictured are from the current CANVAS season so you can buy the actual products pictured, or you can just use them for inspiration to repurpose decor items you already have! From gift wrapping accessories and cozy seating to tree ornaments and table settings, I've got you covered so keep reading. This post is going to focus on more colourful and vibrant decor, so if you're more of a neutral lover, stay tuned.

5 Stress Management Tips to Help You Survive Exam Season

It’s finally December, a month that I personally find to be one of the most stressful months of the year. In an effort to be proactive, I’ve partnered with Neutrogena® to share my five most useful stress management tips! 

As a student, December is full of exam preparation and last-minute assignments. On top of that, there’s holiday planning, gift buying, and more to worry about. Plus, it definitely doesn’t help that the days feel so much shorter with the sun setting so early. As someone who often struggles with stress, I thought it might be helpful to share the top five most useful stress management tips that I’ve come to rely on during my 18-year academic career. While these are mostly school-focused tips, I’m sure they can be tweaked to deal with the stressors that come from work as well!

🍸 DIY Cocktails? An Inside Look at Bombay Sapphire's "Canvas Bar" 🍸

Yesterday, I attended the media event for Bombay Sapphire's Canvas Bar, a month-long pop-up located at 950 Queen Street West (just a few blocks west of Trinity Bellwoods). The point of the bar is to use your glass as a canvas (hence the name), by following four easy steps to create your own custom cocktail! Don't fret if you prefer to leave the drink making to the professionals; there are renowned bartenders from across North America that will be rotating weekly to bring you their unique twist on a Bombay Sapphire-inspired cocktail. For more information on this interactive pop-up, keep reading!

Is the Hype Real? A Comprehensive Review of Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Line

Thank you, Neutrogena® for sponsoring this post! 💖 As always, opinions are my own!

Seemingly unavoidable things like winter weather, acne treatments, and hot showers are constantly working against your skin to dry it out. I’ve been a Neutrogena girl since I was 13 years old, so I’m beyond excited to have partnered with them to bring you a comprehensive review of their Hydro Boost line. I’m going to break the line down product by product, and hopefully give you a better sense of whether certain products might be right (or wrong!) for you.  

Aveeno Positively Radiant Launch Event & Product Line

Last month, I attended an event in celebration of Aveeno's new Positively Radiant products. If the Positively Radiant line sounds familiar to you, it's probably because you've seen one of the extremely aesthetically-pleasing ads starring Jennifer Aniston. While I've used a couple of the Positively Radiant products in the past, I'm always excited by new drugstore brand line expansions. What's not to love about affordable skincare products? Since people seem to be intrigued by these PR events, as well as the Positively Radiant line itself, I figured I'd do a write-up on both! Keep reading for all of the details on the launch party, as well as what products I'm most excited to try.

Shop Local, Spend Local: Grey Goose Marché 🛒

Last Friday, I was invited to check out the Grey Goose Marché at Queen and University. It was a two-day event that not only promoted Grey Goose, but also allowed guests to sip, shop and savour some of the best the city of Toronto has to offer. Besides the fact that I was in heaven because absolutely everything was blue (which is my favourite colour just in case you couldn't tell from the photo above), I got the opportunity to meet so many amazing local vendors. So, I thought I'd share a few of them with you because you can never have too many go-to pastry and flower shops, right?! 

🥞 Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe 🥞

When we go to brunch, my dad's one requirement is that there are buttermilk pancakes on the menu. I'm not sure when his love for them started, but he's been on a quest to find the best buttermilk pancakes for as long as I can remember. Even though my brother and I knew we could never reach that threshold, we decided to make him some homemade ones for Father's Day. I don't want to brag, but they tasted amazing and I achieved a pretty darn good "golden brown" colour if I do say so myself. So, I figured I'd share this tried and true recipe on here!

Photo Diary: NYC Edition🗽

I went back to New York to visit some friends last week and to absolutely no one's surprise, I took a ton of photos while I was there. I ate my way through the city, went to Belmont Stakes (a once in a lifetime experience that I truly only want to experience once in my lifetime), and returned to l'Appartement Sezane (as seen in my New York, New York post) because it's a floral-loving blogger's dream. If you're looking to live vicariously, or are simply seeking some travel inspiration, look no further!

Juice Beauty Launches at Sephora Canada!

Earlier this week, I attended a press event for Juice Beauty. For those of you who don't know, Juice Beauty is a makeup and skincare brand based in Northern California. All of their products are made with certified organic ingredients, and Goop is one of its partners meaning Gwenyth Paltrow is currently the Creative Director of Makeup. Yes, that Gwenyth Paltrow.

Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrors Exhibit

Last weekend, I went to the Infinity Mirrors exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario. In case you have somehow evaded social media for the last few years, Infinity Mirrors is the incredibly photogenic and mind-blowing brainchild of Yayoi Kusama, a contemporary Japanese artist. The exhibit featured the infinity rooms, as well as some of her well-known sculptures and paintings. If you weren't able to snag a ticket but were hoping to catch a glimpse of the exhibit, look no further! 

📷 Photo Diary: Allan Gardens Conservatory 📷

Considering I've lived in Toronto for my whole life, I've recently realized that I've done a pretty poor job at exploring all that the GTA has to offer. Recently, my friend and I finally went to Allan Gardens Conservatory. I've probably driven past it 100+ times, and I truly can't believe I'd never been there before. I couldn't resist taking tons of photos so if you're a fan of flowers and foliage, you're in luck.

Top 17 of 2017

According to the Internet, 2017 was not what people anticipated it would be. Whether they were too optimistic after the "perils" of 2016 and refused to adjust their expectations, or truly just experienced a rough year, "leave it in 2017" seemed to be the collective societal theme of December.  On a personal note, 2017 was definitely a big year. I finished my first year of law school. I lost a friend too soon. I started my third degree. And, I still did not get around to watching Stranger Things. But after all the ups and downs, here we are in the incredulously futuristic-sounding 2018, a year I never even gave real thought to because it seemed so far away. 

In Pursuit of Overcoming the Bluest Day of the Year - M&M's #UnsquareYourself

On Monday, the bluest day of the year, I celebrated the release of Caramel M&M's by tackling a caramel-themed obstacle course at Pursuit OCR. For those of you that don't know, Pursuit OCR is Canada's largest fully indoor obstacle course training and movement centre. It's housed in a nondescript building at Dufferin and Queen, and when we stepped inside, it was WILD (I'll explain more below). I had never been there before, and I was honestly surprised by how fun the course was. It was challenging, but beginner-friendly enough that even I was able to finish it (despite the fact that I'm currently in a life stage where I sit for roughly 12 (or more) hours a day)! Their obstacle course is caramel-themed until January 21st, so I figured I'd share my experience on here in case you're interested in checking it out!

Sparkling Pomegranate Holiday Sangria Recipe

The holidays are here and that means it's time to eat, drink, and repeat. I'm a sucker for a good sangria, so this year, a pitcher of sparkling pomegranate sangria was my contribution to our Christmas Day meal. It was a HUGE hit (even my grandfather who barely drinks had three glasses), so I figured I'd share the recipe on here! Even though I made this for Christmas, it's perfect for any winter gatherings, holiday parties, or cozy nights in.

Canadian Tire's CANVAS Fall & Christmas 2017 Launch

Earlier this year I talked about Canadian Tire's lifestyle line, CANVAS, in my post about their spring/summer line launch. If my love of CANVAS wasn't clear enough from that post, or how often I posted photos from that launch on my Instagram feed, I'm back to talk about it some more. This summer, I was invited to check out what they'll be selling in stores for fall and Christmas and again, they didn't disappoint. Whether you're hoping to make the perfect Winter Wonderland, or simply need some cozy accents for your home, check out some of my favourite pieces from the lines below! Full disclosure: most (read: all) of them are Christmas-related.

New York, New York

While I usually make it to New York City at least once a year, I was extra motivated this year since about 10 of my closest friends moved there. I went once in April to celebrate the end of exams (and my first year of law school!), and once again over Thanksgiving with my family. Unlike my first few blog posts from NYC in which I wrote a lot about my trip, I don't have much to report since I spent most of it catching up with friends. But, as per usual, I ate a lot and took photos of almost everything, so I figured I'd share some of them! I apologize in advance for the iPhone quality shots, but what's a girl to do when she's on the move.

10 Amazing Pumpkin Decorating Ideas (No Carving Required!)

Even though stores started putting out Halloween decorations two months ago, Halloween is ACTUALLY (finally) almost here! I love carving pumpkins, but sometimes I have no idea what to carve, or just can't deal with the mess. I recently realized that I'm not skilled enough to carve anything cool, and I've grown tired of the two faces I can actually carve. If you've also experienced these dilemmas, are in a DIY mood, or are simply looking for a way to decorate that is more cute than scary, check out these amazing no-carve pumpkin ideas!

Fall Essentials: Three Rompers Styled Three Ways

One of my more superficial goals this year was to get better at outfit preparation. While I don't think I'll ever be the type of person who lays out their outfit the night before, I've gotten good at only purchasing items that are multipurpose, and that I can easily dress up or down. My favourite thing to do this summer was to wear a romper because it made getting dressed so much simpler (a.k.a. I never had to waste 5 minutes worrying about whether my top went with my pants, or went too well with my pants), and it was easy to make more formal on the fly if I was going out at night. Even though it's officially fall, it's been sunny and warm with blue skies in Toronto, so I thought I'd share my favourite three rompers with you, and three ways I style them.