Valentine’s Day Gift Guide

Well look at that… Valentine’s Day is a week away!

I wasn’t going to voice my opinions on how I feel about Valentine’s Day, but you’re here so why not? Obviously I love it, just like any other holiday. Please don’t tell me this isn’t a holiday- what else does February have going for it except for everyone trying to take a vacation to escape the cold and realizing their credit card bills are still maxed from Christmas. No, just me? Awkward…. Anyways, just give February Valentines Day. I LOVE any holiday, so as per usual, I decorate my house, I dress for the occasion, I make heart shaped foods and I give Valentine’s cards/gifts like I am in grade 5. I have no shame. (Also, for the record, you can still wear a cute outfit and buy yourself flowers if you are single, so please none of that.)

Just in the knick of time I am providing you with my version of a gift guide for her, or in other words, yourself. These are things that I personally love, have, or strongly WANT (hints all around). Further down you will find the gift guide for him. I like to consider myself a pretty good gift giver, so these are things I have gifted or plan to gift! They are also all found locally around Calgary if you leave things until the last minute!

For Your Girls (& yourself)

Sugarfina
Sugarfina Pop The Champagne Candy Gift Set from Nordstrom $65.29

This is the best combination ever! Champagne and candy? Who wouldn’t love this!!


_101390845
Sam Edelman Haide Feather Pompom Pump from Nordstrom $169.98

These shoes are perfect to wear on Valentine’s Day! The best part about them is you can totally dress them down with a pair of jeans for a fun weekday look.


090125978865
Round Marble & Wood Board from Indigo $39.50

Charcuterie platters are life and this board is not only large enough to use, but chic with the marble and wood accent.


fujifilm_16550631_instax_mini_9_instant_1312544[4]
FUJIFILM Instax Mini 9 Camera from Indigo on sale for $79.95

I have one of these babies and they are SO FUN! I take it to parties, special events and on vacations. It is always nice to have a tangible photo instead of the 8,000 on your iPhoto. No, just me?


 9780991846207
The Five Minute Journal – Intelligent Change from Indigo on sale for $18.86

This was recently gifted to me and I love it. You write in it in the morning and set your intention for the day, then you come back to it at night. It helps me stay on track and start my day positively!


special-medium-round2

Rose Deluxe Medium Round Special Arrangment from Rose Deluxe $199.99

Alright, admit you have seen these and admit you want one. I know I do!! I can only request that it somehow matches my home decor though, as these babies last a YEAR!


abh-modern-renaissance-eye-shadow-palette

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette from Sephora $55.00 

I have this palette and I am obsessed with it. This brand is top notch quality and the colours are so deep and rich.


_100797559
Kendra Scott Elisa Birthstone Pendant Necklace from Nordstrom $65.29

I love anything personalized and this gorgeous little necklace is your birthstone. The one pictured is mine, January, but some of my favourites are September and May- lucky girls!


882709134770
Poured Glass Candle – Wild Fig from Indigo on sale for $9.50

I have an addiction to candles and this one smells beautiful. It isn’t too fruity or floral, which I love. Plus it’s on sale!

 

For Your Man

10721100
Google Home from Best Buy $179.99

Guys love tech right? I know you have seen the commercials and you know you want one too- I know I do!


A1_3
LE 31 Wild bouquet shirt from Simons $69.00

I love wild, fun, colourful shirts on men. Style is fun and you get to show your personality. If you buy your boyfriend this shirt he probably won’t LOVE it, but you’re the one who has to stare at him all day. (HA!)


 A2_3

 

Cole Haan GrandPro Tennis Stitchlite sneakers from Simons $200

I like these runners because they aren’t super sporty but are still nice enough to wear to dinner. They are a bit different looking and I think they will be perfect for spring!


9780991846221
THE PRODUCTIVITY PLANNER by Intelligent Change from Indigo on sale $20.96

Similar to the one I mentioned earlier from Intelligent Change, this journal is something to keep you motivated and on track. I always enjoy writing down goals and to-do’s because you get to see how far you’ve come!


_101741235
Jack Black Pack Set from Nordstrom $63.98

Who doesn’t love a good smelling groomed man? I also just so happen to love this brand and have used some of their stuff on my sensitive skin and really enjoy it!


10507605
Marshall Stanmore Bluetooth Wireless Speaker from Best Buy on sale (until tomorrow) $299.99

Again with the tech-y stuff, but honestly who doesn’t love a portable speaker? My boyfriend always has one around, and I find this one has a cool decorative look to it!


a
Vans Spicoli sunglasses from Simons $15.00

Every man needs a good pair of sunnies. These ones are stylish and super affordable!


42-alu-space-sport-gray-s3-grid
Apple Watch 3 Series from Apple $429

Does your man have everything? Even if he has traditional watches, he will totally love the apple watch! It is so convenient, informative and helps you focus on your fitness goals!

 

Well thats it folks!

Thank you for reading. I really appreciate you! Let me know if you gift any of these items!!

xoxo

 

Holiday Party Outfit Guide

Surprise!! I’m a redhead now! What do you guys think of my big change?

Now, there’s nothing I love more than dressing up for a party and it is so much better when the party is in December because you can always take it to the next level. Thank goodness December is here Friday! Holiday is the best dress code because you can never have enough glitter, glitz and glam!

Let’s check some of my favs out for this holiday season!

IMG_5977

Black & White 

The holiday season is the only time you can really get away with a long dress (besides a formal wedding) and I say, go for it! They instantly make your look 100x more glamorous and not only do you feel like a damn model, it’s the classiest look! I found this dress at  a bridal boutique in Calgary on sale and it is no longer available. You can find some similar styles here!

IMG_5939

Velvet Romance

I LOVE this dress. I actually bought it months ago and have been waiting for colder weather to wear it. Velvet is so in and the colour is as rich as it gets! This style is flattering and I love the slit that makes it sexy and romantic! Surprise your boo and wear this to your next event! I have linked this dress from FashionNova here.

IMG_5965

Floral & Sequins

The floral/red rose trend has been huge this fall! This dress is the best of both worlds as it is also sequinned! I love the fact that you can totally wear this dress again and pair it with a leather jacket and boots for a more laid back look. Pop over to Blondie in Calgary and grab the last one of these babies here!

IMG_5990

LBD

We can’t go wrong with a little black dress. I switched it up a bit and paired this mesh bodysuit with this fabulous fringe skirt. This outfit is all about textures! It can be dressed way up or down with different shoes and accessories. The mesh bodysuit is from HM and no longer available, but you can find similar ones here and here. My skirt is from 27 Boutique in Calgary and you can order it online here– hurry quick before it sells out!

IMG_5882

Glitz & Glam

Is there anything fancier than this? Honestly, I am just so obsessed with gold, glitter, sequins, etc! I find this is the most glam look ever. I’ll probably wear this to work next Monday because I’m that extra and I just can’t get enough. I got this dress earlier this year from Fashion Nova. It is no longer available but there are two similar, here and here!

Thank you for stopping by! Can’t wait to see what you all wear to your Holiday parties!

xo

Fave Five Fall

So… will I ever start a blog post not apologizing for having not written in months? Seriously though… September and October kind of got away from me. I cannot believe it is already November and Christmas is in just a few weeks! But… before we get into that, I want to talk about my favorite five fall outfits- here we go!

Wednesday Addams Vibes

IMG_7357

I think I actually worn this on a Wednesday. Clever right? Anyways. I love a good collar, but do you know what I love more? Pairing a collar with a giant statement necklace. It adds so much and really spices up your look. I also love the monochromatic essence of this outfit.

I got this dress from Simons. My necklace I have had forever but was purchased at Aldo. My leather jacket is Mackage from Aritzia and my bag is Saint Laurent.

Strolling the Streets of Paris

IMG_8889

This is potentially one of my favorite outfits ever! Thigh high boots really take an outfit to the next level. A body suit and an interestingly cut skirt? -Count me way in. This was from a day in Paris where we hung out at cafés, toured a garden and pretended we were locals. (Pretty sure nobody bought it).

 My body suit and skirt is from the amazing Blondie Boutique located in Calgary, seriously go check it out! My trench is from Aritzia, boots are Stuart Weitzman and bag is Chanel.

Pop of Red

IMG_7800

I guess summer is such a colourful season that when fall roles around I tend to wear a lot of darker colours… This day I decided to be wild and throw in some red! Red seemed to be my theme this fall which is strange because I have never been a huge red clothing fan. Either way, I love this pop of colour and wearing white pants after Labour Day!

My dress white jeans are from Fashion Nova, booties are Rag & Bone, sweater is Veronica Beard, hat is from Chapel and my purse is Chanel.

Moulin Rouge in Paris

IMG_9036

Honestly I am not sure I could have found a better dress to wear to Moulin Rouge? I love this dress and hope I get to wear it again somewhere soon! The all over lace, along with the floral appliqués are even more beautiful in real life. I also need to add that I immediately saw this staircase upon entering and basically held up an entire crowd to take a photo on them because when you see a good photo op, you friggen take it, am I right?

Dress is from the amazing Blondie Boutique and my purse is Chanel.

Eiffel Tower Romantic

IMG_9130

Can you think of anything more romantic than seeing the Eiffel Tower with your love? I am so thankful that we got professional photos taken here so I can remember this moment (and outfit) forever.

I had envisioned these photos in my head for a while and I wanted to look classy, elegant and be wearing a fabulous shoe! Tutus are seriously the best because they make any occasion special! I may have 3 in my wardrobe right now. They are so fun!

My bodysuit is from Wolford, my tutu is from Blondie Boutique and my shoes are Christian Louboutin.

There we have it- my top five fall looks! I hope you loved these outfits as much as I did.

Thanks for stopping by!

xo

Paris & Amsterdam in 6 days!

Hey friends, it’s been a while. Fall has been so insanely busy- mainly because I was spending most of my time planning this trip and making the most out of using excel. Just kidding. Sort of…

Let’s jump right in shall we? Our plane left last Saturday afternoon and after having a few cocktails we flew 8 hours and woke up in Amsterdam. We then got on another 45-minute flight to Paris, where we spent the next 4 days.

IMG_8399

Day 1- Arrival, Tour & Dinner Cruise

Upon arrival to the beautiful Hotel Napoleon, we changed, had lunch and took our tired butts on a city tour. Some people think city tours are lame, and they totally can be, but honestly how is one person supposed to see all of the main landmarks of a city they have never been to when they are only there for 4 days? Often times when we travel to a new city, we like to do a couple hour tour right upon arrival to see everything quickly and decide where we’d like to go spend some more time.

On the tour we saw the magical Eiffel Tower (I don’t care what anyone says, it is magical), Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe and le Champs-Élysées.

Afterwards, we jumped onto the Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise and set off on the Seine River. Dinner was amazing, the views were fantastic and it was overall an awesome experience. Once the boat docked we walked to the Eiffel tower and hung out for a bit before we took a pedi cab back to the hotel and passed out hard from the jet lag.

IMG_8539

Day 2- Eiffel Tower

On our first full day in Paris we headed to the Eiffel tower in the morning for breakfast. We got photos taken by a fantastic photographer, Bruno, and took in the beautiful sights.

IMG_9050

For lunch, we went to the second floor of the Eiffel tower, which is 377 feet in the air, Le Jules Verne. We had a 3-course lunch, which finished with the most delicious chocolate soufflé I’ve ever had. It was amazing! After lunch, we took the elevator up to the top of the tower for some champagne and incredible views. Despite being quite crowded it was totally worth it and a must-see!

IMG_8586

For dinner we went to a restaurant called Boeuf sur le Toit and had more chocolate soufflé. Don’t worry; I am aware I have a serious chocolate problem.

IMG_8701

Day 3- Luxembourg Gardens, Pablo Picasso Museum & Montmartre

On our third day in the city of love, we tried to relax and have a slow day. We started the morning with cappuccinos and croissants at a café near Luxembourg Garden, where we went into afterwards. The garden is beautiful and I really enjoyed the palace. I’m still trying to figure out how I can move into one sometime soon? If anyone knows, let a girl know.

IMG_8889

We then went to the Pablo Picasso Museum and explored the Erotic Year- seriously I could not make this up. It was actually very interesting. We congratulated ourselves for listening to the entire audio tour with drinks at a nearby café.

For dinner we went and explored the area of Montmartre. We ate fondue and drank rosé until late, paid 100 euros for an artist to draw a portrait that looked nothing like us, drank more rosé and walked back to our hotel.

(There’s a serious rosé theme to this trip).

Day 4- The Louvre, Chateau Versailles & Moulin Rouge

Once we saw the lengthy lines in front of Angelina’s on our tour and were told it was famous for its hot chocolate and macaroons, we knew we had to go. We took it upon ourselves to go decently early in hopes to skip the line and we were right. We had a fantastic breakfast and the extremely rich hot chocolate was totally worth it.

We then spent the rest of our morning touring the Louvre. This museum is so massive. Seriously, you would need days to see this whole thing. After walking for what felt like a year and seeing some of the classics (Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, etc.) we figured we needed some food and cocktails.

IMG_8746

After lunch we went to the Palace of Versailles and honestly all I can say is WOW. It was so beautiful! I couldn’t have imagined in my mind how large, detailed or extravagant it was. Everything from the rooms to the grounds are so well detailed and maintained. I would highly recommend visiting this wonderful place!

IMG_8850IMG_8798IMG_8836

At the end of our very long day, we went to eat dinner and see Moulin Rouge. It was absolutely incredible. The dinner was delicious and timed perfectly for the start of the show. I truthfully didn’t know what to expect or what the show was even going to be about but it completely blew me away. The show was much longer than expected (which was a plus), the costumes were insane and the performers were amazing.

IMG_9036

Day 5- Bord’Eau Tasting Menu, Heineken Experience & Dinner Cruise

Thursday morning we woke up and jumped on a flight back to Amsterdam. Once we arrived to the most gorgeous Hotel de L’Europe, we headed to the restaurant Bord’Eau for an insane 6-course (lunch) tasting menu. The food was absolutely incredible and after we ate dessert they literally brought over a 3-foot tree made entirely of chocolate and gave us “mushrooms” and “acorns” with our coffee, all made of chocolate. It was so over the top and so cool.

Once we were so full we couldn’t move, we walked to the Heineken Brewery where we toured the original building and tasted 5 different kinds of beer paired with cheese. I am not a huge beer girl, but anything mixed with cheese is great in my books.

IMG_8915IMG_8923IMG_8934

After drinking all the beer and eating all the cheese we went on our second dinner cruise of the trip. This one, the Jewel Cruise, was much more intimate with just a few tables. We sat near the captain and he educated us about Amsterdam and showed us landmarks and areas that we were passing by as we floated through the canals.

Day 6- Tour, Vondelpark & The Duchess

On our last day in Amsterdam we started the morning off with pancakes and a city tour. This was a walking tour through the streets where we learned about the history of Amsterdam and saw many hidden gems. We went to the Red Light District and it is definitely something to see, I will leave it at that.

After our tour we went for a walk through Vondelpark and then ended our day eating a delicious dinner at The Duchess.

IMG_9026.jpg

Overall, I had a fabulous time on this trip. Paris was beautiful and the Eiffel tower was just what I had dreamt of. Amsterdam was nothing like I expected but I really enjoyed the overall vibe and the people.

Have you been to Paris or Amsterdam? If so, what was your favourite thing?

Where should we go next?

Thank you for reading!

xo

 

@PinchofYum Cashew Coffee

Earlier this week blogger Lindsay Ostrum, @PinchofYum, posted an instructional video for creating cashew coffee on her Instagram. I was pretty intrigued as I am a big fan of nut milks in my coffee and thought this seemed pretty brilliant. I had to give it a try!

Step 1

First you need coffee! I have a Nespresso machine, so I brewed 2 pods to equal about a full cup of coffee. I then took 1/4 cup of roasted, slightly salted cashews and about 1/2 tsp. of honey (I don’t like my coffee too sweet) and tossed it all into my Vitamix blender.

IMG_7379IMG_7381

Step 2

Blend that baby up!! I blended it twice!

IMG_7385

Step 3

Pour that beautifully coloured liquid into a cup and give it a taste!

IMG_7388IMG_7389

DELICIOUS!! It is so creamy, frothy and overall just tastes really smooth. I had a few grainy bits of cashews at the very end of my cup, so I may try to blend for longer next time. I will definitely be making this again!

See ya never traditional creamers!!

xo

Fave Five August

How is it already September? It feels like summer just started! Either way, I guess I need to face the facts that fall is approaching quickly.

Before I swap out my summer dresses for sweaters, the temperature drops and I begin ingesting everything “pumpkin spice”- let’s take a look at my favourite five outfits from August!

NYC Dinner Cruise on the Hudson River

IMG_6023

This fabulous date was at the beginning of August when we visited New York City. We weren’t sure if the boat was particularly fancy or not but (I) decided we should dress up, because let’s be real, it is way more fun getting dressed up for a different type of dinner setting! The views, food and wine were amazing.

My dress is from BCBG, I got it at 70% off when their stores were closing. This dress is insanely flattering and I LOVED wearing it. I can’t wait to wear it again! My shoes (not totally pictured) are Jimmy Choo wedges, and my clutch is from Saint Laurent.

BBQ/House Party

IMG_6741

I wore this outfit to a BBQ that turned into a house party. Obviously this outfit shows I know how to have a great time – glitter shoes always do that, right?

The top is a bodysuit from Forever 21. I got it in Las Vegas and loved it! The sides are actually mesh and the fit is pretty awesome for a inexpensive article of clothing. This skirt was one of my favourite things to wear this summer. I got it at Simons and definitely wore it too many times to count. I find it very flattering and different. My bag is my trusty black and white Céline. My shoes are Keds by Kate Spade and I will admit that I am totally in love with anything glittery- so as soon as I saw them I knew I needed them.

East Village Long Table Dinner

IMG_6126

I technically already blogged about this event and this outfit, which you can find here, but I just had to bring it up again because I love this dress!

This dress is Self Portrait– which is probably one of my favourite designers, especially for dresses. They are so unique, fun and flattering. I love the bright white and thought it was perfect for August. My gold shoes are from Aldo and my little clutch actually the insert that came with my Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag.

Touring New York City

IMG_6008

This outfit was worn one day in NYC while we toured around Chelsea Market, Grand Central Station and Downtown.

Rompers are life, right? Seriously though this one is so cute! It’s Self Portrait– shocking hey? The only downside is you basically need a friend to come to the washroom with you so that they can do it back up when you’re done… Just ask my man- I definitely came out of a public washroom with my entire outfit undone, desperately needing him! Sorry, or you’re welcome, to the people of NYC! My bag is Gucci and my flops are Volcom.

Lake Life

IMG_6430

This outfit was worn while hanging out at the lake in Montana. Again, rompers are the best for this. I love only having to put on one piece of clothing, which is probably why I love dresses and rompers so much!

I got this little baby from Fashion Nova. The fit is awesome and the floral pattern is perfectly summer!

There we have it- top five for August! I hope you loved these outfits as much as I did.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out some fall wear next month!

xo

Wine Touring Lake Country

Last weekend a group of friends and myself drove out to Vernon for the weekend. We ate, drank, swam, tanned and most importantly, drank wine. We stayed in this awesome “cabin” overlooking Okanagan Lake, about 20 minutes outside of Vernon. It was beautiful!

IMG_6604.JPG

We booked our wine tour through Vines and Views Wine Tours, but there are tons throughout the valley! We were picked up by our very own bus and driven about 40 minutes into Lake Country.

Our first stop was Arrowleaf Cellars -this vineyard has some of the most beautiful views! We tasted about 5 wines and purchased a bottle of our favourite white, “Bacchus“. This grape varietal is very fruity, crisp and perfect for a patio.

IMG_6707
Dress: Dynamite, Sunglasses: Tiffany & Co., Purse: Chanel.

Our second stop was Gray Monk Estate Winery, where we were given a tour of the wine making process and fed a delicious lunch on a very pretty patio! This vineyard was celebrating a trifecta of anniversary’s. The vineyard was purchased and started by a couple who were married 55 years ago; 45 years ago they purchased the vineyard and 35 years ago they started producing wine. The vineyard is still run by the family.

IMG_6668
Gray Monk’s Entrance

IMG_6648IMG_6653IMG_6660IMG_6664

We enjoyed most of the wines we tasted here but instead we purchased the sparkling rosé to take home. We have yet to try it, but I have yet to meet a sparkling rosé I didn’t like- so I am pretty confident it will be delicious!

The third stop was Intrigue Winery. This family owned vineyard produces all of its wine from their 5 car garage. The vibe in this vineyard is very relaxed and happy- everyone is enjoying themselves! We loved all of their wines but we ended up purchasing the Social White, which is a mixture of several different whites to give this wine  peachy, easy drinking flavours.

IMG_6706
Intrigue’s property- you can see the family home behind it where all of the wine is made.IMG_6705

Our last stop was 50th Parallel Estate Winery. We arrived right as a wedding was about to begin, which was beautiful. The industrial building was contrasted with vintage, chic table décor. We also ended up purchasing the rosé from this vineyard. They are known for their Pinot Noir which was great, but we were visiting on a hot day and all of the whites and rosés pleased us much more.

IMG_6708IMG_6711

After touring all of the vineyards we went swimming in the lake before sleeping off all of the wine and heading home the next day. Next year we will definitely be back! We want to tour a couple other regions closer to Kelowna and Penticton.

xo

Fave Five July

In case you don’t know me at all or just randomly ended up on this webpage, it is important to understand that I am pretty obsessed with fashion and style. I tend to get quite dressed up for every occasion and am known as being the most “extra” out of all of my friends. I don’t even blame them, it’s true.

The whole reason I started my Instagram almost 2 years ago is because I wanted to capture my outfit of the days, because I was constantly being asked where I got my dress, shirt, shoes, etc. It’s always been quite simple and easy for me really, because I literally wear all of these outfits daily to work, on a date, to a party, etc.

I thought it would be a fun feature to look back every month on my favorite five outfits. Here we go July 2017!

Classic Date Night Outfit

IMG_4307.JPG

My love bug and I decided to try Foreign Concept,  a new restaurant in Calgary, with great reviews and now we know why- it’s delicious!

I scored this little off the shoulder linen romper from Forever 21 last year and finally decided to wear it. I knew I wanted to wear red lipstick so I stuck with black Jimmy Choo wedges and a classic monogram Louis Vuitton bag.

Stampedin’

IMG_4603.JPG

I wouldn’t be a real Calgarian if I didn’t have at least one Stampede look right? This denim dress is still available at Aritzia– it’s flattering AND comfortable! Win-win!

I got this fun fringy vest from HM a few years ago as a part of their “Coachella” line and I have been wearing it for Stampede ever since.

The most exciting part of this outfit for me is definitely my Vintage Boho Loves Louis  bag. They came and set up a booth this year at stampede and after watching their Instagram for what felt like forever, I knew it was my time to get one. I especially love the aggressive (and removable) fox tail. All of their bags are vintage Louis Vuitton and custom made by their owner. I would highly recommend!

Day at the Packwood Grand races!

IMG_5343.JPG

This outfit was seriously one of my favorites to wear! I loved all of the blue so much.

I got the hat from one of my go-to online stores Unique Vintage. The bodysuit is a staple I have had forever from Wolford and I would highly recommend getting them in every color. The skirt was a steal of a deal from Sirens. My shoes are Christian Louboutin (a 50% off yearly shoe sale steal) and my purse is Louis Vuitton.

On Wednesday’s We Wear Pink

IMG_5383.JPG

Just kidding- I wore this on a Monday.

I got this Red Valentino flamingo dress a few months ago and was waiting for the perfect day to wear it (this is something weird that I do… don’t ask). I couldn’t wait anymore and was having issues with an outfit one Monday morning so I threw it on. I love it! I obviously had to pair it with my pink Steve Madden heels!

“Casual” BBQ

FullSizeRender-5IMG_5364

I wore this to a casual bbq. No, seriously. I mean in all fairness once I took my shoes off and put my purse down I actually did look pretty casual. This, my friends, is who I am as a person and I’m not even sorry. I blame my mom (just kidding mom, I love you for doing this to me!).

The jeans are from Fashion Nova, high-waisted, and extremely comfortable. You usually need to go up a size but they are still stretchy enough that you can comfortably sit in them. My top is from Sirens and something I would probably never have bought but it was lunchtime and I gravitate towards pink, what can I say? The bag is a classic Louis Vuitton which I love (and stole from my mom) because they don’t make the multicolor anymore, and my shoes are Christian Louboutin (another steal from the shoe sale earlier this year).

There we have it! Top 5 outfits for July. I hope you loved these outfits as much as I did!

xo

Family Dinner Friday

Family means everything to me.

I have a huge extended family (no seriously, my mom has 10 siblings), but I am an only child. My life has been a whole lot of me and my parents just hanging out, even when I was little I would never have to sit at a “kids table” or eat buttery noodles with 3 other kids (I clearly missed out but don’t worry- I made up for it through university). My parents forced me to eat adult food from a young age and I believe this turned me into quite the food lover.

Fast forward a million years and I still love food. Weird right? So basically every week my family and I have dinner together. Sometimes we cook, usually we go out and every so often we get to attend a fun/different/exciting Calgary event. This week was the coolest event!

On Wednesday we attended the East Village Long Table Dinner put on by It’s Date Night  to sponsor the wonderful and innovative charity Mealshare . Mealshare provides a one to one program with restaurants around the city; basically you just order a mealshare branded item off of their menu and a meal gets donated to youth in need. How easy is that- all you have to do is eat at a restaurant and you are helping kids in your community!

There were essentially 5 food trucks paired with 5 top Calgary chefs to create a collaborative, tasty and community focused 5 course meal. The coolest part about this event was that it was held on the George C King Bridge in the East Village. Yes, we ate outside on a bridge (sometimes I am wild)! The food, table settings and service was all amazing!

IMG_6088FullSizeRender-3Dress: Self Portrait, Shoes: Aldo, Clutch: Louis VuittonIMG_6123IMG_6091IMG_6108Mike Pigot – Home & Away x Aaron bruce – Taiko Taco
Smashed Broxburn Cucumbers, Whipped Tahini, Ma La Vinaigrette, Feta Croquettes, Micro GreensIMG_6111Connie DeSousa + John Jackson – Charbar + Charcut x Teagan & Elycia – Lil’ Truck on the Prairie
Taverna Platter – Slow Cooked Alberta Beef, Fresh Tomatoes, Dill Tzatziki, local cucumbers, Sumac White Northern Bean Hummus, Pickled Chilies, Warm Prairie Pita with Unfiltered Olive OilIMG_6113Michael Noble – The Nash & Notable Restaurants x Sharla Swanson – Roadtisserie 
Roasted Alberta Beef Striploin, new potatoes, cippolini onions, celeriac purée and lobster bearnaiseIMG_6114Erin Vrba – CIBO x Marilyn Way – Fiasco Gelato 
Tonka bean gelato sphere with dark chocolate sea-salt shortbread shell, Sicilian pistachio drip cake, and bing cherries.IMG_6115Everyone who made the evening go off without a hitch

The entire night was really great. Everyone involved did a fantastic job organizing and putting the evening together. I really enjoyed myself, learned a lot about our community and I sincerely hope this event comes back next year!

xo

How to see New York City in 5 days

Ok fine, I am a liar.

Have you ever been to New York City? It’s quite small, but on every other level besides actual size, it is massive. No seriously. I am not sure you could see everything in this city if you lived here for 20 years. But still, hear me out alright?

When I began planning this trip, I knew there were a lot of things that I wanted to do… like about a thousand, but we were going to be there for 5 days so I knew I had to come up with a plan in order to do and see everything on my list.

After many spreadsheets and lists (you probably think I am kidding…), I came up with 4 mostly full days of activities, sights to see and places to eat. Obviously we did not see everything in Manhattan as I honestly don’t think you could do this even if you lived there- we had a great time and thought we experienced the city in a great way.

Day 1- Get yo butt to NYC

Our travel day was going to be pretty long, with the time change and 4+ hour flight, we knew we would arrive late at night. After a thunderstorm delayed us 2 more hours we arrived at the fabulous Parker Meridien Hotel and basically ran (no, seriously) into Burger Joint, located in the lobby. A cool, 90’s vibe, hole in the wall where you order at the counter and get a deal on beer and wine had the BEST BURGERS EVER.

IMG_5406The view from our hotel room at The Parker Meridien.

Day 2- Midtown, Central Park & Tao

Our first full day was spent touring midtown Manhattan- this included 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Centre, Central Park and Times Square. Lucky enough for us (also, due to my intense planning), our hotel was within walking distance to all of these attractions.

IMG_5457Breakfast at Tiffany’s! Dress: Aritzia, Sunglasses: Gucci, Purse: Chanel, Shoes: Converse

We went to Rockefeller Centre and to the Top of The Rock. If you go here I highly suggest purchasing tickets beforehand with the VIP option as the lines are insanely long. Seriously I cannot stress the VIP option enough- we literally got to walk by tons and tons of people and get first dibs on the elevators to the top. The whole process probably took 15 minutes to get to the top.

IMG_5450View from the Top of The Rock

Next was Central Park, where we got on a pedicab and were toured around by a local. We saw the Friends fountain (apparently also called Cherry Hill Fountain to normal people), the Bethesda Terrace and Fountain (AKA where Chuck Bass and Blair Waldorf got married) and the John Lennon memorial Strawberry fields. We also saw the gorgeous buildings and residences of the upper east and west sides and were hopeful that one day we could live there until our tour guide told us that most apartments are over $20 million dollars and you must be approved by the co-op boards. Apparently Mariah Carey and Madonna have been turned down…. but yeah, they would probably accept me, so I will keep that in my dreams (once I win $20+ million dollars and can, you know, afford it?).

IMG_5510John Lennon’s memorial in Central Park, Strawberry Fields

After this, we strolled down to Times Square and were intensely overwhelmed by the crowds of people and intense heat and humidity. It was really cool to see once, but I would suggest not spending a ton of time here and definitely not eating here. Most of the restaurants are chains and are quite overpriced.

I am a self-proclaimed foodie, so I scoped out all of the places I wanted to go beforehand. For our first “real” dinner we went to Tao Uptown. It was within walking distance from our hotel and the food was amazing. If you ever go in either NYC, LA or Vegas get the pad Thai and the duck for 2. Seriously, just do it, I promise it’s amazing.

IMG_5697Dinner outfit to Tao. Dress: Fashion Nova, Purse: Gucci, Shoes: Steve Madden

Day 3- 9/11 Memorial, Financial District & Pool Day

We started our day by visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. This morning it was rainy and gloomy and we basically sunk into a depression by visiting the museum. I learned so much and got quite emotional going through and reading about everything and all of the individuals involved and all of the innocent people who’s lives were taken far too soon. I would highly recommend visiting.

Afterwards, we walked to the Financial district where we saw the Charging Bull, The NYSE and Wall Street. We had lunch at one of the oldest restaurants in New York, Delmonico’s, which was amazing.

IMG_5689Wall Street outfit. Dress: Rag & Bone, Purse: Chanel, Sunglasses: Gucci

After all of the walking we did, we decided to hit up the rooftop pool at our hotel. Let’s just say space is small in Manhattan but things can still have quite the impact. The pool is indoors which is nice for colder months. There is then an outdoor terrace to sunbathe in the warmer months with an amazing view.

IMG_5600Sunbathing on the 41st floor rooftop terrace

For dinner we went to the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park. Seriously, this was so beautiful. The service and food were amazing. We then got a gondola ride around the lake afterwards which was basically the most romantic and adorable thing ever. Being in the park surrounded by sky scrapers and lights is such a different feeling.

IMG_5705Dress: Simon’s, Shoes: Michael Kors, Purse: GucciIMG_5732View from our gondola ride around the lake

Day 4- Upper West Side & Phantom of the Opera

We spend the morning strolling through the upper west side, visiting classic Seinfeld landmarks and eventually eating brunch at this amazing placed called The Mermaid Inn. If you know me, you should know I am a mermaid, so this made my day pretty damn great. We also waited in line at Levain Bakery for about 20 minutes to get the tastiest cookies we had ever tried. So delicious and so worth it.

FullSizeRender-3Mermaid Morgan happier than ever
IMG_5775Brunch at the Mermaid InnIMG_5776Brunch outfit. Dress: Simons, Purse: Gucci, Shoes: Jimmy ChooIMG_5777The best cookie ever at Levain Bakery

At night, we had rooftop cocktails and snacks at Haven before heading to see Phantom of the Opera on broadway. It was fantastic and I loved it!

IMG_5830Phantom of the Opera outfit. Dress: Fashion Nova, Purse & Shoes: Saint Laurent

Day 5- Grand Central Station, Bagels & Hudson River Dinner Cruise

During our last day we strolled through Grand Central Station and I made every single Gossip Girl joke ever. If you don’t remember that the beginning of the series starts with Serena coming back to NYC after running away and is seen in Grand Central then you probably have a life and are most likely nowhere near as big of a nerd as me.

We then stood in line at Ess-a-Bagel for 45 minutes (there is obviously a theme here)  before getting some old-fashioned bagel sandwiches. Honestly, it was worth it. I am 400 lbs at heart.

IMG_5866Bacon, egg and cheese bagel. Not pictured: dunking it into homemade jalapeño cream cheeseIMG_6008Pretending I am Serena Van der Woodsen in Grand Central Station. Romper: Self Portrait, Purse: Gucci

Our last night was definitely my favourite. We set sail on a Hudson River Dinner Cruise and got to watch the sun set against Manhattan. We also saw the Statue of Liberty up close while enjoying a delicious three course meal with wine pairings. The whole evening was amazingly romantic and beautiful. I highly recommend this!

IMG_5978Watching the sunset. Dress: BCBG, Purse: Saint LaurentIMG_5869Frist course: tuna tartar and goat cheese tarts with a rosé pairingIMG_5934Lady LibertyIMG_5965Statue of Liberty at Sunset

New York City was amazing and a total blast! Let me know where you want to visit in NYC or what your favourite thing was when you visited!

Thank you for reading my first blog post!

xo