A life & style blog for all things affordable
With spring on it’s way and many of us working from home, there is no better time to really start taking care of ourselves than right now. Lypsyl Original & Cherry Lip are the “Balm” dot com for me right now.
After a harsh, cold winter one of the first things I start noticing was how dry and chapped my lips were. It’s something so mundane to think about applying lip balm, but I find if its nearby I am likely to use it more often.
Continue reading “Lypsyl Original & Cherry Lip Balm Dot Com”
When the time came around to ask my girls to stand beside me for the big day, I knew I wanted to make it extra special. This group of ladies has already stood by my side for close to 15 years, some even longer, so I wanted to show them just how much each of them means to me.
One quick browse on Pinterest and Instagram you will be inundated with bridesmaid “proposal” boxes. There are companies out there who can put together the entire box for you, but I wanted to do them myself. I had a general idea of what I wanted to be included in the box, so the next step was to collect all the items and find a cute box to put it all into. Putting together these boxes can add up, especially when you have 7 bridesmaids, but hopefully there is a way to work it out to fit it within your budget, your girls will so appreciate this gesture. I shopped around for quite some time and I would say the boxes came together perfectly, and the best part: they all said YES! Read on below to see an in-depth look at what I included in the boxes and where and how I asked the girls to be in my wedding party.
In order to customize each box, I got a personalized nail polish from Say it with Polish with each of the girls names printed on it. You should definitely check them out, their polishes are fully customizable and make for a cute addition to proposal boxes, etc.
Each polish is free of DBP, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, paraben, camphor and more. Say it with Polish polishes are Australian made and vegan friendly. Processing and shipping was really fast and each polish came beautifully packaged.
I went for a bigger font for the main text and then did cursive writing for each of the bridesmaids’ names. You can fully customize the bottle with whatever font style and text you want, or, you can choose from a standard template on their site. I just love how these turned out, the colour is absolutely stunning and the polish is excellent quality!
You can even get a little something for yourself!
I’m a sucker for white polish for the spring/summer, and I just loved the cute saying on this bottle!
I picked up some stemless wine glasses from my local dollar store and wrote the girls’ names in cursive writing in gold Sharpie. — I have a blog post on how to use these Sharpies on mugs, only difference this time, was that it was with glass! There are a lot of companies out there who will print things on glasses but they run about $15.00 and up, whereas DIY-ing it on your own costs under 5! It was fun to be able to use them when I popped some champagne to celebrate them saying yes.
Each box also contained a card (boxset purchased from Homesense) with a personalized note inside. This is the part where you get personal and write a little (or if you’re me, a lot) about why that bridesmaid is special to you, maybe share a little memory, or your favourite thing about them. You can write as little or as much as you’d like, get creative, and dig into that big heart of yours!
The first thing I bought months ahead of everything else when I decided to put the boxes together were these knot bracelets. I loved how dainty they were and the significance of the knot and that it would be something they could wear anytime. For my sister (my MOH) she received a rose gold knot bracelet part of Lauren Conrad’s collection for Kohl’s (I am obsessed with her whole line). The bracelets come in silver, gold, and rose gold and the price point is amazing, especially if you are buying a few of them. I was able to locate a link for them (find it below). Kohl’s typically has some sort of discount code so keep an eye open for those to save you some extra cash! For the rest of the girls they got a silver knot bracelet. I made a customized tag that I attached to each bracelet that read “I can’t tie the knot without you”.
Shop the bracelets below!
I wanted to have bride tribe t-shirts for the whole crew so when I came across these ones from Walmart.ca . I added them to my cart right away. I tried to steer away for the most part on things labeled bridesmaid so that the girls could use it, or wear it again but I couldn’t resist including these in the box. It made it much easier and more cost-effective than ordering the t-shirt and having the font printed on it. I rolled them up and added it to the box, simple as that! These t-shirts can be worn again for bachelorettes, buck and doe’s, showers, or the morning of the wedding, it’s really up to you!
I made a little “mark the date” card and bought cute little engagement ring stickers from Michaels to circle our wedding date.
Walmart even had t-shirts for the bride, it’s hard to see in the picture but it has “BRIDE” written in gold.
Now what’s a proposal box without some of the fun stuff, bubbly?! I got a 3 pack of these mini Henkell rosé bottles from my local LCBO (making them around $5 each). They fit in perfectly with the colour and theme of the box and who doesn’t love rosé?
Once I had all of my items picked out I was on the hunt for a box to put it all into. At first I thought I wanted just plain white photo boxes but I ended up finding these beautiful flotsl patterned ones at Michaels (okay, I had to go to a bunch of locations to find a complete set, but it was so worth it!) They ran about $3.00 a piece and were a better size than some of the ones that I found at the dollar store. I scooped up the crinkle paper at Michaels as well so that the contents of the box would sit in nicely.
I was so excited putting these together and seeing the looks on the girls’ faces when I gave them their boxes was priceless. I decided to plan a little girls’ trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake and we rented a beautiful Air B & B. I knew it would be the perfect time and place to pop the question to my girls. While we were out wining and dining in the morning, my exceptionally devoted and patient fiancé set everything up in the beautiful English Garden of our Air B & B so that when we arrived back it was all a surprise (I know, I know, I’ve got myself a keeper!)
I ordered this engagement ring balloon from a balloon store in town, but they sell them at all party stores and even on Amazon (more cost effective for the balloon than a party store, you just have to go get it filled!)
My fiancé was even hiding out in the bushes with a camera like a true paparazzi snapping the most memorable pictures of their expressions! Sadly it was hard to get my girlfriends and my sister and sister-in-law altogether in NOTL without giving away the secret so I gifted the boxes to them right after.
The moment they realized Ben was hiding in the bushes with a camera!
All the planning around the boxes, the Air B and B, the set-up all came down to this moment. These expressions made everything SO worth it and even more memorable.
I am so excited for the remaining 5 months of planning and celebrating with them all , and I am so lucky to have them as part of my bride tribe.
SPOILER ALERT! We booked our plane tickets for June for the bachelorette and I could not be more excited. We are headed to San Diego, California! The fun just keeps on coming, and I hope you’ll continue to follow along with it all!
Transport back to the 50’s and host the ultimate retro diner themed party! I was first inspired to pick this theme for my party after visiting Daddy O Doughnuts– the cutest little retro doughnut shop just outside of downtown Toronto. After visiting there, all the ideas starting flowing, and the fun part of planning the flashback to the 50’s began!
Once I had the theme, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I could do with it. I didn’t want to impose on my guests to have to put too much effort or money into their themed outfit, but still wanted them to have fun with it. With that being said, everyone gave it 110% and looked so amazing!
If you have followed along with any of my previous parties, you will have noticed that once the theme is picked, I pretty much go into full party planning mode. It starts with the colour theme all the way through to decorations and on-theme food and drinks. Right away I knew I wanted the classic aqua blue, pink, red, black, white, and of course checkered!
The fashion in the 50’s really looked like so much fun, and a lot of the old styles have come back. One quick look for an outfit at the mall made me realize how full skirts, polka dots, neck-ties and cat eye sunglasses were taking the shelves by storm, and I was allllll for it!
With that being said, it is usually the girls who are more into dressing up, and had more options when it comes to variation on 50’s inspired looks- I think us ladies killed it! The boys actually knocked it out of the park too with their James Dean digs and totally played the part of cool greasers.
Food is always an important part at any party and I had so much fun coming up with the menu. I kept it pretty simple with a major nod to classic diner grub. I went with sliders, fries, hot dogs (which were on a functioning hot dog roller), movie-theatre popcorn, fountain drinks, homemade soda floats and milkshakes, snow cones, cotton candy, and of course, all the retro-themed candy from that time that I could possibly find! I found the cutest red plastic baskets with the classic checkered paper liners in them along with condiment bottles at Party Packagers. I picked up the mini glass coke glasses that were 2 for $1 from the Dollar Tree and the float glasses from Bed Bath and Beyond. One search online and I found a ton of Coca Cola themed kitchen items, which ended up working out perfectly on the food table and really fit in with the theme.
The decor surrounding the rest of the party were old vinyl records lent to me from my grandma and my fiancé’s parents, it was really special to be able to have actual records from so long ago out on display! We also came across an old camera and camcorder when we were digging for records, and of course, no 50’s party is complete without an authentic turntable!
When I decided on this theme I instantly remembered this incredible old ’55 Chevy painting that my brother had in his room, and luckily after all these years he still had it. It was so cool to see that the headlights and taillights still light up too! I also made a backdrop that was designed to look like stools in a diner (I ordered the stickers on Amazon and added them to plastic table cloths), it was finished off with a plastic checkered table cloth. While I was looking online I also came across this 10-pack of cardboard cut-outs that I tied with fishing line and hung around the party. I kept costs down by building my own backdrop, most complete ones I saw were $50.00 and I made this one for around $15.0 total! It’s a fun for guests to take pictures in front of and was a huge part of the overall decor.
No birthday party is complete without a cake and this was definitely the centrepiece to my entire food table! I was lucky enough to have the creative mind of Sweet and Shy Cake Co. behind the amazing retro diner-themed cake. Check out Shay of Sweet and Shy Cake Co.’s Instagram for pics of all her sweet creations! I had given some ideas but really let her take the wheel on this one, and she did such an amazing job picking up on all the small details of the theme. Once we dug into the cake we were hit with this amazing orange creamsicle flavoured icing (talk about the icing on top of a cake). Such a small little detail did not go unnoticed and it was such a personal and thoughtful touch! I just loved the name banner at the top of the cake and could not have been happier with how it turned out .
Having help cut the cake HAHA
Cake c/o: Sweet and Shy Cake Co.
I am so grateful for all my friends who made it out through a terrible storm to come help me celebrate, and to my fiancé of course for helping me pull off yet another themed birthday bash (when will I be too old for this?! NEVER I SAY!)
This was one of my favourite themes to do yet, and I already can’t wait to start planning the next one!
Thanks for stopping in!
And of course, the super talented work on Facetime With Daniela for giving me the most flawless makeup ever (no filter required!) Check out her Instagram to follow along with all her luxury makeup artistry!
xoxo,
Sara
The new (and adorable) little Sister to School Toronto is Motel Hamilton. After some major construction, transformation, and face-lifting, Motel Hamilton officially opened its doors on June 9, 2017. It is slated to be, if not already is, one of the hottest brunch spots in Hamilton. With its Palm Spring’s decor, delicious food and drink menu, you will forget you’re only about an hour outside of Toronto.
If you’re looking for a new place for brunch/lunch in the Hamilton area, go check-in to Motel, you’re sure to enjoy your stay, I know I did!
When you pull up to the restaurant, you will see the adorable little pastel pink MOTEL sign, and until you walk in (or peak in the window) you wouldn’t really look twice at it. The second you walk in you are instantly hit with Palm Springs motel chic, the smell of delicious food, and the enthusiasm and smiles of the staff!
Before all the hype began and bloggers and foodies from allover began flooding into Motel Hamilton I was lucky enough to visit shortly after it first opened. Lucky for me, this meant it was less busy, making for optimal photo-shooting time.
The pastel pink walls, palm leaves, and little motel details really transform this restaurant into a work of art!
An old pastel pink rotary phone sits at the “front-desk” otherwise known as the “lobby bar”.
Neon lights are popping up all over the place lately, I love the quirky little detail and homage to a real motel of this one!
We were seated instantly and started off with drinks. The speciality drink menu (The 5 O’cocktails) isn’t extensive, but the regular drink menu has everything you would need and more. The cocktail menu drinks run at $12.00 a glass or “Motel-sized” for an extra $2.50. Of course, seeing the Flamingo Sangria I knew immediately I would be ordering that. My boyfriend went with a twist on a classic Caesar and got the Bacon Bourbon Caesar. Once we received our drinks I began taking some pictures, because who could resist photographing cocktails like these?
Since it wasn’t too busy, one of the staff asked if we’d like to move over to the white table as it was “better for pictures”. I couldn’t have agreed more, and immediately jumped at the opportunity. I was glad he did because my plated food pictures turned out 100% better because of it. There’s something about food on a sleek white table that really grabs the attention to your followers and is proven to be visually more effective.
THE DRINKS
I’m not a fan of super sweet/sugary cocktails but this sangria had just the right amount for me, with a good mix of bubbly!
I seriously could have stayed and ate (and drank) here all day, the decor was serious goals!
Taking a sneak peak at the decor before hand on Instagram, I knew exactly what I was going to wear! I’m a huge fan of themes, so when I saw the pastel perfection and Palm Spring’s decor at Motel Hamilton ,there’s no way I wasn’t going to incorporate palm leaves and flamingos (always) into my outfit! One of the staff members even complimented my outfit and said it was matched perfectly with the decor (success!)
THE FOOD
In keeping with traditional brunch, I went for the Charred & Smashed Avocado Croissant (because, avocado, always!) It came with a side of tasty kale salad! The croissant was very fresh, and the eggs were perfectly cooked. They even stayed good after all the pictures I had to take of my food first!
My boyfriend, being the boy that he is, went for the ultimate match made it brunch heaven, chicken and waffles. The waffle was topped with vanilla honey butter, a sweet and salty sauce, and buttermilk fried chicken. While I’m not a fan of waffles, fried chicken has a large part of my heart, so I tried some of his. It was perfectly spiced and battered with undoubtedly moist chicken!
The food was so yummy and so visually appealing that they basically photographed themselves!
HELLOOOOOO PINK WALLS!
I would without a doubt recommend this restaurant and can’t wait to go back and visit again! There were lots of items on the menu I had my eye on, saving them for the next time knowing I would be back.
Thanks for stopping in!
Head over to my Instagram to follow along my tasty and fashionable journey!
xoxo,
Sara
Don’t go bacon my heart!
These sweet and salty cupcakes are sure to please any crowd! I whipped up a batch of these for Canada Day, since they included two Canadian classics (maple and bacon!) The moist maple cupcake, topped with vanilla icing with a drizzle of maple syrup and bits of crispy bacon will have you wanting more and more!
You eat bacon for breakfast, so these are basically a breakfast item right?
The bacon dessert trend hit the food scene a few years ago and continues to be added to a number of sweet treats, so I decided to take a run at it! Maple and bacon have always been a match made in heaven, so there were high hopes for these cupcakes!
Making these cupcakes was my very first encounter using bacon in dessert. I was excited to hear and see what everyone thought of them. The reviews were good and everyone loved them!
Ingredients:
Cupcakes:
Frosting:
Topping:
Frosting:
VOILA!
I will definitely be making these again, they were super simple and stayed really moist from the bacon grease added to the mix!
After spending the last long weekend up north at a cottage, my boyfriend and I made an extended long weekend and headed to Prince Edward County. I had visited both Sandbanks Provincial Park and Wellington before, but had always wanted to check out the charming little town of Picton. After doing some research, I came across the cutest Victorian home vacation rental called The Ferg located right in Picton. The Ferg was originally built in 1850 and has been restored and renovated with inspiration drawn from Scandinavian design, with touches of minimalism, simplicity, and charm. This spot is perfect for a little romantic weekend away for two, a wine tour with girlfriends, or have the family come out and enjoy the Main House. A little R & R is the Ferg’s specialty!
Talk about pastel perfection!
A sweet escape from the city is always nice, especially when you visit somewhere that feels so welcoming just like home. The Ferg is the perfect destination to do just that. Booking your stay is so simple, head over to their website to book directly. I heard back from one of the owners Anna right away, who was so kind and helpful throughout everything. With our instructions on how to get to the house and get into our section of the house, settling in was a breeze. The beautiful historic home is divided into three separate sections available to be rented out and has a very cottage-like feel to it. The Main House for a larger group, The Loft, and the One Bedroom Suite (this is where we stayed.) It was the perfect size and had all the amenities we needed.
Immediately upon entering the home I was blown away by the simplistic, rustic, Scandinavian décor. I wouldn’t have imagined myself appreciating this type of décor, but there was something so refreshing about the minimalism of it. Right away we felt right at home.
Tour:
Guests enter through the back of the home (where the parking lot is located). There is a cute picnic table, a bbq that could be used be all guests, and well-maintained gardens in the backyard. You come in through the kitchen, while although small, has everything and more that you would need during your stay. There is a small table with two chairs which is perfect for tea for two in the morning. A small bathroom stems off the side of the kitchen, which included a full bathtub/shower.
A place for everything, and everything in it’s place!
Guests then walk into the living area/dining room space where a large wooden table is situated in the middle of the room. The colourful fresh cut flowers stole my hear right away. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a home-cooked meal complimented with a nice bottle of local wine.
Off to the side of the dining room was the bedroom. It was a small space but was really all we needed for our stay. There was a large bed which was so comfortable I could have stayed in it all day! During the day we kept the blinds open in the room to let the beauty of the natural light do its thing. The minimalism decor also carried through into the bedroom which I very much enjoyed, going to bed with a clear room makes for a clear mind and the ability to rest easy.
The natural lighting in the bedroom makes for optimal makeup application, an added bonus!
The last part of the One Bedroom Suite was the family room. This room had a large L-shaped couch, coffee table, and a TV with cable. There was an additional door off of the family room that led outside to a small porch which would be a great spot to sit and wind down after a day of touring around Picton and the wineries, etc.
My absolute favourite part of the house was the large wooden table with mis-match painted chairs, it came together and worked so well. There is so much character in this space and you really felt at home, truly a great place to relax! The rustic floors added even more charm to this space, not to mention made for a great place to take pictures! There is so much natural light that emanates through the rooms and the crisp white décor really make a blogger’s job of photographing a dream.
The specs:
This fully self-contained and private One Bedroom Suite offers a queen bedroom, a spacious dining room and living room with a queen sleeper sofa, a charming gas stove to heat the unit, a foodie-equipped kitchen, a full bathroom with a bathtub and a private front porch shaded by an old maple tree.- thefergpec.com
Amenities:
24/hr Check-In
Cable TV
Family / Kid Friendly
Free Parking
Hair Dryer
Heating
Indoor Gas Fireplace
Iron
Kitchen, complete with Coffee Maker
Laptop Friendly Workspace
Pets Allowed
Organic Shampoo & Conditioner
Smart TV
Wheelchair Accessible
Unlimited WIFI
Mavea Water Filter
Organic Coffee, Tea & Sugar
Thank you to The Ferg for a lovely little getaway. If you are planning to visit, you’re sure to love this space as much as we did!
The rest of our stay in PEC:
We decided to do a little touring around the area and ended up coming across some really neat spots!
We stopped into Bloomfield and visited County Collective‘s pop-up shop. This has to be hands down the most adorable shop inside and out, not to mention the sweetest owner (Tania!)
Escape Canvas Utility Bag: Forest Bound- $99.00
The Tiffany Pratt Canvas Collection is to die for!
The most beautiful coffee table book out there! Tiffany Pratt- Designer, Author, Maker is the epitome of rainbow perfection and DIY’s
Next on our list was a visit to the hip and modern Drake Devonshire. This is a definite must when visiting PEC. This restored historical home dubbed “Drake by the lake” has been beautifully transformed into a hotel, restaurant/bar, and even a hot-spot wedding venue.
These are the views you’ll get to experience while sipping drinks on the back patio.
We then headed up the mountain to check out Lake on the Mountain Provincial Park. Now, this concept might sound strange, but it’s actually a lake on a mountain…really think about that for a second. It stands 62 meters over the bay with a constant flow of fresh water, water that no one knows where it comes from…
We grabbed drinks and a delicious charcuterie board at The Miller House Cafe Brasserie which had a spectacular view from the back patio. The Miller House has quite a bit of history behind it and is the oldest building in Lake on the Mountain.
When I found out there was a winery with a big purple barn I knew we had to go check it out. Closson Chase is really the first winery that helped start the fascination of Prince Edward County’s wine industry.
After a day and a bit in ‘The County’ I’m already dreaming of going back.
xoxo,
Sara
c/o: The Ferg (Instagram)
On the Easter weekend (which also happened to be my Birthday) my boyfriend treated me to a weekend getaway at Queen’s Landing in Niagara-On-The-Lake (“NOTL”). Neither of us had ever been to NOTL before, so you can imagine my excitement when we pulled up to this beautiful hotel for our first NOTL experience. I mean, who could say no to staying in a magical place like this, enjoying the local shops, and to top it all off, local wine tours! It really made me feel like a Birthday princess, and every girl deserves that on their Birthday, and really, any day! Head over to my Instagram to see some posts of our stay!
We drove up on the Friday morning (it was a holiday for most, so the traffic was lighter than normal). Typically, the drive is about an hour and half from Toronto, not bad at all for a little escape from the big city !
The Hotel:
Queen’s Landing is a beautiful sprawling historic inn that overlooks the water that blends old world class with modern amenities. We even got to take in a beautiful sunset on our last night there down by the water! The hotel isn’t on the main strip which is nice because its less busy and is a short scenic walk passing by old Victorian homes.
(Jacket: Zara, Sweater: J-Crew, Shoes (Tory Burch), Sunglasses (Quay Australia)
With its large white pillars and beautiful gardens it has a really inviting setting right from the drive in. I felt like royalty the second we turned the corner and saw the wrought-iron fences and a glimpse of the beautiful grounds. Parking was right out front which was convenient for moving our stuff into the room along with available free valet parking. There is also WiFi in the public areas, which made blogging on the go a breeze! The lobby presented guests with sophistication and charm with the antique décor and fresh flowers everywhere. There were a lot of couples coming in to check out the Inn as a potential wedding venue and I can certainly see the appeal, it’s absolutely breathtaking!
Checking-in was a breeze and within minutes we were up to our room where a rose lay on the pillow (such a special touch!) Since it was my Birthday there was also a special bottle of wine and a cheese board in the fridge from my boyfriend’s parents, I was on cloud-nine within minutes of seeing all of this! There was also complimentary water, which you don’t always see at hotels.
After settling in and dropping off our bags it was off to a late lunch in the beautiful quaint downtown. Lucky for us it was a nice warm and sunny day so we walked around for hours checking out all the little shops and restaurants. We went to the Angel’s Inn for some pub-style food, it was delicious, and great drinks! I was also told I had to check out the basement as it was supposedly haunted, safe to say I went and came back pretty quick!
Downtown was bustling with tons of people coming to spend a beautiful Good Friday in NOTL. I was told it isn’t typically that busy but because it was a long weekend there were larger crowds than normal. Nonetheless, we were able to enjoyably walk around and grab food and drinks no problem.
We came across THE cutest storefront and of course I had to snap a pic!
After walking around for a few hours we went back to the room, got changed and decided we’d head into Buffalo for a few hours of shopping! One of the other joys of NOTL is it close proximity to the border. From door to door including going through the border it took only 30 minutes!
We got back to NOTL around 9:30 pm and decided to go back to the Angel’s Inn for a late dinner since we enjoyed it so much at lunch. There was a live band and everyone was singing and dancing, it was a really fun atmosphere at night!
On Saturday we spent the better part of the day on a wine tour, visiting 3 local wineries. The wine tour started around 10:30 so we were up and at ‘em pretty early after catching a quick breakfast. Our tickets were purchased on Travel Zoo and included a trolley car style bus (think San Francisco) to pick us up, take us from winery to winery, and then get us safely home. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t the greatest that day and was raining quite heavily for most of the tour. Luckily most of them were indoors and for one we were only outdoors for a little to check out the amazing vineyard. I would really enjoy coming back in the summer to do another wine tour on a hot sunny day.
After a few hours wine touring, our bus took us back to our hotel. After a lot of wine tastings it was time to head back to the room to enjoy our cheese platter and more wine, because why stop there? We did a nice walk around the hotel since Friday we didn’t spend much time inside the hotel. We checked out the bar and restaurant along with library, and the pool/gym facilities. We didn’t get a swim in, but it looked lovely, there was also a hot tub and sauna, I guess that just means we will have to go back!
More pineapple spotting!
I loved all the décor throughout the hotel, but I especially took a liking to this hallway with its palm leaves and bright white colours, I could have taken pictures here all day.
And then I did…
We also visited one of the sister hotels of Queen’s Landing, The Prince of Wales. This hotel was just as charming inside, with the most adorable tea-room, definitely stopping in for teatime next time I’m back!
(Sunglases: Quay Australia, Top: Banana Republic, Jeans: H&M, Shoes:Winners)
It was one of those Summer-like Spring days so we stopped in a local cafe for some gelato!
I couldn’t help but stop to say hello to the beautiful horses outside the Prince of Wales Hotel. This beautiful girl was named Cinderella, I loved her right away (look at that adorable little flower!) There were horse and carriage rides available that would take you around town in style! 
What better way to greet a horse named Cinderella than by wearing all tulle and sparkly “glass slippers”?!
This town is seriously out of a movie, everywhere I turned I found more and more charm!
Never too old for tulle and glitter!
(Top: Zara, Skirt: H&M, Shoes, Top Shop, Clutch: Tory Burch, Necklace: Kate Spade)
Before dinner we decided to go down for a walk by the waterfront since the rain cleared out and it ended up being a beautiful night with a stunning sunset. It was only a few minutes to walk down and there was a lot to see along the way. I can only imagine how stunning it is with all the sail boats out in the summer. Our hotel had a wonderful outdoor patio was stunning views of the water.
We decided to take the free private shuttle that you order from the hotel that takes you in and out of downtown. I think this was a great addition, especially when a lot of guests have been out on wine tours!
(Top & Pants: Banana Republic, Shoes: Payless, Clutch: Tory Burch)
Couldn’t get enough of this sunset, I could’ve watched it forever!
After dinner and some more drinks (surprise, surprise) we walked back to the hotel since it was only a 10 minute walk or less and was a beautiful night to do it! The front of the hotel was beautifully lit up when we returned, what a perfect way to cap off our magical stay!
There are 142 guest rooms within the Inn that are all furnished with luxurious bedding, a safe inside the closet along with high-speed and wireless internet. There was also a flat-screen t.v and a small gas fireplace (ver cozy touch.) Both the bathroom and the room itself were very spacious. With the added comfort of the 2-inch mattress pad, we slept very well!
(Top: Urban Planet, Pajama Bottoms: Old Navy)
Sunday morning we had an Easter brunch back in the city so unfortunately we didn’t get to stick around past 10:00 a.m. It was another beautiful day, I really did not want to leave! I brought home with me my two beautiful roses that were left on the bed as a reminder of our lovely time at Queen’s Landing.
(Dress: Winners, Sunglasses: Quay Australia, Purse: H&M)
Next time you are planning a visit to NOTL, whatever the occasion, be sure to check out Queen’s Landing, you will not be disappointed!
I can’t wait to visit again soon, thank you Queen’s Landing for a wonderful weekend getaway!
xoxo
Sara
Last weekend I visited Abigail’s Teahouse located in the historic friendly village of St. George, Ontario (about an hour from downtown Toronto towards Hamilton.) I made reservations for 4 people ahead of time knowing that space is limited and that it can fill up on weekends. I made the reservation online late the night before and by 7:00 am the next morning I had already received a confirmation back with my booking.
Abigail’s is open Tuesday-Saturday 11:00 am- 4:00 p.m. Now that Spring is in full bloom, Abigail’s Tea House will be open on Sundays from 11 am until 4 pm You can make reservations on the online reservation system or by calling (519)448-3999.
The Teahouse itself has some pretty cool history behind it, and is bursting with a ton of small-town charm! It had originally been the old Bank of Montreal building before its transformation. It’s situated right at the middle of Main Street, you can’t miss it, there is only one traffic light in town and you’ll see Abigail’s bright green door.
Inside the Teahouse:
When you first step into the teahouse you automatically fall in love with the décor. Pink cushions and beautiful green and yellow walls adorned with some pretty fantastic peacock wallpaper! There were beautiful flowers on all of the tables and tons of different tea cups, saucers and pots; I’m such a sucker when it comes to adorable antiques. There are very few tables which is why making a reservation is always recommended. The look and feel of this quaint teahouse made this an even better experience with my friends. A quick look up and you’ll see a magnificent ceiling with beautiful bird cage light fixtures (one of my other favourite touches inside Abigail’s). The atmosphere is lovely and makes a great location for a bridal/baby shower, birthday, girl’s day. Why not treat Mom to tea for Mother’s Day at Abigail’s? On May 13th and 14th celebrate Mom with Abigail’s Annual Mother’s Day High Tea ($40 per person plus hst and gratuity).
Just a few steps down the street, and I mean a few, lies Abigail’s Bakery where our desserts from the teahouse came fresh from. Much like the green door on the teahouse Abigail’s Bakery has a coveted and not to be missed bright pink door!
The good stuff…
Each of us ordered our own pot of tea and dessert so we could share and try a variety of tea, it was a really good way to do it. There were around 90 different types of tea. We asked about some of the popular ones and our server listed off ones that matched our tastes. I’m more of a plain tea type of girl, nothing too strong or fruity flavoured so I landed on the black tea with hint of vanilla, it was delightful! It paired nicely with my delectable scone that came with a side of Devonshire cream and preserve.
All the staff at Abigail’s were incredibly kind, now I think that partially comes with it being situated in a small town (where I find almost everyone to be so friendly.) They were so passionate and informative about tea and you could really see their passion and appreciate it. After our tea-time we walked over to Abigail’s bakery to check out the desserts they had for sale. They were so many adorable ones to choose from, Mickey Mouse or Peeps cupcakes, lots of spring-themed treats and other classic favourites like Nanaimo bars. The desserts change almost daily so you just have to ask your server what they have that day. If you visit Abigail’s you will see them all out on display to choose from 🙂
Take a peak at Abigail’s online menu and be prepared to fall in love!
Tea-time style:
Of course I couldn’t go to a teahouse without looking the part! Although the inside of the teahouse stole the show, my bight pink bag and lace top were the perfect compliment to my surroundings.
I went for a delicate lace top and kept my accessories simple. The owner of the teahouse actually complimented my top and said she just loves Swiss dot. While we typically have seen Swiss dot on wedding dresses, baby clothes and even curtains, we’re seeing this sheer cotton fabric appear on clothing being sold in stores like Zara, H&M, etc. We are going to see a lot of delicate lace fabrics for Spring, I love how feminine they look!
I added a pop of pink (my favourite colour pop) by adding this Kate Spade bag which matched the plaid pattern on my Mink Pink wool coat from Winners. Since my top half was quite simple I went for a fun shoe. These pearl embellished flats are from Asos and just scream Miu Miu without the high price point! I thought the small floral details were perfect for welcoming Spring. I couldn’t help but photograph them on the black and white tiled floors!
Upon cashing out my eye caught these adorable pins. If I didn’t already love the teahouse, these validated my love once and for all! 
I can’t wait to come visit again soon! 🙂
Last summer rainbow grilled cheese took the social media world by storm! I first tried one at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto and decided one day I would make my own!
That day has finally come, I was not disappointed, and neither was my wallet when I saved $8 a pop by making one of these bad boys myself.
With St. Patrick’s Day just a day away, why not wow your friends with one of these!
Find the recipe below for your very own goo-ey, “taste the rainbow” experience.
What you will need:
1 cup of your favourite cheese (shredded). I used mozzarella.
3-4 different food colouring shades of your choice
4 slices of bread
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of sprinkles for garnish. I omitted it this time around but DEFINITELY including it the next time!
The highly Instagram-able cheese pull…
Earlier this week I was so fortunate to be able to attend the opening of Clarins Open Spa at the Hudson’s Bay Queen Street location in Toronto. This marked the official opening of the spa counter in North America, this is 1 of 3 locations, how cool is that?!
For just $35 you can enjoy a 30 minute luxury spa experience, it doesn’t get much better than that! An affordable luxury experience is right up my alley, I can’t wait until I can come in next for my next spa treatment!
The 30 minute Clarins Open spa offers 7 different treatments for both men and women. It starts with a consultation and they will even touch up your makeup at the end. This is great if you want to get a quick spa fix before work, or on your lunch so you can go back relaxed and looking better than ever!
These were some pics I snapped of the products used inside the existing spa room that Clarins had for longer spa sessions.
Let’s talk about the details of this amazing event! Upon arrival Dave’s guests were greeted with Clarins signature cocktails (cranberry and apple), or your choice of red or white wine. The cocktails were flowing all night along with a wide assortment of gourmet appetizers from Oliver and Bonacini. They were all so delectable and I couldn’t pass them up every time they came back with a platter!
My first time trying duck, it was delicious!
The brie with grilled mushrooms was my absolute fave, I think I had about 4 of these!
The macarons were beautiful and I couldn’t let them go without being photographed! We had bluberry, pistachio and hazelnut options!
I’m such a sucker for details so naturally the beautiful white flowers caught my attention right away! The red carpet was an amazing touch, and made us all feel so special to attending this exclusive event! We were introduced to the president of Clarins Canada, such a humble and beautiful lady, the national sales director and the director behind the Spa experience, another beautiful lady with a beautiful and bubbly personality! Eric Antoniotti visited all the way in from Paris. Eric is an international artistic and training directior and wait until I share some exciting news about my night with him below!
The marketing and PR team put on an amazing event and I had a great time getting to chat with them. I enjoyed the cocktail experience at this event as we were able to socialize a lot in a casual yet beautiful atmosphere surrounded by Clarins beauty products. Of course, I couldn’t do my thanks without mentioning the man of the hour (always), Dave Lackie. Dave has connected so many beautiful influencers, bloggers and beauty enthusiasts through the events and I couldn’t thank him enough! If you don’t already follow Dave and love beauty products, follow him for some awesome giveaways and beauty tips!
I was so lucky to have my makeup done by the one and only Eric! I can’t stress enough how talented this man is and how enthusiastic he is about Clarins and every detail that goes into each and every product. . In addition to beautifying my eyes, Clarins has joined up with the Pur Projet which is committed to planting 10,000 trees for medical or cosmetic use. This will help revive the Kuntanawa culture of the Amazon
I was so amazed by the smokey eye look that Eric created for me using Clarins “The Essentials Eye Makeup Palette”. This palette is made with 10 beautiful shades, Eric used 4 to create my look! What amazed me even more was how effortless Eric made this look, and even gave me pointers on how to recreate this look myself. I will definitely be picking up this palette, its absolutely everything and more!
Getting the ultimate VIP treatment!!
The final reveal…
I couldn’t believe how much this makeup made my eyes pop, I received so many compliments on it! I was already wearing Clarins lipstick in plum, I think it was a great pairing for the smokey eye look!
I really did not want to take this makeup off, it was too beautiful and I wanted to enjoy it forever! Now, I can only hope that I can recreate it myself, I think it would be a perfect makeup look for the holidays!
The “Rosewood” shade is absolutely stunning and I think it’s what really made this look so fantastic!
I can’t wait to try out all these products and share my experience with you. I have already been using the Clarins lip oil for a few months and I am so impressed with it. I put it on at night before bed or before I put my lipstick on for a flawless application. All of these products are available at the Clarins beauty counter in Hudson’s Bay, Hudson’s Bay.com or Clarins.com
I got so excited about sharing the products inside my gift bag that I forgot to post a picture of one of the items. I later realized when I was putting away my lovely new products that I had forgot one (and I think this one is going to be my favourite once the cold temperatures creep in and the dry skin comes out!)
Be sure to check out #ClarinsOpenSpa on Twitter and Instagram for a look at the evening through the eyes of all the lucky attendees!
Of course I couldn’t resist snapping some outfit pictures!
I got a lot of compliments on my bell-sleeve top. It’s from H&M, but I haven’t seen it available in stores for a while! The plunging neckline black jumper dress is also H&M! Layering blouses, or turtlenecks under dresses is HUGE in fashion this season so I decided to give it a try. I finished my look with Franco Sarto leather boots and decided to add clip-on pom-poms to the side of my boots!
This top makes me feel like royalty!
Thanks so much for a beautiful evening with so many beautiful people!
xoxo
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