Photo Reel

January snowfall

old school goals

conventional twilight

love, love, love them

truth

it's gonna be a party y'all

baked lasagne

banana bread french toast @ the elbow room

the elbow room

peanut buttery goodness

key to success

new skirt

celebration

the mac shack

homemade deliciousness

year of the dragon

new shoes

glass boxes @ espace d.

from the window

february, really?

hot chocolate & macarons

the shoe lineup for NYFW

typical vancouver sunset

goodies from the board of trade co.

ice, ice baby

glitter ombre mani from cranberries spa

a different type of fringe

Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival 2012

I love wine.
And after suffering from celebrity style exhaustion after NYFW, I briefly (4 days) broke up with alcohol. We had a brief fling last weekend, and after another break this week, I'm back in the saddle again for the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. The International Festival Tasting is my favourite event (drink all you can! But if you're the girl throwing up in the bathroom, I will judge you).

It's always great being able to actually taste wines before you buy them because it can be such a gamble. The only downside about falling in love with a wine at the VPIWF is that not all the wines are carried in our liquor stores (surprise, surprise). The really great thing about this festival is that it's the CONTINENT'S premier wine event and amongst the best, biggest, and oldest in the world (high fives and bum slaps!).

last year's poster, i know

This year's theme region is Chile, so I spent a lot of time getting acquainted with their wines (and food!).

Recommendations:

2007 Cousino-Macul Lota Cabernet Sauvignon - 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
2010 Tamaya Reserva Carmenere - The lightest Carmenere I tried, an easy drinking wine with a good price point ($18.99)
2008 Vina Ventisquero Grey Single Block Carmenere - Bolder but still easy to drink, good if you don't like super full bodied wines (me), still good price point ($23.99)
2008 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carmenere - Still drinkable for me, a great wine for pairing. 15% cabernet sauvignon
2011 Vina Montes Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc - On the sweeter side of Sauvignon Blancs, perfect for those hot hot hot days
2010 Cono Sur 20 Barrels Limited Edition Sauvignon Blanc - Crisp flavours, nice finish, not overly sweet, would be perfect with oysters or scallops (mmm...buck a shuck anyone?)

I'm also a huge New Zealand wine fan. I went on a fantastic wine tour of the Hawkes Bay region when I was there a few years ago - however, I've yet to see any of those wines come here. That said, New Zealand wines rarely disappoint.

Recommendations:

2010 The People's Pinot Noir - Not a huge Pinot Noir fan, but this one was fantastic AND you can buy it here, great price point ($17.99) - I think this might be last year's Beso de Vino for me
2011 Oyster Bay Merlot - We've all had Oyster Bay before, blah blah blah, but I'm not typically a Merlot fan so I would never think of buying this - consider me sold! Also, the price point doesn't hurt either ($19.99)

I stopped by to see my friend who was working in the USA region. She was representing Signorello Estate, Trim, and Fuse wineries. The interesting thing about these wineries is that they're owned by Vancouverites but the wine is 100% grown and produced in the Napa Valley.

Recommendations:

2009 Signorello Estate Chardonnay - Chardonnay's scare the crap out of me. I don't like really oaky wine (so basically, Chardonnay), and I'm always scared that un-oaked Chardonnay's are going to be horrifying, so this is a perfect reason why tastings are so important. This is a mildly oaked Chardonnay and it's really quite good. What makes the oaky-ness tolerable is that they use French oak (#kanyeshrug - shit just got weird)
2008 Signorello Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot. SO GOOD. SO EXPENSIVE ($69.99)
2009 Trim Cabernet Sauvignon - 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. A fabulous easy drinking red

Tickets are still available! Go! Drink! But don't be that girl throwing up in the bathroom.

Bombay Brow Bar - Shangri-La

My favourite local business recently opened the doors to their new location at 1113 Alberni St, at the Shangri-La.

My favourite local business? Yep. I first came across Bombay Brow Bar just over 2 years ago when they had first put up the signage at their Yaletown location. I had always loved getting my eyebrows threaded, but it was hard to find somewhere that did it and did it well. So, I kind of stalked them (but nothing like THIS...well, ok maybe) and it's been love ever since.

What I love about Bombay Brow Bar is that it's a family business. Sisters Ravy & Amy own the company and are the sweetest girls with a great feel for design aesthetic, and a good dose of business savvy. They're not afraid to take risks, which is huge, especially in Vancouver.

Now, $23 may seem a bit extreme to some people for an eyebrow threading. Well, it's definitely not your typical experience. The brow mavens at Bombay know their stuff. They understand the importance of eyebrows - they frame your face. You also get a free brow makeup application, and the best part? The ever amazing brow massage. I usually pop in to get my brows done on my lunch break, so the massage is a great pick-me-up to beat the afternoon lull.

So pop in to the location nearest you. Now.

Shangri-La  
1113 Alberni Street  604-669-BROW (2769)
Kitsilano
2206 West 4th Avenue  604-734-BROW (2769)
Yaletown
1056 Mainland Street   604-683-BROW (2769)


Images via Hong Photography & BBB

Naeem Khan F/W'12

Naeem Khan was one of my favourite shows of NYFW, and it wasn't just because I spotted Matt Damon sitting front row (next to his sour-faced wife...who was sitting next to Padma Lakshmi, who was sitting beside Kristin Chenoweth). The detail, bead work, and pattern on the collection was absolutely stunning. There were sequins and caftans and embellished pants! What more could a girl (or drag queen) want?

Here's my video of the final walk (with ridiculously bright lights in typical Lincoln Center style):

Here are some of my favourite looks from the collection:

SO SHINY! And a beaded suit - SO MUCH WANT.

Impeccable beading 

Sequins and beads and shine, oh my! 

Caftans & sheer & embellished PANTS. Dying.

5 NYFW Travel Tips

This was my second stint at New York Fashion Week (or Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, if you will) and   I've compiled a list of travel tips to help you get through the week.

1. Plan what to bring. As much as we all leave packing until the last minute, this is one time where you don't want to do that. You don't need to plan your exact outfit (since NY weather can be just as cray as Vancouver), but bring pieces that you can mix with each other.
2. Maximize your time - pick good flights. If you're like me and have a day job, you know how precious those vacation days are. In order to maximize my time in NYC, I fly Cathay Pacific. It's a red-eye out of Vancouver and the return flight gives you a full day to pack (or nurse your hangover), before heading back to work the next day...a little worse for wear.
3. Bring a portable steamer. You don't want to be traipsing to a show with unsightly wrinkles that you could have easily taken care of. If you want to be taken seriously, take yourself seriously and look presentable.
4. Bring flats that you can stuff in your purse. You probably aren't always going to carry around a hobo bag or satchel, so you need flats that can fit into a clutch or small bag. My Ferragamo flats do this, but sometimes they still don't fit. Solution? Dr. Scholl's fast flats. But bring a pouch for them, you probably don't want to know where the soles have been.
5. Pack your bag using dry cleaner bags. What??! Dry cleaner bags are designed to prevent wrinkles (who knew?!). I tested this out on my recent trip and I have to say I was impressed. While I still had wrinkles, there were significantly less than had I not used the dry cleaner bags (silk shirts, I'm talking to you).

Beauty: The 2012 Oscars

Spotted! Four Spring 2012 beauty trends on the red carpet last night!


Bold Lips

Seems like every season is bold lip season, but it's such a classic look, how can you go wrong? Spring 2012's bold lip comes in a variety of colours, from your typical reds and pinks, to purples and greys (seriously). The one thing that rules them all? A matte finish.
Seen on: Rooney Mara

Bold Brows

Are bold brows still considered a trend? I guess if the old trend was bleached brows (remember ANTM where the girl cried??), then I guess going au natural would be considered a trend. Spring 2012's bold brows are bold and architectural, bordering on androgynous. Sign me up.

Seen on: Rooney Mara

Winged Liner

I love winged liner but I really suck at doing it. (Does anyone have any tips??) Spring 2012 brings eyeliner to a whole new level. At times it was used to draw intricate designs around the eye and crease, and others, it was just used as extreme liner. The winged liner on the red carpet wasn't super avant garde, but obvious enough to meet the trend.
Seen on: Emma Stone, Jennifer Lopez

Tone on tone on tone

Monochrome isn't only just for clothes anymore. The buzzword for this look is "tonal", but I'm a Yeezy/HOV fan, so... Utilizing various shades of one colour enables you to create that fresh faced, dewy look that everyone loves. Even though you could be wearing as much makeup as a tranny, no one will be able to notice. All joking aside, this is one look I'd love to master.
Seen on: Gwyneth Paltrow

Images via Getty.

Remember January?

what a hipster

dinner at Cibo

hard at work or hardly working? 

view from my office window - summertime is a distraction

meet kirby

homemade pulled pork sliders

nom

the watchful eye in the emergency room

a Burnaby icon

birthday wishes from the Hotel Vancouver 

majestic

the suite life @ Hotel Vancouver

heart my smash

decadence at Nicli

a suitable alternative to Napoli

birthday card from coworkers

The Man Bag: Part 2

I promised a Man Bag: Part 2 post and it's finally here!

There are so many option for bags. Here are some of my favourites from some brands outside the mainstream. Remember, you don't always have to chase the big retailers - hit the boutiques and shop local. Also, don't be afraid to ask your girlfriend or girl friend for help.

1. Jack Spade Waxwear Field Bag - $375
2. Sketchbook Great Outdoors Pack - $200
3. Sketchbook Sightseeing Case - $125
4. Sketchbook Wayfarer Backpack - $260
5. Topo Designs Daypack - $98
6. Jack Spade Mill Leather Field Messenger - $375
7. Jack Spade Nylon Canvas Day Bag - $175
8. Roots Messenger Case in Tribe - $298
9. Roots Modern Satchel in Tribe - $338

Images via Jack Spade, Sketchbook, Topo Designs, and Roots.

NYFW Outfit: Prepster

You don't have to tell me that I've been the WORST at posting this NYFW, I'm fully aware. I swear that as much as I love New York, it's this weird time eating vortex. Especially during Fashion Week. Which, is kind of ironic since Fashion Week is so busy that you don't get to eat. It's probably the most unhealthy week of life, ever. You're running around to shows all over the city, there's nowhere by the Lincoln Center that you can grab a quick bite to eat, there are parties every night, and you get little to no sleep (hence the sunnies).

Getting back to business. You can blame Niki for the fuzzy shot. <3

Shirt: H&M Skirt: TopShop Shoes: ShoeMint Bag: TopShop