Sunday, August 31, 2014

Brunch at Salt


We decided to try out Salt yesterday for brunch, after the gym with a friend and I hadn't planned on sharing this eating out experience, but figured why not.

First off, the restaurant is gorgeous inside and if you're from Ottawa, you know this was formerly a Broadways and very casual.  It's now transformed into a velvet-and-crystal-chanelier chic lounge with beautiful, moody decor, plush arm chairs, a grand piano in the front bar, an open kitchen and completely overhauled bathrooms.

More after the jump...
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Thursday, August 28, 2014

Place d'Orleans Fashion Vlogger | 3 Back to School Outfits


Heading back to school?  I've got three chic yet comfortable looks that you have you looking your best for the new school year.  However, if you're like me and not heading back to school, these looks will take you into your weekend and make getting dressed a cinch.

As always, thanks for watching! xo
 
 
Related posts:
* Last Year's Back-to-School Video (I still love these pieces)
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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

DIY Inexpensive Household Cleaner


Okay you guys, I have the best kept secret when it comes to cleaning my shower and I'm sharing it with you here today.

Here's a little back story: I hate cleaning the shower.  Like, hate, hate, hate.  It is probably my most dreaded house-hold chore and before Marco and I moved in together, I would seriously let it go as long as possible (did I actually just confess that on the Internet?!  Ew).  

When we were looking for a place to live, we immediately fell in love with this place but my second thought after seeing the beautiful glass shower was, 'Omigod, I'm going to have to clean that'.  I was cringing before we moved!

Luckily, a good friend shared this 'recipe' with me and I have been cleaning the shower like clockwork every weekend.  This little concoction has turned the task into something that's not so dreadful, plus it doesn't take much elbow grease, it's super cheap and relatively good for the environment.  Win, win, win!

Let's get started.

More after the jump...
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Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Summer Leather Peplum

Outfit deets:
* W118 by Walter Baker faux leather peplum top which you've seen last summer.
* Vero Moda jersey skirt, a Boxing Day purchase last year and you've seen me wear in Punta Cana.
* Accessories:  Suzy Shier necklace,  & H&M ring.




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Monday, August 25, 2014

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps

Outfit deets:  Jacob sweater, Joe's Jeans denim, Guess heels (new!), The Bay necklace, Michael Kors & Joe Fresh bangles.

On Friday I headed straight to my Grandparent's place for dinner to celebrate my sister's birthday.  We had a great dinner and then I stayed a while after to visit with my grandparents and Aunt who was in from out of town.  I snapped a pic with my sis and my nephew but she asked me not to share it online so here is my outfit instead.


Afterwards, around 9pm, I went to the gym and had a great arm workout and threw in some abs.  I slacked on the gym last week so made it a priority to get there on Friday night.


Outfit deets:  90 Degree by Reflex tank, Lululemon shorts (I bought these off my bestie who only wore them once and found them too short; they are the 2.5 inch), Puma shoes, Lululemon bag & Gucci sunnies.

On Saturday morning, Marco and I headed to the gym together.

More photos after the jump...
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Saturday, August 23, 2014

ALS #IceBucketChallenge | acoest1984


I was nominated for the ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) by my best friend.  I have donated and taken the challenge (with Marco's help--looks like he had a little too much fun "helping", right?).  Click below to watch the video.

If you've been nominated by someone, don't forget the rules:  you must make a donation either way, but if you don't take the challenge, you must donate $100.  If you take the challenge, the amount you donate is up to you.  Good luck!


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Friday, August 22, 2014

Grocery Shop & Dinners for the Week

 
On Monday evening I posted the above photo on my Instagram and Facebook.  I did a large grocery shop (finally) and did so with meals in mind to specifically plan for the week in an attempt to save money and waste less.  That said, our schedules are a little bit all over the map which makes dining together during the week a bit difficult.  I said I would share my dinners today for the week so here we go...

More photos after the jump...

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Thursday, August 21, 2014

Dotted Jeans & Peplum Top

Outfit deets:
* Imaginary Voyage peplum top which you've seen with a green pencil skirt.
* Rewash dotted denim which I purchased the first time I went to Vegas.
* Liliana wedges which you've seen with a black and white dress and also on vacation in Punta Cana back in April.
* Accessories: Emily Elizabeth necklace, Material Girl cuff & G21 sunnies.

This peplum top has been in my closet since last summer, it wasn't expensive (under $30) and I wore it a few times but this summer it has been getting a ton of play.  I find myself reaching for it with skirts, denim and other pants, so much so that I have to stop myself from wearing it weekly.  Does that ever happen to you?  You develop a deep love for something you've had for a while?

Also, while I've been somewhat obsessed with neutrals lately, I could not deny how stellar these shoes looked with these jeans.  They popped in colour against the tone of this denim that I set aside my nude pumps and just went for it with the neon.  Then again, only a handful of more weeks to really rock sandals and bright neons before the snow flies so might as well take advantage.


Photos by Serena Rivard.
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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

VIDEO | Fiddler Lake Resort Weekend


Remember a couple weekends ago when I went to that cottage with 15 friends?  

Well, I made a little video.  

I wasn't planning on it, but then we got in the car and I got excited thinking about a music montage vlog I could whip up as a keepsake to our weekend... and so, after several hours of editing, here it is.  

Thanks for watching! xo



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Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Faux Leather Blazer & Burgundy Dance Leggings

Outfit deets:
* Dynamite faux leather blazer (new!).
* C'est Moi tank (old) which you've seen a long time ago with my favourite scarf and on the weekend almost a year ago during a photography course.
* Boathouse leggings (new!).
* Accessories:  Dolce & Gabanna glasses.

After Marco and I filmed my next video for Place d'Orleans on the weekend, he started to snap a couple shots of me sitting on the couch... turns out the man has a serious hidden talent!  While he won't be replacing Serena anytime soon, I had to share these shots he got of me on our new couch.  There are even a few that would make great head shots... if I ever needed that sort of thing... with my hair up.

Also, I'll be sharing these items in my video later this week but PDO has the blazer and leggings in store right now, so run, if you're in the area and looking to scoop them up.  This blazer totally reminds me of the olive green/faux leather one I picked up this time last year (see it in an outfit post here)--such a great silhouette and price point.


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Monday, August 18, 2014

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps


On Friday night I went to Nature Nocturne at the Museum of Nature; a once monthly event where they turn the museum into a night club with multiple rooms with different DJ's and sounds and more. Since it was the kick off to Pride Week here in Ottawa, this one had a burlesque and drag Queen show which was so fun to watch.

There was this huge octopus that hung from the ceiling and changed colours; trust me when I saw it was a huge photo-op to anyone with an Instagram account (ha).

 More photos after the jump...
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Friday, August 15, 2014

Mini Week Recap

 
This week has been busy--my own doing--with something happening every night.  I don't usually jam pack my schedule, but this week just ended up that way and now I have a weekend with very little plans planned and that's quite alright with me.
 
On Monday and Wednesday I met up with a friend and we worked out.

 
I painted my nails with OPI's, 'Mod About You' which is a milky pink that's really pretty but, it's similar to an opaque white where, once it starts to chip, it looks really bad, really fast.
 
More photos after the jump...
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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Ramen at Ginza

 
Last week, Marco took me out for my first Ramen experience.  We went to Ginza in Chinatown for a casual meal to round out the long weekend.
 
More photos after the jump...
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Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A Big Bear Hug

 
A few weeks ago I had a really bad day. 

Like, really bad. 

One that ensued multiple sessions of tears and I just felt emotionally drained.  I briefly touched on it in a blog post and someone scoffed commenting something along the lines of, 'Yeah, like your life is so stressful'.

I wanted to talk about this today because like anyone else, I have heartache, emotional ups and downs and while things might look just rosy here, it's not like that all day, err day.

So yes, I had a horrible day, and I cried and it sucked.  I vented to my friends, to Marco and had to ride the wave until I decided to push it out of my mind for the next couple days and try to enjoy that weekend.

I'm sharing this because while I try to keep it pretty positive here, there are definitely days where I wake up and kind of just want to stay in bed.  I'm not going to post misery and negative rants on here because that's not what you come here for, and that's not really me.  I want to share enjoyable experiences, a cool shopping find I'm loving or mini success moments in hopes it inspires someone.  I love hearing that you enjoy coming here and hanging out--I know for me, reading blogs is a big happiness part of my day, every day.

All that aside, I want you to know that you are important, and good, and special and we all experience pain and sorrow in our lives, and you are not alone.  I have been so low before it felt I would never feel happy again.  I have had a hard time picking myself up, getting dressed, and just leaving my apartment.  A hard time talking to someone, anyone, without crying.  Being so low I could barely crack a smile.

The best part?  It was temporary, all pain is.  So, if you're having bad day, a bad week, a bad month, or maybe it feels like this just isn't your year, I'm sending you a BIG HUG through the Internet.  A big, freaking bear hug.  You don't have to smile today, maybe not tomorrow, but know that your smile will soon return, naturally and this too, shall pass.


Related posts:

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Monday, August 11, 2014

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps | Fiddler Lake Resort


Last weekend was one for the books for sure.  We left work early on Friday and 15 of us drove up to Fiddler Lake in Quebec where we rented one of the many cottages (Le Harfang) for Marco's friend's birthday.  I think I speak for all 15 when I say we were all pleasantly shocked at how beautiful the cottage was, but more on that later.


We left mid afternoon on Friday, in separate cars, and drove through the beautiful Quebec countryside.  It was just under two hours to get there and it was a perfect day for it.


When we arrived, the writing on the wall was clear was the plan was for the whole weekend.

Many more photos after the jump...
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Thursday, August 7, 2014

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps


One day, a few months back, a friend and I were emailing and I asked her if she had any suggestions for dinner.  She suggested her signature recipe: Thai chicken lettuce wraps.  

Since then, it's not only become a go-to and something I make quite frequently, but also something I whip out for guests as well--and it's always a hit.  I'd love to share the simple recipe with you...

Click for more (photo overload)...
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Wednesday, August 6, 2014

How to add length to your dresses.


Outfit deets:
* Billabong skirt (new!) (similar).
* Accessories: Le Chateau cuff, MK bangle (gift), Gucci shades & Sirens necklace.

I have a bit of a problem finding dressing that are long enough for me #tallgirlproblems, so what I like to do sometimes is wear a snug fitting (cotton) skirt underneath to lengthen the dress and make it more work appropriate.  

That said, I certainly would prefer to find dresses long enough, however, people often think the skirt is part of the dress--which is kind of the point, and a win-win--and bonus, it helps get more mileage out of your clothes.


Photos by Serena Rivard.


A couple other posts with a skirt under a dress:

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Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Weekend Recap: iPhone Snaps

Sorry for the radio silence yesterday, we had a Civic holiday in Canada so I took the day "off" to relax, spend time with family and most importantly, celebrate my nephew's birthday!  I've got a ton of photos to share with you, so without further adieu, onto the snaps...

On Friday I took my car in for an oil change an stopped and picked up a little treat for breakfast while I waited (Tim Hortons bagel belt, on a 12 grain, with bacon, hold the cheese & a steeped tea).


Outfit deets:  Mondetta tank & Harbinger gloves.

Click for more...
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Friday, August 1, 2014

Bison Sausages & Lobster Poutine at Central Bierhaus


Marco and I hit up the new Central Bierhaus in Kanata to try out their sausages and massive selection of beer the other day and it did not disappoint.

After being greeted, via sign, in German, you're led through the massive, industrial pub to either a large booth, a long picnic-style table or a half booth (they also have a great outdoor, covered, patio).  We got the latter and sat near the back, close to the massive big screen and open kitchen.

Click to see more...
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