Last Friday Of The Year 2011

In 2011, I moved across the country, got engaged, found a job that keeps me fulfilled & that I love, started Memoscloset...Sure there has been a few bumps in the road but in retrospect I can say that it was a good year. I hope you can find happy moments from 2011 and that 2012 is even better to you & your close ones. 

Even if it has been a good year, I have a couple of resolutions for the New Year to try out: 

Stop playing with my nails when i'm jittery 

Go to bed later than 9 pm ( Hey, I wake up early!)

Stop focusing on the small stuff I can't change

Be happy with myself even if i'm not always perfect (Nobody is)

The list could probably go on but I'll stick to those for now! Do you have any resolutions for 2012?

Have a great one!

MeMo

Moving 2012

Hi guys! Sorry I have been pretty MIA lately...I'm in the middle of a move (Again, I know) and I also put in some time to visit family & friends on the East coast over the Holidays. Excuses, excuses I know! I basically unpacked my suitcase yesterday only to start repacking our stuff today as we are leaving at the end of the week. 

I hope you all enjoyed a great Holiday, I know I did. I hadn't seen my friends and family in over 6 months so it was great to spend some time with them. 

Looking forward to writing more in the year to come!

MeMo :)

Because it's probably snowing somewhere!

I hope you all had a great weekend! I, on my end, have scratched off a few items off my to-do list. First off, we got the apartment we wanted so much (Brilliant) so our search is over. I think we get to move in a couple of days before the New Year..Second, I got some Christmas gifts done & lastly I bought my Holiday cards but have yet finished writing them (It seems there is always someone we keep missing!) :) There are a couple of things left to finish before I start feeling the Christmas vibe!

~

Holidays parties are starting this week (Already had one last week myself & more this week), stay safe! 

MeMo 

Saturday DIY 01

We are back with the Saturday do it yourself. I found this easy DIY on marthastewart.com 

1. Dust your shells or even sea dollars with glitter if you like or just keep them bare

2. Make a loop with the metallic cord and glue gun it

3. Slip the pearl bead on the cord then secure with your glue gun

Voila, you have yourself a beach inspired ornament!

Memo 

Weekend is here!

The weekend is here and I couldn't be more thrilled! My week was filled with work, visiting apartments (1 that I reeeaaally loved, fingers crossed!) and other pretty wacky situations (Post to come next week). But Weekend won't mean doing nada; I want to send all of my Holiday cards out, I am in major need of starting my Christmas shopping & there is the Christmas market here in Vancouver that I want to head out to. (Add to that: laundry, cleaning, baking..) I know I haven't been blogging a lot lately but between work, planning our trip back home for the Holidays & finding a new place before the new year..I've been out of touch with a lot. Looking forward to being back here more often! 

Have an amazing Saturday & Sunday!

MeMo

P.S. In the midst of all my projects in the works, I've found time to re design the look of my blog. Hope you enjoy!

DIY Ideas for the Holiday Season

I love walking around the city during the Holiday season, especially at night when you can openly discreetly peek into someone's house and take a look at their lit up decor. There is something incredibly calming about a pitch dark house with just it's Christmas tree lit up.

I have put together some decoration ideas that you can DIY: 

1. Lit up Canvas 2. Orange table snow men 3. Hanging from the ceiling 4. Reuse your holiday cards       5. Wreath of lights 6. Table center piece

We won't be decorating this year because we are headed back home for the Holidays, maybe next year we can have everyone visit here for the Holidays, that way I will have a reason to go all crazy with snowmen & glitter!

Happy Saturday!

A little sparkle in your Monday.

Holiday parties are about just around the corner! Will you be going all out with a  sequin dress or adding little touches here and there with glitzy nail polishes or shoes? I think I am the short type (Seen above) with a tucked in white crisp shirt. When I was younger, I would love hanging out at flea markets and would always reach for the glittery pieces..My parents made a point of how tacky I was at such a young age. But now you can tone down a "tacky" sequin skirt with a simple cotton Tee and blazer and turn it into an everyday look or wear sparkly footwear with jeans..

I hope you'll be spending a bit of your Monday planning your go to holiday outfits. 

Have a great Monday! 

Sunday Travels.

I hope you are all having a great Sunday! It's getting pretty chilly here in Vancouver so I am day dreaming of the 5 spots i'd like to visit one day. To be truthful, there are far more than 5 places i'd like to see but I thought that starting at a smaller number with be a more realistic goal for now. 

Are there any special places you'd like to see one day? 

The Highs & Lows of decorating

Can you tell the differences between these photos? It took me quite some time to figure out the subtle differences..They are the same designs but some are high end meaning the room itself cost more than 5000$ to create while the lower one was created on a friendly budget that your wallet will be happy with. I can be easily fooled by thinking the lower one is actually the high one. To make things easier for you, I marked down which room is high & which one is low. Are you surprised?

You can find more deco ideas for your whole home if you click here. Like when creating an outfit, it's nice to mix high end pieces with more affordable ones to create your favourite look! 

Happy Weekend & decorating!!

CURRENT READ: IS EVERYONE HANGING OUT WITHOUT ME?

Writer, actress, director, comedian, Mindy has more than one talent up her sleeve that's for sure. Having contributed to "The Office" for a number of years now (as an actress, writer & director), I knew I would dig her book: Is everyone hanging out without me. Okay, seeing the picture on the back of the book also helped..From being teased in High School to her struggles as a newbie writer wanting to make it big in New York, Mindy pokes fun at herself while keeping it light proving that no matter who you are, dreaming big and acting on your dreams will pay off...one day! 

Happy reading!

Wishing you a happy Monday.

I love the fresh vibe  from these photos taken by photographer  Terry Richardson for the NY times spread. I wish I looked that cool eating my lucky charms in the am.  Sharing these with you to put a little colour in your Monday! View the full article here.

Have a good one!

Lounging problems.

Wrap | Scarf | Shirt | Pants | Socks | Leg warmers | Pants

Lately, my "boudoir attire" has mainly consisted of a ratty old pair of pants combined with the luckiest first t-shirt I can put my hands on.  The second I walk thru the door after work or after running errands, my new uniform simultaneously comes on. I do feel bad for the people who have seen me in this accoutrement. I have clothes for work, for play but when it comes to the "clothes for lounging" territory, I am completely clueless.

So I ventured around town this week to see if I could spot anything to replace my current look. To my surprise, JACOB's new arrivals consisted of just what I needed..They called it the Chalet look. They made it look so easy. They made me want to have it all.  Above are some pieces of the collection but I've also added the tights from H&M (They were cheaper than the ones found at Jacob) and #7 is just for fun (See price tag, breathe..)

So on this cold and rainy weekend, I plan on looking presentable in my own house I guess?!

Have a great weekend!

Thursday Recipe: Stuffed Zucchini

What better way to fill an empty stomach than with some yummy comfort food without feeling so guilty about it? This recipe is perfect for that,  you have the gooey melted parmesan but also get your daily intake of veggies. Serve these up along side a soup for a cozy meal.

1. Remove the inside of the zucchini and chop
2. Combine chopped scallions, inside of zucchini, chopped mushrooms and cook
3. Add 1 cup of chicken broth to vegetables
4. Once the broth is diluted, scoop your mixture onto your emptied zucchini's
5. Top your zucchini's off with parmesan cheese and bake until bubbly
6. Sprinkle some cajun spices for extra kick

To make it a meal itself, I sometimes cook sausage meat (Pork or Turkey, whatever rocks your boat) and add it to the mix.

Happy Thursday, hope you enjoy!

Splurging Monday.

I am currently coveting this 4 in 1 jacket by Yigal Azrouel. Need I say more then it looks great and that you have four different ways of wearing it?! It can be worn as a vest, a jacket and more..Okay it will not work well with the rain here in Vancouver but a girl can dream right? But on this cold early Monday morning (leaving for work before 7 am) all  I can think about is cuddling in  this coat while on the skytrain.

Find out how you can wear it along with it's price tag ( brace yourself ;) ! ) here.

Have a great Monday!

Memo

White Spaces

I love a clean & crisp white space. There is something about it that makes it look so cozy and welcoming. Bonus points because it does help save on paint ;) If you don't follow certain guidelines though, your living room/bedroom (whatever space you decided on) may look awkward. Here are a couple of steps you might want to follow courtesy of Glamour magazine:

1. You may want to incorporate some wooden touches such as a chair or coffee table (See my pick below)

2. Make sure that their are different textures in your whites: glossy, rough, soft . .  

3. It doesn't have to be ALL white, you can mix in a colour like some navy pillows or a throw to add a little depth.

4. Since your going all white you may want to go with an unfussy couch that isn't worth thousands (Ikea has a good selection at reasonable prices) just in case

5. Placing a mirror where the light hits will give the room some additional light

Now I want to start redecorating my place! See my picks below for a nice added to touch to a white on white room!

Happy Sunday! 

MeMo :)

Weekend according to a 60's film.

Pumpkin!

Apple & Spice cupcakes waiting to be frosted.

Part of my costume. No I will not be a princess.

Fresh apples for baking.

Rainy weekend.

Cookies from Granville Island.

There are some weekends when you don't mind if it's raining out & you don't feel one tad bad about it. This was one of those. I happily looked forward to a weekend of lounging, baking & watching scary movies. That's exactly what we did. I especially enjoyed our little trip to Granville island where we stocked up on fresh ravioli pasta & sauces. 

Are you getting dressed up today? Do you have any special trick or treat plans?

Happy Monday & Halloween!!

:)  

 

Pumpkin Patch Weekend!

We are already in the last days of October which means Halloween is just around the corner. As a kid, my favourite holiday (If you can call it that) was Halloween. According to my dad, I once passed Halloween perched on his shoulders in the middle of a rain deluge. Needless to say we were the only ones out..Then another year I was actually sick from being too excited. There is something special about Halloween weekend: You go pumpkin picking, prepare treats, or shop for a costume. At our house this year, we are going to pick a pumpkin for carving, watch scary movies & cook our fav treats!

If you are in the Vancouver area, here are a couple of pumpkin patches for you to stop by:

1. Aldor Acres is a 45 minute drive from Vancouver 

2. Go through the corn maze and pick a pumpkin at the Richmond Country Farm 

3. Laity Pumpkin Patch has farm animals waiting for you

Happy Halloween Weekend! :)

Working Girl.

We don't have a specific dress code at work. We go by " Business Casual" which means we can get away with jeans & a dressier top or vice versa. I usually dress according to my morning mood: Some days I will wear the high waisted skirt with a blouse and on others I will wear tights and slouchy top. Out of all of the days spent at work, the most productive ones are when I am dressed for business, meaning sans the tights..

We brushed on the subject at lunch today and my coworkers seemed to agree with me. Even if you are not meeting with clients, dressing like you are puts you in that professional state of mind. These photos from ELLE Mexico (and found on the small shop blog: Psst check her out!) have got me swooning over work clothes!

Happy middle of the week! :)

The day between Sunday & Tuesday.

If you look up Monday on Wikipedia, you get "The day between Sunday and Tuesday"..Interesting HaHa! I couldn't have guessed. I also found another funny one " Mondays: What Sunday threw up!" Anyhow, Monday to me means, back to work & waking up early. 

I have tried cutting back on my daily Starbucks coffee run, but it is a Monday must have for me. It's a gift to myself for pulling myself out of bed. Another must is wearing a non fussy look that you can put together in a short amount of time.  The above jersey dress + tights + booties = looking good in 5 minutes with no evidence left of late nights. 

Any special tricks up your sleeves on Monday?

Happy Monday! :)

UGG opens up in Vancouver

Last Thursday I got the opportunity to help celebrate the opening of the UGG Australia store in Vancouver. While most are familiar with the original UGG boots that can be found in a high number of shoe stores these days, the store itself has a lot more to offer: I am talking hats, riding boots & jackets to so much more (The cutest mittens I tell you!)

We were greeted with champagne, got to try on a large selection of boots & left armed with a goodie bag. I do think the store will be successful but I'd suggest we start saving asap because the price tags are a little on the hefty side..

Go see for yourself, they have great staff on hand to help you find the perfect something! 

2633 Granville St.

Vancouver, B.C.

V6H 3H2

| Perfect for a snow covered winter |

| They also offer a large selection of bags/purses |

| The classic UGG boot |

| Personally, I am in love with this boot |

I hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend! Here in Vancity, the weather is amazing! :)

Happy Friday.

Nothing says Fall like having a cup of hot chocolate or some  hot apple cider (see my recipe here)  on a patio bundled up in warm layers. After a busy week at work and other extra curricular activities (Post soon to come), I am looking forward to just sitting back and enjoying the weekend ahead. Plans include baking & long relaxing walks. I've created my perfect go to weekend look below, perfect for some chilly weather on the West coast. 

How are you going to enjoy the weekend? 

Have a nice weekend!

MeMo

Let's toast to Fall.

Fall has finally arrived in Vancouver! We've been getting great weather (Blue skies with a nice cold breeze), Starbucks has put out their pumpkin spice lattes and every knit I see seems cuter than the last. Even if it's hard to admit because I am a faithful "Summer kinda girl", I do have a soft spot for the Autumn season. I found this Apple Cider recipe in Glamour's November issue and it screams Fall! I am pretty eager to try it curled up with my latest reads.

Steps:

* Mix apple cider, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, vanilla extract & honey in a pot. Bring to a boil
* Reduce heat, simmer for about 10 minutes
* Reduce heat to low & add your white wine (Note not to boil again or the alcohol will evaporate)
* You can add some garnish e.g. sliced apples, cranberries...

I hope you are all having a great Sunday!

MeMo

Second skin.

 

I've always had a love/hate relationship with jeans. Some days, all I want is to wear them then on some other day I can't stand to have them on. Weird. All I know is that when I do want to wear them, this is my go to look! The number one rule when wearing the denim on denim look is to contrast your colours. As seen above, pair a washed out shirt with a dark denim and so on. 

I've also paired mine with tights and skirts as seen here. There are many looks to choose from!

Enjoy!!!

MeMo