To do list...

I am leaving for Montreal tomorrow..My bags are packed, the apartment is cleaned up (Kinda) and I'm ready to go. I'm pretty excited to see my family and friends which I haven't seen in 4 months...We've got dinners and get-togethers planned out but I am also looking forward to 4 addresses before heading back to Vancouver:


{A newly opened restaurant that only serves poutine a-la-carte in Rosemont}

{Designer Denis Gagnon who opened a boutique in Old Port of Montreal}

{ Niche Decor where vintage furniture as well as Prada dresses can be found at up to 60% off}

{Annual Matt & Nat sample sale on Chabanel}


The thing I am mostly looking forward to in this list is actually poutine because no matter what any restaurant says, if you are not in Quebec you do not make the "best" poutine...

MeMo

Recipe: Peach & Avocado Salad

I first made this salad when I came across the recipe back in March on Cupcakesandcashmere.com. I couldn't find peaches since they weren't in season at the time so I substituted them with Nectarines (I know, maybe not a good idea) The avocados were also not ripe, so needless to say: Wasn't a success. Since I am cooking for one this week and trying to be healthy (forget about the Mac & Cheese story), I went back to this recipe for dinner and it was just perfect! It is going to be a Summer staple!

The salad is constituted of avocado, peaches, tomatoes and red onion tossed in with fresh cilantro, lemon juice, olive oil and red pepper flakes!

Enjoy!

MeMo

Up in the air..

I will be leaving for Montreal Friday night after work; I am NO avid flyer, I actually get anxiety almost a week before flying..(I am in that week) To calm my nerves, I thought planning an outfit around the flight might make me less nervous (Remember how you felt much more confident on your first day of school with your new sneakers or outfit?) So my big master plan is to pick up some new stuff before Friday.

I was browsing through the internet and found that a lot of people wonder: What should I wear on a flight? Some end up in Juicy sweats and Uggs, others in dresses and heels. I, personally, always go for Jeans as a base and then go for layering the rest of the outfit. Where you can have fun is with your shoes (I go for flats like the above), your luggage and accessories. Now all I need is my I-Pod filled up and a good book! Wish me luck :)

MeMo

Oversized top
$175 - calypsostbarth.com

T by Alexander Wang silk top
$140 - lagarconne.com

Levi's low rise skinny jeans
$100 - generalpants.com.au

Mary green
$26 - journelle.com

Marc by marc jacobs shoes
$195 - couture.zappos.com

Brics bag
$525 - forzieri.com

Travel jewelry
$48 - dannijo.com

Lip Balm SPF 15 15g
14 GBP - debenhams.com

Coach Poppy Body Lotion, 5.0 oz
$35 - macys.com

Lauren Goldstein Crowe Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion
$28 - kirnazabete.com

Being all girl...

Since the BF is out of town this week, I decided to go "all out" girly. So far, I've watched 3 chick flicks, ate mac & cheese (which I was pretty embarrassed to buy), tanned on our balcony with a glass of rosé in hand and walked around with no specific destination in mind. Another thing I did was rearrange my makeup bag..Everyone who knows me well enough knows that I am not the one who wears much makeup, hence the reason I found a mascara that dated from probably a year ago...I don't know much about makeup application but one thing I do know is that less is always more.

I have other activities planned for the week (Besides working ;) ) It's only been a day and I miss the BF already..

What do you do when your loved one is away?

MeMo

You are what you eat..

I’ve been having a little issue with my skin lately…It has been breaking out a lot and I’m usually not the one to get pimples. I first assumed the water being different on the west coast might be playing a role in my skins sudden need to have a mind of its own then I changed my skin care regimen with hopes that it might clear things up(No luck so far..). Then I found a pretty interesting article saying how Zinc should be a number one component in your diet for good looking skin. After thinking about it, I don’t eat a lot of foods containing Zinc (e.g. Pumpkin seeds). it’s funny how we tend to overlook how our diet could affect our bodies in so many different ways so I did a little research on what foods we should be eating to get beautiful inside and out. Here’s the lowdown:

1. Banishing breakouts: Anything foods with Zinc: Shellfish, almonds, pumpkin seeds..
2. Making your eyes stand out: Spinach which contains lutein making your eyes whiter.
3. Whitening your teeth: Apples!! Yes an apple a day not only keep the doctor away but also a trip to the dentist for whitening.
4. Healthy locks: Green beans lead to thicker and stronger hair as they are packed with Silicon. (Note that it's not Silicone i'm talking about.)
5. Aging well: Apparently, loading up on kiwis (Vitamin C) will ensure Halle Berry status.

So maybe I shouldn't be blaming it on the weather/water/product ;) but myself?

MeMo

A new home...

Ever since moving to Vancouver 4 months ago, we’ve been renting furnished apartments thru an agency on a monthly basis. To make matters worse, I still have an open suit case in the bedroom where some of my clothes still lie. Needless to say, I haven’t felt so “home sweet home” in a little while. So it is with much excitement that we will be moving into our own neutral space in July which means I get to decorate a little. :)

I've been browsing interior design sites and here are pictures that caught my eye. I am gravitating toward old and modern styles combined for our cozy new loft.

I hope your enjoying your weekend (Or what's left of it!!)

MeMo

Recipe: Quinoa

Quinoa recipes have been popping out everywhere. You can cook it as a side dish as you would do with rice or as a full course meal. I decided to give it a try last night with what seemed like a simple enough chicken and vegetable stir fry recipe from epicurious.com. (See above) The healthy dish is perfect for week days and is so tasty you'll want seconds.

You will need:

- 1 carrot thinly sliced

- 2 cups snow peas washed and trimmed

- 1 red pepper chopped

- 1 garlic clove sliced

- 1 thai pepper chopped (Really hot so optional)

- 2 teaspoons of grated ginger

- 1/2 fresh coriander

- 2 chicken breasts cubed

- 3/4 QUINOA

- Olive oil

- Salt and pepper

- Soya sauce

- 1 beaten egg

Easy steps:

1. Cook your cubed chicken breast in olive oil until brown then set aside.

2. Bring 3/4 water for 3/4 of quinoa to a boil. Once it boils, turn heat to low and cover for 15 minutes.

3. In the same pan used for chicken, cook carrot 1 minutes. Add pepper, thai pepper, garlic and ginger.

4. Add your 2 cups of snow peas to the vegetable and cook for another minute. Set aside.

5. Transfer your cooked Quinoa to your pan and add 1 beaten egg.

6. Mix in your vegetables, chicken and coriander to the quinoa and egg.

I hope you enjoy!

MeMo

Outfit: 2 is better than 1...

We all have our summer staple dress. The one that takes us from brunch to a night out and that we always end up going to. With every new season I always look for THE dress who will go the extra mile. I happened to be browsing online and found that the American Eagle Website just might let me have a few of those :) They are pretty much all on sale with prices ranging from 20$ to 40$ each. As I created above, they can be paired with blazers, cardigans or just worn on their own on a hot summer day.

I hope your enjoying the week so far!

Belated Cinco de Mayo

I am not Mexican nor am I American but something about Cinco de Mayo has always appealed to me. Okay, it's probably my endless love story with Mexican food ;) I decided to go all out this year and turn it into a tradition. I wanted to celebrate it on the day of, but the 5th being on a week day made it a little hard for me to put everything together. So I decided to delay the Holiday to Saturday in order to have more prep time. It was fun to turn a regular dinner into a whole day of fun.

{ Coriander adds freshness to homemade salsa }

{DIY colourful banners hung across the room}

{Visit Marthastewart.com for other diy projects}

Happy Mother's Day!

As kids my sister and I always did a little something special for our Mom on Mother's day. These past years though I haven't been home or even close to it so it has definitely been harder to celebrate. Although the distance, I will be thinking of my mom and all of the love she's been giving me over the years. :)

Here is a cute idea for those of you closer in distance to your mom: A cute breakfast table with little quotes on flags. All you need is paper, glue, scissors, pens and tooth picks. Get inspired!!

The cut out picture is from jordanferney.blogspot.com Happy Friday and Enjoy your weekend!!!

MeMo

In lust with...

I have been so obsessed with Club Monaco lately, they probably think I am a stalker. For the past month or so I have been popping in and out of the store lurking around and drooling on every single piece of clothing i've laid my eyes on. Due to the clothes having a hefty price tag, I've gone to other stores trying to find similar items but have yet accomplished that mission ;) So it is decided, I am treating myself this weekend and getting an outfit. In the meantime here are a couple of styles from the Spring 2011 lookbook that would be perfect for Vancouver weather.

I can't wait to post pictures of my shopping!!

MeMo

Random thoughts...

It has now been well over a year since I’ve left Montreal and I have lived from one coast (TO) to the other (Vancouver) in that time span. I still get questioned on my decision to move around so much; People have straight out asked me why I would put my life on hold and follow someone else’s dream and then other people find it rather exciting. I won’t lie, I do feel at times like I have been living in suit cases and I do lust over beautifully furnished homes.

There is one thing I came to realize with time though and that is that I did not “follow” my boyfriend’s dream. I was not tied to a chair and forced to go. I did it for myself, for the opportunity to face different challenges. And to be honest, I feel the opposite of my life being on hold, I feel as if my life has finally “bloomed” and I am becoming what I want to be a little bit more every day. I am now making my own dreams, on my own terms.

I have learned a lot about myself throughout this whole experience and know what I am capable of..(I will not bore you with the list.)

The greatest thing I have learned though is that what other people think shouldn’t stop you from doing what YOU want to do. The scarier to you the better. In the end, the most important thing is you and what makes you happy.

MeMo