Views from the 6ix: Food Edition

It's no secret that I'm a huge foodie, my friends always come to me for a list of restaurants to try so now I'm sharing it with all of you. After living in downtown Toronto aka #the6ix this summer, I have grown to appreciate the diverse selection of food the city has to offer. Although this post is delayed, it's never too late to eat! 

If you know me, you would know that I am always down to splurge a little on a good meal. However having worked in the financial district, I can say that most of the upscale restaurants in the area strive off a fancy exterior, a prestigious crowd and mediocre food. I do have several favourites that are definitely worth a pretty penny. The top one on my list was undeniably Bymark which I vowed to go back for their regular dinner menu once I start my first full time job.

Upscale Dining

• Jump - $$$ - American
• Kinka Izakaya - $$$ - Japanese
• Cluny - $$$ - French
• Luckee - $$$$ - Chinese
• Bymark - $$$$ -  Continental

Cluny, Summerlicious 2016 Dessert

One thing we can all agree on about the Toronto food scene is the vast variety of casual dine in spots scattered in all the different districts.  It was extremely hard to choose my top 5 so I decided to pick one from each category, a few popular ones and some of which I believe are considered to be underdogs.

Casual Dining

• Sansotei Ramen - Yorkville - Japanese  
• Fat Pasha - The Annex - Middle Eastern 
• Electric Mud - Little Portugal - BBQ 
• School - Liberty Village - Brunch
• Pai - Entertainment District - Thai

Side note...I'm looking for recommendations for Mexican restaurants, which is my all time favourite cuisine. I guess because of my high expectations for Mexican food, I have yet to be impressed...

Fat Pasha, Salatim Platter

I know for a fact I'm not the only one who has a separate stomach for dessert. If you're also one of those people who need to end of the day with some sweets or just grab a little treat to help you get through the day, here are some of my personal recommendations.

Dessert/Cafe's

• CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice
• Bang Bang Ice Cream & Bakery 
• Light Cafe (Slow Drip & Cotton Candy Coffee)
• Butter Avenue (Macarons)
• Arctic Bites (Thai Rolled Ice Cream)

Roselle, Feature Soft Serve

In terms of fast dining, the options are endless. With that being said, it's hard for me to want to go back a place more than once given the fact that the list of places to try is only growing. But below are some of my ride or die spots for after going out munchies or for a quick bite.

Fast Food/Takeout

• Burger Priest - American
• Fresh - Vegan
• Banh Mi Boys - Asian Fusion
• Poke Guys - Japanese
• Hoga - Korean

I know most people go to Burger Priest for their mouthwatering burgers, but I recently discovered that they have $4 ice cream sandwiches!! (And you don't even have to wait in line for 2 hours). Also, Hoga is one of the best hidden gems in the PATH, you're welcome.

I hope you guys enjoyed my food recommendations for my city. Or as our boy Drake once said "scallops and glasses of Dolce, that shit's right up your alley".

Spring 2016 OOTD... I'M BACK!

Can you believe it has been one whole year...I can't. 

I can't even begin to express how crazy this past year has been. As with any almost-adult-in-transition-to-actual-adult, so much has happened and changed that I can say this is the most confusing yet exciting period of my life. My 2016 resolution was to keep a memory jar (which of course I opted for an electronic version so I can attach photos to accompany the events) to make it easier to reflect at the end of the year. With that being said, you can expect a much more personal blog post in a few months. 

With summer approaching in a few days, I wanted to show a transitional spring-to-summer outfit in celebration of this warm weather. If you compare this ensemble to my last post, the contrast is PRETTY REAL. Although I am still a firm supporter of the monochromatic trend, weekends are a time to bring out the colorful and floral pieces so they're not just sitting in my closet collecting dust. Plus, if you work in an office you could probably understand how limiting aka boring work attire can be. Of course, something will stay the same no matter how much other things change.. in this case its my bag! There's been many occasions where I felt the urge to get rid of this bag but I just couldn't part with it. 

Oh and please ignore my hair. I have no idea what to do with it nowadays because its so thick and poofy that I just end up wanting to tie it up all the time. You could say I'm waiting for a big event or milestone as an excuse to dramatically change my hair.. color and style. 

Top: Vince Camuto

Denim Shorts: Zara

Sandals: Birkenstock

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff

Now that I'm a year older and wiser, I know better than to promise constant posts from here on. BUT I recently met people who I'm pushing into blogging so it would be nice to have a friend to help me get back into it.  

As I learn to have patience with myself through my mood swings, I hope you guys can be patient with me as well. 

Spring OOTD

Once again, I have allowed school to take over my life. Spring in Canada is defined by unstable weather and rainy days; this year is no exception. I decided to take advantage of the beautiful days we get and show you guys one my typical go-to outfits for this vibrant season. 

As you can see, I opted for a neutral outfit with bright pop of colour in my crossbody bag. This is something I recently adopted as my closet is transforming from a rainbow to a more monochromatic scheme. 

I've been loving putting my hair in a half updo. It is the perfect way to get the hair out of your face and change up your look. Also, it gives me the chance to show off these Chanel sunglasses that I borrow from my mom once in a while. 

Top: Urban Outfitters

Shorts: Zara

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Bag: Rebecca Minkoff 

Sunglasses: Chanel

With summer just around the corner and my wonderful friend who has taken up photography as a hobby, I promise there will be many more outfit posts (in HD!!) to come. 

Trendy Tuesday: Two-Piece Sets

With the warm weather just around the corner (or so I hope), the two-piece outfit trend is as hot as ever. What I especially love about these types of outfits is the versatility it brings to your closet. It provides the benefit of 2 additions that can be mixed and matched with the rest of your wardrobe but also worn together for a fashionable no-coordinating-needed outfit.  Two-piece sets can be suitable for festival season, casual day in town or a night out with your girls.

Here are some pieces that I have my eyes on. 

For Love & Lemons top & skirt set

Tobi two-piece dress

Nastygal 2-piece jumpsuit

Topshop Wrap and Trouser set

Samantha Pleet shell top and shorts

Free People lace set

Free People pant set

Living in Canada is like having that annoying ex that never goes away .. in our case, its winter. I almost forgot how it feels to be able to look cute and not have worry about doing coat check at the club. With that being said, I am ready to embrace summer with open arms. 

Holiday Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers

Hey everyone! Correct me if I'm wrong but you're never too old to have your own stocking for Christmas. If your family doesn't own any, it's never too late to make your own or get them personalized.

Let's get into the stocking stuffers!

Sephora goodies

Body Lotion


Blanket Scarves from Zara

Monogrammed Jewelry



Pandora Charms (or start a bracelet)

Tech Accessories

Bath and Body Works Mini Candles 

       

Mugs 

           

Room Decor

           

Miscellaneous 

I hope these will give you some inspiration for not only stocking stuffers but little extras to make your gift more special. If you haven't picked up your main gifts yet... what are you waiting for?!

Cyber Monday Haul

Cyber Monday - the day that drains the bank account of those who have no self control....aka me.

This year I told myself to, for a lack of a better phrase, calm the eff down. However my inner materialistic possessed demons were urging to come out. Guess what, now I'm officially broke. But what is the point of going through all this torture if I don't show you guys the result of my problems.

The Outnet
Brian Litchtenberg "Féline" beanie

I've been on the hunt for a beanie since the first snowflake landed on my head. Unfortunately having an abnormally small forehead (or should I say threehead) makes hat shopping a pain. One thing I discovered is that the only type of beanie that doesn't look ridiculous on the forehead deficient are the ones with writing at the front. The contrast makes your forehead appear larger and rounder. When I saw that the Outnet had Brian Lichtenberg merchandise I immediately hopped on that train and bought myself the first of many early Christmas gifts to myself.

Aritzia
J Brand "Ace" boyfriend jeans (also love these)

One of the best feelings in the world is crossing an item off our wishlist. I've been coveting a pair of J Brand boyfriend jeans for probably a year now but never got the urge to splurge on one until now. Can't wait to style these!

Shopbop
BlankNYC faux leather jacket (similar style from Zara)

Another clothing piece that was on "things to buy in 2014" list was a leather jacket. However, being the indecisive person I am, it was difficult to decide on a real leather jacket so faux will do (for now). This one by BlankNYC was at an unbeatable price so I just went for it. I love how the colour is a dark brown, almost black, so it is super versatile. The style of this was everything I wanted in a leather jacket; it's perfect!

Gilt
Free People thermal top

Please welcome me as I have officially joined the land of the basics. Free People is one of those brands that I always wonder why it's so damn expensive. After speculation, I've realized that it is because their clothing is distinctive on top of being great quality.  Even for such basic shirt like this one, you can tell the difference with the stitching and cut. I thought this top would be the perfect layering piece to wear underneath my new faux leather jacket paired with leggings or jeans and tall boots. Voila! The go-to fall/winter ensemble. 

Little Burgundy
Chinese Laundry "Riley" boots

Don't these look exactly like the Stuart Weitzman 5050 boots. There's just a slight difference that saved me from splurging and choosing this pair from Chinese Laundry instead... the toe shape. I just couldn't get over the boxed toe of the 5050, maybe it's more high fashioned but just not my style. Anyways, I think having these will force me to dress more ladylike and less sweatpants-haired tied-chilling with no makeup on. You can't wear sweats with these. 

Starbucks
Bodum "Chambord" Coffee Press 

Besides my online shopping obsession, I am also a coffee addict. Recently, instant coffee was no longer satisfying my needs for caffeine so I started to buy Starbucks again which we all know drains your wallet like no tomorrow. I was debating on purchasing a Keurig or Tassimo but that means I would have to resort to the pods which are both limiting and expensive. When I saw that Starbucks was participating in Cyber Monday, it was the perfect opportunity to get a French press. Let me tell you, I will never drink instant coffee again. 

Now that I've spent half a paycheck on myself, it's time to start on some Christmas shopping.