Category — food

My heart belongs somewhere in Andalucia and I have an affinity for anything related to Spanish culture – the food, the people, music and fashion.  While the celebration of Cinco de Mayo is based on a historical event (the battle of Pueblo Mexico), I thought it would be fun to give you a few creative ideas to celebrate. 

Forget Vicky Christina Barcelona. This is quintessential Penelope Cruz in Volver. You must. You REALLY must.

Ole! Wear something bright and preferably ruffled. Vanessa Hugens in a striking canary yellow gown at the Journey 2 premiere. Chiffon always makes one look & feel like a goddess.

Rise of the Espadrille! Loving the rope detail and the softest pastel blue of this Dolce Vita wedge sandal.

If you ever happen to find yourself in Spain, you must check out the distinctively national fashions of Almatrichi. Combining opulent fabrics, inspired by flamenco and tropical living, this line has the most beautiful dresses and flowy skirts.

Book a trip to Cabo San Lucas. I've been to Mexico a few times and I love the turquoise water, daytripping and the delicious food. I support your desire for travel!

And last but not least, perhaps you want to enjoy some Spanish cuisine whilst wishing upon that Super Moon – check out some Mexican dining options via BlogTO.

Blair & Serena matchy-matchy. I especially adore when you show up to an event wearing the same kind of outfit as your fashionistah bestie, "Nice lace dress!" Brainwave!

I am a naughty blogeress. Naughty x 3.  This hottt summer weather has been diverting my attention to galavanting as opposed to blogging.  What can I say?  I love heat & sunshine.

Around this time every Spring for more than a decade, my fashionistah friends and I celebrate an annual event known as Fashion Eastah.  On a road trip to Montreal, my bestie C was calling her boyfriend and due to poor reception, he misinterpreted what she was saying.  He responded, “Fashion Easter?  You girls have a holiday!?!!”  To which many a light bulb exploded simultaneously and we collectively gasped, “We TOTALLY should!”

The early origins of Fashion Eastah are mired in legends of Redbull vodkas, high heels, special edition mixed cd’s, elaborate fondant cakes baked in the shapes of shoes, riotous fashion trivia and after-hour late nights being twirled around by flaming gay boys to the techno-beat of a Killers Remix.  These days our Fashion Eastah’s are less sketchy affairs, more ladylike brunches, chiffon daydresses, quiches and spa water.  But when we get together, we reminisce tasting our first champagne at Les Bains Douches, wearing those backless tops in the 90’s to go clubbing and playing “I Want It That Way” (click to play now) on repeat while taking the EuroRail.  Good times!  BTW, the 90’s are considered retro now.  Crazytown!

Ain't nothing but a heartbreak... Confession: I was never a BSB fan but hell, I love this song because it reminds me of my first trip to Europe with my fashionistahs.

Feel free to co-opt this holiday for you & your best fashion girlfriends.  Some tips for your Fashion Eastah event:

• Flowers for the Hostess – A lovely floral arrangement is de riguer for your hostess.  After all, she has woken up early to pick up those fresh croissants, place the tablemats just so and greet you with a spritzer.  I love mixing shades of pinks, oranges, white and greens in tulips, gerber daisies and roses. Ahh, so fresh!

Domestic goddesses take note: Do co-opt the gradiant hues in this floral arrangement from Martha Stewart.

• Dress the Part – Call me Cruise, but I love setting a dress code.  Cheesy as it sounds, I get a kick out of co-ordinating outfits with my friends.  Part of Fashion Eastah is the celebration of Spring – getting to rip the hangtags off that new outfit sitting desperately in your closet or break in your new patent pastel wedges.  Plus, your clique of fashionable friends will notice your attention to detail.  “Ooh, I like how you matched your daisy earrings to the yellow piping on your skirt.” Noted!

Feel free to wear something extra girly. After all, these are your people. Constance working pastel florals in produce Aisle 1 for Vogue.

• Savour the Macarons – We had a full on conversation about macarons and how one of my friends had to chastise her husband for popping them into his mouth like a box of Oreos.  Helloooooo, those take a bajillion hours to make.  Remember to savour the macarons!

Fashion Eastah, literally! I mean, designer Easter eggs via Vogue. This would make a fun crafternoon, non? Ridiculous.

Fun factoid: The iconic Hollywood sign was once an advertisement for "Hollywoodland," a real estate development

As a whirlwind living, globe-trotting fashionistah, my passport gets its fair share of stamp abuse from Customs Officers. 

Dramatic re-enactment:  Officer “Do you have anything to declare?” Me “I had fun.” Not True Story. Don’t try this at the airport. 

The sunshine state has its fair share of shoreline beauty but the glam factor is much like a Hollywood backdrop: airbrushed, re-touched and made for television.  For those who have high expectations of LA because of an unhealthy diet of non-reality programming, you my friend, may be a smidge disappointed.  When it comes to truly enjoying a trip, my friends often seek my advice and I theirs.  Here’s the real deal on California dreaming…

• Baby Do You Like My Ride?  Conquer your fear of the freeway and perhaps rent a behemoth SUV (Cadillac Escalade anyone?).  Los Angeles wasn’t made for passengers, pedestrians or taxicabs.  You will see most of the city by renting a vehicle and driving through the many boroughs.  It will be just like that time Di got on the Freeway in Clueless.  The most important thing to remember is that Downtown LA is sketch but neighbourhoods get progressively tony as you move westward – Hollywood, West Hollywood, to Beverly Hills and the coastal towns of Santa Monica and Malibu.

"But this is an Alaia??!!" If you drive, stay alive...and don't wreck your dress. Make sure you don't stop in shady neighbourhoods at night.

• Rush, Rush – That’s the sound of my heart bursting out of my chest as I hiked up the Hollywood Hills…or the name of a Paula Abdul song and video starring Keanu Reeves.  Park your car at the foothills of Griffith Park and walk your way to the top.  You might catch a glimpse of an off-duty starlet working on her fitness but you will certainly be rewarded with panoramic vistas of the Los Angeles skyline.  You can also take a break by visiting Grifith Park Observatory, unleashing your inner astronomy nerd.  Who doesn’t love a good Planetarium??

Griffith Park Observatory also has a water fountain in case you're parched from your hike.

• Shop ‘Til You Drop – Any true fashionistah knows you never pay retail.  “Bahh!”  Adjacent to the Beverly Center is Nordstrom Rack (perhaps one of the best I have EVER been to).  My friend J’s hair got progressively wild as she desceded into her shopping shame spiral.  The greatest scores are for designer jeans and contemporary LA-based labels.  For those stalking the Zoe (as in Rachel Zoe) or you’ve got cash-money to burn, you can try the designer vintage emporium Decades on Melrose.

West Coast Style: Channel Lauren Conrad or Whitney Port. California girls like a mix of boho and casual dressy.

• Eat Then Exercise – While it sounds as though, you may want to go easy on the carbs, the culinary delights in LA abound.  Try the Farmer’s Market at 3rd & Fairfax, a maze of local and gourmet food stands adjacent to the outdoor shopping complex The Grove.  To cool down in the heat, stop for a self-serve fro-yo and top it off with delicious toppings (cheesecake bits, fresh fruit, candies galore) at Yogurtland.  Nosh on brunch and rub shoulders with LA hipsters and undercover A-listers in West Hollywood at Taste, Toast or Joan’s.

Meet me at 3rd & Fairfaix: Get your savoury & sweet on at The French Crepe Company.

Postcard Perfect: Nyhaven is only a block long but it is packed with tourists from morning 'til night.

Copenhagen, Denmark.  Not a place I would necessarily put on the list of places I MUST visit in my lifetime but definitely somewhere that I was intrigued enough to travel.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I admired the city and now feel the overwhelming need to pay it forward.  A cool destination known for its numerous canals, expansive landscaped parks, historic houses, Scandinavian design, outdoorsy lifestyle, tall blondes and the birthplace of the hipster.  It very much reminded me of my beloved Toronto with its friendly inhabitants, clean streets and trendy enclaves.  I could tell you about the tourist traps but you really want the inside scoop.  Perhaps my little travel gems shall persuade you to add it to the list?  Not really, sort of, maybe, yes.

Stroget is the main shopping area, a pedestrian friendly cobblestone maze of shops from the high-end luxury (Louis Vuitton) to the fast fashion, cheap and cheerful H&M and Gina Tricot.  The department store Illum houses an impressive assortment of housewares and decor.  Wandering into its less boisterous sidestreets, you will stumble upon antique dealers and the more eclectic independent boutiques and cafes.

Bright whimsical Gronlykke with its vintage textiles and curious tchotchkes.

Pale blues: My idea of heaven is being surrounded by embellished fabrics, Eastern decor and colour blocked.

Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer – It’s a fact:  Danes like to work on their tans.  And we love them for it.  Insert *staring problem*  With many bike friendly paths, recreational parks and designated swimming areas on the canals (such as Havenholmen), many people were taking advantage of the milder than usual climates.  Locals lounge on the grassy noles, enjoy people watching, listening to live musicians or taking a refreshing dip in the clean canals. 

Locals beat the hottt, hottt heat by jumping into the canal. Not thinking it would be so scorching hot, we left our bikinis in London. I was very disappointed that we didn't get to jump off this faux boat. Moral of the story: Always pack a bikini.

Waffles & Weiners – Every day the smell of freshly made waffle cones would waft through the air like gauzy puffs of sugar and butter clouds.  Inhale deeply and feel intoxicated by the rush of endorphins.  Known for the quality and variety of their hotdogs and toppings, many carnivores indulge in the street meat offerings as a snack or meal.  So overpoweringly delicious was the scent of Frankfurters, I was HIGHLY tempted to give up my vegetarian ways.

You can't miss the scent of freshly baked waffle cones on the corner of Toldbodgage.

Wherefore art thou Hipsters?  Maybe you would expect more gentlemen of the Sprockets variety (see/ Mike Myers SNL circa 90’s) but I would classify the gents as ‘Modern Dandies’ with their perfectly coiffed pompadours, trimmed facial hair, v-neck cotton t-shirts, walking shorts and deck shoes.  Could you expect any less from the city that brings you the most accessible street fashion?  Vesterbro is the up and coming sketchy area you will find them and the street where they are most likely to congregate is on Istedgade.  Is your curiosity piqued?  See/ The Copenhagen Report

Wherever there are artsy types, you will find Hipsters in the hood. A small pocket of hip in Norrebro (aka Norre Bronx).

OMG, this outfit! Sasha working a 70's vibe in the H&M Fall Campaign. I mean, those burgundy boots paired with coral! Photo courtesy H&M

I tried to find the best representation of the 'Hipster Pompadour' and it really is based on the Elvis model (who btw, is looking super hottt in this picture taken before he started on the banana, bacon, fried peanut butter sandwich diet). Run-on sentence.

Rachel Bilson in a pink gingham top and Current/Elliot cut off shorts. It doesn't get more country than this.

As a child, I often spent entire summers with my aunts in suburban Chicago.  For weekend getaways, we travelled to their trailer tucked in secluded farm country.  While I am very much a city girl at heart, I have accumulated many fond memories of picking up fresh corn from farmers on the side of the road, roasting marshmallows over the bonfire and waking up to the smell of burning logs.  And when in the country… it is always best to unwind and ‘be like the country.’ (Think when in Rome…)

Take Some Shade: Always protect the face in this Aqua Straw Crochet Hat

When I was younger, I used to wear skorts. I would skip or spin around but you weren't really seeing my undies. Forever 21 Floral Skort Romper

My roomie swears by checking out the consignment shops in small towns. She often scores the best treasures. Kick about a sleepy town in these polka dot Steve Madden ballet flats.

Gimme Gimme: A fun tip on making the best S'mores. Wrap the graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow in tin foil and insert into the fire for a few minutes. An ooey gooey treat that melts without being burnt.

Remarkably Coco: Audrey Tatou as the famed designer

There’s something about Paris that captures the imagination, that evokes nostalgia and romance.  That makes you want to start speaking en francais.

A few days ago I rented Coco Avant Chanel, the biopic of famous french designer Coco Chanel.  The film traces the humble origins of orphaned Coco (nee Gabrielle), as portrayed by the ever-amazing Audrey Tatou, as she struggles to make a living - poor seamstress by day and cabaret singer by night.  A series of calculated actions on Coco’s part, she becomes the mistress of a wealthy French aristocrat, yet falls deeply in love with a married American businessman.  A revealing portrait of the designer’s life before fame and celebrity, it is both heartbreaking and inspiring.  Coco was a renegade in an era of opulance and repression; she made her mark by breaking out of societal norms but sacrificed much in the process.  Le sigh! *Insert sob*

In homage to the spirit of Chanel, I have prepared an appropriate brunch outfit for noshing on pain dore, croque monsieurs, bellinis and creme brulee at Le Select Bistro (432 Wellington St. West).  There is an abundance of hottie waiters serving your latte and the chi-chi poo-poo crowd is veryx3 good looking.  Just my kind of brunchie spot.  My favourite decor accents were the red velvet opera curtains, the black and white mosaic tile floor and the poster for Belle De Jour.

Dites, "Mais oui!" (Say, "But yes!") to the Joie Striped Top. A lil' bling with your mimosa never hurt anybody.

Coco detested corsets and dresses. She preferred a good pair of pantalons. Try the Juicy Ruffled Silk Pants. Harem-esque but not so MC Hammer.

Feels tres Chanel: Colour blocking your toes with Sam Edelman "Randell" Espadrille