Oliva's Bubble

We Moved!

2010-11-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

Please visit: livinglifeinpictures.blogspot.com

See you there!

XOXO

Fall Update

2010-10-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

The fall season is one of my favourite seasons. The cool weather and the beautiful transition of of colour seem to slow down time.

I am always grateful for the wonderful things that the Universe sends my way. This season I am launching 2 more sites that I think will do really well. I have 2 fabulous parties in the next two weeks that I am super excited about. Then there's the Orlando trip in December.

I've always been a positive thinker, regardless of how tough things can be. There is ALWAYS a silver lining and things always get better. Take charge of your life and your destiny.

I am a lucky gal and I am so very thankful!

What are you thankful for this season?

BB. Pilipinas International 2009: Melody Gersbach dies in a car accident in Bicol

2010-08-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

According to Nikette Henson's FB status.

She was my favourite BB. Pilipinas Queen of 2009.

RIP Melody :-(

My thoughts are with your family.

View Photos of the British Royals

2010-07-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

From Yahoo News:

The British royal family has opened an account on photo-sharing website Flickr, Buckingham Palace announced Sunday, in their latest attempt to move with the times.

The free-to-access site will initially contain more than 600 photographs of Queen Elizabeth II on formal engagements, pictures from palace collections and portraits of the royals as young children. It will be continuously updated.

VIEW THIS LINK FOR THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY'S FLICKR ACCOUNT.

Lindsay Lohan WILL Go to Jail

2010-07-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

Watch Lindsay's tearful plea.

G20 Fraud: Black Bloc = Undercover Police?

2010-06-30T11:28:00.001-07:00

It's in the shoes, baby!

See article from the Global Researcher.

Chocolate Disco Video

2010-06-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

Toronto: Windsor Arms Hotel

2010-03-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

I've recently been googling boutique hotels in Toronto and I've had the good fortune of having an excuse to visit The Windsor Arms Hotel. I was invited to a press fashion event being held at one of their conference rooms.

This hotel is beautiful and charming with an old-school appeal. The interiors are beautiful. Unfortunately, I did not have a good first impression when I first walked it. As I crossed the street and approached the the door, I asked the porter (doorman?) who was chatting with his co-worker if the door led to the front entrance. I know, stupid question but I was not sure. The young man turned his head and replied, "yeah" and continued chatting with his co-worker. I found this quite rude. I mean, there was no greeting and he did not even bother to open the door for me. For a hotel that is supposed to be dripping with charm, this was a total turn-off. I've stayed at 5-star hotels and less prestigious establishments where the staff in front of the door ALWAYS stop what they're doing to say hello and open the door for the guests. I think that that guy at The Windsor Arms would not have even acknowledged me at all if had I not asked a question.

It is a good thing that the staff at the front desk were more friendly and polite and the pretty tea room almost saved the day.

First impressions really do matter......

Toronto Restaurant Review: Dr. Generosity

2010-03-19T23:12:00.001-07:00

Draw pictures while you wait for your grub and have it posted on the wall of art.....

Dr. Generosity is one of my favourite hang outs in Toronto. Good food, generous portions (hence the moniker), fantastic service (look for the beautiful owner with the auburn hair and the super chic server with short blonde hair----she has such great style!) and a warm and friendly atmosphere. I have a friend who goes there every week and I am pretty sure that he's tried everything on the menu.

My favourite item on the menu is the port0bello mushroom melt sandwich with roasted red peppers. Yummy! They also had a delicious lava cake but their supplier stopped making it :-) I hope that they offer the lava cake on the menu again because that was one of my favourite items on their list.

If you've never been, GO. You'll get your money's worth. Go there for lunch, dinner, drinks or to celebrate.

You won't regret it.

Dr. Gs is located at 2197 Bloor St. West in Toronto. 416 604 0704

Lindsay Lohan E-Trade Commercial

2010-03-09T14:45:00.000-08:00

Lindsay Lohan is suing E-Trade for using her name in their 'Milkaholic' commercial. for $100 million dollars. Wow! Her name is worth that much? I heard through the grapevine that the fashion label Ungaro is suing Lindsay for giving the fashion house a bad name. Maybe she'll use the money that she makes off the lawsuit to pay for the Ungaro fiasco. Given her history, I really don't know what the house of Ungaro was when they made the decision to hire her. Oh well. At least they got some much needed press.

Watch the uber cute commercial below.

Nadege Patisserie Toronto

2010-03-07T02:08:00.000-08:00

I am on a mission---I want to find the best macarons in the city. T and I went to Nadege (near Trinity Bellwoods Park) to sample their macarons. The place had a minimalist appeal. All white and simple furnishings. The sweets behind the counter were cute. I was there mid afternoon so a lot of the stuff was gone.

T and and I bought a box of macarons for $24 (tax incl.). The best ones that we liked were the salted caramel and the rose. The macarons were not too moist and were a bit on the sugary side. They had a nice crunch to them but the filling was a tiny bit dry for our taste buds. I enjoyed them a lot but they were not orgasmic.

I wish I had pics to show you but I devoured them all in the car. They were that good!

Nadege is located at 780 Queen St West in Toronto - 416 368 2009

Click here to visit the website

{image: yummylocal.com}

Yves Saint Laurent Cage Heels

2010-03-04T18:17:00.000-08:00

{via: thecherryblossomgirl.com}

Vintage Perfume Bottles + Pretty Flowers

2010-02-27T22:54:00.000-08:00

Pretty and Pink....my favourite combo.

Click here to view more

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

2010-02-09T23:01:00.001-08:00

Cada Vez
Cada Vez Que Lo Veo Pasar
Mi Corazon Se Enloquece
Y Me Empieza A Palpitar

Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
No Lo Puedo Controlar
Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
Y Me Empieza A Cantar (Cantar)
Me Canta Asi Asi

(Coro)
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (Bidi Bidi Bom Bom)
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (Bidi Bidi Bom Bom)
Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bom Bom
Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

Cada Vez
Cada Vez Que Lo Oigo Hablar
Me Teimblan Hasta Las Piernas
Y El Corazon Igual

Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
No Lo Puedo Controlar
Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
Y Me Empieza A Cantar (Cantar)
Me Canta Asi Asi

Cuando Escucho Esta Cancion
Mi Corazon Quiere Cantar Asi

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

2010-02-09T23:01:00.000-08:00

Cada Vez
Cada Vez Que Lo Veo Pasar
Mi Corazon Se Enloquece
Y Me Empieza A Palpitar

Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
No Lo Puedo Controlar
Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
Y Me Empieza A Cantar (Cantar)
Me Canta Asi Asi

(Coro)
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (Bidi Bidi Bom Bom)
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (Bidi Bidi Bom Bom)
Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bom Bom
Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

Cada Vez
Cada Vez Que Lo Oigo Hablar
Me Teimblan Hasta Las Piernas
Y El Corazon Igual

Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
No Lo Puedo Controlar
Y Se Emociona (Y Se Emociona)
Ya No Razona
Y Me Empieza A Cantar (Cantar)
Me Canta Asi Asi

(Coro)

Cuando Escucho Esta Cancion
Mi Corazon Quiere Cantar Asi

(Coro)

I can't believe my ears!

2010-02-08T13:28:00.001-08:00

Is this woman seriously thinking of running for public office? I don't read the news often enough and I know more. And that's saying a lot :-P

Be afraid. Be very afraid!

San Francisco Vacation Recap

2010-02-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

Last month I had the good fortune to visit my family in San Francisco. It was my second visit to this clean, scenic and beautiful city. The weather in the Bay area was chilly and spring like. But hey anything is better than the minus degree weather that we have here in Toronto.

Great food. Beautiful places. Had a FANTASTIC time!

Whenever you visit a seaside city or town one thing that you have to do is try their seafood. T and I greatly enjoyed Boudin's clam chowder. It is similar to the President's Choice canned clam chowder but better.

Clam chowder served in sour dough bread

Barrels of salt water taffy at Pier 39

The view of the city and pier from the area where one can view the sea lions.

Delicious Dungeness crabs. Mmmm good! They were in season so it was very inexpensive. We bought them from the fish market and boiled them at my Tita's kitchen. Yum!

We also trekked out to Napa Valley and paid a quick visit to Francis Ford Coppola's wine estate. It had a beautiful mansion that housed film memorabilia. We also tried the trio wine sampler. They have a rose named after his grand daughter Sophia.

Lemon-Orange hybrid tree from the estate. I want one of these in my back yard.

A barbershop quartet from La Musee Mecanique (The Mechanical Museum). See old world machine games, the kind that you see from vintage carnivals or fairs from long ago. The admission is free but bring lot's of quarters!

Other places to see:

Ghirardelli Square ---- See how their delicious chocolate is made. You have to get the one with caramel or rasberry. DELISH!

San Francisco Shopping Centre ---- Gorgeous mall with lot's of shopping options

Cable Car ---- Public transit that will take you to Lombard St.

The World Trade Centre ---- The only building that survived the earthquake in 1902(?)

I did not get to visit the farmer's market near Embarcadero. If you have a chance, go!

XOXO

Flower Arrangement 101 from The Steven & Chris Show

2010-01-22T17:26:00.000-08:00

How to cut stems, create grids, arrangement and all that good stuff!

Top of The Burroughes New Year's Eve Masquerade

2010-01-04T09:06:00.001-08:00

T and I had a smashing time at a swanky loft party at The Top of The Burroughes. The event was sponsored by Stoli Vodka and hosted by Greta Constantine and filled with beautiful people dressed to the nines! They had an open bar and lovely canapes. I feasted on the oysters (I LOVE oysters!). I am looking forward to 2010. 2009 was a fabulous year for me and I think that 2010 will be even more fabulous! Looking forward full steam ahead to this new decade.

Happy New Year!!!

XOXO

See more pics here

Images via: lostinthewillderness.com

Easy-To-Make-Drink: How To Make a Mimosa Video

2010-01-03T23:07:00.000-08:00

Really easy and a perfect drink for brunch.

You will need freshly squeezed OJ (I like mine with lotsa pulp), Champagne or sparkling wine, champagne flutes, an orange wedge and a stir stick.

Board Game Obsession

2009-12-30T01:43:00.000-08:00

T and I are both currently crushing on board games. He just bought a whole bunch of strategic board games from Hairy Tarantula. I love board games because they remind me of my childhood and it enables people to spend time and have fun together. Sappy but true. Back then it was all about monopoly, scrabble, clue etc. I really love the improvements that have been made and the options available out there. Right now my current favourite is Pandemic. It's a collaborative board game where the players face off against the board. It's easy to learn, fast and quite fun.

The concept is simple. The players work together to find cures in order to prevent a pandemic. I am not going to go into details. There are better sites out there that can do a better job that I can. But if you're looking for an "easy" game to play (i.e short instructions that won't give you a headache) then I highly recommend this game.

Gisele Bundchen Harper's Bazaar 2003

2009-12-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

Click on this link to view more images

How To Store Food

2009-12-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

{via:www.savoirfaire.ca}

Catherine Cookson Dramas on YouTube

2009-12-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

I've been watching a lot of Catherine Cookson's dramas on youtube. If you like Victorian-period dramas, rags-to-riches, happily ever after romance, then this channel is your cup of tea.

I've always loved victorian period clothing and furniture so the shows are huge eye candies for me.

Speaking of candies and sweets, I recently saw Wingless Bird. This is a story that centres around family, ww1 and romance (of course). Set in a candy shop in pre-ww1 England the story follows the wonderful protagonist Agnes (she looks a lot like Jennifer Finnigan). Out of all the Catherine Cookson leading ladies she is my favourite. She is strong, independent, smart and is a feminist (even if she claims that she is not). The story evolves around a delicious candy shop and I really wish that we still had candy shops like the one in Wingless Bird. Everything looks so delicious and crave sugar mice. How charming is that? I keep watching part 1 over and over again for the candy shop scene.

Happy Holidays!!!!!

Natural and Affordable Moisturizer

2009-12-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

Organic cold pressed coconut oil. I LOVE this product. Read all about it here.