vodka & caviar

Friday Favorites!

2013-07-26T09:35:00.001-06:00

Happy Friday everyone.....this week has been pretty irritating so I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Here are a few of my favorite things from the past week!*

Effy's 1st Birthday!

My first Blue Jays Game!

the Royal Baby arrives!!!!

LOVE this song!

Honey Lime Tequila Shrimp Tacos

{via}

Recent Lulu's COVETS!

2013-07-22T16:52:00.001-06:00

Recent Lulu's COVETS! by vodka-caviar featuring a gathered skirt

Friday Favorites!

2013-07-19T08:53:00.000-06:00

It's soooooo hot but at least it's the weekend! Find a pool, find a lake and drink lots of cold bevies! Here are a few of my favorite things from this past week!*

Zesty Lime, Shrimp and Avocado Salad
{via}

Kate Spade Summer Cork Iphone Clutch
Nordstrom: $76.00

It's HOT!

{via}

New hair colour?!?!

{via}

Cottage Essentials!

2013-07-18T09:44:00.001-06:00

Cottage Essentials! by vodka-caviar featuring over sized sunglasses

July Update...

2013-07-17T19:49:00.000-06:00

I have been such a horrible blogger these past few months. Since moving back to Ontario so much has happened....I'm still on the job hunt which consumes 90% if my time during the weekdays then during the weekend I'm usually off with friends at a beach or cottage somewhere...oh how I've missed Ontario! Since Lauren and Ewan's wedding back in June, we have had Canada Day, a Dave Matthews and City & Colour concert and a few cottage visits. Here are some iPhone snaps from the past month!*

post beach ice-cream stop*

Metric

City & Colour

Dallas Green

Happy Canada Day!!

lazy pool days....

days by the river

Miss. Effy learning to swim!

Lake Heron

ferry time...!

Lake Heron sunset

love the pink!

in case we get lost...

cottage life...

tan...tan...tan...

end of weekend Caesars

Dave Matthews in the pouring rain!

happy?!

totally worth it!

8th year in a row!

The Look for Less!

2013-06-27T09:25:00.001-06:00

The Look for Less! by vodka-caviar featuring diane von furstenberg

wedding outfit details...

2013-06-22T09:35:00.000-06:00

I loved what I wore to Lauren & Ewan's wedding. It was such a fluke that I found this dress. I originally had decided to wear a dress I had purchased from Lulu's for my trip to Vegas, but after chatting with the girls and hearing their choices I decided I needed something a little more fancy. I randomly browsed through RW&CO and found this stunning chiffon and lace maxi dress in coral {here}. As soon as I tried it on it new it was perfect! The price was also perfect...$88! How could I pass that up?! I paired it with a gold clutch {borrowed}, earrings {coach & borrowed} and cuff {from The Bay: $16} and a pair of gold BCBG pumps I had purchased last summer for the wedding we attended in P.E.I.

Chiffon & Lace Maxi Dress: $88

I decided to get my hair done due to the humidity and the fact that I'm terrible at attempting anything nice with my hair for special occasions! A friend of mine is a hair stylist and created this beautiful side bun for the day!*

a wedding...

2013-06-22T09:16:00.000-06:00

Last weekend one of my oldest and dearest friends married her Scottish love! She is only the second from our group to get married and it was absolutely amazing to be able to share in her special day! She got married at Balls Falls Conservation Area in the Niagara Region of Ontario. The setting was perfect and the weather was amazing! The 17 minute ceremony was held in the historic white chapel located directly across the street was the barn in which the reception was held! It was rustic and simple but very romantic and perfect in every way! I couldn't be more happy for Lauren & Ewan! Below are some snap shots from the day!*

Ewan & Lauren

handsome groom

beautiful gown*

bridal party

historic chapel at Balls Falls

"I do"

reception time

delicious but dangerous!

Scotch for the guys....bath milk for the gals

thank god!

beautiful

the crazy people table!

party time!

cake time

me & the bride!

first dance

post ceremony

my loves

a new summer bag!

2013-05-30T13:45:00.001-06:00

a new summer bag! by vodka-caviar featuring a satchel bag

Settled...

2013-05-24T10:00:00.002-06:00

I apologize in advance, this is going to be a lengthy post!*

It's been awhile since my last post, everything has been so crazy! I didn't mention this on my blog before because it was a sensitive subject and not a lot of my friends and family knew but I have moved back to ONTARIO! After my Las Vegas trip my best friend flew from Vegas to Calgary and we road tripped back to Ontario {more on that later}! Things in Calgary were just not working out for me. I missed my friends and family more then I ever thought I would, I quit my job because I was so miserable and not treated with respect and I didn't feel at home or comfortable with the city and the people. So my boyfriend and I came to the decision that it would be best for me to move back to Ontario and start to get established for the both of us. He is planning on making the move back after the summer!

Road Trip! Driving from Alberta to Ontario is not a short drive, 3400 kms and 36 hours to be exact! We wanted to do it as quickly as possible, spend as much time on the road and as little time sleeping! My jeep was packed to the top and little Effy had a cute little "loft" as we called it all set up with her toys, bed and food!

Day 1:
We left around 11:30am and drove through Alberta, Saskatchewan and into Manitoba on the first day! These provinces are super boring with really nothing to look at besides cattle, wheat and farms...*yawn*. We stayed at a hilarious little motel and had to mission impossible Effy into the room, the room also had no heat or hot water... 4 star all the way!

Naturally....

Welcome to Herbert, Saskatchewan

the only game in town...

we stuck out like a sore thumb

delish though!

never.again.

Moose Jaw!

princess Effy!

cutest!

"Spirited Energy"

our half canoe for the evening.

Day 2:

Our goal on day 2 was to make it to Wawa, Ontario. If you don't already know, driving through Ontario is literally half the trip, it takes forever. For this to have happened we would have had to sleep literally 2 hours and then hit the road again, but we slept in and sadly didn't make it as far as we wanted. We did make it to Thunder Bay, Ontario! In Thunder Bay we were forced to stay in the sketchiest motel due to "Night Danger" on the Trans Canada Highway, aka Moose. {For those of you that don't know the TCH is a highway that goes from coast to coast in Canada, and once you hit Northern Ontario becomes a 2 lane highway littered with Moose and trucks at night...very dangerous}.

tuckered out

only 1500 kms to go!

Manitoba - Ontario Boarder

i'm in Manitoba they're in Ontario!

MADE IT!

Thunder Bay Sketchy!

Day 3:

On day 3 we got up super early, because we had to make up for lost time. We literally had to drive for 16 hours on the last day, From Thunder Bay to Niagara Falls. We were hoping the last day would be the shortest and easiest of the 3 but...nope! Driving in Norther Ontario is beautiful and very refreshing from the none stop farm lands of the prairies. Lake Superior was beautiful! It looks very similar to Vancouver, B.C with the water and the mountains, but after 4 hours of that we were beyond over it! We finally got to stop in Sault Ste Marie for 30 minutes to grabs some food then we were onward to Niagara. Between the Sault and Perry Sound there is literally NOTHING. It was defiantly the hardest part of the drive. Reaching Toronto was like a breath of fresh air! I felt HOME! We finally rolled into the drive way at 1am driving a total of 36 hours, 3553.4 kms and only 1 speeding ticket!*

HOME!

VEGAS BABY!

2013-05-15T19:50:00.001-06:00

Wow! What a crazy few weeks this has been! As you all know I went to Vegas for my Birthday with a few friends and it was absolutely amazing! I cannot believe I've never ventured to sin city before this....! Tanning, drinking, eating, tanning....so amazing but so exhausting all at the same time! I feel like I haven't slept in weeks! We stayed at the Monte Carlo right on the strip! It was just the right amount of crazy and relaxed. It isn't as massive and confusing as the other hotels like the MGM and Bellagio which was such a relief {I had enough trouble finding my room daily!} and the pool had NO CHILDREN which was great and there was an awesome DJ and pool games on the weekend which kept things interesting and fun! We also got amazing tickets to Rock of Ages which I totally recommend it was so good, we got guest list to see Calvin Harris DJ at the MGM grand with 10,000 of our closest friends and we walked up the strip to Fremont Street {old Las Vegas}! Here are a few photos from the trip!*

heaven

beach babes*

sisters!

friends!

Kicking Cowgirl!

Vegas' Best Party Indeed!

Calvin Harris craziness!

2013-05-01T10:40:00.001-06:00

what's in my carry on? by vodka-caviar featuring a goodys

Well, this is it! In 24 hours I will be desert bound! I am beyond excited to get out of Calgary for the weekend! It's been snowing all week can you believe that!? I always have so much trouble packing. I'm one of those people that think there is going to be a need for every single item I own, and always end up over packing. This time around I laid out clothes by day to make sure I ONLY pack what I need! However, when it comes to packing my carry on I usually just throw everything that I normally have in my purse; in addition to my IPad, camera and passport into my carry on bag. Normally my Lululemon gym bag does the trick, but tomorrow I will be taking my new Michael Kors tote! I'm not one to travel with extra essentials {toothbrush, underwear, change of clothes, etc} encase my luggage gets lost like most responsible travelers, but I do travel light, one day when my luggage gets lost I'll be cursing myself.... {knock on wood this doesn't happen tomorrow}! I hope everyone has an AMAZING weekend and Happy Cinco de Mayo! I will re-cap my weekend when I get back!*

Recipe Roundup!

2013-04-30T11:22:00.000-06:00

I know I posted last week {here} about some amazing Quinoa Bites I tried from Pinterest {follow me here}, but this past weekend I was craving something sweet! Instead of caving and heading to Tim Horton's or Starbucks to satisfy my cravings instantly, I took to Pinterest yet again to find something healthier {I am heading to VEGAS on Thursday you know}! My boyfriend LOVES anything with peanut butter and chocolate so I went on a hunt and found these AMAZINGLY addictive Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Quinoa Cookies {click for link}! The great thing about this recipe is there is no extra sugar, dairy or oils added resulting in a lower calorie dessert! Trust me you will NOT be able to eat just one!*

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Qunioa
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons pure Maple Syrup {I substitute with honey}
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine Quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup {or honey}, salt and oats in a mixing bowl. Mix until ingredients are well combined.
3. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips
4. Line baking sheets with parchment - paper
5. Scoop and mold dough into round tablespoon sized cookies
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until bottoms are nicely browned
7. Allow to cool and firm up before eating and storing

Nutrition:
1 cookie = 1 serving

Calories: 80
Fat: 4 grams
Carbs: 9 grams
Protein: 2 grams

Friday Favorites!

2013-04-26T10:49:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday everyone! This time next week I'll be lounging by the pools in Vegas! But for now here are my favorite things from the past week! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!*

I'm not really into DYI and arts and crafts... mainly because I get uber frustrated and I'm really not that crafty! But this DIY from Pinterest {follow me here} this week seems like something I'd be able to handle, and adds a super cute touch to your everyday bathroom necessities! Follow the link below to some other cute DIY Candle Jar ideas!

{via}

Perfect for a lazy day by the pool! Can't WAIT for summer! Pink Lemonade Margarita!

{via}

Girly Rustic Chic Bedroom! This bedroom is to DIE!

{via}

I tried this, this past week and it's a delicious alternative to lime or lemon and it really does curve your snack cravings! Healthy and super refreshing!

{via}

In celebration of Kate and Will's Royal Baby to be, Butter London has launched a new royal inspired polish, "Pitter Patter". An opaque metallic aubergine to welcome the new royal! Love it!
{Available online only $15 - here}

{via}

2013-04-25T10:08:00.001-06:00

The Look for Less! by vodka-caviar featuring aldo necklace

I have always coveted J.Crew products! I think they have perfected chic and versatile business casual for women, making getting dressed every morning easy and fun for the modern day working ladies out there. However, Canada has yet to get J.Crew stores {or at least a J.Crew near me}! As far as I'm concerned J.Crew really jump started the Bauble Necklace trend with their gorgeous statement necklaces {seen here}. As amazing as a 14k gold chain with imported gems sounds, these beauties are always sold out, and lets face it, I'm in no state to go to spend $130 - 250 on a necklace to wear to work! ALDO always has great finds, and they follow the trends and fads so finding that Look for Less is always easy! H&M and Forever 21 also do an excellent job of creating highly popular looks for a beauty on a budget shopper!*

Delivery!

2013-04-24T09:55:00.001-06:00

The thing I don't like about ordering clothing online is there is NO instant gratification! Waiting for my packages to arrive seems like the longest 6-10 days ever! But when it finally arrives on my doorstep it's like Christmas! Yesterday my Lulu's dress order arrived and I'm beyond happy with all 3 dresses I chose! I always get a little nervous when ordering, you never know if the clothing will fit true to size, too small or too big, so with this order I followed the websites sizing charts and measurements exactly and everything fits perfectly {with a minor adjustment to be made}! Below are the items I received yesterday for my trip to VEGAS next weekend {EEEK}! Once the dresses are altered I will post some photos so you all can see how they fit and look!

LuLu's

Double Duchess Mint Green Dress - $46

The top half on this dress is a little big so I'm going to get it taken in.

LuLu's Exclusive Bow Down Strapless White & Coral Dress - $35

Peek Chic Cutout Black Dress - $41

The hem line on this dress is a little long for me, I'm going to get it raised to just above my knee.

Total including taxes, shipping and duty $139!!! Seriously girls, you can't beat that! Lulu's has a $22 shipping flat rate to Canada....pretty awesome!*

2013-04-23T10:53:00.001-06:00

LOVE it or LOATHE it? by vodka-caviar featuring a hidden wedge

I was out at the mall with my friend last weekend; and as I was browsing ALDO I noticed they had quite the selection of these Hi-Top Wedge sneakers....when they first debuted last year I was actually taken aback by how ugly these shoes are. I really don't understand the trend {these are right up there with the horrible Stiletto Timberland's J.LO use to rock here} their chunky and gaudy and now include over the top embellishments. These wedges trick people into thinking your laid back, casual and sporty but in my opinion you look like you're trying way too hard to impress. If you want a wedge why not strap on a cute pair of espadrille wedges? Sadly, these "sneakers" are everywhere right now and seem to be here to stay thanks to major celebrities and models endorsing them {Miranda Kerr, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce and Elle Fanning} and designers jumping on the bandwagon and charging crazy amounts for these ugly shoes {Marc Jacobs, Giuseppe Zanotti and ASH}. I guess the major question here is do you LOVE or LOATHE this trend? Obviously I LOATHE these shoes and wish they would just disappear! Do you own a pair? Are they comfortable?! Let me know what you think!*

Recipe Roundup!

2013-04-22T10:48:00.000-06:00

I think it's fair to say that I'm obsessed with Pinterest {follow me here}, and I am one to attempt most of what I pin especially the recipes! Since I started hitting the gym harder then usual to get "Vegas Ready" I have been looking for quick and easy healthy meal ideas to switch up my everyday fish and steamed veggies {because lets be honest that gets boring quickly!}. This past weekend I found two delicious Quinoa recipe ideas, Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bites and Quinoa Pizza Bites! The great thing about Quinoa is it's considered a grain and is closely related to beets and spinach which makes sense as to why it's packed with tons protein! Quinoa is a much healthier alternative to rice, pasta and even couscous. Below are the recipes and nutrition information for the bites I made this past weekend! {photos are not my own and are via Pinterest}!*

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bites

{via}

Ingredients:

1 Cup - cooked Quinoa
1 Cup - Quick Oats
1/2 teaspoon - cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon - nutmeg
3 tablespoons - brown sugar
1 tablespoon - granulated sugar
1 tablespoon - maple syrup {I substituted honey}
1 Cup - chopped apples
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large mixing bow, add cooked quinoa and quick oats (allow quinoa to cool first). In a seperate mixing bowl combine cinnamon, nutmeg and sugars - add spice mixture to the qunioa and quick oats. Add maple syrup (or honey), apples and eggs until mix is combined
3. Spray your muffin pan (minis work best) with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Fill each muffin slot with 1 tablespoon of the mixture and bake for 15 - 20 minutes
5. Let cool and enjoy!

Nutrition:
Per Bite (recipe yields about 26, tablespoon sized bites)

Calories - 38
Fat - 0.7 grams
Protein - 1.2 grams
Fiber - 0.6 grams
Carbs - 6.25 grams

Quinoa Pizza Bites

{via}

Ingredients:

1/2 - 1 Cup - cooked Quinoa

1 large egg and 1 egg yolk

1/2 Cup - chopped onion (small)

1/2 Cup - Fat Free shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon - minced garlic

1 tablespoon - dried basil

1 tablespoon - dried oregano

Pinch of Salt

Pizza sauce for dipping

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine all ingredients {except the pizza sauce} into a large mixing bowl until well mixed

3. Lightly spray the bottom of a mini-muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.

4. Fill each muffin slot with 1 tablespoon of mixture and bake for 15 - 20 minutes

5. Serve warm with pizza sauce to dip!

Nutrition:

Per 12 Bites (recipe yields about 26, tablespoon sized bites)

Calories - 265
Fat - 6 grams
Protein - 18 grams
Carbs - 33 grams

SHOP MY CLOSET!

2013-04-19T15:26:00.001-06:00

Spring is in the air and that means spring cleaning! I decided to do a massive purge of my closet to get ready for the spring/summer season! Here are a few items I purchased and literally have wore ONCE! If your interested in purchasing any of these items please leave a comment below and we will make arrangements! All these items are in PERFECT condition! Happy Shopping!*

DANIER LEATHER - OFF WHITE BIKER JACKET - SIZE MEDIUM
Purchased for $200
Selling for $90

J-BRAND MARIA SKINNY LEG JEANS - SIZE 30
Purchased for $200
Selling for $80

LULULEMON SCUBA HOODIE - SIZE 8

Purchased for $108

Selling for $60

Clothing SWAP!

2013-04-19T10:00:00.000-06:00

Today I'm doing an extra special post! My oldest and dearest friend is hosting a Clothing Swap as a fundraiser to benefit the Neighbour2Neigbour Food Bank and Martha House {click here and here to find out more about these wonderful Hamilton based organization}. If you've been following my blog you know my love for clothing swaps {here}! It's an amazing way to a) snag clothes from your friends you've been coveting forever b) anything remaining can be donated to your local woman's shelter and c) it's an awesome excuse to get together with your closest girlfriends! This particular fundraiser has an added bonus, all proceeds raised go directly to the above mentioned organizations!

Details:

If you find yourself in the Hamilton, Ontario or General Toronto areas on May 18th 2013 feel free to stop by with your $2 and a non-perishable food item to support these two great causes. If you have any clothing you would love to donate please comment below and I will forward any and all information you require!*

#HamiltonClothingSwap

2013-04-18T10:34:00.001-06:00

The Look for Less! by vodka-caviar featuring pointed ballet flats

I am all about designer products, but lets face it; unless I save for months and months there is no way I can afford a $500 pair of shoes or a $1,000 purse. I'm always on the hunt for the same look but for a fraction of the price, so I decided to share my findings with you! For my first "The Look for Less" post I chose the super cute Metallic Toe Ballerina Flats! There are so many amazing designer options out there Kate Spade, Lanvin and Miu Miu but there are also amazing affordable options out there as well; these Charlotte Russe flats achieve the same look as the Lanvin shoe but for only $23! Some other options can be found at Aldo, Forever 21 and Top Shop. Happy shopping!*

Trending: Knuckle Rings

2013-04-17T12:23:00.001-06:00

Knuckle Rings! I love them! They are so feminine, dainty and can easily accent your everyday jewelry! I've been coveting them on Etsy for months now but didn't want to purchase a set incase they didn't fit my abnormally small hands. However, this past weekend I was browsing Aldo Accessories for a pair of cheap sunglasses to take to Vegas and I noticed they were selling a few varieties of knuckle rings {here} {$8 for 2}, and of course I had to purchase! Here are few cute options that can be purchased online!*

Etsy - $15.99

Shopbop - $39

Wired Jewelry - $24

Etsy - $14.99

Stuff You'll Love!

2013-04-16T16:29:00.002-06:00

You'll Love: Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer

Whenever I pick up and magazine I {like every other girl on this planet} find myself drooling over the expensive products they recommend you buy. Sometimes I cave and buy them. But most of the time I opt for the less expensive but equally satisfying alternative. So I thought I would post the products I love and that I buy on a regular basis. These are all things I think are worth spending your time and hard earned money on, and I think you will love as well!

$42

Throughout the past year I've tried a few different make-up primers {NARS and M.A.C} and I have to say that I like Smashbox's product the best! Since I have acne prone skin I need something hypoallergenic, light weight, oil-free and hydrating {for my crazy dry skin} and this product has all four! This 2012 Insider's Beauty Award Winner immediately quenches skin and seals in moisture for hours allowing make-up to go on smoothly and evenly and last all day all thanks to Hydraplex which is a hydrating extract derived from desert plants. In addition to it's amazing hydrating qualities this primer also helps fill in fine lines and pores without feeling heavy and oily, contributing to a smooth and even end result!

Use:

Smooth a pea-sized amount over clean skin {I also use Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream before hand}. Wait 2 - 3 minutes and apply make-up.

Price:

You can pick this product up at an location that sells Smashbox! I purchased mine at Shopper's Drug Mart for $42. I know it's not on the cheaper end of the scale, but you really don't to apply a lot for every day use so stretching the products life is easy!*

Friday Favorites!

2013-04-12T11:47:00.001-06:00

Friday already! Here are my top 5 favorite things from this week! Enjoy and have an amazing weekend!*

Grilled Pineapple & Turkey Burgers

{via}

Luke Bryan

{via}

Trial Nail Art

{via}

Miu Miu Bow-Embellishd Swimsuit

{via}

Greek lunch with a friend in Banff!

Mint Green!

2013-04-11T10:37:00.001-06:00

I hit the mall yesterday to pick up a few things for my Vegas Trip, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of mint green that is trending right now! I love it, it screams spring and is very feminine. I'm so happy to see this colour for the spring, because to be honest I didn't really love the neon trend that was trying to break through. Lulu's online has dedicated a whole line to mint green and everything is super cute! Take a look!*

Mint Green! by vodka-caviar featuring a mint skirt