Plugged In

Today as I ventured over to my boyfriend's house in the pouring rain (this time I was fully prepared...outfit wise) I happened to stumble on a subway cart that seemed to be filled with people listening to their iPods. I sat down, as per usual, and scrambled through my own messy hand bag in hopes to find something to listen to. Of course I found my earphones (once again caught in a tug of war with my keys) and after finally winning that embarrassing fight, I was able to blast the good old songs of Jessie McCartney (jokes...it was only one song). So there I was, just like the rest of them, eyes open, ears pulsing, fingers furiously finding a better song, but I couldn't help but be reminded of a lecture I once had in my Science Fiction course. In the words of my very nerdy professor, "Has the world become too plugged in?"

I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to say all of humanity has become somewhat "cyborg-like" but I must admit, the idea haunts me. In a world where technology has developed immensely (I mean to the point where they can clean your house, give you directions to the nearest grocery store, and for heck sakes even play Jeopardy!) don't you think we've lost some sort of presence in our own lives? I stared across the trains and watched as the blank-eyed boy sat motionlessly looking at the window at really just...nothing. It was almost like he wasn't there. I get it, I too have fallen victim to daydreaming because of music (sometimes I'm rapping next to Eminem) but I'm starting to see the resemblance of technology to a kind of very accessible opiate. It can numb us to the point where we can miss the small things in life and for me personally, I'd like to savour every moment.

Knowingly, I'm probably reading into this and my immense amount of boredom and chocolate milk has lead me to this rambling post but I'd like to think I made my point clear. Anyways I think I will go get another cup of that goood stuff and head off to sleep. So here's reminding you to give yourself the luxury of plugging out. TIP: Studies have shown shutting off all radios, televisions, iPods, and even the lights an hour before you sleep can help you have a better night's rest. Also cover all televisions with some sort of cloth, it will make the room as dark as possible. Lastly pick up a book, meditate and relax, the world can wait. xo

Forever 21

So yesterday, I finally got to celebrate my 21st birthday with a bunch of my friends I haven't seen in a long time! I must admit, the last couple of hours preparing for this dinner were quite hectic (seeing as a few people could not make it last minute and my inability to cancel other reservations at "backup" locations creeped up behind me) but it all seemed to come together to make for a perfect evening! I was finally reunited with my childhood bestfriend who I have not seen in over a year (long distance schools make it quite the impossible task) while Milestones (located in the Atrium of Dundas Square, Toronto) kindly opened up the private dining room for my friends and I (yay, us!). It was such a nice experience- the waiters were friendly (mind you they were sometimes few and far in between), the food was yummy and the company made the evening that much more special. A great start to to the 21st year xo

OOTD: 1. Aritzia "Wilfred" Silk Kimono/ 2. Aritzia "Wilfred" Black Bustier/ 3. Sevens Skinny Jeans/ 4. Aldo Suede Heels/ 5. ASOS Tortoise Boyfriend Watch/ 5. Floral Accessories from Aldo/ 5. Essie Nail Polish in "Angora Cardi"

Accessories

Private dining hall

Birthday dessert!

Awesome company <3

Elementary friends

Kaitlyn and I <3

My 21st

Yesterday was my 21st birthday and even writing that number seems incredibly foreign to me. Maybe it's because I still act like a 12 year old and look about minus 3 years from what I really am. Whatever the reason is, I woke up the next morning and prayed that this year would be blessed with happiness and good health. 21 I feel is a big year, one where the smallest of decisions can make a dramatic impact in my life and I can only hope that I make the right choices. Anyways, the day continued on celebrating with my family and friends! At night I finally had the chance to go to Joey Eaton's, a somewhat new restaurant located right at the heart of downtown, Toronto, with my brother and his girlfriend (just arrived that day from their vacation in Cuba), my boyfriend and mom (my dad refused because he said it was too expensive *rolls eyes*). The dinner was lovely, although my mom could not fathom how loud a restaurant could get at night! I would recommend this place for a crowd that does not mind shouting at each other at such a close distance! Other than that, the dinners had its ups and downs but it was nicely topped off with coming home and having the cake that my dad bought me. We finally had our first family photo in ages (our house is soo messy because Jeffrey just came home and we left right away for dinner) and I fell asleep that night exhausted. So here's hoping the rest of my 21st year is somewhat like my day yesterday (despite some arguments) and many more years to come xo,

Waiting patiently for the family to get ready

OOTD: 1. Aritzia "Wilfred" Dress/ 2. ASOS Black Thigh-High Socks/ 3. Aldo Suede Heels/ 4. Aritzia "Talula" Military Jacket/ 5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Bag/ 6. Michael Kors God Watch/ 7. Various Bracelets from Cuba and H&M

Brother, Mom and I

Jeffrey, Mom, Me and Jessica

Lobster Ravioli

Traditional Birthday Cake!

What's In My Bag?

So I got this idea off a fellow blogger to do a "what's in my bag" post. Check her out at at Sleep and Water! Anyways my everyday bag is the Marc by Marc Jacobs Q Aidan Satchel. It originally cost over $500 but I used my 50% staff incentive at Aritzia and got this for half the price (the most math you'll ever see me do). The one thing that drew me in was the beautiful gold hardware detail and that it could be used as both a handbag as well as a shoulder bag (versatility at its highest)! It's extremely handy and practical, seeing as it is large enough for me to throw all my miscellaneous crap in, but still perfect for an evening dinner (just zipper that thing close and no one has to see that black hole of mess)! The one thing I guess I would say that I don't particularly enjoy is the fact that this bag can get quite heavy. Being the hoarder I am (yes, receipts and credit cards do add up) this bag can weigh you down quite a bit alongside the heavy hardware (I would never use this as a school bag! I really can't stand people who bring their Louis Vuitton to class). But if you're a "light load" kind of person, this bag would be an absolute closet staple for you! All in all, I love this bag and really could not live without it!

Contents:

John Frieda Dry Shampoo- Holy grail right here. If your hair gets as messy and oily as mine in the summer this is the perfect little item to spray on to keep it dry, voluminous and smelling amazing!

TTC Cards & Debit Card- I always keep these separately away from my wallet/wristlet because they're the cards I use the most. Easy and fast!

House Key- Pretty standard to get into my house! Tip:Attach something colourful at the end of the keys if you always have a hard time finding them in your bag!

Canon Camera- I always have my camera with my in case I meet a celebrity (jokes)! But I do keep it in my bag because my New Years Resolution was to take more photos.

Mac Studio Fix Foundation- I juuuuussst bought this and am planning to do a review soon, but all I can say is that I love this product!

Forever 21 Heart Mirror- This is so useful especially when you have to do last minute fix ups or check if you have anything in your teeth. Plus this design is super cute!

LG Cellphone- UGHHHHHHH, it's so ugly and old but I really only need to it call people. Plus I'm broke so I can't afford a new one yet anyways LOL

Victoria Secret Endless Love Hand Lotion- Smells amazing and I always get compliments on it.

Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets- More so used in the summer, these things are amazing because they absorb excess oil off your face when needed. Seriously, they are amazing and I recommend these to anyone who struggles with oily/combination skin.

Geo Angel Contact Lenses- I obviously wear these but keep the contacts in my bag just in case they start to irritate me.

Water Bottle- I sometimes have a canteen but I can't find it at the moment. I ALWAYS carry water mainly because I'm so scared of choking to death LOL (it's honestly like a phobia)! Plus I hate spending money on drinks when I'm eating. Always keep hydrated!

Comb- Yup, living in Toronto means that the weather is always changing and you always gotta keep your hair looking good!

Lip Balm- My lips are always dry so this is perfect to moisturise!  

Coach Wristlet- Note: This is the worst place to keep your cards and money! I have a ton of cards and none of my wallets had enough space to hold them! Therefore, I switched to a wristlet thinking it could hold more. WRONG! I feel like such a doofus frantically searching for the right card or the coins at the bottom of this thing as the cashier rolls their eyes at me. It's too much of a nuisance to look for things and I can't wait to buy a new wallet!

Ipod- Mine is like 16 GB and I haven't even used half of it! The perfect tool to ignore people you don't want to talk to or just to chill and relax!

Find Your Brightside

It's a beautiful Friday in Toronto but I can't help but notice I've been slightly on edge this whole week. Maybe it's because my cash flow has been slowly dwindling down a black hole or maybe it's because the thought of summer school creeping around the corner has once again turned my brain into mush. Well whatever it is, it's always important to try and pick yourself back up again and get out of that dangerous cycle of negativity. Today I will be going with my mom to the spa and even though we are already arguing as to when we should actually leave the house (I've been trying to delay it because I'm blogging as you can see), I am sure it will be a relaxing day! So whatever is bothering you today or has been recently, just take a deep breathe and exhale. I am a true believer of the power of positive thinking and a few smiles never hurt anyone. So in the most philosophical way I can say this don't worry, be happy xo

Sieze the day! Make it your own

Charlie Brown always seems to be so gloomy, but try concentrating on the good stuff and not the bad

Try snuggling up and reading a book in bed with your favourite dessert. Sometimes all you need is "me time"

Cozy down beside the one you love. Just a small amount body warmth can make anyone feel better. 

Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it

Appreciate nature and all its beauty

Take photos of the things that make you happy. They'll act as reminders to always smile!

Reunited

...and it feels so good! (refer to title for what seems to be a random insert) Yesterday a few of my friends and I headed over to Masa, a sushi restaurant found near Bay and Bloor, for some all-you-can-eat dinner. It was great seeing them as many of them go to universities outside the city or far enough that I'd probably get lost trying to find my way there (it might as well be outside the city). We had all-you-can-eat sushi, Japanese dishes and our waitress was even kind enough to give us free ice-cream on the house! (which pretty much resulted in a big tip and more than the cost of our ice cream) I would definitely recommend this place to other people although the lowest priced menu has a lot less options than the step up! After that we all headed downtown to sit and conversed about old high school memories. Time seriously does fly! But I'm still so happy to be friends with such amazing people :) Till next time, xo

OOTD: 1. Aritzia "TNA" Light Washed Denim Shirt/ 2. Aritzia "Talula" Low Arm Tank Wolf Shirt/ 3. American Apparel Black Nylon Leggings/ 4. Aritzia "Talula" Lace Bandeau/ 5. H&M Two Tier Triangle Necklace/ 6. Michael Kors Gold Watch/ 7. Aldo Suede Heels

Storage Wars

So I have been looking for a new jewellery box to hold my overflowing amounts of accessories! This one was bought by my boyfriend about 2 years back for Valentines Day and was perfect at the time (seeing as I wasn't very much into collecting rings and stuff) but now has sadly become such a nuisance. I have very little storage for my earrings and the top can hardly close down now. Also, I hate having to put my necklaces in the middle compartment because they always come out tangled. And on top of that, my chunky bracelets don't even fit in the bottom! I need a new storage solution and I need one fast!

Get Happy

So yesterday I went to a job interview at The Bay that my loving friend, Jacqui, helped me get hooked up with. I was so nervous but her manager was the nicest employer I have ever met! She was so sweet, funny and pretty much reminded me of my high school math teacher (which ended up relaxing me quite a lot). The interview wasn't very formal at all and she said all I have to do is come in next Tuesday and fill out an application form, check my references and they can officially give me a job at their company! Yay! I never really thought at working at The Bay before but I was not about to give up this opportunity to work with a close friend and make some extra cash. I really hope all goes smoothly as I seem to always have a tendency to predict the worst. Fingers crossed! So being the impulsive me, I was so happy at how the interview went, I decided to head to Aritzia (Bloor location) to buy a few things. Well, actually I was head to Zara to look at this military jacket I really wanted (I'll post the photo below) but was completely sidetracked. Oh well, it happens! Anyways, I went inside and ended up falling in love with a boyfriend fit denim shirt and linen shorts. Actually, the denim shirt was on my wishlist and I finally convinced my brother, Jeffrey, to buy it for my birthday! Yay, thanks Jeffrey! Anyways the girl who cashed me out was really nice and turned out to be the "famous" jewellery maker a lot of my managers talked about at Yorkdale. I loved their drop necklaces with a bullet at the end and found out she was the one who made them! (Sadly she said she was out of materials to make a new one). I really hope she sells her stuff because they're so nice! Anyways after all seeing an old co-worker who now works as the security guard for that Aritzia I finally headed out and went home. Good day all in all :) xo

Interview Outfit: 1. Aritzia "Talula" Navy Boyfriend Fit Blazer/ 2. Zara White Top (seen in previous post)/ 3. Zara Pink Pastel Pants (seen in previous post)/ 4. Michael Kors Gold Watch/ 5. Pink Floral Bracelet from Joe Fresh (bought off someone)

OOTD: 1. Aritzia "TNA" Boyfriend Fit Light Washed Denim Shirt/ 2. Aritzia "Wilfred" Brown Linen Shorts/ 3. Aritzia "Wilfred" Floral Bustier (not new)/ 4. ASOS Tortoise Boyfriend Watch (not new)

Lusting for: Zara Military Jacket with Black Leather Sleeves

Silk Road

Silk is one of my favourite fabrics to wear. It's so soft and luxurious looking but extremely difficult to take care of! Being the clutz and the messy eater I am, I always seem to have to take my shirts to the dry cleaners after every use. And can I just say, those dollar bills add up! I've tried washing them by hand and then steaming them myself and the results have been pretty much the same (still liking dry cleaning better though). Any tips on keeping silk nice and clean? Let me know! Till then here are just a few of my favourite silk items xo,

The Start of Summer

This weekend was my first few days of summer and I must say they have been amazing! Saturday I slept over at one of my best friend's house alongside with her boyfriend and mine. It was so nice spending the whole night making sushi and watching movies and then waking up to cook breakfast. I'm so blessed to have them in my life! Then today John and I headed over to Castle Loma, a historical attraction in Toronto for the first time ever. It was great to learn new things and see the beautiful castle (and all for free might I add!) It was an extremely windy day but enjoyable nonetheless! It's always fun to try new things! xo

Cocoa and I

Our homemade sushi :)

OOTD: 1. Urban Outfitters Kimono/ 2. Aritzia Silk Camisole/ 3. Zara Pastel Pink Pants/ 4. Michael Kors Watch 

John in front of Castle Loma

Our souvenirs

Audio tour guides...pretty cool!

Windy day!

Outside the castle

Beautiful pieces

Love this

The lady's bedroom...tad bit jealous!

The top of the tower. A lot of people wrote or engraved their name/date. Actually the whole wall was covered! Wish we brought something to mark our names but sadly we had nothing! Oh well, photos are just as good :)