I am off to the Yorkdale photoshoot with the amazing Chris Nicholls! So excited! Hopefully will share photos with you all soon! Thank you once again for supporting me in this contest! Means a whole of a lot!
Update: Back from the shoot and what an amazing time it was! From the moment I walked into Chris Nicholls’ studio, full of beautiful photographs, magazines, and photo equipment, to the moment I sadly went home, it was nothing short of fantastic. And though I ended up looking a lot like Snookie mid-way through the prep, both, the beautiful make-up artist Anna and funny-guy-hairstylist Greg, fixed that little problem and made sure I looked and felt great! I was super nervous right before the shoot, but the team was so encouraging and easy-going that it was impossible to stay nervous. I haven’t actually seen any of the photos yet, so it’ll be a nice surprise to see them when the campaign launches in May. Can’t wait.
A super stylish stylist/designer Rita Liefhebber, moi, make-up artist Anna, and hairstylist Greg after the shoot. They were in charge of the beautification process! I think they did a swell job.
With Chris Nicholls himself! Woot!
Concrete Design team and I! Diti, myself, Louise, and Mel! What a pleasure and honor it was to have been able to work with one of the most amazing creative teams in Canada! Thank you all so much!
Photo Credits: 1st photo – Chris Nicholls Photography
Happy New Year, my dearest readers! Hope 2010 brings you all that you wish for! Hope you are spending tonight with the people that matter, and doing things that you love! Have fun and be safe, wherever you are! Thank you for your comments and emails! See you next year!
Can someone from France please mail me a letter? Or a postcard? Yes, a postcard! A beautiful black and white one with something chic and utterly French on it…and of course with one of those adorable Lanvin stamps attached! Yes, please! I still have some friends living in Paris, so if you read this, pretty please…it doesn’t have to be a love letter (well, unless you actually mean it)…but those Lanvin stamps are a must!
If you know me, you know that I am a huge sucker for cutesy, cartooney, heart-filled, colorful graphics! Those tees and totes from Lanvin a couple of years ago – that was love at first sight! And now, seeing the familiar characters on French stamps, well…it makes me want an old-fashioned letter from France. Le boyfriend, if you’re reading…you haven’t actually written me a love letter…ever. Hint, hint!
Only 3 days of voting left. Only 1 person wins People’s Choice! So what are you waiting for? Vote! Vote for Nelia, dammit! And here’s a little incentive to sweeten all the clicking! With each text message (113 to #22333) you send, you are entered to win one of 10 $100 Yorkdale Gift Cards! Another incentive is…if you buy anything from H&M Yorkdale this weekend, make sure to stop by the customer service desk, show your receipt, mention my name and get a Timothy’s gift card. Easy, right? You know what else is easy? Voting for Nelia! See what I did there?
So anyway, if you could vote a lot this weekend, I would definitely appreciate it. In these last 3 days, every single vote counts!
Happy Thanksgiving to my US readers! Wishing you a day full of warm moments, family fun, and lots of love!
And even though it’s not Thanksgiving here in Canada, I am still thankful for my family (love you, mommy!), friends, love, and my readers, of course. It has been a wonderful year! Thank you for reading! <3
Wednesday was a fantastic day! Thursday not so much. Friday? Hoping for a golden middle. There’s only 10 days of voting left and I am sure a lot of you are burnt out by now. Tired of voting, tired of seeing my mug shot every time you come to visit Style Blog, tired of my constant self-promotion? Sorry and thank you all endlessly! The efforts are most certainly appreciated, every single one of you that is voting…I am thankful!
Well, I’ve been #1, #2, and now #3 over the weeks, and the competition is most definitely fierce! I think everyone really, really wants to win this! And why wouldn’t they? VIP passes to fashion week??? $1000 to spend at Yorkdale Mall??? Parking spot??? YES, PLEASE! So I’m still holding out hope that I’ll pull through in the last week with some solid help from you all!
The above video is the latest effort to make this a fun and funny experience not only for the contestants, but for everyone that’s voting! You know what Haka is, right? And seriously, every time you see “Nelia” in the subtitles, if you listen closely, you’ll hear those New Zealanders saying my name.
So guys, don’t forget to vote for me when you’re bored, when you’ve got nothing better to do, when you’re in the bathroom playing with your phone, when you’re waiting for a bus, when you’re on the Internet reading gossip blogs (you know you do), and when you’re on the couch watching TV. Vote online: http://yorkdaleisme.com/profile/nelia/ or via your mobile phone 113 to #22333 (free if you have unlimited texting). Voting is unlimited, so vote as many times as you possibly can. Another way to show your support is by viewing my eyesore of a video and commenting on it and rating it (5*s will do). Also, don’t forget to stop by Yorkdale Mall and say “hello” to my poster. I really do appreciate all of your support! Thank you so much!
Yesterday was your wedding day. It was the day you got to marry your best friend. A person you will get to spend the rest of your life with. Someone to hold. To share all your secrets with. Someone who loves you and understands you for who you are. Someone to share life’s joys and sorrows. To have someone put up with you no matter what. A day where the kiss sealed the deal. And a lifetime of kisses from the man you love. No matter where you go or what you do, you will have him by your side. To watch the sunset together. To hold hands with. To laugh together for the rest of your lives. To experience forgiveness and unconditional love. To just be. May you two always have each other, no matter what.
The posters for the Yorkdale is Me contest are now up at Yorkdale Mall! I really like mine, because I am actually smiling, which reflects my personality much better. Hope that the judges look at that one, instead of the one on the website. I know, it must sound quite vain, but the pic on the voting site really bugged me.
The first week of voting is almost up, and I am so very happy to be in the lead so far. There’s still 3 more weeks of voting ahead, so it’s likely that I won’t be getting much sleep this month. And while everyone has been absolutely amazing, helping me get to the top, a few special thanks are in order to the people that are helping me with my promotional efforts!
The wonderful folks at Toronto Tourism News, also wrote an article about the contest, mentioning that I am their favorite! It means a lot, guys! Thank you! http://tourism.to/index.php/item/66
So I didn’t get to dress up for Halloween this year. Boohoo! But what I did get to do is eat something very Halloween-appropriate! No, not a bucket of chocolate…I had some Tongue Brioche, Roasted Bone Marrow, duck prosciutto, and bison meat, while le boyfriend had a Raw Horse Sammy with some raw egg and onions. Sounds creepy, right? The restaurant also serves Calf Brain Tortellini and Tripe Stew if you’re a fan. And while the menu is not for the faint-hearted, if you like meat, then a trip to The Black Hoof is a must! The bread is fresh, and the ingredients in every one of the dishes that we devoured were flavourful and honest to goodness delicious! The fact that most of the charcuterie is made in-house adds to the restaurant’s authenticity. No wonder, it was named one of Top 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada by enRoute magazine. Great service and great food? I think we’ll be back for more!
The smaller charcuterie platter
Tongue Brioche
About to dig into my Roasted Bone Marrow!
Greasy, warm, yummy deliciousness!
The Black Hoof – 928 Dundas St. West, Toronto ON (416) 551-8854
I guess it’s a little too late to let you guys know about the “Signore and Signore: Leading Ladies of the Italian Cinema” event happening at the Cinematheque Ontario, since it ends today. Boohoo! I am sure those of you that love Italian cinema have already heard all about it and have gone, and those that haven’t…well, you should definitely check it out next time!
I grew up watching a lot of foreign films, and even though Soviet films will always have a special place in my heart (Devchata, Bril’yantovaya Ruka, Operaciya I, etc), Italian films from the 50s and 60s are one of my all time favorites! I think it’s the combination of great stories, amazing actors, sharp fashions, and the language! Plus Marcello Mastroianni’s good looks don’t hurt either!
I am re-watching an old-time favorite “Nights of Cabiria” tonight! Cannot wait! Am super disappointed that Cinematheque Ontario did not include “Marriage Italian Style” in their lineup. Sofia Loren is the leading lady of Italian Cinema, and yet this comedic masterpiece by De Sica was grossly overlooked this time around (she is both hilarious and heartbreaking as the main character Filumena). Considering that Loren’s name is the first one that pops into anyone’s head, it’s a little surprising that they only included one movie featuring the actress. Hopefully they’ll include ”Marriage Italian Style” next time, because this movie is all sorts of amazing!
Click for more ”Marriage Italian Style” stills and a couple of my Italian favorites!
Ahh, summer! I really wish we had a better one, but you gotta take what you’re given and squeeze every last drop out of it.
I love water! I love swimming and chillaxing on the beach, so living in Ontario is quite cool, since we’re surrounded by so many lakes! The only glitch is, if like me, you don’t have a cottage, it gets quite tough to find nice accommodations in Muskoka. Last time we were planning a trip North, I’ve spent hours (literally) searching for a nice place to stay. There are tons of cottages for rent, but not all of them look nice, and most of them will cost you an arm and a leg. B&Bs could work too, but are hit and miss, unless you stay at highly recommended ones, which usually book up way ahead of time. So what to do?
Stay at the Marriott! Seriously, it was cheaper than a B&B and you get your own bathroom, kitchen, King bed, balcony, complimentary breakfast and parking, and other amenities, like a hot tub and a swimming pool! Residence Inn Gravenhurst Muskoka Wharf opened in 2009, and is brand spanking new! The rooms are impeccable, and you can cook inside if you choose to (they even have pots and pans!). Most rooms also come with a pullout couch, which is super convenient if you’re staying with kids or friends. The hotel is well-situated, right at the Muskoka Wharf, literally a 5-minute walk to the marina. The room only cost us $149 per night (including breakfast!). I really loved everything about this hotel, and would definitely go back!
And if you’re wondering if this is a paid plug, it is not! Just a friendly, and hopefully helpful tip for those that are planning a Muskoka trip soon.
I have looooved Anthropologie ever since my Houston days, and was always a bit sad that Toronto peeps were missing out on that amazing store! When the first location opened up in Toronto, I was very excited, but still sad…because Don Mills is way too far for me and my friends…but now there’s no sadness in sight!…For those under a rock, the second Anthropologie store opened its doors this month in Yorkville, and a couple of my friends and I were super happy to participate in the “Bits and Baubles” workshop and the Grand Opening of the store last Friday.
The “Bits and Baubles” workshop was a lot of fun! We were given limitless supplies (textiles, beads, thread, buttons, flowers, glue guns, etc) to create our very own statement necklaces! And let me tell you, it was a fantastic way to spend our Friday night, very different from our usual dinner, martinis, and gossip Fridays! The girls and I crafted, strung, and glued…and results were more than satisfactory. But who knew that necklace-making is such hard work?! Thankfully, sangrias were on hand to keep us from passing out from all of the handy labour!
Hey guys! Going to Muskoka for a couple of days! Not great planning on our part, since there’s supposed to be a torrential downpour in Gravenhurst! Oh well…Hope you all are having a rocking long weekend! Check back soon for the post on the grand opening of Anthropologie and the WIW: Wedding follow-up!
xoxos
Nelia
No, I’m not planning to crash someone’s wedding, although that’s on my list of “before 30” to-dos. The wedding I’m planning to attend this Saturday is of two people that I had never met (friends of the b/f), hence the “strangers” bit. And since I’m not quite sure how dressy the event will be, I’m thinking something classic and safe. I don’t want to stand out, nor look overly sexy. The plan is to wear a black lace overlay tube dress with beige/nude lining underneath. My inspiration for the outfit will be Erin Wasson at Teen Vogue event earlier in the year (minus the showing panties), and A/W 2009 Balmain/Dior runway shows.
I love macarons! Love them! Can eat a million of them at once! Not the North American “macarooooons”, not the ones of the coconut variety (although I find those tasty also)…No, not those! The French macarons are the ones that I love! Those that know me, would know that I am always on the hunt for those little delicious cookie-type pastries. One time, my boyfriend even had his friend spend hours and hours searching for a tiny macaron shop in Montreal, so that she could bring some back for me (thanks, hun!). In short, I love macarons! So imagine my delight, when Jo and I discovered this little gem of a place smack in the middle of Toronto’s financial district! The place that made my heart go pop is called Petite Thuet (apparently named after the chef that makes everything in the shop). Not only do they sell macarons, but the best of charcuterie, paninis, and some amazing-looking (and tasting) French pastries. They also sell Boylan sodas (mmm, Black Cherry!). I think I’m in heaven! The downside is that the place is a little pricey for my usual lunch-run, so I’ll just have to try and pace myself. And even though most of the macarons that they sell aren’t as good as the ones at Moroco, the black currant ones were to die for!
