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Style Blog Travels: #FordConnections at Langdon Hall

18 June, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

A few days ago le bf and I set off on a mini Ford Positive Connections road trip in a brand new 2017 Ford Edge Titanium to celebrate my birthday and Best Friends Day. First stop? Toronto Premium Outlets, because what’s a birthday weekend without a little #treatyoself?! With a few purchases from Saks Off 5th, J.Crew and Nike outlets piled up in the trunk, we jumped back into the car, and took the scenic route to Cambridge, Ontario. We drove by parks, farms, and fields, while the cooled leather seats kept us nice and comfortable, and the SYNC 3 system played my fave road trip playlist (mostly BSB, because I obviously have a great taste in music). Before we knew it, we were pulling into the picturesque Langdon Hall.

Since this was le bf’s first time at Langdon Hall, we did a quick tour of the property before settling into some comfy patio chairs with celebratory cocktails. With conversation flowing, the view of Langdon Hall’s main house in front of us, and the soft afternoon light in our faces, it was exactly what we needed after a few hectic weeks of all work and no play in the city. The next day, after a leisurely country table breakfast and a little R&R time by the pool, we packed our bags, checked out of our beautiful room and headed to Downtown Cambridge.

Back in town, we discovered that Cambridge was one of the filming locations for the Hulu show The Handmaid’s Tale (a current fave!). The bridge where the protest scene was filmed, the infamous hanging wall – both are super recognizable and we were so excited to have unexpectedly stumbled upon it. Needless to say, we were totally geeking out. After taking a million photos, we walked over to the nearby auto show, drooling over the vintage Ford Mustangs from the 60s and 70s (next year’s birthday present, perhaps?). We grabbed a couple of delicious Portuguese donuts from Malasada World, and hit the road.

The ride back to Toronto felt quick and easy, and since we had our Ford SUV for the weekend, we drove it from the house to Bar Isabel for yet another birthday celebration. It handled beautifully in the city, just like it did in the countryside. Le bf especially loved the car’s Personal Safety System that alerted us whenever another car was moving nearby unsafely, which came in handy a few times in the busy downtown Toronto. My favourite Ford Edge feature was definitely the cooled front seats – perfect if you like to drive with windows down, while keeping the rest of your body nice and cool.

Once the weekend came to an end and it was time to say good-bye to “our” Ford, I felt a little sad but very thankful for a lovely weekend of re-connecting with le bf and exploring new places together. I guess it’s never too soon to start planning our next road trip this summer!

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What I Wore: Seven Magic Mountains

1 May, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

By now, I am sure you’ve seen dozens of photos from Seven Magic Mountains – the larger than life (temporary) art installation by Ugo Rondinone just outside of Las Vegas – but here I am with more…simply because the colourful rocks truly were incredible to see in person…and I had to show you my new favourite dress. Getting the shot involved waiting around for waves of people to subside, running over to the nearest vacant rock formation as quickly as I could, while my husband snapped away. We probably should’ve arrived at sunrise to avoid the crowds, but who wakes up that early in Vegas?! Not us.

We shot these photos on our way to Palm Springs from Las Vegas, taking the scenic route through the Mojave National Preserve instead of the boring highways, and were rewarded with endless Joshua trees, cool rock formations, and the open road – driving for miles with no other cars in sight. If you ever make the drive, I highly recommend taking this route, it will take longer to get to your destination, but the journey will be seriously worth it.

But back to my dress. Though I said good-bye to my unicorn locks, I’m still dressing like one…especially when in California. Which is why when I saw this tie-dye-inspired watercolour-dreams slip dress, I knew I had to have it. I ordered it from ASOS, and while sadly it was slightly too big, exchanging it wasn’t an option (so expensive!), so I wore it as-is…and though I probably flashed a few Joshua trees while twirling around in the desert, I am kinda digging the loose look of this maxi…and of course, the slightly-faded pastel print. I am sure I’ll wear it a lot this summer, even if the setting won’t be quite as picturesque.

So tell me, have you visited Seven Magic Mountains yet? Planning to? Share in the comments.

More after the jump!
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Style Blog Travels: 5 Things To Do in Vegas

3 April, 2017 Nelia 1 Comment

Going to Vegas but not sure what to do other than gamble and walk the strip? Here are some of my fave things to do and see in Las Vegas from my March trip with Expedia Canada as part of the #BigWorldExplorer program.

1. Get Down at the Backstreet Boys Concert

Let me get to the chase…if you were relatively young (or perhaps young at heart) back in the 90’s, then you MUST GO TO THE BACKSTREET BOYS CONCERT IN LAS VEGAS while you still can…or be forever incomplete. Sorry (not sorry) for yelling, but as someone who was obsessed with this iconic boyband back in the day, I have to say that this concert will be in the highlight reel of the best days of my life…and probably more than that.

My equally BSB-obsessed friend Karen and I were super lucky to score front spots in the GA pit (thanks to the Amex pre-sale Platinum “Beat the Line” tickets!) at their concert in March, and it was LARGER THAN LIFE. They sang (really well), they danced (dad moves aplenty), they wore silver boots and sparkly jackets, they brought Lance Bass up on stage to serenade him…and they gave it their all (they had to give). Kevin sang to me for a full minute, making me super uncomfortable (yet excited at the same time)…I got to touch Brian’s hand twice and AJ’s once…and it will all be forever seared into my brain (and the shape of my heart?). Yes, I am a thirty-something who lined up for a few hours to ensure that I had a front and centre spot, squealed like a teenager when the “boys” were near our side of the pit, and sang every lyric to every song (except for one) at the top of my lungs…and I just want you to know that I regret NOTHING. Forget about other Vegas performances and go see BSB at Planet Hollywood…your inner 90’s teen wants it that way.

2. Visit The Neon Museum

I’ve been to Vegas a couple of times before, but for whatever reason I haven’t visited The Neon Museum until this year…and I highly recommend you make the trek. Full of cool signs and marquees, and with a knowledgeable guide at our side, this tour was fun, educational, and perfect for Instagram. Buy your tickets online (spots tend to sell out quickly), wear sunscreen and a hat as you’ll be in full sun for most of the tour, and pay a few extra bucks to visit the Neon Boneyard North Gallery at your own pace and see even more rescued signs.

3. Drive Out to Seven Magic Mountains

Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains has become one of Vegas’ most-instagrammed locations, and with good reason – seven towers of (highly-photogenic) colourful boulders in the middle of the desert, surrounded by mountains, and open to the public free of charge – I ended up going twice! The installation is located 30 minutes outside of Las Vegas and will be on view until 2018, so if you’d like to visit Nevada’s own Stonehenge, then you have a year to do so. Word of advice – if you don’t want a bunch of strangers in the background of every photo you take, then going at the crack of dawn Mon-Thurs is your best bet. Any other time, expect crowds.

More after the jump!
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Style Blog Travels: Packing for Vegas

17 February, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

I just did the math, and I can’t believe it’s been six years since my last time in Las Vegas! Truth is, I love Sin City. I love the abundance of delicious food options, the rush of playing the penny slot machines (one time I won $400!), the variety of cool shows to see, and the fact that there’s a CHANEL boutique around (what seems like) every corner. Having said that, every time I’d plan to return to Vegas, something would always get in the way…but not this time! This time, I have the best excuse to go back – front row tickets to the Backstreet Boys concert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you just rolled your eyes at all of those exclamation points, then you must not have been a teenage girl back in the 90’s…and you seriously missed out.

Having said that, I am also super excited to be a part of Expedia Canada’s #BigWorldExplorer program (I already saved over $300 on my hotel reservation as an Expedia member, and you can too!), and I can’t wait to share my stories from this trip with you very soon!

But first things first…one of the best things about travel (for me at least) is the actual trip preparation – researching activities, restaurants, and of course, packing and planning out my outfits! In the past I’ve written a few packing–related blog posts, and I do consider myself a bit of an expert, since I can easily pack a carry-on luggage for a two-week trip. So here are a few staples that I’ll be bringing with me to Vegas.

Comfy walking shoes are a must if you plan to explore everything the strip has to offer, so I’ll be bringing a pair of classic white sneakers that go with everything from dresses to jeans.
Pool season may or may not start in March (depending on weather), but I’ll still be packing a few of my favourite swimsuits (and an inflatable or two) to bring with me. Even if the pool is closed, there’s always the hot tub after a long day of sightseeing!
Sunglasses are a necessity when it comes to daytime adventures in the dessert, but they are also a fun finishing touch that adds a little oomph to any outfit. Just like with swimsuits, I usually pack a few pairs of sunnies to style with different outfits when I travel.
While I won’t be wearing heels on the regular while in Las Vegas, I’ll still pack a pair of comfy but stylish mid-heel ankle booties that can be dressed up or down.
Since we’re talking about Vegas here, I’ll also be packing a sexy dress for a fun night out. Something silky and shiny…probably a slip dress since I have so many of them, but hardly get to wear in freezing Toronto.
Standout accessories (like statement earrings) can help you take your look from day to night without having to wear an entirely new outfit (especially handy when you’re travelling with a carry-on).
Even though I’m not much of a gambler, I will still be bringing a couple of my personal lucky charms with me. Who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky with another slot machine and turn $5 into $500?!
Since I’ll be travelling with a carry-on, I will have very little room for several purses, so I’ll be bringing a cross-body bag that goes with all of my outfits – both casual and dressy.

And there you have it, my Las Vegas packing essentials. What do you pack when you travel to Vegas? Share your must-haves in the comments.

Travel: 5 Things To Do in Lisbon

4 January, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

As I am starting to plan my travels for 2017, I look back on our most memorable trip of 2016 to Portugal. To tell you the truth, I went with low expectations, but at the end of the day, I ended up falling in love with the beautiful country, its people, food, and crafts. Compared to a lot of other European countries, Portugal is still very affordable, so if you are looking for a new place to visit this year, I suggest you add Portugal to your itinerary. Today’s post is about beautiful Lisbon and some of the places you can visit while there. A post about my Algarve faves is coming soon.

1. Eat

Lisbon’s foodie scene was definitely a pleasant surprise. Nearly every single meal we had during our trip was a smash hit. There’s a plethora of delicious options at the admittedly touristy Time Out Market; the Piri Piri chicken from the Miguel Laffan stall was my personal favourite, but other restaurants were great too according to my friends and fellow travellers (just watch out for aggressive table stealers).

For a fresh take on ceviche, A Cevicheria is a must-visit. You won’t be impressed with the quantity of food at this tiny resto, but you will certainly love every bite.

For creative sushi, make sure to stop by Sushic (original or at Palacio Chiado). We ate there twice, trying various chef’s platters, gorging on buttery tuna tataki, and other delicious seafood. Just make sure to avoid the Tom Yum soup – it’s overpriced and totally not worth it. There are other options to try at Palacio Chiado (more hit and miss), but I’d recommend it for a quick casual lunchtime stop.

Fabulas is another great lunch spot with a charming patio, and a menu full of freshly-prepared Portuguese specialties like the super delicate codfish cakes. Despite its central location, this place is definitely not a tourist trap. Also, once they run out of a certain dish, they won’t make more, so go early.

As much as we wanted to make it to Pasteis de Belem to try their iconic pastries, we weren’t able to make it there this time, but we did make up for it at Manteigaria. Obviously, we can’t compare the two, but out of all the pasteis de nata that we’ve tried on this trip, the flaky, freshly baked custard tarts from Manteigaria were by far the yummiest.

If you’re craving a sweet cold treat, whatever you do, do not go to Amorino – it’s just not worth the calories. Go to Mu or Santini instead – their gelato is so much better! Also, paletas from PizPireto are incredible! We randomly found their amazing paletas at a gourmet store near A Cevicheria, but apparently they also have a shop just outside of central Lisbon.

For traditional Portuguese steak and chips, a couple of locals highly recommended Solar Dos Presuntos. And while I loved my steak, this place got mixed reviews from the rest of our group (they found it too pricey and not particularly memorable), so read other reviews before you go. Honestly though, I don’t think we had a bad food experience in Lisbon (apart from terrible gelato at Amorino and mediocre pastries at A Padaria Portuguesa).
More after the jump!
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What I Wore: In The County

8 September, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

One more outfit post from our amazing getaway to Prince Edward County with Lincoln MKZ. On our final night, I got all dolled up for dinner with le bf, only to end the night barefoot and playing ping pong outside of the Drake Devonshire. My feet were black when we got back to the room. Sorry for that visual. But that probably describes PEC the best – there’s the quiet luxury of places like Drake Devonshire, coupled with homey comfort of various Inns, local ice-cream parlours, and beach shacks. It truly has become one of my favourite Ontario getaways and I hope we can return as soon as possible.

Have you ever visited The County? Share your experiences after the jump!

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Travel: Prince Edward County with Lincoln MKZ

29 August, 2016 Nelia 4 Comments

After a couple of stressful weeks at the office, le bf and I packed our bags, jumped into a shiny new 2017 Lincoln MKZ, and set off to Prince Edward County for 2 days of R&R. We’ve never been to PEC before, mostly because I’ve always dreaded the 2.5 hour drive, but after hearing amazing things about The County, we finally decided to see what all the hype was about. Thanks to top-notch navigation, easy-to-use SYNC® 3 system, and Bridge of Weir™ leather-trimmed seating, the ride was fun and enjoyable. We stopped at the Big Apple for snacks and photo ops, took a quick detour to check out Laveanne lavender farm, and before we knew it, we were pulling into Drake Devonshire’s parking lot.

I’ve heard a lot of great things about Drake by the Lake, and they were all true. From our beautiful room complete with quirky art and comfy bed, yummy food and lovely lake views at the restaurant downstairs, Drake Devonshire had everything we needed for a restful getaway. The hotel’s perfect location allowed us to explore PEC, while being close enough so that we could return to the Drake any time we needed a break or a change of clothes. I loved our leisurely drives past picturesque farm houses and green corn fields, and I loved the retractable panoramic glass roof on our Lincoln MKZ, which made it feel like we were cruising around in a convertible.

Even though Drake Devonshire is located a few minutes away from a local Wellington beach, the highlight of our trip was definitely Sandbanks Provincial Park. White sandy beach, clear lake water, and plenty of space to stretch out made for a lovely place to lay down our towels and relax. We spent two days there, swimming and sunbathing, and I really didn’t want to leave. Though when we did have to leave, we were super thankful for the cooled leather seats – felt amazing, especially since the car was parked in full sun for several hours.

Since we were on vacation, the rest of our time in PEC was spent eating. We loved our dinners at The Hubb and East and Main, ice-cream at Slickers, and everything in-between at Drake Devonshire. We really wanted to try the wood-fired thin crust pizza at Norman Hardie, but sadly they didn’t serve it on the days we were around. Next time for sure!

On our final day in The County, we drove to the stately Claramount Inn for massages – the best way to start a morning, if you ask me. Zen and super relaxed, we had our last delicious breakfast at The Drake, and then we were back on the road. Just like our drive to PEC, our trip home was quick and comfortable. The ride was super smooth, and since my iPhone was synced to the entertainment system, we had the awesome mix of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC as the soundtrack to our road trip. Perfect way to end our mini-vacation.

Have you ever been to Prince Edward County? What were the highlights from your visit? Share in the comments.

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What I Wore: Vilamoura Nights

22 August, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

Before booking our villa in the Algarve, we weren’t quite sure about staying in Vilamoura. Everything we read about it seemed to scream TOURIST TRAP, and so we hemmed and hawed, until everything else on Airbnb was gone, and the last remaining villa option we had was in Vilamoura. So imagine my delight upon arrival, when I discovered that our villa was situated in one of the more picturesque parts of town, surrounded by greenery and bougainvillea aplenty.

Sure, Vilamoura is an undeniably touristy place with beach bars, golf clubs, and a ton of resorts, but it wasn’t a bad thing. On our trip to the Algarve, we visited many authentic places, but we were always happy to return to our comfortable and touristy little town. If you’re not sure about where to stay, I can’t recommend the area near Old Village, Vilamoura highly enough. With several great restaurants nearby, a small grocery store a quick walk away, and beautifully landscaped grounds all around, this was the perfect place to call home during our time in the Algarve. I’ll share more recommendations from our trip in a separate post, so stay tuned.

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What I Wore: Bye, Falesia!

10 August, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

The worst thing about vacations is being back at the office, feeling like you could use another couple of weeks off. This is me right now, looking at the photos from my trip to Portugal and feeling severely homesick for a place that isn’t even home. Bizarre, non?

These photos were taken at Praia da Falesia aka Cliff Beach near Vilamoura in the Algarve. Falesia is one of several beaches that my friends and I were lucky enough to visit during our trip. It is a lovely and well-manicured beach, with all of the modern amenities – from swanky bars where you can grab a bottle of bubbly or some fried calamari, to beach umbrellas and loungers for rent, to all kinds of water sports within arm’s reach. Falesia Beach is also quite expansive, stretching to nearly 7km in length, which means there’s plenty of space to set up camp without feeling cramped.

This beach was closest to our incredible Airbnb villa in Vilamoura, and we spent two blissful days there, playing in the waves, dancing in the sand, and drinking all of the champagne, with views of the Atlantic on one side, and breathtaking cliffs on the other. It wasn’t the most beautiful beach we’ve visited on our trip, but it was certainly the most comfortable.

Have you ever been to Praia da Falesia? Share your travel stories in the comments!

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Beauty: #SkinActiveRetreat with Garnier Canada

18 June, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a limo full of bloggers, headed to Langdon Hall Hotel and Spa with Garnier Canada. On the agenda was a one-on-one consultation with Skin Expert Dr. Noah Wieder to design a personalized #MySkinActiveMatch skincare routine, fancy in-room facials, learning all about new Garnier SkinActive products, yoga, and so much more!

After making new friends and settling into our beautiful rooms, the girls and I were super excited about our consultations. After I mentioned my skin sensitivities (rosacea and dryness), my “prescription” included Garnier Clean Gentle Clarifying Cleansing Gel, Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Actively Hydrating Daily Lotion, Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift Miracle Wake-Up Cream, Garnier SkinActive Micellar Water, and Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream. I was already a huge fan of both Garnier Micellar Water and BB Cream (So good! Try them both if you can!), but I was very excited to try the new moisturizers and a gentle cleansing gel.

After using these for a few weeks now, I have a couple of favourites. Garnier SkinActive Ultra-Lift Miracle Wake-Up Cream is a dream moisturizer. Infused with 15% Hydra-Glycerin (a known humectant), Hyaluronic Acid and Antioxidant Complex of Wild Berry, Vitamins C & E, it “plumps skin reducing the signs of fatigue for fresh, youthful-looking skin”. You can use it day or night, but I prefer to apply it before going to sleep so that I wake up with dewy-looking and well-rested face.

Another product I loved is the Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Actively Hydrating Daily Lotion. This moisturizer has SPF15 and helps protect and defend against moisture loss. I like to wear it during the day for extra sun protection, so if you always forget to apply sunscreen before going outside, this one is for you. I love how lightweight this moisturizer is; it sinks right into my skin and creates a perfectly smooth base for my makeup.

Both of these moisturizers worked really well on my sensitive skin and come in convenient pump bottles, to reduce the chance of contamination and break-outs. These are real winners, and if you have dehydrated skin, you really need to try them!

The rest of our retreat was spent on getting to know the fellow bloggers, attending various activities, and sneaking out to hang out by the pool, because the weather was too lovely to pass up. Luckily, Team Garnier thought of everything and left some Ombrelle Sport Endurance SPF 30 and SPF 50 waiting for us in our rooms. Ombrelle Sport Endurance sunscreen is amazing for several reasons – it’s water and sweat resistant for up to 80 minutes, protects from both the UVA and UVB rays, is oil-free, fragrance free, colorant free, and absorbs quickly and without the icky white residue. Since our retreat, I’ve used Ombrelle Sport Endurance sunscreen on several occasions, and haven’t been burnt once…hopefully I am not jinxing myself, but so far, as long as I’m diligent enough to re-apply every 2 hours, my skin feels happy instead of baked.

After a yoga session (outfitted by B Yoga), hanging out poolside, and a quick but delicious lunch, we all piled back into our limo, full of fun memories of our wonderful Langdon Hall #SkinActiveRetreat, and with bags full of Garnier treats. I am still testing out several other products I received on this trip and will be sure to shout-out my other faves on Snapchat (styleblogca) or Instagram (@styleblogca). Stay tuned!