Miami | Style Blog | Canadian Fashion and Lifestyle News

What I Wore: Miami Ice

17 February, 2015 Nelia 1 Comment

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I don’t know about you, but I am officially sick and tired of winter. This past weekend (Valentine’s Day and Family Day long weekend) was so frigid (felt like -40!!!), that going outside felt like an act of bravery. Le bf and I did manage to go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day, and I did make it to the gym one morning, but the rest of my long weekend was spent on the couch, wrapped in a fluffy blanket, drinking hot tea, and watching movies. Hybernation is the only way to survive, y’all. Which is why we haven’t shot any new outfit posts lately…and also why I am trotting out my last What I Wore post from our long-ago trip to Miami.

I didn’t post it originally because we didn’t take a lot of photos that day, but beggars can’t be choosers, so here it is now…a couple of months later…all sunshine and pretty colours. Makes me want to get away again! Luckily, our next trip is coming soon, but not soon enough!

So tell me, how are you surviving winter? Wherever you are…

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What I Wore: South Beach

13 January, 2015 Nelia 2 Comments

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It feels like -27 outside, and I am questioning all of my life choices that brought me here, to Toronto where the air hurts my face on a daily basis. So if you need me, I’ll be here, daydreaming about Miami, and the South Beach, and sunshine, and warm sand, and anything but snow and extreme cold alerts. Stay warm out there, Toronto.

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Style Blog Travels: 5 Things To Do in Miami

9 January, 2015 Nelia 4 Comments

A couple of months ago, le bf and I packed our bags and took off on a week-long Miami vacay. We were set to arrive on the last day of Art Basel, and had very little idea as to what we would actually do in Miami once we land. I had no time for research, and so we set off with no preconceived notions about the city, with that Will Smith song stuck in my head. Now that we got to experience a bit of what Miami has to offer, I thought I’d share my newfound wisdom…aka the top 5 things we loved about Miami, and you may too. Feel free to let us know which places are on your must-do list!

Wynwood Walls
I’ll be honest, I learned about Wynwood Walls from Instagram, and all of those photogenic outfit pics of various bloggers, posing in front of the coolest graffiti I’ve ever seen. So, being a fashion blogger, I knew I had to make the trip to see (and pose in front of) those beautiful walls. And so we went, we saw, we posed, we photographed, and we loved it. Honestly, whether you’re a blogger or not, you’ll love Wynwood Walls. It’s a grungy area to be sure, but it’s inspiring all the same. Once you’re done admiring the pretty walls and doors, you can take a short cab ride over to Miami’s Design District, where you can do some high-end shopping, before grabbing a table on Mandolin’s lovely sun-soaked patio. Their kefte and saganaki are delicious, while the unsweetened iced-tea is super refreshing.

Versace Mansion aka The Villa by Barton G.
As a fashion lover, I knew I had to check out the infamous Versace Mansion while in Miami. There’s obviously a sad backstory to the mansion and those infamous front steps, but it’s basically a historic sight and a must-visit while in Miami. We made a dinner reservation, and arrived without high expectations. Mostly, we just wanted to check out the mansion itself, so the dinner part was just an aside. But when our meals arrived, we were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved the food. There are mixed reviews online, but everything we ordered was delicious. And as a bonus, we got to sit facing the beautiful courtyard, with that magnificent pool and infamous tiled floor as our view. We also had an unexpected dinner companion running around our feet – a Versace cat. We were told that on the day Gianni was shot, a cat arrived at the steps of the mansion, and since Gianni believed in reincarnation, the cat was allowed to stay, with its offsprings now enjoying the privilege of being Versace Mansion inhabitants.

Tip: If you plan on grabbing dinner at the Villa, make sure to leave your flip flops at the hotel. Smart attire is required.

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What I Wore: Bal Harbour Shops

7 January, 2015 Nelia Leave a Comment

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It’s been nearly a month since our Miami trip, and I can’t tell you how much I miss dressing like this. A lace shift, a pair of sandals, and some shades. No pesky tights, no bulky coats, no hats, no gloves…Le sigh.

These photos were taken at Bal Harbour Shops – a beautiful outdoor shopping centre, where le bf and I spent a day shopping and eating our faces off. More about Bal Harbour Shops to come in my Miami recap post, but in the meantime, here’s a little taste of summer in the middle of Canadian winter – all blue skies and greenery. Is it spring yet?

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Rewind 2014: A Year in Photos

2 January, 2015 Nelia 1 Comment

It’s official…2014 is out, 2015 is in! But before we move on to all things new and exciting, I wanted to do a little revisiting, in part to look back on the wonderful year that 2014 was, and in part to have this post for posterity, and in case I ever need a reminder of some awesome things I did last year. If you hate those “me, me, me” posts, then this one may not be for you. Sorry (not really).

2014 started out pretty well for me, unlike 2013 (credit card fraud galore!), I kicked off the year with a brand new video segment I created in partnership with Yorkdale and Max Kopanygin, called Styled By Nelia. Since January, we shot 9 segments, with 9 amazing retailers, and plan to shoot lots more in 2015. Since I truly hate to be on video, this was a huge challenge for me, but I got more and more comfortable with every episode we shot…and hope to get a little better with each video going forward.

In February, I had the pleasure of participating in a photoshoot for eLUXE’s Spring 2014 lookbook, featuring Canadian bloggers. And as I will find out later, this will not be the last collab with eLUXE that I would shoot in 2014.

At the beginning of 2014, I also go to test out the Olay Regenerist Luminous skincare line, with beautiful results. Freckles, be gone!
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What I Wore: Wynwood Walls

23 December, 2014 Nelia 2 Comments

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One of the things I was most looking forward to in Miami was a visit to The Wynwood Walls. After seeing dozens of photos of beautiful murals, painted doors, and even flower walls, I knew it was going to be a very special place, and that we couldn’t miss it. Of course, being a fashion blogger, I had to pose in front of several of my favourite walls, as one does. But there were so many more that le bf and I got to admire, wondering why Toronto’s graffiti alley isn’t as well-known. Although, no offence to our graffiti alley, the murals we got to see in Miami were definitely not your usual street art – those were intricate, interesting, and expertly-painted murals, not your run of the mill “tags”.

We saw murals painted by Kashink, Lakwena, Maya Hayuk, and of course, the infamous flower wall by Fafi – all women artists, who kick ass at street art, which has primarily been a boys club until not too long ago. Inspiring and so very cool to see.

After exploring street art of Miami, we hit up Miami’s new Design District for a delicious lunch at Mandolin, where we sipped unsweetened iced-tea, and nibbled on delicious cheese saganaki, bulghur salad, and kefte, on their lovely patio. One of our most memorable meals in Miami to be sure.

Post-lunch, we climbed into a cab, driven by a crazy woman (she literally drove us crazy), and returned to South Beach to relax by the pool at our hotel. Just another day in paradise.

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What I Wore: Welcome to Miami

19 December, 2014 Nelia 1 Comment

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It’s Friday, and I’m going to keep it light and indulge in a little #FBF on the site today. This outfit post is from day 1 of our little Miami getaway last week. Yup, just last week, I got to wear a summery dress and shades on a sandy beach. Just last week, I didn’t have to wear tights, or a jacket, or gloves. It was glorious.

On our first day in Miami, le bf and I didn’t do much, except for a little exploring around our hotel, which included a walk on the beach at sunset, window-shopping on Collins Ave, and a dip in our hotel’s rooftop pool at night. It wasn’t very eventful, but we were happy to take it easy after a few hectic weeks at work, and just enjoy each other and this new city that we’ve never visited before. Today, as flurries swirl outside my office window, I am dreaming of warmer days, bare shoulders, and sun in my eyes. I think I need another getaway.

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