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Foodie: Easter-Inspired High Tea at Shangri-La Hotel Toronto

29 March, 2015 Nelia

shangri-la-toronto-easter-high-tea
Last weekend, I took my mom to the Shangri-La Toronto to try the hotel’s latest Easter-inspired High Tea menu. Having already experienced the regular High Tea at Shangri-La last June, I had high expectations for the revamped menu. As we arrived at the Lobby Lounge, live piano music playing softly in the background, we settled into the comfy couch overlooking a fireplace, and took our time selecting our teas. Once our tea selections were made, we impatiently waited for the delicious tower to arrive. The menu promised a selection of the usual mouthwatering staples like Atlantic lobster brioche roll, honey baked ham with caramelized onion on sourdough bread, Pacific smoked salmon on dark rye, and warm English scones, with Easter-inspired additions of spiced hot cross buns, tropical Easter egg (coconut cream, mango curd and crispy meringue), and the religieuse profiterole (baked choux pastry with white chocolate orange blossom cream and lemon glaze). It all sounded and looked amazing.

I let my mom judge each plate, her enthusiasm growing with each bite. It was her first time experiencing the Shangri-La High Tea, and she was loving every minute of it. With our scones, we were served caramelized white chocolate jam, strawberry preserves and Cornish clotted cream, and I have to tell you that caramelized white chocolate jam was divine. I am not even embarrassed to share that we totally polished off the entire ramekin…with a spoon. Delicious!

By the time we got to the last plate – the prettiest of them all, we were almost hesitant to cut into the exquisite-looking desserts…almost! Of the four desserts, my favourite was the tropical Easter egg, which looked like a fried egg, but was instead a combination of delicate coconut cream, tangy mango curd, and crispy meringue. It was so good! Obviously the milk chocolate and raspberry verrine, Simnel fruit cake, and the religieuse profiterole were delicious as well. With the last dessert finished, we settled back into our comfy couch, chatting, sipping our White Rose tea, and enjoying the rest of our perfect afternoon at Shangri-La.

If you would like to try some of the limited-time offerings served at the Easter-inspired High Tea, it will be available until April 6 and is priced at CAD$42 per person or CAD$25 per child, served daily from 2-5 p.m. in the Lobby Lounge. And if that’s not enough, with the purchase of a chocolate Easter Egg ( the “Golden Egg” or “Toy Egg”) or the Easter-inspired High Tea, guests will receive a complimentary petite milk chocolate egg with the chance of receiving one of five winning ”red tickets” placed among the petite milk chocolate eggs. One winning petite chocolate egg will be revealed every other day throughout the Easter promotion period from 28 March to 6 April, 2015. “Red tickets” will signify that the person who received the petite egg has won the prize. The prize includes a tour of the pastry kitchen at Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto with pastry chef Kate Seigel for one person (the prize winner) and complimentary High Tea for a year in the Lobby Lounge of Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto for the winner and a guest (two people) once a month for twelve months (May 2015 – April 2016). Free High Tea for a year?! May the odds be ever in your favour!

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More after the jump!
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Events, Foodie, Travel Events, Foodie, High Tea, Shangri-La, Shangri-La Easter High Tea, Shangri-La High Tea, Shangri-La High Tea Toronto, Shangri-La Toronto, Toronto, Travel

Style Days of Christmas: Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris Giveaway

9 December, 2014 Nelia

2014 STYLEDAYS OF CHRISTMAS-miraj-hammam-spa
Holiday season can be a stressful time, which is why I’m especially excited about today’s giveaway. I’ve written about my love of Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris before, and now it’s time to pay it forward and let one of my amazing readers try it out for themselves! Today’s prize is a Hammam, Gommage, and Rhassoul Clay Masque Treatment package valued at $235! Not sure what to expect? You can read all about my Hammam and Gommage treatment here, but in a few words – it’s the most relaxing and pampering experience. One, I’m sure you won’t soon forget.

Located in the luxurious Shangri-La hotel, the Miraj Hammam spa is a must-visit Toronto gem. I’m actually a little jealous, and will be booking my own treatment this holiday season too.

Enter now, for a chance to win this amazing prize!

miraj-hammam-spa-caudalie-shangri-la-toronto
Details after the jump!
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Beauty, Freebies, Shopping Beauty, Contests, Freebies, Giveaways, Hammam and Gommage, Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie, Shangri-La Toronto, Shopping, Style Days of Christmas

Travel: Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto Staycation

6 June, 2014 Nelia

shangri-la-toronto-hotel-staycation

The month of May was more than a little crazy. Apart from helping organize the Blogger Bazaar event, last month I also finished a quarter-end at work, filmed not one, but two Styled By Nelia videos, hosted an ALDO A-List party, participated in an Aveda photoshoot and photo exhibit, all the while preparing for yet another month-end. Don’t get me wrong, I had a lot of fun doing these things, but doing them on top of my 9-5 job made me feel more than a little stressed. Knowing that yet another month-end was staring me square in the face, I knew that a staycation was in order. So last Sunday, le bf and I packed our bags, and took the 15-minute Car2Go ride to Toronto’s Shangri-La hotel, where we had a room booked for one night of fun and relaxation.

shangri-la-toronto-hotel-staycation-2

ROOM

Shangri-La is one of the most prestigious hotel brands in the world. Synonymous with paradise, Shangri-La is all about providing sophisticated luxury, transporting you to a place of deepest calm and relaxation. The moment we walked into our suite, we were wowed by the size and design of our room. With a spacious living room, two stunning bathrooms, welcoming bedroom, plush robes, marble and velvet finishes, two closets, and a Nespresso machine, our suite felt more like a sleek condo in the city than a hotel room. There were labelled buttons everywhere, to make turning on the lights, as well as opening and closing the sheers and drapes a breeze, a built-in TV in the master bathroom vanity, and an in-room iPad for our room-service ordering ease. In one word – impressive!

After checking out our room, we dropped off our things, and took the elevator down to the lobby for the first stop on our staycation itinerary! Shangri-La’s afternoon high tea!

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HIGH TEA

Having heard great things about high tea at Shangri-La, our expectations were pretty high. When we arrived, our VAWK-clad hostess handed us a tea menu and asked us to choose our favourites from the 68 varieties on hand at the hotel. After taking our time to peruse the tea library (68 teas is no joke!),  we settled on Sunrise Serenade flowering tea. While we waited for our tea service, we had a chance to fully take in our surroundings. While the high tea service is held in Shangri-La’s Lobby Lounge, nothing about it felt “lobby-like”. We were seated on a comfortable sofa overlooking a large fireplace, and while the lounge was full of people, our high-tea experience felt very intimate.

When the tower arrived, I didn’t hear a single thing our hostess told us about it (I asked her to repeat it for me later), because I was ready to dig in and everything looked amazing. We started at the bottom, and tucked into lobster and chive rolls, cucumber apple and cream cheese, roasted chicken with grain mustard, and egg and watercress sandwiches with crispy Serrano ham on top. De-li-cious! Next up, we spread some creamy Devonshire cream and jam on warm, flaky chamomile scones, and they were gone in a flash. I am not usually a fan of scones, but these were divine. We moved on to the much-anticipated dessert plate, which consisted of a chocolate ganache cake with raspberry compote, passion fruit ball, berries and citrus pastry, and a pineapple verrine. Once again, everything was delectable, bursting with flavours. Even half of each rich pastry was enough to satisfy me and my sweet tooth. Once the tower was polished off, we sat back, sipping our fragrant tea, more intense with each cup, looking at the fireplace, and enjoying the soft piano music playing in the background.

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SPA

After our delightful high tea experience, we went back to our room, put on our bathing suits, and headed to the Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie Paris. Having visited the spa a few times before, I already knew what to expect – pure relaxation. We chose Hammam and Gommage for couples – 15 minutes in a high-intensity steam room to detox, followed by a full-body scrub. Hammam and Gommage is a great intimate treatment to share with a loved one, and I am really glad I finally brought le bf to experience it with me. The 15 minutes inside the steam room are very peaceful, and let you be alone together, breathing in and out, letting your pores open up, and rid your body of toxins. While the scrub treatment just feels incredibly nice, and can be as intense as you’d like.

Post-gommage, we marveled at our smooth, baby-soft skin, and relaxed some more in the little outdoor oasis on the patio of the spa, refreshed with some grapes, sweet Moroccan mint tea, and baklava. We probably could’ve stayed there all day, but we chose to pay a visit to the hotel pool instead. Private cabanas equipped with personal TVs, and stunning views of Toronto all around, made for a cool and refreshing post-spa visit – simply blissful.

More after the jump!

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Foodie, Travel Hammam and Gommage, Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie, Momofuku, Momofuku Milk Bar, Shangri-La High Tea, Shangri-La High Tea Toronto, Shangri-La Toronto, Staycation, Toronto, Toronto Staycation, Travel

VAWK for Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto!

6 September, 2013 Nelia

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I’ve never been a fan of uniforms. Wearing something that everyone else has to wear is not my idea of fun. Having said that, when I heard that VAWK’s Sunny Fong was working on Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto’s Lobby Lounge wardrobe, I knew it was going to be special. But even with expectations set high, nothing could prepare me for the spectacular frocks that Sunny went on to create.

“I wanted the design to truly reflect a hybrid of my brand and what I feel Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto represents. I was inspired by the art work in the lobby, the Ming vase tea library and the ornithological theme that is prevalent in the hotel and the Zhang Huan ‘Rising’ sculpture,” said Fong of his inspiration. “When I met with Richard Cooke, we wanted something that seemed almost theatrical, so naturally I knew the silhouette had to be both sophisticated and sexy. I felt my desire to custom create a bold graphic print inspired by the Ming vase would absolutely make a dramatic statement.”

From the print, to the cut, to the details, the dresses are a breath of fresh air, a sight for sore eyes, and a huge departure from the usually drab hotel staff attire. Truth be told, I would absolutely love to own one of these beautiful pieces (uniform or not). Because while they were created for Shangri-La’s staff, the design totally stands on its own, as a regular (if stunning) dress.

Now the million dollar question is…where do I get one? Or should I just get a part-time job at the Lobby Lounge for a chance to snag one of these? Hmm…decisions, decisions.

What do you think of VAWK for Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto? Share in the comments.

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Photo Credits: Christian Stoyanov

Fashion Canadian, dresses, Shangri-La Toronto, Sunny Fong, VAWK, VAWK for Shangri-La Toronto

Beauty: Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie at Toronto’s Shangri-La Hotel

21 September, 2012 Nelia

miraj-hammam-spa-caudalie-shangri-la-toronto

Last week, I attended the soft-opening of the new and stunning Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie, located inside Toronto’s newest luxury hotel, the Shangri-La. I’ve been a faithful Caudalie fan for a while now, but I have never experienced the magic of hammam before, and was really excited to give it a try. And boy, was I in for a treat!

A mix of Old World hammam culture and modern sensibility, the traditional treatments on offer, according to Miraj owner Surinder Bains, are “detoxification in the highest form”. And it truly felt that way.

miraj-hammam-spa-caudalie-shangri-la-toronto

As a hammam newbie, I was recommended the Hammam & Gommage treatment, which consists of two parts: hammam (steam treatment to detox your body) and gommage (full body exfoliating scrub). For the hammam portion of the treatment, I was ushered into my own private hammam, where I was asked to disrobe (disposable undergarments and sarong are provided, if you are shy), and after a hot water rinse, I got to lie down on warm Jerusalem gold marble for about 15 minutes, while the room filled up with steam. In those 15 minutes, I could actually feel my body unwind, with pores opening up, and sweat pouring out. It was a deeply relaxing experience, just me and my body surrounded by warm, welcoming steam. It felt glorious.

miraj-hammam-spa-caudalie-shangri-la-toronto

More after the jump!

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Beauty, Fashion, Travel Beauty, Caudalie, Hammam and Gommage, Miraj Hammam Spa by Caudalie, Shangri-La Toronto, Travel

What I Wore: Toronto Life’s Most Stylish Party and Fashion’s Night Out Toronto!

11 September, 2012 Nelia

Toronto-Life-Most-Stylish-2

What an EPIC day last Thursday was! It all started with a visit to Toronto Life’s Most Stylish party held at the new Shangri-La Hotel downtown. Toasting Toronto’s most sartorially gifted, this event was one of the best I’ve attended in a long while. Greeted with life size cardboard cut-outs of the 25 Most Stylish, my friend Lisa and I made our way around the room, checking out the immaculately dressed crowd, and snacking on pretzel bread grilled cheese sandwiches, fresh oysters, and caviar. Fancy!

toronto-life-most-stylish-cardboard-cut-outs

I also got to finally meet Andrew Coimbra, the winner of Toronto Life’s Most Stylish Reader contest (which I was also a part of). And I have to say, he was the WORST! Just kidding, he was pretty awesome, and we are now the best of friends. True(ish) story.

toronto-life-most-stylish-shangri-la

After mingling at Toronto Life’s fancy party, Anita and I headed out into the night…more specifically into Fashion’s Night Out! Our first stop was eLUXE’s pop-up shop, full of candy, Smythe jackets, and Rebekah Price baubles, where we did a little mugging for the cameras at the photobooth. It was FUN!

eluxe-fno-toronto-anita-nelia

More after the jump!

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Events, Fashion, Organic Style, Shopping, What I Wore Clover Canyon, eLUXE, Events, Fashion's Night Out, Fashion's Night Out Toronto, FNO Toronto, Hazelton Lanes, Jeanne Beker, MasterCard, MasterCard Stylicity, Organic Style, Prada, Proenza Schouler, Shangri-La Toronto, Shopping, Suzanne Rogers, Toronto Life, What I Wore, Zara

TIFF 2012: Swarovski’s Fashion Suite and Couture Creations

6 September, 2012 Nelia

swarovski-couture-collection

TIFF officially starts today, and to kick it off, I have photos of the amazing one-of-a-kind Swarovski Couture Creations, showcased last night at the special TIFF Fashion Suite at the new Shangri-La Toronto hotel! Part of the Kingdom of Jewels Catwalk Collection, these spectacular pieces aren’t for sale, but I’m sure some lucky celeb will be able to borrow them for a red carpet event, or a photoshoot.

Do you like these beautiful baubles? Share in the comments!

swarovski-couture-collection

More photos after the jump!

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Events, Fashion Events, jewelry, Shangri-La Toronto, Swarovski, TIFF, TIFF 2012

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Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…

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