As you might remember from last year, I am an affiliate for Stella & Dot. They are having an awesome sale just in time for Mother’s Day! For a limited time, it’s 20% off Engravable Jewelry.
Silver Bar Necklace
Rose Gold Signature Engravable Bangle
Delicate Gold Personalized Wishing Bracelet
You can personalize the jewelry with dates, names, geographic locations, whatever you want! You can choose from different fonts and styles. It’s a great Mother’s Day gift or Bridesmaid gift for your besties! My mom doesn’t personally wear jewelry, but I would love to get one of these gorgeous engravables for my friends one day.
I have a silver sparkle bangle that they used to sell (see below). It looks like the plain silver bangle on one side and on the front, it has crystals. Inside, it says “SHINE BRIGHT” which is so cute. I will definitely be purchasing a plain engraved one once I figure out what I want it to say.
Stella & Dot jewelry is absolutely beautiful, especially the sparkly ones!
Let me start by saying that I’m sure there are tons of bakeries that have even better almond croissants, but we tried out three bakeries and these are my thoughts on them.
I got the idea to do a blog post on the almond croissants on the second last day. So, my rating of them is based on how good they taste after travelling on a bus for 6 hours and eating them the day after. I wish I had thought of the blog post earlier, then I could have tried them all fresh. I did get to try a pistachio croissant (Mamie Clafoutis) and an almond croissant (Première Moisson) while we were there and both were amazing.
On our first morning, we went to Mamie Clafoutis to get breakfast. I had a pistachio croissant and a tea. It was delicious, but also very rich and filling. It probably would’ve been better to share one between two of us. I got full after eating 2/3 and instead of bringing the rest home (which I should’ve done), I decided to finish it (which I regretted a bit later). It was to die for and I would definitely get it again despite feeling a bit sick for an hour after.
On our next morning, we decided to grab something quick. I got the almond croissant and it was delicious. I was able to finish it without feeling sick and it didn’t make me too full. According to KN and BM, the focaccia was also really delicious.
KN wanted to go here to get a ‘kouign amann’ (butter cake) and butter croissants. I decided to get the almond croissant, but according to KN, the butter croissants and cake were amazing. It is their specialty after all, so I should’ve gotten one, but I already had several croissants and a dozen bagels to bring home.
Mamie Clafoutis’ almond croissant had the most icing sugar out of the three. The pistachio croissant also has icing sugar. Because of this, I think it’s the sweetest almond croissant of the three. The filling was different than the other two- it had something dark in it, which made me think that they used real, crushed almonds in their filling.
Both the almond and pistachio croissant were delicious, but I would say it’s the best to get when you’re having a coffee and sitting down to chat.
JENCAT’S RATING: Best afternoon snack with coffee or tea
Première Moisson is a chain of artisanal bakeries, but I think this was the best almond croissant to eat for breakfast. It wasn’t too sweet and they have more locations so you can easily hit one up on your way to work.
JENCAT’S RATING: Best breakfast croissant and most accessible in terms of locations
Pâtisserie Au Kouign Amann is best known for their butter cakes, so I think it would be best to stick with what they’re known for. This almond croissant was the flattest and therefore the densest almond croissant of the three. KN assured me though that the butter croissants and cake were amazing and flaky.
RATING: Cheapest for an almond croissant, but probably best to get the butter ones
Overall, I think my favourite was the Première Moisson almond croissant which is kind of ridiculous since it’s a chain of bakeries. The filling was good and it was also the most buttery of the three, but not overly buttery. Also, I think it travelled the best and tasted the best when lightly toasted. I would definitely do anything to find a good pistachio croissant in Toronto like Mamie’s though.
What are some good bakeries you’ve tried? (Doesn’t have to be in Montréal, but don’t forget to mention the city when you name one!)
After years of talking about taking a trip together, my friends and I finally went on a long weekend trip..to Montréal. I’ll admit, it wasn’t very far considering we were originally brainstorming cities like Chicago, New York and even Amsterdam at one point? Eventually, we’ll travel some place we’ll need our passports. It’s weird to think that we’ve been friends for so long, yet we’ve never had a girls weekend away- the most time we’ve spent together was a week at band camp in middle school and that barely counts because we would be with our other cabin mates and then off to lessons with our teachers.
Like any place we would travel, our main focus was food: poutine, croissants, Montréal bagels, etc.
We got Fairmount bagels and they were really good (and we just got sesame and poppy seed).
For brunch, we went to Restaurant L’avenue, it was pretty good. It reminded me of Fran’s Restaurant. Everyone gets a fruit skewer which I thought was nice. I got the Fruity Breakfast which was bacon, eggs, potatoes, fruit bowl, french toast and maple syrup and a baguette. KN and BM both got Eggs Benedict (pictured is the Coin Coin Bénédictine/Eggs Benedict with Duck).
For dinner on one of the days, we went to LOV, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant. We got the Kale mac’n’cheese as a starter and I decided to get a salad for dinner (again, to counteract all the carbs). I got the Greens Salad- mesclun, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sumac vinaigrette and I decided to add avocado. Even though it didn’t look like a lot, it was actually quite filling with the avocado. Sorry about the pictures being dark- it was dimly lit and I didn’t want to ruin the mood of the couple sitting beside us by using my camera’s flash.
We went to La Banquise and got the Classic Poutine. It was huge! Instead of each of us getting the smaller size, we split the larger one. I think you have to get one with meat on it, but we wanted to try the classic to compare it to other poutines. To my surprise, it wasn’t as amazing as I thought it’d be. If I ever go back, I’ll get some type of meat on it.
Stella & Dot offers gorgeous jewellery pieces and other accessories (bags, tops, sunglasses, scarves, etc.) and they just released a collaboration with Rebecca Minkoff. So far the collaboration is just jewellery, I’m hoping that they might come out with some nice tops.
Worth It? Absolutely! The pieces are gorgeous and so sparkly!
Here is a haul of the gorgeous pieces purchased by my family, friends and me:
Celestial Choker – My cousin ordered this necklace in gold and I got the same one for free for my birthday (free with a $40 purchase). I got the silver one. In the display pictures on the Stella & Dot website, they paired this with The Wishing Necklace. It’s really cute alone or layered with other dainty necklaces.
Pave Triangle Path Ear Climbers – I love ear climbers, they give you an edgy look without having to pierce your ears all the way up. I have two piercings in each ear and that’s enough for me. My sister got these and they are really cute. They start from the biggest triangle at the base of your lobe and get smaller as it goes up.
Tilley Ear Studs – My friend ordered these and they are really cute, dainty earrings.
Claudia Stackable Rings – I ordered these for myself and I love that you can mix and match the rings. You can wear just one, two or all three.
Stellar Pave Ring – This is a really pretty sparkly ring. I got this for a friend and I was even considering getting one for myself, but I already have a few rings that look similar.
The Wishing Necklace – My sister ordered this and from what I can tell from pictures, it’s a really cute, delicate necklace that you can wear alone or layer it with other dainty necklaces.
Pave Triangle Ear Jackets (no longer available) – I love that these are 6-in-1. You can wear the triangles alone or with the ear jackets (pave side or non-pave side) and then you can wear the pave bars alone or with the ear jackets (pave side or non-pave side). I loved the triangles and pave bar earrings, but I wasn’t sure how well the ear jackets would fit on my ears. But they are really cute on and I love that it has different levels, I use the lowest level on the jackets because otherwise you see a gap between the jackets and my ear lobe. It’s also great because you can wear the jackets with other earrings too.
Sparkle Inspiration Bangle (no longer available) – This is a beautiful bangle and it’s engraved on the inside, it says “SHINE BRIGHT.” I wish my wrist was a bit bigger because it flops around, but I can just wear other bracelets with it to keep it in place.
Seine Ring (no longer available) – I got this for my friend and it’s great because you can adjust the size if you need to. It is quite tall so if you have short fingers, you might have trouble bending your finger.
Tessa Top in Berry – My mom ordered this and it’s a really pretty raspberry chiffon top. It’s a high-low top where it’s slightly longer in the back as you can see in the picture.
Hideaway Pouch in Navy Stripe – My mom, sister and I all got this pouch for free for making a purchase during my trunk show (we had a choice of four different pouches and we all liked this one). This pouch is a lot bigger than you would think. I thought it was a makeup pouch, but it’s a travel pouch (make sure to look at the dimensions).
Thoughts: I absolutely love all the jewellery I bought. They’re even more sparkly and beautiful in person and the little gift boxes they come in are so cute and unique. It’s hard to choose a favourite, but I think I have to choose my Claudia Stackable Rings and the Pave Triangle Ear Jackets.
Have you heard of Stella & Dot before? What are you fave pieces?
**This is not a sponsored post, I just thought I’d write an informative post about it since I’ve tried some of their products**
**Since writing this post, they have obviously updated their products. They no longer have the Everyday line and they now offer bras, lacy underwear, swimwear, loungewear**
Hi Everyone!
I first heard of Knix a few years ago and in 2016 when my sister was getting married, I wanted to get a seamless underwear so I wouldn’t be showing any panty lines! Both of my dresses were made of chiffon and lined, but when I wore regular underwear underneath, you could definitely see the seams.
Trying to figure out which underwear to buy? Let me help you! I’ve gone through their website and gathered some information to differentiate all the different types. I was a bit overwhelmed myself when trying to decide which ones to choose from.
This is going to be a long post, if you want to read about my opinions, it’s in the first part, if you want to read about the different categories and styles, then scroll down!
So, are these seamless underwear worth it?
Absolutely! I wouldn’t have written this post if they weren’t! They are especially great for weddings (whether you’re the bride or part of the bridal party!)
I’ve bought several pairs over the past few years and I have several different types: Everyday Leakproof Boy Shorts, Athletic Cheeky and Athletic Bikini. I think the Everyday Leakproof Boy Shorts and the Athletic Bikini that I have are a bit older and they have since changed the gusset. Now they have a quick dry gusset, but the ones I have are regular 100% cotton gussets.
I’m not going to lie, Knix underwear is expensive, but they are super comfy and will last you a long time (especially if you only wear them if you have to). I don’t see my self wearing my Everyday Boy Shorts underneath a pair of jeans. I’ll be saving it for whenever I have a special event or something. The Athletic ones are a different story- I’ve bought them in bulk and they didn’t cost me $25. I’ve only bought the Athletic underwear on sale, I bought the Everyday ones for my sister’s wedding and it’s not like I could anticipate when they’d go on sale. Back in 2016, they didn’t even have knix.ca, so I could only buy them from Hudson’s Bay. I got two Athletic Bikinis from Hudson’s Bay (before they stopped selling them). They were on sale for $9 or something.
I also have a few pairs of No Show Cheeky Panties from Hollister’s Gilly Hicks line. They’re on sale right now (at a 1/3 of the price of a Knix underwear) and they are also super comfortable. In the past few years, a lot of other brands have come up with their own seamless underwear, but it seems like they’re all thicker and similar to the Athletic line. I haven’t seen a lot that are seamless and thinner like the Everyday line.
Athletic underwear- Cheeky in the purple, Bikini in beige (Left pic- Back, Right pic- Front). Cheeky is a lower rise underwear than the bikini.
All of the fits are comfortable – it feels like you’re not wearing anything. I think I prefer the boy shorts or bikini. I like the cheeky underwear too, but because the bum coverage isn’t as good, it does that thing like when you wear bandeaus. Let me explain…when your bandeau is tight (because you don’t want it to slip down) and you get the dreaded ‘quad boob’ look aka your bra cuts into your boobs and then it looks like you have four boobs. It’s the same with the cheeky underwear if you’re standing a certain way- you get a ‘quad bum.’ They have it as a ‘quad ass’ on Urban Dictionary, but I’m trying to make it sound nicer. Since the underwear is a bit tighter so that it can create a seamless look against your body, and it’s cheeky, it gives you the illusion of having four butt cheeks. It’s fine if you’re standing with your bum sticking out (no one stands like that normally though), but if you lean to one side, then you get that effect. For this reason, I think the boy short, bikini, high rise or thong is the best bet.
UPDATE: It’s been about a year since I’ve started wearing them more regularly. I’ve noticed that one of the Athletic pairs have stretched a bit. Comparing them to others, the waistband is almost half an inch longer than one of my newer pairs. I think it’s because of the Lycra material.
Which Do I Choose? Athletic or Everyday?
The following are my opinions on which underwear you should get depending on what you plan to wear them for, of course you don’t have to take my advice, but these are my suggestions:
Everyday (left in the 1st pic, 2nd pic), Athletic (right in the 1st pic, 3rd pic)- You can tell that the Everyday underwear are more sheer and pinky and you can see my hand under the Everyday, but not the Athletic
Choose Everyday line if you want a seamless underwear to wear under a dress, skirt or pair of pants.
Choose Athletic if you plan to exercise in them.
Whether you choose regular or leakproof is up to you. I bought an Everyday Leakproof Boy Short because it was on sale at Hudson’s Bay. If I had the choice, I think I would’ve chosen regular because there is a built-in panty liner which makes the gusset a bit thicker than the non-leakproof underwear and the gusset is also wider than my regular underwear from La Senza.
When I built a set to get 5 pairs on Black Friday, I was given a random selection of colours. I assume that they bring out different colours as limited edition. I was sent the following 5 colours: Black, Grey Heather, Reptile, Bourdeaux and Gravity.
The care instructions for all of the underwear: machine wash cold with mild detergent, do not bleach, lay flat to dry.
They all have a Quick Dry Gusset- Dries 2-3 times faster than regular cotton and carbon cotton fights odor.
Knix has different categories: Athletic & Everyday and Regular & Leakproof. Then each offer different styles: Bikini and Boyshort are available for all and then there are Thong, Cheeky and High Rise. Check out my table below to see which styles are available in the different categories:
Bikini
Boyshort
Thong
Cheeky
High Rise
Athletic
x
x
x
x
Everyday Performance
x
x
x
x
Athletic Leakproof
x
x
x
Everyday Leakproof
x
x
x
Athletic & Athletic Leakproof will relax a bit more than the Everyday line because of the stretch tech which means that the Everyday & Everyday Leakproof underwear hugs more snugly than the Athletic line.
They also have a long underwear called the Thigh Saver Short. It looks similar to Spanx, but it’s made from a thinner material. They use the same material as the Everyday Performance Underwear. It’s worn to wick away sweat, create a seamless look and eliminate chafing. These are not shaping underwear.
Bikini- A classic mid rise silhouette with medium coverage through the hip and bum.
Boyshort- Extra coverage through the hip and bum, and sit slightly higher than our bikini silhouette.
Cheeky- The cheeky is our lowest rise with light coverage through the bum.
Thong- Our thong provides a mid rise silhouette with minimal coverage.
High Rise- Our high rise sit at the natural waist and provide medium coverage through the bum.
Thigh Saver- The thigh saver sits just below the natural waist and provide coverage down to the mid thigh.
The Selection of Underwear
Athletic
Our moisture-wicking performance underwear maximize movement and comfort during your most intense workouts. And seamless technology means no panty lines will ever distract you from kicking butt.
Body: 77% nylon, 23% LYCRA®
Gusset liner: 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon
Bikini- $22 USD
Boyshort- $23 USD
Cheeky- $23 USD
Thong- $20 USD
Athletic Leakproof
High-performance underwear with an ultra thin, built-in panty liner. Absorbs up to 3 tsp of moisture (approx. 2 tampons), great for light bladder leaks and as back-up period protection.
Body: 77% nylon, 23% LYCRA®
Gusset Liner: 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon
Gusset: Fresh Fix Technology®
Bikini- $25 USD
Boyshort- $25 USD
Thong- $25 USD
Everyday Performance
Our desert-island underwear. Light-as-air fabric gives you that naked-but-better feel, while seamless, bonded construction and soft velvet flocking hug your curves and vanish under clothes.
Body- 65% nylon, 35% spandex
Gusset Liner- 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon
Bikini- $23 USD
Boyshorts- $23 USD
High Rise- $28 USD
Thong- $20 USD
Everyday Leakproof
Essential, go-anywhere underwear with an ultra thin, built-in panty liner. Absorbs up to 3 tsp of moisture (approx. 2 tampons), great for light bladder leaks and as back-up period protection.
Body: 65% nylon, 35% Spandex
Gusset Liner: 86% cotton, 10% spandex, 4% carbon
Gusset: Fresh Fix Technology®
Bikini- $25 USD
Boyshorts- $25 USD
High Rise- $30 USD
Thigh Saver Short– $38 USD
Our seamless long leg underwear wick away sweat for silky smooth comfort that eliminates chafing. We love these invisible, forget-they’re-there shorts under our favorite summer dresses.
Body: 65% nylon, 35% Spandex
Gusset: 100% cotton
**UPDATE**
There’s also a Knixteen which sells period underwear for teens (similar to the leakproof underwear for adults). The underwear is cheaper, but you’ll have to figure out your sizing because they’re sized for teens’ bodies. Some people said they just ordered a size up from the usual, but others said the fit of the underwear didn’t work with their bodies.
I’ve ordered Knixteen underwear in a size Medium (I’m a small in Knix) and they fit well. They started out a bit tight, but they’ve relaxed a bit and fit well.
Do you wear Knix? What seamless undies do you buy?
Ever since I went to Scaddabush for my birthday a few years back, I have been raving about the fresh mozzarella! This weekend, we finally went back so my family could try it. I’ve been to two of the downtown Toronto locations: Yonge & Gerrard and Front & Simcoe. They have six other locations: Oakville, Scarborough, Vaughan, Square One, Sherway Gardens and Richmond Hill. I went to the Yonge & Gerrard one for my birthday and we went at about 10:30 and it was super busy still. For Front & Simcoe, we had a reservation at 6 and it was obviously super busy especially since we went on a Saturday which was also St. Patrick’s Day.
The mozzarella is only available after 5pm each day. So, if you want to try it, you have to go at dinner time, not lunch. Both the naked and the prosciutto are great options.
I feel like their best dishes are the appetizers and the pastas. Especially since the mozzarella is made fresh and so is the pasta. I think we all got full on the appetizers before the pasta even came and I think we could’ve skipped dessert. For me, I would prefer to get appetizers instead of the desserts.
The pizza tasted like other flatbread pizzas I’ve had. It was good, but it was your typical flatbread pizza. Maybe one of the other ones with more toppings is better.
The zucca ravioli was good, but quite sweet. We probably could’ve ordered a large instead of the social. We brought the leftovers home and I ate it the next day by frying it up with a runny egg, it was delicious.
My dad ordered the fettucine capri. Although I like seafood, I don’t love seafood pasta, but it was good, especially the pasta itself.
My sister and brother-in-law shared one of the new features: Chocolate Bomba- Sponge cake, mascarpone panna cotta, Nutella mousse, chocolate ganache, toasted hazelnuts, strawberries, citrus sugar. My sister said it was good, but very rich, so I think it could’ve been split between three people or maybe if we hadn’t ordered so many appetizers. I didn’t really like the zeppole because it had a bit too much of an egg taste for my liking.
Next time I go, I might try the chicken parmesan or get the spaghetti and meatball.
LUNCH
I’ve since been back for lunch and here are my thoughts on the new dishes I tried. We went right when they opened and five of us shared one appetizer and three dishes ( sandwich, pasta and pizza).
Italian Burger – Hand-pressed Certified Angus Beef ground chuck, fresh mozzarella, arugula, bruschetta, balsamic reduction, basil pesto aioli, focaccia bun
I loved the burger and the spaghetti was really good as well. I would order both again. The burger patty sort of tasted like the meatball, but it had a nice char on it and the focaccia bun was nice and soft (but not at all mushy). The pizza was pretty good too, but I probably wouldn’t order again. Although it was interesting having potatoes on my pizza. I would get potatoes on my pizza again. Since I shared the pizza with friends, I don’t think everything was on the two slices I ate. I didn’t have any chilies or caramelized onions.
Have you tried the fresh mozzarella at Scaddabush?
I finally got around to cleaning up my makeup desk so that I could take pictures of it to show you. My room now looks like an IKEA catalog (Every large piece of furniture except my bed, a bookcase and chair is from IKEA).
I have two desks in my room, the Micke Desk that I originally bought as my makeup desk is now my ‘office’ desk and I am using my old desk (tabletop and two legs plus drawer unit on one side) from school as my makeup desk. It’s also better that I use my old desk that’s already scratched up because I don’t have any glass to protect the tabletop and I would keep having to wipe the Micke desk to keep it pristine and white. My old tabletop already has scratches and marks. I originally got the Micke desk because it had the two drawers, but I needed more room and the Alex 5-drawer unit was on sale and, my dad made the mistake of asking me if I wanted it. Like any other makeup lover, I just had to have it for my makeup desk! I would’ve loved it even more if I could’ve gotten two (one for each side), but I can always buy it in the future.
For my wall colour, I chose Valspar’s Gravity. My room has been a sky blue ever since I was a kid and it was time to choose a more sophisticated colour. I went with a light gray because my room has a regular-sized window that doesn’t let a lot of light in and I needed my room to be bright enough to do my makeup. If my window was bigger, I would’ve chosen a darker gray. In pictures, it doesn’t look like my wall colour has changed and to be honest, in person, it doesn’t look a whole lot different from the blue.
It took me a while to find a chair I liked. Some were too high and others too low for my desk. I considered benches, stools, and shorter bar stools. I finally settled on a metal-framed chair with armrests from Structube. Sometimes when I’m sitting, I’m only sitting on the ledge of the chair, I’m not fully sitting in it. Because of this, it sometimes makes a creaking noise when I move because my weight isn’t distributed evenly on the chair. I bought the white shag rug for the floor, but I like having it over my chair like a blanket, plus if I had put it on the floor, I think I would accidentally get makeup on it.
I’ve always loved mermaid sequined things; the ones where you can run your hand across it one way and it’s one colour and you go the opposite way and the sequins are a different colour on the underside. I got a custom-size version of a mermaid sequin pillow case (I had a 14×14 pillow, but they sell 16×16). If you want a custom one, you just need to contact the seller. The underside of the sequins aren’t silver, they’re white (in flash pictures or some angles, it appears silver, but they are definitely rose gold and white).
I specifically bought a tall bookcase to display my shoes. To put a spin on the regular shoe display, I added some foil art and clutches to add some colour and metallics since my shoes are mostly black or nude. I would’ve loved to get the Billy Bookcase, but I had to save money somewhere. The bookcase I bought was a deal at $29, but it comes with non-adjustable shelves and a backing that was folded into three so you can see the three lines (the display picture is misleading, it has a cardboard-like backing that was folded into three parts when I was taking it out of the box).
I bought Ribba picture ledges to display my nail polish. They no longer sell the Ribba ones, but they sell ones that are wider for the same price as I got mine ($9.99). I’m glad I was able to get the Ribba ones because the new ones are almost twice as wide and it would be a waste not to display a second row of nail polish bottles, but then it wouldn’t look as clean and organized unless you have a lot of the same brand of nail polish. I have a lot more nail polish than what I have on the shelves, but I displayed my OPIs because I have more of those and it gives it a more uniform look. I also decided to put my perfume on the top shelf instead of having two rows of nail polish and I added a framed piece of DIY art that I made from perfume sample cards.
I bought a countertop light for above my mirror. I attached it to an L-Shaped piece of wood that my dad made from two wood scraps. The light had several components to it:
The first three parts are required, you obviously need the light, but then you need the power cord and electronic transformer for the light to be plugged in. The remote control was extra, but I thought it was cool and also be more handy to turn the light on than having to find the cord every time I put my makeup on.
In the corner, between the wall and my desk, I have a utility cart (that I got for free from my sister- if I had bought one, I would’ve gotten white or something lighter) to hold the rest of my products: skincare, more nail polish, hair stuff. The Alex drawer holds my makeup and hair tools. I took off the wheels because with the wheels, it’s taller than my desk and I didn’t like that.
This was my original makeup setup (I don’t have any shots of it from afar). I had my makeup displayed on top of a bookcase where I sat on a stool. All I had for light was the mirror’s (my ceiling light was behind me so I would always be doing my makeup in dim lighting. My large mirror was on the adjacent wall.
The next picture is a few months into redecorating. It was after I knew the general layout of how I wanted things, but before I got a new chair, switched my desks and added the light on top. I took away the necklace hooks and I might put them on the adjacent wall, I still haven’t decided yet.
AFTER
If you’re wondering why my reflection isn’t visible, it’s because I’m kneeling down to take the picture…despite my sleeping habits, I’m not a vampire.
What does your dream makeup desk/vanity look like?
Here are five TV shows that I started watching this year. They had all aired at least one season already and were renewed for the next season before I started watching. I’ve learned my lesson with TV shows; I’ve learned to wait until a show has aired a whole season and then been renewed for the second before I start watching. Too many times have I watched a show where it gets cancelled before it finishes the storyline.
This Is Us is on hiatus and was renewed for a third season. I feel like most people are watching this show.
The Pearson family’s generational story unfolds in this emotional drama. In moments of love, joy, triumph and heartbreak, revelations emerge from parents Jack and Rebecca’s past, while triplets Kate, Randall and Kevin discover deeper meaning in their present day lives.
I used to read Archie Comics when I was younger so I was excited to see what this show would be like. It takes the characters from Archie Comics that I used to know and love, but it’s a much darker version. Archie Comics meets the CW network’s tone (most of the shows on the CW are supernatural/crime dramas, so obviously they weren’t going to make this a comedy).
The Bold Type is returning for its second season in June and already renewed for a 3rd season.
“The Bold Type” is inspired by the life of “Cosmopolitan” editor in chief, Joanna Coles. The show is a glimpse into the outrageous lives and loves of those responsible for a global women’s magazine. Their struggles are about finding your identity, managing friendships and getting your heart broken, all while wearing the perfect jeans to flatter any body type.
I binge-watched the first season the other day. It’s like a millennial version of Sex and the City that mostly takes place at work. I came across it because I was looking up Melora Hardin after she guest-starred on another TV show. I had heard of it, but didn’t know what it was about so I clicked on the show and read about it. I saw that Sam Page was in it and I’ve liked him since seeing other shows like Shark, Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl. I also love the fact that the boss lady isn’t some dragon lady like Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada. I decided to give it a try and I really like it and glad it’s been renewed for two more seasons. They just finished the first season last month which means I’ll be rewatching reruns of it until new episodes come out.
After being mistaken for younger than she really is, a single mother decides to take the chance to reboot her career and her love life as a 26-year old.
Similar to The Bold Type, this is also a show that reminds me of a millennial version of Sex and the City, especially since it was also created by Darren Star. There are some elements/situations that Darren Star has taken from Sex and the City. Although the concept sounds kind of crazy, I like the show. Unlike the Bold Type, I think that this can be geared towards both millennial and older generations. The fact that Sutton Foster’s character is a 40 something year old and Hilary’s character is in her twenties, there’s a perfect mix of the two. I watched Sex and the City when I was younger, but all of the main characters were in their 30s so it was hard to identify with them, but both Younger and The Bold Type have people around the same age as I am.
A low-level Cabinet member becomes President of the United States after a catastrophic attack kills everyone above him in the line of succession.
Rated 7.9/10 on IMDb
Stars: Kiefer Sutherland, Maggie Q, Adan Canto, Kal Penn, Italia Ricci & Natascha McElhone
I loved 24 and once I heard that Kiefer Sutherland was starring in a new show, I knew I’d probably like it. Although his character is nothing like Jack Bauer (as President, he can’t go torture some guy with lamp wires) and it’s more political than action, I still enjoy it. I also love Maggie Q and loved Nikita, although I was a little disappointed that she wasn’t kicking ass like she did in Nikita.
What shows are you into right now? Do you have any suggestions that are similar?
I decided to go away for school which was especially hard for me in my first year. I had to adjust to the transition from high school to university, living away from my parents, cooking my own meals (in first year, I had a meal plan so I didn’t have to worry about making food, but in the later years I did), doing my own laundry, and making new friends. It can be a culture shock, especially since I went from big city to a smaller city. Here are some tips and tricks for surviving university (mostly for first year, but some tips and tricks apply for later years too!).
Tip #1: Remember that university is NOT high school
In high school, I was getting A’s and I didn’t study that hard. University is not the same, I was used to not studying very hard and I got a cold hard slap in the face when I got my first major test back. I was in Business Administration in my first year and Accounting was never my strong suit in high school. First year can be a shock to some people, but you have to remember that everyone else is in the same boat as you: most of them are living away from home, a lot are paying for their own tuition (I was very lucky that my parents paid for my schooling, and I didn’t have to worry about having a part-time job).
After enduring the first year in business, I decided it wasn’t what I wanted and switched to the arts faculty. I considered math or computer sciences, but I wasn’t sure if I loved either enough to go into sciences. After a year of taking various courses from different programs, I landed on Anthropology. Most people assume that Anthropology is digging up fossils and stuff like that, but I took Sociocultural Anthropology which is more similar to sociology than archaeology. My field of study focuses on the cultural aspects of society and studies the customs, lives and relations of people. I guess you could say that I didn’t really choose to study Anthropology, rather it chose me. It wasn’t one of my initial considerations for my field of study, but I took an online course and really enjoyed it. I took a few more courses and decided to major in anthropology at the end of my second year.
Tip #2: Go to Orientation Week (O-Week)
Orientation week is a time for you to get familiar with the campus, and meet people outside of your dorm and program. Orientation week was pretty fun for me. Although the girls I made friends with didn’t attend a lot of the activities, I was always ready and dressed to go when our icebreakers came to pick us up for the day. Most of the other girls in my dorm were woken up by the banging on the doors and emerged from their rooms with sleep in their eyes. Despite the fact that the girls I made friends with didn’t participate a lot, I’m glad I went to every single activity and made friends with other people in our group. You pay for O-Week, so don’t waste the money by sleeping in or skipping the activities. I think I would’ve regretted missing out on O-Week.
Tip #3: Introduce yourself to whoever is sitting beside you
Don’t be shy: introduce yourself to people in your class at the beginning of the term. If you’re waiting for the prof to start and people are getting settled in, say hi to the person next to you. Ask them what program they’re in or what interested them in taking the course. It’s always nice to have a friend who waves at you when you walk into the classroom and saved you a seat beside them.
Make friends in your classes so that if you have to miss a class because you’re sick or something, you can still get the notes if your prof doesn’t post theirs online.
Also, in those first few weeks before Thanksgiving, everyone makes friends and then they’re off in their own little groups. So, try your hardest in first year to make friends because it’s harder making friends once people have already made connections with classmates. It was especially hard for me because I transferred programs, so not only were my classmates younger, they had friends from first year.
Tip #4: If you’re going away for school, don’t go home for the first month (also, don’t go home every weekend!)
Going away for school was hard on both me and M, but the best thing to do is not to go home until Thanksgiving (Canada) or if you live elsewhere, at least a month of living away. Not going home in the first month of school, forces you to come out of your shell (if you’re an introvert like me) and to make friends with floor mates and classmates. You will get homesick, but knowing that your floor mates and classmates are adjusting to living away from home too is a bit of a comfort. M had read that you shouldn’t let your child come home in the first month because it helps them adjust to living away and make new friends. I’m still introverted, but since first year, I think I’m a little more outgoing than I used to be. I had a few roommates in my later years that went home every weekend. The best ways to make lifelong friends is to STAY on the weekends and hang out with friends after a long week of tests, essays and/or assignments. Either go out for dinner, drinks (if you’re legal), or stay in and watch some movies or shows with your new friends.
Tip #5: Don’t be a lazy bum! Exercise!!
Get your new friends together and go to the gym or go by yourself and maybe meet some new people at classes. You’re paying for the gym in your tuition anyways, might as well burn off those calories from all that pasta and wraps. At my university, in the first week or two of the fall and winter terms, the classes were offered for free so you can see which ones you would want to sign up and attend for the rest of the term.
I had always heard about the Freshman Fifteen and never thought it would happen to me, but one of my fave pair of jeans that I had to donate tells a different story. I’m not sure exactly how much I gained in that first year, but I no longer fit into my Mavi skinny jeans in the following year. I went to the gym maybe two times in my first year and I literally lived right beside the gym, I didn’t even have to be outside for more than a minute. It also probably didn’t help that I had my own collection of snacks in my room that I would snack on while studying or watching a show. This leads me to Trick #1.
In most dorms, there isn’t a lot of storage space, there’s barely enough room for your bed and desk in some rooms. I was hoping for one of the new dorms that had a shared bathroom between two people, but I was assigned a dorm that had shared bathrooms and showers for the whole floor. There were 18 ladies on our floor (including our lovely RA); I was assigned to an all-female dorm. Although I was initially a little bummed about not getting one of those shared bathroom dorms, my room was almost twice the size as my friends who lived in the dorm with the shared bathrooms. The Sterilite carts don’t take up a lot of space and they’re pretty reasonably priced. You can use the carts for anything, I stored mine under my desk and I’ve used them to store clothes, food, and school supplies during my first year.
Tip #6: Get involved!
I regret not getting involved in school events, especially in my first year. So don’t be like me! Join a school club/association, intramural or sports team and make some new friends outside of your program. Of course, you will make friends with floor mates in your dorm and most of them will be from different programs, but venture outside of your dorm and get involved!
Tip #7: Study hard, but don’t forget to have fun!
In university, most people will make a few lifelong friends. I lost touch with a lot of people. I have them on Facebook and we’ll like each other’s pics every now and then, but I only stayed good friends with a couple people. So, don’t forget to go out and have some fun with your new friends (who may turn into your friends for life). You don’t necessarily have to go out to parties, but go out and familiarize yourself with this new city. Within the first month of university, I had eaten breakfast, lunch and dinner with multiple floor mates and classmates. I still remember my first visit to the mall with YH, the start of our friendship. Although, we both admit that it was a little awkward that first time because it was about a week after we met, but now we’ve been friends for six years and even lived together for three. These are your university/college years; find the perfect balance between studying and maintaining your grades and having fun.
Tip #8: Make sure you’re on the right track by checking requirements for your program
This might seem like common sense, but too many times, people will assume that they’re signed up for all the right courses and on the right track to graduate. Then, in their last term, they realize they missed a course or test and have to stay back another term. Requirements can change, so make sure each term, you check those pre-requisites and required courses for your program. I have to admit I was close to not taking the right courses in my last term, but once I realized that I had a missing credit, I went to talk to my program advisor. My program had gone through a lot of changes during the course of my studies, and certain requirements changed since I started. The advisors knew that a lot of students would not meet the requirements with certain courses, so they allowed other courses from other programs to be counted towards our credits. Thank goodness! Overlooking something like this is an extra expense that you or your parents don’t want to be paying for (tuition for another term, textbooks, rent if you’re away for school, etc.)
Trick #2: Buy a foam mattress pad! You will thank me later.
Sleeping on an old dorm mattress is never comfortable, so buy one of those foam mattress pads. While some may be expensive, they have reasonably priced ones at Walmart. Yes, they do smell, so you might want to air it out before using it. But, the smell of the foam is nothing compared to sleeping on a mattress that has a butt dent that’s not yours. Your body sinks into the wrong spots and you’ll get neck problems and not get a proper night’s rest. It also adds an extra layer between you and the mattress that has been used by plenty of others.
Tip #9: Start looking for an apartment in November/December!
It may seem early, but if you’re planning to move out of res after the first year, make sure you start looking for apartments in November or December! The good ones that are close to campus are rented out quickly by the older students who know to start looking early. So start as soon as you can and sign the rental agreements before March!
Tip #10: Bring your backpack or something with wheels when you go grocery shopping
Whether you’re shopping for snacks in first year or shopping for real food in your later years, make sure to bring your backpack, reusable grocery bags or a something with wheels! If you don’t have a car and you need to take the bus to the mall to get groceries like I did, you’ll be glad you brought a backpack or something with wheels. The local mall near my school didn’t set up the grocery store and the bus terminal with the university kids in mind, despite being a university town. The grocery store was on the opposite side of the mall from the bus terminal which meant we had to haul our groceries through the mall and onto the bus. If you can, go between classes in the afternoon because the bus would be packed at 3-4 when the high school kids were going home too.
I hope this helps those of you who plan to go away for school or who started school earlier this month. Just remember that everyone else is going through a similar experience as you are. If you have any questions or personal experiences you’d like to share, please comment below or go to my contact page and fill out the form. Good luck with your studies!
I hope you’re having a nice weekend and Happy Father’s Day! Yesterday, I went to Taco Fest Toronto (located at Ontario Place) with my friends. Here are my thoughts on going to food festivals and the food:
Food Festivals
First of all, I think food festivals are a nice thing to try with friends, but it’s quite expensive because you have to pay to get in ($10 for a ticket). You choose a 2-hour window when you have to enter, and you can stay as long as you want once you’re in. Once you leave, you can’t go back in. You pay for food and drink tickets once you’ve passed security and check-in. Plus, if you add the subway and streetcar rides to get there and back, that’s another $6 (if you’re using tokens, $6.50 for cash). So, you’ve already paid almost $20 just to get in the festival and to make it worth it, you buy a few strips of tickets to try at least 3 or 4 tacos and a drink. I paid $30 for 15 tickets and most of the tacos that appealed to me were obviously the tacos that were worth 3 or 4 tickets (so I got a booze popsicle, 4 tacos and a bottle of water for 15 tickets). The one good thing about food festivals is that the vendors are all in one spot so you can try them all and know which ones you would go visit their restaurant or food truck.
It was a fun experience with delicious food, but I probably wouldn’t go to another food fest. I think you could easily have a mini food fest with your friends by finding restaurants that are in close proximity and sharing a meal from several restaurants.
The Tacos
Sav
There were 24 vendors at the Taco Fest (2 popsicle/slushie drink stands, 2 dessert stands, 1 corn on the cob stand and the rest were taco vendors). Amongst the three of us, we tried 12 different vendors. The servings were pretty good (especially the Mexican Poutine, they sold out at around 5pm, I don’t know if they restocked for the evening crowd). Despite the good portions, it was still quite expensive to pay the equivalent of about $4-6 for one taco.
What I tried:
Avocado Tempura Taco from The Food Dudes
Avocado Tempura Taco from The Food Dudes – creamy poblano sauce, grilled corn salsa, pickled cabbage, hot sauce, cilantro (I asked for no hot sauce because I can’t handle too spicy. I’m sure the hot sauce gives it extra flavour, but it was delicious even without it)
Watermelon Margarita Boozy Pop from Chill Pops
Fish Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove
Fish Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove – fish, roja, creamy coleslaw, pico de gallo, and sour cream on a corn tortilla shell
Beef Short Ribs Taco from Playa Cabana
Beef Short Ribs Taco from Playa Cabana – Ontario beef shortrib braised in ancho chiles wrapped in fresh corn tortillas. Served with pico de gallo, guac and homemade crema
Carolina Fried Chicken Taco (rated #1 in 2016) from Fidel Gastro’s – Carolina BBQ sauce, corn and tomato salsa, fried chicken
I can honestly say that I would get all four tacos again. It’s hard to choose a fave but I think I liked the beef short ribs the best (I love my beef/steak). The battered fish from Buster’s Sea Cove was good, but there wasn’t a lot of toppings. The fried chicken from Fidel Gastro’s was yummy and the Avocado Tempura taco would be a good vegetarian choice.
My friends tried other things:
Bulgogi Ground Beef Taco from The Food Dudes
Bulgogi Ground Beef Taco from The Food Dudes- FD cheese sauce, kimchi spicy slaw, cilantro, mint, scallions, taro crisps
Mexican Poutine from Heirloom
Mexican Poutine from Heirloom– crispy potato, local cheese curds, pickled jalapeno, chipotle and lime aioli and cilantro
Lobster Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove
Lobster Taco from Buster’s Sea Cove – chunks of lobster claw and tail, coleslaw, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, and roja on a corn tortilla shell
Tuna Sashimi Taco from Frida Restaurant & Bar
Tuna Sashimi Taco from Frida Restaurant & Bar – fresh raw tuna, pineapple, and white cabbage with chipotle mayo
Shrimp Ceviche Taco from Little Fin
Shrimp Ceviche Taco from Little Fin – citrus-y Wild Northern Pink Shrimp, avocado, tomato, and srirach a-lime aioli
Banh Mi Chorizo Taco from Los Vietnamita
Banh Mi Chorizo Taco from Los Vietnamita – spicy chorizo sausage sauteed with green peas and spices, served in a soft flaky taco shell layered with lettuce, cucumbers, scallion verde, pico de gallo, and pickled carrots and daikon- spiked in-between with our famous ancho chipotle sauce
Pollo (Chicken) Taco from Taco.TO (not pictured, forgot to take a pic)-homemade corn tortilla filled with shredded chicken topped with fresh vegetables, salsa and homemade taco sauce. Garnish: cilantro and lim
Yummy Mango Lassi from Kathi Roll Express- mango and yogurt smoothie
Mango Lime Ice Pop from The Pop Stand
Both of my friends liked the lobster roll and would get it again. A favourite was the Bulgogi Ground Beef Taco from The Food Dudes. Both of them have gone to a few food fests: Brunch Fest and Mac & Cheese Fest. They both liked the taco fest.
We didn’t get any of the desserts (they had funnel cake and ice cream) or corn on the cob because you can get those at any fair .
Where do you get your tacos and what are your faves?
I bought two skirts from Amazon.ca and it wasn’t a disaster! I’m not talking about the brand name clothes like Adrianna Papell or Calvin Klein on Amazon, I bought two skirts that were shipped from Asia. To my surprise, both were well made and looked exactly like the pictures.
Buying clothes from any store online is a gamble because you may not know what size you are. Even though there is a sizing chart to help you figure out what size you are, you could be between sizes or the measurements are off. I’ve ordered several pairs of ankle pants from different stores, but none of the pants have fit nicely and I had to return them to the stores. Luckily, I chose stores that I can easily return the pants: Old Navy, Hudson’s Bay and Abercrombie & Fitch. Unless you know exactly what size you are, it’s best to try them on in-store first if you plan to buy them online (if anyone else is a sucker for ebates, like me, you know that you can get some cash back if you order online and now they offer in-store ebates too…yay!).
For both skirts I ordered on Amazon.ca, I wish they came in an XS because I think that would fit me better, but given the dimensions in the size chart, I knew they might be a bit big. They both fit at my hips, but based on the pictures for both skirts, they’re supposed to sit a little higher. I wanted to find a midi pleated skirt, but didn’t have any luck with finding one that I liked or was the price I was willing to pay. So, I bought a ponte midi full skater skirt by Star Vixen in black, size small and a flowy maxi skirt with a side slit by Urban CoCo in black, also size small. They no longer offer the Urban CoCo skirt I got in black, but they still have red and some sizes in a teal colour that they call blue. Both skirts were about $40 with tax. I liked that the Star Vixen skirt had free returns because I wasn’t sure if it would be too hippy, but it turned out fine.
The Star Vixen skirt is very thick and made in USA. Even though the description says its ponte, I wasn’t sure if it would be exactly as described. Ponte knit is a thicker fabric than jersey. This skirt will be great for fall, paired with some pointed toe pumps, I personally love the look of the skirt with my blue pumps by Louise et Cie.
I was expecting the flowy skirt to be a chiffon-looking material, but it has a bit of a sheen to it, which I think makes it more of a night-time, party skirt than a typical maxi skirt that you could wear everyday or to a daytime party. I have an H&M maxi skirt with side slits on both sides that would work at a party because it’s chiffon. The flowy maxi skirt is very long, and since it should go higher up, I adjusted it by folding the waist at the back and sewing together. There’s a part that overlaps now and sort of creates a pleat at the top, but since the skirt is so flowy, you can’t tell it’s been altered unless you look really closely. The zipper is a bit harder to zip up now since there’s more material near it, but I didn’t want to pay to get the skirt taken in or have the length altered professionally. Before I altered it, the skirt would stop just above my hips, but since the material is so thin, the waist wouldn’t lie flat against my body. I think the zipper is almost too heavy for the material, so the part of the skirt with the zipper would sort of stick out.
Both skirts would look good with a Portofino shirt from Express, or any button up shirt that’s a chiffon material or a loose-fitting tank that can create a blouson dress look (where the dress has an elastic waist or belt and then the material above hangs over the waist).
This is my experience specifically with SPINCO, if you want to know about what to expect, wear and/or bring to your first spin class, read my other blog post: Things to Know Before Your First Spin Class.
I am definitely not an expert on spin class (barely even a novice) and if you’re planning on trying out spin classes, I would definitely recommend it, if you live in a city where they have it, try Spin Co. I found it useful to read about other people’s experiences and tips/tricks on what to expect before attending your first spin class.
I went to spin class for two weeks with my friends and I actually enjoyed it. We went with SPINCO because they have a New Rider Special- $50 CAD for two weeks unlimited. Yesterday was our last class, and here was my experience trying spin class:
SPINCO promotes the idea of ONE TEAM, ONE BIKE. You move together with the music. Working out in a group definitely motivates you to work harder. If you’re someone who doesn’t work out a lot, like me, it’s hard to push yourself when you’re working out at home by yourself. In spin class, everyone is pushing themselves to work their hardest which makes you do your best too.
They have a website and an app (Apple and Android) where you can register and sign up for classes on your phone. You sign up for a class and reserve a bike, so if you go with friends, you can sit together! SPINCO turns down the light once you get started. So, if you’re a bit shy working out in a group or it’s your first time, SPINCO is definitely a good option. I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable working out under bright lights or in a glass room.
SPINCO provides towel service, cycling shoes, lockers (these have locks on them, so you don’t need to bring one), and they have showers as well. They have two showers in the women’s bathroom, and I would assume two in the men’s as well.
For those who are unfamiliar (like I was when I was first researching spin classes), cycling shoes are special shoes that have cleats so that you can lock into your bike to secure your feet to the pedals and allows for a more efficient movement as you pedal. It also reduces strain and foot discomfort, as well as improving stability.
I went for a total of 7 days in our unlimited two week span. We went to five different instructors classes. I didn’t have a favourite, but obviously they all had different styles and music. When you’re starting out, I would suggest attending a mix of night and morning classes on different days to see which you like best. As a night owl, I preferred the night classes. Also, it will help you figure out which instructor you like best; some focus more on endurance and the climb, while others focus on the pumps and dips.
After our last class, we rewarded ourselves by going to get Poke Bowls for dinner. At one point, our instructor said to focus on something to work towards; we were all focusing on our Poke Bowls.
Friend’s experience from spin class: I would definitely do it again. It was fun that each instructor was so different. I liked a mix of morning and night classes but it was hard getting motivated right after work for the 5:30 class.
Friend’s experience from spin class: I only have positive experiences at spin class. I would definitely go back; I’m just deciding which pass I want to get. I always felt good after leaving class and even if I was really tired when we got there, I left class with more energy than I went in.
My experience from spin class: It was a really great experience to do with my friends. You feel closer to your friends trying something new together. Back in high school, we would walk to school together and eat lunch together every day and during university, with all of us in different cities, we only got together every few months. Even after university when we were all in the same city again, we would continue to only get together every other month or so, because of work and such. It almost felt like high school again, seeing each other so often. I’m not sure if I would have ever tried spin class on my own. But seeing my friends, cycling at my side, made me feel more comfortable. It’s intimidating seeing the people in front of you, who keep up with the beat and the instructor’s pace. All the other people in the room, you don’t know who’s a regular spinner or who’s a first-time or second-time spinner. So, knowing that your friends are the same exercise level as you, it’s less intimidating. You still try your hardest, but you might not be cycling as fast as the person in front of you.
I was expecting my thighs and calves to hurt after each class, but to my surprise, my arms and shoulders were in the most pain the next day, I guess because I walk to places a lot, and I don’t do any weights so the most my arms and shoulders usually do are carrying my purse.
I do feel like my legs have gotten stronger, I should’ve measured them before we started, but I definitely feel like my thighs and arms have gotten stronger, and possibly my core. I think spin class is a great way to get you motivated to start exercising. I’m going to do my best to continue exercising regularly with weights and the elliptical that I have at home. Given that spin classes are quite expensive, I don’t think I will continue at this time, especially since I have an elliptical. But I would definitely continue spin classes if they were more affordable, maybe we’ll try a new place with a beginner package.
I tried spin classes this month for a two week period with my friends. We went for a total of 7 days. Everyone’s experience with spin class is different: some people hate it, some people love it and there are people like me who will give anything a try once (within reason). If you’re anything like me, you will read a few articles and posts about what to expect, what to wear and bring to your first class.
As someone who hasn’t regularly exercised in the past, I actually enjoyed it. I had a positive experience with spin classes and I don’t know if it was mostly due to the instructors or I just enjoyed the camaraderie with my friends and the rest of the class. When KN and BM asked if I wanted to try spin class with them, my first thought was, “OMG, I’m going to die!” Then I found out that classes are 50 minutes long…cue panic mode and thoughts like “I can’t cycle for that long!” “I haven’t exercised in over a year!” “I’m going to fall off the bike…what if I pass out?!” After that initial thought process, I agreed and said I’d try it with them. We went to Spin Co, read about my experience with them here!
Below are some things that I think are useful to know before your first spin class:
What to Expect/How to Prepare:
Arrive early
you’re expected to arrive 15 minutes early so that you can sign in, get your shoes and do whatever you have to do before spin class starts
Bring a positive attitude and do your best
You don’t have to cycle as fast as the instructor or the person next to you
try your hardest, but know your limits
don’t push yourself too hard if it’s your first time, you don’t want to pass out!
you don’t have to turn that resistance knob all the way, just do half turns until you’re ready for more
if you can’t get out of the saddle each time or do everything the instructor does, then just spin (before my first class, I considered it would be a victory if I just kept my legs moving the whole time. To my surprise, I was able to do everything the instructor did. I wasn’t as fast obviously, but I was proud of myself for pushing myself)
Prepare for an intense full-body workout!
One thing I didn’t expect was how much we’d work on the upper body (I know it says full body workout, but I wasn’t expecting how much)
you do pumps, dips, work the core by moving your hips back by hovering over the saddle
you also do weights at the halfway point (while still cycling)
Don’t base your experience after going just once
go at least twice to see if you like or hate it
What to bring:
Water, water, water!
I would suggest a water bottle that has a spout like this CamelBak one so that you don’t spill
Towel (unless they provide towel service)
Granola bar, trail mix, protein bar for after
combination lock (just in case)
What to Wear:
Leggings or bike/athletic shorts
don’t wear any flared athletic pants, you might get caught as you cycle
Sports bra
Athletic top or t-shirt that’s breathable
don’t wear anything too long or loose (the longest shirt I wore was something that just covered my butt)
athletic socks
hair ties/hair band or clips
If you plan to go to spin class regularly, it’s worth investing in at least one sports bra and a pair of leggings from a better quality brand because they obviously wick moisture much better than cheaper brands.
Make sure you aren’t holding your breath. Focus on breathing normally.
I’m not going to lie; it’s been a while since I’ve exercised, so I think it was a bit of shock to my system when I went to the first class. I also realized I was breathing weirdly. Usually I breathe through my nose, but for some reason I was breathing through my mouth and it made my throat feel dry and also my ears popped. I looked it up and it said your ears can pop if you’re holding your breath. I didn’t think I was holding my breath, but I guess I was. On the way home after the first class, it was hard to talk because it sounded muffled. The second time we went, I focused on breathing through my nose and made sure I wasn’t holding my breath, and my ears didn’t pop.
Don’t wear makeup!
I don’t usually leave the house without putting makeup on. I don’t always have a full face of makeup, but I at least wear powder or bb cream. I always have makeup on to cover up redness from acne. This is the first time in a long time where my skin has been clear enough for me to go out in public with a bare face. I read about wearing makeup to workout and it said whatever you do, don’t wear foundation! Wearing makeup while working out is bad for your skin because the foundation or powder risks blocking the pores and your skin needs to be able to breath while you sweat. Your pores enlarge when you sweat which means your makeup will absorb into your skin which increases the likelihood of a breakout. Only wear makeup if you absolutely have to, and keep it to a minimum. Remember, you’re there to make yourself feel better, not to impress others. I know most girls aren’t wearing makeup to impress others, you’re wearing it to improve your own confidence and feel better, but it doesn’t do you any favours to wear makeup during a sweaty workout and then breakout because of it.
I realized that I wrote multiple posts on what I wore to my sister’s wedding, but I forgot to tell you what my parents wore to the wedding and what we got for my grandma for the reception.
We already knew which styles my mom liked because of Pinterest. Last summer, we started looking around in stores and my mom tried on some dresses. We narrowed it down to the exact style that she likes. We realized that sequins were too much for her, but lace is too plain…so we went with a morph of the two: lace with some beading. She tried on Tadashi Shoji dresses, but she didn’t like the style on her. So, we ended up with two dresses by Adrianna Papell.
I ordered them from Nordstrom online which was a bit of a gamble but we bought one dress in her regular size and the other we ordered a size up in petite (that’s all they had in stock). Adrianna Papell dresses are beautiful for bridesmaids and mothers of the bride/groom.
I think Adrianna Papell will be my mom’s go-to designer for whenever she needs a nice dress. She also got a blue lace shift dress by Adrianna Papell that she wore to the wedding shower in October. They are affordable and have a bit of sparkle. She ended up wearing the one on the right to both the wedding in Mauritius and the reception in Toronto. The one on the left was the one that we ordered a size larger, but in a petite and my mom felt it was a bit too short because it ended a bit higher up than the other one.
For shoes, she got a pair of Nine West Austin pumps in Gunmetal. These are interesting because depending on the lighting, they look gold or silver or a mix of both (as you can see on the left and right, these are the same colour, but the lighting has changed its appearance).
For my dad’s suit, we knew we were going to get a navy blue suit (contemporary fit) because my soon-to-be brother-in-law was wearing a dark gray suit and my dad didn’t want to match. My dad tried on several suits: Canali, Hugo Boss, Harry Rosen’s brand, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, etc. He ended up with a dark blue one from Harry Rosen by Z Zegna (I think it’s this one). He wore it with a plain white button up shirt and a blue chevron tie. There was some deal at Harry Rosen (spend a certain amount and get an accessory $100 off or something so the tie was basically free). He wore his classic Florsheim leather wingtips in Black (which I believe are older than me). I don’t really think there’s a need to post pics for these because suits are kind of all the same and they don’t even sell the Florsheim shoes anymore. The reason I post pics of M’s dresses are to help Mothers of the Bride/Groom who are in search of an outfit.
For my grandma, we knew what style she wanted: flowy skirt, not too fitted with beading…lots of beading. My grandma loves her bling. So, I ordered her two dresses from Nordstrom as well. Two embellished gowns by Pisarro Nights.
She liked the black one better and returned the blue one because it didn’t fit quite right (otherwise, she probably would’ve kept it for the next grandchild’s wedding). I don’t know what shoes she wore, but they were black pointed toe kitten heels. On IG, after Christmas, I posted a pic of a jacket (see below) that we got grandma from Mendocino that’s black and beaded. She wore it ON TOP of her black and beaded dress when she got cold. Coincidentally, they matched even though they are different brands (the jacket is by Velvet, you can see a full-length view: here). We also had to order one dress in regular size and another in petite (but one size up). The smaller size didn’t quite fit, but the petite one that was one size up fit perfectly.
When ordering dresses online, you need to remember that the Petite sizes aren’t just shorter, but the measurements for the bust/waist/hips are smaller as well (even when ordering a size up). For example, a 4 Petite still has slightly smaller measurements than a 2 Regular. See the table below:
2 Petite
2 Regular
4 Petite
Bust
32.25″
33.5″
33.25″
Waist
25″
26″
26″
Hips
33.75″
35.5″
34.75″
My mom and grandma seem to be quite lucky when ordering online. I haven’t been so lucky, it’s either a hit or a miss. Recently, I’ve had to return several pairs of pants because they didn’t fit quite right.
I thought I would share a list of travel essentials to pack in your carry-on for long flights. Since I haven’t travelled a whole lot, I searched what other people suggested to pack in their carry-ons and most of the items were things I usually carry in my purse every day. For my carry-on, I bought a mini backpack from Forever21. I would suggest getting a backpack that has a zipper closure so that when it’s underneath the seat, the flap doesn’t accidentally open and nothing falls out. If you prefer RFID blocking bags and anti-theft bags, Travelon sells bags that don’t look old ladyish (like some anti-theft bags out there). Both M and C have a Travelon crossbody bag and I just recently purchased a small one as well.
earphones (even though they may provide earphones, those obviously aren’t the best quality and they tend to fall out of my ears)
facial wipes (and maybe feminine wipes depending on how long you’re travelling)
black/blue pen (for filling out those landing cards!)
Tylenol or Advil
Gravol
nail file (emery boards can be bought in packs and won’t get confiscated like metal nail files)
phone charger and a travel adapter
travel pillow
cozy blanket scarf!! I bought mine from Old Navy and I would’ve preferred it to be thicker for the plane. Luckily, on British Airways, they supplied blankets for all four flights we took to get to Mauritius (we chose layovers in London instead of Paris). If you don’t want to use the free ones that the airlines provide or pay to use one, a blanket scarf will keep you super cozy.
I made the mistake of buying a white and black one and then I wore all black on the plane. My pants, sweater and my hair was covered in white fluff by the end of the flight!
And obviously, don’t forget your passport and boarding pass!!
Silver Bar Necklace
Rose Gold Signature Engravable Bangle
Delicate Gold Personalized Wishing Bracelet
I was expecting the flowy skirt to be a chiffon-looking material, but it has a bit of a sheen to it, which I think makes it more of a night-time, party skirt than a typical maxi skirt that you could wear everyday or to a daytime party. I have an H&M maxi skirt with side slits on both sides that would work at a party because it’s chiffon. The flowy maxi skirt is very long, and since it should go higher up, I adjusted it by folding the waist at the back and sewing together. There’s a part that overlaps now and sort of creates a pleat at the top, but since the skirt is so flowy, you can’t tell it’s been altered unless you look really closely. The zipper is a bit harder to zip up now since there’s more material near it, but I didn’t want to pay to get the skirt taken in or have the length altered professionally. Before I altered it, the skirt would stop just above my hips, but since the material is so thin, the waist wouldn’t lie flat against my body. I think the zipper is almost too heavy for the material, so the part of the skirt with the zipper would sort of stick out.
SPINCO promotes the idea of ONE TEAM, ONE BIKE. You move together with the music. Working out in a group definitely motivates you to work harder. If you’re someone who doesn’t work out a lot, like me, it’s hard to push yourself when you’re working out at home by yourself. In spin class, everyone is pushing themselves to work their hardest which makes you do your best too.
I ordered them from Nordstrom online which was a bit of a gamble but we bought one dress in her regular size and the other we ordered a size up in petite (that’s all they had in stock). Adrianna Papell dresses are beautiful for bridesmaids and mothers of the bride/groom. 
For my grandma, we knew what style she wanted: flowy skirt, not too fitted with beading…lots of beading. My grandma loves her bling. So, I ordered her two dresses from Nordstrom as well. Two embellished gowns by Pisarro Nights.
When ordering dresses online, you need to remember that the Petite sizes aren’t just shorter, but the measurements for the bust/waist/hips are smaller as well (even when ordering a size up). For example, a 4 Petite still has slightly smaller measurements than a 2 Regular. See the table below:
