Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort

I just got back from my amazing honeymoon, and I will have lots to share about that on the blog soon, but today I wanted to get started on sharing all about my perfect Disney bachelorette! Now, I know I am a bit late on this, but I had no idea just how crazy the month leading up to the wedding would be, with a shower, lost luggage (more on that soon), packing for the honeymoon, and oh yeah, the whole getting married thing. And because I like to really fill up my plate, the day after I returned home from Disney, I started my dream job. Talk about a whirlwind!

Our Weekend Getaway at Viamede

Earlier this summer my fiancé and I had the chance to escape the city for a weekend and enjoy some time in the beautiful Kawarthas. Viamede Resort is nestled on the shores of Stoney Lake, not too far from Peterborough.

2 Days In Nice (+Monaco!) | Nice, France

This summer my boyfriend and I went on an epic Europe trip. And while the whole trip was amazing, there was something about Nice that stole my heart. I wanted to take some time to share with you some of what we did while we were away and share some tips about what to do and how to save money.

Barcelona City Guide | Barcelona in 3 Days

I recently got back from probably the best vacation I will ever get to go on in my life. I had the chance to visit so many cities that I had always dreamed of visiting, and one of those places was Barcelona! I've felt a desire to go there for the last few years. Something about tapas, the beach, and warm sunny weather just really pulled me in.

A Beautiful Afternoon In Covent Garden | Sassoon & Charlotte Tilbury

There are some neighbourhoods across the world that are so iconic that you just know them. You just know that they are perfection. You just know that when you're in town you simply must stop by. SoHo in New York, Beverly Hills in LA, and Covent Garden in London. While I was somewhat aware of Covent Garden for a while, it became a must see spot when I learned that Charlotte Tilbury has has flagship store there.

The Jay Hotel by Happy Culture | Nice, France

My needs when it comes to a hotel are pretty basic. Clean, comfortable bed. Easy enough to check in and out of. Honestly I am in town to experience what the city has to offer, not to stay in my room. That being said... when the room is really comfortable, leaving it can be kind of hard. Keep reading to learn about my experience at the Hotel Jay in Nice, France.

Hotel Primero Primera | Barcelona, Spain

Have you ever stayed in a hotel that you have just never wanted to leave? Somewhere so comfortable, welcoming, and just plain nice, that you would love to stay just a few days longer? Welcome to Primero Primera in Barcelona!

The Vaughan Mills Shopping Shuttle Is Back!

    

Last week I was invited to be on Vaughan Mills first shopping shuttle of the season! For those of us in Toronto we all know that Vaughan Mills is a shopping destination full of great deals. But we also know that it can be a hike to get there... especially without a car! Enter: The Vaughan Mills Shopping Shuttle.

Bite Lip Lab Toronto | Review & Tips To Make Your Trip A Success

A few months ago my friend Courtney and I went to the Bite Lip Lab in Toronto to design our own custom lipsticks! Today I wanted to share with you a quick run down of our experience and to share some tips with you on how to make your trip a success!

Toronto...For Beauty Lovers

Recently one of my friends from Ottawa (hi Sabrina! I know you're reading this!) reached out to my for recommendations of things to do in Toronto for beauty lovers. Based in Ottawa, she is in Toronto for work but is trying to carve out some time to explore the city between meetings. Add to that the fact that Generation Beauty is quickly approaching, and I know we will have lots of ladies (and gentlemen!) in town, looking for their beauty fix. Keep reading to see my suggestions!

High Tea | Toronto's King Edward Hotel

So back in March I went to high tea with my cousin's wife. And it is now mid-May... but anyways high tea is a tradition and I doubt that the tradition has changed much in the last month and a bit. Just goes to show how far behind I fell because of moving (note to self: don't move again for a long while). So with that being said, today I will be sharing a bit about my high tea experience at one of Toronto's most popular locations!

I first went for high tea at the Guildwood Tea Room which was right next to my old high school. Sadly they closed recently, but they inspired in me a love for scones that I did not know was possible. 

At the King Edward Hotel (or King Eddy as it is known around here) we were presented with quite the tea selection. I went with a tropical green tea while my partner in crime opted for a delicate jasmine tea. 

Our first cup of tea was poured for us by our server. I found the service to be quite attentive and of course the decor was stunning.

Now... for the treats

I really dislike egg salad and any form of fish. I let our server know and he swapped those out for chicken salad and cucumber sandwiches, which was much appreciated. Once those were done we enjoyed some scones with Devonshire cream and jam. Once our scones were done it was on to dessert. Of course the mint chocolate macaron was delightful, but I loved the tart the most. 

Vicky being classy

Tea and yummy things

We enjoyed taking the time to eat, sip our tea and chat. While I think that any high tea would be lovely, I think the real difference maker is the company you have with you!

If you are interested in booking a tea reservation you can learn more here. It costs $49 (ish) per person.

Writing this post has me all excited for July when I will be going for tea at Fortnum & Mason in London. I never thought my boyfriend would be a high tea guy, but I think he is looking forward to doing something classy & British while in London. I am so excited to share some travel diaries with you soon!

If you are travelling to Toronto and are looking for something girly and relaxing I hope you will check out the King Eddy. And as always if you need ideas of things to do in Toronto, leave a comment.

xoxo

I paid for this service with my own money. 

My 10 Dream Destinations

Ever since my first trip to Europe, I have suffered (enjoyed?) a sever case of wanderlust. Simply put, I was hooked on travel. I would go so far to say that I would be happy to go anywhere given the opportunity for it to be free or highly subsidised other than say, a war zone.

Why We Keep Going Back To Iberostar Varadero

Three years ago my family took our first beachy, all inclusive vacation to Varadero, Cuba. My dad worked with our travel agent and he was confident that he had found the best hotel for our family's needs and was excited to go. Me? I was just looking forward to escaping escaping Canadian winter. Well, we had a great trip. The staff were warm and welcoming, the weather warm and sunny, and the beach flawless and safe. Since then we have returned twice. Curious about what keeps bringing us back to Iberostar Varadero? Keep reading!

Books I Read While On Vacation | Inspired By Netflix

One of my favourite things to do while on my annual vacation to Varadero is to read. I find that in my every day life I just don't have enough time to delve deep into a book, and I wish that was not the case (more on that in an upcoming post). Keep reading (ha...ha...ha) to see what I read in Cuba.

My Trip To Seaworld*

Last month I had the opportunity to cross something off my bucket list: travelling to California. What started as adding on a few days in LA, staying with a friend before going to Vancouver for work somehow snowballed into LA, San Diego, San Francisco and then Vancouver and then home!  I am planning on doing a little post about my trip, but while I was away a few different attractions were kind enough to offer me tickets to some attractions in exchange for review.  First up I wanted to share a bit with you about my trip to Sea World (which I called Marine Land half of the time...clearly I am from Ontario!)

How I Get Through Long Flights

I love travel about as much as I love beauty, the difference is that I can afford to spontaneously buy a higher end lipstick on my lunch break.  I'm not quite at the point that I can do that with a trans-Atlantic flight (one day... #goals). While I've flown a fair bit over the last few years, I have yet to perfect packing light.  Thankfully, I have perfected just about every other aspect of achieving maximum comfort while soaring through the clouds.

I'm Back! | My Trip To California

Hey everybody!  I'm back! This morning at 6:50 AM I landed at Pearson airport in Toronto, went home, and went straight to sleep.  I've got lots of posts to catch up on, and will be doing some more in depth posts on my recent trip to California, including some travel related posts, my Colourpop haul and probably some of the packing mistakes I made.  In the mean time I just wanted to share some of my favourite photos I took, and tell you a bit about what I did!

Travel Photo Diaries | Photos from Cuba II

Last New Years my family went to Cuba.  You can see photos from my trip here. Well, we had such a great time that we came back, and that we decided to go again next year!  My parents were kind enough to let me bring my boyfriend, and we have all decided that next year his family will come too, making it one massive double family vacation!  You know your relationship is getting serious when...but really I think this will be wonderful.  Our families get along well, and have lots in common.  April will be our 3rd anniversary, and It think it is good for our families to get better acquainted.

Vacation Empties

I had an idea when I saw how many products I finished in Cuba that I would bring each empty home and include it in some mega post that I will eventually finish. But then I realised that literally bringing garbage home from my vacation wasn't the best idea. Also writing an "Empties" post with only six items is totally manageable. Keep reading to find out what products were great to have on hand in Cuba, and what exactly I managed to finish off.

Celebrating Canadian Beauty (brands & nature)

Happy Canada Day!  Happy 148th Birthday Canada! Today Canadians from Coast to Coast to Coast will take the day off and celebrate all the things that make Canada the amazing country that it is.  Officially, we celebrate the the anniversary of the enactment of the British North America Act (or for those who passed grade 10 history, the BNA Act, 1867).  However, to me, the day is all about celebrating contributions to Canada's success, Canada's diversity, and Canada's strength.  While not on the same levels as the introduction of universal healthcare, joining NAFTA, or building a railroad to connect the country, today I wanted to celebrate some of my favourite Canadian beauty brands and lifestyle stores.  The founders of these companies created Canadian jobs, and give us Canadian beauty addicts something to celebrate when talking to our friends in the States and Europe.  To celebrate the other side of Canadian beauty, at the end of this post I have included some photos of my favourite places I have been in Canada!