RAMBLE // THE NEW AGE

I was the first kid at my elementary school to get a cellphone. It was a little red Samsung flip phone. I was tech savvy, I was "in with it", I was the cool kid with the new stuff and everyone was jealous (or so my little brain assumed). I was the one who used to have the cool red and blue customized blackberry pager (seen left in black) too, so this was a pretty big deal to me and my friends. From then on I made sure to keep up with the trends of phones, I had the luxury of having my mom work for Blackberry which meant I got these phones for free and since I was young - I was reckless and unaware of value no matter how many times my parents told me. Anyways, the point was that I was a relatively spoiled child when it came to the phone game. I was using the Blackberry Z30 up until now. It was the last phone they made before going Android, so I was still outside the circle of updated technology. Everyone had their Galaxy or iPhone by that point. With their snapchat and Instagram. I could only get some of those apps and only by downloading via APK file and installing manually to my phone. Then, I broke it. Like I did all the previous ones. The Z30 fell victim to my need to listen to music in the bathtub, I dropped it. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved that phone.

So for almost a year now, I have been using a very old blackberry bold. This phone is also a demo phone, meaning it's missing a lot of key things the final model had. Such as sending picture messages or any apps beyond those horribly working Facebook and twitter apps. YouTube app is not a thing. The camera is very LQ so I have no purpose for it except for pictures for myself.
Essentially this has become a very bare bones phone that I use for phone calls and the occasional text message.

I have never used a smartphone.
I've played around on my friends when they let me, or at a party, but all in all. I can personally tell you that I have trouble using an iPhone.

Years of focusing on being the one with the coolest phone and here I am - leagues behind and out of the loop.

Until tonight. I will be getting the iPhone 6s.

So while I sit at work impatiently waiting for 6PM so I can go and buy my smartphone I started reflecting on the fact that my world is going to change fairly significantly.

Why? It's just a phone right?

Well since I work primarily in media and I'm working on making that my sole focus I need a smartphone just to stay relevant and a part of the ever growing industry. It's going to provide me with a lot more opportunities to be active in that demographic and seriously just having an amazing phone camera and 4K video was enough to make me swoon.

Not having a smartphone on you at all times is a culture shock when you are first without. You feel disconnected and isolated but eventually that wears away. I actually hate using my phone unless it's important and that changed my perspective on life a lot. I started becoming more aware of the addiction other people have to their phones. It started to feel liberated not being sucked into that world and I plan to keep that mentality going into this new phone.

I recently went to my friend's cottage and there is no cell reception there. Something we've grown up accustomed to. Her friends? Not so much. I heard the word "reception" in those 48 hours more than I have collectively in 5 years. The withdrawal was too real.

I'm ready to get my smartphone but I'm always going to be reminding myself to put it away and stay connected with the world around me a lesson I'm glad I had the opportunity to learn. So just because I get an iphone - don't expect me to answer any quicker. I'm just trilled to join the new age.


Thank for reading my ramble!

Sunday Funday #8

It is so hot out today I've been using all my will-power not to buy an ice cream cone since I had one yesterday. I'm spending the day running errands and creating content! I've already done my laundry and bought myself these beautiful flowers. I hope you've had a wonderful weekend!

INSPIRATIONAL |   I was at a friend's place the other day and she had a lemon tree in her kitchen. I was so jealous because I've watched one for ages but then I got some inspiration! Why don't I just try to grow my own fruit? I decided on growing my own kiwi's. Wish me luck!

ANIMAL |   Technology is seriously amazing! They have now printed the worlds first ever 3D printed Tortoise shell. Completely warms your heart.

FOOD |   Since I already loaded you guys up on asparagus - here's a dessert. Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake.

TUTORIAL |  I've always for the most part been drawn to watercolours. So I'm borrowing a friend's paints and I'm going to learn how to paint a basic watercolour leaf.

FASHION |  I am absolutely loving the velvet trend for this year. I just ordered a black velvet bomber jacket too.

BEAUTY |  I am obsessing over Bunnie's new collaboration palette with Tarte - The Swap Queen!

MUSIC |  MGMT - Electric Feel a great tune for a beautiful sunday like today!

BLOG POST |  I am completely in love with this house's massive succulent wall!

ANIME |  Tokyo Ghoul is my choice this week. I'm not going to say much besides that it's a very dark anime. Here's an english dubbed trailer for your interest.

DIY |  This seems like something I could make with only dollar store supplies so I'm game. DIY Shower Curtain. 

IT'S ASPARAGUS SEASON!

'Tis the season! 

 Asparagus Season!!! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Asparagus season in Ontario is roughly the beginning of May to mid-July, so it's really the best and cheapest time of the year to gorge yourself on the stuff. I'll be stocking up tomorrow at the farmer's market. I thought since I'll be searching all these recipes anyways, I might as well share with everyone the ones I've tried, the ones I want to try and the ones I want to make again!  There are some things that asparagus goes so well with - butter, Parmesan, lemon! The list goes on! You'll notice the trends through these recipes too.

HAVE TRIED:

CRISPY ASPARAGUS SPEARS

These are one of my favourites because I always have Parmesan and breadcrumbs. They were tricky to make at first but it's well worth it. I didn't make the aioli sauce she made (I just dipped in salad dressing) but I think I'm going to this time around, probably adds a really good zest! 

BAKED EGGS WITH ASPARAGUS AND PARMESAN

One of the reasons I'm a morning person is because I like to take some extra time to create myself a bangin' breakfast. Because if children's shows taught me anything growing up it was that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I've made this one a couple times because my mom gave me this cute little ceramic baking dish perfect for making single servings of this deliciousness. I always eat it with some bread - more grains the better. 

ASPARAGUS FRIES

Like I said, asparagus and Parmesan - once again. A perfect pairing. These were so much easier to make than the asparagus spears and are pretty good for a quick dinner or if you want to impress your friends and have them think you're this crazy amazing chef when you're really just an asparagus lover and cooking n00b.

WANT TO TRY:

GARLIC BUTTER ASPARAGUS PASTA

So apologies ahead of time that I'm sending to you to a website with an overwhelming amount of ads and pop-ups, but I've tried some of this lady's recipes before and they were killer so I have high hopes for this. It's only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes. Such a good meal prep dish! I can't wait to try it.

CAESAR GRILLED ASPARAGUS

The title was enough to make me want this. The pictures made my tummy grumble. I will be trying this one first most likely. Tonight probably. While I'm not going to make my own croutons and probably not even going to make my own ceasar either, I'm still excited to try the concept! 

ASPARAGUS SOBA-NOODLE SALAD

I love me some soba noodles, and the miso-roasted asparagus sounded like something I wanted to eat. Eager to give this one a try but I have a strong feeling that I'm going to make it wrong. btw, thekitchn is one of the best sites ever - so is the sister site, I'm on them both daily. 

BONUS:

ASPARAGUS RIBBON SALAD

Got a lot of fancy and amazing cooks in your family like I do? Are you always the person bringing the buns or the wine like I am? I've made this one before and it makes you look very fancy-shamncy. Little did everyone know it's incredibly easy to make! It's nothing special but it's still yummy. 

disclaimer: all banner style images in this are not my photos - they are the photos from the recipes. 

SUNDAY FUNDAY #7

It's a long weekend here in Canada, so this is not-so-techincally Sunday for me. Sorry my international friends for the late post, but dear Canadians I hope you have a really fun monday!  I went up to a cottage with some friends and we had an amazing time. I was going to film my Arm The Animals lookbook but like the air-head that I am, I rememberd everything (including my glide-cam and tripod, and charger, extra SD cards and my reflector) except my actual camera!! Such a beautiful location so I really screwed myself out of an amazing opportunity, so it might be a little longer than expected for the ATA post, but I want it to be perfect. Although I do not mind the major disconnect, it's always amazing to just live your life freely!

INSPIRATIONAL |   No clickable this time. I was recently inspired while watching Grace & Frankie on Netflix (I highly recommended it btw) and Frankie said "You should vlog. You say the things you need to hear." So I tried it out, and I actually really believe that it does help you. Not a public vlog, just one all for yourself. It clears your mind and who better to talk to you - than you? If you're having some issues, try vlogging to yourself. Then rewatch it, and save it for later if you gave yourself good advice!

ANIMAL |   Didn't get a chance this weekend to read through the animal news, but I did watch this video of an otter eating lettuce for about 10 minutes.

FOOD |   Not a clickable this week. This is straight from my mouth. Asparagus + Butter + Pesto. We ate this this weekend and it was the most glorious mouthwatering asparagus I've ever eaten! Just get yourself a glob of pesto, a chunk of butter and fry your asparagus in them. You'll never want asparagus any other way after this. The girls and I gobbled these up like nobody's business.

TUTORIAL |  Simply because I'm obsessed with food that looks like flowers. Here's how to make cucumbers into roses.

FASHION |  White sneakers are a must have in my capsule wardrobe, although I'm working on buying a new pair because my old ones haven't been white since I made the horrible mistake of wearing them to a beach foam party last summer. But I'll be back at it again with the white vans this summer. Here's 10 Ways to Style White Sneakers. 

BEAUTY |  I think the best consistent summer trend over the years has been on nude nails. I'm getting mine done soon and I'm for sure opting to get a nude colour done.

MUSIC |  An always groovy classic and a great song for a beautiful weekend! The Police - Walking on the Moon. 

BLOG POST |  The history of fingernails. I like this blog post mostly because of the info-graphic that explains all the different shapes of nails. I'm really digging the coffin-style nails.

ANIME |  This week I'm sharing a very kawaii (cute) anime. Anne-Happy! This anime is about a class of girls in a school where every class has a goal, the goal for this class is that they call become happy, because they are misfortunted and unlucky girls. I love anything that's about making people happy so I was immediately drawn to it. I love Hanako-san she's very cute and reminds me of myself. It's got great comedic value too, which is always an asset. The show is brand new so it's still in progress but it's worth casually following along. Available on crunchy roll and only comes subbed.

DIY |  If you've been to my place you know I love vintage and bug decor. You also know I need to really really love a piece of work before I ever hang it. These are the coolest DIY wall art I've ever seen and I will be making some, maybe not the fly, because it's weird that huge, but the beetles, most definitely.

I'm offensive.

I've always had this problem where I talk before I think, combine that with my over-excited opinions and lack of filter I'm bound to say something offensive eventually.

This is what really bothers me now, the people who love me, they know that I'm extremely open minded and don't always stick to my opinions. They know I never intended to be rude or offensive. I often say things that would insult almost anyone for one reason or another.

First off, I'm sorry if I do ever offend you as it's not my intention, but also be prepared that I probably will and I don't want you to dislike me as a person if I do. Although it's up to you and I completely understand and respect your decision to do so.

This world is annoying me though, nobody is allowed to have an opinion on anything unless it's streamlined liberal. I've noticed this a lot during elections too, but I'm definitely not about to talk politics on here.

The video below is one I really like, because everyone seems to be offended by everything.
Because where I stand, I'd rather hear what someone thinks or cares about without the fear that they will be offending someone. SPEAK UP, I WANNA HEAR WHAT YOU THINK. Not what people think is OK for you to say! We have freedom of speech for a reason - so go ahead, be offensive and get offended. Let's just all take a bit of Steve's advise going forward.

After all, the world is offended by everything.

SUNDAY FUNDAY #6

Good morning! I had such a busy weekend celebrating my birthday. So I will definitely be surfing the net today rather than doing anything else. Blink 182 told me that Nobody likes you when your 23, but I beg to differ. This has been my best birthday yet, a million thank-you's to everyone involved I love you so so much.

INSPIRATIONAL | Rachel Aust is a goddess but it's not just her outer beauty that has me so drawn to her. She is a complete boss lady. I'm so incredibly inspired by her, she's a minimalist master, photographer extraordinaire and major #fitspo. She's very young still too but she's created her own empire. AKA Rachel Aust is so much of what I aspire to be, but the thing is - unlike other media phenoms she doesn't make me feel like I need to be just like her, she makes me feel the need to be a better me. Plus seeing the progress she has made over the past year really inspires me as well. That's the kind of inspiring people I'm drawn to, the people who make you want to be a better you. Check her out.  You'll be glad you did! 

ANIMAL |   If you didn't know (#shameonyou), Fort McMurry, Alberta is experiencing the results of a very devastating wildfire, but last week a Calgary pilot broke the law to allow animals to fly with thier families to safety. I hope the efforts continue to work quickly for all the citizens and animals.

FOOD |   Two words: Pineapple Salsa. 

TUTORIAL |  Been loving this braided messy bun for work lately.

FASHION |  Because I love quizzes and as you know I've been spending many hours looking at swimsuits here's a fun quiz for ya: Do you know the difference between Expensive & Cheap? I sure do.

BEAUTY |  Previously mentioned I said I'd be slowly letting you know what's in my make-up bag, well friends - meet my primer. It feels like silk on my skin and is super lovely, I'm also partial to the primer water which is also really nice to me. Not vegan but it is cruelty free as always!

MUSIC |  I've been vibing this a lot. HONNE & Izzy Bizu - Someone That Loves You

BLOG POST |  I love reading and learning about history, WWII is especially interesting to me. Recently I learned of The Rabbits, catholic polish women who were experimented on because the doctor wanted to prove to Hitler that even if he did use a certain drug that his close friend still would have died. So he recreated injuries on these poor women. I read pretty deep into the story but this article about sums it up.

ANIME |  So this anime is adorable. Honey & Clover. I am not at all typically into this type of animation style and I actually kind of hated it at first and put it to the side for a while until my best friend told me to pick it up again and BOY! I'm glad I did. It's such an intoxicating anime, it's the perfect slice of life college anime. Available on crunchyroll.

DIY |  I haven't decided yet, but I'm either going to my apartment unit # or my inital - DIY Flower Letter

22 - A year in review.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I'm officially 23!

I wanted to start this year of my life off by reviewing my past year. I'm writing this in one sitting as I analyze the last 365 days. Hands down my 22nd year was the most challenging and testing year to date, even more so than the year I almost died.

 I moved out own my own for the first time to follow a job. A job I loved. Within one year I was already pushing into the advertising department and helping on photo-shoots - I even got a raise! It was a newspaper and unfortunately it was closed down. Giving myself and the other staff only a week to readjust our entire lives. It 's a scary thing, being unemployed. For the past 10 years I have always been securely employed. Sometimes with more than one job - then BOOM. Poof. Nothing.

On top of that, I am very close with my family and friends, so moving far away and selling my car also pushed me to be more independent and isolated than I had originally imagined. I was overwhelmed a majority of my time. Often spending  my nights crying on the phone to my best-friend or mom or binge watching netflix. Being an adult is so much harder than you ever tell yourself!

Although not to say it didn't have it's good moments. I adopted my kitty, Kiwi and she is the love of my life - I couldn't imagine not having her with me! She was what got me through all the lonely nights of living in a city where I knew no one, the days between seeing my mom and seeing my boyfriend. I dove into cooking, fitness and minimalism - all in an effort to make myself healthier and happier. It really does help I swear by it. I took as many opportunities as possible to go camping, hiking and to the cottage. I invested time and effort into turning my home into a little plant haven and I really just cleansed myself. It was the first time in a long time that I had so much time to learn about myself. #time

Still, my world was completely different, in a way I couldn't prepare for but I had put myself here - so what's a girl to do? I'll tell you what she does; she holds her head up high, wipes the tears away, stares at her raccoon eyes in the mirror and screams at herself: "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

Yep. That's what I did, those exact words (sorry Grammy). I yelled at myself with such an intense anger all because I was tired of blaming the world around me for my misfortune. I always knew that when one door closed, then another would open, but somehow I had forgotten.

I re-evaluated.

I went to school for media and am passionate about it so why am I not working in it? Good question!
So I got myself a full-time contract as a Marketing Executive and Content Curator and became self employed. I started a blog, an Instagram account, and made myself business cards. I'm a creative mind, always have been. I made the decision to work at this new job while simultaneously starting to go after my dreams. It's just the beginning but it's clear to me that this is where my heart belongs.

I had been saying since I was a kid " I want to get paid for being me." It was my mantra. Now, a fresh faced adult I decided I would do just that. Why waste another minute? My boyfriend and I began doing more photo shoots, booking events and weddings. I started shooting head-shots, pet portraits, products and real estate too, growing my portfolio and clientele. The progress I've seen thus far has proven this to be the right decision.

Now I've only just began this new part of my journey but this last year was so dizzying and overwhelming I can't believe I actually came out of it with a plan - let alone a purpose. Something I had been trying to find for years, much like every millennial. Now, I'm driven and constantly inspired and OH MAN does that ever feel good!!

I'm finishing off my very interesting 22nd year as one thing: 

Here's to 23! 

10 BLACK MONOKINIS THAT DON'T TOTALLY SUCK

click this photo to pin it

In my experience the monokini looks good on any girl who has itty bitties, and obv they look good on the girls who do. The monokini (especially the plain black one), I strongly believe works on any body type, from petite to plus sized and everything in between. This has been my biggest shopping mission for almost a year now because I am determined to find the perfect black monokini. I want this bathing suit in my capsule for years to come. I have met several other women on my journey who also want this swimsuit - so I figured I'd find it for all of us!

I want it in the simplest most basic style possible. Should be easy enough to find right? Wrong!
With all the fast fashion out there it's like the classic black monokini has gone with the wind. There's all kinds of crazy strappy ones, mesh ones, cut outs, ones with sayings - but plain and simple? Nope.

So if you know where I can get it, hmu but these I think are some happy alternatives. (All links and prices are Canadian based).

1. Out From Under Lace-Up Swimsuit from Urban Outfitters. $82

I found myself with this one in my shopping basket on numerous occasions, but I'm not a fan of the back straps because I will find a way to get tangled in them. 

2.Halterneck Swimsuit from ZARA $39.90

I'm probably going to get this one anyways because it's super cute and very affordable. I didn't get it originally because I wanted straps but not a halter.

3. Scallop Edge Halter from ASOS $58.47

This one sells out quickly but also restocks quickly. The only reason I didn't end up with this suit was because I was determined to find the most simple one, and it kept going out of stock. Clearly a popular option! 

4. Nadia Ruffle Swim Suit by NastyGal $120

Something about this one is just so cute! Those little ruffles just make it a little more playful. Unfortunately this one is too low-cut for me and the price throws me off a bit, but knowing NastyGal it'll be of good quality. 

5. Loop Front One Piece from Forever 21 $29.90

This one is amazing, I tried it on in store and it's incredibly comfortable and stays well for the price. I didn't get this one because I personally am not a fan of strapless, because even with the added straps it didn't stay up well on my tiny self. 

6. One Piece from La Vie en Rose $49.95

The front of this one is pretty much perfect, I do love the back on this one though, a subtle strappiness! What throws me with this one is that it has the racerback but it also has a halter - why? An affordable option and La Vie en Rose knows quality. 

7. One Point Swimsuit from Chiquelle $68.16

I was very close to purchasing this one until my boyfriend said he didn't like it, and it made me reconsider. Although I do hope more people buy this one because it is definitely very unique! 

8. Scoop One-Piece by Aerie SALE $19.26 ($57.73)

I really do love this one, it's really simple. Although I would personally be worried about my boobs the entire time I was wearing this. I'm not particularly fond of personal nip slips or creepy dudes trying to look into the suit. But then again, maybe since I have so little, it would wear really nicely on me. So if you have different boobs than the model I would suggest trying this one on first. 

9. Scoop-back One-Piece from Ralph Lauren $87.00USD

                     

Let's all just take a moment to thank Ralph Lauren for creating the most simple most basic swimsuits ever. I'm currently waiting for a free shipping promo because with the conversion and shipping costs I would not buy this,  but if you're american I definitely suggest this purchase! My best friend has since ordered it happily. 

10. Ladies Monokini from Ebay $11.54

Buyer beware, I have ordered many swimsuits off of ebay before. Always order larger, I wear a Medium typically from these sellers. See how much this looks like the first one? Chances are it might not be exactly like this - although the ad does include additional photos which make it seem like it'll be OK - but low quality which might not be the investment you want for your wardrobe. 

Keep in mind I fully suggest making this a part of your capsule, it's a timeless option and it will last you for years, so maybe the investment will be worth it. It's ultimately all up to you! Happy shopping!

& Remember to follow me on instagram where I will be showing off which one I chose once it is shipped.

SUNDAY FUNDAY #5

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE!

We've had such a fun weekend celebrating his birthday and I'm even more excited knowing we'll get to continue celebrating birthdays together for a long time. We took a lot of pictures this weekend and made some even greater memories. I hope it's been as wonderful for you as it has for us!

INSPIRATIONAL |   People ask me how I stay inspired to keep taking photos. I'm typically drawn to things because of the vibe they send off so I don't really have an exact method to my madness. I do however try to keep to taking one photo a day. Project 365 is a community where you can do this or just simply make it a part of your daily routine like I do, but taking at least one photo a day keeps your skills sharpened and it really gets your creative juices flowin'.

ANIMAL |   The realization that our entire country will eventually be legalized is exciting, especially for the medical reasoning. I've been a strong advocate for Medical Marijuana, and it's gaining more and more traction when it comes to alternative medicines for pets. Here's the story, here are the deets on the medication itself and lastly, here is PETA's approval.

FOOD |   I eat a lot of rice and it's always better when it's turned into a ball or a shape. Here is a great guide to making Onigiri aka Rice Balls for beginners.

TUTORIAL |  This might freak out some, but since my nails break all the time anyways I'm going to try this nail tutorial.

FASHION |  I rarely wear accessories because to me they just get in the way. Which is why I stretched my ears and why I pretty much only wear fine gold jewelry aside from that. BUT when I do accessorize it's almost ALWAYS with a watch. The watch is the biggest and most important accessory staple I have. FYI studies show that wearing a watch to a job interview will give you an added boost to getting hired, makes you look like you care about time management.

BEAUTY |  Jeffree Star released previews of his new highlighters coming this month or next. I am beyond excited for these babies, with Ice Cold at the top of my to-buy list. It's been increasingly difficult for me to find a highlighter for my pale skin. While I do love Becca's Champagne Pop for the summer, I needed something whiter for the winter and sorry Becca but Pearl doesn't cut it. Jeffree is my hero everything he makes is pure gold, highest quality! As always, cruelty free.

MUSIC |  I'm choosing When The Night Feels My Song by Bedouin Soundclash this week because I picked it for a radio contest and won Dinner for 2 at an expensive restaurant, which is great because his birthday was the same day I won and we were on the phone with eachother when they announced it, so it was very exciting. I have also updated my very first post as I have now officially won 7 radio contests.

BLOG POST |  Because I didn't realize I was saying Ikea wrong.

ANIME |  Since this is one of my more recent favourites I am suggesting Nagi no Asukara (A Lull in the Sea). Great concept, two types of humans, the ones that live on land and the ones that live in the sea. The people of the sea have ENA which allows them on both land and water as long as they stay hydrated. It follows a group of friends on having to go to school on land and the great changes they'll be facing (not a school based anime don't worry). It's a really adorable anime, and the animation itself is beautiful and very colourful which I love. The story takes interesting turns with the added cliches. Definitely worth the watch, it's English subbed and now comes in a dubbed version as well (the voices can't compare imo) and it is available on Crunchy Roll.

DIY | Definitely adding a wind-chime to my balcony this summer! Now it's just a matter of which one.... going to get pretty creative with this one!