Garden Party: Bridal Shower

Event planning has always been a passion of mine; from family events as a child, to hosting my own events at my apartment, and now my beautiful sister's bridal shower! 

Brunch at Home

A perfect day starts with brunch at home.

 I love every aspect of hosting, and live for the moments of creativity from within the kitchen. Baking and breakfast foods have always been my favourite to create, and my passion for food styling brings it all together. 

Waking up at the Thompson with Origins

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend the night at the Thompson with a small group of bloggers to experience the glory that is the new GinZing line from Origins. Staycations are key when your schedule leaves little room for relaxation, so I jumped at the mention of lavished dining, cozy movie nights and calm mornings laying under the sun (that is yoga for those of you who may have a different approach to the art). 

Refreshing my Apartment with Homesense

Today I'm sharing some snaps of my home in collaboration with Homesense. If you follow my  Instagram you are probably already aware of my passion for interior design and home decor, so it should come to no surprise that I'm always looking to refresh my home with new pieces. I've used the new year as an opportunity to incorporate new finds from Homesense to each room in my home. 

My closet is one of my favourite rooms in the apartment. Photographed above is the newest addition to my closet that incorporates wooden hangers, a floor lamp, a faux fur sheepskin rug and wall art; all finds from Homesense.

Be Your Own Kind of Wonderful

Along with the new year comes new aspirations, new goals, and new visions. I've spend the last few weeks of 2016 experiencing different cultures and exploring new cities and counties that are far different from my norm. I've never really been much further than Miami beach, and pretty much spent my past vacation days exploring nearby cities and States.

Mimosas and Manis @ Her Majesty's Pleasure

What better way to spend your mornings than getting pampered and sipping mocktails while doing it. I had the opportunity to experience a gel mani and blow out at Her Majesty's Pleasure and was raving about it for days, trust me, my friends can attest to that... I'm typically a nude-nail-for-all-occasions type of gal, but couldn't pass on the opporunity for a little nail-art action from one of the top nail salons in Toronto. I may or may not have just made up a stat, but they do have an in-house bar serving drinks and lattes during all hours of operation so I'm sure we can all agree that its ranked way up there. 

Hike to Dundas Peak

A few weeks ago, I embarked on the most exhilarating and petrifying hike of my life...and I would do it all over again. Now I don't mean to be melodramatic, the hike consisted of trails with safety meaures in place, so you would be completely safe... if you're a rational human who obeyed signs that read something along the lines of "do not enter," "this is not a trail," "turn back now if you have even an ounce of will to live." Something along those lines. We obviously weren't phased, which leads me to my near death experience I'm about to share with you.  

It was a warm Monday morning and my sisters and I headed to Hamilton to hike the trails leading up to Dundas peak (the highest point of the trail), for the cardio and more importantly, infamous "living on the edge" pic. We parked the car and headed up the trail. After roughly thirty minutes, we reached the Peak and snapped these gorgeous shots because, "pics or it didn't happen" right? The view was absolutely breath taking. We headed down the trail and made our way over to Webster Falls. The only issue with our plan was that there was in fact no trail, and for good reason we later discovered (the unconventional way). We scouted the grounds for a while searching for the illegitimate trail supposedly created by delinquents time after time, going off trail to discover the beauty of Webster Falls up close and personal. We wanted in. 

Living on the edge indeed. 

Outfit by Fabletics. 

Xo,

Sarah

Spa Day at Elmwood Spa

Good afternoon everyone :)

Yesterday I was treated to a much needed spa day courtesy of Elmwood Spa. We were pampered with mani and pedis and I can honestly say that it was the best spa experience I've had to this day. Everyone was professional and sweet and the service was completely up to standard....and you know your girl doesn't settle for anything less than perfection. 

Digital Dreams: Festival Photo Diary

(Outfit for Day 1)

This past weekend I attended my first festival ever, thanks to @BreezerCanada!! Thanks for sending me to Digital Dreams and for an unforgettable experience. Prior to the festival I had absolutely no clue what to expect. I have friends who have gone and while I was familiar with some of the artists, I clearly did not get the memo that this was a rave when I was frantically putting together cute outfits that were comfortable yet picturesque. For anyone who hasn't been to the this festival, Digital Dreams is much more of a rave scene than a festival (i.e. Coachella). Here are my looks for Day 1 and 2 and some random snaps from the festival. 

Nordstrom's Pre-Opening Gala

I had the most wonderful time at the Nordstrom pre-opening gala yesterday evening. It was THE garden party of all garden parties. From live music to a pool full of mermaids, Nordstrom sure knows how to throw a party!! Oh, and not to forget the most extravagant dessert table, which I basically spent my entire night no further than two metres away. It's going to be tough to top my summer after that experience.

GRADUATION DAY!!

Happy Friday everyone, 

 Today I graduated from the University of Toronto!! I am truly grateful to be able to experience everything I did during my undergrad years and take none of this for granted. While times can be tough at UofT and we may not get the grades we hoped for, let's not forget that attending one of the top universities in the country is a privilege and a huge accomplishment to begin with. Thank you to my family and friends whom supported me throughout my education, and congratulations to everyone that graduated along side myself, we made it!! 

Donut Tasting with AirMiles

Good afternoon, the weather is absolutely beautiful today! I'm hoping that Spring is officially here to stay this time around!

I spent my Sunday afternoon devouring these delicious treats at a donut and wine tasting event hosted by Airmiles. The Rolling Pin Bakery collaborated with Karlos Estates Winery to create various donut and wine pairings. Though I did not have the wine, the donuts were delicious to say the least, and I would definitely recommend giving them a try! 

#AIRMILESEvents

Nutella x Tim Hortons Campaign

Good after lovelies :) If you follow me on Instagram you would have already seen my posts featuring the Nutella - Tim Horton treats over the past few weeks. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an avid chocolate lover, and Nutella is no exception. So when Tim Horton's reached out to me to spread the word about the return of their Nutella treats, I was extremely excited and honoured to work with them. Mostly because it gave me an excuse to devour all of the chocolatey goodness without the guilt...because if I was posting about it, I obviously had to eat it all right? Right?? 

Here are some of the shots from this campaign. 

#SPREADTHELOVE

Fit with Fabletics (by Kate Hudson)

Hello world! I hope you're enjoying this beautiful Friday afternoon. Today's post features athletic wear from Kate Hudson's brand, Fabletics. As the weather warms up, I have absolutely no more excuses to be lazy and unhealthy because summer is just around the corner and this girl is far from struttin' that bikini bod. I've been telling myself that I'll start going to the gym "once midterms are over", and then "once the weather get warmer" and then I reach a point where I contemplate if getting a whole new wardrobe would be the easier way out... but that's just me being lazy and unmotivated. 

 I've been unmotivated because I know I won't see immediate results so it seems like there's rush to start now. I've decided that I need to stop setting unattainable fitness goals with the chaotic lifestyle that I'm currently living and make time for a daily runs or squat sets. 

Do you guys have any fitness tips? How do you stay motivated to workout? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below :)

Post Your Toast

In an effort to get fit during the chaotic months before Summer arrives, I have decided to make changes to my eating habits and focus on clean eating rather than starving myself...because lets be serious, that never really works. I know people try to cut certain food out of their diet all together but I've decided that limited and portions and less processed food is a more suitable choice for myself. I've been having a lot of fun with toast and trying out different combination for breakfast and to snack on in between meals. 

Here are just a few combinations that I've tried on toasted rye. 

- strawberries, whipped cream cheese - 

- sliced pear, low-fat peanut butter - cinnamon sugar - 

- blueberries, whipped cream cheese - 

- banana slices, low-fat peanut butter, cinnamon sugar - 

- sliced cucumber, whipped cream cheese, freshly cracked black pepper - 

- honey toasted oats, walnuts, low-fat peanut butter - 

Share your toast with me @sarahmian :)

Xo,

Sarah

Warm and Cozy

Good morning lovelies, 

As we finally start to experience a true Canadian winter, staying warm and cozy indoors is my main priority. So with absolutely no chance that I was headed out the front door this morning, I decided to give my Oatbox mixes a try. I had a -banana, walnut & almond- mix for breakfast, over a bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt, fresh blueberries and raw almonds. 

There's something about a crisp winter that triggers healthy eating for me. While the icy, cold, and slush induced chaos we call the streets of Toronto may make it so much easier to pick up the phone and order take-out, trying something healthy and light might brighten up your day. These oats are a perfect way to start your day on a positive note, as they're packed with flavour and energy to get you through the winter? Ice Age? haha, accurate enough... 

I highly recommend giving Oatbox a try!

(p.s. these are my authentic words, this is not a sponsored post...I just seriously love these oats haha)

Love,

Sarah

Photo Diary: Blue Mountain Village

(photo via instagram @sarahmian)

Here are a few snaps from reading week at Blue Mountain Village. It was absolutely beautiful!

Love,

Sarah

Social Media in the Media

This is a long overdue post that has for the most part, has passed in the media but I wanted to voice my opinion on the topic regardless. 

I'm sure by now you've all heard of the ex-blogger and her blast against social media. The former Instagram model has a large following but recently deleted her photos, changing course entirely. She claims that "social media is a lie," and she will no longer allow social media to take advantage of her and depict her as someone she's not. I've been seeing her story on pretty much every social media platform, and it seems that many people are agreeing with her, as if she was the first individual to experience this "revelation". First of all,  I believe that social media is not a lie. Social media is what you make it. If you choose to sell yourself out for a couple of $$ and post scandalous and revealing photos for no other reason that for "likes" and praise from strangers around the globe, I'm sorry to say, but you (and your media accounts) can be called a lie, not social media as a whole. 

I have to admit, I've been there. There have been times where I believed that I wasn't good enough, or did not have enough followers or likes. I thought I'd never be as popular as these established bloggers that get paid to travel the world in the latest trends. I've felt like I had to post certain content or people wouldn't be interested in my life. But then I realized, that's not why I started my blog or Instagram account. I started it to share my outfits and snaps from my daily life, and suddenly I was okay with the feedback I was getting. 

All social media platforms allow us to post content at our own free will, similarly, we are not forced or binded by any inherent agreement to post anything based on criteria. Don't blame social media for twisting the truth because you wanted your fifteen minutes of fame, got a little more, and now decided that it's no longer what you want. I agree that social media contributes to the unrealistic expectations we set for ourselves, and many-a-times, it is a negative influence to young people. However, we should all take responsibility for our own decisions and accept that there are many factors in play here. To any blogger, it's common knowledge that if you have established yourself well enough, you will likely be paid to post content wearing brands or advertising products. There's no lie there, but everyone still has a choice. Make the right choices for yourself. Don't blame a global platform for your poor decisions. 

What are your thoughts and opinions on this issue? Let me know in the comments below!

Xo, Sarah

Skinny Fox Detox

I recently completed a detox by Skinny Fox Detox and just like you I was skeptical about detoxing, but I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy. Adjusting your eating and exercising habits is just as bad as it sounds, especially to a foodie; although feeling good inside and out makes it worthwhile.

The detox kit comes with a morning blend (taken daily) and an afternoon tea (taken every other day). I found that the most difficult aspect of detoxing is control and persistence. Watching my diet and cutting out a drastically large portion of what I normally consume (unhealthy) was difficult to say the least, but remembering to consume the tea daily, especially on the go, was even trickier. Overall, the results were phenomenal and ridding your body of toxins and unnatural chemicals is soothing for the mind, body and soul! 

If you're interesting in this detox or have any related questions, leave a comment below!

Xo, Sarah

Casa Loma: Photo Diary

I visited Casa Loma for the first time a few weeks ago. It's not a medieval castle, which I hope to one day visit but it's one of architectural beauty nonetheless. There was a TV series being filmed (a sci-fi, not sure what) in the garden but a lack of barriers led to us accidentally walking onto the set...what can I say, the camera wants what it wants, haha. Here are some photos from I took to share with you.
(Forgive me, I know this isn't a fashion/beauty related post but the photos were just too pretty not to share!)

Xo, Sarah