f a s h i o n

Saturday 25 October 2014

d e l i n q u e n c y



Hi Beauties, 

I am not even going to address my look of delinquence aside from saying - it was friday and I do what I wauuunts'. I took my classless self over to Westboro, Ottawa for some Friday night eats and treats with my girl. Back at TRIO Bistro and Lounge I got an open faced Pear and Brie sandwich with a Walnut Pesto Spread - I also tried their Albacore Tuna which was quite yummy as well. And of course we can't forget the virgin mojito - done just right. We rounded off the night with cupcakes from The Cupcake Lounge As for the little photo shoot... well may I redirect you to Cindy Lauper's popular tune - GIRLS- THEY WANNA HAVE FUN...

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Thursday 23 October 2014

all that glitters is not G O L D

Hello Beauties, 



Thursday is one of my most favourite days of the week - I think it peaks the anticipation for the weekend. I have always said - Thursday, I anticipate Friday and the weekend that it precedes; however, by the time friday actually rolls around - I AM DONE. Like, do not speak to me on a Friday afternoon because 9 out of 10 I will punch you in the face. Okay, perhaps a bit of an exaggeration as I actually can't swing a punch to save my life... but you get the gist. Anyways - today is indeed Thursday and thereby I am happy. 



I have not been writing as much as I would like to in posts, and while the personal style posts are great - I have so many thoughts I wish to voice. So this post is dedicated to just that - t h o u g h t s. 



Last Saturday I attended an event at the Ottawa Convention Centre - 613 Night Market hosted by Prive  - and if you are from Ottawa and have not heard of it, well you are living under a rock; and I admonish you to come from under it... It was a seamlessly organized event where local vendor and restauranteurs had the opportunity to showcase their artistry. There was everything from handmade jewelry to gluten free cookies. Being the food enthusiast that I am - naturally, I went for the food. 



[I am going to apologize right now for the lack of photos I took in the interest of taking in the evening]  First I sampled a coconut curry shrimp dish over jasmine rice. Then it was off to Auntie Thelma's for my very first jerked tofu tart! [not entirely sure what it is with me an jerked tofu these days! I just had jerked tofu tacos at SIDEDOOR contemporary kitchen] It was not bad actually. Next we popped over to a local caterer for a shrimp and salmon cake - it was quite nice and the appeal was the no filler added factor. I also sampled a few pieces of cold, yet yummy sushi pizza from KINKI - an Asian Fusion restaurant in the Byward Market [Ottawa]. I have heard about it - but never been - I am definitely excited to make them a pitstop on my informal Ottawa Foodie Tour. [Speaking of which I tried a couple great places in Westboro last week - post to come!] After trying out KINKI my sweet tooth was beginning to kick in and it was time for a cupcake from The Button and the Bee. I tried a matcha green tea cupcake and it was incredible! So moist and flavourful - one of my favourite cupcakes in Ottawa by far! 



So that pretty much summed up the food tour! It was a great evening with friends and food. Fortunately the night did not end there. As we were leaving the Convention Centre I persuaded my friends to take some photos for me - for the blog of course.  Turns out they were really bad photographers so what I got was photos of my laughing hysterically at their antics. Really, I wouldn't have it any other way. After as we sat chatting we discussed how much things have changed over the past decade - everything from kids cartoons and toys to the presence of social media in our society. Of course the pressing social media concerns led to deeper discussion on its implications on our society. 



We spoke to the notion that social media has given young people a great platform - which is proving to be quite dangerous. With examples like Kylie Jenner and Sophia Ritchie - young people are forced out of innocence in efforts to keep up with the grown and independent template of the 2014 teen. Now, I am not saying such examples are solely to blame for this - as teenagers have been losing their innocence or so to speak for as long as I have been alive; but it is important to recognize and address the various factors that attribute to this loss of innocence. Now because these - kids really, think they are grown they begin to act like they are grown and beyond that - expect you to now treat them like they are grown. So while the little buggers are clever - they're not the wisest set, and rightly so - they have only been on the planet for 13-19 years! That's my biggest issue with the teenager and social media equation - they feel as though they know more than they actually do. With sensationalized posts, tweets and instagrams all of them with a hundred likes and follows - everyone tells them they actually do know a thing or two. Again, I am not suggesting that we put tape on the mouths of teenagers and rip it off for the 20th birthday - because voicing their opinions is much apart of development but where is the sense of humility? If we know it all - can do it all - and can be it all - what do we need? Further, who do we need? 



Now this goes out to all of us social media users both young and... painfully old. I think it touches younger folk more however - as they find themselves on a journey toward self-actualization. We have begun to use social media as a mask - only showcasing the very best in our lives. While I understand the inclination to share things that excite us - I feel like many glorify their lives through posts when the reality is quite the contrary. Captions are great - they give us the opportunity to contextualize our photos - the trouble is we can come up with any caption we so choose. I have seen examples where people post photos practically skipping in the streets and making overly done declarations supposed camaraderie and I have also been in the same room with those same people - and have observed that they have no idea how to communicate with each other. But I never would have seen that through social media - I only saw the glam. So what's the issue? You are there scrolling through and see glam-glam-glam-glam and begin to question what you are doing with your life. Why aren't I married? Where's my new car? Why don't I have this - that and the third. We have been consumed by g l a m.  So I am writing this post to remind someone that - all that glitters is not gold -  

Not everything people put out is a great as it would appear and at best - it's only a small capture of a life. At the end of the day - enjoy your life - the life that you've been given. Don't get caught up with everyone's gold-plated life. 


Live your own life - because it is golden.








Monday 20 October 2014

N A T U R E ' S . B E A U T Y

Hi Beauties, 

So a few weeks back I shared some of the things I love most about fall. I made reference to fall candles - and Cayenne Caramel is totes lit while I type [they bring me to my happy place] - I also made reference to the fall scenery particularly in the Gatineau Hills. My family and I took to the Luskville Falls for a vigorous hike and stunning view.  I recently started a '30 before 30' list - and I can now say 'Go on a real hike' can now be crossed off my list. We all had such a great sense of accomplishment - I love setting goals and going out to achieve them. The world has so many beautiful things to offer; and many of them can be found in our own backyard! Here is a little of what we saw. 
 
 
 

Sunday 19 October 2014

Thanksgiving Sunday



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I love faux fur - especially in the fall! I paired my faux fur vest with a mustard scuba stretch dress for a fun fall outfit!
I wore laser cut leather lace-up booties as they flowed well with the funky feel of the ensemble. Since my dress was plain I loved revving up my outfit with my fur and leather statement pieces.  Sometimes print can be a great way to spice up a plain outfit but I have always loved textures! I just find it adds so much personality and dimension to an outfit. 

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Outfit Details:

Dress: Dynamite
Vest: Forever21
Shoes: Call it Spring
Bag: Kate Spade NY 

We Give Thanks...

Hello beautiful people!

It's been over a week since my last post - life has gotten extremely busy! With the holidays rolling into the longest short week of life, I must say that the blog got shuffled over to the wayside to accommodate for all the fun I had over the weekend. Saturday my big crazy family celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving. The food was amazing and I was so grateful to be surrounded by the people I love - and who love me reciprocally. We had a great time - playing games outside - pool - movies - ping-pong - stories and songs by the bonfire - roasting marshmallows - and of course EATING! There really is never a dull moment with the Shaw family!

So unbelievably thankful for all his blessings!

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I kept chic yet simple for dinner - and went with a British Schoolgirl look!


Outfit details:

Hat: Winners
Blazer: Thrifted
Scarf: Aldo
Tunic: Forever21
Leggings: H&M
Shoes: Call It Spring



Saturday 11 October 2014

S I D E D O O R Contemporary Kitchen & Bar

Hi Beauties,


So a little note about me - I am a foodie, in the making. I say 'in the making' because I am not the extreme food enthusiast who goes on food tours and what not - but I do love trying new places and I'd say I have a fairly open palette. The other day I got together with a couple of my girls so we headed to SIDEDOOR Contemporary Kitchen & Bar for some tapas and girl talk!


The Donuts are made in house - and they are ALL kinds of amazing! My favourite was the Chef's Special: Blueberry Filled topped with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

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I was in the mood for 'All black everything' clearly. My ominous look may have been weather inspired - pathetic fallacy in full effect. Thank God for blanket scarves on rainy days - keeping me warm and cozy.
  Outfit Details: 
Top: PAPAYA
Skirt: F21
Shoes: Call it Spring
Bag: Kate Spade NY 
Scarf: Aldo 







Wednesday 8 October 2014

pré·cis

 Hello Beauties,

It has been a little while since my last post for, well - a number of reasons. Reason 1- being - back to work equates to much less down time. On a more exciting front - 2- being the fact that I may be switching platforms! I have been debating it over the weekend and figure it would be best to do sooner rather than later. That said, I am hoping to be up and running again within the next two weeks. 


Now this is not meant to be a long post - just a quick round-up of what's been going on. After a week of being under the weather, it felt great to go out this weekend. I got together with some friends for our ritualized Pho-Season Phun! (I am corny - get over it) Despite the stereotypes regarding today's  millennial youth - when we get together - our phones are nowhere to be found. It is beyond refreshing to actually connect with people - there is definitely something to be said of the energy present when people get together to express unrestrained thoughts or feelings. Something the coming generation of youth lose grasp of with each passing text - or shall I say "snapchat". Are the kids still into that? I can't keep up anymore... In any event - don't be a lone wolf - connect with people - establish a sense of community - embrace free therapy. 



Sunday was church - always a busy yet blessed day! I am involved with Sunday School, so I keep busy with the kiddies all morning, In the evening I get to enjoy the worship and service. One concept that dawned on me this past Sunday was that an encounter must be initiated by the individual. Sure, worship, and evangelical ministry serve to encourage this; but ultimately we must decide to reach deeper. Now believe me the message had nothing to do with this notion, but it was however, that message that prompted this thought. While the overall message held relevance - well... let's just stop right there. Basically, what my slightly disengaged-self realized was that I cannot depend on a talented worship leader or even an influential speaker to escort me into the presence of God. I was reminded once more - an encounter with God is contingent on only one thing - the decision to actively pursue him.


Be encouraged! 

Outfit Details

 Top: DKNY and Winners
Skirt: Forever21
Shoes: Zara
Bag: Kate Spade NY
Glasses: Zara


Thursday 2 October 2014

Falling for you...



Knits x Tights x Neutrals

It's that time of year again - when once green leaves turn to fiery bursts of red and orange and bright pops of golden yellow - AUTUMN. As soon as I encounter my first nippy morning I am over eager to whip out my utility jacket and ankle booties. Summer is great - but I love my layers and crisp fall weather.
The ponchos, the scarves, the tights, the neutrals - I love it all!

Here are some of my fall favourites...





1. The September Issue
The largest issue of Vogue USA is synonymous with Fall Fashion Month- from New York to Paris the shows and collections are all but dull!

2. The Scenery
I live in the Ottawa Valley (Capital of Canada) and the region is infamous for it's beautiful scenery as the landscape transforms. It's great for nature hikes or bike rides along the Ottawa River.

3. The Fashion
Again, knits, tights, ponchos, wool, scarves, boots.... Need I say more?

4. The Fragrance
I know, it sounds odd - until you get your hands on a lovely smelling Autumn candle! I am candle obsessed -  and fragrance really helps to set my mood. There really is nothing like lighting a nice candle and curling up on the sofa after work with good read and a cup of tea! I picked this one up from Bath and Body Works - it smells amazing!




5. THANKSGIVING
Okay Americans, settle down - I am from Canada and we have our Thanksgiving in October. Although - I suppose November is still considered Fall. Either way - I have a massive family and we all get together and have so much fun - and even more food! Can't wait for the pumpkin pie this year!

So those are my top fall favourites - what do you love most about fall?


xxo Mara Rebekah

BE YOU - THE WORLD WILL ADJUST




There is just something about monochrome...

- Outfit Details -
Top - Zara 
Skirt - Forever 21
Shoes - Zara
Watch - Michael Kors 
Handbag - Kate Spade
Sunglasses - Aldo Accessories 



This past Sunday was youth empowerment weekend at my church - we had a guest speaker come in from out of town and incredible services. Sometimes I forget how truly blessed I am to be apart of such an amazing church!


On another note - so many times we try to masque ourselves to fit in or adapt to a group around us. Afraid of the idea of being alone we conform to the standards of others neglecting our own inklings or convictions. The reality is - our differences make us standout - and shine brighter. There is nothing worse than talking to someone who only says what they think you want them to say. I actually find differences with my loved ones so refreshing - because we all bring something different to the table. It would be a pretty lame dinner party if everyone brought the dinner rolls. 

So be different. Be a non-conformist. 
Actually scratch that - just be you, whatever that may mean. 

xxo Mara Rebekah
Comment - tell me what you think!