My First Ever Blogger Award!

And yes, I am still giddy with excitement over it! Ever since I received her message last night, I was so happy that even though I am not having such a good day today, I am still over the moon (yes, I know, my happiness is pretty cheap!) that she thought of me for this recognition! I am truly honoured that a wonderful, charming and absolutely adorable girl from Hawaii: Rio, Rhiannon (or Rhi to me) of the Showers and Sunflowers Blog, bestowed upon me the honour of The Versatile Blogger Award!

As you may know, The Versatile Blogger Award comes with its own rules, I have to state seven random facts (I hope there isn't a fact finding mission in the blog world) about myself and I also now have the distinguished privilege to pass on this award to seven of my most favourite blogs! I think I have my work cut out for me tonight, I've had the pleasure of meeting a lot of beautiful women through Twenty York Street and most of the ones I visit frequently are honestly fantastic blogs, they all got gorgeous photos and outfits, great contents and for me, I go for superb writing style.

Though I had a completely different topic for the post today (I will post the rest of these photos tomorrow), I cannot let this one go without special mention. Sorry for gushing, I know some of you have thousands of followers and are probably used to receiving these types of awards but I really am thankful for this. To think that I only started this blog about a month ago, I did not expect this, nor did I expect that there would be lovely people beyond my immediate family, whom, especially my sister, I have to sometimes coerce or bribe to check out my latest blog post. I am very grateful to Rhi (I haven't told her I love her blog title yet) for this award and to all of you guys who drop by and actually take the time to leave me very encouraging comments, send me beautiful messages and connects with me through e-mails. Thank you...

Sincèrement, merci beaucoup mes amis!

Rio - the girl who likes to buy clothes but only when they are cheap! She likes sunshine, night bike rides, playing with her puppies, hiking, and generally being outside. Absolutely cute, yes?

http://showersofsunflowers.blogspot.com/

Under Construction

Outfit details

Silk bejewelled top - Banana Republic
Ruffled skirt - Atmosphere, Gift from Pearl
Silver bangle -  H and M
Black patent sandals - Michael Kors, Gift from my Chickie
Aviators - Banana Republic, Gift from E
Black onyx ring - Epoch, Gift from E

What and Where

The weekend has been absolutely eventful that I just don't know what to tell you first. It has been hectic with bursts of relaxation and then crazy busy again! The beginning is usually a good place to start but I think this time, just to spice it up a little bit, I'll start from the most recent and work my way back chronologically  to Friday, coz its cool like that!

I spent most of last night organizing my closet, folding and hanging, folding and hanging and not because I love doing it (well, I do, sometimes) or that it really needs to be done (oh yes, it does!) but because... Wait, the first sentence is not completely accurate. I spent half of last night going through my clothes and the other half, watching the Emmy's! Alright, now that that's clear, let me tell you why I had to do that until 2:00 am Sunday night, or I suppose Monday morning.

Saturday night, came home at 4:00 am from a party, flicked open our bedroom lights and to my horror (trust me, you will find this terribly horrific too!), my entire right-wing closet was collapsed to the floor! The pole was broken off from both ends and I felt like bursting into tears seeing that all (ALL) my tops, blouses, shirts and dresses were slumped to the ground and hangers scattered everywhere! Darn right there will be an autopsy on the bloody incident but a couple of initial forensic theories came to mind. One - my baby cousin Erica was over for the weekend and for some reason, she just loooves going to my bedroom and can't stop playing with my stuff. She could have tugged on one of the dresses and Jill came tumbling after... la la la. (Si, my poor attempt to humour myself to make peace with the tragedy.) Second - a surprisingly unanimous theory shared by my sister, my aunt and E - could it have been the sheer volume and weight of the closet contents that could have caused the metal rod to finally snap and break?

I don't tend to agree with the second theory, that is a purely biased assumption by third parties but what I do agree with, is the fact that I am very fortunate and blessed to be surrounded by wonderful and generous friends and family. Exhibit A, my outfit of the day is majorly comprised of beautiful gifts given to me by the special (I'm using the term very loosely here) people in my life! I receive surprise parcels all the way from Dublin or I get surprise Michael Kors delivery in my office, just because...

These acts of kindness and generosity is something that I am thankful for everyday and has always inspired me to pay it forward. So, stay tuned my lovelies, what happened last Friday will not stay on Friday, I will tell you all about it. Plus, I did mention there is going to be a give-away (or two), didn't I?

Photographer's Pick of the Day:

For The Love of Animal Prints

 

 

Outfit details

Black shift dress - Banana Republic
Red waist cincher - Le Chateau, Gift from Maria
Statement earrings - Banana Republic
Patent leather pumps - Guess, Gift from E
Jewelled clutch - Banana Republic, Gift from EM

What and Where

As part of the three-post series that I have for this fantastic Little Black Dress, this second installment is a motion photo shoot with today's star of Feature Friday: meet the darling and so adorable Tico! I've known Tico, my very playful neighbour for many years now, he might be European actually as he is never seen without his trusty beat-up soccer ball. I think it used to be a yellow one a couple years ago but he's now got a newly acquired, barely chewed on orange ball du jour, which, I gotta say is pretty stylin' against his jet black mane.

Evidently, shooting with a dog, no matter how friendly and beautiful like Tico requires a bit of running around, chasing after and yes, some shameful bribing to make him sit still for J to take a quick snap. Though I looked like a dork chasing him down the Courtyard, it was so much fun and I just realized something as I was downloading the photos (though I don't know if this is actually a good thing to point out) - Tico and I were actually dressed the same, sauf que, his pop of colour is soccer orange and mine is cherry red!

It's Friday and I bet ya, you can't wait to get out of your stuffy offices and let loose as you slip into something special and sparkly for the evening or switch into your comfiest yoga pants and loose 'n chic sweater, find a sweet spot on the couch and grab a glass of merlot, or two... who's judging? As for me, my lovelies, I think I'll soak up the last few rays of the summer sun, sit in a patio and order some Sangria, ole!

But get ready for next week: I've got some special posts lined up for you: Stylin' Tips, Fall Essentials and Feature Friday coming up!

It's a wrap people!

Ready for the weekend... Ciao bella!

You Can Bank on Me

Outfit details

Silk ombre skirt - Jacob
Black tank top - Banana Republic
Cropped cardigan - Old Navy
Chain amethyst necklace - Banana Republic, Gift from EM
Patent leather sandals - Guess, Gift from E
Purple leather purse - Osprey London, Gift from Pearl

What and Where

I know Thursdays are blah days for some, its almost the end of the week and its a day that gets in the way of Friday the way villains fight to stop the leading man's first sweet kiss to the leading lady. The leading man being the weekend and the leading lady being me! Though I love the location of the shoot today, (The Bank of Canada building is architecturally beautiful on the outside and inside is a jungle oasis that boasts of tropical and zen gardens and a water fountain under a wooden gazebo structure.) I'm not feeling and looking my best lately so I'm not quite sure if I like this outfit (it looked brilliant when I was putting it together in my head) and J still insists on taking shots up close... Cringe!

However this Thursday, perhaps we can take a moment and set an intention for next week or the weekend? I've been a little distracted lately and despite a truckload of things to do, I've managed to accomplish very little, especially if you don't count the shopping expeditions I've gone to lately. So, in the spirit of productivity and happiness, I pronounced these five things as my intentions for the week:

* Check off at least 5 items in my to-do list.

* Make someone happy by hosting their (surprise!) birthday party.

* Surprise someone special through the mail. It's all about paying it forward, isn't it?

* Nourish my body and soul: do at least three (unpaid) Yoga classes this week.

* Give a mommy friend some rest and relaxation by offering to baby sit. Taking the kids to the mall is considered educational (so much to try on... I mean learn), yes?

What are your intentions for the week? I'd really love to hear how everybody is doing in their neck of the woods this week!

Much love.

Photographer's Pick of the Day:

Optical Illusion

Outfit details

Black shift dress - Banana Republic

Statement earrings - Banana Republic
Swarovski studded bracelet - Aztec, Gift from Mom

Patent leather pumps - Guess, Gift from E

Jewelled clutch - Banana Republic, Gift from EM

What and Where

Friday night was suppose to be a romantic evening, I planned to take E out to this favourite French Bistro for steak and seafood however, I have this rowdy crowd called family who somehow manages to change (ruin) plans, always. We ended up having dinner at my Mom's place and on Saturday to make it up, I told E, come hell or high waters, we are going out!

This photo is part of the Saturday night ensemble, which I will share with you later but today, let's play Where in the World is Waldo? Although this is not my most creative and imaginative outfit to date but I figure, you can never go wrong with a Little Black Dress, can you? (This one is a recent buy that is absolutely becoming my all-time favourite.) Nevertheless, I want to post this as a stand alone, as a preview to my upcoming feature about my most elusive and talented photographer - J.

So, can you spot him in the photo?

 

Laces and Cream

Outfit details

Cream lace dress - Limited, Gift from my dear Pearl
Gold floral necklace - Club Monaco
Cream weaved clutch - Banana Republic
Cougar print pumps - Sam and Libby (seen here)
Sunnies - Banana Republic

What and Where

Friday nights when the weather is nice - let's go for dinner and drinks she cries! I'm feeling a little (a lot) romantic tonight, I'm pretty sure it was the dress, so I thought I'd take E out to his favourite restaurant for steak et frites. Since we had a lot of time to kill, yeah we're busy like that, J and I decided we should push our artistic boundaries (yes, I'm joking) and take photos around the neighbourhood. You see, the shoots we have taken so far were locations close to our office, we usually run outside, pose and shoot - vite, dale!

This spot is literally three seconds outside our door, you step outside to the most vibrant, buzzling and beautiful courtyard I've seen or more accurately, I've ever lived at. This little piece of paradise within the heart of downtown is literally a few minutes away from Canada's world famous landmark - the Parliament Hill and is home to the city's top-listed restaurants, bars and lounges. Did I mention it's also right behind the biggest shopping mall in the city, bookstores and specials boutiques? Oh yeah, it means exactly that - temptation every single day!

As for this gorgeously romantic dress, I had a bit of trouble styling up the rest of the outfit and decided to pair it with my cougar shoes for an unexpected juxtaposition of feline rawness and the feminine touch of lace. Perhaps a hint of leather would also work but I'm curious, what would you pair it with?

Photographer's Pick of the Day

More Lovin' from Dublin

Brand New Osprey London Leather Purse

Sneak peek at all the goodies from Dublin

Three Precious Hallmark Greeting Cards

River Island Super Embellished Belt

Only (Limitless) Lilac Corset Dress

Awww, isn't this the cutest card ever?

Question: What's better than receiving a surprise parcel in the mail full of wonderful goodies from Ireland?

Answer: Well, getting TWO of them!

There's very few occasions that I have been left speechless and this is one of them! I went home one day last week, feeling giddy like I'm about to see a sign that says - You've got Mail! and quelle suprise! I see two mail notices posted in my lobby and I just couldn't wait to spring to the postal outlet like a newborn doe! (Maybe they don't actually spring immediately after birth as they may still feel woozy but you get the point!) 

As the mail man hands me two of the biggest parcels I've ever received from Europe, I couldn't wait to get home so I can rip them apart. Alright, for the record, I'm not one to actually rip wrapping papers on gifts, I'm more like the peel each and every strip of scotch tape and fold the gift wrapper neatly and store them away type of girl when it comes to opening presents. So in true fashion, I grabbed a pair of kitchen scissors and cautiously cut the edge of each parcels and ceremonially pull one beautiful piece after the other and laid them out in my living room (yes, there's that many!), I took a long moment of silence to admire them, photograph them and offer a prayer of gratitude for being so blessed and having such a wonderful friend.

You see, Pearl and I have been sending each other surprise packages in the mail and aside from our almost daily conversation over Facebook, e-mails and phone calls, this has been our way of keeping in touch as we live far from each other. Though it may seem superficial to some (and we have discussed that aspect at length) and it usually brings about some confused amusement from E and Jan (Pearl's always loving and good looking husband), we both have a mutual understanding and a shared appreciation that this is going to be our thing, surprise each other with beautiful items from across the Atlantic and I just don't think there's anything wrong with that, do you?

So, if I may, I'd like to share with you the treasured contents of Parcel Number: 1. I have always loved receiving greeting cards for special occasions and I do save the most memorable ones. This I suspect, from the always supportive and loving Pearl, is something that I will absolutely keep forever...

******

To my Best Friend on your birthday,

we share each other's secrets... 

we laugh (a lot!)...

and we're 

there for each other...

You're a wonderful friend, I'm truly blessed to have you in my life. I will treasure all the memories we shared together. Those were priceless.

Stay true, young and beautiful, as always. I'm always here for you. Whatever it is Sweetie, just FB, or call for help, advise, opinion, etc. and I'll do anything to make you happy.

I'm so glad you're my friend.

God Bless our Friendship, Always...

Love, 

Pearl

******

Isn't this such a very touching and sweet message? Do you have someone who's been so good to you to thank for today?

Three of the most heartfelt cards I have ever received in my life...

Pieces Accessories Polka Dot Scarf

Scorpion brooch on River Island Embellished Belt

Flower brooch on belt. Isn't the details just beautifully intricate?

My BFF, Miss Pearl(-y Shell from the Ocean! Sorry, I can't help it... Every time I say her name, I just want to sing that classic song from my childhood. Love her lots!)

Park and Fly

Outfit details

Silk ruffled top - Banana Republic

High-waisted skirt - Prints and Plains, Gift from Mommy

Diamond watch - Wittnauer, Gift from EM

Pearl cuff - La Baie

Silver hoops - Guess

Nude pumps - Browns, Gift from Maria

What and Where

The National Archives of Canada is located a few minutes from my office, it is the very last building you see when you cross over to Quebec from Ontario and in front of this building is this beautiful public park. I think this water installation was a new addition as I haven't been here for awhile.When E and I used to work together for the same Department, we would go here, eat our lunch and just bask in the sun.

I'm glad this location came to mind Tuesday morning as it seemed even more beautiful and peaceful as I remember it and it provided for a beautiful background for the shoot. For some reason however, J was taking a lot of close-up shots today and I'm not sure how you feel about it but I always get intimidated when he gets really close with his camera lens. I do love his signature shots when he zooms in the details of the outfits but when it comes to getting an up close and personal shot of my face, I feel this sense of panic rising and I, all of the sudden, don't know what to do. I don't particularly think my close-ups look great, hence my preference for shots taken from far, far away!

Today, thanks to Valerie (you should check out her amazing yoga poses!), I was reminded of something very important in my yoga practice and my daily life: setting an intention. I used to start my day with a moment of prayer, which really was more of an offer of gratitude for everything that I have but these days, life gets in the way (coupled with the fact that I'd rather inject myself with caffeine I.V. and work the graveyard shift than wake up in the morning) and its something I've sadly neglected. We get so caught up in trying to achieve so many things that sometimes we don't take a moment to just be silent, regroup our thoughts and set an intention for our day.

I will start tomorrow with every consciousness to set an intention for the day and for the blog. I'm sorry it has taken me awhile to update my blog roll (sorry Persis!), as you know I am still trying to figure this out and I really thank you guys for the help and the patience but I promise, I will have it updated before the weekend. If I missed to add your blog, please do let me know and I'd be happy to update it.

I'm sorry this post is a bit long but there are so many exciting developments in the blog and I've got some pretty fantastic posts lined up. That includes my very first feature: the ever sweet and beautiful JoAnn from Sidewalk Chalk, we are working on a fashion collaboration together and I can't wait to share it with you. My long overdue feature of the man behind the camera, the elusive J, is also in the works, so its going to be a busy transition to Fall. I've always said it since the beginning, I really did not intend for this blog to be just all about me, I want to feature people and things that are worth blogging about. Yes, that includes friends (and if they are nice, maybe family too) whom I admire, who are not only beautiful but smart, talented and overall, amazing individuals. I plan to make a regular Blogger of the Week feature so if you would like to nominate somebody (my, including yourself, of course!), please drop me a line, I'd be very happy to hear from you!

It's almost Friday... Much love!

Photographer's Pick of the Day