2010

2010 was an amazing year, it was definitely a year of growth, change and lots of eating of course! I also started this blog about a year ago and I hope to continue to write more. I was just on my friend Kelly's blog and she inspired me to do a little recap of 2010 as well. In no particular order, here are my top 10 in 2010


Birthday trip to NYC. The highlight of this trip was going to Kleinfeld's for the first time and meeting Randy in person. He put on my girlfriend's veil, it was a very sweet moment.


After completing PR school at Centennial College, I landed an internship and a full-time job offer at Strategic Objectives. I also met some fabulous PR people along the way.


The Miso Black Cod at Ame. Hands down, one of the most delicious dishes I ate in 2010. I still think about it from time to time, yes it is that good.


Epic dinner parties with my favorite people.


I have stalked this bag for a year and when I had the opportunity to buy it in New York I hesitated. It was a huge regret, but I ended up buying it at a discount in Toronto. I think it was meant to be.


My girl crushes, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley. They are gorgeous, talented and have amazing taste and style.


Stars concert at Massey Hall


Ordering many rounds of Uni (Sea urchin) sushi with my family. We are obsessed.


Discovering stylemepretty.com was pretty major in 2010. I am obsessed with weddings and I visit this blog on a daily basis


Eating the Mac Attack at Cafeteria in New York. The truffle oil mac is my favourite.

Happy New Year!
xoxO

Guu Izakaya

Over the holidays, I finally got the chance to try Guu with a few friends. When I told them that I have never eaten at Guu, their response was "You haven't been to Guu and you call yourself a foodie?" I guess they are right because there is nothing quite like it in Toronto. I mean people are still willing to line up for hours to eat at this place. It is kind of amazing.

Now onto the food. The Salmon Natto Yukke (chopped salmon sashimi with “seven friends”) was the star of the evening and it blew my mind. The dish is made with natto (Japanese product made with fermented soy beans), green onions and raw egg yolks that are mixed and wrapped in nori (Japanese seaweed). This dish has so many different layers of flavours and textures, there was definitely a party in my mouth.

We hope to try Japango next time. If you know of any good Japanese restaurants, please leave me a comment!

xoxO

My Holiday Favourites

The KitchenAid Stand Mixer is my favourite kitchen appliance during the holidays when I am baking many batches of holiday treats.


The French rolling pin from Williams-Sonoma is my preference. My trusty rolling pin always roll out the perfect sugar cookies!



Ina Garten. I love her recipes and elegant dinner party ideas. Her recipe for chocolate white chocolate chunk cookies is my favourite for the holidays.



Anna Olson. Her chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe are the best in my opinion.



If you know me well, you know that I love Papyrus. It is really important to me to buy cards that reflect both my personality and style.

What are some of your holiday favourites?

xoxO

Wedding Dress

Seeing Nicole Richie in her Marchesa wedding gown this morning has inspired me to write a blog post of about "the dress". Every girl dreams about their big day and that perfect wedding dress. I know I have given this much thought.


Nicole in her beautiful Marchesa gown. (Photo via people.com)


Grace Kelly

Ever since Nicole was a little girl, she knew that she wanted two things at her wedding; a Grace Kelly inspired wedding dress and an elephant. Well, she got both of these things and more. Lucky girl.

Now onto me. Ever since I was a little girl I have been a huge fan of Audrey Hepburn. My great-grandma absolutely adored her and I remember watching all of her movies growing up. One of my favourites is My Fair Lady and it would be my dream to channel this look on my big day.


Audrey Hepburn

I know Audrey's white dress is not a wedding gown, but I think every girl would feel like a princess looking like that.

Ladies, do you have a dream dress?

xoxO

My PR Tips

I know I have only been working in PR for about a year (I am including several internships prior to PR school at Centennial College), but I thought It would be fun to share my top PR survival tips.

1. Lists. Write down a to-do list to ensure that nothing is missed.

2. Email folders. Organize your inbox with folders. Once something has been taken care, store it in its designated folder.

3. Follow up. Not just with media, but with your team. Communication is key.

4. Keep food at your desk.

5. Take a walk when needed.

What are your PR tips?

xoxO

Duck Boots

I think I found the perfect winter boots.

Thoughts. Yay or nay?

xoxO

My wish list

Clare Vivier La Tropezienne. I have been stalking this bag for six months and I am still in love with it.


Would love all 3...


Loeffler Randall Rain Booties


Or Loeffler Randall Rain Boot with Back Zip. Can't decide on a colour though.


Lastly, a classic Celine Box Bag (unrealistic, I know). I'll probably be able to afford this when I am 50.

Until then, I will keep dreaming of this bag and come up with outfits to go with it.

Sweet dreams
xoxO

Ame

I went to Ame with a couple foodies last night for dinner and I am STILL thinking about the Wagyu Beef Short Ribs.

Look at this beauty. Mouthwatering, falling off the bone deliciousness.



Another favourite dish of the evening was the Miso Black Cod. Whenever I try a new restaurant and cod is on the menu, I always feel the need to give it a try. This was sweet and buttery, so delish!



The next stop will most likely be Ruby Watchco, Lynn Crawford's new restaurant. Stay tuned for more eating adventures.

xoxO

Kultura + Blowfish

Kultura



Starters from l-r: Sushi Pizza, Palak Paneer Naan and Chicken Samosas



European Sea Bass with Snow Peas



Highlight of the night. Trio of fruit sorbets, from l-r, guava, fig and blackberry and pineapple.

Blowfish



Makimonos and Kobe Beef Rolls



Miso Blackened Cod. DELICIOUS.



Dessert for the birthday girl. Green Tea and Ginger Creme Brulee and Tempura Mangoes. The butterscotch and curry sauce on the Tempura Mangoes was nothing that I have tasted before. The hint of curry gave the butterscotch a spicy kick. The perfect combination of sweet and savory in my opinion!

More eating adventures to come!

xoxO

Eggs Benedict

On Sunday, we decided to make eggs benedict for brunch. We have never made hollandaise sauce from scratch or poached eggs before, so we were all pretty nervous. A few YouTube videos later, we were able to put some food on the table and enjoy a delicious brunch.



This recipe calls for egg yolks, melted butter and lemon juice. It takes a bit time for the egg yolks to thicken and pass the ribbon test, but it is well worth it. Good workout for your arms!



Poached eggs. I don't know why I was so afraid of this method of cooking, but it's actually quite easy. The secret is to have the water at the right temperature (you will see tiny bubbles in the bottom of the pot) so the eggs can cook gently. Also, adding vinegar to the water will help the eggs coagulate and form the right shape.



The end result. Delicious homemade eggs benedict. Instead of the traditional english muffin, we opted for chewy baguette. And of course, we had to take it up a notch and use smoked salmon. It's the perfect marriage in my opinion.



Good company and good food. The perfect way to end the weekend.

xoxO

Coach and Fashion Bloggers Collaborate

Two of my favourite fashion bloggers, Cupcakes and Cashmere and Karla's Closet recently joined forces with Coach to design handbags. Emily and Karla each designed handbags that matched their personal style and taste.

Here's a peek at their creations:



Karla's Clutch "City Girl" (Image via karlascloset.com)


Emily's Satchel "Sweet Whimsy" (Image via cupcakesandcashmere.com)

This is what I call effective blogger outreach. Coach definitely chose the right fashionistas to collaborate with them because they are definitely getting a lot of attention in the fashion blog community. Smart move Coach, what a great way to target fashion readers. Not only will this increase their website traffic, but readers may even purchase a handbag.

From a PR standpoint this is really great for Coach because it is important to build relationships with bloggers. Traditional media relations is still key, but as more and more people are getting their information online it is crucial to practice effective blogger outreach and to maintain these relationships.

Whether it is the usual product review or in this case a design collaboration, make sure to include bloggers in your media relations.

xoxO

Dakgalbee at Joon's

Last week, my brother took me to Joon's at Yonge and Sheppard for some Dakgalbee. It's Korean tabletop cooking. This was completely new to me because unlike my brother, I do not watch Korean shows/dramas. Apparently this is quite popular in Korea and most people have it as a midnight meal. We ordered the first Dakgalbee on the menu and in minutes the waitress came to our table and began cooking for us. The end result was delicious! The one pan wonder had ramen noodles, rice cakes, vegetables, chicken, spicy Korean hot sauce and mozzarella cheese. Yes, cheese. Interesting mix right? I thought so too, but the combination is pretty amazing. It's spicy and cheesy all at the same time. What's not to like?

Here are some visuals.


Before


Dakgalbee. Nomnomnom.

xoxO

The Perfect Mix

(photo via The Sartorialist)

Florals and plaid. LOVE.

Pure Decadence in a Bowl

Honestly anything with cheese is good for me, but last night's dinner experience at Oliver and Bonacini was on another level. I want to note that I ended up devouring my boyfriend's meal because I did not enjoy my seafood linguine. He ordered the O&B Macaroni and Cheese with slivered chicken, sweet garden peas, Balderson cheddar, and Chevalier goat cheese. Yes cheddar and goat cheese TOGETHER! I thought the combination would be too strong, but it was so delicious. I even resorted to scraping down the bowl with my fork to get every last bit of cheese sauce in my mouth! I know I have no shame and zero table manners, but you would do the same if you tried this dish. I'm no Gail Greene but this mac and cheese deserves five stars.

Sorry no visuals for this post, I was too busy eating!

Zoe Saldana & Givenchy lead in Google searches

From the waist up, Zoe's Givenchy number is absolutely gorgeous. Then you see the rest of the gown and you think of a piñata. Honestly what was she thinking? I guess it doesn't even matter at this point because according to Mashable.com, Google's blog post revealed that Zoe's purple Givenchy dress topped the list for fashion-related searches. Sorry James Cameron, but your leading lady AND your ex-wife generated more news than you post-Oscars. Just sayin'.

Saving the best for last because it was my favourite of the night. It also topped the list in Google searches, SJP in Vintage Chanel. STUNNING.

On the topic of viral videos..

How appropriate. I am currently working on my viral video assignment for Online PR and came across this. I have already seen it on TV, but now it has gone viral and everyone is talking about it. You don't have to be a dog owner to appreciate this commercial because it has all the elements of a successful viral video.

1. The video is short, 1:31.
2. Interesting visuals, ie: the slow motion.
3. Definite wow-factor.
4. Unique.

The power of Twitter after the Chile earthquake

A woman was able to track down her missing sister-in-law thanks to the help of a fellow tweep in Chile. Read full story here.

It just shows that when it comes to social media, there are no barriers or limits. All Sheryl Breuker did was tweet about her missing sister-in-law, Maria Alicia Moya, with hash tags (#Chile #quake) and the response she received was incredible. Within two hours, she was able to locate Moya and was relieved that she was safe. Breuker's tweet connected her with someone from Chile who was close enough to go her family's address to check up on Moya. We already witnessed the huge role social media has played to raise funds for Haiti, but this is just on another level.

When Dave Fleet came to speak to our PR Writing class last semester, he talked about the importance of social media. He then went on and talked about using Twitter as an effective communications tool and that one person can reach a lot of people. For example, he tweeted one question and over the course of 10 hours he received 46 replies on Twitter. This further demonstrates the power of social media because you can reach out to millions of people through just one channel.

What an amazing story! I am awed by the power of Twitter.

Nicole Richie, tres mignonne en Paris.

(source: popsugar)

Forget rain boots! I'd totally wear these gorgeous shoes in the rain as well!

Marc Jacobs Fall 2010 livestream

I managed to watch the runway show last night and it was amazing! I tuned in ten minutes before the show and did some people watching as the camera scanned the room. It gave the viewers at home a sense of what it is like at fashion shows, something that I did not expect. I was also on Twitter checking out Robert Duffy's tweets about the show. He was tweeting status updates as they got ready for the show and when the show began, it all stopped. I was expecting some live tweets, but I guess no one took over for Duffy. Overall I think Duffy did a good job, other than this minor slip up.

Everything about the show was beautiful. The greys, creams, and sparkly gowns accompanied by the perfect song choice, "Over the Rainbow" was just lovely. I am no fashion expert, but here are some of my favourites.

J'adore...




(source: style.com)

Now I just have one wish. Karl Lagerfeld, can you livestream your next runway show? Please and thank you!