snapshots

1-3 One of the few patterned pieces in my otherwise plain wardrobe (solid colours are just so much easier to match with each other)
4 I'd definitely consider myself more of a tea person than a coffee person [David's tea; coco chai rooibos]
5 A gift from a friend; the colours remind of the aurora borealis
6 Striped shirt; so simple and classy

mellow

Currently having some trouble uploading photos from my camera so here's some music that I've been listening to lately to tide you over in the meantime. :)

the taste of unfamiliar places

When I met up with my friend, little did I know that he had brought back an edible surprise for me. Laduree macarons!



Miraculously, they survived the trip from New York to Toronto...and then some. (How was I to know they were hiding in the giftbag as I rather carelessly tossed them around while shopping downtown?)

Left row (top to bottom): orange blossom, chestnut, lemon, raspberry
Right row (top to bottom): rose, chocolate, caramel, pistachio

I'm not a macaron connoisseur by any means (as I've admitted before) but I'd always heard people rave about Laduree macarons.  And, they lived up to their reputation. All of them were lovely - prominent and distinct flavours with excellent textures. However, the rose macaron was amazing and hands-down my favourite.

Just look at this beauty with its delicate outer crust, chewy texture and generous amount of filling! Mmmm...

Surprisingly, I wasn't too impressed by the caramel but I thought the chocolate was the perfect balance of sweetness. (The pistachio was also a standout...but I forgot to take a picture. That may or may not be interpreted as me shoving it into my mouth before said picture could be taken....)


Honestly, these were such a sweet gesture in every possible way from my friend. Perhaps the best part was that I'd never even mentioned macarons to him before! It's funny how your friends just end up getting you exactly what you want :)

Mary Katrantzou for Topshop Coming to Canada

Mary Katrantzou first came onto my radar last year with her spectacular Fall 2011 collection and when I saw the sneakpeek for this Topshop collaboration via Style Bubble, I was instantly in love.  However, I put it behind me as I didn't think the collection would be available in Canada. So, imagine my pleasant surprise when I saw this tweet, announcing that the collection would be coming to the Topshop in The Bay at Yorkdale Mall on March 6th (although the collection officially launches on February 17):

The price range appears to be from $75 to $630 (with the leggings starting at the $75 range and the dresses in the upper range, of course), which is still a steal compared to her regular prices. The satin dress with the bowl shaped skirt ($630) and the long sleeved jersey dress ($360) will surely be instant sellers - they'd certainly be among my purchases if my wallet didn't have a say in the matter. :)

(More pictures of the collection available at Vogue.co.uk and check out Style Bubble to see one of the dresses in a real life context)

life's like a box of chocolates

Yes, I've been MIA from this blog for a while but I'm back for now. Clearly, based on these pictures, I'm hoping to revive my blog from the dead with a sugar shock. hah Anyways, more coming soon :)

All Hallows' Eve

This is one of the best editorials I've seen in recent months and I felt that its tone suited the occasion.

The Sun's Beaming Down

Quick pick-me-ups. Besides the obligatory studying, I managed to fit in some time to do a little bit of thrifting this past weekend. Not all shopping trips are successful so I didn't get my hopes up but I did manage to find a lovely white blouse. And in the comfort of my bed, I settled down with a tub of Haagen Dazs and flipped through a magazine.