Wally-Mart

Made a quick trek to Wal-Mart today to get myself out of the office so here's a quick recap of what I picked up.

Here we go!

I have been looking for a nice pearlized pink nail polish and they are hard to find; probably because they stopped making them in the 80's LOL. But I like the color on my nails, it's easy to wear and if it chips it's not as noticeable as red would be. I found this colour from Revlon which is pretty close to what I was looking for.

I found a great tip on a fellow blogger's site, Spiffy Kirms. She keeps these Simple Face Wipes in her bedside table on nights that she's too "lazy" to wash her face. She is super fit so I can't imagine her lazy is the same as my lazy :-) I really try to wash my face and apply good moisturizer every night but sometimes, I just can bring myself to do it. It is really important to wash your face to remove all of the dirt and oil to prevent breakouts. Also applying a good moisturizer will help keep your skin looking fresh and aids in cell regeneration during the night while you sleep.

 Tried on this ruffled skirt and this neon sweat shirt thinking it would go well together.  It's hard to tell in this picture but there is a neon fleck in the skirt pattern (see close up below). I didn't love this look so I only got the skirt ($14) which I have a cute outfit idea for. I am not 100% sure it will work but stay tuned to see!

Meh...

Close up!

Work outfit, remember me?

I also picked up a neon skirt that I might wear tomorrow.

 Tomorrow is last workday before a long weekend in Canada. It's Canada Day on Monday where we celebrate our joining of the British North American Colonies into a federation. Basically it's Canada's Birthday!

I hope you all had a fantastic Thursday!

All White with a Pop of Colour

Today's outfit is inspired by this Pin I found on Pinterest; one of my daily amusements to get me through the thrills of working a desk job. From an all white outfit to an all white room, adding a pop if colour to this virginal pallet is something that always looks fresh and breezy.

 These photos were taken this morning before work from inside my closet, which I will show you one day when it is better organized.

Jeans: Jessica Simpson Forever Skinny Jeans, referenced here

Top: Dynamite, referenced here

Tank underneath: Wal-Mart

Shoes: Novellino, worn here and here

 It is a shame that the colour of these shoes doesn't show up well on camera. They are a shinny purple that matches wonderfully with my Coach purse.

 Necklaces: Ricki's and Dynamite

Some of you might not think wearing all white is going to work. You might feel that it will wash you out, or make you look like a walking marshmallow. I hear you! But here are some tips to wearing all white that might help:

• Make sure the whites match. Pairing an off white with a bright white might come off as sloppy
• Keep your lines clean. Overly pouffy white on top and bottom will lend itself to marshmallow land :-)
• Add a pop of color. I would have worn this outfit with beige heels and been just as pleased but adding colour really gives all white a nice punch.

For a different take on all white check out Tinfoil Tiaras and how she paired her all white dress with some really cute accessories.

Eat Here Before You Die: Buddha Dog

This edition of Eat Here Before You Die is a hot dog lover's heaven. I mentioned this cute, laid back spot to grab a doggy in a recent post about my fabulous trip to Prince Edward County where we partook in a Wine Tour. Prior to loading in the van to get started on our guided tour, my girlfriends and I stopped at Buddha Dog to grab a bite before downing glass after glass of Pinots, Gamays and Cab Sauvs. I had visited Buddha a few years back and will definitely return to this unique and locally driven eatery located right in the heart of Picton, Ontario. 

Founded in 2005, Buddha dog thrives on the principle that you can support local dairies, farmers, bakers and butchers to create a tasty, natural hot dog, void of nasty fillers, that showcases what PEC has to offer. Everything on Buddha's menu comes local; that includes the bread, cheese and the diverse range of sauces to top your doggies and create a different twist on the traditional ball park hot dog.

Ever thought of a butter chicken sauce to pair with white cheddar cheese as a hot dog topping? Yeah me neither but let me tell you it was SO delicious! 

 The hard working ladies of Buddha Dog

As we couldn't possibly choose from all of the sauces and cheese selections (see the menu below), we had the Ladies do the choosing for us. We ordered a selections of 3 hot dogs each; Buddha Dogs are smaller than regular hot dogs. They came beautifully decorated with colorful sauces ranging from spicy to sweet to savory and each had a different cheese pairing. All YUMMY! 

Menu Source: mycollingwood.ca

 The chalk drawing is a map of the area of Prince Edward County and shows where Buddha Dog obtains all of their ingredients.  Support and promote local culinary businesses in one beautifully drawn mural.

Here is one of the platters. You can see that someone couldn't even wait for a picture to be taken before diving in!

 A refreshing iced tea with mint concoction served in a mason jar, readily available in a fridge. Sooo good on a hot day.

 Beth and Laurie all smiles at Buddha

Terribly blurry picture of Denise and I, patiently waiting for our food.

I am so happy to feature this business on my blog. Having been laid off from a job of ten years due to globalization and offshore job creation, I have a profound appreciation for maintaining local business practices and refuting the "big box store" mentality. It doesn't allow for our Mom & Pop businesses much of a chance to thrive but the smart people of Buddha Dog are showing that eating locally works and tastes incredible!

*Please note that Buddha Dog has not provided any compensation for this blog feature and all of the opinions expressed on this blog are my own*

Basic Button Down Dress

Don't you love it when you approach your closet with no idea what to wear, push aside some hangers and  VOILA! Something magically appears that you totally forgot you owned!

Well that happened to me this morning and I couldn't have been more pleased to have re-discovered this basic black button down dress from Calvin Klein.

Dress: Old, Calvin Klein

Belt: came with the dress

Shoes: Novellino in Kingston Ontario

Bracelet: Colombian Emerald International

For my Birthday a couple of years ago my friends, that I have known since grade school, took me on a Shopping Trip to the Waterloo Premium Outlets, located in Waterloo New York. At the time I was unemployeed and had some reservations about spending money on clothes or anything that wasn't a necessity. However, I really needed some fun to lift my spirits and time with girlfriends can cure just about anything, so off we went. While shopping, I tried on this dress and immediately thought it would be perfect to wear to my potential future new job that I hadn't been hired for yet. Hopeful thinking! 

But my responsible side took over and I walked out the change room thinking, "hmmm... no, I better not". Since I have THE BEST girlfriends ever they all pitched in and bought the dress for me as a Birthday present. How sweet is that?!

So not only is this dress super stylish and easy to wear (no SPANX required), it has a sentimental value to boot. I can't believe that I had forgotten it but glad that we are reunited!

On My Wish List

Happy Summer Solstice MelMac'ers! I always have bitter sweet feelings about the First Day of Summer. On the plus side Summer officially begins and it is the longest day of the year; who doesn't love a long Summer night? On the down side, this means the days will get shorter and shorter here on out. This means Winter is Coming (if you get this reference, you and I can definitely be friends).

In my recent post A Wine Tour In Prince Edward County - Part 1, I mentioned that we went shopping the morning before our tour started. There were two items that really caught my eye and I hope that I can either find them online or in the US for cheap; so far not successful :(

A Wine Tour in Prince Edward County - Part 3

And now for the third and final post capturing all the fun my girlfriends and I had this past weekend in Prince Edward County. I have a few more pictures to share, a map of our tour and last but not least, the tasty varieties I took home with me. Hint: none of them were a Red or White. Huh? What?

Here is a map of the wineries we went to in chronological order. The only map I could find online was from 2012 and Hinterland was no where to be found, but they get a special call out to make sure not to leave anyone out.

1) Huff Estates

2) Sugarbush

3) Karlo Estates

4) Keint-He

5) Sandbanks

6) Norman Hardie

7) Hinderland 

More random pictures from the tour. I know this is probably overkill but I just can't get enough of the landscape and how perfect a day it was! :-)

 This was the view when you looked across from the Karlo Estates barn area

 My friends, Laurie and Denise looking lovely. Me in the background admiring the view from the previous picture. The lady in the black top behind Denise's shoulder is Muriel, our sweet and knowledgeable tour guide. Sadly this is the only picture I have of her :-(

 Dee and I on our way into Karlo. You can see the size of the barn better in this shot.

Beth and I inside Karlo

I am ready to rock this wine tour! This was taken right before we loaded into the van.

So, what did I buy while visiting seven wineries in one afternoon and tasting over a dozen varieties of reds, whites and roses?

From left to right:
Huff Estates 2011 Rose - not too sweet and refreshing
Huff Estates 2010 Vidalescco - tastes like Prosecco, YUM!
Karlo Estates 2009 Van Alstine Red Port - amazing!
Sandbanks Love Cassis Aperitivo 2011 - can't wait to have this before a nice meal.

 Even the labels are pretty!

Score! 

Dress: Suzy Shier (belt came with the dress)

Necklace: Dynamite

Our tour was provided by Prince Edward County Wine Tours. We were given this handy bag to carry our purchases. This will be great when transporting multiple bottles of wine to a dinner party.

Not a red or white in the bunch but all super delicious and unique. I figure you can get decent reds and whites at the LCBO any day but these are special varieties and I look forward to enjoying them with friends and family.

Well, that's it! I am so happy with the comments on these posts and I hope that some of you will put a wine tour in PEC on your to-do list in the near future. Even if you don't like wine, there are still a ton of fun things to do in the County.

Friendship's the wine of life.
Let's drink of it and to it!

A Wine Tour in Prince Edward County - Part 2

On Monday I took you through Part 1 of my Girls Weekend Getaway to Prince Edward County. This follow up post will be picture heavy, are you ready? Okay, let's hit it!

We left off at Karlo Estates Winery, which was my favorite visit. Not that the other stops of the wine tour weren't fabulous but Karlo's had me at "do you want food pairings with your tasting?"

Our next stop was Keint-He Winery and Vineyard and it was in a really beautiful spot. They have north and south facing slopes for their vineyard and that allows for some really different tasting blends coming from one winery. As you can see from the pictures it was so tranquil; you can see lake Ontario just past the vines.

Next we visited one of the more popular wineries in Ontario, Sandbanks, named after the Provincial Park. I have loved their Baco Noir for many years so I tried tasting some different varieties and they were all delish!

 There was some musical entertainment at Sandbanks. At this point on the tour I will pretty pickled so  I sat back, enjoyed the breeze and the relaxing tunes at a near by Adirondack Chair

 Inside the tasting area

Some of the wares at Sandbanks. When you shop while under the influence you buy more! Smart people these Sandbankers.

On to the next! We went to Norman Hardie, another very popular winery. They import their vines from France so if you enjoy French wine, you should check this brand out. I tried their 2010 Chardonnay which I LOVED. It tasted the way you would expect it to be; light, citrus and lingering flavor on the tongue.

Vats at Norman Hardie

Sadly our tour was ending, but our tour guide was smart when she chose Hinterland Wine Company for our last stop. They only create sparkling wine, which I love. Ending a great day with a celebratory "CHEERS" with Champagne flutes filled with bubbly goodness. I tried their Whitecap 2012 Method Charmat.... 

AHHH-MAZING!

 As the vines do not grow very tall in this region of Ontario, the grapes need to be picked by hand. Here are some of the workers returning from a long day out in the field. I stumbled through some Spanish with them and they were super friendly even after a long day working outside.

 #FarmLife

We arrived back at Angeline's just after 6PM and we sat in this little trellis area and chatted, relaxed and let our wine buzz wash over us with satisfaction. Seven wineries on one tour, not too shabby!

 Me, Denise, Kelly and you can spot Beth in the distance Face Timing.

The night we ate dinner at the Waring House, which I have frequented many times and it's consistently a good time with great food. 

 This is a poorly taken iPhone picture with a messy room in the back ground. Oh well, you make do!

Dress: NEW! Vero Moda

Shoes: Adlo

Clutch: Le Chateau

County Cider and Cheddar Soup, YES! 

Another bad iPhone snap of the band Pearl who kept us tapping our toes while enjoying our meal. 

And FINALLY we reach the end of another lengthy post. I really hope you enjoy me taking you through this wine tour and PEC visit. Part 3 will be short (I promise!) and you will get to see which wines I ended up purchasing! Save the best for last I say :-)

Dig It

I loves me some Leo and his work with Martin Scorsese is always awesome. Their newest collaboration is going to be one hell of a ride!  The Wolfe of Wall Street looks like the original movie 80's excess via  stock trading , Wall Street, on acid.

Leo DiCaprio stars as Jordan Belfort, a highly successful stockbroker working in the Big Apple, who refuses to cooperate with a fraud case involving corporate banking and the mob. The movie also stars the lovable Jonah Hill, the smooth talking Matthew McConaughy and is directed, of course, by the great Martin Scorsese.

Sometimes when your favorite movie stars or directors join forces the outcome is anti-climatic at best. However the first trailer  for The Wolfe of Wall Street appears to be showcasing all of DiCaprio's bravado and then some.

Take a look at the official trailer for The Wolfe of Wall Street and see for yourself!

A Wine Tour in Prince Edward County - Part 1

Since I have lived in Ontario (moved here when I was 12), in the Summer a must go to trip would be to Prince Edward County, more specifically Picton, to lie on the beach or camp in Sandbanks Provincial Park. When I was young this was a favorite spot of mine, the beach has nearly white sand, there are gorgeous sand dunes to explore and it really is the only nice beach of this size in the immediate area. It is located in beautiful Prince Edward County where B&B's, 30+ wineries and amazing restaurants are a way of life. Things just seem more laid back when you are in "the county" and the landscape is totally serene with idyllic homes and cottages peppering the vast farmer's fields.

This weekend I was lucky enough to travel to the county with four girlfriends that I have known since Elementary School. We all met up in Bloomfield and stayed at this super cute and affordable Inn called Angeline's. It is a combination of a motel with affordable yet really contemporary rooms, a cottage with more upscale suites and an Inn with more rooms furnished with antiques acquired from the area. We stayed in the motel and it was really fun! We had side-by-side rooms so we could just sit outside of the rooms at a patio table and chill out with a drink, watching the comings and goings of the visitors to PEC.

 Angeline's Motel. I didn't get a picture of the inside of our Room but there are pictures available on the website.

Right across the way, the entrance to the Hubb

We arrived on Friday evening and went for a meal at Angeline's restaurant called the Hubb. I can tell you have eaten in countless restaurants this was one of the BEST dinning experiences I have had.

 This is the Hubb Burger. It had fois grais and bacon jam along with locally made cheese. There is some grainy mustard and homemade ketchup on the side with some potatoes. TO. DIE. FOR!

Double Trouble? Count me in! Note: this was my friend's beer. I wouldn't dare order a beer in Wine Country!

In the morning we went into the town of Picton and did some shopping. I didn't buy anything but scouted out some possible online purchases. Hopefully more on that to come! Our wine tour didn't start until 1PM so we grabbed some lunch at Buddha Dog. This is an eat here before you die experience for sure. Locally raised beef to create hot dogs that look more like pepperettes (that's what happens without all the fillers and nitrates), combined with sauces made from ingredients all grown in the County. The map behind the counter you see here is drawn in chalk and shows where they get their ingredients from. I love that!

 Getting our dogs ready!

Sample flight that was put together by the Ladies of Buddha Dog. All had sauces that ranged from Sweet to Savory to Spicy. They were so unique and delicious.

On to the Wine Tour! We loaded up in a van and began the tour lead by our super sweet and knowledgeable driver, Murial. I'm sorry that I didn't get a picture of her now #fail. Our first stop was Huff Estates which I have visited before and stayed at their Inn a few years ago.

 My friends, Kelly and Denise outside of Huff. What do you think of Denise's sunglasses? Retro much?

 The vineyard at Huff's. They bury all of the vines in the ground for the Winter otherwise they would all be destroyed. That would be a big job considering the size of the vineyard.

Next we visited Sugarbush Vineyards, one of the smaller wineries but they produced some very unique blends. Robert Peck, one of the owners/operators was a very generous pourer. A quality that instantly endeared me to him. He also works 40 hours as an Engineer and said that he puts in MORE than 40 hours/week with the winery! But he's living the dream and is good at at what he does.

 Robert Peck. 

These are soon to be Sugarbush vines that were imported from Europe. They have wax covering them to protect from diseases that they can carry that aren't present in North America. They are soaking in water for 10 days to prepare them for planting.

On to what was my favorite winery of the tour, probably because they provided a pairing of food with every tasting, of which we had nine. This is Karlo Estates, located in an old barn that has been converted into a tasting area and restaurant . This was such a beautiful space to relax and enjoy all of the pairing of whites and reds. We weren't rushed through and took our time enjoying a wide variety of Whites, Roses, Reds and Ports. Every morsel of meats, cheese, olives and even potato chips paired beautifully with the wine and really brought out the best flavors. They are known for their excellent Ports and I picked one of the red ports up which I never thought I would buy but it was insanely good. I can't wait to enjoy it on a warm Summer evening.

Our tasting guide cutting up one the pairings for a Red, spicy sausage.

Inside the tasting area.

Here is a cute collage that Denise texted me last night of our trip. There weren't many picture of me that I liked so I didn't post any. But is collage is such a cute recap of our Weekend Getaway.

My apologies for the lengthy post, and this is only post 1 of 2 or maybe 3! I hope you enjoy peeking at our wine tour and if you need a relaxing weekend of wine, food and overall indulgence, I HIGHLY recommend Prince Edward County! Stay tuned for more!