amazing

What I love about Toronto are the abundance of summer events that are packed into the precious warm months of June, July and August. Summers in Toronto are pretty much THE BEST. There’s some sort of crazy festival happening every weekend and so many great Toronto restaurants to check out. So I decided to put together a compilation of the BEST summer events happening in Toronto for 2017! Grab your calendar and start marking these dates and don’t forget to check out my Top 8 Things to Do in Toronto as well! Taste of Toronto This epic food festival returns to Fort York with 100 taster-sized signature dishes and 60+ food and drink exhibitor (like Fat Pasha, above). Eat your way through the best of Toronto and then take part in an exclusive interactive culinary feature and demonstrations. June 15 – 18 Summer Concerts at Jackson-Triggs Estate in Niagara Ok, this one is a bit outside of the city – but I would definitely plan a weekend out to Niagara wine country around one of the...

I first met Trina Hendry when she ran the PR for the LCBO in Toronto, Canada. She was often hosting cool wine tasting and blogger events that our paths crossed a few times. However, it was only when she moved to Los Angeles about a year after I moved, did we really connect. I truly admire Trina’s skill as a communicator and writer. If you’re considering a career in PR or hospitality, Trina’s professional journey is a great one to follow. Meet Trina Hendry everyone! Here’s how she got her start: How did you decide on a career in hospitality marketing? I didn’t decide, actually. I accidentally fell into it, and thankfully so. I began my marketing communications career promoting pharmaceutical drugs, with my first job being to launch Viagra in Canada! That’s still my biggest claim to fame, and it is an award-winning one. A few years later, I saw a job ad for Corporate PR Director of a luxury hotel group and thought it sounded fun so I applied, never expecting to actually get the j...

I’ve been spring cleaning every closet and drawer in my house after reading this book . Since moving a lot of things into our new beach house, I’ve been feeling extra minimalist lately – ready to get rid of things. We live in a VERY open-concept loft with no bedroom doors and two closets. Storage and clutter is an issue. Which brought me to my bathroom… So when was the last time you gave your make-up drawer a good once over? If you’re not sure what to keep or throw away, here’s a handy guide to get you inspired to give your make-up drawer a makeover: 1) Broken + Damaged Items – These things gotta go. If you have a broken blush or powder palette, chances are it’s going to spill all over the place and create an even bigger mess. Also, how stressful is it to look at damaged make-up when you get ready in the morning?   2) Smell Your Mascara – If it smells funky, toss it. If you’ve had it for more than 6 months, it’s gotta go. It’s not worth risking an eye infection over if yo...

Not sure what to get your Mom for Mother’s Day? We’ve put together this handy guide for some gifting inspiration! Mother’s Day this year falls on Sunday May 14th, 2017 – so you still have a bit of time to get ordering and shopping for Mom. Here are our top picks… Citrus Juicer – Cooking brunch? Gift Mom with this electric citrus juicer so she can enjoy her own fresh squeezed orange juice at home. Works great for lemonade and limeade at home or for mixing up fresh margaritas. Customized Necklace – I love these custom metal necklaces from etsy . Have them stamped with whichever names you’d like. Just make sure you order them asap to get your order in time! David’s Tea Collection – I love all the seasonal collections that David’s Tea comes out with every year. The Fit For a Queen Tea collection is perfect for Mom and features 12 luxe teas for everyday indulgence. Essential Oils Travel Kit – Does your Mom love to travel? This Travel Safe On-the-Go Convenience Kit is per...

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Constellation Brands. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. #CervezaCelebration #CollectiveBias Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner and I plan on celebrating at home with my easy beef and cheese empanadas recipe. I have always loved empanadas, but I was always too intimidated to make them at home. Well, I finally made them and I’ll tell you my little secret – I used refrigerated pie dough for my pastry instead of making it from scratch. It cuts down on so much of the prep time! That’s why this recipe is so easy to make, you could whip it up on a weeknight. To pair with my beef and cheese empanadas, I usually serve them up with a store-bought salsa and a fresh green salad with some sliced avocado on top. Of course, a bottle of Modelo Especial or Corona Light is what I reach for when throwing a Cinco de Mayo party. Corona Light   is a light beer that...

A sponsored post. Mother’s Day is just under a month away! Instead of dealing with the chaos of brunch out, why not give Mom a little bit of serenity at home with a super fancy breakfast in bed? Say it with homemade with my super easy Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Cherry Preserves . I do have to admit, I avoided making these fancy pancakes at home because I always thought it would be too complicated or difficult. Once you start putting this recipe together, you’ll realize how ridiculously easy it is to get brunch-quality pancakes at home for half the cost and without the wait for a table. For the pancake topping, I paired the lemon ricotta pancakes with cherry preserves from Bonne Maman . The sweet preserves with a hint of tart are the perfect compliment to this dish. Don’t forget to add a dusting of powdered sugar and some maple syrup if you’d like! Bonne Maman preserves are made with natural ingredients and high-quality fruit that is Non-GMO Project Verified. Their preserves...