EAT! Vancouver 2018 | EAT! Pastry Event Recap

Disclaimer: Complimentary media access was provided to this event.

Earlier this month, I attended the annual EAT! Vancouver EAT! Pastry event. Presented with delicious bites from 15 of Canada's best pastry chefs and chocolatiers, I had the opportunity to thoroughly satisfy my sweet tooth. Like last year, the event was held at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel in Downtown Vancouver. There were some returning chefs but also a handful of new patisseries and bakeries for me to discover. To get a peek into some of the amazing desserts I sampled, click......

Spade Vancouver | New Commercial Drive Cafe Restaurant Review

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary media tasting.

Located on Commericial Drive between 2nd and 3rd Street, Spade is a new cafe restaurant offering up an "electic blend of authentic Italian flavors". Opened by the owner of Prado Cafe, Sammy Piccolo, the place offers pastries, breakfast, lunch, and tapa-style dinner, along with a whole range of coffee drinks. Around the holiday season, I popped in for a visit with my boyfriend to check out their breakfast menu so if you are interested in what we tried, read on by clicking......

Parq Vancouver | Honey Salt Restaurant Review

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary media tasting.

I spent my birthday last weekend at The Douglas Hotel (read about my experience here) located within the new Parq Vancouver development. So for dinner, I decided to check out one of the restaurants inside the building. Although there were a lot of options to choose from (eight, to be exact), I was immediately drawn to Honey Salt, a farm-to-table casual dining restaurant that highlights fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. We had an amazing experience there and I want to share all about it with you today. To read on, click......

Parq Vancouver | The Douglas Hotel

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary media stay.

I recently attended a L'Oreal Luxe event at The Douglas Hotel in Downtown Vancouver and was lucky enough to be invited back to experience a night there at one of the hotel guest rooms. Since it was my birthday last weekend, I graciously accepted the invitation and booked a room for a night. Located at the newly-opened Parq Vancouver, The Douglas is a five-star Autograph Collection boutique hotel offering a modern, eclectic west coast aesthetic. It's a part of a mixed-use development that also houses a two-level casino and eight different restaurants. To read about my experience at the hotel, click.......

Vancouver Christmas Market | Holiday Gift Ideas 2017

Disclaimer: The products featured were provided for review.

A couple days ago, I had the pleasure of previewing the Vancouver Christmas Market before it officially opened for Christmas 2017 and I've got an awesome sneak peek at all the food and shops that are available this year. So today, I wanted to share with you a list of unique and amazing gifts you can find at the market......

EAT! Vancouver 2017 | EAT! Pastry Event Recap

Disclaimer: Complimentary media access was provided to this event.

The annual EAT! Vancouver food extravaganza wrapped up this weekend with its first ever EAT! Pastry event. 15 Of the best Canadian pastry chefs and chocolatiers gathered under one roof and served up their most decadent creations. Needless to say, I was there to sample all the goods and today I want to share a quick recap of what I tried. To read on, click......

Luxury Beauty | 12 Brands You Can Find at the *NEW* Holt Renfrew Vancouver Beauty Hall

Disclaimer: The products featured were provided for review.

Undoubtedly the ultimate shopping destination for luxury beauty in Vancouver, the Holt Renfrew beauty department has undergone some amazing transformation in the past few months. A couple weeks ago, the store finally unveiled the new Beauty Hall, a stunning 16,000 square feet space that's home to over 50 cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance brands. If you haven't had a chance to visit the newly revamped department, read on to get a sneak peek and learn more about 12 unique brands you can find there......

The Juice Truck | My Juice Cleanse Experience

Disclaimer: The juice cleanse was offered at a discounted rate by The Juice Truck.

Lately I've been feeling motivated to adopt a healthier diet (call it a midyear's resolution) so I decided to endeavor on a week-long juice cleanse to help get things started. In Vancouver, the cold-pressed juice craze may have subsided since its emergence a couple years ago but there are still plenty of juiceries offering up freshly cold-pressed juices and juice cleanse deliveries. So I went ahead and chose The Juice Truck, one of the original cold-pressed juice companies in Vancouver. I opted for their 7 Day Cleanse as I'm a fairly experienced cleanser to see how things would go. I'm glad to report that I've completed the challenge and today I want to share with you my experience. This post will be focused on The Juice Truck cleanse and my experience with the cleanse and I won't be giving much background information on juice cleanses in general. So if you are juice cleanse novice, definitely do some research online to see how they can benefit you. To read on, click......

Holiday 2016 Staycation | Brunch at La Pentola

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary media tasting.

Following our lovely mini staycation at the OPUS Hotel, we ended our Vancouver adventure with some Saturday brunch at La Pentola, which is an Italian restaurant located right next to the hotel at the corner of Hamilton and Davie Street. Offering up a wide array of classic Italian cuisine with a modern twist, La Pentola features a brunch menu every weekend. To check out what we ate, click......

Holiday 2016 Staycation | OPUS Vancouver Hotel

Disclaimer: This room was offered at a discounted media rate.

Although I don't usually partake in many holiday festivities, I still wanted to do something fun this winter break. So what better way to celebrate than a mini staycation right in my own city? With that idea set in mind, my boyfriend and I decided to do a one-night stay at the OPUS Vancouver Hotel. With 96 luxurious rooms, OPUS is a four-star boutique hotel located in the heart of Yaletown Vancouver. Known for its vibrant and eclectic style, every room inside is one-of-a-kind. We had the pleasure of staying in the cheery Pierre Deluxe King Room. To read all about our experience, click......

Birthday Brunch | Nomad Vancouver Restaurant Review

I dine out quite a bit since my boyfriend dabbles in food blogging, so for my birthday celebration last month I visited one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver for some hearty birthday brunch. Located on Main Street between 23rd and 24th, Nomad offers up one amazing slow-cooked pork ciabatta sandwich. This thing is so good that the first time my boyfriend tried it, he teared up out of pure bliss. So today I am taking a short break from the holiday makeup reviews to dedicate a whole blog post on Nomad's Slow Cooked Pork and Egg on Ciabatta.......

Vancouver Poke Shop | Pokerrito Review

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary media tasting.

Ever since I tried my first poke bowl on my trip to Hawaii about two years ago, I've been hoping and praying that the poke trend would come to Vancouver. My wishes were certainly granted when numerous poke shops popped up all over downtown Vancouver in the recent months. I've so far only visited a couple of them but today I wanted to sure with you my review of Pokeritto. To read all about this poke shop that offers a build your own bowl option, click.......

Downtown Vancouver: Heritage Asian Eatery Review

Disclaimer: This was a media tasting, all opinions are my own.

Opening its doors earlier this Summer, Heritage Asian Eatery is a casual, modern restaurant located in downtown Vancouver. Using fresh and locally-sourced ingredients, the eatery offers up an affordable selection of breakfast bowls, rice bowls, and Taiwanese steamed baos. Last week I visited the place with my boyfriend and tried quite a few lunch items. To read a bit more about all the dishes, click.......

skoah | Facialiscious Facial Experience

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary facial.

A few days ago, I had the pleasure of visiting my local skoah to try out their popular Facialicious facial. Founded in Vancouver 15 years ago, skoah strives to provide a relaxing, non-intimidating, and laid-back environment where women and men can experience deeply cleansing and nourishing facials customized to their skin. Along with the facial services, skoah also offers a full range of potent yet gentle plant-based products, all made in Vancouver. To read all about my experience, click......

Pan Pacific Vancouver | Panoramic Suite

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary stay as a part of a prize winning.

Out of pure serendipity, I won a one-night-stay at the luxurious Panoramic Suite at the Pan Pacific Hotel earlier this summer. Located on the Vancouver Harbour above the Vancouver Convention Centre, the Pan Pacific is an iconic landmark of Downtown Vancouver. Since the rate for the Panoramic Suite can really reach the high range, I was pretty excited to book a one-night staycation! To read about my full experience, click........

New Menchie's Skor Menchie's Flavor + Scratch & Win Contest

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

For Spring 2016, Menchie's has a fun new “Scratch & Win” Contest happening (no purchase necessary)! You can enter on your mobile device or desktop computer and there are five different instant prizes to be won! Additionally, there is also a grand prize of a seven-night vacation package to the Mexican Mayan Riviera (valued at $5,000 CAD)! The contest is open only to Canadian residents and it ends on May 15th, 2016. For full contest rules, click here.

5 Instant Win Prizes:
$1 off yogurt purchase
20% off yogurt purchase
25% off yogurt purchase
Buy one get one ½ off yogurt discount
$5 cake discount

1 Grand Prize:
7 night round trip for 2 to the 5-star Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa in the Mayan Riviera (approximate retail value of $5,000 CAD)

Menchie's is always coming up with limited edition flavors and for April 2016, a new Skor flavor is hitting the shops! I love candy bar-inspired flavors so I am super excited to try this one out!

Also, select Menchie's locations is debuting the new Menchie’s Smoothie Bar! The new smoothie options are made with 100% natural fruit and no artificial colors or flavors! And as always, Menchie’s yogurts are gluten-free, vegan, and certified kosher! So find your nearest Menchie's location here now and enjoy!

Vancouver Christmas Market 2015: Food & Drinks

Now that it's December, we can fully embrace the holiday spirit without feeling guilty about humming Christmas songs a little too early. Last week I paid a visit to the annual Vancouver Christmas Market with my boyfriend. To check out what we nibbled and sipped on, click.......

Build Your Own Pizza: Hearthstone Pizza in Coquitlam

A couple weeks ago, I paid a little visit to a new pizza joint in Coquitlam called Hearthstone Pizza. Now I don't usually drive forty minutes just to visit a pizza place but this joint is pretty darn special. With a 600-degree celsius stone oven that bakes your pizza right in front your eyes, Hearthstone allows you to choose exactly what you want on your pizza. When you order, you can choose from a huge variety of sauces, cheese, meats, and vegetables for your topping. I had one heck of an amazing customized pizza so I want to tell y'all all about it. To read on, click.......

CLOSED Contest: Enter to Win a Menchie's VIP Summer Pass

Disclaimer: The giveaway prize is provided Menchie's.

As you guys know, I love food and frozen yogurt is actually one of my favorite snacks. So when I had a chance to become a Menchie's Canada Ambassador, I jumped right onto the opportunity. For Summer 2015, the Menchie's frozen yogurt shops across Canada is launching a new Oreo Cookie flavor and to help you celebrate, I am hosting a little contest for you to become a Menchie's VIP. Find out how you can win 7 Free Menchie's visits, click.......

Launching July 13th: Charlotte Tilbury at Holt Renfrew Vancouver!

Disclaimer: The products featured were provided for review.

Drumroll.... The beloved British luxury makeup line from Charlotte Tilbury is coming to Vancouver! Launching Monday, July 13th at Holt Renfrew, Charlotte Tilbury's full product range will be available at the Holt Renfrew in Downtown Vancouver. In celebration of the launch, lots of fun activities will take place next week. To find out all the details and see my top five Charlotte Tilbury products you should check out, click......