paramount.

My new favourite lipstick is "Paramount" by MAC. While I am not usually big on lipsticks (I have been going between two different kinds for the past couple of years) this one is so amazing. It is the perfect colour - a nice dark plum with brown undertones. If I want it to be a more purpley plum, just mixing it with some red lipstick does the trick.

Wearing Wilfred silk shirt dress, vintage sweater (similar here), Aritzia faux leather tights (similar here), Steve Madden shoes.

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thankful.

As Oprah Winfrey once said, "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." While it seems to be easier being grateful while things are going well, even when life throws a twist I try to put everything aside and only focus on what I am grateful for. I am thankful for nights filled with laughter, good food and cuddles. I am thankful for warm smiles, good hearts and funny jokes. I am thankful for my job, my blog, my MacBook and Ryan's camera. But most of all, I am thankful for my loving family and wonderful friends who also help make me thankful for everything else. Happy Thanksgiving!

Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens. -- Author Unknown

instagrammin'

Check out my new photo album Instagrammin' in my Photography section of my journal!

leather & diamonds.

This weekend started off messy and ended up being relaxing. I did three things that I had never done before: I tried out a new hiking trail, Lynn Peak, and enjoyed a nice little picnic on top; I did the Run for the Cure with my team "The Pink Parade" which turned out to be such an amazing experience; and lastly, I started a new book, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson... and I am loving it so far. Also, not a new endeavor, but I swam for the first time in years (I used to be a swimmer) and it was so wonderful to be back in the water. Overall - great weekend.

Wearing Club Monaco leather jacket, Club Monaco shirt, Club Monaco silk pants, Steve Madden shoes. Purse - Club Monaco. Jewelry - Michael Kors, Nasty Gal.

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italian kitchen (at home).

Sometimes Ryan and I go to Italian Kitchen to hit Ryan's pasta cravings since he grew up on it and I rarely make it. I usually get the linguine with jumbo prawns, oregano, capers, and roasted tomato aglio olio OR the tagliatelle with wild mushrooms, asparagus, porcini jus, and chives. I never steer off those two because they're delicious (and few of the pescatarian options on the menu). Ryan always gets the spaghetti with spicy kobe meatballs, with truffle cream sauce, tomato garlic confit, herb ricotta... This time I ordered it too (without the meatballs) and it was still really tasty with a side of braised greens. At home, good company, plate full of amazing pasta from Italian Kitchen, and Jersey Shore (just kidding...;)... great night.