Polo in the Park 2018

Have you heard about the city’s most fashionable fundraiser? If not you’re missing out. I finally made it out to Polo in the Park this year and the event did not disappoint. The 2018 edition of this fundraiser which benefits Wounded Warriors Canada and the Rotary Club of Ottawa South was held on Saturday July 7th.

The Venue
I spent a lovely day outside at Wesley Clover parks. The event was so well organized and provided attendees with a relaxing and fun filled day in the park. There was visible signage as you approached the park entrance and a triage desk to direct drivers to the appropriate parking spots. The organizers even had golf carts to drive people from the parking area to the main event area.

The Experience
Tickets went on sale earlier this Spring and I just had to take advantage of the early bird pricing. The event offers many different ticket packages and options. I chose the VIP experience as I was taking advantage of the early bird discount. I must say it was well worth the extra cash. VIP guests had their own parking area closer to the event and golf carts to drive you up to the VIP tent. Inside the tent there were tables and chairs with goodie bags ready and waiting for us. Guests were presented with lunch and a tea service catered by the Brookstreet Hotel. The VIP tent also had the best views of the fashion show, hat contest and the polo match.

In addition to the polo there were also some vendors and stalls, a silent auction and a photo booth. This was a family and pet friendly event.

The Clothes
All guests were encouraged to put on their best hat and come out for a day in the park. There were so many people sporting stylish outfits and fascinators, it was a treat to see them all. The hat contest was a truly inclusive event which had many different categories including; DIY hat, Colts and Fillies (for kids), Dapper Dan, Too Hot to Trot and Hattitude. As I had opted for a more conservative look that day I did not enter the hat contest, although admission was included with my VIP ticket.

The Match
The main event was a battle of the sexes polo match between the ladies from Three Wild Women and the gents from the Ottawa Business Journal. This was a riveting experience for me as I’d never seen a live polo match before. The gents prevailed over the ladies in the end but the match was full of drama and excitement with some gents falling off their horses and some close calls where the score was concerned.

My Outfit
I opted for a more mainstream look for the event as this was my first year attending. I decided to wear my favourite polka dot dress from Suzy Shier which I paired with white wedges and a white fascinator. I brought along my picnic basket bag which I picked up on my latest trip to Sri Lanka as I thought it went well with the event and the venue 🙂

The Verdict
I loved attending Polo in the Park this year and I’m looking forward to the event in 2019. The event chair Monique and her team did a fantastic job putting this event together. Polo in the Park is something that’s definitely worth checking out if you live in Ottawa or are planning on visiting next Summer. What’s more fun than dressing up, enjoying some time outside, watching a polo match and supporting some great charities?!

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Floral Print Maxi

Summer is finally here and it’s going to stay a while. We’ve had some really warm weather in Ottawa this week with temperatures remaining steady in the mid thirties, but trust me I’m not complaining :)With so much heat and humidity this Summer it’s a challenge to stay cool and stylish at the same time. I found this chic and comfy floral print maxi at Forever 21 when I was shopping for my trip to Sri Lanka last month. I’ve been gravitating towards maxi dresses a lot this Summer. I find they have an element of formality with the added length and they’re comfortable to wear.

I like the contrast of the tropical floral pattern against the dark background of this particular dress. The weather in Colombo is a bit cooler than what we experienced last week but the humidity is about the same and this dress held up well. The bright colours in the dress make it a great choice for a day or evening outfit. I’ve worn it out to lunch during the day and to a show in the evening.

This maxi is so comfortable and sits well on the body when worn. I was a bit apprehensive in picking it up when I saw it on the rack but I’m glad I did. If you’ve ever owned a piece that looks better on you than it does on the hanger, well this dress is one of those pieces. It has a zip that fastens on the side and adjustable straps so you can have the neckline to your liking.

I paired the dress with some bright coloured tassel earrings from Forever 21. I also found another pair of bauble drop earrings that would go well with the dress. The dress does run a little longer than other maxis I’ve tried on so I opted for a pair of block heel sandals.

What do you think about maxi dresses for Summer – hot or not?

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Sunday Brunch at Cinnamon Grand Colombo

I haven’t done a brunch post in a while so I’m happy to be able to share an amazing brunch experience I had recently. As you probably know I was visiting Sri Lanka earlier this month.

I’ve been going back to Colombo quite consistently since about 2008. I’ve stayed at different places during my trips back home but the Cinnamon Grand Hotel is probably my favourite hotel in Colombo. I’ve frequented this hotel on many occasions as an in-house guest and restaurant goer but I’d never tried out their Sunday Brunch.

Clearly I had no idea what I was missing! I decided to try out the Sunday Brunch on June 17th which just happened to be Father’s Day. I was truly impressed by the whole event. I can honestly say I’ve never seen such a large spread for brunch in my life! This Sunday Brunch definitely beat every other brunch I’d been to.

The Food

From the appetizers – which included lobster tails, shrimp, oysters and a selection of sushi, to the carving stations, main dishes and deserts this brunch was a hands down winner for me. I was a little overwhelmed by the selection of dishes and options. This is definitely one event you need to prepare for ahead of time, i.e. don’t eat breakfast and bring your eating pants!

If you know me personally, you’d know that I eat a lot! This brunch was no exception. I happily helped myself to 2 rounds of appetizers, the main course and 2 rounds of dessert.

There was so much to choose from I wish I had prepared better to try every single dish. I did a quick  count of the main dishes and I counted over 35 which is quite impressive for any buffet let alone a brunch.

The dessert selection was to die for and included a chocolate fountain which was the highlight for me. There was also an ice cream and flambé station.

The Place

Cinnamon Grand’s Sunday Brunch is held at the Taprobane restaurant. This space is one of the main restaurants at the hotel and is also home to their daily breakfast and lunch buffets. The restaurant is spacious and offers table top and sofa style seating.

The brunch takes place between 11am and 3pm every Sunday. I was informed that there are 2 sittings for brunch; one from 11:30 am-1 pm and another from 1:30-3 pm. I recommend going early so you can spend the afternoon walking off the meal 😉 Reservations are a must as this brunch is quite popular among locals and tourists alike.

The Price

There are 3 different pricing options for brunch depending on what type of an experience you’re looking for. The basic brunch buffet sans alcohol is Rs 3517 nett which is around $35 Canadian (I’m using a conservative conversion rate of Rs 100 to $1 CAD however the daily rates may be higher).

If you’d like to add some alcohol to your experience Taprobane offers 2 other pricing options:

The Beer Brunch for Rs 4172 ~ $42CAD

The Bubbly Brunch for Rs 5400 ~ $54 CAD

I chose the bubbly brunch and it did not disappoint! I was able to enjoy unlimited glasses of champagne with my meal 😉 Where else can you get that for $54?! All these packages are great depending on what you’d like and I think the pricing is quite reasonable for the amount of food and beverages you get.

The Verdict

I highly recommend this brunch experience to anyone who visits Colombo. This was definitely the best brunch I’ve been to and I really enjoyed it. It’s a must-do in Colombo.

I’m hoping to be home again for Christmas and I’m already making plans to check out the Holiday edition of Cinnamon Grand’s Sunday Brunch 🙂

Palm Print Midi Dress

In case you haven’t been keeping up with me on instagram, I recently took a trip home to Sri Lanka. I was so happy to be able to make the trip back so I stocked up on a tonne of new Summer clothes to wear while I was there. One of my fave finds was this off-the-shoulder palm print midi dress from Old Navy.

This dress is so versatile and stylish combining 3 trends that are in for Summer. Can you guess what they are? Well this dress has a tropical flare to it with the palm print pattern; the tropics were everywhere this Spring and the trend continues on in to the Summer. Off-the-shoulder necklines are also trending this Summer and this dress doesn’t disappoint. Modesty is  making a comeback this year with midi dresses being back in style and replacing the high-waisted shorts and mini-skirts we usually see in the Summer.

I especially like the black print on the white fabric in this dress as it gives it an air of sophistication and is a nice reprieve from the traditional green palm prints I’ve seen this Summer. The cotton lining makes this dress light and comfortable to wear, perfect for a warm Summer day.

Sri Lanka is a tropical country and can get quite hot and humid during the monsoon season. I found this dress incredibly comfortable to wear amidst the tropical heat. To accessorize I paired this dress with my favourite bamboo bag from Cult Gaia. I had a pair of black block heels that I picked up from the Bay earlier this year. They just happened to have a palm leaf pattern on them as well 😉 These shoes were really affordable and I picked them up for under $50. If you look closely you’ll notice that they’re a dupe of a Schutz design from last year. I added a pair of palm leaf earrings in keeping with the tropical theme to finish off this outfit

What do you think about the midi trend this Summer, do you prefer modesty or the traditional mini?

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Canada Day Outfit Inspo from Suzy Shier

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Canada Day Outfit

Yikes! It’s been a while since my last post. I’ve been so busy with life in general that I haven’t had much time to sit down and actually write a post. I have however been keeping up on Instagram 🙂

Time has flown by so fast, can you believe Canada Day is less than a week away?! I don’t know about you but I always go all out with my outfit for Canada Day. It’s the one day of the year where you can wear your red, white and maple proudly and unabashedly!

I found the most adorable Canada Day dress at Suzy Shier and I’m just thrilled to be able to share it with you. What better way to celebrate Canada Day than by wearing a dress from one of the country’s oldest and best known retailers. Fun fact – Suzy Shier was founded in 1966 and has been around for over 50 years with over 140 stores across Canada!

This red and white printed dress is the perfect way to show off your Canadian pride. The butterfly details in the print are so feminine and the dress is super comfy to wear. It’s light and airy just like a butterfly, I love the way the skirt of the dress flutters when the wind catches it. My dress is part of Suzy’s High Tea collection that’s currently available in stores and online. This collection focuses on feminine florals and prints with a splash of red for colour.

I  liked the vintage look of this dress and decided to play in to the vintage vibe when I styled it. I paired this dress with an adorable picnic basket bag that I picked up on my travels (I’ll share more about my most recent trip in an upcoming post). For accessories I added my favourite pair of white wedges with a bow detail.  In keeping with the vintage flair I added a fascinator that I found at Unique Accessories last year.

How are you showing off your Canadian pride and celebrating Canada Day this year? Wearing red and white perhaps?

Tropical Beach Dress

If you’ve been following my blog you probably know that I have a soft spot for anything tropical. Maybe it’s because I’m originally from the tropics (shout out to all my Sri Lankans!). Whatever the reason I just can’t say no to anything tropical, so when I saw this tropical beach dress I simply had to have it! How perfect is this dress for a day at the beach or a summer afternoon out with friends?

The print on this dress is like an instant vacation. I love anything to do with beaches and this dress in particular reminded me of a dress I’d seen years ago on t.v. I may be dating myself here but growing up I was a fan of the show Friends. I remember an episode where the group went to a beach house and Rachel had on this tropical beach print dress. I always liked this dress and over the years tried to find one like it but never had any luck. I was pretty thrilled when I found this mini version that’s pretty close to it, granted hers was a maxi and mine is a mini but I still love it!

I paired this dress with my favourite palm tree sandals from Forever 21. I ordered the sandals online and haven’t seen them in store in Canada yet however they do fit true to size. Since the dress is so busy I accessorized with a set of simple white flower earrings. I’ve linked a similar pair at the end of this post.

What do you think of the tropical trend this Spring and Summer – would you rather go to the beach or wear it and take it with you wherever you go?

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Inniskillin Winery Tour

Wow it’s been a while since my last post! This past weekend was a long weekend and boy was it a busy one. I decided to get away for the weekend so I spent the Victoria Day Long Weekend in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake. I’ve been to Niagara Falls many times but I wanted to get away from the crowds and the hustle of this touristy location. NOTL is the perfect escape from the city and the crowds but it’s best known for its wineries and is one of Canada’s most famous wine regions.

I wanted to tour some wineries while I was there and I’d heard good things about Inniskillin, a Canadian winery which is famous for its Ice Wine. I got there just in time to miss the general winery tour so I opted for the Ice Wine tour. This particular tour focused on the winery’s famous ice wines and gave tasters a chance to sample 4 ice wine varieties. My favoruite was probably the sparkling vidal ice wine.

My tour guide Lynn had been in the business for 24 years and working as a guide for 17 years. She was very knowledgeable and ready to answer any questions about the wines, the wine making process and Inniskillin as a brand. She led our group through a tasting of Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Vidal Ice Wines. My favourite part of the tasting component is when she gave us some chocolate to try with the Cabernet Franc – together they taste like a chocolate covered strawberry!

The weather was just warming up last weekend so we enjoyed a beautiful day outside. For my day at the wineries I chose this striped midi length belted dress from Suzy Shier. This dress is part of their Sweet Americana collection and is so comfortable to wear. It’s cotton and breathes well on a warm day outside. I like the vintage inspired (pardon the pun) look of this dress with a sinched in waist and flared skirt. To accent the tan colour of the belt I added a pair of Lucky Brand wedge heels and a classic rattan bag, that’s all the rage for Spring and Summer.

Have you visited the wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake? If so which one is your favourite?

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Yellow Gingham Dress

 

yellow gingham dress

yellow gingham dress

yellow gingham dress

yellow gingham dress

yellow gingham dress

yellow gingham dress

It’s finally feeling like Summer in Ottawa! Yellow is a colour  I always associate with Summer. I’m not sure if it’s because there’s lots of sun in the Summer (fingers crossed) or because it’s such a happy time of year. Either way it’s virtually impossible to be sad when you’re wearing yellow right?

I was thrilled to find this cute and comfy off the shoulder yellow gingham print dress at Old Navy. This dress has a fun and feminine feel to it with the off the shoulder ruffled top and the lace detailing at the bottom. I love the yellow gingham print, it’s just perfect for a Summer weekend or BBQ. The dress is made out of a linen and rayon blend fabric so it’s light and fits loosely on the body.

I chose to style this dress as part of a casual outfit and I was so pleased to find this adorable pineapple straw clutch at Old Navy as well. Straw bags, pom poms and tropical accents are trending this Summer and this bag combines them all!  To complete this outfit I added a pair of white wedges and some white beaded earrings. My goal in putting this outfit together was to pick up on the colours in the dress. The clutch picks up on the yellow and the earrings and shoes accent the white in the gingham print.

This is probably one of my favourite outfits for Summer as I’m a huge fan of bright colours and sunshine 😉 What’s your favourite Summer colour? Mellow yellow perhaps?

 

 

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Multi-colour Striped Maxi

striped maxi

It’s official – it’s time to stripe up your life! Multi-colour stripes are the hottest trend for Spring and Summer right now. Stripes are everywhere and as we transition in to Summer bright colours are making an appearance too.

I found this cute multi-colour striped maxi at Forever 21 and it makes me so happy! I love the bright, bold colours on this dress. The wrap style of this maxi allows to you adjust it to fit perfectly. The straps are also adjustable and can be loosened or tightened as desired. The dress drapes well and is fitted at the top with a bit of flare a the bottom. It literally flows with you when you walk and it’s so much fun to wear. You’d definitely be tempted to twirl in this dress, I sure was 😉 For some reason multi-colour or rainbow stripes make me think of the circus, perhaps the bright colours you’d see on the big top?

I was equally thrilled to find a pair of earrings that matched the colours in the dress perfectly! My beaded duster earrings (also from Forever 21) cost under $10 and add to this fun and colourful Summer look. To finish off this look I added a pair of majenta block heel sandals.

I think this look would be perfect for dinner alfresco at a bistro or for a fun summer event or concert. To convert this outfit to a festival look you can dress it down by opting for flats instead of heels or even a slip on sandal.

What do you think of bright colours and bold stripes for Summer? Is it a hit or a miss?

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Gingham Two Piece Set

gingham set

gingham set

gingham set

gingham set

gingham set

gingham set

Two trends I’ve been seeing this Spring are gingham and two piece sets. I find gingham is a print that is evergreen. It never seems to go out of style, granted it has its seasons of appeal. Every Spring and Summer however gingham is back in style. I’m also seeing a lot of two piece sets in stores, that’s why I was thrilled to find this outfit from Simons that combines both of these trends.

I love the blue gingham print in both the top and the shorts, it adds a softer look to the print overall. These items are part of Simon’s ICONE brand and are sold separately. The shorts also come in the classic black and white patterned print. As the items are sold individually there are many different styles of tops to choose from and you can mix and match. I liked the ruffle detailing in this top 🙂

When worn together the shorts and top give the illusion of a one-piece or romper which is one of the things I like about this outfit. However you could wear these items separately as well and pair the top with some white jeans or the shorts with a white shirt.

To accessorize I added some white fan earrings and my Shiraleah straw clutch. For a casual day time look I wore a pair of white wedges but you can dress this outfit up by adding some strappy sandals for a more formal look.

What do you think of the gingham trend this Spring?

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