Fashion, Travel

Vacay Style

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As you probably know I’ve been on vacation for the past two weeks so I’ve been a little slow with my posts. I’m totally loving the tropical weather here in Sri Lanka especially since there’s been a deep freeze in Ottawa lately. I thought I’d share some of my vacay style outfits with you since some of you may be planning a winter getaway to a tropical paradise.

When packing for this trip I wanted to add some tropical flair to my outfits.

Here’s what I’ve been wearing 🙂

Fairy Top – Chichwish |Jeans- Suzy Shier |Bag- Cult Gaia

Lace detail top – Suzy Shier | Soft Shorts – Dynamite

Hi-Low Skirt – Dynamite | Ballerina Top – Garage

Dress – Express (I’ve linked to a similar dress since this is no longer available)| Shoes – Schutz | Bag- Cult Gaia

Lifestyle, Recipes, Wine & Dine

Christmas Cocktails: Mulled Wine

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Mulled wine is a drink that’s synonymous with Christmas. I like to think of it as Christmas in a cup. It’s a great warmer on a cold winter day. The thing I like the most about this drink is the way it makes your house smell when you’re making it. The blend of spices along with the wine gives off the best aroma and makes your home smell inviting and festive 🙂

Here’s my recipe for Christmas in a Cup -Mulled Wine

  1. 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine – I usually use a Cabernet Sauvignon
  2. 1 orange, sliced into rounds.
  3. 1/4 cup brandy – this is optional but it does add a bit more flavour to the drink
  4. 1/4 cup honey or brown sugar – I used brown sugar
  5. 8 whole cloves.
  6. 2 cinnamon sticks.
  7. 2 star anise

To make Mulled Wine combine the wine, orange slices, brandy, sugar and spices in a large sauce pan and simmer on a low heat for at least 15 minutes. Makes sure the heat is set on low as you don’t want the mixture to boil and the alcohol to evaporate. I like to let it simmer for about half an hour but you can allow it to set for up to 3 hours, if you’re that patient.

Once you get the aroma of the wine and the spices use a ladel and strainer to pour the wine in to glasses (you can also use mason jars for a more rustic look) and enjoy with a piece piece of Christmas Cake.

 

Lifestyle, Recipes, Wine & Dine

Christmas Cocktails: Peppermint Chill

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One of the things I love most about Christmas are the parties and entertaining. I enjoy hosting friends and family. In the coming days I’ll be sharing a few of my favourite Christmas cocktails.

If you love chocolate, coffee and mint together then Peppermint Chill is the drink for you. It’s very easy to make and a nice treat to indulge in during the holidays 😉

To make the Peppermint Chill you’ll need: Peppermint Mocha Kahlua (it’s a limited edition flavour that’s usually available around Christmas time), Bailey’s, Chocolate Ice Cream, Martini Glasses and Candy Canes.

Prep the glasses:

  1. Place the candy canes in a plastic bag and crush them to form small chunks
  2. Mix equal parts sugar and water in a pan and bring it to a simmer
  3. Dip the rim of the Martini glass in the sugar and water mixture and then in the crushed candy canes. Ideally the candy cane dust should coat the rim of the glass.

Before making the drink take the ice cream of out the freezer and let it sit for 5 mins so it softens.

Mix the drink:

  1. In a shaker place one and a half scoops of ice cream
  2. Add 1 shot  glass of Kahlua (approx. 1.5oz)
  3. Add 1 shot glass of Bailey’s (approx. 1.5oz)
  4. Shake well for about 2 mins
  5. Pour mixture in the the Martini glasses
  6. Top with whipped cream and cocoa power
  7. ENJOY!

Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews, Wine & Dine

Holiday High Tea at Chateau Laurier

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I’ve been a tea drinker ever since I can remember and high tea is something I really enjoy. Attending the Holiday High Tea at the Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa has become somewhat of a tradition for me. Even though I moved to Canada from Sri Lanka when I was just 5 years old, my family doesn’t have a lot of relatives here in Ottawa so we’ve kind of had to make our own Christmas traditions. The Chateau Laurier offers a lot of great dining events around the holiday season including a Christmas dinner in the ballroom. My favourite event however is their Holiday High Tea.

High Tea at the Chateau Laurier is hosted at Zoe’s Lounge. The restaurant recently went through a major renovation and I highly recommend checking out their new look. The tea menus change according to the season and although High Tea is offered throughout the year the Holiday edition is especially popular. You can find their holiday menu here. Typically the menu consists of some savoury sandwiches, scones with Devonshire cream and strawberry jam and some desserts served on a 3 tier platter.

There is usually a wide selection of tea to choose from and a tea sommelier to guide you through the options. I normally choose the traditional English Breakfast tea but this time I decided to change things up and try the Ice Wine flavoured tea – it was a welcome surprise. The ice wine added a fruity flavour to the tea which was quite light. The nice thing about the teas is that you can determine how strong or weak you want the tea to be depending on how long you steep it. The staff at Zoe’s even give you a handy tea timer so you can perfect your tea to your liking.

In addition to the finger food and tea selection Zoe’s also offers some holiday inspired cocktails. I tried the Kir Under The Mistletoe, a Christmas spin on the traditional Kir Royal which just happens to be my favourite cocktail. I loved this cocktail and would recommend it to anyone who likes Champagne or Prosecco. It was a perfect blend of fruity and sweet.

Many people ask me what I wear to High Tea and my honest answer is it depends. In the Summer I usually wear a dress with a matching fascinator. This time however I opted for pants and a top since my reservation was for 4:15 and the sun usually sets around 4:30 in the Winter in Canada. I found this fabulous statement sleeve top at Suzy Shier. This top honestly looks like a haute couture piece with its organza sleeves and medallion embroidered hem across the bottom. I paired the top with these jacquard print pants which I picked up at Le Chateau a few years ago. You can still find them at their outlets 🙂

If you ever plan on going to High Tea at the Chateau I highly recommend making a reservation in advance as space is limited and it tends to sell out soon. The same goes for their other Christmas dining events. The best way to avoid disappointment is to book early so if you’re in Ottawa and looking for something special to do this holiday season check out the Chateau Laurier and don’t forget to walk around the hotel to take a look at their Trees of Hope display 🙂

 

Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews, Wine & Dine

Beats + Brunch at Andaz Ottawa

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Brunch is one of my favourite things to do on the weekend 🙂  Beats + Brunch is the trendiest brunch event in Ottawa at the moment. Held at the Rooftbar Bar – Copper Spirits and Sights atop the Andaz Hotel, the event takes places on the last Sunday of every month. Seats are hard to come by as the event is always sold out but I was fortunate to make in for the August and September editions.  Beats + Brunch is a buffet style brunch with appetizers brought to your table. $40 plus taxes gets you access to the buffet, appetizers, tea/coffee and a glass of bubbly. You can take in views of the Byward Market and Parliament while you eat as this brunch offers indoor and outdoor seating on the 16th floor of the hotel. I highly recommend making a reservation far in advance to avoid disappointment. It’s also a good idea to check in with the staff at Andaz and confirm your reservation.