Links Loved <3

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It’s been awhile since I’ve rounded up some of my favourite articles from around the web so I thought I’d share some of the links that have caught my eye over the last couple weeks.

Without further ado, here they are:
 

Man Repeller: 11 Women with their shit together

Save this article when you’re having a day full of doubts, a day where you need a confidence boost, and most importantly a day when you want to know that everything will be okay.  I LOVED the frankness in this article, how forthcoming the women were in telling their story, and how bare and authentic each of their stories seem to be. A great great read.

What Your Personality Type Means for Your Career

I’ve taken some form of the Myers-Briggs test a bazillion times and each time I usually come up with the same one or two different combinations. What makes this chart different is that instead of just telling you your personality traits, it shows how you relate to the rest of the US population and how your personality traits might transfer into your salary. (Basically, this chart proves what I already knew - i think a lot differently than the US population - rationalists FTW!)

BookSeer

I couldn't have found this website at a more perfect time, it’s perfect for vacation season. Bookseer has you input the last book you read (and liked) and based on your book, recommends new books for you to try. You never know, you just might find your next juicy beach read here.

The One Thing I Can’t Stand About Rory Gilmore

Count me in as one of the Gilmore gang who’s counting down to the new Netflix series. OMG, I can’t wait to go back to Stars Hollow. But until then, this article about Rory, specifically her relationship and conflict with wealth, is a great read. Even though I loved Logan in the series, Matt Czuchry is so darn adorable, Logan really did change Rory and the values Lorelei instilled in her for the worse. This is a great read about Lorelei’s values and will only whet your appetite for when Seasons debuts on Netflix.

Hockey Players with Pets

This website is just pure, adorable fun. We used to joke when I worked for the hockey team that the easiest posts to get the most engagement were players with puppies or babies and this site takes that to a whole new level. If you love adorable pictures of puppies with quasi-adorable pics of  their human hockey players, this site is for you. Just remember, most of them are early twenties - such babies!

The World’s Best Dressed Street Style Stars According to Photographers

The world of street style is fascinating, from the clothes to the crowds to the poses and to social media, and between the photos and the hashtags it might be more influential than designers and their shows in fashion today. What I love best about this article is that it’s the photographers choosing their favorite street style stars, street stylers known more for their actual style than their ranking on the celebrity famous list.

Career Code: How Emily Weiss Turned a Brand Into a Beauty Movement

If you’ve seen my Instagram or even read things here on my site, you know I’m obsessed with everything Glossier. Their products are easy, simple and fabulous, but what I love most about them is how transparent they are with their creations and their staff. I loved this interview with Emily Weiss, Glossier’s Founder and CEO, not only for insights into how she stays up to date with the beauty industry, but also for the approach the company takes when hiring. Great great stuff.

The A List: 6.2.16

It's officially Gemini season and my birthday month and I can't wait to see what the sixth month has in store more me in 2016.

In the meantime, here's a look at some of my faves from this past week in this edition of The A List. 

Homey Oh My! Blog

Since I’ve moved into my new digs at my new job, I've been brainstorming ways I can decorate a boring old office cube into something a little more stylish to spend my day. Upon searching for planters and accessories at one of my modern favorites, West Elm, I came across Homey Oh My! from their Front + Main blog. Amy’s decor is amazing, and the perfect modern, Scandinavian and black and white palette that I’m looking for. Her blog is full of pictures of her stylish home and super easy DIYs, some of which I'm going to have to try. Homey Oh My! has instantly shot up near the top of my daily reads list. Check her blog out here.

Birthday month!

It’s my birthday month! Bring on the cake, cocktails and glasses of bubbly I love a good celebration during my birthday month. The more the merrier - celebrations and friends to share them with. Cheers! (image via)

Carven Roller Ball

Summer temps and humidity definitely arrived this week and my “prevent summer temps after effects” bag in my work tote came with it. One of my easiest ways to beat the summer yuckies? Freshening up with a great summer scent. And nothing is more perfect than this super portable Carven rollerball. It’s easy and convenient and a perfect scent for layering with my other perfumes no matter if they’re floral, powdery or even super modern.  Leave it to the french to find that perfect summer scent, it adds that je ne sais quoi that french women just naturally exude. And what’s more summery than that?

Alexis Bledel’s Brooklyn Loft

HOUSE. GOALS. Seriously, when I first laid eyes on Alexis Bledel’s Brooklyn loft I thought “this is my dream home.” (Anyone have an extra $3mil laying around I can borrow?) It’s open and airy, modern and Scandinavian, neutral and textural and most importantly, has an urban outdoor space. I’ve always wanted a space in an urban area like this - it really is house porn for me - and it’s just another reason to absolutely adore Rory Gilmore IRL.

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night

One of my favorite parts of the NBA Finals, if not my favorite, is Jimmy Kimmel’s Game Night half hour specials before the games begin. At only a half hour, it’s 30 minutes full of sports and comedy, with superstars and shenanigans galore. Last night’s episode kicked off this finals series with Mariah Carey but the mean tweets segment really stole the show. It’s laugh out loud funny and part of me hopes the finals goes to seven games so we get seven of Jimmy’s sports specials.

June Playlist

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Sunshine, sunroofs, and summertime.

When I think about the month of June, those three words are immediately what come to mind.

They’re also the three words of think of when choosing my soundtrack for the month, songs that work while driving with the sunroof open sporting my shades (and killer car singing voice), songs that are relatively new to symbolize summer 2016, and most importantly songs that are fun for listening to with friends on a patio or a picnic blanket.

So take a listen to my fun, carefree summer that’s ahead.

June 2016 Playlist on Spotify

The A List: 5.27.16

Happy Memorial Day weekend and official kick-off to summer! I'm planning on lots of relaxing and lots of cocktials by the grill this weekend. 

In the meantime, here's a list of what I'm loving this week.

Bill Simmons Podcast with Charity Water

Bill Simmons returned to his podcast this week and instead of chatting sports with his buddies and other athletes, he instead dedicated his hour to an interview with Charity Water’s Scott Harrison. Charity Water has always been a dream charity of mine, they’re technologically advanced, operate like a startup and are so incredibly transparent. But what was the most fascinating during their chat was Scott’s story, his club origins and how he conceived the charity after some volunteer work. He’s proof that you can change your life’s purpose if you really want to, no matter how old you are.  

Captain America: Civil War

It’s rare that I pay to see a movie in theatres anymore but when I do, I usually go a few weeks after opening weekend so the crazy uncomfortable crowds die down. I’m so glad I waited to few weeks to see Civil War on the big screen, it’s truly an awesome spectacle to see. I’m with the critics, it’s one of the best in the entire marvel series because it’s the most emotional film they’ve released. Pitting family against family is never easy, but Cap’s family, especially his bestie Bucky, truly make for a captivating 2.5 hours. Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan and RDJ are spectacular in the film, as are the hilarious cameos from the other Avengers, and it you haven’t yet seen it, I encourage you to see it on the big screen before it’s too late.

Avocados

Now that I'm back to a pretty regular work week routine, I’m trying to find ways to not only stay  focused but also to not be ravenous during meetings and at my desk all day long. My current solution? Avocados. I’m like a pregnant woman with my cravings (without being pregnant) and have been putting them in everything from greens to quinoa, to even on bread for a breakfast of avocado toast. Leaving the pit in the half that I bring to work keeps them green until lunchtime, and keeps me full almost all afternoon. (image via)

Giada’s Italian Tweets

If Giada’s first season of Giada in Italy was pure Positano travel wanderlust, her second season looks to do the same with Florence. Her tweets are everything right now - they’re practically a live stream of her everyday Italian life (sorry, had to). From ordering coffee, to eating breakfast, to shopping for shoes, it’s addicting to follow her living like an Italian local. I can’t wait for season two!

The Toronto Raptors

This past week I’ve been glued to my television and social media for one thing: basketball. From the Cavs fandom in Columbus to the craziness that is the Western Conference finals, I can’t get enough of the NBA playoffs. And we haven’t even talked about my number one reason for watching: the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have truly turned Toronto into a basketball city, from their team on the floor, to their graffiti-filled marketing, to their crazy t-shirts, to even their celebrity fans (I’m looking at you Drake and PK), but it’s the fans in the Air Canada Centre and outside in Jurassic Park that truly take the cake. And while The North won’t bring a championship to The 6ix this year, it’s been one seriously fun and amazing ride.

Snaps: Vol. 1

Snaps: Vol 1

As a mentioned in a previous A List, I love, love, loved Victoria’s behind-the-scenes snapshot of her life she posted earlier this month. And I couldn’t help correlating her “quick snap” to how much I’m loving snapchat at the moment, both are providing an authentic glimpse into what really goes on in our lives.

As I looked around my home, I realized there are certain pieces of it that make me, me - pieces that I use on a daily basis or sometimes more sparingly, but make up the person I am once I leave the house and enter the world.

So without further ado (in homage to Victoria’s post) - I present my Snaps, a deeper look into my life.

To kick off the series, I thought I’d start with one of the most fun and parts of my day and one the most creative, my makeup dresser.

Up until a few years ago, my approach to makeup was pretty much the same - how to subtly enhance my features without looking like a weirdo. My red hair and freckles were always a challenge growing up, i didn’t want to overpower them with a crazy lipstick and look like a clown (my lips are on the fuller side) but I also wanted to make sure people could tell that I had eyelashes (mine are SUPER fair).  Youtube videos (Estee, Smashbox and Pixiwoo) and a super helpful Sephora saleswoman that explained everything, really changed this thinking of mine and I haven’t looked back since.

Today my makeup is housed in a mini file drawer - I've come a long way from a clear plastic makeup bag. Each drawer holds a different feature, lips, eyes, and face - and the ones on the bottom hold sheet masks (my fave!), makeup remover, brush cleaner and even my sunglasses collection. The view above is the top of the dresser, which houses the things I grab the most and a few extras. Here’s how each of them plays a role in my morning:

Brushes: just as a painter would use them to paint, my brushes are the conduit to creating a different look and personality to wear each morning. My mineral powder brush got all of this painting started, and once I saw how magnificently it applied my HD Powder, I was hooked on trying more ways to play with color and texture. A few of my favorite brushes? My contour brush which when coupled with my bronzer helps to add dimension to my forehead and cheekbones, my angled eye brush which deposits colour perfectly in my crease to make my eyes pop, and my blush brush which lets me pinpoint where exactly i want a pop of colour on my cheeks (you can tell it’s one of my most well-loved brushes). Organized by eyes and face in simple Ikea plant pots, my brushes bring to life my creativity and I love this start to my day.

Bourjois Gel Serum Foundation: this Foundation has been such a game-changer for my skin. I first picked it up during my annual trip home to Canada (please come to the states Bourjois!!) after seeing reviews from bloggers overseas, and it really does live up to the hype. A light coverage - it hydrates and even outs my skin, and most importantly, lets my skin breathe while looking radiant. It’s my skin but better, and I leave the house feeling confident and ready to strut my stuff.

MAC Paint Pots: just like my Foundation is my skin but better, my MAC paint pots make my eye area look flawless. Whether I wear them on their own (depending on my lip colour and how late I'm running that day), or using them to layer underneath additional colour, these pots are almost applied on a daily basis.

VICHY idealia skin sleep: another drugstore find from Canada (but ULTA sells here in the states), VICHY ideal skin has transformed the texture of my skin. I use it every night on my face and neck, and I can feel the formula plumping up my skin from the wear and tear of my day. Its rich and carries a pretty strong scent, but the scent now triggers my brain to fall asleep, which coincidentally is when it works the best (it’s in its name!) A true skin saver.

Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo: every six weeks my Saturday morning is a life-changer. Yes, I’m talking about my haircut with Kiley at Nutur. The last time I was in we started talking about dry shampoo and she asked me which one I was using. I mentioned I was using a spray brand from the drugstore and she stopped me and told me I should because my hair was dry. MY MIND WAS BLOWN. First, I had no idea my hair was dry and second, she mentioned my hair would react better to a dry shampoo powder. I’ll never doubt Kiley again. Aveda Shampure gives my hair volume, gets rid of the greasies and saves my scalp from wear and tear - it’s a lazy girl’s miracle. I put in on after the makeup, flip my head upside down, and am good to go. Love it.

Aesop Resurrection hand balm: between dishes and my new job, my hands are currently craving moisture at every moment. And that’s why this hand creme is front and center for both my morning and nightly routines. Aesop’s Resurrection hand creme has the hippest smell (it’s a mix of rosemary, mandarin and cedar) but more importantly it has a heavy dose of moisturizer that absorbs quickly and isn’t greasy. It’s the holy trifecta of hand cremes and the last thing I apply before heading to work and heading to bed.