Since I’ve been back in Calgary, I’ve been watching a lot of Food Network as I’d been on withdrawal for the last 8 months.  One new (to me anyways) host caught my eye.  Two of my favourite things are fashion and food – combine together and I instantly swoon.  When I discovered that one of the Food Network hosts whips up meals while wearing Betsey Johnson AND stilettos, well, be still my heart!   Starting as an online show, Bitchin’ Kitchen is now a late night favourite on the Food Network.

Nadia G, the master chef on Bitchin’ Kitchen makes me want to cook in style, so don’t be surprised if you see my cooking up a storm in heels and a gorgeous dress in the fall!  All I need is the perfect apron to protect my beloved dresses.  While I think I might try and make my own, there are many different styles on Etsy for those who cannot sew (or do not have mother’s that they hope will help them!) My favourites are the cupcake and hedgehog aprons from Annie’s Attic, or the cupcake one by Baked With Love Aprons.

Image from Bitchin’ Kitchen.

My closet is becoming a mix of designer and standard retailer clothing. I am a university student with a limited clothing budget but a love for well made, unique clothing.  While I often covet designer or even high-end chain retailer clothing, they often do not fit into my limited budget, as a result,  I have developed a method for shopping:

1. Always be on the lookout – I tend to find my favourite pieces when I’m not even looking for them. When I’m shopping I’m always on the lookout for good deals and special pieces that are unlike other things in my closet.

2. a) Shop sales – I shop high end sales, and keep my eye out for good deals. In order to avoid frivolous purchases I try and buy things that I covet at full price. It’s not a good deal regardless of price if it’s not something you really need.  One of my signature pieces, the Club Monaco zebra dress, was found for only $69 – it hit the racks at $189 but I watched until it went to a price I couldn’t say no.

B) Know seasonal sales – my favourite boutique in Calgary has amazing boxing week sales. I’ve made it a rule to only buy jeans during this sale so I can afford my Fidelity jeans, the only brand I really like.

Nanette Lepore Dress (Danielle's Consignment Boutique)

3. Shop consignment – I haven’t had much luck in this sense in Toronto, but while home in Calgary I have a circuit of consignment stores I frequent. At one, shopgirls from Holt Renfrew regularly consign their only once worn dresses that I can snap up for a fraction of the cost.
B) Watch sales – Danielle’s Consignment Boutique in Calgary has sales regularly, meaning you can often get at least an additional 20 per cent off items.  This Nanette Lepore dress started at $189, but when reduced in price I managed to snag it at a discount.
C) Shopping online consignment – if you know how certain brands or labels fit, it’s safer to buy from online consignment boutiques. However since you can’t try them on, there is still a risk it won’t fit and will be a waste of money.  If you live in Canada, check out My Ex-Closet; depending what city you live in, you can even arrange to consign your own pieces through this site.

D) Vintage & Thrift Store – I have friends that find a lot of pieces from either vintage or thrift stores around Toronto.  While I don’t have a lot of pieces found from these types of stores, I do have a few fun pieces I have found – for example, I have this semi-ridiculous bright purple, high-waisted skirt found at Goodwill for $7.

4. Know when to spend and when to save – There are some items that are worth a splurge and others that are not. As I outline in the College Candy article, items that you wear often are worth the money, while trendy items worn for only one season are not.

5. Consider cost-per-wear – This fits into the spend and save attitude.  Items that you wear a lot and for multiple seasons will have a lower cost-per-wear than trendy items that go out of style after a season.  I usually put more money into classic items as they not only go with almost everything else in my closet, but they transition timelessly through seasons.

The Princess (Crave Cupcakes)

My favourite place to go in Calgary when I am home, is Crave Cupcakes.  These are not only the most amazing cupcakes, but they also hold sentimental value for me.  Many a special occasion in my life has been enjoyed over a Crave cupcake – no event is too minor for a cupcake.

When I moved away from Calgary, I knew one of the things I’d miss most was Crave.  Sad, but true, one of the things I love most about my hometown is our cupcakes.  Most times I am home, I am greeted with a pack of Crave cupcakes purchased before my arrival by my mom.

I am constantly on the search for a cupcake better than or even comparable to Crave.  So far, despite the many cupcake places I’ve tried, there has yet to be one that comes close to being as good.  Despite living in Toronto for over a year, I have yet to really venture to the cupcake shops.  Most of them are out of my way, but I have decided that a quest for a comparable cupcake to Crave is necessary, especially since I plan to stay here in the summer.  My plan is, using Crave as my standard, to rate cupcake shops based on five categories: Cake, icing, presentation, flavour selection and store location.

While the first four categories are relatively straight forward, the last requires a small explanation.  One of the best things about Crave is that the first two locations were opened in my favourite areas of Calgary, Kensington and 17th Avenue.  As much as I love cupcakes, if the only thing I can do near the cupcake shop is eat cupcakes, I am unlikely to go out of my way.

So, the quest for the best cupcake in Toronto is now underway.

Spring is a season of transitions. For me, the biggest transition is returning to Calgary for the summer. I’m trying really hard to have a smooth transition, but there is so much about this city that I feel is holding me back — but I’m trying.
I’m used to making these transitions — for someone who lived in the same house for 18 years, moving cities, Calgary to Ottawa to Calgary to Toronto back to Calgary is a huge adjustment. Each time I make the change it seems more and more difficult. Each time I leave Calgary I feel more disconnected, more like I don’t fit in here. Often I feel like I’ve outgrown the city, that I need to be near the big lights in the big city — but I’m trying to want to be here.
When I think of transitions, I think back to my New Years Resolutions, to the things that I wanted to accomplish this year — the changes I wanted to make in my life.
This year, I decided to truly hold myself accountable. In the first quarter of this year, I have managed to maintain some of my resolutions. I have successfully stayed in the douchebag-free zone. I feel that this is beneficial, because I have been taken more control of my life, and putting myself first. For the stage I am at in my life, this is really important. Though this accomplishment is related to the fact that I have also kept myself out of relationships — negative or otherwise — I have discovered that I enjoy being single, and that I don’t want to be tied down to someone at this point in my life.
My second resolution, was to be healthier this year. Honestly, I have kind of half-assed this so far. Yes, I have somewhat been watching what I eat, but I also binge on junk now and again. Being home means that I naturally eat better as I don’t have to budget my grocery bill, and there is someone else to help with the meal prep. It makes life a lot easier for me, especially now that I am working full time. I’ll be honest though, and say that I hardly worked out this semester. Yes, I occasionally went swimming, ran a few times and went to the gym, but I was highly inconsistent. Currently, I’m working on incorporating yoga back into my life, since I start walking 30km a day for work. I feel better when I do yoga, and I think this may just work out this resolution. Yoga brings balance to my life, and makes me forget everything going around me — it is helping me to stay grounded and relaxed in Calgary, something that I always find difficult.
I can proudly say that I have been successful on my third resolution, which was about putting more effort into my appearance. I know this is probably my most vain resolution, but at least I didn’t resolve to drop 5 pounds or something silly like that. I have been adding more accessories into my life — especially with the purchase of a fabulous belt, my cousin’s friend Naomi made. She is behind Flight Path Designs, and my new belt (which I will post pictures of at a later date) is really helping me out of a schlump.
Lastly, I have managed to read a little bit more. So far, non-school related I have read 2.5 books. Though they are all chick-lit, I am easing myself in. I have a few more books to read that are non-fiction and of a slightly more intelligent nature — but more on that later.
Overall, I think I have been doing very well on my new year’s resolutions. Now, I just need to find the happy medium between where I want to be and where I am right now. Location wise that puts me at about Winnipeg, and well — I think I’d rather put up with Calgary for 3.5 more months. I’m working on the mindset, but it’s difficult to maintain a positive attitude when something just feels off.