THE BEST DAMN MATCHA FRAPPE EVER!
I was out running errands the other day when a craving for a Matcha Frappe hit me. Funny thing is I've never had a matcha frappe before but I had a very specific idea in mind of how it should taste - kind of like a light smoothie with a matcha flavour, refreshing and tad bit sweet. Mmm...
I concocted a quick recipe in my head as I drove home and made a mental check list of what I needed:
matcha powder ✓
ice ✓
almond milk ✓
agave ✓
vanilla extract ✓
Ok let's do this.
VEGAN MATCHA FRAPPE FOR 1
1 1/4 cup of ice
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp of matcha powder (mine is from SBT Seabuckthorn)
1 tbsp of agave (add more or less depending on how sweet you like it)
1 teeny tiny splash of vanilla extract
In a blender, add all of the ingredients and mix on high until ice is completely crushed.
Pour frappe into a mason jar. Add a straw & garnish with mint to make it pretty.
Success. It tastes exactly the way I wanted!
Cheers!
FRAPPE MAKING TIP: The more you mix the frappe in the blender, the more the ice will clump together but don't worry, you'll be able to sip it through a straw. If your frappe is clumped together, use a spoon pour it into a glass so you don't make a mess like I did.
Special thanks to the lovely people at SBT Seabuckthorn for sending me an advance of their new Wellness Matcha.
"This product is 100% Canadian, caffeine free, packed with vitamins & minerals, and it's 24% protein! It's a powerful anti inflammatory that increased energy (naturally), supports heart & liver health, promotes radiant skin, and even helps with weight control." - SBT Seabuckthorn
Ya. But it also taste damn good!
HOSTING A GIRLS NIGHT IN WITH PALM BAY
When Palm Bay approached me about hosting a girls night in, I thought “alright let’s do this”. But then my day to day life got really busy and hosting a night with the girls seemed like the last thing on my mind.
Thing is, I was making a big deal out of nothing and forgot the big picture. I’m seriously blessed with the greatest friends ever and when we get together it’s like time hasn’t passed. Hosting a night in for my girls is super easy. All we need is some good food and drinks and before we know it, we’re laughing so hard we’re about to pee our pants (ok not really). I’m lucky this all came together when it did because my girls and I vowed to make more time for each other and turn this into a monthly thing.
xo, Nathalie
This post was sponsored by Palm Bay. All photos and opinions are my own.
Special thanks to my girls, Janet and Diana for helping my girls night in come to life!
LANGDON HALL, CAMBRIDGE
When Garnier invited me on a skincare retreat to Langdon Hall, I said "yes please" before I even looked at the date. My agenda; to be pampered with a personalized facial, morning yoga underneath the gazebo by the gardens, and of course an in depth review of Garnier's latest skincare. Oh, and did I mention this is the hotel where DRAKE himself stayed and shot this pic? YASSSS!
My must-have shoes for a weekend retreat - my Louise Et Cie Bonnie sandals from Town Shoes.
WHAT TO PACK
SHOES: I'm the kind of girl who needs to pack more than one pair of shoes, even for a quick weekend getaway. My must have item though, my studded Louise Et Cie Bonnie sandals from Town Shoes. All you guys on Instagram are loving these shoes every time I wear them. Also packed, my gold Gucci slippers. I'm ruled by comfort.
BAG: I normally travel with one bag. My Givenchy Pandora is comfortable and fits everything.
CLOTHES: A black slip dress from Aritzia (similar), this statement bomber from Zara, yoga pants, jeans, a grey tank and a silk white off-the-shoulder top from Club Monaco. I had plenty of outfit options and layers without overpacking.
TOILETRIES: A flat iron and nothing else. Garnier had me covered with SPF from their Ombrelle line, micellar water, face wash, day & night creme and then some! I'll have a full review for you guys soon!
DINING AT LANGDON HALL
I'm still dreaming about the poutine at Wilk's Bar with black truffle, aged cheese and triple crunch mustard. I've been vegetarian for a few years now and eating out doesn't always mean I have a lot of tasty options to choose from. Chef Jason Bangerter was on it with a mouth watering, dairy-free, vegetarian menu. Veggies are grown on their on-site garden and yogurts and breads are made in house daily. YUM!
*Special thanks to ROI Relations, Garnier and Langdon Hall for this experience!
All opinions and photos are my own.
I MET SELENA GOMEZ
Last week I met Selena Gomez and it was awesome!
When Pantene invited me to Selena's Revival Tour with a chance to meet her pre-show I said "Heck ya!"
I was almost expecting her to be sitting down behind a table signing autographs but no, there she was, standing and meeting everyone face to face, smiling and hugging us normal people asking us about our day. In person she is the cutest - super polite with excellent manners and very engaging. And her hair! It's even bigger and shinier in person but else do you expect from Pantene's brand ambassador? I'm almost tempted to grow mine out and then I remember how high maintenance long hair is. I wish I'd had the foresight to ask her for some beauty tips. Maybe next time.
Funny enough I had a close encounter with Selena in LA earlier this year when I stayed at the Mondrian. She was staying at the same hotel and it was would have been super easy to go up to her and say "hi" but I never did. Funny how life works out!
As for the concert, it was awesome. She's a talented singer and she knows how to preform. I have her latest album, Revival, playing on repeat.
Special thanks to Pantene for the amazing opportunity to meet Selena!
xo, Nathalie
I felt old AF at the Selena Gomez concert. I was convinced I was going to look like her mom in our photo. A wave of relief hit me when I got the pictures back and I realized we look like cousins not mother/daughter. Hah!
CITY & COTTAGE SHOES
As much as I complain about our harsh winters, one of the perks of living in Canada is the diversity of our weather; rainy spring days, hot summers, colourful autumns and snowy winters. Fashion translation: more options for footwear!
I spent some time at the cottage recently and of course, I had to bring more than one pair of shoes - my Dolce Vita lace-up sandals and my Sam Edelman slip-ons. Both are incredibly comfortable and can be found at Town Shoes. They're suitable for the city and cottage but for this trip I was partial to the slip-ons since they're great for boating.
What are your go-to shoes this season and where will you be wearing them?
xo, Nathalie
*Nathalie is this years brand ambassador for Town Shoes and this post is sponsored by them. All opinions and photos are her own.
WALK A MILE IN HER SHOES
This past Thursday I joined some of the other Town Shoes brand ambassadors, Alexander Liang, Chloe Zhang and Jonathan Cavaliere for Toronto's Walk A Mile In Her Shoes - a fundraiser set to help end violence against women and promote gender equality. Men got into the spirit of the things by walking in heels for the mile long walk around the financial district. I wore my comfortable Sam Edelman slip ons and felt proud to walk with the Town Shoes team. It's not everyday that a brand asks us to get involved in an event that's for a good cause, so I have to say I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Thanks so much for having us!
Walk A Mile came close to its goal, having raised $127.8k of the $175k. Well done Toronto!
xo, Nathalie
THE ACT OF KINDNESS
This past weekend Geoff and I set up for an afternoon of cafe hopping and shooting content uptown around the Yonge and Lawrence area. If you guys are familiar with the neighbourhood you'll know it's an affluent area, so when a woman in her late 40's driving an Audi Q7 SUV drove up next to us and almost ran me over, we were seriously caught off guard! Turns she had a problem where I was sitting on the sidewalk because it's the exact area she wanted to park. I would have moved but there was ample parking around us, including directly in front of the building she was going to. It wasn't necessary for me to move and she knew it, but this woman was for a fight.
After she parked she came raging out of her car yelling obscenities at us at the top of her lungs, all while her 10 year old boy sat from the passenger seat watching his mum go postal on us with his windows rolled down. Yes, mum was fully audible to the kid and when I pointed it out to her she screamed "I DON'T F***ING CARE!!!" Can you imagine being the child who sees his mother go mental on total strangers for something as trivial as a parking? It's sad to think about and I don't even want to go into the details of it but it's so completely unnecessary. Chances are she was having a crap day from the start and was just taking it out on us.
It makes me realize that sometimes it's easier to be vile and rude than it is to be nice. I'm proposing that you guys do something nice and unexpected that will brighten someones day. It's easier than you think. :)
As for the angry woman in the parking lot, the whole exchange ended with Geoff saying "have a nice day" and her yelling at us that she hopes we get runs over.
Stay happy, friendly and smiling dear friends.
xo, Nathalie
Shoes by Sam Edelman from Town Shoes available here.
HOW TO SURPRISE YOUR MUM ON MOTHER'S DAY
Do you know what you're getting your mum for Mother's Day? No?
That's alright because I've got you covered. I've put together a list of 5 ideas for your mum this Sunday.
5. BRUNCH
Hipsters, Instagram and, my mum. They all love a good brunch so I'm telling you to take your mum out for brunch! I went with the tea party theme and served up finger sandwiches, macarons and tarts from Butter Avenue. She enjoyed it but so did I because everyone benefits from brunch! #yum
4. THE TIMEPIECE
I have the fondest memories of my parents gifting my watches when I was younger so I thought I would do the same for my mama this year. This Swatch is fun and summery and seems to fit the theme of our tea party pretty well.
3. THE GIFT OF SCENT
What person doesn't love a good perfume? I gifted her Chloe because it reminds me of spring. It's light, airy, feminine and chic.
2. THE BAG
The lovely folks at Coach monogrammed this pink saddle bag with her initials on the front flap and discretely added my initials to the side tag so she's always reminded of me when she wears it. (Sappy I know!) We tied this cute scarf around the handle to personalize it further.
1. THE SURPRISE FACTOR
Surprise parties and get togethers are my thing these days so I surprised my mum with this adorable tea party! When she saw the spread she was over the moon which totally made my day.
Special thanks to Coach, Swatch and Chloe for helping this Mother's Day gift guide come together. All opinions and photos are my own.
FESTIVAL READY OUTFITS & WHAT TO PACK
The end of Coachella means the beginning of festival season! Personally, I've never been, but I did go to Bestival and WayHome last year so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about when I say "this is what you should pack and this is what you should wear." Makes sense right?
Festivals are all about fun and letting free but I can't help myself and I have to prepare for the day ahead. Packing some hand sani, an iPhone battery charger and some extra tissue (in case you're left in a no TP scenario), never hurts. Same goes for comfy clothes and cute and sensible shoes.
If you've ever wanted to step outside of your comfort zone but have never had the guts, now's the time. No one will judge because it's a festival and no one gives a fudge! Have fun with your outfit and go for it. These awesome Hunter wellies are a good way to add colour and will keep your feet safe from mud (trust me, mud happens!). Just make sure to show lots of leg in a cute mini or some short shorts like Kate Moss. ;) Pair the boots with a fringe tank and a cute bandana and you're almost ready!
Hunter backpack from SS16 jam packed with my festival essentials including aloe coconut water from Thirsty Buddha and coconut chips. I'm obsessed!
Keep the designer bag at home because you don't want to ruin it on the field. Instead store your necessities in a backpack. Last year I packed snacks like fruits, nuts, and vegan protein bars, basically anything didn't require refrigeration. Right now I'm obsessed with coconut chips from Montreal based Thirsty Buddha, so I'll probably pack a few of those too. No word of a lie, I stalked my local health food store for weeks until those coco chips were restocked! #addicted
Finally, use protection! Sunscreen, sunnies, a hat and even after sun are a must. Resembling a lobster post festival is not hot. Also, have fun with some different lipstick shades while you're at it. Black Truffle (black violet) and Spritzer (lilac) from Bite Beauty are really awesome lip colours that are super moisturizing but aren't exactly everyday appropriate in your 30s'. Now's the time to rock them!
So there you have my festival must haves/ survival guide. What are your tips?
xo, Nathalie
