A Glimpse of Glam

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays!! I went to Canada as usual, and spent Christmas with my family. Prior to the actual day, I celebrated with my friends on a couple different occasions already. Having several Christmas celebrations is really fun because spreading out the whole gift giving and receiving makes Christmas feel like it’s lasting longer. How was your Christmas?

If you follow me on Instagram (haha shameless plug yet again!), you will know I baked a ton of goodies for the holidays! Specifically gluten free goodies. Because gluten-free is the best way to go. I literally stayed up several nights in a row to finish baking, and making food. I made white chocolate fudge bites, snickerdoodle cookie pops, chocolate dipped sugar cookies with crushed peppermint, peanut butter cookie truffles, and flourless chewy chocolate cookies. That last gluten free dessert I’ve posted before on my blog! Check out that recipe if you haven’t yet! It’s super easy to make, and definitely a huge hit for all chocolate and sweets lovers!

I also made an apple crumble, which I made for Thanksgiving as well. And a huge quantity of macaroni and cheese. Doesn’t really sound like your typical Christmas feast, but hey it tasted damn good and that’s what counts! It was a huge hit as well. Most people I know associate mac and cheese with the artificially cheesy boxed Kraft mac and cheese, and generally don’t like it. But once they’ve tasted real authentic from-scratch mac and cheese, everything changes. What did you eat for Christmas, or for your holiday feast?

Anyways, as I have mentioned a billion of times before, I am finally finishing up the travel posts I’ve been doing since September. Literally a trip I took back in September I am still talking about now. Am I the champion of prolonging or what? In my defense, there was so much we did, and many places we went to it couldn’t have fit all in one post. If you haven’t read the previous posts yet, check them out here!





Our last couple stops for this cruise was to Bar Harbor in Maine, and then Boston. Boston really wasn’t much because it was our departure day. We only had a brief couple hours there so I mostly have only pictures to show of it. Maine, on the other hand, was really nice!





After days of dreary grey skies, our previous stop in Saint John was a nice change of pace. Maine also satisfied our desire for sunny days too. We stopped at Bar Harbor, a small town by the shore known for their abundance of recreational activities perfect for nature lovers. As someone who prefers admiring Mother Nature from afar, I chose to peruse the many shops and stroll the streets instead of joining in on the hikes or boating activities.




I’ve never been to Maine, but I’ve always heard rumors that Maine has amazing lobster. I had to give that a try for myself to see if it was true. After days of fancy-ish and complicated cruise food, good ol' buttery lobster sounded even more enticing. That lobster lunch I had there was so delicious! Rumors are definitely true. There were so many restaurants that offered lobster rolls and other lobster dishes, it was difficult to choose which to try out. We settled on one that was a farther walk from the port that wasn’t as crowded as the others. This allowed us to walk around and see a bit of the town before eating.




Because literally every restaurant advertised lobster rolls, we had to order one to try out. We also ordered a full lobster to share amongst the four of us, and another order of fish and chips. All three orders came with a side of fries. As a gluten-free eater, I luckily could eat the lobster and fries.




The lobster was SO GOOD! It was perfectly juicy and tender, and the buttery goodness was just so divine. Though it was unsettling to see the lobster being torn apart and dismantled. I have this thing where I get really nauseous when I see meat on a bone, or in a shell. I can’t look at meat or seafood intact and whole like that. Seriously sometimes I consider being vegetarian because of that uneasiness.

We also ordered blueberry soda, which apparently is a thing. I normally don’t go for drinks when I eat out and just keep with my ice water, but the blueberry soda on the menu really sounded interesting. I’m so glad I went with that because it tasted really good.






After lunch, we walked the streets some more. I passed by this one boutique called Birch Moon with unique handmade jewelry. One silver ring with a simple design really caught my eye. I considered it for a while, went to other stores, returned to admire the ring again, walked around other stores, and doubled back and finally bought it. I literally went back a couple times before deciding that I just had to buy the ring. It fit me perfectly, and just looked so nice.





Because of the sunny warm weather, we decided to get some ice cream after lunch. An ice cream shop down the street had a huge variety of flavors to boast. I kept letting people order ahead of me because I took so long deciding. I am very indecisive when there are a ton of choices. Give me more options and I just get overwhelmed. I finally decided to try out this ice cream with chocolate, Kahlua, Grand Marnier, and Bailey’s. I don’t actually know if there was any alcohol in it though...




The last day on a trip always ends up being quite sad. Vacation draws to an end and reality looms imminently ahead. On our last night, we didn’t watch any shows but retired to our rooms earlier to pack and get ready for an early start the following day.

Whenever I leave a place, whether it be a hotel or a stateroom on a cruise, I like to take all the complementary goodies like the shampoos, lotions, soaps and notepad. I have a whole collection of complementary loot I’ve gotten over the years. It’s a fun way to remember the places I’ve been to because of the variety in my collection.





Our ship traveled from Maine to Boston on that last day. It was a 7 day cruise one way, and 14 days total to return to Quebec. We had an early afternoon flight home so we got a short tour of the city before heading to the airport. I’ve never been to Boston, so it was nice to see a bit of the city. Though we didn’t have a ton of time to walk around and sightsee.




I managed to get some photos of the crowded narrow streets, and the beautiful architecture. Literally every tall building I saw I would say “Look it’s the Tipton Hotel!”, in reference to the hotel from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, a TV show my friends and I watched when we were young. Do you remember that show?

I definitely plan on returning to the East Coast soon to see more and do more. Cruises are so much fun. I wish I had more time for vacations and traveling. School breaks are much too short.




The end of the year is fast approaching. 2016 has been one heck of a ride. So much has happened, and it’s definitely been a memorable (in both positive and negative manners) year. I honestly don’t know what to expect for the upcoming year. Have you made a New Years Resolutions list yet?

Comment down below what you did for the holidays this year! Where do you plan on traveling to, or hope to travel to this upcoming year? Where have you traveled to that has been your favorite yet? Lemme know in the comments!

Also don’t forget to comment down below what kinds of foods you’ve eaten/made this year for the holidays!

I hope you are all having a wonderful holidays with friends and family! Thanks for stopping by! I know I’ve prolonged this travel series for an incredibly long time. So thank you for sticking with me. And even if you’re silently judging me, I still hope you enjoyed the post and the pictures.

I wish you all a wonderful day!


Til next time,
~A

Hey everyone!

I hope you guys aren't completely broke after holiday shopping, and still got some left to treat yourselves. If you are in need of some ideas to accessorize, I've got a way to solve that problem. With these busy pre-holiday days, it is definitely easy to be at loss when it comes to what to wear for a night out after having spent the day running from one place to another trying to get everything done.

In just one week, Christmas will finally be here! I cannot believe how quickly this holiday season has passed by. Though, I do say that every year. To the point where my sister gets annoyed with me and my yakking about how time is going too fast. Unlike last year, I actually have been getting into the holiday mood. Because of my incessant need to blast holiday music, I truly feel like it is mid-December. Plus. it helps that every time I went out the crowded parking lots and bumper-to-bumper traffic reinforced the fact that people are indeed out holiday shopping with frenzy. It's the holiday season for sure.

I've mentioned several times before that I work part time as a barista, and you have no idea how many kids hot chocolates I've made in the past several weeks. And not all of them were for kids, if you know what I mean.

The month of December entails many days of errand running and last minute shopping, and many nights of get-togethers and gift exchanges with friends or other holiday parties. Literally in one week, Christmas will be here! I've already done a round of gift exchanging with some of my friends. Whenever I buy gifts for people, I always get so overeager, and desperately want to give it to them right then and there. It's so hard to wait. Patience is a struggle. I have a few more gift exchanges coming up, with one being both for a birthday and for Christmas. I definitely cannot wait to receive my own gifts! Have you opened any gifts you've received yet?

With a busy schedule, the term "transitional outfit" really becomes your best friend. Living out of your car doesn't sound so extreme at this time of year.

Today, I wanted to share with you all some mood board style ideas for day to night transitional outfits. Easy styling ideas for whenever you feel at loss. Nothing overwhelming, just simplicity and minimalism to contrast with your hectic life.

Day (Photos from Pinterest)

With this mood board here, I put together things that would all work well for a day look. You guys are all very well aware of my obsession with jumpsuits, so I just had to include one. A jumpsuit for the day might not seem like something to go for during the winter months, but paired with a thick blazer or long wool coat, it would work well. The heels I chose are not super high and skinny, definitely more reasonable of an option to walk around in. Although, if you are really out and about, then go for flat shoes like some ankle boots instead. If you twist an ankle, that would just add another thing to your list to take care of.

Night (Photos from Pinterest)

A quick and easy swap for the night would be changing up your outer layers, and slipping on a different pair of shoes. If you got the time, redo your hair and maybe even swipe on a bolder lip color to finish. Fur coats are super trendy right now. Fur or faux fur coats have this edgy, daring feel to it. They are relaxed and cozy, yet look very chic and model off-duty. The burgundy boots contrast in color with the coat ever so slightly, adding to the overall fun, playful night look. The cooler tone of the boots and the dark navy coat are just analogous enough that it works. Plus, the darker red makes it perfect for any holiday party you're attending.

The style mood boards above both feature the same gold bar necklace from AUrate New York. This minimalist necklace is just enough to accessorize an outfit, without being overbearing. Thin, delicate, and versatile.



AUrate New York is a company that specializes in high quality hand-crafted jewelry. They focus on creating pieces that are ethically sourced and sold without the use of middlemen. They have a wide variey of jewelry to choose from, whether it be silver, gold, or rose gold. All are rather minimalist and would work well in any outfit. I personally especially like the rings they have to offer because the design are quite unique and eye-catching. Delicate, crisp lines. Nothing extravagant, nothing gaudy. Definitely pieces that would be good for everyday looks.

I like chunky jewelry, but sometimes minimalist pieces work best. You don't have to think too much about what to wear with it. They work with nearly everything. I have this statement necklace that I've only worn a handful of times because I have to center the outfit around that necklace. Whereas, with a delicate piece like the gold bar, you can literally wear anything.

Currently, I am finding myself really going for minimalist jewelry, and AUrate really adds to it. It inspires me to find simple pieces that work well with everything, that are sleek and modern and tasteful.

Do you prefer statement jewelry, or simple minimalist ones? 

How do you transition an outfit from day to night? Are you more of a necklace, ring, or bracelet person? Comment down below to lemme know!

Thank you all for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this post, and have a wonderful day!


Til next time,
~A

Hey everyone!

And you thought I was done with this…

Before you say anything, yes I still have some more left of my tale. We are nearly finished with this, and I could have left it where I had stopped before. But I figured why not round it out by finishing up the recounts of (nevermind they were months ago) my travels?

I apologize for not posting in over a week and half. Finals hit me hard. I had projects and exams to cram for. It was terrible and stressful and a huge pain in the derriere. I am so glad I am done for the quarter! Now I can sit back and relax.

It has been extremely cold here in Seattle the past couple weeks. I wore so many layers I couldn’t really zip up my coat. I also had a huge scarf wrapped around my neck, and it was difficult to turn my head without turning my whole body too. But all that cold did result into something nice. We finally got a bit of snow! If you follow me on Instagram (cough cough hint hint), then you will know I’ve been wishing for snow. Ask and you shall receive. Though it was only a little bit of snow. It snowed at around 9pm and continued on throughout the night. However, by morning, the rain had washed away a lot of it. I did get a chance before it melted to walk in the fresh snow, and spin around under the soft glow of the moonlight reflected off the snow. There is just something so magical and beautiful about snow at night. During the daytime, it feels very festive, a winter wonderland. But at night, that’s when the magic really happens. The world is silent, winding down for the night, and there you are standing amidst the dancing white.

I really wish for a white Christmas this year.

Do you like snow? And do you get to enjoy it where you live?

Anyways, let’s take a trip back down memory lane, shall we? Rewind back to a couple months ago. If you missed my last recount of this New England cruise, read my previous post on it!



Our next stop on the cruise was Saint John, New Brunswick. At this point, the cruise was more than half over. It gets quite sad when vacations draw to an end. The thrill of traveling starts to fade after the mid point. Then the focus is just on trying to have as much fun, and make the most of the whatever time is left. Or at least, that's what it is for me. I can't help it. Regardless of this, I still really enjoyed seeing the last couple port stops.

When we went to Saint John, it ended up being a sunny warm day. The previous days were gloomier and rainy. It is hard to enjoy a trip when the weather dampens the mood, pun intended. But our stop at Saint John worked out in our favor.

Reversing Falls earlier in the day

There was a tour that went around the town to see landmarks and other points of interest. One place in particular was the Reversing Falls. Apparently, the water flowed upstream at certain times of the day, rather than going downstream like most do because of gravity. To be honest, I couldn’t really see the difference. That could be because I couldn’t tell to begin with which direction it was supposed to go. I did enjoy the view though. The sunlight glittered on the water in such a brilliant way. I had just gotten an iPhone 6s at the time, so I played around with the slow-mo and other picture settings to capture it.


I mentioned this before, but I really appreciate how cruises provide the chance to see glimpses of many places. Like some of you had similarly commented on in my last post about this trip, I agree that cruises don’t allow for a more detailed and authentic experience of a new place, but it does allow us to see more in a short time. I guess, you win some and you lose some. My desire is to travel to more places, to get to see more of the world. I want to be able to say I’ve checked off every place on my list. But, I also really want to experience these places in a real, memorable way. Sometimes, on vacations we tend to only see things in the superficial, touristy perspective. What I would give and do to have the chance to live for a month or several in a new place, then move on to another. That would definitely help to gain a better experience of a place. But it would also require a lot of time. And money.

One day, I hope to have the ability to say that every place I’ve seen in textbooks and online, I’ve experienced in person.

I took these photos on the tour bus, so the window reflection is shown. Oops...

The feel of this city, from the bit I got, was similar to Halifax, in that it reminded me of Victoria, BC. It also could have been because it was by the port. A smaller town, busy and lively in it’s own way, but not super crowded or urban.

Those randoms photobombing...

As I mentioned before, the Reversing Falls, well, reverse at a particular time of day. We ended up returning later in the day to see it happen. I did notice that it went a different direction, but I still couldn't quite tell for sure. But, now that I look back at the photos, I guess I can see the difference. It's not super clear, but it is somewhat there. It's pretty cool how this happens. Sometimes the beauty of nature just amazes me so much.

The Reversing Falls later in the day

If only I can go back to this moment. Back to being on vacation. Although, I am done with finals. Winter break has officially arrived! But the feel is still different. A very short break of only a couple weeks. Definitely not enough!

I've gotten done with all my Christmas shopping already! For once I actually went in with a plan and stuck with it. Usually I would have only a vague idea of what to get, and would wander the aisles of many stores before finding what I want. This year, I planned ahead and made a list of what to get everyone. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. I honestly cannot wait to give my friends and family their gifts now. I personally really find joy in giving people great gifts. Seeing their faces light up with excitement, and knowing that they truly appreciate the thought, time and effort put into it is so rewarding. Do you prefer to make or buy your holiday gifts?

Last couple bits of this trip I went on ages ago will be up soon to finish this tale I've been dragging out forever! I'm actually quite amazed I've dragged it out for this long. How did that even happen?

Are you traveling anywhere this winter? What do you have planned for the upcoming holidays? Comment down below to lemme know!!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you all have a fabulous week!


Til next time,
~A