Happy Easter Monday! Hopefully your weekend was full of sunshine, family, and of course chocolate bunnies! As you're reading this right now I'm doing one of two things. A) Frantically packing my luggage or B) Running around my house and getting excited for my trip! Tonight I'm flying off to the Riviera Maya in Mexico to soak up the sun for a week.

To get myself pumped up for this trip (as if I needed to get more excited than I am already), I picked out one of the shades from the OPI Brazil collection to wear on my nails this week. The Brazil collection is for Spring/Summer 2014 and it contains a variety of brights and neutrals for everyone. This week I'm wearing Where Did Suzi's Man-go?, and this orange creme polish reminds me so much of the tropics! The formula is rich and pigmented, requiring two thin coats to reach opacity. Drying quickly to a glossy finish and wearing chip free up to four days, this nail polish is unique and stands out in my collection. Orange can be hard to wear, but this warm, pastel shade can suit almost any skin tone this season. If you try it out let me know if you like it!

But for now, adios amigos! Talk to you all soon!

Three weeks ago I was flipping through the Chinese newspaper and saw some pictures of sushi with "50% OFF" written right next to it. So naturally I had to figure out what was going on, 'cause I'm ok with half price sushi anytime, anywhere.

Kabuki Sushi & Grill - 5431 Gateway Boulevard - Edmonton AB

Kabuki first appeared in Edmonton as a restaurant on 109 Street in the university area. I was surprised to find out that Kabuki offers franchising opportunities, and I believe this led to the south location opening. Walking in to the restaurant, you'll find that the space is quite small. There's a handful of tables and a few tatami style rooms which can accommodate larger groups. The decor is simple and different specials are posted along the walls, while a decorative cherry blossom tree stands in the middle of the space.

In the Chinese newspaper Kabuki was advertising 50% off their Love Boat on Tuesday evenings. My sister and I went in for dinner at 6PM and were surprised to see that the restaurant was fairly empty, given the allure of the advertisement! The Love Boat on the menu is typically $39.99 and intended for 2 people, which was perfect for our situation. As described on the menu, the Love Boat comes with 6 nigiri (tuna, salmon, shrimp), a California Roll, the Edmonton Roll (prawn tempura, spicy tuna, crab), and assorted tempura.

After placing our order, we were each offered complimentary miso soup. The miso soup wasn't overly salty, and had a decent amount of tofu and seaweed. When the boat arrived at our table, we thought to ourselves that it didn't seem like a big portion and we would be needing to order more food afterwards. But let me tell you, the miso soup they give you really makes the rice expand in your stomach, so you're more than set with just the boat for your meal.

Overall, the sushi was good. The quality is there but it's not amazing. What I found interesting was the fake crab meat they were using. It was very finely shredded, almost perfectly mimicking the texture of real crab meat. Neat stuff. The tempura was golden and crisp, with the shrimp and vegetables cooked well. The Love Boat is great if you're just craving sushi and want a quick fix, as nothing is fancy about it. I surely would not pay the regular price for it as it wouldn't be worth it for what you get. But $20 for 2 people? Why not? Give them a visit on a Tuesday night and let me know what you think!

With another semester of school coming to an end, I've spent the last few weeks debating if I should go on a trip! I've got my heart set on Mexico and am leaving next week, but I think it would be absolutely amazing to visit South America! Brazil has always been on my travel list... hopefully I'll get to cross it off one of these days!

Photo thanks to National Geographic
South America is a diverse and exciting continent, famed for its vibrant cultures, love of music, incredible food and rich history. It’s also home to some of the world’s biggest and most interesting cities. With increasing air travel to the continent driving down prices, it’s now possible to take city breaks and long weekends in some of the continent’s biggest urban areas.

With flights widely available from Canada, reasonably-priced tickets and american express widely accepted across the continent, financing and paying for your break has never been easier. All you have to do now is choose your destination.

CuzcoSituated high up in the Andes, the colonial city of Cuzco was built upon an old Inca capital. The main cathedral still sits upon centuries old Incan foundations, with the massive Twelve Cornered stone remaining as a testament to pre-Columbian ingenuity and building techniques. From Cuzco you can also access Machu Pichu, a lost Incan city rediscovered in the early 20th century. It truly is one of the wonders of the world and must-visit destination. You have to try the Alpaca while you’re here and for those feeling very brave, you’ll find guinea pig on the menu too.

Rio de JanerioThis sprawling Brazilian megalopolis is always associated with the golden sands of the Copacabana, Sugar Loaf Mountain and the statue of Christ the Redeemer towering over the city. Aside from these globally recognisable landmarks, Rio is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities on the planet. Streets resonate to the sound of Samba and bars seem to throng with constant parties and celebration. Don’t miss the world famous carnival, the world’s biggest street party, and a truly unique event. Brazilians are also famous for their meat, with barbecue being the preferred way of cooking.

Buenos AiresA stunning mix of Old and New world, the capital of Argentina has a European feel to it but retains its South American charm. It’s also home to the Tango and a grandeur that oozes romance.

SantiagoThe capital of Chile is a classically beautiful and cultured city that is located less than an hour from the coast, just two hours from the ski slopes and half an hour from the countries famous vineyards. All of which means there is plenty to see and do. Try the traditional dish of ceviche, shrimp cooked in lemon juice – a dish currently taking the world by storm but never better than in Chile.

Book early and get great prices on flights. Be flexible with dates and times and you can get a better deal. While South America generally offers cheaper accommodation and food than Canada, prices are going up so be prepared to pay more for some of the higher-end facilities and attractions.'

*Disclosure: this is a featured post 

Noul Blouse | Old Navy Boyfriend Jeans | Coach Harlee Heels
Coach Clutch | H&M Necklace | Coach Stackable Rings
As I type this, snowflakes are falling from the sky and the road outside my house is covered in snow. COVERED. It's the middle of April! Guess I should've known. You know that saying, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me"? Yeah, that's me every year. *Ashamed*

Last week when I thought winter was gone for good, I did a little shopping and picked up this lovely blouse from Noul (formerly Loft 82). I adore the simplicity of it with the high low hem, flowy fabric, and leather accents. Add some slouchy boyfriend jeans and my new favourite pair of heels, and I'm out the door ready to go. Now if only the snow would melt so I could repeat the process again...

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend full of sunny Spring weather! Edmonton weather is still on the chilly side, but nothing makes me happier than seeing the sun shine brightly throughout the day! No more gray skies for us :)

In accordance with the weather, I've got a nail polish this week to welcome the Spring weather! From the 2014 OPI Muppets Most Wanted collection, I'm wearing Chillin' Like a Villain. And because this is a collaboration the perfect way to describe this shade is... Miss Piggy's skin. This peach-toned nude shade had a creamy jelly finish to it, and I think it would suit any skin tone. The formula is quite sheer and requires three thin coats to reach full opacity (as shown), but lasts a full 5 days before chipping. I can see myself reaching for this softer shade quite often this season, and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a shade suitable for Spring!

A few months back I had a couple hours to spend in Calgary. What better is there to do than eat?! Well, many of you could argue with me on that one, but my agenda in Calgary is always food, food, food. I was long overdue to catch up with my friend Carmen, and we hit up a restaurant that has been on my list for a while.

Downtownfood - 628 8th Avenue SW - Calgary AB

Downtownfood is located in the heart of the city and they've made huge waves in the Calgary food scene with their innovative ideas. With Chef Darren MacLean to lead the team, Downtownfood stands out amongst other restaurants with their rooftop garden and beehives. 40 different varieties of plants grow on the roof and they harvest their own honey for use in the restaurant. Can you say amazing? With a commitment to local foods and making everything in house, it's almost like there's nothing this restaurant can't do.

The meal started off with some housemade bread and organic butter with rock salt. The bread was pillowy soft with a chewy crust and the butter was the perfect consistency to spread.

We had decided to order a variety of dishes to share and try out. We started our meal with the Qualicum Bay Scallop "Ceviche" ($16) served with Albacore tuna, stripe prawn, coconut milk, aji amarillo, pickled celery and tandoori popcorn. The fish, shrimp, and scallop were very fresh, and I loved that you could taste the flavours of all the ingredients. The spiciness of the dish was toned down with the coconut milk broth, and all around this was a wonderful starter.

Next was the Crispy Eggplant Wonton Tempura ($13): sake and mirin glaze, edamame purée, braised Japanese eggplant tapenade. I've never been a huge fan of eggplant, but I quite enjoyed it in tempura form (heck, if you tempura anything, I'll probably eat it!). The wonton skin was nice and crisp while the eggplant itself maintained a firmer texture.

Our next plate was the Compressed Pear and House Cured Bacon Salad ($14) featuring Poplar Groves Tiger blue cheese, candied walnuts, green apples, arugula, honey, and lemon. A deconstructed salad arrived at the table and I really liked how all the ingredients were laid out across the plate in equal proportions. I believe Korean pears were used in this salad, and they were sweet and juicy against the contrasting tartness of the apples. The chunks of bacon were salty and smoky, which was the highlight of the dish for me. I'm not the biggest fan of blue cheese and found the Tiger blue cheese to be quite pungent, but little bits here and there added another dimension to the salad.

Next up was the dish I was looking forward to most - the Brandt Lake Wagyu Tenderloin Tataki ($15). First off, I LOVE beef tataki. And if you're going to make it with Brandt Lake Wagyu, it's bound to be amazing. The dish featured the beautifully marbled beef slices sitting atop a bed of lacto-fermented pears, daikon, scallions, ponzu, and housemade wasabi zuke salsa. The beef was incredibly tender, as expected, and I loved the use of the crisp, juicy daikon. The ponzu was perfectly made and gave the dish the umami factor. I loved this dish and would definitely have it again!

Our last starter dish for the evening (we ate a lot!) was the Watermelon Salad ($12). This salad was beautiful and featured watermelon done three ways: fresh, pickled and jellied, and further paired with cucumber, feta, mint oil, and black pepper. It was such a refreshing dish with the fresh, juicy watermelon acting almost as a palate cleanser. The feta imparted the perfect savoury contrast, while my favourite of the three watermelons was the pickled rind... so good!

While we waited for our main course, the kitchen sent out a lobster cream broth for us to sample. Served with a lobster, shrimp, and scallop croquette, this broth was packed with flavour and tasted like 5 lobsters were crammed in there. Bits of celery and onion were present in the broth to add a little bit of texture, but the flavour was top notch.

For our entree we chose to order one and share it. We both had our eyes set on the Wild Boar Chop ($26) which was cooked sous vide with Chinese char siu jus and served with parsnip puree, smoked king oyster mushrooms, kale, and a scallion & ginger salsa. The meat was tender and moist, and the Asian sweet and salty flavours worked really well for this boar chop.

To cap off our night of indulgence we ordered the Strawberries & Cream. Each freshly made beignet was soft and fluffy and paired well with the strawberries and whipped cream. This was the perfect dessert as it wasn't too sweet.

And to our surprise the kitchen sent out an extra sweet treat for us to have: a s'more bite for each of us, with every component made in house. The cracker had a nice bite, while the bruleed marshmallow had hints of honey and vanilla in it. We were totally spoiled that night!

When two people with eyes hungrier than their stomachs get together, the table ends up feeling way too small. But somehow we managed to finish everything that night and rolled ourselves home! Downtownfood is a wonderful restaurant that greatly exceeded my expectations. I was surprised to see such an Asian-inspired menu, but I enjoyed every dish of our meal that evening. Their commitment to working with small, local producers is admirable, and I think it's fantastic that they're able to utilize their roof space to cultivate plants and harvest honey! Their prices are on the expensive side so this isn't going to be your go-to restaurant, but if you're willing to support local and pay for good quality food, then it's worthwhile. I'm actually hoping to find myself in Calgary on a Monday night in the future, as Downtownfood features a weekly industry collaborative with Eats of Asia.
The menu looks awesome, so check it out if you have a chance!

Sushi places are popping up all over the city! It's almost like the restaurant gods heard my complaints and sent an influx of them into the Edmonton food scene. One of the latest places to open is Sushi Sugoi, and rumour has it that it is owned by an ex-Mikado employee. Oooh. Ok, no gossip.

Sushi Sugoi - 2874 Calgary Trail - Edmonton AB

From the outside it is quite evident that this restaurant has taken over a previous Outback Steakhouse location, as evidenced by the white siding and green roofing. But when you step inside there are no traces of evidence that a steakhouse used to occupy the building. Extensive renovations have been made to give it a modern, upscale feel. A double-sided fireplace sits in the middle of the restaurant and a brightly lit commercial Urban Cultivator sits behind the sushi bar.

On a Wednesday night I found some time for a long-overdue dinner with friends. It didn't take much convincing to get them to agree to sushi dinner, but we found ourselves having a hard time deciding what to eat. The dinner menu at Sushi Sugoi is quite extensive, but I think that just means that there's something for everyone. We started off our dinner with the Beef Tataki ($10), which is always a must-have for me when I eat Japanese. The version here is garnished with green onion, seaweed, grated radish and red onions. The ponzu wasn't overly salty and gave the tender beef slices nice flavour. My only concern was with the small portion size, as there were 8 thin slices on the plate.

In an attempt to have some vegetables with dinner we ordered the Smoked Duck Salad ($10): smoked duck breast glazed with orange teriyaki dressing. A bed of iceberg lettuce set the base and was topped with arugula, onions, radish and alfalfa sprouts. A few thin slices (5) of duck breast made it into the dish alongside fresh orange wedges. While the duck breast had a nice smoky flavour, I was disappointed by the small amount and felt there should have been more since it was the selling point of the salad. The lettuce at the bottom also imparted a strange flavour to the dish, making it almost off-putting. On the upside? At least the orange slices were sweet.

We were all feeling sushi rolls that night and ordered a couple to try out. The Dynamite Roll ($13) is always a classic, and Sushi Sugoi's is a combination of shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber, chop chop, tobiko, hot sauce, and spicy mayo. There typically isn't scallop in a dynamite roll, and I liked that it comprised a quarter of the ingredients rolled inside of the rice.

Next up was one of Sugoi's specialty rolls - the White Snow Mountain Roll ($15): lettuce, crab meat, avocado, crunch, chopped scallop, tobiko, cream cheese sauce. The plating for the roll was nice but I really wish they would have put it on a different coloured plate to make it pop! This roll for me was pretty disappointing. Based on the description I had anticipated for there to be crab, but it ended up being imitation crab meat! There was little sauce and only a tiny chunk of scallop atop the roll so it really lacked flavour, which is pretty unfortunate given that it's one of their special rolls.

Our last order was the Hardcore Roll ($16), aptly named given the presentation. Spicy tuna, spicy seasoned salmon, cucumber, tobiko, Thai chili, hot sauce, and sichimi were rolled with a soy bean wrapper. There was so much detail in the presentation, and this was my favourite dish of the night for both looks and taste. Each piece packed lots of heat (thanks to the Bird’s Eye Chili!), but I found that the cucumber helped to tone it down. The salmon was cooked while the tuna remained raw, and there were lots of different textures in the roll.

With another Japanese restaurant on the map for southern Edmonton, Sushi Sugoi is a nice addition. Most of the items on the menu are standard for Japanese restaurants so there isn't anything that stands out for me aside from some of their specialty fish and maki rolls. If anything, I would return to try out their Sugoi Ocean Platter, which looks beautiful, or the truffle infused sashimi, but the maki wasn't memorable for me. All the ingredients used are fresh and the prices are on par or a tad more expensive than other Japanese establishments around the city. It's nice to have another option for Japanese, but I still prefer some of the other restaurants here in Edmonton.

Happy Monday, everyone! Spring decided to visit Edmonton this past weekend and I think it's finally here to stay. I'm so sick of the random snow storms and cold snaps. It's time for some warm sunshine and leaves to start sprouting on trees!

With every change in the seasons, I update my skincare and makeup arsenal to suit the changing weather and humidity. Make Up For Ever (MUFE) recently released a brand new blush formula for 2014 to add to their iconic HD range, and I've been testing it out for the past week. The HD cream blush is formulated to feel like second skin. It's weightless, blends effortlessly and is able to give cheeks that natural glow.

Let's talk packaging. The compact housing the product is the classic, sleek plastic used for almost every MUFE product. It's small and lightweight, with a study snap closure and convenient mirror inside for touch ups on the go. I really appreciate that there isn't any wasted space, meaning that there is as little plastic as necessary to hold the blush. Nothing drives me crazier than unnecessary materials to make a product clunky.

I have shade #215 Flamingo Pink, and its just a tad lighter than what I perceive to be the pink of a flamingo. The formula is smooth, creamy, and highly pigmented. Trust me, a little goes a long way! It's smooth to the touch and a breeze to apply, as it glides right over the cheeks to deposit colour. The blush can be applied with the fingertips, a sponge, or a fluffy brush, and I found that a full, rounded brush gave me the most even application. The formula lasted me up to 6 hours of wear with a natural finish, so I'm pretty happy with the product. The range includes sixteen shades, so there's something in there for every skintone. Have you tried this blush yet?

This year, Make Up For Ever is celebrating 30 years in the industry. To celebrate this occasion, they're looking to send 20 people to Paris for a week this July! I totally wish I could go. Whether you're a professional makeup artist or a makeup addict, there is a separate makeup contest for whichever category you fit into! By entering the contest, you could make this trip a reality for yourself. Full details on their website here.

*Disclosure: This product was sent for consideration of a review.

Two weeks ago I was able to attend a pop up dinner hosted by Shovel & Fork and Slow Food Edmonton (SFE) at RGE RD. Shovel & Fork is a local organization working towards educating the community about local food and sustainability. Working together with Slow Food Edmonton, the funds raised from hosting the 9 course meal are going towards sending some SFE members to the national conference later this year. It was great to see that the pop up was sold out, and I had no idea what the menu was going to be like. But what was better yet? Chef Robin Wasicuna came in from Yellowknife to cook for this event too! Mr. G and I were rooting for him to win Chopped Canada and I was excited to see him in action in the kitchen.

Before the meal began we started with an amuse bouche that featured one of my favourite cheeses: one bite of The Cheesiry's pecorino paired with House Honey Crafts honey. I love the flavours of this cheese and the pairing was lovely. I could eat it all day (but good thing I don't :))

Most of the meal was pizza themed given that Chad Moss, cofounder of Shovel & Fork and current SFE president, used to host a pizza club in Edmonton. First up was a margarita pizza, a classic and tasty savoury pie.

Next up was a pairing of mitake mushrooms with miso butter and a 62 degree egg. The mushrooms and eggs were delicious together, especially with that beautiful runny yolk binding the ingredients together.

Another pizza course was up next, this time with four different local cheeses, pea shoots and Shovel & Fork apple cider. The pizza had a sharp cheese flavour and was amazingly garlicky, making me feel that I need to have this combination more often!

Switching things up between the pizza courses, the next dish featured ling cod from Great Slave Lake, which Robin Wasicuna caught himself! Super cool. I love the firm texture of ling cod, and without a doubt this fish tasted delicious! The ling cod sat upon a bed of savoury kale and garnished with cilantro, burnt lime, and birds eye chilies.

Our next pizza course featured housemade chorizo, The Cheesiry's pecorino, and arugula grown in Morinville. The combination of salty and peppery ingredients made this my favourite pizza of the evening.

The seventh course was one that I thought didn't match with the theme of the dinner, but it was delicious nonetheless: a bulgogi pork shoulder paired with a Fuji Apple kimchi, fish sauce, crackling and guanciale. The pork shoulder was a little too salty for my liking but it was so moist and tender and I loved the kick of heat from the kimchi.

The second last course of the night was a pizza featuring morel mushrooms. The earthy flavour of the mushrooms really came through, but I would have loved to have more on the pizza for some different texture with each bite.

The last course of the evening was a dessert pizza - we definitely had an overdose of carbs this night! A combination of Saskatoon berries and honey raspberry coulis gave the pizza some sour and sweet bites, which I really enjoyed. It definitely gives the traditional dessert pizza a spin - one can only have so much nutella & banana on pizza dough!

Thank you to Shovel & Fork, Slow Food Edmonton, RGE RD and Robin Wasicuna for coming together to host this delicious pop up dinner! I may stay away from pizza for some time, but my stomach was definitely happy this night. Slow Food Edmonton will be hosting more events in the future, and I highly recommend checking them out for some great chef collaborations and delicious eats!

There has been a lot of buzz around the opening of a new Korean take-out restaurant here in the south side of Edmonton. There is not much activity in the food scene around Southgate so when a new establishment opens it can be pretty exciting.

Mama Lee's Kitchen - 10633 51 Avenue - Edmonton AB

With the grand opening this past Monday (March 31st), my boyfriend and I stopped by on the way home to pick up some small dishes to add to dinner. Arriving at about 6PM the tiny little place was packed. There was literally no way to walk around the inside without brushing up against someone else. Whoa. The two of us originally thought it wouldn't be too busy and we would be in and out of there in under ten minutes. Guess not! Congratulations to Mama Lee for having a successful opening day!


Two of three coolers // Assorted kimchi
Mama Lee's Kitchen is a family venture opened by a Korean family that has lived in Edmonton for quite some time. With the mother of the family constantly praised for her cooking, the family took the opportunity to open up a little take-out place. When you step inside you're met by a quaint space with a few seats for dine-in (maybe 8-10 seats at most). You're immediately greeted by three huge refrigerated coolers full of different pre-packaged foods made in house to take home. From soups and banchan (side dishes) to marinated meats and 11 varieties of kimchi, there are so many interesting foods to try out! But if you're looking to order freshly prepared food you've got to head towards the counter to make and pay for your order.

Since we already had some food being prepared at home we decided to pick up just a few other dishes to add to our meal. Of course I had to pick some of my Korean favourites, and Kimbab (R4, $8.50) is one of them. Carrots, spinach, egg, pickled daikon, pickled vegetables and hot dog were rolled up in rice and wrapped in seaweed. These ingredients are your standard for kimbab and I love that Mama Lee really packs in a lot of ingredients in her version.

The one dish I was really looking forward to was the Tteo-kbo-kki (A5, $10.50), which is my favourite Korean street food! There's something about the chewy texture of rice cakes I just love. Unfortunately the kitchen had run out of enough tteo-kbo-kki to make a full order. However, they were willing to let me have a bit of what they had left just to try it out! Typically, the rice cakes are sitting within a thick spicy sauce with fish cake slices. As you see above, there was no sauce left so that the rice cakes were beginning to stick together. I didn't mind because the flavours were all still there! Many tteo-kbo-kki that I've had before were sweet and spicy, and I don't particularly enjoy the sweetness. Mama Lee's version is salty and quite spicy which is right up my alley. So yummy! I can't wait to go back for a full order of the real deal.

We also ordered the Seafood Pancake (A1, $4.50) as an appetizer for our meal, to see how many ingredients would be in it. Mama Lee's is full of vegetables, but there isn't too much seafood. I found mostly shrimp as the seafood component and would have loved to find other crustaceans in there. But for the price of $4.50 the pancake is a decent size with lots of ingredients. There's a light crisp to the outer edge of the pancake while the interior portion remains soft.

Since Mama Lee's is intended to be a take-out place, there are a variety of items that are built as a fully-loaded meal. Of the combos available we went with the LA Galbi (S1, $10.90), which features a marinated beef short rib. Galbi is always my favourite protein in Korean cuisine as I love the sweet and savoury marinade paired with the chewy texture of the tendon around the bone. The galbi here is sliced thin and full of flavour. At $10.90 it is such a good deal! Every special combo also includes some japchae (glass noodles), kimchi, vegetable tempura, bean sprout salad, and steamed rice. The sides were good, but what stood out to me was the kimchi. Just the right amount of spices and tanginess from the fermentation process made this kimchi perfect.

Picking out just one side dish from the coolers was probably one of the tougher decisions I've had to make lately (I know, tough life!). With things like seaweed salad, lotus root, marinated crab and cuttlefish, I managed to settle on trying out the dried radish ($3.38, weight dependent). The side dish seemed to be dehydrated daikon radish strips marinated with sugar and chili paste. I loved the crunchy, chewy texture and it paired so perfectly with rice! I think I might whip up some congee to put the extra into!

With nothing similar to it in the south end of Edmonton, Mama Lee's Kitchen is a great new spot. The food is pretty good and the prices are reasonable. There's a huge variety of side dishes available that you can't get elsewhere in the city (so awesome - I have so much to try out!), and the take out options can make weeknight dinners so much easier. I should also mention that they have daily specials - meals for $40 that can feed 4 people are available from Tuesday to Saturday with a different meal option each night. With so much demand already on their opening day I'm hoping this family business can keep up with the crowd! Stop by if you have a chance to check out their offerings -- open Monday through Saturday, 11AM - 7PM.