plus size fashion – Page 4

End of Summer Recap

It happened. Summer is Over. Fall has officially begun!

I dunno about y’all….but I had an excellent summer! Toronto is the greatest! And Summer in the city is just the best!

With all the many street festivals, buskers, concerts, dancing on the pier, movies in the park and ferry trips to the Toronto Island… there’s always tons of fun to be had.

Here is a quickie recap of some of the fun-in-the-sun events I attended, that I didn’t get a chance to blog about:

TVS PinUp Picnic

Toronto Vintage Society did another PinUp Picnic this year … armed with blankets and baskets we sectioned off a corner of Trinity Bellwoods to enjoy an afternoon of simple fun in overcast skies…

The Outfit: Cherry peep-toed wedges, H&M; Wicker purse, Tatyana; Parasol, Damzels … and the dress…

Click here to find out more about my dress.

After picnicking … a few of us were ready to learn how to do The Stroll with Drea from Soda Pop Hop

No vintage picnic is complete without some dancing in the grass. Click here to see what last year’s picnic was like 🙂

A few of us from the Toronto Vintage Society and Friends

Dirty Dancing Quote-a-long

The Bloor Cinema hosted a Quote-a-long movie screening of DIRTY DANCING.

Oh yes…. taking us back to the summer of 1963, via the summer of 1987. Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) is resigned to spend her summer at a wholesome family resort in the Catskills, when she unwittingly discovers the wild dance parties the resort staff have after hours.

This quote-along screening was hosted by comedian Steph Tolev, in a karaoke-style where you were encouraged to yell back at the movie screen and boo Robbie-the-Jerk, woot Johnny-the-Dreamboat, and get up and dance like it’s the Time of Our Lives!!!!

Happy to report that EVERYONE knew exactly when to say, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”

Toronto Vintage Society’s Tiki Lani Lanai

This was our 3rd Annual Tiki Party … and it was our best turnout ever!

Not quite sure what a Tiki Party is? Click here to find out more Tiki culture. And here to see what it was like last year 🙂

Me among the crowned Tiki Queen of the evening…. and her wife. Aren’t they both just adorbz!
My outfit: I found this floral aqua romper (yup, its a onesie friends) from Forever21+; Hair flower from Fruits of Bali; Sandals from Coach

11913980_10156073514700397_5764666555592141544_o — A few of the ladies of Toronto Vintage Society who helped organized and put this party together 🙂

O.K. Blue Jays!

I’m not a big sports fan – sitting through 9-innings of baseball on the hottest day ever and paying for ridiculously over priced food and booze, isn’t my first choice of spending a sunny afternoon.

Buuuuuuut the Toronto Blue Jays have been killing it this season! And in true bandwagon-fan fashion… I wanted to be apart of the hype!!!

So, we got ourselves nose-bleed tickets to a PACKED Skydome game!

Plus, look at these cutie-pie tees I found us!!! $17 from Winners bebe! Aren’t we the cutest!??!

Clearly our matchy-matchy look helped them WIN the game that day. You’re welcome fellas! 😉

Turns out for a non-sports-fan, I made it to a game last year too. Click here for that.

10636707_10207499969207632_2948123069709029813_o — Pre-drinking at Steam Whistle Brewery before the game

Let’s Go To The Ex!

I haven’t been to The Ex since I was a teen. A few dancing friends went down on a Monday night to cash in on the $6 after 5pm deal…..
We tasted weird deep-fried foods … checked out livestock at the farm … rode some rides… lost money trying to win prizes…

In line with the gang for BUMPER CARS at The Ex!

AND got to dance the night away to BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY ….!!! We were “So Money” and we didn’t even know it 😉

Remember that movies Swingers, yup, you get it!

I also visited Ottawa, participated in Rosie-O-Rama, put money on the ponies at Hats & Horseshoes, Rocked a crop top against Oparh’s advice, and saw THE ROOTS in concert for PanAm. 🙂

There it is … Farewell to a fabulous Summer!

I hope you enjoyed yours and filled it with lots of fun in the sun with friends, friends.

Thanks for reading! xo

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Neon & Stripes

Hello friends!!! Sorry it’s been such a long while since I’ve done a proper blogpost.

Summer days lead to summer nights…and I’ve been making the most of both so far this July.

Hope you are doing the same. 🙂

Guess what I’ve managed to do? I finally introduced some NEON into my summer wardrobe!

It’s everywhere. You’ve seen it. I just didn’t know how to pull it off myself. But then I found this body con dress from Rainbow Shops on my last cross-boarder shopping trip earlier this Spring for a super steal of a price. And it’s been hanging in my closet with tags on ever since.

I finally had the nerve to wear it while I was in Ottawa over Canada Day Long Weekend. (Stay tuned to the blog for a recap of my trip…coming soon!)
The centre colour block of neon with the bold black and white strips down the sides of this body hugging midi length frock, make this a very loud and vibrant look. Especially when worn at night … So I made sure to keep accessories, shoes and purse solid black and simple, to avoid adding any more noise to this outfit.

During the hot summer months, neon is quickly becoming something I want to wear more of. I’ve been looking for the perfect chartreuse pieces to introduce into my wardrobe next. Preferably in a pump 😉

How I Got The Look: Neon & Stripes dress from Rainbow Shops; Jelly shoes from my AsianAdventure

Have you jumped on the neon bandwagon this summer? If you’re nervous about it, start small. Go for a piece of jewelry with neon stones, neon nails, or a neon belt.

Are you following me on INSTAGRAM? If so, you’ve likely seen a few more pics and video clips as I took them during my trip. Search for the hashtag: PPMeowTravels to see more of my adventures and outfits there.

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Suzy Shier +

Suzy Shier is a Canadian retailer of women’s fashion with over 140 stores across the country.

When I was a teen, I remember shopping there as an in-betweenie size 15, I would be able to find a rare gem at a price I could afford on my minimum wage salary at the time. But, in my adult years I haven’t stepped a foot into one of their stores until the recent news: Suzy Shier was launching a plus size line! 😀

HAZZA! It’s about freakin’ time, right!?

There happens to be a Suzy Shier close to my office in downtown Toronto … so, I stopped by at lunch to peruse their offerings. I’ve got to say, the prints and patterns I was seeing were lovely, bright and fresh. Perfect for summer!! Thrilled, I began looking for my sizes – plus sizes.

Only to discover that there were none to be found. 😦

Screen Shot 2015-06-03 at 11.24.22 AM — Some of the Regular Size options currently available online (www.suzysheir.com)

A shopgirl informed me that only a select few locations carry the larger sizes, and that the downtown core wasn’t one of them. She did, however, let me know that some of the more ‘popular’ styles I see on the floor for regular sizes will be made in the plus sizes!

Feeling less inconvenienced by this news … I returned to my desk to launch their website to see what lovely fashions could be mine and where I needed to get them from.

As you can see from these two images => offerings for regular sizes vs. plus sizes aren’t nearly as “fun” for summer.

Screen Shot 2015-06-03 at 11.09.09 AM — PLUS SIZE selection – mostly black and white….le sigh

Nonetheless, I thought I should visit a location and see the plus size options up close and personally, as often you never really get a good feel for an item until you’ve actually tried it on yourself.

Using the handy-dandy store locator I discovered this: of the 140 stores – 3 are located in Toronto (First Canadian Place, Gerrard Square and Duffrin Mall) – and of those only 1 carries the plus size line. Grrrrr… Lucky for me, The Duffrin Mall is in my hood so getting to there isn’t a big deal.

Suzy Shier @ The Duffrin Mall

At first glance to the very back corner of the store seems dedicated to the plus size options – that looks colourful and plentiful. And as you can see … the prices are just right!

*Suzy Shier+* section of the Duffrin Mall location

But upon closer inspection, the pieces available on the floor didn’t really grab my attention – most were not my taste and most did not quite fit my body right. And I found that I needed to try on all three sizes (1x, 2x and 3x) as the sizing really changed from one item to the next.

My top two coveted items I had hoped to find in store from their website were the following:

Sadly, the Gingham shirt dress was nowhere to be found in store 😦

What I Didn’t Buy

Ok, before we get into all the pieces I tried on — let’s talk about the change-room situation at this location. Yikes!

They are pretty narrow, with one sad hook. Which ultimately forces you to make a decision: do you hang up your beloved purse and the clothes you are wearing OR the clothes you’d like to try on currently on hangers?

Oh! And to top it all off: no mirrors inside the wee room. Which means you must step out of the room, and strategically position its door while making sure it doesn’t lock you out of the room that now houses all your stuff, all in an effort to see your reflection on a mirror that hangs on THE BACK of your change-rooms door. #brutal

Tsk. Tsk. Poor planning Suzy Shier @ Duffrin Mall.

And what’s a girl to do in those moments when the outfit-tried-on is a complete disaster and you’d prefer not sharing the embarrassing moment with others by stepping outside of that room for a glance at that mirror? I can only imaging the number of unpurchased items simply because ladies wanted to avoid stepping out of the change-rooms in questionably fitting try-ons.

I had the added obstacle of having to compete with a rack of returns that cluttered up the narrow hallway between change-rooms in order to catch a glimpse of my reflection as I emerged from my change-room. Le sigh…

Here’s what caught my attention enough to want to try on:

Faux wrap aztek printed dress – I’m wearing a 3x …way too big on me and am clearly not impressed by the baggy boob situation. LOL!

This navy scuba dress with beige lace wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t making me excited about it either… Meh! I dunno…

Scuba sheath dress with lace – I’m wearing a 3x – $30

l did find the dress I was spotted online. It was on the sale rack (woot! woot!) but sadly it had a few pulled threads and only sizes 1x and 2x remained.

I would have liked to try on the 3x to see if it fit me a bit better – I’m not a fan of the boob-mashing-situation going on below.

Diamond print jacquard skater dress — I’m wearing 2x – $30

Overall, I was a bit disappointed – especially because the shopgirl assured me that the plus sizes would be the same prints and styles shown in their regular line.

Which was not the case at all. And then to find out that the only Toronto location had cramped quarters for trying on items AND that they didn’t have all the sizes and styles as their website displayed for the plus line. Le sigh… 😦

What I Bought!

On my way out, I did find a size 2x in the faux wrap aztec printed dress. But the thought of having to go back into those cramped change-rooms AGAIN…. ew. No Thanks.

I guesstimated that I’d be safer to purchase this item a size smaller, and if worst case scenario… I’d simply return it if it didn’t fit right once I got it home. Right? Right!

BIG FYI #1: Suzy Shier has a strict Exchange Only policy (14-days). Absolutely zero Returns for cash back. **insert eye-roll emoji here**

BIG FYI #2: If you are hoping to do an exchange, know that you can ONLY exchange plus sized items to Suzy Shier stores with plus size options.

Yup. So, before you decide to spend your cold hard cash on a piece from this retailer, make sure you REALLY want it and that you like the way it fits, cuz there is no turning back once you fork out the $$. And with the sizing being so different from one piece to the next, ordering online without trying anything on IS NOT A WISE CHOICE here, don’t ya think?

Lucky for me, the 2x I purchased without trying on, fit like a dream! Even the exposed long zip down the back even lays flat from the top of neck to tail of hip! Very exciting news for my curvy self.

The neckline was still a bit big…or rather more revealing than I’d like. Thank goodness for safety pins for a quick fix 😉

Have any of you shopped Suzy Shier+ yet? Have you had much luck with fit, selection and style available to you? What are your thoughts on the pieces I tried on? Did I make the right choice?

Let me know in the comments section below.

I wore this number out this past weekend for BuzzontheBridge, part of 100in1Day event in Toronto –>

What a perfect sunny Saturday to be dancing Lindy Hop on the Wallace Bridge, followed by soaking up the rays with mimosas and Caesars on a patio! 🙂

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Get Your Sexy On Fashion Show

Last year, I had the good fortune to have met Miss Tierra Sedgemore, the delightful woman behind the brand Size Sexy – click here to for that story 🙂

Early this May, Tierra hosted a fantastic evening of entertainment and curvy fashion entitled: Get Your Sexy On at The Uptown Lofts in Toronto.

SSSHOWWEB-101 — CAUGHT ON CAMERA!!! I just arrived at the venue (donning my uber short haircut out-out for the first time). Here I’m getting the inside scoop on how the event was gonna unfold. Chatting with the dynamic duo – Tierra & her hubs

These events are always a great opportunity to catchup with the lovelies of the plus-sized communities in the city. As well as seeing all the gorgeous fashion-forward creations of independent designers up close and personally.

Take a look at who I bumped into that night:

Me among the glamazons like the gorgeous Sarah Taylor, Miss Plus Canada 2014/2015 & Plus Size Model

SSSHOWWEB-147 — It’s me … sandwiched in-between the blush laced & turbaned Karen Ward, owner of *Your Big Sister’s Closet* AND the maxi-bolero wearing Stefanie Augusteijn, owner *SexyPlus Clothing*. Aren’t they just dazzling! ❤

Me with the sweetie behind the camera, Rebecca Northcott (a la iPhone selfie)

Miss Carmen of CNLDesigns — click here to revisit what this sewing genius created for ME last year 😉 (taken with my iPhone)

Me with THE hostest-with-the-mostest, Miss Tierra …. Seems I didn’t a gift bag upon arrival, hence my kissy/poutty-face on the left. LOL!

Good thing I made that poutty-face, or I’d have missed out on these lovely bracelets 😉 “Thank-For-Coming” gifts created by Maryanne of MyBeadedDesigns, click here for more on her.

OK! Back to the event!!!

Along side a team of professionals, friends and supporters, Tierra’s show presented a designer (MiniMaxiMidi), a boutique (SexyPlus) and her new line of SizeSexy Clothing.

MiniMaxiMidi

MidiMaxiMini will be officially launching in 2015. They are an apparel company with a direct focus on Midi, Maxi and Mini Skirts. Check them out on Facebook here.

SexyPlus Clothing

All styles shown below are available at http://www.sexyplusclothing.com, in store at 5100 Maingate Drive, Unit 14 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Proud owner, Stef and her hubs, capturing moments of the runway magic (taken with my iPhone)

SizeSexy Clothing

To purchase SIZE SEXY Clothing, visit the new website www.sizesexy.ca. Follow SIZE SEXY on Facebook here, on Twitter here and on Instagram here.

Support the movement by wearing the message and #getyoursexyon 😉

THE DREAM TEAM behind the GetYourSexyOn Fashion Show that evening! From L to R: Stefanie, *SexyPlus Clothing*; Tierra, creator of SizeSexy, Ophilia, fashion show coordinator and *SizeSexy* brand ambassador; and Carmen, of *CNLDesigns.*

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IF you’re following me on Instagram … then you can and have already been able to view some video clips of the runway!! Follow me there friends! 🙂

SSSHOWWEB-397 — “If you want to go fast, go alone. if you want to go far, go together.” – by Robin Jones Gunn

Thank you so much Tierra, for the invitation to a fantastic upscale Sunday evening in the city.

Looking forward to seeing this brand continue making its mark in plus-size fashion. Loved all I saw that night. Bravo! ❤

What I Wore: Stripped layered dress from Forever21+; Cobalt wedges from Payless; Bianca tassel necklace from Stella & Dot; Gold bracelet watch from Michael Kors

Photo credit: Rebecca Northcott Photography

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Springtime PINK

Oh friends! I’m sorry I’ve been so absent with outfit posts.

I am getting up everyday and wearing clothes and going out and about … I promise. 🙂

I just haven’t been very good about photographing. And truth be told, been feeling kinda blue these days and not in the mood to write about clothes, shoes, etc.

Just been feeling ‘meh’.

But enough about that…..here’s my April Springtime in PINK recap:

Follow me on INSTAGRAM … as I often post OOTDs there as they happen 🙂

Pink Lace

I recently hit The Duffrin Mall for a much-needed eyebrow clean up appointment…and somehow this lovely frock followed me home 🙂

I’ve noticed that the styles of Forever21+ online are very different from what they’ve got in the store. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I found this one. (PS: Great plus size selection at the Duffrin Mall location by the way ;))

Since it’s been a wintery-like Spring for much of this month, I paired it with a long-sleeved cardi with diamond-like sparkle buttons (Mark’s Work Wearhouse)

Hot Pink Shortie Cardi

Oook! Remember my tailor-made-just-for-me Birdy Dress from Vietnam? Well, I took it to the office by wearing this hot pink shortie cardi overtop (Old Navy) and this bright printed circle scarf (Ardene) to keep the cleavage work appropriate.

And last but not least,

Colour Me Pink with the Fanny Midi Skirt:

I picked up this amazing green Fanny Midi Skirt from Tatyana Boutique last fall during their BOGO event. Happy to note it’s still currently available here.

It is a pricey piece…so I’m thrilled to be able to make it work for springtime too!

I wore it last weekend to a fun Rockabilly Brunch in my hood, with a long-sleeve laced shoulder shirt from Forever21+ that I picked up ages ago, and the striped purse is Kate Spade (click here for more purse).

OH, click here to see how I wore it this past Winter, and where I went.

Hoped you enjoyed this quick and dirty recap of my April Springtime looks.

Got a favourite? Which do you like the best? Tell me in the comments section.

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Asian Adventure: Hội An, Vietnam – The Ancient City

Although much of the trip was spent dancing with VLX …. I was able to check out a few sites, ate some amazing meals and even got to visit a tailor to get some custom threads made!!!

A few noteworthy things to mention if you are planning on visiting Vietnam:

There is a VISA requirement for this country. From my earlier post, What to Know Before you Go, many Asian countries issue visas free of charge on arrival at major airports and land-boarders. Vietnam is NOT one of these countries. There are a few online service providers that will help get you started with the Vietnam Visa process, we used: http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/ The application process is simple enough – just go online and apply. But the cost has gone up unfortunately — the online processing fee is $20 (just remember to select Canadian dollars).
Make sure the name you put in is exactly as your passport, that your passport number is correct, and that you put your arrival date correctly. If any of these are incorrect, you might have to pay a heavy fine upon arrival. This takes about 2-3 days to process and they will email you a letter – which you will need to print and bring along with $45 USD in cash exactly, to be paid with CRISP bills – no joke. If your bills are wrinkled or ripped, even slightly, your money will be rejected at the counter and Visa denied.
The Japanese Bridge – Hoi An
In addition to this letter, you will be required to fill out a form at the counter that you will have to frantically fill out before they will take your money. Some online service providers send out this form with the letter. Our service didn’t. FYI.
Oh, you also need passport photos – which you might want to get while you’re overseas travelling – as North American passport photos are usually highly overpriced.
The currency used is the Vietnamese DONG – maybe the best currency ever, by name alone 😉 Everyone is a Millionaire there, as $100CAD translates to $1.7Million Dong! It took me the entire 4-days to get used to the giant bills to pay for anything correctly there.

If you’re not already following me on Instagram … Here are a few snaps from my adventures in Hoi An …

THE FOOD!!!

I’m a huge fan of asian cuisine … but the amounts of delicious foods that were eaten my short time in Hoi An was magical – and sooooo cheap!!!!!

VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE (CAFE SUA DA) – This is oh-so delicious. Made with Vietnamese coffee press + Sweetened condensed milk filling a tall glass filled with ice to its brim!

AND then these BLOSSOMS – Hoi An fried wontons are covered in a salsa-like topping of vegetables and sweet and sour shrimp or pork …. they are crispy, mouth-watering works of art.

VIETNAMESE ICED COFFEE (CAFE SUA DA) HOI AN FRIED WONTON BLOSSOMS

OK! The below dish is called Cao lầu – it is a regional Vietnamese dish made with noodles, pork, and local greens, and is only found in the town of Hội An.

Naturally, I ate as much of this as I could while I was there.

Cao lầu and Larue Beer – genuine Hoi An street-must-eats!

WHAT I BOUGHT

In terms of souvenirs I behaved myself. My purchases included: two medium-sized fabric lanterns (for my balcony), coconut bowls, Viet snacks for coworkers AND the most delicious coffee ever + metal coffee distiller!

My biggest excitement …and spending … took place with the custom-made clothes!!! 😀

Everyone who had visited Vietnam before, had told me how great the tailors were out there. I was loosing my mind trying to narrow down my choices of what items I wanted to get made.

The tailor I used — visited them a few times to get the following pieces perfect for moi!

Before leaving for my trip, I picked pieces that I’d been coveting that didn’t come in plus sizes at the vintage/reproduction boutiques I frequent. And found my TOP FOUR items I wanted to get made:

1. Hello, Yellow two-piece midi-crop top set

3. The bow-tie dress shirt & 4. overall skirt with pockets

Buuuuut there were TONS of cool ideas and dress designs hanging all around me at this little shop. And I’ve got a problem and weakness for pretty frocks.

In the end …. SEVEN new pieces actually came home with me! And when all was said and done, each item cost me approx. $42 CAD.

Saving this floral frock for Toronto Vintage Society’s Annual Tiki Party this **August 29, 2015** – save the date friends 😉

Which is pretty awesome, considering I selected premium fabrics + lining, got to add my own ‘design’ ideas such as adding POCKETS to everything …. and each piece is unique to fit me perfectly.

Nobody in Toronto is gonna be wearing my outfit. Huge Bonus 🙂

Stay tuned for upcoming blogpost highlighting each of these outfits specifically!!! Thanks for reading! xo

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Asian Adventure includes:

Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach – click here for blogpost

Hội An, Vietnam – VLX – click here

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Food, Fun and Fashion (coming soon, I promise)

Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here for blogpost

Asian Adventure: Hội An, Vietnam – VLX (Lindy Exchange)

Xin chao! [sinjao] – Hello!

Ban hay khong? [bahn nay khom?] – Would you like to dance?

Hoi An, Vietnam!

Of all the places on my travel agenda for this trip – this destination was for the shortest stay. We flew out just for the weekend from KL, Malaysia to Danang, Vietnam ….a 30min drive from Hoi An, specifically for VLX – Vietnam’s Lindyhop Exchange weekend!

What is a lindy hop exchange you ask?

A lindy exchange is a gathering of lindy hop dancers in one city for several days to do the same dance at other venues, showcase ones own talent to the local community, and to dance with visitors and locals alike.

This was my first time swing dancing outside of Canada!

If you remember from my previous post, there was a pie chart highlighting the various nationalities that would be at this dance exchange – I’m proud to say that me and Dee (my travel mate) added to the 7% Canadian slice who were in attendance 🙂

Where We Stayed

We signed ourselves up for the full weekend – which meant we did’t have to do a thing when it came to booking hotels and transportation to/from airport – VLX took care of us as soon as we landed!

10848709_10155311805265263_3434475942041069122_o — The glorious Hotel Royal Hoi An, MGallery Collection – we had breakfast around this lovely pool every morning!

10923794_10155311805030263_1663178467391440302_o — THIS was our fantabulous suite —- These Beds! These Pillows! These amazing fluffy robes!!! This place was divine!!!

The Dances

We were on a tight dance-filled agenda which began with a Welcome dance our first night at the Hoi An Historic Hotel ….

The theme that night was “East Meets West” … here’s what I wore:

Dee and I found these lovely batik printed skirts from The Central Market in KL, and went twinsy for the evening complete with flower in hair and vintage bangs.

Batik skirts with fanny prints + tanks + vintage hair flowers + bumper bangs = East Meets West

Caught in the lindyhop act. (Thanks Jason & Sheila)

AND we were caught on camera and made the News in Nam!!! See if you can spot ME in the news clip friends 😉

While other VLXers woke up super early for a bike ride to explore Hoi An (after dancing ’til 3:30am the night before) …

me and a few other deep-sleepers chose to enjoy the day in the pool instead – until the next afternoon dance of course 🙂

Isn’t this a great picture? I borrowed this hat from a VLX Cowboy …and he snapped this photo complete with cartoon Asian sworded companion. 🙂

10458636_10153203310419365_7291636075916169425_n

Beach Afternoon – An Bang Beach, Hoi An

On Sunday afternoon we were shuttled to An Bang Beach’s Soul Kitchen and took over a lovely little section of sun and shade …in between DANCING, of course!!!

10626436_10152712076388199_4415371559603098476_o — Day drinking + relax-o in between barefoot lindy hopping = Paradise!

1507381_10153220691975844_1524943108132915501_o — Me among the beauties representing Malaysia at the VLX 🙂

And then the barefoot Lindy Hopping began!

The VLXers of 2015…. such a great group of people!!!

MORE Dancing Nights …

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ve likely already seen a few of these pic and can watch a few vid clips too.

Every evening there was a dinner and a dance planned for us. Here are a few shots of all the fun:

11080915_10204041446860095_5873624204901026636_n — Dancing at the Bamboo Buddha

This evening’s dress code was “Extreme Opposites”. I had no idea what that meant … and so I went as Batman!

10382877_10204041443740017_4482303235665080080_n — I’M BATMAN! 😉

Our last night in Hoi An, we had a farewell dinner at Green Mango ….with a dress code of “Modern Vintage”

905734_10155331179465788_1155985440485209405_o — Dinner our last night there…le sigh.

After dinner our last night of dancing in Hoi An….we took the Lindy Hopping to the streets…

My dress is from the Canadian designer Cherry Velvet Plus, click here for outfit deets.

10305059_10152750681820735_1016587473547950116_n — Dancing in the Streets! Loved it!!!

Of all the places I visited this trip, THIS is the city I wish I had spent more time in….sigh. Guess this just means I’ve gotta make another visit sometime soon ❤

Although much of the trip was spent dancing …. I was able to check out a few sites, ate some amazing meals and even got to visit a tailor to get some custom threads made!!! 7 new pieces came home with me!

Stay tuned for the next blogpost highlighting these things specifically!!! Thanks for reading! xo

In case you’ve missed any… PPMeow’s Asian Adventure includes:

Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here
Clothes vs. Backpack – click here
30+ hours of Travel – click here
22 Days, 3 Countries – click here
- Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach – click here
- Hội An, Vietnam – The Ancient City – click here
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Food, Fun and Fashion – click here

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Asian Adventure: Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach

For years now, I’ve heard the rumours of how beautiful the beaches of The Philippines are. So Boracay Island was one of the MUST-SEE spots on my travel agenda while I was in South-East Asia last month.

Now, getting to these beautiful beaches takes a bit of effort which included a 35-min LRT ride to Kuala Lumpur Airport, a 4-hour flight to Kalibo, Philippines.

Then a 2-hour bus ride to the edge of the sea to board a questionable mini-ferry boat for a 15-min ride to Boracay Island.

Followed by a 30-min shuttle bus AND a 10-min walk with luggage to our resort bungalow ….

WE finally made it!!!

WHERE WE STAYED

Thus began our 5-night stay at The Boracay Beach Resort!!! 🙂

The white sand beaches of Boracay is split up into three boat stations: Stn 1 known to be the ‘party spot’, Stn 2 and Stn 3. Since accommodations can be pricy we chose to stay at a more modest resort for the first 5-nights.

The jungle-like garden walkway toward the bungalows of *The Boracay Island Beach Resort*

The beachfront location of Stn 1 & 2 is always busy and bustling with activity.

Our little bungalow was a welcomed and lovely quiet respite from the island’s bustling party scene, but close enough to its heart for two single gals on vacation who wanted the complete Boracay experience. 😉

Added bonus to staying at this resort: it’s fully WIFI accessible …. even on this little jungle porch! Which was perfect starting off our day with fresh fruit shakes & delicious breakfasts and for our evenings of impromptu name-that-tune challenges and Facebook updates to make family and friends back home jelly 😉

The only downside to staying in these bungalows was the window AC units were very loud. So night-time was kept cool and tropical with just the fan mode. Plus, earplugs make everything better.

Our quaint relaxing porch ….where we were served delicious breakfasts every morning and enjoyed cheapy beers every evening. Sigh… how I miss it so 😦

For our last two-nights we checked out of our sweet little bungalow and stayed at this upscale, splurge-o hotel: Henann Garden Resort

65125_13111209320017381432_800x600 — The fancy Henann Garden Resort —- Sadly, the pool was the most noteworthy thing about this hotel.

Sadly, the pool was the most noteworthy thing about this hotel…. which couldn’t be enjoyed as there weren’t any ‘children only areas’. Which meant children were everywhere running amuck, often without parental supervision! Sigh….

The other disappointments of Henann Garden Resort: it cost us nearly DOUBLE what our 5-night stay cost which got us a “deluxe room” ….. which had zero view, no balcony or access to any private outdoor space and no WiFi. In fact, the entire splashy resort only offered WiFi access in their lobby…which was always crowded for this reason.

“Deluxe” …pfft!!!!

Thank goodness the bulk of our stay was at The Boracay Beach Resort ... how I miss it so! *sniff sniff*

WHAT WE DID

Both of our hotels were located along the White Beach between Stn 1 and the island’s newest center, D’Mall. There are tons of shops and restaurants within this area…which we explored daily.

Boracay Island is a water sport enthusiasts mecca!

Sadly, as I’m a non-swimmer (for more facts you didn’t know about moi, click here), I spent my days being a beach-bum working on my tan (ha!), eating, drinking and exploring the beach.

Like the day where we noticed a grouping of rocks off in the distance towards the end of Stn 1.

According to the map this was known as Willy’s Rock. I thought maybe it had something to do with the classic 80s flick GOONIES one-eyed-Willy … but upon closer inspection turns out this point of interest is actual a Christian shrine – notice the statue.

Willy’s Rock …. at Stn1 of Boracay White Sand Beach. My gf/travel mate ventured onto the rock. 🙂

We actually walked to it from shore and you can swim to and around it, as the water was quite shallow around it.

**My Outfit**: Dress, *Tommy Hilfiger;* Sunnies, *NineWest;* Hat, picked up on my travels from a lil’ shop outside of KLCC

We also came across this giant Gorilla after lunch one day … kinda random, right?

Monkeying around on the white sand beach of Boracay

There was a lot of time spend lazing around on the beach and on the hammock of our bungalow’s veranda reading my book: Gone Girl. (Really, really enjoyed it. Sadly, it wasn’t one of the movie offerings on any of my flights back…le sigh.)Watching the sailboats at sunset never got old…

Toward the end of the week, I wandered over to the end of Stn 3 and noticed that the clear blue waters were keeping covered in thick green grossness. Apparently at this time of year this algae seems to take over the shores. It wasn’t THIS bad by where we staying, thankfully. And once you’ve managed to walked past all the greenness, the water was perfect!

And People-Watching was always entertaining…

We got pretty chatty with one of the below table of dancers/hireable companions… so much so, that by the end of the evening one asked to touch my boobs 😮

True Story!!!! LOL!!!

This table of ladies were a combination of dancers and um, hireable companions for the night or week.

Nightly entertainment along the beach included live cover bands and fire-dancers. Visit my Instagram for vid clips of these performances 🙂

Roof-top cover band performing along the white sand beach

Oh! And I even donned my first bikini ever beachside and poolside! Woot!

**My Outfit:** Jellyfish Aqua Bikini from the GabiFresh line by Swimsuitsforall.com

WHAT I BOUGHT

Now y’all know I’m a hardcore shopper. But this year I’m really focused on spending money on ‘experiences’ rather than things…. and I have to say that there wasn’t anything particularly fabulous that I needed to purchase from Boracay Island.

I did come across this young artist on the beach, who was making personalized jewellery out of surgical steel wire. Earrings, necklaces and rings.

As you can see, I got myself one …complete with butterfly motif and pink beads…which worked out to be a whopping $6 CAD 🙂

We also found a caricaturist along the beach – THIS was not at all the pose we picked to be drawn.

LOLOL!! I’m pretty sure they thought we were apart of a lesbian commune. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 😉

Also, seems I’m white in caricature, while my gf is part of the big-titty-committee. LOLOL!!! Too funny!

LOL! Even the crab on the shores of Boracay knows of our love. 🙂

I have to admit, there wasn’t anything AMAZING that I had to bring home with me from Boracay. OH!!! I did discover that full body massages along the beach and (if you preferred, in private air-conditioned lofts) worked out to $10 CAD for an hour!!! Naturally, I had one every day I was there!!! Paradise just got better!

All that returned to the T-dot with me was a bottle of Red Horse Beer that I couldn’t finish the eve of our departure and these chocolate covered mangos I picked up at the airport. Both are delicious!

So there you have it friends. Hope you enjoyed reliving destination 1 of 3 in my 22-day Asian Adventure with me. Stay tuned for the next instalment. xo

Thinking about travelling to Asia yourself?

In case you’ve missed any… PPMeow’s Asian Adventure includes:

Asia: What to Know Before you Go – click here for blogpost
Clothes vs. Backpack – click here for blogpost
30+ hours of Travel – click here for blogpost
22 Days, 3 Countries – click here for blogpost
- Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach – click here for blogpost
- Hội An, Vietnam – VLX (coming soon)
- Hội An, Vietnam – The Ancient City (coming soon)
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Food, Fun and Fashion (coming soon)

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Asian Adventure: 30+ hours of Travel

Hey Hey Hey! I’m back from nearly three weeks travelling South East Asia. It was a fantastic trip filled with good food, lots of dancing, new friends and shopping galore!

Y’all know I was anxious about doing such a BIG trip travel solo … PLUS, I was determined to fly without checking any luggage what-so-ever there.

Well, on the eve of my departure it turns out that my travel backpack ended up being larger than the allowable carry-on dimensions as per airport regulations.

Knowing that it isn’t easy finding larger clothes in the cities I’d be visiting … with all my many connections, the possibility of losing my luggage filled with PLUS SIZE clothing was terrifying.

And so last min, I transferred all my items into my trusty roller-bag and mini-backpack instead!

I was determined to get myself to the airport WITHOUT my winter coat.

So I dressed in the following layers for the 30+ hour journey to get to my first destination of my Adventure – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

**Pearson Travel Outfit:** Black zip from *Reitmans;* Fox scarf from *Suzy Sheer;* Printed pants from Forever21+; Batman Tee from *Ardene;* Black sneaks from Payless

The long flights there (with layovers of waiting in-between) weren’t so terrible. It was all pretty low stress until I arrived in Frankfurt Airport – my longest layover and last leg of my journey there. So I decided to treat myself to German schnitzel and beer, and was approached by two Indian pilots (one more handsome than the other) who asked if they could join me. Seems mama still gots it even after 20+ hours of travel grime – must be those sexy compression socks, makes pilots crazy friendly 😉

Did you know that there’s now a new 15-hour flight direct from Toronto to New Delhi, India? True story.

Moi … 20+ hours of straight travel and those sexy compression socks Pilots can’t get enough of 😉

After I drank my beer and said farewell to my new pilot friends, I made my way to get my boarding pass and was given misdirections by TWO different Lufthansa desk clerks one telling me my gate was Z-something …. only to get there and be sent back where I began. Grrrrr And then was issued a Stand By ticket …dun dun dun.

Luckily the third desk clerk I spoke to managed to secure me a proper seat with my ORIGINAL booking. **phew**

After 20-hours of continuous travel…the last thing you want to see on your airline ticket is the dreaded words: STANDBY~ akkk!

FLYING HOME

The journey home was pretty smooth……just ridiculously long. (That’s what you get when you fly across the globe on points friends.)

I woke up at 4:45am to take a 10min cab ride to the KL Airport Express Train (35min ride) to catch my morning connection from KL to Bangkok. Once I arrived there, I had a little over an hour to make my way through Bangkok customs and find my gate for my next connection to Beijing.

Cutting it super tight, right? I finally arrived at my departure gate to see that FINAL CALL all-red flashing sign — maybe the most terrifying feeling when you know you have yet another connect to make. This was the first time I flew Thai Airways and I have to say their airplane food was delicious!

The last leg of my journey in Beijing (who’s airport was completely nuts – zero signs written in English + No one lines up for anything! Just a mass of people mashing their bodies and luggage into each other until they get to a clerk at a desk – nuts!!!!) An elderly gentleman – a professor in Hong Kong on his way to his father’s funeral in Hamilton, Ontario, struck up a conversation with me. Seems I look most approachable and friendly in the last hours of lengthy travel days. Sigh…

Confucius says: “Man going through airport turnstile sideways is going to Bangkok.”🎊

Kuala Lampur. Bangkok. Beijing. Toronto. 4 countries, 30+ hours of time-travelling travel. It was the LONGEST Friday ever!!!

Ditching the giant travel backpack for a roller-bag was definitely the right decision! With all the swing dancing nights and visits to multiple airports to get to the various destinations we had planned, having a roller-bag totally saved my back!

Funny story… just as I arrived to the doorstep of my gf’s place in KL, I was praising how great my lil’ roller-bag has been these past 3-years it’s been with me…and just as those words utter on my lips – the handle broke! Leaving me to have to pull this mofo bag by the straps for the remainder of the trip. LOL!

Not to fear, I bought myself a lovely new roller-carryon for my return home (and checked my broken bag on my flight home…since I ended up buying a ton of things from all three cities – Kuala Lampur – Boracay – Hoi An).

FullSizeRender — Isn’t she a beauty? Looking forward to taking her on many more adventures in the near future 😉

I’m still working on my recap blogposts for each city I visited. So stay tuned for those in the upcoming weeks friends.

In the meantime, feel free to follow my INSTAGRAM and catchup with a few snaps I took while I was on my Asian Adventure… as they happened. xo

Asian Adventure includes:

Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach – click here for blogpost

Hội An, Vietnam – VLX

Hội An, Vietnam – The Ancient City

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Food, Fun and Fashion

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February: Detox Water

Here we are…the end of month 2 of the New Year. Crazy, huh?

My personal goal for 2015 is a simple one: Getting and Staying Happy. In order to achieve this lofty goal I applied a START-STOP-CONTINUE approach. Cooking is good for the mind, heart and soul. Especially when shared with others. And so I’ve decided to START cooking more – using recipes I’ve never tried before and sharing my culinary mis/adventures on the blog once a month.

I’ve even created a sub-menu on my homepage under REVIEWS on the homepage for you – my readers – to find them easily…and hopefully try a few yourself. 🙂

Buuuuut with my upcoming Asian Adventure looming (I fly on Friday – akk!), I haven’t had much time nor desire to try a new recipe. Plus, the snowy-wintery-weather hasn’t got me out socializing as much as I used to. Needless to say, I haven’t been very motivated in the kitchen this month.

In an effort to stick with my monthly commitment to PPMeow, I was determined to share something.

February’s recipe: Detox Water

Detox waters have become very popular and there are many different recipes that you can make.

These waters contain ingredients like lemon which helps to flush harmful toxins from your body, mint which aids in digestion, cucumber which contains anti-inflammatory properties.

They are all very easy to make, require very few ingredients and the best part is you can mix and match ingredients to adapt the recipes to your personal taste.

Just 6 to 8 glasses every day will help to keep you hydrated and keep your vital organs in their best possible health.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, aiming for clearer skin, or simply want to feel healthier, one of the best ways to rid your body of harmful toxins is to drink water.

Kicking up the flavour of your water by adding these tasty, natural ingredients just helps give you that extra boost. 🙂

If you have been thinking about adding detox waters to your healthy routine, this easy one might be a good start for you.

What do you think of this recipe? Do you think you’d give it a try yourself? How would you improve or change it for the better? Tell me your thoughts in the comments section below.

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TVS PinUp Picnic

Dirty Dancing Quote-a-long

Toronto Vintage Society’s Tiki Lani Lanai

O.K. Blue Jays!

Let’s Go To The Ex!

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Suzy Shier @ The Duffrin Mall

What I Didn’t Buy

What I Bought!

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MiniMaxiMidi

SexyPlus Clothing

SizeSexy Clothing

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