Thursday 28 January 2016

2016 Hot Chocolate Festival | East Van Roasters!!


Hi Dolls! 

I was so excited to try East Van Roaster's The Buzzzzz hot chocolate! I have talked about them in my YP Smartlist on Hot Chocolate in Vancouver because they are experts when it comes to hot chocolate! Firstly, East Van Roaster's makes their own chocolate in house starting with roasting the cocoa nibs themselves! Their single origin hot chocolate is already amazing, but oh my god, The Buzzzzz was mind-blowing! 

If you have seen my post on 49th Parallel and The Last Crumb Bakery for the Hot Chocolate Festival 2016, you already know that I am doing a little rating system for every hot chocolate I try. I will be assessing:

• Visual Presentation
• Chocolatiness 
• Overall Flavour 
• Treat Accompaniment 

All four categories will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 being MEH and 5 being AMAZING!


East Van Roasters partnered up with Hives for Humanity in the creation of The Buzzzzz. I honestly hope to visit Hives for Humanity, a non-profit organization, in the future as I am a curious person who finds apiculture - beekeeping - quite fascinating! Without our little fuzzy buzzing pollinators, we would not have beautiful flowers and fruits & veggies. As well, random fun fact of the day courtesy of moi - pure honey never goes bad! I do hope to partake in one of their upcoming workshops, so when I do, I will be sure to take lots of pictures and share more info with you then! 

Back to the hot chocolate now! 

So The Buzzzzz is a creamy complex flavour combination of Hives for Humanity Honey, Bee Pollen and single-origin Madagascar drinking chocolate. I want to say this was milk chocolate as it was not a robust bitter chocolate flavour that you would get with dark chocolate. The most interesting part was the bee pollen. This was my first time having bee pollen (I actually had no clue that you could collect and consume bee pollen?!?!) and it was really unique. They had sprinkled some at the top and it was crunchy and sweet. As well, I think with the combination of the bee pollen and pure honey, the flavour of honey was very distinct and strong. 


The Buzzzzz Hot Chocolate, a pair up between East Van Roasters and Hive's for Humanity!
I highly suggest sharing The Buzzzzz as it is quite rich, but also extremely satisfying! I found the undertones of honey got a little overwhelming near the end. As well, lets not forget the little adorable in-house made honey financier! It was SOOO GOOD and I wish they made it in loaf form and gave us a slice of that delicious honey loaf! I highly suggest dunking it into the hot chocolate! 

My ratings:
Chocolatieness = 3 The honey definitely overpowered the milk chocolate
Visual = 3.5
Flavour = 4
Accompaniment = 3.5

Overall very yummy and definitely worth checking out! The Buzzzzz is only available until January 29th so hurry before you miss out. 

BYES

Sunday 24 January 2016

2016 Hot Chocolate Festival | The Last Crumb Bakery



Hey Dolls!

More hot chocolate from the Hot chocolate Festival 2016! If you have not already, do check out my YP Smartlist on Hot Chocolates in Vancouver for what you can get year round!
Today I gave The Last Crumb Bakery's Bananarama Hot Cocoa a try! A hot coca that is suppose to taste like their delicious banana cream pie! 

We eat with our eyes first and I think it is very true! I am going to be honest with you, I was deeply underwhelmed when the Last Crumb Bakery brought out the Bananarama. The Last Crumb Bakery has delicious pies - banana cream pie like yumm - pastries, matcha lattes and sandwiches which all look beautiful! So I am surprised by how plain and unimaginative the Bananarama was to look at. 

However, they did achieve a very good banana flavour which really complimented the dutch cocoa. I could actually smell the banana and chocolate while I was taking pictures! It was smooth and creamy, but near the end, you do get some grittyness from the settled powdered. 



The mug was a little dirty with drips of chocolate as well they did not even do a rosette at the top or any topping. There was just one small flakey daisy cookie which frankly was not that exciting either. Honestly, this is a hot chocolates I make at home look like.... :( 

I am not saying The Last Crumb Bakery needs to adorn it with ornate chocolate garnishes and serve it on a gold plated platter! haha but I think 49th Parallel's The Bee's Knees is a great example of how a simple presentation done right can look enticing! Simple yet gorgeous! 

I have decided to do a fun little ranking for every hot chocolate I try. I will be assessing:

• Visual Presentation
• Chocolatiness 
• Overall Flavour 
• Treat Accompaniment 

All four categories will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 being MEH and 5 being AMAZING!

Do keep in mind these hot chocolates for the festival are a little higher in price point then what you generally would pay. As well, the Bananarama was made with high quality dutch cocoa - cocoa is chocolate powder - I wish they used melted chocolate. 

For chocolatieness I would give the Bananrama a 2. 
Flavour gets a 3.5
Visual appearance unfortunately is a 1
Accompaniment is a 3 - the cookie was not too bad and it was quite flaky. 



Overall, not too bad, but the Bananarama does not reflect the level of quality of their other in house small batch treats. For example the Chicken BLT on their Cheese and Chive Scone was DELICIOUS! It was so buttery and creamy and yummy and I loved how there were big pieces of fresh avocado and lots of spinach. As well, it really does not compliment their chic aesthetic! 

Let me know what you thought of the Bananarama and which other hot chocolates I should try next! 

BYES

Saturday 23 January 2016

Gurly's Life | Q&A a Day 5 year journal


Hi Dolls!

I kind of realized I should have done this probably around New Years, but oh wells. I wanted to share the Q&A a Day - 5 year journal with you! This is my second year using it, I did it for all of 2015 starting January 1st. 

It is just a neat little journal that has random questions, but now that it is my second year using it, it is fun to compare my answers from a year ago! Of course, things like your favourite colour, or what you had for breakfast may not seem very interesting to most, but it is kind of fun. We all change and it really highlights how much we change in just one year! 


Some questions are more personal like what your current aspirations are or what do you wish you had the courage to say to your parents. These definitely are great reflection questions to see if you achieved you goals or were able to take a step your were too scared to take. 

Either way, it is a fun journal and it honestly is a great way to just take 30 seconds to yourself every night and write down one thing. I actually look forward to it every night and sometimes I cheat and peak ahead and answer a couple of days together only if they are general! If they are questions specific to that certain day, I will not answer those in advance. 

I bought my Q&A a day journal from Chapters Indigo in Vancouver. I am pretty sure you can get it from amazon and other big book stores. 

Let me know if you think the Q&A a day is a neat idea? 

BYES

Thursday 21 January 2016

Hot Chocolate Festival 2016 | 49th Parallel Coffee + Lucky's Doughnuts


Good Morning Dolls!

As promised, I am going to be sharing with you all my adventures and opinions throughout this year's 6th annual hot chocolate festival! Perfect for cozying up during the dreadful rainy Vancouver days - i.e. today. 

I have decided to do a fun little ranking for every hot chocolate I try. I will be assessing:

• Visual Presentation
• Chocolatiness 
• Overall Flavour 
• Treat Accompaniment 

All four categories will be ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 being MEH and 5 being AMAZING! 

49th Parallel offers three different hot chocolates for the festival, but I went with The Bee's Knees! It is a scrumptious combination of dark chocolate, lavender syrup, and steamed milk served with a  side of two lemon lavender biscotti's and a square of honey marshmallow. 

The Bee's Knees at 49th Parallel for 2016 Hot Chocolate Festival
I loved the presentation! It was adorable how they served it on their custom wooden trays and the biscotti stacked up and a little spoon. Yes, I am a sucker for display and packaging! Have you not ever bought something solely for the packaging? Well I have lawls! 

The hot chocolate was a rich chocolatey goodness, but I did not get any of the lavender flavour. It just tasted like a creamy cup of dark chocolate with steamed milk. However, the Biscottis were on point!!! They were soo delicious and tasted even more amazing when you dipped them in the hot chocolate! I loved the glaze and they were not too hard - you know you have had those biscotti's that require all your strength to bite into! And I loved how you could see bits of lavender in the biscotti. 

YASSS the Biscotti dipped in the hot chocolate!
The marshmallow on the other hand was not my favourite. I do not think they did a good job at balancing the honey flavour. It was a strong something, not a light sweet honey flavour. It also did not taste any better dunked in the hot chocolate. 

Overall, for my first hot chocolate of the festival, I am very happy and cannot wait to try more! 

The Bee's Knees Scores:
Visual = 4.5
Chocolatiness = 3.5
Flavour = 3
Accompaniment = 4 <-- the biscotti yeas

Let me know in the comments below if you have tried the Bee's Knees and suggestions for which hot chocolate I should try next!

BYES

Tuesday 19 January 2016

Working Gurl | Balancing Work + School + Blogging with Personal Life


Hey Dolls!

I had such a positive response on my Working Gurl post on dressing for an interview and thought I would do another one for you! This time, I want to tackle managing your time to ensure you have a balanced work load without sacrificing personal time. Being a motivated individual comes at a price. While you are striving to give your 110% at every task you take on, you forget the importance of creating boundaries in regards to personal life. 

At times, I definitely struggle with creating time for myself amidst all of the initiatives and responsibilities I have. 

I need to balance being a full time student in my last year of my Bsc undergrad at UBC Vancouver, a part time job, free lance writing positions, volunteering, and the newest addition - blogging! 

Also, I am guilty of doing work on my off time... my mind is constantly thinking, the gears turning on how to solve a practice question for class or all the tasks I need to complete for work or new ideas for Pink Tea Latte. GAH! It really does burn you out if you do not take  time off - as in not thinking about work. 

With having so much going on and always wanting to give my best at anything I am doing, you can imagine, I can end up neglecting my own wellbeing. 

So if you feel you are spending too much time working and thinking about work than taking time for yourself, you are not alone! These are my little tips on how I make sure to have ME time and not always anxiously worrying about work. 

TIP 1 | Leave the work AT work! 
If possible, do not bring work home with you because otherwise, if you are like me, you will end up just working on it. This might include not bringing your work computer home, or not checking your work email outside of work hours. Because work hours are for work and when your off, FREEDOM!

TIP 2 | Why stress about work when you are not there
Stressing about work is not going to change anything. Especially if you are not at work to change whatever you are stressing out about. Just take some deep breaths, grab a Starbucks and do something fun. Worrying and stressing is not worth it. 

TIP 3 | Tell your boss if you are feeling overwhelmed
If you have too much on your plate at work it can really make you feel anxious and overwhelmed which will not allow you to enjoy your down time. As well, be candid. For me first and foremost, I am a student. If I find that my work responsibilities are burning me out and cutting into my study time, I tell my boss right away. It is far better to inform them versus handing in something not that great. 

TIP 4 | Prioritize
For me, school is always going be my highest priority and I will take time off from work when I need to focus on studying for exams. 

Next will be my paid jobs. I am being paid by my employer and they expect me to deliver on all my assigned tasks. Never take a job for granted because the job market is tough and an employer will not think twice letting you go and hiring someone who is more invested. 

Lastly, blogging. I do not make any money off of my blog. I pay for everything out of my own pocket; therefore, it is solely a labor of love on my part! Unfortunately, when I procrastinate, I will work on my blog, but it is not a priority. That being said, it is so much fun and I am learning so much indirectly from it, so blogging is rewarding in its own way for me. 

TIP 5 | Plan ahead
My agenda is my best friend. I write everything down in it. This way, I know what is happening so I am not taken off guard by an assignment deadline or completely forget I was scheduled for work. And I like to pre-plan my blog posts at the beginning of the week and try to get them done a few days in advance so if things get a little crazy at school or something unexpected comes up, I have a post ready to go! 

TIP 6 | Make firm boundaries
When the clock strikes 9pm, hands up, pencils down. I do not do anymore work. This is my way of making sure I have some relaxation time to for myself everyday. Also, I am not a night owl, so working into the night is not going to be productive. I will just be zoning out and probably fall asleep. So why waste time stressing when you can be chilling in bed watching funny youtube videos before going to sleep. 

TIP 7 | Spend times with your friends and family
Get out and do something fun with your friends and family. Enjoy your life. Results will not be fulfilling if you do not enjoy it. Also, from experience, if you are constantly busy, eventually you will fall out of touch with friends. Then you will feel all alone :( no fun. Also, the best way to take your mind off of work is to go out and do something fun adventurous with friends hehe!

I really hope these tips help you all! These are the small things that work for me! By no means am I saying it will be the same for you. But hopefully these tips could give you some ideas on improving making time for yourself! 

BYES

Sunday 17 January 2016

Edible Obsessions | Tuc Craft Kitchen Brunch


Hey Hey Dolls,

Guess who got sick again :( I do not know why, but I have caught something really nasty that makes my throat feel like razor blades and constantly makes me cough... not fun. Needless to say, I did not have the energy to get myself to East Van Roasters for their The Buzzzzz hot chocolate. But not to worry, I did make it to the adorably rustic Tuc Craft Kitchen for some yummy brunch in Gastown! 

I know me being sick means things did not taste as they should as in for the first time ever I was not liking orange juice... WOW! 

Two of us - including me - got the Shakshuka as it not only had a super cool name. It was full of yummy ingredients like free run poached eggs, summer squash, spinach, jalapeño stewed plum tomatoes, and everyone's favourite, feta cheese. It came served piping hot in a mini cast iron skillet garnished with micrograms. What is not included in the menu is that the yummy eggs and tomato stew is served over top chunks sourdough bread. 

It was really good. I like how the yolk being runny mixed in with the stewed tomatoes becoming a delicious creamy eggy tomato goodness that got soaked up by the sourdough bread. The negative was that as you were eating the Shakshuka, the bread eventually becomes soggy and does not add any texture. I think it would be better if the bread was served on the side and then you can dip the sourdough into the delicious stew! 

It tasted great and tasted sweet to me haha I do not think they added sugar and maybe my palate is a bit weird being sick. 


Our other friend got the classic Crispy Chicken & Waffles. Let me just really make this clear - the chicken pieces are HUGE! We are probably talking about a half chicken being served with the waffles. Just two giant pieces of free run chicken breasts and so crispy that you can practically hear the crunch as they set the plate down in front of you. And yes yes, it did come with waffles, but the chicken is far more glorious and takes the spotlight haha. Also they give you some mighty fine creamy dijon mustard yummyyyy. Lastly, let me also emphasize that unless you are a heavy weight rugby player, you will probably only be able to tackle half of this dish in one sitting. 

The owner of Tuc Craft Kitchen came by and joked with us how they should start giving out a free t-shirt if someone is able to devour Crispy Chicken & Waffles in one sitting. 

Also, the staff is really sweet at Tuc. Our server noticed that I was not feeling well and she brought over hot water with lemon and a shot glass of honey hehe for me. Really sweet of her and it is the small gestures like that that really want you to return to a restaurant. 

Most likely will be returning in the future when I am feeling better to try their Berries & Gauffres as well as their infamous Crispy Bacon & Egg. 

Do let me know in the comments below if you have any suggestions on places I should check out for brunch as I LOVE brunch! 

BYES

Saturday 16 January 2016

Latte Moment | Hot Chocolate Festival 2016

The GoodMallow Marshmallows made my hot chocolate amazing!
Hey my gorgeous dolls!

This is one of the exciting times of the year when it comes to experiencing the culinary and pastry expertise of talented chefs across the Lower Mainland, Vancouver. Not only is the much raved about Dine Out Vancouver taking place right now, Vancouver's Hot Chocolate Festival officially started today! Yay! If you have not already, do check out my YP Smartlist on Hot Chocolate in Vancouver for what is regularly offered year round. 

The Hot Chocolate Festival is going to run from January 16th up until Valentine's Day, February 14th. Indulge yourself in 59 amazing flavour combinations exclusively available for these 30 days at across 25 participating restaurants. The festival is not only to challenge chocolatiers in Vancouver in coming up with a unique hot chocolate, but is primarily a fundraiser for Downtown Eastside's Women's Job Training Program of the PHS Community Services Society and East Van Roasters.  

I thought I would share with you the locations and flavours of hot chocolate I am hoping to try over the course of the festival. I have chosen a total of 5 flavours because midterms are coming up and unfortunately will not have the time to try all 59 let alone even a quarter. 

First up would have to be 49th Parallel with their The Bees Knees hot chocolate. It is going to be a steaming hot mug of lavender infused dark hot chocolate with steamed milk. It is accompanied by a honey marshmallow - which you are to plop into your mug - and two honey lavender biscottis dipped in creamy white chocolate. 

49th Parallel has two other flavour combinations on offer: Saturday Nut Fever and their Classic Hot Chocolate and Doughnut Combo, but The Bees Knees is the one I am wanting to try! 

Butter Baked Goods are masters when it comes to marshmallows and cakes, but Choc-o-Coco sounds too fabulous to miss out on! We are talking about a chocolate coconut hot chocolate topped with a generous fluffy cloud of coconut whipped cream!!!! Plus you get to enjoy it with their moist coconut chocolate brownie hehe

If you have seen my YP Smartlist on Hot Chocolate in Vancouver then you will know that East Van Roasters roast their own cocoa nibs in house to produce their rich creamy chocolate. Simply exquisite that results in an unbeatable pure hot chocolate. For the hot chocolate festival, East Van Roasters has paired up with Hives for Humanity honey to bring us their "The Buzzzzz." Bee pollen from Hives for Humanity is incorporated into East Van Roasters Madagascar single origin drinking chocolate, served with a housemaid honey financier!!! Do note, The Buzzzzz is only available from January 16th till January 29th. 

I have never been to Diva at the Met, but their  Citrus Sensation sounds amazingly enticing that I must go visit them soon! In a cacao-berry extra brute there is pure orange juice - very unique and I love fresh orange juice so I must try this for myself - in which you will plop a chocolate globe filled with fresh raspberry puree! Chocolate + fresh raspberries are yumm plus orange juice which I love so I have high hopes for this unique combination. Oh and you get to enjoy your steamy cup of orange raspberry hot chocolate with a petit orange-pistachio financier hehe. 

The last hot chocolate I want to try during this year's Hot Chocolate Festival is "the voices in my head tell me it ain't no B.S." from Mink Chocolates. You will understand why Mink has decided to name their correction so.... it is an almond milk AND organic butternut squash with 70% dark chocolate. Hmmmm there is squash in my hot chocolate plus it is served with a smoked OYSTER?!?! This has got to be the most daring and out of the box hot chocolate amongst the 59 flavours. Not to mention, Mink's creation sounds borderline savoury versus the norm of hot chocolate being a sweet indulging warm drink. 

It is my hope I am able to try all five of these crazy hot chocolates and a few more of the other hot chocolate offerings. I will be sure to blog about each! I am hoping to head on over to East Van Roaster's tomorrow as I do not want the bee pollen infused hot chocolate to run out as well it is only available for two weeks out of the four. 

Let me know in the comments below if you are going to be trying out any hot chocolates during this year's Hot Chocolate Festival. As well, if you think there is one I should try and I did not include in my list! 

BYES

Friday 15 January 2016

Chic Life | Product Empties + My Thoughts


Hey Hey Dolls!

Disclaimer - I an NOT a Hoarder! Before I began blogging, I would dispose all empty containers immediately; however, since starting Pink Tea Latte, I began holding onto the containers to share my opinion on the products with you! All my opinions are my own and all of the products were purchased with my own money. 

L'Occitane En Provence - Ultra Gentle Moisturizer (50 ml)

This face cream has been my go to for many years. I think I probably have gone through at least 4 bottles! It is on the pricier side for face cream, but in my opinion, it is worth the price tag. It is extremely moisturizing and I do not find it greasy or heavy. I also really love that it has a pump because one pump was the perfect amount for my full face and neck. Do NOT apply this in your eye area as it is 8% Shea Butter which is far too heavy for the delicate skin around your eyes. 

The only thing that bothers me about the packaging is you cannot get every bit of the product out. You can see from the picture that I could get a good 3 or 4 more uses out of it; however, since it is long and skinny, you cannot really scoop it out with your fingers. Also, the bottle is glass, so you cannot cut it open like plastic tubes. 

I think L'Occitane has discontinued this moisturizer?!?! Ugh they discontinue and introduce new items far too frequently. 

Kiel's Blue Astringent

This is a toner that I will NOT be repurchasing. My skin type is combination, my T-zone being oily. Unfortunately, this toner has far too much Alcohol in it that causes my skin to dry out. Maybe if you have oily skin, this could be a good toner for you? I would stay away from it if you have combination or dry skin. 

In place of this toner, I would HIGHLY suggest Kiehl's Calendla Herbal-Extract Alcohol-Free toner. I have used it many times in the past and actually need to go out and get myself another bottle of it. Because it is alcohol free, it does not dry out your skin and actually really helps with my acne. 

Pur~lisse - hydra-balance moisturizer

I received this product in a past Luxe Box. It is for normal or dry sensitive skin with some anti-aging properties. It is a good moisturizer, but I found it a little thin and not very viscous.  I used it all up, but will NOT be repurchasing. 

Miracle 10 Moisture

Got this sample in a past Luxe Box. I really liked the packaging, thought it was super cute! Just like the L'Occitane, it dispensed the perfect amount for me, but it too had the flaw of being in a glass bottle. I do not know very much about this company and do not know where the product is made. I however would repurchase it as the cream left my skin soft and did not dry out my face. 

I believe they have redone the packaging and the moisturizer now comes in a pot. Much easier to get all of the product out!

Fekkai Reparitive Shampoo

This is also from a  past Luxe Box. I actually really liked the scent this shampoo had. It was not overtly scented or fake fruit/flower smelling. I do not know how to describe it, but it smelled pleasant!!! The bottle says "scented with vanilla and creme," but it did not smell like fake vanilla. The shampoo did not lather well, but it does contain methylparaben. Maybe I was using the shampoo wrong? haha Either way, it is made in the USA and I would probably purchase it in the future because it left my hair feeling soft, but maybe in gentle as I have healthy virgin hair. 

Kiehl's Creme De Corps

I have talked about this body butter in the past. It has long remained my go to, but was recently beat out by a Lush body lotion which I will talk about next. This creme smells DELICIOUS (Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Butter) and it is a delightful fluffy consistency that you want to smother yourself in head to toe. It remain a little greasy, but soak in after a few mins. Would Repurchase :) but it does come with a hefty price tag

I hope this review has been helpful! A lot of this products were samples I received in past Luxe Boxes. So beauty box subscriptions are great if you are open to trying new products; however, I would suggest going with a higher priced subscription because you will get far more deluxe sized samples and even full sizes. Subscription boxes like Ipsy you get very small samples of more drugstore brands. Honestly, I do not think many subscribers will use up those products. 

If you have any suggestions on products I should try, let me know in the comments below! As well, if you found this helpful :) 

BYES

Tuesday 12 January 2016

Oldies Goldies | iPod Touch 2nd Generation



Hiya Dolls!

Old is Gold is a phrase I have heard many many times and it is true! Who remembers when the iPod touch was released by Apple? It was around grade 9 for me! In grade 10, I was a lucky duck and got the iPod Touch 2nd generation for my birthday and it has been my first and only iPod since. 

I really love my iPod touch. Even though it is too old now for any further updates which means, I cannot download any apps on it anymore, it still does what it was primarily designed for, playing music. But honestly, I use my iPod primarily for listening to music when I am at the gym. I do not like having my phone on me when I am working out because it is distracting as well, I do not want to get my precious Blackberry all sweaty and gross gah! 

For this reason, I feel no need to upgrade my iPod to a newer version because I only use it for music. I can even purchase new music from iTunes on it and I have not had any problem syncing my iTouch to my music library. 

Also, my iTouch is far sturdier then newer apple electronics. I have never had my screen shatter on me and I only have a few minor scratches on the front. Also, all of the buttons work and I have never had any iOS problems either (aside from the fact it no longer upgrades, but it does not bother me). Haha I once accidentally dropped my iTouch in the Canada Line tacks and the screen did NOT crack!

I am not a crazy person who treats their items like a fragile baby, but I also do not take my belongings for granted. I try my best to not drop my items or purposefully damage them. You would be appalled by the number of friends I have who intentionally break their cell phones or laptops just so they can get a newer one. Honestly, that is just absurd and immature. Perhaps it is knowing my parents work extremely hard to earn money, so my brother and I can have a comfortable life. Or because I appreciate the hard work it takes to earn money as I have been working part time jobs since grade 10. 

Regardless, I do not treat my possessions with blatant disregard, but I also am not much of an electronic fanatic either! Now shoes on the other hand, I do not mind indulging myself with the latest trends hehe, but I also do wear all my shoes until they are practically fall apart. Haha I should talk about my tall chocolate brown Uggs. They were my first pair of Uggs I think in grade 9 and I refuse to get rid of my hole filled Uggs because sentimental value! 

Do you have any items that others may consider too old to keep, but you love it? Let me know in the comments below!

BYES

Sunday 10 January 2016

Edible Obsessions | Sunday Brunch at Forage


Hey Dolls!

I am actually proud of myself for keeping up with the Sunday Brunch {kind of} haha. Today, I popped into Forage on Robson st for a delicious brunch that uses ethically raised meat from Two Rivers and they work to incorporate as many in season vegetables into their dishes. This is my second time having brunch at Forage as the last time, I was not able to try all of their yummy dishes. What can I say, Brunch is my favourite meal and I petition it become an official weekday meal! 

The dish I went back for was the spiced lentils, merge sausage, poached eggs, spring peas, pea tips, mint yogurt and toast. Forage does not have names for the dishes on their menu, instead they list out the main ingredients. I got my eggs medium poached and sourdough bread. 

The flavours were amazing and it was a warm comforting lentil dish with pops of fresh spring peas! YUM! I love fresh spring green peas, they taste far better then frozen. My only complaint is that the server assured me there would be no big chunks of onion - I cannot stomach onions if I can see them - and there were big pieces of slimy white onions :( The server was angry because the kitchen needs to remain consistent. This dish has been on the money for a year now, and it is suppose to use minced onions that would not be visible amongst the lentils and peas. 


My friend had the roasted Turtle Valley bison on french baguette, house-fermented spicy hasp berry chutney, local brie and seasonal greens. The chutney was yumm and they gave a very big pieces of brie cheese and a generous amount of bison meat. Unfortunately, the bison was cold. It was not warm, it was cold.... kind of weird. But it tasted good. 

I am unsure if I will return for a third time since Forage does not have the best service. You can be sitting at the table for quite some time with no one coming to your table. No one really comes and checks in with you during the meal. We were not given any water and when you finish your meal, you kind of just sit there awkwardly hoping a server will notice you are ready for the bill. 

Great food, but service and food consistency needs to be improved. 

Let me know if you have tried Forage before and where should I grab Sunday Brunch next week?

BYES

Wednesday 6 January 2016

Chic Finds | Lush Empties + My Thoughts


Hey Dolls!

I have got quite the collection of empty black (or the random clear) tubs from Lush and thought it was time I gave you all my thoughts on what I liked or disliked about them! 

I am not a hoarder of lush containers haha, but I keep them because Lush has a fabulous recycling program! Unlike other stores, the incentive to recycle at Lush is better then a dollar off. Return 6 empty tubs and receive a free Fresh Face Mask! The Fresh Face Masks begin at around $7 CAD here in Vancouver and go up to $12 CAD for the special seasonal masks. In the past, all the fresh face masks were a single price, so I am unsure if the new seasonal masks with the higher price point qualify for the recycling program. When I find out, I will be sure to let you know! Probably on Instagram so you if you do not follow me, then you should hehe to keep up with my random adventures around Vancouver @pinktealatte !!!

I will be posting another product empties + my thoughts in the upcoming weeks. I thought I would split them up since I had so many of just lush empties. 


Lush honestly captures this cream in their description "indulge in our rich banana custard cream".... LIKE YES. It totally like you moisturizing yourself in a banana custard --- BANANA PIE smelling! Leaves my skin amazingly soft and contains very few unpronounceable ingredients. It also soaks into your skin very quickly and does not leave you feeling sticky (you will have to give it a few minutes though) Also unlike all the other body moisturizers I have used in the past, this cream is a thin liquid consistency and not a thick butter. Yes I will repurchase it and I already have hehe

D'Fluff | Shaving Soap

We all need to shave our legs, armpits etc and it sucks. I hate shaving cream because it is some sort of chemical goo that comes out of a can and transforms into a white froth with a lovely chemical smell..... needless to say, I have on many occasions just shaved using water. Thankfully, I stumbled across Lush's D'Fluff shaving soap. At first, it was a little weird since it does not foam up, but once I got use to the different texture, I loved it! It leaves your skin so soft and the razor practically glides over your skin like butter. Repurchase - Yes, but probably in a different scent as I did not enjoy the strawberry scent very much. 

Pot O'Gold | Shower Jellies

I want to say Lush is the only company I know of which makes jello shower gel. It  is a blob of jello that you can either cut into small cubes with a knife, or tear it apart in the shower like I do! The shower jellies are a lot of fun because you can just stand in your steaming hot shower and play with this jello like soap for hours. A fun shower entertainment. I tolerated the herbal scent that this one had, but ADORED the gold glitter colour. Unfortunately, it was limited edition so you cannot pick one up, but they have another gold glitter one at this time. To use, you take a small chunk of the jelly and put it on your loofah and wash cloth. I liked to massage it into my loofah and then it will foam up like a normal shower gel! Lots of fun and I will probably pick up another shower jelly as this left me squeaky clean! These do last a long time, I got my tub back in February 2015. 

Cupcake | Fresh Face Mask 


Cupcake has been my go to face mask for many years. It is really great for acne prone skin and smells like mint chocolate - YUM! I love it, it leaves my skin incredibly smooth and have had no adverse effects. I actually have 3 empty tubs of Cupcake in my picture hehe 

Brazened Honey | Fresh Face Mask

Thought it would be a sweet honey scented mask, but it was more herbal. I clearly did not like it very much as I did not even finish it. I found it a little gritty and did not soothe my skin. Not going to repurchase.  

Cosmetic Warrior | Fresh Face Mask

I HATED THIS MASK! I do not think I have ever hated a product so much in my life as I hate the Cosmetic Warrior mask. IT SMELLED INTENSELY LIKE GARLIC TO ME and I practically would gag when putting it on my face. Also, it was weird and goopy slimy in texture when you wash it off. I swear it even clogged my bathroom sink drain. Plus.... my face smelt like GARLIC. This is my experience, I know many who love this particular fresh face mask from Lush. I will NEVER be repurchasing this mask as it was not worth the torture of intense garlic smeared across my face gaahhhh barf. 

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That is all of my Lush empties! Hope you found it helpful and I would love to hear what you think of the products I tried and if you have any suggestions for me! 

BYES

Sunday 3 January 2016

Edible Obsessions | A Scrumptious Brunch at Fable



Morning Dolls

I have been wanting to go to Fable for quite some time and starting 2016 off with brunch at Fable was perfect! This scrumptious delight is on 4th street Kitsilano area of Vancouver. { Some of the yummiest food in Vancouver is in Kitsilano! } 

Fable is a "Farm to Table" restaurant that strives in using quality ingredients in all of their dishes. They have really gone the extra mile to create a fun cozy restaurant with the brick walls and a chandelier made using hay rakes. 

But my favourite aspect of the restaurant is the open kitchen! If you sit at the bar, you are practically face to face with the chefs as they cook and plate the dishes. We decided to sit in the dining room because if we were had to sit at the bar, we would be hit with a chilly blast of air each time the front door is opened. I definitely do suggest the bar in the summer! 



I got the Brunch Sandwich. Between two slices of crusty buttered bread was creamey scrambled eggs, house made sausage, cheddar, tomato jam, arugula and their house made black pepper jam. It came with a side salad and rosti (stringy hash brown that was fried into a little patty of potato yumminess) with a dollap of chive yogurt like YUMMMM! Oh boy was I stuffed and I only managed to get through half of my meal! A hearty comfort meal! 


My friend decided to get the scrambled eggs that came with Fable's baked in house Brioche bread and the potato rosti. This is probably the first time I have seen scrambled eggs served in a mason jar... good ol Hipster Vancouver haha. It was like a scrambled egg parfait with the different ingredients layered. On the bottom was the creamiest scrambled eggs ever, then sautéed spinach with crumbled crispy bacon. Finally a layer of parmesan foam?!?! Also another first for me! Suggestion - mix all the flavours together to have a delicious scrambled egg! 

We actually ended up spreading the blueberry preserve on the brioche and then topping it with the mixed scrambled eggs and ate it all together! I love mixing sweet and savoury hehe. 



My only complaint at Fable has to be their unwillingness to make me a strawberry-blackberry smoothie. Fable had a blueberry greek yogurt smoothie on the menu, but I honestly just have never liked blueberries in my smoothies. They definitely had other berries in the kitchen since the fresh berries were being served on top of the brioche french toast and I was also okay if it was a half blueberry and half other berries smoothie. Also, apparently it was the fact they use frozen blueberries in the smoothie and did not want to use fresh berries... I only use fresh berries to make my smoothies at home. It all seemed a little silly and an accommodation they could have easily made. Plus, they were out of ketchup! 

A fun restaurant in Kitsilano with lots of energy and definitely worth visiting! I hope to try their lunch or dinner in the future! Let me know if you have been to Fable before and how you liked it? Also, if you have any restaurant suggestions for Brunch, please let me know in the comments below as I always trying new places! 

BYES

Friday 1 January 2016

Gurly's Life | New Year's Resolution


Hey Dolls,

I am really glad the year 2016 has officially started. Those close to me already know that 2015 was been an extremely tough year for me. Honestly, 2015 was cursed for many of us! 2016 is like a new beginning. A fresh start and hope the terrible stressors of last year do not continue to haunt us. 

Let us all begin 2016 with a positive mindset and set some fabulous goals for the year! 

I really want to start working out consistently, but also start doing some weights. I want to be toned and look strong, not frail stick like. Not cute! I have a membership at Steve Nash and it is about time I start taking advantage of it. Also, I really want to find a gym buddy. It is a lot more fun when you have a friend to push and motivate you. Hopefully they will also compel me to crawl out of bed and go to the gym. hahaha

Along with working out more, I want to build healthier eating habits. I tend to eat out several times a week and half of the time, it is fast food or mall cafeterias. My goal is to cook more because I will be using fresh produce and know what ingredients are in my meal. Unfortunately, I am not the most talented cook, but maybe with some practice, my food will taste amazing hehe. 

2015 was a busy year for me and I neglected to hang out with many of my friends. It makes me really sad that I have fell out of touch with so many. I need to take initiative and begin reaching out to them to hang out. Life is short and I want to enjoy it with others! 

I want to get a great part time job and figure out what path I want to take with furthering my education. Ah, it is going to be a stressful year, but I am going to figure it out and hopefully get admitted into a fabulous masters program. 

Lastly, continue developing Pink Tea Latte into a fabulous brand that anyone can relate with. I hope to do many more fun posts and aspire you all to never give up! My favourite motto that I live my life by is - You will never know unless you try! It is true! Do not be shy, put yourself out there because no one is going to know what you want to do unless you tell them. 

Please do tell me in the comments below what you hope to accomplish in 2016! I love reading your comments and wish you guys would comment more :( haha 

BYES