Tea Party

So I've been dying to go for high tea for the longest time. I just love the elegance of it all; the fine china, the delicate pastries, that feeling of being in such a cultured and refined ambiance.

Couldn't wait!

Now originally, I had planned on going to the Fairmont which is a very popular and well known establishment. But then I did some research, and came across Patisserie Für Elise. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the perfect spot for my very first high tea experience.



I bought this delicate feathered fascinator a while back, but had no idea what/where I could possibly wear it to. And seeing as I'm not RSVP'ing to any royal weddings anytime soon, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.



So this tea shop is actually located in a heritage home in downtown Vancouver. It's very discreet, with only a small simple sign in the window that can easily go unnoticed.

I love the Victorian style and charming colors.

Seeing the outside I was already very excited.



As soon as I stepped in, I was blown away by how amazingly pretty and deliciously girly everything was.

It was like an explosion of pinks and florals and all things frilly.

I seriously felt like a princess!



The first floor is where the bakery is held, with a display case full of beautiful cakes and pastries. There's also homemade jams and takeaway crème brûlées for purchase.



Upstairs is where the high tea is served. They have beautiful Victorian style furniture, with gorgeous detailing and a soft neutral colour palette.



Each teacup is different! We only had two, but I noticed that even at the other tables serving 4 or more guests, each teacup was unique to it's patron.

Love :)



There's a large selection of teas available, each with a lovely description that is oddly reminiscent of a wine menu.. Ex: Assam: Rich, full bodied and malty...)

It was a tough choice as so many of them sounded so appealing, but we ended up getting the Honey Scented Tea (Rich and mellow, natural honey-like sweet aftertaste.) and the Assam (I couldn't resist! Would it taste like my favourite French Bordeaux?)



It didn't.

Hah, but it was delicious. It had hints of floral in it, and I am in love with the raw rock sugar they served with it.

The honey one was also heavenly. The honey was very subtle but still noticeable, adding a light natural sweetness.



Our food came in a beautiful two tiered display tray. The top layer was desserts;

-Chef's choice starter (fruit topped panna cotta with gold leaf)

-Mini Sacher torte

-Mini Fur Elise

-Lemon cheesecake

-Lavender macaron

-Pate de fruit



The bottom layer held all the savory items;

-Prosciutto, brie and fresh basil croissant

-Cucumber dill finger sandwich

-Curried egg salad cornet

-Creamy garden veggie puff

-Mini scones with apple vanilla jam

The scones were my favorite, they had an amazing buttery texture and the jam is simply delectable.



Scrumptious.



Not only did everything look great, but tasted amazing as well. All the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. Our server described everything as it was served, and gave helpful suggestions on what order to eat it all.

Overall, I had a great first high tea and would definitely come back again. Maybe bring some girlfriends for a dainty afternoon get-together.



I ended up grabbing a few things to bring home as well.



This is the Für Elise, which was named after the store, and I'm told is one of the most popular. It is a strawberry shortcake with edible rose garnish.



This is the green tea with red bean mouse cake. So pretty :)



These cookies were SO good, I wish I got more! At 75 cents each, they were a great deal.

I am such a dessert-o-holic, seriously don't think my sweet tooth can ever be satisfied.

But anyways, on a whole other note... I am going on a trip!

To Edmonton.

Hah, how exciting... I know.

But it's to visit my friends and family (not for the exhilarating city-scape, that's for sure).

For those of you who don't know, I am a former Edmontonian! Up til about 2 and a half years ago I lived in Edmonton, Alberta.

It's more of a quiet city, with not a whole lot going on, but I'm really excited to catch up with old friends and see my family. In fact, my flight is in about an hour!

So I should definitely get going, hah.

Until next time!

Brunch at Commune

I've always thought it was a shame that most restaurants only serve brunch on the weekends. I love breakfasty foods, but can't always get to them before the lunch service begins.

Which is why I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered Commune, a great downtown that serves brunch 7 days/week!

I love their tagline billed across the building "Those who eat together, stay together."



They have a simple, modern aesthetic. There are booths lined against the wall, but other than that there isn't much for private seating.



I wanted to try their vanilla bean latte. It was good, but I couldn't really taste the vanilla bean. Was pretty much just a plain latte.



They also have these really charming old school cola bottles. I actually really enjoyed the taste; not as sweet as your average coke, and less bite. Sometimes I feel like pepsi is burning off the lining at the back of my throat.



For the main course, my friend ordered the bacon & cheddar omelette served with roasted potatoes, fresh fruit and multi-grain toast. He enjoyed the omelette, but the toast was a bit soggy.



This is the tuna melt with split pea soup, made with aged white cheddar, tomato, cheese & herb. He said it was very tasty, with nicely dressed tuna and great creamy texture for the soup.



I decided to go with the pulled pork eggs benedict: topped with beurre noisette hollandaise served with fruit and roasted potatoes. This was very delicious. The pork was well flavored and tender, going great with the eggs. The eggs themselves could have stood to be a little less cooked though (as I like to have the yolk still a bit runny in my bennys).

Overall, we enjoyed the experience as it was pretty decent eats with a nice atmosphere.

Cozy, Casual & Chic

It has been really foggy for the past few days in Vancouver.



Taken from my apartment.

Today was the first clear morning I've seen in a while, and I just happen to be off work :)

I wanted a cute and cozy look for a chill day of running errands and catching up with friends.





Rocking my new ankle boots from Topshop!

Sneakers & Sunglasses

Hello lovlies,

Hope you are all having a great weekend so far!

I went to try this great little French cafe on Davie st. called Baguette & Co. They're fairly new, but I believe there's another location on W. Broadway.

I loved it :) they have a great cozy atmosphere, with whimsical French music playing and the smell of croissants in the air. They also have an amazing array of delicate pastries and desserts- I want to try them all!



I just went with a scone and muffin for today, but I will definitely be back to try something a little bit more fun and unique.



Wore my cat-like sunnies today :)



I can't wait for summer to get here so I can bust these out more often!

Leather Wings

Hey guys, sorry for being MIA for the past few days. I've been crazy busy working on some projects that I'm really excited about.

I don't want to say too much right now, but hopefully I'll be able to share more with you guys soon!

Anyhoo, here's my outfit for the day.



I'm just crazy for the leather shoulder detailing on this shirt. The wings kind of give it this dark angel-y vibe, no?

Also on another note, my birthday is coming up at the end of this month! And I have no idea what to wear.

Anyone have any ideas/suggestions??