Travel Post: The Bahamas

We took off to the heat of The Bahamas this past long weekend. A long overdue indulgence of sun, sand and sea. We settled in at The Cove at the Atlantis, an ultra luxurious resort perched directly seaside and surrounded with palms and pools.

Long early morning walks along the beach with coffee followed by lazy river rides and lazier lunches. We loved how spacious the resort felt, I love my elbow room and this place definitely delivered. Wandering along the many under ground aquarium tunnels, we were most often alone and loved every peaceful minute. We spent many hours taking in the breathtaking aquatic beauty.

Extended dinners over champagne at both Nobu and 77 West overlooking a gorgeous yacht-filled harbour at sunset, were memories I won’t soon forget.

Plunging feet first to my death on near vertical water slides in the enormous water park was an experience I most definitely could have done without (the things you do for the guy you love…I recommend vodka to ease the piercing anxiety of such activities). However the luscious pools and hidden water fall corners were thoroughly enjoyed.

I only regret not booking myself into the resort spa Mandara, for a treatment or two…walking past the sweet aroma and calm atmosphere was intoxicating….next time.

We spent our last day poolside at The Cain club, the fabulous adult only pool bordered by plush day beds, loungers, a DJ and a smattering of private cabanas and high roller tables . A very relaxing day of full sun, great music, many glasses of champagne delivered by the lovely resort staff and some of the best people watching I’ve seen in awhile.

We have a few other destinations on our travel bucket list, but returning to The Cove to bob in the shallow aqua ocean is most certainly in the plan.

What I wore that was pictured…

Black suede fringe skirt – Express / Low V-neck body suit – Zara / Nude heels – Express.

One piece black bikini – Zara / Cut off shorts – Vintage Calvin Klein Jeans (cut and distressed myself) / Hat – local beach shop in my hood / Slides – Steve Madden.

Striped halter bikini – Body Glove / High waist skirt (actually a dress folded down as skirt) – Mendocino / Beach bag – courtesy of The Cove, Atlantis.

Brown suede, high slit skirt – Express / Lace up top – Pre-loved / Nude sandals – Express

Pansy Dress with skinny straps / ASOS

Clutch, necklace and watch – Vintage / Earrings – Gift from Dad.

Sunnies – Aldo.

 

Date Night Look: Black on Black

I love this simple black-on-black date night look. The humidity in Toronto right now is hovering somewhere around out-of-control percent. Keeping cool while looking put together is a prominant sartorial challenge. To remedy this, I’m loving light tanks like this one with little snap buttons, paired with something more structured like this vintage pencil skirt. Topping off the look with a couple of layered, delicate gold necklaces.

I picked up this skirt with matching belt recently and have been creating looks around it ever since. I get so excited about putting together transitional looks, this skirt was a perfect addition to my wardrobe for this purpose. This skirt will easily stretch from hot late-summer nights to chilly fall evenings.

Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous labour day weekend, I personally spent mine beach side – as per my Instagram

Don’t forget to stop by The Amber Edit Shop over on Etsy, I have lots of fall pieces coming to the shop (get ready for a major peter pan collar & the perfect strapless cocktail dress, coming soon). Etsy: TheAmberEdit

Cheers

xx. A

Top // Costa Blanca

Skirt w. Belt // Vintage

Heels // The Kind Exchange

Bag, Watch & Necklaces // Vintage

Summer Neutrals.

I’m really feeling a neutral palette right now. Maybe I’m subconsciously prepping for the warm, earthy colours of fall. By the way, this is my new favourite bag. I picked it up while vintage shopping recently, instantly falling in love with the rich navy colour. I didn’t realize until I got it home that its lined inside in real suede: Surprise suede is the best suede.

xx. A

Don’t forget to check out whats new in The Amber Edit Shop, over on Etsy: TheAmberEdit

Top // ASOS

Skirt // Sandra Angelozzi

Shoes // The Kind Exchange

Bag , Watch & Sunnies // Vintage

Calvin Klein Jeans & The Leather Skirt.

Happy Tuesday Everyone! What can I say? One more day closer to Friday! I don’t know about you, but once August hits I try to enjoy every last minute of the summer days that are left. The more time I can spend on a patio, or at the beach, the happier I am. Lord knows, before long my summer skirts and dresses will be tucked away again for a long hibernation…

I recently picked up this cool Calvin Klein Jeans chambray shirt along my travels. As soon as I saw the worn-in label inside, I knew it was some 90’s gold. Its funny, when I was a teenager growing up in love with fashion, Calvin Klein was (and still is!) major designer royalty. Its interesting to see the iconic brand making the editorial pages again with a clear revival of 90’s CK style: think Kate the Great in her Calvins. When I was a teenager I was lucky enough to inherit my older (obviously cooler) cousins Calvin Klein Jeans hand-me-downs (those iconic T-shirts and sweatshirts that the cool kids are wearing). It definitely took me back to pick up this 90’s throwback.

xx. A

Chambray Shirt // Vintage Calvin Klein Jeans  – Available to buy on my eBay Shop / Advanced search by seller: theamberedit

Leather Skirt // Vintage

Faux Suede Handbag // Vintage

Watch // Vintage

Shoes // ASOS

Cherry Blossoms

This adorable cherry blossom print dress was an end-of-summer sale find from H&M a little while back. I think I paid about $15 dollars for it at the time, its been a summer wardrobe staple ever since. Which reminds me, major end-of-summer sales are happening now…I know what I’m doing this weekend…

Dress // H&M (older)

Belt // Le Chateau

Gladiator Sandals // Zara

Bag & Watch // Vintage

Sunnies // Unknown

Heat Wave & The Blue Dress

What’s the answer to dressing when the temperature outside reaches level: Hellfire? Little light dresses, and hair swept up off the neck would be my best and final answer. Toronto has been in major humidity mode the last few days. It is crazy hot out over here. All I want to wear right now are light breezy dresses to keep cool in. The photo’s in this post don’t quite do the print on this dress justice. It’s the sweetest little daisy print, so feminine.

I have officially abandoned my hair dryer, straightener and curling iron. There really is no point trying to coax my hair into submission in this heat, so I let my hair dry naturally and get it off my neck. I’m kind of over the whole top-knot thing, what I’m rocking here is more of a double knot-chignon situation, with lots of whispy baby hairs; rolling with the natural texture of my hair. Easy-breezy.

A. xx

Dress // The Kind Exchange

Shoes // Payless Shoe Source (older)

Clutch Bag & Watch // Vintage

Sunnies // Forever21

Assorted Bangles // Le Chateau

Large Mother of Pearl Bangle // Unknown

Lipstick // Nars – Rikugien – rose pink

Simple Stripes + Leather Skinnies.

Every Thursday is homemade pizza night at my house. Its our way of winding down from the week and easing into the weekend. I always have some fresh dough on hand, prepped ahead of time. I usually make a large batch, then throw some in the freezer for later. We find it weirdly relaxing to knead out dough and chop up toppings together. Throw in some music and wine; bonus points for a cheap date night. (full disclosure: I definitely wear a full-on apron while doing this…though I hope the affect its more Ulyana Sergeenko than it is Grandma…).

This week however, with my swimsuit wish list growing ever longer, I opted for a lighter choice. We still rolled out the usual thin crust amazingness for TDF, but for myself I attempted my first Cauliflower Crust Pizza. The results: Tastebud Heaven. I was sincerely surprised to find that a cauliflower could actually resemble the likeness of chewy, crispy dough! My google search produced this recipe as ‘the best cauliflower dough’, the blogger whose site I found it on was so enthusiastic about the results, I had to try it. This recipe did require extra prep time however; shredding an entire head of cauliflower florets by hand. Obviously a food processor has now made the wish list. I also subbed out dried herbs in place of fresh rosemary, which made for major flavour and aromatic satisfaction. I topped my baked Cauli-Dough with some chopped grilled chicken, kalamata olives, artichokes, some melty brie, then tossed on some fresh arugula when it came out of the oven. A delicious and light alternative to keep enjoying our pizza date night…while I add some more swimsuits to the wishlist…

Speaking of wish lists, now that spring has finally arrived, I can get serious about making some spring/summer additions to my wardrobe. I always like to look ahead a few months to see what events are on the spring/summer schedule (eg: weddings, girls wine weekend getaways…etc.). Then I compile wish lists of possible looks on my favourite online sites. I now consider myself a pro online shopper. Actually going to stores has now become painful. Lets face it, shopping at major mall/outlet destinations, usually requires an elbows out approach. I buy everything online…clothes, makeup, doggie winter booties… I like that I can sit with my possible purchases for awhile. Compiling a list then stepping away for a little bit before making a purchase allows for a very seamless editing process.

I always like to include a couple basic pieces on every shopping list. Being able to mix one simple piece a variety of ways is key to building a wearable wardrobe; like this striped t-shirt I am wearing in this post. An easy t-shirt like this will go from leather skinnies to boyfriend jeans, to this seasons sweet mini skirts all while maintaining stylistic integrity. Sometimes its the simplest piece that pulls a look together best…

Shop The Post

Trench Coat, T-Shirt (Similar), Leather Skinnies (Similar) & Shoes (Similar)//Zara. All Jewelry//Vintage. Clutch Bag//Vintage. Sunglasses (Similar) //Forever21. Belt (Similar)//Brand Unknown.

Waking Up in Vegas.

A couple of weeks ago, I jetted to Las Vegas to celebrate the wedding of my beautiful cousin Ashley and her lovely husband Greg. As this was my first visit to Las Vegas, I was immediately overwhelmed at the grandeur and enormity of the place; there is nothing small or underdone about Las Vegas, its the kind of place where you have no choice but to hit the ground running as soon as you land…

My stay at Caesars Palace was phenomenal; the idea of it being a palace is an understatement to say the least. The entire compound is surrounded by lush foliage and gardens, ornate water features and many, many Roman statues. Our room was luxurious, peaceful, and incredibly inviting. The pool, is beyond words…

We celebrated the bachelorette party the night before the wedding. All of us ladies slipped on our yoga best and headed to the Pole Dance Fitness Studio, to be whipped into pole dancing shape by our instructor, Trixie. I have to say this was one of my favorite parts of the trip. We had an absolute blast, and even managed to learn a few moves. Trixie was hilarious and patient, she was an amazing teacher and inspired the inner pole dancer in all of us.

The bride and groom said their “I Do’s” in a lovely private garden at Caesars, just as the desert sun was beginning to set. The bride wore a pair of classic matte-gold, peep toe t-strap Louboutins, the groom wore the happiest grin you’ve ever seen. I couldn’t help but shed some happy tears for the couple behind my oversized retro-inspired sunglasses.

The wedding was followed by a reception at Maggiano’s Las Vegas, a fabulous Italian eatery. We collected in an intimate banquet hall, and were served the most delicious Italian dishes, including chicken parmesan, pesto ravioli and house-made lasagna; all served family style. Family and friends danced all evening…

The third day of my stay I was able to explore a little bit of the strip. I read ahead of time to be prepared for lots of walking, that the strip is enormously larger than the eye perceives…these are understatements. We walked miles, and miles and miles of the strip. Miles! Thoughtfully, despite my love of heels, I wore a comfy pair of t-strap flat sandals which helped to get me from one place to the next with minimal discomfort. I visited most of the major hotels on the strip. Some highlights include; the chandelier bar at the Cosmopolitan, The Forum Shops of Caesars Palace, the European likeness of The Venetian, and the quant little bistro’s throughout the Paris, where I definitely indulged in a french baguette with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella and arugula, a glass of zinfandel, and a cannoli… We were also taken aback by the enormous waterfall wall in front of Aria Hotel (second last photo), I don’t know if it is because we had been walking for hours and were then deliriously tired, but we were completely mesmerized by this wall (I giggle as I write this because even then we knew it was ridiculous to be that mesmerized by a water-wall, but felt so refreshing to stop and watch it for a while…)

That same evening I went to take in a viewing of the Cirque du Soleil show Ka, at the MGM Grand. The show can only be described as a dreamy, whimsical experience. This was my first Cirque show and I do believe I am hooked. After Ka, I met my cousin Jamie (handsome fellow who appears throughout this photo diary) for dinner at the renowned Nobu. Our dinner was unbelievably delicious. A delight for the senses for sure. The restaurant itself is atmospheric and inviting, a loungey, relaxing space. I highly recommend the Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño…followed by a snickers gelato from Cafe Bellagio, and an evening viewing of the Bellagio fountain show…

On my final day of waking up in Vegas, I enjoyed a truly relaxing day. We spent the entire afternoon by the pools at Caesars, sipping raspberry lemonades, getting some sun and enjoying some laughs before heading back home to reality…

I Wear

Wedding: Pansy Print Dress//ASOS. Black Strappy Sandals//ASOS. Clutch Bag//Vintage. Jewellery//Vintage. Sunglasses//Forever 21.

Day Wear (in order as appears): White & Stripes Midi Dress//Zara. Shoulder Bag//Vintage. Red & Blue Flower Dress//ASOS. T-Strap Sandals//Aldo. Shoulder Bag//Vintage. Belt//Club Monaco. Sunglasses//Forever 21.

Jamie Wears

Wedding: Suit//Topman. Shirt//Zara Man. Tie//French Connection. Socks//HS (Happy Socks). Shoes//John Varvatos. Pocket Square//Sebastian Cruz Couture.

Street: Beige knit top//Zara Man. Ripped Jeans//Zara Man. Hat//H&M Acc. Devision. Sneakers//Converse Classics.

Swim: Swimwear//H&M. Tanktop//Topman. Sunglasses//Ray-Ban.

Photo Cred: Bill Cantwell & Jamie Knoepfli