martin's birthday in iphone photos

I love celebrating birthdays and this past week/weekend was so much fun. Earlier in the week, we did Thai food with Martin's parents (a yearly tradition) and then bowling + a city dinner with our pals over the weekend. We were pretty darn excited to go to Commodore Bowling & Billiards in the city; it's definitely a beloved spot and one that has seen us celebrate many birthdays. Love that place! It's hard to believe it's been there since its original opening in 1930, plus I love that it's filled with nostalgia. Good times. My favourite part of the festivities? Haha, Thai leftovers for daaaays!

xo veronika

PS Guys, thank you so much for your awesome & sweet words on my new etsy shop. I was so encouraged by all your amazing support. Truly, means so much!  

my etsy shop is open!

Yay, I'm excited to announce that my Etsy shop "Shore" is now open. I had a ton of fun setting everything up and I love how the collection turned out. I'll be adding more pieces over the next few weeks, and I must say, making jewelry has turned into such a passion of mine. I'm thrilled to be taking this next step. I'm also planning on selling to local boutiques and I'll be participating in a few craft fairs this summer too. I'll be sure to keep you posted. If you're a local reader, I'd love to see you there! :) Lastly, I've created a permanent link to my Etsy shop in the blog's left side bar... can't wait to see what you guys think!

xo veronika

what i wore

Outfit Details:
Top - Club Monaco
Skirt - H&M
Olivia Bib Necklace - Stella & Dot
Heels - Aldo Shoes (similar)

Perhaps it's our glorious weather or the new blog?... I've been loving getting dressed and coming up with outfits again. Looking back, it makes sense why I needed to take a break from fashion; when I was in the thick of it with my health problems, fashion was definitley the last thing on my mind. Anyway, it feels great to be back and having fun with what I love!

As for today, we're going a little more dressy on the blog. I wore this for Martin's birthday Thai lunch. I'll be doing a fun post on that later this week. This skirt has been with me for a few seasons now and I absolutely adore it. I love wearing it with a tank & sandals for easy weekends or going for something a little dressier as I did here. Also, happy memorial day to my US readers. Hope you're having an amazing long weekend.

xo veronika

10 crosby

I found this collection from 10 Crosby by Derek Lam while surfing the style.com archives, and even though this collection is actually from last spring, I still find it incredibly beautiful and relevant. Admittedly these pieces are way outside my personal budget but I still love looking through collections new & old to help me find inspiration for my wardrobe.

I'm loving the idea of finding a brightly hued maxi dress which I can belt. Stripes on stripes is equally brilliant and could easily be re-created with vertically striped skinnies, a horizontal striped tee and then broken up with an easy white jacket. Also, a striped blazer, floral print chiffon blouse and slouchy boyfriend jeans need to happen this spring or early fall... and I'd love to find some fantastic separates with a geometric print too. Swoon! What's your favourite look from the collection?!

xo veronika

avocado and chickpea quinoa salad

I just can't get enough of salads, and one of my absolute favourites is this delicious avocado and chickpea one. The recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, but with no time to run to the store, I decided to sub in some yams and it was delish! Quinoa is one of my go-to foods & super easy to love because it's a complete protein, low in fat and incredibly versatile. I also make a mean chocolate quinoa pudding - I'll have to share that next.

You'll need: 

1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups spinach
1 cup cilantro
1/4 cup onion
2 teaspoons garlic
2 cups chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 avocados, chopped
1 lemon, zested
2 lemons, juiced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Instructions: 

Rinse your quinoa and add to pot with vegetable broth. Turn your stove top to medium-high and bring your quinoa to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, chop your spinach (or wild mixed greens), cilantro, onion, garlic, and pop it all in a bowl. Add your chickpeas and mix. Once your quinoa is cooled, add it your bowl along with your tomatoes (I used yams) and set aside.

Now for the last little bit, you'll want to make your dressing. Whisk: lemon, Dijon mustard, olive oil, agave nectar and cumin. Add salt & pepper to taste. Pour over salad and mix. Set your salad aside for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then top with avocado and serve. Enjoy!

I found this recipe from The Kind Life with Alicia Silverstone. 

what i wore

Outfit details:
Jacket - H&M (similar)
Dress - H&M (similar)
Bardot Spiral Bangle, Tribute Bracelet - Stella & Dot
Bag - KGB Black Label
Shoes - Zara

This past winter I lived in jeans, but now that spring is here, my love of dresses is back with a vengeance. I wore this outfit pretty much all weekend long. When it comes to my everyday style, I usually love to style my looks around a few signature pieces, and this spring it's definitely my denim jacket + strappy Zara flats. I'm eying these Zara beauties next. Gorgeous, right?! And I loved, loved mixing yellow and orange for this outfit. I can't wait to have more fun with colour this season. Any new colour combos you've tried and loved lately?...

xo veronika

lately

Happy Friday, guys! Just popping in to share a few photos from our iphone. Lately, we've been trying to get off our butts and consciously plan out our evenings. We've noticed that no plans equals us having dinner at home and then zoning out in front of the TV. Terrible, I know. So instead, I've started planning fun things for us to do after work. Nothing too fancy, but still, it makes a world of difference. We've been taking our dinner to go and heading down to the beach, going for walks, going to our local coffee shop for dessert + hot chocolate, and my personal fave, sharing a glass of wine on our patio. I think it's officially time to ban ourselves from TV watching and get out and live a little. Am I right?... 

Other than that, May's been a fantastic month. Warm, sunny and just beautiful. I've spent most of it working on my Etsy shop... writing my business plan, shop policies, and I've taken a few jewelry classes to improve & hone my skills. I'm hoping to start selling my pieces to a few local boutiques and I'd love to sell at a craft fair this summer/fall too. It seems like it would be loads of fun. Speaking of jewelry, thanks so much for your lovely words & compliments yesterday - so nice to hear. What's your May been looking like?!

xo veronika

jewelry sneak peek

It's been a long time goal of mine to start a small Etsy shop, and I'm so excited to finally be taking the plunge. I love nothing more than sitting down on a quiet morning and creating simple, modern and delicate pieces. I feel like it adds a little hint of something special to everyday outfits. All the jewelry is made using 14k gold-fill and sterling silver, and the necklaces are finished with delicate wire wrapped beads + a spring clasp. I hope to have the store up by the end of month, if not sooner. To start, it will be a fairly tiny collection. Probably around 11-12 pieces and then I'll slowly add from there. I'll keep you posted! Can't wait...

xo veronika

what i wore

Outfit Details:

Jacket - H&M (similar)

Skirt - Old Navy

Bracelets - Stella & Dot

Tote Bag - Stella & Dot

Shoes - Zara

When I switched over to the new blog, I wasn't sure if I would be keeping outfit posts or not. Gone are the days of scoping out perfect locations, waiting for magic hour and taking a million photos. Unfortunately, because of my busy schedule, it's just not possible anymore. However, at the end of the day, it's all about making your blog work for you. So, I've decided to continue on with my outfit posts, keep them super simple and focus on more laid-back/everyday looks. Easy and done!

And speaking of easy, my favourite no brainer outfit these days is pairing my denim jacket with easy black basics. It's a great way to break up an all black outfit and give a more relaxed feel to what could potentially be a more dressed up look. And yup, no tights! Three weeks and going strong - it's been fabulously warm out.

xo veronika

orla kiely

Orla Kiely / SS13 from CONNECT THE DOTS INC on Vimeo.

Have you peeked at this lovely Orla Kiely promo video? I'm smitten with the song that starts playing at 1:01. The video sets the most perfectly whimsical & carefree summer mood. I instantly want to be on holiday somewhere... wearing vintage inspired dresses, drinking milkshakes and walking hand-in-hand with my love. Enjoy + happy weekend. I'll see you next week for another "what i wore" post and a few more of our adventures!

xo veronika

crescent beach

Now that our weather is heating up, Martin and I have been out & about and exploring our near by beaches. Living on the west coast means we have an unlimited amount of them to explore. One of my favourites is Crescent Beach in White Rock - it's lined with charming Cape Cod style homes as well as a few restaurants and ice cream shops. Heaven! It was a bit chillier and crazy windy when we went, but I can't wait to return on a hot day. Hopefully for a picnic. I plan on doing lots of those!

This week, I've found myself in a wonderfully chipper mood. I feel like life is settling and I have a nice little routine going with blogging, career and just life in general. I've been taking advantage of the warm weather and working on our patio - so lovely. And I'm finally hunkering down and working on a small jewelry collection which I hope to launch on Etsy in the next few weeks. My focus is on creating pieces which are modern, delicate and perfect for everyday wear. I'll keep you guys posted. Anyone else on Etsy?! Let me know... I'd love to pop by for a visit!

xo veronika

what i wore

Outfit details:

Blazer - Banana Republic

Tee - Banana Republic

Jeans - Citizen of Humanity

Bag - Stella & Dot

Boots - c/o Wanted Shoes

Yes, this just might be the fastest "what i wore" post ever. But hey, that's how I roll these days. Did everyone have a fantastic weekend? I wore this outfit just prior to our heat wave. It was hot, hot this weekend, like summer hot. I can't wait for our condo pool to open and just drink up this amazing weather in general! I'm pretty sure that maxi dresses, flat strappy sandals, and light cardy's are all you guys will be seeing me in this spring/summer. Plus, I hope to do a little more thrifting too. Someone's on a budget! ;)

xo veronika

the detox diet & cleanse

This week, I've started a detox diet which I'm excited to share with you. After feeling fatigued and a little off the last few weeks, I decided it was time for a cleanse. It's the perfect way to reset the system and give your digestion a rest. I'm focusing on fruits, veggies, and lots of natural foods... and avoiding things like: diary, wheat, gluten, sugar, soy, coffee, alcohol, fried + processed foods. When it comes to exercise (during a cleanse) I avoid anything too strenuous and stick to walks & restorative yoga. Also, I wouldn't recommend doing the detox for much longer than 14 days. Here's a look at what I'm eating. I'm already feeling so much better for it!

What I'm eating:

Breakfast: quinoa, mangos, raw almonds, almond milk + a cup of organic white tea... amazingly healthy and great for helping heal inflammation in the body.

Lunch: veggie broth, lentils, assorted steamed veg, yams, fresh ginger and garlic. So good for you!

Snack: organic apples and raw almond butter.

Dinner: quinoa, assorted beans, yams, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and garlic. No fancy recipe here, just mix all your ingredients in a bowl and then toss with extra virgin olive oil + garnish with avocado.

If you're looking for additional meal ideas, then peek here: detox diet daily menu from about.com - tons of super helpful ideas + extra info. Also, if you have any questions for me, just ask in the comments section and I'll reply directly on the blog later tonight...

* please note: you should consult your doctor before making any significant dietary changes.

xo veronika