Autumn's here!

 Happy autumn everyone!

I'm so super psyched that autumn (or fall, whatever you want to call it) is here! Granted, the weather has been rather hot during the last couple of days, but I know that in the next few days, I'm going to be donning scarves, chunky sweaters and beanies and that thrills me. Is it obvious that fall is my favourite time of the year? It's not too hot that I'm a sweaty mess, and it's not so cold that I'll drown in all the layers to keep myself warm, so autumn/fall to me is just perfect!

 As everyone knows, fall/autumn is sweater weather and I'm pumped to be wearing them again - I can't count the number of sweaters I own, which goes to show how crazy I can get during the season. Quirky printed sweaters, classic plain ones and casual sweaters for layering? I'm all over them. Here are a couple of ones that for sure I will be wearing in the next few days...

 And how could I forget boots? My boot collection does largely consist of black ankle boots - in fact, all my boots are black (I prefer to add colour to my outfits with my accessories or tops). I have yet to find a good pair of dark brown ones that are both comfy and affordable. 

 Now, another reason for why I love autumn? PUMPKIN SCENTED AND FLAVOURED ANYTHING!!! Pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, pumpkin spice donut from Tim's, pumpkin pies in general? LOVE IT! And the moment I spotted these Pumpkin Latte and Marshmallow scented body products over at Bath & Body Works, I literally squealed and ran over to get my hands on them. No joke. Last year they came out with the Scarlet Pumpkin scent and I'm gutted I didn't stock up on that, so this year I'm prepared. They've also got a whole range of other pumpkin scented stuff (like the Pumpkin Pecan Waffles hand cream on the far right) so there's something for everybody. 

In terms of beauty? It's time to whip out all the dark coloured, vampy colours - purples, reds, browns and bordering on black lipsticks! Now, I haven't exactly mustered up the courage to rock the uber dark lip colours (think MAC's Cyber or Film Noir) but I'm getting there. For now, I'm excited to rock my dark reds and plums! Are you?

Oh, and another reason why I love this time of the year? All the TV shows are back on! I can't wait to get my Grey's Anatomy, The Big Bang Theory, Glee and Once Upon A Time fixes! Granted, I can only watch them when I have the time, but nevertheless it excites me knowing that I get to see more of my favourite characters! And oh, there's a new series premiering on Sep. 25 called How to Get Away with Murder with Viola Davis that I can't wait to see!

Are you excited for autumn/fall? I definitely can't wait to discover what else the season has to offer. 

Happy discovering!

Ottawa Uni Life: Unpacking, Sightseeing & Jetlag

So it's that time of year again where students find themselves rushing to get back into the 'work hard' and 'damn, gotta wake up early now' modes after a somewhat stress-free summer. Well, if you're up in the Northern hemisphere or attend a school that follows a Western curriculum *ahem* anyway.

That only means, I'm back in Ottawa, and with a few days to go till the start of classes, I'm frantically trying to psyche myself for the mental onslaught I'll be receiving for the next three and a half months until Christmas. I swear, I should have really prepped myself before getting on the plane.

Alas, welcome back to the world of assignments, exams and asking for your seat-mate if they've got a pen you can borrow (and perhaps never give back)! I know, I sound so cynical, and I don't mean to be. Really.

Well, I may be just a tad bit cranky as I did just get back two days ago and am suffering through this terrible thing we call JETLAG. Hence, I have found myself snoozing in the afternoon and waking up at midnight to the sound of students HEADING HOME for the day. And it's only then that MY DAY starts. Meaning, I've been unpacking and sorting out my room in the wee hours of the morning, also meaning, I've got to be extra quiet and not wake anyone up with my stumbling around looking for things.

Here's a little sneak peek of my boudoir a.k.a. the place where I will be typing away on my laptop trying to finish assignments, eating most of my meals and breaking down from the pressure of deadlines. I joke. Maybe.

My work station! I must say, I think I'm prepared for this battle. Printer locked and loaded with ink, board filled with inspirational quotes, memories and reminders, and of course my little minion to keep me company? I think I'm all good. Let's do this!

And yes, I am a sucker for polaroids, and I love hanging them around my room. It can't be helped.

Since classes won't be starting for awhile, I took advantage of that, tapped into my inner tourist and went sightseeing around the city armed with my sunnies, camera and comfy flats.

Having lived here for practically two years now, the sight of Parliament Hill never ceases to amaze me. I can't help but glance at it every time the bus passes by and marvel at it's rustic charm. Summer, autumn, winter and spring? It still looks amazing. I can't count how many times I've photographed it over the time I've been here. I admit, I probably won't ever stop as long as I'm in the city.

If you're ever in the city, do stop by. I mean, I doubt you'll plan your trip here without a visit to Parliament Hill, but still. It's a beauty that you can't miss. And just a tip - if you are planning to visit, come to the city during the summer time to catch Mosaika, Parliament's light and sound show that tells the story of Canada! The Centre Block lights up with all this fancy light work and it is just amazing. I've caught it twice now, and I have to say, I was in constant awe both times. I believe it runs every night during the summer, though the times do change every month. It's free too, which is a plus. You won't want to miss it!

I just, argh, can't handle all this architectural gorgeousness! 

I definitely love strolling around downtown Ottawa, provided that the weather's good. It's one of the instances that I don't mind walking around to get anywhere.

Here's another beauty that is Fairmont Chateau Laurier. It's a historical landmark hotel just a few steps away from Parliament Hill, and again, I drool at the sight of it. I actually have yet to step foot inside. Perhaps this year I will. The whole french architecture just tugs at my heart that is eager to visit Europe and see buildings just like this one. One day, that will happen. But for now, my heart is content with this.

Alright, so maybe there is a perk to this whole jetlag thing. Getting to watch the sunrise for the past two days has been amazing. So, so pretty.

For those who are going back to school, I wish you the best of luck! Make this year count, especially if you're graduating - be it from grade school, high school or university! It's the perfect chance to make new discoveries, be it school-related or about you.

I've got a good feeling this year.
Come at us new school year!

August Beauty & Non-beauty Faves!

It's that time of the month again where I show you guys what I have been putting on my face and loving! I do like to switch things up every month, and I have been discovering (and at times rediscovering) quite a few beauty products that I wanted to share.

Because I have been under the Manila heat for quite a time this month, I definitely relied on my Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation (wow, that is a pretty long name!) to cover up any facial sins. It actually feels more like a BB cream/tinted moisturizer as it is very light-weight but buildable if you feel like you need more coverage. If you're like me and have quite oily skin during the summer months, I'd definitely recommend you try this one out. I've been pairing that with my MAC Studio Finish concealer and setting with my Rimmel Stay Matte powder (that I featured in a beauty faves post I believe in June).

Other beauty faves have been my EOS lipbalm in the Honeysuckle scent, Stila smudge stick waterproof eyeliner in lionfish (which I think, is the perfect metallic brown colour), MAC lipliner in Kiss Me Quick (from the LE Maleficent collection),  MAC blush in Melba and apply lightly with my EcoTools fluffy powder brush, the little sample I got of MAC's Zoom Fast Black Lash mascara and of course, my personalized MAC eyeshadow quad that's got (T-B) Naked Lunch, Smut, Sumptuous Olive and Humid. I realize I have been a little MAC happy this month, but I have just been loving quite a few of their products lately!

As for lips, I've been loving my nudey/mauvey colours such as Happy Skin's Shut Up & Kiss Me moisturizing lippie in Crushing On You and Rimmel's Kate Moss lipstick in 107. As for days where I want a little more colour, I've been reaching for either MAC's Red Balloon (from the Playland Collection) or True Love's Kiss (from the Maleficent Collection) that I pair with the Kiss Me Quick liner. 

My non-beauty faves:

Goldilocks came out with these Caramel Pusong Mamons recently, and I am in love. If you don't know what mamons are, they're these fluffy, chiffony-type bread treats that aren't too sweet but tasty nonetheless - like a mini cake (but not a cupcake) if you will. I love Goldilocks's regular mamons as it is, so having it with a caramel filling just thrilled me. And I just love how it's heart-shaped. Mhmm... I'll definitely be sneaking some of these babies in my luggage. I'm gutted Ottawa doesn't have a Goldilocks!

French toast has been quite the little indulging treat for me this month, and I've been finding any excuse I can to make these babies. So easy to make, and so, so delicious! I actually think I learned how to make these before I ever learned how to cook eggs! I remember asking my dad to make these when I was little and having them as a midnight snack. Oh, french toast just brings back so many good memories! Is it weird that I've associated food with fond memories? I hope not! I love pairing them with either peanut butter, cookie butter or Nutella, and it's just urgh, food heaven! 

My jam for this month is hands down Celine Dion and NeYo's Incredible. I have loved Celine Dion ever since I was like four years old (I distinctly remember belting out My Heart Will Go On, albeit out of tune, when I was little and just embracing my diva mode), and this song absolutely consolidated that love for her - is there anything she can't sing? This pop collaboration with NeYo has been a regular listen in our car, and I doubt I will ever get sick of it. The lyrics, the beat and the harmony between their voices never fails to make me smile. The music video actually reminds me of Katy Perry's Firework, just you know, a little more tamed down and minus the fireworks shooting out of breasts. Please, please give it a listen if you haven't already. Let's share this love. 

What have been your favourite discoveries (or rediscoveries) this month? Do share!

Happy discovering!