Category Archives: Sponsored

Skincare Favorites: A moisture story…

Kira Nov 17 2018 0016 This is the time of year, I feel my skin change with the temperatures. The moment cold weather is upon us my skin screams for moisture in all shapes and forms. I’ve partnered with Vichy to share my top 3 products I’ve been loving this past year. Here are my fav’s to combat winter dry skin and get that glow back with Vichy:

LiftActiv Supreme: PURE MOISTURE at it’s finest this light cream will melt into your skin leaving no grease residue behind. Honestly, it was tough not including the night cream from this same line, but I love this moisturizer so much for how smooth and radiant my skin can look within just a few uses with zero shine. If you are looking for a main moisturizer you can use every morning pre-makeup with zero time to let it soak in this one needs to be in your life!

Mineral 89: There should be no surprise this made my list. Using it for well over a year, this is my first step to the day EVERYDAY. Even my husband has his own bottle! Minéral 89 is a non-greasy gel that I love to use as my primer and initial skin boost to the day. It contains Thermal Water with natural origin hyaluronic acid to strengthen skin’s barrier function, which is so important with the harsh winter weather we put our skin through everyday. Even if you are not into skincare, this product is an easy add to your routine.

LiftActiv Vitamin C: This small but mighty bottle is my favourite product for getting that glow. With 15% Pure Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Fragmented Hyaluronic Acid and Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water you’ll notice brighter and tighter skin after just a few weeks. I love the power of Vitamin C for a skincare routine but I struggled to find products with a high percentage, this is why Vichy’s version made my list. A little goes along way with this mineral packed bottle.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Vichy Canada but may thoughts and opinions remain my own.

Travel || Banff, Alberta || Explore, Sip & Stay

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If you caught this little couples getaway on my Instagram stories last week, you’d probably have seen this blog post coming a mile away. As a born and raised Edmontonian this isn’t my first visit to Banff National Park by any means. We have frequented the area bi-yearly for decades. Luckily enough being an avid mountain air seeker, I’ve had the pleasure of trying many establishments and I wanted to share a few of our favourites in hopes this read will help you plan out your next escape. Here are my current hotels, restaurants and attractions of mention for Banff in 2018.

Stay

We’ve done the full range of accommodation options for Banff over the years: from rented house, cabins to hotels. I will say when booking a couples trip, I highly prefer a main street Banff hotel to any of the other options. Walking access to restaurants and sips being the main reason. And in all honesty, house keeping when I’m away from kids for some romance is a must.

Elk + Avenue Hotel (formerly the Banff International): Location, location, location… located in main street Banff, this modern and renovated hotel is steps away from nightlife, shopping and eats. We love the decor added in the last update to this hotel, it’s a trendy comfortable “après-ski” kind of vibe with so many cozy touches. Definitely check the website when booking, currently there is a promo that includes gondola and seasonal festival tickets with your room booking. Who doesn’t love some added value?

Honourable Mention Mount Royal Hotel: Although I haven’t stayed at it since it’s new renovations, I can definitely speak to the prime time location in the middle of main street. Visit the website and take a look at the gorgeous updated rooms and that roof top hot tub! Our plan is to try out the new rooms sometime this winter.

Sips & Eats

Let me start off by saying this category is so tough for me. There are almost too many places to mention that are incredible to eat. So to save myself from writing a novel I’m only going to share our current 2 favourites for both taste and experience.

Sky Bistro: Dine at the summit of a mountain. Enough said! We enjoyed a relaxed lunch with the most specular views we’ve ever seen from a restaurant. I highly suggest getting a reservation if you are going for a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain.

Chucks: It’s gotta be the Albertan in me but we cannot go to Banff and not get a real Alberta Beef experience. Grass fed, hand picked and aged steaks to choose from this restaurant is a meat lovers dream. You’ll notice we are not the only the ones who think so, you’ll need a reservation during peak dining hours or you will be turned away. We shared the the family style platter, The Cow Boy Trail it had something for everyone.

Experience

A trip to Banff is not complete without taking in some specular views. Between hikes, strolls along the falls or mountain top visits, everything is majestic in the mountains. Here is one experience you don’t want to miss.

Banff Gondola at Sulphur Mountain: For the view along, this gondola ride is definitely worth it. As a little side note, check the website you can save by bundling admission with dining, booking in advance or arriving early currently has free admission for children before a specific time. Approximately 7500 feet above Banff this attraction is a must for a breathtaking experience like no other. At the top experience a state-of-the-art facility offering history, shopping and dining. I suggest bringing layers to take a stroll on the boardwalk. I couldn’t get over the view or the elevation! Continue reading →

Style || Must Cozy Item Of The Season

With the holidays just around the corner, the air turning crisp and cool I know it’s some to be slipper weather. I love a good pair of cozy slippers to get me through the cold winter months. Partaking the art of Hygge just got easier with the wide selection of winter footwear needs from Soft Moc. With 125 stores across Canada you gotta visit to see all their winter offerings this year. They carry brands like Ugg, Sperry, Converse, VANS, Blundstone, Sketchers, Dr. Martens, my fav Hunter and so much more! I know you’ll find the perfect pair of slippers or snow boots to help you feel comfy to the max.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored and paid by Soft Moc.

Recipe || Mason Jar “Steak & Greek Greens” #sponsored #thinkbeef

Over the last few months I’ve partnered with ThinkBeef.ca. One of the concepts I learned was how important the role of meat plays in the health of the Canadian population along with other foundational foods like fish, grains, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. I was astonished to find on average, over half the women in Canada and boys ages 14 to 18 years, don’t eat the recommended servings of meat and alternative servings daily. I had mentioned on my Instagram, after taking the quiz on Thinkbeef.ca I learned just how nutrient dense beef really is. It contains much more iron, B12 and zinc than chicken at a comparable fat and calorie content. Compared to chicken, you would need to eat 7 servings of chicken (75 g cooked) to get the same amount of B12 as provided by 75 g of lean beef. With that said, beef truly inspired this easy Mason Jar recipe my whole family enjoys.

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients: 8-10 oz steak (rib eye is my preference), crumbled feta cheese, container of small tomatoes, 1 purple onion, 1 large cucumber, olive oil, 2 lemons, greek seasoning of choice, pepper, and sea salt.

Add salt and pepper liberally to both sides of your steak, grill to desired internal temperature (for this recipe I do medium).

While the steak is cooking half three cups of tomatoes, slice one large cucumber, and dice 1/2 cup of purple onion.

In a small bowl, squeeze both lemons and add approximately 1/3 a cup of olive oil. Stir in 2 tablespoons of greek seasoning (I love souvlaki). Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour dressing into the bottom of 4 small mason jars, layer in crumbed cheese, greens (tomato, cucumber, purple onion) and steak.

Shake before serving.

Eat immediately for best results or store in the fridge to eat within 24 hours

As an alternative, if you are not looking for a KETO friendly recipe adding 1/3 a cup of brown rice as the first layer on top of the dressing is a great option. Also, to be budget friendly pick up a flank steak and slow cook in water, salt, pepper and water for approximately 6 hours to make as tender as a ribeye steak.

Disclaimer: This sponsored was paid by ThinkBeef

Edo For A Week #ad #yeg #yegfood

If you’ve caught my Instagram stories this week you would have probably guessed I’ve partnered with Edo Japan. By no means am I new to the franchise, I’ve been loving them for over a decade. I’m so excited to share this exciting partnership opportunity with my family while ‘Edo for a week.’ We got to ‘Edo Your Heart Out’ while eating some menu favourites and trying some new finds from the ever evolving Edo Menu. We made three visits in one week and this is what we found:

Chop Chop Bowls. Perfectly grilled chicken, beef, or crispy tempura shrimp on top of rice, raw veggies, and Savoury Bulgogi sauce. We tried both the shrimp and beef this past week. This has been a go-to of mine since last summer. I love the fresh ingredients and size. I usually share mine with my toddler. He loves it as much as I do!

Iced Coconut Coffee: This one is unreal! It’s like a vacation in a cup. During this heatwave it was the perfect midmorning break for this mama.

Tempura Sweet Potatoe. A twist on the ever so popular tempura shrimp, this appetizer was my children’s fav of the week. They couldn’t get enough!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Edo Japan