August in Ottawa is exploding with fashion forward events… it’s so exciting! Finally, I get to wear all the clothes in my closet, or have a reasonable excuse to buy more!
I bring you, Polo in the Park Ottawa, comparable to the Queen’s Plate in Toronto, this full-day fundraiser on August 27th is filled with activities for the whole family! I am not kidding, check out the itinerary below!
The Rotary Club of Ottawa South has partnered with Wesley Clover Parks and the Ottawa Polo Club to bring Ottawa the inaugural Polo in the Park fundraising event to benefit the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and TROtt (Therapeutic Riding Association of Ottawa-Carleton)
Although, I still have no idea what I will be wearing, I know for sure that I will be sporting my preppiest equestrian inspired look paired with the finest headdress I can get my hands on! If you’re looking for something spectacular in Ottawa, look no further. Chapeau de Madeleine, Ottawa’s classiest milliner, is offering a 20% off promotion to guests attending the Polo Match.
Brace yourselves, Ottawa! I have an announcement to make that collides food with fashion and I need your undivided attention please.
Thank you.
Diner en Blanc is coming to Ottawa on August 11, 2016 and you need to be there! The problem is, it’s a secret. As in, I have no details about the venue. Also, I can’t promise that you can come. And, there’s no food to eat or tables and chairs to sit on. You’re going to have to trek it all yourself too. Do I have your attention now?
It sounds crazy, but Diner en Blanc is an old Parisian tradition that happens all over the world and brings together thousands of people to share a meal in the most elegant and unlikely way. Think of it as an all-white “flash mob picnic & dance party”.
I may not know much about the details of this event, but here is what I do know… and what you should too:
Sign up here to register you and a guest on the list. There is a long coveted waiting list and it will be impossible to attend if your name is not on it. First come, first serve. So sign up! (Go now, and come back… I’ll wait for you…)
Now that you’re signed up… Think all white, everything. Your clothes, your shoes, your table cloth, your menu, your cloth-napkins. No ifs, ands or buts! Violators wearing ivory, bone or off-white will be denied entry. Yes, it’s that strict. But it’s gonna look so nice!!!
Yes, I said table and chairs. That includes, the right size bistro table and chairs, white table cloth, white cloth napkins (used to whip in the air signalling the inauguration of the party!) white cutlery, china, stemwear and your gourmet meal packed in your cutest picnic basket (white preferably!). “The table must be square, foldable, and easy to carry. The size must be between 28 and 32 inches (71 and 81 cm). The table does not have to be white as it will be covered with a white tablecloth.” Please read all the F.A.Q.s carefully for more precise details. There is no way I can get it all in this post! PS- I found some great table options at IKEA!
Plan your menu. Something that will pack nicely and is easy to eat outdoors. For serious guests who are looking for inspiration, I have planned an all-white menu courtesy of Metro Ontario, one of Diner en Blanc Ottawa Sponsors. Don’t forget to bring a garbage bag to clean up after yourself!
White wine and bubbles are the drink of choice, but all alcoholic beverages must be purchased in advanced. “You can also order your meal in advance. Catered meals and beverages are made available for pre-purchase on the e-store at the time of registration, up until approximately 10 days prior to the event. See your e-store for specific details and closing dates.”
Plan your outfit and go all out, all white (white out! haha) This is a posh event, so bring your A game. Hats, umbrellas (duh! rain or shine event), fascinators, anything goes as long as it’s white! Wear comfortable shoes too, because there will be dancing and you never know where the event will take place.
Patiently wait your turn to receive your invitation and R.S.V.P. without hesitation to secure your spot! (Eeek- I just got my email!!)
Tell all your friends to read this post and do the same.
We have so many plans for the backyard this summer, and I can’t believe it’s already May 3! It’s time to hustle people! This spring has been quite a drag, and I’m finding it really hard to get in the groove.
My husband plans to build a pergola, and I want to create an outdoor living space where we actually have a chance to enjoy! We still have to plant the garden and I need to get my herbs ready!
Every year, I host an annual BBQ in May, where my dad roasts a pig on a spit and I invite everyone under the sun for some food, drinks and family time. The end of May is the perfect time to get all the plants in the garden, it’s my moms birthday and everyone comes down for the Glebe garage sale. We’ve been doing this for 6 years now. The annual BBQ has become somewhat of a tradition.
My family cooks a lot, and sometimes we tend to be creatures of habit and prepare the same old foods on the grill.Don’t get me wrong, I am all about exploring new ways of preparing and eating food, my folks… not so much. It’s more traditional and “don’t-mess-with-the-recipe” kind of cooking at their house.
Finding Foodie and Backyard Inspiration
To get me out of my rut, I usually need something to inspire me! Where do you find your foodie inspiration? Whether it’s watching the food network, flipping through a sexy cookbook at Chapters, or pinning your favourite recipes on Pinterest, it’s clear that we all need to draw inspiration from one source or another. Me, I’m a hands-on learner. I like draw my inspiration from things that I can taste and watch being prepared in real life.
This season, there is no better place for me to get inspired, than the 3rd annual Eat Drink Spring 2016 foodie event in Ottawa. This is actually the sister show to the Ottawa Food and Wine Festival! On May 13-14, you’ll have the chance to taste food, sample over 100 wines and get backyard inspired, just in time for BBQ season! This outdoor event brings together all the best wines for Spring and Summer, Artisinal Cocktails, Craft Beers, and even a Battle of the BBQ in support of The Mission. There will be a food Circus under the Big Top, FREE Bottle Camp, Pati-Oh Canada, BBQ School, and non-stop outdoor entertainment all day long.
I think what I am looking forward to the most is learning how to pack the perfect picnic and make drinks using the herbs in my garden. This is all happening at Pati-Oh Canada
BONUS- Andrew Pike, resident Décor Expert on CTV’s The Marilyn Denis Show, will be there to talk about patio and entertaining tips!
Isn’t it amazing when things aline perfectly! I can get all my tips and inspiration ready in time to do up my garden the week after, just before my party!
So, apparently you can bike or CANOE down to the event at City Hall. I would love to arrive in style in my husband’s canoe! Can you imagine? (I think I might make this happen!)
I had to share this behind-the-scenes shot of Victor tampering with my shoot. Look at those hands though. He totally gobbled up the strawberries and orange when I was done!
Did you attend Bash Noir last year? Seriously, it was the highlight of all the events I attended. A job well done, with larger-than-life installations, live art battles, chocolate cigars and mesmorizing dances performed by robotic creatures. I know, it sounds out of this world, and it truly was.
This is why I am so excited for #Bash2016. The Bash events annually support the Ottawa Snowsuit Fund and help raise a lot of funds to purchase snowsuits for kids in the city. After the winter we had this year… I am sold!
Bash 2016, ‘London Calls’is an enticing affair taking place on June 10, 2016 at the stunning new Horticulture Building in Ottawa’s Lansdowne Park. This 21+ posh affair boasts an evening of royally outrageous entertainment, special guests, London inspired menus and in true BASH fashion- an event experience that is unrivaled in the Nation’s Capital. The ‘Royal Guard’ will be welcoming socialite guests as they enter past the famed skyline, and straight into the London Underground. With a Beatles Cover Band, a VIP High Tea Party, and London themed Tavern, you won’t find a better excuse to support the Snowsuit Fund, and to get seriously ‘groovy baby’.
Now the question remains… what to wear to the affair?
You would have to confirm with my fellow London fashion blogger living in Ottawa, Flic Taylor from Love A Good Stripe, but based on my research, London style is effortless, expensive with a side of kitsch. And by kitsch I mean colour, pattern, out-of-the-box pairing and just plain old fun! The art is making it look like you are not trying so hard, but you kind of, sort of did.
Quirky London Style-photo credit ellecanda.com
See what I mean? – photo credit ellecanada.com
Without trying to create a formula, I think this is an opportunity for you to really think outside the box and have fun with your closet. Pairing things irregularly and adding bold colours and print can really take your look to a whole new place. Just make sure you have a killer pair of heels and a show-stopping clutch to pull the entire look together.
See what I mean? – photo credit https://selfserviceuk.wordpress.com
t wines for Spring and Summer, Artisinal Cocktails, Craft Beers, and even a Battle of the BBQ in support of The Mission. There will be a food Circus under the Big Top, FREE Bottle Camp, Pati-Oh Canada, BBQ School, and non-stop outdoor entertainment all day long.
