Sunday, December 21, 2014

My Everything

I am probably the worst blogger in the history of blogs. Well.. maybe not the worst, but I feel like being inconsistent with your posts probably isn't the best thing to do haha. So I apologize. Anyway, here is a cozy autumn look that is super easy to do (yes.. I realize it is now winter, but with no snow on the ground it does still feel a bit like fall, so that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!).
This is an old knitted sweater of my mom's that paired well with my Joe Fresh leggings ($5) since it was a bit bigger on me and felt very relaxed and comfy. The boots I'm wearing are also my mom's and they are fantastic! Such a nice deep brown colour. If you have tiny little chicken legs like me *sad face* then these boots are perfect, because they are tighter than most around the calves. I always have a hard time finding tall boots that do not look ridiculous on my slender legs haha so I love these ones!! The beautiful scarf I am wearing is from a little vintage boutique and has so many gorgeous shades of brown in it, so it was a perfect way to tie all the colours together! I am also wearing "Sultry" by Revlon on my lips, which is a shade that I am obsessed with! It is perfect for fall/winter, and is super long lasting. I would highly suggest it!! A close-up of my make-up is shown below :)


Monday, November 24, 2014

Fall Fall Fall

Here's a recent fall look of mine! It was so much fun, and I got a lot of compliments on this look during Thanksgiving. I'm all about being girly but with a edgy twist, and I think this outfit did just that!
Turtlenecks for me are a major staple for fall/winter time. I don't do well with the cold, so I always bundle up as much as possible haha. This cropped cheetah turtleneck is super cute and is from Primark. Who says skirts are only for summertime? This is an old high waisted skirt of mine that worked perfectly with this outfit. It was from Stitches and is wayyy old (can't tell right?). Since I didn't have a pair of over-the-knee boots (which I need to invest in) I opted for a heel/long socks combo. The key is making sure that both shades of black match! These socks are from Primark. They are really cute and feminine having the bow hanging down at the back, but also a bit edgy with the black colour and texture.

Friday, October 31, 2014

Summer in Autumn

Here is a recent look I posted, back when the autumn weather was feeling a bit more like summer and little less like winter.

I love this top- I think it is so pretty and feminine, and I like all the pastel colours in it. It was $10 from Suzy Shier. It is hard to see in the photo (I should have moved my hair) but the back of the shirt is cut into a low V. The pants are also from Suzy Shier and were $5. These pants are very stretchy and jegging-like and the brown is perfect for fall. Finally, the blue wedges are from Payless Shoes and are American Eagle. I thought the blue wedge paired very nicely with the outfit and brought out some of the blue accents in the shirt!

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Every effort matters

I can't believe how bad I've been at posting lately. It's been almost 2 weeks since my last post... Time flies. 

I'm kinda zonked right now *yes zonked is a word if you're wondering* so I leave you with this:


Don't ever discredit yourself. Some people may not understand or appreciate how hard you're working, but your efforts do matter! Everyone's different, and for some people, even just getting out of bed can be tough. Keep pushing, and remember to reward yourself for your accomplishments along the way, even as small as they may seem!

Monday, October 13, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving :)

Happy Thanksgiving!! There are so many things that I am thankful for, the most important one being my family! Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend celebrating with their families, and remember to be grateful every day for what you have! I sure am :)





Sunday, October 5, 2014

Sky full of stars

Hi!! Wow I have been lacking in the posts as of late, I've just been so busy! Here's a look from last week when we had some beautiful weather. It felt like summer but in fall! I guess Mother Nature is trying to make up for summer? Not sure if I forgive her just yet. Anyway, this was a very simple and feminine look but felt very fun at the same time!
The sparkly blue crop top was $5 from Forever 21. The cheetah skirt was $10 from H&M and has been featured in many of my outfits (as you may have noticed) because it is super versatile and can be paired with a variety of things. The heels are from The Shoe Company. Click above to hype this look!

Monday, September 29, 2014

Macaroons!

Last week for the first time ever, I tried making macaroons. What I thought was going to be a horrible mess, actually turned out to be amazing! I got a ton of good reviews and I definitely will be making more of them in the future!


For these macaroons you will need:

-3 1/2 egg whites 
-1/2 cup of granulated sugar
-1 tsp of vanilla extract 
-2 1/2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips 

Mix together the egg whites, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Beat this for approximately 2 minutes until it appears almost bubbly. Add in the shredded coconut and chocolate chips slowly making sure every part is moistened. Then take small scoops and roll them onto a greased baking sheet.

*Note: if it is very sticky and moist while rolling the balls this is okay! It can get a bit messy though. Rolling isn't entirely necessary, I just wanted to avoid them from falling apart! Finally, bake at 325F for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Take them out of the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet.

That's it!! Simple eh? Mine have been in the fridge now for 5 days and still taste great! 

I hope you enjoy this recipe and make some tasty treats! These could be a perfect little dessert to add for thanksgiving :)

Thursday, September 25, 2014

EPIC WEEKEND

This was Tuesday's look. Very relaxed and cool but chic at the same time, no? I love fall! Such a beautiful time of year. Please hype below if you like this :)
The EPIC WEEKEND shirt was $4 from H&M and is super cute. My jeans are an old pair that I bought for $15 from Garage. I am loving ripped denim right now, and am actually working on a pair of my own which I will hopefully be posting soon! The grey cardigan is from Primark.

Monday, September 22, 2014

London Fashion Week

Hello!! It has been quite a few days since I last posted, so I thought I'd share a recent look. This was from last week and was very much inspired by London Fashion Week. This was a very girly outfit and was super fun!
The "London" shirt is from Primark. The red skirt was $20 from Urban Outfitters. This was a fantastic purchase, and was actually a gift for my sister Rachel, but she never wore it so I permanently stole it from her haha. It is very light and comfy, and the perfect way to spice up any boring outfit. The boyfriend blazer is from PINK by Victoria's Secret and is lined with polka dots on the inside, HOW CUTE?! I paired this outfit with white knee socks, a red bow in my hair, and a little pair of secretary heels. Cuteness Overload???

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

WOD

This was actually yesterday's WOD but I did not get around to posting it until this morning. Anyway, here it is:

Warm-Up:
1/2 mile run 
Max handstand hold

Workout:
AMRAP in 10 mins of:
10 box jumps
10 sit-ups with dumbbell
10 burpees

*NOTE: If performing at home, be careful with the box jumps and ensure that your "box" is sturdy. I unfortunately had an unsteady table topple over on me yesterday during the workout. Still got up and completed it though!!

Finish off with:
Max handstand hold
1/2 mile run (as hard as you can)

Cool down by walking and doing a quick stretch afterwards.

The one that's broken

Yesterday's outfit. I am loving fall! These are my favourite pair of pants- I love anything bedazzled or glittery, so these do it for me. Plus they are high-waisted, so it is the perfect combo!
These fabulous pants were $10 from H&M! The blue crop top was $5 from Urban Planet. The jean jacket is from Gap (quite a few years old but still good as new.. I would definitely suggest investing in one of these)! I am a frugal shopper and typically only purchase items that are on sale or greatly priced, but there are a few staple items in my closet that I paid a little more for, but have gotten SO much use out of. This jean jacket (which is a total necessity to any wardrobe in my opinion) was probably around $50, but I have had it for atleast 4 or 5 years. Yes...I have not grown much, so this works to my advantage when shopping haha.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Fall is in the air

This is yesterday's outfit! It was perfect for a nice fall day on a Sunday afternoon. I just can't believe that is is fall already! Last week I was wearing shorts, this week I'm wearing sweaters and boots. Craziness. If you like this look, hype below!
The very comfy and cute sweater is from Forever 21. I love anything loose and baggy, especially in the fall with leggings- comfort is key! The headband and accessories are also from Forever 21! The leggings are from Primark. The boots were purchased a few years ago from The Shoe Company. I must say, they have gotten a lot of use over the years from many of my family members, and are still in good shape.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

September tingz

This has been my first post in a while- September has been a crazy busy month so far! Here's a quick update on what has been happening :) 

For labour day weekend, our family went on a roadtrip to Bissells Hideaway! My zio rented out the entire hall, and all day long we barbecued, chatted, and played sports outside. It's a great little place, I used to go all the time as a kid with one of my friends who had a trailer there. There's a large pool with slides and a play place for kids, an arcade room, horseback riding, zip lining, wall climbing, paddle boating, and a tuck shop! I had a blast from the past, when I got tiger stripe icecream from the tuck shop. It was seewwwww go0o0od!! 



After returning from our getaway, I spent my efforts on perfecting my barista abilities. Have I mentioned that owning a cute and quaint little coffee shop is like my dream job!? Hahaha. Now I've got the technique down, so I'm one step closer! ;)


Another one of the many things that I did during my blog hiatus was dyeing my hair!! For the first time! Virgin hair no more! Although it didn't turn out exactly as I had hoped, I couldn't be happier!

I was going for this: 


And ended up with this:


Not bad for my first dye job ever right!? I must admit that I was quite timid, so I think my downfall was that I did not use enough dye on my hair... But the result was very natural looking so I'm quite happy! It depends on the lighting, sometimes it looks lighter than others. Also, my hair looks a bit ratty in the above picture but this is due to me being in the car for 4 hours haha not from the dye!!


Perks of doing it myself
* I can choose how I want it to look
* only I am to blame if it turns out horribly
* Did not use any bleach- was only a colour!! No harsh chemicals!
* was able to watch bachelor in paradise while waiting for the dye to finish colouring my hair 
* only $15!!!!! HUGE SAVINGS 

Maybe I should go into hairdressing??? So many career paths to choose from haha ...

The last week I spent in Kingston and I was very occupied helping out with CrossFit Queen Street! As busy as my visit was, it was nice to get away! I'll have a separate post dedicated to that though- to come soon :) 

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Shake It Off

The haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate and the bakers gonna bake bake bake bake bake. I'm just gonna shake shake shake shake shake. Shake it off, shake it off. This is a sporty yet still girly look. It was really fun!
Crop top- $5 from Garage. Skirt- Aeropostale. Cardigan- Primark. Earrings- GUESS?. Shoes- Converse.


:)



Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Winona Peach Festival!

What an exciting weekend it has been! It was the one and only Winona Peach Festival! One of my favourite times of the year. I unfortunately didn't spend as much time at the festival as I would have liked, but I was still able to get my favourite treats in!

For those of you who don't know.. Panzerolli's are a thing. They are the best. It is basically a panzerotti but bite sized. And if you are not sure what a panzerotti is, it is pizza inside out (the cheese and sauce is in the middle of a pizza ball)! 

In addition to these delicious treats, I got my absolute favourite... The famous peach sundae!!! It is a huge cup of homemade vanilla icecream with slices of local fresh peaches topped with whip cream. It is to die for!!!


As always, I look forward to next year and hope I'll be able to catch "The Practically Hip" since I missed their show this time around. Hahaha

Monday, August 25, 2014

Bang Bang

Today's look! I'm sure I have mentioned this many times before, but I am a huge socks with sandals kind of girl. So whenever I have the chance to wear socks with heels, I go for it!

Sunday, August 24, 2014

A night out

This was from a recent shoot where we had to be dressed for an up-scale nightclub. The dress is from GUESS? and the shoes are from Sears. The very cute blue purse was purchased in Mijas, Spain during my trip there this summer. It also comes with a removable strap, but I usually opt to use it as a clutch!


I kept the accessories very minimal with this outfit, as I wanted to keep it simple. The dress itself is slightly dramatic with the one side being sleeveless and the other draping down the arm. The shoes added a bit of texture to the look, as they are snakeskin printed (fake obvi) and they wrap around the ankles. I'm loving this trend btw, because it spices up the heels but also keeps them looking classy, while providing a ton of ankle support (ding ding ding happy about this). Finally, I chose to pair this with a beautiful turquoise blue clutch purse, to give a pop of colour! It is still summer after all !! 

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

New nails

Trying to keep summer alive by painting my nails bright pink, but I'm not sure it's working so much haha 


I started with a clear coat (any will do). I then followed this with two coats of Revlon's "bubbly" #280 on all except my fourth finger.


I then did two coats of Confetti's "Not my mother's pink" #057 on my fourth finger. 


Once dry, I added a thick coat of glitter nailpolish from La Senza. 


When all my nails were dry I added a quick layer of top coat (again any will do) and that was it! Nothing too spectacular but it added an extra little pzazz to an otherwise relatively plain polish :)

Friday, August 15, 2014

When you move, I move

Today's look! Well not exactly today since it was way too chilly to be wearing shorts outside, but from not too long ago... although it feels like forever ago. Anyway, this is a very relaxed look, nothing crazy.
The seahorse crop top was $5 from H&M. The jean shorts are Levi's (I highly recommend any Levi's denim- these have lasted me for so long). The blouse was a gift from my wonderful nonna and is so beautiful. Oh and the sandals are from Primark! I have gotten a ton of compliments on these sandals, they are super cute. Please click the hype button above if you like this look :)

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Teenage Runaway

Here is a look I posted on Tuesday, before my day trip to Toronto! I love the layered shorts look, so I thought I would try it out :)
I need to find a better way to take photos, as lately my iPhone does not seem to be doing the trick... my photos turn out blurry from time to time, which is very unideal.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Latch- Disclosure

I've been loving the weather the last few days, it has been so beautiful out! This look is almost entirely from H&M. The top was $3 and the skirt was $10 (both from H&M). The shoes were $20 and were a recent purchase from Sears(I stole them from my mom haha). Click below to hype this look! :)

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

feeling peachy

Here is today's OOTD! I was feeling very girly today, so I dressed a bit more feminine. It's always fun to dress up! If you like this look, hype below!
The crop top was $5 from Garage. The high waisted skirt is from Primark and can be converted into a dress. (I love things that can be worn multiple ways) The red heels were $15 from Payless and I have had them for years!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Lower Body Workout

This was my lower body workout from yesterday!

Warm-Up: 
(on treadmill)
- Walk up-hill for 5 minutes
- Fast jog for 2 minutes (no incline)
- Walk up-hill for 5 minutes

Workout:
3 sets of 10 reps of each of the following exercises:
- Single leg dead lift (left leg)
- Dumbbell Squat
- Single leg dead lift (right leg)
- Dumbbell Sumo Squat
*Rest for about 30-40 seconds between sets

2 sets of 20 reps of each of the following exercises:
- Bodyweight glute kickback (left leg)
- Bodyweight glute kickup (left leg)
- Bodyweight glute kickback (right leg)
- Bodyweight glute kickup (right leg)
*Rest for about 30 seconds between sets

5 minute fast jog/sprint on treadmill

Cool down & Stretch

I paired this workout with a 30 minute yoga routine focusing on legs and butt which I completed earlier in the morning. My lower body feels great today!


Sunday, August 3, 2014

One Direction Concert!

Yesterday was one of the days I have been waiting for all summer.... the OneDirection concert in Toronto!!! It was a great concert and a lot of fun, especially since I went with my three sisters. Alanna made our shirts and we got all decked out in 1D gear!


As with any concert at the Rogers Centre, downtown Toronto was crazy busy. This time, however, it was even crazier because its Caribana weekend! We made sure to give ourselves plenty of time to get to the concert. 


While waiting outside the arena, wewere  approached by Kiss 92.5 radio host Dammit Maurie, who asked us some questions about the boys and then asked us to sing a few lines from "Best Song Ever". We then resang the line saying "..and we're listing to the best station ever!" It was awesome to meet him and it got us super pumped right before the show! Unfortunately we were unable to hear our debut on the radio, but I'm sure it was good haha 

 
We all had floor seats so it was great to be close to the stage but I found it very difficult to see. 5 seconds of summer took the stage first and played for about 40 minutes, they were great as always! Then there was a 45 minute wait (which I was not too happy about) until One Direction took the stage!


Here's some pros and cons from the concert:

Pros:
- Got to see the boys live 
- They sounded really great (as always)
- Sang my favourite songs (Diana, what makes you beautiful, one thing etc.)
- They were comedic and cracked a few jokes 
- The show was a bit more intimate this time around. The boys introduced a lot of the songs and seemed very relaxed. 

Cons:
- Very hard to see due to a poor stage layout. I think creating a catwalk as a stage was a good idea and was intended to give everyone the best experience possible. However, the stage was very narrow, and our seats were facing forwards, so everyone had to keep turning around to see them! I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been.
- The boys lacked energy. They seemed really burned out. Not sure if this is because it was their second show in Toronto or just because they've been touring for a while, but at this time last year they had a significantly greater stage presence and charisma. I was slightly disappointed this year. Zayn in particular was literally just standing in one spot the whole time and didn't crack a smile once!!
- The show lacked show (pzazzz) If that makes sense. They needed Sharpay and Ryan Evans to come in and give them some sparkle.. Give them some umphh!!! 
- You couldn't see the band. Okay, I know, nobody is there to see the band, but let's give these guys some credit too! They did a fantastic job, and they were barely seen the whole show. 
- There was very little interaction with the audience. Previous shows have included twitter or Instagram sections where they answer questions from the fans. There were no videos, no dances, nothing. 
- no costume changes. Maybe I'm biased, but I enjoy when artists put on a real show, and that includes their outfits! You have to keep it interesting and change it up.. Especially when you are soaked in sweat, wouldn't you want to change quickly and freshen up? I know I would!


So I know it seems like there were way more cons than pros, and maybe there were, but it was still a great show. I had a much better time last year at the Montreal show, but that doesn't mean that the Where We Are Tour isn't worth going to, because it is. It just didn't live up the expectations that I had made based on their performance last year, which was disappointing.



I took more videos than I did photos, hence why these photos aren't the greatest haha.

I am still a huge One Direction fan and always will be. I hope they come back to visit Canada soon, and that they continue doing what they are doing! Much love to 1D!!! 

Monday, July 28, 2014

OOTD in Benalmadena

So I tried posting this a few days ago while I was in Spain but for some reason my iPad was not cooperating. Anyway, here is a recent look of mine from Spain! If you like this look, please hype it below :)
The crop top was $5 from Urban Planet, and the maxi skirt was about $14 from Primark. The brown wedges were $20 from Sears and are very comfortable! I wore them on all three of my flights, as well as walking around the airport and along the board walk in Benalmadena!

Booty, Abs & Shoulders

For today's workout I started out with 15 minutes of "booty toning" haha. This consisted mostly of lunges, single leg dead lifts, glute kickbacks etc. I then did a 7 minute ab workout courtesy of Tone It Up (link below).


This ab routine was great as it had a variety of movements, however, the pace was a little too fast and they did not provide very good instruction. 

I then did a WOD inspired by one of the events yesterday at the CrossFit games. 

3 rounds of:

20 sit ups
45 second hand stand holds
20 overhead lunges (with dumbbells)  


My post workout meal consisted of a sandwich and milkshake. The sandwich is my go-to: avocado, tomato, cheddar cheese, and mayonnaise on whole wheat bread. 

I tried making a new milkshake today and it turned out really well! It consisted of: 
- 1 cup of fruit juice
- water (I only added a little bit- depends on how big of a shake you want)
- one scoop of vanilla protein powder
- 1 teaspoon of matcha powder
- a good handful of kale 
- 1/2 a lime (squeezed)

It turned out to be really yummy, and it's super healthy too. I was too hungry that I forgot to take a picture of my meal, but I'm sure I will be making another soon enough. Trust me, it was good!

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Munich

It's been a busy few days since I arrived back home on Friday. Thursday evening, my sisters and I left Malaga and headed to Munich, Germany.


We had a fantastic flight with Lufthansa, and were shocked that they provided so many drinks and a meal while on board for only 2.5 hours! The crew consisted of tall blond hair blue eyed flight attendants- very German. Once we landed in Munich, we were quickly escorted off the plane (within minutes) and shuttled by bus over to the terminal. I was so impressed with the German airport, it was so incredibly organized. 



We waited no longer than 5 minutes for our checked luggage- this is unheard of in North America! The airport was also very tidy, and was just superior in every way. 



We were unable to find a cheap hotel in Munich, so we opted to stay over night at the airport until our 12 pm flight the next day. Now, I've stayed overnight in airports before, but this was way too long. Looking back, we definitely should have booked a hotel, but I'm glad we chose to save money and sleep on a bench in the noisy airport instead haha. Made for an adventure and resulted in me having the best sleep of my life on Friday night.


Inside the airport, there was a ton of ways to entertain ourselves. They had a few bars and restaurants open, as well as a live band. The mcdonalds was open 24 hours, as well as a supermarket with everything imaginable inside. The Germans are so efficient, why waste time and space having to go to multiple stores when you can just get everything you need from one!?


After changing into comfy clothes, we spent time wandering around the airport, grabbed some food, and enjoyed the live music. We were able to store away our bags for 4 euros, so luckily we did not have much to lug around with us all night. Unfortunately, neither of us got much rest, as the airport was constantly being cleaned in some way, so we were always asked to move. Soon enough it was morning and we were ready to check in for our flight. 

To make a long story short, this was one of the most stressful situations I've ever been in. We checked in but were not given a seat on the plane. Although we were flying standby, I found this odd, as last time I checked the load was showing a green happy face (meaning we should have no problem getting on). However, our ticket now proved otherwise. We went to the baggage counter and the man refused to check our luggage. He said the flight was oversold by 20 seats and that we should go to the gate as soon as possible and ask for a jump seat. As you can imagine, I was panicking (tried to appear calm so as to not stress out my sisters, but inside I was losing it!!) How on earth am I going to let my 16 year old sister sit in a jump seat for 9 hours?? I frantically started looking up flights elsewhere, but I kid you not, everything was full. We were not going anywhere anytime soon.

I was finally able to find a flight to London, England. From there I had no idea what we would do, but I thought atleast it's a place I'm more familiar with, everyone speaks English, and there are many flights to Toronto that we could try to get on. All of the flights of course were also oversold from London to Toronto, but I figured it was worth a shot. I checked us in for the London flight, and what do you know, it gave us seats. Thank The Lord. So now we had a backup plan. The only problem being that our so-called backup plan was scheduled to depart at the exact same time as our original flight. Well... Wouldn't this be interesting. 

We hurried through security and then rushed to the gate for our original flight. Luckily, the two gates were nearby, so I was able to quickly run back and forth. After such a terrible night and an awful morning, we were so blessed to have such nice Lufthansa crew members working at the gate. Upon hearing that our mother works for Air Canada and that we were thinking of connecting through London if there were no alternatives, they seemed very eager to help. It was an oversold flight with other standbys listed, but these ladies were determined to get everyone on board. Alas, we were able to squeeze on the flight just minutes before departure. We were all scattered apart on the plane but none of us cared as long as we made it on. 

The flight itself was fantastic. Lufthansa is by far the best airline I've ever flown with. The crew was so nice, and the service was impeccable. We received 2 meals and a snack, with many rounds of drinks being offered as well. Unfortunately I was seated right at the middle exit, so it was freezing. This also happens to be where the baby bassinets are located, so I was stuck beside a crying baby the whole flight. Now, normally this would not bother me, as I love babies, but having been up for 24 hours, I was definitely a little irritable and that crying baby was putting me over the edge haha. I managed to tune the baby out, it wasn't his fault after all, and watched a few movies. 

To my surprise, Storm showed up to meet me after my flight. This was incredibly sweet of him, although he didn't end up making it in time hahahaha. I hate to laugh because I'm sure it was very frustrating for him but it's such a typical guy thing to do. I really appreciated him coming all the way down to surprise me though, it was really cute. We headed straight home, and have had a very low key weekend, as I am still exhausted from the trip. Looking forward to getting back into routine tomorrow though!! That's it for now, my European adventure is over, but hopefully there will be plenty more ahead in the future!

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Last day in Malaga

Yesterday was my final full day in Spain, so we all tried to make the most of it by spending the day at the beach. We played volleyball for a little while with two young Spanish men, who were quite unimpressed with our lack of volleyball skills. My sandals broke mid game, so I was constantly running around trying to cool off my feet from the hot sand. Us Spinellis aren't exactly known for being the best volleyball players, so it was quite a comedic event. 


Did I mention that we saw THE BLACK PEARL??!!!


Besides that, nothing too exciting happened throughout the day. We all went for dinner around 9 to Mama Leone's, which everyone had been raving about. I still can't believe how late the Spanish eat dinner, we weren't finished our meal until almost 11 o'clock!


My beautiful sistas!



Momma Spinz getting in on the action!


On our way down to the restaurant, Mj insisted on taking a photo of us at the marina. I can see why, it is such a beautiful spot (not that you can see it, she isn't the best photographer haha).


At mama's, Alanna, Mj and I ordered a 10 euro three course meal. For the appetizer, Mj and I each ordered a mixed salad, while Alanna got chicken soup. My salad was great, however, I have noticed that in Spain they typically use iceberg lettuce for all their salads, where I would have preferred some better greens. Alanna does not recommend the chicken soup. We ordered sangria at dinner also!


For the entree, Alanna ordered Spaghetti bolognese, Mj ordered chicken and fries, and I ordered spinach lasagna. I was thrilled with my dish. At first glance, it looked very creamy and there was little pasta to it, but I ended up eating the entire thing. I've only recently become a spinach fan, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this meal.


For dessert, Mj and I ordered a caramel creme brûlée, while Alanna ordered rice pudding. Nothing special to note for the desserts, but overall they were good. Rachel and Emilee split garlic bread and a chicken Cesar salad for dinner, which they were not too fond of. Again, I thought it was incredibly weird that it was iceberg lettuce in a Cesar salad! 


After dinner we took a long walk along the marina, and ran into a few friends from the dance studio. We also stopped for another photo op, naturally.



We did not stay out too late at the marina, as we had to head back to the hotel to figure out our flights for the next day. 


Goodbye Spain... Next stop... Munich, Germany!!

Mijas

The wifi here is extremely frustrating, my posts keep deleting and I'm having a hard time uploading them, so I will keep this one short and sweet. Mijas doesn't need much of an explanation anyway, the photos will do all of the explaining. Yesterday was amazing. Mijas is the most beautiful place I've ever visited!! 

The drive was about 30 minutes from Benalmadena and consisted of me taking a ton of pictures of the beautiful scenery. 



The town of Mijas was basically a little village, where all the houses were white and most of the streets were cobble stone paths. You got the "everyone knows everyone" kind of vibe from it. So cute.



Shortly after arriving we toured around the town and went into many little shops. Check out the amazing view!!




The first stop on our tour was an old church created inside a cave. It was very interesting. 


We then enjoyed the view some more and purchased the most tasty sugar glazed almonds! They were to die for!


For dinner, we ate at a local Steakhouse. The people were so friendly and accommodating, given our limited time frame (Emilee had to hurry back before the show). 

Margarita pizza for Rachel:


Pepperoni pizza for Emilee:


Alanna and Mj enjoyed their chicken and steak dishes, respectively.



And rigatoni Napolitana for me!!


This was some of the best food we have had in Spain so far, and the servings were huge too. One thing we have been surprised about is the lack of spice in the food here. I definitely thought it would be more prominent in the Spanish dishes, but they have actually been quite bland. Again, maybe this is a known thing, but I just thought it was so strange! I love my spices!


After dinner we all received mojitos on the house! I'm not a fan of mojitos whatsoever, but these were the best I've ever tasted!! We then headed over to the main square to watch the Lois Laxton dancers perform.


We had a great crowd come out to watch the show, and the dancers were fantastic (especially Emilee)!  



Alanna took some better action shots of Emilee dancing, which I will have to post on here as soon as possible! I was busy videotaping the performances, so I was unable to take photos. After the show, the dancers went around handing out Canada flags and pins to the audience who seemed to really appreciate it! They were all really excited to receive a little piece of Canada. 

The LLDS performance was followed by a group of young Spanish dancers. They were so incredibly cute, and it was so cool to watch them on stage doing their Flamingo routine. Check out how cute their outfits were!!


After the show we all went out for drinks at a local restaurant. Turns out, the owner is Canadian and is from Toronto! He has been living in Mijas since 1997 and has a few successful businesses here. He was really happy and proud to see so many young Canadians coming to perform in Spain, and it was exciting for us to see a fellow Canadian being so successful over here in Europe!!