first of 09 factoids.

tagged by jillian at novastyle + thestylishwanderer.

some facts about moi.

*the siblings. my soon -to- be nurse sister + business man- brother are my heart and soul. they are my best friends and i could not love them anymore. ( used a picture of us in new york this summer, as they really wanted to be on here ;) )

* i stopped plucking my eyebrows a few months ago. i am just going to let them be au natural and see how it goes. i've always preferred a bush-ier brow... so i am just going to embrace my natural shape.

* i am really into dainty-feminine style watches...thin-leather strap - gold details - roman-numerals. very Cartier

* 09 challenge. READ MORE. anything and everything. reading is one of the best things you can do + is such a gift... expand my horizons... soak up knowledge...be more open to new things.

* obsessed with butternut + spaghetti squash. i'm afraid i will turn into a squash someday soon!

* if money/opportunity permits. travel to europe sometime this year.

* purchase a much needed new laptop. why does technology become obsolete after a few years? will definitely be making the switch from a PC to the new ECO MACBOOK... it is insane...+ is the first enviro-friendly computer. i like its belief systems.

* listen more. open my heart. the greatest gift you can give someone is to just listen...

* dream car: lexus hybrid.

* SO obsessed with the NEW covergirl lipstains. go out and find them! i bought one...then went back the next day to buy two more. they truly leave you with the color + staying power of a popsicle.

* i love LOVE!

* style.com - what would i do without you?

* chloe + stella mccartney.

perfection.

* soy coffee mistos. addicted. yes.

* pray for a more united. safer. healthier planet.

x

sunny.

top.mr.price.dress.aa.boots.vintage.

AH. I squealed when I saw this top. Not only was it ridiculously cheap, but the print was almost an exact replica of the Stella McCartney I have been lusting over ... remember Amber Valletta's editorial ? hotness.

I could not resist buying it, even though I fly out to snow-land on Monday.

SO I am feverishly soaking up all the hot weather as I can.

We are headed to a friends beach house tomorrow for the night (LOVE mini road trips!)

Then to the BF's family Christmas circus, on Sunday (HUGE family!)

tagged.

by the beauties thestylishwanderer & billiejean

but instead of doing 6 unimportant things. i thought i would just do 8 (MY all time favorite number!) things on my mind...

- the ability to travel home for the holidays. Because what is life without family & besties?

-volunteering this holiday season.

-how i will be wrapping all my Christmas gifts with old magazines & recycled ribbon

-the sound of snow beneath my boots. snowflakes. fireplaces. long baths. reading for hours. layers. roasted veggies/soups. catching up with my amazing girlfriends. and giving my family the BIGGEST hug when i see them in the airport... ( Love Actually's airport scenes ALWAYS leave me teary eyed. i am constantly saying goodbye to the people closest to me...)

-listening to- the new STARS - Sad Robots

-the Zimbabwe crisis.

-nyc in february.

-Joe Fresh @ superstore.

very random!

***EDIT- i am off to the beach house ( it is +37 at the moment...ah!!!) so will be MIA from everything until Sunday night. Have a GORGEOUS weekend.***

unimportant.

jacket.uo.skirt+bodysuit.aa.boots.zara.sunnies.rayban

tagged by the beautiful fashionispoison

6 unimportant things that make me happy:

1. stella McCartney lingerie. ( after years of lusting...i am about to cave...)

2. magazines + green tea.

3. BIG bouquets of all white flowers.

4. my birthday this saturday. nov.8/2008.

5. freshness (the smell after a rainfall, cutting a watermelon, clean white sheets)

6. vintage rock t's. leather jackets. black booties + ONLINE shopping

( had to squeeze that one in!!!!)

AH. I am going crazy with finals + birthday on the weekend + more finals next week.

xo.

saturday night fever.

shirt.steve&barrys.jeans.jj.boots.zoom

80's.

I was definitely in a 80's mood when I chucked these socks on.

***

OH tags. You little things.

Thanks to S , Dana and Angela for the wonderful tags. You girls rock.

6 quirky/unknown facts

1. I'm Ukrainian.

2. I live in a city with some of the world's best beaches and I'm deathly afraid of the ocean. Its just too scary down there...plus we have one of the highest rates of great white attacks.

3. I was a dancer for 18 years. Upon graduating high school I went and danced on a cruise ship. Fell in love and that's how I ended up here...love boat ;)

4. I went into Social Work as I can't help but put myself in everybody else's "shoes". I have a passion for helping and my empathy factor runs deep. I truly feel the pain of others...and knew I could not proceed any further in my studies for the sake of my sanity.

5. I can only sleep on my stomach.

6. I am the biggest grandma/nerd you will ever meet. Sometimes I swear I have a 75 year old woman living inside of me. I love reading. baths. can't stay up late. wake up early. love to power walk. addicted to tea. have never been into clubbing... I could go on... :)

risky.

blazer. mossimo. pants. vintage. shirt. UO. shoes. JS. sunglasses. persol.

risky business.

Well finals have started. Sorry for being MIA. Living in the Southern Hemisphere means my year runs from February - November...therefore its nearing the end of the year. 5 long weeks of finals ahead of me. I wrote two this week and have heaps more to go. So before the real business starts, I went out with a few girlfriends tonight to watch the sunset...nothing beats the African sun. I promise you. magic.

I was definitely feeling a tad adventurous with this shirt on. Low, it is, but coupled with my blazer to cover any slips proved to be a perfect match.

Oh I also re-discovered this lipstick from my cruise ship days (I danced on one!) and since we got 30% off MAC and I had heaps of recyclables, free lipstick it was. It's a Glaze- called Hue. Hard to see in the picture, but its super natural and gives your lips a radiating glow. I don't wear much make-up, but this is now a must.

Tagged- yes. by the lovely lula of Hello Sailor ! ( ps- i'm obsessed with your name, lula). So here's a few tid-bits :

1. Clothes shop: very random + widespread. and will really look/buy anywhere. h&m. men's departments. aa. topshop. vintage. ebay. amazon

2. Furniture shop: @home. Scandinavian living. CB2.

3. Sweet: strawberries.organic chocolate.

4. City: New York. Paris. Vancouver. Cape Town. Auckland. Sydney. Kiev.

5. Drink: mint green tea. water. rooibos.

6. Music: stars. the strokes. tegan and sara. the bloc party. 80's. MGMT. bryan adams. broadway. SO much more.

7. Tv-Series: Not watching any at the moment. Sex and the city. Seinfeld.

8. Film: dirty dancing. breakfast at Tiffany's.

9. Workout: I danced for 18 years. So being active runs in my blood. I love everything. walking (like a new yorker-fast). pilates. bikram. spinning. running. hiking. dancing to good music. shopping (!)

10. Pastries: vegan cupcakes.

11. Coffee: after the BF bought a swiss espresso machine 2 months ago. I love it. But prefer green tea.

I TAG : amazing ashleigh from iamashleigh --- stunning susanna-cole from Girlmeetsnyc --- gorgeous geri from becauseimaddicted

random.

plaid+jeans.ON.T.marcjacobs.boots.zoom

sunday garb.

This is what I trucked around in yesterday. Just some comfy basics. Plaid. check. skinnies. and some booties to make it somwhat elegant ? Simple but oh so functional. Just another day filled with random errands. laundry. studying. walking the dog. etc... Sorry if this is super flat.

I've been tagged by some gorgeous gals- ashleigh and marta . I still don't get these things, but I will try my hardest to comply. Instead of doing the normal cut and paste. I thought I would just give some of my replies.

If I had unlimited funds...what would I do/buy ?

Besides providing water for the whole of Africa, and ending world poverty which are dreadfully and painfully out of reach...

I would purchase a private jet so I can fly home to Canada ANYTIME, and anywhere else for that matter. Switzerland. Sweden. New York. Sydney. Greece. Paris. Egypt. Tokyo. Ukraine... my list goes on forever...

Some of my most recently played songs --- in no particular order...

Automatic Stop--- The Strokes

Shut Up and Let Me Go--- The Ting Tings

The Con--- Tegan and Sara

The Good That Won't Come Out--- Rilo Kiley

I Will Possess Your Heart--- Death Cab for Cutie

Electric Feel--- MGMT

Calendar Girl--- Stars

Thanks lovely ladies.

AND I MUST PUT IT OUT THERE. I'm sure you've been bombarded with the images of the ridiculously fierce Christophe of BALMAIN ...and I am refraining from posting it, as its everywhere. But I just had to release some of my obsessiveness.