MissAdventures With Maya

C an you believe that November is almost here? I know, I am in denial, too. I just got used to the idea of Halloween and now the anxiety of holiday parties has started to sink into my nightly mental checklist of "Stuff to Prepare For". Seriously, it takes me even longer to fall asleep these days.  I'll admit that I felt like I had a tinsel sign on my forehead last year that read: FAIL, when it came to getting dolled up for the company holiday party, most of which traditionally hit us sometime in November. (Theory: if the drinking starts early then you barely notice how insanely busy you are for the next month and a half before you drop into a coma on Christmas Day) Well, this year I am letting my fingers get festive with the easiest accessory a busy gal has in her arsenal: polish. This isn't any old polish; Nicole by OPI has released their holiday sparkle series that will have your fellow co-workers ooh-ing and ahh-ing at your glammed up fingernails. I love the sp...

I'm not ashamed to admit that I "help myself" to handfuls of individually wrapped wet-naps whenever they are made available to me at various eating establishments. There's a part of my brain that calculates how many wet-naps I can take home with me based on the amount of money I have spent at said establishment without the burden of guilt. This has been a working system for me since the wet-nap and I have met, so keep your judgment in your pocket because your stink eye doesn't work on me, friend. I happen to think that the wet-nap is one of the greatest inventions of our modern, mysophobic times. I have them in every purse, gym bag, interior pocket of every coat and jacket I own, as well as in a massive jar in my bedroom. OCD aside, I like the darn things. As everyone knows, life is disgusting. Surfaces are covered in SOMETHING, EVERYWHERE you go. If I could carry around a sink to wash my hands in, I most certainly would. However, I would never use a wet-nap...

  When you calculate how much it costs to hit the salon just to have your hair blown out every time you want to, you could probably send yourself to Cosmetology school for the same amount.  As someone with au natural hair that has been compared to Albert Einstein's frizzy mane, I know the importance of a proper blow out and how it can literally change your life, make you walk tall and carry yourself through life with a sense of "Get Outta My Way, I'm WALKING!".  "I would say that hair is a woman's glory and that you share that glory with your family."- Maya Angelou Well, my darlings, if a woman's glory is her hair, then allow me to help you help yourself in getting it in tip top shape! Recently having mastered the "At Home" blow out, I can honestly say that I will go to the salon on special occasions, sure, but I have a biweekly appointment with myself when it comes to the day-in, day-out blow out. Here's what got me started:...

I may not be able to afford to fly to France right now, but I most certainly can afford to smell like I did. One of my favorite brands, L'Occitane En Provence, invited me to attend the grand re-opening of their Uptown Toronto location this week. (2589 Yonge Street) Sipping on some bubbly, nibbling on a mini-quiche, the products reminded me of all things French: refined, romantic, fresh and clean. The scents that drove me wild: Linden ( the little fleurs that could: the scent is known to assist in clearing up a stuffy nose!) and Verbena (with its sun burst of sharp citrus, will awaken your senses and keep them in full gear). With winter rearing its hideousness in the upcoming months, smelling like sunshine is precisely the cure to the dark days ahead.  Check out their product line for yourself, but take a break from the humdrum of your day and pop into a location near you for the full fragrant experience. Until next time, darlings.... Smooches,  Miss M xo ...