• Afternoon Tea,  Lifestyle,  Making Tea at Home,  Pawfectella,  Pawfectella Everything!,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    High Tea Takeout | Neverland Tea Salon

    Hello everyone! I hope this blog post finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and doing well, during this time. <3

    In today’s blog post, I’ll be sharing one of my favourite “stay at home” treats: High Tea Takeout! During COVID-19, I have been trying especially hard to support small businesses, both near and far. One of my favourite high tea salons is Neverland Tea Salon. My husband and I have been going there for years, and it’s our “go-to” place to celebrate Birthdays, Valentines and Anniversaries. You might remember one of my blog posts about a Valentines Day High Tea. Or may have seen the inside of Neverland Tea Salon in some of my older YouTube videos!

    Neverland Tea Salon is such a magical place, not to mention the food and teas are amazing. I cannot have dairy or gluten and Neverland Tea Salon is known for providing the best vegan, vegetarian, gluten and dairy free menu options!

    With many businesses and restaurants temporarily closing due to COVID-19, Neverland Tea Salon began to offer High Tea Takeout back in mid-March! And it was the best timing for me…I had just had my laparoscopic surgery and couldn’t go out. My husband picked some up for me and it was such a treat! The high tea was also Alice in Wonderland themed!

    Pictures from that first takeout order:

    Alice in Wonderland Treats:

    Neverland Tea Salon offers pickup (in the picture below you can spot my husband getting our wedding anniversary takeout), or delivery on Uber Eats!

    Over the last few months, I have continued ordering High Tea Takeout with Neverland and it has become something I’ve looked forward to. I love bringing out a pretty tea pot, my favourite tea cups and plates…and arranging all the delicious treats and sandwiches out.

    Sometimes, I will enjoy high tea with just myself and Ella, my mini poodle or virtually with my friends on FaceTime or Zoom. Other times, I will order high tea for two and enjoy afternoon tea with my husband.

    If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember a recent #StyleSunday IGTV video where I take you along to Neverland to pickup some high tea! If you’d like to watch that video, you can find it HERE.

    I tend to always order A Grand Adventure Vegan/Gluten High Tea, but if I am feeling celebratory, I love ordering their Take Me To Neverland Bubbly High Tea.

    Currently on the
    vegan takeout menu:

    Vegan and Gluten Free Sandwiches:

    • Vegan Lemon herb cream cheese and cucumber arugula
    • Red Thai Curry chickpea salad, red onions, red bell peppers, cucumber and mango chutney
    • Port Fig compote with pear, nut based “brie cheese”, and vegan mustard mayo
    • Avocado with cashew butter, pickled red onions, and cucumbers
    • Mumbai chai tea apple butter with freshly sliced Granny Smith apples and vegan “provolone cheese”

    Vegan and Gluten Free Sweets:

    • Vegan Cashew Mango Cheesecake
    • Pineapple Coconut teacake (my favourite)
    • Hazelnut praline chocolate mousse cup
    • Vegan orange chocolate opera cake

    Vegan and Gluten Free Scone:

    • Citrus gluten free scone with dairy-free cream and house-made strawberry jam

    The Teas:

    Neverland Tea Salon has so many amazing teas to choose from! AND…if you are not local, but would love to try their teas, they ship across Canada and the USA. You can shop their a small selection of their teas HERE. They have even more tea, in-store though!

    My Top 6 Teas (in no particular order):

    Which tea would you want to try first? Please let me know, down below!

    As much as I have been enjoying Neverland’s takeout options, I cannot wait to dine at Neverland again. Rumour has it they will be re-opening on June 10th, 2020. They will be adhering to all safety measures and following strict rules to keep their staff and their customers safe.

    And that is it for today’s blog post! I would love to know if you have a high tea takeout option in your local area. Have a safe and wonderful rest of your day <3

  • Afternoon Tea,  DAVIDsTEA,  Lifestyle,  Making Tea at Home,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    DAVIDsTEA Spring Collection

    Tea Haul, First Impressions & Review

    I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I hope this blog post and new YouTube video adds a smile into your day!

    In this blog post/video, I share my latest DAVIDsTEA haul! I ordered two new teas from their spring collection, as well as a staple tea I was out of! Please note, that some of the links (in this blog post) are affiliate links.

    In the video, you will see a close up look at each of the teas. I share a close up look at the tea leaves/matcha powder, as well as show the teas being steeped and the final result. You will also hear my first impressions and taste reviews. You can watch the video HERE or down below:

    DAVIDsTEA Haul Items:

    DAVIDsTEA Unicorn Dream

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estore

    DAVIDsTEA Raspberry Matcha

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estore

    DAVIDsTEA Countess of Seville

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estore

    Unicorn Dream by DAVIDsTEA
  • DAVIDsTEA,  Disney x Pandora,  Jewellery,  Pandora,  Pandora,  Pandora Hauls,  Pandora Reviews,  Pandora Rose,  Pandora Style,  Pawfectella Everything!,  Uncategorized

    Pandora Charms Haul | New Video is up on my Youtube Channel!

    I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I also hope this video adds a smile into your day!

    In this video, I share my Pandora charms haul from their early March 2020 promotion, here in Canada. I am over a month late in getting this video up, but I hope you still enjoy seeing the different charms that I picked up! I purchased charms from both from my local concept store and from Gold-N-Memories Pandora. It is so crazy to think that early March, the stores (in Canada) will still open. Things have changed so much…in such a short time!

    Pandora Charms Haul Items:

    Disney x Pandora Frozen Winter Crystal Pandora Charm
    Free Hand Heart Pandora Clip x2
    Home Sweet Heart Pandora Dangle Charm
    We Can Do Anything Pandora Charm
    Peach Blossom Flower Pandora Charm x2
    Pink Murano Glass Leaf Pandora Pendant
    Bird Cage Pandora Charm (retired)
    Openwork Leaves Pandora Charm x2
    Acorn and Leaf Pandora Dangle Charm
    Clear Sparkle Spacer Pandora Rose Charm x2
    Pink Flower Murano (retired)
    Poodle Puppy Dog Dangle Pandora Charm
    – from the Pandora Spring 2020 Collection

    Comments Off on Pandora Charms Haul | New Video is up on my Youtube Channel!
  • Afternoon Tea,  Beads and Coffee/Tea,  Jewellery,  Ohm Beads,  OHM News & Updates,  Ohmily,  Tea,  Uncategorized

    OHM Beads Giveaway | #OHMTeaforTwo

    Happy April 2nd, 2020! I hope today finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and doing well.

    In today’s blog post, I will be hosting a fun giveaway on behalf of OHM Beads! For the month of April, OHM Beads is having daily giveaways, games, and themes. The official hashtag for the month is #OHMinApril. A new giveaway/game/theme will be happening every day and they will be hosted by either OHM HQ, an OHM Team Member or an OHMbassador. I am so excited to be hosting #OHMTeaforTwo for the April 2nd giveaway!

    Today’s theme is #OHMTEAFORTWO and I one lucky winner will have the opportunity to win the OHM Tea Bag BOTM! To find out how…keep on reading!

    Photo courtesy of OHM Beads.

    As all of you know, I am a HUGE tea addict and I have embarrassingly large cupboards of teas (yes, I said cupboards). But not to worry, they are all organized by tea type (green, oolong, black, etc.) as well tea bags and loose leaf teas. It is very safe for me to say that I could probably open up my own tea shop, with the amount of teas I have!

    Am I the only one? Do you have a large tea cupboard? Or cupboards?!

    One of the reasons I love tea is because of the experiences that goes along with it.

    Here are some of my favourite tea experiences:

    – the art of making tea is a relaxing experience that provides a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of every day life. I love preparing the perfect cup of tea or tea latte. It is a time to stay present, in the moment!

    – designing with the OHM Alice in Wonderland collection

    – picking out the perfect mug or tea cup is such a fun experience!

    – afternoon tea or high tea is honestly the BEST way to catch up with loved ones and create memories to last a life time!

    – having a friend over for tea!

    – after dinner dessert…usually mean tea! And usually means time with love ones!

    – TEA PARTIES!!!!

    – going to a local tea shop and smelling and sampling hundreds of amazing teas…one of the best ways to spend an hour, if you ask me!

    – grabbing a tea-to-go and going for walk in a winter wonderland or on an autumn day…nothing quite like it!

    – bubble tea or iced tea…on a hot summer’s day. Again…nothing quite like it!

    – sharing a cup of tea with a guinea pig named, Harlow. THE BEST!

    – Unboxing a tea order! OR…the OHM Tea Bag BOTM Bead!!!!

    What are some of your favourite tea experiences?

    As mentioned, OHM Beads is giving away the OHM Tea Bag BOTM (Bead of the Month)! This is one of my favourite OHM Beads and is an incredible experience to unbox. If you’d like to watch my first impressions and unboxing of this bead, you can watch it HERE or down below:

    Fast Forward to around 6:13 to see the tea bag unboxing.

    The OHM Tea Bag BOTM comes with TEAriffic packaging. When you first open it, you will see that it comes inside an OHM tea tin. From there, you will pull out an OHM tea infuser and inside you will find tea bag. After gently opening the tea bag, you will find your bead!

    To enter to win:

    1. Head over to @fashionstoryteller Instagram profile, find the official #OHMTEAFORTWO photo and tag 1 friend you love to have tea with!
    2. Share a photo on your instagram profile, sharing a memory/experience that involved tea! Make sure to use the hashtags: #OHMINAPRIL #OHMTEAFORTWO #BEADSANDTEA and tag @fashionstoryteller and @OHMbeads.
    3. For a bonus entry: leave a comment down below with your instagram name and what your favourite type of tea is.

      One qualifying winner will be drawn and will have 24hrs to claim their prize. If the winner fails to claim their prize in 24hrs, a new winner will be drawn.
      To qualify to win, the winner must complete actions 1 and 2 correctly. Giveaway ends on April 3rd, 2020 at 11:00 AM PACIFIC.
      Winner will be announced on my Instagram stories.
      Void Where Prohibited.

    Best of luck to all who enter! A special thank you to OHM Beads for this giveaway and for making the month of April sooo fun!

  • Afternoon Tea,  Beads and Coffee/Tea,  Jewellery,  My Favourite Jewellery Brands,  Ohm Beads,  OHM News & Updates,  Ohm Reviews,  Ohm Style,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    OHM Beads is MAD | The Alice in Wonderland Collection

    “When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!” 

    – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Chapter 4

    Happy Saturday! I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I hope this blog post adds a smile into your day!

    I am excited to announce a simply MAD new collection from OHM Beads: the Alice in Wonderland collection! It will be releasing on April 1st, 2020. This collection is inspired by Lewis Carrol’s, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It features 9 new beads, 3 of which are made of Looking-Glass…oops, I mean OHM glass.

    A special thank you to OHM Beads for sending me these beads to review and design with. What a dream come true…not only to have this collection coming out, but to be gifted them! Thank you to the bead community, as well. I would not have these opportunities without your support. <3

    In this blog post, I will be sharing a bracelet design and an overview of the beads and their price points. Also, stay tuned for my OHM Alice in Wonderland YouTube video. This video will take a closer look at the beads, as well as share some clips from a “Mad Tea Party” that Nichol (@MyPandoraCharmedLife) and I attended at the Ivy Team Room in New Mexico.

    Speaking of Nichol, she recently posted a video that we filmed together! If you’d like to see our first impressions and us unboxing the OHM Alice in Wonderland collection, CLICK HERE or watch down below:

    Video from @MyPandoraCharmedLife Youtube Channel.

    “Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English). 

    – Alice in Wonderland – Chapter 2

    When it came to designing my bracelet, I decided to incorporate all 9 beads on my silver OHM Twisted Bangle. Usually, this would be too many beads, for a bangle. However, my bangle is a size small and on the looser side. My wrist measurements is about 14.5 cm and I find the size small bangle allows more space for beads, but still provides a comfortable fit!

    I may ultimately decide to do a layered bangle or OHM Whip Bracelet stack, with this collection, but it was fun to pair all the beads together. I would love to see an “Alice Blue” or lavender OHM Whip bracelet release!

    It was all very well to say “Drink me,” but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. “No, I’ll look first,” she said, “and see whether it’s marked ‘poison’ or not.” 

    – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 1

    For this bracelet design, I added a few more beads, to go with the wonderland theme.

    I chose to add OHM Pretty Tea Pot and OHM Pretty Tea Cup, (which pair with the OHM Eat Me and OHM Drink Me dangles). These tea themed beads are a perfect representation of the Mad Tea Party scene from the book! I love the floral detailing on both.

    I also added the OHM BOTM Tea Bag dangle (paired after OHM Painting the Roses Red). If you’d like to see a video, taking a closer look at the OHM Tea Bag, CLICK HERE.

    I also added the OHM Milky glass bead (paired beside, OHM Mad Hat). Tea with milk or cream…such a must! I also added my OHM Woodsy spacers to the bangle, as well. A representation of the woods that Alice wonders though, trying to find her way out of Wonderland.

    “Well! I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,” thought Alice; “but a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!”

    – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6

    Now, it is time to share a closer look at the 9 beads from the, OHM Alice in Wonderland collection. All these photos below are courtesy of OHM Beads, minus the last photo.

    OHM White Rabbit

    “The Duchess! The Duchess! Oh my dear paws! Oh my fur and whiskers! She’ll get me executed, as sure as ferrets are ferrets!” 

    Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Chapter 4

    OHM White Rabbit is magical, but running quite late for an important date! It has a thin, clear glass detailing surrounding a pure solid white core and magical bits of glittering sparkle! This bead retails for $60 US.

    OHM Saganistute

    The word “saganistute” appears to be a portmanteau for “sage” and “astute”. We love that word here at OHM; so as part of our own “Alice in Wonderland” series, we proudly present our new glass bead entitled, Saganistute. sage in classical philosophy, means “someone who has attained wisdom” or someone who lives “according to an ideal that transcends that everyday”. Astute describes one having “mental sharpness and perception”.

    Brilliantly, this creations transcends the everyday, and if you look astutely, you will find sage advice in the sprinkle of sparking magic wafting though the twilight sky and alluring depths of the wonderland around you. Saganistute: “a wise person of poetry and vision.” That’s you!

    – OHM Beads

    OHM Saganistute is whimsical! I love the purple shade of colour mixing with sparkle and magic. It pairs beautifully with OHM Gallymoggers (pictured below). This bead will retail for $60 US.

    OHM Gallymoggers

    OHM’s GALLYMOGGERS is a part of our Alice in Wonderland series. Look closely at and you’ll see splashes of euphoric cream in bubbles of delirious blue tea or perhaps you’ll see only the white teeth of the Cheshire Cat as the rest him fades into a transparent dream. Maybe you’ll see Alice’s blue-and-white dress as she tumbles down the rabbit hole into a realm of wonder. Once you wear our GALLYMOGGERS bead, you’ll believe six impossible things before breakfast!

    – OHM Beads

    OHM Gallmoggers is the last glass bead in the OHM Alice in Wonderland Collection. It will retail for $60 US and is that perfect “Alice Blue”. It is a magical reference to Alice’s blue and white dress.

    OHM Who Are You

    “Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.

    This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”

    “What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar, sternly. “Explain yourself!”

    “I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I am not myself, you see.” 

    —Alice in Wonderland – Chapter 5

    The OHM Who Are You silver bead is packed with detail! It captures every detail of a wonderland mushroom. It also shows evidence of the Caterpillar enjoying too much of his hookah (love those droopy “ears”/antennas). From every angle, there is something to appreciate. He will retail for $60 US.

    OHM Mad Time

    “In that direction,” the Cat said, waving its right paw round, “lives a Hatter: and in that direction,” waving the other paw, “lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.”

    “But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.

    “Oh, you ca’n’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”

    “How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.

    “You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”

    Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6,

    OHM Mad Time is one of my favourite silver beads (if I had to pick). I love that we see the Cheshire Cat’s eyes and toothy grin. I also love that it resembles the White Rabbit’s pocket watch. Time is quite an interesting theme in Wonderland and I love the OHM Beads did a reference to it! I also love the back detailing that says: “We’re all mad here”. This bead can be threaded through the core or the little bale detail, on the top. It will retail for $65 US.

    OHM Mad Hat

    “Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.

    “I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”

    “You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “It’s very easy to take more than nothing.”

    Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 7

    My other favourite silver bead is the OHM Mad Hat. It is inspired by the one and only Mad Hatter! This silver bead has simply MAD details: a peacock feather, signs of age and wear and a saucer like base. It is truly a must for any Wonderland fan! This bead will retail for $60 US.

    “I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is ‘What?’”

    Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 4

    OHM Eat Me & OHM Drink Me

    OHM Drink Me and the OHM EAT ME beads look like they are straight out of wonderland! I love how they are crumpled slightly and have small tears…so realistic. They are very light weight and with a small bale, they are easy to squeeze onto a bracelet design! Separately, they retail for $30 US each.

    OHM Painting the Roses Red

    A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red.

    – Alice in Wonderland

    The OHM Painting the Roses Red bead is heart shaped. The Queen of Hearts would be very pleased, with this reference to her! It has the option to be worn as a bead or pendant. Some of my favourite details are the “painted” red enamel roses, followed by the beautiful vines and branch detailing. This bead will retail for $65 US.

    This concludes a look at the, OHM Alice in Wonderland collection. What are your favourite bead(s) from this upcoming release?

    As a reminder, this collection will release on April 1st, 2020 along with a huge launch of other OHM collections and beads (stay tuned).

    If you plan to make your first ever OHM Beads order, feel free to use my referral link or use code: EMILY1RVCHMDY (at checkout) to save 11% off your first OHM Beads purchase!

  • Afternoon Tea,  Ella Adventures,  Harlow,  Lifestyle,  Making Tea at Home,  Pawfectella,  Pawfectella Everything!,  Tea,  Tea Reviews,  Uncategorized

    Paragon Tea Room | My favourite place to get tea, in the city | BUT AKA: how tea makes dreams come true.


    On April 10th, 2019…I did not realize I would be stepping into my favourite place for tea. One of my best friends, Tiara had been talking about this new tea salon that opened up beside her gym…and how I just HAD to go.

    April 10th, 2019…it was a really hard and emotional day. I was waiting to hear back about Harlow’s (my late guinea pig) test results, going through an extremely “burnt out” period of life, frustrated with health issues and needing to make some big life decisions. Tiara was so sweet and spent that entire day with me. As a doctor, she knew the best medicine for me: she took me to, Paragon Tea Salon for my first cup of tea misto.

    Tiara and I waited in line and I gazed up at the menu. I wanted to try EVERYTHING!!!

    When we got to the front of the line, we were greeted by Michelle, the owner of Paragon. She was a breath of fresh air and so welcoming. I was so impressed that she knew Tiara, by name…and you could just tell she genuinely loves her customers and takes time to get to know them and build a relationship.

    She was equally excited that I was about to try, the paragon way for the first time. After some helpful recommendations from, Michelle…I decided to settle on the, High Mountain Roasted Oolong Tea Misto. Although…I was very close to ordering a matcha misto, haha!

    When we were in line…I had to take a photo of the menu options! I wanted to be able to look back on it, to show my husband and talk him into coming back with me, haha.
    A smaller version of Paragon’s tea menu.


    Michelle started to make our tea mistos and I couldn’t get over how she was making them!!! TEA-like espresso! It was the coolest thing EVER. I actually ended up take a short video of the experience of making a cup of tea misto. It was so fascinating for me! 100ml of strong and delicious tea…

    Michelle making my first cup from Paragon!
    My husband’s first cup of Paragon!


    After our teas were ready, Tiara and I sat beside the window and chatted the afternoon away, as we sipped our delicious teas. She gave me sound advice.

    But how was the tea?!!! THE TEA WAS SOOOO AMAZING! Perfect temperature, perfectly steeped. Perfect frothed almond milk (although…I ended up switching to oat milk afterwards, thanks to Michelle’s advice on my second visit). And to top the drink to perfection: the perfect cup to truly taste the aroma and essence of the tea!

    I couldn’t wait to bring, Snowman (my husband) to try these teas!!! And I also couldn’t wait to go back myself.

    My first cup of tea from Paragon.


    During my conversations with, Tiara…I received a phone call from Harlow’s vet…that she needed to be brought in for more testing. The rest of this story, breaks my heart…as I didn’t know that only a few days later, my little Harlow would be passing away in my arms. Many of you know this story, so I won’t go into details here.


    I had hoped to do this blog post, shortly after my first visit, but with Harlow’s passing and that crazy “burnt out” period…I just didn’t have the time or energy.

    However, I continued to go to Paragon and fell more and more in-love with the atmosphere, teas and people! I also made sure to bring Snowman (my husband) and he instantly became a huge fan. He often joined my on these visits.

    e
    Harlow’s passing was a big wake up call to me, to start taking care of myself and my health more. Whenever I needed to take a break…I went to Paragon. It became the place where I started focusing on new goals and dreams; a place I could escape to and just “be”. I made some of my biggest dreams and goals there, while sipping tea and taking in the peaceful, creative atmosphere. I typed these goals and dreams into my phone, laptop or note paper. And the crazy thing is…every single one has come true, in less than a year. I still cannot believe that! It proves how magical tea can be…when you add it to your dream planning ingredients, haha. Oooh..and put those dreams and goals into action, of course 😉


    One of my dreams, popped into my head about 2 months after Harlow’s passing. I was sitting with my husband (at Paragon, of course) and I just had this thought and major gut feeling that I needed a dog. My husband stopped sipping his tea and just looked at me…”really? Are you sure the timing is right? Shouldn’t you just focus on your health, etc?” I explained to him why this was the BEST idea, BEST medicine (besides tea) and BEST dream ever.

    In that exact moment, I was convinced and when I want something, I will not give up, (poor husband). I wanted to adopt my very own puppy! I have always been a huge dog lover, since I was a little girl. But I never had the time or lifestyle to be able to take proper care for a puppy. After some big “life decision making”, the timing was perfect…and I just had a feeling that Harlow would approve of this decision. My husband soon (willingly, promise!) agreed and trusted my planner instincts, haha.

    Ella came into our life and I’ll never forget bringing her to Paragon for her first visit. It was like that goal/dream had literally come full circle. It was truly incredible and felt like the biggest, “God Wink”.

    Ella’s first visit to Paragon.


    And just before picking up Ella…another dream came true…and then another one and another one…it was incredible. And they just kept on blossoming, even after adopting Ella.


    That’s the thing with dreams and goals…you need to make time to work for them. And having a wonderful place to escape to…and focus on them, plan for them and to achieve them…makes all the difference. I am truly grateful for discovering Paragon, through a very transitional and difficult point, in my life. It gave me that space I needed to focus and I will forever be grateful for that! AND…for the delicious cups of tea!!!


    I now live in a new home (one of my goals)…where I have my own office/creative space to continue making my dreams and goals come true. I still love to go to Paragon, but I now have the opportunity to make their delicious teas, at home too!! Such a treat!!!

    My personal favourites are: Hojicha powder, Genmaicha powder, Mango Hojicha, Genmaicha (matcha coated) and the High Mountain Oolong (but I still have more to try)!

    Paragon also has an online store, if you would like to try some of their teas. They ship or you can pickup in-store, if you live nearby!

    My first time making Hojicha at home!


    They also have a wonderful mini gift shop…and I was able to get a beautiful new matcha bowl, right before Christmas! I love it soo much!


    Well, there you have it! Quite a long and personal blog post…that was suppose to be JUST a tea review…that turned into a much more personal story. But I feel right sharing it because that is one thing I get asked all the time:

    How do you stay so positive? Well, that’s for another blog post topic, if you’d like to hear it. But as you can tell, through this blog post…that period was extremely challenging, but when life gives you heartache and gloom…you make tea and focus on the true and good things in life.

  • DAVIDsTEA,  Guinea Pigs,  Harlow,  Tea,  Tea Reviews

    A Christmas Tradition: DAVIDsTEA | 24DaysofTea | Why this calendar is so special to me.

    DAVIDsTEA #24daysoftea is back!!!

    Back in 2012, my fiancé (now husband) and I started a new Christmas tradition with DAVIDsTEA #24daysoftea. Every evening, we would enjoy a tea of day, along with our baby guinea pig, Harlow (she liked to take little licks from our fingertips). We looked forward to discover what tea awaited us: black, green, oolong, herbal…what would it be?

    Photo of the DAVIDsTEA Advent Calendar back in 2012
    The calendars have come along way!

    A tea advent calendar was the most perfect invention for me! And I was instantly obsessed and just knew I had to get my family and friends involved in the fun too.

    In 2012, I had just moved across the country in July…and I knew this would be a special way to still feel close to them, at such a special time of the year. It soon became my tradition to stock up on calendars (as soon as the store opened) to make sure my family and friends could all get one! DAVIDsTEA would sell out DAY OF…if not, MORNING OF! Luckily, last year…they seemed to finally have better stock!

    A photo of DAVIDsTEA 2013 #24daysoftea Advent Calendar…and all the calendars I bought for family and friends. I would line up to the store, first thing in the morning!
    Baby Georgina investigating!!!

    Each year and onwards, it became a time to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle of the holidays…and became a time of day we treasured. It warmed out hearts and souls…and we loved that our loved ones, though far away, were sharing in this wonderful experience with us.

    2015 Advent Calendar #24daysoftea
    In 2015, Glitter and Gold was one of the #24daysoftea…and it was our featured wedding day tea!!! So crazy cool!

    The #24daysoftea calendar also became a heartwarming tradition with a very special guinea pig; my beloved Harlow. Harlow passed away this year…and it will be the first year I do not get my tea taster/tea assistant to help #HarlowApprove the tea of the day. It’ll be different, but I know she will be there in spirit, in her own way. Here are some of my favourite photos of Harlow during the #24daysoftea countdown!

    #HarlowApproved #24daysoftea DAVIDsTEA
    I’m not sure about this one, Mom! #24daysoftea
    I like the smells of this one, Mom! #24daysoftea
    What day are we on now, Mom?
    We miss you, Harlow!

    I also enjoy the Christmas countdown with…ALL OF YOU!!! On my Instagram, it has become my tradition to also share the tea of the day with you all…through fun photos of the day!!! I love hearing your thoughts on the teas and seeing your photos too!

    Pandora Santa

    And now…for some truly exciting news to share with all of you:

    I am now part of DAVIDsTEA Affiliates Program. It honestly feels like a dream come true because besides jewellery, #tea (and especially, #Davidstea) is my biggest obsession. What this means, is if you order through my affiliate links (featured in my blog posts, on my Linktree, instagram stories and youtube channel), I’ll receive a small commission, much like a sales associate would, at a retail store. It’s pretty cool and I’m so thankful. ?? I would not have these amazing opportunities without each and every one of you…so a HUGE HUGE THANK YOU!!! ?☕️ And an additional thank you to any one who wants to shop with these links. That’s super kind and generous of you! ??? .

    If you would like to shop the #24daysoftea Advent Calendar, here are my affiliate links:

    Shop DAVIDsTEA USA.

    Shop DAVIDsTEA Canada.

    I’m looking forward to counting down to Christmas with all of you!!!!
  • Afternoon Tea,  Tea

    Valentines High Tea | Vegan Gluten Free

    For Valentine’s Day, my husband and I went for high tea, after work! We had made a reservation to one of our favourite high tea spots and had been looking forward to it, for quite a few weeks.

    This particular high tea spot is soo wonderful if you have gluten, dairy allergies or are vegan. They have a wonderful set menu for each or both of the concerns, so you never feel you have to make special requests. I cannot have gluten or dairy, so I always get the vegan option. It is amazing and their Valentine’s Day high tea was so beautiful done.

    Vegan, Gluten Free High Tea
    Delicious dark chocolate, rose and coconut chocolate
    Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

    Another lovely thing about this tea spot, is that you can have unlimited tea. This means, you can try a variety of tea and are not limited to one pot. If fact, you can even take a cup of tea to go, when you are done. And this is all included in both of their set high tea menus ($38 and $48 for the bubbly high tea).

    They also steep and prepare the tea to the perfect temperature and time before bringing it to your table, so you are not obligated to time the steeping yourself. I love this because your tea is delicious and perfect upon serving!

    They have a mix match of the cutest tea cups! And I also decided to go for a glass of rose!

    They also have a large tea menu with the cutest names! Many of them are named after the fairytale, Peter Pan.

    I love the tea, “Take Me To Neverland”. It is a mint and chocolate flavoured black tea.
    So many delicious options to choose from…and you can try a variety!

    The tea salon is decorated beautifully, with nods to Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and beautiful balloon and tea inspired details.

    Spot the cute vintage balloon picture!
    Tea is always a good idea.
    Before heading out, you can take some treats to go too!

    We had such a lovely time and my husband surprised me with some beautiful Valentine’s Day gifts, including two new Pandora charms! Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post on these items.

    What could be inside?

    We had such a wonderful time! Always amazing service and a romantic, yet fun dining experience. After we were done, we got some teas to go, packed up some treats we were too full to finish and headed to go see the new movie, Alita!

    How did you spend your Valentine’s Day?

    Treats and Teas to go!

  • DAVIDsTEA,  Tea,  Tea Reviews

    Davidstea | 28 Day Cleanse Calendar

    With February here, I have started my new tea calendar from Davidstea: The 28 Day Cleanse. I have been a huge fan of their advent calendar since 2012, so when I found out they had a special “Dry February” themed one, I just had to get it! Plus, it is all my favourite kinds of teas: greens, herbals, whites, oolongs and even some rooibos!!!

    Let the Davidstea countdown begin!!!

    With five days into the calendar, I can already tell you: I LOVE IT!!! It is so lovely coming home after work, to a delicious tea of the day. It’s a fun surprise to look forward to and warms the soul!

    What will the the of the day be?

    So far, all the teas I have opened are ones I keep constantly buy or have tried recently. The Choco Chaga Detox was a newer tea I was introduced to, a few weeks ago. My local Davidstea told me I would love it…and especially iced! I’m not usually an iced the person (in the winter), but…WOW. I’ve gotten it a few times already! SO delicious and worth the colder cup in hand during the winter season. Now, the calendar was the first time I had the opportunity to enjoyed it hot…and as a latte. It was such a delicious treat…but so healthy!!! And I can’t honestly tell you if I like iced or hot better, both were equally yummy. I totally recommend this tea, if you haven’t tried it already. And I have better stock up on it!!!

    Choco Chaga Detox is yummy hot or iced!

    Today’s tea was Goji Green. Such a fruity tea and makes you think of the summer time!!! And yesterday was Buddha’s Blend which always makes me think of the candy, Fuzzy Peaches because of the hint of peach in it!

    Goji Green about to be enjoyed. Happy Lunar New Year, btw!

    I’ve also enjoyed my classic favourites, Organic Detox and the Skinny too. To my friends, these taste like “healthy, earthy teas”, but to me…they taste so good for the soul with delicious notes of ginger.

    Well, that’s it for now. I will continue to keep you posted on my calendar openings. AND..if you’d like to see daily calendar openings (and cute guinea pig helpers), you can watch my Instagram stories here. I post the teas daily and will often include an instagram photo too!

    Have a lovely evening!

    Emily xx

    Tea in a Mickey Themed Mug is always a good idea!
    Reaching for a cup of tea!
    Harlow is the best tea helper! She always makes sure they smell good!
  • Afternoon Tea,  Tea

    Tea with Tiara ?☕?

    What could be better, mid-week then spending an entire day with your close friend? Especially, when she lives in another province!

    My friend Tiara and I had a lovely girl’s day, this past Wednesday. We had “at home” facials and enjoyed some healthy treats before heading out for some afternoon tea at a local favourite. ? We ended up chatting the whole day away… Everything from our faith to fashion to health and fitness. Pray

    Here are some pictures from our afternoon tea: