Pastel Lifestyle

A Delicious Dream

February 19, 2016February 22, 2016 by Alyssa Garrison

It’s no secret I love sugar, and I always joke that my main cost when travelling is the amount I spend on special sweet treats. Seriously, I will explore a city completely based on bakeries and chocolate shops, determined to try every sweet creation I can, no matter how unbelievably full I am at the time.

Bottega Louie in Downtown LA is my ultimate undoing, and I’ve been dreaming of the pastel shelves and marble details since my last visit a few years ago. Perhaps that’s why we pencilled in lunch just after we’d finished booking our flights with Expedia.ca– we knew Bottega Louie was the first place we wanted to be when we touched down.

Last time my stop in Downtown LA was pretty rushed, but this time around I made sure Johanna and I had lots of time to eat, explore, and shop (I also bumped up my Bottega Louie “souvenir budget”… which I very quickly exceeded regardless.) In the bistro we feasted on portabello fries and berry lemonade, and in the market portion we swooned over cakes and delicate gold-flecked macarons. With Amina from Studio Mucci at our side to guide us through the treats (she lives nearby), it was truly the perfect first afternoon in LA.

Party Time

A Perfect Pastel Christmas Par-Tea

December 22, 2015May 19, 2016 by Alyssa Garrison

We’ve all heard the phrase “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas”, but for years I’ve been trying to figure out how to make my holiday season as pastel all possible. Typically defined by red and green, Christmas isn’t all that pastel friendly, but every December I find more ways to celebrate RAOP style. Last year I started a collection of treat-themed decorations, and a few years before I bought myself a tiny pink sparkly tree, but there’s always been something missing: a pastel Christmas party!

After almost a month of waiting I’m so thrilled to finally be sharing the Pastel Christmas Par-Tea photoshoot. I dreamt up this styled tea party with Sophie from Kitten and the Bear, and together we reached out to some of our favourite local talent. One by one the dream team came aboard, each offering something unique and sparkly to the tea that was too sweet to resist.

On the day of the shoot we all met at Blush and Bloom’s floral studio, a space that smelled like roses and Christmas cheer all at once that morning. We unpacked boxes of sparkling flamingo sugar cookies and christmas tree cucumber sandwiches topped with gold leaf stars. Next we hung the stocking with care, sprinkled glitter in each of the model’s hair, and added a few pink birds to Blush and Bloom’s wreath creation.

In the end everything came together so flawlessly that it truly felt like Christmas magic- from the glittering wardrobe to the sugary sweets table, it truly was a perfect Pastel Christmas Par-Tea.

Tea has a way of bringing people together, and we highly recommend you find the time this holiday season to get all dolled up with your besties and enjoy a hot cup, some sweets, and maybe even a cocktail (or two!)

Credits //

Stylist and Director: Random Acts of Pastel

Co-Director + Buttermilk Scones and Artisan Jam: Kitten and The Bear

Photography: Sounds Like Yellow

Florist: Blush and Bloom

Sweets: Sweet Bake Shop

Tea Sponsor: Sloane Tea

Watercolour Details: Johanna Martin

Calligraphy : Alena Ravestein

Party Supplies via Meri Meri

Originally published on the Hooray Magazine Blog

I'll Follow You Anywhere

California Dreamin

December 14, 2015December 17, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

2015 has been a year of so many incredible events and magical moments, but the one thing missing was my annual trip to California. Growing up in Vancouver we’d road trip to LA or San Francisco almost every winter, but when I moved to Toronto that drive became a lot less doable. I’ve still managed to make it out almost yearly, but 2015 was just too busy and I never quite found the time.

Luckily, team RAOP is taking off February 1st to make up for the gap!

Thanks to the folks over at Expedia.ca, Johanna and I just booked a week-long vacay to the land of palm trees and pastels. Jo has never been to California, so of course we’ll be exploring all of my favourite places (like the Madonna Inn and Disneyland!) I used Expedia to book us flights, a snazzy convertible, and 3 different colourful hotels, and now all that’s left to do is daydream and plan our escape!

These next two months are sure to feel *very* long, so I’m sharing some of my very favourite Cali-based accounts in the meantime. I honestly can’t wait to be basking in the sun with all of these babes in 2016!

Bon Puf // It doesn’t get much sweeter than this amazing cotton candy dream girl!

Jen Gotch + Ban.do // These ladies really define the word fun.

Studio Mucci // A magical tassel factory in downtown LA? Yes Please!

Designlovefest // Featuring amazing LA spots, products, and oh so much colour goodness.

Christina Winkelmann // Also part of the Ban.do squad (aka. Girl Gang), but her recent epic wedding adventures have earned her a separate mention on my list because I couldn’t stop swooning every time I checked her account!

Yummertime // The cutest pastel couple in the entire world. Period.

Header photo by a non-Cali favourite, @brightbazaar

This post was sponsored, but all opinions are my own. To inquire about sponsored posts, please email jess@shineinfluencers.com

Dress Up

Pastel Christmas Looks, 3 Ways

December 11, 2015December 11, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

Other than early summer, this time of year is my absolute favourite for outfits. Honestly, the month of December is the only time when sequins and glitter are considered acceptable attire, and though I generally pay no mind to “the rules” it does feel nice to float around in a sea of sparkly people (In fact, I call it “sparkle season”).

This year I found myself extremely drawn to rose gold, peach, faux fur and all thing bejewelled, so I decided to combine all of those things into 3 holiday party looks (aka. Pastel Christmas Looks, 3 Ways). Which one if your favourite?

Look 1: Shoptiques romper, ASOS pom pom flats, Mink Pink “Oh Deer” coat.
Look 2: Dahlia dress, Miu Miu flats, The Whitepepper Moon purse.
Look 3: Keepsake dress, vintage coat and shoes.

Party Time

Pastel Christmas Par-Tea: An Introduction

November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

Every year the holidays roll around, and every single year I have a whole list of big plans that I never get to execute. As happy and bubbly as I am year-round, Christmas time really brings out the best in me, but sadly I always end up too busy with work to really enjoy the magic of the season. From ice skating to sugar cookie baking, the little pleasures I associate with this time of year always seem to escape me, but this year I’m putting my foot down- this year, I’m going full elf.

I’ll be sharing a list of all my favourite holiday “to-do’s” here very soon so you can follow along, but in the meantime I’m hard at work planning something that has managed to escape me for years: a sparkly pastel holiday photo shoot! I’ve teamed up with Kitten and the Bear, and together we’ve dreamt up the concept of a pastel christmas tea party (henceforth to be known as #pastelxmaspartea!) Think Blush and Bloom florals, Sweet Bakeshop sugar cookies, and sequins, tinsel and fairy lights in every corner- all captured by the very talented Gillian of Sounds like Yellow!

Over the next few weeks as we get everything together we’ll be sharing sneak peeks, plus exclusive holiday DIY’s and tutorials, so be sure to keep an eye on our hashtag for updates (or take a gander at our inspiration Pin Board!)

We hope we’ve got you dreaming of a Pastel Christmas like we are!

All images via my Pinterest