RAOPinCali – Page 2

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.

Dress Up

Sealed With A Kiss

February 13, 2016February 19, 2016 by Alyssa Garrison

I’m always up for any excuse to get dressed up, especially when a theme is involved, so when we found ourselves staying in The Standard Hotel just around the corner from one of the most famous hot pinks walls in the world, I knew a Valentine’s outfit post was necessary.

Very. Valentines.

I put together my “look of love” with vintage pink sunnies, a two piece coordinate set from Hottiewood, gold pumps from H+M, and some lovely props from my gal pals at Ban.do. With the help of the amazing pink wall and a dash of California sunshine, I ended up with the perfect Vday date night ensemble (even though in reality I’ll likely be at home eating cake with my roommate in sweatpants tomorrow.)

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