Dear DiaryParty Time

I’m not sure what’s happening, but has anyone else noticed Club Monaco has been on point lately? Their melon and coral Spring colour scheme is truly wardrobe perfection, and don’t even get me started on the delicate accessories and ladylike frilly details. Even the menswear is what prince dreams are made of!

When the Club Monaco flagship on Bloor launched the #CMmarket last summer, a small gathering of local businesses in sweet stalls in front of the shop, I was totally smitten to say the least. You can imagine my glee when I was invited to the launch of this summer’s market! It was basically like a wedding with a talented live band, twinkle lights overhead, and a smattering of amazing treats and cocktails unlike any other. Highlights included fresh Sweet Woodruff floral arrangements, popsicle cocktails, and crazy good treats from Bake Shoppe (as always.)

Make sure you add this special little pocket of Bloor street to your must-see list this summer!

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Party Time

Mother’s day is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce I’m helping out with a very special event this year. Kitten and the Bear has teamed up with a handful of local businesses to present an independent Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea at Geraldine Restaurant. After much thought and debate, we decided to call it the Queen’s End Social.

The Queen’s End Social Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea will truly be an event to remember, and I pretty much insist you bring your family and friends on May 10th if at all possible. With savoury delights and a signature brunch cocktail by Geraldine, sweets from The Bake Shoppe (think tiny pop tarts and chocolates with gold leaf details), a selection of Sloane Tea, and of course Kitten and the Bear mini scones and jam, this traditional afternoon tea service will bring together some of the city’s finest into one gorgeous Sunday.

Topped off with breathtaking florals by Coriander Girl, and gift bags bursting with surprises, it promises to be the perfect way to spend your Mother’s Day. Here are the fine details:

Sunday, May 10, 2015

10:00 am & 1:00 pm seatings

$75 per person

RSVP to reservations@geraldinetoronto.com

(seats limited)

Vegetarian substitutions available upon request

Whether you’re a cat momma, an aunt, a grandmother, an expecting mother, or a tea lover looking for a fun afternoon with friends, we can’t wait to welcome you. I’ll be around all day in my Sunday best, so be sure to say hello!

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Dear Diary

Random Acts of Pastel and Bicyclette are always dreaming up new adventures, and social media is a massive part of what we do on a daily basis. We love snapping Instagram photos and updating our Pinterest feeds, and over the past year or so we’ve worked together to grow our brands, both on the personal blogging front, and the business promotion front. After the success of our first Get Social Workshop in October, we’ve decided to share our knowledge about this fun way to promote yourself again. In case you haven’t guessed already, we’re hosting our second Social Media Workshop next month!

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As small business owners, freelancers, creatives, and makers, we use social media tools on a daily basis to share what we’re up to and communicate with our followers. It’s a way for us to connect, to offer a peek behind the scenes, and share our personal style and aesthetic, which in turn helps build a brand- all the while inspiring ourselves and others through the process of doing so.

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Each different platform holds value in its own way, and when you bring all of them together to build a cohesive online presence, you’ll really start to see them working for you. Because social media varies so much from person to person, It’s really about finding the balance that works best for you and allows you to be authentic and genuine, while still getting your brand out there.

We’ll be offering a 2 hour seminar led by Alyssa (Random Acts of Pastel) and Paige (Bicyclette) mid-March that goes over each of these platforms and provides tips and tools to manage each one effectively to make them work for you and/or your business, all while establishing your brand in the online world.

We will be covering pre-planned key topics and points, but we also want the workshop to feel collaborative and open, so we invite you to bring any specific questions you may have with you, and we’ll be sure to cover them in our discussion. We’ll also be offering scones and jam from Kitten and the Bear, treats from Bake Shoppe and hot beverages from Sloane Tea, a photo booth where you can get your ‘gram on, and special swag bags with all sorts of amazing surprise goodies from favourite companies like Ban.doFresh TangerineLoveFresh, and more!

When //
Saturday, March 21st from 10 am – 12 pm

Where //
Studio B, 882A Queen St. West

Cost //
$15o

What //We’ll go over key social media platforms – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – how to optimize content (including sizing guidelines, etc), and what the pros and cons of each are; the process of taking photos on your phone (including editing and captioning); tools and tricks; telling stories and building a lifestyle brand through photos. And that’s just the beginning!

Interested? Sign up here!

Please note, tickets are non-refundable.