summer

Cowboy Take Me Away

September 24, 2014June 19, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for horses and trail riding. Something about the open air and the partnership with another living creature just takes my breath away, and if I do one thing in my life, it will be to live on a farm at some point and go riding every morning.

For now though, I live in the city, and opportunities to connect with horses and head out to the country can be sparse. Luckily for me, my best friend Sarah got me a trail ride package for my birthday this year, and since she’s located in Vancouver, she asked Paige to come along as my cowgirl sidekick. Of course she couldn’t say no!

The day of the ride, Paige and I got all suited up in our cowgirl best, pairing Free People ripped jeans with cute embroidered lace tops, tassels, and ditsy floral prints. We took our time getting to the Niagara ranch, stopping at wineries and fruit stands along the way to pick up goodies for the ride home. When we were finally all saddled up, we rode out with a small group headed by a handsome cowboy guide to the beach, arriving just in time for the sunset.

After a walk through the woods back to the farm, we dismounted and said goodbye to our new four-legged friends. It was a truly magical evening, and I’m sure we’ll be headed back to the country very soon for more cowgirl magic and country air!

Sips, Sweets & Snacks

Fresh Peach and Rose Syrup

September 8, 2014June 19, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

August is one of my favourite months of the year, not only because it’s my birthday month and generally the hottest month of the summer, but also because peach season!

I’m a big fan of fresh fruit in general (I mean, who isn’t?) but peaches are very high on my list of favourite things to eat. Peach jam, peach cocktails, peaches and cream ice cream: you name it, I love it. This year I didn’t have time to do a lot of canning like I usually do, but I wanted to find a way to preserve that Niagara peach taste for a little while longer, so I started experimenting with making peach simple syrup.

I love making sodas with fresh fruit and interesting flavours, and in the past I’ve made everything from pineapple syrup to lemon mint, so peach seemed like an easy next step. I’m a big fan of all things floral, so I decided to add a bit of rose water to one jar to give my creation a flowery twist. The result was a tasty, summery concoction perfect for cocktails, sodas, pancakes, ice cream, and whatever else you desire.

Ingredients:

6 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
a few drops of rose water

Method:

1. Bring chopped peaches, sugar and water to a boil in a medium pot. Once boiled, drop temperature to a simmer until the sugar has totally dissolved.

2. Pour the hot mixture into jars, leaving some chunks to steep in the syrup. Close the lids and wait 30 minutes.

3. Once the syrup has cooled slightly add a few drops of rose syrup to taste.

Store in the fridge for up to three weeks!

Dear Diary

Pastel Pool Party // Pt 2

August 26, 2014June 22, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

After all the glitter, sweat, (happy) tears, and excitement, it’s finally here: the last Pastel Pool Party photo post. Paige and I had such an incredible time planning this shoot and sharing it with our friends/models and all of you. Everything from throwing the custom confetti to cutting into the magical pink ombre cake was perfect, and we couldn’t have asked for a better evening with so many wonderful ladies.

Make no mistake, this won’t be the last beautiful event you see from RAOPxStudioB!

Creative Direction & Styling: Random Acts of Pastel & Bicyclette Boutique
Photographer: Scarlet O’Neill
Flowers: Blush & Bloom
Cake, Donuts, Cookies & Cupcakes: The Wedding Cake Shoppe
Candy: The Candy Bar
Custom Confetti: The Confetti Bar
Invite & Printable: Alex Perlin
Spirits: Dillon’s Distillery
Syrups & Mixes: BYOB
Clothing & Accessories: Bicyclette Boutique
Pink Hair: Amanda Quarshie at Blyss Salon
Balloons: Northstar Balloons
Tassel Garland: Studio Mucci

Dear Diary

Pastel Pool Party // Part 1

August 19, 2014June 22, 2015 by Alyssa Garrison

It’s finally here!

It seems like it was ages ago when Paige and I first started planning our Pastel Pool Party, and now finally after a sparkling debut on The Glitter Guide, we can share all of our favourite magical moments with all of you!

The only problem is… we have an awful lot of favourites! Over 100 to be exact (Our photographer Scarlet is sort of a genius- lets leave it at that), so we’ll be posting photos in waves over the next few weeks. I hope you fall in love with all the pink, pastel, cake and confetti, and feel inspired to throw a Pastel Pool Party of your own one day!

Oh so Pretty

The Perfect California Girl Tan

August 6, 2014September 19, 2016 by Alyssa Garrison

As you probably know, us Bicyclette girls love all things summer. We love picnics and beach days, sandals and bikinis, and most of all, we love hot pink nails and lips paired with a perfect California girl tan.

But as much as I love soaking up the rays, its become undeniable that baking on the beach isn’t actually healthy at all. Skin cancer rates are at an all time high, and though I love the look of a dark toasty tan, I also really want to stay safe and take care of myself too.

When the owner of Saul’s Beauty Shop, a cute local spot just minutes from Bicyclette, invited me to try out spray tan, I jumped at the opportunity. Just the words “spray tan” usually bring visions of orange celebs to my head, but Saul’s promised a totally natural look, and it seemed like a great alternative to skin damage and tan lines.

The service itself was a totally wonderful experience. Saul’s is clean and super cute with an amazing, friendly staff, a great selection of all-natural take home products, and excellent music to boot. The spray tan was a bit awkward at first (as being naked in front of total strangers can often be), but it sort of felt like I was doing yoga in a cloud of tropical scented mist. Oh, and the formula itself is sugar based! How sweet is that?

Post Spray Tan Essentials

Exfoliator // A great exfoliator can really help break up lines and blend darker spots post spray tan. We recommend Whish’s coconut milk exfoliating body wash, a product specifically formulated for tanning and spray tans that smells like a tropical vacation (available at Saul’s!)

Moisturizer // Give your new tan a boost with a shimmery moisturizer or body butter. Saul’s recommends Pacifica’s Coconut Crushed Pearl body lotion to give your skin that extra sparkle.

A Sweet Scent // Spray tans can leave your skin smelling a bit off at first, so perfume can be a welcome smell the day after you spray. Library of Flowers’ solid perfume in “Honeycomb” is the perfect beach bag essential, and it smells so good!

Hints of Pink // Nothing goes with a summer glow like hints of pink. We especially love hot pink NYX matte lipstick and Ban.do hair accessories!

Sun Screen // Don’t forget to wear sunscreen just because you have a base tan! Sun damage occurs whether you’re tanned or not, so covering yourself in a high SPF tanning lotion for a day at the beach is still super important. Alba’s sun products are cruelty-free, water resistant, and infused with antioxidants and nourishing ingredients, which makes them a beach bag favourite!

For more spray tan details, check out Saul’s super handy online guide!

Photos by Jason Matos