Let's be honest, most of us buying chocolate advent calendars end up eating the entire thing the same day we bought it. I mean... who has that sort of self-control to wait anyways. Sounds familiar? Yup, should've just went to IGA and bought a chocolate bar instead.

But who says they only have to contain chocolate? In fact, there are several brands starting to offer advent calendars customized to their products and Sephora definitely did not skip the trend this year. I was lucky enough to try their 24 days Winter Wonderland Advent Calendar packed with various makeup, beauty, bath and random accessories.

Obviously, I think the key to not being disappointed in advent calendars is not to expect too much from each slot. Just like how you probably know the chocolate in them are usually lower quality, I knew the products in this one would be closer to sample size than full size. If you're looking for specific products or generally dislike surprises (why would you smh..) then I don't think advent calendars are made for you. But otherwise, who doesn't get excitement from opening a gift every single day, no matter how small or irrelevant it is? If you want to know everything in this one, scroll down for the full list. Overall, I would say most of the products were meant more for testing purposes and mainly for fun. It's a great gift if you wanted to introduce a brand to someone or just to give something way more exciting and original than a gift card.

Additionally, as part of their winter holidays collection, Sephora also introduced a few palettes are UNDER $20. Not only is their packaging adorable, but for that price, there's a very generous amount of product in each palette. I have yet to try any of them, but I'm already in love with the colours. They will be gone soon as they're all limited edition so what you waiting for?



Merry Christmas everyone! Wishing you all the very best holidays xoxo
-
The calendar includes:
Sleeping Mask in Lotus
Creamy Body Wash Capsule in Cotton Flower, Lagoon, Peony
Fizzing Cube in Cotton Flower
Express Eye Makeup Remover Wipes
Fingertip Eyeliner in 01 Smart Black
Eye Pencil Liner to go in N09 Intense Black
Removable Eyeshadow Pan in N298 Tiramisu
Universal Brow Freeze in 01 Clear
Blush in N05 Sweet On You
Lip Pencil to go in N03 Classic Red
Cream Lip Stain Lipstick in 01 Always Red
Nail Polish in L43 It-Girl
Instant Nail Polish Wipes
Ribbon hair tie
Pocket mirror
Ribbon
Post-it stickers
Badges
Nail file

 SHOP THIS SEASON'S BEST-SELLERS



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The reason why I love Montreal so much is how its slow pace allows you to explore and appreciate the city. Even after living here for over 17 years, I still discover new interesting spots around the city every week. From murals to new restaurants or cafes, Montreal is laid-back yet ever-changing. While living in the same place for so many years, it's easy to fall victim to the same routine and risk taking for granted everything that the city has to offer. My advice: take a day every week (most likely on a weekend for most) where you cross out that routine to-do list and give yourself the freedom to explore or try something new in the city. Perhaps it could be finally trying that brunch spot you saved on your Instagram or just walking by the colourful houses near le Plateau Mont-Royal. In my opinion, part of living a good life is stepping out of your daily routine to discover or learn something new about your surroundings.
I'd love to know what good living means to you. Share what a good life is to you with the hashtag #MadeForGoodLiving and tag @FrankAndOak for a chance to get featured on their Instagram. Feel free to click into the tag if you're also interested in seeing what others have written too!

Have a great end of the week and best of luck on finals to anyone else in my shoes!

Pants from Frank and Oak



WEARING
ARITZIA Sweater 
FRANK AND OAK Burgundy Trousers (SHOP HERE)
ZARA Grey Coat
ALDO SHOES Ankle boots
MEJURI Necklace

GET THE LOOK


Photos by Dany


I'm of course referring to the pattern and not the song. Not gonna lie, I was unsure if it was spelled gingham or gangnam ... I blame PSY lol. One thing for sure, this checkered gingham pattern is definitely a timeless trend especially for the fall. I found this cute summery top online from Popcherry, they're one of Australia's largest online retail stores and their prices are honestly very good for the clothes you get. I also ordered three other things from them and they were all true to size. One of the pieces had a completely different texture from what I expected (it was rather flimsy). However, same goes for every other online retailer, it's important to pay attention to the photos and description to know what kind of material to expect. A great thing about Popcherry is that each item listing actually a pretty accurate "Details" section. It usually provides information on whether the fabric is sturdy or flimsy which I totally didn't pay attention to at the time. Online purchases can always be a miss-or-hit but you can definitely avoid many misses if you set your expectations in the right direction by being well informed. By the way, wouldn't it be great if one day there was a way to see how every outfit from online shops actually fit on you using virtual reality? C'mon technology! Anyways overall, I was satisfied with my experience with them and would recommend it (note that delivery to Canada usually takes a little less than 2 weeks since it's shipped from Australia).

I also recently added this corduroy jacket from The Cords Co to my fall staples. It definitely adds some texture to this outfit so I don't entirely look like a black blob. I think it's a great idea to play around with textures when you're only wearing one or two solid colours to make every piece stand out. To be completely honest, this is probably the only corduroy piece I own but I'm absolutely in love with it. I was never a fan of corduroy to begin with because I feel like it usually looks slightly too washed off and easy to stain. However, there's something about the material for this one that makes it look lustrous while also keeping that vintage vibe that we associate to corduroy. It may be slowly growing on me... hmmm.

Finally, if you know me well or have been reading my blog, you probably know I usually don't wear much jewelry. If I do wear some, it's 99% of the time very minimal and subtle. This is why I picked this small wishbone necklace from an online store called Thea Winston. It was actually recently launched by a friend of mine (hi Sean). There are still a limited selection of items available but I highly recommend you stay tuned for what's to come! If you're interested in any of the pieces and are in Montreal, feel free to message me and I can probably arrange something with him to save you the shipping. You could also save 10% off your entire purchase (use "PING10" at checkout) if order directly before Dec 2nd.

ALSO, I've partnered up with Daniel Wellington from now throughout holidays season so you guys can still get 15% off until end 2017! 
New code is "PINGGYU15" at checkout. 




WEARING
POPCHERRY Gingham top
THE CORDS CO Corduroy Vest
THEA WINSTON Wishbone Necklace (SHOP HERE)
ALDO SHOES Ankle boots
ZARA Jeans
DANIEL WELLINGTON Watch (get 15% with "PINGGYU15" at check out)

GET THE LOOK



Photos by Dany


October's right around the corner but temperatures are rising and fall doesn't seem ready to hit just yet. Am I complaining? I'm not even sure. Half of me misses the cold (yep.. I'm Canadian after all). The other half still wants eternal summer, or perhaps the feeling of still being on vacation.

SHOP THE COAT HERE.
 

WEARING
SHEIN Sleeveless Blazer (SHOP HERE)
ARITZIA Crepe Top
ZARA Suede Skort
ZARA White Blockheels
DANIEL WELLINGTON Watch (get 15% with "PING15" at check out)

GET THE LOOK



Photos by David


I've always had a love and hate relationship with white clothing. As clean as a white dress look, it may as well be the next victim of a spaghetti meatball sauce. Hopefully, this one pulls through longer than a summer.

SHOP THE DRESS HERE.
   

WEARING
MAKEMECHIC Dress (SHOP HERE)
STEVE MADDEN Heels
DANIEL WELLINGTON Watch (get 15% with "PING15" at check out)

Photos by Dany


It was around mid April, when I knew I only had a few weeks left in Asia. I wanted to do one last trip before going back to Montreal. Like many others, I had a list of places I wanted to go that were left unchecked. Korea was one of them. Just a week before, I met a friend in Bali who had already booked a solo round-trip to Seoul in May. The only downside was that upon looking at the return date, I realized I had a pretty important final exam one day later. After not much thinking, I did what most exchange students on pass fail would've done and just like that, I landed in Korea.

We stayed at a cozy hostel near the cultural district of Seoul, close to both Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung palaces (I can't recall the number of times I have butchered these two names while trying to ask for directions). As we were walking down the streets from our hostel, we saw several people wearing Hanboks, a type of traditional Korean dress. Our hostel offered a Hanbok renting service so we thought, why the hell not. For 15000W (roughly 17$CAD) for three hours, you get to pick a dress and a matching cover-up. Wearing one also grants you access to all the palaces without a fee and it's definitely a different experience. If you have the chance to visit Seoul, I would recommend renting one. They are beautifully made and there are also choices for men! You can easily find many Hanbok renting places pretty much spread out around the palaces and Bukchon Hanok Village. This area was perfect for pictures and filled with cafes, art galleries and shops.

As short and spontaneous as this trip was, it was the perfect last one. Despite having never been to Korea before, the environment felt both familiar and refreshing. Locals were extremely friendly and always willing to help. I would definitely come back one day to stuff myself of kimchi and rice cakes again. And oh, that flavoured soju.

Until next time, Seoul.
---

If you're interested in my hostel, itinerary or places visited in Seoul, shoot me a DM/ email and I'll gladly send it over.


All photo credits to Parklynn (insta)


The first day of summer finally came exactly three weeks ago. However, it only felt like an extension of what the weather has been like for me since January, minus the occasional unbearable asian humidity (thank god). It's already been more than a month since I came back from Asia and I still find it hard to properly answer when people ask "So how was Hong Kong/ exchange?". This post has been sitting in my drafts for way too long as I brainstormed thoughts and memories.

It was good in so many ways.

The thought of what I left behind only hit me towards the last few days of exchange. That I wasn't only leaving a city I could call a second home away from home but also the people and the experience of falling in love with a lifestyle that would never be the same. Booking last-minute flights for the upcoming weekend, taking bumpy minibus rides to get to the city, eating michelin star dim sum four days in a row, being in a pack of exchange students taking a cab back from LKF at 6 in the morning, late night seafront walk and talks on campus... It was only four months in a life but a completely different life in four months.

Time flew by. Everything seemed to happen on a separate, accelerated time line as we all knew the sands of our exchange semester hourglass would eventually run out. Knowing we all had a deadline to do all the things on our bucket lists and much more, it was the perfect opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. People who met the same week could end up booking flights for the upcoming weekend. You could get closer to people exponentially faster by traveling with them. Traveling can bring out the best but also the worst in you and others. You learn more about not only the kind of people you like to be surrounded by but also a lot more about yourself and how independent you can be while abroad.

Having been to 12 different cities in different countries around Asia for the past few months has been a hell of a ride. I didn't know I enjoyed traveling before I left, mainly because I had never taken a flight alone before. I slowly found a new passion in traveling. The differences in culture, people, lifestyle. It's one thing to talk about it but another to see it in front of your eyes and experience the reality of some people in other parts of the world. As cliche as it sounds, traveling is truly one of the only expenses that makes you richer.

But more valuable than anything are all the great people you meet along the way. Exchange basically felt like getting thrown into a pit with strangers from all different backgrounds and completely different personalities and being told to get along. You meet people that you click with from the start but who are so different from your friends back home. You will find yourself opening up to them at several occasions. I realized that the more you're honest and open, the more you'll attract this type of people too in your life. You definitely can't please everyone and you shouldn't. Even along the way, friendships can and will change for the worse or for the better from one day to another. For reasons that no one knows or no one can even fully understand. Sometimes, life just happens.

“You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” –Miriam Adeney

So dear Hong Kong, thank you for teaching me to always be grateful and to not take any moment for granted. And to each one you reading this, thank you for the life-long memories.

Photo by Irwin Chan


As spring in Hong Kong is slowly coming to an end, so is this semester. With temperatures and humidity rising to new peaks and my bank balance descending to new lows, I can say I am both sad and excited to go back to Montreal. As much as I love Hong Kong, I still miss the changing seasons back home and moderate temperatures. Having entirely skipped most part of winter in Montreal, I almost even miss the snow... One thing for sure, I will definitely be leaving with a bittersweet feeling.

SHOP THE TOP HERE.



 WEARING
MAKEMECHIC Open Back Top (SHOP HERE)
UNIQLO Camel Coat 
UNIQLO Grey Trousers
ST&SAT Heels
DANIEL WELLINGTON Watch (get 15% with "PING15" at check out)

Photos by Irwin




Coming from Montreal where the brunch and cafe scene is pretty prominent, I wasn't expecting much from a far more hectic city like Hong Kong where you'd think most people would only have time to pass by the closest Pacific Coffee or Starbucks to grab a quick bite or their espresso. In a city so densely populated where free space downtown is a luxury and every square foot costs an arm, how could local independently owned businesses survive? Hong Kong is indeed known for having ridiculously high rent prices (especially retail space where it can go up to $2,630/ square foot for areas like Causeway Bay) which is even higher than Manhattan. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there still exists a good number of local cafes/brunch spots spread around the city. Most cafes also offer actual meals throughout the day (many many all-day brunch places) since they would probably be unable to sustain financially on purely offering coffee and other beverages. The prices are fairly reasonable and comparable to what I would pay back home (brunch $CAD 15-20, lattes $5-10). Although I'm actually not a big fan of the taste of coffee itself, coffee shops will always be something I enjoy. Beyond the matcha lattes and egg bennies, there is something special about how much attention and effort each owners have put in offering the best experience in terms of decor or ambiance that starts way before the first sip and ends way after the last bite. That's undoubtedly how most have been able to survive amongst all the larger chain coffee shops. Anyhow, let's get right into some of the ones I have had the chance to try out and that I'd definitely recommend (they're not in any particular order of preference).

1. ETHOS



This was the first cafe in Hong Kong that was introduced to me by a friend (thanks Irwin! ) and the first time I really wished I went to HKU. It is practically across the street from the HKU campus and MTR station where many other popular local spots are close to (Brew Bros, Deadend, Cupping Room etc). If I remember correctly, I went slightly before lunch time to avoid the influx of hungry students. The place is fairly small and could fill up pretty quickly so I'd recommend avoiding peak hours. The minimal interior has a very simple design and bright (needless to mention that it's popular amongst instagrammers like most of the other places on this list). Now onto the best part... the food. If I had to convince someone to try this place in 3 words, I'd probably go with: MASSIVE LUSTROUS BACON. Seriously though, can we please take a moment to scroll up and look at that GLAZE. I took the All-Day Breakfast (138HKD) and no exaggeration, it's probably one of the best bacons I've ever had in my life (and I've been craving it ever since). The rest of the plate was also pretty good. There are plenty of other less popular options on the menu such as pasta but trust me, it is worth tunnel-visioning on the bacon alone. This is probably one of the best, if not the best brunch I've had in Hong Kong so far.

ADDRESS: 99 Hill Rd, Kennedy Town  




2. HOW

Outdoor patio view

This place is the actual definition of lowkey. Located on the third floor of a factory building with no outside signs whatsoever, getting to the place was probably the sketchiest getting-to-a-cafe experience of my life. Basically, if you follow Google maps, you will find yourself standing in front of an alleyway that seems to lead to nowhere. However, if you walk through it, you'll eventually find one of those elevators that open by hand. Once you're on it, you're not sure if it will just drop at any moment or if you'll actually make it to third floor. But once you step out, you'll feel like you're in a completely different building from what you saw from the outside. The interior is fairly dim with only a few windows on one side. The concept of HOW is that it is a single warehouse room that was transformed into both a restaurant and a store that sells various things from clothes to furniture. Despite the place being fairly packed (to my surprise! How do locals even find these places...), the space is wide enough to not be disturbed by surrounding chatter. They also have a nice outside patio that was open the second time I went if the weather's on your side. As for the food, they have a really decently priced combo (about $20 CAD) that comes with a small appetizer (salad or soup), a main meal and practically any drink (sparkling juice, lattes, coffee etc). I got the Linguine with Prawn and Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato with an iced matcha latte (108 HKD) the first time, and I can't remember what exactly it said on the menu the second time but I was surprised it turned out to be a burger lol. The Linguine and shrimps portion was pretty good but the surprise burger was incredibly dry and definitely a miss. However, the overall the atmosphere is what draws me to go back. It's a great place to just chill with friends or maybe even bring a date (if you don't mind the not-so-charming way there).

ADDRESS: 3/f, How Ming Factory Building, 99 How Ming Street Kwun Tong, Hong Kong

3. THE COFFEE ACADEMICS

 
This place would've never made it to this list if the Elephant Grounds in Wanchai wasn't completely packed with people in suits on their lunch break from all the surrounding offices on the day I tried to go. Looking for a cafe to study, I came across Coffee Academics a few steps away. It's apparently well known for its coffee and has several locations around Hong Kong. The interior has a woody and cozy decor. As soon as I sat down, a menu was given to me and overall, the service was on point. The Classic Eggs Benedict (78HKD) and the Latte (45HKD) were decent and tasted similar to what I've had in Montreal. I would mainly recommend this place to grab a bite while studying as there are several power plugs on the walls and a light background music/ chatter. It's great for people who like to study with a bit of noise in the back. Also, the best place to sit especially to study would probably be the seats along the window counter since the place is fairly dark. It's also great for people watching while sipping on a latte at the heart of one of the most hectic areas of Hong Kong during weekdays.  

ADDRESS: 35-45 Johnston Road, Wan Chai


4. ARTISAN GARDEN CAFE



This hidden gem in Sai Wan has one of the nicest interiors I've seen so far. The amount of details and effort put into the decoration of this place is amazing. It is so incredibly packed of various objects ranging from decorative cups to stacks of old books, yet it still maintains a certain order. I got the All Day Waffle Breakfast (108HKD) that came with scrambled eggs, sausages, mushrooms and obviously waffles. I also took a Hazelzut Latte (45HKD) that was REAL good and A+ for the latte art. It's also really close to Ethos, so if you're on a all day brunch spree, you got your spots.

ADDRESS: 23 Po Tuck St, Sai Wan


5. TEAWOOD



Teawood is a taiwanese style cafe and quite different from the others on this list. It also has several locations around Hong Kong (which we only realized after traveling 1h30 to Tsim Sha Tsui when there is actually one closer to HKUST near Hang Hau...). For those from Montreal, the menu and food is really similar to Nos Thés. The main difference and probably the highlight of this place are the desserts. I will get to that, but first I had the Noodles with Fried Chicken Fillet (67HKD) and my friend had the Teawood Noodles with Stewed Beef (73HKD). The portions are pretty filling for the price tag. We also couldn't pass on the large selection of drinks that they had ranging from bubble tea to various smoothies. I went with the Purple Taro Shaved Ice (36HKD) while she went with the Mint, Cocoa and Oreo Shaved Ice (36HKD) which were both really good. And finally, the dessert... I'm not even exaggerating it was way bigger than both our faces. We shared the Rocky Road Chocolate Honey Toast (74HKD) which is basically a mountain of hard toasts topped with ice cream and dripping cream. Unsurprisingly, we did not finish and I would 110% not recommend you order one for yourself. The first few bites tasted amazing but we were both so full at that point that we couldn't really enjoy it. It would probably be best shared by 3-4 people but it's a must try just for how monstrous it looks when the waiter puts it on the table.

ADDRESS: 2/F, Carnarvon Plaza, 20 Carnarvon Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui



SPECIAL MENTION: ELEPHANT GROUNDS



This place deserves a special mention as the menu is fairly plain and there is nothing really extraordinary about this cafe but the food was actually pretty good. When we got there around 2-3pm, we had to wait an hour to get seated and half their menu was already gone, including the bennies :(. My friend got the Avocado Toast (95HKD) and a Matcha Latte (55HKD) and I got the Buttermilk Pancakes (95HKD) and a Latte (40HKD). The portions are a bit small in my opinion, but the pancakes were delicious and hella fluffy. This place is perfect if you're just looking for a very easy and simple brunch!

ADDRESS: Shop C, G/F, 42-28 Fashion Walk, Paterson St, Causeway Bay



Happy brunching/ cafe hopping!

Main photo by Irwin Chan. All other photos taken by iPhone 6 and edited with Lightroom (please forgive the quality lol)
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