Winter Cocktails - Mulled Wine Recipe

Is there anything more festive than a glass of steaming hot, perfectly spiced mulled wine on a snowy evening?  Even those who don't enjoy the deep, rich taste of the beverage can easily appreciate the tantilizing aroma that this slow-cooking  drink gives out - sweet, spicy and perfect for the winter season.  Mulled wine is a decadent treat to enjoy alone, or can act as an instant, simple crowd pleaser with guests - just keep the wine simmering and ladle a glass to serve as guests start to arrive.

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Happy Holidays

Happy holidays from La Petite Noob.  It was a whirlwind of a holiday for me with plenty of food, family and festivities.  My husband and I are very lucky to come from close-knit families, with no shortage of dinners and holiday parties - but after three days of dashing from one end of the city to another, this noob is exhausted.  I did find some time to take a few holiday photos, using the manual setting on the SLR (a task that must be completed on my 30 before 30 list.) The results are seriously lacking in any innate talent - all the more reason to practice, practice, practice into the new year!

Enjoy what we have left of the holiday season.

-Joelle

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Le Weekend - A Week's Recap

A week's recap, one week of starting this blog and embarking on my journey of self-improvement towards completing my 30 before 30 list.  

Unfortunately for as motivated and ambitious I was during the work week, mother nature had other plans when it came to my weekend.  Freezing rain, strong winds, falling trees and power lines hit Toronto and it's surrounding areas, thwarting the majority of my weekend plans.  Holiday shopping, dinner parties with friends, packing and moving apartments - all having to be cancelled and rescheduled due to the weather.  This was also the weekend that I had wanted to start figuring out how to take my DSLR out of A and P mode and into full manual, however one large frozen tree branch falling virtually at my feet was enough to send this aspiring photographer running indoors.  

One week down, one major task completed on the 30 before 30 list - start a blog.  Here's to a more productive week leading into the new year.

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How to Dress for the Holidays - Tips for a Conservative gal

As someone who takes great pleasure in pouring over fashion magazines and personal style blogs, I always enjoy the glamour and opulence that comes to holiday dressing - sequins, glitter, rich colours and textures. However when it comes around for myself to start outfit planning for the holidays, I find myself in a boutique change room wearing a rich ruby red sweater and sparkling sequin skirt thinking  "this just isn't me."

Yes I am a conservative gal; while I can admire and appreciate the over-the-top styles from afar, I feel my most comfortable in the basics.  Deviating too far out of my comfort zone takes a toll on my confidence - and confidence is really the name of the game when it comes to personal style.

So what's a conservative gal to do? I've developed a list to take us modest party-goers out on the town and into the holiday season with style.

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Moving in One Week - Apartment décor

My husband and I are moving in one week and I, ever the noob, am delving into the world of home décor at the ripe age of twenty eight. I'm fortunate enough to be married to someone who has an eye for design, but also has a OCD-like control over his habitat; so much so that when I moved from my Ikea-furnished apartment into his pad, the only thing I was able to take with me were my clothes and my beloved psyhedelic-coloured John Lennon print (and that was only after a small tantrum).

Never one to accept defeat, I'm choosing to take a more active role in our surroundings. Polyvore has proven to be an invaluable tool for the decorating noob -  a place to easily shop furniture and accent pieces to easily see your vision come to life.  For someone who is starting from point zero honing in on a style, vision or even developing a taste is the most important first step to grow from.  By choosing from the vast variety of home pieces, setting them together into 'boards' and examining the similarities, I am starting to see what my eye is drawn to - mostly muted pallets, skulls and fresh flowers.  Hey - a girl has to start somewhere!

Glass Clocch jewellery storage: $79 from Pottery Barn
Gold letter accent: $14.50 from Chapters
Faux fur pillow: $129 from Ethan Allen
Chevron rug: $149 from Urban Barn
Gold skull: $14.95 from Z Gallery
Polka dot candle: $40 from Kate Spade New York

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La Petite Noob - A Bit of History

"The trouble is, you think you have time"

La Petite Noob is a fun little project I've started, all revolving around a list that I've created for myself : 30 things that I simply must do before I turn 30.  The blog itself was necessary to start for this project - mostly because the first item on my list is to start a blog, but also to encourage a sense of accountability for myself and to offer a bit of a creative outlet. 

Join me as I share with you my lists of skills and tasks that will allow me to elegantly glide into my thirties as an accomplished young lady, rather than clumsily rolling into them as a Noob.

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