Easy Single-Glass Rosé Sangria

Those of you who have been with me since the beginning, or follow me on Instagram know that I'm no stranger to a good cocktail.  What you may not know about me though, is that I have a tendency to be extremely lazy.  Case in point, take Sangria - the quintessential summertime drink, but who has the time or patience to let the wine-based cocktail sit for the allotted amount of time? Don't even get me started on being trusted around an entire pitcher of Sangria. My solution to this is my tried and true one-glass Sangria recipe - or as I like to call it 'The Lazy Girl's Sangria.' This twist on the classic cocktail is delicious, beautiful to look at and takes all of 2 minutes to make. Read on to get the step-by-step instructions.

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OOTD - Urban Ninja

When I first stepped out in this all-black outfit, my husband Brian told me that I looked like an 'Urban Ninja.' I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I'll take it as a compliment - and steal his material to title this blog post, no less! Not one to gravitate towards black in the summertime, I make an exception when the material is light and the cuts are more revealing. I've been absolutely in love with these baggy black jogging pants, and love to style them with more feminine pieces to give the outfit balance - enter the crop top.  Add my favourite chunky-heeled toeless booties and the 'urban ninja' in me is satisfied - I guess.

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OOTD - Little White Dress

During the scorching heat of the summer, is there anything better or more versatile than a little white dress? You guys know that I love my easy one-piece-only outfits, and the LWD definitely fits the bill. I like my white dresses to have some texture to them, so this white crochet number has been a closet favourite for some time. Bonus points for long sleeves with a super-short hemline, making the dress instantly more wearable. 

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Thank You

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you all so much for your sweet comments, e-mails and general loveliness that I received from my last post.  Putting your feelings out there on the internet can be very intimidating, and I'm so grateful that I have such supportive individuals that visit La Petite Noob.  I'm starting to feel much better, and that has largely to do with your sweet words.

So thanks friends!  And happy Friday :) What do you have planned this weekend?

xo Joëlle

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OOTD - Flowing Neutrals + Real Talk

After staring at my computer screen for the last forty five minutes, it's time to admit that I simply don't have the energy to piece together anything eloquent.  It's been an emotionally difficult last few days, and my brain is mush - not that you would ever know by my blog or social media feeds (see my blogger FOMO post - proof that it's not always rainbows and macarons!)  In the meantime, here's some photos of a very typical Summer outfit for me - neutrals, breezy and super comfortable. Life can be crazy sometimes, but c'est la vie. Here's to better days!

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OOTD - Cobalt Blue Tank Dress

Since we first caught wind that summer was in the air, the people of Toronto couldn't stop complaining about the temperate weather that we had been getting.  Well ask and ye shall receive, because this weekend was a doozy.  Temperatures soaring in the high 30 degrees Celsius (That's 86+ degrees Fahrenheit for my american friends), and humidity to boot.

I just want to put out there that I never complained.  I was actually enjoying the breezy, moderate days that we've been getting in Toronto, so when the heatwave hit it was hard not to believe that I was actually melting. During the heat of the summer I will choose my lightest and simplest pieces, keep my accessories to a minimum with just a straw hat and will actually wear sandals.  Stylish or trying to keep my sanity as I melt into a puddle of mush I'm not sure, but I do love the combination of cobalt blue and a straw hat.

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OOTD - Shades of Grey

I had mentioned in my last post that one of my favourite things to do in the summer is to get out and explore the city. Couple that with meeting other local Toronto bloggers, and I'm a happy girl! I had the pleasure of meeting over lattes to talk [blog] shop with fellow bloggers Jodi Lai and Cynthia from Pinch of Chic, and the results were magic!  I typically have a pretty standard go-to outfit when galavanting after work: shift dress, blanket scarf and shades.  This times around I opted for more of a neutral pallet in soft greys, and yes - those are boots in the summer.  Easy breezy dressing for casual warm nights.

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#Instagood - 5 Things That I'm Loving This Summer

At the risk of sounding cliché, but can you believe that we're well into July already? It's undeniable that Summer is passing us at light speed and while I sometimes catch myself dwelling on it's impending end, I try my best to live in the moment and appreciate every day as it comes. It doesn't hurt that this has been a great summer, despite the cooler temperatures. Just give me a sunny day and I'm a happy camper! Here's five things that have helped to make my summer a great one.

1. The Cottage

I never thought that I would see the day that this city girl would be at one with nature, but the great north has wooed me. I love the simplicity that a cottage provides, and the slower pace is a welcome change from my daily hustle in Toronto. With cottage living comes cottage dressing, and I've embraced minimalist outfits - a far cry to my cottage emsembles from the Spring (what the...)

2. Eggs and Avocado

Have you experienced the majesty that is eggs and avocado on toast? If not, run to your local grocery store and start cracking (literally.) I've never been one to make myself a large breakfast, but I've been sacrificing a few extra minutes of sleep to make this satisfying meal.  The best part about eggs and avocados for breakfast is that it's filling - I typically don't get hungry until well after noon!

3. Matcha Green Tea Lattes

I've been known to be a bit of a coffee-aholic, and am definitely starting to feel the effects of this multiple-espresso-a-day habit. Enter the matcha green tea latte, and I have my perfect afternoon treat.  I love how calming the warm green tea and milk is, and it doesn't hurt that the drink is bright green - so fun! If you're new to the matcha green tea latte, be warned - it's a bit of an acquired tastes, but once you have a couple you won't be able to stop!

4. Repeat Offenders

How very un-blogger of me, but lately I've been gravitating towards some of my favourite outfits and wearing them on multiple occasions. As I've mentioned before, I'm not one to spend all of my money on clothes and shoes - I would much rather save it or travel. I feel as though this summer is the first that I've quelled the feeling of always having to buy new clothes, and have really enjoyed getting the most out of my old favourites. (The outfit above was also the subject of one of my previous blog posts)

5. Exploring Toronto

This summer marks my first that I'm actually living right in the city instead of immediately outside of it, and I'm loving the change! Toronto has so much going on, and the amount of time that I save being right in the action is incredible. Summer nights after work can now be used to get out and about, and I feel as though life isn't limited to just the weekends. It's a great feeling!

Those are my 5 things that are making my summer great.  What have you been loving this summer?  Any big plans on the horizon, or is it just about appreciating the simple things?  Let me know!

All of these photos can be found on my Instagram, so follow along to see what I get up to on a daily basis!

xo Joëlle

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OOTD - Floral Midi Skirt for Summer

We all have those repeat offenders in our closet.  You know, the pieces that you love so much that you can't help but find any excuse to wear them.  My favourite pick-me-up article of clothing in my closet is this flowy, floral midi skirt.  I will find any excuse to wear this skirt, and am constantly trying to mix-and-match pieces to disguise the fact that I'm wearing my favourite floral skirt - yet again (see here and here).  To make the black-background of the floral print more appropriate for summer, I paired it with a black haltered crop top.  Thirty year olds can wear crop tops too, right?  Right!  Take a look at how I styled my favourite midi skirt for a walk around my neighbourhood in Toronto.

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OOTD - Striped Dress At The Beach

As much as I love living in the big city of Toronto, I often find myself dreaming of the beach - especially on a sunny day!  Thankfully I have the urban oasis of Sugar Beach in Toronto to help to quell my beachy cravings; sure it's sandwiched between an old sugar refinery and an office building -but it's got white sand and pink umbrellas so naturally I'm sold!  You guys know that I love dressing the part to set a scene, so an easy striped dress and a retro head-scarf seemed like an easy choice for this urban oasis.

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