Top: Billabong / Skirt: Billabong

I’m really not sure if I could ask for a better backdrop. Would you look at it?! I mean come on…. so beautiful 😍

For the second leg of my Philippines trip, I was fortunate enough to travel to an area called Puerto Galera. Not going to lie, I definitely was notttt as big of a fan of Puetro Galera as I was of Popototan Island. But, more on that later! I will be posting a summary of my Philippines trip shortly. For now, we focus on my gorrrrrgeous mermaid coloured outfit from Billabong. 

The colours on this Billabong crop top/skirt combo are to DIE. They are perfect for the upcoming spring season, and I will definitely be rocking this outfit many times over the coming months. You guys already know this, but I am a major sucker for crop tops. They are soooo sexy to me, but not like in-your-face-check-me-out kind of sexy. Crop tops are more…. I’m-so-sexy-but-still-demure-and-modest. You know? lol. Anyways, love crop tops. They are the shit. Especially ones made by the great people at Billabong. 

CLICK HERE to check out the Billabong crop top I am wearing in the photos above! I wear a small.

CLICK HERE to get your hands on the skirt above! Also a size small. ☺️

So much fun wearing this outfit, especially in such a gorgeous location! I was so impatient to share these photos with you guys haha I am obsessed with this outfit. 😄

Talk soon!

x,

Cheers to a great vacation! And now for the recovery…

Anddddd cheers to a fannnnntastic vacation! Seriously could not have enjoyed myself more. Beautiful beaches, sun, and snorkling all day long. That being said, I mayyyyy or may not have slipped off of my 80/20 Skinny Belle lifestyle routine. And by “mayyyyy” I might mean I acted like a total raging pig for two weeks with complete disregard to my health. Oops…. 

We are talking like 5 beers a day (HELLO EMPTY CALS, MY NAME IS ROBYN.) and pretty much all carbs. Pasta, bread, rice, etc etc etc. You name it, all day ere day. Not to mention, I drank POP. I hate pop. Like literally the dumbest drink ever it has no use. Yet apparently when I am in vacation mode I love that shit. (News to me.) Don’t drink pop its poisonous and gross.

Anyways, after my slightly alcoholic/glutinous two weeks in paradise, I am feeling a wee bit bloaty McBloaterson. 

I have a sneaking suspicion that I may have not been the only one to overindulge this holiday season. Because, treats, treats, and more treats. Yesssss are you feeling the regret now?? I know I am.

So, here’s a few tips and tricks I use to get back on my healthy lifestyle track after a good old fashioned overindulgence.

Dont Starve Yourself

Seriously. Don’t be an idiot. We all know if you just say “I’M NOT EATING FOR A WEEK” you will last about 8 hours (or less) then binge on whatever junk food is closest. So, eat like a normal human and just be healthy. Regular meals, as many natural foods as possible!

Tea

Drink it, all of it. I like to drink a cup of matcha tea in the morning to kick-start my metabolism. Read more about the benefits of matcha here. It is good stuff and you need it in your life. Throughout the day I will sip on herbal teas like chamomile and peppermint — both are good for digestion.

Positive Thinking

Yeaaa I know you are like whatever I feel like crap I don’t want to think positively about myself. NO DAMMIT. You are a queen, and you should know how beautiful you are! Thinking negatively about yourself does nobody any good. So cut it out and appreciate yo-self.

Sleep

Beauty sleep. I am a major believer in it. Your body needs time to heal and repair and lack of sleep has been directly tied to weight gain. Getting a nice 8 – 9 hours a night will ensure your body is feeling good. Click here to read more about the benefits of beauty sleep.

Frozen Fruit

Remember my frozen fruit tip?? Keep lotsss of frozen berries in your freezer and munch on them any time you want. Not only are you giving your body tons of fab nutrients, but you are also snacking on something healthy instead of whatever sugary/junky holiday food you were eating before.

Water

It is ohhhh so important to hydrate. Your body’s fuel is literally water. You need it to survive. So fill up a big jug of it at your desk and keep on drinking them all day long. I keep a 1.5 litre water bottle at my desk and try to drink 3 – 4 a day. It will keep you full and your skin will look gorg. 

And really, when it all comes down to it, you will get back on your normal healthy lifestyle routine and be yourself in no time. 🙂

So there you have it friends! My top tips to recover from a holiday filled with overindulgence. What do you think? Did I miss something? Comment below if you have some tips of your own you want to share! <3

x,

Crop top: Billabong / Shorts: Billabong

Remember when I said a few weeks back that I had an exciting partnership for my Philippines trip?? Well…. *drumroll*….. I have teamed up with my beautiful friends at Billabong Women’s to bring you my favourite looks from their line!

The first look I put together from Billabong is the Ray of Light Shorts and the Ray of Light Top. I am totally obsessed with matching sets and this easy breasy crochet one was perfect for my island getaway. The shorts are SO comfortable, and I will be rocking them all over the city this summer for sure. Sometimes crochet material can be really stiff and uncomfortable, but these ones were really soft and stretchy which I loved. 😊

Want to get this Billabong set for yourself? Click here for the shorts and here for the top. Such a fun little outfit for the beach.

ALSO. Can we talk about my hair? Holy hell does the humidity in the Philippines give it some serious volume. You are probably wondering why I didn’t just go and tame it with a straightener/curling iron combo. Well, my friends, there was no frickin’ electricity on our island between 6 am and 6 pm. So you get my full on crazy “humiditiy hair” that I get on pretty much every tropical vacation I have ever been on. Hope you enjoy it at my expense. 😜

Alrighty team, that’s all for now! What do you think of this gorg Billabong set? Do you love it as much as I do?? Comment below babes! <3

x,

My thoughts on Popototan Island + a resort review!

The benefits of jetlag? Getting to witness and capture the most beautiful sunrises. And two breakfasts. Eating two breakfasts is only acceptable when nobody sees you eat the first. So being the only one up at 5 am every day for the past week? Not so bad if you ask me. 😉

Staying on Popototan Island (near Coron Island) in the Philippines has been an unparalleled experience. It is honestly so chill here and I am getting way too comfortable with the “island life.” My daily schedule pretty much consists of eating (duh), sitting on the beach, snorkling, eating some more, napping, drinking some beer, napping, and sitting and watching the sunset. Again, getting wayyyyy too used to this schedule I have going on here haha. Real life might be a wee bit of a struggle when I get home. 😂

The resort we have been staying at is called Coral Bay Beach and Dive Resort. I have been getting lots of questions about my stay on Popototan so I figured I would give you guys the dirty deets on the exact place I was staying. Let’s call this… hmmm… how about we call this review “the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

The Good

Uhmmmmmm have you seen the photo above? It is freakin’ gorgeous. The island itself is quite possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The sunsets, sunrises, days….. it’s all fantastic. Not to mention the foliage (trees n’ stuff) is also super cool here on Popototan Island. So lush, it makes me wonder how many days a year it actually rains here. We didn’t have a drop of rain all week long.

In terms of the hotel and rooms, it is pretty rustic feeling but I honestly didn’t mind it at all. Everything is clean and new, it just wouldn’t be a 5-star status if you ask me. Like I said before, I am major feeling the island vibes right now so I kind of really like it haha. But if you are planning on making a visit here be ready for a rustic style resort. 

The staff at Coral Bay Beach and Dive are so helpful, kind, and fun to talk with. To me this also makes a big difference to the enjoyment of your stay. The owner, a very tan Danish guy, is quite the character too haha. That would be the one who was giving me a hard time about wifi on my first day there.

Shitty wifi. Yes, I am putting this under “the good” section. Seriously. Me. The most internet loving person in the world (exaggeration but whatevs) is putting complete crap wifi under the “pro” list. It was honestly a really refreshing experience to not have my eyes glued to my phone all day long. And to be forced to actually pick up a book and read it? A great thing if you ask me.

The Bad

The food. So I was definitely sneaking in two breakfasts every day because that was the best meal they had. The food was honestly awful, and really pricey for the Philippines. There was nowhere else to eat on the island (they totally know this so tricky tricky) so you don’t have much of a choice but to eat in the Coral Bay restaurant. What we did to come prepared was bring some snacks with us for when we didn’t feel like the restaurant food.

The Ugly

Yep I got nada. If you think anything is ugly about a gorgeous private island in the middle of the ocean, you are straight up weird my friend. This was truly a great place to stay and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Okay folks, that’s all from me for today! LOVE YA BABESICLES 😘 😘 😘

P.S. If you have any more questions about my trip, please comment below!

P.P.S. More photos coming from the resort over the next little while! Stay tuned. 

P.P.P.S. ur the best K THNX BI.

x,

Some snaps from Popototan Island in the Philippines!

Holyyy. I don’t think I have ever been without a working wifi connection for an entire week. I feel like I just went through a technology detox haha. For the past week I have been on a small island called Popototan in the Philippines, and it has been lucky if I managed to get out a few iMessages in a day. Needless to say, updating my blog was 100% out of the question. I think the resort manager could tell the second I arrived I would be that guest who was constantly searching for wifi haha. Legit within 5 minutes of arrival he said to me “now I don’t want you on my back asking for wifi all the time, this is the Philippines. It never works.” Hmph. Well, I survived and here we are now. 😜

And with that… HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!! It has been one hell of a year. That’s for sure.

It’s that time of year again when I am going to get really real with you guys. A new year has arrived, and that leaves another one in the past to reflect upon. 2015 was definitely a year of learning. It was one big roller coaster ride, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The year started out strong with a nice big breakup (ha-ha.) I traveled to new and exciting places and took on new opportunities I never thought I would before. This year I truly did push myself to be better in everything I do, and see how much I am truly capable of. I made amazing, hilarious, and beautiful new friends who I know will be with me for a very long time. I cherished the wonderful friends and family I already have in my life. I took on new hobbies. Every day this year, I pushed to make myself the best I can possibly be.

The past is perfect the way it is. Without it, I would not have had all the highly rewarding new experiences I have had this year. Leaving 2015 where it belongs, I move forward into 2016 seeking greater experiences, knowledge, and challenges than ever before. 

2015 was a killer year. Bring it on 2016, I am coming at you.

x,

My best travel tips for all you babes out there!

Hellooooo from the Philippines! Right now I am in the airport in Manila, waiting for my flight to go to Coron Island. 🎉 So, I thought I would share some of my favourite travel tips for you while I wait!

Being a frequent flyer, there are lots of tips and tricks I have developed over the years to make your flying experience a little more comfortable. These tips are meant to keep you healthy and refreshed for your trip. 😊

Let’s be real. Flying is overall just generally an unpleasant experience. The air is dry, your stomach is all pissed off because you are way too high in altitude, and you are basically stuck in a tin flying can way high in the ski with a million other coughing/sick/snotty people. Can you tell I don’t love to fly? It is just a necessary evil to get where you want to go haha. And I love to travel… so I deal.

Here are some of my favourite ways to stay fresh while flying:

Eye Masks

Sephora Anti-Aging eye masks. THIS SHIT WORKS. Think about that super dry on the plane. Bringing these little masks of wonder along with you with change your world. You can use them on the plane (I have no shame… literally) because they don’t require any washing. Just put em on for 20 minutes and take them off, and you will be a new woman by the time you land. Or if you have pride, put these on as soon as you get to your hotel!

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil. I generally just always travel with coconut oil because it is a super good way to refresh your skin and hair after a long flight. I like to use this instead of face cream on my first night of a trip to make sure my skin is extra hydrated. 

Snacks!

Vega bars. Food on planes sucks. Whether you are in business class, economy, whatever. It sucks. I make sure to bring along something healthy to snack on like a Vega Bar, so I don’t get all bloaty and gross from eating plane food. Bloaty and gross is not a cute look.

Small Meals

Do notttt overeat on planes. No big meals before or during. I don’t know about you guys but my stomach hates me the entire time I am flying. The bloat is very real. Bleh. So yea, no big meals!!

Sanitizer

Sanitizing wipes. Planes are a breeding ground for bacteria. Do you think the staff actually wipes down the area around each seat between flights? Yaaaa right. You can bet there is just an annual/monthly cleaning of the plane. Germs, ew. So bring along some wet wipes or sanitizing wipes (something that will kill those germs) and wipe down the area around you on the plane. You will be happy you did when you see the layers of gross brown gunk coming off the arm rests. #nasty

Tea (not to drink!)

Order a cup of tea, and breathe in the steam through your nose. No, I am not losing it (k well maybe a little lol but whatevs.) This will hydrate your nasal passage and help fight the dry recycled air that is going around the plane. This will make you feel sooo refreshed when you are flying.

Okay that’s all for now! I have a few more tips that I will share with you later, but my flight is boarding so I’ve gotta run! Love you guys <3 Can’t wait to update you from the island! 

x,

A festive holiday smoothie that is packed with protein!

Helloooo everyone!! How was your Christmas?? Did you stuff your face full of all the most delicious treats like I did? Yup yup. It happened. Not even sad about it. In fact, I am actually kind of impressed at my ability to eat. Professional athletes would be shocked at my ability to consume food. Yes, I am that good.

Anyways, now that Christmas has passed it is time to get back to my normal routine of 80% healthy and 20% junk food. Today, I have a smoothie recipe for you guys that is 100% awesome. (<– DAD JOKE!!!! 😂🔫)

Cranberries, mandarin oranges, vanilla, Vega, and a whole lot of love went into this baby. My Cranberry Smoothie is the perfect festive power-drink for the holiday season.

We’ve talked about being hangry before and how it really is just not a cute look on anyone. (Especially me.) Well, I have teamed up with Vega to bring you another protein-packed smoothie that tastes delicious and will keep you full and satisfied. Best of all? Vega protein is entirely plant-based. (ß absolutely love this.)

Lets get to it:

Ingreds:

• ½ cup frozen cranberries
• ¼ cup mixed frozen berries
• 5 peeled mandarin oranges (make sure they are seedless because it would taste like absolute crap if there were seeds in it.)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 scoop Berry Vega Sport Performance Protein
• ½ cup ice cubes
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Step 1: Put stuff in blender.

Step 2: Blend. #science

I hope you guys appreciate those highly intricate step-by-step instructions I put above. 😉

The Vega Sport Performance Protein I put in this drink is so freakin’ good. It is a new product from the Vega team, and it has 30 grams of protein (10 more than Vega One) per serving! If you want to check out the other Vega smoothie recipes I have, click here and here.

Hope you all had a fun Christmas filled with family and friends! Now it is off to the Philippines for me! Stay tuned for travel tips, coming soon. 💋‍

x,

A few random snaps from NYC, and my holiday plans!

Hooooooly crap. Its almost Christmas. What happened to summer. I swear it was just June…. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE YEAR?!

Good lord.

Okay so I know the blogosphere has been going crazy with “Christmas gift ideas for him/her/your dog/the pope” for the last month or so, and if it’s not already obvious I am 100% unprepared for the holidays. Like, in every single way. Wish I could say this was the first year but that would be a total lie… haha. Oops 💁

For presents, I have known what I am going to buy for at least two months now. I honestly just have been putting it off and procrastinating for SO long now. Just the worst, eh? That’s okay… I am going to go to the mall tonight and power it out.

**Side note** The biggest benefit of being single during the holidays is being able to spoil the crap out of yourself. 😂 I loveeeee to spoil people, but this year it’s just me so… HELLO PRESENTS! Let’s just say I am going to be treating myself very well this holiday season. #dontneednoman

Annnnnnnnd I am leaving for a two week vacation to the Philippines in 3 days!! SO EXCITED. 

Have I packed? Hell no.

Sooooo probably should start that soon because I am leaving right from Christmas dinner with the fam jam to go to the airport. And I will fill you guys in soon on my beauty packing essentials, because I am (if I do say so myself) a master last-minute packer. Give me 1 hr and I am good to go.

It has been so many years since I have had a proper vacation… the kind where you park your ass on the beach and don’t move until your festive drink needs refilling. Yes, that kind of vacation is exactly what I need right now. Legit cannot wait.

I also have an exciting announcement about a collaboration I will be doing for Skinny Belle on my trip! I’ll fill you in on all the dirty deets when I am bored in the airport/on my ridiculously long flight.

Okay… off to the mall I go. Wish me luck, it’s like the hunger games at this time of year. Also, good luck to all my fellow last minute shoppers. May the force be with you.

x,

Doesn’t look pretty, but tastes DAMN GOOD on pancakes!

Yea so I honestly debated not posting about this recipe, but I make it way to frequently and it is WAY too good to not share. It just isn’t necessarily the “prettiest” of foods… haha. But hey, don’t judge a book by its cover! It tastes bomb, I promise. 😌

Usually when I make a compote (compote = a fancy way to say cooked fruit that you put on top of stuff to eat) it is for pancakes. Because, after all, I am very serious about my pancake game. Do not get between me and my pancakes. I will hurt you. That is also a promise. 😜

Anywhooooo… rhubarb compote! Takes only a few minutes to make and is a fannntastic addition to your morning pancake game.

Ingreds:

• 3 – 4 large rhubarb sticks
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• tiny pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: Wash your rhubarb and chop it up into about 1 inch cubes.

Step 2: Put all your ingredients into a pot on medium heat, and simmer for about 7 minutes. BOOM. DONE.

See? So easy. And again… for the love of god don’t judge this by its appearance haha.

Tastes very yummy with this healthy apple pancake recipe. Since the holidays are here ya’ll should be making pancakes up the ying yang…. so get on it! 

Happy holidays friends <3

x,

A recap from my trip to NYC!

Okay so it is pretty much a requirement that the first time you visit New York you do some touristy things.. so needless to say I was all about them tourist activities while I was visiting last weekend. Usually I avoid anything that screams “tourist” like it’s the plague… but hey, when in Rome. Here is a little re-cap on my favourite things I did while visiting NYC:

Empire State Building

Literally had no intention of going up the Empire State before I arrived in New York. Like I said, I usually seriously dislike touristy things. This time being a dweeby tourist was TOTALLY worth it. The view from the top of the Empire State is for sure one of the top 5 most beautiful views I have seen in my life. No photos can ever portray how incredible that view was. $30 well spent for sure. 

The Food

The food. Ahhh yes. I think I just ate my way around the city. I honestly can barely even remember most of the things I ate because they were so frigging awesome I blacked out. Yes, that’s a thing that happens when I eat. A few key foodie things I loved were the bagels at Bagelsmith, meatballs at The Meatball Shop (<– insert ball joke here) and the Taco Morelos food truck (<– shit was reallll authentic and oh so delish.)

The MET

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was for sure a cool experience. Not going to lie, I am kind of like a small child when it comes to being in museums. I think its fun for a little while and then I am happy to leave pretty quick. So I came, I saw, I went. #culture

Vintage Shopping

Okay so I really didn’t do any non-vintage shopping in New York. Every store I saw on 5th ave we have here in Vancouver, so I wanted to do something a little bit different. Something I can’t get at home. And let me tell you, NYC vintage stores are a wholeeeee different ball game than the vintage shopping in Vancouver. Bigger, better, and just all around winning. I could spend hours and hours looking through the beautiful pieces in the vintage shops of NY.

Brooklyn Bridge

So obviously from the photos above ya’ll can see that I walked the Brooklyn Bridge. As a tourist/first time visitor, it was basically mandatory haha. Super cool bridge, but way too many people. And the bike lane NEEDS to go. Why the hell is there a bike lane taking up 50% of the area space on one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city? The bikers were angry, I was angry, no me gusta. SO yea, other than the ridiculous bike lane the Brooklyn Bridge was gorg. 

Central Park 

Walking around central park was a really unique experience. You are literally in a little nature oasis in the middle of this mammoth city. Pretty neat if you ask me. Definitely did not compare to the beautiful BC nature I am spoilt with all the time here, but it was still really cool. If I ever move to NYC I will definitely be going on jogs through the park, because neature. 

Nightlife

Definitely was a liiiiiittle bit of a trouble maker on this trip! 😈 We spent our evening checking out a variety of different nightlife venues, from small little bars in Williamsburg to unreal clubs in Manhattan like Marquee. There is a ridiculous amount of fun places to go in New York, sooo stoked to go back and explore more! 

So those were some of the things I got up to while I was visiting the big apple! Totally fell in love with the city, it was so so gorgeous. AND, the people are SO nice. It was unreal. I don’t think I have ever had that many non-crazy strangers talk to me in such a short period of time. Loved every second of it. That just doesn’t happen in Vancouver, we are a bit “colder” here haha. 

Anywho, cannot waittttttt to go back to New York! So freakin’ fun. Can you tell I am obsessed?? haha 💁

Do you guys have any great suggestions for things to do on my next trip?? Comment below!!

x,