Black & Magenta: What I Wore 17.1.2012


Magenta crinoline & black cat photo-bombing... This shoot was a lot of fun (especially thanks to my cat, Edward, who wanted snuggles mid-way through!).





What I Wore:
T-Shirt: Old Navy
Crinoline: eBay
Leggings: Forever 21+
Bag: Danier



All photos belong to RebeccaEsther.com.

5 Little Things To Do For Yourself RIGHT NOW


When you're short on time, it can be hard to remember to take care of yourself. By making a point of doing a little something for yourself RIGHT NOW, you're eliminating the chance you'll forget, & guarantee you'll go about the rest of your day cheerfully.

Here are some ideas for easy, affordable, far-from-time-consuming treats you can give yourself this minute:

1 Get an account on Grooveshark, blip.fm or Spotify & make a playlist of upbeat songs to listen to while you work, walk or work out.

2 Paint your nails. Next time you use your hands, you'll look down and grin.

3 Treat yourself to a latte. It isn't hard to find a Second Cup or to whip up a yummy beverage yourself.

4 Text a friend you haven't spoken to in a while. Brighten your day and someone else's.

5 There's a reason cat videos always go viral on YouTube. Go watch a couple for some mindless, fluffy entertainment.

Hope you're having a wonderful day!

Image belongs to Rebecca Esther.

TiLT 23.2.2012: Old friends, new friends & lemon tarts


It's Thursday: time for our weekly love-fest & list of all the things we're grateful for.
I'll go first (& then you comment with yours}, okay?

The past few days have granted me many opportunities to reconnect with old classmates, as well as make new friends (including Ms Autumn, pictured above, whom I interviewed before her concert last night!!). I'd been feeling lonely for so long, & the universe answered my wish for companionship. I couldn't be happier!

Little things which made me smile:

Lemon tarts at Leslieville cafes ♥ Buying a new lace half-slip ♥ Discussing Madonna with Ari (who's totally awesome & whom I've known since elementary school!) ♥ Little bursts of much-needed confidence ♥ Planning day-trips to Niagara Falls ♥ Reading short stories so good that make you lose track of time ♥ Finding fat-positive zines in my mailbox

What made you smile this week?

Emilie Autumn: In Toronto TOMORROW!


Oh, Toronto, you're in for a treat...

Wednesday 22 Febraury (that's tomorrow!!), Emilie Autumn is playing at The Opera House.

It's sure to be incredible, so go if you can! Plus later this week, check out my interview with Emilie.

Related Links:
Image Source: EmilieAutumn.com | EA @ Twitter | RebeccaEsther @ Twitter

Faux Fur is More Fashionable


Know what's cool? Trendy, fuzzy keychains.

Know what's even cooler? Trendy, fuzzy keychains that aren't made of real fur.

For every single one of these, an innocent animal is murdered. Fashion isn't worth that, especially because true style includes some compassion.

Please sign this petition.

And if you're looking for a cool key chain, try one of these, these or these.
_
Image Source: CatNapCaps (You can buy a gorgeous custom faux fox tail there, too!)

Link Love 17.2.2012: Cats As Ad Men, Olivia Wilde & Poutine Galore!


Happy Friday!
Here's a round-up of the best of the web this week. Enjoy!

Test Your Vocabulary offers an estimation of how many words you know. It's pretty nifty!

This project from Kind Over Matter makes me want to leave little love notes for strangers. I've handwritten notes and compliments and affirmations before & stuck them in books or on mirrors, but this idea makes it even easier to make someone smile.

Grapefruit: healthy and delicious.

A diet of nothing but chicken nuggets put this teen in the hospital-- but at least she's skinny. Prolific Health At Every Size writer Ragen Chastain says it's time to stop associating weight and health (& I couldn't agree more!).

21 Vintage Cat Advertisements. I like the stove polish ad, because that cat looks like my Edward!

There's a tumblr dedicated to poutine! Très délicieux!

Olivia Wilde's latest magazine cover is stunning.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Image Source: Jessicka Addams @ Instagram.

Chris Brown Rewarded For Suffocating Girlfriend

Thanks to "that time" he beat up his girlfriend, Chris Brown is more famous than ever.

And lots of girls think he's hot:

"I don't know why Rihanna complained. Chris Brown could beat me anytime [sic] he wanted to". [Via]

Brown's fans, of course, conveniently forget the fact that Rihanna couldn't complain; Brown's brutality escalated until he was "choking and threatening to kill [Rihanna] before she lost consciousness". At that point a neighbour called 911. [Source]. Imagine if she hadn't?!

"But that's all right", Brown's fans say. "He's hot. And he performed at the Grammy's, and it was, like, totally awesome.

"And OMG he has such a way with words: just look at this recent tweet, where he totes slams his haters".

Because his "haters" are completely out of line, being revolted by a (so-called) man who inflicted severe injuries on an innocent person?

At least if Brown had been remorseful, proven his behaviour that night was completely out of character, that he was truly sorry and would never do it again, maybe he would deserve some acceptance from society and continued record sales.

But how can people call themselves fans of a man like that? They should be ashamed. Almost as ashamed as Brown should be of himself.

fuck the haters, they make me stronger: Music Monday 13.2.2012

"I'm sorry, Russell who?"

The women worth looking up to are the ones who ignore the naysayers, overcome hardships & go on to be brilliant.


Last night, like most of the world, I was tuned in to the Grammys. I admit I didn't pay full attention to most of the show, but when Katy Perry took the stage, I couldn't look away. Here's why:

Having just broken up with her husband, Katy's presumably been pretty shaken. But not only did she perform, she sang what sounded like a big "fuck you to her ex". Sure, the song was written a year ago, but it has a lot more emotion and relevance now, doesn't it?

Katy is vibrant, not just in spite of her break-up, but maybe because of it: She's stronger and brighter than ever before. Let's be inspired by that today while we dance to her latest single!

Days like this I want to drive away
Pack my bags and watch your shadow fade
You chewed me up and spit me out
Like I was poison in your mouth
You took my light, you drained me down
But that was then and this is now
Now look at me!

This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me
This is the part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me
Throw your sticks and your stones,
Throw your bombs and your blows
But you're not gonna break my soul

Here is the video with full lyrics:

100 Things to do in 2012

I love lists. I love goals. And I love Goddess Leonie's Goddess Guidebook, which totally advocates both of these things. Leonie shared her 100 Things To Do In 2012 list & that inspired me to do the same.

Some of these things are frivolous and fun, while others are more goal-oriented or related to self-improvement or career. All of them are important to me. Let's go!
  1. Find the best lip stain for me & wear it beautifully
  2. Figure out what 'my drink' is
  3. Go for a long hike in High Park
  4. Moisturize more often
  5. Find the perfect pushup bra
  6. Visit a few of my favourite cities
  7. Go to the ocean!!!! I haven't been in years and I crave it like nothing else
  8. Get over my ex completely
  9. Spend more time and energy on loving myself
  10. Kiss a girl
  11. Kiss a boy
  12. Publish an article on Selective Mutism in a magazine or newspaper
  13. Have a fantastically indulgent "staycation" with my Maman
  14. Get my eyebrows done professionally
  15. And a manicure
  16. Interview Emilie Autumn when she comes to Canada this year (!!!) 
  17. Read the article here!
  18. Meditate more
  19. Bake muffins
  20. Bring sandwiches to the homeless gentlemen near my favourite library
  21. Go to a musical (preferably on Broadway!)
  22. Go to a concert (Emilie Autumn). Maybe another?!
  23. Dance in moonlight, say spells & be more spiritual overall
  24. Get my ears repierced
  25. Start a savings account
  26. Apply to a college or university program. Probably Journalism.
  27. Learn basic typography
  28. And html
  29. And graphic design
  30. Write a short story
  31. Try yoga
  32. Visit another country
  33. Take the train
  34. Paint something beautiful
  35. Work on my passive streams of income
  36. Become more fluent in French
  37. Start learning Finnish (again!)
  38. Declutter my bedroom
  39. Invest in a DSLR
  40. And a better tripod
  41. Set up my etsy store
  42. Write an article on Trichotillomania
  43. Perfect the art of the casserole!
  44. Send a PostSecret
  45. Tell a stranger she's beautiful
  46. Go swimming
  47. Finish an entire tube of lip balm
  48. Go to an opera
  49. Share a popsicle (the kind that break in half!) with a friend when it's really hot out
  50. Leave a huge tip
  51. Visit the Niagara Hershey's Factory
  52. Have a slumber party with my best friends
  53. Visit Stacy in Ottawa
  54. Visit Kayla in CT
  55. Ride a ferris wheel
  56. Ride a carousel
  57. Spend a day at the ROM
  58. Spend a day at the library
  59. Spend a day writing at Second Cup
  60. Buy some fabulous high heels
  61. Try quilling
  62. Make a cross-stitch sampler
  63. Acquire a classic circle skirt to wear with my crinoline
  64. Treat a friend to cupcakes at Sweet Escape or Dufflet's
  65. Treat myself to dinner in Little Italy
  66. Give something fabulous away on RebeccaEsther.com... for free :)
  67. Join LinkedIn Rebecca Esther on LinkedIn.
  68. Join Flickr
  69. Condition my hair more frequently
  70. Practice making prints (block prints, letterpress, etc)
  71. Print out a bunch of my photos and fill a photo album
  72. Improve my photography skills
  73. Work on Living Creatively (a new project that's in progress!)
  74. Support more independent artists, more often
  75. Memorize a beautiful poem
  76. Volunteer at a burlesque show (I haven't in ages and I miss that!)
  77. Flirt with someone cute :)
  78. Get business cards printed
  79. Take part in an LGBT/Pride event
  80. Do something political, like volunteer for the NDP
  81. Eat some chocolate-dipped cookies from Steeles Bakery
  82. Not ready to talk about this one, but it has to do with my friend Veronica.
  83. Celebrate Shabbat
  84. Be my own valentine
  85. Celebrate Easter
  86. Celebrate Samhain
  87. Celebrate Christmas
  88. Get all dolled up and go to a bar (solo!)
  89. Ace my Human Sexuality course
  90. Visit the Smithsonian museums
  91. Buy a corset
  92. Do something wild & fabulous with my hair
  93. Make sea salt or sugar scrub
  94. Go sledding
  95. Write a guest post for someone's blog
  96. Be hired to help a business with copy writing or editing
  97. Read a really great memoir
  98. Make handmade sachets
  99. Buy a huge tote bag or carry-on luggage (for day trips)
  100. Find amazing Canadian companies with whom to work
  101. Make someone smile every single day
The ones I've done are struck out. .

What's on your 2012 To Do list?

Image Source
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Take me down like I'm a domino: Music Monday 6.2.2012

Romance, gorgeous lyrics, upbeat pop & the kind of tune that makes you want to get out of bed and dance... all in one song, care of Jessie J.

Jessie has dominated the pop charts since she hit the music scene, first as Jessica Cornish, then under her stage name, Jessie J. Her song, Sexy Silk was featured in Easy A & Price Tag is one of the catchiest songs released in the past year (plus it has a great message).

This Music Monday, feast your eyes & ears on Domino, performed live at The Jonathan Ross Show.



Rock my world until the sunlight
Make this dream the best I've ever known
Dirty dancing in the moonlight
Take me down like I'm a domino

Emma Stone for Revlon





The gorgeous Emma Stone is Revlon's latest model, looking positively stunning & making me wish simeltaneously that I had this makeup and had taken these shots. [Image Source].

Fresh: What I Wore 20.1.2012

It was a chilly afternoon, but I was full of excitement. Two of my very best friends (both since childhood!) were going to meet me for dinner downtown and we were going all out. I decided sparkles were absolutely necessary.

What I Wore:
Cardigan: Winners
Sparkly top: The Bay
Camisole: Old Navy
Pants: George Plus
Bag: Winners
Eyeliner: Annabelle
Lipgloss: Vinyl Gloss in Pin-up by Rimmel


We took the subway down to Spadina & Bloor, then walked a snowy block to Fresh. I'd never been before, but it was delicious.

Veggie burger with quinoa onion rings, veggies & kale slaw.

Delicious food is always best with wonderful company, as I was reminded during this meal.


My darling Tush amuses us while pouring drinks.

We had chocolate cake for dessert. It was scrumptious! Fresh's food is all vegetarian or vegan, but it's so incredible that even carnivores can enjoy it. That cake especially. mmmm!

We wandered down Bloor, chatting, snapping photos, having a fabulous time, until we found ourselves at a bookstore! Being total biliophiles, we went right on in!!

Chana poses in the humour section.

Finally, bags full of brand new paperbacks and magazines, we grabbed lattes and headed home.

But not before I posed for this picture!

All photos property of RebeccaEsther.com.

T-Swift, Tea & Terrible Sex: Link Love 3.2.2012


I love that, on a Starbucks run, Taylor Swift looks stylish but casual, like a "regular person".

Thoughts During Terrible Sex is good for a laugh.

7 Reasons You Should Love Tea.

Wolfmother from Adam Bilsing on Vimeo is unbelievable.


These outfits inspired by Marie of Disney's The Aristocats is purrfectly chic and adorable.

Canadian Stopsicle is pretty cool.

I love tights, especially really brightly coloured or unique ones. Some of these are a little too out there, though. What do you think?

Dianna Agron's SAG Awards look was beautiful. Here's how to emulate it.

This letter penned by E.B White is superb.

Have a great weekend, gorgeous!

Merry Imbolc!


I always feel so hopeful around this time of year: Spring is on her way, Imbolc has begun & everything feels fresh and new and filled with promise.

What is Imbolc? Imbolc is (in its most basic definition) a Pagan holiday celebrating Spring's coming. By February, most of us are tired of the cold, snowy season. Imbolc reminds us that spring is coming soon, and that we only have a few more weeks of winter to go. The sun gets a little brighter, the earth gets a little warmer... [Source].

Take a moment to take a few deep breaths. Notice the air filling your lungs, your chest rising, your whole body growing calm.

With this new sense of tranquility, ponder for a few minutes how the whole world is filling with light and hope. Snow will melt soon, giving way to flowers. The fears and guilt so often associated with New Year's will melt away, too, leaving in their wake a new, healthy you and a fresh start.

I am getting a head start on my spring cleaning (both in my house and in my head). I'm trying to be positive and healthy, as I'm always reminded to be on the Sabbats, especially this one.

Regardless of whether you're Pagan of any denomination, or whether you observe Sabbats, I hope you'll take this chance to reflect, to celebrate and to cleanse your life & feel hopeful and free.

Merry Imbolc, beautiful.

Related Links:

Imbolc
| Image Source | Holidays | Inspiration

Some Valentine's Day Ideas

Now that February is here, Valentine's Day is on nearly everyone's mind. Here's some advice from yours truly, plus some of your favourite celebs-- for single ladies, couples & BFFs.

Delicious wine & a movie. Amy Lee suggests: "If you're single, watch a movie like Dirty Dancing or Sleepless in Seattle and drink plenty of red wine".

Vantines aren't only for lovers. Send an anonymous love note to someone you admire.

"Buy your own chocolate! Not from the drugstore- go someplace decadent like Godiva and spend $30 on a box of the good stuff. It's so luxe to treat yourself," enthuses writer Jennifer Weiner.

If you're not a chocoholic, go for a nice bottle of pink champagne, as Lauren Weisberger suggests. Your friends will love it too!

Self-love is essential. Take this opportunity to buy yourself a little treat, like a vibrator or lingerie. You're hot & you deserve it!

An awesome idea from Jennifer Garner: "If you don't have a boyfriend, just grab your girlfriends and go. My best Valentine's Day, I took my friend, both of us were single, and said, 'Screw it, we're going to go have a romantic weekend.' We went to the wine country, we stayed in romantic bed-and-breakfasts, and we had wine tastings and great meals and massages. We were surrounded by couples in love, and we did not care."

If you're in a relationship, do as Dan Savage says & "fuck first, eat later". Skip the crowds by having a late, romantic dinner-- one that follows mind-blowing orgasms and a fabulously intimate few hours together.

There are more ideas to come, but I thought I'd get you started! Do you have any ideas to share?

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