Hello Darlings,

In the midst of academic chaos, it is always wonderful to find the time to relax and unwind. Regardless of how much I adore my field of study, it does get overwhelming and frustrating at times. I am sure that every single one of us has been or is in such a situation.I don't have much time on my hands and every day seems to be short on hours, so when it comes to down time I prefer to spend it at home with my family or in the company of my closest friends. It is always wonderful to have a solid support system and those that genuinely care.

However, there are times when one just wants to be alone, in such cases there are a few places/activities that I find myself doing. Since I've received quite a few requests for my favorite "alone-time" activities, I've decided to share my favorite eight...

♥ An art gallery

• Although I look at paintings majority of the time, I still can't help but go to the gallery when I need to make an important decision or just get away. Nothing beats spending 15 minutes pointlessly staring at Warhol's Liz or Elvis at AGO.

♥ Desserts

• If you're a dessert addict like me, try taking your work and stopping by a cafe with great dessert selection. Not only will you get everything done but you will also find yourself happy and relaxed. It works for me when I have lots of research to do. Grab my laptop and indulge.

♥ Yoga

• Although it's a long term commitment, yoga is hands down the best when it comes to stress relief. It also doesn't hurt that you tone up those problem areas along the ways.

♥ Coffee

• I can shamefully admit that I am one of those people whose studies in starbucks. I find libraries to be depressing and starbucks has a very light atmosphere that is comforting when working under a strict deadline.

♥ Theater/Ballet

• I try to see almost every production that is on at the Royal Alexandra or Princess of Wales theaters and that is done by the National Ballet of Canada. It's a wonderful treat!

♥ Dinners

• After night lectures, I take myself out for a lovely dinner every week or so. Some people find the idea a bit strange, but I do enjoy dining alone. Try it once, you might like it And if not, the experience is quite liberating (at least, that's what one of my girlfriends referred it to as).

♥ Reading

• I've always been an avid reader, so whenever I have a free minute I try to read a novel or at least start one and read a few chapters every night before bed.

♥ Blogging

• It's a very rewarding hobby and I enjoy the time that I get to spend while creating every single one of my post or replying to the comments/e-mail. For that I must thank you all, your support means more to me than I can explain.

Now that you know some of my favorite "alone-activities", what are yours?

Well, now on to the outfit part of the program I wore this little number to one of my lectures and then for a shopping date with mom. These days have been spent in flats but the evening which do get to see heels have not been captured by the camera. Whenever I go out in the evening, I hate tagging along my huge Canon Rebel so I end up with no pictures to share. I promise to work on that...I know that casual gets boring after a while.Especially since I have picked up some going out items such as a few cocktail dresses, booties and a new Marc Jacobs clutch.

One more thing that I wanted to mention was how pleased I am with my new Candela booties. Since their arrival, I've had the opportunity to give them a fair test run and the quality is exceptional. I expected nothing less since Candela shoes are handmade. I know how difficult it is to find quality footwear that will wear well in the winter time, so I figured that some might find this review useful. I know that Candela is difficult to find, but I know that Saks and Revolve carry the brand. Also occasionally, you can find the boots on sale at Bluefly (they get sold out fast! just a heads up).

P.S. Don't forget to enter my CK Beauty Giveaway

Wishing Everyone a Beautiful Tuesday!!!

With Love...

Marta