I love the #AROMA of it

Hello there my lovelies! 

It’s pretty hot here in Toronto, given the cold winter’s we’ve had I am very pleased. I love to accompany the (newly) hot Canadian climate with a nicely chilled cup of coffee. My favourite chilled blend at the moment is an Iced Aroma Light. 

The Iced Aroma Light is exclusively made at every Aroma Espresso Bar location. Aroma Espresso Bar is Mediterranean-inspired cafe, Founded in Jerusalem in 1994. Aroma Espresso Bar has expanded to more than 165 locations, in 6 countries, worldwide. Countries including Israel, Canada and the United States (yay!). 

Aroma’s coffee is the best that I’ve had for a very, very long time. The flavour is richly full of flavour. Aroma takes pride in their coffee and have created their own signature blends of cappuccino, espresso, filtered and decaf coffee, using coffee beans imported for South America, Asia and Africa. 

Aroma has a roasting facility in Israel’s Valley of Elah. The roasting facility was established with the cooperation of the Ballestra family from Naples, Italy; who has been roasting gourmet coffee beans for generations. 

Aroma, however, is not only known for there amazing coffee’s, they are also known for their incredibly diverse Mediterranean-inspired menu. Being a vegetarian, it is hard for me to find a café with healthy, vegetarian alternatives. I have consistently and genuinely found Aroma Espresso Bar to carry a sense of nutritional integrity with every meal and drink purchase. Aroma starts from scratch every morning in each of their locations, in every aspect of their ingredients. I have never known of a café that prepares every meal fresh and made-to-order. They even freshly bake loaves of bread and pastries, that are then served only the same day as they are prepared. 

Aroma Espresso Bar, literally raises the bar (pun intended), I have honestly never been to such a beautiful establishment. Aroma revives all of my senses, all of my senses become happy just by sitting in the café. Don’t just take my word for it, go and try it for yourselves! When you do, don’t forget to tell me how much you loved it! 

I would love to hear your feedback! Send me suggestions, jokes or even some caffeine at this email address: thebeanmovement@gmail.com

Stay Caffeinated.

xoxo, Amelia

source: www.aroma.ca

10 easy steps the the best Prom ever!

Hello there my lovelies,

In the spirit of prom season I'd like to pass on my first hand knowledge to make prom a little less stressful by giving all you prom-goers an easy 10 step guide to a fun and enjoyable night.

#1 Dress to impress... yourself

Prom is one of those days you can roll out the red carpet and be as glamorous as you possibly can get.   Don't just buy a dress because Sherri Hill designed it, or Cara Delevingne wore it. If you look fabulous, and you feel even more fabulous; you've found yourself a keeper.

So many young girls believe their date have to match outfits with them (or colour coordinate with them) a lot of the time, it comes off very tacky and like so 1950's. Lets start some new trends here people! I know it's hard to believe, but your school peers will know you're together, even if you're not matching each other.

Reminder: You're only wearing the dress for four hours.

#2 Enhance your natural beauty 

If you're doing your make up yourself, or having a friend do it for you. Practice, practice, practice. You don't want there to be any surprises the day of your Prom.

When it comes to make up, less truly is more. Although we all know the famous Kim Kardashian routine of contour, most of us really haven't been able to master this trick and it's better not to experiment on this one occasion.

For those of us who are getting your make up professionally done, bring lots of example pictures and do your research. It's better to simply enhance your natural every-day make up then do something completely outrageous and different, just because a professional is doing it. If you're not used to seeing yourself with heavy make up or eye shadow, you'll be stuck staring at yourself not able to recognize who you're looking at.

A misconception many girl have, is that their dress colour needs to be embedded in their eyeshadow.  Depending on your skin tone, dress colour and eye colour there is a specific blend of eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara to fit each of us. I have an olive skin tone, brown eyes and wore a white prom dress, a gold and brown mix best suited this look and my make up artist did an amazing job achieving my make up dream.

My suggestion to you: find celebrities with a similar skin tone and eye colour as you. The make up artist will be able to then work with what you brought them. I find that giving the artist the freedom of working their talent with a set of guidelines works best.


#3 Your date is a partner, not your prisoner 

Girls these days bring a date to prom and forget a simple thing:  it's your date's prom too. It is not only YOUR day, it is the day of every single other person as well. Just because you came to prom together doesn't mean you two need to be stuck together like a police officer with their prisoner. It's hard to believe, but you can actually have just as much fun with your girl (or guy) friends then you can with a little time apart from your date. And please, please do not be too overbearing to your poor innocent date. He (or she) needs time with her own friends too.

If your significant other doesn't want to wear that beautiful suit you had in mind, doesn't mean he doesn't love you any less. It just means that, like you, he wants to look smoking hot and feel good too. Take a moment and think how it would be like if he were to tell you what colour or dress you would be allowed to wear.

#4 Dance your pants off

Come on my lovelies, no one likes a Debbie Downer. Dance your pants off and have a good time. Your prom day is once in a lifetime, make it count.

#5 Live in the moment 

The whole reason why I allowed myself to stay in high school for four straight years was in hopes of a great prom. One of my biggest regrets looking back was I didn't live in the moment and take every moment when it came to me. I was so worried about having a great time that I completely forgot to take pictures and actually have a great time. Looking back, I would do it all over again in hopes to be more relaxed.

#6 Keep your hands... on your own date

Over the years, I have heard actual horror stories about girls stealing someone else's date! It doesn't matter how close of friends you are with the guy (or girl) keep your hands on your own date. There is a reason why you aren't at prom with him/or her. If you're really in love with the guy, wait and it will happen if it's meant to be. Take control over yourself and love the night with your friends, there is no need for you to steal your best friend's man. But I mean, if it happens and its true love, do you boo.

#7 The after party, is the real party

Prom is over, you're exploding from all the food you've eaten, prom king and queen have been crowned and your feet are throbbing from all the dancing. It is now time for after prom. I have seen first hand what an after prom is like, and let me tell you it is probably the best time you'll ever have in all of your high school existence. People go to after prom to soley have a great time with friends and school mates. I personally made amends with old friends and made new friends with people at my after prom, it is better then any other party you will ever attend. No matter how much fun you had at prom, after prom will always be better. People forget about prom, but will talk about after prom for the rest of their lives.


#8 Danger doesn't lose it's danger when you're a little tipsy** 

Just because you've had a little to drink does not mean you're invincible. I know that this may be unbelievable, but if you run through a glass window you will feel it in the morning. Just because you don't physically feel pain in the moment, does not mean you're not harming yourself. Dangerous activities are still dangerous even when you're tipsy, be responsible.


#9 Do not be "The Mother Goose" or the "Sloppy Drunk"

There is a fine line between having a good time and being the good time. No one likes the person who is running around making sure no one is throwing their guts (and all of prom dinner) out, but no one likes the person who is so drunk they can barley walk and are throwing up their guts.  The term "Mother Goose" is a person who is completely sober, running around after prom taking away drinks and stopping make out session only in hopes of being known as the saviour of the night. Sorry to break it to you honey, but if I want to finish that bottle of vodka, you will not be stopping me, you will be annoying me. If you have had too much to drink and more then just the "Mother Goose" is telling you to drink some water (aka your parents) then you should probably chill out and drink some water. Be responsible for yourself.

#10 Do you boo

At the end of the night, all that matters is that you enjoyed yourself. Be the Mother Goose or the Sloppy drunk if you want too. Make your date be the prisoner and match your eyeshadow to your prom date's tie if that is what makes you extremely happy. Do you boo. Love your night and love your time. Do you boo. Do you..


Try to have the best time ever, but at the end of the day its just prom. It's not as big of a deal as we all think it is. Remember, it's not like you're 19 or anything ;-).

xoxo, stay caffeinated.

Amelia


** I am in no way condoning or promoting underage drinking. Please drink responsibly and of legal age**

Starbucks Eggnog Latte!

Hello my little beanies,

So nice to be back on my blogging quest. I am so sorry my posts have been less frequent, the holidays have been a bit on the cray side.

As promised, new and exciting things have been happening to The Bean Movement. As of today, I am an official blogger on a online magazine called "Generation Nothingness" (http://gnothingness.com/). I will be writing all about coffee trends, news and other cool coffee topics twice a month! Stay tuned to my social media websites, I will let you all know when my posts have been published on there. Below you will see a screenshot of my Generation Nothingness profile.

I know that by now, most of the holidays are over, its officially 2015 (crazy how fast time flies), school has started back up and diets are being planned; but I still just LOVE the holidays. I love the way the malls are during the holiday season and I love how festive people are. Now, being a coffee addict, I also really love how coffee shops change it up a bit during the holiday season, I love how they change their cups, their flavours and they customer service is on its game too.

Now as you all know, for the winter season my goal is to find the coffee shop with the best Eggnog Latte. The first place on the blogging list was Starbucks.

If it wasn't for Starbucks, I can honestly say that I wouldn't even know there was such thing as an "Eggnog Latte" they were the first that I heard to have such a thing (a very long time ago, aka pre-blogging days) and I can say that because of them, I have the pleasure of looking forward to having an eggnog latte almost every day of the holiday season (don't judge me, I'm addicted).

Starbucks tends to never disappoint in the eggnog latte section of my life, they are consistently encouraging my eggnog latte addiction and I do not hate it.  Now, unfortunately I tried to write this same blog post last year ( LOL, get it.. last year? It's 2015....) but I had a little set back. The Starbucks I visited RAN OUT OF EGGNOG!!!!!!!!!!!!! My heart was broken for about a second, then I decided to have a wet cappuccino (aka the love of my life).

Thankfully, this week when I went to Starbucks, they were in high stock of the eggnog for me, and this is how my story begins....

I went to Starbucks and the lady behind the counter was actually so sweet and cute. I literally loved her, she brightened my day! She took my order, tall eggnog latte, and actually ASKED me how to spell my name; instead of guessing and completely bombing it, which typically makes me want to get my name legally changed to something "normal" and easier to spell. (1 Bean Point)

When my lips touched the lid of the magical eggnog latte, I thought my mouth tasted what heaven tastes like. Needless to say, the flavour was perfect, creamy and brought me back to the first day I every tried an eggnog latte (I think it was 2008?). It was amazing. (1 Bean Point)

The price? $3.75. That hurt my bank account... I feel like Starbuck's prices keep rising and my bank account keeps getting smaller and smaller....... (No Bean Point)

The Starbucks location was prime and had a drive thru, which makes me very happy when it's -20 outside (not kidding, it was literally -20.) (1 Bean Point)

Now, I didn't enter the Starbucks this time, so I didn't get to vote on the ambiance. The point is given to them because I know it's amazing in there and because I chose to not enter, which isn't their fault.



Now it's time for the run-down:

Flavour: 1 bean point

Price: 0 bean point

Ambiance: 1 bean point

Drive-Thru: 1 bean point

Customer Service: 1 bean point

Total Score: 4/5 total bean points!

Overall I am very, very impressed by you Starbucks. I love your eggnog latte, and as I said before you are the reason I know it exists so I owe you my eggnog latte addiction. I am hoping your prices may lower... even just by a couple of cents, and if it does you deserve a 5/5!! Keep up the great work! Love you longtime.

Reminder for the medium double-double challenge:
The Good Neighbour: 4/5 Bean Points
Coffee Culture's score: 4.5/5 Bean Points
Timothy's World Cup Coffee's score: 4/5 Bean Points

LavAzza's score: 0/5 Bean Points
McCafé's score: 5/5 Bean Points
Aroma Espresso Bar's score: 5/5 Bean Points
Faema Caffè's score: 3.5 Bean Points
Second Cup's score: 1/5 Bean Points
Illy Caffè's score: 4.5/5 Bean Points
Starbucks' score: 3/5 Bean Points
Tim Hortons' score: 2.5/5 Bean Points



Until next week! xoxo

Stay Caffeinated.




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