The Simple Sweets (2021 - present)

Oh hey there! So happy you stopped by. My name is Melissa and I’ve been baking for probably as long as I can remember. My best memories of baking come from making sugar cookies with my mom and sisters for so many years. This is why I wanted to start off the Instagram page @thesimplysweetsblog with some Christmas treats. For most of my life my mom has taught me all of the things I cook. I am so grateful to have grown up in an Italian household where cooking was basically taught from birth. Whethe

Melissa Loves Disney (2017)

Ever since the last Kylo Ren movie came out, more commonly known as Star Wars: The Force Awakens I have excitedly been awaiting the new film The Last Jedi. Thanks to the team at Out There with Melissa DiMarco and Lenovo Canada I had the opportunity to try out the new Augmented Reality ( AR ) Jedi Challenges. I think this would make an amazing game at night, because the AR brings a lot of stunning bright colours that would reflect well on the black backdrop. What is kind of incredible is the lig

Melissa Loves Toronto (2013-2018)

Summer is one of the most fun times, especially as a creative working in the heart of the city! While I love to sport something calm to pair with a work outfit, it also needs to be something I can enhance with an evening look for a media event. One of my favourite beauty companies is without question, Charlotte Tilbury. From their foundation to lipsticks and even perfume, I have never been disappointed with pieces I have either received to review or purchased myself. Because when the celebrity d

5 Instagram #Studygram Accounts That Will Motivate You To Study

At Flipd, we value balance — so if Instagram is what inspires you to get into flow, then all the power to you. On the other hand, if scrolling away on social media isn't inspiring you, it can be nothing more than a major time suck. So why not follow the best #Studygram accounts to get your thinking juices flowing? We've got you covered. Here are our top 5 favorite #Studygram accounts, beautifully crafted by super inspiring students: Emily is an 18 year-old student based in England, with over 1

How The Internet's Favorite Dad Feels About Social Media and Technology

Stewart Reynolds, better known as Brittlestar, has the dream job. A social media celebrity with over 400 million views of his content, the suburban father of two teen boys has created viral video videos for brands like Disney, ESPN, Subway, Walmart, KFC, and numerous others. As the self-titled (and well-deserved) "Internet's Favorite Dad", Brittlestar quite literally eats and breathes the internet. Considering his line of work, grabbing your attention is Brittlestar's bread and butter — so how

This Valentine’s Day, Break Up With Your Phone

What’s the first thing you see in the morning? Is it your spouse or your pet? The sun? If you’re like most people, you’re probably awoken by a phone, vibrating within arm’s reach, its alarm blaring at you that it’s time to wake up. For you, and many of us, the very first thing our eyes will adjust to is that small screen and all of the shiny new treats it has to share. But if this is indeed the relationship you have with your phone, then ask yourself — How healthy is it? Author and journalist,

3 Reasons Why a Digital Detox is Exactly the New Years Resolution You Need in 2018

Every new year, media tends to focus on weight loss and a healthier you — gyms offer up free membership trials and weight watching ads saturate our news feeds, all while mental health awareness takes a back seat. But as we've discovered after the first few days of 2018, it's become increasingly important to pay attention to our mental health as much as our physical health. A key part of this conversation is the negative impact smartphones may be having on our mental health and anxiety. While ou

Phone Addiction — And 4 Reasons Why It Matters More Than You Think

According to a 2016 study by Flurry Mobile, the average person spends a total of 5 hours a day on their smartphone. Considering many of us work or attend school for a large portion of the day already, this is a significant (and alarming) amount of time. Surprisingly concerned by this rising trend are some of tech's top executives of the last two decades, like Sean Parker, Facebook’s founding president, who recently warned that social media and technology have been inherently designed to be addi

Museum Monday with Melissa - November 2 2015

It was great to see so many new and familiar faces celebrating the Day of the Dead at #FNLROM this past Friday. There is so much to see and do this week ! If you haven’t already you’ll definitely want to warm up in the #ROMpeii exhibit - keep note that it is only going to be open until January 2016. It has artwork, military wear, videos and a play section for the kids - quite perfectly something for everyone. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is a beautiful escape to some incredible images of

Museum Monday with Melissa - October 6 2015

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend. With FNLROM starting off the season and Nuit Blanche ! One of the exciting upcoming events is Masters of Dreams: The French and Swiss Jewellers. It is taking place Tuesday, October 6, 2015 from 7:00pm - 9:30pm. You can explore the world of of Europe's most legendary jewellers with a special presentation of a screening of Masters of Dreams: The French and Swiss Jewellers. Definitely something you won’t want to miss. This is also your last chance to check o

Who's Drawing the Lines: The Journey of Judith Snow

A celebration of an artist’s triumph over perceptions of disability Opening August 20, 2011, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents Who's Drawing the Lines: The Journey of Judith Snow. This intimate exhibition explores paintings by Snow, a quadriplegic artist and world leader on inclusion issues for people labeled as disabled. Who’s Drawing the Lines reveals how, through her unique way of creating art, Snow overcame a lifetime of perceived limitations to express “all that is in [her] heart”. F

Museum Monday with Melissa - August 24 2015

With summer ending soon, it is something you’ll want to cherish before it is gone. There is still much to warm up with at the Royal Ontario Museum this week. Take a ROM walk through Cabbagetown North this Wednesday. Just look for the purple ROMwalks Umbrella at the Northeast corner of Parliament and Winchester Streets at 6pm. This Friday, enjoy some prosecco and antipasti in the lovely ROMpeii Piazza. Journey to Italy with an intimate cafe experience inspired by the featured exhibit Pompeii: I

Museum Monday with Melissa - July 20, 2015

What an exciting time for the ROM. This week there is so much to see and do. With the beautiful weather we are able to enjoy it is a great time to get out and visit the Royal Ontario Museum. Nothing could be more exciting than a new dinosaur discovery. In just the last few days, a recent dinosaur discovery has been named Wendiceratops pinhornensis. It was discovered by renowned fossil finder Wendy Sloboda in 2010, and excavated over the following three field seasons by the ROM’s Dr. David Evans

Museum Monday with Melissa - June 22, 2015

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer so far! Yesterday was the first day - and the longest day of the year. Time to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather. What a perfect time for the Museum to have so much to offer. Whether going with friends, family or a first date, there is something for everyone this week at the ROM. Young adults will enjoy #FNLROM - the only sad part is this time it is the last one of the season! You’ll definitely want to come out and enjoy all of the wine, wonderful eat

Museum Monday with Melissa - June 8, 2015

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend! After resting up ( after last week’s #FNLROM) there is SO MUCH to look forward to and for the whole family to enjoy. Start this week off with something adventurous. TWO #ROMspeak events this week, #FNLROM is a Toga party, and celebrate Italian music and food. #ROMSpeaks this Tuesday June 9th is on Jeff Rubin and The Carbon Bubble. Adults will enjoy hearing Canadian economist talk about oil depletion and its economic repercussions. Joining Rubin onstage wil

Museum Monday with Melissa - May 25, 2015

I am so excited to share with you all of the beautiful events and galleries happening at the ROM this week. There is so much for everyone to enjoy. From dinosaurs to all the fish in the sea, you won’t want to miss the amazing adventures to come from a visit to the Museum. Families will enjoy to take part in the Google Hangout on Air - Tour the Ichthyology Lab on Wednesday May 27th at noon. This will include a unique exploration of one of the ROM’s founding collections. Join Curator Hernan Lopez

Museum Monday with Melissa - May 18, 2015

Happy Long Weekend! Hope you're enjoying this beautiful weather. So much to do this week for anyone and everyone at the Museum. With the summer not too far away there is much to see and do at the Royal Ontario Museum Something people will enjoy taking part in is the Family Photo Booth. This will be on May 23rd only. Families will receive a free print and digital file when they get their photo taken by Annu Palakunnathu Matthew the Generations. First come first serve. The always infamous #FNLRO

Museum Monday with Melissa - May 11, 2015

With every week, comes some more exciting events and exhibitions to see. Whether digging up dino fossils or learning about meteorites this week is sure to have something amazing for you to enjoy. Next Tuesday’s ROMSpeaks will focus on the award winning author and host of Discovery Science’s Meteorite Men Geoff Notkin. Having travelled to 45 countries in search of meteorites he is a great storyteller. This includes northern Siberia, Chile’s Atacama Desert, the Australian Outback and crossing the

Museum Monday with Melissa - May 4, 2015

I’m quite excited for this week, as the theme will be Cinco de Mayo! So many incredible curated experiences featuring Mexico. This week's ROMSpeaks will be held on May 5th 2015. It will include guest curator Chloë Sayer, of the new textiles exhibit ¡Viva México!, from May 9, 2015 to May 23, 2016. Adults will enjoy hearing the stories of the beautiful clothing and Day of the Dead costumes from Mexico over the last 10 years. The Cinco de Mayo theme at this week’s #FNLROM will bring for a lot of g

Museum Monday with Melissa - April 27, 2015

With May just a few days away and warmer weather upon us, you can count on an innovative and creative week at the Royal Ontario Museum. ROM Speaks : The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, An Ancient Crab, And An Epic Journey Adults will enjoy learning about the biodiversity. This moderated evening event will include ROM researchers Mark Peck, David Rudkin and Oliver Haddrath as well as author Deborah Cramer. Book sales & signing will be held available after the event. Families can enjoy taking photos
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