Paris in January offers a quieter, more romantic side of the city. With festive decorations lingering post-New Year, cozy cafes, and iconic landmarks glowing in the winter light, it’s the perfect destination for a long weekend escape. We spent a few cosy days after our 10 days in Ireland and here’s how to make the most of your Parisian adventure, including must-visit spots and seasonal highlights.
Living the life of your dreams starts with a clear vision, intentional actions, and a mindset rooted in possibility. Achieving your dream life isn’t about instant transformations but about cultivating habits, setting goals, and consistently working toward them. I love to create a vision board for the year ahead, and when I put one together in 2024 I really felt like it all happened. This year I updated mine and came up with a few more ideas as well as tangible goals for 2025.
Ireland in December offers a magical mix of festive cheer, cozy winter vibes, and stunning landscapes. From bustling Christmas markets to warm pubs with live music and hearty meals, it’s the perfect destination to soak up the holiday spirit. My fiance is Irish, and entire family lives in Ireland (theres a few scattered in various parts of Europe too), so we’re headed for our first Christmas together with his family.
This past summer, I was lucky enough to travel to Europe with my dad and brother. We managed to take two weeks off and explore Italy—more on that later—and visited all the must-see spots. Toward the end of our trip, my partner Alan flew out to meet us in Rome so that him and I could start a trip just the two of us. After a few hints had been dropped, little did I know that Alan had planned a surprise for us.
It is absolutely no secret that I am obsessed with Italy. I have been there three times, twice in the last 12 months, and am in love with everything, the culture, the design, the food (despite being gluten free). I’ve been hesitant to put together a how-to travel guide for Italy, because I wouldn’t even know where to start and how much I love it would only translate to scattered thoughts, but one thing that I am am to do is talk about Italy as a design and decor inspiration. I have been slowly but surely adding in touches of Italy into my home since I moved in.
Arches have been a cornerstone of architectural beauty for centuries, from the grand Roman aqueducts to intricate Moorish designs. In modern home design, arches can bring elegance, softness, and timeless appeal to interiors and exteriors alike. Whether you're renovating, building, or simply looking to refresh your space, incorporating arches into your home design can enhance both aesthetics and functionality.
My best friend and I hopped on a quick RyanAir flight last November to go check out Valencia for the weekend. We started off by Googling the warmest cities in November as we both wanted a warmer break from the day to day cold of Canada and the UK. I loved Spain when I went there back in 2014, and I was happy to be back and eating all the tapas and paella we could find. With such a quick trip though, we had a lot to squeeze in and we wanted to still have a rather laid back weekend.
Growing up in Canada, and actually being born in Ontario, the fact I had never been to Ottawa was crazy to me. So when my friend’s partner suggested skating on the Rideau Canal, I was in. I’m not the best skater, but I love to be on skates and feel a great sense of freedom in the fresh air. Since I’ve been trying to keep my trips to long weekends, and since it’s the dead of winter, I hopped on a plane on a Thursday morning and headed for Ottawa to meet up with friends.
2021 and 2022 I spent more time in Eastern Canada than I have since I lived there from Age 1-7. I managed to find cheap flights constantly, and was able to go out and see friends and family for DIY projects, concerts, road trips and surprises. One of the road trips that we took was to Sauble Beach in late September. Although beautiful, it was a little bit colder than we initially anticipated and our adventure included less pool time and more time exploring. I would go back in a heartbeat in a warmer month, but September wasn’t a bad time to explore the town while it was sleepy, and get to know The June Motel.
This is my third Palm Springs post, and it’s just because I love it so much. I’ve gone there with family, with a partner, myself and soon to be a couples trip, and still find a way to still have the best time. Whether it be hiking, biking, walking around, shopping or golfing, there is something for everyone, no matter what the season. I was there last year with my parents before hip surgery, and it was about 4 years since I was there with people other than family. I can’t wait to get back down there with our friends to show them all the things to love about PS.
Ladies, it's that time of year again! Valentine's Day is just around the corner, but who says it's only for couples? Galentine's Day, made popular by the beloved TV show Parks and Recreation, is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the love and friendship among your fellow gal pals. Hosting a Galentine's Day party can be a fun and memorable event that brings your girlfriends together for a night of laughter, bonding, and appreciation. Here are some tips on how to host a fabulous Galentine's Day party for the girls in your life.
I don’t know about you, but I started off my year with my partner in Banff, and we did all the winter-y things while also making sure to be slow and intentional with our time. I also spent a couple hours putting together my vision for 2024, putting together a monthly look and then a year-long look at what I wanted to bring into my life and what I wanted to channel. I created one for January to start, with my inspo board here.
Calgary, known for its stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and vibrant cultural scene, transforms into a haven for all things spooky and spectacular come Halloween. I love Halloween. There is something about the season of Fall that invokes cozy vibes, and I love going to a pumpkin patch, cooking with pumpkins, watching Halloweentown (no scary movies for me this year), and doing all the cute fall things with friends and a significant other.
I love gardening. I’ve had a passion for keeping plants and tending to a garden on my patio or in a backyard for the last few years, and it only increased during the first year of the pandemic when I had not much to do, but tend to what I could.
I live in a hardiness zone 3b, which isn’t the greatest for growing, and you need to be more specific when planning to make sure things are successful and here are some tips on how to set up a garden in Zone 3b.
June is the season of warm weather, growing plants, outdoor movies, outdoor markets and more. I’ve put together a few things that I love about June and a few things that are inspiring me.
I’ve been working with a friend of mine on redesigning her apartment and we’ve been going back and forth on Milanote. If you're looking to create a modern Parisian decor scheme, you can draw inspiration from the chic and sophisticated style that is synonymous with the City of Light. It’s a little difficult to accomplish in a small space, but here are some ways to incorporate that style into your space.
It’s coming up a long weekend here, and if you are getting excited about new projects this spring and summer season, I have put together a few new DIY projects that you can try this weekend that range from an hour or two to a full weekend project.
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Fourth and Ivy is a collection of lifestyle, design and travel content to inspire and encourage creativity and exploration of the world around you. I’m here to make is easy, from making and creating, to picking up and traveling around the world. I have lots of experience and I wanted to share it with you to help you on your own journey.
xo.
Welcome to Fourth and Ivy.
I’ve been using this platform since I was 21 years old and fresh out of university. It became my outlet for sharing travel tips with friends, and has since grown into sharing my design inspirations, brand development work and my favourite places to go with the world. I have loved creating these guides and tips for readers that are looking for something to inspire them, because this is the type of content I always wanted to find. I wanted to know what to pack for a trip to NYC, or how to bring home my favourite Palm Springs aesthetic to my apartment in Canada. I wanted to know how to get from Thailand into Laos safely, and where to find the best backpacks for long term travel.
I hope you find something here that inspires you to get out and try something new; at home or out in the world, and a place you can use as a resource for the next time you need inspiration.
Traveling to Europe in 2025 comes with its own set of must-haves, balancing classic needs with modern conveniences. Whether you’re exploring cities, countryside, or coastal areas, this updated list ensures you’re prepared, comfortable, and connected.