instagram.

I gotta say, there have been some great 'grams coming up over the last few months. I've throughout enjoyed following and interacting with several brands, friends and to be frank, people I've never met via Instagram.

Here are the accounts that I'm following this month - guaranteed, they'll liven up your feed if you're looking for something fresh!

@TaylorSterling 

Founder and Creative Director of The Glitter Guide, Taylor Sterling is the ultimate girls girl. Some wouldn't stop to take a photo of an interesting wall or moment happening on the street. 

Taylor captures it perfectly, and reminds us to stop and smell the roses in life. 

@blushshop

Simple shots from the waist-down of outfits, perfection in the use of white backgrounds and snaps of this dog - basically, one of the loveliest accounts I've seen. 

@GQ

It's not secret that I'll go for a GQ-esque guy every time. Let's keep this dapper look, gentleman-ly feel and witty/smart work up guys, it doesn't just pass by us ladies. 

@treasuresandtravels

Three Vancouver girls, Tegan, Bethany and Lindsay, write the divine blog Treasures & Travels. 

As a relatively newbie to the city, I love following their site and 'grams to see where the ladies are munching, hanging out and spending the season. 

Hands down, these gals got it when photographing with natural light - a must-do in my books!  

I'm always on the hunt for great Instagram feeds to follow for upcoming blog posts (and life). If you know someone interesting that I should take a peek at, tweet or leave me a comment below. 

I'm also on Instagram shares a few treats from my life...learning new tricks daily!

Have a lovely rest of your weekend.   

I do not take credit for any of the photos used in this post. Photography belongs to the credited photographers, text belongs to Portia Favro. 

instagram.

As much as I try to follow and maintain a healthy work-life balance, what's a gal to do when the things she enjoys in "off" hours transform into career passions?

Instagram it all, of course.

Thus, I've been on the 'gram more than ever lately, and these are a few of accounts I've had my eye on this fall. Between great photos, styling ideas and to-die-for foodie posts, I recommend following these gals stat!

@emilyschuman

I think I speak for most of the female population that I have a bit of a girl crush on Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere.
This modern-day Martha Stewart has a fresh take on lifestyle blogging, and a knack for showing the beauty in everyday activities.Her Instagram photos are as divine as her blog - if I could walk in any one's shoes for a day, Emily's grey pumps are definitely front-runners.

@welovecitrus

I just can't get enough of interior designer (and crafter extraordinaire) Ana's fresh 'grams.
Besides inspiration photos, her too-cute babies make weekly appearances on her feed - their little outfits and those chubby legs will put a permanent smile on your face. 

@theeverygirl_

When life gets hectic, one of the best things to do is check The Everygirl Instagram. You'll often seen a quote (like the centre one above) that hits you square between the eyes.
 Mixed in with travel shots from around the world, every photo is postcard-worthy in my books!

@kellygolightly

It's no secret that Breakfast at Tiffany's is my all-time favourite movie, and has been since I was a teenager.
Needless to say, Kelly Golightly is the epitome of the modern-day Audrey, with a touch of Holly, and lots of sass. She's also the queen of cropping photos into shapes like clubs, hearts and circles - no one on Instagram does it better.

There we are! Enjoy and happy "liking" these divine Instagrams.

As always, I'm on the hunt for interesting profiles to follow - food, fashion, race cars...whatever. I'm all ears.

Let me know on Instagram (@PortiaFavro) and I'll feature my favourites again next month.

Have a lovely weekend!

All photos via the Instagram users. I don't own any of the photos from this post - just the writing! 

top5.

Whoa man! I can't believe it's already late October (and my birthday is this week...say what?!) I know everyone talks about the years going by faster, and this past one is no exception.

Yes, there were slow moments, but overall, it's been quick, fantastic and full of great experiences and a lot of lessons.

I've been able to pocket a few fabulous things this past month as well...thought I would share some of my favourites in my October Top 5.

Instagram magnets.

Seriously though, how cool are these? May just have to be my birthday present to myself (and my next DIY project) 

Karolina Turek. 

I had an incredible opportunity to shoot some new headshots with Vancouver photographer Karolina Turek. Not only is she gorgeous, but she has an incredible eye for a good shot. If you are in need of photos (especially headshots) Karolina is your girl. 

 Infused water. 

Working for a client that sells water has you getting really creative with their social media content. After seeing a plethora of infused water recipes, I was inspired to try them out. 

My favourite recipe: slice half a lemon into thin shavings. Slice roughly the same amount of cucumber. Let sit in water overnight. 

Oh Land.

Throughout a series of events, I ended up at musician Oh Land's concert in Vancouver last week. She's divine live, and spent quite awhile after the show at her merch both chatting and posing for photos with fans. Best song of the night: Renaissance Girls

Crazy Horse Cabaret. 

I'm absolutely obsessed with Crazy Horse Cabaret as of late. The music, the dancing, the lighting...true art. My one year goal: see the show live in Paris. 

instagram2.

This past July I posted an entry about my "must follow" accounts on the photo-sharing network Instagram.

Like my work life - I like to aim big, go big and reach out to as far as I can. The amazing thing about social media, is that you can directly interact with several big names in whatever industry you're interested in. 

I featured four accounts in that post who have caught my eye - never did I expect three out of the four of them to reply, retweet and share my post.  Big thanks to The Store on Queen ladies, Jillian Harris and Coach Bleecker Women for the support! 

I had several readers reach out and ask me to do series of "Must Follow" accounts - without further ado, here's Part 2! 

@StyleWithinReach

I have been following Caitlin's blog, Style Within Reach, and her work on The Glitter Guide for a whole now. I love her tangible, lively photos on Instagram. Unlike many staged posts, hers never seem "stiff".

Highlight: Her posts from New York Fashion Week captured some of the best details off the runway. The centre photo (above) is a piece seen at the Cynthia Rowley show. 

@BonAppetitMag 

Yes, Instagram is all about food photos, so it's no wonder Bon Appetit Magazine's collection has some of the best. My personal favourites are shot inside the Test Kitchen, and their mini how-to videos are some of the best I've seen. 

@LemonStripes

Travel shots, bright colours and a touch of classic style? Julia Dzafic, your Instagram photos make my heart go pitter-patter! I especially love how genuine Julia's beauty shots are - in an age where selfies and head shots are uber-posed, Julia's megawatt smile certainly appears organic and real. 

@Petite_Pearl

I have probably "liked" roughly 90 per cent of Vancouver-based wedding planner Jessica Minnie's Instagram photos. It looks like she's had a busy summer travelling around B.C. to make wedding days come to life - I particularly love all her detail and live shots throughout these evenings. Thanks for a summer of lovely shots Jessica! 

There you go - these are my top four Instagram accounts for September. 

I'm always on the hunt for interesting, new and fresh feeds to follow. Let me know your favourites on Instagram (@PortiaFavro). 

Until next month...have a great weekend! 

All photos via the Instagram users. I don't own any of the photos from this post - just the writing! 

instagram.

Hello, my name is Portia Favro and I am an Instagram addict.

When I started using the popular photo-sharing application in 2011, it was solely to make my photos more interesting with the filters. It was free, easy to use and immediately changed the way I took photos.

Two years later, it's one of my essential networks for both personal and business use. I urge many of my clients to use Instagram, or at least be aware of its impact.

Like many of the big social media networks, there are a plethora of users. For most of the general population, the feeds include blurry pictures, some odd hashtags and a fair deal of food photos (which is never a bad thing!)

However, I think there are a handful of brands and users who are creating some incredible content on the application that hardly get noticed. So I've decided to feature my favourite Instagram accounts/users every month - these may be feeds that personal, professional or brand-focused, but are always inspiring and full of major eye candy.

Without further ado, here are my "must follow"accounts on Instagram. These guys and gals are doing it right!

@JillianHarrisDesign

Remember this Bachelorette? Jillian Harris is a true B.C. gal, and her Instagram fed truly reflects that. I love her healthy mix of design, food and personal photos from across the province/country! Her smile is infectious, and I truly feel that she takes the time to plan out and execute great content. 

@TheStoreOnQueen

I met Angela and Vava after they came to see a show I was performing in Toronto. We've run into each other at events in the city, and of course, at their divine boutique, The Store On Queen. These ladies are so passionate about their brand and their strong friendship, which is reflected through their feed. Their daily outfit posts are always full of life, colour and of course, lots of sass. I'm missing TSOQ! 

@donalddrawbertson

As another blogger put it - these are the best sketches, ever. I think I may have "liked" every single post since I've started following, no joke. 

@coachblkwomen

The pictures from the desk of the Coach Women's Legacy store on Bleecker Street in New York City are just, awesome. These shots are real, and even though the lighting, colour, etc., isn't always perfect, it doesn't matter. It humanizes the brand/feed and bring the streets of NYC (one of my favourite places in the world) to the palm of your hand daily. 

There you have it - my top four Instagram accounts of the month.

I'm anxious to hear what your favourite feeds are on Instagram. Let me know on Instagram (@PortiaFavro), and I'll feature my favourites next month. 

Happy Friday! 

All photos via the Instagram users. I don't own any of the photos from this post - just the writing! 

sorbet.

Upon some highly scientific research this morning (scrolling through Twitter mostly), I have found out that it is actually National Ice Cream Day! 

Depending on where you are living this summer, late July is notoriously one of the hottest times of the year. 

Personally, when I think about ice cream, I immediately think of milk. Hot milk in the summertime just makes me think of this scene from Anchorman. 

Never fear! I've decided this is a great opportunity to get creative. Let's make sorbet! 

I posted a photo of my sorbet creation on my Instagram feed last night, and immediately, one of my friends posted that she needed the recipe. 

Without further ado, here's my easy, peasey recipe for my mango and strawberry sorbet. 

Ingredients: 

One cup of fruit - I recommend half a cup frozen and the other half cup not. 

The juice of a lemon 

The juice of a lime 

Optional: Agave nectar 

Optional: One banana 

Put all ingredients into a small blender and mix. I recommend using a Magic Bullet or personal hand mixer to create smaller amounts. Blend until smooth and there are no more chunks (at all!) of frozen fruit. 

Options: 

If it's still a little tart, add one teaspoon or Agave nectar or sugar

If you want your sorbet a big creamier, add a banana 

Enjoy! I put my sorbet in the freezer for about 15 minutes to let it set. Can be stored easily in a freezer in Tupperware. 

tumble.

You've probably heard this a few times, but do you have an "inspiration board"?

According to a experts and studies, being able to visualize something, whether it be a place you want to travel to, colours that you love, goals for the week, you are more likely to make it happen. 

This usually goes in your workspace to constantly keep your creative juices flowing. 

While not all of us have room on the walls (hey, some of these Toronto apartments are small) there are some online options. 

The most popular appears to be the virtual inspiration board, Pinterest. Here you can pull photos from different people - your friends, editors at Vogue or the like to curate separate themed boards. 

I'm a recent addition to the Tumblr family. You can now follow the Sunrise Junction Tumblr  for my latest musings from various sources, Instagram photos and more. 

One thing I'm loving about Tumblr so far is the ability to "reblog" (almost like a retweet) someone's post. In some cases, it doesn't work, and I don't like that people take credit for the writing and photography of others. I'm especially loving the daily cartoons and arts stories from The New Yorker. 

But there is some golden content throughout the site and I wanted to find a platform to share it. 

Check out my new page, send me your Tumblr blog URL and let's get sharing.

Remember you can find my social media feeds anytime on the right hand side of this blogette - just look for the peach-coloured icons!