lucky penny is constantly fraught with all the may-ja decisions she has to make as of late. jimmy choo or nicholas kirkwood? prada or lanvin? #firstworldproblems *sigh*

so whenever one can be made on her behalf, it is most welcome. who knows when cute boyfriend might unexpectedly plant one on her, or who might show up at churchill next? she was pleasantly surprised when at her request for minty-fresh breath, she received a tablet of pür gum from a lovely.

our girl has been trying hard to eat and live healthier. after all, you don’t look *this* good without a little effort and maintenance. and let’s be honest… #boozybirthdaybootcamp took a bit of a toll even on this party veteran.

but in all seriousness, pür gum is aspartame-free, naturally flavoured and sweetened. there are three flavours (pomegranate mint, spearmint and peppermint), and all delicious. *wink*

***psst… “tweet to win” a platter of gum, and follow @luckypennydaily for a chance to win! [contest now closed.] the winner is… congratulations, lynne r.!!!

lucky penny and cute boyfriend are not on speaking terms. [insert silent treatment here.]

not only did he have time to update his facebook status and tweet, but he also did not respond to her text message this morning. she is absolutely livid.

but then again, she has no idea that he (while she was in the shower) read her emails from an ex-boyfriend. someone is sleeping on the couch tonight…

to win a blackberry® bold™ 9780 with two months of wind mobile services, leave a comment below with your *best* texting “do’s and don’ts”. [contest now closed.] the winner is… congratulations, katherine c.!!!

***psst… the *new* film called textuality… about two people attempting to get into a relationship, while exiting the multiple relationships they were each managing through their blackberries before they met… will be in theatres on april 22nd!

greener penny is t menos 60 días ’til cabo.

while she may be day-dreaming about siestas and sombreros, she is completely dreading skimpy swimsuit season. from pullups and pushups to protein shakes, the mere mention of “the gym” gives her the heebee-geebees.

thanks to her *new* brooks kicks, called green silence (made from a non-toxic, natural additive that allows the midsole to decompose 50 times faster than a traditional running shoe), her 6-pack will be a light green footprint on the environment.

bienvenidos.

lucky penny would never cheat on her hairdresser. gasp! the horror!

but… it is different when her hair salon opens a *new* outpost in the coolest, newly-renovated hotel on the block.

at the waldorf hotel in east vancouver, barbarella has set up chairs so you can eat yummy fare in the leeteg room, get your hair did in the lobby, run upstairs and change in one of 30 guest rooms, then race back down to get your drink on in the tiki bar.

talk about a one-stop shop!

lucky penny loves alliteration. c is for campagnolo, carbonara, caesar… and cute, charming chefs. *swoon*

at the corner of dundas and euclid, where a coffee time once stood, is a *new* country bumpkin on carnivore row. (c is also for corner, coffee, country and carnivore. okay, thaaaaat’s enough for now.)

campagnolo, with its rustic, farm-to-table italian cuisine, opened last november… imagine lacquered wood tables, terracotta floors and sweeping drapes… patrons dine by candlelight and to an enviable playlist… the space is intimate like a dinner party for 40.

now lucky penny must admit that she has frequented this establishment a dozen or so times since early december… she should honestly be the mayor on foursquare by now (no more throne of lies!)… but the one meal that stood out, besides her decadent birthday feast last week, was definitely that frigid evening in mid-january when she unexpectedly sat at the chef’s table.

one of her best friends just moved home from rome, and was a little homesick. lucky penny knew carbonara was the cure. (yes, c is for cure.) visibly absent from the menu, even though she ordered this very dish weeks prior, our hero used her superpowers of wit and charm… and then she smiled. game over.

take good notes, kids!

the girls ordered prosciutto, and burrata cheese with roasted grapes on toast to start… oh, two glasses of prosecco… and a front row seat to the open-concept kitchen.

warm olives, house-made baguette and gougères (translation: cheese puffs) magically appeared in front of them… as did the “last plate” of braised rabbit and rapini salad. it came highly recommended, and why they were told it was sold out. perhaps it was another smile, or a wink, or when she wiggled her nose like samantha in bewitched? regardless, they were four appetizers in… and onto the next round of drinks: this time, a winter sour.

for mains, they shared a bowl of carbonara (natch) and the resto’s signature dish (a recipe from chef craig harding’s nonna): a wild boar, spareribs, tripe and meatball ragú on a bed of soft polenta.

convinced there was no room for dessert, until a small glass bowl with two spoons arrived… chocolate and salted caramel budino (translation: pudding).

[insert food coma here.] absolute perfection.

***psst… other notable pasta dishes include cavatelli with pine nuts, rapini and blue cheese, pappardelle with rabbit and honey mushrooms, and spaghetti all’amatriciana. arrive only on an empty stomach!