Perm

My mother was 'blessed' with naturally curly hair but the I didn't win the genetic (or epigenetic) lottery. Next week I'll be going to Chura in Downtown Vancouver to get my hair digitally permed. I'm pretty lucky to have manageable straight hair but I spent years longing for wavy hair. Finally I have the courage to go through with it.

I'd really like to update this blogger template. I'll hopefully be missing in action for a short while to catch up on reading, work, sleep & this website.

I'll leave you with this adorable kitten...

Wish you could see me now in my very most Carrie Bradshaw'esque mannerisms. How can the modern woman not connect with her? Mumsie and I just came home from watching Sex and the City 2.

Leather jacket: Mackage ; Belt: Celine vintage ; Jeans: Buffalo ; Shirt: Free People

These photos don't do the shirt justice but the delicate lace patterns in the front and in the back show just a tad bit of skin. It's sensual and so feminine. Great with messily braided hair.

Bag: Louis Vuitton ; Boots: Steve Madden

A couple of days ago I went to Moksha Yoga with my best Theresa. We also hit up Aphrodite's, an amazing organic pie shop. This little cozy shop has the delicious smell of pie permeating every inch of the place. Then hit up David's Tea to expand my tea collection with Organic Green Mate and Chocolate Mint Mate.

Tea and Organic Turkey Pot Pie - an unbeatable combo.

I've been stuck in Lala Land for a few weeks now & I'm neglecting work. Family stuff has been real tough to put it gently. I'm constantly tired and zoning out but I'm not able to get some good quality sleep. Wonder what's wrong...

Book Club of One

I have yet to find a book club that is to my liking except for lit classes at UBC. I've been craving engaging discussions about literature & I truthfully miss the scratch of the pencil against paper as ideas stream from my noggin' to my fingers. 

Above are just some of the books I need to read/finish reading. I have a terrible habit of reading half a book and then forgetting about it for a year. It hasn't happened yet this summer but I have a ton of half-read books to go through.

While in Kamloops a couple of weeks ago, Justin (my co-worker) and I took a trip to Chapters. Since then I've been devouring books constantly. In the day I'll carefully read a thought-provoking and inspirational book while at night I'll indulge in terribly written teen vampire romance novels. Although I've said that I'd never read a Twilight book, I'm currently reading "The Vampire Diaries" which probably isn't any better. Yes, I'm ashamed that I've been letting out sighs and girlish squeals as I read the Vampire Diairies series.

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Sometimes I'll feel out of place here. Maybe it's because my room's really cluttered. It's organized chaos here and this room has more stuff than it could comfortably fit. I'm tempted to turn this place upside down so I can create a reading room of my own. Or at least turn it into the picture below.

Vancouver Farmer's Market

I adore those lazy weekend afternoons at the local market. Smiling local faces. Delicious local food. Quality local handcraft. Did I mention that it's local? At the heart of every BC city there should be (if there already isn't) a farmer's market. These places are splendiferous!

Vancouver actually has several markets this summer so in addition to my "to-be-regular" visits to the Steveston market, I'll be heading out to Kitsilano Farmer's Market as well. However parking could be an issue and driving doesn't exactly fit the market's je ne sais quois. 

It would be excellent if someone could risk their lives [what I meant was bike with me] from Richmond to Kits. Takers?

Steveston

Super kitty!

Steveston is almost my second home. It's my place of refuge, inspiration and joy. I spent an inordinate amount of time there just doing nothing, really. Spent most of my day strolling around Steveston with a few of my friends and then spent the rest of it napping in the sun. For whatever reason, I'm really burnt out and exhausted.

Was going to post about the Farmer's Market but something came up. That and I'm about to collapse into my bed. So I've left you with a photo of my favourite hot dog from the market. They've been MIA for a while but I finally found them! Check it out :) You must try Blondie's special garlic mayo with it.

Raise Your Hands...

... and receive the music radiating from the temporary demi-gods: Our Lady Peace.

I've never been more compelled by any other artist than OLP. It's their songs that resonate with our daily experience and struggles that move me so much. Their music remains relevant for years because they sing of humanity and the human condition.

Our Lady Peace performed at Vogue Theatre. It was just a phenomenal performance that just got better and better as the night progressed. I was completely captivated by the lead singer, Raine Maida. I'm never usually moved to such admiration and especially not by musicians but tonight was the exception.

Oh, it was not only nostalgic but refreshing. It definitely called for the mandatory band shirt.

10, 000 Hours

Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" tells us that 10, 000 hours is the magical number of hours you need to accumulate in order to be an expert at anything.

That's total dedication to one thing. I've been thinking about what I would dedicate myself to: yoga, genetics or literature? There are endless possibilities and it all comes down to time and practice. Knowing me, I wouldn't know where to start. I guess I can live with mediocrity in some areas like fencing, skiing or horseback riding. As long as I'm proficient, that's good enough.

What would you dedicate 10, 000 hours to?

Long Beach, Tofino

A sunny Monday morning, a long winding highway and marshmallow cumulus clouds. Even the drive out to Tofino was breathtaking. Vancouver Island has got to be my favourite place on Earth. There aren't enough adjectives in my vocabulary to describe the intense amazingness that is Tofino.

Long Beach Lodge was spectacular. I fell in love with their famed 'Great Room' which is a dining room/lounge with an unbeatable view of Cox Bay. The lodge has their own private access to the beach and behind that frosted glass door is what I quite literally thought was Heaven (or at least what I think heaven would look like).

Rachel and I stopped by Eagle Aerie Gallery that features Roy Henry Vickers' artwork. The colours are intense, stunning and reflective of Clayquot Sound. You'll see hidden symbolism and animal spirits subtly appearing and disappearing in the background. I currently have two blockmount reproductions of his art; Digging Clams and King Pacific Sunset.

Don't forget to visit Tea Bar. A small but delicious selection of teas in a cozy little corner. My favourite is the Lavender Mint tea.

My favourite place to eat there is The Wildside Grill. It's not a restaurant but it's a small take-out eatery that is supplied with fresh seafood by local fisherman. I highly recommend the Seafood Gumbo. It's well priced and good eats.

Then the highlight of our trip: a trip to Hot Springs Cove with Jamie's Whaling Station. Our guide Marcelle knows a lot about Clayoquot Sound. He'll take the little boat and weave in and out of islands of rocks. We hiked 1.5 Km to the natural hot springs and it was phenomenal. On the way there we saw black bears and on the way back we spotted a Sea Otter, Grey Whale, Dunlins, Dowitchers and Oystercatchers. It was more than I had hoped for.

The local area is a delicate balance of modern colonization and biodiversity. It saddens me to hear that they're going to mine out half of Catface Mountain, that salmon farms are effecting the local wild salmon population, that most of the area has been forested at some point in the last 100 years which leaves very few untouched old-growth forests. It's impossible not to fall in love with the area and it's history.

If you're heading out there please consider dedicating your money, effort or time to preserving those local untouched islands. Check out Friends of Clayoquot Sound to see what you can do to help.

Inaugural Post

It has been years since I last blogged & it feels so good to be back!

Here's a little about myself:

I'm a born and raised Vancouverite. If you ever meet me and asked where I'm from that's exactly what I'll say with no exception. Being a Vancouverite is a point of pride for me. It's not an actual achievement but I must admit that I'm a bit smug about it. I'm proud to say that this beautiful city is my home.

I've always been a big fan of the great outdoors and adventure travels. It's difficult not to be since Vancouver is THE place to cultivate that kind of lifestyle. Connecting with nature has always been a passion of mine. This whole love of mother nature was really what led me to biological sciences and there's a whole other story that leads me to my love of genetics.

It's pretty simple to describe me : Jack of all trades but truly a master of none. I'll dabble in everything. It's quite tough for me to choose any one thing since I take an interest in most anything! I've done horseback riding (English style), fencing, watercolour painting, guitar lessons, and air cadets just to name a few.

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In a couple of days I'll be at the Long Beach Lodge Resort in Tofino. There's just something about Vancouver Island that I'm inexplicitly drawn to and I'm not the only one.

This morning I was at Raintree Day Spa in Steveston and had started talking to Barbara Bell, owner and incredibly helpful person. When she heard that I was going to Tofino, she instantly recommended a bunch of restaurants and a few activities we could do there. Her entire spa is designed with Tofino and the west coast in mind. I have got to say that Raintree Day Spa not only has excellent service but it also encompasses all that is west coast. They focus on wellness, sustainability and they even give back to nature through charity. I've tried to go to other spas but it just wasn't the same. So if you can't escape to the island any time soon, check out Raintree but remember to book early since they're pretty busy.

Oh and I'm a pretty meticulous person when it comes to travelling. I've created an entire itinerary for the trip. I want to take in as much as I can on my trips but still have it be lax and flexible. I'm beyond stoked. After Tofino, I'm heading out to Kamloops for work!