Somewhere

Be Back Soon...

I'll be back soon, blog friends! Thank you for reading and visiting even though I've been absent over the past two weeks. Three more days and then the Olympics are over and normalcy can return to my life! I'll be sad to see both the Games and people alike leave, but these things are not meant to last forever (otherwise I would die of burn out!). I sincerely can't wait for life after these thirteen hour days~ time to sleep in, for a pedicure, to read more than one page of my book, to watch The Time Traveler's Wife, to relax! Stay tuned for life as normal next week!

ps- It is my firm belief that humans are not meant to spend twelve hours a day on their feet, especially when at least six of those are in 4 inch heels. Ugh!

My Life~ Olympics Edition

Today was a GREAT day! I had the afternoon off and so I was able to be a tourist in my own hometown, so to speak. I met up with my friend Kayli in the afternoon and we roamed our city, participating in
Olympic fever!

We started out with lunch on Granville Island, currently home to the French Quarter, Atlantic Canada House and Swiss House. We ate at Sandbar, which was hopping as usual (no surprise there!). Well fed, we then walked over the Granville Street Bridge on this ridiculously beautiful day. It may technically be winter but here it is lovely, mild and sunny! Once downtown we wandered through the mob at Robson Square, where we saw the zip liners soar over our heads and took a few photos behind our beautiful Art Gallery. We then made our way down to the waterfront and the new Convention Centre to take in the Olympic Cauldron and its incredible flame. It was a truly wonderful day and I felt inordinately proud to be a Canadian
and especially a Vancouverite!

ps- My cute hat is from The Cross at Homer and Davie! If you live in Vancouver come and get your own!

One

Six billion people in the world.

Six billion souls.

And sometimes... all you need is one.

Grown Up Kid

Today I Would Rather Be Here

(Photo 3 via A Cup of Jo, other photos via Vi.sualize)

Dying For...

Dying for... a tent like this one to write in, read in, lie in, dream in. Very a la The Holiday (one of my favourite go-to girly movies ever), isn't it?

Photo via Paper Tissue

Dying for... a bar just like this one, via A Cup of Jo. I'm definitely on the hunt for the right table, chest or cart to form a mini bar in my kitchen. This one is so cute~ a simple wooden tray on a vintage trunk! Love!

Dying for... this absolutely perfect gallery wall, via Apartment #34. Mixing art with books with the bold and graphic letters = super stylish. I NEED this for my huge, bare wall in the kitchen!

Dying for... this sweet way to display flowers, via Coco + Kelley. The sweet lettered mugs are from Anthropologie and you can spell anything you want for your own lovely message!

Dying for... this incredibly fresh and chic floral minidress via Erin Ever After. It's the perfect addition to any wardrobe for the spring that is right around the corner! Can't wait...

Dying for... this super HOT pink kitchen via Apartment Therapy. Now THIS is a place I could happily eat my cereal in the morning! So bold, so stylish, so worth the risk!

Dying for... this little girl's perfect outfit via Dress Design Decor. Perfect trench, perfect rolled up jeans, perfect ballet flats, perfect ponytail. Sigh.... even French children are uber chic!

Dying for... all the NEGATIVE NELLIES from foreign news stations to shut it regarding the mild weather during our Winter Olympics here in Vancouver! Hey people, we don't choose our weather! We're not doing it on purpose to spite you! Enjoy our beautiful city and suck it up! The games are still going on, mostly without a hitch, and the weather to enjoy the festivities in the city is incredible! Deal with it! :)

Boys

Olympic Fever and Animal Love!

Life is so crazy during the Olympics right now I barely have time to eat nevertheless blog. Which is sad, because I miss my outlet of creativity! Yesterday I worked an 11 hour day (in heels, on my feet) and I came home and collapsed. On the positive side~ at least my insomnia is gone! I'm excited to go explore the city next week (Ziptrekking over Robson Square! Yahoo Fancouver! Heineken House!) when things calm down a little bit, but for today it's back to work in just a few hours! And while the inspiration runs a little dry at the moment I have to share these photos that I gushed over on Yahoo~ animals that love each other that normally shouldn't! Aren't they the sweetest?!

A rather random post, but hopefully one that brings a smile to your face as it did mine.

(Photos via Yahoo)

Love

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life... You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you and leaves you crying in the darkness. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love."

-Neil Gaiman

I don't hate love. The farthest thing from it~ I love love, but this passage rang so true for me that I had to share it. I think many many people go through this kind of pain in love, but I so absolutely believe going through this makes you a stronger person and you will be a better partner for it one day, for someone else. Still, in the moment, it sure does suck. But it's so worth it.

DIY~ Painting Furniture

My domestic streak has continued since I started painting my bedroom last week (a project that has been postponed for the moment, until the end of the Olympics). DIY time! One of the first pieces of furniture I purchased when I first moved out on my own was an Asian lacquered chest from Moe's on South Granville. I liked the proportions and the details of the chest but I hated the dark, shiny wood. I bought it because the price was fantastic, always with the idea in my mind that I would have it professionally spray painted, a technique I see done by Sarah Richardson on her HGTV design shows all the time. Little did I know that having the chest painted would cost as much as the piece itself! I was quoted over $300! Um, no.

Several years later and it was still a dark eyesore in my otherwise pale, pretty apartment. I researched online the best way to repaint a piece of furniture myself and tackled the job last Monday (while simultaneously watching One Tree Hill, Life Unexpected and my favourite, Castle). It was so easy! I sanded the heck out of the glossy finish, applied three coats of oil based primer and then two coats of latex paint with a foam roller. Voila! My chest is exactly what I'd always hoped it would be~ pale, girly, me! I couldn't be more thrilled that my crafty tendencies were a success! And instead of costing $300 it was a mere steal at $40 for the supplies and paint! I feel like Martha and couldn't be happier about it...

but you still won't find me making potpourri!

My inspiration piece~ the photo that sold me on going blue! A bold choice but I adore it!

The initial product. Just not my thing. I'm not a fan of dark furniture.

Oil based primer is the DEVIL! It gets everywhere and doesn't come out! By far the worst part! It still covers my sink. Ugh. I used three coats to cover the chest.

Exploring

The final result! I love it and am thrilled it's completed!

Canadian Pride

I'm all about Canadian pride right now! My beautiful hometown is hosting the Winter Olympic Games right this very moment and the city is awash with athletes, tourists and a ton of local pride. Everywhere I look people are swathed in red and white and I just had to join in on the fun! My toque is courtesy of The Cross and is a crazy steal at only $13.00! Get yours and show the world your true colours! GO CANADA!

This Little Piggy Went to Market

Happy Valentine's Day to me!

Meant

Quote of the Day

"Anyone can slay a dragon... but try waking up every morning and loving the world all over again. That's what takes a real hero."

-Brian Andreas

The Last Time I Will Mention Valentine's Day

Oh, Valentine's Day. You are everywhere right now. I don't love you, nor celebrate you, but you sure are pretty (for some people).

If I were to expect or wish for a sweet, little present this Sunday, then these would seriously make my day. Everyone needs a little romance, after all, like this incredible bouquet (above). Peonies aren't yet in season, but my goodness, do they make my heart skip a beat!

(Photo via Style Me Pretty)

A pale pink volume of incredibly beautiful and soulful poetry would be incredibly thoughtful. Goose bumps guaranteed.

This sweet, little message in a bottle from Anthropologie would be ultra romantic for any girl wishing for a tiny love note on the 14th. The best gifts are always heartfelt and sentimental

(to me, at least).

La Perla's lacy corset is seriously sexy and would definitely set pulses racing. Every girl deserves pretty lingerie... can this be mine?

Irene Suchocki's beautiful photographs of Paris transport me there in a moment. I would love this whimsical one framed for my prettily painted bedroom.

They say the best things come in small packages. Well, I happen to agree! Amanda Vogler's pink amethyst and white topaz earrings (below) from The Cross would be my ultimate wish list item this Valentine's Day. So elegant, so feminine and as able to add the perfect finishing touch to a tank top and jeans as they would to a sexy, little frock. Sigh.....

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Best Kind

The Olympics Are Coming!

Our city of Vancouver has been morphing into Olympic land for months now~ and we are finally getting so close! The games will officially start this Friday the 12th and people from all over the world are already starting to infiltrate our lovely city. They will be pleasantly surprised~ it's spring weather out there!

There are so many things to see, enjoy and experience but my favourite thing so far are these breathtaking light beams that bisect English Bay every night. They are truly incredible to see as I've been walking through the downtown core after work at night. They light up the whole sky. Amazing. Thank you to The Cross for the above incredible photo.

I'll be filling you in on more Olympic madness/fun as it unfolds throughout February!

Do Not

(Photo credit unknown)

No J.Crew in Vancouver is a Bad Thing

I love living in Canada for many reasons. Universal health care. Relatively inexpensive university education (and my university has a nude beach, no joke). The birthplace of Aritzia, Club Monaco, Ryan Reynolds, Tim Hortons (and tons of other cool things, I won't go on).

Something I'm bitter about however? How is it that we are hosting the Olympics but we have yet to open a J.Crew?! The closest store to Vancouver is a significant border line up and then a solid 2 hour highway drive in Seattle, Washington. Hallelujah for online shopping! These fantastic looks for spring are quintessentially J.Crew~ casual but perfectly pulled together, easy but stylish, effortless but chic. I adore the layering and perfect accessories throughout. I can't WAIT for the girls shopping trip in April! I'll be ready to buy spring clothes!

I love this vibrant coral tank and I'm oddly finding the distressed denim alluring!

I love the casual denim shorts paired with the more structured blazer. Easy chic.

Dress up jeans and a simple jacket with a sequined tank. Wear anywhere.

I'm in lust with this shrunken leather jacket. It looks as great with shorts and a tee as it would over a little cocktail dress for evening!

Love love this sweater and scarf combo. The watery colour of the sweater is so soft and flattering~ and just happens to match my new bedroom wall colour!