Oh what a change from flip-flops and open-toed strappy sandals one day to boots the next. A shock to the system after the last three months. Gotta take it sloooow starting with little ankle boots and work my way up (waaay up) from there.
Some women cannot wait to step into some stacked-heel boots (mostly because the pedicure bills were skyrocketing) but not me. I just had my first and last pedicure of the season yesterday believe it or not. I went the whole summer doing it on my own and actually ignoring my feet for the most part deciding to concentrate on other things (not related to body parts) but after a nice relaxing foot massage and glossy red toe polish I feel a heel of a lot better. I’m ready to step it up now. And boots are a big part of my Fall wardrobe and something to look forward to for what’s springing up quickly season.
Not sure you can pull boots off quite yet? Try sporting a pair with your favourite sundress to make the transition on a somewhat sunny day.
Here are some easy to wear styles to consider from Talbots in a reasonable price range:
I’ve been watching the series on Netflix. It’s not your run of the mill cooking show. It’s so much more because in each hourly episode the series focuses on a particular chef that will inspire the hell out of you.
From Chef Meets BC Grape
You find out their story: what drives them, how they shop, about their relationship to food and their style as they prepare a culinary specialty. And it all looks so pretty….even something so simple and singular as a carrot. But it’s not just a carrot, it’s a carrot from the chef’s family run farm that tastes unlike any other carrot. And it makes everything you make seem so……...well, ordinary?
Anyway….just wanted to tell you about two upcoming chef inspired events in my home town, Vancouver because I really feel that Vancouver is becoming a world class dine out city. So much so that I just found out about a dine out week taking place next month that is very inspiring (UPS – upcoming post soon). But in the meantime:
#1 – Chef Meets Truck:
Roaming Dragon Pan-Asian Food Truck
On September 13, the Chefs’ Table Society of BC, in partnership with the Yaletown BIA and the Streetfood Vancouver Society host the inaugural event Chef Meets Truck in Yaletown at the intersection of Hamilton and Nelson. The event will run from 6:30pm-9:30pm and consists of Vancouver restaurant chefs hopping on board local Food Trucks to serve up the foodie event of the season. This collaborative event brings Vancouver’s hottest restaurant and food truck chefs together for the first time ever.
Purchase tickets to the inaugural event for $69 + taxes and fees here. Tickets include food samples from the eight participating food trucks, as well as, wine and beer samples from Nichol Vineyard, Lock and Worth Winery and Brassneck Brewery.
Thursday, September 15
Vancouver Convention Centre East
999 Canada Place, Ballrooms A, B, C
7–9:30 PM
Tickets are selling fast to the largest tasting of BC VQA wines in Vancouver! This popular fundraiser is a unique opportunity to taste a selection of more than 300 wines from 90 of BC’s top producers.
A tasting event for both novice wine tasters and connoisseurs—you can expect to sip and savour vintages of established labels, and find new favourites from an abundance of up-and-coming, family-run, and boutique operations. Guests will also have the opportunity to taste specially prepared pairing dishes from 12 BC restaurants!
Participating restaurants include:
Chicha Restaurant
Fable Kitchen
Hart House Restaurant
Lift Bar and Grill
Miradoro Restaurant
Provence Marinaside
Torafuku Modern Asian Eatery
Tickets are selling fast—buy now to avoid disappointment!
“The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last for ever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year – the days when summer is changing into autumn – the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.”
―E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web (As a child adult I loved the book & animated movie). I am proud to say I’ve never killed a spider.
Doesn’t it feel different already? We’re in that in between stage – not quite summer (even though it is officially still summer) but not quite fall. Temperature is a bit cooler and it gets darker earlier. Just giving us a little glimpse of what to Fall for. I actually don’t mind it as much as I thought. I’m all for a little change as long as it’s not too too sudden or disturbing. I’m trying to embrace change. Not crazy life changing change….just little changes here and there that are healthy and positive.
What I’m Falling For this Year:
For starters exercise and diet – and it’s not even New Year’s Eve! I’m starting early. That’s not to say I don’t look after myself by getting proper exercise (I do) and eating as well as I can but I’m making an effort to do it better and more effectively. I’m kick starting this because I’m of no use to the important people in my life or anyone else if I’m not in top notch health myself.
I believe in looking after yourself as best you can and keeping your house in order. Otherwise things can get out of control.
I’m exploring some alternative methods of relaxation like meditation to help improve sleep and anxiety. I’m looking into acupuncture….just because I believe it can help with a multitude of symptoms. Not just for myself.
Getting back to reading. By that I mean….books. I have too many gathering dust up on the shelf.
Getting rid of excess. Going through clothing and other items that I no longer have use for. A few of these are bigger ticket items like condos & cars (possibly).
Dancing for exercise, enjoyment, expression, social and fun.
Language for communication & the mind (it is said to help prevent alzheimers).
Philanthropy because it feels good to help those more “in need”.
I’m researching some things on my own. I will look forward to sharing them with you in the upcoming months. I hope to bring more inspiring posts to this page over time. That is the main purpose of having this blog. By keeping track of things that inspire, make a difference and improve life mixed in with the usual fashion and fun.
On the ferry ride over to Victoria we were lucky and so delighted to spot from a distance a pod of Orcas – not once, but twice!
Church + State Vineyards
We were joined by others for tastings and a great outdoor lunch with a view at Church & State Wines:1445 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, BC. Then off to…
De Vine Vineyards: 6181B Old West Saanich Rd, Saanichton, BC.
Simply De vineOn the grass outside winery wearing my gingham picnic shoes. Aren’t they cute.. or at least quaint?
A frog hopped on my skirt, looked me in the eye and asked for a kiss. I’m sorry little froggy but I already have my prince. You’ll have to jump on someone else.
We went via private boat to stay at this Rustic Oceanfront Cottage on a remote Gulf Island.
Cruising by Moonlight (this photo does not compare to how gorgeous it actually was). The night before the moon was red & I could not capture its incredible brilliance.
I heard scratching at the door around midnight. Turns out it was the next door neighbour. He was cute so I let him in and he made himself at home…right next to me in bed.
I woke up to this. Unfortunately my little friend went home shortly after sunrise. Guess he just wanted a warm body to curl up with.
Everyone seems to enjoy themselves when they have the freedom to do exactly as they please…..or just enjoy the peace and quiet.
And nature on the island. Looking towards the beach with 4 deer and 2 fawns.
This is grocery shopping island style at the local Sunday market. The honour system is alive and well and besides everyone knows where you live.
But I picked these myself – literally from several different trees.Then it was off camping in an even more rustic fashion. I can’t pretend it was glamping. At least by gorgeous waterfalls and lots of hiking trails. No time to makeup. We bathed in this calm crystal clear river.
More island shopping at Coombs Old Country Market (they have everything you can imagine) even goats up on the roof.
This one is saying “p…. off”Then a visit with my one & only sis on return with me sitting and her lying down on her lovely deck with a fluffy friend named Rufus – a lambadoodle.
She gifted me with tickets to Gwen Stefani last night at Rogers Arena. My friend and I & millions of millennials among us really enjoyed the energy in that stadium. Gwen is not even real – at 46 she rocks in every single capacity! My friend asked “where have we gone wrong?”
“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.” – Joseph Addison
While researching womens elegant evening wear from the 1920’s I came across these glam photos and wanted to share them. I love this era which embodied elegance, decadence and fabulousness.
Marlene DietrichSilent film actress Thalia BarbarovaI don’t know who this is but I love the lookThree Models 1926. Photograph by Edward Steichen for Vogue. From left to right: Alden Gay wearing a black and white chiffon dress by Madame Frances and a wide-brimmed hat; Marion Morehouse, wearing a light-colored chiffon dress by Jay-Thorpe, with a wide-brimmed hat; Miss Collier, holding a parasol, and wearing a printed chiffon and lace dress with a Tuscan straw hat.Myrna Loy
Because let’s face it…one can never have too many cocktails cocktail dresses.
Hot days call for cool drinks. Iced tea, Lemonade, and Rosé come to mind.
Photo: Courtesy of Sugarfina / Whispering Angel
I must admit I’m really not a rosé wine lover preferring instead a nice white like Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay for patio pre-dinner sipping. But then I came across this intriguing combo. At first I thought Whaaaat this is nuts! But then again it might be the perfect summer pairing.
Everyone’s clamoring to get their hands on Sugarfina’s new Whispering Angel Rosé–infused gummy bears. Someone was on to something. So if you love gummy bears (as I do, being somewhat of a connoisseur preferring chocolate covered gummies) and you also love rosé then incorporating the two into one recipe might be the answer to your summer confectionary dreams.
From Vogue:
The luxury candy company put the latest batch of pretty, pink-hued gummies, aptly named the Yes Way Rosé collection, on presale on its site on July 11. Though they’re not set to arrive until August, the gummies (which are imported from Germany) currently have a whopping waitlist of over 12,000 people! Yes way, that many people not only want to drink their rosé, but eat it too.
In case you can’t wait until August, there are a few alternatives. If you’re feeling lucky, you could try to win a box or two through the @sugarfina Instagram giveaway contests. A more realistic option, however, is to go for Sugarfina’s Champagne Bears made with Dom Pérignon brut and rosé. They’re just as cute (made in delicate pale pink and white versions) and delicious, and you still get the rosé-infused effect, but you don’t have to deal with a wait time.
If you’re ordering these gummies hoping to get a buzz, however, you’re going to have to get a bit more crafty—the alcohol has been cooked out. A quick and very easy way to make your own is to buy regular gummy bears from your local grocery store and a bottle of rosé (it doesn’t need to be expensive, a $10 Provence style will do just fine). Put the package of gummies in a bowl and just pour the wine on top—just enough to coat the gummies but not completely drench them. Let them soak overnight and they’re ready to go in the morning. Tip: If you keep them in the fridge, the gummies maintain their original texture and consistency better than if they’re left at room temperature.
Feeling slightly more ambitious? Make your own rosé gummies from scratch with this recipe below. It’s much easier than you would ever imagine—they take about 10 minutes to create. Again, no need for expensive wine, just go with an affordable rosé you normally like to drink. Order gummy bear molds on Amazon, or Sur Le Table’s rose chocolate mold, which is perfect for making them extra pretty, like the flower-shaped ones that Sugarfina does. You’ll also need a thermometer (if you want to keep the alcohol from burning off, make sure the temperature stays at around 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and doesn’t go above 159 degrees), gelatin, some sort of sweetener (either honey or maple syrup, or go with granulated sugar), and pink food coloring if you want to boost the color up a bit. Once the mixture is done and in the molds, refrigerate them for at least two hours or until they’re firm. Voilà. They have a slightly different texture and flavor than the actual rosé gummies—a little softer and less sweet—but they certainly make for a fun way to impress dinner party guests.
Rosé Gummies
1 cup rosé
5 T powdered gelatin
One half cup of granulated sugar, or 2 to 4 T maple syrup or honey
Cook the rosé in a small saucepan on low heat. Slowly, add the gelatin, one tablespoon at a time, into the mixture. Once the gelatin has dissolved, add sweetener to your liking (taste the mixture and add accordingly) and pour it in the molds. Allow it to set for at least two hours or more. Keep in mind, these need to stay refrigerated.
There is no question that foraging for anything edible is not a simple task. It’s a thing. I mean it’s a lifestyle choice – a healthy one if you are so inclined.
You are one with nature, love being in the wild or are just plain….wild.
To be totally self-sufficient food wise it would take a lot of work and dedication and you’d have to really know when to look for what, where to look for it and then what to do with it once you find it. You must be adventurous, outdoorsy and know what the heck you’re doing. Most likely you’re also a foodie. It’s not for everyone.
Freshly picked wild cherries
Our ancestors who might have been foodies back in the day had to hunt and gather (or forage as we like to call it) like wild animals do in order to survive. It wasn’t a choice so much as a necessity. Survival of the fittest. We lucky folks don’t have to, but lately foraging has piqued my attention and interest. Even a few of my urban neighbours are getting into it – albeit lightly. One has chickens (so fresh eggs for sure) and another is building a terrarium to grow edible plants. I also have friends who have fresh figs, other fruits and trees with bay leaves so sometimes you’ll find me foraging around in their garden.
I really like the idea of having a garden to grow vegetables. It’s the absolute best but since I can hardly keep fresh herbs alive for long I’ll scratch that idea. Surprisingly enough two herbs I totally ignored all winter long have survived together in one pot – thyme and oregano. Rosemary is pretty easy too but let’s face it – that does not a complete meal make. Many of the plants that we know as weeds are both edible and nutritious, and some plants that grow wild have been cultivated into some of the foods we know today (for example, parsnips, garlic and carrots).
Taylor guards a bucket of cherries
If there is one fresh fruit (that resembles a vegetable) I really miss eating – it has to be farm fresh Rose tomato. Large, meaty & delicious. I remember my dad eating them like apples. I don’t remember eating a good tomato since I was a teenager – too many years of eating only acceptable tomatoes at best that are usually made tastier with a generous drizzling of balsamic. Pesticides are to blame and early picking. We really don’t know what we’re eating.
But now I know Bill. He’s my first foraging friend. He’s also my only foraging friend until I gather more. He refers to himself as a novice forager but from what I’ve witnessed through photos and in person it seems pretty serious to me. At least a serious hobby. Bill’s Instagram feed is usually chock-full of some type of mushroom, berry or plant. Also, he’s constantly making jam and lots of other interesting and/or unusual edibles. Guess you can say he shops local.
Cherry Fruit Leather
I asked if he would mind talking a bit and educating readers about the process for this blog and send a few photos. Because Bill makes almost everything from scratch and lots of it he finds in the forest. He doesn’t scavage around garbage bins like bears do looking for food just in case you’re one of those who think that’s how people forage. But I know you guys are more sophisticated than that. But to let you know how much I knew about foraging, when I first found out Bill was gathering and cooking up hedgehogs I thought it was the animal, not the mushroom. I was about to dump him as a friend.
When I called him he was high up on a tree not getting high but he still answered the call.
In Bill’s Words:
Yes, I was really up at tree. I was on a 12 foot ladder borrowed from a building nearby. I was harvesting fabulous tiny cherries from the trees growing wild between the road and a parking lot about 1.5 kilometres from my home. These little black cherries are so intensely flavoured compared to cultivated ones! I continued picking until I had about ten litres, my dog Taylor patiently waiting below. They were too small to use a cherry pitter on, so I boiled them for a few minutes, and after they were cool, put them through my hand crank food mill. I ended up with about four litres of very flavourful puree. I made a big batch of delicious jam with most of it, and then decided to try my hand at some fruit leather just using honey instead of sugar. It took about five days to dry enough, but it was worth the wait.
Me: I can hardly wait for MY jars of jam to be personally delivered!
Okay we just got a little taste of what it’s all about. Bill is a busy guy but we spoke about collaborating on more food posts with stories & photos from his adventures in foraging. Stay tuned…
Blame it on the season. I feel like floating freestyle.Summer is like the ultimate one night stand….hot as hell, totally thrilling and gone before you know it.
So even if I stay around home I try to make the most of it.
Most of July and all of August I am commitment free. It’s a promise I made to myself to take time to do nothing but enjoy moments in whatever manner I choose. So I cancel classes, make no set appointments or promises and go about my daily life in a spontaneous mode.
But with lots to think about. If you’re signed up for a season, see it through.
Yesterday I made a picnic lunch and rode my bike to a lovely park with the dogs and then at night a beach barbeque with 3 dogs in tow. A perfect day.
It is not only inspiring but helps to bring everything else into perspective.
“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” ― William Shakespeare
I heard so many good reviews from people before me who have visited the Scandinave Spa in Whistler, B.C. Here’s one more.
Scandinave Spa in Whistler, B.C. – from above
I finally got the opportunity recently to check it out myself. It was a dream and I didn’t even have a problem keeping quiet – no talking zone. So there’s no need to go with anyone but yourself. You will enjoy the peace and tranquility of relaxing within a peaceful spruce and cedar forest overlooking Whistler’s incredible mountain vistas. And breathe in fresh mountain air.
Photo: d. king
It’s great to get a massage from one of several registered massage therapists on site but if you choose to, you can just relax in one of the most beautiful natural settings in British Columbia. In between going hot and cold but in a good way. They have a spectacular 25,000 sq. ft. outdoor spa with a newly expanded building.
This is the most unique health and wellness spa. You can enjoy hot baths (also known as hydrotherapy), wood burning sauna, eucalyptus steam baths, refreshing Nordic waterfalls and a relaxing massage. To enjoy the full health benefits of the Scandinavian baths they suggest repeating the following sequences 3 to 4 times. Warm the body for 10-15 minutes, followed by a refreshing (I would call it cold) rinse for 20-30 seconds and relax for 15 minutes. My day ended falling asleep on a hammock under the trees on a perfectly overcast day.
So what can be better?
Ahhh…the additional benefits.
Like a delicious kale chickpea salad I enjoyed with a view afterwards. Photo: d. king
In addition to cleansing the body, it stimulates blood circulation and releases endorphins. Oh I love to let those guys loose whenever I get the chance. All of the senses are awakened; muscles are soothed and a sense of well being emerges. Calm yet invigorated. I like the Yin and Yang of all that. One breath at a time.
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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