getaway British Columbia

We’re back from a little holiday with friends in British Columbia’s beautiful Okanagan Lake Country/wine region and

View from the lake house on **Lake Okanagan**, B.C. Photo: d. king

Castlegar…

…which is a city situated at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers in the southwestern corner of the Kootenay Rockies. Along with a day jaunt to Nelson to have breakfast and walk around, this trip reminded me of all the beauty that super, natural British Columbia has to offer and how lucky we are to make this province our home. The road trip/staycation with friends was quality time well spent.

With my longtime bestie Margeaux in Castlegar. Photo: Paul LeMay

Lake Okanagan, British Columbia:

If you spot Ogopogo, the legendary lake monster said to inhabit these waters, you’ll make headline news, but other than that, this 82-mile lake has many recreational activities to offer: swimming, boating, parasailing and all types of water sports. It’s within a short driving distance from several amazing wineries.

Paul in Lake Okanagan, B.C. Photo: d. king

Layla lounging on a watermelon slice. Lake Okanagan, B.C. Photo: d. king

After Layla’s very first swim. She preferred staying afloat. This photo was taken on someone’s cellphone.

On Lake Okanagan we stayed at the home of our wonderful hosts Stephen Cipes and his wife Rie. Stephen is the owner of award winning Summerhill Pyramid Winery, the most visited winery in Canada. The winery offers tours & tastings of organic/biodynamic wines, plus a bistro & an aboriginal gallery. The food is excellent and I brought back a few cases of outstanding wine. I got to drink and sample ones I hadn’t tried before. I’ll blog about this on a separate post next week.

I hitched a ride back to the house with Stephen. Photo: d. king

In Castlegar. One of the bottles we opened with Margeaux, Mike (her boyfriend), Lorene (her friend & next door neighbour) and my boyfriend Paul. Photo: d. king

Castlegar, British Columbia:

View of the Columbia River from the house. Photo: d. king

Incorporated in 1966, this relatively new mill town sits in a valley that has a rich and diverse history, steeped in the heritage and culture of the Doukhobors, who migrated here in the early 20th century.

People flock to Castlegar for many reasons – its diverse art scene, its world-class recreational activities, its rich culture, and its ideal location in the mountainous Kootenay Region of beautiful British Columbia.

One of Castlegar’s many sculptures. Photo: d. king

We stayed with my amazing friend Margeaux in her resort home overlooking the spectacular *Columbia River and swam in her saltwater pool. While in the pool we saw three eagles fly directly above our heads. I was not quick enough to capture all three but was able to get one as it flew away.

Margeaux owns Kootenay Valley Water Company, providing premium bottled water and water dispensers for home and business owners throughout the West Kootenays. The company have added Arctic Spas® to their family, quickly becoming the authorized dealer in Castlegar and for the West Kootenay region. They provide full service for hot tubs and pools and some fun extras like luxurious egyptian cotton bathrobes and outdoor glassware.

*The Columbia River offers excellent fishing for multiple numbers of species from Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Bass and Whitefish.

Pool overlooks the magnificent Columbia River. Photo: d. king

Nelson, British Columbia is located in the Selkirk mountains and along the shores of Kootenay Lake. Only a half hour drive from Castlegar, it’s known as “The Queen City“, and acknowledged for its impressive collection of restored heritage buildings from its glory days in a regional silver rush. Nelson is a treat. It’s an inspirational mecca for foodies, art-goers, music lovers, history buffs and adventure seekers. Little local shops offer a multitude of goodies you might otherwise not find elsewhere. It’s an old hippee hangout.

Kootenay Valley Water & Spas:

https://kvwc.ca/

Header Photo: Beach in Nelson, B.C. d. king

DESTINATIONS

Anywhere?

It’s that time again…

*Road trippin’ with my two favorite allies
Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies
It’s time to leave this town it’s time to steal away
Let’s go get lost anywhere except in the U.S.A.

Whether it be the road less traveled, the road more traveled or the road not taken…just hit the road! It will always be a journey of discovery.

You never know how it’s gonna go…

“I SEE MY PATH, BUT I DON’T KNOW WHERE IT LEADS. NOT KNOWING WHERE I’M GOING IS WHAT INSPIRES ME TO TRAVEL IT.” – ROSALIA DE CASTRO

A few cinematic favorites:

**National Lampoon’s Vacation** (1983) – a super funny disastrous family vacation amongst breathtaking scenery.

“SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED IS A GREAT FRIEND AND A TANK OF GAS.” – UNKNOWN

Yes please!*Road trippin’ – a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

THINKAboutit

words to live by

Authors Unknown

Have a Happy Weekend

beauty

Skincare Cult Favourites

Reviews of personally loved skincare products.

Aside from the products I make myself, I’ve been wanting to try these cult favourites…if only to find out what all the fuss is about.

It’s only the last several months that I’ve been using them and now I realize the reason why women find them exceptional.

Fresh soy face cleanser

This came as a sample and when I’m finished using it I’ll purchase a tube. The first thing I noticed was the lovely fresh scent…which lives up to its name. Cool as a cucumber. I love that it soothes sensitive skin.

This pH-balanced gel cleanser for all skin types has a cult following for the way it removes makeup—even mascara—without drying for soft, supple skin. It’s made with amino acid-rich soy proteins, calming cucumber extract, and balancing rosewater.

Amino acid-rich soy proteins help maintain skin elasticity.
Calming cucumber extract aids in soothing the skin.
Rosewater is notable for its calming and balancing properties.
Borage seed oil helps to nourish and soften.

https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/soy-face-cleanser-P7880?country_switch=ca&lang=en

Boscia exfoliating peel gel

Believe it or not, I first purchased this at a Costco in Palm Springs. I’m not sure if every Costco sells it, but it came packaged along with a cactus water gel moisturizer and elasticized hair band. The moisturizer works for hydration but I’m not a big fan of the watery consistency. However I absolutely think this smoothing, brightening and firming peel gel is TOPS. I bought it mainly because of the exfoliant. I use it on dry skin in the morning and it really works to gently but effectively slough away dull dead skin cells. It’s gentle enough to use daily which most other exfoliants are not. The formula is lightweight but it works like a heavyweight.

This is a keeper. Probably the best I’ve come across. Since it cleanses skin too you might consider using this in the AM and Fresh Soy Cleanser in the PM.

https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/exfoliating-peel-gel-P393292

Erno Laszlo skin supplement lotion

This came in my “Box of Style.” They always include an amazing beauty product and I’m always willing to try.

This is great following exfoliation because it helps to refresh and hydrate. It’s kind of a gel-water consistency. Having said that, I think the right facial spray can also do the trick. I haven’t yet decided if I’ll buy a bottle after I finish what I have. A little goes a long way. Women go ga-ga over it, so here’s some info from their site:

Product Details

Our silky, hydrating toner works for nearly all skin concerns to revive dull or dry complexions and begin the process of renewal. Made without alcohol, it gently clears away flakes and aging skin cells while it sweeps on calming, skin-restoring nutrients found in nature, including:

Provitamin B5 to give skin the antioxidant support in needs to bolster the healing process and build its defenses.
Comfrey root to soothe sensitive or irritated skin while it encourages cell repair and renewal.
Glycerin, a natural moisture magnet, to attract and hold hydration for a glowing complexion.

https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/hydraphel-skin-supplement-lotion-P392628

La Mer

The luxurious rich cream that started it all. Known as the Miracle Broth.

A few years ago after sampling a small bit I bought a jar at Nordstrom. I decided it was too thick for my skin. However a few months ago they actually had some for sale at Costco in Palm Springs and I couldn’t resist trying it again. Skin changes. I don’t know whether my skin is more dehydrated now, but after using it only nightly for a few months I do notice a positive difference. it’s soothing and helps heal dryness. Yes; it’s expensive and there are a lot of other good moisturizers on the market…but this one really is a cult favourite for good reason and I know several women with amazing complexions that say it’s worth the splurge. So if you can afford it, it’s definitely worth a try, especially if you can find it a bit cheaper at Costco. It really softens so use sparingly and perhaps seasonally in drier months. Oh; the legend of it’s creation is something else…

According to tale, a German rocket scientist named Max Huber invented it while trying to heal burns that he’d sustained in the lab. Estée Lauder now owns the brand.

Just for fun the below was excerpted from an article taken from “The Cut” – Skin Deep.

The moisturizer that is meant to give you baby-soft skin is treated like a precious baby during its formulation. La Mer’s formula resolves around a fermented juice called the Miracle Broth. While each batch is fermenting, which takes about three months, technicians play the broth a tape of carefully selected sounds. This is for real.

If you think this is crazy, you aren’t alone. Andrew Bevacqua, senior vice-president of research and development at the Max Huber Research Labs, who has worked at Lauder since 1986, was floored when he learned that he had to provide the Miracle Broth with a soundtrack. “I couldn’t understand why it could be necessary to do that. I thought creating the broth was enough. When Max’s daughter told me about it, I thought she didn’t understand because she wasn’t a scientist,” he said. “But we tried it without the sound waves, and the data showed that when it had sound waves, the broth was much more active.” He added that there are studies that show that sound waves can have an impact on chemical reactions, so there’s some science behind it, after all.

Interesting…No?

Full Article: https://www.thecut.com/2017/08/10-conspiracy-theories-about-la-mer-and-is-it-worth-it.html

https://www.sephora.com/ca/en/product/creme-de-la-mer-moisturizing-cream-P416341

The links I’ve provided are all Sephora however you can buy on all individual product websites or wherever sold.

Let me know if you’ve used any of these products and what your thoughts are?

Food + Drink

Yummy Gluten-Free Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Since we’re in the heart of blueberry season I thought it timely to offer you this delightful tasting muffin recipe courtesy of my friend Lynn. She made a batch and we went through them in no time.

These are, in my opinion, the best tasting gluten-free muffins using healthy ingredients. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

1 large egg

¼ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 cup honey

1 ½ cups spelt flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups frozen or fresh blueberries

4 Tbsp. melted butter

Pre-heat oven to 375F.

Line or grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a medium bowl whisk together yogurt, egg, vanilla, milk + honey.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

Add blueberries. Toss to combine.

Add the yogurt mixture, the melted butter and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

Portion the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until tops spring back lightly to touch.

Let muffins cool for a few minutes in the tin before removing them to a cooling rack.

Cool completely.

You won’t be able to eat only one.

inspiration

Feel-good Friday: Picnic in the Park

Some say life is no picnic. I say make a picnic part of your life.

Summer isn’t complete without one.

**Essentials**: blanket, wicker picnic basket, sandwiches, cherries, cider, salad….dog.

A little history on the subject:

The word “picnic” comes from the French language where it became a popular pastime in France after the Revolution (1789) when royal parks became open to the public for the first time.

The term derives from pique-nique, used to describe a group of people dining in a restaurant who brought their own wine. The concept of a picnic therefore had the connotation of a meal to which everyone contributed something.

Picnic may be based on the verb piquer which means ‘pick’ or ‘peck’ with the rhyming nique meaning “thing of little importance”, or on “pique un niche” meaning “pick a place”, an isolated spot where family or friends could enjoy a meal together.

During the Victorian Age picnics were ways for people to escape the restrictions of etiquette and formality and offered the rare opportunity for young men and women to spend time together in the open air. They could also be quite elaborate since a picnic for twenty people might feature sandwiches, fruit, a selection of cheeses, and a variety of baked food!

The modern-day picnic is much less complicated.

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Food + Drink

Going Blue with BC Blueberries

Did you know…July 15th is BC Blueberry Day!

Don’t you love blueberries? There’s so many ways to celebrate them. They go with just about everything from cereal and smoothies to enhancing cocktails like sangria. One of my favorite cakes is a blueberry/lemon. The lemon compliments the blueberries really nicely. Blueberries are delicious, they’re loaded with vitamins and look so pretty. What’s not to love?

BC Blueberries are a big deal for British Columbia. Blueberry Day is a way to show appreciation for our province’s hardworking BC blueberry farmers while commemorating the start of the fresh season.

Annually, the BC Blueberry Council begins fresh blueberry season in July. With more than 600 high bush blueberry growers covering more than 30,000 hectares across the province, this is a busy time for the BC Blueberry Council and its members.

Pick your Own Berries

BC Blueberry farmers are offering U pick this summer under special COVID-19 protocols – find the farm closest to you on GoBlueBC.ca.

Restaurants, caterers, and chefs across the province are getting behind BC Blueberries with special menu items. The full list will be published online at GoBlueBC.ca.

For ways on how to incorporate the super berries into your daily routine, visit bcblueberry.com and visit their social media pages @bcblueberries.

BC Blueberry Day is a way to remind us that we should celebrate BC Blueberries all year long. Whether fresh or frozen, BC Blueberries are a versatile pantry-staple that should always be at the top of every shopping list.

I’m so lucky to live here.

Now go out and get some!

STYLE

Short Summer

Finding the perfect pair of shorts should be pretty simple, right?

*Two for the Road – (1967) with Albert Finney & Audrey Hepburn. Photo: Alamy

NO, it’s not! It’s only easy if you don’t care about fit and style. I think this might ring true for both men and women.

Something not too short, not too long, not too frumpy looking. Almost impossible.

And when you do come across a really cute pair, some are as expensive as a long pair of pants even though they’re missing all that extra material.

Good ones seem to be in short supply.

I have only two pairs right now that I’m comfortable wearing in rotation. I’m on the hunt so I don’t only have two for the road. I want at least three.

I’m considering all styles. Cargo, Retro, Pleated, Printed, Denim, Tailored…belted, drawstring, buttons or zipper…

What is your favorite go-to pair of shorts?

*Two For The Road: Travel is a constant theme in this romantic dramedy about a married couple, played by Albert Finney and Aubrey Hepburn (who by the way, looks good in her shorts). The movie starts off with a road trip to Saint-Tropez, and as they drive through France, the audience is treated to flashbacks of previous trips that have affected their relationship. -Jenni Miller

I once went on a road trip through France with a stop in St. Tropez – minus the pink shorts, cool convertible & picnic basket.

Header: Hurley Board Shorts

Art, Architecture, Design

Feel-good Friday: Giving Gifts

Cards, Candles, Clothing, Jewelry, Accessories, Food, Skincare…

Giving Gifts is all about giving – giving to friends and family, giving to yourself and giving to others around…

Just yesterday I came across an inspiring gift boutique made up of 5 rooms and more than 100 local Vancouver artists, each showcasing all kinds of good quality, fair trade gifts. I love this concept.

http://givinggifts.ca
4570 Main St., Vancouver

Photos: d. king

Have a fun weekend!

THINKAboutit

Monday Mood: Madness

Reflecting on the current situation…

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.” — George Orwell 1984 (a political novel written with the purpose of warning readers in the West of the dangers of totalitarian government.)

Is it true that Illusion is sometimes all that keeps us sane?

American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “sanity is very rare; almost every man and woman has a dash of madness every so often.”

Every so often is….how frequently exactly? I think things are shifting to more repeatedly because it’s every single day we’re bombarded with actions from those that make no sense and instead of moving forward we seem to be moving backwards. Right here…right now in our lives at present we’re witnessing a lot of history making madness.

People are just starting to wake up but in the process are we becoming more careful than need be? Or are we just afraid not to offend anyone. Because everything is coming to a head.

The Dixie Chicks have changed their name to Chicks because of the connotation of “Dixie” with slavery. Upon hearing this a friend of mine jokingly suggested the new name could be considered sexist. That maybe they should consider changing it to “the Chickens?”

I fully understand the “black lives matter” movement because to me it’s absurd that slavery ever happened in the first place. That stands for other history making events such as the holocaust. The insanity of control and intention of cruelty over innocent lives.

The people at the very top, the people in power, are the very same people who could have put an end to these occurrences. So who are we to trust? Are we responsible for blindly following the orders given by lunatics in power if we consciously know they’re in the wrong for giving them, and we for following them? Shouldn’t we take some responsibility?

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States held the nation together during its greatest trial, the Civil War. Lincoln believed his most sacred duty was the preservation of the union. It was his firm conviction that slavery must be abolished.

“I leave you hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal.” Abraham Lincoln

Will we ever get it right?

Has rage replaced reason? As in…

“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore” – from the movie *Network.

This speech feels more relevant today than its release in 1976 and seems to predict the world we live in today. A world filled with reality TV, tabloid journalism and the overwhelming direction that media in general is taking with its anything for ratings philosophy.

The Character Howard Beale played by the late great Peter Finch, gave the following speech in the film that still resonates today.

“I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It’s a depression. Everybody’s out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel’s worth. Banks are going bust. Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there’s nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there’s no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

We know things are bad – worse than bad. They’re crazy. It’s like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don’t go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is: ‘Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won’t say anything. Just leave us alone.’

Well, I’m not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get MAD! I don’t want you to protest. I don’t want you to riot – I don’t want you to write to your congressman, because I wouldn’t know what to tell you to write. I don’t know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you’ve got to get mad. (shouting) You’ve got to say: ‘I’m a human being, god-dammit! My life has value!’

“To think that we can finally get it all together is unrealistic. To seek for some lasting security is futile. To undo our very ancient and very stuck habitual patterns of mind requires that we begin to turn around some of our most basic assumptions. Believing in a solid, separate self, continuing to seek pleasure and avoid pain, thinking that someone “out there” is to blame for our pain—one has to get totally fed up with these ways of thinking. One has to give up hope that this way of thinking will bring us satisfaction. Suffering begins to dissolve when we can question the belief or the hope that there’s anywhere to hide.” – Pema Chodraon “Nowhere to Hide”

I’ll leave you with this more uplifting quote:

“Keep your Eyes on All that’s Good and Beautiful and Possible in the World. Because the Stories We Tell Create the People We Become.” – Jacqueline Lewis, Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone: a Journal to Reignite, Renew, and Refuel Your Life.

*Network: The man behind the words of this powerful speech was the American playwright, screenwriter and novelist Sidney Aaron “Paddy” Chayefsky. He is the only person to have won three solo Academy Awards for Best Screenplay (the other three-time winners, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, have all shared their awards with co-writers). The trio of Academy Awards were for Marty (1955), The Hospital (1971) and Network (1976).

Have a great week!