All posts in: Vancouver

09 Jan 2017

Wedding Mondays

I’ve always loved a scenic outdoorsy wedding in videos. How can you not? However, I didn’t have my true appreciation for them until I went to Mandi and Eric’s wedding in Yosemite. Those views and that peaceful quiet… they are so breathtaking, you’ll never ever forget what that’s like. Watching this video reminded me a lot of Mandi and Eric’s and it was so beautiful to watch. I know that all of you will enjoy this as much as I did. The wedding video has the recipe for all things that we’re loving in 2016 / 2017 wedding videos – the long sleeved wedding dress, the flower crown (which we still aren’t over!) and our favorite DIY details that are not overplayed.

Seriously, how sweet are these two?

It was so hard to pick my favorite 3; I think I had 10! Please go check out the entire feature on Green Wedding Shoes – it’s so worth it!

Style

07 Apr 2016

The Coziest

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Dress and Scarf – Oak + Fort

A couple of years ago, I discovered a Canadian boutique through Instagram called Oak + Fort. On a day trip up to Vancouver with my family, I made sure that we didn’t leave without me stopping in – even on the rainiest day that I’ve seen in a long time. I walked away with two pieces back then – I mean I traveled all that way! When I learned this fall that they were opening up a San Francisco location in Hayes Valley, I was ecstatic. What I love about the brand is that everything is pretty minimalistic – if you’re not big into color and like to stick to the basic monochrome shades of white, black, tan, neutral, this is your store. Everything also tends to be on the roomier/baggier side as well so for petite girls like me, shopping there can be a little bit challenging. I remember bringing Jen with me and she had a ton of luck with everything while I struggled to feel like I was pulling these pieces off. Every thing I tried on looked like it was wearing me. Luckily for me though, this dress was the perfect balance of bagginess, but also fit for my frame. The two slits on either side give me a little bit more dimension and makes it a little less conservative. I also fell in love with this scarf when I saw a post of it on the brand’s Instagram. This thing is HUGE. I never thought I could wear anything like this, but it’s perfection. It’s exactly what you need for the coldest of winter days and also doubles as the perfectly sized personal blanket when I’m in a friend’s cold apartment or when I just happen to be extra chilly. It’s the one piece that gets the most compliments when I’m out also so that has to mean something, right? If I haven’t sold you enough on why this brand is so great, their pieces also happen to be very affordable. I think we can all appreciate not breaking our wallets.

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Style

26 Oct 2015

Oak + Fort Comes to SF!

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I just learned this week that one of my favorite brands out of Vancouver, Oak + Fort, had decided to open up their 2nd US store in Hayes Valley in San Francisco so I made plans this weekend to head over there and bring my co-worker Jen with me. The store was pretty much made for her and I think she now loves it way more than I do. Lucky for her, it’s right down the street from her home. The store specializes in a lot of oversized pieces, but really prides themselves on comfort so everything is super snuggly and warm – just what we’re looking for in the Bay Area this fall! So I walked away with three beautiful pieces and Jen loved everything so she snagged like 10! We also had the best time with all of the ladies working there who let us chit chat with them and let me bop around in their shop in the oversized scarf that I ended up bringing home with me. Maybe we’ll just come back for the friends.

Here are the pieces I took home:

Gastown Walking

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Beanie – Wilfred // Coat – Topshop by Nordstrom // Leggings – Aritzia // Boots – Hunter // Scarf – borrowed from Mom

Remember the days when I was just too self-conscious to be posting photos of my outfit that we used a space helmet to make things a little bit easier? I’ve learned that when you’re traveling for work, it’s importnat to set aside time for yourself on your trips where you do things that are just for you. Taking advantage of being home in Seattle very recently, I decided to take a trip with my family up to Vancouver so that we could do a little eating and a whole lot of shopping. This was something that Kevin and I used to do when we were younger – taking day trips up to visit our favorite boutiques. Naturally, it was pouring and made for the most unpleasant experience. Shopping in the rain is the worst, but I’m glad I was able to return home with a few new pieces that I love.

Life

07 Nov 2014

West Coast Touring

It is good to be home. This past month while I was away from Yow Yow! I was back and forth between the Bay Area and Phoenix, Pasadena, and Seattle. I used to always wonder what it was like to be on tour and now I feel like I’m finally getting a small taste of it. I went through five airports, went through security six times, met hundreds of people and ate amazing meals. I am tired. I am also very grateful that I had opportunities to spend my weekends traveling always at home. It’s a pretty great place to be! ^^ We were tourists for the day!

Take Me There:

One thing that I always looked forward to living in Seattle was making the trip up North to Vancouver. Next to Seattle, Vancouver was probably one of my favorite places (until I started coming to SF.) Life in Vancouver is similar to my city and if you wanted a quick getaway for the day or a weekend, it definitely hit the spot. Kevin and I made a day trip out of it maybe over two years ago, but I still remember it clearly – a ramen lunch, an afternoon of shopping downtown, a late afternoon of boutique hopping, and dinner back in Seattle. That’s all we really needed!

You can find these pretty pastel buildings in the Gastown District of Vancouver.

Note to self: make a trip to Vancouver during one of my upcoming visits back home.

[Source]

Style

29 Nov 2012

Artizia Opens Up Online Shop

Readers, I have the MOST exciting news for you this morning. One of my favorite retailers of all time has debuted their e-commerce store this morning. Lord knows we’ve all been waiting for this a very long time. The Vancouver-based retailer is an absolute dream with pieces that are the softest and most comfortable that you’ll never take them off. I have literally gone a whole week wearing their leggings. No shame.

The quality of the clothing is top notch and the service at their retailer stores – impeccable. The store’s design and concepts? Flawless. The new flagship location in New York just opened and after seeing the photographs, it houses the most wondrous displays I’ve ever seen.

As you can see, I’m a huge advocate for the retailer and even though I am in very close proximity to an actual store location now, there’s no doubting that I won’t be on the online shop perusing first.

Readers – it’s time to start shopping. For yourself. You deserve it. Here you go! And later this evening, I’ll be posting up some of my favorite pieces for all of you.

Life

07 Apr 2012

Currently Craving:

photo cred | Dine Out Here

Ashley and I had ourselves two incredible meals in Seattle today, but I could really go for some ramen from my favorite spot in Vancouver right about now. Every time Kevin and I make a trip up there, we always make a stop at Kintaro. They’ve got the best ramen I have ever had (well, having ramen in Japan is on a whole different playing field,) but more importantly there’s corn and lots of it! I don’t think I’ve ever told you guys this, but I’m a huge fan of the vegetable – not like you needed to know or anything, but it’s great with everything, including Kintaro Ramen.

Have any of you ever eaten there? If you make a stop there on your next visit, be sure to let me know what you think!

Uncategorized

04 Apr 2012

Blue Trees

Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos has been painting the town in several cities by painting the trunks and limbs of trees using environmentally safe pigments. By working in only urban areas, Dimopoulos hopes to raise awareness for the 32 million acres of forests that are being cut down every year around the world.

Painted trees can currently be found in Melbourne, Vancouver, and Virginia. Next on the stop? Seattle!

Locals, keep your eyes peeled and let me know when you find one!

[Source]

06 Dec 2011

2011’s Most Powerful Photographs

“A girl in isolation for radiation screening looks at her dog through a window in Nihonmatsu, Japan on March 14.”

(Reuters / Yuriko Nakao)

Can you believe that another year has come and gone? Round up posts are some of my favorites during this time and BuzzFeed has gotten an early start by posting the 45 Most Powerful Photos of 2011. In the post, you’ll find some of the ones you expected – that couple making out on the ground in Vancouver during the riots, that one cop that pepper sprayed protesters at UC Davis and got turned into an internet meme, and the aftermath of the Japanese coast tsunami. You’ll also find a series of photos that you may not have seen before, but still relevant to our year. These images are incredibly powerful and every year reminds me of how little I know about the world.