Aaaaand we are officially off to Amalfi! We leave tonight and I feel like a small child, completely bubbling over with excitement. Thank you all for your fabulous recommendations over the last week – I’m departing fully-equipped with a master list under my arm and will come back with diligent notes for everyone! While I’m gone, I’ve lined up a pretty incredible assortment of guest posters so definitely come back next week to check em’ all out!

Have a fabulous weekend you guys, and I’ll “see” you in a week!
(and apologies for the plethora of exclamation marks sprinkled throughout)
xo

Though I’ve been back for just under a week now, I inadvertently took an additional few days off from this ol’ blog here. Is it alright for me to blame the Florida sun? I just couldn’t get my act together last week no matter how hard I tried. But I’m back! And I’ve missed you guys! So in case you were wondering what has kept me away, here’s a little preview in photography format.

Despite the fact that I was working the majority of the time I was gone (once-more, working from “home” proves its worth!), I still managed to squeeze in a bit of fun in the sun (this might be evident from this collection of photos). If I’m being completely honest, this mini getaway could not have come at a better time. Between long hours at “the office”, attempting 3-4 hours of studying each evening, and trying to manage some semblance of a social life (ha!), I had long been burning the candle at both ends (I legitimately thought I might lose it a handful of times there.) But they say that the cure to all ailments is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea, and such statement has never felt more true. So if you’re ever feeling more than overwhelmed, may I suggest the beach? It really does do great things for one’s soul.

I’m off to Florida for the next week! Though it doesn’t technically count as a vacation since I’ll still be working, I do plan on ensuring that I get my fair share of sun, surf and sand. I’m going to be taking the next week or so off from posting so that I can really soak it all in – but not to worry, I’ll be back with lots more goodies in no time! I know. Phew. Right?

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Have a fabulous week my dears
Oh, and a happy early Easter!
xoxo

We couldn’t leave Ireland without experiencing some of the countryside it has to offer. One day, just before heading home, both Jess and Ian had to head into work which left Justin and I alone to explore. Having wanted to experience The Cliffs of Moher for longer than I can remember, we opted to take a day trip out that way. The drive up was absolutely outstanding; exactly what you’d imagine when envisioning the Irish countryside. At one point we passed a herd of wild miniature horses running through a field and I began to question whether or not the entire journey was even real.

The morning was bright and sunny but in true Ireland form the skies opened up and poured down on us just as we arrived cliff side (of course it waited for us to get far enough away from any form of shelter before hitting torrential downpour status). Though we were soaked through and through, there was very little that could get our spirits down at that point. One of the natural wonders of the world, the cliffs are simply one of those things you have to see to understand. Their grandeur and beauty is difficult to explain in words.

We took a different route home, driving alongside the Galway bay and stopping briefly to take in The Burren Landscape. With a few hours before we needed to head back to Dublin, we made a brief stop in Galway. A small bohemian town, it’s here you’ll find residents littered with talent. Artists, musicians, singers and the like, three hours was not enough to take it all in. I definitely want to make a point to spend more time here in the future.
All in all, an exceptional two weeks.

| pretty architecture |

| a sneaky shot of the Trinity College Library. (spotted all over Pinterest) |

| Trinity College campus |

| the river Liffey after a storm |

| views from The Gravity Bar |

| colourful doors are a bit of a thing in Dublin |

| best friends since the 7th grade |

If you ask me, it doesn’t get much better than visiting friends abroad. Especially if said friends have been a part of your life for the better part of fourteen years (holy!). Having “locals” give you a personal tour ultimately means you get to see the very best of the city without a ton of prep-work.

Having almost an entire week with virtually no plans was a nice departure from the go-go-go of the Scottish leg of our trip. We were able to take in the city at a leisurely pace, stopping often for tea and pints of Guinness.

While we naturally took part in some of the must-do activities (the Guinness brewery & high-tea at the Shelbourne obviously being on that list), we also had the opportunity to experience the lesser-known tidbits that Dublin has to offer. Things like incredible restaurants (hello 777 & The Pig’s Ear for starters), vintage shopping and adorable local pubs tucked in back alleys. Jess and Ian graciously put us up in their apartment for the week which not only helped us stay on budget, but brought back memories of childhood sleepover and proved to be a ton of fun. I’ll let them know if any of you need future personal tour guides, knowing them they’d be happy to oblige ;)

As mentioned, the primary reason behind this particular trip was so that Justin and I could visit our friends who currently reside in Dublin. We had a fabulous time and  Jess and Ian proved to be fantastic hosts.

Though we spent the majority of the week in Dublin, enjoying the company of our friends, we did manage to head out for two day-trips throughout the week. The first  consisted of a quick ride on the Dart to the cute little town of Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun-Leery – don’t ask me how. Crazy Gaelic language!) Both Jess and Ian are (fabulous) chefs and I won’t lie, our primary reasoning behind this mini-trip was to take in the food market that takes over the park every Sunday. We gorged on fantastic food, walked the old Victorian pier, and treated ourselves to ten minute chair massages for $5 in a nearby tent (best idea all week, let me tell you). It was the perfect start to our Irish adventure.

After we left Stirling, we made our way west to our last stop: Oban. To be honest, this is the portion of the trip I had been looking forward to the most while in the planning process and it did not disappoint. The route takes you through the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park as well as the Argyll Forest which are both incredibly stunning. Three hours of bright green rolling hills, lochs, highland cows (my new favourite animal) and sheep in every other direction. Basically exactly what you’d imagine Scotland to resemble.

We arrived in Oban on Thursday evening, pleasantly surprised at where we were terminating the Scottish portion of our vacation. As a little fisherman’s town right on the coast, it’s here you’ll find some of the best fish and chips in the country. We ended up staying at Heatherfield House,  a sweet little bed and breakfast that I could not recommend more. Gary and Sues home was so well-appointed that they could have given Martha Stewart a run for her money. Our room was impeccable, beautifully decorated in soft shades of grey and yellow, with views of the ocean to boot. Our bathtub had a row of rubber ducks to greet us, their soaps and shampoos had come from a local organic supplier and we found chocolate bars tucked into our robes upon arrival. Not to mention the grounds lined with chickens, providing us farm fresh eggs for breakfast each morning. I’m telling you, a dream.

Though we stayed for two nights, we only had one full day to explore the small town. We decided to take the ferry over to the Isle of Mull to check out the Donegan castle and take in the area by boat. In addition to our mini day trip, not being a scotch drinker myself, I did accompany Justin on the Oban Scotch distillery tour, which ended up being a lot of fun. Naturally, we topped off the day enjoying (the freshest) fish and chips in a little pine cottage overlooking the harbour. Yes, Scotland was good to us.

As a total aside, I realize that these travel posts aren’t usually my standard material. Are you guys getting sick of reading about these journeys yet? I was going to come back next week and share a few posts on Ireland but I wanted to make sure it’s something you guys are interested in! I absolutely adore sharing these things as it’s a nice recount for my own personal memories, but I understand that lots of you come here for the interior design portion of my program. A show of hands and I’ll gladly continue!

Admittedly, both Justin and I were just a little disappointed when we arrived in Stirling. Though there’s no denying the city had its own particular charm, we both felt it paled in comparison to Edinburgh and St. Andrews. We may have been quick to judge considering we were barely there for twenty-four hours, however we both agreed it lacked the familiar vibe that emanated through the previous two cities. We felt Stirling Castle was too pristine, too restored and re-touched, and each and every pub and restaurant was filled to the brim with tourists. While travelling, we like to make a point of trying to find a local watering hole just off the beaten path. It’s possible that we were simply missing the mark that day, but we just couldn’t seem to track anything suitable down!

That being said we, of course, still managed to enjoy our limited time in Stirling. Our hotel was located just steps away from the castle, with views of rolling hills for miles when we awoke in the morning. Built in 1787, it was originally intended as an all-boys school which has since been converted into rooms to rest ones weary head. If you did want to experience this city for yourself, I would definitely recommend this spot as a place to crash.

One thing that had always been on my (laughably long) bucket list was to take a road trip through Scotland. So that’s just what we did.

We rented a car for four jam-packed days in an effort to see as much of the country as possible. What with Justin being an avid golfer, our first stop was naturally the town of St. Andrews where the game was essentially invented. While doing our research we realized that to golf The Old Course (which has been in use for 600 years) you had two options: book your round a year in advance, or show up solo, cross your fingers and hope that a trio will allow you to tag along on their round. Having friends who have, in the past, attempted the latter unsuccessfully, we were not entirely hopeful. We knew that if all else failed there would be a seaside town in which we’d be to able explore for a day. Not a bad deal, really.

Alas, the stars aligned or the gods shined down or something of the sort and Justin got on the course a mere hour after we arrived. This, in return, meant that I was left with ample time to spend at my leisure. I perused the town, treated myself to ice cream, drank tea on the beach (what? it was cold!) and hit up both the St. Andrews Castle ruins and The Cathedral before heading back. There was something magical about being completely disconnected from absolutely everyone and everything, simply touring a foreign place entirely on my own. It’s an activity I will definitely attempt on any and all future trips.

the Royal Mile |Holyrood Palace Gardens | Holyrood Abbey
amazing old buildings/architecture | hiking Arthur’s Seat
sneaking kisses | an adorable pub

Both Scotland and Ireland are places that, while I’ve always been intrigued by, have never been high on my must-visit list. When my best friend relocated to Ireland with her boyfriend some time ago, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to plan a trip out for a visit (and tack on Scotland for the ultimate getaway). With that being our primary reasoning behind this particular voyage, I was shocked at how much I adored both countries and would now easily move them to the top of that list.

The first leg of our trip brought us to Edinburgh where we spent three glorious days doing all of the typical touristy activities (Edinburgh castle, hiking Arthur’s Seat, touring Holyrood Palace and maybe a pub hop or two). Justin and I both fell head over heels in love with this particular city from the get go and, one evening over a pint of Guinness, spoke at length at how we could realistically relocate there for a year. It’s one of those magical cities that manages to combine the past and the present in a seamless manner. We ate like kings (celebrating our anniversary at The Honours, and treating ourselves to an incredible three course lunch at the Grain Store) and cannot wait to make our way back to explore what we didn’t manage to see. Three days was absolutely not enough and I do see it being a part of my future in one way or another.

I’m back and posting on a Sunday, no less – that’s how much I’ve missed you guys! I have to say, the last two weeks have been exceptional – even better than I could have imagined. There’s even been talks of relocating to Scotland for the long haul, but we’ll see ;) I just wanted to pop in to share a few sneak peeks of whats to come in the coming days (so. many. pictures. apologies in advance). And I wanted to wish my Canadian friends a happy Thanksgiving!

xx & thanks for hanging in there during my absence

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I’m off to Scotland and Ireland! We leave tomorrow evening for two glorious weeks. I shall be back with some more goods (and lots and lots of photos). Hold tight!

xoxo

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It’s been brought up before that there’s a slight chance that I’ll be heading to South Africa with my mom and brother come November. While nothing is in stone and still depends on a multitude of different factors, I can’t help but begin to do some preliminary planning (read: looking up gorgeous, albeit often unrealistic, places to stay, visit and dine). When I stumbled upon this one I knew it needed to be shared immediately. Certain aspects of it date all the way back to the 1690′s which itself is incredible to think of, while many of the spaces were built in 1777. Part hotel, part farm, part restaurant all combined together to make for one gloriously pretty vacation.

{cupcake shoppe}{sagrada familia}{justin & I}{Gaudi’s Casa Battló}{Cava (& tapas)}{meandering the streets}{the most beautiful architecture}{views from Park Güell}{Park Güell}{sunsets}{small cafes}{bliss}

When all of our original New Years plans began to disintegrate, Justin and I found ourselves searching for a plan B. Originally, we contemplated heading south for a few days to ring in the New Year, just us two, but when we found this amazing deal to Barcelona (it was actually less expensive than 3 days in a sup-par  hotel in Cuba) we knew we had to take it. Booking our trip just two days before leaving (and the day before Christmas), admittedly, gave my type-A personality some serious anxiety but in the end I’m so happy that we did.
We spent 5 nights in what can easily be declared one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever laid eyes on. We hopped from Gaudi building to Gaudi building (seeing the Sagrada Familia in person was so surreal, and I was able to cross something off of my wishing well!), drank cava and ate tapas late into the night, enjoyed our fair share of inexpensive beer and sangria and meandered the streets at will. We rung in the New Year in an old tavern, complete with walls that had been built in the 11th century, eating grapes with locals as the clock struck twelve*. I can already feel that 2012 is going to be a good one.

*the Spanish tradition is to ring in the New Year with food and family. At midnight, you are to eat 12 grapes, one at a time, before the clock stops ringing. Every grape you fail to eat is equivalent to a month of bad luck in the upcoming year.

There’s something special about returning to a place where time seems to have stood still; a place that I’ve been frequenting for the last 25 years of my life, and can count on the fact that the juice glasses will remain the same, as do the pots, the pans and the stove that is surely from the 50′s and has helped feed its fair share. Visiting my cottage in Thunder Bay is one of those spots that holds ridiculously happy childhood memories and I hold it very close to my heart. It’s a place the epitomizes a Canadian summer: the fridge is always full of beer, when you walk through the bush, you must have a bear whistle tied around your wrist, just in case, the lake is refreshingly cold and the sunsets would make your heart skip a beat.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I spent the large majority of my week lounging on the dock, catching up on books that I’ve been meaning to get through but could never finish due to a lack of spare time. While I was originally fretting about the idea of being in the middle of nowhere with no connection to the outside world for an entire week, something I haven’t done since I was quite young, it ended up being just the ticket. Having literally nothing that needed to be done but watch the waves roll in, or the sun set over the lake was a welcome change from my mind reeling with a million different thoughts, ideas and things that need to be done. After adjusting to the thought of being able to read for four uninterrupted hours, I settled in just fine. While I wasn’t curled up on the front porch with a book, I passed the time listening to my 89 year old grandpa tell stories from the 1930′s, playing scrabble on the front port and eating my weight in home-cooked meals. One evening in particular was spent sitting on the boathouse for over an hour just watching an electrical storm off in the distance. It was easily one of the most amazing (and eerie) sights I’ve experienced.

I must admit though, I am happy to be back amidst the hustle and the bustle of my busy city life, only now with a clearer frame of mind. But if I can offer any advice (and this is something I’m sure I’ll have to refer back to in the near future) it’s that it’s okay to sit and watch the rain fall for a solid half an hour. In fact, it’s encouraged. It does more good than you know.

images found here & here

As of 6:00 this evening, I will be on vacation. My family and I are headed to my grandparents cottage in Thunder Bay for a week of pure relaxation. I’m hoping that this trip pans out something along the likes of these photos. Additionally, I cannot wait to spend my time taking naps in a hammock, feasting on homecooked meals, sneaking samples of my grandmothers homemade jams and preserves and brushing my hair as little as possible. Also, a bra will fully be optional (sorry lil’ brother).

Have a wonderful week lovelies! I’ll see you back here shortly.
xxx

{the view from our hostel rooftop}{taken on our boat cruise}
{i’m thinking this may not need a caption}{bats + sunsets. quite amazing, actually!}{the city palace, and a happy man!}{the city palace}{views from the monsoon palace}

The final leg of our trip took us to Udaipur, considered to be the most romantic spot in India. Surrounded by lakes, portions of it reminded me very much of Venice. It was shockingly beautiful (quite the dramatic change from the desert town of Jaisalmer and the big city of Jodhpur/Delhi).

We had dedicated this portion of our trip to relax and rejuvenate before I had to head back home. With many palaces, both on land and on the water (literally. in the middle of it), it made for the perfect backdrop to enjoy long dinners right on the lake. One evening, we sat and watched the sunset underneath a tree filled with bats (we realized this after we had sat down). As the sun set behind the mountains, hundred and hundreds of oversized bats began to emerge. It was eerie and beautiful at the same time. The perfect place to end an incredible journey.

(See Part I, Part II & Part III)

I’m headed up to the cottage for the long weekend, but I’m hoping to post the rest of my pictures on my Facebook page. If I don’t get them up before I leave, they will definitely be up on monday. (click here to like lark + linen on Facebook and to be notified when the pictures do make their way up!)

Have a wonderful weekend lovelies, and thank you for letting me share my Indian experience with all of you! I’m humbled by all of your incredible comments. You guys are seriously awesome.  

{piles of the most incredible fabric}{the mehrangarh fort}{the blue city}{the market}{the clock tower}
{ranakpur’s jain temple}

Next up on our whirlwind tour of India was Jodhpur, the blue city. We barely had a full day to see it, so we made the most of it that we could.

On our way to visit the Mehrangarh fort, we stopped in at what we thought was a small antique store. We quickly realized that we had stumbled upon a gold mine. Eight stories of the most lust-worthy fabrics, shawls, scarves and blankets that you’ve ever seen. (It turned out that we had found the manufacturer for many of Luis Vuitton and Hermes’ products – of course my aunt would find such a place. She has a nose for these things). Much to my cousins dismay, us girls spent far too much time selecting the items that needed to make their way into our homes. I ended up purchasing a handful of pashminas and an incredible hand embroidered bedspread that would surely cost an arm and a leg had it been purchased here (note: it was $50. I feel guilty for paying so little).

After touring the (quite spectacular) fort (which still had many dents in the stone walls from where canons had tried to penetrate years ago), we rented a car and hired a driver to take us to Ranakpur. Hiring a driver sounds so fancy, but really, it’s the norm in India and it’s actually extremely cost-effective (like $40 between 4 people for a six-hour drive kinda cost-effective). Never in my life would I ever attempt to navigate through the traffic and intensity of driving in India. The drives themselves almost deserve their own post!

Initially we had intended on heading straight from Jodhpur to Udaipur, but after talking to a handful of locals, we were convinced we had to stop halfway to see a Jain temple in Ranakpur, a sight unbeknownst to many. While the Taj Mahal was overwhelming and did every bit of justice to the hype surrounding it, I truly believe it’s safe to say that it didn’t hold a candle to this temple. Imagine 1,444 two to three story white marble columns holding up turrets and domes and the like for as far as the eye can see. Each and every column intricately carved with the tiniest little detail, and each being drastically different from the next. Every visible remaining surface equally beautiful, equally intricate and meticulously carved. I feel confident when I say that I don’t think that I will ever again see another man-made item quite as incredible as this one. I have far too many pictures of it, but none of them do it even the smallest bit of justice. I’m so pleased that we made that detour.

(See Part I, Part II & Part IV)

{colourful details lining the streets of jaisalmer}{deserted streets – save for a lone cow, naturally}{an efficient way to carry ones parcel (the beginning of some impressive balancing acts we witnessed)}{views of the city from the jaisalmer fort}{rows of turbans just dying to be photographed}{my camel, daniel (I couldn’t have come up with a more suitable name)}

{trekking through the thar desert}

The second leg of our trip took us south to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. We stayed in a $10 a night hostel that was easily nicer than most hotels I’ve visited in Canada. I shared a room with my aunt and we lucked out by being placed in a room with thick stone walls, hot pink silk curtains and bright cotton bed spreads.

After touring the Jaisalmer fort and palace (at 850 years old, it’s the oldest fort in the world that still has inhabitants living within its walls), scoping our many a pashmina and spending an evening sitting atop our hostel roof with the owner, eating and drinking some of his personal specialties under the stars, I didn’t think the trip could get much better.

Our second day in Jaisalmer brought about a camel trek that we had previously arranged. We were driven into the centre of the Thar desert to meet our trek leaders and our respective camels. Mine was named Daniel and he was quite handsome, if you can’t tell.

After a three hour camel ride further into the desert, we stopped to set up camp on top of the dunes. While we watched the sun set over the sand, our trek leaders began to cook our meal over a small fire, and proceeded to bring us cups of hot, homemade chai while we relaxed (and maybe played in the sand… a little).

Next, we feasted on an incredible meal of dal, rice and homemade chapatis (did I mention all of this was done over the fire?!), we hung out telling stories before retreating to cots that had been set up for us under the wide open sky. We drifted off to sleep after watching countless shooting stars, and it was easily one of the best nights of my entire life.

(See Part I, Part III & Part IV)

{the spice market in old delhi}

{the busy streets of old delhi}

{delhi apartments}

{first views of the taj mahal}

{inside the baby taj}

{the view of the taj from the agra fort}

{the agra fort}

The first leg of my trip began in Delhi. My cousin and his girlfriend had been on exchange in India for the past six months which was what originally prompted me to consider traveling to such an amazing country. He had raved about it since the start and I knew that I had to take advantage of the opportunity to go (one that may not come up again in my life). So together with my aunt (his mother), we made the long trip, and I’m so happy that we did.

Delhi is a huge bustling city that is big, dirty and beautiful all at the same time. The first day of our trip, feeling jet lagged and overheated, Dylan (my cousin) & Tammy took us to old Delhi to hit us with a bang. I must admit, I was first very overwhelmed and wondered what I had gotten myself into, but that feeling passed quickly as I got used to the bustle, the people and the extreme heat (umm was it ever hot – can we just take a moment to talk about how we each drank about 4 litres of water every day and very rarely peed? I don’t think that’s normal). Old Delhi in particular is a loud, intense, busy (understatement) little spot. We rented a bike rickshaw and visited temples, toured through spice markets and wedding markets and stepped over sleeping men in very narrow streets in order to get to places we wanted to get to.

The next day, my aunt and I awoke bright and early to make the trek to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. After a quite pleasant train ride (which is more than I can say for all of the other train experiences we were about to be faced with), we arrived just after the sun rose. Upon my first glance of the Taj I actually got choked up. I had to hold back tears as it was so overwhelmingly beautiful and I just could not believe that I was there, in person, to see it for myself. At first, still feeling overwhelmed by the culture shock and the heat (I can’t tell you how many Indians were even complaining about the heat – we were constantly told that we were crazy for travelling through India in the summer and most closed shop for the afternoon to nap in any shade they could find), I had thought to myself that if the next two weeks turned out to be absolutely horrible (they were not), it would all be worth it for that one moment that I laid eyes on the Taj Mahal.

The rest of the day was spent visiting the baby Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort (which was infested with monkeys – perhaps the best kind of infestation methinks) and eating what can only be described as some of the most incredible food I’ve ever had the pleasure of ingesting.

(See Part II, Part III & Part IV)

image found here

Hello my little kumquats! I’m back after what can only be described as two of the best weeks of my life. India was beyond words, beyond anything I had ever expected and I can’t wait to share it all with you. I’ve only been back for a few hours and am desperately exhausted slash really need to brush my hair. So please give me a little bit of time to get my life back in order (and try to tackle these tangles). In the meantime, you can head over here to check out my guest post on Bijou and Boheme, if you so please!

found via Design Therapy via Boutique Homes

Boutique Homes is a website I happened to stumble upon recently, and I’m so glad that I did. Their aim is to provide incredible vacation home rentals; many of which are created by some pretty notable and talented architects. This home in particular is designed as the perfect transitional space for the days that linger between summer and fall. I wouldn’t mind curling up with a book and a blanket in any of the rich, charcoal gray and chocolate-brown spaces, wrapped up to protect myself from the coolness of the morning. Yet, when the sun makes an appearance and the temperature rises, I could just as easily sit outside to enjoy a light lunch and take in the expansive views. 

We made it to Victoria on the Friday afternoon for the last leg of our trip. An incredible time was had, and I’m not even sure how we managed to squeeze in the amount of things that we did. Between touring beautiful downtown Victoria, visiting a real live castle, numerous hikes, camping on the pacific ocean, surfing in Tofino, a $3 breakfast at the navy base (in honour of my grandpa, an incredible man and ex-sailor), a brisk walk through Cathedral Grove, swimming at any and every moment we could muster up, a ride in a fire truck and high tea at the Empress Hotel… we saw it all. We did it all.

{beautiful victoria}

{high tea at the empress hotel}

{a beautiful old victorian house-turned-bed and breakfast}

{the view from atop mount doug}

{cameron lake}

{a pit stop for a swim while on the way to tofino}

{en route to tofino}

{cathedral grove forest}

{beautiful victoria}

{at our feet as we camped}

{surfing at long beach}

{low tide}

After a quick pit stop to float in a long, lazy river, two more winery tours and an incredible lunch at Nk’Mip, overlooking the small town of Ossoyoos; we made the long drive through the winding roads with incredible views, up mountains and then back down again, finally arriving in Vancouver late Wednesday night. We only had one full day to do as we pleased and experience the city, so we did what we could. We woke up early and headed to Stanley park for a long bike along the sea wall. And the evening? Well, it was spent feasting at the most incredible japanese restaurant I’ve ever been to. The next morning we spoiled ourselves with room service as we packed up to make our way to Victoria.   

{the view at lunch in Ossoyoos}   

{we made light work of that cheese platter}   

{jackson triggs vineyards}   

{the drive to vancouver}   

{the view from stanley park}   

{bike riding through the park}   

{sneaking a kiss by the ocean}   

{800 year old trees}   

{the olympic flames}   

{he followed our ferry to victoria}   

{the view from the ferry}

I’m back, and I’ve missed you guys so! I don’t even have the words to properly describe the past couple of weeks. Breathtaking? Amazing? Incredible? They just don’t seem to fit the bill. I’ve taken more photos than I could possibly chose from, so please, prepare to be bombarded with images of mountains, lakes and the like. I’ll be splitting my trip up into three separate days, so stay tuned, if you’re interested!

Our first stop was Kelowna, a city located in Okanagan Valley, wine country of BC. We flew in early on Sunday morning, opened our first bottle upon arriving at the resort, and didn’t stop until, well, yesterday, if I’m being honest. Situated just north of the US border, Kelowna is an extension of the Sonora Desert. The land is an incredible mix of mountains, coniferous forests, and deserts. By far my favourite leg of this trip.

Although our visit was short (three days), we made the most of it. With wine tours and extended lunches overlooking the Okanagan lake at Mission Hill Winery (wow. just wow.), a day trip on a friends boat, and a late night dinner at Quails Gate overlooking the lake (wrapped up in blankets to protect ourselves against the chill of the night, naturally), we left feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and definitely, definitely plumper.

{our first peek at the mountains}

{the view from the resorts patio}

{the beach}

{a long, incredible lunch at mission hill}

{mission hill sights}

{a wine tasting… with cheese. mmm. cheese.}

{my boyfriend. his name is Justin & he’s pretty cute.}

{my stepmom. she’s taking advantage of our boat cruise with wine in hand}

{my baby sister. her name is Kelly & she’s loving life.}
{yes, she’s still my baby sister.}

With my vacation approaching in just a few short weeks, I can’t help but be drawn to a few incredibly beautiful, perfectly designed, immaculate retreats.

Amangiri in particular has really caught my eye. Located in Utah, practically in the middle of the desert, it isn’t the type of location you would think you’d typically want to get away to, until you check out these views.  

The hotel and spa have been designed to blend into their landscape with colour, materials, texture and scale, as to not disturb their surroundings. It’s incredible! Where do I sign up?

found via Alexandra Campbell via Amangiri