I'm back...

Well folks, it was a busy summer!  Between multiple trips to the Island, a family camping trip in Washington, moving to a new place, a trip to New York with my friend Bridgette, two weddings, a long weekend in the Okanagan, and many many hours of work I can honestly say that I am EXHAUSTED!

While I never relish the end of Summer, I am happy that Fall has arrived and with it a return to structure and normalcy.  As I write this I have the Packers game on and the crisp fall air is coming in through my giant open window.  Tonight I even plan to make my first pot of soup (Kale and Lentil to be exact) - definitely a sign that Fall has arrived.

So, as you might guess we have lots to catch up on.  Let's start with the New York trip, shall we?

In July my friend Bridgette and I took off for a 4 day getaway to New York.  We had been planning it since I came home from my East Coast vacation last September.  We decided we had to go to New York when I mentioned to Bridgette that I had a ticket voucher for a Yankees game during the 2012 season due to my game being rained out.  Clearly this meant that we had to go to New York together because we absolutely wouldn't want the tickets to go to waste.  We flew out on a Cathay Pacific red eye flight from Vancouver to New York on a Friday night and were absolutely flabbergasted at how amazing Cathay Pacific was.  We arrived in New York very very early Sunday morning, walked to our friend Tera'a place, changed, and set out to the Bronx for the Yankees game.  Needless to say we were a bit tired but the game was fantastic.  It was a scorcher (the whole week was) but it was a great day!

Some pics from day one:

Yankee Stadium - waiting for the game to start

Fans!

LOVE me some Derek Jeter

Yankees!!!

Yankees

Yankee Stadium

On the way home

On the way home

Happy Sunday!!

xo

Weekend Trip to Victoria

I recently spent the weekend on Vancouver Island visiting my parents.  I spent a couple days in Victoria and then headed up to Parksville for a couple fun filled days of beach walks, mini golf, and general relaxation.  I don't know what it is about the island but I immediately feel myself relax when I get there.  That said, the process of getting there is never as relaxing as I want it to be.  I don't quite understand why I can never seem to be early for the ferry... I also cut it uncomfortably close and then curse myself the whole journey hoping I won't miss the boat.  Silly, I know.

This particular weekend was no exception.  By the time I arrived at the ferry and sat down in my seat I was exhausted from all the rushing and stress - definitely not the way I wanted to kick off my long weekend.  Lucky for me a surprise was waiting for me and all the other lucky passengers on the ferry: a performance from Headwater.  The Vancouver based band was en route to Victoria for a couple shows and their impromptu show helped turn my day around.    

Headwater

Later in the day while waiting for our takeout from Noodle Box to be ready my Mom and I went for a quick walk through Chinatown.  If you get a chance to head over to Victoria be sure to explore Chinatown and check out Fan Tan Alley - there is so much history and there are so many beautiful things to see.  It is a must visit!

Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley

Fan Tan Alley

 

A Day at the Races

This past weekend we celebrated Missy's birthday at the Hastings Racetrack.  The whole crew showed up including my nieces and nephew all of whom were enjoying their very first track experience.  The sun was shining, the crowd was energized, and it was an amazing day had by all.

For me horse racing is less about the competition or making a smart bet and is more about the actual animals themselves.  As a former equestrian I miss being around horses every day.  When you spend every Saturday of your childhood driving out to the stables, tacking up, and spending hours on end with your horse it is hard to not feel a kinship with these gorgeous animals.

Mountains

Watching the races

Scouting the horses

A horse racing enthusiast in the making

Horses!!!

The Races

*love*

*love x 2*

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

Lucy's 1st Birthday!

Last weekend my cousin hosted a lovely 1st birthday party for her amazing little girl at Trout Lake Park in Vancouver.  The ladybug themed shindig was a fantastic way to celebrate my beautiful niece and everyone had a great time.

The spread

Ladybug cupcakes - banana chocolate, yum!

The spread

Super cute birthday girl!!

 Super cute niece #2 - I'm a lucky Auntie

Birthday Girl showing off her walking skills

Delish treats

Figuring out the cupcakes

 

Palm Springs Hotel Tour

On my to-do list for the Coachella weekend was exploring some of Palm Spring's most beautiful hotels.  

During my March trip we managed to carve out some time to have drinks at The Viceroy so when Bridgette and I returned for Coachella I knew we had to go back.  The poolside dining area at The Viceroy is absolutely gorgeous - if I could choose a perfect backyard decor it would be an exact replica of it. Perfect for brunch or for evening drinks it is a wonderful place to kick back and enjoy the tasty offerings.  Some of the delicious drinks we enjoyed on our first visit: the Signature Margarita, the Viceroy Sunset, the Classic Mojito, and the Moscow Mule.  The drinks were absolutely sublime - mine was the Signature Margarita and with it's fantastic mix of tequila, St Germain elder flower liqueur, lime, and orange juice it is a perfect warm weather drink.  When Bridgette and I went for brunch we shared two phenomenal breakfasts: the Wild Mushroom Frittata and the French Toast.  I cannot even begin to describe how delicious the french toast was.  Yum!

Love the decor

Pool

Beautiful koi pond

Mmmmm french toast

Double mmmm, wild mushroom frittata

On the last day of our Coachella getaway Bridgette and I rented a car so that we could check out the other hotels on the list.  First up was The Ace.  Home of many Coachella parties during the weekend, the hotel was still very very busy the day after the festival ended.  The Ace is definitely one of the more relaxed of the hotels we visited with a mellow hipster vibe.  

After stopping by The Ace we drove over to The Saguaro, a colourful and modern hotel designed by architects Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat.  Believe it or not, the interior is just as vibrant as the exterior!

We wrapped up the day with my favourite of all the hotels - The Parker.  The grounds of The Parker remind me of a beautiful hybrid of The Secret Garden and Alice in Wonderland.  There is a croquet course, a lemonade stand, flowers, pools, everything you could imagine.  Some day I will stay at The Parker and it will be amazing!

Care for a relaxing afternoon laying out on a hammock?

My delish salad!

 

A Note to My Parents

Since today is Mother's Day and Father's Day is just around the corner I wanted to take a moment to shout out my amazing parents.  I may be biased but I really do think that I am an extraordinarily lucky girl and was blessed with the greatest parents in the world.  My parents are warm, funny, smart, capable, kind, loving, wonderful people.  They welcome people into their lives with open hearts and truly value their families and friendships.  They have taught me that working hard is always the best option and that finding something that helps you relax and unwind at the end of the day is invaluable.  This blog serves that purpose for me - I take photos and write because I need an outlet, a way to relax my mind after a long day at the office.  

Perhaps the most amazing gift my parents have given me is the love of travel and of exploring other countries.  The lessons I have learnt while traveling with my parents are ones that will guide me throughout my life.

While I may not say it enough I certainly wouldn't be the person I am today without the constant and unwavering love and support of my parents.  I am so grateful for everything that they have done and continue to do for me.

Thanks Mom and Dad - I love you both very much!

xo R  

Cinque Terre - one of the amazing places I have visited with my folks

We Take a Break from Coachella posts...

to share yet another amazing Palm Springs sign.

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend!