Vacation Dreaming

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As soon January comes along I instantly long for spring. The winter seems like it may never end and all I want is to escape to a beach. Unfortunately, that is not in the cards for me this winter (sad face), so I am left with simply daydreaming and online shopping. Sigh. 

Above are a few of my must-haves (for my imaginary vacation) or at least for spring! Seriously though, vintage Levis and a scalloped blouse? Perfection.

A few online shops I'm loving right now include My Wardrobe and Burns Jewellers.

xo

Weekend Snapshots

- Brunch at one of my favourite spots The Flying Pig

- Spending the morning at the winter farmer's market with my dear friend Justine

- Coffee date with my love at Nelson The Seagull

Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments and great feedback on my New Year New Goals post. One thing that seemed to stand out on what you want to see more of (other than more outfit posts and recipes, which I'm working on!) was more lifestyle shots that include places to go in Vancouver. And since my weekend was filled with just that, I thought I'd share. 

You may have noticed by now that one of my favourite things to do is to go to the farmer's market. I was so thrilled to discover that the Vancouver Farmer's Market was continuing into the winter, and since it was finally sunny on Saturday I had to check it out. The rest of my weekend included brunches and a lovely triple dinner date, as well as dragging poor Andrew around shopping in Gastown.

xo

Lucky Magazine

So excited to be in the February 2013 issue of Lucky Magazine!

xo

Chickpea, Quinoa and Yam Salad

This salad has been my go-to when packing my lunch for work. I often find making a salad for lunch isn't filling enough, but this one is packed with so many ingredients I'm always satisfied after one bowl. I found the recipe in Whitewater Cooks With Friends, a cookbook I highly recommend.

 Dressing

- 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

- 1 tbsp dijon

- 1 tsp honey

- 1 clove garlic, crushed

- salt and pepper

- 1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together and set aside.

Salad

- 1/2 cup quinoa

- 1 large yam, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- salt and pepper

- 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 1 carrot, peeled and grated

- 1 red pepper, diced

- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

- 1 cup spinach

- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Place quinoa and 3/4 cup cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn heat off, leave lid on, an let stand for 5 minutes. Cool. Toss yams in olive oil, cracked pepper and salt and spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast in a 350f oven until just tenter, about 20 minutes. Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss gently until mixed. Approximately three servings.

xo

Aritzia Online

1. Wilfred Free Sweater 2. Wilfred Camisole 3. Wilfred Scarf 4. T. Babaton Shirt 5. TNA Denim Blouse 6. Wilfred Dress

My favourite Canadian clothing brand, Aritzia, has finally launched their online shopping site and I couldn't be more excited. The site is easy to navigate and features inspiring lookbooks that have me craving their product more than ever (which makes me a little worried for my wallet). 

Above is my current favourite lookbook featuring actress Lili Simmons and a few of my favourite pieces from Aritzia at the moment. 

A few other online shops I love include Morgan Clare and Ernest Jones.

xo

New Year New Goals

The beginning of a new year always brings the feeling of a fresh start, new adventures, new goals. A time to reflect on the past as well as look forward and plan for the year ahead. I prefer to set goals rather than make resolutions, to me it is a more positive approach. This of course fits well with my love for list making, so here we go.

1. As I had mentioned in my last post, I have recently decided to change careers and go back to school for graphic design. My goal is to not hold myself back by being afraid to fail, and make school and my new career my number one priority. 

2. Commit to a blog post schedule of five days a week. I'd love your help with this, what would you like to see more of? Outfit posts, recipes, editorials, home decor, photography? 

3. Dress up more.

4. This one is a little cliche, but I plan to get back to working out and eating as healthy as I was in the spring. Andrew and I were running together, cooking very healthy meals and working out so much in the spring, I felt great! However, once fall came along and then the holidays, this routine has slipped.

5. Visit more museums and art galleries.

6. Save more and be smarter with spending. (Less shopping? Eek!)

7. Cook one nice meal a week and eat at the dinner table. Andrew and I started doing this in November when we both got really busy with school and work and we found it really helped with staying connected. 

8. Volunteer. Something Andrew and I have been talking about for a while now, I think it's time we act on this plan. 

9. Finish my gallery wall!!! I know, I know, it's been months I just need to finish it. 

10. Travel. Although this plan does not apply to 2013, we do have two large trips in the works for 2014 (Australia and Africa), time to start saving! 

xo