my weekend in summary

this weekend was an escape from every day - into the magical lovely land that is seattle. we spent an extended weekend there, enjoying the pouring rain, and some other things too.
note: seattle has awesome food people - anyone visiting, i highly recommend simply eating your way around the city. we are now 5 pounds heavier, and very happy people.
our first coffee of the trip - needed in the dreary weather (and because coffee/espresso in seattle is divine); veggies at the market - there really is an art to display... the market is a beautiful place; flowers. everywhere flowers. i'm convinced the border patrol simply hates me, and that is why we can't bring flowers over the border; 'a poem to be worn' (by buster simpson); the market; beer and beer remnants at the pike place brewery; handled with care exhibit at the paper hammer shop; dinner at the beautiful local 360 in belltown... delicious, and exhaustively well branded; the most delicious mexican food i've ever had in my life (and that is a LOT of food) at mezcaleria oaxaca; the mariners game in the rain; coffee in queen anne, in a beautiful french bakery called le reve; pizza and salad at belltown pizza.
happy monday everyone - we're trying to stay dry.... and i'm loving the cooler weather!

things i'm in love with

WEEKEND. you know those weeks where things go right, but so many things just go, that you hit the weekend, and all you want is a couch (or bed, or really, just a really nice chair with a blanket and maybe a pillow... i'm not picky), and a book, or simply just a glass of water, and permission to just fall asleep? this was it. tons of deadlines this week, drinks and catch ups with friends, and some exciting events and work related occurances, meant my brain was on high alert the whole week. which is awesome, and wonderful, and so cool... and only when you hit the finish line, does your body begin to shut down, and give in.
needless to say, i'm exhausted.
so, we're heading to seattle. a three day mini vacay for my birthday, and when we arrive home, a dear friend carmen is staying with us for a month (month long SLEEPOVER!).... and we couldn't be more excited.
so, in honour of fun, exciting, and happy making things, here are some things i'm in love with this week.

this story (while almost a year old) is going viral. we need more people like this in the world.

super amped about this event happening in vancouver tonight... art, in a more accessible space, with food, and bubbly, and djs, and an atmosphere lacking the typical pretention surround art. so bummed i'm missing out, but can't wait to hear how it goes. check it out if you get the chance tonight!

this recipe for bbq mushrooms. drool. mushrooms. on a bbq. TOGETHER. delish. i want it all.

a renewed resolve for writing daily... and a rediscovery of my 365 day writing project. that - while i won't write and post daily (not that i did when i wrote it either) - will still encourage me to write constantly... in the hopes of having a large bunch of writing to choose from.

and finally, this song. 'cause it's kinda like a happy maker. and who DOESN'T want music like that for a weekend??

happy weekend everyone! make the best of it... and enjoy it all.

when all you need is to be you.

i've been feeling a bit like figuring out how to be 'me' lately, is becoming a primary motive. when moving across the country, it's easy to lose a sense of who you are, as you leave everything you've used to identify yourself behind. when i came upon this video, done by one of my favourite internet 'people' (what on EARTH do you call people who are just professionals at interneting??), it said what needed to be said.


we all just need to be a little more... us. 
check out more zefrank on his website.

"... it all signified exactly what this city did to them"

"It may have been the way they all looked around when they stumbled, to see if anyone saw. Or the way all of their heads turned to their reflections, to see what they all saw of one another. Or even the way they all stared out the windows of restaurants & cafes, to watch all others – and it was rarely without judgment. They – these habits, characteristics, traits – all signified exactly what this city did to them all. what it left them with. That entrenched sense of what was missing. They tried to talk it up – or off – like it was self improvement. Insecurity at its finest"

my weekend in summary

this weekend i spent most of my time with josh, who was visiting from ontario. perfect timing, as with my cousin's wedding, and one of my little munchkin 'niece's birthday, i was in need of some distraction. was also a tough weekend with it being a year since my friend passed away, so keeping busy and amongst friends constantly was a necessary step to prevent thinking of it non stop. so, we made it a weekend filled with outdoors (mountains), indoors (aquariums), and laughter (drinks).
the best copilot in the world - watching people over drinks while celebrating the weekend; some of my favourite people in the world, on the way to the bar; phone pile - so much more socializing when there are no phones involved; buddies on the walk home; a walk along the seawall with the puppy, through stanley park; aquarium colours in a tank; josh checking out the douglas coupeland digital orca sculpture; just a few small snacks (*ahem) at hapa izakaya - we MAY have ordered everything on the hapa hour menu; the lumberjack show on top of grouse mountain (AFTER we climbed it, of course); the boys checking out the mountain top; the mist on the trees on the way down the mountain; finishing up wedding jewelry, and sending it all out. 
happy monday everyone - make this week count!