First up, we skipped our usual brunch at John's Place on Saturday morning, in favour of a drive to Saanich to have lunch and ice cream at a spot L had discovered with pal Casey a while back. Something different? Let's go!
I had fun getting ready while L was running around at Ulti, playing in my closet with this and that, until I hit my happy spot.
I used that as my cue to do gold jewelry, and cream shoes and purse.
I had this cow/cloud-printed mesh bodysuit out, paired with my pink tulle skirt - the rest of the outfit was unexpected.
I opted for thin layers for sun coverage.
That thing tied around me is my ginormous silk Valentino ship/merfolk scarf.
I wrapped it over the chest, crossed it in the back and tied it at the front.
I had to adjust it over the day, as it wanted to slide sideways, but it worked rather well otherwise.
The yellow on the top is the sails of the ship in the centre of the scarf.
Accoutrements:
I enjoyed leaning into the sea-side theme.
The purse reminds me of pearls, and I added a pink tassel (from a gift bag) and my gold-tone seaweed brooch. Extra fancy!
I recall I bought this purse for...$40? at a vintage fair years ago (pre-pandemic).
- Metal mesh/Bakelite purse - Whiting & Davis, vintage 30s, vintage fair
- Tassel - just lying around
- Brooch - thrifted
- Silk merfolk/ship scarf - Valentino, vintage, consignment
The stuff:
Note my piece of red gauze - I used this to back the silk scarf so that it wouldn't tear or pull from the weight of the seashell brooch. It worked beautifully.
Gold bling:
- Bracelet w/pink stones - D'Orlan, vintage 70s, vintage mall, gift from L
- Gold leaves bracelet - thrifted, Sidney
- Olivine/coral ring - Hawaii, c. 1975, Mom's
- Gold/amethyst ring - Frances Jewelers, c. 1965, Dad's
- Pearl ring - The Pearl Factory, Hawaii, c. 1985
- Necklace - Givenchy, vintage 80s, vintage fair
- Shell brooch - JJ, consignment, Powell River
- Earrings - vintage fair
I took a few pictures of our adventure.
Our destination was Mosi Bakery Café and Gelateria.
Even in the mid-afternoon, the place was hopping, with constant line-ups. We sat in the shade where the person on the left is, grabbing that spot as soon as they left.
We placed our order for our sandwiches, while we enjoyed the view of the gas station.
Turkey vultures swooped on the thermals. This is out past the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific.
We got a roast beef sandwich and a pollo (chicken) one, and split them half and half. (menu here, link 'cause I love!).
I loved them both - the roast beef had some hot horseradish on it! We also got drinks (a limonata for L and a blackberry kombucha for me), then I lined up again to get us each a cup of sorbetto, which is homemade from local ingredients. L had lemon and I had chocolate, and we picked up two gluten-free brownies to eat later that night. Delicious food! Worth the trip.
Time to head back to town.
I always like this view of the Olympic Mountains in Washington as we zoom down the highway. We picked up groceries on the way home and hung out playing boardgames all night.
We were up early for another drive to North Saanich to visit 30-year-plus pals Steve and Bev, who just moved out there. Group shot!
L, me, Steve and Bev. Love you guys!
I took a bunch of pictures, as we went to a New To The Blog spot, John Dean Park, a place I used to go with my family when I was a kid. Here's what I wore, for a walk in the woods on a VERY hot day.
I couldn't remember John Dean Park very well, so I thought I'd better play it safe and wear jeans and sneakers!
- T-shirt - Ice Cube merch 2024, not tracked
- Jeans - Mac Jeans; last worn here in January to help Mom with some tech support
- Sneakers - Ryka, consignment; last seen here (2nd outfit) in July with a big dress
- Nylon jacket - Adidas X Stella McCartney, consignment, Vancouver; last worn here in June over big sleeves
A t-shirt with my neon jeans, to be precise.
Visions of being lost in the forest.
Better wear neon!
I sunblocked my arms up, and I even wore a hat!
Time to jump in the car for another drive far north of town.
Jacket on.
Let's go!
I do love this nylon daisy jacket.
The stuff:
I was glad I wore both the hat and the sneakers. We hiked on dirt and gravel roads.
- Hat - Adidas men's, thrifted
Minimal bling:
Purse for carrying things.
- Leather purse - Rebecca Minkoff, consignment
- Belt - vintage 90s, consignment
- Leather/metal cuff - Rimanchik, thrifted
- Studded leather wrist-wrap - Kipling Leather, thrifted
- Anneke & Lars silver ring - vintage mall
- Silver chain ring - Mexican, consignment
- Silver Celtic S pendant - c. 1995? gift from Mom & Dad
- White gold hoops - Frances Jewelers, 2007, anniversary gift from L
And now, some pictures! We drove out, passing loads of farmland.
A big open barn, and a cow!
On the drive home, there was a big huddle of cows in this pasture.
L and Steve looking at Steve's dad's car, a vintage MG convertible.
It's not quite ready for the road, so we drove to the park entrance in Steve/Bev's car.
We're headed up this gravel access road (I remembered this as soon as I saw it, although it's been over 30 years since I was here). About the park here.
We were grateful for all the shade that these massive Douglas firs gave us (affectionately known as "Dougies").
They're rather tall.
Steve and L for scale.
We took this little path up to Pickles' Peak.
Up...then down...
We're on the side of Mt. Newton, not exactly a flat area!
All the stairs made me glad I do the stairs to my office! My cardio was good, although I was dripping with sweat by the time we got to the top.
Ooh, I see land through the trees!
That's the peninsula.
There are some sections where stairs/railings have been installed.
A few juncos and chickadees, that was it.
Bev, L and Steve.
There were surprisingly few birds - I heard very little birdsong.
Oh, there we go.
It's about a 30 minute drive to get out here.
Incredible views!
The guys found the lookout spot.
Amazing.
That's the peninsula down there, with Gulf Islands in the distance. The far mountains are on the mainland.
I see Mt. Baker in the centre!
We were 303 meters above sea level. Very high!
Looking towards town, which is that little dip in the middle distance.
Looking back to the east.
Slightly to the north of that.
Vancouver is way over that way.
Looking back at everyone.
I can tell by its red head.
"I'm taking your picture!" "No, I'm taking YOURS!"
After duly enjoying the view, we came back to the antenna tower.
Steve and L noticing the raptors circling on the hot air.
Those look like turkey vultures to me.
There were about 4 of them doing slow loops.
Yup, that's a turkey vulture, all right.
Let's go look at this view.
We hung out in their backyard, sipping strawberry smoothies and orange juice, and nibbling charcuterie for a couple of hours, just catching up. Such a good time! Thank you for hosting us, dear friends!
A great pic of L and I at the peak.
What a fun weekend had with you, my love! Thank you!
It was the same as the other view. Been there, done that, now I'm starving.
Take me back to your home and feed me, Steve and Bev!
A great pic of L and I at the peak.
And thank you, my friends, for being here! Time for me to sign off...
Wow, what a stunning park! Great photos, too. We will have to check it out on our next visit to Victoria (which I hope will be soon—your photos always make me long to go back).
ReplyDeleteYour outfit with the scarf as bustier was so original! I would never have thought of that in a million years, and it worked beautifully.
We are so lucky to have such beautiful parks here. It's a pretty easy park for walking too. I hope you will reach out if you come back here!
DeleteAw, thank you, Julia! I was just fooling around, playing with it, and I've done scarves as tops before (not worn in actual outfits, but experimented), but as soon as I did it over my chest, it was a lightbulb going off!
That is a lovely photo of you and L in your element, having soaked up friends, hiking, nature and the beauty of the outdoors. The after-hike refreshments sound yummy; I'm a big fan of smoothies and also of charcuterie and I especially like preparing a board or tray - it's a visual art form for nibbles!
ReplyDeleteI know you track the birds you see and hear. Do you ever track the kilometers you walk when you are out with your Mom or on hikes such as the one from this weekend?
In reverse order, your hiking outfit is EXACTLY my cup of tea when out and about with the intention of walking or hiking. It's fun, colorful, comfortable and eminently practical, in other words, perfect. :-)
Yay for creative playing with clothing, for the very cool and interesting way in which the scarf was utilized and for the pink puff of tulle. The beaded purse is pure fun and I would definitely be running my fingers along it enjoying the tactile experience. As for the shoes, I still find it hard to imagine wearing them with the back down because my feet would feel the tiny lip where the top of the back meets the sole and it would bother me. Ah well, I suppose that's where socks could make a difference for someone like me!
Your weekend sounds delightful and it reminds me of some tag line from years (as in many many years) ago from Monty Python (or related to MP): And now for something completely different. Yup, it's good to mix things up with a change!
Cheers, Laurie
It was just a lovely day all around, Laurie, from the company to the views/hike and of course the food!
DeleteNo, I don't track my walking distance - I just make the effort to move around and walk as much as possible.
Ha, yes, I can see that my hiking outfit would be pretty normal and doable for a lot of folks. The other outfit, not so much! The purse is not beaded, but each "bead" (more like a bubble) is a metal dome that's enameled and linked. It's like chainmail. It's very fun to touch and play with (of course, I played with it constantly, as I do). The folded over heel on the shoe is well-designed so that you can't feel that edge when wearing them.
Absolutely - it's always good to shake up the ol' routines! Thank you so much for the delightful commentary, as always, Laurie!
Hello Sheila! Just popping in before we gead off to our next festival! A marvelous array of outfits and some splendid adventures. I love seeing you having fun with your pals.
ReplyDeleteI promise to catch up properly on my return! xxx
Woo, more festivaling, Vix! Make lots of money and have fun! Thank you so much for dropping by and for your lovely comment.
DeleteHow fabulous is your sea-side themed outfit! The vintage handbag is gorgeous. I've actually got a very similar one ... now where did it get to, so that I can show you sometime.
ReplyDeleteI loved joining you and L. to Mosi Bakery Café and Gelateria (yum!) and tagging along with you and your friends to John Dean Park was an absolute joy. The views are absolutely stunning! xxx
I'd love to see yours, Ann! They were hugely popular in the 1930s and 40s in North America - I am still boggled that this one was only $40 at a vintage fair (I think, the memory is rusty).
DeleteGlad you enjoyed our little outings! Thanks so much for commenting!
I really like your sea-side themed outfit! It's so clever. The vintage handbag is gorgeous and definitely looks like pearls. I really loved seeing more of your beautiful country! The views are incredible. I really like that picture of you and L!x
ReplyDelete