Jonathan Adler

Michael and I conducted very little research before we went to Palm Springs, but I did come across The Parker Palm Springs during some Internet dabbling. When I saw that Jonathan Adler was the designer, I hoped we'd be able check it out.

We first saw Adler when he was a judge on Top Design (though it was hard not to be distracted by Todd Oldham). After that show I saw his pottery all over the Internet, and we were thrilled to receive the best tea pot and mugs as a wedding gift.

We became official fans when we went out of our way to check out his store in Hollywood last year, where we bought this teal vase as a souvenir:

In Palm Springs, we went for brunch at Norma's, one of the hotel restaurants, so we got to explore the grounds. Everything was very charming -- from the communal fire pit to the croquet pitch -- but we only took photos inside the main building. This one captures the overall style of the lounge:

I don't know if I'd ever choose to stay at this hotel, even though I'm so smitten with it. I'm not sure I can mix with guests who mull about inviting Nick Cage and Joanie Rivers to their next event (overhead during brunch). But I would go out of my way for a cocktail in that lounge any day of the week.

Desert love

In grade school, we remembered that desert is spelled with one 's' and dessert with two because people prefer dessert (that is, two servings over one). At the time, the logic seemed sound; I did like dessert. But now that I've been to the desert, it seems unfair.

We decided to drive from Las Vegas to Palm Springs because of the direct, cheap flights. We imagined the road trip would be interesting, but it turned out to be one of the vacation highlights.

We drove through Barstow on the way down, and we took the route through the Mojave National Preserve on the way back -- the favoured portion of the drive because there was no traffic, and the ghost towns were just creepy enough in the light of day. It was relaxing, and we stopped more than once to get a close look at the Joshua Trees and to bask in the desert heat.

Even though the drive was so endearing, I won't travel through Las Vegas next time we go to Palm Springs. The city is definitely an interesting place, but I found it expensive and exhausting. Instead, I would travel through Los Angeles or San Diego, and I would spend some quality time in Joshua Tree National Park, which is only a half hour drive from Palm Springs. The pool at the Ace Hotel is clearly the main attraction, but I'm going to see some lizards next time around.

Hello Palm Springs

I suspected that I would like Palm Springs, and I was right. It's hot and dry and just plain lovely. That said, I'm not sure I would like it as much if it weren't for the Ace Hotel. Michael and I have stayed at the Ace Hotel in Portland a couple of times (remember?), and we figured it was time to try a warmer version. You should check out some photos on Flickr to get an idea of what the desert is like, and I'll go to bed and think of some travel stories to share with you. Deal?

Vancouver holiday

We went to Vancouver a while back, and I meant to share some photos with you. The new job has gotten in the way, friends. Also the new iPhone. I've been overwhelmed by a number of things, is what I'm trying to say. Even though life continues to be overwhelming, I do plan to continue with the blogging. I love this space, even though I'm often confused with why I bother.

But back to Vancouver. We ate one of Michael's favorite cookies (a Linzer from Meinhardt):


We had a close look at some of the public art of the Vancouver Biennale (this guy is from Wang Shugang’s The Meeting):


We biked around the sea wall in Stanley Park, which we never did when we lived in Vancouver:


Most importantly, we visited friends, including a new baby friend. It was a lovely Labour Day weekend.

Summer photos

I posted some photos from our summer travels over on Flickr. After that post about Toronto, I never wrote anything about Oshawa, Saskatoon and Emma Lake. We went to all of those places to see family and friends in August. The journey was fun and hot and tender. And busy. As always. Now we're looking forward to a mellow trip to Portland in October. Can you believe that we're going with our house mates? Apparently we can't get enough of each other!

Shiny people

On Sunday, Michael and I arrived home after a little summer holiday. Our first stop was Toronto, which we've been planning to visit for a few years now. Michael had never been, and I'd only had limited exposure during a high school choir trip in 1996. We went to see our buddies Jillian and Erin, and now we know the city inside out. No, but really. I never knew where I was, despite Jillian's attempts to drill a sense of direction into me (I might be able to find my way to Queen Street West, though). These photos were taken on the Toronto Island ferry, which was as hot as it looks, but worth the temporary discomfort. We got to spend the day in a park (big enough to absorb all of the Toronto families escaping the steaming city) with a picnic, popsicles and a quadracycle.

Tofino Feast

Remember when we stayed at the Wickaninnish Inn last fall? We were in Tofino for a dinner party organized by a friend, and I can finally share the details with you (and day dream about the delicious feast). Chris' article is in the current issue of enRoute:

British Columbia’s Iron Chefs: The West Coast's best chefs cook up a storm in Tofino, where life’s a beach and then it rains.

You can see a cute picture of Chris and Jillian, and you can see my silhouette in one of the photos. Most importantly, you can read about the best oysters of all time.

California on Flickr

So, photos: the best way to share the finer details of our trip, I think.

The two photos below were a little tricky to include in the photo set, however, since they require a bit of an explanation.

1. This is a 1985 photo of Guns N' Roses at Canter's, an amazing Jewish deli in L.A.:


2. This is a half-assed recreation of the photo featuring cousin Bob Bowen, Michael, me, Shannon and Chris:


It's my kind of family photo.

Thanks for recommending the deli, Brie! In addition to the photo opportunities, the blintzes and the latkes were beyond.

Recuperating

Whew. We are home from a wonderful trip to California, and I'm just going to take some time to figure out how to tell you about the journey (and also to get rid of the cold that I caught on the last day). We did a lot! One of the obvious highlights was our stay at the Madonna Inn, where I drank that lemon drop martini pictured above. Our gift certificate to the inn, a wedding gift from Shannon and Chris, instigated the trip south. It didn't disappoint.

Vintage Samsonite

Phew. I'm so glad that carry-on bags are allowed on US-bound flights again. I bought this bag for my trip to San Francisco and LA in April, and I was worried about checking it, even though the original luggage tag is still attached.

Wickaninnish Inn

Michael and I got to fulfill a long standing tentative dream a few weeks ago. We spent a night at the Wickaninnish Inn.

I've wanted to sleep in that place since I found out it's considered one of the best hotels in North America. Who wouldn't want to experience that?

When we were living in Tofino we ate a couple of brunches in the restaurant and drank a couple of drinks in the lounge, and last February we had a steam in the spa; but while amazing, these experiences didn't satisfy my curiosity.

I schemed about celebrating my university graduation with a night at the Wick, but I just couldn't justify the price. The standard rooms are almost $500 in the summer months! We also considered spending our honeymoon there, but we decided to go to Hawaii (for some much needed Vitamin D) instead.

So, how did we find ourselves at the hotel when it has such a hefty price tag?

It happened like this. We were at a dinner party in Tofino and the owner ended up sitting beside Michael. He found out we were camping. He looked out the window and noted that it was pouring rain. He confirmed that there was room at the inn. He offered us a "camping" deal. We accepted.

Not only did he help us fulfill a tentative dream, he kept our butts dry; when we returned to our tent the following afternoon, our mattress pads were soaked through.

It was hard to return to the campsite after experiencing that double jacuzzi bathtub. And the view. The private deck, king size bed and gas fire place were pretty nice too.

We lingered in the room as long as was acceptable before checking out, and I think my curiosity has been thoroughly satisfied. That said, I wouldn't say no to another night or two down the road, just to be sure.

If you want to see some actual photos of the room (to satisfy your curiosity) and some others from our trip, check out these Flickr photos.

Cute parents

I have one last summer event to document before I give up and get on with autumn plans: in August, our parents hosted a Saskatoon wedding open house/barbeque for us. Since we had a small wedding, it gave us a chance to celebrate with family friends and extended family. We ate potato salad. We drank sangria. We looked at photos from the big day.

Our parents took care of everything, and Michael and I had a chance to visit with folks that we only see at Christmas. It was fun! There are more photos on Flickr, including a few that I just added today.

How to have a great summer

First, try working only four days a week. Then, plan a camping trip to Tofino with some friends (try to make sure that one of the friends doesn't get waylaid in Egypt though).


Finally, enjoy the heat (or fog, if you're in Tofino or hiking the Chilkoot Trail) while it lasts.

Chilkoot Trail

Last month, Shannon and Chris hiked the Chilkoot Trail with friends from Whitehorse. I think they're the coolest.


There's something about the Klondike gold rush that moves me, but then again, it's hard not to be moved by these photos of the Chilkoot Pass:


When I was in Dawson City in 2001, I saw the film City of Gold (1957); I've embedded it here, thanks to the progressive National Film Board of Canada (its mission is the make NFB films available to all Canadians, yo). I think you should watch it. Pierre Berton narrates the story of the Klondike gold rush at its peak, when would-be prospectors struggled through harsh conditions to reach the fabled gold fields over 3000 kilometres north of civilization. Whew.



On a slightly related note, I haven't read anything by Pierre Berton, but I do have tentative plans.

More photos!

I haven't been writing on my blog much lately. I'm not really sure why. The end.

I was busy on Sunday, so that's why I didn't write on Sunday. I was busy going to and from Vancouver for Lydia's hen do. I was in transit for 8+ hours, but it was cute and fun, so I'm glad I went. Also, the ferry portions of the trip were lovely because it was so nice outside.


The hen do was pretty simple: we dressed up and had tea at the Fish House in Stanley Park. Some group photos were taken, but not by my camera, and no one has seen fit to post them yet.


For me, dressing up meant I wore a skirt and a bracelet; everything else was pretty much the same. I wore a bracelet made from recycled skateboards that Shannon got for me in Portland.


I had some time to kill at the ferry terminal, so I documented my appreciation for B.C. and the Pacific Coast Lines bus service to Vancouver.

Something to look forward to

Shannon & Chris gave us a gift certificate to the Madonna Inn for our wedding gift. Perhaps not surprisingly, the gift certificate came wrapped in a pink box with gold lettering and lots of tissue paper. I'm so excited for our future trip to San Luis Obispo and this hotel. Just knowing that it exists makes me happy too.

Another thing that makes me happy is a long weekend. Even better, a long weekend without any plans. Well, there are a couple of tentative ones, as always, but nothing is set in stone.

Tropical times

After that last post I got on a roll and put the honeymoon photos on Flickr. This new computer is definitely helping me achieve my tentative plans.

Hawaiians don't flush sticks down the toilet

I think this sign...


...is more effective than this sign...

Aloha

We arrived at our cottage on Kauai yesterday afternoon, and I'm still marveling about how all of the windows are open, were open all night long. It's the most pleasant temperature inside and out. Did I tell you that the shower is outside? Along with a bathtub? Can you guess what I plan to do after writing this post?

Since the windows were open all night, it was also pretty noisy in here, what with the palms blowing in the wind, the periodic rain showers and the crickets (or the cricket-like creatures) followed by the myriad of birds early this morning (including more than a few crowing roosters).

Michael slept through the beautiful racket, but not me. I was busy adding my own sounds to the chorus: coughing and nose blowing. I never mentioned in my last post that as soon as we left the wedding I came down with a cold. Seriously, it hit me the second we left Habit, and Michael ended up buying me cold medication in the middle of the night (he's got the in sickness part down). I'm feeling better than that first night, and you know what? I don't really mind being sick in Hawaii.

Things to do in Tofino

As promised, I've collected some tips for your next trip to Tofino. There are no secrets exposed here. Really, I've just compiled the advice I usually give my friends so I can direct them to this post next time they ask. I'm a very efficient person.

For those of you who don't know, I lived in Ucluelet for six months and Tofino for seven months about five years ago. Michael spent the summer with me in Tofino, in between semesters at SFU.


1. Surf some waves
I didn't go surfing during this last trip to Tofino because I guess I've realized that I'm not really into the wet suit and the salt water in my nose. That being said, I really think everyone should give it a try at least once. Even if you don't manage to stand up, catching a wave is still exhilarating from a horizontal position. I've taken two surf lessons in my day, and I think this is the best way to introduce yourself to the sport, the local conditions and the etiquette. I don't have a particular surf school to recommend, so let me know if you do.

2. Splurge on a trip to Hot Springs Cove
If you want to get on a boat at some point, I think a trip to some hot springs trumps whale watching and fishing. The boat ride is followed by a 30 minute boardwalk hike. I've only been once, in the winter, and it was glorious. Ananda and I joined a small group of volunteers who prepare the hot springs for public use (the winter waves fill the springs with all sorts of debris).

3. Treat yourself to a steam at the Wickaninnish Inn
I had the pleasure of experiencing the steam room at the Ancient Cedars Spa when it first opened, and I've been talking it up ever since. It costs 15 bucks for locals and 30 bucks for everyone else. That price gets you a locker with a robe, towels and sandals and access to the small peppermint-infused steam room, tiled showers (and all manner of Aveda products) and an outdoor area where you can take a break from the steam and listen to the waves and/or look at the stars (we went after dark during this last visit). This is a luxurious treat, friends. I couldn't find any information about it on the hotel website, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

4. Hike through the rain forest
My favorite hike is the Willowbrae Trail. Even though it's in the Pacific Rim National Park, you don't have to pay to park at the trail head. You'll find Willowbrae Road 2 km south of the Ucluelet/Tofino junction. There is no sign on the highway, so be on your toes. Turn west onto Willowbrae Road and drive straight to the parking lot. It takes 15-20 minutes to get to the Florencia Bay beach. Parks Canada tells me that this historic trail was part of a two day travel route between Ucluelet and Tofino before the road was built in 1942. The tide was in last weekend, so we just shivered at the bottom of the stairs before heading into Ucluelet (see next tip).

5. Make some time for Ucluelet
You should really visit Ukee, even if it's a quick stop on your way to Port Alberni (hey, it's only a short detour). Things have changed since I lived there, so I can't recommend any specific restaurants or shops, but I can tell you that it is a beautiful little town. Also, the Wild Pacific Trail is worth the trip all by itself.

6. Read some local publications
The Westerly is the little newspaper that I worked for when I lived in Ucluelet and Tofino. You should pick up a paper copy at the Co-op for some local happenings. You can see the modest office if you follow my advice and head into Ucluelet. Tofino Time is a great monthly magazine that features local events and columns.

7. Watch the sun set over some dessert at Long Beach Lodge
I had the best dessert of my life at Long Beach Lodge: a cherry chocoate pudding cake made to order. I could leave it at that, but I'll also add that the Great Room, where you'll eat your dessert, is great (as in grand), and the view is exactly what you might imagine.

8. Fill your belly at SoBo
SoBo was closed for the winter during our latest visit, which ruined our plans to eat every meal there. We were sad. Michael was lucky when he was in Tofino for work last fall; he had two meals at the new(ish) location near the Common Loaf Bakery.

9. Wake up with a croissant at the Common Loaf Bakery
Zoe and Ananda introduced me to this weekend tradition when we all lived in Tofino. Zoe, Michael and I prefer the chocolate croissant and Ananda is all about the almond version. She's crazy. During this last trip we had croissants hot from the oven on Sunday after a walk down to the Main Street Dock. Even if you don't get a croissant, you should probably go to this bakery because it's a Tofino staple. I like to check out the community bulletin board whenever I'm in town.

10. Enjoy a chocolate or two from Chocolate Tofino
This chocolate shop opened when I still lived in town, and since I wrote a story about it and its lovely owner, it will be forever endured to me. His parents were working when we popped in, and they were so sweet. We just got a couple of chocolates for a little treat, but I hear they have great sundaes in the summer. You'll find the shop outside of town, in the subdivision where Beaches Grocery is located.


Do you have anything to add? Mom and Dad? I'm sure you have a few suggestions up your sleeves.