by Annie | Jul 4, 2010 | Travel
It’s official: Joe and I have been married for 3 years! Well, actually, almost 3 years. Those of you who were at the wedding might remember that it actually took place in October, the day after my birthday. And thus, because I would only be receiving one gift for two occasions, I had to lobby for a new date. So as of July 2nd, we’ve been unofficially married for 3 years. To celebrate, we dropped the dog off for an overnight stay at The Woof Dog Lounge and Spa and then headed up to the Sunshine Coast. After an hour on the road and 40 minutes on the ferry, we arrived at the Ruby Lake Resort, a 99-acre resort surrounded by water and mountains and claiming to have the best northern Italian fare in all of British Columbia. Though it was cloudy on the Sunshine Coast when we arrived, we were not deterred. After a quick meal of boar sausage sandwiches (yum!), we headed out on a hike to see the Skookumchuck Rapids. Fairly early in the hike, the conversation turned to previous anniversary celebrations, and the fact that neither of us could recall any of them irked us for the rest of the trek. Back at the resort, we checked in and headed to our room, which consisted of a large canvas tent with standard hotel furniture inside (queen bed, lamp, tables, chairs, fireplace, and private porch). “Glamping,” as this style of travel accommodation has been termed, stems from the combination of the words “glamorous” and “camping.” It’s a real thing, I swear. It’s the perfect compromise between...
by Annie | Jun 27, 2010 | Travel
After a 3am courtyard brawl woke us up in the middle of the night, Joe and I arose this morning more than a little out of it but still determined to go through with the Whistler excursion we’d planned. Coffee in hand, we headed out on the 2-hour drive to one of North America’s top destinations. When planning for this day trip, we were completely overwhelmed by the endless menu of outdoor options and activities available within the small resort town. Mountain biking, frisbee golf, river rafting, alpine hiking, bungee jumping, ziplining, kayaking, sky diving, canoeing, ATV tours, geocaching, mountain climbing, horseback riding, wine tasting, and helicopter tours were all possibilities, not to mention spa visits and a myriad of dining options. And these were just the summer activities! During our short time in Whistler, I think I figured out why the town is thus named. We were whistling quite a lot throughout the day, though for several different reasons. Reason 1: [Continuous whistling] “Ah, I’m so happy to be here. What a wonderful place. I’m having so much fun.” Reason 2: [Downward whistle, accompanied by widening eyes] “That costs HOW much?!” Reason 3: [Upward whistle, followed by scrunched eyebrows and flared nostrils] “Sofie, get over here, NOW!” Reason 4: [Downward whistle, with eyebrows raised] “Wow, that’s frickin’ gorgeous.” Reason 5: [Downward whistle, accompanied by fast walking] “Finally, a bathroom!” Truly an amazing place that we will be visiting as often as...
by Annie | Jun 23, 2010 | Other
Sunny and 70. There could not be better conditions for my first solo bike ride to downtown Vancouver. Having just taken a bike safety class this weekend, the warnings, words of advice, and proper hand signals were fresh in my mind. Anxious to get on the road for my 2 o’clock Nexus appointment at the Canada Border Services Agency downtown, I unlocked my bike from the basement bike rack around 1:15pm. Speeding through the smooth concrete floor of the garage, I rode up the exit ramp and emerged into daylight. A couple turns later, I was on the Seaside Bike Trail, headed east. I breezed past beaches, picnickers, swimmers, and joggers, all basking in the afternoon sun. Turning off the Seaside Trail, I made my way up the Burrard Bridge with the downtown skyline growing more and more in focus. At the peak, I took a few deep breaths of relief, then sailed down toward increasing traffic and busy-ness. Without a dedicated bike lane, I had to ride in traffic with the cars. As I was taught, I took over a whole lane, huffing and puffing over hills and dodging parked and turning cars, using the proper hand signals the whole way. By the time I reached my destination, my shirt was soaked, and my face was beet red, but alas, I was alive! With just a few minutes to spare, I locked up my bike and headed inside for my appointment. After being directed to the proper counter, I gave the agent my name and informed her I had a 2pm appointment. “Um, no, you don’t,” was essentially...
by Annie | Jun 13, 2010 | Other
Due to the relative scarcity of squirrels in Vancouver, Sofie has taken up a new pastime: seagull chasing. She has yet to grasp the fact that wing power can outmaneuver her four short legs any day, so she expends lots of energy in the hunt. In the spirit of the sunny day, we did some hiking in the Endowment Lands, a gorgeous 14-square-kilometer area of forest and beaches just west of the Vancouver city limits. As soon as the leash came off, the hunt was on. Slow…one step at a time…sudden full-on seagull chase! Stop to gulp seawater. Back to the chase! She did come close a couple of times, but I don’t think she would’ve had the slightest clue what to do had she actually caught up with...
by Annie | Feb 4, 2010 | Other
I love sitting indoors and watching snow fall while drinking my oversize mug of hot cocoa just as much as the next person, but this year, my snow shovel has gotten more than its fair share of a workout, and the impossible snow/salt/ice stains on my black pants and boots seem to be sneering at me every chance they get. While kids and teachers are rejoicing during their many snow days, my version of “Let It Snow” has become more like this: Oh the weatherman’s so outspoken, And darn it, our fireplace is broken, We’ve got a ton of errands to run, Where’s the Sun? Where’s the Sun? Where’s the...
