THE STATE OF OUR LIVING ROOM

This Saturday and Sunday is our garage sale where we get rid of EVERYTHING!!! Ok, not everything, but all this stuff and more and more and more. We've sectioned off a tiny corner of the living room to actually live in, otherwise it's a war zone (the cat loves it.)

I'll post some photos of gems we're parting with throughout today and tomorrow. The sale is at our house, 7625-115 st, Saturday and Sunday between 10-5. Stop on by and tell all your buddies too!

MEDINA DELIGHTS

Most of the items we bought on our trip were purchased from the souks and medinas of Morocco. Totally touristy and largely full of toss-away tchotchkes, it was nevertheless easy to find hundreds of gems if you searched just a little bit. Mary and I both bought beautiful earrings, hers silver danglers, mine old tribal pieces which I believe come from Oman. I bought a simple black dress and a handmade braided leather belt, both for the unbeatable price of $13.

Wading through the wild medina is such a unique experience. Vendors call out to you in three or four languages until they see a flicker of recognition in your eyes, then chat away about the many wonderful items they have for sale before you can politely slip away. Though not as aggressive as the shop owners in Istanbul, Mary and I still got suckered into a carpet shop for a cup of mint tea and a 'special showing' of one gentleman's wares. We didn't buy a carpet but he made a great show of wishing us goodbye like he would family in front of the next suckers who wandered into his store. Hopefully they bought a carpet.

I wish I could do all my shopping this way, eye-catching merchandise everywhere and everyone wanting to make a deal. Haggling is expected and gets easier with time.... so I say, I'm certainly no pro. This is just a tiny sample of the many enticing items available.

THE QUEST FOR COMFORT

Historically I've liked to travel as retardedly as possible, ie. bring 6 pairs of ridiculous shoes rather than 1 or 2 pairs that I can actually walk comfortably in for 8 hours a day. I seem to do this every single time - the desire to look!good!in!any!situation! always seems to outweigh any notion of practicality. Which is dumb, cause I'm generally a practical person.

Especially dumb because when I travel I like to hit the pavement - I don't 'vacation', I walk ..... for days.

This time though I've smartened up, I've made the bold decision to bring just 2 pairs of shoes - and flats at that! You hear me world? I'M ONLY BRINGING TWO PAIRS OF PRACTICAL SHOES!!! Maybe it's a 30s thing.

Or maybe I've realized that between the shopping in Paris, the souks of Morocco, & costal Spain, many, many ridiculous shoes await.

EUROPEAN STYLE

Okay, so I know you're not supposed to go and buy yourself new things right before a trip to Europe, where you will no doubt want to buy everything, but my wardrobe was pathetic and not at all acceptable for Paris or Florence or anywhere in-between. If only I could whip something up on the sewing machine like someone else I know... anyway, I feel a little more prepared now.

NEWBIES

Gravity Pope is having an insane sale, buy 1 get 1 free. I know, crazy right? Perfect for someone like me who doesn't earn an income at present. I stopped in on Wednesday and left with these two perfect black basics, a Modern Vintage ankle boot (my go-to height for mostly everything):

And these super simple Les Lolitas black knee-highs, a wear-with-anything sort of boot I've been looking for for quite some time.

Total savings? $420. Not bad.

TWO MONTH BAG: THE FINALE

The search for a functional and fashionable day bag while travelling is officially over thanks to my very observant bf. The first bag I had even looked at (by Lifetime Collective from two of a few in Vancouver) now belongs to me. I feel very relieved that I don't have to run all over town looking at every bag out there. I tend to get major discomfort while shopping whenever I am on a mission to actually find something specific. This bag is tough and hard to break into. It has comfortable straps and is large enough to hold as much or as little as I need.

Ruby has already grown quite attached -- or maybe she just can't understand why a photo shoot taking place on her chair wouldn't include her.

TWO MONTH BAG?

Hey Mary, How about one of these Fjällräven backpacks? They come in a million colours, cost only $80 and you can buy them online from ooga booga in LA. And hey, everyone will think you're Swedish. Fun!

THE TWO MONTH BAG

I officially have a trip in my future -- but I'll divulge more on that later -- what matters now is that I find the perfect large, fashionable, impenetrable-to-thieves day bag. I've been leaning towards these classic and duffel bag styles:

{Clockwise from top left: Krane laptop bag, Fred Perry waxed canvas day bag, Rag & Bone weekender wax cotton bag, Swaine Adeney Brigg's Mayfair Collection sports holdall, Krane hawker duffel bag. All bags, except Swaine Adeney are available from Gravity Pope.}

CRAVINGS: HOLIDAY ROUND FOUR

We can dream can't we?

Gifts for very special ladies.

{Clockwise from top left: Gold Tone Geode necklace from Laura Lombardi Jewelry on Etsy; Martin Duffel bag from Ashley Watson; Five Fleur De Lis ring by Pyrrha; At the Beach 1966 perfume by Christopher Brosius' I Hate Perfume; bottom middle and bottom left: scarves by Swash.}

CRAVINGS: HOLIDAY ROUND THREE

Holy smokes! I cannot believe I haven't mailed off all of my Christmas presents yet! I really need to add a few finishing touches to some of the gifts for my friends and family and I have my eyes on these great products below. (I really want the calendar for myself)

For friends and finishing touches.

{Clockwise from top left: 2010 Laureled Tea Towel Calendar by Hello Handmade Paperie on Etsy; Peppermint Body Scrub from Malin + Goetz; Thomas Paul electronics carrying cases; Flora & Fauna notebook from the UPPERCASE Gallery; Kusmi green teas gift set; The Bedside Book of Beasts: A Wildlife Miscellany by Graeme Gibson.}

CRAVINGS: HOLIDAY ROUND TWO

This year I have been fairly organized with my holiday shopping; I like to think I am a little ahead of the game, I just need to hurry and mail out all my presents. That being said, there is, unavoidably, always one person I leave until last on my list and this year it's that fella I love, my BF. I've been scouting out ideas online for gifts he would love and I think any of these items would be perfect for a young man in your life too.

Round Two: for the boyfriends, husbands, brothers, sons and man-friends.

{Clockwise from top left: Leonard Cohen scarf from Paupervoile on Etsy; Tartan shirt from Filippa K; the classic Kiehl's hand lotion; Warsaw duffel bag in white; Hot Potatoe by Marc Bell, available through Drawn and Quarterly; Mountain Parka by Fred Perry, available at Vincent Park in Vancouver; Paul Smith wallet, available at Gravity Pope; and Thomas Haas "Cocoa Percentage" bars, made in Vancouver.}

CRAVINGS: HOLIDAY ROUND ONE

Okay so I guess it's time to do some real shopping. As usual Christmas has managed to sneak up on me and is now less than one month away. There's still plenty of time to find gifts for all my loved ones, write and send out Christmas cards, mail presents, bake cookies, decorate a house, plan festive meals, including an enormous Christmas morning brunch, and find quality time, right? Well sort of, except for the fact that as of now (or rather two days ago) I have a total of two (TWO) days off before the 25th.

Luckily there is no need to panic as Persuasion has been scouting out the best gifts to give to everyone on my (and hopefully your) lists.

Round One: some great ideas for the romantic city woman in your life.

{Clockwise from top left: Cheap Monday scarf via Vincent Park; Clinique City Block Sheer with SPF 25; Foley & Corinna bag via Vincent Park; Strasbourg Birds scarf, by Paupervoile on Etsy; Black Bird Fly Twin Reflex Camera (I am obsessed with this camera - it shoots in 35mm!) via All the Mountains; and Garden Anywhere, by Alys Fowler}

COASTAL CITY CLICHÉ

GARY FISHER

BOWERY LANE

MASI

ABICI

SOGRENI

Owning and riding a bicycle. Such a thing seems perfectly normal, advisable even, as well as convenient, economical, fun, environmentally conscious, innately European and therefore also stylish. My bf encourages me at least on a weekly basis to invest in a bike so that I could enjoy the practicality and freedom that comes with owning my own personal mode of transportation, other than my feet. Romantic bike rides along the seawall are also being mentioned. In a city such as Vancouver, with moderate weather, self-sustaining neighbourhoods, and relatively compact city limits, owning a bicycle seems to be entirely logical.
All these things and yet still I am not running off to one of the many bike shops all over the city. Truthfully, and I am embarrassed to share this, I am a closet bicycle-phobe. I love to hear the bf talk of all these outings and experiences we could share together on our bikes, but in these imaginings I am not (as is actual fact) a person who has not rode a bike in over 10 years. I don't doubt the saying to be true: surely I could pick up the skill again once I only try -- if I only try. In the meantime I think I will just continue to fantasize about my superior bike riding skills, while looking at these beautiful and fully functional, vintage inspired bikes that I dream of owning. (I almost always prefer the style of the men's models -- alas if only I were taller.)

Oh and for a real special treat, check out Electra's brand new Ticino line of bikes. I'm dying to own the Ticino 20D (it is gold for goodness sake) but I'm afraid that it is just a wee bit more than I would like to spend, especially considering that I would rather look at it than ride it.