A Dose of Vitamin SEA

A mini-vacay to enjoy another trip to the beach. Just what the doctor ordered: Vitamin Sea, sure makes me feel better during these times, an instant pick-me-up that lasts for days!

I wore this off-the-shoulder cotton knit top–blue and white looks beachy, cool and it’s comfortable. I saw it in a window display and it reminded me of a T-shirt that I tie-dyed myself in the ’60s except this one is more stylish and feminine. I love the off-the-shoulder style and that it’s long enough to wear with legging capris.

Have you heard the rule that if you wore it the first time it was in style, you shouldn’t wear it again? Well, I don’t believe that. In fact, that’s often what draws me to something, perhaps it’s nostalgia. Besides, I think tie-dye is timeless, don’t you?

Sandals are from Drizzle & Shine, my daughter’s eco-boutique in Seattle

A beautiful Lake Erie sunset

Pink Camouflage Joggers

I’ve been wanting pink camouflage pants or leggings since before I even knew they made them in pink! Finally, I found these pink camo joggers in Collingwood, made in Italy.

I love these colours but I don’t like green camo because it reminds me of war and hunting. Pink makes me happy and reminds me of peace and compassion. Plus it’s my mom’s favourite colour, I have so many memories of her wearing pink!

A stroll through Victoria Park couldn’t be more comfortable walking in these unusual pink and silver non-leather sandals.

Normally, I don’t wear joggers, but these are different: very stylish, not frumpy gray ones. They are so comfortable and come in a variety of fabulous prints. This time I wore them with a white top but I think pink is a good choice too.

A PINK BIRTHDAY!

We celebrated our granddaughter’s 11th birthday! She wore PINK and the theme was pink and the icing on the cake was pink. My mom would have been so happy!

NEWSFLASH!

Madison Clothing Boutique now has an online store and I am going to order two more as soon as I decide which prints!

Life is beautiful! Enjoy it!

My Grandson’s First Birthday!

What a blessing it is to have three grandchildren! Our oldest grandson is 14!

My mom was born in August and so were two of my grandchildren. My youngest grandchild is one year old–a milestone! It was my granddaughter’s idea to celebrate together since their birthdays are only a few days apart. 

I wore my new pink Elisa Cavaletti blouse (made in Italy) that I bought in Niagara-on-the-Lake last week–my mom’s favorite colour and the colour I am wearing most days this month as a new tradition in honour of her.

I bought these sandals in Collingwood at Madison Clothing Boutique. Lady Comfort is the perfect name for these non-leather sandals: so comfortable I can walk in them all day and so feminine.

Celebrating birthdays is always a joyous occasion!

Blush Pink Eyelet Blouse and White Jeans

I prefer wearing white jeans to blue jeans, especially in the summertime. Perhaps it’s because I had never even owned a pair of white jeans until I started blogging. Now I have three pairs and I love how I can wear any of my blouses and tops with them.

This time I paired them with a blush pink blouse that I wore to visit my dear friend Maria in Fort Erie. A little drizzle doesn’t stop us from enjoying an afternoon of shopping.

Lasting Impressions is the store where I got the lace dress that I wore on one of our weekend getaways. They sell gifts, clothing, accessories, home decor and more.

Buy local, support small businesses!

 

An Afternoon in Paris

It was Maggie’s idea to have lunch in Paris

While waiting for our riverside restaurant reservation, we had time to stroll around town and relax.

Three fashionable tourists

I wore my new floral blouse with blush pink cotton pants that I bought at Madison Clothing Boutique in Collingwood recently. The pants have sparkly sequins patches and a crinkled linen-look, made in Italy.

I love supporting small businesses more than ever during this difficult time.

Maggie stands out in a crowd in her bright, fuchsia blouse (bought on one of her holidays in Italy). I love how she paired it with white capris for a summery look. 

May looks youthful in her cute white skirt, that she wore with a shiny top (made in Canada) and stylish sneakers.

We enjoyed lunch on the patio overlooking the Grand River.

A perfect summer day!

Paris is always a good idea!

Blue Mountain Village

Blue Mountain Village is a little tourist town by Georgian Bay near Collingwood, a very popular ski resort in winter but there are also interesting things to do in summer.

Once upon a time, there used to be a thrilling summer attraction on the mountain, The Great Slide Ride. We’d take our children there in the summertime to ride up the mountain on the ski lift and get in a little cart and whiz down the mountain on the windy slide. It was pretty scary and apparently dangerous, they closed it in 1998.

There are also caves to explore, hiking trails and of course, the beach. Blue Mountain Village and Collingwood are by Georgian Bay. Wasaga Beach, the world’s longest freshwater beach is only about 10 miles (almost 17 km) away.

My favourite place to shop is Madison Clothing Boutique which I discovered on our vacation in Collingwood last year. They have two locations: Collingwood and Blue Mountain Village.

“Madison Boutique carries very unique clothing lines from Italy, LA, USA and Canada.”

This time I bought a blue lace blouse, two pairs of pants made in Italy and a new pair of non-leather sandals.

When we arrived home from our weekend getaway, our youngest son surprised us with a delicious gourmet dinner, especially for our anniversary. Our granddaughter baked us a decadent vegan cake!

Baklava

Baklava

Vegan Cake

Baklava and Coffee

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Curried Chickpeas with Spinach

Never stop saying I love you to someone you love!

 

Denim and Lace

What I wore for a weekend getaway to Collingwood, Ontario.

For our 50th wedding anniversary, my husband bought me this whimsical lace dress. We were on our Niagara Falls weekend and while browsing through a little boutique Lasting Impressions (near Chrysal beach) he found it and knew it was just my style. I loved it immediately!

I decided to wear it as a duster over jeans. I love dressing up denim for a rough and refined look or what I call rugged elegance, combining masculine and feminine.

Jeans were always boys’ clothes in my opinion when I was young. I didn’t even own a pair of jeans for the longest time. Whether casual or dressy, I like to wear something feminine when I wear jeans.

When we go on road trips, we stop to enjoy the journey whenever we like before arriving at our destination. Collingwood is about a two-hour drive from our house with several small towns along the way. We stopped in Elora and bought some delicious vegan baklava at a bakery.

Last time in Collingwood was for The Elvis Festival. There’s always time for some shopping to support local stores. We enjoyed a romantic dinner for two at a Thai restaurant on their private patio (delicious vegetable stir-fry served with rice noodles).

Hat: thrift shop $2.99
Lace dress: Lasting Impressions
Cami: older than I can remember
Jeans: Hue
Purse: thrift shop $3.99
Non-leather sandals: made in Costa Rica

What better way to end a perfect day than a walk along the beach at sunset. I love how the days linger in the summertime.

Lavender Field and a Surprise

The BIG Five-O!

No, it’s not my birthday. This month is our 50th Wedding Anniversary. To celebrate, we are enjoying some wonderful day trips and weekend getaways!

Niagara-on-the-lake is one of those charming towns we go to every year. This time, we were there for the final days of the lavender season.

Shops are open and the town is in full bloom. What a delight for the senses to stroll along the streets with beautiful flower gardens!

Room with a View!

What a wonderful surprise to stay overnight in a fantastic hotel on the 11th floor overlooking the spectacular Niagara Falls! At night, the Falls are lit up with changing colours. Waking up in the morning to this gorgeous view was a dream-come-true!

Love and blessings!

My Canada Colours: through the years

Maggie and me

I just love my iPhoto feature that pops up and shows movies and memories that make me smile. These are a few of the photos that iPhoto put together for Canada Day through the years.

Maggie and me – Canada Day 2020

Happy July!

 

Shopping Therapy

 It’s no secret that I enjoy shopping. I love supporting small businesses and ethical companies. I love helping the economy. What good is living without a livelihood? People need jobs, it’s an urgent matter.

No surprise, I went shopping on the first day some stores opened. With tears of joy, I bought several things at a thrift shop. Including this asymmetrical grey and pink skirt and some household items.

It felt so good to walk through the doors of one of my favourite Canadian stores (The Hudson’s Bay Company, Canada’s oldest store) I bought this pretty black and white polka dot shrug. I plan to wear it at our next Ladies’ Luncheon.

Thrift shopping

Hudson’s Bay Company

My shopping outfit is all things I’ve shown before.

Dress: Armour Vert, USA from Drizzle and Shine
Long cardigan: Made in Canada via thrifted
Tassel necklace: Boutique in Collingwood
Leggings: Suzy Shier
Non-leather sandals: Marshalls

Shopping is cheaper than therapy and keeps the economy going!