How I love you and your beaches and your giant T-Rex statues.
I’m in this sunny state, hopping from cheesy roadside attractions in the desert to concerts and Canucks games in LA. Which means you’ll be treated to plenty of touristy photos as soon as I get back.
P.S. Make like a digital dinosaur and follow The Anthology on Twitter.
The night that launched a thousand parties is upon us.
The brainchild of Anna Wintour, Fashion’s Night Out is taking over major cities throughout the States. So how can those of us north of the border join in the fashionable fun? Flare’s got the details.
And if you’re looking to purchase an FNO shirt, you can find a list of stores that carry it here. Proceeds benefit the New York City AIDS Fund.
So go! Shop! Have fun! Just don’t tell Anna Wintour these shorts used to look like this.
P.S. Add the Anthology on Facebook — it’s the next best thing to attending Fashion’s Night Out.
I haven’t been posting frequently because I’ve been here:
I’ll be back on the ol’ blogging wagon pronto. Promise.
In the meantime, follow me here.
Montreal is easily the most vibrant city in Canada, non?
We arrived last week when Just for Laughs was in full swing (which, for the record, follows closely on the heels of the city’s outrageously huge Jazz Festival).
Out of more than 200 English performances, we caught only two. (We would have attended more had we figured out earlier that we actually like stand-up comedy.) The highlight? Mike Birbiglia’s one-man riot My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend.
I had been to Montreal before, but only in the dead of winter so it was a treat to be able to roam the streets in a vintage t-shirt (bonus points for coordinating with the graffiti!).
And the vintage belt that I wore all over Quebec.
Speaking of graffiti, I have no idea what the story is behind this tag (maybe it’s as straight forward as it looks) but I kept spotting it all over the city. And it hit close to home because there’s nothing I heart more than a slice of emmental.
And speaking of a nice slice, Marche de la Villette in old Montreal serves up cheap(ish) breakfasts and lunches with great cheeses. L’Express on Saint Denis lives up to its hype. And, across the street from the Opus Hotel where we stayed, is Tequila Taco House, which looks like a hole in the wall but serves up amazing Mexican food.
Ah, the Opus. It’s right smack dab between the shops and festival grounds of Saint Catherine and the funky boutiques, restaurants and bars of Saint Laurent and Saint Denis. Which makes its location pretty much perfect.
(Just make sure you book a room that’s not facing the hotel bar because its patio is as packed and party-full as the city itself.)
I knew Quebec City would be beautiful. But I never knew it would be that beautiful.
Cobblestone streets, acres and acres of parks, the dramatic Saint Lawrence River. It felt like another world and yet, my loonies and toonies were taken at par.
Attended the Festival d’Ete de Quebec, the 11-day showcase of Anglophone and Francophone artists. And were some of the few attendees to come from out of provice (only 5% according to the National Post).
Why is that the case, when you can buy beer from people roaming around with coolers and see acts like Arcade Fire, Black Eyed Peas, Santana and Passion Pit?
For only $50.
When we weren’t at the festival we explored the city on foot.
Grabbed some brie, baguettes and grapes from Epicerie Richard in the old town (42 Rue Des Jardins if you have a hankering).
And headed out to the historic Plains of Abraham for a pique-nique. (Wore my paint-splattered cutoffs and vintage belt.)
Oh Quebec, I miss you already. J’espere que I’ll be back soon! If only because I desperately need to improve my Francais.
P.S. Follow moi sur Twitter (and pardon my Frenglish, s’il vous plait).
And those of you who didn’t take literature in school ask: Who?
He’s the Irish author of The Commitments, The Woman Who Walked into Doors and now, The Dead Republic. And, if the reading I attended is any indication, he would make the coolest dinner guest ever.
Nerd that I am, I had him sign The Dead Republic. The unfortunate thing about it? It’s volume three of a trilogy. Which means there are about 800 pages standing between me and it.
The event must have inspired me. Because the next day I showed up dressed like a middle-aged author: tweed jacket, driving shoes and all.
With some bohemian touches: hippie dippy necklaces. I made the red and silver one, and I found the pendant in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
It’s from a little shop tucked away in a picturesque courtyard off 5th Avenue (between Calle 6 and 8, in case you’re headed there).
My driving shoes? They’re from a far less quaint source: Cole Haan.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some reading to do.
But I’m going to ignore that fact and reminisce about California.
Because I left my heart in the desert.
I love that it can be 8 billion degrees but there will still be snow on the mountains.
Another place I’d like to reminisce about? Turkey.
That’s where I found this shirt/dress (what is with all the hippy dippy clothes I bought in Turkey? I must have been having a moment.)
But back to California. Palm Springs (where we stayed during Coachella) was far quirkier than I imagined it would be — more art galleries, more midcentury modern architecture, more aging hippies. I can’t wait to go back. Especially because I miss the palm trees.
It’s so heartbreaking to think that the insanity of Coachella took place this time last week. Even more heartbreaking to think that it’s 350-something days until the next one.
But at least there’s the summer to look forward to. And although it won’t hit 96 degrees in Vancouver (mostly because we measure temperature in Celsius), it will soon be hippy-dippy clothes weather.
And it doesn’t get more hippy-dippy than the tie-dyed shirt/dress I found in Turkey, the beaded belt I got in Mexico, and the boots I scored at Umeboshi in Vancouver (close-up here).
Are any of you heading to Sasquatch? I’m trying to figure out if I can make it work. Would love to pull out my two festival staples again: earth-friendly water bottle (how many times did I stand in line to refill that thing?) and the cross body purse my sister had made on one of her many travels.
But until I can figure out how to head back to the sunshine I’m going to have to sit back, relax and wait for the sun to come to us.
P.S. Add the Anthology on Facebook for more photos, more social networking, and more ridiculousity.
It is also a learning experience. And because this was my first year attending the music and arts festival in the desert, I thought I’d compile a list of the top 10 things I learned at Coachella 2010.
1. The desert is hot.
2. A little barf won’t ruin a Phoenix concert. (After the guy next to me leaned over in the middle of the show and puked his guts outs, I contemplated leaving. But, like a true fan, he kept on rockin’ so I did too.)
3. Tweeting about that barf will get you written up in LA Weekly.
4. Major Lazer can hype a crowd like no other. See exhibit A, which, I should warn you, isn’t exactly suitable for work.
5. Icelandic is the world’s prettiest language. It doesn’t matter if you can’t understand a word of it, when it’s sung by Jón Birgisson of Jonsi, it’s like watching doves fly under a rainbow on a summer morning.
6. Wearing a New Kids on the Block t-shirt will make you new friends.
7. Some bands will blow you away live. (I’ll see you in Vancouver, Temper Trap.)
8. Others won’t. (Sorry, XX, I’ll buy your next album, but I’ll pass on your next show.)
9. Canadian flags look out of place among palm trees.
10. Paris and Nicky Hilton are much prettier in person.
Have you been to Coachella? Are you going? 2011, anyone?
Melissa writes:
I know you love to travel and you love your accessories, so I am wondering what you use to hold/organize your accessories when you are on the go!
We are going on a cruise at the end of this month, and one of my biggest challenges when packing has been my accessories (as well as over packing, but that is an entirely different battle). By the time they get to the hotel room they are disorganized so I get frustrated and leave them in the suitcase. If you have any thoughts or suggestions i’d really appreciate it.
Well, Melissa, if I were as organized as, say, my sister-in-law Jaclyn, I would buy a travel organizer (amazon.com has every type imaginable). Instead, I take a Ukrainian doll approach to packing.
I start with sturdy jewelry (I leave fragile and valuable pieces at home), which I wrap in scarves (just make sure they’re not delicate or easily snagged).
Then I pack these scarf-wrapped piece in the clutches I’m bringing with me. And then I stash those clutches in my luggage. So I put to use everything I plan on wearing when I arrive.
If a piece is too small to wrap in a scarf (earrings, rings and delicate necklaces) I store those in drawstring pouches. Most bead shops will sell them in all materials, colours and sizes. Luckily enough, my Alkemie fox ring (from Vincent Park in Vancouver) came in its own pouch so it’ll travel that way with me to Coachella.
But truth be told, I don’t bring many accessories with me because I like to stock up while on vacation. Accessories make the best souvenirs, don’t they?
Hope this helps, Melissa. Have such an amazing time on your cruise and let me know how it goes!