Tofino

Camp for adults.

That's what we needed and that's what we got when we spent a long weekend at Long Beach Lodge on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Weather on the West Coast is strange at the best of times. As you can see, we got all possible weather variations in one day. Above, snow on the beach at breakfast.

Above and below, sun at lunch, Chesterman Beach.

Below, clouds and waves roll in at sunset, Cox Bay.

For three days, we walked, played Scrabble and drank Phillips Chocolate Porter. Our only concerns were not to lose the room key and not to hog the Scrabble.

PET

I love this scarf from local designer Smoking Lily because of its colour and because it's silkscreened with the face of Pierre Elliot Trudeau,

awesome Canadian Prime Minister, human rights-protector and stylin' guy. Here he is at a football game in 1970. Swoon.

Photo: CP Photo / Peter Bregg via CBC.ca

Meiji jingu

While in Tokyo, I went to the Shinto shrine of Meiji-jingu. It reminded me a lot of Parc Mont-Royal in Montreal, where I lived for a year. Huge, beautiful, peaceful, well-used by local people, and holding its own next to the hectic city.

A wedding party.

Wishes.

Asakusa

Last fall, I went to Asia for work with my fantastic Japanese-speaking Korean friend Jenna. Early in the morning on my last day in Tokyo, Jenna took me to Asakusa. Above, looking down the shopping street leading to the Buddhist temple.

Classy lantern-billboards.

Luck.

(Note: shop in Korea. Especially at the Lotte department store. And tie your trenchcoat in the back like the Korean girls. Revolutionary. You will look polished and not struggle with your belt.)

House Red

I am in the liquor store, buying two bottles of my current House Red, Montalto Nero D'Avola Cab Sauv, which was on sale for a ridiculously low $10.99. For Canada, that is cheap. It is worth more.

The cashier says, "Can I see two pieces of ID?" I think she has said "Are you going to a Christmas Party?" I say, "No, they're on sale!"

She gives me a very, very blank stare and repeats herself. I sheepishly pass over my driver's license. My boyfriend, waiting outside with our dog, taps on the glass and laughs. "She's 30!" he mouths.

Up

My BFF Angie: "Can we go for a hike?"

Me: "Sure!"

(Above: St. Marks Summit on the Howe Sound Trail)

Angie: "Can it be a long one?"

Me: "Sure."

(Above: From the hilariously named Mt. Unnecessary)

Angie: "Is seven hours too long?"

Almost. But the views made up for it.

Grapes and Sun

Just got back from our 2nd annual trip to BC's Okanagan. Perfect small town BC getaway: fabulous scenery, local wine, lots of Dairy Queen.

(how had I never had a Peanut Buster Bar? I digress.)

Above, Road 13. They have a castle!

The view from the lake at La Frenz (used to be the Canadian $100 bill!).

One Malbec for the wine rack.

Seared Albacore Tuna Salad at Hillside Estate.

Also had some Cabernet Franc, my new favourite wine.

The lake from Soaring Eagle.

Didn't check my email for 3 whole days. Didn't get burned. Perfection!