Disclaimer: Some accommodations and food and beverage were set up for us free of charge! However, these blog posts are in no way paid and opinions will always be my own! 

Staying at Rowena’s Inn On The River

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The first leg of our trip was spent in Harrison Mills, located 20 minutes from Harrison Hot Springs, and is known as the world’s largest winter gathering place for eagles! We were actually quite excited to stay at Rowena’s Inn, partially because of the eagle event but also partially just because the photos looked absolutely beautiful. From Instagram, it seemed like this was quite a popular spot for weddings which to me says “photo spots galore”!

Rowena’s Inn is actually located on a larger property belong to the Sandpiper golf resort. On the property, you can choose to stay in the Colonial Inn itself, or in one of the luxury cabins. We stayed in the Heron Cabin, a one-bedroom cabin with a water view (and an amazing king-sized bed ?). If you need a larger space they have 2 bedroom and 3 bedroom cabins as well!

Check-in was super easy and each cabin has a door code that gets generated at check-in so you can come and go easily without having to go through any of the main buildings. This was a great experience for us especially during COVID as it meant we were able to keep our interactions at a minimum.

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Heron—the one-bedroom cabin

Our one-bedroom cabin was plenty of space for Joel and me to really stretch out and make ourselves at home. When you enter the cabin, you’re greeted with a spacious kitchen and living space, complete with a coffee machine, full-sized fridge, a gas fireplace, and a 50-inch smart TV with streaming services like Netflix and Prime. Past the living space, you had your bedroom and your spacious bathroom which had both a soaker tub as well as a stand-up shower. This space also had extra tall ceilings which made relaxing in the tub on a cold day that much more amazing.

Sandpiper Resort Clubhouse Restaurant

We only stayed at Rowena’s for one night and so we opted to enjoy dinner and breakfast the next day at the Sandpiper Resort Clubhouse Restaurant. This was just a 2-minute walk from our cabin and served delicious west coast fare. This restaurant is shared among the Fraser Valley community, the golfers, and those staying on the property so it’s best to make a reservation in case they are having a busier night.

Since it’s the season for salmon, they had a separate feature menu for salmon which had a delicious Chowder, and other specialties like tacos, sesame-crusted salmon, and some seasonal desserts.

I ordered the beef stroganoff with the feature chowder to start and Joel got their ribs and we both really loved our meals!

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Bald Eagle Viewing Festival

One of the main attractions during the winter months has got to be the bald eagles gathering. They have guided tours as well but if you follow their trail map to the viewing deck, you’re bound to see tons of eagles when visiting between October – January. We saw probably upwards of 10+ eagles just hanging out in trees along the viewing deck which was insane! It’s definitely the first time I’ve ever seen so many eagles gathered in one place.

Would I visit again?

We thought Rowena’s Inn was amazing and we agreed that we’d love to come back and visit in the warmer months! Our stay was short and caught on a gloomier day so we vowed we’d come back in nicer, warmer weather and do a proper stay! I’d definitely recommend Rowena’s to both families and couples looking for a quiet getaway, I felt super at peace on their beautiful grounds and it was the ideal place to get some R&R that’s away from the city!

If you want to check out Rowena’s Inn On The River, check out their website here or their Instagram page here!

Want to see what we got up to? Check out my Harrison Valley + Abbotsford vlog!

Over the weekend, I took Joel on a helicopter ride for his birthday. We’ve been anticipating this ride for a while—we were supposed to do it on his actual birthday, which was on the 16th, but we were both sick the weekend prior so we rescheduled it. Blackcomb Helicopters was really accommodating and helped us change our reservations super easily.

This was the first time I’ve been on a helicopter and it was absolutely breathtaking. Could not recommend the experience enough. Our pilot was super knowledgable and very very laidback. He was very easy to get along with and kept us entertained all throughout our tour.

We did the BC experience which includes a 24 minute flight and a 15 minute glacier landing. This was perfect because it gave us time to enjoy the view and take some photos. The total came out to be just over $600 for the both of us. But I thought it was a great gift to give and Joel really loved it too.

Have you ever been on a Helicopter tour?

I know it’s really not the time of year to be writing about beaches in Vancouver—but the gloom is really getting on my nerves and I need to think about sunshine, warmth, and tanning right now. I was looking through some of my old photos and oh man… do I miss the beach.

I caught Vancouver on a good day recently, and took a walk out to Wreck (read below for all the info on Wreck Beach and how to get there). Although I was definitely wishing that it was warm enough for me to get in a bikini and tan, it was nice just to be by the water again. Luckily, I was wearing my brand new Vessi shoes so I could walk along the incoming waves without fear of wetting my socks and getting frostbites on my toes.

GET 10$ OFF YOUR VESSI ORDER BY USING ‘ANGEL10’ AT CHECKOUT

If you guys haven’t heard of Vessi before, they are a new company that specializes in waterproof sneakers. They created a Flash Knit material that is breathable and comfortable while being completely waterproof. On top of the Flash Knit material, they also treat the surface of the shoe with repellent so that beyond water, your socks are also protected from sandy water. I really wanted to put these to the test, so I even walked along the sinking sand and splashing waves in the white cityscape shoes ?.

Luckily, both shoes passed with flying colours, and my socks remained dry and feet warm.

I’ve been missing the beach even more, ever since, so instead of just sitting in my cold apartment thinking about the beach, I thought I would share 3 of my favourite beaches in Vancouver. If you’re planning a trip to Vancouver, come in the summer and hit up these spots.

Kitsilano Beach

Kits beach is definitely the closest beach to where I live and it’s very lively in the summer. The crowd ranges from teenagers, to young adults, to families—it’s a very family friendly beach as it’s surrounded by parks as well, which is perfect for if you’re wanting to bring your barbecue to the beach. Along the middle stretch of the beach, there is also plenty of space for you to set up volleyball nets for a sporty beach day. You can even come and rent paddle boards and row yourself out into the water. Overall, Kitsilano beach is the perfect beach to go to for chill, active, beachy vibes.

Kits beach gets pretty busy in the summer time, so if you’re looking to make sure you get a spot on the beach, you’ll want to come relatively early.

Jericho Beach

Another super family friendly beach, Jericho beach is typically a little less busy due to it’s size. There is definitely still a grassy park aspect to it—again, great for bbqs, but there aren’t the volleyball net poles or the option to paddle board.

Jericho feels less busy during the summer, but because it is a small beach, there are also way less parking spots nearby. The parking lot fills up fast, and you’ll definitely need to park a couple blocks away and just walk over to the beach.

There is a dog park nearby as well, so if you’re looking for a place for both and your doggo to hang, this is it.

Photo by @brandimollicaphotography

Photo by @devonhayley

Wreck Beach

Wreck beach is still, by far, my favourite beach to go to in Vancouver. Despite being a nude beach, it’s got the chillest vibes and best crowd. The beach is quite secluded, you have to take a long stair trail down to it, which is one of my favourite aspects of it. It is going to be hard for you to find free parking, as it shares a road with the University of British Columbia, which means the spots will most likely have been snagged by students already. But because it is right on University lands, you’ll be able to find tons of paid parking on campus.

To get to Wreck Beach, you’ll have to trek down the infamous Wreck stairs. There are two entry ways to the beach: the main entry way down to the portion of the beach where everyone goes is Trail 6 which is on NW Marine Dr., right after you pass University Blvd going north.

The other way you could head down to the beach is if you take Trail 4, behind the Museum of Anthropology. This will take you to a slightly less busy area of the beach. But I’d recommend you at least check out the main part of the beach at least once.

Have you been to any of the beaches in Vancouver? Which one was your favourite?

As 2018 comes to an end, I’ve been thinking about what I’ve accomplished this year, and what I’d like to bring into/accomplish next year. And of course, being the pessimistic person that I can sometimes be, I definitely also looked at what I was missing in my year and how I can achieve it for next year.

I think I was really headed in the right direction with my spirituality and self-discovery this year—but there were definitely a couple of bumps in the road that veered me off path. I let my emotions get the best of me in situations that I predicted but couldn’t change, and I think that really threw me off. I had reached this point in my life where I felt that I was finally regaining some control in how I felt, and I felt lost and helpless when I realized that wasn’t as true as I had thought.

In hindsight, everything happened for a reason, and I think that relationship was a great wake up call and it actually ended up being the catalyst to me needing and wanting to refocus my intentions and start working towards centering myself again.

Within my morning pages practice, I discovered that something I am looking forward to doing for the rest of this year, as well as the majority of the next, is to feed my soul more. Spend less money, time, and effort doing things that give me a superficial sense of happiness, and just put all of it, and more, into feeding my soul.

I’ve somehow allowed myself to become so pessimistic in the way I look at certain aspects of my life that it started to feel like I was becoming unappreciative of all of the good and the blessings in my life.

So with my big Asia trip coming soon, I’ve decided to really consciously make the effort to appreciate all that I have planned and only pursue desires, itches, and impulses that also add to that list of positives.

Such a vague and general goal, I know. But it’s definitely something I think will make me a way happier person in 2019.

What a long lead-up to a set of photos, I know. But as a part of my trying to do things that feed my soul, I decided to kick off my Saturday morning by doing a hike rather than my usual coffee-morning pages-work combination that I’m used to. I’m really guilty of being someone who glamorizes exhaustion and “constant productivity” but I realize that it was just making me crash every other week. And was I really being all that more productive when I force myself to jump into my day earlier than everyone else, and work more days than everyone else? I’m not really sure anymore.

So here’s to making the effort to spend more time over the weekends doing things that make me happy—and less time forcing myself to sit in front of my computer aimlessly.

I haven’t gotten behind the camera in such a long time, which is SUCH a shame since I’ve spent so much time and money building my camera collection. So maybe that’s another goal of 2019. Get behind the camera more instead of being in front of it.

Until next time,

I’ve heard plenty of amazing things about this campsite—but most importantly that it’s very party friendly, and there usually isn’t any family that camp there. I knew we would have a solid turn out so I wanted to make sure we were going to be disturbing any of the other campers.

The lake was absolutely beautiful and was the perfect sight to wake up to each morning. But there was a huge issue that we forgot to consider: because we were camping beside a still body of water, it was pretty much a mosquito free-for-all buffet and we were the main course. We ended up using all of our bug spray and picking up even more for the last night. I got 68 mosquito bites across my body alone ):

A tip to consider if you’re ever planning on camping by a lake: bring a gazebo or tent with a mosquito net tarp so that you can hang out throughout the day without getting eaten alive!

There is also a fire ban currently which means we couldn’t set up a bonfire. Luckily I faced the same issue last year so I purchased a firepit and it really saved our trip. We toasted marshmallows, roasted sausages, and it was the best time.

I had my phone on airplane mode pretty much the entire weekend and it was absolute bliss. Definitely going to make it a goal to do a little camping trip at least once a year to just get out of the city and away from our worries. Despite feeling tired from our little adventure, I am also feeling super refreshed and inspired and ready to take on the week.

One of the places I’ve been to twice now is Pemberton, BC. Other than Pemberton Music Festival, which sadly is no longer operating, Pemberton has some other highlights that make it WELL worth checking out this summer. So—in efforts to shine an even brighter light on the beauty of British Columbia—here are 5 reasons why you should make Pemberton your next road trip destination. 

1. Camping Sites GALORE

This is definitely the biggest reason why people visit Pemberton during the summer. Surrounded by camp sites like Strawberry Point by Lillooet Lake (okay I know technically this is in Lytton, BC but I can’t possibly be the only one who considers it as a part of Pemby), it’s most Vancouver adventurers’ first thought when it comes to summer weekend fun. 

2. Visit The Infamous Au Naturale Hot Springs

Both times that I’ve been to Pemberton, it’s been to visit the Sloquet hot springs. Even funnier thing is—both times I’ve went was in the Fall/Winter months! Although it seems wild to go off-roading for 2 hours in Autumn just to get naked in the freezing to go into a hot springs, it’s actually the most amazing experience. But make sure you go prepared and don’t make the same mistake I did—take a truck or SUV! And if you care a lot about the cleanliness of your car…well I’m sorry to say…this adventure probably isn’t for you. 

I vlogged last time I went to Sloquet/Pemberton, so definitely check this video out if you want a gist of what it’s all like!

3. One Of The Most Highly-Reviewed Horseback Riding Experiences

I’m not going to lie, I haven’t personally gone Horseback Riding at Adventure Ranch but I still thought I would include it because I really want to. Not to mentioned it is rated 5 stars on Trip Advisor! Their rates are super reasonable as well—for a 2 hour tour, their packages range from $75 for children under 12 to $100 for adults. They take you through open meadows, old growth temperate rain forests, as well as offering you the opportunity to experience several creek crossings. 

Next trip to Pemberton, I’m 11/10 adding this onto the itinerary. 

4. Hiking Joffres Lake or Nairn Falls

You can’t visit a place surrounded by so many natural treasures without doing one of the beautiful hikes. The two post popular ones nearby are definitely Joffres Lake and Nairn Falls. 

Nairn Falls

Just 20 minutes north of Whistler, and located within the boundaries of the Village of Pemberton, just 5 minutes from Pemberton town center, is Nairn Falls Park. This park provides a good base camp for exploring Whistler, the Pemberton Valley or nearby Garibaldi Provincial Park.

It is an excellent overnight stop before continuing onto the Duffey Lake Road or points north or south. The falls are 60 m high and a 1.5 km hiking trail will take you to the viewpoint.

Joffres Lake

Turquoise blue waters of Lower, Middle and Upper Joffre lakes are why most visit—all three of which are located along the trail, and each more stunning than the last. Their striking, saturated blue colour is caused by “rockflour” – or glacial silt – that is suspended in the water and reflects green and blue wavelengths of sunlight. Joffre Lakes Provincial Park has opportunities for hiking, camping, mountaineering, wildlife viewing, and fishing.

5. Eating At Mile One 

Attached to the homey Pemberton Gateway Hotel, the Mile One Eating House is known for their amazing comfort food and friendly attitude. And when I say “amazing comfort food”, I truly mean AMAZING comfort food. During my last visit to Pemby, I stayed at the Pemberton Gateway and oh how I regret only eating at Mile One on our last night. They have an amazing selection of top notch burgers, delicious sandwiches, gourmet hotdogs, hearty poutines, and not to mention 7 DIFFERENT MAC AND CHEESES. They really know how to make a girl happy that’s for sure. If you’re just passing through Pemby for whatever reason, save your appetite and make a stop at Mile One. I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

Are you excited yet about your next adventure?

More soon, 

Favourite part of the room we stayed in—the window seat. Also was pleasantly surprised at just how comfortable this Don Draper inspired leather and wood love seat was. There was a great view of the northbound Cambie bridge from the eighth floor which also just so happened to have the perfect view for the beautiful Vancouver sunset.

Could really get used to waking up and falling asleep to this view. Especially on a clear day—this window view paints a beautiful picture of Vancouver’s gorgeous cityscape and waters.

Hope you enjoyed this photo set and my mini review of The Douglas hotel. As I mentioned, if you’re visiting Vancouver—or even just looking for a staycation within the city—definitely check them out. They have a casino, 2 gyms, and multiple different restaurants in the conjoined building (Parq Vancouver) so you wouldn’t even have to leave the premises during your entire stay.

Until next time,

So for all my freelancers and remote-workers out there, this one’s for you! 

Today I am working from JJ Bean in Olympic Village. 

Location

Located right at the corner of Columbia and W1st Ave, It’s a bright corner spot with giant windows which I LOVE. Even on a rainy day the light fills up the entire place which is a huge plus in my books. They have a bunch of great couch seats with two people tables that line the right side of the coffee shop. Or you can choose to sit at their hightop bar area.

It’s two blocks up from the infamous baker island, so I think this would be a great place to go in Spring/Summer. You can go take a walk to baker island when you need to step away from your computer. 

Is It Busy?

I got here at around 12pm on a Wednesday and there were still quite a few spots left. It doesn’t seem like many people come here to sit and work as most guests are here for about 15 minutes only. But I checked the popular times on Google and seems like it’s only relatively not busy during the week (Tuesday–Friday) while Sat, Sun, and Mon get pretty busy at times. 

Are There Outlets?

NO. None that I can see. So if you’re planning to get some work done here, come with your laptop charged! 

Is There Food?

Yes, they have a great selection of sandwiches and wraps all under the $10 mark. They serve them with a small side salad too which is great. My favourite is their Ham and Aged Cheddar Turnover. Such a great breakfast pastry. 

Those are all the main questions I wonder when I’m looking for a place to work. If you have anymore points you think that I should add to my list, let me know! I’ll be sure to add them to the next post. 

Until next time,