Calling Anastacia Beaverhousen

The best thing about Saskatchewan Winters is the handy excuse that the weather provides to be completely antisocial on Saturday evenings. Forget date nights with boys; my fur & I are staying in! 

#fabulous&Iknowit

* vintage fox fur coat

Sweaters & Socks

No matter how sunny it appears to look outside, some Sundays are meant for nothing more than curling up in front of the radiator with a stack of good books. 

*sweater by Joe Fresh; leggings by Seductions; socks by Kirkland Signature; The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

Guilty Pleasures: a Sunday Shoe Story

February is the worst month of the year. Winter depression has made itself home in our heads, the skies are full of snow, and the temperature keeps faking us out with "only" -3°C days (before dropping back to -25°C). But we don't get to see the Spring thaw unless we make it through February, so I've compiled a little list of things that get me through to the other side. I call them my guilty pleasures, but they're really more of a survival technique...

TV Show: JPod
Nerds, doing nerdy things. Must I elaborate?

Books: the Georgia Nicholson series
I've read this series about 5 times, and every time it just gets more hilarious. 

Movie: Rock of Ages
Sometimes a girl just needs some ridiculously campy 80s hair metal
(and Tom Cruise in leather pants)

Shop: Amazon
All the selection, none of the outdoor time!

Food: Purdy's Chocolates custom boxes
All of the chocolates that you want, none of the ones you only tolerate eating!

Music: anything Disney
Yup, I'll never grow out of my Disney phase

Shoes: anything covered in ruffles & satin, or absolutely inappropriate for the weather

images from Tumblr

shoes by Poetic Licence London

Seasonal: a Sunday Shoe Story

Converse "Seasonal" runners

It being the end of January it seems that we have reached the midpoint of Winter completely by accident. Knock on wood, the weather hasn’t been as bad as it could have been (apparently my standards of what constitutes “cold” have been suitably adjusted) and there don’t seem to be any freak storms on the horizon. But I’m still waiting for the day when I can bring all my regular shoes back into rotation and retire my winter clompers til next year. What, you wouldn’t want me to dirty up a second pair of white Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars now, would you?

Wish You Were Here

As we trip through mid-January and the Winter doldrums begin to take their full effect, our minds inevitably turn to dreams of escape. Sunnier climes, where the temperatures soar during the day and dinner is always accompanied by frosty margaritas. Some are lucky enough to make the escape from the Great Canadian Igloo, but what are those of us who can’t afford to stamp our passports to do?

I’ve always wanted to travel the world and experience other cultures, but it just never quite seems to happen. Life inevitably gets in the way, whether it’s in the form of school or work. And the lack of funds doesn’t help matters either. Yet I don’t feel to hard done by because I figured out a long time ago that I can go anywhere in the world – with just the turn of a page.

I may not get to experience some of the sensations of real travel – the food, the souveniers, the adorable foreign accents – but thanks to my local library I can experience a sort of travelling-lite. In a single week I can visit the snow-covered steppes of the Ukraine to play with reindeer; walk the streets of Paris past the houses of the world’s greatest couturiers; or take the Greenroad deep into Elfland with its magical trolls, faeries, and talking trees. No amount of money can get to some of these places, as many are fictional by nature, but in a way that’s actually better than real travel because there are no limits.  

With just the flash of my library card – my passport to the realms of fiction, if you will – I can go anywhere and experience anything. All without having to skip work or drain my bank account.

The question then becomes: where shall I stamp on my literary passport today? I’m thinking New York and London! Maybe I'll see you there :)

image from Tumblr

Hopeless Wanderer: a Sunday Shoe Story

The great thing about moving to a city that is known for its freezing temperatures is that it gave me an excuse to buy a new pair of boots. I haven’t owned “real” winter boots since… well, since my parents used to drag me on Christmas day hikes and made me walk up a mountain to school. (Welcome to Kamloops). Which definitely ended as soon as I acquired a permanent bus pass, learned to drive, and then escaped the wintry hell of central interior BC.

I figured that if I had to buy winter boots that I should get good ones. Name brand stuff, rated for -40°C and waterproof as well in the off chance that there’s a flash heat wave while I’m at work.

I know, I know, but a girl can dream, can’t she?

So on the day that my chauffeur was in town (read: father) we made sure to hit up a few sporting goods stores in the hopes of scooping some decent boots for me. Don’t worry, he was happy to do so because he got to spend an hour in Capella’s, which is basically an outdoorsman’s version of shopping heaven. (And my personal version of hell, since the place is literally filled with camouflage everything and taxidermied animals are waiting around every corner).

In the third store I finally found this pair of Sorels, which much to my surprise came in a rather chic colour as well as were on sale! Apparently my shopping karma has finally caught up with me, since I haven’t had this much good luck since I left the West Coast two years ago and lost my shoe luck along the way! Now I can wander my way through the Regina icelands (or at least to the library) and my feet will be nice and toasty warm!