sleepy time

I'm not the only one who loves a fresh made bed with newly laundered sheets...

postcards from up north

my weekend getaway turned out better than i imagined. i got to see the northern lights at least for one of the nights i was there. (others weren't so lucky) i got to spend time with doggies. the locals there were so friendly and helpful. everyone made you feel welcome to their city of 26,000. 

and it wasn't nearly as cold as i thought it would be. 

i would definitely recommend anyone if they were interested in going to whitehorse to view the aurora borealis. it's a great weekend getaway.

to view pictures of my trip, press play on the slideshow or click here for my flickr.

hanging with the dogs

considering that we didn't arrive back to the hotel until after 2am last night, waking up this morning was pretty brutal. but i didn't want to miss out on the city tour, so i made sure my ass was down at the lobby by 1030am.

on the city tour, we saw the railway station which was built during the gold rush, the old log church with the story about the minister eating his leather boot to stave off starvation one harsh winter, a cafe slash 4 story apt built entirely out of wooden logs, the decommissioned klondike paddlewheeler and the yukon tourism office, where we watched a film on the city.

our tour guide, gabe, told us about the midnight sun in the summer. he told us about being able to play tennis at 11 o'clock at night, because it was sunny and bright. and that in the winter, although there's never 24 hours of night, there's normally about 5 hours of sunlight per day. the sun rises around 10am and sets at 3pm!

when i talked to another tour guide, she told me that even after 8 years of living in whitehorse, she still hasn't gotten used to midnight sun. she has to black out her windows, in hopes of mimicing night.  i, for one, couldn't get used to it. i love sleeping and i need it to be dark to go to sleep. when it's summer in vancouver, i inwardly cringe, going to bed when i could see the dawn breaking.

after the tour, we were dropped off at the hotel to either enjoy the day on our own or join other arranged tours.

on a whim, i called muktuk adventures and asked if they allowed guests to just visit the kennel and not have to sign up for the dog sledding trips. one of the staff, manuela, said yes and went so far as to arrange for another staff to come back into town and pick me up. so nice of her because a cab ride out to where they are (again, in the woods) would've cost me $50 one way!

me and blaize

these cuties kept closing their eyes whenever i tried to take a picture

so i got to spend the afternoon with 128 beautiful, health and friendly sled dogs. i was even invited to eat lunch with the staff and got to meet and hold newborn pups and hang out with their retired sled dogs. really, their hospitality went above and beyond.

trying not to feel lenny-ish with a days old pup

muktuk has around 20 retired dogs (10 years+ in age) on the property. almost all dogs like to stay outside and be with each other. they all have their own crates to sleep in and keep warm. muktuk also buys trapper dogs when they unable to do their jobs anymore (for whatever reason). instead of trappers putting trapper dogs down, muktuk adopts them instead.

the most beautiful blue eyes

the happiest dog in the pack. seriously.

how happy was this dog? he was super playful and couldn't get enough of me.  he wanted to be constantly petted and played with. adorbs.

i did think carefully about spending time at a dogsledding operation, what with the horrors doled out on sled dogs in whistler. but i was happy to see that these dogs are treated so well and the dogs are obviously all so happy.

got back to the hotel by dinnertime. i was surprised that downtown, on a saturday night no less, things start to close at 6pm. save for a subway, a japanese restaurant and pubs located inside hotels, everything else was closed, including shoppers drug mart and the starbucks! what do northern folks do on a saturday night?

met the buses at 10pm for a second night out to the woods, but i knew from getting up this morning, that we weren't going to see anything tonite. it had been overcast all day and the chances of the clouds disappearing were zero to none.

it wasn't all a wash though. as we didn't have the northern lights to see, the group got to mingling and socializing with each other. yesterday, everyone was out for themselves, wanting to watch or photograph the auroras. tonight, we were chatting about where we're from, what tours we've been on, how long we're staying etc.

i feel incredibly lucky that i did get to see the northern lights yesterday because tonight was a total no-go. and it's forecasted to be cloudy again tomorrow. fortunately, i came up here for friday and saturday viewing, rather than saturday and sunday. a tourist couple i met who flew in today and staying until monday will most likely not see the northern lights. sometimes, it's a crap shoot, which is why there are up to 5 night packages to increase your odds.

although it was a bummer about tonight's viewing, i got to spend the whole afternoon hanging out with over 100+ four-legged friends. and that is a "win" in my book.

the green, green sky

as a birthday present to myself, i flew up north to whitehorse, in hopes of seeing the northern lights. i booked the trip during a crescent moon, so that the sky would be as dark as possible. the only thing i was crossing my fingers on was that there was clear visibility. cuz you can go at the most opportune time and season, but if there's any cloud cover, you are up the creek. 

and i had booked for 2 nights, so that doesn't give me a lot of chances.

it turns out there was nothing to worry about. when i landed in whitehorse, it was sunny and clear, with blue skies as far as the eye could see.

our tour guide from northern tales adventures took myself and a dozen other tourists to the best western gold rush inn, located downtown. we checked in and were given the afternoon to ourselves to unwind, so i got some lunch, walked around downtown and took in the sights of the rustic mining town (the main drag where the hotel is situated is only 4 blocks long). 

we were instructed to meet down at the lobby at 10pm to board the buses that would take us out into the woods for night viewing. i was surprised to see that there were about 60 of us, some having already been here for a couple of days already.

our cabin in the woods

it was a half an hour drive to the woods, away from any light pollution. we all got off the buses and were divided into 5 groups, as there were 5 cabins, although we were free to walk anywhere we liked. the cabins had insulated walls and were heated by the wood stove. to make sure we were all warm, there were plenty of hot drinks and snacks. there were additional teepees set up outside, lounge chairs for viewing, as well as, roaring firepits to help spread us out.

aurora borealis uplights

within 10 minutes of us arriving, the aurora borealis started. slowly, at first and barely visible. it was streaking the top of the treelines in the distance. its direction from right to left. then slowly streaking upwards. lots of oohs and ahhs. and over the next 3 hours, the auroras streaking overhead to form bands aross the sky. it was a pretty magical sight to behold.

a band of aurora borealis streaking overhead

in real life, the northern lights are not as in your face as pictures and videos have you believe. that's because those images are manufactured with ISO speeds, long exposure and hours of filming. when you see it with your own eyes, it's a lot more subtle. more mystical. more supernatural. it's no wonder my friend mat used to lie down on the ground in norway to watch auroras form. 

at first, i thought it was a letdown, when compared to the pictures and videos i saw. but pretty soon, i realized i like this more. it was like nature's uplights shining across the sky and diffusing like cotton candy. we didn't get any dancing ribbons across the sky, but we got a couple of bands. it was very tranquil and beautiful.  

but even more so, was the wall of stars behind us. it was the most incredible display i've ever seen. thousands and thousands of stars twinkling. in my opinion, it could even rival the northern lights!

stars galore

it didn't even feel cold, even though the temperature was -14C. it's a dry cold up north and as long as you were dressed properly, you could be out for hours and it would be fine. (the hot drinks helped too) i had 5 layers on top, consisting of light, breathable tops, a sweater, a cardigan and snowboarding jacket. down below, i had on tights, thermals and snowboarding pants. and to top it off, a scarf, 2 pairs of ski socks, gloves and a toque. yes, i felt like the michelin man, but at least i was warm. 

our viewing came to an end around 2am. we boarded the buses, just a the northern lights began dissipating. it was a quite the successful viewing, despite my fears of the aurora activity level being forecasted as low to moderate. 

one of our tourguide told me that the aurora forecast is not always accurate and that it just gives an indication of what might possibly happen. but you don't know until you're out in the woods. it had been forecasted as low activity for days, when in actuality it had been consistently good viewing the past week. well, except for thursday night (the night before my arrival) when the aurora made its appearance at 130am, right when the tourists were getting back onto the buses. and even then, it was barely a visible streak. and that is why people normally book 3-5 night packages, to increase the odds of seeing the northern lights.

we had lucked out tonight. the aurora borealis greeted us right off the buses and stuck around for the entire time we were there. thank you nature.

**aurora borealis photos courtesy of peter and lillian

three

it all started at vancouver opera, 2009. i met a fella who would complement me in important ways.


we both like to take pictures


we both like to be outside in nature


we like our movies and aren't afraid to show it


we'll never outgrow halloween


we're suckers for four-legged friends


just some of the reasons why he is my heart

happy annibirdsary babe.

i am me. you are you.

what are the odds that you exist? that everything in your family history, back to the dawn of time, had to happen in order for you to become into being? when you look at the following infographic by dr. ali binazir and think about it, it really is mind-blowing.

by visually via

and that's just one person. the same thing has to happen to everyone else in one's life.

and that's why not only is it a miracle that i am here, but also, that things in the universe had to line up just right, in order for me to have sean in my life. it is a wondrous thing to appreciate.

happy anniversary babe.

fashion brilliance

this year's burberry prorsum fashion autumn 2012 show at london's fashion week was simply exquisite. everything about this show was stand-out amazing.

creative director christopher bailey and his team really outdid himself. i want everything in this collection. and i wouldn't mind the rain at all, if i was dressed in these clothes.

but dare i say it? the glorious music chosen for the show couldn't have been more purr-fect, rivaling even the designs in memorableness.



it could have been better - joan amatrading
walls - rae morris
numb - marina and the diamonds

for the finale, a sudden crack of lightning and then "rain" falling on the venue had even the most jaded fashionistas, up in a standing ovation. and the song that closed the show? one of my personal favourites - the cinematic orchestra's to build a home.

let there be northern lights

in less than a week, i'll be on my way to see the northern lights. the aurora borealis has been particularly active this year and with the moon being in a waxing crescent phase (the darkest time of the month), i'm really hoping that i'll be able to see them. i'm only in whitehorse for 2 nights, so i'm crossing my fingers and toes.



here are some pictures from the daily mail of recent auroras in yellowknife, northwest territories, which is the province right beside where i'm going.



here's a time-lapsed video of the aurora borealis in action in the yukon:



my friend mat who lived in norway and saw nightly aurora borealis, said that nothing can prepare you for seeing one in person. he said that however you might marvel at pictures or videos, it pales in comparison to the real thing.

oh here's hoping next week will prove to be active and visible.

japan is cool

this smile-inducing marketing campaign by ana airlines, makes me want to jump on a plane to japan. i'd love to go there right as the thousands of cherry blossom trees are blooming.

japan is one of the top places on my list to visit. perhaps next year...

school fieldtrip for adults

sean and i made a couple of attempts to go to the vancouver aquarium the past few months. but we were foiled time and again due to sudden inclement weather or too long of a line-up of parents and their children on the weekends. so when the aquarium hosted an adults only evening, to experience the peace and tranquility of their galleries, we jumped at the chance to go.

the sold out after hours event included special programming and behind-the-scenes tours in the tropic zone and canaccord exploration gallery. the wet lab was opened for hands-on learning, planet earth: from pole-to-pole in 4D was being screened in their theatre and the shark penthouse gallery, normally closed to visitors, was opened for our viewing pleasure.

i haven't been to the aquarium since i was a school girl, so it was practically a first-time experience for me. i was wowed by everything i saw. it's so serene that i could stay there for hours. there's so much to see and experience, that the 2 1/2hours that we were there, simply wasn't enough.

we got to see dolphins coming right up to the viewing windows of their tank. at every other window were stuffed dolphin animals which you could play with and try to get the dolphins attention to come to your window.

we also saw the beluga whales, a green sea turtle that looked about 100 years old, sharks, stingrays and a sea otter sleeping on its back while floating in the pool, with his hands clasped on his stomach. and a couple of stellar sea lions curling up with each other, making barking noises before going to sleep.



i got an eyeful of marine animals that i've never seen before, including a giant red octopus and tiny yellow eels that would poke its body up and down in the sand and a marine animal that reminded me of dinosaurs and evoked a "my goodness, what the heck is THAT?!" oh! and bats. lots of tiny little bats flying around in their habitat. i've never seen a bat in real life before. that was a real treat.

even the colourful cold-water corals were beautiful to look at.



some attendees treated the evening like a social event or a mixer. and since wine was being served, there were a couple of loud and obnoxious adults. but it certainly didn't spoil the fun, for the aquarium is HUGE enough to get lost in. i didn't feel crowded at all at this limited attendance event. for the most part, i think being at the aquarium brought out the wide-eyed, awestruck children in all of us. sans the tantrums, the screaming, the running around playing tag or jockeying to get up to the glass.

i loved everything about the evening but my absolute favourite thing were the jellyfishes, especially the moon jellyfishes. so ethereally beautiful.



watching pulsating jellyfishes is oh so, very calming.

the next after hours event is june 27. i think it's safe to say that we'll be going to that one too.

for more pictures and videos of the after hours event, press play or click here for my flickr.

colour me blonde

my teenage self squealed with delight last night when platinum blonde came to town. i've been a huge fan of platinum blonde since i was in high school. unfortunately, i was a young teen when they hit the scene and therefore unable to attend any of their gigs back then. but now, they've reformed after 20 years and with a new album being released this spring. turns out the band has been hitting some canadian dates as a warm-up to their world tour in the summer.

although i was seated in row 2 centre right, there was like 15 feet of dance floor in front of row 1. you know what means. rushed to the stage when the lights went down. and i was right up against the stage, clear view of the band. awesome.



i had braced myself for the fact that the band no longer looks like their videos. and it's the same like with every band i adored to bits from my youth. i mean, have you seen what the smith's robert smith looks like nowadays? or morrissey?

in fact, walking into the red robinson theatre out in coquitlam, was like walking into a 20 year high school reunion. tons of old ex-rockers and cougars on the prowl, as well as, misfits and nerd fanboys and girls. (that would be me). some people looked remarkably well preserved, while others, well, you could tell the years of partying took its toll. one asian woman wore a private school girl short skirt and clunky knee high boots with big hair. not to say i have anything against dressing like that, just don't delude yourself into thinking if you can pull that look off when you can't. i felt both old and young at the same time, being there.



and yes, singer mark holmes is older, heavier and more "rugged-looking" than his younger rockstar self, but i thought he was still pretty fit. (considering he's in his late 40s, i think) the rest of the band look like rocker dads, with bleached or frosted grown out mullet hair.



they sang all their hits, which we all sang and danced along to. and although the audience were late 30s to mid-40s in age, that didn't stop any groupie behaviour. some cougar actually flung her bra at them. another threw a pink sparkly scarf. erm, someone thinks they're still 20 something years old. and i betcha these women are mothers too. not judging, but no matter how crazy i am about a band, i could never bring myself to do that. being someone's muse far outweighs being someone's groupie to me.



the band was going to be available after the concert for autographing t-shirts and meeting the fans. i toyed with the idea but there was already a long-ass line-up after the show. my teenage self, i would've waited in line to meet them, speak to them, take a picture with them and leave with a big grin on my face. i don't need to do those first 3 things in order to have that big smile on my face now. i love them but i guess, i want to remain loving them from afar.

now if corey hart ever went on tour, i think my 80s canadian wishlist of concerts would be fulfilled.

the return of platinum blonde

still humming songs from last night's platinum blonde concert.

here's sad, sad rain, written by mark holmes about the rain in canada and how it reminds him of his birthplace in england.

our family portrait

when my relatives from san francisco came up here for a visit, my brother thought it'd be a good idea to take some family portraits of us all together. kent set up his livingroom, hung up the backdrop, brought out the big lights, camera and wireless remote timer. my mom and my aunt wanted some nice pictures that they can frame and put on display. let's see how we fared, shall we?

so of course we had to do the requisite sears studio-type portrait poses.


the ladies: kat, brianna, mum, aunt lisa and me


san fran and vancouver represent!

try as we might, we're not the stodgy sears studio portrait slash norman rockwell kinda of family. for right afterwards, we took this picture:


my mom doesn't pull faces. she's classy like that. we on the other hand...

then it was us kids' turns to take some pics, otherwise known as my descent into an uncontrollable laughing fit.

it all started with kent and his captain morgan pose. don't ask me why it set me off, but it did. and i devolved into hysterics. like tears rolling down my cheeks, trying to catch my breath laughing. and that quickly had kat, bri, my mom and aunt (off camera) in absolute stitches.


my descent into hysteria, captured every 3 seconds with the timer

take 2!


my valiant attempt at pulling myself together before failing spectacularly. i blame brianna this time.

finally! a photo our mom and aunt can be proud of.



course, we're prefer these ones to be framed!







this is one of my favourite pics of the kids: devin as a monkey boy. brianna as just a pair of legs.



sure, some of these pics may not be the most flattering pictures of myself, but screw it, it was spontaneous, fun and i laughed so hard my sides hurt, that i'm happy to share these unglamourous shots.

how about one more for the road?



my family, folks.

coming to a wall near you

so this is what i'd look like if i was grafitti'd to the side of a building. hopefully not located in some skid-row alley. and perhaps higher out of reach. i quite like the idea of passerbys having to look up to see me.

get yourself grafitti'd with fotofitti by amioli. choose a picture, pick the colour of your spray paint, decide on a wall wall, give your phone a little shake and psssssssftttt (cool sound effect), bam! you're banksy-fied.

are you game or not?

every once in a while i'll re-visit an old movie that i haven't seen for a long time. one of my favourite french movies is jeux d'enfants, or love me if you dare. i love everything about this movie: the colours, the music, the storybook-like narration. (which also reminds me of another favourite french film, amelie) jeux d'enfants is such a mad love story, filled with passion and ego, mistakes and being absolute fools in love.

this was also my first introduction to marion cotillard. before north american audiences knew her as edith piaf or playing opposite leonardo dicaprio in inception. and damn, besides being talented, guillaume canet and marion cotillard are one hot couple.

sean hadn't seen this movie yet, so i brought it with us on our galiano getaway and i think it's safe to say he liked it for all the same reasons i did.

but let's get back to the music. i'm a sucker for movie soundtracks, even more so when it's sweeping orchestral music that take you on a journey. which is why i love philippe rombi's love theme:



but it doesn't have to all be epic, it could whimsical, as expressed in the overture:



and of course, the different variations of la vie en rose which was featured throughout the movie, but interestingly enough, not edith piaf's original version. this one by the trio esperanca is my favourite version. i really dig the harmonizing of voices here.



with a soundtrack such as this, how can one not like the movie? it's the purr-fect fit for the mad love of sophie and julien. concrete lovers, together forever.