When it’s -15 on a Sunday, a snowboarding girl’s thoughts skip the slopes and turn to brunch. At Cassis, my favorite french bistro in Calgary, a Mimosa was merely a citrus starting point for a Croque Madame… accompanied by a Kir Royale – champagne with creme de cassis, bien sur. Earrings from The Artworks in Edmonton. Sweater: Hache from Beckley Boutique in LA.
Hopeful crocuses hint at spring. Ha! See you in May.
Meanwhile, fervor for fashion will have to keep us warm. Environmental scientist Andrea Douglas looking appropriately tres francaise et tres chic. Hat, Chapel Hats. Sweater, Club Monaco. Watch, Links of London. 
Everywhere you look in Calgary, even in the tony neighborhood of Mount
Royal, being true to your roots means staying true to your boots. xx
Mid January in Calgary: my boots sink deeper into the snow. But the snowshoe hare that keeps crossing my path doesn’t have the same problem.
The long feet that allow this bunny to skip along the surface of the snow were the inspiration for the original hardwood, rawhide snowshoes designed by indigenous peoples all across the snowy regions of North America. Don’t let the leather laces on my Vero Cuoio boots fool you — they have no such function. But since they were crafted in Italy, way beyond my rabbit’s turf, it all makes perfect sense. Ciao coniglio! 
Back in the TV news days I wore a lot of suits. Now, when one calls my name from the back of the closet, I like avoid looking too lawyered up. Mixing stripes and florals helped inject some whimsy into today’s fifty shades of grey. Blazer, Le Chateau. Sweater, BCBG Max Azria. Slacks, Veronique Branquinho. xx
Why am I smiling beside this abandoned church? Did Jesus just float by in a grilled cheese sandwich? More importantly, what am I wearing?
Earrings by Paloma Picasso. Same black coat from Paris. No idea on the hat, and scarf by my mom! I have a thousand of these scarves. Even if you’re deprived of a talented and knit-prolific mother, my point is this: you can wear the same jacket two days in a row, but a different color accent keeps it looking fresh… If you can handle fashion pointers from someone who forgets to put on lipstick before a photo. Maybe it came off while I ate the grilled cheese.
Making a style statement in Victoria Park, a neighborhood known for the historic brick buildings you see behind me. I was going to choose another picture taken ten seconds later, but decided to Keep It Real. What’s a picture of the streets of Calgary if it doesn’t include that white pickup that just rumbled by? Because while it might not always be white, there is always a pickup in the vicinity in Cowtown.
Sunglasses by Gucci. Coat from some place on the Champs-Elysées I can’t remember. Boots by Prada. Scarf with fox fur tails by my mom, with inspiration from Dolce & Gabbana, as seen on the left. Grazie mille Mom!
Back in Calgary, layering over-the-knee tights (look for OTK on the packaging when you’re shopping) on top of regular tights keeps me warm on the days I need to wear sweater dresses while chasing rabbits. Boots by Roots. xx
A quick trip to my hometown of Vancouver uncovered so many new places. The restaurants! The bars! The shops! Not to mention the scenery!! Excuse the effusiveness, I just read Tom Wolfe’s Back To Blood and his style is contagious. I couldn’t check out 99% of the places I wanted to (that’s an official numeric value I just made up) but… the random sampling of places I did get to proved just how cool lotus land is. As if I didn’t know.
The name of a Willie Nelson song, and strangely satisfying art in front of the Vancouver Public Library.
Happy, shiny Tiffany. Look at the post-purchase glow I have after finding this boutique:
Loft 82 on Granville Street downtown. There’s a few of these super-chic little shops sprinkled in cities north of the 49th parallel, including one of my old stomping grounds — hint: the airport code is YEG! Anyhow, I couldn’t resist:
Who doesn’t need a little wishbone action in their lives? Then, moseying into the Bay on Georgia Street, which recently had a big luxury upgrade that I -ahem- didn’t really notice, I was distracted by this:
An entire area devoted to selling Nespresso. The coffee that Penelope Cruz is currently bringing sexy to on TV. I had to try it.
Those little individual espresso containers are an environmental disaster, but Dios mio! My instant Dulsao do Brasil was soooo good.
Everywhere I turned, I found a new store that had just opened. Nineteen Ten on Main street sold gorgeous home accessories…
Don’t set your heart on that owl bottle opener, because he went home with me.
Such a short trip! But I did manage to visit Horseshoe Bay. It’s a sleepy, small neighborhood – a nice little stop if you’re on the way up to Whistler or about to catch a ferry to Bowen, Nanaimo or the Sunshine Coast.
For some clam chowder with a view of the harbor, try Olive+Anchor. Formerly YaYa’s Oyster Bar, their comfort food will warm you up on one of those damp, grey Vancouver days.
They arrive in crazy green camper vans.
Just a theory I’m working. Look for more on this camper van in future posts. Because… I love it!! H&M puffy jacket. Roots scarf. xx
