I know, I know. It’s a week in to June and I’m just getting around to writing this. In my defence; I’m planning my wedding, a trip to Italy this month, working and keeping up with everyday life.  You know how it is.  Excuses aside.  Here are the things I loved and am loving from the month of May.

 

Cypress Falls 

Cypress Falls hiking trail is in West Vancouver about a 40 minute drive from Vancouver where I live.  Some mistake it for Cypress Mountain, a nearby ski resort but it’s a totally different spot, further down Hwy 1, close to Horseshoe Bay. We drove up on the Friday of the May long weekend and were happily surprised to basically have the trails and forest to ourselves aside from 2 other people we crossed paths with.  A 3km trail takes you deep into a temperate rainforest,  moss covered and cooler than the warmer temperature in the parking lot.  The trail takes you along the edge of a deep canyon then steeply up to a view of the first falls.  Nestled deep in the rocks and surrounded by towering trees. The water was rushing hard perhaps from the spring thaw. We stopped to catch our breaths after the climb and take pictures and video then continued up, up, up, out of the forest and onto a service road that you follow for about 1/2 a km and joins you again with the trail that re-enters the forest to the most breath-taking view of the upper falls.  To get to Cypress Falls head westbound along Highway #1 and take Exit #4 to Woodgreen Drive / Caufield Drive. At the stop sign, turn right onto Woodgreen Drive and continue along the road as it bends to the left and heads up a hill. Turn right at the third street on your right called Woodgreen Place. The gravel driveway at the end of the street leads to the parking lot and the trailhead. 

Hocus Pocus And The All New Sequel Book

This totally made my month!  Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel book, coming out July 10th is divided into two sections. The first half is the original story we’ve all loved since 1993.  Max Denison moves to Salem from L.A with his family and embarks on an adventure one Halloween night after lighting the black flame candle and reviving the Sanderson sisters, hanged 300 years before for Witchcraft.  Max, his sister Dani and crush Allison must rid the town of the evil sisters before they suck the lives out of all the children in Salem.  The second half of the book takes us 25 years later. Max and Allison are married and have a 17-year-old daughter named Poppy.  When Halloween celebrations don’t quite go as planned, it’s a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches’ latest vile scheme.

I’ve already pre-ordered my copy and it arrives just 3 days after I get home from Italy. Oh I’m so excited!

The Secret Supper

I came across a blog in May called Adventures in Cooking written by food photographer Eva Kosmas Flores. I don’t think I’ve read much more than this blog since. Based in Oregon, Eva writes about life on the farm she shares with her husband, cooking and an amazing event she hosts called The Secret Supper.  Each event is held at a different place, sometimes in nature, other times at Instagram worthy locations. Your $200 ticket gets you a 5 course meal including wine pairings and cocktails. The location is kept secret (hence the name) until 24 hours before it begins.  The only information you get upon purchasing a ticket is the general area it will be held in so that you can travel there if necessary and find accommodation.  I love this idea and would love to host one.  I wonder if Eva would consider a secret supper on a remote beach on Vancouver Island or a mountain top in British Columbia.  Something to think about.

Beauty

I probably should have been a makeup artist or cosmetician because boy do I read a lot about makeup and skin care and hair care and everything beauty.  I’m very indulgent when it comes to self-care. I love to pamper myself and sometimes, honestly have more fun getting ready for a party than being at the party itself.  Burt’s Bees launched a makeup line last Fall but I just recently came across it at the grocery store of all places. I purchased 2 lip colours and am in love with them. They are really creamy and come in gorgeous shades. I chose 2 nude shades as I love a nude lip and find it easier to wear throughout the week. The best thing is they’re all natural.  Speaking of which, Garnier released a new hair masque with 98% natural ingredients. They come in small pots that hold about 2-3 applications which make them perfect for a carry on bag and the banana scent is my fave.  Last but not least. Almay’s new blushers. I’ve been using the peach shade which is really 5 shades when blended together give the skin a cheery flush of peach and golden highlight.

Bride and Groom Lego

My sister-in-law included this adorable Lego set in my stocking last Christmas and I hadn’t gotten around to putting it together.  I finally did and it’s so cute, don’t you think?

Home Sweet Home

May was a month for inspiration and I used it to purchase a few finishing touches to make our home feel fresh and cozy.  We even had a housewarming party (even though we moved in in March) to show off our new furniture and gorgeous downtown views.  Being a homebody, filling the home with things I love to see and be around is important.  These are a few of the small touches I added.

Magical Moments 

On May 26th we went to see Bon Iver at Deer Lake Park.  My nephew came up from Seattle with his girlfriend. We packed blankets and bought snacks at the food trucks and  spent the afternoon listening to this amazing talent. At one moment he was playing a beautiful song on the piano and suddenly a formation of Canada geese flew right overtop the crowd and over the stage. Bon Iver pointed it out then cracked a funny joke but it was quite magical the contrast of thousands of humans attending a concert and nature going on as usual right above us. I’ll never forget it.

And this my dear friends concludes another Favourites blog.  I hope you’ve enjoyed them and if you have anything you are loving that you’d like to share by all means. Drop me a line and until next time.

Love,

Jennifer