Vancouver weekend

We recently spent a weekend in Vancouver...
attended the AGM for the cottage strata, shopped, walked, enjoyed lunches and dinners out.
We also met up with friends we knew when my husband attended school over there...
we have kept in touch...over 40 years!

The view from our hotel.

A wee bit of snow on Grouse Mountain.

We did not stop for tea...

We opted for a Chinese dinner at a small restaurant on Robson Street 

after our afternoon walk and shopping.

The food was delicious and obviously a popular spot with the locals 

as there was a steady line up outside the door.

A fresh new candle...

and a few goodies in the bags.

Some loose tea...

A refill for my Hermes fragrance.

Mr. HB bought his Hermes scent as well.

We dined at an Italian restaurant called Cin Cin and the food was amazing!

Grilled lettuce with pancetta...

a WOW moment for this Hostess!

It was actually more like a "Meg Ryan" moment.

(the scene from When Harry Met Sally!)

Mr. HB enjoyed Osso Bucco

and I opted for the lamb chops with lentils.

NOM NOM NOM

A single bloom in the bathroom packed a powerful pop of colour.

We enjoyed our weekend getaway in the big city!

We will be busy getting ready for Christmas here in The Humble Bungalow.

The wreath has been hung on the front door 

inspired by the Country Living Christmas issue there will be more festive touches coming soon.

Hope that you are enjoying your week.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Fragrance from Paris France ~ Rose

I've recently been introduced to a French fragrance by Roger and Gallet...
The company has been in business since 1862 and is located on the chic Rue Saint-Honore in Paris.

Their Rose fragrance is light, subtle and soft and is based on the Gallica Rose with notes of Rose Damascena. I feel very feminine when I wear it and it is perfect for daytime or anytime for that matter!

The gift set that I purchased consists of 50 ml shower gel, 50 ml body lotion and 100 ml of Rose "Fragrant Well being Water" was surprisingly affordable...
under $50.

Pretty pink packaging...

Do you love roses?

I am absolutely passionate about fragrant roses. 

I'd rather have one bloom that is fragrant over dozens and dozens of non scented roses. 

What scent do you wear?

Do you have a signature scent that you have worn for many years

or

do you like to mix it up and try new ones?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

Hope you have a lovely weekend and have time to stop and smell the roses!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Riotous Roses in The Humble bungalow Garden...Home Sweet Home!

Fragrant mauve phlox, a volunteer plant in our garden.

Roses on the arbour...

Constance Spry and Paul's Lemon Pillar climbing Roses intertwined together

a marriage that gets better every year.

I've got loads of deadheading to do...

and I plan to pick a bouquet to bring indoors.

We have been away on a road trip to Cranbrook BC this past week 

to meet up with family for a celebration of life.

It was a great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery of BC...

we rarely travel long distances by car

as we usually fire up the Sea Ray and head out on The Salish Sea...

or catch the ferry to our cottage.

We are home,

the cats are happy

they have been tended by a  house and cat sitter

and 

we are nestled into our comfy sofas.

Happy to be HOME!

Hope you have enjoyed seeing the garden roses...

they keep us busy but they do provide us with an amazing display....

and their fragrance is intoxicating.

People stop and sniff the blooms out front when they walk by our bungalow!

 ~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Renewal: refreshed, recharged, re-energized and "retail-ed!"

The past weekend was full to the brim with simple joys and bright moments which have left me feeling energized.
I have come out of a dark mood and into the light...

My morning cafe creme routine starts with counting my blessings,
I sit quietly reflecting on all the good things in life embracing and adopting the attitude of gratitude to set the tone for the day. I have found this to be very powerful and it changes the way that I see and interpret life events.

Mr HB and I walked in Chinatown...through Fan Tan Alley.

Victoria's Fan Tan Alley

My husband took me out for lunch at The Fan Tan Cafe, a popular Chinese food restaurant in our city's historic chinatown. It was busy, the service was great and we sipped our tea and chatted while we waited for our food. The food was not "totally WW friendly" (noodles were involved!) but the seafood chow mien was chock full of veggies which were so lightly cooked that they were still rich in colour, crisp and delicious.

Here's my fortune cookie and the fortune inside...

I did a wee bit of shopping at the Fan Tan Home Decor and Style shop.

A black dress by Angela Mara made in Italy.

Soft, cozy and the fabric is heavy enough that it does not cling but skims the body which is just the way I like a dress to fit.

It feels like a warm hug.

It was 50% off so I pounced on it and I said YES to the dress!

I plan to keep my eye on this shop as they have quite a few styles that I like.

I wore it out to dinner on Saturday evening when we dined with friends.

This lovely bouquet was a thoughtful gift from my nearest and dearest friend.

She bought it from those darling gals who run Thorn and Thistle Flowers.

They carry such pretty flowers and their plants are amazing...

our Christmas Amaryllis is an indication of their high quality plants.

They sell other things too and now offer coffee and treats

and they now located are in my old neighbourhood.

Sunday I cleaned house and went for my walk.

I opened a new bar of fragrant Verbena soap 

 it is currently scenting our main bathroom.

This soap was from my Mom's condo...

she loved the Verbena scent but she never used it as she loved her Pears soap.

While on the topic of fragrance and scents...

It was time to open a new scented candle.

This one was in the box from 

My Stylish French Box.

I am busy trying to finish my latest knitting project so that I can start my new one!

Have you got a project on the go?

Hope that your week ahead is positive

and filled with 

 lightness and cheer.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Pops of colour...

Autumn is a lovely time of year for enjoying the colours.

I wear mostly blacks and greys 

so I can see here with this example of contrast 

that a spot of colour

may be in order!

The pumpkin patch was full of families this Sunday.

Many local farmers grow pumpkins and they also offer hayrides, hot chocolate and some even have corn mazes.

I just love the field of orange pumpkins!

A sea of orange...

It is lovely when one discovers a magazine that has well written and informative articles.

one that has a balance of 

fashion

style

travel 

people 

homes

gardens

Today I am cozying up in my newest linen scarf...

no pop of orange today 

instead

I am wearing a red lipstick 

which is helping to liven up my OOTD.

L'Oreal on the far left # 315 True Red

followed by

a spritz of Le Labo Rose 31 and I am ready.

Hope you have a great week!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September is a great time to curate one's closet.

September is a time of change...

the summer season is slipping away
fall is in the air
fresh starts, new beginnings
and a burst of colour in the foliage of the trees.

A great time to start some projects,
take a class,
shop for accessories,
clean out the closet
declutter the pantry
get rid of expired medications
polish boots, shoes and handbags.

Take stock of what is hanging in the closet...
what clothes get worn, what clothes do not feel right when worn.
Time to "observe trends" that may be in the magazines, on blogs, in the shops.
Can you rework what you have in your closet?
How about pairing separates in a fresh new way?

Perhaps it is time for re-evaluating one's personal style
how our current lifestyle might affect the clothes that we keep
those that we may donate, consign or hand down...

What new things could thrill or inject energy to what we have and love?
Vintage pieces?
Classics?
Boho?
What "speaks" to your inner muse?

Can you kick it up a notch?
Is it a genuine representation of your personal style?
Does it feel real or do you feel like you are wearing a "costume."

Shop at the charity and consignment shops for a splash of colour,
find something a bit unusual...a scarf, a belt, a bag are great pieces that don't have to break the budget and are ways to add a punch of colour or texture or style.
Have fun!

The least expensive accessory that I purchased so far this season is a lipstick.

L'Oreal trio...

The new kid on the block is #315 True Red

It is the first red that I have purchased since I was in Paris.

It will be fun wearing this shade with my crisp white shirt and jeans.

I have a lot of black and grey garments and this pop of colour will brighten up my pale complexion.

I've received numerous compliments on the Rose 31 scent by Le Labo.

Layering products makes a fragrance last longer so I phoned Nordstrom and ordered the Rose 31 lotion yesterday.

Wearing a new scent and a red lipstick is giving me a psychological boost.

Have you found anything new and exciting for the new season?

Une Femme has some new lipstick shades 

coincidentally I was working on this post when I read her blog post!

Great minds think alike!

The WW regime is really paying off...

almost 10 pounds down.

I am not hungry and have been pleased with how my clothes are fitting.

More energy and better sleep patterns have been wonderful side effects.

My skin has started to glow...

I think it must be all the water that I am drinking 

plus the variety of colourful vegetables and fruits on the menu...

less red meat 

a bit of fish, lean free range chicken and organic eggs.

What are you reading right now?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Roses and the quest for the perfect scent...remembering Mom.

Humble Bungalow Garden Roses

Pepper seems to enjoy their fragrance.

Samples of rose fragrances sent from the Vancouver Nordstrom store.

The list of rose scented samples that I am testing and there are more suggested by readers of the blog.

Chester enjoying the box that held the samples.

William Shakespeare and Jude the Obscure 

David Austin roses from the Humble Bungalow Garden.

If I could bottle these scents I would.

I had a weepy day yesterday.

It was a combination of things...

the noise from the construction next door.

Power tools and the jack hammering of the road out in front of our bungalow 

I was thinking a lot about MOM and how much I miss having her around.

I have been frequenting some of our favourite spots:

The Willows tea room

W&J Wilson

The Esplanade

Nar bistro

Matticks Farm

Adrienne's Tea Garden

Barbara's Boutique in Sidney

This just brings it closer to home that she's gone and so I had a wee bit of a meltdown.

Fortunately my husband understood and he listened while I talked and wept.

There will be more days like this of that I am sure...

 I'll let the feelings flow along with the tears.

How's your week going?

Thanks for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

A new colour for my Fall and Winter Wardrobe...and shopping for a new perfume.

Last week after the stonemason finished his work I decided I needed to get out of the bungalow for a bit of fresh air and sunshine and clear my head of cobwebs.

The list of errands for the week had multiplied and filled an entire page on my notepad so it was a great opportunity to get some things accomplished and then go for a walk.

First stop, the pharmacy on Oak Bay Avenue...
I was running low on my Avenue products and my lipstick.
The friendly staff and great stock keep me coming back and I love chatting with the two gals at the cosmetics counter. They have so much experience between them and their knowledge when it comes to skincare is the best!

On our boat holiday I tripped going up the dock and scraped my knee quite badly on the metal grate that helps boaters from slipping in wet weather. It was a nasty abrasion that required diligent cleaning, antibiotic cream and band aids.
My excuse is that I was wearing flip flops and somehow took a misstep...
it occurred in front of a patio full of evening diners...so not only was I hurt
but my ego was bruised and I was embarrassed. I scurried away quickly blood dripping down my shin.

The antibiotic cream helped but I could see that once the scabs came off that there would probably be some scarring. I was advised by one of the gals that Avene make a product specifically for healing called Cicalfate and she advised me to apply it three times every day and it should minimize, if not prevent, scarring...so I bought a tube and will see how it works.

I also needed to buy some birthday cards...

Picked up the latest Country Living UK from Ivy's books and there I got to chat with Heidi who shares the same taste in books and she suggested a few new titles for me...one which I purchased right away as she was so excited that she is on the 3rd book by the author.

I went for a walk a little farther along the Avenue to Newport by Windsor Park and popped some cheques in the mail...

here's where things went a little sideways!

I hadn't actually planned on buying any clothes...

but there was a 50% off rack out front and a SALE sign in the window

 that's what initially lured me inside.

I tried on a few things and then I spied this Betty Barclay blush pink down vest for Fall.

It's reversible.

It will be super cozy when the temperature dips and I love a vest for layering over tees.

My favourite L'Oreal lipstick Pink Peony and Bobbi Brown's pink blush in Antigua 

will help pull this all together this fall when I wear this vest.

New fragrance samples arrived from Holt Renfrew.

With my love of roses I decided that I might like to wear the scent 

So I am on the hunt for a rose perfume...

First contenders are by Jo Malone

Red Roses

Rose and Oud

Next to try are Le Labo's Rose 31

Frederick Malle Une Rose

Diptyque eau rose

Acqua di Parma Rose Nobile

surely there will be a rose fragrance out there that I can wear.

It will be fun to try something completely different.

What fragrance are you wearing?

Do you stick to one scent or do you dabble in others?

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

The last "Mother's Day" with Mom.

May morning vista from a walk in Oak Bay.

My sister and I got up early

and soon found ourselves dressed and ready to head out the door.

Yesterday was a very important day for my sister and I

 as we said our final goodbyes to to our Mom.

We spread Mom's ashes

enjoyed massages

dined in The Snug

drank a few flutes of bubbly 

swam in the outdoor mineral pool several times.

The Buddha Bowl was amazing!

Mango, tofu, veggies atop quinoa

drizzled with a soy sauce balsamic reduction...

this is so tasty that I am planning to find an excuse to go back very soon!

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel is opulent and elegant 

very well appointed which provides the ultimate in comfort...

beautifully located

on the edge of the shoreline looking east to the San Juan Islands.

The mineral pool was so inviting and warm...

we swam twice on Monday and once today. 

This is the view that overlooks McNeil Bay

a few short blocks from the house where I grew up.

The snow capped mountains of the Olympic Range in Washington State.

Freighters use the international shipping lanes located in Juan de Fuca Strait.

Trial Island and the lighthouse are a short boat ride from shore.

The currents in this narrow passage can be fierce...

they are often referred to as rip tides.

My uncle Owen used to be the lighthouse keeper.

My aunt, uncle and cousins spent quite a few years on the island.

My cousins were home schooled and there was a supply ship that delivered their groceries.

There were some amazing stories of sea rescues. 

The Ham radio was the essential lifeline...

which linked my family to the boats, the Coast Guard and others in Victoria.

If you look closely you will see the Native flowering camas

which is happily growing in the Garry Oak Meadow and rocky outcroppings.

Memories and thoughts are often jogged by scenery...

the power of suggestion is so powerful

that it can transport us back to the past.

The neighbourhood where I grew up has changed quite a lot.

Houses, new and modern, are mixed with the traditional and the heritage styles.

The workers next door are building the forms 

for the foundations of the new homes under construction.

The sounds of saws and nail guns repeating are louder than the drone of the bees or the hummingbirds staccato chatter.

It has not been as invasive as I first expected...

or perhaps

I am getting accustomed to the noise.

Muguet des bois in The Humble Bungalow Garden 

is thick with fragrant blooms.

A handful of flowers popped into an icy vase

make a room fresher

and more beautiful.

These wee white bonnets are so delicate and dainty...

perhaps the loveliest of May flowers in our garden.

My sister and I may make an annual pilgrimage to the OBBH and Spa

sometime close to Mother's Day 

to celebrate our Mom

share memories and relax.

I had never heard of this book.

 I saw it on the shelf at the book sellers on Pender Island...

and was immediately intrigued by the description on the inside cover.

It is a delightful story...

easy to read and very entertaining.

It's "light enough" to be considered a Beach Book

and very hard to put down.

Fingers crossed it is a quiet week...

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow.

XO