Vancouver 2012

It was a bit of whirlwind but I did manage to fit in a bit of vacation into a summer that has been all about work.

When one of my very best friends - Shannon - invited me out to her intimate summer wedding to fiancé Joe, I didn't hesitate in confirming I would be there no matter what. And while I did only arrive in Vancouver early in the morning on the very day of her wedding, I still made it, and summoned the strength to fight through some exhaustion and jet-lag to enjoy a truly wonderful day with my friend. A truly wonderful,impossibly "sunny" day in Vancouver at that.

I had booked last minute and managed to secure an affordable room at the hipster-friendly hotel The Burrard. For $180 (tax-in) per night I scored a clean, stylish room on the third floor of a renovated classic 50's motel. A basic room design with modern touches and a big white duvet-covered bed. Free wireless, bottled water and an in-room espresso machine were wonderful touches. And while I didn't take advantage, the hotel also has free cruiser bikes that can be borrowed for the day to perhaps visit nearby English Bay or Stanley Park. I would highly recommend this hotel for its great location, awesome customer service and affordable prices. I'll definitely stay there again on my next visit.

So how did I spend my three day trip? Well, day one was all about the Bride and Groom starting with a most picturesque ceremony at the beautiful Hycroft Manor. This was followed by wines and nibbles in the private cellar at Salt, located on Blood Alley in Gastown.

The next day was a chill one with a ride on the Aquabus, a good hangover lunch of burgers at Cat Social House and a lazy walk around Granville Island market. All the out-of-town wedding guests met up for a delicious dinner at Central Bistro to close out the evening.

On my last day, I went for a great brunch at Acme Cafe before making my way back to the East Coast. Stay sunny Vancouver - I'll see you again soon.

Spring Break Cancun

While I was in St.Maarten, I got a text from my younger brother Matthew asking if I wanted to get away for his Spring Break from University. His vacation plans had fallen through and he needed a vacation buddy. I'm always game for a last minute adventure so two days after I returned from St.Maarten, I was back on a plane to Cancun.

Yes, Cancun. For Spring Break. At thirty eight years old.

Surprisingly I fared well for an old gal. Matt and I made friends with some fellow travelers and had some fun dinners and beach time. We also hit up some clubs, did the Senor Frogs and Coco Bongo thing and did a snorkeling excursion to nearby Isla Majeures. We stayed at the Grand Oasis Palm - which was a nice place with the exception of the rooms. No hotel room should have a bedspread. Yuck. It stayed in the closet. But the food, service and pools were really nice. The beach kinda sucked. But all-in-all. it was a lovely time and we got one hell of a deal on the trip. And...most importantly...it wasn't snowing there!

Back to the Beach

On a sunny (but cold) morning of February 6th, my gorgeous little nephew, Byron Robert, made his entrance into the world. After spending some time with him during his first week, Auntie Janine decided to make her way back to St.Maarten for more beach time. Named after a famous beach town himself (Byron Bay, Australia), I knew Byron would understand that the sun and sea were calling to me.

February is the best time of the year to travel south from Canada, with all kinds of great deals available for sunny destinations. And when you are jobless during a Canadian winter, really, is there anything else to do?

Once again I stayed in Maho Village and ventured out to a few of my favourite spots and checking out a couple of new ones including Karakter - a cool beach club outfitted with a cafe in a bus - and also Mullet Beach, a beautiful, calm beach walkable from Maho Village.

Another great relaxing trip to my favourite island!

Caribbean Christmas

After a month back in Toronto catching up with family and friends and relaxing in my home, I knew it was time to get away for some sunshine and a beach. I left for an all-inclusive in St.Maarten on Christmas morning and was happy to arrive in the warmth of the sun just 4 hours later.

As you likely know, St.Maarten is one of my favourite places to visit...a wonderful mix of Caribbean and European cultures with the most gorgeous beaches. I spent my week relaxing, gambling (winning more often than not!) and making a few new friends along the way. So when New Years day rolled in and I was supposed to get on a plane to go home - I decided to stay, and kick the new year off right. I mean, why not? I had no job to go back to. Might as well continue to ride the wave.

Some highlights of this trip - the always perfect beach at Baie Rouge topped off with the hand-made cocktails made from fresh fruit and delicious barbecue from Chez Raymond. Perfection. Also - fun trips around the island with the tunes cranked and stops in the fab little town of Grand Case for yummy food at the Lolo's. Lazy days at the pool, winning nights at the casino, some pampering at the spa...an all-round perfect get-away. So good that I went back again six weeks later. But that's another story for another day.