Paris, je t'aime

This is the apartment version of The Secret Garden. This is like my dream! Can you imagine stumbling across an apartment like this that has remained untouched for 70 years!

The owner moved away in 1940 but kept up the payments even though no one was living there, until passing away this last year when it was finally discovered. Makes me want to get lost in Paris and buy lots and lots of pretty things!

See more photos here

Images via Apartment Therapy

Flying Solo - Week Thirteen

Hey Ghosts n Goblins!

Spooky greetings to you this Friday before Halloween.

I drove past a school on its lunch break today and got to see the kids in their costumes - it was really cute and made me smile.

Personally I'm kinda glad to say goodbye to October - the last few weeks have been eerily slow - not what a solo entrepreneur wants! I did have a session at the beginning of the week, made contact with a video game company, sent recordings from my studio and went to another Meetup group - but somehow all that didn't feel like "enough".

In my ideal world I want to be booking sessions and recording every day - but that isn't reality just yet. I'm trying to "keep the faith" as Bon Jovi would say, and remember that "the work of voice over is getting the work" as Harlan Hogan, prolific VO artist would say.

I know I need to be patient, but my little inner voice keeps asking: Why can't it all just be easy?? Do you ever think that?

Well, maybe one day, but right now I think a mini Oh Henry might be the one sure way to smile. That or a nap. Mmmmm....nap.

Have a great Halloween weekend mes amis - I'm gonna be dressing up like Where's Waldo with a bunch of peeps - see if you can find us!

Happy Haunting!
xo

A new twist on some old Tales

Having been an English Literature Major in University I read my fair share of classics (even though my mom could not believe I had never read Wuthering Heights, which I have now!). So when these new hybrid of books which are “collaborations” between Jane Austen and contemporary writers came along I was all over checking it out, especially after having read both Sense + Sensibility and Pride + Prejudice during my school days. Much like amusical “mash-up” these expanded texts combine material that at first seem to be complete opposites and somehow make it work.

While in the midst of a heart-to-heart Ms. Dashwood & Ms. Steele are accosted

by the dreaded fang beast

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy find love while slaying zombies

Both classic Jane Austen tales are given a twist with the introduction of additional text that adds to and oddly compliments the original text. Adventures involving Zombies and the butt-kicking Bennett sisters and Sea Monsters and the lovelorn Dashwood girls are seamlessly interwoven with Austen’s original material. Ben H. Winters adds the deadly aggressive sea monsters to Sense + Sensibility, and Seth Grahame Smith litters Pride + Prejudice with man eating zombies.

I recommend giving these a read whether you are familiar with the originals or not!

Wedding Wednesdays - On the Hunt for Bridal Accessories

Finding the perfect details to round out your bridal look for your big day can be a challenge. The search for the right pair of earrings, fascinator or clutch to compliment your appearance can become an arduous quest that you didn’t bargain for, especially when you’re in the midst of all the other wedding preparations. I would suggest finding the main piece to your bridal outfit first, THE DRESS! That is a hunt in itself and can set the tone not only for your look, but the wedding itself (this is a piece of clothing with some serious power and influence!). Unless you happen upon the necklace of your dreams and want to build your style around that piece, going the route of the dress first I think is the way to go. Your dress choice can then guide you in finding the right compliments, fitting both in style, i.e. vintage, glamour, eco-chic, and degree i.e. a highly embellished gown may not need a lot of accessories.

It’s always helpful to browse the bridal mags and blogs for ideas and signature styles that can help you figure out what compliments could work best. They often advertise local and online vendors that are selling accessories like jewelry, head pieces, shoes etc. There are numerous specialty stores in Greater Vancouver like Jeweliette, which has a collection of glamorous jewellry and accessories, and Blue Ruby Jewellry, whose seven retail locations in the Lower Mainland showcase international jewellry designers. Portobello West Fashion and Art Market and the One of Kind Show and Sale are also great locations to peruse. Many local bridal shops also have a selection of complimentary pieces from various suppliers which are worth a gander. Some great online vendors I’ve come across (ah, the beauty and ease of purchasing online!) include: Etsy.com, where you can find a marvelous myriad of handmade items from designers around the globe; Lo Boheme.com, which has some whimsical vintage inspired head gear from fascinators and head bands to custom made pieces; and By Ropena.com with an array of head piece designs from exotic to 19th century renaissance inspired.

When in doubt always get a family member or friend to help you in your search…and if they happen to have an eye for style even better! And if you’re creative and love DIY projects, an accessory designed and made by you or a loved one can make that bracelet or shawl hold extra special meaning.

Best of luck accessorizing you brides-to-be out there!

Pretty Blossoms for Autumn

If you've got a party coming up, or want to add a little springtime feel to your home through the dark days of Fall and Winter, try this paper project found on Apartment Therapy.

With some branches, tissue paper, scissors, tape, time (and maybe a bottle of wine) - you've got yourself a sweet centrepiece. I think this would be fun to do with friends - maybe throw yourselves an "it will be Spring again one day" party! Directions found here.

More trash than treasure

As mentioned by myself and Jenny C this weekend we ventured out to the Vancouver Flea market, but not before loading up on brunch at Timbre on Commercial Drive .We thought it would be fun to do a bit of a joint post, a mini-conversation of sorts. Here are some thoughts from each of us on our trip to the Flea Market:

Jenny: "For the most part I thought the flea market was dusty and scammy. Scammy meaning that prices at more than a few tables seemed inflated, and some vendors were definitely overstating the value of their wares. I didn't dig that. If you're looking for something specific though, have a pretty good idea of what its value is, and are prepared to barter - then go for it, but be ready to get a little dusty in your hunt to uncover some retro treasures."

Sonia: “I’m disappointed to say that I was rather unimpressed with the Vancouver Flea Market. Overall market presentation was very poor with many vendors having items piled high on top of each other making their wares uninviting to look through. It really looked like a bad garage sale on steroids! There were a few standout vendors that had their items well displayed and categorized, particularly vendors selling collectibles like video games, records and figurines. Prices also left much to be desired. Instead of the bargains I was anticipating, I found many items to be overpriced and very few vendors interested in actually making a sale. On the whole, market ambiance was dissatisfying with low lighting, unfriendly vendors, shady characters and little action, which paled to the vibrant market feel I was expecting. Recommended to die hard collectors who know what they’re looking for or handy technicians looking for used tools.”

Jess: “Ditto and ditto to what Jen and Sonia have said. My mine inspiration for wanting to go to the flea market is from other bloggers who showcase their amazing finds at their local flea markets, but Vancouver’s flea market had more trash than treasures. However, on a better note, despite a new waitress (who was obviously flustered and very nice and apologetic) and some under done eggs, Timbre was a good choice for brunch. I love their space with the loft like ceilings with the plants dripping down and my crab cake benny was very satisfying with a nice little kick of spice in it.”

Flying Solo - Week Twelve

Bonjour mes amis!

It's Friday, I'm streaming the new Kings of Leon album as I write this, and I've got a major audition this afternoon - happy days!

How's your Friday going? Any tantalizing plans for the weekend? A bunch of us gals are heading for an exploration of the Vancouver Flea Market on Saturday - so we'll let you know next week how that was & if it's worth checking out.

Another cool thing I tried for the first time this week is heading to a Meetup group. Meetup is a site that allows users to search, create and/or join groups of people that are meeting up for different reasons - from finding fellow scooter enthusiasts, or people that love brunch, to entrepreneurs looking to meet fellow business people. Try it out - you might find a fun group you'd like to join!

I went to a monthly meetup of the Vancouver Grassroots Business Association - they have a free meeting every month, with different speakers addressing all kinds of biz related topics. This month's speaker was Danielle Laporte, an evocative and inspiring woman. Danielle had a lot of great nuggets of wisdom for business people - and if you're interested, I encourage you to check out her site White Hot Truth.

Ok peeps time for me to get rehearsing. Please wish me luck for this audition - it's going down at 2:45 PST, so if you could send me some "knock-em-dead-with-your-awesomeness" vibes at that time, thank you!!

Have a quirky, cozy weekend!
xo