Dear Little Bean...

The first time we saw you!

We are due to meet you in exactly one month today! You are sure busy in my tummy and I can't explain how much I am dying to hold you. Having you with me this whole time has been the most amazing experience I've ever had. You've made me feel the most human I have ever felt, and you have given me a great calmness and the most understanding I've ever had of humankind. I am so nervous and excited at the same time about your arrival.... I know how safe and warm you are in there and the world will be a huge adjustment but like me you will love it because life is a gift.

You've made the holiday season extra special for me and your dad this year! I guess it's the extra LOVE we feel for you. It's like an explosion! And you are the biggest and most wonderful gift we'll receive in the new year or ever for that matter. You are literally the creation and perfect combination of two people that are meant for eachother. How lucky are we!

All our love,

Mommy and Daddy

sunny day for a sunny occasion!

I had my baby shower on the weekend, that my sister Marlis graciously hosted at her gorgeous home. It was a bright sunny day for a December day. She decorated the living room in simple yellow, green and white flowers. A table flourished with delicious afternoon snacks, surrounded by cute little rubber duckies, an adorable watermelon carriage, and of course a diaper cake! My beautiful nieces were ready for the party too as they tried to help themselves to the fruit punch.

In attendance was a dozen of the loveliest people, missing was my little sister Santana and my sister in-law Karin, but they sent our little bean a little something too!

We started out with a game of  "Fill in the Nursery Rhyme". I was embarrased that I didn't know most of them, I am definetely the queen of making up my own lyrics. My mother in law Nicki, an elementary school teacher won the game and a bottle of wine (she knew she had it in the bag!). The funnest part of the game was the lyrics everyone made up... one of best ones was Anna's " Peter peter pumpkin eater, had a wife and couldn't please her."

The next game was "Guess mommy's tummy's size", and most everyone had their ribbons way too long! I guess my tummy looks bigger than it is, in the end there was a winner, my friend Kristy nailed it, almost perfect.

And then it was time for presents!!! I was overjoyed with the beautiful gifts I received for baby and me. I felt so lucky. Marlis also had a blank frame with bordering around it for everyone to write a little message to the baby. So wonderful!

We ended the shower with Marlis' delicious strawberry shortcake dessert, served elegantly in wine glasses, just in time as the sun went down. So we packed up all the goodies in my car to take home, as I imagined all the lovely items to put in the nursery, the cute outfits to hang in the closet, that soon enough I'll be putting on my precious little baby. 

Thank you Marlis for the perfect day to start off this amazing journey.
Love you,  Lora, Daddy Brett, and Baby "Bean"

Brett and Belly

Nursery Fever

I remember when we first got pregnant I thought it was gonna be a long while until it was appropriate for me to start creating and decorating our baby nursery, but all of a sudden it's time, and I'm so excited!
The one thing we knew for sure is that we didn't want our nursery to look like a circus, an overload of colors and uncessary things. Since the beach is our most favorite place, we think it's the perfect theme and inspriration for a blissful space for our little one. Using calm colors with a hint of bright accents, decorations from corals and shells to beach buckets and shovels, including nautical items like a mini ship-wheel, birds, and all the fun little creatures of the ocean. Another idea I'm also playing with is of course asian themed, with decors such as paper lanterns, umbrellas, and pretty bamboo items.

Something in between these gorgeous nurseries is probably what we'll end up with!



xx

Simply The Best

Today is my husband's birthday! So I want to share not only why he is special today but everyday. If you knew Brett, and got to spend time with him you'd become addicted. A good addiction, like high quality chocolate. His smile, goes all the way to his gorgeous blue eyes, sparkly like the the ocean. His actions in life, motivated by love. His intensity, passion, perception and determination.
His sharp and logical mind. His ability to dig deep and come up with treasures. His warmth and affection. His value for “down time” and privacy. His voice, words and lyrics carefully thought out and inspiring. His humour, clever, sarcastic, real, unlike anybody else I know. His love and hope for life. His adoration for children. His contentedness with our life together. His big appetite and joy for food. His loyalty to his good friends. His hair (always a topic of conversation), blonde and stylish. His style, unmistakenly his own.   His sweet tooth! and on that note, here's to another piece of delicious birthday cake to you Brett. All my love, your biggest fan, your wife, and best friend for life. xx Lora

So fresh and So clean

I've always had a thing for soap bars. I find them romantic and somewhat nostalgic. They remind me of nature's beauty, luxurious hotels, Victorian homes and old fashion cleanliness. And they make great gifts too!

I love having a collection of them for display and of course for the shower and bath...as I go through my soaps I discover all the different ones I've collected over the past few months, from bath & body shops, boutiques, arts & crafts markets, galleries and local shops & fairs.

Fall Fairs are especially a good time to check out what's available, for those lovely bath times to warm up from the chilly weather! The Sunshine Coast in particular is home to many wonderful artists that hand make beautiful all natural soaps that are available to the locals all year round. With a variety of scents, shapes, sizes, ingredients, and quality.

Here are just a few of my favorites. Tried and Tested!

My current obsession. Leaves my skin feeling milky & smooth.

Local handmade bars. Delicious fruit scents!

Pretty Packaging

Luxurious Mini Soap Samples. Perfect for the Guest Bathroom.

Classic all time favorite.  Reminds me of home.

Boots Boots and Boots!

Just when I thought I had all the boots I needed (for at least another year); knee high, tall, flat, mid-calf, cozy, sleek, leather, rubber...you name it, I am suddenly obsessed with them again and feel like I couldn't have enough. Of course I am aiming towards flat ones due to the fact that I am extra clumsy in my pregnant body. I am loving the masculine, rugged look, reminiscent of the old Doc Martens, absolutely perfect paired with wool tights and a comfortable wear for the everchanging fall weather. I am really impressed with ALDO Shoes selection (and affordable prices) right now. There is no chance I am not stopping by the store when I'm in the city next. I can hardly wait to try these particular ones on!

"eisinger"


"elfering"


"katan"


"popat"


"prestea"


"wasson"


"patanella"


I'm going to have to try really hard to chose just one!

xx

"Maternity" Fashion

Ok so a lot has happened since my last post. Well not actually a lot, just one BIG thing. I'm having a baby! Pregnant! On my way to being a Mommy!

I've been contemplating weather I should change my blog title, to be better reflect topics of "pregnancy" and "parenthood" but decided against it since bite size confessions can really cover anything, and most of all, it actually works well with food topics, since that is currently my bigger interest. Of course fashion is still up there, and I've had to learn to be quite creative with my wardrobe since my belly (and other areas) have been growing...and growing...

I have not yet purchased any official "maternity" clothing. I tried, thought I was ready and found myself turned off by the choices. Lucky for me, my (large) wardrobe had already consisted of oversized flowy items that's worked quite well. And my tub of "too big" items have resurfaced and been made useful in the last few weeks. And have you noticed that this season's fall fashion is all about tunics, flowy tops, sweater dresses and tights! hello!!! how perfect!

Here's a few of my fav "maternity" pieces, office and weekend appropriate.



Loving this whole look!



xx

Adat Bali

Traditional fashion for Balinese women and men have always paired textiles and patterns beautifully. My parents custom tailored my first Kebaya* at 3 years old. Back then I probably complained that the lace was itchy and hot, and my sarong was to tight, not to mention the headache from the heavy gold head-dress. But I hold nothing but love for them now! When I'm back at home in Bali I look forward to the opportunity to dress up in one of my many many choices of Kebayas and Sarongs. The best sarongs I find are always kept in my Dad's closet... beautiful, high quality, worn, soft, smells of frangipani flowers, jasmine incense and holds years of memories of the Holy Temples of Bali.

*a traditional blouse dress combination made from sheer material, worn with a sarong, batik or woven garments such as ikat or songket with a colorful motif

Wedding day in custom white lace off the shoulder Kebaya, Brett in batik head-dress

Balinese girls in Hindu ceremony in colorful kebayas/silk batik sarongs

Javanese girls in traditional Java cotton kebayas/batik sarongs

Me and my sister in Adat (costume) Bali, gold embelished songkets and head-dress

*Batik, a cloth/fabric which traditionally uses manual wax resist dyeing technique. Silk batik is especially popular

*Ikat, means "to tie" or "bind", a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design.

*Songket, means "to hook", a fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles. Hand woven in silk/cotton, and intricately patterned with gold or silver threads for shimmering effect.

* Wikipedia

These are a few of my favorite things... on men.

I get such satisfaction when I see a well dressed man....or maybe it's relief, because so often an outfit seems right until you notice his pants are too short or he's wearing the wrong shoes!

Most men claim they'd rather watch paint dry than shop. I'm lucky enough that my husband has a happy medium view of shopping. He appreciates great shoes and hats, vintage items, the change of fashion with the season and obviously my love of shopping...it might be contagious!

Here are my favorite Spring Items for men...that I would most like to see on my husband.

The Boat Shoes (purchase doesn't include boat). No need to stick to just brown anymore, with so many choices of materials and colors.

The Fedora. Switch up your wool/felt hats with a cool straw version. With a splash of color on the rims.

The Aviator. These classics frame a man's face perfectly. Now available in plastic for a lighter feel!

The Belt. An always important piece for a man's wardrobe. Classic versatile leathers or canvas colorful ones.

Striped Ties. A preppy staple. Add color to brighten up your old suit

The Watch. A watch is worth spending cash on. A bright colored face will add a little attitude to your wrist.

The Shirts. The soft perfect fit V neck (my husband's wardrobe staple) and perfectly soft long sleeves in pastel tones, checkers or stripes. Worn and understated.

Now...who's in the mood to shop?

xx

the sun has gone to bed and so must I...

In the mood to redecorate? I always am! Especially around this time of year. I want fresh, clean and bright, like a white T out of the dryer. Spring season is the perfect time to add more with less. Replace heavy "wintery" items with lighter "springy" ones. In the bedroom it can be as simple as changing your bedding to white, and adding bright accents, nothing is better than fresh cut flowers! My little sister is in the midst of getting her black & white bedroom personalized and she's chosen gray for her feature walls. Gray is so wonderful, with so many different shades it goes with absolutely every color on the palette! I especially love gray & yellow right now. Lucky for her, she has endless choices of beautiful Asian art/decor pieces and tropical aromatic flowers to have bedside.

Here's a little inspiration for you Santana.



Enjoy! xx

Spring Bliss List

White Tulips, Yellow daffodils, Warm rain, Cherry blossoms, White jeans, Green grass, Picnics, Singing birds, Lace, Satin, Gardening, Beach bon fires, Open Sky, Clean windows, Spring break, Patio dining, Yellow sheen, Fresh fruit, White Sangria, Bike rides, Floral Dresses, Hats, Chocolate eggs, Flip-Flops and Wedges, Sundrops and Rainbows, Pedicures, Long afternoons, Morning walks, Swing sets, Sunnies, New bedding & pajamas, spring purse, Bright jewelery

New songs, New beginnings.

xx

Apology

Dear Blog,
I'm sorry I have ignored you.
I am however always thinking of you.
I promise I will try to be more dedicated to you...
Starting tomorrow.

Love,
Me.

Meet me at the hotel!

Who says hotel lounges are just for tourists?

I have always loved hotels. Especially growing up in Bali, where hotels are always extra beautiful and luxurious with the undeniable competition of Balinese architecture and arts. I have stayed in a fair share of hotels (lived in one for the first few years of my life!) so I feel like I have knowledge and expertise on what makes a hotel a good hotel.

But I want to talk specifically about hotel bars, restaurant and lounges. Only because Saturday night Kelsey and I went out for cocktails at one the most luxurious hotel bars. In true 'bb' style, armed with a bright smile in new YSL lipstick, Chanel's latest nail polish and matching LV shawls we were ready for a night out!

We started our night at "The Market" at the Shangri La Hotel. As soon as we walked in we knew we were having a glamorous evening. The Lobby Lounge features dramatic two-storey floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking an outdoor art galleria curated by the Vancouver Art Gallery. Guests can linger over live piano music and sip premium brands, or opt for a light snack. On the third floor is a destination bar (our destination!) with high-top chairs, window seats and a full range of premium brands. We sat at the bar, perused over the drink menu and decided on a lemon drop margarita to start. Delicious! We thought maybe dessert? The choices were unbelievable. I wish I could remember the glorious names to all of them, but there were fig and blueberry cheecake, classic chocolate cake and vanilla bean ice cream..., etc. We were contemplating sharing one to start and maybe another one later.... but then we noticed that the bartender served us a little jar of the most delicious mini marchiano cherries, and the most delicious mini serving of popcorn I'd ever have, season lightly with olive oil and rosemary. So we were pretty content with our snacks. Fast forward a couple hours later (a crafe of french wine and coffee bean shots) it was time to say goodbye to our lovely bartenders.

"The Market" is now definitely one of our fav spots!

xx

Retail Break Up

I am giving myself a challenge...
No retail for 4 months!
Why am I doing this?

I'll share a little story of my latest shopping experience...
Last Sunday I went on my usual walk down to Lower Gibsons, with the intentions of exercise only. It was pouring rain when I got down there so to get out of the rain I decided to check out the shops at Molly's Lane Market.

I was looking at the vintage jewelery and right away these gorgeous pink orchid earrings caught my eye. Only $15!! I try them on... and they are perfect! Not to be compulsive I asked the nice lady to hold it while I think about it and browse the other shops. I head into my favorite shop Starlet Vintage - http://www.etsy.com/shop/starletvintage I have found many gems here, some of my favorite wardrobe pieces have come from this tiny little shop. So while I pretend that I'm not interested, I noticed the cutest knitted wool sweater... like the ones grandmas would knit for baby girls. I try it on and...it's perfect and come to think of it, I needed a wool sweater for my upcoming ski trip, it'll be so cozy paired up with tights. And then...like that saying when it rains it pours... I keep finding the best things. Oh and by the way, they're on sale!

Ok so by the time the rain stopped (literally) I walked out with a gorgeous black jumpsuit, 2 tops and the wool sweater. I walk to my sister's work and before I even walked in the door, she noticed my giant shopping bag and she gave me a look that I translated to "you shopped again??!!", I smile and automatically say, "oh but Santana you should see... (not even a complete sentence, because of my retail high). The point is...she has has a point. I do buy something almost everyday... almost. As I walked up the hill towards home.... I realized that it was time for a detox.

Wish me luck!
xx

p.s I never did go back to buy the orchid earrings... maybe that will be my last retail purchase?

Artsy Fartsy

Last night my niece and I decided to skip our tuesday swim and get creative (not that swim time doesn't get creative sometimes...)

We still wanted to get some exercise so we started out with a nice walk. As we walked down the hill, we stopped for a moment, widen our eyelids and took in the beauty of the mountain and ocean views (inspiration)... "oh aunty it's so pretty"... something about a 7 year old noticing this makes it the more special.

It was a little chilly by the time we were done our walk so we were ready for a warm cup of tea when we got home. Kaliya thought it would be fun to pretend we were students in Art School, or she was the teacher (always) and I was the student. So we took our seats and layed out our painting supplies. As we sipped pomegranate tea in fine china (with jazz music qued up in the background, that she soon wanted to switch to Miley Cyrus), we were ready to dip our brushes and start painting our blank canvases!


We created colors like you've never seen before! Kaliya discovered how fun it is to mix all the colors together and couldn't stop. Our canvases (and Kaliya) were covered in the most brilliant shades of purple, pink and turqouise. You'll have to wait and see our masterpieces when they're ready!

xx

Think Pink

Like a good old friend you haven't seen for a while but always think about... PINK is back in my life, and it's even more beautiful than I remember. If you look back at my first ever blog entry...it's all about my pink obsession. 5 years later... I am in love with the color once again, but this time less quantity (looking like a bottle of peptol bismol) and more quality... shall I say. A splash of pink in your day can brighten it up just like that. A little pink post it note or a piece of double bubble gum? How fun!

Lately I have slowly been adding pink things into my kitchen... now I do have to be careful that it doesn't start looking like Barbie's kitchen (for my husband's sake), so I have chosen only a few special items. One of my favorites is our pink thermos, not only it is a great hot water container, convenient for a quick cup of tea or hot lemon, it looks adorable on our counter! Add a bite of pink to the kitchen with these items : pink bubbly, pink & gold tea time cups & heart saucers, milk glass vintage mixing bowls, pink lemonade and yummy strawberry cupcakes. Delicious!

Now onto Pink Fashion! No other color makes a girl feel more girly. It's sophisticated, elegant and youthful at the same time. I have always loved wearing pink. I wore a dusty pink dress for my wedding reception in Bali, it's the most lovely color on sun kissed skin. I still have the pink peekaboo heals I wore with the dress, I am thinking it will look great with a pair of black pants and top to stay true to staying minimal with the pink, maybe if it's sunny enough I can slip on my pink raybans too! And it's almost February so I am switching my blue nail color to one of the many choices of essie pinks very soon. It'll look just perfect with my new Coach 'kristin' purse! Try out one of these pink gems to girlify (and glorify) your look: pretty pink umbrella, essie 'pinking up the pieces' nail polish, Coach kristin shoulder flap, candy pink raybans, burberrry trenhcoat and peekaboo pumps!

Enjoy!
xx

Back...better than ever!

I'm baaaaaack! So how about a new years resolution list to start, actually maybe a cheer to 2009 first, a list... a bliss list of 09, to name a few...(note a few favorites that will be on repeat for years!)

BALI...one big happy family! beach times, bikinis, ubud birthday, new blue bicycle, patra bali, hyatt towels, kuta royal, 'office' marathons, bedugul picnic, birthday barbeques, ikan bakar, indian dinners, brett and bread talk, bukit, balcony, margaritas, TUGU, cozy, lalapan, tipat/rujak, mbok yem, jungle party, design dresses, kim bradley, dengue fever (not so blissful), medicine, needles, daddy, mie 88, hospital pizza delivery, cozy, balangan walks, best western, bike rides, franklin beach, island party, hot rocks, cold water, tuna roles, barbeques, zac efron, make up & hair, tommy & santana in canada, lenny's boat, thornmanby island, glowbal brunches, la petite chocolate croissants, kings of leon, dinner parties, gourmet burgers, pearl jam, chocolate, carpool chats with mom, WC concerts, bubbly, whistler, leather pants, precilla wigs, victoria, ...run this town tonight!, bacon, dance dance dance, guest stylist, ziggy, barbados, bb, the tides, beach lane brunch, shoe rack, xmas morning at marlis', penthouse new years kiss...

Now onto the present, with my new motto "life is good and it gets better". I don't normally do New Years 'resolutions' since I feel like I give myself resolutions daily... the typical eat healtier, exercise more, be a nicer human.... but I decided (maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm turning 30) I will do a 2010 resolution, and it is.... to party and celebrate more and be/do everything glamorous! I am going to be a YES woman. For I find it way too easy to say NO, why not say yes first and then decide?

Ok I better conserve some things for next time!

xx