prairie girl musings

Tag: travel

  • Ramblings and Deliberations

    Ramblings and Deliberations

    I’m sorry that I haven’t been active this week on the blog. I wasn’t feeling very motivated and didn’t want to write anything less than inspired. I know I’m prone to spitting out useless jargon and I’d like my blog to be more than a collection of my recent ruminations.

    I was able to re-focus my energy towards something positive towards the end of the week. Namely, my summer goals for 2013. I came across this article on Thought Catalog this evening, and it really contextualized a lot of what was going on in my head. I’ve spent the past week freaking about my lack of career. Sure, I’m interning at an awesome magazine and enjoying it immensely, but I still have this nagging feeling that I’m nowhere near where I should be professionally. I constantly feel like I gave up the opportunity at a very good career in favour of pursuing my passion to write (and live abroad). It’s obviously not as simple as that, but I do hope that I will eventually figure out what it is I should be doing professionally.

    In other news: My younger sister is moving to a suburb just outside Toronto, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. She’s my best friend and it’s been way too long since we’ve lived in the same province, not to mention the same city. Case in point: many of my summer plans will involve my sister.

    So, without further ado, I introduce you to my summer 2013 goals:

    1. Train for another half marathon – Those who know me, know that I’ve been running on and off since I was eight. I completed my first half marathon after finishing high school, and it was all downhill (or uphill?) from there. My best time was 1 hour and 45 minutes at the Rotorua Half Marathon (in New Zealand). It was a trail run and I had been training on the craziest hills the North Shore of Auckland had to offer. That was in March 2011 and needless to say, I’m not nearly as fit right now. It’s time to get back into shape.

    2. Attend as many summer concerts as humanly (financially) possible – I’m a huge concert goer because many of my favourite bands toured New Zealand while I was living there. I’m not surprised that it’s one of the most popular destinations for band tours because it’s literally paradise on earth; a place most people dream of visiting. Last year, I went to Osheaga in Montreal, which was the best music festival I’ve ever been to. The lineup this year is even better, so I’m hoping I can make it again. I’d also like to attend North by Northwest, which Toronto’s version of South by Southwest. My sister wants to see John Mayer and Taylor Swift, so those are two more possibilities.

    3. Ruminate various career paths – I’m wrapping up my second internship in a couple weeks. I have learnt so much from both Ottawa Magazine and Weddingbells and I’m truly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had with both publications. It’s been wonderful getting my foot in the door, so to speak, and learning the ins and outs of the editorial industry. While I’d like to maintain involvement in the magazine industry, I’d also like to continue to build my freelance proofreading business and get my website up. I’m not entirely sure what will happen over the summer, but I’m excited to see where my editing will take me. I have also decided that I’d like to upgrade my university courses over the next year and complete all the prerequisites to begin a Masters or postgraduate program in something practical and rewarding. I don’t think it’s too much to ask to discover a fulfilling career by the time I’m thirty.

    4. Attend dance class 2-3 times per week – I have recently discovered an amazing drop-in dance studio only five minutes from my apartment. It’s ideal for me because I don’t want to commit to the same class every week as my schedule is always changing and I easily bore from too strict a routine. I love ballet boot camp, which is perfect for whipping me into shape. A one-hour dance class has the ability to completely alter my mental state. The prospect of letting go at a ballet or contemporary class is an intoxicating feeling.

    5. Explore and make Toronto my home – I am twenty four years young, but boy do I feel somewhat aged. I’ve spent the past six years being nomadic. I left Canada for North Dakota right after high school, then studied abroad at Massey University in Albany on the North Shore of Auckland for one semester. Then, it was back to Minot for a semester before moving home to Saskatchewan to work at the dealership and flower shop while applying to transfer to the University of Auckland. Auckland became my home for two and a half years before I returned home for the summer before starting my internship in Ottawa/visiting New Zealand/travelling to South Africa for a month/moving to Toronto to begin internship numero dos. Don’t worry if you’re no longer following because it makes my head hurt just to think about it all… For those who know me personally, I’m sorry if you read that all. It’s an absolute bore. Needless to say, I am ready to settle down for the next little while. It’s been INCREDIBLE having my Kiwi boy here with me, and I don’t know what will happen if he isn’t granted residency. I can’t imagine moving again in less than a year not because I don’t love the constant change of scenery and the excitement of exploring new horizons, but because it makes maintaining friendships difficult. It’s nice having a core group of friends that you can call if you’ve had a rough week and need to consume an entire litre of Pinot Noir.

    That being said, I do enjoy Toronto. I like the urbanity of living downtown and having everything at my disposal. Your twenties are about being hedonistic. They are about maximizing on pleasure and not feeling guilty about it. I’m all for bountiful pastures and living skies, but cosmopolitanism is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

    So, there you have it. My goals are broad, much like my life and my current scope. I could get down to the nitty gritty details, but I’d hate to bore you any longer.

    Until next time,

    V.

  • Halifax, Nova Scotia

    I’m in love with my home and native land. Canada is such a vast and beautiful place. From the shores of Nova Scotia to the tundras of the Yukon, it’s eclectic, expansive, and absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately, like many Canadians, I don’t get around to seeing it as much as I would like to. That being said, two years ago, my family decided to embark on a two-week road trip from our hometown in Saskatchewan to the Maritime provinces. This involved a lot of driving and a lot of sightseeing.

    Last weekend, I ventured back to the East Coast, Halifax in particular, to visit my younger sister who studies at Dalhousie University. The reason for my trip was her Dal Dance Society annual recital. It was a treat to see her perform, but also to visit a few key spots I had missed out on the first time around. One of my favourite spots was Peggy’s Cove, which is located 45 minutes outside Halifax.

    Natalie’s recital, of course, was also amazing. I haven’t seen her dance since high school, and was blown away by how much she’s developed as a performer. Here are some photos of Halifax, Natalie’s recital, and our sweet Air Canada upgrade!

  • New Zealand: My Spiritual Homeland

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    “I want to go places and see people. I want my mind to grow. I want to live where things happen on a big scale.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Ice Palace

    There are endless reasons why I consider New Zealand my spiritual homeland, many of which I’ve overzealously documented in this very blog. And lately, especially in the depths of winter, these reasons have been amplified. It’s gone so far that I’ve had repeated dreams about Auckland. Attending outdoor concerts with my Converse-clad mates, going for hilly, trail runs with my energetic besties, reading and drinking ciders on the North Shore’s beautiful, sandy beaches, and hosting barbecues and bonfires every other night.  What’s truly been lacking from my life, as of late, is the quirky, somewhat off-beat, sense of style I’ve seen throughout the South Pacific – but particularly New Zealand. While Melbourne and Sydney are considered “style capitals,” I’m partial to New Zealand fashion scene. I find the designers more wearable and relatable to my own style ethos.

  • Tuesdays in Toronto

    Tuesdays in Toronto

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    I’ve always liked, not loved, Tuesdays. Love is much too strong a word for Tuesday. However, I do like Tuesdays because Mondays (despite being a fresh start of sorts) always feel a bit out of sync. I’m out of routine from the weekend’s festivities, and it takes me awhile to get my groove back. By Tuesday, I’m more present and engaged. I’m a lot happier to be back at work, especially since I know what’s left to tackle for the rest of the week. I’ve been doing a lot of blogging and writing for Weddingbells, which is basically a dream come true. I’m really fortunate, both of my internships have enabled me to develop my writing skills along with my journalistic skills. My goal this week is to learn Adobe InDesign, and get a start on Photoshop. It pays to have a boyfriend who studied design and several colleagues who went to journalism school.

    Usually after groggily dragging myself to the gym, (thank goodness it’s in my building) I spend a couple minutes online gathering my thoughts. Tuesdays are quote-days for me. I love reading and re-reading my favourites on Pinterest.

    Today, I’ve been thinking about travelling. But let’s be honest, I think about travelling EVERY DAY because I’m infatuated with new experiences and new people. The fact that I’m settling into a regular routine so easily is quite surprising to me. 2012 as you know, was characterized by travel. Yes, I finished my degree and started a new job (internship) but those experiences were overshadowed by travel.  My friend, Mary, (a Torontonian I met in Auckland) sent me this article yesterday, I urge you to have a read:

    Converge Magazine: Why You Should Travel Young

    Worthy advice! Without further ado, here are some of my favourite travel quotes and images:

    “I was not born for one corner. The whole world is my native land.”

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    “Paris is always a good idea.”

    “If your 22, (or 24) physically fit, hungry to learn to be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as wide as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them, wherever you go.”

    – Anthony Bourdain

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    “Be a traveller, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding the amazing world we live in.”

    – Andrew Zimmerin
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    “I love the feeling of being anonymous in a city I’ve never been before.”

    “She said she usually cried at least once a day not because she was sad, but because the world is so beautiful and life was so short.”

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    “Once in awhile it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they’ve been told.”

    – Alan Keightley

    “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.”

    -Jack Kerouac

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    “I fell in love with the world in you.”

  • Up & Away: In her suitcase

    Up & Away: In her suitcase

    Yesterday was the last day of my internship at Ottawa Magazine and Where Ottawa, which has got me thinking about the next item on my agenda, my mini-trip to New Zealand.

    I’m spending this rainy Saturday cleaning up my apartment and packing my bags for springtime in New Zealand. Here are a few pieces that have inspired me:

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    Something Else Cactus Shorts: Anyone who knows me, knows I’m slightly obsessed with prints. These caught my eye immediately because of their gorgeous material and cute pattern.

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    Insight Del May One-Piece: For those of us who haven’t been hitting the gym quite as hard as we usually do in preparation for summer, have no fear! This gorgeous one-piece doesn’t demand hours of crunches, just pop on a floppy hat, pour yourself some lemonade, (with a spritz of vodka, perhaps?) and lie down with your favourite summer read!

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    Something Else Silk Panel Dress: Nothing screams “summer” like coral. This dress transitions from a day perusing your favourite gallery, to a lunch date with your girls, to an evening at the ballet. I know I’d live in this dress during the summer months.

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    Ruby Rockette Peplum Top: Peplum is a favourite this season, and I love Ruby’s polka dot version. It’s fitted, understated and navy is possibly my favourite colour as of late (other than burgundy, of course!)

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    Funkis: I’m not exactly sure where to purchase these gorgeous wedges made by Swedish designer, Funkis. I’ve been on the hunt for a pair since I spotted them at Tatty’s in February, unfortunately they were a few sizes too small. These are the epitome of cool Swedish style.

    If you can’t get your hands on a pair of Funkis, check out these gorgeous MINT GREEN Kathryn Wilson wedges available at Ruby stores throughout the country:

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    If I had to narrow down my wardrobe to a few items, these would certainly make the cut. Paired with a simple white sundress, you’re ready for whatever events come your way.

  • Kuala Lumpur, Man vs. Nature

    Kuala Lumpur, Man vs. Nature

    Having lived in New Zealand for two and a half years, I finally ventured to Southeast Asia this April with my cousin, Lucia and a friend from British Columbia. We all fell in love with the sights, sounds and smells of Malaysia and Indonesia. The following are some of our favourite aspects of exploring Kuala Lumpur.

    1. Kuala Lumpur’s delicious and enticing street markets:

    ImageDuring our four nights in Kuala Lumpur, we couldn’t seem to get enough of the Petaling market, which takes place every night in the Chinatown district. The options for stir frying were endless, and we ended up having barbecue vegetables nearly every night! The outdoor dining was second-to-none, as most of the stalls were accompanied with picnic tables and various seating options! As we’ve come to accept, Chinatown also featured an array of “Genuine Fake” Longchamp totes, carryalls and Ray Ban sunglasses. Luckily, there were enough culinary options to keep us occupied for the duration of our travels!

    2. Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

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    Visiting the elephant orphanage was a definite highlight of our trip to Malaysia. All three of us loved the day long excursion to Kuala Gandah, which is approximately three hours from Kuala Lumpur. The sanctuary strives to help endangered elephants. What really caught my eye, in the elephant holding area, where we had lunch prior to feeding the elephants, were the little ones! After speaking to the handlers, we realized that these elephants we thought of as babies were actually adolescents. After the feeding, we stayed around to go on a brief elephant ride.

    3. Our fantastic accommodation at Reggae Mansion:

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    Thank goodness for our travel agent at Student Flights (NZ), Pauline! Not only did she book us several incredible tours throughout our two-week holiday, she also managed to find the most amazing (and affordable) hostels. A highlight was Reggae Mansion situated in downtown KL. It’s the ideal spot to meet like-minded tourists, especially young travellers. The hostel features a rooftop patio bar, along with a cafe and restaurant in the lobby. The rooms are air-conditioned (a big MUST due to KL’s record-high temperatures and humidity!) We engaged in various social activities during our stay, organized by the hostel owners and I’d highly recommend a stop at Reggae if you are ever in KL!

    4. Shop ‘Til You Drop!

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    Kuala Lumpur is a shopper’s paradise, with its sky-high malls and monumental towers featuring shops to suit every taste and budget! Many visitors are surprised by the modernity and man-made glory of Kuala Lumpur. Others are convinced KL is the prime example of man versus nature. We appreciated both aspects of our visit, and couldn’t conceal our excitement with both the Bintang Bukit and Pavillion Malls, which featured an array of restaurants, high street stores and ridiculous architecture.

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    5. The famously beautiful Batu Caves

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    You cannot plan a trip to Malaysia and not visit the Batu Caves. Standing at 140 feet, the world’s tallest statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity, is located outside the Batu Caves. The venerable, visually-stunning monument is a breathtaking place for worship. The trek up to the temple consists of nearly 300 steps, lined with monkeys who like to tease the visitors. The caves are a top tourist attraction bringing international guests to KL’s suburbs.

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    Part II, coming soon! It will feature some highlights of our Bali trip!

    Until next time,

    Vanessa

  • The Capital of Cool: Copenhagen

    The Capital of Cool: Copenhagen

    Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, is one of my favourite cities in the world. While my younger sister was studying abroad in Sweden this past semester, I had to opportunity to travel much of Scandinavia with family, friends as well as on my own. I spent four days in Denmark following a stint in Oslo with my friend, Brenden. It was my first time travelling solo, and I have never felt more liberated! Copenhagen is amazing on so many levels. First, it’s compact and walkable. I was able to navigate from the airport (I flew Air Baltic) to the central train station to my hotel to the downtown amenities seamlessly. I packed very lightly, which was a tremendous feat given the size of my wardrobe. Speaking of wardrobe, Copenhagen is the capital of design, it plays an integral role in the fashion and industrial design industries, and The Dansk Design Center was one of my first stops upon arrival in Copenhagen. It features exhibitions by local artists, cutting edge Danish designers and advocates design driven innovation and works to improve public products and services through society projects. If you ever have the chance, I’d highly recommend spending a day here. There’s so much fun to be had, and it truly is an engaging experience! Danish architecture is also highly impressive with its recent boom in modern architecture. Its pastries, of course are second to none. My favourite spot being Lagkagehuset, which can be found in several locations throughout the city. The window displays are especially enticing on a cold February morning, and their hot chocolate is simply divine!

    Copenhagen has several Michelin-starred restaurants, but also a myriad of more affordable and equally delectable options! If you’re a fan of Carlsberg beer, I’d suggest checking out their brewery as the Danes are very generous with tastings and samples. I also admire how progressive Denmark is as a country.
    As you probably already know, Copenhagen has the highest rate of bicycle ownership per capital of ANYWHERE in the world. Wherever you go, you’ll see fashionably-clad Danish beauties aboard two-wheelers. The frocks on bikes trend we’ve seen emerge over the past few years à la Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) and Garance Doré have clearly been inspired by the Danes.

    Recently, the New York Times revealed that a new super highway was being constructed for Copenhagen citizens, encouraging further bike use! Check out this video posted on the NY Times twitter page:
    http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/07/17/world/europe/100000001632565/a-green-light-for-copenhagens-cyclists.html?smid=tw-nytimes

    I’m a huge advocate for sustainable transport. I truly realized the value of public transport while living in Auckland. Auckland’s an isthmus, which makes it difficult to implement any sort of viable transport. Furthermore, the auto-dependence is outrageous with more than 80% of Aucklanders driving to work and new motorways constantly being built. This is nothing new to Aucklanders who’ve grown accostomed to their gas guzzling ways. Europeans however, sharply intake almost immediately upon arrival in Auckland as decent public transport is ingrained in their mentality. Copenhagen’s decision to implement and promote physical activity and sustainbility is what makes it such a pleasant place to live or visit!

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    One of my favourite pieces of artwork by Edgar Degas, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer

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    Every city should have a town square, this is a wonderful place to congregate in Copenhagen.

     

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    Dansk Design Center

  • they were kids that I once knew

    they were kids that I once knew

     

    Isn’t first love amazing? This photo is exceedingly nostalgic, and too adorable not to post on a overcast Friday morning. I’ve just finished a brisk, 6km run and am pouring over old photographs from the past three years as I’m on Nick’s  laptop (mine was left at university during finals, oops!) We’ve reached the end of our three week long holiday in Saskatchewan, and Nick is heading back to Auckland to resume his Honours degree in Transport Design.

    As Nick packs up his bags, I’m left with the remnants of our time together this summer. He recently spent his twenty-second birthday in Saskatchewan, as well as his twentieth and twenty-first. I’m utterly perplexed as to how we made this relationship work, despite the endless shifts we’ve encountered due to being from different continents. So, here we go again; another three months apart until I (possibly) return in October for my university convocation. My heart has been stretched, has expanded in so many ways over the past three and a half years. I neglected my first love, dance, in favour of new loves: travel, romance, and adventure. I never fathomed I could exist without it, but somehow I managed, even thrived without the thing that once defined me. Upon my return to North America, I jumped right back into it and planned on dancing on a cruise ship for 6-9 months. My first (and only) audition was flawless, and my mother watched as they ruthlessly cut the dancers down from 76 to 20, then to eight and finally, four. But foolishness always gets the best of me, and after my audition with Royal Caribbean Cruises in Edmonton, I decided instead to move to New Zealand to give love (and a liberal arts education) a fair chance. I’ll blame it on listening to far too much Celine Dion as a child.

    Before we head off to the airport, I’ll leave you with a photograph taken two summers ago. It was taken at a pub we still frequent in Saskatoon called O’Shea’s during Nick’s first visit to Canada. We hadn’t seen each other since February, and I was about to move to Auckland to begin my BA at the University of Auckland. Life was full of possibility as I embarked on a new journey.

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    As we grow and evolve, I hope we continue to see the choices we’re making at the moment as the right ones. Perhaps I’m a walking, breathing cliche, but following my heart has never failed me. I hope you have the courage to follow yours. x

    V.