The Mademoiselle In Me: westcoast weekend

The couple weeks leading up to my return to Vancouver, I was having mixed feelings. I fell in love with another city (Toronto) and wasn't sure how I felt about coming back to a place that felt too familiar, too routine. I decided to make a promise to myself - that I would fall back in love with my hometown, puddles, lululemon lovers, housewives and all. Truly, though, Vancouver is pretty much the most gorgeous city in the world. Nestled amongst mountains, water and forest, this city is one unique gem.

This past weekend I escaped the city for a couple days and headed to Yellow Point Lodge on Vancouver Island (a 20 minute drive from Nanaimo) with my mom and sister. In my opinion there's no better way to enjoy the West Coast than to head to the islands. The laid back lifestyle, clean, fresh air and abundant wildlife certainly soothe the soul. Before checking in at the lodge, we made a couple pit stops. The first was at an outdoor market, where trucks were parked and tents set up with what mainly seemed to be jars and cans of everything and anything. Next stop was the Barton and Leier Gallery, a place where one will find all sorts of unique treasures. My favourite is the garden - wildly overgrown, with quirky surprises at every turn. Sadly, this magical little spot will be closing in September, so if you get the chance I highly suggest you stop by for a visit. The rest of our time on the island was spent basking in the sun (26 degrees in May = first, and hopefully last, sunburn of the year), strolling in the forest and sipping tea by the seaside.