thanksgiving dinner with friends

This year, we decided to host a small Thanksgiving dinner in our home with our friends Tim & Maria, and we honestly had such a lovely time. Our red dining nook fit the bill perfectly... I kept the table decor pretty simple with a fall hued bouquet and my favourite vintage crystal glasses from the Czech Republic (both Martin & I are from there) so they have extra special meaning. I was also intending to add a few gold gourds around the house but our local store didn't have any. Blast! However, we just grabbed a pumpkin from our community garden and I definitley intend to spray paint it gold this weekend. Fun, glam pumpkins? Sign me up!

As for my Thanksgiving outfit? I couldn't resist wearing my newly ordered Cori Lynn skirt. It's the perfect pumpkin hued shade and suited the evening beautifully. I'll be sure to feature it in a "what i wore" post, oh so soon!! xo

when the sun goes down

Outfit Details

Scarf - borrowed from Coco & Vera

Denim jacket - H&M (similar)

Dress - Old Navy

Tights - Joe Fresh

Booties - Old Navy

I thought I'd start including outfit details as well as a few outfit photos in my "daily life" posts. Only makes sense, right? I mean, I'm already dressed... sooo why not share it with you guys + I really liked how this laid-back outfit came together. Stripes and a pop of leopard? Always a win in my books!

On Friday, Martin & I packed up a quick + delicious dinner and headed down to the pier just before the sun went down... there was pumpkin pie ice-cream involved too, it was fantastic! I'll admit though, our evenings are definitley getting a lot colder. Normally I'm not a fan, but this year it's speaking to me. The streets are quieter, our nights are peaceful, and [when home] my uniform consists of a well loved sweater, pajama pants and my moccasin slippers. In a word, awesome!

PS - Thank you for your vlog questions, guys. We're excited, and hope to have something up in the next couple of weeks. So, stay tuned! 

an evening in the forest

I've been a bit slow to blog this week. Quite honestly, I've needed a wee computer/internet break. I tend to burn the midnight oil on mine way too often, and so, stepping back + getting back to the real world, feels, well, pretty awesome. I'm also working on my fall collection for my Etsy shop, Shore. I'm feeling inspired by a new aesthetic and can't wait to share it with you... I'm working with black (whisper thin) cable chain, brass, geometric shapes, chevron pendants, raw crystal, and adding a few hand-painted pendants too. It'll be a really fun collection and quite different from my previous summer pieces. Fun, right?! For me, creativity is all about moving forward and trying new things.

Next week-ish, I'm also working on a fantastic fashion feature with Emma magazine. I'll be styling and shooting an outfit for their December issue. I'm beyond excited about that!!  

And then, ah October, I'm very excited for the upcoming month. I'm hosting a vegetarian (Canadian) thanksgiving dinner at our home. Plus, planning a Halloween potluck... hopefully with costumes (ahem, if my friends are reading this!), caramel apples and a yummy fall stew. What's your October looking like?... 

OUR ANNUAL OCEAN-SIDE PICNIC

finally, finally... our summer is starting to unwind and martin & i are finding a nice little groove for ourselves. because honestly, this summer has been a little nuts. we've been working seven days a week (most weeks) and sometimes well into the wee-hours. 12 hour work days? yikes. in celebration of this week's slowing schedule we've been treating ourselves to some good summer livin': picnics, afternoons at our local pub... and, i even made a trip to the hair salon for a little chop, chop. i went a lot shorter. yay! i'll be sure to share photos with you early next week.

heading out for a picnic to this sweet little spot has turned into such a fun + annual tradition for us. talk about ultimate relaxation too. we had such an awesome time sprawling out on our blanket, eating the most delicious salad, and staring up at the trees. i also caught up on a little reading. i just picked up a new book called "roadie: my life on the road with coldplay." a really fun and light read. martin snacked on some blackberries - our neighborhood is surrounded with them. and scout? well, he slept and mooched food of us. apparently, he digs salad! ;)

outfit details: 

denim jacket - h&m (similar + a great price!)

tee - gap

maxi (worn as skirt) -  old navy

cross body - c/o handbag heaven

shoes - gap

AN EVENING HIKE

a few photos from our after dinner hike. well more like a walk, really. i have to admit, i feel a little self-conscious showing my "schleppy best" on the blog. forgive me? but usually after a long work day, i'm happy to be make-up free and wearing my denim cut-offs or a simple maxi dress. anywho, aside from working our butts off, martin & i have been trying to savour these gorgeous summer evenings as much as possible. is it really almost over? for now, we're staying in denial and up to our usual shenanigans... summer picnics, ice cream dates, wine on the patio and seeing friends for laid-back soirees. 

also, i wanted to briefly touch on the fact that after taking a break from working with sponsors and brands on my last blog girl & closet, i've decided to re-open that part of my blog up again. promoting shops i'm passionate about is honestly something i love doing, but unfortunately after this past year's health problems, i was kind of forced to take a break. thankfully i'm finally back to my old self (if not better) and excited to get back to having fun with my blog and living life. it really hasn't been the easiest year, however, i've come out on the other side a much better person... humbled, thankful and purposeful.

deep cove

Just this past weekend, Martin & I were craving some R&R, so we decided to head to Deep Cove in North Vancouver. Fun fact: I grew up in North Van. Anyone else?! It was a great little day and we couldn't have picked a better spot for unwinding. I was so happy to be snapping photos, chomping on sushi, watching Scout explore the area, and just loving life. I honestly believe that when we go through our greatest hardships, we appreciate the good in our lives that much more. In spite of everything, I feel blessed!

When we got home, I decided to look up the history of Deep Cove. I've been there a million times yet I don't know that much about it. I was intrigued to learn that the first permanent residents were John and Rhoda Moore in 1919 and they opened the first store in the area in 1927. In 1940, poet and novelist Malcolm Lowry and his wife Margerie lived on and off in a squatters shack over the span of 14 years. Apparently, squatter shacks lined the beaches of Roche Point and housed the Dollar Mill workers but people left because of The Great Depression. I was excited to find this neat little photo of the area from the Deep Cove Heritage Society. Hopefully, Martin & I can pop in there the next time we are in the area and I can find out a bit more.

xo veronika

martin's birthday in iphone photos

I love celebrating birthdays and this past week/weekend was so much fun. Earlier in the week, we did Thai food with Martin's parents (a yearly tradition) and then bowling + a city dinner with our pals over the weekend. We were pretty darn excited to go to Commodore Bowling & Billiards in the city; it's definitely a beloved spot and one that has seen us celebrate many birthdays. Love that place! It's hard to believe it's been there since its original opening in 1930, plus I love that it's filled with nostalgia. Good times. My favourite part of the festivities? Haha, Thai leftovers for daaaays!

xo veronika

PS Guys, thank you so much for your awesome & sweet words on my new etsy shop. I was so encouraged by all your amazing support. Truly, means so much!  

crescent beach

Now that our weather is heating up, Martin and I have been out & about and exploring our near by beaches. Living on the west coast means we have an unlimited amount of them to explore. One of my favourites is Crescent Beach in White Rock - it's lined with charming Cape Cod style homes as well as a few restaurants and ice cream shops. Heaven! It was a bit chillier and crazy windy when we went, but I can't wait to return on a hot day. Hopefully for a picnic. I plan on doing lots of those!

This week, I've found myself in a wonderfully chipper mood. I feel like life is settling and I have a nice little routine going with blogging, career and just life in general. I've been taking advantage of the warm weather and working on our patio - so lovely. And I'm finally hunkering down and working on a small jewelry collection which I hope to launch on Etsy in the next few weeks. My focus is on creating pieces which are modern, delicate and perfect for everyday wear. I'll keep you guys posted. Anyone else on Etsy?! Let me know... I'd love to pop by for a visit!

xo veronika