life/canada summ up!

I'm not quite sure how I managed to summarise Vancouver so succinctly... and with only 2 photos! The rest of my Canada trip has been fantastic... in fact, I'm a little unsure how exactly to summarise how great the past 3 weeks have been. I will try... With the help of brief sentences, lots of links, and a few photos!

Canada is beautiful. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful people. I have met new friends, caught up with and reconnected with wonderful old ones. This second part has been doubly important for me- not only is it always good to catch up with friends but it was a timely reminder that with real, true and dear friends, it doesn't matter how much geographical or physical time passes- when your soul sings to the same tune, your beliefs lie in the same sphere, your heart laughs at the same tricks, you can always pick up that friendship again.
Having made a life in London for 2 and a half years, itself a city with a transient population of internationals and travellers, I now have friends spread wide around the world. At times this is hard, when that one person I need urgently to share my news with or crazy dance with, or d+m with over tea is far rather than near, however the past couple of weeks have reiterated how lucky I am to have these people in my life. In fact it is no coincidence that these people are my friends- travellers, adventurers, people wanting to explore the world- these are my peeps! To keep any or all of them cooped up in one spot would make them bored and also far less interesting to talk to!
So, this has been a little deep for a Canada summary but it does make my heart sing to think about the time I have had here.
As well as the social aspect, there has also been lots of Lucy time, which is great and something I was craving. I have had some interesting and inspiring chats whilst travelling via bus (interesting random on the Toronto-Orillia Greyhound), train (to Montreal, where I sat with the travelling hobo and swapped travel and eating tips- check her travel blog!), canoe (Call of The Wild trip in Algonquin Park, Ontario was amazing- old friends and new and some amazing time on the water), bike (see pic left- awesome Canada Day/Pride weekend ride in Toronto,
car (Road trips! Hello new Rocky Mountain Bear Crew!)... and also quite a bit of down time for writing and journalling, Lucy-style!
Journalling also crept in as a way to pass time and observe life whilst simultaneously trialling every cafe in the country... Lapin presse for Grilled Cheese and coffee in Plateau Mont-Royal... Olde worlde charm with new world wholefood goodness at Olive + Gourmando in Vieux Montreal... coffee and croissant at Ezra's Pound in Toronto... Best bread (pic below) in the world from St John's... oven fresh... warm... crusty... sourdough.... Baked deliciousness for post-hike refuels at Wild Flower in Banff...
I have also managed to move my butt and run and hike (and canoe) in order to earn (some!) of the deliciusness... hilights were definitely Sulphur Mountain in Banff, Hiking part of the Sulphur Skyline from Jasper and hiking up from Lake Louise past Mirror Lake to Lake Agnes Teahouse, which was still partially iced over and wintery (according to this Subtropical gal!)... It has also opened my eyese to the possibility of hikes (previously an old people sport!) back in Oz... lots to look forwrad to in this life- all of it to be shared with friends and good people, new and old!
L. x

magical mont-royal run

Just a quickie! Loved the Mont Royal run path today- summer sunshine + beautiful trees = lovely dappled light covering the track that winds up and up the mountain until you get to the top for views of the city...
Then winding back down again and finding caffeine courtesy of Cafe Olympico... In my journal I wrote:
Vrai Italiano. Vrai Communite.
Dads with kids. Grandparents with kids.
Smoking grandfathers (not nr the kids!).
Philo. Convo's.
Barista pauses to embrace Mamma when she walks in- orders on hold despite the queue. How it should be!

Post caffeine I had a community moment of my own when I passed by one of the best patisseries I have ever seen. Staring in the window (drooling!) another girl came up and looked in too. We were both holding pieces of fruit at the time- obviously trying to be healthy- so she suggested we share something. Just like that! The patisseur (?!) was happy to oblige- cut an almond croissant neatly in half, wrapped each half up with paper and string and sent us on our way. Already delerious with community good faith, the chocolate and almond mix melted in my mouth and sent me to foodie heaven!
Thankyou Montreal!
 L. x

VANtastic!

So I arrived for my Canadian adventure (1 month blissful holidaying!) in Vancouver on the 15th of June- day of the famous Canucks Hockey Grand Final... and infamous Rioting that followed.

I wasn't the one to capture that famous pic, in fact I was out of downtown and safely back in my hostel by the time the rioting started. However the shame and embarassment that the city felt was very real in the ensuing days of my stay. Everytime I ordered coffee (arbutus- best muffins with coffee in vancouver!) or walked into a store and people heard my accent, they started off by appologising and explaining that Vancouver wasn't really like that. After running along Jericho Beach and through leafy Kitsilano, seeing the mountain views from every angle (they have town planning laws that protect certain mountain views!), checking out community gardens (check out the amazing pic of this luscious garden in Kitsilano above), cycling through Stanley Park and Hitting Grouse Mountain and Capilano it was clear to see the pride people took in the appearance of their city.

I ended up leaving with so many positive thoughts of this beautiful city- perhaps summed up in this picture on the left. This was a photo I took of the Vancouver wall of love. It grew organically on the hoarding put up where the glass windows of The Bay store had been smashed  during the rioting. It appears the real Vancouverites just needed somewhere to convey their emotions and express their feelings- what they created was an optimistic view of the city and positive direction for it to follow post-riots. Thank you Leafy, Liveable, Laidback (and VANtastic!) Vancouver- I'll be back!
L. x

purple dawn

So... it's hard to get up in winter... it's warm and cosy in bed. It's cold and well... cold outside.
There are good parts though! In Brisbane, it's not tooo cold! And my favourite... at the moment the sun is rising that little bit later but not so late yet that I'm running in the dark. Instead I get to see beautiful dawn skies as I wake up... Make the most of this beautiful treat before the darkness takes over in a couple of weeks! L. x

inspired by design

I tutor design at QUT in Brisbane. People ask me why I do it and if I get good money. Sure, the money helps pay my bills, but mostly, the thing I love about it is being constantly exposed to new ideas. Being able to develop these ideas and build on them and work them into new ones. This constant exposure to inspiration is why I do it. To me it is like being paid to be inspired.
Today during a studio session, it was great to see 15 students tackle the same space, but each in their own way, with their own ideas and personality. At the end of the day there were 15 different results. I think that in itself is pretty amazing. That each one reflected not just the personality of the designer, but some of their philosphies, their history, their culture as well is wonderful.

caffeine: helping designers since 1883!

Design can be great, we just need to give it a chance. We need to allow it to be all it can be. We need to focus less on the 'designer' items and designer price tags and more on the benefit that good design thinking- applied to interiors, architecture, industrial, civic- all of it- can offer our society. We need to make use of the thinkers in the world. I hope I can inspire some of them in return. For now I just feel lucky that I can spend some of my days in studio rooms with them, plotting, planning and puzzling our way forward, one sheet of butter paper at a time!

sunshine... on my window!

No matter how many times you see it, watching flowers grow, open, thrive is amazing... especially when you can watch them growing from the comfort of your bed as cooler mornings roll in!

a little rest

Today I needed a little rest! I woke up early still but instead of rushing off to netty (training cancelled) or trying to fill the morning with a replacement exercise... I chilled! It was a walk to lucky duck espresso for a caffeine hit + weekend paper in the glorious autumn sunshine + then flower power bakery on the way home for hot cross bun goodness and some much needed couch time...
The sky was just so beautiful and blue today it was great just to be in it, admiring it, at a much s lo w e r pace!
Hurrah for slow days!
L.