A Beautiful Long Weekend

I almost named this post Happy Happy Long Weekend but then I realized it sounded like a Cantonese nail salon or dim sum place.

It's going to be hot and gorgeous long weekend, and I'm thinking of hitting up the beach. I got a new bikini, flip flops and a Billabong rashi all on sale, and I'm soo wishing I was surfing somewhere in the world.

Speaking of, I want to check out this art exhibition and surf movie, Dear & Yonder. The trailer looks beautiful and I love that it's all surfer girls! The exhibition is coming to Vancouver next Thursday, Aug. 6 at Antisocial.

Images credits: Dear & Yonder (photographers John Smart and tmc)

Riddle Me This

My mom and niece are visiting from Hong Kong and I've been busy catering to them and hanging out with a 6-year old. So far, we've been to a local farmer's market and the dog beach, and tomorrow I'll be taking her to a ceramics studio to paint plates. Along with a rugrat, Mom brought back a very plush gift.

The pretty shade of pink is perforated in neat rows, and an iconic ceramic horse in mid canter strikes a pose.

Can you tell me whose creation this is?

Wearing:
Ruffled tulle and pearl beater tank, from Hong Kong
Boyfriend jacket, from Hong Kong
Cropped satin pants, from Shanghai
Patent Oxfords, Michael Kors
Oversized pink leather hobo, ?

A Second Chance

Some things in life deserve another look, a second chance. Kind of like Ed on The Bachelorette?

Or better yet, like this stunning green and red necklace dripping with Swarovski crystals that my mom gave me. I thought it unusual, and never wore it until last week when I dug it out of the bottom pit of my night table. My white embellished tank needed some colour, and now I've had a change of heart.

Or, my ZERO mini cardigan (which some of you have asked to see in a related post), hand-knitted by my grandma when I was 17 because I saw Gwen Stefani perform at MuchMusic and she had a vintage one that said ANAHEIM on the back. I go through phases where I'll wear it all the time, then put it away, only to rediscover it again.

Finally, there's my "slither" necklace, so called because the way the gold is linked reminds me of snakeskin. My mom gave it up, cause it's not her type of thing. For me, I'll gladly it give a second chance.

What treasures do you have that you've given a second chance?

Treasures of Turkey

When The Anthology holidayed for a couple of weeks in sun-soaked Turkey, I knew I had to get a guest post. Effortlessly stylish and classy, The Anthology is one of my fave blogs and a must-read daily.

I'm so happy to be writing a guest post for A Beautiful Life because it was Liv who inspired me to start my own blog. I was addicted to style blogs -- couldn't get enough of them -- but I never considered starting one of my own until I found out Liv had one. Now, I can't remember a time before the Anthology (even though I've only been at it six months).

When Liv returned from her recent trip to Hong Kong she wrote a guide to that city for the Anthology. Now that I've just returned from a trip to Turkey, I thought I'd pull together some of my favourite purchases from that beautiful country.

Bold patterns of every colour were everywhere in Turkey. In the carpets hanging outside every second shop, in the textiles draped over every chair. They made me want to fill my home and my closet with pattern after pattern

Everything was so ornate, so beautiful, so colourful.

My dress is from a small shop in Antalya on the Mediterranean coast, two of my necklaces are vintage, one of them I made, and my sandals are from Brown's in Vancouver.

My scarf is from the same shop as my dress and the white pants I wore almost everyday.

My only regret is that I didn't buy more jewelry. There were so many big, funky pieces that I can't believe I didn't stock up.

I certainly didn't come home empty handed, but there are a few pieces that belong in my jewelry box, not in a stall at the Grand Bazaar. Maybe I'll just have to go back and get them.

How She Harems

Taline, Communications Student at Concordia University, is our lovely style hottie of the week. I once posed the question of to harem or not to harem, and in Taline's case, the answer is a resounding YES. Paired with exotic market sandals and stacks of silver jewelry, she epitomizes global boho chic.

Who influences your style? What inspires you?
I try to incorporate my love for the beach and the lifestyle that it entails, when I am dressing. I want my clothes to embody my mantra,"Just Living the Dream". I mix together a lot of different patterns, materials and styles. My ultimate style goal is to exude lightness, freshness and freedom through my clothes. I really like the "exotic, hippie, bohemian" look. I love Nicole Richie's style and she has been someone who I have kept my eye on and has definitely inspired my style choices.

Most-Wanted item for the Summer?
My most wanted item for summer are those long dresses that go down to your ankles (A Beautiful Life says, kind of like one of these?). A flowy earth coloured one, preferably a tube top.

Heels or Flats?
Flats during the day, heels at night, for my style and lifestyle, I feel as though heels are too fancy/uncomfortable during the daytime.

Essential items for your summer trip to Lebanon?
Bathing suit, a few summer dresses

Best style advice for my readers?
Wear what makes you feel comfortable and sexy. Follow your instincts and you'll find a style which makes you feel great;therefore, you will look great.

Taline is wearing:
Tube Top, American Apparel dress converted into top
Harem pants, True Value Vintage
Sunglasses, Ray-Bans
Jewelry, Native ring (by Native designer, name unknown); Silver Bangles from an African jewelry store in Montreal; Silver Charm bracelet, grad present from my high school
Sandles, Miss Sixty from Browns

Opening Ceremony Collab - Part 2

Quirky Chloë Sevigny has done some cool work with Opening Ceremony in the past, and she continues to do so with her Fall 2009 line. Fun proportions, oddball clashing prints, and hipper-than-thou cuts make this collection stand out amongst the sea of designer collabs. It's also a kind of "girls-can-be-boys-can-be-girls" collection - Sevigny purposely created a unisex line making it easy for all to share. With the neverending "boyfriend" trend (jeans, jackets, sweaters). this is more than timely.

Sevigny takes style tidbits from a variety of places and people, or as she puts it, "from skinheads to Connecticut kids to St. Mark's Place". As a result, the overall look is mismatched, vintagey, and a bit disheveled. A sort of "look what I found from my grandpa/grandma's leather trunk in the attic" feel that's not too try-hard.

There's also wonderful shoes in this collection - I absolutely love the wedge strapped buckle boots. Classic pointy oxfords and saddle shoes round out the old-school, preppy look.



All images (except buckled wedge boot) are from Style.com
Wedge boot is available at Shopbop.com.

Opening Ceremony Collab - Part 1

Betsey Johnson teamed up with white-hot label Opening Ceremony to create a small, edgy collection that recalls the dark punk days of the 80's. Not totally sure about the jumpsuit of cherries but still love how she takes risks and marches to the drum of her own beat. The snakeskin off-the-shoulder dress above is totally badass and very Betsey.

Two-Wheel Love Affair

Now that hubby's got a fixie, I have been looking around to possibly add another bicycle to the roster. I'm totally smitten with this 1930's vintage-style Path Racer model from Pashley Cycles but the frame is too big and not to mention, the price tag is hefty. Hubby says he'll try to build me a custom one from a vintage frame.



With the great summer weather, we're cycling everywhere and loving it. On Friday night, we cycled to The Reef restaurant which serves up Caribbean-style jerk chicken with a side of freshly DJ'd tunes. It got a little dark by the time we were done, but there was something so exhilarating and child-like about biking home at dusk.

I found the below video on cycling culture in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is what I hope to be doing in about a year's time, when hubby and I head to Europe.

Flying High at the Southlands Classic

We did it - Miss Fancy and I successfully competed in the Southlands Summer Classic Hunter Jumper Show this past weekend and I am quite pleased with the results. It's been a whirlwind, starting with show preparation last Thursday (lots of cleaning, wiping, braiding, picking etc.), and heading straight into competition on Friday morning and again Saturday. It was very hot and sunny on both days, and I was cooking underneath that pin-stripe jacket and black helmet. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally after Friday, and I had to drag my butt out of bed on Saturday to do it all over again. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

It's something I've worked hard for, and it was a goal to get through a major show and compete at the jumper level for the first time (Jumpers being the competition based on the speed and accuracy through a course of fences - fastest and cleanest rider wins). When it was my turn to tackle the 10 jumps, I was so nervous and sick to my stomach. What if I went off course? What if I missed a fence?

I took a deep breath and lumbered in a lofty canter towards the first fence - Miss Fancy picked up on my anxiety and she was not as speedy as usual over the first 3 jumps. As I cleared the first few fences, I gained more confidence and soon I was flying through the rest of the course. When it was all over, the announcer said I had made it into the jump-off! As there's no time in between your first round and the jump off, I stared down hard at the jumps and went for it. I went hard at the last series of jumps and to my own surprise, I had a huge grin on my face. I couldn't believe I had done it! Not only that, but I was in 2nd place!

I didn't end up winning that class, but it doesn't matter. What's important to me is that I went through with it and did better than I expected. Miss Fancy gave me a chance to win and I held nothing back.

I fared better in a few other classes, placing in 3 of them (we got ribbons - yay!). It didn't matter that I had burnt my brand new show shirt on the shoulder the night before in my attempt to iron it (wore it anyways - the judges can't see under my jacket!); it didn't matter that I didn't win a 1st, 2nd or 3rd. It was so much fun and very satisfying to know I had reached this, a long-time goal.

And my husband says, "All that work and money spent for a few dollar-store ribbons?"

And I say, "Absfuckinlutely!".

A few more pics of the show below.


Below: Back at the barn after a long, but rewarding day.

Below: Briggs, a cute Appaloosa owned by a friend also at the show.

Thanks to Totem Photographics and my dear friend Melissa for these wonderful pictures.

For You Harry Potter Fans...

Here is a behind the scenes look at Emma Watson's photo shoot for Teen Vogue a little while ago. I adore the very eccentric english "Alice in Wonderland" look of this whole spread. And she looks beautiful!

Hot Heat Needs

Found some cool ways to stay cool amidst the hot summer heat. Really dig the colourful throwback watches below and love the funny trapeze-shaped cropped tank above.

A sporty grey racerback dress I would rely on for any hot summer occasion.

I've been wanting a dramatic fringed necklace for a while now...love how it makes a simple beater look instantly updated.

All these lovelies can be found at Need Supply Co. and at reasonable prices. Thanks to my friend Teresa for this tip!

Sorting out my pics from the horse show from this weekend, so will have an update shortly!