Tag Archives: Vancouver

When Your Camera Isn’t Enough

Posted on by

I watch the clouds roll in and out over this mountain from my office window all the time. It amazes me how quickly the peaks disappear and then reemerge with a smile. With the crazy cold and snow the Pacific North West is having right now, the mountains have been putting on a show for us all each afternoon. The late light glow appears across the tops of the mountains and they look to be painted with white and gold. It’s such a beautiful sight that my camera will never be able to capture.

Have you seen something that you’d like to photograph but feel you wouldn’t do it justice?

Facebook Twitter Email

Moving Weekend!

Posted on by

This time next week I will be writing from my new desk which rests beneath a gorgeous, big window gazing out towards the local Vancouver mountains. Said desk will be sitting in new apartment that the Canadian and I are moving into this weekend. I cannot contain my excitement. I am being a total nerd about it. You’d think I’d never had my own place before the way I’m carrying on.

I plan on using our picturesque viewing area second bedroom as a study/photography studio. I’ve already scoped it out..the light in there is awesome and I’m super excited about that. The best light in our old place was in the bathroom, so it will be nice to set up my mini studio without having to rest against a toilet. Classy!

As hard as it was leaving all our old “stuff” back in Sydney, we have had some fun picking up new pieces to make our rented apartment seem more like a home. Some of it has been packed in boxes since Christmas, so I can’t wait to get into them and see what’s what. New couch and new bed, here we come.

I plan on blogging my new home and neighbourhood experience here on Mocking Bird in the coming months. Even though my first year in Vancouver is coming to a close, it’s like a whole new chapter is beginning and I cannot wait to get right in the middle of it- like jumping into the discarded wrapping paper pile on Christmas morning.

Signing off for the last time from my temporary Vancouver residence…

Wish me luck!

p.s. Thanks for all the wonderful conversations in the Inspiration Overload post. You guys are awesome!

Facebook Twitter Email

Summer Things I’ve Noticed

Posted on by

Experiencing summer in the Northern Hemisphere for the first time in my life means lots of little observations falling into my pocket. Yes, I keep them in my pocket as I’m out and about, taking everything in. I like stock piling them for another day, to sit on and ponder. Here are some of my Southern Hemispherian brain’s observations:

Light: There can still light in the sky on the horizon at 10.15pm. Even during daylight savings, we (those of us down under) are pretty much lights out by 8pm.

Feathered Friends: The prettiest, sweetest sounding birds appear during the fairer seasons. Australian birds are loud and squawky and make themselves known. Sitting around the back patio here makes me feel like I should be dressed as Snow White waiting for the little tweeties to land on my fingers.

Fashion trends: As soon as the temperature hits 17 degrees celsius, Vancouverites whip out the shorts and mini skirts. The first day the sun came out, there were literally girls in bikinis on the beach, yet I was freezing in a cardi! My Canadian noticed the same things in Sydney but to the opposite effect- as soon as it hits below 20 in Sydney, out come the scarves and beanies.

Play time: People take full advantage of the sunshine here. As soon as the clouds disappear, it’s like a mass exodus from indoor dwellings. There are people everywhere riding bikes, roller blading, having picnics and laying in the grass. Rejoice, the sun is here, we can live again!

Explorations: I suddenly feel the need to go exploring and be outdoorsy. I want to find that cabin by the lake, to pitch a tent in the back yard, to wander where bears may roam. I never knew that The Great Outdoors actually existed somewhere in the world.

Now that the summer is coming to an end, I will be able to say that I have spent a full set of seasons here in the Northern Hemisphere. Yes, I’m one month away from having lived in Vancouver for a year. I cannot believe how quickly it has gone by.

Summer in Vancouver is very different to summer time in Sydney. I’ve realised that a lot of what I adore about summer is to do with the beaches, cricket, Christmas, the end of the year and all the parties and celebrations that go along with that. I didn’t realise that until I lived a summer in another country. Summer in Vancouver is beautiful and certainly nowhere near as harsh as one in my home town but it’s been beautiful and I don’t want it to end.

Facebook Twitter Email

The Regional Assembly Of Text

Posted on by

Doesn’t the name alone illustrate how awesome a place this could be? Last week I finally made my way to Main St, Vancouver to check out the stationery store with so much more, The Regional Assembly of Text.

This amazing land of paper and stamps shot to the top spot of Amanda’s Adored Attractions the moment I stepped through the door. It was jam packed with stationery lovers looking over the cards, address books, stamps, To Do lists and  wooden address boxes. You can even pick up a Make Your Own Damn Book kit.

What I really loved about the store was its passion for reading and writing. In one corner typewriters are set up ready for letter writing while a tiny desk outfitted with crayons and paper is waiting for little ones to sit and create. The lowercase reading room appears to be a storage closet full of hand made books and reading materials ready for your perusal.

The Regional Assembly of Text doesn’t look like every other stationery store- the products are unique and the colour scheme blends with hues of pastel blues, yellows and browns. Behind the front counter are filing cabinets and some of the walls are adorned with gorgeous turquoise wallpaper and clipboards with letter writing club sign up sheets. Yes, they have a letter writing club that happens on the first Thursday of every month- supplies are provided.

I left the store with a new love for creative design and independent thoughts which so clearly are entrenched in the minds of the store founders Brandy and Rebecca. If you ever find yourself in Vancouver, make sure you get yourself to this fabulous store full of reading and writing goodies. You will love it!

Facebook Twitter Email

Wandering Neighbourhoods: Arbutus and 6th

Posted on by

As I make my way through my Vancouver wanderings, I am always drawn to mixes of colour. Even when the sun isn’t shining in this beautiful town, I can always find something cheery and bright to make my heart and camera sing a little sweeter.

I do find that Vancouver is full of brilliant colours, painted murals, decorated sidewalks, richly coloured houses and flowers blooming. I found the same thing in Ireland when I visited back in the late 90′s. The human spirit fighting the seasonal greyness of these wet climates, no doubt.

I fell in love with the house in the first picture when I was led down the road to its path by hoodwinking cherry blossoms. I was chasing a shot of the blossoms with the mountains behind and fell upon the most glorious little house on a hill. I’ve always loved yellow houses, little wooden, yellow houses. There is something so completely kooky about a brightly coloured house. It shouts to the heavens… hit me with cloud and rain, my spirits will not be dampened!

Do you have much colour in your home, inside and out? I can’t wait to have my own garden that I can fill with as many colours as I can. How do you bring colour into your life?

Facebook Twitter Email

Road Trip Time!

Posted on by

Just as I started to get excited about blossoms and leaving the house without a coat, The Canadian and I have decided to take a road trip into the deep, still wintry woods of British Columbia.

  • Polaroid SX70/SLR680 for snowy Polaroid love
  • Yashica FX3/Nikon FM3A because I can’t just take one camera
  • Compact digital for happy snaps
  • Film for loading
  • iPod for road trip singalongs
  • Book for sitting in coffee shops and watching the world go by
  • Awesome beanie with pom pom
  • Woolly scarf
  • Michelin man coat with furry hood

  • Après-ski- ha! I just really wanted to say that. I think I will say it as much as I can for the next 3 days.
  • Playing in the snow
  • Shopping
  • Shooting
  • If The Canadian has his way….a ski or snowboarding lesson. Not likely.

I of course will bore you to death with photographs upon my return so look out! I’ve read twice in the past 2 days that a road trip is great for firing up the creative juices. I think there is something really cathartic about road trips. The road ahead, the adventures that will likely occur, the new characters that you may meet..all part of the road trip merriment.

Before I wrap myself in layer upon layer, I wanted to thank our little Mocking Bird community for all the great dialogue going on in the comments yesterday. I love that we can enjoy those types of conversations through blogging. Check out the comments from yesterday’s post if you missed it. There are some really inspiring thoughts. Thanks lovelies.

Facebook Twitter Email

Vancouver Olympic City

Posted on by

Well the Olympics are done and I’m feeling a little POD (Post Olympic Depression), so be prepared for a very lengthy post that has nothing to do with being creative, photography or inspiration.

When I first moved to Vancouver I was told that it was nicknamed the “No Fun City” by the locals. If anyone set foot in Vancouver in the past fortnight, they would find that hard to believe. I come from one of the biggest party cities on the planet, so I know what a crazy party town looks like and Vancouver is up there with the best of them.

I was told Vancouver was not behind these Olympics for many different reasons but all of that negativity seemed to vanish once that torch was lit. There are so many moments that I will remember from these games and so many moments that I am going to miss:

  • Watching the games with Canadians, Aussies, Americans, Norwegians and Russians in noisy bars across town.
  • The Holland Heineken House with it’s rowdy Dutchmen, love of speed skating and sauerkraut.
  • Hanging out at Robson Square with what felt like the rest of the world.
  • Seeing spunky Stephen Colbert live and up close and checking out his finely coiffed do.
  • Falling in love with Virtue and Moir- seeing him jump into his brothers’ arms still makes me teary.
  • Walking down Robson St with a sea of red and white.
  • Hearing Swedish hockey fans share their traditional chant with the hockey crowd.
  • Having nightly twitter conversations with lovely friends about the figure skaters’ ridiculous outfits.
  • The Norwegian Curling Pants!
  • The endless hilarity the Canadian and I had whilst making fun of the same 4 advertisements that were played over and over throughout the coverage- I’m in Ontario, y’all! We can both now do an awesome Ryan Reynolds “Laaaiiid Back” impression.
  • Getting high fives from random strangers on the street.
  • Watching girls scream and boys call “Go Canada!” as they soared across the zipline.
  • Standing in a crowd of proud Canadians as they sing their national anthem in unison.
  • Playing “Spot the Aussie” with myself as I walked around town. Calling out to other Aussies to have them respond with a wide smile and a “Go Aussie!” back. Being here made me feel really proud to be Australian.
  • Seeing these crazy American kids taking their life into their own hands as they bravely waved their flags at a HUGE Canadian crowd on the opposite side of the road. It was a hilarious moment. Watch the video here.

But my most favourite moment of all was after the Gold medal hockey game between the Canada and US. As I said on twitter, one thing that I found awesome was the number of Canadians congratulating and shaking hands with Americans in the streets after the game. The Canadians really are that polite.

Whether you get to actually see any events at the Olympic Games, for me the greatest thing is soaking up the atmosphere and interacting with people from all over the world. I am not Canadian, yet being amongst the passion of the Canadian supporters has been amazing and brought me to tears a number of times. The feeling in the city was electric and happiness exuded out of every pore in every person on the street. I did not come across one grumpy person the whole time.

Thank you Vancouver for an amazing time. Thank you Canada for being awesome.

Facebook Twitter Email