Steampunk Fashion

All post

Good morning lovelies! What better way to start the weekend than with today’s elegant Chateau de Bourron wedding , filled with lots of love and romance and a bride wearing a customised Mila gown by Modern Trousseau . Lisa our beautiful bride chose a pretty updo with a stunning headdress to perfectly finish off her look.

Today’s wedding will live on forever in Lisa and Brian’s wedding photography and videography. My own wedding truly taught me the real value of both these imperative elements. After the wedding day has passed which seems to happen in a heartbeat they are the only things left which preserve your special day for years and generations to come.

Today’s wedding film oozes emotion and even allows us readers who haven’t attended the wedding and don’t even know the bride and groom to experience the love and happiness from the day making you feel like you were there too, such a powerful talent. You can see Lisa and Brian’s beautiful wedding film created by the very talented Studio80 at the end of today’s feature.

Lisa and Brian from San Francisco California met at a speed dating event one night and immediately hit it off. A couple years later they decided to get married and as usual the question was, ‘where’?

Lisa had spent a good part of her childhood growing up in Paris, and spent weekends at her parent’s second home in the quaint town of Bourron Marlotte located close to Fontainebleau about an hour south of Paris by car. It’s there that she fell in love with riding horses and spent long hours at the local pony club. Brian also loved horses and even rode competitively. Thus, a lovely chateau wedding near Paris with guests from all over the world made perfect sense.

They picked the stunning Chateau de Bourron which is located at the edge of the village. Lisa and some of her close friends and family got ready in a small carriage house at the entrance to the chateau gardens.

An antique carriage whisked Lisa and her father off to the town’s stone church where Brian was waiting impatiently.

Following the ceremony, Lisa and Brian were greeted by guests and showered with rose petals.

The photographer, David Bacher , then accompanied the couple for a carriage ride around the village and ultimately to the pony club where Lisa had many fond childhood memories. She mentioned that was the one place where she especially wanted photos on her wedding day. The photographer managed to capture some special moments of the couple petting the horses and even trying to keep them from eating Lisa’s bouquet.

Following the photo session, the couple returned to the chateau for an outdoor cocktail and some rather humorous speeches made by close family members. Brian’s brother also sang a song that he had written especially for the wedding.

The evening began with dinner inside the chateau’s two main dining rooms. The cuisine was prepared by chef Dominique Maes who also runs the Michelin restaurant Les Premices .

Just after sunset, guests watched a lovely firework display in front of the chateau, and then were served dessert outside. The specialty was a fabulous multi layered piece montee chou.

How romantic! I particularly loved their wedding film, do you have a videographer booked for your big day?

For more Chateau wedding inspiration click here .

With love,
Christina x

Chateau de Bourron wedding outside Paris Snapshot

Wedding Vendors

Save

GRATITUDE

It’s one of my favorite words and a strong guiding value in my life. I don’t know how many times a day I quietly send a thank you to the creator for the AMAZINGNESS that keeps unfolding before my eyes. With Thanksgiving around the corner, our awareness shifts to being thankful because the external world promotes Thanksgiving holiday complete with turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie! ( 3 very great things to be thankful for ;)) But what about every other day of the year? My good friend and editor of Vibrant Wellness Journal came up with “Project Gratitude”, to celebrate thanks and giving for an entire month. If you’re feeling inspired, join me in Project Gratitude by sharing images//photos//quotes//writing about what makes you feel blessed =) Hashtag #projectgratitude and your post may end up on Vibrant Wellness Journal 🙂

Although the project doesn’t officially begin until November 1st, I’m bubbling with appreciation so I’m starting early!

Today, I am thankful to have spent the weekend with my yogi community + Paul Muller Ortega as we were initiated in the practice of Neelakantha Meditation. There is too much to say and not enough I could say about the experience. So instead of using my own words, which could never do justice, I will quote Paul, “Our practice of Neelakantha Meditation is an ancient, beautiful, sophisticated, and deeply refined method by means of which we come to know this transcendental, mysterious, deeply present reality of everything everywhere. The first and most important place we come to know it is within ourselves.” A lifelong journey I am more than ready to begin. 🙂

What are you feeling grateful for today?

Swedish company POC has come to the conclusion that many of the back protectors on the market have serious weaknesses in terms of shock absorption and spinal protection. The Company worked with spinal cord injury specialists, riders of all kinds and experts in material construction to come up with two different back protector concepts: VPD and the Multi-Impact hard shell system.

Stockholm based POC is on a mission to develop new and better products to reduce the consequences of accidents or possibly save lives of gravity based sports athletes. Over the past five years on the market, POC has continued to expand their product range, starting with goggles and helmets and now including a new line of performance sunglasses and casual wear.

The VPD or Visco-Elastic Polymer Dough back protector is one of the few on the market that reaches the highest performance standard. The material is highly dampening, using a modified Polyurethane foam that is soft, comfortable and adapts to create an individual fit. When exposed to impact however, the material stiffens and absorbs extreme amounts of energy. The back protectors also have extra density along the spinal area for further protection.

POC has a flexible, patented back-protection system which allows you to chose your protection degree at all times from various components, including the VPD back protector and the Multi-Impact hard shell system, which is POC's back armor with hard panel shields and a multi impact core. You can tailor your degree of protection depending on how you ride for the day or to meet different competition rules.

I was also really excited to see that POC has incorporated MIPS technology into their backcountry range of helmets for which they won the SIA Snowpress Innovations award this year. If you recall, I met MIPS at Interbike last summer and they were still looking for go to market helmet partners at the time. MIPS technology utilizes a low friction layer between the shell and liner of the helmet. Upon impact, the low friction layer allows a small rotation of the shell relative to the liner, reducing significantly the impact forces to the brain.

The new modular kitchen Concept Kitchen developed by accessories specialist Naber and product designer Kilian Schindler breaks up the routines of standard kitchen designs. The five-module design combines work surface, sink center, butcher block, storage and technology tower in one succinct unit. Elements can easily be reconfigured.

Award-winning kitchen offers lot of flexibility

The mobile kitchen system is currently based on five modules: Work surface with integrated hob, sink centre, butcher block, storage rack and technology tower. The stainless steel base elements can be disassembled and have grid holes for the flexible positioning of structural panels and shelves. A simple plug-in principle allows easy assembly and disassembly of the basic elements without use of tools.

The modular kitchen designed by Bureau Kilian Schindler celebrated its premiere within the framework of the Design Deutschland exhibition in Milan and New York. With its polarising modernity, the project initiated by Naber GmbH caused a sensation, and has already won prestigious design awards such as the Plus X Award and the Interior Innovation Award.

Photos courtesy of Naber

Wildsnow has uncovered a patent that Arc'teryx filed last March 2012 outlining an innovative avalanche airbag system. Looking to circumvent the inherent problems associated with gas cartridges, the Arc'teryx system uses no compressed gas but instead 100% ambient air to inflate the avalanche air bag.

Current avalanche airbag systems rely on the use of compressed gas to fully inflate the airbag. These systems are limited by their one time cartridge use and must be replaced or refilled before the airbag is useful again. Some might argue this is not such as bad thing- if you were caught in an avalanche and had to deploy the airbag, it just might be a good time to head inside to the bar.

Compressed gas cartridges themselves present many problems. The airbag volume is limited by the size of the cartridge. You can't travel with compressed gas and therefore must be sure to buy cartridges at your destination (if available) before heading out into the backcountry. Compressed gas can get expensive, meaning users have likely not practiced deploying the airbag or received any training on the system.

Looking to do away with compressed gas altogether, inflation of the Arc'teryx avalanche airbag system is achieved through a battery powered electric motor that draws in ambient air. The motor will fully inflate the airbag within a 2.5-5 second timeframe. The battery will run for up to 50 activations before needing to be recharged, and the use of 100% ambient air reduces the weight of the system by up to half of that of compressed gas systems.

The Arc'teryx avalanche airbag system can be manually or remotely activated. The patent explores the possibility of an automatic emergency mode. When switched on, a gyroscopic or altitude sensor realizes you are tumbling head over heels and triggers the airbag inflation. Coupled with a time duration delay, inadvertent activations could be avoided.

Let's hope we find out more details about the motor powered avalanche airbag system from Arc'teryx at Outdoor Retailer next week.

For Spring 2015, Sea to Summit is launching a whole new category with a line of sleeping pads. Featuring a unique construction and multiple varieties from ultralight to ultra comfort, the new sleeping pad line has something for everyone.

Dot welded together, numerous Air Sprung Cells function the same way as a pocket spring mattress. Acting independently, the air chambers conform to your boy contours without affecting adjacent cells. Tis independent movement allows for uniform distribution of pressure and a softer, more comfortable, and more supportive sleep.

The Sea to Summit sleeping pads come in 6 different varieties: Ultralight, Ultralight Insulated, Comfort Light, Comfort Light Insulated, Comfort Plus, and Comfort Plus Insulated. The Insulated versions add an internal Exkin Platinum liner that reflects radiant heat and stuff the Air Sprung Cells with Thermolite insulation.

The Comfort Light category adds a second layer of cells in the torso area, while the Comfort Plus category uses a full two layers of cells. These two offset layers can be pressurized independently, meaning you could have a firm base and a softer top layer. This also adds redundancy in case you should puncture the sleeping pad while camping or out on the trail.

The sleeping pads are 2-2.5 inches thick, and made from a combination 20D and 40D TPU laminated nylon that is lightweight yet durable. A custom multi-function high-flow valve allows for easy inflation, rapid deflation, and fine tuning. The sleeping pads pack down small and don’t crinkle that much when you move around.

See below for detailed info on each sleeping pad (all stats for size Regular).

Ultralight ($99.95):

Weight: 355g

Air Spring Cells: 181

R-value: 0.7

Length x width: 183 cm x 55 cm

Ultralight Insulated ($129.95):

Weight: 440g

Air Spring Cells: 181

R-value: 2.5

Length x width: 183 cm x 55 cm

Comfort Light ($139.95):

Weight: 460g

Air Spring Cells: 331

R-value: 1

Length x width: 184 cm x 55 cm

Comfort Light Insulated($169.95):

Weight: 580g

Air Spring Cells: 331

R-value: 3.5

Length x width: 183 cm x 55 cm

Comfort Plus ($169.95):

Weight: 595g

Air Spring Cells: 548

R-value: 1.5

Length x width: 183 cm x 55 cm

Comfort Plus Insulated ($199.95):

Weight: 725g

Air Spring Cells: 548

R-value: 5

Length x width: 183 cm x 55 cm

After the fourth session Wayne engaged the audience in a dialog about the material already presented.

On a hike the other day in the Sierras, I thought I’d see just how dry California really is. So, taking a page from Moses’ book I spoke to the rock. I could split it in two easy enough, but as you can see in the picture above, I wasn’t able to ge the water flowing. Man, that’s dry!

Seriously though, we’ve had four years with less than half of normal snow and rainfall and our state government has not built any new water retention projects in the last 50 years despite a constantly growing population. The combination of this weather cycle and government shortsightedness means we are in a state of crisis with many resevoirs bone dry or nearly so. Our underground aquifers have been pumped to depths never before seen.

To help, we are under severe water restrictions. Yes, we have enough to drink and to take shorter-than-average showers. Many continue to water lawns, though the price of water above the allotment can get expensive very quickly. But the immediate threat is from our tinder-dry fields and forests, which can explode into raging wildfires in an instant and have in many places. Fortunately none are burning near us at the moment.

But there is lots of talk of a strong El Nino forming in the eastern Pacific, which could mean a wetter-than-normal winter. Some are calling it a Godzilla, with the potentional to bring torrential rains, which might cause mudslides as it did in 1996. Who knows? We need about three winters like that to replenish California’s water supply, but at what cost?

It’s a strange time to live in California when earthquakes seem to be the least of our troubles!

The Basscon team has prepared yet another night of heavy-hitting beats for this winter season. On Friday, December 23, Basscon welcomes hardstyle and hard dance heavyweights Angerfist and Radical Redemption , with special guests Minus Militia , to the Belasco Theater, one of the most beautiful and historic locations in Downtown Los Angeles.

For this intimate Basscon show, we’re mixing things up with Dutch hardcore pioneer Angerfist. Heavy beats hold strong in the Netherlands, and Angerfist is bringing his friend and fellow Dutchman Radical Redemption along for some hardstyle flavor. The latter is also bringing to life his Minus Militia collaborative project—alongside Crypsis and Chain Reaction—to keep those feet shuffling hard all night long.

Expect bone-rattling bass and mind-bending visuals to accompany this stellar lineup. Tickets are available now .

Basscon Presents Angerfist, Radical Redemption, and Minus Militia takes place Friday, December 23, at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Tickets are available now . For more information, visit the official event page .

The Hikari pack from Alite Designs is the clown car of urban packs. Stowing an endless amount of stuff and instantly transforming from a backpack, to a tote, to a shoulder bag, the Hikari fits perfectly into the Alite design ethos of simple, creatively designed, multi-functional, good looking, everyday gear.

With 21 liters of storage space, this deceptively small pack will easily swallow your 17″ laptop, iPad, magazines, books, snacks, a puffy coat, all your electronics and cords, organized accessories, coffee thermos, and water bottle, all while leaving room for that inevitable extra stuff you buy when on the road.

The Hikari uses adjustable shoulder straps that transform from tote style to a backpack, along with a removable cross-body strap to convert the pack to a shoulder bag. The open top-loading style gives you easy access to the bag’s main storage area. It may take a bit of wrangling to get the tote straps out of the way for larger items.

The main compartment features a laptop sleeve and zippered pocket for your wallet, keys, sunglasses, or phone. An insulating skirt and cinch allows you to securely close the top of the Hikari pack and protect the contents from falling out or inclement weather.

Hidden, double-front zipper pockets on the Hikari pack provide additional storage space. The left pocket includes a velcro attached organizer pouch for your pens, phone, business cards, and passport. If you want to use the pack pedaling around town, the Hikari features a strategically placed fabric loop for your bike light.

The Hikari pack has served me well for everything from an airplane carry-on and flea market shopping bag to a day hike and courier pack for delivering packages to the post office by bike.

Extremely versatile, clown car capacity, great colors, fits under an airplane seat.

Tote straps can be fussy – perhaps clips could be added?

Bottom Line: The Hikari pack oozes urban versatility. It would make a great gift this holiday season.

The Alite Hikari pack normally retails for $84 but is currently on sale for $63 on the company website.

By Carolyne Whelan,

When I first heard of Adventure Fest , I was skeptical. Long bike rides, partially supported but not led. No planned clinics, not a lot of structure of any nature to speak of. There was a strong feeling of “if you build it, they will come.” It was a leap of faith in cyclists’ willingness to get together for a shared experience of a fairly individualized sport, and was certainly putting a lot of optimism in the sky, in a region that only has sun for 45% of its daylight hours.

When I was asked to be an ambassador for Thick Bikes , where I work, I cautiously said yes. When Swift Industries , a sponsor of the event, invited my bike shop to share tent space and come up with a way to represent what we envision as the best of freedom on two wheels, we jumped at the idea and knew it was going to sweeten the festival; if nothing else, it’s more fun to show up to a party with a pal. I know the folks at Bicycle Times, the publication behind Adventure Fest. Their sister publication, Dirt Rag, puts on a similar event, Dirt Fest, at a nearby campground. Dirt Fest, however, is more developed, with group rides, skill clinics, events, and more bikes to test ride than there are hours of pedal time in a weekend. Adventure Fest, by contrast, celebrated the autonomy of the bicycle, the ability to ride (almost) anywhere and do (almost) anything, without the need for special skills and fanfare.

In the spirit of “if you build it, they will come,” I invited Eagle Nest Outfitters to send some hammocks for people to lounge in and borrow, to try and set up themselves. Most of us at Thick use ENO hammocks for our bikepacking set-up, because in Western Pennsylvania there are more trees than flat ground, and hammocks are much lighter and more compact than most tents so they fit easily in a frame pack. I noticed a few hangers already spread across the camp grounds, with impressive ENO setups to compensate for the dropping evening temperatures of early October in Pennsylvania. Others had never even considered a hammock as a means of sleeping or relaxing mid-ride.

After the first rainy day, the weekend’s weather was perfect, and the leaves of central Pennsylvania were popping with reds, purples, and oranges. Raystown Lake was still in the morning, save for occasional waves rippling from a passing boat. We set up the hammocks next to the bags decorated with Swift Industries bags, and invited passers by to stop by for a swing.

At first, people were hesitant. We were next to the coffee stand, though, and after some caffeine and a few minutes watching the Thick Bikes clan taking turns relaxing, one by one people stopped by to say hello and ask to lounge around for a moment.

On Saturday afternoon, I went for an 18-mile mixed surface ride with my husband and another Thick Bikes ambassador, a student at Carnegie Mellon University’s mechanical engineering program who races on her university cycling team. There was a lot of climbing, 2,000 feet in the first ten miles, and I was glad to have my brought my new Salsa Cycles Fargo . For anyone interested in bikepacking, this is a wonderful bike that is comfortable for long distances; it can climb hills like a mountain goat and even with the rigid carbon fork I have, it maneuvers off-road terrain as if it had suspension. It is like an SUV in bicycle form. The steep climbs were well worth it the sweat for the surprising views of the valley below, and the rushing descents that brought us down to the lake and along the water before directing us into another climb through farm country. We rode past horses, then mules, then donkeys, then miniature donkeys, then baby miniature donkeys, which look more like hooved cats than something that could pull a cart. A friend from West Virginia remarked that Pennsylvanians love miniature animals, and none of us could deny it, but rather wondered what was to possibly dislike about the adorable little animals.

At night there was a party with jam bands, beer, homemade pizza, and lots of good conversation with like-minded people and old friends. As temperatures dropped, we gathered under pop-up tents and near camp fires, amazed at the folks by their big RVs who had brought out their flat screen TV to their own fire to watch the football game. With all the stars in the sky, the smoke and flame moving like bellydancers to the slight motions of wind, and friends’ faces lit in the warm glow of fire, lantern, and moonlight, what more could a television offer?

While there were certainly kinks to work out, I think Adventure Fest had a great inaugural year and will prove to be a welcome addition to the fall lineup of outdoor festivals. They built and we came, so now we just need to build it stronger together.

ABOUT: Carolyne Whelan is an adventurer and freelance writer who usually hangs her hat in a camper. When she isn’t working as a bike mechanic in Pittsburgh, PA, she can be hard to locate without a compass but is most easily found at her blogs Lifting Weights at Midnight and Roadside Fires Burning . Her poetry can be found at carolynewhelan.com .

Can Creek cuts a vein through the woodlands, twisting through the vermilion bigtooth maples and out of sight to the horizon. It’s the only feature that gives the expanse of color any definition. Elsewhere in the country, hikers are putting away their boots and packs for the winter, but here in Lost Maples, I’m about to set up a picture-perfect campsite on an outcrop 400 feet above the fall scenery. Tomorrow, I’ll tour the woods, limestone canyons, and crystalline streams that set this area apart from other Texas wilds, and, since it’s just a few hours from Austin, I can take my time, just like the seasons.

Trip stats
Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 2 days

Turn-by-turn
From the East-West trailhead
(1) Head .4 mile north on the East-West Trail to a fork.
(2) Stay right to complete the loop counterclockwise (for a longer first day, go clockwise) and reach a junction at mile 1.1.
(3) Head .4 mile north (hiker’s right) on the East Trail to another fork; split left and take the .4-mile path toward Area B.
(4) Retrace your steps .7 mile to an intersection of the East and West Trails.
(5) Peel off to the west and follow the West Trail 1.1 miles.
(6) Turn south at the junction to stay on the West Trail as it wraps 2.8 miles back to the trailhead (merge with the East-West Trail near mile 6.1 and retrace your steps .4 mile to close the lasso loop).

Campsite
Area B (mile 1.9)
Pitch your tent beneath the oaks in Campsite B. The steep, 400-foot climb to the top of the hillock is enough to deter most hikers (who instead opt for the pond area), so expect solitude. There are a handful of established spots ($10; online reservation recommended), and don’t forget to top off your water at Can Creek before making the climb; it’s dry up here. Keep an eye out for red-tailed hawks overhead.

Foliage
The park’s namesake bigtooth maples turn in November. Expect a killer bird’s-eye vantage from the overlook in Area B, but check the Lost Maples Foliage Report for current information on where and when at bit.do/LostMaplesFoliage .

Canyon detour
From basecamp at Area B: Head about a mile east on the East Trail to the Grotto, where maidenhair ferns cover limestone canyon walls. Continue about .5 mile to aptly named Monkey Rock.

DO IT
Trailhead 29.814899, -99.575830; 6 miles north of Vanderpool off Ranch Rd. 187 Season September through May; late fall for foliage, mid-spring for flowers Permit None Custom map bit.do/BPmapLostMaples ($15) Contact bit.do/LostMaples Trip data wordpress.com/LostMaples

To Trailhead

29.814899, -99.575830; 6 miles north of Vanderpool off Ranch Rd. 187

Austin, TX: Area B, Lost Maples State Natural Area

Fiona, International Student Advisor &Tony, Lawyer

Sum-up of the wedding vibe: An emotional, homegrown wedding followed by an international dance party

Soundtrack for reading: “Suavemente Besame” by Elvis Crespo

http://wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Elvis-Crespo-Suavemente-Besame.mp3

favorite thing about the wedding:

I was overwhelmed by all of the ways friends and family banded together to make Tony feel a part of the family and community, especially because “his people” were two thousand miles away. My German folk-dancing grandfather, Opa, said his favorite part was Tony’s and my Dominican first dance. “We have another dancer in the family.”

other cool stuff we should know about:

We found our photographers, Aaron and Whitney , through APW and were the winners of the most amazing photography package. This was our incredible luck for so many reasons, and it all ended in gaining two wonderful new friends.

Looking back, one of my most profound feelings is gratefulness. I’m grateful to our friends and family for creating music, reading, singing, listening, celebrating Hesed, and unwrapping what seemed like hundreds of candles, growing grass, and folding paper airplanes with dear little hearts at the end of the exhaust fumes, searching desperately for paper cups, not Styrofoam, but alas, for building a dance floor, for more than just a “Talking Party” (my husband’s term for what white people do when we celebrate), preparing the Blaukraut for my husband’s German acculturation, building a deck by the pond to last for many weddings to come, driving to New Holland to pick up my mom’s new car before the wedding, making my Aunt Tillie’s day, and helping to lead the general direction of the day’s preparations.

What else do I credit my friends and family for? Producing a plethora of wedding day signs with my favorite color (glitter); making bouquets to rival any Pinterest collection; serving guests and working behind the scenes from 1:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.; designing, printing, and mailing wedding invitations for long-distance lovers, planning dishes to *wow!* our palates in 2014 (when we cancelled wedding #1 due to the groom STILL not having a US visa) AND 2015 (with the actual groom present); painting the dance floor at midnight with a broken roller; bringing the canoe on-site at the drop of a hat; traveling all the way from Michigan, Missouri, Indiana, and New York; bringing homemade pickles, jams, homegrown flowers, and much more for lunchtime; giving clear direction (“It’s The Gruganheim, not The Guggenheim”); attempting to scatter flower petals with no hands; squeezing in a stint as Best Man right after an international flight; your first child’s college orientation and right before the start of a new semester; creating (each) personalized invitation to the bridal and groomal shower; baking 795 cookies decorated to look like works of art; serving guests because you love your mother/your wife; keeping the deaf guests in good hands; meeting; greeting; cooking; cleaning; ironing; folding; setting; sweeping; all manner of help sleeping on blow up mattresses; hauling 60 bales of hay across The Valley and then back again; sorting hundreds of mint leaves; and driving to State College and back at 3:00 a.m…. twice.

Finally to all the Bateyeros who were here in spirit and showed your love through your video messages that made us cry for missing you, I am grateful.

Aaron and Whitney

The Info:

Photography: Aaron and Whitney | Venue: Private residence | Location: Alexandria, PA | Wedding Gown: Tadashi Shoji

We monetize all the links on our site. If you click on the link and make a purchase, APW may receive a commission. APW only links to products and services that will add value to our audience. All opinions are our own.

* Emma , Author & Mike, Graphic Designer *

I always imagined that I’d want an enormous wedding, with hundreds of people and fanfare befitting a queen. When it came down to it, however, and it was time to plan my actual wedding, with my actual boyfriend and my actual family, I was surprised to discover that what I wanted was much more intimate. We ended up with about thirty people in my parents’ dining room. I wore my mother’s dress and a piece of tulle the size of a pumpkin on my head. It was packed and warm and perfect. Everyone (including the rabbi) laughed throughout.

What we did right: keep it small. The smaller the better. We had a larger party the next day, but in retrospect, I would have picked a handful of people and moved them to the ceremony list, and then cancelled the second event. After the wedding, all I wanted to do was hang out with my husband and our families.

Have talented friends. We had one friend, Catherine Thompson, draw our portrait. Another friend sang at the ceremony. The printer cut our letterpressing bill in half because Mike does a lot of work with him. In my experience, everyone loves weddings, and will go out of their way to help you. Help is good.

What we did somewhat right: Tell people what to do. This is not the time to be a shrinking violet. I think this is something we could have done more of, actually– we were so solid on what we wanted that we didn’t end up delegating much responsibility on the actual day. Make lists. Give them to your mothers and friends.

Schedule things well. I spent much of my wedding day getting my hair done. Make sure you’re not missing the fun.

What we did wrong: Nothing. Here’s the thing. I was at my parents’ house, surrounded by people I love. We hired a great photographer, and my best friend was shooting video all day. Afterwards, we all had lobster rolls. What could be better? No matter what isn’t exactly right, it’s still your wedding. You’re going to be goofy with laughter all day long. Just enjoy it.

All photos by Cappy Hotchkiss

Go Swimming: Vancouver’s Outdoor Pools Open Saturday, May 18

Kitsilano Pool. Photo: albategenius

Summer is soon here. Opening day for Vancouver’s outdoor pools heralds the coming sunshine. Kitsilano Pool , Second Beach Pool , New Brighton Pool and Hillcrest Pool open for public swimming on Saturday May, 18– just in time for the Victoria Day Long Weekend.

How do you pick a pool?

Well, if it’s about more than proximity, each pool has its own set of alluring features.

My personal favourite is Kitsilano Pool. Here’s why: “ Kits Pool” is a beachfront beauty and the longest pool in Canada. It’s also the only salt-water pool in Vancouver so you feel as though you’re in the adjacent ocean. For those who are visiting Kits, it’s located along the beach at Cornwall and Vine. There’s a cafe and a three water slides. Thanks to the pristine waters and jumbo-sized tanning chairs, the pool often boasts more visitors than the nearby beach. There’s also a kids’ area with a water fountain that squirts jets. Stay long enough and you can hit up Appy Hour with a beach/sunset view at the nearby Boathouse Restaurant .

A close second is Second Beach Pool located in Stanley Park at the junction of Stanley Park Drive and North Lagoon Drive. Second Beach Pool is also a waterfront pool. It’s heated, which you’ll appreciate in the spring to summer transition. It’s also easy to make a day of it by adding a hike or bike in Stanley Park and barbequing at nearby Ceperley Meadow.

In East Van, you can swim outdoors at New Brighton Pool : a is a heated, outdoor pool in New Brighton Park north of the Pacific National Exhibition on Windermere St. While the ocean access isn’t as full-on as the first two options, you’ve still got stunning mountain scenery.

Hillcrest Aquatic Centre —near Queen Elizabeth Park—is your best bet for young kids. In addition to the indoor pools and “lazy river”, the outfoor pool has the good stuff: water jets, bubble sprays and a kid-operated water cannon.

Want more updates on Vancouver fun? Follow me on Twitter @TJerven

订阅：博文 (Atom)

Steampunk Fashion

Chateau de Bourron Wedding Outside Paris

Chateau de Bourron Wedding Outside Paris

Wedding Vendors

Motivation Monday : Project Gratitude

Motivation Monday : Project Gratitude

POC’s New VPD Back Protector And MIPS Helmets

POC’s New VPD Back Protector And MIPS Helmets

Award-winning kitchen offers lot of flexibility

Award-winning kitchen offers lot of flexibility

Arc’teryx Motor Powered Avalanche Airbag System

Arc’teryx Motor Powered Avalanche Airbag System

Sea to Summit Sleeping Pads

Sea to Summit Sleeping Pads

Question and Answer on Sessions 8 and 9

Question and Answer on Sessions 8 and 9

How Dry Is California?

How Dry Is California?

Basscon Bringing Angerfist, Radical Redemption, and Minus Militia to Los Angeles December 2016

Basscon Bringing Angerfist, Radical Redemption, and Minus Militia to Los Angeles December 2016

Alite Hikari Pack Review

Alite Hikari Pack Review

Festival Recap: Adventure Fest

Festival Recap: Adventure Fest

Austin, TX: Area B, Lost Maples State Natural Area

Austin, TX: Area B, Lost Maples State Natural Area

To Trailhead

This Bohemian Wedding Parade Is the Sweetest Thing You’ll See All Day

This Bohemian Wedding Parade Is the Sweetest Thing You’ll See All Day

favorite thing about the wedding:

other cool stuff we should know about:

The Info:

Emma & Mike’s At Home Wedding

Emma & Mike’s At Home Wedding

Go Swimming: Vancouver’s Outdoor Pools Open Saturday, May 18

Go Swimming: Vancouver’s Outdoor Pools Open Saturday, May 18