October 2, 2013

Seven of my favourite places we visited in Alberta (and what I wore to each of them)

You may notice that the title of this post says "Alberta", instead of just Calgary, and the reason for that is that while on the other side of the Rockies, though the majority of our time was indeed spent in the beautiful, bustling city of Calgary, we also enjoyed a fantastic day trip further south in the province to a fantastic little prairie down called Nanton (many heartfelt thanks all those, including to Jill from Tea with the Vintage Baroness, who highly recommended we visit this charming corner of the province - you were spot on when you said that you thought I'd adore it).




I'm not kidding in the slightest when I say that I did more, and pushed myself harder during the process, during our week in Calgary that I usually do in a half a year - sometimes even an entire year, just depending on my health's current state. I know that this long overdue trip was likely to be a rare occurrence (the last trip, a short jaunt to Montreal where Tony was speaking at conference for work, that we took was at the start of 2007) and that I wanted to squeeze as much out of the experience as I possibly could, short of wrecking myself, so to speak, to the point where I'd be too ill to do anything at all.

While at home in sweet little Penticton, I would never push myself so hard for so many days in a row, but am sincerely glad that I did while on the road, because - though it means weeks of recovery time afterwards now - it enabled me to enjoy such a rich, activity packed adventure with my darling husband, in a city that I know (the bones of) like the back of my hand (I spent a little over two years living in Calgary when I was in my late teens).

I headed to Alberta with a hefty sized list of places that I thought might be oodles of fun to visit. I knew of course that we wouldn't get to all of them, but in a way, that only made the ones that we did see even more enjoyable, because in the back of my mind, I already had a list of destination being compiled for the next time we happen to have the good fortunate of being in that neck of the woods - or in this case, sprawling urban prairie metropolis.

We went out together every single day during our trip, often for several hours at a time, and returned both very happy and very tired every night. Most days we planned our itinerary of outings in advance, but on a couple, we took a more "on the fly" approach and let the weather, our mood, and what we really hoped to accomplish while in Calgary guide our choice of destinations.

As this was Tony's first time in Calgary (or anywhere in Alberta), we knew that some of the more touristic destinations would be a must. After many years away from the city, and having loved them all myself long ago, I didn't mind seeing each of them again. After so much time, I almost felt like I was experiencing these sights again for the first time.

What follows is not a complete list of all the places, big and small alike that we visited, instead it is a roundup of seven that stand out as particular favourites of mine from this action packed, truly enjoyable journey.

Interspersed between them, were many moments that brought me equal joy, when, for example, I would find myself on familiar streets, glimpsing sights my eyes hadn't beheld in a decade, remembering which roads lead where, reconnecting with once treasured haunts, and discovering new ones in a city that had certainly changed and grown, but still retained so much of the brazen, multifaceted soul it possessed when I lived there.


{A Vintage Affair}



To say that we hit the ground running when we got to Calgary would be a major understatement. We reached town in the early evening on Friday, checked into our hotel, promptly headed out to (briefly) visit Chinook mall, get groceries, and explore the town a little. The next day, Saturday, was a big deal, let me tell you, because it saw not only my first ever blogger meet up (which I'll be posting about here in much more detail later this month), but also oodles of vintage clothes shopping.

As you may have heard me say before, Penticton does not having any dedicated vintage clothing stores, nor do the towns around us. Occasionally you'll luck out and one of the consignment, thrift or antique stores will happen to have a small number of mid-century garments, but this cannot be banked on my any means, and as a result, for all intents, I have no where in my town to shop for vintage clothes. I was practically starved for the chance to do so again and leapt into exploring Calgary's little handful of such shops with great gusto.

Bar non, my absolute favourite was A Vintage Affair located at 638 - 11th Avenue SW in downtown Calgary. The shop itself was beautiful, teaming with vintage garments spanning a range of decades, with no shortage of 40s and 50s pieces, all of which are well organized (including listing the bust, waist and hip measurements on the tags - something that I truly wish all vintage stores would do) and expertly displayed. I loved the friendly, cheerful staff who showed a genuine interest in vintage and were eager to chat on the topic, as well as about my blog and where I was from.

I've stepped foot in a number of vintage stores over the years where you were lucky to be given the time of day, even if you're sporting head-to-toe period vintage, so it was a truly awesome and much welcomed experience to be greeted so warmly by the wonderful ladies running this top-notch vintage shop (where I'm happy to say, I bought several items). The next time - and every time! - I'm in Calgary, A Vintage Affair is going to be my first shopping destination.


{Calgary Zoo}



Hit hard by this summer's tragic flooding, the Calgary Zoo has thus been able to partially reopen at this point, and on our last full day in town, Tony and I were able to spend about 1.5 hours there, which gave us time to see a small portion of the whole park.

No worries though, it's great to have the others to look forward to on our next trip. Though we might not have had all the time in the world, we were able to see the fabulous penguin exhibit, the Canadian Wilds exhibit, and stop by the gift shop (where I bought an adorable little pink plush penguin for myself).


{Glenbow Museum}



No matter where my journeys in life take me, if there's a museum there that speaks to my interests, you better believe I'll be making a speedy beeline for it. I'd been to the Glenbow Museum before many years ago and was champing at the bit to return.

With more than one million diverse artifacts and close to 30,000 pieces of art, the Glenbow Museum is the largest in Western Canada and one of the biggest museums in all of Canada. With both static and temporary exhibits, it's a true history and art lover's paradise, whether you want to learn more about Canada's First Nations People, the fascinating history of the Alberta, or even brush up on your geology via the beautiful display of rocks, gemstones, and minerals. Tony and I both adored our afternoon at the Glenbow Museum and agree that it was one of the highlights of the whole trip for us.


{Inside Avenue Antiques}

 photo JessicaCangianoatInsideAvenueAntiquesinCalgarySeptember2013_zpsc68c9bf8.jpg


We were spoiled rotten with sublime weather throughout our travels, but in most every holiday, as in life itself, a little rain must fall, and we got pummeled with a prairie storm on Wednesday. This didn't deter us in the slightest though, in fact, we used the occasion to squeeze in plenty of shopping, including a trip to sprawling antiques mall Inside Avenue Antiques, located at 3419 - 8th Street SE.

I remember my step-dad taking us there when I was living in Calgary and how much I enjoyed the experience back then, so of course these days I was eager to return and see what this sprawling (the recently expanded into another 5,000 square feet of showroom space) antique mall had to offer.

Though there wasn't much in the way of clothing at all, and prices varied a fair bit between vendors, there was no shortage of incredible vintage and antique household items, jewelry, collectibles and sundry other yesteryear items (as well as the friendliest staff you could ever hope to encounter). I picked up a few things for myself there, including a vintage paperback copy of Gypsy Rose Lee's autobiography, as well as two awesome vintage presents, quite fitting, for my step-dad’s birthday.



{Nanton}



As mentioned above, one of the most memorable experiences of our time in Alberta was our day trip down to the absolutely lovely little farming (and tourism based) community of Nanton, which is famous for its abundance of vintage homes and buildings, as well as a wealth of antique and secondhand stores.

We were there on Sunday afternoon and most shops were open (until 5 or 5:30pm), however a couple were closed (more to see next time!). All, even those where most items were light years beyond my budget, were a joy to behold. For the sheer volume of items (filling numerous rooms on multiple floors), I really enjoyed Sentimental Journeys Antiques (where the picture above was taken), and picked up one sweet little treasure there (that I'd wanted to find one of for years - I'll reveal what it is was in my upcoming post about some of my fave items I bought on our travels).

In terms of prices and the best selection of mid-century items (for my tastes, at least), my pick of the day definitely goes to The Raven Store, located in a darling pale pink and white Edwardian home. I spent about half and hour and a hundred dollars there, and walked out with some of my favourite household and collectible pieces of the day, as well as a charming 1950s/early 60s pair of sunglasses (that I'll need to get prescription lenses put into if I'm to wear them for anything but merely modeling in). I adored this fun shop with its very reasonable prices, friendly employees and owner, and piece after piece that all but made me squeal in delight.


{17th Avenue SW}



Ages ago, when I lived in Calgary, 17th Avenue SW was one of my favourite streets in town to hang out on. It's always been a busy, exciting street bursting with diverse shops and excellent restaurants, as well as being a terrific place to simply stop and people watch for a while.

Though some of my old favourites are long gone, others remain and plenty of great new stores have sprung to life there in recent years, including rockabilly clothing shop Blame Betty, Divine - a fabulous basement level vintage clothing shop (the picture above was taken in Divine's graffiti bedecked stairwell) with the most reasonable prices on mid-century garments I found in Calgary, and Cat's Eye Vintage and Consignment.

Returning to 17th felt like rekindling an old friendship, and I'm so glad we got the chance to spend time there on multiple days throughout our trip.


{The Calgary Tower} 



Parking in the heart the downtown business district in Calgary, as it is in most cities these days, is mighty pricy, so in order to get the most bang for our ($25!) buck one day, Tony and I divided our afternoon between the Glenbow Museum and the Calgary Tower (where I posed with a super cute stuffed Mountain Goat at the base of the tower).

I've always enjoyed peering down at the city from the top of the tower and this visit was no exception. As I stood there and gazed out at the city below teeming with activity, vitality and ever greater expansion, it really sunk in that at long last, I'd returned to my very favourite city in all of Canada.


(All photos in this post were taken by Tony with either his iPhone or Canon DSLR camera.)



♥ ♥ ♥


It's safe to say that Tony and I both truly enjoyed our time in Alberta. It was busy indeed, but by the same token, it also granted us a breather from some of the many pressing demands, stresses, and priorities of daily life at home - as any good holiday ideally should. We agreed that the drive - draped both ways in an absurd amount of gorgeous end-of-summer sunshine - was as pleasant a highway trek as anyone could ever hope for, and that, during the warmer months, when the risk of snow storms is very low, we'd happily make it again anytime circumstances allowed.

Without a doubt, this is my favourite trip Tony and I have ever taken together (which to date now totals four, excluding those involved with moving). For nine years Tony had heard tale of my time in Calgary - which included some of the very best and very worst days of my life. In part, he must have felt as though he had a certain picture of it already in his mind's eye, which I hope sprang to life and took on a whole new dimension for him when we find stepped foot in the White Hat City, as it's known.

Looking back, so soon after our trip wrapped up, it's almost hard to believe how much we accomplished, saw, experienced, and yes, even found time to buy (the highlights of which will star in a post of their own in the very near future) while in Alberta. There wasn't a single moment, even those when my body felt like it had to crawl out from under a thousand pound pile of bricks to keep going for another day, that I didn't relish, didn't love, didn't try to make the very most of.

This trip was incredible. It helped me see a number of things in a whole new light and reminded me of others that I might have forgotten about over the years. It taught me a lot about my endurance levels (as they presently stand), showed me that overnight travel can be possible sometimes (especially if I cook all of my own food, which I did thanks to the kitchenette at our Marriot Residence Inn suite), and has bolstered my enthusiasm for future travel a million times more.


 photo JessicaCangianointhelobbyoftheMariottResidenceInnhotelCalgaryAlbertaSeptember2013_zps39d7f12c.jpg

{A snap grabbed in the lobby of our hotel against a lovely photographic mural of the Calgary skyline.}


Calgary rocked, as did getting to finally share a city I hold so very near and dear to my heart with my husband. I don't know when we'll get back there again, but as I now have another devoted fan of Cow Town (and I use that nickname in the most affectionate of terms) in Tony, you can bet your bottom dollar that, with any luck, this will be the first of numerous trips we take to Alberta throughout our life.

57 comments:

  1. Just as I was reading this post, I received an email that you had commented on my latest holiday post! It made me smile to think that we were both reading about each others' adventures at the same moment... :) Jess, it sounds like you and Tony had the most wonderful trip (which I have, of course, been following on Instagram too)! I have to say that these are some of my favourite photos that you have ever posted - you just look SOOOO happy, and I like that they are taken 'on-the-go' rather than as part of a photoshoot. You look so cute! I am also really digging the cowgirl, country western look on you! :)

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    1. Oooh, that really is fabulously cool timing! :) Thank you so much, honey, this trip will was incredible - and I don't use that word lighting. It helped me feel better about myself, my past, and my life today is more ways than I could have ever imagined, and also - and this is a biggie - made me feel a bit more like a functioning member of society (instead of someone with hefty chronic health problems who is bedridden/housebound the vast majority of the time). I felt awesomely alive and almost indescribably happy every moment we were in Calgary, and hope that future trips (wherever they maybe) will continue to drive home those awesome feelings for me.

      Thanks!!! I have a major inner cowgirl, but she gets exceedingly few opportunities to come out and play here in my corner of the country. Luckily such is not the case in Calgary, where you can go full on Western 24/7, if you want, and no one will blink an eye. I'm going to start looking for more fun western style threads to wear the next time we're in Alberta.

      Huge hugs & so many thanks again,
      ♥ Jessica

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  2. I love how you look like the cat that got the cream in the pics of A Vintage Affair, and Avenue Antiques!

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  3. Thanks for sharing! Glad you both had a good time- and it appears a healthy one too. That's big, my friend!

    Vintage Browser's Paradise..... What a perfect name.

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    1. Thank you very much, Carly! Agreed, it was the absolute perfect name - the moment I spied that sign on the window, even though it pouring rain, I said to Tony that I had to get a snap of me with it for the blog.

      Though, of course, I certainly felt a strong impact of the trip on my health while it was underway, and some days it took just about every ounce of energy I had in me to keep going, I think that the great degree of happiness I was feeling helped to propel me onward throughout the whole week. I'm truly grateful that such was the case, because I had been genuinely worried the whole time before, and initially during, that I'd get there and be too ill to do anything else other than enjoy our hotel room. I don't doubt that I may have future trips where such proves to be the case, but again, thankfully such was not so on this awesome adventure.

      ♥ Jessica

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  4. Jessica,
    Oh honey! Thanks for sharing. I was delighted to read your post and learn you and Tony had a wonderful time while on your trip. All the places you visited look so inviting and you look gorgeous as always...

    xx,
    Jacqueline

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  5. Looks like you had a great time and fabulous outfits.

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  6. I hope you'll also share some more about your wonderfully presented outfits:) I can see what a marvelous time you had and also that it was worth it to you to get in as much as your health would allow. I'm so glad it was a successful vacation for you and all this shopping! A vintage girls dream! It's so nice that Tony also visited all these shops with you. My husband is not a shopper so if I went on one of these trips it would have to be with a friend or my mother:) I can't wait to hear about your purchases! You look so lovely in all your outfits:)

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    1. You're in luck, sweet Joanna, my very next post (on the 4th) is the sole actual outfit shoot that we did during our trip (we ran out of time/were too busy the other days - so hence the abundance of in the moment shots, which honestly I really love in a way, because they help document just how busy we were having a blast ever day), and it features photos of the fellow vintage loving lady that I meet up while in Calgary (and of course, of me, too).

      If there's anything specific you'd like to know about these outfits, please don't hesitate to ask.

      It was a vintage girl's dream! Now, granted there wasn't a huge amount of vintage clothing stores there, but between those that there were, antique stores, and thrifting (though I found almost no vintage at the 15+ thrift stores we had time to hit - just two pairs of vintage gloves at the very last one on the evening before we headed home), I was able to do some shopping every day and still didn't get a chance to see everything I could have on that front (there were lots more thrift stores and a couple of antique places we didn't get to on this trip - more to see next time! :)). I really think you'd love Calgary. It's such a friendly, vibrant, beautiful place - I wish we could take the next trip there together.

      ♥ Jessica

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  7. I like every single one of your outfits, you are always a huge fashion inspiration for me :) (Btw your coat is so beautiful :D And those jeans and blouse on the last photo *.* so awesome!)
    And I can totally understand your happiness from finding a good vintage shop, as in my hometown (or the city where my uni is) are none of those, as well :/

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  8. I am so, so happy that you two had a great time!! :D All of those places sound so lovely, and you look so lovely! :D

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  9. What a lovely post! I adore this "round up" style! It's fantastic! And I love all of your outfits, especially the last one!

    xoxo
    -Janey

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  10. Loved reading this! You went so many places that I would LOVE to visit. All of the antique/vintage shops, returning to old haunts and seeing how the city has changed since you last saw it. I love that.You looked just adorable in all your vacay clothes too! I can't wait to read and see more and I'm so thrilled that you had such a great time. You can definitely hear it in your writing tone!

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  11. This vacation looks delightful. I share your experience of the sweet memories that bubble up when revisiting an old hometown.

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  12. Oh fun!!! You look like you had a blast!!! I'm so glad you were able to venture out and do most of the things you wanted to do! And you looked fab while doing it all!

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  13. It's great to hear your trip was such a succes and in many ways. I'm waiting to see the post/posts about your purchases!

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  14. Oh my goodness. I have to say, I'm such a grumpy pants today.... and this totally put a HUGE grin on my face. Seriously, I'm still grinning. So thrilled to read about/see snippets of your trip. And you look so beautiful in every outfit <3 Thank you for lifting a bit of my gloomy gus mood, it means the world.

    xo Sara

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    1. Sweet Sara, you are so very, very welcome. What a special joy to know that my first post about our travels helped lift your spirits so - the next one is coming down the tunnel in just two days time, so hopefully it will continue to put a smile on your beautiful face.

      Tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. What an absolute delight. Seeing you positively glow in each of these photos really communicates the celebratory feeling of this whole trip. Thank you so much for letting us share this with you! And my goodness, I can't wait to see your sunglasses once you get them fitted with your Rx! :D

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  16. Thank you for sharing those, they were lovely to look through! I visited Calgary once, when I lived in Montana. It's a super clean city, and I loved the mountains in the background. Totally understand what you mean about cooking your own food! Everywhere we go (especially when we travel abroad), we've had to book hotels with kitchenettes and make our own meals. I kind of like that though...you save so much money that way!

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  17. Looks like you had an amazing trip and I'm amazed at how much you both managed to fit in to every day. Vintage shopping. Zoo and museum trips. Definitely things I would've been doing too!

    I hope you're recovering well.
    xo

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  18. What an amazing trip! Although it must have been difficult for you to do it, I'm so proud of you for pushing yourself and really squeezing every drop of fun out of your holiday. I'm sure that you'll always remember this incredible adventure.

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  19. What a delightful trip you had I am so happy you enjoyed it. You look completely divine in all the photos, absolutely perfect. Packing for trips is so much fun because you can plan outfits for every special day

    kate the old fashioned way

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  20. this sounds totally gorgeous!
    and the pictures show perfectly that traveling in style is possible! and you beautiful smiling shows how you enjoyed the trip.
    thank you for sharing :-)
    can´t wait for the things you purchased in alberta......

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  21. I am soooooooo glad you enjoyed your trip. It looked like you had a blast. Hope the recovery is speedy.

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  22. Oh...its wonderful to see you out and about my dear! As I know how much you enjoy travelling and you look so pretty in the photos. Sounds like an amazing trip and I agree with you on the vintage shop....its become a business where not many owners or sales assistants have time to chat to their customers, which can be such a pity. Having travelled over the past month myself....have had to catch news of your travels over Facebook instead. Hope you will be feeling much much better....and have a wonderfully fabulous weekend my dear!
    May x
    www.walkinginmay.com

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  23. Drat - due to my workplace's silly firewall, I can't see your pics (I'll have to view them at home), but it sounds like you had a terrific time! :) Count on Jill to know all the neat places to visit *lol*
    Penticton is your home? Hmmm, gotta look that up as I have relatives in Chase and Adam's Lake (Adam's Lake isn't on many maps as it's too small, but they live up the hill from the lake itself - which IS on most maps) Confused yet? ;)
    Glad you enjoyed!!

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    1. We did indeed - terrific scarcely begins to cover it. I feel like this trip was a blessing - and a rather transformative experience, too, that was filled with happiness of the highest caliber from start to finish. It helped me in ways I didn't even know I needed help, brought us so much comfort during our grief (from my mother-in-law's passing earlier in September), and reminded me of so much I'd forgotten about myself over the years. As far as trips go, I couldn't possibly have asked for a more rewarding one.

      Indeed, though I've come and gone plenty of times over the years, Penticton is once again my home (since early 2012) and I love it dearly. I've got family up in the Shuswap, and know both Chase and Adam's Lake (neat fact - it's the second deepest lake in B.C.). It's been many years since I was last up that way - hopefully not many more before I return though, it's such a breath-takingly lovely part of the province.

      ♥ Jessica

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    2. 2014 is the year of the big Salmon run...I'll be there, too (somewhere's around September, I beleive) and I can share some pics if you like...?

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    3. 2014 is the year of the big Salmon Run (every 4 years is a biggie, as you probably know) and I'll be there in Chase (and spending time in Adam's Lake, too) sometime in September, so I can share some pics if you like...?

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    4. What a nice offer, thank you very much, I'd love to see your snaps of the event (as would my avid angler husband). My paternal grandparents live in Scotch Creek and my grandpa likes to get to the Salmon Run, when possible, too. Who knows, maybe Tony and I will be up that way for it one of these years, too.

      ♥ Jessica

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  24. oh wow even traveling you look so flawless, you are amazing dear! vintage fair, museums and zoo thats exactly what i need for a perfect holiday too;)

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  25. I am so glad to see that you had such a fabulous time on your much-deserved trip! The pictures are great--and you look wonderful! You obviously took advantage of the great shops and sights!

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  26. You look like you're having a great time. I love all of your outfits. I always have a hard time figuring out travel/vacation outfits. I need to get myself a pair of regular jeans to help with the casual outfits.

    It's truly too bad that the zoo was damaged so badly. I hope they get things up and running.

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    1. Thank you very much, my dear friend. I must admit, initially I was a bit stressed about packing/what to wear, as it had been so many years since I last packed for a trip (and haven't taken many in the years I've been chronically ill, and thus having to dress for/around some of my health issues no matter where I go, but even more so while on the road), but as the last few days before we departed drew nearer and I set to work on putting things in the suitcase, it all came together wonderfully, especially because I set aside a whole day specifically to try on and come up with each of my outfits beforehand. I packed a different one for each day (recycling a few pieces here and there to cut down on the number of garments and accessories needed), plus pajamas, a few extra garments to cover changes in plans and/or weather, and one more formal look (cocktail dress), just in case it was called for (it wasn't). Ideally, this (day of outfit planning) is the approach I'll take with all future trips. It made such a difference - and was oodles of fun, too! :)

      It really is sad about the zoo. Though most animals were able to be safely moved/evacuated, sadly a few did perish and the thought of that happening was breaking my heart the whole time we were there. Thankfully though, most were okay and the zoo did their very best through it all - things could have been a whole lot worse for sure.

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  27. This post made me want to travel soon!
    I'll have to wait next winter, London!
    Lovely locations! ♥

    Nella Fragola

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  28. great pictures with fantastic travel-looks! especially i love your country girl blouse and the black jacket you wear in front of inside antique mall.
    wow. the antique malls look great. i really miss this here in germany!

    i have to come back to read the full post, when i have more time! :)

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    1. Thank you very much, honey! I love that jacket, too! It's actually part of a skirt suit (which was an incredibly lovely gift from a dear friend earlier this year), and I'm wearing the skirt there, but you can't see too much of it that quick snapshot. Now that the cold weather is here again, I'll have to do a proper shoot featuring it (the suit) once of these days.

      We don't have any antique malls where I live in B.C. (a few antique shops in the general area, yes, but no full on malls), and I really miss them, too, which is why they were one of the top spots I wanted to visit on our travels. You would have loved the ones in Alberta, I'm sure!

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  29. Your trip looks like so much fun! I feel like I have had a little tour of one of Canada's cities, which is especially fun for me as I don't know much about Canada (although I am learning some from your blog!). believe me I know what it's like to feel like you are dragging your body around and I am so impressed that you had such a busy trip. I agree that trying to stick to your best diet can be really helpful - I mostly cook when away, too, although for the last few years as you know I have holidayed near home. I hope you are being careful to rest now, and making the most of your new perspective on life. Also, on a lighter note you packed a very elegant wardrobe for your trip. I like some of the more casual looks (like the plaid shirt, I want one!) Very much but I have to say I agree with the last commenter - the jacket you wore for the antiques shopping is so smart!

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    1. Thank you so very much, dear Philippa. I know that you can relate to what it's like to travel with chronic health problems, and that certainly means a lot to me. I set aside a day before we left to try on and pack outfits. I needed pieces that would be fairly (if not extremely) comfortable, work for a range of locations and various weather fluctuations (the weather in the prairies can change on a dime!), not wrinkle very much in my suitcase, and not all look the same. We have a fairly small trunk on our car, too, which meant only one suitcase, so streamlining was a must. I loved taking this "prep day" approach and hope to do so again for each and every future trip. Getting to play dress up in my own closet, planning multiple looks on the same day, was massively fun!

      Many heartfelt thanks & tons of hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  30. Simply breathtaking!
    Thank you so much for taking us with you on this journey, since I'm quite sure there's no way I'm ever to go as far as Alberta. But, you have given me the the "report" and a "tour" if I may say.. and I loved it!

    Marija

    P.S.
    Do I see the reflection of Tony in the window of the Avenue Antiques? :)

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    1. I'm truly happy to have been able to give your a tour of parts of Alberta, honey. I'm far more often an armchair traveler than a real world one myself, so I know the joys of getting to discover someplace from the comforts of home. I'm sure you would adore Alberta, too. It's really marvelous segment of Canada. I like to believe we'll get there again (multiple times!) and I hope I'll be able to share and show you even more of it, my dear friend.

      Very, very observant spotting! That is indeed a Tony's reflection in the window of that photo. (If you're on Instagram you can follow him on @acangiano, where he occasionally posts snaps of himself.)

      Big hugs,
      ♥ Jessica

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  31. Wow i have lived in Calgary my whole life and never heard of Inside Avenue Antiques or A Vintage Affair looks like i have some exploring to do <3

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    1. I'm delighted to introduce you to both these absolutely wonderful spots - they'll be "must visits" for me every time I'm in Calgary from here on out. Hope you adore them both as much as I do!

      ♥ Jessica

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  32. Totally adorable! Looks like you had a lovely time.

    Best Wishes,
    Amanda

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  33. Amazing! This post makes me want to travel! I've got the travelling bug so badly right now..a roadtrip in Canada would be just fine with me.
    I haven't been to Calgary since I was young, but would definitely go to some of these spots. I especially enjoy the tips on where to shop vintage! ;)

    Lisa.

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    1. That's awesome! Our trip has rekindled a love of traveling in me that my health had, perhaps as a coping mechanism of sorts, largely silenced for years. Now however - and I fully understand that not all future trips might go as well on various fronts - my wanderlust is back in full swing and I'm already giddy for our next (highly likely to be Canadian or US) adventure, wherever and whenever it may be. I really hope you're able to take a trip someplace super fun, too, sweet Lisa. If you're headed out to Calgary again at any point, please let me know and I'll share even more of fave spots and "insider tips" (I lived there for 2.25 years in my late teens) with you, darling gal!

      ♥ Jessica

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  34. I truly enjoyed all of the updates via instagram and learning more about your amazing trip makes me wish I was there with you! I too have to go to a museum every time I am on a vacation. Much like your instincts, I am also drawn to the closest museum like a paper clip to a magnet. Recently we visited a local museum on Mom's day off that is dedicated to the holocaust and WWII. It was amazing. I'm sure my sister will do a post about it soon and when she does, I'll share it asap. :)

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    1. That means a lot to me, dear Sean, thank you very much. It was the first trip I'd ever shared via social media before, and I am beyond hooked on doing so now. Each photo felt like a micro sized blog post from the road unto itself. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be Instagramming on all future trips, too.

      What an excellent, tremendously important museum to have nearby. I've never been to a holocaust museum, but truly hope to get the chance to see one or more at some point in my life (we don't have too many here in Canada, but there's one Montreal, a holocaust educational center in Vancouver, and another in Toronto).

      Thank you again - I hope you're having a terrific week,
      ♥ Jessica

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  35. Looks like you've had a splendid time together. :)

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  36. Lovely to get a feel for what you did and saw on your holiday. I do love a good museum, the one you visited sounds packed full of interesting objects. Your red shirt/ brown skirt look beautiful and autumnal together.

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    1. Oh, so do I! You would absolutely adore this one, I think, especially the floor where the exhibits are extremely interactive. You wander the halls and rooms and get to see video or audio clips about the famous figures and/or historical events that they're centered around. There were so many things there that day, from vintage photos to amazing works of art from world masters, that I adore, but one that really stands out (big surprise here, I know :)) for me was a white spring/summer day dress from the 1870s that had been made by hand by the woman who wore it. At the time, Alberta (the province that houses Calgary) was just a newborn (in terms of being settled by those from Europe and Eastern Canada), and I couldn't help but think of how much I bet that dress meant to its wearer, who wouldn't have likely had many, if any shops, nearby in which to purchase lovely garments like the one she made.

      ♥ Jessica

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    2. It sounds brilliant. I can see why that dress would resonate with you. I suppose she would hardly have had any clothes at all so how amazing that one survived the wear and tear to last for you to see it. That is very special.

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    3. Precisely. It's so easy in today's world of Walmarts, the internet, and a culture of "disposable clothing" to forget that once not so long ago each garment was handmade (either by a seamstress, the owner, or someone that the owner knew) and that most people did not have anywhere near the same size wardrobe that your average person does today. The fact that this dress survived in tact despite life on the hard, rural prairies and now gets to live out its days under careful museum supervision just made so happy. There's nothing I love more than when the past is preserved and that dress is a textbook example of just that.

      Big hugs & tons of happy Wednesday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  37. I'm so pleased that your trip was successful, it looks like so much fun! I'm sure it will be a dear memory for many years to come. I hope you have a multitude more from now on.

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  38. Oh i loved your pics Jessica - and it was specially nice that you were well and able to visit so many places.
    The thought of vintage shopping excites me .

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet Lorena! I am sure you would absolutely love vintage shopping, and also shopping in Calgary in general. I saw so many great little boutique stores, plus there's several large malls, and even some outlet malls, too - everything a fashionista could ever hope for in one city! :)

      ♥ Jessica

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