Returning home today

A few days ago, in my last post before we zipped off on holiday, I mentioned that we'd be returning home on September 11th, however, having so enjoyed overnighting part of the way through our journey to Edmonton, we decided while there to do the same on the way home.

Though not technically the halfway mark - or even really that close to it - between Edmonton and Penticton, we settled on a city that I love with every fiber of my being, Calgary, for a quick pit stop last night before heading back out on the road this morning.

Getting to see my favourite Canadian city (okay, technically it shares that spot with Victoria, BC, which I adore equally so, though often for different reasons) , even just for a few hours, is always A-okay with me and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do so on this final leg of our trip.

A little later in the morning today, we'll be packing up our car once and for all on this holiday and settling in for the eight (plus a bit more with the occasion rest stop) hour drive from Calgary to Penticton.



{The start of fall's changing landscape and many a long stretch of open road await Tony and I as we head home from Alberta today. I really enjoy lengthy drives, so am quite looking forward to this one - especially with the first jewel toned autumn leaves starting to appear around us. Vintage image source.}


We'll get into Penticton this evening after twelve wonderful days of travelling. Though the weather wasn't always ideal (the first few days in Alberta were unseasonably cold and rainy), we managed to get in numerous outfit shots and I'll be sharing each of those with you in the coming weeks and months.

I know that many of the details of my first ever trip to Edmonton will unfold organically in those posts, so I don't want to recap too much right now, but I will say that we had a really lovely time on our trip.

Edmonton is a fascinating and beautiful city of over a million people. Within hours of being inside of its farmland flanked borders, I was struck by how much it made me think of what a place might be like, were it possible for Vancouver (minus the Pacific Ocean) and Calgary had a child, with elements of Toronto swirled into the mix, too.

Like most locations that one has long wanted to visit, it was both very similar and somewhat different from how I'd imagined it to be - and that's a good thing, if you ask me. I love it when a town or city surprises and delights me - and perhaps most of all, when it leaves me wanting to return again, which Edmonton most certainly did.

Over all we had a great, fun filled time in Edmonton that included multiple meetups with fellow vintage folks (some of whom will appear in the aforementioned future outfit posts), lots of sightseeing, some shopping (vintage and otherwise), exciting rural countryside exploring, peaceful walks, and plenty of fun photo opps along the way.

I wholeheartedly want to thank all of you who have left blog comments on recent posts during my absence, very much including those on the three fantastic guest posts from Nicole, Elizabeth, and Tanith, respectively, that appeared here last week. I know that each of those talented ladies appreciates your kind comments a great deal and I can't thank them enough as well for helping to keep things buzzing here while we were on holiday.

Aside from starting to unpack, it will be back to life and work from tomorrow onwards, very much including on the blogging front. There will be new posts coming down the pipeline this week (and of course, beyond then, too) and I fully expect to be back to my regular online ways in full force this week.

To give you a taste of what's to come here on Chronically Vintage in the near future, I'll be blogging about topics as diverse as my time spent with The Travelling Dress, shining the spotlight on dozens (seriously!) of recipes for one of fall's most classic and beloved ingredients, telling you about my all-time favourite fictional couple, and starting to write up a storm on all things Halloween related, while also sharing plenty of outfit posts and the latest entries in the fun ongoing Meet a Fellow Vintage Blogger series, amongst lots of other exciting topics.

No time of the year speaks to my soul as much as autumn, nor does any season light my blogging fires quite as much, so you can bank on an action packed, engaging, informative, and just plain cheerful slew of posts here on Chronically Vintage this autumn (coupled with, I hope/plan, a bevy of recently acquired new vintage and antique items appearing on the shelves of my Etsy shop).

A point that will be bolstered along all the more by the recharging of my batteries and clarity of mind that came with our lovely trip to Edmonton this month.

Travel, as I've talked about before (in posts such as this), always houses many wonderful blessings and surprises, and having a chance to unwind and, at the same time, plan for the future while away is most definitely one of the very best of these.

Five of My Top Tips for Packing When Travelling (Plus a Tiny Change to Our Own Vacation Plans)

Truth be told, I didn't know, given all that has been transpiring on this end throughout August, if I'd get time to post more than one this week before we left for our exciting upcoming trip to Edmonton. Luckily however, I was able to carve out time to pen three fun new posts for you, of which this is the second (watch for a yummy - and very classic - autumn recipe post here on the weekend).
 
Next week, while we're away, I have the honour of presenting you with guest posts from three different fellow vintage bloggers (one each from Canada, the UK, and Australia, respectively), and I hope that you'll shower them and their awesome posts with the same sort of kindness and love that you so sweetly bestow upon mine here each week.
 
As blogged about in the announcement post about our trip, we'd initially planned to leave for Alberta on August 31st, however my dear husband got back from a six-day business trip (to Toronto) last Saturday afternoon and the poor thing was beginning to fight the first stages of a rather powerful head and chest cold.
 
We wondered, a bit earlier on in the week, if we'd have to reschedule our trip entirely, but thankfully, Tony is feeling well enough to embark on our trip later today, so that is exactly what we'll be doing.
 
Now, instead of being gone from August 31st - September 10th as initially planned, we've simply moved things up by a day and will be gone from Sept. 1 - 11th.
 
The only other change to our plans is that we're now overnighting in Golden, BC this evening, to help break up the long drive between Penticton and Edmonton for Tony (we'd previously been thinking of staying overnight in Calgary, but now with Tony sick, will be dividing the trip into roughly two equal length drives of some 5.5 - 6 hours apiece between today and tomorrow), while he's still fighting this cold (which - knock every piece of wood in the universe - hasn't jumped ship to me yet).
 
There's almost never a good time to get a cold, but it was especially rotten timing for one to befall Tony so close to our vacation this year. Thankfully though, admirable trooper that he is, Tony is game to carry on and we'll soon be visiting Edmonton, as planned, in no time. I can hardly wait!
 
Over the past few days, I've been packing up a storm for our trip. When traveling by car - especially since we got our first ever SUV last winter and thus have worlds more trunk space than we had in our previous vehicle, which was a sedan - I wouldn't say that I'm the world's lightest packer, but I'm not the most OTT either.
 
Given everything that many of us like to have on hand in to successfully put together dynamic, attractive vintage (or repro, rockabilly, pinup fashion, etc) outfits, it can be hard to condense our closets and dresser drawer contents down into just a suitcase or two (or three!).
 
I enjoy the challenge though and always set aside at least one full day to compose a mini wardrobe on the go.
 
I've been blogging for over seven years now and have had the pleasure of taking a few trips of various durations throughout that time, yet it struck me recently that to date, best I can recall, I haven't shared too many of my tips on packing for when you travel with you guys yet.
 
I'm quite literally gazing across the room at my suitcases, travel makeup case and jewelry roll as we speak, so now seems like the ideal time to do just that.

As such, I'm delighted to present you with a selection of five of my all-time favourite tips for vacation packing (as seen through the eyes of a vintage fashion blogger).





1. Create a mini capsule wardrobe: While this may mean slightly different things for different folks, to me it is the concept of creating a tiny version of my everyday wardrobe and making sure that the vast majority of pieces are colour coordinated/go nicely together.

Whenever I travel, I select a general colour palette for each given trip and then try to focus on packing as many pieces in those hues (and/or ones that will play really, really nicely with them) as possible. This time around, as our trip is happening at the very tail of summer, just as autumn weather and sunlight alike are rounding the bend once more, I opted to focus on a a fall colour palette and primarily packed pieces in shades of medium to dark green, mustard and golden yellows, dark oranges, brown, burgundy, navy blue and dark denim.

These are all colours that I turn to during the fall when at home, and as I know that most (if not all) of the outfit photos we'll take while on our travels will appear on my blog during the autumn months, it makes all the more sense to opt for a seasonal palette that will continue to look right at home clear on through the return of winter weather.

As well, don't be afraid of colour! Travelling is often exciting, upbeat and joyful - why not tuck along a wardrobe that keeps pace with those feelings and that helps to celebrate this special break from the daily grind that you've been able to carve out for yourself!





2. Separates are your friends: Though I always bring at least a couple of dresses with me when we travel (often solid coloured shirtwaist dresses that make for great canvasses to create multiple looks against throughout the duration of a trip), I find that I really, really tend to favour separates.

By ensuring that all - or nearly so - of my garments are colour coordinated (see tip #1 above), this gives me a great deal of flexibility in terms of the number of outfits I can put together and the variety of activities that such can see me through.

For me, separates generally include skirts, pants and/or jeans, tops, blouses, cardigans and/or sweaters, and blazers. I don't wear shorts, but I do sport capris, so if the weather permits, you'll likely find a pair of those thrown into the mix as well.

Even if you don't have every last element of your trip planned out before you leave, chances are you know what your destination(s) will be, the season(s), and can look up the local weather before you arrive, if need be.

Think about these things as you're packing and select items - be their separates or one piece items (dresses, jumpsuits, playsuits, etc) that stand to work really well for the destination(s) you're headed to.

If you're going to be hiking and camping in the Rockies for a week, that's probably not the time for your newly acquired, and very delicate, 1940s rayon swing dress. If, however, you're headed off for ten days of sightseeing and shopping in Paris, France, then you probably don't need to pack your most rugged of clothes and items like true vintage pieces may be even more at home.




3. Lean generously on accessories: This is something I always do when I travel, but all the more so if space is at a premium. Cast your net far and wide when gathering up accessories to bring with you on your travels. I rarely leave home without a selection of handbags, snoods, hats and hair accessories, and always bring jewelry, scarves and (fashion) gloves with me.

Shoes - even fancy ones - are more utilitarian in nature, but there, too, you can sometimes find room for multiple pairs (try placing smaller, such as socks or scarves, items inside of clean shoes to maximize storage space).

I suggest that you try to avoid breaking in any new shoes for the first time on your trip (save perhaps for super comfy sandals, flats or sneakers - but even then, proceed with caution – and some moleskin!) and instead bring a selection of shoes that you not only love and find comfortable, but which coordinate as well as possible with the garments that you've packed (so that, again, you can get as much mileage as possible out of what you've travelling with).

If you're concerned about loss, theft or breakable, opt for cute, fun accessories that you wouldn't be utterly gutted if something were - goodness forbid! - to happen to them.

Such examples might include inexpensive novelty brooches (modern or vintage), strands of plastic or inexpensive cultured pearls, basic hoop in earrings in silver, gold, and/or rose gold; plastic (but not necessarily Bakelite or celluloid) bangle bracelets, inexpensive handbags (straw, raffia, pleather and denim can all be good choices there), and small, understated vintage hats that don't break the bank.

I also like to personally try to coordinate at least a couple (more if possible) of my accessories with my destination. For example, if I'm going to be near the ocean, nautical and marine life related jewelry and accessories are a must. If I'm headed into the mountains, I reach for pieces with pine cones, woodland critters, and faux bois elements - as well as real wood pieces themselves. If you're trucking out to the desert, what about cactus, Wild West, and Southwestern related accessories?

Almost regardless of where you're going on holiday, you can hit upon at least one or two fun accessories that tie into your destination and which can even serve as the jumping off point for a whole outfit - be it likewise themed or not - as well. 



{Please note: The Image source for this vintage photo is a lovely Tumblr blog that may not be safe for work due to the inclusion of some artistic nudity.}


4. Plan at least some of your outfits (from top to bottom) out before you leave: This is one of my favourite elements of getting ready for any trip. I really make a day out of playing dress up in my own closet. I usually crank up some great vintage tunes, light a scent candle, have a tasty snack to hand (to help keep my energy levels up while trying on scads of looks), and make sure that my full length mirror has been freshly Windexed.

If you're creating a mini capsule wardrobe, you don't necessarily need to plan out every last outfit - especially since itinerary plans can change, just as the weather can, too - but it never hurts to have at least some ensembles generally mapped out before you arrive.

If you think you might forget or be too busy in the moment to create a dazzling look on the fly, take cell phone or tablet photos of each outfit that you've mapped out while you're still at home and then just refer back to them once you've reached your destination.

There's nothing wrong, I should mention, of course with bringing along one or more outfits - if space (and weight limits, if that’s a factor) permits - that are standout ensembles, meaning that they may, intentionally, only be worn once. If, for example, you're headed to a formal wedding out of town and have opted to spend another five days there and make a trip of things, you might only need to wear your 1940s suit or 1950s cocktail dress for the wedding itself.

Plus, by planning out some (or all) of your outfits - including outerwear and accessories, if applicable - before you leave, you greatly cut down on the risk of forgetting something important that you'll likely need at your destination.




5. Pack clothes you know and love: Ideally, you want to pack clothing, shoes and accessories, that fit well, are comfortable, that you've worn before (potentially less of an issue with jewelry), and that you genuinely love - or at least really like - and hopefully won't feel self-conscious when wearing.

As well, try to look over each garment you want to bring before you pack it into a suitcase or overnight bag, and make any repairs (such as fallen hems or loose buttons) before you leave. Bring along a small travel sewing kit, too, in case you need to do any mending jobs to your garments while you're on the road.

I strongly believe that the happier you are with your travel wardrobe, the more enjoyable and relaxed just about any trip stands to be.


{To learn more about a specific image used in today's post, please click on it to be taken to its respective online source.}

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This list is by no means exhaustive. I could - and very well may - write more on the subject as time goes on. These five tips, however, are ones that I put into action each time we travel, be it for just a short jaunt or a longer stay. At a week and a half, I'd call our upcoming journey to Alberta a nice middle ground on the summer vacation timeline scale.
 
Do you have any great travel packing tips that weren't mentioned here that you'd like to share? I'm all ears, if you do! :)
 
Again, my dears, there will be another post coming down the pipeline from me later this week, followed three really delightful guest posts from fellow vintage blogger, and then I'll be back here in no time at all with plenty of fun new posts of my own in just a few days time (spoiler alert, they're going to heavily feature fall + Halloween related topics).
 
In a largely unrelated (to this post) note, I just wanted to mention, for those who may have been following along, that despite the recent return of a very real looming threat, it would appear as of the latest news releases, that Canada Post is not going to be striking this week and that, happily for all involved, a tentative negations have been reached.

I'm thrilled about this, as it means there won't currently be any strike related disruptions to my Etsy shop (which will remain open while we're on holiday; all orders received while we're away will promptly be shipped out within 48 hours of our return).
 
And last, but certainly not least, I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your fantastic, caring, sweet, and enjoyable blog comments this summer.

I treasure each of you and your visits to my blog, and can hardly wait to chat about our travels (which I'll be posting plenty of snaps of while they're in progress on my Instagram) and to celebrate my absolute favourite season with you again this autumn.

Answering The Been There, Done That Tag

My lovely online friend Lindsay, from the blog Miss Lindsay Lane, shares some of the best online tags and Q&As I've ever come across. Over the years I've played along with several that she has posted about and today I'm delighted to bring you another that I discovered via her terrific site.

Like many of us, Lindsay and I both adore seeing the world, so the moment I spotted this delightful travel tag called Been There, Done That on her blog last autumn, I knew that I wanted to toss my hat into the ring and share my own answers with all of you (thank you for blogging about it, dear gal!).

Though winter has not yet vanished from our midst entirely yet, thankfully we're not too far away from that point and springs’ return will mean an even greater opportunity for potential travel, particularly of the road trip variety. A point that makes my travel adoring heart smile with glee!

I don't have any immediate trips planned at present, but the year is still young and one never knows what is waiting around the corner for them next. On this mild Friday morning however, I'll be staying put and answering the following selection of travel related questions.

By all means, if you're a fan tags and globetrotting, please feel free to play along on your own site as well (and then come back here to share a link to your post so that I can check out your wonderful answers, too).


Which countries have you visited so far?

Canada (my home country), America (though not nearly enough!), Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and technically if we count passing through Heathrow Airport, England (which I massively want to return and explore properply at long last!).


Which destination is at the top of your bucket list? In other words: where do you REALLY want to go some day?

Though I do find that the answer to this question changes as I get older, certain dream destinations remain the same and for me some of those include seeing the Yukon, Prince Edward Island, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, Australia, and numerous places throughout the States.


What is your most ideal vacation (beach, shopping trip, cultural holidays, etc)?

For me I would have to say that my ideal trip usually involves a heavy dose of historical sites, vintage shopping and/or other vintage related happenings (such as meeting up with fellow vintae bloggers), and some much needed R&R. Spending time at or near the water is always hugely welcome as well!


Which place did you find so special, that you want to visit it again?

Tony Bennett's might be in San Francisco, but as I've mentioned before, mine will forever reside in Calgary, Alberta, where I lived for a couple of years in my late teens. There's just something about that bustling, beautiful prairie city that embedded itself in my soul and will continue to pull me back to visit time and time again.


Have you ever been sent to a nice location for work? If so, where?

To date mine and/or my husband's work has allowed me to visit Vancouver, Victoria (BC), Niagara Falls, and Montreal, as well as to live in both Toronto, Ontario and the country of Ireland.


With whom do you usually travel?

My husband, Tony. Thankfully we're both massive travel fans and love few things more in this world than the chance to get away together no matter where we’re headed.


Who would you like to go on a vacation with that you haven't recently or even? (This can be anyone: family, friends, or famous person.)

It would be flat out amazing to go on a culinary related trip with Anthony Bourdain. More realistically though, I'd love to go to the Yukon with my mom, as we have strong family ties there on her side stretching back to the Klondike gold rush and to date neither of us have ever been to this vast arctic corner of the country.


Who, or what, would you take to a desert island?

A satelite phone and computer, gallons of sunscreen, a comfy bed (or hammock), a well stocked outdoors survival bag, a water bottle, and a lifetime supply of books, paper and pens.


Have you ever been to a vacation in your own country?

Many times! In fact, I've taken far more trips within my own country, to date, than outside of it. So far I've had the pleasure of seeing a good chunk of British Columbia, as well as parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and (briefly) Quebec.


Would you rather go to a theme park or a zoo?

Theme park, please, especially if it's one of a historical related nature.


Would you rather have a winter or a summer vacation?

Funnily enough, I often prefer spring and fall travel, as the weather is usually quite agreeable and you can score some really welcome off-season rates/deals. But to answer the question as it was set out, I enjoy both fairly equally (summer would win out a touch more though) and am up for traveling any time of the year.


What is your best holiday memory?

That is a really hard question to answer, especially since I have positive memories from most trips that I've taken throughout my life. I madly adored the vacations that Tony and I took to Calgary in 2013 and the one we enjoyed on Vancouver Island in 2014, so both of those stand out as definitely high points on the travel front for me.


What is your least pleasant holiday memory?

I'm going to have to take the fifth here, as I'm afraid that's too personal for me to share publicly (but I will tell you that all of my worst trips to date happened in my childhood and teen years).


To which countries are you travelling this year?

I don't have any travel plans at present, so I don't know if I'll be venturing abroad or not in 2016. Either way, I hope that Tony and I are able to get in at least a road trip or two closer to home, be it within Canada or to the States.


Where would you never go on holiday?

There are very few places that, under the right circumstances and keeping the limitations that my chronic health problems impose on me when I travel in mind, that I wouldn't be open to seeing. In general though, I wouldn't want to go anywhere that was currently in a state of war or extreme political unrest, or that was suffering from a serious epidemic.



{Travel = joy in my books and I truly love the chance to see more of the world, return to favourite destinations, and explore far and near alike whenever I can. Vintage image source.}

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Last December I penned a post called Seven Important Things That Travel Teaches Us, which hit on some of the lessons that a recent jaunt to Vancouver had reminded me about and that seeing the world in general helps us to learn.

There are so many, many perks to travelling, from these kinds of excellent life lessons to meeting to new friends, broadening your horizons, pushing your limits, and coming home with enough tales to keep even Marco Polo entertained.

So while I fully realize that it is unlikely I will ever traverse the whole globe, I'm okay with that fact. Just as long as I can continue to be able to hit the open road, sky, and/or water at least every now and then and, ideally, to sometimes visit places that I've never stepped foot in before, I will be a very - quite literally in some cases :) – happy camper.

7 important things that travel teaches us

As November came to an end, Tony and I spent nine lovely days in Vancouver this year. He was there for work and I was fortunate to be able to tag along, thus getting to enjoy my only trip so far (and most likely, for all of) this year. I'd long made peace with the idea that I wouldn't be traveling at all in 2015, so the sudden surprise of this getaway and the ensuing days spent in Vancouver was really and truly one of the best (early) Christmas presents I could have possibly asked for.

Like most enjoyable trips, this one felt like it flew by about as quickly as it takes to zip up a suitcase. Yet over the course of those nine days, I had a chance to do a lot of deep thinking - something, a blessing really, that travel almost always affords me and which is actually one of my favourite elements of getting away from home for a while - and also to be presented with various reminders of why it's so incredibly important to venture forth from our usual locations and daily lives alike at least every once in a while.

While most of us might, objectively, already be aware of the following points, it can be humbling and poignant alike to be reminded of them when we travel. Each of the following seven life lessons arose from me and/or both of us on our recent trip to Vancouver and while they're still all bracingly fresh in my mind, I wanted to share them here with you.


1. The journey can be as important as the final destination: This is so, so true. Case in point in a rather literal sense of the meaning: en route to Vancouver our GPS got a bit confused in the small town of Hope (as it has in the past) and ended up suggesting we take the back route (well, more like the non-highway route as opposed to an actual off-the-beaten path road).

At first we worried this would slow down our arrival time, but in the end it did no such thing and was an exciting way to go through several small and medium sized towns that I hadn't seen since I was a youngster and which Tony had never even so much as driven through so far. Each one brought back its own fun memories from many (many!) years ago and made me realize just how much time had elapsed since I was last in the neck of the (urban) woods.


So don't fear if you get a little lost, side tracked or turned around. It's all good and chances are, it will all work out in the end. Enjoy, savour, and relish the journey, for it is often every bit as amazing (and memorable!) as the destination itself.


2. The more you travel, the more you grow as a person: Seriously, you do. You learn things about yourself, you think outside of the box (or suitcase!), you make compromises, you try new things, you put some of your fears on the back burner, you challenge your own perceptions, you are confronted by personal demons and angels alike, and often you come home wiser (and more sure of your future) than when you left.


3. There's no time like the present: When in Rome is scarcely more apt than on a trip - be it to Italy or elsewhere. Seize the moment, give that funky looking restaurant a try, go parasailing with the friends you just made two days ago, splurge on that vintage hat/record/mountain bike/etc that you know you'll likely never find the same one of you in town (or perhaps even anywhere!), take a million photos (and Instagram them all!), go night swimming - just have a blast, live in the moment, and really get to know the soul of your destination. Chances are, it will stay with your own for ages to come.


4. You can easily - and happily - get by for a long time (if not forever) with a substantially reduced number of possessions and/or a small living space: I've never lived in a particularly large house, however all but a couple of my homes have been a fair bigger than your average budget friendly hotel room, yet I'm often struck when in one (a hotel room, that is) how easily and happily I can manage with the basic creature comforts (bed, powder room, hopefully a kitchenette, a desk or table and chairs, etc) and not yearn for more. Ditto for whatever I packed in my suitcase(s).

It might not have seemed like a ton back home, but in the sun or man-made light streaming through a hotel window, it often seems like an abundance and I delight in the creative styling challenges that such a small (temporary) capsule wardrobe provides. Each time I travel, I feel the need for less and less back home and am ever more content with what I already have.


5. We all need to step away from our computers/phones/tablets more often: The irony of saying this on a blog is not lost on me, I promise you. The longer that society as a whole becomes ever more immersed in the digital world, the more I feel, incredibly strongly, that we truly need to take more time out of most days to ensure that we connect with the real world, too. Get out there. Smell the salt air, let the wind whip your scarf around, read in the park, walk the joyfully noisy streets of a big city, fall asleep under the stars.

By all means, we can certainly use and benefit from the web, but we also need the original spider webs tangled in Mother Nature garden, real smiles not just emoticons, hugs from people in person, not merely trivial likes on a glowing electronic screen.


6. You may very well hate and also love a great deal about yourself and your current life while you travel: Without fail, I experience this to some degree whenever I travel. It's become almost like a ritual of sorts for me, but just like an intense sauna session, I know that from it, I'll sweat out some proverbial toxins and emerge with a clearer head and a renewed glow about me, so I roll with the punches and let them help to - see point #2 above - become a happier/wiser/hopefully better person.

In the same vein, I find it's important to remember that the person you are when you're away from your home environment - be it hiking the Alps, shopping in NYC, or touring a castle in Scotland - is not necessarily the same individual that you may be when you're at your usual house, living your daily life, working your usual job, and dealing with the all of the pressures big and small of home. So just because you may experience such a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions, it doesn't mean that you're doing a complete 180 for good - though sometimes it does and that can be incredible unto itself.


7. Traveling can help you be bolder and or more confident and/or outgoing: Hard as it may be for those who have never known me in person to believe, I am quite often ridiculously shy, I'm the poster child for introverts everywhere, and I am not exactly world famous for being the most outgoing of people. I don't see these as negatives per se (especially not being an introvert, I adore that I am the way that I am on that front), but sometimes I'm the first to admit that it would be great to be less shy/timid and interestingly, I am often more fearless and apt to "put myself out there" when I travel.

I think the excitement, happiness and adrenaline of traveling all play a huge roll there, but it could also be the fact that I know, I may never get a chance to seize said moment (aka, point #4) again and don't want to miss it just because I have a swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

No matter where you usually fall on shy to turbo outgoing scale, travel gives us the chance to push the boulders that are our comfort zones and discover new sides of ourselves in the process, which can definitely better our lives once we're home (sweet home) again.





{Travel can be awash with important lessons of all sizes. These are but seven of them, each of which I was recently reminded of. What are some of the things you've learned and/or been reminded of thanks to taking trips? Stylish vintage lady traveler/adventurer image source.}

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I don't think that I've ever travelled, even just for a long weekend, away from my usual corner of the world and not had thoughts that went on to alter my future, be it on a small or a grand scale. When I travel, I often feel like I could let go of almost everything (save for our pets and my closest relationships) at home and be completely, 100% happy - and who knows, maybe I could be, but that isn't realistic and it certainly isn't apt to happen anytime soon (if ever).

For me, that desire goes back to points number 4 and 6 above in particular. I firmly believe that we're not always the same people when we travel and while a few days, weeks, or even months away from our usual existence can be a true godsend/very helpful/healing/cathartic experience, after a while, most of us would still want to return to at least some elements of the world, career and set of goals that we've worked so hard to create up until this point.

Instead of parting ways entirely with our lives, often the far smarter and more rational approach is to keep thinking about those important thoughts that we had while we were away and use them to build, better, change, and improve our worlds once we've returned home, unpacked the last item from our toiletries bag, and uploaded our travel snaps to our computers. So often we - very understandably - forget that we have the power to just that - to alter our lives in ways big and small - and that we can, and should, do just that on a very regular basis.

Some things are set in stone or unable to really be altered, but others often can be. Doing so might be scary, risky, expensive, or unknown, but those are not reasons to let our desire to grow and to be happier beings hold us back for one red second.

On the drive home, snow covered mountains flanking each side of the steep mountain roads we were traversing, Tony and I talked about this very point and decided that the actions we'll take from here on out - some presently known, others to be discovered as time goes on - in the pursuit of such will be called our Happiness Project.

We'll be looking for ways to concretely make our days even happier and to focus, realistically, on more of what we truly - in our heart of hearts - want out of life. For the greatest journey any of us will ever take is life itself and on that trip, there is always more to learn and see and do, which hopefully will include plenty more actual travelling to destinations near and far alike – lessons aplenty no doubt served up along the way.

A much needed impromptu getaway!

Tony has been traveling up a storm this month for work, in fact, by the time November is over, he will have taken four separate business trips, including one (back to) San Francisco. Talk a busy month for my uber hardworking chap!

The last jaunt of the month is closer to home. In fact, it's to that most gorgeous of Pacific Coast cities, Vancouver. It’s a drivable journey of just 4.5 hours and as such Tony asked if I'd like to tag along with him. Umm, super-duper yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



{Vancouver always hums with excitement, energy and culture, points all captured in this wonderful nighttime shot from 1951 of Granville's theater district at the time, and I can hardly wait to get back and experience that sense of vitality again. Vintage image via Museum of Vancouver.}


We just made plans to travel together a few days ago (and it is fully a business trip for him) and will be leaving early tomorrow morning, so unlike usual I didn't have time to save up my pennies in advance like I usually do when we take trips. That means I won't be doing scads of buying, be it for myself or my Etsy shop, but it being Vancouver, there's no way I'll come home empty handed. There are too many cool shops, be they vintage or otherwise, in that thriving city not to pick up a few must-have goodies. :)

As Tony will be working most of the time that we're there - which is until November 30th December 1st (the final date of our stay was changed during the trip itself) - I'll be taking my laptop along and getting some work and usual blogging related activities in, too (including posting this month's new vintage blogger interview and 2015's Vintage Holiday Shopping Guide). Though I also hope to make/have time to sightsee, do a little of that aforementioned shopping, perhaps visit a museum and/or gallery, and perhaps most importantly, simply unwind and relax as well.

While this isn't a full on vacation for either of us, it is as close as I'll come to one this year and I need it something fierce. I haven't done any traveling since our trip to Vancouver Island at the start of fall 2014, and as someone with a perpetual sense of wanderlust, this is such an awesome way for me to (very nearly) wrap up a year of incredibly hard work and no (prior) getaways.

So my sweet dears, this very morning (originally we'd thought we'd be leaving on Tuesday, but another work event arose for Tony tomorrow, so we're leaving today on the 22nd instead), I'm off to one of my favourite cities on the face of the earth for a week of fun, productivity, moments of tranquility, and hopefully a great vintage treasure or two as well!

If you want to tag along with us on this trip, be sure to follow me on Instagram, where I'll be posting lots of delightful snaps from our travels to good, ol' Van!

Vintage Link Love for July 2015

Perhaps it comes as no surprise to most folks, but July whizzed by at the speed of light! I know that I begin many Vintage Link Love posts with similar sentiments about the pace at which the month that we just enjoyed whipped past at, but at perhaps no other time of the year does time seem to vanish more quickly than during the summer.

Though I'm in no rush to see the glorious warm weather disappear, the passing of time does mean that it won't be too long (the first week of September, to be exact) until Tony gets home from working in the States this summer, and that's certainly something that we're both massively looking forward to.

{This early twentieth century beach photo sums up July so well for me this year. Full speed ahead, with a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and sand underfoot - at least once or twice!}

This month I was a seriously busy little bee! Between my birthday celebration, listing over 190 brand new antique and vintage items in the shop (including oodles of adorable vintage novelty brooches), returning to YouTube after a nearly eleven month (unplanned!) break there, thrifting up a storm (I've got a video in the works with some of my exciting recent thrift finds, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that), penning plenty of blog posts, and - no word of a lie - already beginning to think heavily about Halloween (giant shocker to those who know me, I'm sure! :D), plus all the other usual bits and bobs of life, I've been on my toes nearly none stop this month.

Ooohhh, plus, in the last few days of July, Chronically Vintage's Facebook page hit a new milestone: over 4,000 likes - thank you so much to everyone for your support there!

In amidst of burning the candle at both ends, I still found time to read many of my favourite blogs and websites. Amongst them I gleaned the following selection of twelve posts that captured my attention for one reason or another. I hope that you'll enjoy and/or be inspired by all of them as well!

♥ 42 glamorous wedding dresses from the 1920s and 30s: Though I don't know anyone tying the knot here locally this summer, wedding season has been out in full force for a while now and this selection of more than 40 photos of vintage gowns more than helps to make up for the lack of nuptials I've been attending lately. Prepare to swoon!!!


♥ What to know when getting your hair bobbed: Recently the always marvelously stylish Jenny Frances chopped over several inches of hair and is now sporting a very becoming bob. To help those who might want the skinny on what to know if you're considering this classic haircut, too, she put together a stellar, image filled post all about the ins and outs of getting a bob (that's definitely worth bookmarking even if you have no plans to chop your hair anytime soon - you just never know when a great post like this might come in handy).


♥ Crinolinemania: the sexy fashion trend that killed 3,000 women: The heart of this story from Mashable/Retronaut may not come as shocking news to those who study historical fashions, but the concept that so many people perished as the result of an elaborate undergarment is still more than enough to give anyone reason to pause and think.

♥ 21 post ideas for bloggers: I've thought about penning a similar post to this one myself many times before, but haven't yet had the chance, so in the meantime, I thought that I would share this lovely, helpful list of twenty-one blog post ideas from, fittingly, the fun contemporary fashion, travel, and lifestyle blog N°.20 - because, really, who amongst us bloggers can't use a little post prompt help every now and then?


♥ DIY Miriam Haskell Necklace: My good friend and fellow vintage blogger Bianca from The Closet Historian is not only a lovely writer, but an incredible talented milliner, seamstress, and jewelry maker. It is the latter skill that comes to foreground in this recent how-to post of hers in which she takes us through the easy to follow steps involved with make a show stoppingly gorgeous vintage looking, Miriam Haskell inspired statement necklace. Believe me, you'll want to reach for your round nose pliers, pronto!


♥ The Great British Heatwave In 32 Photos: 1911-1976 (WARNING: MAY NOT BE SAFE FOR WORK OR SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS/VIEWERS DUE TO NUDITY): Heat waves are anything but new, however the act of capturing them on camera has obviously only been possible since the invention of this world changing device. This recent post from the site Flashback rounds up over 30 photos taken in the UK during the early to mid-twentieth century during various heatwaves. Anyone who has ever experienced this common summer occurrence will be able to instantly relate to these memorable photos.




♥ How to pack a trunk in 1870: I find the topic of vintage travel and how people packed for it in the days of ocean liners, long railway journeys, and even the early days of aviation to be wildly interesting, so when Aimee shared this post about how to pack one's trunks for a voyage Victorian style, I couldn’t lap up each word quickly enough!


♥ Nine myths about dressing vintage: From fellow Canadian vintage fan, wearer, and blogger Kirstie, comes this spot on post that delves deeper, IMO, than many similar entries I've seen over the years and dispels some of the persistent myths that exist regarding the wearing of vintage.


♥ Decked Out-Nautical Fashion through the Ages: Whether you live a stone's through from the ocean or hundreds of miles away from the nearest seashore, summertime calls for nautical inspired fashions in spades and it's always fun to see examples of them from decades past, such as the lovely roundup in this recent post from Blue Velvet Vintage's delightful blog.




♥ What do you want to be when you grow up?: This post from Gemma's always engaging blog Retro Chick spoke to me a great deal.  I constantly find areas of my life, very much including the running of my blog, where my own assorted childhood career aspirations come to the surface and are realized, at least some of the time, through the work that I actually do for a living these days, much as Gemma finds that to be true for her as well.


♥ 29 of the most delicious things you can do with zucchini: With zuc season upon us again, the fine folks at BuzzFeed have rounded some thoroughly scrumptious looking recipes that make good use of the vegetable, which frequently grows in copious quantities for those who plant it and which always seems to be easy to come by in spades during mid-summer (no matter if you have a garden or not). The Pizza Boats, Chocolate Muffins, and Blueberry Zucchini Cake with Lemon Buttercream in particular really jumped out me. Which zucchini recipes there call your name the most?


♥ Remembering the Apollo 11 Moon Landing With the Woman Who Made It Happen: July 20th marked the 46th anniversary since Neil Armstrong famously took his first steps on the moon, but as this intriguing Time Life piece details, such may not have been possible were it not for the pioneering software development work of Margaret Hamilton (pictured below).

{To learn more a specific image used in this post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

August, the eight month of the year and final full month of the summer, is a unique one. The dog days of summer are often behind us (or very nearly so), but autumn's chill hasn't yet returned. The beaches are full still, but at the same time, the first Halloween decorations are starting to grace the shelves of various shops (Walmart, Michaels, Hallmark, and Marshalls are usually amongst the first to bring in seasonal decor here in our neck of the woods).

Those who enjoy the summer are usually still flushed and happy about the heat and spirits are high in general. However, I think that many of our minds are already starting to look ahead to fall and the changes that it brings back into our lives, be it a fresh school year, unpacking our cold weather threads, or coaxing our ovens out of hibernation when comfort food season strikes once more.



{August is a fascinating month. We often bound into it in a bathing suit and leave sporting trousers and cardigans again - or at least starting to think about introducing them into our closets and daily ensembles once more. It's fun, sunny, and usually over far too quickly - much like this July was!}


I think that August, just as with early September, is a wonderful transition filled time between the two chapters of the year and I love that it lets us enjoy summer proper for a little while longer.

In the coming weeks, I plan to continue thrifting and yard saling up a storm, cooking and baking (peach pies made with local fruit, you guys, oh my gosh, I can't even - they're always sensational!) with local produce, enjoying the fact that the sun still sets fairly late in the day, and yet at the same time, thinking more and more about autumn and all my ideas and blog posts for that season.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you each a sunny, fun filled, awesome August and hope that it will be a terrific month for all of us!

A hearty, classic meatloaf recipe - plus just one more day until we go to Vancouver Island!

Travel has always been incredibly important to me, just as it is for many folks the world over, but the older I get the stronger I feel a powerful pull to venture forth and see more and more of the world, be it new destinations or returning favourites. Tomorrow, as we head off for two weeks spent savouring beautiful Vancouver Island, the latter will be the case.

As I haven't been there since I was 14 and my darling Tony has never set foot on the Island, there will certainly be an element of newness and discover to the journey for both of us. We hope to balance "doing" with relaxing, as we're both been working exceptionally hard this year and massively need some genuine R&R of the sort that our lovely fortnight on British Columbia's largest island will hopefully deliver.

Before we tuck the last suitcase in the case however, I wanted to take a quick moment and share a delicious, stick to your ribs kind of recipe that is so awesomely well suited to these early (very nearly!) days of fall: Vegetable Beef Loaf.
 
A few simple, relatively low cost ingredients, many (if not all) of which you may have to hand already, are all it takes to create this filling, taste bud pleasing take on one of the most classic dishes of all time. I love a hearty meatloaf like this, but as red meat and some my GI conditions are anything but BBFs, I always make mine with ground turkey or chicken and both do a wonderful job here. You could of course, if you like, create this dish with your favourite meat alternative crumble, thus making it vegetarian or vegan, just depending on what substitute you used (and if you forgo the eggs and use a vegan type of fat).

I make this with gluten-free bread that I dry out for a few hours on the counter first and enjoy playing around with the seasoning and vegetables, just depending on my mood and what's kicking around in the kitchen on a given day. It both reheats and freezes very well, and can also easily be multiplied many times over, depending on how big the hungry crowd you're planning to feed might be.

Just as when I was a little girl, my favourite way to serve meatloaf is with extra fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes and fresh carrot sticks (a little homemade cinnamon apple sauce on the side never hurt either), and that is how I generally serve it, but a nice rice pilaf, quinoa dish, big green salad, roasted root veggies, or any number of other sides also compliment this vintage meatloaf's juicy, wonderful flavour very well. This is definitely one of those dishes you'll soon find yourself weaving into your dinner rotation often during the coming chilly months as we part ways with summer once again.

{From potlucks to weekday dinners to Halloween party spreads, this timeless, budget friendly, easy to prepare 1950s vegetable meatloaf recipe is sure to be a big hit all through the fall and winter, when comfort food is a culinary must! Image source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

While I won't be blogging from the road (I will have my laptop with me though, but doubt I'll be on it all that much), I will be posting oodles of snaps and updates about our exciting adventures on Instagram and Twitter, if you want to follow along with our trip there.

Last year's travels to Calgary, Alberta proved to be one of the most poignant and important experiences of my adult life (as I detailed in this deeply personal post after we returned home) and while I'm not necessarily expecting this jaunt to Victoria to have quite such a profound impact, one never knows how travel will affect, better and alter their lives and I am 100% open to whatever Vancouver Island brings my way.

I love to grow and expand as a person, to broaden my horizons, to learn and to be reminded of just how much there is always is still to discover in the world, and travel excels on all those fronts - and so many more, too!

Until we chat again here, my dears, have a truly fabulous start of autumn and please enjoy (and be sure to leave comments on) all of the wonderful guests posts from the awesome group of vintage bloggers that I have lined up for you while we're off gazing out at the stunning Pacific Ocean for the next couple of weeks.

We're going to Vancouver Island for two awesome weeks!

At long last, after at least four months since the first major steps towards our next genuine vacation (aka, not a work related trip of Tony's that I tag along for, but an outright, good, old-fashioned holiday) materialized, I can finally reveal to you today that later this month, we're going to be spending two weeks on Vancouver Island.

{Image source}

 

We've rented a small, beautifully furnished and equipped private house (via the very handy online service and hotel alternative Airbnb) in Victoria, which will be our base while on Island. A lot of the time there will no doubt be spent in Victoria itself, but we also hope to take some daytrips elsewhere, such as Nanaimo, Duncan, and Sooke - perhaps even as far north as Campbell River, where I've heard very good things about a vintage clothing shop called, rather charmingly, Britches and Hose (though at some three hours away from Victoria, there's no guarantee we'll make it there - hopefully!).

Just as when we headed to Vancouver last spring, I've lined up a few really terrific guest posts from fellow vintage bloggers to keep things active here in my absence. My Etsy shop will also remain open while I'm away from home and new orders are certainly welcome, though it should be noted that they won't ship out until I'm home again in early October.

While I have been to Vancouver Island and B.C.'s capital city of Victoria before, I haven't set even so much as one foot on this large, majestically beautiful Pacific Ocean hugged chunk of land since I was 14 years old - more than half my lifetime ago and I don't profess for the tiniest of moments to know the layout of the city very well. In fact, save for a few major attractions and standout memories from my early youth, there's little I know firsthand about this vibrant city, which makes me all the more excited to hop in the car later this month and hightail down there to quickly learn a whole lot more.

We'll be leaving Penticton on September 22nd and returning on the evening of October 4th. As usual when we go away, Annie will be staying at the lovely dog boarding kennel in Oliver that she just adores and my sweet mother will be house sitting our place and looking after our cat, Stella in our absence.

{Image source}

 

As Victoria is situated on an island floating out in the ocean off the shores of our province of British Columbia, it can only be reached by air travel or ferry and it is the latter that we'll be floating on to reach our lovely holiday destination. I've always madly adored taking the ferry to the Island and am as giddy about the prospect of doing so as I am about any other element of this trip, which is a much needed breather from the daily grind for both Tony and I.

I (we) intentionally timed our trip to Victoria to correspond with the upcoming annual Victoria Vintage Expo, which is taking place there on September 26th and 27th. I'll be going as a shopper, not a seller this time around, but who knows, perhaps I'll be back in future years with a table of my own. There are so few events like this in our province, let alone ones I'm able to make it to (the few that do exist are are usually located hours away from Penticton), so I'm truly jumping for joy at the prospect of attending one of B.C.'s only vintage expos.

In fact, I'm hopping with happiness about this whole trip. We worked very hard, saved and sacrificed incredibly diligently, and put in a lot of effort to make this trip happen. I'm so glad that we did, because there are few things - even knowing that hitting the road will do a number on my health, as it always does - that I adore, or gain more from, in this world than travel.

Yippee! Hurrah! And three very big - and very excited - cheers! Here we come (okay, in three weeks time), Victoria - prepare to be two residents richer for a couple of weeks and a little lighter on the vintage clothing and jewelry front when we leave! :)

Grooming tips for the 1950s flight attendant

Cheerful Thursday morning greetings, my sweet dears, thank you all very much for your lovely, supportive comments on my last post regarding our upcoming move. Today marks the start of the official one week countdown until the big day itself arrives.

As you can imagine, this week has been a three-ring circus of activity, with scarcely a second for my husband and I to stop and catch our breath. Though we're certainly teaming up for some tasks, generally speaking (during these last few pre-move days), he's tending to jobs that need to be done outside the house, and I'm going at the speed of light inside the home.

Even at my busiest though, it's hard not to steal away a few quick moments to recharge my batteries and uncover delightful vintage images and inspiration (maybe it's just me, but the day doesn't quite feel complete if I have devoted at least part of it to my love of the past).

Earlier this week, I spotted a recently uploaded image on one of my favourite old school image filled Flickr streams, that made me smile ear-to-ear. Not only was it bursting with yesteryear charm, but it was beyond fitting, given that I'll be zipping through the air on a plane myself next week.

These days the rules and requirements involved with becoming flight attendant are significantly different then they were during the earlier decades of aviation (and, over all, this is a good thing, because there's much less discrimination involved with the candidate selection process and flight attendants themselves have more rights within the scope of their job).

However, I'm always a sucker for a great list of vintage "dos and don'ts" when it comes to any profession, and as the list in the image below clearly demonstrates, there was no shortage of such points for airline stewardesses (as they were often called back then) to adhere to during the 1950s.

{A lovely vintage flight attendant from 1957, smartly attired as members of her profession were required to look during the golden era of airline travel. Image via alsis35 on Flickr.}

From the expectation that one would (or perhaps had to) wear a "well fitted girdle" to the fact that platinum nail polish was out the question, it's fascinating to look back at this list of dos and don't and think about what airline hostesses of days gone by had to comply with in order to keep their jobs.

I'm certainly no expert on the requirements of being a modern day flight attendant, but I think it's safe to say - while standards regarding certain elements of one's appearance are still in place - the rules have relaxed substantially (for better or worse, depending on your own take on this topic).

Like many of us, I long for the days of airline travel when passengers and staff alike were better attired (I for one always dress up to a certain extent when I'm traveling by plane, but have observed that few other passengers tend to any more, save perhaps for the occasional businessman in a suit and tie or well-to-do lady jet setting off to some exotic location), and perhaps (as I like to imagine at least) friendlier.

Long gone are the fabulous forties, fifties, and early sixties (think Pan Am era) though, and with them a certain kind of airline travel glamour that will likely never be recaptured again outside of a Hollywood studio.

Nevertheless, when I board our flight next Thursday, I'll be thinking about old school flight attendants and passengers alike. Daydreaming that perhaps we’ll somehow fly through a warp in the space-time continuum and transport back to the mid-twentieth century.

Ridiculously wishful thinking, I know, but hey, a rather knackered vintage loving gal can always hope!

Greetings from the Grand Canyon

✯ Day 312 of Vintage 365 ✯

{Engagingly lovely vintage Grand Canyon postcard by way of Shook Photos on Flickr.}

 

On the list of truly iconic natural wonders in the world, the Grand Canyon ranks as high up as the lofty vantage points it offers. At 277 miles long and as much as 18 miles wide ins some spots, it's immensely easy to see why this marvelous of mother earth has been attracting visitors and settlers (to it's surrounding areas) for thousands of years (beginning with Native American Peoples many centuries before Europeans ever set foot near this incredible location).

Though the Canyon was first visited by Spanish explorers as early as 1540, it wasn't until centuries later that that Americans really began to investigate the awe-inspiring, majestic wonders that this fascinating  spot on the Arizona landscape has to offer.

While Theodore Roosevelt showed considerable interest in the Grand Canyon at the start of the 20th century, it was President Woodrow Wilson who, in 1919, established it as the 17th U.S. National Park by an Act of Congress. In the decades since tourism to this awe-inspiring corner of America has continued to grow, and today the Canyon sees more than five million annual visitors.

Two of whom, this year, just happen to be my mom and step-dad. Currently on a road trip through parts of the US, my parents recently spent time visiting the Grand Canyon for the first time in either of their lives.

I know that this had been a spot they'd both been greatly interested in seeing for a very long time, and while I haven't had a chance yet to hear about all their adventures there, I do know that they got a chance to venture out onto the famous Sky Walk and take in the panoramic view standing far above the the canyon floor.

I'm elated that my parents are getting a chance to get away from the daily grind (this is their first vacation in several years, and goodness, do they deserve it!), and to explore such stunning locations. I'd definitely like a chance to follow in their footsteps one day and take in the amazing splendours of the Grand Canyon myself, too.

 

 

In the meantime though, I can have fun as an arm chair traveler by enjoying the wonderful vintage travel video of the Grand Canyon (from 1958), above.

I really hope you enjoy this informative 8.5 minute travel film, too, whether you've been to this impressive natural landmark ten times before or, like my parents recently did, will be making your first pilgrimage ever to the Grand Canyon sometime  in the future.

Vintage 365: “Westminster from the Thames” vintage travel poster

✯ Day 4 of Vintage 365 ✯

 

 

When one thinks of vintage travel posters, those exquisite works of art from the golden era of luxurious sightseeing and adventure, it is usually images of sun-kissed locations, portrayed as dripping with tropical or Mediterranean splendour that spring to mind. Yet, just as today not every journey is to a beach or rolling Italian hillside, so too were travel destinations of yesteryear a very mixed lot.

 

While perusing vintage travel posters this week (daydreaming, I’ll admit it, of leaving behind the snow that came barrelling back into town on Sunday for some wildly warm corner of the globe), I chanced upon this understatedly beautiful one from 1934 (on the wonderful UK site Exploring 20th century London) that beckons tourists and locals alike to explore London and see Westminster Abbey from the vantage point of the River Thames.

 

I adore the muted tones, the iconic hints of late art deco era style to the illustration, and the fact there there is absolutely no sense of pomp to this deeply sophisticated vintage poster. It is now, every bit as lovely and intriguing today as it was 77 years ago – so much so actually, that it (at least temporarily) made me forget about warm, sandy beaches and suddenly want to pack my bags for a trip to merry old England!