Lofty Plants aka Plants to Hang on a Loft Balcony // Blog & VLOG
When we moved into our loft space last year we always dreamed about filling it with plants. Tall trees and vines were our future. We’ve slowly collected plants, first to test out my green thumb, and second when we found something that we thought would go great in our space. Now that Spring has very slowly come into play again, we were able to finally find our favourite metallic plant holders for our second floor rail to embrace our space and load it up with lofty plants.
Searching for plants!
We had a vision and stuck to it.
The plant holders (from Ikea) were all we could envision. Nothing else had that industrial feel with a price point so affordable. We needed something that most people would use outdoors but would still work in an indoor space. Thankfully, we found our favourite pick on an Ikea wandering whim at the cusp of Spring. Even with a solid metal base, I still got paranoid that these outdoor planters would leak and used epoxy to seal the seams of each container.
Recently on Instagram: One of everything please.
We wanted lush plants.
I’m a little more patient than Rishad, but we agreed that big impact right away would be the most satisfying look. We bought two full hanging baskets of ferns hoping we could distribute the plants into three. Did you know each fern leaf has it’s own root? We learned quickly that these baskets were like splitting apart a tangled head of curly hair with no conditioner. It was almost impossible and we could only split them into pac-man shapes for just two baskets. We’re waiting to see how these take before possibly buying a third.
Peering through our second story of lofty plants.
Lofty Plants aka Plants to Hang on a Loft Balcony // VLOG
My green thumb wants more!
We travelled for a week and came back to find our beautiful green plants thriving. I’ve read that ferns are great to filter the air in your home and I just love the way they look staring up from below. After I watered the ten plus plants we already have, I looked around and wished there were more. I’m hooked!
What are your favourite in home plants?
Our videos are sporadic, but we do intend to make them more & more. Follow along on the blog & subscribe to our channel to keep in the loop. xo
Hiking Rouge Park & Reminiscing Over Summer // Blog & Video // Discovering My City
I’ve finally come to the upsetting realization that Summer has come to an end. Admittingly, the weather has been so warm as of late that it’s been easy to be in denial until now. When I finally came in contact with that first morning snow, I whimpered like a puppy dog in sadness. In my mind, I imagined skipping the snow altogether this year. I wish. Luckily for me I’m escaping to a warm sunny holiday very soon, but until then I’m just reminiscing over these past warm summer days instead.
Recently on Instagram: Great weather is something that should be embraced more. I loved this walk through Rouge Park.
Sometime last May we took a hike through Rouge Park. It was gorgeous & green & wildlife was heard all around us. We embraced the fresh air & roamed the forest like we were the only two people around. My favourite part was running into a young family catching buckets of water creatures with so much excitement. Starved for a relaxing end to our day, we ended up by the harbour of Pickering for that last little bit of sun. It felt like a short little holiday.
Reminisce with us in our video below.
CURA - Cory & Rishad // Summertime Hike at Rouge Park
Our videos are sporadic, but we do intend to make them more & more. Follow along on the blog & subscribe to our channel to keep in the loop. xo
Camping at The Bruce (& other detours) // Blog & Video // Summer Camping around Georgian Bay
It’s been over ten years since the last time I went camping. These words frightened Rishad. Since our last trip was spent in a boutique hotel & he knows that I have some particular tastes, the idea of me “roughing it” wasn’t something he could imagine. We made lots of lists, watched lots of YouTube hacks, loaded up Suzy (our car) & went off on a three day camp trip (or so we thought).
Tackling the camping essentials was a breeze. Since my tween years were spent camping across Canada, my family still had some great equipment. I rounded up the cooking gear & propane stove while Rishad rounded up his tent. The only items we really needed to repurchase were sleeping bags & some kind of mattress on a small budget. We found some great little sleeping bags at Mountain Warehouse & still kept to our budget by buying puzzle piece mats from Dollarama. Seriously, they were cheaper than yoga mats, less bulky & time consuming than air mattresses, & so much more colourful. I was proud.
Sitting proud in our cushioned tent
Camping a Cyprus Lake was a brand new experience. We booked our spot on the Parks Canada website & hoped we picked a good location. It wasn’t very private, but our neighbours were lovely & we ended up needing each others help in the end. Strict on rules, the campsite aims to be bear free & conservation friendly. They keep these grounds clean & make sure their campers respect the land.
Walking through the calm & quiet Cyprus Lake
We didn’t plan on hiking our first night there but it ended up happening. Listening to the recommendations of the front desk, we headed out to Overhanging Point before sunset. It ended up being the best & worst decision that day.
What was quoted to us as being a 10 minute hike from one lookout to another, ended up being much, much longer. Walking through rocky dirt paths, hugging trees to wrestle down slopes & balancing over a rocky beach took well over 30 minutes with the sun quickly setting overhead. We were fearful we’d be walking back to home base in the dark & hurting ourselves in the process. Even so, we trailed on.
When we arrived at our final destination, we were the only ones around. The views were amazing & we sat for some time, taking in the sunset falling directly in front of us. The glistening sun reflected on the rippling water reminded me of the ending to The Little Mermaid. It’s a silly reference, but I’d never seen glowing water so animated like that before. Although the walk back was a little dim & our noodle dinner was cooked in the dark, it was worth it. As a bonus, we didn’t injure ourselves!
Recently on Instagram: Watching the sunset at Overhanging Point
Recently on Instagram: Perfect sunset views as the only two people around
The following morning confused the heck out of me. It was the beginning of Summer & I was freezing the entire night! I woke up to extra layers that I threw on in the middle of the night, happy that I packed my handmade wool Mountain Toque. Warm bubbling coffee excited me more than words could describe as I cooked us up some breakfast that morning.
The rest of the day was spent on more hikes, back tracking to what we quickly passed the night before. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we couldn’t believe we only had one more night to go.
Taking in the views at Indian Head Cove
After dipping our toes in the icy Georgian Bay
Debating through the night, we decided not to head straight home. There was no rush & our packing skills left us with lots of food leftover. We begged for another place at Cyprus Lake but the weekend dates were all booked up. It worked out for the best.
Driving out of the park left us confused. We didn’t want to go home but we didn’t know where to go. After aimlessly googling & driving just a little further south, we made it to our favourite part of the trip, Lion’s Head.
We didn’t notice the Lion’s Head until AFTER our hike that day. We were pretty tired.
After settling into the open campsite, we headed out to our favourite hike of the whole trip.
Besides a few photos & small blurb or two online we really didn’t know what we were about to discover. It started with a long hike through trees & stones, avoiding the poison ivy that outlined the path on both sides. We could tell from just that little bit of poisonous green that this wasn’t a trail that many people took.
From there we started the incline up & up. I found myself getting pulled up by Rishad or hugging trees as anchors quite frequently without the use of my hands to climb up. It was tricky but we make a great team.
Finally reaching the first lookout, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Below us was the most tropical looking bay of water surrounded by the lushest evergreens. Could this really be Ontario? The day before shocked me in a similar way, but it was the height & immensity of this view that really captivated me.
Looking down from out first lookout point
He’s a daredevil. I couldn’t get the same nerve in me to take this photo myself.
Recently on Instagram: I guess I can’t say I’m afraid of heights anymore. I’ll just have to say that I have a discomfort with heights instead.
Recently on Instagram: Reminding me of the Wood between the Worlds from The Narnia Chronicles. This is what I imagine when I think about the pools they had to enter. Except, this “pool” was a a long way down.
I wish I could say that our detours stopped after Lion’s Head.
Actually, I don’t wish that at all!
The following morning we packed up our belongings for the final time & started to head home. Kinda. Still wanting to find one more beautiful place, we headed in a greyed out “park” area that looked intriguing on Google Maps. It wasn’t too far away & bordered the water’s edge. Of course, we had no idea whether it’d be a cliffside on beachside view.
Zigzagging through sideroads & farm areas, we wondered if there’d be anything to see at our aimed destination. There sure was! We came upon a beautiful, serene beach with no one in sight & miles of blue water ahead of us. I still can’t believe we found such a private yet public beach location.
Recently on Instagram: Sometimes you’ve gotta go with your gut & see what you find at the end of the line. We found this quiet oasis by looking at a map & taking some very beaten roads. It was worth it.
Inglis Falls. He really wanted to climb down to it, so we did.
Last stop, for reals this time was Inglis Falls. It was yet another detour that was completely unplanned but totally worth it. I think I’ve been here in the past, but the past blurs a little as you get older. Rishad really wanted to visit a waterfall during our entire trip so I’m glad that we finally did. Not only did we see it, we found a way down to it too.
Climbing up & down to the waterfall was a major accomplishment without my hand strength. Using good communication & a lot of understanding, we conquered a good little rock’s edge that I wouldn’t have imagined climbing with anyone else. We’re both still amazed at what we accomplished in that moment.
After all the detours we took, it’s safe to say we didn’t want it to end. I hadn’t been camping in over ten years but I’ve done so now, & I’d do it again. Ontario is such a beautiful place & we really want to explore more areas together this way. We wanted to take another camp trip or two this summer but our crazy schedules got in the way. It’s hard to plan escapes when work events keep popping up in the way. Perhaps next year.
CURA - Cory & Rishad // Camping at The Bruce (& other detours)
Our videos are sporadic, but we do intend to make then more & more. Follow along on the blog & subscribe to our channel to keep in the loop. xo
I recently found myself sitting in front of a few strangers talking about my life & my goals. The standard question, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’, became the hot topic. Having being able to answer all the previous questions so succinctly, I found myself processing this final question with a long pause. I couldn’t seem to find a quick direct answer & I take pride these days in finding the confidence not to lie.
I could have lied. I could have said that I see myself owning a company, living in a nice house, being married with children, & accomplishing all my goals in the most perfect ways. I could have said something similar to these things.
Instead I looked them in the eyes & told them my most truthful answer, ‘I really don’t know.’ Of course I had to explain my reasoning from there, but in the most direct way not knowing was my answer.
It’s not that I don’t wish the best for myself & have goals I wish to achieve. I have a drive, & a passion, & many wants for my life. The problem I find with a five year plan is the uncertainty of it all.
In the past few years my life has taken many turns. Outside of graduating, I found a job straight away. I did not know it at the time, but I wasn’t ready to settle into a 9-5 & travelled full-time the following year. Coming home, I started in an office once again not knowing that my arthritis would come back in full swing. My pains took a hold of my life & my health, becoming my focus from that day forth. I never saw these twists & turns coming the way that did in a five year plan.
Today I work multiple jobs with a sporadic schedule & budget my life accordingly. I didn’t see myself living in the same place for three consecutive years, but here I am. I didn’t think I’d be working as a self-employed individual, but here I am. I never thought that my lifestyle would become a ‘let life lead’ mentality, but I’ve come to accept it & embrace it these days.
Outside of my own life, I’ve seen so many friends & relatives having to take on the same approach. I know individuals who thought that their job was secure & their money struggles were well behind them. I know individuals who made large commitments thinking that they were able to manage them. I know individuals who have taken risks to bigger and better things only to find that once there, their perspectives had changed. All in all, my friends and family thought they had planned for the future but could never predict what really was the bigger picture.
I know so many individuals who have had to adapt recently that I can’t even count them all on my two hands.
Jobs have changed; Lifestyles have changed; Living arrangements have changed; Health has changed; & with all this, perspectives have changed.
I don’t know where I see myself in five years because looking back, I don’t think any of us saw ourselves being where we are now.
Moments & time go by so quickly these days & it’s too hard to predict. Instead I let life lead & trust that I receive what is needed. I don’t stop living & I don’t stop pursuing, but I try not live too far into a fantasy. But this doesn’t mean stop dreaming. What it means is allowing yourself to be humbled by reality. The more I discuss the future with others, the more we both end up taking note that times are changing. Everything is not so cut & dry, & what you want may not be what you need at the time.
Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to take detours. We need to take note of our realities & truly survey the paths that we’re on. We need to keep our friends & family close, relying on the fact that this is one constant we have in life. Homes change, jobs change, lifestyles change, but who you have as your true confidants, guides & trusted loved ones continually stay the same.
I truly can’t say what my future holds in layman’s terms. There’s too much that is unpredictable. What I can say is that I aim to still be happy. My measurement of success lies in the little accomplishments in life over the bigger picture. My life so far has gone on to have too many twists that I already never saw coming.
What I know about my future is that no matter what life brings me I will adapt, I will have love, I will be supported, & I will be happy. These are my values. These are my constants. This is my future.
Exploring Curaçao was our first trip together & if you missed reading Part 1 then you’ve missed half of the story. Read & Watch this one first.
When we first started googling our day trip options for Curaçao we were instantly attracted to images of it’s sister island, Klein Curaçao. Historically, Klein Curaçao was a quarantine location for slavers of the Dutch West India Company. They would arrive here before heading to the main island where unfortunately many became ill & did not survive. Now this little uninhabited island is showcased to tourists as an island with white sandy beaches, good snorkelling, a visually appealing old lighthouse, & is only really accessible through a boat excursion conveniently offered almost daily. Oh boy, times have changed.
Recently on Instagram: We were the only ones that wanted to explore the lighthouse on the island that day. Perfect.
With limited days at our disposal, we needed to be strategic about our day trip visit to Klein Curaçao. Some boating tours only travel to the island on certain days & we were attracted to one tour in particular. The one we liked best took less time to travel because of it’s really fast boat & it tends to travel on days when the big cruises don’t. We didn’t even know that the island would be so bare before booking, but the Powerboat Caribbean turned out to be an awesome way to travel there.
Things to note about our boating experience with Powerboat Caribbean in quick points:
1 - The boat is really fast; 2 - It was hard for my arthritic hands to hold on; 3 - I got a headache from being jostled around; 4 - It was super fun!
Taking in the moment at Klein Curaçao
I still can't believe that no one else wanted to walk inland to explore a bit of Klein Curaçao besides us. I guess that’s the difference between an adventurer & someone just looking for some R&R. We wanted adventure so we headed to the lighthouse.
Walking to the old lighthouse
I think what's so attractive about this old rundown lighthouse is that it’s dynamic colours & farmhouse shape give it such charm. The same charm seems to spread from the “mainland” of Curaçao right down to it's little sister. Even just a shell of a building is a beautiful site to see. (You can see more pictures from Curaçao that relate to this below.)
I climbed up the stairs, but I didn't make it much further
Inside the lighthouse was scary (for me). Only the framework is left leading to the tower & each room. The remains of red cups from previous parties scattered the base of the lighthouse below us. Fearing my balance walking across such a height, I couldn't make it any further than across the first beam grabbing a tight hold of the walls. Rishad on the other hand feared nothing & went right on up. Yes, I panicked quite a bit on the inside.
Recently on Instagram: Can you see Rishad looking out from the windows above?
Recently on Instagram: I miss the soft sands of this tiny island
Heading back to the water’s edge, we lounged in the beach huts & snorkelled for a while. My head was a little shaken up from the boat & Rishad still had a large stinger lingering in his foot from the sea urchin so we weren’t up for a huge swim. I seriously don't know how he lived with such a pain. For the small amount of time that we were in the water, we did end up having another close encounter with wild life.
Swimming nearby a sea turtle, I made the silliest move by chasing after it. I was no match to his speed & I ended up drinking some water that accumulated in my snorkel by mistake. It wasn't very pleasant to say the least.
With only half the day complete, we hopped back into the boat, sped back quickly to land & figured out where we would eat. Curaçao was a tough place for a vegan diet & I’ve got more on that below.
Views from our room at Bijblauw Boutique Hotel
Waking up the following morning was hard. My hands ached from gripping hold of the bars on the powerboat & I didn’t want to move for some time. Thankfully a cute little Nespresso machine was in our suite & I didn’t have to go far for some fresh air & a vibrant view. I truly loved our boutique hotel pick. It was a lovely start to a slow morning before heading back out the door for more adventure.
Recently on Instagram: "I saw fluffy cotton puffs exploding from a cotton bush for the first time, witnessed giant poisonous fruits the size of my head, & got to learn about new herbal arthritic remedies that day. After chatting with Dinah Veeris herself, we took a minute to sit down & take some photos by another beautifully vibrant building reflecting the green of the garden. It took us some time to drive out & find this place, but we're both glad we did.”
Before arriving to Curaçao, we went back & forth on the idea of visiting Dinah Veeris’ Botanical & Historic Gardens. It was a bit of a drive off the beaten path & we didn’t know how beneficial it’d be to us. We were pleasantly surprised.
When we arrived, like most places, we were the only ones visiting. Taking a self tour, we wandered through the serene space & learned about different local herbal remedies. We were in luck that day as we were able to quickly meet Dinah herself & ask her some pressing questions that were on our minds. What do you do for a Sea Urchin sting? & What do you recommend for arthritis? Her answers put a smile on our face in the video below.
Taking a rest at Dinah Veeris’ Botanical & Historic Gardens
Pulling over for a tasty treat; Batidos!
You know when you travel to a country & come home craving it’s foods? That’s what Batidos is to us. Made of just fruit, milk & sugar, we had our fair share of them in only a few short days. Of course, I ordered mine without milk every time & I was very happy they were able to do so. Which leads me to the perfect side note on vegan food in Curaçao.
Finding vegan food in Curaçao was hard. We went with research on some restaurant choices & places to grab snacks but we had a few glitches in our plans. If you do plan on going, make note that the floating market for fruits & veggies isn’t open on weekends. We arrived on a weekend & I couldn’t stock up on foods the way I planned. We should’ve also made reservations when possible as restaurants in the evening filled up fast. We did end up finding a great indian restaurant, but it’s original location was shut down & it took us two nights of searching to find it.
There is one sentence that we will always remember from Curaçao that came after explaining what a vegan eats. “We have a salad, with chicken.” Wanting to try some of the local restaurants was a hard battle for a vegan but we made it work, kind of.
My initials! C U
Rishad’s initials! R A
Want to know how we came up with the name of our YouTube channel? You’re looking at it!
The Queen Emma Bridge
Before seeing it for myself, I couldn’t comprehend what the Queen Emma Bridge does. Floating between both sides of Willemstad, this bridge connects the two in a rather strange way. Instead of lifting for the boats to pass through, the warning bells toll & the bridge starts to move along the water on an axis becoming parallel to one side of the shore. It’s a beautiful little bridge & with time at our disposal we rode on top of the bridge as it let a boat pass through just to experience it.
Standing in the middle of the Queen Emma Bridge
Pedestrian pathway connecting both sides of Willemstad; The Queen Emma Bridge
Inside Neto Bar
After seeing some videos about the infamous green rum at Neto Bar we couldn’t resist a visit. We ordered the famous bright green substance & was basically forced into having it on the rocks. It seemed to be what everyone ordered there. The green rum or “Ròm Bèrdè” had a distinct sweet licorice taste & went down easy. We felt a little happier after that. A side effect from the green rum, I’m sure.
Bijblauw Extraordinary Large Room
I can’t stop gushing about Bijblauw Boutique Hotel. On our last morning, we took our time packing up & checking out before heading down for a breakfast treat. We loved the openness of the tall ceilings & old shutter windows. It was such an inviting space from the moment we walked in, right down to the balcony views.
The one thing that made us chuckle was the lack of privacy for the bathroom. The door was a giant window frame with no curtain for discretion. You can see the door & through the window cutout to the bathroom in the photo above. It was strange but we made it work. We just had to announce our bathroom moments to each other for fear of losing a little mystery in our lives.
Bijblauw Extraordinary Large Room
Biblauw Restaurant
Coffee & orange juice by the ocean every morning please!
Dear vegan readers, please don’t get mad. / Dear everyone else, please don’t get confused.
I have said many times before that I’m on mostly vegan. I do it for health reasons because I find that it helps me manage my arthritic pains. Learning while living, I do also think that it’s great for both environmental & physical reasons. Even though I don’t expect everyone to choose this diet, consuming less animal products in all of our lives would be beneficial to all. However, I do still have “cheat days” myself during very calculated moments & this moment was one of them.
I will note that although I did very, very much enjoy such an amazing palette of flavours again, I paid the consequences. My body hit a wall of pain during our flight home & I almost didn’t have enough energy in me to make it off the plane & into our cab. It was a delicious meal but it was horrible, all in one bite. This was the reason why I didn’t just have cheat days in Curaçao the whole week through.
Recently on Instagram: Treating ourselves to an amazing breakie for two at Bijblauw.
Look at that platter though! For all you “meat heads” out there, it’s seriously a great meal & great price for two to dine.
Recently on Instagram: One final walk through Pietermaai District
With one last batidos & one final walk through Pietermaai & Willemstad, we said goodbye to Curaçao. We still reminisce about this beautiful place with dreams of going back. I can still picture the streets vividly with the contrast of the revitalized buildings, like our hotel, sitting right beside the worn down buildings still waiting for a change. As we walked around, updates were being made to beaches, walkways, buildings & roads. Curaçao is growing quickly as a tourist location & I’m sure if we went again today, we’d discover a whole new Curaçao from what it was only months before. I’ll be excited to someday return.
Standing at the shores of Pietermaari District
CURA - Cory & Rishad // Exploring Curaçao Part 2
With only five days of travel we sure crammed a lot in. We do love adventure! Travelling together has challenges unlike any other, but it’s exciting when it all comes to play & works out so well. We were inspired by this trip to share more. Although it may be a gradual sharing, it will happen when the timing seems fit. Keep following for more videos & stories in the future.
I’d love to hear your questions &/or feedback too. Feel free to like, comment & discuss with me whichever you’d like, including where you think we should travel to next. We’ve got the travel bug, & we need your ideas! xo
After a month of dating, we planned a trip. After two months of dating, we were taking that trip. Call us crazy (we already do), but we’re not a very normal couple. Last December we ended up on a whirlwind trip to Curaçao & we still have dreams about going back.
Why has it taken me so long to write about? Although I’ve shared a few pictures here & there, our need for privacy was on my mind. Curaçao was a quickly planned & quickly travelled adventure & it was nice keeping that time to ourselves for a little while. Besides a few posts here & there including my recap a while back, I’ve kept mum about the whole thing... until now.
On our balcony at BijBlauw Boutique Hotel
Why Curaçao? We were strangely drawn to it. We didn’t want an all-inclusive resort, we wanted a warm place to explore, & we wanted an island small enough to fully discover with only a few days of travel. Curaçao was the perfect fit.
Splurging a little on a place to stay we chose BijBlauw Boutique Hotel. Made up of two brightly coloured & newly renovated buildings located in Willemstad’s Pietermaai District, we were situated by the shoreline within walking distance of local restaurants & the downtown attractions.
Balcony views of Pietermaai District from our room at BijBlauw
The waters edge & patio views from BijBlauw Restaurant
Starting off our first evening in Curaçao, we ran down for a quick refresher by the shoreline before a city walk at dusk. The BijBlauw Restaurant sits so close to the ocean that depending on the day the waves flow over the rocks. I enjoyed breathing in the fresh salt-water air & taking a moment to relax in our temporary home.
Walking through Pietermaai District
Walking through the city during the holiday season was so magical. Christmas lights lit up the pedestrian streets & guided our way. Our timing was perfect as an evening Christmas market was set up in the district for our first nights’ stay.
The crowds unfortunately made it tough to find an available restaurant nearby & we ended up wandering at lengths to find any vegan options. It’s tough travelling vegan but unless I want to spend a holiday in pain & in bed, it’s a must. It was stressful & exhausting but Rishad happily took the time to work something out. I’m so happy that he did or else I would’ve eaten miso cup-of-soup in the hotel room that night.
Never without a few cameras - Outside BijBlauw waiting for our rental car
Waking up to a beautiful sunny morning, we grabbed some quick eats at the local Kiosk & waited for our rental car pickup recommended by the hotel. Talking to our drivers throughout our stay was a really great trick to help us to plan our days. They recommended driving routes, beaches & places to eat that only locals would know to think of.
We started our first day with a drive to Christoffel National Park on the west coast of the island. Arriving in the hot hours of the day it was recommended that we’d take the driving route. Our map was a little confusing as the stopping points were not in numerical order, but our aim was to find the lookout point. The roads were scary steep & sometimes shared by oncoming traffic, but we made it to where we wanted to go.
Driving through Christoffel Park
Recently on Instagram: Lookout point
Recently on Instagram: Taking in the views
The Caves at Christoffel Park
The caves had bats living inside. We didn’t go too far in as we were pressed for time & really wanted to get to a beach. It was winter, but it was still a lovely warm day.
Massive cacti - Look at that strange thing!
Heading back on the road we drove full circle around the rest of the west coast. Aiming to find something to eat on our way, we stopped at a few places without many vegan options in sight. Taking on the recommendation from our driver earlier in the day, we ditched the food idea & stopped by for a swim at Klien Knip. Little did we know that we should’ve also been recommended water shoes as we came across some dangerous sea creatures during our swim. Thankfully, we pulled in to find a fresh food stall & ordered ourselves some plantain & drinks to enjoy by the waters’ edge.
“The fruit of this tree is poisonous. Do not eat” - Not what we had to worry about that day
Sweet & savoury plantain accompanied by local beers on the beach
Klien Knip Beach
The water was cold & refreshing. After a day of popping in & out of cars we were excited to settle down on a sandy beach. The neighbouring beach, Grote Knip, was busy & crowded, while Klien Knip was calm & quiet. It was perfect.
Of course, less popular beaches are more popular to wildlife & unfortunately we weren’t warned about this. After only a few minutes in the water, Rishad came in contact with an angry sea urchin & came out with a number of black spots. We didn’t know what to do!
See those black dots there? Rishad got stung by a sea urchin!
We hobbled out of the water & back to the food truck to ask for help. Humorously, the guy selling food by the beach all day never steps into the ocean & didn’t even know what it was we were looking at. Some lovely locals came by to console us & told us it was a “normal” thing. One of them told us he gets stung on the regular & made it sound so scarily common to me. We were told he’d be okay, to give it time & to put some wax on it when we got back to the hotel to help pull out any stingers.
A comforting moment... at least, I hope it was
The rest of our evening was spent eating & healing. Finding vegan meals wasn’t very easy on the island, but I’ll save that story for part two. Focusing on the sting, we grabbed a cheap wax candle from the hotel patio to try to uncover any sea urchin stingers. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to do the trick, but he did just fine.
Two days later the biggest stinger came out fatefully through the rough weave of a hotel blanket. I was in awe at the sight of a long, clear, & very hard needle-like stinger that finally came to surface. It was about the length of a finger tip. Taking tweezers to the muscle on the bottom of his foot, I couldn’t imagine the discomfort walking would’ve caused him. He spent time walking through town, riding on boats & walking on beaches all with a needle stuck in the muscle of his foot. He doesn’t like to talk about it, but he was super tough (& a little stubborn) to live in pain like that for half of our trip.
BijBlauw Boutique Hotel at night - Our room was off of the balcony of the green building
We learned a lot about taking care of each other in those first couple of days. With his foot & my diet, we ended up with some unexpected circumstances on our plates. Of course, this is only part one of the story...
Brand New & Very First video for CURA - Cory & Rishad // Exploring Curaçao Part 1
Check back soon for part two of Exploring Curaçao. Pietermaai District, Christoffel Park & Klien Knip were only just the start. Next up we’ll share more of BijBlauw, discover Klien Curaçao, find a herbal garden & roam through Willemstad by day. xo
At some point during the beginning of the year, we tried our luck at visiting the gardens. It was a warm sunny weekend & we were looking for some fresh air & a space where I could relieve some joint pain through movement. The parking lot was full & we spent more time battling to escape that maze than anything else. This month, choosing a random weekday to give it a shot, we finally got to explore the Toronto Botanical Gardens.
But first, coffee....
An early & quiet morning at Scarborough Bluffs Beach.
Originally our morning was planned out to wake up before the sunrise & enjoy coffee with a view. The sunrise part never happened, but we were still awake early enough to capture this moment. (It should be noted that I am not a coffee person & unless coffee is given to me straight away, my morning motivation is lacking.)
Recently on Instagram: I am not a morning person.... but I do love a good morning view.
With such a nice day given to us we decided to go from beach to garden & make a day out of the great outdoors. I hadn’t been to the gardens myself & it was great discovering a new part of the city that I had not done before.
Rishad & I. Taking snaps off the beaten path... under a bridge instead.
Surprised by the sighting of Mr. Groundhog.
A hungry family of geese.
I was surprised by the wildlife we saw roaming around the gardens. At no point did I expect to see a groundhog popping out his head, but he did. Come to think of it, I think that’s the first groundhog sighting I’ve had in real life. We were the only ones to notice his quick in-&-out appearance at the time. If you go to visit the gardens sometime yourself, take note of the creatures that you might be able to spot in amongst the rock gardens.
Gorgeous tulips!
It smelt so good right there. So many fragrant blooms!
A moment of quiet reflection perhaps?
With tulips in full bloom, our moment to discover these gardens couldn’t have been more perfect. The grass was green & the colours of the first blooms of the season were so dynamic. I can’t wait to discover what summer will bring to the Toronto Botanical Gardens next.
I took a bit of a break recently & it was much needed. I was drained both physically & emotionally & I just needed time for me. The Winter months were hard to get through & it dragged on until late Spring. I felt bogged down, weak all over & in some kind of a rut that I’m still working to overcome. I kept quiet for this time freeing myself from actively blogging or even sharing too much. Now after some reflection & a good Spring cleaning, I’m getting a little bit of a pep back in my step.
Here’s what you’ve missed....
Recently on Instagram: Beach walk / Waterfront views / Garden day with Rishad
I went on a holiday!
It feels like forever ago that I was exploring the beaches of Curaçao, probably because it was. Throwing it back to November, we had planned our trip within a few shorts weeks & jetted off to an island we knew little about. It was our first time travelling together & it came up real fast, but it was worth every moment.
I’ve really wanted to share stories from this adventure with you all (& I promise that I will), it’s just nice having those moments to ourselves for a little while.
Recently on Instagram: Park sunset / Lookout point / Exploring an old lighthouse
I wrote a post on Instagram that I was really happy to share. My support system has grown as of late & it’s been amazing to have someone to lean on, depend on, & dump all my emotions on (if need be). “Living with chronic pain isn't always easy for yourself, but it can be even harder with others... Today I was a crabby human in pain & I fought with the one who's with me to make a change.” I’m really truly appreciative of who I have for support in my life, & I took that time to share. Please read.
On top of my job working on-site events, I’ve been out supporting Guild Eyewear at different market venues. Working with a brand so colourful & creative is such a joy. I love dressing up in all their custom eyewear shapes while supporting a truly local & unique Toronto brand.
Recently on Instagram: Lap of lace / Mint colours / Crochet workout
I always feel better with crochet. I’m not sure if this is what’s lifted up my spirits ten fold this past few weeks, but I’m happy to get back into it. During the Winter months my hands were too worn out to crochet, but I wish I didn’t stop. Even doing a few stitches here or there helps with that idea that I’m working towards something good. I’ve found my creative juices again & can’t wait to share more & more. I’ve recently worked on a new sweater & home ware items that I’m super excited to use.
Since I’ve stepped away for so long, I feel a little out of the loop with you too. What have you been up to during these quiet months? Plus, who’s excited for Summer to finally get here already?
