From Place To Space: Le Marché St. George, Vancouver

I know it is mid November but imagine this: A sunny, mild September morning in Vancouver, Canada. Indian summer has coloured the nature in its most vivid and luscious hues. You are driving from downtown to a leafy residential area in Vancouver's suburbia. It is around 10 am, it is quite, people are at work or in school. You enjoy the guiltless pleasures of a free weekday morning. You park your car and head over to that corner building framed by bushes and tall sunflowers. The barn like building with a heavy, metal door is the place to go for a francophile like me - bienvenue to Le Marché St. George in Vancouver.

It is less than two months ago that I had a wonderful, sunny breakfast at Le Marché St. George in Vancouver during my Canada and USA trip. I was seated outside in short sleeves savoring every bite and gulp of my French breakfast and enjoyed the warming sunbeams on my face. The mere souvenir of this precious moment warms my heart during this cold and grey November day.

The enchanting Le Marché St. George is a tiny, stylish hotel, shop, bakery and café. It has gained ample attention worldwide for its Kinfolk-esque apparition and zeitgeist. But not only the appearance is a real charmer: The shop offers locally sourced, organic food and a fine selection of homeware. But the real revelation is its pastry - the croissants and the pains au chocolat are divine. They have that impeccable balance of softness and crunchiness, the inevitable dash of greasiness and the incredibly creamy, sweet taste. This was topped off by a homemade, crunchy granola with local organic yoghurt and homemade fruit preserve all accompanied by a delicious latte. 

When I am back into working mode at my job and as a blogger I cherish the memories of such precious, unique moments that have enchanted me with their simplicity, the joy of mundane pleasures for my eyes and palate. And they give me that extra zing of energy to kick start a new, busy week. Even in the middle of a grey, cold and foggy November. 

In this spirit - I am sending you some warm sun rays wherever you are. Have a fabulous and happy week!

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Tweet

Shop Love: Homewerx In Vancouver

Travel memories linger on for a long while. At least they do with me. And some very peculiar travel memories are my numerous visits to inspiring home décor and interior design shops around the globe. Last month I spent a few days in the Canadian city of Vancouver - you can read my blog post here. There, I discovered a few amazing interiors stores like this one and like today's shop love - Homewerx on Davie Street in the West End of Vancouver.

As an 'Urban Jungle Blogger' I was drawn into the store by the teasing sight of lots of greens in the store - the selection of air plants was immense as was the selection of creative terrariums and hanging planters. I was smitten by the rock crystals on offer (I had to buy one) as well as by the fine range of scented candles and stationery. 

Another highlight were the home textiles and décor elements - I spotted lots of Ferm Living there and was proud to see good European brands on the other end of the world. The rear end of the store has a good range of household products and crockery for stylish homes. Moreover, I learned that many interior stylists shop for props at Homewerx. 

Homewerx seeks to cater the modern lifestyle with a fine mix of home décor, home textiles, books, stationery and music, gourmet food and kitchen accessories, all carefully curated by the shop owner. I was absolutely charmed by the shop and loved every bit of it. As you can imagine, I didn't leave the store empty handed. And I doubt anyone of you would have.

What do you think of today's shop love?

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Tweet

Shop Love: 'Provide' In Vancouver

This Monday I took you to Vancouver with this blog post and today I want to show you one of the fabulous interiors stores I'd discovered while in the Canadian metropolis. But first, this story requires a little foreword: I did not find Provide by coincidence. The great advantage of being a blogger is a great international network of blogger friends. It happened that my Canadian friend, interior designer and blogger Nyla noticed that I am going to Vancouver and she told me about her favorite interiors store in town. We tweeted about it and a minute later the shop owners replied on Twitter saying that they are looking forward to meeting me. I checked the address and a few hours later I was on my way to Provide.

Provide is run by the owners David Keeler and Robert Quinnell and features a well curated collection of furniture, home textiles, tableware, and home décor. The collection has a contemporary vibe and is modern yet remaining warm and inviting for different tastes and interior styles. During my visit, the store was highlighting beautiful autumn hues like all shades of blues and yellow - I need not mention that I was totally enchanted by one of my favorite colour combinations. But Provide is more than just an interiors store: The Provide team also provides (catchword) an interior design service for their clients.

I was very happy to be welcomed in the store and free to roam around and snap pictures for you my readers. I chatted with one of the owners and also learned that they will be exhibiting at the upcoming Maison & Objet in Paris so who knows, maybe we will see each other again pretty soon. And if you happen to be at M&O, watch out for the inspiring folks of Provide.

But for now I will let you roam around the shop with me and discover the beautiful interior design goodies through these pictures. I hope you like it. I loved it.

You can find Provide on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, too.

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Tweet

From Place To Space: Discovering Vancouver

It’s been a week now that I am back from my trip to Canada and the USA and my lightweight jet lag has been worked off properly so I thought I’ll start with my series of travel related posts covering my 3-weeks road trip experience to North America. Last week I had a soft launch with this post about a community garden in Vancouver. The Canadian West Coast metropolis was my first stop so here we go with a little Vancouver recap.

Vancouver is a great travel destination: You like city life. Check. You like nature. Check. You like mountains, you like beaches? Double check. Vancouver has managed to acquire an enviable image. It is the city where urban life & nature collide, where people are very, I mean very outdoorsy and where a sporty attitude is a prerequisite for future inhabitants. The possibilities for a healthy outdoor life are paramount: bike trails everywhere, an abundance of parks, water sport activities, hiking and climbing spaces just to mention a few. And that outdoorsy attitude is omnipresent on the city’s streets.

For a first time visitor like myself the most important to-see destinations were quickly determined: the busy waterfront, bustling Gastown with its cool shops, bars and restaurants, a stroll through Chinatown (did you know Vancouver has the largest Asian community in North America), walk’n’shop in the liberal West End, discovering the famous Granville Market, a cruise on the Burrard Inlet. And I herewith confirm – yes, do all of this if you end up in Vancouver one day.

And with all the outdoor activities you can count on one phenomenon: hunger. To tackle that problem opt for a healthy, locally grown lunch in the beautiful restaurant ‘Rainier Provisions’ in Gastown or a bite at ‘Nelson the Seagull’ followed by yummy donuts from the Cartems Donuterie (I had the earl grey donut with rose petals) and topped with a delicious cup of tea (and more tea to take home) at David’s Tea or a fresh coffee at Revolver Brew Bar.

But the best food experience will lead you on a boat at first: Take the water taxi to Granville island and discover the abundance of food at Granville market – you can’t resist the all the juicy, fresh fruits, the luscious delicatessen and fresh bread and pastries. You can easily spend the entire day there eating and drinking, walking around, visiting art galleries, the famous Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and one of the many breweries with local microbrews.

For a serene, almost zen-like experience head to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden – you can either join a guided tour or do it my way: Stroll around by yourself, discover hidden corners, sit down and contemplate, behold the beauty of the jade tigers, sip on a cup of Chinese green tea, and challenge yourself in Chinese calligraphy – at least you’ll know if your talented or not. I know now. I’m not.

For more nature in town experiences take a boat cruise on the Burrard Inlet to opposite North Vancouver, walk around the immense Stanley Park and sit down at sunset hour on Second Beach or the English Bay to immerse yourself in the flaming reds and oranges of a Pacific sunset. Don’t miss the trendy Yaletown quarter with cool shops, restaurants and a hip crowd. During my stay in Vancouver, I’ve discovered two very cool interior design stores that I will share with you in separate blog posts soon. Stay tuned!

I left Vancouver invigorated with a fresh spirit of an urban life that has embraced its surroundings – the beautiful and vast nature – and has defined urban life in its own terms: a life strongly bound to nature and outdoor activities. A pretty healthy city life.

Photography by Igor Josifovic

Tweet