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vintage wool jacket, cashmere sweater, jacob skirt |
After recovering from my vacation on the North Pole ( not the real North Pole, it just seemed like it ), ie. laundry, mostly, I was revelling in the relative warmth, and delighting in signs of spring in my own garden. It is reassuring to see the perennials leafing out, like old friends who've come back from a trip just a little larger. I am always full of ideas about things I want to plant, after having spent a rainy winter reading about gardening and writing notes to myself full of latin words, I am eager to tidy the unruly beds and rearrange the plants like furniture.
I am a looky - loo, I love to look at other people gardens, get ideas, see what they have. A trip to Victoria, at it's loveliest in spring, always provides ample opportunity for botanical tourism. I had an errand to do, I had consigned a couple designer items to a store in Oak Bay, just before Christmas, on a three month contract. I wanted to check what had sold and bring by another couple items I recently winnowed out of my burgeoning closet.I had a fantasy about combining this with a cultural excursion with the children. The reality is that the oldest, in her last year of school, not even around during spring break. At 12 and 14 the boys expressed no interest whatsoever in this proposed diversion. They are happier riding their dirt bikes around and around the garden. I, however, am not so easily amused, and thus it was with a glad heart that I embarked on my solo journey.
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Gorgeous giant cherry tree |
I had planned a sort of budget shopping day, confining my shopping to thrift, consignment and second hand stores. Fair Victoria ( a city with provisions in it's statute that it be kept pretty as a postcard at all times) has such great shopping, and so many cute little neighborhoods where you can walk around, get a coffee, shop, have lunch, etc., if you can find parking.
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Echeveria and rosemary in bloom |
As a collector and semi-professional shopper I sometimes accumulate higher end, designer goods that don't fit me or are not my size. If I don't know someone else who will fit/appreciate them, if I want to sell them I go to Victoria. Since I had two items at the House Of Savoy, I went there first. As it turns out, the extremely narrow mint condition black Ferragamo riding boots did sell. This pleases me, since I purchased them on Ebay at least 5 years ago, they have been beautiful instruments of torture for me. A muffin top on your calf, not flattering. And yay, actually I like the red lightweight wool Ferré coat, and am wearing it for spring, so am glad that didn't go. I looked for cloisonné and jade bracelets, and checked out a cashmere sweater, but decided to move on. There is another consignment store on Oak Bay Avenue. The very next block has a household goods store,Good Things, with a steady stream of people bringing in their collectibles, rugs, lamps, even fabric and jewellry. Reasonable prices and a large discount area keeps items flowing out fairly quickly too. I left with two small cloisonné vases, I have a thing for Chinese decorative arts. Over to Cook street for lunch at Bubby's Kitchen, where we sat in the sun. great salads and yummy fresh baked goods. Just up the street, a Win thrift and Victoria Hospice Boutique. I'm not the only one thrilled with the black silk La Perla nightgown I found, also a Prada (!) cotton skirt, just a little too tight . . . what am I doing sitting here at my computer, later babes, I have to go jogging.