F21 Asymmetrical Dress (similar) & Belt | Coach rings (Five ring set, current)
Starfish bangle via Hautelook (similar by Tobi)
I seriously can't believe how quickly this year is going by. It feels like just yesterday when I was in BC snapping these pictures down by the beach and just enjoying the sea breeze. Luckily the summer weather seems to be sticking around for at least a couple more days, so I can wear my shorts and dresses for just a little longer before the heat says goodbye..

I'm always up for a quick trip to Vancouver. Because I get to eat. And eat some more. And more. My trips over to the West coast normally consist of the following in a cycle: eat, shop, eat, sleep, eat, visit the beach, repeat. It never ends - the food in Vancouver is so much better than what I can get in Edmonton, so I use every opportunity I have to take in the calories and enjoy. Here's just some snippets of my week away - in essence, previews of posts to come :)

left: all packed up, ready for the trip!
right: deer roaming on the side of the road in Jasper, AB

left: pho, perfect for cold Vancouver weather @ Thai Son
right: beautiful morning oceanside view - Tsawwassen, BC

left: dimsum for lunch @ Good Eat Seafood Restaurant
right: dried geckos on sticks, found in Chinatown

left: xiao long bao @ Ning Bo Restaurant - Richmond, BC
right: mango sago pomelo dessert in a giant cup @ Parker Place

left: $180 3D Mario cake @ Crystal Mall - Burnaby, BC
right: sushi dinner @ Sushi Garden in Burnaby

left: homemade pineapple bun w. butter & fruit for breakfast
right: gorgeous sunny day in Tsawwassen!

left: toast box from the What8ver Cafe in Richmond
right: Lucy's cute little bunny, Cheerio

left: Starbucks is a no brainer to have in Seattle!
right: s'mores Eggo waffles found @ Target - why can't Canada have these?

left: purple potatoes from my aunts garden - look like dog poo!
right: Jamba Juice Orange Dream Machine, my all time favourite!

left: shopping day outfit! H&M, F21, Tory Burch & Coach
right: sandal haul from Nordstrom!

left: not yet available in Canada, but nuggets are better IMO
right: new bestfriend.. wish I could've taken him home!

left: Summer day outfit - heading out for dinner!
right: Japanese tapas w. friends @ Guu in Aberdeen Mall

left: beach day @ Stanley Park's second beach
right: watching the sunset in Tsawwassen

left: last sushi dinner, AYCE @ Ninkazu in Richmond
right: post sushi bubble tea - lychee green tea w. lychee jelly

left: last homemade breakast before heading home!
right: finally trying out Chobani yogurt - now they need to come to Canada
Thanks for reading, have a great weekend everyone!

End of the trip already? Time really flies when you're just relaxing and having fun.. work days always seem to drag on forever. But I'm really thankful to have had this opportunity to spend some quality time with my family and see relatives that I haven't seen in 4+ years!

Kam Do Restaurant & Bakery - 8391 Alexandra Road - Richmond BC

I know that the drive back to Edmonton from Vancouver is approximately 12 hours, and with the time zone difference, it seems like it's 13! But yesterday night, we decided to get adequate sleep, and leave the city around 10 am, targetting to be home around 1130 pm local time.

Road trips with my family equate to driving long distances with as few stops as possible. We pack large amounts of food to be eaten in the car, and stop only when nature calls! That's why we found ourselves here this morning.

Good ol' Kam Do Restaurant.. back in the day this place was bustlin' full of people, we had to stand and wait for a table! Nowadays, the place is a little run down, and you can be seated at a table immediately. I suppose it's because more and more HK style breakfast places have opened up in the area, but we still stay true to this place. Plus, they have some of the best wife cake pastries around!



Vince and I ordered the big bowl breakfast to share - satay beef vermicelli noodle soup with a side of sirloin steak, eggs, and a bun. How could someone eat this entire meal?! Altogether this costs about $8, and a heck of a deal if you ask me. Both of us were full!



Although Kam Do is not the most exciting place to be anymore, it's still a nice place to visit time & time again. It's like that one shirt you keep in your closet that you always wear, even though it's worn out, sheer, and maybe with a couple little holes. It's comfortable, and something you go to! Well, that, and also that we will be able to last in the car for a longer distance before stopping, hah.

Today was about adventure & relaxation. Getting my favourite things to eat, and enjoying the beauty of Vancouver. Sea, sky, mountains, beach, good eats, this place has got it all..

Thai Son Restaurant - Richmond Central - 4653 Garden City Road - Richmond BC

Yet another one of those 'must stop' places for me. You must be getting sick of these. But trust me. If you tried any of these, you would agree.



BEST PHO EVER, HANDS DOWN. Enough said.



Okay, maybe not enough said. I have to elaborate a little on this one. This place is fantastic. It's a winner in my books for taste, service, price, and celebrity status. Yup, celeb status. They have so many pictures of Hong Kong celebrities coming to their restaurant just to have their pho!







And for a large bowl of steaming hot broth with perfectly cooked noodles at $6.35? If airfare wasn't so expensive, I'd fly down here more often just for this! (well, and my other must stop places too :))

The Boss Bakery & Restaurant - 523 Main Street - Vancouver BC



We headed into Vancouver for the afternoon, and after stopping for a quick haircut downtown, I wanted another bite to eat. What better than my fave pineapple bun with butter?



They had an assortment of freshly baked goodies, and all costed around $0.85 - $1.00. Very different to the $1.25 we have to spend at home. And if you buy six or more items, tax is waived!



Unfortunately, my pineapple bun was not all I had hoped for. The pineapple bun was perfect. Soft, with crisp toppings.. but the waitress definitely warmed it up too much before putting the butter into the center. Or maybe, she didn't let the bun cool down enough better putting the butter in? Either way, the butter was completely melted and made the bun all soggy! I like having mine warm, but with the butter still solid and cold.. mm, I can feel it clog my arteries. For something I have once a year though, I have no problems with it!

Stanley Park - Vancouver BC

It was a beautiful day in Vancouver, and I wanted to take advantage of the sunny weather by taking a walk by the English Bay, and over in Stanley Park.



We walked around, and took in the fresh ocean air. I just wish the beaches in our view were a little more sandy, and less rocky. With time, the rocks will erode and produce more sand, I guess :P









To have such a beautiful preserved greenery in the middle of the city is such a privilege! Stanley Park is one of my favourite places in the city, with the view of mountain, land, and sea. One of my dreams is to own a property facing the ocean! Someday.

Tsawwassen, BC

One of my aunts owns an amazing property out in Tsawwassen. On the drive from Vancouver down to Seattle, you will usually pass by this little area, and it's actually one of the last stops you'll find before getting to the US-CAN border. Nearby her place is actually the border, and there's always signs about trespassing into the US without declaring yourself to a border officer. I've always wondered if immigrants cross the border here into our country, haha. Thought I'd just share a couple pics I took from her backyard.. :) She faces the ocean, and can actually walk straight into it. My dream!











Shanghai River Restaurant- 7831 Westminster Highway - Richmond BC



Located right next to the restaurant I ate at the night before, we were up for Shanghai cuisine at the restaurant next door to Happy Sushi.



The restaurant was very full, with a long waiting line at the front for those that didn't make reservations for the night. An Asian restaurant bursting with business at dinner hours in Richmond is a GOOD SIGN.



Shanghai food is one thing I look most forward to when I'm in Vancouver. There are maybe 2 restaurants I can name in Edmonton that are classified as Shanghainese, and they are pathetic compared to what can be found here. Generally, I find that food in Edmonton is overpriced, and just mediocre at best. It might be a good thing that I don't live in Vancouver.. I'd be packin' on the pounds everyday!

Although we had a party of 8, we chose to go with the set dinner for 4 people, and add on whichever dishes we really wanted to eat as well.


Peking Duck


The necessity, xiao long bao


Stir fried egg with seafood


lettuce wraps


Deep fried dough pastry with condensed milk *favourite!*


Stir fried giant shrimp, given as a replacement dish because they ran out of the baby shrimps (I was devastated..)

The food was great, but I don't think this is my favourite Shanghai restaurant here in Vancouver. My favourite for food would still be Top Shanghai Cuisine (上海一只鼎), but I did find that this restaurant is cleaner, and much more spacious, allowing for a better dining experience. Top Shanghai is much smaller, with cramped seating, but I would recommend their restaurant for the food!


Hard at work making XLB!