I'll Follow You Anywhere

When I first booked a trip to California with no concept of when I’d be back, I really didn’t have much of a plan. I had someone to stay with of course, and there were loose talks of visits with friends and family, but the truth is when I boarded that plane I had no idea where my travels would lead me.

In the end, no plans could’ve covered everything that I managed to see. I didn’t just go to California, I went all over California, from horse riding on the beach in Sonoma to driving through the Red Woods of Big Sur. I went to an 80s’ dance party that’s hidden inside a vending machine, I met some of my Instagram idols for a casual brunch, and I saw more parts of the state than most people who actually live there full time.

I was feeling pretty satisfied with my adventures by the time the last leg of my time in the sunshine rolled around, but then Kelsie came to visit and introduced me to the magic of Hotwire.com. Full disclosure: I am AWFUL at bargain hunting, but even I got into this site. You can basically play hotel roulette! We downloaded their app on a sleepy night in LA and before we knew it we’d scored a room at The Ace in DTLA for a night! It was the ultimate staycation, and after a night of dancing at a local disco bar (please go to Honeycut next time you’re in town!) we decided to try our hand at finding a few more hot rates.

We ended up booking a crazy spontaneous trip to San Diego, a city neither of us knew ANYTHING about, and in the morning we were off in our Hotwire car rental to find out what we’d been missing. It turns out the answer was a lot – so much in fact that one night was nowhere near enough. San Diego is lush, right on the water and filled with adorable local gems and swoon-worthy spaces. I wish we’d had more time to see everything on our list, but there’s always time to book another last-minute vacation with Hotwire, right?

Special thanks to @ellistracy for all the amazing local tips! Best Instagram tour guide ever!

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Where we went:

Pigment // Kelly from Studio DIY told me this is the best store in the world, so I went in with ridiculously high expectations, and I was still totally blown away. Just go, save up a lot of spending money, and go!
Communal Coffee // This is a coffee shop that sells floral drinks, floral toasts, and actual flowers! It’s incredibly well decorated, the staff is lovely, and the back patio may be actual nirvana.
Native Poppy // Nestled within communal coffee, this place knows their blooms! They also sell a curated collection of stationary etc.
La Puerta // A great spot for cheap margaritas and delicious guac in the heart of downtown. Make sure you time your visit around their numerous “happy hour” times.
Taco Surf // cheap, simple, and delicious. We highly recommend taking your food to the beach for a picnic, regardless of the weather.
Balboa Park // Perfect for a sunny stroll, this park has incredible flowering trees, an epic cactus garden, and SO many gorgeous museums.
Cafe Gratitude // One of my favourite vegan spots in California, this was actually the most gorgeous location I’ve visited yet, and the food was divine as always.
Seal Beach // We saw tiny baby seal pups lazing on the beach! This is reason enough to make this spot a stop in our books.

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For Next Time:
Fairweather
Pendry
Kindred
Ironside
The Madison
Bracero Cocina
Fleet Science Centre
San Diego Natural History Museum
Holy Matcha (not quite open yet!)

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Special thanks to Hotwire for making all of our spontaneous vacay dreams come true!

I'll Follow You Anywhere

I have deemed 2016 my big year of travel, so when my boyfriend Josh went away for 10 days and left the car in my custody I knew I had to take advantage. Jo and I debated where to trek to- Bruce Peninsula? Hamilton? Prince Edward County? We were torn, but then we got to talking with Anabela at her baby shower a few weeks ago, and the answer became clear: Buffalo!

I’ve swooned over Anabela’s pastel views from Buffalo road trips time and time again, and both Jo and I have always been curious to make our way down there, but never really found the time. Armed with a massive list from Anabela (thanks again lovely!) we made a totally spontaneous decision and jumped in the car.

When we told the border guards we were crossing just to explore Buffalo for the day they seemed to suspect we were joking, but I honestly have NO idea why. Buffalo is full of green space, old charm, and treasure just waiting to be found. Bonus- it obviously also has American favourites like Target and Trader Joe’s, so you can get your fill of adorable housewares and coconut cashews too! Am I the only one who finds “American Shopping” way too fun?! (Sorry American readers, I’m a lame Canadian, I know.)

Scroll down for our list of favourite pastel spots!

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RAOP Places in Buffalo //

Fowler’s Chocolates // By far our favourite find in Buffalo, Fowler’s is home to CHOCOLATE ORANGE COVERED SPONGE TOFFEE, the best thin mints I’ve ever tasted, and a signature chocolate bar called the “Truffalo Bar” which is as pretty as it is delicious. This company is *very* pink, and there are locations all over the city so it’s hard to miss!

Parkside Candy // A beautiful old-timey candy shop, the Main Street Parkside Candy is the perfect place to pick up classic sweets, or cozy up for an ice cream sundae.

Cherry Blossoms // We had a horrible blossom season in Toronto this year, but luckily we were able to catch the last few in bloom trees near the Buffalo History Museum. Located in a gorgeous spanning park, this is an enchanting spot to visit even if it isn’t Cherry Blossom season.

Target // Our hearts broke when Target closed in Canada, but thankfully there are a handful just over the border in Buffalo. We came home with flamingo print bedsheets, glittery pink iridescent party plates, and all sorts of other treasures! There’s also a Trader Joe’s nearby if you need your cookie butter fix…

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Premier wine and spirits Close to Target and Trader Joe’s, this is a great spot to pick up local foodie finds, rare liqueurs, and all sorts of fancy kitchen supplies too. Warning- my Canadian Visa wouldn’t work here, so come prepared with cash in case! Also beware of alcohol duty at the border.

Lake Effect Diner // One million heart eyes for this place! The vintage baby pink and grey decor is in perfect condition, and the menu is filled with so many veg options (not to mention everything was crazy delicious.) We recommend creamsicle milkshakes and anything with the house smoked veggie bacon on top!

Other recommended spots that we didn’t have time to visit:
Botanical Gardens
Deep South Taco
The Lafayette Hotel
Public Espresso + Coffee

Did I miss anything?

I'll Follow You Anywhere

There were so many magical moments during our trip to the west coast, but I’m not sure anything quite matches the overwhelming natural beauty of our road trip down the coast.

As we sped down the winding roads in our little rental car, we rolled the windows down, turned the music up loud, and just stared in awe. The air was scented with salt water and Redwood tree bark, and at times the waves became so massive that they crashed over the road, and cars had to wait to continue on their journey for fear of being swept away.

It was truly humbling to witness such power, such steep cliffs and roaring surf. There was a certain energy in the air that I can only describe as magic, and every time we pulled over to peer over the steep cliffs or splash in the waves we only became more enchanted. From Monterey, to the delicious Big Sur Bakery, all the way down to our stop at the Madonna Inn, it was truly a road trip that will sparkle in our memories for years to come.

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I'll Follow You Anywhere

When Paige and I were figuring out everything we needed to see during our trip to LA, there were a ton of options on the table, and we honestly didn’t know how we’d make it everywhere we hoped to go. In the end, we had to cut a few of our picks, but the Madonna Inn was never even up for debate.

The Madonna Inn was built in the late ’50s on the Central Coast of California, and has been turning heads and attracting pink lovers ever since. Quirky and strange, this legendary hotel has a massive hot pink and gold steakhouse, famous pink champagne cake, a blue and pink tennis court, and all sorts of crazy themed rooms. The creator, Alex Madonna, was once quoted as saying, “Anybody can build one room and a thousand like it. It’s more economical. Most places try to give you as little as possible. I try to give people a decent place to stay where they receive more than they are entitled to for what they’re paying. I want people to come in with a smile and leave with a smile. It’s fun.” And fun it was!

Our tight schedule made it impossible for us to stay the night at the Madonna Inn this time unfortunately, but we were able to play dress up in new clothing from the shop and stage a mini photo shoot before dinner. We sniffed the famous pink roses, sipped creamy pink cocktails, and briefly contemplated running away with a pink golf cart and driving off into the sunset. It was an evening to remember, and we’ll absolutely be back!

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I'll Follow You Anywhere

There are so many magical places in Toronto, but some days I crave something more. I dream of a place with fresh air and clear blue water that is always clean enough for swimming. My desire for these things often takes me to new places, sometimes on small road trips, and sometimes on bigger adventures that involve planes and trains and hours in the car. I suppose Bruce Peninsula falls somewhere in between these two.

I first journeyed north to Bruce Peninsula for my Mermaid Lagoon shoot with Bicyclette, and I fell in love with the famous “grotto” area immediately. A section of the park with deep, crystal blue water, gorgeous greenery, and plenty of cliffs to jump off of, the grotto is a mystical spot that looks like it should be inhabited by mermaids. Luckily, us mortals are invited too, if we’re up for the 4 hour drive that is (and yes, the water is COLD!)

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