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A few favorites from our weekend photo shoot with Barb and Dave,

Goodbye, Farewell!

Well... not really. I only live a block away, but it feels like goodbye.

This is the loveliest of all managers at Raw Bar. Miss Christina is all rainbows and sunshine and the tastiest gin martinis...

My last day at the Raw Bar was on Wednesday and of course I am completely thrilled to start filling my days with...
whatever I want!

Haha... okay not quite. Mike and I are now working full time as photographers for our own business called SNAP Photography! (As most of you I'm sure know by now ;) )



For the last three years I have been working Full time at the Raw Bar in Hotel Arts as a server. I have learned a great deal about food, wine, and the fine dining experience. I have developed a love for food and wine, and my tastes are much MUCH more sophisticated then I ever thought possible! I have even developed a "like" for sea foods and meats I would dare not have touched three years ago.

Thanks to these guys and all the other chef's at Raw Bar, I have been exposed to so many things that I had never even heard of. They make it all taste so good.







Mmm... this is the New York Steak that they serve at Raw Bar. The boys offered to make me something tasty for my last day, and everytime I serve one of these bad boys to a table I want one! The best steak you will ever have, I'm pretty sure.

This is the lovely Alex who made my Raw Bar days worth while...
I can't even explain the amazing-ness that happens when you put a Christina, Alex and Ashley in charge of a restaurant.



This is her lovely Ian who turns into THIS when you point a camera to his face...



James came along to check out my last day celebration


I think that this is us trying to be fierce, hehe


Thanks to all my Raw Bar friends for making my last day AND the last three years truly special and memorable!!

(...Annnnndddd Sttttuuufff!!)

A day in Victoria

On one of the last days of our trip...

My sister, Mike and I headed up to Victoria in hopes for a sunny day by the ocean.  I had been looking forward to having some noodle box for some time as well.  Instead of going to Sombrio Beach which we had originally planned to do... we ended up walking around downtown and along the harbor which is always beautiful and refreshing!

By the time we got to my favorite lunch spot, it was +23!!  We managed to find ourselves a hot sunny spot for our boxes of delish noodles in front of the bubble tea shop in china town.  I think that this may have been my favorite day of the entire trip!  Mostly because I had been craving sunshine like that since LAST SUMMER!  It was amazing... I even got my first sunburn of the year.

Mike is hanging out in the garden's at the Empress...

One of the Alley's was graffiti'd with style...

I love this one.

I really really wanted to go to the beach at one point, so we did manage to make it out to Gyro Beach in Cadboro Bay.  I couldn't believe how packed it was!  Apparently everyone is as desperate for summer as I was (am).  There were girls in bathing suits tanning, people in shorts playing frisbee... it was like stepping into another world!!  

My sister and I playing with the camera...

After hanging out at the beach and getting sand everywhere we went for a little exploration cruise.  Here's a picture I snapped so that you can see our new car!!  The reflection of the car is sort of fun,  the car is quite a bit darker than what it shows here. It's "Barret Blue."

I was a bit unsure of getting a station wagon, but I really like this one.  It's totally comfortable inside the seats are awesome!!  We got the wagon so that we can store all of our photog stuff in the back. The seats lay flat which is very convenient for us!

My barefoot boy...

We met this adorable dog on our exploration... he hast to be one of the nicest dogs I've met!  He is a Bernese Mountain Dog.  Perhaps one day Mike and I would consider a dog like this.  For now two kitties are all we need. :)

This chair was just posed at the top of the hill!  Miss Emily Dyck always takes funky pictures at this spot, and it was cool to just randomly come across it!  The view was spectacular!  

Mike and I are hoping that we can start developing a client base in Victoria so that we can make a slow transition/move to the island in a couple of years!  We have so many different ideas/dreams for our lives so it's hard to say where we will actually end up!  The island was beautiful and we can totally picture ourselves there.

Victoria and Sunny Vancouver

One of my all time favorite places to go for dinner in Victoria is the Med Grill. Everytime we visit the island we seem to go there... it's become sort of a tradition.

THIS visit we called all of the Victoria girls and had ourselves a girls night out. It's always great to see everyone, and even if it's been years for some of us it's still just as natural to hang out. I love that.

Giggles with Catherine

Dominique and Catherine

Kim and Megan

Bathroom's make for the best photo shoots. I think this is also going to become a tradition. Kim and Julie being cute.

Right after yet another delicious dinner at the Med Grill, my wonderful husband Mike came to chauffeur a few of us around. Thank-you Mike! We were all headed in separate directions for the weekend... and my next stop was at Miss Dyck's home.

I'm not sure if most of you know... but Emily is a part time shark... or at least she wishes she were. Emily is sporting a beautiful Shark designer towel poncho. Haha... Emily's boyfriend Thomas knows how much Emily loves sharks, and bought her this towel for her birthday. I think she likes it...





After a night of hanging out eating cookies and drinking belgium beer... Emily, Thomas and I were all headed to Vancouver for the weekend.




Emily and Thomas on the ferry on our way to Vancouver.

Again parting ways... this time I was headed to see a certain favorite blonde of mine! Miss Keira Anne!

This is one of our favorite spots to visit together. Cupcakes. What could be better? These cupcakes are AMAZING and one will cure a chocolate craving for the weekend.

Our weekend was all about being resourceful and creative with our money. After putting April's budget into a down payment on a new car, Mike and I have been budgeting geniuses!

Instead of going out for dinner and drink's like we usually would... Keira and I decided to go for some uber-cheap delicious Japanese food (about $10 for more than you can eat!) and bought ourselves a bottle of gin to make martini's with at home.

Keira had just moved into a new beautiful appartment and since I was her first official guest, it was quite important that we had the ultimate girly night. Then again... they always are. We watched the Sex and the City movie which was a bit of an upgrade from our usual martini/sex and the city nights... but it was just like the good ol' times. We may have indulged just a bit too much on candy, cupcakes, and gin...

We woke up late on Saturday to a gorgeous sunny day. There is just something about my Keira visits where it is ALWAYS sunny. It was exactly what I had hoped for when I was packing for my west coast trip.

Keira's friend and neighbor Nick had just got a puppy that Keira was dying to show me! The puppy's name made me laugh but it was actually totally fitting once I met the little guy.


This is Digital Thunder. He is a licking/biting machine! He is in that puppy stage where he just couldn't keep still. He was so adorable though...

This was basically the one moment that he stood still and looked at the camera. Awww.







Granville island...


while deciding what to have for lunch we bumped into a certain somebody... she managed to convince me to get a smokey for lunch. Mmmm...
Enjoying some warm sunny weather by the Ocean






We had ourselves some fun that evening at Tania's birthday at Earls in Yaletown... and then early the next morning I got on the Ladner Express to board the BC ferries.
Back to the island to see my hubby and the rest of the family.