While watching the Supermoon rise over the Na Mokolua islands off Lanikai Beach recently, I was reminded of another weekend over which loomed the mystical spectre of this Perigee moon. That, of course, was the weekend of the original Crystal Visions. This year Crystal Visions took place in February, and blame it on my wild heart, but I have been regretfully tardy in sharing photographs from this momentous event. Knowing that all the special ladies in my life were looking up at the same Supermoon that night prompted me to visit my archives and put together a collection of some of the moments and memories of Crystal Visions II: Leather & Lace. I only wish I could have captured an image of every woman that attended! Looking at 2012′s photo versus 2011, however, reminds me that capturing the essence of so many babes would have required the power of 100 Supermoons.

Some favourite highlights of Crystal Visions II: Leather & Lace included the psychic connection between all attendees so everyone  brought either champagne, sparkling wine or rose, Anja dancing so hard her dress actually started tearing off her body, the scratches in the wall behind the toilet paper from the glamourous rings all the ladies were wearing, the enormous pile of records curated throughout the evening for maximum dancing, the tarot reading corner, photo shoots set throughout Clarence, the fabulous costume changes, the continuous din of girls chatting, visitors from Portland and Victoria, seeing life through a disco filter, going from the loud party zone through the fringe into the cool chill out den, Kimberli and Katie emerging from my bedroom carrying a flower crown they just whipped up, all the woofing whenever a Christine McVie song came on, dancing so hard it hurts to Fleetwood Mac, herding 30+ ladies and one gentleman into the apartment lobby for the group photograph, everything Alana did and wore, especially her Disco Jane Austen outfit.

Yowza! Yowza! Yowza! Better words cannot be found to describe the absolute delight of a day that was the Victoria Tweed Ride. Blue skies and a bright spring sun smiled down on a dapper crowd gathered on the lawn of the stately Empress Hotel, a group drawn together by an affinity for the classy suits and frocks of yesteryear and a deep love for that new fangled contraption, the bicycle.

I must confess, although quite immodest of me, that I believed our party to simply be one of the handsomest groups present. After all, our ranks included the elegant Lady Caprice, a respected Professor and, of course, Dingus the loveable scamp.

However, I would be truly remiss to exclude the other wonderfully dressed participants of the Tweed Ride. Three piece suits, elegant hats, fitted coats, beautifully draped frocks, smart handbags, sharp socks and dashing shoes could be seen everywhere one looked! And not to forget the accessories, both practical and decorative in nature, that adorned the bicycles, from wonderfully weathered leather cases to a flapping proud and noble British flag (God save the Queen!). One bicycle even pulled a wicker trunk, from which emitted the jazziest of music to encourage the Tweed Riders along their journey through the streets of Victoria.

The highlight of the Tweed Ride was undoubtedly the tea party held beneath the watchful gaze of stately Craigdarroch Castle, built in the latter years of the 1800s. Riders, flushed from their trip through Victoria’s charming downtown centre and the leafy neighbourhood of Fairfield, spread out blankets to sip Tula Teas and nibble on candied salmon and pickled cucumber sandwiches (crust removed) from Red Fish Blue Fish.

Finally, after a much needed respite in the shade of the oaks surrounding the Castle, the Ride Master’s cry of “Yowza! Yowza! Yowza!” drew us back to our bicycles and we flew back into the city, weaving through James Bay, until we reached the door of the Bard & Banker pub. The Tweed Ride drew to a close over pints and to the good conversation of fine friends, both old and new. A huge huzzah to all of the organizers and supporters! Until next year!

Crystal Visions II: Leather & Lace finally happened and it was everything I dreamed it would be. Our apartment was transformed into a sensual den of hanging crystals, doors of rose lace and fringe and flickering candles. Each attendee brought an amazing vibe until the entire place was filled with incredible energy. The din of many girls gossiping at once rose to a cacophonous level… and it was glorious. My co-hostesses, Laura and Alana, were at their foxiest, and mingled with guests from exotic locales such as Portland and Victoria. Best of all, a constant stream of records found their way onto the turntable, resulting in the night cresting with a bounding Fleetwood Mac-dance-and-sing-along explosion. Oh yeah, and there was some serious tambourine playing too.

As part of her participation in VCAM, Laura used the ladies of Crystal Visions as her inspiration for that evening’s video. She managed to corral most of the party goers before her lens for some serious disco filter glimma.

Kim was such a Vision that she got her own video:

Such a magical evening! Don’t worry, there is still plenty of glamour to come.

I made matching star headbands for my roommate Laura and I to wear at the Clarence Christmas party. Unfortunately everything was so busy before the party, we only got a chance to snap a photo at the end of the night.

I used this tutorial. They were super cinchy to make!

♥ Spending quality time with Daigoro while her human mommy was away in Las Vegas

♥ A birthday dinner for my baby brother at Ulla / a beautiful mug made by my friend Renee Sala

♥  The best Royal Wedding mug I have ever seen, a gift from Tina Athena (bless my friends for buying me royalty knick knacks, but lawd, my collection is starting to verge on crazy)

♥  A package covered in cloth and stamps from India, containing tea, soap, a colourful scarf and Party Time natural hangover relief pills, via darling Julychka

♥  The fabulous cookie spread, hot spiced cider and complimentary bourbon at the Clarence House Christmas Party

♥  Guests at our Christmas party / singing at the Kingsgate Chorus Christmas concert

♥ Soaring over Vancouver like a boss (with Tony Parsons!!) on the Helijet en route to Victoria

♥ Cookie swap party at Natasha’s grand old James Bay apartment

♥ Art on the sidewalks of Victoria

♥ SANDWICHES!!!!

Happy Hallowe’en everyone! I hope y’all put on your finest and went trick or treating. This year we went to Homoween at the Cobalt. It was pretty fun, though there’s always that funny moment the next morning when everyone is like “My favourite part of the night was drinking in the living room and listening to Rhianna on repeat”.

I went as Sailormoon– a life long dream!!– and Jordy went as my dashing Tuxedo Mask. Laura went as Emma Stone’s character in Easy A. Kevin went as Robert “Clever Girl” Muldoon and Ian as a velociraptor from Jurassic Park. I wish I had remembered my choker for my costume! So not canon.

Here are my two favourite other costumes from previous years. The first is Linda Richman aka Coffee Talk from Saturday Night Live and the second (and probably my fave ever for visual impact and ultimate comfort) was an old school wizard. Y’know, just a general asshole wizard, doin’ magic and spells. We all had such amazing costumes in 2007!

Before Metchosin Day, I had Friday and Saturday to enjoy the sunshine in Victoria. September always ends up being a fun month because people tend not to make as many plans and the weather is usually great. Everyone is around and, amplified by the expectation to make up for a rainy, cold summer, eager to enjoy the sun to its fullest.

Spent Friday morning with my parents booking tickets to Los Angeles in November for my cousin’s wedding and eating lunch at Pho Vy. I have yet to find a suitable replacement for #33, garlic pork with spring roll on vermicelli. There is something about its weird deep fried pork, with its bright pink in colour and terribly unnatural texture, that just can’t be matched.

The second half of the day I spent with Leslie and Rupert. We went to Beacon Hill park and explored the playground and met some weirdo kids and then we had Thai food on the steps of their house. So much baby dancing happened.

Later in the evening, Leslie, Brooke and I went to a house party and drank some magical Phillips 10th Anniversary 10% IPA out of a giant bottle. There was a lot of grown up dancing to The Coasters.

The next morning Kim and I were feeling the effects of the previous evening so we made a pact to enjoy a greasy breakfast and lie in the park doing absolutely nothing. After a round with Pig’s chicken and waffles, we were solidly reclined in Central Park when Jordan texted to let me know some magical beer fairies had procured us free tickets to the nearby Beerfest. In no time at all we were enjoying the finest of microbrews from all over North America. Kim was sad the Beerfest hooligans destroyed the Rifflandia sign though. Nothing in public streets is safe during Beerfest.

Best new beer tried was Naughty Nellie’s Ale from Pike Brewery. Refreshing! Also, Lagunitas NEVER disappoints. Everything was delicious but I’ll never stop recommending their IPA.

Some silly stuff started happening and we were totally pooped from drinking in the sun all day so we got outta there.

We all trekked up to Tina and Sean’s for a BBQ. They had these awesome old timey newspapers. “Saltiest Seamen”. I also love “He Was Bereft When Lovely Martha Sailed Away”. I was really into the adorableness of Sean and Tina’s canning. I was also really into grilling a whole bunch of delicious things and Tina’s Guzzler. She used The Secret to have it brought to her. Works every time.

After the BBQ, I biked out to Shambalanducci to hang out with the Doukhobors. The evening air was still warm. Kim called this weekend “Last Blast of Summer”. Rightfully earned, lil’ weekend.

I had me another grand weekend in Victoria, all of it basking in the late summer sun. I’m starting on Sunday, because Metchosin Day was too much fun to save for later. Metchosin is a rural community of about 5000, located just past Charles Xavier’s School for the Gifted. It’s seriously pretty, with fields of golden grass, Garry oak meadows, a little coastline with pebble beaches and winding pastoral roads.

The Metchosin Day country fair is an annual event celebrating this chuby little district. This year Duncan and Jordan decided to run a bannock stand. Don’t Panic Here Be Bannock served bannock, Miss Rebecca’s Famous Lemon Lime Lavender Lemonade, and deep fried “black & white” (that’s a battered oreo) and included delicious condiments such as Nutella, “brown & white” (that’s cinnamon and sugar), and fresh jam made by Tina and Sean.  I assumed that bannock was a fairly generic term, especially in British Columbia, but we had a lot of people ask about it. Basically it’s fried bread, also known as frybread, beaver tails, whale tails, elephant ears, etc. Here’s a provincial government sanctioned Bannock Awareness page, complete with recipes!

Metchosin Day was a classic country fair. Local artists, farmers and producers sold fresh food, flowers and homemade goods while an amusing roster of community events took place. Live music was played, including the high school jazz band, Morris dancers shook their bells and, in what might be the greatest hour of my life, a community pet parade took place.

These girls named their chickens the Sedin Sisters, as they were born during the Vancouver Canucks’ fateful bout in the Stanley Cup playoff finals. They showed me where larger chickens had plucked feathers off the sisters– bullied just like the real Sedins! (That hockey joke was for Julia.)

Chicken shit bingo! The chicken walks around the board until it poops on a number. In this case 32 was the lucky winner! Pretty funny cheering for a chicken dropping a d. Also, wilderness survival tips from the local elementary school: “If you see a cougar, act like Tricky Dick Nixon.”

Mega giant props to everyone who came out and either had bannock or helped out. For example, Kim and her supes dramat sign (just Persed that sentence in honour of Kim) and Masako for destroying a rush in the middle of refueling. While I popped in and out to help with cash or making lemonades, Jordan, Duncan and Rebecca rocked the stand all day long.

Oh look! It’s Rupert! His infectious dancing to the undeniably creepy Baby Lily is officially my favourite thing at the moment.

Now it’s time to talk about the pet show. All types of pets were encouraged and every pet got a specially customized title and ribbon, such as “Cutest Pet”, “Longest Tail”, “Happiest Pet”. I am not joking when I said this was one of the most joyous hours I have ever experienced.

For example: THIS DOG. She sat, unmoving except for her head, in this dump truck, wearing this outfit, for an HOUR. Chillest, most tolerant dog award. In case you were wondering, her name is Taya and she won “Best Braids”. I want to start her Fan Club.

Chillest, most tolerant pet in the Cat division goes to this feline. It just chilled in its owner’s arms for the entire event. Also, it was gigantic and adorably fluffy.

This handsome fellow won “Softest Fur.” I petted him myself and I can confirm the award is well deserved.

By the end, we are all exhausted and starving, having eaten little but bannock and oreos in what felt like one of the hottest days of the summer. I even snuck off for a swim at Matheson Lake. Luckily Metchosin Day is traditionally capped off with a lamb and salmon BBQ, all cooked on site over an open fire. The salmon was perfectly smoked and flavourful. The lamb was cooked like we were at some sort of pagan viking feast. I’m linking this picture of it cooking because it’s totally disgusting but damn, it was delicious.

Look for Don’t Panic Here Be Bannock at Metchosin Day 2012! This post is dedicated to all the Metchosin boys in my life. You know who you are– you’ve driven the highway of tears.

Briefly returning to the #perzlowski wedding: Mr. Sean Rumble was nimble enough to capture the bride and groom in the midst of their righteous medley of joining together in awesomeness.

I got kissed and inappropriately touched a lot in the Garden City photobooth.

Lots of cute people just showing their love for each other too.

I never took photos of my dress so here are some taken by (and with) the dashing Mr. Ian Piears. Perfect smiles!

Here’s handsome Jordan and myself in a photo taken by Mr. Aaron Bergunder:

Finally, big ups to Mr. Duncan Gidney for his thoughtful and totally smoldering gift to me. It even got our table first crack at the buffet. I will cherish it forever.

After a summer of escaping the city for adventures elsewhere, it was great to spend a beautiful long weekend discovering new things in Vancouver.

Saturday was morning coffee and delicious pastries at Le Marché St. George, a long bike ride for my first trip to the infamous Wreck Beach and a seafood feast with interesting people and a ridiculous spread of food. Wreck Beach was truly a experience: for one, it’s a clothing optional beach so the people watching is totally on another level, and we just happened to be sitting right in front of the nubile topless hula hooping girl arena, where a lady had a hysterical freak out and the cops sent to check on her discovered a large cache of hidden beer and poured out three cases in a matter of moments (see above picture for this truly tragic incident).

On Sunday Jordan and I went to the PNE. We checked out the farm animals, saw the SUPER DOGS show (worth every penny), rode the 1958 wooden roller coaster and ate some great junk food.

Did a mega lazy Monday at Spanish Banks (another new beach!) with Jordy, Tippi and Masako. This beach had a mega chill feel compared to the craziness of Wreck Beach, lots of families and the view of downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park and the North Shore mountains was top notch.

(Thanks to Aimee for capturing the essential moment of our Wreck day so perfectly.)