EMPIRE STATE - NEW YORK PART CUATRO

our hotel was right by times square, so we usually ended up there every night!  we went for a bike ride in central park one day - my favourite part was going around the corners really fast and standing up -- it felt like i was in a huge forest :)  strawberry fields was pretty amazing too..there was a huge crowd gathered around the IMAGINE mosaic. for me, the empire state building trumped top of the rock because it was such a clear night.. it was amazinggg

we went to the natural history museum and saw the huge mineral collection.  it was so beautiful, but it gave me flashbacks to my confusing geology class that i dropped in university.  and i was so pumped to see the whale cause i've been waiting MY WHOLE LIFE. check these out!

 my dad's crazy.

brooklyn, oh brooklyn. NYC PART TRES

my favourite place we visted in new york was brooklyn.  i totally thought i was going to dig greenwich village, but brooklyn thrifting and boutiques are so much more affordable and the items are way more wearable.  i really like the vibe you get there, and the street art is bountiful and beautiful. the brownstones helped, too :)  for some reason we had to get off a stop early and by some magic, we stumbled upon a group of men who play weekly in a shady courtyard.  turns out fella on drums was in THE DRIFTERS. it was way cool.

 mama and sissy

 pops

the cruise to end all boat cruises (in my opinion) NYC PART DOS

we stumbled upon a boat cruise after learning the one we planned on was already closed for the day. we were all cranky, tired, and mad at each other -- then we boarded the boat, got some coffees, and we were taken on what seemed like a circle of the whole of new york city.

 it was AMAZING. 

even though i froze my ass off, i'm so glad we got to take the cruise! we had some laughs, taking pictures of all these wicked sights.  and seeing ms. liberty, of course, was crazy.  she was radiant.

mmmhot

i've been so busy lately! volunteering, working after work, it's been kinda crazy.  

i don't know if you know, but i'm a big fan of hanson. not a travel-to-150-shows-and-go-into-debt kind of big fan, but i really appreciate their music.  and yes, they had way more albums after the song Mmmbop, which was wayyyy better. trust me.

last september just before i moved out, my sisters and i took a roadtrip to a small city called regina, saskatchewan to see none other than HANSON in concert. i have liked hanson ever since i was a little girl, so it was kind of awesome to jam along to all of their tunes!  they have also gotten a lot better looking, and alot more married and fatherish.  cause they're all dads.  a few weeks ago they  came to winnipeg and my sister and i saw them AGAIN.  this time, i touched taylor's hand, zac gave me his drumstick, and i got him to sign it and got a picture with him!  obviously, i felt a bit crazy for wanting to touch taylor's hand, but it was there to be touched so i went for it.  i was pretty pumped.  here are a few snaps from good ol' regina:

 my husband, lovin lyfe.

vancouver lovin'

these photos are a little past-due, as my roommate/friend/travelling partner and i went to vancouver in the middle of november and it is now, um, february.  i just knew it was going to be a big post.  we decided to go because Dawes and Blitzen Trapper were playing a split gig, and it was my 23rd birthday.  i had the greatest time!  everything went off without a hitch, we got to do everything we planned, and we had a blast.  here is a recap:

 view outside of hi hostel in the west end - good place to stay: free breakfast, clean ,etc.

 granville street - lots of fun and alot of good shops to see to (H&M, ALDO discount, Urban Outfitters, ONE [as in only one] vintage shop)

which was this place - lots of cute stuff! and not overly priced

 i thought it would be a rather saucy picture -- just realized my dress is basically the same colour as the hot dog.

 i wasn't really sure who these people were, but they were outside the bay and i liked their uniforms

 granville st

 we decided to walk to the rickshaw theatre on the east side -- it was quite a walk, but we're used to it...kind of.  lots of sights to see! 

 blitzen trapper

 dawes!!!

 taylor goldsmith, wylie

 stanley park -- wicked totem poles!  probably could have posed in a better spot where a pole was not protruding from my head?  my friend's cousin took us around so graciously!

 the cousin took us to lynn canyon park...it was truly breathtaking, and i don't say that very often. i have never in my life been to the west coast, so i have never seen anything like it before.

 lynn canyon suspension bridge was cool, even though you had to hold on tight to avoid sliding down the steep entrance.

(photo by hla)

 monstrous trees!

(photo by hla)

 killer mushrooms!

 will probably never be inside a tree again in my life, unless i come back as a squirrel when i die..which is a possibility from this chipper look on my face.

 so happy!

(photo by hla)

 size of a pinky - cutest mushroom ever!

 the cousin then took us to the anthropology museum, which was so cool and beautiful!

this is the view from the back of the anthropology museum, and i could not stop staring. mountains!

 we went for sushi after the museum, and that night my friend and i hit up the soul night at the biltmore hotel.  IT WAS THE BEST TIME EVER.  we love soul and motown music, and everyone was just dancing and enjoying themselves.  so so great.

(photo by hla)

the next day was my BIRTHDAY. and i also got the best news ever.  we walked 5 minutes from our hostel down to the water, where we met this fellow who gave us a free ride to granville island.  my friend and i were so giggly because he was really quite cute.  thank you, sir!

 and he let us drive his boat!  i was not very good.  but a good start to my best birthday everrr.

(photo by hla)

 they have a market that is 1000000000 times better than the forks market here in winnipeg, freshly made everything. a treat for your eyes, mouth, and stomach, basically.

 my friend bought me lunch, which we ate while watching...

(photo by hla)

 this terrifying horde of seagulls, that were the size of CATS.

we were cold and it was raining, so we said good bye to granville island. we love you!

after granville we walked up and down commercial drive and my friend let me go to all of the vintage shops that i wanted!  it was super fun and i got some fun treats. that night to celebrate my birthday we went to a delicious and cheap mexican restaurant that was so close to our hostel, then we dolled up and went to the waldorf, where they hosted a surf rock dance party in the tiki lounge.  it was loads of fun!

(photo by hla)

 the next day we went to gastown, which was great!

 there were so many people taking pictures at the steamclock and we were not patient enough to wait for our turn.  that night, we went to a dinner hosted by my friends relatives who live outside the city.  it was delicious!

and these are the gigantic maple leaves in vancouver..the size of my face. what is cooler than that?  

vancouver, i miss you.