What should we do in Victoria, BC?

(Friendly Victoria Seals by Fishy979)

Hi ESB,

My husband and I used your Portland trip guide (that Joanna wrote) when we went for a weekend in November. It was fabulous. Broder was amazing and we were lucky to get a table in the first batch when it opened on Sunday morning.

Anyway, we are planning to go to Victoria, BC over president's day weekend and were wondering if any locals in might be able to write a post. Obviously it is unlikely that you could post this next week for us since you will be *ahem* snorkeling. But I'm sure lots of Seattle readers (and Vancouver and everywhere else) would be interested!

On a completely different note: Would you consider a boobs-week post about pregnancy and already big(ger) boobs? I'm totally lost. When should I buy a new bra? I'm putting it off because I'll probably go up another couple sizes but I don't know.

Thanks!

*****

When I put the call out on Twitter, Rachel, a library enthusiast/government lackey/west coast adventurer, was the first and only Victorian (Victoriite?) who offered to write a guest post. Let's consider ourselves lucky that she appreciates the finer things, such as coffee coffee coffee and LOCALLY MADE GIN.

Here's Rachel:

Oh Victoria I love thee, let me count the ways. My husband, Dallas, and I moved to Victoria in August 2010 after living in Alberta for many years. I’m originally from the coast and have always wanted to move back to be closer to friends, family, and milder winters. It was easy enough to convince Dallas that Victoria was the place to be given the proximity to his true love (after me, of course) – surfing.

To be honest I didn’t really know that much about the city before moving here, but I am a quick study and have fallen in love with everything Victoria has to offer. There is an vast array of incredible restaurants, cafes, and shops – it’s no wonder that a friend of mine has referred to Victoria as the velvet ditch – once people get here they realize how sweet it is and stay put.

A word on Victoria – if you are a visitor it is most likely that you are staying downtown and/or near the Inner Harbour. If that is the case you should be able to walk to 80% of what is on this list. For the rest, a short cab ride may be in order. There is one exception to the rule, and it’s worth sorting out transport to do – The Butchart Gardens. I was a doubter for the first year of living here…I mean, it’s just a garden, right – for tourists and the elderly? However, it is pretty spectacular in every season.

(Butchart Gardens, Winter)

Coffee:
Try Habit, The Parsonage Café (home to Fernwood Coffee), Discovery, and Street Level Espresso. For tea drinkers out there, do not miss Silk Road Tea on the edge of Chinatown.

Bakeries:
Victoria does not disappoint in this category. Visit Cascadia, Bubby Roses, or Wildfire. For the Gluten-Free people in your life, Origin is a gem – a bit off the beaten path, but so worth it.

Local tip #1: To combine the above, walk across the Johnson Street Bridge (or if you’re visiting from March through October catch a harbour ferry) to Dockside Green and gorge yourself on treats from my favourite bakery, Fol Epi, and a cappuccino at Fantastico next door.

Breakfast:
Mo:Le, The Blue Fox, and Shine Cafe. A new addition, Hudson Jones is also a sure thing – Maple Bacon Sticky Bun, need I say more.

Local tip #2: if you want to avoid waiting in a long line for brunch on the weekend, check out The Superior – a creative menu, and live music as well. They also do dinner and drinks properly too!

Lunch: Hernande’z for the tacos, Foo for Asian street food, and Pig for BBQ. Red Fish, Blue Fish has, hands down, the best fish and chips in the city.

(Red Fish Blue Fish by Karlie85)

Local tip #3: if you are in Victoria from Monday to Friday, lunch at Relish or Devour are amazeballs – some of the best food Victoria has to offer at these 2 spots.
Drinks:

Victoria has a surprising number of beer producers for its size. Get acquainted with pints from Driftwood, Phillips, Hoyne, Lighthouse or Van Island. I like the view at the Flying Otter or Spinnakers and the low key nature of Garrick’s Head.

For cocktails, sit at the bar at Veneto, Clive’s or the Bengal Lounge at the Empress Hotel. My favourite spot for wine is Stage, where the food is also incredible.

Dinner:

If you’re looking for casual, Ferris’ Grill has the best falafel and the chicken penne soup that you will not regret trying (it may sound weird, but just trust me). Rebar is where vegetarians and those who love them gather. [Editor's Note: I ♥ REBAR.] If you want to be charmed beyond belief, visit Skinnytato, a mom-and-pop Polish place. Pizzeria Prima Strada serves the BEST pizza, Neapolitan-style (certified by the VPN).

(Ferris' Grill)

Local tip #4: if you’re at the Cook Street Prima Strada, you will most likely wait for a table as they don’t take reservations. But hey, it’s ok – head across the street to the Beagle Pub to continue your quest to try all the local micro brews. Your cell will ring when your table is ready!

Ulla is a sure thing for a special occasion dinner – beautiful food, drinks, staff, space. I’m also looking forward to my upcoming birthday dinner at Zambri’s, which I’ve been wanting to try since we moved here.

Believe it or not, there is more to do in Victoria than eat. Victoria is also a great place to shop – find something for yourself at Susaion, Still Life, Lark & Sparrow or my personal favourite, Smoking Lily.

Browse for books at Munro’s, jewelry at Violette, buy ESB some of her favourite deodorant at Emporia. New to Yates St is Nest & Cradle – worth checking out for you and your home. Because you’re already at the Atrium building to drink coffee at Habit, stop in at Cook Culture for your kitchen.

Now that you’ve eaten and shopped yourself silly, a long walk is in order. Victoria is notorious for views of its picturesque inner harbour, which you can walk along from downtown all the way to Fisherman’s Wharf where you will see a floating community and feed fish to friendly seals, if that’s your thing (come on…I know it is). Another great walk is found at Ogden Point, where the Breakwater stretches nearly a kilometre into the sea, and then along Dallas Road, where you look out across the strait to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.

(Fisherman's Wharf by Hummingbird604)

As I mentioned earlier, a visit to The Butchart Gardens is worth it, even if gardens aren’t really your thing (*raises hand*). Before heading to the Gardens, stop at Hilary’s or Choux Choux for a picnic to take with you. If you are driving out that way, why not visit Sea Cider and then Victoria Spirits – two local producers who are making exceptional hard cider and gin that will make you weep.

p.s. Because I gather you are preggers, you should also stop at Hip Baby on lower Johnson, and check out the clothing for littles at Smoking Lily/Milkman's Daughter.

Also: If anyone wants to answer the bra question, feel free to dive in.

Dear ESB: I'm having hair issues

A few months ago I felt like i needed a change, so I walked into a hair salon and asked them to "cut it all off." Little did I know, my boyfriend was planning on proposing to me the following week.  

"OMG, I just cut off all my hair," I screamed at him. Since the proposal I've been questioned as to what I am going to do with my hair. My wedding is this May, I don't really have time to grow it out. Can you please help me with a cool alternative that does not involve flowers or feathers. 

PS, I've attached a photo of my new hair cut and a link to the dress I'm getting. 

*****

Rock It.

You don't need anything on your head.

Dress Hunt for a Non-Bride-y, Eco-Conscious, California Mountain Woman

Dear ESB, 

I've loved reading your blog for the past few months-- it's such a breath of fresh air. You have amazing fashion sense, and that's why I'm writing to you now. 

First of all: I'm a professional naturalist and a former park ranger. I spend my a big chunk of my life encouraging people to develop their connection to nature and the rest of society, to care for the earth, and to explore the wild. I try to teach people that what they buy affects the world socially and environmentally, and it's best to know how and where products are made before we buy them. I'm marrying an adorable woodworker (shameless plug here) who makes his furniture out of 100% reclaimed wood. He comes home wearing plaid covered in sawdust. Hot. 

Second: I live in the middle of nowhere, up next to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in a tiny little town that doesn't even have a signal light. And I LOVE it. But... there is almost nowhere to shop. LA and the Bay Area are a few hundred miles from me, so I'm reluctant to make the drive and aimlessly run around looking for dresses. 

Third: I committed the ultimate sin and bought this BHLDN dress. The shame. But I was in Houston with all of my relatives, it was one of the few opportunities I'd have to try on a cute dress, and I bit. But now I want to return it because it was probably made in a sweat shop. And it's polyester. Ick. 

Could you and your readers help me find another dress? Here are some basic guidelines:

1. I look a little bit like Botticelli's Venus: full thighs, small waist, small boobs, and curly blonde hair. So the dress needs to have a fuller skirt and a fitted top to be flattering. I'm about 5'8 and a dress size 4.

2. What I dislike: the bride-y cupcake look. I've looked at some of the eco dress posts on ESB, and they weren't really my style. None of the eco Etsy dresses I've looked at are appealing to me at all because they're either white and floofy or they look like a pile doilies stitched together.

3. What I love: natural, clean lines, embellished details that make the outfit pop. I love Alabama Chanin because the looks are simple but elegant, they use natural materials, the clothes are ethically made in the US... but it's crazy expensive. This is my favorite AC outfit.  It's for the tune of about $6,000 in total, so sadly not an option. The cheaper, simpler AC clothes may be just a bit too everyday to be a wedding dress. 

4. Designer or company needs to have a genuine environmental and workplace policies in place.

5. The dress does not need to be white. I'm happy with blue or earthy tones, just so long as it makes me look like a total goddess. 

6. The dress needs to be made in the USA. It would be awesome if someone found a dress made in California because I think it's important to shop locally. 

7. It's essential that the dress is made of natural materials, preferably organic, such as silk, cotton, hemp, etc. 

8. It may be a little chilly during the wedding (50 - 65 F), so it needs to have a little bit of sleeve or have something to go over it, like a cute jacket.

9. I'd prefer a full length dress to impress the fiance. 

10. My budget is under $1,000. $2,000 for something really amazing.

11. Something I could wear again would be huge bonus points, even if it needed to be dyed or altered. 

I hope y'all (that's right, I'm from Texas) can find something. Thanks!!

*****

Blah blah blah

Blah blah

Blah Blah

Does anyone feel like helping this GODDESS out?

Because honestly I couldn't even get through her email.

The much-anticipated LUBE POST.

Part One:

Lube is not just for kinky people.

From age 16 to about 32 I thought I was bad at giving hand jobs. Pretty much avoided em altogether. It turns out YOU NEED LUBE FOR THAT. Guys use lube. (Or hand lotion, depending. But the sophisticates know that lube works better.) So why should you have slap around on it with your bare hand?

When he touches your clit during foreplay or inthemiddleoftheact -- or when you touch your own clit -- you know what works soooooooo much better than just licking your fingers? LUBE.

If you guys feel like having a quickie and skipping all that foreplay bullsh*t and your mind is so in it but maybe your body isn't ready yet... As in, there's not much natural lubrication happening? You know what's good for that? YEAH YOU DO.


Part Two:

Organic/Vagina-Friendly ingredients make a difference. There was a time when I thought Astroglide was, like, really super fancy amazing stuff. And the shit is slippery, there's no question about it.

But. I can't use Astroglide or any other glycerin-based lubes anymore. Even a glycerin-free lube that contained parabens sadly made me a little... itchy. And if you won't put that shit on your face, why would you put it up your twat?

Blossom Organics is the only personal lubricant I've found that is a) sufficiently slippery and b) totally gentle. You can read all about their ingredients vs. harsh ingredients + YOUR VAGINA over on the Blossom site.

______________________________
Full disclosure: This is not a paid post, but my friend J who works for Blossom Organics has been supplying me with free lube for about a year now. She even sent me an emergency supply that time my 4oz tube was confiscated at airport security. J, YOU RULE!

Why the F*@% does it cost so much?? Sponsored by Whoa Nelly! Catering

Yep. I'm branching out into Sponsored Posts (or at least a sponsored post).

But instead of giving you the usual "this company is so wonderful because blah blah blah" in my voice, I thought it would be a lot cooler to let Elizabeth of Whoa Nelly! Catering have her say in her own voice.

And her voice is perfect for ESB. So without further ado....

hi, i'm elizabeth griffiths, the co-owner of Whoa Nelly! Catering. my partner, stephanie bone and i opened Whoa Nelly! Catering to be a fresh voice in the often stale world of special event catering. we love catering weddings, but there is one question that we get so often that we felt like we wanted to address it in a public forum: "why the f* does it cost so much!?"

catering a wedding is expensive. there are lots of caterers out there, and there are a wide variety of price points to choose from. that being said, if you want a caterer who cares passionately about the caliber of food being served at your wedding, get ready to spend more money than you would on an enchilada bar from the neighborhood taco joint (not that there is anything wrong with going that route. god knows, steph and i love a 'lada and a marg'...)

we're just going to lay it out here: if you hire us to cater your wedding, you should expect to pay between $75 and $100 per person on food and service. (note, that does not include rentals. why the f* rentals cost so much should be a blog of its own, not just a post...) but back to our average quotes: can we do it for less? yes. will you have to be flexible, and willing to streamline what you want? yes. is it our job to give our clients the very best value for their money, and get them as close to their vision as is financially possible? every. single. time.

so, you might ask, then why does it cost so much to have whoa nelly! cater your wedding? well, here are three basic reasons:

1. ingredients. there's a lot of lip service given to using farmers market ingredients. most of it is BS -- like if you use a local, farmers market ingredient in one dish, all of a sudden you're legit. we buy every single piece of produce we use at the farmers markets. one bunch of the beautiful, spicy, picked two-days-ago arugula that we buy from flora bella farm costs almost as much as a 3# bag of the pre-washed, picked-2-weeks-ago, flavorless stuff. But because we use these vibrant, delicious, heirloom ingredients, our salads look like this:

not like this:

one more note on ingredients. we buy all of our meat and dairy from companies who are raising their animals with care. one thing that boggles my mind is the prevalence of "filet mignon" on catering menus. one pound of niman ranch filet mignon costs $22/lb. one pound of commodity-grade, industrially produced filet costs $9/lb. If you are being quoted $35 per person for a menu that involves filet mignon, just take a minute and do the math. I think you can guess where your caterer is getting their meat.

2. labor. it takes a lot (seriously **A LOT**) of hours and a lot of people to make food for 200 people at one time. it is obvious that it take a lot of people the day of -- to make sure that everything comes out at the right time and the right temperature -- but it's the prep that makes a wedding sneakily expensive. Stephanie and i will EASILY spend a week's worth of 12 hour days in the kitchen prepping for an event (that's how long it takes when you actually peel your own garlic and pick your own thyme...) this sounds like a complaint, but it isn't meant to be. we are proud to run a company that doesn't cut corners by buying garlic in a jar, or using dried spice blends. stephanie even makes our pesto with a mortar and pestle (email us to find out why it makes a difference). if we were the kind of company who served the same menu at each wedding, it would make our lives easier, and our menus cheaper. but we really, truly believe in the value of creating custom menus for each of our clients. as is always the case: bespoke = be ready to pay more money for what you want.

3. time. the third thing we almost always get asked about is our "catering service charge." we charge this service fee as a way to compensate our administrative team (read: elizabeth and stephanie) for the time we spend working on your wedding, outside of the kitchen. i think with bigger companies, it's not such a big deal to have an assistant fire off a menu, or have an event manager be the one who's on site for your wedding. at Whoa Nelly!, we are the assistants, and the event managers, and the dish washers, and (of course) the cooks. that makes our operations small potatoes compared to some of the behemoths in the industry, but for the right type of bride, we hope it's reassuring to know that our personal hands are going to be all over every single aspect of your event -- from the first email to the last dirty sauce pan.

there is a pervasive myth out there that you say the word "wedding," and all of a sudden, the prices skyrocket. i say this is a myth not because weddings aren't expensive, but the myth is that the only reason the cost goes up is because of the "W-word" itself. it's expensive to produce a menu for 200 people that requires 8 cooks, 12 servers, and a full outdoor kitchen build-out. that being said, our worst nightmare is to have a bride who feels like they didn't get what they paid for. we want to have the happiest brides in town. we want all the girls and boys getting married out there to tell their friends about what an AMAZING experience they had working with us -- that's how we want to build our business -- not through gimmicks, or groupons, or trade shows (jesus, lesson learned the hard way on those...)

so, the bottom line is this: your wedding is supposed to be your BIG DAY. it might be a big budget day (that's what having a 200 person guest list will do for ya), but it doesn't have to be. what it should be is a chance for you to think about your priorities for how you want to celebrate. one of the very best weddings we did this year was a cocktail-style reception for an incredibly fun and creative bride and groom. we were able to work with them within their budget, because they understood that with only $25 per person to spend, they weren't going to get that lame-ass filet mignon. what they got instead was this. it didn't cost a whole f*ing lot, but it was a lot of f*ing fun.

Mr. Larkin gets me every time.

Organic cotton + hemp blend jersey, secured at the back with recycled ribbon from the early 1900's.

And what is going on with that necklace?? I'm pretty sure it's exactly what Buhdoop has been looking for.

I don't see a link to buy the Leia dress online, but if you visit Mr. Larkin's site you'll find a list of brick and mortar shops in CA, OR, TX and Calgary. Or you could even (gasp) email him.

can we start christmas shopping?

Y'know, now that that tedious halloween thing is out of the way?

all plaidout just sent me to The American List on A Continuous Lean. I guess I never thought about how few things are actually made in America. I'm sorry. I didn't.

The Steven Alan hunting jacket is. This would be my A-#1 gift on the list for H-town if only it made it under our $100 spending limit. (Not. even. close. bud.)

I also highly recommend Steven Alan's reverse seam shirts, for the man seeking a slightly dressy, slighty f-this look. Not to be worn with a tie. (One of my fave xmas presents scored for a bfriend past. I must admit I had to bargain hunt for that one too.)

This one (in organic cotton) is already on sale.

I am happy to report that a rad pair of Earnest Sewn jeans I bought at Crossroads a few weeks ago were also made in America. And (bonus!) they are 100% cotton, which means they don't make me want to tear my skin off.

Echo Park Is Not Dead

This article has inspired three people so far to send me their condolences. I know it's confusing. Eagle Rock, Echo Park. East Side hipsters. "Whatevs," you're thinking.

Just so we're clear: I don't live in Eagle Rock. I don't hang out in Eagle Rock. I don't even know how to get to Eagle Rock.

Why would I? When I can walk, from my Echo Park bungalow, to:

1. The Friday night farmer's market. That's right, Friday night. Who wants to get up early to buy vegetables?

2. Two Boots Pizza. Okay, I can't eat the pizza, but the fact that this indie chain has branched into my neighborhoods on both coasts makes me weirdly happy. It's time for a gluten-free option, you guys.

3. Chango. The most effing hilarious hipster-watching. I can't actually vouch for the coffee (I drink mine before I leave the house), but the Arnold Palmer rocks.

4. Echo Park Lake. According to this wee adorable map by Laura, the loop around the lake is just under a mile. I should start running around it. Or walking around it. Or just sitting and feeding the ducks. I really like ducks.

5. Little Joy (pictured). I used to love this bar, but the last time I was there the patrons were all 21-going-on-16. Way to make me feel like an old married lady.

Footsie's is my new favorite bar.* A "dive" with great lighting that serves Booker's. Way to make me feel like a grupster. And yes, it's in Cypress Park (wherever that is). Don't bother with the Echo Park bars on the weekend. So. Not. Dead.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my rad neighbor is part owner. When H-town told him how much we liked Footsie's, he gave us two tokens for free drinks. Maybe one night we'll actually get out of the house and use them. And we srsly plan to ask him where he bought the vintage fixtures.

(Image courtesy of Meltwater)

on the other hand....

These amazing pieces by Barbara Munsel are handmade from organic and vintage textiles. And there is nothing hippie about them.

You just have to figure out how to order from the Netherlands.

Via Bliss by way of periwinklebloom

an open letter to Leanne Marshall

Dear Leanne (imal),

Watcha been up to since you won Project Runway?

No pressure, but I really hope you're working on a line of organic cotton wedding dresses. For some reason, most of the eco-conscious custom gowns currently available are a) nouveau hippie or b) Ren-Faire hippie.*

There is a serious dearth of wedding dresses that are truly both eco and chic. Will you be the one to step up? (I mean, hello.)

The "hippies" aren't the only ones who want to go green.

Love,
ESB

*Real hippies don't get married. They don't need some piece of paper from the man.

Speaking of juice beauty....

I like to think all the organic juice we're making in our f'ing fabulous new juicer is really good for my skin. (Yes, I think carrots have magical powers.)

But do I negate the positive effects when I add vodka?

(Photo by Capt. Mouffette)

Juice Beauty

I have finally let go of my old Neutrogena products and gone organic.

I especially love Juice Beauty's Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer. It smells amazing and it doesn't have that weird pasty consistency that used to keep me from wearing sunscreen every day. Plus it's made without nano-technology. (Phew.)

The lip plumper also rocks.

Buy online at juicebeauty.com or beauty.com

organic shotgun wedding

This is one of those weddings that makes me love weddings.

(Photo: Rob Bennett for The New York Times)

Introducing: I'd rather be a bridesmaid

My oldest friend in the world drove down from San Francisco last weekend to co-host my bachelorette party. (That's her in the rabbit fur. I'm rocking the orange parka.)

Not only was she instrumental in making the entire weekend fabulous, she had some great down-and-dirty wedding-planning advice that I begged her to share with everyone.

So.... I'd rather be a bridesmaid will be posting now and then, offering wisdom gleaned from many years of participating in indie, artsy, and maybe even a few (gasp) conventional weddings.

She might give us some beauty tips too. I've already started using the organic skincare products she brought me from work, even though she warned me not to start a new regime right before the wedding. (Hey, my skin has never looked better.)

Hooray!

Organic Cotton Wedding Dress (Part II)

Okay, she's not a bride. But f* yes I'd get married in this! (By Giambattista Valli.)

Via style file.

(Photo: Hannah Thomson)

Organic Cotton Wedding Dress

I saw this long Phillip Lim dress at Barneys Coop yesterday, and I thought it would be fabulous for a casual-chic wedding. It's got the ease of a J. Crew wedding dress, but more... Style. There. I said it.

And it's organic cotton with a sustainable silk lining!

(Image courtesy of Platinum Blonde Life)