I need to take things to the drycleaner. And the tailor. And I need to make a dentist appointment, and a chiropractor appointment. And I need a massage. And I need my eyebrows threaded, and Dallas needs a haircut. Whew. If we were still in Edmonton, I would have access to all the members of my "team." These are the individuals who, if I were a multi-millionaire, I would pay each of them a salary and/or keep them on retainer. I miss them, and am trying to figure out how to amass a similar group of folks here in Victoria.
For those of you still in Edmonton, I can recommend the following:
Lauren at Raw Beauty in St Albert: Lauren is THE BEST. Dallas actually just told me the other day that he plans on not having his hair cut until our next visit to Edmonton. In a similar vein, I have promised Lauren that after I have tired of my ever-growing-longer hair, she will be the one to cut it off for good. For the first 2 years we lived in Edmonton I let her have her way with my locks and received endless compliments on the haircuts she gave. I say that not to toot my own horn, but to acknowledge that Lauren makes people look their best. Even though it took us about 35 minutes to get to the salon from our house on the south side, we would not trust our hair to anyone else in Edmonton & area - and neither should you.
Friendly Nails: Located in the Capilano area of Edmonton, these ladies give the best pedicures in town. For $30. You can be assured an excellent experience that includes the latest gossip magazines and those crazy massaging chairs. I first heard about this place from my friend Jennifer, and soon a whole bunch of us from work were making frequent trips. Because you CAN afford a pedicure every 4 to 6 weeks when it's only $30.
Bella Tonic Spa: I was a faithful attendee for 4 years, and miss this place dearly. Who doesn't love having their eyebrows threaded for only $5!
Wallace Shoe Repair: It's no secret that I have a penchant for shoes. My favourite brand is Camper. In order to keep my Campers looking good I would bring them in each spring for a clean up and to be winterized for the next year (I own 3 pairs of Camper boots). When I would pick them up, they looked NEW. Wild. Michael does a great job on heel taps as well.
Bill at Fashion Tailors: Bill is a GENIUS. Caitlin originally referred us to Bill when Dallas' first pair of Nudies were in a state of disrepair after our month-long trip to Europe. Bill has this unique ability to patch jeans so that your worn-in favourites have a second (or third, or fourth...Caitlin, I'm talking to you!) lease on life. If you've ever been on the receiving end of a pair of pants that were hemmed incorrectly, you will know the value of finding an excellent tailor. Bill works wonders on all kinds of other clothing too, right Amy?
My doctor and our chiropractor both referred us to people out here, but now it is up to us to do the work of building those relationships. I should also really work on finding a family doctor out here. Am thankful for some recommendations on that front. And I've also got to find that massage therapist...with all this time on my hands, I better do something, and what better thing to do than get a massage?
If you are in need of any services in Edmonton, please try the above folks - you won't be disappointed. And if you have any tips for Victoria, please send them my way.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
We live in VICTORIA?!
Yes, it's true...we are residents of Victoria. This past month has certainly flown by. I can't believe that one month ago today (Aug 25, 2010) we were busy with loading the UHaul, cleaning, and saying our last tearful goodbyes to all we know and love in Edmonton. We had a long (15.5 hours) drive to Vancouver and then we traveled to Victoria on Aug 29. I am so thankful for all the helping hands we had on move in day - my parents came over from the mainland, our landlord (for reals!), cousins Craig & Melissa and aunt Joanne. We could not have done all of that heavy lifting without help, and the generosity of those in our lives never ceases to amaze me. It made moving in to a new city just that much easier. After a few days of working on unpacking, I was back to White Rock (Dallas came shortly after) to celebrate the wedding of my sister and her h-band Joel. It was a fantastic mash up of family, friends, food and love...all of my favourite things! Their photos are really gorgeous - you should check them out here
It was only when we got back to the Island after the wedding that it all started to really sink in. It seems to continue to sink in, often in waves...I'm going about my day and it hits me that I can't go for coffee with my dear friends at work or to the market or eat ice cream sandwiches with Caitlin and Arlene, we can't hang out with the Jeske's, etc. Dallas says he notices this the most on weekends, when it is not as easy to get together with the people who know us so well.
So you are probably wondering, what ARE they doing? Well, Dallas started work almost right away, and I have still not started work yet (I will probably talk about the work situation in a later post...or not. Email me if you want details). Dallas is logging 10 hour days, working on construction of the new patient care centre at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. He joined the IBEW (electrician's union) which was an easy decision for us. He receives a good wage and benefits and all of these things will help us move towards more traveling and buying a house. And maybe other things, ahem, little Synchyshyn's? But only maybe on the last one there.
I think Dallas and I both have moments of "is this for real?" One of the first moments like that for me was a week or two ago when I was riding my BICYCLE beside the OCEAN for the first time in a very long time. It is this glorious experiences that make me feel at home in Victoria. We are slowly getting to know the city, but it is admittedly easier for me to do given that I am not yet working.
While Dallas has been working all of the time I have been exploring Victoria, on bicycle and by car. I've ridden downtown twice and it is a good time. This is a beautiful city on so many fronts and you definitely get to experience that differently on 2 wheels instead of 4. I've been taking care of the multitude of administrative tasks that seem to accompany an interprovincial move. Car inspections, address changes with every bill/catalog/magazine we get, getting rid of stuff (we have only 1 closets, storage is an issue), trying to find a job, etc. I think I have 5 or 6 to-do lists on the go. So I have not just been sitting on the couch and eating bon bons.
I've also been cooking quite a bit. I made stuffed mushrooms this week (SO good.), and blueberry muffins yesterday. There are 2 apple trees in our yard and our landlord gave us a bunch of apples so pie is on the list for tomorrow (it is supposed to be rainy). It is beautiful and sunny outside right now but Dallas is surfing and I'm waiting for him to get back so that we can (hopefully) go on a bike ride.
I really didn't get to finish all the posts I wanted to write about Edmonton, so I'm going to try to get back to those.
It was only when we got back to the Island after the wedding that it all started to really sink in. It seems to continue to sink in, often in waves...I'm going about my day and it hits me that I can't go for coffee with my dear friends at work or to the market or eat ice cream sandwiches with Caitlin and Arlene, we can't hang out with the Jeske's, etc. Dallas says he notices this the most on weekends, when it is not as easy to get together with the people who know us so well.
So you are probably wondering, what ARE they doing? Well, Dallas started work almost right away, and I have still not started work yet (I will probably talk about the work situation in a later post...or not. Email me if you want details). Dallas is logging 10 hour days, working on construction of the new patient care centre at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. He joined the IBEW (electrician's union) which was an easy decision for us. He receives a good wage and benefits and all of these things will help us move towards more traveling and buying a house. And maybe other things, ahem, little Synchyshyn's? But only maybe on the last one there.
I think Dallas and I both have moments of "is this for real?" One of the first moments like that for me was a week or two ago when I was riding my BICYCLE beside the OCEAN for the first time in a very long time. It is this glorious experiences that make me feel at home in Victoria. We are slowly getting to know the city, but it is admittedly easier for me to do given that I am not yet working.
While Dallas has been working all of the time I have been exploring Victoria, on bicycle and by car. I've ridden downtown twice and it is a good time. This is a beautiful city on so many fronts and you definitely get to experience that differently on 2 wheels instead of 4. I've been taking care of the multitude of administrative tasks that seem to accompany an interprovincial move. Car inspections, address changes with every bill/catalog/magazine we get, getting rid of stuff (we have only 1 closets, storage is an issue), trying to find a job, etc. I think I have 5 or 6 to-do lists on the go. So I have not just been sitting on the couch and eating bon bons.
I've also been cooking quite a bit. I made stuffed mushrooms this week (SO good.), and blueberry muffins yesterday. There are 2 apple trees in our yard and our landlord gave us a bunch of apples so pie is on the list for tomorrow (it is supposed to be rainy). It is beautiful and sunny outside right now but Dallas is surfing and I'm waiting for him to get back so that we can (hopefully) go on a bike ride.
I really didn't get to finish all the posts I wanted to write about Edmonton, so I'm going to try to get back to those.
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