To the seas!
Baron and I recently came back from our 2nd ever all-inclusive vacation to the south. We tagged along last year with some friends to the Riviera Maya of Mexico. I was skeptical – I’m not a huge beach person and I thought I may get bored. I was wrong. There were 7 of us total and all levels of fun and different activities to be had. I had never been on that type of vacation – a truly relaxing one. One where you never have to stress about anything, other than choosing one of the millions of buffet foods or drinks to have.
This year we went to the Majestic Colonial in Punta Cana, Dominica Republic (reccomend it). In searching out resorts, I turned to www.tripdadvisor.ca for the scoop. It’s definitely a helpful webiste but I’ve found some interesting things in my reasearch.
1) This one resort in the Dominican has a kids club area that features a pirate ship to play on. Doesn’t anyone else find this ironic? Considering the history of actual piracy that took place? That while the pirates we know of today are a wonderful thing of whimsy and fantasy, their historical counterparts were… creepy.
Yay for pirates!
Part of me wonders if these kids realize, or even if at this age if they should realize the real history of piracy. I suppose they can have their childhood innocence. Since I no longer have mine, however, I feel it would be my right to find said play pirate ship, shove the kids off (as was surely common in real piracy), get drunk off of rum (again, based in fact) and tell the kids ‘dems de breaks’. That ought to teach them about piracy enough. Ok, so maybe I’m just a bit jealous that I don’t get to play on a giant pirate ship. whatever. I’m taking destiny (and piracy) into my own hands.
2) There is a resort in Puerto Rico called El Conquistador resort. um. So perhaps on the surface being a Spanish explorer who took over a nation isn’t the worst thing – par for the course at the time. Yet again, visions of the extreme acts committed by Hernan Cortes jump to mind, and find it is beyond ironic for a resort name. Espcecially if you consider the amount of people who can and will go on all-inclusive resorts to ‘exotic’ countries to use their best, most beautiful land and never learn anything of the history, the people, the cultures and current social situations in these places.
I suppose this makes me a bit of a hypocrite because I have gone on my 2nd here. :/ however this does bring me to the 3rd awesome thing I’ve noticed
3) Reviews on tripadvisor. Most of them are great and informative, but it’s really interesting to see what people complain about. Of course everyone has different standards and expectations, especially of a vacation that is designed, pitched and sold for the ultimate in relaxation, fun and luxury. However, I cannot get past some of the most ridiculous complaints. This includes:
Bugs
Heat
Seaweed on beach off the coast of Mexico
Undertow in ocean
Strong Winds
Rain
Poverty in country (having to drive by it).
Leaving the resort to go to a restaurant and seeing an armed guard.
Ok, as this list goes on I can understand the last item – though people don’t realize that police in different countries carry different types of weapons. some countries are not as safe as ours, and we should realize this. But the bugs? you’re in a hot country! heat? you’re in a hot country! seaweed? SEA. WEED. FROM THE SEA. You don’t deserve to experience nature. Undertow in the ocean? A real resort would build a weather device and control all of this.
Obviously, any sort of peer-review system needs to be taken with a grain (or a thousand) of salt, which is what I’ve done. Reading through the negative reviews becomes kind of an entertainment. A sad one.
Team Banana Wedding!
It finally happened. After over 9 years of dating, 5 years of living in sin, and 7 months of home ownership, I am officially engaged to my partner in crime Baron Zemm. It happened on Wednesday, February 10th. The quick summary of how it went down is at the bottom under the ‘more’ link if you wish to read.
Sparklor, the engagement Ring
Now that I’ve had a few days to share the news with family, close friends and then the greater internet – I must say how happy I feel. In fact, I’m actually very surprised about how happy I am. I never imagined I would be this happy to be engaged. It’s almost a bit scary. I’m thoroughly warmed by all the well-wishes and congrats from people. They all seem so genuinely happy for me and I’m pleasantly shocked.
I’ve always been a bit cynical about love and romance, even when I’ve been in this amazing relationship. I have a bit of issue with the corporate and commercial nature of weddings vs. what the real meaning of marriage should be. There are a whole lot of bananular thoughts in my head.
Regardless, I’m really happy to make it official. I’m very touched at the fact that Baron went through the process to express himself in this way and it really does mean a lot to me. I feel so redonkulously blessed that I’m a little afraid to cross the street as I fear I may be struck down soon to even out the good karma.
Another thing? Google released a suite of wedding planning templates for google docs. What could be more perfect for my nerd tendencies? Nothing!
The Couch
We have a good idea of the look we want. Mid-century Modern. Or, if you will – “old timey”. Baron and I have a ever growing love of the old timey times (that is what we call them). The looks of the 50’s. Not so much the social and political strifes of the time. No, I wouldn’t want to go back in time and LIVE in the 50’s. That might be horrible. I do however want to decorate my home and possibly my person to reflect the stunning style of the time. The first step to doing this is the couch.
The perfect. mid-century modern 50’s era couch.
I have a few candidates in mind:
Bantam Sofa, from Design Within Reach
There are many colour options and what not. The tuffted back buttons, single seat cushion slight angled lines and wooden feet all appeal to me.It is approximately 1,863.57 CAD. Not including shipping. (DWR is 3 blocks from my home… I don’t want to have to pay an arm and leg for shipping!)
Spencer Sofa, from Style Garage
This one has a few colour options. I am not fond of the metal legs – but I do love the slim square pillows for the arms. It also features few more rows of tufted buttons. This one comes in at $1950 CAD. I do not know what the shipping expense would be.
Rochelle Sofa, from Style Garage
The Rochelle Sofa is also from Style Garage, and also $1950CAd. It features wooden legs that actually go half way up the back of the couch itself. Again, available in a few colour/fabric options. So ar I do like the colours of all of these. the Grey may be my favourite.
This is and the Spencer are both Gus Designs.
Manhattan Sofa, from Urban Mode
This one is from Urban Mode on Queen W. The price starts at 1598.00 and I imagine goes up with different fabric prices. Unfortunately they do not have this one in the warehouse. I can’t imagine myself buying a couch I haven’t even sat on. I wish I knew the makers of this couch so I could find their site.
Bel-Air Sofa, from Urban Mode
Same deal with this one. Haven’t sat on it. This one costs $1,990.00
Rolly Side Table, Design Within Reach
As you can see, it’s pretty clear what we want. A single cushioned couch with tuffted buttons – preferrably with wooden legs and nice squared arm rests. I want something made in Canada with quality materials – something that will last a damn long time. Does any one have any input, ideas, suggestions or lists of other stores we should visit?
I don’t know if it matters or not, but I’m dead set on getting this side table – I’m sure it’d go with any of these couches (by god I’ll make it go!)
For the sake of reference, here are two not so great pictures of my current couch/living room set up.
Current set up 1/2
Current set up 2/2
Happy 2010! New year: New Furniture!
The freshness of a new year brings so many hopes, dreams, ideas and promises. It’s the proverbial blank slate that everyone gets. Except, it’s not really a blank slate. It’s the same slate from last year, and all the previous years and thoughts, ideas, marks remain. It’s been wiped blank, yes but the old remains. Is that such a bad thing? I think not.
I am not a fan of making new years resolutions because I am not a fan of failure. Not to say I succeed at every endeavor , but I am not a fan of setting myself for obvious failure. This year, however I shall attempt to make some resoultions. I will resolve to accomplish these things for the betterment of my life quality.
1) I resolve to stop staying late at work all the time.
2) I resolve to spend more time with the Rabbits.
3) I resolve to buy new furniture
4) I resolve to craft, bake and cook more – but really I resolve to take pictures of these things to post in here.
5) I resolve to try and maybe perhaps attempt to think about getting over my fear of drowning.
Well that sounds fair to me!
Item #2 is the one that is weighing on my mind more. Baron and I are searching for a new couch for our new fancypants Condo Stoat. (The one we purchased this past July). Our old Ikea-futon was great when we bought it, but now its pants are nowhere near fancy enough. My next post will give you a wonderful and couch-by-couch analysis. I know you care.
Until then – I leave you with this image of the best X-mas gift I’ve ever received. Hope your holidays were as good as mine.
Pop Art Anitabots
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