Tuesday 11 September 2012

click your heels together three times...

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...and say to yourself, "There's no place like..."

Home?
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After two and a half years away, with some air miles to burn, I hopped a plane to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, aka my hometown--I guess. Since I was last here my parents sold our house, we're semi-based in a different province, and many of my friends have relocated, but my mom and two sisters still sort-of live here.

Vancouver, which goes by the nicknames "Raincouver," "City of Glass," and "The Best Place on Earth" (if you're a douchebag), is a sparkling jewel of a city nestled between the mountains and the ocean, full of glass towers that glitter at night, enormous house-sized stumps that recall a logging past, homeless people, and sushi. I lived here from the age of ten until I started drifting off for longer and longer periods in my early 20s. I've loved this city with all my nerve endings and sinews and walked through sunsets and showers across its bridges gazing at the ocean and the sparkling towers, and I've loathed it with the special hatred reserved for places that let you down with their grimness and loneliness, and finally I left it. And now I'm back for a month. I'm half excited, half dreading it... we'll see how we get on!

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The sushi gets an unreserved thumbs-up from me, however! People say its better than in Japan, and it's dead cheap.
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Wearing Shona's vintage schoolboy jacket, jiving to the radio of a passing truck. Oh yeah, suburbia...

P.S. The brilliantly appropriate pin was a gift from my mom, who actually doesn't know about my blog... she bought it because I was Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in high school. :)

Photos of me by Shona

23 comments:

Deppa said...

Que hermosa ciudad! aunque admito que tan sólo con leer que está entre las montañas y el mar es imposible que me resista <3
Estás muy bella en las fotos, se te ve feliz :)

Nos vemos!

Anonymous said...

Oh, now I want to see a photo of you as Dorothy!

I have only ever visited Vancouver once. At the time, it was in the throes of preparing for the Olympics and was in a bit of disarray, but it seemed like such a cosmopolitan, even Asian city. And I loved the idea that it was surrounded by wilderness. I suppose that is a tourist's take on the place, huh?

Laura said...

LOVE all the Wizard-of-Oz-ness of this post. I was obsessed with that movie when I was 3-4 years old, and I actually made my parents call me Dorothy for six full months!

It's been over a decade since I've been to Vancouver (yikes - now I feel old) but I remember it being a beautiful city!

thejoyfulfox.blogspot.com

Closet Fashionista said...

I LOVE this outfit! It's like a modern Dorothy! :) The pin is so adorable, I want it...and I want the blazer, ha ha.
I hope you have a good visit "home" :)
http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

little henry lee said...

i love the little touch of the ruby slippers pin on the dahlia dress, it's so cute! perfect for your blog, of course. :)

little henry lee

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Terri: I forgot to copy them when I was in Ontario. But I'll make sure to do it on the way back. This blog is long overdue for a photo of me as Dorothy. ;)

Marzipan said...

Love your dress and your pin <3
"If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard." :)

Martha from Malta said...

That pin is soo cute and I love the dress! Enjoy your time there :)

Rachel, Cold Knees said...

Enjoy your time in Vancouver, pretty different from Barca I'm sure ;) Love the dress, it's the Dahlia one isn't it? not sure why I didn't buy it when it was on sale..xx

Anonymous said...

oh, that's an adorable pin! and perfect on that dress!

callie said...

I've always wanted to go to Vancouver... after seeing that sushi I need to go.

Ashley said...

ADORABLE!!!!! I don't know what else to say. I just love everything about your outfit and how it comes together...LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Kezzie said...

Oh Dorothy, you look so pretty! That's brilliant about your Mum- spooky!!! I am envious- Dorothy is on my wishlist of parts to play-I took Maria off the list last year! I think I'm too old now :0(

I love your description of your hometown- quite beautiful! I really love coming to your blog Emily- everything you write has such vitality!

Norbyah said...

i love that schoolboy jacket. so cute!

Miss Tallulah Porkchop said...

Efortlessly cool. I love the last pic.

Monique said...

love the last shot of you...all smiles. i can't wait to see these pics of you as dorothy.

Rebecca said...

It's only now with the brooch that makes me see the appropriateness of the dress to your blog. An ideal combination and you describe your feelings for your city so well. I have always wanted to visit Canada, it will be nice to get a little snapshot through your blog!

Emily, Resplendent Tranquility said...

I think there's a love/hate feeling nestled inside everyone regarding their hometowns. That aside, do enjoy your time in Vancouver (which I'm sure you will, especially if your mom and sisters are around!).

I'm loving the blazer over the dress!

P.S. I definitely prefer cake and other select pastries to macarons, though I think it's their size and cuteness that really gets me. And if they're not fresh, forget it. Blah city.

The ending to Once on Broadway is still the same. No changes there!

Dus of Cuddly Cacti said...

You Always look fantastic in ht dress but esp wonderful and happy here. I bet you,ll have a great time back since it,ll be spent with family. Interesting memories it sounds like you have of the place. Oh nd your mum doesn't know about your blog.
!?

Frannie Pantz said...

This is the perfect dress and pin for your blog ;-) Too cute!

friedenlinde said...

Welcome back home Dorothy! Even if your mom didn't know about your blog, there was no better gift than the ruby slippers that brought you back home... Enjoy your time (and the sushi!)
and yes, perfect dress for the perfect ruby slippers!

BLahahaaba said...

hahaha. lovely post. but how come, your mom doesnt know about your blog? wouldnt that be a wonderful way for her to be part of your life, even if far away?

xo, alicia!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Alicia: It definitely would be, and I'm always meaning to tell her for that reason. I wasn't comfortable with it when it was a pure-up fashion blog (my mom judges big time) but now that I'm transitioning to being a bit more lifestyle I'd like her to read. :)