I like rainy days. No wait, scratch that. I love rainy days. They lend to a particular sense of coziness that allows me to be lazy enough to stay indoors while invigorating enough to roll up my sleeves and get stuff done. I cleaned my entire apartment, cleared out hideous clothes I don’t wear anymore, junked old make-up from under the bathroom sink, bathed Jordy (who’s now fast asleep on the couch), baked cookies and prepped myself a margarita pizza from scratch.

As quaint as all that sounds, the other half of me is starting to feel restless for the coming days of endless sunshine… summer evenings in lush grass at the park, pitchers of crushed raspberry mojitos on the patio at Milestones (likely while practically living in this beauty through the sunny months), loading up on a bounty of fresh fruit and vegetables from the Coombs Market, sandy toes, sugary sweet ice cream dripping from hand-rolled sugar cones, wading in the ocean with my niece and my dog and a girls’ getaway week in New York City with Rebecca.

Instead of practically torturing myself with summer dreams, I decided to take a trip down memory lane in Flickrville and check out some of my favourite memories of Summer 2009.

Photo: John Bollwitt on Flickr

There’s a place on Vancouver Island that many hear of, most pass through and few ever experience its true beauty. With rolling hills, sea-kissed shores and lush, dense forests, the Cowichan Valley is a truly unique and unparalleled region.

Photo: ciboulette on Flickr

Stretching from the west coast to the east coast of Vancouver Island, the Cowichan Valley is certainly the Island’s most expansive area, covering more than 3,400 square kilometres. With a population of more than 76,000, the Valley is compromised of several First Nations reserves and a number of individual communities including Chemainus, Ladysmith, Crofton and Duncan.

Map: McPopa Real Estate

Water isn’t hard to come by in the Cowichan Valley. Though ocean shores lap each side of the Valley, it snuggles primarily around its namesake river and lake. The serene lake, located slightly northwest of Duncan, spans 30 kilometres. The Cowichan River is a popular swimming spot for locals and winds its way from the lake all the way to the Georgia Straight at Cowichan Bay.

Photo: Greg.b. on Flickr

Deeply steeped in a rich First Nations history, the Cowichan Valley is home to the largest First Nation tribe in British Columbia. With more than 3,800 registered members, about half reside on the nine local reserves. These reserves are comprised of seven traditional villages, specifically Kw’amutsun, Qwum’yiqun’, Hwulqwselu, S’amuna’, L’uml’umuluts, Hinupsum and Tl’ulpalus. [source]

Photo: Cowichan Tribes

Archaeological evidence points to the existence of the Cowichan band as far back at 4,500 years ago. Proudly self-sufficient, it’s currently governed by a chief and 12 councillors. Under the provisions of the Federally-enacted Indian Act, the band is responsible for making decisions that affect the community in the specific areas of child and family welfare, healthcare, housing and community social development.

Photo: Cowichan Tribes

Perhaps one of the most famous legacies of the Cowichan band is the fashion fever sprung out of their one-of-a-kind sweaters. Cowichan knitting originated with a two-bar loom method after being spun on a spindle and whorl. The earlier creations included blankets and leggings made out of mountain goat wool and dog hair before European-influenced production saw the emergence of the sweaters in the late 1800s.

Being that I was born and raised in a community with a strong First Nations presence, traditional Cowichan sweaters are something my family has worn for as long as I can remember. Pretty cute, right? Fashion mavens have been avidly seeking the Cowichan style through both locally-developed TNA sweaters and, more recently, the Cowichan-influenced sweaters sold by the Hudson’s Bay Company for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The sweaters proved to be quite the controversy between the the Cowichan band and HBC as the Cowichan band were purportedly never offered the opportunity to provide genuine sweaters for the Olympics. After negotiations between both sides, the Cowichan band were eventually given licensing rights, allowing their creations to be sold at related pavilions during the Games.

Photo: ecstaticist on Flickr

Photo: timbarton on Flickr

Known as “The Warm Land”, the Cowichan Valley is quickly becoming one of Vancouver Island’s hot spots for wine and cider production. With barrels full of vineyards popping up in recent years, agri-tourism is notably boosting the region’s economy. In addition to vino, foodies will be easily tempted by the number of cheesemakers, jam makers, lavender growers and ethically-farmed chicken and lamb. Most of these producers operate out of farms that are open to the public, so do your research and plan some fun.

Photo: timbarton on Flickr

Photo: miss604 on Flickr

It’s nearly impossible to run out of day-trip ideas when in the Cowichan Valley. Lazy afternoons at Cowichan Lake, a quick ferry ride to Saltspring Island or exploring antique shops are some of the activities that can entice almost anyone.

Photo: RobertCiavarro on Flickr

Photo: hradcanska on Flickr

Driving through Duncan, it’s impossible to miss the world’s largest hockey stick. Originally built for Expo 1986, the stick now strikes across the local ice rink. Perhaps even more fascinating is the collection of handcrafted totem poles; Duncan is dotted by a whopping 80 poles.

Those instead interested in western arts and culture can stop in at the Chemainus Theatre in neighbouring Chemainus. The theatre’s stage often comes alive with plays year-round that are nothing short of impressive.

Photo: junemaffin on Flickr

Photo: Len not Lenny on Flickr

Sometimes the best things to spend your time doing are really nothing at all. The indescribable and natural beauty of the Cowichan Valley has to be experienced to be understood. Pine-scented air, sunsets that sparkle across the ocean and comforting breezes are nothing short of breathtaking.

Photo: maplemusketeer on Flickr

Photo: MISTER_BLACK on Flickr

The view from the top doesn’t hurt either…

The Cowichan Valley is located south of Nanaimo and north of Victoria along Highway 19. For more information on the region and its activities, accommodations and visitor information, visit the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s official website.

With a current base of 489 cm, it should come as no surprise that Mount Washington has been rockin’ all season. With school out for Spring Break, this is definitely the mountain’s most exciting and action-packed week. The week-long Chek News SnoJam event kicked off with the After Dark Invitational as riders from the Island, Lower Mainland and Whistler amped up the slopes under spotlights hoping to ride away with $3K.

Photo: Antonio LaFauci/LMount Washington Alpine Resort

You don’t want to miss the rest of the coming week – it’s jammed full with the Barq’s Root Beer Snowtube Festival, the Beavertails Eating Contest, Dairyland Crazy Cards and the Old Dutch Mini Olympics. A full detailed listing can be found here, but this is only a sliver of the fun that Mount Washington has planned for those interested in checking out what a 5-metre snowbase looks like. As always, the nordic and alpine trails are open – including the legendary Boomerang Outback and both snowboard terrain parks.

For more information on the mountain, snow reports and stay-and-play packages, visit Mount Washington’s website or call the mountain toll free at 1-888-231-1499.

I can say with 100% certainty that there is nothing at which I am an expert. There are, however, a few things of which I am incredibly passionate about. Orca whales are one of those things. While there are topics worth biting my tongue over, this is one passion I freely share my firm opinion on.

Photo: TylerIngram on Flickr

The story of the whale trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida that was killed by a captured orca whale – more commonly known as the “killer whale” – has reached all corners of the globe since Wednesday afternoon’s tragedy. An event such as this one naturally triggers a landslide of questions. Perhaps the most commonly asked question is simply: how could this happen?

Dawn Brancheau was an experienced trainer, having worked with these magnificent mammals for 16 years. The whale at the centre of this story is a 12,000 pound male named Tillicum, a creature that Dawn was incredibly familiar with and one whom she had created a working relationship with through training. So what provoked Tillicum to drag Dawn under the water and into an untimely and heart-rending death?

The question of how this could have happened seems, to me, to have a rather simple reasoning. Orca whales, like any animal on this planet, is at its core a wild animal. No amount of domestication can ensure a human’s ultimate safety around animals – whether we’re dealing with whales and dolphins or cats and dogs. As an expert in her field, I have no doubt that Dawn was fully aware of the daily risks she took in working with Tillicum. While what happened is wholly unfortunate, at the end of the day it can’t be unexpected either.

Photo: TylerIngram on Flickr

Many news reports that have come out in the wake of this event have suggested that it’s likely Tillicum simply thought of Dawn as a “toy” and was merely playing with her. Though defined as predatory, orca whales (which are actually a species of dolphin, not whale) aren’t generally thought to be a threat to humans and are, more often than not, peaceful creatures. That said, it can be contended that Tillicum was simply doing what comes naturally to him. If, on the other hand, what happened was rooted in aggression, we could consider his environment a chief contributing factor.

Oceanic mammals were created with the sea as their home and playground. To pluck them from the deep blue and confine them to the equivalent of a bathtub will surely have an effect. Imagine, if you will, being contained in a single room, left to circle endlessly while people peered in through windows on all four sides. It would be enough to drive you mad, wouldn’t it?

And so the great debate regarding whales in captivity has kicked up again and everyone is sure to have an opinion. Scientists claim that capturing whales is the best way by which to study them and learn of their nature and habits in order to assist in conservation programs. It would seem to me that the most effective environment to study whale behavior regarding conservation is in the wild. But then again, what do I know? I’m not an orca expert, just an orca lover.

Contribute your two cents: Do you think keeping whales in captivity is an acceptable practice? Should they be released into the wild?

When my brother and I were children, my mom would sometimes bring home giant rolls of paper. I’d map out entire towns for my brother’s Hot Wheels cars. And when you were drawing rainbows and happy sunshine faces, I was taking pencil to ruler and sketching out floor plans. I’ve been fascinated with the layouts of homes for longer than I can remember. That said, you can imagine how excited I was to discover the basic blueprint for the infamous Skybreak House.

Located in The Warren, Radlett, Hertfordshire area of the UK and built between the years 1964-1966, it can be most easily recognized as HOME in A Clockwork Orange. Though the exteriors featured in the film are not that of the Skybreak House, this is one home that has me salivating at its interior design. If money weren’t a factor, I’d replicate it while simultaneously blowing up the square footage and maintaining the ratio.

My TV-watching hours are usually dominated by shows such as Property Virgins, Love It Or List It, House Poor or Take This House And Sell It. Room transformations are nothing short of addictive. Being that I’m hoping to upgrade to a larger and more permanent suite in a year’s time, the designs are becoming highly influential. Beyond gray paint and focal walls, I’m gathering some unique ideals. And if the Skybreak House wasn’t amazing enough already, it also features my latest obsession: barn doors.

Using chalkboard paint on a smaller wall surface charms, thrills and kills me.

Clearly a girl with kitchen savvy needs a workspace to reflect that. Given the choice, I will always choose stand-alone pieces over installed cabinetry because I prefer working in functional kitchen spaces. Some of my “I freakin’ wish” must-haves: butcher block island, industrial-sized porcelain basin, open concept storage and gas cooking.

I adore minimalist design in each and every room because it provides the perfect canvas for incorporating colours and pieces that inspire.

I’m kind of in love with platform beds but feel the pull into a torrid love affair with oversized headboards – particularly pseudo ones derived from art pieces or headboards of the upholstered variety. They make my heart go ga-gung.

Complimentary lamps and candles are not only essential but also add amazing beauty. Nothing, however, can top the perfection of natural light.

You will never, ever find the following in any home I ever live in: trinkets, shiny black appliances, anything made of oak, the colour yellow, enclosed entertainment units, paisley prints, bedding with a thread count below 400 or hutch units. Buffets, on the other hand, are not only acceptable but actually encouraged.

While I’m about 1,667 paychecks (and a lottery win) away from recreating the Skybreak House with some serious Keira-Anne styles, a girl’s gotta dream. After all, my body needs something to keep the adrenaline coursing between basketball games.

Photos top to bottom: Bloody Disgusting; Bloody Disgusting; inhislight07; Remodelista; Peach and Pearl; Brightest Young Things; Yossawat; Home Design | Decoration | Lighting; Wonderlane on Flickr; Author’s own; Author’s own; this_could_be_my_house on Flickr; Modern Luxury Homes; ExinteriorDesign; Apartment Therapy; Martha Stewart Living; me*jo on Flickr; Crate and Barrel; Crate and Barrel; Crate and Barrel; Crate and Barrel; Trendir

The southern region of British Columbia has been bathed in sunshine for days on end, making February akin to April or May. In the spirit of all things warm and bright, I thought it would be rather fitting to check out some sunny snapshots of Vancouver Island.

Photo: chispita_666 on Flickr

Photo: cwangdom on Flickr

Photos: Rachel Fishman on Flickr; Paphio on Flickr

Photo: ecstaticist on Flickr

Photo: H2O Alchemist on Flickr

Photo: www.jeremylim.ca on Flickr

Photo: quaelin on Flickr

Photos: footloosiety on Flickr; Author’s own

Photo: miss604 on Flickr

Photo: Zbigniew Braniecki on Flickr

Photo: mel_j_ellis on Flickr

Photo: Author’s own

Photo: Cam in Van on Flickr

Photo: BaylorBear78 on Flickr

When Vancouver and Whistler were first awarded the 2010 Olympic Winter Games seven years ago, I was less than enthused. I’ve never been a fan of the Olympics generally and wasn’t pumped for them to be held in British Columbia specifically. My sentiments spent the next near-decade snowballing, tangling up in an avalanche of over-spending, criticizing reports, suffering social programs and homelessness to name a few. While you can talk to me until you’re blue in the face, I will never, ever agree that athletic facilities trump any of the problems within our Province that are rapidly deteriorating. That said, I also can’t deny the fact that the Games are very much here.

This is where I admit to waving the white flag, eat my words and declare my own hypocrisy. Despite it all, I am very, very excited for the celebrations at hand.

I suppose it began last Thursday. I made my way to 49th Avenue in an attempt to catch Steve Nash carry the torch and felt entirely unpatriotic. In a sea of red and white, I stood out like a sore thumb in my purple basketball jersey. I intended to get Nash’s attention and, seemingly, it worked. Without red and white, I felt entirely alienated so made the decision that I’d actually sport Canada’s colours the next day as the torch made its way past my office downtown.

The excitement on Georgia Street Friday morning was incredible with a sea of proud Canadians stretched, quite literally, as far as my eyes could see. And as we cheered, applauded and shouted, everyone was speculating who’d ultimately light the cauldron that night at BC Place Stadium. I had to admit that even I, the Olympic Cynic, was curious. [Cue that white flag I was telling you about.]

Curled up on my couch that evening, I sat mesmerized as so many of the beautiful elements of our country’s culture unfolded before millions of eyes around the globe. British Columbia is only a fraction of the rich tapestry that is Canada, made up of people, images, songs, history and events that have shaped and transformed the home in which you and I live today. Perhaps the hydraulic issue served as an unintended measure of proof that, despite how breathtaking Canada is, it is not perfect. We’d be fools to deny such flaws exist but can instead unite in the pride that threads through us all and hope that one day we’ll see a country in which the final pieces click into place.

I’ve been called many names in the past: Homebody, Little Miss Anti-Social and even Not A Joiner. While those labels can certainly ring true at the best of times, now is not one of them. The movement and spirit of Canadian pride has spread across this city like wildfire. Think of Vancouver as being likened to Zombieland – minus the fleshy tenancies but instead with a healthy dose of infectious patriotism.

The ’round-the-clock music, cheers, screams and partying no longer cause me to roll my eyes but instead stifle giggles. If anything, this event has served as a personal reminder of how truly magical British Columbia is. It’s easy to take the mountains and ocean and blue sky and fresh air for granted each day when it’s on my doorstep. To be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see those elements of our nation through the eyes of countless international visitors is a gift. While I certainly refuse to turn a blind eye to the critical needs on the streets of my city and in the towns of my province, it would also be a shame were I to miss out on such an amazing opportunity in my own front yard.

The strangest thing about this all is the notion that in a few short weeks, the streets will have emptied out, Robson Square will be once again quiet on my early morning walks to work and we will all be left wondering if it was just a dream…

Two years ago, when I brought Rebecca to Mount Washington Alpine Resort with me for a girls’ snowboarding weekend, she had told a friend or two about our pending trip. A few of the comments she got in response included: “I thought Mount Washington was in Washington State,” or “There’s a mountain on Vancouver Island?”

Photo: tempest_kat on Flickr

The answer to the second of those questions is an unequivocal “yes”.

Map: Comox Valley World Cup Organizing Committee

Half-way down the spine of mountains that runs north to south along Vancouver Island, towering majestically over the Comox Valley, outdoor enthusiasts will find the home of British Columbia’s deepest snowpack. In fact, the current base reaches a depth of 391cm (that’s more than 13 feet)!

Mount Washington Alpine Resort – A History of Logos. From left-right: 1979; 1981; 1996; 1998; and 2002

Named for Rear Admiral John Washington of the British Royal Navy, construction on the resort was launched in 1977 before the lifts at Mount Washington first whisked skiers to the peak in December of 1979. The powder-laden resort was an instant success, giving nearby Forbidden Plateau some serious competition.

Photo: ai.dan on Flickr

Photo: bmann on Flickr

In its 31-year history, Mount Washington has expanded to more than 1,600 acres of skiing and snowboarding thrills, nine high-capacity lifts, extensive nordic terrain, a condominium and chalet village, tasty eateries, slippery snow tubing and a legendary backcountry area.

Trail Map: Destination Snow

One might argue that Mount Washington’s greatest value is found in the stunning vistas, stretching out across the entire Comox Valley, the Georgia Straight and rugged peaks to the south.

Needless to say, it’s not been difficult to convince Rebecca to return with me. The cold beers at Fat Teddy’s Grill in the lodge may have had something to do with that.

Photo: Calypso Orchid on Flickr

Don’t let the copious snowfall at Mount Washington fool you. The resort is also a paradise for those who seek sunshine in the summertime. With winding hiking paths, frisbee golf, BBQ events, an epic network of mountain biking trails, an annual wine festival and even some shopping, there’s no shortage ways to fill your days.

Photo: mattdil on Flickr (used with permission)

Aside from the obvious attractions, Mount Washington is also home to the endangered Vancouver Island marmot . This species is native only to the sub-alpine meadows of Mount Washington and, thanks to tireless recovery efforts, the wild marmot population has been increased from 25 to 100 since 2001. Keep your eyes open – they aren’t easy to spot! However, you may also find yourself face-to-face with bears, cougars or elk amongst the woodland.

With glistening snow and crisp air, these pictures do more than speak for themselves. Next time you find yourself visiting Vancouver Island – or exploring your own backyard – you owe it to yourself to discover the crown of the Comox Valley.

Mount Washington Alpine Resort is accessible by car at the top of an entirely paved parkway; chains are encouraged (and sometimes mandatory) throughout the winter months. From the inland Island Highway (Highway 19), take exit 130 onto Strathcona Parkway – the resort is located at 1 Strathcona Parkway. For more information, call the resort at 1-888-231-1499 or visit their website. You can also follow the resort’s updates on Twitter.

Becoming practically legendary for its various wines and vineyards, so too are Vancouver Island’s wine festivals. There are few things I enjoy as much as making myself present for an evening of sampling, sniffing, sipping and swishing.

The second annual Parksville Uncorked Wine and Food Festival, highlighting the very best of BC’s wines and the Oceanside Region’s cuisine, splashes its way into Parksville on February 25-28, 2010. Kicking off on Thursday evening with a tasting, the weekend-long festival will be held at various venues throughout Parksville and Qualicum Beach, including Tigh-Na-Mara Resort and The Beach Club Resort. Particularly featured you’ll find samplings from Fanny Bay Oysters and Little Qualicum Cheeseworks (their brie is melt-in-your-mouth amazing).

A number of ticket and accommodation packages are available to help you make the most of this memorable event in one of Vancouver Island’s most scenic communities. Please visit Parksville Uncorked online for more information.

Photos (Top to Bottom): Hunter Boots; Wüsthof Knives; both dresses Diane von Furstenberg; KitchenAid; Urban Outfitters; Apple; Stuart Weitzman at Nordstrom; FashionBeans