Favorite Places: Vancouver at Christmas
Yancey and I just got home from our yearly Chrismtmas date to Vancouver. We've been going every year for at least 10 years, through pregnancies and newborns, even, thanks to a very brave Nana and Papa. By now, Yancey and I have a routine, and it goes something like this:
- Get a good hotel room for cheap on Priceline
- Drop Wyatt and Loretta off in Bellingham
- Get to Vancouver by noon for yam tempura, mango crunch rolls, and smoked salmon rolls
- Catch a matinee--this year, Up in the Air, which was wonderfully understated and true
- Check into our hotel room, inspect all the amenities, marvel at the clean room
- Go to Urban Fare (snooty grocery store) and buy a completely extravagant picnic--cheeses, bread, olives, wine, chocolates, a few perfect pieces of fruit
- Eat in our bathrobes, looking out over Coal Harbor, sometimes talking about the kids and how great they are (why do they always seem perfect in absence?)
- Have nutella banana crepes for breakfast on Robson, read mounds of magazines
- Squeeze into our favorite ramen shop for spicy miso ramen with chicken, lotus root, and a pile of julienned leeks
- Come home and talk about next year
For the last leg of our trip home, we had to take separate cars. Yancey was in front of me, his taillights glowing in the rain. I turned off the White Stripes, put on the sappiest playlist--the mix I made for our 10th anniversary 5 years ago--and followed him home. The Jayhawks came on, and now I'm getting TOTALLY sappy on you--I don't know what day it is/I can't recall the seasons/ I don't remember how we got this far/All I know is I'm loving you for all the right reasons/In my sky you'll always be my morning star. In spite of the P.S. you're about to read, I'm going to bed happy, loved, and in love.
P.S. Picked up the kids, finally got back to Seattle, turned the key, and discovered our house had been broken into for the second time this year. We are so grateful that we had our computer and camera with us. Clearly they've been watching our house, and Wyatt couldn't fight back the tears. He was so stoic the first time--I guess he used up all his braveness. You can keep us in your thoughts as we figure this out.
December 20, 2009
Reader Comments (20)
So sorry about Wyatt's money. What jerks. The fact that you're house is being cased leads me to believe it's someone who lives close to you. Boo!
Vancouver sounds great. I should head up there sometime with Karl, just to get a local perspective.
Okay, there are lots of bigger things to comment on here, but The White Stripes!? I didn't know we had that in common. One of Roo's very first "must listen to on repeat or freak out" songs was Doorbell. When I would pat him to sleep at night... which took a really long time... I'd often end up patting to the rhythym of that song in my head.
And Peace be with you tonight, especially.
Oh Sarah - so happy that you had a great trip, but so sad to hear that your place was broken into. Yuck. yuck. yuck. Have been through that (the Mansion was broken into when I lived there) but I can't imagine our family home being broken into. Praying for you, Yancey and the kids. Glad you weren't home - still yucky. Take care.
Sounds like a very romantic getaway full of wonderful eats. So sorry about your house - creepy : (
What a ------ ending to such a perfect get-a way. What a bummer! I am so very sorry.
I came across your blog today and enjoyed my tour. So sorry to hear about your break-in. It puts a damper on everything, I know. Have a nice holiday.
I am so sorry about your break in. The weekend sounds fabulous, but what an awful thing to come home to :(
I love this post but am sorry for the" P.S." That is an unsettling way to end an otherwise perfect week-end. Take care. . .your loyal readers are with you and your family.
Wow, looks and sounds like a perfect little getaway. It's so sweet that you have this tradition. And I am SO sorry to hear about the break-in. I've been robbed twice, once on vacation in England and once in an airport in South Carolina, and both times, I think what bothered me most was the loss of control I felt. Maybe that's how Wyatt feels, too. It is a scary thing to experience. BUT I am so glad you are all safe and that you had your important stuff (and people!) away when it happened. My thoughts are with you.
I don't know what to say, but feel I have to say something. Sorry? How can I help? That's awful, and the violation is worse than anything material that was taken, I'm sure. Thinking of you and your family as the snow falls here in Bismarck, covering up the dirt and making the world look clean and pristine again.
So, so sweet, everybody's comments. I have felt totally loved and cared for today, in spite of breaking out into tears over nothing several times. My dear friend Jackie--who lives in Leavenworth, of all places!--mobilized some friends and family over here, and we got two deliveries of piggy-bank replenishments (Wyatt's lifetime earnings of $150 was stolen from his piggy bank). Both deliveries made me cry. Then Dawn called and invited us over for dinner, and that me cry, too. I've made a list of all the things we should do to keep this from happening again--more deadbolts, etc. For now, dinner and a roll of quarters will have to do. And tonight, it's enough. Thank you everyone.
I love Vancouver - what a wonderful tradition. I went to school in Bellingham, and I really miss being that close to jet over for the day (okay, drive, but y'know!). It's such a beautiful city and such an international feel to it.
And, I sympathize with the break-in. I had a man steal my wallet a bar last year right in front of my face! I had left it laying on the bar while paying for a drink & chatting with my bartender friend - suddenly it was in his hand, he was rifling through it, and when I made eye contact him he sprinted out the door. The creep had been playing the horrible lottery machines before that, probably lost all his $. The good part was the next day a nice police officer showed up at my house with my driver's license, my ATM card (invalid by then), and my Powell's Books card (which had $ on it!). Guess the thief wasn't a reader!
Sarah- Sending you lots of love and support. So glad you got away and so sorry you have to deal with this, especially during Christmas week. Thanks for all the lovely recipes and the beautiful writing.
Sarah - I'm so sorry. We had that happen once at our old house and it was devastating. Not the things they took so much (although there was some of my grandmother's irreplaceable jewelry) but the fact that someone had been watching us, scoping us out. And that someone had been in our house. I feel for you. Hugs.
ick about the break in...so sorry. about vancouver - you guys are two lucky lovers. peace to you tonight.
well, my family gave me a good overview, but wanted to read for myself. Michigan is joining everyone else with their prayers for you all. I'm amazed you're not a fearful person and I hope it stays that way. Love you.
Sarah - praying for you and your family. So sorry to hear about the break in. Hope Christmas restores your peace this week.
I'm a new reader this week, too, and this post inspired me to speak up. I was happily choked up reading about your drive home, your song, after the lovely weekend trip. And then I got to the very unfortunate P.S., and my heart sank. Ups and downs, yins and yangs... this is what our lives are made of. There's not much to add to everyone else's sympathies, especially from a total stranger, but you and your lovely family are in my thoughts. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas and New Year.
So happy to hear about your wonderful trip. It sounded devine! The break-in is the worst. Sorry to hear about that!!!
In other happy news, your granola (or my version of it) has been the hit of the season for my holiday gifts! Even had a teacher at my kids school chase me out to the parking lot for the recipe. I had made a big batch for my daughter's class for their nutrition unit. Thank you for the many great recipes. Your site continues to make my day daily!!!
ooooh! I am so sorry how your beautiful and romantic trip ended :-( I love(used to live) in Vancouver and would be interested to know the eating establishments you went to ...we are going soon to visit friends and it would be fun to go to try them(the eateries).
Thanks for all the great ideas you have......and so easy.
I hope you and your lovely family have a wonderful holiday season!