Perfect for afternoon tea …
A little while ago, over on Local Loves Nanaimo, I made a TON of pumpkin puree using fresh local pumpkin and decided to have a baking marathon. So far I’ve shared my pumpkin pie recipe as well as my twist on the classic roasted pumpkin seeds. Well today, I’m going to show you how to make pumpkin bread! I’ve never made pumpkin bread, or even tasted it, before this! But I had it in my mind that it was the same as banana bread, only with pumpkin. My educated guess was right! This festive autumnal loaf is super moist, with the right amount of pumpkin and spice (and everything nice!). It’s...
Read MoreMagic Hour at Bowen Park
Last week Sarah and I headed over to Bowen Park for a fun family photo shoot. Now Sarah has covered Bowen Park in the past but the lighting was so beautiful that I absolutely had to snap a few photos! First we headed into the field directly opposite from the first parking lot. A great big piece of driftwood sat among a field of wild flowers – it was such a pretty sight! Next we headed into the rhododendron garden – most of the rhodo’s had ceased to flower but some were still going strong! With the sun filtering in, and the birds chirping away, it was a beautiful setting for some...
Read MoreA Few of our Favorite Things
After a delicious meal at Jade Fountain, my family and I drove down to one of my favourite places in Victoria – Beacon Hill Park. My mission was to capture the cherry blossoms although they weren’t as “blossomed” as I had heard. But no matter, there was plenty to see! Apart from the beautiful ponds (complete with duckies!), walking trails, gardens, and towering trees, Beacon Hill Park also has a small petting farm. The coolest part, in my opinion, is the free ranging peacocks!! These guys just chill out, walk around, and occasionally/regularly run away from tourists...
Read MoreSpring has Sprung!
Yesterday was a glorious day in Nanaimo. It feels like spring has really sprung. I took these photos in my neighborhood but it seems that all around Nanaimo, there are patches of flowers sprouting up. Spring is such a hopeful season. It drags us out of winter and lets us take some breaths of fresh air, anticipating the excitement of summer. I’m not sure what this summer brings yet or the next year, but with the sun shining I have hope that it will be beautiful. I hope that you have been enjoying the sunshine on the Island and seeing all the newness the spring has...
Read More“Big Name” in Nanaimo!
You know what I love love love? Watching live music. You know what I love even more? When I don’t have to travel to Vancouver to catch some of my favourite “big name” bands. Which is why, when Sarah & I found out that Tegan & Sara were coming to Nanaimo, we absolutely HAD to get tickets. Taking place at the Port Theatre, almost everyone I talked to was shocked that a band with such stature as Tegan & Sara were playing in little old Nanaimo. It started to make a bit more sense as the concert got underway – Sara explained that as kids, their family spent a...
Read MoreIsland Acclimatization
If you’re like me, you’ve been none too pleased with the nippy weather we’ve been having this past week. Now, coming from northern Alberta, you’d think I’d revel in how cold here relates to -5C, not -45C. But I’ve unfortunately become acclimatized! Anyways, last Friday, I decided to catch the sunset at Neck Point Park. We’ve featured Neck Point multiple times on this blog but that’s just because we love it so much! On Friday it was super chilly, but it was so beautiful with the pink skies and the snow capped driftwood. It was such a beautiful evening. but I’m sure glad today...
Read MoreBeauty on a Cold Grey Day
Living here in Nanaimo, people from the prairies and eastern Canada love to tell us how good we’ve got it with our weather. It’s warm in the summer, but not too hot and cold in the winter, but not too cold and we have a few days of snow. They also love to tell harrowing stories about how places like the inside of their throats would freeze when they stepped outside. Now, I’m not saying these people aren’t telling the truth, but it has been COLD here ya’ll! I keep telling people that this is the COLDEST I”VE EVER FELT and then the harrowing stories come out. But the thing is,...
Read MoreLocal Loves Christmas!
Hey Ya’ll, it’s December and the Christmas Spirit is definitely here. We feel it in our fingers, We feel it in our toes, Christmas is all around us and so the feelings grow… and if you’re not singing this song yet, now you definitely will be! With this song now playing, check out our first Christmas Recipe for you! The first of our many Christmas recipes is a sugar cookie done in four different ways! We made Salted Chocolate, Chocolate Peppermint, Coconut and Lemon Sugar Cookies! Although there are four varieties here, it all starts with the basic sugar cookie...
Read MoreFall and Farmer’s Markets
Here at Local Loves Nanaimo, we love farmer’s markets, and it seems like everyone we talk to these days does too! There were so many farmer’s markets happening all over Vancouver Island this summer and especially Nanaimo. Luckily, for those people who either worked all summer or hid in their houses playing video games, crops keep growing all year round and provide luscious fruits and veggies well into the fall. The Downtown Farmer’s Market, the Bowen Road Farmer’s Market, the Cedar Farmer’s Market and the Lantzville Farmer’s Market are all open well into...
Read MoreVegan Coconut Cherry Garcia
You don’t know this about me, but I’ve mentioned countless times over at Local Loves Nanaimo that I have a love affair with coconut. I also love Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. So when I came across a recipe a friend posted on Facebook for vegan banana cherry ice cream, I thought I’d put a coconut twist to it! I opted to forgo the bananas that the original recipe called for. I also used some of the local cherries I bought from Coombs County Market (I set aside the cherries that looked like they had only a few days left on their shelf life and quartered them then froze them in...
Read MoreSunset Beach
Hey, it’s Sarah and Sean and we’re so excited to be part of the Island Woman team! We love Vancouver Island and all this beautiful area has to offer. As young professionals, we’re really excited to bring you a youthful take on Island living. Among the most magical things about summer on Vancouver Island are the breathtaking sunsets. The other week we were lucky enough to be near Neck Point Park in Nanaimo when we saw the sun setting in the rearview mirror. The colors kept growing more intense and we just knew we had to catch a front row seat at the famous Sunset Beach. You can find...
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