Home Again

We're back! We're back! Two married ladies, back from honeymoon, fresh out of steam. I'd like to blog for days about what we did, and how much fun we had, but I'm stuck on sleepy, it seems. But here are some highlights of the honeymoon:

We got married in Vancouver. (Yeep! Ding ding! Best part!) Stayed at the best hotel (The Sylvia) in the best room (802, corner, top floor, surrounding bay view). Went on a tandem-bike ride in Stanley Park. Didn't fall off said bike, probably because Lala was driving. Ate sushi, cheaply, every single damn day. Ate a whole crab (thank you, crab). Ate gelato at frequent turns (OHMYGOD, Casa Gelato has 250 flavors, including durian. Tried that. Avoid it. I had chocolate-basil with nutmeg. There was a pear-gorgonzola flavor, as well as a chocolate-chili that was HOT. Think of it, it was there). Decided that Mandy and Zak are fabulous, something already known, and the way Zak says "hosed" makes us happy. Decided that all Canadians are good and nice, and everything is better in Canada, especially in Vancouver (the third most desirable city to live in, according to a new report. Zurich and Geneva are the first two. The US doesn't have a city in even the top 25, with Honolulu coming in at number 27). Ate bread and cheese and olives at Granville Island. Went across the Capilano Bridge. Drove lots of places and used no gasoline. We think maybe in Canada the gas makes cars fly. Went to Seattle where we: Went up in the Space Needle. Went to the Science Fiction Museum, which made Lala REALLY happy. Went to Churchmouse which made me REALLY happy. Had a party at TMK's house with Ryan and Ann and Rebecca and Janine and Tory and Gingko and Elaine and Bling and had the best time. Were treated to dinner at Il Fornaio, my new fave. Drank coffee (twice) at Espresso Vivace, the best I've had since Italy. Went to Pike Place Market. Visited an alpaca farm, where I bought some fiber for cheap and almost pet an alpaca and kvelled over a 3-day old cria. Went back to Vancouver, where we ate more sushi and watched more sunsets on the beach. Appreciated sunny, perky Canada.

We are now back in dark, rainy, rather grumbly California and unpacking slowly. I think I'll unpack photos slowly too, for a while, to keep the blog going as I get back up to speed. So here are a couple for ya:

    Lala takes photos. I grin maniacally.

    You asked for it -- closer detail on the alpaca shawl.
(Design: sorta my own,  traditional double rose leaf with little bippy thing on the sides. Yarn: old hoarded Cascade Indulgence, two balls.)
Photo courtesy of Rachael Ashe.

Comments

[T. Rieder]

Wow first. Congratulations you guys!! I'm so glad you had a great honeymoon.

[MaryB in Richmond]

Nobody's looking at the shawl, girl! They're all going "Damn, what a cute butt!"

*grin*

[Christie]

Welcome home! Glad to hear that y'all had a great time and look forward to seeing pictures of all the good times.

You look so beautiful in that picture. You hair is like a pin-up girl. Precious!

[Gina Silva]

OMG, I thought the same thing...

Wow, nice tush :)

[Jennifer]

Welcome home! I am glad you enjoyed my lovely city- come back and visit soon - there are lots more yarn stores to see!

[Nadia]

Ah, sushi and scenery, the two cheapest things about living in the world's fifteenth most expensive city.

[Christine]

Welcome back and big hugs to "all y'all" as my Southern relatives would say. Can't wait to see the pics!

[melissa]

Beautiful shawl - beautiful wedding...

But - did you find Cadbury Egg Ice Cream?

[Rebecca]

Rach -- it was FANTASTIC meeting you and La! If only you lived here so I could add you to my stalking list (Ryan and TMK are at the top). What fun! Oh and I've made myself a One Skein baby hat too! Addictive!

[Janine]

The party was TOO MUCH FUN! Gingko said "I didn't know your friends could be so not boring!" Wish we could have stayed longer--so good to see you both so happy.

[Norma]

LOVE that shawl. You win the prize for the bride who wore her wedding dress the most number of times. Awesome!

[Anne]

Hooray! Glad you're back and had a great time! I bet the animals were happy to see you...

[Amy]

So glad Vancouver treated you well. Would have tried to make it out as you suggested had I not had to work that evening.

I love the shawl. What a heirloom to pass down, (heh, you watch, soon you two will be getting the reproduction questions/hints ;)

Looking forward to hearing about the wedding, the honeymoon and the homecoming (no pressure!) heh.

[Jessica]

Congratulations.
I honeymooned in Vancouver too. Ate sushi everyday. Could not get over how cheap it was. :)

[Erin]

I'm so glad you girls had a good time! I'm from the Seattle area (but now temporarily live in Germany), so it was fun to hear that you did all the cool things I grew up around. And Vancouver is awesome too! So many nice people up there! Congratulations!

[Celia]

Kvelling now over your too perfect honeymoon. Come to think of it, we honemooned in the Pacific Northwest. Best place. Glad you're back.

[Kathy in San Jose]

We, too, honeymooned in Vancouver, 15 years ago, and I've loved the city ever since. Glad you had a great time, and glad to see you back!

[Danielle]

Dear Racheal:
I would like to borrow your wedding dress. In fact, could I just borrow you, in your entire adorableness, to stand in for me? I covet everything about that last photo...I think I will just take a copy of it to some very talented person and say, "That. Make me look like that for my wedding." That would be quite perfect.
Love,
A soon-to-be stalker (who does not have a wedding date, nay a fiancee, but would be willing to find one if every bride looks that beautiful!)

[maryse]

nice ass.

[Michelle]

Sheesh, two weddings and a sushi/gelato filled honeymoon, no wonder you're sleepy. Sounds like the BEST time, and I'm patiently waiting to read more. Patiently. Tap tap tap.

[Kate]

Congrats, congrats, and congrats. What a shiningly beautiful bride you make, and what a lovely story of your marriage and honeymoon! You two are just the coolest!

By the way, that wedding gown is one of the prettiest things I've ever seen. Matches perfectly with your stole and grin :).

[Kathleen]

Sounds positively heavenly! Gracie--she remembers you both from MSW--sends her congratulations!

[Samantha]

It sounds like you had such a wonderful time. Hooray and congratulations once again! Your shawl is beautiful. :)

[Rachel H]

Welcome home! Glad to hear you had such a fabulous time. Just what a honeymoon should be. And as a Canadian, I thank you for all your kind words about us and our country. We're pretty darn proud of her. I haven't been to Vancouver in many, many years, but it sure is a beautiful spot. And yes, great people.

[karen]

the shawl is almost as gorgeous as you are in that photo.

[Lisa]

Congrats on the wedding and excellent honeymoon. I live on Vancouver Island - so it is nice to see that hit all the great stops when in Vancouver. I LOVE Granville Island.

I hope that one of your sushi meals was at Tsunami Sushi - is is the place where they have the little boats that float by and you pick your own plates off as you want them. A little campy I know - but fun!

[Ryan]

Wait. I'm confused. Exactly WHEN did you fit in a trip to an alpaca farm?!

[Bling!]

Alpaca farm? I wanna go to an alpaca farm!

I really enjoyed meeting you and Lala. Hopefully it won't be the last.

[Imbrium]

The ass is gorgeous, but it's that little flash of back that sets the heart to fluttering. :)

Congratulations on a wonderful honeymoon!

[Vanessa]

How lovely! The shawl is gorgeous and the detail in the dress - amazing! You were a stunning bride.

So, glad you liked Vancouver and all the perky Canadians. As one transplanted to the Bay Area, it makes me proud of the motherland.

Welcome home! Looking forward to the photos as you dole them out.

[Mariko]

Sounds like a splendid honeymoon, but you know, I suspect you have fun most any place you go! Now, when are you two getting your asses up to Portland?

[claudia]

You can now join the Stoker Club (that's what the back seat on the tandem is called) with me. Crazy married ladies on the back of bicycles, that's us.

;-)

[Sara]

Your dress is so fabulous... I can't stop staring at it!

[Julia]

The shawl is so, so beautiful...priceless.

[sandy]

You were in Seattle? Geez I am out of the loop. I may have been on the East coast then. So sorry I missed you two.
We will meet someday. Say hi to Bethany.

[Becky / Knitting Interrupted]

I've so enjoyed lurking on your blog for awhile now. Sharing your joy with the wedding and the photos was wonderful.

I was wondering if you could be coaxed into sharing the pattern for your wedding shawl since it was your own creation, and a really lovely one I might add. I would love to make one for my daugther.