Okay, so I’ve been to Vancouver a ton of times. In fact, the west coast city is probably my favourite Canadian spot to visit. The fact that it’s a metropolitan city surrounded by mountains and right on the ocean is pretty much my idea of the most perfect city ever (and seriously, it has the freshest air I have ever smelled). Typically when I visit I always fly direct from Winnipeg to Vancouver, but with the launch of so many low-cost airlines recently, it’s actually more budget conscious to fly into Abbotsford instead.
Abbotsford is located is about an hour’s drive from Vancouver, and I’ll be honest, I was always under the assumption that if I ever flew into the city, I would make my way straight to Vancouver. Well friends, after having visited Abbotsford, I can tell you that it’s definitely a place you’ll want to make a stop into.
Abbotsford is home to just shy of 150,000 residents (it’s the largest municipality in the province after Metro Vancouver) and is the near the Canada-United States border, Greater Vancouver, and the Fraser River. You can fly direct from Winnipeg to Abbotsford through Flair Airlines, which is how I chose to get there last week. Tourism Abbotsford actually invited myself down, as well as another blogger friend, Kiki from Pursuing Pretty, to experience the Fraser Valley Sunflower Trail (which I blogged about last Friday). Although most of our stops were sunflower-related, we also got to experience activities in and around the area, which I’m so excited to share with you. Since Abbotsford is bordered by various other towns, districts, and cities, there really is a ton of stuff to do in the area.
Where to stay
As soon as we landed at Abbotsford International Airport, we drove a short five minutes to the Brookside Inn Boutique Hotel (2379 Chardonnay Lane). Just a note about the Abbotsford International Airport, since it’s small, it literally takes 10 minutes to de-board the plane, grab your luggage, and carry about your day. I love flying into smaller airports since large ones like Vancouver International take forever to check in, drop off your bags, go through security, and get your bags when you return. Oh, and if you’re also renting a car like we did, that takes another 20 minutes at least.
The Brookside Inn is actually located in a residential neighbourhood and is a cute little bed and breakfast with a number of rooms themed to different movies. We stayed in the Under The Tuscan Sun suite, which had a living room with hideaway bed, a bathroom with a stand-alone shower and soaker tub, and a bedroom with walk-in closet and four-poster bed. It also had a large terrace with a sitting area so you can go outside to relax and take in the views of the gardens. There was also a mini fridge in the room with complimentary snacks and water. And of course, there was also the Under The Tuscan Sun DVD and book in the room as well.
I have never stayed in a bed and breakfast before, but I loved every moment of our stay at the Brookside Inn. The room was very large and felt like I was right at home. The owners, Chris and Sandi also were such great hosts and every morning they offer a complimentary breakfast made from local farm-to-fresh ingredients. Seriously, the breakfasts here were one of the highlights since Sandi cooks them herself and we aren’t talking standard muffins or cereal. Our first meal was an omelette with guacamole and sun-dried tomatoes with a side of toast and fresh fruit, whereas the second day we had a poached egg on top of a philopastry with veggies and a side of sausage, fresh fruit and toast. It was definitely the kind of breakfast you would go to a cute cafe or hip restaurant for.
Where to eat
The first day that we were in the city we actually made our way downtown to check out the cute shops and pop into Oldhand Coffee + Bakery in downtown Abbotsford. Grab a latte and a scone and then walk around the downtown area, which is filled with cute shops and restaurants. I guess they redid the downtown a few years ago since the architecture has a restored heritage feel to it. As we were driving there, Kiki mentioned how they often shoot Hallmark Channel movies there and low and behold, they were actually shooting a Christmas one in front of one of the shops.
For some photo ops you can also travel down some of the backlanes as there are a number of cute murals in the area.
Downtown Abbotsford is also home to one of the city’s newest restaurants, Nine Kitchen & Lounge. The restaurant, which also has a cute patio out back, serves up delicious wood-fired pizzas, craft cocktails, and burgers, salads, and more, all made with fresh ingredients. We each had a glass of white wine (from a local winery), as well as a Hawaiian pizza and the Nine salad.
Another great spot to stop in at is Bramble’s Bistro, which is at Tanglebank Gardens (29985 Downes Road). Tanglebank Gardens is a boutique-style nursery that is located in West Abbotsford and has been around since 1996. The family has deep roots in the area and is run by the fourth-generation of owners (with the fifth generation running around as well).
Bramble’s Bistro, located in Tanglebank Gardens is part of the Mt. Lehman Sojourn in the Country, which is a collaboration of like-minded, quality vendors located in the Mt. Lehman area of West Abbotsford. The idea of the partnership is to experience the best of country living in the area. Other businesses include wineries, restaurants, and shops.
We went to Bramble’s Bistro for brunch and I had the lavender French toast, which was so delicious. Since there are so many farms in the area, it seems like locally sourced farm-to-table ingredients are a huge thing in Abbotsford and I’m all for it. Even if you aren’t stopping in for food, I highly recommend popping by to check out the nursery and walk through the gardens.
What to do
Aside from seeing the sunflowers (we went to Taves Family Farms, Maan Farms, Eco-Dairy, and the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival – read about it here), there are so many fun things to do in Abbotsford, best of all, most of them are outdoors!
One of my favourite activities we did (and much needed in 30-degree weather) was drive to Cultus Lake and rent a boat. Cultus Lake is actually located in Chilliwack and there are a number of recreational things to do there (including a waterpark). We went to the Cultus Lake Marina and rented a boat to take out on the lake for a few hours.
Now Kiki and I have never driven a boat before (they also offer skidoos, wakeboards, tubes, and other watercraft), but that didn’t matter since they show you a video beforehand and then someone goes over the steps again before trusting you with the keys (they also give you a temporary boating licence in case you get pulled over by the RCMP). Once we got the boat (although they offer a number of different sizes, we got the nine-person one, it was the only one available at that time), we drove out in the lake and just parked it so we could hop in the water. Cultus Lake is right the middle of a number of mountains, so I truly was living my best BC life.
Also near Chilliwack is Harrison Mills, where we made our way to the Sandpiper Resort. We stayed at Rowena’s Inn on the River which is located on the resort (which also has a large golf course). This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me since the property is so beautiful and our accommodations were one of their new cabins. Although they actually had accommodations for us in two separate cabins (one of the older, more rustic ones and one of the new ones), Kiki and I decided to just stay in the new one since it was a two-bedroom anyways.
Rowena’s Inn on the River is the perfect getaway spot since it’s located on the golf course and gives you views of the mountains and river on one side and forest on the other. As soon as we checked in, we quickly changed into our bathing suits and made our way to the pool, which is in front of the grand estate (and seriously, the cutest photo ops!).
After the pool, we made our way back to the cabin to change and sip some wine on the deck before heading to the Clubhouse Restaurant for dinner. We split a couple of the burgers and fries (they were seriously so delish!), but the menu also boasts steak and seafood (including salmon from the area).
Our flight home was an early one, but thankfully the Abbotsford International Airport was about 45 minutes away from Sandpiper Resort (plus at 5 a.m. there isn’t a ton of traffic). Again, since the airport is small, it took no time to drop off the rental, check in our bags, pass through security, and find our gate.
I had the most amazing time in Abbotsford, and although the point of the trip was to to explore the sunflower trail, I was so happy to see and experience a number of other things that the area has to offer. Even though we were so close to Vancouver, I didn’t once feel like I was missing out by not going there and doing all my favourite Vancouver things. If you are planning a B.C. trip, I highly recommend you add Abbotsford and area on the itinerary, even if the trip is revolving around Vancouver. Fly into the Abbotsford airport, rent a car, explore a sunflower field or two, experience an amazing farm-to-table meal, check out the hospitality at one of the resorts, and just enjoy yourself in a city that truly is cultivated.
Have you been to Abbotsford, BC?
Please note, this trip was in collaboration with Tourism Abbotsford and Flair Airlines, who provided airfare, accommodations, food, transportation, and access to all activities. All opinions are my own.
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When it comes to beauty products lately, I’ve definitely been a lot more passionate about skincare.
Sure, I love getting makeup items (I mean, who doesn’t?!), but lately, skincare has been more my jam. It might be because I’m now over 30 and am just starting to see the effects of aging (thank goodness for Botox!), but although I’ve always had a pretty rigorous skincare routine, I’ve really been upping the ante lately on products.
It seems like brands are also getting the hint since so many companies are coming out with stuff that is targeted towards giving us better skin. Heck, even makeup brands that don’t even have skincare items are getting into the game.
If you are on the hunt for a new moisturizer, you’re in luck since so many companies have been releasing some amazing products lately. And, lucky for you, I outlined all the noteworthy ones that have come out lately, all in one simple blog post.
Tula Super Soothe Calming Moisturizing Lotion
You guys know I am a Tula freak, so when I heard they were coming out with a new moisturizer I just had to get my hands on it.
Okay, so technically I didn’t know about this product until a brunch with the marketing girl in New York, but as soon as she handed me a bag of Tula goodies, complete with not-yet-released items (they are released now), I was giddy with excitement.
Officially launched earlier this month, Tula’s Super Soothe Calming Moisturizing Lotion ($46 USD) is a moisturizer for sensitive skin that helps to calm, moisturize, and reduce the appearance of redness over time.
As per the usual, this product is filled with probiotics and other good-for-you ingredients, such as colloidal oatmeal, cucumber, and ginger to soothe, retain moisture, and even out the skin tone.
If you suffer from sensitive skin, this is for you. If you spent too much time in the sun and need a little refresh, this is for you. If you love Tula, this is for you. Basically, add it to your next Tula order because I know you’re going to love it (and don’t forget, score 20% off your Tula.com order with code SHAYNA).
Pixi Beauty Vitamin C Lotion
Vitamin C is great for our bodies, so it makes total sense that it would be great to put on our skin too!
As part of their Vitamin C line, Pixi Beauty has a lotion (C$34) that helps to promote healthy collagen production and boost skin luminosity. This lotion is very light and helps to reverse the effects of dull skin. Slather it on morning and night for a glowing complexion, and pair it with the rest of the line for skin that looks it very best.
Volition Beauty Celery Green Cream
I’ve been really into Volition Beauty lately, so when I saw that they released a new moisturizer, I was instantly intrigued.
In case you aren’t familiar with the brand, they are a clean beauty company that crowd-sources skincare ideas. Anyone can pitch an idea for a product and if it’s a good idea, feasible, and unique, then the brand lets consumers vote for the ideas on their site. The products that get the most votes get made.
The Celery Green Cream (C$74) is the brainchild of gold-metal Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin, who swore on celery juice before it was even a thing. This moisturizer is oil free and purifies and helps improve hydration retention, diminishing pores and leaving your skin looking healthy.
The formula contains celery seed extract to help smooth, blur and minimize the appearance of pores; hyaluronic acid to replenish and retain moisture; and peptides to hydrate for visibly plumper skin and to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Slather it on morning and night for a real skin treat (and a sensory one – it smells like green juice!).
Marc Jacobs Beauty Youthquake
I love Marc Jacobs Beauty’s makeup items, so I was surprised when they released a moisturizer. It totally makes sense though since good makeup starts with good skin!
Marc Jacobs Youthquake Hydra-Full Retexturizing Gel Creme Moisturizer (C$79) is a moisturizer that helps to hydrate, retexturize, and give your skin a glowing finish, prepping it for makeup application.
The formula contains pineapple enzymes and encapsulated sodium hyaluronate to help smooth out rough skin and reveal a complexion that’s ready for makeup. The texture of this is a gel cream, meaning that it’s very creamy, glides on the skin, and a little goes a long way. Because of the pineapple in the ingredients, it actually has a tropical scent to it, which I like, but if you don’t like scents then you may want to skip this one.
If you love his makeup, then you may want to give this moisturizer a shot since I love pairing it with the Re(MARC)able Foundation for the perfect makeup combo.
Rodial Pink Diamond Magic Gel Day and Night cream
If you’re the kind of person that loves having a separate day and night cream, then you’ll love Rodial’s new Pink Magic Gel Day cream and Night cream.
The Rodial Pink Diamond Magic Gel Day cream (C$95) is a lightweight and hydrating moisturizer that tightens skin and plumps the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Rodial Pink Diamond Magic Gel Night cream (C$99), on the other hand, is supposed to transform fine lines and wrinkles while you sleep. The night cream contains retinol in it, helping to promote overnight skin renewal and repair it for a visibly smooth appearance. I have been using these moisturizers for the past month or so and love how they make my skin look. The packaging is also innovative, reminding me a lot of the Drunk Elephant moisturizers, in that you press down to dispense the product in the middle.
There are always new and innovative moisturizers hitting the market and I love brands are creating products that are newer and better than the last. As we head into chillier weather I would recommend tweaking your skincare routine to target different concerns with your skin. All of these products would make fab additions to just about anyone’s skincare routines.
What’s your favourite moisturizer?
Please note, products provided by PR. All opinions are my own.
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So remember Sunflower Gate 2018?
It seems like anything and everything can be Instagrammable these days, and as the seasons come and go, there are always certain imagery that pops up on your feed without question every season. Spring is tulips and pastels, summer is beaches and pools, fall is pumpkins, and that magical time as summer starts transitioning to fall is sunflowers!
Not only are the plants super beautiful to look at, but it seems like everyone wants to snap a pic of them for the ‘gram. I remember looking through my feed last year filled with jealousy over all the photos I was seeing being posted of the sunflowers in Abbotsford, British Columbia. I was able to snap a pic here in Manitoba, but at that time, it was on private property and you had to still stand on the road and angle the camera so it looked like you were close enough to the actual flowers without being near them.
Thankfully, this year I didn’t have to do that since I got the opportunity to visit Abbotsford, B.C. to see the sunflowers up close and personal.
I’ll be doing a whole post soon on the full itinerary of what I did when I went with Tourism Abbotsford and Flair Airlines, but I really wanted to share highlights from the Fraser Valley Sunflower Trail since there is a short gap that you can visit and the sunflowers really only bloom until the middle of September.
The Fraser Valley Sunflower Trail is a number of different spots in the area to see and take all the selfies you want with the sunflowers. Abbotsford in general is a very cultivated city (in fact, that’s their new tagline) in that it’s a city, but it’s also filled with many outdoor experiences and agriculture.
Taves Family Farms – 333 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford
The first stop on our tour was Taves Family Farm, which added a sunflower patch to their list of offerings this year (the patch is included in the price of admission). The farm, which is officially open seven days a week as of yesterday, features many attractions and is the ultimate family-friendly spot. As mentioned, the sunflower patch spans over a quarter acres and features many different varieties of sunflowers (seriously, I didn’t realize that there was more than one type of sunflower). Since the sunflowers are at the back, you can take a short hay ride to the spot, or walk five minutes and take in all the other sights of the farm.
In addition to the sunflowers, Taves is also the ultimate fall spot, as they have a pumpkin patch, a petting zoo, a country store (try the apple cider slushie), apple picking, and much more.
Maan Farms – 790 McKenzie at Vye Road, Abbotsford
After Taves, make your way to Mann Farms, which is a short three-minute drive away.
What started as a fruit stand, Maan Farms now offers a restaurant, a store, an estate winery (they were recently awarded Best Fruit Wine in Canada – try the raspberry wine), U-Pick berries, a petting zoo, ziplines, and more.
Maan’s sunflower patch was definitely the most Instagrammable of the bunch since they added in items and props as you walked through the field. For example, there was a yellow door you could walk through, a swing, a pick-up truck, couches with hollow photo frames, and more. They also had some elevated levels where you could snap photos of the whole field, which looked so stunning with the mountains behind them. Considering this was their first year doing the sunflowers, a lot of effort went into making it unique and memorable for visitors.
Maan Farms was one of my favourite stops and if you’re going strictly for Instagram photos, then this one is a must since it has all those unique features in the field.
Campbell’s Gold and Honey – 2595 Lefeuvre Road, Abbotsford
We didn’t actually visit Campbell’s Gold and Honey, but it’s also an amazing stop on the sunflower trail.
The farm is actually a licensed meadery, which produces a number of honey wines. What you typically don’t see in all those Instagram sunflower pics is the amount of bees that are flying around and landing on the sunflowers.
At Campbell’s, the sunflowers were actually planted for the bees and the honey they produce is made from the bees that roam their farm. They also have a country store that sells a variety of other honey items made on-site from their little friends.
Eco-Dairy – 1356 Sumas Way, Abbotsford
Out of all the stops on the trail, Eco-Dairy was the most unique.
Eco-Dairy is actually located at the corner of Sumas Way and Highway 1 and is surrounded by strips malls and other businesses (for example, there was a Starbucks across the street). The business is actually the first demonstration farm of its kind in Canada and is the perfect family-friendly destination to visit (and for those who are interested in farm culture). The space features a number of buildings with interactive learning; for example, you can take a barn tour or watch a robotic milker in action.
Eco-Dairy also has U-Pick berries, a store, and a half-acre sunflower field, which is the only one we visited where it’s completely free to go and roam. The sunflower field here is a lot smaller and taller than the others we went to, but if you are more budget conscious or just want a quick pic, then Eco-Dairy is definitely the spot to go to.
Chilliwack Sunflower Festival – 41310 Yale Road, Chilliwack
Okay, so the one spot you are most likely to see on Instagram is probably going to be the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival, which runs August 1 to September 15. This spot is also the place where they have the tulip festival in the spring as well.
The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival has 20 acres of sunflowers with 35 different varieties. Although the other spots had a large area of sunflowers, it was more of an add-on thing to what they already offered. With this spot though, this is their main attraction.
The area is very large and features well-groomed trails with a number of photo ops and props throughout as well. There is a rustic old car, a windmill, a bridge, swings, and much more. My favourite part actually was the three-acre field of dahlias, which featured 54 different varieties of all shapes and colours. Since this was our last stop on the tour, it was nice to see some other flowers and you get multiple photo opportunities if you want to change out the floral scenery (just make sure you bring a change of clothes to swap out!).
In addition to the flowers, they also have some food trucks and picnic tables, so you can definitely make an afternoon out of it.
Although you may not want to hit up all the spots in one day, every place mentioned here really does have different offerings to them. Most of them were farms that allowed you to partake in other activities as well (because let’s be honest, there is only so much time you can spend taking photos of sunflowers). I will note though that going into this trip, I didn’t realize how many different varieties of sunflowers existed and how they all don’t look the same. Some of them were giant, some of them were super tall, some had some orange rings in the pedal, some had long pedals, others had small, and others were just those stereotypical flowers you see in photos. I also learned many facts about the sunflower just by walking around since a lot of the stops had fun informational signs about them.
I will note that if you are afraid of bees, then be warned, bees love sunflowers and they will be flying around and landing on them. I personally have never been stung and is slightly afraid of them, but I did feel very calm in the patch since they don’t really bother you (they have better things to do). Also, if you are going for the sole purpose of taking photos, then go as late in the day as you can. We went in the morning and afternoon when the sun was at its brightest, creating shadows on your face when you snap a picture. Check out the hours of operation for these spots and try to go an hour or two before close for the best lighting.
Abbotsford and area has some of the most incredible spots to take advantage of, so if you have always wanted to visit a sunflower field, I highly recommend checking it out. Like I mentioned, I will have a full recap post coming up soon on here which mentions other fun things you can do in the area, but if you are looking at heading out here it’s a super easy flight with Flair Airlines, who flies from Winnipeg to Abbotsford.
Have you been to a sunflower patch?
Please note, this trip was in collaboration with Tourism Abbotsford and Flair Airlines, who provided airfare, accommodations, food, transportation, and access to all activities. All opinions are my own.
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