Blog Birthday / Relocation News

Hello lovelies! Yesterday marked 'Serpentine Streets' one year birthday - how exciting is that?! Although this summer has seen a small hiatus in my posting, this blog has certainly grown past any expectation I held while writing that very first introduction post. Of course none of this would have been possible without the continued support of my amazing followers and the wonderful bloggers I've met along the way - a huge heartfelt thank you to each of you!

I began blogging just after relocating to Vancouver last Autumn, and at this one year mark I have amazing news of a new relocation (I warned you I was a nomad). In exactly one week I'll be following a wonderful opportunity & moving to London. I'm currently in a constant state of exhilaration versus pure terror. So far the most daunting task has been trying to cull my closet & pack my entire life into one suitcase that weighs less than 20kg. As you can imagine it's not going so well...  (despite some good advice from Olivia of Wanderlust & Such, I can't seem to wrap my head around not bringing at least 14 pairs of shoes).

Before I leave Vancouver I do have a number of posts to cram in; most notably some great shots from FNO Vancouver & a shoot with the lovely Kristine Mackenzie (featuring a handful of her beautiful designs). If all goes accordingly, the first of the bunch will be up tomorrow so be sure to check back! :)

Seattle Photo Diary

Because I have a handful of new posts to share with you guys, I figure my best bet is to start out chronologically with a photo diary of my recent trip to Seattle. We made the trip a couple weeks ago for my 23rd birthday & had a fantastic time. We did all the touristy stuff we could possibly cram in, & ate an appalling amount of food. The trip was definitely a success & made me even more excited (if that's possible) to return to Europe & be a shameless tourist there.

Seattle's iconic Pike Place Market

Giant vegan cinnamon roll - birthday breakfast of champions

Doing my touristy thing with Pike Place Market's unofficial mascot (In retrospect this doesn't seem like a very vegan-friendly photo-op...)

 

The Great Wheel - Because it was my birthday, we waited in line for 50 minutes & paid an exorbitant price to ride this thing. The view was pretty spectacular, I'll give it that.  

Scrumptious mushroom spinach (vegan) quiche + spicy lentil soup from Chaco Canyon Cafe

Most amazing sandwich I have ever eaten in my life... so I obviously had to photo-document it. Artichoke pate + cashew cheese topped with cucumber & sprouts on molasses wheat bread... I commend the genius who created this.

And of course it wouldn't be Seattle without the Space Needle

I was wearing:

Asymmetrical dress - Nameless (from Jennyfleur Loves)

"Paradox" Pistol boots - Steve Madden (here)

Chronograph Watch - Michael Kors (here)

Vanilla Hamilton Tote - Michael Kors (here)

Teal belt - Vintage

Sunnies - Ray Ban

My coverage of Fashion's Night Out Vancouver coming up next post so stay tuned :)

New In: Spike the Punch

Despite my 4 AM mad dash to the airport, I ended up missing my flight to Halifax by literally one minute. Finally here & checked in, I figured I'd get in a quick blog post before my busy weekend! 


I'm so excited to finally show you all the latest edition to my accessory collection - a Rainey necklace by Spike the Punch! These elusive handmade beauties sell out in minutes after being posted on Etsy; in fact I've been trying to get one since the Autumn to no avail. The constant stalking was certainly worth it. When my pink + purple version arrived in the mail last Tuesday I squealed with delight. Not only was it every bit as lovely as I had imagined, it was also packaged delightfully & thoughtfully. Elizabeth, the creator & shop owner, is an absolute doll & I can't say enough wonderful things about her customer service. I'll definitely continue trying to get another colour in the Rainey, & perhaps her Addison necklace as well. My week has been such a whirlwind that I haven't gotten in an outfit post, but you can certainly expect one soon. In the meantime, I'm currently wearing my Rainey necklace to jazz up my colourful airport outfit :)

If you're interested in snagging a Spike the Punch piece for yourself here are the links:

Etsy Shop

Twitter

Facebook

It's boarding time! Have a lovely weekend everyone :)

A New Year

Happy 2012 everyone! I hope everyone had a fabulous New Year's Eve & a relaxing day today. I myself worked both days, but had a lovely time nonetheless. It was so nice to see some of my favourite people at work again, revel in everyone's New Years giddiness, & wear my new velvet dress. 


Along with each new year comes the mandatory list of resolutions. Last year I wrote a somewhat over-ambitious list of 100+ resolutions from the grandiose to the miniscule. Long lost, I don't how many of those resolutions I actually fulfilled; but this year I'm starting small & sharing them with you so I'll have a little more motivation. Besides the usual 'keep in better touch with friends', 'exercise more', & 'just be happy' here are my 5 main goals for 2012:

1. Stop biting my nails

I attempt this one every year, but so far have only managed a few months without crumbling. It's a terrible habit, but 2012 is the year! Pretty manicure inspiration required. 

2. Finish my school courses by April.

Which means procrastinating less & being much more productive than I have been lately. German & Microbiology I will conquer you. 

3. Save money & travel more. 

Although it may mean a reduction in my wardrobe budget, I hold travel higher than anything else - & this year I'm looking forward to a long & delightful trip (perhaps even a relocation!)

4. Take better care of my skin & hair.

I'm the queen of falling asleep with my makeup on. No more! I'm also going to spend more time experimenting with my makeup & hair. I'll let you know how it goes ;) 

5. Evolve my blog.

For me this means gaining more of you lovely followers, posting more often, & hopefully working on some collaborations. I'm really looking forward to the future growth of this site & sharing my year with you!

I'd love to know what resolutions you've made for 2012 so please let me know! I have the next 3 days off so you can expect several new outfit posts this week (oh look, #5 ;). Until then, have a fantastic evening everyone! <3 

Last night in Ottawa

Here is a glimpse of my last night in Ottawa:

/ My outfit for tomorrow morning's flight /

/ Griffin being a good sport while I photograph him in my faux fur ''russian hat'' hehe /

/ Heavenly deliciousness in the form of a homemade vegan pizza /

Early tomorrow morning we fly back to Vancouver. Thankfully I'm already packed (albeit with an extra suitcase in tow) so we are taking tonight to relax & watch one of my favourite movies, Midnight in Paris. This holiday has been a lovely one, but I am really looking forward to getting back to Vancouver, putting my New Year's resolutions into practice, & gaining back a little independence. That, & decent temperatures again! (It was -21 with windchill here in Ottawa today; whereas +10 in Vancouver; you lucky people). 


The outfit I chose for the flight is simple, comfy, & layered so I don't freeze to death. With suitcase space somewhat lacking, I have no choice but to wear my kitten Lita's as they otherwise refuse to fit in. So much for plane practical footwear ;)

Have a wonderful evening everyone - I'll post again once back home :) 

The Art of Travel [Packing]

As much as I love travelling, admittedly I'm a pain to travel with. I over-pack, can barely roll my multiple suitcases with any form of grace, & always forget at least one thing, despite endless list-making. I also always get hung up in airport security (just happened); and my flights often get delayed (just happened). I'm sure one day I'll figure out the travel secret...

M: "You're going to dance around on Parliament Hill chanting 'Kittens on my feet' aren't you?"

Me: "Maybe...."

My Macbook Pro & some accessories; the Versace H&M box is crammed full of random earrings & bracelets grabbed at the last minute. 

And my second carry-on piece? Oh hello beautiful new Michael Kors bag! It's the Hamilton model in Vanilla with gold hardware. It actually weighs a tonne on it's own, so I tried to put only the essentials into it for the flight. Hoping to finally get my Christmas cards written up; especially as I forgot to bring headphones for movie-watching... Oops...

And last but not least - my outfit for the flight! I always dress up & wear heels when travelling; but today I thought of Jenna Marbles recent video & opted for something more practical ;)


Well it's finally time to board, so I'll update you tomorrow during my first day in Ottawa! Thank you so much for reading & please feel free to comment away - I'd love to know what your take is on travel packing/dressing!

<3