After attending the Ordination of Vivian Seegers, visiting with the brilliant and beautiful country girl Prof. Andrea Scotland and Dr. Barbara Harris, therapist extrordinaire and rising entrepreneur, I enjoyed an exquisite elegant lunch at Hawksworth Hotel in Georgia Hotel.
After I went shopping, not something I often do. But I’m more likely to dash in for something I need and dash out. But the novelty of this and the good spirit of the season had me thoroughly enjoying Vancouver, Pacific Centre, Georgia, Granville and Robson. It helped that it was a sunny day. I could linger over the fabulous Christmas window dressing, the best in seasonal art forms.. It wasn’t New York but I do love the Bay. As a child I always loved seeing the stories the Bay would tell in it’s winter windows. We really did look forward to the winter appearance and waiting for buses in the cold and dark looking at the care the window dressing artists had taken in the changing annual theme.
I actually bought a sports jacket in the Bay, my truly favourite place for buying jackets only because the men’s suit salesman, Reza? , is better than any of the gentlemen I enjoyed in Italy. Every year or two I ask him for a sports jacket. He picks one out. i try it on. He says it’s too short. Gives me another. In minutes he has the right fit and right colour. I’ve several blue blazers from him and this one is grey. All the girls comment on how nicely I am dressed when first i put them on. After I roll about with Gilbert and fill the pockets with weeks of receipts, tools and computer bits they lose some of their panache. . I suppose I should be more careful. I remember my mother saying ,”Don’t put your hands in the pockets of your suit jackets!” Some designers have actually sewed up the pockets but I’ve overcome that trick with some sharp scissors. I’d never bother buying a jacket without pockets. No better than a shirt without a pocket for pens and iPhone. The Hudson Bay is a constant in my life, from childhood to buying my first arctic parka the decade I served as a flyin doctor and consultant to Churchill and other Northern Medical Unit centres. It’s so trustworthy. I truly believe they have the best of buyers in sundry departments. .
I also bought a flannel comforter cover. My mother clothed us kids in flannel all winter in Winnipeg, flannel sheets, flannel pyjamas. I preferred satin and silk and Egyptian cotton as a younger man. But now I don’t like the cold and have found myself liking flannel again. I’ve also fallen in love with Woolwich pants, better than jeans in winter. I suspect the older men about like me were shopping for comfort while the younger men were seeking the most fashionable.
The Robson Square Skating Rinks opened that day. I enjoyed watching the skaters. I really must do this just like I must get up Grouse Mountain this year too. I have great nostalgia for skating on the Red River when it was frozen and windswept or skating on the canal in Ottawa. The skaters here really did look like they were having a ball.
I briefly checked out Victoria Secrets for stocking stuffers. I couldn’t look anyone in the eye. I felt like a pedophile must feel in a toy store. Victoria Secerts is definitely marketting to a much younger crowd. Thankfully at La Vie en Rose on Robson remained more elegant and upscale. Couples were shopping together and young Mexican sales lady immediately took me under her wing. Older men, I’ve found, really do like help in women’s clothing stores or at least the chance to say no thank you. I personally don’t like pawing the racks like a man satisfying a fetish. I did so appreciate her finding me the sizes of ‘stocking stuffers’. It was a good dash in and out thanks to her help.
I love Roots on Robson. Again a very fine young saleslady made the whole experience enjoyable . I really like someone else saying something looks good because I simply don’t know. I’ve never been old before. When I was in my 20’s and even my 30’s I could dress myself hip slick and cool. Now I’ve not a clue.
I liked walking on the streets too. Such a happy bustling crowd. I so wanted to visit the fabulous Vancouver Art Gallery except by then I was weighed down with the purchases.
The delightfully helpful ladies at Long Tall Sally told me this great store was closing in February going totally on line. Given my penchant for Amazon I can understand the competition stores are facing with on line shopping. Long Tall Sally has been an annual source of Christmas gift for a family member for years so I will have to get the calendar next year.
I was even able to drive home to Gilbert before the night fall. I really fell in love again with Vancouver, this time for the stores and shopping. The oceans and mountains make the location but today it was the architecture, buildings, people and businesses.
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