Lifestyle

Wanderlust: Friday Harbor, WA ( US )
Mar 13, 2017
Written by Allie Rauscher

Wanderlust: Friday Harbor, WA ( US )

SO FOR SOME OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW...

I'm Canadian. My mom is married to an American (who used to be Canadian) and is now living in here in America. Friday Harbor is one of the San Juan Islands and can accessed by either a ferry from Anacortes, WA or via an International ferry from Victoria, BC.

It's a pretty quiet, quaint town in the Fall/Winter. Once Spring/Summer starts, that's when the tourists really start coming in. There are two main areas of the island, Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor. It's comprised of your basic general & grocery stores, boutiques, a movie theatre, bowling alley, salon/spas and cafes. There are NO franchises. Everyone supports local business and that is how this island thrives.

I didn't get a ton of pictures of the island itself, but Nate and I hit up a few spots that were actually open on a Monday afternoon.

FIRST STOP: MYSTICAL MERMAID

I was instantly in love as soon as we walked in. The front part of the shop consists of jewelry and more nautical type souvenirs (hence the name). The further I walked into the back, the more the items started to be completely up my alley. I absolutely loved their selection of incense and there were fun little gemstones spread out through the entire store. It got even better as soon as we got to the back.

They had THE cutest little bonsai trees and plants for DAYS. This was the "garden" part of the shop and I seriously didn't want to leave. You could hear me saying " Aw this is so cute " almost every 2 minutes. There were 2 birds in a cage, alive of course, that were kind of the store mascots in a way. It totally brought this section to life. They had everything from these bonsai trees, to air plants, cacti , succulents and so much more.

So funny thing was the entire time we were in the shop, no one was there. We were walking around for at least 10 minutes without a sign of anyone. Back home, this would of been like super random and I'd be worried that strangers would just start taking stuff! That being said, as we left, I just gave them a courtesy call and left a message letting them know that we had stopped by and no one was around. Later on, the owner of the store (who sounded AMAZING and super nice) called me back and we had a little chat. Gotta love the island folks <3

WE GOT HUNGRY, SO WE HIT UP BLUE WATER BAR AND GRILL

Of course given the time of year and time of day, we were the only ones in here. Which I didn't mind knowing my food would at least have some effort put into it. It's definitely super pricey and I wouldn't recommend coming here for a "bite to eat". We also had to factor in the currency exchange which didn't make it any better. Either way, it's a super lovely restaurant and is situated right at the beginning of town facing the harbor and across from the ferry terminal. It has these gorgeous huge windows that looks over the bay and I can only imagine it'd be a great spot for dinner.

We decided to split their " Krabby Patty " which was about $16.00 USD and came with fries - which btw were the absolute BOMB. The burger itself was a crab cake, which is something you can find at almost any restaurant over here. I gotta say though, this was absolutely fucking delicious and I'd totally go back just for this. The crab cake was so on point and as a burger was definitely filling enough. Mmm crab cakes <3

If you ever get the chance to make it out here, I definitely recommend it! I'll be back with some more photos of the island itself :)

Getting Started with Yoga
Feb 16, 2017
Written by Allie Rauscher

Getting Started with Yoga

One of the things I love about Yoga is how convenient and accessible it is. I literally don't even need to leave the house or worry about crazy-expensive memberships. There are an overwhelming amount of videos on the web that can make it feel overwhelming - especially as a beginner. So I figured I'll let you in on how I got started!

First Things First: Materials

You obvs need a mat! Any mat is fine starting out. As soon as you've moved onto more complicated sessions or hot yoga, you may want to look at more options tailored to your practice.
Blocks, resistance bands etc. This is all optional. I didn't feel the need for any, but I'd highly recommend it if you are level 1 - no flexibility :p
Incense, candles or room spray to set the mood and allow you to enter into a state of calm.
A blanket or soft pillow just in case the floor is too hard for your knees .
A quiet space away from any distractions.

Youtube: Yoga Upload

Why? It's free :) I have this thing with ensuring that the teacher's voice is calm and soothing. I also prefer teacher's who guide you to the point you don't even need to look up. With Maris Aylward, I can follow along super easily and she literally has the voice of an angel. Check out some of my favourite videos that are perfect for beginners:

If you've come across some other great videos or ways to practice, leave a comment below! I love new suggestions <3

Shop Locally Made in Vancouver
Feb 04, 2017
Written by Allie Rauscher

Shop Locally Made in Vancouver

Vancouver is known for it's diversity in culture and the arts. Surrounded by mountains and nature, it only makes sense that we have one of the largest creator hubs. I absolutely love all the trendy shops we have down here. We embrace all creative minds and I'm super grateful to live in such an amazing city.

That all being said, I'm a huge fan of handmade products. There is so much heart and soul poured into these products that it just makes me appreciate them more. One of the only obstacles I come across is trying to locate them! There is no set category as to what type of products, but basically just a general gist of where you can go visit to look at some cool shit.

Nineteen Ten Home Boutique

I was just in here the other day with Nate. I was on the hunt for a new cleanser and decided to wing it. I noticed their skincare section immediately. They had a lot of interesting brands like: Wild Hill, LVNEA, Formula 55, Wildcraft and more. As I was browsing through, I noticed their sale section. I almost ran over there and the first thing I picked up was the Kunye Glacial Powder Cleanser. On sale for $13 (originally: $30), I was sold. They had a lot of other lovely products that I'll have to hit up next time. **Unfortunately, it does look like this product is no longer available on the Kunye website.**

Aside from skincare they have a ton of Canadian made stuff from Lighting & Decor to Stationery & Accessories. Be sure to check them out!

Charlie & Lee

A little bit more on the pricey side, but they carry a range of ethically made clothing & accessories!

London Fields Shoppe

Oh man this is a gorgeous little shop. It's located right on Heatley and Hastings. It's owned by a lovely couple who have the most gorgeous little boy. Most of the store is made up of stationery and vintage-looking items. Head in there and hopefully you get to meet the little guy!

Hunter and Hare

Composed of 4 main categories: Jewelry&Accessories, Beauty, Home and Stationery. You are bound to find something you love here.

Neighbourhood Quality Goods

Ah I love, love this store! I believe that there is a new owner that took over, but they still carry a lot of the same products. It's a great go-to for clothing, skincare and accessories.

Welk's

Your everyday general store for all things local.

Vancouver's Farmer's Markets

Okay yes so it's snowing right now. Probably not the best time to hit one of these up, but once summer rolls around they are bumpin!

The Eastside Flea

This is an awesome community of local artists who come together and share their creations. If you haven't already been, please do! They have markets every other weekend!

Why Naturallie?
Feb 03, 2017
Written by Allie Rauscher

Why Naturallie?

Oh man...

It's always a tough one trying to figure out what my first post is going to be. After much thinking (and procrastinating), I wanted to start this off with why I'm here.

In October 2016, I was diagnosed with Depression. I had been feeling off for a couple months before that. I had originally thought that I was pregnant or maybe there was an issue with my birth control. It felt like my hormones were all out of whack and I just wasn't myself. It spiralled down from there.

I was a young mum (had my son at the age of 19) and was doing it all by myself. Between balancing raising a child, working full-time AND going to school part-time you'd think I would have cracked back then. I had been in a few toxic relationships and experienced traumas in my childhood. I never really talked to anyone or felt like I could talk. It stayed bottled up for 12 years until it just overflowed. It was a torrential downpour of just shit. I suffered PTSD from the traumatic experiences and my mind was all out of whack.

I literally hibernated in my room. There were days when I wouldn't move ALL day. I was just so lost. This went on for a couple months until I realized I needed therapy. I found an amazing counsellor and from then on I decided I needed to stop this. Now anyone with depression knows that you can't just tell it to stop and go away. It doesn't work like that. So I took baby steps. I did my research on things that I could do to get my life back. That's when I came across the practices of holistic health and considering the mind, body and spirit. I started off by meditating. From there I eased myself into yoga - which I am still a major beginner at.

I focused on the things in my life that made me happy - my son and my partner. They have been my rocks through this entire experience and I would not have made it without them. I was suddenly starting to do more and more things for myself. Stuff that got me out of bed. I started coloring, reading and painting. All very therapeutic stuff. Next, I was onto music. Holy shit, I can't even begin to tell you enough how much music has an effect on your soul. At the beginning of every morning, I put on my Spotify playlist and I let it rush into me.

This is when I found Naturallie. I was sitting on the couch in my living room, creeping all the other wellness yogi's that I follow on Instagram. And then it hit me. I'm not going to let this illness define me. I'm better than that. I started to notice just how many people are affected by Depression and I couldn't help but think how much I want to be an influence - a sign that it will get better. I believe that the impact we have on each other is so great that if I can be everything positive, it might just make a difference in someone's life. I care and feel deeply. I know what it's like to feel like your alone. I'm here to change that. Because I survived.