Saw Falstaff with my most theatrical friend Katie, instead of my non-synopsis-reading husband. And had the best night ever.

Her favourite things about the play? Dean Paul Gibson, who played Falstaff, for one. “He was so on point with his comedy but also drew us in so well with his more dramatic speeches.” Such wise words from a theatre aficionado.

“And the barrels near the wine and beer,” she added, “Made me wish I lived on a winery in France.” That’s my girl.

My favourite things? The courtyard, the live music, the ambiance, the close-to-the-beach-ness. It’s such an amazing way to spend a midsummer’s night.

And Falstaff as a play is entertaining, accessible, and action-packed. In the photo above, Prince Hal (Alessandro Juliani), Bardolph (Bernard Cuffling), and Ned Poins (Kevin K. James) laugh with Falstaff (Dean Paul Gibson, centre). Shot by David Blue.

Wore a reworked vintage dress. (Remember this? Yeah, well, it was nothing a little tailoring couldn’t cure.)

Had it altered at Oakridge Tailors on Cambie. And now it’s perfect for events. Shakespearian and otherwise.

Earrings from Mexico.

Shoes are Marc by Marc Jacobs from Ogilvy in Montreal. Shoe shopping! Another thing that’s so much better with your girlfriends.

P.S. Want to support Cystic Fibrosis research? Watch this terribly embarrassing video by my lawn bowling team (so sorry I missed the recording). And pledge us here.

We arrived last week when Just for Laughs was in full swing (which, for the record, follows closely on the heels of the city’s outrageously huge Jazz Festival).

Out of more than 200 English performances, we caught only two. (We would have attended more had we figured out earlier that we actually like stand-up comedy.) The highlight? Mike Birbiglia’s one-man riot My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend.

I had been to Montreal before, but only in the dead of winter so it was a treat to be able to roam the streets in a vintage t-shirt (bonus points for coordinating with the graffiti!).

And the vintage belt that I wore all over Quebec.

Speaking of graffiti, I have no idea what the story is behind this tag (maybe it’s as straight forward as it looks) but I kept spotting it all over the city. And it hit close to home because there’s nothing I heart more than a slice of emmental.

And speaking of a nice slice, Marche de la Villette in old Montreal serves up cheap(ish) breakfasts and lunches with great cheeses. L’Express on Saint Denis lives up to its hype. And, across the street from the Opus Hotel where we stayed, is Tequila Taco House, which looks like a hole in the wall but serves up amazing Mexican food.

Ah, the Opus. It’s right smack dab between the shops and festival grounds of Saint Catherine and the funky boutiques, restaurants and bars of Saint Laurent and Saint Denis. Which makes its location pretty much perfect.

(Just make sure you book a room that’s not facing the hotel bar because its patio is as packed and party-full as the city itself.)

P.S. Get festive and add the Anthology on Facebook.

Cobblestone streets, acres and acres of parks, the dramatic Saint Lawrence River. It felt like another world and yet, my loonies and toonies were taken at par.

Attended the Festival d’Ete de Quebec, the 11-day showcase of Anglophone and Francophone artists. And we some of the few attendees to come from out of provice (only 5% according to the National Post).

Why is that the case, when you can buy beer from people roaming around with coolers and see acts like Arcade Fire, Black Eyed Peas, Santana and Passion Pit?

For only $50.

When we weren’t at the festival we explored the city on foot.

Grabbed some brie, baguette and grapes from Epicerie Richard in the old town (42 Rue Des Jardins if you have a hankering).

And headed out to the historic Plains of Abraham for a pique-nique. (Wore my paint-splattered cutoffs and vintage belt.)

Oh Quebec, I miss you already. J’espere que I’ll be back soon! If only because I desperately need to improve my Francais.

P.S. Follow moi sur Twitter (and pardon my Frenglish, s’il vous plait).

The second annual Vancouver Leisure Society lawn bowling extravaganza kicked off this week at the Stanley Park Lawn Bowling Club (the world’s most beautiful venue). 

In honour of Eva Markvoort, the month-long tournament benefits the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Last year, they raised $11,000. This year, we’re hoping to beat that.

My powerhouse team? The Bowlden Girls. (With Kim Bowie, Dana Rudelier, and Larissa Dundon.)

Headless wonders that we are.

Wore an asymmetrical jungle print dress.

‘Tis vintage and ’tis as close to a white dress as I have (unless you count my non-wedding wedding dress).

The night was packed with more prep than you can shake a polo mallet at. My favourite dude outfit? Cuffed pink pants and Toms. So stylin. So good for the world.

As the Leisure Society says, why club when you can country club?

P.S. Add The Anthology on Facebook for more photos and fun times!

Heather of Urban Cowgirl, Sherry Lu and Michael Fashionista. And the Anthology!

Ke$ha opened. And I hate to admit it, but I love her. I mean, Tik Tok? It’s a classic.

Sherry wore the perfect shoes — Ke$ha’s Dinosaur is terrible, but terribly catchy.

Rihanna brought all her hits: Disturbia, Live Your Life, Umbrella (her encore). She sang live(!) at times. But it wasn’t her voice I was mesmerized by. She is freakishly gorgeous.

Wore a vintage dress, which is actually my sister’s (thanks Rissa!).

And a vintage necklace, which is the gaudiest fake gold, even by fake gold standards.

And my trusty Frye boots, I’d wear them every day if I could get away with it.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go try to figure out how to work my new N97 Mini.

P.S. Get super techy and add the Anthology on Facebook.

Went with my ladyfriends to see Vancouver’s Brasstronaut at the Commodore.

Which was like a reunion of sorts.

Because Laura, Ashley and I have known lead singer Edo Van Breemen since elementary school. We’ve been good friends with his sister since the first time scrunchies and spandex were cool. (Wish you were there, Elke!)

And I realize that I am completely biased, but Brasstronaut was absolutely amazing.

They were animated, they sounded even better than they do on their album, and they were downright fun to watch.

Wore a vintage dress that may very well have belonged to your Great Aunt Helga. And I’m not kidding. Just look at what it looked like before.

Wore it with flat boots. Always flat boots at concerts (dancing shoes, ya know?).

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival runs until July 4th. Go! Take your friends! Have fun!

P.S. Put your jazz hands to good use and follow The Anthology on Twitter.

Went to their production of Antony and Cleopatra this weekend (loved it!) and learned a few things from the experience:

1. Date night at Bard on the Beach > date night on the couch. Got that, gentlemen?

2. Tents have roofs. So even if you go on a day that’s less spectacular than this one, you don’t have to worry about a little Vancouver sky water ruining your night.

3. Cleopatra might be your next girl crush. She is a is a feisty, captivating woman (played by Jennifer Lines, pictured centre, with Almeera Jiwa and Sarah Afful, photo by David Blue).

4. Tents are breezy. So at the risk of sounding like your mother, bring your favourite vintage faux fur jacket with you.

5. Cleopatra has more fake gold than you do. And she has more costume changes than Cher. Costume designer Mara Gottler did a beautiful job.

6. Vancouver makes the most beautiful backdrop you could ask for. I’m sorry London, my apologies Ashland, but it’s true. (Photo by David Blue.)

7. Seats are cushy. I stood for all three hours of Romeo and Juliet at the Globe (which was amazing, actually) but you won’t be on your feet at Vanier Park (just make sure you get there early enough to reserve seats — they aren’t assigned).

8. Unless you speak Shakespeare fluently, you’ll want to read the synopsis beforehand. My husband didn’t and at one point, he leaned over to me and whispered “I understand about two percent of what’s going on.” (He crammed during intermission and was fine for the second half.)

9. You can eat licorice allsorts in the theatre! Some of us find that very exciting.

Antony and Cleopatra plays until September 24. Have you been to Bard on the Beach? What did you think?

And I am pretty darned excited about it.

The story of the Queen of Egypt falling in love with the first Emperor of Rome is so meaty, even the SparkNotes are beefy (have I read the complete play? Not yet.).

But I have Ancient Egypt on the brain. So I started gathering stills from 20th Century Fox’s 1963 epic Cleopatra for inspiration. And Elizabeth Taylor, in her 1960s costumes, does not disappoint.

Seriously, how gorgeous was she? And how much do you want that headdress?

I’m all for any production filled with love, lust and lots of fake gold. And Bard on the Beach promises plenty of that. Antony and Cleopatra plays until September 24th.

I’ll be tweeting while I’m there so follow me here.

(Images from 20th Century Fox.)

Not really something you would expect to inspire wardrobe choices.

But I’m reading A Star Called Henry (the first book in Roddy Doyle’s Last Roundup series) and I find myself wearing Irish-inspired tweed.

Like this vest. (And if it weren’t summer, I’d probably be wearing my tweed hat with it.)

Funny how that can happen, isn’t it?

So how did the book inspire this scarf? Who knows. But it’s one of my favourites. And come to think of it, the book is quickly becoming one of my favourites too.

P.S. Since we’re talking about books — add the Anthology on Facebook!

Some of them are so terrible, you would think I made them look bad on purpose.

But I don’t. I just put on whatever unmodified vintage piece I find and let it speak for itself.

This one says “Hem me.” (Stay tuned for the “after” shot!)

P.S. It also says “Follow the Anthology on Twitter”.