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The Best Things to Do in Vancouver (and Beyond!)

The Best Things to Do in Vancouver (and Beyond!)

Have you found that you took the place you grew up for granted until you moved away? That’s the experience I had when I moved from Vancouver to Northern California. Not that California isn’t an incredible place to live, but I only noticed how truly stunning Vancouver’s topography, landscape, and overall livability is once I started becoming a “visitor” of the city. Daily viewings of snowcapped mountains towering over shiny buildings and the Burrard Inlet just seemed like the norm growing up.

My First Baublebar Purchase

My First Baublebar Purchase

I’ve been following the affordable jewelry juggernaut for awhile, but hesitated from buying anything because I hadn’t bought a lot of jewelry from brands I had never seen in person. I finally caved and purchased one of their “Buried Baubles”, which is a piece they discount to $10 every Monday just for the day (they change the bauble each week).

Your Guide to Bargain Shopping in Bali

Your Guide to Bargain Shopping in Bali

Hand-painted tote from a market in Nusa Dua ($14 USD)

Like on most multi-destination vacations, I constantly wondered where I’d find the best deals on our trip. I did as much research as I could  – asking friends and perusing blogs – and heard various recommendations. After deal-hunting in South Kuta, Ubud, and Canggu, the answer is clear: Ubud is the one-stop shop for all your Bali goods. 

To give you a better idea of how much luck I had shopping in Ubud – I spent $63 USD on 16 items, which included paintings for $3, dresses, tops, and pants for $2 each, and jewelry pieces for $4. The most I spent on a single item was the tote pictured above for $14. In hindsight, I could’ve gotten it for cheaper in another location, but I’m glad I got it when I did because I never came across those specific colors again during my trip.

Early Chistmas Present: Rebecca Minkoff Mini 5-Zip in Burgundy

Early Chistmas Present: Rebecca Minkoff Mini 5-Zip in Burgundy

I’ve wanted a Rebecca Minkoff purse for years now to use an everyday bag, but couldn’t justify the price for such a small bag on my broke student budget. I even bought a Mini M.A.C. in deep blue a couple years ago, but returned it after thinking long and hard about how many smaller purchases I could be making using the same amount. In comparison to other popular bag brands, the prices aren’t actually that steep, but I just kept hesitating at the time. Alas, I finally received it as an early Christmas present during Neiman Marcus’ online Black Friday sale ($195 USD down to $137).