New Fashions Style: Getaways Guest Blog Series: Christine from Bijou and Boheme

This week's Getaways Guest Blogger is the lovely Christine from Bijou and Boheme. Christine's blog is filled with gorgeous images, beautiful fabrics, pretty furniture and a generous dose of pink. If you haven't already you should check out Bijou and Boheme and Christine's wonderfully decorated home. Here are are some of Christine's vacation favourites...

Where to Go

My favourite vacation spot, without a second of hesitation is PEI, Canada.

I have been travelling to PEI every year since birth and it's simply my place of bliss. This little island feels like how you'd imagine the world 50 years ago..calmer, more peaceful, more centered on family, easier.

I honestly breathe better when I'm there and as a person who has moved so often over the years, I feel as though it's one of the true constants in my life. A place that will ALWAYS feel like home.

My love affair with PEI started with my very earliest memories. My family would travel there to visit my grandparents. When we lived in Vancouver, we'd fly but most of my memories involved the 2 day drive from Toronto. When I was little, the trip involved a ferry ride from New Brunswick to the red island.

Now, we drive across this....

Confederation Bridge - longest bridge over ice covered water in the world.

It's honestly an engineering marvel and to see it built was incredible.

The bridge is almost 13 KM long...
which means you're over water for about 15 minutes.

Crazy.

After a long drive, seeing this was and still is, pure happiness.

Where to Stay

When we visit ever year, we stay here.
This is the view looking up from the water side.

And this is what we look at while sitting on the porch above.

The cottage used to belong to my grandparents and has now been passed down to my parents. They have renovated the once 2 bedroom cottage and now it can accomodate most of my family at once...they're already talking of another expansion so we'll see. If our cottage wasn't there though, I would happily stay in any number of gorgeous retreats.

Here's my little PEI for visitors guide.

If you are a shopper and like the city, I'd stay in Charlottetown.

You like the beach, I'd stay near Greenwich...the dunes are incredible.

Or Cavenish- and if you stayed here, you could come on knock on my door - we're just down the road.

For a quant little town with amazing antiques, I'd stay in Victoria by the Sea or Rustico. These fishing towns are full of charm and history.

And for a place to stay, try some of these lovely little hideaways:
Dalvay by the Sea
Inn at Bay Fortune {home of the amazing chef Michael Smith}
Stanhope Beach Resort
Delta Prince Edward
Georgetown Inn

What to Do

For sporting exursions, you could go whale watching, cayaking, bike touring, or parasailing {just to name a few.}

And if you're a golfer, you're about to die and go to heaven.

PEI is Canada's #1 golf destination.

Here's why:

{you can click here for a complete list of courses}

PEI's most famous tourist attraction is of course, Anne of Green Gables.

First stop, the birthplace of its writer Lucy Maude Montgomery.

Next up, then the fictional home of Anne herself.

And then, Avonlea...a full scale replication of the town town made famous in the books.

After all of the sport, shopping, beach and Anne activities,
you'll probably have to take your kids to one of the
dozens of amusement parks on PEI's shores.

It's ridiculous actually - I think the per capita ratio of people to
\amusement parks in PEI must be the highest in perhaps the world.

Makes for a brilliant family vacation though - something for everyone.

Where to Eat

Now while you're visiting PEI, you'll of course have to eat and when you're there, you simply must indulge in some seafood. Lobster, muscles and oysters are the delicacies of choice.

If fact, if you enjoy any of these things where you live, there's a pretty good chance much of it is coming from this island's waters.

Along with the seafood, PEI is home to honestly, the best baked goods in the world - goes back to the 50 years ago thing. The bread is almost like sugar bread and the butter...don't get me started on the butter- it's like cow to plate in 5 minutes - so so good.

And of course, you'll need to have some potatoes.
The iron rich red soil produces the best potatoes in the world. Seriously.

Green/yellow beans, carrots, berries and rhubarb are also PEI staples- good earth.

Some of my favourite restaurants are:

Carr's- seafood on the patio while looking over at Cavendish dunes

Shipwrights

Lot 30- fine dining in Charlottetown
The Home Place- B+B with amazing little cafe
The Pearl
Merchantman Pub
Peakes Quay- casual lunch on the water in Charlottetown

Silver Fox B+B- amazing afternoon tea

The Preserve Company

Old Glasgow Mill

What to Pack

When planning your trip, you'll have to make sure to pack some island essentials:

1. A variety of warm clothes, even if you're planning a summer trip. It cools right down most nights and if you want to stroll around the towns or beaches, you'll need a warm sweater or light coat.

2. Binoculars

3. Bathing suit

4. Camera - you will want to take MANY photos of the gorgeous landscapes, etc.

5. Money - PEI is home to some of the most amazing shops- if you love antiques, hand made crafts (pottery, quilts, glass etc.) and gorgeous art, you'll need to come prepared. Honestly, PEI has some of the most talented artisans I've ever come across so if you're a lover of this sort of thing, make sure you budget ahead.

Most importantly, make sure you pack for a variety of scenarios. It can go from sunshine to wind to rain to a heat wave seemingly within hours so you need a little bit of everything in your case.

Favourite Travelling Companion

All in all, I can't really sum up how utterly divine I think this place is.

Truly, my heart and soul lives on this little island and I so hope some of you are lucky enough to visit one day.

I'll be making my annual pilgrimage this year with this lot...my absolute favourite travelling companions.