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Sunset at the Quarterdeck Cottage

My friend Leslie, writer of the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow blog, is a warm, gracious, kind, and lovely lady who I met over the blogosphere several years ago, that I have been reading for years. Fun fact: she was one of the very first followers of A Well Styled Life and my earlier pursuits in knitting.

I love her blog, capturing snippets of her dreamy lifestyle – gardening in her home in Victoria on Vancouver Island, getaways to her pied a terre here on the Island. It was one of her posts that drew me to our vacation spot. And, it just so happens we are visiting at the same time this week, and were able to connect!

I was absolutely delighted when she and her husband invited us to join them for dinner and sunset on the deck of their cottage, with stunning views of the islands. After a long day exploring the island, visiting the little harbors, and walking the coastline with my family, I freshened up at our cottage.

My daughter Vanessa got a kick out of my velcro rollers and towel ensemble, which I explained is a generational beauty trick! Do you wear rollers? FYI – I swear by these velcro rollers. My ultra-fine, thinning hair needs all the help it can get and a few moments in these rollers while I shower, gives it some nice lift.

As always, you can click the red text for more info and to shop the items.

I must admit, for a woman who writes a style blog, I didn’t exactly pack enough clothes for this trip. Perhaps I expected to do more shopping than I did, or I didn’t anticipate as many evenings out that we enjoyed. But nevertheless, I was feeling a bit casual for the evening.

WEARING –Ā  STRAW HATĀ  –Ā  SIMPLE HOOP EARRINGSĀ  –Ā  SUNGLASSESĀ  –Ā  SIMILAR SHIRTDRESS HERE, Ā HERE,Ā  AND HERE,Ā  Ā  Ā Ā BELTĀ Ā  SANDALS

 

I wore the only dress I brought, comfy sandals, and my new belt to give the illusion of a waistline that I have been doing everything I can to obliterate on this vacation:) Hey, life is short and it’s to be enjoyed! This belt is what I discovered to replace the one I learned here, is now vintage.

My husband and daughter joined me as we wandered over to Leslie’s charming cottage. As expected, they are absolutely gracious hosts.

Leslie served a lovely antipasto platter alongside a delicious rose from a charming boutique winery, followed by a delicious dinner. We sat visiting like old friends and watched the boats go by.

This view and deck remind me so much of ourĀ beloved home we had for so many years on Vancouver Island.

This is the second time I’ve met Leslie and we forgot to get a photo together this time as well!

We are off on another ferry ride this morning to spend a few days visiting my brothers. I can’t wait! I haven’t hugged them in far too long.

Thanks for reading ladies, and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.

71 Comments

  1. Shirley Davey says:

    Jennifer I am so glad you are enjoying our beautiful Island, Victoria and Vancouver.
    I got a kick out of you wearing your Velcro rollers and towel, not many people would do that.
    You are a fun beautiful lady, I so enjoy your blog. Come back soon.

    1. I hope to come back very soon. I could not love this place more

  2. I LOVE my velcro rollers. I put them in after my shower if I did not wash my hair and my hair is still a bit damp, even with a shower cap. If I wash my hair I put in the velcro roller after I dry my hair and spray with hair spray and take out 20 min or so later. My hair is thinning and I don’t like to use a curling iron unless it is a state occasion! You can also put the velcro rollers in and put the hair dryer on them, med temp, then cool temp. Just a few Ideas. My family makes fun of me too. But I don’t care. I’m cool.

    1. xoxo Rory! So good to hear from you!

  3. I think I am one of the last women who is still using hot rollers. My hair is fine, and even when my hairdresser spends a lot of time blow-drying it (which I do not), it is still too flat for me. I’ve got it down to a routine. My hair is always going to be high maintenance, I am resigned to it. I did buy velco rollers to take on a river cruise (which was cancelled) because I don’t think you can take hot rollers on the boat. We are still planning to take the cruise next year (hopefully) so I had better learn to use them.

    1. Hot rollers are awesome, but they fall out of my thin hair

  4. arlene jolly says:

    i love my velco curlers my hair does not do well blow dry i have alway rolled my hair

  5. arlene jolly says:

    i also love my velco curlers my hair does not do well blow dry i have alway rolled my hair

  6. Iā€™ve used those velcro rollers with great success to give my fine hair a lift, they help ttake some of the natural wave and curl out of my hair and give a smooth look. . I do dry my hair almost dry with a blow dryer, then apply the rollersā€¦.

  7. Jennifer–

    Would you advise about the Isabel Marant belt sizing, please? What size are you wearing? The size guide indicates there are 2 inches between sizes, and they measure tip to hole. But it’s hard for me to conceive what to order, taking into consideration the wrap factor.

    1. I own a small and medium but prefer the medium. They run very small. That said, I don’t think they can be too long, but they can be too short so order larger than you think you will need

  8. My hair was the same length and style as yours. I found the Velcro rollers were the only thing that helped to hold curl. Iā€™d put them in, take my bath, apply makeup and then style my hair. But, itā€™s really fine and thinning, so I had it trimmed short yesterday. Itā€™s more manageable now. I also knit. I wear my creations regularly.

    1. I miss knitting so much…perhaps I can start again after I get these trigger fingers fixed

      1. I love to knit and crochet. The yarns are so stunning now. There are several Canadian yarns that I love….Sweet Georgia from Vancouver, I believe, Handmaiden from Halifax and Acadia from Alberta. You should pick up a couple of skeins, Jennifer.

  9. Your dress looked great and yes I wrap towels exactly that way and one around my hair like a turban. Velcro rollers are great for my hair on ocassion. You canā€™t sleep in them though. Ouch!

  10. lin schueler says:

    Now I am really jealous two of my “best friends” got together for drinks and dinner without me at the Quarterdeck Cottage! XO from a long time reader of both, A Well Styled Life and Hostess of the Humble Bungalow

    1. Lol, We should all arrange a meet-up!

  11. Beautiful photos. I think that dress looks perfect for that setting! I find that fewer available clothing pieces forces me to be more creative with what I brought. Love the new belt. Thanks for the chuckle about the vintage status of the older belt šŸ™‚

    Enjoy the rest of your trip!

  12. Cherish your families, tell them how much you love them every chance you get. I lost my oldest brother two weeks ago. Never sick a day in his life, at 83 had many more good times in store for him. And he died from COVID.. So very sad. He came up to see my husband and I in April for our birthdays and dinner. Who knew that would be the last time we would see him and receive my last hug from himšŸ˜¢šŸ˜¢ God granted me the few minutes to speak with him the Monday before he passed. We got to say I love you and goodbye.

    1. Dear Dianne, I am so terribly sorry for your loss. That is devastating. All of our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Sending hugs.

      1. thank you Jennifer

      2. oh my goodness terrible – many prayers for you as you grieve.

  13. Your blog and Leslieā€™s are the only ones I follow now. I am so missing our annual island vacation on the beach in Tofino but a 5 hour plane ride isnā€™t in the cards quite yet.
    I,too, was using Velcro rollers before my recent hair cut. I had to really look for them as the last time I used them was in the 90ā€™s.
    Enjoy the rest of your holiday.

    1. Tofino is so gorgeous!! I hope we can get there next summer

  14. Iā€™ve spent a lot of time in the spring and fall down in the Gulf Islands on our boat. The islands have wonderful anchorages, groomed trails to walk/hike, lots of wildlife, great views, and calm waters. My favourite spot to stop for the weekend is Ganges on Salt Spring Island. I love the Saturday morning market! The Gulf Islands are a treasure!
    Enjoy your time with your brothers!

    1. Ganges is a treasure. We’ve explored Salt Spring island many times and love the Lavender Farm too.

      1. Canadian Elizabeth says:

        Love that lavender farm too! We had a very informative tour there in 2018.
        Enjoy your time with your brothers. I finally got to visit with my brothers last week after more than a year .

  15. Lorrie Orr says:

    Leslie is such a gracious and giving person. Several years ago she organized a get together at a local teahouse for Victoria bloggers. We look forward to doing so again someday.
    Pender Island is such a beautiful part of the Salish Sea. Enjoy your trip up Island – there are so many beautiful spots here.

    1. Thank you, Lorrie. I agree, Leslie is the most gracious lady I have met in a very long time. I wish I lived closer so I could see her more often.

  16. What a wonderful vacation you are having. And, yes to the velcro rollers – I’ve used them for many years and have in all different sizes to accommodate the different hair styles I’ve had.

  17. Being from the Seattle area, I must say we have spent many a vacation in Vancouver and Victoria. I love both areas! The coastline is beautiful and makes my heart soar every time I see it.

    1. It makes my heart soar too!!

  18. What a time you’re having! What a gorgeous spot your friend has. It’s so interesting to read about another corner of our world. Thanks for sharing your adventures!

  19. Leslie Lord says:

    Oh Jennifer you have captured our evening so beautifully with your kind words. We were excited and delighted to share dinner with you on our deck.
    It was lovely to have had the opportunity to meet you and your husband again and being introduced to your stunning daughter whose vibrant energy and enthusiasm was evident throughout the evening.

    Your Velcro rollers are cute! Your hair is gorgeous so it is worth the effort. BTW you look fabulous in that crisp striped dress.
    Enjoy your time up island with your family.
    Take care,
    XO
    Leslie

    1. Thank you so much, we had the most lovely time!! You and Brian are amazing hosts. I can’t believe we forgot to get a photo together, this time too. I look forward to seeing you again soon.

  20. CathšŸ‡ØšŸ‡¦ says:

    Gosh! Pender Islandā€¦ does that ever remind me of a rare family vacation in 1961 at the Beautyrest Lodge.The salt water of the pool had made the ladder a bit rough . After much fun , I had holes in my swimsuit bottom! I was eleven and mortified !

    Those rollers were on my head too , but many years ago, when I had long hair . Covid helped me make the decision to go back to short, and go grey-ish. Great decision.

    Enjoy driving up Island., and if you get the opportunity,
    drop into TOSH in Qualicum Beach ā€¦ I volunteer there on Thursdays. Fabulous shop and galleries.

    1. Leslie Lord says:

      Bath,
      The Beautyrest Lodge has been reborn as The Tides Inn, it is very close to where Jennifer was staying. You can visit their website and see what the place looks like now. Pender Island has changed over the yearsā€¦I have been coming here since I was about 10 years old. Every summer since then for decades on boats but we are fortunate to be quarter share owners of a cottage at Otter Bay.
      Qualicum is such a beautiful spot to visit but it must be wonderful to have a home there.

      1. CathšŸ‡ØšŸ‡¦ says:

        Thanks, Leslie, I will check that out, and look into your blog too . I am a gardener and traveller as well, and enjoy visiting Victoria.
        Donā€™t you just love how we are all able to connect !? Especially so during these times.

    2. Great memories, Cath!! We are looking forward to it. I’m not sure we will get to Qualicum Beach on Thursday, but if we do I will stop in.

  21. Nikol Johnson on you tube swears by those Velcro rollers., and she has amazing hair. I think you are on trend for a rediscovery! šŸ™‚

  22. Can you please do a post with a lesson on how you use your rollers?

    Looks so lovely there! You look fabulous!

    1. Yes I will! I will also make a video

  23. What beautiful scenery.

    If it is not too much to ask, could use please tell how you do your hair with the Velcro rollers? I also have fine thin hair that is falling out and I need all the help I can get.

    1. I simply roll small sections directing downward, then lightly spray my hair with this. Then I shower, get dressed, and be sure there is no moisture on my hair, gently unwind, spray dry shampoo at the roots,(my favorite here) and brush out gently. I will make you a video.

      1. Oh, thank you in advance for the instructional video! I found my velcro rollers in the sink cabinet behind the waste basket where I stashed them when I decided I didn’t know how to use them. I am desperate for tips to style my thinning hair.

      2. I will make you one as soon as I get home! xx

  24. My hairdresser turned me on to the velcro rollers and bonus told me I could pick them up at DollarTree! Yep, they are perfect to give my fine hair an added boost!

  25. BC is such a gorgeous island; it is a gem in Canada! Vancouver Island is so pretty and has great farms, microbreweries, restaurants, beaches, places to hike and chill out. Love velcro rollers too! BC/ west coast life is very casual. You look terrific in the striped dress! No need to feel you were under-dressed: you look great! So glad we get to travel with you vicariously in BC.

    1. I’m thrilled to bring you along

  26. Paulette Levy says:

    Love your towel and roller ensemble! Itā€™s me! Yes I do occasionally stick them on while showering to keep hair from accidental water-logging! Abd your dress belted is just right!

    1. Glad to know I am in the best company:)

  27. I do the same velcro roller trick! It’s old school but it works.

  28. So glad you are visiting BC and my birth place Vancouver Island. Looks like you are having awesome weather! Enjoy and keep blogging!ā¤ļø

    1. We are enjoying it immensely.

  29. I am spending the weekend with my (out of state) brother and S-I-L too! I am very excited to have them with us for 5 days. For me, one of the positives of quarantine is going back to basics and appreciating what’s really important. I think hugging brothers qualifies….. šŸ™‚

    Love velcro rollers, but I have been popping in few hot rollers on one side of my undercut pixie/bob for a few soft curls. Curling/flat irons are a no-no for my white hair.

    1. That’s so wonderful to see them!! I never could get the hang of flat irons:)

  30. Oh I love Leslie! Were her roses absolutely gorgeous? So glad you guys met. Very jealous!!

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