A Canadian in Omak, Washington

Outfit details

All hair flowers: Arden
White rose stud earrings: Claire's
Red shrug: Fairweather
1980s does 1940s Karin Stevens novelty print dress: eBay
White skinny belt: eBay
Cute vintage wreath brooch: eBay
Bangle bracelets: Assorted sources
Red vintage purse: etsy seller I Love Vintage Stuff
Nude and black seamed stockings: eBay
Black pumps: Payless
Lip colour: MAC Russian Red  
Photography by Antonio Cangiano

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Travel, even relatively short distances, is extremely challenging for me due to many of my chronic health problems. It bodes well for me then that I'm a natural homebody in a lot of ways. However, I've also always had a spirit of wanderlust and this duality, I believe, will forever exist in my soul. Much as I'd love to take to the open road on a lark whenever the urge strikes, such is, point blank, absolutely out of the question most of the time.

Every now and then, one in a very blue moon, a day comes along though where I sense that in the moment I'll be able to handle a little bit of driving. Kelowna, an hour away, or Osoyoos (also about an hour away) in the opposite direction, is usually the limit of what I'll push myself to, but occasionally I’ll go a little further still. I know full well that I'll pay for this decision with weeks of being bedridden and racked with flare-ups afterwards, but sometimes that's ok. My health can have nearly full reign of my life most of the time, but once in a while I get to still have fun and go on a little adventure, too.

Hard as it may be to believe (considering that I've often lived an hour or less from the border), I went the first twenty-eight and a half years of my life without ever visiting the US. One day a few weeks ago (right around the start of February), sensing that I could probably handle a quick road trip that day, Tony and I decided it was high time we hightailed it to good old US of A.

He - of Italian birth and upbringing - had already been to the States before a couple of times with my parents, but again, never once in my life had I stepped foot below the 49th. Doing so was something I'd longed to accomplish for ages, so on a very chilly weekend day we set out for America. After dealing with US customs (who wanted to check our car for some unknown reason and then made us fill out some pretty standard forms before letting us continue on our way), we cruised over the border and into Washington state.

We headed to the town of Omak with the purpose of grocery shopping (oh, the marvelous array of gluten-free foods that exist in US stores that we don't have here in Canada) and did just that. The whole day was bitingly cold and very, very overcast, but before night fell completely, we quickly grabbed a few shots on (what I'd call) the main stress in Omak, standing in front of a great old vintage movie theater.

The decision to go to the States was made that very morning (that's how my health rolls - advance plans, out, on the fly, in!) and as soon as it was, I knew that I wanted to sport a red, white and blue vintage outfit in honour of the US flag and my first time on American soil.

A few mad dash outfit changes later (cue closet that looks like a tornado hit it!), and this ensemble is what I settled on. Other than the fact that my arms were a touch nippy (I had white gloves in my purse, but forgot to slip them on before we took these snaps) when I wasn't wearing my jacket (not pictured), this was a great choice of outfit for the day (so comfy - a must for any kind of travel) and one which, I was touched to receive plenty of compliments on from folks on both sides of the border (including one of the female US customs agents we were dealing with on our way to the States).

Our whole trip was quick - about five hours spent in the US - but a total blast. Between the epically big Wal-Mart, seeing various US business in person for the first time (Bank of America, Rite Aid, Prince's, etc), and simply spending time in a brand-new-to-me country, it was one of the best days I've had in years.

Trunk loaded with delicious US foods (why, oh why, aren't all the Jet-Puffed marshmallow varieties - such as pumpkin pie, chocolate, coconut, and gingerbread - that you have there available in Canada, too?), photos snapped, and memories made, as a dense fog washed over the road, we carefully (we honestly could not see more than a few feet in front of us) made our way home, sailing over the Canadian border sans any issues.

As I knew would be the case, this delightful dalliance with America left me wrecked, health wise, for a few weeks afterwards, but I don't regret the choice to go one iota. I can now say that I've been to the States for the first time - and what I'm sure will not be the last - time, and that's worth feeling extra crummy for a while. Big time.

Now...where'd I put that bag of pumpkin pie marshmallows? :)