Six Frugal Things -- Day Three in Vancouver
1) My husband and I wanted to get out of the city, so we drove over to Whytecliff Park for an afternoon of relaxing nature. My goal was to see a whale and since I'd viewed an Instagram reel here with whales, I figured it was a good place to start.
I even brought binoculars, which we keep in the car. Sadly the whales were feeling shy, but it was still a beautiful spot to while away an afternoon. I gave this viewing area a full hour to provide whale-y goodness.
Luckily it was low tide and perfect for exploring the tide pools.
My favorite part was this small outcrop with a mama and baby harbor seal. So delightfully awkward on land as they galumphed themselves around this rock.
The mama then started breastfeeding her baby and my labor and delivery RN-self just about died!
Just as good as a whale sighting!
2) We then drove over to Granville Island to explore and grab a bite to eat. (My husband and I snacked on apples from the hotel buffet during the unfortunate rush hour drive.) We probably should've just gone back to the hotel.
lt wasn't my scene, (crowds and shopping are not my thing!) although we shared an excellent bagel with lox from Seigel's Bagels. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.
We were still pretty hungry, so we repeated our first night's dinner at Dinasty Dumpling House. I was wicked craving their spicy green beans with pork. Vegetables on vacation are the most special of treats.
3) We'd been handed a number of coupons with our hotel check-in, which I didn't want to waste. Yes, we're enjoying their daily breakfast buffet, but Vancouver has too many amazing restaurants to eat hotel meals.
I pored through their menu and came up with a plan. $30 was just enough to get two items off their dessert menu, so I went down and asked if I could order a pair of their $14 crème brûlées to take up to the room.
Laughably small, but actually the perfect amount. It hit the spot and the price was right!
I also had two "free drink with food purchase" coupons, which I handed to a group of diners while waiting for our desserts. They were already enjoying adult beverages and were gregariously excited with their windfall.
4) I made a couple of eBay sales, oddly both on the 12th. Luckily I remembered to set my eBay "handling time" to seven days, which affords me enough time to mail them out without getting a "ding" on my account.
The baby blanket is a Goodwill bins find and part of the $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge and adds another $21.79 to my monthly Oregon Food Bank donation.
5) Someone in our Buy Nothing group asked for home beer brewing equipment, so my husband offered up every single brewing related item that's currently taking up space in our basement. This is an abandoned hobby and I'm very happy to get all this Stuff into the hands of someone who'll actually use it.
Hooray for getting things back into circulation! Do you have any abandoned hobbies that can be passed along?
6) I found a Canadian dime!
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
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The mama and baby seal would've been the highlight of my day. So very sweet.
1. We're cleaning the house ourselves in anticipation of our out of town guests arriving tomorrow. Thanks to my winnowing down of tchachkes better known as Swedish Death Cleaning, it's basically dusting and vacuuming. DH did have to move four formal dining room chairs downstairs from a spare bedroom we keep them in but besides that, no moving things around.
2. DH also mowed and trimmed the lawn.
3. I made a banana bread for our guests using some overripe bananas we didn't eat fast enough.
4. I hung two loads of laundry this morning. Cold water wash.
5. I'm reading two books for the library's Summer Reading Bingo challenge to get more free raffle tickets and one book for my book club's August read. Pretty busy week but no restaurant or take out splurges. We may take our guests to an ice cream stand that also sells hamburgers/hotdogs/fries/onion rings type food. The picnic tables face a valley with old houses and a cemetery with huge overhanging trees that say Old New England.
You really are getting around, Katy!
That seal nursing photo has absolutely made my day. And yes, forget about whales (you really only see their fins, maybe tails, most of the time). Up close and personal with seals and starfish is pretty darn memorable.
Is a long walk around Stanley Park on your agenda? And remember English Bay, which should be nearish your hotel so accessible by transit or shanks pony.
And another reminder of the ferry ride (transit) across to the north shore - just for the boat-ride part of your bingo card!