The Hills are Alive...with the Smell of Vino!

I swore I could smell the wine even with the windows rolled up even as we entered the city of Napa. I thought I was just dreaming. Twenty minutes into our drive from the south end of the Napa Valley to the north Will and I both could swear we were smelling the scents of the vine waft beneath our noses. Maybe it's easier to believe you can smell pig manure, skunk spray, sulphur, or any other manner of putrid aromas through the car windows rather than the good stuff. Finally I rolled down my passenger window and shouted for joy, "Holy CRAP you could get DRUNK just by breathing in AIR!!!". Not that I wanted to find myself inebriated, but the smell was so lovely I could have died. But that would've spoiled the day no doubt.

Will and I took the day off from the tedium of moving logistics and drove an hour to Napa Valley where we began our tour of the area heading north on highway 29. A bustling 2-lane highway, (that apparently the locals have fought to keep from becoming a divided freeway) the 29 runs through perfectly-sized towns that embrace the local agriculture and culture that emanates from it. Since today we were just getting the lay of the land and didn't know how long it would take us to circuit through the valley, we didn't stop in the beginning, but definitely plan on going back both on our own and with visitors ;-)

We finished the drive north with a stop in the quaint town of Calistoga with a great brunch al fresco at the Calistoga Inn, and with the temperature at a relaxing 20 ℃ or so, I couldn't have been happier. We continued our drive by cutting through Calistoga to the Silverado Trail, a bit of a quieter drive through the eastern edge of Napa Valley and right along the base of the mountains, the bottom half of which were covered in vineyards.

Let me interrupt here by saying this: I have NEVER, EVER in my life thought I would see SO MANY VINEYARDS. Will and I didn't quite know what we were in for, and although I'd seen plenty of photos, I had no idea that the ENTIRE valley floor and hillsides would be covered with vineyards from east to west, north to south. It seemed there wasn't an acre of land left for anything else unless you intended to grow or build something on the steepest part of the mountainsides. It reminded me of southern Spain where in some areas all you could see were olive groves, or outside of Lincoln, Nebraska where corn reigns supreme all the way to the horizon. Napa made the Okanagan's 'wine region' look puny--and don't get me wrong, I'm proud of our burgeoning wine country back home, but this was UNBELIEVABLE! You could spend weeks cycling, walking or driving through Napa's 300 or so glorious wineries on back roads and main thoroughfares, staying in cozy B&B's or luxurious spas, drinking and eating to your heart's content (and till your liver's said ENOUGH!). I fell in love and decided that should I ever have the money, I'd like a gallery in Calistoga or St. Helens and a Tuscan-style cottage in the hills overlooking a vineyard. Hey, as my mom says, 'dreaming is free'!

Probably one of the highlights of our little adventure was our stop at S. Vattui Winery which I'd heard had gotten a bit over-comercialised, but felt like it was still worth a stop. It was at least worth the bottles of Sauvignon Blanc and Madiera we bought to start out our wine collection! We stopped in at their tasting room and tried six different wines from both their regular and premium lists and fell hard for the two we bought. The SB is a great dinner white, hearty enough to eat with meats, seafood and pasta. The Madiera is a dessert wine, and while I never thought I was a fan of sweet wines, I loooved the caramel and hazelnut overtones. A wee bit spicy, perfect for warming you up at the end of a day, and sounds delightful warmed up and poured over a cup of French Vanilla ice cream.

Ahh, so that's that...a great day together in wine country (a locale that can only be topped by wine regions in Italy and France I'm guessing) and some souvenirs to take home! Not to mention a solid idea of wineries to visit and roads to travel in the future!

Cheers!

Where We've Been and Where We Are!

All right, so there have been many miles logged between our wedding at the end of June and now. Seriously, four months and this has what we've been up to:

10-day honeymoon in the Baja--deep sea fishing, snorkeling, exploring, off-roading, eating lots of Mexican food and drinking margaritas as big as your face. 'Nuff said.

Visiting Will's aunt & uncle on Bainbridge Island outside of Seattle. Waking up to the waves of Puget Sound practically lapping at your window is rough I tell you.

Wedding to shoot in Lincoln, Nebraska for a cousin of mine...a whole lotta corn and a surprise flyover (not for the wedding though!) of Air Force One.

A fantastic wedding reception put on by some great southern ladies in Terry, Mississippi! Lots of visiting with friends and family.

Will's graduation from Georgia Tech in Atlanta--quite the getup they made him wear for a PhD graduation, but quite the achievement just getting to that stage in the first place-and now we have a doctor in the house!!!

One of my best friend's wedding in Vernon, BC which I was a bridesmaid for as well as a part-time photographer!

Road trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba where I was born and spent my childhood--an awesome time visiting and finally getting to show Will where my prairie roots are.

Canada road trip interrupted for my green card interview in Atlanta--which went horribly but ended well--the lady was quite nasty to us but in the end I was approved for my card!

Stops in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to visit more family and Lake Louise, Alberta where we were treated to a couple of nights at the Lake Louise Chateau as a wedding present!!! Best view EVER from our window. Will has been talking in a hoity toity voice about the chateau and wanting to eat 'scrumpets' ever since.

An unexpected 2-month stay at my parents' in Vernon, BC when Will's position in France fell through (on the France end of things) and Will began looking for a new job. I had the busiest 6 weeks of shooting yet (including three trips down to Vancouver for shoots) and Will landed a job in the San Jose area of California.

Tonight: After two days of travel with a U-Haul from British Columbia to California we have finally arrived. Customs was a delightful 5-minute ordeal and 20+ hours of driving didn't seem too bad. I conquered my fear of driving a honkin' big U-Haul through rains of Biblical proportions, winding mountain passes that turned my knuckles white, and 6-lane California chaos as Bay area speed demons wove around us in the dark.

So here we are! Soon to start looking for a place and then it's off to Mississippi to get Will's things and ship everything back to California.

Stay tuned for more as I get rid of wedding blog info and keep you posted on our new life in California!!!

Map for Wynndale Presbyterian Church (Reception this Saturday!)

Map for Wynndale Presbyterian Church 

Just click on the link and it'll take you to Google Maps where you can find directions from your location straight to the church!  Can't wait to see you there!!!

Will & Jaime

PS Reception's from 2-5pm, Saturday, July 25!

Directions from Best Western Vernon Lodge to Parker Cove

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Map is actually to Creekside Gardens, the restaurant directly across from Parker Cove.

Directions from Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC:

1. Head north on 32nd St toward 42nd Ave
2. Continue on HWY 97
3. Take the ramp to HWY 97
4. Turn left at HWY 97
5. Turn left at Westside Rd
6. Turn left at Parker Cove Resort

Wedding Day Map & Directions

Best Western Vernon Lodge TO Ceremony TO Reception

Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC to Juniper Bay at Kal Park, BC (Reception Location)

1. Head south on 32nd St toward 39th Ave
2. Turn left at 25th Ave
3. Turn right at HWY 6
4. Turn right at Kalamalka Rd
5. Turn left to stay on Kalamalka Rd
6. Turn right at Postill Dr
7. Turn right at Kidston Rd
8. Turn left at Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park
9. Park in Juniper & Jade Bay Parking Lot (Cost $1/per hr or $3/per day
10. Follow paved path down to Juniper Bay

Juniper Bay at Kal Park, BC to Coldstream Park, BC (Ceremony Location)

1. Travel back towards Vernon on Kidston Rd
2. Turn Right on Coldstream Creek Rd
3. Turn Left on McClounie Rd
4. Turn Right on Kalamalka Rd
5. Turn Right at Coldstream Park just before Coldstream Elementary
6. Park where directed.

Coldstream Park, BC to Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC

1. Head east on Kalamalka Rd
2. Turn left at Aberdeen Rd
3. Turn left at HWY 6
4. Turn left at 25th Ave
5. Turn right at 32nd St
6. Best Western Vernon Lodge will be on your left.

Directions from Best Western Vernon Lodge to SeaTac Airport (through Kamloops)

View Larger Map

Click on the map to get driving directions from Google in both kilometers & miles as well as time estimates.

PS If you're planning on driving back to the States on the Sunday, going through Kamloops will enable you to avoid the Kelowna traffic...just a recommendation.

Directions from SeaTac Airport to Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC

View Larger Map

Click on the map to get driving directions from Google in both kilometers & miles as well as time estimates.

Southern Reception

A southern reception will be held in Terry, Mississippi on Saturday, July 25, 2009.  Time & location to follow.  No RSVP necessary, all are welcome.

The Wedding Day

Here's a look at some of the details surrounding our wedding day...

We are getting married on Saturday, June 27, 2009 at Juniper Bay in Vernon, BC at 10:30 in the morning next to Kalamalka Lake.  Parking is $1.00 per car, per hour or $3.00 per car for the day. Guests will need to walk a few minutes down a paved trail to the beach where the ceremony will take place.  You may want to avoid wearing heels as they'll sink into the grass and sand--dress is more casual than an indoor/church/formal wedding.  Please bring sunglasses or hats if the weather is warm.  There are outhouses located at the top & bottom of the trails (yeah, it's probably not considered polite to mention the word 'outhouses' in a wedding description, but we're not exactly formal people, and this is a provincial park after all!).  Family photos will take place immediately the ceremony, so if you're part of our family, please stick around!

An afternoon reception will take place just a five minutes' drive north at Coldstream Park and will begin at 1:00 pm.  Parking is free.  The reception will be casual with a few toasts and thank you's, but will mostly allow for us to mingle with our guests and for people to visit with one another.  A lunch buffet of appetizers and desserts will be served and chairs will be provided. The park is shaded and there are park washrooms available.  There is also a playground to help keep your little ones occupied, but please note that the park is situated alongside a creek, so you'll want to keep an eye on that!

Maps & Directions to come...

   

Crossing The Canada-US Border

Helpful Information for Crossing the Canada-US Border...

Border Crossings:  The Canada Border Services Agency can give you estimates on Canada-bound wait times, and U.S. Customs & Border Protection can give you estimates on US-bound wait times.  While driving, you can tune into AM730 for border traffic updates.  www.borderlineups.com provides more information from the Canadian side of the border,as well as webcams from the Canadian side. If you're traveling from Seattle to Vernon, you'll want to bypass Vancouver traffic and take the Abbotsford/Sumas crossing, but if you'd like to visit Vancouver, you'll probably want to take the Peace Arch/Blaine crossing.

ID Requirements:  As of June 1, 2009 all US citizens are required to have a passport or other government approved documents in order to cross the border into Canada and return to the US either by land, sea, or air. Please take a look at the following information issued by the US State Department.

Rental Vehicles: You may need to have specific documentation from your rental company that allows you to cross the border.  Check with your rental company for details.

Travel Insurance:  "No Canadian health care provider accepts U.S. domestic health insurance, and Medicare coverage does not extend outside the United States. Visitors who seek any medical attention in Canada should be prepared to pay in cash in full at the time the service is rendered. Traveler’s medical insurance is highly recommended even for brief visits." (travel.state.gov) Unless your health care coverage includes international travel, visit AAA for reasonable rates.

Gettin' Hitched!

Hey there!  Just wanted to make sure you knew that you've come to the right place if you're looking for details regarding the wedding of Will Fenwick from Mississippi & Jaime Lauren from British Columbia.  Stay tuned!

Directions from Vernon to Parker Cove

Wedding Day Directions

The Wedding Day

Southern Reception

How We Met

Whenever we introduce ourselves as a couple, we're always asked how we met. People hear Will's distinct southern drawl or find out that Jaime's from Canada, and are curious to discover how our paths crossed; seeing as how our homes are well across the continent from each other, no natural assumption comes to mind regarding our beginnings as a couple. So in case you don't know our story, read on...

The story begins with two friendships, the first between two young boys, growing up as neighbours in the Deep South. Will Fenwick and Michael Stewart were just in grade school when their friendship formed, and as they grew up their friendship solidified. Everything from common interests like baseball and football, to passionate debates surrounding Scripture and Faith were shared; they tied for high school valedictorian and even both caught the same fish on the same cast (a dramatic tale best heard when told by both). Both went to Mississippi State University in Starkville after graduating from Terry High School in 2000, and often escaped to the local wildlife refuge to hunt during the fall. It was during this time that Michael began dating Elizabeth Shehane who was to become a mutual friend of theirs. 

Elizabeth Shehane had started dating Michael Stewart while at home in Mississippi on a break from school in New York City. Liz was studying music performance and had initially caught Michael's eye while she was singing during a Sunday service at Emmanuel, the church they both attended in Starkville. Her love of music and passion for life sparked not only Michael's interest, but was part of the common bond shared by Liz and a friend of hers she'd met in Russia.

In 1999, Liz Shehane from Mississippi and Jaime Lauren from British Columbia both landed separately in Moscow, Russia for a short-term missions trip with the Kindness Foundation. Expressive, creative, and outgoing, the two became fast friends and bonded over their shared passion for music, life, and adventure in general. Despite the brevity of the trip, both knew they'd forged a lasting friendship, and one year later, Jaime found her way to Liz's hometown of Starkville.

Upon her first night in Liz's family's home, Jaime lay awake in bed listening to the crickets harmonize outside and sensed that there was something truly special about Mississippi and knew she'd found a 'second home' of sorts. No it didn't have the California climate she loved, or the West Coast geography she was used to, but there was something that pulled her back time and time again over the next few years. Mississippi was like a rich southern cocktail composed of syrupy jazz and sweet tea, antebellum homes and downhome hospitality which Jaime drank up every time.

One of Jaime's visits was after she'd graduated from Emily Carr and had begun her own photography business. She came to photograph the wedding of Liz's younger brother David to her good friend Joy. Liz and Michael had married a few years prior and Jaime had attended that wedding as well. It was there that she and Will Fenwick, one of Michael's groomsmen, crossed paths, but not until David & Joy's wedding did a spark ignite.

Will had come over to Starkville for David & Joy's wedding from Atlanta where he was in the middle of doing his PhD in Electrical Engineering. The bride & groom had asked him to play the bagpipes and so he arrived at the wedding in full Scottish regalia to pipe for them. The dramatic ensemble looked like a perfect photo op for Jaime, so we went outside to get a few shots. Something about Will's steady demeanor and bold confidence unnerved Jaime, and so she finished shooting as quickly as possible. 'Amazing Grace' couldn't have ended faster in her mind. Will, on the other hand, was intrigued by Jaime's independence and adventurous spirit. We shared several short interactions over the next couple of days and after Will left for Georgia, Jaime couldn't shake the nagging thought that there was something special about Will.

Not too long after, Will contacted Jaime to ask about putting together a photo book for some of his family members using the photos she took of him piping. Only too willing, Jaime got to work on the book and we fell into comfortable and almost daily correspondence. After a few months, we spoke on the phone and decided soon after to visit on Jaime's next trip to Mississippi (which, not coincidentally, was two months away). As the trip grew closer, we both gained confidence that our friendship seemed to be evolving into something more. Our shared spiritual beliefs, mutual lifestyle values, common interests and open communication were all essential in solidifying our relationship, which continued to rest on a foundation of peace. Aside from all this, there was a definite spark and attraction between us, which proved to be the icing on the cake. 

On November 9, 2007, we met up in Starkville and hours later had made it official that we were a couple. Neither of us had ever been in a relationship before as we'd been waiting for the right person to come along, but that day there was a definite unspoken knowledge between us that this was a relationship to hold on to. We spent a total of 10 days together throughout the month of November and parted ways after sharing squirrel hunting and football games, long walks and late nights on the porch swing. It would be almost 5 months before we would see each other again.

The following spring, Jaime flew down to Atlanta to visit Will and to spend some time in Mississippi with friends. Despite the time apart, we had grown close through email, phone calls and letter-writing. There was something about the distance that made every exchange special and nothing taken for granted. It was not too long after that trip that Will told Jaime he loved her and of course she responded in kind. With those feelings out on the table, we began to discuss our possible future together, and shortly after, decided that marriage was the next step. After, of course, Will met Jaime's parents.

In June, Will flew to British Columbia to meet Jaime's family and to finally see the place she called home. We had discussed ring sizes and styles, and Jaime figured that Will would be proposing on this trip, but didn't want to get her hopes up. As Will's visit drew to a close, Jaime grew nervous wondering why he hadn't popped the question yet, but little did she know that the ring Will had designed hadn't arrived yet. It hadn't been ready when Will flew to Canada, so it had to be shipped up. Meanwhile, Will was waiting to talk to her parents--waiting until there was a ring this side of the border. On Sunday, June 6, after the morning Jaime took her first tandem skydive jump, Will talked to her parents and asked to marry her. That night after a couple dozen family and friends came by to meet Will and visit with everyone, we walked down to the beach on Okanagan Lake where Will knelt in the sand and asked Jaime to be his wife. Obviously the answer was yes, and here we are, 3 1/2 months before the wedding which will have been almost one year since Will's proposal, and two years since we began a friendship. 

It's been a story that neither of us could have orchestrated ourselves, and both of us, along with our families and close friends, truly believe that our relationship is God's will for our lives. We are so excited about what He has in store for us!

Guest Space

Feel free to use this space leave us a note, ask questions, or get in touch with other guests...

Registry Information

Hi there!

For those of you who have visited this section to find out the details regarding our wedding registry, let us first just thank you for all that you've contributed to our lives and our relationship.  We can't wait to celebrate our marriage with you and hope that you're able to make it to the wedding in Canada or the reception in the States, or both!

We have decided to welcome contributions to our honeymoon & travel fund in addition to the traditional wedding registry. We are registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond both online and in-store.  You'll note that in the registries our event date is set for July 25, 2009--this is the date of the southern reception that will be held in Mississippi.

Thank you so much for your friendship and support!

Will Fenwick & Jaime Lauren

    

Directions from Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC to Parker Cove, BC

Directions from Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC (through Kamloops)
Directions from SeaTac airport to the Best Western Vernon Lodge, BC (through Kelowna)
Crossing the Canada-US Border