MenuBack

Category Archive for Alternative Canada

A Roadtrip in Remembrance of Rose. A beautiful BC Ferries trip to Sunshine Coast, Langdale, Sechelt.

bc ferries horseshoe bay langdale

As you may have seen on my social media, I recently lost a close friend — Rose Schwarz.

Many of you have followed our Gothic adventures over the years. Rose’s passion for life and artistic talent (especially her bold style) resonated with everyone who met her, or even just got to know her online.

This post is in tribute to Rose — but let’s not make it a sad one. We’ll dress up, have a road trip, visit her family, and marvel at her incredible collection of treasures ranging from freaky to kawaii. Life is short, so let’s live it as fiercely as she did! I can think of no better way to honor Rose’s spirit.

twin gothic lolita girls

I’d like to first thank all of your for your kindness throughout Rose’s long battle. As you may have heard, Rose was battling undiagnosed Lyme disease, gastroparesis and resulting complications for over a decade. She was in constant pain, yet kept on fighting hard and looking to the future. Despite her family’s unwavering efforts to get her the best treatments and doctors, the disease had progressed too far. Rose passed away gracefully on Jan 11, 2017 at age 28.

I’m honored and grateful that I had Rose in my life. She inspired me to be myself to the fullest. She fearlessly expressed her passions, personality and creativity, regardless of what anyone else might think. Rose made friends everywhere she went; I’ve rarely seen such a magnetic, positive spirit. Above all, she was a wonderful friend to me, and I’ll miss her.

rose schwarz, gothic style

I know her parents well, and they put absolutely everything they had into Rose’s medical care. I’d love to help them get back on their feet again, after the loss of their only child.

● How you can support: You could donate directly to her family on Fundrazr. Alternately, I’d love to send you anything from my shop — come see my available items here and email me (gothiccarmina att gmail dot com), letting me know what you’d like. All proceeds this month will go direct to Rose’s family.

It’s a win-win — you get some fabulous fashion (I priced everything to clear!), and this will help them out enormously. You can browse my shop here and I’m happy to answer any questions.

horseshoe bay terminal west vancouver

As long-time readers know, I’ve had many incredible road trips with Rose over the years. We got in all sorts of shenanigans with like-minded, Gothic spirits! I know she’d want us to give her a send-off in the same fabulous style — so that’s what we did.

Rob and I are two of her best friends, and we met up to attend her celebration of life in Sechelt (on the Sunshine Coast, a 45 min ferry ride from Vancouver). It was an easy drive to Horseshoe Bay, the ferry terminal in West Vancouver. I hung an absinthe necklace from Rose on the rearview mirror; we played Garbage, Marilyn Manson and Sopor Aeternus CDs — and it was like old times.

hello kitty shoes, yru boots

I was excited to sail once again with BC Ferries. I don’t do enough exploring in my own backyard, yet there’s so much to see on the coast of British Columbia.

Rob and I had advance ticket reservations for the Langdale route, so we rolled right in to this scenic spot. (It’s easy to reserve on the BC Ferries site, and they have a lot of useful travel information). While we waited a short time for the ferry to open its gates, we took in views of the ocean — and snapped some photos of my Hello Kitty shoes. (I’m letting them go on my shop, with proceeds to Rose, in case you want to snatch them up!)

blackmilk mummy dress

All aboard! This ferry is one of the smaller ones, but it has picture windows all around for stunning views of the Pacific Northwest coast and islands.

bc ferries interior ferry seats

I can’t believe this was my first ferry ride to the Sunshine Coast. It’s only a 45 minutes journey: an easy day trip from Vancouver, and a way to escape the city and enjoy the wildlife.

british columbia ferry boat view

Rose lived in Sechelt, and rode this ferry often. I felt like she was with us on the entire journey.

I’m wearing the pink feathered headband that Rose made for me — she was a natural talent at making accessories. My velvet body-con dress is by Black Milk — a bloody bleeding mummy design that she would have adored.

bc ferries sailing trip, day trips

Rob and I went out onto the ferry deck. The view was mind-blowing (get it?). We’re lucky to live by the ocean, and surrounded by nature.

pirate skull glove, patch

Tis a Pirate’s life for us! We enjoyed the ride so much that we’re already planning future getaways.

bc ferries vacations, destinations

In April, BC Ferries is launching a new Salish Orca route from Powell River to Comox (from the Sunshine Coast to Vancouver Island) that sounds like a fun and scenic sail. The Salish vessels are also designed to reduce emissions, as they use either natural gas or ultra-low sulphur diesel.

andy biersack makeup jacket

Along the way, Rob and I reminisced about Rose. I’m glad I documented so many of her outfits, handmade accessories and makeup from these fun times.

leather jacket punk diy patches pins

I took a snap of Rob’s “Genuine Monster Parts” patch and spooky pins. Rose’s story is a sharp reminder to see your friends and family, and make good memories while you can. 

black milk bloody mummy wrap dress

My stylist, Stephanie Hoy at Sugar Skull Studio, dyed my hair rose-colored in her honor. The undercut in the back is leopard print, as Rose used to do (see photo further down in this story). My bloody bandages dress is by Black Milk.

bc tourism, ferries to vancouver islands

Getting close! We got back into the car, and drove off the BC ferry. Then it took about 30 minutes to reach Sechelt, where Rose and her family live.

oracle occult store, blue buddha statue

I had never been to Sechelt, which has a population of 9000, and a peaceful hippie vibe. We stopped inside this Oracle store and browsed Buddha statues and tarot decks. 

sechelt gibsons bc

Many Vancouverites have vacation homes or summer cabins here. Even in February, the rocky beaches are some of the most beautiful in the region.

davis bay beach

Secluded beaches and rugged coasts, framed by old-growth forests and the towering Coast Mountains — wow! We stopped to take in the panoramic ocean vistas.

langdale pier, beaches

This is Davis Bay: a long pebbled beach coastline with a wooden fishing pier jutting out from the shore.

sunshine coast beach, wood jetty

We wandered down the wooden planks, towards the water. There was recently a lot of snow and rain, but the sun arrived for us.

bc islands fishing statue

Next to the pier, I noticed a statue of a fisherman casting a line. You’ll see lots of fishing boats around here year-round. In the summer, vacationers take part in kayaking, sailing, scuba and swimming.

secret beach sunshine coast

There’s a reason they call this “Beautiful British Columbia.” I had also recently visited Victoria (on Vancouver Island) by ferry — here’s the post in case you missed it.

travel blogger vancouver bc

The blue sky blends into the mountains and ocean. It’s hard to make out where each one begins and ends.

british columbia travel blog

The name “Sechelt” means “land between two waters” in the Coast Salish language. Double mind-blowing.

la carmina pink hair

I asked for rose colored hair, to remember my friend. My stylist Stephanie Hoy at Sugar Skull Studio delivered.

leopard print undercut, hair tattoo

She re-did my undercut… with leopard print spots, just like Rose used to rock! Stephanie buzzed off the lower layers, then painted the animal print pattern in blue and dark purple with her fingers.

hello kitty sanrio boots shoes

Rose and I always loved funky, kawaii shoes (as you’ll see if you keep reading). She’d go crazy for these Sanrio booties.

bc travel nature tourism

Later that afternoon, Rob and I went to Rose’s celebration of life. The Sechelt community gathered to share slideshows, music and thoughts about her.

However, we first visited Rose’s parents at home to catch up in privately, and in person.

rose schwarz lyme disease

We arrived bearing Gothic red wine and roses. It was great to see her parents again, as we’ve known them for years. Around the home, they had framed photos of us and Rose.

rilakkuma stuffed toys, kawaii

Her parents had gone through the heartbreaking task of sorting out Rose’s belongings. I always knew Rose had a keen eye for collectables — but I was amazed by the mountain of cute Japanese stuffed animals! The lazy bear Rilakkuma is one of her favorite kawaii characters, as you can see. There’s also Doraemon and Disney’s Marie in there.

taxidermy kitten, mouse

Rose had a knack for finding intriguing taxidermy online, and customising the pelts with her signature flair. Rob took home the taxidermy kitten and white mouse that she gave devil horns.

Japanese Vintage cat bobble heads

In the last few years, Rose was unfortunately unable to even leave her home, as she had gotten too sick.

However, she never lost her passion for vintage / Japanese / cute design. She surrounded herself with collectables that reflected her personality and made her smile. If you shake the table, these cat bobble-head dolls will nod their heads in agreement.

sweet lolita goth punk girl

As you know from our outfit posts, Rose lived for fashion. She experimented and combined styles, and rocked them all — from sweet pastel Japanese Lolita, to punk corset deconstruction. Many of her accessories were DIY original pieces. 

unicorn pastel goth fashion

Rose’s dad built a rack to hold her clothes. I see rainbow unicorns, Goth horror stripes, and tops from her favorite Japanese underground labels Hellcatpunks and Sex Pot Revenge.

Her family will be selling her clothing, although it will take some time to figure out the best way. If you’d like to contact them about purchasing something that belonged to Rose, you’re welcome to via their Fundrazr (but please be patient, as it may take some time before they can properly list all the items).

big plush tiger head

I’m sure you will recognise the pink hat from our wine hotel trip (there’s also a photo at the end of this post).

black cat shoes, unicorn slippers

Rose and I always bonded over our love of cute meets Gothic fashion. Those cat shoes were tempting, but I ended up with the unicorn slippers instead.

vintage creepy dolls, animals

There were tables upon tables of her belongings… in this Instagram video, you can see everything from antique bunnies to Sailor Moon jewellery.

taxidermy collection, goth house

Rose was fond of taxidermy — her interests and hobbies were wide ranging. She typically put a whimsical twist on them, such as the Cracker Jack box the paws.

rainbow brite cat plush animal 80s

When it came to retro kitsch, Rose knew her stuff. She had My Little Ponies from the 1980s, and this obscure Rainbow Brite plush cat from 1983!

vintage weird stuffed animals collection

I could imagine Rose having a successful online shop, or curating vintage, or designing… so many possibilities, if only she had time.

Rushton rubber face panda bear

Rob holds up a 1960s Rushton rubber face doll. Hard to believe that children would have these in their rooms! The creepy panda would give me nightmares… I’ll stick to Miffy.

creepy scary Rushton dolls

Rose was motivated, intelligent, talented… there was so much she wanted to do, and would have excelled at. She did well in both arts and sciences, and dreamed of studying forensic pathology. She and I made plans to visit Japan and other destinations worldwide, but she never got the chance.

It’s tragic that her Lyme disease went undiagnosed, and I hope we can increase awareness so that others don’t slip through the cracks. I encourage you to learn more here about Lyme’s cause and symptoms, and the ways that we can help those who are suffering.

depop store seller fundraiser

I hope you might consider helping out Rose’s family — this month, ALL proceeds from my clothing sale goes to them. (It’s also possible to make a contribution to her fund.)

1) Browse the available items in my store here,  and email me (gothiccarmina att gmail dot com) letting me know what you’d like. No need to use the app, you can simply tell me what interests you.

2) I’ll send you a care package, and funds go direct to Rose’s family. I have cute accessories, makeup, clothing, Lolita dresses, scarves and much moreThank you everyone for your kindness

la carmina friend rose

I’ll leave you with dozens of old photos of Rose, which I uploaded to this Facebook album. I’ve changed a lot over the years, but she’ll continue to be one of my dearest friends, and inspire me for the rest of my life.

The last words go to Rob: “Rose was my sister and even when things were getting worse, I never thought she wouldn’t be there. Now that she’s gone, I’ve lost a small piece of myself. All I can really say is: I miss my friend.”

Thank you for reading, and lots of hugs.

SHARE & COMMENT

Sailing with BC Ferries from Vancouver to Victoria! Chinti & Parker Miffy, Vysen Eyewear, Devilish 666.

black white striped sailor shirt outfit

Ahoy from British Columbia, Canada! 

Although I’ve been to beautiful destinations around the world, it’s hard to surpass my home province in the summertime. Vancouver and its surrounding islands are paradise this time of the year: the perfect weather for whale watching and lazing on the beach.

I’ve been feeling the urge to sail away… So I booked a weekend getaway to Victoria, on BC FerriesThis popular ferry runs between various points on the coast and Vancouver Island.

chinti and parker miffy fashion, top

The BC ferry deck is open to all passengers, and turned out to be the ideal location to shoot my new Chinti and Parker x Miffy striped shirt! (My “radiation rings” choker is by Devil666ish.)

As you know, I’m mad about Miffy, and even made a journey to her Nijntje Museum in the Netherlands. Chinti and Parker (the luxury ready to wear label) teamed up with Miffy on a capsule line. They’ve released the softest cotton shirts and cashmere sweaters, emblazoned with the X-mouthed bunny.

I’ve long been a fan of Chinti and Parker’s designs, such as their sweet star sweater and similar striped top with a cat-face pocket. More favorites from this brand are below; click for info…

bc ferries boat, victoria

BC Ferries has frequent sailings between Vancouver to Victoria (and other parts of the island). I recommend making a reservation on their website so that you can walk or drive your car right on board.

Then, you can relax and enjoy the peaceful 1.5 hour ride, with some of the best scenery on the planet.

vysen eyewear, lavender sunglasses

The ferry ride is pure enjoyment. Many passengers grabbed coffee and sandwiches from the on-board cafe (including selections from the much-loved restaurant White Spot). Then they stepped out onto the long wrap-around deck, and basked in the sun and Pacific Ocean views.

For the occasion, I dressed in Goth sailor style. My sunglasses are from Vysen Eyewear, a young label that creates modern-meets-retro designs with Italian craftsmanship. I’m wearing the Aviva Polarized frames: these lavender shades match my hair.

goth sailor fashion blogger

● My nautical stripes matched with the “Spirit of British Columbia: Victoria” lifesaver.

● The black pencil skirt is by my friend Erbert Chong, a talented young designer on the rise.  He’s showing his collection at Paris Fashion Week on September 24.

● My black hat is by Lack of Color Australia. I’m actually selling it here on my Depop shop now, in case you’d like to have it!

skeleton anklet, devilish666

● These unique high-heeled sandals are by Le Babe of Italy.

● Is there a ghost pirate ship in the waters? It looks like a bony skeleton hand grabbing my leg! This spook-tacular clear anklet is from Devilish 666. They carry devilishly dark chokers, harnesses and other nu Goth accessories.

seawest lounge, bc ferries vip

Back inside the vessel, I relaxed in the BC Ferries Seawest Lounge.  For $12, you get unlimited drinks and snacks, and can choose from a selection of newspapers and magazines. Best of all, you can enjoy the coastal views in a private, quiet space. 

bc ferry vancouver island

I curled up in my lounge chair, and watched Pacific Northwest islands float by. An announcement came over the speakers: there were whales outside! I didn’t manage to get a photo of the creatures, but saw them playing in these waters.

sailing fashion, fetish choker

More close-ups of my purple sunglasses from Vysen Eyewear, and metal rings choker from Devil666ish

(If you enjoy my outfits, I welcome you to check out my wardrobe sale here.  I’m selling a lot of my clothes at low prices!)

chinti and parker loves miffy shirt

My Chinti and Parker x Miffy top has a Sailor Moon meets nautical vibe. How cute is the bunny, resting on a yellow crescent moon and surrounded by stars?

This label has a cat and stripes version of this shirt too, and more adorable fashion below:

cordova bay, victoria bc

In an hour and a half, the ferry docked in Swartz Bay. Time to explore Victoria, the capital of British Columbia and largest city on the island.

Tourists tend to see Butchart Gardens and the Parliament buildings (I went to all these places as a child). However, my friends and I prefer to enjoy the beaches and natural beauty of Victoria. There’s a hippie, laid-back feeling here that reminds me of northern California.

cordova bay beach, vancouver island

I headed south to Cordova Bay, located less than a 20 minutes drive from the ferry terminal.

I arrived at a warm, sand and pebble beach framed by cottages and cute restaurants. This is a local’s destination; you won’t find it crowded with tourists.

monster zombie eye bow hair

I tied back my hair with this “monstrous” black bow with a zombie eye, by Devilish 666.

nu goth choker, devil666ish

Devilish makes this fetish-style Gothic choker as well, which is my current favorite. My berry lip gloss is this one by Anastasia Beverly Hills. 

swartz bay, bc

Grab some ice cream, go for a canoe ride, get drinks on the patio… this is how Vancouver Island shines in the summer.

If you’re in Vancouver, don’t miss out on Victoria and its surroundings. You can even ride BC Ferries to/from the mainland on the same day, for an easy getaway.

vysen eyewear, lack of color hat

A sailor’s salute to BC Ferries for the joyful experience. Their fleet is spacious and reliable, and there’s so much to see and do that you might not want the ride to end!

(I recommend booking in advance on the BC Ferries website, which also has plenty of helpful travel info, packages and even gift certificates).

powell street festival japanese vancouver

I’ll end with some bonus summer photos from Vancouver. I met up with my friend Mujitsu to explore the Powell Street Festival, which celebrates Japanese food and heritage.

We’re both wearing dresses by Gladnews, the Japanese alternative brand. My jacket is Sailor Moon and my shoes are these exact Sorel sandals. My white cat-eye sunglasses are by Dolce and Gabbana.

big maneki neko statue

Did you know there were summer attractions like these in Vancouver and Victoria? I hope you’ll visit BC, and pose with this fortune cat for yourself! (Above two photos by Daniel Wennerholm.)

girls love travel instagram, tourism influencers

Have you been enjoying the summer months? Did you travel anywhere, or do something special?

PS: I’ve been adding more videos to my Instagram, which are found nowhere else. You can see them at username @lacarmina.

SHARE & COMMENT