Back in August, at the first Junior League meeting of the new league the year, Kid President asked me, “What do you want to teach the world?” In response, I started this blog to create a platform with which I could teach the world something. I am still experimenting with exactly what to teach, but I’m especially thankful to the JLI for inspiring me to start writing again, and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to give back to them! If you aren’t familiar with this fantastic organization of women, the Junior League is a national non-profit committed to 3 simple things: 

• Promoting volunteerism
  
• Developing the potential of women
  
• Improving the community through trained volunteers

It is now the time of year when the Junior League of Indianapolis puts on their largest fundraiser of the year: Holiday Mart.

Another one of my favorites is Indianapolis local shop Delaney’s, specializing in fashion, gifts, and home goods. I found a fabulous cape there last year. 

Holiday Mart opens Wednesday, Nov 12 for a special preview event called Shopper’s Eve, which includes valet parking, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction. This is loads of fun, but don’t worry if you miss it; Girls Night Out is on Friday, Nov 14 at 6 pm, which is a similar deal with complimentary desserts, cocktails, swag bags, and special discounts. But you don’t need a special event to get your shop on! General admission shopping hours are listed below:

• Thursday, November 13 10 am - 8 pm
  
• Friday, November 14 10 am - 5 pm
  
• Saturday, November 15 10 am - 8 pm
  
• Sunday, November 16 11 am - 5 pm

Tickets for Girl’s Night Out are $25 and tickets for general admission are $10, both available at Marsh supermarkets or at the door. However, if you are local and ready to shop this weekend, you’re in luck: I have 2 free general admission tickets to giveaway! Just follow these 2 steps and I’ll draw a random winner by 4pm, Thursday, November 13.

1. Share a link to your favorite Overdressed & Overeducated blog post on any social media platform you want. 
2. Either tag me in your share or comment below with the link to your share on social media and include your email. 

I’ll contact you ASAP to coordinate the best way to get you your tickets! And thanks in advance for supporting the Junior League! 

Coming from several sunny days in provincial Victoria, BC this past August, the dreary, gray city streets of Vancouver took me off guard upon arrival. Even as our bus entered the nicer area of the city (as indicated by the Tiffany storefront we pulled up to), I remained unimpressed. The chilly rain didn’t help, and as Mr. O&O and I lugged suitcases past more and more uninviting facades, I wondered if we shouldn’t turn around and spend the remainder of our holiday back where we came from.

Luckily, the instant we entered our art-inspired hotel, I started finding reasons to stay that trumped my dismal impression of Vancouver, and these reasons grew the longer I remained. In fact, Vancouver proved to be a hidden gem, and to make up for my quick judgment, here are 5 fantastic things Vancouver, BC has to offer any visitor: 

5. The Views
Being what it was, my first impression of Vancouver captured only the interior city streets lined with run-down buildings and an unadorned Starbucks on every corner. Little did I know what lay in-store on the coast of this seaport city. Within about an hour of checking in, Mr. O&O and I ventured out to rent bikes and explore Stanley Park. After securing our bikes and helmets (required by law), we set out along the 13.6 mile seawall. My change of heart was almost instantaneous. The first noteworthy sight I noticed along our waterfront ride was the outline of the five sails of Canada Place against the late afternoon sky. We soon happened upon several other picturesque landmarks, including the Brockton Point Lighthouse, a “Girl in a Wetsuit” statue, and English Bay Beach, a small sandy area where we stopped to admire a beach bridal portrait session. The endless beauty the panoramic seawall provided was the perfect way to kick off our stay in this city of hidden treasures.

4. The Outdoors
In addition to being an easily walkable and bikeable city, the mountains of North Vancouver offer excellent hiking trails in the summer and skiing for the winter months. The two main spots for these activities are Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. Capilano boasts a huge suspension bridge to hike over, while Grouse’s main attraction (other than skiing in winter) is the infamous “Grind,” a 1.8-mile stone stair master. According to a local, the MLS soccer players run the Grind as part of their workouts. If you aren’t much of a hiker, I do NOT recommend this trail. On the way up we passed a poor little boy crying to his father about how he couldn’t go on. I totally felt his pain! It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, and I only made it about a quarter of the way up! But it was pretty fun, and even the little bit I did was a great work out.  

Luckily for the boy, the mountain has another way up, which includes some spectacular views and several unique activities at the top, including a birds of prey show, logging skit, grizzly bear refuge, and warm lodge at which to refuel.

If you’re staying downtown like we were, you can catch a free shuttle from either Canada Place up to Grouse Mountain or from Blue Horizon Hotel up to Capilano. If you have the whole day, good weather, and are up for it, try tackling both! Just take the shuttle from Canada Place to Grouse first, hop on city bus #236 (takes exact change in Canadian coins ONLY) down to Capilano and show your Grouse Mountain ticket for $2 off at the bridge, then use your Capilano ticket to take the free shuttle back to Blue Horizon.

3. The Sports
One of the reasons we came to Vancouver when we did was to catch a Whitecaps game. Second in local popularity only to the NHL Canucks, the streets were a buzz and newly-renovated BC Place was packed, although the weather wasn’t quite nice enough to open the retractable roof. They played the Portland Timbers and unfortunately lost, but we had a blast and the fans were diehard. Hockey and soccer fans aren’t the only ones enjoying the sports playground of Vancouver either; you can also see the BC Lions play football from June – November, or try to catch a fly ball at a Vancouver Canadians game over the summer. 

2. The People
This is the one aspect of Vancouver that, from the cheerful hotel clerk checking us in to the woman who generously paid our cab fare on the way out, never wavered from excellence. Everyone we came into contact with was incredibly pleasant, helpful, and friendly. The entire staff of our hotel, The Listel, earned our undying loyalty. They happily recommended restaurants, bike rentals, walking routes, and even dancing venues. We also made friends with our tour guide, chatted like old friends with our waiters, and even found willing photographers every time we asked.

Next, we visited Italian Kitchen for an upscale taste of their signature meatballs, fresh burrata, and heirloom tomatoes paired beautifully with a not-too-sweet 2013 Tinhorn Creek Gewurztraminer.