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Laurel and Pam of The Sugar Plum Sisters share how they got their families together for the perfect weekend outing.
Growing up in the Fraser Valley, we have often enjoyed going into the city as a family to visit all our favourite spots: boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops. Especially in recent years, as our kids transition into teens and young adults, these trips have become a necessity. Park Royal is perfect because it really is a one-stop shopping destination, and it checks all the boxes for our family. My son, Lincoln, and my husband Scott can do the sports-obsessed thing visiting Nike, Sneakerbox and Sport Chek, while the girls and I visit all of our favourites: Zara, Aritzia, Urban Outfitters, Oak + Fort and Anthropologie.Our first stop? Coffee, or course! Caffè Artigiano is the perfect pit stop en route to the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal to ensure you have something delicious to enjoy in the lineup. Naturally, this is also the ideal place to begin a day of shopping. Their coffee is roasted to perfection, so in addition to the drink in your hand, be sure to grab some beans to bring home.A couple of months ago, the Winners in Park Royal had some amazing Louis Vuitton handbags. No joke, this Winners is the best one I’ve visited to date. Their designer section is full of high end goods, always with a generous discount. I highly suggest you give yourself lots of time to make your way through here.While at Park Royal, why not knock groceries off your list, too? Whole Foods Market is such a treat (are we the only ones that get excited about a grocery store?), so whenever we know we’ll be close to a Whole Foods, we pack a cooler bag and stock up on some specialty items. My daughter, Nina, is celiac, so she goes to town picking out gluten-free foods. This time we picked up three different gluten-free pizzas so she could do a little taste testing.Maybe we’re simply looking for any excuse to for all of us to spend a day together, but we always make sure to tack on some good food—and who’s going to say no to that?To end our day, we headed to Trattoria for dinner. Nina’s heart was full at the sight of so many gluten-free options and their attention to her dietary needs. We highly suggest a table on the upper patio if the weather is favourable as well.On our next trip, we plan to get an earlier start and include a stroll along Ambleside Beach, or a stop at Capilano Suspension Bridge. Plus, we’ve all agreed that in the future, our back to school shopping could be done here in one shot. Yes, please!
On our most recent trip to Park Royal, my family focused on the many summer sales. It’s the perfect time of year for us to head there, as my son, Mac, will be going back to school soon. He seems to outgrow his clothes every time he comes home, so we try to get him stocked up.On our last visit, we spent some time wandering the shops before stopping for lunch at Caffè Artigiano. Go-to order: the almond milk latte!Park Royal really does have something for everyone in our family. Simons is a great stop for high end designers like Comme des Garcons. They also carry a wide selection of Nike, Adidas, Fila, Vans and Champion, so Mac was thrilled. Hot tip: check their stock for brands that are often sold out at other stores. Their swimsuit section is made up of tons of separates, ensuring you can get the perfect fit no matter your size.Park Royal has all of our favourite stores in one place, including SEPHORA, Urban Outfitters, Aritzia and New Age Nike. We like to hunt for deals on discounted designer brands at Saks OFF 5TH as well.At Oak + Fort, Mac found a white on white tee that was on sale and looked pretty fresh with his new white runners. For you savvy deal hunters, keep an eye out for Oak + Fort’s warehouse sale.Travelling back and forth to school (and every activity in between) requires a durable, yet stylish backpack, and RYU has that in spades. Their customer service and product knowledge is always impressive, so you’re sure to find the help you need.Another insider tip: Blaze Pizza will be opening up at Park Royal very soon. Their pizzas are fully customizable—think high-end Subway for pizzas—and they have gluten-free crust available as well. Back to school shopping with a side of pizza, anyone?
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