Looking out from our cottage by the sea, over the wild and windy waters towards Victoria, we’d catch the corner of a sunset each night. Whether the day had been warm or cold, rainy, blustery, or blissful there was always this unmistakable hint of hot pink in the sky. Some nights it was subtle, but every now and then we’d be lucky enough to soak in the most magical hot pink sunset.

As a I kid I remember loving the fact that my grandpa had a huge assortment of art supplies and paints. He had a huge selection of all the best neon colors - neon oil paints, neon watercolors, neon pastels, neon chalk. Now, being a kid in the 80s and a lover of puff paint and spandex bike shorts, clearly I loved neon too. But I never really understood why my grandpa, who didn’t share my love for Ocean Pacific or slap bracelets, would have such a startlingly great selection of neon on hand.

Cue the aha moment! The hot pink San Juan Island sunsets are the stuff that not only dreams, but also immensely large paint collections are made of. Another vacation swoon.

Ps: for some reason I was caught up in all the bliss and goodness of these sunsets that I didn’t snap a pic. My not nearly as hot pink shoes will have to stand in.