Wine & Cheese Fundraiser to Support the Ride to Conquer Cancer

The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer^® is a two-day cycling event from Vancouver to Seattle (classic route) that takes place on June 16-17, 2012 . The money raised for The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefits BC Cancer Foundation to support leading clinicians, scientists, and researchers to accelerate the conquest of cancer. More Info? http://www.conquercancer.ca

On February 22, 2012,  the Bikes for Mike team will be hosting a Wine and Cheese fundraiser to help them achieve their goal of $12,500. Tickets are on sale for $35 each, with all proceeds going to The Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting the BC Cancer Foundation.

Wine & Cheese Fundraiser

February 22, 2012
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Legacy Liquor Store (map)
TICKETS $35

Contact: bikesformike@gmail.com or 604-781-0931

Canadian Ski Council's 2011 Discount Lift Pass Program

The Canadian Ski Council (CSC) is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to introduce people to the healthy lifestyle of skiing and snowboarding. The Canadian Ski Council is offering discount ski lift tickets, for as low as $20, as part of the 21st Annual Discount Lift Pass Program.

Approximately 150 ski and snowboard facilities across Canada are participating in the 2011/2012 program. There are 7 classes of ticket grouping (from $20-$62 per lift ticket) and passes can only be purchased in booklets of 20 lift passes. The lift passes can be used anytime across Canada at any of the participating facilities in the same ticket class. The lift passes can also be used individually and/or shared with family members, friends and/or colleagues.

Please Note:
• Read the mandatory rules and regulations page before purchasing.
• There are 7 different ticket classes/groupings in which the passes are sold.
• Limit of 4 lift pass packages (80 tickets) per household/business.
• Passes are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis or until passes are sold out.

>>> ORDER FORM (links to CSC’s online form) <<<

More Info? www.skicanada.org

Black + Blue

Guest Writer: Gloria T.

The long anticipated Black & Blue restaurant has finally opened! The swanky, modern, and warming atmosphere brings a new life to the city. From their cozy lounges to their more intimate private booths and rooms, this is a place to be if you are looking for a nice night out with friends and family.  The decor is quite  glamorous with a feeling that you are in a mansion.

In terms of their appetizers, the feature is on their Black & Blue mini (beef) burgers topped with a soft homemade bun. Other notable appetizers on their menu (dinner) are their creamy lobster bisque with a hint of mushroom, as well as their oysters which are topped with chopped spinach, butter, and hollandaise. The Mac and cheese in a fried batter that is dipped in a light creamy sauce. A favorite appetizer is the roasted beef on a homemade bun, with the beef being cooked for over 10 hours. It was extra tender and flavourful! The night ended with a mini sundae which was nice and smooth with a fruity taste topped with a candy crunch.

>>> MORE PICTURES <<<

*Please note, this review is based on a media event and may not depict actual serving sizes or day-to-day quality and customer experience.

Location: 1032 Alberni Street Map Vancouver, BC (map)

SkyTrain Stop: Burrard Stn

Price: $15-$35+

More Info? www.blackandblue.ca

The long anticipated Black & Blue restaurant has finally opened! The swanky, modern, and warming atmosphere brings a new life to the city. From their cozy lounges to their more intimate private booths and rooms, this is a place to be if you are looking for a nice night out with friends and family.  The decor is quite  glamorous with a feeling that you are in a mansion. In terms of their appetizers, the feature is on their Black & Blue (beef) mini burgers topped with a soft homemade bun. Other notable appetizers are their creamy lobster bisque with a hint of mushroom, as well as their oysters which are topped with chopped spinach, butter, and hollandaise. The Mac and cheese in a fried batter that is dipped in a light creamy sauce. My favorite appetizer is the roasted beef on a homemade bun with the beef being cooked for over 10 hours. It was extra tender and flavourful! I ended the night having a mini sundae which was nice and smooth with a fruity taste topped with some candy crunch.

Give the Gift of Yoga with YYoga's 5 Classes for $50

Christmas is fast approaching and this is a great gift of health and wellness. You can Treat yourself or purchase this for a member by adding 5 classes for $50 to any existing YYoga account!

• Must be purchased by December 31, 2011.
• More than one may be purchased.
• All classes expire February 28, 2012.

More Info? www.yyoga.ca

Brunch at La Brasserie

La Brasserie is open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and they do not take reservations. It is a small 35-seat Franco-German restaurant on Davie Street in Vancouver’s West End. The restaurant has a selection of classic comfort foods and carries over 30 European beers. If you walk by on a weekend evening, the restaurant will be fully packed. The brunch menu has about 12 items you can choose from, including buck a schuck osyters! The menu includes regular brunch items and some dishes you would not find at your neighborhood restaurant, which is why La Brasserie is a must try for brunch. Their menu also includes an eggs of the day, omlette of the day, and quiche of the day.

The Breakfast Poutine was a favourite, which included bacon with a pouched egg on top; the pork gravy was a perfect consistency and wasn’t too heavy for brunch. The Brasserie Burger is also a popular item – we saw so many people order it, so we had to try it. The burger included bacon, aged white cheddar, truffle oil, and crispy onions. The crispy onions made the burger extra tasty. More recently, La Brasserie opened La Brasserie Street, which features their rotisserie chicken sandwich that is served with crispy onions on a buttermilk bun. The food cart is located in front of Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station at Granville and West Georgia and they sell out quite often. If you are looking for brunch with a French-German twist, La Brasserie is where to go. If you don’t get a chance to visit the restaurant, then try their Brass Chicken Sandwich from their food cart.

Location: 1091 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC (map)

SkyTrain Stop: Yaletown Roundhouse Stn

Price: $10 – $15 (Brunch)

A Weekend Getaway to Tofino, BC

Jensen Bay

Tofino is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, which is an one hour ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay and a 3 hour drive from the Vancouver Island ferry terminal.  It is only accessible by boat or float plane and has a small private and commercial airport. Tofino is known for it’s year-round cold water surfing, amazing beaches, and outdoor activities. You will hardly believe you are still in North America when you arrive in this small town. It is a cooler version of Hawaii, where beaches are easily accessible, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the scenic views are breathtaking.

Things to do in Tofino:    

• Bird Watching
• Camping
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Surfing
• Whale Watching

    

More Info? http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/RegionsCities/Tofino.htm 

Thai Massage at Sabai Thai Spa

Thai massage is a type of massage that combines deep massage with stretching. The massage and yoga-like stretches are used to stimulate the pathways within the body, also known as the “sen,” which are believed to originate from the navel. Traditional Thai massage is performed on a firm surface or on the floor.

I was invited to experience the Nuad Pra Kob (Herbal Compress Massage) at Sabai Thai Spa which combines deep massage with a combination of heat and an herbal treatment. The treatment can be 60, 90, or 120 minutes long. Different parts of the body are massaged with oil, followed by a large herbal ball wrapped in a cotton compress that is applied with a special massage technique. The herbal compress contains many herbs which include ginger, lemongrass, turmeric and cumin. During the treatment, the warm herbal compress was applied to the navel area to stimulate the sen – the heat during this part awakens all the senese. The recipe of massage, heat, and herbs fully relaxes the mind and the body. After experiencing this particular massage, it will be hard to return to regular relaxation or deep tissue massages!

Sabai Thai Spa has three locations in British Columbia which are open from 10:00am – 8:00pm daily. The spas are located in Coal Harbour and North Vancouver, with their most recent store that just opened in West Vancouver. Sabai Thai Spa is one of the very few full service spas that offer Thai massage and other services, such as skin and body treatments and waxing services (Spa Menu). If you are interested in learning more about Thai Massage, Sabai Thai Spa also offers courses. The experience is very unique as the environment and the service is inspired by traditions in Thailand.

Locations:

Downtown Vancouver (604) 568-6227 – 571 Cardero St. Vancouver, BC V6G 3L2

North Vancouver (604) 985-8896 – 987 Marine Drive. North Vancouver, BC V7P 1S4

West Vancouver (604) 925-1074 – 1867 Marine Drive. West Vancouver, BC V7V 1J7

Toll Free: 1-866-985-8896

More Info? http://thaispa.ca

An Update on Vancouver Daily Deal Websites

// Ever since the boom of daily deals websites and the first post Daily Deal Websites: One deal a day delivered right to your inbox, written a year ago, there have been many new developments in the world of group buying websites. These changes are revolutionizing the power of these websites and the opportunities that are available to small and big businesses. You now have the ability to purchase deals over a longer span of time (from one day to several days) and there are also new tactics and types of deals that are available.

You can still receive daily emails from your favourite group buy websites, but now you can receive ONE daily email with ALL the active deals in your city. Some sites allow you to specify the criteria for the deals you would like to receive (i.e. discount amount, retail category, etc.).  A few subscription sites include:

• Cake Deals
• DailyDealZone.com
• DealRadar.com
• OneSpout
• Vancouver Deal of the Day

 

There are now many group buy travel deals available, which include special room rates at hotels and vacation package specials. It is important to read the FINE PRINT on these deals, because there are usually restrictions on dates of travel and specific details that must be considered when redeeming these types of vouchers. Groupon, one of the top group buying websites, will be launching their travel deals soon, which is a joint venture with Expedia – this partnership is definitely something you should look out for!

• Living Social Escapes
• Team Buy Travel

Finally and most recently, Groupon has introduced daily time limited deals called Groupon Now! These deals are purchased the day they are to be used and can only be used, between a certain time period. These deals are great for travellers who are only visiting for a short period of time. How it works: 1) Enter your location 2) Click on the category 3) Click on the location of the deal or browse all the deals within the category. Going through the process is a little time consuming, because you are not able to see a complete list of the deals, but this type of deal is ideal for those who know what they would like to do in a one day period.

Rock Your Brows at Bombay Brow Bar + Win a Bombshell Brows Experience

Bombay Brow Bar (BBB) specializes in eyebrow shaping and provides an experience like no other salon or wax bar. You can choose to have your eyebrows threaded, waxed or tweezed – they are experts at it all. Bethenny Frankel, New York Times Bestseller, recently visited the Yaletown location. Watch the video to get a glimpse of the service that is provided at BBB.

 

Sisters Ravy Mehroke and Amy Minhas founded Bombay Brow bar in 2010.  The first location in Yaletown opened over a year ago and they just opened their doors in Kitsilano  on June 11, 2011. During their grand opening VIP event, guests experienced the full eyebrow shaping experience: bombshell brows.

The bombshell brows ($23) service takes about 15 to 20 minutes and includes a full eyebrow consultation, eyebrow shaping, forehead massage with rosewater eye gel application, and brow makeup. Products used during your brow shaping experience are also sold in stores. The service is like no other, because you are not rushed in and out like other salons. But remember they are not a spa, but a brow bar ready to rock your brows!

Enter to win a Bombshell Brows experience!

How to enter:

1. Tweet: “I entered to win a Bombshell Brow experience @BombayBrowBar via @VancouverSavvy http://bit.ly/jeMGgx RT to enter!”

2. Like our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/VancouverSavvy

Contest closes on July 1st, 2011 at 11:59pm. Gift certificate has no cash value. Winner will be selected by random draw.

Locations:

Kitsilano 2206 west 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC (map) // Yaletown 1056 Mainland St, Vancouver BC (map)

More Info? www.bombaybrowbar.com

Nice Cafe: Cheap Breakfast at Main & Broadway

Nice Cafe is a small neighborhood cafe at East 8th Avenue and Main Street. It is open for breakfast and lunch and they serve a variety of breakfast meals including soups, sandwiches and burgers. The prices are very reasonable for the food and the hash browns are great! They have daily specials and the smoked salmon eggs Benedict is only $7.35! The shape of the eggs are perfectly poached and the portions are very generous. The breakfast dishes were not greasy and the meal will definitely have you return for the great prices (menu page 1, page 2). Nice Cafe is a well-known gem in the area, so go early or you may need to wait for a table in the small restaurant.

Location: 154 E 8th Ave Vancouver, BC (map)

SkyTrain Stop: Main Station

Price:  $5 – $10