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.

Happy Hour in Vancouver: Daily Food & Drink Specials

Happy Hour Wings and Fried Shrimp at Ebisu

 The following restaurants offer food and drink specials during the week, either daily or between specific hours.

The Atlantic Trap & Gill
www.atlantictrapandgill.com/vancouver/
612 Davie Street
(604) 806-6393

Boathouse Restaurants
www.boathouserestaurants.ca
Various Locations

Coast Restaurant
www.coastrestaurant.ca
1054 Alberni Street
(604) 685-5010

Donnelly Group Restaurants
http://www.donnellygroup.ca
Various Locations

Ebisu
www.ebisu.ca
827 Bute Street
(604) 689-8266

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen
www.goldfishkitchen.com
1118 Mainland Street
(604) 689-8318

Hub Restaurant and Lounge
www.hubrestaurant.ca
1165 Mainland Street
(604) 696-0400

Joe Fortes
www.joefortes.ca
777 Thurlow Street
(604) 669-1940

Kingston Taphouse & Grille
www.kingstontaphouse.com
755 Richards Street
(604) 681-7011

New Bohemian
thenewbohemian.ca
3162 West Broadway
(604) 736-7576

Ocean West Coast Japanese Bistro
http://www.oceanwestcoast.com/
3121 Granville St
(604) 736-3121

Rodney’s Oyster House
www.rodneysosyterhouse.com
1228 Hamilton Street #405
(604) 609-0080

Sandbar
www.vancouverdine.com
1535 Johnston Street
(604) 669-9030

The Teahouse in Stanley Park
www.vancouverdine.com
Ferguson Point, Stanley Park
(604) 669-3281

Yew Restaurant and Lounge
www.yewrestaurant.com/
The Four Seasons Vancouver
791 West Georgia Street
(604) 692-4939

Car2Go: Vancouver’s Newest Car Sharing Company

Car2go Vancouver is the newest car sharing company in Vancouver. It was launched in Ulm, Germany in 2009 and in Austin, Texas in 2010. Car2go provides free-floating, low-emissions, self-service smart cars that are available all over the city. The vehicles can be accessed on-demand or reserved for up to 24 hours in advance.

Car2go is not like other carsharing companies:

• Allows members to use the vehicle for as long as they like, without committing to a specific return time or location.
• One-way trips are permitted.
• End your rental in any permit only residential on-street parking spot or dedicated car2go parking spot within the operating area.
• The car2go service team takes care of: refueling, cleaning, roadside assistance.
• GPS navigation, insurance, parking are all included.

Cost:

Your usage is billed daily to your credit card so you never have to worry about finding cash.

Hourly: 35 cents per minute, maximum $12.88 plus tax

Daily: (up to 24 hours) no more than $65.99 plus tax

Includes: fuel, parking, mileage, insurance, maintenance, cleaning, GPS navigation, 24/7 customer support service and roadside assistance

*November 7, 2011 UPDATE* For a limited time car2go is offering FREE registration and 30 Free Minutes of drive time! Take advantage of this great offer today by using promo code ROAD (valid until Nov 21, 2011).

More Info? http://car2govancouver.com/

Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival 2011

 

The 23rd annual Dragon Boat Festival, hosted by Rio Tinto Alcan and produced by Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society (CIDBFS), is being held from June 11-12, 2011. The festival includes special programs and events that will take place in Richmond and False Creek, including dragon boat racing, corporate team building, school and community programs, boat rentals, and learn to paddle courses. The festival also includes entertainment, food, and shopping.

Schedule for the False Creek Festival

Saturday June 11, 2011

8:00am Races start
10:00am Site activities open
11:00am World Beat Stage entertainment begins
6:00pm Festival Site closed

Sunday June 12, 2011

8:00am Races start
10:00am Site activities open
11:00am World Beat Stage entertainment begins
12:00pm Championship races begin (time approximate)
1:30pm Welcome Remarks from World Beat Stage
6:00pm Dragon Boat Festival Site is closed to the general public
6:00pm Paddler’s Party begins

Location:

False Creek – Concord Place, Creekside Community Centre and the waters of False Creek, near Science World. Intersection of Quebec Street and Terminal Avenue in Vancouver. (map)

Richmond – Fraser River in Steveston, Richmond, BC, between No. 1 Road and Brittannia Heritage Shipyard (map)

SkyTrain Stop: Science World Station

More Info? http://www.stevestondragonboatfestival.ca/