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

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

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/

Getting a China Visa in Vancouver

Applying for a China Visa is a simple process, but requires  a few hours of free time. Your Canadian passport must be valid for 6 months if you are applying for a single or double entry Visa or it must be valid for 12 months if you are applying for a multiple entry Visa. Some travel agents provide Visa services for a fee. The Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver’s office is only open from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm from Monday to Friday.

Submitting Your Application: The office opens at 8:00 am and numbers are handed out for a place in the line – the number of tickets are limited. The office will NOT accept your application by mail. When the service begins at 9:00 am, you are required to wait for your number to hand-in your application and passport or identification. Applications are processed in 4 business days. The office also offers express service (2-3 business days) and rush service (1 business day).

Picking up your Visa: After handing in your application, you will receive a pink slip, which will be used to pick-up your Visa and your passport. Again, people start lining up to pick-up their Visas at 8:00 am and the service starts at 9:00 am (no numbers are handed out), so expect to wait in line for a long period of time, unless you arrive early.

Location: Suite 288 – 1338 West Broadway, Vancouver BC (map)

More Info? http://vancouver.chineseconsulate.org/eng/visa/Visa/

Dine Out Vancouver 2011

Dine Out features some of Vancouver’s most popular restaurants, where Vancouverites can enjoy 3-course prixe fixe menus for $18, $28, or $38 from January 24 to February 6, 2011. The line-up includes restaurants from the Glowbal Group, the Thai House Restaurant Group, the BoatHouse Restaurants, and many other well-know restaurants in the city. Several restaurants offer lunch menus and most restaurants are accepting reservations now.

More Information & Menus: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/dining/dineout.php

Affordable Spa and Salon Services in Vancouver

The best place to go when you need a cheap hair cut or to pamper yourself, while you are on a budget, are esthetic schools. The students practice their skills with a professional watching close by, who also inspects the final result.

There are a few in Vancouver, but a well known one is the Blanche Macdonald Centre (BMC). Hair cuts for women start at $12 and they have a full menu of services available. The BMC has two locations and offers spa and hair services. The spa services are usually time limited and are only offered during specific dates, while the hair services are offered year-round. If you sign-up to be on their client list, you will be notified by email about their spa service dates and their monthly hair service specials.

Spa Services
Blanche Macdonald Centre, Uptown Campus
100 – 555 W.12th Avenue
Vancouver, BC, Canada
604-685-0347

 

Hair Services
Blanche Macdonald Centre, Downtown Campus
460 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC, Canada
604-685-0337
hairservices@blanchemacdonald.com

Other Esthetic Schools in Vancouver:

• Dominelli Esthetics College
• London School of Hairdressing and Aesthetics
• BM Chan International Cosmetology College
• New Image College of Fine Arts
• Vogue Esthetics College

Disputing a parking ticket in Vancouver

A journey begins: disputing a City of Vancouver parking ticket.

If you would like to dispute a ticket then YOU MUST APPEAR IN PERSON between 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays):

Vancouver City Hall
Revenue Services (1st floor, turn right from main entrance and lobby)
453 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

If the vehicle is not registered to you, you are still able to request a court date, but you will sign as the agent. If the vehicle is registered to a Company you must have written permission to dispute the ticket in court from the company.

You will be asked if you plead guilty or not guilty.

GUILTY = You admit to the charge, but you cannot afford to pay for the ticket i.e. you would like a reduction / more time to pay

NOT GUILTY = You do not believe you committed the parking infraction and you would like to argue in court. This is on the full amount of the ticket, not the discounted amount.

The current wait time is 1 YEAR for a court date to be assigned and 1.5 YEARS for the actual court date. (…to be continued)

More Info? http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/parking/enf/disputing.htm

It’s my birthday! What can I get for FREE in Vancouver?

• Free meal at Denny’s – you just have to show ID and you can have anything on the menu!
• Red Robin – sign-up for their eclub and you will receive an email coupon for a free gourmet burger of your choice, valid for one week
• Old Spaghetti Factory – free meal on your birthday with ID
• Boston Pizza – join their e-mail club and receive a coupon for a free gourmet pasta or dessert, valid for one week
• Blockbusters rewards – free rental on your birthday
• The Keg – free dessert