Sunday 30 November 2014

From the Dinner Table to Vancouver Playhouse: PUBLIC SALON


Fun and adventure can be found at the most unlikely places.
In front of our door step so to speak.
Fun can be found during a stroll through your own neighbourhood, on a snow covered trail hike or watching and listening to eight speakers working their magic during an evening of the 20th Public Salon at the Vancouver Playhouse!

Vancouver's population is as diverse at a good artisan bread shop: immigrants from all around the globe and locals alike can be found here! Each and every one of them carries their own, unique story.
Most Vancouverites are fond of community building. The buzz words are Shop local, Eat local, Support local! Platforms for sharing community building inspiration can be found everywhere. Like the one I am going to tell you about.



 Public Salon is similar to a TEDx event, several speakers, all on a mission to make their community a better place to live in!
Public Salon is the brainchild of Mr. Sam Sullivan, former Mayor of Vancouver and Ms Lynn Zanatta. For over 10 years they hosted private dinner parties at their home and invited a diverse (eclectic?) group of individuals to share their individual views, experiences, world view and passion with each other. As you know, the best conversations always happen over a shared meal with a few glasses of tongue loosing beverages!

Instead of being invited into the private dinning room of the couple we were invited into the Vancouver Playhouse to listen and watch eight speakers, dancers and musicians!
Here is how the 20th Public Salon looked like:

A welcome dance,


And now, my friend Vicki and |I, ready to get dazzled:

 

But before the action starts, a few shots from the crowd - and what a shame, they didn't turn out well, too dark!

The line-up included
Mohamed Assani- Sitarist - Music teacher who teaches Indian Music at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music. (What an interesting instrument,. My son plays the guitar, five strings is enough for him)!


Dr. Lance Barrett Lennard, Director of the Vancouver Aqaeium's Marine Mammal Research Program - interesting stuff about the health of killer whales.

Martha Carter, Choreographer

More entertainment was provided by Ms. Becky Wenham, playing her cello while dancer Hayden Fong put his talents on show:


Furthermore we had Mr. Paul Draggan, "Reckless Bike"shop owner. On a mission to get  Vancouverites on a bike.

Genevieve Ennis Hume, of Hume Atelier, specialises in custom made jewellery  Their atelier supports artisanal miners.


Ms Kwiaahwah Jones of  Haida and Nishgaa descent
 is the curator of the Bill Reid Gallery. This First Nations woman put her love for native art on display:


Claudia Li, Co-founder of HUA foundation (dedicated to creating solutions for the Hua, ethnic Chinese community). She read us a letter, addressed to her grandma, revealing her years of struggle: torn between meeting expectations of her demanding parents and finding her own voice and way in Canada.
And last but not least it was
Jason Lindstorm of Bucket List.org.  Bucket List is one of the largest data bases of life goals on the web with over one million visitors per year. Funny story about Jason wanted to meet Richard Brenson- and just like that, Voila, Sir Richard kite surfed right into his arm and needed to be rescued by Jason!

As I just said, as diverse as Vancouver's population!

Nothing was too heavy to digest, too complicated to understand, too controversial or mind blowing. It was a representation of what Vancouver stands for and represents: Nice people supporting their local community,






Wednesday 5 November 2014

VANCOUVER: Follow your Dream...

just like Russian immigrant Anastasia Modestova did.

How and why did she give up everything - her job, status, connections and money - only to create "Movie About You", her own video production company here in Vancouver?
Find out here:



We immigrants have our personal reasons why we came to Canada:
Some of us came for love.
For some it was the promise of a better life.
And others came for adventure, just like us!

However, I am not here to write about my family.
I am here to introduce to you a fellow immigrant, Anastasia Modestova, one smart, highly educated, hard working, high achiever from Russia. Back in her home country she was a successful, well paid marketing director. This job offered everything a young, professional woman could wish for: Success, status, connections and lots of money!

No wonder Anastasia wanted to continue her life style upon arrival to Canada.
But guess what: Just because you are a hot shot in your country doesn't make you a hot shot in Canada.
You know what they say: Different rules for different countries- or something like that!

The only way to be considered as a job candidate for a high end marketing position was with a completed MBA program (Masters of Business Administration).
Within one year, lots of will power and hard work the mission was completed and Anastasia landed a position as marketing director for a start-up company in Vancouver.

She did it again: Success, connections, status and money were hers again.
Now here comes the crazy part: Within four months she quit- just like this.

With four cold beer bottles in her bag she came home one Friday afternoon and told her husband: "I quit"- as I told you, just like that!

Is this lady crazy? Or true to herself?
How could she give up something she wanted to badly, she worked so hard for?

Well, her new marketing career didn't feed her soul or nourished her heart. She was craving freedom, beauty and creativity in her life. Still, would you give it all away for a feeling?

Can you imagine doing the same thing?
Creating videos was a dream for her- and she made it happen.
No, she never sat foot into a film or editing school. Everything she does is self taught. One relentless learner and achiever she is!

Nobody ever said it would be easy to make changes in life. If we want to say YES to create more fun, adventure or opportunities in our live we need to make sacrifices and keep on pushing through the hard times.
 I know, I know, it's easier said than done. But then, if it's easy everybody would do it and were is the fun and adventure in that one?

And if you didn't watch the video, here are Anastasia's three top tips to make the leap from secure job to starting your own, fat dream:

Follow your heart
- Remember your marketing
- Invest your time and energy wisely, network well.

On this note I want to leave you with Anastasia's quote:
"Do what you love-
not what you are best at!"

Do you agree?  
What is your success story?- I know you have one, please share with us! I look forward to reading your stories!






Thursday 16 October 2014

CONSCIOUS DIVAS: THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE of being ORDINARY

Or is it the other way around?
Is it the ordinary life of being extraordinary?

Regardless of how we slice it, being extraordinary is cool- it is the buzz word, it is the aim of each and every one of us!
Take a moment, close your eyes and reflect on your life!
Did you stand on top of The Eifel Tower, or on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro?
Have you ever experienced the thrill of going diving with sharks, sliding down one of the biggest, longest, scariest water slides in the world? Yes? No?
Does this mean you are / are not extraordinary?

Rubbish!
Of course you are!
We all are!
And not only this:
It is always the small stuff that makes life extraordinary! 
It's the small stuff inside YOU that makes YOU extraordinary!

It's not so much your achievement - the stuff you portrait to the outside world, it's the twinkle in your eyes, the way you say "I love you", the way you hold hands with your children, the way you write a letter, the way you muster any situation in life...in other words the way you do things makes you extraordinary!
This is my definition of being extraordinary! What is yours?
Not quite sure about it? Let me help you out:

Here in Vancouver we have an event that focuses on Being Extraordinary, called Conscious Divas:


Founder Kate Muker has created this event "to provide a platform that inspires and empowers women to be extraordinary versions of themselves by connecting within to discover their authentic path, speak their truth and live their dreams. We are a community for conscious women who value inner growth, have a desire to passionately live life without excuses and step into their power; expressing authenticity, feminine essence and uniqueness."

On Tuesday, October 22 you can be part of this extraordinary event about being extraordinary! 
However, this is not only for women, aka Divas! Men, aka Divos are also welcome!


Join Conscious Divas for
Living Extraordinary

10 local luminaries. 7 minutes each. 1 shared vision.
Tuesday, Oct 21st, 2014 at 6:30-9:30pm
Location: Imperial Theatre, 319 Main Street, Vancouver, BC
I so want to listen to this. Do you want to join me and app. 400 other attendees? It is not too late yet!
The good folks at Conscious Divas will give you a 25% discount if you type in your promo code "My Friend" .
Go to their site to purchase your ticket!
Click here to find them on Facebook
or here for their Facebook event page.
The tweeters can follow on Twitter:@conscious_divas
So much for reading about an extraordinary event. Now go out there and let your own "extraordinaryness"shine through! See ya' next Tuesday!

Friday 10 October 2014

THE GYM, A DIFFERENT KIND of FUN + ADVENTURE

at
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Here is my take on going to the gym or the fitness centre: I don't do them!
For 13 glorious years I gave fitness classes around the world. Let's call them the fittest, most active, most tiring years of my life. And to this day I pride myself of being pretty fit (not as fit as I used to be, still...) with a six pack (truth needs to be told). Since I left my fitness career I haven't seen or felt  the urge to go back. This mother is highly motivated to follow her own workout regime! And whenever I do I trial class somewhere I'm nagged out cause the instructor is lame, doesn't spin with the music or worse still, the fitness centre signed up the the "Les Mills- dumbing down of the masses" program.
Anyhow, there comes a time when even the hardest of die-hards softens up and says yes to a wonderful opportunity to visit one of the local fitness centres.
I had the pleasure to receive a complimentary VIP pass for
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I always thought this particular one in Maple Ridge is so conveniently located between Blenz Coffee (does caramel flavoured, Belgium chocolate infused coffee count as refuel?)






 a Health Centre (you know you are in good hands) and Extra Foods. It's the perfect location for one-stop morning activities: Exercise, morning coffee and shopping!


 Fitwells is for women only. Hmm! What is wrong with having men in the gym? I love men. I like to look at them, Especially in their tight work-out gear. Men bring a different dynamic to the place. And no, I don't care if they look at my butt, This backside is the result of years and years of donkey kicks, squads and lunges-I am proud of it- so look your eyes out Giza!


Surprise surprise: I didn't miss the men at Fitwells.Why? Fitwells smells good! We women smell better than men (?) and follow instructions better: We all wipe our equipment down after each and every use. We don't stand around chitter chattering about God and the world. We might do- but as women we can do bicep curls, leg raises and story telling at the same time.
Here at Fitwells we women work- that's what we are here for- in a friendly, safe, spacious, nice smelling environment.
For four weeks it was a different kind of fun and adventure for me. Let me show you the fun things you can do at Fitwells:

This is Group RX
 Exercise your heart out during XLab (a 10 station circuit!  OH it hurt so good!






Curling it in the Free weight section:


Balling around
Some of the cardio machines
More torture:

A few laughs


Holy smokes, this hurt!
Four weeks, 2- 3 visits each week, muscle pain after each and every workout: That's what I call a successful month!

What I love best is Fitwells doesn't follow the  Les Mills trend, Thank you Fitwells for saying yes to creativity and freedom!

I can't tell you anything about the Zumba classes on offer - 'cause there is more of a Paula Radcliffe inside me than a Shakira.
Nor can I tell you about the fun child care facility on offer - my children are teenagers and can look after themselves.
But what I can tell you- from a previous instructors point of view is this: The classes are professionally conducted - aka, they are fun to participate in. All instructors are approachable, friendly and knowledgeable.
The space and equipment are clean, well lit and ventilated (not one smelly man / woman in sight).
The front desk staff goes out of their way to help you.

It doesn't need to be long trips to foreign shores to create some adventure in your life! Sometimes a visit to the gym in your neighbourhood will do!
For me it was
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Thank you!
Well, now it's your turn to add some fun and adventure into your life- the good folks at Fitwells are giving away a THREE MONTH membership- FOR FREE! Yep, that's correct. All you need to do is fill out the raffle copter below to enter to win. That's all!
See ya'all at the gym!
Scroll down a tiny bit further and you can enter right here and now!

Monday 1 September 2014

CLIMBING HIGH, GOING MONKEYS AT WILD PLAY

"Fun seeking, active adventurists (aka urban Tarzan's and Jane's), not afraid of heights, zip lines, swinging bridges, scrambling walls or trees are looking for playground (aka Dschungle). Able and willing to drive."

I receive requests similar to this one on a daily basis. I am a match maker! This is what I do for a living, I match individuals with their deepest desires.

This request came from the YVR Blogger group in Vancouver; like minded men and women saying yes to more fun and adventure in their life - and blog about it in the most creative, fun, heart warming, honest way imaginable.
After I put on my thinking cap, spun the "Wheel of Activity" I found their perfect match:

WildPlay Element Parks Maple Ridge
                       Address: 23485 Fern Crescent, Maple Ridge, BC V4R 2S6  Phone:(604) 477-1197

Lucky me, Wild Play is just a hop, skip and jump from my house on top of our rock, literally 500 meters above the activity park! Why am I lucky? As of last week I passed the park 2044 times already during the last 2,8 years; without ever visiting it. It turned out some things are worth waiting for; just like Wild Play. Together with 17 other Maple Ridger's and Vancouverite's I joined in the fun for sweaty palms, racing hearts, wobbly knees, screaming voices!  
The motto here is: Joined adventure is better adventure! 

 This is all of us before the height freight set in...just kidding!

groupshotwp


Welcome to the park:












Sign your waiver form:




Mingle, 
from left: Ms Alice, I, Ms Leslie, Master Isaac, our instructor.

Strike a pose,
from left: Ms Melody, Ms Leslie, Ms Grace and beautiful unknown beauty.

Make sure you meet the height requirements, (actually, do this first before you do the rest).

Put on your harness (visit the washroom before you strap yourself in. Once you are strapped and on the course you need to hold it).



(Oops, my natural reaction when I see a man strapped in...)


Listen to instructions!



Everybody who participates in the wild Wild Play activities must listen to and perform a practice run, 50 cm above the ground.


You wanna play? Then you need to listen, learn and follow the golden rule for Wild Players:

GRAB + SNAP




You need to grab hold of one of the lines or be snapped in the whole time you are on the course- otherwise you are out. Fair enough. The trees are mighty high, the course becomes higher, steeper and steeper and you can fall...

Wild Play is divided into the adult- and kiddy section. As I participated in the 'I am tall enough" group I can't tell you anything about the young ones. Whatever I've seen of it they looked they were having fun though!

The path we followed is called Monkido (the art of monkying around rediscovered), a tree top obstacle course. You get on the lowest tree, 'obstacle' your way around a few challenges and move up to the next level and so on and so forth. The grading follows the ski run system. It starts with the green course, the easiest; moves on to the blue, red and finishes with the highest, the black level. The idea is to finish the whole course within 1-3 hours. Once you have started the course there are only two zip lines that will zip you down, otherwise you are committed for the whole course.




One of the newest activities in Maple Ridge Wild Play is called WTF  @##@@#, (What's to Fear) a clever name for a free fall from a 12 meter platform. WTF- I couldn't do it do it. And not because I was afraid, no, I needed to go back home. Back to the top of the rock to start my next adventure. This one gets a High Five with a double back flip, cream and cherry on top!

As far as I could tell we all had a great time. Some of us took it slow and steady, others did it fast and steady. All in all, it was another match made in heaven!

 Don't just take my word for it, I am a huge sucker for outdoor activities- you need to zip it for yourself! Even if climbing high into the sky is not your thing...sometimes it's worth it to say yes to something new to add unexpected fun and adventure to your life.

 Modern Tarzan and Jane's can find Wild Play at six locations, here in Maple Ridge, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Victoria, Mt. Sina, YT and Wood Buffalo, AB.

 And to set the record straight, this trip was organized by Vancouvers Ueber blogger, Mr. Ricky Shetty!
Furthermore, I am not a match-maker!
The rest is all factual!

OPEN DAILY
MONKIDO AERIAL ADVENTURE check-ins from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. 
Book online or call Guest Services at 1-855-595-2251 [9:00AM to 5:00PM Sunday - Wednesday; 9:00AM to 6:00PM Thursday - Saturday] for upcoming check-ins.

Hours & Schedule

OPEN DAILY
MONKIDO AERIAL ADVENTURE check-ins from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. 
Book online or call Guest Services at 1-855-595-2251 [9:00AM to 5:00PM Sunday - Wednesday; 9:00AM to 6:00PM Thursday - Saturday] for upcoming check-ins.

Rules of Play
Read our Monkido® Aerial Adventure description for important Element access information, including age, height, and waiver requirements.

Pricing

MONKIDO AERIAL ADVENTURE

ClassicAges 12+$42.99
BuddyAges 7-11 with an adult in the trees$35.99 per guest
KidsAges 7-13$22.99

WHAT'S TO FEAR JUMP

Single WTF JumpAges 7+$19.99
Monkido add-onAges 7+$14.99
Season Passholders




Friday 15 August 2014

MORE of a SPRITZER THAN A SPLASHDOWN at SPLASHDOWN WATER PARK

This mother of three is taking her job description seriously:


She injects as many different activities into her boy's summer days as she can think of. She makes her boys hike, swim, paddle, cycle or sliding down water slides!
All in the name of adventure, fun and getting them off their computers!
Talk about waters slides. My boys are the real experts when it comes to making a splash.


They already sled down from the highest, steepest, most thrilling slides across the world. They love it fast, furious, steep, scary, twisty, curvy, long...And so do I! If it doesn't give us a serious wedgy it is not a serious ride - for us that is!   

I honestly thought I am doing my boys (11, 14 and 17 years of age) a favour when I took them to Splashdown Waterpark in Tsawassen.


And like good, obedient children they came with me. Although, our youngest refused to go. He already knew what we needed to find out for ourselves. He listened to his hairdresser who told him the park is too small, the water is too cold and its location makes for a rather windy day out. (Splashdown is minutes away from the Tsawassen ferry terminals).


Well, in the name of new experiences I took the plunge and endured the long trip to the far away area called Delta. 
We live in Maple Ridge in the east of Vancouver. If your GPS is updated this ride would take 60 minutes. If your GPS is not, the new road works will add another 30 minutes to your journey!
With all the construction going on it was very easy to miss the sign for this local attraction. Imagine my surprise when we found it:

What was once farm land has been converted into a serious building site. And among the land clearing, building fences, bull dozers, construction signs and traffic wardens we found this family run Water park!

Well, don't judge the park by its appearance!
Rather, judge it by the entrance prices:

With prices ranging from $17.99 for adults or $13.99 for children this park is a winner for sure!

If you judge it by the parking fees the park is another winner: Parking is free! (This is unheard of for any other activities here in Vancouver)!
Here is another bonus point: 
You can bring your own food, snacks and drinks. There is no security guard stopping you at the gate searching through your bags, looking for smuggled goodies!
You can even bring your own meats to put on the BBQ!


Eleven o'clock on a Friday morning was the perfect time to start the day because we didn't have to wait too long in any queues.
I sent my boys off to wet their pants and wandered around the 'vast' open spaces:





My boys left and came back within half an hour (?). Wet, cold and un-thrilled!


Oops, wrong boys! These guys were thrilled by the looks on their faces!

Hmm, could they be right? How can I write about something I haven't experienced myself? So Off I went as well.
I asked for the scariest ride on the property: It is the Black Hole. Sweet!



The attraction is a tunnel ride through twists and turns in pitch darkness. Yeepee, this one was exhilarating and fun! It got my personal thumbs up! 

The next one I tackled was the River Run! It was less thrilling though. The whole run didn't flow, we were bumping into each other constantly and had to wait to continue our journey down into the pool!

I've done four of the six full size body slides (I don't even remember their names, they were that thrilling...), skipped the children's slide for obvious reasons, skipped the pool and hot tub for personal reasons and checked out the children's spray park!


How can you tell it's a scary and good run? 
I already mentioned one of our golden rules earlier on: the slide will give you a wedgy. Here is another rule to go by: The security guy on top of the slide will make you take your hat and sunglasses of-because you are going to lose them! Have I been ask to take these items off? No, I haven't! Did I get a wedgy here in Splashdown? No! Enough said!

When I asked the boys how they liked the park they answered with the most generic word in the English language; they called it nice!
Or boys are polite for sure! I also know they wouldn't brag about their day on social media. Their message would go something like, "Great spot for the little ones, Let's go surfing!"

When my children are right they are right! When it comes to this particular water park I need to agree with them, and with our hairdresser!

Splashdown is not a park to take you thrill seeking teenagers to. Or even your 11 year old who has been there, done it and wants action.
It is also not a spot for parents who want some quiet time for themselves to read a book. The park is too small to escape any of the screaming, young children.


My boys are not ungrateful, they just know what they like and not like.
And I? I should have done my homework before I left home.
Note to myself:"Christina, sometimes it's ok to say no to a day out!"


However,
Splashdown Park is charming in it's own family run way.
They have a small concession stand, a play arcade, lockers, clean bathrooms.

 It is a fantastic spot for parents with small children, let's say up to 12 years old. Or for any child who hasn't experienced the big, steep, long, dark, scary, thrilling water slides from the biggest water parks from across the world.

If you want to convince yourself, please check out this fun video, courtesy of Novus TV:





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