HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS

If your Christmas resembles something out of the National Lampoon's movie, I encourage you to drink up on your eggnog, devour the shortbread and check out our list of gift giving ideas for kids, men and women. (I opted out of including the teen years because generally gift requests in that age bracket are cash and/or electronics).  In each category we will show: FUN, ECO-FRIENDLY, LOCAL and SANTA'S FEELING OVERLY GENEROUS!

FOR THE KIDS

FUN
What: Vtech Kidizoom Camera.  Get your kids of your iphone and have Santa bring them this great camera.  It has effects options and you can store and send pics.
Where to buy:  Sears

What: ZIPFY Freestyle Mini Luge! It's won all sorts of awards and people of all ages can ride them (see YouTube video below).

Where to buy:  Chapters.  I already bought 2 - Whistler here we come!!!

ECO-FRIENDLY

What: Green Toys (all sorts for girls and boys)

Where to buy:  Dandelion Kids

LOCAL

What: Puppets!  Good old fashion fun!  Imagination over touch screens.

Where to buy:  CityCreations

SANTA'S FEELING OVERLY GENEROUS

What: Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade Ride On or Barbie Escalade Ride On.  - you're kids will never feel loved unless you get them one of these (yeah right)!  I remember pining for a Power Wheel as a kid - didn't we all?

Where to buy: Toys R Us

FOR HIM

FUN

What: Whiskey Lover Set, along with a great bottle of course!

Where to buy: Chapters

What: Polar RC3 GPS - perfect for any runner or biker!

Where to buy: Amazon

ECO-FRIENDLY

What: Eco-friendly phone dock - Made out of driftwood from Maine, it is equipped with two USB cables that plug into your computer or wall adaptor.  

Where to buy: Docksmith

LOCAL

What: A structured heavy wool jacket - extra cozy!

Where to buy: Sitka

SANTA'S FEELING OVERLY GENEROUS

What: Fender American Standard Stratocaster® Electric Guitar - encourage the man in your life to find his inner Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix.

Where to buy: Amazon

FOR HER

FUN
What: Time Out at the Spa! Gift Certificates with either Absolute Spa (lots of locations) or Scandinave in Whistler.
Where to buy: Absolute Spa or Scandinave Spa

ECO-FRIENDLY

What: Soy Candle. 

Where to get: online at Soap for Your Soul.

LOCAL

What: Cozy sherpa fleece jacket, or anything else for that matter, at Lululemon

Where to get: Lululemon.

SANTA'S FEELING OVERLY GENEROUS

What: A David Yurman Bracelet.  Tons of amazing classic styles that go with everything, especially if you get a piece containing both gold and silver.  Boys - earn yourself some Brownie Points!!!

Where to get: in store at Holt Renfrew

Hope the big man in red is good to you all
Happiest of holidays to you and yours!
Shannon

RENO-TIME?

SPRUCE UP YOUR PAD!

Contributed by: Shannon

Most of us dream of living in a picture perfect home, which had seemingly leaped from the pages of a most recent Dwell or Style At Home Magazine.  This is a world, where children are not around, dust never accumulates and a kitchen most certainly isn't used for cooking.

<SNAP> Back to the real world.  You need a home you can live in!  One that is equal parts, function, sanctuary and comfort.

Of course there are tons of things to think about before renovating, whether big or small. From an initial idea to a finished product, The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation suggests you sort these 8 questions first:

1. Set your priorities - maintenance should be first and aesthetics second (duh!)

2. Know what's possible -the city probably won't approve a swimming pool on your roof

3. Do the math - it ain't free

4. Pick your partners - make sure their experience extends beyond painting their bedroom

5. Get it in writing - a handshake and a smile won't cut it!

6. Don't worry about the mess - move out if you can, or embrace the dust

7. Inspect as you go - get your control freak on

8. Give the final thumbs-up! - and enjoy!

So do you need to renovate? Well, if your kitchen looks like this and tacky vintage isn't the look you are going for, then maybe a spruce up is just what the contractor ordered!

Enter: Sprucehill Contracting and you could be drinking wine and enjoying canapes in something like this:

And Sprucehill doesn't just do kitchens. They provide the gamut: from complete home renovation and project management to decks and retaining walls.  Based out of North Vancouver, head honcho Erik Jensen is uber professional and detail oriented.  Speaking from experience in working with Sprucehill, the staff, quality of craftsmanship and depth of knowledge make the renovation experience as enjoyable as possible.  Of course with any type of renovation, there is the inconvenience factor.  But in the end... ahhh so wonderful!

I loved that the team at Sprucehill was so mindful of our safety while they completed tasks at our home.  With my 2 kids running around, I had peace of mind knowing that all the staff were good people and left their workspace super tidy everyday.  And more delightful than anything was the "on time and on budget" mantra of Sprucehill.  What a breath of fresh air it was to not have any hidden surprises in the end.

Check out Erik's website to find heaps of information and a before and after gallery.  Here are some pictures to entice you to find out more:

A PERFECT WEEK AWAY

NEW YORK

Contributed by: Shannon

Ahhh... hello New York!  My third visit was most certainly a charm.  If you have been, you get it.  If you haven't been, you need to go.  It's everything all at once - beautiful, intoxicating, thrilling, inspiring. 

I took my mom, a newbie to NYC, along for the trip which included a bit of work, a lot of play, many eats and a mega amount of walking!  Here's the highlight reel:

WHERE WE STAYED: The Helmsley Park Lane

The Helmsley is one of the only hotels located along Central Park with million dollar views:

Incredible to wake up to every morning!

WHAT WE DID - So, so, so, many things: here are the top picks:

The Museum of Natural History - With so many exhibits, there is something for everyone. Here is my T-rex friend:

HINT: Start on the top floor and work your way down.  Don't plan on eating at the Museum because the food is over-priced and not very good.

Bike/Horse and Carriage/Walking Around Central Park - here is a pic of the John Lennon Memorial Plaque.  It's in the park across the street from where he was shot:(

HINT: Bike around the park mid-week.  The park is full of local runners/biker and events on the weekends.

9/11 Memorial - Stunningly designed, this memorial is a sensitive, respectful complex in the heart of the Trade Center area. There are two vast reflecting pools, located in the exact footprints of the Twin Towers.  The magnitude of the memorial really represents the loss of that day.  Be ready for some tears to flow.

HINT: be sure to register for a visitor pass prior to going.

Statue of Liberty - I have seen the statue a few times, but I never actually went to it until this trip.  The statue has a great history and is a lovely icon of hope.

HINT: Opt for the audio tour - it's worth it!

Shopping on 5th Ave - hello Bergdorf, Bloomingdales, Tiffanny.... trouble!

HINT - If you buy something that is $110.00 or less, there is no Tax in NYC!

Empire State Building - super cliche to include this on the list,  but I just never tire of the amazing city views.

HINT - Get the New York Pass to skip lines (see below).

Soho /Tribeca - what an awesome vibe this area has! I could live here! I certainly enjoyed the libations:)

HINT - Popular restaurants book up at least 1 month in advance.  Arrive when the restaurant opens for dinner to get an early seat.  Dining early isn't cool in NYC, but you'll have a better chance of getting in!

Show at Times Square - Saw ROCK OF AGES.  Absolutely Amazing Talent - A little raunchy, a lot funny and tons of fun!

HINT - book shows on-line before you go and as far in advance as possible - much cheaper!

OUR TOP NOSH PLACES:

Nobu - Tribeca

Cafe Europa - Midtown Central Park

Citarella Gourmet Market - Upper West Side
Brasserie Rhulman - Rockefeller Center
Spring Street Natural - Soho

Morrell Wine Bar and Cafe - Rockefeller Centre

Le Pain Quotidien - Central Park

GETTING AROUND:  

Lots of people do the "hop-on, hop-off" buses, but we opted for the Subway.  It is actually really easy to navigate and gets you uptown and downtown in no time.  There's an app for it!  Here's the mama on the subway:

DEFINITELY GET:  

The NEW YORK Pass.  It gives you free entry to over 70 attractions, and enables you to jump lines.  www.newyorkpass.com

Til next time New York!

IT'S SUMMATIME!

MOUNTAIN BIKING

Contributed by: Dave and Co.

I used to race Mountain Bikes about 15 years ago and have recently gotten back into it full tilt.  Not only is it a necessary part of me staying fit, but it's challenging, social and the scenery is amazing.  I try to go at least twice a week and have buddies that seemingly hit the trails nearly everyday.
The locations are endless and the industry is in a crazy growing spurt.  Because of it's proximity to work and home, I most ride the North Shore and Whistler when I have the time.

In need of some morning eye candy? - check out PINK BIKE and watch their daily mountain bike videos.  Super inspirational!

For all your clothing needs I suggest checking out sombrio.  Watson, the owner, is a west coast boy and super knowledgeable.  Great gear - it's all I wear!

Also check out the BC Bike Race - I did it last year and plan to do it again next year.  The BCBR is a seven day single track epic experience.  Not for the weary.  It's a tour of BC's west coast with 500 like-minded individuals.  I highly recommend it.  It does sell out so start thinking about it for 2013! Here I am on the track last year:

happy trails.

EUROPE LOVE

EURO VACAY / HONEYMOON

Contributed by: Kelly

Our long awaited honeymoon landed us in London, Paris, Berlin, Venice, Florence and Rome.  We enjoyed three blissful weeks of food, fun, sightseeing and culture.  In this blog I will highlight the "must do's" as far as I am concerned:)

London:  We loved the traditional Afternoon Tea at my favourite department store: Harrods.  The store itself is a tourist attraction - absolutely stunning inside.  We also made sure to hit up the British museum, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye. 
Here I am with my buddy Ben:

Paris:  Aside from the beautiful city itself, I made it a mission to eat as many macarons and croissants as possible.  The croissants melted in my mouth and I am still savouring the macarons from  Pierre Herme  located at Gallerie Lafayette.  (All the walking during our trip made up for these guilty pleasures).  We did soak in some culture at the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral and got gorgeous views of the city from the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.  We also took a day trip to Versaille to tour the palace which was one of the most amazing sites I've ever seen in my life! 
Here is a picture of me trying to work of some of those extra calories!:

Berlin:  Berlin was kind of our wild-card.  We did not know what to expect but looking back, it was definitely the most eye-opening and educational part of our trip.  We took a 3 hour walking tour around the city and our tour guide talked about the historical significance and stories associated with each landmark.  It was very evident that WW2 has left a lasting effect on the city and some people of Berlin are still trying to put it behind them. On a personal note, we met my husband Gabe's cousins for the very first time. Our lack of German and their lack of English made for interesting attempts at communicating, so of course we resorted to Chinese (which we all are). That moment certainly made the world seem global and small.
Here we are at Brandenburg Gate:

Venice:  Coffee, Food, Shopping, Gelati. Repeat.  By the time we arrived in Venice, we were church and cathedralled out!   So, we soaked in the magic of the city by lounging in cafes, taste testing a variety of restaurants and scoping out artisan and craftsman's shops.  A definite highlight for me was sipping a cappuccino in Saint Marco's Square while listening to  live music. Here is a picture of the famous grand canal (albeit a little wet!):

Florence:  We happened to be in Florence during Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, so many of the attractions were closed, but we took that in stride and spent our time roaming around the city.  The leather market was fabulous and it reminded us of the Hong Kong & Richmond night markets.  We also discovered their gold market - one city block of nothing but jewellers!  (hey honey, I like that one:)

Rome:  As cliche as it sounds, we were mesmerised by the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, and people watching on the Spanish Steps.  We hit it up during the day and night.  Our highlights in Rome included free drinking water to keep us hydrated, the Vatican City and of course our one euro cappuccinos.  We could not believe the artwork at the Sistine Chapel - pictures just don't do it justice.

Here we are in front of the Coliseum.

Tips:  Buy a monopod, or camera stick so that you don't have to ask tonnes of people to take pictures for you:  http://www.dealextreme.com/p/stainless-steel-handheld-monopod-for-digital-camera-42504

Purchase tickets for attractions online in advance.   In most cases, we got to skip the queue.  It saved us a lot of time as some of the lines were up to 1.5 hours long. 

Arrivederci!

BENEFITS OF BOXING

HEALTH: THE BENEFITS OF BOXING - CONTENDERS TRAINING STUDIO

Contributed by: Dave and Co.

This post is about a
a PERSON:  Kevin Reynolds, professional boxer, number one ranked cruiser-weight in Canada
a PLACE:  Contenders Training Studio
and a THING:  Training all levels to promote fitness and long term health


Bottom Line:  Sometimes it ain't pretty.  But every time it's worth it.

I have been going to Contenders Training Studio for about 8 years.  Located in Bentall 4 in Vancouver, The owners Kevin Reynolds and Richard Pelcz have a magic potion brewing in that gym.  They train beginners to professionals and it's seemingly all the rage amongst downtown professionals.


I try to go at least twice a week to break up the corporate day.  During the lunch hour "Training Camp Classes" take place and the attendees are predominantly business men and women who have a bunch of capital letters after their names.  The classes are usually jam-packed and high energy.


The lunch hour classes are focused either on lower body, core, upper body etc. and beginner classes are offered mornings, evenings, and weekends.   Having said that, anyone in good physical shape can go to any of the noon hour classes.  Kevin and his comrades will push you to the limits but respect your boundaries.  At contenders, they do realize we all have varied physical abilities and their broad vision is to bring the benefits and surefire results of boxing to the masses in a fun, focused and casual environment.


In general the complex nature of boxing helps you condition most major muscle groups in the body and the intensity / calorie burning increases over time.  It's truly a great cardiovascular and toning workout.  I even drag my wife along sometimes.  She likes to go... no really she does.  Here's a picture of me in all my punching glory courtesy of Kevin:

Contenders' owners Kevin and Richard also give back. Big time.  Every year they run a "White Collar Fight Night" which raises money for Athletes For Kids which provides funding for disadvantage youth in Vancouver so that they may have access to organised sport.  So far they have raised over $100,000.00 with these successful and anticipated events.  That's substantial and impressive.

Check out www.contenders.ca and tell 'em Dave sent you. You won't be sorry... maybe a little bit, but it's all good!  They are "ALWAYS IN YOUR CORNER!"

BACKYARD PLAYGROUND - MOUNT SEYMOUR

BACKCOUNTRY SNOWSHOEING

Contributed by: Elaine

While I would be the first to admit that my backcountry experience was not as intense as the likes of Dave's Sol Mountain experience, it was an adventure nonetheless.  The trail was a bit of a grind, but well worth it because we were rewarded with breath-taking views.  Snowshoeing on Seymour was the perfect way to enjoy the snow within proximity to the city.

This FREE Mount Seymour snowshoe trail is well marked and takes about 3 hours round trip.  There are three peaks that you can hike to.  Our apex was peak 2, about 1400 metres.  The views from this point were pristine and amazing.  You can continue on the trail to peak 3 if you have the energy for it! 

Here is a picture of one of the steeper parts of the trail which helped us earn our "apres snowshoe" treats:

While the National Parks Board rates this trail "difficult," we didn't find it to be too tough.  It was a good workout though and I reckon that varied weather conditions would play a part on how hard the hike would be.

things to note:
-SNOWSHOES:  you can either rent at Seymour or a place like MEC for $12 a day.

-Some snowboarders took advantage of the steepness and lugged their boards up to ride down

-There is lots of parking - all of Lot #5 is designated for snowshoers (although early arrival is recommended.)

-Four-legged friends allowed!
-check your weather

More trail information can be found here.  Happy Snowshoeing!

SOL MOUNTAIN RESORT REVIEW

Photo Credit: Back Country Lodges of British Columbia Association

EAT, SLEEP, HIKE, HIKE, HIKE, SNOWBOARD repeat x4
Contributed by: Dave

2 weeks ago I spent 5 guided and catered days backcountry skiing snowboarding (sorry skiers) at Sol Mountain with some buddies.  What a trip!  

Sol Mountain is a back country lodge in the Monashees about 60 kilometres east of Vernon.  It is very remote, so remote that they only way to get to the lodge in winter is via helicopter.  The views from our chopper ride were epic - untouched mountains full of freshies!

The lodge itself is super modern with lots of amenities (my wife would even love it).  The Chef was phenomenal and we happily devoured the meals he prepared for the 20-ish of us that were there.

Our days started off (in the bitter, bitter cold) trekking up the mountain.  This wasn't like the cat-skiing and heli-skiing trips I had been on before.  I actually had to hike for hours with skins on my split board to be rewarded with untouched powder.  Talk about a workout.  Awesome!
Here's a video to check out:  (Yes, it does sound like the chipmunks narrating in the beginning - but stick with it!)

I highly recommend this place for it's stellar guides, hospitality and overall experience.  Definitely something to put on your "list."

for more information about Sol Mountain check out their website:  www.solmountain.com