You may remember that I co-authored an e-book with my good friend Arieanna Schweber (Active Mama) on building robust online communities. As we both have accumulated years of experience blogging, in the e-book we focused primarily on building community using your blog as a base. Last year we thought of expanding the e-book and constructing a database of case studies of specific industries, for the paper version of our book (which we are still considering, though that book has been a bit delayed due to other commitments).
One of the ways in which I sharpen my thinking and test my new ideas is by creating a new talk, and this is a completely new one, that I was asked to give at the International Association of Business Communicators British Columbia Chapter (IABC/BC) Media Tour on April 17th. When I was invited to speak at the media tour, I started thinking about what could I talk about that would be new and fresh. I have spent the last 6 years of my life strengthening a community around my blog, and with the emergence of Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus, I’ve focused on those three platforms. But I have noticed an increasing trend in the use of other social platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram and Foursquare. And I figured that the best way to offer fresh ideas is to explore newer platforms and their uses.
While there’s still a lot to be seen (and said) about the big four social platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus, and I usually include blogs here), I’m interested in exploring the potential of Foursquare, Instagram and Pinterest to build communities. This talk will give an overview of basic online community building techniques (much like what Arieanna and I presented at Northern Voice 2011 and what I spoke on at WordCamp Victoria 2012) but will expand by proposing ways in which we can grow and strengthen our online communities via Pinterest, Instagram and Foursquare). I will show a few case studies of interesting ways in which each platform is being used by brands and draw attention to potential challenges that each platform poses for community building.
I was on the bus reading my Twitter stream enroute to a friend’s birthday when I suddenly stopped to read an article from Metro Vancouver (excerpt below)
A prominent community organizer and activist from Vancouver’s queer community, David Holtzman, died suddenly this week while on vacation with his partner in Palm Springs, Calif. He apparently suffered a heart attack, according to a source close to his friends and family. Holtzman was director of operations at Vancouver’s Out On Screen Film & Video Society. He had previously been the executive director for A Loving Spoonful, which provides meals, nutritional support and counseling to people living with HIV/AIDS, and also briefly served as executive director for the Wilderness Committee in 2010.
The news caught me completely off-guard and left me in a bit of a shock. After all, not long ago had I seen a check-in from David on my Facebook news feed talking about his holiday. “This can’t be possible“, I thought to myself. I wish it weren’t. I still can’t fathom it. I was at David and Peter’s for drinks just a few months ago. Vancouver and the queer community have lost an amazing community builder.
David Holtzman was always a friend to me, someone who extended his welcoming embrace even when I felt that I was just a newbie in covering issues related to the queer community. He and Peter (his partner) made me feel as welcome in their home as though we had been friends forever (even though we hadn’t – and here is where I wish I had spent more time getting to know him).
Every single time we saw each other at any event (be it Project Empty Bowl, or Vancouver Pride, or the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, or the Vancouver Queer Arts Festival), David was incredibly nice and always made sure to introduce me to everyone. I could always count on David to make me feel connected to my community. He was a role model and will continue to be in memory.
Peter, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. David, I wish I had spent more time knowing you, but I am grateful for the time we spent together and for your help in connecting me with the queer community. Your community building work will have a lasting legacy, and I personally felt honored that you and Peter gifted me with your friendship.
Despite what most people think (with all the social interactions I have), regularly I do take time for myself, and myself alone. It is during this time that I write notes to myself, engage in self-reflection and have a conversation with myself on what I should be doing and how my life plan is going (or as many people call it, thinking strategically and in a “big picture” way).
As you may recall from my usual half-year and year-end reflections on my Manifesto, I usually try to think of my life in a systemic way (comes from my MBA training in strategic management, mostly). On Easter Weekend, I usually take one or two days to myself and no social interaction, so that I can engage in this self-reflective, “big picture thinking” exercise. In previous years I have gone to Steveston Village (in Richmond) and Lonsdale Quay (in North Vancouver) and spent time on my own, thinking about my life trajectory.
This year, I’m a bit of at a loss as to where to sit down and reflect. I have asked on Twitter and Facebook, and will probably pose a similar question on Google Plus. It has to be, obviously, a place where I can be alone if I so choose. Thoughts?
I feel terrible. I’m normally really good at keeping up with birthdays and all that jazz. And then I totally missed my dear friend and former intern Anabelle Bernard Fournier’s birthday (which was yesterday) and I feel obviously so embarrassed. Yes, admittedly I’m crazy busy but I shouldn’t forget dear friends’ birthdays. Anabelle, you know how much you mean to me and I am so glad you came into my life.
The work we did together and the time we spent collaborating alongside Jessica (go, Team Universe Domination!) was fantastic and I’m proud of you and what you’ve accomplished. I love that you have the same kind of sense of humour, and that we share so many characteristics (amongst them, we are academic geeks!) And if I made a difference in your life is only because you made a difference in mine. Happy belated birthday! Lunch on me next week when I’m in Victoria!
You know when you have a resource at your fingertips and you always say “next term, I’m going to make use of it”? Yeah. That happens to me quite a lot. Specifically, with the Vancouver School Board. I agree with my friend Monique in that I think a lot of people don’t realize how affordable and good these classes are. The printed catalogues should be arriving in mailboxes this week but here’s a look at the program offerings for Spring. Classes start next week!
Below are some sample courses that people who like the same things I do might consider doing.
I know for a fact many of my close friends (particularly those who are NOT on social media platforms) have taken advantage of the affordable courses that VSB offers. You probably want to do the same!
When I think of Canadian women in technology, obviously three of my very first choices are my good friends Minna Van (co-founder of The Network Hub and someone who codes websites and apps with ease), Rebecca Bollwitt (co-owner of Sixty4Media, and a WordPress theme developer) and Maura Rodgers (co-founder of Strutta, Executive Director of Bootup Labs, and a number of other activities related to technology).
For me, women in technology are a fact of my day-to-day Vancouver life, and that may be a substantially biased view because I have many female friends who are either owners or co-founders of tech startups or work in the technology field. So, when Cathy Browne shared some information on Canadian Women in Technology and the eMentorship program whose only Vancouver stop will take place on Tuesday April 10th, 2012, I figured I would share with my audience.
I’m helping draw attention to a national initiative that just been launched to address a critical shortage of women in the tech sector – and I know you’re all supportive of these types of concerns.
Canadian women make up only 25% of the technology workforce, with only a small number holding management positions. And a staggering 52% of these highly trained and qualified women will leave their jobs after only 10 years. This doesn’t bode well for young women considering careers in technology.
According to Canadian Women in Technology (CanWIT), mentorship can help contribute to turning these stats around, and encourage the participation and advancement of young women in tech. Canada’s onlynational grassroots organization dedicated to promoting tech careers for women has launched an online mentorship matching platform, and is hosting workshops for both mentors and mentees across the country.
Think about it – would the career of a woman you know have been improved by a mentor’s guidance? Could her career be helped now? The answer is invariably yes.
The only Vancouver stop on the eMentorship tour is on Tuesday, April 10 at The Segal Graduate School of Business, SFU, 500 Granvile (at Pender) from 10 am-1 pm. The cost is $35 including lunch. Complete information can be found here. Sounds like a valuable workshop for any woman who wants to enter or is in the technology field.
As part of my increased involvement with the queer community in Vancouver in the past five years, I have covered a number of events and written stories highlighting queer issues. One of the charities that is most dear and near to my heart is Qmunity, for a number of reasons. David Hannigan (a dear friend of mine) is on the Board of Directors of Qmunity, several of the Board members are friends of mine too, and Qmunity is also one of the charitable organizations of choice of another close friend of mine, Mark Robins (founder of GayVancouver.net).
Furthermore, my dear friend Marc Smith dedicated all of 2011 to run a number of extremely successful events in support of Qmunity as the charity of choice for his company, Amuse Events Consulting. All around, I have many, many reasons to support Qmunity, and thus I am excited to attend (and I encourage you to do so as well) Sunday Brunch for Qmunity, hosted at Ensemble Tap by Chef Dale MacKay, the winner of Top Chef Canada, on April 29th, 2012 from 11am to 3pm.
Just $25 per ticket includes a gorgeous eTap Brunch (choice of Dale MacKay’s three signature brunch entrees), fresh-squeezed Mimosa, Coffee, Live Entertainment. Doors open at 11am, brunch starts at noon with entertainment to follow. Seating is limited to 130 so purchase tickets early!
Hosted by Top Chef Canada Winner Dale MacKay, Executive Chef Brad Hendrickson. The seating is QMUNAL unless booking large party. There will be burlesque beauties, drag queens, live entertainment, raffle & door prizes. QMUNITY receives 25% of event proceeds + $1 per Special Drink sold. Tickets must be purchased in advance to guarantee seating.
You can get tickets through EventBrite. Hope to see you there! ensemble Tap is located at 990 Smithe Street, in the core of downtown Vancouver.
I had tried Notturno Paninoteca earlier at the Tastes of the World event that Richard Wolak organized, but I had never actually sat down and had a sandwich there. And frankly, it’s one of the most under-rated and delicious sandwiches I’ve had in a long, long time. I think it’s because Notturno Paninoteca is hidden on Carral Street and people in Gastown seem to rarely venture in that direction. But they’re wrong, because they definitely need to visit Notturno Paninoteca.
My good friend Degan Beley (whose palate I trust with my life as she’s also a food writer) took me to Notturno Paninoteca the other day for lunch and I definitely loved it. The extremely friendly staff, incredibly tasty food and unbeatable location (2 blocks away from my office at The Network Hub) make Notturno an option for lunch that I really want to try again soon.
I ordered a Calabrese panini (Notturno specializes in paninis, which means I probably should bring JT here for dinner), which I had to modify as to remove the cheese. The delicate mixture of flavors (spicy capicollo, spicy eggplant, and spicy sopresatta) make the Calabrese panini ($9.5) a delicious lunch option if you are in the Gastown cluster. Worth trying and coming back. And even more fun? Sharing a meal with my friend Degan. As I vouched earlier this year, I’m now concentrating on spending time with the people I love and who love me instead of trying to be at 4,432 events. And it’s a strategy that is working amazingly. Go visit Notturno Paninoteca, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it (and they have a fabulous wine list!)
Disclosure: Degan paid for both of our lunches on her own dime. As always I retain full editorial control on everything posted on my site.
The previous version of the video I found of this song was with the female group “Las Ultrasónicas”, with music by Titán, but I actually prefer this version (solely with Titán). For your listening pleasure.
My friend Sabrina Evertt has done some of the most creative theatrical work I have seen in my years attending theatre in Vancouver (in fact, Sabrina and I became friends through me attending so many productions where she was either involved in or attending). Her company (Twenty-Something Theatre) is producing The Bomb-itty of Errors, by Jordan Allen-Dutton, Jason Catalano, Gregory Qaiyum and Erik Weiner. Directed by Catriona Leger, The Bombitty of Errors runs April 4 (Preview), April 5 (Opening) – 22 , 8 pm and it’s dark on Monday, April 16. The show takes place at the intimate Studio 16, 1545 W. 7th Avenue, Vancouver and ticket are sliding scale $15 – $25, available through Brown Paper Tickets.
Photo credit: Candice Albach
After bringing the critically acclaimed productions of the World Premiere of Prodigals (2010) and Tough! (2011) to Vancouver, Twenty Something Theatre is pleased to present Temporary Thing’s production of The Bomb-itty of Errors – a fast-paced, energetic, musical “ad-rap-tation” of William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors. Elizabethan times get pumped up with live hip-hop flavour, as the actors sing, rap and rhyme fun, catchy and laugh-out-loud songs that retain much of the Bard’s original text – all with a live DJ on stage and original music by local artist, Anami Vice.
I have seen several of these actors in previous productions and I have always loved the directorial work of Catriona Leger so it should prove a fun show. And who doesn’t like The Comedy of Errors reinvented with energetic music? I do!
I am also giving away a pair of tickets to the April 7th show (which is this weekend, Saturday). If you are taking the weekend off, this would be your perfect show for a Saturday evening. And all you need to do to enter my giveaway is drop a comment on this post telling me your favorite comedic show (can be TV show too). Trust me, everyone in my friends groups seems to love The Big Bang Theory. Geeks, for the win!
I will draw a winner from all entries on April 6th at 11am, and as usual, inform the winner by posting on this entry, so be sure to check back on this post so I can let you know who won! This is a super fast contest, I know, as it closes in 2 days. So better get your entries fast! An additional entry for a total of two can be earned by posting on Twitter the following:
Shared my favorite comedy show with @hummingbird604 http://is.gd/7leXef to enter to win tix to The Bombitty of Errors @theatre_20
Full disclosure at the beginning of the post: Many of the students who participated and/or organized in Storm The Riding are or have been students of mine, and I’m affiliated with several of the organizers in one way or another (specifically, because of my academic work in environmental politics). So, I’m kind of biased in that I feel absolutely inspired by my students and by the organizers of Storm The Riding. And of course, I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments of Sophie Harrison and Sam Harrison (two teenagers whom I have seen grown to become these agents of social change and founders of Kids For Climate Action).
So, now that the disclosures are out of the way, I have to say I’m very impressed, as someone who has studied environmental social movements for more than a decade, about the traction that Storm The Riding (organized by UBCC350 and Kids For Climate Action) obtained this past weekend. I had an opportunity to talk to several of the organizers (I arrived late, as I was sick most of the morning) and the kind of energy that they radiated was just unbelievable. It’s hard not to be galvanized for action when you see so much passion in youth, and all of them concerned and worried about their own future and that of coming generations. You can check a video of what went down below (credit: Jon Chiang/UBCC350).
– The Huffington Post Canada with a fantastic article on how actually to effect change by getting off your butt and doing something.
– Global BC with great written coverage and a fabulous accompanying video.
– My favorite student paper (ok, ok I’m biased – it’s UBC’s student paper, The Ubyssey) wrote about the Storm The Riding event.
– UBC student Jon Chiang writes about his story on how he got galvanized and engaged into joining UBCC350. Read it. It is extremely powerful.
– The Vancouver Sun provided continued coverage (before and after the event). These are a couple of stories after the Storm The Riding event (read second story here).
– On my colleague Simon Donner’s blog.
– On Richard Hughes‘ blog.
Wonderful work, everyone. Hopefully next time I will be able to join you! And hopefully this galvanizes our government to take action against climate change.
I have to admit that when I heard the name “The Flying Pig” as applied to a restaurant, two thoughts came to mind: the first was “is this restaurant a pork-focused one?” and the second one was “don’t people say ‘flying pigs’ as a phrase indicating the impossible?”.
Yeah, well, the owners of The Flying Pig (in the heart of Yaletown on Hamilton Street) definitely have a couple of items with pork, but the mainstay of the menu isn’t pork. Beyond the funny name of the restaurant, The Flying Pig does achieve the impossible: fantastic service, excellent food and wonderful ambiance.
With an innovative lunch menu that doesn’t break the bank and a very solid list of wines, The Flying Pig keeps it simple yet creative. Even on a rainy day, the warmly decorated room looked gorgeous (there is lots of wood in there) and the service was fantastic. Our server was very attentive and prompt, and answered our questions with some good suggestions for lunch. I went with the chalkboard suggestion (Halibut in a pesto-garlic-creamy sauce on pappardelle pasta, $15) and my good friend (and keynoting coach) Janice Tomich (who was the one who invited me for lunch in the first place) ordered a salad ($7) and a fantastic pea soup. Let me tell you it’s worth going to The Flying Pig for the pea soup alone.
I know what you’re thinking. The Flying Pig? You must have lots of pork on the menu, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. To be honest, our menu breakdown has a wide range of items and, yes, a small portion can be pork. The Flying Pig represents our desire for you to see the impossible happen every time you visit us. As seasoned veterans in our field, it’s is our obligation to exceed expectations and we never forget “that you’re only as good as your last meal”. Our backgrounds are influenced by a strong Canadian work ethic and our roots are planted in kitchens all around Vancouver. We refer to our restaurant as a “nouveau Canadian Bistro”… offering a simple, seasonally inspired menu with fresh, local ingredients at a great value. Our open concept kitchen brings the Chef to your table, delivering a memorable overall dining experience.
While I expected a tasty lunch, I did not expect THIS GOOD of a lunch. Honestly, the halibut was cooked just perfectly, with a tasty slight crust that brought the halibut flavour out. The creamy Pesto sauce had just enough garlic to make it appealing to a garlic-addict like me, and was perfectly well matched with a few heirloom tomatoes for presentation (and flavour).
Definitely, I have found just found one of my favorite restaurants, one where I will be bringing out-of-town guests for dinner and a very special someone for lunch. I couldn’t have asked for better company to share this new gem of a discovery than my friend and keynoting coach Janice Tomich. And the wine I requested to accompany my meal (a delicious Washington-State Riesling) will be featured on my Wine Wednesday post. In summary: The Flying Pig is definitely worth the visit.
Disclosure: Janice invited me for lunch so our meal was on her own dime. As always, I retain full editorial control over anything I post on my site.
100.5 The Peak is one of my favorite radio stations in Vancouver, and I just found out they are presenting MAURICE & ELIAS w/ Oh Village on FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 2012 at THE CELLAR NIGHTCLUB (1006 GRANVILLE STREET). Doors 8PM. Tickets are $10 Advance, and are on sale now at: Zulu, Scratch, Red Cat & High Life or online.
More information on each artist here
MAURICE
In the fall of 2011, Maurice released his second full length album, Songs In Sea. It showcases the monumental transformation of a sound. The album reflects and surmises the metaphoric irony which stands as a symbol for these recordings. The fluidity of the ocean and how it is always changing – the fluidity of music and how it is always evolving, the different emotions and stirring of life that emanates from the sea. This album was born from very different circumstances then its David Foster-steered predecessor. Although the music still possesses the innate pop sensibilities that are Maurice’s calling card, It is entirely independently made and self produced, having been recorded in a cabin, a bedroom and a basement, a huge step away from high end studios of Hollywood, the result of which was Maurice’s debut release Young People with Faces, produced by Matt Hyde and David Foster, released in the spring of 2010. This summer, Maurice was chosen to compete in Music BC’s Peak Performance as one of the top 20 finalists vying for the $100,500 grand prize.
You can check a video from The Peak about Maurice here
ELIAS
Elias is a Vancouver-based band whose music is an anthemic mix of dark, moody vocal melodies with original guitar riffs, haunting keyboards, and forceful rhythms. From their debut Lasting Distraction, rock radio stations immediately identified with the lead track “All We Want”, driving the single into the Top 20 and thrusting the band into the Canadian limelight. While the song climbed the charts, the band brought their note-perfect live performance to audiences across Canada, sharing the stage with Matt Good, Finger 11, Pilot Speed, Civil Twilight, and more Elias has emerged with their brand new album Fossils, released February 14 this year on Wax Records. On Fossils, the band’s sound covers a lot of ground, moving from dark to light, from moody to anthemic.
Here is a video of Elias busking for a charitable cause, Busking For Change.
OH VILLAGE
In April 2011, Oh Village gained publicity and a professional music experience by finishing second in Youthink Magazine’s Best Teen Band Competition, beating out over fifty entrants from across the province. Oh Village’s rising recognition drew the attention of a local studio, and the band subsequently released Headlights / Red Death in February 2012. They mix piano, drums, bass, guitar and vocal harmonies with non-conventional instruments such as the cello and trumpet, and have been lauded as having a “unique sound, a blend of folk, rock, [and] alternative.
This is a video of Oh Village on studio.
I have 5 (five) pairs of tickets that will go to 5 lucky winners. All you have to tell me here is who you’d take along to this concert. Sounds like it’ll be a fun night on the town!
You can also enter via Twitter:
Told @hummingbird604 who I’d bring along to @cellarclubnight http://is.gd/7bLLFU to enter to win tix to Maurice/Elias/Oh Village concert
Since the concert is Friday April 20th at 2pm, I will draw all winners on April 16th. Good luck everyone! It sounds like it’ll be a really fun night.
As you may know, The Network Hub expanded to New Westminster’s River Market last year. As a result, I have done a lot of promotional work around the royal city, for obvious reasons: the more attractive New Westminster is as a destination, the higher the chances that entrepreneurs in surrounding cities will have an interest in participating in coworking in the New Westminster campus of The Network Hub. Plus, I really like New Westminster, and I am finding it even more attractive now with the presentation by Royal City Musical Theatre of the lovely musical “Hello Dolly” at the newly renovated Massey Theatre.
Hello, Dolly! tells the story of Dolly Levi, a matchmaker, who has been hired to arrange a marriage for the widowed half-millionaire, Horace Vandergelder. Dolly has other plans. She herself has been recently widowed and Horace and his fortune will make her the perfect match. As she arrives in Yonkers, she immediately begins to plant seeds of doubt in Vandergelder’s mind about Irene Molloy, the pretty young woman she has picked for him.
Hello, Dolly! is a classic show with a fabulous score and dance numbers that bring audiences to their feet. This show will feature a large cast of all ages, including both a singing ensemble and a dancing ensemble. It has a musically rich and complicated score that is a favourite for many!
Here is the listing of the performances:
PREVIEWS – Thursday, April 12, 8pm and Friday, April 13, 8pm
OPENING NIGHT – Saturday, April 14, 8pm
Royal City Musical Theatre’s production stars Colleen Winton as Dolly Levi, David Adams as Horace Vandergelder. The production is directed and choreographed by Valerie Easton with James Bryson as Musical Director
This is a wonderful show for the whole family! Hello Dolly runs at the Massey Theatre (735 Eighth Avenue in New Westminster). Performances Saturday April 12 -28 2012 at 8pm Wednesday through Sunday. Matinee performances Saturday and Sunday 2pm. And you can buy tickets here.
I have a pair of tickets for opening night (April 14th, 8pm) of Hello Dolly at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster, produced by Royal City Musical Theatre, and those tickets will go to the winner of a draw of all Twitter and blog comment entries (up to 2 entries if you comment on this post AND tweet about the show). I will draw a winner on April 7th at 7 pm (this is a short-run contest, so get your entries fast!). And the question is, of course, your favorite song from a musical theatre show. Mine tends to be, weird as it sounds, Lea Salonga’s song in Miss Saigon (and I can’t recall the name!)
An additional entry can be earned by posting the following on Twitter:
Told @hummingbird604 my favorite song http://is.gd/JRARHA to enter to win tix to #HelloDolly @RCMTheatre at #NewWest @masseytheatre
Boston-based (and one of my absolute favorite) band The Hush Now (you may remember when I interviewed them and asked 7 Questions) wrote a song about Vancouver (aptly named). They also ran a contest for a video for the song. This one is fantastic. For your listening pleasure and for your visual pleasure as well, as the video is fun.
While the Vancouver theatre community has been facing severe challenges in recent months, I am delighted to announce that Vancouver Civic Theatres will present God of Carnage April 14 – May 5 at the Vancouver Playhouse. For ticket details, please call 604 665 3470.
The play God of Carnage is by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, directed by Miles Potter and it is also a co-production with The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.
When two young boys get into a playground fight, their parents meet to discuss the incident in a civilized manner. But what begins as a calm and rational debate between grown-ups, soon degenerates into a hysterical evening of name-calling, tantrums and tears before bedtime.
The cast includes Oliver Becker (Michael), Shauna Black (Veronica), John Cassini (Alan) and Vickie Papavs (Annette).
I have a pair of tickets for Opening Night (April 19th) and you can enter my giveaway by dropping a comment on this post telling me about the last piece of theatre you saw. I am going to be honest, being sick for 2 months means that I have not been attending theatre lately. My last review (e.g. the last time I was at a theatre show was from January 2012, which strangely and coincidentally enough was RED at the Vancouver Playhouse. When did you last see a show?
I will draw a winner from all entries (you can earn an additional entry by posting the paragraph below on Twitter) on Monday April 16th at 2pm, and as usual, the winner will have 24 hours to claim the win. Check back on this post on the date of the draw as it’s here where I will post the name of the winner!
Shared my most recent theatre experience w/ @hummingbird604 http://is.gd/JhoK2n to enter to win tickets to @vanplayhouse God of Carnage
God of Carnage sounds like it will be a fantastic production and can’t wait to check it out.
On Daffodil Day we ask Canadians to take a moment to reflect upon the thousands of people who are living with cancer and to remember those who have died. On this important day we encourage Canadians to do something special for those living with cancer or to contribute in some way to the fight against this disease.
Daffodil Day is April 27th, 2012 and thus on that day, the Canadian Cancer Society requests that you consider doing something to show someone afflicted with cancer that you care. Please consider joining the campaign. Below you can check a PSA for the 2012 campaign (including Rick Campanelli). You can follow the Canadian Cancer Society on Twitter and/or join their page on Facebook. You can also wear a virtual daffodil pin by using the Facebook and Twitter applications here.
I just got wind from Telus and Caya on TELUS bringing Mobile Attaché 4G LTE to Caya boutiques. Below is the press information I received. Photographs in this post by Joshua McVeity and used with permission.
Photo credit for this and all other photos in this post: Joshua McVeity for Caya, used with permission
The Mobile Attaché 4G LTE was unveiled in Canada today – exclusively in TELUS’ award winning Caya boutiques. The sleek new wireless device raises the bar in the highly competitive Smartphone market, giving TELUS wireless subscribers the first truly mobile office – enabling mobility and flexibility while boasting unparalleled voice performance, secure mobile data storage, and laptop computing in a revolutionary new design.
Work today is more mobile than ever before and the Mobile Attaché 4G LTE is the ideal Smartphone technology with everything you need to take your office anywhere. An optional ‘car trunk’ option allows customers to connect scanner or fax machines directly to your computer through the Mobile Attaché, on the go.
“The Mobile Attaché 4G LTE represents a milestone in Smartphone evolution, bringing technology and style together in a way that allows users to work when and where they want while achieving work/life balance goals,” said Kenn Hamlin, Director of Special Projects at TELUS. “It was obvious that such progressive telework technology, that is as stylish as it is convenient, should be launched at Caya, TELUS’ recently introduced, sophisticated boutiques. The Mobile Attaché has a professional, retro look that will appeal to anyone with a passion for staying ahead of the trends, and out of the traditional office.” The Mobile Attaché 4G LTE is a unique addition to Caya’s selection of wireless LTE devices.
For a preview or to pre-order the Mobile Attaché, drop into a Caya boutique on Davie, Denman, Water or South Granville Streets in Vancouver or visit ThisIsCaya.ca.
About Caya
Caya, a sophisticated new brand of boutiques powered by TELUS, encourages customers to “Come As You Are” and share your views, your personality and your uniqueness – as individuals and as a community – with confidence. Caya offers the latest in TELUS products and services, imaging, printing and photo technology from Black’s Photography and a curated selection of stylish accessories. A gathering place as well as a retail space, Caya offers an award-winning environment for hosting customers and community events. Caya’s four stores are located in Vancouver, British Columbia in the South Granville, Gastown, Westend and Yaletown neighborhoods. For more information about Caya, please visit www.thisiscaya.com or Caya on Facebook; come as you are.
Being sick for the better part of 2 months, taking a sabbatical from my blog and getting a substantial number of negative comments and online attacks all made me reconsider the idea of shutting down my blog. But since I decided to keep it, in spite of it all, I am in search of the perfect blogging routine. I’m really wondering what I can do to minimize the time I spend on my blog while still maintaining quality and integrity.
I started not answering people’s pitches for a few weeks (unless I wanted to follow up on a specific pitch) and I felt incredibly bad about doing that (I am told by PR people that this is not unusual and that my usual approach of answering EVERYONE, regardless of whether I am blogging about what they suggest or not is actually quite rare). Reading emails, and redirecting them even in the case of when I invite guest bloggers, takes a lot of time.
Administering contests and giveaways takes an incredibly large amount of time, and it is actually not only quite time consuming insofar it relates to writing a solid blog post to promote the contest, but getting visuals, digital assets, searching for links, promoting the contest online, etc. On top of that, I refuse to run giveaways that use the “RT to enter to win” approach. Thus, you may have noticed I am running substantially fewer contests. Particularly because if a winner’s prize is delayed because of personal circumstances (as it has happened a couple of times throughout my illness) I feel horrible again.
So, I am searching for a way in which I can do as little work as possible while still keeping my blog up. I am considering, amongst other things:
– Not answering emails of pitches that I have decided I’m NOT going to cover/write about (this is a bad idea, I think, because I like manners and this would set me as one of the most rude bloggers out there).
– Running at the very most 2 contests a week.
– Limit the number of tweets promoting a specific blog post or contest to a maximum of 2 a day.
– Blog about whatever I’m pitched (once I’ve decided I want to go with it) ON THE DAY I RECEIVE THE PITCH. This way, even if I run the contest or publish the post later, at least the blog post is written (this is not often possible, as I get press releases that are embargoed, or people forget to email me the name of the photographer or simply don’t have it with them).
What else can I do to cut down on time spent on my blog so that I can maximize it and still maintain sanity? Thoughts accepted and much appreciated.
I can barely contain my excitement for the wonderful weather that is coming up. At some point, that is. Not right now, as it is either rainy or gloomy. But in case you forget how beautiful False Creek (Vancouver) is on a sunny day, here is a photo of mine that will act as a reminder to you.
While I’m not female, I will be attending Breathe Now 2012 (and reporting back from such a great conference). My dear friend Airdrie Miller will be speaking at the conference, as will my dear friend Bif Naked.
Breathe Now is a conference for women, organized by women!
Taking place on April 14-15, 2012 in Victoria, BC, Breathe Now invites women from Western Canada to come together, slow down for a day and half, and breathe!
We all put pressure on ourselves …to be great moms … to be organized … to be great wives … to be great in our careers … to look great … and more, but we often lose sight of ourselves in the midst of keeping up with life! Sometimes, we forget to stop and reflect that the woman we are today is more than enough!
Breathe Now, is about getting together, with like-minded women, slowing down for a day and a half, and reminding ourselves to Breathe! … its ok!
We have two fabulous keynote speakers lined up for the weekend: Rona Maynard will be our opening keynote speaker, and Bif Naked will provide the closing keynote address. Both have their own very personal experiences to share with coming to terms with self and fast-paced careers and lives, AND they represent the diverse range of women that will be in attendance at Breathe Now.
By sharing experiences with those we normally would not have a chance to connect with, we can build new connections that will help us learn, mentor and grow together as women.
The schedule for the conference is focussed on helping women explore many different facets of our lives, share experiences and strategies for being the best we can be, and remind ourselves that however we choose to express ourselves as women … it’s ok!
You can register here and you can check the schedule out here.
UPDATE – I am now a media sponsor of Breathe Now 2012, so you will be definitely be getting some content from me from the conference!
As you know, brunch is one of my favorite meals of the day, and I absolutely love and adore theatre. So, what better way to combine them for a Perfect Sunday? My definition of a perfect Sunday, is in fact having brunch with my friends and then taking in a theatre matinee. So, I was thrilled when West Restaurant and The Arts Club agreed to partner with me for a contest to offer one of my lucky readers and a guest a taste of a Perfect Sunday.
Recognized as the ‘jewel in Vancouver’s culinary crown’, West’s outstanding contemporary regional cuisine and seamless service has earned much critical acclaim. Pristine seasonal ingredients are sourced to deliver superbly conceived dishes offering modern interpretations of classics. For those keen to observe ‘behind the scenes’ action and experience West from a unique perspective, the two ‘chef’s tables’ can be found directly adjacent to the presentation kitchen. One of the highlights of the dining room is a temperature-controlled wall of wine, and under it, the long cherry wood bar that gracefully anchors the conversation—where martinis and cocktails are composed of fresh herbs, juices and creative infusions.
You will be treated to Sunday Brunch at West Restaurant (West just launched their new Sunday brunch menu). West was kind enough to throw in not only Sunday Brunch for two, but also their special bubbly brunch cocktails. As if that wasn’t enough for a wonderful Sunday, The Arts Club kindly offered me in exclusive a pair of tickets to the matinee function on April 8th, at 2pm at the Stanley Industrial Alliance of the wonderful show The Importance of Being Earnest (total duration of the show is 2 hours and 35 minutes).
Allan Gray, Allan Zinyk, Charlie Gallant, Ryan Beil in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo by Emily Cooper.
What happens when two wealthy playboys—one in the city, one in the country—each pretends to be named Ernest so that he can behave recklessly without besmirching his reputation? In this hilarious Oscar Wilde satire, arguably the wittiest play in the English canon, pandemonium ensues when the duplicitous duo find themselves together, both masquerading as the same person, with each wooing a different woman!
To enter my giveaway, all you need to do is describe to me what a Perfect Sunday looks like to you. The version that I’m offering here on the giveaway is definitely a personal favorite, but another perfect Sunday used to be going for breakfast with my Mom and my brothers, followed by shopping, a nap and then taking in a movie and having dinner together. Family time is super important to me, and I look forward to going back to Mexico to do that at least once this year.
So, tell me in the comments section what a Perfect Sunday looks like to you. If you want to earn an additional entry, post the following text on your Twitter stream (note, I’ll count the second entry AFTER you have posted a comment with your description of what is your definition of a perfect Sunday).
Shared my #PerfectSunday w/ @hummingbird604 http://is.gd/GNjf9Z to enter to win a brunch @WestRestaurant & show @TheArtsClub prize pack
I will draw a lucky winner on April 5th at 2pm. As with any of my contests, you will have 24 hours to respond and accept the draw prize and provide me with your full name and contact details so I can pass them along to The Arts Club and West Restaurant for a reservation under your name for Sunday Brunch at West Restaurant and tickets at Will Call at the box office at the Stanley (arrive 15-30 minutes prior to the show to pick up your tickets).
Good luck everyone, and thanks to The Arts Club and West Restaurant for partnering with me to offer a lucky reader a taste of a Perfect Sunday.
I’m not 100% sure where QQ Sushi is, geographically speaking. Everyone and their mother seem to have a different opinion of what this area is. But the one thing I can tell you is that QQ Sushi has excellent sushi at inexpensive prices. And by excellent I mean, it’s filling and tasty, even if it’s not sophisticated.
I, as most food bloggers in town (and I think, just about everybody on the planet or at least, in Vancouver), love to take photos of my food and post them in my social media platforms. My dearest friend Cassandra Anderton (of Good Life Vancouver fame) just shared this YouTube with me by American Hipster, collaborating with Key of Awesome. AMAZING. And totally accurate.
Somebody asked me a few weeks ago whether I knew a lounge where you could listen to piano music, have a nice drink and enjoy the company of friends. Seeing as that concept was something I knew in Mexico but in Canada I wasn’t too familiar with it (the idea of a “piano bar”), I was a bit taken aback. It took my friend Brian Webb‘s birthday for me to find out about 900 West at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
Jay Minter invited me to join him and other friends of Brian to join them at 900 West Lounge at the Fairmont Vancouver Hotel for a drink. I will fully disclose that I had no clue that (a) the drinks were so good (b) the service was so nice (c) the music was fantastic (d) the atmosphere was really low-key, chill and perfect for a post-work or early evening (or even late evening) drink with friends.
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver welcomes you to the 900 West Lounge. Relax in our soft wingback chairs, admire our beautiful architecture and enjoy the sultry sounds of our live jazz entertainment.
Business lunches for a few clients or a romantic dinner for two, the 900 West Lounge sets the mood for any occasion. With our extensive wine selection and our famous tapas menu you can never go wrong. The next time you join us let us take you on a journey with our wine flights or just a sip from our popular martini list. 900 West Lounge is where Vancouver meets!
As for drink prices? Pretty much around the price of any watering hole in Vancouver that prides itself in its martinis ($10-13). A bit on the pricey side, but still affordable if you have a drink. I would definitely come back, particularly as they have a nice lunch feature for $18.00!
Disclosure: As usual, I paid for my drinks on my own dime.
