My good friend Marcela de la Peña is a Vancouver-based, Mexican-born entrepreneur who is the creator of Comiditas (literally, little lunches or small food). When I first learned about Comiditas my mind was transported to my childhood. Young kids would play “comiditas” (meaning they would play as though they are little cooks). I find the whole idea of plush toy food quite endearing.
(Photo credit: Marcela de la Peña and used with permission)
I asked Marcela to explain what Comiditas is:
Comiditas are hand-made felt toys – fruits and veggies as bright as a Sunday market, and multi-ingredient kits that kids can assemble into their own version of a dish. For example children can enjoy making their own pancake, pizza or salad, choosing from various toppings and ingredients. Colourful, durable, washable and adorable, they are perfect for individual and group play, and a wonderful way to help youngsters develop an adventurous attitude and a love for fresh, healthy food. Comiditas are ‘food’ kids love to play with.
(Photo credit: Marcela de la Peña and used with permission)
A little more information about Comiditas from their About Us page:
We are a small business who seek to create meaningful toys to play with and learn from.
We support toys that are simple but not dull. Toys made from fabric tend to be simple, as they don’t need batteries, make noise, or have lights. And without these distractions, they offer an open door to a world of creativity and learning.
With this educational approach, we support our values and we can pass them on to the children.
An example of this is that our toys are made for both boys and girls. While playing with food has traditionally been a girl’s game, we have found that it is also interesting and engaging for boys. Experimenting with the texture and colours of the food through play is a wonderful learning experience for boys and girls alike.
Playing with your food is an invitation to learn about different fruits, vegetables, and food combinations. Comiditas encourages curiosity about food, and we can take advantage of that curiosity to promote good nutrition.
(Photo credit: Marcela de la Peña and used with permission)
Comiditas will be one of the booths at our local Portobello West this weekend March 26th and 27th and I have a discount code exclusive for readers of Hummingbird604.com (code: HMB604). On top of that, the first 2 readers who use the discount code will receive a free Comiditas-branded apron (value $16 on Comiditas’ online marketplace).
What: Comiditas at Portobello West Season Opener When: March 26th and 27th, 11am to 5pm Where: Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver How much: $2 admission
I hope you have an opportunity to check out Comiditas, as it’s a beautiful idea.
Few things make me happier than having breakfast. Not sure why, probably because I feel that breakfast is “the most important meal of the day”. So when I was invited to stay over at the Hastings House in Salt Spring Island, I decided that I wanted to try traditional breakfast (scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and toast with ham).
Kelly is an excellent cook and the service was simply outstanding. My photos don’t really do it justice but the flavors were really good and more than anything, the mere opportunity to have breakfast on my own in a beautiful dining room like the one that I was hosted in.
The attention to detail provided by the housekeepers is simply extraordinary. And of course, who can forget the home-made jams!
Disclosure: I went to Salt Spring Island to experience the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival March 4th through 6th. My stay at Hastings House and my flight on Salt Spring Air were both complimentary as well as my breakfast. All other expenses I have incurred on this trip I have happily paid for out of my own pocket.
It’s kind of easy to determine what my musical taste is. All you need to do is stand right besides me and check the kind of tunes I move my body to. Anywhere. At Fashion’s Night OUT! on Schools, DJ RyanTrax spun a tune that totally captured me. That tune is here for your listening pleasure: Treasure Fingers’ Cross The Floor in Chromeo Remix.
Recently, I have been sending my photos to Flickr and then Twitter (just with my little point and shoot) and I honestly feel proud of how my photography is evolving. I may not have a DSLR, but even with my P.A.S. I think I’ve shot a few good ones recently. And Mark Hamilton (Kwantlen Polytechnic University) recently indicated “photography is in the eye and in the heart”
The comment from Mark made my day. Because it’s true – I may not have the best equipment but I put my all, my heart and my everything in all the things I do. Including photography. A couple of recent shots I’m pretty proud of below. And thanks for the encouragement, Mark (and everyone who has been commenting on my photos).
The second event in the series of Parksville Uncorked Wine & Food Festival 2011 was the Winemakers Dinner. Again, in previous years I attended the Ingo Grady/Mission Hill Winemakers Dinner (2010) and this year, I was a guest of the Beach Club Resort’s Pacific Prime for the Burrowing Owl Winemakers Dinner. Hosted by Dave Paul; Maitre’D Jim Williams and with Commercial Director and Wine Educator and Head Chef Sean Norris, this was an excellent run-through of a series of delicious plates and full wines.
We began the evening with an easy Amuse Bouche (Qualicum Beach scallop, fennel apple slaw, Preserved lemon oil, sea urchin emulsion) paired with a really flavourful Pinot Gris. I really enjoyed the fennel apple slaw and the sea urchin emulsion as well as the scallop, but I found the flavors to be a bit contrasting.
Next we had a miso sablefish brulee, lily bulb puree, spiced carrot vinaigrette, with a side carrot ginger salad paired with a delicious, light and slightly sweet Chardonnay.
I was not a fan of the Foie Gras and pork belly brioche with pickled cherries, Argan oil powder, paired with an Athene. I think that was because I dont really like pork belly to be quite honest.
The main course was an island raised bison tenderloin with sunchoke puree, blackberry gastrique, tempura enoki, Parsnip bacon and a pairing of Meritage. I found the tenderloin absolutely amazing, with flavours that were enhanced by the parsnip bacon and the Meritage itself.
Our final dish was a free form chocolate crème brulee, demerara crisp, double chocolate bar, chocolate praline gel, pot de crème, white chocolate foam, Bitter chocolate tuile, paired with an amazing Cabernet Franc that while slightly fruity, complimented the chocolate amazingly.
Overall, an absolutely delicious dinner and one I’ll remember for a long time.
Disclosure: My Burrowing Owl Winemakers dinner at the Beach Club Resort was sponsored very generously by the Parksville Uncorked Festival. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this media trip was to report on the event. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form. For the rest of my Parksville Uncorked posts, you can check them here.
This past week, I was invited to the grand opening of The BiBo, an Italian restaurant with a home-style, exclusive ingredients concept. I was really sick this past week, as you may remember, but I received this invitation months ago and I felt that it would be really bad of me to miss it after having accepted the invite so far in advance. So I showed my (rather overdosed on Tylenol Cold) face. I’m glad I did, as it was a really neat experience.
The BiBo owners, Carlo Lorenzo Bottazzi and Andrea Bini traveled to Vancouver from Italy to create an affordable dining experience that stays true to their heritage and Italian values. Join them at The BiBo for an experience of Italian food, wine, culture and traditions and appreciate the true taste of Italy.
The BiBo offers a true Italian experience to please all ages….enjoy watching the master pizza maker, Salvatore create the pizzas in the wood burning oven. He insists the pizzas be served as they are in Italy – he will NOT cut your pizza to keep the flavours intact right to your table.
The BiBo Restaurant is owned by two passionate Italians, Lorenzo Bottazzi and Andrea Bini. I talked to both of them in Italian, which was kind of neat (as my Italian is rather rusty, and I sometimes combine it with French and Portuguese). I had an opportunity to experience just about every single dish on the menu. I found the flatbread exquisite, and the gnocchi with pesto absolutely delicious.
My only problem with the thin-crust pizza was that it was so rich in juices and ingredients that it almost melted in my mouth. From my experience, this is perhaps one of the best pizzas I’ve had, rivaling Pizzeria Prima Strada and some of the Commercial Drive hangouts.
The pastas were really good, especially the gnocchi al pesto and the bucattini amatriciana. And the appetizers were to-die-for. In particular, one of the flavors I love the most: anchovies.
The oven and open space concept made me like BiBo even more.
And as I mentioned, the appetizers were simply delectable. And don’t even tell me about the desserts.
I wouldn’t count this post as a review since I went to a media opening, and my policy is not to write about a restaurant until I have actually eaten there on my own. But I’m glad I got a sneak peek into The BiBo Restaurant. I’ll definitely be coming by soon enough.
Disclosure: As stated on my post, I participated in a media opening. I will be reviewing the restaurant on my own dime soon enough.
I know, that may come as a total shocker considering that (a) I have a Doctorate in Resource Management and Environmental Studies and (b) I teach environmental politics. I just don’t think that Earth Day has the meaning it should have. I understand that it’s meant as a public statement, as a demonstration that we do indeed think about our energy consumption. But before you go out in that romantic Earth Hour-themed date, stop and reflect on whether your energy usage patterns are sustainable or not. Whether every day and every hour is Earth Hour for you. For me, participating in a public demonstration (and God knows I have, since I am a big ‘Wear Pink Day’ supporter) means that I do whatever I support publicly, ALL THE TIME.
If I showcase my repudiation of bullying I do it every single day (whether I wear pink or not). So, my point is – I’m all for thinking about sustainable sources of energy. And you’re more than welcome to participate in Earth Hour (Saturday March 26th from 8:30pm to 9:30pm). But I hope at the end of the day it serves to make you reflect on unsustainable patterns of energy consumption. If it achieves that purpose, then by all means, go ahead and celebrate Earth Hour.
A listing of events and ways to participate is on the Earth Hour Canada website.
The world is all a-twitter because today is Twitter‘s 5th anniversary (coincidentally, my blog turns 5 years in April of 2011). I am grateful to have Twitter, to be quite honest. It’s allowed me to make new friends, stay in touch with others whom I don’t see often, it’s a fantastic tool to disseminate my academic, consulting and social media work, and my students use it to communicate with me in a fast and timely manner. More importantly, having joined Twitter made my life so much richer. I don’t think I would have the reach, the voice or the community I have now if it weren’t for Twitter. So, thank you Twitter, and happy 5th year! You don’t look one day older than 5. Now, please don’t Fail Whale on me, mmmkay?
Thursday March 24th marks Dining Out For Life Vancouver 2011, an event I have promoted every single year as HIV/AIDS charities are always relevant in my world. I have been crazy busy but I will also be celebrating on Thursday and eating out at participating restaurants in the Dining Out for Life Vancouver 2011 programme (a complete list is here). For those of you who don’t know what Dining Out For Life is, here’s a little summary: Over 230 restaurants from Whistler to White Rock and across the Fraser Valley will contribute 25% of their sales that day to people living with HIV/AIDS, on March 24th.
From what I read on the website, Dining Out For Life–Vancouver has raised over $3 million for HIV/AIDS support services over 16 years. This year Sumac-Ridge Winery is a presenting sponsor. Sumac-Ridge will donate $1 from every bottle of wine sold anywhere in B.C. during the month of March. I think that’s pretty cool. And I’m a big fan of Friends for Life and A Loving Spoonful (I even Blogathoned for ALS in 2007).
I encourage every single one of my readers to go out and Dine Out For Life. Because you can make a difference in the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS.
As you know, I’m in love with Toronto and Toronto-residents (Meghan, Karim, Ryan and Pamela might have had something to do with it). The last few times I’ve been there, and in particular the last time, I fell in love.
Last year I spent a week with my good friend Meghan Warby (Without A Yard) I really fell in love with the city. So, when Meghan asked me if I would attend North by North East Interactive 2011 (which this year runs from June 13th to 19th), I began seriously considering it. NxNEi is right before I start teaching summer courses, and attending would allow me to do some cross-pollination and collaborative work with scholars in the Toronto/Waterloo area. So I’m seriously considering it.
Now in its 17th year, North by Northeast Music Festival and Conference (NXNE) has become the Canadian festival destination for new and emerging talent—unsigned bands, indie favourites, and major-label headlining artists alike. Seen as the most anticipated summer music event in Canada, NXNE Music, NXNE Film, and NXNE Interactive are an essential gathering for artists, industry, and fans.
We’re based in Toronto, but bring a global perspective to our programming. NXNE’s mission is to
provide a forum for the best new music, in which fans can catch emerging artists – tomorrow’s stars – and today’s most popular acts at intimate club venues
screen the year’s most exciting music-themed films
bridge the gap between the creative industries and the interactive world
present Toronto with an annual marquis tourist destination festival by showcasing international headline performers at huge free outdoor concerts
While it would have been impossible for me to attend SxSWi (South by South West Interactive), the fact that I don’t teach that week and that I could have other research objectives for that visit is strongly drawing me towards actually attending NxNEi. And who knows, maybe I could even speak there in the interactive portion!
UPDATE – I just realized my very good friend and amazing project partner Grace Carter is speaking at North by North West Interactive. That has sealed my decision. Whether I speak or not, I will be going. Just for the fun of hanging out with my Toronto crowd again and to see Grace speak.
I promised myself that this year (2011) I would focus more on me (well, first on me) than focus on others’ wellbeing. So far, I’ve done a miserable job of it. It’s not even April and I’ve already collaborated in a fundraiser, promoted countless causes, etc. But the one thing that I think I may succeed on is improving my dance. I was a competitive dancer before and I’m quite confident on my ability to learn new styles. I considered taking up flamenco (particularly as last week I saw Cruceta Flamenco with Mariano Cruceta as the main lead bailaor) in the 2011 Vancouver Dance Festival.
But I’m still not sure whether to go in that route (considering how busy my schedule is, how many academic conferences I have planned for 2011 and how many papers I’m writing). Neither style is “easy” per se. But given how my body responds to rigorous dance training, it would appear that doing Flamenco would require a bit longer to master. Hip hop is a style that I feel confident I would pick up fast.
And the music really draws me.
I’m torn. I’m teaching one course this summer, and that’s actually the one thing that I plan to use as an anchor in terms of discipline. I am going to try to have the dance classes I take on the same days as the days I teach at UBC. And then assess my progress in how well I dance either style that I choose.
As you can imagine, it’s always nice when I get pitched something that fits my blog. Given that I do research on water and sustainability, this kind of contest fits what I do. Recently, I found out that Adera is launching a new boutique townhome development in North Vancouver: seven35. The 60 stacked townhomes are already under construction at 735 West 15th Street across the lane from Adera’s NoMa, named for its location on North Vancouver’s Marine Drive. Sales are expected to begin in May.
Photo credit: Raef Grohne. Used with permission.
All seven35 homes will offer a guaranteed EnerGuide rating of 82 or higher, as well as sustainable features including Energy Star windows and appliances, motion sensor light switches, fluorescent light fixtures, low-VOC paints, low-flow faucets, water-efficient irrigation and future photovoltaic capacity for solar cells. Seven35 will also have one of the first installations of a ‘building size’ wastewater heat recovery system.
Homes will start from under $300,000 and range in size from 450-square-foot bachelor “crashpads” to just over 1,000-square-foot two-storey townhomes with two bedrooms. The target market for seven35 is a similar demographic to NoMa purchasers: young professionals from 25 to 40, many of whom grew up in North Vancouver. The location offers both urban amenities along Marine Drive two blocks south and access to the outdoors with Mosquito Creek Park and the Trans Canada Trail across the lane to the west.
To promote their new development (and highlight the sustainability features of their seven 35 homes) Adera has given me a prize to give away to one lucky reader. The winner will receive a Deep Cove Explorer Kayak package for two from Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak, valued at $175. This is a 3 hour relaxing guided paddle where you will explore Deep Cove and the southern part of Indian Arm. Beverage and snack are included.
I asked a bit more about ADERA’s sustainable construction practices and this is what they told me:
– Any water needing to be discharged from site required to pass through sediment control pond to separate dirt and potential pollutants before entering drainage system. During excavation, erosion reduced by placing protective covering over bank to protect sediment in rainwater.
– Use truck washes with larger boulders and bumps to knock off dirt before entering wash which consumes less water and less issues with run-off water.
– One designated toilet onsite during construction that is resealed after project completion to save water.
– Wheel wash to protect salmon spawn habitat at GREEN development in Burnaby.
To enter my giveaway (active until March 22nd at 5pm), you can either drop a comment on this post with a water saving tip that you are actually right now implementing, or that you are planning to implement. To earn a second entry you can tweet the following
I told @hummingbird604 and @aderahome my water-saving tips to enter to win a Deep Cove kayak experience. What’s yours? http://ow.ly/4hGTU
Hopefully you will be saving a lot of water for World Water Day, whose theme is Water for Cities!
My friend Maryanne Renzetti mentioned to me last year that she was producing a play, and the time has come for this play to be out on stage. Her company, StairCase XI is presentnig the Vancouver premiere of Stewart Lemoine’s murder mystery Evelyn Strange. From the information that I received, Evely Strange is a dark comedy inspired by film noir and Wagnarian Opera to explore themes of identity, greed, and passion through word play and personal revelation.
Evelyn Strange follows the amnesiac title character in 1955 as she seeks her own identity while forcing others to reluctantly reveal their true selves. Set in upscale Manhattan, the play parallels by the epic story of Wagner’s Siegfried through its characters as well as its musical score.
Canadian playwright Stewart Lemoine’s Evelyn Strange is the latest show from Staircase XI Theatre Productions. The company’s most recent production at the Vancouver Fringe Festival, Will Eno’s “Oh, The Humanity, and Other Good Intentions” was held over and nominated for the Georgia Straight’s Critics Choice award. Evelyn Strange is directed by Becky Shrimpton and features performances by Adam Bergquist, Shauna Johannesen, Byron Noble and Maryanne Renzetti.
Evelyn Strange by Stewart Lemoine Mar. 23 – Apr. 2, 2011. Pay-What-You-Can Preview: Wed. Mar. 23, Opening: Thur. Mar. 24, Curtain: 8pm nightly Wed. through Sun., Matinee: Sat. Apr.2 @ 2pm, Tickets: $15/$18, available at the door. Special World Theatre Day performance on Sunday March 27th at 8pm. Tickets will be $12 for Adults and $10 for Students/Seniors for this day. Reservations: 778-834-3624 or tickets@staircasexi.com, Venue: Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver. (*) Please note: Cash only at the door.
I have been given a pair of tickets for opening night which is Thursday March 24th. I will be drawing winners of my tickets on Tuesday March 22nd, at 5pm. You can enter my giveaway by telling me what you tend to forget the most (I’m terribly forgetful with my house keys even though I have a photographic memory – but I am GREAT with birthdays!) – you can also enter my giveaway via Twitter (2 entries if you comment AND tweet) posting the following on your stream.
To enter to win tickets to Evelyn Strange, I told @hummingbird604 what I forget often http://ow.ly/4hF4A – what do YOU forget?
Tuesday March 22nd will mark World Water Day. I was planning to give a public lecture but I’ve been sick all week and I have way too much going on with my life. But at least I will have a quick giveaway and a couple of posts around then. For those of you who know me a bit, you should know that a large part of my research is dedicated to water (specifically, to the often neglected stream of wastewater).
The theme for World Water Day 2011 is Water for Cities. Recently, I presented a paper at the Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers and this year I will be trying to publish on my blog (personal) a bit more about what I do for research.
Photo credit: Leonard John Matthews
The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March of each year as the World Day for Water by adopting a resolution.This world day for water was to be observed starting in 1993, in conformity with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development contained in chapter 18 (Fresh Water Resources) of Agenda 21.
It irks me when I see water being wasted, anywhere. Mexico is one of the top countries with high water stress and for the longest time, I’ve had the feeling that Canadians don’t really realize how much water they do NOT have.
Photo credit: Ben On The Move on Flickr
I will be blogging about water on World Water Day and setting up a couple of giveaways associated. But mostly it’ll be focused on my research.
This tune is a bit of an ear worm. I’ve listened to it since I discovered Sebastien Tellier. You may recall that I have been obsessed with Kilometer (in A-Trak Remix version) by Sebastien Tellier. A completely different style with Une Heure, which is sexy and sensual. For your listening pleasure.
You may be wondering why I haven’t blogged in a while. Well, after a long streak of not getting sick (possibly a solid 2 years), my body finally gave in. On Tuesday I got a head cold that progressed rapidly. After my classes and one event on Tuesday, the evening and most of Wednesday I spent in bed (asleep).
I don’t think I had ever slept 19 hours in 24 (I don’t get to sleep that much in 3 days!). Thursday I taught completely overdosed on cold medicine and today I feel much better. But I recognized that I need to take better care of myself.
The past few weeks (heck, the past few months) have been a roller coaster. Not to complain, as my projects are going extremely well. But the fact of the matter is, a lot of negative stuff has been happening to my loved ones and it ends up affecting me collaterally as well. Hopefully this too shall pass.
I could not boast my being Mexican if I said I didn’t watch soccer. But I do. While it’s not my religion (as it is in Mexico, almost!) it’s definitely a sport I enjoy both playing and watching. Ironically I have never really watched soccer in Vancouver. And that’s a shame since we have our own team, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Coincidentally, their season opener is on March 19th and I have a pair of tickets to the game opener to give away to one luck reader (the fine print: given the time sensitivity of the contest you need to pick the tickets up from my downtown Vancouver office, at The Network Hub, during office hours 9am to 5pm – 422 Richards Street, almost corner with West Hastings).
Photo credit: Peyvand Padidar Photography
The Whitecaps are marking the countdown to the opener on a special website, and they’ll be providing lots of online content for fans of the team. I asked them to send more information about this site, as shown below:
Vancouver Whitecaps FC is celebrating the lead up to its Major League Soccer debut with an exciting “Countdown ‘til Kickoff” campaign. In anticipation of the opening match against rival Toronto FC on March 19th, 2011, the Whitecaps will treat the city to daily stunts, events and videos featuring some of Vancouver’s favourite celebrities, local icons and landmarks. The full collection of daily videos is housed on a microsite, where viewers can also download a 30-Day Countdown widget if they choose. The widget automatically updates and opens whenever a new video is uploaded.
All you have to do is tell me when was the last time you saw a sporting event live. I will fully admit that my last time watching a sporting event was the curling events last year during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. You can also post the following on Twitter for a (second) entry.
I entered @hummingbird604 contest for a chance to win tix to @WhiteCapsFC opener http://ow.ly/4eqXr – you can enter too.
I will draw a winner from all Twitter and blog entries randomized on Thursday March 17th at 2pm. Until then, you have plenty of time to enter my contest! And good luck!
For those of you following at home, my scholarly research has been focused around topics of water governance for the past 7 years or so. I did research on wastewater treatment processes and currently am finishing a book on wastewater management. So, it’s no surprise that I am always trying to highlight water-related issues. I recently learned that March 14th through 22nd mark the inaugural Canada Water Week.
Photo credit: Fox Kiyo on Flickr
Canada Water Week is a week-long celebration of water from coast-to-coast-to-coast, starting March 14 and culminating with World Water Day on March 22, 2011. Individuals, organizations and governments across the country are encouraged to get involved by organizing or participating in fun and educational events. Together, we will raise the profile and understanding of water and its importance to Canada’s prosperity.
The Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation, World Wildlife Fund Canada and Living Lakes Network Canada have partnered to coordinate the organization of Canada Water Week 2011 in collaboration with individuals, governments and organizations across the country.
I’m particularly impressed with how Canada Water Week has taken up social networking sites, they are on every single social platform from Twitter to YouTube. Kudos!
I’m a sucker for fundraisers (as you can tell from last week’s Fashion’s Night OUT! in benefit of Out on Schools). So when my good friend (and fellow PhD) Beth Snow pitched me to write about her current project (engage in the longest game of hockey, a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation) I knew I had to blog about it. Even though I really don’t like hockey all that much, I love Beth and she’s my friend and the cause is near and dear to my heart.
Photo credit: Eric T on Flickr
From the information she sent me:
The fundraiser will involved 40 women – myself included – attempting to break the record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest hockey game ever played – 10 days of non-stop hockey. We’ll probably be playing in 4 and 6 hour shifts, with 4 hour breaks in between for sleeping/eating. As I’m sure you can imagine, this is a *huge* undertaking and we are going to need tonnes of volunteers to support us as we are not allowed to leave the facility for the duration of the game. Plus, of course, we want as many people to donate as possible and are looking for both individual donations and big sponsors (and people can sponsor a day, a player, our food, etc.). And the goal of the event is to raise awareness about cystic fibrosis
Not surprisingly, in preparing for this undertaking, my friend Beth read about Eva Markvoort (whom you may remember from the 65 Red Roses documentary), and it’s only fitting that in full-circle mode, I blogged about the recent concert at Massey Theatre in memory of Eva. This is such a great cause.
Beth’s page on the LGH page is here. And she also blogged about it. Hopefully a company will be willing and able to sponsor her project, as I know how much of the success of FNO and all of my events and fundraisers is greatly thanks to the support of donors, supporters and sponsors.
I was invited to be witness to the 12th Annual Salt Spring Documentary Film Festival this past weekend and I will fully confess I had an amazing time. Not only because Deirdre Rowland was amazing at taking me everywhere and showcasing Salt Spring Island for me, but also because every single element of my stay was phenomenal. The community in Salt Spring Island welcomed me as one of them and I was able to have very in-depth conversations with them.
One of the key one elements that made my stay so pleasurable was the amazing service of the hotel where I stayed, Hastings House Country House Hotel. A wonderful hotel with a variety of suites, that operates much as a bed-and-breakfast, Hastings House provided me with much needed respite from the craziness of urban life in Vancouver.
In 1937, Warren Hastings, an English naval architect with a gift for story-telling, moved to Salt Spring Island from Sussex, England with his new bride Barbara. According to Hastings, he and Barbara “decided to build on Salt Spring Island because we love the sea and we think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world, with a lovely climate.” Hastings built the Manor House in 1940 to resemble his 11th century Sussex-style family home because their “furniture was suitable for a house of this type.”
In 1980, Warren Hastings sold the property to Shan and Donald Cross of Calgary, Alberta, who turned the estate into an elegant hotel with ten guest suites and 30 seats in the dining room. Fifteen years later the current owners Bonny O’Connor and Jerry Parks purchased the property with the goal of maintaining the courtesy and charm of Hastings House. The new owners added seven new Hillside Suites overlooking Ganges Harbour in 1999. In 2000 they built the Verandah over an outdoor patio to increase dining capacity and provide an all-weather spot for weddings and other gatherings. The former manager’s residence has been refurbished as a 3-bedroom guest cottage overlooking the hotel grounds and harbour, bringing the total number of guest accommodations to eighteen.[History of Hastings House]
I stayed in the Manor (the main house), which houses 2 beautiful suites, The Snug (a little alcove underneath the main dining room that allows you to work on a stand-alone computer, watch TV or have afternoon tea and some treats) and the main dining room. My room was pretty huge.
My room had a fireplace, a desk and a fabulous bed and everything I could ask for. On top of that, I had a fantastic experience with the service provided to me, both in regards to food and everything I had there.
At 3:30 Kelly (the general manager) organizes afternoon tea at the Snug so that he can get to know the guests. Overall, an amazing experience, and I will have to try it again next time I am in Salt Spring Island.
Disclosure: I’m in Salt Spring Island to experience the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival March 4th through 6th. My stay at Hastings House and my flight on Salt Spring Air have both been complimentary. Entry to the film festival is by donation and I’ve happily paid for that out of my own pocket. It’s a fantastic film festival and you should experience it next year.
I’ve been approached by the social media team behind The Heather Hospitality Group to do a giveaway of a $100 gift certificate honored at the Heather Hospitality Group restaurant of your choice for you to enjoy (normally, I would say – go there for dinner! but you’re more than welcome to use it for lunch if you want to, or just for drinks). I will run this giveaway until Sunday night March 13th at 10pm and announce the winner on Monday March 14th at 10am in the morning.
I like to do, as you know, my contests rather unique, so since St. Patrick’s Day is approaching quickly, why don’t I ask you to tell me how you celebrated St. Paddy’s last year? I will admit that last year I basically did nothing, but other years I’ve done crazy stuff like go to Irish bars and drink green beer! To earn an additional entry (on top a comment here, where the comment is a first entry to the giveaway), post the following sample text on to your Twitter stream:
Told @hummingbird604 how I celebrated St. Paddy’s 2 enter 2 win a $100 GC to @TheHeatherGroup http://ow.ly/4cTlT How did YOU celebrate?
I was approached by Simon and Schuster Canada a few weeks ago to read and review Canadian author Jodi Picoult‘s most recent novel “Sing You Home“. Ms. Picoult is in Vancouver on Sunday March 13th (in tandem with the Vancouver International Readers and Writers Festival 2011) and Simon and Schuster Canada folks were kind enough to give me FOUR (4) copies of “Sing You Home” to give away to my readers.
Ideally, the winners can take these copies to the event on Sunday and have Ms. Picoult sign them there. I will have the copies at the front desk of my office at The Network Hub, on the 3rd floor, 422 Richards Street (Richards and West Hastings).
Since this is a time-sensitive contest, I will draw winners tomorrow (Friday March 11th) at 11 am. Drop a comment on this post or retweet my tweet to enter.
A summary of Sing You Home from the Simon and Shuster Canada website can be found below:
Every life has a soundtrack. All you have to do is listen.
Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter’s life. There’s the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant.
For better or for worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love.
In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people—even those she loves and trusts most—don’t want that to happen.
Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood. It’s about people wanting to do the right thing for the greater good, even as they work to fulfill their own personal desires and dreams. And it’s about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.
Sunday’s event details: 13 March · 18:30 – 20:00 at St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church, 1022 Nelson St, #100, Vancouver, BC
Doors open at 7:00pm, Starts at 7:30. Tickets are $21 general/$19 students & seniors (plus service charges) and are available from Vancouver Tix online here or by phone at 604-629-8849
My friends from Louder Than Love (you may recall a recent ‘7 Questions with Louder Than Love‘ interview I did with them) gave me a couple of tickets to give away for their upcoming gig on March 12th (which unfortunately I can’t make as I’m already attending the Starlight Foundation for Children Gala) at The Shark Club in Vancouver (180 West Georgia). Doors open at 8pm.
Since it’s only 2 days to the actual show, I am going to run this contest until Friday March 11th at 5pm, and count either a comment on this post or a tweet (sample below) as entries (obviously, a comment AND a tweet counts as 2 entries). Just tell me who you would think enjoy this gig with you. I know for a fact that my good friend JH (who recently was my official photographer for Fashion’s Night OUT! would love to see Louder Than Love live). I’ll have to take her with me for their next gig!
Who would I take to see @LTLBand play this Saturday at Shark Club? Read my response on @hummingbird604’s blog http://ow.ly/4bcYM
And below is a video with Chemical Love, one of their songs that I absolutely adore. You should totally attend their gig!
The BC Mental Health Foundation was a sponsor of the inaugural Mental Health Camp Vancouver (2009) and we (Isabella and I) have stayed in touch with Dee Dee Sung, the Executive Director of BC Mental Health Foundation. I’m thrilled with the work they are doing, particularly in the area of de-stigmatization of mental illness. Recently, I found out about Top Chefs for Mental Health.
What sounds like a dream could be a reality if you sign up for Top Chefs for Mental Health.
Benefitting the BC Mental Health Foundation, Top Chefs for Mental Health gives you an opportunity to entertain seven guests of your choosing in your own home like they’ve never been entertained before.
Once you sign up for Top Chefs for Mental Health you’ll secure a spot at a private reception, during which you’ll find out which chef will be assigned to you. When does the dinner take place? Whenever you want, as long as it’s between June 15, 2011 and March 31, 2012. The date of the actual dinner is to be mutually agreeable to both the chef and the host.
I love highlighting fundraisers (and *gulp* I even love helping organize!) and any fundraisers that benefit mental health non-profit organizations are really important in my world. Some of the Top Chefs on the list are associated with some of my own favorite restaurants. To mention a few: Rob Guest from Le Gavroche,
Jeff Wolfe from Fresh Local Wild and Neil Wyles from Hamilton Street Grill.
For more information you can check the BC Top Chefs for Mental Health site, and you can also follow them on Twitter. Some information about the BC Mental Health Foundation:
The BC Mental Health Foundation seeks to increase public awareness about mental health and substance use issues. Mental Health is an issue that touches us all, from those who seemingly “have it all”, to our most disadvantaged, suffering from homelessness, addiction and violence. Mental illness knows no boundaries. The Foundation is committed to funding research leading to breakthrough treatments. Transferring this knowledge into clinical best practices will then lead to better outcomes for people living with mental health issues.
