Christmas for me on the West Coast means walking on soggy paths under soaked evergreens, warm fireplaces, sweet aromas of baked goods, shopping for unique gifts for your favourite people, music that evokes memories of childhood and family, and of course spending time with loved ones. All of this above and more can be found on Salt Spring Island, which is why John and I spent a few days at Hastings House last winter, and you can have your own experience during Christmas on Salt Spring events this season as well.
Christmas on Salt Spring Island
Discover a wealth of curated boutique shopping, winery tours, spas, art galleries, outdoor adventures, and festive, foodie experiences. Considered one of Canada’s best-kept secret holiday destinations, there are a lot of ways to explore Salt Spring Island’s holiday magic. Santa arrived a few weeks ago and the first events of the season, like the chili cookoff, were a big success.
I attended the 4th annual Glowtini cocktail competition and sampled ten different seasonal creations from local bartenders, which is double previous years. I was blown away at home many local ingredients were used in each. Vancouver Island spirits, Salt Spring clams and mussels for Caesars, local honey, ciders, eggs, and more. The savoury cocktail was definitely the trend and the winner this year was Alex from Rock Salt Restaurant in Fulford Village. The Fulford Flip: Laughing Apple Farm’s mulled cider, VSOP brandy, Aperol, fresh lemon juice, walnut bitters & egg white:
The Salt Spring Christmas Committee is comprised of the Island’s accommodation providers, retailers, restaurant owners, specialty stores, local media, the island’s arts community and the members of the Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the Christmas Committee is to encourage visitors to explore a holiday destination that rekindles the magic of the holidays, provides a warm community welcome and offers a sophisticated food, beverage, shopping and world renowned art scene.
Win a Luxury Getaway to Salt Spring Island
Christmas is a time of giving and for the last three years the Salt Spring Christmas Committee has offered up an amazing getaway for one lucky Miss604 reader and their guest — and we’re doing it again this year!
Your prize starts with a round trip flight for two, departing from floatplane docks at either the YVR Seaplane base, or from downtown Vancouver courtesy Salt Spring Air. Destination Ganges Harbour on beautiful Salt Spring Island.
Hastings House Country House Hotel will meet you at the seaplane dock and escort you to the hotel where you will spend two luxurious overnight stays in a Deluxe Hillside Suite including: Dinner, Breakfast Hamper, Afternoon Tea and a gift card from the Wellspring Spa.
Settle into your Deluxe Hillside Suite overlooking Ganges Harbour. Your hillside room features a king size bed, gas fireplace, large bathroom with deep soaking tub and separate shower, heated floors and a covered balcony to drink in the views. Enjoy an exquisite meal in one of Canada’s best dining rooms in the Manor House on the estate property.
The following day discover a morning hamper at your door with freshly baked muffins. Come to the Manor House and enjoy a full English Breakfast to prepare you for another day of discovering more fabulous adventures on Salt Spring! And be sure to visit the Wellspring Spa for a revitalizing treatment at this tranquil oasis.
This luxury prize package also includes a dinner gift certificate from Auntie Pestos – a local favourite nestled in a waterfront boardwalk in the heart of Ganges. Chef Shawn Walton prepares a fresh, from scratch menu using quality local ingredients wherever possible. And a $50 boutique shopping gift card from Twang & Pearl – described by American Way Magazine as ‘Anthropologie with an Edge’, this sweet shop delivers on its promise of delighting locals and visitors with its uncommonly beautiful finds.
To recap, this incredible prize (valued at $2,000 and is exclusive to Miss604) consists of:
Two nights accommodation for two, at Hastings House Country House Hotel, including: Dinner the evening of your arrival, Afternoon Tea and English breakfast, and Wellspring Spa gift card
Dining gift certificate at one of the Island’s popular eateries, Auntie Pestos
$50.00 Gift Certificate for boutique shopping at Twang & Pearl
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, December 17, 2014. Must be 19+ to enter and claim. Prize includes and is limited to the items listed in the prize recap above. The winner will have to claim their prize between March 1, 2015 and June 25, 2015, based on availability of flights and accommodation. Blackout effect during long weekends). The winner will also agree to be disclosed and do any follow-ups via social media. The Christmas on Salt Spring Committee, Hastings House Country House Hotel, Salt Spring Air, Twang & Pearl, and Auntie Pestos are sponsoring the prize pack.
Ballet BC presents the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in The Nutcracker this weekend at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. As Canada’s premiere ballet company and one of the oldest ballet companies in North America, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet will bring this magical holiday dream to life with the some of the country’s best and brightest young artists.
Photo courtesy of Ballet BC. RWB Company Photo by Vince Pahkala.
Nutcracker Ballet in Vancouver
Follow the fearless female heroine, Clara, as her Christmas dream becomes our magical reality. Danced to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, Clara’s turn-of-the-century stately mansion becomes a whirlwind fantasy of live toy soldiers, dancing mice and a mischievous bear who steals the Christmas pudding.
With her Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy by her side, Clara confidently overcomes all obstacles on this wild Christmas night! Sumptuous costumes and an imaginative set design bring holiday sparkle to the stage, while a few Canadian surprises freshen-up the up the traditional tale – audiences can expect a snowy pond hockey game and a battle on Parliament Hill to create even more ruckus on stage. This all-ages adventure is presented with incredible beauty and splendour, making Nutcracker an unforgettable treat the whole family will savour.
Choreography by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon. Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Costume Design by Paul Daigle. Scenic Design by Brian Perchaluk. Lighting Design by Michael J. Whitfield.
Photo courtesy of Ballet BC. RWB Company Photo by Vince Pahkala.
Performances of The Nutcracker at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre will be at 7:30pm on Friday, December 12, 2014; Saturday, December 13, 2014; and Sunday, December 14, 2014 with additional 2:00pm performances on December 13th and December 14th.
Tickets are on sale now, ranging from $35 to $98.50, and family packs (2 adults, 2 children) are available from $229 to $300 (including service charges). Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster online or by phone at 1-855-985-2787 (855-985-ARTS).
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away The Nutcracker performance on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 7:30pm. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win tickets to @RWBallet #Nutcracker in #Vancouver from @BalletBC @Miss604 http://ow.ly/FCrXc
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, December 11, 2014. Follow Ballet BC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.
We all know that time is money and for the local Vancouver startup Time Auction, the value they offer in exchange for your time is priceless. They have recently launched a program with UBC’s Sauder School of Business that will connect you with local business leaders, all you have to do is offer to volunteer your time in your community.
Volunteers meeting Jordan Banks, Managing Director of Facebook Canada
Time Auction’s latest initiative is to have locals bid on the opportunity to hang out with a Vancouver business leader, offering up a certain number of volunteer hours in exchange for the reward.
Step 1:
Give back to your community by volunteering at a charity, not-for-profit, school club, or personal initiative.
Step 2:
Each volunteer hour completed in the last 60 days can be traded for a chance to win an auction that you like.
Step 3:
If your entry is drawn and your hours are verified by Time Auction, you win your reward.
Exclusive to UBC’s Sauder School of Business, you can bid on the chance to tour Rogers Arena with Kirk McLean, grab lunch in Whistler with Whistler Blackcomb’s CEO, watch a Whitecaps match with COO Rachel Lewis, tour EA Studios with an SVP, cook a meal with Chef David Hawksworth, meet the Top 30 Under 30 Founder of Appnovation, do a tour and lunch at the Vancouver Sun with its Editor-in-Chief, watch a Canucks game with its COO, and tour a Polygon Homes property with its CEO.
The Miss604 Time Auction
A lunch meeting with me also up for bids, with your contribution of a minimum of 5 volunteer hours logged. I’ll meet you in Downtown Vancouver for a lunch where we can talk about entrepreneurship, social media strategies, website development and design, blogging, becoming a published author, or some of my favourite topics like local history. You have until February, 2015 to complete some volunteer hours, place your bid, and enter to win this lunch with me. Best of luck!
You know that technology has come a long way when your bracelet can track your sleep, count calories you’ve burned, detect your sleep states, and send emails. Wearables are the hottest gifts this holiday season with practical gifts for everyone in the family, including four-legged friends.
Best Buy Wearable Tech
There are over 200 products in Best Buy’s wearable tech category online like this Jawbone UP24™ that pairs with the UP app on your smartphone.
Activity: UP24™ gives you a clear picture of your activity levels by tracking your steps, distance, calories, active time, and idle time. Whether you’re walking the kids to school or sweating up a storm on the treadmill, you’ll find out exactly how active you’ve been through your stats shown on the UP app.
Food & Drink:Since a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about fitness. The food you eat plays a big part too. UP24™ by Jawbone can track your diet too, so you can see how it interacts with the rest of your lifestyle.
Through the UP app, it’s simple to track what you’re eating and drinking throughout the day. Record how much water you’re drinking, snap a photo of your meal, browse the library of restaurant menus, or log the information from a nutrition label. The UP app is filled with tools to help you monitor what you’re eating, make healthier meal choices, and ultimately improve your diet.
Sleep: A good night’s sleep can really affect your wellbeing, giving you the energy you need to keep up with your day. Whether or not you feel like you’re sleeping well, you can get an accurate picture of your sleep patterns with UP24™ by Jawbone. You’ll be able to see how long you slept for, how many times you woke up, how long it took you to fall asleep, and more. With its vibrating Smart Alarm, you’ll awake refreshed rather than distressed.
Best Buy Canada would like to give one UP24™ by Jawbone away to a lucky Miss604 reader along with a $200 gift card so that you can cross even more names off your shopping list this season. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment naming a wearable tech item available at Best Buy (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win #WearableTech + a $200 gift card from @BestBuyCanada + @Miss604 http://ow.ly/Fze8F
I will draw one winner at 12:00pm on Friday, December 12, 2014. Follow Best Buy Canada on Facebook and Twitter for more information about wearable tech.
An empty cupboard can be common and is particularly difficult during the holiday season for single mother families, which is why Cause We Care Foundation has launched its 8th annual Christmas Hamper Drive.
The goal of the Cause We Care Foundation Hamper Drive is to deliver over 600 hampers to frontline organizations in the Lower Mainland, while also raising funds for the YWCA Cause We Care House, a subsidized housing project in the Downtown Eastside.
Cause We Care Foundation works with local companies to secure donated or wholesale cost of items to ensure your donation makes a significant impact. For every $60 donation, one large food hamper will go to a single mother-led family this December –and the retail value of each can be well over $100 thanks to the support of campaign partners.
Hampers will include everything from soda crackers, soup, and canned tuna to rice, cereal, candy canes, paper towels, and toilet paper. Save-On-Foods supplies these items to Case We Care at cost for the hampers. Additional donated items such as toothbrushes, canned stew, chocoaltes, toques and mitts, and pasta have also been donated by local businesses.
How to Contribute
You can send over a donation online or help in a few other ways this holiday season by shopping at the following local retailers:
Blue Ruby introduced brand new handcrafted holiday bracelets with 100% of the proceeds supporting programs and initiatives run by Cause We Care. Prices range from $20 to $145. These beautiful bracelets make lovely holiday gifts and add a little sparkle to the season. They are available in all Blue Ruby stores from December 1st until supplies last.
Pottery Barn‘s Give a Little Hope campaign captures the spirit of the season with proceeds from special edition German Glitter Houses going to Cause We Care.
To celebrate the holidays Aritzia has launched the #FullofHeart campaign across its social media channels (follow @Aritzia and @CauseWeCare) benefiting Cause We Care: specifically the building of a subsidized housing facility in the Vancouver neighbourhood where its head office is located. Participants post a photo of someone they are #FullofHeart for on Instagram and Aritzia will donate a brick for each post or social media mention to Cause We Care on their behalf.
Volunteers can also assist with stuffing and delivering hampers on December 9th at the 8th Annual Christmas Hamper Drive. Email [email protected] to sign up and receive more detailed information about the drive.
The goal of the 