Over the years I have profiled bloggers from the Northwest Territories to the Fraser Valley, anyone that interests me and that I hope will interest you as well. A few years ago I started asking a standard set of questions and I’ve sent these out to a few local bloggers for this week’s series. Click, share, explore, and enjoy.
How long has your blog been around?
My blog has been around for five years.
What is your role?
I created the site and I am a blogger for it. I also contribute my articles to The Huffington Post, The Vancouver Sun and have a relationship column in the 24 Hours Newspaper.
What does your site do/what is it about
My articles on the blog are focused on relationships, lifestyle and travel. I first started blogging because it was a way for me to express myself during life’s ups and downs. I started receiving positive response from readers who could relate to my writing and eventually, people started sharing their stories with me and asking for advice. If I can help one person feel a little less alone, a little more understood and help shed light on a healthier way of thinking, to me, that is success.
What can people see, read, and do when visiting your site?
My blog offers insight on how to have healthier relationships – with the self and with others. I focus a lot on empowerment, self-worth and reflection, using personal experiences as a way to connect concept to reality. My goal is to discuss important topics that aren’t talked about enough and to provide different perspectives on relationships and societal issues. Because I’m a bit of a food and travel buff, I also write about tips and recommends on where to eat and stay around the world. I used to rate and review luxury hotels in my previous company, so I filter hotels and restaurants with a critical eye so that my readers will be up to date on the best of the best.
Why do you blog?
Writing is therapeutic for me. It is an outlet for me to explore my own thoughts and feelings and enables me to think about matters and life experiences in a deep and analytical way. I also blog because I feel that it is my way of contributing to the world. I have an ability to articulate these core needs in a way that resonates with others. Every week, I receive emails from strangers who share their stories and tell me that my writing has helped them in some way. I find that extremely fulfilling. Life can be challenging, and I want others to know that they are not alone in their feelings and experience. After all, we are all after the same thing – love and acceptance.
What is the ultimate goal for your site, how would you like to see it grow?
Growing my site and increasing readership will allow me to get my message out to more and more people, which equates to positive impact. I would like to grow my readership internationally and eventually provide a forum for people who are self-reflective and interested in growth to be able to converse on my site, and build a community of support. In addition, I want to publish a book one day, and my blog will be a great platform for me to launch my book when that time comes.
Bring on the tents, the sauces, the smokers, the wood chips, and the moist toilettes! The 7th annual BBQ on the Bypass in Langley is coming up September 16th with a massive BBQ championship cook-off, live music, and more.
BBQ on the Bypass will take place Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at 20771 Langley Bypass. The event is free for all to attend. Parking is available in adjoining parking lots and transit options are available (like taking the 502 from King George SkyTrain station in Surrey).
Founded in 2005 by Angie Quaale, owner of Well Seasoned gourmet food store and cooking school in Langley, the goal was to invite teams from all over Langley, BC, and the Pacific Northwest to compete in one, ultimate, BBQ’ing event.
The BBQ competition will include five meat categories of chicken, brisket, ribs, pork butt and an “anything but”/open choice category. Teams with the most points in each category can win trophies and cash prizes. The winner with the most points in all categories wins the Grand Championship and up to $10,000. The event will also host the 3rd annual Great BC Bake Off.
Team registration is still open and full competition rules and regulations are available online. Follow BBQ on the Bypass on Facebook and Well Seasoned on Twitter for more information leading up to the event.
The Orpheum Theatre on Granville is open for tours this month as the public is invited to explore the National Historic Site. In celebration of the Orpheum’s 85th anniversary, the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame has been offering guided tours all summer on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Where The Orpheum’s Smithe Street Entrance (between Granville and Seymour) When 11:00am to 12:30pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays until August 30, 2012 Cost Admission is a $10 donation to the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame
Photo credit: K D Photos & K D Photos on Flickr
Over the years Garbo, Gable, Bogart, Bacall, Hepburn, Monroe, Olivier, Lancaster, Bette Davis, Jack Benny, and Alec Guinness have all graced the stage — as did my graduating class in 1998. When attending a show there’s hardly enough time to appreciate the venue as it’s not usually the main attraction. These tours seem like the perfect opportunity to pause and really look at this heritage space, hear stories, and soak up its decor and design.
The Orpheum is one of three civic theatres in the City of Vancouver. Tours are limited to a maximum of 25 people on a first-come, first-served basis. They are recommended for those 12 to 80 years of age and do involve stair climbing.
Otto and Astrid Rot of Die Roten Punkte are coming to The Cultch at next week, bringing their pop-music comedy to a new show entitled: Eurosmash!
The shows revolve around siblings Otto and Astrid Rot, a pair of German orphans whose parents were either eaten by a lion or crushed by a train (the two disagree and perpetually argue over which). On drums, Astrid is playful and lewd, stealing nips from a concealed bottle whenever her little brother isn’t looking. Guitar-wielding Otto is the sensitive one, swept away by childlike enthusiasm one moment and dumbstruck with horror at missing a note the next. Together, their act is a rollicking 75 minutes of sibling rivalry, sky-high egos, boastful one upsmanship, and masterfully performed, undeniably catchy rock.
In the spirit of Spinal Tap and Flight of the Conchords, this comedy duo has audiences laughing around the globe. Their show has been named Best Production – Montreal Fringe; Best Production (Cabaret) – Green Room, Melbourne; and Outstanding Production – Ottawa Fringe, among other honors. Die Roten Punkte even made their West Coast debut at the Vancouver Fringe Festival in 2010.
Eurosmash! will open at The Cultch in East Vancouver on August 28th and run until September 2nd. Tickets are currently on sale starting at $17.
I also have a pair of tickets to give away to Eurosmash!, here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
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RT to enter to win tickets to see @DieRotenPunkte at @thecultch from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/dadLa
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am on Monday, August 27, 2012. The winner will be able to select tickets to the show of their choice excluding opening night on August 28th.
Biking to work could be a dream. Riding in the open air, avoiding bumper to bumper traffic, and arriving to work refreshed from morning exercise. In theory it’s ideal but in reality many businesses cannot accomodate cycling commuters on their workforce — and that’s where HUB comes in.
Formerly the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, HUB is a non-profit society in Metro Vancouver that provides encouragement, education, and celebration of cycling for happier and healthier communities. They host Bikes to Work and Bike to School programs, lead workshops, and provide Streetwise Cycling Courses. According to HUB, 60% of the population are interested in using cycling to get around but hasn’t tried it yet. Their latest initiative is providing Bikeability Assessments for businesses.
“We’re kind of excited about it,” said Lisa Slakov, Local Committee Chair for Vancouver/UBC. “It came out of the fact that over time, when we’ve been doing education classes or working on different issues, periodically people would say ‘do you know of anything or do you guys have anything just to help us figure out what we need to do with our building in terms of making it more bike friendly?’.”
Over the last year or so HUB has been working with coming up with their assessment plan for businesses. “We not only do the buildings, we also do the workplace,” Lisa added. “What do you offer for your employees? Do you offer anything in your orientation package? Do you offer any kind of financial incentives for getting to work by bike or other forms of active transportation?”
“You may not think it’s important to have a shower or change area but that could be the critical tipping point that allows people to choose a different way of commuting to work.”
HUB also works with schools in more of an education capacity, hosting cycling celebrations and offering training for kids.
With businesses and building owners, it’s about education, problem solving, improving employee relationships, and promoting a healthy workplace. Lisa told me that there are many reasons why businesses should feel encouraged to promote cycling to work and HUB helps them get their head around how they’ll move in that direction.
When it comes to cycling being more widely adopted for commuting, and not just leisure, Lisa says the momentum exists in Vancouver. “It’s just a question of continuing to push it. [Cycling] isn’t weird, it’s mainstream and this is they way it’s going in so many parts of the world.” HUB offers memberships for individuals, families, and organizations that includes workshops, deals, and the added bonus of showing your support for cycling in your community.
You can find HUB on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about community events and bike-related happenings around town. HUB is also looking for more businesses to participate in their Bikeability Assessments, particularly in Surrey.
The shows revolve around siblings Otto and Astrid Rot, a pair of German orphans whose parents were either eaten by a lion or crushed by a train (the two disagree and perpetually argue over which). On drums, Astrid is playful and lewd, stealing nips from a concealed bottle whenever her little brother isn’t looking. Guitar-wielding Otto is the sensitive one, swept away by childlike enthusiasm one moment and dumbstruck with horror at missing a note the next. Together, their act is a rollicking 75 minutes of sibling rivalry, sky-high egos, boastful one upsmanship, and masterfully performed, undeniably catchy rock.
