There’s something for everyone on the North Shore mountains as they continue to get dusted with powder this season. As an alternative to skiing or boarding, snowshoeing is gaining in popularity and is often paired with other wintery activities. Mount Seymour, Grouse Mountain, and Cypress each have snowshoe packages:
Mount Seymour Snowshoe
Mount Seymour offers three snowshoe packages: for beginners, athletes, and nature-lovers. From well-marked trails, loops, hills, and scenic lakes, you can make your way on a leisurely walk or snowshoe for fitness. Maps are provided at the Snowshoe Adventure Centre and guided tours are available for groups of 10 or more.
Full day trail pass: $9 (adult, youth, senior, student), $5 (child 6-12), $26 (family of four)
Full day trail pass with rentals: $27 (adult), $24.50 (youth, senior, student), $20.50 (child 6-12), $47 (family of four)
Mount Seymour – Photo credit: mountainhiker on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
Trail access is included in your general skyride admission. Rentals are $20 for the day or $15 for two hours. Helmets are included in child, tot, or senior snowshoe rental.
Cypress Snowshoe
Cypress has packaged its snowshoe tours with breathtaking sights and delicious dining options. The Hollyburn Meadows Tour is 2 hours ($38), the Chocolate Fondue Tour is 3 hours ($50), and the Cheese & Chocolate Fondue Tour is 4 hours long ($80). They also have special offers for group bookings of 20 or more. Prices include snowshoe rentals and headlamps (for night tours).
Check out each individual listing for more information from the mountains if you’re interested in a tour, fondue, snow-covered meadow stroll, or quality time with family and friends.
Update If you’d like to snowshoe for a cause, sign up for the Take a Hike Foundation Moonlight Snowshoe. Collect pledges/donations for Take a Hike Foundation, which supports at-risk youth in our community, and have a great time in the snow.
Tourism Surrey is once again encouraging one and all to explore holiday festivities and activities around the City of Surrey this season. They’re hosting a photo contest where you can upload any of your photos from the following events for your chance to win a new iPad2.
Potters Christmas Store
19158 48 Avenue Your Christmas shopping isn’t complete without a visit to Potters Christmas Store! Discover your holiday treasures at the largest Christmas store in Western Canada.
Historic Stewart Farm
13723 Crescent Road Transport yourself to the Victorian Era, and enjoy an old-fashioned Christmas! Stop by during Heritage Christmas Weekends, the Christmas Open House, or for a night of carol singing.
Surrey Tree Lighting Festival
Central City Plaza Surrey will shine brightly this holiday season! On December 3, this family event includes the annual tree lighting ceremony, fun winter activities, and headliner entertainment including a performance by Canadian recording artist Fefe Dobson!
Christmas Train
Bear Creek Park – 13750 88 Avenue The Christmas Train at Bear Creek Park is a truly magical experience. See Santa and his reindeer up close on this enchanted holiday train ride!
The Lagerstrom’s Christmas Light Show
15466 91A Avenue The countdown is on for Surrey’s ultimate Christmas light display! On December 3 at 6:30pm sharp, the Lagerstroms will switch the lights on, but the house will be illuminated until December 31.
Surrey’s Santa Parade of Lights
Cloverdale Town Centre Santa Claus is coming…to Cloverdale! On December 4 at 5:00pm, he will be joined by lighted floats, marching bands, antique vehicles, horses and lighted trucks. Parade goers are encouraged to bring a toy or a non-perishable food item to support Surrey charities.
Surrey Eagles Teddy Bear Toss
South Surrey Arena On December 18, hockey fans are invited to bring a small stuffed animal to throw onto the ice when the Eagles score their first goal. Take your photo with Winger, the energetic Eagles mascot.
Armstrong Creek Farm
4457 190 Street Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh Christmas trees? Surrey’s very own Christmas tree farm offers everything from potted and u-cut trees to pre-cut trees and hand-made wreaths.
Central City Big Rigs for Kids
Holland Park If you love trucks and fantastic lighting displays, then Big Rigs for Kids Lighted Truck Convoy will not disappoint! On December 4, the party starts at 6:30pm in the park and features face painting, food and live entertainment.
Tourism Surrey Visitor Centre
730 176 Street Stop by the Surrey Visitor Centre in December and we’ll serve up some holiday cheer – along with hot apple cider. Don’t miss your chance to meet Dudley the Moose himself.
If you made it to any of these past events (like the tree lighting festival or the parade) or plan on heading out this week, be sure to submit your photos for your chance to win. You can upload images from as many locations as you like and each image give you an entry into the contest.
I often receive emails through my contact form about new products and services but this is only the second time a message has been about sunglasses. Not limiting my contest to purely big-brand items, I am pleased to partner with YEG Wood for a unique giveaway.
YEG Wood, based out of Edmonton, makes wooden apparel such as watches, iPhone cases, and sunglasses. Sustainably made from Cherrywood, their eco-chic TreeFarers style is based on the classis Ray-Ban Wayfarer. The hinges are spring-loaded so they can bend in or out and the lenses have a medium tint, rated UV400.
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post naming your favourite tree species or favourite specific tree (as we’re sticking with a wooden theme). My favourite tree is in Stanley Park, just up the Third Beach Trail, although it was a victim of the windstorm five years ago.
You can also enter by posting the following on Twitter:
I entered to win @YEGWood wooden sunglasses from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/81VM6 #Miss604Holidays
I will draw one winner at random from all entries on at 10:00am on December 27, 2011. If you’re in Edmonton, you can check out YEG Wood’s official launch party this Saturday as well.
Update The YEG Wood folks would like to extend a discount to all Miss604.com readers as well. The code is valid until January 15, 2012 and will take $20 off the purchase of sunglasses. Here’s how to use it on the website:
Select your glasses and click “Add To Cart”.
Click “Checkout”
In Step 1 of 2, enter all the pertinent info; then click “Continue to Next Step”
In Step 2 of 2, under Discounts enter “Miss604GetsWoodGlasses” and then click “Apply”
The price will be adjusted, and then you are all clear to complete your transaction.
With Standard Shipping, glasses will arrive in 4 – 5 days; with Super Fast Christmas Shipping, they will arrive in 2.
Twenty years ago I was named an honorary member of The Stormy Petrels of BC, Vancouver’s official Sherlock Holmes Society. My mother had become President (a position she still holds today) and her passion for the great detective had rubbed off. Snuggled in at night we would read about the Blue Carbuncle, Silver Blaze, and the Scandal in Bohemia.
There are many Holmesian groups across the world, including our closest neighbours, the Sound of the Baskervilles in Seattle. Each meets to discuss the canon and host Victorian-themed events while sporting deerstalkers and perhaps a magnifying glass or two.
Following the first Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes film in 2009, my mother was interviewed by The Vancouver Sun. “It had something for everyone, which was great,” she said. “People liked the costumes and the sets were amazing, the special effects, the historical accuracy was very good. It had everything: mystery, drama, suspense, intrigue, a lot of action, and comedy. At the end, it did leave it wide open for a sequel, something to look forward to.” Fans are indeed ready for Holmes’ next adventure on the big screen:
Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law returns as his formidable colleague, Dr. Watson, in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows“.
Sherlock Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room… until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large—Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)—and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective.
Holmes’ investigation into Moriarty’s plot becomes ever more dangerous as it leads him and Watson out of London and across Europe, to France, Germany and finally to Switzerland.
I sent The Stormy Petrels to the advanced screening last night. Here’s my mother’s review:
It was an era of great change and new beginnings. A clash of old vs new and, of course, good vs evil.
Where old seasoned Sherlockians in the audience may be a little more critical of details, younger audience members who have never read an original Sherlock Holmes book seemed to really enjoy the movie for what it was. A suspenseful, action-packed adventure.
It was about partnerships and relationships. The Holmes/Watson partnership was very strong, as it should be. Holmes would have been lost without his Watson. It was good to see, once more, how strong Watson’s character was and that is also how he was meant to be portrayed.
Let’s face it, Robert Downey Jr. may not be the image most Sherlockians conjure up as Sherlock Holmes, but each person has their own ideal image.
We need to keep the ‘Holmes fires’ from dimming. This movie, as I saw it, was quite successful in re-kindling that flame. Not in a mocking fashion, but in an adventurous, exciting way. The most important thing to remember, Sherlockians, is that this movie, once again, brought the name of Sherlock Holmes to the forefront.
I once again found myself in the wonderful winter whirlwind that is the Whistler Film Festival (“WFF”) this year, covering the festivities and films for Miss604.com.
More and more, I keep hearing festival guests making comparisons between WFF and the Sundance Film Festival – not to how it is now (with all the Hollywood glitz) but how it was back in the day. Now, I’ve never been to Sundance, but when I saw Adrian Grenier (Vince Chase from the television series Entourage) wandering around a party at the Barefoot Bistro (with an entourage, no less), I suddenly had an inkling of what they meant. I did feel as though I was in the Entourage episode where Vince and his boys go to Sundance. The music, the party, the snows, and the toques and UGG boots on beautiful people.
This was my fifth year attending the festival and it seems to just keep growing and growing, and getting better and better. Each year there are more panels, awards, tributes, and money to be given out to filmmakers. So maybe it’s fair to make such a comparison.
The parties were over-the-top, really. There were too many to count (and usually a few happening at the same time) but I did of course have a lovely evening at the Brightlight Pictures “white carpet” party at Araxi as well as the Spotlight Gala on Saturday night. I was also spoiled to swag at the Canadian Film Lounge, hosted by the First Weekend Club (I love my new Libre Tea mug!).
And – of course – the films. Though the festival brings in high profile members of the North American film community, they are still committed to supporting local and Canadian filmmakers. This yea, WIFF Artistic Director Stacey Donen implemented a new program, called “Work-in-Progress”, where a filmmaker screens their film still in post-production and gets audience feedback. The gunnea pig was director Rob Leicker and his film Lost Lagoon (my dog Momo has a role in it). It was a fantastic and visually-stunning film and though I may be partial to loving the film for reasons previously explained, I’m not the only arts reviewer who like it — Craig Takeuchi of the Georgia Straight liked it as well.
Other fantastic films shown at the film festival (all Canadian!): RasTa: A Soul’s Journey (a documentary by Bob Marley’s granddaughter Donish Prendergast about the Rastafarian movement in the world); Doppleganger Paul (an absurdist story about a man who thinks he’s another man’s doppleganger though he is nothing like said man); Café de Flore (a stunning story interweaving two stories about destiny and love. It’s actually playing at Fifth Avenue Cinemas right now); and of course, Lost Lagoon (a film about a Korean woman’s journey of self-discovery in Vancouver).
So once again, among the films, festivities, and snow, I had a wonderful time in Whistler. I guess the only complaint I have about WFF would be that I wish it were longer! I would love to see everything stretched out to 14 days. Who knows… maybe next year?
