Avril Lavigne will be bringing her Black Star tour to Rogers Arena in Vancouver next month. Performing on stage since the age of 15, the complicated Canadian rocker released Goodbye Lullaby early in 2011 and is currently working on her fifth studio album.
At 26, she’s sold millions of albums worldwide, performed at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and was only the second artist in history to have three number one songs from a debut album on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 [source]. She’s won a handful of Junos, an MTV Award, and a World Music Award.
The show (with guests) will start at 7:30pm, October 3, 2011. Tickets are currently on sale for $37.50 & $49.50 (general admission and reserved seating, all ages) through Live Nation and the Rogers Wireless box office.
I have a pair of tickets to give away as well, here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment naming your favourite Avril Lavigne song or video (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win @AvrilLavigne #BlackStarTour tickets from @LiveNationWest & @Miss604 http://bit.ly/avril604
I will draw one winner at random from all entries next Friday, September 9, 2011 at 10:00am.
Today’s historic photo collection comes from the Surrey Archives and features early scenes of our province’s largest city (by area), largest school district, and second largest city (by population). Although Surrey didn’t receive “city” status until 1993, the municipality was formed in 1879.
Healthy Families BC, an initiative from the Province of British Columbia, has launched a campaign recently to promote health and wellness in BC families.
With the kids heading back to school and the rain inevitably moving in, their website hopes to provide resources and education when it comes to staying active and eating right at work, at school, and in the community.
Healthy Families is a readily accessible resource to help families eat healthy and live well. They host online communities on Twitter @healthyfamilybc, YouTube, and on Facebook to help BC citizens make informed and positive lifestyle choices.
Growing up, our summertime activities came after breakfast when we’d wave goodbye to our mother and “go out and play” in the yard until the streetlights came on at dusk. Biking, rollerblading, yard games (like ‘Kick the Can’), badminton, frisbee, tag (especially of the ‘freeze’ or ‘cartoon’ variety), and more kept us going for hours. We’d also go camping as a family and that always included long hikes (although my mother always stayed behind in the car, on the lookout for bears).
To help raise awareness for this initiative, Healthy Families BC has offered up a $250 Lululemon gift card to one of my readers so they can get active, in style. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post about how you (and/or the kids) keep active once the school year starts. Organized sports, family outings, etc. (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win a $250 Lululemon gift card from @HealthyFamilyBC & @Miss604 http://bit.ly/healthy604
I will draw one winner at random from all entries received (with the Twitter text and comments on this post) next Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 11:00am. The contest is open to all residents of BC.
Update The winner is Ginger Gervais (@mumofthreebc)!
Future Shop is helping students gear up for Back to School with the latest computers, calculators, and educational gadgets. Returning to classrooms also means that as students work harder, they’ll also want to play harder. Future Shop has offered up a Student Athlete Bundle that I can give away to one lucky reader.
John’s model shown with LCD screen mounted. Photo credit: John Biehler on Flickr
The small, rectangular, box-shaped camera — about half the size of a Rubik’s Cube — captures the most amazing HD photos and videos. Strap it to your chest, your helmet, your handlebars, your snowboard, skateboard, or your wrist to capture stunning imagery during your latest adventures.
Advisory: There’s a little bit of adult language toward the end of this video.
As with most camera-related technology, I first learned about the GoPro from our friend John Biehler. Here’s just a small sampling of what he’s been able to capture with the GoPro camera (with mounts and the LCD).
We’re lucky to live in Vancouver and have so many outdoor activities available to us, from hiking and biking trails to coves for kayaking and roads from Sea to Sky. Here’s how you can enter to win this Student Athlete Bundle from Future Shop:
Leave a comment on this post about where you’d try out the camera (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win a #GoPro Student Athlete Bundle from @FutureShopNews & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/6h3U4
I will draw one winner at random from all entries next Wednesday, September 7, 2011 at 11:00am. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter and win. Enjoy your adventures responsibly.
On this day in history, August 30, 1975, VanDusen Botanical Garden opened to the public. Last fall I went to the garden for the first time, and I was by myself. Armed with a trail map and my camera, I captured the splashes of green, yellow, and fiery red that hung on branches all around and floated to the ground, crunching under my boots. It was a quiet, refreshing walk as the crisp fall air filled my lungs — and I can’t believe I haven’t been back since.
A great time to visit again would be for the garden’s Bloom Gala, taking place September 15, 2011 in the brand new visitor centre. Honorary Chair, CTV New Anchor Tamara Taggart will join guests of the gala as they become the first to experience the new petal-shaped ‘living building’.
There will be entertainment by Cool Jazz, the “floral creativity” of Thomas Hobbs, local cuisine from Edible Canada, Mark Anthony wines from BC, and unique auction items.
The new visitor centre joins the restaurant and garden shop on the 55 acre grounds. According to organizers, the event is geared toward botanists, builders, gardeners, artists, birdwatchers, epicureans, golfers, landscapers, and more. Learn about sustainable gardening practices, conservation, and more while you support this urban oasis.
VanDusen is located at 5251 Oak Street at West 37th in Vancouver. Find them on Facebook for additional and seasonal event information, and join them for their popular Festival of Lights this winter.
