Move for Health Week Surrey

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Move for Health Week is happening in Surrey now until May 15th offering free fitness activities for the entire family.

North Surrey
Event: Fit 55+
Date: Friday May 13 9:15am – 10:15am
Venue: Sunrise Pavilion Seniors’ Centre

Chris Chavez - Spanish Banks Yoga Class - 06
Photo credit: lululemon athleticaon Flickr

Event: Preteen Drop-In Gym
Date: Friday May 13 4:00pm -6:00pm &
Date: Saturday May 14 4:00pm -6:00pm
Venue: Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre

Fleetwood
Event: Yoga Classes
Date: Friday May 13 10:30am – 11:45am &
Date: Sunday May 15 10:30am – 11:45am
Venue: Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex

South Surrey
Event: Deep Water Aquafit
When: Sunday May 15 8:00am – 8:45am
Venue: South Surrey Indoor Pool

Guildford
Event: Dance Gold 55+
Date: Friday May 13 10:30am – 11:30am
Venue: Guildford Recreation Centre

Newton
Event: Yoga Classes
Date: Friday May 13 12:00pm – 12:45pm
Venue: Newton Recreation Centre

Cloverdale
Event: Spin
Date: Saturday May 14 9:30am – 10:30am
Venue: Cloverdale Recreation Centre

These are just a few of the activities being offered for free. You can find a full schedule on the Move for Health Week website.

Learn About the Herons of Stanley Park

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The edges of Stanley Park have been home to a colony of blue herons for the last 11 years. Perched above the Park Board’s Administrative Offices and the tennis courts, these large wading birds (that stand a meter tall) pepper our beach landscapes.

Blue Heron
Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr

To protect the herons, which are currently “blue listed” as a species at risk in British Columbia, a fence below the colony has been installed in order to minimize disturbance. According to the Vancouver Park Board, in 2010 the herons occupied 124 nests and produced more than 120 fledglings by the end of the season, which is sometimes as late as September, down from the previous year of 145 nests and 175 fledglings.

Nesting Herons
Photo credit: TylerIngram on Flickr

The birds have been in the park since the 1920s however this particular colony location has been the same for the last decade or so. Recent reports of predatory bald eagles attacking the nests could potentially prompt a change in location in the future.

Heron Take Off
Photo credit: TylerIngram on Flickr

The Stanley Park Ecology Society is hosting a tour about “The Great Blue Herons of Stanley Park” on Sunday, May 22, 2011 from 1:30pm until 3:30pm.

“Are we good neighbors to these magnificent avians. The Herons have settled in the park in increasing numbers over the past years. Like any new population they have had their challenges: wind storms, an urban environment and raccoon attacks. On this herony tour we will look at the life cycle of the Great Blue Herons and what the Stanley Park Ecology Society and local residents are doing to be welcoming and helpful neighbours to the Herons.

Heron
Photo credit: TylerIngram on Flickr

Those interested in learning more can meet at the Stanley Park Nature House (at Lost Lagoon) although advance reservations through the Stanley Park Ecology Society are encouraged. Admission for the tour is $5 for SPES members, seniors and children, and $10 for non-members. The Stanley Park Nature House is open every weekend and SPES regularly hosts tours, walks, and information sessions.

EPIC Sustainable Living Expo 2011

Comments 62 by Rebecca Bollwitt

EPIC: The Vancouver Sun Sustainable Living Expo, western Canada’s largest lifestyle show for the eco-conscious consumer, returns to Vancouver this weekend.

Mike Holmes
Mike Holmes at EPIC Expo in 2008

From Friday, May 13th until Sunday, May15th over 300 exhibitors will be showcasing their products and innovations to crowds at the Vancouver Convention Centre. EPIC also has a main stage with featured speakers and this year’s line-up includes Mike McDermid (Program Manager, Ocean Wise), Sean McHugh (Executive Director, Fair Trade Vancouver), and CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos.

Taste and sip food and wine from BC restaurants and wineries, learn from some of the city’s top chefs, sit in on sewing workshops, watch daily fashions shows and find out more about hybrid vehicles. There’s also a KidZone with crafts and activities for the young ones.

General one-day tickets are available for $12 online and $15 at the door. If you plan on attending multiple times throughout the weekend, you can get a multi-day pass for $20 online or $23 at the door.

I have 4 pairs of one-day tickets to give away courtesy of EPIC as well as Vancouver Eco Fashion Week. Here’s how you can enter to win:

  • Leave a comment naming your favourite eco-friendly product or business (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
  • I entered to win 1 of 4 pairs of #EpicExpo tickets courtesy of @EPIC_Expo @EcoFashionWeek & @miss604 http://ow.ly/4Szhm

    I will draw all 4 winners (who will each get a pair of tickets) at 5:00pm tomorrow, Thursday May 12, 2011.

    Update The winners are @johnberr, @DilaraLit, Michael Kwan, and kendra.

    Northern Voice 2011

    Comments 2 by Rebecca Bollwitt

    Canada’s original personal blogging conference, founded in 2005, will be taking place this weekend out at UBC. Northern Voice has been bringing bloggers together to talk about everything from transit and politics to journalism and knitting with a core focus on sharing, collaborating, and blogging your heart out in whatever capacity.

    Northern Voice 2010

    I have been attending Northern Voice since 2007 (it would have been 2006 but we couldn’t afford it back then). What happens when you get a group of over a hundred bloggers, innovators, and social media enthusiasts together is something pretty magical.

    I often receive emails asking me if I know of events or workshops about these topics and at the top of my list of recommendations is Northern Voice. It’s not about making money blogging, it’s not about how businesses are using Twitter. It’s about people who create the things that we use, read, share, and love online.

    You don’t just meet passionate people from the community, you are instantly a part of it. A few of the topics this year include:

    Social Media and Online Defamation: Keeping Out of Court
    Naked Truth, Canadian Science Blogging Scene
    Your Blog is Boring and Your Photos Suck
    Be Rocktacular: Stories from a Music Blogger and Indie Rock Nerd
    Sex, Lies, and Wikipedia
    Parenting Online, Families, Blogs, and Social Media
    … and more

    Both Friday and Saturday will also start out with Yoga for Geeks in the morning. They will also have MooseCamp which is an unconference – meaning you show up, pitch a topic, and could be a speaker as the schedule is made on-site.

    Tickets are still available for $50 one day, or $90 for both days. Follow @northernvoice or the tag #nv11 for updates and information about the conference.

    I will be doing a shift at the WordPress help desk so come by and see me during the day if you have any WordPress questions.

    Howe Sound Brewmaster’s Dinner at Central Bistro

    Comments 4 by Rebecca Bollwitt

    Central Bistro is quickly becoming a favourite neighbourhood watering hole in the West End so when one of our most-loved breweries, Howe Sound, invited us to the brewmaster’s dinner there last night, we were happy to accept.

    Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner

    Chef Robert Erickson, who regularly orchestrates beer pairing dinners, took a selection of five Howe Sound Brewing beers and created last night’s menu.

    Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner
    Spicy heirloom tomato summer gazpacho with Greek pressed olive oil & feta cheese, Belgium endives
    Pairing: White Cap Wheat Ale

    Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner
    Royal breakfast & beer with grilled brioche poached quails egg, chorizo sausage, spiced hollandaise
    Pairing: Timberline Pale Ale

    Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner
    BC spot prawn ravioli with red curry lemon grass reduction, coconut foam
    Pairing: Devils Elbow IPA

    Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner
    (Left) Slow-cooked baby back ribs with grilled herb potato salad, charred corn. Pairing: Hip Hops IPA.
    (Right) Banana coconut cream pie. Pairing: King Heffy Imperial Hefeweizen.

    There’s one more Vancouver Craft Beer Week event at Central this Friday night and tickets are still available for $20. They’ll be celebrating the launch of the new Hip Hops Grapefruit IPA that Central Bistro designed with Howe Sound Brewing.

    Howe Sound Brewmaster's Dinner

    Miss604.com is a proud sponsor of Vancouver Craft Beer Week 2011. Please enjoy the events responsibly and plan a safe ride home.