Guest post contributed and written by Jen Murtagh
From April 19-21 I had the privilege of attending WNORTH – a boutique-style conference focused on providing a forum for women who are aiming for, or already on, a senior executive leadership track. The conference is held at the incomparable and stunning Nita Lake Lodge, nestled on the shores of a stunning glacier-fed lake in Whistler. Nita is one of those resorts that you stay at and truly feel like you are away from everything. Its lakeside location makes it serene, beautiful and luxurious – my favourite resort in Whistler.
Image courtesy of Nita Lake Lodge
WNORTH gives women the opportunity to listen to dynamic speakers, both from Canada and the USA, attend workshops to hone your leadership skills and participate in connect dinners and the infamous Scandinave Spa Social sponsored by Veuve Cliquot.
My favourite moments from the conference include:
Heart Centered Leadership by Chastity Davis
Chastity’s perspective on heart-centered leadership is something I truly believe is missing in many of the boardrooms of our organizations. Her approach brought such warmth and compassion – fostering a deeper connection both with ourselves and those around us. She reminded us of the matrilineal lineage of the first peoples – where women were the natural leaders as life givers of the planet. She integrated a beautiful Indigenous perspective and way of knowing about women being the centre of our communities. Chastity also provided a small piece of rose quartz (the stone of the heart) to each attendee, reminding us in our daily lives of the power of our feminine energy and our ability to approach the world with compassion and strength.
Jenn Di Spirito Photography
The Rise of the New Heroine by Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin
Women are being called to a new level of leadership globally and Elizabeth’s talk approached the 12 challenges women face and our call to the rise of the new heroine. A few key points that stood out to me included: the courage we need to take ownership in what we believe in. To be brave, advocate for yourself and other women. To draw your line in the sand and to know what you are worthy of and when you won’t cross that line. To have vision around what you want to create – personally, professionally and globally. And above all to know your worth, eliminating self judgement and standing in your power. How can you be a new heroine in your life?
Jenn Di Spirito Photography
Remembering our Humanity in tough times by Jenn Martin
Jenn was a women on the front lines in Afghanistan and shared how remembering who she was and how she wanted to lead troops kept her in line with her core values and authentic self. She’s a self-confessed “non yeller” and described that by leading from a place of compassion and empathy, she had her team onside during those 18-24 hr work days in the uncertain times when the heat, enemy and exhaustion were on their doorstep. Her hilarious, humble and very human talk made her one of my highlights of the conference. I would always “have your six” Jenn. Thank you!
If you would like to get on the mailing list for the 2018 conference being held on April 18-20, 2018, please visit wnorthconference.com.
When I worked in retail as a teenager, my manager once asked me if I needed to take smoke breaks. Puzzled, I asked why she would ask that since I have never smoked. She commented that my teeth gave the impression that I did. Oh. Since that time my oral hygiene has improved dramatically, facing the fear of a shaming like that ever again. However, when I was asked to review Family Dental’s teeth whitening service, I was very curious about this popular treatment. Being a coffee drinker and wine swirler, I thought it might be worth boosting the gleam on my pearly whites.
Teeth Whitening Service from Family Dental Centre
First things first: I hate going to the dentist. I don’t know what it is, I can get the best care, but I always end up a knotted ball of nerves, where I sweat and clench my hands even when swirling fluoride. However, walking into Family Dental Centre’s Alberni location in Downtown Vancouver, I didn’t feel like I was going to the dentist. I was excited, and it was such a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The bright decor and calming aroma from a diffuser made it feel like I was going in for a massage or pedicure. I met the friendly staff, had some water, and filled out the paperwork for my treatment. Pretty much every question I had in the back of my head was answered in the patient paperwork including:
- How long will it take? The treatment is 3 or 4 x 15 minute sessions in one sitting.
- Are there lasers? It’s not a laser but an LED light that is targeted at your teeth, upon which there is the whitening gel. Your gums are protected so it only focuses on your enamel.
Any other questions were addressed by the team right off the bat. Note: Those who book a treatment directly with Family Dental will also get this information before they arrive.
I had a check-up from the dentist, Dr. Karim Lalani, and hygienist Mamta Lallu compared my upper and lower teeth to a model to get a good idea of a “before” picture. I was offered a blanket, as my chair dipped back and I looked up to the TV screen on the ceiling. I turned up my headset and watched daytime TV as Mamta set everything up for my procedure.
Before You Go
1. You can’t eat for a few hours afterwards (Dr. Lalani offered me a Boost in case I thought I would be hungry) and you cannot have anything other than clear or white foods for 48 hours. Mamta told me to avoid anything that would stain a white shirt, which is a good way to look at it. With this in mind, stock up on rice, potatoes, clear soups, etc. so you’re prepared when you get home.
2. During the procedure I had some sensitivity and when that happened I raised my hand and Mamta stepped in to either add more soothing gel to my teeth or gums, or to pause the procedure. She always asked if I wanted to continue, and I could have stopped at any time. Other than that, it was smooth sailing!
Once the procedure was done, it was time for the big reveal. That moment when you get to see instant results, take photos and feel pretty giddy at the transformation that has happened.
The results were immediate. On my upper teeth I improved about 3 shades, and on the bottom I improved 6 shades! My top teeth were more of a grey tone to start and the bottom were more yellow in comparison. It was a really, really good “before and after”.
Before I left, I was given a hot towel and a care kit including soothing gel, Sensodyne for brushing, a toothbrush, and floss. I headed off to the grocery store to pick up some plain popcorn, white cheddar, turkey breast, cauliflower, and other non-staining foods for the rest of the weekend.
I also took a selfie and sent it to my sister-in-law who said: “Your teeth are as white as your eyeballs!” I may have also been sporting a very enthusiastic full-face grin.
Upon arriving home I experienced some bursts of pain in individual teeth but I took a Motrin and it eased up – the soothing gel from my care package would have helped with this too. I woke up refreshed, smiling bright, and ready to tackle the rest of the weekend. Even if I couldn’t have coffee that morning, a coconut smoothie was a worthy (and healthy) substitute given the results I wanted to preserve.
About Family Dental Centres
There are six Family Dental Centre locations around the Lower Mainland including Alberni, Clayton Heights, Panorama, Royal City, Surrey, and Madison Centre in Burnaby which is the flagship office. They offer a wide variety of family and cosmetic dentistry services including Invisalign and veneers, to bridges and dentures, mouth guards and more with spa-like hospitality.
Family Dental would be happy to answer any questions you have about the teeth whitening service and you can contact them here and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Celebrate the mothers in your life on the weekend of May 13th & 14th by treating her to some of these events and activities around Metro Vancouver.
Mother’s Day Events in Metro Vancouver
Portraits
Annual Mother’s Day Portrait Studio at Lougheed
Teas
Coquitlam: Mother’s Day High Tea
Mother’s Day High Tea & Fashion Show
Mother’s Day High Tea to Go
Special Events & Entertainment
Mother’s Day at VanDusen Garden
Mother’s Day Tea on the Train, Port Moody Station
Mother’s Day at The Glades Garden
Mother’s Day at Lonsdale Quay
Mother of All Mother’s Day Shows at Vancouver Theatresports
Mother’s Day Candy Making Demo
Mother’s Day at VanDusen Garden
Brunch
Mother’s Day Brunch & Bake
Mother’s Day Brunch at the Westin Bayshore
Miss604 is also proud to support the Canuck Place Best Day Ever Blanket Fort on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at TELUS Garden. All are welcome to check out this free, family event.
Check out more events in my May Event List and subscribe to the Miss604 weekend event newsletter to get the best local events right in your inbox every Thursday.
Patrick Street Productions presents Warren Kimmel and Katey Wright in A Little Night Music, May 11-21, 2017 at the Anvil Centre Theatre in New Westminster.
Katey Wright & Warren Kimmel. David Cooper photo.
A Little Night Music
When: May 11-21, 2017
Where: Anvil Centre Theatre (777 Columbia St, New Westminster)
Tickets: Available online now starting at $21.50 plus service charges.
Stephen Sondheim’s sophisticated and luscious musical, A Little Night Music was inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s film Smiles of a Summer Night. It’s the story is a series of trysts, twists, and revelations that climaxes (so to speak) during a weekend gathering at a country estate. The original production received 6 Tony Awards (including Best Musical) and is one of Sondheim’s most beloved scores.
Patrick Street Productions’s own Katey Wright (The Light in the Piazza, Into the Woods, Merry Wives of Windsor) will be playing the role of Desirée Armfeldt, a role that has been previously performed by such luminaries as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bernadette Peters, Elizabeth Taylor, and Dame Judi Dench.
Joining her will be one of Canada’s finest performers, Warren Kimmel (Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Out of a Dream) in the role of Frederick Egerman originally played on Broadway by Canadian actor Len Cariou.
Peter Jorgensen (The Light in the Piazza, Into the Woods, Avenue Q) will direct, assisted by PSP Artistic Associate Chris Allan, who was the stage manager for the original West End production of A Little NIght Music in London.
A Little Night Music is the epitome of a Patrick Street production – sophisticated music, complex characters, an a story written with intelligence and heart. We cannot wait to share with our audience this sensuous, stylish, sumptuous delight.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to opening night on May 13th. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Click below to get another entry by posting on Twitter:
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to @PSPMusicTheatre #PSPNightMusic http://owl.li/SM7x30bl9AK” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 5:00pm on Sunday, May 7, 2017. Follow Patrick Street Productions on Facebook and Twitter for more show information.
Update The winner is Krystal!
