This December there are a lot of ongoing/multi-day events in Metro Vancouver with a several special activities, fairs, markets, and shows in between. Miss604 is proud to sponsor the Lumiere Festival which will light up the West End in Downtown Vancouver on December 11th and 12th.
Some other content I would like to highlight this month:
This event list is updated several times a week so check back often and submit your events (for FREE) via the contact form. This list is generated using the events you send in so if anything’s missing be sure to let me know!
Mark your calendars! Wednesday, December 2nd 2015 is the 38th Annual CKNW Orphans’ Fund Pledge Day. This full day “radio-thon” is broadcast live on CKNW News Talk AM980 from the beautiful Terminal City Club in downtown Vancouver. The Fund’s largest fundraiser of the year, last year Pledge Day was able to raise over $1.8 million for special needs children in BC, and has raised over $40 million since its inception in 1977!
CKNW Orphans’ Fund Pledge Day
Photo credit: Mark Whitehead
Where does this money go each year? CKNW Orphans’ Fund is one of the largest sources of individual grant funding in British Columbia and helps over 15,000 children annually. The money raised helps some of the most vulnerable children in the province, funding everything from speech therapy, to medical equipment, summer camps, tutoring, educational bursaries and more.
A child recently helped by the CKNW Orphans’ Fund: Elle is 10 years old and has been diagnosed with Down Syndrome, a seizure disorder, Sleep Apnea, Dysphagia and lowered immunity. She is on regular seizure medication and requires orthodontic treatment to address her mouth structure and some broken teeth.
Elle is one of four children living with both middle income parents. These orthodontic treatments are extremely expensive, and must be done by specialists at BC Children’s Hospital. Elle’s parents are unable to afford the treatments and CKNW Orphans’ Fund gladly stepped in to provide funding. Pledge Day donors helped pay for the orthodontic treatments Elle needs.
Tune in to CKNW News Talk AM980 to hear interviews with inspiring guests including philanthropists, business leaders, celebrities, media personalities, and most importantly, children who have been helped by the Fund.
Donations of $98 or more will be eligible to receive a free Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD.
3 Ways to Get Involved
Donate online at or by calling 604.222.9898 on December 2nd
Stop by the Terminal City Club on December 2nd to support in person and check out some of the great guests!
Help support the Fund by tweeting: On Dec 2nd support @cknworphansfund & help special needs children in BC. http://ow.ly/ECclS #pledgeCKNW
Please help us make a real difference in the lives of special needs children! Click here for more information on CKNW Orphans’ Fund Pledge Day. If you know a family or child that could benefit from the CKNW Orphans’ Fund, please send them this link.
Add a Comment
by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — This post is sponsored by Best Buy Canada. Views and opinions are my own. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
It was the calm after the storm today at Best Buy in Downtown Vancouver as John and I skipped the crowds on Black Friday but still took advantage of some amazing deals on Saturday. We met up with Calvin, who was our personal shopping assistant, and told him some of our wish-list items, gift ideas, and the kinds of electronics we would like to use around our home. Check out our retail adventure in this quick video:
Calvin told us that the hottest Black Friday items, and most-wanted items this season, are Smart Home devices (mounted cameras, remote lighting, adaptable heating systems) and wearables (fitness trackers and smart watches). The Granville/Robson store also has tech toys for kids, home appliances (like Dyson heaters/coolers), printers, cables, cameras, and even electronic toothbrushes.
I may have lost track of time in the television department as I discovered curved 4K TVs that now make our home unit seem terribly inadequate.
We walked away with some great deals, like $79.99 for a Philips home light automation starter kit, Philips light strips (that work with Nest) and $149.99 for the FitBit Charge HR that John will use for his runs and in the gym. Some of these prices are available until December 3rd in store.
Black Friday Deals at Best Buy
The hottest Black Friday sales will be available on BestBuy.ca and in stores across Canada until November 29th at 6:00pm PT. Best Buy is also hosting some incredible savings on Cyber Monday (November 30th) available only online.
Comments145
by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Review — This is not a paid post. Views and opinions are my own. My service was compliments of Spa Utopia. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
I have enjoyed spa experiences around the world but rarely do I get to savour one close to home. Fortunately, I recently found Spa Utopia at the Pan Pacific Hotel, tucked away in the heart of the city.
Its entrance area is a full size boutique with an extensive collection of lotions, soaps, and creams, and once you enter the glass doors to the lounge, change rooms, and treatment rooms, you are transported to another place entirely. Design elements feature stone columns, exposed brick, and wrought iron chandeliers. In the main lounge these are all contrasted by soft, fluffy pillows, robes, sweet teas, calming scents, and ambient music. You feel as though you’ve found a secret city within the city filled with comfort.
Image courtesy of Spa Utopia
I love getting massages, facials, manicures and pedicures but today it was really nice to enjoy a full spa experience with the Earth Mud Wrap. It’s like a spa scene in a movie where the main character gets pampered with a mud mask, scalp massage, and even cooling cucumbers on their eyes – which they sit up and take a bite out of when their BFF says something shocking to them. Crunch!
There were no cucumbers but I did get a calming treatment that made my body feel completely refreshed. I was scrubbed down and exfoliated, painted in mud, and wrapped up in a soothing cocoon of warmth. My body tingled as the clay cooled on my skin under layers and layers of sheets, blankets, and a dreamy duvet. While snuggled up I had a moisturizing treatment on my face and a scalp massage before washing off and having another full body lotion application.
After my treatment I practically sleep-walked to the lounge in my robe to bounce back from my contented cocoon-induced fog. I was handed a glass of rooibos tea with apple juice and lemon which I nursed for an unknown amount of time. A bridal party clinked glasses of bubbly, a couple cuddled up on the couch, and I had one of those “do I really have to leave and get back to work?” moments.
Whether you’re taking a weekend off or even popping by on your lunch hour, Spa Utopia provides lockers, robes, “spa panties”, sandals, beauty care products, hair dryers, and anything else you can think of that would help you get ready before leaving the locker room.
There is even offer a complimentary makeup touch-up service. If you would like full makeup or styling, they can do that too with hairstylists and professionals at the ready.
Give the Gift of Spa Utopia This Season
This season Spa Utopia is offering gift cards that are good for their shops (featuring many green and Canadian-made products), along with spa treatments and services. Tuck one into the stocking of a loved one or wrap it up as a gift of wellness, healing, and soothing this Christmas.
My gift to you is the chance to win your own Earth Mud Wrap experience.
70 Minutes: This mineral packed body mask offers therapeutic benefits for muscular fatigue, joint discomfort and minor skin irritations. Re-mineralizing the skin helps sustain hydration levels while skin detoxification brings a sense of balanced energy and deep relaxation. Includes a facial cleanse and treatment mask.
Here’s how you can enter to win the Earth Mud Wrap — keep it for yourself to melt away holiday stress or gift it to a deserving friend or family member:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a @SpaUtopia treatment from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/Vb7NA
Spa Utopia has four locations across Metro Vancouver including Langley, North Vancouver, the Pan Pacific in Downtown Vancouver and Body & Salt at Guildford Mall in Surrey. Follow on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. The winner’s wrap is available at the Langley, North Vancouver, or Downtown Vancouver locations.
There is still time to sign up to Adopt-A-Family this season through the Surrey Christmas Bureau. With the stress of the holidays piling up for many, on top of any everyday pressures, you can give the gift of peace of mind, a wonderful meal, and gifts to a family in need in your community this year.
Adopt-A-Family
The Surrey Christmas Bureau Adopt-A-Family (“AAF”) program matches individuals, businesses, and other organizations with a family in need that has children under the age of 18. Each year they seek support from 1,000 sponsors so that every family and child in Surrey can celebrate Christmas.
By becoming an AAF sponsor, you agree to provide a Christmas breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as gifts for the family you are matched with.
Surrey Christmas Bureau provides a planning list and guidelines that will help you understand expectations and provide some ideas. If you would like to sponsor a family, complete the sponsor application form online or contact the AAF program at (604) 585-9670.
Tax receipts are available and if you would simply like to make a donation, you can do that as well. Donate online, call for pickup of unwrapped toys (604) 581-9623, or drop off toys at any Surrey Fire Hall. Donations are used to provide low-income families in Surrey with food hampers and toys at Christmas, and they collect monetary and toy donations all year round.
Follow the Surrey Christmas Bureau on Facebook and Twitter for more information and event details like Stuff The Bus, happening December 11th and 12th.
Whether you’re taking a weekend off or even popping by on your lunch hour, Spa Utopia provides lockers, robes, “spa panties”, sandals, beauty care products, hair dryers, and anything else you can think of that would help you get ready before leaving the locker room. 
The Surrey Christmas Bureau Adopt-A-Family (“AAF”) program matches individuals, businesses, and other organizations with a family in need that has children under the age of 18. Each year they seek support from 1,000 sponsors so that every family and child in Surrey can celebrate Christmas.