Every year around this time I start to get excited. No, it’s not just the back-to-school bargains and end of summer sales (although who doesn’t love a sale?). It’s the same feeling I used to get as an elementary school student as the first day of school approached. Sure, I was sad to say goodbye to summer (which, to a ten-year-old in the early ‘90s, meant endless hours spent on my pogo ball in my favourite fluorescent spandex outfit) but I was also secretly excited. What should I wear? Who will I sit next to? Will my teacher be Miss Taylor, who had a smile and a pretty gold star for everyone, or Mr. Armstrong, the phys-ed coach/teacher who spent more time reciting the latest NHL stats than following the syllabus? With that back to school excitement in mind, I invite you to take the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains pop-quiz:
Where can you…
- Take a crash course in whisky tasting with a firefighter-turned-whisky-connoisseur as your instructor?
- Enjoy a self-drive tour of a picturesque costal community that boasts Canada’s highest per capita ratios of artists, crafters and talented artisans?
- See the Taj Mahal, a fire-blowing dragon, and King Neptune all in the same afternoon…and made out of sand?
If you answered “the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region” to all of the above - congratulations! You deserve one of Miss Taylor’s gold stars. If not, your homework assignment is to pay extra close attention to this month’s issue of Story Starters.
The kids are back at school. The house is teeming with new bags, new books, new hats, new shoes, new coats, new pants… and none of it’s for Mom. Now what? Jump on the back-to-school bandwagon with a ‘school’ themed girls-night-out. We’re talking fun, fabulous, and firemen! Well, fireman that is. Get your girlfriends together to take a crash course in whisky tasting led by local expert Andrew Starritt: fireman by day, independent whisky consultant by night. Andrew founded Cask Strength in 2004 to share his knowledge and love of whisky with the world. Tailor your experience to suit your group’s needs: the price range is dependent upon how many people and what whiskies you would like to sample. You don’t have to enjoy whisky to enjoy an evening with Cask Strength – in fact, it’s better if you don’t, says Andrew, who enjoys the challenge of converting a sceptic into an enthusiast. You'll be entertained, enlightened, and in the know at your next dinner party. This is one girls-night-out that is sure to score a solid A+. For more information on Cask Strength visit www.caskstrength.ca.
Nazzy. Kessy. The Russian Rocket. Jovo-cop. In the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region we love our local sports teams so much we’ve developed our own language to talk about them! These days you can’t go more than two towel lengths at any local beach without spotting someone finding shade under a navy and maroon cap, the Vancouver Canucks’ battle colours. Even Pamela Anderson – recently declared the most famous Canadian on the planet – is a BC Lions fan: she was first ‘discovered’ on the jumbo-tron at a Lions game. But there’s a third sports team that locals have come to love-- the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team. This September, hop on the Skytrain and head out to beautiful Swangard Stadium in Burnaby’s Central Park. Tickets start at as little as $16, making this a perfect afternoon activity for a family or budget travellers looking to experience the city as locals do. Grab a hotdog, pick up a Whitecaps signature jersey, sit back and watch. The Hilton Vancouver Metrotown is a close and affordable overnight option, just one Skytrain stop away. Now that you’ve experienced your first Whitecaps game, you’re ready to return October 3 to watch the Whitecaps take on superstar David Beckham… oh, and the rest of the LA Galaxy team!
For Vancouver Whitecaps tickets visit www.whitecapsfc.com. To book a room at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown visit www.hiltonvancouver.com.
The dog ate my homework. I'm just lazy. I was blonde as a child. If there was a hall-of-fame for bad excuses, these three would be in the top ten. But if you’re an employer who finds these excuses all too familiar, perhaps it’s time to consider taking your employees on a motivational retreat. Where better to take unmotivated employees than Whistler -- renowned both for its unsurpassed physical beauty and for resort lifestyle amenities that offer the very best of everything – it’s rated among the top North American destinations for corporate meetings, conferences and incentive travel. Based in Whistler, Higher Ground Retreats & Events offers a unique take on the tradition corporate retreat, featuring health and wellness lifestyle getaways that invite your employees to focus on body, mind and spirit wellness and rejuvenation. Higher Ground’s organic meals and five-star accommodations will help your employees to return home healthy, happy and energized. We can’t guarantee you’ll never hear a bad excuse for missing work again, but at least they’ll be more creative. For more information on Higher Ground Retreats & Events contact www.retreatsandevents.com.
Ever wonder where your favourite artist finds their inspiration? On the Sunshine Coast, where the majestic Coastal Mountains provide a constant backdrop, an afternoon of hiking offers a symphony of green, and scuba diving brings the wonders of the ocean close enough to touch, it’s here that natural beauty inspires the creative process. It should be no wonder that the Sunshine Coast is home to one of the highest per capita ratios of artists, crafters and talented artisans anywhere in Canada. So, where better to escape the hustle of the city for a relaxed and rewarding self-guided art tour? Begin your day of art appreciation in Gibsons and follow the “Purple Banner Route” which will lead you up the coast to Powell River. Along the way, purple banners indicate studios and galleries that are off the beaten track and are open for browsing or purchasing. You will meet the artists, watch them at work, and return home with a bag of goodies that reflect the relaxed lifestyle and magical qualities of this very special stretch of coastline. For more information on the Purple Banner Route visit www.suncoastarts.com.
Summer’s not over yet. Between shopping trips for new clothes and school supplies, there’s still time for one last family road trip. Where better to experience the last summer hurrah as a family than at Harrison Hot Springs annual sandcastle competition? Harrisand – as the event is fondly known by locals and repeat visitors alike – is the World Championship Sandcastle Competition, held this year from September 4-9, 2007. Which sand sculpture will win the ‘best sculpture’ title? Find out for yourselves as individual and team carvers from around the world transform the shores of Harrison Lake into a magical land of sand sculptures. The sculptures stay on display for about 3 weeks, creating a unique outdoor gallery. You may even witness a world record; over the last few years three Guinness World Records have been set for the World’s Highest Sandcastle. Despite its international reputation, Harrison is still very much a small village. The pace is leisurely and the atmosphere is friendly, the perfect way to spend a day as a family saying goodbye to summer. For more information on the 2007 Harrisand World Championships of Sand Sculpture visit www.harrisand.org.
