Folks out east have always thought of Vancouver as the Wild West. Nestled in the raw beauty of snow-capped mountains, the Pacific Ocean and untamed forests, supernatural British Columbia has a reputation for being rather cozy with the wilderness.
Having a black bear wander around the downtown core on Monday certainly reinforces that stereotype.
The big guy jumped into a dump truck on Tuesday and went for a little ride around the city. It took city workers by surprise, but luckily no one was harmed as a result of the little joyride.
Before you move into a furnished home there are three things you should consider about the mattress you will be sleeping on for the next three to twelve months:
1. Its Condition – What is the age of the mattress? Are the springs in good condition? Does the mattress have a disturbing odour? When you remove the sheets, are there stains covering the surface?
2. Mattress Size – When you lie down on the bed, are your feet sticking out over the end? Is there enough room to stretch out? Is the bed an appropriate size for the room it’s in?
3. Bed Bugs – Is the mattress currently in a building that is on record with the Vancouver Bed Bug Registry? Did the mattress come from another location that may have had a bed bug issue? Is their evidence of bed bugs along the seams of the mattress?
If any of these questions cause you concern, discuss them with your landlord, home-stay parent or placement supervisor. If you need to buy a new bed, a Simmons Mattress Gallery professional can help recommend the perfect mattress for your Canadian lodging.
Your time abroad should be spent in comfortable setting. Consider a new mattress.
As a consumer in a capitalistic society, you have choices for what you buy and where you buy it. There is no one warehouse for shampoo or light fixtures and fortunately we all don’t have to buy the same ugly trainers. We are free to spend our money on any product we deem economically superior.
The consumer’s responsibility is product comparison. Finding the lowest price and best terms is a demanding second job. Fortunately, some companies are making it easier for the consumer. Their prices and the quality of their products places their item or service on a level far above their competition.
The recent discovery of bed bugs in a Vancouver library book has embarrassed the city’s lending service and reopened the inquiry into how prolific the bed bug problem is in our city.
The bugs were found in a book borrowed from the Mount Pleasant Library.
Since the incident, the library has done a thorough search of their stacks. Their work has turned up no evidence of further infestation. It may have only been the one book, stored near an infected mattress or couch that acted as a temporary home for the critters – unlucky for the library.
The fact that the bugs were found in an item other than furniture or clothing illustrates how prolific the problem is in our city. Bed bugs are everywhere, but those infected are keeping their mouths zipped.
Unlike a public library, homeowners can silently try to deal with bed bug issues without the prying eye of the public. Victims call a pest control service, they move to a hotel for a few days or go on a ‘vacation’, they buy all new mattresses and when they get back, the Taylors will ‘still’ be sending little Jenny over for play dates. A convenient solution with little-to-no public humiliation.
Until there is a strategy to wipeout the bugs for good, private pest control will be the public’s best option.
We have just over a month to go till Christmas. Are you ready?
The Starbucks cups were out on the 1st, St. Paul’s Lights of Hope turns on next Thursday and the Christmas Train starts up on December 2nd, Each unique event reminds us of how close we are coming to the family holiday.
And there’s so much to do…
The cleaning is what stresses us out. Vacuuming, scrubbing, dusting, polishing – it all must be done before the family arrives.
Then there are the lights to be hung, the tree to buy and the sweets to be baked.
Finding time to rest over the holidays can be a chore in itself. To improve your horizontal hours, purchase a Simmons Beautyrest mattress from Vancouver’s mattress store. It will be a gift that you can enjoy every day of the year. You can’t say that about the Rudolph-themed slippers you received from Uncle Rob.
Christmas crafts sales are a one-stop shopping centre for all those people on your list that need something simple but festive. From ornaments, to wreathes, to salt and sweet treats, you’ll find everything under the broad blanket of Christmas crafts.
This weekend hosts a number of Christmas craft fairs around the city. Simmons Mattress Gallery suggests the following sales:
Friday, November 25th
-9th Annual Chilliwack Christmas Craft Crawl
Various times and locations in Chilliwack
-North Delta Potter’s Guild Christmas Pottery Sale
The historic Yale Hotel and Blues Bar is closing its doors after 130 years of operation. One of Vancouver’s finest small-act musical venues, The Yale will close for twelve months to undergo a much needed renovation plan. November 21st will be the final show day.
Opened in the 1880s, The Yale was one of only a handful of buildings to survive the 1886 fire. It became a musical frontier in the early 1900s and has been supporting emerging and established blues, jazz, R&B and soul acts ever since.
The renovations will help The Yale take on Vancouver Heritage status. The renos will also improve the facilities in the club. Planned improvements include an upgraded sound system, a hardwood dance floor and a raised roof above the stage area.
Warning: A deadly virus is finding its way into homes across Vancouver. Families are being warned to educate their loved ones before the viral outbreak reaches epidemic levels.
The symptoms are tired springs, midnight sag and motion distrubance. These three manifestations have caused many citizens to lose a full night’s rest. Sufferers may appear bag-eyed, lethargic and irritable. Any person displaying these signs should not be approached.
The outbreak is thought to be contagious, with many homes having two or more affected beds.
The Beautyrest mattress line can rejuvenate the energy depleted by the infected beds. With the purchase of a Beautyrest mattress, sufferers can return to their regular sleeping schedules overnight. Patented non-flip pocket coils will support the weight of the inflicted patient, offering a comfortable layer of cushion. The coils’ individual nature limits motion transfer between sleeping partners. Beautyrest’s quality design will prevent sagging over time, keeping the virus at pay.
Prescriptions can be filled at the Simmons Mattress Gallery on Broadway in Vancouver and on Schoolhouse Road in Coquitlam.
The Virus Is Not Yet Airborne. No Need For Radiation Suits.
It’s the night before your company presentation and all you want is a few hours of undisturbed sleep.
You have been working tirelessly for three months in preparation. There have been late nights in the office, when the only people in the building have been you, the security guard and the cleaning staff. There have been hour-long Skype sessions with the tech department in Toronto and countless meetings with your team in Vancouver.
You saw your idea evolve from a boardroom discussion to a tangible product. Over thirty employees put their time and resources into its development. Now it is time to sell it to the company brass.
No pressure.
Lying on your bed, staring at the ceiling, you run through the presentation in your head. You have done all you can.
The only thing left to do is receive the seven hours of sleep you need to stay alert and focused.
You roll over on to another lump and openly curse your twelve-year-old mattress.
Give Your Mind a Rest
Innovation starts and ends with the sleep you receive. Purchase a Beautyrest mattress at one of the two Simmons Mattress Galleries in the Lower Mainland. Your productivity is resting on it.
Do the people who abandon mattresses on the streets think they are helping the homeless? Do they believe there is a magic mattress collector that trolls the alleys at night looking for soggy discarded beds? One would wonder…
With the recent ban on mattresses at city transfer stations, beds are being illegally abandoned all over the city.
Last year 1,500 mattresses were discarded illegally on city streets. This year, with the $20 surcharge in effect, frugal, lazy citizens have dumped over 5,000 mattresses.
The city has used taxpayer money to send out special vehicles to collect the unwanted beds. It has been a massive resource drain on the collection department’s budget. All this because people did not want to properly deal with their waste.
It’s a shame.
The good news is that more beds then ever are being properly recycled. Thanks to the new ban, over 47,000 mattresses were given to Lower Mainland recycling agencies in the first half of this year.
If you are looking to properly dispose of your old mattress and do not want to pay the $20 fee, consider one of the three mattress recycling companies operating in and around Vancouver.
Here is a list of the companies and their minimum charge:
Canadian Mattress Recycling- If dropped off, CMR will charge $12 per item. This is the cheapest option. They also have pick-up options starting at $72.00.
Mattressrecycling.ca - This company charges $12.50 per dropped off item. With a professional website and David Suzuki’s endorsement, this company appears to be the most respectable operation in the Vancouver area. We have also featured this company in an earlier post on mattress recycling.
Recyc-Mattress- This is the most expensive option. Recyc-Mattress charges $15 per item.
A mattress dumped in a landfill takes decades to decompose. Do your part and recycle your bed properly.
Our rhyme scheme might stray, but our love for the mattress is unwavering. Come visit one of our two locations in the Lower Mainland to sample the large selection of Simmons mattresses on hand.
How often do you wake up minutes before your alarm goes off?
With the right sleep conditions, our bodies naturally wake up at a similar hour each day. If you are sleeping on a Simmons Beautyrest, this event is probably a common occurrence.
Until recently, scientists had trouble determining the cause of this natural phenomenon. The scientific community was roughly aware of the mechanism that prepared us for sleep, but little was known about the way we wake-up.
Researcher, Satchidananda Panda, claims, “the body is essentially a collection of clocks.” These clocks subconsciously trigger our brain and other organs to carry out involuntary actions. Our body’s natural drop in temperature before we fall asleep is one example.
With the ‘wake-up’ gene located, sleep scientists can now expand their study of sleep disorders. There is also hope that the discovery can aid research into chronic illness and aging.
One of the greatest festivals in Vancouver is the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, coming up this winter from January 15 through February 5, 2012. The festival presents innovative works in live performing arts over the course of three weeks. The festival aims to expose audiences to shows that are thought provoking, blend genres, and startle viewers.
The shows exhibited at the PuSh festival are meant to encourage dialogue and induce transformative experiences among attendees. Since its launch in 2003, as a joint venture of Rumble Productions and Touchstone Theatre, PuSh has become one of the most highly anticipated events for Vancouver audiences, artists and media. Initially a modest series of theatre presentations curated by Norman Armour and Katrina Dunn, the Festival took on a new life as a stand-alone entity in June 2005, with charitable status and its own administrative operations.
January 2009 marked the 5th installment of the PuSh Festival. There were 19 works in the main program and the launch of Club PuSh—a unique multi-disciplinary platform at Granville Island’s Performance Works that put the spotlight on indie bands and other cutting-edge performing artists of the Cascadia region. There were a total of 136 performances, involving 16 venues across the city. More than 24,000 people attended that year. For more information, visit the festival’s website at www.pushfestival.ca.
While you’re in Vancouver, stop by Vancouver mattress store Simmons Mattress Gallery to check out a huge inventory of high-quality mattresses and accessories.
Inventors, artists, musicians and thinkers throughout history have reported that some of their biggest breakthroughs were the products of dream world experiences. Rene Descartes came up with the concept for the scientific method after something he experienced in a dream. Paul McCartney has said he heard the tune for the famous song, “Yesterday,” in a dream. Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” was inspired by a dream. Elias Howe got the idea to invent the sewing machine in a dream.
Dreams can be a great source of inspiration, but only if you remember them when you wake up. To increase the chances that your next great invention doesn’t slip away into your subconscious, it’s a good idea to write down what you remember about your dreams as soon as you wake up. Keep a notebook by the bed and jot down anything you remember, even incomplete images, occurrences or thoughts that don’t seem to make sense. Some people believe it’s easier to remember dreams that occur during the daytime while napping, although this idea is impossible to prove.
The quality of your sleep can increase the quality of your dreams. And the quality of your bed can increase the quality of your sleep. That means you might want to invest in a new bed. Visit Vancouver Mattress Store Simmons Mattress Gallery to check out the best brands at the best prices. Start dreaming up your next great idea tonight.
Summer is winding to a close and fall is starting to show on the leaves. This is great news for corn lovers in B.C. as the fields are filled with this year’s crop. It’s also the time of year when farmers with an entrepreneurial artistic side, can turn their land from simple fields of corn into complex harvest labyrinths.
One of the largest mazes in the Pacific Northwest is located in Pitt Meadows. Appropriately titled the ‘Meadow Maze,’ this year’s design boasts 6.3 kms of pathways. The theme is the Vancouver Zoo. Previous themes include: the PNE, the Golden Ears Bridge and ‘eat local.’
The corn maze design begins on a computer, where a designer creates an image and then maps out the pathways. The maze is then cut when the corn is a foot high using a tractor with GPS compatibility. Before the cut, there are nearly 1 million plants in the field.
Visitors to the maze are encouraged to bring water and a hat. The Pitt Meadows location occasionally closes when the temperature is too high. The average walker takes about 1 1/2 hours to complete the maze. The fastest time for this years design is 35 minutes.
The Meadow Maze also boasts a full concession and market area, plus a petting zoo and hay rides.
Pitt Meadows Maze
*From Experience: Do not watch “Children of the Corn” before a trip to the Pitt Meadows maze.
This quirky little nonsense poem by Edward Lear inspired a Bill Manhoff’s Broadway hit that is now showing at the PAL Studio Theatre in Coal Harbour.
The play revolves around an odd relationship between a bookish writer, Felix, and a flirtatious actress, Doris. Through the course of the “Owl and the Pussycat,” the audience discovers the reasons why these two aspiring artists are failing to succeed at their dream professions. The work looks at identity and self-awareness.
Barbara Streisand played the role of Doris in the film adaptation, shot in 1970.
If you have never been to the PAL Theatre, the price of admission is worth the venue visit. Built on the 8th Floor of a residential tower on the North end of Cardero Street, the PAL theatre is an intimate setting that features a 120 seats, a floor to ceiling window of Lost Lagoon, a rooftop patio, and hardwood floor stage.
The show will run until September 3rd. Tickets may be purchased online for $20.
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon,
The Pacific National Exhibition is back to close out summer with a bang. The fun started Saturday and continues until Monday, September 5th.
Poke around the agricultural exhibits, take in the hilarious and amazing antics of the Superdogs and watch the night sky light up with Pop City’s nightly pyro celebration. With tons of activities for families during the day, including family theatre, the nights belong to the musicians. The Summer Night Concerts series will host a different performer every night until the final show on Labour Day. This year’s big draw is Kenny Rogers on Monday, August 29th, the Annual Evening with Elvis on the 31st, hosted by the immortal Red Robinson and the “Pretty Woman” soundtrack makers, Wilson Phillips, on September 1st.
General admission is $20, but all children under 13 are free. VanCity (the bank) is also offering $5 admission for there customers on Wednesday, August 24th. Another way to save on admission costs is to come on August 27th. If you are the holder of a Whitecaps ticket, you will receive free entry into the fairgrounds.
For more information on the Pacific National Exhibition, visit their website or check out their smart phone daily schedule.
You wouldn’t think the airport would be a weekend destination spot, but YVR has other plans. This summer, experience ‘Take-Off Fridays’ at the Vancouver International Airport for games, family events a live DJ and multicultural mingling.
The final Friday event is August 27th. The fun starts around eight in the morning and wraps up around four at night. The festivities are spread out over both the domestic and international terminals.
Activities include face painting, dancing, food specials and the ‘money machine.’ The latter offers each contestant a chance to grab as many YVR bucks as they can. The catch: you need to grab them while standing in a closed wind cylinder. Each ‘buck’ you grab can be used towards purchasing items at stores around the airport.
The backdrop to this event are the finely carved and crafted First Nation artifacts that routinely offer travelers a glimpse at the beautiful history of the first West Coast peoples.
Come and enjoy the richness of YVR with the whole family. Your kids will love it and you will be reminded of how lucky we are to have such an amazing airport to welcome and bid farewell to travelers from all over the world.
Acute illness is usually connected with the winter months, when our bodies react to the change in temperature. The common cold usually strikes us somewhere between the months of October and early December, when our immune system is weakened due to the seasonal climate change.
But the summer months can be just as deadly on our immune system. During summer, we often treat our bodies with less care. We indulge in greasy food, we neglect the gym and we also sleep less. Reducing our sleeping hours is the major cause of summer immune deficiency.
The temptation to sleep less is high in July and August because of our activity loaded days and nights. A fireworks show, two barbecues, a staff party and a wedding can run a hefty sleep debt. It is important to make time, even when the weather is nice, for a few early nights.
A consistent eight hours of sleep can keep our bodies running at maximum capacity. This may mean going home a little early from the party or declining the odd invitation for dinner, but it could also mean not getting sick.
The Canadian Open returns to Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club this weekend. Some of the best in the game have already arrived in Vancouver and sampled Shaughnessy’s grueling fairways.
The talk surrounding the course is that the rough is extremely thick. Many in the field believe the difficulty of the course will level the playing field.
“I would say this is probably one of the toughest or the toughest course I have ever played,” said Anthony Kim, former U.S. Open champion. “I don’t think it’s so much the golf course length or the way it’s strategically laid out, it’s just that the rough is six or seven inches deep and we’re hacking out sideways.”
The world’s No. 1-ranked golfer, Luke Donald will be trying to return to form, after missing the cut at last week’s British Open. Donald played the course on Wednesday and commented that the rough was an issue, but the length was the more daunting feature. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had that many yardages of 200 and over into a lot of these holes and the ball is going short.”
Whatever their gripe, the men will need all their clubs this weekend, not just their low irons and wedges.
The tournament concludes on Sunday at 3:00pm. Global, TSN and the Golf Chanel will be sharing the coverage.
In a province where you can ski the slopes in the morning, golf in the afternoon and spend the evenings on the beach, BC residents know that a comfortable mattress is an essential element to a busy day of west coast fun-and-play.
With the variety of activities that fill our waking hours, it is nice to have a consistent reliable mattress to collapse on when the sun finally sets.
Simmons Mattress Gallery has been providing BC residents with quality beds and exceptional service for years. In the last seven, we have distinguished ourselves from the competition by achieving the Consumer Choice Award for mattress store.
We are proud to carry all the top models from the Simmons Beautyrest line, a mattress series defined by the revolutionary non-flip pocket coil.
British Columbia issued license plates for the Olympic year with the slogan, “Best Place on Earth.” Many Easterners saw this as another west coast hyperbole that proved the level of our conceitedness.
But for those of us who call BC home, the phrase holds more truth than the sharp-tongued retorts of the critics.
BC is one of the most diverse provinces in the country. It has the mildest winter weather and the least humid summers. It is is home to the country’s most beautiful city, Vancouver, and It is also the proud parent of the Vancouver Canucks, the only Canadian team to get past the opening round of the 2011 NHL playoffs.
Our province has some of the lushest parks in the country, the most epic skiing conditions and one of the only stretches of shoreline worth surfing in Canada.
We showed the world we could host a party in 1986 and we did it again in 2010. The BC acronym is synonymous with a higher level of living that folks from all over the world recognize.
Part of that living experience is the proximity to the most elite mattress store in the country, Simmons Mattress Gallery. The BC mattress store, offers the top Simmons Beautyrest beds at prices that are worth the drive from St. Johns.
If you’ve never slept on a Simmons, you’ve never experienced the west coast. Come see why this truly is the best place on earth. We’ll be waiting with a mattress, two free pillows and some of the BC’s finest (mattress professionals).
Support comes from beneath. It stabilizes the main structure. It is the foundation on which outstanding achievements are made possible.
For the Vancouver Canucks, that support is the tireless playoff performance of Ryan Kesler. Bloodied and bruised, number seventeen is currently leading the NHL in playoff points, but most nights it is his work away from the net that is earning him respect around the league.
Killing penalties, winning faceoff’s and banging the boards, Kesler is giving it all this post-season. He is supporting a team whose top players (Daniel and Henrik) have mysteriously disappeared. He has stitches across his lip from an errant puck in Game Five; when asked if he wanted anesthesia for the wound, he refused it, saying it would only slow him down.
His fearless play and defensive stamina earned him over twenty-one minutes of ice time in Game Six against the Nashville Predators. Setting up both goals, Kesler earned the praises of Predator Coach Barry Trotz: “As I said when I was going by him, if he doesn’t play that way we’re probably going to Game 7 and we might win the series, but he played to a level that few people can reach in a series.”
Kesler, in a post-game interview with Scott Oake of the CBC, claimed that Trotz’s comments were humbling.
Now the assistant captain is carrying the Canucks into the Western Conference Finals, a feat managed only three times by the franchise.
Without him, the Canucks might be counting the clubs in their golf bag. With him they are the most powerful team in the NHL, destined to play for a chance at the Stanley Cup.
On Monday, May 2nd, Canada will return to the polls to vote. The current Conservative government was forced to call an election after the Liberal Party’s no-confidence motion passed on March 25th. The popularity of the Conservatives has remained strong in the wake of the Liberal attack and it seems, even with a failed budget, the populace is prepared to have Stephen Harper maintain his position as Prime Minister of Canada.
If you are wondering where your vote should go, it may be in your interest to log onto the CBC website and use their helpful tool to find out which party’s platform is closest to your own interests. The tool is called the ‘Vote Compass.’ It works as an extended questionnaire. The answers you give are matched with a party and a position on the political spectrum. So far, over one million visitors have used it.
It will be interesting to see if Canadians will move away from their traditional allegiances. Will the results provided by the CBC’s tool really affect their vote? I guess we will need to wait until the 2nd to discover the answer.
The National Hockey League has announced the schedule for the 2011 NHL playoffs. Your Vancouver Canucks will face the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round. The series begins on Wednesday, April 13th, in Vancouver at 7pm PST. Game two will start at the same time on Friday night. The Canucks will then have to fly to Chicago to prepare for Sunday’s bout, which will begin at 5pm PST. Game four will play out on Tuesday, and with any luck, that will be the last game of the series.
A Canucks sweep would put to rest the demons of the 2010 and 2009 NHL post-seasons. It would also be a major springboard for the Canucks to advance deeper into the playoffs.
To see how the drama unfolds, we will have to patiently wait for Wednesday’s opener. This may be easier said than done – especially since this town seems to be living off the current exploits of their favourite sons.
But don’t fret. If you’re finding it hard to sleep as the aniticipation builds,, you can always upgrade your mattress set. It may not alleviate your anxiety, but it will make the nodding off experience easier.
It’s official, the Canucks are the President’s Trophy champions. Currently holding 113 points they have the best record of any team in the National Hockey League.
Their remaining games are inconsequential. All they have left to play for is pride and statistics.
The Sedins have never been hotter, Luongo is clearly in the zone and the injured winter soldiers are slowly returning to the line-up.
Daniel has a firm grip on the scoring title with 102 points, Henrik is leading the league in assists with 74, and Luongo has the most wins with 38. Hamhuis should be back in the line-up this weekend after his second concussion this season and Samuelson has already started skating with the club. Alexander Edler could also see action by the end of the week, in time for the final game of the season against the Calgary Flames.
With the Western Conference still in limbo, it could take until Sunday for the Canucks to know whom they will face in the opening round. A loss to Calgary on Saturday could set the stage for Vancouver to ultimately face their old rivals from Alberta.
More than likely, our boys will be matched against the Blackhawks, the team that has secured our quick exit from the playoffs for the past two years. However, a series win against Chicago could be the perfect catalyst for a push to the finals.
No matter what the match-up, the Canucks are ready and willing.
(Sorry, we’re a little selfish. But like the rest of you who cursed that goal post in 94, we believe our city deserves this and we want to be there for the celebration!)
This Wednesday, April 6th, marks the official start to Vancouver’s 125th Birthday celebration. There will be an all-day event at Jack Poole Plaza, the site of the Olympic Cauldron. The festivities will begin at 2pm and continue until 10pm.
The opening event will be a drop-in street hockey tournament. This will be followed by an organized youth tournament featuring teams from Thunderbird, Sunset, West End, Britannia, Riley Park and Killarney communities.
From 6:00 to 7:00 will be the Official Ceremonies, with a giant birthday cake and speeches by Mayor Gregor and other dignitaries.
The big draw will be a performance by Vancouver’s own classic rockers, 54-40. They will hit the stage around 8:45 and will play until 10:00. During the performance, the plaza will become the backdrop for a video and light installation titled Time Drifts, by Berlin-based artist Phillipp Geist.
In the spirit of our ever-loving cycling mayor, there will be a bicycle valet option for those of you choosing the two-wheeled commute.
Gregor has also promised to unveil other events as the year progresses.
The Olympics were just the beginning Vancouver! Let’s celebrate who we are and where we came from!
Where are you reading this right now? At the office? At home? Can you get to a window? Can you see the local mountains? Grouse, Seymour, Cypress – They are all still covered in snow! In fact the white stuff is dusting the higher areas of North and West Vancouver. Winter is still here and that means there is still time to board and ski for at least another month.
Want to get in on the action and save on your pass next year. Grouse is once again offering their Y2Play package that lets you carve for the rest of this seson for free, while getting your pass for next year at an 80% discount. It’s a complete win/win. The adult rate is $355, for a pass that is regularly $825. That’s a grand savings of $470, plus the ability to ride the rest of this season for free. Crazy!
And it doesn’t stop there. With your pass you will receive 20% off on your rentals, lessons, retail purchases and your mermaids elixir at Starbucks. And in the summer, 20% off Zipline tours. Enjoy the mountain for over a year!
This is an incredible offer and the packages are already 80% sold. So get in on the savings and enjoy the remainder of season at Grouse Mountain.
When a couple move in together, they often stumble upon the issue of a new mattress. ‘What size should I get, what firmness, what make?’ These are all important questions to consider, especially if you consider you will spend the majority of your time together sleeping on your new bed.
Well let’s tackle the last question first. ‘What make,’ that’s a no-brainer: Simmons. They make the most comfortable, durable, technologically sound mattresses in the business. With their non-flip pocket coil springs, a Simmons mattress will also limit the amount of motion transfer between sleeping partners. Rest easy and undisturbed on a Simmons.
The firmness question is a little more difficult. Try the different firmness ratings at your nearest Simmons Mattress Gallery. Try to compromise on a bed that is somewhere in between your ideal compression. If you both enjoy the same level, you’re set!
Then there is the question of size. Twins are out of the question. You want to be close, but some nights you’ll need your space. Especially when your partner has a cold. King size? You still want to be close enough to spoon. The perfect solution: a queen. A Vancouver queen size mattress will give you just enough space, while still offering an intimate sleeping surface.
Come down to one of the two Simmons Mattress Gallery locations in Vancouver to find your queen.
As the world tries to come to grips with the damage caused by the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan, here at home, people are starting to fear that the next big quake could occur somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. This has many Lower Mainland residents thinking very seriously about their preparedness level.
To address these concerns, citizens can visit the British Columbia Earthquake Preparedness website for tips on what to have ready and what actions to take in the event of a massive earthquake. The site is an excellent resource for preparing your loved ones for an environmental disaster.
Remember to Hold On!
Here are a few quick tips for your family to work on:
1. Know the safe areas of your home that can be used for cover.
(heavy tables, desks, archways)
2. Know the dangerous areas of your home.
(near windows, beside large appliances, near shelves)
3. Signup for a first-aid course.
4. Plan and practice safe evacuation routes from your home.
5. Have a plan in place if your family is separated. Organize a contact number of a family member or friend who lives in another area of the Province.
7. Have a list of emergency contacts posted near your main phone. You can also add these numbers to the contact list on your cellphones.
8. Prepare emergency supplies for at least 72 hours.
This should include: first aid kit, tarp or small tent, water (lots of it), water purification tablets, non-perishable food, flashlights, am/fm radio, batteries, toiletry items, fire extinguisher, wrench, shoes, gloves and if possible, sleeping bags.
In times like these, a little laughter is good for the soul. This week Ryan Kesler was providing Canuck fans with just that.
The athletic jokester was the key element in a montage video released by the Canucks. The video featured interviews with players from Vancouver’s team. The common thread between the interviews was Kesler’s appearance in the background.
In some of the tapes he is simply walking around shirtless, staring at the camera. In others, he is pranking the player being interviewed. The young American star asks Raffi Torres if he would like any pizza. In an interview with Cory Schneider, Kesler dons Luongo’s mask and walks into frame, testing the will of the interviewers themselves. In another, he skirts by with a popped collar and aviator shades.
Cluster Bomb
The collage video was added on Friday and was a viral sensation before the weekend was out. Kesler added to the hype on Saturday, when he appeared in a Daniel Sedin interview, slowly rising from behind the Swedish star.
Kesler has referred to his cameo technique as ‘videobombing.’
Good to know the Canucks are so loose heading into the playoff stretch.
The Westender Magazine has just published its annual Best of the City reader’s choice awards. From dining, to shopping, to health and fitness, the results are in and some of them are a little surprising.
In the people section, Mayor Gregor Robertson seems to be in every category. He’s third in the Most Wonderful Vancouverite category behind David Suzuki and our timeless captain Trevor Linden. He’s first in the Most Trustworthy Politician, in front of Spencer Chandra Herbert and ‘None’. But Robertson is also second in Most Spectacular Failure and second again in Biggest Windbag. Conflicting messages from the voters…
The city’s new bike lanes also seemed to be a dividing issue, with people either loving or hating them. The bike lanes won Best Use of Taxpayer’s Money and also came first in Worst Use of Taxpayer’s Money. The lanes also won Most Spectacular Failure, ahead of the wonderful HST.
Clear favourites in the foody section were Tojos for Chef and Japanese and surprisingly, the White Spot, which showed up on a number of the categories for casual fare.
We were a little surprised that Mattress Store was left off the list. We know it’s not nice to brag, but we’re pretty sure Simmons Mattress Gallery would have received top honours.
Interested in the historical past of many of Vancouver’s most prominent streets and sites. There is an excellent book out in publication called “Namely Vancouver.” It is written by Tom Snyders, with the help of Jennifer O’Rourke. The book is organized alphabetically and lists almost all of Vancouver’s street names and neighbourhoods. Each entry includes the origin of the name and when possible, a brief history of the site. You can flip through and look up different street names you’ve always wondered about, or look up all the areas you ever lived, or just start on page one and work your way through. Some of the entries are a little dense with their historical references, but the real gems are the stories that Snyder includes.
Jericho (Beach) – Named after Jeremiah (Jerry) Rogers, Jericho was once a thriving logging camp. Jerry ran the camp and according to Snyders, treated his employees with dignity and provided fair wages. The camp was given the nickname Jerry’s Cove. It seems that over time, maybe through slurred after work libations, the name morphed into Jericho. Jerry would later become a justice of the peace.
Jericho Beach (Looking Towards Downtown Vancouver)
Wreck (Beach) – This popular nudist spot is named after the man-made breakwater that was built in 1928 using three log barges, a floating grain elevator, four former U.S. World War I freighters and an ore carrier.
Broadway (Home to Simmons Mattress Gallery) – 9th Avenue was changed to Broadway in May of 1909, in hopes that the area would take on a New York Broadway kind of feel. The name change was also instituted to encourage American investment in the area.
“Namely Vancouver” is published by Arsenal Pulp Press
One of the most alluring aspects of Vancouver is our dedication to the Arts. All around our city, there are indoor and outdoor installations featuring the work of local artists. From the public statues erected for the Olympic year, to small galleries on Granville Island, to the always-inspiring work of Bill Reid at the Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver is proud to display the talents of Canadian artists.
One of the smaller galleries that is making a name for itself for its historical and cultural exhibits is The Pendulum Gallery. The Pendulum is located at the base of the HSBC tower. It is a seven story, glass-covered atrium, created with the help of the City of Vancouver to promote cultural and historical exhibitions.
Last month, the Pendulum showed a photography exhibit titled “Swedes in B.C.,” which documented the life of Swedish immigrants.
This month, the gallery will be showing the work of Taizo Yamamoto. Yamamoto has produced an exhibition of intricate drawings titled “Shopping Carts and Recent Drawings.” The works present artifacts and single subject sketches of downtown life. The shopping carts are presented as still lifes, a vehicle holding the possessions and survival instruments of absent figures. The detail is truly amazing and worth the trip downtown.
So come out and support the work of local artists. You will walk away with a new appreciation for your own community and the projects it inspires.
Tossing and turning with a basketball glued to your stomach is a difficult task!
Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to make your pregnancy more comfortable. A quality spring mattress with a memory foam top is just the thing for finding the ideal sleeping conditions during your nine months of growth.
A Simmons non-flip pocket coil mattress will keep you properly supported through the entire night. With individual springs, your mattress will respond to your movements with soft fingers of compression. The coils will reduce motion transfer, so your partner can sleep through the night as well.
For an extra layer of comfort on top of your springs, take the memory foam option. Nothing moulds to your changing figure quite like memory foam.
You may find that you will require additional firmness at points during your pregnancy. Just remove the foam top and store it carefully in an elevated area of your closet.
One thing you definitely don’t want to invest in is a waterbed. Though the idea of floating while sleeping may seem intriguing, waterbeds do not supply nearly enough support for pregnant women. They can also be dangerously hard to get out or off of. Stay away from the 80’s fad and live in the present with the latest innovations from Simmons.
Well Vancouver, it has almost been a year since the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics. How do we feel? Are we proud of the job we did on and off the podium? Were we gracious hosts? Will we be remembered for the party?
This week, Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to look back at those two weeks in February to see how our games measured up:
-Millennium Line built on time.
Athlete’s Village squeaks in just under the wire.
-John Furlong and the rest of the VANOC team prepare the city for the crowds.
When the time comes, Vancouverites are so fearful of traveling by car that the streets are near empty.
-Beautiful weather makes for excellent conditions down in the city.
Lack of snow on Cypress results in a convoy of trucks transporting snow from the interior to the local mountains.
-Venues shine with the colours of the Northwest.
Tragedy hits before the games even begin, as a Georgian luge competitor dies while practicing on the Whistler track.
-The Opening Ceremonies are a huge success, showcasing Canadian talent and large scale media theatrics.
Three out of four torches light.
-K.D. Lang sing “Hallelujah.”
Hedley lip synch.
-Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir steal our hearts and the gold in ice dance.
Dutch Speed Skater, Sven Kramer, makes a major lane mistake that costs him a medal. His coach is blamed.
-Canada’s women destroy their competitors in ice hockey and the men take it to overtime, with Sid the Kid ending the game for Canada.
Apart from a few speeches and Neil Young’s performance, the Closing Ceremonies were tragic.
"Long May We Run"
All and all, we here at Simmons feel the good well out weighed the bad. Fingers crossed that Sochi doesn’t pull it together on time and the games return to Vancouver. Just kidding. We’re sure the Russians will do a great job!
And it’s no secret, a new mattress will help you reach that 7-8 hours of needed rest.
But what about the other two, a healthy diet and daily exercise? Those, our dear readers, are up to the individual. We can only help you during your sleeping hours. The rest are up to you.
Looking for inspiration? Check out CBC’s new program, “Village on a Diet.” Shot on location in Taylor, British Columbia, “Village on a Diet” documents an entire town’s commitment to shedding one ton of excess weight. There are 1,400 residents and it is estimated that at least 60% are overweight.
To help the Taylor residents meet their mark, the Canadian Broadcasters have supplied the town with two highly respected trainers from Vancouver; Mike Veinot and Garfield Wilson. Maria Thomas, who has signed on as the town’s dietician, joins Mike and Garfield.
The show airs every Monday at 9:00. So set the PVR to record it during your workout, or do some after dinner squats in front of the TV, and check out Taylor’s commitment to healthy living.
The answer: Yes. Oversleeping can prove to be detrimental to your health.
As much as you love your new mattress, there are a few reasons to leave its warm embrace.
The most significant reason is the threat of diabetes. This metabolic disease that comes in many forms, is having a devastating affect on the world’s population. The body’s inability to properly control insulin levels is strongly connected to our diet and our body’s general health. If you are oversleeping, your body is not receiving enough physical exercise and can become especially susceptible to type 2 diabetes.
Depression is another possible side effect of oversleeping. Most people believe insomnia to be at the root of depression, but it can also work in reverse. Almost 15% of people suffering from depression sleep too much. Rise and shine, welcome the day and take only 7-8 hours of required rest.
With an over allotted sleep schedule, you may also run the risk of developing heart disease. A study found that women who slept 9-11 hours a night were 38% more likely to have coronary heart disease than those who slept 8 hours.
If you are sleeping more than eight hours a night and are concerned about your health, make sure to contact your local doctor. It is also important to note that your sleeping needs will change over the course of your life. The rest you needed in high school is probably significantly different than what your body demands in your adult life.
If you are consistently sleeping more than 8 hours a night, consult your doctor.
With the dramatic rise and fall of temperatures that we have been experiencing over the last few weeks, it’s a miracle that we aren’t all out with the sick bug. For those few who haven’t been affected, Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to provide a few strategies for retaining your health.
1. Wash your hands regularly.
-There is a great commercial for Science World, where these four business exec types meet up in an office and instead of shaking hands they each exchange open mouth deep throat greetings. The text reads: “shaking hands spreads more germs than kissing.” The final tag line: “Science World – We can explain.”
2. Eat healthy foods
-One more reason to stick to your New Years diet. Keep your immune system well nourished with a variety of fruits and veggies. Skip the McDonalds lunch.
-Have your first glass with the vitamin. Then at least one glass with lunch and dinner. If you have a relatively strong bladder, drink another before bed.
5. Go to sleep early
-Nothing wears out your immune system like a lack of sleep. Fight the cold bug by tucking in a few hours early. If you can’t fall asleep, chances are you’re sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress. UPGRADE at Simmons Mattress Gallery and work through the winter strong and cold free.
With thirty-five games ticked off, the Canucks are nearing the halfway mark of the season. They are finishing up a stellar December that saw them lead the league in power-play percentage. Their goaltending is two-tier, there seems to be strong leadership in the dressing room and one of their only losses this month was one of their best games (Dec. 22 / Detroit).
For a team that has gone its full existence, forty years, without a cup, it finally seems like Vancouver has put together a winning line-up. Not since the days of the West Coast Express, has Vancouver looked so poised for a deep playoff run.
And… we know it’s early and any number of things could happen to disrupt the near perfect chemistry that the team is currently showing, but really, if ever there was ever a time… this is it.
Well here’s a list of ten reasons why 2011 might just be THE year.
1.Luoooooo
-He may not be Captain, but he is still the pivot point on which the Canucks turn.
2. Super Twins
At the time of writing, the Sedin twins sit fourth and fifth in league points. Out of the bunk beds and onto a Beautyrest Black, the Sedins are showing the world that they have finally come of age. Thank you Sweden!
3. Malhotra in the Face-off Circle
What a pick-up! This guy is dominating the circle with the second highest percentage in the league. Don’t think that face-off percentage is an important stat? Back to your European handball.
4. Kes
That deflection goal last night was sick! And then one post away from a hat-trick. With none of the pressures of being Captain, Kesler is leading by example. We’ll forgive him for those few offhanded remarks he made about Canadians during the Olympics.
5. Fortunate Son
The son of former great Steve Tambellini, Jeff Tambellini is part of the new young breed energizing Vancouver.
6. Coach V
In his fifth season behind the bench, Alain Vigneault isn’t putting up with anything. Quick to send players down and even quicker to change line combinations, Vigneault is still keeping it fresh, while maintaining that mischievous grin.
7. German Efficiency
Christian Ehrhoff is giving the Canucks blue line a scoring touch. Night-in and night-out Ehrhoff stops them at one end and adds an offensive presence in the other.
8. Big Mike
All Mike Gillis needs to do is to maintain a steady course. “Please Mike don’t dump a bunch of contracts and snap-up another has-been like Mats. Just let the boys you have play.”
9. The Green Men
Nothing says intimidation like two dudes in full-body, fluorescent green, spandex suits. “What silly antic will they think up next.”
10. 40 Years
Enough is enough. It’s been FORTY YEARS! The time is now. The window is open.
You left work at noon on the 24th. You arrived home to a house of screaming children and a half packed minivan. After three or four loads to the car you finally filled it – presents, coolers, snow gear, toboggan, booze: CHECK! Oh and the kids.
After more than six hours on the road, you arrived at Williams Lake. The kids sprinted into your parent’s house and your wife went to talk to your brother’s fiancé. That left you with the unpacking. Great.
Thirty minutes later, you walked into the living room and were ambushed by your sister’s twin girls. They had you on the floor in a matter of seconds and then all the other young ones piled on.
Around eleven you had your first taste of scotch. It numbed the pain, but instantly reminded your brain how tired you were.
That’s when you saw your father eying you from across the room.
He pointed outside and you knew you were in for another long talk about your underachieving brother.
An hour later with your ear still ringing, you were finally dismissed. You checked on the kids, set the presents out and then went back to the spare room that your parents had just redone.
After a quick clothes removal, you collapsed on the bed and were out in a matter of seconds.
Then you awoke. The clock said 2:30. You fell back asleep.
Then you woke again. The clock said 2:42. You struggled, but finally fell back asleep.
Then you woke again. The clock read 3:27.
You listened for a disturbance… Nothing.
“Why,” you asked yourself, “do I keep waking up when all I want to do is sleep?”
Just then your wife rolled over and the bed began to rock like a rowboat in two-foot swells.
An hour later, you contemplated the floor. Two hours later, when you heard the kids running for their stockings, you had hardly slept a wink.
Getting dressed, all you could think of was the gift you would be getting your parents next Christmas: a new mattress – a Beautyrest, like your one at home.
Another successful Movember has come and gone. Men all over the world spent the last month growing out the hair on their upper lip to help raise awareness and donations for prostate cancer.
The totals from registered donations have been tallied at the Movemeber.com website and Canada has come out on top.
Donating over 19 million, Canadian companies and private citizens have shown their support for finding a cure for prostate cancer by opening up their pocketbooks.
Canada also had the most registered mustaches; 118, 727 of them. The single greatest haul by a corporation was CIBC. The banking firm was able to raise $251,356 towards the cause.
At the time, our knowledgeable employee was stumped. But we always like to entertain each and every inquiry that we receive. So without getting too geeky, here is the information we retrieved from our extensive research into the matter.
The body sneezes to expel mucous containing foreign particles or irritants. This action cleanses the nasal cavity.
It sort of works like this:
‘An external stimulant such as a grain of pepper or pollen passes through the nose hairs and continues on to the nasal mucosa. This triggers the release of histines, which aggravate the nasal nerve cells. These efficient little sensory beings send signals to the brain to initiate a sneeze. The pharyngeal and tracheal muscles immediately contract and voila, a powerful expulsion of air and foreign bodies.
But can these circumstances happen during sleep? Apparently not. Sneezing cannot occur during sleep due to REM atonia, a bodily state wherein the nerve cells are not available to receive any stimulation and therefore relay no warning to the brain that things are amiss in the nasal cavity. Sufficient external stimulation, however, may cause a person to wake up from sleep for the purpose of sneezing.’
The first thing you did after buying your new home: purchased a new mattress from Simmons Mattress Gallery.
“If this is going to be a fresh start,” you thought to yourself, “I should probably buy a mattress that takes advantage of the increased bedroom size.”
We couldn’t agree more. That tired old relic you have been sleeping on for years needed to be tossed.
The Dreaded Hide-A-Bed
But what about all your other personal belongings you plan to transfer over to your new place? Have you made arrangements to move them? Are you stressed just thinking about the prospect of loading all your furniture into a rental van?
Rid yourself of this unneeded anxiety. Hire a moving company to transport your furniture to your new home.
Simmons Mattress Gallery suggests going with Careful Movers.
Careful Movers are a Western Canada based company that specializes in local and long distance moving across North America.
They offer free estimates and provide advice and assistance from your first consultation till the last box is placed inside your new home.
Like the mattress professionals at Simmons Mattress Gallery, the men and women that work for Careful Movers are all trained moving professionals.
Visit their website for more information or call them direct.
Their toll free number is 1-888-801-0581.
Don’t stress over your move. Let your mind focus on that beautiful new Beautyrest and all the tranquil nights you will spend on it.
The Consumers’ Choice Award is an honour handed out to a very select group of businesses across North America.
The purpose of the project is to “publicly identify those establishments which have been voted by consumers as being their choice for excellence.” The winners are judged not by a panel, but by the consumers purchasing the product. There are two categories, business and consumer. A gold winner is announced for each category.
The awards are handed out at a prestigious Gala Award Ceremony in November.
This year, Simmons Mattress Gallery will be recognized for the seventh year in a row for outstanding customer service and product integrity.
Our stores in Coquitlam, Vancouver and Victoria have been recognized by the voting public as being the very best in the mattress industry.
Simmons Mattress Gallery has been sharing blog entries with our readers for over a year now. We have written on a variety of topics ranging from our showroom mattresses, to events around town, to the local sport’s stories. We have given you useful information about sleeping disorders, bedbugs and relationship advice. We have had a lot of fun writing and researching our articles. I hope you have enjoyed reading them.
For a quick look back at some of our posts, here is a thematic listing:
Sleep Disorders:
Grinding in the Night- ‘Bruxism’ is a term used to describe the practice of grinding one’s teeth during sleep
The Phantom Leg – This article talks about the neurological disorder, restless leg syndrome.
Mattress Guilt- For older readers, this article concerns sleepers who unknowingly engage in sexual activity while asleep.
Breathless at Night – Sleep apnea causes some individuals to pause their breathing during sleep.
You decided to go big with your home renovations last spring. You chose granite over tile, upgraded all your fixtures to brass and added a jacuzzi in the en-suite of the master bedroom.
Now, six months after signing off on a private contractor, you are struggling to pay your bills. You already took a loan from the bank to pay for the initial reno payment and the bank has refused to lend you any more cash. So what are your options?
You could ask your family if you could borrow money.
You could apply for a second job.
You could look into prospecting as a fun new hobby.
But before you rush into any of these, Simmons Mattress Gallery would recommend you talk to Alpine Credits about receiving a home equity loan. This would let you borrow against the money you have already put towards paying off your house.
Your home is an investment. Let Alpine Credits supply you with the funds needed to finance your home renovations.
This is what ‘Yes’ feels like!
Just remember to put aside a small amount for that new mattress in your bedroom. It will complete the room and your reno project.
The Lions have little to roar about this season, but one positive mid-season acquisition is giving them reason to hope that brighter days are ahead.
David Hyland, the young rookie out of Morehead State University, is impressing the Lions coaching staff and fans with his raw ability and patient, but explosive, defensive play.
After dominating in the Arena Football League’s 2010 regular season, with eight interceptions and 61 tackles, Hyland posted a YouTube video of his own highlights. The video was a savvy marketing tool and caught the eye of the Lions’ scouts.
On September 7th, Hyland signed a practice roster contract. He played his first game with the Lions on October 2nd, where he recorded an interception that led to the Lions only touchdown.
This past week Hyland laid a devastating hit on Edmonton receiver, Kelly Campbell. The Lions went on to lose the game, but the hit provided energy to a desperate football club. After the play, Hyland, showed his spiritual side by praying for Campbell’s healthy return.
“You like delivering those big hits. But you never want to end somebody’s career,” said Hyland. “This is such a precious game. And we have such precious bodies. I never want to end it for anybody.”
Hopefully Hyland’s defensive play can help the Lions make a push in the post-season.
Lion Cub
Interesting Fact: David Hyland has never had a sip of Pepsi-Cola. Not a drop. Ever. His father was a marketing executive at Coca-Cola for 28 years.
Simmons Mattress Gallery has a long and proud history with the City of Vancouver. It is not only where our business is located, it is also the city we call home. When issues arise concerning the identity of our community, we naturally have an opinion.
This week, Simmons would like to touch on PavCo’s decision to remove the Terry Fox Memorial Monument in front of BC Place.
To rebuild the roof, PavCo needs to place a crane on the site of Franklin Allen’s monument to the late Canadian hero, Terry Fox. Instead of moving the piece to another location, PavCo has decided to dismantle the monument.
Current public feeling, concerning the fate of the monument is mixed, as it was when it was originally erected in 1983. Many feel that the piece, a postmodern take on the Roman triumphant archway, is unreflective of Fox’s humble character. Others believe that Allen’s work is a strong representation of the triumphant spirit shown by thousands of Canadians who battle cancer on a daily basis.
PavCo has contacted local artist and writer, Douglas Copland, to create a modern day monument to Fox. Copland is responsible for the Lego Orca, now on display in the courtyard of Vancouver’s new Convention Center. Copland’s piece will replace Allen’s as a monument inside Terry Fox Plaza.
Simmons would like to see the arch moved to another location, somewhere on the stadium site. While we recognize the need for change, we understand that many in the Vancouver community feel connected to Allen’s work through their own struggle with cancer.
That being said, we are sure Copland will create an excellent piece, one that honours the young Canadian who showed such amazing courage in the fight against cancer.
You’ve just signed a two-year lease on an apartment in Yaletown. You finally get to move out of that dark basement just off Commercial. You’re young, single, and moving up in the world. But what now?
Before you go moving all your old stuff to your new pad, Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to offer a few hints on how to pimp your new bedroom:
1. Buy a new bed. One that says I am a lover not a wuss. Your single mattress from when you were sixteen is not going to fly. (Tip: the lower the frame, the more fun you can have without worrying about a falling Fail.)
2. Bed placement is key. Put the bed in the middle of the room. That’s where it belongs. Now lets get down to business.
Bed Placement is Key
3. Lose all memorabilia associated with your ex. That means get rid of the cute picture frame, the stuffed orca and that concert t-shirt you still go to bed in.
4. Go to a furniture store, we won’t mention the ‘I’ word, and buy some ambient lighting. Japanese style floor lamps are good for setting the mood.
5. Sell off your cumbersome stereo and buy a simple iPod dock with some decent speakers. Then download some Drake.
That’s a start. We’ll let you handle the rest. Just remember, start with the mattress.
-British Columbia is at the top of the world for breast cancer research innovation. Work that is being done in our province is being shared and used around the globe.
-New rapid access breast clinics are drastically reducing the amount of time it takes for doctors to diagnose new patients.
-B.C.’s Screening Mammography Program is the largest in North America and one of the best in the world
-The five-year survival rate after treatment for localized breast cancer is 93%.
-B.C. has the lowest death rate for breast cancer in Canada
-Last Sunday’s ‘Run for the Cure’ raised over 1.7 million for breast cancer research in B.C.
-What used to be a virtual death sentence is now a 75% survival rate.
-New alternative education programs are being established around the province. One Vancouver Company, InspireHealth, offers a variety of shared learning experiences, including yoga, meditation classes and non-traditional complementary medicine.
The Simmons mattress brand has been making quality-sleeping products since 1891. Known worldwide for their mattresses, the Simmons Company is also keenly devoted to creating superior products for the young ones in your household.
In 2006, the furniture division was renamed Simmons Kids Furniture.
Today, they offer a wide range of wooden cribs, chests and armoires for your toddler’s nursery.
Simmons Mattress Gallery in Coquitlam, is proud to sell the Simmons Kids crib line. We believe in selling only the finest sleeping products and Simmons Kids Furniture is no exception.
Sausalito Crib N More
All of the items in our showroom have received the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association certification. This means they have been thoroughly tested for safety and quality. To indicate our standards, each approved item bares a gold seal with the acronym JPMA. Viewing this seal, on any product in our store, communicates one thing: “Rest easy. It is a Simmons.”
So next time you’re in need of a new sleeping platform, shop for the whole family, at Simmons Mattress Gallery, where quality, craftsmanship and competitive pricing go hand-in-hand.
Eco-fashion and art merge in the work of Natalie Purschwitz, a recipient of a 2010 BC Creative Achievement award. In a yearlong research project called Makeshift(September 2009-Sept 2010), Natalie wore only clothing and accessories she designed and made herself. This included her shoes, undergarments and coats. Natalie documented her journey on a blog that gained worldwide attention.
Natalie Purschwitz on Her East Van Rooftop
She described her project as part conceptual art, part fashion design, and part social experiment. Having taken training in anthropology, visual art and design she wanted to examine the convergences of ‘clothing,’ ‘living,’ and ‘making.’ Only three weeks into the project Purschwitz confessed to being very tired. The steep learning curve and the task of maintaining a high level of creativity and innovation were not easy. As an example, her first shoes were rudimentary foot coverings, constructed of leather and wood. In addition to making clothing for herself, Natalie was still operating her own business, the Hunt and Gatherclothing line.
Purschwitz’s clothing, as you would imagine, combines the functional with the conceptual. Utilizing used, found and organic materials her clothes are contemporary and futuristic, while maintaining a hand-made feel.
A $2,500 prize accompanies the award Natalie received this week. She also now has the honour of using the BC Creative Achievement Award seal, signifying creative excellence.
Simmons Mattress Gallery applauds Natalie Purschwitz and wishes her continued success.
Find cineophile heaven at the 29th annual Vancouver International Film Festival. The opening gala, held last night, featured Barney’s Version, a film based on one of Mordecai Richler’s most adored novels starring Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Minnie Driver. The closing gala, on October 15,th features the Illusionist, an animated French film about a magician who brings his magic to an orphan girl he encounters on a trip to Edinburgh.
In between, there are 359 films from 80 countries. Most of these are films that would not be shown at your local multiplex theatre. They are pictures without a heavyweight distributor. By showing at the festival, the producers hope to create a buzz and catch the attention of a larger studio.
One smaller film that looks intriguing is The Desert of Forbidden Art, playing October 9, 10 and 14. This film is the remarkable story of Igor Savitsky, who garnered a collection of suppressed Russian avant-garde art on the edge of a desert in Uzbekistan. He dedicated his life to seek out works by artists who had ignored Stalin’s artistic mandate of happy peasants and heroic workers. Many of the artists whose work Savitsky saved, were eventually sent to prison or executed.
“It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw,
not because she is Canada
but because she’s something sublime that you were born into,
some great rugged power that you are a part of.”
-Emily Carr
Sometimes, in the bustle and hustle of our daily routines, we occasionally forget we live in one of the most environmentally charged countries on the planet. Just behind those coastal mountains, that we often take for granted, are a host of diverse habitats teeming with untamed wildlife and vibrant ecosystems. Supporting them are river systems that run into three separate oceans and carry, what is soon to be the worlds most sought after resource, across North America. The water from this network feeds life into our forests, provides us with drink and powers our cities. These rivers are the veins of life that carry our Canadian blood to every corner of our country.
"Mount Cheam and the Fraser River" by EJ Hughes
On September 26th, British Columbia will be celebrating BC Rivers Day, a day to acknowledge the mighty power, fluid beauty and environmentally vital traits of the river systems contained in British Columbia.
This is the 30th year BC will be celebrating this event. Activities have been planned across the province for this Sunday.
Here are a few of the events taking place around the Lower Mainland:
Langley
BC Rivers Day Festival – live music and interactive displays including salmon habitat demos, streamside tree-planting and bird house building.
Location: Williams Park
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
North Vancouver
World Rivers Day – educational outing at the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. Focus is on salmon in the Seymour Valley.
Location: Rice Lake Gate
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Port Coquitlam
Rivers and Trails Festival – organized trail ride through Peace Park, community displays, local entertainment and boat building.
Location: Peace Park (1470 Kebet Way)
Time: 12 pm to 4 pm
If none of these activities attract you, grab a group of friends or some family and head up to the mountains on your own. Find a stream or major waterway and spend 15 minutes or more admiring its environmental impact. We guarantee the experience will renew your appreciation for Canada’s river systems.
The summer renovations are all completed. You finally finished the kitchen, the deck has been re-stained and the children’s rooms have all been repainted. The house is finally ready.
But wait. You may have neglected one room that often gets overlooked: the spare room.
With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up faster than you would like to acknowledge, the time is coming for guests to enjoy all the hard work you put in improving your house.
But they will need a room to sleep in while they visit.
It may be too late to repaint and the carpet will have to wait till next year, but you could improve their sleeping surface with a brand new mattress from Simmons Mattress Gallery.
Let’s be honest, the mattress in there now is the saggy one you abandoned three years ago, when you upgraded your bedroom.
Why let Auntie Louise suffer? She doesn’t deserve it. And a rest-deprived houseguest is an irritable companion.
So throw out the droopy dud that’s currently in there and head to one of Simmons Mattress Gallery’s two convenient locations.
Louise will appreciate your purchase for years to come.
There is a one time, five-dollar membership fee for attending the festival. The tickets themselves will only cost you $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends.
Since there are so many shows, all performances will start exactly on time. No latecomers will be admitted. (They seem to be fairly strict about this.)
Some of the shows that are already creating a buzz are:
7 (X1) Samurai – A wordless show based on Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai film by mime and clowning expert David Gaines.
Freud vs. his Ego – Another one-man project about the most famous psychoanalyst of our time.
Miracle in Rwanda – Leslie Lewsis takes on the role of up to seven Rwandan genocide survivors who hide in a bathroom for 91 days to avoid being captured.
After each performance, the audience will be asked to rate the show. These reports will be used to select the Public Market Pick of the Fringe.
The festival will run until the 19th of September.
Regular season hockey is just over a month away and Vancouver sports fans couldn’t be any happier. It has been a dreadful summer for the 1-7 B.C. Lions, as Wally Buono continues to tinker with a team that just can’t seem to get it done.
Mike Gillis Addressing the Media
Across town, Mike Gillis is assembling his crack squad of sports professionals for another successful regular season run (we won’t talk about the playoffs). Part of that mix includes a specialist, whose job it is to analyze the schedule and make important decisions regarding the team’s movement.
This specialist, whose name we cannot print, is known as the ‘sleep doctor.’
The sleep doctor is a Gillis addition to the player management team. His/Her job is to determine whether it is better for the players to leave a city the night of the game or fly out the morning after.
These decisions are made using data collected from previous games. The Canuck players are asked to wear ’sleep bands’ which monitor the wearer’s sleep patterns, the length of their rest and the quality. The science behind the monitoring is referred to as ‘actigraphy.’
Cross-referencing the individual player data helps the sleep doctor determine the team’s optimal resting time.
It is then the sleep doctor who decides what time the team boards the jet for the next game.
Simmons Mattress Gallery hasn’t been able to reach the mystery man or woman, but we are sure the boys’ sleep could only be improved with a restful night on a Simmons mattress.
Buono, if you are reading this, the same applies for the Lions.
If you are a dance enthusiast, who is staying in-town over the long weekend, you will not want to miss out on the annual Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival.
The festival runs from September 3rd to the 5th and features such talented international stars as Jason Samuels Smith, Dianne Walker and Harold Cromer.
Jason Samuels Smith
The Vancouver portion of the festival will open with a three hour Harbour Cruise on the Queen of Diamonds. The cruise will feature a tap jam and a buffet dinner. One lucky table will also be given the privilege of dining with a surprise ‘tap master.’
Saturday, the VITDF will host a collaborative performance by leading tap artists at the Norman Rothstein Theatre. Harold Cromer will showcase his talents along with Jeff Hyslop, who will perform a portion of his original presentation “On Tap.”
The festival will wrap up on Sunday with the Hot-Feet Showcase and Cutting Contest. The cutting contest will feature a battle of the feet, where young dancers will face-off and compete in front of a panel of judges. The final night will be hosted by Jason Samuels Smith.
There will also be a number of workshops held throughout the weekend for a variety of skill levels.
For more information and ticket info, check out the online brochure.
On an average night in Greater Vancouver, how many people do you think are sleeping on uncomfortable mattresses?
With an estimated population of 2.1 million, Simmons Mattress Gallery would guess that about 10% of Vancouverites, that’s over 200,000 people, are not receiving the comfort they deserve from their bed. Seems like a large number to us.
But why? Is it apathy? Do they know their mattress is not up to par, but choose not to do anything about it?
Possibly.
Maybe they believe there aren’t any alternatives – that all mattresses are lumpy and sagging.
Friends, there are better mattresses out there. And you need to try them.
Simmons Mattress Gallery has a showroom full of mattresses that will make you wonder why you ever slept on anything else. From the top-of-the-line Beautyrest Black, to the economically priced DeepSleep, Simmons mattresses provide an unparalleled level of comfort.
If you are one of the 200,000 people sleeping on a less than adequate bed, make the short trip to the nearest Simmons Mattress Gallery to experience horizontal heaven. Don’t settle for mediocrity, when you can have the best in the business. Let the mattress professionals find the ideal bed for you.
This week, Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to thank all the faithful mattress lovers out there in cyberspace who have been enjoying our weekly blog. This is our 116th entry. We have tried to keep our articles fresh and current, while still emphasizing the need for a comfortable sleep. The focus has been on our products, sleeping issues and fun activities to get involved in around the Lower Mainland. Our readership has grown and our blog has even attracted the attention of local sports star Brent Seabrook.
Seabrook plays for the Chicago Blackhawks and is one of the major factors behind Vancouver’s early exit from the playoffs. So even though we hate him for his shutdown performance against the Canucks, we love the fact he reads our blogs and was inspired to come buy a mattress.
Seabrook Celebrates Goal With Teammate Versteeg
Here is a list of some of our most popular articles:
-Getting rid of your old mattress once you have purchased a new one is always difficult. This article offers four easy ways to dispose of your old bed.
-A lot of our customers are looking to buy a new mattress, but don’t know how to begin the process. This simple article lists six easy steps to start you on the road to comfort.
-Your personality may be linked to the way you sleep. This article examines six different sleeping positions and the personality that they are connected with.
-Although you wouldn’t think it these days, we do get a fair number of rainy days here in Vancouver. This article provides a number of gallery locations to spend your time during the wet months. The top gallery on the list: Simmons Mattress Gallery.
-The history of memory foam. It was actually a product invented by NASA to add a shock layer on the seats of the shuttle. Who knew that the comfort of an astronaut’s posterior would change the mattress world forever.
So for all those reading our weekly blogs, thank you. And for those just joining us, welcome. We promise to continue to provide you with entertaining and educational articles. Thanks for reading.
With Canada Day just a day away, Simmons Mattress Gallery thought it would be fun to put together a small quiz to test your knowledge of the land and country you hold so dear. So without further ado, here are the questions:
What native artist designed the sculptures on the $20 dollar bill?
What is the highest mountain in Canada?
What is the capital city of Nunavut?
What year was “O Canada” proclaimed as Canada’s national anthem?
Who was the first team to win the Stanley Cup?
How many yards is a CFL field?
How many time zones are there in Canada?
Which province in Canada is officially declared bilingual?
Who was the longest serving Canadian Prime Minister?
What is the longest river in Canada?
Who is the author of Anne of Green Gables
What was Fredrick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod credited for creating?
What organization has the motto “maintien le droit” (uphold the right)?
What is the name of the schooner on the ten-cent coin?
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