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
Since 1998, St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver has been creating a public light display to raise funds for various projects and causes connected with the hospital.
This year, the ‘Lights of Hope’ display intends to raise $1.9 million in corporate and private donations. The St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation has already raised a total of $16 million since the conception of the light show.
The set-up for the lights began on November 5th, when a 100 volunteers helped erect the carefully planned display. It is estimated that the lights would span 10 kms, if attached as a single line. That would be quite the sight.
If you would like to donate, visit the charity’s website: http://www.helpstpauls.com The site suggest many creative ways to give, from security stock, to a mention in the will, to a monthly donation. Whatever you can afford to give, they’ll use.
The projects that the hospital wishes to fund are: the purchase of a new CT scanner, two 3D-capable echocardiography machines, bronchoscopy equipment, for the detection of lung disease and the completion of the Diagnostic Treatment Unit.
The official opening of this year’s Lights of Hope display will be on Thursday, November 24th.
It helps to have connected friends, especially friends who speak your language. Anthea Poon, Vancouver’s Top Multi-Lingual Realtor, is a valued friend of Simmons Mattress Gallery. We recommend her work for any potential buyer or seller actively looking for a Vancouver realtor – especially if they speak Mandarin or Cantonese.
Anthea’s main focus of work is Vancouver’s West End, but she also services the Greater Vancouver area. She has built her own West End database for potential buyers. This is a invaluable resource for potential condo owners.
You may recognize her face from her prominent bus advertisements that have been circling the city. With a B.A. in marketing, Anthea knows how to get your listing in front of the eyes of potential buyers.
Selling or buying a home can be the most important decision you make. Let Anthea aid the process.
To enlist the service of her real estate team, call or email her company. She will gladly reply in English, Mandarin, Cantonese or French. That’s the benefit of talented friends.
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.
Simmons Mattress Gallery is not usually a forum for gossip speculation, but the recent split of newlyweds Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries has us a little concerned.
The marriage lasted a total of 72 days. They didn’t even complete a financial quarter. Imagine what all the guests who attended that wedding are feeling. I bet a few of them are wishing they didn’t spend so much on their gift.
But the real question is: Why are so many celebrity couples calling it quits?
Is it the pressures of being in the spotlight? The legions of fans who bolster their egos? Is it that they were never in love to begin with? Are all these marriages simply grandiose publicity stunts?
No. Most probably started with love, but somewhere along the way, the fire died.
Sleeping apart from your partner can have that effect. We firmly believe the couple that sleeps together, stays together. Often celebrity couples are forced apart by the demands of their jobs. Without a permanent mattress to share, the individuals start to feel less like a union and more like two private enterprises.
Thankfully, most couples that buy our mattresses are able to enjoy the comfort they offer together. With non-flip pocket coils, designed to eliminate motion transfer, both partners can rise in the morning refreshed from an undisturbed sleep. When both parties in a relationship are rested, there is less chance of minor issues blowing up into major ones. There is also more energy for the other endeavors that mattresses provide.
Don’t model your life on the fleeting bond of two distant stars. Stay grounded on a mattress that supports the weight of a committed relationship.
When watching a film, our gaze is directed at a subject that has been chosen for us. We give the director free reign to control our sight line. This exchange encourages new experiences, some of which are cultural.
This week, the Vancouver Asian Film Festival hopes to direct our eyes towards the North American Asian experience.
In their 15th year of operation, the VAFF is intent on providing a cultural bridge between Asian and non-Asian communities. The Festival will run from November 3rd to November 6th, with all shows screening at Cineplex Odeon International Village, near Roger’s Arena.
The films range in subjects from cross-cultural love for the Vancouver Canucks, to a historical documentary on the migration of asian settlers to North America.
Also included in this year’s festival, as a part of Vancouver’s 125th celebration, is an encore presentation of “Love Letters,” the photo and video campaign shown last June. Love Letters was an open call for Vancouver citizens to submit digital records of images and video that conveyed their love for our fair city. VAFF will show Joanna Wong’s entry on the festival’s opening night.
Tickets for all the shows may be purchased online at the Festival site or the day of at the Festival box office. Passes are also available for the true film buffs.
Let’s take a look back at the beds that defined you:
The Wooden Prison – Your crib provided you with a confined space to for those short periods of sleep between epic crying bouts. The upside: you never had to get up to go to the washroom in the middle of the night. The downside: lack of freedom.
The Layer Cake – All of your friends were envious of your bunk bed, but sharing a bedroom with your older brother quickly lost its novelty. You dreamed of the top bunk, but sadly were forced to settle for the lower class bottom bunk for eight long years.
Puberty Plank – Pimples, emerging hair and voice crackles were manageable, but your Grade Ten growth spurt put your feet off the end of your twin mattress; it left you with 3/4’s of a comfortable night’s rest.
College Daze – If your dorm room mattresses could speak, we’re sure it would utter something along the lines of Kurtz’s final words; “The horror….the horror.”
Young Professional - Independent enough to buy your first bed – too poor to shop anywhere but IKEA.
Marriage Bed – She insisted on going to a proper mattress store. Together, you picked out a Beautyrest. Everything up to that point was…history.
An uninterrupted sleep can dramatically increase your daily health. There – we said it! But the next best thing is laughter.
We’re not 100% sure of the science, but we do know a good laugh is a great way to relieve anxiety. Forget the scented candles and bubble bath, grab a friend and find a local comedy club or check the events calendar for local comics coming to town. Then take a night-off from work/kids/bridge and laugh your way back to health.
This month, Paul F. Tompkins will be visiting the city and performing at the Rio Theatre, only a few km’s from our Broadway location. Tompkins’ humour is a little quirky, but if you have ever listened to his podcast or his appearances on Comedy Bang Bang, you wouldn’t miss this night for your Grandmother’s funeral. Tompkins will be taking to the stage on November 30th. For a little taste of his style, listen to the audio clip below:
Never been to the Rio Theater? You are in for a treat. Be forewarned, this is an adults only show and as a result, beer will be served. And yes, you may take your cans of PBR into the Theatre.
Another great venue for traveling comedians, as opposed to the community kind, is the River Rock Theatre. Last year, legendary comics Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld performed at the Rock.
If a smaller, more casual setting is more to your taste, check out the Comedy Mix in the Century Plaza Hotel downtown.
Out in the burbs? Try LaffLines in New Westminster. Tracy MacDonold, a fine Canadian comic, will be performing on November 4th and 5th.
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is an area of the city that many of us choose to avoid. The poverty level scares us, the open drug market makes us nervous and the prostitution reminds us of the dangerous hold of addiction. So we divert our travel routes, choose alternative venues and leave the issues for the community to deal with on their own. It’s a coping mechanism that most of us subscribe to.
One thing we can’t forget, even if we choose to turn our backs, is that the DES is full of people. People who have a past, present and future. People who value the community they live in. People who are artistic, creative and passionate.
As a part of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary Celebration, the DES community will be celebrating the ‘Heart of the City Festival.’ The festival will showcase the talents of many of the area’s current citizens, as well as document some of the rich stories from the neighbourhood’s past.
Events are running all week. For more details check the festival website:
Looking for a family scare this weekend? Check out the Dunbar Haunted House, which ironically, is no longer located in Dunbar.
The annual scare factory has moved locations, due to the increased volume of visitors that the house has received over the past seven years. The new location is 8934 Shaughnessy St., near the Marine and Cambie Canada Line station.
The house has now become a community project, taking almost four months to create.
With props, live actors, dramatic settings and an animated soundtrack, the walking tour is a theatrical buffet of scaredom.
This year’s theme is “Barbaric British Columbia.” The word from the crypt is the house will showcase a number of iconic images from BC history and culture – possible frights include the undead crew of the S.S. Beaver, the resurrection of Bill Vander Zalm’s Fantasy Garden and the impenetrable Tim Thomas.
The haunted house opened for business on Oct 14th and will close its doors at midnight on Halloween.
Entry costs $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. All proceeds are distributed between the B.C. Fire Fighter’s Burn Fund, the Christmas Bureau and the Vancouver Police Union Charity Foundation.
For younger visitors, the house offers a reduced rate, performerless walk through on Saturdays and Sundays, between 11am and 7pm. At 7pm, the actors take their place to offer the true, spine-tingling spectacle.
The British Academy of Sound Therapy has named “Weightless,” by the Marconi Union, to be the most relaxing tune ever.
The sleep-inducing track beat out offerings by Coldplay, Enya and Mozart.
Marconi Union produce ambient electronica. For “Weightless,” the group worked with a number of sound therapists to construct a song that soothed the listener through specifically chosen harmonic intervals.
The Telegraph, which reported the story last week, commented that the “carefully arranged harmonies, rhythms and bass lines help to slow the heart rate, reduce the blood pressure and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.”
The eight-minute track is so effective, that drivers have been warned not to listen to the track while behind the wheel.
The study published the list of the top ten songs for inducing sleep like qualities. “Weightless” was number one. Coming in at number eight, was Adele’s current chart topper, “Someone Like You.”
When compared with other relaxation methods, “Weightless” trumped massage, walking and drinking tea.
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.
Language is a toolbox from which we borrow implements to cut, shape and model our thoughts. From Facebook posts, to journal entries, to private poems, our soul is portrayed through the words we connect together.
This month, writers and readers from around the province will have a chance to celebrate the expressive power of writing. The 24th Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival will be held on Granville Island from Tuesday, October 18th to Sunday, October 23rd. It begins with an interactive session with the children’s author, Paulette Bourgeois. Bourgeois is the creator of the ‘Franklin’ series that adults and their children have enjoyed since 1986. The discussion is aimed at young readers. Primary teachers and encouraged to bring their classes down for this midmorning discussion.
The final event of the festival is the Governor General’s Award Party, where four previous recipients of Canada’s highest literary achievement will discuss the award and it’s social merit. The four writers, Nino Ricci, John Pass, Joan MacLeod and John Vaillant, will each read a short passage from their decorated work.
In between these bookends, will be a number of author seminars, publishing and writing workshops, poetry slams and literary debates.
The Vancouver festival will also host a short story and poetry contest for emerging writers. Deadline for submissions is October 23rd.
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think. -Lord Byron
Tired of taco night and boring pasta dishes? Want to rekindle your culinary passions? Looking for things to do around Vancouver that don’t involve a mattress?
The Arts Club Theatre Company is hosting celebrity cooking classes for Vancouverites to learn and indulge in the fine art of food preparation. Head chefs, from a variety of restaurants around the Lower Mainland, are teaching the classes. The lessons include a full meal, wine tasting and a hands-on learning experience.
Hosted at private homes, the lessons are an opportunity to learn cooking techniques in a casual environment, where the product can be enjoyed in the setting it was intended for.
Tickets are $125 per person. There are five planned events being offered before the New Year. Each class is unique and specific to the chef who is hosting.
Your PVR recordings of Hell’s Kitchen can only take you so far. Learn how to cook extravagant meals without Gordon Ramsey telling you where to stick it.
For more information, visit the Arts Club Theatre website.
The new moon has a special significance in October (and no, it has nothing to do with Vampires). It marks the date of the cultural festival known as Diwali. Observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, Diwali is a fall festival that celebrates ‘good over evil.’
In traditional celebrations, the triumph of good is portrayed through the lightening of lamps and candles.
The new moon is the darkest day of the month. In a natural setting, void of electrical lights, the candles represent a defeat of the darkness that exists during the absence of the moon.
Like Thanksgiving, Diwali is traditionally a family occasion, with activities organized around the family unit. But it is also celebrated with community events and decorations.
The slogan for Vancouver’s publicly organized Diwali celebrations is “Light your Spirit.” There are five major events put on by Vancouver Celebrates Diwali. They run from October 15th to the 23rd. Here is a brief summary of the planned festivities:
October 16
“Dance All Sorts Diwali Style” (2:00 pm)
-The festival will begin with a performance by Bageshree Vaze, a contemporary kathak dancer, who will preform at the Roundhouse Theatre in Yaletown. Tickets at the door.
October 18
“Diwali Bright Lights” (4:30 pm)
-This night is dedicated to emerging South Asian artists in the Vancouver community. It will include classical Indian music and a variety of dance groups, including the ever-popular Bollywood style. The event will take place at the Heritage Hall on Main Street. This is a free event.
“Chai House on Main Street”
-This is an upscaled version of the earlier event. The headline performer will be Grammy winner Chin Injeti. Tickets are $10.
October 23
“Diwali Downtown” (12:00 pm)
This is a family event to close out the public festival. It runs from noon till 6:00 pm at the Roundhouse in Yaletown. There will be a variety of musical acts, dance teams, craft workshops and traditional Indian food. Tickets for this final event are by donation.
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.
Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Appearing in over 70 Hindi films, Khan is considered by many to be the King of Bollywood.
With his new science fiction film, “Ra.One,” premiering on October 26th, the world media is obsessed with everything Kahn.
This week, an article in “Harper’s Bazaar” published some interesting facts about Kahn’s sleeping rituals.
Kahn was asked by Mala Sekhri to describe his bed attire. The middle-aged star, often referred to by his acronym SRK, revealed that he prefers to ‘dress up for bed.’
“I like to wear clean, really nice pair of clothes, so like my Dolce and Gabbana shorts, I will sometime . . . wear my Lululemon track pants and I’ll wear a nice, crisp white T-shirt.”
Kahn also went on to comment that he enjoys putting cologne on before crawling beneath the covers.
Cologne? Dress shirts? DG boxers? The ‘King’ knows how to push the boundaries of extravagant living. And a little shout-out to a local company.
We only hope his mattress is on par with his sweet-smelling wardrobe.
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.
For visitors and locals alike, a scenic flight over Vancouver offers a new and extraordinary way to view British Columbia’s breathtaking landscape. These scenic flight are fun and affordable. They offer a different vantage point and a fun alternative to the same old tourist attractions in the city.
Several different companies in the province offer scenic tours of varying lengths and flight paths. Glacier Air offers a selection of flights ranging from a 25-minute flight over Squamish Valley that circles Tantalus Falls to a 60-minute tour that will whisk you up the Squamish Ashlu Divide, over the awesome expanse of the Pemberton Icefield, the site of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Whistler and Cloudburst Mountain. See the extraordinary landscape and glaciers that BC is famous for.
There are many other companies that offer similar flights. The tour companies often have special deals if you book online. For more information about Glacier Air, visit their website at www.glacierair.com.
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.
Amateur and pro cycling enthusiasts around the Lower Mainland have been training, tuning and timing for months in preparation for this weekend’s Gran Fondo ride from Vancouver to Whistler. The ride is 120 km, along one of the most beautiful highways on the planet. Take part or encourage a friend or family member as they climb towards Whistler Village.
This is the second year of the mass cycling event in Canada, a phenomenon that was born in Europe and given the Italian name of Gran Fondo – roughly translated as ‘Big Ride.’ The event is not a race, but awards are given to the top finishers. It features riders from a variety of skill levels and backgrounds. This year’s amateur category is sold out, but the pro category still has room for last minute entries.
The race will start at Thurlow and West Georgia at 7:00 am, with amateur riders staggered back to Seymour Street. The race will finish in Whistler Village, with the finish line closing at 4:00 pm. There will also be a celebration event afterwards, featuring the music of 54-40.
Vancouver is blessed to have so many diverse ethnicities infused into its kaleidoscope culture. Celebrating specific regions of origin helps Vancouverites appreciate the richness of our multicultural society.
This weekend, the city is proud to host Taiwanfest. With a variety of events planned around the city, Taiwanfest hopes to offer a sampling of the entertainment, food and art from the island of Taiwan and Mainland China.
Free musical performances will be held all weekend around the Vancouver Art Gallery. One of the anticipated highlights of the Labour Day weekend will be the Musou Girls. Starting at 8pm on Saturday, the Musou girls will play a mix of modern and traditional Chinese instruments. The music is composed by the founder of the group, Mr. Xue Xuan Liu.
For a deeper look into the Taiwanese culture, checkout the four documentaries that will be showing around town. Simmons Mattress Gallery suggests “Faces of Taiwan.” This film is made up of five mini docs that focus on overcoming adversity.
On the edible menu will be Vancouver’s first street banquet. This event is being sponsored by the city as part of Vancouver’s 125th celebrations.
Taiwanese ceramics will be on display at the Roundhouse theatre from September 3rd to the 10th.
Enjoy the festivities!
For a more detailed schedule of events click here.
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.
Looking for an educational activity for the family this weekend. All Discovery Walks is offering a interactive tour of one Stanley Parks secret bogs. The tour begins at Lost Lagoon at 1:30 and ends around 3:30.
Vancouver Community College Science Instructor, Maria Morlin will be hosting the walk that will focus on the role of bogs and wetlands in forest ecology.
This is an excellent opportunity to subtly get your children back into an academic setting. You may want to research the topic of bogs beforehand with your family, to get them thinking about the subject matter. While on the trail, encourage questioning by modeling. Maria will be happy to answer any questions you or children bring to light.
Educators might also want to take part, specifically those working with students in Grades 3 and 4. ‘Habitats and Communities’ is a big part of the Science curriculum for these grades. Maria’s tour may inspire you to organize your own forest walk in the fall.
If you do plan on attending, you may want to wear appropriate footwear. We suggest boots.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the start of the tour.
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.
What could be more comfortable than a layer of 80 individual pocket coils? A double stack of coil on coil springs to ease your body onto. Add a 360° memory foam encasement and top it with a hi-loft pillow top and you have the finest Beautyrest mattress available in our showroom.
The Beautyrest Exceptionale series is the jewel in the Beautyrest line. It is designed to offer the most comfortable sleep imaginable. No other mattress comes close to the pampering offered by an Exceptionale mattress.
The stack begins with two layers of four-inch coils; that’s a full eight inches of support. The foam layer adds another three inches of cushioning. And the pillow top is half an inch. The total sum: eleven and a half inches of mattress heaven.
Add a Triton foundation, and your bed is suddenly a tower of clouds so soft and supportive, an angel would be envious.
If you feel you deserve the best mattress possible, select the Beautyrest Exceptionale mattress. It is comfort taken to the highest level.
On Friday, August 28th, the Malkin Bowl Summer Concert Series welcomes Ben Harper to Stanley Park. This is one of the most anticipated outdoor shows of the season. Tickets went on sale in May, but there are still some being sold online. If you see one show this summer, catch Ben Harper’s set in the park.
Harper is touring on his most recent album, Give Till it’s Gone. Like most of his previous works, the album contains a strong message of hope, mixed with the pain of life. Always spiritual, Harper’s tracks reverberate with healing and religious conviction. But even with their strong Christian message, Harper’s words attract a strong secular audience that can relate with the pain and joy of love’s handiwork.
If you have never heard Harper’s music, download Live from Mars. Standout tracks include “Please Bleed,” “Women in You” and the quintessential mix-tape track “Walk Away.”
Harper will be playing between the cedars and beneath the stars at the beautiful Malkin clearing. Bring a blanket and some friends and let the one-man choir receive your heart.
Before you come into shop for a new mattress at Simmons Mattress Gallery, it’s a good idea to compile a few notes on the specifics of what you will be looking for in your new bed. This will help the Simmons professionals suggest the perfect mattress for your needs.
Here is a list of questions you should consider:
1. What sort of sleeping position do you prefer? Do you sleep on your back, your side or on your stomach? Some mattresses are specifically designed for certain sleeping positions, so knowing which one you prefer helps with selection.
2. Do you have chronic back pain? Memory foam is an excellent addition for those suffering neck or back pain.
3. Do you and or your partner move around in your sleep? All of the Beautyrest models are made with non-flip pocket coils that help reduce motion transfer, but some are more sensitive than others.
4. What firmness do you prefer? Think about the most comfortable sleep you’ve had. Was the mattress extra firm or was it the softness that made it so cozy?
5. How much room do you have in your bedroom for your new mattress? You don’t want to buy a king size mattress if it will not fit in your room. Use a tape measure and record the dimensions you will need.
6. How much are you willing to spend? Figure out a budget beforehand. Knowing this number will help the mattress professional suggest mattresses within your price range.
Bring all these facts in with you when you visit one of our two locations. Make sure to sleep test at least five different mattresses in our showroom. Again, this will help you decide on what qualities you prefer.
A new baby can turn your sleeping schedule upside down. Finding ways to help your infant fall asleep at times that are suitable for you is a challenge. New research is showing that one of the best aids you can use is soothing noise. This calms the baby and encourages sleep.
The makers of baby related products have reacted to this research and have started producing high-end white noise machines. These little items might make great shower gifts, but for those mothers who don’t receive one, the cost can be a little excessive. Babies are an expensive enterprise and finding ways to cut down on costs is a necessity for new parents.
Good news! A new app for your android phone called Relax and Sleep Plus can play soothing sounds through the speaker in your phone for a fraction of what it would cost to buy a white noise machine. The app costs $2 and is available at the Android Marketplace.
The app lets you set how long you want the ambient noise to run. It also has a number of various sounds to choose from. You can mix them together, or have them play one after another. Examples of available sounds are: acoustic guitar, aquarium sounds, ocean and rainforest. There are also animal noises such as frogs and birds. The most bizarre option is the sound of wolves howling, for those Farley Mowat fans.
Consumer guides suggest setting the volume at a low level and keeping the phone well away from the sleeping infants head; the debate on cell phones and stimulating brain cancer is ongoing.
Another tip is to set your phone on airplane mode. You don’t want your infant interrupted by one of your friends calling or texting.
Unfortunately for iPhone users, this app is not currently available on Apple products. We’re sure they will make something similar in the coming months.
This Saturday, the sky will once again be lit by exploding pyrotechnics, as the Celebration of Light returns to English Bay. This will be the twenty-first year Vancouver will host the event. It has become one of the must-see spectacles of the summer and major draw for tourist booking their Vancouver holiday.
The organizers of this year’s event are hoping to make a little more revenue by selling grandstand, V.I.P. seating at English Bay. The tickets are $45. The early bird seats have already sold, but Tickets Tonight is still selling.
Other changes include a shorter program. Instead of the standard four nights of explosions, this year’s festival will have only three; July 30, August 3rd and August 6th. Canada will perform on the final night.
A panel of judges chosen from the events corporate sponsors will evaluate the competing countries.
For more information on the Celebration of Light, check out their website. There is a really interesting section on the history of fireworks. There is also a full explanation of how the barge is loaded and prepped for each night of action. Apparently it takes a crew of 16 people, three days to prepare the show. There may be 2,000 to 4,500 bombs (that’s what they call them) used in one night’s performance. That’s a lot of gunpowder.
And just remember, if you are coming down to watch the fireworks downtown or at any of the beaches around English Bay, leave the alcohol at home. This is a family event and we want to keep it going for years to come. Enjoy Vancouver.
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.
Mattresses are one of those things you only need to shop for every five or six years. They are dependable to a point and then it is in your best interest to replace them. When your current mattress reaches that mark, look to Simmons Mattress Gallery to supply you with a new bed.
Simmons has been making beds for the last 130 years. Our beds are leading the industry in mattress innovation; they are also leading to repeat customers.
A Simmons owner knows that their new bed will offer them an undisturbed sleep every night of the week. They have experienced the comfort of a well-crafted product and their choice to buy another Simmons is an easy one.
The mattress professionals at Simmons Mattress Gallery can help recommend the perfect bed for your lifestyle. Explain your sleeping preferences, test-lie a few beds and walk away with your favourite.
We won’t see you for a few years, but we will be here when it’s time for another new one.
Simmons Mattress Gallery professionals are always being asked the same age-old question: “How do I fall asleep at night when my body won’t turn off?”
Are answer always starts with a question: “What kind of mattress are you sleeping on?” After suggesting a switch to an ultra-comfortable Beautyrest, we widen our advice to include a few tips that have been passed down to us from our many satisfied customers.
One tip is specifically formulated for those nights when you have an important business meeting or presentation the following day.
Our anxious nature occasionally inhibits our mind from slipping into a state of unconsciousness. For those nights when we are consumed by the pressure of our work, we offer this tip:
Don’t lie in bed trying in vain to fall asleep. Get off your mattress, go to your desk or kitchen table and take out a pen and paper. Do not work on the computer; that will just add more distractions. Write out everything you will be doing the following day. Include all the details you can think of. If need be, include a timeline.
With that done, return to bed and switch your brain from logical functioning to creative. Imagine a picture or scene and place yourself in it. Let your mind relax and drift away.
When plumbing problems occur, it’s often not the pipes or the plumbing work itself that is costly; it’s the collateral damage.
If the pipes to your kitchen, after years of use, suddenly burst while you are at work, it could be hours before you are alerted to the problem and shutoff the main water line. During that time, your hardwood floor could undergo irreparable injury.
With water gushing freely, gravity could lead a stream out of your kitchen and down your stairs. You could arrive home to an unanticipated indoor pool in your rec room.
The expense to take care of these problems will be far greater than the cost of the plumbing bill. You will also have to deal personally with the cleanup.
A better solution is to have your pipes routinely checked and serviced by a Vancouver plumber.
Hiring a Campbell Care professional will help ensure you never return home to a burst water line. Their upfront pricing will show exactly what you are paying for. All our work is 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
With a consistent maintenance package, you will never have to pay the ridiculous fees that come with collateral damage.
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).
After the initial party on April 6th, Vancouver is planning a summer festival in Stanley Park to continue our city’s 125th birthday celebration. ‘Summer Live’ will take place over three days – July 8, 9, 10. The festival will showcase a number of artists, including an impressive line-up of local musicians.
The music will be the big draw of the weekend, with The New Pornographers, Said the Whale and Mother Mother sharing a stage. Local singer songwriter, Dan Mangan, will also play, along with the collective sound of Vancouver’s Symphony Orchestra.
Admission is free and the organizers promise that the event will be family friendly.
Party in the Park
The city chose Stanley Park as the site of the festival because of its beautiful setting, picnic capacity and its history with Vancouver’s city council.
Fact: The area of land now known as Stanley Park was delegated park space at the first Vancouver city council meeting in 1886.
There will also be a sports day like atmosphere, with hilarious relay races.
So don’t plan any getaways during the second weekend in July. You’ll want to stay home and enjoy this one with the rest of your fellow Vancouverites.
Fans of the UFC might be sad to learn that Brock Lesnar has pulled out of the main-event fight for UFC 131 in Vancouver. Lesnar was set to battle Junior Dos Santos, but the heavyweight star has fallen ill, due to a digestive disease known as diverticulitis.
This is the second time the disease has sidelined the big man. In 2009, Lesnar was scheduled to fight Shane Carwin at UFC 106, but pulled out. It was later explained that the heavyweight star was suffering from the above-mentioned intestinal disorder.
Lesnar was quoted as saying: “There isn’t a fight in this world that’s more important than my health.” Lesnar is considering surgery for a second time to deal with the illness.
With his health in limbo, one thing is certain – Lesnar will not be flying to Canada for his medical treatment. Lesnar has openly-criticized Canada’s health care system after receiving emergency treatment at a hospital in rural Manitoba.
Vancouver MMA fans will still be treated to a show on June 11th. Dana White has now booked Shane Carwin to fight Dos Santos at Rogers Arena.
The Queen of pop, Rihanna, has released a brand new video on a subject close to our hearts. Rihanna’s new single, “California King Bed,” details the relationship between two lovers who, even though they share a bed, are separated by an emotional distance.
The red-haired singer laments, “It feels like more than distance between us / In this California king bed / We’re 10,000 miles apart.”
In the video, directed by Anthony Mandler, Rihanna is seen lying in bed with a muscular model. As the song progresses, the bed widens and a physical separation appears between the couple.
Ironically, a California King, the largest mattress in the Simmons Beautyrest line, is four inches longer, not wider, than a regular king size mattress. Our Simmons’ mattress professionals recommend this mattress for individuals taller than 6’’.
The Barbados pop star measures in at 5′9”, a height that probably does not require the extra four inches in length. Our suggestion for Rihanna, go with a Queen size. It will bring you and your significant other closer and still allow for extended, after-hours play.
We understand her choice though, as ‘California king’ works more effectively as a symbol for her conflict and her lover.
The official video was released on Monday, May 9th. The single, we’re sure, will be the radio hit of the summer, adding to the list of hits that Rhianna’s Loud album has already generated.
Vancouverites will be able to see the singer live when she performs two sold out shows in June. We already have our tickets. Fingers crossed she encores with “California King Bed.”
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.
Why is it important to get a full night’s rest each and every night?
Here are five firm reasons to secure at least seven hours a night.
Falling asleep at work could cost you your job. If your boss happens to catch you taking a power nap, you better have your desk cleaned out by the end of the day. Drool is also terrible for keyboards.
Falling asleep at the wheel could cost you your life. 17% of fatal car accidents involve a sleepy driver. Turning up the radio or opening the window won’t help. If you are consistently experiencing drowsy conditions on your daily commute, it’s time to put aside more hours for sleep.
Your health. Simmons Mattress Gallery has written numerous articles on the negative health effects of limited rest. From diabetes, to heart failure, to lower life expectancy, there is a long list of sleep related health problems that occur with individuals who neglect their downtime.
Your mood sours dramatically when you haven’t gotten enough shut-eye. People who are sleep deprived often are quick to lose their temper and are less able to deal with pressure situations. Their mood often sours their relationships at work and at home.
Our brains need a break. Even if your other organs could handle continuous nights of less than three hours of sleep, our brains would eventually slow down to a crawl. Each night when we doze off, our brain reverts to an energy-saving mode. Different areas are called upon to fuel our subconscious, but the area we count on for our most intense processing is given a break. Run anything for 21 hours a day and it will eventually self-destruct.
Good morning! Two words that sneak from our lips, but often mean far too little.
What is a ‘good morning’? Is it a greeting, a statement of fact or a question?
Well if the Viagra commercials are to be believed, it is a state of being; a post-performance glow. It has gentlemen in suits leaping over hedges, bounding down sidewalks and freely swinging their briefcases.
According to The Beatles it is a mundane rundown of your average day, mixed with a flirty skirt and a barnyard serenade.
Here at Simmons Mattress Gallery, we believe a ‘good morning’ is the product of a peaceful night’s sleep on our superior, non-flip pocket coil mattress. Nothing prepares your mind, body and soul for taking on the new day than an undisturbed rest. And quite simply, that is what a Simmons mattress provides. Our Beautyrest line will provide more spring than any blue pill will.
Try a Simmons today and you will never look back. You will greet your staff with a boastful ‘How was your sleep last night? Mine was amazing!’ That is how to start the day. Leave the chickens and the pill popping to the ill informed.
Are you looking for a unique theatrical experience that will arouse your senses, bring you to tears with laughter and inspire your passions at home? Of course you are!
This week, our city hosts the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. For three nights, international stars will join the performers of Vancouver’s growing burlesque scene on two different stages.
On May 5th and 6th the show will take place at the Rickshaw theatre. There will be three performances each night, with single and ensemble acts.
On May 7th, the action moves to the Vogue Theatre. This night will include a long line-up of stars that will perform from 8:00 on.
If you are curious about the burlesque artistry and would like to get involved as a participant, there are workshops being offered on Saturday May 7th at the Chicken Coop at 2280 East Hastings. Tickets are $20 per class. There are three classes being offered at this location along with a make-up class at the Prophouse Café.
General Admission seats for the nightly performances are $20. There is also the option to purchase tickets at fourteen VIP tables.
So pull out your fans and your fishnets and take in some sultry theatre at the 6th Annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival.
The Waldorf Hotel has seen a resurgence in recent years, becoming the place to be seen for young hipsters around town. The redone Tiki lounge is the main attraction, serving pineapple swirly-strawed girly drinks alongside PBR’s.
Last week, the hotel added another hat to its already crowded rack. The latest enterprise, by the rejuvenated Vancouver landmark, is a film series being shown every Wednesday. The title of the series is “Vancouver Sometimes Plays Itself.” The weekly series will feature films shot in Vancouver between 1964-1988, the years before the X-Files got its claws in the Vancouver Film Industry.
The weekly MC will be the series creator, Elvy Del Bianco. Bianco will introduce each film explaining the areas where it was shot along with relevant history and trivia. Bianco will also be joined by a number of guest speakers including UBC professor Tom Scholte.
The films will be shown every Monday night. Last week’s feature was “Sweet Substitute.” This week will be “Explosion.” The following week is “That Cold Day in the Park,” a Robert Altman sexual thriller.
The series wraps on Monday, June 13th with the film “The Squamish Five.”
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!)
If you happened to go for a beach stroll along English Bay last Friday morning, you may have noticed some extra “wrapping” around some of Vancouver’s public sculptures. Five figures were wrapped with plastic ribbon to announce the sad, expected departure, of the 40 pieces of public art involved in the Vancouver Biennale outdoor exhibit. The ribbon was labeled with the phrase, ”It’s not the same without sculpture.” The situational irony is heavy, as Vancouverites will have to say goodbye to a number of massive sculptures that shared their community for the last two years.
Commissioned for the years surrounding the Olympics, the Biennale art added a sense of humour and fun to a city that has often been lacking in both of these areas. The project reflected cultural influences from around the world by using the work of 37 artists from 15 different countries. The pieces lined our beaches, sat in public parks and spoke to us from the sidewalk.
Now with the project timeline coming to a close, the sculptures that many of us enjoyed on a daily basis are being auctioned off. The proceeds, collected from the sale of the current figures, will finance future projects, educational packages and artists in residence programs.
Simmons Mattress Gallery’s three favourite pieces from the first round of sculptures were:
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.
You grew up with little, but you dreamt of a better existence where money was not a concern, just a commodity that trickled in as a result of your hard work. You paid for school on your own, worked harder than your classmates and graduated at the top of your class. You spent years as an associate and finally earned a partnership.
The house you live in is bought and paid for, your children are almost through school and retirement is edging closer.
You have proved your royal worth over and over. You are the benevolent ruler who leads your household. You have an army of staff below you at work. You have succeeded in climbing to the very top of your profession.
It’s time to spread out and enjoy your nights on a king size bed. If anyone has earned the space and comfort that a king size mattress provides, it is you. Treat yourself at Simmons Mattress Gallery and buy a new bed for you and your Queen to spend your nights.
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.
What’s the hottest team in Vancouver right now? Ok, the Whitecaps have won one game and yes it was impressive, but the hottest team is definitely the Vancouver Canucks.
With a 105 points, our boys are leading the league in points. THE LEAGUE!!! And who’s guiding that ship? Our very own Swedish twins, Henrik and Daniel.
The twins are hotter than a Cajun cookout. Henrik, last years Hart and Art Ross trophy winner, is leading the league in assists by a hefty margin. Our captain is also third in the NHL in points. Daniel is the league’s top offensive producer with 95 points. He is also second in goals behind Steven Stamkos. Never have two brothers dominated the league in such a manner. Thank god they play for us.
But with all the talk centering on Henrik and Daniel, we here at Simmons think another set of twins should get their fair share of time in the spotlight. Can you guess what we’re going to say next? Yes, exactly, twin mattresses. Twins are perfect for small college dorm rooms, spare rooms and couples that may need separate beds to receive a full nights rest. Spatially, they are amazing. Comfort wise, they offer the patented Beautyrest, non-flip pocket coils, that make every Simmons mattress a dream to sleep on. They also come at a considerably lower price than a king or a queen size mattress.
They may not originate in Sweden, but a Simmons twin is just as remarkable. When the playoffs start in April, rest up for the big games on your own twin. Head into a Simmons Mattress Gallery location to pick up your twin today.
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.
Dreams. They come to us at night while we sleep soundly. They float into our minds while we spend the day doing simple tasks. They infect our soul and force us to face the question: “What if?”
But for many, these questions, brought on by dreams, are stifled with the so-called ‘realistic advice’ of friends or family members. This is discouraging.
Dreams come to us because we know there is a better way to live, to enjoy each day, to find employment and to act on our passions. Don’t be discouraged by others. And never settle for average.
John Maxwell, a leadership author, claims, “being exceptional demands extra effort, sustained inspiration and uncommon discipline.” Fulfilling our dreams is never easy. So be prepared to fight for them. Your soul will thank you.
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.
At Simmons Mattress Gallery we accommodate all comfort levels to find our customers the perfect bed for their lifestyle. In the food world, this task is often a little more difficult, especially if your chosen lifestyle is vegan. Finding goods that meet your ingredient standards can be a difficult task. Finding baked goods – almost impossible.
Well that is all about to change, with the opening of Edible Flours (cute little pun), the first all-vegan retail bakery in Vancouver. The bakery will launch in late March, on Broadway, between Vine and Yew. Edible Flours will offer sweets of all sorts that are dairy and egg free. This includes cupcakes, cookies, muffins, loaves, brownies and even birthday cake. All the sweeteners used in these products will be un-refined.
Their menu will also include items for specialty diets, with the option of gluten, wheat, soy and sugar free products.
Unfortunately, the bakery will not initially produce bread, but co-owner Paul Briggs claims it may be a possibility further along.
Briggs and Alli Neville started the project with a make-to-order bakery a year ago.
What do you wear to bed on a nightly basis? Simmons Mattress Gallery wants to know.
Each one of us has a certain bedtime uniform that we feel the most comfortable in after-hours. Some of us retire to our bed wearing half of what we wore that day. Others spend each night in pajamas. Others still, sleep in boxers and a t-shirt.
Feeling sexy? There is always that lingerie at the back of your sock drawer. Feel like a fabric hug? Pull out the hoodie from College. Cold feet? Those wool socks you bought for skiing in 2007 are great!
And then some of us feel the most comfortable with nothing on. Commando!
Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to conduct a poll of what the majority of British Columbians wear to bed. Join our Facebook group and post your answers on our wall. Following us on Twitter? Send us a message or @mention us on your own feed. Just give us a brief description of what you wear on a regular night when you go to sleep.
Feel like doing some mattress shopping in your nightly garbs? Bring them down, change in the back and try out some of the finest beds in the business in your most comfortable evening attire. We won’t judge.
For the fifth year in a row, Vancouver has been voted the most livable city in the world! The poll was conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The group uses three broad categories to make its decision: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Vancouver received a perfect rating of 100 in the categories of healthcare, education and culture and environment.
The second place finisher, just 2.3 percentage points below Vancouver, was Auckland New Zealand.
But what would Vancouverites say when asked ‘what makes us the best’? They would probably mention the cleanliness of our city, the mild weather, the security (you can basically walk down any street and feel comfortable), the dining options, the Olympics, the proximity to the mountains, the transit and bike lanes, the parks (Stanley being the jewel) and the people.
There is an infinite number of reasons why Vancouver is such an amazing place to live, but we like to think it’s the mattress shopping. Simmons Mattress Gallery has been providing quality beds and professional advice to Lower Mainland residents for years. This service has sent thousands of citizens off to work well rested and happy with their lives. We’re not saying we did it all, but we certainly played a part.
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.
Romance is thick in the air this week, as lovers across the Lower Mainland profess their undying love for one another with heart felt cards and more than one or two sad clichés.
But if you are one of those absentminded folk, who may have forgotten to grab some overpriced flowers for your shmoopie, it’s not too late. For the flowers, maybe, but there are other gifts that can get you back in the good books with your significant other.
Our suggestion to you: head over to Simmons Mattress Gallery for a great deal on a new bed. Nothing says, ‘baby, I know I messed up, but I want to fix it so we can get back to having fun,’ like a new passion platform. Simmons has a massive variety of beds in ranging sizes, firmness and extravagance. Upgrade from your Ikea cast-off to a bed that will keep you and your loved one comfortable for years to come. Buy it before Friday and he/she will never remember your epic fail.
Want to make a romantic evening out of it? Pack some sexy nightwear, for both of you, and head into our showroom to sample some of our beds on display. We won’t judge your tiger print and we promise not to stare at your partner’s visible parts. Just hold off on the physical stuff until you get home.
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!
The City of Vancouver has announced plans to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games this February.
The party will begin on the February 11th weekend. Free events are being planned that will take place at different locations around the city. Yaletown will have a nightly light display created by local artists, the Creekside Community Centre in the Athletes Village will be hosting a hockey sledge race and other Olympic activities for families, and Granville street will be closed between Smithe and Dunsmuir for the over 19 bar crowd.
The city will be announcing other events, closer to the date, at Vancouver.ca.
Some of the employees at Simmons Mattress Gallery are planning on reliving the magic of the Gold Medal Hockey Final by watching a taped copy of the game with a few friends. Remembering Crosby’s goal in overtime still brings shivers. The pride displayed that night by millions of Canadians was enough to warm the hearts of the most hardened separatists. That moment will never fade with time. It will always bind us as a nation; Canada’s Gold.
So pull out your red mittens, paint your face and share some memories of those two special weeks that we all shared together.
It started over drinks at Bin 942. They had been set-up by a mutual friend who thought their mutual love for indoor climbing and after-dinner mints made them a perfect match.
They shared the ‘picnic on a grilled flat bread’ and a bottle of Heartland Shiraz. The music was low and bass driven and the date ended with a kiss; a soft kiss, with the hope of more to come.
Three months later, after many trips to Cliffhangers and a plethora of after dinner mints from some of the cities finest restaurants, the two decided to move in together. But both had terribly small beds; being single for that long has its effect on furniture choice.
On the advice of one of the many in-house mattress professionals, the two finally decided on a mattress from the Cartier line; a king size bed, designed to eliminate motion transfer between couples and provide the ultimate in undisturbed sleep. With the non-flip pocket coil design, the Cartier would be their foundation for play and rest.
The first night of use, he made the bed and left a small mint on her pillow.
Though the boom years of the “X-Files” are over, Vancouver still is being sought as a shooting location for film and television productions. This past week, the big news around the city was that “Mission Impossible 4” had begun shooting. Tom Cruise was spotted at two public locations doing action scenes. The first was underneath the Burrard Bridge, just up from the Aquatic Center, in the West End. Tenants in the towers surrounding the set were able to watch Cruise perform a number of action sequences. The paparazzi arrived late and were under-the-gun to capture a shot of the megastar.
Later in the week, the crew set up outside the brand new Vancouver Convention Centre, across town. The neighbourhood was given a redress, standing in for an unknown city in India. Filming went late into the night, with Cruise performing a dramatic chase scene through parked traffic.
If you are looking to see Cruise in the flesh, you won’t be directed to set with giant signs that say Mission Impossible. The production company has chosen the code word ‘Aries’. So if you’re in the hunt, keep your eyes open for small white signs with green or orange arrows and the title “Aries” in the center.
Tom Cruise On Set In Vancouver
Other productions, currently shooting in Vancouver, are “Apollo 18,” a sci-fi picture concerning NASA’s last attempt to land on the moon and “The Grey,” a film about a group of stranded men who are stalked by a pack of wolves. “The Grey” stars Liam Neeson. It is expected to be released sometime in 2012.
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.
“Every time a bell rings an angel gets its wings.”
With holiday consumerism in full swing, it’s nice to have classic Christmas tales to remind us of what is truly important – family, friends and community spirit.
George Bailey may not have the perfect life, but what he does have is all the ingredients for a ‘Wonderful Life.’ With help from his guardian angel, Clarence, George realizes that even dashed dreams of travel and higher education are meaningless when compared with the shared experiences and support of the loved ones that populate our waking moments.
“It’s a Wonderful Life,” is all about love, loss, hope and the realization that everyone makes a difference.
This timeless holiday film is now being preformed as a theatrical production at the Arts Club Theatre. With snippets of Frank Capra’s original film seamlessly integrated, the production is not to be missed. Bob Frazer does an amazing job in the role of George, filling the boots of the immortal Jimmy Stewart.
Peter Birnie, of the Vancouver Sun gushes that the play “soars on angel wings of innovation.”
Don’t miss your chance to get tickets. The production ends on January 2nd.
So take the whole family down to Granville Island and enjoy a classic story that resonates with everyday emotional truths.
With one week left before Christmas, you still don’t have gifts for your sister and her new husband. They got married in October, a beautiful fall wedding in the backyard of a family friend. With over a hundred guests, they received every gift known to man – from the slapchop to an electric lawn mower to edible organic massage oil.
Now it’s time to buy them a more practical, but still intimate gift.
Organize a group gift. We know it’s a little late, but we’re sure the rest of the family is on the same page.
Buy the newlyweds a gift they will use 365 days a year. A gift that will enhance the likelihood of family extension. A gift that will soften the impact of the first-year-speed-bumps that occur in every new marriage.
The NxG series mattress is the perfect mattress for a couple going through the early stages of married life. Like all Simmons mattresses, built with the patented non-flip pocket coil design, the NxG offers the very best in motion separation innovation. If your sister’s new husband is a nocturnal squirmer, your sister will never feel it. The advanced memory foam will provide a quick recovery surface that won’t leave crater indents after passionate moments. The 360° Foam Encasement will provide support to the edge of the bed on nights when space is needed. Most of all, the comfort supplied by the NxG will guarantee that your sister and her new man will look forward to heading to bed each night.
It’s the perfect gift for two young people just starting out.
If Christmas carols crackling from shoddy speakers in supermarkets and teeming throngs of holiday shoppers have exorcised all Christmas cheer from your soul, then it might be time to lift your spirits with something with a little more substance and style.
Simply going to the playhouse to watch a ballet is a magical event in itself. The dressing up. The candlelight dinner. Walking hand-in-hand through the snowy streets. The time-honoured culture of ballet always promises an evening of enchantment.
Yet despite 25 years of history, BC Ballet is not what it once was. They’ve discarded the frilly tutus for a contemporary look, and lavish sets and decorations now adorn the stage, complemented by falling snow and beautiful costumes once unfamiliar to the tradition.
The ballet has evolved beyond that of an art form. It is entertainment as well.
The Nutcracker will premiere in Vancouver from December 29-Jan 1, 2011. Tchaikovsky’s timeless tale of true love, sprites and Christmas cheer has never been so theatrically expressed. Alberta Ballet will be behind the lavish performance under the musical accompaniment of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
In the words of BC Ballet, the new production promises “a fresh, vibrant magic to the mix, where every cent of the $1.5 million budget is displayed through the stunning set designs and elaborate costumes.”
As a mattress retailer, we’ve always wondered what kind of beds the stars sleep on. If you’ve ever been forced to spend the night on a sagging mattress, you know the creaks and cracks your bones can make the next day. Imagine that as a ballet dancer? It could be rather distracting.
If any of you know what kind of bed our prima donna sleeps on, we’d love to know. We’re guessing it’s a Beautyrest Black – and if not – it should be!
For more information about Ballet BC, go to the website at www.balletbc.com
Under a canopy of lush greenery, trees, and meticulously manicured gardens, ethereal lights, and softly falling snow, VanDusen Gardens offers the ideal backdrop for an elegant Christmastime stroll.
And the perfect evening for walking in a Winter wonderland.
So put on your scarves and mittens, warm your spirits with hot cider, and bundle up the whole family, or that special someone, for a night to remember amidst the magical festival of lights.
Here are a few of the highlights to anticipate:
See how the other half lives at Santa’s Living Room: Dec. 10 – 24 with Santa appearances 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30 p.m.
Visit with Svend and Jens, the Scandinavian Christmas Elves. They make appearances nightly in the Centre Court.
Starting at 4:30 p.m. every evening, you can enjoy the Dancing Lights on Livingstone Lake. There are two different shows – one on the half hour and one at the top of the hour.
Take a mysterious wander through Gingerbread Wood.
Take in the lights on Golden Chain Walk.
Sing along or just enjoy the music with the Community Choir Concerts on the Deck at 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm.
Other highlights include the Make-A-Wish Candle Shrine, Candy Cane Lane, Sparkling Spruce in the Centre Court and the whimsical Candy Cane Express model train.
To find out more about the VanDusen Botanical Garden Festival of Lights, check their website at www.vandusengarden.org
Enjoy the festival every evening from 4:30 to 9:00 pm. It is open every night except December 25, when the garden is closed.
Tickets are now on sale.
Adult: $15.75 Senior: $11.75 Youth (13 -18): $11.75 Child ( 6- 12): $9.25 Family (2 adults and their children 6-18): $33.50
Once you finish dinner, pack the kids in the car, put on a CD of Christmas classics and drive through the city on a treasure hunt
Document your adventure with a digital camera.
Have a ballot sheet, where your kids can vote on the most creative, the most absurd, the most classic.
A great starting or ending point is the tree at English Bay. Park the car and take a walk underneath the strings of lights.
If you’re looking for a longer walk, take the family to the Vandusen Garden’s Festival of Lights. The light display will run from December 10th till January 2nd. The lights turn on at 4:30 and shut off at 9. The family rate, for two parents and their children is $29.75.
Time a factor?
Try going for a walk in your own neighbourhood. Check out all the displays and appreciate the effort that went into the many multicoloured mosaics of light.
You always knew the ‘man in the red suit’ loved his cookies and milk and the odd sip of bourbon, but do you also know that Santa is a huge fan of the flapjack?
Breakfast with Santa, since its inception at the old Eatons building, has been a tradition in Vancouver for years. This year Santa will be making a pre-Christmas visit to sample breakfast wares at four different locations around the city:
1. The largest and most established event will be held at the Vancouver Convention Center. There will be a exquisite buffet offering, live entertainment and of course a visit from the jolly one himself. There are two dates planned for this event: December 18th and 19th.
2. For a more scenic meeting place, Grouse Mountain will be hosting a meet-and-greet in the Lupins Café at the top of the gondola. Buffet brunch will be provided, along with children’s entertainment. This event will run daily from December 15th to the 24th.
3. For a more community feel, both Douglas Park and West Point Grey Community Centre will be hosting Santa on the 11th of December. Crafts will be on display for purchase.
Have your child bring their wish list down and their appetite.
The Christmas Season is here; Starbucks is offering their eggnog Latte, the stores downtown are staying open longer and the Christmas train is set to leave the station this Friday in Stanley Park.
Always a Vancouver favourite, the annual train ride is a holiday classic.
Titled ‘Bright Lights in Stanley Park,’ the train runs through the Stanley Park forest, which is lit by thousands of coloured lights.
It passes through different theme areas that are synched to the music being played from small speakers on the train itself.
There are interactive elements for the kids as well, with a costumed Gingerbread Man and a petting zoo.
The park employs student volunteers to act as festival ambassadors for the event. They are aided by the regular park staff and the other volunteers who help make Bright Lights one of the most spectacular lightening displays in all of Canada.
Tickets are $9.00 for adults and $6.00 for youths. They can be purchased online through Ticketmaster for any night as long as it is one day prior to the date you wish to ride. For day of tickets, you will need to head down to the park as early as possible, as most rides sellout hours before.
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.
Walking the streets this month, you may notice a few more Burt Reynolds impersonators than normal. No, it’s not the thirtieth anniversary of Smokey and the Bandit (well it might be…probably should look that up), no, it’s the return of Movember. It is the time of year when men across the globe let their upper lip go untamed for a good cause.
The idea is simple, 30 days to grow a moustache and promote awareness for men’s health. Sponsorship is appreciated. Funds collected go to helping fight prostate cancer.
The idea was first started in 2003. Although no money was raised that first year, the men behind the movement were inspired by the women around them who had done so much for breast cancer. The men decided to attach their facial fodder to the cancer fight and Movember became an official event.
Last year Canadians raised 7.8 million during the Movember campaign.
Let’s try and break that this year. Support your hubbies pencil thin stache, persuade a family member to join and encourage that cute guy at the office to let his inner Tom Selleck out.
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.
If you find yourself wandering aimlessly this Saturday night, all dressed up in costume with no where to go, join The Secret Souls Walk. Formerly known as The Parade of Lost Souls, this interactive social gathering of artists, performers and creepy characters traditionally takes place on Commercial Drive.
In years past, the Souls Walk received permission to shut down Commercial for an all-engaging street party. This year, things are a little more subversive.
The parade route will not be announced publicly until the day of the event. Business owners and private homeowners who have buildings along the route have been contacted ahead of time. These folk have been encouraged to participate in the set decor of the evening’s events. The non-profit group Public Dreams has offered to lend props and supplies to anyone along the route.
Workshops have also been offered for those interested in building shrines, working with puppetry and or choreographed or individual zombie dancing. (Think Thriller meets Hipster)
The night will begin at Britannia Community Centre, between 5pm and 9pm. From this location, the damaged souls will be entertained with an interactive celebration of mysticism. They will then be given the deadly coordinates to navigate the parade route.
The main creative power behind this year’s movement is the Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret. They have been working hard to revive the Soul Walk, which was cancelled in 2009 due to lack of funding and organization.
So wander down to East Van this Saturday and take in a grassroots spectacle of bone-chilling entertainment.
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.
With rain sputtering against your windshield, terrible rush-hour DJ’s on the radio and traffic lined-up farther than you can see, it’s nice to know, that after that long drive home from work, there are 800 perfectly designed pocket coils waiting to cradle your tired body to sleep; that is, if you own a Simmons Beautyrest mattress.
Simmons is the leader in providing a full night of undisturbed sleep.
Our patented non-flip pocket coils minimize the motion transfer between you and your partner. If one of you moves during the night, the independent coils react and cushion at impact, allowing little to no transfer to the opposite side of the mattress.
Sleep for a full eight hours and wake up ready to take on whatever crap assignment your boss throws at you.
And remember, the weekend is only days away. Make sure you have enough energy to enjoy it.
Fright Nights are back at Playland. The fun and fear runs from October 16th to October 31st. Doors open at 6 pm, just the time of night when things start to get in-ter-est-ing!
New to Frightnights this year is the “Car-n-Evil,” hosted by the Scare Factory Inc. Scare is responsible for some of the craziest Halloween parties held at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion. The “Car-n-Evil” will feature a 3-D segment that is already getting rave reviews from early attendees. The main characters featured in the freak extravaganza are clowns.
(Warning: If a regular clown brings you to tears, this may not be the show for you. The line-up at the swings seems to be quiet…)
The wooden rollercoaster will also be fully operational. Try keeping your eyes open at the first drop.
Tickets for the event can be purchased online.
A Frightpass will get you unlimited access to five haunted houses and sixteen rides.
So bring a date or the family or that friend who wets herself whenever you sneak up behind her and come down for some fear-inflicted screams.
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.
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.
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.
The Pacific National Exhibition is celebrating a 100 years of West Coast fun and entertainment. The party begins this Friday with the PNE parade at English Bay. The fair will officially open the following day, Saturday, August 21st. It will run for two weeks, concluding on the Labour Day holiday.
This year’s concert series includes Bryan Adams, Spirit of the West, Cyndi Lauper, Trooper, Little River Band and a can’t miss performance by the punk priestess herself, Joan Jett. Admission to the evening’s musical performances is free with your PNE day ticket.
The classics will be back as well, including the 4-H agricultural festival, the West Coast Lumberjack Show and of course, the Superdogs!
Nightly fireworks will be supplied by KABOOM!: A Pyro Musical Spectacular. The music selected for the ariel bombardment includes a wide spectrum of artists from the last century. The sky will be set ablaze each night at 10:15.
The PNE gate pass will be sold for $20.00 on site or $16.80 online. For a combination Fair/Playland Ride Pass, the price is $42.75.
For more information check out the PNE website: http://www.pne.ca/index.html.
While normally Simmons Mattress Gallery is keenly interested in securing the rest you deserve, this Wednesday and Thursday Simmons would like to suggest leaving the sanctuary of your Beautyrest to enjoy the celestial offerings being displayed in the night sky.
The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is at its peak on August 12th and 13th. There will be approximately 80 visible meteors (shooting stars) per hour. The show will begin after sunset and will continue to dawn. Luckily, Environment Canada is predicting clear skies on both nights.
The best viewing spots will be away from the light pollution given off by the city. For astronomy enthusiast, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will be holding a function in the Aldergrove Bowl. Tickets are a mere $2, with the event running from 8pm to 6am.
There are no plans for a gathering at the Planetarium, due to the previously mentioned problem of viewing the night sky from within the city limits.
The meteors themselves are a by product of the passing comet Swift-Tuttle.
The annual meteor shower has been given the name Perseid because of the visible concentration of shooting stars around the northern hemisphere constellation Perseus.
If you are living an ample distance from the bright lights of the big city, you may want to lay a tarp down in your backyard and place your mattress on top. This way you can fall asleep to the heavens falling down around you.*
You got on at MacDonald and Broadway, heading for the fireworks. You were with your friends, I think one was named Olive. You wore a purple dress with white embroidery. I sat across from you pretending to listen to my iPod. You look tired, well beyond tired. Your friend was talking about her trip to India. I was listening, but you seemed to be having trouble. I saw your head bob more than once as you fought back sleep. It was only 7:30, but for you it looked like 3:00 in the morning. Your friends continued to talk with each other and you continued to bob. Then you looked up and saw me watching you and smiled…
I wanted to say something witty, to comment on your shoes, or make a joke about narcolepsy. But my tongue was tied, pasted to my mouth with the ease of your smile.
You were beautiful, but I could see the bags under your eyes and a secret behind your pupils.
“Why were you so tired? What had you been doing the night before? Why hadn’t you slept?” These were all questions that raced through my head until your friends dragged you off the bus, just after Pacific.
It’s been four days, but I can’t get you off my mind. You haunt my thoughts.
If I could rewind time, use the playback option on my PVR, I would offer one comment. One simple sentence. One piece of advice from a man across the aisle:
“You owe it to yourself to buy a new mattress, preferably a Simmons.” With that simple phrase I would stand up and move to the doors.
You would stand to thank me, but this time you would be speechless. All you would be able to do is smile. A thank you, with the lifted corners of your mouth. That’s all I would need. Content I would exit at the next stop, looking back only once to meet your tired eyes through the window. My gaze: A simple, you’re welcome.
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