Celebration of Lights from the YVR Observation Deck

Just when you thought summer couldn't get any better, Vancouver's much-loved yearly tradition is just around the corner!  I have many memories of watching the Celebration of Light over the years - from when I was a young child making my way through the crowds with my parents to my teenage years when I made the trek downtown via the SkyTrain with my first cup of spiked Slurpee from 7-Eleven (don't tell me you've never tried it!) to enjoying the show with my own kids and creating new memories of the magical "fire in the sky" show.

Last year we had the time of our lives of watching the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks show from the (very) family-friendly YVR Observation Deck:

I can't rave enough about how amazing our experience was watching the show from the YVR Observation Deck and, next weekend, we get to do it all over again!  Everything about it was geared towards families and people who want to watch the fireworks up close and personal, but also have their personal space.  Here are some of the amenities you have to look forward to when you snag your exclusive tickets to the observation deck:

• reserved seating (perfect if you have younger kids or are running late!)
• access to a cash bar and food service (yaassssss!!)
• dedicated washroom facilities
• all-ages licensed area, with an alcohol-free zone upon request (we definitely won't be requesting that, haha!)
• background music and fireworks soundtrack broadcast during the show
• wheelchair accessible

Tickets are $49 plus applicable fees and are available for purchase via TicketLeader for the July 29th, August 2nd and August 5th shows.  

Hope to see you there!

xo,

kristina

Disney On Ice Presents Frozen

It's that time of the year again!  We're getting SO excited for this winter season's Disney On Ice presents Frozen!!

We can wait to relive the magic of the city of Arendelle and its beloved characters, sisters Anna and Elsa, snowman Olaf and more!  "Let it Goooooo..." is on repeat in our house and belted out daily by Zoe, so I'm definitely looking forward to bringing her to the show on opening night.

The show will feature all of your children's favourite characters from Frozen and will be hosted by none other than Mickey and Minnie Mouse!

Scroll down for more details on the show and where you can purchase your tickets!

Show Information:

Where: Pacific Coliseum at the PNE
100 North Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC

When: November 25 – 29, 2015
Wednesday, November 25 7:00 PM
Thursday, November 26 7:00 PM
Friday, November 27 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 28 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM
Sunday, November 29 11:30 AM, 3:30 PM & 7:00 PM


Tickets: Ticket price levels range from $25 – $95 (Rinkside)*
Tickets are now available for purchase online at TicketLeader.ca, charge by phone at 604-252-3700 or visit the PNE Box Office.
 *Pricing levels may vary between weekday & weekend performance 

Disney On Ice Presents Let's Party!

It’s no secret that we love anything to do with Disney (talks of another Disneyland trip is making its rounds around the house again!) and the magic that follows the six-letter word. For the past few years, we’ve been fortunate enough to be included in Disney On Ice’s media night when they stop in Vancouver – an event the entire family looks forward to every year!

This year it’s time to party with your favourite Disney characters when Disney On Ice presents Let’s Party! skates into town! Featuring more than 50 of your favourite Disney characters from 16 memorable Disney classics, it’s going to be one exciting and fun-filled party on ice!

Disney On Ice presents Let’s Party! is coming to Vancouver from November 26 – 30th to the Pacific Coliseum at the PNE and you’re invited! Join Mickey and Minnie Mouse as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; a winter wonderland with Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear; Mardi Gras with Princess Tiana; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with the Disney Princesses; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains; plus traveling to far-off exotic places including China for the Chinese New Year, Brazil for Carnival party and Japan for the beautiful Cherry Blossom festival Sakura. Our minds are spinning just thinking of the excitement!

Tea party

Yesterday Tuesday was a fun but busy day for me.  The morning started off with me waking up to my alarm at 5:30am, rolling out of bed at 6am and finally remembering 20 minutes later, with a contact in one eye, that I didn’t actually have to be at work until noon.  I had taken the morning off to attend Lil J’s Mother’s Day tea party at his preschool. Seriously, my all-time favourite way to wake up.
Not.

I made a quick decision to roll back into bed as quiet as humanly possible, to not wake the kids up.  Aside from being startled awake by hubby an hour later {he thinking I was late for work}, I had a pretty restful “nap”.

Then, it was time for the real day to start.  I quickly got both kids ready and we made our way to the preschool.  Once we were there, I was totally amazed at how well-behaved both of my kids were – at the same time!  We had tea, fruits and cookies, and Lil J made the most amazing little flower bouquet.  Each flower was cut by hand and even the paper wrap was hand-painted by Lil J.  Definitely a proud mom!

And if that’s not all, after he gave me the bouquet, he told me he made the flowers for me “because I love you, mama”.

Heart. Melting.

Next up was a brave painting session with both Lil J and I wearing white, and Baby Z wearing her brand new sweater tunic.  Luckily, not a spot touched our clothes; although, I can’t say the same for their hands, arms and faces.

WeCapella: Be Inspired

Like many others in the blogosphere, I started blogging without expectations or goals.  I just wanted to create a diary for my son after he was born almost five years ago, so that he could look back on his childhood and see what kind of crazy things he put his mother through {I kid, I kid!}.  Little did I know, I would connect with a network of amazing women – entrepreneurs, business owners and, of course, bloggers! – and eventually SwankMama would be named one of the top Vancouver mom blogs via VancouverMom.


I owe a lot of SwankMama’s success to a single person – Christine Pilkington.  If it wasn’t for her and her amazing business, Vancouver Mom {which has now expanded to Crisp Media and City Mom Now}, SwankMama would not be where it is today.  This is why I’m absolutely honoured to be named one of WeCapella’s ambassadors for 2014.

What is WeCapella?  It’s a night of inspiring voices and content producers sharing their knowledge and personal success in creating meaningful and innovative content. The speaker line-up includes:

Celebrate the outdoors at Active Baby's Grand Re-Opening and 5 Year Anniversary event!

When we first posted about Active Baby’s new Upper Lonsdale location in early March, July and Chen {co-owners and husband & wife duo} were in the process of settling into their new store and gearing up for their Grand Re-Opening event, which is scheduled to take place at the beginning of next month.

After much anticipation, Active Baby started the month of April with a bang – an explosion of giveaways worth over $7,000, including a Mountain Buggy Evolution Terrain worth $549.99!  These amazing giveaways lead up to Active Baby’s big Grand Re-Opening and 5 year anniversary celebration on May 3-4, 2014.

If you’re planning on joining July and Chen at their Grand Re-Opening on May 3rd or 4th, you’re in for an amazing time!  With free parking behind the store and a huge selection of the best products on the market for today’s active family, the first 50 customers to make a purchase during the weekend will receive a gift bag filled with goodies from Active Baby’s fabulous sponsors.  In addition, all attendees will receive exclusive discount offers only available during the Grand Re-Opening event!

Garden Party Dreams {Party Inspiration}

Every single year, as soon as the Christmas madness is all over {yes, Christmas!}, my mind starts spinning and my head fills with 5,397 ideas for Baby Z and Lil J's birthday parties in May and June, respectively.  Themes, colour themes, decorations, location – every detail has to be perfect and everything about the big day has to run smoothly (in hindsight!).

This year, Baby Z will be enjoying her very own little garden party!  We’ve already got the venue booked and the colour scheme confirmed (I think!).  And if you haven’t noticed yet, we’ve been going Pinterest crazy dreaming about different décor ideas.  Here’s a sneak peek at our inspiration board:


Garden party tassle garland by Studio Mucci. Image also by Studio Mucci.

Image courtesy of TomKat Studios

Relax & Refresh with the RBC Avion Holiday Boutique VIP Lounge #AvionVIP

It's that time of the year again and that time means rushing through the packed malls to find the perfect gifts for your friends and loved ones - a list that probably grows more and more each year.  This means navigating your way through the crowds while tactfully, and gracefully, claiming your gifts next to your fellow shopper who may have been eyeing the same item {finders keepers...}.

After a long day of shopping, the first thing on your mind is to lay on your couch with your feet up while sipping a hot latte and indulging on your favourite holiday treat {I know all the men are in agreement when I say that was probably the only thing you were thinking while waiting for your significant others to finish their holiday shopping!}.  Luckily, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax are now homes to exclusive RBC Avion Holiday Boutique VIP Lounge!

What's this Avion VIP Lounge all about?  For starters, it's exclusive to RBC Avion cardholders where they can take a minute {or an hour} to take time out from the hustle and bustle of the holiday shoppers, and put your feet up and enjoy complimentary treats and beverages on some fabulous leather couches.  I mean, just look at how the kids made themselves feel at home:

Disney On Ice: Rockin' Ever After Review

It's no secret that our family are huge Disney fans.  With two trips to Disneyland {with the kids} and four or five Disney On Ice performances under our belt, you could say we're Disney veterans.

Last Wednesday, we were treated to the opening night performance of Disney On Ice's newest show, Rockin' Ever After.  Featuring four of Disney's celebrated princesses and their stories, the figure skaters and masterminds behind the show delivered another successful performance complete with fun and laughter for the entire family.

We love that Disney has brought old Disney classics {The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast} together with the new favourites {Rapunzel and Brave}.  There was a little nostalgia felt amongst the parents and children who grew up in the '90s when Arial and Belle skated onto the stage, and the excitement for the young ones when Rapunzel and Merida performed was undeniable.

EVENT: Modern Mama's Hottest Tots Products Event {Vancouver}

We're getting so excited for Modern Mama's most anticipated event of the year - the Hottest Tots Products event!  This fabulous night out for Vancouver's swank mamas is happening on November 26, 2013 at Hennessey Salon & Spa in Park Royal South.  We can't think of a better way to spend a night - good company, mini pampering stations and appetizers to go along with the hot product you get to take home!

Modern Mama has rounded up 40 of the hottest products on the market suitable for pregnant mamas, babies and beyond, and YOU get to go home with one of them - guaranteed!  Some of the featured brands include Britax, Medela, UPPAbaby, ERGObaby, Sweet Dreams & Flying Machines and, our personal favourite, Vonbon Apparel!

Make sure you visit Modern Mama's website for detailed info on the products up for grabs at Hottest Tots Products, the event itself and how to snag your coveted tickets.  There are only 40 available {and selling quickly} so make sure you act fast!  Pre-mobile babies are also welcomed and a quiet breastfeeding area will be available for the duration of the event.

Disney On Ice Presents Rockin' Ever After - Announcement

It's about that time of the year again and Disney On Ice is coming back to Vancouver!  Disney On Ice has become a yearly tradition for our family as we're always so amazed at the magic and pure fun that each and every show brings.

This year Disney is bringing Disney On Ice presents Rockin' Ever After to town, which features a cast of world-class skaters retelling the classic stories from Disney Pixar's BRAVE, Tangled, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast in an amazing musical showcase that's sure to be a hit with the entire family!  Take your family on an adventure as Merida from BRAVE makes her Disney On Ice debut in Rockin' Ever After's spectacular event featuring musical harmony inspired by your favourite Disney fairytale.

And don't forget to keep your eye out for Sebastian and Ariel, Rapunzel and Flynn, and Belle and the Beast, as the magic of Disney unfolds before your very eyes!

swank saturdays: a new monthly ritual #girlsnight #swanksaturdays

Having three kids in the house, including two little ones screaming "Mommy, Mommy!!!!!" 24/7, is enough to make anyone go mad.  So as a vow to keep my sanity, and with much in encouragement from my hubby over the years, I am now taking part in a monthly ritual:

A couple months ago I met up with owner and creator of Vonbon, Jen Wilson, and she suggested that we go out with a few mutual girlfriends {whom also happen to be super hot and extremely successful} once a month for drinks to let loose, network, and just have fun.  Having just finished our second Swank Saturday this past weekend, I think we put the networking part on the back burner and just end up having a fabulous night on the town!  When you bump into Kessler, Luongo and Reiko from The Real Housewives of Vancouver all in one night, it's kind of hard not to!

Fab and Free Event at Murale by Shoppers Drug Mart! #FabnFreeBeauty

Over on the West Coast, we’ve been fortunate enough to have enjoyed one of the best summers (weather-wise) in recent memory.  While the hot, dry days made summer feel extra long this year, I’m actually really excited about the upcoming fall season.  Visions of sweaters, jeans, booties and an updated beauty stash can make up for any wet and cold autumn day for us fashionistas and beauty mavens.

Like a new wardrobe, an updated cosmetic pouch is an absolute must for us every season!  We’re so excited that Murale by Shoppers Drug Mart is hosting a major beauty event from Sept. 9-22, 2013 that you cannot miss!  Stop by your nearest Murale location during their Fab and Free event and receive a fab and free cosmetics bag filled with over $288 worth of deluxe beauty samples when you spend $125 or more.  Some of the popular brands that you’ll find in the gorgeous cosmetics bag are Lancôme, Clinque and Smashbox, as well as Murale exclusive brands Eve Lom, Rodial, and Juice Beauty.

Staycation {Day 4}: #TheFair at the PNE

Disclosure:  We did not receive compensation for this post whatsoever.  All views and opinions are our own and do not reflect the views and opinions of The Fair at the PNE or Playland.


Day 4 of our staycation a couple of weeks ago was spent at none other than Vancouver's oldest running fair tradition - The Fair at the PNE.

While in recent years crowds have been dwindling {probably due to the expensive admission costs which don't include ride pases}, the first Tuesday of The Fair was packed with people enjoying the first free admission day.

After a walk around the fairgrounds and learning about farm life at the Kidz Discover Farm inside Safeway Farm Country, we took the kids to a summertime tradition to watch The Superdogs!  Aside from a slight scuffle hiccup at the Superdogs show {honestly, if you're going to a family-friendly event, expect kids to be there - duh}, I had a lot of fun watching Lil J enjoy a show that I {and the rest of Vancouver} had grown up watching as a kid.

Introducing Shoppers Drug Mart's #30DaysOfBeautyLook

Being a mother doesn't mean you shouldn't pay attention to yourself or forget your pre-baby routine in the mornings.  It just means you have to try to find ways to get ready, put on make-up and do your hair in record time.

Since the days of "solo shopping" are a thing of the past, having kids in tow means finding the convenience of a "one-stop" store for all your shopping needs including groceries, household items and, of course, beauty products.  Good thing Shoppers Drug Mart is the destination for all things beauty!  With brands such as Loreal Paris, Lancome, Clinque, Biotherm and Quo, it's kind of hard not to shop at Shoppers!

Starting August 17th, Shoppers is hosting their 3rd Annual National Event in-store, aptly titled 30 Days of Beauty, which also happens to be their biggest beauty event of the year!  For 30 days, customers can receive a free five minute in-store makeover inspired by one of the glamorous 30 Days of Beauty looks, including "Black Tie Event",  "Outdoor Wedding" and "First Date".  Each of the 30 days will bring a new theme inspired look with "how-to" makeup tutorials posted online and in stores {personally, I'm more partial to the Milestone Birthday look because someone...ahhemmm...might be celebrating one this year!}.




Cover Look

In addition to the fabulous free five minute beauty makeovers, Shoppers will also be offering the following:

Ya Mon! Jamaican Mi Juicy Food Truck Review + a Giveaway!

Living in Vancouver, it's extremely easy to get caught up in the food truck craze.  It seems like there's one on every block downtown and a new one opening up every week, not to mention the Food Cart Fest which is every Sunday until Sept. 22, 2013.

There are also a number of food carts that call the local festival circuit home.  One of our favourites would have to be Jamaican Mi Juicy.  We have a soft spot for Jamaican food {hubby is from Jamaica}, jerk chicken and, of course, Jamaican Mi Juicy's famous fruit smoothies!

When owner and operator Anthony Cross started his business in the food industry, he had no idea it would achieve the success that it has.  After finding the perfect combination of ingredients for his mouth-watering real fruit smoothies, Anthony decided it was time to share it with the world.  In addition to the smoothies, Jamaican Mi Juicy also serves a traditional jerk chicken meal with rice and peas {beans}, jerk chicken wrap and, the newest menu item, freshly cut yam fries {with jerk chicken, of course!}. 

Anthony hard at work!

Over the years, Jamaican Mi Juicy has built a loyal following of repeat customers as well as new ones.  They are in the midst of the busy summer festival season and count the Caribbean Days Festival, Folk Festival, Squamish Valley Music Festival and the Pride Parade celebration as some of the many successful festivals this year.  Up next for them is another famous Vancouver festival tradition:  the The Fair at PNE/Playland which runs over a two week period from Aug. 17th - Sept. 2nd, 2013.

GLAM Experience - VancouverMom.ca's 2013 Top 30 #Vancouver Mom Bloggers Event #VM2013

GLAM.

I couldn't wait for this night to come.  There was so much anticipation of this event amongst the Top 30 group of 2012.  This entire year had been full of late night Facebook chats with the ladies, words of encouragement and blossoming friendships.  Like I mentioned before, this group has supported and inspired me throughout my blogging journey over the past year.  I am still in awe with these ladies and am thankful that VancouverMom.ca has brought us all together.

This year I attended the Top 30 Vancouver Mom Blogger celebration, held at Secret Location, as an Ambassador with a number of alumni from 2012's Top 30.  We had a blast putting together name tags and catching up {as if we didn't do that already on the daily}.  It was completely different from my experience at last year's celebration when I hardly knew anyone and felt so intimidated because I thought everyone else was so much more experienced at blogging than I was.  Little did I know, most of the other bloggers had felt the same way.

Modern Mama North Burnaby's Launch Party Announcement - Media Sponsor

As a young mother of two little ones, there are always playdates to be made, questions that arise, and a ton of "firsts" and "how do I's".  I'm not one to hole myself up at home or stop my life just because I have a baby and a preschooler - when Mommy has stuff to do, the kids are coming with!

Modern Mama, a social and educational community resource for moms {by moms!}, is dedicated to getting moms out of the house for fun and informational get-togethers at local venues.  In addition to connecting with other mothers, most Modern Mama events also have the option of childcare at an additional cost, which is extremely convenient for the times when us mamas don't have childcare available.

I'm so excited to announce that Modern Mama is now in North Burnaby!  Shaunna Prentis is a mother of two young boys.  She works part-time for a telecommunications company in addition to her role as a Modern Mama.  As a woman who has always enjoyed the arts, good food, good wine and great company, she found after having her boys that no matter how much she loved being with them, she still missed and needed more adult company.  She then came upon Modern Mama and decided to bring it to her community.  She knows how challenging it is being a mom while retaining your sense of self and wants to help others get out of the house and have a little fun.

Maple Leaf Monster Jam Tour! #Vancouver

Any mother with a boy, or man, in her life can attest to the fact that once the Maple Leaf Monster Jam Tour rolls into Vancouver this weekend, there's only one place they'll want to be - at BC Place Stadium watching an action-packed show of monster truck madness!  Of course, this is an event the whole family will enjoy with twelve massive trucks displaying ultimate speed, racing and destruction, all to the delight of fans across the city.  Even the Canuck themed monster truck Northern Nightmare, driven by World Freestyle Champion and Kelowna resident Cam McQueen, will be igniting the car-crushing event along with many fan favourites seen throughout the years.

In addition to the world-class racing and freestyle competition, die-hard fans can come to the stadium early to enjoy the Party in the Pits pre-show experience which gives fans unparalleled access to view their favourite trucks up close and the opportunity to meet the star drivers for autographs and photos!

Where:  BC Place Stadium
              777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver, BC

When:  Saturday, January 26, 2013
             Party in the Pit - 3:00 - 5:00pm {Pit Pass required for entry and can be purchased for $10  each}
             Event starts at 7:00pm

TICKETS: Ticket prices range from $25 and $30 for Adults; Kids (ages 2-12) tickets are only $15 each. Tickets are on sale now and available at the BC Place Box Office, charge by phone at 855-985-5000 or online at Ticketmaster.ca.
**Above ticket prices are advance purchase only; all ticket prices are $5 more when purchased the day of the event; tickets may be subject to service charges, facility and handling fees.