WestCoast Families March 2013

free!

The Local Guide for Active Urban Families

tardavveenlture

& march 2013

spring break fun

mom Ellie Harvie westcoast

March 2013

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families westcoast

march2013

• travel & adventure • spring break fun

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top story

travel & adventure on our cover...

Good pals Jay & Pippa are 4 years old and always looking for adventure! Pippa loves playing with her friends & family, skiing and swimming. Jay fancies himself a rock star and loves riding his bike, playing hockey and being outside.

Photographed by Dylan Doubt | www.dylandoubt.com Location: Kids Market, Granville Island | www.kidsmarket.ca Wardrobe: Redfish Kids Clothing | www.redfishkidsclothing.com Boys Hat: Karibou Kids | www.facebook.com/kariboukids Girls Hat: Little Miss Vintage | www.littlemissvintage.com

Travel & Adventure Disneyland Magic for the holidays

Travel & Adventure Family Orienteering Fun & easy to learn

Travel & Adventure Daytrips & Overnight Stay-trips

Travel & Adventure Geekology Travel apps

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Spring Break Fun Listings Activites and events for spring break

Travel & Adventure Travelling with Kids

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24 mom westcoast

24 WCM Profile

Ellie Harvie 27 WCM Events

from the editor 6 8 12 28 30

Publisher’s Note WestCoast Finds WCF News Community Calendar Style File

next issue april • Living Green • Camp Guide, Part 1: Sleepover & Family Camps

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WestCoastFamilies.com

www.twitter.com/wcfmag www.facebook.com/westcoastfamilies www.pinterest.com/wcfmag

March 2013

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publisher’s note

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pring is in the air! Warmer weather and longer days are just around the corner, and for families that means spring break and fun times ahead. Here on the west coast, the options for spring holidays are endless - whether it’s daytrips not far from home, family adventures afar, or mini-vacations in between. We’ve got it all covered in this issue of WestCoast Families so you can always find a great way to spend your time together.

In the fall we had the opportunity to visit Disneyland in California for Halloween to see what holidays in the Magical Kingdom are all about. It’s an experience worth having and we’re telling you all about it. If you can’t get away for a holiday afar this spring, we’ve created a Top 20 list of local adventures that will make long lasting family memories. And if you are able to hop on an airplane to an exotic destination, we found information on vaccinations and other health issues to think about before you go.

Let’s not forget about all the amazing camps that happen at Spring Break around the Lower Mainland. Biking, arts, music, gymnastics, crafts, and even aerobatics – they’re all here. We’ve listed some in this issue, and we have even more on our website to suit every child in your family.

So don’t forget to take a minute to stop and smell the flowers as you step outside this spring, because you know the west is always the first to bloom!

Andrea Vance

To advertise in these two great issues call us at 604-249-2866 or email sales@westcoastfamilies.com WestCoastFamilies.com

Managing Editor Andrea Vance editor@westcoastfamilies.com Editor Stephanie MacDonald stephanie@westcoastfamilies.com Contributing Editor Jodi Iverson jodi@westcoastfamilies.com Art Director & Layout Krysta Furioso studio@westcoastfamilies.com Administration Jennifer Bruyns admin@westcoastfamilies.com Accounts Receivable & Payable Jennifer Brule finance@westcoastfamilies.com

Published by National Families Network Publisher: Andrea Vance publisher@westcoastfamilies.com

campguide As always, these two jam-packed issues of WestCoast Families will be the best local resource for families to book summer camps this year!

westcoastfamilies.com

Advertising sales@westcoastfamilies.com 604.249.2866

get packing!

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families westcoast

2013

For distribution inquiries, please email publisher@westcoastfamilies.com For submissions to our community calendars, please email admin@westcoastfamilies.com To share your feedback, please email editor@westcoastfamilies.com Contributors Stephanie MacDonald, Peg Keenleyside, Jennifer Bruyns, Julie Nowell, Andrea Vance All contents copyrighted ©.

Written permission from the publisher is required to reproduce, quote, reprint or copy any material from WestCoast Families Mailing address: 1215-C56 St. Box 18057 Delta, BC V4L 2M4 T 604 249 2866 | F 604 676 2802

more online

westcoastfamilies.com

March 2013

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westcoast finds Love Child Organics Fortunately for nursing mothers, infants have no teeth.

However, toothlessness is limiting on their other dietary choices. Most store-bought baby foods are bland and over-processed, and if you wouldn’t eat it, why would you serve it to your little one? (Unless he just bit you with his new tooth.) Love Child Organics is a local company that makes baby food that is both tasty and nutritious, with superfoods like quinoa and acerola, packaged in convenient and earth-friendly re-sealable pouches. They also make great school snacks for kids who have their chompers.

3 for $4, at Walmart and other smaller retailers

YummiGo Booster Seat Children come with a lot of baggage – snacks, diapers, toys and more, and they are also too short and squirmy to eat at a regular table. You can solve both of these dilemmas with the convenient, portable YummiGo Booster Seat. Your baby can enjoy her own personal seat at any table, and the seat also has ample room to store daily travel essentials. The seat has a three-point safety harness system, and converts into an attractive, sturdy carrying bag when you and baby are on-the-go.

$45 at Jack and Lola in North Vancouver, and at various online retailers

Snack Trap You are already aware that your lovingly homebaked, organic health muffin has nothing on a three-week-old Cheerio from under the sofa to your toddler. But you can eliminate that temptation, and the potential for rodent infestation, with the handy Snack Trap. Perfect for at home or traveling, the Snack Trap, which is available in both plastic and stainless steel, admits little hands but eliminates formerly inevitable, not to mention wasteful, spills.

Stainless Steel Version $6 on www.snacktrap.com

LifeStraw Camping creates many life-long memories for your family. Try not to make that time you were all hospitalized with beaver fever one of them. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter allows your family to drink from lakes, rivers, and other water sources, (like taps in Mexico) without worrying about contamination; enabling you and your family to enjoy the outdoors without spending all your time in the outhouse.

$20.00 on www.eartheasy.com/lifestraw

Snoozeshade Safety Tat Encouraging your kids to get tattoos is probably not how you envisioned your parenting strategy (or maybe it is – we don’t judge). But kids love temporary tattoos, and parents will love the added peace of mind that comes with having your child’s ID and your contact information right on your child. Perfect for playgrounds, fairgrounds and other crowded places, SafetyTats are also great to write emergency contact numbers for kids in sports, and importantly, they are easy to take off as well.

$20 on store.safetytat.com

For some babies, the stroller is like valium, others need a bit more help. The SnoozeShade fits right over your stroller to block out sun, UV rays, chilly winds, and distractions like pokey older brothers so your baby can get a good sleep.

$40 at West Coast Kids in Richmond, and online at happybabydailyneeds.com

Car Play Mats Vroom Vroom! Your automobile enthusiast will love this adorable personalized (for boys or girls) car tote.

It’s a perfect way to carry around all your Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars, and it even comes with a handy racetrack for impromptu Indy 500’s wherever you happen to be.

$15 on www.etsy.com/shop/kadynamelia

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WestCoastFamilies.com

Travel Doodler Chalk Mat

Seido iPhone and iPad Covers

Writing on the back of the airplane seat? Bad. Ditto with the tablecloth at a restaurant. But your little graffiti artist can tag away to his heart’s content with the Travel Doodler Chalkmat. Great for budding Basquiats, as well for games of tick-tack-toe and hangman while you’re en route or waiting in an airport and it rolls up conveniently when you’re done.

Although iPads and iPhones were obviously not designed to bounce or as projectiles, unfortunately when you have kids, tablets and smartphones are sometimes (often) subjected to more than the recommended amount of dropping and smashing (the recommended amount is none, FYI). Seidio Active cases fit onto your devices snugly and are light and protect with two layers, and also come with built-in kickstands, finger grips and more.

$15 on www.etsy.com/shop/VictoriasArtsnCrafts

Starting at $30 on www.seidioonline.com

March 2013

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travel

Disneyland A Special Brand of Magic for the Holidays

By Andrea Vance

Cars Land

Haunted Mansion

Grand Californian Hotel

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hat happens when you mix Mickey Mouse and Buzz Lightyear with Jack Skellington and Santa Claus? You get some of the most amazing experiences at Disneyland Resort in California! We had never thought of Disneyland for the holidays, but we had a chance last fall to visit the park and see it for ourselves.

Our visit in October started at the beautiful Grand Californian Hotel, with Disneyland Park, Disney California AdventurePark, and Downtown Disney just steps away. In spite of many visits to Disneyland, this was our first experience at a Disney Resort Hotel. I had never seen the true benefits of staying at one of the resort properties in the past, but the amenities and location quickly proved to us that it was worth it.

Our room slept a family of five comfortably with bunk beds and a trundle bed, a large bathroom, a small fridge and lots of space for luggage. Opening up the balcony door revealed a view of the pools, hot tubs and waterslides, with a backdrop of California Park. There’s great restaurants on site, and we found a cafeteria-style eatery with great take-outs that we could put in the fridge for nighttime and morning snacking. With three kids in our group, this was a lifesaver.

We wasted no time in dropping our bags the first afternoon and heading over to Disneyland. This was a Sunday, and the park was very busy with lots of locals and annual pass holders. We found that waiting until after eight pm meant much shorter line-ups for most rides. With a four year old in our crew, the stroller was an essential item for late nights and lots of walking. If you can’t bring your own, there are plenty of stroller rentals on-site. We took advantage of the first evening to orient ourselves at the park, get in a few late night rides, and just take in the scene.

Our second day was October 29 and we had tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party for the evening starting at three pm – one of many dates throughout October.

The park closes at five pm to general ticket holders, and the Halloween festivities start shortly after for those who had purchased the special $69 ticket.

Special event ticket prices vary by date, and are much cheaper if you buy online in advance. The kids excitedly put on their costumes, and the parents wore some fun hats and wigs, and off we went. We thought we were a pretty good looking crew ready for some trick or treating, but we had no idea just how amazing the other party-goers Halloween outfits would be that night.

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Forgot your costumes? No problem! Downtown Disney is full of them – from Tinkerbell to Buzz Lightyear (and beyond). Sorry, Mom and Dad, although Disneyland strongly encourages you to fulfill your lifelong fantasy to become Super Mario (and you will fit in), adults dressing as a Disney character is a big no-no.

For the October celebrations, Disneyland goes all out with amazing décor – from the 300 uniquely carved pumpkins on Main Street, to the redesign of the Haunted Mansion “Holiday” inspired by Jack Skellington, from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is a Halloween wonderland full of surprises, and even more so during the special party nights.

Even though we had brought our own handmade treat bags, we were given a special Disneyland treat bag at the park entrance and the kids loved the souvenir. There were treat stations all over the park, and it did not take long at all before we had our bags full of yummy chocolate bars, lollipops, and candies.

We were really happy to see virtually no lineups for the treat stations, but we did hear from others who attended on Halloween night that the lineups were much longer. Because the Halloween Party night is limited to special ticket holders only, ride lineups were also shorter.

Mickey’s Costume Party Cavalcade parade at night was a great opportunity to see all the characters in one spot, and the nighttime Halloween Screams Fireworks Spectacular was just that – spectacular! This was a night for some of Disney’s wickedest villains like Cruella De Vil and Jafar to make grand appearances. We even found Mickey, Donald, Minnie, Goofy, and all the classic characters at a dance party in Frontierland where everyone could join in. How often do you get to shake it up with the Disney crew?

We maximized our night and stayed late. By 9:30pm there were no ride lineups to be found and with the little one sleeping soundly in the stroller we took advantage of this time to hit all the great rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain “Ghost Galaxy” over and over.

Even though the Halloween Party night ended and we all went home happy and exhausted, our trip was far from over. We took full advantage of being a guest at a Disney Resort Hotel, and used the early access for California Adventure Park the next day. This means you can get FASTPASS tickets to the busiest rides, and lineup for your favourite attractions at either Park before the general public is even let in. A huge perk, especially during the high volume dates.

We found that California Adventure Park had lots of great options for rides and attractions for older kids, like the California Screamin’ roller coaster and Mickey’s Fun Wheel at Paradise Pier. Neither is for the faint of heart. If you love a thrill, absolutely do not miss The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Hollywood Land. It was a top favourite for the teens and adults in our group, hands down.

The central food area was great and on this hot day, the parents even got to enjoy a beer and a margarita at lunch.

Cars Land opened last year, and you will be stunned when you walk through the gates into Radiator Springs. Disney went all out to make this a full visual experience, and you don’t want to miss it. Radiator Springs Racers is the fast road-racing ride that everyone in our group loved, but lineups can be long.

A hint to visitors: use the “singles” line to cut your wait time down drastically.

You can also get FASTPASS tickets for the Racers if you get to the park early.

Pull up to Flo’s V8 Café for a refill too.

After 4 days at the resort, exploring the hotel and parks, it was time to go home.

We were happy and tired, and buzzing with excitement. Before this trip, we hadn’t heard much about the holidays at Disneyland. Now that we’ve experienced it first-hand, it’s something we’ll aspire to do again and again. If you are looking for a new way to spend the holidays, and you want to visit Disneyland, this is a great opportunity to combine two experiences into one.

To find out more information on special holidays at Disneyland, go to: disneyland.disney.go.com/events To view the best deals and special offers for visitors from BC, be sure to use the special Canadian Disneyland website: www.disneyland.ca

Holidays at Disneyland Park Christmas is one of the most festive times of year at the Resort, and they do it up big! Every aspect of the Parks, Downtown Disney, and the hotel resorts are decorated to reflect the season’s magic. Many attractions and rides are also redesigned and decorated to provide an experience like no other: • Sleeping Beauty Castle has snow-capped towers with icicles and lights • It’s a Small World embraces festivities and traditions from around the globe • Santa joins all the Disney characters for the Christmas Fantasy Parade.

• Believe… in Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular each evening, with a grand finale where snow falls and icicles appear throughout the park.

• Jingle Jangle Jamboree at Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland where Santa and Mrs. Claus celebrate Christmas ‘western style’.

This is a busy time of year at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park so be sure to plan ahead, allow plenty of time to explore, and be prepared!

March 2013

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wcf news >> “Sharks and Rays” at the Vancouver Aquarium For a limited time, visitors to the Vancouver Aquarium will get to see and learn about some of the ocean’s most stunning and fascinating animals. Opening February 7, The Secret World of Sharks and Rays dives into the amazing lifestyles of some not-so-famous sharks and their cousins – the skates, rays and ratfishes.

“We are excited to introduce guests to these intriguing and often misunderstood creatures,” says Clint Wright, senior vice-president and general manager of the Vancouver Aquarium. “Whether you’re curious about their hunting strategies or the human activities that put these creatures at peril, or if you’d simply like to be awed by their magnificence, The Secret World of Sharks and Rays has something for everyone.”

Ever wonder what makes a shark a fierce hunter or how they achieve incredible stealth and speed through the water? Did you know that some sharks are capable of virgin births? Have you ever seen a stingray suck up its prey? Uncover these fascinating facts and behaviours as you explore the Aquarium’s newest animals, exhibits and shows for The Secret World of Sharks and Rays.

Discover the sharks and rays that can be found living in B.C. waters, like the Pacific spiny dogfish and the endangered basking shark, in one of our new interpretive shows. Explore incredible life-sized models of thresher, basking and the bluntnose sixgill sharks in the Pacific Canada Pavilion. The Secret World of Sharks and Rays also provides an inside look into ways that humans can help protect these amazing animals in the wild. View the daily schedule of The Secret World of Sharks and Rays at www.vanaqua.org.

>> Parents may be the last to know when a teen or young adult is struggling with depression and other mental health issues More than 60 per cent of Canadian teens and young adults, aged 15 to 25, who experience a mental health issue do not seek professional help. Speak Up, a program funded by Coast Capital Savings and Fraser Health, was launched last month to address this very problem. The program’s goal is to get teens and young adults to join the conversation about mental health before their issues mushroom and become worse, requiring intensive treatment such as hospitalization.

Speak Up offers an interactive web page at www.mindcheck.ca/speakup where teens and young adults can respond – in privacy – to mental health questions, share tips for dealing with mental health challenges as well as movies and books that inspire them, and generally express themselves by uploading photos, videos, writing and music.

Signs that a teen or young adult may be dealing with a mental health issue are noticeable changes such as: loss of interest or pleasure in activities; not wanting to be with family or friends and withdrawing from activities; having problems sleeping; and being grumpy and irritable with family and friends.

The Speak Up program is also bringing the mental health conversation into Fraser Health region schools. Over the next three years, mental health educators will talk about the signs and symptoms of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, psychosis and substance misuse, and youth peer mentors will share their lived experiences. Teachers across the region will be offered a mental health lesson plan to support students in joining this important conversation. Speak Up, a Fraser Health initiative, is funded in large part by a generous $432,000 donation from Coast Capital Savings.

Please visit www.mindcheck.ca/speakup for more information.

>> Alzheimer’s disease affects a large number of British Columbian adults: 39% know someone with the disease, and the majority (61%) are concerned about getting Alzheimer’s in the future. There is optimism though, as 52% expect there will be a cure in the next ten years.

An online survey conducted by Insights West of 513 British Columbians, released to coincide with Alzheimer Awareness Month in January, finds the majority of adults (61%) are concerned about being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, even though only 39% have been directly impacted by the disease. But there is also optimism, as the majority (52%) believe there will be a cure found in the next ten years. Alzheimer’s disease is the third most-feared disease among British Columbians. Cancer concerns are the highest, with 74% of British Columbians concerned about contracting cancer (39% are very concerned). Slightly fewer are concerned about being diagnosed with heart disease (69% concerned, 31% very concerned), and a small majority are concerned about diabetes (57%, 25% very concerned). Seventy thousand British Columbians are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia and 15,000 more are diagnosed with the disease each year. www.alzheimer.ca

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March 2013 13

travel

Family Orienteering Fun The Easy-to-Learn Outdoor Adventuring Sport

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By Peg Keenleyside

hink of it as a twist on the Hansel and Gretel tale. A brother and sister working together, following a trail of bread crumbs through the woods to find their way home, only in this case the ‘bread crumbs’ are orange and white flagged checked electronic timer checkpoints that you have to find using just a map, a compass and your ingenuity. (Also, no one almost gets eaten by a witch.)

That’s Orienteering, the growing Canadian national sport, and it’s all about the challenge of outdoor navigation, fitness fun, and problem solving on the go.

In orienteering, the objective is to run, walk, ski or mountain bike between each of several control point locations on a course – using a course map showing where the control points are located, a compass and a Sport-Ident (SI) stick (a cool little digital timing device worn on the index finger that you insert at each control point) – and to get back to the finish line in the shortest amount of time.

“We really encourage newcomers and families to participate together as a team”, says Alison Price, spokesperson with The Greater Vancouver Orienteering Club (GVOC), which hosts weekly training sessions and oncea-month ‘Why Just Run’ orienteering competitions at various park and urban locations all around Metro Vancouver and beyond.

Our family got started with the Why Just Run orienteering programs when we registered for the Club’s 2-day fall event in Whistler that included an easy beginners level trail-based walking course around Lost Lake, a kid-friendly mini course, a funky urban course through Whistler Village and a more rigorous on-the-mountain course.

The Vancouver-based orienteering club is one of a number of clubs around BC linked together under the Orienteering Association of BC banner. The Club’s Why Just Run race series recently won “Best Orienteering Race” for Western Canada in Get Out There magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

On the forested Lost Lake course our kids, aged 8 and 10, had a blast learning how to read a map and see who could be first on our team to get to the next control and insert their SI digital timing device. Before they knew it, they’d both had a great hike and we’d all got in some excellent family problemsolving exercise studying the course map and figuring out which trails to take to get us to the required check points and then on to the finish line.

“It’s a great team-building family activity ”, says Price about the all-year round outdoor sport that has an all-ages following right across Canada, “and it’s a fun way to get kids interacting with the environment and learning to use and read a map”.

The Whistler urban event found our team sprinting through the pedestrianfriendly streets of the village in search of the sometimes elusive and cleverly hidden checkpoints. Easy exercise and lots of laughs were had on this scavenger hunt-like race.

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The cost to register our family of 4 for each GVOC orienteering event was only $20 - a steal of a deal! A full years’ family membership with the club required for insurance coverage - was just an additional $20.

GVOCs’ Wednesday Evening Training (WET) events are free with the annual membership fee. All other required equipment, such as maps, compasses and SI digital timers, are provided as part of the entry fee.

While kids under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in the clubs’ races, spokesperson Alison Price wants families to be assured that “we always have an open beginners course that allows families to go out on the course as a team to learn and work together”.

For kids who are really keen about learning how to orienteer on their own, the GVOC is holding a 6-week junior development training program that gets underway in April. Contact national program director Meghan Rance at Orienteering Canada (meghan.rance@gmail.com) for more details.

Get Outside!

Just want try out an orienteering event with your family during Spring Break to see if it’s something you’d like to pursue? GVOC is hosting 2 events that may interest you: on Sunday March 17, head out to Silver Valley in Maple Ridge, for one of the longer, forested Why Just Run events.

Alternatively, come to Queen’s Park in New Westminster on Wednesday March 20 for the Wednesday Evening Training (WET) session.

Event information, including details on how to pre-register, can be found at www.gvoc.whyjustrun.ca.

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Discover Spring Break Fun in the

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Kick off Spring Break with some fun and excitement in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Region! You don’t have to go far to discover great activities that are suitable for the whole family. It’s time to discover some of the amazing things in your own backyard!

Spend some quality time outside at Manning Park Resort, located approximately 40 minutes southeast of Hope. Snowshoeing is a popular family activity and there are marked snowshoe trails

eron Photo: Tourism BC/JF Berg

Photo: Tourism BC/Insight Photography

that are perfect for beginners. Try the Similkameen Trail which follows along the Similkameen River and forested areas and takes approximately 30 minutes return. The whole family will also have fun conquering the Polar Coaster Tube Park. Four different runs are offered for the beginner to the advanced and there’s even a lift service back to the top of the hill! The resort lodge offers comfortable rooms and self-contained cabins are also available for overnight stays.

If you’re looking for a family-friendly attraction close to the city, visit the Vancouver Lookout. Located in downtown Vancouver, it’s one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. The round observation deck rests high above the street and a glass elevator transports people 170 metres (450 feet) above street level in just 40 seconds!

ADVERTISING FEATURE

At the top you’ll find a 360 degree view of downtown Vancouver, the Pacific Ocean, Coal Harbour and the North Shore Mountains. Kids ages 3 to 15 can participate in the Junior Pilot’s Program, where they will have fun learning all about Vancouver. Upon completing the program “graduates” will be presented with a Golden Wing Badge and certificate. Afterwards, check in to a downtown hotel and then come back to the Vancouver Lookout after dark with your all-day ticket. The city lights are spectacular at night!

For those wanting to unearth some fun, head to the Britannia Mine Museum in Britannia Beach, north of West Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway. The museum is a designated National Historic Site and a British Columbia Historic Landmark. Children will love being able to climb aboard an underground mine train and ride it through an authentic mining tunnel. Every visit also includes gold panning and the chance to take home real gold! When your little miners start getting tired, head to nearby Squamish where you’ll find comfortable accommodations and great restaurants such as The Nest. The three course kids menu is sure to be a hit!

Visit 604Pulse.com for event information, travel ideas and our favourite things to see and do in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Region!

Written by Crystal Solberg

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Dayt rip

From the charming village of Steveston in Richmond, you can hop of a comfy Zodiac with Vancouver Whale Watch, and have an over 90% chance of seeing whales, along with porpoises, seals, sea lions and a plethora of birds and other wildlife. Afterwards the 3-5 hour tour, stop in for fish and chips at Pajo’s Fish and Chips on the wharf.

www.vancouverwhalewatch.com www.pajos.com

Westham Island Tak e the Ladner exit of of Highway 19 to Ladner, and follow the signs to Westham Island. Stop at the Westham Island Herb Farm and visit the goats and bunnies and pick up some fresh produce and delicious preserves made on site. The follow the road to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, where you can spend hours observing and feeding over seventeen different varieties of ducks, along with Sandhill Cranes, owls and many many more. On the way home pick up a bottle of wine from Westham Island Estate Winery.

www.westhamislandherb.ca www.reifelbirdsanctuary.com www.westhamislandwinery.com

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The best weekenders or oneday adventures in the Lower Mainland and beyond!

Photo: Tourism Whistler /Steve Rogers

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Whale Watching

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day trips

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Victoria Board the BC ferries to Swartz Bay. Stop in Sidney for a jelly doughnut at the classic Sidney Bakery, and discover the treasures of the Salish Sea at the interactive Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre at the wharf in Sidney. Then head downtown and visit Canada’s oldest Chinatown, stroll the Inner Harbour, and take in the spectacular First Nations art and history exhibits at the Royal BC Museum, before eating a delicious dinner while heading home on the BC Ferries decadent onboard Pacific Buffet.

www.sidneybakery.com www.oceandiscovery.ca www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

The University of British Columbia Begin your day traipsing through the treetops on the treetop walkway of the UBC Botanical Garden, then visit the astonishing collections at the Museum of Anthropology.

Finish up your educational tour underneath the skeleton of a real blue whale at the Beaty Museum of Biodiversity. Finally, take a nature walk through beautiful Pacific Spirit Park down to Spanish Banks Beach where you can have a surprisingly delicious dinner al fresco at the East Spanish Banks Concession Stand.

www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca www.moa.ubc.ca www.beatymuseum.ubc.ca

Burnaby Spend a few hours discovering history at Burnaby Village Museum and ride the carousel, then rent a canoe on Deer Lake for an afternoon of fishing. In the evening hit the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts to see a show.

www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca www.deerlakeboatrentals.com www.shadboltcentre.com

Snowshoeing to Hollyburn Lodge Drive up to Cypress Mountain and take the family on a showshoe over to Hollyburn Lodge. Once you are there, sit everyone down for a threecourse fondue feast before snowshoeing back down again.

www.cypressmountain.com/hollyburn-lodge

Fort Langley Experience some firsthand history at the Fort Langley National Historic Site, before relaxing in the orchards at Vista D’oro, where you can pick up their decadent seasonal artisanal preserves.

Finish up with some dinner at the Domaine de Chaberton Estate Winery’s restaurant, Bacchus, open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays.

www.pc.gc.ca/fortlangley www.vistadoro.com www.domainedechaberton.com/Bacchus

Chuckanut Drive

White Rock

Kayak around Deep Cove

Take the I-5 South to Exit 250, to Fairhaven and have a bite at the Dos Padres Mexican restaurant, then head on Chuckanut Drive for over 17 kilometres of beaches, views of the San Juan Islands, and quaint farmhouses.

If you’re feeling rained in and are looking for a break in the sky, the place in the Lower Mainland most likely to be sunny is Whiterock. Peer up at million-dollar homes perched on the cliffs, visit the deep-water pier, and wade or swim at the beach’s warm waters, and check out the town’s namesake white rock. Have dinner and listen to live music while the sun sets at Iguana’s Beach Grill.

If the day is sunny and calm, there’s no better place than Deep Cove. Have a filling lunch at Deep Cove Fine Foods before getting a kayak from Deep Cove Kayaks, located right on the beach in the tranquil harbour. Then spend the afternoon paddling around the myriad small islands in the cove. Adventurous families can even make it down to the waterfall at the end of Indian Arm.

www.iguanaswhiterock.com

www.covefinefoods.com

www.whiterockcity.ca

www.deepcovekayak.com

Mayne Island

Qualicum Beach

Take a short ferry ride from Tsawwassen to spend the day hiking the various trails around the island.

Visiting the shops of local artisans (and don’t miss the farmers’ market in summer months), have dinner at the Bennet Bay Bistro, before getting cozy at the beautiful Fairview Farm Bed and Breakfast.

Take the ferry from Horeseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and then take the Old Island Highway up past Parksville to Qualicum. Spend the day beachcombing, hiking, or even spelunking before checking into the oceanfront Sand Pebbles Inn. Have a leisurely dinner over the rising tide at the Beach House Café next door.

Saltspring Island

www.mayneisland.com

www.spebbles.com

www.fairviewonmayne.com

www.qualicumbeach.com

www.dospadres.net www.chuckanutdrive.com

overnighters

www.bennettbaybistro.com

The Sunshine Coast Harrison Hot Springs and Minter Gardens Avoid the ferry hassle and head east for the weekend! Take Highway 1 to the Agassiz-Rosedale Highway, and visit the famous Minter gardens. Have lunch at their lovely café and then move on to Harrison Hotsprings Resort.

Once you are unpacked, grab a snack and head out for a hike on the Sandy Cove Trail. Then treat yourself to dinner at the Copper Room and a long soak in the warm springs.

Take the Langdale ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Gibsons, where you can see Beachcombers memorabilia and have lunch at Molly’s Reach before strolling around the quaint village and beach. Then take a drive up to Davis Bay where you can fish off the pier, before settling down in Roberts Creek at Cottage Al Sole. Wake up and wander the extensive gardens before going to the Gumboot Garden Café for your morning meal.

www.mollysreach.ca www.cottagealsole.com

www.harrisonresort.com

Manning Park

www.saltspringcoffee.com www.mobys.ca www.cusheonlake.com

Pemberton Take some time on the beautiful Sea-to-Sky Highway to stop at the Britannia Mining Museum before having organic pizza in Whistler at Creek Bread. Then drive up to Pemberton, and take a horseback ride through the valley with Adventures on Horseback. Have dinner at The Wood Restaurant, before going to sleep at the cozy Pemberton Valley Lodge.

www.adventuresonhorseback.com

www.tourismharrison.com www.mintergardens.com

Hop on the ferry at Tsawwassen to Long Harbour – and don’t forget to bring your bikes! Grab a coffee at Saltspring Coffee, before spending the day in Ganges perusing one of BC’s first and finest farmer’s markets for treasures edible and otherwise. Then head over for dinner at Moby’s. Stay in a charming lakeside cottage at Cusheon lake Resort.

www.thewoodrestaurant.com

Cowichan Valley/ Saanich Peninsula Farm, Wine and Cider Tour

www.pembertonvalleylodge.com

Bowen Island Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Snug Cove on Bowen Island, and take out a kayak for a couple of hours from Bowen Island Sea Kayaking right on the dock. Grab lunch from the Village Baker Café, before setting off around Killarney Lake for a two-hour walk.

Have a pizza dinner at Tuscany, and if you can’t bring yourselves to leave, grab a room at Evergreen Hall Bed and Breakfast.

Drive past Hope (but not before stopping for some excellent pie at the Home Restaurant) up to the beautiful Crow’s Nest Pass, to Manning Park Resort. Visit Lightening Lake before settling into your suite to relax, eat at Pinewoods Dining Room, and sit in front of the fire planning your next day activities on the lake or the trails.

Take the ferry over to Nanaimo and drive south, “Down Island,” through the Cowichan Valley. Follow the farm wine tour signs and discover Merridale Cidery, and bunk down with the water buffalos for the night at Fairburn Farmstay and Guesthouse, Canada’s first working water buffalo farm. Take the Swartz Bay ferry home the next day.

www.merridalecider.com

villagebaker.ca

www.homerestaurants.ca

www.fairburnfarm.bc.ca

tuscanypizza.com

www.manningpark.com

bowenislandkayaking.com

www.evergreenhall.com March 2013 19

geekology

travel apps & websites

When you’re looking for events, activities and accommodations when you’re on vacation, there’s no better tool than your SmartPhone. Check out these handy sites and apps that will help your trip go more smoothly, and may even save you money (or in two cases, even your life). www.art-bc.com The Arts and Cultural Guide for British Columbia can tell you what festivals are happening, where the galleries are, and what’s going on in the art and culture of this province, organized by time of year and region

www.onthegokids.com Find out what’s going on for kids and families in and around Vancouver and Toronto (with more cities coming soon) right now, this weekend or next week! Browse event listings, read a full event description and plan your time with your kids by building a personalized schedule. You can even share event details on Facebook or tweet what you’re up to.

20 WestCoastFamilies.com

maps.nationalgeographic.com National Geographic MapMachine lets you locate any place on earth, then search and print historical information about those places. Use Atlas Explorer to investigate far-off places in the world, or just the closest beach, and create unique puzzles with the Atlas Puzzle creator.

www.voxer.com Voxer is an integrated multimedia “push-to-talk” application. It lets you send instant audio, text and photo messages to your friends (to both individuals and groups). Messages stream live as you talk, you can choose to speak instantly or listen to recorded audio later.

www.helpcallapp.com You and your family can travel the world with peace of mind when you have the Help Call App, available in iTunes. Help Call is designed to help you quickly place important emergency phone calls in your current country location.

www.mpassport.com mPassport allows you to find medical professionals and schedule appointments wherever you happen to be. It also helps you locate emergency services, hospitals and pharmacies, and translate medication names, medical terms and phrases into the language of the country you’re visiting.

www.songza.com Sick and tired of your own playlists, or even worse, the music your kids have put on your phone?

Songza is a free streaming music service that has expert-made playlists for working, relaxing, or entertaining, and makes it easy to find the right one at the right time.

www.whiptheapp.com The new way to create, share, and discover awesome social albums. Whiptheapp allows you to relive and share the funny, quirky, moving, awe-inspiring stories that make up your life with. Effortlessly blend your photos, text and more together to tell these stories in just a few taps.

www.tripadvisor.com This great website and app makes it easy to find hotels and restaurants near where you are, with handy user ratings and reviews, along with price ranges, pictures and more.

www.rvparkreviews.com The self-explanatory website is the TripAdvisor of the camping and RVing world. Check out the ratings of your RV parks along your road trip before you get there.

March 2013 21

fun

springbreak

Zoo Tours Urban Safari Rescue Society, Surrey There are about 200 animals at this indoor zoo - exotic insects, arachnids, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals - mostly rescues and surrenders from people who got them as pets and can no longer care for them. $10 adults, $6 children/seniors, kids 3 & under free.

604.531.1100 | www.urbansafarirescue.ca

Jump In and Take a Swim

Park Rider Ski & Snowboard Event

Watermania and Minoru Aquatic Centre, Richmond

Whistler Blackcomb, Whistler

March 15 – April 1

Featuring an early season All Rounder Park Jam and Slopestyle taking place on both mountains, utilizing the best terrain available. Competitions open to skiers and snowboarders, all ages welcome unless an age range is indicated in the title of the event.

Enjoy extended pool hours with water slides, hot tubs, diving boards, rope swings, kids pools, and much more. www.richmond.ca

March 24

www.whistlerblackcomb.com

The Village Scavenger Hunt

Ride the Dinosaur Train

Explore History

Burnaby Village Museum, Burnaby

Railway Heritage Park in Squamish

Fort Langley National Historic Site, Fort Langley

March 16-24, 12noon-4pm

March 16-31

March 16-24, 10am-5pm

Storybooks - Heroes, villains and quirky characters and places from children’s stories - come to life through a scavenger hunt, crafts and performances. Special Event pricing includes carousel rides.

Come Ride the Dinosaur Train to the giant Roundhouse and search for fossils, find their footprints, get up close to your favourite TV Dinosaur friends and other activities. Get your photo with Buddy. Tickets $25.

Help plant the heritage garden, watch a baking demonstration at noon, and hear the historic weapons demonstration at 3:30 pm. Regular admission applies; free for annual pass holders

604.297.4565

604.898.9336 | www.wcra.org

www.pc.gc.ca/fortlangley

www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

Medieval Mayhem at Science World

Lace it up at Grandview Lanes

Things that Go Vrooooooom!

Vancouver

Vancouver

Vancouver

March 10-23

Starting at just $35 you can rent a lane for up to six bowlers for an hour for five-pin and 10-pin bowling. Try Glow-In-The-Dark Bowling to make it even more fun. Kids shoe rentals are free.

If you have a kid that is obsessed with anything that goes vroom vroom, take them to the Trev Deeley Motorcycle Exhibition. The current show is called Made in America, featuring the history of the motorcycle industry in North America. Open to public seven days a week, admission by donation.

Take the kids to explore medieval science together. Make-and-take activities include Crazy Catapulting, Create a Crown, Lego: A Castle Adventure, Pocket Full of Posies. www.scienceworld.ca

www.grandviewbowling.com

www.deeleymotorcycleexhibition.ca

Spring into Action

Create and Learn

Look, Learn & Make

Take a hike in Lynn Canyon

Sports Hall of Fame, Vancouver

Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Vancouver

Vancouver Art Gallery

Learn about everything from bears to bats (topics change daily) during Wildlife Weeks at the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre. Suggested donation $2/person or $5/family.

Test your skills with the Ultimate Trivia Challenge, RunClimb-Play in the Participation Zone (free!), take a photo on a real 2010 Vancouver podium, and much more. www.bcsportshalloffame.com

Create biodiversity crafts, learn at activity stations, explore the Allan Yap Discovery Lab, watch films in the Allan Yap Theatre, and participate in biodiversity themed scavenger hunts. Schedules may change so be sure to check online calendar of daily and special programs! www.beatymuseum.ubc.ca

March 18-29, Daily 12-4pm, in the Gallery VAG presents the Gallery’s Special extended Weekly Family Programs. Join our fun team of Art Agents to learn more about the current exhibitions. Then check out The Making Place and try a range of hands-on activities inspired by what you have seen in the gallery. All activities are FREE for Members or with Gallery admission. www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

22 WestCoastFamilies.com

www.dnv.org/ecology

MORE CONTENT ONLINE! Looking for more Spring Break Camps?

Visit www.westcoastfamilies.com

Take in a show!

Enjoy the funniest, most mischievous feline in The Cat in the Hat at the Waterfront Theatre, Vancouver from February 23March 30. For Ages 3 and Up. www.carouseltheatre.ca Take the kids on a mysterious and adventurous journey that dives 100 years into the past, in the Raven Meets the Monkey King at Evergreen Cultural Centre on March 19-21. www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca

Send the kids to camp Machines & Me! Science World March 16-April 1 www.telusworldofscience.com/vancouver Swim and Bike camps Atlantis Programs, Point Grey and North Vancouver March 18-29 www.atlantisprograms.com Jump and Play Jump Gymnastics, Vancouver March 18-28 www.jumpgymnastics.ca Performing and Visual Art Camps Arts Umbrella, Granville Island March 18-28 www.artsumbrella.com CircusWest PNE Garden Auditorium, Vancouver March 18-28 www.circuswest.com Crafty Spring Break Camp Create It Emporium, Surrey March 18-29 www.createitemporium.com Ignite your Creativity!

Place Des Arts, Coquitlam March 18-28 www.placedesarts.ca Performing and Visual Arts Camps Evergreen Cultural Centre, Coquitlam March 18-28 www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca School of Rock Tom Lee Music, Vancouver March 18-22 www.tomleemusic.ca/learningcentre

March 2013 23

mom p westcoast

e r h a p s b e s t k n ow n a s t h e exuberantly morbid Morticia Addams on “The New Addams Family” on TV, Ellie Harvie is lately taking on two of her most challenging roles yet: working mom to five-year-old Simon, and outspoken activist for the foundering BC film and television industry.

Born in Belleville, Ontario, Ellie first came out to BC at the urging of a theatre professor with whom she was taking an elective drama class at the end of a political science degree. “There was a theatre school at the Vancouver Playhouse and he thought it would be right up my alley,” she says. “At the time people were talking about Vancouver because of “21 Jump Street”, so the city had a bit of a buzz”. From there the young actress cut her teeth doing local theatre and improv comedy before beginning to land small roles in films like “Happy Gilmore”, and TV shows such as “The X Files,” leading up to her vampy star turn as Morticia in 1998. For the next twelve years, Ellie worked steadily in many films and series, supplementing her income with lucrative commercial work, and getting her “live fix” from doing improv and stand-up comedy work.

“I used to only want to do edgy adult-oriented comedy, before Simon,” she laughs, “but now I just love doing kid’s stuff.” On a recent trip to Winnipeg to film the latest in the “Home Alone” franchise, Simon enjoyed a first-hand look at behind-the-scenes of a real film. But when asked if she would encourage her son to pursue a career on the stage or screen, the answer is an unequivocal “No for many reasons. I never wanted to do anything else, but it is a really tough business.”

And it’s especially hard for people in the industry here in Vancouver. “In a nutshell, two summers ago I noticed that my auditions had dwindled down to virtually nothing, and when I investigated, I found that there were 28 shows filming in Toronto and just eight here”. This was the result of the Ontario Government’s 25% “all in” tax rebate that was luring productions out East. “I thought, I’ve got to do something about this! So I ran for the board of directors of the Union of BC Performers… and was elected.”

According to many within the industry, much of the general public is under the misconception that the film industry is all rich Hollywood people seeking subsidies. The truth is that the industry employs over 25,000 people directly and indirectly in British Columbia. These people are not only performers, but accountants, construction workers, scenic painters, set decorators, lighting technicians, carpenters, graphic designers, and people from all walks of life and all creative backgrounds. BC built this industry up, has fantastic infrastructure like studios, and a talented and experienced workforce, but with the other provinces undercutting BC when it comes to tax incentives, these attributes are just not enough to be competitive.

24 WestCoastFamilies.com

Ellie Harvie Actor & Activist

By Stephanie MacDonald | Photo by Taran Rai

“And what worries me, is that once you lose this great infrastructure, it’s not coming back,” Ellie warns. “What worries me is that the studios will be turned into condos.”

Making it even more difficult for BC performers, Ellie explains, is that they can’t even go to Toronto to work, as to be eligible for the province’s 25% labour credit, you have to be a taxpaying resident of Ontario. “So you can’t get hired unless you’ve been living in Ontario for more than six months.”

Recent polls suggest the majority of British Columbians are in favour of the government’s ongoing and strengthened support of “Hollywood North”, with 83% supporting an increase in subsidies to Ontario and Quebec levels.

In November, Ellie hosted the first annual UBCP and the national branch ACTRA awards at the CBC studio in Vancouver, awarding acting, voice and stunt performers from BC. The event received much attention and helped highlight and raise the profile of the talent this province has to offer, and Ellie is not stopping there. With the forthcoming election, Ellie and her cohorts on the UBCP Board of Directors are going to make sure that saving the film industry is a big part of the debate.

By bringing attention to this cause, which affects so many British Columbians, Ellie Harvie might not be in front of a camera as much as usual, but she is playing hero to many families struggling with unemployment in the industry.

Her reward will not be in the form of a statue, but if she succeeds, it will mean renewed prosperity to an important and beloved industry in this province.

Recent polls suggest the majority of British Columbians are in favour of the government’s ongoing and strengthened support of “Hollywood North”, with 83% supporting an increase in subsidies to Ontario and Quebec levels.

March 2013 25

travel

Kids & Travel Make travel with kids fun and easy

By Julie Nowell

w

hen planning a travel post, I asked my husband about his best tip for travelling with kids.

Full of seriousness he replied ” Don’t”

Seriously. That was his tip.

Just don’t travel with kids. It is exhausting, expensive and frustrating.

So why do we do it?

We recently spent two weeks in St. Lucia with our three kids (aged eight, six and three) It took us 24 hours to get there, and 38 to get home. We travelled red eyes on the way there and spent three days recovering. It was hotter than expected and we spent most of the two weeks fighting with our three year old to wear clothing and shoes. There was one dinner – just one in two weeks – where every kid was pleasant at the table. Just one where no one was crying, or fussing, or complaining.

So, again? Why do we do this?

We do this because of the day my eight year old spent playing water soccer with some boys from Soufrie, the moment she understood that those little tin houses were where they lived, all in the same room, were good enough for them. Kind of puts the fight of having your own room into perspective.

We did it so our kids could understand that when there is a lack of space and income, the goats tied up outside the door are a needed source of food. It isn’t cruel, they are not pets. Even though we would consider them as something more than a food source.

Our kids explored flora and fauna otherwise unavailable to them in the cold weather of BC. They explored bad traffic due to poor city planning, and lack of infrastructure that created lines up for gas, and food and travel.

They engaged with the kids club ladies who all raised kids in St Lucia, and they walked away with an appreciation for what they have, and how many opportunities are open to them.

We do this so our kids know what it is like to be really tired, and still be able to make their way through customs with a smile on their face. We do this so they can see the how big the world is, how different, and to be able to have a vision of it from above as they fly over cities, towns and seas.

26 WestCoastFamilies.com

It creates understanding, and empathy to build relationships with people from different cultures. It opens up options to our kids, allows their minds to explore creative ideas that they may not have had without the experience of travel.

And yes. It is exhausting, and hubby and I get tired and frustrated. But, we aren’t travelling to escape our life or for relaxation and a good tan. We are travelling with our kids, because it is our life, every day of it, and we have no need to escape and sleep it away on a lounge chair.

So, best tip when travelling with kids. Don’t try and vacation, or escape. . . embrace the experience for what it is, for the bigger picture, for more than a tan.

Julie Nowell is a mom of three, a blogger and writer based on Salt Spring Island. www.julienowell.com

momevents westcoast

Adult Events for the Hip Mom Around Town!

The 39 Steps Various venues throughout Vancouver Ongoing until March 16 Hitchcock meets hilarious! Four gifted actors play over 150 zany characters in this Monty Python–flavoured Hitchcock spoof that just might give you vertigo. www.artsclub.com Vancouver Winter Farmers’ Market Nat Bailey Stadium Parking Lot Ongoing throughout March Everything from organic and conventional produce, meat, cheese and seafood, preserves, baking and bread.

604.879.3276 | www.eatlocal.org Fraser Valley Women’s Show Chilliwack Heritage Park March 1-3, check website for hours Enjoy a day out with girlfriends, get pampered and have fun including shopping at over 150 exhibits, free samples, entertainment, free makeovers, fashion shows, informative workshops, & cooking theatre demos. Tickets are $6 at the door. www.fraservalleywomensexpo.com Terminus Performance Works, Granville Island March 1-17, check website for times A serial killer dreams of singing Bette Midler tunes, a former teacher races to save a former student from a barbarous gang, and a young woman finds love in the arms of a demon. The play is dark, disturbing, poetic and comic. Tickets start at $15.

604.689.0926 | www.pitheatre.com

Self -Defence: Street Smarts for Kids & Adults Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre March 2, 2:30-4:30pm Learn how not to be a victim, your body’s arsenal, key striking targets, improvised weapons, practical self-defence and the best release and escape methods for even the smallest person. Time-saving, confidence-building, empowering and potentially life-saving, this workshop is a great investment for yourself and your family. $45/session www.hitandrunselfdefense.com www.roundhouse.ca Diva on the Run Jericho Sailing Center parking lot March 3, 9:30am Take part in this annual all women 8km run along Vancouvers Westside Seawall.

Make sure to be ready to sport your new feather Boa at the finish along with a huge Diva smile! www.divaontherun.com The 12th Annual BC Lung Association’s Climb the Wall Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel March 3, 8:30am The Stairclimb for Clean Air takes place with more than 500 participants going one-onone with BC’s tallest staircase in support of clean air and lung health, climbing all 739 steps and 48 stories. Registration is $25.

604.731.5864 | www.stairclimb.ca

Harvest Gateway Theatre March 7-16, 8pm Harvest is based on the real-life experience of the playwright’s parents; this show is moving, thought provoking and very funny.

Tickets are $38. www.gatewaytheatre.com

Classical Coffee Concert Studio Theatre at the Surrey Arts Centre March 14, 9:30am Enjoy tea, coffee and pastries in the lobby, followed by a 75-minute concert with Sarah Hagen and Ariel Barnes in the Studio Theatre. All seats $22.50 604.501.5566

Vitaly: An Evening of Wonders The Cultch March 8-10 & 15-17, 8pm Every illusion in Vitaly’s performance is original and represents an ‘impossible dream’ that he has set out to accomplish.

From making drawings and paintings come to life to teleporting playing cards from one audience member to another, Vitaly’s illusions defy logic and belief. www.eveneningofwonders.com

Kids Swap Meet Cloverdale Fairgrounds March 16, 9am-12:30pm New and gently used kids items for sale.

Everything for baby to 10 years from toys, books, movies to clothing and ride on toys, you will find it here.

604.588.9919

Drop & Dash - Kids Night Out South Delta Recreational Centre March 9, 6-10pm Drop your kids (age 6-10) off for an evening of fun & entertainment while you enjoy an evening out. They will play games, make crafts & prepare a healthy evening snack. $20/child. www.delta.ca

21st Century Flea Market Croatian Cultural Centre March 17, 10am-3pm This fun collector’s market is the largest of its kind in BC, with over 175 vendor tables packed with vintage jewelry, boho chic accessories, china & glass, retro furnishings, antiques & memorabilia and much more!

604.980.3159 www.21cpromotions.com/flea_market

If you’d like WestCoast Families magazine delivered to your event free of charge, please email your request to publisher@westcoastfamilies.com.

The Children’s Party Specialists Face painting, balloon animals, arts and crafts, and more.

604-318-1261 • www.partyarts.ca

March 2013 27

community The Secret World of Sharks and Rays Vancouver Aquarium Throughout March Ever wonder what makes a shark a fierce hunter or how they achieve incredible stealth and speed through the water? Come explore the mysterious lives of these fascinating creatures and their cousins, the skates, rays and ratfishes.

604.659.3474 | www.vanaqua.org North Delta Second Annual Baby Fair North Delta Recreation Centre March 2, 2013 9:30am – 1 pm This is an event to to connect new parents and their families with community agencies and businesses available to help them in their new responsibilities as parents.

604.818.3290 Vancouver International Dance Festival Various venues throughout Vancouver March 5-23 Featuring companies from New Zealand, Switzerland, Denmark and Canada informed by techniques and styles as diverse as Butoh and Gitxsan dance including exhibitions, and workshops.

604.662.4966 | www.vidf.ca Diversity Health Fair Croatian Cultural Centre, Vancouver March 9, 10am-3pm This free, family-friendly event features over 50 health and wellness related exhibitors, interactive culinary demonstrations, health screenings and onsite tests, spectacular multicultural entertainment and children’s activities. The theme of this year’s event is Chronic Disease Prevention. Free. www.amssa.org/healthfair2013 CelticFest Vancouver 2013 Various venues throughout Vancouver March 9-17 Enjoy music, dance, family-friendly entertainment and a healthy dose of Celtic spirit. With over 70 events scheduled, there is something for everyone. www.celticfestvancouver.com

28 WestCoastFamilies.com

Kidstuff Swapmeet Willingdon Community Centre March 9, 9am–1pm 40 tables of pre-loved children’s items.

604.297.4526 Eyes on Owls Campbell Valley Regional Park March 9, 1:30-4:30 pm Examine feathers, bones and beaks to find out about the life of owls. Enjoy displays, crafts and take a guided walk. Meet at the Nature House, at 8th Avenue and 204th Street in Langley, via the South Valley entrance.

604.530.4983 Aliens Among Us Traveling Exhibit Richmond Nature Park March 9-June 2, 9am-5pm This is a traveling Royal BC Museum exhibition on British Columbia’s invasive species. American bullfrogs, Smallmouth Bass and Purple Loosestrife are just a few of the species featured.

Admission by donation for all ages!

604.718.6188 www.alienspecies.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/ Highlands Preschool Children’s Sale Highlands Preschool, North Vancouver March 9, 9am-12noon With dozens of vendors every year, find new and gently used baby and children’s items in the most anticipated annual children’s sale on the North Shore! www.highlandspreschool.ca Build a Race Car - Home Depot Kid Workshop Various Home Depot locations March 9, 10am-12noon A great free activity for children ages 4-12.

Kids will learn how to build a race car using a hammer and glue. Register in advance. www.homedepot.ca/workshops/build-arace-car La Diva Malbouffa Evergreen Cultural Centre March 10, 2pm Be prepared for a fun-filled show for kids about opera and healthy eating. Tickets $14/$18.

Family of 4: $54. www.evergreeenculturalcentre.ca

Trail Troupers: Nature Walks for Kids Pacific Spirit Regional Park March 16, 10-11am Every third Saturday of the month, Pacific Spirit Park Youth Committee offers a free nature walk.

Parents must accompany children. www.pacificspiritparksociety.org St Patty’s Party South Delta Recreational Centre March 16, 6:30-8:30pm Bring your family out for a night of activities and fun for everyone. All ages. $3 per person. www.delta.ca Celtic Fest 2013 Surrey Museum March 16, 1-4pm Be entertained by captivating Celtic music and dancing, history and crafts. By donation. www.surrey.ca Princess Tea Party benefitting the Children’s Wish Foundation The Coast Hotel & Convention Centre, Langley March 16 Support The Children’s Wish Foundation in a land of enchantment, where you will be entertained by royal musicians, dancers, crafts, photo booths, fairies and more. Tickets: $25 604.299.2241 | teaparty.wishmonth.ca Vancouver Lego Games Firefighters’ Club, Burnaby March 17, 2-4pm See 100 competitors at this local Lego charity event with all proceeds going to Canuck Place. www.firefightersclub.com Symphonic SorceryThe Music of Harry Potter Orpheum Theatre March 17, 2pm Relive the intrigue, magic and wonder of the Harry Potter stories with the music of John Williams and Nicholas Hooper. Arrive an hour early for the VSO Instrument Fair, where children have the chance to play real orchestral instruments. $19-$28.

604.684.9100 www.vancouversymphony.ca

calendar Family Day at the Surrey Art Gallery Surrey Art Gallery March 17, 12noon-4pm Drop in for family-friendly activities inspired by exhibitions that explore contemporary Canadian ceramic art, plus a special performance at 2pm.

Everyone is welcome. Suggested donation $4.

604.501.5566 | www.surrey.ca Mythbusters Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre March 17, 8pm With this show, for the first time, fans join Jamie and Adam on stage and assist in their mind-blowing and mind-twisting approach to science. $47-$62 1.866.977.2372 | www.abbotsfordcentre.ca

Learn to Fish Green Timbers Lake, Surrey March 20, 1-3pm A hands-on program to learn about fish habitat and conservation, as well as where, when and how to catch fish! Equipment provided and includes time to fish on the lake. Ages 5 to 15.

Registration required. Suggested donation $5 604.502.6065 | www.surrey.ca/culturerecreation | www.gofishbc.com Birds of a Feather Burnaby Lake Regional Park March 21, 11am – 3 pm Feed the ducks and geese, and look for bird nests. Make a bird feeder to take home. Allow one hour. Free. www.burnaby.ca

Make It Mondays!

A Drop-in Family Arts Night Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre March 18, 6:30-8:30pm This art program invites parents and children ages 2-8 years to learn about making art as you explore art media, mark making and much more. Fun, creative activities will inspire the whole family. Suggested donation $2 per person www.roundhouse.ca

Earth Hour March 23, 8:30-9:30pm Turn your lights off to take a stand and support action on climate change. The campaign encourages individuals, communities, businesses and governments to show leadership on climate change and to use Earth Hour as a platform to showcase to the world what measures they are taking to reduce their environmental impact. www.wwf.ca/events/earthhour

2013 Behind the Scenes Sessions Maplewood Farm March 19, 23, 26 & 30, 11am & 2pm Get a ‘Behind the Scenes’ look into the operation of the farm including egg collection and washing, animal grooming, setting up feed and exploring “Staff Only” areas. $11-$24. www.maplewoodfarm.bc.ca

The Kerplunks Evergreen Cultural Centre March 26, 11am & March 27, 11am and 7pm This lively group brings high-energy, colourful performances to the stage guaranteed to get kids engaged and singing along. Tickets $14/$18. Family of 4: $54. www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca

Family Day at IKEA Ikea Coquitlam March 20, & 27, 11am-3pm Amazing make-up artist, Melanie Dawn will be here outside the cafeteria on the first floor. It’s always busy so come early. www.ikea.com/richmond

Easter Animal Fair Surrey Museum March 30, 1-4pm Join in Easter fun with crafts, games, a scavenger hunt and learn about the real Easter Bunny and friends as you discover local wildlife and meet rescue animals, from rabbits to reptiles and an assortment of dogs and parrots. Drop in, by donation. www.surrey.ca

Seed Tapestry: For the Birds!

ArtStarts March 30, 11am & 1pm Participating families will work together making a large quilt-like pattern on the ground, using birdseeds and flower petals as the palette.

604.336.0626 | www.artstarts.com Eco Easter Egg Hunt Surrey Nature Centre March 30, 10am-3pm Bring your own basket and search for Easter eggs in the forest! Take a picture with the Easter Bunny and enjoy egg-themed crafts, activities, food and entertainment. Every child receives a prize. Tickets $7 604.502.6065 Bhangra/Bollywood with South Asian Arts The Roundhouse | Performance Centre March 31, 2pm Music and dance go hand in hand to recreate the rituals of our ancestors, keeping the culture and tradition alive through disciplined art. Fresh and energetic, this performance is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Suggested donation $5-$20, kids 10 & under free. www.roundhouse.ca Easter Egg Hunt Harris Road Park March 31, 9-11am Come out and participate in the annual Easter Egg Hunt hosted by the Pitt Meadows Lions’ Club in partnership with Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Parks and Leisure Services. Free.

604.467.7453

Visit www.westcoastfamilies.com/events_ calendar for more family friendly events in June! To have your event included in the WestCoast Families community calendar, please email your details to admin@ westcoastfamilies.com.

If you’d like WestCoast Families magazine delivered to your event free of charge, please email your request to publisher@westcoastfamilies.com.

March 2013 29

stylefile 525 America striped knit $160

Mexx striped t-shirt $39

Karen Telio necklace $180

Citizen Boyfriend “Dani” capris $225

J Brand skinnies in fuschia $249

Get out there and GET THIS LOOK! Twist Fashions www.twistfashions.com 30 WestCoastFamilies.com

Spring is in the air and it’s time to bring on the colour! With the help of Twist Fashions in Vancouver, we’ve put together styles that look great whether you’re heading out for a lunch meeting, walking to the playground, or getting ready for a long family road trip.

J Brand denim jacket $285

Desigual dress $119

any ® happy meal only

3

$ 99 plus tax

How happy is that!

At participating McDonald’s® restaurants. ©2013 McDonald’s