Mount Washington - Mountain Opening Early - Comox Valley Vancouver Island

Mount Washington opens early for fhe third time in five years next week. Mount Washington Alpine Resort is pleased to announce that the mountain will open one week earlier than expected. Friday, December 3rd marks the beginning of the 2010-11 winter season and Island skiers and boarders are absolutely stoked!“People are chomping at the bit to get up the mountain right now,” says Resort Spokesperson Brent Curtain. “With all of the La Nina hype over the last couple of months, skiers and boarders are running on hyper-drive to hit the snow!”The weather discussions over the last two months have focused heavily on the La Nina weather phenomenon. La Nina's typically deliver cooler than expected temperatures and above average precipitation. So far, La Nina has delivered on both accounts. “We established a solid snowbase earlier than normal over the last month and the forecasted snow at the end of the week will make our base even deeper for opening day,” Curtain explains. The mountain is expecting more snow over the next few days with cooler temperatures dominating the long range forecasts. “La Nina definitely appears to be making her mark.”Mount Washington expects to have the entire frontside of the mountain, over 1200 skiable acres, ready for opening day. The Sunrise, Eagle, Hawk, and Green Chairs will be lifting skiers and boarders into the alpine. Nordic skiers can expect the same great early-season conditions as alpine enthusiasts on December 3rd. Mount Washington's Nordic Centre will have 21kms of track-set trails ready for skate and classic skiers and 6kms of snowshoe trails available for snow hikers. The mountain’s popular Ozone Tubing Park will also swing into action for snow play and family fun next Friday.If you're looking for some new stuff at the mountain for this season, you won't be disappointed. To take advantage of the all-natural fluff this winter, Mount Washington is opening an additional 100 acres of glades below the Little Washington peak on the west side of the mountain. The area is called the Gold Rush Glades, in honour of the mountain’s mining history. The early opening announcement is obviously great news for the mountain and its skiers and boarders. Even better is the timing of the resort's 6ixPak sale, which offers early bird rates until November 30th. As an added bonus, Mount Washington will give you a free day of skiing in April with every 6ixPak purchase.“This is the perfect time to grab your 6ixPak at our discounted November rates,” explains Don Sharpe, Director of Business Operations. “They make the perfect Christmas gift and you can pick one up at any Thrifty Foods location or buy them online at mountwashington.ca.”Mount Washington Alpine Resort opens for winter operations on Friday, December 3, 2010. The resort is located 30 minutes above The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air, Pacific Coastal Airlines, and Island Express service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). To find out about accommodation and package information, call Mount Washington Alpine Resort at 1-888-231-1499 toll free or locally at 250-338-1386. Surf to www.mountwashington.ca for additional information including our live snow cam.

MOMPreneur of the Year - My Kid Did It

One of the rights of a parent is to brag when there is something to brag about. My daughter Rebecca was reconized for her business talent and her community service as a Mompreneur of the Year! Check it out. That`s my girl!

Local professional photographer & mom has been recognized as one of 50 Canadian “MOMpreneurs!” Rebecca Kirstein of BK Studios Designer Photography has been chosen as one of the 10 finalists in the Community Service category by the national “MOMpreneur Magazine!” See official release below:

News Release: November 1st, 2010
50 Top Mompreneurs for 2010 Announced! Five Categories….
The 50 Top Mompreneurs for 2010 were announced by the MOMpreneur® Networking Group Inc. today. This is the second year outstanding mompreneurs have been celebrated by the MOMpreneur® which encourages and supports mothers being entrepreneurs through our website, e-newsletters, events and bi-monthly magazine distributed across Canada by subscription and in Indigo, Chapters and key independent bookstores.
“The goals, skills and achievements of these mompreneurs are adding to the economic sustainability of Canada with an ever expanding impact,” says Frances Wright, CEO/Publisher of the MOMpreneur® magazine. “The diversity and scale of their businesses is thrilling and we are honoured to be part of their sphere. Their revenues ranged from less than $24,999 per annum to $1,000,000,000 per annum.”
“Mompreneurs are dedicated to raising their families while growing their businesses. They have overcome many obstacles because they are well prepared, focused, persistent, energetic and innovative. With the advance of technology, these entrepreneurs conduct business around the clock and around the globe, says Wright.”
The mompreners either applied or were nominated and they were judged by Audrey Mabee, former co-owner of the Croft and former President of Alberta College of Art and Design; Kris Matthews, Founding Partner, The Matthews Group and CFO of the MOMpreneur® Networking Group Inc., and Frances Wright, CEO/Publisher of the MOMpreneur®. Ten mompreneurs were chosen in each category — Green Products/Services; Health-Based; Home-Based; Community; and Annual Revenue.

Winter Hits Victoria - Yikes

Obviously, we have been bragging to much about how little, if any snow Victoria gets. Well all that changed last night. We had a dump over night and the sun is expected to come out today, but that will bring with it much cooler temperatures. The forcast for Monday and Tuesday is overnight lows of minus 5 C. For my American friends, that is 23 F. Burr...

The hummingbirds are at the feeder about ever 30 seconds. They look cold and hungry. Eveything is covered in snow. The corn cob above looked delicous and ready to eat...alas it is frozen solid!

Well, it keeps us humble, for a short time anyway.

Winter has settled in. Now, we will just wait for it to melt. The sidewalks and driveways have melted clear already.

Comox Valley Tourism Hosts Victoria Tourism

The displays were up and the enthusiastic Comox Valley tourism marketers were ready. The event was held at Vista 18, the spectacular roof-top restaurant in the Chateau Victoria. This is truly an amazing venue with such a spectacular view of the City. Everyone we met shared with us why the Comox Valley is so special and why we should try there services. Mount Washington Alpine Resort was front and centre as were a number of other resorts/hotels and Crown Isle. There great appetizers and refreshments provided. It was a very nice presentation. Pictures above show the room set up and a picture of Ron and Brian Henry from Ocean River Sports enjoying an appetizer. Thanks Comox Valley. Well done! I didn't really need an invitation to go back to that wonderful playground called the Comox Valley, but I will indeed be back, time and time again. Give it a try and you may stay forever!

Victoria Hosts Hockey Night in Canada - Play On Tournament

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA TO HOST HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA’S PLAY ON! NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sixty teams to battle for national 4on4 street hockey supremacy, February 11 - 12, 2011

November 10, 2010 – Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! today announced Victoria, BC as the location for its National Championship event. Sixty teams from across Canada will compete in this 4on4 street hockey tournament in Victoria’s picturesque inner harbour Feb 11-12, 2011 for a chance to hoist the Redwood Cup, a $20,000 prize, and the title of Canada’s Greatest Street Hockey Players.

Victoria Times Colonist sportswriter Jack Knox recently wrote: “Peter Gzowski called hockey the ‘game of our lives.’ He was almost right. Ice hockey is what we watch, but road hockey is the game we actually play. The national game of Canadian mythology is played on a frozen pond, but in reality most of us spent more time, winter or summer, denting garage doors with tennis balls than slapping pucks.” It has been estimated by event organizers that there are at least three times as many people in Canada who have played street hockey as who have played ice hockey.

Each of the 54 Men’s and 6 Women’s teams that will compete in this event previously qualified to do so during one of the fifteen Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! tournaments held across Canada this past summer.

Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! National Championship tournament will also be featured in conjunction with the 11th annual Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada celebration on February 12, 2011 at 12 noon ET on CBC TV. Victoria, BC will be one of the satellite locations that will be visited across Canada as part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on CBC, with coverage from this national championship event. Whitehorse, Yukon is the official 2011 host location for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on CBC.

The Hotel Grand Pacific and The Fairmont Empress hotels will be Official Co-Host Hotel Partners of the event, which is also sponsored by SportChek, Powerade, Booster Juice, The City of Victoria, and Tourism Victoria.

“It’s a great honour to have CBC’s Play On! event back in Victoria as the only destination to host the event for two consecutive years” says Rob Gialloreto, President & CEO of Tourism Victoria. “With twice as many teams in 2011, we know this national championship event will be bigger and better than ever. We look forward to welcoming visitors to come and watch these athletes up close and our national audience on CBC TV Canada!”

“After the great success of the event last year, we’re delighted that Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! has chosen to return to Victoria” says Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin. “While the rest of the country is playing on ice, in Victoria will be closing off the street for a tournament that shows-off our wonderful weather and fabulous scenery.”

“We’re pleased to once again be headed to the beautiful City of Victoria for coverage of the National Championship of Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On!, as part of our Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada coverage,” said Joel Darling, Director of Production, CBC Sports. “Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada is all about celebrating the game and this event does exactly that.”

Teams competing at the event will include those representing each of the fifteen host cities of Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! in 2010, including St. John’s, Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Oshawa, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna and Burnaby. Also attending will be teams from many other locations across Canada including La Ronge, SK, Kenora, ON, Lethbridge, AB, Marystown, NL, and Niagara Falls, ON. The defending champions from Surrey, BC and a strong host team from Victoria will also compete in the event.

Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! National Championship

Date: February 11-12, 2011
Location: Belleville Street, Government Street @ Victoria, BC Inner Harbour

Note: Full Street closures will be implemented from 6pm on Thurs, Feb 10 – 8pm on Sat, Feb 12

Game Times: Friday February 11, 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday February 12, 9:00am – 6:00pm
National Championship Game to begin Saturday Feb 12th at 5:00pm

Admission: This event is free to spectators. Seating available on a first come first serve basis.