Meet my new 2 year old Pomeranian, Teddy Bear. He was a stray dog who got put into an animal control shelter in California, and rescued by Pamela’s Dogs, a local small dog rescue organization.  Teddy is getting used to city life with me, and is adjusting very well to being a city dog.  Being a dog owner in downtown unlocks an entirely new perspective of Vancouver for me.  I’ve been frequently visiting Bosleys in Yaletown, Vancouver Pet Store, Bow Wow Haus, Barking Babies as well as Pawsh Dog Spa to get myself in tune with the pet-owner world.  Teddy will also be starting personal one-on-one dog training with Nik at BarkBusters this week, to work on the separation anxiety issues that many rescue dogs have.  Stay tuned on Modern Mix Vancouver for upcoming posts on pet-related features.

In the meantime, if you’re interested in fostering or trial-adopting a small dog, check out Pamela’s Dogs!  Or attend one of Pamela’s small dog adoption events at your local Bow Wow Haus (Davie & Jervis, West 4th Ave & Pine or Broadway & Macdonald).

By Alicia Woodside, Modern Mix Vancouver Fitness Writer

Do you miss that epic party, also referred to as the Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games’ Cultural Olympiad?

Wether you soaked in never-ending parties at cultural houses, visited our local mountains in a new light, or let your hair go at amazing gigs around the city, we Vancouverites were sad to see our amazing global party come to a close in 2010. Encore, anyone?

Welcome, City & Slope!

In true 2010 fashion, Vancouver’s brand new signature winter festival celebrates our unique city and the winter sports, art, and music that we love. From February 10-12, expect a jam-packed weekend that brings you back to 2010, when the local mountains and party venues come alive with special events, and the streets of Yaletown light-up with the free lluminate Yaletown. Expect big name performers like Benny Benassi, local favourites like Hey Ocean, and special events at all the local mountains, including the spectacular 24 Hours of Winter at Grouse.

I had the chance to speak with Gregory Hegger, who is one of the organizers for this first-annual event. Greg set me straight with a few of my questions.

MMV: Hey Greg! We are excited to see a lot of Olympic connections here. How is this event going to be similar to the 2010 Olympics?

Greg: We want to harness that feeling that people had during the Olympics, that buzz in the air… the feeling that the city was alive! We definitely want to get that feeling back. With City & Slope, it’s that same combination of winter sports, music, and arts, that’s very inherent to Vancouver. Our company was involved in producing Heineken House, Vancouver House, and Alberta House during the Games, and so some of the City & Slope events will have the same feel. We’re tying this in to the Grouse legacy, with their 24 Hours of Winter, as well as the Cypress Olympic Legacy, where we will be taking over a lodge and giving it a Canada House feel with bands and activities, called Canadiana! We have a schedule online with all the events.

MMV: For our friends who already maxxed-out their credit cards this month, what would recommend as the top free event during City & Slope?

Greg: Definitely Illuminate Yaletown! It’s a completely free event, concentrated on Mainland Street, which we have closed down to cars from Nelson to Davie. There will be 20 different artists creating light projections, live ice-carving performances, building mapping, and as Mini Yaletown is a sponsor, we will see some creative art installations with Mini cars.

MMV: For the well-heeled types, what would recommend as the top splurge during City & Slope?

Greg: Definitely the pass to all the mountains, and the Benny Benassi concert at the Vancouver Convention Centre, which is expected to sell-out… We have some great “Stay and Slope” hotel deals and packages that combine music, skiing, and hotel deals, so a staycation would be the best way to spend an amazing weekend!

MMV: What is your vision for the future of this event?

For a complete schedule of events, we recommend you surf on over to City and Slope’s website here, and you can find out about some awesome packages here.

By Manveet Virk, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

Are you set to hang on to winter for one last blast Vancouver? Illuminate Yaletown is just around the corner with fourteen artists putting in their hearts and souls to give us awesome interactive light shows that will make the streets glow from blocks away.  Part of the popular City and Slope Event, Illuminate Yaletown is for those who want to stay within city limits and witness Yaletown making a remarkable transformation. If you still need convincing, check out the images from last year’s Flickr 2011 Illuminate Yaletown Photo Contest. All I can say is… eat your heart out LiteBright!

By Manveet Virk, Modern Mix Vancouver Writer

It is officially safe to say 2012 is in full gear, and with the next long weekend a long trek away, a downtown Vancouver staycation may be the perfect remedy for a mini but sure needed break. When trying to choose a boutique hotel, if you’re anything like me, you sometimes want all the typical hotel bells and whistles but not have the 5-star rates, correct? If you want a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel experience that still includes a complete list of amenities and friendly concierge team, the Loden Hotel gives you just that, and is right smack in the middle of the best that downtown Vancouver has to offer. Plus, being in Coal Harbour, the views, atmosphere and proximity to Stanley Park gives this hotel a location advantage.

Upon entering the lobby of the Loden, there is the instant feeling of opulence with the very retro-mod inspired décor. While taking a tour with the Director of Sales, Richard Graham, he mentions that the guests of the hotel are “trendy, design centric individuals,” and I immediately see why. It’s cool yet mature and refined. From the colour-rich artwork to the floor-to-ceiling striped marble fireplace, and learning that A-list celebrities are known to frequently stay at Loden, I wouldn’t mind lounging here all afternoon long and perhaps capture a star-sighting too.

Once we make our way to view the rooms, I can’t help but think, ‘gosh, no wonder celebrities like coming here!’ The guest rooms offer a stunning first impression; soft hues with nature-inspired contrasts, oh-so-comfortable beds, über-luxurious bathrooms, technology plugins and best of all, rooms so quiet that you’ll forget you’re in the middle of the city’s hustle and bustle or that there are rooms right next door.

Then it’s time to see what else a stay includes and I discover that the Loden has it all. The BeFit Studio fitness centre is complete with on-site personal training options, the spa room can be booked for solo or couple services, the business centre is small yet private to get work done if needed and the top amenity is the French bistro, Tableau Bar and Bistro located off the lobby.

Tableau, voted Best in the City by Georgia Straight in 2011, is such a nice recent addition to Loden. Richard mentioned that the menu that has been brilliantly crafted by Executive Chef Marc-André Choquette, was inspired greatly by New York and Paris culinary scenes to offer a unique option to our very high caliber Vancouver restaurants’ list. What really stood out to me was the growing popularity of brunch at Tabeau. In a city that needs more options for winding down on Saturdays and spending time with your loved ones on Sundays, we all can really use a weekend brunch tradition. Tableau is becoming the choice for locals and hotel guests, and quite simply, must really be experienced.

So my verdict? A Loden weekend staycation (especially with Valentine’s Day coming up!) and brunch at Tableau are really going to be hard to resist doing over and over again.

MMV Giveaway: Modern Mix Vancouver is giving away a $70 gift certificate for brunch at Tableau Bar & Bistro. Leave a comment below telling us your favourite brunch item on the Tableau brunch menu (click here to see the menu) and a random winner will be chosen from the comments below. Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you’re a winner. Contests ends Tuesday January 31st (11:59pm PST).  

For additional entries, you can do the following things;

• For a second entry: Follow @ModernMixVan on Twitter and tweet “I want to win $70 to @TableauBistro at @LodenHotel from @ModernMixVan http://bit.ly/AERGRo RT to enter!”
• For a third entry: “Like” the Modern Mix Vancouver Page on Facebook and post on the wall “I want to win a $70 gift certificate to Tableau Bistro at Loden Hotel from Modern Mix Vancouver! http://bit.ly/AERGRo”

LASTLY, want to try out the award winning Loden Hotel for yourself? Contact Director of Sales, Richard Graham at Richard.Graham@theLoden.com and mention Modern Mix Vancouver or this article to receive a special 15% off* the Best Available Rate of the day!

*This MMV offer is valid until February 29, 2012, subject to availability, is based on double occupancy, cannot be combined with any other promotion and is not valid on February 14, 2012.

By Alicia Woodside, Modern Mix Vancouver Fitness Writer

During winter, what do you to replace Vancouver’s Grouse Grind?  While the winter might bar you from your favourite trail, it enables a whole new Grind experience, with the Grouse Mountain Snowshoe Grind!  Make way for the winter relative of our city’s favourite stairmaster, at Grouse Mountain’s Social Snowshoe evenings. Tackle the Snowshoe Grind with a free guided tour offered every Monday and Wednesday that helps you to enjoy the winter pleasures of crunching fresh snow, sliding down the occasional snow bank, and admiring pristine winter beauty– all from the best views atop Vancouver.

All participants meet in front of the Fireside Hut at the mountaintop Ice Skating Pond. If you need rentals, a $10 rental rate is available to all session participants. You can purchase rental vouchers at either Base Guest Services or Alpine Guest Services, and pick up your snowshoes at the Snowshoe Hut beside the Ice Skating Pond.

At my first Social Snowshoe, I saw something for everyone. If you’re like me, I was able to get my advanced fitness fill by joining in with the “Fast” group, and I found myself among other runners and triathletes who were using the evening as cross-training. If you’re out there for a more casual experience, there is also a “Social” (slow) group and a “Medium” group, which cater to beginner and intermediate levels.

Joining the “Fast” group was a great way to dive in head-first. As a novice snowshoer, I couldn’t believe some of the steep climbs the group seamlessly tackled. Although my friend and I had no idea what we were doing, we picked it up pretty fast. Slowly, we gathered faith that our snowshoes would work, and the rest followed.  After about 50 minutes of mostly upward hiking, we reached the peak of the Snowshoe Grind and marveled at the wonderful view. If we are to compare the regular (summer) Grind and the Snowshoe (winter) Grind for the view, the winter edition would win, without a question. Surrounded by snow-capped trees and lit only by weak headlamps, you get a beautiful winter take on the popular city view.

The rest of the journey entailed some uphill, but mostly downhill– which we found more natural to conquer by running. Toward the end we passed underneath some of the chair lifts, which were lively with skiers overhead. I decided to snowshoe-run the rest of the way, with a motivation to beat the pace of the chairlift. Now, that’s something you can’t do in the summertime! Within a few minutes, I was back at the Lodge, comparing times and stripping off layers, much like what I do after the summer Grind.

In the summer, I tend to skip the social drink at the top of the Grind. Maybe it’s more of a strictly-fitness endeavor, or perhaps the heat makes the transition from hill to pub more complicated. Showshoeing is far more suited for an “aprés” event. The tour ends at 8:30pm, which presents a great time to go for a drink with some of the new friends you met during the training. In my experience, it was very easy to meet and mingle with the other snowshoers at Altitudes Bistro, who were exceptionally friendly and welcoming. For those of you who love the social prospect, I am told that starting in the new year, the aprés will become even better: Grouse will be kicking off Winter Social Nights with DJ’s, prizes, and drink specials every Wednesday, as though the friendly people and awesome view were not enough.

Summer or Winter Grind? Why choose, when you can have both? For those of you that cannot compare yet, I advise you get out there and see for yourself. For more information about the Snowshoe Social evenings, please visit the Grouse Mountain snowshoe page.

Are you from outside the Lower Mainland core and don’t feel like making the trek out to Dine Out Vancouver this year?  Or maybe you couldn’t get a reservation at the time you want.  Or perhaps you’re already a veteran Vancouver foodie and want to try something new.

Not to worry – the 6th annual “Bite of the Rock” restaurant festival presented by the White Rock Business Improvement Association, features a similar format to Dine Out Vancouver.  Choose from 20+ restaurants and eateries located throughout White Rock, which have three course menus from $15.00, $25.00, $35.00 and $45.00.  From fine dining to to international cuisine to meals for the whole family, there is something for everyone to choose from.  For more information and restaurant listings, click here.

I went with my friend to Raincity Grill for brunch this past weekend, she’s a vegetarian so I followed suit and went meat-free for the day.  For brunch at Raincity Grill, patrons have the option of ordering brunch items a la carte, or as a prix fixe – 2 courses for $20.  After ordering, Raincity Grill starts off your brunch with a complimentary amuse bouche – a miniature cup of warm apple cider and a bite-sized scone (which had a texture of a soft cookie, rather than a typically crunchy scone).

My friend got the prix fixe menu and started off with french toast as an appetizer.  The portion was (half a slice of thick-cut bread) but she said it was “amazing” and unlike any french toast she has ever had – the bread was soft and fluffy, and the maple syrup had a sweet, buttery taste.  There was a generous dollop of whipped cream on top.  There were also bits of caramelized apple in the dish, which reminded me of the filling in apple pie.

With a craving for potatoes but a vegetarian palate to accommodate, my friend’s second course in the prix fixe menu was a custom ordered vegetarian version of the  Helmers Potatoes and Ham Hock Hash.  We “oooh’d” when the dish came because the bright greens and oranges of the vegetables, and the stark white of the poached eggs, had a look of freshness. From past experience, breakfast hash items are usually quite greasy but this one was quite light and fresh (maybe it was because of the vegetable substitutions) and mildly flavoured.  However, my friend thought the potatoes were too mushy and would have been better if they were more fried.

I had the Roasted Sunchoke & Soffrito Linguine ($15) from the lunch menu.  The sofrito in my pasta consisted of a chopped mixture of vegetables, cubed into small chunks.  The linguini was presented in a folded, wrapped up sort of way, which was kind of fancy and the sofritto sauce was spooned on top.  The sofritto had the consistency of fresh salsa but crunchier, I loved the fresh crunch of the carrots, onion and celery.  There was too much pasta for the sauce, but our server was kind enough to add more sauce at no extra charge when I requested it.

Overall, Raincity Grill is a classy place for Pacific Northwest cuisine.  They even had a 100-mile menu where all the ingredients in a set-menu come from within a 100-mile radius. If I came back, for the full oceanside experience, I’d try to return during the summer as you have a good street view of English Bay from the windows and it’s always nicer to look out on the water when it’s sunny, rather than grey and rainy.

 A winner in cosmetics because of its versatility, Tangerine Tango is a bit exotic, but in a very friendly, non-threatening way. Add a sultry flair to lips, cheeks and nails with Tangerine Tango. An unexpected eye shadow color, Tangerine Tango is a complementary opposite that flatters blue or green eyes. When paired with brown eyes, it brings out an amber cast.

Energize interior spaces with Tangerine Tango patterned home accessories. Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue add spice to any room. Or incorporate Tangerine Tango appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of color. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Tangerine Tango for a dynamic burst of energy in the kitchen, entryway or hallway.

We’ve scoured the internet for items available in Vancouver which are sure to get heads turning towards you in 2012 and blast away the winter blahs.

1. Pantone Swatch “17-1463″ - Also known as Tangerine Tango.
2. Allison Wonderland “Portrait Dress” in red –  According to Vancouver-based designer Allison Smith, colour blocking is in.  The portrait dress from the Allison Wonderland Spring 2012 collection is fun and flirty, and makes a statement without being too formal. ($194 available at Allison Wonderland)
3. Deborah Lippmann “Lara’s Theme” – A “dare to wear” shade in a tangerine orange.  Deborah Lippmann’s nail lacquers is 3-Free (no formaldehyde, toluene and phtalates) and made with the finest ingredients, offering more than just gorgeous color, but also treatment benefits. Natural ingredients strengthen, hydrate, stimulate nail growth and prevent ridge formation ($20 available at Spa Boutique on West 4th Ave)
4. Glerup “Wool Slipper” in Orange –  Indoor slippers originated from Denmark and now available in Vancouver.  Made from 100% natural wool, made into socks and felted with steam to mimic the shape of your foot with a leather sole.  ($99 available online at glerup.ca, other colours available at Twigg & Hottie on Main Street and Walrus on Cambie Street)
5. Kusmi Tea “Boost” - A blend of mate, green tea and spices help naturally stimulate body and mind through this loose leaf tea. ($20 for Kusmi brand teas at Homewerx on Davie Street and Vancouver Special on Main Street).
6. Pantone Mug - official memorabilia from Pantone, this is a definite collector’s item for colour lovers. ($25 available online at Pantone.com)
7. Smitten Designs – local designer Laurie Simpkins is the designer behind this tangerine-coloured flower cameo with two strands of gold-plated chain (available for $89 at Jules & Eve in Kerrisdale and Changes on West 10th, other pieces available at Lord’s Shoes on South Granville)