by Alicia Woodside, Modern Mix Vancouver Fitness Writer

Growing up, I was a wimpy skier, as my body didn’t adjust well to cold temperatures. Even now, I still feared those cold windy days on the mountain.

A couple years back, I was skiing in BC’s spectacular Kootenays and although the landscape is unreal, so is the temperature, at -20 plus wind chill! In an effort to help me still ski the area’s beautiful mountains, my mom presents me with the ultimate weather defense– a face mask! I was quite grateful for some protection for my neck and face, until I looked in the mirror, and realized that I was still cold, and now I looked like Darth Vader. Needless to say, there were some interesting photos of me up on the mountain looking scary.

This past Easter that I was able to revisit BC’s coldest corridor on skis, and thankfully, this time I was equipped with a Nibz Bandana, created by Whistler snowboard cross gal Sara Niblock. With Nibz, Sara has created a selection of vibrant, groovy “bandanas” to protect the face and neck on the slopes, in a clear stand against the Darth Vader-esque look that the previous face masks achieved.

My first impression of Nibz was a good one. Sara took something that could look nerdy, and made it into a fashionable accessory. Given my experience wearing Nibz’ Darth Vader competitor, I was ecstatic about the idea that face masks can actually look rad. Nibz’ online store was fun, with so many bright and fun prints to peruse. Finally I chose the ultimate fashion piece– the Marilyn Monroe print!

Immediately when I put on the bandana, I received a compliment, and I wasn’t even out of the parking lot. So at this point, I was happy to wear the Nibz, regardless of function. But how would it do on the slopes?

I was able to try Nibz with and without helmet, and with several jacket styles, too investigate use in different scenarios. On my first day, I wore the Nibz together with no helmet, and only a toque, and I found the bandana was great. It stayed in place, and succeeded to block the small amount of wind that lingered that day on the mountain. I was impressed, the three-layer construction provided a good layer of insulation against whatever came my way. On day two and three, I experimented with different uses. First I tried the bandana together with a helmet, with less success– I found that this particular helmet interfered with the bandana’s ideal fit on my face, because the chin strap forced it lower. Next, I tried the bandana with a jacket that comes high on the chin, zipped all the way up. In this case I found that the bandana was essentially redundant, as this jacket zipped up to the same level as the bandana.

Overall, the functional potential of Nibz has a lot to do with the combination of garments you wear, and I would recommend the bandana as most useful if your jacket does not come quite high enough to protect your neck and chin. But regardless of that, I’m certain that this little piece can go a long way to spicing-up your mountain fashion– and for only $29.99 and made locally, it’s a no-brainer.  Nibz Bandanas are available for purchase online at nibz.ca.

Enjoy what’s left of Spring Skiing!

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.

Cold feet about winter? Come warm up with Glerups!  Founded in 1993 in Denmark by Nanny Glerup (you were probably wondering where the name came from!), Glerups slippers are made naturally from felted wool and an all-natural leather sole.  Now available in Canada, Glerups are an awesome pair of premium slippers to keep your feet warm in the winter – especially if you have hardwood floors like mine!

Glerups come in three styles for both men and women:

• The “slipper” embodies the classic characteristics of a slip-on indoor shoe
• The “shoe” allows you to get the warmth and comfort of an on-the-foot shoe .  I have this pair in red (shown above) and I love how the sole is made of soft leather and the roominess of the shoe itself allows my feet to breath.  I also found that over time, the felted wool molds slightly to the shape of my feet so they get even more comfortable over time.
• The “boot” style Glerups is best for those looking for an all-around insulator.  The boot offers full foot coverage all the way up to the ankle.

Glerups come in a variety of vibrant, earthy colours, making them a versatile choice that will suit anyone’s personal style.  Glerups are available online at glerup.ca for $99 and in-stores at Twigg & Hottie on Main Street and Walrus on Cambie Street.

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.

By Guest-writer Alicia Woodside

While waiting to be seated this holiday at Earls, I was pleasantly surprised by an offering of warm, delicious mulled wine. The popular restaurant was using a very unique and appealing way to keep customers pleased during the busy holiday rush. After quickly finishing my mug, I requested Earls’ recipe, which uses a simple and flavourful array of ingredients that would please guests at any gathering this winter. Mulled wine is a winter evening delight and a great addition to bring warmth, comfort, and style to any occasion this winter.

Ingredients:

• 2 bottles red wine: A Zinfandel or Merlot (avoid oak-aged wine, and choose a decent bottle- it doesn’t have to be expensive as it is just being heated anyway)
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup cognac
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 10 cracked cardamom pods

Directions:
Heat-up the flavour elements by bringing the two cups water, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom pods to a boil in a saucepan. Once it boils, lower the heat, and add the wine to the aromatic mixture you have created. Gently heat the wine to a simmer, without allowing it to boil, for anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours. Just before serving, stir in the cognac.

Tips:
For a gathering, continue to steep the wine as guests arrive to welcome them with the amazing fragrance of fruit and spices. Serve in mugs, and keep the wine warm throughout the evening in a thermos, as guests are likely to want more

Cheers, Vanessa Choot
Editor-in-Chief
Modern Mix Vancouver

Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their own religion as well as those who choose not to practice a religion at all;
.

Additionally, a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions have helped make our society great, without regard to the race, creed, color, religious, or sexual preferences of the wishes.

]]> http://modernmixvancouver.com/index.php/2008/12/25/merry-christmas-from-mmv/feed/ 0 http://modernmixvancouver.com/index.php/2008/12/23/playlistcom-holiday-music-playlist/ http://modernmixvancouver.com/index.php/2008/12/23/playlistcom-holiday-music-playlist/#comments Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:47:46 +0000 vanessa http://modernmixvancouver.com/?p=1319
For the past month, I have been half-heartedly looking for some unconventional holiday tunes to listen to. Other than the well known Mariah Carey Christmas CD or that 8 Days of Christmas song by Destiny’s Child, I really didn’t know where else I could find a modern mix (heh heh) of winter tunes. Anyway, finally, I came across the Playlist.com website which allows its users (for free) to compile music files found throughout the internet into one playlist. Think of it as bookmarking your favorite tunes from the internet, and compiling them together to build a series of bookmarks – your playlist, with the ability to share, send and stream your selection.

Playlist.com happened to have a “Holiday Playlist” with fourteen awesome tracks on its main page, so I took those songs, compiled it into my own playlist, and embedded the music player into this blog entry:

1. Winter Song – Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
2. All I want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey
3. This Christmas – Chris Brown
4. Home for the Holidays – Perry Como
5. White Christmas – Katy Perry
6. My Only Wish (This Year) – Britney Spears
7. Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
8. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Andy Williams
9. I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Jordin Sparks
10. Mistletow – Colbie Calliat
11. Feliz Navidad – Jose Feliciano
12. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Christina Aguilera
13. Winter Wonderland – Johnny Mathis
14. Oh Holy Night – Kelly Clarkson

So yeah … enjoy it. This playlist will pretty much be the cherry on top of the icing to get you into the holiday spirit!

Bigelow & Co Rose Salve $5.50

In a recent issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine, a hundred celebrities listed out their top beauty must-have and “Smith’s Rosebud Salve” came up twice. In my confused eagerness, when I saw the similarly packaged Bigelow & Co Rose Salve at Bath & Body Works, I snatched them up right away. Only after re-reading the article did I realize I got the wrong product, but I’m sure this one works just as well. Packaged in a cute vintage/retro tin, the rose salve has the consistency of petroleum Jelly (ie. Vaseline) with a slight rose scent from its 0.9% rose extract. This product actually places #1 on the Bigelow Chemists top-sellers’ list. As a bonus, you can use this product on your elbows, cuticles and any other skin that feels dry! What a well rounded product. I bought this at West Edmonton Mall (only 5% tax!), but you can order it online here.

Kiehl’s Lip Balm SPF 15 $9.50

I really wasn’t going to open the new tube of lipbalm I got. But in my rush to head out the door and being unable to find my tin of rose salve (see above), I grabbed my new tube of Kiehl’s lip balm. I don’t know how else to describe it, but as soon as I put it on my super chapped lips, my lips felt like they were melted into moisture. This product comes in three shades – 30G (“light golden with peach tones”), 58B (“cooler red tones”), and clear. I generally don’t buy lip moisturizers tinted with color because they make me feel “unhealthy”, but this one’s not bad and the 30G color is very subtle. I got mine at Holt Renfrew but you can pick one up at any freestanding Kiehl’s store as well – such as on Robson and Burrard or order online here.

Smashbox Lip Exfoliant $18.00

This Smashbox product is a sugar-based and peppermint-infused lip exfoliant, and enhanced with vitamins and soothing conditioners for your dry lips. If you’ve ever used bath products with coarse exfoliants, this feels the same, but for your lips. Basically, you rub this grainy product on your lip until it feels smooth and leave it on for a couple of minutes and then wipe it off with a tissue. I didn’t personally buy this but I borrowed it from my mom’s collection. As far as I’m concerned, you can buy Smashbox products at selected Shopper’s Drug Marts or online here. On a sidenote, I was surprised to find a whole ton of beauty deals (samples, free shipping, bonuses, etc.) on the official Smashbox website. Way too many details to list out here, but check it out for yourself. It might even be wiser to buy online because of all the bonuses than from an in-person cosmetics counter.

Lastly, as “runner ups” in this article, I would also recommend Burt’s Bees and Softlips as products to use on chapped lips.

Anyway, I hope these suggestions have inspired you to ditch the lipsticks and go for the healthier moisturizing products instead. Let me know if you’ve used any of these products or have any lip moisturizing recommendations for chapped lips. But by the looks of it, I have enough lip products to last me through this winter and the next!