Dec. 18th: A Fluffy Sunset

Sunday was my last choir performance on top of Grouse Mountain this year and what a way to end the season.  It was a pretty grey and miserable day as Mom, Dad, and I made our way to the skyride to get on top of the mountain. We knew that there were some openings in the cloud, but we didn't really know what that meant in terms of what the conditions would be on top of the mountain.  Fortunately as we emerged from the deep fog, we were blinded by the sun reflecting of the sea of cloud. Breathtakingly beautiful does not even begin to describe how beautiful it was.

I have pictures (which will be posted soon) but even they do not do the sky justice.  While we were finishing our post choir show dinner in the Grouse Mountains bistro, Altitudes, we were over looking the gorgeous sky and were floored at how angelic the whole thing looked.  Seriously - there's a reason why heaven is often depicted with sunshine and clouds.

Dec. 17th: Christmas Carols and Presence

One of the best parts of having my parents in town is showing them a day (or few) in the life of their daughter.  What that usually means is they end up spending some time going to different shows.  This weekend the total came to 3 shows, 2 of which were PT shows that took place on Dec. 17th.

After a DELICIOUS meal at the Omelettery, we did a wee bit of shopping in the South Granville area right before starting the weekend of shows.  They went to see the matinee of A Christmas Carol first, then right after the matinee we made our way into Abbotsford for the Christmas Presence event that I've been wanting them to see for years.

It was a very VERY busy day - but we got everything done that we needed to and Mom and Dad enjoyed both of the shows.  But all knew what was coming up the next day ... so no matter how good Saturday was, we were still really looking forward to a Sunday spent on the mountain.

Dec. 16th: Hosting the Parents

It is rare that my Mom and Dad collectively come to visit.  They have both come to see me on separate occasions - but it's rare that they come to see me together.  But when they do it is quite the treat.  And fortunately they were coming at a time when I really REALLY wanted to see family.

This is the second Christmas in my entire life when I won't be with my family and it has really affected me (even today I got a little teary-eyed thinking about it).  So to have Mom and Dad here the weekend before Christmas was pretty darn special.  So special that I had to take half a day off just to straighten out my brain and prepare for the awesomeness that was to ensue.

With my little bit of extra time off - I was able to catch up with my Christmas shopping, and come pretty darn close to finishing a sewing project for a gift.  Then it was off to meet the parents at the airport!

Now I know that Vancouver is my home - but it's hard to see those faces and not feel at home no matter where I am.  Whether it's Ancaster, Brule, Vancouver, or Edmonton (possibly even Regina - though I haven't tried) wherever my parents are will always feel like home to me, even if Vancouver is the place I choose to live.

Dec. 15th: Preparing for Guests

So much for catching up a while ago - huh?  I blame my parents and Luke for distracting me.  But it's about time I catch up on some awesome.

So as for last Thursday I would like to make mention of how awesome it is to prepare for guests.  It's fun because you get to prepare for your guests (which, based on the assumption that you want the guests staying in your place, is in and of itself awesome) and you are forced to catch up on some long delayed chores.  Like laundry, dishes, a general tidying of the place.  Maybe normal people stay on top of this stuff all of the time, but this single-dweller sometimes let's that stuff go (particularly when more than 12 hours a day are spent somewhere other than the apartment).

I definitely didn't get everything done that I had hoped (especially since I was also trying to get some sewing done at the same time), but considering my guests already fully understood the level of tidiness that I was accustomed to, I think I did okay.  After all - they were the ones who raised me, so really there's only so much judgment they can give.

Dec. 14th: Christmas and Slumber Parties

It seems like I have fallen a little behind in my blogging.  This means I will have to put up some serious bonus featuring.  Hopefully I can get to that this weekend at some point.  But for now let's catch up, shall we?

So Wednesday ... GREAT day! It was really productive while still being tonnes of fun because it was a day of Christmas Parties.  First was our staff Christmas Party with our silly gift exchange and epic game playing.  This year Shay brought in the game SAY ANYTHING which I think is my favourite social gathering game of all time.  I love it because it gives you a great insight into the people you are playing with, while competing to determine who knows each other best.   It's just plain awesome!

Then time was up and people had to get on their way - at which time I went back to work for a few hours before heading to another Christmas Party with some close friends.  We had another gift exchange and I think I scored!  I was the proud recipient of a calendar entitled 12 Months of Awesome featuring pictures from my facebook page.  Also, did you know that January is now call Jawsuary?  Yup - apparently all of the months have a new name to fit the word awesome into them somehow.  For instance, December is now Dawesomeber!  Now THAT is a full year of awesome.

Though as awesome as the gift was, the best part of the party was staying up until the wee hours of the night and not caring too much because I had already previously planned to stay the night.  And so began the Christmas Slumber Party which was followed by pancakes in the morning.  That Lois sure knows how to host a party.

Dec.13th: Something roasting on an open fire!

It was yet another long day today, but it was capped off in one of the most delightful ways that the many hours spent at work did not even matter.  Because I was fortunate to smell the glorious scent of a cozy fire as I walked towards my apartment door.

I think there are a number of distinct smells that are clear reminders of the winter season.  For instance: pine, spruce, fir or any other kind of Christmas tree out there, mulled cider or wine, freshly fallen snow (yes it somehow has a scent), hot chocolate, damp clothes (after making snow angels in the freshly fallen snow), candy canes, and holiday baking - to name a few.  But one of my favourites is the smell of a fire burning in the fireplace.  You can practically smell the comfort.

Now, I knew coming home that the fire was not coming from my house, but it really didn't matter.  It just made me happy enough to know that someone nearby was taking full advantage of their fireplace.  As they should.  I happen to think that wood burning fireplaces are one of the best features a house can have. Electric fireplaces are neat but they will never offer that same homey feeling that comes from putting another log on the fire.  

Yes - a word burning fireplace is on definitely my list of wants when it comes time to ever being a homeowner.  I understand that I might have to negotiate some of my desires which means I might not get my fireplace right away - but a girl can dream, can't she?

Dec. 12th: My case of the Mondays!

I realized something today.  When you work every day on the weekend - you really don't run into that problem of the Monday blues.  Because it ends up feeling like any other day of the week.  And in my crazy world that's more or less what it was.  It was just the average run of the mill AWESOME day.

I went to work to sort out the details of the weekends events and do my usual Monday activities, but because I worked 7 days in a row last week (and will be pulling some more overtime this week) I treated myself to half a day off.  But before doing that we had to have our usual office antics.  Check out this video of Andrea in her Monday state (and then give it context by watching this video HERE).

Obviously as you can it was a really rough day in the office, so I was eager to get out of there and settle my problems with some retail therapy.  I'm actually quite impressed with how much shopping I was able to accomplish.  I didn't get everything I wanted, but most of my list got checked off with this afternoon's trip (and I even managed to treat myself to a couple little things).  

Then it was off to the Evergreen House to sing for a residential care unit of Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver.  It was a small intimate show, but it was very powerful.  Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and as per usual we ended the show by taking them to church. It was a great performance and it became a little emotional when one of the seniors offered some thanks at the end of the show.  

After the show I was prepared to take the long ride home on the bus, before I was intercepted by other choir members who were heading in my direction.  I'm always perfectly content to take the bus, because I enjoy taking the time read - and in general I have too much pride and feel weird about asking people I barely know to take me somewhere. But it was a great reminder that people genuinely want to help, so I should get over myself and accept the generous offer.  Plus it gave me a great opportunity to get to know some of my fellow choir members more.  It's amazing that I have spent so much time with these people, but I still know so little about them.  It was nice to finally fix that,  even if just a little bit.

Yup - so that was my Monday!  Not bad for the start of a new week.  Hopefully the rest of the week goes as well.  OH YEAH - and I also got a bit of extra news today but because I have yet to determine whether it's officially good news or not, I'll have to wait to report on it another time. Fingers crossed that it becomes blog worthy at some point!

Dec. 11th: Christmas Presence

Since moving to Vancouver I have developed a Christmas tradition that I don't think I can ever let go of now.  That tradition is Pacific Theatre's annual show - Christmas Presence.  Since 2006 when I first saw the show all I could think about was "This - THIS - is what Christmas is all about" quickly followed by the thought "I wish my parents were here to see this."

It's funny because the format of the show is soooooo informal, but that's what adds to the charm of the show.  It's really just some musicians getting together to jam with their Christmas tunes, while we throw the odd reading of a Christmas related story in there.  The artists arrive at 4pm to do some jamming, and by the time the starts at 8pm we have a set list.  A tentative set list that almost always changes slightly at some point in the night - but a set list nonetheless.

The show is particularly powerful when it is held in Pacific Theatre's intimate venue because you truly get the feeling that you are in someone's living room at a Christmas Party.  At least that's what it felt like to me because it's very similar to some of the parties that my parents went to when I was younger.  The parties would mostly be about the parents getting together and catching up, while the kids went off to play.  But at some point in the evening my Dad and his friends would pull out their instruments and start jamming - at which point I would often abandon the other kids in order to listen to the music.  Sometimes the jamming would start a little late in the evening when I should have been in bed, but I still managed to be present at the concert despite how tired I was.  Sure - I was curled up in a chair sleeping while they played - but at least I was there!

I digress!  The point is that the intentionality of Christmas Presence to keep the show friendly and casual while still taking the time to share some fun, hilarious, and so often moving stories about this time of year is what makes this event so special and so very nostalgic for me.  We had the first showing tonight which was fantastic.  But it's next Saturdays show that I am particularly excited about.  Not because it will be better than all the rest - but because I'll finally get my wish of having my parents there to see it with me.  Who wants to guess what the awesomism will be for that day?

Here's a little taste of the event!  One of our musicians, Laurell, has a song called All Wrapped Up In You that is quite lovely, and this is her original video for the song.  Enjoy!

Dec. 10th: Making Christmas Fabulous!

It was a jam packed day yesterday.  I spent the day working and was able to catch up with some old friends who abandoned Vancouver to live in England for a year (apparently it's kind of nice over there).  They just came back recently so this was one of the few times I was able to chat with them since they got back.  And the whole experience was made all the better by the delicious food that was being served while we were chatting.

After work I met up with my good high school pal, Adriana for some drinks before going to see a friend perform in the Vancouver Men's Chorus in their Christmas Show - Making Spirits Bright.  I had never been to any of their performances but after watching their sneak peek video, I knew it was going to be nothing short of fabulous.  And was I ever right!

I'm still trying to figure out what my favourite moment of the show was.  The Sound of Music medley sing along (especially considering that it was right on the heels of watching the show), the Hippopotamus caps, the amazing blending of the a cappella songs, the overall choirography and showmanship, the powerful performance of Merry Christmas Darling - or perhaps it was the ingenious way in which they turned a medley of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Jaws, and a few other John Williams scores into a Christmas song.  YUP!  I think that might have been it.  That and running into friend of Pacific Theatre - Brian Mix of the Pacific Rim String Quartet - who happened to be playing in the band that evening.  Small world!

We topped off the night with a mad dash back to Pacific to support friends in their late night apprentice project, followed by a late LATE night at Karl's place where worlds collided as friends from different social circles got together to have some great conversation, over some delicious food and drinks.  It was actually one of the best nights I have had in a while - and if you've read any of my blog then you know that's saying something!  Awesome is actually an understated description of yesterday.  Fabulous might be the more appropriate word.

Dec. 9th: Once a Week!

Alright - so tonight I went to support a good friend in Gateway Theatre's production of The Sound of Music.  Because this was yet another day of me going to see a theatre show, I had to look into my calendar this past year to figure out how many shows I have seen in 2011.  I know that my calendar did not include every single show I went to see but I don't think I've missed too many.  Based on numbers, i t turns out that I have kept an average of seeing about one show a week this past year.  That's including some of the shows that I was in and/or involved with (including some improv shows), but it does not include the times that I went to see shows more than once (and there are a number of those).

I'm pretty proud of the one show a week.  I'm glad to know that I have made a good effort this year to make theatre a priority in my life, while still making room for my other passions (ie. choir, concerts, trips to the island and back home, etc.).  Here's the list of all of the theatre/improv/dance shows I saw this year - as far as my schedule is concerned.  Anything italicized were the shows that I was involved with and therefore may have attended more than once.

THIS

The Pavillion

Dead Man Cell Phone

My Name Is Asher Lev

Improv Night at Rowan’s Roof

August: Osage County

I (Heart) Improv

Bird Brain

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Death of a Salesman

Firebird (Dance)

Munscha Mia

Jesus Hopped the A Train

It’s Blank (Improv)

The Philanderer

The Trespassers

Another Home Invasion

Jake’s Gift

Forbidden Phoenix

The Great Divorce

Rosmersholm

Tape

The Graduate

Side Show

Musical Improv Show

A Guide to Mourning

The Verona Project

Wicked

Taming of the Shrew

Compassion For Killers

The Casino & The Disappearing

Richard III

When I was, Qui Je Suis (Dance)

Selkie Wife

Tuesdays With Morrie

Next To Normal

Circle Mirror Transformation

Ride The Cyclone

The Crucible

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum

Love Lies Bleeding (Dance)

Romeo & Juliet

Re:Union

The Penelopiad

Vimy

The Priory

Blood Brothers

You Are Very Star (BETA version)

A Christmas Carol

The Sound of Music

Twice & Twice (upcoming)

Christmas Presence (upcoming)

Dec. 8th: Actor Crushes!

I'm not going to lie.  I have had a lot of crushes in my day.  I think my first crush started in Grade 2 (yes fathers of daughters out there - it can happen that early).  And since then I pretty consistently always had a crush on someone.  HOWEVER - that whole "Oooooo - he's cute. I kinda like him" kind of crush has nothing to do with the 'Actor Crushes' I'm talking about.

Actor crushes are when I find the talent of someone soooo overwhelming that I cannot help but be thoroughly impressed and want to spend all of my theatre going experiences watching them perform.  Since being in Vancouver I have developed a few of these crushes, and tonight I developed a brand new one.  Thanks to my good friend Lois Dawson, I was invited to attend After Jerusalem which happened to feature one of the actors who performed in the award-winning show Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train at Pacific Theatre last year.  I was excited to see him in something else, but I was shocked at just how captivated I was with his performance.  I already knew he was a great actor, but something about his performance tonight just left me wanting so much more.  So he now goes on my list of actors that I need to see perform whenever the opportunity arises.  Thank you Andrew for an amazing performance!  I hope the rest of the run goes well.

On a side note: Has anyone noticed how many of blog posts have been about theatre shows?  Clearly I think theatre is awesome - but this post has made me realize how often I write about theatre and therefore how much I go to attend theatre.  There are certainly times when I have gone to see three plays in one week (this week being one of them).  Clearly one of these coming posts needs to include a list of all of the shows I've seen this past year.  I'm kind of nervous to find out what the final number will be.

Dec. 7th: Catching someone in an act!

You know those times when you have this impulse to start singing, humming, or dancing to yourself because you think no one is watching you - and then all of the sudden you realize that someone was actually watching you the entire time?  And for some reason upon being caught there's that slight hint of embarrassment because you never intended your actions to be seen or heard by anybody.  Well that embarrassment has got to stop, because as an audience member I can tell you that there are few things better than seeing someone be really passionate and silly when they think that no one is looking.

In the office today we had some Christmas music going when all of a sudden Mariah Carey comes on with "All I Want for Christmas Is You."  This song is one of the most epic Christmas songs around (made more so by its presence in the movie Love Actually), so it was not a surprise that the lovely Andrea Loewen felt so moved to sing along to it.  What was a little surprising was the fact that she tried to do it silently (Yes Andrea, I am outing you - DEAL WITH IT!)  Unbeknownst to Andrea, I had just picked up the phone to listen to some phone messages when I caught her lip syncing in my peripheral vision.  I just sat and stared for a few seconds, wondering if she would ever realize that I was watching her.  Finally I had to giggle aloud just so she could know that I could see her.  She didn't seem too phased by the fact that she had an audience (she is a performer after all) but it was pretty clear that she didn't think anyone was watching her.

Well - Andrea's little lip syncing performance is my clear awesomism for the day.  It was such a pleasure to catch her in the act.  I now feel like I have a little glimpse into the all of other things she probably does when she thinks no one can see her.  And it makes me feel pretty good - because it means that I'm not the only one doing those thing.  Andrea, I know I don't need to tell you this - but you are awesome!  Thank you for thinking that I couldn't see you.  It made my day.

Dec. 6th: Dogs Going in Circles!

So the day started of stressfully and a little discouraging, but somehow I got through it and the evening turned out to be a whole lot better.  I was able to enjoy my last bellydancing class for this term, before heading downtown to enjoy the Christmas Market again with Vashti, before seeing her new place.  But because I've already talked about the awesomeness of bellydancing, Vashti, the Christmas Market, and downtown living - I think it's time for something random.

Tonight as Vashti and I were heading out to the Sushi place to pick up our food - we saw a pug walking around in circles a number of times, to the point where we actually had to look back to figure out what it was doing.  It wasn't like he was chasing his tail, because he was sniffing the ground the whole time - and the circles were way too wide for that anyway.  So what on earth could the dog be doing.  Sure enough, after a few more times around the circle the dog eventually crouched down a bit so that it could do its business.  I am now tempted to spin around in a few circles before I ever sit on a toilet again.

So here's to the general awesomeness of dogs - and their bathroom rituals!  May you forever be adorable!

Dec. 5th: Home made gifts!

Tonight was another holiday craft party night - which meant that it was the perfect opportunity for me to get some of my gift making done.  I don't really know how much other people like getting homemade gifts - but I know that I love them, and fortunately I happen to know a few other people in my life who love them too.

Throughout high school our group of friends would always make each other gifts, and they were always the best gifts ever.  Some of the gifts made included illustrated stories of our friendships, a co-created painting of a hilarious camping trip, a life-sized cookie replica of the birthday girl, a box of fun for an 18th birthday (filled with 18 things all to do with the new things you can do when you turn 18), and a homemade Zagat's Guide - to something other than restaurants.  I actually still have a number of the gifts that were made fore me, because they are just that awesome.  I have also accumulated a lot of new homemade gifts, including the all of the paintings on my wall, Alistair the whale (for my earphones), my new mug, and countless others!

I think I really like receiving homemade gifts because I love being surrounded in reminders of all of the people I love, and the talent and creativity that they all possess.  I am forever inspired by all of their gifts and the time they put in to making something for me.  I couldn't ask for anything better.  So hopefully my dear friend Jenn will feel the same way when she opens, the lovely gift that I have made for her upcoming wedding!  The gift might not be as epic as some of our high school gifts - but the sentiment is still the same.
 

High school gifts from Jenn and Brittany!

Dec. 4th: Telling it on the Mountain!

Since I joined the VOC (now Sweet) Soul Gospel choir in 2008, December has become my favourite month - because it is the month when we spend all of our Sundays on top of Grouse Mountain singing Christmas music to the skiers and snowboarders who have come inside looking for a break from the cold.  A few years ago, when it all began, my Mom came to visit me to watch the choir sing on top of the mountain.  She had such a great time watching me sing again, listening to some great music, and enjoying the atmosphere.  Unfortunately, all of her good spirits led her to generously take me out to lunch - a lunch that would eventually reveal that her daughter was not going to be returning to Ontario. We ate at Altitudes on top of Grouse Mountain in the same building where I had just sung.  At one point during the meal, she watched me while I looked out of the restaurant window from the top of the mountain to see the beautiful city of Vancouver surrounded by glistening water and distant mountains.  I made a comment about how beautiful the view was and I guess that comment was what affirmed what both of us were thinking.  Ontario could never live up to the life I had in Vancouver.

I love my family deeply, but when I get to spend my time doing what I love in beautiful surroundings such as these - it really isn't any wonder why I am still out here six years later!  There is only word to describe my situation here . . . and we all know what that word is.  

From the top of Grouse Mountain! That's Vancouver Island in the distance.

View of Vancouver from the ride down the Gondola.

City Sunset from Lonsdale Quay!  Right before getting on the seabus.

Dec. 3rd: German Christmas Market

I love weekends.  Having a full day off allows for a lot of awesome, and I packed in a bunch today.  Trip downtown, started some Christmas shopping, ran into friends, opening night of The Wizard of Oz, followed by the first Christmas Party of the season.  All in all - an awesome day!  But one of the best things that happened today was the trip to the Vancouver Christmas Market.

I had my first choir gig of the Christmas Season and it happened to take place at the annual German Christmas Market.  Every year the Queen Elizabeth Plaza turns into one of the classic German Christmas villages, with the wooden homemade crafts shacks, and food and beverage stands.  It is so lovely and quaint and really puts you in the Christmas mood.  Last year our gig at the market was a lot of fun, but considering that it was extremely cold and rainy that night,  it was really nice to have warmer whether for our afternoon show this year.  Though a part of me really missed seeing Dad is his very attractive rain hat.  (Wait ... does a blog pick up sarcasm? ... Love you Dad!)  I felt like this year I had time to wander around at the different shops without worrying about getting soaked.  As I walked past all of the stands, I noticed one that I absolutely had to go to.  They were serving fresh warm pretzels - for only $1.50!  Obviously I had to get one.  It was sooooooo good.  No - let me rephrase that.  It was sooooooo awesome!

If you get a chance to check out an old German Christmas Market in your general area - I strongly encourage you to do so.  But you might want to go with an empty stomach.  You'll want to make sure there's room for a bratwurst and beer too.  Don't make the same mistake I did!

BONUS FEATURE:

Okay so because I was delayed in my blog post a few days ago here is a BONUS VIDEO for you.  It's not of me (but if you want to imagine that it's me doing everything in the video then I'm cool with that)!  It's actually a video of a pole dance that will knock your socks off.  To anyone wondering why I would post a video of a pole dance on my blog - just watch it!  You will quickly understand.  Make sure you get to 3:21, because that's when it gets serious. ENJOY!

Dec. 2nd: A conversation piece!

I love opening nights!  Whenever I attend an opening night I actually put a little bit of thought into the theme of the show and try to pull items from my wardrobe that would like nice and hopefully touch on some theme of the show.  For our opening of A Christmas Carol I wanted to wear something vintage and maybe European - so I decided on the following attire - which included my new anthropologie skirt, the houndstooth coat I bought for over 90% off at the end of winter last year in Victoria, and my Grandmother's old gloves.

I was quite content with the wardrobe selection, and I received a lot of compliments today.  However, I was not expecting it to be the conversation piece that it turned out to be.  As we left the after party an intoxicated gentleman started yelling things out of a taxicab window inspired by my attire.  It started with him commenting on the warmth of my jacket and hat, followed by a rather emphatic "Dammit!" then eventually punctuated with his ... insult?? (you be the judge): "The 20s called, they want WWII back!"  I still don't know whether to be flattered by the fact that he thought that I fit into the 20s fashion, saddened by the fact that this person clearly never graduated from middle school, or angered for .... whatever reason he had intended.  Eventually trying to figure out what to feel broke my brain and made me delirious - which turned out to be pretty funny and infectious once we got on the bus.  We ended up running into a really sweet personable guy named Jared, who had a question about my gloves.  Unfortunately he ended up getting a way longer response than he ever expected.  I blame the broken brain caused by Taxi guy.

But all in all it was a great day and a fantastic night.  I should dress up more often to create more conversation pieces.  Hopefully by next time I'll have my brain back!

Dec. 1st: Every Girl likes Flowers!

I used to think that I was the type of girl that never needed flowers, because let's face it - they can be expensive and they serve no functional purpose other than to make a room look a little prettier.  But boy, do they make a person feel good!

Today I walked into the office and found a beautiful vase of pink roses.  The first thing that went through my mind was "Who are these for?" - because there was no way that they were for me.  I had not done any to deserve such a lovely bouquet.  But they were for me!  Apparently watching someone's adorable and loveable child for a couple of hours while they are working warrants getting flowers.  

And as if that weren't enough - when I came back into the office after running an errand I found another bouquet of flowers on my desk.  Again I thought "Well THESE definitely aren't for me!"  Wrong again! Another beautiful woman sent me some flowers for helping put a grant together.

While I still question whether I deserved these flowers, it was absolutely fantastic to receive them.  I still believe that no one ever NEEDS flowers, but that's exactly why it feels so good to get them.  Leave it to some amazing women to remind me of that!  Thanks so much Sarah and Lucia!

P.S. BONUS FEATURE TO COME!!! Sorry for the delay.