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Articles by Crystal

Vancouver Is Awesome!

by Crystal
Contests + Travel + Vancouver / February 25, 2010

Almost every day is a great day to be a Vancouverite. We have such an amazing community of diverse, passionate, driven, friendly, artistic, funny, talented, hardworking and incredible people. There are some days when I feel like I've had one too many days in a row of rain but 9 times out of 10 just when I'm feeling that way the next day the sun bursts out from behind the clouds, the snow sparkles on the North Shore Mountains, everything has been washed clean and The City of Glass shines!

I'm not the only one who thinks that Vancouver is a great place to live. So does Bob Kronbauer, in fact he things Vancouver is so awesome that he has a blog called Vancouver Is Awesome.

See the fabulous Vancouver prize pack below? Bob is giving it away on Vancouver is Awesome! It includes- The Winter Olympics: An Insider's Guide to the Legends, Lore and Events of the Games, Vancouver Edition, Vancouver Encounter and City Walks- Vancouver: 50 Adventures on Foot. Everything a true Vancouverite needs on their book shelf... because you know that now that the world has seen how beautiful Vancouver is that everyone is going to want to come and crash on your couch!

Go enter now!

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5 Things Vancouver: Crystal Allen

by Crystal
Kids + Travel + Vancouver / February 24, 2010

-Visit the Kids Market

-Stroll the Public Market and grab a pint of raspberries in the produce section and a Montreal Smoked Meat Bagel at Siegel's Bagels

• -Head outside and eat your lunch on one of the benches overlooking the water and be entertained by buskers and interesting visitors from all over the world

-Chase the pigeons for awhile... Like Bella did in this picture.

-Hop on the Aquabus and take in the gorgeous views of False Creek and English Bay

-Then when they are all tuckered out and snoozing in their strollers head over to the Net Loft and browse the great titles at Blackberry Books

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Lonely Planet Free iPhone City Guide Application to Vancouver

by Crystal
Events + News + Sports + Travel + Vancouver / February 09, 2010

 

The Olympic spirit is hitting me hard today. I found out over the weekend that the Olympic torch is going right down my street today at 1:00! I can stand on my deck and watch the whole thing! Since it is such a once in a lifetime experience I am working from home today so that I can watch the Olympic torch go by our house with my 18 month old daughter during my lunch break. 

I keep taking quick peeks out the window to see if any festivities have started up yet and keep wondering about all of the amazing Olympic activities that must be going on all over this beautiful city of ours. 

 

Then "Bing" an email arrives in my mailbox from Lonely Planet! It says: 

In honor of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Lonely Planet is offering a free iPhone city guide application to the host city! Travelers can get the low-down on all Vancouver has to offer in the mobile app "Vancouver Travel Guide: The Sights". This free application can be downloaded via the iPhone's application store or on iTunes. It is available now through March 1st, 2010.


As this spectacular city gears up for the games, there is no better time for visitors to have all of its sights at their fingertips. From UBC Thunderbird Arena and the Pacific Coliseum, to the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, Lonely Planet has listed over 70 top sights and shows where they are using location-aware maps. Plus, by tilting the iPhone, users have access to fun facts on Vancouver, special tips on what to do, see or eat, photos and much more.

Features:

-List of Top Vancouver Sights

-Fun Vancouver Facts

-Location-Based Navigation

-Integrated Google Maps

Sadly I do not have an iPhone... but I know that some of you do and I would love to hear what you think of the new Lonely Planet App! Share it with your friends who are coming to Vancouver for the Olympics, play with the application, spread the word, rate it and come back here and let me know what you think of it! 

 

Comment and then on February 11th I will pick one of your fabulous responses and I'll send the winner a free copy of Lonely Planet Vancouver City Guide!

Happy Olympics everyone!

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Win An Around The World Trip For Two From Lonely Planet

by Crystal
Art & Photography + Contests + Travel / February 01, 2010

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfgangstaudt/ / CC BY 2.0

 

Who doesn't dream of taking a trip around the world? The sight, the sounds, the tastes, the experiences -- THE COST!!! The last one quickly brings me back to reality every time I start daydreaming about it.

What if you could win a trip for two around the world from everyone's favourite travel publisher Lonely Planet? I know I would go for it!

To celebrate the publication of Lonely Planet's 100 Millionth Guidebook and all of their readers' incredible travel experiences Lonely Planet has launched the 1 Planet, 100 Million Stories Contest.

Go to their site and you can explore a world of travel experiences one photo at a time.

Enter a photo of your own and you win a trip for two around the world or one of 200 Nokia Handsets.

To sweeten the deal Raincoast will have a little contest of our own. Enter your favourite travel experience (or even your dream travel experience) in the comments field. On March 1st we will choose one lucky person to win a Lonely Planet Travel Guide to the destination of their choice!

REMEMBER COMMENT HERE FOR A FREE TRAVEL GUIDE ENTER AT LONELY PLANET FOR THE TRIP AROUND THE WORLD!

Happy travels my friends!

 

 

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Pregnancy A-Z

by Crystal
Excerpts + Gift & Stationery + Parenting / November 05, 2009

Are you pregnant or do you know someone who is pregnant? THE PREGNANCY JOURNAL: A DAY-TO-DAY GUIDE TO A HEALTHY AND HAPPY PREGNANCY—is back! Fully revised with the latest medical information on both mom’s health and baby’s development, this best-selling journal is packed with daily entries that feature tips, advice, and plenty of room for personal reflection… and it makes the perfect gift for yourself and your unborn baby or for the pregnant loved one on your gift list.

Want a sneak peak of what it’s all about? This A to Z guide was pulled together from information in the journal to give expectant parents a glimpse into what happens during this amazing time of life.

Appetite
Day 57: You may find your appetite increasing now that some of the nausea and discomfort has stabilized. If food isn’t your friend yet, look for some relief by week 17.

Backache
Day 116: Most pregnancy backaches consist of low back pain, because the narrowest part of your back has to balance your growing uterus and because the normally stable joints in your pelvis have loosened somewhat.

Cheeks
Day 22: Between Week 4 and Week 8, the development of your baby’s facial features takes place.

Digestive System
Day 69: Your baby’s intestines are now in the abdomen. Over the next two days, the muscles in the walls of your baby’s digestive tract will become functional.

Eyes
Day 165: Over the next four days, brain wave activity will begin for your baby’s visual and auditory systems.

Fatigue
Day 234: You’ll notice more fluctuations in your energy level this month. Use your energy bursts wisely doing things you absolutely need to do and preparing for the birth.

Glucose
Day 40: The metabolism of glucose may play a role in morning sickness. To make sure their glucose level doesn’t fall too low by morning, pregnant women are advised to eat a light snack before going to bed (milk, toast, etc.).

Hair
Day 86: Over the next three days, the baby’s scalp hair pattern will be determined.

Iron
Day 69: Pregnant women need at least 30 mg of iron each day to support the extra volume of blood and increases in red blood cell production.

Jaws
Day 35: The upper and lower jaws are present in your baby.

Kidneys
Day 103: Sometime this week, your baby’s kidneys will reach their final mature position. This ascent took nearly 10 weeks to complete.

Lunar Months
Baby development is measured in lunar months, not calendar months. Each lunar month consists of 28 days organized into four weeks of seven days each.

Movement
Day 176: Your baby’s muscle tone is gradually improving. Its hands can grip with some strength now.

Nausea
Day 13: If you need to settle your stomach, snack on dry crackers or dry cereal. Ginger, lemon, peppermint and licorice are flavors that can help with nausea.

Orienting Response
Day 242: Your baby will now automatically turn toward a source of light. This permits your baby to practice being more aware of its environment.

Protein
Day 139: Protein must be provided for the growth of the baby, placenta, uterus, breasts, and to permit necessary increases in blood volume.

Quickening
Day 143: The first movements you feel your baby make will be caused by arm and leg activity. These first motions are called quickening.

Reflexes
Day 67: Now when your baby’s face is touched, it will open its mouth. This is called the rooting reflex and helps babies find the food source.

Skin
Day 188: By today, the surface of your baby’s skin is smoother and whiter as body fat accumulates under its surface.

Teeth
Day 82: Baby’s tooth buds are present under the gums.

Ultra Sound
Diagnostic test that uses high-intensity, inaudible sound waves to project a visual image, or sonogram.

Vocal Cords
Day 74: Over the next few days, the vocal cords will form in your baby’s larynx.

Weight Gain
Day 265: Your weight gain has probably slowed or even reversed itself in the past two weeks or so.

X-Rays
Day 53: X-ray exposure should be avoided since the radiation can penetrate your uterus.

Yogurt
Day 172: Yogurt is a good source of protein. Some women who are lactose intolerant can tolerate yogurt.

Zinc
Day 83: Zinc is a trace element that forms part of the structure of bone and helps protect the development of the brain and nervous system. The recommended daily intake during pregnancy is 15 mg.

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Trick or Treat? (Part 2)

by Crystal
Food & Drink / October 27, 2009

Time for part two of our yummy Halloween Cookie Recipe from the book COOKIE SWAP. On today’s menu Friendly Ghost Cookies

Friendly Ghosts
Makes about 2 dozen
(1¾ x 2¼- to 2½-inch-tall) “ghosts”
Enshrouded in meringue, these chewy date and nut treats are oh-so sweet. Note: For a quick and more kid-friendly option, omit the filling.

Prep Talk:
Because meringue quickly attracts moisture, package these cookies in airtight containers as soon as they’ve cooled. Store at room temperature up to 1 week. Even if properly stored, the cookies may still get sticky due to their high fruit content. In this case, re-dry in a 225 degree F oven, if desired.

Date-Nut Filling

1 cup dried pitted dates (stems removed), finely chopped
1½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons candied orange peel, finely chopped
1½ tablespoons Grand Marnier or other premium orange liqueur
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons pecan halves, toasted and finely chopped
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves

Meringue Cloak

4 large egg whites, room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sifted superfine sugar
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
About ½ tablespoon miniature chocolate chips (or about 4 dozen chips, 2 per cookie, for the “eyes”)

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. (If you have two ovens, preheat both. The meringue needs to be baked immediately or it softens and deflates. The cookies will also dry more evenly with one cookie sheet per oven. If you don’t have two ovens, you’ll need to make a second batch of meringue to coat the cookies on the second cookie sheet. But do so only after the first sheet is out of the oven.)

2. Mix the Date-Nut Filling. Combine the dates, orange zest, juice, peel, and liqueur in a medium (3-quart) nonreactive (stainless steel or coated) saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the dates have softened and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Cook the mixture another 3 to 5 minutes to dry it further. Stir regularly to prevent scorching. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans and spices. Cool the mixture completely before shaping.

3. Portion the filling into small mounds using a level 1- to 11⁄8-inch (#100) scoop or 1 level teaspoon per mound. Roll the mounds between your palms to form uniform ¾-inch balls and arrange them evenly around the perimeter of each cookie sheet. (It will be easier to add the chocolate chip eyes to the cookies in Step 6 if the cookies are arranged this way.)

4. Mix the Meringue Cloak. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whip attachment. (Note: Be sure the whites are at room temperature, as cold meringue is more likely to crack in the heat of the oven. The bowl, whip attachment, and all mixing utensils should also be completely free of fat, or the egg whites will not stiffen.) Beat on low speed until the whites are frothy. Turn the mixer to medium speed and gradually add the superfine sugar, no more than 1 tablespoon at a time. Quickly scrape down the sides of the bowl and then turn the mixer to high speed. Continue beating until the whites are very stiff and glossy and the sugar has completely dissolved, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds longer.

5. Fit a pastry bag with a large (¾-inch) 8- to 10-pronged star tip and fill with meringue. Work on one cookie at a time, but work quickly before the meringue deflates. Hold the bag perpendicular to the date ball with the pastry tip directly touching the top, and press so the meringue covers as much of the ball as possible.

Slowly lift the pastry bag straight up, still applying pressure, to make a ghost that stands 2¼ to 2½ inches tall; then pull up quickly, without applying pressure, to create a peak. Repeat with the remaining meringue.

6. For the ghosts’ eyes, carefully place two mini chocolate chips on the side of each cookie, about one-third of the way from the cookie top. (Insert the tips of the chocolate chips into the meringue so that the round bottoms are left exposed.) Gently press the chips into the meringue with the tip of a paring knife.

7. Bake until bone-dry to the touch but only minimally discolored, about 1½ to 2 hours. (Note: Drying time varies significantly with ambient humidity. Bake toward the longer end of the spectrum on rainy days.) Immediately transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before storing.

If you missed it make sure to check out yesterday’s recipe for Great Pumpkin Cookies. Happy Halloween everybody!

Photo by Steve Adams.

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Trick or Treat? (Part 1)

by Crystal
Food & Drink / October 26, 2009

Cookie swaps have become all the rage. Whether your hosting a playdate, birthday party, girls night in or even a family reunion cookie swap parties are a fun, yummy party idea for every season. Since all good things come back around and we’re hoping to get lots of yummy treats this Halloween we decided to share this delicious recipe with you for Great Pumpkin Cookies from the book COOKIE SWAP.

Great Pumpkin Cookies
Makes 2½ to 3 dozen (2-inch) “pumpkins”
Embellished with orange glaze, cinnamon stick “stems,” and green sugar “vines,” these pumpkins appear to be freshly plucked from the patch. Note: For smoother pumpkins for decorating, you may decrease or omit the raisins and walnuts. Without these add-ins, the recipe yields closer to 2½ dozen cookies.

Prep Talk:
Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 5 days. Because of their high pumpkin content, these soft cookies will get even softer within a few days, especially under humid conditions. Eat freshly baked if you want to enjoy a crunchy exterior.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1¼ cups canned pure pumpkin purée (with no added sugar or spices)
1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1½ cups walnut halves, lightly toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped (optional)
11⁄3 cups raisins (optional)

Orange Icing and Glaze (optional)

1 recipe Royal Icing (p. 151)
½ to 1 teaspoon water (to thin the icing)
About 60 drops orange soft gel food coloring
½ teaspoon pure orange extract
About 3 drops red soft gel food coloring
About 3 drops brown soft gel food coloring
About 4 tablespoons strained freshly squeezed orange juice
Powdered sugar (as needed to thicken glaze)

Decoration (optional)

About 12 cinnamon sticks, cut into 2½ to 3 dozen small (¾- to 1-inch) pieces (1 per cookie)
2½ to 3 dozen (¾- to 1-inch) fondant leaves
2½ to 3 dozen (1½- to 2-inch) fondant vines

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two or more cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Mix the Pumpkin Spice Cookies. Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt in a bowl. Set aside. Place the sugars and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-low speed until well combined. Add the egg and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed and beat in the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing. Note: The batter will separate slightly after the addition of the pumpkin, but this is completely expected.
Stir in the flour mixture, followed by the walnuts and raisins, if desired.

3. Portion the dough into mounds using a level 15⁄8-inch (#40) scoop or 1 heaping tablespoon per mound. Place the mounds about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. (A scoop will make rounder pumpkins than a tablespoon.)

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until dry and firm on the outside and lightly browned on the bottom. Immediately transfer to wire racks and cool completely before storing or glazing.

5. Mix the Orange Icing and Glaze (optional). Prepare 1 recipe Royal Icing. Portion out ½ cup. Add enough water (½ to 1 teaspoon) to bring this portion to outlining consistency (p. 152). Stir in a drop of orange food coloring to make a pale shade. Cover the surface of the icing flush with plastic wrap and set aside for use in Step 7.

To the remaining icing, add the orange extract and the rest of the orange food coloring, and mix until well combined. To enrich the bright orange to a burnished shade, add the red and brown food coloring, if desired. Gradually add enough orange juice to make a thick glaze. (The glaze should thinly coat a “test” cookie, but you should not be able to see through it. Adjust the glaze consistency as needed by adding more juice to thin it or powdered sugar to thicken it.)

6. Apply the glaze and cinnamon sticks (optional). Set a wire rack over a sheet of parchment paper. (The paper will catch the glaze drippings and make for easier cleanup later.) Work with one cookie at a time. Hold the cookie by the bottom and completely immerse its top in the dark orange glaze. Turn the cookie right side up and gently shake it to remove excess glaze and to smooth the top. Place on the rack and insert a small piece of cinnamon stick into the top center of the cookie to make the pumpkin stem. Repeat with the remaining cookies. (Remember: Tell guests to remove the cinnamon sticks before eating.)

Before the glaze dries, slide a paring knife under each cookie to sever any drippings that may be clinging to the rack. (The glaze will otherwise dry onto the rack, making it more difficult to remove the cookies later.) Let the cookies dry until the glaze loses its sheen.

7. Add contours; decorate with fondant leaves and vines (optional). Fill a parchment paper cone with the reserved pale orange icing and cut a small (1⁄8-inch or less) hole in the tip. Add contours to the pumpkins by piping 8 to 9 thin lines radiating out from the cinnamon stick stem on each cookie. For the finishing touch, use the icing to glue a fondant leaf and vine around each stem.

8. Let the glaze (and any pumpkin contours) dry completely before storing. 

Yummy!

Make sure to check back tomorrow when we’ll be telling you how to prepare Friendly Ghost Cookies.

Photo by Steve Adams.

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Henry Mintzberg #33 on The List of Big Thinkers

by Crystal
Business & Careers + News / October 19, 2009

Congratulations to Professor Henry Mintzberg, author of MANAGING. Professor Mintzberg was #33 on a “top 50” list of the most influential management and business thinkers, “world changers” as selected by readers of the Thinkers 50 website, and published in The Times of London.

Also if you missed it follow this link for a fascinating interview that Professor Mintzberg did for Report On Business with The Globe and Mail Online several weeks ago.

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Crystal
Health & Wellness + News / October 08, 2009

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, John Anderson author of STAND BY HER: A BREAST CANCER GUIDE FOR MEN and his beautiful wife, breast cancer survivor, Sharon Rapoport were interviewed on The Today Show by Meredith Vieira.

John’s mother, wife, sister and a close family friend all had breast cancer. Unable to find a good source for men on how to help the women in his life battle this horrible disease, John decided to write the book himself.

A few of his tips he discussed in the interview are:

-Follow don’t lead: Men like to take charge of things in their lives. This is her journey. You need to follow her lead.

-Show your love: During this difficult battle more than ever she needs to feel and see your devotion.

-Set up a good support system:  Not just for her but also for yourself. You will need people that you can talk to about your fears.

-Take a cancer leave: Cancer overtakes people’s lives. Sometimes you just need to take a step back and have a minute, an hour or even a day that is cancer free.

Here is the full interview:

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The Essence of Managing

by Crystal
Business & Careers + Current Affairs / September 24, 2009

The phone has been ringing off the hook with press inquiries about the the new book MANAGING by Henry Mintzberg. It's no wonder with the global economic crisis that is weighing so heavily on everyone's mind.

From the Toronto Star:

The outspoken professor reckons the country has been brought to its knees by decades of short-term management on Wall Street and the likes of Nortel and GM, which inflated the importance of CEOs and reduced others to a replaceable commodity.

“The banks and other U.S. corporations were managed by egocentrics who ran companies into the ground. Human resources are downsized at the drop of a share price. What a monumental failure of management.”

From Canadian Business Magazine:

Mintzberg's latest book, Managing, published this month, just a day before his 70th birthday, promises to be as divisive as ever. It argues that companies are over-led and under-managed; it calls for the elimination of leadership as a separate discipline since good leadership is part of good management; and it says middle managers should help hire top execs. It was a failure to grasp some of these fundamentals that helped trigger the global banking crisis. “How could anyone buy those mortgages? That stuff was obviously junk,” he says. As such, the path to economic recovery won't be achieved through top-down or bottom-up management strategies, but by middle managers--the very level that has long been gutted by companies struggling to cut costs.

Why are good managers so hard to find? Anyone learning to be a manager should start with this book. From the Globe and Mail:

Managing is sprawling, complicated, contradictory stuff, and Prof. Mintzberg, to his credit, approaches it in that manner. If you're looking for quick, easy answers, don't look here. He has spent a decade ruminating over those 29 days he spent following managers, and delights in sharing his thoughts with those who like him admire managers and want some clues - but understand they will never get certainty - on how to do it better. This will be an important textbook in classrooms bringing together not only his own research and thoughts but also weaving in a century of writings by others. It will also reassure individual managers that what they do is important and not easy, and no doubt provoke some changes in their thinking.

So what does it take to be a good manager?

Should we do away with all email?

Has management changed at all in the last 100 years?

What variety of manager are you?

Watch this interview from Karl Moore at The Globe and Mail online where these questions are posed.

MANAGING is just that! managing--pure if not simple. It is the essence of managing. This book is a must read for anyone taking on a management role in life.

Image courtesy of globeandmail.com

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