Country Farms Richmond: The Best Local Produce

We love food and cooking with fresh produce. My favourite place to get local produce is Richmond Country Farms (north end of Massey Tunnel in Richmond, BC).

Country Farms has spoiled me so much that I absolutely detest buying produce at the local grocery stores. The fruits and vegetables at this local market are fresher, less expensive, richer in colour, and in most cases larger than their supermarket counterparts.

…Plus, most of their products are locally grown (within the Lower Mainland or BC)!

Mushroom Comparison

The other day I desperately needed mushrooms for some stuffed mushroom caps. I bought them from the local supermarket and they were small, and somewhat bruised. Yesterday I went to Country Farms and they were much larger, whiter, and fresher than the supermarket ones. They tasted a million times better too!

Local Produce Prices

The prices at this market are also very good. For example, I can usually fill 1-2 cloth shopping bags with fruits and vegetables for between $10-15. Quite often they have 2 large bunches of spinach for $1, and yesterday they had 3 large bunches of the largest green onions I’ve ever seen for $1 and truckloads of Sweet Corn at 3 for $1.

I try to go at about once a week. Yesterday, I bought some Okanagan Cherries and I made a fresh cherry pie. Despite a minor incident with the knife I used to remove the pits from the cherries, it was VERY good!

Please go check them out on your next produce shopping trip. You’ll see why I’m excited about them!

Country Farms in open from 9am-8:30pm every day from about April to December. www.countryfarms.ca

Review: District 9 – Aliens Love Cat Food!

District 9 is without doubt, the most original and funny movie I’ve seen in ages. The storyline was unique and the little alien facts were original (and funny). It was 1hr 52min of hypnotizing entertainment.

District 9 Plot

• Aliens are stranded on earth and humans segregate them into a slum area now known as District 9 (hence the movie title)
• Humans and aliens don’t get along well
• Humans decided to evict the aliens and move them to a remote location, far away from humans
• While serving eviction notices, Wikus van der Merwe (our staring character), becomes infected with an unknown alien substance, and things start to change…

…Oh yeah. Humans can understand the alien’s language, and they can understand English

Vancouver Connection to District 9

Did you know that Vancouver has local connections to District 9? Two of the special effects companies working on the film were Imagine Engine and The Embassy, both Vancouver-based companies.

Who Should See District 9

EVERYONE! I would honestly recommend this movie to practically everyone!

I was expecting an aliens vs humans type shoot-em-up film with little storyline. Instead, it had a clear plot, characters I could emphasize with, and great special effects. Yes, there were still guns and exploding body parts, but it was very well done!

It was also very funny! The main character, who was a bit of a geeky guy, ended up running around like an action hero by the end of the movie (and it was believable)!

What did I learn from this movie?

1. Aliens love cat food!
2. When evicting aliens from their homes, be careful what you touch.
3. By consuming alien blood, some believe you gain their power.
4. The derogatory term for aliens (well this species anyway) is “Prawns.”

Who should NOT see District 9

If you hate the sight of blood, get dizzy too easily (it’s filmed like a documentary with a shaky camera), or don’t like the F word used a lot, perhaps this is not your cup of tea.

Recommendation:  (5/5 stars)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on District 9. What parts did you find hilarious? What did you like/dislike about the film?

YVR Observation Deck: Thumbs Down for Entertainment Value

Signage in the Observation Deck (Photo Credit: Dan Doan)

The new YVR/Vancouver Airport Observation Deck was not as exciting as I was anticipating. As part of our first trip on the new Canada Line Skytrain, we visited new Observation Lounge that opened in July.

The lounge is in a small loft area and is basically a bunch of tables and chairs, large windows overlooking the not-so-busy domestic terminal tarmac, and a couple displays.

Expectations and Reality

Honestly, I was expecting something a bit more exciting. The scale model of Sea Island was pretty fun to look at with the blinking lights, and was probably the highlight of the lounge.

However, it is quieter to wait for friends and family there, as opposed to the domestic or international arrival levels. I was hoping for more activity in the lounge or on the tarmac to keep me entertained so I was a bit disappointed there.

YVR Observation Deck: Only One Thumb Up

The idea behind the lounge is good, but I think it needs a bit of work. It gets one thumb up for being a great place to chill between flights, or while waiting for family members to arrive. No thumbs up for entertainment value though.

The younger kids seemed to enjoy it more than I did, so at least some people can still enjoy the area. But, other than being a quieter place to chill at the airport, next time I’ll bring my own entertainment (perhaps a book).

Two Thumbs up for Canada Line: Our Inaugural Ride!

Vancouver Blogger, WriterGal, on the Canada Line Skytrain in Vancouver

On Monday, Dan and I rode the new Canada Line Skytrain from Langara-41st Avenue to the Airport and back. Armed with 2 SLR cameras (one for each of us) and my video camera, we began our Canada Line Adventure.

The Plan: Avoid the crowds of downtown and head out to the airport to check out the new YVR Observation Deck, take a few photos and head home.

The Canada Line Ride Experience

The underground portions of the train were pretty uneventful, and it was too busy and crowded to enjoy the views once we got above ground.

We accidently got on a Richmond-bound train instead of the Airport line so we had to debark at Bridgeport Station. After watching one full YVR train and 2 Richmond trains pass by, we finally squished on one headed for the airport.

YVR-Airport Station

We finally made it! With all the stress from heat, crowds and the people aggressively pushing their way onto the trains, I knew we deserved large Tim Horton’s Iced-Capps when we arrived.

Iced-Capps in hand, we proceeded to the Domestic Terminal (which I haven’t seen since they started construction) and up to check out the new Observation Deck.

Endless Line-ups

After wondering around the airport, trigger-happy with our cameras, we decided it was time to brave the line which snaked outside and back and forth down the sidewalk, to board the Canada Line home.

I’m sure it took over an hour until we boarded the train back home, but we had magicians and even Fin (from the Vancouver Canucks) to keep us entertained.

The Canada Line: Two Thumbs Up!

I can’t wait to enjoy the Canada Line when it’s not so busy. I think it’s a great thing, and was potentially worth all the stress it caused local drivers and businesses. I’m sure I’ll be using it to head downtown for future client meetings.

Overall, we had a great day, got a bit of sun, and got some great videos and Canada Line and YVR Airport Pictures. Here is my 2 minute recap of the afternoon…

Establishing your Online Presence: Web vs Print

Vancouver Blogger, WriterGal, Website Planning Tips

The content you have written for print brochures and collateral may not be suited for the web. It needs to be massaged so it’s appropriate for online readers.

For instance, online audiences want to get their information quickly and concisely. In today’s online world of fast communication, readers won’t spend as much time reading a webpage as they would a printed brochure. This means that whatever existing content you have, will need to be shortened or broken up so it fits the web environment.

This doesn’t mean that content will be sacrificed. It just means that you’ll need to work with your web design team to brainstorm how to best present your content online.

The Bottom Line

Weigh what you want in a website with what you can afford then work with your website design team to find a middle ground. If you build a good relationship with your design team, they can help with your future projects or website updates.

Also, if you hire this same team to maintain your site, you’ll probably save money. Bringing a new person on board could prove costly as they will not be familiar with how the site was designed and will take more time to figure it out, billing you for every minute.

If you have any other questions about making your own website, talk to your designer, who will be more than happy to discuss your options with you.

Establishing your Web Presence: Website Budgeting

Vancouver Blogger, WriterGal, Website Planning Tips

Websites can be an expensive venture, but there are ways to cut down the costs:

1. Hire freelancer or small design firm. They’ll probably have less overhead costs. They may also only work on 1 or 2 projects at a time, so they’ll be able to focus on your project more than a larger firm with multiple projects would.
2. Ask the designer to create an interface for you to edit certain areas of the site yourself, without having to go back to the designer for every update your site needs. While this may have a higher initial cost, you will have control over future content changes.
3. Get the whole package from one place. Find a company who can help you with not just the design and programming of your site, but also the content. Find a team that includes a content manager or writer to help you craft your content for the online world. If they can help you market your website, even better!

Website costs vary depending on what you want. The larger the site, or the more you want special programming or interactive content, the more expensive it can get.

Basic website design packages begin around $100-300 for a very simple 1-page design. The more pages and content you add, the higher the price goes. A website with about 5 pages could cost around $1000-2000.

Tomorrow we will wrap up this series with a comparison of your print content and your web content…

Establishing your Web Presence: Starting your Website

Vancouver Blogger, WriterGal, Website Planning Tips

We rely on the internet for so much. We check our email, read the news, research companies and organizations, order food, look for apartments, and just simply browse. Companies that don’t tap into this online marketplace may be missing out on a huge market.

Every company should have website. Whether it’s just one page with some basic information and contact details, or a multi-page site with more detail about your business, a website will you help reach an audience of over 1 billion people from all over the world. This audience has enormous buying power and you can be closer to them with your online presence.

Starting your Website

Once you’ve made the decision to launch your own website, the fun begins. Before you hire a team, think about what you want for your site (size, content, colour schemes…etc).

With a rough idea of what you want, start talking to web design teams. If you find a good team they will probably ask you questions like:

• What goal do you want to achieve with your website?
• How many pages do you need?
• How much content do you already have written and how much needs to be created from scratch?
• Do you already have a domain name and web hosting provider?
• What is your budget for launching and maintaining the site?

Have answers to these questions ready when you first meet your team, and you’ll be well on your way!

Tomorrow I will share a few website budgeting tips…

Can We Help Each Other Accomplish Goals?

I woke up with a brilliant idea. We all have business goals…why not help each other achieve those goals. We all have something to share, and perhaps you could help with my goals, and I could help with yours?

Since 2009 is half over (can you believe it?), I am going to focus on two goals for the remainder of the year:

My 2009 Business Goals (Aug-Dec)

Goal #1- Find more on-going clients: I already have a few clients who regularly outsource work to me, but I am looking to expand my client base with more regular clients.

How I can help you: You can outsource parts of your project to me and you pay me a portion of what your client would be paying you (so essentially you get paid, for doing nothing). Or, I can help you with your nice-to-do list and so you can focus on more important business building tasks

How you can help me: If you have an overflow of work (whether it be writing/editing, online marketing, or even a bit of administrative work), let me know about it and perhaps you can outsource it to me?

Goal #2-Build up the WriterGal Blog: I just launched this blog last week, so my second goal it to expand the blog and increase my readership every month. I want to post informative articles at least 2-3 times per week.

How I can help you: There are so many blogs out there. Do I know about your blog? If you have a blog that might interest me, I’d love to know so I can read your posts and participate in discussions. Perhaps we could work out a link exchange to benefits both our blogs?

How you can help me: Forward my blog to your friends, link to my blog on your site, and comment on my posts. I try to post things that others would find interesting (not just a daily diary of my activities). Perhaps you have a particular topic you want me to write about (I’m always open to topic suggestions). Be a part of my new online community.

Those are my two main goals for the last 5 months of 2009. What are your business goals? Are they goals that I can help you with? Maybe you can help me reach my goals at the same time? Comment below or email me your goals and lets work on them together!

Canada Line Skytrain Opening Aug 17

Screenshot of the Canada Line page on Translink.ca

The Canada Line, the new skytrain line from Vancouver Airport to downtown Vancouver is opening on Monday, August 17,” over 3 months ahead of schedule!

What you need to know

• 16 new stations +19km on new track = 26mins from Vancouver Airport to downtown
• On Aug 17 from 1pm -9pm service on this new line will be FREE!
• Regular zone fares will be in effect until 2010 when a special “Add Fare” will be needed to the Bridgeport and 3 Sea Island stations
• There will be some revised bus service routes

Other Exciting Canada Line Facts

• Your cell phone will work the entire trip (even underground)
• Bikes are allowed on board at all hours (including rush-hour)
• Extra large train cars allow for more room to transport your luggage

It will be FREE to ride this new line between 1 and 9 pm on Aug 17, but as Translink predicts, it could get quite busy. Leave lots of extra time and be patient. I’m looking forward to taking the Canada Line for a test drive!

My thoughts

I live nearby one of the new stations, but didn’t think I’d have much time to use the new Canada Line as I may be moving soon. Now that the line is open so early, you might just see me riding my bike to my local station to get downtown (much more convienent than taking the 45min, crowded and hot bus).

Learn more about the Translink Canada Line.

UPDATE Aug 17: I will be posting some pictures and video from my first trip on the skytrain today. Check back later this evening or tomorrow to see them (Teaser: I also got my picture taken with Fin from the Vancouver Canucks).

My Top 5 Things That Melt in Summer

The setting of the sun brings a little relief from the heat...but it's still hot! Jericho Beach, Vancouver (Photo Credit: Ashley Mikulik)

Yet another “It’s Hot in Vancouver”-related post. This time I am going to count down the top 5 things that are melting in my house this summer:

#5: My Chocolate Chips

I usually keep our chocolate chips in the cupboard. Now that it’s gotten hotter out, they have become a bit soft. I caught them in time and they are now sitting in the fridge. (Note: No chocolate chips died before their transition to the fridge)

#4: My Lipstick

In the Australian summer (Vancouver winter) of 2007,  Dan and I, lived in Sydney (about a 10-minute walk from the Harbour Bridge). Now that was a hot summer, but never did my lipstick start sweating. I must now keep it in the fridge (hopefully no one thinks its a Popsicle and eats it)!

#3: My “Non-Stop Mint” Stride Gum

I love Stride Gum, and it really does last a long time, except in this heat! Today I went for a stick of gum from the basket in the kitchen, to find it already soft and partially stuck to the wrapper! They are now in my fridge alongside my chocolate and lipstick.

#2: Me, Myself, and I

Of course, I am melting too! Thankfully I live in the basement so it’s a lot cooler than upstairs, but I have no air-conditioning in my car. Last week I was out interviewing a bunch of people for some articles I was writing. Being stuck in Seymour Street  traffic in downtown Vancouver on a hot afternoon was not a pleasant experience.

#1: My Ice Cream

Ice cream is #1 on my list. Why? Because to beat the heat you’d think that a nice big bowl of ice cream from my new Rival Ice Cream Maker would help to cool me down. Unfortunately, the bowl of ice cream was half melted by the time I finished serving and sat down to indulge and cool off! ICE CREAM FAIL!

I’m interested to see what you have in your house that is melting in this crazy summer heatwave. Share your melting stories below…