• The Sunshine Coast – Located just a 40 minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay, The Sunshine Coast has so much to offer. There are sea side cottages to rent, Cove’s for scuba diving, mountains to hike, kayak and canoe rentals, beaches and lots of excellent restaurants. Visit www.bigpacific.com/pender for more information.

• Victoria – If you have not been to British Columbia’s capital, then this trip should be at the top of your list. Victoria is home to BC’s spectacular Legislative buildings, famous botanical gardens, historic buildings, and the fantastic Royal British Columbia Museum. What’s unique about Victoria as well, is that you can tour the city by horse drawn carriage or double decker bus. Learn more about Victoria at www.hellobc.com/en-CA/RegionsCities/Victoria.htm

• Harrison Hot Springs Resort – The name of this area is misleading, because it leads you to believe that hot springs are the only place to visit here, but the truth is, there is loads of fun to be had at Harrison. You rent a boat or jet ski and have loads of fun on Harrison Lake, spend a day golfing, or go hiking. Since Harrison is only an hour and a half drive from Vancouver, it’s a great spot for a short get away. Visit www.tourismharrison.com to plan your trip.

• Cultus Lake Resort – Located in the Fraser Valley, Cultus is most well known as a great camping area with a fabulous lake. If camping isn’t really your thing, though, there are also cabins for rent so you can sleep under a firm roof on a real bed. Spending a day at the lake is a perfect way to enjoy Cultus Lake, but if you want more excitement, you can also visit the Cultus Lake Water Park, or go on a river rafting trip. Visit www.vancouverisland.com/regions/towns/?townID=3358

• Point Roberts – As you probably know, the Canada-US border is very close to Vancouver, but what you might not know, is that just south of Tsawwassen is a small US town that is only accessible through Canada. Rather than drive all the way down Hwy 99 until you get to the Peace Arch Border Crossing, to get to Point Roberts, you have to turn west on Hwy 17 and drive through Tsawwassen to the border crossing. Point Roberts is sparsly populated compared to Tsawwassen, but it is the perfect spot for a day get away from the city. You can hike along the banks at Monument Part, enjoy a day at the beach or bring your bike and tour the town that way. Read up on Point Roberts at www.pointrobertstourism.com

Hopefully you can make time to take a break and get away, even if it is just for the day. (Photo courtesy of Chrispitality)

There is so much to see and do at the PNE, from wild and crazy rides to spectacular live performance, that it doesn’t matter your age or interest, there’s something exciting for everyone.

New to the Fair this year is the Evolution of Extreme, where snow sled, quad and motorcycle riders will be preforming death defying stunts. Pop City, a Pyro Celebration is also new this year. It features a pyrotechnic show that wows the crowd.

If you’re a fan of BBQ ribs then this year’s PNE has a treat for you. This year the Fair will host it’s 1st annual Rib Festival Competition. Six teams from the US and Canada will compete for the top prize.

One of the Fair’s most popular attractions, the Superdogs, is back for it’s 34th consecutive year. Come and watch these incredibly talented dogs put on a dramatic, exciting and fun show.

The Peking Acrobats will also be back this year, showing off their tightrope walking skills, juggling tricks and chair balancing.

Of course one of the main features of the PNE is the food, and this year’s food vendors will be sure to please everyone’s tastebuds. There will be crepes, curry, and fudge along with food from Mexico, Jamaica, and Italy just to name a few! The Fair’s most well know food, mini donuts, will be in plentiful supply as well.

Finally, if you’re into live music, this year’s Summer Night’s Concert Series features some talented and well known performers like Chris Isaak, Air Supply and Stereo’s.

To plan your trip to the PNE visit www.pne.ca.

This is the first year for the summer camp, but with a keen interest from beginner to high performance junior curlers across the province its future looks promising.

In addition to the camp, a Championship Ice Making course is hosting 26 ice technicians from BC & Alberta from August 15-17, who will take back their newly acquired tricks of the trade to their local curling centres. Internationally renowned ice technician Dave Merklinger will be leading the course.

A Competition Coach course is also taking place where 8 coaches will become certified to coach competitive curling teams; and for those more interested in soaking up the sun while supporting a good cause, the Sandra Schmirler Foundation Charity Golf Tournament – Okanagan will be held in Kelowna from the 19th – 21st .

About Curl BC
Curl BC is the provincial sport governing body responsible for the development, promotion and organization of curling in British Columbia. Curl BC is also responsible for the championship system that declares provincial representation at National events. In cooperation with its Members, Curl BC provides service to both competitive and recreational curlers, including a variety of adaptive groups.

One of my favourite simple, summer outdoor games is Bocce. Bocce is a game played with balls and at least two people. You can buy a standard bocce set at any department store like Zellers or Walmart, and they are fairly inexpensive.

Bocce is similar to bowling. There are two teams of either one, two or four players. Each team gets four balls for throwing. The first team up, throws a smaller white ball, and after that takes one of their four larger balls and tries to throw it so it lands as close to the small white ball as possible. The next team does the same with one of their balls and continues to throw their balls until one lands closer to the white ball, than the opposing teams ball. Then the first team tries to beat the second and the game continues like this until all the balls are thrown. Whichever team has a ball closest to the white ball, scores one point for each ball that is closer to the white ball than the opposing teams balls.

The best thing about Bocce is that it can be played virtually anywhere! All you need is relatively flat land and few obstacles in your way. I love to play in any of Vancouver’s lush parks throughout the city. Here are just a few parks where you can play bocce:

Stanley Park downtown

Maple Grove Park in on the westside of Vancouver, just off Marine Drive at Yew Street

David Lam Park downtown just off Pacific Boulevard at Drake Street

Jericho Park at Jericho Beach in Kitsilano

Sunrise Park at Rupert Street and East 3rd Avenue

John Hendry Park in the Commercial Drive area just off Victoria Street at 13th Avenue

Vanier Park in Kitsilano across from English Bay west of the Burrard Street Bridge

Killarney Park in East Vancouver just off 49th Avenue at Kerr Street

Kensington Park at 33rd and Knight Street

These parks are great, but you can even play bocce in your backyard! Bocce is a great excuse to call up some friends and hit a park to relax, have fun and enjoy the sunshine! (Courtesy of locusolus )

I love to eat out, but I also love to cook. Two of my favourite ways to enjoy food in the summer is visiting a lovely restaurant patio on a gorgeous day or taking to my outdoor grill to BBQ up some salmon steaks or halibut.

Here is a list of some great restaurants in the Vancouver Area that are known for their seafood dishes:

Monk McQueens Fresh Seafood and Oyster Bar – www.monkmcqueens.com

• There are many tasty dishes to choose from at “Monks”. And the bonus of dining here is the beautiful patio with stunning views of False Creek.

The Fish House in Stanley Park – www.fishhousestanleypark.com
• Situated in one of the most beautiful settings in Vancouver, this is a great restaurant to enjoy salmon, oysters, shrimp and more.

The Boathouse – www.boathouserestaurants.ca
• With seven locations and award winning dishes, this is the perfect place to go to fulfill your seafood cravings.

Blue Water Cafe and Raw Bar – www.bluewatercafe.net
• This restaurant serves only wild fish which is prepared by two chef’s, Frank Pabst who is in charge of the west coast meals, and Yoshiya Maruyama from Japan who prepares the raw dishes.

Pajo’s – www.pajos.com
• Unlike the other restaurants on this list, Pajo’s is a much more casual eatery, which is famous for it’s fish and chips.

If you’re a fan of the home BBQ, here are some great ways to cook salmon, tilapia, and halibut on your outdoor grill.

Maple Soy Salmon – Add equal parts of soy sauce and maple syrup combined with garlic (how much is up to you). Marinate for as long as you wish and throw on the barbecue.

Lemon Butter Dill Tilapia – Melt butter butter on stove, add lemon juice, and garlic. When the mix has chilled add either fresh or dried dill and pour over tilapia. I like to let the fish marinate for a bit (20-30 minutes) but you can barbecue right away if you don’t have time!

Halibut with Cilantro Garlic Butter – I found this recipe on-line and just loved it. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-halibut-with-cilantro-garlic-butter/detail.aspx

Ideally you should aim to eat fish at least twice a week, but the more the better! (Photo courtesy of Abel Cheung)

When I first saw a person stand up paddleboarding at Jericho Beach, I was thrown off. All I could see from the beach was someone rowing by, but standing up. The person did not look as though they were struggling to stay balanced on the board, in fact they looked very comfortable and at ease. Not what you’d expect when someone balances on water. Stand up paddle boarding is like a cross between canoeing and surfing.

A stand up paddleboard is a lot like a surf board but:
• It is longer and wider
• It has edges and a grooved out area for your feet
• You use a long paddle to propel yourself through the water

The hardest part of stand up paddleboarding is getting on the board, so here are some tips for getting on your paddleboard and staying on it:
• Start in knee deep water and climb on with your knees first
• Position yourself at the centre of the board and make sure neither the nose or tail dip into the water.
• After you feel balanced, stand up with your feet in the same spot your knees were
• Keep both feet facing forward
• Balance with your hips
• Keep your knees bent but your back straight
• Look towards the horizon (not down)
• The faster you go, the more stability you will have

Once you’re gliding along the water, you will be getting a great workout. It is awesome for building core strength and your whole upper body gets a workout from all the paddling.

Paddleboards are not cheap to buy, so I’d recommend renting one to try before investing in one. Here are a few places around the city where you can rent paddleboards:

• Windsure – www.windsure.com Located at Jericho Park West, inside the Jericho Sailing Centre Compound
• Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre – www.ecomarine.com Two locations : Granville Island and English Bay
• Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak – www.deepcoveoutdoors.com Located in North Vancouver

If you are looking for a unique day at the beach, why not give stand up paddle boarding a try and get in a great work out while catching some rays! (Photo Courtesy of M.M.M Meek’s)

Playing in the Pacific is a great way to spend a sunny day in the city. But don’t just restrict yourself to basic swimming. Why not use a dip in the ocean as an excuse to try a brand new sport? One sport that has really caught my attention at Vancouver beaches is Skimboarding. It looks a lot like skateboarding, but on the water.

In Skimboarding, riders use a broad oval shaped flat board to skim across very shallow water. Most skimboarding happens at low tide, when boarders can skim across the shallow puddles left along the beach. Boarders start with the skimboard in their hands and then run with the board to gain momentum, drop it on the beach and jump on to glide along the water.

To be a good skimboarder, you need to be in shape, and able to balance well on a board. For your first time, you might want to have someone help you buy running with you and throwing the board for you. Another idea is to simply walk and drop the board rather than running. The trick is not to jump on the board, but rather run or walk onto it. You want to feel comfortable on a moving board before you run and get a lot of speed.

If this all sounds a little daunting, you can sign up for a one week camp to learn how to skimboard from professionals. Check out http://www.windsure.com/skimboard.html for a schedule and cost of lessons. The lesson includes skimboard rental.

If you want to try the sport on your own, you can either purchase or rent a skimboard. The cost can vary from $20 to $150. You can find a cheap one at a bargain store, while genuine board shops sell very well made boards for upwards of $100. You also need to buy board wax fro the top of the board to keep it from getting too slippery.

If I’ve peaked your interest, here are some great spots to take your new or rented board for a test drive! Keep in mind that these spots are only great when the tide is out.

• Jericho Beach
• Spanish Banks
• Boundry Bay
• White Rock

Check out http://skimbc.com for more information on skimboarding in BC. (Photo Courtesy of Sporkist)

Every summer, thousands of people pack up enough gear to eat, sleep, and play outside for a few days and sometimes even weeks! Camping is not an activity for those who enjoy being very clean, comfortable and connected (through their electronic devices). But it’s that rustic, disconnected nature of camping that draws so many.

Pitching a tent in the woods and barbecuing all your meals is a wonderful way to get close to nature, get away from technology and relax with friends or family.

To be so rustic takes planning and a lot of equipment, though. If you want to spend a night under the stars, you need to get a tent, a sleeping bag, pack a lot of food in a cooler, and bring a portable BBQ if you have one. If you don’t have any of these items, you can actually rent them! Canada Adventure Tours (http://www.bcreservation.com/camp_equip.html) and Vancouver Rent-a-Tent (www.rent-a-tent-vancouver.com) are two places you can rent camping equipment from. You’ll also need supplies for washing dishes, pots and pans to cook food in, lots of water, and mosquito repellant.

There are loads of great campgrounds around the Greater Vancouver Area. The cost per night varies between $20 to $60 per vehicle. Many campground are close to a lake, so you can enjoy the beach and water during the day and campfires and story telling at night. www.camping.bc.ca provides a comprehensive list of campgrounds throughout BC. Here are some great spots worth checking out:

Cultus Lake – http://www.cultuslake.bc.ca
Just east of Abbotsford is Cultus Lake with excellent campgrounds, a beautiful lake and beach, a water slide park and go carts. This is the perfect spot for first time campers.

Buntzen Lake (Anmore) – http://port-moody.travel.bc.ca/listings/anmore-camp–rv/21835/
This is the closest lake, with a campground, to Vancouver. Located within the city limits of Port Moody, this is a great spot to go camping if you want to stay close to the city, but feel close to nature.

Harrison Hot Springs – http://www.tourismharrison.com/page/campgrounds_and_RV_parks
Home to world famous Hot Springs, Harrison offers many things to do along with camping and enjoying the beautiful lake and scenery. There are tons of campgrounds to choose from in the Harrison Lake area. It is a bit of a drive from the city, but definitely worth it.

Squamish – http://squamish.travel.bc.ca/camping/
The town of Squamish is located about one hour north of West Vancouver on Hwy 99. It is surrounded by majestic mountains and crystal clear lakes. This is a famous area for camping in BC.

So if you want to experience an authentic Canadian summer, start packing your bags and figure out what to throw on the barbecue for dinner. (Photos is courtesy of keepitsurreal’s)

When should someone start curling?

The “Little Rocks” programs start as early as 5 years old for children, playing with curling rocks that are 20 pounds rather than the usual 44 pound curling rocks. I started curling when I was 11 years old and broke my arm in gymnastics so decided to play around on the curling ice with my parents.

What should someone do if they want to start curling?

Curling doesn’t require any expensive or fancy equipment to start with. All you need to do is go down to a curling club near you, wear stretchy pants and a warm top and clean running shoes, and the curling club should be able to equip you with a curling broom and a slider to put on your shoe. Many curling clubs hold “learn to curl” clinics in the fall to introduce new curlers to the wonderful sport!

What do you like most about curling?

Curling is a fantastic lifelong sport that accommodates players of all levels and abilities. Curling has an individual component where you have to perform your position, while including the great aspect of playing with your team members. Curling can be recreational and social, or it can be competitive. Curling requires physical abilities as well as strategic planning and mental toughness. Once you start curling you will know how complex and challenging and fun it is!

Curling is becoming more popular in Japan. How is the level of curling in Japan? How do you expect they will do on the world stage?

We have played against teams from Japan for many years and each season they continue to impress us. We first started playing against Team Japan in 1995 at the World Junior Championship, as well as the World Women’s Championship in 2006 & 2007. Team Japan has fantastic technical abilities and tremendous work ethic and dedication to the sport of curling. The Japanese curling teams are spending lots of time in Canada competing in numerous tournaments against the best teams in the world, and these experiences and challenges will make them better and better.

Our team won the Canadian Women’s Championship in 2007 and won the right to represent Canada at the World Championship in Aomori, Japan. We were treated to fantastic hospitality and were able to see first-hand how the curling teams in Japan are viewed as celebrities!

Our curling team has also represented Canada in the 2002 Karuizawa, Japan tournament which was a super experience for us, learning about the Japanese culture, meeting school children, introducing kids to the sport of curling, and having the children cheer us on during our curling games – we have fallen in love with Japan!

What are you future goals?

Our goal for our curling team is to win the Canadian Women’s Curling Championship, as well as earn the right to represent Canada in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. We will work hard for the next few season with our sights set on these goals.

Here are some great places around Vancouver to watch the sunset:

Spanish Banks – This is the westernmost beach along the Westside of Vancouver, other than Wreck Beach. It’s especially fun to watch the sunset here on a Sunday when tons of people gather for a drumming circle and you can enjoy the beats along with the beauty

Queen Elizabeth Park – With awesome views of Vancouver this is a wonderful place to watch the sunset. The park also has loads of nice trails to walk along, so you can get in a bit of exercise before or after sunset if you feel like it.

Prospect Point – Whether you view the sunset from the viewing area or from the beautiful patio at the prospect point cafe, this is an awesome place to wind down after a busy day.

Second and Third Beach – These two beaches are also in Stanley Park. Both have a great view of Burrard Inlet and therefore make great places to sit and enjoy the sunset. If you’re up for it, you can always take a spin around the seawall while you’re there!

Wreck Beach – This is a great spot if you don’t mind nudity! Wreck Beach is a clothing optional beach at the point of UBC. There’s a huge staircase leading down to it, which can be a great workout as well.

Lighthouse Park – If you can get over to West Vancouver, Lighthouse park is a great place to watch the sunset and get in a good run/walk if you’re up for it.

Ambleside Beach – Also in West Vancouver, this beach offers a wonderful view of the summer sunset. If you feel like going for a walk or run while you are in West Vancouver, you can go along the seawall from Ambleside all the way to Dundarave. A round trip is about 3.5KM.

Burnaby Mountain – This is a perfect spot to hike up to to watch the sunset, or drive.

Iona Beach – Just across the Fraser River in Richmond, Iona Beach is a unique place to enjoy a picnic because it is right beside YVR. Not only can you catch the sunset from here, you can also watch the planes take off and land.

So when a tough day has really taken it’s toll on you, think about winding down by watching the sun finish it’s work for the day. Enjoying nature is sometimes the best way to relieve stress. (Photo Courtesy of keepitsurreal)