About Vancouver's Downtown (west)

Home for the Holidays 2011 - Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver - Christmas Trees

I was honoured to be invited to join a host of very talented Designers and Home Stagers from across Vancouver to participate in this year's Home for the Holidays event.

Representing my company, Exit Stage Right, the theme for my Christmas tree is "A Teddy Bear's Christmas Picnic". Ten Christmas trees are decorated, and there is a friendly competition for the best decorated tree. In the next few days, I thought I'd share some of these fabulous trees. Such thought and imagination went into each and every tree.

Here is one of my favourite trees this year. Those who know me, know that I'm a complete francophile. I basically love everything French! You can imagine my delight when I feasted my eyes on this beautiful tree, decorated by a boutique decor/gift store/afternoon tea house, called The Little White House, located in Langley, B.C.

The theme for their tree this year is "Paris Opera" and I think it's delightful. Trees are available for viewing now until January 4, 2012 at the Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver. Votes cost $5 and the proceeds are donated to this year's charity, PALS, a school for children with Autism.

Vancouver Christmas Market - German Uber-Fun!

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Vancouver Christmas Market - 2011! Want to reach down deep and access your inner German love for Christmas? Well, you've come to the right place! The Vancouver Christmas Market is like stepping into the Concorde (only way faster), and arriving in small town Germany. Don your laderhosen, grab your beer stein, and check out this wonderful market.

The Vancouver Christmas Market is a joy to the senses.

- The visual splendour of Christmas trees, lights, decorations, unusual, hard to find gifts

- The wonderful aroma of baked apples, hot cider, Swiss raclette and freshly baked pretzels

- The sounds of Christmas carols playing gently in the background and squeals of joy from Children, delighted with the Christmas carousel

- The explosion of flavour as Gluehwein slides deliciously down your throat, chased down by a scrumptious home make apple dumpling

- The soft touch of a hand-spun Alpaca wool scarf that slips like silk through your hands.

We had a great time visiting this Market when it opened at 11am. My friend, Amanda's husband's family is of German heritage, so we were on a mission to bring back some special German cookies, shipped in directly from Germany. I'm happy to say we were successful in pinpointing these delightfully packaged cookies. By 12 noon, the downtown crowd, breaking for lunch, descended on the market for a quick, delicious bite to eat.

I'd love to return to the Vancouver Christmas Market in the evening, as all the Christmas lights will be lit, and carolers will wander and entertain. Yes, in fact, expect a follow-up post entitled: Vancouver Christmas Market by Night. I'll also be able to sample the wonderful hot, spiced wine called Gluehwein! Until then, Fruhe Weinachten!

The Vancouver Christmas Market runs from November 24 to December 24, 2011
Hours are 11am-9pm November 24 to December 23 and from 11am-6pm on December 24
Located in downtown Vancouver on the Plaza at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (on Georgia, between Cambie and Hamilton)

Admission is a twonie.

Home for the Holidays - Sutton Place Hotel - Vancouver, B.C.

Tis the season to spread joy and cheer! This year, my Vancouver home staging company, Exit Stage Right, was honoured to be asked to participate in the 6th Annual Home for the Holidays Christmas tree event at the Sutton Place Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Each year, designers are invited to decorate a Christmas tree. For a small donation, the public is asked to vote for their favourite tree. This year, all fundraising proceeds go to PALS, a school for children with Autism.

There were about 10 decorated Christmas trees, each with a different theme. I chose to decorate my tree and entitle it "Teddy Bear's Christmas Picnic". I hung brown, bronze and gold ornaments, and tucked some Teddy bears into the tree, shyly peaking out from behind the boughs. I added a picnic basket at the base of the tree, and used a tartan picnic blanket as a tree skirt.

The Christmas trees at the Sutton Place Hotel will be on display from today until January 4, 2012. If you find yourself humming "If You Go Down to the Woods Today..." I will know I've done my job!

Have yourself a Beary Merry Christmas (sorry, couldn't resist)!

A really fantastic thing to fit in to your Sunday schedule in Vancouver, BC! Last night, I met up with an old friend of mine to catch up over a glass bottle of wine. We decided on the Yew Restaurant - LOVED IT!!

Yew Restaurant is located in the Four Season's Hotel - one of the lifer hotels here in Vancouver, BC. The full address for those who'd like to visit is:

791 West Georgia Street Vancouver, Canada V6C 2T4 604.692.4939 (4YEW) at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

I loved it all! I loved the ambiance - the HUGE wine room, the spicy tuna roll - and of course, the beautiful bottle of Burrowing Owl - YUM (Thanks so much Ronniebaby!!) It was lovely - then the waiter told us about Sundays - which is around the point that I fell in love. 50% off all wines. I LOVE it when restaurants do this - it makes it a fun and exciting night to know that you can experiment a bit and buy a really nice wine and not pay crazy restaurant prices. Here's the wine list - and I ALSO need to add that every wine on the menu is available by the glass - unique, right??

Needless to say, I'll definitely be back - and if you live or are visiting Vancouver - definitely go check it out *and try to make it on a Sunday!*

Mold and Indoor Air Quality in Vancouver with Brian Mackenzie of ABM Environmental

By Vancouver Realtor, Mike Stewart

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Brian Mackenzie of ABM Environmental to talk about mold (mould) and indoor air quality. I was working with a client who was buying an older house in the Grandview area of Vancouver and had concerns about mold. We brought ABM Environmental in to test indoor air quality in the basement. Their analysis let us know there was a mild mold problem. Brian was able to give us some great advice to fix the problem inexpensively.

Why Worry About Mold and Indoor Air Quality?

Mold is everywhere. Whenever you have moisture and warmth, you get mold. Sometimes mold results in great things like cheese and penicillin, BUT sometimes when mold gets into the air of our homes, it can make us very sick.

Mold and Bad Indoor Air Quality Can Make You Sick!

Mold can have a huge impact on indoor air quality which in turn can have a negative impact on your health according to Health Canada. European and North American studies mentioned on Health Canada’s site show how a damp and moldy home is related to the following symptoms:

• Eye, nose and throat irritation;
• Coughing and phlegm build-up;
• Wheezing and shortness of breath; and
• Allergic reactions.

If you own or are buying any kind residential property, be it a condo or a house, and you smell, see, or notice mold, make sure to call in a professional to give you an assessment. Very often there will be little or no charge if it is a minor issue. If you have a major issue a professional should be able to help you identify the cause of the problem and fix it safely.