Have you dabbeled into personal development before? There are different types of development such as: meeting with life or business coaches, reading development books, watching videos, listening to seminars and much much more. My favourite type of development is the hands on work that happens during a seminar or workshop.

There are many types of seminars and workshops and I am completely open to trying anything. I experienced my first group workshop about 3 years ago and was given the tools to develop a relationship with my father. I was hooked! I was also looking to continue to grow and learn and see what else was out there. I then discovered The MASTERY.

The MASTERY of Self Expression has a very unique concept that drew me in. It was an intimate weekend that focused on ME! That may sound a bit selfish, but I was used to going to workshops with a few hundred people and I knew that there would be no more than 24 of us. So, for two and a half full days I committed to attending The MASTERY.

Friday, December 10, 2010 my life changed. I embarked on a journey with 20 other participants. I didn’t want to go in the beginning because I knew I was going to unlock a flood of emotions; which I did. What I didn’t know was that my confidence was going to grow. I was seen and heard and I was about to become a better me!

As described on their website, The MASTERY of Self Expression will help you, “Discover your passion and your unique voice with our weekend MASTERY of Self Expression workshop. Get back in touch with your creativity, your nobility, and your dreams. Rediscover your curiosity. The MASTERY of Self Expression is an intimate and supportive workshop, with a small group of people, which honours the individual in each of us. It changes lives.”

I went into the weekend with no expectation and was hoping to find inspiration that would allow me to continue to infuse my companies with new and innovative ideas. The weekend did that but only because I was able to let my guard down, be heard and experience the weekend at 100%.  My whole life I have always put everyone else before me and for once in my life I decided that IT IS ALL ABOUT ME!

Now, I feel seen. I feel heard. I am seen. I am heard. This is great for me personally, professionally and began a series of life changing events.

What that means in my business life is that I decide what happens in my companies and feel like I have complete control of my growth. I call the shots and choose the path I want to go down. I have created a world where all of the right things are happening for me. My eyes are open to see ideas before they are formulated and this will help me stay fresh and innovative.

What about my personal life? The weekend helped me realize that I do need to put myself first and helped me re-evaluate some of the relationships that I am in. I am a person who is full of compassion and what I learnt was that I was “getting missed.” I was worried about what people thought of me and about having a strong and tough exterior. I make jokes (I am funny, I promise) and love to talk. I want to make sure everyone is happy and that everyone likes me! I walked away from that weekend feeling loved, heard and seen. I am now able to put myself first while still making other people laugh and happy.

Everyone walks away from the weekend with a different experience. They start off on Friday with thoughts and feelings that are transformed by Sunday night. There is no one type of person who should attend this weekend and I suggest that everyone takes the time to learn more about it.

There are free information evenings and the next one is on January 20. For people in Vancouver, you can join the Facebook Page: MASTERY of Self Expression Vancouver to learn more, ask questions and be connected. The weekend happens 4 times a year in Vancouver and the next one is in March 2011.

Larry Gilman, the Facilitator for the weekend, helped me through this weekend and was the guide on this wild journey. He has been leading the MASTERY Workshops in Vancouver since 1982 and is one of the most compassionate leaders I have come across. He has helped many people approach their vulnerability, overcome blocks to creativity, and own their power, allowing participants to create what is most important for them in their lives.

Over 20,000 people have experienced this workshop and discovered their personal "New World". Are you ready to discover yours?

Breathe. Blow. I’m here, are you?

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Are you one of those people who think that you can do things on your own like build furniture, bake without a recipe or maybe create a gym routine? Sure, anyone can do these “things” but there are professionals out there who can train you to accomplish more, the correct way. I am always open to learn something new and now, after over a decade, I decided to surrender and try working out with a personal trainer.

Sasha Tymkiw from Custom Athletic Training Strategies  was who I decided to surrender to.  She has 6 years of experience in the industry and is full of positive energy. I have never wanted to work out with a trainer because I thought I was doing everything right at the gym.  I never knew why I was doing certain exercises, but everyone else was, so I thought that I should too!

Motivation was something that is hard for me, and I know that this is something that other people struggle with.  When I asked Sasha about motivation she said, “Motivation can be tough for anyone, even me. I'm just like anyone else who exercises: I hit lows, mentally and physically, I can start to notice I'm not looking or feeling as fit as two weeks before. What I do, however, when I hit a low, is I take action, and action always = change. A change in location, routine, or something new always keeps me inspired. Hit the web! Look out for new classes and just go! Also, a session with my personal trainer always gets me out of a rut.”

She made some amazing points. Action does equal change and that is something that people often strive for. So, I booked an hour session with Sasha and changed the way that I work out. I met her at a private gym that is used as a personal training facility. It was a beautiful space and everyone in there was working out with a trainer. There were no lines for machines, the music was great and everyone there shared a common goal, they were taking their health to a new level.

We went over my fitness levels and I told her what I usually do to exercise (yoga and running for the bus and sometimes the elliptical).  I went on the treadmill and bike to get my heart rate up and, oh boy, did it ever. We then worked on the bosu ball with some weights and the medicine ball and I even did a little boxing!

All of a sudden it was 1 hour later and it felt like I just got there. Working out with myself the time would drag on, but with Sasha the time flew by. She taught me how to perform certain exercises properly, chatted with me, and encouraged and supported me.

I recommend that everyone try working out with a trainer, at least once. Sasha is amazing and really listens to what your health goals are. Sasha agrees, “Trainers (good ones) make you feel like a million bucks both physically and emotionally. Your relationship with your trainer is a very close, vulnerable one-- you are standing within a foot of them dripping with sweat! Because of this closeness, many advantages to your program can be added as this fitness professional, will know your body better than anyone. Your trainer should get you results, and get them started when they meet you.”

When you are ready to get personal with Sasha, you can find her elite coupon at www.livingfreecanada.com, under the Fitness section.

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

When was the last time that you took the time to explore your own city and the tourist spots that hundreds of thousands visit?  No matter where I have lived, I have always been curious about why people from other amazing places would flock to my home. British Columbia has many obvious reasons as to why it is a desired place to come. The lush landscape, amazing natural resources and diverse activities draws much attention. It is easy for a local to forget about how lucky they are.

I took my sister, who was in from Winnipeg, to the Capilano Suspension Bridge for a morning of taking in a Vancouver staple. I took her there to see this simple and famous bridge which hangs over the Capilano River. We were there first thing in the morning (before it was busy), the sign was shining down between the trees and we were eager to explore. The main attraction is the bridge but there are also trails and mini adventures that you can have once you are in the gates.

My sister and friend having fun at the entrance!

This is a great place to explore with friends, with loved ones or even alone. This is a great place to take amazing pictures and be amazed by nature. I suggest that everyone go there at least a few times a year and try to bring someone who has never been!

I had the bridge all to myself.

If you are resident of BC you can receive an annual membership for only $25!  Membership includes:

• Free, unlimited admission to Capilano Suspension Bridge for one full year
• 10% off at the attraction's Trading Post Gift Shop
• 10% off food and beverage at Canyon Cafe, Loggers' Grill and Bridge House Restaurant
• 15% off admission for all accompanying guests when you return for your second visit
• Access to special attraction events throughout the year, including Harvest Festival, Canyon Lights, Vancouver International Jazz Festival and Canada Day (Click here for dates and times)
• Special rates at Cathedral Mountain Lodge and Moraine Lake Lodge*

* Subject to availability. Membership information required at time of booking.

Watch out for slugs.

The best way to fully embrace the experience is to go there yourself. So, it is time to be a tourist in your own town and take a moment to realize how lucky YOU are! The Capliano Suspension Bridge is waiting for you.

Having a Treetop Adventure

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Thank you to Alana Kaplan for her photographs for this post.

Aveda Institute Vancouver Grand Opening

There is no better way to spend a Sunday night than with beautiful and stylish people in the heart of Gastown, sipping campaign, while celebrating a grand opening. That is what I did on Sunday, October 17, 2010!

At 111 Water Street you will find a beautiful heritage building transformed into the Aveda Institute Canada where you can indulge in a beauty service, enrol in Esthiology or Hairstyling courses and purchase their amazing and natural products. This evening was to celebrate the opening of the new Institute and thank the salons who use their products. I was lucky enough to be invited to this marvellous party!

When I walked in I was greeted by their friendly staff and escorted to the table of bottles where I took a mini survey and learnt that I'm an "Air" scent. It was very fun to find out what my "nature" was and I was very wager to create my own Blair-smell.

My scent of choice was a mix between lavender and vanilla and there was a large variety to choose from. This was my favourite part of the night (besides meeting many stylish and funky people) and you can create your own scent, too!

The rest of the night was filled with laughing, mingling and smiling for the cameras. I suggest  that everyone takes a trip there and explores their  product line and services . There is something for everyone!

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

It is now time for you to re-live the fun through these pictures:

The table of bottles

Bottles for creating your personal scent

Katie creating my lavender and vanilla scent

Hand massages were given

Mingling happened with background music from a DJ

What do you think of when you hear the word “eco-friendly”?  “Eco” is commonly used when shortening the word “environment” or “economical” and last week “Eco” helped changed the Vancouver fashion world.  September 27, 2010 marked the first day if the Inaugural Vancouver Eco Fashion Week (EFW).

I was lucky enough to have the experience of exploring the week because I was guest blogging for www.imtheitgirl.com which is a fashion blog. The week was full of seminars, schmoozing, parties and amazing eco-fashion. There seemed to be a unique infusion of fashion and environmental issues and one of the companies that displayed this best was SIGG.

“SIGG stands for premium reusable water bottles. With over 100 years expertise "The Original Swiss Bottle" demonstrates worldwide quality and craftsmanship. The beautiful shape is one of the reasons that SIGG was incorporated into the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New-York. SIGG bottles are 100% recyclable and contribute to improving the world´s carbon footprint.”

SIGG teamed up with Supermodel Gisel Bundchen to create the Vancouver Fashion Week SIGG bottle. These limited edition bottles were handed out during EFW and will  be for sale in various locations across Canada with proceeds going to WaterCan, a Canadian charity dedicated to fighting global poverty by helping the world’s poorest people gain access to clean water, hygiene education and basic sanitation.

I had the pleasure of meeting Naomi and Josephine Roberts, who were representing SIGG, and came in from Toronto for the event. When speaking with Naomi Roberts,  about their choice to be involved with ECF and how SIGG chose to work with Budchen the answer seemed easy.

Josephine and Naomi Roberts with giant SIGG bottle

“You can’t have Eco Fashion Week with plastic water bottles,” Roberts explained. Her decision to work with Bundchen was based on her relationship with the United Nations and that she is an Environmental Ambassador.

There are over 100 designs of SIGG bottles and with this new addition you can stay hydrated from a funky and unique bottle that is both sustainable and high fashion.

Just by Roberts hearing about EFW and getting SIGG involved, this just shows that the eco fashion industry is changing. It’s not just the clothing we wear but how we make the clothing, how we wear the clothing and how we choose to live with sustainable accessories that are also functional and long lasting. SIGG has begun to help the Vancouver eco fashion industry one bottle at a time- what difference will you make?

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Challenge is a word that can cause a variety of reactions most commonly because it means you need to work harder to achieve an end goal. But what if that end goal is easy to achieve with a little motivation and dedication? Cari-Lee Stevens is changing the way that you perceive the word “challenge” with her month long Fitness Challenge. The next thirty days are meant to help you change your lifestyle and improve your health with the support of a community.

There is a minimal $10 entry cost with 100% percent of the proceeds being donated to a non- for-profit called Living Through Loss counselling Society of BC. The goal for the next month is to “create a community among the people who want to get healthy,” says Stevens.  To help you achieve this goal you will be using Isagenix products which act as a cleanse and help support a basic easy meal plan.

These are the details for the event:

How the challenge works!

• Commit for a month - no doubt you will keep your good habits for longer than just this month!
• You will start a specially designed just for you program of wellness & cleansing.  Your daily cost will replace your groceries and you won't be starving!

What you get!

• Unlimited phone & email coaching
• Free weekly yoga at West Coast Hot Yoga
• Free personal training session with Kalev PT at their fantastic new location
• Free access to our on-line support forum
• Free start & finish weigh in & measure

Our Nutritional Cleansing & Fat Burning System – 30 day supply will help you reach your ideal weight & healthy goals. It will reboot your system and help you to stay on track. This program uses superior quality nutrients to cleanse the impurities out and replenish the body. Don’t worry, you will be eating real food too.

If you have questions before registering, please contact Cari-Lee at 604 608 0511

When asked the question of why anyone should join the 5^th challenge Stevens is running, she said the main reason is “committing to a month of wellness.” This commitment will help kick start good habits and also send business to a local personal training studio and yoga studio. Why not challenge yourself to change the way you live your life this month?

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

On Sunday, September 12, 2010, 310 Vancouverites came together at VanDusen Gardens, despite the rain, to participate in the annual Winner's Walk of Hope for Ovarian Cancer Canada.  The walk in Vancouver raised $179K and counting and weather proved to have no factor in helping raise funds and awareness about ovarian cancer!

Here are a few pictures snapped by Photography by Wade Andrew from the morning:

A volunteer in her WWoH Volunteer Shirt

There were participants of all ages

Participants walked along the path of the gardens

Co-Chair Diane MacCormack with a young walker

For more information about the the walk please visit www.winnerswalkofhope.ca and to learn more about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer please visit www.ovariancancercanada.org.

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Every day we are shown new ways to improve our lives, in almost every aspect of living, such as: transportation, nutrition, beauty and specifically fitness. Time is a precious commodity and everyone tries to maximize their effectiveness while not being wasteful with their time. CrossFit is a way where one can see physical and mental results with spending less time “working” for it!

No, this isn’t something off a midnight infomercial; this is something on a whole new level. The majority of the marketing is done by word of mouth, which is how I heard about it!

I booked my first session, which is always a 2 hour session which was on a Friday at 6 am. I thought, “Oh boy, how the heck can I work out for 2 hours, especially at 6 am!” I was very excited because I love to sweat and I got to try out a new pair of fitness socks from Icebreaker, which is a new fitness apparel company I recently learned about! Nothing gets me more motivated than new work out attire!

I arrived to my session at CrossFit on East 3^rd and Clark (in Vancouver) to be greeted by a chipper trainer named Corey Lapell. I was about to spend the next 2 hours learning about CrossFit, my current physical abilities and what possibilities I can create for myself.

Lapell started by tell me the history of CrossFit. This was an education and interesting story that just seduced me into wanting to try this method more and more. It is important to understand the history and learn about the positive changes it will make in your life.

After learning about the history, it was time for my fitness evaluation. This is done so I can monitor my improvements while using CrossFit.  If you are curious as to what the evaluation consists of you will find out when you go for your first session.

I felt GREAT  after my evaluation and learning what I am able to accomplish now makes me want to strengthen my muscles and beat my current fitness scores. It is always worth trying something new to see if it works for you. There is an elite coupon at www.livingfreecanada.com (under Fitness) for a free 2 hour session.

Oh, and if you are curious, the socks were great!

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Exploring the Community with Living Free Canada: SwordFit

You have heard of sword fighting and you have heard of fitness classes and now, thanks to Academie Duello, the two if them are infused together for a powerful workout for your body and confidence.

In case you didn’t know, the website description is:

Academie Duello’s SwordFit combines the ancient training techniques of the European Knight with modern athletic training to create a fitness program that exercises your mind and body. A 90-minute SwordFit program includes a vigorous workout of strength and cardio training for the whole body with stretching and straight-forward swordplay techniques designed to work your core, shoulders, back, arms, and legs.

SwordFit is part of Academie Duello's Warrior Program.

SwordFit Advantage

SwordFit is an ideal program for developing:

• Endurance and agility
• Grace, confidence, and mental focus
• Explosive strength and speed
• Core strength, balance, and stability
• Symmetrical strength

The following types of athletes and individuals should explore SwordFit:

• Runners, sprinters, cyclists, jumpers, soccer players, and other athletes engaged in lower-body centric sports
• Players of racquet sports and stick sports such as hockey and lacrosse who need a form of whole body cross-training
• Actors, dancers, and those who need to develop physical presence, focus, fitness, and can benefit directly from the knowledge of swordplay
• Those seeking to get in shape, develop strength, agility, and mental fitness
• Those who are bored of the gym and want to do something fun, exciting, and physically inspiring

Take my word for it; this is a workout like no other. I always break a sweat and love that I am learning a new method to stay in shape.

A description of what a class would look like is:

1.    Warm-Up and Dynamic Motion

2.    Technical Coaching

3.    The Circuit (Example- Exchanging Blows, Medicine Ball, Sword Swing, The Pell and The Pin)

4.    Callisthenics

5.    Stretching

You can find more information about Academie Duello and details on the jargon used as well as additional information about the classes at www.learnswordplay.com. I go every Tuesday at 6:30 and would love to introduce you to SwordFit. Last week we had 7 members and would love to have you! Elite coupons can be found for a FREE class for you and a friend at www.livingfreecanada.com.

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Is there someone in your life who has become very sick with cancer or a terminal illness and you wish you knew more about that specific disease? That situation happened to myself about 4 years ago with my Aunt Heather was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. She learned that the cancer was already in stage 4, the last stage, and shortly after the diagnosis succumbed to the cancer. I felt helpless and lost with the lack of education I had about Ovarian Cancer, so I began to research the disease and learned about Ovarian Cancer Canada.

Ovarian Cancer Canada is a registered Canadian charitable organization whose mission is to overcome ovarian cancer, providing leadership by:

• Supporting women living with the disease and their families.
• Raising awareness in the general public and with health care professionals.
• Funding research to develop early detection techniques, improved treatment and, ultimately, a cure.

So, I began to volunteer and then I learned about the annual Winner’s Walk of Hope, which I volunteer for, as well.

The Walk of Hope was founded in 2002 by Peggy Truscott, a dedicated volunteer and a woman with ovarian cancer. Her vision was to create an event that would help raise awareness about the disease as well as develop more visible support and a sense of community for women and their families touched by ovarian cancer.

Now in its 9th year, the Walk has grown to include 15 National Walk locations and over 40 Mini Walk locations.

This year, I am the Media Relations Chair, in honour of my Aunt Heather and in hopes to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms to help save the women in our lives.

Date and Time: September 12 · 9:00am - 12:00pm

Location: VanDusen Botanical Garden. 5251 Oak Street at West 37^th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

Distance: Choice of 2.5km or 5km

I invite you to signup or donate online at www.winnerswalkofhope.org. Who will you save?

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

Being a girl, I love to pamper myself from time to time, especially getting manicures. The one problem I have is that the nail polish chips after a few days due to my lifestyle of physical activity, typing, cleaning and using my fingers a lot. Jo from Jo’s Toes and Esthetics mentioned an alternative solution for beautiful nails so I decided to explore this new beauty avenue.

This new service is called Bio Sculpture Gel and is considered a one component nail treatment that helps your nails grow and be stronger. I have my share of painted nails, manicures, gel nails and acrylic nails and so I was excited to try this out.

First, I got to pick my colour-I chose a light pink. After preparing my nails (filing, shaping and cuticles) the short and simple process began. Here are the steps (which take around an hour):

1. The base-coat is brushed on each nail and each hand is put under the UV light for 2 minutes to harden.
2. The colour of choice is then painted on each nail and each hand is put under the UV light for 2 minutes to harden.
3. Repeat Step 2 (for second layer of same colour).
4. A topcoat (which is clear) is put on each nail and each hand is under the UV light for 4 minutes.
5. Jo then does the final touch up by removing a small layer of “film” which takes about 10 seconds.
6. You now have stronger more beautiful nails.

The treatment is supposed to last 3 to 4 weeks and grows out with your nails. There is no chipping or damage to the nail which makes this treatment very tempting to us folks who like to hand wash dishes. This is also a healthier way to beautify the hands because there is no formaldehyde and it is toluene free.

Jo’s Toes and Esthetics is located in Kitsalano and offers an array of estheic services. Her elite coupons and link to her website can be found under the Beauty Section at www.livingfreecanada.com. Ladies of Vancouver, go make your nails strong, longer and healthier!

Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online health and wellness community, partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle and provides you with elite coupons.

You can follow Living Free Canada on Twitter: @LivingFreeCND, Facebook: Living Free Canada and You Tube: Living Free Canada. Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

On Sunday, June 27 The Gatsby Social Club threw their annual and much anticipated event: Thoroughbred: A Day at the Races which was supported by Media Sponsor Vancouver Foodster. I have never been to the Hasting Racetrack so this was something that I was very excited to experience. I am not much of a gambler or better (besides the occasional Bingo game) but I was looking forward to learning more about the world of horse racing.

Shauna Magrath of The BeautyInk Gallery and myself put on our best “society flair” which is what the invite said to do. We were told to wear “Derby attire; ascots for the gentlemen, hats for the ladies” and trust me, there was no disappointment there!

Shauna created her own hat while I found a beautiful red “Sunday Hat.” Our event had our own private patio with amazing and complimentary gourmet southern barbeque washed down by top of the line thirst quenchers. The area was full of Vancouverites who were dressed to the nines dancing to the music by Kraig Doherty and a live saxophone and bongos by Kostas and Jackito. PIXSTAR Photobooth Rentals was there taking instant photobooth pictures and captured the best moments of the party and provided us with souvenirs to take home.

Pictures from the Photobooth

Needless to say, I bet the minimum bet ($2) on 7 out of the 8 races and needless to say I didn’t win any money. I did gain a new experience and I will be attending next year with more friends in tow to open up their eyes to this new experience.

Here are some of the pictures (provided by Shuana):

Our tented party area

The horses after the race.

Our program and bets!

Have you ever been to the races? If so, who is your lucky horse?

Blair Kaplan

Owner of Living Free Canada

blair@livingfreecanada.com

Have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul!

Last night was Manitoba night at the Victory Ceremonies. Every night at BC Place for the Victory Ceremonies there is a similar format that is followed which is:

7:00pm until 8:00pm. The medals are given out to the winners of each event.

8:00pm until 8:30pm-8:45pm. There is a performance by a band.

Last night, in the spirit of Manitoba night, Burton Cummings performed. For those of you who don’t know who Cummings is he was in the Canadian rock band, The Guess Who. He is a Manitoban staple and a nationwide musical hero.

Cummings took the stage around 8:00pm and the crowd went wild! Some of the songs that rocked the house were American Woman, These Eyes, Albert Flasher, Runnin’ Back to Saskatoon and many more.

Something magical happened at around 8:45pm (when the show was supposed to end)-Cummings kept on rocking! As staff kept an eye on the clock as he played another song and another song and another song.

Around 9:25pm Cummings played his last song, so we thought. The lights came on, the cameras came off and there was another strum to the guitar. ENCORE! It didn’t matter that the florescent stadium lights were on and that people we beginning to file out of their seats…CUMMINGS KEPT ON ROCKING!

The show ended at 9:35pm.

It was truly a rock show where you felt the music, you sang along becuase you knew the words and you had the chance to spend 75 minutes with one of Canada’s musical legends.

The lights are on but the encore keeps going!

For those people who bought a $25 ticket to last night’s show, they got the best bang for their buck and will be talking about that show for the rest of their lives.

Follow Cummings on Twitter: @burtoncummings

Blair Kaplan wrote this post  from her humble abode looking over Robson Square. Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online elite coupon community partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle.

You can follow Living Free Canada on twitter: @LivingFreeCND and have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

We should all welcome back Mother Nature from the vacation she took last week while Vancouver was hosting the Winter Games with a Spring ambiance. The rain is here and the remaining 4 days are looking wet. The weather has not damped any spirits or diluted any crowds.

Canadian Poncho Pride

Tips for staying dry for the remainder of the week:

• Ponchos are an affordable way to stay dry and don’t take up much space. These are most beneficial when watching the big game on the big screens in Robson Square. They are mildly unfashionable but that is alright because everyone is doing it! Don’t worry if you are not sure where to buy a poncho because they are usually given out free on the streets.

• Umbrellas are a key way to stay dry. They are very hard to use in large groups and crowds unless you are 7 feet tall. Make sure you know the up/down rule when walking with one open. Make eye contact with oncoming umbrella users and one of you will move your umbrella up and the other down.

• Finding the covered and indoor events. Sure, you may want to celebrate on the street but why not pop into one of the sheltered venues like Home on Howe or LiveCity Vancouver.

• Embrace the rain. Everyone in the picture above is sporting their ponchos while cheering on Team Canada during the Canada vs. Russia in the quarterfinal. Rain or shine we bleed maple syrup.

For most of us this is  a once in a life time event so don't be scared to get a little wet and GO CANADA GO!

Blair Kaplan wrote this post  from her humble abode looking over Robson Square. Blair Kaplan is the owner and CEO of Living Free Canada, who is Canada's unbeatable, online elite coupon community partnered with companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle.

You can follow Living Free Canada on twitter: @LivingFreeCND and have an active mind, happy heart and loving soul.

We have all heard success stories about social media networks helping raise awareness about events, companies and news and the reality of this didn’t set in for me until I experienced it myself. I jumped on the Twitter boat, along with almost every business owner, to help grow my community. I follow mostly Canadian people and companies that reflect a fun and healthy lifestyle. My community has been rapidly growing but I haven’t felt a real connection to Twitter until now!

I was born and raised in Winnipeg and have been living in Vancouver for almost two years now. Twitter has now proven to be an effective way to grow my personal and business network while connecting with my nationwide community.  A way this happened was by following Winnipeg’s radio personality, Ace Burpee, who is the morning host for Hot 103. When I lived in Winnipeg I was a huge fan of his and drove to school laughing out loud daily because of his humorous antics.

It was around 4:15pm on Monday and I had just sat down to peruse my usual websites to review the Medal counts when I received a phone call from my sister in Winnipeg. She called to tell me to check Ace Burpee’s twitter because he was looking for someone to watch a 5:00pm Women’s Semi-Final game where Team Canada was playing against Finland. Burpee is in town doing covering the sporting events for a few different Winnipeg media outlets and I thought, “This is my chance to meet him AND see my first Hockey event for free!”

I twittered him and within 5 minutes I received a place to meet him and within 20 minutes I was cheering on our Women’s Hockey Team. Without twitter I would have never had a chance to meet Burpee or see a sporting event for free. I got to be present to cheer on our team, on our ice, and watch our female hockey heroes take another win.

My suggestion is to follow those who interest you on twitter because you never know where you will be invited to or who you will get to meet. Thank you Twitter and Burpee for helping make this a memory to last a lifetime!

Written by Blair Kaplan