Persnickety: 2012

Friday, August 24, 2012

Annie - Huron County Playhouse

I went and saw a great production last night. It was a complete last minute score and I’m happy I jumped at the chance. Jacki (www.whatdidshesay.com) posted she had a couple extra tickets for Annie. Annie was being shown at the Huron County Playhouse in Grand Bend which is part of the Drayton Entertainment banner. * http://www.draytonentertainment.com/

I brought my friend Connie with me who has seen the movie many more times than I have. We have a different take of the musical we watched last night. She missed so many moments that were missing from the movie, but for myself who hasn’t seen the movie in a very long time I didn’t notice anything gone. The songs that you expect were there (Sun will come out tomorrow), and the scenes you vividly remember are there (Never fully dressed without a SMILE!)

I caught myself smiling all the time, wholly engrossed in the production. The children were great, sang beautifully and I thought to myself, if those children were in today’s world singing and dancing that well in an orphanage, they would make a TV show about it! (How the world has changed in the last 100 years!)

Unlike the last couple times I was at different productions, the set isn’t what grabbed my attention nearly as much as the actors themselves.

Connie still plans to bring her daughters with her to see the stage production. Even if it wasn’t just like the movie (her big issue was she missed the larger role Sandy the dog played in the movie vs the stage) she doesn’t think it will be for the Huron County Playhouse run, but plans to grab it at the St Jacobs County Playhouse (http://draytonentertainment.com/season_productions/2012_annie_scp)

They’ve made a fan out of me, I’ll be back.

*Side note, we are getting our own Drayton Entertainment Theatre in Cambridge very shortly! Dunfield Theatre has plans to be open Christmas time 2012. I was excited before Annie last night, but even more so since. I plan to be a season ticket holder!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

So Excited!

Just bought my tickets to see Avenue Q in Toronto!

www.avenueq.ca

Highly recommended just by reviews and what I've heard! I'll review later!

Camping - Kin Kamp style!

The last time I went camping, I wasn't sure if I was going to manage...

This time I knew I was going to manage. Kin Kamp isn't normal camping. Showers, running water and electricity.

We end up in Meaford Ontario (www.meaford.ca) at Memorial park (http://www.meaford.ca/memorial-park-campground.html ) with about 1500 people.
Georgian Bay is visible from the campsite, as well as the great beach that Meaford has! I swear I love the water just as much as the fellowship!

Activities keep you busy the whole weekend from pancake breakfasts to hotdog lunches and freezie deserts to 11pm steak on a bun. The in between time is filled with Tug of Wars, relays for anyone who can walk, a talent show and lots of swimming in Georgian bay! Different Kin clubs offer something to do the whole time we are there.

Our campsite for Cambridge had 20 different living quarters all squished into 7 rentable sites! Does it feel crowded? Nope I can say that most people don't stay on the camp site as they head to the meeting places for games and food.

Preparing a tent to be added to tent city!

Hanging out in front of one of the trailers. Not all the trailers and tents had arrived at that point.

We look forward to this camping each year. Midnight swims and lots of great friends who could ask for more?

Monday, July 09, 2012

How to Train Your Dragon - #JLCreviewer

Like I said in my first blog post about How to Train your dragon, I had high expectations. Boy, did they not disappoint. We all left amazed at what we just finished seeing. The whole time I was watching, I felt I was in the show. Many times we bring our children to shows for their amusement, this time it was just as much for the adult as it was for the child. No child needed to watch this show – Promise!

My daughter, who is hard to please, was entranced the whole time with the life like dragons and the actors who played Hiccup and Astrid. Must note – Astrid is her favorite!

Perhaps my imagination isn’t where the creators of the live show is – but I would never had thought of using the techniques that they did to make it so realistic. Walking on Walls, Flying in the air, fire and bubbles. You can’t get a bad seat for the performance. The dragons themselves were superb, life like, large and in charge. They were the size of a small passenger truck to a large transport truck. They had them flying above us, or coming at us and breathing “fire”. Dragons eating objects and taking care of business.

We all spoke of our favorite parts of the live performance, and many times it was the story itself, mine had to be the bubbles to make us feel like we were under water, or when the fire came up to make us realize we were fighting the Queen dragon. The details that they remembered and added in made the show. The actors were perfect, never missing a beat that you or I would catch. I was sad when it ended and I had to return to reality.

Would I recommend this show to anyone? YES . You didn’t need to watch the movie to understand the show. They mastered enough movie to be able to show. Many times it is hard to make an animated movie into a production, considering one with huge dragons to contend with – but they managed it with precision. I didn’t feel like I missed any of the movie at all while watching the show.

Thanks John Labatt Centre (JLC) for the afternoon of magic and being a #JLCreviewer . This was truly a magical afternoon that was enjoyed by the adults as much as the children. The staff at the JLC are as amazing as the show itself. I had a chance to chat with a few of the staff, and they were so courteous and kind. Check out a show there anytime.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Camping Part 2

Well, my update for Camping is here!

I'll start off saying that I really did enjoy it. Didn't miss having no electricity. We had running water, toilets and showers. Did that make a difference. YES

Lots of hikes and an afternoon at a beach made the weekend so relaxing. Lots of help, with over 40 of us there, so no one really did everything on their own.

We are considering going back, as well as buying a yearly pass. It gives us a discount on camping. They do have electric sites, but the group ones are not electric is all.

Why not check out Valens Conservation Area - we had a great time even without electricity!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Camping

Most times when people mention camping, the others in the conversation either express love for it or hatred.

I know people who love it, to the point the "rough" it all the way through. No electricity, everything cooked on the fire, way back to the good old days of living away from the rat race and away from the big city.

I'm not one of those people, and growing up in a small town away from a big city (I grew up a world away from Toronto) I never went camping, the most I ever did in a tent was pitch it in the backyard and have friends over. I remember bugs, large ones, and cold, damp nights. I never enjoyed it.

That was then, this is now. Two summers ago, we were invited to a camp that included many of our friends (more now since going) We rented a pop up camper and went up. We had a great time. I need to note, we had electricity, running water and showers/ toilets right at the camp site. This was a big party with lots of people to hang out with for 3 days.

Last year, I went looking for a rental again, and found a steal of a deal. Our own camper for $300. I bought it. My husband has been fixing it up. We went from camping once the first year, to twice last year and this summer I have a weekend planned in the camper every summer month. We might even head out in September.

Why am I talking about camping? Well in a short few days, I'm going to be camping, in my camper, but the hard core way. No electricity. Gasp. Wish me luck, I'm a tech junkie and always with my phone/ computer. What about food, and cooking? No running water scares me. I'm thinking outhouses and stink.

I'll update on my experience, but doubt it will convert me. Why am I doing it? My daughter is in Scouts. This is a family outing.
Oh what we do for our kids!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Cambridge Classic Mile

My daughter participated in the Cambridge Classic Mile yesterday. She was very excited and told me all the things we tell our kids when they are going into a sporting event. Winning doesn't matter, just doing it is awesome (she added in that she was using energy so that was important).

She ran the 4 laps that were needed, and she ran the whole 4 laps without walking any of it. That made me proud, she ran it and gave it her heart and gave it her best. That was my only condition for her. Do her best.

Walking if that was her best, would have been enough. I watched her give it and push through. When did she walk? Through the finish line!

What is next for her? I'm going to start running with her, so she can keep up her running. I won't be able to keep up with her at all. I will learn I guess!

We will be back in the race next year that is for sure!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Canadian Premiere of How to Train your dragon!

I have been more than excited about the Canadian Premiere of How to train your dragon! http://www.dreamworksdragons.com/

John Labatt Centre http://www.johnlabattcentre.com is hosting it in London Ontario and we (my husband and I) have been pumped to bring my daughter and her cousin.

I have high expectations that I'm sure that it will meet. We are huge fans of the movie, and a stage production can only make the experience 10 times better. The best part will be when Hiccup will be flying with toothless. I'm hoping they can fit everything into a stage production that they are able to in a cartoon version of it!

I hope you check out the clips and links I've posted to make your decision to attend the show. I haven't been disappointed with the couple of "spoilers" I've allowed myself to partake in.

What would it take for you to buy some tickets?

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Easter Weekend

I have no events going on this weekend. If we do go out and do something it will be an egg hunt somewhere local. I do have an egg hunt planned for my daughter along with a nice meal with my mom. Sunday a friend from Fort Frances Ontario is visiting, and that is something you can’t even put a price or a value on! You see, I met her online over 7 years ago, and have never actually met her in person. She is one of those people I can talk to every day and never run out of things to say! We’ve gotten married and each had a child since we “met”. I am excited to have her visit me and for us to meet her and her daughter in person!

I am going to show her around Cambridge so she can see what it is like to be here! i’m very excited! (Can’t you tell!)

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Picture from the Happily Ever After Ball

I want to thank Hula Hoop Photography for this amazing photo of my little girl! I have ordered a couple 5x7's and hoping I can get the digital copy to enlarge too!

Monday, April 02, 2012

Happily Ever After Ball

On Saturday I took my daughter to the Happily Ever After Ball

It was put on by a local lady and all proceeds were being donated to the Women’s Crisis Centre. (I did read on Sunday that they raised $1000)

My daughter was static to be able to go, and she had a blast. She is 6 and enjoyed every moment of it. She was fortunate to meet Flynn Ryder and Rapunzel as well as Cinderella

She put her name in for a couple door prizes and did a treasure hunt! They had dancing and they made masks as well as hunted for cinderella’s shoes.

Her favourite part was making a wish and writing it down to put into the wishing well! She loved her jelly beans she received as a thank you for coming!

I hope they put the event on again. I know that as every year passes they will only get better. From a 6 year olds perspective it was a really fun event!

KW Symphony Prog Rock

I was lucky enough to attend the KW Symphony on Friday night to hear and watch them with a special series Prog Rock

Here is how they describe the night

“A sound associated with bands like Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Jethro Tull, Prog Rock explores extended musical structures, intricate patterns and textures, and often esoteric subject matter — giving it a place beyond pop and beside modern greats like Stravinsky and Bartók. Hear a brand new piece for orchestra and a Rush-style Power Trio by acclaimed Canadian composer Nicole Lizée: music that bridges the gaps between old and new, acoustic and electronic, classical and rock.”

I love the symphony, I love everything about listening to what these people can do with their instruments. My husband joined me and he enjoyed it a lot too. I do plan to do more of these nights. He enjoyed this particular one more than I did. It was harder than I enjoyed and the pieces that they played really did fit into what they were going for. Heavy Metal Rock. I’m not a fan of the Rock music so I’m not surprised that I wasn’t a huge fan of what they came up with.

Now nothing says that they weren’t great at how they played. My husband who is a Heavy Metal fan absolutely loved the show and would go back again. They did something right!

I’m very thankful for them as I won the tickets on a twitter contest. Because of that though, I can see us participating in more of their shows! I just have a feeling that next one will be something that I would enjoy more musically. Either way, a great time was had and I enjoyed watching and listening to hear all the different instruments.

www.kwsymphony.ca

Friday, February 24, 2012

Still taking time

I am still taking time to get used to updating and blogging, and I'm hoping to continually do this as I remind myself more and more.

We have been busy and have a few things planned. My 6 year old absolutly adores all the shows and events we have been enjoying so it isn't something I'm going to stop!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Monster Jam

I didn't make it to the Monster Jam show in London at the John Labatt Centre. A headache prevented me from even enjoying it a little.

I sent my husband and daughter off with some of their friends and they had a great time. How do I know!? Well, walking into the house my daughter automatically started talking about it. Going on and on about the Canada Truck and how awesome that truck is! (Northern Nightmare)

The guys all loved how loud it was, although my daughter wearing the ear muff hearing protection still cupped her ears a few times as it was too loud for her.

I don't know if my daughter would go back to Monster Jam (although just as girl friendly as for boys, mine isn't a fan of loud) I do know that my husband and his friend had more than enough fun for her. Trucks standing on 2 wheels for extended lengths, the loudness and the crushing of things were enough for these 2 to become regular fans of the sport!

I want to thank www.twitter.com/trina_stewart and www.twitter.com/christinauntold for the tickets. I didn't get to enjoy the show but they were appreciated nonetheless.

Ideas are all around.

Since I started on this mission to get more culture into my life, I see all kids of ideas of things we can do.

The Cambridge butterfly conservatory, or the Kitchener Art Gallery are two local things I do plan to visit. We also have the Waterloo Region museum as well as The Museum, which used to be the Childrens museum but is so much more than that!

I'm not even having to drive very far to enjoy so many things that excite the senses. We are also looking into getting tickets for Cirque Du Soleil for May. For people close to us, they know that May is a busy month with important birthdays and a wedding anniversarty. So splurging on some tickets to see it will be a perfect time.

I'm always looking for specific things to do. If you see a great show happening, or an exibit that looks very interesting please let me know. I don't always see things happening until it is too late.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Looking for Ideas for #Culture2012

Please let me know of great places I need to experience in 2012 while on this quest!

I'm open to anything and will fit as much of the suggestions in as I can!

Please let me know of special exhibits and week long festivals that are must sees! What are some things that you and your family do every year without missing?

Monday, January 16, 2012

Quiet week ahead

Considering how much of a bang 2012 has been, I'm looking forward to this coming weekend to be quiet and spending it with friends!

I'll be enjoying local food instead to celebrate a birthday with some great friends. That is just as much culture as I could get otherwise. A table of 7 ladies chatting and talking is as much fun as watching art/ music happen in front of me!

Hope you have something exciting planned for the week!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Tweet Up - Feb 17th Mexican! Yum

I'm starting a tweet up for some Mexican food. If you've never been to a tweet up it is highly recommended. I've met the most interesting and kind people at them. I do get how hard it is to go to the first one on your own. I'm lucky that one of my best friends @quirkycori attended tweet ups and then I went with her.

Now, back to why I'm wanting a Mexican food tweet up - I've never had Mexican and I've heard so many raves about how good it is. So join us at Mexican tweetup on Feb 17. RSVP @ twtup.com/mexigalt #mexigalt
Meet some great people, have some great food (that many people can't be wrong right!?) I look forward to meeting you!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

List of events (to be continually updated!)

Jan 5 - Cinderella / London Ontario
Jan 7 - Beauty and the Beast 3D / Waterloo Ontario
Jan 9 - CBC Premiere Republic of Doyle and Mr D / Toronto Ontario
Jan 10 - Toronto Maple Leafs game complete with Limo ride and free food! / Toronto Ontario
Jan 15 - Monster Jam / London Ontario
Jan 28 - Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory

Feb 19 - Sleeping Beauty - Dufflebag Theatre (Cambridge Centre for the Arts)
Feb 23 - Disney On Ice - John Labatt Centre

March 3 - London Fanshawe Sugar Bush
March 18 - Majinks (Magic show) (Cambridge Centre for the Arts)
March 30- KW Symphony
March 31 - Happily Ever After Ball

Friday, January 13, 2012

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella

@evilflu - www.twitter.com/evilflu or http://www.evilflu.com/ put a request on Twitter if anyone wanted her other ticket to Cinderella in London Ontario at the Grand Theatre. (http://www.grandtheatre.com/index.php/mainstage-theatre/2011-12-mainstage-season/cinderella/)

I jumped at the chance seeing it is my resolution and everything!I drove down on a Thursday night - January 5th to London Ontario to meet Nikki and to see the show that didn't dissappoint. I was not disappointed! There was more kissing than the Disney version but that is ok too!

Getting into the Grand Theatre, I loved the set up and realized how none of the seats are a bad seat in the house! I would like to do a balcony seat next time. The people in them seemed to really enjoy the view they had!

As much as I loved the singing / acting from the amazing people on stage - I loved the sets and the design as much. Just like when I went to Disney On Ice, I wasn't dissappointed with how the sets make the show.

The actors help the sets do their jobs and vice versa. They worked seemlessly together. I am a product of a TV environment. The fact that, while watching, I don't notice It isn't a TV screen to me is perfection.

Maybe as I become more of a theatre buff (ok I doubt that) that my expections might raise. I enjoy the feeling of the theatre, being there and seeing live people do things that make them happy. Not only are they happy doing it - they are great at what they do.

Would I recommend it? Yes, as well as I'm sure Nikki @evilflu would recommend it also.
Would I see it again? I don't think I would be able to see it in the same venue again, I do plan to make the Grand Theatre a regular place to check out their shows from now on. If this Cinderella did come back to a location close to me, I would buy a couple more tickets for sure!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Leafs Game - Toronto vs Buffalo

We had the pleasure of getting a company night out to a Toronto Maple Leafs game. I have been before and like the last time, we had a great time!

I'm not a huge hockey fan, but who can resist box seats and a great view to see the game. I enjoy a hockey like that!

We were picked up by limo, and driven to the Air Canada Center! (point, picture was taken at the end of the night)

This is the first picture I took from the box seats! The elevators were packed as people were trying and racing to their seats. Traffic wasn't great getting into Toronto so we were just making it on time to watch the National Anthems

From there we stood and sang. I had a great view of the Canadian Flag that they rolled out for the Anthem

that was a great highlight of the night. It was a sight to see. I've seen it on TV and it doesnt' hold to watch it being done in person!

We were fed some great food

And then after the game was done (Toronto won 2-0 over Buffalo) we made it downstairs, and out looking for our Limo. I do have to mention that there are a lot of white stretch limos like ours! You just have to find the right driver.

Funny part of the whole night is that I left a Tip on Foursquare (www.foursquare.com) that the bathrooms on the 6th floor boxes have horrible taps. As I'm typing it, I realize how snooty it will come off and that made me laugh even more. Most people hanging at the ACC don't go the the 6th floor and I've only been to the ACC once where I haven't been sitting in a box!

Would I do this again? Yes I would!
Would I recommend? Yes, doesn't have to be a box seat but even if you don't enjoy hockey they make it such an event that it is a lot of fun. With the Kiss cam, and videos as well as the contestants vying for various prizes. It was a good laugh!

Beauty and the Beast 3D - In Theatres Now!

Edited to add - This opens today in theatres!

I was extremely excited when I found out I was going to be heading to this movie! I adore Belle (she is my favourite out of all the princesses) but to see it in 3D was an extra special thing! We saw it on January 7th!

I was lucky and received 4 tickets to the show and allowed my 6 year old to choose who was going to come with us! She chose her 2 babysitters who are sisters ages 14 and 15.

We had some decent seats, which worked out to be amazing seats when it came to my 6 year old. We weren't front row but pretty close but it gave my 6 year old room without bothering people to get up and enjoy the 3D. This was her first 3D that she would remember. She loved "catching" the bubbles and "feeling" the articles that came out of the screen to us!

The 14 year old had never seen Beauty and the Beast before and the 15 year old who is in love with drawing and all things art absolutely loved how great 3D was. The story will always be a great one, I'm happy Disney is making them all in 3D so we get to enjoy them in the theatre!

I am going to be seeing more 3D in the future. Beauty and the Beast in 3D made me realize how great 3D can be!

I want to thank Kids Ability (http://www.kidsability.ca/) for the tickets! They were well loved!

Would we do it again ? Everyone said yes. The babysitters were very excited to be invited along!

All ready for the movies!