Persnickety: January 2012

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!