Bring on the Adventure!

Tomorrow I will be leaving for Costa Rica - a place I have dreamed of visiting for years.  It was on my top 40 under 40 list because of the rain forests, wildlife and culture.

 

It’s a place that has always intrigued me and I can’t wait to see it with my own eyes.  I am excited to try the food and immerse myself in the culture.

I’ll be away for a week, and then it’s on to LA for the Tony Robbins Seminar. He is someone I have always wanted to meet as he has had a profound impact on my life.  The Seminar is called “Unleash the Power Within” and is about empowerment and discovering your true calling in life.  There is even a “fire walk” which people walk across at night – showing you that sometimes what seems impossible can be made possible.

After the Seminar, I plan to stay in LA for a week to do some of my other 40 under 40 goals, such as the Star Walk in Hollywood, visiting Rodeo Drive and experiencing the city’s nightlife.

Travel has always been a big part of my goals this year, and with Montreal under my belt – I can hardly wait for tomorrow’s adventure.  Wish me luck!

A Make-Over for the Mind and the Body

Although one of my 40 Under 40 goals this year doesn’t fit under adventure or travel, it is definitely risky, and something I’ve wanted to do for many years.

And that is to get a make-over.

Me Before The Make-Over

As I’ve moved through my 30’s, I seem to have slipped in to a comfort zone with my outward appearance. So much so, that my friends on Facebook who haven’t seen me in years, tell me that I look exactly the same.  I’m not sure if I should be flattered or insulted. 

It became clear to me this year that I didn’t want to be celebrating my 40^th birthday looking the same as I did on my 39^th or even 29^th.  I knew I needed a make-over, but was a bit scared of taking that leap.

However, despite my reservations, I decided to visit ARU spa and salon in South Surrey to make it happen.

Owner Aaron Oram was there to greet me and to discuss what I wanted to accomplish with my make-over for the day.   

He explained to me that when he and his business partner Derek Bodnarchuk went in to business together six year ago, they wanted to bring the mind and body together. He advised that the philosophy of ARU is to assist their clients to age gracefully by developing a sense of well-being from the inside out. Their salon believes in being eco-friendly and sustainable, and works devoutly to give back (like their recent pairing with the White Rock Hospice to create a 2012 calendar with all monies raised to go the White Rock Hospice).

It seemed like the perfect place to reassess what matters most in my life.

That’s why we began with an inside make-over that was meant to de-stress and detoxify my body. 

As I entered the dark, quiet room for the beginning of my make-over, my massage therapist, Cynthia Stephens explained that I would be receiving a warm stone massage. It is meant to draw tension and stress from my muscles and improve my circulation.

I could literally feel my stress melt away as she placed them at specific points along my spine, in the palms of my hands and on my stomach to improve the flow of energy in my body.

Afterwards, she provided a facial which helped bring attention to my skin’s needs.  I already knew that as a child of the 70’s, I had grown up at a time when lying out in the sun with coconut oil that had an SPF of 4 was considered being responsible.

There was some evidence of sun damage, along with a lack of proper moisturizing.  Stephens was quick to provide some regenerating and restorative cream that helped cleanse my skin and correct it.

When I looked in the mirror after the facial, I could see that the small lines around my eyes and forehead had disappeared. Hallelujah!

It was then time to move on to the manicure, which included exfoliation, a relaxing massage of my hands and a great dark brown polish for the fall.  My hands never looked so good.

The next step was a major one for me. It was time to do my hair.

Getting Foils at Aru with Hairstylist Sarah Kelly

Lucky for me, I was handed over to an expert hair stylist who understood my concern over any major changes with my hair. After discussing what would be good for my hair (a deep conditioner and two inches cut off my hair) she also suggested low lights to provide more colour-depth.

If you’ve ever had a whole head of foils, then you already know you are in store for some down time while you wait.  However, once the foils were removed and the hair was cut, I was instantly smitten. 

After being styled and blown dry, my hair felt light and full of body. 

One final touch was my make-up application by make up artist, Vera Muskovich.  She opted for a “smoky” eye look with purple on my eyelids (a colour I would never have chosen for myself) that made my green eyes “pop”.  She then applied a light base and dramatic blush to bring out my check bones (I wasn’t even aware I had any). A light sheen was applied to my lips at the end to balance out the dark eye colour.

When a mirror was finally handed to me for my final assessment, I hardly recognized myself.  Although it was me, it felt and looked like a new me. 

Me After the Make-Over

And when it was over, all I could really think to myself is one thing – bring on 40.

White Water River Rafting

One of the more spirited adventures I've always wanted to try is whitewater river rafting.

What's great about it is that, despite being a really exciting outdoor activity, it is also safe enough to take even a novice person along for the ride.

Which is why, last weekend, I coaxed my husband along on a drive up to Lytton, where the Hyak River Rafting Centre is located. Although it took us three-and-a-half hours, starting at 6: 30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, it was well worth the drive.

With coffee in hand, we embraced the chilly morning with more than 60 other thrill-seekers, dressed in shorts, T-shirts and waterproof jackets.

We were greeted by "Big Wave" Dave (otherwise known as Dave Taylor), who said he had been working with Hyak for more than 20 years. He imparted a few sage words of advice before we headed over for our introduction to the rafting experience, which included, "Expect to get wet" and "Wear one of the wetsuits because it can get really cold on the river."

He then directed us to the main guide, Sophie Brochu, who gave our group an overview of the day. Her main concern was proper footwear. I had on my walking water shoes; however, some who were wearing flip-flops were told they would not work on the raft (they'd fly off too easily). Also, wetsuits were encouraged and provided by Hyak along with water-resistant jackets.

We were suited up with lifejackets, helmets and handed an oar - and ushered onto a bus with "Big Wave" Dave for a half-hour bus ride to the Thompson River. With music pumping and nervous chatter surrounding us, the excitement was palpable.

As we exited the bus, and walked down to the river and our waiting rafts, and everyone soon silenced. As we each took our seats on the raft, we were advised by our guide, Joe Kerrigan, of the dos and don'ts while onboard.

With eight of us in the raft, we had to be mindful of our oars and working together as a group during the ride through the rapids. He instructed us how to get to the centre of the raft, as well as how to forward and back paddle, when needed.

There were 27 rapids we would come across, which had names such as "Jaws of Death," "Cutting Board" and "the Witch's Cauldron." There was 36 kilometres of river that we would be covering, and the ride would take approximately four-anda-half hours to complete.

After about 20 minutes on the water, we encountered our first rapid. It was swift and powerful and took my breath away. My paddle was a bit hard to operate through the first one, as I had to get used to the motion. It took me three rapids to figure out how I should be leaning and paddling as each one hit.

Every rapid we met was different and unique - and offered its own set of challenges.

The parts of the river that were quiet allowed riders an opportunity to bask in the sun and take in the views of the deep canyons surrounding us. As we passed by waving fishermen, who were fishing for salmon right off the rocks, it gave riders a glimpse of a different kind of serenity that few people ever have the chance to appreciate.

Our group also had the opportunity to jump into the river and hang onto the raft as it went through some of the "tamer" rapids on the trip. It was cold but fun, as we were able to experience the thrill of being right "in the thick" of it.

Getting back into the raft was a bit of a chore; however, each of us pitched in to help one another slide back to safety.

The last thrilling rapid we went through was so powerful that it almost toppled our raft. However, once safely through it, we all let out a cheer, waving our paddles high in the air.

And with tired arms and a smile pasted on my face, I knew I would have many stories to share of my adventure on the Thompson River for years to come.

Sweet Dreams of Chocolate

 It's true that many of us have dreams of another life we could live if we had the chance. For me, I've always dreamed of working on a chocolate production line.

Perhaps it was that I Love Lucy episode I saw as a young girl, where she is gobbling up chocolate on a conveyor belt as it speeds past her. I'm not sure if it's that or just the idea of having chocolate surrounding me all day. Either way, it was on my list of things I've always wanted to do.

I was lucky to have an opportunity last week to learn from the best, Gary Mitchell, head chocolatier of Purdy's.

As I walked up to the factory, on Kingsway in Vancouver, I could feel my excitement grow as the smell of chocolate wafted out of the building.

This was definitely a good way to start my morning.

I was met by Mitchell, who graciously gave me a tour of the iconic chocolate factory and explained to me why the company's chocolate is so darned good.

Some of the recipes date back to 1907. Mitchell, who creates upwards of 150 recipes per year, revealed that out of the many chocolate creations he devises in his test kitchen, approximately six actually make it to market.

So how does one become a chocolatier? Mitchell was a baker for 20 years prior to working at Purdy's. He attended chocolate school in San Francisco and Montreal, and candy school in Pennsylvania. He also travels extensively to exotic locations around the world to stay on top of trends and flavour combinations.

A lot of chocolates at Purdy's are still made by hand. They still do hand-markings for the chocolates and use copper kettles for the creams and caramels.

It's said that chocolate has a lot of emotional ties for people. We buy chocolate for Easter, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, Halloween and, of course, as gifts for loved ones, "just because." It's that emotional attachment that has led someone like Ed Andres to still work at Purdy's after 30 years.
When I meet Andres, he is about to pour caramel on to one of the cooling tables. The caramel had been hand-stirred and heated to 246 degrees Fahrenheit. He expertly pours out the caramel, as it bubbles in the cylinder, and smooths it out on the table. Its looks like caramel silk. Once cooled (approximately 45 minutes), it can be cut in to strips and squares.

The only thing he'd change about his job, Andres reveals, is getting up at 4 a.m. for his shift.

After viewing the caramel delight, we moved on to the factory production line, where rows upon rows of chocolates were receiving a chocolate bath. Almond clusters, for example, need to go through a chocolate waterfall provided by the conveyor belt and are then shaken, to rid the excess chocolate.

I was able to stand alongside the "snow ball" line of workers who handle the vanilla creams, each coated in chocolate and hand rolled in coconut.

Wilma Yambao, who has worked at Purdy's for 11 years, can roll approximately 30 of them in one minute - a definite record in my books.

I was able learn from Mitchell about what to look for on the chocolate line (should any chocolates not be up to snuff) and how a good hand-eye co-ordination is needed for the task.

One of the newest creations Mitchell was able to get into Purdy's stores this month, Turona, was next to come down the production line.

It's a two-layer chocolate, consisting of a soft puree of almond and hazelnut and creamy milk chocolate entwined with a French pastry flake, with a second layer of dark chocolate truffle made with whipping cream and cocoa.

Sound decadent?.....You bet.

As rows of the new chocolate marched by, I couldn't help but reach out my gloved hand and pluck one up. The varied texture and creaminess of the warm chocolate was divine.

Lucy would have been proud.

Everywhere I turned, workers were smiling, enjoying their work, and chocolate was abound.

The experience was everything I had hoped for, and so much more. It's a testament to my dream, and to what I've always secretly known: Chocolate is truly good for the soul. :)