The Robson Square Ice Rink opens again on Monday December 1st.  What a fun way to spend some family in the heart of downtown.  Ice Skating is free and skates can be rented for only $4.

Just how good of a deal is that - while skating is free at Robson Square, adult rates at Rockefeller Plaza in New York start at $27 ($30 during the holidays),  and kids get in for the bargain price of $15.  If you need to rent skates that  will only be another $12.  A family of 4 that rents skates is looking at shelling out $138 for a holiday skate at Rockefeller Plaza versus just $16 at Robson Square.  And you thought Vancouver was an expensive city??  Have fun - maybe I will see you down there.

Remy Scala wrote an interesting article in 'Inside Vancouver' discussing the challenges of finding great live blues music in Vancouver.  It has been over 2 years now since the Yale has closed down, and although the owner did promise to rebuild and reopen all you see on the window's today are a For Lease sign.

Remy delves into some of his favorite clubs starting with Cottage Bistro which is tucked away on Main Street.  He is always interesting and passionate about what he writes.  If you are interested in 'The Blues' in Vancouver maybe give it a read.  Enjoy!

I had no idea, but apparently in 2011 the only Canadian bank note depicting women were replaced by the image of an icebreaker.  Isn't it time to urge the Bank of Canada to start putting women back on our bucks again?

Historian, Mema Forster has launched a petitiion with the hopes that the Bank of Canada would see how  important it is to Canadians that we celebrate the contributions of women to the nation's history.

A $50 bill, launched in 2004, depicted the women's rights crusaders know as 'The Famous Five' and feminist Thereses Casgrain, only to be replaced by a boat.

The website Women on Canadian Banknotes includes a portal to Forster's  petition, which has over 50,000 signatures so far, as well as a $100 bill image generator that allows user to suggest Canadian women and see how they might look immortalized on the paper money.

Some suggestions include Margaret Atwood, Lucy Maud Montogmery, Mary Pickford and the National Women's Hockey Team. Who would your choice be?

Chloe Ernst has hiked in amazing places across Canada and in Boiiva, Spain and the UK, but she believes that the backcountry around Vancouver is perhaps only rivalled by the wilderness of Alaska.

Ernst is the 30 year old author 'Best Hikes Near Vancouver' which is a wonderful guidebook that hightlights 41 day hikes and walks within an hours drive of the city.   These hikes range from easy hour long strolls to more difficult hikes lasting 6 to 8 hours.

For each hike, the book features a brief summary, statistics, trailhead directions, a description, route details and distances, photo's, and a full-page map.  Also you will find information about nearby events and restaurants. 

Chloe is also the author of 'Day Trips from Seattle' and 'Scenic Driving Atlantic Canada' and coauthor of  'Frommers Best Hiking Trails in British Columbia. 'Best Hikes Near Vancouver' took just over a year to complete.  It' sounds like great reading and a wonderful guide.

Did you know that the "like" button in Facebook originally was going to say "Awesome", rather than "like" according to Facebook Engineer Andrew Bosworth.  Zuckerberg eventually vetoed the "Awesome" button in favour of the shorter "like".  What would have been your choice?

The biggest game on the CFL calendar is coming to Vancouver's BC  Place Stadium on Sunday November 30th.  But the excitement starts well before the big game.  The 2014 Grey Cup Festival is a full lineup of parties and street fests, parades, tailgating experieces and more from Nov 27-30.

The largest event apart from the game will be the Telus Street Festival, Nov 27-29 at Canada Place.  This free party will kick off at  11 am each day and will feature live music on the main stage starting at 3pm. 

There will also be interactive games, street food and the Nissan Family Zone at Jack Poole Plaze for some kid-friendly fun.

Fans can also see well known acts from Canada and beyond at at the Red Truck Tailgate Concert Series, three separate ticketed performances inside the Vancouver Convention Centre.  Ticket prices start at $35.

And of course the city will come alive with team parties, and galas for fans of different CFL teams, often with live music and plenty of food and drink.  For a complete line-up of Grey cup events check out the the 102nd Grey Cup Festival website.  Have fun!!

BC has some of the most desirable places to live on earth, which ultimately makes it also one of the most  expensive.   If you must live in a detached home the crunch can be incredible.  

According to an article written by Ian Austin in the Province on October 21, 2014 here is a list  of the average price for a home in BC;s most exclusive communities:

West Vancouver   $2,144,137

Vancouver: $1,367,458

Whistler: $1,208,343

Lions Bay: $1,114,347

Anmore: $1,106,149

North Van District: $1,016,052

Richmond: $971,675

Burnaby: $949,826

North Van City: $891,975

Oak Bay: $890,732

White Rock: $878,824

Belcarra: $842,238

Now if you are looking to retire or looking to cash in on your investment you might be looking for something just a little less expensive.  Here is an interesting list of the average price for a detached home in BC's 36 most affordable communities.

Granisle: $49,222

Port Clements: $67,592

Stewart: $69,925

New Hazelton: $73,689

Wells: $74,683

Zeballos: $80,222

Masset: $86,777

Tahsis: $87,588

Clinton: $96,323

Mackenzie: $111,634

Port Edward: $113,761

Greenwood: $113,980

Gold River: $114,236

Hazelton: $114,953

Burns Lake: $116,945

McBride: $118,989

Lytton: $120,379

Houston: $123,254

Cache Creek: $131,390

Slocan: $137,979l

Sayward: $141,155

Port Alice: $143,959

Fraser Lake: $147,662

Fort St. James: $150,658

Queen Charlotte: $152,378

Hudson’s Hope: $152,700

Salmo: $155,467

Lillooet: $158,698

Alert Bay: $161,127

Quesnel: $164,120

Port Hardy: $164,333

100 Mile House: $169,314

Midway: $170,787

Kitimat: $174,189

Prince Rupert: $175,489

Barriere: $178,272

Are you ready to tee off in downtown Vancouver?  'One Under' is Vancouver's first urban golf  course that offers duffers a chance to hit the links in six state-of-the-art golf simulators.  Golfers can choose from 24 golf courses from around the world, from Pebble Beach to St. Andrews to Pinehurst to Banff Springs.

The unique venue also offers an eatery and watering hole with a high end sportsbar feel. Check out their artisan pizzas, a drink lists that includesa wide range of scotch as well as craft beers from Vancouver and beyond.

The golf simulators can be reserved for $50 per house and would take each player approximately 45-60 minutes to play a full 18 holes of golf, since you don't have to waste time looking for your balls or shuttling from hole to hole.  The club provides the latest clubs and balls so you can leave your golf bag at home.

You can also practice your long drives, take part in a closest to the pin competition or take our your frusteration by hitting balls at old warehouse windows.

"One Under' is located at 476 Granville St. at Pender and is open from 11am to 11pm (open to midnight on Friday's and Saturday's and 10pm on Sunday's.  Sounds like a fun place to play a little winter golf!!

A truly uniique home  this Signal Mountain Space Ship house is a large saucer structure suspened a story off the gound on six large re-enforced cement pillars with parking underneath.  The house is situated on a wonderful lot with scenic views of the Tennessee River.

The home is approximately 2000 square of living space with 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, kitchen, living room and large open bar/entertianment area.  Ideal for a weekend get away for those living in the area.

A house that rocks - If you are looking for a rock solid investment, how about this house in Portugal?  Situated between 2 giant boulders, the house walls are formed of mortared masonry, and the living area is covered by concrete roofing.  Fireproof, windproof, and ipervious to insects, a house like this might qualify you for lower homeowners insurance rates???