Link: http://www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/vancouver/2010_olympics/2010_stories/inside_tips_on_vancouver_2010
SKI AND BOARD 24/7 ON GROUSE MOUNTAIN
During the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (17 days), Vancouver's Grouse Mountain and all its snow and dining facilities will remain open 24/7. Fancy some skiing or skating at 2am? NBC's Today show will also be broadcasting live from Grouse each Olympic morning (Monday to Friday), beginning at 4:00am local time. www.grousemountain.com
LADIES SKI FOR FREE ON SEYMOUR DURING OLYMPICS
Vancouver has three local mountains - Cypress, Grouse and Seymour (Cypress is the Olympic venue for freestyle skiing and snowboarding). Visitors wanting to get in on some skiing or boarding action during the 2010 Winter Games can ski on either Grouse or Seymour. Mount Seymour is offering a "Girls Ride Free" night every Monday evening (from 6pm) until March 15. This is approximately a $45 value! www.mountseymour.com
FIGURE SKATE IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER
Bust out a few figure skating moves on the outdoor ice skating rink at Robson Square (below street level at the corner of Robson and Howe Streets). GE Ice Plaza will feature fun athletic demonstrations, family events and BC-focused entertainment during the 2010 Winter Games. Skating is free and rentals are under $5.
FREE YOGA DURING THE OLYMPICS
Yoga is huge in Vancouver… In fact, the popular Lululemon yoga-inspired athletic apparel company was born here. During the 2010 Winter Games, Lululemon and YYoga (one of Vancouver's best group of yoga studios) have teamed up to offer free yoga for locals and visitors at six centres. This translates to more than 1,200 classes during the 17 days! www.lululemon.com; www.yyoga.ca
ENJOY THE VANCOUVER ART GALLERY FOR FREE
The Government of British Columbia will house its pavilion on the fourth floor of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Thanks to this arrangement, admission to the Vancouver Art Gallery will be free during the 2010 Winter Games. Plan to immerse yourself in three special exhibits. www.vanartgallery.bc.ca
TAKE CONTROL OVER VANCOUVER'S NIGHT SKY
A massive light show called Vectorial Elevation will illuminate Vancouver's night sky and False Creek waterway from February 4 to 28. Created by Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer for CODE (Cultural Olympiad Digital Edition), the installation will consist of 20 powerful searchlights moving in patterned sequences. There is even the opportunity for people from around the world to submit their own light sequences online at www.vectorialvancouver.net.
Campagnolo Restaurant's Gold, Silver and Bronze pizza and beer specials ($16.50, $15.50 and $14.50 respectively) could land you a free meal. Watch the Olympic action on their big screen TV while you chow down and if Canada wins a medal while you're in the restaurant, you'll win your pizza, provided the pizza special you ordered matches the medal won. www.campagnolorestaurant.ca
The Granville Room will be serving a series of five Olympic cocktails ($9 each) inspired by great Canadian Olympic moments. The "Winner Takes All" cocktail, a blend of whiskey, honey syrup, gamay noir and flamed orange peel, is inspired by Canadian speed skater Cindy Klassen's 2006 medal sweep in Turin in which she won medals in every event she competed in. www.dhmbars.ca
Yew Restaurant and Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel is offering three Olympic cocktails inspired by the three Canadian cities that have hosted an Olympic Games. "Gold Vancouver 2010" features a smoked salmon and cucumber garnish floating in Victoria gin with notes of citrus, juniper and coriander. "Silver Calgary 1988" is a smoky twist on the Caesar served in a classic cowboy boot glass garnished with a buffalo jerky swizzle stick. "Bronze Montreal 1976" features a brulée sugar egg-foam crust cracked with a fan of apple slices, maple syrup and Canadian whisky. YEW also has a huge "Olympic burger" made with 1.25 lbs of meat. www.fourseasons.com/vancouver
VANCOUVER SPAS GET INTO GAMES
Two of Vancouver's top spas have created products or promotions in celebration of the 2010 Winter Games.
Vida Spa to launch metal treatments using gold, silver and bronze
On February 1, 2010, Vancouver's Vida Spa will begin offering three mineral-themed treatments based on the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda - known for the incorporation of metals, minerals and gems. Vida Spa will bring this precious practice back just in time for the 2010 Winter Games. The treatments will be offered at all four of Vida Spa's Vancouver locations - including the new Vida Spa at The Westin Bayshore, opening January 2010. The Gold Metal Facial, Silver Metal Facial and Bronze Metal Glow will be available exclusively throughout the month of February. www.vidawellness.com
Skoah Spa introduces "Skin Athletes"
Skoah, the Vancouver-based spa and skincare product company, has added five "Skin Athletes" to their team who will use, test run and provide feedback on products. Catherine Bruhwiler, professional surfer, mother of two and business owner, is one of the five lucky athletes whose skin is now sponsored by Skoah. Athletes such as Catherine are out in the elements and require high performance skin care - in Catherine's case to combat sun, sea and wind. The new partnership takes Skoah's mission statement of "personal training for your skin" to a new level. To learn about Skoah's four other Skin Athletes visit www.skoah.com.
CHINESE NEW YEAR, OLYMPIC COMPETITION AND VALENTINE'S DAY TO COINCIDE IN VANCOUVER ON FEBRUARY 14
Vancouver's 36th annual Vancouver Chinese New Year Parade will have an Olympic twist. This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 14 - the same day as Valentine's Day and the second day of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games competition.
The annual Chinese New Year Parade route was altered slightly this year to avoid Olympic transportation routes and to enable the parade to pass by the LiveCity Downtown Olympic celebration site (at Georgia and Hamilton Streets). The parade will start at 9:30am (earlier than in past years) at Taylor and Abbott Streets and proceed eastbound on Pender Street, southbound on Gore Street and westbound on Keefer Street. The parade will continue up the Keefer Steps to LiveCity Downtown where spectators and Olympic tourists will be able to watch traditional dancing lions and other parade performers.
According to an interview in The Province newspaper, Muriel Honey of the City of Vancouver's Film and Special Events office said there was also some crucial luck with Olympic scheduling. "The Chinese Gods were smiling on the parade because there are no events at GM Place on that day." Canada Hockey Place (GM Place) and BC Place, both Olympic venues, are just a few blocks from the parade's route through Chinatown and police would have been unable to cope with tens of thousands of spectators watching the Chinese New Year's Parade in addition to 17,000 Olympic ticket-holders heading to Canada Hockey Place for a hockey game. In years, past up to 60,000 people have descended on Chinatown for the colourful event.
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