Someone always asks when’s the best time to arrange a house swap, and the answer is: right now.
Even the workaholics among you are going to find it hard to put in an honest day’s labour for the next 72 hours, so in that idle time between unpacking your stocking and undoing your belt, I suggest you start planning a house swap for 2010.
I’ve done two now–one to Paris and one to Berlin–and it definitely takes a bit of time and focus to court and correspond with potential exchangers. And in my experience, seasoned exchangers seem to like to have their summer travel plans sewn up by February.
So take advantage of the seasonal lull and make this the year you actually get your act together to do a house exchange in Canada–or wherever your compass points.
These 5 past posts will help you get started:
I’m happy to answer questions on this topic, so feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.
Happy holidays to everyone who has supported TheseBoots this past year. Love and joy come to you–and happy travels too.
Continue Reading...Just wanted to share my story about the pleasures of walking in Victoria, BC that’s out now in the Fall 2010 issue of Canadian Geographic Travel.
It’s a beautiful spread with photos by the extremely talented Deddeda Stemler…hope you’ll have a look!
Continue Reading...Loved reading all your memories about Theatre Under the Stars–thanks to all who shared for a chance to win dinner for two at Adesso Bistro in Vancouver’s West End.
As I mentioned in that earlier post, Adesso is offering a special pre-TUTS dinner menu throughout August.
I used random.org to pick a winner: congratulations Linda DeRuiter–I hope you enjoy your night out with someone special!
Continue Reading...With a promise that the rain that fell on stage would be the only wet stuff Vancouver saw this summer, Theatre Under the Stars kicked off a six-week run of Singin’ in the Rain at Malkin Bowl last night.
On the theatrical scale, TUTS productions fall smack in the middle between low-budget, high-energy high school musicals and big-talent, big-ticket touring shows. Every show features a handful of pros and a whole bunch of keen (read unpaid) up-and-comers.
Vancouverites love ‘em as much for the open-air Stanley Park setting as for the hummable tunes and family-friendly themes. (The alternating show this season is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.)
I didn’t know if I could push the iconic Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds film version of the show to the edges of my brain long enough to let this production have its own time in the spotlight.
Director Shel Piercy didn’t make it easy. There were so many nods to the more-famous film cousin, some of which were surprisingly successful: Cosmo Brown’s (Neil Minor) backwards wall flip, for example, and Lina Lamont’s (Cailin Stadnyk) on-set bitchy ditziness.
But my toes were definitely tapping–especially during the second act when the razzle-dazzle song-and-dance numbers that are the TUTS hallmark came fast and furiously and the cast was just too busy to be nervous.
Give it a week to work the kinks out (the pacing was a little ragged last night and there were too many tech glitches, but the promise is there) and this would be a top pick for a bit of frothy family summer fun.
The charming Adesso Bistro on Haro Street, just a short stroll from Malkin Bowl, is offering a special pre-TUTS three-course menu for just $29.95 every day from 5 to 6:30 pm through August 21.
Just tell me your favourite Theatre Under the Stars memory–or why you want to make a new TUTS memory below.
I’ll do a random draw on July 22, 2010 at 8 pm for a pre-show dinner for two at Adesso. (You can use it any time until August 21.)
(Feel free to tweet this contest for a second entry–just use the ShareThis tool up there on the right…)
