Illuminate Yaletown

This weekend Mike is in Vegas. He went with a bunch of guys from my workplace who he's become friends with playing poker and left on Friday.

On Friday, one of our friends had a girls night, so all of us menless women went over had a great meal and appies and drinks and desserts and lots of girl talk.

It was fun and I had a great time.

I was really looking forward to having my place and especially the bed to myself. Mike and I

definitely really love each other and get along very well, but it is still nice to have some alone time too to recharge.

I woke up early on Saturday and had a light breakfast and took the dogs to the dog park.

Then I came home and got changed into some jogging gear, it was a gorgeous day and I was determined to take advantage of it.

A girl in yoga the other day was talking about long distance running around Vancouver and it

had really inspired me.

I decided I would leave my place and run around Stanley park along the seawall.

I ran to English Bay, then speed walked for a bit then ran to second beach, then speed walked for a bit, then ran to the lighthouse look out then speed walked and carried on like that until I was back to English Bay and then back home. It took me almost two hours but it felt great and it is gorgeous scenery and sunny.

I'd had so much energy and it was a fantastic way to burn it. When I got home, I stretched and did a bit of yoga, core and push ups to finish off. I thought I would be super sore today, but I'm not, so I think I'll do it again in the future. Not today though, it is raining.

So then I took the dogs out again for a run around the park did some housework and got cleaned up.

Mike had introduced me to this little place called the Noodle Box near his work that is incredible. They serve Thai inspired noodle dishes that are so fresh and filled with sprouts, cilantro, peanuts and lime and I am addicted. I went and picked it up and then decided to walk over to this Illuminate Yaletown thing I'd seen advertised in the elevator.

I'd mentioned that I'd check it out and call a couple of the girls from the night before if it was cool, but I'd left it too late and when I went, it was starting to be over, so I didin't bother and just took some pictures.

On the way over I was trying to do too many things at once and dropped my camera and it did not recover this time. :( Yikes, but not to worry, I took these with my phone.


It was becoming due for a new camera anyway because this one was getting a bit worn out given how much I use it and I hate some of the features on it. (blurry night shots and always major red eye unless you set it up perfectly before taking the picture and who has time for that when you are trying to get a quick shot?)

So this event was pretty cool. They had all this contemporary light art set up. Mostly it was different projections on buildings like the above three, but there were some cool structures like the balls hanging from the rafters.

The scene you see above with the words was an enlarged light pantomime. They put the words on a projector and players in masks with props by the window would move the props around for the scene.

It was very entertaining and the music that went along with it matched perfectly. There were also a lot of ice sculptures that were lit and they were really beautiful. My shot doesn't really capture this one that was lit up like a Christmas tree.



This photo is of a living room scene. There was paper on the furniture so that you could sit without sticking or ruining the sculpture.

There was a tv, a chair, a sofa and an end table with a lamp.

This one was pretty cool.

There was a restaurant/bar section (13) that was pretty bumpin.



They had a live band that consisted of a dj, a violinist, a sax player and a banjo player.

It was a very funky sound and I hung around there a bit listening.

The also had some cool light setups and an ice sculpture for

their bar which was about 6 feet wide and 4 feet high.

The bar had Section(13) engraved in it and it matched the Courier font of their sign.

























Some other cool pieces where this angel, the projection of the dancing cowboy and this panel below that switched colors schemas over and over.

People were jumping up in front of it for a cool shot, but my wimpy phone camera wasn't fast enough, so I gave up.

After I took these pics I went by an auto movie store where there is no clerk and you make your selections and they come out of little cd slots and you pay by credit card.

I'd been wanting to see "Juno". I hadn't yet which is shameful as the star is Canadian from NS and it is nominated for an Oscar. It is somewhat of a chick flick and Mike isn't much of a movie man.

I had a couple glasses of Wolfblass Cab Sav, watched my movie with my doggies and went to sleep.

Mike has messaged me a few times and he is having a great time and has won $600 so far, which he promptly spent on himsel of course. So I think today I'm going to go and get the duvet I've been wanting and one of those little scooters that fold up that tons of people have.
I know that may sound ridiculous for a 28-year-old woman, but tons of adults have them.

I work in a pretty cool building and I've seen adults using them to get to work more quickly than walking. I think it will be great.

I generally bike to make it go a bit faster, but this looks pretty effortless and quick. I can't wait!

So anyway hope everyone has a great weekend.

Mike and I are probably going to host a St Patty's Day party. We haven't hosted a party in a while and are due, so that will probably be the next post.