Review: Wreck-It-Ralph, Disney movie

This is actually a movie I would pay to see again.

In fact, I want to pay MORE because I should've seen it in 3-D in the first place.

I just didn't want to get ripped off, because a lot of the time, you pay the $15 or whatever to get the 3-D glasses, fight for a good 3-D seat, and you end up disappointed because the 3-D animation wasn't that great anyway.

This time was different.

Not only was the plot excellent, the characters lovable & evolving, but you could tell that the graphics would be so much more enhanced with 3-D because of the extreme creativity of this other world. 

This was also not a movie just for the kiddies (lame, simple humour), but great for adults as well. You genuinely empathized with multiple characters, laughed at the silly ones, "awwwww"-ed at the cutesy characters and hated the villain (but felt sorry for him a little, too). It kind of gave off that "Toy Story-esque" feeling when you KNOW for sure your toys come alive when you leave the room.

Is it a movie skewed towards females?  A little.  But it's definitely a movie the boyfriends and husbands can enjoy well enough to sit through a couple of hours and not die of extreme boredom.

And hey, Happy Wife= Happy Life. 

Review: A+

Giving Effective Presentations: Tips & Tricks

Over the past few years, I've given a few presentations to smaller groups/clients.  My time at 7-Eleven Canada has given me a bigger and better opportunity to present to larger audiences (100+) of varying audiences: from store managers to the senior VP group, all tuning in from various parts of the country. Some presentations are on video conference, while others are isolated in a conference room.

I'm still a newbie at this, but I think the below presentation tips will give novice presenters the confidence to pull off their first few National/large presentations (even though you may be shaking in your boots at the same time).

1) Speak Loudly. Speaking loud makes you sound more confident than you really may feel! A lot of times, you are so nervous that you end up speaking at a normal speaking decibel or even quieter than your usual volume.  This is no good because a) You sound nervous and b) no one can hear you. If you sound nervous, you don't sound confident in what you're saying. If you speak LOUD, then it sounds like you know what you're talking about. Which leads to point number....

2) Present hard Facts. If you have done your research and believe in the facts/data on your powerpoint, you will have no issue presenting the facts. Because facts are numbers and numbers always speak the truth (especially when presenting to senior-level management). When presenting to National audiences, they won't remember the frou-frou, they'll only remember the numbers you presented to them, especially if they've been listening to boring presentations all day. This makes it easy for you, because all you have to do is present the numbers/facts, which also makes it easier for you to remember and feel confident about. Just make sure you are explaining what the numbers mean to the business, too.

3) K.I.S.S. is something we've all learned- KEEP IT SIMPLE, SILLY! Sooooo many people have too many words on their slides. Nobody will read your words. If you can make your facts into a chart, MAKE IT INTO A CHART. Show trending charts or pie charts; those always depict what you need to show, to prove a point. If you have more than 4 bullet point form notes on your slide, that is too many. If you have sentences on your slide, you must make it into a point form. [PS- blogs are not presentation slides, in case you're wondering why I am typing out paragraphs!]

4) Always remember you are the Expert. No one has researched your topic as much as you. Even if you're new to the company or industry, you have done all the background research and are the expert in your field. Otherwise, nobody would have asked you to present in the first place.

5) Go Early. Check out the scene if you haven't presented in a particular location already. Is the podium too tall for you (as it is in my case, many times)?  Make sure you get a stool or make a note to stand away from the podium/get a mic, etc. Is the screen behind you? If it is, make sure you've got your own notes handy so you don't have to talk behind you the entire time.  Do you have a portable "clicker", or does someone need to help you click slides? Make sure you check out the scene for all possible things that could make you feel uncomfortable, and therefore will cause you to deliver a less than effective presentation.

6) Find your Audience. Before preparing your presentation, make sure you know who your audience is. Is it all senior executives? Local store teams? Internal staff? Regina, SK versus London, ON or Canada-Wide? This seems straight-forward, but I've been caught thinking I would be presenting to a small team but ended up being surprised with upper management attending the conference. I've also been surprised when senior management was NOT there. Depending on who's there, the same exact presentation will change: visuals, language, depth.

I'm sure there's more, but I've already gone beyond 4 points so I'm sure you are already losing focus, if you haven't already!

Good luck, and good speech!

Dodgeball Tips & Tricks for Girls who can't Throw

I joined the Vancouver Dodgeball League this past Spring.

First, I should tell you that I have always had a fear of balls. Sport balls.

Two years ago, I decided to get over that fear of balls and took up Tennis. I really enjoyed it and still play (poorly, but play nevertheless).

Last year, I took up Volleyball with a group of my girlfriends.  That was fun, but I never really got good enough to enjoy it completely.  I think it will take more practice.

As I stated to my boss earlier this week, I probably would be very good at athletic sports, had my parents placed me in more Sporting teams as a child because I have that innate competitive spirit and endurance. However, I was placed in Piano lessons & Music history/theory for 13 years and Kumon (Math) classes instead. How stereotypically Asian (by the way, I am terrible at math!).

Anyway, back to balls.

I am now at the point where I can enjoy Dodgeball. I am not a good thrower, but here are some tips for girls like me who still want to play dodgeball:

1) Learn how to catch. This is a VERY important skill that not everyone can do. Do not be scared of the ball, even when it's flying straight at you, hard. You must catch the ball. If it comes remotely close towards you, lean into it, catch it against your upper chest (lower kinda hurts) and wrap your arms around those balls! Try to keep your upper body straight so that the ball does not hit your chest and fall off a slouched body (you're out if the ball hits your body and you don't catch it).

2) Ladies- Try to collect all balls and keep them in your zone. While the boys are throwing, continue dodging balls, catching them and keeping them in the zone.  Roll them over to the throwers or hand them to the boys as they are busy zeroing into the other team & analyzing who else they will hit. Be the provider of balls and own it.

3) Act as a Shield. Be the sacrificial Lamb. If there are only a few of you left, this is especially the time to take on this role. You need to keep the throwers and stronger players on the floor, so shield the good players as much as possible and get hit instead so that they can continue to play and knock the other team off. Do that while catching balls.

4) ShowDown: If you find yourself in a ShowDown position (you are the last team member standing against the other team's last man standing), the best tip I received - and used to victory- is to allow the other person to throw the first ball. Dodge that ball. Once they've let go of that ball, RUSH THEM with your two balls. Even though I missed with my first two balls, my competitor also missed me twice, allowing us to go again.  I was able to get him with my third ball when I rushed him with it and he was trying to run backwards.

5) Always try to catch people off-guard- when they're running backwards, throwing at someone else, not watching....

That said, I'm still not the best player, but I AM having a lot more fun than the first day when I got smoked in the head!

And no, I have not had to avoid wrenches yet.

Top Restaurants in Vancouver- New & Revised

It's been awhile since I've listed my Top Favourite Restaurants in Vancouver!

Gotta say, Hawskworth's at the old Georgia Hotel really is what they it is.  I had a very delish duck breast (medium rare and succulent as heck!) in a broth, with baby bak choy.  Everyone was jealous of my dish! I can't say as much for their desserts, though. Ambience is really nice though; trendy but sophisticated, and the service is marvellous.

I can't say enough about LUPO, either.  I love the old character house, which was converted into this fabulous restaurant.  They have innovative foods in a fine dining setting- I had the black spaghetti (actually black!) with clams & mussels and it was to die for. All their appies and main dishes, such as osso buco are of the best quality. I've been there a number of times and it'll always be on my top list. Best Italian fine dining, for sure!

Fishworks in North Vancouver is a great spot on lower Lonsdale. It's a great restaurant amongst other great resto's in this area, but specializes in seafood (my fave food!).

Miku in the financial district/ Coal Harbour is a cool new Japanese resto, with unique "rolls".... or square rolls, anyway!  The hot plates with tender chicken slices are unique, tender and delicious! You don't normally expect much from chicken, but I have to say, this resto knows how to make chicken! Can't beat this new restaurant for Japanese food.

I keep seeing Tableau in Coal Harbour pop up as a great new venue. While I agree the atmosphere is awesome, the menu looks great and the service is good, we were served with a cool coffee (which was rectified straight away), and the croque monsieur was mediocre. However, I see a lot of potential with this place, and it could be we went on an off-day.  Otherwise, it is a really cute place.

So, these are my newest experiences, but other places I have a great time and food at are: Sushi Bella (North Van), Cork & Fin (Gastown), Bacchus (Robson area), Society (Yaletown) and our family favourite, Congee Noodle King on kingsway @ joyce.

Next on the list: Boneta in Gastown. Anybody been? How is it?

Top Ten Things to do in Spain: Barcelona, Ibiza and San Sebastian

Spain has so much to offer- unfortunately, I only got to go to Barcelona, Ibiza and San Sebastian (this time around).

Here are the top 10 things to do in Spain, in my experience:

1) Hit up OPIUM club in Barcelona. It's a really cool underground club- huge dancefloor, great vibe, decor and huge outdoor patio with bar! Def a place to see and be seen.

2) Ibiza: Cafe del Mar: for the most gorgeous sunset while sipping on sangria. On a beautiful night, with the perfect sunset, the local restaurants along the water play magical music to the sunset. bring your stack of euros, though- it ain't cheap.

3) Pacha nightclub- the iconic Cherry club- posh place that the hipsters don't frequent, but a must-see. it's connected to a lounge where you can chill outdoors and meet new friends, grab a drink or just cool off from the all night dancing!  Beware: if you're there just to see All Gone Pete Tong- Pete Tong doesn't show up until 5am!  So show up a little later if you're wearing super high stillettos that night (as I did- ouch!).

4) San Sebastien: You'll have to of course visit the famous La Concha beach, which is packed with locals and tourists alike. it is a beautiful beach with really hot spanish girls~! not even kidding.  it's a pretty romantic seaside place, so while I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with my two best girls, we got a little awkward around all the couples (as young as 13 years old) kissing and hugging and making out everywhere!

5) San Sebastien: Old Town- you must go pintxos hopping, to try all the original tapas from Spain!  I was full after one pintxos bar, and very happy off just one glass of sangria, but one MUST do the entire trek when one is in San Sebastien! Unfortunately, I caught a cold during this portion of the trip, but that didn't stop me from eating!

6) Barcelona: I'll have to throw in some sight-seeing activities, of course. I really enjoyed Le Barcelonetta area, which is around the wharf and beach zone.  You can catch a gondola ride to see the city view, and chill on the beach. We didn't eat at the touristy cafes, but opted instead of walking down the beach to the W Hotel for dinner on their upper patio.  You get the view, the food and the service.  And it was nice to eat at a posh spot. The white sangria there was quite delectable, too!

7) Picasso Museum in Barcelona: While it's not a very unique museum, it was cool to see a lot of Picasso's older work, and where he came from.  I gained a new respect for Picasso at that museum. Plus, we got free entry on Sunday! i think it's free until 4pm or something. better check the website for more accurate info. http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es/

8) Spain: must try Iberico Ham. It's the spanish prosciutto! yummmmmm (i might even like it better!)

9) Barcelona: Cerveceria Catalana in La Pedrera is an assuming tapas resto, with an even more unassuming front entrance.... upon entry though, you're soon to realize it's a bustling resto, with all the foodies munching away and beyond!  A must-try.  I really wish I had a bigger stomach for all the foods available in Spain.

10) Take a stroll around Barcelona city.  I didn't even mention the most famous tourist building, La Segrada Familia, because it's just one sight to see amongst many when walking around the city.  You must see all the pieces linked together in all the different areas.  If you like New York, Spain is probably 1000000 times better because it has that much to see, PLUS the history, plus the original beauty of old world architecture (although, i did love Italian architecture better).

What have you seen/tasted/experienced in Spain that blew you away?

One Year in Review

Holy cow, so I noticed my last post was almost 1 year ago!  Only noticed because my last post was about my birthday and now it's days away from my next bday (the big 3-0, to be exact)!

So, what have I really done since my last birthday, and what do I hope I will accomplish in the coming year?

As a young lass in my 29th year, I had a few things happen:

1) Got a new job that is crazy awesome and going to fill my resume to the brim!
2) Bought my first place! So excited for this pre-construction pad- I've already decorated it twice over.
3)  My Snowy passed away :( he's been with me for 17 wonderful years and I'm going to miss him so much for a long time coming.  His birthday would be on August 1st.
4) Went to Egypt for a great adventure.  What an amazing place.  Should be on your bucket list FOR SURE.

5) Olympics in Vancouver. cool!

6) Canucks almost won the Stanley Cup.  Very exciting and fun times to live through. 

7)  Enjoyed another fab year as a media buyer with all the perks!  said goodbye to those days but glad to have been there.

8) enjoyed another great year with my bf- who is still planning my secret 30th bday party this Saturday (he's been planning for months, i hear!)

9) Now I'm running out of things, but a year is a long time to recollect, you know! 

10) As always- friends and family are my constant. Couldn't live a good life without them and I'm so very grateful for them. 

LOOKING AHEAD:

1) um HELLO! Going to Spain with my bffs!  barcelona, ibiza and san sebastien- i am so excited!! Eeeks! 

2) um HELLO x 2! Going to Thailand with my other bffs!  phuket, bangkok, chiangmai, koh phi phi, koh phangnan, koh samui, koh koh koh!!!!  SO EXCITED x 2! 

3) I don't know what else I'm excited for, but I'm so excited for at least the next 6 months and more!! 

I hope you're just as excited for your upcoming year :) 

Birthday Freebies in Canada

It was my birthday not too long ago, and here are the freebies I found.  The ones that are actually free, not buy 1 get 1 free or buy an entree and get dessert free, etc.  Those are scams. I want to get something actually free because it's my birthday, dangit!

1) SEPHORA- every girl's dream- free makeup from Sephora!  Just sign up for the FREE Beauty Insider club and recieve a free gift.  It's different every year, but this year I recieved a make up trio- eye liner, eye shadow and mascara. Fun!

2) DENNY'S- hey, everyone loves a greasy brekkie, and I'm no different!  The free meal is still valide and I finally got to realize my dream after 29 years of living. The awesome thing was, about 5 of my coworkers joined me so I could have it! And they paid for my coffee too. Sniff!!

3) BASKIN ROBBINS- FREE ice cream scoop!  Just sign up for their birthday club for free and get a free coupon! I wonder how many times I could have printed out this coupon and gotten more free ice cream! But I didn't, because I'm honest.

4) STARBUCKS- if you ever got a starbucks gift card, register it online.  You will get a FREE drink of your choice for your bday! They'll send you a postcard. My fave drink?  A Double Muffin Top Venti Frap. What does that mean?  It means two Venti Fraps with a Muffin on top.

5) MEMPHIS BLUES- ok, this is hearsay, but my uncle told me you get a free rack of ribs on your birthday. Is this true? I'll let you know next year, July 8th!!!

Happy Birthday to you!