Yoga isn't bad for your body -- you are!

     The yoga world is in a twist this week after this New YorkTimes article suggested yoga can be harmful to your body. Of course like any headline making story it just focused on all the bad stuff listing a huge array of injuries people had suffered in the pursuit of yoga.

      Can yoga wreck your body? Nope. But you can wreck it doing yoga. That’s right – like everything it’s your responsibility to say “Um, I’m sorry, but I really, really can’t wrap my leg around my neck this morning and seriously, I have no desire to do that.” If your teacher insists you do it, leave the class and find a new teacher.

       Personally I think the crux of the problem is most of us are either too scared or too competitive to admit we can’t do something AND most of us (unlike dedicated yoginis) do not have the time to practice three hours a day and create a body capable of bending into knots, or doing full headstand for five minutes.

        So when we’re in class and our gorgeous yoga teacher (who does practice three hours a day) bends over backwards we think, “If I just push a little harder I can do that, too.” Of course, what we should be thinking is, “OMG, if I do that I’m gonna pop a disc.”

         If you want to keep enjoying yoga then find a teacher who truly means it when she says “listen to your body” (Nanaimoites can head to Steph's class at OmTown yoga). And when your body is screaming ‘dear god stop’ then, stop. 

A Positively Brilliant New Year

        Ah, a fresh new year – 12 pristine months with which to create our world anew. Apropos of that, I think we need an injection of positive thinking to get us off on the right foot, especially with the dreary weather upon us. So here’s a few (very) random rays of sunshine to brighten up the first month of 2012.

•        Canada’s crime rate is at its lowest in 40 years – the homicide rate at its lowest in 45 years (I won’t point out how foolish this makes Harper & Co. look because they don’t belong in a good news story).
•       The need for a work-life balance was acknowledged (gasp) by an international corporation when Volkswagen agreed emails to its German workers would not be forwarded to their Blackberry’s after 6 p.m. or before 7 a.m. 
• The Canadian Boreal Initiative says the future of Canada’s Boreal Forest looks bright. They released their top ten stories about the forest, and nine of them were positive. The top spot was a shout out to Quebec’s government for creating the largest land conservation plan in history for the forest. Vive la Boreal Forest à la Québec!
• BC Ferry riders will appreciates this one: David Hahn is gone. I repeat: Hahn is gone.
• Rumour has it that the Rolling Stones are planning a 50th year reunion tour and everyone loves a good rumour.
• The prediction this was going to be the coldest winter on record is proving patently untrue (touch wood).The shortest day of the year is long gone, which means the idyllic west coast summer is rapidly approaching.
• And finally – on Feb. 7, 2012, Charles Dickens fans will celebrate his 200th birthday. So, to paraphrase his most famous words, here’s my wish to you for 2012: “God (or whichever supernatural being/entity you chose to believe or not believe in) bless us, every one.”

Get your Firehouse On

So here’s the challenge...to review one restaurant a week somewhere on Vancouver Island.  No boundaries or rules – they can be chains, one-offs, diners, pubs, fine-dining establishments – anywhere you can get food and drink.

Let the games begin.

Firehouse Grill – Nanaimo. Since I’ve lived on Gabriola Island, Nanaimo's beautiful old firehouse with a peek-a-boo ocean view has been home to a number of restaurants that sadly have all crashed and burned. Its most recent reincarnation (which opened in 2007) looks set to burn brightly for many years. Welcome to the Firehouse Grill – where the food is original, eclectic and downright delicious. In fact, there’s something for everyone in the family – from sushi aficionados to meat lovers and the excellent chefs are willing to alter recipes to accommodate any food allergies. 

But enough. What about the food? Well I indulged in a Curry Karma roll, just one of the many signature sushi rolls the creative chefs have come up with. This one was stuffed with avocado, tempura asparagus and cucumber and topped with a sweet, spicy curry sauce. It was sublime. Next time I'm going to indulge in the Black& Blue roll: ginger, coffee and garlic rubbed tuna, lox, avocado and green onion with the made-in-house Firehouse sauce. For those who aren't too sure about sushi there's another whole menu with more traditional fare, all of it made with the Firehouse flare -- pulled-pork sandwiches, fish and chips, a variety of pasta dishes, steaks and a spicy jambalaya in a Creole sauce. All of this is accompanied by excellent service, a great wine list -- oh and delectable desserts for those who have any room left after their dinners.

One caveat: You may want to book -- when we visited on a Monday night it was absolutely packed and we were seated in the upstairs alcove.

Entrees: $10-$26

Location: #7 Victoria Road, Nanaimo

A New Year’s Eve (or any) Party Worth Savouring

Ah, New Year’s Eve—a time to say goodbye to the old year and celebrate the possibilities of a fresh, sparkling new one. I refuse to believe that age has anything to do with my shifting impressions of this auspicious evening, but during the last few years I’ve felt that the charm of the New Year’s celebration has worn a little thin. No longer do I feel like tottering out in high heels and a skimpy dress into the freezing cold, wet, possibly snowy weather, to drink pricey not-so-tasty beverages, dance to run-of-the-mill music with people I hardly know, then fight hundreds of other tipsy (or drunk) revelers to snag that elusive taxi ride home. However, I’m not very happy with the alternative either – staying at home in my pajamas and falling asleep before the clock chimes midnight.

So I’ve been searching for an alternative way to ring in the New Year and after attending a catered birthday party last week I think I’ve found it. Picture this: sumptuous food you didn’t lift a finger to prepare, a selection of tasty wines and beverages, a group of friends you know you’re guaranteed to have fun with, your favourite music on the iPod and no need to leave your house. Sounds kind of nice, eh? Well it’s completely doable – just find a group of friends also tired of the ‘same old, same old’, and hire a catering company to prepare an unforgettable New Year’s feast. Before you dismiss the idea as too pricey, add up the cost of a traditional New Year’s night out – tickets, drinks, taxi rides to and fro and time wasted at an event you didn’t enjoy. The catering idea now sounds cheap and cheerful, especially when all those good friends will split the catering tab. There are a few important tips to remember though to make sure it runs smoothly:

1.     If your best gluten-intolerant, vegan friend has accepted the invite make sure there’s something on the menu she can eat.

2.     Pick a food theme – Mexican, west coast, Japanese, Italian – it makes it easier to choose dishes and decide what type of drinks guests should bring to accompany the meal.

3.     Decide if you want the caterers to drop and run or if you want them to stay and serve. That way if you’re doing the last-minute food prep you can make sure it really is last-minute, and doesn’t involve you slaving over dish preparation.

4.     Always round up guest numbers when ordering. Seems like this will only benefit the caterers, but not so. It’s much better to have a couple of day’s worth of professionally prepared leftovers than starving guests.

And finally choose tried and true caterers. A couple of my Vancouver Island favourites are Sharon and Chris Hooten of Woodfire Pizza & Grill (responsible for the delights in the above photos) and Ann Matthews from Occasions Occasions (250-390-2588); for those on the mainland Owen Lightly from Butter on the Endive comes highly recommended. Here’s to a truly unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration.

Fun stuff to do during a Vancouver Island Christmas

Nothing beats an island Christmas, especially on Vancouver Island, when the sun is shining.

• Tromp through the ‘woods’ and get yourself a Christmas Tree at Gogo’s.
• Ride the Christmas Train at BC’s Forestry Discovery Centre in Duncan.
• Get wowed by the Christmas Lights at Milner Gardens and in Ladysmith town centre.
• Head to Frank Crane Arena for a Winter Wonderland Skate.
• Celebrate New Year’s with the family at the Nanaimo pool. 
• Go for a walk on the Harbourfront walkway or and warm yourself with something hot from Javawocky.
• Hike up Mount Benson (then stuff yourself silly at Smokin’ Georges BBQ – you’ll have earned it.) Or check out the plethora of other hiking opportunities in Nanaimo.
• Ski, snowboard, tube, snowshoe at Mount Washington and check out their Torchlight Parade and Fireworks on Boxing Day.
• Go surfing or storm watching on Long Beach, Tofino.
• Check out an old-fashioned Christmas at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria.
• Shiver your timbers in the Port Hardy Polar Bear Swim.

Unwrap a Christmas Movie or Two

Ah, the holiday movie – as much a part of the season as eggnog, mistletoe and family feuds. In fact, choosing a movie is one of the leading causes of family feuds during the holidays when situations such as Cousin Willy not understanding that Bad Santa is inappropriate viewing for an eight-year-old raise their ugly head. While there is no real solution to said situation, there are a plethora of holiday movie treats that are perfect for tuning-in to once the turkey-coma takes hold. After a very unscientific poll of colleagues, friends and family here are my top picks.

Something for everyone:
The Polar Express: It will make you believe all over again.
Elf: Adults may need a rum and eggnog or two to truly appreciate Will Ferrell’s elf character.
Miracle on 34th Street: The original is still the best (even the trailer is great). 

At your discretion
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: ‘nuff said
Trading Places: A classic with a message and laughs that never get old

Definitely for the adults in the family
Love Actually: A chick flick movie even the guys can enjoy – hands down my top pick for the holidays.
Bad Santa: Make sure the kiddies are snug in their beds when you start this one.

One final option: Make a huge bowl of popcorn, stock up on easily accessible drinks and make sure the phone is either turned off or close to hand. Then start the movie series marathon. There are tons to choose from that suit every taste: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, Alien, Friday the 13th, the Bourne Identity series, The Matrix, Pirates of the Caribbean – much like Santa’s, the list is endless.

What are your favs?

It's official - stop doing so much

Eddy Campbell, president of the University of New Brunswick, said something a few months back that was so profound, yet so simple, I wondered why no one had said it before: “Up until now, we’ve been trying to do more with less. I think we probably need to have some very serious conversations about doing less with less.”

I’ll leave the discussion about who originally introduced the idea that we should all ‘do more with less’ for another editorial. But, as I pondered Campbell’s words of wisdom, I remembered the words of poet Robert Browning (which have been adopted by everyone from authors to advertisers to new age philosophers): ‘Less IS more’. Suddenly, I realized I could prove without a doubt that Campbell’s theory is correct. So, here comes the math bit:

If it’s true, as Browning says, that ‘less’ = ‘more’, than the word ‘more’ in the phrase ‘do more with less’ should be replaced with the word ‘less’ so that it reads ‘do less with less’ – exactly what Campbell is suggesting. (Of course, you could also argue the opposite and have the phrase read 'do more with more' -- another perfectly valid and reasonable idea).

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by requests at work or at home to continue to do more with less – whether ‘less’ refers to less time, less money, less support – I suggest you show your employer this editorial and/or cut it out and stick it to your fridge as a reminder that we should all in fact be doing less with less.

Confused? Then the next time you see me let’s talk…because I really think I’ve figured it all out…more or less