Men's Monday

NOH8 Follow-Up

            So if you've been following Men's Monday from the beginning, you'll know that I volunteered at the NOH8 photo shoot when it came into Vancouver a couple of weeks ago. Well guess what! I finally got my photo back and I am so excited to share it accompanied with some of what went down at the event. (It's about time right?!)

            My wonderful friends Kyle and Caroline volunteered with me and the event was catered with delicious food courtesy of the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel. It felt really great to support such an amazing cause and with great friends, good food, eager volunteers and great energy from those in attendance, the hours just flew by.

From The Real Housewives of Vancouver, both Reiko and Mary (who are sweethearts in real life) as well as their families attended and supported the event followed close behind by media and fans. 

              I got the opportunity to get my photo taken by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska (can cross this off my bucket list) at the end of the night and I was so impressed with his infectious energy and upbeat personality even after hours and hours of being on his feet taking photos. He made sure everyone got their opportunity and was so easy to work with. I can honestly say I've never felt so comfortable in front of a camera with him directing me from behind the lens. 

I hope the NOH8 team comes back  to Vancouver in the future & you can count on me volunteering again for this inspiring cause. Now, without further ado... 

Here's my photo!

 
What do you think? Nailed it? :)

 

#MusicMonday

"I been worryin' that we all live our lives 

in the confines of fear"

                             -Ben Howard

Jer xo 

Men's Monday

EAT! (your heart out) VANCOUVER

This past weekend we attended the tenth annual EAT!Vancouver festival at B.C. Place Stadium and aside from adding a LOT couple of inches to our waist span, we had the opportunity to learn a lot about some of the local foods produced close to home while treating our taste buds to a party a long the way!
If learning was this delicious, maybe I wouldn't procrastinate so much. Professors, take note. 

 Once I got my media pass, there was NOTHING holding me back
from all the calories I was about to ingest. 

 Watching the Western Canadian Regional Barista Championships.

Yea, I didn't know this existed either... 

An example of some of the products made and offered here in B.C.

The basil pesto vinaigrette was to die for!

1 of the MANY salmon exhibits offered at the festival. What did you you expect?

IT'S VANCOUVER!

P.S. If you've never had maple syrup marinated candy salmon, you might as well be dead.

Five stages were set up around the stadium for tastings and seminars. Depending on your interests, you could be sampling from dozens of different cheeses or learning about international cooking from world renowned chefs; or even listening to Vancouver's own Iron Chef Rob Feenie give a seminar at the Foot Network Celebrity stage.

Which seminar did we attend?
The wine tasting seminar of course...followed by the beer & food pairing seminar right after...

Nothing like a little afternoon buzz to get the day rolling in the right direction. #Guilty

See you next year!

#MusicMonday

 

 "I have seen all i need to roam free, within these streets.
Climbing up walls that are never too tall, feeds my soul."
                                      -Greg Holden

Jer xo

Men's Monday

NOH8

MISSION STATEMENT: "The NOH8 Campaign is a charitable organization whose mission is to promote marriage, gender and human equality through education, advocacy, social media, and visual protest."

They're finally coming! The photographic silent (yet LOUD) campaign that started in 2008 as a form of protest against prop 8 will be arriving in Vancouver on May 8th, 2012. Vancouver will be the second Canadian city thus far to welcome the NOH8 campaign into Canada.
It's been on my bucket list to be photographed by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska so I for one cannot wait for the opportunity.

For more information: Click here...NOW!


Many celebritas and celebritos have lent their faces to the campaign including...

Project Runway's
Christian Soriano 

and

America's Next Top Model 's

Jay Manuel

 

Miley Cyrus
&
Emmy Rosum

 Glee's 

Jane Lynch,  

Jenna Ushkowitz, 

&  

Kevin McHale

 

And of course, Ms. Kathy Griffin herself!

 I really hope to see you guys there #FightingForEquality! <3

#MusicMonday

"You're the Northern Wind
Sending shivers down my spine
You're like falling leaves
In an autumn night"
                           -City and Colour

Jer xo

Men's Monday

Lead by example

Scenario:It was Saturday evening and the skytrain was packed full. Sitting by myself, I overheard a gentleman, probably around my age, who was sitting just a seat away from me declare openly to his friends, in a very quiet yet very stoic manner, that he was homophobic. A look of uneasiness flooded the face of one friend while another nonchalantly knodded his head in agreement. I didn't do anything...I sat in silence wallowing in my own feelings of disappointment in not only myself, but for my fellow man.
In my mind I had this clever response:
'Sir, can you please sit over there? I wouldn't want to catch your disease'
but unfortunately thinking something is not the same as doing something.



So in effort to clear my conscience, I'd like to bring your attention to an amazing organization I came across over the weekend known as "Athlete Ally" founded by Hudson Taylor.

Athlete Ally is a non-profit organization with the mission to "encourage all individuals (coaches, athletes, and parents) involved to respect every member of their communities, regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, and to lead others in doing the same."



This topic is especially important to me being in such a gender sensitive and stereotyped sport. Derogatory, racist, and homophobic/transphobic words have no place in dressing rooms, at schools, and in public settings; it is our responsibility to speak up so I encourage you to sign the pledge and take a stand with me. I hope by bringing my situation to light, I can encourage more to do what I didn't and to speak up; to share knowledge.

The creator of Athlete Ally, Hudson Taylor.

To learn more visit http://www.athleteally.org/ and sign the pledge!
You can also watch this inspiring short video:

Jer xo

Kony 2012

"LET'S MAKE KONY FAMOUS"

Everyone who knows me, knows I love inspirational videos! The Invisible Children "Kony 2012" video is amazing! It's one of those videos where one minute you're crying because it's so saddening this is happening in our world, and the next you're smiling because amazing people and groups like Invisible Children are working to make the world a better place. 

Watch the video, and join the movement to MAKE KONY FAMOUS! Tell everyone, talk about, share the story and let's make Kony, and his horrible story history!

April 20 is action day, get out and post up KONY 2012 posters!

//image via aliciafashionista//

Be apart of history!

Anita, xo

Pink Shirt Day!

"On Wednesdays, we wear pink..."

Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 29th  is "Pink shirt day!"
Bullying occurs everyday in our schools, homes, at the workplace, and even over the internet, and it's time to take a stand!

We've all been victims of bullying in some shape or form & therefore we can all relate to this tough and personal subject. Over the years, teen suicides have been on the rise and every life lost is a life wasted to a preventable cause.

So let's do our part and raise awareness! Let's all stand up to bullying; together.

Wear pink for the lives lost, for the lives we can save.

For more information and about how it all started: http://www.pinkshirtday.ca/about/
Besides, if you don't wear pink..."YOU JUST CAN'T SIT WITH US!"

Head to "TAKE 5 CAFE" and enjoy a pink cream cheese frosted cupcake!
Proceeds are donated to CKNW Orphans' Fund and the Boys and
Girls Clubs of Vancouver in support of Pink Shirt Day  

Tom Ford Collection

MatterOfStyle

David-Toms

#TunesTuesday

        "It's only half past

                                      the point of no return"                                          

                                          -PINK

Jer xo

The Polaroid Party

On Friday, January 13th Anita, Bianca, Jer and I will be volunteering at the first big party of the new year!

Oh you haven't heard? {have you been living under a rock..?} 

It's the POLAROID PARTY being thrown by Team Awesome {yes, they are exactly what you think... awesome!} and partnering with imagine1day, the Dalit Freedom Network of Canada, Exe Productions, and Social City Networking of course!

All the proceeds from this party will be put towards sending children in Ethiopia and India to school via the imagine1day and Dalit Freedom Network organizations.

What is this awesome party all about?? 

Take 20 amazing photographers, give them polaroid cameras - 

et voilà! 

You get hundreds of fantastic polaroid pictures.

Next, sell the photographs for charity at $10 a polaroid.

Then take 100% of the proceeds from both the photos and party ticket sales {at only $10 a pop for entry and a drink!} and put it towards charity.

Throw in a fun venue = CANVAS LOUNGE

Mix in beats from a couple of Vancouver's best DJs = 

{a close friend of mine}

DJ YURIE and 

The Freshest, DJ MARVEL 

& DJ SEKO.

And you get...

An awesome party, for an awesome cause = an awesome way to start off 2012.

images via Team Awesome.

Get your tickets here. Check out Team Awesome here. Become a volunteer here!

Be there or be square.

Kat, xo.

Unlock Freedom

Jer here!

So I was doing my thing on youtube and going through my subscriptions when I came across a new video from the one and only, GregoryGorgeous.

For those of you who don’t know who GregoryGorgeous is, he’s a Canadian youtuber/video blogger who specializes in
beauty and make-up.

Despite all the forward movement we’ve made in regards to equal rights for all and acceptance, there is still a LONG way to go. Even in today’s society, it takes a lot of courage, self-confidence, and strength from within to do what he does and that simply, is to be himself. I think anyone and everyone can draw inspiration from his story regardless of their interests or sexual preference; forget the social norms, and just be you.

On another note, in one of Gregory’s latest videos, an amazing organization that I must bring to light is mentioned. This organization is known as “Sevenly". This organization strives to raise awareness and capitol to some of the world’s greatest causes by spotlighting a different charity every week. Through custom designed t-shirts sold directly from their website, a portion of the funds go straight to the cause. 


Here’s the catch 22, the t-shirts are only available for the 7 days that the charity is being featured therefore if you see a charity you want to support or a t-shirt that catches your eye, ACT FAST!

THIS WEEK'S SHIRTS:

"Unlock Freedom" available in White / Grey / Navy

This week, the goal is to raise as much money as possible for “Freely In Hope,” a charity that aims to protect sexually abused women in Kenya. To learn more information about this week's charity, visit their website and view their mission statement by clicking here OR by watching the inspiring video on Sevenly’s homepage.

"Freely in Hope is dedicated to restoring justice, dignity and hope by liberating women and their families from the bondages of poverty. Our vision is for wom en worldwide to experience God’s transformative love by living freely in Hope."              

          -Freely in Hope

“As brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand”

-Mumford and Sons

Make one of your New Year's resolutions about giving back to your community & helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. 

What better way to start than with a purchase of one of these heart warming t-shirts which can make great gifts for New Years!

To quote GreogryGorgeous, 

“Stay gorgeous” 

…on the inside & outside 

Jer, xo

A Vancouver Christmas

Home is where the heart is holidays are.

Kat here!

Honestly, there is {pretty much} no other place in the world I would want to be for the holidays - surrounded by family, friends, happiness, love and festive cheer!!!! {I don't know if you know this but.... I LOVE CHRISTMAS!} 


Here's what's happening in Vancouver over the Christmas season...

Free skating at Robson Square! {Just bring or rent your own skates!}
This is pretty much as close as it gets to outdoor skating in the city {unless you want to hit up Grouse Mountain and skate on the actual outdoor ice!} - open until February, Thursdays-Sundays.

This has been a Christmas day family tradition since I remember being on skates! 

I'll still beat my brothers {both hockey players} in a race ;)

[L-R: My beautiful Mother, younger brother Trevor, oldest sister Kristin, Dad, Me! And older brother Brian]

More info on Robson Square here!

Bright Nights at Stanley Park!

See the beautiful Stanley Park transformed into a Winter Wonderland - take the train ride while enjoying Christmas tunes, or walk around the plaza and marvel at the displays and the park decorated with over two million lights!!

Did I mention the roasted chestnuts...?

Running until January 2nd, open Thursdays-Sundays, 3:00P - 11:00P!

 Inside Vancouver

 Get all the info here!

Vancouver Christmas Market!

An annual, must attend Christmas event, the Vancouver Christmas Market held at the Queen Elizabeth Plaza is a wonderful traditional market full of festive holiday staples! 

{A great place to shop for little, crafty gifts!}

 Did I mention there is gingerbread galore at this market...? Where do I sign up!

Open until December 24th, so check it out ASAP!

Check out the website here!

Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden!

Take a walk through Candy Cane Lane {how can you possibly resist with a name like that?}, check out the Dancing Lights, see Santa{!} and enjoy the Community Choir Concerts!

Open Dec. 9th until January 2nd, 4:30P-9:00P

Find more details here!

Last but not least, the most amazing Christmas show ever {I watch it every Christmas!}...

The Nutcracker ballet!

I'm not really sure I need to say anything at all about this! A perfect Christmas season staple - beautiful ballerinas, magical music, rat kings and mice soldiers....? Well you get the point.

You can catch performances from two different companies;

The Goh Ballet Nutcracker- at the Centre for Performing Arts playing Dec. 15th-Dec. 18th

Ballet BC presents the Alberta Ballet Nutcracker - at Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Dec. 28th-Dec. 31st

These are just a few favourites and standouts, there are so many other great things to do I couldn't list them all!

I can't wait to go to all of them :)

Happy Holidays!

Kat, xo.