Kidding Around Vancouver Island

On our way back from Fanny Bay recently, we stopped in at Qualicum Beach to try the food at a new place called Rawthentic. Our daughters have some “food issues,” as people say these days, and we thought it would be good to try some dishes that didn’t use things like wheat or milk. The [...]

Need a relaxing spa getaway for an afternoon, where kids have plenty to do, but still taking it easy on your pocket book?  Look no further than the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre.  Ok, maybe “spa-like” would be a better term or “sort of spa-ish” – the point is, a few hours swimming with the kids can [...]

There’s a Valentine Family Dance and Art fundraiser taking place Friday February 13 at Nanoose Place.  Featuring the jazz music of the Ron Hadley Quartet and a draw for a limited edition print by Christopher Walker, the evening gets underway at 6pm.  Tickets are just $2 per person or $5 for the whole family, with [...]

Well, the snow may be fading away (at least til April), but it’s still the rainy season, and for our family that means one thing: indoor gardening. I’m referring of course to raising couch potatoes. With frequent channel-changing and plenty of snacking, you’ll soon have prize-winning potatoes all over your couch. Or… You can get [...]

I can’t count the number of times we’ve driven along Departure Bay Road in back of Brooks Landing heading to the ferry in Nanaimo. Did we ever notice that there was a park at that corner? Not that it’s easy to spot. The day we visited Beach Estates Park, we encountered two different couples on [...]

Hockey fans in the Central Island area are being treated to some world-class hockey right now, with the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge taking place at arenas in Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Campbell River, Courtenay, Cowichan, and Oceanside. View the entire schedule and get up to date scores here at the official website.

Having taken a break for Christmas, it’s time to continue our central island pantomime crawl: There’s Mother Goose at the Bailey Theatre in Nanaimo, from December 26 to January 3, with matinees most days. Then it’s on to Chemainus for Rumpelstiltskin at the Chemainus Theatre Festival. It runs now until January 3rd, with special Family [...]

After taking pottery classes as a family, our girls have become pottery fiends and recently at a gift shop they fell in love with some very fun pieces. The shop owner told us they were by a well known artist named Heather Goldminc and it turns out we pass by her studio every day and [...]

Panto time is here! For those who’ve never been to a traditional Christmas pantomime, it’s a bit difficult to explain in words. Imagine being in a movie theatre and wanting to jump up and boo at Darth Vader or cheer wildly for Hans Solo – well at a pantomime you get to do just that. [...]

Our kids always enjoy a visit to the North Island Wildlife Center and during the holiday season this year they’re extending their hours – Friday and Saturday they’re open until 8:30pm and Sunday 11am – 5pm. They’ve also decked the halls, so stop by and say hello, and consider giving the gift of an animal [...]