I’d like to thank Leah and Mark for pushing me to get involved in the presentation because it was a ton of fun and they are both great people. I’d also like to thank everyone who came out for our presentation, I hope it was worth your time.

I mentioned in the presentation that I’d post some links to some of the resources we showed you, so here it goes:

• Common Craft – Videos in Plain English
  • Twitter in Plain English
  • Twitter Search in Plain English
  • Follow Common Craft on Twitter – @CommonCraft
• Twitter 101
• Hootsuite
• TweetDeck
• Twitter for iPhone

If you’ve got any questions, post a comment below and I’ll do my best to get answers for you.

This weekend I’m going to be playing in the Rod Brind’Amour Classic Golf Tournament for Cystic Fibrosis at Storey Creek Golf Course in Campbell River, BC.

We recently completed the Campbell River Cystic Fibrosis website. There’s a list of this weekend’s auction items on the site.

I believe this is the 3rd year I’ll be participating and it’s always been a blast.

Here’s a link to a post I wrote about the tournament in 2006, the year the Hurricanes won the cup.

• Rod Brind’Amour Classic: Golfing for Cystic Fibrosis

Erin Wallis will be shooting pictures at the tournament too – so there should be some great shots!

Previous mention of Rod Brind’Amour’s involvement with Cystic Fibrosis:

• Rod Brind’Amour Classic: Golfing for Cystic Fibrosis

Thanks to Jodi Mann, Nick Crooks, Suzanne Goligher and Robin Donio for the invite to the Noodle Box Grand Opening party last Saturday night.

Bridget and I had such a great time at the restaurant. Lots of great people, food and drinks. I can still taste the deep fried banana and ice cream – Wow was that good.

I can’t wait for the snow to clear so we can get down there and have a real sit-down meal.

You guys have done an amazing job and I’m looking forward to many more good times at the Noodle Box on West 4th.

Noodlebox links:

• Noodle Box Restaurant Now Open!
• Noodle Box Grand Opening Party Pictures

The Noodle Box, from Victoria, has opened it’s doors in a brand new location on West 4th in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood.

Jodi Mann and Nick Crooks have partnered up with Front of House Manager Suzanne Goligher and Head Chef Robin Donio to share a new option with Vancouver. It’s a cafe style, South East Asian noodle bar serving up stir fried noodles in a box for take-away or a bowl for eating-in. Each meal is prepared to order in an open kitchen by highly skilled cooks and roaring flames. Some refer to it as dinner and a show.

Here’s a review from the Globe & Mail: Taking great Asian food off the street

Hours of operation are:

• Mon -Thurs: 11am- 9pm
• Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm
• Sundays: 12pm-8pm

Phone-in orders are encouraged, especially during peak times: 604-734-1310

The Noodle Box
1867 W. 4th Ave
Vancouver, BC

www.thenoodlebox.net

What other people think about The Noodlebox:

• Kitsilano.ca
• The Ubyssey

Whale Watching in Campbell River

British Columbia is famous for its Whale Watching industry. A friend of mine, Erin Wallis, recently went on a whale watching tour in Campbell River. Here are her thoughts…

Our guide, Eric, from Eagle Eye Adventures.

Eagle Eye Adventures rock! Our guide, Eric, did a great job. He was friendly, knowledgeable and fun, with a keen eye for marine life and shore-side animals. He ensured that we not only saw orcas, but that we had a good time while doing it…

Bald Eagle Swooping near Campbell River, BC

Transient Killer Whale breaching near Campbell River, BC

Transient Killer Whale breaching near Campbell River, BC

The orcas, pictured above, were transient orcas looking for lunch. The main difference between transient orcas and resident orcas is that transients eat bigger marine mammals (sea lions and porposes) while the resident orcas feast on salmon. We were lucky to see these transient orcas breeching and playing around, after what must have been a great feast.

Transient Orcas near Quadra Island, BC

We found these orcas behind Quadra Island, close to shore (and close to a bunch of scared little seals!)

Scared seals near Quadra Island, BC

Seal, close to boat, near Quadra Island, BC

Eric informed us that last year while whale watching, a harbour seal jumped out of the water and straight into a boat, to avoid a hunting whale! That was one scared little fella!

Eagle Eye Adventures

Eagle Eye Adventures zodiac, Campbell River, BC

Eagle Eye Adventures is located on the docks at Discovery Harbour Marina. Even if you are local you have to give it a try, as you are pretty much guaranteed to see something wonderful. The whale watching tours are reasonably priced and a whole lotta fun!

Discovery Harbour Marina, Campbell River, BC

Erin Wallis is a Campbell River based photographer. All images are © Erin Wallis of Erin Wallis Photography.

At my Toastmasters group last week our Table Topics were all about Thanksgiving. One of the Table Topics asked a member to tell us about the origins of Thanksgiving. He did a great job. Here’s a little more info about Canadian Thanksgiving’s origins:

Origin of Thanksgiving in Canada:

I found some great info on the origins of Canadian Thanksgiving at Wikipedia.

The first and original Thanksgiving comes from Canada. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Unlike the American tradition of remembering Pilgrims and settling in the New World, Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest.

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlement in Canada. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This is considered the first Canadian Thanksgiving, and the first Thanksgiving to have taken place in North America.

While in Campbell River I met with a few clients, played a couple of rounds of golf with my girlfriend and my folks, visited some old friends, and generally just ate and was merry. I love going home. And I love Thanksgiving. Thanks to everyone I saw this weekend. It was a beauty.

Today I’m going to be golfing at Storey Creek Golf Club, a Les Furber design, home of Rod Brind’Amour’s Golf Classic for Cystic Fibrosis and Campbell River’s best golf course.

Deer, robin, and golfers at Storey Creek in Campbell River, BC

Storey Creek’s tagline is “A course in nature” because it’s carved out of the forest. On most of the holes at Storey Creek you can’t see another hole. It’s great because you don’t have to worry about balls flying at you from other holes and it really feels like you’re golfing alone with just your foursome.

It’s almost guaranteed that you’ll see a half-dozen to a dozen deer on the course during your round.

On the Storey Creek driving range you get to hit off the grass most of the year – none of those plastic grass mats. There are two large practice putting greens, two large practice chipping greens, and a practice bunker to work on your chipping.

If you’re golfing on Vancouver Island, Storey Creek Golf Course in Campbell River is definitely worth a look.

Here are a few images, taken by Erin Wallis Photography, of the Stanley Cup at Tyee Plaza in Campbell River. Contact Erin Wallis if you would like to use the images.

Brind’Amour Classic Golf Tournament Pictures

Rod lifting the cup at Tyee Plaza in Campbell River

Rod Brind’Amour and Mike Commodore driving into the Plaza

It looks like all of Campbell River came out to see Rod, Mike, and the Stanley Cup

Rod Brind’Amour and Mike Commodore driving into the Plaza

There are more pictures of the Stanley Cup in Campbell River and a good play by play of the day’s events here: Tanya’s Blog

technorati tags:RodBrind’Amour, Brindamour, CampbellRiver, StanleyCup, Canada, BC, MikeCommodore, Carolina, Hurricanes

Rod Brind’Amour’s Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup this year. He played a major role in the victory – he’s a great team player and leader. Brind’Amour’s been a great team player for the Campbell River Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for years now too.

Brind’Amour Classic Golf Tournament for Cystic Fibrosis
Every summer Brind’Amour hosts a charity golf tournament at Campbell River’s Storey Creek Golf Club with the hopes of raising money to support the search for a cure or effective control for cystic fibrosis.

Donate to Campbell River Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Contact: Joanne Wallis j.wallis@sd72.bc.ca

Brind’Amour Golf Classic Photos
Here are some pictures from this year’s event courtesy of Erin Wallis Photography. If you are interested in using any of these pictures please contact Erin Wallis. Erin holds the copyright on all these pictures.

Rod Brind’Amour with Kim Black from Campbell River – the one who got Rod involved with CF over ten years ago.

Rod takes a swing for Cystic Fibrosis.

Campbell River’s Mike Commodore Fan Club

Rod Brind’Amour’s Game 7 jersey was auctioned for a $16,000+ donation to Cystic Fibrosis. Here’s the winner, Tommy Pallan, of Pallan Timber. (Thanks to Jay for letting me know who the winner was.)

Brind’Amour speaks with the Media

Brind’Amour speaking at the Brind’Amour Golf Classic for Cystic Fibrosis.

Mike Commodore and Rod Brind’Amour at Storey Creek Golf Club in Campbell River

Donate to Campbell River Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Contact: Joanne Wallis j.wallis@sd72.bc.ca

More Pictures of Rod Brind’Amour and the Stanley Cup in Campbell River.