So what did you day yesterday? Besides making myself a little more broke, I spent over 2 hours in line with our the older girls in line to get into the yearly Lululemon warehouse sale that’s taking place this year in our hometown of Hamilton Ontario. Caron worked nights and Indy was just too lazy to wake, so it was me, Kieana and Tehya on a mission to snag some deals on the popular (don’t ask me why, cause it’s basic yoga themed gear) brand.

We went with the intention of having to deal with a line, but nothing prepared us for what was in store. Just about every teenage girl and their mom, young mother with buggy and trendy young adult was already there hours before us in line. Rather than complain and say “lets get out of here” I decided to make this a dad / daughters experience. After 1 hr in the line I had my regrets.

Getting into the event.

First you make your way to the end of the line, which was about 1 block away. (BTW we were told that there is no GOOD time to get to the event, as you will meet people in line even at 4 am) If you know the Hamilton area… you start at the corner of Bay and Main and work your way going east to the convention center. When you finally conquer the line and go through the main entrance of the convention center, you’re greeted with another line. You must “check” every bag, purse etc that you have with you. Then you move to another line where they give you a wrist band and you’re asked if you’re currently wearing any Lululemon merchandise. If you are, the guy with a marker puts the number of pieces on the wrist band they tagged you with. Then it’s onto another line where you’re (counted – one of those checker things) and the time that you enter is also written on the wrist band. If you’re at the checkout area to pay before 30 minutes you’re given an additional 10% off your purchases.

Some pointers..

* If you see something you like, hang on to it. Don’t you dare put it back on the rack and fool yourself that come back for it. It won’t be there when you return, even if it’s jut seconds ago.

* If you’re going in with the intention of getting a bag, be ware that the merchandisers drop off the bags at different areas of the floor without notice and there will be a shark feeding frenzy when they do. Keep an eye out and be prepared to pounce.

* If you’re paying by credit card, be sure to have a picture ID with you (see other payment options below)

The Good.

In the line – At least it was an overcast and relatively pleasant day, so we didn’t have to deal with sweltering heat and according to the security people, the line was moving much faster than the day before. Since there was tons of security there were no line jumping or any sort of disorder by the shoppers in the line.

Overall – very well organized. The sizes and costs are clearly labeled. There’s a colour code that dictates the prices so each item has a colour sticker that’s placed on the label. Just look around you on the walls and you’ll be reminded what you pay for which colour.

There’s lots of tellers to pay so you do move along very fast. They also limit the number of shoppers (thus the long lines outside) on the floor, so you’re not all that crowded.

The Bad!

In the line – The signs coming out of the event wasn’t promising. Everyone who were already in there were walking pass us with pretty much empty bags. Was there any “real” deals or were we wasting our time? makes you question the long time you’ve been waiting in line.

Selection – As mentioned if you see something you like, grab it. This is clearance so don’t expected much choice. smaller sizes are very limited (anything below 4). It can be a bit messy as well, with people dumping things they don’t want on the floor and corners.

Prices. even with the reduced rate, I really don’t buy into the prices they were still charging. But that could just be the parent in me. We spent about $550 or so and we walked away with 2 long yoga pants (thin version), 3 jackets, 2 head bands and 2 capri style pants.

Jerks! Seems the “jerk” comes out in us at these type of events. people will be pushy, bump into you and even hit with with hangers and not say sorry.

More info:

Hamilton Convention Centre
1 Summers Lane
Hamilton, Ontario
L8P 4Y2
tel: 1 877 263 9300

Hours / days

Thursday, July 23 9am-9pm
Friday, July 24 9am-9pm
Saturday, July 25th 9am-7pm
Sunday, July 26th 9am-5pm

Payment: Cash, Debit Visa, AMEX, and Mastercard- photo id required and please have your credit card pin number ready.
*No gift cards will be accepted.

Final tip. We were told by friends that the last day of this annual warehouse sale, one can get the merchandise reduced further. Is there any truth to this and will this be the norm again this year? Time will tell I guess.

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Gone are the days when on a Saturday morning the real “buzz” of Hamilton could be found at the farmers market in downtown Hamilton. I’ve been going to the market religiously since I emigrated to Canada many moons ago, but the past 4 years I’ve been forced to stay away. The culture the market once represented of this great city was gone and the once majestic location needed new life. Well it seems that I was not the only one paying attention, as a complete renovation is underway.

We’ve been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit the past 5 years or so and one of the norms when we travel is to visit the local markets in whatever new city or town we’re in. You won’t believe how much you can tell about a country or city, just from a quick visit to a market. And a visit to the Hamilton Farmer’s market is no exception.

Culturally you’ll be blown away at the representations of the different ethnic groups that call Hamilton (and Canada) home. From the Italian baked treats, to the wide selection of ground provisions found at Ms Tilly’s Caribbean stall, the fish section run by the South Asians, the pastries influenced by the jolly German lady, the fresh locally grown berries run by the Dutch family, the prepared vegetarian delights from India… culture to the extreme! And I love it!

Presently due to the renovations to the old location of the market, the market is relocated down the aisle way from the Sheraton Hotel and the Dollarama Store in Jackson Square and this move seems to have brought back life to the once prosaic existence.

Rather than try to convince you about how nice it is to visit the market now and all the wonderful things you can get here, I let some of my pictures tell the story. There is no place in Hamilton or the surrounding area where you’ll not only find the true vibe of Hamilton represented, but there’s no better place for fresh produce, fish, baked treats, flowers, cheese, deli meats and just about everything you’d expect to find at a farmers market.

History of the Market

The Hamilton Farmers’ Market was originally founded in 1837, at the corner of York & James Streets. Andrew and Mary Miller transferred a small parcel of land to the President and Board of Police of the Town of Hamilton, to be utilized specifically for a Market.

The Market has been in its current location next to the Hamilton Public Library since August 1980. The modern architectural design provides a mezzanine level and lower level, consisting of 176 stands and approximately 80 stallholders. All indoors!

The Market re-opened for business in April 2009 in its temporary location inside Jackson Square. It will remain there until the renovations are complete (Fall 2010). All stallholders are operating, and the hours are the same: Tues & Thurs. 7-6, Fri. 8-6 and Sat. 6-6.

Location:   2 King Street West
Jackson Square Mall, Phase 4
Hamilton, Ontario
Phone:     905-546-2096
Fax:     905-546-2829
Email:     farmersmarket@hamilton.ca

Hours of Operation

Tuesday:        7 am – 6 pm
Thursday:      7 am – 6 pm
Friday:            8 am – 6 pm
Saturday:       6 am – 6 pm

The Market is closed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Sundays and all statutory holidays.

Free Parking

One hour of free parking at the York Blvd. Parkade when the market is open. Take your parkade stub to the Market Office, show proof of your Market purchase, get your validation stamp and show it to the cashier when you exit the parkade.

Come out and support the local economy and enjoy the sights, sounds and taste of Hamilton.

Though it’s been open for a number of months now, the Silvercity Hamilton Movie Complex is still considered new to many. Especially since most people still don’t know that they have a new option for a night out at the movies with big screen and big sound, other than the Silvercity Ancaster location. It’s about time the “east mountain” got it’s own power center and Silvercity location.

Located on the “east mountain” of Hamilton where there’s the new “power center” with mega stores like Michael’s, Best Buy, Indigo, Home depot, etc. Silvercity Hamilton is a welcome addition to the landscape of the east mountain.

A few days ago we went out for an afternoon showing of Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen and I thought I’d kill 2 birds with one stone. Catch the latest Transformers flick and do a review of this “new” Silvercity location. I’d been here about 3 times prior, since it’s so conveniently located to our home but I kept forgetting to bring along my camera. BTW, the pics are a bit limited since I’m always afraid that some manager would approach me to not take pics etc, so I move like a paparazzi ninja.

The basics…

* Digital Projection
* Automated Banking Machine
* Real D 3D projection (where listed)
* Interactive Gaming Area
* Party Rooms
* 10 Screens

Accessibility

* Wheelchair Accessibility
* Hearing Assistance

Good or Bad?

We’ll we’ve gone from being blown away by the sound, picture and seat spacing (tons of leg-room in front – you don’t even have to squish when someones wants to get pass you to head for the bathrooms or concessions) from previous installments of Silvercity type movie theatre. How could they improve on an already successful arrangement?  With the addition of “lazy boy” type reclining seats. But I dare to ask how many people find them comfortable? I’m a fairly large fella so my weight and length of legs can see me enjoy this new feature, as you have to use size and gravity to set you in the right position.  But since there is no locking mechanism to keep the tilted seats into a comfortable position, if you’re short or petite you will struggle to appreciate these seats. Caron had a terrible time getting comfortable and she even resorted to pushing her legs onto the seats in front of her to get comfortable (Caron is not one to go against rules like this). Silvercity did not think this one through when they opted for this design. A simple locking mechanism would easily correct this flaw in their seating.

Parking.

Free and ample, but it..

SUCKS! Again we see these poorly laid out parking lots, with very limited space for a vehicle bigger than a “smart car” and those friggin concrete dividers. Due to the layout it’s so easy to get into accidents or have your parked car scraped by other cars trying to park. Plus, they did not even consider that many of their customers are kids who gets dropped off by parents. It would have been nice to see some sort of drop off and pick up zone near the doors. The way the front is designed, if a car pauses to let off people the entire parking area goes into lock down due to lack of space to move.

It’s very rare that I ever give poor reviews, but this one is very hard to fake. Once inside you are greeted with the “slowest” working staff I’ve encountered in my 20+ years in Canada. From the ticketing system (btw, the automated system is just as slow and does have the occasional hiccup when it won’t let you make the purchase you want) to the concession area, it seems no staff member is in a hurry. Our very first time there it took us almost an hour to get tickets and some pop corn and it was not a busy night. We discounted that experience to the fact that it was new (1 week old at the time I think). But the last 2 times we’ve only seen a minimal improvement.

Silvercity Hamilton comes with the normal stuff you’d expect at the concessions (pop corn, pop, chocolate bars, candy), except this location also serves gourmet coffee and yogurt fruit blends (not bad for $4 or so for a large serving). There’s the games area where you can spend a few bucks really fast if you’re into those video game type of things and though I’ve never ventured upstairs, there’s supposedly a lounge where you can kick back and wait with friends before the movie starts or while you wait for someone to give you a ride home.

So why do I keep going back you ask? The picture and sound. Unmatched at any other movie theatre location in the Hamilton area without any doubt, even at the Ancaster Silvercity location. I love to be entertained by high quality picture and sound and this place delivers. I can confess that I did spend a lot of coins at our own home system (rocks the crap out our home when the volume is cranked), but I also work from home so getting the opportunity the leave the house and watch a movie with the girls or Caron is always a treat.

So how was the movie.

Other than a few jerks talking non-stop and one of them getting punked by an adult (shame on you) the movie was what I expected. Not Oscar calibre, but hey.. it was about robots.

Location:

795, Paramount Drive
Stoney Creek
ON, L8J 0B4
905-560-0239

Nearest intersection:
Paramount Dr. and Old Mud St.

Map:

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One of our yearly rituals (never get tired of it) is heading down the QEW and up the 400 to Canada’s Wonderland. Over the years we’ve seen the park change names (back to it’s original name now) and just when we were getting used to the names of the rides, they too have changed. As Caron puts it.. the ride names now sound lame! But tons of fun none the less. BTW, another tradition for us is at the end of the day when the sun goes down and it’s about time to head back home (sore feet and all) Caron and the girls gets a big plate of funnel cake with powdered sugar and topped with ice cream. Not my idea of good eating, but they love that stuff.

Canada’s Wonderland has over 200 attractions, including over 60 thrill rides. The park is tied for second place for the record of most roller coasters in one park with 15 in total, and North America’s greatest variety. The park features eight themed areas on 330 acres (1.3 km2) of land which includes a 20 acres (81,000 m2) waterpark called Splash Works. Splash Works has over 2 million gallons (7,570 m3) of heated water, Canada’s largest outdoor wave pool measuring 36,000 square feet (3,300 m2), a lazy river, and 16 water slides.

In 1983, Canada’s Wonderland added the Kingswood Music Theatre, a 15,000 seat amphitheatre that hosted many “big-name” concerts. After the Molson Amphitheatre opened on the grounds of Ontario Place in 1995, cultural festivals at the theatre became more prominent.

Coasters.

Backlot Stunt Coaster – Formerly: Italian Job: Stunt Track
The Bat
Behemoth (most recent coaster to open at the park)
Dragon Fire – Formerly: Dragon Fyre
Flight Deck – Formerly: Top Gun
The Fly (probably the NEST ride in the entire park)
Mighty Canadian Minebuster (a classic wooden coaster)
SkyRider
Thunder Run – Formerly: Blauer Enzian
Time Warp – Formerly: Tomb Raider: The Ride
Vortex
Wild Beast – Formerly: Wilde Beaste

Coasters for kids.
Scooby’s Gasping Ghoster Coaster – Often simply: Ghoster Coaster
Silver Streak (great little coaster)
Taxi Jam

Some of the other rides include:

Psyclone – A Mondial Revolution, swinging and spinning reaching heights of over 110 feet (34 m)
Shockwave – A Mondial Top Scan that twist and turns on every possible axis.
Riptide (formerly Cliffhanger) – A Mondial Splashover with twin gondolas that flip and go around in the air, but you might get wet.
Jet Scream – A looping starship type of ride
Antique Carousel A classic carousel loacted in Action Zone
Orbiter Rotates around one axle, which eventually turns to almost 90°
Spinovator A classic spinning tea-cups ride, but slightly tilted
The Rage Another classic, a Pirate Ship ride
Klockwerks – An old classic that rotates and with the centrifugal force pushes you outward.
Sledgehammer – Spins riders on two axes and blasts you up and down distances of 85 feet (26 m).
Action Theatre (formerly Action F/X Theatre) – Motion based seating ride in two large theatres featuring Sponge Bob Squarepants in 3D) Well worth the wait in line.
Drop Tower: Scream Zone (formerly Drop Zone Stunt Tower) – A vertical tower-like ride that begins by slowly taking its passengers up the towards the peak of the tower and then immediately drops the passenger down until he/she reaches the ground.

For the kids, there’s Hanna-Barbera Land, Nickelodeon Central and Kidzville. our girls (even when they were smaller) were never into the “baby” rides as they would put it. So I have no pics to share with you. Next trip I’ll purposely go there and update this post with some pics and relating comments.

Height Restrictions.

Children may be “officially” measured and receive a wristband if they meet height requirements at the Height Check Stations on International Street or at any ride of the appropriate height level. For the safety of your child, a standard play shoe which does not contribute excessively to the child’s height will be permitted. Platform shoes that increase the child’s height are not permitted. Canada’s Wonderland reserves the right to ask that shoes be removed to ensure that a child’s height is not being artificially enhanced or manipulated.

Splash Works Information:

* Guests under 48″ tall must wear a lifejacket while swimming in the White Water Bay and Lazy River
* Guests under 48″ tall are not required to wear a lifejacket in the Splash Island Pool Area
* Guests under 42″ tall on the Lazy River must be accompanied by a responsible person

GENERAL DIRECTIONS

Canada’s Wonderland is located just minutes north of Toronto off Highway 400, just 10 minutes north of Highway 401. Exit Rutherford Rd. if heading north or south on Highway 400.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

By Public Transit the Wonderland Express “GO” Buses run regularly from Yorkdale and York Mills subway stations. Schedule operates throughout the day and evening through closing.

York Region Transit offers several routes to Canada’s Wonderland. YRT Routes 4 and  20, as well as TTC Route 165A operate directly into the park. For more YRT route and schedule information, please visit the YRT/Viva website.

Tickets prices and info (including discounts and other offers)

Canada’s Wonderland
9580 Jane Street
Vaughan, Ontario  L6A 1S6

To contact by phone, call:
Guest Inquiries     (905) 832-8131
Group Sales     (905) 832-7400
Press/Media Inquiries     (905) 832-7000 x8000
Employment Opportunities     (905) 832-7401

About the Canada’s Wonderland (courtesy of Wikipedia)
Canada’s Wonderland is a 330-acre (1.3 km2) theme park in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, 30 kilometres north of downtown Toronto. The park is open seasonally from May to October and contains more than 200 attractions. It opened in 1981 and was Canada’s first major theme park. While under Paramount Pictures (later purchased by Viacom) ownership from 1994 until 2006, the park was known as Paramount Canada’s Wonderland until it was sold to Cedar Fair and reverted to its original name in 2007. The park was the most attended seasonal theme park in North America two years in a row (2005 and 2006). It was designed by Landscape Architects Richard Strong and Associates and structurally engineered by O.T. Baggio and Associates Professional Engineers. In 2006, attendance was just over 3.2 million.

Some closing points. Food prices can almost double what it would normally be outside the park, so we normally pack a lunch. There are several green areas (park like) with benches etc so you can picnic outside. Do take extra clothing with you as it can get cool at night and if you’ll be testing any of the water rides or using the water park area. Wear very comfortable shoes as the park is really spread out and you will be walking a lot and standing in lines on busy days. If you have younger children I would suggest you bring along a wagon if you have one or at least a baby stroller. As I mentioned the park is pretty big and most of the time you’ll be in the sun… use a strong sun block and a hat when you can (take off during rides or risk losing it).

Even if you pack a picnic, still bring some cash along. You will get thirsty, you will want ice cream and you won’t be able to pass by the games without wanting to give them a try. We all love to walk around with those huge stuffed animals you get as prizes. almost as if we’re telling the world that we conquered that game and this is the spoils of our triumph!

Have fun!

As mentioned in the Chruschill Park Community Garden post, the Aviary is within the same compound as the community garden plots, so whenever I go down to do some gardening I also get the opportunity  to visit with some amazing birds. There’s not much to say as far as a review goes for the aviary, so I’ll share some pics with you.

If you’re looking for a great way to spend some time with your family on the weekend, why not drive down to the aviary? There’s lots of parking and you’re also free to walk around the garden plots to see who’s growing what. BTW, there’s also a great trail just steps from the aviary and if I’m not mistaking there’s also one of those free range (no leash) areas for dogs. Unless it’s just people doing as they please with their dogs and it’s not really meant to be leash free.

The Aviary holds a mixed collection of birds. These include large parrots, smaller parrots and parakeets (including common pet species, as well as rarer and more exotic), many species of finches and doves. At present the aviary is not equipped to handle softbills or waterfowl in any numbers, nor do they house birds of prey.

The main building of the aviary…

Contacting The Friends of the Aviary.
Phone: 905-546-4842
Fax: 905-575-0950
Email: info@friendsoftheaviary.ca

Getting there.

Located in west Hamilton on Oak Knoll Drive. From Hamilton centre, the mountain and the east, follow King Street westward to the stoplight at Marion Avenue. Turn right, continuing around the bend to The Aviary.

From Ancaster, Dundas and west, follow Main Street eastward, left on Haddon, across King and Sterling Streets to the Aviary.

From Burlington and points east and north, take Plains Road, exit from the QEW. Continue on Plains Road, which becomes York Boulevard (Hwy. 2) to Hamilton. Turn right on Dundurn Street and right again on King Street West to the stoplight at Marion Avenue. Turn right, continuing
around the bend to the Aviary.