Keira-anne.com

“Hey Keira, I think there’s a podcast question card on my head.”












“Let me see…ummm…yup, I think you’re right.”

















“Well don’t just sit there looking pretty – that’s my job. What are you supposed to ask me?”
Photo: Miss604 on Flickr















“Hmmm…it’s kind of hard to tell. I can’t read the question. What should I do?”















“Silly Keira…just look online! I’m sure our fabulous readers have been filling our inboxes with questions they’ve been dying to ask – just ask one of those!”
Photo: Miss604 on Flickr








“Ohhh…great idea! I’ll just check my e-mail.” [Checking...checking...checking...] “Nothing! We haven’t gotten any questions from any of our readers!”
Photo: duanestorey on Flickr














That’s right, ladies and gentlemen. It’s T minus 18 hours until Becky and I head off on our girls’ weekend. A ferry ride there means almost two hours’ worth of time to kill. In that time, we’re podcasting!

This is where the fun begins and you come in. You get to tell us what to talk about…or rather, ask us. This is your big chance to ask even bigger questions to Miss604 and Keira-Anne about anything and everything. At 3pm tomorrow, we’ll haul out all your reader questions and interview each other…the standard, the sexy and the scandalous.

All you need to do is leave your question in the comment section below or e-mail your question to either myself (keira at keira-anne dot com) or to Rebecca (click onto her contact page here) and ask what you will. The deadline is 3:00 p.m. tomorrow to have your questions submitted. Be anonymous if you will or share who are you – we look forward to hearing what inquiring minds want to know…

Being that there are only three blissfully dreamy sleeps between now and the time that me and my partner in crime head to Vancouver Island for riding good times at Mt. Washington, it’s time to start seriously considering music to shred to. Good music is a hugely important part of a contented riding experience on the mountain.

When choosing ballads to ride by, names like NOFX, Radiohead and Dead Kennedys are often suggested by friends of mine. However, for this gal, snowboarding is a near-sensual experience. After all, it’s almost all in the hips, right? That being said, a lot of what I prefer to ride to has a beat rather than a thrash.

So without further adieu, I present to you Keira-Anne’s Official Collection of Music to Carve To:

What’s your ride?

If you’ve been incessantly scratching your head, attempting to figure out ways in which you can incorporate a little bit more green living into your life, you may be interested in checking out The Green Living Show. From February 29 until March 2, more than 200 globe-friendly companies will be displaying their wares and ideas at BC Place Stadium. Dedicated to “information, innovation and inspiration,” the Green Living Show has a wealth of ideas and information for those who already live a wholly green lifestyle and those who are wondering where to begin.

Adult ticket prices are $10.50 online and $12.00 at the door. Please visit The Green Living Show’s website for more information on vendors, tickets, location, green tips and more.

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It seems that I’ve been watching a lot of classic British cinema lately, and I believe I’ve found a new love in doing so. Last week I finished the entirety of the BBC’s ‘Pride and Prejudice‘ from 1995 starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. My first thought as the credits rolled was “forget ‘Dirty Dancing’ because this is my favourite new love story.” How I never saw it before this year is beyond me because it’s a fantastically acted movie that tells a smile-inducing story. The tension and chemistry between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett is perfection. That being said, I have no desire to see the recently released version starring quite possibly one of my least favourite actresses, mostly due to the fact that you can’t build on perfection, so the 2005 film would be nothing but a let-down.

Photo: BBC/Television Heaven

A few nights ago I began watching a BBC mini-series that was released in 1971, “Elizabeth R,” which chronicles the rise, rule and reign that Queen Elizabeth I held over England in the mid-1500s. In what is said to be the most accurate portrayal of England’s beloved Queen, the incomparable Glenda Jackson commands the audience to watch and be enamored.

What I love most about this film, besides the fascinating story, is the acting. By way of their exuberant motions and movements, it is rather obvious that the majority of those playing in the film are quality British stage actors who rely heavily on their bodies to convey their character. What is most brilliant about this is that they could all be performing this film on a sound stage in nothing more than jeans and t-shirts, free of props, and the film would still be just as engaging.

The winter brings about the most perfect weather for diving into cinematic classics, so I’d suggest tackling this one if you’re up to the task. Because let me tell you, those Brits are most certainly dedicated to their craft.

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The second Kokanee Day For Dudes of 2008 is happening this Friday at Mount Washington, which is reason enough for Becky and I to make the trek to Vancouver Island. For 59 bucks, men can ride, take a lesson and enjoy some apres good times in the lodge, sponsored by Kokanee. Did I mention you also get to oggle Becky and myself when you catch glimpses of us shredding up there?

If you’ve longed to re-live a time in music which really should be forgotten, you’ll no doubt be excited about this pending announcement. I wonder if I still have my cassette tapes…that is, unless I wore them out in my yellow Walkman.

Photo: Neal Preston/CORBIS

…when you have fun that awaits you. Normally I’d be a bit bummed on a Sunday afternoon, unhappy about the fact that with the next morning comes yet another work week. However, not only did I have an amazingly fun weekend with fantastic people, I have next weekend to look forward to as well (a weekend which, I might add, starts at 4pm on Thursday). This past Friday I just took it easy and relaxed, and yesterday I spent the day with Amy and my favourite geeks to celebrate her birthday. We spent the afternoon on Granville Island, exploring the market, shops, Kids Market and downed a sampler of sleeves at the Granville Island Brewery. From there it was on to Wings, Commodore Lanes and the Marble Slab on Denman Street. Click over to my Flickr to see all the photos.

Today my new and dear friend Amy is celebrating her birthday. I haven’t known her for long, but we got in touch by way of a mutual friend after discovering that we’re both from the Comox Valley (except for the fact that I went to the much cooler and much more academic high school). In a short time she has proven herself to be an ultra-sweet person who’s one of those extremely rare down-to-earth souls in a big, shallow city. On your birthday, Amy, I wish you the happiest of days and much love.

Photo: duanestorey on Flickr

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Being that it’s Amy’s birthday weekend, a few of us plan on doing a little bit of celebrating tomorrow. Amy and I are kicking off the day with a tour of the Granville Island Brewery in the afternoon before we meet up with our favourite geeks: Rebecca, John, Duane, Corinna, Adam and John. The plan, as always, is pitchers and chicken wings at Wings on Granville followed by rousing rounds of 5-pin bowling at the Commodore Lanes. Stay tuned for pictures and stories of the debaucherous adventures that await us all this weekend.

P.S. Highland still rules and Vanier still drools.

Some points for Thursday morning…

Clap your hands and say “yeah!” for Capers and Whole Foods markets. After April 22, 2008, which coincidentally enough is also Earth Day, you’ll have to bring your own bags to fill with your grocery booty or buy their reusable bags. Cheers to keeping plastic out of the landfill!

In 1787, the first explorers came ashore at what is now known as Tofino. The site was named as such in 1792 by Spanish Captains Galiano and Valdez, but European settlers didn’t make their way to the area until somewhere in the middle of the 19th Century [source]. Fast forward 100 years to the decade that brought you A Clockwork Orange, disco music and the echo of the sexual revolution. Tofino was mostly populated by long-time locals and descendents of many of the community’s earliest families. The shores were dotted with lovingly-built beach shacks. It was a sustainable and affordable community. Care to take a slice of the pie in today’s market?

Photo: Chesterman Beach Realty

“This beautifully maintained 2 bedroom beachside rancher is situated on a forested, private .4 acre property across the road from spectacular Chesterman Beach in Tofino. Features include wood flooring throughout, Regency wood burning stove, large private 480 sq. ft. cedar deck, detached double garage and easy beach access. [With a square footage of 1,092] this home is ideal for a small family or as a vacation cottage. Furnishings and art are included in purchase price.”

It can be all yours for only $721,000.

Keep in mind that this is only what’s considered to be a small family home. Beaches that were once home to generations of true locals are now peppered with palatial mansions of the wealthy and affluent. Being that the Island has become a much sought-after and desirable place to live, it’s no surprise that Tofino is one of the top spots for those with cash. What’s most unfortunate about this is that the new developments have kicked long-time residents to the curb – literally. Sky-high prices have in turn caused property values and taxes to also skyrocket, making “home” no longer an affordable place to live for so many.

Tofino is only one drop in the bucket of Vancouver Island’s communities. Due to the Island’s diverse economy, different areas of the island are driven by numerous resources. Forestry is no doubt British Columbia’s largest industry, as is the case with Vancouver Island. It’s a vital source for so many of the Island’s residents, followed closely by tourism and fishing. In addition, recent years have seen vast expansions in the areas of wine-production, information technology and a growth in post-secondary educational institutions. All of these combined with the Island’s natural beauty has transformed it into a mecca for the masses. In fact, the Island’s overall population swelled by 34% between 1981 and 2001 [source].

Photo: palestrina55 on Flickr

Given the growth trends over the last two and a half decades, it seems like recession is a thing of the past for all points between Port Hardy and Oak Bay. Stephen Rowe, economics major at the University of Victoria, points to some possible reasons: “If you look at B.C.’s economy in general and then what exactly attracts people to the Island, I can’t really see it going anywhere but up,” adding that the attractions are endless. “The lifestyle, climate, town size and retirement.”

I am personally no stranger to how the face of the Island has changed. I had been raised in the Comox Valley from the time I was two-years-old. When I was little, the house I grew up in had one house behind it, and behind that, more forest than my child’s mind could imagine. Today that forest is just another sea of boxed houses wound around countless cul-de-sacs. Being that British Columbia’s population has come close to doubling over the past 25 years [source], it should come as no surprise that the population of the Valley has since risen to more than 62,000 residents in the same time period [source].

Gone is the day when Saturday’s big shopping trip comprised of a stop at Zellers before returning home again. Now “The Big Z” has been overshadowed by no less than Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, London Drugs, Winners and Future Shop to name a few. What was once the small town I grew up in has since become the first few glimmers of a fledgling city. There are so many new neighbourhoods that have sprung up over the last decade that I can no longer confidently navigate my way through all parts of the Valley. To do so would undoubtedly disorient me.

Photo: bchow on Flickr

The old saying dictates that there are two sides to every coin, so when examining the gentrification of Vancouver Island, one will be forced to choose a side in the battle of growth versus recession. While it’s true that property taxes are being forced upwards, big box stores are growing like weeds and small towns are being transformed into cities, a growing population and a booming wealth of resources are driving forces at the forefront. This economic growth is creating the need for more jobs and thus more housing. And while in a perfect world, it would be ideal to drive outsiders out and back into the mainland metropolis to preserve the resources we have, most locales across the Island desperately rely on the financial influx of tourism dollars to sustain themselves.

Surely government-imposed regulations would allow for tighter controls on the thickening population and depletion of the Island’s assets that are most certainly not going to last forever. So what’s the answer then? Do we really want to see a cap on growth, and if so, is that even a possibility?

Hundreds of years ago when the earliest explorers first discovered Vancouver Island, I doubt they could have imagined Vancouver Island as it stands in 2008. Then again, as a little girl, neither could I.

In doing an online Dictionary search for the word “girl,” a minimum of nine possible definitions are produced, followed by a usage note:

Just as many mature men, even young men, resent being referred to as boys, many adult women today are offended if referred to as girls, or the less formal gals. In business and professional offices, the practice of referring to one’s secretary as the girl or my girl, as in “I’ll have my girl look it up and call you back,” has decreased but not disappeared entirely. Such terms as the girls in reference to a group of women, girl or gal Friday in reference to a female secretary or assistant, and bachelor girl in reference to an unmarried woman are increasingly regarded as offensive, and working girl in the sense “a woman who works” is declining in use.

Photo: Retrocactus on Flickr

As for me, I am quite happy being referred to as a girl, thank you very much. In fact, I love hanging out with “my girls,” I love being girlie, I love using the phrase “just being a girl” as an excuse for countless offenses and I love that everything “girlie” is just a little bit more fabulous.

My modest sweater kittens aside, there are more than a manicured handful of things that make me a delicious debutante: my bathroom is awash in a sea of Mac, Clinique, Bumble and Bumble, Bloom, OPI, Smashbox, Lancome and Kiehl’s; I often cry during commercials; I often cry for no reason; my CD collection contains nothing short of Jewel, Hanson, John Mayer and Jann Arden records and I’m rather proud of it; I own every season of Sex and the City on DVD; I take pride in knowing that my bras and panties always match each morning; my toenails are never without pretty polish; my skin smells delicate 24/7; I have more jewelry than I have room for; my bed sheets are a lovely fusion of navy and fuchsia and they’re always clean; I buy new pairs of shoes for special occasions and sometimes for no reason at all; and yes, I too at one time fantasized about being “Baby Houseman.”

There is one thing I will admit to…for the life of me, I cannot understand why any girl for the life of her would resort to the “bend and snap.” Can someone explain that one to me?

In recent weeks, I’ve given much thought about what it means to be a girl. Sometimes it’s much more difficult than men realize. What their logical brains can’t figure out is how we girls can be so illogical at times. And truth be told, sometimes we girls don’t realize it ourselves until the calm has come after the storm. Every girl is unique in her make-up, and I’m certainly not talking mascara and blush brushes anymore. What we’re comprised of, inside and out, is completely different than the girl next to us and the girl next to her. The real challenge lies in uncovering that for ourselves, rather than having someone tell us.

Last week I went for coffee with a friend of mine. He’s someone who is good at giving tough love and telling things as they are. “You’re smart, sweet, sexy, caring and articulate,” he told me. “And you deserve to hear those things every single day.” I couldn’t look him in the eye as he rattled off his laundry list. I looked anywhere else. “It makes you uncomfortable to hear those things, doesn’t it?” he asked. And the truth was, it did.

I find it so easy for me to internalize what other people see as my shortcomings that when the instances come about in which I’m praised, it doesn’t seem at all real. I believe that sometimes, we ladies are capable of wearing many different masks – perhaps not to ourselves but to others. There are times at which I feel as though maybe I’m too high maintenance in many regards. My strong will and independence could be seen as something to fear. Perhaps Carrie Bradshaw summed it up best:

“Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them.”

Sometimes I think that’s me – the girl who is too good of a catch for many men to deal with. I’m not someone that they can easily tame and submit to their will. However, I don’t think that’s entirely true. Then there are the men that will never see me as enough: skin that’s not tanned enough, boobs that aren’t big enough, hair that’s not blonde enough and a handbag that’s not designer enough. I hope to God that will never be true either.

What I do know is who I am under those masks…

You know what’s the best part about being a girl? I’m sure some of you are crossing your fingers, hoping I’m about to say “panty-clad pillow fights with my girlfriends.” Well, no, but stay tuned for that soon enough…

What I like best about being a girl is taking all that I know which I just shared, and knowing that that’s enough. That for the people in my life that love me unconditionally that I am enough just as I am. The good hair days and the bad hair days, the good moods and the bad moods – the good and the bad. It’s best to know that I am who I am and that I’m someone who is unique, individual, special and yes, even rather stunning in her own right.

I hope that you can all find that within yourselves too, man or woman.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a bubble bath to run and toenails to paint.