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Conquering the Grouse Grind seems to be a rite of passage for Vancouverites and a claim that can be made only by the few and brave. In the more than five years I’ve called this city my home, I’d yet to attempt it until today. This morning I grabbed my Will Tippin and made my way to the base.

I’m not gonna lie: the task was far more daunting than I anticipated it would be. You might think that because I never snapped any photos on the trail that maybe I cheated and took the tram up, but the truth is that it was far too grueling to even think about my camera. That, and we were both much to focused on the beer at the top to stop for photo ops.

Nachos too…

Before descending the mountain, we took a quick walk to the five-acre Grizzly Bear Refuge, home to two orphaned grizzly bears.

I was pretty choked that I stopped filming when I did because not even 30 seconds later, the big guy started scratching up an awkward storm, Al Bundy-style.

The grizzlies were unspeakably beautiful, graceful in their lumbering and far more playful than the menacing creatures they’re made out to be. What I really wanted was to give out free bear hugs to the two of them!

I nicknamed this guy Jordy II since he lays the same way as my pup.

“French manicure, please.”

After making the ascent in one hour and 36 minutes, it was mission: accomplished for the C.I.A.

Two-second snap before they herded me onto the tram to head back down the mountain. It was the best $5 I have ever spent.

Also, just a little bit stoked that I was still rocking the glow an hour later.

I find people to be incredibly fascinating. I also find life to be incredibly fascinating. The nature of both can be encouraging at times and utterly disappointing at others.

I like my life. I’m rather satisfied with it these days. Both the ups and the downs have been essential in contributing to where I am at this very day during the very minute you’re reading this.

If you’d like a test with which to gauge how much the people you love actually love you back, throw yourself into an emotional crisis. In situations like those, there’s no way to predict how the trauma will be dealt with, how long the wounds require to heal and who will still be left standing at the end of the day.

At the climax I found myself on earlier this year, I initially had what seemed like a ton of support. As the weeks and months wore on and I was able to pick myself up in the ring, wipe the blood from my mouth and ice my black eyes, the crowd was much smaller. It’s only in times like that you discover who’s truly standing behind you. And further, it’s simple – and sometimes astonishing – to realize the ones that show their true colours when being your friend is less important than being “in the loop” for social reasons, so to speak.

My circle has since become small, considerably small. But you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way. At least now I know for certain who I can talk with, who I can share with and who I can ultimately trust. I adore the path I’m on in life, the new experiences and people that I am finally finding myself open to once again and am savouring every minute of my new-found independence. I find myself exuding a carefree and – dare I say – happy disposition, letting everyone else hang on to their “life crap” if they wish. That’s just not for me anymore.

Those ups and downs – that is life. Things won’t get better once you pay all the bills, buy this or obtain that. You won’t feel settled once you secure a mortgage or a man. Today is life, this is now and I’d rather have a pocket full of something small and real I can hold onto rather than push a trolley full of emotional baggage.

A Prada dress has never broke my heart before, but I’m quite sure I’m no longer on the market simply for labels.

These are all things that I love:

Photo: yum9me on Flickr

And as of yesterday, no more. While not so apparent to most, I am well aware that I have indulged in more than my fair share of ice cream over the summer. Refined sugar has always been my nemesis, the one thing that always trips up any balance I try to achieve on the scale.

A co-worker and I pledged to say no to all sweets, treats and everything in between until November 1. If we slip up, the penalty is chugging a litre of water. It’s more difficult than you might think. Though that said, I already have two exceptions to make during that time and I’m fully prepared to get my chug on.

This is where you come in and help. Tell me some of your favourite sugar-free snacks so I can take the edge off from time-to-time without indulging in the devil’s condiment.

Every girl should have a brother. If not to protect her when she’s older, then definitely to terrorize her when she’s younger.

Sweet and nearly angelic as a toddler, Trevor and I were extremely close right from the start. I wasn’t even the kind of sister that made him play dress-up. Usually it was just building blanket-and-pillow forts under the dining table, creating mud pies, swinging on monkey bars and trying to out-do each other at constructing the most stellar of Lego houses.

My brother was the ultimate “shit disturber” as he got older, as so affectionately called by my Oma. I’m sure she said it in German, so he was none-the-wiser.

I’m quite sure his pinched-cheek smile was incredibly calculated to off-set all the ways in which he delighted in causing my temper tantrums. Though can you blame me? When he wasn’t drawing, um… poo, with a jiffy marker on my ceramic piggy bank, he was sneaking into my bedroom and slapping stickers on the faces of all my pin-ups. (I do apologize for that, Patrick Swayze… and Joey MacIntyre, Bono, Simon LeBon and all your friends.)

And sometimes people grow up. While a few years ago if I thought I’d ever have any kind of relationship with Teenage Mutant Ninja Trevor someday, I’d have said no. Never did I imagine he’d become one of my best friends.

Today he is every bit the man I’d always hoped he’d become. Always brother and son, but now also husband and father. That’s still a bit of a trip to think about.

While time has passed and much has changed in both our lives, some things will always remain: such as his undying love for Venkman, Spengler, Stantz and Zeddmore, the way he still eats his Honey Nut Cheerios out of a casserole dish and his uncanny knack for busting out fart jokes at the most inappropriate of times.

It’s amazing to me to consider that today he celebrates his 25th birthday. While I wish more than anything I could be with him to chow down on DQ ice cream cake and beer, I’m instead thinking about all the more milestones and memories to come between brother and sister. I couldn’t be more proud of him.

It’s no secret that Vancouver Island is full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. The only secret is figuring out where one can find those gems. It’s places like Cape Scott Provincial Park that brought about the Island Profile series; Vancouver Island is so much more than just Victoria and it can be yours for exploring.

Photo: snarlenarlen on Flickr

Just 64 kilometres west of Port Hardy lies more than 22,000 hectares of rainforest with rocky shores, peppered with densely lush trees. Endless kilometres of often muddy trails meander their way through the park. The park is home to a large number of wildlife, including a significant bear and cougar population. Stretching from Shushartie Bay, around Cape Scott and south to San Josef Bay, Cape Scott Provincial Park boasts a combination of rugged bluffs battered by the sea and beaches with snow-white sand.

View Larger Map (Please note that Cape Scott reaches further north on Vancouver Island than Google maps illustrates.)

Cape Scott Provincial Park is rich with history, first settled by the Nahwitti First Nation. The park was named in 1786 in honour of a Bombay trade merchant by the name of David Scott. Soon after, Danish settlers from the midwestern United States attempted to call the area home. However, with the lack of a direct trade route and incredibly hostile weather conditions (rainfall often exceeds 500 centimetres while battering the region with high winds), most of the settlers waved white flags, packed up their homesteads and left Cape Scott.

Photo: clompers on Flickr

Photo: snarlenarlen on Flickr

Apart from the aforementioned bears and cougars, Cape Scott Provincial Park is a virtual menagerie of animals, sea creatures and birds that are synonymous with British Columbia. Between land and sea, the park is home to coastal black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, black bears, cougars, wolves, Canadian geese, seals, sea lions, sea otters, orca whales and gray whales. Keep in mind that you’re in their home and the more accustomed to human contact they are, the more vulnerable these animals become. Follow the safety rules, keep a safe distance and avoid feeding any wildlife.

Photo: ahisgett on Flickr

Photo: nrtphotos on Flickr

Photo: brendan.lally on Flickr

“Roughing it” defines the experience you can expect when visiting Cape Scott Provincial Park. There’s parking located at the Cape Scott and Josef Bay trailheads, but the entire park is essentially only accessible by hiking. Dotted with boardwalks, several pit toilets and an extremely limited water supply, park users are cautioned to bring all the supplies they’ll need (whether it be for a day-trip or camping).

Photo: snarlenarlen on Flickr

Photo: nrtphotos on Flickr

Outdoor enthusiasts will be excited and possibly even overwhelmed with the number of activities available. The park is open all year round and even offers winter camping. Visitors can also partake in boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and canoeing. Those wishing to camp are in for a bargain as backcountry camping is only $5.00 per person, per night for those over 13 years of age. There are 11 first-come, first-serve camping pads at Eric Lake, though camping is permitted throughout the park. Park staff prefer that visitors camp on the beachfront (not that you wouldn’t want to).

Photo: clompers on Flickr

Photo: nrtphotos on Flickr

It’s important to remember that this space is here for all of us to use, and it’s up to us to keep it usable. Leave no trace when leaving the park – take all your belongings and garbage with you. Campfires are currently banned within the park; the forest bed is tinder dry and will light up like a match, so use care and show respect. Know where you’re going and carry a compass and map. It’s smart to leave a detailed itinerary with family or friends before embarking on your adventure.

Photo: gfroese9 on Flickr

Photo: nrtphotos on Flickr

Cape Scott Provincial Park is accessible by a combination of public roadways and logging roads from the nearby town of Port Hardy. There is also a water taxi service and shuttle for those seeking a little more guidance. For more comprehensive information, please visit the official BC Parks website. Maps, trail information and hiking precautions can be found here.

Man takes immense and incredible pride in knowing that he is the most evolved species on the planet, yet the way in which he views lives and loves and heartbeats is far more vulgar and barbaric than any other species on the planet.

Photo: dtcchc on Flickr

• Vancouver Island’s Marmot Recovery Foundation is ironically facing extinction after the BC’s Ministry of Environment has yet to fork over annual funding. The group is about $60,000 short for the fiscal year. [Comox Valley Record]
• A woman from Ucluelet has kept a black-tailed deer as a pet for the last five years. Conservation officers want the woman to release the deer but some animal rights activists say the deer would die, being that it lacks the skills to survive in the wild. What do you think? [Westerly News]

Photo: Miss604 on Flickr – Read the blog post.

• Sometimes John Mayer is awkward.
• Last month the Vancouver sun published an interesting article regarding the Vancouver Humane Society and a person’s right to support animals. All life is inter-connected and it’s a good reminder not to compartmentalize compassion. [Vancouver Sun]
• Do you like shoes? I like shoes. Enter here to win a gorgeous pair of designer heels from olsenHaus.
• There’s less than a month to go until the Province-wide Paws For A Cause to support the BC-SPCA. If you’d like to sponsor me and Jordy as we crusade for our furry and feathered friends, please click here to do so. We’ve already achieve 47% of our goal!
• Fall is just around the corner which means that the snow will be falling once again before we know it! You have until September 15, 2009 to purchase your season pass from Mount Washington and be entered to win some fantastic prizes (including an escape to Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino)! Early bird passes are available until the end of September.

Photo: DBLTHNK on Flickr

• A court date has been set for three men accused of assault in a potentially racially-motivated incident that took place earlier this summer behind the Courtenay McDonald’s restaurant. The story has grabbed international headlines, and the trio will learn what they’re being formally charged with at an arraignment on September 10, 2009 now that the RCMP’s investigation has wrapped up. [Comox Valley Record]
• If you’re looking for other great local reading, Comox Valley Blogs has recently launched and features a growing list of area blogs.

Now that September is closing in on us and my summer holidays are behind me, I’m looking for things to do with the sunny days remaining. Last week, Rebecca posted about the upcoming 2nd Annual West End Dog Show in one of Vancouver’s quaintest neighbourhood (and my old stomping grounds).

Photo: DCMatt on Flickr

Dogs and their owners will be getting together this Saturday, August 22nd between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at Nelson Park to celebrate the unique bonds we share with our furry friends.

The day will feature a doggy fashion show, a tail-wagging contest, softest dog contest, vendors, animal hospital representatives on hand to answer your questions, treats for the pooches and much, much more. As usual, the off-leash dog park will be open and the adjacent farmers’ market on Comox Street will be buzzing with local produce, baked goods and specialty items. For more information, please visit the 2nd Annual West End Dog Show’s website.

If a dog show isn’t enough, throw a meet-up into the mix. I can’t explain it, but dogs seems to know and be drawn to others of their own breed. Jordy couldn’t care much one way or the other for other dogs, but when a pomeranian catches his eye, mommy no long exists.

Photo madabandon on Flickr

That said, one of me and Jordy’s favourite doggy shops, Bow Wow Haus, is holding their first-ever pomeranian meet-up on Friday, September 4 at 6:30 p.m. at their store (1340 Davie Street [map], between Jervis and Boughton). It’s an opportunity to meet other pomeranians and their owners and allow your dog the socialization they need. Make sure to follow Bow Wow Haus on Twitter to stay in the loop about this and other doggy meet-ups.

After yesterday’s sneak preview, I thought it only fair to end the suspense and tell you all about my adventure at The Big Time Out. You can check out the photos my mom took on her Flickr.

What surprised me most about the festival was the inclusiveness. Not only was it a family-friendly event with artistic and creative outlets for children, but the music was as varied as it was fantastic. While it may be cliché to say that there was something for everyone, that fact couldn’t be more true. And for this someone, there were three performers that were must-sees on the bill.

I arrived just in time to see Vancouver-based Delhi 2 Dublin. Back in March, I caught them during the Juno street parties on Granville Street, but was pretty pumped to watch a full set.

As expected, D2D’s intense energy got the entire crowd jumping, dancing and waving their hands in the air. Fusing together deep Bhangra, Celtic and Dub roots with a taste of hip hop, D2D have an incredibly distinctive sound that’s all theirs.

What makes D2D truly their own is the fact that the group lacks any sort of cookie-cutter sound. Their range of sound is as large and far-reaching as the variety of instruments incorporated to create the music they do. I found it next-to-impossible to take my eyes off the stage because D2D are every bit performers as they are musicians.

With hours to kill until Mihirangi hit the stage, I did a bit of exploring, eating and dancing. The crowd had a great vibe the entire day through.

When I caught a glimpse of this gourmet burger booth at the Filberg Festival earlier in August, I was tempted by it but opted for veggie rice rolls instead. However, after hours of dancing and walking, my stomach was hungry and the only cure was a yamburger.

Made from local ingredients and supporting Comox Valley-based businesses, the yamburger was every bit as delicious as I’d hoped it would be. However, with a 40-minute wait between the time I ordered to the time I actually got my burger, I may opt for something else next time.

Local DJs were dropping the needle between sets, so we were jamming to Snoop Dogg, Bob Marley and Justin Timberlake under the hot sun. I’m quite sure I’ll never again be able to hear “Could You Be Loved?” by Bob without thinking of this day.

No girl in her right mind passes up ice cream, but after these monster cones, Bethany had just about had her fill. “Wouldn’t it be funny if I just tossed it over the fence?” would’ve been funnier had her ice cream glob not actually gone flying. 10-Second Rule, right?

Or is it the Dump-Your-Ice-Cream-On-Your-Husband Rule?

By 8pm I was ready for more moneymaker-shaking, which worked out perfectly because that’s the time Australia’s Mihirangi hit the stage. This mesmerizing one-woman show (with the back-up of DJ Katch) came out in full force, singing in both her native Maori and English.

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What I love – love – so much about her sound is that it’s multi-layered. Much of what you hear is recorded through beatboxing, and each song builds upon itself.

Crowd favourite? Oui.

With a near-perfect blend of tough and tender, humour with all seriousness, Mihirangi is set for world domination in this girl’s opinion. And if any of that won’t hook you, the infectious giggle she seems to end each song with is living proof that she loves what she does and lives what she loves.

I found this video on her YouTube, which shows her entire song-building process. Amazing stuff.

What would a festival be if they didn’t save the best for last? After energetic performances from Mother, Mother and a number of belly dancers and silk aerials, Sam Roberts Band hit the stage around 10:30pm. Needless to say, the crowd went insane.

The Montreal-based band may not have made any promises, but they certainly delivered. Entertaining us all with tunes both old and new, Sam Roberts and his band commandeered the stage with drive and and enthusiasm right to the end.

There’s always something exciting about hearing a song live that you’ve been listening to on your iPod for years. In truth, I may have even listened to his older material on my Sony Discman. And somehow, Sam always seems to ask the right questions in his music:

Memories of the day? Too many to name. Regrets of the day? Not buying more merchandise – and I never buy merchandise at concerts.

I think it goes without saying that I’m already counting down the days to next year’s festival. A tip-to-self for 2010: I’ll leave my blanket and backpack at home. They only serve to inhibit dancing in the mud…

(A huge thank you to Cumberland Village Works for organizing and holding this awesome community event!)