Let's get together and watch the latest Potter movie!

I think Silvercity at Metropolis (Metrotown, right at the Metrotown Skytrain station) is probably most central for all of us. On weekends there's only one zone for public transit, so it's easy to get to.

They have a screening on at 6:15pm. If that one is sold out, they still have more coming up at 7 and 7:30. Let's try the 6:15 one though, since it's a rather lengthy movie at 2 hours and 34 minutes.

Let's meet at 5:45 on top of the escalators! Then we can go buy our tickets together to make sure we all get into the theater.
We can go for a drink or some dinner after the movie.

Send me a message if you want to exchange phone numbers to make sure we actually find each other.

Hope to see many of you there!

All's Well that Ends Well - Tuesday, June 30 8pm - $21.50 (preview price)

Bard on the Beach ~ http://www.bardonthebeach.org

How to get there ~ http://www2.bardonthebeach.org/map-site.html

If you have never been to the Bard on the Beach performances, this is your chance! A wonderful Shakespeare play in a beautiful setting!
This is a preview performance (it's like a dress rehearsal but with an audience, basically you get the full play experience for a cheaper price!), so the ticket price is $21.50.
The performance starts at 8pm and will last for about three hours.

Please buy your tickets online asap, the preview shows do tend to sell out fast!

Please bring a sweater as it can get chilly by the water once the sun sets!

The site and theaters open for general admission seating 40 min. prior to performance. If the weather is good, let's meet for a picnic before the show! The lineup tends to start building up quite some time in advance, it's rather common to have a picnic in the line-up (once the site opens for general admission, a few people from the group can go in and stick name tags on the seats to reserve them for the rest of the group).

So, while the performance starts at 8pm, if the weather is good we will meet for a picnic in the line-up starting at 6pm! I will also meet with another meetup group there, so we might get a rather large group together. Hope to see you there!

Let us explore beautiful Victoria on Vancouver island!

This weekend seems to work out best for most of us. If there are enough people interested, we might have a similar event at another date later.

Victoria has a lot of great things to see and do. You can check out Tourism Victoria to get an idea of what you might want to do in Victoria. We will have plenty of time on the ferry to discuss and plan and we will want to do!

I suggest we take the 11am ferry from Tsawwassen (you can get there by bus, check translink.bc.ca for your travel options, usually you'd get to the Ladner Exchange somehow and then take the 620 to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal). We should meet at least half an hour before the sailing time to make sure we can get tickets (ticket sales end ten minutes before the sailing). If you arrive late, you might not get on the ferry!
If you want to grab another ferry and meet up with us in Victoria later, please let me know and we'll exchange phone numbers!

The ferry needs about one and a half hours to cross, from there we'll grab another bus, which will take another hour to get downtown. So if we take the 11am ferry, we'll be at our hostel around 1:30pm, which still gives us a lot of time to enjoy the day!

To give everyone enough time to return home, I suggest taking the 4pm ferry back on Sunday. Though if your travel times to Tsawwassen are not too long, we could also take a later one. We can decide that on Sunday in Victoria.

We will be staying at the HiHostel Victoria, dorm beds are $28 for the night. I have contacted the hostel and discussed the booking procedure with them. Each of you can book her own dorm bed (female dorm) and add into the comment section: "Staying with Bianca Wulff" to make sure we end up in one room or close to each other! You can book your bed online or by phone. If you have trouble booking, please let me know and I will help you. You must book your own bed to have a place to sleep, I only booked for myself!
The hostel is very central and we will probably spend most of our time out and about or in the common areas anyway! But it would be great to get all of us together in one room, so don't forget to mention my name when you book your bed.

If you have any other questions or comments, please let me know!

Price Overview:
To give you an idea of how much this weekend trip will cost, here's a short break down of the main cost:

Ferry from Tsawwassen to Schwartz Bay : $13.50
Bus from Schwartz Bay to Downtown Victoria: $2.25
Dorm Bed in the HiHostel: $28
Bus from Downtown Victoria to Schwartz Bay: $2.25
Ferry from Schwartz Bay to Tsawwassen: $13.50

Makes a base cost of: $59.50

Of course you will also have to pay for your food and any activities. This is a really reasonable price for a great weekend in Victoria.

I hope to see many of you out on our weekend trip, this will be FUN!

Let's meet for a stroll through the Van Dusen Botanical Garden! It's beautiful and fun for all ages! Either come with the kids, or if you are off that day, come alone to join us for some fun. We'll meet at the entrance (outside) at noon. Bring snacks and drinks for you and the kids!

Admission rate is $8.25 for adults, $4.25 for kids 6-12 years, kids under 6 get in free.

They have an area just meant for children to see and enjoy! Plants of unusual or bizarre shapes are planted here such as the corkscrew hazel, Corylus avellana 'Contorta'; weeping walnut, Juglans regia 'Pendula', and the pendulous mulberry bush, Morus alba 'Pendula'. Topiary figures of legendary beasts such as Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Ogopogo, the Lake Okanagan monster and a dragon are featured. The bench and seats are made of nephrite jade and the little boy with the dolphin in bronze is a replica of the Verrochio Putto in Florence. Near the espalier-trained apple trees on the cedar fence, is a small border which contains various food plants. In the summer, exotic fruits, pomegranates and bananas, are sometimes planted.

Hope to see many of you there!

I know this is extremely short notice, but I just found out about it. I hope to meet some of you girls out there!

Let's meet at the main entrance gate (entrance fee is $7 per person). If you want, you can email me your phone number through meetup and I'll text you mine (so we can find each other).

Here's the text from the website:

www.eurofestbc.ca

Welcome to the 12th Annual European Festival!

We invite you to join us for 15 hours of family fun at our Festival in Burnaby on Saturday May 30th 2009. Swirling flags and colourful ethnic costumes will highlight the Opening Ceremony parade. Enjoy the non-stop Stage Performances. Share stories with the country representatives at the 32 Cultural Display booths. Youngsters will delight in the arts & crafts and face-painting in the Children's Tent. As well as collecting country stamps for their Festival Passports and acrobatics in the Bouncing Castle. Shop for unique products in the MarketPlace Tent. Treat your taste buds by sampling delicious recipes in the Food Tent. The Beer Garden will provide the perfect spot to relax with a brew while watching the stage performances. Then cap off the evening by dancing up a storm inside the Scandinavian Centre to the retro/rock songs of "The Tom Cats" band.

Explore Europe right at your doorstep! Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Metis Nation, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, & Ukraine.

Go Green, take public transit and help reduce traffic congestion during the day. From Sperling-Burnaby Lake Sky Train Station take Bus #110 or #144 (Metrotown). From Metrotown Sky Train Station take Bus #110 (Lougheed) or #144 (SFU). Get off at Sprott & Kensingtion.

For those that can only come by car, there is Free Parking available at a large lot at the east end of Sprott Street on Sperling Avenue. When driving south on Kensington Avenue, turn left on Laurel Street, since a left turn onto Sprott Street is not allowed. When driving north on Kensington Avenue, turn right on Sprott Street. There will be Free Shuttle Bus service, to and from this Parking lot, from 11am until 8:30pm.