• 1 oz Dark Rum
• Splash of Lime Juice
• Dash of Bitters
• Ginger Beer

Fill a cocktail glass with ice. Pour in dark rum and then add lime juice and bitters. Top with ginger beer.

• 1 oz Orange Vodka
• 1 oz Blue Curacao
• Splash of Grenadine

In a martini shaker half-filled with ice, add vodka and blue curacao. Shake. Pour into a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Add grenadine.

In just 100 days, on Sunday, May 6, 2012, the gun will go off and 5,000 full marathon and 10,000 half marathon runners set off on their journeys to conquer their brand new courses at the 41^st annual BMO Vancouver Marathon. The word on the street this morning is that the full marathon is already 70% sold out… so if you’re training hard, make sure you register now before space is gone.

Are you waffling if you should register or not? Show your friends, family and co-workers how much you want to run in this year’s race by challenging them to registering with you as a group for the I ♥ Run Van Contest. On Tuesday, February 14, the group with the most registered participants will win a special gift package.

Still not convinced? Forbes Magazine has named the BMO Vancouver Marathon one of the top 10 marathon races in the world!

What are you waiting for? There’s still time to register, train and to get to the start line.

In just 11 short days the Resort Municipality of Whistler will be an ocean of rainbows as the resort welcomes the 20^th annual WinterPRIDE. Gay Ski Week is one of Whistler’s longest running events and this year there are three big new additions.

1. Proclamation from the Resort Municipality of Whistler. February 5-12, 2012 will go down in history as the first time anywhere in the world that a ski resort has proclaimed Pride Week.
2. 5km Pride Run. Frontrunners Running Group of Vancouver will host a 5km run at 9:00am on Thursday, February 9.
3. Pride March. The event will start at 2:45pm with a ski-out from Olympic Station down Skiers Plaza to the village. At 3:00pm a non-skier procession will then walk through the village to the Whistler Conference Centre for the reading of the official Proclamation.

“The Resort Municipality of Whistler embraces the diversity that the LGBTT community represents,” stated Whistler Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden. “The municipality is committed to working with community partners to continue making Whistler an inclusive mountain resort.”

The 2012 festival includes eight days and 65 events, with entertainment highlights including actor/comedian Jason Stuart, country artist Patrick Masse, pop artist Tyrell Witherspoon, and international DJ’s Manny Lehman, Ted Eiel, Tim Jones and Dan Murphy.

For more information on the events scheduled visit gaywhistler.com.

Youthink, a Vancouver based youth news publication, is asking for the publics help to find out who you think is BC’s best teen band. From now until February 20, the public is encouraged to go online and cast their vote for one of ten pre-selected BC-based teen bands. The top three finalists will go on to compete in April for the title.

On of the lucky contestants is Canadian singer and songwriter, Hailey Morgan.

“I’ve made it into the BC’s Best Teen Band Contest for the second year running and it feels absolutely awesome to be back in the Top 10!” Hailey explained. “It’s always great to be recognized as an accomplished artist, especially in such a talented music scene as the one we have here in BC.”

Hailey, who is now 17 years old, started her singing career in her early teens. She quickly discovered her unique music style and vocal abilities. The songs Hailey has written and had produced have themes ranging from self-discovery right through true-love and romance.

Hailey has two songs that have been professionally recorded and received significant air-time, You & Me, and Let Go.

“Winning the contest would be fantastic and holding the title of “BC’s Best Teen ‘Artist’ 2012″ would be pretty amazing as well!” Hailey said. “It’s also my last ”teen” year to enter so I’m definitely aiming for Top 3 this time around.”

You can vote for Hailey each day on the YouThink website at http://bandcontest.youthink.ca. Votes goes until February 20, 2012.

Most people are worried about their waste lines and looking for advice on how slim down. Here are five easy things you can do to help fight the bulge:

1. Reduce stress – it causes increased appetite and cravings, and loss of memory, libido and bone density.
2. Control your blood sugar – rather than being on a roller-coaster all day, eat smaller meals more frequently.
3. Eat smart – choose foods that are high in fibre (35 grams per day), and have probiotics to help with digestion.
4. Multi-vitamins – will help balance out vitamin deficiencies in your body
5. Manage your insulin – increase healthy fat by having a protein shake and lower consumption of starchy carbohydras (bread, grains, potatoes, rice, etc.).

One easy step to get you started is to have a protein shake for breakfast instead of cereal. A protein shake with whey protein, blueberries, flaxseed and almond butter all blended together with skim milk will not only give you more energy, but also help stabilize your blood sugar levels and reduce body fat.

• 2 oz Hot Cocoa
• 1 oz Peppermint Schnapps
• 1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
• Whipped Cream

• 2 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Chambord Royale
• 1 oz Pineapple Juice
• 1 oz Cranberry Juice

Add all ingredients to a martini shaker half-filled with ice. Shake. Pour into a sugar-rimmed martini glass. Garnish with a wedge of pineapple.

This martini is sweet and fruity. It’s like a winter carnival of flavours bursting in your mouth and dancing on your tastebuds.

• 2 oz Cotton Candy Vodka
• 2 oz Pineapple juice
• Splash of Grenadine

In a martini shaker half filled with ice, shake vodka and pineapple juice. Pour into a sugar rimmed martini glass. Carefully pour down the side of the martini glass a splash of Grenadine.

Quality, Service and Value. Three key words that keep The Keg a staple in the steakhouse category. Time and time again they turn out some of the best, most reliable quality cuts of beef, each time consistent and cooked right to order.

The average meal starts off with a “Keg Size” cocktail or highball – a two-ounce drink. Keg Ceasars, made with vodka and clamato juice, are a popular choice.

For appetizers, they are best known for their traditional ceasar salad. It’s best to ask for a fresh-made salad though because typically they are made up earlier in the day and stored in the cooler.

There are probably a dozen or more steak dinner combinations. They are best known for sirloin and prime rib. Either option will be a sure win. Don’t forget to add a glass of red wine with your steak. For entrée sides, you won’t want to miss out on the double-stuffed baked potato.

Finish off the meal with the Billy Miner Pie; mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust.

The ‘Keg Standard’ is a level of customer service they strive to deliver each and every time. It is what sets them apart from other steakhouses – consistent, friendly and genuine service.

Some locations, such as Yaletown in downtown Vancouver, exemplify outstanding service, whereas other locations like New Westminter (which is located in a very cool heritage train station), has been known at time to not live up to the Keg Standard for service.