Friday, November 30, 2012

Mega-Bonus Redemption @ Shoppers Drug Mart (Dec 1-2)

Shoppers Optimum collectors, the weekend you've all been waiting for is here! It's mega-bonus redemption time! Instead of the regular bonus redemption, you get a little bit extra this weekend when you redeem your points. It's not as much as in previous years, but an extra $10 is still an extra $10! It's the perfect time to shop for your Christmas gifts - use your points to get it for free! The redemption levels this weekend are:

38,000 points for $70
50,000 points for $105
95,000 points for $210

Tax-Free Day at Superstore - Dec 1/12

Superstore is having a tax-free day on almost everything in the store for one day only, Saturday, December 1. This is a great time to get all the Christmas gifts you need to buy and save on that pesky 12% HST tax! Get your big ticket items as well, and you can save a small bundle. There will be long lines and crowds, so be patient, or go early.

Rogers Santa Claus Parade - Dec 2/12

Santa is coming to town this Sunday, December 2, at the annual Rogers Santa Claus Parade. The parade starts at 1pm downtown, but make sure to head down there early, as there will be pre-parade festivities starting at 10:30am, including live entertainment, gingerbread men decorating, letters to Santa and more! Check out the Rogers Santa Claus Parade website for more information and for the parade route.

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Free Night at the Symphony for All-Access Pass Holders!

Music lovers rejoice, as the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is offering a pair of free tickets for All-Access Pass holders to a night of beautiful music, featuring Schubert's Unfinished Symphony and Bruckner's Symphony No. 7. You can choose from two concert dates, December 8 and 10, both at 8pm.

The All-Access pass gives students and youth under 30 a chance to enjoy the symphony for only $15 for select shows. To sign up for your free membership, check out the VSO website.

Xbox Holiday Bundle #Giveaway

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway Event

Please take a moment and visit our sponsor, Penny Auctions Canada

Penny Auctions Canada is an online auction website that lets you buy awesome products for pennies!
Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle Includes:
Xbox 360 250GB Console
3 Month LIVE card
Kinect Sensor
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Carnival

One lucky reader will receive a Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle!

This is the perfect gift for any gamer or even for yourself!

Giveaway ends December 19th at 11:59pm, open worldwide {residents outside of the US will receive cash equivalent of $339}, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Free Blu-Ray Player with 7 Blu-ray purchase

Futureshop is once again offering a free blu-ray player (a $89.99 value) with the purchase of 7 participating blu-ray movies. There are 50 movies to choose from. This offer is only valid from November 23 to 29, 2012. Check out Futureshop's website for more details.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Holiday Gift Ideas: Hagensborg Chocolate for Chocolate Lovers #Giveaway

One of my favorite gifts to give for any occasion is chocolate because let's face it, who doesn't love chocolate? I always enjoy visiting small chocolate shops because they put the love and care into making their chocolates. I recently discovered Hagensborg Chocolates, a local company with their shop based out in Burnaby, BC (103-3686 Bonneville Place).

Hagensborg uses the finest European ingredients to make their gourmet chocolate. Their main line of chocolates are Truffle Pigs, which are adorable chocolates in the shape of little piglets. The name came about because pigs were used to sniff out truffles in the forest. With Christmas around the corner, Hagensborg Chocolates is offering their products in holiday themed packaging in addition to their regular items. These gourmet chocolates would make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer, or a treat for yourself (or several treats, if you're me!). Gift baskets can also be purchased if you're looking for a larger gift.

I made a trip out to their shop to see what they had to offer...

I'm on the right track!
Hagensborg is located in Burnaby, BC, near the Production Way skytrain station.
A cute little shop, with a small seating area included so you can indulge in chocolate right inside the store!
Festive Truffle Pig Mini chocolate boxes. These are great stocking stuffers!
Christmas Truffle Pig mixed pouches.
An assortment of Truffle Pig bars that come in many different and delicious flavours, including mocha,  peanut butter and jam, hazelnut and white bubblegum!
Newest to the Truffle Pig line are Wild Boar bars, made from single origin chocolate.
Gorgeous gift baskets are also available for any chocolate lover in your life.
The store also sells single chocolates if you're only looking for a little snack. Interesting flavours are offered, including chili and more festive flavours like egg nog and peppermint.
A Christmas milk chocolate pouch containing 10 truffle pigs.
Five are regular milk chocolate and the other five are filled with amazingly gooey caramel.
Truffle Pig chocolates are as adorable as it's name - each chocolate is shaped like a pig. I almost didn't want to eat it because it was too cute!
I couldn't resist purchasing some Truffle Pig bars. I opted for the Mocha and the Dark & White Raspberry bars.
Another cute pig shaped chocolate bar! The inside is a dark chocolate with a raspberry flavour.

The chocolate I tried definitely was delicious. The different flavours were amazing, and I'm tempted to go and buy every single bar just to try all of them! I also suggest buying more than one Truffle Pig because you really can't eat just one!

If you aren't able to make it to the store, Hagensborg Chocolates also sells their chocolate online through their website. Truffle Pigs are also found at IGA, Whole Foods and Urban Fare for locals who are interested in trying out these delicious treats. Make sure to connect with Hagensborg Chocolates on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with what's going on with their store, and any promotions they're running.

WIN IT

Hagensborg Chocolates is generously offering an amazing chocolate prize pack for one of my readers! The prize will contain:

1 mixed pouch (includes 10 assorted piglets)
3 Truffle Pig bars
1 Wild Boar bar
3 Piglets

Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below! Contest is open to Canadians and ends December 16, 2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: The milk chocolate pouch has been provided free of charge from the company or PR firm for review. Any extra products mentioned were purchased on our own.  The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals & Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Holiday Gift Ideas: Live the "Lush" Life This Winter! #Giveaway

With the cold winter days upon us, hot baths are the perfect solution to warming up and winding down after a long day. And what are baths without bath bombs? Enter Lush, the perfect place to pick up a little something for yourself or for a fellow bath-loving friend.

Lush uses fresh and organic products to create their products, and they believe in ethical and cruelty-free cosmetics. All their cosmetics are handmade. It's a popular place for mall goers as they not only sell bath bombs and soaps, but also shampoos and lotions! The smells are amazing in the store, and there are plenty of items to choose from, all with really cool and funky names!

Lush  has plenty of Christmas gift boxes ready for you to purchase and put under the tree this holiday season. Each gift box is beautifully packed and wrapped! Many of them contain bath bombs, shower gels, soaps and lotions within each gift box. Or, if you're like me and you like to put together your own gift baskets, there is also the Lush bath bomb bar that you can visit to select your own bath bombs. Lush is one of my favourite places to shop when I make customized gift baskets!


All the gift boxes are perfectly wrapped.
You could be a star too if you bought this for a Lush fanatic!
Each gift box is lovingly packed.
Plenty of holiday themed gift boxes to choose from.
Presents line the walls!
Some gorgeous gifts.
Many of the gifts come with reusable boxes.
If you're like me and you like to make your own gift baskets, check out the bath bomb bar.
Plenty of holiday themed bath bombs with great scents, available for a limited time only.
The Merry Christmas gift in a sparkly golden box. Anyone would be thrilled to find this under the tree this Christmas!
The gift box is neatly packed and contains a pamphlet on what your gift box contains.
The Merry Christmas box includes It's Raining Men Shower Gel, Crème Anglaise body lotion, Golden Wonder Bath Bomb, Snowcake Soap, and Sunny Side Bubble Bar.
I had the chance to try out the products in the Merry Christmas gift box, and do they sure smell good! My favourite item in the gift box was the It's Raining Men shower gel. I haven't had the opportunity to use the bathbomb yet, but I can already tell it's going to be relaxing and leave me smelling fresh!
 
Use the store locator to find the store nearest you, or if you like to shop from the comfort of your own home, you can also shop online at the Lush website. A Lush gift box would make the perfect gift this Christmas!

WIN IT

Lush is offering a golden Merry Christmas gift box to one lucky reader! Enter by filling in the Rafflecopter form below. Contest is open to Canada and USA and ends December 16, 2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: The products mentioned above has been provided free of charge from the company or PR firm for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals & Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Keurig Platinum Brewer #Giveaway

Have A Keurig Holiday Event

Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts: Spend With Pennies and My Vegan Gluten-Free Life
The Keurig Platinum Brewing System brews a perfect cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa or iced beverage at the touch of a button. With an award-winning design, this brewer features a blue, backlit LCD display that allows you to program water temperature, set the digital clock, Auto On/Off and your favorite cup size. With the choice of five cup sizes, the Platinum brewer offers a removable drip tray to accommodate travel mugs.
Includes
  • Keurig Platinum B70 brewer
  • My K-Cup filter
  • Removable drip tray
  • Water filter kit
  • Five brew sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz
  • 72-oz water reservoir
  • Measures 13-1/2"L x 9-3/4"W x 12-1/2"H
  • 48 K-Cups to get you started

One lucky reader will receive a Keurig Platinum B70 Brewer with 48 K-Cups! If you haven't entered in the past few weeks, here's your chance again!

Giveaway ends November 30th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

#SUPERBonChaz - VanEats Dining Package

Anyone knows a cozy little cafe is a great place to hang out and have a coffee, and that's exactly what Bonchaz is. Newly opened on the corner of Main and Broadway, I visited Bonchaz yesterday to try out some of their foods. They have collaborated with VanEats to offer foodies a great new dining package, SUPER Bonchaz, for only $6.50! It makes for a great lunch or even dinner.

The Super Bonchaz package includes:

A. Bonchaz pastry of your choice - choose from original, banana walnut or matcha coconut green tea
B. Sandwich of your choice - Avocado & Brie, Beef Bulgogi or The Vegan
C. Soup of the Day


Many different pastries are offered, in addition to the Bonchaz buns.
Vegan cupcakes are also available in strawberry lemonade or chai flavours.
Mushroom and bacon soup.
A bowl of chili - perfect for a cold winter day!
Beef bulogi sandwich with sliced rib eye that is marinated in sesame oil, red onion, garlic and honey. A very flavourful sandwich.
Bonchaz is known for their signature bonchaz pastries - buns that have a cookie-like crust and is soft on the inside with delicious filling. The Bonchz recipe and name is inspired by concha, a Mexican pastry.


I chose a chocolate truffle bonchaz - it was amazing. Like eating a bun filled with chocolate or nutella!
C opted for the Matcha flavour.
The inside of a bonchaz pastry is a soft and sweet filling.
C also ordered a mango fruit smoothie. Delicious!
The Vaneats dining package is definitely worth buying as there was plenty to eat and you can't go wrong with the price! Definitely check out Bonchaz if you're in the area.

You can purchase your own Vaneats SUPER Bonchaz dining package for $6.50 on the VanEats website.

WIN IT!

I found it very difficult to choose which flavour Bonchaz pastry to try, because they all sounded delicious. Why not try them all? I have 3 vouchers for a free Bonchaz pastry to giveaway, so it's perfect for taking home after you try the SUPER Bonchaz dining package.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bonchaz Bakery Café on Urbanspoon

Disclaimer: The dining package mentioned above has been provided free of charge from the company or PR firm for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals & Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way. Any additional food items were purchased and pair for ourselves.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

32gb Blackberry Playbook $118.99 @ Staples

Staples is once again offering the 32gb Blackberry Playbook for only $118.99! This is a great little tablet for watching videos just checking your email, as the screen is sharp and bright and the sound quality is very good. Make sure to go early as the stores sold out quickly during the last sale! The sale price is valid from November 21 to 27th.

Black Friday is Here!

The biggest shopping event of the US is here - Black Friday! People will probably start camping out of the store as early as Thursday morning to ensure they get the deal. Canadians are heading across the border as well to get in on the amazing sale prices. Many retailers are offering the same sales online as well, for those that don't want to leave the house and brave the crowds. Many of the sales will start Thursday night online, so definitely check out the sites of your favorite shops.

Canadian retailers are also using Black Friday as an excuse to have their own sales and keep shoppers on this side of the border. Go online and look through the store flyers and see what deals jump out at you. Make sure you know your prices though, as some items are not really on sale at all, but behind the Black Friday sale label, some shoppers are tricked. This is also a great chance to start shopping for those on your Christmas list - might as well take part in the good deals and save yourself some money. The prices of presents really rack up a big bill! Make sure to go to the mall early so you can be sure to snag some great deals! Good luck to all the bargain hunters!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

iPad Mini #Giveaway

iPad Mini Giveaway Event

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The iPad Mini has a beautiful display, powerful A5 chip, FaceTime HD camera, iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording, ultrafast wireless, and over 275,000 apps ready to download from the App Store. The iPad mini is an iPad in every way, shape, and slightly smaller form. Easy for on the go with that same great Apple power punch! Make sure to enter the giveaway below for this amazing prize!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

2012 Holiday Gift Ideas: Chapters Holiday Product Preview #IndigoAdore

I was invited to the Holiday Product Preview event at Chapters last week for loyalty members. I love shopping at Chapters, as they carry more than just books and it's a great place to shop for everyone on your Christmas list so I was excited to see what they had to offer.

Chapters went all out for the event, with live music and wine and cheese to snack on. There were plenty of new products to look at that could be perfect for gifts for him, her, baby and more. The store also carries a plethora of home decor items that would make a unique gift! The pictures below are just a small selection of what Chapters is selling, so make sure to head to your local Chapters to see what's in store!

There was a quick appearance by James Nevison, who wrote Had a Glass 2013, a guide to the top 100 wines that are under $20. This book is the perfect gift for that wine lover you know! Chef Rob Feenie also popped by to promote his newest cookbook, Casual Classics. I've already purchased this book as gift, and it's a perfect cookbook to browse through with easy to make recipes.

There were lots of prize draws for guests and the night ended with a swagbag for everyone that attended! Thanks Chapters!

Live music.
A plate of scrumptious looking meat and cheeses.

There were also chocolates to sample. Chapters is also selling these.
This caramel brownie is made from a recipe from Rob Feenie's cookbook.



Gorgeous floating picture frames.


Candles, soaps.
"Cashmink" scarf.

Milk chocolate truffles in a nutcracker.

This little gingerbread man looks so happy!
A cute 12 Days of Christmas biscuit tin.

These polar bears look really fuzzy and cuddly!
Owl items seem to be very popular!
The eyes of these seals are just begging you to bring them home!
Perfect stocking for baby.
Penguin booties.


These beautiful snow globes would look perfect as a centerpiece.

Pear shaped candles.
Owl candle holder.
A trio of ornaments.
A pillow with the perfect saying for Vancouverites.

Adorable owl mugs.

Chef Rob Feenie introduces his cookbook.
James Nevison talking about his book, Had a Glass 2013.

The goodies in the swagbag!