Frozen Sing-Along In Theatres Today (Jan 31)

DO YOU WANNA SING ALONG? Theatres across Canada are staged to showcase the all-new sing-along version of Disney’s Oscar®-nominated, Golden Globe®-winning big-screen adventure "Frozen," beginning today! Check out the video below for a sneak peek of the fun. On-screen lyrics and a magical bouncing snowflake will accompany select showings; moviegoers can check local listings for showtimes and theaters.

Free Download of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords for Nintendo 3DS

From now until February 2, those with a Nintendo 3DS can download The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition for free on the Nintendo eShop. It's a very simple and quick download, as you only need to connect your 3DS to the internet and select the game. Hurry before you miss this great offer!

Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown (Feb 2)

The Chinese Benevolent Society is once again holding a Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown! Happening this Sunday, February 2, spectators can line the streets to see musical performers, kung fu groups, lion dancers and much more! It's always a fun time, as I especially love watching the lion dancing. The parade starts at 11am and usually lasts around 2 hours.

Afterwards, there will be lion dancers who will be blessing storefronts for another year of good luck, eating lettuce to signify prosperity for businesses

Click here to find out the parade route and the schedule.

Chinese New Year Celebrations at International Village (Jan 30 - Feb 2)

Happy Chinese New Year! To ring in the year of the horse 2014, there are celebrations going on at the International Village on Pender St. in Vancouver. There will be many vendors set up, performances, lucky draws and other family friendly entertainment. It is considered good luck to go walk the "flower market" on Chinese New Years and there will be some good deals too! Admission is free but be aware that it is always a packed event and parking spaces will fill up fast.

For the even schedule, click here.

Free Disney Movie with 3 Reward Codes

Disney movie collectors rejoice! There is a new promotion where you can receive a Disney Blu-ray combo pack for free when you enter 3 Disney Movie Reward Codes! So for collectors who already buy the movies regularly, this is a great opportunity to maximize your freebies! I'm just hitting myself for entering a ton of Reward Codes just a week before this promotion started!

There are four movies you can choose from, while supplies last:

- Dumbo
- Tron: Legacy
- Secretariat
- Cars

This promotion runs until March 31, 2014. Please note you do have to pay $3.95 USD in shipping and handling charges, but given that a Disney Blu-ray combo pack is normally over $20, I think this is still a great deal! Enjoy!

Dine Out Vancouver Festival 2014 - The Oakwood Canadian Bistro

I went out for my second Dine Out Vancouver meal on Friday with C. We chose The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, located on West 4th.

The Oakwood had a very homey feel to it, and we were sitting right next to the fire place, which made it very cozy!

The $28 menu boasted some great dishes and it was very hard for me to choose which ones I wanted! I decided to go for the seafood chowder and it did not disappoint. It was very thick and hearty, just like I like it. C ordered the Waldorf salad and it definitely looked amazing!  

Smoked seafood chowder, cod, clams, bacon lardon, oyster crackers.

Waldorf salad, bacon, grapes, celery, candied walnuts, creme fraiche.

For the main course, I automatically went for the sablefish; it is one of the few fish I like to eat because of the smooth texture. The dish came with two pieces of sablefish ontop of a bed of lentils, shredded pork shoulder and kale. The pork rinds on top were salty, airy and crispy - yum!

Seared sablefish, confit pork shoulder, dupuy lentils, pork rinds, carrot.

C chose the porchetta because she is a fan of spatzle, and the dish looked very appetizing!

Roast porchetta, confit garlic broccolini, dijon spatzle, caramelized onion puree.

Dessert was what I was really looking forward to. The chocolate mousse did not disappoint. Topped with whipped cream and then sprinkled with pistachios and bits of what I think were chocolate, and coffee crunch, the whole dessert was to die for. The chocolate mousse had a hint of coffee flavour in it and it was just delectable!

Chocolate mousse, coffee crunch.

The creme caramel came with an adorable maple leaf shaped shortbread on top of the cranberry gel. C thought it was delicious!

Creme caramel, cranberry gel, shortbread.

Another great Dine Out Vancouver meal! I was certainly impressed with the dishes and I think I will be coming back in the future! Make your reservations at The Oakwood Canadian Bistro now. The Dine Out Vancouver menu is available until February 2, 2014.

Dine Out Vancouver Festival 2014 - Chambar

With the start of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival last Friday, I headed out to my first restaurant this year - Chambar. Much hyped about by my boss, I had very high expectations for this restaurant and it did not disappoint. Located just steps away from the Stadium Skytrain station on Beatty St, Chambar is a small but cozy restaurant and was packed with diners.

Chambar had a $38 menu, with some additional add-on/upgrades being offered that was not listed on their online menu, including foie gras (add $8) and a New York steak (add $10).

J and I both started with the Gamba shrimp with chorizo sausage. (We reminisced about Spain where we had our first giant Gamba shrimp at Carme Ruscalleda).

Gambas et Chorizo - Olive oil poached prawns, grilled chorizo, escabeche vegetables, avocado and peruvian peppers.

I opted for the mussels in white wine while J went for the duck. The mussels came in a large pot, and there were plenty to make a full meal, with a side of crispy fries. The white wine sauce the mussels were cooked in was very flavourful and delicious. Order a side of bread to soak up that sauce!

Moules frites vin blanc - Mussels in white wine, butter, celery and leeks

 

The duck was one of the best I've had. Many places overcook their duck until it's tough and dry but this dish was cooked perfectly and the duck was soft and moist. The sweet berry sauce complimented duck quite well.

Canard aux Marrons - spiked rubbed duck breast, wild berry, chestnut hummus, brussel sprouts and pistachios.

Of course, the best part is always dessert. I went for the chocolate brulee - it was amazing! It was very rich and chocolatey. The lemon ice cream and apricot puree were very sour which went quite well with the sweetness of the brulee.

Chocolat brule - Chocolate espresso torte, apricot puree, pecan brittle, caramelized apple, lemon ice-cream.

J wanted to get something different to she ordered the pannacotta (which I am not a fan of). The presentation was gorgeous and J enjoyed it, but I think if you are a chocolate fan, pick the chocolate brulee instead!

Meli melo de fruits - Coconut raspberry pannacotta, green apple sorbet, macerated pomegranate & Asian pear.

I really enjoyed the food and it was a great start to the Dine Out Vancouver Festival. Their menu was a little pricey, but the service was quite good for how busy it was, and it's definitely worth going for a special occasion! Make your reservations now for Chambar!

Disney and Quebec City's Hotel de Glace Unveils a "Frozen" Themed Guest Suite

With all the hype surrounding Disney's newest animated movie, Frozen, here is some more exciting news for Frozen fans!

Walt Disney Studios and Quebec City’s Hôtel de Glace have partnered to bring the magic of Disney’s hit animated feature film “Frozen” to life inside Canada’s annual, world-famous “Ice Hotel.” Created entirely out of sculpted ice and snow, this year’s Ice Hotel will feature a special Disney “Frozen”-themed Suite and Activity Cave, allowing guests and visitors the opportunity to experience the wonder of Disney’s wintry tale like never before.

Supervised by the film’s art director Michael Giaimo, the “Frozen Suite” will be modeled after the characters Anna & Elsa’s bedrooms in the film, while the “Frozen Activity Cave” is a play area with activities for families inspired by the film’s characters and themes.

Opening in January and running through March 23rd, the 2014 Hôtel de Glace is celebrating “Myths and Legends from Around the World.” Walt Disney Studios is thrilled to commemorate this theme with the inclusion of “Frozen,” the heartwarming and humorous twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic winter myth “The Snow Queen,” available on Digital HD & 3D February 25th and Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD & On-Demand March 18th.

I remember learning about the Quebec ice hotel (and the bonhomme mascot!) when I was in French class in highschool and I have always wanted to go. The new Frozen additions looks pretty amazing (as an ice hotel should!) and I really want to go check it out. Hopefully they keep it around for the following years. 

Disney's The Lone Ranger Blu-Ray and DVD Combo Pack Now Available!

The Lone Ranger is a remake of the TV show of the same name that aired in the 50's. Disney remade it into an exciting action packed movie, staring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer as the title characters, Tonto and The Lone Ranger. While I am not familiar with the premis of the TV show, I did catch The Lone Ranger in theatres with my family and everyone enjoyed it. Johnny Depp plays another over-the-top character, Tonto, who teams up with The Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) to seek vengeance after justice has failed them.

There are plenty of extra features on the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, which is just what I like!

- Bloopers
- Deleted Scene
- Ridng the Rails of The Lone Ranger - learn what it takes to film one of the most epic train chases of all time
- Armie's Western Road Trip - hit the trail with Armie Hammer as he wades through rivers, battles dust storms, and shares what it's like to shoot in the American Southwest
- Becoming a Cowboy - watch as the actors enter Cowboy bootcamp

The Lone Ranger has now been released on Blu-ray and DVD and is available in stores starting from $21.99. This is a must add to your Disney library and for fans of a good fun Western themed movie!

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

90% off Christmas Items at Target Canada

If you are a deal-hound, this one is for you! Over the past week, Target Canada has dropped their Christmas Clearance from 70% to 90%! There are still tons of great stuff left in stores when I checked it out yesterday. People were loading up their carts with Christmas wrap and bags, ornaments, ribbons, and boxes. Everything was going for about $0.10 to $1.00. Head on down to your Target if you need to stock up for next year!

Mac's Convience Stores - $1 Hot Beverages

Mac’s Convenience Stores is currently offering a small & medium cup of hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or cappuccino for just $1.00. Perfect for this cold and rainy weather! Enjoy!

Free 2-Year Subscription to Lego Club Magazine

For anyone who enjoys LEGO, you can sign up for a free two year subscription to the LEGO Club magazine. Monthly issues are mailed out and they are packed with comics, pictures and other kid's creations. It's definitely a fun read for kids young and old! Sign up for the magazine here.

25% off Brunch and Lunch at Glowbal Group Restaurants (Jan 11-19)

To celebrate 2014, Glowbal Group is offering 25% off your food bill when you go for brunch or lunch! This offer will be valid from January 11 to 19, 2014. Participating restaurants include Glowbal Grill, Coast, Italian Kitchen, Trattoria, The Roof and The Fish Shack.

For more details, visit their website here.

Free Frozen Lithographs with DVD Pre-Order

Disney's Frozen has been sweeping the country by storm (pardon the pun!) since it's release in theatres in November. The movie has been at the top of the box office ever since, and kids (young and old) have been buying up any and all Frozen merchandise at the Disney Stores. My family really enjoyed the movie and my sister has been obsessed ever since.

Pre-orders of the Blu-ray began yesterday at the Disney store, where you can receive a pack of 4 Frozen collector's lithographs for free. In addition, you will also receive a $20 off coupon for your next purchase. The movie will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 18th. For any Frozen fan, it's a must have!

Muppet Treasure Island and The Great Muppet Caper - 2 Muppety Adventures Movie Collection

Disney has re-released two great Muppet movies on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack. You can go on a swashbuckling adventure with Kermit and Miss Piggy in Muppet Treasure Island or follow a jewel heist in The Great Muppet Caper! Your favourite Muppets will all be there, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal, Fozzie Bear and the Great Gonzo! The movies have been restored so you can enjoy these movies in HD.

There are tons of bonus features included on the discs as well:

- Frog-e-oke sing-along - sing, howl and croak along with Kermit and the gang
- The Tale of the Store Beyond the Tail - a look back at the making of the movie
- "Let the Good Shine Out" music video
- Audio commentary with Gonzo, Rizzo and Brian Henson

This two movie collection will provide hours of entertainment for the family and is available now on Blu-ray and DVD for $24.99. This pirates and pigs collection is perfect to tide over any Muppets fans who are impatiently waiting for the newest Muppets movie to come out. I'm extremely excited for Muppets Most Wanted to arrive in theatres this March. I was very happy to be adding so many Muppets movies to my collection this year.

While you're in stores, why not grab a copy of The Muppet Movie - The Original Classic too? It's on sale now for only $14.99 and you can relive the Muppets adventure that started it all.

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.