What to know about Canada

To my dear fiance, if you have not gotten a chance to learn more about Canada during your visits here, here is some information:

Some 'interesting' questions from our friends around the globe considering a visit to Canada. Now that Vancouver has already hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, these were some questions people from all over the world were asking. Believe it or not these questions about Canada were posted on an International Tourism Website. Obviously the answers are a joke; but the questions were really asked!

Q: I have never seen it warm on Canadian TV, so how do the plants grow? (England)
A. We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around and watch them die.

Q: Will I be able to see Polar Bears in the street? (USA)
A: Depends on how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Vancouver to Toronto - can I follow the Railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only Four thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q: Are there any ATM's (cash machines) in Canada ? Can you send me a list of them in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax? (England)
A: No, but you'd better bring a few extra furs for trading purposes.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Canada ? (England)

A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you tell me the regions in British Columbia where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.

Q: Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada ? (USA)
A: Only at Thanksgiving.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Toronto and is milk available all year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of Vegan hunter/gathers. Milk is illegal.

Just a cheap shot at my American fiance ;) that's the hockey spirit in me! I'm eventually going to be Canadian American, and start watching football games with him, go USC!!

But at heart I will always be a Canadian girl!

Congratulations to our women & men's Canadian Hockey team,

to all Canadian Olympians,

and all Olympic participants from around the world.

Truly an Olympic experience to remember for all time.

Olympic theme song:

Vancouver Olympics 2010 (I Believe - Nikki Yanofsky)

Phuong & I have been long distance for a little over 5 years. I look forward to the day, where we can wake up in the morning eat pancakes, come home from work, and say "honey, I'm home."

"This post is dedicated to my future husband"

xoxo.. your future wife.

The Set up

Thank you to mommy & Pedersens!! I walked up the stairs, and there it was - the table display, all there - plates, reisling wine glasses, cutlery, centre pieces, table runners - la sigh...! That was it! I am getting that exact display.

Its going to be amazing when everything is pieced together! Haven't been able to fall asleep well lately - have to workout at the gym harder, so I can fall asleep well at night.

I hope family and friends will love everything Phuong & I put together.

Check out Pedersen's website by clicking here.

ps. the photo attached is not our table set up. It will have to be a surprise ;)

To our out of town guests:

Welcome to Beautiful British Columbia!

Welcome to Vancouver, Host City for the

Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games!

To our out of town guests - voila!

Beautiful British Columbia as it says on our license plates

(circa 1986 expo)!

Check out a lil taste of what's to come:

Click here to plan your trip to BC!

They said it best...

"You’re gorgeous, baby, you’re sophisticated, you live well...Vancouver is Manhattan with mountains. It’s a liquid city, a tomorrow city, equal parts India, China, England, France and the Pacific Northwest. It’s the cool North American sibling." – The New York Times

"Vancouver is a city unlike any other. Wherever I look, I see water or mountains -- or both. And everyone looks so healthy." – The Daily Telegraph (UK)

"In winter, the heart of downtown [Vancouver] is 30 minutes from the ski slopes. In summer, sun seekers crowd its beaches and seaside promenades. And despite a rain-prone climate, it displays a perpetually sunny disposition. Consider it the supermodel of North American cities." – USA Today

"Vancouver is one of North America’s most under-rated tourist destinations. It is a modern, travel-friendly city with a unique mix of cultures. The relatively mild Pacific Northwest climate and an energetic restaurant and nightlife scene are other features that make this such an attractive city." – LowFares.com

You Gotta Be Here:

The family here in BC looks forward to welcoming our out of town family, relatives,

and dear friends. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Fun times ahead!

The Exhibition Hall - what?! Not at a chinese restaurant?

I used to be a wedding singer

I used to sing at weddings.
You might say kind of like Adam Sandler in the Wedding singer,but sans the mullet. The majority of the weddings I sung at were held at Chinese restaurants. Nothing wrong with that, until you spend almost every weekend, for an entire summer, eating chinese food. Its great food, don't get me wrong. With anything, when you keep having the same thing, it becomes too much of a good thing.

The majority of Vietnamese weddings that I've attended over the past - say -most of my life - and I've been to at least 3 a year x 20 = 60 - wow didn't realize I've been to that many weddings!! Yeah, I'm sick of chinese food. Phuong found out that Vancouver is among one of the cities in the world that has the best chinese food - yes the world! Spoiled much - yeah..

2 years ago, May 8, 2008, when he proposed, we vowed that we would not have our wedding reception at a chinese restaurant.

If only this could be the aisle to walk down to...

Where shall we have our reception at, my dear?

Phuong & I spent endless hours looking at websites, of where to have our reception at. We went through the choices:

1- golf club, nah..

2- How about Dr. Sun Yat Sen - I have a huge family - that would only fit the family! Where would the friends be? Beautiful, enchanting garden, but not going to work for us.

3-Law Courts Inn - that was my dream to have it there - way too crazy expensive... darn :( I still want to budget to get a decent dress :p

4-Vancouver Art Gallery? Gorgeous - not enough space - darn it!

5-VPL - hmm.. I don't know why we didn't go there - its nice too.

*In the end - I fell in love with the Roundhouse - Exhibition Hall for its character, rustic charm, history.. everything that embodies Phuong & I - Perfect...

Can you see why its so breath-taking...

How to compliment an already charming hall - hmmm...

Now, getting ideas on how to decorate the Roundhouse. The Roundhouse itself already has its own charm. Now - how to not go overboard in decorating, that it takes away the beauty of the Exhibition Hall.

Phuong found a picture of another wedding that was held at the Roundhouse. They did simple drapery - that's all it took to take my breath away - it was stunning... Of course, I didn't want to decorate exactly how that couple did. Phuong & I - I would have to say, both have an artsy side to us. It was sooo much fun brainstorming & researching how to decorate.

outside the Exhibition Hall

The Endless ideas!

Researching time Dr. Phuong! We went through wedding blog after wedding blog. One fine day, in early May - no, it wasn't really May, (its actually the beginning to a child's song "the lolipop tree", ok, I've been singing too many kid songs with my niece Jada!) we found __________ in VN for a crazy amazing price! I'm not about to spoil it for the guests :p I can assure you, it will be heavenly. Worth the lugging, packing!


over and out. - Betty Chau Nguyen

Getting married in the heart of downtown Vancouver

Vancouver is a city of rivers and bridges, so you never have to drive too far to see water. Ironically enough, the heart of downtown is located at the upper end of the city. Consequently, few guests will have to drive south to get there. They'll most likely cross either the Burrard, Granville, or Cambie Street or they can follow good-old Highway 1 (west) and break west at the Grandview exit. Our church ceremony will be held on July 24 at 3 p.m. at Holy Rosary Cathedral, on the corner of Richards & Georgia. I haven't seen the pews in person, but the photos on the internet look impressive. From there, we will move to the Roundhouse Centre at the corner of Pacific & Davie, which is located less than a mile from the church. It goes without saying that downtown parking can be an adventure, so people have the option of parking at the Roundhouse (there's an underground garage) and taking the Skytrain (which actually runs underground) to the church. It's bound to be the most lively Skytrain crowd since the Olympics, lacking only those spontaneous mass recitals of "Oh Canada."

The Dress

It was not an easy choice for the bride, but she fell in love with the A-line silhouette. Everything else remains a secret of course, but looking at this picture, it's easy to see why A-line dresses outsell all others. Who wouldn't look beautiful in it?