Hockey Highlights & History @CanMusHistory #HockeyExhibit #Ad #CanadianMuseumofHistory #Ottawa

Ain't Nothin' more Canadian than Hockey, Eh!

Disclosure: I was invited as media to a guided tour of the #HockeyExhibit at the Canadian Museum of History free of  charge.

The Canadian Museum of History has pulled together a wonderful #HockeyExhibit that celebrates and highlights the tradition and history of Hockey in Canada. And it seems like a perfect outing to kickoff your celebration of Canada's 150th Birthday. 

The pictures below give you a small sampling of the interesting items you'll find on display in this exhibit. You'll also find all sorts of fan paraphernalia, artifacts, art, video and images, including several player contracts dating back to 1949. The Hockey Exhibit has interactive and multi-media components that make it fun regardless of where you sit on the hockey fan-dom scale. 

Hockey Fan-dom Scale:

• 0-3 FAN-potential: You know nothing about hockey. You're not sure what off-side or icing means. You watch the play-off games, but usually because someone else has control of the remote. I'm sure after seeing the #HockeyExhibit you'll be at least FAN-like.
• 4-8 FAN-like: You like hockey, and watch hockey on occasion. You would not say no to free tickets. You may be like me and your interest in hockey started when you were forced to learn what equipment goes where and how when your kids started to play hockey. You have fan potential. You know a bit but you're not an expert. After seeing the #HockeyExhibit you'll know enough to be considered a full fledged FAN. Grab yourself some cool hockey para-fan-alia at the gift shop on the way out so you look like a true fan. 
• 9-10 FAN: You're a fan. You love the game. You definitely watch and track your favourite team and the current season. You own at least one team Jersey and wear when going to a game, or while watching games at home. You might even wear it out and about on game days. Just add a few bits of para-fan-alia, and share some of the cool facts you learn at the #HockeyExhibit and you're well on your way to being a Super-FAN.
• 10+ Super-FAN: You're an extreme hockey fan! You live for hockey, it's the ONLY sport worth watching. You can quote hockey stats going back at least 10 years. You have a large collection of hockey jerseys (both home and away game Jerseys) and para-fan-alia (which you may have a separate shrine room where you display it). You wear your team jersey and or colours on every game day. You own at least one pair of hockey pyjamas and slippers. You plan vacations (and maybe your honeymoon) around the playoffs. You've probably painted your face in your team colours at least once (a season). You are indeed CRAZY ... about hockey. So clearly the #HockeyExhibit is a must see, if only to say "I knew that" at each display.

You can tour the #HockeyExhibit at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau Quebec (Ottawa), but only until October 9th, 2017. So I suggest you get a move on!

He shots! ... He scores!

Then ... 
You'll find many artifacts to help you see and understand (and maybe reminisce) the history of hockey in Canada. Even if you're not a hockey buff, you're sure to enjoy seeing the variety of player, team, and hockey related items on display. Everything from cereal to soup cans demonstrate the degree hockey has impacted the Canadian culture. 

Now ...
There will always be Canadian kids hoping to follow in the footsteps of Canadian hockey greats. And we have so many greats, and have always had so much hockey talent for our youth (both male and female) to look to for inspiration.  

These darlings belong to my friend who blogs at ReeseSpeaks Blog. 

Be sure to check out what the VP's had to say about their visit to the Hockey Exhibit.

And just because it's fun ...

Again you really don't need to be a big hockey fan to enjoy the varied and fun items and artifacts on display in the #HockeyExhibit. 

You can learn more at the Canadian Museum of History website, or follow them on twitter, facebook or instagram. And if you're looking for a fun hockey souvenir or para-fan-alia the Museum Gift Shop has a fun collection of hockey related items at all price points. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about the #HockeyExhibit at the Canadian Museum of History. 

June 3 & 4 #DoorsOpenOttawa 2017 #Ottawa #MyOttawa #ThingsToDo

Hey Ottawa! Did you know that every June in Ottawa you can see a collection of buildings and locations otherwise not open to the public?

Doors Open Ottawa

Doors Open Ottawa 

This year they have really upped their game. In addition to the more than 150 buildings that open their doors June 3rd and 4th, 2017, they've added:

• A photo contest (ends June 5th)
• An App for Android or iOS developed by students from the Algonquin college Mobile Application Design and Development program.  
• An Interactive Map
• A Free Ottawa-Citizen Shuttle Bus that stops within walking distance of almost 70 of the participating Doors Open buildings. 
• Escape Bicycle Tours are offering a Doors Open Bike Tour and bicycle rentals on Saturday June 3rd, weather permitting. 

The 2017 Doors Open Ottawa buildings I most want to visit are:

• Bank of Canada
• Canadian Aviation and Space Museum Reserve Hanger
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• Canadian Space Services
• Embassy of the United States
• Geological Survey of Canada Building
• National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Facilities

Looking for more fun things to do in Ottawa? 
Be sure to check out my Things To Do in Ottawa post. 

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about Doors Open Ottawa 2017. 

Note: I was not compensated for this post in any way. It's purpose is merely to share information I think will be of interest to my readers. All opinions are my own. 

Three Things to Add to Your #Clearwater Itinerary #Florida #travel @VSPC

I discovered three new things to do when visiting Clearwater. I can't believe after visiting Clearwater so many times this was the first time visiting all of these! 

I have been to the Clearwater/St Pete area at least 25 times, including a trip this past March. I'm shocked that in all that time I have never been to: 

• the Clearwater Marine Aquarium
• the Dali Museum
• Frenchy's Rockaway Grill

Three very different experiences perfect for all ages. I suggest combining a visit to the Aquarium with Frenchy's for lunch since they are located quite near to each other. 

Clearwater Marine Aquarium:
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a hospital for injured marine life, but their goal is more than that. At the Clearwater Marine Aquarium they also strive to educate and encourage preservation and conservation of marine life and their habitats. FYI Parents: Their programs include kids educational activities and camps.

Interesting Fact: You may not realize that the movie Dolphin Tale is based on a true story, and that Winter was sent to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in the hopes of saving her life and rehabilitating her. Winter and her closest friend Hope, also a rescued dolphin live permanently at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. As part of the cost of admission to the Aquarium you can take a trolley or boat ride over to a secondary location where you can enjoy Winter's Dolphin Tale Adventure. You will find loads of information about Winter, her prosthetic tail, and props from the Dolphin Tale movie sets. 

Image courtesy of Clearwater Marine Museum

Image courtesy of Clearwater Marine Museum

Frenchy's Rockaway Grill:

Reasons to go to Frenchy's Rockaway Grill: 1) Fun lively atmosphere, 2) location location location, it's right on the beach with a fantastic view, 3) great food and service. The view of Clearwater Beach makes it the perfect destination for lunch, but the delicious food and great service is why I'll be returning many many times in the future to Frenchy's.

Interesting Fact: Frenchy's has their own seafood company making daily deliveries to each of the Frenchy's locations, so you're guaranteed the seafood is always fresh. So fresh that they're known for their grouper dishes, and I can personally attest to the fact the Grouper sandwich is indeed delicious! I highly recommend it! My Mom enjoyed the She Crab Soup and her Shrimp Scampi which came with a very tasty Coleslaw (I may have stolen a bite or two). For those who like a non seafood option my Dad and Thing 1 both very much enjoyed their Burger and Chili-Dog served with chips. We all left totally satisfied with out meals and the experience, and I think that is key; it felt like an experience rather than just a meal. As I was leaving I caught a glimpse of the Seafood Ceviche which looked delicious, and it will definitely be the first thing I order on my next visit!

FYI: Frenchy's has several locations.

The Dali Museum and the Dali and Disney Exhibit:

I wasn't really sure what to expect, but The Dali Museum is well worth the visit. I was pleasantly surprised and how much I enjoyed it. Besides the permanent collection which includes an amazing collection of Dali's work in a unique building that is an art piece in itself, there is a magical garden, a children's education center, a cafe and a wonderful gift shop. Gallery public tours and audio guides are free with admission.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Dali and Disney: Architects if Imagination Exhibit. It was interesting to see how their lives overlapped, and how they influenced each other's work. Interesting Fact: Both Dali and Disney were on the cover of Time Magazine. 
FYI Parents: The Dali has an interactive education center for the children visiting the museum. 

I can think of nothing but positive things to say about the Dali Museum; the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, it's very well run and organized, and I'll definitely be recommending "The Dali" to my friends and family.

Well that's my take on three great options to add to your To Do list on your next visit to the Clearwater-St Pete Area. Looking for a few more ideas? Check out my post on things to do in the Clearwater-St Pete area and be sure to take a look at the Visit St Pete Clearwater website for all sorts of information on events, links and ideas for your next trip to the St Pete-Clearwater area.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking out loud about 3 new things I tried on my visit to Clearwater - St Pete Florida this spring.

Note: I received admission to the Clearwater Aquarium, The Dali Museum and a meal at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill for the purpose of this post. All opinions and recommendations are my own and reflect my personal experience.