#VMOnTheHouse Challenge

It’s poor etiquette to disappear (from Posterous) and then ask everyone in my social network to “like” and vote for causes they have no idea about. However, as a recent DMA alumn from McMaster I couldn’t help but support the DMA in the Virgin Mobile On the House competition as obnoxiously as possible.

I hadn’t known much about Virgin as a mobile service provider before the DMA, however I do recall their ads with photog by The Cobra Snake – which I loved! After hearing about Virgin’s Canada wide campus challenge I was intrigued and followed the DMA through each phase via social media, since I am le working girl now.

 Saturday October 29^th, was the stage of the competition that everyone was buzzing about – a physical race of sorts across campus that integrated with challenges online. Each school had only a small group of competitors who qualified based on their social media engagement with students. I wish I had been there to see this live but I learned later that there were: boot camp-like obstacle courses, puzzles, pairs challenges, and challenges with vendors within McMaster’s community. In particular, Virgin had partnered with William’s Café for a coffee free for all and Ram’s Head for a very Canadian poutine eating contest.

 While the physical prowess of this year’s DMA was impressive (32 boxes of poutine down!), I was especially impressed by the time-sensitive social media challenge. They were asked to take a photo of the team, have it uploaded and get as much engagement with the photo as possible. By the end of it they received 365 likes, 126 wall comments and 11 shares – some of which I definitely contributed to, despite being physically quite a distance away from the action.

 After a couple hours of silence I messaged @chrisario and @juliely and asked how the race/challenge went. They had won! And with their advancement to the next level they all received brand new Samsung Galaxy Android operating phones. SO #jeally. The grand prize winners of a boatload of cash will be announced on November 10^th and I have to say while I’m proud of their success thus far, the DMA has got to win. There’s no better university club like McMaster’s DMA – keen, clever, diligent, cohesive and innovative, man this year’s team is killing it!

 I will obvi be tweeting once I find out who wins, but in the meantime support the #DMA by following  @DMAatMac, @virginmobilecan @campusperks and using the tags #VMOnTheHouse and #virginmobile while tweeting!

 DMA all the way! #maccommie4lyfe 

 

The Marks Take the Mediterranean - Part 3

Okay, I'm starting to get the hang of this, well not really, but my strategy for drafting these posts is a little more stable and easy. Nonetheless, it's Thursday and Friday comes afterwards (TGIT?), so I'm unlikely to post a thing after this until Sunday/Monday. #weekenders

First night on the Brilliance of the Seas was intense! The boat was much more event packed and bustling than I had expected! We were told this boat didn’t have the onboard surfing and assumed it would be smaller…false. Restaurants, spas, pools, movies, rock climbing, theatre, disco, casino etc. we explored it all the moment we dropped off our bags. Not bad RC. (Didn't focus my photog on the ship itself but here are a couple - the planking pics have alternate purpose!)

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Also to my surprise, I had become sea sick on the first evening. Half way through dinner as we sailed towards France (pic below), the winds picked up and the ocean was angry…as was my stomach! Best tip – go outside and stare at the horizon, avoid looking at the waves or staying in small spaces where the motion will be emphasized. Also those motion/seasickness pills they carry work wondahs!

By the morning the choppy seas made a little more sense when we were told we couldn't make it to the Villefranche port and had to port in Monaco. It wasn’t stormy at this point, but the rain was unusual for this time of year in La Côte d'Azur, which name refers to the blue azure coast/water/sky. C'est la vie.

So we ported in Monaco, drove along the pretty French Riviera to Cannes for lunch. Bon appétit! All was delish, especially dessert and "european coffee" at the end. Although I kind of expected more from a Salade Niçoise so close to Nice... Anyway, we managed to squeeze in some shopping by shuffling strategically between stores to avoid the downpour. Clever excuse non?

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On our way to Nice we stopped by the Fragonard Perfumery in Grasse and marvelled at noses creating these wonderful aromas. The most legit perfums, free of synthetic scents, and made of pure essence of lavender, orange blossom etc. You could smell the flowers from the parking lot, and it felt like Lush when you walked in and soon became overwhelmed. But we loved and our saleswoman, who had the most hilarious accent that I will have to reenact for you. Jokes on us though, we bought a shiz ton of these long lasting scents. #suckers

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Apres Fragonard, we made our way to an adorable village just outside of Nice, complete with the quintessential European cobblestone streets, smooth earth-tone walls and painted shutters. #ohlala! But just as you think it couldn’t get any prettier, the sun slips through, and the afternoon begins!

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We took full advantage of this warm lighting and charming set…ehem, view. It’s tiring being around us I’m sure, especially if you do not partake in my foolish photographic games. Too bad, I’m camera-trigger-friendly, so ferme la bouche.

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In fact, I am so unaware that I forget how unusual my photog habits are, it takes photos like the second one below, to remind me how #odd I must appear/be.

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Although our trip was sans beach and somewhat wet, the south of France has a certain je ne c'est quoi. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in such a pituresque location - the flowers, the marble, the tiny streets with stunning views, it can't be real. #lies #fairtale #santa

As they say en francais, à Rome, fais comme les Romains. To Italy we go!

The Marks Take the Mediterranean - Part 2

I'm hiring a writer to notetake my vacay memoirs for all future posts. Legit, I question my sensibility in declaring I would share anything through this blog, considering I'm facing 5000 pics/vid to sift through and commentary to add. I would give up, but I am going to maintain the mark family history and record these mems while I can remember! Ole!

Left YYZ at some time on Saturday July 16th and landed in Barcelona reppin’ the Jays and already oblivious to times or dates. Hola muchchas, donde es la fiesta?

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When we got the hotel and dropped off our bags, we were stoked to get our food on so we headed toward Las Ramblas which is a long and busy strip of restaurants, street vendors, and entertainment. First lesson: don't stop/shop at the first store/restaurant you find. #commonsense Sheesh, tourists! Granted, we were cranky and starved, so we were more than willing to drop a couple extra euros for some immediate gastronomic satisfaction. As expected, seafood, meat and carbs were plentiful. The paella was hearty and aromatic, but the grilled calamari was my favourite - light, lemony, perfectly seasoned and gently grilled. Uno más por favor. 

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It’s a beautiful city. Physically speaking (how shallow! Of course…), it’s architecture is fantastically maintained, or maybe that’s just me being a Canadian grateful to see anything built before 1800-1900. But again, Barcelona is atmospherically, wonderful to take in, won’t even attempt to put my finger on it, you’ll just have to go!

[[posterous-content:pid___4]]This was also the only destination we were exploring tour guide free! Of course, cruises are packed with activites, and you only have so much time at each port, so guided excursions are your best bet at seeing the gems of each city. We took advantage of our dos dias and uno noche in Barcelona and went out on our ownsomes! Getting lost is necessarily part of the fun and story making! And it was such a wonderful city get lost in, outside of the touristy street artists, freaky mimes and hustlers selling goop and annoying whistles, it’s an entertaining city in the day or night. Tiny side streets lead to large squares and…oh there’s Gaudi’s cathedral. #truestory

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On the art note, I should mention that at times throughout the trip I felt it necessary to justify reasons for choosing certain countries, cities or excursions. Gaudi, was my first experience in professing ones love for an artist to convince those around you that their trek is worth it. I mean, you’d think that Gaudi is a pretty popular guy, maybe not has ubiquitous as Van Gogh. Nonetheless, Gaudi did good, the Marks were impressed after Casa Batlló, so we set forth to Casa Milà, and hit up some highly photographed stores by tourists gawking outside.

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]And then it was time, to set for the port and board the boat! I was of course excited to see my living quarters for the next 12 days, but sad to be leaving Barcelona. Also, between us, I was a smidge pouty that I hadn’t seen Sagrada Familia and Park Güell (to name a few). But, I’m thinking there’s a reason, perhaps I’ll be returning some time very soon? #iwish

[[posterous-content:pid___2]]Next up, Nice, France!

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...No, France is not included in this post, because apparently I can't upload more than 100MB of media per post. #icant #jokesonme

The Marks Take the Mediterranean - Part 1

The 14 day Mark family trip to the Mediterranean is ova. It's taken me 3ish days to recoup after the jet lag, PVSD, laziness and grueling unpacking (accessory knots, shoes filled with souvenirs to save space, clothes, toiletries, etc.). So I am finally going to publish this first post as one of a few since I cannot stand to write this all in one..still recovering and my adjusting-to-EST is taking a while...meesaaa tiyahhhed. So I will get through all of the wordy junk in this part and introduce more media friendly posts later. Dealio (that sucker was expanded and dangerous when I returned).

I was told that traveling changes you, or at least your bio schedule (papayas anyone?). Ew gross, who makes toilet jokes?...Bahahaha, I do and I love zem! (ps. teaser picture below, if you're my fb friend you must look up my video from spring break 2011 in DR)

Real talk, seeing different countries and experiencing new cultures can change you. Even if it isn't a school-building trip to Africa for 6 months. It is true, even on a family friendly, country-hopping, Royal Caribbean cruise to the med may invite a lil introverted thinking. I mean, there's really only so much thoughtless tanning and unlimited soft-serve eating you can do. Muah haha, so fun. 

It all started in Barcelona, we flew out 2 days early so that we could be at the port on time, so I got to spend a night in a city who's culture I completely fell in love with.

I visited Italy on a high school exchange (picture above with Fede, my Italian exchange student), which was my first introduction to a reality where people live a little more romantically. It's hard to explain without being vague and repetitive. But, it's as if the goal was to be always present and always appreciative.

• Food is to be savoured and enjoyed (I hadn't really noticed any women anywhere who were ordering/not ordering food because of self-consciousness, confidence is so refreshing)

• If you see somebody beautiful you should stare, perhaps smile seducingly and greedily! (Different than your typical Hess village creeper, but still it was still creepy)
• Music = dancing, everyone dances and passionately, not robotically or savagely (unless you count me, who of course was killing the shuffle which looked comparatively robotic and savage)

Also the majority of the population was unfairly beautiful, just completely not what I thought could exist in such quantities. I wish I could say I fell in love with a particular Spanish man, but I really would never be able to choose! So I am moving there tomorrow, k thanks bye!

And that was just Barcelona! The anticipation of seeing/experiencing more was half the excitement. And experience is what we did; I mean if we wanted to lounge around in the sun we woulda stayed home by our pool! While I didn't pack for it (heels, oops?), I did mentally prepare for the early morning excursions and lengthy guided tours in the sun. I sound like I'm complaining, but reflecting on the adventures I had with just us is what I'll remember most fondly. Of course La Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica is saved in my memory, as every other piece of art/architecture is, but the imagery of my brother hanging on to the rails of a run-away treadmill or my sister smirking at our waiter with strategically stained chocolate teeth during formal dinner is kind of unbeatable. 

Will be posting the follow up with photos/videos of the food, places and planking (not over yet!) etc soon. But for now, I must take a shower with a non animal-sculpted towel, and then pick it up off the floor myself...oh the luxury of being taken care of.

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