Wednesday 13 February 2019

Wellness Post #2: Icefest 2019


Welcome to the second Wellness link up of 2019! We had a great kick-off in January. My first Wellness post of the year, A Fresh Start with Winter Flowers, was posted here. Feel free to join in on the fun with your recent or past wellness-related posts every second Wednesday of the month.

HEALTH GOAL UPDATES

I believe I'm doing well with my health goals which include daily meditation, walking 6x/ week, strength workouts 3x/ week, yoga 2x/ week, and swimming 1x/ week. While my meditation is fifteen minutes long, my walks and swimming sessions are forty-five minutes each. My strength workouts and yoga sessions are one hour each.

I use a simple sheet to keep track of all my goals for 2019, and write a monthly wrap up on my blog. My January wrap up, including my Health activities, is posted here.

ICEFEST for A HEALTHY HEART

For this month's Wellness post, since the optional prompt is Healthy Heart and February is Heart month, I planned a 'fit and fun' outing to Icefest 2019. This is an outdoor event that showcases ice sculptures and live ice carving demonstrations. Its location is in Bloor-Yorkville area, in the heart of Toronto. This year's theme is Hollywood North, inspired by the success of the film industry in Toronto, and Yorkville known as the home of the stars.

The Icefest event sponsors also support the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation. Volunteers from the Heart and Stroke Foundation were on site to accept donations and answer questions. Their banner says "Life. We don't want you to miss it." I'd encourage readers to have a look at the Get Healthy section on their web site for heart-healthy tips on how to eat well, get moving, maintain healthy weight, stop smoking (if you smoke), and manage your stress.

    HOW I PREPARED
    • Choose a point of interest: Icefest 2019.
    • Bring what I need: Warm clothing, winter boots, a hearty winter spirit, my purse, and camera.
    • Arrive at the start time before the crowd arrives.

    WHAT I DID
    • Walk briskly for 20 minutes outdoors to arrive at the event location.
    • Walk around to view the ice sculptures and take photos for about 1 hour.
    • Choose a nice spot in a coffee shop to warm up and reflect after.

    WHAT FILLED UP MY SENSES
    1. Visual: There were about thirty amazing ice sculptures on display and a dozen live ice carving demonstrations. I include some of the photos that I took below.

    Lights, Camera, Action!

    Film reels, paparazzi, and an iconic Oscar

    An iconic Oscar, cinema facade, and a giant popcorn

    Tickets

    Director's chair

    Cut!

    Marilyn Monroe ice sculpture

    Reels

    Photographers

    Maple Leaf Hollywood North

    Car Crashing the Berlin Wall

    Maple Leaf and Oscar

    There were several more ice sculptures to promote the local businesses. Yorkville Park was also nicely decorated with lights and red balls. The park must sparkle at night with the lights and the crystal-clear ice sculptures.

    Light decorations at Yorkville Park

    Red ball decorations at Yorkville Park

    Yorkville Park

    2. Auditory: The ice carving competitors were working hard using various saws and carving tools. The spectators commented on the ice sculptures and the work in progress. Icefest Lounge had live DJs who played a special selection of music. It was a fun and festive atmosphere.

    Ice carving in progress

    Ice carving in progress

    3. Olfactory: The aroma from food trucks, hot chocolate stands, and surrounding coffee shops and restaurants were welcoming on a chilly day. Sassafraz Patio, one of the local restaurants, featured Icefest cocktails and hot beverages.

    4. Tactile: Spectators could touch the ice sculptures. Many people posed to take pictures at the Icefest photo booth and next to the ice sculptures. Some even climbed to sit on the giant ice Director's chair.

    Icefest 'Photo Booth'

    WHAT I GAINED
    • Raised heart rate from the brisk walk outdoors.
    • An enjoyable walk in Bloor-Yorkville area in the heart of Toronto.
    • Positive sensory experiences.
    • A coffee break to relax and warm up.

    OVERALL RATING - I gave this outing 5 out of 5 points, one point for each of the following:
    • Affordability: Admission to the event is free.
    • Elements that support wellness: The site is walkable, with a small park nearby.
    • Fun: The ice sculptures were impressive and artistic.
    • New experience: It was my first visit to Icefest 2019.
    • Uniqueness: The Icefest is annual and its theme is unique every year.

    I was pleased with how well this winter outing turned out. I left the Icefest feeling energized and joyful. The brisk walk and the incredible ice displays were good for my heart and mind.

    Be kind to your heart and have a happy Valentine's day!

    Heart-shaped #BeKind ice sculpture

    How are you keeping your heart healthy? I'd love to hear your comments.

    Inlinkz Link Party

    54 comments:

    1. I love these ice sculptures, Natalie. Incredible. Glad you could get your cardio in as well. Have a happy, healthy Wellness Wednesday!

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      1. Thank you, Christie, for linking up and commenting. The Icefest event supports the Heart and Stroke Foundation so it was a perfect fit and fun outing for me and this month's Wellness prompt. Have a great day!

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    2. Hi Natalie - Happy Valentines Day to you! Wow - your photos are fabulous! It must be so cold over there for those ice sculptures to stay in form and for people to be able to touch them without them melting. It's so hard to image as we sit here sweltering in our Aussie summer. What a beautiful event! Those sculptures are very impressive and what a fun and healthy day out, and all for free which is wonderful.

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      1. Hi Min - Happy Valentine's Day to you! I hope my Icefest photos made you feel slightly cooler :) When I went to Icefest, it was minus 5C, with the windchill it felt like minus 10C. That was not the coldest day we've had but with that temperature, I walked fast :) After I spent about an hour outdoors, the warm coffee was welcoming.

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    3. I'd love that!! It's such an art if done well. And I love the last one #BeKind

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      1. The ice carving competitors had more intricate designs that they were working on but I didn't stay to see them finish as it got crowded with more people coming to the event.

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      2. Back again from #Lifethisweek

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      3. Thanks, Lydia. Have a great week!

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    4. I am also on a health and fitness journey. I have so much more energy and feel great!

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      1. That's fantastic, Anne. Thank you for joining us. The next Wellness link up is on March 13. Optional prompt Indoor or Outdoor fitness. Feel free to share a post on your health and fitness journey.

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    5. What amazing ice sculptures, Natalie! So many concepts and visions expressed through the one medium.

      SSG xxx

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      1. Yes, SSG, it's quite artistic. Thank you for stopping by.

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    6. How stunning! Its cooling just to look at those beautiful pics as we sweat through summer in Brisbane.

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      1. Thank you for your comment. It's been cold here which kept the ice sculptures in great shape :)

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    7. Those ice sculptures are incredible. I did not it was even possible to get such detail in ice. I have joined a historical walk group. I find I can walk further if I am interested in the subject of a walk.

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      1. Your historical walk group sounds interesting, Ann, and what a great way to keep fit, both for mind and body. The ice sculptures and carvings were amazing to see. I'm glad I went to the event.

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    8. Hi, Natalie - Thank you for all of your work in co-hosting this Link Up. It truly is inspiring. I loved your photos from Toronto's recent Ice Fest. In our area of Vancouver Island, we had a "Fire and Ice Fest" (Ice Sculptures and Chili Cook-Off) every year for the past 25 years. Unfortunately it was discontinued from this year forward due to lack of volunteerism and community support. That is a great reminder to get out and support events that I love.

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      1. Oh, Donna, that's sad to hear a long time event like Fire and Ice Fest is discontinued. I think any of our snow or ice festive event is worth supporting because that's what makes our winter unique. Plus the events get me up, go outdoors, and be part of the community.

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    9. This looks so cool - pun intended. I've been away for work this week & haven't penned my wellness Wednesday - or even had a chance to catch up on reading blogs until now. Heavy sighs.

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      1. Take it easy, Jo, as work travel is usually exhausting. The Wellness Wed. link up is open for a while so feel free to join if you can. Next WW link up is on March 13, optional prompt Indoor or Outdoor Fitness.

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    10. Hi Natalie the ice sculptures are magnificent aren't they? We are having some Sand Sculptures on the Coast soon and they are always on a particular theme. Thanks for hosting Wellness Wednesday and I'm sure the visit to the Ice sculpture was good for your heart in two ways - joy at the beautiful sculptures and also the brisk walk would have been physically good for your heart.

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      1. Thank you, Sue, for supporting Wellness Wednesday link-up. It was an enjoyable fit and fun outing.

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      2. Hi Natalie, I'm back again and thank you for linking up to #MLSTL. I always enjoy Wellness Wednesday and I also loved looking at the Ice Sculptures again. Have a great week. xx

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      3. As always, thank you for your support, Sue. Have a beautiful week!

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    11. I love your Wellness Goals for 2019 and your choice of Icefest for a fun and fit outing. I find ‘working out’ is best done when I am distracted by so much ‘wow’ that I don’t even realize that I am working out. Ice sculptures are wonderful eye candy and the need to keep warm while viewing them is a natural incentive to keep moving. Great to see your WIP images. The sculptures are amazing. My favorite is #BeKind

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      1. Thank you, Lisa, for your comment. The cold air definitely kept me moving and the ice sculptures were so interesting that I wanted to see all of them. All added up to a lot of steps and feeling great after being outdoors.

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    12. Wow, so very cool. Thanks for sharing. I would love to visit it.

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      1. Thanks, Patrick, for your comment. The Icefest is an annual event, in its 14th year this year. I hope it continues for many more years and you'll get to visit it.

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      1. Thanks, Jackie, for dropping by. There is another event Ice Breakers that is on until Feb 24 if you haven't checked it out.

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    14. I love ice sculptures! Tricky to photograph because of being see-through. :) :) I'm not at all sure that my Choc Fest belongs in a Wellness post, Natalie. If you do one on pigging out... :)

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      1. Thanks, Jo, for dropping by. If you're unsure about linking up your walk to the Choc Fest then maybe your previous walk :)

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    15. You'd love the snow sculptures that we visited in our mountains last month. This Friday's blog post will be all about them and the Ice Castles. That's why we were dressed so warm in our post today!!
      OXOX
      Jodie
      www.jtouchofstyle.com

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      1. Hi Jodie - I look forward to reading your post about the mountains and the Ice Castles. Have a beautiful week!

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    16. These types of events are such a cool way of getting out and about! It's invigorating just looking at all your lovely photos. #lifethisweek

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      1. Thanks, Debbie, for dropping by. The Icefest event got me outdoors and it was fun.

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      2. Just popped back to relook at the ice pics for #mlstl :)

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      3. Great to have you back, Debbie. Have a beautiful week!

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    17. What a special event for the eyes and all the senses really! It is also fun to go out in the cold and move around really gets the blood circulating!

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      1. Thank you, Mary, for your visit and comment. I call this my 'fit and fun' walk that beats the winter blues.

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    18. Love the ice sculptures Natalie. I too have a fitness goal and that is too keep up with the 70+ aged hikers on our bush hikes :-) Now training up the Mount twice a week, it certainly is a challenge for me as I am not a lover of heights, though I am doing it. Well, done with the mediation, it is something that I have not tried. So maybe I will get around to doing just that. Have a good week.

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      1. Well done with your hikes, Suzanne. NZ looks like a hiker's paradise. I'd love to visit one day.

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    19. What a wonderful walk. I enjoy going to ice sculpting events as my husband's friend does that for a living.

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      1. Thank you, Jennifer, for your visit and comment. There were about a dozen very skilled ice carving competitors at the Icefest event. It's fascinating to see them carving and turning big slabs of ice into art.

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    20. Hi Natalie - I love those scuptures and good on you for getting out into the cold and spending time admiring them (and sharing them with those of us who never get to see anything like that!) I also enjoyed how you related each of your senses to the experience - a great way to really engage.
      Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I've shared on my SM :)

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      1. Hi Leanne - Thank you for hosting and sharing. These events are fun and unique to winter season which thankfully doesn't last :) They get me outdoors and enjoy winter.

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    21. A for amazing photos and I love the way you wrote about the full experience of the senses too.

      In Australia the only way to have ice sculptures is inside, at a food table, with space for the scupture to melt.

      These photos captured something incredible. People who do this sure are skilled.


      Thank you for linking up for Life This Week. Next week's optional prompt is: 8/51. My Favourite Decade. 25/2/19. Denyse.

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      1. Thank you, Denyse, for your kind comment. I thought I'd share something wintry and unique because I know in warmer climates, people don't get to see ice or snow in their natural state. I'm glad you liked my photos. Have a beautiful week!

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    22. I love the ice sculptures and you got your walk in a win-win.

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      1. I'm glad you like the ice sculptures, Victoria. In the winter here, it's too easy to stay indoor and become sluggish. I'm glad I did my fit and fun walk to see Icefest.

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    23. Those ice sculptures are amazing! Being new to Vancouver Island, I didn’t know about the Fire and Ice event here that Donna mentioned, and I’m sorry to hear that it was cancelled. I’m now a member of several groups here, and have found that many of the retirees I know are very active in volunteering for multiple causes. But maybe it’s the 20-80 rule: 20% of the people do 80 % of the volunteering???

      Jude

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      1. Hi Jude - I've done informal volunteering where I agreed to mentor and had a few mentees by words of mouth. I haven't got into formal volunteering yet so I don't know if I'd find the 20-80 rule here.

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