Hatch Day! Say Hello to my baby chicks!

I woke to peeping on Friday March 11 morning which was a massive surprise since Hatch Day was actually the next day. In total, I got three cute little chicks from six eggs. 1 egg was a dud, 1 egg I had dropped and 1 egg failed in its hatch. 

Two chicks had hatched overnight. The larger black coloured one and a teeny tiny little yellow chick. Both were still covered in fluid from the egg, so their feathers were matted down. For the first few hours, they would peep for a little bit and fall asleep as I am sure the hatching was exhausting. Near the end of the day, both were lively and full of energy. I had stepped out of the house in the evening and when I returned, the duo had turned into a trio with the addition of another tiny yellow chick. 

As much as I wanted to remove the chicks from the incubator, I was told to leave the chicks for 24 hours. The warmth and humidity help their feathers dry off and become fluffy but also give them time to gain some more strength in their little legs. 

The Batman: Dark, Gritty and Intriguing

The Batman has hit theaters and all everyon can talk about is Robert Pattinson as the titular character. Alongside Pattinson is the sensational Zoe Kravitz as Catwomen. The duo are quite the sexy matchup on screen and share a couple of electrified suggestive moments, but only share a single kiss throughout the entire 2 hour 56 minute run time. Oh yes, it is a LONG movie. We need to bring back Intermissions because I needed a mid movie stretch and bathroom break. 

There has been nothing but praises for The Batman, but for me, it is still no match for Christopher Nolan's Dark Night Trilogy. But, it is still better than the disaster that was Ben Affleck's horrendous DC universe Batman. The Batman is the darkest, grittiest live action movie to date. Practically every scene was dark night-time with heavy rainfall. All the tones were black, grey or neutrals making everything feel scary and creepy. To keep with the moody tone of the movie, Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne was made out to be emo. I could not take him seriously with his messy long bangs and smeared black eye makeup. Gave me major Spiderman 3 Tobey Maguire emo without the weird ridiculous pelvic air thrusts. 

Final Egg Candling Disaster before Incubator Lockdown

It is Day 18 aka Lockdown day! This is the last time I get to candle the eggs to check for development before putting the incubator into lockdown, which means I will not be allowed to open the incubator until the eggs hatch. Opening the incubator during lockdown IS detrimental to the eggs as it would cause a drop in temperature and humidity. Also in preperation for lockdown you have to add additional water to sustain the higher humidity over the course of the next four days. 

Since we are close to hatch day, the chicks have grown significantly therefore occupying a larger part of the egg. It also means candling is trickier as the developing chick body blocks the light from passing through making the egg just look dark. The smaller eggs were still the easier of the two sizes to candle. I could identify blood vessels, but it was nearly impossible to see anything in the large eggs. 

Dessert Club takes us to Japan - India for Flight 3

Will Travel for Food Flight 3: Japan-India just took place and it was another big win for the Dessert Club. With Grapes & Soda playing as host, everyone took their seats and eagerly awaited their trays of food. This time around, the menu was vegan/vegetarian focused. Just like a real flight, each patron could pre-pick either the Japanese Tray or the Indian meal tray. I went with the Indian meal while my dining companions opted for the Japanese trays. 

Grapes & Soda has been on my list of places to visit for years, but just never got around to it. The majority of the space is dedicated to the cocktail bar, so it was only fitting that there would be special drinks for the evening. Mixed by Kaname Yasui, there was the Black Sancho Gimlet, a Roasted Banana Coconut Lassi and an Apple Oolong Soda. Of the three, the Apple Oolong Soda was the cocktail for me as I love fizzy sodas and it was on the sweeter side. 

Maison Kitsune Cafe was not my Parisienne Dream

Cafe Kitsune is the newest addition to Vancouver's coffee scene. The allure of a Parisienne-inspired cafe where I could live my best "Emily in Paris" life was just too great to miss out on. Quietly opening its doors to Vancouverites along Water Street in Gastown, Cafe Kitsune offers classic caffeinated beverages and a small selection of eats. 

The lattes were served at our table in beautiful porcelain cups on a matching saucer. I do not think I have ever seen porcelain dishware at a casual eatery before, but I loved it and felt posh sipping out of the pearlescent cups. I had a classic matcha latte while my friend joining me opted for a plain latte. We paired our hot beverages with some food off of their brunch menu. The food is very rich, so go when you are hungry!

Candling Eggs in Anticipation of Chicken Hatching

Hatch day is fast approaching with Saturday, March 12th being just under a week away. I have my fingers crossed that I will have a brood of cute little hatchlings! In anticipation of the chick hatching, I have been checking the egg development by candling them. 

I thought candling would be simple. Place egg on light and observe the embryo development. Maybe I am doing it wrong, maybe I have bad eyes (fun fact: I have terrible eyesight - 6.25) or the eggs are not fertilized. It is tricky to get a glimpse into the eggs. Darker shells reduce the amount of light that shines through. It also does not help that I have no idea what I am looking for when candling. 

Vallea Lumina Winter Whistler Night Walk

How I have gone this long without checking out Vallea Lumina is beyond me because I love outdoor attractions! Vallea Lumina is nestled within BC's glorious old-growth forests atop Cougar Mountain, a quick 10-minute drive north of Whistler Village. The unique outdoor multimedia excursion is part of The Adventure Group's numerous outdoor offerings in Whistler. Coincidently, Superfly Ziplines is also based out of the same location, so it was already a familiar site for me! 

I do not want to spoil Vallea Lumina for those that have yet to visit, so I am going to limit the amount of details I share. If I had to describe Vallea Lumina in one sentence, it would be: