It seems silly to tell you to go out and enjoy the weekend when we are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Earl. If the weather people are right it is going to be a messy Saturday. Secure all your belongings, make sure you are stocked up with water, candles and food and sit back and make the most of it (here are some tips from the Red Cross ) . If all goes as planned you may still be able to get out and enjoy your Sunday and Monday; provided the clean up isn’t similar to Hurricane Juan. So here are some things to do to keep in the back of your mind if indeed we do just get a wee bit of wind and rain and things are back to normal on Sunday:

- Visit Ross Farms this weekend for Family Participation Days – get hands on experience of working on a farm in the 1800’s.
- Attend the LaHave Folk Festival and take in some great live local music and even dancing!
- Staying in Halifax? Today kicks off the Atlantic Fringe Festival, running until September 12th

Now back to Earl. If you are adventurous and a bit of a storm watcher – come on down and visit us. If the Hurricane hits full strength we can’t promise power but you can expect some great displays by Mother Nature and Hurricane Earl – we are only feet from the ocean!

- Joanne

As I turned on the heat in my car to make my morning drive from Halifax to the Resort, it hit me… “it’s coming”. The start of the cooler mornings and evenings, followed shortly by children heading back to school and the packing away of flip flops, not to mention the shorter days; sadly we are approaching the end of summer.

Then my thoughts turned to what have I done this summer? Did I get in all that I wanted to? We all start the summer with great intentions of great adventures…. Days at the beach, adventure tours, hiking, picnics, boat tours, kayaking and the list goes on and on. So did you? Did you have that campfire by the water? Swim in the ocean?

Before you start to readjust for the fall… give summer one last proper farewell. Many tourism operators offer great deals this time of year (and of course we are one of them!). Search one of the many online sites (Expedia, Travelocity or Novascotia.com) to take advantage of some great packages and last minute deals.

Don’t get me wrong – fall in Nova Scotia is spectacular but we all know how quickly the dreaded “W” word follows. So pack up the kids (or maybe just your partner) and discover Nova Scotia…. And be sure to call us when you are your way – we will have your room ready!

- Joanne

Do you know what the worst part about working at Oak Island Resort in the summer is?  It’s the fact that while I’m working, there is a fantastic outdoor pool just steps away calling my name! a cold beer on the dining room deck begging to be drank! and 105 air-conditioned guestrooms surrounding me!  Life is just not fair right now!

As I sit here with a fan pointed directly at me, I have a hard time imagining those poor Torontonians who have experienced temperatures in the 40s (with humidity).  My sister-in-law and her husband are police officers in Toronto and I am unable to even understand the heat they feel while at work in their full police uniform, bullet vest and all!

So this morning when I woke up, in my non-air-conditioned apartment, I checked my phone; not just for the time but also the weather.  My blackberry has a temperature app (yup, I’m an app kinda girl) that keeps me updated on the weather.  When I wake up at 7:30am and see that it’s already in the 20s I  immediatly start thinking about what light fabric work ensemble I’m going to wear because the thought of a black suit or even closed toe shoes makes me cringe.  Lately, I seem to check this app several times a day to see how hot it actually is.   I just looked at the app right now and even though it says it’s only 27 it also lets me know that with humidty at 100% it actually feels like it’s 34!  Part of me questions the validity of this app because I think it’s hotter, but who am I to judge?!

It’s not just us Nova Scotians that are feeling the heat, it’s the entire East Coast of North America!  Even parts of Russia are sweltering from what some call the worst wave of hot dry weather!  It all makes me wonder, is global warming responsible for this East Coast heat wave?  Dr. Rob Carver answers:

“Ah, the $64,000 question. In the absence of detailed analysis, it’s hard to specify the exact cause for this heat wave, from a meteorological or climatological view point. However, events like this are consistent with research showing that heat waves are more likely with global warming.  I like the metaphor of loaded dice, global warming is not specifically responsible for any heat wave, but it will make them happen more often.”   (http://climateprogress.org/2010/07/07/heat-wave-global-warming-media-coverage/)

So, can we expect next summer to be even hotter?  Who knows! 

Don’t get me wrong, I love the sunshine! and the warmth! and in December I’ll be wishing I could return to this moment, humidity and all;  but as it stands right now, I’m at the mercy of this fabulous fan beside my desk.

-Lisa

I can’t think of a time when this was more true than now. Employees and guests of Oak Island Resort (and most of the other Nova Scotia Resorts) always seem to be drawn to the outdoors. Maybe it is the magic of the ocean, the hiking trails or just the fresh air. Given the events that have taken place around the globe in the last couple of years; from earthquakes to global warming, from the situation in the Gulf of Mexico to the volcano in Iceland, I fear that these resources won’t be around forever to enjoy. I personally have a small obsession with the ocean and nature and the thoughts of losing the ability to enjoy the outdoors worries me greatly.

Our natural resources are a very important part of tourism in Nova Scotia. People from all over the world come here to enjoy the kayaking on the ocean, biking and hiking along the coast, deep sea fishing, dining on fresh local delicacy’s such as lobster, clams, and mussels. The opportunities are endless. The operators in the tourism industry are well educated in helping you find that perfect place to go or thing to see so head out and come visit us… let us show you what we are so privileged to have. Just remember to defend the environment so that we can enjoy it for many more years to come. Oh and of course we would love to welcome you to the Resort; we offer many getaway packages to get you out to explore the area!

- Joanne

As seen from the sky on a perfect summer day

We are thrilled that we were able to be part of Co-op Atlantic’s success – as their August Board Tour was held with us!

The Best Meeting in Canada is unique as it recognizes and rewards organizations that invest in meetings as an integral part of doing business.  Each Best Meeting in Canada winner had clearly defined goals and objectives for their meeting and was able to measure and calculate a positive return-on-investment for their event.

 “Meetings are vital to conducting business today, and a great meeting has measurable objectives and uses the face-to-face time to grow their business against those objectives and goals,” says Meetings & Incentive Travel editor and publisher Stephen Dempsey. “Meetings do not need to be high-tech or flashy to truly impress delegates. Strong planning logistics must be present to ensure a attendees have a positive experience. However, the two key factors that ultimately impress attendees are: strong education and powerful networking.”

Congrats to all the winners!!!!

It might just be me, but this weekend reminds me of that classic board game, Clue!  Remember it? “Who did it? Where? With What?”  Maybe it’s my analytical brain but I find it such fun to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

This weekend we have hired actors to play along with the guests.  Friday night, around dinner time, a murder will occur and throughout the rest of the weekend, you have to figure out who did it!  On Sunday, everyone makes their guesses! 

It’s a great way to interact with people, enjoy delicious meals, spend time out of the city and be entertained all weekend long!

Although all of this sounds very interesting, it can be hard to wrap your mind around all of the competing views and theories.  A basic belief that many people follow is that the progression to wellness can be achieved by reducing stress and therefore increasing general well-being.  An ancient Indian art, Yoga, has been said to do just that.  The ability to calm the body and mind can not only decrease stress but it’s also been used to reduce allergy and asthma symptoms, lower blood pressure and even clear sinuses.  With all this research, it’s no wonder why some companies encourage their employees to take yoga classes rather than go to the gym; an individual that is truly relaxed will be at the height of their mental and physical health which directly relates to a better performance in the workplace. 

This weekend we are taking all of this insight and trying to inspire women to work towards their own well-being.  Come stay at our resort oasis and enjoy our Women’s Wellness weekend.  Not only is the weekend dedicated to women but it will give everyone the opportunity to experience yoga classes, wellness seminars, and even some astrology/numerology readings.  Let go of all the stresses from the week and truly unwind with us at Oak Island Resort. 

Today they’re calling for 13 degrees, tomorrow 14.  It’s not only our lovely East Coast of Nova Scotia that is being hit with these record breaking heats but Toronto is also experiencing summer during winter.  You may assume this is happening all over the country but it’s not.  In Vancouver, where we saw golden sun rays throughout the 2010 Olympics, they are keeping below 10 degrees celcius whereas we’re slowly inching higher and higher from that point.  In Calgary they woke up to snow this morning!!  Did we wake up to snow? or anything remotely cold enough to be snow?  NOPE!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not delusional, I realize that this gorgeous weather may come to and end and the cold snow could rear its ugly head again, but I don’t even care.  Right now it’s sunny and I want to bask in it.  I enjoyed the walking trails around the resort yesterday and today I’m thinking about going to wonder through Mahone Bay; there’s a great little shop called Amos Pewter that I can’t wait to check out.  It’s only a matter of time before the outdoor pool at the resort is open but in the mean time I’ll settle for the newly renovated indoor pool. 

All in all, this weather has brought smiles to faces all over; it’s easier to get up in the morning, more encouraging to get out in the air after work and most of all, perfect for sunsets. 

Maybe a picnic at Peggy’s Cove this weekend?!  I think so!

In a few short days we’ll be busting out the old school retro vibe to celebrate the 70s and 80s in our Blast From The Past weekend.  What’s better than spraying your hair back (or picking your afro) and grooving to the music of  Jon Lennon, Queen, the Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, the Police, Bon Jovi and many many more.  Although we see so many fashion pieces have come back into style, it’s just not the same.  Think back to the retro sunglasses, the skinny ties, bell bottom pants, and scrunchy socks.  If the 90s are now being refered to as the “oldies” it’s time to step back even further and relish in the memories of muscle cars, hippies, disco, VCRs, feminism, Nintendo and mullets.   I mean, really, who doesn’t love all that is retro?

When all these words are linked together our minds instantly focus to one specific holiday, Saint Valentine’s Day.  Although Valentine’s Day is noted as a “Hallmark Holiday”, it started out much less commercial. 

 Around 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared February 14^th to be Saint Valentine’s Day in honour of the passing of Saint Valentine.  It is unknown which Saint Valentine the early pope was intending to pay respect to as there were two early Christian saints named Valentine who are said to have been martyred on February 14^th.  The reason for their deaths? One Valentine continued to perform marriages for young lovers even though it was outlawed.  Another Valentine is said to have sent the first “valentine” to the jailor’s daughter while he was in prison; he signed the letter “From your Valentine”.  No matter which Valentine legend you believe, the most important aspect is the romance. 

 Although many believe Valentine’s Day is similar to any other day, we now know that once upon a time it was a day to honour a saint who believed in love just as much as many of us do.  Take February 14^th as a day to remind the special person in your life how much you truly appreciate them. 

Re-treat with one of our romantic weekend packages this Valentine’s Day.