Ocean Island Weather
Ocean Island News
January 4th, 2008 – “Winter on the westcoast: Grab your cup of organic java, go for a walk in the park with jeans and a t-shirt on.. take THAT rest of Canada!!”
Welcome to a brand new year with lots of new and exciting things in store for everyone at Ocean Island! The autumn proved to be one of the busiest ever at the Backpackers and even the winter has fared well so far. That could have something to do with some of the craziest parties we’ve had in ages in the Lounge… or it could simply be because beautiful mild-weathered Victoria is THE place to visit this winter! If you haven’t made your way over to the island yet, this is the time to check out what’s happening in the city and at the hostel.
Ocean Island Facelift
First it was room renovations, then gorgeous Indonesian decorations going up everywhere, and now the hostel is getting a fresh coat of paint up all throughout the common areas. The new colours definitely give off a new, positive vibe that seems to be felt by everyone passing through our halls. Just wait to see what else we have in store.. and keep an eye out for upcoming photos!
Lounge Events
If crazy parties are not your thing, fear not, for our Lounge and our Bartending Superstars have something to offer everyone! We’ve got chilled out movie nights happening, we’re got thought-provoking Pub Quiz Nights and exciting Drinko Bingo nights going on (with prizes!). And don’t forget, every Wednesday is our well-renowned Open Mic Night and every Sunday we host the very-talented songstress Felicia Harding in our lounge. There’s never a cover for any of our events and there’s always great drink specials and yummy food available! For more information, just take a look at his link: www.oceanislandlounge.com.
Work For Your Stay and WWOOFing
Did you know that you can have a free night’s stay by doing only a few hours of cleaning? “Unbelievable!!” you might say, but it’s true. Take a look at this link for more details (and to find out what WWOOFing means for those who don’t know!): www.oceanisland.com/amenities/workforstay.html. It’s an excellent opportunity for the shoestring travellers amongst us.
Christmas 2007
Well, we couldn’t all be home for the holidays so on Christmas Day we hosted a great big dinner for the ‘extended Ocean Island’ family. It was a huge success and thanks to all those people who helped out by partaking in making and indulging of the delicious food, and special thanks to Richard for being our chef du jour and all his hard work.
Discounted Monthly Rooms
Thinking of coming to Victoria for a while and need an inexpensive, private room to rest your head in a funky environment—why not check out our discounted monthly rooms? Enjoy all the fun of living in a backpackers, while having your own space! The list of rooms available for February will be posted on January 12th so be sure to keep an eye on our website or simply give us a call. For more information on these rooms, check this out: www.oceanisland.com/apartmentrental/about_monthly_rooms.html
Some of the Many Happenings in Victoria:
Royal BC Museum Celebrates the New Year
Here’s a great opportunity to check out one of Canada’s top rated museums—and at a steal! Until January 9th the Royal BC Museum offers admission by donation. It’s their way to celebrate the New Year and thank the community for its support. It’ll be open from 9am-5pm during this time and will be featuring costumed performers throughout Old Town. www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Contemporary Salish Art at the Victoria Art Gallery
Until February 24th you can take a look at this special exhibit showcasing the work of ten Salish artists expressing new and long-held Salish visions and stories of the land, and post-colonial critiques of cultural appropriation. Take a look at their website for more information: http://aggv.bc.ca/
Victoria’s Own Bug Zoo!
Wait, don’t let the idea of icky, gross creepy crawlers scare you off—this zoo is a hidden gem in the city! They pack in an amazing array of multi-legged creatures from around the world from giant walkingsticks to glow-in-the-dark scorpions to hairy tarantulas and more in a small well-laid out venue. And to top it off, they have fantastic knowledgeable guides to show you around and you can even hold some of these critters. Do not miss out! Currently open from 11am – 4pm weekdays and until 5pm on weekends. www.bugzoo.bc.ca
Want to know more of what’s going on in Victoria? Check out Tourism Victoria’s website at www.tourismvictoria.com and Monday Magazine’s website www.mondaymag.com.
Finally, did you know we’re only a few minute’s walk away from the Save-On-Foods Arena? That’s right, if you’re heading to Michael Buble on Jan 10th or legendary Blue Rodeo on Jan 13th, why not stay just a few blocks away? We’ve got private rooms and dorm rooms to suit all budgets!
That’s it for now. Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook where you can add your photos for everyone to see.. or better yet, email us and we’ll put it up on our website!! (Facebook groups: “I Heart Ocean Island” and “I Jager-Bombed The OI Lounge”)
October 3rd, 2007 – “All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey…”
Well, Autumn has definitely hit Victoria but the is still some sunshine to be had. Things are starting to wind down from the busy tourist season, but that doesn’t mean Victoria (or Ocean Island) is going into hibernation. Here’s a look at some of the things going on:
Live Music in the Lounge
This October we welcome Phil, our new bar manager, to the Ocean Island Lounge. Luke is still around for a little while but then he’s off on further travels.. We’ll miss you Luke! It’s been a fantastic summer with lots of craziness and photos to show for it! As things calm down, we still have live music, great food and cheap drinks in the Lounge. Most notably, our ever-popular Open Mic nights on Wednesdays and the very popular songstress Felicia Harding, who plays here weekly. She was on the cover of the Times Colonist (Victoria’s newspaper) on Sunday September 30th for making it into the final 48 of the third annual Victoria Idol contest—congratulations Felicia! Come and have a listen to her before she gets too big for this city! More info here: www.oceanislandlounge.com
Discounted Monthly Rooms now available
Every year from September through spring, Ocean Island has a number of private furnished monthly discounted rooms available for rent. These range in price anywhere from around $300 and up!! October rooms are already booked up, but November rooms will be listed on our website on October 12th. These rooms require a security deposit and an agreement being signed. Perfect for those on a working holiday or for students too! More information on these discounted rooms can be found on this link: www.oceanisland.com/apartmentrental/about_monthly_rooms.html
For those interested in the Ocean Island Suites, unfortunately there are no more available at this time to rent out at the discounted monthly rate, but we still have Suite #1 open for those looking to stay there. More info here: www.oisuites.com
Ocean Island on Facebook!
It seems at one point or another, everyone eventually joins Facebook.. it’s a fantastic way to keep in touch and to share photos! Ocean Island currently has two groups on Facebook. One is “I Heart Ocean Island Backpackers” and the other is “I Jager-Bombed the OI Lounge”. Yeah, you know you all did it! Join up and post your own photos and get in touch with friends you met while you were here!
Autumn Happenings in Victoria
As for Victoria happenings, here are just a few to mention:
Titanic Exhibit at the Royal BC Museum (April 14 – October 14)
It’s your last chance to check out this amazing travelling exhibit featuring more than 275 artifacts recovered from Titanic’s undersea resting place. Also ending on October 14th is the IMAX film Titanica. Check out the Museum’s website for more information: www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
Are you a Harry Potter fan??
On the topic of IMAX, for a limited time you can see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on the very, very, very big screen! Did I mention I recently hung out at one of the cafes that J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter in (in Edinburgh)? Yes, I am a Harry Potter geek…More info on the IMAX showing here: http://www.imaxvictoria.com/index2.cfm
Autumn at Butchart Gardens (October 1 – November 30)
Glory in the crowning beauty of Autumn when the Japanese Garden comes to center stage. A stunning parade of red, russet and golden maples is joined by magnificent arbutus and copper beech trees along with many dozens of different varieties of chrysanthemums. More info at www.butchartgardens.com
