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  New Web SiteSo, if you’re reading this you have probably already seen the new and improved OI website. Webmeister supreme Pema has put together an all-star line up of links and info regarding out lovely rooms, facilities and all sorts of things that Victoria has to offer. Make sure that you check out the restaurant and club guides because they are probably the most recent and accurate portrayals of the Vic scene that you’ll come across. So high-fives and Sunny-D’s to Pema whose hard work has made everyone’s life here a little bit peppier. New ArrivalsThe front desk has had the good fortune of finding three new front-desk super stars since the last news update. Bill is an interesting New Yorker whose quick wit and love for debating is only superceded by his stylized front desk abilities. Indica is a world traveler who fell in love with Victoria and decided to start calling it home. We snatched her up right away, knowing instantly that she would work out as a true front desk superstar. Finally, Julie is a fresh-faced rookie to our OI scene but her abilities place her in the true company of OI veterans. It’s really great to have you all aboard our starship. The Victoria & BC Guide lives and breathes!For weeks we've been working on putting together the most whack, bitchin', totally crazy (I mean comprehensive and informative) guide to Victoria that exists. And it's finally available!!! Check out the Victoria & BC Guide for yourself. Now the thing is, if there's stuff on here that doesn't make sense to you or is wrong, or there's stuff that should be there that isn't, don't be all "aww man, what have they been smoking?!" Be all "aww man, it's time to contact Pema the Web Designer and let him know what the score is!" -Pema the Web Designer Check out the new C2 Section!The C2 Cafe/restaurant now has representation on our website! Our trusty web designer Pema has quickly thrown up their menu, some info and some pictures, and will soon do a prettier and more comprehensive job of their page. For now, check out their section and let Pema know what you think! (Pema can be contacted from our contact us page) Castello's Gets a FaceliftNapa Valley Green, Lipstick Red and Deep Purple made an appearance at OIs favorite caf this week. Working together in palate bliss, the new colours have given Castellos surf-shack caf /bar a cozy, funky facelift, able to satisfy the most conservative of chess players, and the most outrageous of bar regulars. As if warm hues and fresh stripes weren't enough, a cozy new layout makes chilling at Castellos sweeter then ever. Graveyard shift superstar Jenn remarked, I came in to work on Wednesday night and noticed a change about the place. There were people sitting, debating, dancing and chatting until all hours of the evening, thanks to the new sexy Castellos vibe. In a similar conversation, OI staff member Francois added, "I'm really impressed with the new layout because it brings people together. I have lots of new friends now." Castellos' fantastic evening staff member Rob has recently opened the place up to fresh new talent. Pretty much any night of the week, fresh beats from a variety of genres entertain the masses. Weather you feel like grooving to dance beats or rocking out, Castellos has something to offer locals and travellers alike. "So, we're working on a new look, trying to give you guys a great place to hang out," says Rob. So come down, have a look, and enjoy the new music. If you decide to stop in ask for a smokie or quesadilla. They are my personal favorites and not hard on the bank account either. OceanIsland.com gets a faceliftOur handy-dandy contract web designer, Pema Douma, is hard at work making improvements to the website. Starting with the monthly rooms section, this fancy-schmancy news page and a new menu, he's working closely with Kevin and other OI staff to bring more useful information (and a fantastic new look) to the website. During the redesign period, some links might not work and information will be moved around. If anybody has any problems with the site (or any suggestions), (Pema can be contacted from our contact us page). Remotely A NuisanceSo, if you have ever had the pleasure of watching OIs fabulous fully loaded TV, you know that the remote is an important part of the viewing experience. I mean, I realize that back in the day people didnt have remotes at all, but thats still no excuse to stick it in your pocket and walk out the door smiling secretly at your devious accomplishments. The worst part of a missing remote is that you cant watch DVDs or anything, says OI guest Mike. In response to the vanishing remote epidemic, OI staff members have been scheming new ideas for keeping the new controller in its place: Perhaps a long stretch cord attached to the TV? Or maybe ever having to sign in out from the desk? Well keep you a brush of the latest developments. Until then, keep on the lookout for a stray remote in your rooms and lockers. After all, Frank Lloyd Wright said that, television is the chewing gum for the eyes. Dont steal the remote and well all practice blowing big ol bubbles. Query of the MonthIf someone dumps rice on the floor, and the night cleaner has already sweptshould the front desk worker have to clean it up? New Staff and Vintage AccomplishmentsWell, if you havent been here in a while, you might notice all of the new and lovely faces at the front desk. A special OI welcome goes out to Emily, Kaley, Sarah and Sunny whose smiling faces are certain to warm up our cool nights. Also, congratulations goes out to Monique and Cristy, veteran staffers who both graduated from the University of Victoria this month. If you need a place to hang your diplomas, well hang them high for you ladies! Watermellon or Cantelope, the Debate ContinuesRenovations are underway in OI halls, rooms and bathrooms. New signage makes it easier for people to find their rooms and some of the other facilities that OI has to offer. New floors in the bathrooms add a touch of class to our funky downtown inn. However, when faced with the coral and lime green walls in some hallways a few guests have been prompted to ask OI staffer and colour coordinator Jenn, Dont you think it reminds you of watermelon? To those people I say no, it looks more like cantaloupe, though not as popular of a fruit, its delicious nonetheless. More colours will be added soon as the TV room and lobby will soon be colour coated with delicious hues. So come on in and take a look.
GarudaSome people enter our environment perplexed at the large wooden demon-esque statue that watches over the front desk superstars. Well, have no fear, for Garuda is not a demon at all! Garuda is an ancient Indian mythological creature, believed to be a devourer of serpents and the king of the birds. His body was half man and half eagle. In Hindu mythology he is often depicted flying across the sky carrying the supreme god Vishnu and his wife Lakshmi. In some Hindu stories he is said to represent the Sun's rays. His father was one of the seven great sages, the Rishis. It is said that Garuda stole the water of life from Indra (another hindu god). In the battle to get it back, Indra had his thunderbolt broken by the flying creature. Anyway, Garuda is basically here to protect us from losers and freeloaders. So far he seems to be doing his job! Quotable Controversies: The Ahhhhh PhenomenonPerhaps the bitter days of winter have perforated intellectual tolerance, perhaps it’s the cynicism brought on to us by sopping shoes and leaky coats, but O.I.’s famous (or infamous) quote board has come under attack in recent weeks. For those of you who have never had the opportunity to visit O.I., the quote board adorns the portal to our amazing abode. It stands often as a decoration, harboring weak words of wisdom and clichéd attempts at originality. In an effort to shake things up a little, more contentious quotes have begun to surface on O.I.’s front façade. To be fair, the controversies began to perpetuate after “Hitler was a vegetarian and he was bad, Churchill was a drunk and he was good,” graced the dry chalky surface. Meant to re-evaluate our definitions of good and evil, rather then to attempt to insult vegetarians (or drunks), the quotation came under immediate criticism and was repeatedly erased and re-appeared over and over. Perhaps the lack of tangible discourse encouraged by the quote board in recent months has allowed readers to regress into the, “Ahhhh, that’s nice” reactionary bias. The worst part of the “Ahhhh” phenomenon is that people are quick to bark at an unorthodox idea or message. Opposition is important. Criticism is crucial. However, the lack of respect for words, simply words, spawned from ones opinions, crosses the line of debate and enters into the realm of censorship. As such, when acts of revenge take over your psyche, debate, argue, don’t erase, because that does no better then to pollute the stream before anyone’s had the chance to drink. Be thankful that you’re enraged, and that you haven’t fallen victim to the “Ahhhhh” phenomenon. In the words of Frederick Douglass, “Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground.” September 26th 2006 - wow, fall is here, and so are you!It was a beautiful spring and summer, and here in beautiful Victoria BC, things are actually getting really beautiful. It's kind of a special feeling in the air. It's that fall feeling, the leaves aren't really falling much yet, but the air is getting cool even though the sun is still bright and going strong, and the evenings... wow. The evenings are to die for. This is the time to come to Victoria, for sure. And it's also the time to hook up before winter sets in! Everybody's looking for somebody to love and I have to say here at the hostel we've got an incredible cross-section of believable bachelors and bachelorettes of all ages, races and subcultures. Some of them are here with their girlfriends and boyfriends, some are keeping touch with theirs over e-mail, but it seems like there are a lot of hot single kids left over. I'm keeping it friendly though, 'cause I work here, and I still haven't gotten over the last girl I met who was staying here. But we didn't meet here, that's the point! Anyway, not only is it getting really pretty and the weather really mild, it's getting to be that time that we have really cheap monthly rooms available for rent, so now might be a good time for you boondockers in Cordova Bay and Esquimalt to move downtown, get yourself an inconsequential job at ghetto slice or whatever, and rock all night and party every day. That's what I recommend. The best way to get your party on in Victoria of course is to make friends with some students or indie rockers and figure out where they're partying. Any friday or saturday night there'll be a bunch of house parties going on, so you just gotta know somebody who's going and sooner or later you'll end up at the party of your life wondering what you're drinking and where you can get lots more. If you don't know anybody yet, grab a look at our awesome list of bars and clubs, and you'll find something there that you like. Make friends and you'll be set. 'Course if you grab yourself a monthly room you can always party in there, but not too hardy! - Dorian Douma, the web design guy. January 14th 2007 - Oh the weather outside is frightful… maybe for the rest of Canada! In Victoria, it’s a bit chilly but still much warmer and greener than most of the country. OK, sure we just got hit by a bit of snow, but you can’t complain with lows of only -4 or so... or can you? It’s a nice change from the windstorms anyway! The pace of life at Ocean Island (affectionately known as O.I.) has gotten much slower in the last few months but there’s still plenty going on--from changes to our internet café, major room renovations, fresh coats of paint around the building, new flooring to hosting many more great bands in the Lounge. We also recently saw Sven fly the coup and welcomed a brand new Bar Manager, Matthew, to our O.I. family, along with his fabulously yummy cheeseburgers and fries! Matthew is a westcoast boy but originally comes from South Africa. Not only is he stirring things up around here with new menu items and bringing in lots of fresh acts into the Lounge, but he also plays in his own band. Stop by, have a drink and say hello! Kevin, one of the owners, took off to Bali on a mission to decorate our hostel in the fall. Who knows, in a couple of months this could become a little Indonesian retreat in the heart of Victoria. Photos coming soon… Here’s some hot gossip: Rob Harisson from England and local girl Chelsea, former staff members at O.I., just got married, are having a kid and bought a house all within two months! Way to go guys and congrats! On the subject of former staff, Mike James, one of the original Front Desk Superstars, apparently came back from the dead! News got around a few months ago that Mike had committed suicide. This even got back to his family and friends, but lo and behold he’s alive and well. I’m not sure how it got around but now you know the truth. Sadly, Richard, our very own well-loved staff “computer guy” actually did pass away in late November. It was a shock to us all and both staff and guests alike were affected deeply. A memorial service was held in early December in a nearby chapel and we knew, we SO knew, that we wouldn’t make it through the service without hearing a Yes song. Here’s to you Richard, where ever you are--we miss you! And for other People News: Hostel guest Marty, who stayed with us for about 4 months in late 2006, had a beautiful baby girl in late November. Marty, a father, who would have thought?! No really, wow! Naomi, our favourite yoga girl who stayed with us on and off from about August to December 2006, broke her back while at home in Ontario. She’s currently in China getting special treatment in order to help her walk again. And, in true Naomi fashion, she’s apparently filming a yoga DVD! She’s been holding some fundraisers in order to get enough money together to help her on her way. We’ll be having one in our Lounge as well—contact us for more details! Dorian/Pema is soon off to start a new life out east and Mike is replacing him as the Funky Marketing Dude. Dorian’s been with us for the past 3 years—we’ll miss you and your… je ne sais pas around here! A big kudos to long-time guest Savage for preparing some amazing meals for us during the holiday season. Maybe we should make this a weekly event?!?!. Also a big thanks to him for the moving speech he wrote for Richard’s memorial. OK, that’s it for now! February 13, 2007 - Love (& fundraisers!) are in the air…Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, or more specifically, tomorrow—are you ready for it? Do you even care? Well, for those who do and are hoping for a little getaway to Victoria for the night or for the weekend, we are still in our low winter prices for another few weeks. Why not book you and your honey pie a private room at either our funky Backpackers Inn or else spoil yourselves at the Ocean Island Suites in nearby James Bay?? Did I mention we just newly renovated some more private rooms at the hostel?? Spring is in the air and some exciting events are now happening in Victoria including the very popular annual Dine Around & Stay in Town Victoria! From February 15th to March 4th, you can dine on a three-course set meal at any one of the many excellent restaurants in town for either $15, $25 or $35. I highly suggest trying it out and make sure to book your reservations early! Check out this link for more info: www.bcrfa.com/Text/1165950766195-8228/ Another very popular and annual event in Victoria that’s coming up fast is Be A Tourist in Your Own Home Town. From February 28th to March 4th you can get free admissions, special offers and discounts from Victoria’s well-known attractions, hotels, restaurants and tour operators. This includes such things as: free admission to the Royal London Wax Museum, the Undersea Gardens, Miniature World, a harbour cruise on The Prince of Whales, a Historic Walking Tour of Market Square, 50% off of tea at the Empress Hotel and a 2 for 1 train ride up to Courtney and back. Over $425 worth of value, yours for only $9!! Take a look at this link for where to get your ticket and other participating businesses: www.attractionsvictoria.com/be-a-tourist/index.html Come down to the Ocean Island Lounge for an action packed night to raise money for a past guest’s stem cell treatment. Naomi Marchand, a 22 year old yoga instructor who stayed with us for several months in 2006, suffered a serious fall at her parents’ home in Ontario that left her paralyzed from the waist down. In true Naomi form, she’s not letting this disability rule her and is already working on walking once again. Currently Naomi is in Shenzen, China, undergoing promising stem cell treatment. Ocean Island is hosting a large benefit fundraiser on Friday February 16th in order to help her with her costs not covered by health insurance. On the line up is the hilarious improve troupe, The Impromaniacs, at 8pm, William (a long-time guest and our nightcleaner) will have his long hair cut for donation, there’ll be live music by Nathan, Hutsey and the Shores, plus CDs will be for sale by donation, there will be a silent auction, drink specials, etc. Doors are at 8pm. If you can’t make it out to the big night but would like to make a donation, please get in touch with us at worldlounge@oceanisland.com On the topic of the Lounge, in the last few months since Matthew has taken over as Bar Manager, the food menu has expanded to include such yummy items as homemade cheeseburgers, roasted red pepper pannini with pesto and salad, veggie curry in a bread bowl, and falafel wrap with salad. Have a meal at the Lounge for $6 or under!! Oh yeah, we know all about the backpacker budget… Have a Happy Valentine’s Day (or at least a Happy National Flag of Canada Day - Feb 15th!), come check out what’s going on around town and in our Lounge and remember.. Who loves ya, baby??! April 20, 2007 - Live Music, Spring Cleaning, The Titanic & Discounts!If you haven't already come down to our Lounge to check out some live music.. why not?!?! We've had some great performers come and play in our cosy and colourful lounge and there are plenty of great ones lined up so far this month. With no cover, cheap food and drinks, and ALL AGES welcome, drop on by and have a listen. Check out what's coming up at: www.oceanislandlounge.com Here at Ocean Island we've been busy with room renovations and decorations to have things ready for the busy season-new private rooms, Indonesian batik paintings, new flooring… we're always looking to improve on things (got suggestions?). Hopefully we'll get some photos up on the site soon-check back here in a while and have a look! If you're planning to come to Victoria soon, be sure to check out the highly anticipated Royal BC Museum exhibit Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition running from April 14th, 2007 until October 14th, 2007. More information can be found through this link: www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/titanic/default.aspx Our discount admission vouchers that you can get at the Front Desk unfortunately don't apply to the Museum's special exhibits, but be sure to take a look at other discounts and freebies that Ocean Island guests can get (and yes, this includes whale watching!!): www.oceanisland.com/amenities/guest_discounts.html And for those readers who'd like to have a bit of spice during their internet time, take a look at some of Victoria's webcams. Not only can you find ones of the Inner Harbour and other popular touristy locales, but also webcams for things like the herons in Beacon Hill Park (www.heroncam.com), to check out the kitesurfers and windsurfers along Dallas and Cook Streets (www.bigwavedave.ca/webcams.php), etc. Good old internet-you can find just about everything there.. June 16, 2007 – Daytrips galore + a new look + more room at the Suites + breast benefit + new faces = Bring on the Summer!!June is the perfect time to hop aboard that BC Ferry and head over to the Island to see all that it has to offer. And no visit to Vancouver Island is complete without staying in Victoria.. not that we’re biased or anything! One way to check out what’s around the city and beyond is with our Ocean Island daytrips which are now in full swing. We offer something for everyone: a city tour (no, not just downtown, but the whole deal!), Witty’s Lagoon (waterfall, rainforest, skim boarding, sandy beaches), Goldstream Park (hiking around lush forests, salmon spawning river, train trestle), East Sooke Park (hiking in the forest by the ocean, eagles, seals, etc.), Sooke Potholes, Mystic Beach (old growth rainforest, suspension bridge, cave, waterfall into the ocean..). A day of amazing sights with a local guide starting at only $15!! Contact us for more info! After a winter and spring of renovations and putting up new decorations around the hostel, we’ve finally stopped.. for now. There’s so much more in store—we’re always looking to improve on things—so drop in and check out what’s new the next time you’re in the city. On that topic, we’ve now opened up more beautiful, fully-furnished suites at our second location on Government Street. Located in a quiet, historic neighbourhood in James Bay, the Ocean Island Suites are only minutes away from the beach, Beacon Hill Park and downtown Victoria. Treat yourself to a stay in affordable luxury.. and just like the Backpackers Inn, we have deals on longer term stays! More info at www.oisuites.com. A big kudos to Liz, one of our wonderful staff members, for holding a fantastic fundraiser in the Lounge to raise money for a Weekend to End Breast Cancer. It was a night of music, games, prizes and awareness of the fight that so many women and men alike have to go though. Together with the support of many great staff and guests, Liz made over $650!
There’s not only a whole lot of new faces in guests passing through our doors, but new Front Desk staff as well! Drop in, say hello, and quiz them about the hostel, what to do in Victoria, where to go on the Island, etc. No, really, be nice to them... we want them to stay! August 5th, 2007 – Not so lazy sunny days…
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