Many of us are obsessed with our smartphone devices. If we are not using our smartphones, we are most likely using another electronic device to consume content, such as through a tablet, laptop, or computer. I know I'm guilty of this.

Did you know that more than half of the children in America own a smartphone by the age of 11? With this percentage predicted to rise in the future, many families can find it challenging to have everyone put their devices down and spend some quality time together.

Besides playing boardgames as a family, here are a few fun alternative activities that the whole family can participate in and enjoy.

Cook As A Family

Cooking dinner together is a simple way to bond together, without the distractions of a mobile device. Choose something that everyone enjoys and decide how to prepare and cook the meal together. When cooking together, it helps children learn how to cook dinners and shows what goes into the food they consume.

Consider taking this family cooking session outdoors for a change of scenery when the weather is warm. BBQs might be the most obvious choice but something different like making pizzas would be sure to wow everyone.

An outdoor pizza oven and a few simple ingredients are all that's needed to make this happen. Everyone will have a great time building their own pizzas and bake them on the spot with this gas powered pizza oven from Ooni, like the Ooni Koda 16. Making pizzas together not only is fun to do as a group, it also allows family to understand each other's personalities, tastes and likes.

Go On A Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Explore the great outdoors by going on a family hike while going on a scavenger hunt. Take the time to find and choose a local hiking trail together and plan simple things to look for while hiking. There're plenty of free scavenger hunt printable resources out there to download. It will make an ordinary activity more exciting. Children will learn to appreciate nature and surroundings as they discover them and check them off on the scavenger hunt list.

Going on a hike and enjoy the outdoors also has a lot of health benefits. An additional bonus is that cost is free as most trails are free!

Do a Paint Night

Setting up for a paint night with the family is easy. Simply gather together some art supplies, such as crayons, pens, pencils, paint, and blank canvases that can all be bought from your local dollar store and get creative. Pick a theme that everyone has fond memories of like a recent vacation or pick a favourite drawing to replicate. To take this up a notch, families can even draw each other! How fun is that?

Whatever the result might be, a paint night can guarantee to spark a lot of joy and laughter.

Finding fun activities that the whole family can enjoy is a beautiful way to spend quality time with one another. There are countless benefits of family time. Besides creating beautiful memories, these activities can help bring families closer together. 

I recently visited this 5-star luxury spa, Go Place on my birthday. A much-needed relaxation, child-free, self-care time for just me and Will. After sharing some of the highlights on my IG stories, I got a lot of questions asking about this experience. So, I thought I’d share my experience in detail here for those who are interested and answer all the common questions.

What’s there to do?

Relaxing!

If you’re familiar with Scandinavian Spa, you’d be no stranger to just lounging, relaxing and basically doing nothing. Although you don’t get the scenic view in comparison, Go Place offers a more luxurious indoor experience with more things to do. You can take a dip at their gender-specific hot tubs and jacuzzi, relax in the shared saunas and themed therapy rooms and even work out in the fitness room. Play a friendly game of billiards and board games, eat, enjoy free Wi-Fi and just doze off in various recliners and loungers. They have a huge selection of books for your reading pleasure that’s enough to kill a few hours.

We pretty much used all their facilities except for the fitness room. Working out just wasn’t aligned with my goal to relax! I did book an hour of deep tissue massage with an RMT in advance. The massage was amazing. Not only did it relieve all my tensed muscles from head to toe, the ambience and calming music just made the whole experience extra relaxing.

Will also decided on an impromptu 30-min massage with a masseuse. While the experience was decent, he did find his neck in an awkward position since the massage was done in one of their recliners in an open area, as opposed to being done on a massage table in a private room like my massage.

Food-wise, it was convenient that they have a dining area where we could order lunch and a snack or two. Orders were taken from a tablet device and brought to our table. Their menu includes mostly Asian dishes such as fried rice, noodles, sashimis, sushi rolls, pork bone soup, katsu udon, lamp racks, oysters, just to name a few. They have a great selection of drinks, including my favourite, bubble tea!

Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea and Sashimi Platter

Stir-fried instant noodles and chicken wings with fries and complimentary birthday cupcake

Pork Cutlet with Udon in Soup

How much does it cost? What does the admission include?

It really depends on what you do there. Admission costs $63.95 per person that includes all access to the saunas, hot tubs, showers, fitness facility and therapy rooms. Lockers, towels and a two-piece Louis Vuitton-inspired spa wear are provided for free during your stay. Water is also available throughout the premises. 

Some extra charges could add to your total including facials, body treatments and massages if you wish to get one. Do note that RMT might be covered by your benefits coverage. For me, that’s a huge win, because I was able to claim my massage to my insurance. Make sure to find out from your insurance provider what’s covered and what needs to be submitted on your claims prior to booking.

Slippers are not included in your admission and are optional to purchase at $3. If you wish to complete the look, robes are also available to rent at $5 or $30 for purchase. Running shoes and socks are available to use if you wish to work out.

The cost for food is surprisingly fair and costs roughly the same as what you’d pay for the same thing at a restaurant. All the costs you incurred throughout your stay are added to your account by tapping your bracelet and billed at the end when you checkout.

Tax and a 12% gratuity are also added on top of your bill which their staff would tell you upfront and when you checkout. There's also a late charge of $15 if you wish to stay overnight or leave past 2 am.

Far Infrared Area

Is it safe to visit during Covid?

We felt safe during our stay. We came early on a Thursday when there weren’t many guests. People were very spread out as the premise is huge so lots of room to keep a distance from each other. Proof of vaccinations are required before entry and all staff are wearing masks.

Guests are also encouraged to wear masks in open lounge areas and are only allowed to remove them in hot tubs and steam rooms. So, it is important that you take your own safety precautions. We took ours seriously and kept our distance from others throughout. Masks and sanitizers are also available at counters and in various areas.

Is it Clean?

As soon as we exited the escalator onto the 2nd floor, we were asked to remove our shoes. They are then stored inside the shoe lockers. I could not speak to the men’s room but the ladies’ change room was clean and tidy for the majority of the time. Throughout our stay, we could see staff vacuuming, cleaning and tidying up everywhere. I did have to ask them to refill the tissues and toilet papers after they ran out in the ladies’ bathrooms at one point as more people started to show up late afternoon.

Was it busy? When’s a good time to visit?

During the week is always the best time to go. We actually arrived before 10 in the morning and there were already a few guests. Will got the whole hot tub to himself and I also got to enjoy a private steam room. Since Go Place opens 24 hours, more guests show up after lunch towards later in the afternoon. I was also told by one of their staff that the place gets busier during the evenings.

Other things to know

As a luxury spa, they use top-of-the-line products like L’Occitane branded wash and lotions and Dyson hair dryers. I also love the fact that they have compartments beside each therapy room to store away your cell phones. These are some of the nice little details that add to the overall experience.

Many guests, like myself, come here and get pampered on birthdays. Their staff noticed my birthday when we checked in upon arrival and gave me a complimentary massage chair experience. And like in the card game, Monopoly Deal, if you tell the dining room staff that “It’s my birthday!”, you’d get a cupcake as well. I thought that was very sweet (see what I did there?).

Final thoughts. Would I visit again?

After experiencing Korean saunas and bathhouses, Go Place is the next level up if not more. Luxurious indoor wellness experience that is great for couples or a group of friends (I mean, board games are available for rent after all!)

All in all, we enjoyed our stay and experience at Go Place. I’d recommend anyone who enjoys getting pampered and relaxation therapies to give it a try. We'd definitely be back. Hope this post is helpful!

Go Place 

3275 Highway 7 East, Unit 2,
Markham, Ontario L3R 3P9

905-261-7777

Open 24hrs - 7 Days a week

Have you ever felt exhausted while traveling? Perhaps you're trying to hit as many tourist spots as possible within a short time frame that all your muscles start to hurt? That was me on a jam-packed 3-day trip in Seoul. Thankfully, I was able to squeeze in time to visit a Jjimjibang before my departure. If you're planning a visit to Jjimjilbang, here's a guide for this popular Korean bath and sauna experience.

What is a Jjimjilbang?

Jjimjilbang is a Korean bathhouse that is usually furnished with a communal shower area, hot and cold therapeutic tubs, ice room, heated salt rooms, sauna rooms, fitness room, lounging area, entertainment area, massage rooms, sleeping rooms, and a cafeteria. Most of them are opened for 24-hours so you could choose to stay overnight after relaxation. Visiting a Jjimjilbang is considered one of the must-dos to experience Korean culture.

A Korean R&R Getaway

You might think that a 24-hr bathhouse with so many amenities to offer would be extravagant and costly. In fact, they're actually very economical and down to earth. People there are laid back and Korean families love spending a weekend here as a getaway.

Siloam Sauna at Seoul Station

Jjimjilbang can be found everywhere in Seoul. And Siloam Sauna is conveniently located approximately 8-minute walking distance away from Seoul Station, making visits extremely easy for travellers. A full experience of bath, sauna, and jjimjil (heating) only costs 11,000 won and that's about $12 CDN! If you choose to stay overnight or check-in after 8 pm, the price is slightly higher at 17,000 won ($20 CDN) and that's still a pretty great deal! No wonder why jjimjilbang is sometimes used as an alternative to hotels for budget travelers or for those laying over. Although the cost is low, the place is huge and well maintained. I'm surprised that a bathhouse can be as large as a 5-story!

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The Full Sauna, Bath, Jjimjil Experience

After you've paid for your admission, you'd be given a ticket to the female and male change area. The staff would then take your ticket and lead you to a small locker where you'd store your shoes away. The key for the shoe locker is then exchanged for their smocks (usually t-shirt and shorts), a towel and another key to store your belongings.

Don't be alarmed if you see other guests walking around and drying hair butt naked inside the change area. Because you'd have to strip your clothes off before heading to the bathing area downstairs as well. Luckily, the males are separated from the females. Directions and signs can be seen everywhere on the walls and floors. So you won't get lost even if you don't speak the language.

The bathing area is huge. The therapeutic baths and sauna rooms are on the other side of the room. You'll need to take a shower before dipping into the baths or going into saunas. Each bath varies in temperature and offers different medicinal effects.

Here are the several baths that they offer:

Giok Bath - This bath is created by submerging the jade stone deep underground to collect its energy.
Salt Bath - Releases stress and muscle pains. It also kills fungi on your skin, making it brighter and more elastic.
Loess Bath - Loess is living soil with medicinal properties that we energize the body.
Mugwort Bath - Known for its vitamin and calcium. It's especially beneficial for females to heal irregular menstruation and cramps. 

At this point, you could also get someone to exfoliate your body. Experienced body scrubbers are available for an extra cost. They massage your body to improve circulation and help remove dead skins. After your time at the bathing area, you could go back to your locker, get dressed and enjoy other amenities offered at the Jjimjilbang.

Me wearing their smocks after bathing. Do I look cute in them?

Giok Bath

Rest area in the bathing area

Get Pampered at Beauty Salon

Ladies could also get pampered at the beauty salon on the first floor. You could enjoy services like getting a haircut, a shave, nail art, lash extensions, foot care and trimming eyebrows. Just keep in mind that these cost extra on top of your admission. For a more budget-friendly option, you might consider DIY lash extensions at home, which can provide similar results without the additional cost.

On the 2nd floor is a lounge area, a place where you could hang out with your friends, watch tv or sleep. I especially enjoyed the hot stone foot therapy when I was there. It helped relax my muscles and release tension from walking.

Hot stone foot therapy

Many people like to relax and hang out freely in the open area after bathing and sauna

Play Area for Your Children

Jjimjilbang is a family-friendly activity in Korea. And that's why some larger bathhouses like Siloam Sauna even has a designated area for Children. Parents could relax and escape knowing their children are safe and occupied in proximity.  

Lots of Amenities at Your Disposal 

What amazed me while experiencing a Jjimjilbang is that there was a peck more to do then just bathing and saunas. At Siloam Sauna, you could exercise at their fitness center, sing karaoke, play chess and table tennis, use their computers, host seminars/meetings, and play arcade games! All of these amenities could be found on the 3rd floor and are included with your admission.

De-stress and Escape in Fomentation Rooms

Fomentation rooms are what made Jjimjilbang unique. These heated or cool cave-like rooms are formed by natural materials to provide therapeutic effects to your body. At Siloam Sauna, there're so many rooms to choose from, such as the Oxygen room, Hard Charcoal Cold Room, Ice Room, Grotto Room, Blue Jade Room, Loess Sauna, Salt Sauna, Fire-based Sauna, and Jade Sauna. To detox and improve blood circulation, you could choose the high-temperature rooms like the Salt Sauna or Jade Sauna. These rooms can be found on the 4th floor of Siloam Sauna and are usually shared with all genders. They are definitely worth a try if you're new to the Korean Bathhouse experience.

Fire-based sauna

Jade sauna

Salt sauna

Ice room

Charcoal cold room

Take a Power Nap

The bathhouse also has designated sleeping rooms for those of you who need to catch some sleep or stay overnight. Snorers are also encouraged to nap in their designated room so everyone can enjoy a comfortable and quiet time. 

Fuel Up With Traditional Korean Food

After you're well rested, it's time to fuel up with food! A large cafeteria-like restaurant is available on the 5th floor. Everyone could enjoy delicious Korean cuisine without leaving the bathhouse. Koreans like to snack on a smoked egg with a cup of Shikhae after Jijimjilbang. Shikhae is a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage that is usually served cold and is super refreshing to cool your body down. If you're down for a meal, a variety of stews, noodles and rice dishes are also available. The restaurant accepts credit cards.

What do you think about the Korean bath experience? Would you give Jjimjilbang a try?

Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time!

Pin this for later!

Check out my posts of other bath experience!

Hot Springs of a Lifetime in Kinosaki Onsen (Japan Travel)

My Turkish Bath Experience in Istanbul

Hanging out with friends can be difficult as you get older. And during winter months, there's not much out there for you to do together. Besides drinking at a bar and eating out, there're still fun things to do indoor with your bffs. Today, I'm sharing some of the activities that my friends and I love doing together to get by the dreadful weather.

Host a Cheese or a Charcuterie Party (with Sangria, of course)

Cheese parties are the best parties! We love to explore different types of cheese and bring over our favourites for everyone to enjoy. Serve them on a cheeseboard with crackers and fruits as you please. For a fancier take, try making a cheese fondue with white wine and baguette pieces. The warm and gooey cheese is perfect for colder days. And, you can't call it a party without having any drinks! We love making our own sangria. Simply combine sliced oranges, mangoes, strawberries, berries, ginger ale, and a bottle of red (or white) into a beverage dispenser. And let them sit for at least an hour before serving.

Not a fan of cheese? You could do the same with a Charcuterie platter. For colder months, we also like to make mulled wine.

Get Together for an Afternoon Tea Potluck

Potlucks are fun. But afternoon tea potlucks are even better! Everyone could bring their homemade baked goods or bake something together at a person's house. Not a baker? Just bring over pastries from your favourite bakery or patisserie! You could also take this idea one step further and decorate the space like Breakfast at Tiffany's or Alice in Wonderland tea party.

Visit an Instagram-Worthy Museum or Exhibit

It's all about the 'gram these days. Pop-up exhibits and museums set up for the 'gram are all the hype. I had a blast taking pictures and boomerangs everywhere with my friends when we visited The Happy Place. We had a fun-filled afternoon with tons of pictures and memories to laugh about. Check your city to see if there're similar exhibits set up near you.

Get Pampered at a Nail Salon or Spa

Painting nails are therapeutic. So, why not enjoy a relaxing time with your girlfriends at a spa or at a nail salon together. You get to catch up and chit chat while getting pampered at the same time. Just make sure the venue is big enough to accommodate your group. The last thing you want is to have everyone cramped inside a tiny space for an hour. Check out 13 Fabulous Nail Salons in Toronto to go with Your BFF and 10 Best Spas in Toronto.

Set Up a DIY Workshop at Home 

You could host a DIY workshop at home and have your girlfriends come over! We love making crafts for ourselves and our loved ones. So, we'd get together at someone's house, find tutorials online, gather materials and make something together. We've made things like hand scrubs, candles and lip balms using all natural ingredients! Check out some DIY inspirations here.

Make Your Own Paint Night

Doing your own paint night at home with your friends is a lot easier than you think. You just need to have a few paint brushes, bottles of acrylic paints, plastic cups, disposable trays and blank canvases. All of these can be purchased from the dollar store! You and your friends could agree on an image to see who replicates best or everyone could paint something they like. Either way, it's bound to be a blast. Pour some drinks, blast some musics and paint away!

Sing Your Lungs Out at Karaoke

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Karaoke at a local bar can be intimidating. That's why my friends and I love renting a private room all to ourselves. You could book a room at night with a minimum spend. Or you could take advantage of the Happy Hour special rate that often includes snacks and non-alcoholic drinks in the afternoon. Check out my go-to places like ET KTV or Take One Karaoke that offers happy hour rate. Or check out 12 Best Places to Go for Karaoke in Toronto.

Escape a Themed Room 

If you and your friends are into solving puzzles and finding clues, then you'd enjoy escaping a room together. Escape rooms are extremely popular these days. Brilliant and thought-provoking themes make escaping that much more interesting and exciting. In case you're unfamiliar with escape rooms, these are rooms set up with a back story and puzzles for you to solve. Each puzzle will either unlock another puzzle or lead you to another clue and ultimately escaping the room. It's a great way to build teamwork and improve communications. Some escape room places even offer board games and bubble teas as well. Check out one of my favourites, Omescape or Top 10 Room Escape Games in Toronto.

Become Ninja Warriors at an Indoor Obstacle Course

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If you're the active type and prefer to get your body moving in winter time, then paying a visit to an indoor obstacle course would definitely get your adrenaline going. We visited the 30,000 square feet Pursuit OCR and boy, did we feel like kids again! The place features a huge ball bit, vertical wall, monkey bars, techno lighting and a tricycle race track. It's a super fun place to go with your friends while building muscles together. If you can't find an obstacle course in your city, you could visit your local gym or community centre for classes to do together too. 

Put On Your PJs and Binge Watch an Entire Rom Com Series

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Slumber party was my favourite thing to do with my friends from secondary school. And it often includes lots of snacks, drinks and some kind of Rom Com series. You could show off your onesies or pyjamas and kick back for a night in. It's fun to laugh and get angry together as the plot builds up and fan girl together when your man crush makes a cameo.

What's your favourite thing to do indoor with your bffs?

I was never a big fan of running. The only time I ever enjoyed running was back in primary school on sports day (I don't even remember if that's how we called it back then). And, for some reasons, I always qualified to the finals for short track running and was able to pick up a medal or two for the event. And, for short track events, I meant like 50 metres, at most 100 metres. I was never able to build enough endurance for any long track events. Even when I got older, I couldn't run for a long period of time. It wasn't until I put on some weight that I decided to include some cardio exercises to my workout routine.

Starting on the Treadmill

I started stepping onto the treadmill at a local gym in my work building about 2 years ago. The experts say that you need some cardio to warm up before doing any weight training. So I ran the bare minimum, only 20 minutes at a pace of 5 miles/hr every time I was at the gym. It lasted for about half a year or so. My body had gotten used to it that it wasn't doing anything for me. Then, one day at work, I got an email invitation to join a running club. An email from a friendly colleague who I had never even spoken to.

Joining a Running Club

I decided to join with a few of my other colleagues who I went to the gym with. It was a huge step forward for me. And I find that my colleagues really played a big role in terms of giving me the motivation I needed. I knew I wasn't doing this alone. We strove. We struggled. We pushed each other. Just seeing them trying hard pushed me to not give up that easily as well. Every Wednesday, we'd go outside of our workplace and ran along the sidewalks. And I must say that running outdoors was very different than running on the treadmill. Elevation, pedestrian, weather, traffic, wind, humidity, road conditions etc. all could impact the performance. I only ran around the block for about 3 kms and I already felt like giving up. But of course, it eventually got better. I took fewer strides whenever I struggled. And I slowed down my pace to take a breather. The running club changed my life that Summer. Just as I had made some progress in my running, winter hit us. And I had to be back indoors on the machine.

Gradually Increasing Duration and Speed

That didn't stop me from continuing my run though. After experiencing outdoor running, running on the treadmill got a lot easier and more comfortable to do. So, I up my speed to 5.5 miles/hr and ran for longer about 30 minutes. And even still, I wasn't feeling much progress to my body. Will kept saying that I wasn't running fast enough, that's why I wasn't seeing results. So, I did more research and watched more fitness videos. The shocking news that I found out was that the body does not start burning any fat until after 30 minutes. So all my effort up until this point wasn't enough! I then, began to run at a faster pace at 6 miles/hr for a duration of 45 minutes.

Run in Intervals

Let me tell you, it wasn't easy. I had to slow down for a 2-minute fast walking to catch up my breath before I could continue running again. I ran during my lunch break for 3 times a week consistently. And I increased my duration of running the faster pace from 15 minutes to 20 minutes non stop before I slowed down to 3.5 for fast walking. Eventually, I didn't even need to fast walk for 2 minutes anymore and could just reduce my running pace to 5.5 only if I needed to.

Use a Running App to Track Progress

Another thing that helped me continue on with my running journey is that I used a running app. The app I've been using is RunKeeper. Every time I finished a run, I'd take a picture of my workout summary and entered in my pace and duration on the app. When I ran outdoor, the GPS tracking would automatically track my pace and distance. Being able to see that I've been making progress motivated me even more. I love that accomplishing feeling whenever I was able to break a record. I was able to run a full 45 minutes at a pace of 6 miles/hr consistently non-stop on my good days. That was about 7 km on the treadmill.

 

Left: My record in May 2017. Right: My record in May 2018

Invest in the Right Gears 

Having the right gears was especially important for me to make my run more enjoyable. In the past, I was using wired earphones that connects to my ipod (ya a bit old school, I know) that I clipped onto my shirt. I had to tug in my cable inside my shirt so that it wouldn't get in my way when I run. So, when I decided to get more serious into running, I invested in better gears including a new pair of runners, a gym pouch for my phone and a bluetooth headset. My new pair of runners were so lightweight that I could hardly tell that they are there. My bluetooth headset made me more carefree without having to worry about the wired cable and ear plugs falling off my tiny ears when I run. All I needed to do is connect my phone to the headset and Spotify. Easy peasy!

If you're curious why my baggage tag is not my actual name, it's because I took over Ada's spot.

Sports Bra // Winners, Pants // Winners, Runners // Nike, Gym Pouch // Winners (similar), Bluetooth Headset // Amazon

Participating in a 10K Fundraising Run

I originally had no intention to run a 10K because I thought the distance was so far fetch for me that I wouldn't be able to finish it without killing myself. But, 10K was my next goal based on my records so far on the RunKeeper app. So I gave it a shot and signed up to the annual Sporting Life 10K Run with Will together to raise funds for Camp Ooch. If I were to make this kind of effort, it better be for a good cause. But, I was glad that I joined because there were so many side benefits that I could never had imagined.

Ever since I signed up, I found myself pushing even harder at the gym, especially on the treadmill. I'd run around my neighbourhood whenever I could and noticed my endurance had already improved significantly from when I first started. I couldn't even get a good sleep the night before the race. I think I was either too excited or anxious. But I believe I was both mentally and physically ready.

Photo Credit

Photo Credit

Setting Specific and Realistic Goals

Over 19,000 participants joined the race that morning to help send kids affected by cancer to Camp Ooch. Even though, the race was said to be Canada's easiest and one of the fastest 10K course, I made sure I set myself 2 goals to achieve at this race. One goal was to complete the race without stopping or walking. Another goal was to complete it in under an hour. I was feeling pumped up as I ran along Yonge Street with fellow racers, where the volunteers and even the police officers were there to cheer you on. Although I was running at my treadmill pace, passing other racers who were ahead of me was something I could never get from running on a machine. The downhill course definitely helped with my pace and made the run easier. I even managed to speed up at the last 100 metres and sprinted towards the finish line. Completing something that you've never achieved before was the greatest feeling in the world! I made it through without stopping and finished the race under my target time at 58:54! 

No words could describe how amazing I felt after I completed the race. I felt energized, rejuvenated and fantastic that I achieved my 2 goals all while doing for a good cause. Now, I actually wanted to run again and improve on my time next year.