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Holiday Shopping Becomes a VIP Experience with RBC

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While there are a number of financial benefits to only having one vehicle in our household, convenience certainly isn’t one of them. With Christmas soon approaching and our schedules becoming increasingly jam-packed, my opportunities to plan for, shop for, and partake in Christmas fun are very finite. I’ve been wanting to do Christmas ‘recon’ for days now. And, this evening appeared to be my only chance to head out and figure out how many Elsa dolls are really out there. The plan was to be waiting and ready for when my husband came home from work so he could pick us up. Late afternoon, he texted me saying he was too tired, but for us to go out without him. With two very strong-willed toddlers, one man down hugely compromised the efficacy of my mission. It meant my having to be extra exuberant, patient, and that much more armed and ready with fun distractions, songs, snacks, and wipes. My daughter woke from her nap late and was beside herself. When my husband came home, I offered her the option to stay home. Amidst her tears, she insisted she go with Mama. Normally, I would have admitted my operation had been defeated before it even began. But this was my one chance for weeks. Sigh.
After it taking far too long to get packed up and get in the car, we were en route, and I was beyond frazzled. I had agreed to review the RBC VIP Avion Lounge and amenities, but was worried that all that had prefaced this endeavour would wildly cloud my judgement.

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We made our way into Coquitlam Centre and had dinner before checking off my to-do list. For anyone who is an RBC Avion Member, the Food Court Entrance is where the Valet service is. All you have to do is drive up to the Johnson Street Entrance, show your RBC Avion Card, and have your car parked for you. Talk about starting off on the right foot! Once we had finished eating, I had promised my kids a treat after we visited the AvionVIP lounge. Little did I know that it would have something for all of us. For those of you familiar with the mall, it is located where Jacob used to be (across from the Gap).

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Just on aesthetic alone, the lounge is quite impressive. Sleek, modern, and elegant, the foyer has a grand piano, tasteful Christmas decor and a very helpful host and concierge to greet each guest. The gift wrapping station was well underway with early pack pages being prepared. This service is available to the public in exchange for a donation to a local charity. Across from the gift wrapping booth is a small lounging area equipped with flat screen TVs, iPads for rent with free movie downloads, magazines, and some favourite kids’ Christmas books. To say I was impressed was an understatement! We chose to sit up at the bar where they serve flavoured and regular water, Starbucks coffee, three different flavours of hot chocolate, candy canes, shortbread cookies, and, I’m sure, much more! After a brief stint at the Christmas bar, the kids were distracted by EVERYTHING else in the lounge. As they chose books to read, I turned to find our hot chocolates and treats set out on a lounge table behind us (so thoughtful)! Honestly, my smile was ear-to-ear. Though we didn’t use it, there is also a coat and parcel check free to Avionners. By donating to a local charity, the public can also enjoy this service. Other services available include free wifi, device charging stations, and a porter service. For more info, check this out! The lounge and valet services are available until December 31st, 2014.

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For anyone wanting to see the Big Guy, he too is at Coquitlam Centre. Though I wanted to do pictures, my kids weren’t as keen. We waved at him from a healthy distance and they were quite pleased. Hopefully, this soft introduction was a good precursor to ultimately sitting with Santa. Photo packages start at $22, but I called in advance to see if we could forgo the package. If we do end up on Santa’s lap, it is free to do so without getting professional photos.

Finally, we did find many and plenty of ‘Elsas’. Now it’s just a matter of this Santa getting to work without my little helpers in toe. I will definitely be returning to the RBC lounge sans kids to get my wrapping done.

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Where is your next stop to celebrate the Holidays? Please share! We are off to see Scuba Claus at the Aquarium tomorrow morning 🙂

xo Alana

For my last post including all #AvionVIP locations, please check out Christmas Shopping Connivence Thanks to RBC Avion 🙂

 

Disclosure: I am part of the RBC Avion Holiday Boutique Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

 

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3 comments
  1. The Christmas bar sounds like a toddler’s (and mama’s) dream! I know too well how the shopping trip could have ended without the husband there, I’m glad the kiddos were distracted by so many fun things so it wasn’t a problem.

  2. Pingback: To Everyone who Supported my Blog, THANK YOU!!! | Healthy Family Simple Budget
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