Latest news with #LisaScott
Otago Daily Times
11-08-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Slowing down in Tekapo
In a slump, Dunedin writer Lisa Scott dips her toes into the wellness trend in Tekapo. Aaaaah, you've arrived. Almost everyone exhales coming over the hill, taking that first view of Takapō/Tekapo. It's a physical and psychological surrender to the great lake and mountains. Breathe out, slow down, stop. There's a large painting of the Church of the Good Shepherd in winter hanging at my house, Round Hill skifield in the background. I found it at Hayward's auctions a decade ago — painted in the '70s. Little has changed from the scene captured then, bar the number of tourists surrounding the church. Visiting Tekapo is stepping into a painting. The tranquillity and quietness of this village in the Mackenzie region inspire self-reflection; even the streetlights bow their heads in respect of the night skies, dimmed to help your circadian rhythm. Look up and wish upon a star or a trundling satellite. Feel the presence of the great mothers: nature and the maunga Aoraki. I'm here for Breathe Tekapo, a health and wellness (I accidentally said "wealth and hellness", conjuring the image of a despotic billionaire) festival in its second year. In the past, I would have laughed my head off at this stuff, but 100 rainbows later and now a recovering pessimist, I've come a long way in a year. I've been in a slump recently. I don't feel like myself, feel discontent with everything. I could do with a bucket of wellness. Precious time in support of self, the three-day jam-packed Breathe Tekapo programme features stress control techniques, yoga, fermenting, foraging, journaling, guided walks, Buddhist meditation and an alpine plunge. I was particularly drawn to the talk about "kindling hope for the future" by Dr Denise Quinlan — if there has ever been a time in human history where hope needed to be found, it's now. After the welcome and karakia at the Dark Sky Project, a crowd packed the community hall for tales of human endurance from Bob McLachlan, an adventure racing world champion who's just about to take part in the world's longest kayak race, paddling 1000 miles (the length of New Zealand), from Canada to Alaska on the Yukon, where the bears are. Adventure racing relies on being open about your abilities and Bob is the most laid-back, self-effacing world champ you'd ever meet, with a career begun as a kid when his older brother had a bike and he didn't, so he had to run everywhere. Adversity meets stubborn determination meets triumph. Sunrise yoga with Kate Watkinson was like no yoga class I've ever experienced. Moving to music, giving your body a pat, awakening mind and body — it felt like a form of worship and self-love. I would have sore thighs for a week afterwards, a nice reminder that I do, actually, have some muscles, just unused. There's something about the healing powers of being in a group of mostly women, some of whom had travelled from as far north as near Cape Reinga, and were there for reasons that spoke to why it's so important to step out of your life from time to time: looking for a reset towards retirement, seeking motivation and inspiration, taking a year out of their job, a sisters' trip, curiosity, a girl's weekend, to get off the farm, to make room for reflection. The weekend was remedy for a state we all commonly find ourselves in these days: saying yes to too many things and now finding yourself past your limit and not wanting to do any more things. Throwing yourself in a frigid 6°C lake certainly builds community: a community of mentalists. We were advised to be conscious of our breathing, to aid immersion, but I started hyperventilating the second my feet met the chill. Local cold-water dippers (a bunch of good-looking lunatics) stayed in for a ridiculous amount of time, but I was a two-second wonder. Holy Wim Hof it was cold. Like all type 2 fun, it felt amazing when it wasn't happening any more, and you could congratulate yourself for your audacity. One of the highlights (for me) was the introduction to foraging with Jackie Philips. Foraging is nature's cognitive behavioural therapy, with the added bonus of knowing where your food comes from and experiencing a deeper sense of the environment — plus, constantly learning staves off Alzheimer's. Foraging might seem tame, a budget-friendly way to eat organic, but it's also thrillingly dangerous. For every birch bolete headed for the fry pan there's a copycat plant, a bad twin — hemlock mistaken for fennel, a death cap in your beef wellington. There's not "mushroom" for error. Best story of mistaken identity was Jackie yelling "Stop the car!" on an expedition with partner Peter Langlands, "it's a porcini!" — only to find it was an enormous Boston bun. You need wisdom to forage. Never forage a downward sloping road bank (road runoff), know where the historical dump sites are, where there has been spraying. On a simple walk around the block, we found quinces, autumn berries and crab apples, edible ferns, boletes and fly agaric, a poisonous psychoactive mushroom. Vikings used to feed it to reindeers to filter the poison through their kidneys and then drink the reindeer pee to get high. We didn't have time in the schedule for that. Clinical psychologist Julie Zarifeh has turned significant personal loss and grief into a quest to squeeze the most out of life. I had a sad realisation doing one of her exercises: that the bulk of my time is spent at work, with none for community and little for family — a bit of a wonky balance. How many social networks are you involved in? Zero. And I should definitely spend more time with my mum. Julie's message: remember the simple things that give you joy. Clear away the things that sap your energy. Choose what you focus on and savour those you most enjoy, stretching out the moment, paying attention to detail. We finished with soak in the stars stargazing at Tekapo Springs, something I've always wanted to do. The stars were having some time to themselves. The heavens opened, and it poured down. Instead of a disappointment, it made for a completely unique experience as we soaked in the pools like Japanese macaques while a lovely astrologer in a parka sat on the side and told us stories about the earth mother and sky father, Papatūānuka and Ranginui. I went to bed feeling a deep sense of restfulness and wellbeing. Feeling slumpy happens. You're crushing it, be nice to yourself. — Breathe Tekapo will be back next year.
Cision Canada
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Cision Canada
EBlock Expands with New Halifax & Edmonton Auction Facilities, Strengthening Canadian Land-Meets-Technology Approach Français
State-of-the-art location poised for omnichannel expansion in Canadian automotive wholesale market. HALIFAX, NS, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - EBlock Inc. (" EBlock" or the " Company"), a leader in automotive wholesale solutions, and a subsidiary of E Automotive Inc. (" EINC") today announced the opening of its new auction facility in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This strategic expansion underscores EBlock's commitment to its "Canada-first" strategy and its vision of blending traditional auction methods with cutting-edge digital technologies. EBlock, a leading digital auction technology provider in Canada for nine years, has expanded its service offerings through strategic investments. These investments in technology and land development have enhanced flexibility and created new opportunities for Canadian customers. The new Halifax location is designed to accommodate all sales channels which include Online, Live Auctioneer or in-lane, furthering EBlock's omnichannel approach. The facility will support LiveLanes™, a proprietary auction solution of the Company, which allows for real-time digital participation in live auctions in a single event and in a single marketplace. This innovation marks a significant step towards connecting the past and present of automotive wholesale with its future. "The Halifax facility is more than just a physical location; it's a testament to our evolving vision for the automotive wholesale landscape," said EBlock President, Lisa Scott. "We are dedicated to delivering a seamless experience that combines the reliability of traditional auctions with the efficiency of digital solutions, all while supporting our customers with excellent service." The new 6.5-acre facility can hold up to 600 vehicles, features full mechanical services, state-of-the-art reconditioning service bays, full Canadian-wide transport, and extensive on-site services, including post-sale inspections. To accommodate feature sales or customer specific events this site will also have two physical lanes with four auction blocks. "This state-of-the-art facility offers an unprecedented blend of physical space and technology under one roof, truly unlike anything I've encountered," said Mark Chatfield, Director Atlantic Canada. "Offering Halifax area dealers an innovative and compelling alternative for their wholesaling needs is something I'm truly excited about. Our technology and services provide options that go beyond the basics, and I can't wait to bring this fresh opportunity to them." EBlock's new Halifax facility is set to open its doors in July, 2025 followed by a grand opening in September 2025. These events will showcase the Company's innovative technologies and commitment to exceptional service. While the Halifax location has gone through custom upfitting, EBlock has secured a longterm Edmonton facility, which will be prepared to host omnichannel auctions replicating the Halifax model. The Edmonton location boasts an 8-acre lot, and will include a reconditioning building with full service bays, omnichannel auction lanes, and full technology integrations with EBlock's digital platform. The location is expected to fully open in Q4 2025. "EBlock has established a leading digital wholesale marketplace for dealer-to-dealer transactions through ongoing investment in advanced technology," said Scott. "Our focus now includes significant expansion of our land and logistics infrastructure nationwide to support the commercial sector. This combined approach offers the entire wholesale customer base comprehensive solutions for selling assets within a dynamic marketplace. Our commitment is to provide nationwide service, integrating land and logistics with the expertise of over 600 employees and an industry-leading management team, all dedicated to serving customers in the Canadian market." About EBlock EBlock is evolving the automotive wholesale landscape by connecting tried-and-true wholesale strategies with digital efficiencies. The Company delivers a single marketplace that blends online and in-lane experiences, offering "Technology, Your Way" with exceptional service from industry experts. EBlock is committed to thoughtful innovation that embraces technology to connect the past and present with the future. About EINC EINC's mission is to optimize the online vehicle buying, selling, and management experience for automotive dealers and consumers. EINC has a digital platform (the "Platform") that provides automotive dealerships with access to an online wholesale auction marketplace where they can purchase or sell vehicles to other dealers, as well as access innovative software solutions to support dealers' digital retailing and inventory management. Access to EINC's Platform is complemented by ancillary service offerings to assist dealers with supplementary auction-related needs, including driving consumer traffic to their digital properties and optimizing other business processes. E INC.'s digital wholesale marketplace goes to market under the brand EBlock, and EINC's digital retail suite of products goes to market under the brand EDealer.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Peoria Home Show sees largest year since the pandemic
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The Peoria Home Show kicked off its first day, and it is already its largest turnout since the COVID-19 pandemic. The home show will be running Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Friday: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. According to Lisa Scott, the executive director of the Home Builders Association of Greater Peoria, the show sold out all 320 booths this year. With 150 vendors, she was excited to see this year's turnout. 'Some people find it helpful to come to the home show multiple times over the course of years and see the new trends in what's hot in kitchens, or baths, or furniture,' Scott said. 'If you need siding, though, you can have somebody get on their schedule this spring. So you can do immediate projects, immediate needs here, but you can also dream for the future.' The president of C.T. Gabbert Remodeling and Construction, Chuck Gabbert, said he's been to the show before. This year, Gabbert reserved five booths. His business began in 1978. He commented on new trends he is seeing. 'We're getting more calls about adding on or finding space like in the basement,' Gabbert said. 'I mean, we're purifying this wall knocker router, so we do a lot of opening up walls and making the area great for the whole family and their friends.' Trends may come and go, but there is one trend that seems to be sticking around. Gabbert said he has been doing open concept designs since he started in the business. A lot of times, rooms are being transformed into new spaces like libraries, home offices, and entertainment centers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
