July Baby Celebrations has been my idea for several years now. We even added one more to the list last year!
Members of this year's edition had all met the screening criteria, for my browsing partner, the "honourary" July baby was not in attendance.
The day would involve a stopover at HERO Tea followed by the newly opened Cube Challenge, eventually terminating with a dinner of sushi and pizza in my backyard. It hadn't dawned on me in the moment that I had suggested the agenda that, by inviting others, I would effectively adopt the "hostess" title. Yet, as much as I disliked hosting events and all the cleanup that materialized with it, it sufficed to say that my 1.5 L bottle of 2009 Vidal Riesling and 750 ml of Sparkling Choya would not drink themselves. And so, hosting it would be.
Logistics and activity planning can be considered my forte, but being able to render a space guest-ready - not so much. Leading up to the day, I procured additional lawn chairs, disposable utensils and tablecloth, and even decorations to theme. Single-handedly preparing balloons was a first for me, and I likely wouldn't have bothered for any regular occurrence.
On the morning of, one of the July babies would meet at my house, witnessing the tail end of my last-minute cleaning operations. We'd later join the others at HERO Tea.
Members of this year's edition had all met the screening criteria, for my browsing partner, the "honourary" July baby was not in attendance.
The day would involve a stopover at HERO Tea followed by the newly opened Cube Challenge, eventually terminating with a dinner of sushi and pizza in my backyard. It hadn't dawned on me in the moment that I had suggested the agenda that, by inviting others, I would effectively adopt the "hostess" title. Yet, as much as I disliked hosting events and all the cleanup that materialized with it, it sufficed to say that my 1.5 L bottle of 2009 Vidal Riesling and 750 ml of Sparkling Choya would not drink themselves. And so, hosting it would be.
Logistics and activity planning can be considered my forte, but being able to render a space guest-ready - not so much. Leading up to the day, I procured additional lawn chairs, disposable utensils and tablecloth, and even decorations to theme. Single-handedly preparing balloons was a first for me, and I likely wouldn't have bothered for any regular occurrence.
On the morning of, one of the July babies would meet at my house, witnessing the tail end of my last-minute cleaning operations. We'd later join the others at HERO Tea.
As part of their Pawsitivity Event, the bubble tea chain was giving away one dachshund keychain, one Chestnut Milk Tea, and a newspaper-style photo sheet per customer between the hours of 12 PM and 2 PM. My Birthday Buddy queued around the 11:30 AM mark, eventually receiving her share of freebies one hour later. I was keen on neither the drink nor the dog, so waiting for extended periods of time in the sweltering heat seemed unjustified. When I arrived on scene and joined the line around the 1:45 PM mark though, the wait was approximated to be no more than twenty minutes. We somehow became the second-last customers of the day to receive the benefits. My satisfaction originated from the photo printouts, and I gladly handed over my drink ticket to other members of the party.
The ordeal concluded somewhat sooner than envisioned, so we parted ways for bathroom usage/errands before re-convening at Cube Challenge.
The ordeal concluded somewhat sooner than envisioned, so we parted ways for bathroom usage/errands before re-convening at Cube Challenge.
Despite its peculiar location, the games facility was notably busy during our visit. The format operated similar to Activate in that visitors would form teams and play physically and/or mentally challenging games to earn points. Complimentary, passcode-secured lockers were available on site, as were revolting bathrooms.
After obtaining Rec Room-style fabric wristbands, all members of the team were required to register at the kiosk at the same time before starting. This approach differed from Activate, as players could register individually based on their arrival time. This approach wasn't unreasonable, as points were accumulated on a team basis, as opposed to individual basis with level designations. We were informed that points redemption for prizes is not available at this time; there is also no option to carry over one's status to a future date. For some, this may reduce potential for repeat visits significantly, but I personally found the format to be ideal for collaboration, as it shifted the focus away from competition. Team photos would also be taken during registration and would appear with each tab of the wristband.
After obtaining Rec Room-style fabric wristbands, all members of the team were required to register at the kiosk at the same time before starting. This approach differed from Activate, as players could register individually based on their arrival time. This approach wasn't unreasonable, as points were accumulated on a team basis, as opposed to individual basis with level designations. We were informed that points redemption for prizes is not available at this time; there is also no option to carry over one's status to a future date. For some, this may reduce potential for repeat visits significantly, but I personally found the format to be ideal for collaboration, as it shifted the focus away from competition. Team photos would also be taken during registration and would appear with each tab of the wristband.
Prior to entering the rooms, our direction would be gestured towards an animated instruction video. The snippet provided a brief description of the room types and noted forbidden items such as phones and food/drink. Safety hazards were not discussed explicitly in the video, though we collectively felt as they should have included a section beyond the availability of an in-room "Panic Button". In departing the facility, I have discovered cuts and scrapes from rough, wooden edges and a bruise from sliding from a slippery pedestal. My Birthday Buddy expressed her distaste for un-sanded "plywood" fixtures and insufficient fall protection ("one layer was not enough"). Although the venue appears to cater towards adults, safety warnings should never be optional. Cube Challenge definitely requires their liability waiver for protection.
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The rooms were slotted into three categories: "Physical", "Brain", and "Skill", with a different colour representing each category. "Physical" was as intuitive as could be, housing games that involved running, monkey bars, tire climbing, soccer, hoops, swinging ropes, and more. The obstacle course-type games were particularly interesting, as each team member would need to finish the course and tap their wristband at the end to secure success. "Brain" and "Skill" were less distinguishable from each other, but varied between problem-solving (finish the math equation!), unscrambling puzzles, trivia, and mind-eye coordination - think Speed of Light or pressing coloured buttons in a given order.
The rooms were arranged in a U-shaped corridor, with Physical rooms grouped together around the midway point and "Skill" towards the end. The shuffling of game types was great as it enabled brief periods of recovery time.
The rooms were arranged in a U-shaped corridor, with Physical rooms grouped together around the midway point and "Skill" towards the end. The shuffling of game types was great as it enabled brief periods of recovery time.
Compared to Activate, the rooms were far larger, housed physical elements that increased difficulty or contributed to the visual appeal/theme, and did not rely solely on lasers and their configuration. That said, where Activate allows players to continually "level up", Cube Challenge only offers Easy, Medium, and Hard modes.
Due to technical issues with the wristbands, the staff provided us with an additional fifteen minute bonus. Thankfully, my food pickup reservations had accounted for unanticipated delays.
Around 5:35 PM, we parted ways for order retrieval. Then, around 6 PM, we were back in the yard to finish setup procedures and decorations. After many popped balloons, we succeeded in finalizing the Happy Birthday banner and "floating balloons" backdrop. It was time to dig in!
Around 5:35 PM, we parted ways for order retrieval. Then, around 6 PM, we were back in the yard to finish setup procedures and decorations. After many popped balloons, we succeeded in finalizing the Happy Birthday banner and "floating balloons" backdrop. It was time to dig in!
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The array spanned a Large Pizza from Pizzaville and PT6 Party Platter from Hiroi Sushi. Both were scrumptious, but Pizzaville definitely exceeded expectations with a Thin Crust pizza topped with pineapple, black olives, minced garlic, pepperoni, sausage, turkey bacon, mushrooms, green better, and smoked provolone cheese.
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Of course, we couldn't be without drinks. My gargantuan bottle of Riesling and Sparkling Choya were popped on the spot. The drivers in the party did not consume much, so the quantity was largely depleted by my Birthday Buddy and I. Within a matter of hours, we were well on our way towards the depth of hell: head spinning, extreme nausea felt, and utterly immobile.
The situation unfolded rapidly for my Birthday Buddy, who successfully unearthed her share onto my grass while I was cleaning up. I followed shortly, but in a drawn-out manner of suffering. I could neither vomit the culprits nor stomach any water. My Birthday Buddy kindly kept me company on the garage deck, holding back my hair, patting my back, and waving a fan in my face for fresh air. Meanwhile, the others not only assisted with the remaining cleanup procedures, but reinstated my folding table and chairs as they were. The group even stayed for several hours more to ensure I could safely get myself into the house. Truly, there are no truer friends than those that have your back, literally, in unexpectedly dire times of need!
The situation unfolded rapidly for my Birthday Buddy, who successfully unearthed her share onto my grass while I was cleaning up. I followed shortly, but in a drawn-out manner of suffering. I could neither vomit the culprits nor stomach any water. My Birthday Buddy kindly kept me company on the garage deck, holding back my hair, patting my back, and waving a fan in my face for fresh air. Meanwhile, the others not only assisted with the remaining cleanup procedures, but reinstated my folding table and chairs as they were. The group even stayed for several hours more to ensure I could safely get myself into the house. Truly, there are no truer friends than those that have your back, literally, in unexpectedly dire times of need!
Even after their departure, the hours that followed were hardly more manageable. My head continued to spin, my limbs persisted weak, and I simply sat and gagged into a bag without hurling. Amidst all this, I somehow managed to shower and wash my hair, then dry it too. It was nearing 3 AM before I finally dragged myself to bed.
I would wake roughly every 30-60 minutes after that, either out of discomfort or to use the bathroom. Just before 6 AM, I took a large swig of water and immediately made my way for the garbage bin. I suffered a treacherously forceful round of vomit, so intense that whatever could not be purged through the mouth had come through the nose. The entire area burned from the acid.
Although I wish the next morning marked the end of my misery, it unfortunately did not. Countless small bites covered my body, from my hands to legs to even feet! But the worst of all was none other than a swelling pouch over my right eye. My eyelid was now fiery red, folds gone and the shape of the eye distorted. Glasses were difficult to don, while the eyes could only open halfway.
In discussing with other members of the party, it appeared that none of us had been spared from mosquitoes in the garage. As my Birthday Buddy and I collectively agreed: We shall never drink to this point again. The suffering is really just terrible.
Hosting was fine, with everyone's gratuitous assistance. Cheers (oh dear) to another successful July Baby Celebration!
I would wake roughly every 30-60 minutes after that, either out of discomfort or to use the bathroom. Just before 6 AM, I took a large swig of water and immediately made my way for the garbage bin. I suffered a treacherously forceful round of vomit, so intense that whatever could not be purged through the mouth had come through the nose. The entire area burned from the acid.
Although I wish the next morning marked the end of my misery, it unfortunately did not. Countless small bites covered my body, from my hands to legs to even feet! But the worst of all was none other than a swelling pouch over my right eye. My eyelid was now fiery red, folds gone and the shape of the eye distorted. Glasses were difficult to don, while the eyes could only open halfway.
In discussing with other members of the party, it appeared that none of us had been spared from mosquitoes in the garage. As my Birthday Buddy and I collectively agreed: We shall never drink to this point again. The suffering is really just terrible.
Hosting was fine, with everyone's gratuitous assistance. Cheers (oh dear) to another successful July Baby Celebration!
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