Iam a leaf on the wind Calming
apps to help you de-stress

> Why incentives matter

Brittney MacDonald
Life & Style Editor

 

We school starting up
again, finding time to
relax has become an even greater
feat. In my quest to reduce my
own personal anxiety, as well as
shoulder the burden of education
and working customer service, I
have turned to my cell phone for
help. Meditation apps meant to
help you relax have become all
the rage. They vary in method,
but all have the same intent—to
stop you from becoming too
overwhelmed. Here are a couple
I have found that might make
your day a little more bearable.

Rain Sounds or Rain
Rain Sleep Sounds

Called either depending if you're
using iOS or Android, this app
plays a variety of white noise
revolving around the sound of
rain or water. This kind of noise
allows most people to zone

out, or subconsciously reduces
their tension. If you work ina
particularly noisy environment
it also happens to be the perfect
tool for taking cat naps on the
fly. The sounds are customizable;
simply choose from a variety

of options such as “Rain on

the sidewalk” or “Rain on the
roof,” and adjust it to what you
find the most familiar and/

or calming. Out of the apps

that Ive tried, I’ve found the
most success with this one.

Buddhify

Unlike the first option, this app

is not free. Available on iOS

and Android, it averages about
$6.99. The focus of Buddhify is
customization. Whatever your
problem is, it wants to build a
solution around you, and with
over 80 built in sound tracks, it
has the muscle to do so. I like this
option because it doesn’t require
you to fully disconnect; it has

an option for meditating while
online, which I found unique and
very accommodating towards me
and my fellow internet junkies.

Calm

If you've never tried meditation,
or are intimidated by the idea
of having to sit still for too long,
then Calm is the app for you.
Free on both iOS and Android,
this app doesn’t ask for much,
and in return sets you up with

a seven-day schedule that

lets you determine the length
of your meditation sessions.
This is incredibly helpful if

you get fidgety after extended
periods of sitting quietly. This
app also features a mode for
insomniacs to help them sleep
easier. Overall, the app serves
as a good introduction, but I
don’t recommend signing up
for the 21-day subscription.

A slice of Vietnam

> New Sandwich shop opens near Douglas College

Duncan Fingarson
Senior Columnists

 

t’s possible in the Lower

Mainland to find food from
almost every culture around
the world. Some are more
dominant, as the profusion of
Chinese and Indian restaurants
will readily attest, and some
are less-so. One that’s always
seemed a little harder to find
is Vietnamese. Now, though,
there’s a little piece of Vietnam
in New Westminster, and it’s
just down the street.

Having opened in July,
Banh Mi Bar is a sandwich
shop owned and operated by
husband and wife team Tung
and Lily. Says Tung: “I wanted
to go into the food industry,
but the failure rate for new
restaurants is very high,
something like go per cent. So
we've started with something
a little smaller, and more
manageable.”

Indeed, the shop isn’t
large, and seating space is
fairly limited. Fortunately,
the sandwiches are both
delicious and available to go.
The sandwiches are sub style,
served on a baguette—Vietnam
was once occupied by the
French—but the flavour is quite
different from anything you’d
find at Subway, as the menu

   
 

draws on authentic Vietnamese
flavours. All subs are served
with cilantro, jalapeno, and an
assortment of vegetables. The
chicken subs use grilled chicken
thigh, rather than anything
processed, and the vegetables
are fresh, which really comes
through on the finished
sandwich. The pork patty sub
uses grilled strips of pork patty,

 

flavoured with garlic. The house
special features four kinds of
cold cuts, as well as Vietnamese
pork meatballs. Another sub
uses “cha,” a type of Vietnamese
pork sausage. For those who
prefer to avoid meat, the menu
also features a vegan option.
Tung and Lily have already
earned some loyal customers.
The first time I entered the shop

Photo by Duncan Fingarson

Illustration by Ed Appleby

was on the recommendation of
another customer who had been
standing outside. Another point
in Banh Mi Bar’s favour is the
pricing. The “House Special,’—
priced at just $5 with taxes
included—is one of the most
expensive things on the menu.
All of the sandwiches are very
affordable, and fit nicely into a
student’s limited budget.

There’s more value to be
had, as well. When I visited, I
received a stamp card good for
one free sub after accumulating
ten stamps, with each
purchased sub worth one.

Banh Mi Bar is a good
choice for lunch, especially
for anyone wanting to support
local small businesses. The
ingredients are fresh, the subs
are tasty, the staff is friendly,
and the prices can’t be beat.
Banh Mi Bar is located at 722
Carnarvon St, next to the
entrance of the Douglas College
parkade.