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It seems long ago now that the groundhog saw his shadow and predicted what we already knew: winter in Canada lasts an eternity.

The middle of February is prime hibernation time. But believe it or not, spring is getting ready to, well, spring. To help you get from here to there, we’ve pulled together a few suggestions for beating the February blahs (and earning Vicinity points in the process):

Lifestyle

• Fat Panda – Emerge from your winter lair this year. Check out the great merch offered by Fat Panda, an electronic cigarette shop in Manitoba. This family business has four locations (two in Winnipeg, one in Brandon, and one in Selkirk) but also sells its wide variety of “vape” products online.
• The Friendly Stranger – Cultivate your hippie side to bring some sunshine into your life. Toronto’s favourite “cannabis culture shop” features the finest selection of herbal smoking accessories, vaporizers and related products. Shop online or visit the store at 241 Queen Street West to benefit from knowledgeable staff, great customer service and excellent pricing.
• Hairy Tarantula – Geek out at this “one stop nerd shop” – a trusted source for the widest selection of gaming and comic related merchandise in Toronto. Shop downtown at 354 Yonge Street, or in North York at 6979 Yonge Street, where you’ll find thousands of board games, tens of thousands of trade paperback comics and Japanese manga (and anime), and dozens of collectable card and miniatures games like Magic, Pokemon, Yugi-Oh, Heroclix and Pathfinder.
• Maple Leaf Gas – Flip winter the bird and go on a road trip. Residents of southwestern Ontario can fill up their tanks at two Maple Leaf Gas locations (one in Windsor, one in London), and earn Vicinity rewards for free muffins, coffees and more.

Food and drink

• Hecklers Bar & Grill – Victoria, B.C. residents, your February weather is balmy enough to venture outside on the regular. Treat yourself to a fun night out at Hecklers for dinner, drinks and live comedy! Or, watch the game and enjoy great weekly specials.
• Ninja Bubble Tea – Delicious bubble tea makes an exotic surprise for your February taste buds. Especially with a side of spectacular tater-tots poutine – a house specialty at Coquitlam, B.C.’s Ninja Bubble Tea shop.
• Waves Seafood & Grill – If you can dig yourself out from under record-breaking snowfall on Nova Scotia’s south shore, make sure to treat yourself to a delicious meal at this locally owned seafood restaurant, famous for its fish and chips, fabulous homemade desserts, and daily features.
• Ring-o-Lings / Solar X – Anywhere with “solar” in the name has to be hot this time of year. Windsor, Ontario residents can brave the cold for some hot, fresh, delicious mini donuts (or pretend it’s already summer and dive into an ice cream treat) at this local emporium of yum.

Health and beauty

• Ontario Nutrition – Help yourself along the path to better health with a culinary nutrition pack chosen from Canada’s best selection of low-carb, low-fat, low-sodium products. Shop one of five locations in the GTA or online.
• Professional Nails – Winter weather wreaks havoc on our skin and nails. Residents of the Greater Vancouver region can pamper themselves at this nail salon and esthetics spa. Drop in and get a mani-pedi treatment to prepare for spring!
• Singleton’s Hair Care – Spruce up your look to put spring in your step. This family-owned chain of hair salons has 16 locations in Winnipeg, plus six salons in Edmonton and one in Sherwood Park. Get affordable salon services with no appointment necessary. Just walk in and then walk out looking great!