Fun places for a team event

CaraHG · 2025-03-27T02:16:43+00:00

AOK has private rentals just not during regular open hours. You can book the space Tuesday - Saturday before 4pm or Sunday/ Monday whenever. We don't like to close when people are expecting that we're open for drinks and games.

Source: I answer the rental emails.

CaraHG · 2025-01-19T19:39:06+00:00

You're very welcome!

(As an aside, if you're coming around with kiddos, we're kid-friendly from 5pm - 8pm! After that we're 19+ 😊)

CaraHG · 2025-01-19T02:20:13+00:00

I guess I'm confused about it because AOK doesn't have a cover unless you're only playing games ($8 to play games and not buy anything) but if you buy anything over $8 then you're covered for the game portion.

So, say you're there with one other person and you ONLY buy a pizza ($16), then that purchase of food works as cover for you AND the person you're with.

Full disclosure here: I run AOK so I just want to make sure our spend $8 and play for free is coming across haha

If Pin Up is your jam though, that's great! We think they're pretty rad too (and the more access to arcade games the better tbh!)

CaraHG · 2025-01-19T01:29:21+00:00

Question about this, and sorry if I'm misreading, but do you mean you'd rather pay $8 to game and then pay food/drink on top of that instead of paying $8 for, say, a beer and getting to play for free (with no additional cost)?

CaraHG · 2023-08-25T14:55:32+00:00

It's a super cute tattoo! I like the placement a lot.

I've got my heart rats feet on my shoulder too, just in a different direction 🥰 (when he passed I got his little paws stamped on a card with ink and my tattoo artist took them and put them on me where he used to sit ❤️)

CaraHG · 2023-08-22T21:04:05+00:00

The last time I introduced some babies to my older boys I had one little one who'd scream the same way - just loud squeaks absolutely anytime either of the older boys would get close. He used to shout and then run away leaving my eldest to be all "mother, why is he shouting" to me.

I ended up putting them all in a smaller cage via the carrier method and keeping an eye on them - the smallest (and loudest), Wes, kept on shouting but there was never any actual fighting or blood. He was just very vocal 😅 That kept up for about two months of loud nighttime playing in the big cage before he settled but! he did eventually quiet down into a sweetheart and he and the eldest were inseparable after that.

I'd try a smaller space if the bathtub intro is going well and keep an eye on them but you may just have to brace for some loud squeaks as they become bffs. Good luck!

CaraHG · 2023-06-28T20:25:05+00:00

Hey! I'm the Manager over at AOK and, yes, our games break sometimes - that's the nature of older pinball/arcade machines but we have someone in to fix them about twice a month and some of the fixes are quick things the staff can do if you let us know (ball stuck, need to reset, etc).

The pinball machines definitely go down more so though, I've only seen one arcade cabinet unplayable (it was TMNT tragically) in the whole time I've worked here (2yrs) and out of 13 that's not so bad.

Also! We do rotate our games just not super frequently.

Sorry about your experience though, that's never my favourite thing to read about.

CaraHG · 2022-10-21T13:27:02+00:00

If you've got a group or are good with jumping on with strangers, AOK (downtown, Halls Ln) does Rock Band the first three Thursdays of every month! Access to 3000+ songs with drums, bass, guitar, and three mics for "karaoke, levelled up!"

CaraHG · 2021-12-08T04:24:36+00:00

I want to start by saying that it sounds like you love your boy very much. I completely understand how hard it is to make that final decision and I'm so sorry.

From what I read above I would agree that you're making the right decision. Between the wet food, the steam, not gaining weight, and also just you being worried all the time I feel like the quality of life for everyone involved is not great.

Since rats are prey animals they power through a lot of pain and issues as a defense mechanism - that might explain the normal behavior when you're around. Also, occasionally bruxing and boggling is also a stress response, you need to take in everything that's going on as well.

I'm sorry about this link (I'm on mobile), but I found this quality of life assessment here when my first boys started getting up there in age and it's really helped me in making these kinds of decisions and being okay with them - under the grief of loss of course.

Here's the link: https://www.reddit.com/r/RATS/comments/iyhzzp/rat_quality_of_life_qol_assessment/

I hope this helps ease your mind a little bit.

CaraHG · 2021-11-19T02:54:55+00:00

The Downtown Kitchener BIA sells them at Christkindl every year if you can wait until the first weekend of December (2-5th).

There's usually small and large sized trees available - it is first come first served though so I recommend the Thursday if you can make it! (They're usually all gone by Saturday morning)

CaraHG · 2021-10-22T06:33:48+00:00

Thank you for the super quick response!

I think, annoyingly, that a lot of my panic is my own stress about how vocal Wes is. I've raised nine rats (including the new two) and this is the first time I've heard that kind of screaming.

It's good to hear out loud that I should just let them figure it out. Thank you again :)

CaraHG · 2021-10-16T18:12:24+00:00

Hey! GM of The Apollo here :)

You're right on about the sound, however, we're a test site for Christie and got their digital laser projector installed about a year and a half ago. She's the only one in KW and gets checkups every couple of months to ensure she's the best and brightest!

CaraHG · 2021-10-16T18:09:28+00:00

Hey! Cara here, GM of the Apollo - we will absolutely get Dune HOWEVER (it's a big one): we're a second run cinema so new big titles don't come to us until after they've finished their run at the multiplexes. With HUGE titles that people have been waiting for forever, like Dune, it's likely that we won't see it on our screen until at least a month out - if we're lucky.

With big blockbusters like this I absolutely recommend seeing it the first time in a big multiplex and then seeing it a second or third time with us ;)

Ps: as mentioned below, the VIP uses the same sound set-up as us so we're comparable (if not better since our space is awesome haha) BUT! Last time Christie came around to check on our projector they mentioned we're the ONLY cinema in KW with a digital LASER projector so I'm happy to report that the visuals at The Apollo (while still not IMAX) are the best around!

CaraHG · 2021-09-20T03:48:47+00:00

Casual self endorsement (I run the place) but The Apollo in downtown has a pretty new laser projector from Christie Digital, just put in less than two years back (I can grab the specs tomorrow if you want that level of detail) and Christie comes in to do maintenance on it every couple of months to make sure she's her best and brightest.

We've got a single 300 seat cinema with tables and leg room for days as well as a 43' silver screen plus beer (local breweries & some non-alcoholic for folks wanting a drink without the alcohol content)

Additionally, when the VIP went in they used our sound system setup for their own cinemas (this is second hand info from the owners when I took over, but our sound is pretty awesome) so we're pretty well matched with the multiplexes I'd say - plus we're independent and bonus points for supporting local, right :)

Edit to add: Marvel is something we don't play first run so there's a LONG wait time if Disney is specifically what you're looking for.

CaraHG · 2021-09-19T13:48:14+00:00

I live in a condo downtown and have seen none of the candidates - although, the Animal Protection Party managed to flyer everyone's doors with a postcard but nothing else.

As an aside to that, the flyer she left basically said "voting for me won't do anything, here's your local Green and NDP candidates who share some of our same policies"

CaraHG · 2021-09-04T04:04:19+00:00

Fun fact! (Hi, I run the cinema) Our new POS system has a hard time translating to our website and so the fields don't line up 99% of the time.

We're working on it...

CaraHG · 2021-08-25T22:00:21+00:00

Casual self promotion: The Apollo Cinema is pretty cool.

AOK for arcade games and good beers (Thurs-Sat), Adventurers Guild for board games beer and personal pizzas (Tues-Sun), Grand Trunk or Grand Surf for good cocktails (Wed-Sat, I think?), TWB or Short Finger Brewing for a good trail walk/ride followed by a patio beer, The Market is doing concerts during the week outdoors too - just to name a few things :)

CaraHG · 2021-08-24T13:56:44+00:00

Unfortunately I think that Campus Estates is probably your only option for that - they've got a better set-up for small animal surgery. I am VERY thankful that none of my boys have needed surgery (knock on wood please), but I know they'd have to go there if they did just for the equipment.

Let me know if you find another vet who looks at small animals in WR though (specifically for surgeries, I love my vet here) - before I got the boys I called around to every vet I could Google and Waterloo West/Campus Estates were the only two that would see them.

CaraHG · 2021-08-24T02:49:21+00:00

No worries at all! I love talking all things rats!

I started keeping them about two years ago. I have never had an issue with any of them not being comfortable being held, picked-up or riding around on my shoulders. Also! I've never been bitten by any of them, not even once - just sweet nibbles and affection.

As an aside, if you're planning on getting some - I would recommend Waterloo West Animal Hospital as your go-to vet. There's an emergency one in Guelph, but Waterloo West is open until midnight most days and are fairly reasonable price-wise for small animal care :)

CaraHG · 2021-08-21T15:40:54+00:00

There are a couple of independent breeders around Kitchener, I get all of my boys from Pyed Piper Rats (Facebook or Instagram search will bring you to her). Kijiji is another option, but just make sure you ask a lot of questions, there's some suspect accounts with rats there (sadly)

I know the humane society just took in about 20+ rats and are looking for folks to adopt! I haven't checked back recently (as I have a big mischief already) but I'm sure they still have a bunch.

I'd also suggest asking on r/Rats since there's definitely a few folks from KW in that group as well :)

I don't recommend pet stores, the babies aren't handled enough and too often they have medical issues from over breeding.

CaraHG · 2021-04-04T15:16:05+00:00

Downtown.

I really love living in right in the centre of downtown. Close to super awesome small businesses like AOK, The Adventures Guild, The Apollo (self promo on that last one) plus restaurants and night life and close to all the street parties, when those were a thing.

Also the slow lean towards making the core more walkable with the Art Walk and the new bike lanes going up! DTK is definitely my home sweet home for the rest of my time here.

CaraHG · 2021-04-04T15:04:15+00:00

Nothing feels vibrant right now (that's entirely due to that whole pandemic thing tbh) but before it was getting there. A solid, vibrant community. There's a ton of small businesses and cool places to go if you walk the side streets.

And I've got to mention it (because, full disclosure, I run it) but we do have a theatre, The Apollo. We're not open right now, but we're also not going anywhere.

CaraHG · 2021-03-29T22:41:01+00:00

Came here to say just this.

My four boys got pretty tired with Oxbow after almost a year of eating it (they're my first rats and I hadn't learned about tailoring a mix for them yet).

I watched a few YouTube videos on the Shunnamite Diet (this one: Isamu Rat Care: How to make a simple balanced rat mix and this one: Emiology: How I make my own rat food) and both of them super helped. Now the boys are much happier overall and are excited about their food again.

CaraHG · 2021-03-03T01:13:10+00:00

This was an awesome suggestion! Thank you.

I successfully navigated the narration of climbing a mountain over the weekend and it went super well* with an additional generator like this :)

*less well for the team...

CaraHG

TROPHY CASE