My good friend Sarah asked me to forward this to my readership, and since I DO live in Mount Pleasant, and it is a fundraiser, I thought I’d share with my readership. After all, you may have read that there is a number of community gardens emerging in several areas, including the Broadway and Fraser part of Mount Pleasant. The fundraiser is a Wine and Cheese Social in support of the Brewery Creek Community Garden, and will take place this Saturday November 26th, at the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House located on 800 East Broadway (a couple of blocks east of Fraser Street). Tickets are $20 in pre-sale and $25 at the door.
For tickets you can email brewerygarden(@)gmail(.)com. It sounds like it will be a very fun event that also will focus on building a community. If you are at all interested in community gardens, and/or live in Mount Pleasant, please consider attending this fundraiser, and spreading the word!
I know it’s hard to categorize me in one specific area, but for the most part, I think most people will agree that I am a food writer, at least a substantial portion of my blog posts’ are dedicated to food. I have reviewed over 325 restaurants in Vancouver, British Columbia and other parts of Canada. And while I sometimes joke about being a foodie (I know some folks loathe the word), I do enjoy eating out and sharing my experiences.
While I am not someone who has taken a course on food writing but I’m always curious to hear other people’s perspectives on the topic, and thus I find Speaking of Taste Buds, The Art of Food Writing a really interesting event (and on top of everything, it’s at my alma mater, UBC, in the residence where I used to live, Green College).
Featuring an accomplished panel of Canadian food writers, this fundraiser promises to be both informative and delicious! On the panel are Food Network host Anna Olson, Globe and Mail restaurant critic Alexandra Gill, and editor and founder of Scout Magazine Andrew Morrison. With canapés and bar service provided by Westcadia Catering.
All proceeds go directly to the KidSafe Writers’ Room, a charitable program that works with inner-city kids in East Vancouver to build lifelong literacy skills through creative writing projects, tutoring and mentorships. Writers’ Room volunteer tutors provide one-on-one support so that each child receives the attention that he or she deserves.
Hosted by Taryn Boyd of the Literary Press Group of Canada.
Date: Monday, November 28, 2011 Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Location: Cecil Green Park House, University of British Columbia,
6251 Cecil Green Park Road, Vancouver, BC Price: $100 (Includes your donation to the Writers’ Room, canapés and a copy of Anna Olson’s brand-new book, Back to Baking. Additional copies of the book will be available for purchase/signing at the event—and they are great for gifts!).
You can get tickets here. Consider supporting this event! Sounds like it will be a lot of fun!
We visited so many artists in our Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011 (from Langdale to Lund) that it’s almost impossible to write about all of them. But one that I wanted to write because her kindness was just simply amazing was April White. We (Robyn, Andrea, Andrea and myself) had an opportunity to see her art at the Wind Spirit Gallery in Powell River.
I was fascinated by April’s rendition of a hummingbird, her creation “Hummingbird I“. Here is the description she provided me with (along with a postcard print that is now in my apartment’s walls).
“Hummingbird I” by April White. (c) April White 2011 and used with permission
Dakdakiiyaa (Hummingbird) is a member of the Trochilidae Clan and in Northwest Coast imagery is recognizable by its long slender beak and outspread wings, ready for flight. This latter characteristic emphasizes its unique ability to fly in any direction. Indeed, this phenomenon, signaled by a musical buzz, iridescent flash and blur, facilitates its supernatural travel between human world and spirit world. In this depiction, sheltering under its mother’s wing, is a naked hatchling with mouth agape in expectation of a sweet meal. This repast of nectar has been gathered from the throats of hundreds… thousands of flowers, then whisked to the nest at the forest edge; a home insulated with moss, lichen, down and spider webs.
Once, the traditional order of Haida matrilineal succession was jeopardized by the capture of a high born Haida Eagle Clan woman at Lax Kw’alaams (Port Simpson). This order was restored by the delivery of her children home to Haida Gwaii with the gift of the Hummingbird as a new family crest.
April is a scientist by training (she received her Bachelor of Science degre in geology from the University of British Columbia), and it’s wonderful to me that she has now derived into becoming an artist, which I am assuming stems from her Haida heritage. April White was born on Haida Gwaii, the Queen Charlotte Islands. You can see (and buy) more of April’s art at the Wind Spirit Art Gallery, 4463 Marine Avenue, Powell River, BC, or visit her website.
Disclosure: I participated on the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011 as part of a media trip. My accommodations and transportation were compliments of our hosts and the tourism agencies in charge. I paid for a few miscellaneous expenses associated with this trip, specifically incidentals and my own shopping etc. April was generous enough to give me a free card with the imprint of Hummingbird I, but that doesn’t influence my post at all. You can follow along my adventures on the Sunshine Coast through this tag.
The strangest thing I find when I attend academic conferences is how some of the landmarks are, in fact, convention centres. That’s the case with the Palais des Congrès de Montrèal, in Montreal (Quebec). I attended a North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation meeting there this past summer, and I absolutely loved the location. It is close to major train stations, and across the street from the Intercontinental Montreal, which is the hotel where I stayed.
Since it opened in 1983, the Palais des congrès de Montréal (convention centre) has built a reputation for excellence spanning the globe. After 4 300 events and 12.6 million visitors, we can safely say that we have developed an unparalleled level of expertise in the industry.
Located in Montréal’s downtown core, the Palais is a safe and bustling venue. A hub of activity straddling the city’s business centre, international district, Old Montréal and Chinatown, it is near Montréal’s main attractions, and also less than five minutes from 12 000 hotel rooms, 4 000 of which are directly linked to the Palais via indoor passageways.
lanning or attending an event in Montréal? The Palais des congrès (convention centre) is an exceptional venue located in the heart of downtown and operated by an outstanding team of professionals. Its reputation for adaptability and superior services is unrivalled.
Easily accessible by car, public transit, bicycle, and on foot, the Palais is also directly and famously linked to the city’s metro system and underground pedestrian network. The international airport is 20 minutes away, and the train station is virtually next door. Numerous hotels are nearby with a combined offering of 15 000 rooms in a range of categories.
The Palais is a veritable hub where the city’s main attractions converge. It connects Montréal’s business centre, international district, arts and entertainment district, Chinatown and Old Montréal. For exhibitors, event planners and visitors alike, the Palais represents an unforgettable experience in a generously naturally lit environment that exquisitely combines form and functionality. Welcome to the Palais des congrès de Montréal!
It’s a different style from, let’s say, the Vancouver Convention Centre, but overall, a very cute building.
I’m not surprised it has such good reputation. I know for a fact that the American Association of Anthropology had their 2011 meeting there recently, and they loved the location, from what I see in the Twitter stream. Next time I’m in Montreal, I will definitely come back to the Palais des Congrès de Montrèal. Even if just to try to take better pictures!
I wouldn’t call myself a trend-follower. In fact, as far as music goes, I’m probably the one who knows who sings what the last. But I’m always keen to find out who sings the songs that I love, and this one is definitely one of my absolute favorites. Last Friday Night, by Katy Perry (who I’m sure has more good songs), is one of those fantastic tunes that wants you to put it on repeat. I listened to it by accident on Groovershark. And now here’s the funniest video ever, for your listening and viewing pleasure.
Similar to the dozens of young kids who were accompanied by their parents to the wonderful Warner Brothers presents Bugs Bunny At The Symphony, with the always mesmerizing Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, my parents took great care to infuse an appreciation for the art (especially classical music) from a very young age. JT invited me last night to this great concert and I couldn’t help but write about it, even if that violates my own self-imposed hiatus.
I know, I’m on a self-imposed hiatus. But I can’t not write about 3 Fold by Ballet BC. Disclaimer: I’m a former trained, competitive contemporary dancer. So, for me it’s really easy to mesh with the music, the movements and I really appreciate contemporary dance as a form of art. For those who love traditional ballet, give yourselves the chance to learn about and have a taste of some of the best contemporary dance you’ve ever seen.
3 Fold is an exquisite trio of contemporary dance works that showcase athleticism, physical prowess, an amazing ability to tell stories through extreme plasticity and beautiful movements. As I said in my tweets, the ensemble that Emily Molnar’s wonderful artistic direction created was able to provide a fabulous experience for everyone who attended (and I was pleasantly surprised at how many young students/graduates from Arts Umbrella went to the show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre).
So, I bumped into my good friend Monique Trottier (from Boxcar Marketing and So Misguided) and because I was running around trying to get to my tickets, I totally didn’t have a chance to chat with her. AND I was thinking “I’m sure Monique’s birthday is coming up and I’m hoping not to forget to write about it… well, I did. Monique’s birthday was on the 16th, as my blog post attests!
Monique Trottier is one of those friends you don’t need to see regularly to cherish and love. She is extremely supportive, incredibly warm and an amazing talent overall. Every time we sit down and talk (most recently when we went for lunch to la vie boheme), we share stories of geekery, academia, books (which we both love) and life in general. Monique is truly a gem and I am incredibly fortunate to be a friend of hers.
Monique and her fiance James (now husband) recently got married and I had an opportunity to see her in her wedding dress, and I felt fascinated. Monique is so beautiful outside and in her soul. Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Monique, and your drinks next time we hang out are on me. Much love always.
I was complaining that it was too early for us to have snow in Vancouver by mid-November, and found photos on my Flickr stream indicating that there had been snow in Vancouver by November 25th of 2010, so it’s not unlikely that we would have this kind of weather around the same time in 2011.
Do you like snow? Personally, I’m not a fan. Looks pretty but feels slushy and cold.
Nadina Tandy is not only the dead-ringer of Tina Fey (yes, isn’t she?) but also equally funny. And her art is extremely intriguing. I loved her artist statement:
When I was a competitive dancer, my development was facilitated by a number of organizations back in Mexico, but I can’t really recall if there was anything that would help me transition OUT of dance. I haven’t done competitive dancing in years here, but seeing as I’m fully immersed in the dance community in Vancouver, I’m thrilled to hear that there is an organization like the Dance Transition Resource Centre. They are holding a fundraiser called “Choreographing Change” to be hosted by CBC’s own Stephen Quinn at the Norman Rothstein Theatre on Oak and 41st.
One of the most creative artist outlets we visited during our Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011 was Fibreworks Studio & Gallery in Madeira Park, on the Sunshine Coast. It was amazing for several reasons, but one of them was witnessing actual yarn-threading live. Also, the yurts. Who doesn’t love yurts?
Hosted in a collection of yurts, FibreWorks showcases fibre art – basketry, paper, textiles and wood , created by local, national and international artists. FibreWorks is a private, commercial gallery showcasing professional and emerging artists.
I found the design of Fibreworks pretty cool, because of the yurts. Even more impressive, Fibreworks Studio & Gallery has an artist-in-residence program.
We toured the owner’s studio, and were given a private tour of the exhibits and the teaching workshop they have at Fibreworks. It was a very neat experience, and one I would strongly recommend that you undertake next time you are on the Sunshine Coast.
Disclosure: I participated on the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011 as part of a media trip. My accommodations and transportation are compliments of our hosts and the tourism agencies in charge. I paid for a few miscellaneous expenses associated with this trip, specifically incidentals and my own shopping etc. You can follow along my adventures on the Sunshine Coast through this tag.
Given that my academic research is keenly focused on narrowing the poverty gap, I am always keen to promote events about foundations focused on empowering women, reducing poverty and with focus (in general, but not limited to) on Africa. I’m currently doing research on water and energy poverty, and one of the country case studies will be Ghana. So that’s why I was keen to write about For Our Daughters – From Ghana to Granville.
For Our Daughters — From Ghana to Granville Street
Wednesday, Nov. 23 at Vogue Theatre (918 Granville St.), 7 pm.
Presented by the Vancouver-based charity, Create Change Foundation will be an inspirational evening featuring four girls from Northern Ghana, each a recent high school graduate thanks to Create Change’s dedication to helping girls get access to secondary education in the region.
Join Fayuda, Gladys, Beatrice and Faiza, and special musical guests The Boom Booms and The Reckoners, as these remarkable young women share their struggles and ultimate triumph in getting an education in a society that undervalues their contributions. Learn how women’s education has changed the lives of these four girls and how it can help to break the cycle of poverty in the developing world.
UPDATE – The organizers of For Our Daughters: From Ghana to Granville Street have given me 3 pairs of tickets to give away for the show. All you need to do is either drop a comment on this post telling me who inspires you or tweet the following (if you do both, I’ll count it as 2 entries):
Shared my inspiration on @hummingbird604 ‘s blog for a chance to win tix to For Our Daughters via @createchangenow http://is.gd/3B3SJw
I will draw 2 winners on Tuesday November 22nd at 2pm. Check back this post or your Twitter stream. Tickets will be held at will call (I’ll tell the winner the code to pick them up). Good luck everyone! And in case you wanted to know who inspires me, my Mom is my biggest source of inspiration.
While Ethiopian food is usually my comfort food, cold autumn/winter nights always remind me of how much I love Indian food. With its delicious variety of dishes (both vegetarian and meat-based), hot rice, amazing aromas, and delicious textures, I figured it was high time we had Indian food again for dinner (JT and I usually eat sushi or Italian, or Ethiopian. I know, not very varied). So to All India Restaurant we went.
We ordered a salad to start (in my case it was a chicken salad that I did not realize would taste like a prawn/shrimp cocktail). Pretty abundant, extremely well cooked and fresh, marinated, with only white chicken meat (which really is the only one I eat, the breast), I could not finish my salad, but it was delicious. Could have been eaten for dinner or a solid lunch ($11.00 price point).
My dinner was a butter chicken that was out of this world. While not colored the same way I am used to (very creative use of saffron here), it was glorious. Not too spicy to the palate and very filling. We had to order rice and naan on the side, but it was reasonably priced.
JT’s dinner looked like lamb shish kabab ($11.95, minced lamb marinated in garlic, onion, ginger, yoghurt and backed) but I’m mildly afraid of mischaracterizing his dinner. It was delicious, that I can tell you.
Overall, a very nice discovery. I did not realize I liked All India Restaurant this much. Compared to other Indian restaurants, the service here is good (although it was not as fast as in other restaurants, the presentation and flavour of the dishes we were served were bar-none). I’d definitely come back.
Disclosure: JT paid for both of our meals on his own dime.
In a wonderful turn of events, our November 2011 Vancouver Blogger Meetup turned out to be a fantastic event, thanks, in great part, to the amazing panel I assembled. I was confident that Olivia Lovenmark, Erin Gee, Tracey Rossignol and Liv Hung would all share amazing insights. What I was not really expecting was how much the audience was interested in fashion blogging.
For all I knew it was probably not the most popular topic, and in reality all I have heard is amazing things. I’m really glad that the participants felt that the panel gave them a lot of value and insight into the hard work that comes along blogging, in particular blogging about fashion. My post previewing the panel will give you links to each panelists’ websites.
I think both the panelists enjoyed their time and sharing their experiences blogging about fashion almost as much as the audience, who was really interactive and they almost did not want to stop talking. We discussed issues of PR, branding, how to grow your readership, what kind of fashion would you blog about, etc. I was really excited and I’m glad I organized it despite having no time.
I want to be very clear that my events are successful not only because of my organizational skills (hey what modesty!) but thanks also to the support I receive. I’m very thankful to Jonathon Narvey, my Assistant Organizer, to the panelists for sharing their time and insight. and to The Network Hub downtown campus who has been our gracious host for all of 2011.
If you are interested in blogging or just want to learn to blog, consider joining the Vancouver Blogger Meetup. I am the Organizer and I’ll be very happy to answer any questions you might have.
Few things make me happier than seeing a corporation I happen to like personally (Molson Brewery) be committed to environmental projects. I am, after all, an academic who studies environmental politics and policy. So when I found about the Molson Red Leaf Project Cleanup at English Bay on November 19th, I couldn’t help but write about it. The topic (and the company) are both up my alley (even if I’m not really a hockey fan).
Photo credit: Tyler Ingram on Flickr.
The project rules are pretty simple: sign up to volunteer on November 19th to help in a park project (in this case, English Bay cleanup) the first 100 volunteers to sign up earn free 3-day passes to the Grey Cup Festival. Note that the events run rain or shine, and that you MUST be of legal drinking age to participate.
Unfortunately I’m otherwise booked on November 19th, which is a pity as I’d love to participate, not so much because I want tickets to the Grey Cup Festival (I’m not really a hockey football fan – that’s fine, go ahead and revoke my Vancouverite card) but more because it’s a great environmentally-focused project (by Molson in partnership with Evergreen).
Disclosure: I have no financial stake on Molson, this post hasn’t been paid for nor have I received any other form of compensation. I am just keen to promote environmentally-focused projects.
EDIT – Thanks to Anabelle and Yuri for indicating that the Grey Cup is football, not hockey. Clearly, you can tell which sports interest me 🙂
Well, as it turns out the Come and Dance Festival will include the 6th Annual Louis Riel celebration!
Andrea Menard
Andrea Menard will be singing her original songs for the first time at the Louis Riel Day Celebrations – part of our Metis Night on November 19. She has toured throughout Canada and internationally and was recently nominated as “Female Entertainer of the Year” at the 2010 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. We’re excited to have this wonderful Metis performer from Saskatchewan at our event where she will perform with local Vancouver musicians.
Paula Ross & Monica Trejbal
On November 18th, we will be presenting Paula Ross choreography performed by Monica Trejbal. Paula is Vancouver’s first contemporary dancer of Metis heritage. In addition to work with Pacific Dance Theatre in the early 1960s, she founded her own modern dance company, the Paula Ross Dance Company. Paula will be coming to the festival to talk about her experiences as a Vancouver dance pioneer. Monica Trejbal is a member of the Louis Riel Metis Dancers with contemporary dance training – she will be performing a contemporary dance solo called “Loon at Dawn” which was originally created for Compaigni V’ni Dansi Artistic Director Yvonne Chartrand.
Nyla Carpentier
Also on November 18th, Nyla Carpentier will bring together a group of dancers to perform pow wow dance, hoop dance and smoke dance. Born in Ottawa, from the Tahltan Nation, she is also of French and Scottish decent. She has performed pow wow dance since the age of three. She lives in Vancouver and has completed her artistic training with Full Circle: First Nations Performance Training Ensemble.
When: November 16 – 19 Where
The ScotiaBank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street)and the Aboriginal Friendship Centre located at 1607 East Hastings Street (map). How
Single day tickets: $20 (non-members: $15 and members/students: $5.)
Three-day pass: $49 non-members; $33 members.
Free membership and tickets available from Vni Dansi.
As you could have guessed, even during my hiatus there are a few giveaways that I had agreed upon and this is one of them, and I’m really excited about this one not only because it’s dance-focused but because it’s the Dance in Vancouver and as a biennial event, you won’t see this again until 2013. So this is a very unique event and opportunity.
Whom: The Dance Centre What: The 8th biennial Dance In Vancouver, a showcase of BC’s contemporary dance scene When: Wednesday-Saturday November 23-26, 2011 Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street, Vancouver How: Tickets: $28/$20 students & seniors. Double bill ticket $44 (for two shows the same evening) Tickets Tonight: 604.684.2787 www.ticketstonight.ca. Packages and group bookings: 604.606.6420. More information: 604.606.6400
MACHiNENOiSY. Photo by Ronald Rickus. Used with permission.
I have a pair of tickets to Program Three to give away:
Program Three: Wednesday November 23, 7pm
MACHiNENOiSY Vancouver vs Vancouver + Out Innerspace Dance Theatre Duets (working title)*
Aesthetically simple, profoundly funny and equally disturbing, Vancouver vs Vancouver explores the complex machinations of theatre and the use of sound in dance: MACHiNENOiSY’s Daelik and Delia Brett confront each other, confront the theatre, and destabilize our notions of story and dance. David Raymond and Tiffany Tregarthen of Out Innerspace bring their exquisite stage rapport and striking sense of imagery to Duets, inspired by the genre-defying music of Japanese experimental percussionist Asa Chang.
To enter my giveaway, tell me your favorite style of dance in the comments section (one additional entry for a total of two by posting the text below on Twitter. Most people who wonder which one is my own favorite. I was trained as a contemporary dancer but I’m more of a specialist on salsa, tango and merengue. More salsa if you really press me. How about you? Which style of dance do you like the most? (either watching or dancing!).
Shared my favorite dance style with @hummingbird604 http://is.gd/dBRH4C 2 enter 2 win tickets 2 @dancecentre Biennial Dance in Vancouver
I will draw a winner on November 21st at 2pm. Good luck everyone. Regardless of whether you win or not, you should check the 8th Biennial “Dance In Vancouver”. It promises to be an amazing event.
I’m an East Vancouver boy and I love the East Side Culture Crawl. And while I am still on a blogging hiatus, I felt guilty not to write about the East Side Culture Crawl, so here’s a short post on it.
November 18 + 19 + 20, 2011
The 15th Annual Eastside Culture Crawl – a FREE 3-day visual arts phenomenon. This event involves more than 10,000 people visiting artists in their studios in the area bounded by Main Street and Victoria Drive north of First Avenue in Vancouver, Canada. Program guides are being distributed throughout the city or you can download the printable PDF.
I participated last year in a media preview, but this year I haven’t been able to. Regardless, the East Side Culture Crawl is an iconic event and you should attend.
The Eastside Culture Crawl provides opportunities for member artists to engage with the public through the creation of events, programming and partnerships that foster awareness, encourage visibility and promote artists and their work.
The Eastside Culture Crawl officially began in 1997 with 45 artists in 3 Strathcona area studio buildings and was attended by a few hundred people. Since that time the event has grown to include over 300 artists, craftspeople and designers attracting an audience of more than 10,000. The organization itself has evolved to represent the heart of the East Van creative community.
The Eastside Culture Crawl is a free annual 3-day November event that involves artists on Vancouver’s Eastside opening their studio to the public. The event is focused on the area bounded by Main St., 1st Ave., Victoria Drive, and the Waterfront and involves painters, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, writers, printmakers, photographers, glassblowers; from emerging artists to those internationally established.
I’m not a WordPress genius by any stretch of the imagination. However, the fact that I’ve extensively used WordPress to build an online community around my blog has been something that I have felt proud about. I always enjoy testing new plugins (I’m on a self-hosted install of WordPress) and using them to make my life easier. So, I’ve decided to veer away from the topics I’ve spoken about at previous WordCamps and this time I’m going to tell you about the 6 simple plugins that make my own WordPress blogging life easy, hoping they’ll help you too.
Credit: El Gris on Flickr
I’m following the format required for WordCamp 2012 for my pitch, so here it is. Raul Pacheco HB Strategies 6 Simple Plugins to Make Your Basic WordPress Blogging Easy Bio: Raul Pacheco is the co-author (with Arieanna Schweber) of the e-book “Communities that Rock: Creating Kick-Ass Online Communities” (available online) and a specialist in comparative public policy. An educator, consultant and researcher, his whose online presence at Hummingbird604.com (blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Flickr, Klout) has generated a large online community about travel, food, dance, theatre, arts and lifestyle in and around the Vancouver Lower Mainland, the province of British Columbia and Canada as primary foci. As well as managing his own dynamic community, Raul budgets a limited amount of his time to offer social media consulting for non-profits, higher education, government, politics and public policy and frequently speaks and keynotes about community activism and community building (both in the online and offline spaces). He also blogs about his academic research. All his websites are coded in WordPress, and he prides himself in doing his own stunts and code HTML and *some* PHP by hand. Target Audience (Skill Level): This session is aimed at Beginner to Intermediate. You should be self-hosted. Target Audience (Interests): Bloggers who like doing their own stunts.
Given that I had planned my blogging hiatus a long while ago, I figured I’d start doing the Christmas/holidays giveaways a bit early so that I could actually spend my holidays, completely free. And since I know most of you are already planning for the holidays (heck, have you seen the commercials on TV already?!) I figured I’d remind you of the wonderful musical White Christmas, put together by The Arts Club. I have seen this musical before a few times, and this year will hopefully not be the exception. I think everyone I know loves White Christmas, and I’m sure you’ll definitely have your heart warmed with this fantastic production.
For one lucky reader of mine, I have a pair of tickets to opening night, December 7th at 8pm at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (on 12th and almost Granville).
You can enter my giveaway and accumulate up to 2 entries by commenting here on what you love the most about the holiday season. In my case, and I’ll be the first to admit, I love having the break between university terms so I can actually take some time off and be with my family. During the academic year I work so hard with teaching, research and consulting, that I really look forward to the holiday season in December. Also, that’s when I do most of my academic research writing.
What do YOU love the most about the holiday season? Tell me in the comments section, and to earn a second entry, post the following on your Twitter stream:
Shared what I love most about the holidays w/ @hummingbird604 http://is.gd/TLv2C3 for a chance to win tix to @TheArtsClub White Christmas
I will draw a winner on November 24th at 2pm. White Christmas opens to the general public on December 1st and goes until December 28th (opening night will be December 7th, for which the winner’s tickets are). You can purchase tickets here (be aware that 7 shows are already sold out, so get your tickets now).
There are few days in the calendar year when I feel more proud to live in Canada, in Vancouver, to be an adopted Canadian, than Remembrance Day in Canada. The celebrations across the country are beautiful and touching, and I always get to hear stories from veterans in the war. My good friend Meghan Warby alerted me to this video that honors and acknowledges Aboriginal veterans’ contributions, achievements and sacrifices, as well as those of all veterans and currently serving members. It’s fantastic that they are formally recognized on Remembrance Day, November 11, as much deserved.
One of the most inspiring women I’ve met in a long time, rock singer, poet, writer, inspirational speaker Bif Naked (whom I consider a friend), spoke to a packed house at Creative Mornings Vancouver. I had announced my blogging hiatus but I couldn’t miss Bif’s talk so I decided to come. And I was rewarded with one of the most inspirational speeches I’ve heard.
Bif, in case you didn’t know, survived breast cancer (read her Wikipedia biography) and is full of amazing energy, kindness and love. She shared her visual recording process with us and told us how visualizing herself allowed her to imagine the kind of life she wanted to have and how to design her own evolutionary process.
Bif also spoke to the validity of each one of us creating art our own way and how it is valid. Just her mere presence, her voice, her way of accessing our inner thoughts and connecting with the audience mesmerized me. It was, literally, enrapturing. I’m so glad I attended and I want to thank Mark Busse (organizer of CMVAN) and the amazing team of volunteers, and the hosts at W2 Cafe for an amazing opportunity.
Just realized that it’s the last four shows for Us and Them by Headlines Theatre, a very edgy, experimental theatre company in Vancouver that is tackling issues of homophobia, environmental degradation, racism, etc. in their theatre. Had I not decided to go on a hiatus and stop taking new pitches and blogging for a while, I would totally have checked Us and Them. It sounds like the kind of challenging, interesting, thought-provoking theatre that I enjoy. Particularly because I’m someone who loves telling the stories of the underdog, the challenged, the ones who are facing a difficult time. Read the rest of this entry »
I am, as you know, a complete fan of the Mission Impossible TV series (hello, Tony Hamilton!). In particular I loved the initial credits of the 1988-1990 seasons. You may recognize Jane Badler of former V (which now has been reincarnated and has been filmed here in Vancouver).
I remember the very, very old Mission Impossible as my parents really loved it.
Did you ever watch the TV shows? And have you watched the Tom Cruise movies? I can’t wait for Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol.
My good friend Sarah asked me to forward this to my readership, and since I DO live in Mount Pleasant, and it is a fundraiser, I thought I’d share with my readership. After all, you may have read that there is a number of community gardens emerging in several areas, including the Broadway and Fraser part of Mount Pleasant. The fundraiser is a Wine and Cheese Social in support of the Brewery Creek Community Garden, and will take place this Saturday November 26th, at the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House located on 800 East Broadway (a couple of blocks east of Fraser Street). Tickets are $20 in pre-sale and $25 at the door. 
