Have you ever wondered what it is like to attend glamorous events and blog about fashion? What are the kinds of things fashion bloggers cover? What are the questions nobody likes to ask in fashion blogging? Do men ever get written about and if so, where are those male fashion bloggers? What about fashion after 40? Can we still be fashionable after kids? Where can one find budget clothes and is it all about the Louis Vuitton? And the obvious questions that we might want to discuss: how to deal with product reviews, bad PR pitches, etc.? We all know we get those in fashion too. Read the rest of this entry »
In the past few months I’ve done more of an effort to get involved with the Latin American community (you know, being Latin American myself and all). I was supposed to be a media sponsor for LatinCouver’s wonderful Halloween Circus Fiesta but my brain went I have no clue where so I’m late writing about it. But yes, I’ll definitely want you there, because it sounds like it’s going to be a blast.
Moreover, the Halloween Circus Fiesta takes place at my favorite community centre, in my own neighbourhood.
Event Summary: Halloween Circus Fiesta
· Date: Saturday October 29th, 2011
· Time: 7:30 pm to 1:00 am
· Location: Mount Pleasant Community Center
· Number of people expected: 500 (minimum)
· · Audience Demographics · Partnering with French and Italian Community
· Adults between 25 to 50 years
· Metro Vancouver residents
· Multicultural communities – among them Italian, French, and our Latin community
The Latino, Italian and the French communities are working together to bring you the best party experience for halloween this year. DJ Marc will bring you the best Latin Hits & from around the world.
Food available from Mexico, Italy and Brazil! Prize for the best two circus costumes!!
You can buy your tickets on line ($25) or we have two points where you can buy them:
* The Mexican Restaurant – 1049 Granville street, Vancouver
* Los Guerreros 102-3317 Kingsway, Vancouver
You can buy tickets here. Honestly, for what you will get, the price is ridiculously inexpensive. And you’ll have a great time!
Hummingbird604.com is a proud sponsor of Halloween Circus Fiesta, organized by LatinCouver, the French, Italian and Spanish-speaking communities.
I would love to know where did my 2011 go. Seriously. Are we already shopping for Christmas? Am I already getting invited to do media trips for January 2012? Yes, yes I am. And yes, yes we are. The year has gone so fast it’s not even funny. But the truth is, there is no better time to shop than early, before the Christmas rush. And since I’m a geek, I’m probably going to ask that my Christmas presents be tech-oriented.
If you’re geeky like me and love to shop for gadgets and office supplies, you probably have the same addiction to office equipment as I do. And there are few printers that look more appealing than the HP ENVY 100 e-All-in-One D410a. It looks compact, it does wireless stuff, and it is an all-in-one.
But since I’m an environmental geek, here are some key environmental features I loved:
The planet’s first PVC-free printer.[5]
• Reduce your environmental impact with the planet’s first PVC-free printer.[5]
• Save energy, using an e-all-in-one that is ENERGY STAR® qualified.
• Free, easy recycling—cartridges returned through HP Planet Partners are recycled responsibly.[9]
• Reduce waste by choosing an e-all-in-one that is shipped in a reusable tote bag.
Moreover, it has a number of other ecologically-focused features: It saves paper because it has automatic two-sided printing (I want one, RIGHT NOW). It’s PVC-free as per the note included in the specifications:
HP Envy 100 e-All-in-One is polyvinyl chloride-free (PVC free); meeting the evolving definition of PVC free as set forth in the iNEMI Position Statement on the Definition of “Low-Halogen” Electronics (BFR-/CFR-/PVC-free). Plastic parts contain <1000 ppm (0.1%) of chlorine [if the CI source is from CFRs or PVC or PVC copolymers]. Printers sold in Korea are not PVC free. USB cable, required in limited geographic areas, is not PVC-free.
And YOU (yes, you my dear reader) could win an HP Envy 100 D410 printer. All you need to do is tell me your worst printing nightmare (why do I have a fixation with nightmares and computer equipment? because, as the Law of Murphy will tell you, if anything will go wrong, it will go wrong whenever you least expect it! I want you to tell me the worst nightmare you’ve experienced with printing. Mine was on the day of my final doctoral examination: I needed to print out the slides I was going to talk and my talking points… I forgot the printout at home… and I found out 20 minutes before my final doctoral examination. Luckily my best friend printed my slides for me and I had enough time to go over them. And I did pass and obtain my PhD degree!
This is a short-run contest, so please comment on your worst printer nightmare if you want to enter my giveaway. You will have until November 4th at 5pm to enter this giveaway. You can earn an additional entry via Twitter (up to a total of 2) by posting the following on your Twitter stream:
Told @hummingbird604 my worst printing nightmare to enter to win an HP ENVY 100 Printer http://is.gd/nW7FJq You can enter too!
Choral music has coloured my life for close to two decades now. When Raul offered me an opportunity to review the Vancouver Chamber Choir’s concert, Cappella, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend an evening.
My sister and I arrived at Christ Church Cathedral in time for a talk by John William Trotter, Assistant Conductor of the Vancouver Chamber Choir. He described the stories of the composers, the histories of the pieces, and musical highlights to look for during performance.
The choir was joined by participants from its Focus! professional development program, including members of the BC Girl’s Choir, Capilano University Singers and Douglas College Choir. They performed as a mass choir at the beginning and end of the concerts.
I am never disappointed by the Vancouver Chamber Choir’s artistic versatility, interpretive depth and ability to showcase music by both established and emerging composers from around the world. The first part of the concert contained works from Europe, and Canada including a piece entitled Simple Pictures of Tomorrow by Bob Chilcott, which premiered last week at the opening of the UBC Museum of Anthropology’s new exhibit, Hiroshima.
The second part of the concert featured a series of premieres, some of which have not quite been published yet! Swiss, Swedish, Mexican and American composers set their music to surrealist and sacred poems, as well as Shakespearean sonnets.
The experience of seeing a world-class, award-winning choir one of Vancouver’s historic landmarks can be surpassed by few things in this world. The choir dances through the notes, creating a rich and warm pool of sound. Jon Washburn, conductor of the choir lent his special brand of humour to the concert, which made listening to the commentary as entertaining as the repertoire.
If I had to pick a favourite, it would keep me up the better part of the evening. One of them was Washburn’s own new arrangement of Dona Nobis Pacem (translated to “Give Us Peace” in Latin) – which also premiered at the MOA last week. The choir members spoke the word “peace” in forty different languages, as the phrase was chanted in Japanese, Latin and English. Simultaneously light-hearted and meaningful, the arrangement epitomized the universality of peace, and of music and their ability to bring people together, just as we had gathered in a church on a rainy Vancouver Friday night.
The Vancouver Chamber Choir has a full season of exciting music coming up. For more details, visit their website
This review was kindly written by Mehnaz Thawer in exclusive for Hummingbird604.com. Tickets for Mehnaz’s review were kindly provided by the Vancouver Chamber Choir. Mehnaz blogs at Speak Softly and Carry a Pen. You can also follow her on Twitter: @mehnazt
Given that I live in Mount Pleasant and that I am so involved with causes of homelessness and youth, I thought that this would be very fitting for my blog. I found out that Virgin Mobile Canada, through Virgin Unite (their charitable arm), are raising awareness and thus are holding a concert with Bedouin Soundclash from where proceeds will be donated to the Broadway Youth Resource Centre (which is located on Broadway and Fraser on Mount Pleasant). I really like Bedouin Soundclash, and it is indeed a fact that this kind of benefit concert is totally up my alley.
Right now, 65,000 Canadian youth don’t have a place to call home. That’s the same as the population of Saint John, New Brunswick. In partnership with Virgin Unite, we’re on a mission to raise awareness of an epidemic of youth homelessness in Canada. Over 65,000 young people endure homelessness in this country every year. We’re working on new programs that will create opportunities for our community to inspire real change for these young people, and that’s where we need your help. We want to make November 17th National Youth Homelessness Awareness Day to show the government that we need lasting solutions and not temporary band-aids
Proceeds from the show will support Virgin Unite partner Broadway Youth Resource Centre. Located in Vancouver, Broadway Youth Resource Centre is an integrated one-stop centre that provides a wide range of social, health, education, employment and life skills services to homeless and at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 24.
Tickets for the Bedouin Soundclash show on December 1, 2011 are $25 each (plus applicable service charges) and will be available for purchase online at Ticket Web starting at 10:00 a.m. PST on October 21, 2011. Concertgoers must be 19+ and doors will open at 8:00 p.m. PST. Whether or not they can make it to the show, Canadians can support Virgin Unite by texting REGEN to 30333 from their mobile phone to donate $5 for at-risk and homeless youth programs in Canada.
And because I love my readers and Virgin Mobile Canada is being so kind, I have a pair of tickets to give away to the concert. I will hold the giveaway for about a week, drawing winners on November 4th, 2011 at 2pm. so you should enter FAST. And if you don’t win, you can always buy tickets as indicated above, at Ticket Web.
To enter, write on the comments something that you would think could help at-risk homeless youth in Canada (or worldwide). As I often tell my Public Policy students, no suggestion is too crazy. To gain an additional entry feel free to post the following on your Twitter stream:
Commented on youth homelessness on @hummingbird604 ‘s blog http://is.gd/Xtx0CD 2 enter 2 win tix 2 @bedouinsndclsh via @virginmobilecan
I will draw a random winner from all entries up to November 4th, 2011 at 2pm. And remember, with the weather being this cold, please consider buying a warm beverage to someone who might not be as lucky as you to have a roof above their heads.
Once I got over the fact that it wasn’t a traditional opera, I absolutely loved West Side Story. Presented by the Vancouver Opera, West Side Story is in many ways a little bit of a Romeo and Juliet (all proportions guarded). For someone like me, trained in classical piano, the son of a former soprano and a bit of a traditionalist because of my training as a dancer, appreciating West Side Story meant engaging in a bit of a conflict with myself.
West Side Story is not a traditional opera, but then again, you wouldn’t say that Nixon in China (which the Vancouver Opera presented last season) is a traditional opera. But West Side Story will appeal to those who appreciate beautiful and powerful operatically-trained voices, amazing dancers and fantastic theatrical actors. Each element of the cast of West Side Story is a triple threat: great singers, skillful dancers and gifted actors. Full disclosure: one of the cast members is a good friend of mine, Tyrell Witherspoon. Nevertheless, everyone did a bang-on job.
Set in New York City in the mid-1950s, the musical explores the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The members of the Sharks from Puerto Rico are taunted by the Jets, a white working-class group. The young protagonist, Tony, one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre. Bernstein’s score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes “Something’s Coming”, “Maria”, “America”, “Somewhere”, “Tonight”, “Jet Song”, “I Feel Pretty”, “A Boy Like That”, “One Hand, One Heart”, “Gee, Officer Krupske” and “Cool”.
I was pretty dis-satisfied with the first two numbers and found the beginning of Act I rather weak (e.g. when the Jets and the Sharks engage in their first taunting exercise). But as the show progressed (from the point where Anita is making Maria’s dress for an upcoming dance to the end of the show), I found the execution pretty much flawless.
While Lucia Cesaroni (Maria) is a spectacular singer with a beautiful voice and an on-stage presence that reminds me of several other wonderful sopranos, frankly I found that at points, Cleopatra Williams (Anita) stole the show. Dani Jazzar (Bernardo) is handsome and talented in his portrayal of the jealous brother. But the shock for me was Colin Ainsworth (Tony). I’m sorry, but my brain couldn’t quite process a tall, muscular, perfect-bodied, blonde, blue-eyed tenor. When I think tenor, I think Placido Domingo.
Ainsworth, the lovestricken Tony, offers a magnificent portrayal of a young, still-maturing, naive and innocent man. Completely and utterly in love with the lovely Maria, Tony believes everything will work out in the end, despite the riffs between the Sharks and the Jets. Quite obviously, if you have ever listened to the music of West Side Story, you will recognize tunes like “America”, “Officer Krupke” and “Tonight”.
I have seen other versions of West Side Story, and despite my reluctance at the beginning to see it with opera-trained actors, I ended up enjoying it immensely. From a technical standpoint (and in my view as a former dancer), the entire cast’s athleticism, skill and elegance added to an already strong vocal repertoire and a beautiful musical score.
I entered the theatre ready to not like West Side Story “because it wasn’t a traditional opera” and I left with my heart glowing and an extremely positive view of the performance. Beyond the traditional themes it explores (racial discrimination, urban poverty), it is also a timely reminder of how youth needs to find their pathway (let’s not forget the London and Vancouver riots). A cast of strong, powerful voices with extremely skilled actors, blessed with incredible acrobatic and dance skills gives this production of West Side Story its all, and succeeds in bringing the audience a wonderful, colourful and vibrant spectacle.
One final thought – I’m glad that ballet companies, classical musical ensembles and the opera are trying harder to reach out to younger audiences. While I’m in many ways a purist who loves his traditional, classic ballet or opera performances, I am all for popularizing art. Recently, Alberta Ballet put together Love Lies Bleeding and it was a huge success. Vancouver Recital Society’s Audra Macdonald concert was also wildly successful. I’m hoping the same will happen with this year’s Vancouver Opera’s program.
PARENTAL ADVISORY: West Side Story contains suggestive language and physical violence. Three killings are depicted, as well as an attempted sexual assault. A gun is fired. Parents might consider this production unsuitable for children under the age of 12.
Thursday October 27, 2011 7:30pm
Friday October 28, 2011 7:30pm
Saturday October 29, 2011 • Matinee 1:30pm
Saturday October 29, 2011 7:30pm
Disclosure: JT paid for both of our tickets to this performance of the Vancouver Opera’s West Side Story. I am in no way, shape or form affiliated with the Vancouver Opera nor have I received complimentary tickets (although I did participate in their Bloggers At The Opera program 2 or 3 times a couple of years ago). I wrote a review because I love opera, and my Mom probably would appreciate that I share my thoughts on the production with my readers. Also, I find it quite frustrating that young audiences don’t attend many performing arts productions and thought they should check out this version of West Side Story.
Honestly, if there is something we need in the world right now, is a little bit more kindness. In my case, I have been on the receiving end of some pretty negative comments and nasty attacks online, for no reason. But the one thing that keeps giving me hope is the fact that there are so many people who are focused on promoting random acts of kindness.
Vancouver Childrens Choir. Photo Credit: Rebecca Bollwitt via Miss604 Flickr
So when I was approached by the organizers of the World Kindness Concert to write about the event and promote it, I knew that this was something I really wanted to do. I am thrilled to see that there are so many wonderful artists that are involved in such a positive event.
Some of the Top Performers confirmed include the following:
The World Kindness Concert celebrates its 11th year by gathering world class performers to celebrate and promote the messages of kindness, compassion, love and peace, and to touch the hearts of people around the world. This is more than just a Concert. This is a Global Movement to eliminate violence, bullying, suicide, cruelty and abuse to our environment.
DiRTY RADiO photo credit: Daniel Bonavita via Flickr
I’m quite excited about our fair city’s own tribute band ABRA Cadabra, one of my absolute favorites DiRTY RADiO. I am also very sure that the energy that will emanate from the concert will be really positive and that people will leave the event recharged and thinking of ways to engage in more random acts of kindness. Funds raised go both towards the concert itself and keeping the cost low, and also towards Kindness Rocks. Tickets are $47, but you can win a pair via Hummingbird604.com!
To enter my giveaway, comment on a random act of kindness that you’ve done, been given, or witnessed by November 2nd at 5PM. You can also post the following tweet on your Twitter stream:
What was your last act of kindness? Told @hummingbird604 about mine 2 enter 2 win tix 2 World Kindness Concert 2011 http://is.gd/RaNnQe
The concert will take place on Friday November 4th,2011 . Doors: 7pm / Show 8pm at The Centre for Performing Arts. Tickets available here.
Not exactly wordless, but there is one thing that makes me incredibly happy: my friends. This is just a very, very small sample of photos of friends of mine 🙂
Vancouver is a hot spot for the tech and new media industry. The Merging Media Conference, starting tomorrow (October 27th) at SFU Woodwards, takes advantage of our city’s reputation for great media engagement and brings together the foremost leaders and and innovators in the field.
Here are some highlights of the busy two-day schedule:
Keynote: Riding the Digital Wave Curtis Marvis, President of Digital Media, Lionsgate, reveals how film studios are getting into the business of tackling the digital space. Learn about the creation of the Weeds Social Club and the Dirty Dancing Social Game, which became the #2 fastest growing facebook game in the world within two weeks of its launch.
Youtube: How to Engage Audiences Online–Brian Glick From desktop to mobile to living rooms, online video has become a daily presence in our lives, viewable wherever you have a screen. Some online creators now have audiences larger than most television networks. What are they doing? How is online video altering audience engagement and how is YouTube keeping up to speed in the rapidly evolving landscape? How can we partner with YouTube to make most of our online presence?
The Canucks Showcase–Creative Kudos
We celebrate Canucks in the limelight. (Evan Jones) Stitch Media, (Michael Fergusson) Ayogo, (David Gratton) Work-at-Play, (Sean Embury) Fulscrn & (Sandy Fleischer) Dare are among some of the top Canadian companies producing cross-media projects that have won international awards and recognition at SXSW and other Canadian Festivals. What have they done to deserve this recognition?
Amazon reveals the “who, how and what” of media self publishing. Speaker: Jon Fine, Amazon, Director of Author + Publisher Relations. E-publishing has skyrocketed in popularity while Kindle sales have taken over print sales on Amazon. Just a fad or the tip of the iceburg for publishing’s future? How can we work with Amazon to self publish our latest project?
Tools of Engagement
Moderator: Gillian Shaw (The Vancouver Sun, Tech Journalist) Panel: Scott Michaels (Atimi Software, VP Client Services), Steve Bocska (Pug Pharm), Moyra Rodger (Magnify Digital, CEO), Jeremy Butteriss (Google, Director of Strategic Partnerships), Seth Shapiro (New Amsterdam Media, Principal). Get a handle on the latest cutting edge innovations to help you engage your audience, interact with your viewers, extend your branding and enhance your digital strategy.
There’s still time to register online. You can also buy one- or two-day passes, student passes or CMPA member passes at the door.
Marriage is a favourite topic of playwrights everywhere: after True Love Lies, which examined the marriage of a formerly and maybe still gay man and a heterosexual woman, The Cultch presents a new play on the topic starting tomorrow: FifityWords by Michael Weller.
In “Fifty Words”, something’s gone awry behind the idyllic facade of Jan and Adam’s Brooklyn brownstone. At 9:10 p.m., they’re reveling in the freedom of having waved off their young son, Greg, to a neighborhood sleepover. By 9:30 p.m., things have gone, well. . .way past awry. Alternately funny and frightening, “Fifty Words” is an expansive look at modern marriage, as seen through the looking glass of one couple’s long night’s journey into day.
The performance runs from October 27th to November 5th with a preview performance tonight (October 26th) at 8PM for 18$.
The Cultch always puts on a great show and the space is simply incredible.
What: Fifty Words by Michael Weller
When: October 27th to November 5th
Where: The Cultch, 1895 Venables St.
More info: The Cultch or 604-251-1363
If you love checking out the “East-Van” culture, volunteering on the Downtown East-side, tend to avoid Main & Hastings out of undertainty, or just are interested and intrigued by the mystery that the DTES presents… you should definitely come check out the Heart of the City festival. Starting on Wednesday, over 80 events will be taking place across this corner of the city, squeezed in between Gastown, Strathcona, Chinatown and the ocean. This tiny geographical niche, only a few blocks wide, is widely debated and celebrated in Vancouver. For the 8th year, the DTES’s artists and activists will have their works on display to the rest of the city.
Photo Credit: Beth Taylor (Tiddlywinkervia Flickr)
This year, the festival’s theme will coincide with Vancouver’s 125th anniversary, “Telling Our Story, Building Our Community.” The story-telling part will largely involve documentation and preservation of history. As a very early and foundational part of the city, the DTES is history-rich and it’s story is vital to the picture of Vancouver. The community building part has to do with the continual development within the DTES and all of the contributing players: volunteers at non-profit organizations, students and artists, professionals, and a variety of merging cultures including Aboriginal representatives from the community, and Chinese representatives from the neighbouring (and merging) community of Chinatown.
The festival features twelve days of music, poetry, spoken word, stories, visual arts, cultural celebrations, outdoor festivities, films, dance, processions, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, mixed media, hip hop, art talks, history walks and a diverse array of artist showcases.
There are many activities to do at this festival besides be astounded by the complex intricacies of the community. One of the top picks of the events is happening on the opening night: Sweet Soul Sisters of the Downtown Eastside, playing at the Carnegie Hall at 7:3oPM for free (like many of the events of the festival!) A variety of music from jazz to international, and even an accordion concert will happen over the week.
One of my (Jessica’s) favourite events (in any city for any occasion) as well: Walking tours! Yes – by exploring a space by foot and the ability to touch, feel, smell, and listen to a knowledgeable guide, one is able to more comprehensively understand it. These are very popular events, and an entire selection will be available! One of the very coolest, in celebration (again) of Vancouver’s 125th anniversary, is all about Vancouver 125 years ago. How well can you conceptualize the city in 1886? This tour will help you! For the artists out there, there is also a mural tour of the area. Each tour is priced differently, usually locals are free or pay-as-you-can.
The festival runs from October 26 – November 6. Most events are free, but some prices vary.
Shy Monster, Burlesque Owl, Space Owl & Party Clown Monster invite you to the 6th annual Here Be Monsters Festival! Art by Margaux Wosk/Retrophiliac.
Monsters Unite! Here be Monsters: a performance and visual arts marathon proudly presented by Monster Creative Productions.
On October 27 – 30, the Here Be Monsters Festival will take over Performance Works on Granville Island for its 6th annual monstrous celebration of performing and visual artists in collaboration. Six independent theatre companies will be put to the test to create one of a kind theatre in 48 hours inTheatre Under The Gun (TUG)! As proud participants of Vancouver125, there will be a new element to this year’s festival: 125 Gun Salute! A Theatre Under the Gun Remix…theatre made in 125 hours!
That’s right… the 3 days of the festival will be a mad scrambled for the production crew and performers, but the end will be a big performance concocted over the few short days. The top 3 theater companies will have the joy of performing in front of YOU – the live audience.
Every evening throughout the festival, live performances and a Monster Bar will be available for the most eccentric Halloween festivities and libations. Each night holds something new exciting, kicking off with an opening night Smogasbord of “outrageous delights” in the form of visual arts, comedy, acting showcases and music.
October 29th will also feature a public art workshop, where you can create or design your own monster. Throughout the performances and events of the festival, costumes are highly encouraged, and will even get you a 3$ discount if buying tickets at the door! This is a great way to indulge your inner artist with whimsical seasonal weirdness.
TIMES: 7:15pm Monster Bar & Art Gallery opens
8:00pm Showtime* *as well as special public workshop presentation at 4pm on Sat Oct 29
WHERE: Performance Works, 1218 Cartwright Street, Granville Island
A couple of years ago, at one of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), BC Chapter meetings I talked with a number of folks from the Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast tourism boards, and I mentioned I would at some point, come and visit the Sunshine Coast. It took me THIS LONG to do so. The Sunshine Coast (or the Sunshine Coast Regional District, as it is known in governance terms) is absolutely beautiful.
The first thing that totally shocked me was that it was so close: Gibsons is literally 40 minutes by ferry from Horseshoe Bay. And the second one: it’s not island terrain. It’s actually on the mainland! I felt so ignorant about geography when I realized this.
I was accompanied on this tour by Andrea from Vancouver Coast Mountains (VCMC) and Andrea (Sunshine Coast Tourism) and Robyn (604 Pulse), and we had an absolute blast. We ate at fine restaurants (including the Laughing Oyster in Okeover Arm, and Chasters at the Bonniebrook Lodge in Gibsons), we listened to live music (at the Gumboot Cafe in Roberts Creek), and we saw beautiful art all the way from Langdale to Lund. Literally, we art-crawled.
I will have a series of blog posts about where we stayed, where we ate and a few of the great artists we visited from town to town. These blog posts will be released as a series throughout the next 2 or 3 weeks. Trust me, I have more than enough content. I took 750 photos on this trip. You can follow those posts via my tag “Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011”
Some of the art we saw on the first day:
Gordon Halloran
Nadina Tandy
Mardi
It was really an amazing trip. We experienced the warmth and hospitality of local artists, B&B owners and restaurant folks. For anyone wanting to get out of the crazy pace of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, I thoroughly recommend doing a week-long or so trip crawling through the Sunshine Coast.
The Sunshine Coast at its southernmost tip is a mere 10 miles as the crow flies from downtown Vancouver, and at its most northern point it borders on some of the most rugged natural surroundings in this beautiful province of British Columbia. Stretching 110 miles (180 km) along the shores of the Strait of Georgia from Howe Sound to Desolation Sound, the Sunshine Coast has much to offer visitors. With its coastal mountain range, old growth forests, lakes and inlets, each stop along the Sunshine Coast offers visitors a unique sense of place, featuring local history, cultural heritage and natural attractions. Immerse yourself in marine activities such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, pleasure cruising, sport fishing, scuba diving, swimming, beachcombing and more!
Amongst the things that intrigued me the most was the fact that there is a lot of stuff that we don’t know about towns we visited. For example, I found Powell River intriguing. It has restructured from being a more industrial town to more of a tourist destination. And it has some really neat displays. Lund, a town founded by Swedes. Who knew?! And who knew that Mile Zero of Highway 101 (the one who goes all the way south to Chile) is in Lund?! I stood RIGHT THERE.
I love the Sunshine Coast. There, I said it.
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.
Overlooking the Strait of Georgia, this historic 4-story lodge is 5 km from downtown Gibsons, British Columbia. Originally a hotel, it offers contemporary suites with a balcony and whirlpool tub. Each spacious suite at Bonniebrook Lodge has a private entrance and is furnished with hardwood floors and a fireplace. Guests can watch the 32-inch flat-screen TV or listen to music with the iPod docking station. Wired internet is available. Chaster’s Dining Room serves brunch on Sundays during the summer and gourmet meals on Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Its wine cellar boasts over 1,000 bottles from local wineries. Room service is offered. This pet-friendly property is completely smoke-free. Dougall Park is 4.3 km from the Bonniebrook Lodge Bed and Breakfast. Mount Elphinstone Provincial Park is a 15-minute drive away.
Did I mention that my suite had a private jacuzzi? I was so exhausted from a long week and a relatively late night out and about (we went to Roberts Creek and toured a few different artists during the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011) that I had to take a bath. And that was the best decision, ever.
I loved that every single detail about the room was indicative of a genuine interest in the well being and comfort of the visitor. I particularly loved having a big closet, even if I didn’t really use much of the space, as I travel pretty light.
I’m not 100% sure whether my photos do justice to how amazing this place is. I slept like a baby.
During the day, you can tell better how spacious, comfortable and relaxing the environment is.
I will definitely come back to The Bonniebrook Lodge for a special occasion. It’s totally worth it. More information about The Bonniebrook Lodge here:
The Lodge is located on 1532 Ocean Beach Esplanade at the end of and off Gower Point Road in Gibsons, BC… a 13 minute drive from the Langdale Ferry terminal and just 8 minutes from downtown Gibsons. Hosts Lina Jakobs and Mark Darlington, accommodation rental business owners from Whistler, have recently bought the Lodge and Restaurant as their ‘dream business’. Lina and Mark are dedicated to offering Bonniebrook Lodge as the ultimate Sunshine Coast accommodation and dining experience… a lodge for magical days and romantic, fun-filled evenings.
I am absolutely delighted I got to see one of the beautiful B&B’s in Gibsons as I firmly believe that you need to check out local accommodations that aren’t the standard norm (and I know that Rockwater Lodge gets a lot of press, so it was nice to see this other B&B and appreciate the chance to get to know Lina and Mark, who were amazing hosts.
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.
if you are unemployed and need an outfit clean for an interview we will clean it for free.
This photo (well, a similar one) came across my Facebook feed today. And it made my day. I felt the need to shed a few tears, and I am glad I did. For the most part, today has been uneventful except for the part when I realized how much some people take me for granted (through observing some people’s behavior, both online and offline).
I was ready to wallow in self-pity and anger, and I chose to not do so. I chose to focus on what makes this world better. I chose to remember how *I* make this world better. For all the online (and offline) attacks I receive (which, surprising as this may sound to you, are A LOT), I do a hell of a lot of good in this world. I think that’s also part of why I get attacked and backstabbed so frequently (you may not see it as much of this happens behind the scenes).
So much of my work (both academic and in social media) has been focused on helping non-profits, on showcasing the arts, on promoting charitable causes, on being the champion of the underdog. And then I realize that yes, I’ve done a lot of great work, but there are other people out there who feel compelled to do good work, and to do random acts of kindness. God knows I’ve been on the receiving end of some of these random acts of kindness on occasion.
The photo above reminded me of how society rises above the petty fights and ridiculousness when there are serious problems that have negative effects at a systemic scale. It says “if you are unemployed and need an outfit clean for an interview we will clean it for free“. You may have seen the original post around 2009. Let me just repost it for your consideration, as it’s important to remember that there are people who have it MUCH worse than we do.
This is the second annual “Gait to the Spirit dance festival: Commemorating the ‘Year of India in Canada’ And Celebrating Classical Dance of India,” presented by Mandala Arts & Culture.
2 styles of dance will be represented at the festival: bharata natyam and odissi.
PRIYADARSINI GOVIND is a world-famous bharata natyam dancer. She will be performing with a 4-piece orchestra on stage with her from Chennai, as well as hosting 2 workshops on October 30 & 31 from 6 – 9 pm. Her authenticity and elegance are renound.
RAHUL ACHARYA is a traditional male temple dancer. He will be hosting a free lecture demonstrationon the intricacies of classical odissi dancing.
Photo as Provided by Publicist
Mandala Arts and Culture is a Vancouver Based Company dedicated to producing, developing and presenting the classical dance forms of India, supporting the artistic vision of director Jai Govinda. This rich edition of the 2011 festival will be a landmark in the city’s many years of presentation of the Indian classical dance forms and an affirmation of the close relations of India and Canada. This festival is supported in partnership with both The Dance Centre and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts as well with the generous support of The City of Vancouver, the BC Arts Council, Chum radio (through their Arts Fact program) and the National training program of Heritage Canada.
October 28 – 31 2011 Tickets are available at Banyan Books (604.737.8858 or at 3608 W. 4th Ave.) and at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts at 604.205.3000 or www.shadboltcentre.com (for the October 29th Shadbolt Show in Burnaby only)
I was torn between blogging about this here or on my research blog, but I figured it would get much more exposure here. As an academic who blogs (and who often gets mistaken as ‘just a blogger’), enabling broad, wide access to my scholarship has been a tenet of my teaching and research strategies. I actively use social media (blogs, Twitter, Facebook) as tools to widely disseminate my research findings and strengthen my teaching. I publish an academic-focused research blog, I write blog postsfor my courses at UBC.
I also design my courses in such a way that accessing readings is both free and easy as often as possible (e.g. I actively seek open-access journals/books). Furthermore, I actively participate on the editorial board of an Open Access journal (Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy) and I do peer-reviews for open-access journals. I strongly believe that while copyright was designed to protect the misappropriation of intellectual property and (in the case of the arts) ensure that artists are paid fairly for their art, it’s been misused to make people believe that open access is bad.
Open Access Week, a global event now entering its fourth year, is an opportunity for the academic and research community to continue to learn about the potential benefits of Open Access, to share what they’ve learned with colleagues, and to help inspire wider participation in helping to make Open Access a new norm in scholarship and research.
“Open Access” to information – the free, immediate, online access to the results of scholarly research, and the right to use and re-use those results as you need – has the power to transform the way research and scientific inquiry are conducted. It has direct and widespread implications for academia, medicine, science, industry, and for society as a whole.
I know that by writing this blog post, it is likely that I will get into a series of discussions and diatribes on who would pay for open access resources, but ultimately, I am an academic who believes that his research should be widely disseminated (I’m not the only one who believes that – if you read the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canad Knowledge Mobilization Strategy, you’ll know that SSHRC actively promotes Open Access).
Open Access Week is organized by SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition), with the generous support of our 2011 sponsors: the Public Library of Science, @mire, and Springer Open. SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) is a library membership organization that promotes expanded sharing of scholarship. SPARC believes that faster and wider sharing of outputs of the research process increases the impact of research, fuels the advancement of knowledge, and increases the return on research investments. SPARC is supported by a membership of over 800 academic and research libraries worldwide. SPARC
I’ve blogged before about Brunch With Benefits, but lately (and by lately I mean, the past 3 years) I have made more of an effort to promote charitable causes that deal with issues that affect the queer population, so I’m writing about it again (and I will be attending the 2011 event).
HIV is still one of the diseases that affects gay men in a significant proportion, so I am quite keen to support non-profit organizations like YouthCO (in addition to the fact that I have good friends either working for YouthCO or on the board).
YouthCO is Canada’s first youth-driven organization leading the HIV and Hep C movement through peer education, support, and shared leadership.
Approximately one third of all new HIV-positive tests in Canada are among youth aged 15-29 years, and the numbers are just as high when it comes to Hepatitis C. Now more than ever there is a need for effective prevention, education and support programs by and for young people.
YouthCO has been providing such services for over 16 years and has been recognized nationally as a leader and advocate for youth sexual health. By supporting Brunch with Benefits you are promoting the current and future health of our community.
There are 10 restaurants participating at Brunch With Benefits. 2 that I recall off the top of my head are: Market by St. Georges and The Helm.
Brunch with Benefits 2011 will be happening on Sunday, November 27th at 10 participating restaurants around Vancouver. Enjoy brunch with your friends and family and a portion of the proceeds will go towards YouthCO‘s HIV and Hep C prevention, support and awareness programs for young people.
I will post the complete list of restaurants once I hear back from my friend Michael Reid, who works for YouthCO. The list so far is quite impressive. Check it out! And if you can’t make it for brunch that Sunday, you can still donate directly.
Photo Credit: Dennis Tsang (Dennis Tsang via Flickr)
Coming up this Wednesday will be the Halloween lead-up week for the final Haunted Vancouver Trolley tours! Don’t worry if you haven’t gone yet, the run four times a night! Every hour, a 2 1/2 hour tour kicks off from Canada Place and tours around and across the streets of Vancouver.
Think you know of Vancouver’s neighbourhoods?
See them in a different light (or lack thereof) and hear the spooky tales and meet the ghosts. The trolley makes stops at both Mountain View Cemetery and the Vancouver Police Museum’s Autopsy Room! The event is reserved for adults and youth 13+, and a reservation is required ahead of time.
2 1/2 Hour Tours depart Wednesday through Sunday (and Halloween Monday!) from October 12, 2011 — October 31, 2011. Tour times are 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm & 8:30pm Wednesday through Sunday. Extra tour time of 9:30pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween Night!
Credit: Audric Leperdi on Flickr
You can check out prices and reservation information here, tickets are a flat rate of $35.00 per tour, but you can also win a pair of tickets for a Saturday Night trolley tour via Hummingbird604! To enter, comment below a place that you think is spooky or that gives you the creeps, or tweet:
Entered to win tickets to the Halloween Haunted Vancouver tour http://is.gd/lb4DhK via @VanTrolley & @Hummingbird604 – you can too!
While the weather may be rainy, I’m sure this will not deter participants in the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl 2011. It will certainly not deter ME from participating. In a few hours I will be leaving for the Sunshine Coast alongside Robyn from 604 Pulse to follow along a weekend of fantastic events that will showcase some of the amazing artists we have in our beautiful British Columbia, moreso on the Sunshine Coast.
This is definitely not my first media trip (I do a lot of travel writing), but it will be one of the most interesting I think because we are “hitting three birds with one stone“: we will be profiling Sunshine Coast artists, we will be most likely writing about the towns themselves (Powell River and Gibsons at least) and we will be showcasing the wonderful accommodations where we will be hosted.
But more importantly, if you are in the area, you should totally come down!
A weekend to explore 108 galleries and studios with almost 200 participating artists. Join friends and take a scenic drive along the Sunshine Coast, stopping at the wonderful community hubs and studio events throught the weekend.
The Coast Cultural Alliance (CCA) is pleased to present the 2011 Sunshine Coast Art Crawl . This weekend arts event is FREE for everyone. The Sunshine Coast Art Crawl offers Crawlers access to participating galleries and art studios along the entire Sunshine Coast Highway from Langdale to Lund. We invite Crawlers to come and experience the vibrant arts and cultural community on the Sunshine Coast. Crawlers will be amazed by the hidden talent!
Join friends and take a scenic drive along the Sunshine Coast, stopping at the wonderful community hubs and studio events throughout the weekend. Meet at the community hubs located in Gibsons, Roberts Creek, Sechelt, Madeira Park and Powell River to get started, fill up your ‘passport’ for a chance to win great prizes.
Disclosure: I will be participating 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 will be paying for every other expense associated with this trip, including (but not limited to) incidentals, a few meals, etc. You can follow along my adventures on the Sunshine Coast through this tag.
Want some awesome, cheap and stylish fashion? Look no further than H&M, who opened a new store at the Metropolis at Metrotown mall in Burnaby.
Finally an H&M that you can visit without having to go downtown. I loved the space and the lighting in the store. The guests of the exclusive event I attended really seemed in a shopping mood: there were long lines at the fitting rooms and people walking out with big bags of purchases. Although H&M isn’t really my style and I’m kinda broke, I certainly could see the appeal of the stylish threads thoughtfully displayed throughout the store. I even took a moment to visit the men’s and kids’ sections. My pictures (iPhone pictures, sorry about that) don’t represent the crowd that evening: there were fashion influencers, a DJ and excellent catering.
All pictures by Anabelle for Hummingbird604.
The new H&M Metrotown officially opened on October 13th at noon. It’s located right next to the Forever XXI.
Disclosure: Anabelle went to the media preview of the H&M store in Metrotown in representation of Hummingbird604.com. No compensation was received by either Anabelle nor myself (Raul). As always, I retain editorial control at all times.
I was recently invited to Prestons (the restaurant of the Coast Coal Harbour hotel) for a media event to unveil its new menu. I have purposefully spent less time attending media events and more focused on my academic career, and thus have not attended many media events. But this one had a few characteristics that made me join. First, I had already been for dinner and another media event at Prestons, and really liked it. Second, it was on a Monday (strange as this may sound, media events on a Monday are less problematic and less likely to conflict with another event. Third, it was probably the only chance I was going to get in 2011 to see my fellow foodie bloggers and traditional media food writers. So, I went for it and I brought along my two interns, Anabelle and Jessica.
While the purists may complain about how we ate bite-sized portions, I really liked this approach. I know for a fact that larger size portions will not be reflected in these bites, but it does allow me to sample a broader variety of dishes. I liked the mini Thai red curry (spicy coconut curry, chicken, eggplant, peppers, red onion, on steamed jasmine rice) the best. It was flavourful, the spice heat content wasn’t so high that it would be non-edible for delicate palates, and it packed a good punch.
Given my fully-admitted dislike for cheese, I avoided the poutine, but did have a few pieces of eggplant parmesan sliders (stewed red peppers, basil pesto and feta cheese). I did not remove the cheese, but found that most of the slider was the eggplant and red peppers, which masked the feta cheese. I also loved the dungeness crab cakes (tomato vinaigrette and fried capers) which are very much a staple appetizer. And of course, who can say no to gyozas?
While I found the two different sets of sliders interesting, the ones that I loved more were the eggplant parmesan. But who can say no to braised BBQ pork sliders? Certainly not me.
Really enjoyed having a chance to catch up with so many of my fellow food writers (full disclosure, there was open bar so I’m sure many of us had more than one drink). The French martini (vodka, chambord and pineapple juice) was refreshing and I found myself surprised by how much I loved the Venetian Spritzer (aperol herb liqueur and brut served on crushed rocks).
I became enchanted with the Toblerone martini. Four words: vanilla vodka and chocolate. For dessert, we had more than one mini matcha creme brule. You know how much I love it. Overall, a fantastic event and will have to bring along my friends for dinner and/or drinks. Thanks for inviting me and my interns!
Disclosure: While I was neither paid nor expected to write a review post, nor a positive review at that, myself and my two interns were invited to participate in the media event where we consumed complimentary food samples and drinks. We also did receive a swag bag. As always, I retain editorial control on anything published on my site
Fall is definitely here. Some people, like me, hold out for a very few small joys over the winter in wait for spring again. Much overlooked in my perceived calendar is the month of November; What ever happens in November?
A whole culture has risen out of the perfect month to bundle up, huddle together as a community, and grow some facial hair. Movember is coming. That’s right, a slew of celebrities, NHL hockey stars, and men in our communities are dedicating their faces to the cause of Prostate Cancer Research fundraising.
Movember – The month formerly known as November, where men grow a moustache for 30 days to raise funds and awareness for the fight against prostate cancer.
On Wednesday night, Mo Bros and Sistas joined together to celebrate and learn together. Representatives from Prostate Cancer Canada and fundraising gurus got together to discuss the incredible need that cancer patients and researchers face. The need for awareness still exists considering many men have never been tested.
The campaign is simple and has 2 basic rules:
1. Grow a mustache in November. Start with a clean face, see how it goes.
2. Talk to people about it. Spread the word, collect donations, and involve your friends and community in the worthy cause.
When the month is over, the city will be filled with stylish and creative mustaches. Participants and supporters will come together for a festive party of celebration for the massive amounts of money being directed into battling cancer. Don’t miss your chance to sign up! Register here.
The Movember Effect: Awareness & Education, Survivorship, Research
Disclosure: Jessica attended the Movember media preview on assignment from Hummingbird604.com. No post was required nor paid for, nor were we compensated in any way, shape or form. As always I (Raul) retain editorial control on anything posted on my site.
Daryl King and Sasa Brown. Photo by Tim Matheson. Used with permission.
Despite being a nation known for its peacefulness, Canada has participated in several wars throughout its history: the Boers War, World War I and World War II, to name a few.
A new play at the Firehall Arts Centre in Chinatown explores one of the most important battles in the history of Canadian warfare: the battle of Vimy Ridge.
Floating from the present into the past, VIMY looks at the motivations and stories of eight young people and how they came to be part of the war. Set in a field hospital, the story is revealed through the eyes of a young nurse as she cares for the wounded following the battle of Vimy Ridge.
Leading up to the premiere of the play on November 2nd, there will be a community dialogue session on “Women and War” on October 24th at the Peter Kaye Room at the Central Library and a photo exhibit called Peace at War at the Firehall Arts Centre from October 20th to November 19th.
Don’t miss this chance to learn more about this important part of Canadian history. We have a pair of tickets to give away for the premiere of the play on November 2nd. To enter, tell us in the comments if and how war has affected you. Do you have loved ones serving abroad? A family member who fought in Europe? We want to hear your stories.
For an extra entry, tweet the following:
Told @hummingbird604 a war story 2 enter 2 win tix to #Vimy at @FirehallArtsCte. Share yours at http://is.gd/yyOBR4
We will draw a winner on Friday, October 28th at 2PM. Remember to use a valid email. Check your tweets, your email and this post on the day of the draw.
What: Vimy Where: Firehall Arts Centre, 280 East Cordova, Vancouver When: November 2nd to 19th (with discussion session on October 24th and exhibit from October 20th until closing of the play) More information: Firehall Arts Centre or 604-689-0926
Produced by Fugue Theatre, this unique production is sure to shake your expectations of what a musical should be. The chamber operetta Supernatural Noir features
a private eye with psychic sensibilities, a businesswoman on the hunt for her missing husband, a pharmaceutical partnership worth millions and a formula that disappeared.
Photo by Angelina Cantada. Used with permission.
If the idea of a live, singing film noir appeals to you (and how couldn’t it?), you can enter our giveaway for a pair of tickets to the premiere on October 28th. To enter, tell us your favourite characteristic of film noir in the comments. Is it the cynical but lovable private eye? The lush ladies? The corrupt businessmen? The smoky jazz bars?
For an extra entry, tweet the following:
Told @hummingbird604 about film noir for tix to #SupernaturalNoir @FugueTheatre! Enter too at http://is.gd/nJC5GA
We will draw a winner on Wednesday, October 26th at 2PM. Watch out for the announcement in the comments as well as on Twitter! We will contact the winner by email, so make sure you use a valid address when commenting.
If you can’t enter our giveaway (or don’t win), you can always get yourself tickets for what promises to be a hit this season!
What: Supernatural Noir by Fugue Theatre When: October 28 to November 5 Where: Waterfront Theatre, Granville Island More info and tickets: Fugue Theatre
