My good friend Airdrie Miller recently invited me for dinner to Hapa Izakaya in Yaletown recently, right after we participated in the eBeauty.ca and CityTV event. I had been to other izakaya’s but not to Hapa (I went to Hapa Umi the other day, but it’s not the same thing as Hapa Izakaya).
We ordered a ISHI-YAKI (Hapa’s version of the Korean hot stone bowl: rice, minced pork, flower chives, egg, tomato, lettuce and spicy-miso; mixed tableside, $8.80), some GOMA-AE (vegetable, in this case, jicama with goma-ae (sesame) dressing).
For a first time visiting Hapa Izakaya, I’ll have to say I’m thoroughly impressed.
I was even more impressed that we didn’t really eat that much and yet we weren’t hungry after dinner. Overall, Hapa Izakaya is definitely a place I want to come back and try several other items. The “tapas” style is one that gives me a bit of cognitive dissonance since I’m used to Spanish tapas rather than Japanese tapas, but overall, I’ll definitely have to come back. Thanks Air, for introducing me to Hapa Izakaya!
I’ve been a mathematical modeler all my life, even if my brothers are much, much better at complex mathematical models (both of my brothers are academics too). My undergraduate honors thesis was a mathematical model of wastewater treatment plants using activated sludge. My MBA thesis was a game-theoretical model of strategic alliances, and in my PhD dissertation, I used mathematical models of industry decline and firm demographics. I’ve been fascinated by the mathematical epidemiology of infectious diseases for a long time, not surprising since my former PhD advisor has done some work on mathematical modeling of malaria and HIV spread.
A very close friend of mine (who also did her PhD under my PhD supervisor) did learn some mathematical epidemiology and I always harboured a little bit of envy because she knows more about how to model spread of infectious diseases. Unfortunately, it’s not like I have the time to really study this area. But I’m still fascinated by it. So I decided to search (in the spare time while I was travelling back from dropping off my Mom at the airport) on a primer on mathematical epidemiology.
And I found one. A primer on mathematical epidemiology that is ALMOST easy to absorb by lay people. It’s developed by Dr. David Earns from McMaster University. And not surprisingly, he learned about mathematical epidemiology because of his wife. Love makes people do a lot. I learned Japanese for the same reason. At any rate, here is Dr. Earn’s introduction to mathematical epidemiology: A Light Introduction to Modelling Recurrent Epidemics.
Two Mexicans are world-renowned as well in modeling infectious diseases: Dr. Carlos Castillo-Chavez and Dr. Gerardo Chowell-Puente. I know for a fact (because I’ve collaborated with scholars at the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico) that Mexican epidemiologists are top-notch, and I’m keen to find out more about mathematical epidemiology (whenever I find some time!)
Normally, I would spend a substantial amount of time preparing to cover the Vancouver Pride Parade throughout the West End and the subsequent Festival at Second Beach, and not only attend the events of Pride Week 2011, which begins with Picnic in the Park on Saturday July 23rd and ends on Sunday July 30th with the Vancouver Pride Parade. But my Mom is here for the month of July, and spending time with her takes precedence over any event coverage, even if it is directly relevant to my blog and lifestyle. But there’s a lot that I owe to Pride and to the queer community in Vancouver, and thus I think it’s important that I highlight what’s coming up next week.
The Vancouver Pride Society (VPS) puts a lot of effort into this amazing celebration of queer culture. I was watching Milk (the movie) with my Mom the other day and we both were shedding tears by the end of it. I think it should be required viewing for everybody, as it is a beautiful piece of art about acceptance and love (regardless of sexual orientation). I think it’s important to reflect on what the goal of Pride is and what it means for queer youth and adults.
The Vancouver Pride Society (VPS) brings together members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, their friends, allies and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTTQ community by producing quality, inclusive events such as the Pride Parade and Festival. We strive to produce events that reflect the pride the LGBTTQ community has in itself and its contribution to the larger community. In doing so, the VPS strengthens a sense of community, and as such contributes to the vibrancy, health and overall well-being of all persons in the LGBTTQ community. In achieving our goals, we both operate within the framework set out in our Constitution and By-laws, and operate with due regard to the responsibilities outlined in the Society Act.
I would very strongly encourage you to attend the events of the Vancouver Pride Week 2011. I feel very blessed that in the past 2-3 years, I’ve become really good friends with many of the folks who cover queer issues in the media, both mainstream and in the social media realm. That’s one of the great things I gained from participating in the blogging world: great new friends. And I look forward to celebrating Pride with them next Sunday as well as with my Mom.
You can check the calendar of events for Vancouver Pride Week 2011 here. Several other of my friends in the queer community have posted their previews, which you can check below.
I have always liked the Joey Restaurants chain but I have really never eaten there. I am usually at Joey restaurants (either Bentall or elsewhere) for media events, or wine tastings. But this weekend I wanted to take JT and my Mom out for dinner and thus we went to Joey Broadway. As dinner was served, I told JT that I was totally shocked, and pleasantly surprised. I did not expect (a) food this good and (b) service this amazing at Joey.
Our menu is designed to bring people together. We combine unique flavours from around the globe with your favorite classics to create simple but unforgettable dishes. From can’t-stop-talking-about share plates to need-more-right-now entrees, there’s something to please even the most critical of palates.
We got excellent food at Joey Broadway at a very reasonable price with an outstanding level of service. We arrived at 6:30pm, and the great thing about Joey Broadway is that it’s so spacious that you really can’t feel cluttered or overwhelmed. We were sat promptly and our order was taken literally within 10 minutes of arriving. Our food might have arrived around 10 minutes or 15 later, but I did not even notice. It was THAT fast.
I ordered a Spaghetti with Kobe Meat Balls (seasoned with rosemary, toasted fennel & fresh basil with rich tomato sauce at a decent not too expensive $18). My own preference is usually Glowbal Grill or Italian Kitchen Kobe Meat Balls, but Joey did an excellent job of providing large portions of al-dente spaghetti noodles, generously showered with spicy tomato sauce and fluffy and filling meat balls. I would come back for this dish any time.
My Mom ordered the BC Halibut & Prawn Spaghettini, with tomato, Kalamata olive and fresh basil (at $19 a slightly higher price point than for example, the Classic Fettuccini Alfredo, generously showered in garlic-infused Alfredo sauce, $14). I did not try my Mom’s nor JT’s dishes but they both said they were extremely tasty. Mom did complain that the spaghettini was a tad too spicy but maybe that’s because she’s not used to Pacific West Coast cuisine.
Overall, as I mentioned, I’m positively impressed with Joey Broadway. And from now on, I’ll definitely consider coming back for dinner, not only for wine or drinks.
Disclosure: I paid for my, JT’s and my Mom’s dinner on my own dime.
I had never heard of Modern English ever in my life. But when I was searching for the video of Turning Tables by Adele (which I featured on my blog recently). For your listening pleasure.
I probably should publish this post on Wordless Wednesdays but since it was a little bit of a trek to head down to Steveston on public transit (Canada Line then 401) I figured I’d publish it for Travel Tuesday. Steveston is a really cute village in and of itself. So different from anything else I’ve seen in Vancouver.
Mom and I decided to have dinner at Tapenade Bistro and then head out for a walk along the Fraser River and the Steveston docks (we passed by Fisherman’s Wharf, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, and more).
There’s a number of restaurants that have invited me to come check them out, and I might just do that now that Mom is here.
As a vast majority of my readers may know, I live in Mount Pleasant. I’m a big fan of The Nice Café, a little neighbourhood joint where the breakfast is totally “no frills”. Last week, JT and I went for a walk around the Mount Pleasant area, and we bumped into the sign shown on my photo below, at 8th Avenue and Quebec. I’ve eaten at TNC so many times, and I had not seen this up until this past week. Somebody must have had an accident relatively recently. So sad. This speaks to the campaign on whose social media strategy I was involved from 2009 to 2011, The Community Against Preventable Injuries (@Preventable). I think the message is pretty poignant and extremely powerful. People, I know that there’s a whole lot of folks who would rather we don’t have helmet laws. But I think cyclists should wear one.
Le Marché St. George is more closely aligned with that house on 18th Avenue and Columbia Street where there was a little community market. And that’s what drew me to it. Le Marché St. George doesn’t promote itself very much anywhere online, and yet it does enjoy a high reputation.
We are a neighbourhood grocery store and cafe. We specialize in artisan products that are local and selected treasures from around the world
I took my Mom there for a coffee and a chocolate pastry. Admittedly the price of the chocolate croissant was pretty steep compared to other places, but the staff were really nice. The coffee was very tasty and the ambiance resembled a Montmartre Café circa the mid-1990s. Le Marché St. George is located at 4393 St. George at the corner of 28th, and it’s open Mon to Fri 8-6, Saturday 9-6, Sunday 9-5.
Disclosure: I paid for both my Mom and my own coffee and croissant. I wasn’t paid to write this post, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to share my experience getting to know a lovely neighbourhood joint. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
I’ve been a fan of the Cactus Club Cafe (as chain as it is) simply because whenever I eat there, I can always find at least one or two dishes that I will enjoy no matter what. One of those dishes that Cactus Club Cafe never screws up is the jambalaya. Whenever I eat at Cactus Club, you’ll probably see me eat this dish simply because I know that whichever Cactus Club Café I eat at, they will do a good job when making the jambalaya (a Louisiana Creole dish that I love).
I’m never disappointed, and my recent visit to the Douglas Street branch of Cactus Club was not the exception. Great jambalaya, great ambiance and the best part of it was the company of my Mom (who was just too tired to go and eat at Zambri’s). Very good service and extremely generous portions made my evening quite pleasant. Also, the fact that we were incredibly hungry as we had been in (meetings all day and eating very little. Overall, a nice experience as I usually have at Cactus Club.
Disclosure: I paid entirely for both of our dinners on my own dime. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to describe and document my experience at a restaurant I really liked. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
By now most have heard of the play, but in case you haven’t—the play is about a group of teenagers who die at the hands of roller coaster accident. These are not just any teens, they are a chamber choir from Uranium, Saskatchewan, so this is Canadiana at its best. The play allows the teens the chance to explain their lives and aspirations. The play is about mortality and identity.
Clearly this is heavy material, but it is covered in a light-hearted, hilarious and at times profane way that causes the audience to laugh or gasp and then laugh and clap. How else can you respond when the town’s only gay teen explains how problematic Diversity week was? The town’s “adorable Chinese couple” left. Well, they weren’t Chinese, but Korean. He explains, “They moved from Seoul to a town without soul.” There is other witty dialogue throughout this play. I scribbled a few zingers in my program in the darkened theatre, but did my best to sit and enjoy the performance.
The play also makes references to Marx, Glenn Beck, and even a Palinesque allusion all the while entertaining. Each of the six main characters get an opportunity to tell their story and you do not think that the next one can better the previous. Hip Hop Ballet? A superhero on a planet with cat like creatures? You betcha.
The actors seamlessly draw you in so that you enjoy the teens’ quirkiness. You can empathize with the keener (Ocean Rosenberg) or “Bad Egg” Ukrainian Hip Hop badass (Misha Bachinsky). The actors played their parts with aplomb and belted out their songs. It was not hard for the audience to jump up at the play’s end and give a standing ovation for the riveting performance.
It seems cliché to suggest that this is a must see play, but you do really need to see this production. Atomic Vaudeville’s “Ride the Cyclone” will not disappoint.
EDITOR’S NOTE – I understand that Ride The Cyclone is coming to Vancouver. You should check it out. I’ll have tickets to give away to attend the play in a contest, so stay tuned.
This guest theatre review was kindly written exclusively for Hummingbird604.com by Dr. Janni Aragon. Dr. Aragon is the Chair of the Women’s Caucus at the University of Victoria and teaches in the Department of Political Science. Tickets to attend the play were compliments of Belfry Theatre. As always, I retain editorial control on anything that I publish on my site.
This is one of the neatest things I’ve ever seen in recent years. I’m always keen to explore neighbourhoods and Strathcona is one of those beautiful areas that is filled with near historical facts, funky little old heritage houses and all sorts of great items worth looking at. The North Strathcona Pre-World War I mural is one of those little surprises I wasn’t expecting.
After having brunch with my good friend Jason Sanders at The Red Wagon Café on Hastings Sunrise (East Hastings and almost Nanaimo), we walked all the way from our location to my office downtown (a solid 1 hour walk) and we passed by the North Strathcona Pre-WWI Mural. It’s amazing that someone has put so much time and effort into beautifying this area that at times, looks so derelict.
I searched the Strathcona Residents Association website to see if I could find more information about it but I couldn’t really find who drew this mural. Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful little compilation of historical and urban-geographical events depicted in an extremely artistic and creative way. You should check it out, walk along East Hastings almost near Clark and you’ll find it.
This guest movie review of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part Two is contributed by Robert Sandy for Hummingbird604.com. Robert Sandy, 41, is a writer and researcher from Chicago. You can follow his tweets at @frodofied.
The task of bringing a beloved, and widely known work of literature to the film screen is fraught, and, in a great many ways the producers of the Harry Potter saga had as much to fear as did Peter Jackson with his triumphant translation of J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and in some ways, more. Where Jackson’s wider audience had only the hazy memories of an epic read long before, if it had ever been read in its totality at all, the producers of Potter faced, almost literally, the whole world as critics. Not only were the Potter books works of contemporary fiction, they were books engrained into the popular imaginations of an entire generation (one that spanned the various age groups) of devoted readers. Harry Potter was legend both in story, and in fact, almost at his conception and to give him cinematic life must have proved daunting. But if the litmus test for success rests ultimately in emotional resonance than it can be argued quite forcibly that few film franchises in history are equal to the Potter saga.
It is nearly impossible given all of these facts to discuss, or even review, this film on its independent merits, but it is also just as impossible to discuss the series as a unified whole. To the franchise’s detriment the producers decided fairly early on to change directors frequently, and as the mood seemed to suit them, and so the series lacks a narrative and an aesthetic cohesiveness requisite to such a goal, and in this way is less successful than The Lord of the Rings or even the Star Wars films. Yet, unlike those series, the anchor for these films, and most certainly this final installment, has never been the director, the screen-writers, or even the special effects departments, but existed wholly in the too little discussed casting department. No film or film series in recent memory can boast such a stellar and accomplished cast, but all the Maggie Smiths, Robbie Coltranes, Imelda Stauntons and Julie Walters aside it is that trio of actors who have grown up in front of our eyes who have made these films worthy of visit and revisit for the last decade and more. Indeed, it is impossible to imagine our beloved Ron, Hermione or Harry inhabited by any other actor than the three who became them in the end.
Emma Watson, at first halting and awkward, has grown into the luminous emotional center of the films, mirroring the development of her brilliantly realized interpretation of Rowling’s principal Mudblood, Hermione Grainger. Rupert Grint’s stalwart take on the often over-looked member of the Weasley clan gained more muscle with every effort, and, as a result, his finest moments are found in the final installments of the films, his heartbreaking reaction to the death of his brother Fred in the final shows him to be perfectly on par with his young colleagues. And then, of course, there is Harry himself. It is lucky indeed that Daniel Radcliffe was asked to assume the role of the most famous boy in the world at such a tender age, because it allowed him a measure of freedom that might not have been there otherwise. Radcliffe has since proven himself to be a serious and outstanding young actor with a range that reaches far beyond this franchise, and it could be argued that the role of Harry Potter has not allowed him to fully shine. His startling physical resemblance to Rowling’s written character allowed us to forgive him for missing some of the deep emotional notes required of him in the first two films, and after, his talents developing out of pace with his co-stars, Radcliffe found himself replaying the same emotional themes over and over with each outing. It is to Radcliffe’s credit, however, that by the time Harry confronts You-Know-Who in the final scenes of the final film that one knows instinctively, without aid of books or script, that he will kick the ever-loving ass of his dastardly opponent. Indeed, as his companions and the whole of the magical world have grown to trust and believe in Harry Potter, so too have we, rendering Fiennes’ meaty and multi-dimensional take on Voldemort nothing more than a cinematic asterisk.
David Yates, who directed the final four Potter installments, will be remembered forever as the man who tried, and usually succeeded, in forcing the franchise to grow up, and though many have criticized his shadowy color palette and his thematic structure as overly dark, it was to the benefit of both individual film and franchise alike that he did so. Yates chooses to forego traditional narrative structure at all with the final film, assuming anyone who is paying $12 to see this film has done so prior, and so we open with the end of the last film and find Voldemort astride Dumbledore’s grave with Elder Wand in hand and Harry kneeling at a newly erected gravestone that reads simply: Here lies Dobby, A Free Elf. Yates utilizes the death markers effectively, warning us early on of the death and gravity to follow, but it is a promise that seem forgotten soon after. Yates loses artistic sight thereafter, allowing what could have easily been his finest film to be hi-jacked by action and special effects.
Throughout this too short finale one is left grasping for emotional heft, and is too often left with only magical and pyrotechnic bravado. It is in the quieter moments, and often those led by Watson, that the film finds its true heart, but these moments are too few and given too little focus. When Harry tells Hermione that he understands his connection to Voldemort at last, and that he believes that she too has always known the answer to the riddle, the quiet devastation writ large across the face of Watson is proud-making indeed. And in the final, quiet shot of the film proper, as our three heroes stand hand in hand as the camera pulls up and away from the field of victory we see each actor facing the apex of their lives thus far in such different ways, Radcliffe with his stony, determined stare, Watson with her no-doubt real tears and resplendent cocked head and Grint with his eyes closed almost as if he is meditating on the wonder that this project must have represented to his, and all their lives.
None of this is meant to suggest that the final film is lacking in satisfying moments, because they are here in abundance: here is Neville Longbottom bravely (as he is wont to do) confronting the Dark Lord when all others are silent, and Julie Walters’ finally dispatching with the horrid Bellatrix LeStrange to protect her daughter Jennie, and of course the cheer-inducing kiss that we have waited years to witness between Ron and Hermione. But the real and extended sense of loss that permeates the final novel is mostly missing here. The epilogue, again too short, shows, as the final of the book does, our heroes all grown up and with their own children, and allows Radcliffe his most moving and subtle performance opportunity of the last few films, and he both meets and exceeds expectations. His dignified defense and resuscitation of the personal character of Severus Snape, given all that he, and we, now know of the man, brought lumps to the throat and tears to the eyes. But even the beauty here, and that of the very final shot of our adult heroes, is lacking the fully satisfying sense of being the emotional capstone of a perilous and profound journey.
I had hoped, given the magnificence of many of the prior films, that The Deathly Hallows Part Two would truly be the piece de la resistance of the franchise, but it is not, and in its way it has more in common with “The Two Towers” than it does “The Return of the King.”
**** out of five
You can find local showtimes in Vancouver for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 by clicking on this link.
I was one of a handful of bloggers who were invited to attend the launch of the Hewlett Packard HP TouchPad. I’ve tested other tablets before (I’ve played around with the Samsung Galaxy Tab and with JT’s iPad) and I found the HP TouchPad rather intuitive. So intuitive my Mom played with it at the actual event launch.
Claudia from Travelling Mom
Rob Lewis and Knowlton Thomas from TechVibes
John (JohnBiehler.com), Kristi (Fraser Valley Pulse), Cassandra (Good Life Vancouver) and Karm (VanCity Buzz)
I love the HP TouchPad, to be quite honest (and not only because I got one for free). I found it portable, it plays Flash and it was very intuitive to use. It’s a bit slower, from what I can see, compared to for example an iPad, and the WebOS is not as pervasive as Apple’s iOS.
HP TouchPad will be available from U.S. retailers, commercial resellers and direct from HP with the option of either 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage(1) for $499.99 and $599.99, respectively.
I’m not totally sold on the selling point of the webOS being the major feature, but I did find it intuitive. The portability, the ease of setup and the fact that it connects to wireless point sources pretty effortlessly were major elements I liked. Even my Mom felt it was intuitive.
My Mom and Christine McAvoy (Vancouver Is Awesome)
Made to work like you, but with fewer coffee breaks. Get productive, or at least fake it really well with a brilliantly large screen, the ability to multitask like a champion of multitasking, wireless printing to compatible HP printers, and thousands of apps from the App Catalog.1,2 And because you deserve it, play games, download movies or TV shows, listen to music powered by Beats Audio™, and browse the same web you know and love with support for Adobe® Flash® player.
I’ll definitely need to play more with the HP TouchPad but I can see the potential, particularly watching movies (something that is harder to do with iPad because it doesn’t support Flash) and reading academic journal articles and books. I’m also excited about the intuitive element to Facebook, and the portability of my calendars.
I wrote this review/commentary of the HP TouchPad as part of a blogger relations program by Hill and Knowlton on behalf of their client HP Canada. All bloggers who participated in the launch (myself included) got an HP TouchPad for free. I am not paid to write the review, nor am I expected to do so. In any review I write, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions or should your company want to send me a product for review, feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
I have always been curious as to why some heritage houses are being used for offices. It’s not something I’m unfamiliar with. Using houses as offices is a very common practice, both in Mexico (at least in my hometown) and I’ve seen it done here in Canada (specifically in Victoria). But I am always amazed at the heritage houses on Hamilton Street. If I had the money, I’d probably live in one AND have an office downstairs too.
Have you ever seen these houses or any other heritage houses being used as offices?
It’s usually when I eat out that I listen to great tunes, and this time wasn’t the exception. When Mom and I had dinner at Cactus Club Cafe in Victoria the other night I found “So Down” by Yuksek featuring Chromeo. While this isn’t the original tune, the Bruno Neto Remix is just as much fun. For your listening pleasure.
Readers of my blog will know I have this fascination with corner stores or neighbourhood stores that are located WITHIN the urban configuration. Not the ones you find on main arteries or avenues/street, but the ones you find hosted within a house or in the middle of a block. Union Food Market in Strathcona is one of those, and originally was brought to my attention by my good friend Lorraine Murphy who used to live in Chinatown.
You can now find them also on Twitter. I had an opportunity to chat with the son of the owners one time when Lorraine and I were on a photowalk and he was a total sweetheart. I really love these Mom-and-Pop stores. And the kindness that the owners take in dealing with all their customers was really heartwarming.
You can find them at 810 Union Street. Vancouver, BC. (Between Campbell & Hawks, in the heart of Strathcona) Monday – Friday 8am to 7pm, Saturday 8am – 6pm, Sunday 9am – 5pm.
Disclosure: I wasn’t paid to write this post, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to share my experience getting to know a lovely neighbourhood joint. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
There’s one DJ who owns my heart through and through – DJ Emiko (you may have read my profile of her on my blog recently). She’s one damned gifted DJ. Emiko recently gave me a burned CD with a number of fantastic tunes, but this one has stayed with me and I’m currently obsessed with it: In My Head by Bionic Phunk remixed by Playmaker (Playmaker Club Remix). For your listening pleasure. Feel free to dance to it as you listen.
It was my good friend Michael Yurechko, who celebrated his birthday very recently who turned me on to Phoenix. A type of music that I’m not sure I’d categorize as Top 40, alternative nor rock. It’s just… Phoenix. And I love it. For your listening pleasure, Girlfriend by Phoenix.
The fight against HIV/AIDS happens to be one of the charitable causes that I champion the most. YouthCO AIDS Society is an organization that I really like and whose purpose I firmly believe in. Youth affected with HIV/AIDS is perhaps one of the most vulnerable target populations and therefore any projects and programs that intend to empower and help HIV-afflicted youth is high on my good books.
YouthCo is Canada’s first youth-driven organization leading the HIV and HepC movement through peer education, support, and shared leadership. And they’re organizing a very worthy event, Le Jazz Hot, with the cast of Hairspray (you may have read my review of The Arts Club rendition of Hairspray). More information on the Facebook event page.
Cast Members From the Arts Club Theatre’s HAIRSPRAY Sizzle in a One-Night Only Benefit Cabaret in support of YouthCO!
TICKETS: $25 in advance at Vancouver Tix (604)629-8849 or at Little Sisters & Priape, $30 at the door
Created by Vancouver local and Broadway entertainer, Ian Yuri Gardner, cast members From the Arts Club Theatre’s HAIRSPRAY and several local entertainers will Sizzle in a One-Night Only benefit cabaret in support of YouthCO! From Broadway to Burlesque, the show will solo and ensemble music, dance and audience interactive numbers in a setting of a 1930s/40 speakeasy.
There will also be an opportunity to win a variety of door prizes including tickets to other shows from the Arts Club Theatre. This event features J. Cameron Barnett, Jak Barradell, Wendy Bollard, Kayla Dunbar, Joan E
Allison Fligg, Ian Yuri Gardner, Carlotta Gurl, Anna Kuman, Jennie Neumann, Colin Sheen, Cailin Stadnyk, Robyn Wallis and many more including members of the cast of HAIRSPRAY. The event is produced by VBY Entertainment & 16th Ave Productions
The village of Steveston offers a myriad beautiful places, restaurants, shops, etc. I absolutely adore it. It would be even much more fun to explore Steveston if my good friend Erica Hargreave were in Vancouver (which she isn’t because she is dealing with family stuff at the moment). But since my Mom is here I wanted to show her Steveston and I took her for dinner to Tapenade Bistro.
To start we ordered a Romaine Heart Salad ($9.5, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic confit and anchovy crouton, “Caesar dressing”), which is a sophisticated version of the more pedestrian romaine heart salad (or the pedestrian version of a Caesar salad). I love how Chef Tung goes all out and inventive on his dishes.
For dinner, my Mom ordered the Haida Gwaii Halibut ($29, pan seared, grainy mustard spaetzle, ragout of double smoked bacon, mushroom, peas and pearl onions, herb garden salsa verde, pinot noir jus), which she indicated was absolutely delicious. I tried a bit of it, and found that while the ragout of double smoked bacon, mushroom, peas and pearl onions could potentially have overpowered the halibut, the combination was savoury and left me with a smooth taste of fishy bacon. Or bacony fish. Any of the two is great.
For dinner, I ordered what now ranks in my books as THE BEST EVER Linguine “Puntanesca” ($20, Line caught albacore tuna confit, kalamata olives, capers, scallion, Chef’s spicy tomato sauce). I have never, ever, ever had a better version of the Puttanesca (note that Chef Alex Tung calls it Puntanesca, most likely a play on words with the fact that the sauce includes albacore tuna confit (more delicate and a bit less powerful on the palate than the anchovy, traditional in any reputable Puttanesca). Chef Tung also includes scallion for good measure and doesn’t go out of the way on the spicy tomato sauce, which is great because the end result is smooth, silky and you can’t stop eating it once you start.
More about Tapenade Bistro
In January 2003, Vince Morlet opened Tapenade Bistro with the idea of bringing an urban bistro to the historic fishing village of Steveston, BC. Over the past several years, Tapenade has earned the reputation of being an exceptional neighbourhood bistro with great food, outstanding service and fantastic wine. The menu is steeped in French tradition, though is updated with west coast sensibility and is presented in an approachable and informal setting. The philosophy behind the Tapenade kitchen is to showcase the natural beauty of local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients in an appropriate and sumptuous manner.
Tapenade’s wine list is comprised of carefully selected wines with a focus on BC, California and France. These thoughtful and inspired wines make an ideal accompaniment to Chef Alex Tung’s simple, yet elegant cuisine. The restaurant seats 75 inside, as well as 70 on the patio for those warm days in Steveston Village. Tapenade is a stand alone building which makes it a perfect restaurant for large functions such as wedding receptions, private parties and corporate events. With a dedicated and passionate staff, critically-acclaimed food and a comfortable neighbourhood setting, the team at Tapenade Bistro looks forward to welcoming you.
While Tapenade Bistro is not an inexpensive restaurant, I didn’t find the prices discordant with the quality of service (which was excellent) nor with the quality of food. The portions are generous, the food is exquisite and I feel that I paid exactly what it was worth. And we had to walk for a solid hour afterwards to process everything we ate, we were THAT full and we loved the food THAT much. I’d definitely recommend Tapenade Bistro as a great spot for dinner when you want to impress the person you are going with, and I definitely think my Mom was impressed.
Disclosure: I paid entirely for both of our dinners on my own dime. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this blog entry is just to describe and document my experience at a restaurant I really liked. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
Despite the fact that I’m a trained dancer and that this event was top-of-my-mind for the past month, Dancing on the Edge Festival (which started last July 7th but you can still catch until July 16th), a festival of contemporary dance, completely slipped my mind. But I’m happy that at least you can still catch 3 days of the Festival (July 13-16th).
I love the tagline of the 23nd Annual Dancing on the Edge Festival, which is “presenting innovative dance where festival artists take their art to the edge”. The 2011 festival once again features some really interesting and outstanding performances that will be found in some unexpected places.
Performances will take place in venues throughout the city – from the flagship location at the Firehall Arts Centre, Queen Elizabeth Park, Crab Park, outside the main branch of the VPL, Victory Square, The Roundhouse and the Scotiabank Dance Centre.
Renowned Israeli choreographer Arkadi Zaides will open Dancing on the Edge with his powerful work “Quiet”. This piece arose in light of the growing violence and mistrust between communities in Israel, constantly subjected to states of shock never allowing the space needed for reflection, and for change. It creates a place where it is safe to let one’s demons out and set them free; where a broad perspective is sought and where trust is continuously built. Palestinians and Israelis, actors and dancers, nourished the process. The four characters in the piece reveal a landscape which contains aggression, compassion, confusion and yearning for a place that is quiet. This North American premiere is not to be missed.
The Festival includes many members of our dynamically talented Vancouver community as well as companies and dancers from across the country including Susanna Hood’s one-woman performance of the Vancouver premiere of She’s Gone Away at the Scotiabank Dance Centre, Dusk Dances at Queen Elizabeth Park, Aeriosa animating vertical space at the Vancouver Public Library, along with Dancemakers – It’s about time: 60 dances in 60 minutes , The 605 Collective, Tara Cheyenne Performance, and Josh Beamish’s Move: The Company to name a few.
I know it’s hard for people to categorize my blog. I laughed the other day when somebody called me a food blogger. Others call me a theatre blogger. Others, a lifestyle blogger, and a few others a travel blogger. Truth be told, I try to do it all, with varying degrees of success (simply because I don’t have time to do everything). But if there’s something I *LOVE* writing about is cocktails, wine and food. So when the Old House Restaurant invited me to their First Annual Local Libations Cocktail Competition invited me to be a guest judge alongside my good friend Cassandra Anderton (Good Life Vancouver) I couldn’t resist.
Ten of the hottest restaurants in the Comox Valley are working hard behind closed doors to perfect their entries to the first ever Local Libations Cocktail Competition. Hosted on the Patio of The Old House Restaurant, the Local Libations Cocktail Competition is a new event added in 2011 as part of the 3rd annual Comox Valley 30 Day Local Food Challenge. Taking place on Sunday July 17 from 4-6 pm, this ticketed event invites people to sit back and watch as Comox Valley bartenders prepare their best cocktail recipe made with local ingredients. Prizes will be awarded for first and second place by a panel of judges, including Eli Blake of EAT Magazine/Tofino Food & Wine Festival, Cassandra Anderton of Good Life Vancouver, Raul Pacheco of Hummingbird 604, Michelle LeSage of The Westerly Hotel, and Sandra Viney of Atlas Café/Avenue Bistro. Judges will review entries for best use of local ingredients, creativity and taste.
Tickets are on sale now for $15 each and include a complimentary feature beverage and appetizer. Event guests will also be able to order from the diverse menu of cocktails, and vote for their favourite beverage on the People’s Choice ballot. Tickets are available for purchase on site at the Old House Restaurant, 1760 Riverside Lane, Courtenay BC or call 250-338-5406. Seating is limited and advance purchase is required. The Old House Restaurant as a sponsor of the 30 Day Local Food Challenge is also offering a month long Fresh Sheet of local food, available through August 2nd. Reservations are recommended, so you should probably call in advance, 250-338-5406.
More about the Comox Valley 30-Day Local Food Challenge
The Comox Valley 30-Day Local Food Challenge is an immersive community experience each July that connects people from around the Comox Valley to the agricultural traditions and potential of this region. Each year, local residents and visitors alike are challenged to spend 30 days experiencing local food through farm and food producer tours, restaurant events, educational activities, workshops and demonstrations that showcase the work and bounty of the nearly 500 farms, dozens of food producers and food-related organizations in the Comox Valley.
For more information, you can contact Jeff Lucas at The Old House Restaurant, jeff@oldhouserestaurant.ca, 250-338-5406 or by phone at 250-703-6331. The Facebook Page for the 30 Day Comox Valley Local Food Challenge is located here.
I recently gave a workshop for the Oceanside Volunteer Association in Parksville, British Columbia, on Vancouver Island, invited by the Executive Director, my good friend Luba Plotnikoff. It was a great audience, albeit rather diverse. I would have wanted to have more time to speak to all the topics I wanted to address. But I digress… the event was hosted (as was I) at the Quality Inn Bayside.
It was really my very first time staying at the Quality Inn Bayside, as almost every single time I come up to Parksville I either stay at the Beach Club Resort or at the Tigh-Na-Mara. Now, when you think of a hotel restaurant, many people don’t pay as much attention to them. With the amount of travel writing I do, I can tell you that’s a big oversight.
I’m glad I didn’t skip on Bayside Bistro & Lounge, because I had a really good meal. I could notice that there were many patrons there that just wanted to swing by for the food (e.g. that were not hotel guests). That speaks volumes to the quality of the restaurant, in my opinion.
For starters, I ordered Pacific Crab Cakes ($10, house smoked corn salsa, chili aioli). I found the crab cakes delicious, albeit they were a tad too hot and I almost burned my mouth. But once I gave them some time to cool, the crab cakes were really flavourful as combined with the chili aioli. The smoked corn salsa provided a nice strong flavor to compliment the crab cakes.
For my main meal, I ordered Chicken & Prawn Penne in full size plate ($16, grilled local free range chicken breast, prawns, nut free pesto sauce, pine nuts, garlic with foccacia bread). For the size of the plate (and how easily the restaurant could have charged extra simply because it’s a hotel restaurant), I was pretty impressed with the price. But I was even more impressed with the quality of the penne.
Generous portions with large chunks of chicken breast and prawns give even a very strict palate the taste of a nicely done penne. The pesto sauce was spectacular, creamy with a hint of garlic that accentuated the richness of this pasta. And I sprinkled a splash of lime on top just to make sure that the flavours were enhanced.
I loved having dinner here at the Bayside Bistro & Lounge, quite honestly. The service was kind and generous to a fault. Even if I stayed next time at a different hotel, I probably would come back here for dinner.
Disclosure: My dinner was complimentary courtesy of The Bayside Quality Inn hotel. While my dinner was on the house, I paid the monetary equivalent of a full dinner item as gratuity on my own dime as the service was absolutely fantastic. I am neither obligated nor required to blog about the restaurant, but I’m very happy to do so. As usual, I retain full editorial control over what is published on my blog.
My academic and research trips have lots of advantages and only one major disadvantage. The advantages are too numerous to list, but amongst those, you can include the fact that I get to travel to many cities when I present a paper at a conference. The disadvantage? It’s almost impossible to really visit the city and get to know it because I’m always at the conference or research meeting.
That was the case this past time I was in Montreal for meetings with the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Normally I would give myself a couple of days to explore the host city, but unfortunately because of the fact that I’m teaching this summer, it was actually impossible to do so. I had a chance to check out a couple of restaurants (one of them, excellent – Boris Bistro), and stroll for a little bit, but that was pretty much that. It’ll have to wait for my next research meeting.
I absolutely adore this city, I adore the architecture, love the fact that I could practice my (rather rusty) French, and I really can’t wait to visit again.
It’s almost beach season, I can *almost* feel it. I’ve been walking around the city with my Mom in flip-flops and male capris (“manpris”). Moreover, as you may have known, I played highly-competitive indoor volleyball as a teen, and thus I’m in love with anything that has the words “volleyball” in it.
Center of Gravity 2011 is this summer’s hottest beach festival bringing together top headliners in music and sports on the sandy beaches of Kelowna’s City Park July 29-31, 2011. Alongside DJ shows and bikini contests, Center of Gravity is also presenting over 150 pro athletes competing in five sports: pro beach volleyball, freestyle mountain biking, FMX, wakeboarding, and basketball. With expected attendance of over 20,000 fans the beach festival is providing unprecedented exposure to the athletes and their sports.
This year is Center of Gravity’s most exciting line-up yet with over 16 chart-topping music acts. The three-day concert series will see Grammy-nominated, hip-hop icon, Busta Rhymes kick off the festival and get the crowds pumped with some of his monster hits. He’ll share the spotlight with A-Trak, who is the first DJ to win five World Championships, and is half of the duo behind the collaboration, Duck Sauce and their hit “Barbra Streisand”.
The second night of the festival will blow away festival-goers with gold album and UK-hit master, Calvin Harris. The final night of the festival will see Juno-nominated, electro-pop group, Dragonette, taking a break from recording their third studio album to drop synth-beats and their trademark quirky lyrics. Notorious as the only successful Arab/Jew partnership since the dawn of human culture, and hot off their UK Tour, Chromeo will close the main stage.
The sports action starts in the Dirt Zone with an intense mix of adrenaline and technique-featuring FMX and freestyle mountain bike shows hosted by mountain biking icon Steve Romaniuk. Our Water Zone features a lake jump for the freestyle mountain bike boys and wakeboard winch jam along the Okanagan Lake. Dustin O’Ferrall, Matt Bibby and the other pro wakeboarders will rip the rails from the lake onto Hot Sands Beach showing off some big grinds, tricks, and flips.
Back on land, Hot Sands Beach is home to Bud Light Lime Pro Beach Volleyball tournaments where local volleyball star Tammy Thomas & partner Carol Hamilton will be part of the action fresh off their 2nd place win at Santa Monica CBVA 2011. High-octane action continues in the Hoop Zone, home of the 4 on 4, full court competition that attracts Canada’s best players including Henry Bekkring, one of the best dunkers Canada has seen; and defending champ Scott Morrison. Newly added is the Urban Zone, where street culture will be showcased with skateboard, BMX, and b-boy demos all staged to urban and hip hop style DJs.
This over 20,000 person festival is now SOLD OUT. So one of the only ways you will to see Chromeo, and crew is by entering MY contest. Kids 12 and under are free. View complete line-up times, accommodations and to purchase tickets, visit the Center of Gravity websites.
I have a great prize package to give away on my blog for one lucky reader (and a Plus One):
– Two 3-Day VIP Premium Passes
– A Meet & Greet with Dirty Radio
– Two tickets to the After Party at Flashback to rub shoulders with Center of Gravity’s Adrenaline-Action Pros
To enter my giveaway, all you need to do is tell me which is your favorite beach in the province. It can be in Vancouver (Wreck Beach, anyone?) or elsewhere in the province. English Bay and Second Beach both have a very strong draw on me. Those beaches I just feel terribly connected with. I’ll draw a random winner from all entries on my blog and via Twitter on July 25th at 2pm. To earn both entries, comment on this post with your favorite beach AND post on Twitter the text below.
What’s your favorite beach in BC? http://is.gd/aMsAjx Told @hummingbird604 about mine for a chance to win VIP tix to @COG_Kelowna
