I love supporting local projects, and I got wind of the fantastic Bollywood Under The Stars event that is organized by the South Asian Family Association with OMNI Diversity Television. I have 5 pairs of VIP wristbands to attend this wonderful event, which will go to 5 lucky readers who comment on this post telling me which Bollywood movie have they seen. More information on Bollywood Under the Stars 2012 below:
Now in its 5th year, the South Asian Family Association with OMNI Diversity Television is pleased to announce the continuation of its wildly popular Bollywood Under the Stars event: Vancouver’s only outdoor Bollywood movie screening on Saturday August 18 at the Plaza of Nations.
For the 2012 film selection, the committee at SAFA wanted a film that was not only a Bollywood blockbuster, however also able to stir feelings of nostalgia much like those memories of a time where movies used to be shown in the communal village square for all to view. In order to spur this sense of community, SAFA selected the 1980 classic starring Bolly legends Vinod Khanna, Zeenat Aman and Feroz Khan: Qurbani (trans. “Sacrifice”). The film will feature English subtitles.
Qurbani was the highest grossing Indian film in 1980, won two Filmfare awards and was nominated for another 4 including best actor for Vinod Khanna and Best Supporting Actor for the late Amjad Khan. One of the most memorable and notable scenes in the film was the decimation of a Mercedes Benz vehicle at the hand of Feroz Khan’s character, Rajesh. Many Indian viewers at that time had never seen a Mercedes Benz before, never mind one being blown into the sky.
The story focuses around a small-time jewel thief (Rajesh) and a widower (Amar) who become the best of friends whilst each of them is unknowingly falling in love with the same woman: Zeenat Aman’s sultry cabaret singer, Sheela. Amar (Vinod Khanna) is also being framed for a murder. The real star of the film, however, is its soundtrack featuring a debut by Nazia Hassan for “Aap Jaisa Koi” and “Laila O Laila” sung by Kanchan. As well, the title track “Qurbani Qurbani” is now a famous qawwali.
Bollywood Under the Stars is a free, family-oriented event. Guests are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets. Tickets to a special reserved seating area can be won through Hummingbird604.com.
What: Bollywood Under the Stars 5: Qurbani When: Saturday August 18, movie to run at 9pm Where: Plaza of Nations, Vancouver How much: Free admission. Pay parking and marketplace. Why: because Bollywood movies are always better under the Stars!!!
You can an also earn an additional entry by tweeting the following:
I’ve entered to win VIP wristbands to Bollywood Under The Stars http://is.gd/fpbbRf from @hummingbird604 and SAFA
I will draw winners on Friday August 17th at 10am PST. I will announce winners’ names here on this post and via Twitter. Stay tuned!
So, if you EVER decide to move cities and countries, my first suggestion is to hire a fabulous real estate agent who will go to extreme lengths to find you the right accommodations either for rental or for sale (well, acquisition if you need to be nit-picky). My real estate agent found me a house in Aguascalientes that is about 5-7 minutes by bus or combi/pesero from the busiest street in the city, Boulevard Luis Donaldo Colosio.
If you are a youngster (which I am not) or a foodie (which I am), the city street where you want to be is Colosio (it’s actually a boulevard, but you know what I mean). There is plenty of restaurants, bars, drink lounges, sushi bars, etc. on Colosio. So, accidentally, after we moved my living room, dining table and chairs and bed from where my parents live to Aguascalientes, my brother’s best friend (also my namesake, Raul), my Mom and I went for lunch, and we drove around Colosio to find a restaurant.
We were glad we found Camperoni. Though my Mom still disputes whether we had lunch there (I drove to Aguascalientes this weekend to drop off some more house stuff that my Mom bought for me), I took a photo of the restaurant’s name. And yes, it IS Camperoni (though they only have a Facebook Places thing, instead of an actual website).
Raul ordered a shrimp salad (pictured above), whereas I ordered Pescado al Mojo de Ajo (garlic-infused fish).
My Mom, contrarian as she is, decided to go with an Arrachera steak (thusly I did not want to take a photo, as Camperoni is a seafood restaurant). Absolutely delicious, and the prices for each entree were very reasonable ($80-120 pesos, which is about $6-10 Cdn dollars). I definitely will be a frequent patron of Camperoni.
Disclosure: My Mom paid for all of our lunches on her own dime. As always, I retain full editorial control over anything posted on my site.
Truth be told, my beef with the Hotel Camino Real Aeropuerto in Mexico City was not at all with the service (every single member of staff was amazing) but with the unbelievably low level of amenities that the Hotel Camino Real Aeropuerto at the International Airport Benito Juarez in Mexico City had. Yes, the room was clean, and comfortable, and yes, everyone from the receptionist to the bell boy were incredibly sweet. But given the kind of out-of-the-ordinary experiences I had had traveling in Canada for the past 6 years, I kind of expected the same level of service. Even more so from the Hoteles Camino Real. Hoteles Camino Real had traditionally been considered as luxury (five stars) hotels. I think my experience was a 3 stars, paying what I thought would be 5 stars pricing.
First off, I had to pay my stay right as I arrived. And this was because “they needed to swipe the credit card, physically, right there and then“. Not my credit card, the credit card of the organization that paid for my travel to Mexico City. Excuse me, but WTF? You can’t leave a charge on a credit card used to reserve a room? That is absolutely ridiculous.
Secondly, I arrived to my room and I had to pay $260 pesos (about $24 USD) for wireless internet service for 24 hours. That, as well, in-and-of-itself was ridiculous. I refuse to pay the armed-robbery prices of wireless internet, but I had to communicate with my friends and family to let them know I was safe and sound in Mexico, and I had also to do some work (which at this point in my life, pretty much requires internet access AT ALL TIMES). So, I coughed up the $24 USD for internet.
Thirdly, there is no coffee maker in the rooms. Should you want to buy a coffee you have to shell out $80 pesos, which is about $6.5 USD. Not overly pricey, but if you consider that I walked to the airport from the hotel and bought a coffee for less than $20 pesos, you can see markup levels right there and then.
Overall, my experience at the Hotel Camino Real Aeropuerto was pretty poor, and the only reason why I would ever consider staying again was if it happened under the same conditions that this experience did (I was flying into Mexico City late in the evening, and I wasn’t connecting to another city). If I were required to fly into the Mexico City airport and arrived late, I’d put up with staying at the Hotel Camino Real Aeropuerto, but not out of my own willing desire. Not a good experience at all. There is plenty of other amazing hotels in Mexico City I can stay at, this one only has the locational advantage (unmatched, as you can pretty much walk out of the airport to the hotel).
Disclosure: I paid for one night lodging although I was reimbursed later by the organization that brought me to Mexico City. As always I retain full editorial control over anything that I post on my site.
Brunch is the most important meal of the day. Or was that breakfast? I don’t know, to be quite honest. But what I can tell you is that, if you ever come to visit me in Aguascalientes, I am taking you to La Parra for breakfast. The sad thing is that La Parra doesn’t have a website that I can link to. But the good thing is: food here is incredibly tasty, inexpensive and definitely worth the visit.
Located centrally on Madero, La Parra is an old mansion refurbished as a restaurant. This is not an uncommon process for Mexican mansions, to be redesigned as restaurants or hotels. Certainly this was the case with Casareyna in Puebla, and with La Quinta Luna in Cholula. But La Parra has this certain feel that, while it’s in the middle of the hustle in central Aguascalientes, it can also be an oasis to hide from life outside.
I ordered scrambled eggs with chorizo and an orange juice, and my entire breakfast was less than $80 pesos ($6.50 Canadian dollars). Really inexpensive and fantastic food. And the service was outstanding.
Complimentary muffins with my coffee were greatly appreciated.
The owner of La Parra was kind enough to tour me around and I definitely enjoyed my time there.
The patio of La Parra looked incredibly inviting and peaceful.
You definitely SHOULD come eat at La Parra if you are ever in Aguascalientes. An experience worth doing.
Disclosure: I paid for my breakfast at La Parra on my own dime.
While most people call Mexico my home, they seem to forget that out of the last 16 years of my life, I have lived in Mexico only 2. I have lived in Spain, France, Canada, England, and thus I can’t really call Mexico my home. Not yet. Vancouver is still my home, it is the city where I grew and matured as a scholar and as a human being, and where I became the ever-famous Hummingbird604. And while the re-adaptation has been actually quite fast, because (a) I am a Mexican national, thus I am entitled to all the benefit Mexican citizens have, and (b) because I speak the language here.
Probably the biggest challenge has been starting from scratch. I don’t have a car here (haven’t bought one). I don’t know where to buy groceries yet, I have a plate and a bowl to my name, and a few items that my Mom gave me (a living room, a dining table with chairs, and my childhood bedroom’s bed). I don’t have a microwave, and I haven’t even had the time nor money to buy a new one. So, all in all, I can’t complain because I am starting with WAY more than what my parents started with.
The plus side? People here are incredibly friendly, super hard working, absolutely adorable, of course my job is absolutely amazing. And I have started using public transportation again. Specifically, peseros, or combis.
It will take a while, it definitely will. In the mean time, suffice it to say that I am doing the best I can with what I have.
Trudy Van Dop (owner of Van Dop Gallery) is a good friend of mine and a staunch supporter and promoter of the arts in British Columbia, so whenever she organizes something, I am always quick to promote it. So I was thrilled to hear about the 11th Annual BC Culture Crawl. There are events all over the province, but the one I noticed was the one that takes place in Burnaby, BC, from August 1st to the 31st (which means you still have plenty of time to check it out!).
The BC Cultural Crawl is a self-guided tour of community-initiated events: music, theatre and dance performances, visual arts, festivals, museum and heritage exhibitions, culinary arts, community art walks and more. Your self-guided exploration of supercultural British Columbia begins here. Browse August-long events, local cultural crawls, and community art walks. Download itineraries, maps and find all of the resources you need to plan your own exploration on
I hope you will check out the Burnaby Culture Crawl, but also others throughout British Columbia. There are literally dozens of activities
The worst thing about having to write a blog post explaining the reasons why I moved is then having to write a second one for the PR folks who keep asking me “and will Hummingbird604.com continue? Will you stop blogging about Vancouver?“. And I think that, because people define Vancouver as having an intrinsic association with me, if I move, I will stop blogging as Hummingbird604.com. Well, the answer is no.
I’m not exactly sure why people think that by moving to Mexico I will stop writing about Vancouver. My good friend Rebecca Bollwitt (Miss604) actually started being Miss604 and the idea about her blog about Vancouver while AWAY from Vancouver, when she was living in Boston! If you think about this and about how now Rebecca’s name is pretty much synonymous with Vancouver, you can understand why I don’t think I have any good reason to stop blogging about Vancouver. I just will blog about other things now, BEYOND Vancouver.
Vancouver IS still where I have some of the most important people in my life, so stop asking me that question. Yes, in summary: I will continue to accept pitches about Vancouver, about British Columbia and about Canada. If those pitches have to do with FAM tours, we just need to schedule them properly.
So, what did you think? That because I moved away from Vancouver I wasn’t going to cover the Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2012, which this year takes place from August 16th through the 26th, and which I have consistently covered for the past 6 years? No. Absolutely NOT. OF COURSE I’m going to cover the most expected film festival of the summer. The Vancouver Queer Film Festival folks and yours truly talked a few months back and we arranged things so that you will be able to read coverage of many VQFF films. I already have the logistics nailed down (total pun intended).
This is the 24th Annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival, and the VQFF folks have already lined up a number of amazing movies. One of those I am really looking forward to checking out is Romeos (trailer below). I am really glad that the VQFF decided to up the trans content, and Romeosdoes seem to offer an amazing portrait of the challenges of being gay as a trans man. Confused yet? Check out what promises to be an amazing movie.
Or you could check out Nate & Margaret, about the unlikely, somewhat dysfunctional but heartwarming friendship between Nate, a young gay man who is coming of age, and .
Another film I am sad I will miss physically is a documentary by Charlie David (whom I met last year at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival too): Positive Youth, not only because of the subject (youth living courageously with HIV) but also because the cast will be in attendance.
You can follow the Vancouver Queer Film Festival along on Facebook and Twitter. If you tweet, official hashtags include #Festies and #VQFF.
As you know, I have profiled numerous charities and non-profit initiatives on my blog. One of those amazing non-profits I profiled before is posAbilities, a fantastic not-for-profit community living service provider. Their current project, Can You Dig It! sounds like an amazing exercise in community building, so I thought I’d also profile it, not only because of the organization behind it but also because of its goal: encouraging community building through gardening as a social activity that encourages sustainability.
The Can You Dig It (CYDI) initiative tackles the challenge of social isolation through gardening.
Food production is a wonderful way to develop a sense of belonging, as neighbours work together towards a common goal. It is also a place to learn new skills and to make your contribution to the greater community. CYDI reaches out to include all neighbours, and celebrates diverse abilities and life experiences. Look for newcomers to Canada, persons with disabilities, seniors, youth and their neighbours in our gardens.
Along with the physical and mental benefits of gardening, CYDI also promotes:
– Environmentally responsible land-use
– Access to healthy food
– Donations to local food depots and community kitchens.
The benefits included with the give back part of this initiative, are much larger than feeding people who are hungry. They also include promoting civic leadership and ensuring that the contributions of all members of the community are recognized. People who require social supports are often perceived as being on the receiving end of benefits, with their contributions invisible to others. This initiative shows how we can all make a difference and that an inclusive community, is a diverse community. In our gardens we grow food and cultivate relationships.
You can find Can You Dig It on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter. I love the work that Can You Dig It is doing and I am hoping you will be able to participate in some of their activities. More information about Can You Dig It below.
Can You Dig It (CYDI) was launched in 2009 by posAbilities, a not for profit community living service provider. It was seen as a way to create opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to experience social and economic inclusion through produce gardening. Supported individuals became involved with building and coordinating the gardens. It soon became obvious that the gardening process would also benefit other groups, like seniors or newcomers who were experiencing isolation. In 2010, MOSAIC became partner in CYDI, and in 2011, Simon Fraser Society for Community Living also joined the initiative.
Can You Dig It is made possible through the generous support of BC Social Ventures Partners, the Vancouver Foundation, all of our partners and gardeners. Together, we are making a difference in our communities and transforming the dream of inclusion into a reality.
You *MUST* have read of my most fabulous weekend in Quadra Island last year when I participated in the fantastic Tastes of April Point 2011. Tastes of April Point is a fantastic weekend of food, wine, and relaxation. If you have never stayed at April Point Resort, you are definitely missing out. I can tell you this because I have, in fact, enjoyed Tastes of April Point before (and will again this year!).
This fall, from September 14 to 16, 2012 Tastes of April Point will be showcasing some biodynamic wines paired with amazing food. Wines from the Rodney Strong Portfolio will include: Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc, Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Russian River Pinot Noir, Knotty Vines Zinfandel & Alexander Valley Sauvignon.
Guests will be able to walk around the property exploring all the weekend’s events, including a selection of local cheeses, an exploration of Mediterranean flavours through the olive, a wine crushing and oyster tasting event, a presentation on bean-to-bar chocolates with perfect pairings and an exotic tea session. The weekend is topped off with a luxurious Sunday brunch.
Weekend Package – $389 includes
* Two nights’ accommodation in an oceanview room
* Island wines and local cheese tasting on Friday
* Exotic tea session on Saturday morning
* Mediterranean olive tasting
* Wine crush and oyster slush
* Biodynamic wine seminar
* Chocolate tastings with dessert wines
* 5 Course paired dinner on Saturday night
* Brunch on Sunday
You can book online or calling April Point Resort at 1-800-663-7090. And I have a fantastic giveaway for a lucky reader of mine: Weekend for two at Tastes, including flights on Pacific Coastal from Vancouver to Campbell River, and all transfers to the resort.. An amazing prize, as you can tell.
April Point Resort & Spa is a west coast oasis tucked into a protected cove on Quadra Island. The resort’s rooms and cabins are nestled in the trees and each have beautiful ocean views. Guests spend time in the Aveda Spa, explore Quadra Island on interpretive tours or get to know the area’s spectacular residents on wildlife tours. Or, they simply sit back and let the stresses of the world slip away. From Vancouver take the ferry to Nanaimo and take the Island Highway to Campbell River. (We recommend taking the Old Island Highway which hugs the scenic coast and takes you through the island’s charming villages.) From Campbell River either take the free 10 minute water shuttle from Painter’s Lodge or BC Ferries’ 10 minute ferry to Quadra Island.
To enter my giveaway, readers can follow one (or all) of the following methods (a comment on this blog post is mandatory to earn a second and further entries):
1) Comment on my blog entry telling me which one of the Oak Bay Marine Group resorts you would want to visit and why. I do have a soft spot for April Point Resort on Quadra Island, where Tastes of April Point takes place, but do definitely want to check out their other resorts.
4) Post the following text on your Twitter stream:
Told @hummingbird604 an @obmg resort I want 2 check out http://is.gd/Gs0ZX5 2 enter 2 win a Tastes of April Point grand prize #TAPHB604
Total value of this contest is in the range of $1,500 (prize pack, times two plus airfares and transportation). It does not include tips nor gratuities, nor additional beverages other than those included with each Tastes of April Point activity. As with any of my contests that involve wine, you MUST be of legal drinking age to participate in this contest. Flights to Campbell River will depart Vancouver, and therefore transportation to and from the city of Vancouver for out-of-the-city and out-of-province winners will be their own responsibility.
I will have this contest active for 2 weeks, and will draw winners on August 21st, 2012 at 2pm. Any entries AFTER the deadline will be voided. Good luck everyone! And if you don’t win, you totally should still check out Tastes of April Point, it’s an amazing event with great value. You can read my full coverage of last year’s event here.
I went into the theatre to watch The Dark Knight Rises expecting to be entertained, but I wasn’t prepared to really absolutely and completely enjoy it. And for the record, I was NOT a Anne Hathaway fan. But after The Dark Knight Rises, I am fully prepared to say that Anne Hathaway IS Selina Kyle (Catwoman). Sorry, Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry. Hathaway achieves what I think the director of Catwoman wanted to accomplish with Halle Berry.
I have to say that The Dark Knight Rises accomplishes exactly everything it has set out to. Set 8 years after the events of The Dark Knight, we find a clean, happy, almost idyllic Gotham. Batman has retired, scorned by the public thanks to a major lie designed by Bruce Wayne himself (who is now crippled and needs a cane to walk) to keep Harvey Dent’s public image spotless and almost saint-like. Dent (Two Face, if you recall) remains a hero and Batman is perceived as the bad guy.
Bane, a mercenary who once belonged to Ra’s Al Ghul League of Shadows (later on in the film Talia, Ra’s Al Ghul is at the helm) is intent on bringing down Gotham (cue your typical references to the 99% and economic inequalities) bringing Wayne out of retirement. Bruce dons the Bat-Suit yet again, with a number of allies by his side: Commissioner Gordon (who still feels guilty about being the one to keep the lie about Dent and his becoming evil alive), a new officer-turned-detective. Blake (played incredibly well by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whom I’m not crazy about usually but does a marvelous job here), Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman, as always spectacular), Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine who shines in a series of tear-jerking scenes throughout the movie) and former-cat-burglar-amazing-fighter-and-who-would-have-thought-she-had-a-heart Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway as THE Catwoman).
In all honesty, I don’t think I can find anything that should have been done differently. I don’t think I am spoiling the movie by telling you that the storyline of how Bane breaks Batman’s back and yet Bruce recovers triumphantly is one of the best showcases and proof of sheer talent. Christian Bale IS both Bruce Wayne AND Batman. I doubt there has been any other actor that has portrayed Batman so well (and yes, I do love me some Val Kilmer). And the chemistry between Bale and Hathaway is absolutely perfect.
Strongly recommend that you watch The Dark Knight Rises. Currently in theatres.
So there is a rumour in the blogosphere that I may have moved away from Vancouver, and most people are wondering “where the hell is Raul”. Well, the time has come to put these rumours to rest. And I think I owe Vancouver an explanation, so I hope you can understand it and work with me moving forward. The TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) version is: I love Vancouver but when I found the chance to spend time with my ageing parents and a great new era in my career, I couldn’t say no.
Photo credit: Shelley Lipke Photography
A number of people (originally, only my closest friends but slowly, it has been trickling to other folks with whom I may not be as close) knew that I was moving away from Vancouver, and a few chosen ones know the reasons behind my move. Most people have asked me to blog about it, and I frankly didn’t know if I wanted to. At least not in the detail that it would require. Much in the way Mellisa Fung wrote in her auto-biography “Under The Afghan Sun” (about her ordeals while kidnapped in Afghanistan while reporting about Canadian troops), I really don’t like being the story. I like telling stories.
Photo credit: Gus Fosarolli on Flickr
But here’s the truth: I have lived in numerous countries, Canada being the one where I have lived the most, and Vancouver the city where I have spent the vast majority of my adult and professional life. Vancouver is, has been and will always be my home. I am in Mexico right now. Home is where your heart is, and mine is in Vancouver. BUT my heart *is* also in Mexico. My parents are here.
Photo credit: Tyler Ingram on Flickr
Two years ago, I sat down with the most important person in my life (JT) and discussed the fact that my parents were ageing and I was worried about them. It’s a legitimate concern. And by 2010, I had already achieved pretty much everything I wanted in every field. I was teaching at one of the best universities in Canada, I already had my PhD (from the same university, coincidentally), my consulting practice was burgeoning and my social media life was pretty much at its peak.
Photo credit: Rebecca Bollwitt on Flickr
But then I realized I missed my parents, very much. I realized that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life regretting being away from them and not spending time with them as an adult. You’ll see, my parents always wanted me to fly away and be a worldly man. They wanted me to explore new land, travel the world, live amazing experiences. But in doing so, I have spent many, many years away from them. And I miss them. And I don’t want to regret the rest of my life not having taken the opportunity to spend time close to them as they grow older. At the same time, I was offered the opportunity to teach at the equivalent of Harvard of Mexico. That IS an amazing opportunity, and thus I did not want to waste the chance to grow professionally as well as personally.
Photo credit: Tris Hussey on Flickr
This wasn’t an easy decision to make, nor was it one that didn’t have pain attached. I left a lot behind: close friends, a wonderful group of faculty members and a supportive department to grow as an academic and an educator, a fantastic team to work with, my former students and those who were waiting to take a class from me. And I also left behind some of the people I love the most in the world. But at the same time, my new job is a fantastic career move for me, and the chance to be with my parents is one of the best opportunities I can have. I’m close to where they are and my research agenda is blossoming, at an institution that is the right fit for me.
Photo credit: Rebecca Bollwitt on Flickr
This was the right decision for me, and the best decision for me. And it doesn’t mean that I have broken up with Vancouver, with British Columbia and with Canada. My heart and my soul are still there, and I will be shuttling back-and-forth for the next few years. Yes, I may not be permanently in Vancouver, but I’m still a Vancouverite and my blog will continue to support those causes I am most fond of: the arts, theatre, dance, lifestyle, food, travel. It will just have a more emphatic travel slant for the next few years.
Photo credit: Kris Krug on Flickr
Fear not, Vancouver. You can take the Hummingbird out of Vancouver, but you can’t take Vancouver out of the Hummingbird. I will be back very, very soon.
Ever since I was a little child, my parents would bring me to the colonial city of Guanajuato, home to the Festival Internacional Cervantino (International Cervantes Festival). El Cervantino, as it’s affectionately known, is (in my opinion) Latin America’s foremost cultural showcase. Created to honor Spaniard writer, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, El Cervantino is an amazing cultural party.
Photo credit: Damaris Vilchis on Flickr
The Festival Internacional Cervantino (popularly known as El Cervantino) takes place each fall in the city of Guanajuato, located in central Mexico. This is a small colonial-era city with history of having a large cultural scene. The origins of the festival are from the mid 20th century, when short plays by Miguel de Cervantes called “entremeses” were performed in the city’s plazas. In 1972, this was expanded with federal support to include more events to add a more international flavor. Since then, FIC has grown to become the most important international artistic and cultural event in Mexico and Latin America, and one of four major events of its type in the world. It is a member of the European Festivals Association and the Asian Association of Theater Festivals. In addition to government support, there are also private sponsors such as Telmex, Televisa and Microsoft.
This year, amazingly, I’m going to be in Mexico for the first time in decades at the same time as the Festival Internacional Cervantino, and most likely, I will be in attendance. My parents and brothers and I would often make travel plans so that we could enjoy ballet, classical music, or theatrical performances. I know for a fact that many international visitors come to Guanajuato to the Festival Internacional Cervantino. At the same time, many of the performing acts are international in nature.
The Festival Internacional Cervantino 2012 runs from October 3rd to the 21st, in the city of Guanajuato. If you are planning to come visit, you should start making your travel plans now as hotels fill up really quickly.
I fell in love with the lovely boutique de luxe hotel Casareyna, in Puebla (the capital city of its namesake state, Puebla). Not only because of its wonderful decoration, the fact that their staff was unbelievably warm and extremely attentive, but also because when we visited for one of our last lunches in the We Visit Mexico Puebla Tweetup media trip, we were offered some of the best Poblano dishes I had tasted so far.
Not to slight any of the previous meals we had, but I absolutely loved what we ate at Casareyna. And yes, I admit that having eaten salmon in Mexico, cooked with a Poblano salsa, felt incredibly weird. But for some reason, I felt incredibly at home at Casareyna.
We began with a Sopa de Esquite (corn-on-the-cob soup). I’m sorry, but this was THE best Sopa de Esquite I had in the entire trip. Spicy, with the ideal portion size and lots of corn, and flavoured with a hint of chilpotle, Casareyna’s Sopa de Esquite is the dish you need to order if you ever visit.
My main course was salmon with Poblano salsa. I know. Weird. Salmon, huh?! Still, delicious.
For dessert I ordered Nieve de Mamey (mamey is a Mexican fruit, and I’ll say probably the one I could eat every single day). My most favorite dessert, sweet but light.
The hotel is beautiful in and of itself and hopefully I’ll have a chance to come back and visit.
The meeting room at Casareyna is an art gallery. Amazing.
Definitely, visiting Casareyna was one of the highlights of my trip. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: My trip to Puebla, sponsored by the Mexico Tourism Board, includes transportation, activities and meals. However, my posts are written in my own words and everything I write is entirely my own opinions. Any out-of-pocket expenses are paid out of my own dime. As always, anything that I post on my site is entirely my responsibility and I retain full editorial control.
While I have extensively travelled around and written about British Columbia (my home province for the better part of the last decade), I can’t really find photos of me IN the destinations I have travelled to! British Columbia is, without a doubt, one of the best places on Earth to live in (I seem to recall that was the motto of BC a few years ago, if I’m not mistaken). And I have, indeed enjoyed BC quite a lot.
I also have spent some amazingly relaxing holidays in Qualicum Beach and Parksville, on Vancouver Island, in particular at the Tigh-Na-Mara and the Beach Club Resort.
I have had the privilege to visit Quadra Island, a lovely and quaint island whose location gives it the ability to provide visitors an amazing experience (and its closeness to Campbell River gives tourists also a fantastic opportunity to know more about the Northern part of Vancouver Island). Here I stayed at the most amazing April Point Resort.
I have taken the Rocky Mountaineer and visited Whistler to enjoy outdoors activities and fine dining even though I am not at all a snow sports person!
I have snowshoe’d in Chehalis BC, between Agassiz and Mission, at the most wonderful Hemlock Resort.
I have had some of the best dinners you can think of at Chefs Across The Water in Salt Spring Island. I stayed at one of the nicest accommodations at the beautiful Hastings House and visited several locations, including Salt Spring Island Cheese Farms.
I have travelled the entire Sunshine Coast and enjoyed art, food and wonderful locations, including the Historic Lund Hotel in Lund, BC.
Yes, British Columbia: you have been indeed very kind indeed, and I have enjoyed every single minute of my life in BC.
The British Columbia Day Act, R.S.B.C. 1996 c.34 was first introduced in 1974 as Bill 61 by the
Hon. Ernie Hall, the Provincial Secretary under Premier Dave Barrett. The explanatory notes prefacing the bill states: “The purposes of this Bill is to recognize the pioneers of British Columbia by declaring the first Monday of August in each year to be a public holiday known as British Columbia Day.”
From the B.C. Debates, 4th Session, 30th Parliament, May 1, 1974, the Hon. Hall states, “August 1, or the closest working day to it, is a statutory holiday in every other province in Canada. By coincidence, an Act to provide to the Government of British Columbia, which changed us from the Colony of British Columbia, was passed by Parliament in the United Kingdom on August 2, 1858….
“We feel that British Columbia, like every other province could benefit and should have a holiday around August 1. We feel that the holiday should be dedicated to the pioneers who built the colony of British Columbia into the great province it is today…”
Thank you BC for always providing me with an amazing home and wonderful opportunities to enjoy your beauty.
Normally, I start my Mondays with highly energetic tunes. It’s the way in which I gain strength for what seems to be a very busy week. This Monday, my energizing song is Red Dress by the English triad that go by the name of Sugababes. It’s funny how Sugababes has also enjoyed their share of controversy, as the original Sugababes have now relaunched as Mutya Keisha Siobhan. While my actual favorite version of Red Dress is the original song, this version (the Yahoo Sessions one) is definitely fun. For your listening pleasure.
Tyrell Witherspoon is not only a great dancer and singer, but he also happens to be a friend of mine. Ty and I met through our common friends in the queer community and became friends as we actively participate in projects around Vancouver that support queer youth and GLBT rights. Tyrell is also a member of the cast of Homorazzi (several of the Homorazzi folks are also good friends of mine, including Patrick Levesque who is Tyrell’s fiance). I was just recently informed that Tyrell had just released his newest video, One Step Closer. Check it out below, it’s awesome.
A little bit on the story around One Step Closer:
The video for “One Step Closer” was shot locally in Vancouver with the help of Reel Illusions Entertainment. Fiancé Patrick Levesque plays Tyrell’s lover who gets a little too close for comfort with a mutual friend. Tyrell doesn’t trust this “Kevin” but Patrick doesn’t listen. After a fight, Tyrell heads to the terrace to dance out his emotions while Patrick heads to local lounge 1181 to meet up with Kevin. However, the situation quickly heads south when Kevin puts the moves on Patrick. Realizing Tyrell was right, Patrick begins to head home frantically trying to get a hold of Tyrell on the phone. When Patrick returns to their apartment, will Tyrell forgive him or is he ready to move on? The storyline is intercut with footage of Tyrell and two backup dancers busting out some choreography at Blue Egg Studios.
“One Step Closer” is currently available on iTunes, Amazon.com and Google Play.
This weekend is Vancouver Pride Festival and Parade and as you know, I’m a big supporter of queer issues, even more so when projects involve two of my most beloved causes: the arts AND queerness. I have had an incredibly busy few months (those of you who think I’m only having fun travelling through Mexico, let me tell you: no, I have A LOT of work this summer!) so I totally missed out on giving you a preview of Vancouver’s own Queer Arts Festival 2012.
The Queer Arts Festival in Vancouver, BC, is an annual showcase of queer arts, culture and history. It celebrates the unique creative expressions of visual and performing artists who identify as part of the queer communities. QAF features a curated visual art exhibit, a community art show, and three dynamic weeks of cutting-edge performances and workshops from all artistic disciplines, including music, dance, theatre, literary and media arts. Our 2012 theme, Random Acts of Queerness, commemorates the centenary of the experimental queer artist John Cage (1912-1992). Cage’s multidisciplinary artistic practice, experimental approach, and openly queer life elegantly exemplify
QAF’s mandate and values.
I am SO sorry that I missed the opportunity to give away tickets to the first lesbian opera, When The Sun Comes Out, presented by the Queer Arts Film Festival 2012. But you still can check many of their events. The lineup looks amazing.
My heart aches because I can’t be in Vancouver for the 2012 Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival. It aches because I am unable to join physically in a celebration of equality, diversity and love. I am sad because I will not have the opportunity to share this day as it was our tradition, with my friends Mark Robins and David Hannigan and their family and friends and my own family and friends.
Vancouver Pride holds a place very near and dear to my heart, for many reasons. It is a day when my close friends go to great lengths to remind me of how much they love me and how much they support me, and how much they support queer rights. You’ll see… my friends are progressive, smart and loving. They are people who recognize how stupid it is that not everyone has the same rights in a world that was built, in great part by queer people. You love art? Admire the work of Leonardo Da Vinci? He was gay. Love reading? Love reading the work of Oscar Wilde? He was gay.
There have been numerous Canadians who are gay and have done amazing stuff (Mark Tewksbury, current chief of mission to the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games and an Olympic games winner in swimming, is also gay). Chief of states are queer (Jóhanna_Sigurðardóttir, Prime Minister of Iceland, is lesbian). Multiple-times-Grand-Slam doubles tennis winners Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs are lesbian. GLBT people are everywhere, and doing amazing things, just like their straight counterparts.
Queer people (e.g. gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans) can be equally or more successful than straight people, yet they aren’t afforded the same rights in many, many countries. There are 9 countries in the world where being gay is a crime punishable by death. Can you imagine? That the rest of the world thinks that you are a lesser person because you love someone of the same gender? That someone affords him or herself the right to end your life because of an act of love, a love that they themselves can’t understand? That’s just bewildering.
Pride, and especially, the Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival, is much more than a showcase of hot shirtless men with perfect bodies, boisterous music, boas and confetti. It’s a reminder that, while we have achieved much in GLBT rights, we have NOT won the war. We still have thousands of miles to go. It frightened me to read Ray Lam’s editorial in the Vancouver Sun:
Only one-third of school districts in British Columbia have policies protecting children from homophobia, most of which include transphobia, and Vancouver leads the country in reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender expression. We often forget that most of us live within an hour’s drive of a country where in 29 of 50 states it is just cause to fire a person for being queer, and the few rights queer people have there are slowly being challenged or taken away.
I have gone to great lengths to teach my students that being queer is ok, that being openly gay is ok, and that they should be able to love whoever they want without fear of being segregated, attacked or repressed. That there is no such thing as a pink ceiling, and that their sexual orientation should have no bearing on their personal success. I have also told them that they should be free to be who they are, and be valued and loved for who they are.
Happy Pride Vancouver. I am sorry that I will miss having the opportunity to celebrate GLBT rights in Vancouver and Canada, but I’ll have a toast at home. And Mark and David: sorry I won’t be there this year. Hopefully next year! Much love, always.
If you want to read a comprehensive guide of what’s coming up for Vancouver Pride 2012, follow along my friend Mark Robins’ guide.
And a combination of both is the upcoming Annual Flag Stop Theatre & Arts Festival which will take place on August 11th. Organized by The Point Artist-Run Centre Society at the former hostel Lodge in Alta Lake, Whistler, this artistic festival promises to be a great event.
Alta Lake. Photo credit: Blythe D. on Flickr.
The Point Artist-Run Centre Society is pleased to present its second summer of arts and cultural events at The Point. The heritage lodge on Alta Lake will once again host Saturdays at the Point, an open house featuring singer songwriter performances, this summer’s TRACKS art show, and the popular Book Shop Café.
Art workshops will be held for children, teenagers and adults on Tuesdays and Thursdays from June 28 to August 9.
This summer also launches the first annual Flag Stop Theatre & Arts Festival on Saturday, August 11. The floating stage will feature theatre, music and improv performances developed through the summer workshops, as well as the debut performance of Agnes, a play by Stephen Vogler.
Summer at The Point is a pilot project currently in its second year conducted by The Point Artist-Run Centre Society in conjunction with the Resort Municipality of Whistler.
JT and I usually go up to Squamish to Shannon Falls/The Stawamus Chief for our usual “beginning of the summer” hike in early June, but this year we haven’t had a chance. And strange as this may sound, despite having visited Squamish many, many times, I have actually never set foot in the Britannia Mine Museum.
I know, horror of horrors. Even worse? I have an MEng and I took several courses in Sustainable Mining Engineering. I *should* know the Britannia Mine Museum, very well!
Photo credit: Scott Kerr
I recently got wind that The Britannia Mine Museum is featuring a unique metal art sculptures exhibit in its historic Machine Shop that runs now till September 16, 2012. “MINeD” is a series of metal sculpture art pieces that are lively and organic in shape, created by artist Margie McDonald, to symbolize the imaginations of the brain through the use of recycled metal materials. The new exhibit reflects mining, the materials that are mined and how these elements influence art.
Photo credit: Scott Kerr
Originally from rural Newfoundland, Margie McDonald now lives in Port Townsend, Washington and is trained in fiber arts with a focus on textiles, tending toward sculptural forms using traditionaltechniques and is inspired by nature to transform industrial materials intoorganic forms. Growing up in a large family that was economically challenged, McDonald was involved with reuse from an early age. She learned to knit mittens and socks, crochet, and make quilts and clothing using mostly recycled materials.
“We’re so pleased to feature the works of Margie, who is a very well-known artist, and to showcase her amazing metal sculptures that are extraordinary to say the least,” says Kirstin Clausen, executive director of the Britannia Mine Museum. “Her unique art pieces are perfect for our museum as it illustrates how mining and mined materials caninfluence artistic expression. It shows our audiences just how mining can be relevant to our daily lives, including how our imaginations can take shape and art can be transformed.”
Curated and designed by Krisztina Egyed, the “MINeD” exhibit transforms the interior of the museum’s historic Machine Shop, so that it becomes a metaphor for the inside of a giant brain where imagination occurs. The space is filled with metal sculptural pieces that are lively and organic in their shape. Recycled metal wire and fasteners are knotted, netted and tangled into luminous webs and cells or creatures. The pieces taken together are representative of the explosion of the trillions of neurons connected inside the human brain whenever imagination is occurring.
Located 10 minutes south of Squamish on the Sea-to-Sky highway, the Britannia Mine Museum was recently transformed from a mining legacy site into a vibrant internationally recognized tourist destination. The museum provides fantastic visitor experiences with the new Beaty-Lundin Visitor Centre, the Britannia A-Z heritage hall, the historic 20-storey Mill building, the underground mine train and outdoor gold panning. Open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with guided tours every 45 minutes throughout the day. The Museum celebrates the contributions of mining and minerals to society, the history of the storied Britannia Beach community and the ideas and practices of environmental renewal and sustainability.
You should definitely make the trip north for an hour or so to check out MINeD, this wonderful artistic exhibit.
About the Britannia Mine Museum:
The Britannia Mine Museum is a mining legacy site and a vibrant, internationally recognized education and tourist destination located between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It is a National Historic Site and is a non-profit organization with the intent to increase awareness of the impact of mining and minerals to society, the history of the storied Britannia Beach community and the ideas and practices of environmental renewal and sustainability. It promotes mining awareness through entertaining, experiential education programs, important historic collection preservation and insightful public engagement that allows guests to leave with a better understanding of mining in BC; past, present and future.
When we visited the city of Puebla for the #WeVisitMexico press trip, we had the opportunity to walk through Santa Clara Street (also known as the candy street, La Calle de los Dulces). I absolutely loved it, and this is a little photo essay of our visit.
Disclosure: My trip to Puebla, sponsored by the Mexico Tourism Board, includes transportation, activities and meals. However, my posts are written in my own words and everything I write is entirely my own opinions. Any out-of-pocket expenses are paid out of my own dime. As always, anything that I post on my site is entirely my responsibility and I retain full editorial control.
I love my Homorazzi boys (I became friends with Patrick Levesque, Tyrell Witherspoon and Jonny Staub, all of whom are a few members of the Homorazzi cast, a long while ago, and we’ve stayed in touch and see each other on a pretty regular basis at media events and arts performances). I’m really sad I can’t attend a fun event they are organizing, the Homorazzi Hangover Brunch at Cento Notti, but as you may know, I’m in Mexico at the moment and I am pretty much missing all of Vancouver Pride 2012 season. Fear not, though, because I’ll still be writing about some of the things that will be happening this week.
Teaming up with the fabulous team at Opus Hotel Vancouver, we invite you to join us for the Homorazzi Hangover Brunch at Cento Notti on Saturday, August 4 between 11am to 3pm. The brunch is a three course shared platter that includes a mimosa upon arrival. There will be a DJ spinning and some special guests as well. We hope to see YOU there!
YouthCO is an amazing local organization that works to reduce the impact of HIV and Hep C on the youth of British Columbia through peer support, education and meaningful community engagement.
DATE: Saturday, August 4 TIME: 11am – 3pm LOCATION: Cento Notti – 350 Davie Street at Opus Hotel COST: $25 per person (excludes tax & gratuity / partial proceeds donated to YouthCO.
By reservation only. Call 604-642-0557 or book online here
I hope many of you can attend so that you can support YouthCO. YouthCO is indeed an amazing organization, and one that is very near and dear to my heart.
Patrick Levesque, Josh Rimer, Tyrell Witherspoon and me at Marc Smith’s Holidaze 2011
Supporting entrepreneurship in Vancouver (and elsewhere, as it turns out) is important for me, because I recognize that it isn’t government who creates jobs: it’s entrepreneurial activity. So when I was informed about the work of Themis Velgis and how he and his wife rebuilt after losing everything to a shady business proposition, including their boutique chocolate shop, Chocoatl. I remember visiting Chocoatl when it started, but I never got to chat with Themis or his wife.
AfterAfter years of rebuilding, and rounding up a few trustful business partners, Themis created Pura Agave™ Syrups alongside Bryan Kim and SFU undergraduate student Shahab Samimi. Pura Foods Ltd. provides raw agave sweeteners and is an emerging company of USDA, Canadian Organic, and Vegan friendly Blue Agave syrups from Mexico.
In the words of Chef Velgis, “Pura was developed to provide a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners,” Pura Raw Agave is made with 100% natural ingredients, providing a delicious range of 15 certified organic flavoured agave syrups.
Used for thousands of years in Mexico and prized by the Aztecs, agave syrup is 25% sweeter than sugar allowing consumers to use less and consequently reduce the amount of calories and carbohydrates consumed. Pura flavoured agave syrups contain the lowest glycemic index of Blue Agave, 17, a feat achieved by the unique processing style of the syrup. All of Pura Raw Agave Syrups are raw, meaning the syrup has not been heated above 46o Celsius, maintaining its enzymes and natural properties that may otherwise be affected by high temperatures. Its light viscosity allows the last drip to drop as easily as the first, dissolving quickly in hot and cold beverages.
I love agave syrup, to be quite honest, not only because (like Themis), I’m Mexican, but also because I know that agave syrup is extremely good for your health (this is oral tradition passed on for generations of Mexicans, and I was raised enjoying pretty much anything cooked with agave). And I’m thrilled to see that Blenz is supporting Pura Sweeteners by using them on their drinks (those drinks must be REALLY tasty!).
Launching July 13th, for the first time ever, Blenz will serve its customers tea and coffee sweetened with a natural sweetener. From Strawberry and Mango, to Caramel and Vanilla, there are 15 different flavours to choose from. Blenz is serving up some refreshing and chilled Hibiscus Tea sweetened with Pura Raw Agave, and the Pura Team wants you to be the first to taste these creations before the beverage goes live in your city!
I love promoting ethnic festivals in Vancouver, particularly because of the wonderfully multicultural society we have. This weekend (July 28th and 29th, 2012) North Vancouver is celebrating Caribbean Days Festival 2012.
Each July, the Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society of BC presents the Caribbean Days Festival. This event draws a crowd of exuberant fun-lovers to North Vancouver’s Waterfront Park for a weekend of parading, dining and dancing in the sunshine. This is a weekend of tropical rhythm, cuisine, carnival and culture as only the Caribbean can offer. Over the years, the Festival has grown into the largest Caribbean event on the local calendar, Drawing tens of thousands of attendees, it is among the very largest cultural events in BC, Canada.
Caribbean Days Festival is held in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The setting is Waterfront Park, a large green space with a picturesque view of the Vancouver skyline. Waterfront Park is divided into North and South zones, each with their own attractions during Caribbean Days. Caribbean Days Festival is free to attend, is open to all ages, is wheelchair accessible and close to public transportation.
