I will fully confess that the name “Yagger’s” doesn’t bring memories that are all that pleasant. I think of “Jagermeister”, one of those drinks that I have no clue why people continue having. And usually I associate Jagermeisters with being totally and completely hammered drunk. So, I was a little afraid of going to Yagger’s for lunch. But I am a fan of giving all places a chance.
I recently took my colleague Jordan to Yagger’s for lunch (we are collaborating on a research paper) and I figured I’d try it out since my good friends Erica Hargreave and Minna Van have recommended it previously. I’ll admit a bit of wariness as I was walking in. But the ambiance really relaxed me.
Yagger’s is a pub, no question about it. Located right besides the Ramada Inn on West Pender and almost Richards Street, it’s less than 35 seconds away from my office at The Network Hub. We went there for lunch, and even though it filled really quickly (demonstrating that it’s popular and has good food, no question), we arrived right at noon on the dot.
I ordered one of their traditional burgers ($12) but had the cheese removed. The burger doesn’t come on your traditional burger bun, but on a kaiser. But the meat is organic, the ingredients fresh and they added a portion of delicious guacamole that absolutely made the burger better (although it was really good as it was).
Overall, I would say that Yagger’s is a delightful surprise. It is kind of a sports bar, of course, or a pub. So when you go there, you’re not there for a romantic date, you’re there to have fun with your friends and enjoy good food and a few drinks. But the fun thing is, it’s not really noisy or raucus.
And Yagger’s has a private room in the back, which is very much worth checking out for small events and parties. Overall, good surprise on the side of Yagger’s. And thanks to Erica, Jordan and Minna for recommending it. Despite its closeness to my office I would probably have not tried if it weren’t because it was recommended to me. And now I find myself recommending it.
Disclosure: I paid for our lunch on our own dime. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. 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 wanted to try the Treehouse Cafe at Salt Spring Island when I recently visited but the line was way too long and we had to get back to the Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival, so my friend Deirdre Rowland and I went for brunch to the Salt Spring Inn, a couple of blocks away from the Treehouse Cafe.
I’ll have to say I was thoroughly impressed. While the food was great (scrambled eggs, hashbrowns and ham on a toasted bagel, $10), I was even more impressed with the service. We said we were in a rush and our food was literally on our table within 3 minutes of having ordered. THAT is what I call service! Fantastic brunch, spacious room and overall a great experience.
Disclosure: I paid for our brunch on my own dime. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. 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 am (for better or worse) someone who has been trained in economics, and game theory, for the better part of 6 years. But this is not your traditional microeconomics game theory. It’s a whole different Game Theory. New Orchestra Workshop and The Western Front present a fantastic rollercoaster ride as 7 directors from 3 separate locations across North America take turns directing Orkestra Futura via Stefan Smulovitz’s innovative software program Mad Scientist Machine. Sounds crazy, eh? But it appears like it will be super cool.
New Orchestra Workshop Society with The Western Front presents Orkestra Futura performing Game Theory. Will take place April 1st and 2nd at 8:00 pm at The Western Front, 303 8thAvenue, Vancouver. Tickets are $15 general, $12 NOW members & $5 for students; available through the NOW website.
The confirmed directors include: Sarah Weaver, Lisle Ellis and Todd Reynolds (all New York), Paul Cram (Halifax) and in Vancouver Coat Cooke, Giorgio Magnanensi and the mad scientist inventor himself Smulovitz. The Orchestra will feature a stellar ensemble of improvisers, including DB Boyko (voice), Smulovitz (laptop electronics), Chad MacQuarrie (guitar, radio, electronics), Tommy Babin (bass), Kenton Loewen (drums) and Cooke (leader and saxophones). The concerts will also feature instant dance and choreography by the acclaimed dancer Delia Brett.
In addition, the concerts will feature new game pieces created by Orkestra Futura’s Artistic Director Coat Cooke. But what are game pieces?
Under the direction of Coat Cooke, Orkestra Futura will explore the world of “game compositions”. The two concerts, each a unique event, will use Stefan Smulovitz’s innovative Mad Scientist Machine, a program that enables conductors from around North America to collaborate with live musicians performing in real time at The Western Front. The concerts will build on Smulovitz’s experience of working with the software in Vancouver and more recently in Greece and feature four internet conductors who will participate through Skype, including Sarah Weaver and Lisle Ellis from New York and Paul Cram from Halifax. They will collaborate with local conductors Smulovitz and Cooke.
The Mad Scientist Machine is a platform that provides conductors with seven separate cues that they can relay remotely to the performers in real time. The conductors are able to layer or isolate at will and the process allows for a great deal of specificity in the creation of the piece. It permits excellent improvisers, to interpret, interact, interject and express in a personal way to the impulses suggested by the conductor.
Orkestra Futura will feature the ensemble of DB Boyko (voice), Stefan Smulovitz (laptop electronics), Chad MacQuarrie (guitar, radio, electronics), Tommy Babin (bass), Kenton Loewen (drums) and Coat Cooke (leader and saxophones). In addition, the concerts will feature instant dance and choreography by acclaimed dancer Delia Brett and new game pieces created by Coat Cooke.
And I have a pair of tickets to give away for this concert. All you have to do is drop a comment on this post indicating that you’re interested in attending the show and I’ll add you to the draw. I’ll draw a winner on Friday morning (April 1st) at 11am
Sometimes you forget about great restaurants like Q4 al Centro even though they are (a) three blocks away from your office (b) two blocks away from theatres and performing arts centres and (c) have had amazing food and drinks there. Yeah, my brain gets overloaded and I often forget. But luckily, for Dining Out For Life, JT and I parked outside my office and began walking down Richards.
Even though I had attended the opening of Q4 al Centro, and have been back for drinks, I seemed to blank out for choices for dinner. And then I remembered Q4 al Centro was doing Dining Out For Life too. JT and I had already planned to do dinner for Dining Out For Life, and it was a great coincidence that we ended up at Q4 al Centro.
We began with a Caesar salad ($9), which was really good (although to be honest I really would prefer some capers with my Caesar salad – but that’s just me and my taste). I followed with a main dish of Penne Salsicce ($22), a fantastic pasta with wine-cured chorizo, sun dried tomatoes, roasted fennel, pine nuts, brandy, and aged asiago. Some restaurants scrimp on the amount of meat with pasta dishes. Q4 al Centro never does that.
While for some folks, pasta with chorizo may seem a strange choice, I have Spanish roots and my tastebuds enjoy very strong flavors. The pine nuts give this dish a delicate sweet touch and even though I hate cheese, I found the asiago so well blended that the dish altogether ended up being very flavourful. Portions are generous and very well presented.
We were surprised with a couple of complimentary desserts (which we totally did not expect). And again, surprising myself, I preferred the cheesecake with Phillo crust.
Overall, a fantastic experience. Dinner altogether came to about $77 before tax and gratuities (of which 25% went to A Loving Spoonful as it was Dining Out For Life). And if you’re afraid of breaking the bank, at the Kitsilano location, Q4 Restaurant has $10 pasta nights (on Tuesdays if I’m not mistaken). So you should try it. I really enjoyed it.
Disclosure: I paid for my and JT’s dinner on my own dime. The owner and manager were kind enough to send a couple of complimentary desserts, but that does not influence my review as I paid for the full dinner on my own. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. 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 pride myself in my abilities as a storyteller, and I have always believed that being a good writer and researcher means telling a good story. The other day, my good friend Erica Hargreave (Ahimsa Media) who works as an interactive storyteller, and I were walking down Mount Pleasant. I stopped, took a photo and asked her “what’s the story behind this photography”. That’s all I said.
Erica replied “that photo tells the story of how this geographical area has transformed from being highly industrialized to now having a mixture of industrial and residential and how these two co-exist”. And that’s exactly the story I would portray with this photo.
I’m always fascinated with land use changes, with the co-existence of industrial and urban spaces. I wrote a doctoral dissertation on the topic, as a matter of fact. So taking photos of industrial/urban ecosystems has become somewhat of a hobby for me. As Jens mentioned, this photo tells the story of a change in land use.
I am trying to find a song that I don’t seem to be able to. But I found others that I liked, and this is the case with Dave Barnes‘ Brothers and Sisters. Totally up my alley.
I am torn. I am a big supporter of any charity associated with cancer research (as you may know, I have lost 4 family members to cancer, and my very dear friend Derek K. Miller has stage 4 metastatic cancer. Derek wrote a couple of months ago about how cancer doesn’t require inner strength (a beautiful post, much like anything Derek writes – he has a gift with words and his written legacy will live on).
So you may ask yourself, what exactly I’m torn about? Well, the fact is that I know that the Canadian Cancer Society’s Month of Fighting Back is April, part of their Annual Daffodil Month. But the reason I am torn is because I almost automatically now reject the notion of “fighting back” (mostly, as a result of further reflection from reading Derek’s blog). I liked what the Canadian Cancer Society had to say, though.
One way you can fight back this April is to wear a daffodil pin to show your support for someone on a cancer journey. Then on April 27th, join us for Daffodil Day as we come together in communities across Canada to honour the people in our lives affected by cancer.To some, the daffodil is just a flower. To us, it’s a symbol of strength and courage. A symbol of life. It says we will not give up. It says we will fight back. It says we will beat cancer.
Realistically speaking (and I hope I don’t sound jaded after having lost so many of my loved ones to cancer), I don’t think we will beat cancer any time soon. But I am all about contributing to cancer-related causes, in hopes that maybe in my lifetime, more people will be saved from prevention, early detection and treatment. So I would encourage you to consider donating to the Canadian Cancer Society.
There is a number of fundraising events happening this coming month in British Columbia and you can check them here. Help the fight against cancer.
Did you know The Philanderer is The Arts Club’s 500th production? No, neither did I. Until they told me, of course. More importantly, I have been lucky to witness many of The Arts Club’s productions. So I was glad to be able to celebrate by attending The Philanderer this past weekend.
Philandering, in case you were wondering, is the polite word for promiscuity. Seeing as I’m not a native English speaker, I did not know this. So, I wondered what kind of play I was getting into but I did not read any reviews nor did I pay much attention to the publicity. I like attending plays with a clean slate. And I’m glad I did.
Anna Galvin and Tom Scholte in the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of The Philanderer. Photo credit: David Cooper. Used with permission.
The Philanderer is, indeed, an extremely well-crafted, beautifully-acted treatise on human sexuality and the eternal question of why the hell can’t humans be monogamous?. While the first act is (in my opinion) a bit long, it felt so fast paced and the dialogue was so witty that it almost didn’t feel long.
The second act is extremely quick in its deployment yet gives us enough of a taste of what it looks like to Dr. Paramore to be married to a woman (Julia) who gets entangled with a philanderer (Charteris) for what almost seems to be a lifetime. Director Rachel Ditor achieves the almost impossibly gargantuan task of telling a philanderer’s story in such an endearing way that you can’t help but like the guy (despite his foibles).
The cast of the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of The Philanderer. Photo credit: David Cooper. Used with permission
All cast members do a great job of delivering the quirky, fast-paced, witty, quasi-ancient English language lines of dialogue generated by George Bernard Shaw. Moreover, as I mentioned above, despite the fact that Charteris is, indeed, a philanderer, you can’t help but like the guy. He is a womanizer yet his logic for being promiscuous and seducing other men’s wives almost seems non-faulty. That’s a testament to Tom Scholte’s charm and the fantastic work the cast does to support him in portraying the philanderer.
Congratulations to The Arts Club on yet another wonderful production. I would strongly recommend that you get tickets to The Philanderer and check it out, because we really enjoyed it. The Philanderer plays at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Theatre until April 17th.
Disclosure: JT paid for our tickets on his own dime (e.g. we did NOT receive complimentary tickets). This post hasn’t been paid nor am I obligated to write it. In any review I write or publish on my site, I retain editorial control at all times, and producers and publicists are well aware of this. Should you have any questions/concern feel free to contact me via e-mail through my contact form.
The cast of Riverdance. Photo credit: Joan Marcus. Used with permission
As my readers know, I’ve done both musical theatre and dancing, and I love Broadway Across Canada. A couple of years ago I saw High School Musical with Broadway Across Canada and this year I saw Legally Blonde, The Musical. So I’m always keen to check out their productions.
I recently learned that RIVERDANCE would play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver from April 5 – April 10, 2011, I knew I had to check it out. They’re in Vancouver for 8 performances only! I know that RIVERDANCE is very innovative and that it blends dance, music and songs, drawing on Irish traditions. In particular I find it captivating that this Irish dancing and music show can appeal to all ages and cultures (and honestly, I do love me some Irish music). This extremely unique show features an international company, something I am really keen to check out.
Composed by Bill Whelan, produced by Moya Doherty and directed by John McColgan, to date, RIVERDANCE – now in its 16th phenomenal year — has played over 10,000 performances, been seen live by more than 22 million people in over 350 venues throughout 40 countries across 4 continents. They have traveled well over 600,000 miles (or to the moon and back!), played to a worldwide television audience of 2 billion; sold over 3 million copies of the Grammy Award-winning CD (certified Platinum in the US) and over 10 million videos making it one of the best-selling entertainment videos in the world! RIVERDANCE had its world premiere at the Point Theatre, Dublin, in February 1995, where it opened to unanimous critical acclaim.
In Vancouver, RIVERDANCE plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.; and Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for RIVERDANCE vary in range depending on performance, seat location, and date of purchase and start at $25.00. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster outlets, online or by calling 1.855.985.5000. Group orders for 15 or more may be placed by calling 1.800.889.8457.
The Vancouver engagement of RIVERDANCE is presented by Broadway Across Canada. Additional tour dates include and April 19 – 24, 2011 in Calgary and April 26 – May 1, 2011 in Edmonton.
I was raised in a household full with classical music. My Mom used to be an opera singer, my Dad used to play classic guitar and my 4 brothers and I were trained in classical piano. So, as I grew up, I got used to enjoy a variety of types of classical music beyond piano. One of the folks I’ve admired for long has been world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who luckily will be in Vancouver soon with his project, The Silk Road Ensemble. And the Vancouver Recital Society has entrusted me with a tickets to give away.
The Silk Road Ensemble is a collective of internationally renowned performers and composers from more than 20 countries. Each Ensemble member’s career responds to one of the preeminent artistic challenges of our times: to maintain the integrity of art rooted in authentic traditions while nourishing global connections.
Many of the musicians first came together under the artistic direction of Yo-Yo Ma at a workshop at Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts in 2000. Since then, in various configurations, Ensemble artists have collaborated on a diverse range of musical and multimedia projects, presenting innovative performances that spring from Eastern and Western traditions and contemporary musical crossroads.
The Silk Road Ensemble has performed to critical acclaim throughout Asia, Europe and North America and has recorded five albums. The Ensemble’s most recent recording, Off the Map (2009 In a Circle Records; 2009 World Village), was nominated for a Grammy award. It explores uncharted territory with globe-spanning music commissioned from Osvaldo Golijov, Gabriela Lena Frank, Evan Ziporyn and Angel Lam.
The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma is playing on Sunday April 10th, 2011 at 7:30pm at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver. You can get tickets online here. And I have 2 tickets to give away to one lucky reader.
I will count every comment on this post as one entry and an additional entry can be gained by posting the following on Twitter (2 entries in total).
Entered to win tickets to Yo-Yo Ma & the Silk Road Project from @hummingbird604 http://ow.ly/4lswA You can enter too!
I will draw a random winner on Wednesday April 6th at 11 am. Once I announce the winner, you can pick up the tickets from my office (or we can make alternate arrangements). Side note – the Facebook page for the Vancouver Recital Society is here. Good luck!
I went to “Immersion”, the older-than-18-demographic-targeted event that allows folks like me experience the beautiful Vancouver Aquarium in an evening atmosphere. DJ Emiko was on hand to spin music, and I should tip my hat to her as her music is awesome. She spun “Stuff ‘N’ Junk” by Fabio Bacchini and got me hooked. Much in the style of deep house funk, this tune is addictive. For your listening pleasure here is a YouTube video with the original tune.
I blog because I love sharing my thoughts with my world. I don’t purposefully seek to inspire people, but I am always thrilled when I do. But I do know of a New Westminster blogger who passed away exactly one year ago after a long battle with cystic fibrosis, a blogger who inspired thousands of people. Her name was Eva Markvoort. A few months ago, my good friend Kimberley Bowie asked me if I’d be interested in giving away tickets to a (sold-out) concert in memory of Eva (who was a good friend of Kim’s). I was honored that Kim asked me to do this giveaway because I know how much she misses Eva.
Thinking about the fact that Eva passed away at a really young age brings tears to my eyes, as I myself have a very dear friend who is also a blogger, and who is currently battling the late stages of cancer (Derek). It’s hard not to think about the potential for loss when you remember people who have already gone. Just last night, I attended a celebration of life for the late husband of my good friend Cathy Browne, Dave M. Kane. While all these folks will be (and continue to be, those who have gone) missed, their legacy lives on.
I woke up this morning to a cute @ reply (or mention as it’s lately called) indicating that today was my 3 years on Twitter. Rarely do I ever think about how long (or how much time) I have spent on Twitter. Except today. During these three years, I’ve typed 93,673 tweets, favorited 2,027, and about 6,995 folks read my tweets. I have built a community around me, and have managed to enjoy my time on Twitter.
I purposefully eschew adding words on to my Twitter profile such as a ‘social media speaker, consultant and maven’, simply because I think that one of the best ways to do social media right is to be an example (also because I hate the self-appointed social media gurus). Lucky for me, a number of folks seem to enjoy what I have to say online. And for that, I’m grateful.
I have my own Twitter quirks (I can’t follow everybody because my brain doesn’t have the capacity to process that much information, I absolutely hate, despise and refuse to get Direct Messages and sometimes I’m chatty whereas other times I don’t tweet at all).
But the one thing that Twitter has given me in these three years (in addition to more speaking and consulting gigs) is the opportunity to meet amazing people, make new friends and stay in touch with my loved ones whom I normally don’t have the time to see. That’s why I love Twitter.
As I mentioned in my very first Twitter profile: Twitter is my playground. And I hope to continue to be able to engage with my online community the way I have so far. And of course, while you’re not obligated to do so by any stretch of the imagination, you can follow me on Twitter here (@hummingbird604).
Ah, it’s that time of the year again. The cherry blossoms are almost in full force. I have blogged about the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival almost every single year, and this year will not be an exception. From their press release:
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival Society is a charitable not-for-profit organization which embraces the first moments of spring and honours the cherry tree through its festival’s unique cultural programming. The objectives of such community events include public education through seasonal, cherry themed, city-wide viewing programs, musical performances, fine art and design exhibitions.
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates this blossoming event through haiku. I wish I could do haiku (I don’t know how to be good at haikus). So I’m glad that the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival hosts the Haiku Invitational, a contest that awards the best haiku in five different categories including: British Columbia, Canada, USA, International and Youth. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival will be announcing the winners of the 2010 Haiku Invitational.
I wanted to learn a bit more about the festival, and here is what I learned:
Since it began in 2006, the Festival’s Haiku Invitational has attracted entries from more than 36 countries in North America, Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. The Haiku Invitational welcomes poems of 17 syllables or a haiku written in three lines. The 2011 invitational opened March 1 and submissions can be made online until May 31.
A beautiful tune, surprisingly outside the range of what I normally like, by Atlanta band Manchester Orchestra. Beautiful, graceful, slightly nostalgic and longing. I love Simple Math (almost as much as I love math itself).
Vesuvio Entertainment Corp. recently approached me to tell me about the first public screening of BEHIND YOUR EYES, an indie psycho-thriller that will be shown at the 2011 Canada International Film Festival on Sunday, April 3, 2011.
The edge of your seat thriller, BEHIND YOUR EYES, is sure to leave the premier audience intrigued and unsettled by the gritty, realistic nature of the plot twists and performances. DreadCentral.com describes the feature film as a “multi-layered cinematic canvas…Daniel Fanaberia delivers not only a compelling script, but also a commanding performance.”
Located in the heart of Los Angeles, the core of Vesuvio Entertainment Corporation, and its foreign subsidiary Vesuvio International, is producing and distributing high-end, independent commercial films, with an emphasis on the thriller genre. Vesuvio has an active talent management division that includes actors and platinum selling, major label international artists. Vesuvio fills a unique niche in the entertainment business by focusing on the synergy between filmed entertainment and music.
About the Canada International Film Festival
Held each year in Vancouver, BC, the festival brings the very best of world cinema to Canada and has exhibited films from over 90 countries around the world. The 2011 Canada International Film Festival will be held at Edgewater Casino’s Stadium Club Theatre screening North American and international feature films as well as thought-provoking shorts, documentaries, music videos, animations, experimental films, and student films.
I have one pair of tickets to Behind Your Eyes, and you can win them by telling me the name of the scariest movie you have ever seen. You can add an entry by posting the text below on Twitter:
2 win tix to ‘Behind Your Eyes’ at @canadafilmfest I told @hummingbird604 my favorite scary movie http://is.gd/5c1lxk. What’s yours?
I will draw a random winner on Wednesday March 30th, at 5:00pm and the winner will have tickets on Will Call. Good luck everyone!
A restaurant is irrelevant to me if I can’t enjoy its food with my friends. So I was delighted to have a chance to try Marché in Toronto last September with my friend Lisa Thomas-Tench. We were walking around Dundas and Yonge and we decided to go and try it out. Hanging out with Lisa was wonderful, since she spent a substantial amount of time in Toronto, she knew where to take me and what places to go.
The weather was very nice so that helped too. I ordered a chicken salad ($10) which was massive.
Walking around Marché I realized how different this place is from anywhere I’ve been before. There’s little islands of food (and a variety of ethnic groups).
Of course, we couldn’t leave dessert alone 🙂
And of course, we had to be healthy so we ordered smoothies.
Disclosure: We paid for our lunch (Lisa and I) on our own dime. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. 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.
Yeah. So rumor has it that my good friend Arieanna Schweber and I will be sharing our insight of a total combined more than a decade expertise in how to build strong online communities. At Northern Voice 2011, Arieanna and I will be walking you through some of the basics (and some of the not-so-incredibly-basic) things that having a robust online requires. Hopefully you will be able to attend our session. Northern Voice is an awesome conference on blogging and I really, really would love that more people attended as it’s a fantastic way to build communities OFFLINE.
I have a special love for Deep Cove in North Vancouver. It’s the kind of community I would see myself living in. It houses some of the best places for dinner (Arms Reach Bistro, anyone?) and I find myself always drawn there. Today JT and I went there for our first hike of the season, and we took the Baden-Powell Trail all the way to Indian Arm’s Quarry Rock lookout.
We took the opportunity to take a few photos there, and of Panorama Park, and here are some of my favorite shots.
I went to Yamato Sushi with my good friend Cisco Grajales III a few months ago, and I realize now that I never posted a review. All three of the Davie Street sushi joints (between Seymour and Granville) are good, but this time we just stayed at Yamato Sushi. The sushi rolls were very fresh and the specialty roll (avocado) was delicious. Overall, I would probably come back to Yamato Sushi, although I’m not crazy about it. I would probably go first to Mo Mo Sushi!
I may have overcommitted a few months ago, to have 3 lives in one: the academic, the consultant, the social media maven. And in the process, I may have forgotten to commit to actually having a personal life. In the past few weeks, I’ve slowly regained control of my life. Yes, I’m still super busy. Yes, I still schedule myself to every minute. Yes, I’m still doing all 4 things at the same time and waking up at 4:45 am to do them all. But I feel so in control, it’s almost unbelievable. Scary, but feels great.
For the first time in AGES, I got sick and recovered in exactly 72 hours. That was unheard of. When I used to get sick, I used to spend weeks getting better. Yes, I have a lot of papers to mark, consulting to do, seminars to present, research to finish. But you know what? As I complete each and every one of my tasks, I realize that I feel definitely in control. Exercising 6 days a week has definitely proven successful.
More importantly, I want to thank the people who love me for reminding me that I was *this* close to burning out. The people who kept reminding me to take care of myself before taking care of others. And to all of them, especially my good friend Derek K. Miller, who kept reminding me about “stopping to do things that overwhelmed me”.
Sometimes I find it funny when some (fortunately very few) PR folks tell me “I didn’t know you write about theatre and arts”. Uh, have you ever read my theatre category, ever? Or my About page? Or my Pitch Me page? Yeah, THAT. At any rate, World Theatre Day 2011 is fast approaching and I totally forgot to blog about it. Why? Because I’ve been promoting other theatre shows. So, at least I think I have a good reason.
I was informed as well that Vancouver is also the international centre for the World Theatre Day blog, which was created three years ago. This blog serves as a central hub for theatre artists all over the world to share their WTD celebrations with other theatre artists.
A breakdown of events listed below (from the press release):
World Theatre Day Crawl: GVPTA member companies are inviting theatre lovers to a special post-show “Mix & Mingle” at a different venue each night during the last week of March. Stay after the show, grab a glass of wine and meet the casts and crews from the performances at The Improv Centre (March 23), The Arts Club Theatre Revue Stage Lounge (March 24), The Firehall Arts Centre (March 25), The Vancouver Playhouse (March 26) and The Cultch – in the Wine Bar after the 4pm performance of 1984 on March 27.
On March 19, at the Central Branch of the library (1-4 pm), one of Vancouver’s favorite stage and screen actor Jackson Davies (The Producers, The Foursome, The Beachcombers) will be hosting a series of intimate, no-holds barred discussions with people who shape theatre in this city. The panels include Shawn Macdonald, Deborah Williams, Vincent Tong, Lucia Frangione, Tom McBeath, Meg Roe, Alessandro Juliani, Tom Pickett, Quelemia Sparrow, Lesley Ewen, Michele Riml, and the much-loved Jay Brazeau, Nicola Cavendish and Ryan Beil.
On March 26, join us at the Vancouver Playhouse Production (1-4 pm) centre for an Open Space Mini-Conference. Theatre lovers and theatre makers alike are invited to join us for this lively afternoon discussion of all things theatre-related, hosted by local theatre artists Daniel Martin (Upintheair Theatre) and Adienne Wong (Neworld Theatre).
I was mesmerized by this year’s World Theatre Day message, written by Dr. Jessica A. Kaahwa from Uganda, which will be read prior to curtain on stages all over Vancouver and the World on March 27. You can read an excerpt here.
Theatre subtly permeates the human soul gripped by fear and suspicion, by altering the image of self – and opening a world of alternatives for the individual and hence the community. It can give meaning to daily realities while forestalling an uncertain future. It can engage in the politics of peoples’ situations in simple straightforward ways. Because it is inclusive, theatre can present an experience capable of transcending previously held misconceptions.
JC Dance Co will be showcasing their amazing art on March 31 as part of The Dance Centre noon hour series Discover Dance! Directed by former champions Joel Marasigan and Clara Shih, this show promises to be extremely fun. I am really glad that the Discover Dance! series is very access-oriented, and seeks to profile different dance styles in an affordable and accessible format.
Photo credit: Andrew Leung. Used with permission
A bit more information about the series.
Vancouver’s JC Dance Co showcases the glamour and skill of Ballroom and Latin dance for the March edition of The Dance Centre’s popular Discover Dance! noon hour series. Directed by former Ballroom champions Joel Marasigan and Clara Shih, the company’s performance team will be joined by competitive ballroom dance students in a selection of classic dances including the Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba and Jive. Throughout the show, JC Dance Co will explore three different forms that Ballroom and Latin have taken in the past decade: Social, Competitive and Performance. There will also be a question-and-answer session with the dancers.
Husband and wife team Joel Marasigan and Clara Shih have been dancing together since 1999. They first met at the UBC Dance Club: neither of them had danced ballroom before and had joined purely for the social aspect, but they soon found themselves involved in local Latin and ballroom competitions. Since graduating they have won many championship titles including BC Champions, Western Canadian Champions, Canadian World Championship representatives, as well as titles won in the USA and as far away as Singapore.
They have lived and trained in Toronto, England and Italy, where they worked with their mentors Luca and Loraine Baricchi, 3-time Blackpool Champions and World Champions. In 2006 they returned to Vancouver to pursue careers as professional dance instructors, competitors and showcase demonstrators. They founded JC Dance Co in 2006, and offer classes for all levels, from beginner to advanced and competitive dancers.
As a competitive dancer, this is right up my alley. And for a reader of mine, you can win a pair of tickets by telling me what style of dance would you like to learn let’s say within the next 12-24 months. As you may have read in a recent post of mine, I’m torn between flamenco and hip hop.
Entered to win tickets to JC Dance Co from @dancecentre and @hummingbird604. You could enter too! http://ow.ly/4ltOK
I will draw a winner for the tickets on Tuesday March 29th at 5:30pm. And for those of you who may not win the tickets, you can purchase them online or by phone, as indicated below.
JC Dance Co at The Dance Centre. Thursday March 31 at 12 noon at Scotiabank Dance Centre. Tickets $10/$8 students, seniors, children, Dance Centre members from Tickets Tonight: 604.684.2787 or book online. Groups of 8+ call 604.606.6420.
Tonight at the East Vancouver Love Volume 2 Tweetup (to be hosted by Our Town Café, one of my favorites), a number of speakers will be sharing their thoughts, including my friend Shane Gibson. Coincidentally, as it so happens, I live about 8 blocks away from Our Town Café and I am also a resident and a fan of East Vancouver and Mount Pleasant. So even though I am exhausted I will be swinging by for a little bit (literally it is on my way home). Hope you will be there too. The hashtag #EastVanLove will be validated on my livetweetage.
With hat tips to Marina Antunes, who linked to it. I’m a superhero fan, and I’m totally a Chris Evans fan too. I knew he would be doing the Captain America: The First Soldier movie, and now that it’s almost here (July 22nd is the release), I can barely wait. Captain America: The First Soldier depicts the beginnings of the legend of Captain America, a formerly-scrawny-now-superhuman guy who wants to fight in the war. From what I can tell from the trailer, it’s pretty close to the original.
