Even though my research agenda began with wastewater, I’ve always been involved in solid waste and hazardous waste management for a long time, particularly when it comes to voluntary instruments for pollution control and minimization of polluting emissions. So it only made sense for me to catch Waste Land (2010), a Brazilian documentary that follows Vik Muniz as he documents (by photograph, video and creating art with recyclable materials) the lives of what in Mexico are called “pepenadores” and in Canada are “binners”. The summary from the Film Festival website:
Filmed over nearly three years, Waste Land follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of “catadores”—self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives.
While I have studied the politics and public policy implications of garbage governance, I am most fascinated by the anthropological and sociological studies of binners. Waste Land is (inadvertently, in my view) an in-depth examination of Following the lives of the “catadores” over the course of 3 years, Muniz begins to understand fully what their lives mean to themselves and to him.
I was profoundly touched by the film, mostly because I have studied how solid waste management is carried out in Mexico, I have carried out fieldwork in Mexican landfills, and Waste Land does provide an interesting cross-cultural examination of how pickers of recyclable materials dignify their work, their self-worth and their relationship to garbage. For me, as someone who examines garbage governance concepts through geographical, anthropological, political and sociological lenses, it was beautiful to see the lives of these pickers transform as they participated in Muniz’s project.
It was inspiring to see how refusing to be categorized as “binners” and gaining self-respect by looking at themselves and their work through the lenses of Muniz’s documentary film-making and photography, and modern art (he created a number of portraits of the catadores, pictures that I found had a similar theme with Klimt’s The Kiss but using recyclable materials). Muniz had no idea he would influence these people so much and is equally touched by the outcome of the whole process.
Overall, I strongly recommend my readers to check out Waste Land. It’s inspiring, it’s beautiful and it’s a fantastic anthropological and sociological study of garbage and recycling management. Whatever your beat is, you should really watch this film. It’s totally worth it.
Disclosure: I’m in Salt Spring Island to experience the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival March 4th through 6th. My stay at Hastings House and my flight on Salt Spring Air have both been complimentary. Entry to the film festival is by donation and I’ve happily paid for that out of my own pocket. It’s a fantastic film festival and you should experience it next year.
I have discovered what I think are perhaps the best burgers in all of British Columbia. I’m serious. When I first heard about the Rock Salt Restaurant & Café from Deirdre Rowland, who mentioned that Jill Thomas (the owner) had invited us here for lunch, it sounded like a fun place to try out.
It wasn’t until we arrived to Fulford (in the Southern part of Salt Spring Island) that I realized that I had already been to this part of the island (a year or so ago when I came to visit). You arrive to Fulford when you take the ferry from Swartz Bay in Saanich to Salt Spring Island. The Rock Salt Café’s decor is minimalist yet extremely welcoming and warm.
I ordered a Burger DeLuxe, grilled potato bun with mayo, greens, tomato, purple onion & pickle. On top of that, I requested guacamole and bacon, and I ordered Caesar as the accompaniment (the burger comes with choice of 3 bean chili, soup, salad, greens, $15). All burgers come with chipotle aioli and your choice of cheddar cheese, sweet caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms & bacon. I obviously asked for mine without cheddar cheese, but I added the onions and sautéed mushrooms and bacon.
I thought I was in love with Romer’s Burger and Splitz Grill (in Vancouver) but the Burger DeLuxe here at Rock Salt Café rivals with any of the above.
The meat patty was juicy and cooked to perfection, and the guacamole and bacon were to-die-for. I couldn’t hold the burger together so I had to eat it in pieces. By the time I was done I had basically my whole two hands covered in savoury juices from the burger. I know, eating a huge juicy and tasty burger is rather messy, but someone’s gotta do it.
Overall, I would rank Rock Salt Café one of my top experiences insofar burgers goes. The ambiance is so welcoming and the community here at Salt Spring Island make you feel so at home that I can see myself having lunch here every single day. It’s definitely a must-try if you are ever in Salt Spring Island.
Disclosure: Our lunch at Rock Salt Restaurant & Café was courtesy of Jill Thomas, the restaurant’s owner. I am at Salt Spring Island attending the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this media trip was to report on the event. 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. For the rest of my Salt Spring Island posts, click on the previous link.
I watched Blue Gold again this year, even though I already had seen it before. My research agenda is heavily focused on water, although more on the less-researched side (wastewater governance). So, whenever I see Blue Gold again, I am ambivalent towards it. It’s a great documentary for those who don’t understand much about how scarce water is. It’s a good wake up call that reminds people that privatization of water is a reality, and one that may be affecting many people’s lives.
The good side of this film is that it provides information that is much needed on water scarcity. The BAD side of this film is that it spends 1 hour and 20 minutes scaring people about how bad water privatization is BUT provides only 10 minutes worth of solutions. And some of those solutions seem rather unfeasible (from my scholarly viewpoint). Remember, I’m also a chemical engineer, not only a specialist in public policy. So I look at the technical aspects of water management too.
I am also appalled that the film makers only touch on wastewater and water quality issues from the perspective of “it’s happening and it’s bad” but not from the perspective of “hey, here are some technical solutions to wastewater”. The film makers also ignore (as Barlow and Clarke seem to do too) that wastewater IS also part of the hydrological cycle.
I was really disappointed that Mexico City’s case is only seen from the very negative side, without reminding people that Mexican environmental and civil engineers are amazing and have pushed forward wastewater treatment technologies in many ways beyond where other countries in the North have done. Really sadly poor representation of my beloved Mexico.
The world’s fresh water is disappearing. The rampant over development of agriculture, housing and industry increase the demands for fresh water well beyond the finite supply, resulting in the desertification of the earth. As we pollute and waste away our very limited supply, corporate giants are working to make the building block of our globe a commodity, privatizing developing countries’ fresh water. This international award winning film follows various examples of people fighting back against the powers that be, from grade school protests to court cases to revolutions.
Yes, Blue Gold is worth watching. But you should also look at data summaries from the World Water Assessment Project so that you can get
Disclosure: I’m in Salt Spring Island to experience the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival March 4th through 6th. My stay at Hastings House and my flight on Salt Spring Air have both been complimentary. Entry to the film festival is by donation and I’ve happily paid for that out of my own pocket. It’s a fantastic film festival and you should experience it next year.
Last year, I covered the Parksville Uncorked Food and Wine Festival 2010, and I was invited to participate and cover Parksville Uncorked 2011 this year. I felt privileged not only because few invites were extended, but also because my good friend Cassandra Anderton (editor of the local website Good Life Vancouver) and I travelled together to and from Parksville. It’s always nice to get to know my fellow travel and food bloggers and realize we actually can hang out beyond just meeting randomly at the same food/travel events. We both had visited Parksville before and knew what we were expecting. Cassandra was visiting The Beach Club Resort for the first time.
For me, arriving to The Beach Club Resort (and on Sunday when we visited the Tigh-Na-Mara for Bubbles and Brunch) it was like coming back home. The staff at both resorts know me by name. No word of a lie. I missed this year the new event, Parksville Untapped 2011 (although I did give away tickets for this experience). The first event I attended is the signature event, Swirl. Last year I did Swirl at the Tigh Na Mara and this year I switched to Beach Club Resort for Swirl.
Festival goers will enjoy the best BC has to offer from fine wines to gourmet cuisine at Swirl. Whether you are discovering BC wines for the very first time, or reveling in selections to tempt a sophisticated palate, this festival of taste excites all the senses. The Beach Club Resort is proud to host this year’s Parksville Uncorked Swirl Event and attendees will receive an exclusive 2011 Parksville Uncorked wine glass.
The wonderful thing about Swirl is the pairing of exquisite foods with amazing wines. This year was no exception. Live music, fabulous food and extraordinary British Columbia wines – what more do you need?
And having a packed room both at the Pacific Prime restaurant and the main conference room of The Beach Club Resort was a testament to the hard work that the organizers put into this fantastic festival of food and wine. Next year you should really attend Parksville Uncorked, I urge you to.
The description from the original Parksville Uncorked website summarizes Swirl:
Festival goers will enjoy the best BC has to offer from fine wines to gourmet cuisine at Swirl. Whether you are discovering BC wines for the very first time, or reveling in selections to tempt a sophisticated palate, this festival of taste excites all the senses. The Beach Club Resort is proud to host this year’s Parksville Uncorked Swirl Event and attendees will receive an exclusive 2011 Parksville Uncorked wine glass.
I had an opportunity to sample food prepared by The Beach Club Resort (Pacific Prime Steak and Chop Restaurant) Chef Sean Norris, the Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort (Cedar Dining Room) Chef Eric Edwards, a number of bites from Holliwood Oysters, Little Qualicum Cheeseworks, Rod & Gun, Sushi Ichi, Amrikkos and my new favorite Mexican food, The Blue Burrito, as well as some delectable sweets from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and treats by Cory Parsons.
I did not sample all the wines, but I had a few sips from several Rocky Creek Winery wines, a couple of Mark Anthony Group ones and a couple by Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, Prospect Winery, Road 13, Tinhorn and Sumac Ridge. Overall, I’d rate Swirl one of the most fun events within the whole Parksville Uncorked Wine and Food Festival 2011. You should definitely try to make it in 2012.
Disclosure: My dinner at Swirl at the Beach Club Resort was sponsored very generously by the Parksville Uncorked Festival. I wasn’t paid to write this review, nor was I required to do so either. The purpose of this media trip was to report on the event. 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. For the rest of my Parksville Uncorked posts, you can check them here.
March 8th (e.g. this coming Tuesday) marks International Women’s Day 2011. I have always had a little bit of difficulty trying to understand issues of feminism because to me, women are just as equally capable (or sometimes even more) of doing things than men. I always saw my Mom as an equal to my Dad (although my Dad did NOT have to endure painful 24 hours of labour as my Mom did for me).
I have co-authored research papers and a book with my Mom, and to me, the women in my family were always worthy of respect and equality. I know that for many people, “machismo” has been a prevalent attitude of men in Mexican society, but my parents and their parents were extremely progressive and thus I really didn’t see it (if anything, I’d say I saw matriarchy rather than ‘machismo’). My favorite chemical engineering professor wasn’t a male, but a female (who in fact was an expert in chemical processes control, which requires some sophisticated math). And I am always a big fan of encouraging and mentoring my female students (I do that for every student of mine, though!).
It’s my understanding that there’s a march today (Saturday March 5th) to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. Here are the details as posted on the International Women’s Day Vancouver website.
The Parade will take place on Commercial Drive, followed by an indoor Festival at the WISE Hall on Victoria Drive in Vancouver.
When: Saturday March 5th Gather: 12:30 pm at McSpadden Park (between East 4th and 5th Avenue and Victoria Drive) Parade Route: West on East 3rd Avenue, North on Commercial Drive, East on Adanac to Salsbury Park, 1898 Adanac St. Community Festival: 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm at the WISE Hall (1828 Adanac Street, Vancouver)
Hopefully many people will want to attend this event. And to women worldwide I say, let’s celebrate every day!
Blogging has brought me many, many great things, some not so good. But the one thing I am most grateful for is the friendships that my blog has brought to me. My very good friend Gus Fosarolli is hands down one of my very best friends, to the point that I see him like my brother. We have many things in common (we are both Latin-blooded, we both speak Spanish, and we both have blogs).
More than anything, we both value friendships and have a very strong sense of loyalty and devotion to our loved ones. It’s been amazing to grow a friendship with someone who is so dedicated to his loved ones, be it his Mom, his family, his partner or his friends. You are a true inspiration, Gus. You are smart, loving and extremely supportive of everything I do, and for that I am grateful, very grateful.
Love you lots, and I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I’m sorry I am not in Vancouver to celebrate but we’ll celebrate next week!
I just came out of the opening night gala of the 12th Annual Salt Spring Documentary Film Festival. The headlining film has a lot of different themes, ranging from sisterhood to political and social movements, to gay and lesbian rights, to music and its impact in society. I spent a lovely evening getting to know part of the Salt Spring Island community at the gala dinner (thanks to the good works of Deirdre Rowland, who has been an extremely gracious host).
The headlining documentary film, Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is extremely well crafted and articulates so many themes in a seamless, smooth way. The Topp Twins, New Zealand lesbian sisters Lynda and Jools Topp, amazing folk singers who managed to unite a music-loving country, singing their way to advance numerous of social causes. Most importantly, they do so while innovatively creating characters and building community.
What I found most exquisite about this film is that it was extremely well crafted. Each chapter of the Topps Twins was punctuated by a song, linked to a conversation or interview with their parents, associate producers, collaborators, co-conspirators, and obviously their partners. Of course, I shed tears as well because Jools faced chemotherapy to treat breast cancer in 2006, and given how my life has been touched by cancer, I couldn’t help myself.
Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls is an extremely heart-warming, funny and well crafted documentary. You can see at the end the deep love and devotion of each sister for their twin. Highly recommended. Below you will find the Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival brief for Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls:
New Zealand’s twin national treasures are sure to sing, dance and yodel their way into your hearts as this rollicking film reveals these amazing and inspiring characters in all their many guises. From their rural roots to performing on the world stage, Jules and Lynda Topp have won over audiences with their original songs and comedy alter egos. Their involvement with movements for Maori rights, nuclear disarmament and against apartheid and homophobia is highlighted in the film through archival footage and home movies. Their appeal is infectious. These icons of New Zealand would fit right in on Salt Spring!
Disclosure: I’m in Salt Spring Island to experience the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival March 4th through 6th. My stay at Hastings House and my flight on Salt Spring Air have both been complimentary. Entry to the film festival is by donation and I’ve happily paid for that out of my own pocket. It’s a fantastic film festival and you should experience it next year.
The power of social media, and specifically, Twitter… A couple of months ago, I was contacted by Jon Suk who invited me to the 12th Annual Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival 2011. I love Salt Spring Island, even though my last visit was short, I had a fantastic and peaceful time. Thus, I gladly and enthusiastically accepted. I flew over earlier today with the fantastic folks of Salt Spring Air, am staying at Hastings House (writeup forthcoming) and I will be off to the opening night gala in just a few minutes.
I will be watching some of the excellent documentaries that the film festival offers and will bring to you a series of reviews. Of course, being the travel blogger that I am, I will also be writing about local food outlets, things to do and places to see. I do plan to take a little bit of a leisurely time to enjoy as I know that I’ve been running myself ragged this year. Stay tuned for my coverage of the Salt Spring Island Documentary Film Festival and my posts on Salt Spring Island itself.
Photo credit: Tim Matheson for Carousel Theatre. Used with permission.
You may know that I’m a big fan of Carousel Theatre, and I’m really sad that I’m going to miss MUNSCHA MIA, based on the books by Robert Munsch and adapted by Debbie Patterson. As described on their media release, this play is
A sensational high-octane play with music based on five Robert Munsch stories including old favourites like Stephanie’s Ponytail, Jonathan Cleaned Up-Then He Heard a Sound and Aaron’s Hair, and new ones like Down the Drain and The Sandcastle Contest. This spectacle will charm audiences, young and old, and have them singing along!
Sadly (or luckily) I am away this weekend to cover the Salt Spring Island Film Festival 2011, but I’m excited to announce that I have a pair of tickets for the opening 2 pm play and the subsequent reception for a lucky reader of mine. An entry can be earned by retweeting my original tweet promoting the blog post, one additional one by commenting on this post and telling me your favorite childhood song, and a third one, by posting the tweet below on your stream. I will draw a random winner tomorrow, Friday March 4th at 7pm.
Told @hummingbird604 my favorite childhood song to win tickets to Munscha Mia @CarouselTheatre http://ow.ly/47h7F – what’s yours?
I’m really excited to promote this play, directed by Carole Higgins, Artistic & Managing Director of Carousel Theatre for Young People, who I hear is very excited to bring the return of Munsch’s hit stories for kids in this production to Vancouver’s families. I asked what Munscha Mia is, and here is her response:
Munscha Mia is a fun collection of hit stories from Canada’s best-selling children’s author, Robert Munsch. Audiences were delighted by our previous Munsch production of Munsch Alley and Love You Forever, The success of those productions inspired us to bring more Munsch to Vancouver audiences with Munscha Mia.
Canadian readers of mine may know that Robert Munsch has written over 50 books and has written several unpublished stories. Some of his books were adapted into the cartoon series Bunch of Munsch. In 1999 Munsch was made a Member of the Order of Canada and on June 16, 2009, it was announced that Munsch would receive a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in Toronto. The induction ceremony was held on September 12, 2009.
Public Performances March 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27, 2011 (Sat & Sun, 10am & 2pm) Spring Break Week March 22 to 25 (Tues to Fri, 10am & 2pm) School Matinees March 4 to 18, 2011 (Tues – Fri, 10am & 1pm) Opening Performance Saturday, March 5 at 2pm Dress-Up Matinee Saturday, March 12 at 2pm (Come dressed as your favourite Robert Munsch character) Benefit Performance Saturday, March 26 at 4pm (Special benefit performance for the Actors’ Fund of Canada)
TICKETS Adults $29, Students with ID/Seniors $25, Youths (Ages 5-17) $15; Preschoolers (Ages 3-4) $15. Discounts Available for groups of 10+
For tickets contact Carousel Theatre Box Office @ 604.669.3410 or purchase online on Carousel Theatre‘s website.
Thanks to my very good friend Lisa Thomas-Tench (who like me is a bookworm and a total academic geek), I learned about World Book Day. Not surprisingly, I’ve been so busy writing my own book (I have two coming out this year, one on North American environmental politics and one on neoinstitutional theory as a framework to study multilevel water governance in Mexico) that I totally missed it. While I continue to see the debate between whether we should continue to print books normally, having written a book continues to be, definitely, a (sometimes debatable) measure of knowledge and expertise. Lots of folks right now write books or e-books to demonstrate that they are experts in their field.
I write my books to put my research out for the public to read and learn. It’s been A LONG WHILE since I last read a book, just for entertainment. I normally read because of my scholarly activities. But as a child, I used to read 30-60 books a month, and given my photographic memory, I can capture a lot of details. So, I’m thrilled to celebrate World Book Day 2011. How are YOU celebrating?
It’s been YEARS since I last have worked from home. YEARS. As in, “when I was finishing my PhD thesis” kind of years. Various reasons behind me eschewing the home-bound working. First, I really don’t like working from home. Sounds repetitive, but it’s true. I like having a separation of work and life. And often I don’t. I always being my day by working early in the morning (as soon as I wake up)
Second, I have two great offices, at The Network Hub and at UBC. I really don’t need to work from home, simply because I do have the space to work from a proper office. Third, I don’t have the ideal setup for working from home. The only reason I do it is usually because there is no way I can do laundry unless I work from home.
I have always been a big fan of the movie Legally Blonde (with Academy-Award winner for Best Actress in a Leading Role Reese Witherspoon). So when JT told me he got us tickets to see the Legally Blonde musical (Broadway Across Canada) this year, of course I said yes.
This movie is one we (JT and I) watched together and holds good memories for both of us. So we were very happy to see this musical. With Nikki Bohne in a very strong lead role as blonde, initially-dumb-turned-legal superstar Elle Woods, this version of Legally Blonde: The Musical produced by Broadway Across Canada and presented in Vancouver from March 1st through the 6th struck me in a strange way. The first act, as I mentioned on Twitter, had a very wobbly beginning. It’s opening night, admittedly, and that may have been the fact for the bad acoustics and the early numbers that weren’t all shining.
Some of the numbers were simply astounding, although as I mentioned to JT, I think my friend from Fighting Chance Productions have produced musicals of about the same caliber (not with the same stage production, though – Broadway Across Canada’s Legally Blonde: The Musical has a MUCH larger budget). The singing and dancing was good, and of course, shirtless, six-packed men, wonderful choreographies (and very well executed vocal numbers) made for a really entertaining evening.
The second act was much stronger and felt much more dynamic. There was, admittedly, a bit too much screaming, but it’s to be expected (OHMYGOD OHMYGOD YOU GUYS). Some numbers were extraordinary, like Brooke’s Whipped Into Shape and The Harvard Variations, and of course, the Bend and Snap performance was stellar. At the end of the day, it’s a great production and I’m glad that JT got us tickets to see it.
I think that while Nikki Bohne was very good, 2 actors are completely underrated – Nic Rouleau in a fantastic Emmett Forrest role, and Hannah Rose DeFlumeri in her Vivienne Kensington role, as the evil law student who becomes good friends with Elle in the end. Overall, we danced in our seats, we sang along and we “bent and snapped”. Worth checking out, Legally Blonde (The Musical) in Vancouver produced by Broadway Across Canada. You can get tickets here.
Disclosure: JT bought tickets for him and I on his own dime. I did not get complimentary media passes for this.
For some reason, every time I see the Port of Vancouver, I am reminded of how much of a vagabond I am. I had a conversation with my Mom this week when she said that I can’t continue to expose my body (and my brain) to the duress that I often subject them to, working sometimes extremely long hours and travelling a lot, and sometimes uprooting myself to move to a different country every few years. Perhaps it’s true, but I’m in some ways an errant soul. Travelling is in my brain and in my soul. And there’s almost nothing I would prefer to do otherwise.
I am using this blog post to track all Twitter mentions of my name and of the hashtag #CommsUBC – if you want to participate in the conversation, just please include the hashtag #CommsUBC in your tweet.
In the past 18 months, I’ve had 3 different digital cameras (all point-and-shoot at the moment – not sure I want to take the DSLR plunge just yet). The first one was a Canon Powershot SD 1200IS, the second a Canon Powershot SD 1300 and right now I am using a FujiFilm FinePix J250 (which is a discontinued model, in fact – yes, I know – and it was a bargain – I needed to replace my camera).
At any rate, I do miss my Canon Powershots. It’s hard to readjust to a new camera. Particularly one that is not from the same family of cameras I had been using. My photography had been slowly but steadily improving, and I find it slightly frustrating to have to relearn how to operate my new camera, most importantly because now I need to learn how to maximize my camera, before I jump into the DSLR pool.
This is a photo of the beach in Royston (Vancouver Island, near Comox/Courtenay) shot with the Canon SD 1300IS.
This is a photo of the beach in downtown Vancouver shot with the Canon SD 1200IS
This is a photo of the beach in Parksville (Vancouver Island) shot with the FujiFilm FinePix J250
Clearly, my eye is getting more trained and my photos are better. But I still need to readjust to my new camera. What an annoyance.
As you may have read, I was bullied when I was a child. That experience has marked the way I lead my life now (and of course, it touched me even more because I had to learn martial arts thanks to those bullies). I am a very self-confident individual now, but it always makes me really sad when I learn about gay teens who have killed themselves because of negative peer-pressure and bullying.
I was inspired to collaborate in creating Fashion’s Night OUT! (thanks to the kind invitation of Erin Gee of Define Magazine and Ashley Mangat and Niki Blasina of Social Chair PR). With Fashion’s Night OUT! we hope to raise funds for Out on Schools, a wonderful initiative that educates people about GLBT issues, acceptance and community building.
We will have some silent auction items, an amazing fashion show presented by White Space (The Bay) and V Lounge (Earl’s Restaurant) and of course, the cause itself will be fantastic. For your tickets and donations check the EventBrite linked here (and yes, we are still accepting donations for silent auction items, swag bags and wine sponsorship).
I would also appreciate it if you could spread the word. March 8th, 7pm, V Lounge on Earl’s Yaletown, $20 per ticket. I expect and hope to see you there.
I had heard a lot about Meat and Bread (a relatively new restaurant in Gastown, pretty much 3 blocks away from my office at The Network Hub and for the longest time, I was unable to try it out. One day, I went with Gus and Russ for lunch there and the line was way too long (all the way out of the restaurant) so we decided to come back another day. I promised the owner I would come back, and I did. Twice.
The first time, I brought DP, a colleague with whom I’ll be collaborating in a project soon, and I ordered a porchetta sandwich. For someone who has eaten Mexican carnitas growing up, I totally thought I’d love the porchetta. I didn’t. But not on account of Meat and Bread (their porchetta sandwich is very flavourful, $8.50). The porchetta just didn’t do it for me.
I really wish I had brought my digital camera the two times I went for lunch to Meat and Bread, because my iPhone photos don’t really do justice to how good these sandwiches are. Admittedly, I would like them to be a bit bigger, but the flavors are just incredible. And even though at first glance I thought it was a bit pricey, I realize a Meat and Bread sandwich is actually not that expensive.
The second time I went there, with Lynnette, John and Dory, I ordered a curried soup and a meatball sandwich. THIS one was my absolute favorite. Ground meat in spicy marinara sauce with just the right amount of garlic is just my definition of tasty. Bear in mind, meatballs are one of my most favorite dishes. And while the sandwich looks, at first glance, very small, in the end it’s fulfilling enough.
I would come back to Meat and Bread, but I’d probably try to avoid the noon lunch rush (I’ll be coming back either around 1:30pm or earlier, around 11:45am). The first time I took DP, we didn’t really have to wait in line, neither the second time. But the very first time I visited I did. No wonder it’s popular. Flavourful, filling and well-crafted, Meat and Bread sandwiches are solid.
Disclosure: I paid in full for my and my companion’s lunch the first time I went to Meat and Bread, out of my own pocket. The second time, my lunch was taken care of by Lynnette G.
I’ve been an ardent supporter of the Starlight Children’s Foundation, for many reasons, not the least the fact that I have 9 nieces and nephews (by blood, and many more who are children of very close friends of mine). I have been invited to attend the Starlight Children’s Foundation’s sixth annual fundraising gala, “Sparkle”, Saturday March 12, at Performance Works. This signature event will be hosted by CTV and Rita Rogers from the Vancouver Canucks and will include special guest Sam Sullivan and her son five year old Baird (you may recall Baird from my blog post when I gave away a Finnspiration Bear).
Guests attending the event will be entertained throughout the evening with the sensational sounds of local jazz favourite Lesismore, a fabulous fashion show hosted by Vladimir Markovich of BC Fashion Week, featuring fashions by JC Studio and incredible prizes and a live and silent auction that includes a Grey’s Anatomy set visit.
I will be a guest of the Starlight Children’s Foundation and will be attending BC Sparkle 2011 on Saturday March 12th.
WHERE – Performance Works 1218 Cartwright St., Granville Island WHEN – Doors open at 7pm WHAT -Jazz by Lesismore; Fashion by JC Studio; Raffle, Live and Silent Auction HOW – Attire: West Coast Chic BUYING TICKETS – Get your tickets here
The Starlight Children’s Foundation is a non-profit organization that exists to help seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities. For more than 20 years, Starlight Children’s Foundation has committed itself to improving the quality of life for children with cronic and life threatening illnesses and life -altering injuries by providing entertainment, education and family activities that help them cope with the pain, fear and isolation of prolonged illness.
I hope folks will find it interesting to attend the BC Sparkle 2011 Gala, as it promises to be a very fun event, and a charitable one to boot!
I know that I’m writing about Heritage Week BC 2011 late (mostly because I didn’t want to overlap with everyone else who was writing about it – I felt that you, my dear readers, were probably getting a lot of information from a number of outlets and thus I wanted to find a topic that I could write about that was related to where I live and what I am mostly interested.
I just found on my Flickr stream some photos of heritage houses on 10th Avenue between Cambie and Main, the area where I live (well, technically I live a bit south, but it’s not like I’m THAT far south) and I figured that would tie in nicely with Heritage Week BC 2011, as these houses are classified as cultural heritage by the City of Vancouver.
Heritage Week BC takes place from February 21st to 27th, and the theme this year is Parks and Cultural Landscapes. I have written about British Columbia and its beautiful parks and cultural landscapes on my blog quite often. I’m mostly, as you know, fascinated by small, pocket parks. But I also love the beautiful big parks, like Stanley Park.
One of the elements that most excites me about British Columbia is the heritage architecture. And 10th Avenue between Cambie and Main Streets helps me showcase this kind of architecture. Mostly because of the coach houses in the back of the mansions that I know I will not be able to afford, ever. Heritage Week BC 2011 has a number of community events (mostly around parks).
I will have to confess that sometimes I’m worried I’m going to be kicked out because I take photos of the coach houses, primarily because they’re private property. That’s why you don’t see actual shots there (but, if I do get a DSLR – which I am planning to do – I will definitely use a telephoto lens and capture some of the architectural beauty of these houses and their coach houses).
There are few things that warm my heart and remind me of how much I love Vancouver. One of them is to take the little ferry across False Creek, from the downtown core to Granville Island. Most of the time, I used to just walk down, take the False Creek Ferries (or the AquaBus, whichever was there) and just cross to wherever I had to go. One of my most fond memories was 2007 Pride when my good friends AF, BS and HZ spent the whole day with me and then we took the False Creek Ferries across to Second Beach.
I just found out that the False Creek Ferries are on Twitter! (@FalseCreekFerry) and I am glad that they’re also jumping on the social bandwagon (with a Flickr account no less). From their website:
False Creek ferries is the original ferry service, operating in False Creek since 1982. Starting with two 18’ electric boats running between Granville Island and the old Boater’s Village Marina on the north shore, the idea of water borne transit in the Creek slowly, but surely, became accepted. Twenty-eight years and over 11 million passengers later, the “little blue ferries” are firmly established as an integral part of the city of Vancouver, offering a unique perspective on one of the most vibrant areas of the city. The fleet now consists of ten vessels, including four 20-passenger diesel powered “supermini‑ferries,” and routes extend from the Maritime Museum in Kitsilano to Science World and the Main Street Skytrain station.
It’s way too cold (apparently it’s going to go down to -10 oC and 20 cm of snow in Vancouver) but I’m definitely down to coming and using the False Creek Ferries sometime this summer.
It’s so cold in Vancouver (well, technically in West Vancouver) that we found icicles at Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal. I am hoping the cold snap subsides. I had a chance to attend this morning a Tweetup Heatup organized by my good friend Shane Gibson. We handed out blankets and clothes and toques and they flew, completely.
I’m hoping that people will find it in their heart to not only retweet and say “you go!” but also take time to take action and help those in need who are feeling cold right now in Vancouver and are on the streets. I am enroute to Nanaimo and then Parksville with my good friend Cassandra Anderton to cover Parksville Uncorked 2011. But my head is still back and thinking of those in need and facing the cold. Congratulations to my friends Rina Chong and Shane Gibson for their good deed today, and I was so glad to see Wendy Hartley and even one of my current students!
While I’m not the lucky owner of a DSLR, I can totally see how they can provide better photos of a phenomenon that I am interested in: urban and industrial decay. I had promised myself that in 2011 I would try to work on improving my photography, but I’m not exactly sure if I can create photos of this quality without a DSLR. Urban decay photography is actually something I’m interested in, and I’m also interested in industrial archaeology.
Photo credit: Jasmin Cormier, on Flickr
For those of you keeping count at home, one of the areas I have undertaken research in (actually, the topic of my doctoral dissertation) was industrial and urban restructuring. I have long been puzzled by what factors influence the transformation of cities and the decline of industrial plants. I’m also a bit puzzled by industrial archaeology.
Photo credit: Swissrolli on Flickr
At some point I might go on an urban decay photowalk. Just because actually Vancouver also provides great opportunities for this type of photowalk.
Photo credit: Justus Hayes / Shoes on Wires / shoesonwires.com
Have you ever tried to do urban decay photography?
Currently obsessed with this song: Kilometer by Sebastian Tellier (the version that is currently on repeat on my iPod is the A-Trak Remix). I listened to this song this past Friday while I attended the Tingle app launch party (honestly a really fun party, I must add, and that’s not only because my friends Parveen Kaler and Ianiv Schweber are involved with Tingle). Every time I listen to it, I remember my years from the fashion life. And the years when I danced 6 days a week. Totally danceable and energetic, and frankly, it’s changing my previously-feeling-kind-of-down-ish mood to being pumped and excited. The sunshine outside is helping too. For your listening (and dancing pleasure), Kilometer by Sebastian Tellier in A-Trak Remix.
I discovered Friendly Fires in 2009 thanks to a friend of mine in Chicago. I have grown to appreciate Friendly Fires and while I am not in love with everything they play, they have good stuff, and one of my favorite tunes of them is Lovesick. Below for your enjoyment.
Lovesick (Friendly Fires)
Don’t you know sometimes these things they don’t work out?
Best to walk away before your love runs out
Don’t you feel sometimes you don’t know who you are
Giving all you got but you all just …
I’m lovesick
Cold hearts, hold the world in your hands
Got me feeling lovesick, in your arms
Don’t you feel sometimes you might need this just too much
When everybody else thinks you’re out of touch?
Don’t you think it’s about time you turn the page and move on?
And learn to shake it up before your love runs out
Photo credit: Charlie Schuck (used with permission from VIDF)
The Vancouver International Dance Festival is one, if not my most favorite event of the year. I am a former competitive dancer, as any of you who have read my blog (or my About Raul page) know. The VIDF’s publicist is someone I consider a very good friend, Crystal Kwon. And the lineup of artists this year is nothing short of stellar. I worked with VIDF last year too, as you may remember, and this year they’ve also given me some tickets to give away.
The Vancouver International Dance Festival (VIDF) kicks off on March 1-19, 2011 featuring artists from Vancouver, Nelson, Montreal, Halifax, Seattle, Madrid, Zurich, and Munich in performances, workshops and artist talks. Tickets are now available at http://vidf.ca or by calling 604.662.4966.
Featured companies at the Roundhouse Performance Centre include EDAM (Vancouver) March 1-3, Yvonne Pouget (Germany) March 4-5, Deborah Dunn (Montreal) March 8-9, Cruceta Flamenco (Spain) March 10-12, Marc Boivin (Montreal) and Ichigo-Ichieh (Hiromoto Ida) (BC) March 15-17, Kokoro Dance and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Vancouver) March 18-19. At the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, SiNS Dance (Nova Scotia) will be performing on March 9-12.
As part of the City’s 125 anniversary celebrations, the VIDF also presents a photo exhibition from the past to the present…a Chris Randle retrospective which chronicles thirty years of dance through the lens of Vancouver’s established photographer Chris Randle. Dance writer Deborah Myers contributes her reflections on these iconic photos of key Vancouver dance artists. Admission is free until 5 pm; thereafter a $3 VIDF membership is required.
Other activities include artist/audience talks hosted by Vancouver Observer, life drawing sessions held every weekday at noon, and master classes with visiting dance artists. In celebrations of their 25th Anniversary season, Kokoro Dance will also be performing at the Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite location, interacting with the pavilion on February 27, March 6, March 13 at 2 pm. Admission is by donation.
Photo credit: Chris Randle (used with permission from VIDF)
The prices for the paid performances are ridiculously reasonable, given the caliber of shows that the Vancouver International Dance Festival is bringing. Adults: $35, Student, Senior, Non-profit Arts Worker: $28. Group of 10 or more: $25 and a Festival Pass (4 shows) goes for $112.
The Cruceta Flamenco performances are at the Roundhouse from March 10-12 and I am giving away a pair of tickets for opening night, March 10th. Show time is 8 pm and you must show up no later than 7:30pm. I love Flamenco and have made it one of my goals this 2011 to learn to dance Flamenco (maybe not at the level I dance Salsa, but still, at a decent level). One particularly fun element of Cruceta Flamenco is that the traditional gender roles are reversed. Cruceta Flamenco has a male dancer and a female musician. The performance uses a short film that won a prize at the first International Flamenco Short-Films Festival. The music is created by Caroline Plante, and her album is the first flamenco CD entirely written and composed by a woman.
To enter my giveaway all you have to do is check the VIDF lineup of events and come back to this post and tell me which show you would most want to see (regardless of whether it’s Cruceta Flamenco or not). I will draw a winner from all entries via Twitter and comments on this blog (a tweet and a comment earn you two entries into the contest) on Monday February 28th at 4pm. The sample tweet is below:
Told @hummingbird604 which @VIDF dance show I’d like to see the most http://ow.ly/40H4S – which one would you want to see?
You can buy tickets to the paid performances online or by phone.
This is a liveblog created with Cover It Live. I pre-programmed it so that it will save all tweets that are marked (hashtagged) with #CommsUBC.
The livetweetage starts here.