The recent discovery of bed bugs in a Vancouver library book has embarrassed the city’s lending service and reopened the inquiry into how prolific the bed bug problem is in our city.
The bugs were found in a book borrowed from the Mount Pleasant Library.
Since the incident, the library has done a thorough search of their stacks. Their work has turned up no evidence of further infestation. It may have only been the one book, stored near an infected mattress or couch that acted as a temporary home for the critters – unlucky for the library.
The fact that the bugs were found in an item other than furniture or clothing illustrates how prolific the problem is in our city. Bed bugs are everywhere, but those infected are keeping their mouths zipped.
Unlike a public library, homeowners can silently try to deal with bed bug issues without the prying eye of the public. Victims call a pest control service, they move to a hotel for a few days or go on a ‘vacation’, they buy all new mattresses and when they get back, the Taylors will ‘still’ be sending little Jenny over for play dates. A convenient solution with little-to-no public humiliation.
Until there is a strategy to wipeout the bugs for good, private pest control will be the public’s best option.
Christmas crafts sales are a one-stop shopping centre for all those people on your list that need something simple but festive. From ornaments, to wreathes, to salt and sweet treats, you’ll find everything under the broad blanket of Christmas crafts.
This weekend hosts a number of Christmas craft fairs around the city. Simmons Mattress Gallery suggests the following sales:
Friday, November 25th
-9th Annual Chilliwack Christmas Craft Crawl
Various times and locations in Chilliwack
-North Delta Potter’s Guild Christmas Pottery Sale
Since 1998, St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver has been creating a public light display to raise funds for various projects and causes connected with the hospital.
This year, the ‘Lights of Hope’ display intends to raise $1.9 million in corporate and private donations. The St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation has already raised a total of $16 million since the conception of the light show.
The set-up for the lights began on November 5th, when a 100 volunteers helped erect the carefully planned display. It is estimated that the lights would span 10 kms, if attached as a single line. That would be quite the sight.
If you would like to donate, visit the charity’s website: http://www.helpstpauls.com The site suggest many creative ways to give, from security stock, to a mention in the will, to a monthly donation. Whatever you can afford to give, they’ll use.
The projects that the hospital wishes to fund are: the purchase of a new CT scanner, two 3D-capable echocardiography machines, bronchoscopy equipment, for the detection of lung disease and the completion of the Diagnostic Treatment Unit.
The official opening of this year’s Lights of Hope display will be on Thursday, November 24th.
The historic Yale Hotel and Blues Bar is closing its doors after 130 years of operation. One of Vancouver’s finest small-act musical venues, The Yale will close for twelve months to undergo a much needed renovation plan. November 21st will be the final show day.
Opened in the 1880s, The Yale was one of only a handful of buildings to survive the 1886 fire. It became a musical frontier in the early 1900s and has been supporting emerging and established blues, jazz, R&B and soul acts ever since.
The renovations will help The Yale take on Vancouver Heritage status. The renos will also improve the facilities in the club. Planned improvements include an upgraded sound system, a hardwood dance floor and a raised roof above the stage area.
When watching a film, our gaze is directed at a subject that has been chosen for us. We give the director free reign to control our sight line. This exchange encourages new experiences, some of which are cultural.
This week, the Vancouver Asian Film Festival hopes to direct our eyes towards the North American Asian experience.
In their 15th year of operation, the VAFF is intent on providing a cultural bridge between Asian and non-Asian communities. The Festival will run from November 3rd to November 6th, with all shows screening at Cineplex Odeon International Village, near Roger’s Arena.
The films range in subjects from cross-cultural love for the Vancouver Canucks, to a historical documentary on the migration of asian settlers to North America.
Also included in this year’s festival, as a part of Vancouver’s 125th celebration, is an encore presentation of “Love Letters,” the photo and video campaign shown last June. Love Letters was an open call for Vancouver citizens to submit digital records of images and video that conveyed their love for our fair city. VAFF will show Joanna Wong’s entry on the festival’s opening night.
Tickets for all the shows may be purchased online at the Festival site or the day of at the Festival box office. Passes are also available for the true film buffs.
Let’s take a look back at the beds that defined you:
The Wooden Prison – Your crib provided you with a confined space to for those short periods of sleep between epic crying bouts. The upside: you never had to get up to go to the washroom in the middle of the night. The downside: lack of freedom.
The Layer Cake – All of your friends were envious of your bunk bed, but sharing a bedroom with your older brother quickly lost its novelty. You dreamed of the top bunk, but sadly were forced to settle for the lower class bottom bunk for eight long years.
Puberty Plank – Pimples, emerging hair and voice crackles were manageable, but your Grade Ten growth spurt put your feet off the end of your twin mattress; it left you with 3/4’s of a comfortable night’s rest.
College Daze – If your dorm room mattresses could speak, we’re sure it would utter something along the lines of Kurtz’s final words; “The horror….the horror.”
Young Professional - Independent enough to buy your first bed – too poor to shop anywhere but IKEA.
Marriage Bed – She insisted on going to a proper mattress store. Together, you picked out a Beautyrest. Everything up to that point was…history.
An uninterrupted sleep can dramatically increase your daily health. There – we said it! But the next best thing is laughter.
We’re not 100% sure of the science, but we do know a good laugh is a great way to relieve anxiety. Forget the scented candles and bubble bath, grab a friend and find a local comedy club or check the events calendar for local comics coming to town. Then take a night-off from work/kids/bridge and laugh your way back to health.
This month, Paul F. Tompkins will be visiting the city and performing at the Rio Theatre, only a few km’s from our Broadway location. Tompkins’ humour is a little quirky, but if you have ever listened to his podcast or his appearances on Comedy Bang Bang, you wouldn’t miss this night for your Grandmother’s funeral. Tompkins will be taking to the stage on November 30th. For a little taste of his style, listen to the audio clip below:
Never been to the Rio Theater? You are in for a treat. Be forewarned, this is an adults only show and as a result, beer will be served. And yes, you may take your cans of PBR into the Theatre.
Another great venue for traveling comedians, as opposed to the community kind, is the River Rock Theatre. Last year, legendary comics Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld performed at the Rock.
If a smaller, more casual setting is more to your taste, check out the Comedy Mix in the Century Plaza Hotel downtown.
Out in the burbs? Try LaffLines in New Westminster. Tracy MacDonold, a fine Canadian comic, will be performing on November 4th and 5th.
Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is an area of the city that many of us choose to avoid. The poverty level scares us, the open drug market makes us nervous and the prostitution reminds us of the dangerous hold of addiction. So we divert our travel routes, choose alternative venues and leave the issues for the community to deal with on their own. It’s a coping mechanism that most of us subscribe to.
One thing we can’t forget, even if we choose to turn our backs, is that the DES is full of people. People who have a past, present and future. People who value the community they live in. People who are artistic, creative and passionate.
As a part of Vancouver’s 125th Anniversary Celebration, the DES community will be celebrating the ‘Heart of the City Festival.’ The festival will showcase the talents of many of the area’s current citizens, as well as document some of the rich stories from the neighbourhood’s past.
Events are running all week. For more details check the festival website:
Looking for a family scare this weekend? Check out the Dunbar Haunted House, which ironically, is no longer located in Dunbar.
The annual scare factory has moved locations, due to the increased volume of visitors that the house has received over the past seven years. The new location is 8934 Shaughnessy St., near the Marine and Cambie Canada Line station.
The house has now become a community project, taking almost four months to create.
With props, live actors, dramatic settings and an animated soundtrack, the walking tour is a theatrical buffet of scaredom.
This year’s theme is “Barbaric British Columbia.” The word from the crypt is the house will showcase a number of iconic images from BC history and culture – possible frights include the undead crew of the S.S. Beaver, the resurrection of Bill Vander Zalm’s Fantasy Garden and the impenetrable Tim Thomas.
The haunted house opened for business on Oct 14th and will close its doors at midnight on Halloween.
Entry costs $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. All proceeds are distributed between the B.C. Fire Fighter’s Burn Fund, the Christmas Bureau and the Vancouver Police Union Charity Foundation.
For younger visitors, the house offers a reduced rate, performerless walk through on Saturdays and Sundays, between 11am and 7pm. At 7pm, the actors take their place to offer the true, spine-tingling spectacle.
Language is a toolbox from which we borrow implements to cut, shape and model our thoughts. From Facebook posts, to journal entries, to private poems, our soul is portrayed through the words we connect together.
This month, writers and readers from around the province will have a chance to celebrate the expressive power of writing. The 24th Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival will be held on Granville Island from Tuesday, October 18th to Sunday, October 23rd. It begins with an interactive session with the children’s author, Paulette Bourgeois. Bourgeois is the creator of the ‘Franklin’ series that adults and their children have enjoyed since 1986. The discussion is aimed at young readers. Primary teachers and encouraged to bring their classes down for this midmorning discussion.
The final event of the festival is the Governor General’s Award Party, where four previous recipients of Canada’s highest literary achievement will discuss the award and it’s social merit. The four writers, Nino Ricci, John Pass, Joan MacLeod and John Vaillant, will each read a short passage from their decorated work.
In between these bookends, will be a number of author seminars, publishing and writing workshops, poetry slams and literary debates.
The Vancouver festival will also host a short story and poetry contest for emerging writers. Deadline for submissions is October 23rd.
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think. -Lord Byron
Tired of taco night and boring pasta dishes? Want to rekindle your culinary passions? Looking for things to do around Vancouver that don’t involve a mattress?
The Arts Club Theatre Company is hosting celebrity cooking classes for Vancouverites to learn and indulge in the fine art of food preparation. Head chefs, from a variety of restaurants around the Lower Mainland, are teaching the classes. The lessons include a full meal, wine tasting and a hands-on learning experience.
Hosted at private homes, the lessons are an opportunity to learn cooking techniques in a casual environment, where the product can be enjoyed in the setting it was intended for.
Tickets are $125 per person. There are five planned events being offered before the New Year. Each class is unique and specific to the chef who is hosting.
Your PVR recordings of Hell’s Kitchen can only take you so far. Learn how to cook extravagant meals without Gordon Ramsey telling you where to stick it.
For more information, visit the Arts Club Theatre website.
The new moon has a special significance in October (and no, it has nothing to do with Vampires). It marks the date of the cultural festival known as Diwali. Observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, Diwali is a fall festival that celebrates ‘good over evil.’
In traditional celebrations, the triumph of good is portrayed through the lightening of lamps and candles.
The new moon is the darkest day of the month. In a natural setting, void of electrical lights, the candles represent a defeat of the darkness that exists during the absence of the moon.
Like Thanksgiving, Diwali is traditionally a family occasion, with activities organized around the family unit. But it is also celebrated with community events and decorations.
The slogan for Vancouver’s publicly organized Diwali celebrations is “Light your Spirit.” There are five major events put on by Vancouver Celebrates Diwali. They run from October 15th to the 23rd. Here is a brief summary of the planned festivities:
October 16
“Dance All Sorts Diwali Style” (2:00 pm)
-The festival will begin with a performance by Bageshree Vaze, a contemporary kathak dancer, who will preform at the Roundhouse Theatre in Yaletown. Tickets at the door.
October 18
“Diwali Bright Lights” (4:30 pm)
-This night is dedicated to emerging South Asian artists in the Vancouver community. It will include classical Indian music and a variety of dance groups, including the ever-popular Bollywood style. The event will take place at the Heritage Hall on Main Street. This is a free event.
“Chai House on Main Street”
-This is an upscaled version of the earlier event. The headline performer will be Grammy winner Chin Injeti. Tickets are $10.
October 23
“Diwali Downtown” (12:00 pm)
This is a family event to close out the public festival. It runs from noon till 6:00 pm at the Roundhouse in Yaletown. There will be a variety of musical acts, dance teams, craft workshops and traditional Indian food. Tickets for this final event are by donation.
One of the greatest festivals in Vancouver is the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, coming up this winter from January 15 through February 5, 2012. The festival presents innovative works in live performing arts over the course of three weeks. The festival aims to expose audiences to shows that are thought provoking, blend genres, and startle viewers.
The shows exhibited at the PuSh festival are meant to encourage dialogue and induce transformative experiences among attendees. Since its launch in 2003, as a joint venture of Rumble Productions and Touchstone Theatre, PuSh has become one of the most highly anticipated events for Vancouver audiences, artists and media. Initially a modest series of theatre presentations curated by Norman Armour and Katrina Dunn, the Festival took on a new life as a stand-alone entity in June 2005, with charitable status and its own administrative operations.
January 2009 marked the 5th installment of the PuSh Festival. There were 19 works in the main program and the launch of Club PuSh—a unique multi-disciplinary platform at Granville Island’s Performance Works that put the spotlight on indie bands and other cutting-edge performing artists of the Cascadia region. There were a total of 136 performances, involving 16 venues across the city. More than 24,000 people attended that year. For more information, visit the festival’s website at www.pushfestival.ca.
While you’re in Vancouver, stop by Vancouver mattress store Simmons Mattress Gallery to check out a huge inventory of high-quality mattresses and accessories.
For visitors and locals alike, a scenic flight over Vancouver offers a new and extraordinary way to view British Columbia’s breathtaking landscape. These scenic flight are fun and affordable. They offer a different vantage point and a fun alternative to the same old tourist attractions in the city.
Several different companies in the province offer scenic tours of varying lengths and flight paths. Glacier Air offers a selection of flights ranging from a 25-minute flight over Squamish Valley that circles Tantalus Falls to a 60-minute tour that will whisk you up the Squamish Ashlu Divide, over the awesome expanse of the Pemberton Icefield, the site of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Whistler and Cloudburst Mountain. See the extraordinary landscape and glaciers that BC is famous for.
There are many other companies that offer similar flights. The tour companies often have special deals if you book online. For more information about Glacier Air, visit their website at www.glacierair.com.
Summer is winding to a close and fall is starting to show on the leaves. This is great news for corn lovers in B.C. as the fields are filled with this year’s crop. It’s also the time of year when farmers with an entrepreneurial artistic side, can turn their land from simple fields of corn into complex harvest labyrinths.
One of the largest mazes in the Pacific Northwest is located in Pitt Meadows. Appropriately titled the ‘Meadow Maze,’ this year’s design boasts 6.3 kms of pathways. The theme is the Vancouver Zoo. Previous themes include: the PNE, the Golden Ears Bridge and ‘eat local.’
The corn maze design begins on a computer, where a designer creates an image and then maps out the pathways. The maze is then cut when the corn is a foot high using a tractor with GPS compatibility. Before the cut, there are nearly 1 million plants in the field.
Visitors to the maze are encouraged to bring water and a hat. The Pitt Meadows location occasionally closes when the temperature is too high. The average walker takes about 1 1/2 hours to complete the maze. The fastest time for this years design is 35 minutes.
The Meadow Maze also boasts a full concession and market area, plus a petting zoo and hay rides.
Pitt Meadows Maze
*From Experience: Do not watch “Children of the Corn” before a trip to the Pitt Meadows maze.
Amateur and pro cycling enthusiasts around the Lower Mainland have been training, tuning and timing for months in preparation for this weekend’s Gran Fondo ride from Vancouver to Whistler. The ride is 120 km, along one of the most beautiful highways on the planet. Take part or encourage a friend or family member as they climb towards Whistler Village.
This is the second year of the mass cycling event in Canada, a phenomenon that was born in Europe and given the Italian name of Gran Fondo – roughly translated as ‘Big Ride.’ The event is not a race, but awards are given to the top finishers. It features riders from a variety of skill levels and backgrounds. This year’s amateur category is sold out, but the pro category still has room for last minute entries.
The race will start at Thurlow and West Georgia at 7:00 am, with amateur riders staggered back to Seymour Street. The race will finish in Whistler Village, with the finish line closing at 4:00 pm. There will also be a celebration event afterwards, featuring the music of 54-40.
Vancouver is blessed to have so many diverse ethnicities infused into its kaleidoscope culture. Celebrating specific regions of origin helps Vancouverites appreciate the richness of our multicultural society.
This weekend, the city is proud to host Taiwanfest. With a variety of events planned around the city, Taiwanfest hopes to offer a sampling of the entertainment, food and art from the island of Taiwan and Mainland China.
Free musical performances will be held all weekend around the Vancouver Art Gallery. One of the anticipated highlights of the Labour Day weekend will be the Musou Girls. Starting at 8pm on Saturday, the Musou girls will play a mix of modern and traditional Chinese instruments. The music is composed by the founder of the group, Mr. Xue Xuan Liu.
For a deeper look into the Taiwanese culture, checkout the four documentaries that will be showing around town. Simmons Mattress Gallery suggests “Faces of Taiwan.” This film is made up of five mini docs that focus on overcoming adversity.
On the edible menu will be Vancouver’s first street banquet. This event is being sponsored by the city as part of Vancouver’s 125th celebrations.
Taiwanese ceramics will be on display at the Roundhouse theatre from September 3rd to the 10th.
Enjoy the festivities!
For a more detailed schedule of events click here.
Vancouver is a haven for public art. From “The Birds” at the Olympic Plaza in the Athletes Village complex, to the “A-maze-ing Laughter” men at English Bay, to the “Equestrian Monument” at the Yaletown Roundhouse Skytrain Station, art surrounds us.
Now BC Hydro is adding its own touch to the public art scene in our city. Hydro boxes are now being decorated with vegetation scenes, children’s art work and graphic design pieces. ‘Function’ is giving ‘design’ an opportunity to paint on its metal canvas.
Instead of random tags and garish graffiti, the boxes now display images that are more reflective of the community they are located in.
Often commissioned, public art is a way for large corporations and city planners to probe the imagination of commuters, homeowners and travelers. The installations encourage an interaction between the observer and the artist. They make us value our streets.
So lift your head from your smart phone browsing and take in the installations that pepper our city streets. They may inspire a response that could change your day.
This quirky little nonsense poem by Edward Lear inspired a Bill Manhoff’s Broadway hit that is now showing at the PAL Studio Theatre in Coal Harbour.
The play revolves around an odd relationship between a bookish writer, Felix, and a flirtatious actress, Doris. Through the course of the “Owl and the Pussycat,” the audience discovers the reasons why these two aspiring artists are failing to succeed at their dream professions. The work looks at identity and self-awareness.
Barbara Streisand played the role of Doris in the film adaptation, shot in 1970.
If you have never been to the PAL Theatre, the price of admission is worth the venue visit. Built on the 8th Floor of a residential tower on the North end of Cardero Street, the PAL theatre is an intimate setting that features a 120 seats, a floor to ceiling window of Lost Lagoon, a rooftop patio, and hardwood floor stage.
The show will run until September 3rd. Tickets may be purchased online for $20.
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon,
The Pacific National Exhibition is back to close out summer with a bang. The fun started Saturday and continues until Monday, September 5th.
Poke around the agricultural exhibits, take in the hilarious and amazing antics of the Superdogs and watch the night sky light up with Pop City’s nightly pyro celebration. With tons of activities for families during the day, including family theatre, the nights belong to the musicians. The Summer Night Concerts series will host a different performer every night until the final show on Labour Day. This year’s big draw is Kenny Rogers on Monday, August 29th, the Annual Evening with Elvis on the 31st, hosted by the immortal Red Robinson and the “Pretty Woman” soundtrack makers, Wilson Phillips, on September 1st.
General admission is $20, but all children under 13 are free. VanCity (the bank) is also offering $5 admission for there customers on Wednesday, August 24th. Another way to save on admission costs is to come on August 27th. If you are the holder of a Whitecaps ticket, you will receive free entry into the fairgrounds.
For more information on the Pacific National Exhibition, visit their website or check out their smart phone daily schedule.
You wouldn’t think the airport would be a weekend destination spot, but YVR has other plans. This summer, experience ‘Take-Off Fridays’ at the Vancouver International Airport for games, family events a live DJ and multicultural mingling.
The final Friday event is August 27th. The fun starts around eight in the morning and wraps up around four at night. The festivities are spread out over both the domestic and international terminals.
Activities include face painting, dancing, food specials and the ‘money machine.’ The latter offers each contestant a chance to grab as many YVR bucks as they can. The catch: you need to grab them while standing in a closed wind cylinder. Each ‘buck’ you grab can be used towards purchasing items at stores around the airport.
The backdrop to this event are the finely carved and crafted First Nation artifacts that routinely offer travelers a glimpse at the beautiful history of the first West Coast peoples.
Come and enjoy the richness of YVR with the whole family. Your kids will love it and you will be reminded of how lucky we are to have such an amazing airport to welcome and bid farewell to travelers from all over the world.
Zimbabwe is a country with deep political problems. It’s economy has been suffering for more than a decade and personal freedoms have been being steadily reduced as its president for the last twenty years, Robert Mugabe, struggles to retain control. It is far from a safe region to visit.
This is a tragedy for art lovers around the world, as Zimbabwe is home to Africa’s finest stone sculptors. The word Zimbabwe actually means, ‘Great House of Stone’ in the Shona language.
Fortunately, many of the stone pieces being produced in the country are now part of a traveling exhibition that will be visiting Vancouver for the next month. The works are being shown at the VanDusen gardens. It is the only Canadian stop on the world tour.
Two of the artists behind the works, Passmore Mupindiko and Patrick Sephani, are giving daily lessons on stone art. The two artists are currently traveling with the stones and the exhibitions two curators, Vivienne and Joseph Croissette.
There is no extra cost to see the sculptures or to attend the daily stone workshops.
The Vancouver Art Gallery is currently hosting “The Colour of My Dreams: The Surrealist Revolution in Art.” The exhibition began in May and will run until September 25th. Simmons Mattress Gallery encourages you to inspire your own dreams by witnessing the amazing works on display at the VAG.
Surrealism was a reaction to Sigmund Freud’s investigation into the meaning of dreams. André Breton wrote the manifesto of the movement in 1924 and encouraged artists to create works that focused on the unconscious mind over perceived reality.
Part of the exhibition highlights the connection between Pacific Northwest First Nations art and the Surrealist movement. Apparently, many of the contributing artists looked to First Nations art for inspiration.
Kwakwaka’wakw Headdress from Alert Bay
Another theme of the exhibition is the influence of cinema. Still a relatively new medium in the early half of the 1900s, film was able to put images in motion and create a fluid canvas on which perspective could be manipulated. From avant-garde films to Charlie Chaplin, to Betty Boop, cinema created a fictional world that the surrealists saw as similar to their own artistic ambitions.
Artists on display include: Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Alberto Giacometti and many more.
Looking for an educational activity for the family this weekend. All Discovery Walks is offering a interactive tour of one Stanley Parks secret bogs. The tour begins at Lost Lagoon at 1:30 and ends around 3:30.
Vancouver Community College Science Instructor, Maria Morlin will be hosting the walk that will focus on the role of bogs and wetlands in forest ecology.
This is an excellent opportunity to subtly get your children back into an academic setting. You may want to research the topic of bogs beforehand with your family, to get them thinking about the subject matter. While on the trail, encourage questioning by modeling. Maria will be happy to answer any questions you or children bring to light.
Educators might also want to take part, specifically those working with students in Grades 3 and 4. ‘Habitats and Communities’ is a big part of the Science curriculum for these grades. Maria’s tour may inspire you to organize your own forest walk in the fall.
If you do plan on attending, you may want to wear appropriate footwear. We suggest boots.
Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the start of the tour.
The fireworks have come and gone, but there are still a number of free public events being offered around the city. The most popular are the Fresh Air Cinema screenings being shown around the Lower Mainland.
“Jaws” aired on Tuesday in Stanley park. Word has it there was more laughs then screams. Still a classic that everyone enjoys. The defining line: “We’re going to need a bigger boat.”
This Tuesday the classic urban Cinderella story comes to Stanley park with the screening of “Pretty Women.” We’ve never really been big Julia Roberts fans, but when Richard Gere snaps that jewelry box shut and Julia flashes those pearly whites, just for a moment we can see how she rose to fame. What a smile!
"Snap!"
The film we are dying to see airs on August 30th. “Stand By Me,” the quintessential end of summer/innocence film will closeout the summer series at Stanley Park. From “Chopper sick balls,” to the ‘barfarama,’ to the rail-tie sing-a-longs, “Stand By Me” has it all; even a few tears. Bring the family or a date and relive your youth in the open air of Stanley Park.
On Friday, August 28th, the Malkin Bowl Summer Concert Series welcomes Ben Harper to Stanley Park. This is one of the most anticipated outdoor shows of the season. Tickets went on sale in May, but there are still some being sold online. If you see one show this summer, catch Ben Harper’s set in the park.
Harper is touring on his most recent album, Give Till it’s Gone. Like most of his previous works, the album contains a strong message of hope, mixed with the pain of life. Always spiritual, Harper’s tracks reverberate with healing and religious conviction. But even with their strong Christian message, Harper’s words attract a strong secular audience that can relate with the pain and joy of love’s handiwork.
If you have never heard Harper’s music, download Live from Mars. Standout tracks include “Please Bleed,” “Women in You” and the quintessential mix-tape track “Walk Away.”
Harper will be playing between the cedars and beneath the stars at the beautiful Malkin clearing. Bring a blanket and some friends and let the one-man choir receive your heart.
This Saturday, the sky will once again be lit by exploding pyrotechnics, as the Celebration of Light returns to English Bay. This will be the twenty-first year Vancouver will host the event. It has become one of the must-see spectacles of the summer and major draw for tourist booking their Vancouver holiday.
The organizers of this year’s event are hoping to make a little more revenue by selling grandstand, V.I.P. seating at English Bay. The tickets are $45. The early bird seats have already sold, but Tickets Tonight is still selling.
Other changes include a shorter program. Instead of the standard four nights of explosions, this year’s festival will have only three; July 30, August 3rd and August 6th. Canada will perform on the final night.
A panel of judges chosen from the events corporate sponsors will evaluate the competing countries.
For more information on the Celebration of Light, check out their website. There is a really interesting section on the history of fireworks. There is also a full explanation of how the barge is loaded and prepped for each night of action. Apparently it takes a crew of 16 people, three days to prepare the show. There may be 2,000 to 4,500 bombs (that’s what they call them) used in one night’s performance. That’s a lot of gunpowder.
And just remember, if you are coming down to watch the fireworks downtown or at any of the beaches around English Bay, leave the alcohol at home. This is a family event and we want to keep it going for years to come. Enjoy Vancouver.
In a province where you can ski the slopes in the morning, golf in the afternoon and spend the evenings on the beach, BC residents know that a comfortable mattress is an essential element to a busy day of west coast fun-and-play.
With the variety of activities that fill our waking hours, it is nice to have a consistent reliable mattress to collapse on when the sun finally sets.
Simmons Mattress Gallery has been providing BC residents with quality beds and exceptional service for years. In the last seven, we have distinguished ourselves from the competition by achieving the Consumer Choice Award for mattress store.
We are proud to carry all the top models from the Simmons Beautyrest line, a mattress series defined by the revolutionary non-flip pocket coil.
After the initial party on April 6th, Vancouver is planning a summer festival in Stanley Park to continue our city’s 125th birthday celebration. ‘Summer Live’ will take place over three days – July 8, 9, 10. The festival will showcase a number of artists, including an impressive line-up of local musicians.
The music will be the big draw of the weekend, with The New Pornographers, Said the Whale and Mother Mother sharing a stage. Local singer songwriter, Dan Mangan, will also play, along with the collective sound of Vancouver’s Symphony Orchestra.
Admission is free and the organizers promise that the event will be family friendly.
Party in the Park
The city chose Stanley Park as the site of the festival because of its beautiful setting, picnic capacity and its history with Vancouver’s city council.
Fact: The area of land now known as Stanley Park was delegated park space at the first Vancouver city council meeting in 1886.
There will also be a sports day like atmosphere, with hilarious relay races.
So don’t plan any getaways during the second weekend in July. You’ll want to stay home and enjoy this one with the rest of your fellow Vancouverites.
Fans of the UFC might be sad to learn that Brock Lesnar has pulled out of the main-event fight for UFC 131 in Vancouver. Lesnar was set to battle Junior Dos Santos, but the heavyweight star has fallen ill, due to a digestive disease known as diverticulitis.
This is the second time the disease has sidelined the big man. In 2009, Lesnar was scheduled to fight Shane Carwin at UFC 106, but pulled out. It was later explained that the heavyweight star was suffering from the above-mentioned intestinal disorder.
Lesnar was quoted as saying: “There isn’t a fight in this world that’s more important than my health.” Lesnar is considering surgery for a second time to deal with the illness.
With his health in limbo, one thing is certain – Lesnar will not be flying to Canada for his medical treatment. Lesnar has openly-criticized Canada’s health care system after receiving emergency treatment at a hospital in rural Manitoba.
Vancouver MMA fans will still be treated to a show on June 11th. Dana White has now booked Shane Carwin to fight Dos Santos at Rogers Arena.
Are you looking for a unique theatrical experience that will arouse your senses, bring you to tears with laughter and inspire your passions at home? Of course you are!
This week, our city hosts the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. For three nights, international stars will join the performers of Vancouver’s growing burlesque scene on two different stages.
On May 5th and 6th the show will take place at the Rickshaw theatre. There will be three performances each night, with single and ensemble acts.
On May 7th, the action moves to the Vogue Theatre. This night will include a long line-up of stars that will perform from 8:00 on.
If you are curious about the burlesque artistry and would like to get involved as a participant, there are workshops being offered on Saturday May 7th at the Chicken Coop at 2280 East Hastings. Tickets are $20 per class. There are three classes being offered at this location along with a make-up class at the Prophouse Café.
General Admission seats for the nightly performances are $20. There is also the option to purchase tickets at fourteen VIP tables.
So pull out your fans and your fishnets and take in some sultry theatre at the 6th Annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival.
Pink is the colour of spring in Vancouver. It floats above our heads and flutters to our feet. It lines our streets and patches our parks. It brightens the grey skies of April and whispers in our ear, “May is not far off.”
The Cherry Blossom Festival is a unique celebration of Vancouver’s relationship with the pink flowers of the Japanese Cherry Tree. This year the festival is running from March 26th until April 22nd. On April 16th, at the VanDusen Botanical Garden, the city will distribute 3,000 new cherry trees to property owners who have paid a reduced rate of $40 per tree. The trees are being sold as part of the celebration around Vancouver’s 125th birthday. They are the pink candles on our cake.
The festival is also hosting a public bike ride on the same day as the VanDusen handout. ‘Bike the Blossoms’ will begin at 11am at Devonian Park in the West End. If you can’t make this date, you can download a PDF of different blossom bike routes for your own private viewing.
Need to express your love of the pink? Enter the Haiku Invitational poetry contest. Put your thoughts into three simple lines of 17 moras and submit your poem before the May 31st deadline. The winning submissions will be featured on Translink spaces around the Lower Mainland.
This Wednesday, April 6th, marks the official start to Vancouver’s 125th Birthday celebration. There will be an all-day event at Jack Poole Plaza, the site of the Olympic Cauldron. The festivities will begin at 2pm and continue until 10pm.
The opening event will be a drop-in street hockey tournament. This will be followed by an organized youth tournament featuring teams from Thunderbird, Sunset, West End, Britannia, Riley Park and Killarney communities.
From 6:00 to 7:00 will be the Official Ceremonies, with a giant birthday cake and speeches by Mayor Gregor and other dignitaries.
The big draw will be a performance by Vancouver’s own classic rockers, 54-40. They will hit the stage around 8:45 and will play until 10:00. During the performance, the plaza will become the backdrop for a video and light installation titled Time Drifts, by Berlin-based artist Phillipp Geist.
In the spirit of our ever-loving cycling mayor, there will be a bicycle valet option for those of you choosing the two-wheeled commute.
Gregor has also promised to unveil other events as the year progresses.
The Olympics were just the beginning Vancouver! Let’s celebrate who we are and where we came from!
As the world tries to come to grips with the damage caused by the recent earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan, here at home, people are starting to fear that the next big quake could occur somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. This has many Lower Mainland residents thinking very seriously about their preparedness level.
To address these concerns, citizens can visit the British Columbia Earthquake Preparedness website for tips on what to have ready and what actions to take in the event of a massive earthquake. The site is an excellent resource for preparing your loved ones for an environmental disaster.
Remember to Hold On!
Here are a few quick tips for your family to work on:
1. Know the safe areas of your home that can be used for cover.
(heavy tables, desks, archways)
2. Know the dangerous areas of your home.
(near windows, beside large appliances, near shelves)
3. Signup for a first-aid course.
4. Plan and practice safe evacuation routes from your home.
5. Have a plan in place if your family is separated. Organize a contact number of a family member or friend who lives in another area of the Province.
7. Have a list of emergency contacts posted near your main phone. You can also add these numbers to the contact list on your cellphones.
8. Prepare emergency supplies for at least 72 hours.
This should include: first aid kit, tarp or small tent, water (lots of it), water purification tablets, non-perishable food, flashlights, am/fm radio, batteries, toiletry items, fire extinguisher, wrench, shoes, gloves and if possible, sleeping bags.
Dreams. They come to us at night while we sleep soundly. They float into our minds while we spend the day doing simple tasks. They infect our soul and force us to face the question: “What if?”
But for many, these questions, brought on by dreams, are stifled with the so-called ‘realistic advice’ of friends or family members. This is discouraging.
Dreams come to us because we know there is a better way to live, to enjoy each day, to find employment and to act on our passions. Don’t be discouraged by others. And never settle for average.
John Maxwell, a leadership author, claims, “being exceptional demands extra effort, sustained inspiration and uncommon discipline.” Fulfilling our dreams is never easy. So be prepared to fight for them. Your soul will thank you.
The Westender Magazine has just published its annual Best of the City reader’s choice awards. From dining, to shopping, to health and fitness, the results are in and some of them are a little surprising.
In the people section, Mayor Gregor Robertson seems to be in every category. He’s third in the Most Wonderful Vancouverite category behind David Suzuki and our timeless captain Trevor Linden. He’s first in the Most Trustworthy Politician, in front of Spencer Chandra Herbert and ‘None’. But Robertson is also second in Most Spectacular Failure and second again in Biggest Windbag. Conflicting messages from the voters…
The city’s new bike lanes also seemed to be a dividing issue, with people either loving or hating them. The bike lanes won Best Use of Taxpayer’s Money and also came first in Worst Use of Taxpayer’s Money. The lanes also won Most Spectacular Failure, ahead of the wonderful HST.
Clear favourites in the foody section were Tojos for Chef and Japanese and surprisingly, the White Spot, which showed up on a number of the categories for casual fare.
We were a little surprised that Mattress Store was left off the list. We know it’s not nice to brag, but we’re pretty sure Simmons Mattress Gallery would have received top honours.
One of the most alluring aspects of Vancouver is our dedication to the Arts. All around our city, there are indoor and outdoor installations featuring the work of local artists. From the public statues erected for the Olympic year, to small galleries on Granville Island, to the always-inspiring work of Bill Reid at the Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver is proud to display the talents of Canadian artists.
One of the smaller galleries that is making a name for itself for its historical and cultural exhibits is The Pendulum Gallery. The Pendulum is located at the base of the HSBC tower. It is a seven story, glass-covered atrium, created with the help of the City of Vancouver to promote cultural and historical exhibitions.
Last month, the Pendulum showed a photography exhibit titled “Swedes in B.C.,” which documented the life of Swedish immigrants.
This month, the gallery will be showing the work of Taizo Yamamoto. Yamamoto has produced an exhibition of intricate drawings titled “Shopping Carts and Recent Drawings.” The works present artifacts and single subject sketches of downtown life. The shopping carts are presented as still lifes, a vehicle holding the possessions and survival instruments of absent figures. The detail is truly amazing and worth the trip downtown.
So come out and support the work of local artists. You will walk away with a new appreciation for your own community and the projects it inspires.
For the fifth year in a row, Vancouver has been voted the most livable city in the world! The poll was conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The group uses three broad categories to make its decision: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Vancouver received a perfect rating of 100 in the categories of healthcare, education and culture and environment.
The second place finisher, just 2.3 percentage points below Vancouver, was Auckland New Zealand.
But what would Vancouverites say when asked ‘what makes us the best’? They would probably mention the cleanliness of our city, the mild weather, the security (you can basically walk down any street and feel comfortable), the dining options, the Olympics, the proximity to the mountains, the transit and bike lanes, the parks (Stanley being the jewel) and the people.
There is an infinite number of reasons why Vancouver is such an amazing place to live, but we like to think it’s the mattress shopping. Simmons Mattress Gallery has been providing quality beds and professional advice to Lower Mainland residents for years. This service has sent thousands of citizens off to work well rested and happy with their lives. We’re not saying we did it all, but we certainly played a part.
Simmons mattresses are a pleasure to sleep on. In a world of counterfeits and knock-offs, nothing beats a night on a pocket coiled Simmons. The masters of eliminating motion transfer, Simmons beds guarantee you and your loved one a sound sleep.
Well that is to say, ‘we guarantee a motionless sleep.’ All ’sounds’ that come from the two of you are your own. But we know that involuntary oral escapes can be a problem. Especially for the silent partner, the one who gets to enjoy the steam whistle every night.
For that lucky individual we have compiled a list of five snore remedies to try with your partner:
1. Ask your partner, in the nicest way possible, if they wouldn’t mind sleeping on their stomach. Sleeping on your back causes your throat to relax and block your airway.
2. Help or encourage your partner to butt-out. Smoking is one of the leading causes of snoring.
3. Use a humidifier to keep the air in your bedroom moist. Dry air can lead to a dry and irritable throat.
4. Ask your partner to try different throat exercises. Strengthening the muscles in your upper respiratory tract can help with the noise.
5. Try a new diet with your partner. Eating habits can directly affect your snoring. A diet of junk food leads to poor muscle tone and extra fatty tissue. Both of these contribute to snoring.
At least someone is sleeping...
*Nothing working. Time to talk to your doctor. Chances are he might recommend a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine. This is a rather large commitment. Apart from being very pricey, the CPAP machine is fairly physically obtrusive in the bedroom. But if you can’t sleep…
Good luck with those tips. Try a few. And don’t worry. We’ll still keep on making quality beds for you to enjoy when that silent night finally comes.
The City of Vancouver has announced plans to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games this February.
The party will begin on the February 11th weekend. Free events are being planned that will take place at different locations around the city. Yaletown will have a nightly light display created by local artists, the Creekside Community Centre in the Athletes Village will be hosting a hockey sledge race and other Olympic activities for families, and Granville street will be closed between Smithe and Dunsmuir for the over 19 bar crowd.
The city will be announcing other events, closer to the date, at Vancouver.ca.
Some of the employees at Simmons Mattress Gallery are planning on reliving the magic of the Gold Medal Hockey Final by watching a taped copy of the game with a few friends. Remembering Crosby’s goal in overtime still brings shivers. The pride displayed that night by millions of Canadians was enough to warm the hearts of the most hardened separatists. That moment will never fade with time. It will always bind us as a nation; Canada’s Gold.
So pull out your red mittens, paint your face and share some memories of those two special weeks that we all shared together.
With the dramatic rise and fall of temperatures that we have been experiencing over the last few weeks, it’s a miracle that we aren’t all out with the sick bug. For those few who haven’t been affected, Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to provide a few strategies for retaining your health.
1. Wash your hands regularly.
-There is a great commercial for Science World, where these four business exec types meet up in an office and instead of shaking hands they each exchange open mouth deep throat greetings. The text reads: “shaking hands spreads more germs than kissing.” The final tag line: “Science World – We can explain.”
2. Eat healthy foods
-One more reason to stick to your New Years diet. Keep your immune system well nourished with a variety of fruits and veggies. Skip the McDonalds lunch.
-Have your first glass with the vitamin. Then at least one glass with lunch and dinner. If you have a relatively strong bladder, drink another before bed.
5. Go to sleep early
-Nothing wears out your immune system like a lack of sleep. Fight the cold bug by tucking in a few hours early. If you can’t fall asleep, chances are you’re sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress. UPGRADE at Simmons Mattress Gallery and work through the winter strong and cold free.
In the City’s continuing effort to reduce landfill waste, a new surcharge will be laid on any mattress being discarded at the Delta landfill. The charge is $20 per bed.
Mattresses will no longer be considered general garbage at all Vancouver Transfer Stations and landfill sites. There will now be a limit on the number of mattresses that one customer can drop at a time. The mattresses will also be left in a separate area from the regular waste. These limitations were put in effect on January 1st.
Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to applaud the city for implementing these measures. Mattresses are almost 100 percent recyclable or compostable and make up a significant portion of the waste dumped in our local landfills.
If you have just purchased a brand new Simmons and are looking for an ethical way to dispose of your old mattress, contact Mattressrecycling.ca. They are the first and largest mattress recycler operating in British Columbia. The price for a mattress drop-off is $14. The warehouse is located at 7885 North Fraser Way. If you would like your mattress picked-up, Mattressrecycling.ca charges $55.
There were many great stories in 2010. The Wikileaks escapade saw the world’s dirty laundry aired out for all the masses to read. Tiger Woods got busted without the help of Julian Assange. BP sprung a leak. Sabres were rattled in Korea. Miners were freed in Chile. And the Olympics were a huge success here at home, with Canada winning Hockey Gold.
But what about the movies? Simmons Mattress Gallery would like to spend a little time this week looking at the shining celluloid moments of 2010. Here are some of our favourite films from the year that was:
1. Inception
Christopher Nolan comes through again. Following his Blockbuster achievement with the Dark Knight, Nolan wrote and directed a sci-fi movie about dreams that had all the ingredients of a masterpiece. Like the Matrix, it pushed the limits of CGI while offering an engaging hypothetical storyline that was believable from its first ‘inception.’ If you haven’t seen this film, cross your fingers that they release it on the big screen. Our hat is off to you Mr. Nolan. The only question is: What will your next trick be?
2. The Social Network
A movie about a website that has become more addictive than cigarettes for its more than 500 million users. The film concerns the story of Mark Zuckerberg, ‘one’ of the handful of college students who helped create Facebook. It documents the many lawsuits that followed the websites release, when the world recognized the genius of a social networking tool that lets you stay updated with friends and associates from around the world. The movie has an excellent pace, intriguing characters and most importantly a heart. Even though Zuckerberg comes across as a total narcissistic —hole, he still, like all of us, just wants to be accepted for who he is.
[Friend Request Received]
3. Black Swan
From the director of ∏ and Requiem for a Dream, comes a movie that delves into the heart of madness. Natalie Portman is a ballerina who is vying for the lead role in Swan Lake. Perfectly suited for the white swan role, Portman must examine her darker side to come to an understanding of the black swan. There will be no question as to who will receive the best actress nod on Oscar night. It almost makes us forget those terrible scenes from Star Wars. Almost…
Feel free to comment and add your own review of a movie that moved you in 2010.
The New Year is almost upon us. What changes will you make in your life this year? Is it time to finally kick the smoking habit? Or maybe lose that winter weight? What about shaving the unibrow? Or at least trimming it? We kid, we kid…
No, the men and women at Simmons Mattress Gallery got together and thought long and hard about a doable resolution that any citizen living in the Lower Mainland could accomplish. So after hours (minutes) of discussion and debate, we finally settled on one action that could positively alter the daily comfort of every individual who tried it.
Yup, shoes with no laces! Velcro is an option, but we were thinking penny loafers.
Kidding, again.
We thought, that if everyone decided to go out before January 1st and purchase a new bed, this could be the year of the mattress.
Think of it, an entire population of sound sleepers. No road rage. No employees falling asleep at their computers. No seasonal affective disorder.
Coffee sales might drop dramatically, but gym memberships could sky rocket.
They say that fear can make us see the world in a more beautiful way. And that being love-struck is also associated with danger.
There is a reason that survivors of tragedies and close-scrapes are often quickly smitten with one another. It’s a psychological condition. And knowledge of this is the secret weapon of every great lover.
So for all you romantics, take heed. Here is a surefire way to open the heart of the one you hold dear this Christmas season.
But first, some background.
A psychology experiment once attempted to prove that emotion was tied to physical arousal. To put this theory to the test, the psychologists were drawn to the breathtaking Capilano Suspension Bridge. Spanning a steep ravine, the bridge is well known for elevating heart rates and stirring souls. The experimenters were interested in how the adrenaline rush of the treacherous fall and wobbly walkway triggered the emotional state of arousal.
To examine the ability of danger to conjure romantic feelings, they had a beautiful female interviewer ask men questions on the bridge. When the swaying, exhilarating interview was done, she would leave her phone number in case they wanted to follow up.
Male subjects were more likely to call for the results (or to use the call as a pretext for a date) if they were on the Capilano Suspension Bridge than an ordinary, less scary bridge.
The conclusion drawn: fear and love, in the heart, are actually the same thing.
So women, take note: This fantastic bridge holds the key to the secret spell. And men, take heart, for while this experiment was never tested on women, there is a good evidence to suggest that arousal in your counterpart will be reciprocated.
So it’s worth a shot. And there has never been a better time to fall in love over a hungry ravine.
Capilano Suspension Bridge is now hosting Canyon Lights. Come for an enchanted evening to enjoy lights in the forest, along the bridge, illuminating the whimsical backdrop of one of the most exhilarating and lovely places on earth.
Guests will also be treated to gingerbread cookie decorating, seasonal music from the Christmas band, glass ornament blowing with Malcolm MacFadyen and of course, the splendor of magical twinkling lights throughout the park.
Admission is free for members. $15 for adults, $5 for children (6-12) or $35 for a family (two adults, two children). Proceeds from admission will be donated to the BC Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund, with a goal of raising $20,000 for the organization to support Burn Awareness Week in BC elementary schools.
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