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The Bridal Swap Is Happening At The Croatian Cultural Centre Sunday April 2, 2017

15 Mar

BridalSwapAre you planning a wedding this year or maybe next year?  If so, we have something for you. Weddings as many know are a fairly large expenditure, even if you are doing it on a budget.  That is why we love the concept of The Bridal Swap happening April 2nd at the Croatian Cultural Centre. If you are unfamiliar with this unique concept, it brings together past brides, brides to be, decorators, wedding planners and craft artisans all under one roof.  For brides to be, you have the opportunity to purchase gently used items from past brides and, of course, past brides have the opportunity to sell items from their weddings which could include the ‘dress’ and wedding décor including centerpieces, candles, linens, glassware and vases to name but a few items on hand. So instead of buying all new, it’s a great opportunity to re-use and repurpose items which we are big fans of.  The Bridal Swap will also have on hand an array of artisans offering handmade items or services for your wedding day including photographers, jewellery, cakes, wedding favours, flowers, invitations and the list goes on.  Bridal Swap takes place on Sunday, April 2nd from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm. Tickets are available through Eventbrite and you have two options $25 for early admission at 10:30 a.m. for first choice on items, or $15 for admission after 11:30 a.m. Now if you are a Past Bride and wish to sell some items, you are in luck, there are a few spots left. Tables are $50 and organizers are offering our followers $5 off with the discount code ILIVEINEASTVAN17.

 

 

 

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The 10th Annual Nifty For Fifty Sale At The Heritage Hall April 9th

13 Mar

Nifty502017One of the best sales in the City is back on Sunday, April 9th at the Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street.  Nifty for Fifty was founded by Adhesif Clothing designer, Melissa Ferreira, in 2007 with 12 designers. It has now grown to 30 sellers with over 3,000 shoppers attending the one day sale. This year is their 10th anniversary and we expect it will be one of the best sales yet. If you are not familiar with Nifty For Fifty, the sale is a way for designers to show gratitude to their customers by clearing out local merchandise all of which is $50 or less. You can expect to find clothing, jewelry, bags, scarves and much more by 30 local designers. Some local returning designers that will be on hand include Adhesif Clothing, Allison Wonderland, and Daub & Design. There are a host of new participants this year including Black Bird Studios with nature inspired ceramics, Lana Betty with gold and silver 3D printed jewellery, Scandinazn with handmade repurposed leather goods, Wallis-Evera with modern hemp business wear and Winterluxe with recycled cashmere.    A number of items available on this day will be up to 80% off. So mark your calendar for this shopping event, but just a reminder this is a mainly cash event. For those that want the best selection or first dibs at some of the great deals, we recommend you get their early. The sale starts at 11:00 a.m. and goes to 8:00 p.m. Admission is $2 at the door.

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The Daisy Theatre Returns To The Cultch March 21st to April 9th, 2017

10 Mar

DaisyTheatreAlejandroSantiagoThe Daisy Theatre returns to The Cultch on March 21st until April 9th. What is the Daisy Theatre? Well it’s a puppet show by the one and only Bonnie Burkett and this is NOT any puppet show.  If you think you might not be interested in seeing puppets, you will likely be wrong. The Daisy Theatre is unlike anything you have ever seen. Ronnie Burkett, puppeteer provocateur and his company of over 40 marionettes, will not only entertain you, but will be sure to have you riding a wave of emotion as he brings his puppets to life. The energy he brings to his puppetry is rather awe inspiring and how he seamlessly transitions between all the characters on his stage. Did we mention it’s funny?  Side splitting funny, Ronnie Burkett brings a sharp wit to his characters when he needs to, but he can be as soft as kitten when playing the character Schnitzel who usually begins and finishes his show. But having said that, each show is different so you don’t always know who is coming on stage to perform. We can say each performance is different, daring, ridiculous and honestly dam funny. It’s just not us saying it though,  The Georgia Straight has previously called it “one of the best shows you’ll ever see”.  Tickets start at $20 and are available online at The Cultch.  Note, due to the mature content this is a 19+ show.

Photo Credit: Alejandro Santiago

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PantoLand Academy Comes To The Cultch – Summer Camp In 2017 For Kids

8 Mar

PantoLandIf you are looking for a fun, creative summer camp for your kids, you may wish to mark your calendar for registration day which is Monday, March 20th.  Theatre Replacement is offering a great 5 day summer camp for kids aged 5-10 years of age called PantoLand Academy.  The camp is based on the East Van Panto and can accommodate up to 70 children. They will learn the whacky and fun world of panto which includes learning to sing, dance, dress up and create. The camps will be led by a team of accredited teachers and members of the East Van Panto’s creative team. At the end of the camp, the children will get to perform onstage at The Cultch for their friends and families. Two camps are being offered, one being July 31st to August 4th, 2017 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 pm (Monday – Friday) and the second camp runs from August 8th to August 12th, 2017 (Tuesday – Saturday).  Cost is $275 per child plus tax. The camps will be held at The Cultch at Venables & Victoria Drive.  Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. on March 20th, 2017 and can be done online at East Van Panto/PantoLand. Note, registration is first-come, first served and we heard last year’s camp sold out in a matter of minutes. Although they are offering 2 camps this year, we expect these spots will fill quickly. For those interested, you may wish to mark you calendar so you don’t miss it.  If you have questions about the program, you can contact Theatre Replacement’s Associate Producer, June Fukumura at june@theatrereplacement.org.

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Refuge Comes To The Firehall Arts Centre March 18 – April 1, 2017

6 Mar

As many know, immigration and refugees is front of mind in the news almost daily which makes this new play by Mary Vingoe rather timely.  The Firehall Arts Centre presents a new play Refuge based on the award-winning CBC Radio documentary “Habtom’s Path”. Refuge tells the emotionally riveting story of Eritrean army deserter, Ayinom Zerisenai, who has landed in Nova Scotia, where his mother already has refugee status.  But even as Ayinom’s plight wins the support of an immigration lawyer, Saul Ackman, questions about his past actions and his current behavior begin to haunt Pamela who has taken him into her home.  Could she and her husband be harbouring a legitimate refugee or a terrorist?  Refuge as you might guess is a provocative and poignant story of the pitfalls of seeking sanctuary in today’s suspicious world.  The play is directed by the very talented Donna Spencer.  Refuge runs from March 18 to April 1st at the Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets are available from the Firehall Arts Centre from $23. If you are interested in a Post Show Talkback discussion, you can participate in those on March 23rd and March 30th. For those on a budget, check out the Pay What You Can Performances March 22nd and 29th at 1:00 pm.

Photo Credit: Emily Cooper

 

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5th Annual East Side Beer Fest At The Wise Hall on March 15, 2017

3 Mar

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Liberty Merchant Company presents the 5th Annual East Side Beer Fest tasting event on Wednesday, March 15th at the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street. The event will feature craft beers from all over the world as well as bits of food from food purveyors on Commercial Drive. This event is also a fundraiser for the Great Vancouver Food Bank Society which helps provides some 25,000 people in need each week. All ticket sales and draw prizes directly support the Great Vancouver Food Bank Society.  Tickets are $24.99 each and available at all Liberty Wine Merchant locations. In East Vancouver, visit them at 1622 Commercial Drive or call them at 604.633.1922. The event gets under way at 7:00 pm and goes till 9:00 pm.

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Story Story Lie Is Back March 10, 2017 Café Deux Soleils Celebrating International Women’s Day

1 Mar

storystoryliemarch102017Have you checked out Story Story Lie yet?  In case you haven’t heard about this fun event, it is now a regular monthly gig at Café Deux Soleils on The Drive. Their next performance is Friday, March 10th and for this one Story Story Lie is doing something a little bit different in honour of International Women’s Day.  They will be featuring all female performers and the line up, well we have to say folks, this is going to be good!  First up, we have local East Van icon Mary Jean Dunsdon known to many as Watermelon. Mary Jean, was until recently a very regular sighting on Wreck Beach during the summer months. These days the Licorice Parlour on the Drive keeps her fairly busy. We are fairly sure Watermelon is going to have some good stories for this event.  Next up, we have Kathleen McGee, local stand up comic and host of the popular podcast Kathleen McGee is A Hot Mess, Fatima Dhowre, Reema SH, Burcu and Maia Gibb, past Story Story Lie winner and humorous blogger. The aim of the evening is figure out of course who is telling the truth and who is the stand out liar. Can you spot the liar?   Come out March 11th to find out.  Tickets are $10 and available in advance through Eventbrite. All proceeds from this event will be going to The Chrysalis Society which is a local grass roots organization providing assistance to women overcoming abuse and addition.

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Neighbourbood Small Grants Back For 2017 – Celebrate Community!

27 Feb

NeighbourhoodSmallGrants2014In case you hadn’t heard, it’s Canada’s 150th birthday this year.  Why not celebrate it within your own community?  Or maybe there is something small you can do to make your community a better place? We encourage you to consider applying for a Neighbourhood Small Grant. If you have not heard about this program, it is worth looking into. Speaking from experience this program is a great way to get to know your neighbours and build community. You can apply for grants of up to $500 for projects in your community. The aim of the program, which is funded by the Vancouver Foundation, is to connect and engage people within the community in which they live. Neighbours can get together and make an application for a variety of events. Some examples of past events include neighbourhood block parties, clean up campaigns, ethnic cooking classes, emergency preparedness plans, community gardens or an outdoor movie night. This is not for adults only, kids are welcome to get into the act.  The ideas are only limited by your imagination. Once your application is submitted, it is reviewed by a Resident Advisory Committee made up of residents in your neighbourhood. Applicants are advised in late May/early June if they receive funding and are asked to have their projects completed by November 30, 2017. To apply for a grant, visit Neighbourhood Small Grant.  Note, the site is available in several different languages. Application deadline is Monday, April 4, 2017 and open to residents in the following areas:

  • Carnegie – Strathcona – Ray Cam
  • Cedar Cottage – Hastings Sunrise – Renfrew
  • Mount Pleasant – Little Mountain
  • South Vancouver – Collingwood

If you prefer to make the City a greener space, there is also an opportunity to apply for a Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grant. Again residents can apply for grants of up to $500 with the stipulation that the projects contribute to the City’s Greenest City Action Plan Targets.   Grants are given to projects that meet the following goals:

Mitigating climate change – Examples: A “Neighbour Challenge” to track sustainable behaviours i.e. measuring of household waste, food waste, green transportation trips.

Promoting greener forms of transportation – Examples: A “bike repair 101” session providing participants with knowledge and some basic tools (e.g. patch kit, tire levels, allen keys); a “walking school bus” or “bike train,” with prizes/incentives for participation; a community map where people can draw their bicycle route to work and link up with new buddies to ride together; promote walking through an organized tour about local history of neighbourhoods; a public art installation.

Creating zero waste – Examples: neighbourhood composting; building a community share sheds for tools, toys, or appliances.

Improving access to nature and planting trees – Examples: a workshop on the benefits and care of trees providing a small tree for each participant; building a community pollinator garden; a workshop on building nesting boxes for barn swallows with basic materials.

Breathing clean air – Examples: an awareness workshop about the use of renewable energy or carbon footprinting.

Making businesses greener – Examples: Working with a local green grocer business to use unsold food for an event to educate neighbours on reducing food waste; create a resource-sharing space for local businesses (for example, a small business book exchange or tool shed; a green business trade school event; or common marketing tool for local green businesses).

Clean Water – Examples: a workshop on rain gardens for boulevards; installing rain barrels on garden sheds in community gardens; a workshop on water-wise gardening practices; replacing an area of pavement with porous natural materials.

Green Buildings – Examples: hosting a “DIY home energy retrofit” workshop providing participants with starter materials (e.g. window insulation kit, door draft stopper, weatherstrip tape); a neighbourhood information session on incentives available to reduce energy use in the home, using available City of Vancouver brochures and other resources.

Lighter Footprint – Examples: a clothing and stuff swap; a school supplies swap; a repair café/fix-it fair event; a program for sharing in your neighbourhood

Growing and eating local food – Examples: develop a plan to pick neighbours’ unused/unwanted fruit and process this as a group (e.g. make jam, fruit leather, etc.); build a beehive and host a beehive workshop.

Residents in the following communities can apply for this grant:

  • Carnegie – Strathcona – Ray Cam
  • Cedar Cottage – Hastings Sunrise – Renfrew
  • South Vancouver – Collingwood

You can apply for both of the grants online. Please see their online application for more information.  The deadline to apply for the Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grant is also Monday, April 4, 2017.

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Hastings North BIA Launches East Village Brewery & Distillery Passport February 24, 2017  

24 Feb

EastVillageBreweryTour.pngOne of our earliest posts was a self-guided tour aimed at discovering some of the hidden gems tucked away below East Hastings Street at the foot of Commercial Drive.  Now the Hastings North Business Improvement Association has created the East Village Brewery & Distillery Passport to help guide you to the 6 craft breweries and 1 craft distiller tucked away in the less travelled routes of the City.  To participate in this self-guided tour, all you need to do is pick up a Passport at any one of the 7 participating locations in the East Village. Your Passport contains a map with all the participating breweries and distillery located within easy sipping distance from each other. All you are required to do is, to start exploring and tasting. Generally speaking, this exploration is fairly walkable, save for Bomber Brewing which is a little further South. Lots (if not all) of the breweries have bike racks out front for those that wish to cycle between their destinations. When you take your passport to each destination, get a stamp from each participating brewery/distiller. Once you’ve collected your 7 stamps, you will receive an East Village branded growler. Taking part in The East Village Brewery & Distillery Passport will be the area’s oldest brewery (established in 1995) Storm Brewing, as well as Parallel 49 Brewing, Powell Street Craft Brewery, Doan’s Craft Brewing Co., Callister Brewing Co., Bomber Brewing, Andina Brewing and Odd Society Spirits.  If you are taking the tour on a weekend, our personal recommendation would be to land at Odd Society Spirits for their free tour that happens every Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 pm.  They provide a great background and history on the process and science of making craft spirits. Did we mention the owners are pretty passionate about what they do? It certainly comes across in everything they do.

However you choose to do the East Village Brewery & Distillery Tour is up to you, ie. you could hit all the spots in one day, break it down into 2 days or more.  While in the area though, we do have a few suggestions. When you stop in at Callister Brewing Co., which houses a few micro breweries, be sure to check out the art on the wall.  When stopping at Doan’s Craft Brewing, make some time for the arcade games while sampling their beer. Pac Man is our go to, but there some 80+ games to choose from.  Whilst taste testing, we encourage food and some of the spots have snacks available or food trucks that are often nearby offering good eats.  En route you will find lots of great spots to start or finish your day or for a pit spot, some we recommend that you may stumble across in your path include Scandillious or Yolk’s for breakfast, The Pie Shoppe for a sweet treat, Bistro Wagon Rogue for dinner at the end of the day. NOTE: The good folks that bring you Parallel 49 Brewing have a newly renovated Tasting Room which also serves food. They’ve done something very cool and brought a food truck inside. Check out the feature in Metro News which has a few photos of their new set up.  We invite you to get out and enjoy some of the great craft beer in East Van.

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Almost A Stepmom At Havana Theatre March 14 – 18, 2017

22 Feb

almostastepmomHave you ever been a step parent? Thought about being a step parent? Maybe you are one. Having had the personal experience, it is not for the faint of heart. Thick skin and patience are two pre-requisites for this role, but like all paths in life, there are the challenges but also the rewards. This March, Standing Room Theatre Only brings you a one woman show Almost A Stepmom. It is the true story of Keara Barnes who moves to Ireland and becomes a stepmom, well almost.  This dark comedy shows you first hand the ups and downs of being a stepmom and brings you multiple characters including an attempted murder in this one woman show. Almost A Stepmom has received rave reviews at various festivals throughout Western Canada, most recently winning the Emerging Artist Award at the 2016 Calgary Fringe Festival. You catch the show at Havana Theatre on Commercial Drive between March 14 and 18. Tickets are $18 and available online from Brown Paper Tickets.

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