There are so many interesting events popping up around East Van, it’s hard to keep up with them all. As we love all things food and drink , this event caught our eye, The Renaissance of Vermouth. It is being hosted by Odd Society Spirits this Thursday, February 23rd from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The cocktail lounge at Odd Society will be transformed into a Mediterranean tapas bar which will feature Italian and Spanish style bites prepared by Chef Jesse McMillan of Campagnolo ROMA. Vermouth will be poured with drinks expert Shaun Layton. This is a casual standing room only event with tickets running $65 per person which includes tax and tip. You can purchase your ticket(s) for this event by emailing Odd Society Spirits at info@oddsocietyspirits.com.
The Renaissance of Vermouth At Odd Society Spirits February 23rd
20 Feb
Elbow Room Café: The Musical At The York Theatre March 1-12, 2017
17 Feb
You are invited to take a peak inside one of Vancouver’s iconic eateries, the Elbow Room Café. The café is located in downtown Vancouver and is owned and operated by partners in life and in business, Patrice and Bryan, who have been running the café since 1983. The restaurant is known for its eclectic breakfast and brunch menu that serves up sarcasm along with your food. If you are lucky and you time it just right, you may also find a celebrity sighting or two. The Elbow Room Café – The Musical features local actors Dave Deveau and Anton Lipovetsky who we hear sink their teeth into the roles of owners, Patrice and Bryan. Together they explore the reality of aging in a Technicolour world which is complete with campy misfits, drag queens and the perpetually hung over. Elbow Room Café – The Musical runs March 1 to 12 at the York Theatre with artist talkback shows on March 3rd, 5th and 7th. Tickets are available online from The Cultch and start from $20. Expect a loud, colourful and unpredictable evening that’s full of heart.
Photo Credit: Emily Cooper
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Whiskey Pairing Dinner At Fets Whiskey Kitchen February 21st
15 Feb
If you love whisky, you may wish to check out the Whiskey Pairing Dinner being held at Fets Whiskey Kitchen Tuesday, February 21st. Marcio Ramos, a brand ambassador for Beam Global, will take you on tasting tour of three of Scotland’s whiskey regions. Fets Whiskey Kitchen will be pairing 5 delish delishes with 5 whiskies from 4 distilleries. Cost for the event is $85 and there are only 25 spots. To get your ticket, check out the online registration at Fets Whiskey Kitchen.
Photo Credit: Denise Docherty
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Disney On The Drive February 19th At Café Deux Soleils
13 Feb
You are invited to a family friendly event at Café Deux Soleils on Sunday, February 19th called Disney On The Drive. A group of local artists will be featuring songs from popular Disney movies like Let It Go from Frozen and Kiss The Girl from The Little Mermaid. Some of the artists performing at this event include Julia Spitale, Shera Kelly, Michael Averill, Joseph Spitale, Ross Christopher Fairbairn and Matt Langill. Cover is $5-10, but we hear no one will be turned away for lack of funds. The show kicks off at 7:00 pm and although it may be a bit late for some very young children, kids of all ages are welcome.
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East Van Artist June Hunter Hosting Valentine Studio Sale February 11 & 12
10 Feb
East Van artist, June Hunter, is hosting a Valentine’s Studio Sale this weekend, February 11th and 12th. If you follow us regularly, you know we are big fans of her work. Nature features prominently in June’s work as do some iconic East Van landmarks. If you wish to know more about the crows that inhabit the green space in our neck of the woods, you may wish to check out some of her blog posts. She regularly features crows and other birds that come to visit her idyllic backyard which houses her working studio. This weekend, her working studio will be transformed to showcase all her creative works which include jewellery, small prints, large scale wall art, crow-bars, wall decals as well as some discontinued items. Befitting June’s fondness for crows, you will find Valentine Day cookies available with crows and hot chocolate to keep you warm while you shop. Her rescue dog Geordie will be on hand as ambassador to greet you. June Hunter’s Studio is located at 2785 Parker Street (one block west of Renfrew – between Hastings St. and First Avenue). The Valentine Studio Sale takes place Saturday, February 11th and 12th from 10:00 am. to 5:00 pm.
If you are not able to attend the Valentine Studio Sale, but want to pick up a special piece of jewellery for someone this Valentine’s Day, we invite you check out her online shop which is open 24/7. June also offers Gift Cards, so that special person can pick out exactly what they’d like since she has so many beautiful pieces, it could be hard to choose. You can also find some of June’s pieces at Doctor Vigari Gallery, 1816 Commercial Drive and Bird on A Wire Creations, 2535 Main Street.
Photo Credit: June Hunter Images
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Crow Roost Twilight Bike Ride February 25th
8 Feb
So crows are an ever present part of life in East Van. Do you ever wonder where they go at dusk? On Saturday, February 25th, the Still Moon Arts Society invites you to ride along with them and the crows for the annual Crow Roost Twilight Bike Ride. They will follow the crows on the Central Valley Greenway towards Burnaby which is approximately 5 km round trip. To ensure safety, organizers ask that you have lights and/or reflectors for the ride home. This is a free family friendly event. Everyone is welcome. Come ride with the crows! NOTE: This is a rescheduled date from the February 18th proposed date, but due to rain was rescheduled to February 25th. Let’s hope for better weather this weekend. The ride gets underway at approximately 4:45 pm at Renfrew Skytrain Station.
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ELLE At The Firehall Arts Centre February 8-18
1 Feb
You are invited to check out ELLE at the Firehall Arts Centre. This play is the story of Marguerite de Roberval, a French noblewoman who sets out to sail in 1542 for Canada with her uncle, Jacques Cartier to colonize new found territory. She finds herself abandoned on a deserted ‘Isle of Demons’ located off the coast of Newfoundland as punishment for taking a lover during the voyage. Marguerite finds herself in the company of spirit bears real and imagined and not only does ELLE survive, but she thrives. J. Kelly Nestruck of The Globe & Mail likens the play to the Oscar nominated movie The Revenant by Alejandro Iñárritu. We are hearing that ELLE reinvents the beginnings of this country’s national narrative. ELLE runs February 8 – 18 with tickets from $23 and available online at Firehall Arts Centre.
What people are saying about ELLE:
“Thompson holds the audience’s attention in a vice grip with her precision, depth, and hilarity. Her script is beautifully poetic, and is a master of delivery.”
Mooney on Theatre
“…a performance that weaves feminism, survival instincts, colonialism
and magic realism together.”
The Toronto Star
“Elle is occasionally tense, but frequently funny.”
Globe and Mail
Photo Credit: Severn Thompson
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Snowed In Comedy Tour At The York Theatre February 11th
30 Jan
Looking for a bit of humour? The Snowed In Comedy Tour is happening February 11th at the York Theatre it might just be what the doctor ordered. This is a Canadian comedy tour which liken themselves to the Tragically Hip touring across Canada. The show features comedians Dan Quinn, Craig Campbell, Paul Myrehaug a recent winner of the $25,000 Great Canadian Laugh Off and Pete Zelacher. They are billing this comedy tour as the “Better Than The Just For Laughs Tour”, but they do boast some standing ovations so there might be something to their gloating. Tickets for the show are $35 and available online via The Cultch. Note, this event is for audiences 19+.
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Portraits In Motion At The Cultch February 24-26, 2017
25 Jan
A very unique show, Portraits In Motion, is back by popular demand. If you love photography, this is the show to see. Volker Gerling is a photographer and animator that uses flipbook to show you intimacy in motion. His work consists of rapidly taken photos of people which he projects onto a screen to create a moving image while recounting stories behind the images. His aim is to show you a glimpse of the human persona. It can be an awkward embrace, the end or beginning of a smile, something sad or you may see a recognition of something that’s happened in your own life. Volker Gerling has walked over 3,500 miles of Germany, showing his “thumb cinema” to people and gathering new portraits for it. Portraits in Motion has toured internationally. Portraits In Motion is on now at The Cultch with a post-show talkback this evening. Show runs for 65 minutes, no intermission. Tickets are available online from The Cultch.
What people are saying about Portraits in Motion.
“In Volker Gerling’s tiny flipbooks, great things emerge from small candid portraits of strangers that offer fascinating glimpses into the human soul” –
Broadway Baby
“Uniquely heart-warming” – The Times
Photo Credit: Franz Ritschel
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The Uncommon Café Offers Sweet Classes This February
23 Jan
With Valentine’s Day approaching, our friends at The Uncommon Café, 477 Powell Street, are hosting a few delicious classes this February and if location is an issue, we see one of their upcoming classes, Eclairs and Cream Puffs, will be held at the Trout Lake Community Centre on a Sunday afternoon. Valentine Kitamura owner of Tartine Maple will be leading the various classes they have lined up which include learning how to make eclairs and cream puffs, the secrets of working with chocolate or making that perfect Valentine’s Dinner. We invite you to check out their upcoming classes.
Eclairs and Cream Puff: Choux Pastry Basics – Sunday, February 5, 2017
Valentine will teach you the basics of the new pastry craze from France, Choux pastry pronounced “shoo.” If unfamiliar with the term, they are a family of dessert, big and small puffs, all made with the same dough base. In this class, you will learn to make:
- Profiteroles filled with vanilla whipped cream and covered with warm chocolate sauce
- Chouquettes with are a simple little puff simply covered with crunchy sugar bits
- Eclairs – the long version of the choux, filled with cream
Bring a container(s) so you can take some of your creations home. If you don’t have baking experience, no worries, it is not required. They assure us no fancy equipment is required either and you can easily make the items yourself at home. This class runs Sunday afternoon at Trout Lake Community Centre from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
Chocolate Lovers Class – Wednesday, February 8, 2017
If you love chocolate and want to learn how to make easy decadent desserts, than this class is for you. Whether you wish to impress guests, or that special someone this Valentine’s Day. What you will learn to make in this class is:
- Chocolate Mousse
- Lava Cake
- Chocolate Truffles
- Chocolate Sauce to Drizzle
This is a demonstration cooking class after which you will get to enjoy your Lava Cake along with a glass of sparking wine. The rest of the goodies you get to take home with you.
Valentine’s Couple Cooking Demo & Dinner – February 10, 2017 SOLD OUT
This class is designed for pairs, so whether that be a romantic couple, or maybe you want to bring someone on a first date, or you bring your mom or best friend, the field is wide open. During this demonstration class, Valentine will show you how to make some delish French dishes which we’ve set out below. After the demonstration, you get to sit down and enjoy the prepared meal in their restaurant with a glass of wine with candlelight if you wish. What you will learn to make includes:
Tarte flambée: Thin flatbread made right before your eyes, covered in onions, bacon and cream and cooked really high for extra crispiness. Served with green salad.
Aumoniere de Saumon: Salmon wrapped in purse shape phyllo dough served with a traditional white wine sauce
Lava cake: The ultimate dark chocolate indulgence served with vanilla ice cream.
Now if you like the idea of this class, but your prefer a different date, they are offering another class on February 14th, with a bit different menu. Price for the demonstration cooking classes are $75 per person. Keep an eye out for early registration offers which reduce the price by $10. To register, click on link above which takes you to the Eventbrite page for each class. Bon appetit.
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