In case you hadn’t heard, one of Vancouver’s biggest showcases for one-of-a-kind handmade goods comes to East Van this weekend, Make It Vancouver! It’s their Spring show with almost 200 makers, designers, artisans and crafters. As you might expect, there will be an amazing selection of items including fashion, accessories, jewellery, art, baby items, home décor and our personal favourite, food! There is great line up of vendors including some favourites such as French Made Baking, Rootables, The Salt Dispensary, Trudy Ann’s Chai & Spices, Jules & Kent and The Local Churn to a name a few. On deck for home décor is another strong line up and includes a personal favourite we’ve featured here previously on the site East Van Light. If you are looking for some gift items whether for Mother’s Day or an upcoming birthday, this is the place to be. And if you think it’s all for the women, think again. There will be something for everyone on hand. Add to that, for all you hungry shoppers, there will be food trucks and a beer garden. Make It Vancouver! takes place at the PNE Forum on Friday, April 22nd from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, then continues on Saturday, April 23rd from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm with their last day being, Sunday, April 24th from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is $5 at the door which allows you to shop all of the 3 days, admission is free for kids 12 and under. See you there.
Make It Vancouver! At The PNE Forum April 22-24
20 Apr
New In Town: Me & Monty Dog Spa Products
19 Apr
Here at ILiveInEastVan.com we love featuring local East Van businesses and makers. Today we would like to introduce you to Marina Hebert and her new business, Me & Monty Dog Spa Products. As a dog owner, Marina’s product caught our eye. Marina lives in East Van off Commercial Drive with her partner, daughter, Isabel, their dog Monty (pictured) and a rotating cast of foster animals. Marina has a passion for animals and animal welfare and has been volunteering in this area for several years. Her professional background is in non-profit administration and development which should bode well as she embarks on this new adventure featuring natural care products for dogs. She has been making soap as a hobby for a number of years and began taking classes at Vancouver Soap Making School. She considered starting a business after adopting her Chihuahua, Monty. Marina had difficulty locating natural, organic grooming products for him that were dog-safe. So Marina embarked on a course at EMBERS Eastside Movement For Business and Economic Renewal Society from which she continues to receive mentorship as her business grows.
Marina sources all her products locally and purchases organic whenever possible. We like that Me & Monty Dog Spa Products do not contain any palm oil, artificial scents, preservatives, sulfates or animal ingredients. Marina currently makes 3 products, bar soap, dog shampoo and nose & paw butter. All the products are 100% safe for consumption should the dogs lick or ingest any of the product. Prices range from $14 for the 5 ounce bar soap, $14.50 for the nose & paw butter and $13.50 for the 8 ounce dog shampoo and $26 for the 16 ounce bottle. You can find Me & Monty Dog Spa Products at The Bloom Bloom Room in New Westminster, The Moonlight Dog Cafe and Long Live Cats and Dogs on East Hastings Street. You can also purchase products online via her Etsy Shop with pick up available in East Vancouver. You can also expect to see her products available at local groomers soon. Should you be one, she offers free sample packs to try out her products. We invite you to check out Me & Monty Dog Spa Products and look forward to seeing more of Me & Monty Dog Spa Products in and around the City.
Photo Credit: Karla Wakefield Photography
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East Van Bazaar Is At The Wise Hall Sunday May 8th
18 AprT
he East Van Bazaar is back on Sunday, May 8th at the Wise Hall. If you didn’t catch the previous one in March, you missed out on one great event. The organizers put together a really great mix of local makers. This upcoming Bazaar falls on Mother’s Day so it’s a great opportunity to bring mom to check out our thriving community of artists, or pick up something special for mom if you haven’t already. You can expect to find an array of items including hand-crafted jewelry, local wood sculptures, new gadgets, cards, oddities and collectibles, cool handmade items or vintage reworks. They will have over 40 vendors including Tea Lani with specialty teas, jewellery designs by Larki Designs, Shab Nar Jewellery, Rish Jewellery and Crisp Bones, Pinch with all natural deodorant which I know a number of people have been on the hunt for. For a full rundown of vendors, visit East Van Bazaar. There will also be live music and a DJ on hand as well as food and drink vendors. The event kicks off at Noon and runs till 5:00 pm. Admission is a suggested $2 donation. We invite you to pop down and check out this local talent.
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Eastside Flea Grand Opening Weekend April 16 & 17
14 Apr
In case you hadn’t heard, the Eastside Flea has found a new permanent home at the Ellis Building, 1024 Main Street. This flea market features it all including vintage goods, vinyl records, collectibles and handmade items by local artisans. This weekend is the Grand Opening of their new space and it will be a 2 day event on April 16th and 17th. They have been busy reworking their new digs and are ready to show it off. Added bonus is Tacofino Food Truck will be on hand for those that get hungry while shopping. There will also be deejays on hand as well an artist show room and a few other surprises. The Eastside Flea will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Come on down and check out their new space.
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Stone Soup Festival May 7th At The Britannia Community Centre/Napier Greenway
13 Apr
Britannia Community Centre, 1661 Napier Street, is hosting the 21st Annual Stone Soup Festival on Saturday, May 7th. This annual event is a celebration of food, art, environment and community. You can expect to find a food market, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, live music, tea leaf reading, children’s activities, free soup and much more. The Stone Soup Festival aims to bring awareness to the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’ and celebrating the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and its importance to the culture of our community. Some of the highlights from this year’s festival include:
Urban Foraging & Medicine Making with Lori Snyder
Free Drop-In Workshop & Walkabout
Family Activity Room 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
The Greenhorn Community Music Project
Performance 1:00 pm West Kid’s Area
Children’s Interactive Music with George Rahi (from Gamelan Bike Bike)
West Kid’s Area 2:00 pm
“Saving Our Wild Salmon” Slide Show & Talk by Eddie Gardner
Britannia Library 3:00 pm
There will be live music on the Commercial Drive Stage starting at Noon with the Carnival Band kicking things off, then at 1:00 pm Backspin takes the stage followed by the Tim Sars Duo at 2:00 pm. After that The Vancouver Fiddle Club keep things moving about 3:00 pm which are followed by Rio Samaya at 4:00 p.m. The Stone Soup Festival kicks off at Noon and runs till 5:00 pm. This is a family friendly event with lots of activities for the kids including face painting, storytelling and a kids activity area. For more information, contact the Britannia Community Centre at T: 604.718.5800.
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The Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth At The York Theatre April 30 & May 1
12 Apr
Calling all comic book fans and those that miss the days of radio shows from days gone by. There is a new show in town that is being billed as a new art form, it’s a Live Action Graphic Novel. The Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth is coming to The York Theatre for just 3 shows. When this show first premiered some 2,100 people came out to see it. Soon thereafter it was featured on NPR and Conan O’Brien. The show is now in its third season and has played in more than 80 locations in the US, Canada and the UK. The sci-fi story is set in 1930s and mashes up comic book and radio play formats into a unique theatre experience. There are 3 actors in the show that create voices for dozens of characters along with sound effects. You will also see 1,250 individual full colour high resolution comic book panels that tells you a story. This is an all ages show that runs April 30th at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm and again on May 1st at 2:00 pm at the York Theatre. Tickets are available online and include tickets for $25 for any seat in the house for those 18 years of age and under. Family packs are also available for 4 premium tickets for $130. Seats are going quickly, so if you wish to attend, we suggest you be quick on the draw.
What people are saying about this show:
“Something you simply must experience if you are a fan of awesome.” collider.com
“Great fun! [A] happily retro multimedia extravaganza!” – The New York Post
“The coolest theatrical experience Earth has ever seen.” — Calgary Herald
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Delish New Cooking Classes At Gourmet Warehouse This Spring
11 Apr
The Gourmet Warehouse has some great new cooking classes lined up for the Spring. Having personally attended one of these classes, it is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Of course, there is always shopping after the cooking class as participants are offered a 10% discount for purchases made the day of your class. For a full line up of all the classes Gourmet Warehouse is offering visit Cooking Classes. Below we have set out a sampling of some of their upcoming classes.
Flavours of Vietnam – Saturday, May 28th 11:00 am ($65) SOLD OUT
In this demonstration cooking class, Chef Cindy Low is going to teach you all about Vietnamese cuisine which she says is one of Asia’s best kept secrets. She will focus on fresh Asian herbs and vegetables which makes for light and healthy meals. Chef Low will teach you how to make homemade chicken broth which is the base for Vietnamese pho. You will also learn to make salad rolls, shaking beef with arugula and Vietnamese coffee ice cream. As always, you are encouraged to come hungry, you will be eating the items made in class and this is a popular one. What you will learn to make includes:
Vietnamese salad rolls with prawns, served with a
hoi sin and peanut dipping sauce
Shaking beef with arugula, served banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) style
Chicken pho – classic Vietnamese soup with rice noodles in a homemade
chicken broth, fresh Asian herbs, bean sprouts
Homemade Vietnamese carrot and daikon pickles
Vietnamese coffee ice cream
Cake Pops – Sunday, June 26th 11:00 am ($65) SOLD OUT
You are invited to this hands-on-class with in-house baker, Rick Gaspard. He will demonstrate how easy it is to make Cake Pops. You will learn all the tips on how to shape them, dip them and roll and decorate them. Cake pops are fun variation and perfect for a wedding favours, birthday treats and make a great decorative flair at wedding or baby showers. As this is a hands-on-class, you are asked to bring an apron as well as a container to bring home your freshly created cake pops.
Greek Night– Saturday, June 18th 11:00 am ($65) NEWLY ADDED
In this demonstration cooking class, Chef Cindy Low is going to teach you not only about the distinctive flavours of Greek dishes, but how truly simple the dishes are to make. Cindy will also discuss the Mediterranean diet which is considered one of the healthiest in the world. Some of the delicious dishes you will learn to make include:
Horiataki Salata (Greek salad) with tomatoes, cucumber, feta, olives,
green pepper, oregano and extra virgin olive oil
Prawns Saganaki – prawns baked with tomatoes and feta
Chicken Souvlaki – tender cubes of chicken breast, marinated and grilled to perfection
Roasted Lemon Potatoes
Tzatziki – yogurt and cucumber dip
Baklava “Bites” – classic Greek dessert of nuts, honey, filo pastry
If you are interested in any of the cooking classes, be sure to register early to avoid disappointment, classes do sell out. Bon Appetit!
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Dirty Old Woman At The Cultch April 12-24
7 Apr
An older woman dating a younger man wasn’t quite as common as it’s now becoming, but women are still getting quite a bit of heat for doing something men have been doing for years. So we are very interested to see how an upcoming show at The Cultch tackles this issue. Dirty Old Woman which begins at The Cultch on April 12th had a sold out run at the Vancouver Fringe. It features Nina, a 50-something-year old divorcee, who decides to venture back into the world of dating. She meets Gerry, a young man 20 years her junior, and woola the sparks fly in more ways than one. What happens next include judgments, double standards and we hear a lot of laughs as Nina tries to navigate the murky seas of dating a younger man. The show runs April 12 to 24 at The Cultch. Tickets are available online from $20. Post talkback shows are April 17th and 19th and we expect this conversation could be just as interesting as the show itself.
“Dirty Old Woman is a wickedly fearless must-see”
The Georgia Straight
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2nd Annual Parker Art Salon & Fine Art Exhibition
6 Apr
Did you miss the Eastside Culture Crawl? Well you are in luck, as the 2nd Annual Parker Art Salon & Fine Art Exhibition happens April 22 – 24, 2016. The beautiful and historic 1000 Parker Street Studios, which is home to many artist studios, will open their doors to the public for this 3 day event. 57 artist studios will open their doors and transform the 2nd and 3rd floors which will feature painting, sculpture and installation pieces and much more. This is a great opportunity not only to see some of the amazing creative talent that we have in our fair City, but to meet and chat with the artists. This is a free event and open to everyone. There is lots of free parking available in the area. The event kicks off with an Opening Reception Friday, April 22nd from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Workshops and live painting will be on display Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 4:00 pm. If you wish to check out which artists will be participating, we invite you to check out the ‘Artists’ rundown on their site.
Of course, if you are in this area to check out some art, we can recommend many great spots close by for a drink, bite or beer. There is of course coffee on Commercial Drive with a great array of choices including Moja’s Coffee as well as Uprising Breads on Venables Street. For something sweet there is ice cream at La Casa Gelato with a long list of flavours and only a hop skip and jump down the street. For brunch beforehand, Havana Restaurant on The Drive comes to mind as does Café Deux Soleils. These are only a couple of many great spots to choose from in the area. There are also lots of great craft breweries close by Strange Fellow Brewing being one of the closest, but there is also Parallel 49 Brewing, Bomber Brewing and at the foot of Victoria Drive, Odd Society Spirits for a cocktail. If you want a bite and beer, think Biercraft, Stateside Craft and St. Augustine’s. Other great food choices include Mezcal for Mexican, Cabrito’s for tapas, Falconetti’s for sausages, Cannibal Café for burgers, JamJar for Lebanese, pizza at Via Tevere on Victoria, but heads up best to be there for their 5:00 pm opening and get in line. Other good pizza choices include Lombardo’s, Marcello’s and Famoso Pizzeria. I mean if in the area, might as well take in all it has to offer right?!
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Meet A Scientist – Experiment With An Artist Weekend At Science World April 9 & 10
4 Apr
You are invited to Experiment With An Artist Weekend At Science World on April 9 & 10. This two day event is brought to you by Curiosity Collider and Science World. You will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities with scientists as well as interacting with on-site artists. The line up of artists include Char Hoyt, Christopher Rodrigues, Laura Lee Coles, Michelle Weinstein, Sammy Chien, Willa Downing and more. Some of the scientists lined up and their respective fields include Stefanie Vogt (microbiology), Amy Smith (neuroscience), Rosa An (geo-technical engineering), Jacqueline Wong (audiologist), Antonya Gonzalez (developmental psychology), Philip LeSueur (geological engineering), Samuel Brenner (civil engineering), Kelly Ablard (biology), and Regan Zhang (medical genetics). Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates. Admission for this event is general admission to Science World. The event runs from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm on April 9th and 10th. For more information and to see a full list of artists and scientists, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @ccollider. They want to know, what makes you curious?
“Creating Curiosity – come meet curious people, and explore new ways to experience science together.”
ILiveInEastVan.com 