You are invited to come celebrate the creative culture in East Vancouver this Sunday at the Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway. The East Van Short Film Showcase presented by Hammer & Tong Picture Industries and Raindance Vancouver brings together filmmakers and audiences for a night of unique, independent cinema. This event will feature a selection of short films from some of Vancouver’s best young independent filmmakers. You can expect films by James Kingstone, Marshall Axani, Kelvin Redvers, Sean Ronan, Sinziana Corozel, Ross Munro, Kyle Samuels and Edson Castro. Doors open at 6:00 pm for the East Van Short Film Showcase and the event runs till 9:00 pm. Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite for $5.50 or at the door for $6.00. For those interested in attending the after party, it will take place at Toby’s Pub & Grill, 2733 Commercial Drive.
East Van Short Film Showcase At The Rio Theatre August 23rd
21 Aug
Great Line Up Of Cooking Classes At Gourmet Warehouse This Fall
19 Aug
The Gourmet Warehouse has a great line up of cooking classes heading into the fall season. Attending one of these classes, is certainly 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. We have set out a sampling of some of the delicious classes they have lined up:
Chinese Takeout – Saturday, September 26th 11:00 am ($59)
Chef Cindy Low invites you to come out and learn how to make your favourite Chinese takeout dishes. She will fire up the wok and show you how to make some classic Chinese dishes. You will also learn some tips on making great stir-fries, cooking techniques, shopping and more. Some the items she will teach you how to cook include:
- Prawn Wontons Soup
- Lettuce Wraps with Minced Pork and Vegetables
- Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple
- Beef with Broccoli
- Soy Sauce Chow Mein with Bean Sprouts
- Jasmine Rice
Hearty Vegetarian – Saturday, October 3rd 11:00 am ($59)
Chef Cindy Low will teach you how to make mouthwatering vegetarian dishes that appeal to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Her inspiration for many of her meatless dishes come from various countries around the world including Turkey, West Africa and Mexico. Some of the dishes you will learn to make include:
- Turkish Lentil Pies
- Kale Salad with Red Cabbage, Ambrosia Apple and Vegan “Bacon”
- West African Vegetable and Peanut Stew with Collard Greens
- Quick Skillet Tostadas with Black Beans, Corn, Bell Peppers, Enchilada Sauce, Cheese
- Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding
Turkish Kitchen – Saturday, October 24th 11:00 am ($59)
Chef Cindy Low is back in the Gourmet Warehouse kitchen with another culinary adventure this time it’s Turkey. You are invited to come learn how to make some delicious Turkish cuisine. Cindy will also teach you about some of the exotic ingredients ingredients in Turkish cuisine including sumac, pomegranate molasses, yufka (filo) and Aleppo pepper. Some of the dishes you will learn to make include:
- •Sigara boregi – cheese ‘cigars’ wrapped in filo pastry
•Muhammara – Turkish red pepper and walnut dip
•Adana kebab – grilled spiced beef kebabs, served with grilled tomato, peppers, pita
•Chicken and vegetable bulgur pilaf
•Turkish coffee ice cream
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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Say Hi To A Stranger – 3rd Edition August 21 – 23
14 Aug
The “Say Hi To A Stranger” Campaign returns August 21st – 23rd. We are pleased to see this event continue which was created by A Cue Creative Consulting. A large study conducted in 2012 by the Vancouver Foundation shows that socializing is challenging for many city residents. About one-third of respondents agree that it is difficult to make new friends in Vancouver, and that proportion jumps to half of respondents who have lived in Canada for fewer than five years.
For those unfamiliar with this campaign, the first Say Hi To A Stranger Weekend occurred on November 8 – 10, 2013 shortly after local writer Chelsea Pescitelli identified Vancouver as “anti-social” in her VancityBuzz article “Single in Vancouver: The Asocial Single Society.” A Cue Creative Consulting responded with a video and blog post that spread online. They dared Vancouverites to say “Hi!” to strangers and tweet about their experience with the hashtag #sayhitoastranger. The A Cue Creative team discovered that Vancouver could be a social and open city, but needed a push to open up and start communicating. Along with the team being featured in mainstream media, approximately 200 people gathered at the checkpoints over the weekend, and more than 5,000 people engaged with the blog and on social media online. #sayhitoastranger trended on Twitter on Thursday, November 7, 2013.
We at IliveInEastVan.com were one of the many that participated in this initial campaign as we love the premise of encouraging social interaction on the streets of Vancouver. We fully support this great initiative and applaude Kaare Long and her team for keeping this discussion going. It’s easy to be complacent and just accept that ‘it is what it is’ or you can take steps to make a difference however small to make the City a better place. On August 21st, they kick off their 3rd edition of #SayHiToAStranger with an Opening Party at Grandview Park from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm. You are invited to come down and say hi and learn more about the campaign. You will also receive information about their community partners who will be providing free food, drinks, gifts and other promotions to people who engage with street teams and receive a button and use the code phrase “Say Hi To A Stranger”. Their community partners in East Van include:
Bird on a Wire Creations, 2535 Main Street
Home on the Range Organics, 235 East Broadway
Magpie Vancouver , 3633 Main Street
Second Nature Home Boutique, 1827 Victoria Diversion
The Uncommon Café, 477 Powell Street
We ask you, will you say hi to a stranger?
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Collisions Between Art & Science At Café Deux Soleils August 19
12 Aug
You are invited to Untold Stories of Collisions Between Art + Science hosted by Curiosity Collider on Wednesday, August 19th. What is Curiosity Collider? It is a grassroots organization that is an inclusive community hub for curious innovators from any discipline. Their aim is to foster participatory partnerships between science and technology, art and culture, business communities and educational foundations to inspire new ways to experience science. Their intention is to be a catalyst for collaborations that seed and grow engaging science communication projects. On August 19th, they will be hosting a Pecha Kucha-esque show in which each speaker will provide a show and tell for approximately 7 minutes. The speakers they have lined up for their next event include:
- Emily Smith, Textile Artist. Learning with fibre.
- Graham With, Brewmaster at Parallel 49 Brewing Company. Science with senses – the science of brewing.
- Laura Ulrich, Biological illustrator/animator in training. Finding a balance between art, science and sharing knowledge.
- Omar Dominguez, Sustainability and Community Development Professional. How our city shapes emotions.
- RC Weslowski, Poet. Who will discuss how to find meaning in nonsense.
- Wayne Maddison, Biologist at UBC which discuss the evolution of music.
“Creating Curiosity – come meet curious people, and explore new ways to experience science together.”
You are invited to come out and learn how curiosity can lead to creativity and innovation. Collide with and meet other curious people so you can explore new ways to experience science together. The event takes place at Café Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Drive, on Wednesday, August 19th and gets under way at 8:00 pm doors open at 7:30 pm. Cost is $6.00 at the door. For more information, you can email Curiosity Collider directly at info@curiositycollider.org. You can also follow them on Facebook or on Twitter @ccollider. What makes you curious?
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Vancouver Queer Film Festival August 13 – 23
7 Aug
The Vancouver Queer Film Festival kicks off on August 13th and runs until August 23rd at various theatres around Vancouver. This film festival showcases over 70 films from 21 countries with themes ranging from transgender trailblazers to spectacular queer con artists. There will be two films showing in East Vancouver at the Rio Theatre on Friday, August 14th namely:
The Coast is Queer 6:30 pm
Is a series of grassroots shorts which offer a tantalizing view of BC’s queer film pie including Polarity, Soak and The Future Perfect. There will also be sneak peak of the The Out-Laws an inaugural episode of a coming web series.
Grandma 9:30 pm
Lily Tomlin fans can rejoice as she’s clearly having a ball in Grandma. This film is a rousing, exhilarating joyride that brings limitless energy and a decidedly un-Hollywood approach to storytelling about three generations of women. Here, the carefree feminist plot reveals itself early when Elle’s granddaughter Sage shows up on her doorstep seeking $600 for an abortion. Neither of them has the money so they set out on a road trip (in Grandma’s own 1955 Dodge Royal) to get it without involving Sage’s mom, Judy. Their journey sparks new life in Elle, a self-described misanthrope who’s been grieving the loss of her long-term love. You will also see supporting performances by Laverne Cox, Judy Greer, and Sam Elliott. This is touted as a sharply funny and warm film and you only get once chance to see it.
To check out the full line of films playing during Vancouver Queen Film Festival, check out the Schedule online. Tickets are also available in advance online.
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Long Table Outdoor Dinner At The Italian Cultural Centre August 26
6 Aug
A few years ago, I spent a month travelling around Italy. One of the best meals I had was a long table dinner in a working vineyard in Tuscany. It was a long ornate table set with wine and vin santo (dessert wine) made on site. It was truly one of the most amazing meals I’ve ever had and set in one of the most beautiful places I’ve travelled. The added bonus was meeting and getting to know people from all over the world and hearing about their travels. Well the Italian Cultural Centre is bringing a bit of that Italian feel of the outdoor long table dinner to East Vancouver. They are hosting a long table dinner which will showcase local, organic and sustainable produce and cuisine. The long table dinner will take place Wednesday, August 26th from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. This event is a collaboration with Slow Food Vancouver and is being billed as an “Urban Farm to Table”. You are invited on a food journey through Vancouver’s urban farms and learn about their sustainability. Tickets are available online or by calling Veronica at the Italian Cultural Centre between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at 604.430.3337. We look forward to seeing you. This is one event we won’t be missing.
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Opening Reception Of Works by Jack Procter August 6th
5 Aug
You are invited to the Opening Reception of Works by Jack Procter Thursday, August 6th. The event takes place at The Cultch, 1895 Venables Street from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. This exhibition will show a variety of work representing Jack Procter’s favoured forms and mediums which are collage, sculpture, painting and mobiles. They are very different in form and you will see first hand his attention to detail, composition, and colour is masterful. Jack has been creating his whole life. His father was an artist and a big influence. He worked primarily in sculpture with a love of colour. This is a free event that everyone is welcome to attend. If you missing the Opening Reception, the exhibit will run till August 27th.
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1st Annual Best of Craft At The Wise Hall August 19th
4 Aug
Liberty Merchant Company presents the 1st Annual Best of Craft Tasting Event on Wednesday, August 19th at the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street. The evening will feature it all including craft beers, cider, mead & spirits from all over BC along with tasty samplings from Commercial Drive food purveyors. This Liberty Merchant Company sponsored event is also a fundraiser for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society which helps provide food for up to 25,000 people in need each week. All ticket sales and draw prizes directly support the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. Tickets are $24.99 each and you are asked to bring a non-perishable food donation the night of the event. Tickets are 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 p.m. and goes till 9:00 pm. This is a perfect summer event. Hope to see you there!
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BC Day Beach Party At Dogwood Brewing August 3rd
29 Jul
Have we mentioned we love the folks at Dogwood Brewing, 8284 Sherbrooke Street. OK admittedly, they are our neighbours just down the street in SE Vancouver and we are pleased to see that they are a fairly regular sighting at the River District Farmers Market on Saturdays. Many of the local craft breweries are doing some creative things to differentiate themselves. Dogwood Brewing is doing something very different for BC Day. They are throwing a Beach Party on Monday, August 3rd . First up, let’s be clear, there is no beach at Dogwood Brewing, but they are bringing the beach to Dogwood Brewing. They will be bringing in truck loads of sand in the parking lot with some table and chairs outside, a beach umbrella or two. Add to that, our favourite thing, they will be having a sand castle competition and yes there will be prizes. This a smaller brewery, so limited seating in and out, but an extra 22 seats outside for this one day event which kicks off at Noon and goes till 8:00 pm. For those looking for a bite to eat while there, one of Vancouver’s new food trucks will be hand C’est si Bon which we are hearing some good things about. So all you need to bring is your sun hat, your sunscreen and come hang out at the beach at Dogwood Brewing.
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What Does East Van Mean To You In Photos? #KlikEastVan
27 Jul
What comes to mind when you think of East Vancouver? For a growing number of people whether you are living in East Van, moving to the area or just visiting, the word ‘community’ is most often the first thing that comes to mind. Recent articles such as that in the Globe & Mail in March sets out why young people are leaving the West side. Yes affordability is one issue, but the other is a sense of community, knowing your neighbours and that feeling of belonging. There are, of course, many things that make East Van a great place in addition to community. There is also the culture, art, community based festivals, shopping, live music, the growing craft beer industry, the amazing selection of restaurants and coffee shops and the list goes on. So what we’d like to know now, is what does East Van mean to you in photos? East Van photographer Kyrani Kanavaros is compiling photographs taken around East Vancouver. Kyrani is a professional photographer living in East Vancouver with her husband and twin 8 year old boys. She has featured many local personalities, musicians as well as movers and shakers. What she loves is East Van and as many have said the sense of community she feels living in this area of Vancouver. So what does East Van mean to you? We’d love to see your photos. Tag your photos on Instagram with #KlikEastVan or tag Kyrani on Instagram @Kyrani and well we won’t mind if you tag us Instagram @ILiveInEastVan. There are no right or wrong photos, this is not a photo contest, this is what means something to you. We look forward to seeing your pics.
Photo Credit: Benee Rubin
