PushOFF comes to the Russian Hall January 30 to February 4, 2023. PushOFF is an independently produced artist-run curated platform featuring tour-ready work and projects in development. This hyper-local event fosters the artistic practices of a community of artists and allows them to share bold new work with Canadian and international audiences. Now in its 13th season PUSHoff will present live in-person shows at the Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Avenue, between January 30 to February 4, 2023. If you prefer to take in a performance from the comfort of home, you can check out their digital offerings at pushoff.org. Tickets range from $15 to $20 for in person and on-line shows. For more information, visit pushoff.org.
Something different has landed in the space of the Vancouver Alpen Club (Victoria Ave & 33rd Avenue) this January. Beauty and The Beast Cocktail Experience is now running until January 15th. This is billed as an escape room, theatre show and adventure all blended into one.
The event is based on the Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont fairytale. You are invited on a 90-minute journey that steps into the enchanted and cursed world of Beauty & The Beast. The theme is an elegant Victorian cocktail party (dress-up is encouraged). You’ll be invited to dance, sample from the Castle’s finest delights (of the alcoholic and edible variety), but they say to be careful not to overstay your welcome to take anything that’s not yours – or you may not get home at all. The event is bill as theatrical, alternate reality experience that dives into some magic and fantasy along with fabulous cocktails. The event is brought to you by the interactive team behind The Wizard’s Den, Beyond Cinema and The Alice. Tickets are $45 and available now at Explore Hidden.
Looking for something fun and different to do for Valentine’s Day this year? Check out this Make A Glass Heart workshop being offered by Terminal City Glass on February 11th? In this workshop, two people will work with a professional glass artist to make a colourful glass heart-shaped paperweight that will be a keepsake for years to come. No experience is required, but you must be a least 16 years of age. There are a number of time slots throughout the day, but note each time slot has a limit of 4 spaces. To register or for more information, visit Terminal City Glass Co-Op.
Gourmet Warehouse has some great new cooking classes lined up for 2023, but fair warning many of the upcoming classes are already sold out. So if something piques your interest, we recommend registering. If you haven’t already experienced one of their classes, it is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening with some like-minded food lovers. If you have participated, you know it’s a great way to pick up some knowledge and some great tips in the kitchen. Added bonus is after each cooking class all the participants are offered a 10% discount for purchases made the day of your class. We have set a few of their upcoming classes that caught our eye. For a full line up of all the classes Gourmet Warehouse is offering visit Cooking Classes.
Pasta Like A Pro: Southern Italia – February 23, 2023
If you love fresh pasta, this class is for you. You are invited to roll up your sleeves and learn how to make some Italian staples from scratch. This is a hands-on class in which Chef Deniz while guide you through each step. You’ll leave this class with the working knowledge of how to make your own dough, form authentic Italian pasta shapes, create a timeless ragu, plus garnishing the Mediterranean way. We’ve set out the menu for this class below:
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• Winter Salad with Caramelized Squash, Goat’s Cheese Truffles, Winter Greens, and Fine Balsamic, Crostini • Hand Shaped Orecchiette with Light Sausage Ragu, and Roasted Rapini, Parmesan Reggiano • Fresh Maccheroni Cacio Pepe with Pecorino Romano and Burnt Hazelnuts • Vanilla Gelato with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Maldon Salt
Modern Peruvian – March 7, 2023
Acclaimed local chef Shelome Bouvette invites you on a journey of flavours through Peru. You will be introduced to classic Peruvian comfort food with a contemporary twist. We’ve set out the menu below:
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• Huacatay Vinaigrette Quinoa Salad with Mango, Avocado, Roasted Pepper, and Rocota Chili • Verduras Causa – Whipped Beetroot and Potato, Lima Bean Puree, Aji Salsa, Pickled Beet, Huacatay, and Yam Chips • Nikkei Ceviche – Wild Sockeye Salmon, Ginger, Avocado with Passion Fruit Ponzu, Wasabi Aioli, and Nori • Lomo Saltado – Skirt Steak with Onion, Tomatoes, and Peppers with Kennebec Fries
Cheesemaking 101: Mozzarella, Bocconcini & Burrata – March 5, 2023
You are invited to learn how to create your own mozzarella, burrata and bocconcini using store bought milk. This class is led by Paula Nelson-Maddison who will teach you the science behind cheese in this 2 hour taste, touch and feel demonstration class. Paula will also show you unique and creative ways of serving these cheeses. For this demonstration class, each student will take home a kit so you can make 4 pounds of cheese at home along with online support.
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• Fresh Mozzarella, Pesto and Sun-dried Tomatoes, Artisanal Crackers and Bread
To see all the classes being offered and or to register, we invite you to visit GourmetWarehouse.ca.
The Firehall Arts Centre and Victoria’s Puente Theatre bring FADO – The Saddest Music in the World back to The Firehall Arts Centre from Saturday, January 14 to Sunday, February 5, 2023.
Acclaimed Portuguese-Canadian playwright Elaine Ávila’s play, FADO, is a tale of love and ghosts set in the back alleys and brothels of old Lisbon. This musical, which premiered at The Firehall in 2019 and enjoyed a wildly successful run, tells the story of a young woman confronting her country’s Fascist past and her own identity is interwoven with the heartbreaking national music of Portugal known as Fado, which means “fate.”
If you have not experienced Fado music, you are missing out. What is Fado? Wikipedia describes it as “a form of music characterized by mournful tunes and lyrics, often about the sea or the life of the poor, and infused with a sentiment of resignation, fatefulness and melancholia.” We can tell you it is passionate, emotional and relatable. For a taste of Fado music, listen to Amália Rodrigues singing “Abandono” here. To see it live and person, visit the Firehall Arts Centre for tickets which start from $25.
Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA) is a wonderful volunteer driven non-profit organization based in East Vancouver. This non-profit was founded by two amazing women Karen Duncan and Maria Soroski. VOKRA is run by an army of passionate volunteers who do amazing work in the community with lost, stray and feral cats and kittens. We’ve learnt that in 2022, they have rescued 1,100 kittens/cats and the year isn’t even done. VOKRA incurs $60,000 a month in vet bills which does not include the cost of cat food or litter. If you are able to assist VOKRA with their work by way of a donation, you can make a donation online. All financial donations go directly to funding the supplies, equipment, and veterinary and operational costs required to ensure the cats in their care are warm, safe and healthy. If you have items that can be donated that would assist them in their work, visit their Wish List to see what items are needed. Lastly, you can also support them by purchasing items in their online Shop.
There are lots of opportunities to shop local this holiday season. There are, of course, lots of holiday markets this time of year, but if you prefer a more low key shopping experience or missed some of the markets, we invite you to check out some of the local East Van stores which regularly stock items for many local makers. We’ve set out a list of some of our favourites below. Whether you visit them in person or online, we are sure they appreciate your support in shopping local.
Arts Off Main is just a few steps from Commercial Drive and is a collective art gallery that features local artists. You will find paintings, art cards, jewellery, ceramics and more.
Billy Would Designs is located in the space that was formerly Plenty + Spare in Hastings Sunrise. The store carries a large selection of handmade items from local artisans, The owner has put her own spin on this space offering wooden jewellery and accessories made from broken stakeboards and reclaimed wood.
Esthette Lifestyle Shop is located directly next door to Second Nature Home on Commercial Street (not Drive) in Cedar Cottage. This boutique features ethically sourced, small batch handmade goods. Lots of items for the home, gifts for all ages including books, stationary and puzzles.
Local Bloom is an all Canadian brands store located on East Broadway at St. George Street. They care about supporting Canadian small business and feature a wide variety of products including skin care, chocolate, perfume, gift cards, candles and much more. If you don’t have time to visit in person, check out their online shop. They offer free shipping with most orders over $50.
Second Nature Home is a home décor boutique located at 3565 Commercial Street in Cedar Cottage. The store has a wide range of items outside of home décor including jewellery, gifts for the foodie in your life, something cute for the new baby or new mom and much more. They usually have extended hours running up to Christmas. Be sure to pay them a visit.
Giving Gifts is a very cool space located at 4570 Main Street. The store tucked between 30th & 29th Avenue is made of up 5 rooms packed with items from 100 local as well as fair trade artists from around the world. It is a gift giving boutique so you will easily be able to pick up a few gifts for just about any age.
Jackson’s General Store located at 1490 Kingsway (at Dumfries) near Knight Street. This space is the epitome of cool with a distinct retro vibe. Store owner, Mike Jackson, has created an eclectic mix of unique items in store which features clothing, gourmet food, books and if you are looking for a candy fix that is a blast from the past, this is your spot.
The Coast Goods is a sweet shop nestled away in the heart of the residential area at 1302 Victoria Drive. This is great neighbourhood shop that focuses on ethically sourced home decor and giftware again supporting our local independent artisans. Be sure to check them out and give them a follow on Instagram.
We would be remiss if we didn’t mention this beautiful shop located at 4391 Main Street. They have an amazing array of home decor items and lots of great things on hand for gift giving. They feature local as well as international artists.
Why is it important to shop local? “for every $100 spent with a BC local business, $64 is re-circulated back into our BC economy versus $14 for multi nationals. Why? Because locally owned businesses circulate more dollars in the community compared to multinational organizations.”
First Pick Handmade is back at the Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, on Saturday, December 10th and Sunday, December 11th with their Holiday Market. First Pick Handmade’s Holiday Market will again feature items from a variety of makers that include non-binary, all sized-clothing and objects that are not mass produced. Founder and creator, Janna Hurtzig, curates only high quality and sustainable products. You can expect to find a wide range of products including jewellery by Irit Sorokin, ceramics by Oh Hello Leigh and Abder Atbi, paintings by Janine Breck Art, accessories by Winterluxe Recycled Cashmere and clothing by Serenity West and Street and Saddle and much more. Whether you are looking for something for your home, for yourself, or as a gift, there will be lots to choose from with all of this talent under one roof. Stop by and check it out between 11:00 am and 6:00 pm December 10th & 11th. Admission is $3.00 at the door or online.
The Daisy Theatre is back with their take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in Little Willy. If you haven’t attended one of Ronnie Burkett’s shows, you are missing out on fun night out. Burlesque star Dolly Wiggler starts the show with an Elizabethan striptease in this riotously funny improvised mash-up of one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays. All the leading ladies of the Daisy ensemble battle for the role of Juliet, including faded diva Esme Massengill in a boozy interpretation of the lovesick ingénue. Beloved audience favourites Schnitzel and Mrs. Edna Rural are back in supporting roles, and adding to the fun and mayhem, The Bard himself joins The Daisy Theatre cast for a twisted retelling of this timeless tale. Tickets start from $35 and are now available online at The Cultch. The production runs from January 10 – 29, 2023. Tickets to this show would make a great gift of experience this holiday season.
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