Free Daily Yoga At Dude Chilling Park

16 Jun

YogaYoga instructor Solomon Montijo, along with ten other teachers, hosts free classes daily at 10 am and 6 pm in Dude Chilling Park also known as Guelph Park, 2390 Brunswick Street.  If you want to participate, simply bring:

>  water bottle
>  yoga mat
>  towel or blanket

Solomon encourages people to donate if they can afford it, but it’s not required to attend. Everyone is welcome. As it is International Yoga Day this Sunday June 21st, there will be a special yoga class and potluck. The day begins with a regularly scheduled hatha yoga class at 10:00 am to 11:15 am. At 11:30 am there will be a Super Special Yoga Day Class including asana, pranayama, meditation and deep relaxation which runs till 1:00 pm. After that, the potluck begins. The regularly scheduled hatha yoga class happens at 6:00 to 7:15 pm.  For more information on yoga in Dude Chilling Park and the upcoming picnic, visit their Facebook page for more details.

Photo Credit: Gabriella Fabbri

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Le Marche St. George Hosts Evening of Oysters, Wine & Sausages June 20

15 Jun

FundraiserPlayground_nobleedLe Marché St. George, 4393 St. George Street, is hosting an evening of Oysters, Wine and Sausages on Saturday, June 20th.  This event is to raise funds for the Little Mountain Playground and all proceeds will go towards building an inclusive playground for kids in the neighbourhood.  You can expect an evening of beautiful food and wine provided by Curious Oyster, D-Original Sausages and BC Wine Studio.   The event gets under way at 7:30 pm and goes to 10:00 pm weather permitting. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for $85.  We expect this event to sell out.  So if interested, be sure to pick up your ticket(s).

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Pandora and The Locksmiths: Awakenings At The Rio Theatre June 20

12 Jun

AvaAugust_hiresWell East Van, you are in for a treat on Saturday, June 20th. Pandora & The Locksmiths present “Awakenings” featuring New York City headliner Peekaboo Pointe and special guest musicians Black Dog String Quartet. A Gastown fixture for four years, Pandora & The Locksmiths is now producing their first independent large-scale show in East Vancouver.  The Black String Quartet has been dubbed “Vancouver’s Hottest String Quartet” and their members have performed and recorded with acts like Kanye West, Mariana’s Trench, Mariah Carey, and 54-40.   Peekaboo Pointe is based in New York City and is an internationally renowned burlesque star and has competed for “Queen of Burlesque” at the New Orleans Burlesque Festival and Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender. Awakenings will celebrate the many facets of femininity as inspired by the natural world through glamorous striptease that follows the course of a day from sunrise to midnight. You can expect fierce and beautiful burlesque that unfolds to the lush interpretations of a 10 piece orchestra playing classical, jazz and modern day music.  This is a one night event only taking place at the Rio Theatre on Saturday, June 20th at 8:00 pm. Advance tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets for $25. Some tickets will available at the door for $30.

Feature Photo Credit: Reckless Photography

Photo Credit Below: Fubarfoto
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Italian Day Returns To Commercial Drive Sunday June 14

11 Jun

ItalianDay2015ArtIn East Van, we are fortunate to be home to some great community events. One of our favourites happens this Sunday, Italian Day.  This is your chance to experience everything Italian from the food, to the music to the culture. The 5th Annual Italian Day returns to the Drive with this year’s theme being ART.  So you can expect to find Italian art showcased or you can make your own. The Britannia Community Centre will be hosting an interactive photo-art project between Noon and 3:00 pm in the Britannia Courtyard. As well, I’m Impressed Paper Arts Ltd. will have supplies available so you can create your own art.

The Drive which is very much alive most days of the week will be transformed for Italian Day where you will be able to walk the Drive from Broadway to Venables and find over 100 merchants and guest vendors, a line up of food trucks and carts, more than 20 restaurant patios and an array of things to see from Italian honey bees to classic cars and motorcycles. The Italian Cultural Centre will be hosting live opera at the Grant Street music stage as well as jazz with Cory Weeds.  Of course, you can expect to find Federico Fuoco center stage drawing a crowd as always at the 2nd Avenue Main Stage along with Carmelina Cupo.

For the kids, there will be lots to see and do including arts and crafts in the Little Italy Kids Zone and Funswing amusement rides in Grandview Park as well as balloon twisting and face painting. Other street activities also include the Whitecaps/BMO Fun Zone with kicking cage as well as the Car2Go sponsored Bocce Court. Some new additions to this year’s festivities include a new third stage at Grandview Park which will showcase Italian martial arts demonstrations by Blood and Iron as well as improv by Theatre Temp from Templeton Secondary School and Marionette Puppet Shows by Carnival Sized Cinnamon Hearts. Opening Ceremonies kick off the event at Noon on the Main Stage at Second Avenue and festivities run till 8:00 pm.  There will certainly be something for everyone here. Come out and celebrate all things Italian!

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Rescue Me: Genie Rottweiler Shepherd Cross Looking For Her Forever Home

10 Jun

GenieSPCAWelcome to the next installment of Rescue Me in which we feature pets waiting for adoption at the Vancouver SPCA. Today we would like to introduce you to a lovely playful girl named Genie. Genie came to the Vancouver SPCA by way of the Drives for Lives program. She is a 5 year old Rottweiler German Shepherd cross and her friends at the Vancouver SPCA think she will have you wrapped around her paw in no time.   Genie is a cheeky playful girl with personality plus.  She lived on a reserve in Prince Rupert and has had a few litters and although a fantastic mom to all her pups, her friends at the SPCA now think it’s time for her to be babied a bit.  Genie loves people of all shapes and sizes. She can be a bit reactive to other dogs so she needs a dog-savvy guardian who is able to work with her on this. Genie has likely never lived inside of a home environment, but she has quickly discovered that she loves everything about it. She particularly likes tossing her toys around the SPCA’s reception area and rolling around their couch.  Nothing is off limits for Genie and she is quite comical at times so sure to bring her new guardians lots of joy. The Vancouver SPCA does feel her new guardians will need to work with her on some basic obedience training and gradual departure exercises as she may initially be anxious in her new environment. She is known to be an escape artist, so leash walks or a home with a fully fenced yard is a must.  Her friends at the Vancouver SPCA also think it’s best that she be the only pet in the household so she get the undivided love and attention she deserves.  If you think you can give Genie a new home, the Vancouver SPCA Shelter, 1205 East 7th Avenue would love to hear from you. You can reach the Vancouver SPCA by telephone at 604-879-7721 or by email at vancouver@spca.bc.ca. As always, we are grateful for those that share this information.

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Italian Market At The Italian Cultural Centre Friday June 19 With A Little Extra Italy

9 Jun

ItalianMarket2015Il Centro Italian Cultural Centre invites you to celebrate Italian Heritage Month with them at the Italian Market on Friday, June 19th. The Italian Cultural Centre is located at 3075 Slocan Street (at Grandview Highway) in East Vancouver and has a number of great events taking place this month, so be sure to check out their website to see what they have lined up.  Although the night market runs every 3rd Friday of the month from 3:00 to 7:00 pm until November 20th, the market on June 19th will have a few extras.  There will be the usual produce grown locally including Fresh Roots and Glen Valley Artichoke Farms with artichokes, fresh greens, beans, tomatoes and herbs as well as Farmhouse Natural Cheeses, Sweet Thea Cakes with fresh pies and baking and Stepping Stone Bakery will have biscotti, cookies and squares. You can also expect to find fresh fruit, vegetables, handmade products by local artisans as well as food prepared by Il Centro’s Chef including house baked breads which will be available for purchase.  Take note seed lovers, Fresh Roots will also be conducting a seed exchange at their booth. So you can bring your seeds to trade with others attendees.

The Italian Market will also be hosting two local wineries, Kalala Organic Estate Winery and Township 7 Vineyards. And if that isn’t enough to make you come out, they are welcoming back Bella Gelataria who will be selling their gelato and Demiani Fine foods will be on hand with an assortment of pasta sauces, olive oils and balsamic vinegar and Orazio’s Olive Oil will be sampling their products. And if are wanting to learn to cook your pasta ‘just right’, Peter from Pasta Familga will be doing a pasta making demo from 5:30 to 6:15 pm which will cover all the basics. There will also be an outdoor ‘bistro’ set up where you can sit down and enjoy the food and live Italian music featuring Gianni Fuoco. There will be a few food trucks on hand for your dining pleasure including favourites Via Tevere Pizzeria Nepoletan and the Cannoli King with fresh filled cannoli, Sfogliatelle, chips and dip as well as Hotties with fresh pasta.  We expect this will be another great market. See you there!

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Lesismore At Federico’s Supper Club Thursday June 11

8 Jun

LesismorebyAndyCottonLesismore will be performing at Federico’s Supper Club, 1728 Commercial Drive, this Thursday, June 11th.   If you have not heard them perform, you are missing out. Lesismore seamlessly mixes elements of roots, R&B, funk and blues into a high energy sound that is uniquely their own. Their charismatic lead singer Leslie Harris has often been compared to Dinah Washington and Bonnie Raitt. The musicians are guitar virtuoso Curtis DeBray, along with one of Vancouver’s most in-demand drummers, Nino DiPasquale and one of the great veteran bassists of the West Coast scene, Lee Oliphant. Come and enjoy an a la carte dinner prepared by the renowned Remy Prasad while they perform between 7:30 and 10:00 pm.  The dance floor at Federico’s awaits you should the music move you. To ensure your spot, reservations are recommended and can be made at T: 604.251.3473.

Photo Credit: Andy Cotton

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MakerLabs A Makerspace In Strathcona Where Ideas Come To Life

5 Jun

MakerLabsToday we are featuring the last of four participants in this year’s Vancouver Mini Maker Faire. MakerLabs is “a makerspace that provides you with the tools, space, and skills to bring ideas to life.” They are located at 780 East Cordova in Strathcona in a 26,000 square foot space. Having just moved into this space in April, they are just now opening their doors to the public.  The space allows individuals access to digital fabrication tools (laser cutters, 3D printers/scanners, CNC routers), a woodshop, textiles lab, photo studio, and a whole lot more.  To ensure that people know how to use the tools, they also provide a basic use and safety orientation on all the different tool families. MakerLabs will be at Vancouver Mini Maker Faire this weekend at the PNE Forum demonstrating some of the projects that have been made over the past year. As mentioned in a previous post, this is the space Basic Design uses to make amazing products from items that would normally end up in the landfill. So be sure to visit them at the Mini Make Faire and get creative. Who knows what you could make?

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100 In 1 Day – Global Festival of Civic Engagement Comes to Vancouver June 6th

4 Jun

100In1DayYVR100 in 1 Day is happening in Vancouver this Saturday, June 6th. The idea is to bring hundreds of people together on ONE day and each take one small action to improve their city. This is in fact a global festival of civic engagement returning to Metro Vancouver for its second year.  Organizers are encouraging small initiatives to spark change. Everyone is invited to come out and participate. And really, the beginning of any journey, just takes that first step, then another and so on.  We’ve set out a listing of the events happening in East Vancouver, but if you’d like to see the full listing of events, visit 100 In 1 Day Vancouver.

ProVibers People’s Picnic – Victoria Park

This event is hosted by the ProVibers. They would like to see a happy and more connected Vancouver so they are hosting a community potluck in Victoria Park from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm on Saturday, June 6th.   You are invited to bring food for the potluck, music, games and an openness to meet new people. Their aim is to build community connections in our neighbourhood.

Britannia School Garden Salad Picnic – Britannia School Garden

This event is hosted by the Grandview Woodland Food Connection. Organizers of this event would like people to experience the magic of eating fresh healthy food picked straight from the garden. Organizers invite community residents to come and enjoy the simplicity of eating a freshly picked salad together.  The site is the beautiful Britannia School Garden which is abundant with fresh greens. You will pick veggies for a salad, prepare a healthy salad dressing and savor the taste of eating a fresh salad. While doing this, you will  meet people in your community who are passionate about urban sustainability.  This event begins at 1:00 pm and runs till 3:00 pm on June 6th.  All you need bring if you wish, is a picnic blanket, the rest is provided.

Stories of East Van – Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House

This event is hosted by Christine Nguyen and Eimon Yin. They are looking to connect spaces and people in the Kensington-Cedar Cottage community.  They will be hosting a one hour walking tour highlight the diversity of history, culture and interesting stories that abound in the very places we live and play but often forget to appreciate. There will be two tours offered. One begins in front of Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House at 9:00 am.  The second tour starts at the SouthEast corner of East Broadway & Victoria Drive at 10:30 a.m. As each tour has limited spaces available, you are asked to sign up at Eventbrite.

Love and Letters in the Library Lounge – Kensington Library

This event is hosted by Sarah Green. What do you love about your city, community or neighbours? You are invited to come hang out  and through conversation or typewritten notes share information about your community.  At this event, you will be seated in a mini-lounge where people can come and relax, sit for a moment and maybe meet a neighbor. You will be invited to use a typewriter or write a short love note about your current or future community.  Sarah hopes to highlight where people find value in their surroundings, build connections and share information.

“Every journey starts with a single step.” – Confucius

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International Yarn Bombing Day Celebration June 6th At The Napier Greenway

3 Jun

Yarn Bombing Day 2015The Britannia Community Services Centre is hosting a Yarn Appreciation Event in honour of International Yarn Bombing Day on June 6th. You are invited to come out and make a crochet button flower. You can bring your own yarn, or it will be provided for you.  All the crochet button flowers will be placed in the Cherry tree at the end of Napier Greenway next to Commercial Drive.  Which of course will be a great photo opportunity as well for those in the area. The event kicks off at Noon and goes till 4:00 pm.

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