Vancouver International Jazz Fest Kicks Off June 20th- Check Out Where It Stops in East Van

19 Jun

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The Vancouver  International Jazz Festival kicks off June 20th and goes to till July 1st in and around Vancouver.  East Van’s Tangent Café located at 2095 Commercial Drive will have a steady line up of talent to showcase. We’ve set out their schedule below as well as the cover charges for each event:

Friday, June 20th Ihor Kukurudza Trio  8:00 pm ($8)

Saturday, June 21st Jesse Cahill Trio 8:00 pm ($8)

Sunday, June 22nd Adam Thomas and Jillian Lebeck ($6)

Thursday, June 26th  Kevin Elaschuk Trio ($6)

Friday, June 27th  David Blake Quartet ($8)

Saturday, June 28th, Bill Coon Trio ($8)

Sunday, June 29th Mike Allen Trio ($6)

Another venue with a long line of musical talent is Pat’s Pub & Brewhouse in The Patricia Hotel located at 403 East Hastings Street.  If you didn’t know, The Patricia Hotel was home to music legend Jelly Roll Morton from 1919 – 1921 and is a regular spot for weekly jazz performances. For JazzFest they have a fairly distinguished line up which includes:

June 20, 2014, Hugh Fraser & VEJI present ‘Purple Haze’ at 6 pm ($20)

June 21, 2014 Electric Miles at 2 pm (free)

June 21, 2014 Hugh Fraser Quintet’s “Concerto” CD Release Concert at 6 pm ($10)

June 26, 2014 Steve Kozak & The WestCoast All-Stars 7:00 pm  (free)

June 27, 2014 Hugh Fraser & VEJI present ‘The Rhythm of Life’ 6:00 pm  ($20)

June 28, 2014 Brasileira at 2:00 pm (free)

June 28, 2014 Hugh Fraser Quintet w/ Guest ‘Summertime CD Release’ 6:00 pm ($10)

This is only a partial list of events scheduled at Pat’s Pub & Brewhouse. There are more free events at this venue and others around Vancouver during the Festival. For a full rundown of events, visit Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

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Made In Strathcona: AGRO Roasters, Propellor Design & The Settlement Building

18 Jun

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I had the pleasure of attending the recent Made In Strathcona Tours hosted by the Strathcona BIA and organized with the assistance of My Loud Speaker. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the businesses in East Vancouver like Blake Hanacek founder of AGRO Roasters located at 550 Clark Drive. Blake is truly passionate about all aspects of coffee everything from growing the beans, to farming, to roasting and is well versed in the science behind what makes a good cup of coffee.  Our second stop was Propellor Design tucked away at 1128 East Georgia Street just North of La Casa Gelato and situated directly across the street from Admiral Seymour Elementary School. Propellor Design is a multi-disciplinary design studio. The principals at Propellor Design create lighting, furniture, sculptures and more. Many of their custom lighting designs have landed in restaurants across North America. You can see a sample of their work next time you visit the lobby of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

After our tour of these East Vancouver businesses, we were invited for wine, appetizers and a mix and mingle at the newly branded Settlement Building (formerly Vancouver Urban Winery), 55 Dunlevy Street. The Settlement Building holds the Fresh Tap wine system which packages wines in 19.5L stainless steel kegs.  Add to that, they have some 36 wines on tap for tastings.  The Settlement Building is now home to newcomer the Belgard Kitchen a restaurant serving lunch/brunch and dinner which seats up to 65 people. The food is prepared by chef and part-owner, Reuben Major, who brings 18 years of restaurant experience with him. Mia Stainsby of the Vancouver Sun just did a delicious review of the food. To learn more about her rundown, visit the Vancouver Sun. Today this busy group of entrepreneurs officially launch Postmark Brewing, East Van’s newest craft brewery. Postmark Brewing will introduce you to 4 new beers specifically, Postmark Pilsner (a clean, refreshing hybrid Pils brewed with Czech yeast, German malt and traditional Noble hops), Postmark IPA (a well-structured American Red IPA brewed with Simcoe, a Postmark Stout (a semi-light bodied stout with a dry bitterness and the complex notes of chocolate and coffee and the one I have my eye on Postmark Hefe (a dry Bavarian style Weiss beer brewed with lemon zest and local raspberries. I would be remiss if I forgot to mention the drive by growler refills that are coming.

Kudos to all those involved in organizing the Made In Strathcona Tours. It was great to meet the faces behind the local businesses and get to learn more about what they do and the many ways in which they contribute to their surrounding communities.  Stay tuned for news on future tours, we hear they will be back for another round.

 

PropellorDesignLocalSigns PropellorDesignLights SettlementBuilding3 SettlementBuilding1 SettlementBuilding2

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The Last 5 Years Opening June 19th At The Havana Theatre

16 Jun

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Flickering Light Productions presents The Last Five Years at the Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, from June 19th to June 28th.  This is a musical by Jason Robert Brown and was produced as an off-Broadway show in 2002.  The Last Five Years examines the five-year relationship between Jamie Wellerstein, a rising novelist, and Cathy Hiatt, a struggling actress. The show uses a unique storytelling approach where Jamie travels chronologically in time, from the beginning of the relationship to the end, while Cathy travels backwards in time, from the end of the relationship to the beginning. Because Jamie and Cathy travel in opposing time lines, the only direct contact between the two occurs during their engagement/wedding song in “The Next Ten Minutes.” The songs are said to be melodic, engaging and full of wit. As well they present an intensely personal examination of the struggles of building a career and balancing it with a love life.  The Last Five Years runs at the Havana Theatre June 19, 20, 21 and 26, 27 and 28th at 8:00 pm. Tickets are available in advance from Eventbrite for $20 or $22 at the door.

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Car Free Day Sunday June 15th

14 Jun

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Car Free Day began 10 years ago on Commercial Drive. The idea of organizers was to reclaim the streets and oppose highway expansion and more traffic. Today, organizers still believe that fewer cars equals more community. Car Free Day has now expanded to four neighbourhoods. The festival sites are 100% organized by local volunteers and each festival has a unique flavor and is a family friendly event. Lots to see and do for all ages. In East Vancouver, find Car Free Day on:

Commercial Drive (Venables to Grandview on Commercial Drive) Noon–7:00 pm

On the Drive, you can expect to find roller disco, parading drummers, healing gardens, DJs spinning tunes, the musical talents of Rhythm and Cello which will hold court at 7th Avenue starting at Noon.

Main Street (Broadway to 30th on Main Street) Noon–7:00 pm

On Main Street, you will find lots of mini-festivals, community-supported stages with dozens of bands, multiple kids zones, artisan markets, roller derby and skateboarding. While there, be sure to check out the new parklet at 21st Avenue and Main Street.  We hear Brown Paper Packages will be located between 23rd and 24th with their delicious ice cream sandwiches. If you are a fan of honey and/or bees, Main Street Honey Shoppe will be the place to be Sunday afternoon. They will be holding honey extraction demonstrations from 1 – 5 pm with a live bee beard demonstration at 2:00 pm. Now that will be something to see.

Come out and celebrate Vancouver’s diverse neighbourhoods and our community spaces!

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Where To Watch The FIFA World Cup 2014 In East Van

12 Jun

Goal!Duchessa

Soccer fever kicks off in Vancouver on Thursday, June 12th and will run till Wednesday, July 13th.  There will be many opportunities to watch the games in East Vancouver.   If you wish to be surrounded by others and get caught up in the soccer fever, we have some suggestions on where to watch the game. Just remember for those that are passionate about soccer, it is on par with religion.  So whatever spot you choose, we recommend you get there early to claim your spot.  Here are some viewing spots that have crossed our radar:

World Cup in Victoria Park (Commercial Drive & Grant Street)

CBC is hosting an outdoor family friendly event to watch the FIFA World Cup Games in Victoria Park on Saturday, June 14th from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. They will have large TV screens throughout the park, interactive soccer activities, face painting, video gaming, photo booths and prizes.  Local food trucks have been invited to round out the event.  This is an all ages event free for anyone to attend.

Federico’s Supper Club, 1728 Commercial Drive

Federico’s Supper Club will be showing two games this weekend and opening their doors at 2:00 pm on both Saturday & Sunday for the following games that have a 3:00 pm start:

Saturday, June 14th  England v. Italy 3:00 pm
Sunday, June 15th Argentina v. Bosnia 3:00 pm

Federico’s will also be showing future games. Watch their website for details.

Café Roma & Sports Bar, 1510 Commercial Drive

This long standing little Italian coffeehouse has recently undergone renovations and now has a lounge license. So whether you prefer coffee or a drink with your soccer game or both, you don’t have to pick one or the other.  They also have 6 TVs on hand for watching the games.

Portuguese Club, 1144 Commercial Drive

The red and green will be on full display at the Portuguese Club on Monday, June 16th when they kick off with Germany at 9:00 am.   Note though members will have priority entrance during all games. The club will be showing the games on 5 TVs to watch their countryman’s star soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Vancouver Alpen Club (Victoria Drive & 33rd Avenue)

Has made it abundantly clear they will be showing all Germany games on their 17 foot high definition TV.  So if you are a Germany fan, THIS will be the place to be Monday, June 16th to watch the match up between Portugal and Germany at 9:00 am.  Go Germany Go! Germany’s goalkeeper has only been referred to as possibly one of the best goalkeepers in the world, but as we all know, there are many variables in the game of soccer.  Doors open at 8:00 am on game day and there will be a $5 entry donation.

St.  Augustine’s, 2360 Commercial Drive

They will have 13 TVs to watch the games on and will be open from 9 am every day during the World Cup and will be serving brunch until 11 am.  This spot has some 60 plus beers on tap which include many from the local craft breweries.

The Libra Room, 1608 Commercial Drive

If you are supporting Spain or Brazil, this is a great spot to watch the game. We hear that the Libra Room will be opening early for all games and some prizes and drinks specials will be happening as well.

Boteco, 2545 Nanaimo Street

Another spot if you are a Brazil fan, is Boteco. Owner, Filipe Batista, will have the BBQ going and live music for the first game against Croatia on Thursday, June 12th at 1:00 pm. Caipirinhas will be served, a very delicious cocktail made with lime and sugar cane liquor.

ANZA Club:, 3 West 8th Avenue

The ANZA Club located in Mount Pleasant will be broadcasting the Australian games on their big screen in the downstairs lounge. First game for Australia is Friday, June 13th 3:00 pm against Chile.

If you have a favourite spot you wish to share to watch soccer, feel free to drop us a comment. Wherever you chose to watch soccer, get there early and have fun!

Photo Credit: Gabriella Fabbri

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Great Grandview Garage Sale Saturday June 21st 10 am – 2 pm

11 Jun

GreatGrandviewGarageSaleAll bargain and vintage hunters it’s time to mark your calendars.  The area of Grandview-Woodland will be holding their first ever Great Grandview Garage Sale on Saturday, June 21st from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.  This is a multi-family garage sale that takes place all throughout the Grandview Woodland area of East Vancouver. Specifically from Broadway to the Burrard Inlet and from Clark Drive to Nanaimo Street.  If you live in the area, you are invited to participate and it is FREE to sign up. Whether you live in a home, walk up apartment building, co-operative housing, no matter, everyone is welcome to participate.  If you are the one looking for those bargains or vintage finds, think of it is one big treasure hunt.  Who knows what you might across in your travels.  The Great Grandview Garage Sale will go ahead rain or shine 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. To sign up to participate, or see a map of the current locations, visit Great Grandview Garage Sale.

 

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New In Town: “Renfrew Café” Soft Opening June 10th – 12th

10 Jun


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The Renfrew Café (also known as the Cafe for Contemporary Arts), 826 Renfrew Street, opens its doors today for a soft opening  from June 10th – 12th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.    They will be doing a little promo for all their new neighbours during the soft opening. Purchase one of their delicious pies and receive a free drink (hot or cold).  Pie flavours include Beef & Kimchi, Mushroom & Spinach  and Classic Apple. Prices range from $4.00 – $6.50.  The cafe will be serving Elysian Coffee and Oollo Tea. They will also have a supply of organic soda on hand. Their official Grand Opening will take place on Wednesday, June 18th.  Stop by and say hello.

Renfrewpies

 

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EAT.DRINK.PLAY. At The Firehall Arts Centre June 19th

9 Jun

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The Firehall Arts Centre invites you to its annual fundraiser EAT.DRINK.PLAY. being held on Thursday, June 19th from 7 – 10 pm at the Firehall Arts Centre, 280 East Cordova Street.  You can expect an unforgettable evening that celebrates locally produced food, drink and performance. The event will showcase a selection of food from Gastown and Railtown’s burgeoning food scene graciously provided by Lily Mae’s, Peckinpah, Cadeaux Bakery, The Irish Heather, Salt Tasting Room, Bitter, Hogan’s Alley Cafe, Deacon’s Corner, Mahoney & Sons, Elephant and Castle, and Scent of a Sandwich. Tastings of micro brewery Parallel 49’s seasonal offerings will be available, plus vodka and crème de cassis from Odd Society Spirits.

The celebration of all things local will continue with a feature ‘taster flight’ of live theatre, dance and music performed around the Firehall building including an acoustic performance by rising theatre star and three-time Jessie Award nominee Kayvon Kelly (Chelsea Hotel) and a performance by Proud star Emmelia Gordon. Throughout the evening, you will also have the opportunity to bid on a fantastic range of items in a silent auction generously donated by local businesses, including Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, TELUS World of Science, PuSH International Performing Arts Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, SPUD Urban Delivery and Modo Car Co-Op.  All proceeds go toward helping the Firehall bring us fantastic cutting-edge theatre and dance to Vancouver. Tickets are available for $31 which includes food, drink tastings and a drink on arrival. Note, artists tickets are $16.  For ticket information or purchase, call T: 604.689.0926 or visit Firehall Arts Centre.  Come out and support his amazing venue!

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Calling All Artists For Art Exhibition in Dude Chilling Park July 12th

7 Jun

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Cheryl Cheeks and Marnie Hiebert invite you to submit your art for a one day art exhibition in Brewery Creek Community Garden in Dude Chilling Park on Saturday, July 12th.   The purpose of this art exhibition is to inspire dialogue about how art has a place in community spaces, such as gardens and parks. Their aim is to provide an opportunity for local artists to share and sell their work in a non-traditional gallery setting.

They are seeking submissions from visual artists, including sculptors, installations, painters, photographers, illustrators, fibre artists, etc. They ask that you “think big, think lush, think things that pop”. Large pieces are encouraged with a recommended minimum size of 2’ x 2’.   Easels will be provided to display your art. If you are interested in participating, you are asked to submit files for review in .jpg or .pdf format.  Also, when emailing them, include the titles of the work submitted and a short bio, including any necessary links to your work to: dudechillingartexchange@gmail.com.  Deadline for submissions is Friday, June 27th at midnight.

Artists will be asked to drop off and pick up their work the day of event. If you are interested in selling your work, you are welcome to remain in the garden for the duration of the exhibition. Any sales you make, are entirely yours to keep.

As to who is behind this great project, Marnie Hiebert is an abstract and figurative painter.  She has been part of several group shows exhibiting at many galleries and community events.  Cheryl Cheeks is a writer, editor, voice actor, photographer, and one of the creative minds behind the Broadway East Art Walk and the creator and curator of the Dude Chilling Art Exchange.   This art exhibition is funded by a grant provided by the Vancouver Foundation Neighbourhood Small Grant Program.

 

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Farmers Market at Main Street/Thornton Park Kicks Off Today!

4 Jun

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Vancouver Farmers Market at Thornton Park across from the VIA Rail Station kicks off today at 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm.   You can expect to find 26 vendors on hand offering local and organic produce, seafood, meat, coffee, cheese, flowers, jewellery, bread, chocolate, honey and much more.  In case you missed the news, local strawberries are out. You are bound to find some at the market.   Come out and support your local makers!

Remember if are planning to take the Skytrain to make your way to this market, you will need to watch for specific trains that stop only at Main Street while the Main Street Skytrain Station is under construction.

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