Vaisakhi Parade and Celebration April 13th

8 Apr

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Vaisakhi is  a festival celebrated every April by millions of Sikhs around the world. It is a day that marks the New Year and is also the anniversary of one of the most important events in Sikhisim, that being Khalsa.  It also marks the beginning of the Harvest Season. This Saturday, April 13th, come celebrate Vaisakhi. A parade will start its procession at 11:00 a.m. from the Ross Street Temple, 8000 Ross Street (at 64th Avenue) in SE Vancouver and will travel south on Ross Street to SE Marine Drive, then west on Main Street, North to 49th Avenue and east to Fraser Street, south to 57th Avenue, east to Ross Street before returning to the Ross Street Temple. In addition to the parade, there will be Nagar Kirtan hymns, floats, live music, rides and free food prepared by local residents and businesses. The event runs until 4:00 p.m.

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6th Annual Nifty for Fifty Sale Sunday, April 14th

5 Apr

6thAnnualNiftyForFiftySale If you are passionate about supporting local designers, then this is the place to be next weekend.  The 6th Annual Nifty for Fifty Sale takes place on Sunday, April 14th at the Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street.  This blowout sale features over 30 Vancouver designers including Adhesif Clothing, Daub & Design and MeiKu Designs.  It is way for local designers to give back to their loyal customers, as all items are priced $50 or less. You will find clothing, shoes, hats and women’s accessories as well as a few vintage items.  The sale runs from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is $1.00 at the door.  As many of the vendors are cash only, you may wish to make a stop at the ATM first so you don’t miss out on that great find. There will be many, here is a sample of a few of them.

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Silk Road Dishcrawl on Commercial Drive April 16th

3 Apr

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What is Dishcrawl you might ask?  The concept is billed as “food, fun and exploration”.   Dishcrawl emerged in San Francisco in 2010 and is expanding to a number of major cities including Vancouver.  Each city has an Ambassador that organizes culinary walking tours.  The Ambassador takes the group from restaurant to restaurant to try dishes chosen for their tour.

In the upcoming tour taking place on April 16th, Vancouver Ambassador, Yana Kim, will take you on a Silk Road Adventure.   The tour highlights restaurants along Commercial Drive. You will be visiting 4 restaurants which are currently being kept secret.  Ssshh … but hint they are being announced on Dishcrawl’s Twitter account (Twitter@DishcrawlVan) if you wish to sign up for the latest details.  One restaurant has been announced which is  Carthage Café, 1851 Commercial Drive. Carthage Cafe features French and Tunisian cuisine.   Dishcrawl promises an unforgettable evening for the senses which will take you from India to Europe.   To participate in this exotic gastronomic adventure, tickets are $60 and can be purchased online at Dishcrawl.

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Havana Theatre Presents Elephant Sighs April 3,2013

1 Apr

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There are many gems in East Vancouver. One of them, which is hidden unless you know it is there, is the Havana Theatre. This is a 60 seat theatre tucked away at the back of the popular Havana Restaurant, 1212 Commercial Drive.  The theatre opened in 1996 and was originally used as a cinema. There was an increase in demand for a venue for live performances, so they switched to showcasing live theatre. As well as featuring local productions, Sunday and Monday nights are home to comedy nights presented by www.eastvancomedy.com.

This Wednesday, April 3rd is the preview night for the production of Elephant Sighs produced by The Page Theatre.  This is a comedy about an uptight lawyer, Joel Bixby, that moves to a small town and is invited by a fast food connoisseur to joint a group of local townsmen. Despite Joel’s protests, he is drawn into the group. Although the reason for their meeting is unclear at first, the reasons do unfold during the course of the evening.   The play highlights loss, loneliness and the healing power of friendship.    Tickets are available in advance for $15 through Brown Paper Tickets, or at the door $20 (cash only).  Elephant Signs runs April 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9 – 13th at 8:00 p.m.

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A Walk On The Drive

30 Mar

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For many, the heart of East Vancouver is ‘The Drive’ as it is fondly known. It is the stretch of Commercial Drive that runs 21 blocks from Venables at the north end to 13th Avenue at the south end.  It is one of my favourite destinations in East Vancouver.   A few stops I love to make are the First Ravioli Store, 1900 Commercial Drive, for the City’s best fresh pasta.  Or for a vast selection of cheese, not to mention hearty sandwhiches made to order at the La Grotta del Formaggio, 1791 Commercial Drive.   Every birthday I only ever request one cake and that’s the Saint Honore cake from  Fratelli’s Authentic Italian Bakery, 1795 Commercial Drive.  If you take a left at Venables and walk a block east to Uprising Breads, 1697 Venables Street, you will find some of the best gingersnap cookies in town.   As always, there is a lot of hustle and bustle on The Drive on a beautiful sunny day.   This is what it looked like today in photos.

Photo Credit: CreatEveInVan

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Burlesque Ooh La La!

28 Mar

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In case you haven’t noticed, there has been a resurgence of burlesque in the last 20 years. What is burlesque? Wikipedia defines it as “a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subject”.  The modern version has more of a variety show format.   I can tell you that burlesque is alive and well and thriving  in Vancouver, if the number of shows is any evidence.  If you wish to take in a burlesque show, there are a number to choose from with each show offering something titillating for the senses. For starters, this Friday, March 29th the Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway, has a cast of burlesque performers including 60s GoGo dancers, jugglers and belly dancers in a presentation of Paris a Minuit.  Doors open at 7:00 p.m. and show starts at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.

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If you miss that performance, the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street, has a Taboo Revue Burlesque show this Saturday, March 30th. Doors open at 8:00 p.m. and show starts at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.  If those dates don’t fit your schedule, every Sunday night at The Biltmore Cabaret, 2755 Prince Edward Street, you will find Kitty Nights Burlesque showcasing burlesque originating in New York City for all of $7.00.  Doors open at 8:00 p.m. and show starts at 9:00 p.m.   This show is deemed to be the “Best Place to Meet New People” and listed as one of the top things to do in Vancouver by Lonely Planet travelers. They can’t all be wrong.

Photo Credit: Voracious V

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East Village Chocolate Tour Saturday, March 30th

26 Mar

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Who does not love chocolate?   Well if you wish to experience chocolate in a whole new way, consider taking the East Village Chocolate Tour.  Bonnie and Alexis of Off The Eaten Track offer a number of culinary tours on the East side of Vancouver.  This weekend, it is all about chocolate.  For $45, you get a 2 hour walking tour in which you will learn about chocolate from the experts.  This one time event starts at Steam Tea House where you get to sample 2 chocolate infused teas.  After that, they will take you to Black Rook Bakehouse for their famous Black & Tan cake which I’ve learnt was featured in Vancouver Magazine’s 25 Things to Taste Before You Die.  Then you are off to Campagnolo Roma for an exquisite Italian tiramisu.  The tour ends at Schokolade Café where you sample hand made chocolates with an award-winning Chocolatier.  The tour starts at 4:00 p.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. Meeting place is Waterfront Station at 601 West Cordova Street. To buy your ticket, or to learn more about the other culinary tours Bonnie and Alexis offer,  check out their website at www.offtheeatentracktours.ca.

Photo Credit: Off The Eaten Track

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Winter Farmers Market In Photos

24 Mar

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It was a busy day in the beautiful sunshine at yesterday’s Winter Farmers Market. In case you missed it, here is a sample of what will be in store when they do it all again next weekend, March 30th. Same time 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., same place adjacent to Nat Bailey Stadium at 30th & Ontario. For more information as to which vendors are at the market next week, checkout their website www.eatlocal.org.

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Award Winning Marmalade At This Weekend’s Winter Farmers Market

22 Mar

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I recently had the pleasure of attending an artisan bread making class presented by local artisan bread maker, Chris Brown, of Rise Artisan Bakery.  Chris sells his delicious artisan breads at the Winter Farmers Market held at Nat Bailey Stadium. He will be there in good form this Saturday, March 23rd along with his hot cross buns just in time for Easter.  What is notable is that Chris also makes world class orange Seville marmalade and I do mean world class.  Chris recently entered his marmalade  “The Bitter End” in the World’s Original Marmalade Awards held in Penrith, England.  There were over 1,500 entrants from around the world. Chris made away with the Silver Medal in the Artisan Category.  I can attest that the marmalade is really that good, in my humble opinion.   The award winning marmalade will also be available at this weekend’s Winter Farmers Market at Nat Bailey Stadium 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.   To learn more about Rise Artisan Bakery, check out their Facebook page. Congratulations Chris!

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Cuadro! Being Performed Friday, March 22nd At The Wise Hall

21 Mar

Cuadro_Poster_2013_11x17_FinalThis Friday, March 22nd, the Wise Hall, 1882 Adanac Street, is being transformed into a Spanish café.  The Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy presents Cuadro!  Dancers will be performing Guajira with fan, Tientos, Farruca, “Nomad” by the bata de colas, Alegrias and a jazzy Tarara.   The event features a special musical guest from New Mexico, Vincente Griego, who has spent his life studying the art of flamenco singing. This will be a colourful musical event showcasing the talents of the students of the dance academy.  Tickets will be available at the door for $25, or they can be purchased in advance for $22 by calling T: 604-671-9182.  The box office at Wise Hall will be open at 6:30 p.m. on March 22nd, show begins at 7:30 p.m.  DSC_0220_LindaMozaicFlamenco

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