You are invited to a special event by our friends at Dogwood Brewing which in case you don’t know are the City’s only organic brewer. They will be hosting a delish night of beer & BBQ with Fire & Feast on Saturday, December 10th. The event will feature an indoor fire pit where you can get cozy with your friends or make some new friends and nosh on delish BBQ while enjoying some locally made beverages. The BBQ will be catered by Memphis Blues BBQ House with the option of BBQ chicken, ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork or double-smoked farmer sausage. We hear veggie options will be available. For refreshments, they will have a limited release of a S’more Stout befitting the occasion as well as mulled wine and cider. Tickets for this event are a very reasonable $28 which includes your meal and two drink tickets. Advance tickets are available through Eventbrite.
Fire & Feast – Beer & BBQ At Dogwood Brewing December 10th
1 Dec
Rescue Me: Sweet Georgia Girl Would Love A FURever Home
30 Nov
Welcome to the next installment of Rescue Me in which we feature pets waiting for adoption at the Vancouver SPCA. Today we would like to re- introduce you to a lovely girl named Georgia who we featured earlier this year. She is a 2 year old Labrador Retriever crossed with Pit Bull Terrier. Georgia is a sweet, smart and energetic girl. She loves playing with other dogs and could easily live with a canine companion that has her rough and tumble style of play, but likely not cats. She’s a little too into them. The girl has had a bit of a rough year though. Being an energetic young dog with that lab energy, she tore her ACL. She has had surgery to repair it, so she spent a fair bit of time in foster on the mend, but is now fully recovered. Her foster family is now caring for a litter of kittens, so Georgia is now back to kennel life at the Vancouver SPCA. Georgia would really love a FURever home to call her own where she gets to stay and make new friends. The Vancouver SPCA thinks she is best suited for a house with a yard as well as an adult only home. Ideally, Georgia needs her people to have bit of time and attention to give her initially while she settles in before being left home alone for periods of more than 3 – 4 hours. She quite likes bully sticks and they keep her occupied and entertained whilst hanging out at the kennel. I’m sure if you brought her one, she’d be a friend for life. If you think you could give this fire ball of energy a FURever home, Vancouver SPCA Shelter would love to hear from you. You can find them at 1205 East 7th Avenue or by telephone at 604-879-7721 or by email at vancouver@spca.bc.ca
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Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Returns To The Heritage Hall December 10 & 11
29 Nov
Shiny Fuzzy Muddy is back at the beautiful historic Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, December 10th and 11th. This collaborative event is brought to you by 4 core members and local makers, Janna Hurtzig, Kari Woo, Arleigh Wood and Frances Dickinson pictured to the left. They formed a non-profit collective to create events that bring art to people. Shiny Fuzzy Muddy brings together more than 30 local artists to meet and share their craftsmanship in an environment that opposes the large mass produced products. They hand pick the artists that join them each year so you can expect some returning favourites as well as some new guest artists that will be exhibiting their work. This year you will again find jewellery, ceramics, fine art, clothing, textiles from local artists including Toodlebunny, Arleigh Wood, Julie MacKinnon Ceramics, Westerly Shoes, LUprints, Daub & Design, Adhesif Clothing Company and kari woo contemporary art jewellery, Winterluxe and LUprints. Some of the new designers participating this year include Haejin Lee Ceramics, Vanessa Lam with A Drop of Wonder Studio who does photography with mixed media painting and Claudia Schulz who designs hats as pictured below. Shiny Fuzzy Muddy runs Saturday, December 10th from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 11th from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission is $3.00 and these funds will go to an Emerging Artists Scholarship. Each year, Shiny Fuzzy Muddy identifies an Emerging Artist and supports their new business endeavors with a grant to participate in the event. In 2016, the Shiny Fuzzy Muddy Emerging Artist Grant was awarded to a personal favourite East Van artist, Stephanie Symns, of ANTIPOD Workshop. Symns is a textile designer who uses the digital realm as well as much more hands-on process-based work like weaving, dyeing or hand-printing. We know Stephanie is now set up in a new studio space off Clark Drive and participated in her first Eastside Culture Crawl the other week. So these grants go a long way to promoting art in our community. To learn more about the other artists participating this year, we invite you to visit Shiny Fuzzy Muddy.
If you are planning to attend Shiny Fuzzy Muddy, you may wish to check out the contest being offered by the Georgia Straight. It is a chance to win $200 to spend at Shiny Fuzzy Muddy. Note no cash value, but $200 in amazing works by the artisans on site during the event. Contest closes December 8th.
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Story Story Lie Is Back At Café Deux Soleils December 10th
28 Nov
If you have yet to catch Story Story Lie, you are in luck it’s back at Café Deux Soleils on Saturday, December 10th. Are you good at reading people? Do you think you can spot a liar a mile away? Well now you can find out, in a rather fun way. The show is part storytelling and part game show. You will hear five embarrassing and intimate stories and one lie. Through some interrogation the audience gets to guess who the liar is. First one to guess wins a prize. Storytellers for the upcoming show include Jayson MacDonald (Famed Fringe Performer), RC Weslowski (Waxed Poetic Radio), Yumi Nagashima (International Stand up comedian), Nyla Carpentier (Poet, Actor and Powwow Dancer) and Steve Allen (Komedy at Kino). The evening will be hosted and produced by Jo Dworschak. The show gets under way at 8:00 pm. You can purchase your tickets in advance on Eventbrite for $6, or at the door for $8. Come out and see if you can spot the liar.
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Holiday Studio Sale: June Hunter – November 25 to 27, 2016
24 Nov
East Van artist, June Hunter, is gearing up for her annual Holiday Studio Sale which takes place on November 25-27, 2016. If you follow us regularly, you know we are big fans of her work. June has a way with nature that shows in all her pieces, but we especially love her photography. If you happened to catch the recent article in the Vancouver Sun on Forest Bathing, it is one of the up and coming trends of 2017. June’s been ahead of that curve (as have many of us) for years, but do check out June’s recent feature on Forest Bathing on her blog. Along with the article, you will find some amazing photographs in nature. We invite you to check them out and you will see the affects of forest bathing on her office mate, Geordie in before and after photos.
And this weekend, you can meet June in person, see her amazing creations and check out her back yard studio. The studio is located in the back of her home for which she has to be one of the world’s shortest commutes. We are only a little bit envious. Add to that, she has some of the best work mates, Geordie and Edgar. The first being a rescue dog that came from a high kill shelter earlier this year to his new loving home with his new pal Edgar the cat with serious catitude. As an animal lover, June is very well versed in all thing crows and you will see crows and other birds featured prominently in much of her work. At this weekend’s Holiday Sale, you can expect to find discounts on jewellery, tiles, magnets, crow-bar art panels, ornaments and wood panels as well as the opportunity to see some of her larger pieces like her new raven/crow plexiglass pieces. Snacks and refreshments will be served among the twinkly lights around her studio. June Hunter’s Studio is located at 2785 Parker Street (one block west of Renfrew – between Hastings St. and First Avenue). The Holiday Studio Sale takes place Friday, November 25th 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm and November 26th & 27th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If you are not able to attend the Holiday Studio Sale, you can also catch June at the Make It Holiday Market December 8-11 happening at the PNE Forum Building, 2901 E. Hastings Street. You can also visit her Shop Online 24/7 or find some of her work at Doctor Vigari Gallery, 1816 Commercial Drive.
Photos Courtesy of June Hunter Images
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Giving The Gift Of Experience This Holiday Season
23 Nov
It’s that time of year when gift giving is front of mind for the holiday season. We love to receive thoughtful gifts over the holiday season, but as one that lives in a condo with limited space and having acquired a lot of things over the years to fill that space, there is only so much room for more ‘things’. Thus, we are big fans of giving the gift of experience which has the added benefit of creating memories and not just for the few minutes you are opening your gift, but for the many hours while the recipient enjoys your gifted experience. In East Vancouver, there are some great options for gifting an experience. We have set out below a sampling of ideas that speak to us.
Founded in 2013 by local craft beer enthusiast Ryan Mackey, Vancouver Brewery Tours offers behind the scences excursions to more than 18 local craft breweries. Vancouver Brewery Tours offers walking tours as well as ones in their comfortable vans that take you to various breweries for some VIP treatment. Having experienced this tour first hand, we can say they make this a great experience. Tour guides are knowledgeable about beer, the brewing process and the collaborative community behind the making of beer. Any one of their 3 tours would make a great gift for the beer enthusiast. Your options include a three-hour walking tour of Brewery Creek at $69.99, a four-hour van tour at $79.99 and you have the option of a four-hour Beer and Food Tours at $89.99.
Off The Eaten Track Walking Tours
The ladies behind Off The Eaten Track Walking Tours provide some delicious walking tours in which you get to taste your way around the City. They’ve expanded to other cities being Victoria and Banff so should you be buying a gift for someone out of the City, something to keep in mind. But for those buying for family or friends locally, Off The Eaten Track Tours offers their Railtown Urban Eats Tour for $59.99, Vancouver’s Best Brunch Tour at $69.99 and Main Street Hidden Gems Tour for $69.99. Each tour offers something a little different, but always tasty. Having organized similar tours for friends in pockets of East Vancouver, we know first hand these tours are well received.
Les amis du FROMAGE – Wine & Cheese Tasting Classes
les amis du FROMAGE is a wonderful family owned and operated specialty cheese store with two locations in Vancouver, but our go to spot is their East Van location on East Hastings in Strathcona. Outside of having an amazing selection of cheese both local and imported, they also have on hand charcuterie, frozen soups and meals as well as many items to help with your entertaining needs. Add to that, they have some delicious Cheese Tasting Classes which are held at their East Van location. As luck would have it, they’ve just released their upcoming classes for the New Year . Your choices include Cheese & Wine 101 January 25th, 2017 and Ole Espana on February 28th, 2017 and Vive la France on March 29th, 2017. Heads up though, class size is limited and some of these classes do sell out. Classes generally run between $60 – $65 and wine is usually served with the tastings. We think these would make a great gift for the cheese loving foodie on your giving gift listing.
Federico’s Supper Club – Dinner & Dancing
If know someone that loves to dance, then you may wish to consider a gift certificate to Federico’s Supper Club for a night of dinner and dancing. Federico’s Supper Club has great Italian food in the heart of Little Italy on Commercial Drive. Add to that amazing staff and impeccable service. Owner, Federico Fuoco, belts out great tunes most nights, but they often showcase special guests such as Abra Cadabra an Abba Tribute or Nearly Neil for a Neil Diamond Tribute along with many others. For those that love to put on their dancing shoes, this would make a great gift.
The gift of experience is a gift that keeps on giving, the memories will stay with them for many years to come. Add to that, it’s eco-friendly and supports local. Win win all around as we see it.
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Delish Holiday Classes At The Uncommon Café This December
22 Nov
The Uncommon Café, 477 Powell Street, is hosting some delicious classes which will help you with your holiday entertaining and/or gift giving. Valentine Kitamura owner of Tartine Maple will be leading classes this December perfect for holiday entertaining . You can learn to make Eggnog Cream Puffs and Orange Cranberry Almond Shortbread just to name two of the goodies. These sounds so good, you may not want to gave them away as a gift, but stash away for yourself. We’ve set out below two of the upcoming classes and what they will cover.
Eclairs and Cream Puff Holiday Special – Saturday, December 10th 6-9 pm
Valentine will teach you the basics of Choux pastry and how to decorate them with cheer while, of course, sipping on Champagne. The fillings she will teach you will be sweet and savoury and include Candy Cane Eclairs, Eggnog Cream Puffs, Savory Gougeres (Cheese Puffs). You are asked to bring containers so you can take some of creations home, that is if you don’t eat them all. This class is $65 and runs from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. To register, visit Eventbrite. Register early and save $10.
Ultimate Holiday Baking Class With Champagne Wednesday, December 21st 6-9 pm
In this holiday baking class, Valentine is going to teach you how to make some amazing holiday treats which make great gifts. In this class you will learn to make Peppermint Meringue, Chocolate Truffles, Orange Cranberry Almond Shortbread and Coconut Macaroons dipped in chocolate. They all just happen to be gluten free. During the class, you will be served champagne and canapes. Now this is how one prepares for the holidays. Again, bring those containers so you can take your creations home. This class is $65 and runs from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. To register, visit Eventbrite. Register early and save $10.
No baking experience? No worries, the recipes are easy, Valentine will walk you through it and make it fun.
Bon appetit!
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CREEPS Comes To The Cultch November 30 – December 10, 2016
21 Nov
The play CREEPS premiered in 1971. At that time, it was David E. Freeman’s first play for which he won the Chalmers Award for Outstanding Play Award, the New York Drama Award for Outstanding New Playright in 1973 and one of the six Edinburgh “Fringe” Festival Awards in 1979. This is a unique and sometimes dark comedy that features a mix of abilities and as it is set in the 1970s the language from that time will raise some interesting questions. Three cast members have disabilities and the other 4 cast members are from the professional theatre community. The play features men that work in a workshop doing rather mundane work. They become tired of the way they are treated and end up barricading themselves in a washroom. You are invited to join the cast for an evening of savage wit and uncompromising truth-telling. The play previews November 30th with Opening Night taking place on December 1st. The show runs to December 10th and its run happens to fall on International Day of Disability on December 3rd on which day a 2 for 1 special ticket price is being offered followed by a post-show reception. Tickets start from $18 and are available online from The Cultch.
Photo Credit: Tim Matheson
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Eastside Culture Crawl – Bits, Bites, Beer & More On The Crawl
18 Nov
For all those participating in this year’s Eastside Culture Crawl which is taking place November 17- 20, 2016, we have a few thoughts on where to stop to refuel. We know from first hand experience all that walking on the Crawl makes you hungry and thirsty and the opportunity to put your feet up for a bit, is a welcome one. With that in mind, we thought we would set out some delish spots to check out for a bite, refreshment or more. As the Crawl covers a great deal of ground, we have set it out by geographic area. Since our experience has been to pick a general area to concentrate on and stop in at a number of artists within walking distance.
Hastings Sunrise
In Hastings Sunrise, there is no lack of choices along the stretch of East Hastings. Some great options include Roundel Café, Jackalope’s Dive and Red Wagon Café for brunch for starters. For coffee, we’d hit Platform 7 Coffee. Of course, for lunch or brunch, Tacofino Commissary is a no brainer anytime. If you have a hankering for something sweet, well a couple of great options include Black Rook Bakehouse and East Village Bakery.
Grandview Woodlands
If you are wandering in the Grandview Woodlands area, you could start with breakfast or lunch at Scandillious at 25 Victoria Drive. Looking for coffee? We’d hit Pallet Roasters. If it’s a stop for beer or a cocktail, check out Parallel 49 Brewing, Doan’s Craft Brewing, Storm Brewing or Odd Society Spirits. Looking for something sweet, well the Pie Shoppe on Powell Street at Victoria has that covered off with a selection of handmade chocolate from Melt Confections on hand along with their amazing pie. If you are looking for dinner after the Crawl, Bistro Wagon Rogue that has casual French fare and it’s located right next to the Pie Shoppe on Powell Street.
Commercial Drive
On Commercial Drive you have a plethora of options whether it’s coffee, cocktails or a bite. We couldn’t even begin to name them all, but a few that come to mind include Moja’s Coffee, Continental Coffee, The Drive Coffee Bar and Turks. For the perfect sandwhich to go (and big enough for two in most cases), we recommend La Grotta del Fromaggio. While there, we highly suggest a stop into Fratelli Bakery next door. If it’s brunch you are looking for, Havana Restaurant and is one of many great spots on the Drive. Just up the street you have Biercraft which also serves brunch and a great selection of beer. Of course just a quick walk from The Drive down Venables is Uprising Breads for a great coffee and snack spot. Oh and we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention a favourite spot for licorice lovers, the Licorice Parlour. If you are looking for pizza on The Drive, there are a few options Famoso, Lombardo’s, Marcello’s and just off The Drive on Victoria Drive is a personal favourite Via Tevere Pizzeria.
Strathcona/Railtown
Well there are some delish stops in this general area including the Settlement Building in Railtown which is a great spot for brunch before you start or a glass of beer or wine during or after. Les Amis du Fromage is hosting a Pop Up Shop with the Salty Cookie Company this Saturday, November 19th. So if you have a sweet craving, we do encourage you stop by. If you are looking for dinner after Ask for Luigi is in the area as is the MacKenzie Room directly across from Oppenheimer Park and The Heatley not far down the street. If you wish to make a stop for coffee, the Wilder Snail in the heart of Strathcona is a quaint option.
Clark Drive
This is a developing area which we expect will be changing more in the coming years. Right now it’s home to Strange Fellows Brewing which is featuring Moving Art as part of the Crawl, so beer and art under one roof. For coffee, check out Agro Roasters at Frances Avenue on Clark Drive. For sushi and something quick and reasonable, Fujiya at the corner of Clark and Venables. Of course, Yolks Breakfast at East Hastings has breakfast all day to fuel you and if it’s beer you are after Callister Brewing just off Clark on Franklin Street is a collaborative brewery which always has some great art on hand all year long.
Which every way you slice it and where you decide to Crawl, get out and see some great art!
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‘Little Red Riding Hood’ An East Van Panto At The York Theatre November 23rd to December 31
16 Nov
This December, we invite you to make some time for a bit of fun and check out the East Van Panto: Little Red Riding Hood. Now in its 4th year, this production is brought to you by the creative minds at Theatre Replacement. The show will be playing at the York Theatre from November 23rd to December 31st. For those not familiar with the term panto, by definition a Panto (another name for Pantomime) is a tradition of holiday musical comedy theatre. Pantomime takes a familiar fairy tale, in this year’s case, Little Red Riding Hood and injects music, contemporary references and (best of all) audience participation to create raucous, noisy entertainment that is fun for all ages. In this year’s East Van Panto, Little Red Riding Hood will be bombing down the Adanac bike trail to deliver a basket of goodies to her sweet little granny. In easy path in theory right? Well this IS the East Van Panto. Little Red Riding Hood will have to battle a few things along the way like some bike thieves along with some distracted drivers and, of course, The Big Bad Wolf. Will there be a murder of crows in her path? Or maybe it will be the Three Little Pigs. Well you will have to come out and find out and cheer her on. During the show, expect just a few (or well maybe many) East Van references that will be sure to make you laugh. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the musical talents of Veda Hille who will be on hand for the first week after that Benjamin Elliott of Are We Cool Now? fame will be performing Veda’s signature tunes. The East Van Panto is open to all ages 5 and up. Tickets start at $20, family packs are available which include 4 tickets for $120. Note, all seats for ages 18 and under are $20. Tickets are available at The Cultch either in person, by phone or online. The shows run begins November 23d at 7:00 pm and continues till December 31st. For those looking for a matinee, there are many 2:00 pm shows. For more information on tickets and performances, visit The Cultch. See you there! 
Photo Credit: Tim Matheson
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