Tag Archives: East Vancouver

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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Wine Tasting At Vancouver Urban Winery

19 Mar

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If you wish to taste some wines from BC’s Okanagan, you don’t have to travel very far.  I invite you to check out Vancouver Urban Winery. This operation is the brainchild of two young enterpreneurs, Steve Thorp and Mike Macquisten who were recently voted into  Western Living Magazine’s 5th Annual 40 Foodies Under 40.

Vancouver Urban Winery is Canada’s first wine on tap operation, FreshTap.  They repackage wines sent from wineries in pressurized 19.5 litre stainless steel kegs. This not only cuts down on waste, but is also environmentally friendly in that each keg equals 26 750ml bottles of wine. Once a bottle is opened in a restaurant, it loses flavor with oxidization quickly.  Thus, a greater likelihood the wine will be tossed.

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A side benefit for us Vancouverites, is that last summer Vancouver Urban Winery opened it doors to the public for wine tastings.  The majority of the wines are from British Columbia with a few from other countries including their own brand of Roaring Twenties  for sale by the bottle in their retail store on site.  Wine tastings are 1 oz pourings which start at $2.50 per tasting or $3.50 for premium wines. You can choose which wines you’d like to try individually, or you can try the Sommelier’s Choice where they choose 5 flights of wine for you to taste for $12.00.  There are various meats and cheeses available to nibble with your wine that you can purchase. We opted for the  Sommelier’s Food & Wine Choice Pairing for $24.00 which included 5 flights of wine (2 whites & 3 reds) and a selection of local meats and cheeses paired with each of the wines.

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Vancouver Urban Winery is located in a fairly non-descript building two blocks South of the docks and 2 blocks North of Oppenheimer Park.  At the entrance you will find beautiful doors with intricate woodwork and stonework.  On entering, the interior has a unique layout with 24 foot ceilings, wooden beams and beautiful ironwork from its predecessors.    There are some long wood tables perfect for large groups, or there is the fireplace with 2 long leather sofas which make for a nice way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon or wind down after a day at work.  The Vancouver Urban Winery is located at 55 Dunlevy Street (just 3 blocks North of East Hastings Street). They are open for tastings and tours, Mon. to Wed. 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Thur. to Fri. 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Sundays from Noon to 5:00 p.m.  They are closed Saturdays for private events and occasionally will book private events during their operating hours. They update their Facebook Page regularly with their operating hours, upcoming events and promotions. One current promotion is Thirsty Thursday which is a 2 for 1 tasting special from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.  The Tasting Bar this month features Roaring Twenties Wine Co. Quails’  Gate, Noble Ridge Vineyards & Winery and Road 13 Vineyards.  This is definitely a spot to check out.  Cheers!ILiveInEastVanMarch2013 284

Photos by Patti Zazulak and CreatEveInVan

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New Exhibition Coming To The Cultch Gallery March 20th

15 Mar

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An opening reception is being held Wednesday, March 20th at The Cultch, 1895 Venables Street, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to attend this event. The Cultch Gallery is presenting a Dialogue by Shya-fen Tsai and an exhibition of the Goddess Series of paintings by Sande Waters.

Shya-fen Tsai was born in Taiwan in 1949. She had dreams of becoming an artist, but was discouraged by her family. After immigrating to Canada in 1974, she fulfilled her dream of becoming an artist.  Shya-fen enrolled in the Emily Carr University of Art & Design where she studied painting and sculpture.  Her art is abstract in nature and can be found in private collections around the world.

Sande Waters is a resident of North Vancouver.  She studied art at the Emily Carr University of Art & Design and the San Francisco Art Institute.  Sande is a watercolour and graphite artist.  Her  current body of work on display is titled the “Goddess Series” uses beautiful imagery derived from gender and sexual symbolism.   Her paintings, drawings and photographs are shown and collected in Canada and the United States.

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Want to Make Your Community A Better Place?

13 Mar

NeighbourhoodSmallGrantsFlyerIf you would like to make your community a better place, consider applying for a Neighbourhood Small Grant.  If you have not heard about this program, it is worth looking into.  You can apply for grants from $50 to $500 for projects in your neighbourhood. The aim of the program, which is funded by the Vancouver Foundation,  is to connect and engage people within the community in which they live.  Neighbours can get together and make an application for a variety of events. Some examples of past events include neighbourhood block parties, clean up campaigns, ethnic cooking classes, emergency preparedness plans, community gardens and an outdoor movie night.   The ideas are only limited by your imagination.  Once your application is submitted, it is reviewed by a Resident Advisory Committee made up of residents in your neighbourhood. Applicants are advised by May 1st if they receive funding and are asked to have their projects completed by November 30th.   In East Vancouver, the program is available in the following 4 areas:

Carnegie, Strathcona, Ray-Cam
Cedar Cottage, Kensington, Hastings-Sunrise
Mount Pleasant, Little Mountain
South Vancouver, Collingwood

Deadline for applications is March 31st.  Applications can be made on on-line at the Neighbourhood Grants Program.

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Vintage Treasures At Eastside Flea

10 Mar

If vintage treasures are what you seek, whether it’s clothing, records or other collectibles, the Eastside Flea is the place to find them.  It’s first day out of the gate yesterday was a busy one. The place was full of items and people with a gathering outside in front of the Varinicey Pakoras offering veggie pakoras that smelled delicious.   There were many treasures tucked away inside including many handmade goods with a modern twist. For those that missed the opportunity to go, here is a sneak peak in pictures of what you missed.

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FeastVan Raises $2,500 For Strathcona Backpack Food Program

8 Mar

FeastVanPoster2013Kudos to organizer, Joe Chaput, who announced yesterday that FeastVan raised over $2,500 for the Strathcona Community Center Backpack Food Program. FeastVan was created to introduce diners to the fabulous array of restaurants in East Vancouver while at the same time raising funds for the Strathcona Backpack Food Program. This program was established to bridge the gap for low income families and help provide school age children with healthy food over the weekends when they do not have access to school lunch programs.    FeastVan was held from January 18th to February 3rd and during that time, $1.00 from each meal of participating restaurant was donated to the Backpack Program.  Some funds were raised from beverage sales and donations from customers and staff.   Participating restaurants in East Vancouver that deserve a shout out for participating in this worthy event include:  The Acorn, Au Petit Chavignol, Bao Bei, Campagnolo Roma, The Cascade Room, East of Main, Eigth 1/2 Restaurant Lounge, El Camino’s, Habit, Harvest Community Foods, Les amis du FROMAGE, Les Faux Bourgeois, Nicli Antica Pizza, The Parker, Pat’s Pub, R&B Brewing, The Union Bar and Vincino Pasteria & Deli.

 

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New In Town – Dharma Dog Daycare

6 Mar

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Nik and Joanne Fabisiak are a busy couple these days. Not only are they pregnant and expecting their first child in few months, they just opened a new business, Dharma Dog Daycare, located at 1434 E 57th Ave, Vancouver, BC (Knight & 57th Street). Nik is a canine behaviour therapist and has extensive experience working with dogs. He is also a long time resident of East Vancouver.  Outside of dog daycare, Dharma Dog Daycare, will be offering grooming, dog walking and before long boarding and a shuttle service for pets. Monday, March 4th was their grand opening and as such, they are offering 50% off daycare services in the month of March. Also, if you are one of the first 500 likes on Facebook/Twitter, you could win a year’s worth of dog daycare.  To learn more about the services they offer and pricing, visit their website, Facebook page or pop in with your pooch to say hello.

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For The Love Of French Food

4 Mar
I am in love. OK it’s not quite what you think. I am in love with French food in East Vancouver.  I have been an ardent fan of Les Faux Bourgeois, 663 East 15th Avenue (Fraser/Kingsway) for some time now. The food and wine selection at Les Faux Bourgeois is fabulous. Their steak & frites and cream brulee are my hands down favourite.   I have yet to meet anyone that has gone and not enjoyed their meal.  This is definitely a place to try if you haven’t. It tends to be a busy spot so if you plan on going, do make reservations. They have a casual private room that can accommodate up to 12, so perfect for a small group. Les Faux Bourgeois is open Tuesday through Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to midnight.

Absinthe BistroThere is now someone new in town though vying for my love. An elegant little French bistro called Absinthe Bistro,1260 Commercial Drive (just North of Charles Street) has been open since last summer to rave reviews.  This is a husband and wife team, Cory and Julianna Pearson, who welcome you with open arms.  They make you feel like you are coming to their home for dinner.  It is definitely food made with love. They have a small menu, three items for each course to choose from, but the food is spectacular and very reasonably priced.  The bistro has an open kitchen with funky chandeliers that make you feel like you are in old world Paris.    Absinthe Bistro is open Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30/9:00 p.m. depending on which evening.   They post their menu changes on their website.  They will plan to start serving brunch soon. Watch their website for details.

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