Tag Archives: Vancouver

Cooking Classes Around East Van This Winter

11 Oct

Now that cooler temperatures are here, it’s time to get cozy with some great food.  We love spending time at cooking classes learning new dishes this time of year. We have been scouting around and have found a great selection of classes and have set out our favourites below. Whether you are a beginner, seasoned cook or vegan cook, we hope you’ll find something that piques your interest and taste buds.

Holiday Canning – December 4, 2017 – Italian Cultural Centre

You are invited to learn to how to preserve for the holiday season with BenedettaHolidayCanning Diamanti who will be conducting this workshop at the Italian Cultural Centre on December 4th. Benedetta is a graduate of the Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy and she will teach you how to make red wine jelly, cocoa jam and a cinnamon scented pear. This is an intimate hands-on class covering the basics, best practices and safety techniques. You will get to take home a jar along with ideas of some delish gifts to make this Christmas.

Chocolate Lovers Cooking Class – December 7, 2017 – Kensington Community Centre

Looking to learn to make some decadent and easy chocolate desserts this holiday season?  If you so, check out this delish class being offered Thursday, December 7th at the Kensington Community Center. You get to enjoy lava cake in class and take the rest of the goodies home. You will learn to make:

  • Chocolate Mousse
  • Lava CakeChocolateLovers
  • Chocolate Truffles
  • Chocolate Sauce

All recipes will be provided and experience is required.  Cost of the class if $50 and registration is through City of Vancouver.

Holiday Side Dishes – Gourmet Warehouse – November 26, 2017

If you have your main dishes down cold, but want to add some new side dishes to your holiday menu, Caren McSherry, owner of the Gourmet Warehouse is leading this demonstration cooking class on Sunday, November 26th. Cost is $79 and you will learn some delish dishes from Caren’s new cookbook “Starters, Salads & Sexy Sides”:

•Roasted butternut squash with crispy halloumi cubes
•Whole roasted cauliflower
•Jacket roasted sweet potato with crispy chorizo and creamy herbed feta
•Whipped rutabaga with crispy shallots
•Wild and mixed mushroom saute

To register, visit Gourmet Warehouse.

French Gastronomy Series: East Country Pâtés – Uncommon Cafe – January 24, 2018

Valentine of Tartine Maple introduces a cooking class series that will take you on a culinary tour of France. Each class in the series brings you food from a different region of France. While learning about culinary and cultural facts, Valentine will prepare a main dish and sides typical of the chosen region. The first class in this series begins January 24th entitled French Gastronomy Series: East Country Pates. This class will focus on East “Terroir”. You will learn to make:

  • Chicken Liver Mousse: The easiest pate.
  • “Terrine Campagnard”. A rich meat pâté, delicious served for appetizer with bread and pickles.
  • Pâté en Croûte: the richness of a warm porc and poultry pâté cooked in puff pastry.

After the class, you get to sit in the restaurant and enjoy the food with a glass of wine. For $65, you get a cooking class, great meal and bit of a culinary tour. To register, visit Eventbrite.

EastCountryPates

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Encounter Comes To The York Theatre October 17 – 22, 2017

10 Oct

EncounterChristopherJosephThe best in physical theatre comes to the Cultch in conjunction with Diwali. Encounter is a story about an Indigenous woman, Dopdi, and her communities’ struggle to uphold the Indigenous life and her defiance against injustice. Created for the stage by Aparna Sindhoor, S M Raju, and Anil Natyaveda, Encounter is a tribute to the Indigenous people’s history. It is a passionate story of female power that delves into the struggles and challenges of the indigenous communities of India. Aparna Sindhoor, co-writer of Encounter says “The word ‘Encounter’ has a specific meaning in the Indian (South Asian) context. It is a euphemism for the state orchestrated ‘chance meetings,’ to get rid of (kill, or torture and kill) the so-called enemies of the state.” The performance features acrobatics and original music which pays tribute to Indigenous peoples’ history from around the world. The show runs October 17 – 22, 2017 at the York Theatre. Tickets are available at The Cultch.

Contributing Writer Tiva Quinn reviews Encounter:

Encounter is a dance-play that is political, sensual, humorous and informative. There’s a bit of every possible emotion along the way, but, ultimately, it’s also a story about an enormous tragedy.

The dancers portray members of an indigenous group in India who find that their land is being taken for mining, while their water is being diverted for factories. In order to survive at all, they have no choice but to “steal” water from the wells of a wealthy landowner nearby, and so the military is called to put a stop to this crime.

The dancers also portray members of the military who have been sent to break up the “rebellion.” At one point, they tell us stories about why they joined the armed forces, and most of the stories are relatable – one needs to feed his family, one is saving to send her daughter to college, and of course one is in love with his gun, but there’s no distinction among them when their leader asks them to do “the needful” and try to get information from a prisoner.

In the South Asian context, “encounter” refers to times when the army captures suspected rebels and tortures or kills them. The story opens and closes on a scene of one such torture, and yes, it’s told through dance. The troupe are all very talented and they create some visually arresting tableaus out of these scenes. And in a world where a show like 24 asks us to identify with the torturer, why shouldn’t we have art that asks us to identify with both the torturer and those who are tortured?

If you’re looking for a note of hope, a sense of closure, or a call to action that makes you feel like you can make a difference, there isn’t one. It wouldn’t be especially true to the reality of the situation if there was.

Do I recommend seeing it, though? Yes.

Photo Credit: Christopher Joseph

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A Side Glance By Contributing Writer Al Tee – Vancouver Politics Circa 1970s

9 Oct

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASince I was a kid I have followed local politics. It started because of my Dadʼs friend Bill Street. Mr. Street wouldʼve been a perfect casting choice for an episode of Mad Men. He was a flashy big-time lawyer, with a big house, and a few secrets on the side. Chief among them a hot car his wife didnʼt know about. It was stashed in a downtown parking lot and possibly a hot girl parked somewhere as well. Mr. Street had also briefly been a Vancouver City councillor.

In the early 1970ʼs Mr. Street was slated to be the NPAʼs candidate for mayor. But then the Vancouver Sun published an article by noted journalist Allan Fotheringham, that accused Mr. Street of being the NPAʼs bagman. Fotheringham alleged that Mr. Street was the developers lawyer at City Hall. The fixer who for a price could get development plans approved. Mr. Street was also alleged to be the guy who come campaign time would give the developers money tree a shake for contributions. Needless to say, Mr. Street was forced to withdraw as the NPAʼs candidate and the party was obliterated in that election by Art Phillips and his Electors Action Movement (TEAM) party. My Dad was furious at the Vancouver Sun and Allan Fotheringham. To this day Iʼm still not sure whether my Dad was outraged because he thought the factual allegations were libelous, or he thought how dare you rat out my friend Bill.

Mr. Streetʼs brief run for mayor has long faded from view, and the only physical evidence remaining is a campaign button I salvaged from amongst my late Grandma Teeʼs curios. But the point of this historical anecdote with an upcoming civic by-election nigh, is that this city has always been a developers town. From the moment George Vancouver dropped anchor in Burrard Inlet to now, someone has always been thinking about subdividing and building. The question is do the council hopefuls think they are going to change that and how would they go about hitting pause on the current situation? I think Iʼll try asking them. Stay tuned.

By Contributing Writer Al Tee

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What’s On East Van: October 6, 2017

6 Oct

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Lots happening in East Van this next week.  Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

The Goblin Market – York Theatre – On Now Till October 14, 2017

A well known poem, Goblin Market, by Christina Rosetti forms the basis of this performance and what a performance.  To say contemporary circus doesn’t quite do it justice, it is so much more. The art, the music, the athleticism of the performers, the sexuality, the sisterhood. It’s something to see. We highly recommend seeing this show. Tickets are available through The Cultch.

Oktoberfest – The Alpen Club – October 6 & 7, 2017

Want to get your fill of German beer and food along with some live music? We suggest you check out Oktoberfest at The Alpen Club. Pull out those lederhosen and dirndls and get ready to dance.  Event happens Friday and Saturday night kicking off at 8:00 pm.   If you can’t make it this weekend, the festivities carry throughout the month on Fridays and Saturdays.

 Vancouver Mural Festival: Official Guided Tours – October 7, 2017

Check out some of the amazing street art in Mount Pleasant and False Creek Flats this Saturday. The guided tour connects you with the beauty that is their work but also some background about the artist’s vision, medium and creative process for each piece. Tour kicks off from Kafka’s Coffee & Tea on Main Street. Tickets available from Eventbrite.

Vancouver Rare Book, Photograph & Paper Show – Heritage Hall – October 7&8 2017

The Vancouver Rare Book, Photograph & Paper Show happens October 7th & 8th at the Heritage Hall. Expect some of Canada’s top dealers in collectible, antiquarian and rare material including maps, photographs and interesting paper items.

Drive-In Movie – River District – October 7, 2017

This Saturday is a last in a series of Drive-In Movies being held in SE Vancouver along the Fraser River. River District hosts this double feature movie event with a 7:00 pm showing of Cars 3 after which follows a 9:15 pm showing of Baby Driver. Cost is $20 per carload for one movie, $30 per carload for both movies.

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market – Dude Chilling Park – October 8, 2017

This is the last market of the season at Guelph Park/Dude Chilling Park. Perfect spot to stock up for delish eats for Thanksgiving dinner.  Market runs from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

The 36th Annual Vancouver Film Festival continues until October 13th. The Rio Theatre is one of the venues hosting and has a great line up of films. To see more of what’s on, check our Events Listing.

Image By June Hunter

 

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Hyperlink At The Firehall Arts Centre October 4 – 14, 2017

4 Oct

Hyperlink

Vancouver’s TJ Dawe is back with Itai Erdal for a collaborative performance in Hyperlink.  Hyperlink is the act of jumping from space to space, always exploring new territory but often not staying still for long enough to truly connect. This production showcases the online persona you’ve created. Does it match you the real life version of you? TJ Dawe and Itai Erdal perform as themselves and perform themselves, argue, debate and intertwine their personal experience on everything from internet scams, to love, to hate crimes, to like-farming, in order to get the bottom of what it means to live a life online.  Hyperlink kicks off at the Firehall Arts Centre this Thursday, October 5th. Tickets are available online from Firehall Arts Centre.

Contributing Writer Nicole Alivojvodic Reviews Hyerlink

The world premiere of Elbow Theatre’s Hyperlink at the Firehall Arts Centre leaves the audience laughing, crying and contemplating. Written and performed by TJ Dawe and Itai Erdal, Hyperlink delves into life online and the limits of digital empathy. As the title suggests, the performance jumps from topic to topic without ever staying in it long enough to feel that it has been fully fleshed out. The effect this has is that instead of pushing their own opinions on a topic, Dawe and Erdal present a commentary, based on their personal experiences, and let the audience make up their own minds about it.

With topics ranging from “like farming” to internet fads to hate crimes, Hyperlink keeps the audience entertained and thinking. Everything from the visual and sound effects to the cheeky “Instamission” (in lieu of a traditional intermission) are crafted to make a point. While Dawe and Erdal speak candidly and incorporate lots of silliness – including getting the audience to participate in a “Harlem Shake” – they never fail to intellectually question what it means to live a life online.

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Artisan Markets This Fall In East Van

3 Oct

FallLeavesColourAre you a fan of shopping local? Do you support small business enterprises in your community?  When you shop local, you support those around you that help create the fabric that is your community.  This fall there are few local events featuring local artisans and makers you may wish to check out. We’ve set out a few below hat we’ve come across. If you know of more, drop us a line and we’ll add them to our list.

EASTSIDE FLEA – Harvest Market
Friday, October 20, 2017 at 6:00 pm
October 21 & 22, 2017 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Ellis Building, 1024 Main Street

You are invited to check out a great line up of vendors with everything from new to vintage. Friday night is a bit different set up in their full market on the weekend. It features a select group of artisans as well as craft beer & drink specials, pinball and DJs to round out the evening.  Saturday and Sunday is the full market experience with 50 vendors and food trucks on hand. To learn more visit them at Eastside Flea.

2nd ANNUAL FALL HARVEST MARKET
October 28, 2017
Croatian Cultural Centre
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm

Whether you are shopping for yourself, or that birthday gift or some early Christmas shopping, the 2nd Annual Fall Harvest Market is a great opportunity to support local makers.  Elemental Trends is hosting this event featuring over 30 vendors.  To keep an eye on which vendors will be on hand visit them on Facebook at Elemental Trends.

THE ARTISAN’S EVENT
October 29, 2017
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Another back to back opportunity to shop local.  The Artisan’s Event happens Sunday, October 29th featuring over 35+ local makers and artisans. Admission is by donation. To learn more about the vendors, visit them at The Artisan’s Event.

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What’s On East Van: September 29, 2017

29 Sep

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Lots happening in East Van this next week.  Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Africa With The Masters – Wise Hall – September 30, 2017

You are invited to learn African dance styles and/or drumming traditions this Saturday at the Wise Hall. The event is a part of Culture Days happening throughout the Lower Mainland and is a free event, but pre-registration is required. To learn more or to register, visit Culture Days.

Drive-In Movies – River District – September 30, 2017

River District in SE Vancouver is again hosting Drive-In movies this Saturday. The double feature kicks off with Despicable Me 3 and is followed by War For The Planet of Apes.  Cost is $20 per carload for 1 movie and $30 for a car load for both movies. Gates open at 6:30 pm.

Goblin Market – York Theatre – October 3 – 14, 2017

Two sisters from New Zealand perform a trapeze circus act along with music and spoken word to the poem The Goblin market. The performance delves into sisterhood, sexuality and much more. The performances take place at the York Theatre. Tickets are available at The Cultch from $22.

Mandy Rushton Sings With Sean Allen – Cottage Bistro – October 4, 2017

Love Broadway musicals?  You may wish to stop in and check out singing sensation Mandy Rushton who will be performing with pianist Sean Allen on Wednesday, October 4th at the Cottage Bistro, 4468 Main Street. They will be performing songs from musicals, The Great American Songbook and a bit of pop to mix things up.  Cost is $15 per person. Show gets under way at 8:00 pm.

Workshop “Fall Pies” – The Uncommon Café – October 4, 2017

If you are looking to learn to make some delish fall pies, The Uncommon Café is hosting a delish workshop Wednesday, October 4th. In this class Valentine of Tartine & Maple Cuisine will teach you how to make your pie dough from scratch. After which, you will learn how to make a pecan pie and an easy Pear Tart with puff pastry.  You will also make your very own Apple Pie with lattice top. Cost of class is $59. You can register at Eventbrite.

Entertainment, Comedy + Live Theatre

On now at the Firehall Arts Centre is Feasting For Famine which features one man’s journey through the extremes of body building and health fitness.  Looking for plain fun, The Dirty Betty Show is happening at Café Deux Soleils Friday, September 29th.  Looking to check out some neat movies? The 36th Annual Vancouver Film Festival is on now until October 13th. The Rio Theatre is one of the venues hosting and has a great line up of films this weekend. To see more of what’s on, check our Events Listing.

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Contemporary Circus The Goblin Market Takes Stage At The York Theatre October 3-14, 2017

27 Sep

 

Goblin-Market-3-736x1024For the first time in Vancouver two sisters from New Zealand will be performing the re-telling of Christina Rossetti’s poem, The Goblin Market at the York Theatre.  The show is a contemporary circus performed to the story line that follows two sisters, one of whom gets sick after eating bad goblin fruit and is healed because of her sister’s bravery.  The production celebrates sexuality and sisterhood, through double trapeze, mask, projection, acrobatics, spoken word and music. Tickets for this performance start at $22 and are available from The Cultch. Note: The production includes nudity and sexual scenes, therefore, is being presented as an adults only production.

What people are saying about The Goblin Market:

“SPECTACULAR, MAGNIFICENT AND BREATHTAKING are a few of the words that describe contemporary circus show The Goblin Market”
Sara Meij, Nelson Mail

 “… THE MOST REMARKABLE PRODUCTION I HAVE SEEN in the last decade. THRILLING, MOVING, INSPIRING, MESMERIZING (and sometimes even humourous) – it reminded me of why I work in the performing arts in the first place”
Howard Mendelsohn, Centaur Theatre Company

 “…A full house, standing ovation and the most common word on everyone’s lips: SPECTACULAR!”
Janet Whittington, Theatreview

“Superbly choreographed acrobatics featuring the finely muscled bodies and disciplined athleticism of highly trained performers.”
New Zealand Herald

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Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival September 30, 2017

26 Sep

RenfrewRavineMoonFestivalThe 15th annual Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival is scheduled for September 30th, 2017. If you haven’t attended this event, you are missing out. This is a great family event celebrating the environment around us with displays of colour, light and music.  This year’s theme is migrations.  Organizers, being the Still Moon Arts Society, would like those attending the event to reflect on the global movements that occur every day. It could be fish swimming across vast oceans, birds flying across Canada or that person travelling to meet friends or a loved on.  With the issues facing the world today, movement is playing a more significant role.

You are invited to come experience the installations created for this year’s event and discover your own stories in the theme of migration.  The festivities begin in the afternoon with the Harvest Fair which kicks off at 4:00 pm and goes till 6:45 pm at Slocan Park.  This event is a pre-cursor to the parade that happens at dusk.  The Harvest Fair features games, crafts, friendly competitions, musicians, community booths and more.  If you are interested in making a last minute lantern or purchasing one from a local artist before the parade, you can do so at the Harvest Fair. 

At approximately 6:45 pm, as the moon rises and the sun sets, musicians and dancers will lead a twilight lantern parade from Slocan Park through the Renfrew Ravine to Renfrew Park.  Along the way, the procession will pass the river-stone labyrinth with candles laid throughout.  Many of those in the procession are carrying lanterns and as you walk along you will see many homes on the route getting into the act with displays of light and colour on their properties that abut the Renfrew Ravine.  Once at Renfrew Park, this is where some exquisite lanterns are on full display and candles set up throughout the ravine. It is quite a spectacle to see.  The event finishes at 8:30 pm in Renfrew Park with choreographed dance performances, stilting and fire spinning along with swing and jazz music. The grand finale includes fireworks.  This is a free all ages family friendly event.

 

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Feasting On Famine At The Firehall Arts Centre September 27-30, 2017

25 Sep

FeastingOnFamineYou are invited on one man’s journey through the extremes of body building and health fitness. Feasting on Famine explores the symmetry between the human body and excess of capitalism in a world where one man consumed the daily caloric intake of a family of five.  Shay Kuebler takes you from the beginning stages of training at local gyms and fitness centers to an obsession with what foods and supplements help the body function at peak performance.   His journey has made him question “the ethics and morality of health and fitness as a business (a very big business) and, furthermore, examine how the industry is misrepresenting and framing – staging – our expectations of what health and fitness should look like.”  We all want a healthy body, but the definition of what is healthy is defined different by individuals, health professionals and big business trying to sell you health in a bottle. So who do you believe?    Experience one man’s journey trying to figure it all out. Feasting on Famine hits the stage at the Firehall Arts Centre this Wednesday, September 27th and runs till September 30th. Tickets are available online from Firehall Arts Centre.

Contributing writer Tiva Quinn’s review of Feasting On Famine:

No matter how long you live, you will never have another chance to see a dance performance that addresses both erections and constipation.

Feasting on Famine isn’t really about precisely those things, though, it’s about the obsessive quest for a certain type of masculine ideal, and solo performer Shay Kuebler certainly knows what he’s dancing about with this topic. It’s written in every line of his body, and that’s a lot more lines than you’re probably used to seeing, as the guy is ripped. Beyond that, it’s about the general themes of obsession, dominance, perfection and self-control.

Kuebler dances in a variety of styles, the one that made the strongest impression for me involved moves that resemble break-dancing, but with all of the fluidity replaced by a frenetic repetition that turned it into a form of pushing muscles to their limit. He also interacts with props and video segments, often in ways that got a good chuckle from the audience.

This is not meant to be a comfortable performance, and it isn’t, but if you like your dance as challenging as an intense workout, you’ll like it a lot.

What else people are saying about Feasting On Famine:

(Keubler’s) style is indeed mesmerizing and explosive –
Vancouver Weekly

 

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