Festivities at GE Plaza at Robson Square: Olympics only 1 week away

Olympic Spirit was all around at GE Plaza today. The mayor, Gregor Robertson, the Olympic Minister, Vancouver Tourism, and fellow Vancouverites were at festivities. Can't wait until next Friday to be at the 2010 Opening Ceremonies! I will settle for the Grand Opening of Switzerland House for today.

2010 Olympics brings civic war to Vancouver?

Have you read the headlines lately in the paper?

"When the International Olympic Committee troops did not pull out of Vancouver after the games, the city should have erupted into civic war..."

Well, I did not see this quote in the paper but I read this disturbing thought when I attended "Reece Terris: The Western Front Front - Another False Front". The exhibition was vibrant.

I learned about this exhibition from the 2010 Cultural Olympiad website:

The Western Front, one of Canada's longest running artist-run arts centres, is
located in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood. In an architectural
intervention, artist Reece Terris constructs a temporary false front on top
of the centre’s already existing false front. This work is in keeping with
the idea of architecture as an expression of perceived wealth and culture,
and it emphasizes Vancouver’s long-running upswing in the real-estate market
and subsequent boom economy.

I was even fortunate to attend on a day that there was a symposium called "Learning from Vancouver". I even learned the interesting history and the reason behind the architecture of tht Vanvouver Art Gallery.

Cultural Olympiad: Ginger Goodwin Way Research Image

Vancouver is rich in cultural activities this year. There are many galleries open. One of these galleries is the Or Gallery where I went to the opening of the "Ginger Goodwin Way". The gallery was small and it featured few art pieces but it had a nice video presentation and best of all it was free. If you are interested in labour relations, this would be a good exhibition to attend because its about artists that “take ownership of stories that are in danger of being lost or distorted.”

According to Vancouver 2010:

"In 1918, Albert “Ginger’ Goodwin, a miner and vice president of the British
Columbia Federation of Labour, was avoiding conscription, hiding out in a small
cabin on Vancouver Island’s Forbidden Plateau, when he was killed by a police
constable. His death sparked the first general strike in Canada’s history. Those
are the bare facts, but the story surrounding them is still hotly debated today.

In Ginger Goodwin Way, an exhibition curated by Jesse Birch, outstanding
visual artists wrestle with contested histories, inspired by Goodwin’s plural
and ambiguous life story. Mariana Castillo Deball, a Prix de Rome winner from
Mexico who is based in Amsterdam, Until We Have A Helicopter, the Vancouver duo
of Wes Cameron and Matthew Robertson; and Vancouver-born Michele Di Menna, now based in Frankfurt and Berlin, take ownership of stories that are in danger of
being lost or distorted."

Presented With: Or Gallery, 555 Hamilton St., Vancouver (604)683-7395
When: 1/30/2010 to 3/06/2010
Tuesday to Saturday, Noon to 5:00 pm

What the V?

I walked around downtown and noticed so much activity going on. I was surprised to see that Vancouver's waterfront has been blocked by a fence and decorated with Olympic themed material. Why was I surprised? Well, this is one of my favorite parts of Vancouver and now that it is being blocked, I think alot of people visiting the city will miss out on seeing the beautiful view from the area around Canada Place and the Convention Centre. On the positive side, the material looks fabulous.


It seems the new Fairmont Hotel is almost complete and it's ooking great.


The Olympic signage is also becoming more apparent. Olympic bus routes and maps are popping up. I think signage is essential for the success of the Olympics.

Lastly, late into the evening I noticed an artistic demonstration in a window on Seymour Street between Pender and Dunsmuir. I am uncertain who was hosting this item or if it was part of the Cultural Olympiad but it was looping and really caught my attention. All these changes are making Vancouver a more exciting place to live.

Fire away China

Another great night for fireworks. If you missed the fireworks, you can see it by clicking the link below.



I wonder if Canada will keep its first place status.

I`m Melting!

It`s official: Today is the hottest day ever recorded in Vancouver. It`s so hot that I feel like an M&M melting in someone`s hand.

It`s a good thing that Vancouver has lots of places you can chill to get away from the heat. Today I was hanging out with some friends at the Blenz coffee shop at Main and 26th Avenue.

We`re off to see the wizard.

Vancouver Fireworks at English Bay Fireworks were great. Defending champions, Canada, presented a fireworks display called `The Wizard of Oz`.

HSBC Celebration of Light

Next is South Africa on Saturday, July 25, the UK on Wednesday, July 29, and China on Saturday, August 1. The fireworks begin at 10:00 pm. Find info at Celebration of Light.

Vancouver is Triple the Fun

It was a "little person's" birthday today so I ended up at Crash Crawly. Their indoor playground is great for kids. It was lots of fun.

Then travelled across the Burrard Bridge to witness the new bike lane. It was almost 9pm and I was on a bus because I was in a rush to make it to Vancouver Museum's outdoor movie at Vanier Park, Triplets of Belleville. I was glad to see the movie which incorporated a bike theme and French, our other official language.

Female Ski Jumpers Olympic get the red light for the Olympics

Although Justice Lauri Ann Fenlon of the B.C. Supreme Court found that:

"In my view, the exclusion of women's ski jumping from the 2010 Games is discriminatory. Many of the men the plaintiffs have trained with and competed against as peers will be Olympians; the plaintiffs will be denied this opportunity for no reason other than their sex. But not every act of discrimination is a breach of the Charter."

she rejected an application from 15 female ski jumpers asking that either they be allowed to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver or that all ski jumping events be cancelled. In her summary, Fenlon says that the International Olympic Committee is solely responsible for what sports are allowed to compete and stated that the IOC made a decision that discriminates against the plaintiffs and only the IOC can alleviate the discrimination.

With only seven months left until the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics, International Olympic Committee will be on the spotlight for this decision. I am looking forward to seeing how this develops. Let's stay tuned.

Play Land Here I Come...

Nothing says summer like rides at Play Land at the PNE. I am going on Saturday and excited to go again this year. I am really glad I don't have to work on Monday or I might end up acting like the guy in this video.

Say it aint so MJ!

There was a news report that the ledgendary Micheal Jackson died. I was sitting at my desk when I received a call that told me MJ was dead. I could not believe it and initially thought it was a hoax because just a few weeks ago there was so much hype about his big comeback. However, as the day went by, I realized that it wasn't a hoax.

I remember wearing my MJ jacket with all the zippers and trying to imitate his dance moves as a child. He will truly be missed not only in Vancouver but around the world. R.I.P MJ.

Can you Baseball or Dragon Boat in French?

Yesterday I blogged about some events happening around town and today I attended three of the best ones in Vancouver.

The Dragon Boat Festival featured tons of food, games, information booths...and boat racing. I won a shirt and got my face on a button courtesy of raiseyourhand.com. There were limited food selections and fewer tents but I enjoyed the race. I also ran into the editor of rabble.ca and co-chair of stopwar.ca, Derrick O'Keefe.

I also enjoyed Francophone celebrations at Vancouver`s Festival d'été. Thanks to some friends at Le Centre Culturel, I was able to enjoy a complimentary entrance to the festival and the show La petite fille aux Allumetters (The Little Match Seller) and was impressed by the performance. After the performance we were entertained by clowns, singers and one performer who was a jack of all trades who juggled, squeezed himself through a tennis racket and ran around blowing bubbles. Best of all it was in French, our other official language. I even learned how to say, "Je veux voler un cerf-volant"? I was also lucky enough to run into the Olympic mascots, Sumi, Quatchi, and Miga. The Festival runs until June 24th, so check them out if you can.

I finished off the day by attending the hottest ticket in town: the sold out Vancouver Canadians (also known as the C's) season opener. It was crazy at Nat Bailey Stadium. People had scribbled signs saying " Looking for tickets" and others were begging to be let in. When I finally got to my seat I discovered that we were sitting next to a professional recorder who was putting K's up on the rail. The seats were also great as they were very easy to jump in and out of. There were also some funny old ladies behind us yelling, "Mucho beuno!" every time the batter named Sosa came to bat. Although the C's lost 10-1, the C's gave everyone in the stand a burger and root beer from A&W. On another positive note, I met Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, who was there to throw the first pitch of the game and then saw the night come to an end with some great fireworks.

Vancouver Event Mania

Summer is officially almost here and there is so much to do in Vancouver. Here is a list of things that are coming up:

FESTIVAL D'ETE FRANCOPHONE
(Till June 24 Le Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver)
West Seventh Avenue between Granville and Fir (www.lecentreculturel.com)

What is it: The 20th anniversary of the six-day festival celebrating francophone culture.

Who is it for: French speakers and francophiles who enjoy great music, both indoors and outdoors, and Canadians who are proud that French is one of the country's two official languages. Eh, oui! Years past have seen Quebecois legends like Robert Charlebois grace the outdoor stage. This year, Montreal band Malajube joins Karkwa and rising Quebec star Pierre Lapointe on the Air Canada Stage starting at 5 p.m., June 20. The festival culminates on St. Jean Baptiste Day, or fete nationale as Quebecers call it, with a June 24 fete at Richard's on Richards.

VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FLAMENCO FESTIVAL
(June 28 to July 5 at various venues)
www.flamencocorosario.org

What is it: Flamenco Rosario's annual event celebrating the traditional dance and music of Spain.

Who is it for: Fans of foot stomping and castanets, customers of tapas restaurants who want to branch out.


CRAB PARK CANADA DAY FESTIVAL
(July 1) Crab Park, Portside, foot of Main Street
www.bandcouver.com

What is it: The city's other Canada Day party. A free, all-ages celebration from 1 to 4 p.m.

Hosted by the Crab Water for Life Society and Bandcouver, the event supports keeping up this green space in the Downtown Eastside. There are events for the kids at this portside park as well as a number of Vancouver bands. At 1 p.m. Maria in the Shower will be playing, followed by Fuzzcat at 2 p.m. and then Blackberry Wood takes the stage at 3 p.m. And you'll still have plenty of time to make the Canada Day parade downtown at 7 p.m.

Who is it for: People who like to feel good about getting down.


BOLLYWOOD WEDDING
(July 23 to 26 at the Italians Gardens at Pacific National Exhibition at Hastings Park)
Admission is free, ph. 604-893-8875 for reservations

What is it: An interactive outdoor dance and theatre production about the engagement and wedding of two young Indians brought together in an arranged marriage.

Who is it for: People who like attending weddings but don't want to shell out for a gift, interactive theatre fans suffering withdrawal now that Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding has come to a merciful end.


2009 WORLD POLICE AND FIRE GAMES
(July 31 to Aug. 9, various venues around the Lower Mainland)
www.2009wpfg.ca

What is it: International sporting event for firefighters and police, customs and corrections officers to let off some steam and show off their athletic prowess competing in over 65 events including rugby, ultimate fighting, karate and, um, darts.

Who is it for: Family and friends of competitors, people who have a thing for authority figures.


VELO-CITY: VANCOUVER AND THE BICYCLE REVOLUTION
(Until Sept. 7 at Museum of Vancouver)
www.museumofvancouver.ca

What is it: Exhibit curated by Propellor Design that delves into Vancouver's bicycle culture and how it's shaping the city we live in.

Who is it for: Bike enthusiasts, guilt-ridden automobile drivers, future ministers of transportation.

I will probably go on a slow day.


CARIBBEAN DAYS FESTIVAL
(July 25 and 26, Waterfront Park, North Vancouver)

www.caribbeandaysfestival.com

What is it: The Trinidad and Tabago Cultural Society of B.C. throw the year's biggest Caribbean party.

There is a Caribbean cruise the Sunday before the festival, a multicultural parade on Saturday at 10 a.m. leading down to Waterfront Park and a children's parade on Sunday, July 26.

But the big event is an outdoor dance fest at the Marketplace Plaza near the SeaBus when the festival shuts down at 7 p.m. on Saturday night. You'll be jammin' to two bands and two DJs playing salsa to reggae until 1 a.m.

Who is it for: Anyone who likes a good party in the sun with spicy food and steel drums.

POWELL STREET FESTIVAL
(Aug. 1 and 2, Woodland Park, 700 Woodland Dr.)
www.powellstreetfestival.com

What is it: The 33rd annual festival celebrating Japanese Canadian heritage and culture in Vancouver.

The festival has moved to a new location this year but will also include a bicycle valet so getting there is easy. Some events will happen at the Britannia Community Centre.

The theme of this year's festival is migration--across Canada, back to one's heritage and into new media.

Past festivals have included demonstrations on martial arts, Kokoro dance, concerts and of course, there's the food. Sushi, anyone?

Who is it for: Those with a yen for karate and tasty Japanese treats.


MUSICFEST VANCOUVER
(Aug. 2 to 16, various venues)
www.musicfestvancouver.ca

What is it: Formerly known as Festival Vancouver, MusicFest "explores the connections between cultures, centuries and people" featuring more than 50 classical, world music and jazz performers from Canada and around the world.

Who is it for: Anyone who knows what a lute is, concertgoers not burned out by the folk and jazz festivals.



SUMMER CINEMA IN THE PARKS
(Mondays at 9 p.m., Aug. 11 to 18 at Grandview, McSpadden and Victoria parks)
www.thedrive.ca/event_cinema.shtm

What is it: A chance to get out of the living room and lounge in Eastside parks, watching old movies.

The event is free but cash and food donations are being collected by the Vancouver Food Bank. It's presented by the Commercial Drive Business Association.

The schedule is:

Aug. 11, Grandview Park, Wizard of Oz

Aug. 18, McSpadden Park, E.T. the Extraterrestrial

Aug. 25, Victoria Park, Shrek

Who is it for: The kids. The babysitter. The overly cute couple with a beach blanket on hand.


UNDER THE VOLCANO
(Aug. 9, Whey-Ah Wichen / Cates Park in Deep Cove, North Vancouver)
www.volcano.resist.ca

What is it: Canada's largest political festival. A grassroots celebration of arts and activism, taking place where Malcolm Lowry wrote his famous novel, Under the Volcano. Which is not about the festival.

In its 19th year UTV still has free shuttles leaving from Broadway SkyTrain Station every half hour, so leave the car at home.

Admission is by donation. The suggested amounts range from $10 to 20.

This year's lineup hasn't been announced yet but Tegan and Sara and Kinnie Starr have played previous festivals.

Who is it for: People who like their music with a dose of social justice.

There are many other Vancouver events. These are just a few that one of my favorite local papers, the Vancouver Courier, posted that I thought were worth mentioning since I am considering going to a few of these. Let`s enjoy this beautiful city.

2009 Car Free Vancouver Day

Car Free Vancouver Day put on street parties at four areas in the city. I attended the Main Street event near my home and volunteered at the Commercial Drive event with barricades. Both of these events were well attended and it seemed that everyone was having a good time.

Scoring Big

I am really excited that the city officials are exploring how Vancouver can implement a bike sharing program. My family and I went to the seawall near Science World where Bixi has demonstration bicycles this weekend. Each bike station includes a pay station, bike docks, and bikes, and is equipped with solar panels that power the station. I tried one of the bikes and it was easy to ride. It was also very comfortable and the seat could be adjusted with breeze. Although the ride was smooth, the bike only has 3 speeds so I think its limited in range. Otherwise it was a pleasant experience. I also found out that these bikes are made in Quebec and if the city goes ahead with a bike sharing program they will be creating some Canadian manufacturing jobs. The demonstration ends tomorrow.

We also attended The Official Canadian Street Hockey Tournament, Play On! Vancouver, which took place nearby on Abbot Street near GM Place. It was lots of fun to watch. I even caught a glimpse of CBC news anchor Ian Hanomansing reporting his results at the tournament.

Death by Mangoes on the way to sunset!

It was another beautiful sunny day in Vancouver. My family decided to go to La Casa Gelato to cool down. La Casa Gelato has the best ice cream in Vancouver. They are located in the middle of nowhere but its worth the trip. We tried a lot of flavours including cotton candy, chocolate almond, lychee and my favourite Death by Mangoes. They have 218 flavours which makes any grown up feel like a kid again. They even have wasabi and curry! Try at your own risk.

After getting some ice cream, we went to Kitsilano Beach and finished the day watching the sun set behind the mountains.

Let's ride this heat out!

It's bike month and I have officially started to look for a new bike. I hope to get a bike that works well, was built to be fast, fits me well and is not expensive. Free would be even better. I am looking for inspiration and was thinking of visiting the Velo-City exhibit: Vancouver & the Bicycle Revolution at the Museum of Vancouver.

Vancouver’s human-powered revolution that's changing the way people experience and relate to the city, their neighborhoods, and to their own bodies.

The show opened today and runs until September 7, 2009. I enjoy taking the Translink because it allows me to read however I would like to be more physically active while doing mu part for the environment.