The Vancouver Whitecaps FC hosted its first MLS game at home last weekend at Empire Field. Although the opposing Toronto FC fans had a presence in the stands, it was quickly drowned out by the chants and cheers of Whitecaps fans. Photo credit: John Bollwitt The crowd of 23,000 on opening day was electric with […]

The other day I visited the UBC Archives after messaging back and forth with archivist Erwin Wodarczak, who runs the @UBCArchives Twitter account. Being a big fan of local history, and having previously visited the Vancouver Archives, I was excited to discover artifacts from their vaults and see what kind of resources were available for […]

Vancouver photographer Kris Krüg wrote to me this morning from Midway Atoll, one of the most remote places on the planet, to inform me about his latest project. Photo credit: kk+ on Flickr Kris is with his friend, artist & activist Chris Jordan, who has been to Midway several times and produced the images seen […]

UPDATE 2022: The Gassy Jack statue has been toppled during the Women’s Memorial March. UPDATE 2016: This is an important read: “Indigenous activists say the story of Gassy Jack is missing sordid details.” Captain John “Gassy Jack” Deighton is a local legend and namesake for the area of downtown Vancouver known as Gastown. The Gassy […]

It was on this day in 1985 that BC’s own Rick Hansen set off in his wheelchair to circumnavigate the globe to raise awareness of the potential of people with disabilities (in particular spinal cord injuries “SCI”). After 34 countries, four continents, and 40,000km in two years, the “Man in Motion” tour raised $26 million […]

On March 11th a series of earthquakes offshore shook Japan causing a devastating chain of events including a tsunami that permanently redefined the coastline. Thousands lost their lives and the country is still on high alert due to the instability of several nuclear power programs. From the Red Cross to Doctors Without Borders, many helpful […]

In 1972 Paul Henderson scored three of the most famous (and important) game winning goals in hockey history during the Summit Series including the one that won it all against Russia. This wasn’t just international play – it was Canada reclaiming hockey as its game, even from behind the Iron Curtain. Recently Mitchell Goldhar bought […]

Earlier this week I began a new series called “Vancouver Icons” that will combine information about famous city landmarks with a collection of photos I find on Flickr. When I first started blogging I wanted to showcase the lesser-known aspects of Vancouver life, history, and culture – helping people explore beyond the tourist traps and […]

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC will play host to Toronto FC this Saturday for their Major League Soccer home opener at Empire Field. This marks the third chapter in Vancouver soccer history. Starting in 1974, the Vancouver Whitecaps were a part of the North American Soccer League but the team (along with others in the league) […]

Yesterday I was invited up to Hester Creek Winery in Oliver (at the Southern tip of the Okanagan) to tour their facilities, meet their winemaker, and learn more about their vineyards. While I am very familiar with the brand (and they have also been generous sponsors of the last two Twestival events I have organized) […]