Vexillologists rejoice! Long before Dr. Sheldon Cooper had Fun with Flags on the hit series, The Big Bang Theory, Susan Braverman’s mother, Doreen Braverman, founded The Flag Shop in Vancouver back in 1975. Susan, now the President of Textile Image and The Flag Shop, recently invited media to the leading manufacturer in Canada for flags leading up to the 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag.

“We have all experienced the emotion and overwhelming sense of pride that occurs when the Canada flag is displayed for all to see. It is the symbol of Canada that brings us together as a country!” ~ Susan Braverman

The Flag Shop was the first retail flag shop in the world and all of their locations across Canada make their flags in-house.

I popped into the shop at 1615 Powell Street to browse the flag selection and chat with Hanna, who has been making flags since 1978. With the sounds of a sewing machine rumbling away in the background, she walked me through the process of making durable and strong Canadian flags, starting with the maple leaf appliqué which gets sewn onto a centre panel.

Unravelling folds of a newly finished flag, I was introduced to details such as ropes and toggles, velcro, grommets, sleeves, and extra stitching on the fly end.

The process has changed a lot in the last forty years, Hanna told me as she pointed to a giant frame for screen printing the Canadian flag that hung from the workshop’s rafters. These days someone can simply email you a file, with a high enough dpi, and they can turn it into a high-quality flag or banner. Even still, there is a lot of skill involved, especially when it comes to making a product that’s durable, and rendered correctly really large scales.

You can shop online and in-store for flags and banners of all shapes and sizes, for provinces and states, countries of the world, Vancouver 2010 Olympic flags, sports team flags (like these awesome new Whitecaps FC flags), pride flags, and more. It’s also the only place in Canada that you’ll find the transgender flag.

Today only, you can pick up a 3′ X 6′ appliqué sewn Canada flag for just $50 ahead of the 50th anniversary of the maple leaf flag we know and love, happening on February 15th.

100% Canadian owned with headquarters on Powell Street in Vancouver, The Flag Shop currently has 13 locations from coast to coast across Canada. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook for more information, and all of your flag needs!

Free skating, a wellness show, an adventurous film festival, a golf show, a comedy festival, romantic dinners, dancing, and movies are all happening around Metro Vancouver this weekend.

John and I will be spending Valentine’s Day with Variety BC as I sponsor the Social Lounge at the Show of Hearts Telethon, broadcast on Global this Saturday night and all day Sunday. You’ll also find me on the phone lines on Sunday around 11:00am and please tune in the rest of the weekend to support kids with special needs in BC.

Photo credit: lens gazer on Flickr

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend

Events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green below.

Friday, February 13, 2015
Sponsored by Miss604: Late Night Movie at the Rio Theatre
Say Hi to a Stranger Weekend
A Night of Bowie: The Definitive Bowie Experience, Surrey
Transforming Society: 5 Wild Ideas for a Better Future
Transforming Society: 5 Wild Ideas For A Better Future #wildideas
Movies at Market: Chocolat
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival – VIMFF
Vancouver Wellness Show
Staircase Theatre: Love Letters by AR Gurney
Small Stage Point 5 – The Valentine’s Edition
Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival: Various Locations
Free Skating at Robson Square Ice Rink
Northwest Comedy Fest

Saturday, February 14, 2015
Sponsored by Miss604: Social Lounge at the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon on Global
VanDusen Garden Valentine’s Picnic
Valentine’s Dinner & Wine Pairing at The Belmont
Vancouver Shogi Club (Japanese Chess)
#HeartsUnlocked Speed Dating + Social Cocktails
Vegetarian Supper Club Series
Valentine’s Dinner at Café Medina
Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, Surrey
Vancouver Golf Show
Early Music Vancouver: G.F. Handel’S Theodora
Movies at Market: Chocolat
Hockey Day in South Delta
Winter Farmers Market
Staircase Theatre: Love Letters by AR Gurney
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival – VIMFF
Vancouver Wellness Show
Say Hi to a Stranger Weekend
Small Stage Point 5 – The Valentine’s Edition
Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival: Various Locations
Free Skating at Robson Square Ice Rink
Northwest Comedy Fest

Sunday, February 15, 2015
Sponsored by Miss604: Social Lounge at the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon on Global
Winter Games Legacy Celebration
Vancouver Golf Show
Belly Dance Show, Langley
Koerner Quartet
Sailboats painting pARTy
ZHOOSH Sunday Series – Health & Fitness Seminars
Weaving with Invasive Plants and Garden Waste Workshop
Terri Lyne Carrington’s Mosaic Project and Cécile McLorin Salvant
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival – VIMFF
Vancouver Wellness Show
Say Hi to a Stranger Weekend
Small Stage Point 5 – The Valentine’s Edition
Free Skating at Robson Square Ice Rink
Northwest Comedy Fest

View the full monthly event list to plan ahead at any time. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for frequent updates about local events and community happenings.

Known as the Best Place to be on a Rainy Saturday, the Vancouver Farmers Market winter edition at Nat Bailey Stadium is hosting Food Truck February, bringing in the city’s best food trucks to compliment the seasonal offerings at the market.

Photo credit: Ruth Hartnup on Flickr

Food Truck February at Vancouver Farmers Market

Every truck will be challenged to create a delicious new Market Menu item using market products. Shoppers will decide who does it best. The trucks will submit sources for their Market Menu item ingredients and the winner is the one who uses the most ingredients from the farmers market.

Snap a shot of you at the market digging into your favourite Market Menu item and tag @vanmarkets and #foodtruckfeb. Every week they’ll pick a lucky winner of a Winter Market Survival Kit that includes a colourful Vancouver Farmers Market toque, umbrella and cozy coffee mug.

The winter market runs through April 25th, every Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm at Nat Bailey Stadium (4601 Ontario St). On February 14th and 28th the market will be across the street from Nat Bailey at Riley Park. For more information follow Vancouver Farmers Markets on Facebook and Twitter.

Grab a cup of hot chocolate, take your sweetheart’s hand, and enjoy a full day of romantic music at the Robson Square ice rink as Downtown Vancouver’s favourite free wintertime activity hosts a Valentine’s Day celebration on Saturday, February 14, 2015.

Photo credit: Tim Shields on Flickr

Valentine’s Day at Robson Square Ice Rink

From 9:00am to 11:00pm romantic music will be the soundtrack for skaters at the Robson Square ice rink. The UBC Heart and Stroke Foundation Club will be providing hot chocolate by donation, and will accompanied by “Hearty” their mascot between 11:00am and 5:00pm.

Officiant Shawn Miller of Young, Hip and Married will also perform complimentary marriages and vow renewals between 2:00pm and 4:00pm! For marriages, all you need to do is bring your marriage license and services will be performed on a first come, first served basis.

It’s always free to skate at the Robson Square ice rink and skate rentals are available for $4.

One of the best things about living in Vancouver is the access the city gives us to the mountains, sea, and valleys nearby, including reasonable and reachable quick getaway destinations like Harrison Hot Springs. This is where you’ll find beautiful, natural settings and indulgent spa treatments within 90 minutes of eastbound travel on the highway.

Harrison Hot Springs Romance Package

Create a love affair to remember with a romantic British Columbia couples’ vacation package at Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa. Nestled among beautiful snowcapped peaks and tranquil lakes, the resort features everything you’ll need to create lasting memories.

Enjoy a side-by-side massage in the Healing Springs Spa, indulge in an evening of dinner and dancing at The Copper Room, relax in the hot springs pools, and wake up to a lazy breakfast.

Enter to Win

This is all a part of the Romance Package at Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa, and they’re giving one of these packages away to a very lucky Miss604 reader.

Prize includes:

• One nights’ East Tower accommodations^*
• One Couple’s Massage at Healing Springs Spa
• Breakfast for two in the Lakeside Café
• Three Course Dinner for two in The Copper Room
• In-room amenity

How you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

Follow Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their seasonal specials and packages. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, February 20, 2015.

^*Based on availability. Prize must be booked and used between Sunday to Thursday (except for holidays) by April 30, 2015.

Update The winner is Dan!