Canada’s best-known improvisor, Colin Mochrie, will team up with Vancouver TheatreSports League (“VTSL”) next month for two delightfully side-splitting shows: Up Close and Personal with Colin Mochrie and Guests. Each show will feature improvised sketches and TheatreSports games based on audience suggestions to spur the comedic action.

What: Up Close and Personal with Colin Mochrie and Guests
Where: Performance Works (1218 Cartwright St. Granville Island)
When: Friday, October 3, 2014 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm
Tickets: Available now for $60 and $75.

This was originally a one night only event however, once October 4th show completely sold out so they added two more on October 3rd. Proceeds from “Up Close and Personal with Colin Mochrie and Guests” will support VTSL’s community programming, along with The Improv Comedy Institute, the brand new educational division of Vancouver TheatreSports™, opening in October.

Vancouver TheatreSports™ League is now a local institution and a worldwide phenomenon, producing and staging some of the most daring and innovative improv in the world. Boasting six International Improv Comedy Awards and having starred in several television specials, Vancouver TheatreSports™ League performs to more than 60,000 enthusiasts yearly, five nights a week, 52 weeks a year.

A night out with VTSL usually means that your cheeks will hurt from smiling and you’ll literally “LOL”. When you add Colin Mochrie to the mix I’m certain you’ll enjoy some hilariously creative, quality, local entertainment.

Colin is an alumnus of both VTSL and Toronto’s Second City comedy troupes and he was a regular on both the British and American versions of Whose Line Is It Anyway. He is currently on a popular North American improv tour with his former Whose Line Is It Anyway cast mate, Brad Sherwood.

Win Tickets

VTSL has offered up a pair of tickets to the 7:30pm show on Friday, October 3, 2014. Here’s how you can enter to win:

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

Follow Vancouver TheatreSports League on Facebook and Twitter for more information. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, September 19, 2014.

Update The winner is Gary!

Seattle-based Death Cab for Cutie had an out-of-this-world set at the Rifflandia festival in Victoria this past Saturday night when a meteor streaked through the sky during their performance of Long Division. John and I had just left the photo pit and camped out in the back of the enthralled audience when the shooting star appeared in the dimming night sky, to the left of the stage. No one was sure what they saw but they knew it was magical.

Meteor Over Rifflandia in Victoria

The following video captures the moment within the first few seconds:

Death Cab for Cutie continued their set uninterrupted but for many in the crowd at Royal Athletic Park, it capped off a pretty momentous evening as this was the last time co-founder and guitarist Chris Walla would play with the band. Walla announced his departure in August of this year.

Reports of the meteor, that glowed green for several seconds as it crossed the sky, was visible up and down the Pacific Northwest coast, from Gabriola Island to Albany, Oregon.

Our full coverage from the Rifflandia festival in Victoria, with my recaps and John’s photos will be available this week. Hat tip to Steffani Cameron for locating this video.

This post has been contributed by Don Enright, Volunteer and Past President with the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”). I have been following SPES since I moved into the West End almost a decade ago and I have been a member for two years. I wanted to offer the team an opportunity to share their news, events, and work so I have created “SPES Saturday” where they contribute and share stories with my audience once a month.

The Birds of Winter: Just One More Reason to Love Stanley Park

As Vancouverites, we’re accustomed to being the envy of Canada as winter approaches. One might even accuse us of being a bit smug about it. Six inches of snow in Calgary and it’s only September? “Oh, what a shame,” we say, sipping cocktails by the bay. “We can’t wait for December when the lawns green up again.”

Varied thrush. Photo by Don Enright.

One of the least-known perks of the Vancouver winter? We’re probably the only place in Canada (along with Vancouver Island) where the bird watching is actually better in winter than in summer. Our mild temperatures and rich coastal habitats are like a magnet to seabirds and songbirds, who flock here by the thousands to take refuge from the nasty Canadian winter. And Stanley Park is one of the best places in the region to witness it all.

Lost Lagoon is a good place to start your winter birdwatching. Great blue herons poke patiently along the shore, as hundreds of ducks—scaups, ring-necked ducks and American wigeons, among others—take advantage of the open fresh water. The ducks are quite tame, and can be a lot of fun to photograph. But do resist the urge to feed them; they’re far healthier when left to make out their own natural diet.

Great blue heron. Photo by Don Enright.

Make your way to the concrete bridge on the western edge of the lagoon, and you’ll see an amazing variety of songbirds taking shelter in the salmonberry bushes. A favourite among birdwatchers is the golden-crowned sparrow, with its plaintive “oh dear meeee” song. Chestnut-backed chickadees, spotted towhees and white-crowned sparrows complete the picture, all of them keeping a nervous eye out for the Cooper’s hawks that patrol from the Nature House all the way over to Cathedral Trail.

Golden-crowned sparrow, Lost Lagoon. Photo by Don Enright.

Speaking of Cathedral Trail, a lucky and patient observer might spot the barred owls that nest in the area in late winter. Their booming “who cooks for youuuu” call echoes through the quiet rainforest, particularly in late afternoon as they begin to stir for the night’s hunt.

Barred owl. Photo by Don Enright.

Of all our winter birds, the Anna’s hummingbird just might be the coolest, in more ways than one. Yes, there is a hummingbird that spends the long dark stormy winter right here in Vancouver. How does it survive? It goes into torpor. Its body temperature and heartbeat plummet at night—it’s sort of a mini-hibernation that lasts until the sun rises again in the morning. The Anna’s was originally a bird of the American southwest, but started expanding its range in the last fifty years as more people started planting winter gardens and hanging nectar feeders. Look for this little dynamo near the Nature House at Lost Lagoon, near the Stanley Park Pavilion, and around the Park Board offices.

Anna’s hummingbird. Photo by Don Enright.

One of the real spectacles of late fall and early winter are the huge flocks of ducks that feed on clams and mussels in the sea bays around Stanley Park. As you walk or cycle around the seawall, look for these tremendous rafts of ducks, busily diving like thousands of little synchronized swimmers. The black ones with the white mullet hairdos are surf scoters; the fancy black and white ones are Barrow’s goldeneyes. The waters of English Bay and Burrard Inlet have recently been designated Important Bird Areas in recognition of their role in the winter survival of these birds.

Surf scoters, English Bay. Photo by Don Enright.

And as you’re watching the ducks, keep your eyes peeled for the graceful, long-necked western grebe. These beauties used to winter here by the thousands, but have all but disappeared in the last ten years or so. Nobody is quite sure why they have declined here, or what is required to bring their numbers back.

Western grebe. Photo by Don Enright.

Monitoring our winter birds, and raising the alarm when their numbers drop, is the work of the Stanley Park Ecology Society and its tireless volunteers. If you’re interested in getting involved, or just learning a bit more about the rich and beautiful bird life of Stanley Park, stop by our Nature House or drop us an email.

Staying connected with the wild things of Stanley Park is just one more way to enjoy the beauty of life in Vancouver, even during the long wet winter.

Canada is hosting the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and Vancouver will play a big role with matches — including the final — hosted at BC Place. Ticket passports are now on sale for multiple games at each of the host cities: Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa, and Moncton.

Ticket Sales Timeline

• September 10, 2014 to December 5, 2014: Stadium Passports and Stadium Half Passports on sale.
• December 6, 2014 to Early 2015: Stadium Passports and Stadium Half Passports on sale with seat selection. Official tournament draw takes place December 6, 2014.
• Early 2015 to Late Spring 2015: Individual tickets go on sale with exclusive pre-sale windows.
• Late Spring to July 2015: Individual tickets on sale with online purchase options and venue ticket window purchase options.

Ticket Passports

Stadium Passports and Stadium Half Passports: Fan can purchase passports for host stadiums that will earn them access to all or half of the games at a particular venue, while also granting first-come, first-serve access tickets to the final in Vancouver at time of purchase. Stadium Passports are available for each venue and Stadium Half Passports will only be available for Vancouver (BC Place), Edmonton (Commonwealth Stadium), and Montreal (Olympic Stadium).

Groups and Clubs: For ticket orders of 11 or more, groups and clubs will be given access to discounts as well as cash-back incentives, and the chance to be involved in the tournament’s youth program.

The first match day in Vancouver, at BC Place, is June 8th and Vancouver will host the final match on July 5th with plenty of action in between. Purchasing a Stadium Passport for Vancouver means you get 6 tickets for 8 matches, starting at $185. Stadium Half Passes give you 3 tickets for 4 matches, starting at $80.

For more information follow the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Twitter and Facebook, as well as the Canadian Women’s National Team on Twitter and Facebook as they gear up for this epic tournament.

Culture Days is an annual, national, three day celebration where Canadians are encouraged to participate in free and interactive activities to discover their cultural spirit and passion. Here in BC, there are 449 events and activities listed on the Culture Days calendar between September 26th and 28th and a provincial launch event will take place in Surrey.

Featured BC Culture Days Events

What: BC Culture Days Provincial Launch​ ​
When: Thursday, September 25, 2015 from 11:00am to 1:00pm
Where: Surrey City Hall, Centre Stage, 13450 104th Ave
Details: Presented in partnership with the City of Surrey, Surrey Arts Centre, and Surrey Libraries. Everyone is invited to join in this free public community celebration featuring:

• Christopher Gaze, Artistic Director of Bard on the Beach as emcee
• Performances by Country singer Lisa Brokop, Spirit of the West’s John Mann, Surrey City Orchestra, Praise Team (hip hop dance troupe), and Heritage Re-enactors
• A cultural forecast by CTV’s Marke Driesschen and speakers Sal Ferreras, Provost and Vice President Academic at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Lucille Pacey, President and CEO of Arts Umbrella
• Evelyn Roth’s inflatable salmon installation & storytelling, a poetry reading by Rawle Iam James, 2014 BC Culture Days Ambassador, onsite sketching by Elizabeth Hollick and painting activities presented by the South Surrey/ White Rock Society
• Enjoy lunch from food trucks and more

Abbotsford

What: Arts and Culture Youth Party
When: Friday, September 26, 2014 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Where: AYC Youth Centre at MRC and AYC Youth Centre at ARC, 2499 McMillan Road
Details: Youth ages 12 to 18 can join the Abbotsford Youth Commission in creating art installations for their youth centres. Free food and free fun.

Kelowna

What: Culture Days Street Festival at 312 Bernard Ave
When: Friday, September 26 (6:00pm to 11:00pm); Saturday, September 27 (11:00am to 10:00pm), Sunday, September 28 (11:00am to 5:00pm)