In Canada, little else can wake a nation from its cozy winter slumber — coast, to coast, to coast — like hockey. At 3:45am Pacific Time sleepy selfies were popping up online as young and old put on their toques, turned on the TV, and cheered for Canada. Social media connected us all and hockey made us one.
Kyle Wagner of Deadspin: “People spend their whole lives looking for something to love like Canadians love hockey.”
We weren’t Vancouver versus Toronto or the Canucks against the Blackhawks. If it takes an international tournament every 4 years to remind us of that unity, so be it, because this morning’s camaraderie and support for our nation was the stuff of which indelible memories are made.
Photo credit:
kougar on Flickr
220 Olympians in 14 sports, with 25 medals. From individual victories to team triumphs for both men and women, Canada has had an amazing showing at the Sochi 2014 Olympics as athletes performed with incredible passion and made our country proud.
https://twitter.com/CanuckTennisFan/status/433624429407383552
Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse will carry our flag at the Closing Ceremony today and once you’ve recovered from the early morning hockey wake-up call, head down to Jack Poole Plaza downtown. The Vancouver cauldron will be re-lit from 4:00pm to 8:00pm to celebrate all of Canada’s achievements at the Games.
In Vancouver, we know what it takes to make an Olympic experience happen so here’s to the volunteers, CBC Olympics broadcast team, athletes, players, and Canadian Olympic Team staff at Sochi 2014.
And remember, tune in to the Paralympics March 7th to March 16th, 2014!
Most of us have been glued to our televisions and mobile devices watching Canadian athletes giving it their all this winter and Udi’s Healthy Foods wants to enhance your viewing experience by offering up some of their tasty gluten free snacks. Their motto is “eat well, smile often” which means if you’re gluten free, you don’t need to waste another bite on bland, crumbly, and tasteless food.
Udi’s products are available all over North America and in Vancouver you can find them at Choices Markets, Save-On-Foods, Safeway, IGA, Ed’s Gluten Free Specialty, Green’s Market, Drive Organics, Famous Foods, Donald’s Market and Killarney Market.
Given the response of my last giveaway with Udi’s in September, I was happy to come on board and offer up another. To keep you fuelled this season, I have a Winter Sports Snack Pack Giveaway from Udi’s that includes:
- Ancient Grains Crisps – Simply Sea Salt
- Ancient Grains Crisps – Jalapeno & Cheddar
- Maple Pecan & Chocolate Chip Soft-Baked Cookies
- Salted Caramel Cashew Soft-Baked Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
Whether it’s part of your diet already or you would like to give gluten free a try, here’s how you can enter to win this Udi’s prize pack:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, February 27, 2014. Follow Udi’s on Twitter and Facebook to find out more about their product line and where it can be purchased around Vancouver.
Update The winner is Ben!
On Thursday night Ballet BC, in collaboration with Turning Point Ensemble, presented the first of three performances of Grace Symmetry at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The performance features live music by Turning Point Ensemble, a local chamber ensemble whose repertoire specializes in music composed in the past 100 years and who is known for its collaborations in interdisciplinary productions.
Alexis Fletcher and Gilbert Small. Photo by Michael Slobodian for Ballet BC.
Grace Symmetry includes world premieres by Kevin O’Day and Medhi Walerski, plus the return of In Motion by Wen Wei Wang, an audience favourite from the 2010/11 dance season, which was my favourite piece of the evening.
In Motion had the musicians from Turning Point Ensemble, dressed in black, sharing the stage with the dancers. Either behind a transparent scrim and or occasionally emerging to play right next to dancers, the musicians’ presence added to shapes, lines, and dimensions to the piece in a transcendent way with Conductor Owen Underhill’s arms swaying up and down, the line of a clarinet, the shape and sound of a violin.
In Prelude, James Proudfoot’s spectacularly spartan and brutalist lighting design drove the piece and the lights literally moved down onto the dancers as the piece progressed, creating an oppressive force on them, having them submitting to what was above. I loved the uniformed costume design by Kim Nielson in this piece–all the dancers had a sheer nude top on and both men and women looked as they were topless. Darren Devaney’s solo was just spectacular, rolling his abs and contorting his body in ways that would normally would look ugly if anyone else did it, but somehow he made it absolutely exquisite.
Unfortunately, due to Peter Smida suddenly falling ill after Prelude, Here On End had to be completely reworked and re-spaced during the intermission and as a result lacked unity and a polished quality. However, it is my understanding that he will be back for the next performance and if not, I’m sure that Ballet BC will add grace and symmetry to the piece by tonight’s performance. I only wish I could go back tonight.
Tickets for Grace Symmetry‘s final performance tonight can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 1-855-985-2787(855-985-ARTS) or online at ticketmaster.ca and range in price from $22.25 to $70.00 (plus service charges).
Follow Ballet BC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.
It took several days for Vancouver to involve its Olympic cauldron in Sochi 2014 celebrations but since it fired back up again on February 12th, it’s been re-lit every evening at 6:00pm when Canada wins a gold medal in competition that day. Tonight it will be lit thanks to our gold medals in Ski Cross (Marielle Thompson) and Men’s Curling (Brad Jacobs and his rink), and it will burn for about 2 hours.
Photo credit: on Flickr
Bring the family, sing O Canada and get a healthy dose of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and patriotism as we near the end of the Games.
As of Day 14, Canada has won gold in women’s ice hockey, women’s bobsleigh, ladies’ short track relay, men’s and women’s curling, men’s and ladies’ moguls, ladies’ slopestyle ski, and ladies’ ski cross.
Cauldron to be lit Sunday, February 23rd
The Vancouver Convention Centre has confirmed that the cauldron will be lit Sunday, February 23rd: “To celebrate Team Canada’s tremendous success at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Vancouver’s Olympic Cauldron will be re-lit on Sunday, February 23rd.
The lighting will take place in the morning following the conclusion of the final sporting event through to the end of the Closing Ceremony. In addition, the Cauldron will be re-lit from 4pm to 8pm. Join us in singing our national anthem at 4pm on the Jack Poole Plaza. Go Canada!”
The Vancouver International Wine Festival, presented by The Vancouver Sun, runs February 24th until March 2nd, 2014 taking place at venues across downtown Vancouver.
From the Acura International Festival Tasting Room and Gold Pass Tasting Lounge to the Bacchanalia Gala, wine seminars, minglers, winery dinners, lunches, brunches, and grazings, it’s the schedule is packed and almost everything is already sold out. There are a few tickets left to some of the lunches and tastings but you had better act fast!
The Vancouver International Wine Festival is Canada’s premier food & wine event and it has three mandates: to provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; to be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and festival partners; and to raise funds for the Bard on the Beach Theatre Society.
Vancouver International Wine Festival Contest
Thanks to Acura Canada as well as Wine Australia I have two pairs of coveted tickets to give away to the following events. Leave a comment on this post or copy/paste the text below to enter to win ticket to the event of your choice via Twitter.
Acura International Festival Tasting Room
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre West (1055 Canada Place)
What: Acura International Festival Tasting Room: If you attend only one of the festival’s 54 events, make it an International Festival Tasting. The Vancouver International Wine Festival is widely regarded as the best consumer wine show on the continent, and the Acura International Festival Tasting Room is the heart of it. You’ll find 780+ wines organized by 14 countries, starting with featured country France.
When: Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Tickets: $89 for Thursday, February 27th from 7:00pm to 10:00pm (Friday and Saturday nights sold out)
When: Saturday, March 1, 2014 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm (contest prize is for this event)
Tickets: $68 for Saturday afternoon
Life of Pie: Grazing Lunch
Where: Loungeworks (130 West 4th Ave)
What: Life of Pie: Take your taste buds on a trip Down Under with Australia’s favourite exports: wine and pie! Sample the delights of a national food staple, the hearty meat pie (vegetarian too), and pair it with Australia’s top drops. Expect a healthy dose of Aussie humour from wine personalities while they keep your glass full.
When: Saturday, March 1st, 2014 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm
Tickets: Buy tickets online or call (604) 873-3311
I will draw two winners (1 for Saturday afternoon Life of Pie and 1 for Saturday afternoon Acura International Tasting Room) at 5:00pm on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. Must be legal drinking age to enter, win, and attend. Please enjoy responsibly.
Update The winners are @LynIsIn (Acura Tasting Room) + Brent (Life of Pie)
