Harley Davidson presents Precious Metal next week at the Salt Building in the Village on False Creek with proceeds going to Rethink Breast Cancer, an innovative charity bringing awareness about breast cancer to young people.

Happening Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 6:00pm, the fundraiser will be hosted by Nira Aurora from The Beat 94.5 and Shaw TV’s Fiona Forbes. It will have fashion, fine foods, live music, a Le Creuset cooking station with live demos from Chef Tina Fineza and delicious treats from Roaming Dragon.

“This night is all about celebrating strong and unique young women as well as raising awareness of breast cancer among women under 40.” Says Karen Mayberry of Harley-Davidson®. “What Rethink Breast Cancer does–fostering awareness & supporting young women in their fight against breast cancer–is something we wholeheartedly support.” [source]

Tickets are $50 for the whole night of food and fun, for a cause — it’s the perfect “ladies night” opportunity for you and your best gal pals. If you would like to attend, I also have a pair to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• 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 on Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at 10:00am. Update The winner is Sherry F!

A few years ago I began a “Before and After” series where I would compare photos from the Vancouver Archives with Google Map locations today. It featured old buildings that were still standing, stores that used to be hotels in Vancouver’s formative years, and glass towers in the place of old theatres. Vancouver is a fairly ‘young’ city on a global scale but there still is much modern history to be absorbed and recognized.

Jeremy Hood took the “Vancouver Then and Now” concept to a whole other level, snapping up his own photos of specific locations throughout the city. I profiled his elaborate efforts back in 2010 and now he’s partnered up to make a mobile app just for “Then and Now” images.

Developed by My City Before (who also has Then and Now apps for Barcelona, Paris, Montreal, Nantes, and Metz) the app is available for iPhone and Android for $1.99.

iPhone Application Now Available in the App Store

The app seems ideal for being out-and-about, checking out where you are on the map and being alerted of nearby “Then and Now” locations. From home, where I didn’t want to input my current location, the app kept giving me a pop-up error. After appearing about 4 times, it finally went away and I was able to browse the images and pin-points on the map without entering my own location first.

The “superpose to reality” feature is great for those who want to explore on their own and instantly get a “then” photo to match the “now” that’s right in front of them. It’s sort of like the Monocle feature on the Yelp app. I’ll probably use the app next time I’m out for a walk or to create a little tour.

iPhone Application Now Available in the App Store

If you don’t want to spend two dollars, follow the Changing Vancouver Then and Now website by local historians Andy Coupland and John Atkin. There’s also History Pin where anyone can add their own images to a map of Vancouver.

I have a bit of an affinity for historic places, museums, and walking tours thanks to family outings as a child and treasures like Fort Langley. On a recent media trip to Whatcom County in Washington State one of our stops was at Pioneer Park in Ferndale, home to a collection of eleven pioneer log cabins.

Pioneer Park was created from 4 acres of uncut Western Red Cedar trees purchased by the Whatcom Old Settlers Association in 1901 for the purpose of holding its annual pioneer picnic, a continuing tradition that is today considered one of the oldest celebrations of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. In 1925, a dance hall building and a headquarters building were constructed at the entrance to the park. [Ferndale Heritage Society]

With an interest in preserving local pioneer history, the Old Settlers Association has gradually moved abandoned pioneer structures to the park beginning in 1935. The slab cedar houses at Pioneer Park, built in the late 1800s, have all been relocated here from their original sites of construction at various locations around Whatcom County. Today these preserved cabins are the most important assemblage of this distinctive regional style of rustic pioneer architecture. [Ferndale Heritage Society]

Sitting along the Nooksack River the cabins have been strategically placed to form a village of sorts, including a Post Office, General Store, School House, homes, and more. Greeted by costumed guides, visitors can get a glimpse at pioneer life (tours are just $5 for adults, $3 for kids) and enjoy special heritage-themed events throughout the year.

Pioneer Park is located in Ferndale, Washington just off exit 262 of the I-5 highway and across the river from the Hovander Homestead. It’s only about one hour from Vancouver and just 15-20 minutes from the border crossing.

Follow @CityofFerndale or @WhatcomCounty on Twitter for more information about Pioneer Park and other parks in the region. Read more about Whatcom Country parks and attractions by following my tag: Whatcom.

Before you get to Whistler to enjoy the shopping, outdoor recreation, and cuisine, you’ll first come across the Creekside community along the Sea to Sky. Home to some Olympic and Paralympic alpine events during the Vancouver 2010 Games, families love the local restaurants and the activities you can enjoy along a string of fresh lakes.

Located between Alta Lake and Alpha Lake in Creekside, Nita Lake Lodge sits along the wooded shores of quaint little Nita Lake. The only hustle and bustle you’ll find at this seemingly secluded refuge is from the nearby walking and cycling trails. Paddles from stand-up boards and canoes break the glassy surface of the water as you sit out on the balcony of your room or enjoy a glass of wine on the lodge’s patio.

On a recent trip with media, I discovered the laid-back pace at Nita Lake and the fresh, local, mindful ingredients they use at their dining establishments.

On the patio at Cure

The boutique hotel with 77 cozy suites has plenty of options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Fix Cafe is great for a morning coffee, pastry, or breakfast sandwich. Cure Lounge‘s lakeside patio is ideal for fresh summer salads and a craft cocktail. Aura Restaurant offers a full menu with an extensive BC wine list that will satisfy every craving at dinner time.

North Arm Farm White Sunchoke & Potato Soup
Black Garlic Cream, Roasted Bread Crumbs

Grilled Bison Flat-Iron Steak with Turnip & Spring Onion Churros
Beat and Bacon Salad, Arugula Black Pepper Jus
(one of the best salads I’ve had this summer)

(Left) Cedar Sour cocktail
(actually tasted like roasted wood, evoking memories and warm fuzzy feelings)
(Right) Ice Cream Sandwich (giant macaron with chocolate mousse)

I stayed overnight in a studio suite, which was very spacious at about 500 square feet and our group toured the hotel to check out a few of the other rooms. Layouts included the impressive Rainforest Suite and Glade Suites which we heard were ideal for large families, events, and honeymoons.

There are soaker tubs in every room, free WIFI, flat screen televisions, hidden mini bars, and iPod alarm clock docks. The only thing missing is a full kitchen however the sinks and fridge plus all of the dining options in the lodge will leave you with plenty of options. A breakfast credit is also given at time of booking online or by phone. Rates right now (looking online today) start at just $149 a night.

I love boutique hotels and what impressed me the most about Nita Lake Lodge was how spacious it was, how beautifully it stood between mountain slopes and the lake, the free WIFI (still, this is always a bonus), the dining options, and the knowledge of our server at Aura Restaurant. She could tell us which farm our vegetables came from and the backstory of almost every Okanagan winemaker.

You’ll be outside of Whistler Village but Nita Lake has a free shuttle that can take you into town for the day and pick up you again. You can head out and do a TreeTrek Tour or the Peak 2 Peak, or stay in your room enjoying the tub and the views. Follow NitaLakeLodge on Twitter for packages, information, and the latest news from the lodge.

Until August 18, 2012 you can book a full summer getaway package from $659 per person that includes round-trip rail journey onboard Rocky Mountaineer’s bi-level dome on the Whistler Sea to Sky Climb from Vancouver, a $180 food credit for Aura Restaurant, a one-hour paddle boarding session with REO Rafting on Nita Lake, and two nights accommodation at Nita Lake Lodge.

This week I have gone back to school, kind of. The world-renown Vancouver Film School has invited me into their Summer Intensives classes, which are brief crash-courses, each representing a slice of a full multi-month program and course load. The intensives run for eight hours, five days this week and should they desire, students can then sign up for the full program in the fall. I’m getting a sneak peek (a few hours a day) in a different Summer Intensive each day this week. My course on Tuesday was Voice & Movement for Actors.

Introduction

View from the VFS campus on Hastings

As today was the second day of class for those participating in the Summer Intensives, there was no rundown of course content or introduction to all of the instructors. Instead I walked up to the 7th floor of the campus at 182 West Hastings and got right to work.

The class was lead by Adam Henderson, whom everyone was meeting for the first time. From what I gathered during the “what did you learn yesterday” question period, students had some time in front of the camera, did some improvisation, and already formed a bond between them. One student who appeared to be a bit timid said that after the first day, he was more comfortable with everyone and ready to break out of his shell. By the way the group interacted and inquired about one another’s ambitions, goals, and experience, you could tell they were becoming a supportive unit.

Participation

I wasn’t a fly on the wall for this class, I was fully immersed — stretching my shoulders, groaning, and literally clowning around with the other students. To pull out a random reference… it’s like that episode of Friends when Monica and Rachel are at a dance studio spying on a woman who stole — and is using — Monica’s credit cards. They position themselves at the back of the room and when the instructor asks what they’re doing they say they’re just observing. She replies: “You don’t observe a dance class, you dance a dance class!” So abandoned my notebook on the floor and acted, in the acting class. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩