The Urban Tea Merchant

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt
Disclosure: Review — My tea service was compliments of Urban Tea Merchant. I was not paid to write this post, nor was coverage expected. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

The Urban Tea Merchant is a take-out cafe, retail store, tea sampling salon, and tea room all in one. Located between Alberni and Georgia streets, this one-stop tea shop exclusively offers luxury TWG teas and tea-infused treats.

Urban Tea Merchant Urban Tea Merchant

Urban Tea Merchant

The Urban Tea Merchant is a family-owned business with all members being very active in every facet of providing tea to the masses in downtown Vancouver. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Cures for Kids Making Magic Show 2012

Comments 31 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Cures for Kids Making Magic ShowCures for Kids presents their 3rd annual Making Magic Show on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at the River Rock in partnership with Boston Pizza and the Boston Pizza Foundation.

The festivities start at 1:30pm as families and children of all ages enjoy carnival treats, an interactive learning centre, a dress-up photobooth, face painting, and the main event – the magic show which will begin at 3:00pm.

Internationally acclaimed artists, Trevor and Lorena Watters, will be accompanied by other talented performers as they dazzle with laughter, music, and illusions. The afternoon will be hosted by CTV’s Michael Kuss.

Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster for $15.00 (plus fees) and proceeds benefit Cures for Kids.

Last year, I interviewed Cures for Kids’ founder Perri Tutelman who started the organization and was named one of BC’s “Top 20 Under 20” in 2009:

Already a volunteer at Canuck Place, she wanted to do more. “I told myself can do more than being a physical help once a week for 4 hours,” Perri told me during our telephone chat last week. “I do it all because I love to do it – and my age isn’t an obstacle, it just pushes me further.”

Cures for Kids currently supports pediatric health research projects at UBC and the BC Children’s Hospital, with plans to go national in the future. With the support of traditional media and social networking (Twitter & Facebook), word is spreading quickly about this initiative. Perri’s goal is to finish up high school and continue her studies to become a doctor in pediatrics. “I want to be helping kids no matter what.”

Cures for Kids has offered up a 4-pack of tickets to the Making Magic Show for a Miss604 reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:

  • Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win 4 tickets to @CuresforKids #MakingMagic2012 from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/b3vIi

I will draw one winner next Monday, May 28, 2012 at 10:00am. Follow Cures for Kids on Twitter and Facebook for more information about the organization.

Update The winner is Cecil!

Fair in the Square 2012 at Victory Square Park

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The 6th annual Fair in the Square at Victory Square Park in downtown Vancouver will take place next Sunday, May 27, 2012. This day-long community celebration is free to attend and will have a BBQ lunch, music, community groups, and more.

Today in Vancouver: Just weird angles | Victory Square in Gastown
Photo credit: [travelfox] on Flickr

Hosted by Central City Foundation and Vancouver Community College there will be cupcakes, lemonade, watermelon, prize draws and contests all in celebration of the neighbourhood. Musical guests include The Bank Dogs, Bear Mountain, Moka Only, Christine Magee, taiko drummers, live DJ, and a kick-off performance by the Little Mountain Brass Band.

Stop by Victory Square at Cambie and Hastings between 11:00am and 2:00pm, Sunday, May 27, 2012 to take part.

Vancouver Icons: Lord Stanley Statue

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

It was on May 19th, 1960 that Governor General Georges Vanier unveiled a statue of Lord Stanley the park named in his honor. The statue depicts Lord Stanley, who was Governor General in 1888, standing with outstretched arms, welcoming all to the park. The 8-foot tall statue, made of bronze and granite, is his week’s Vancouver Icon feature.

Fall Photowalk in Stanley Park
Photo credit: John Bollwitt on Flickr

On October 29, 1889, Lord Stanley of Preston dedicated Stanley Park, which had been opened in September, 1888.

“On October 19, 1889 a letter was written (we’re not sure by whom) promising a suitable monument to commemorate the naming and dedication by Governor General Lord Stanley of Stanley Park. The city archivist, J.S. Matthews, discovered that letter in 1950, more than 60 years after it was written, and realized the promise had not been fulfilled. So he began a fund-raising campaign. It took another 10 years, but finally he raised enough money to commission the work.” – Chuck Davis’ Vancouver History.

Lord Stanley Statue Stanley Park
1960 – Unveiling of the Lord Stanley statue. Archives item#Mon N63.5. Williams Bros. Photographer’s Ltd.

The Lord Stanley Statue is located at the entrance to the park on the Coal Harbour side of the causeway. Take a slight jog left on the Sea Wall (if coming from downtown), cross the cement overpass, and you’ll spot it on your way to the bus loop, Stanley Park Pavilion, Malkin Bowl, and miniature railway.

“Lord Stanley threw his arms to the heavens, as though embracing within them the whole of one thousand acres of primeval forest, and dedicated it ‘to the use and enjoyment of peoples of all colours, creeds, and customs, for all time. I name thee, Stanley Park’.”

Lord Stanley, by John Bollwitt
Photo credit: John Bollwitt on Flickr

Bring it Home: Lord Stanley in Stanley Park Dressed in Ryan Kesler #17 Vancouver Canucks Jersey Statue of Lord Stanley in his Stanley Park with the cup. #Canucks #BringItHome Lord Stanley

While the championship hockey trophy also named after Lord Stanley has only belonged to Vancouver once before, hopes are that it will once again return (preferably next season).

Other Vancouver Icons posts include: Vancouver Library Central Branch, Victory Square, Digital Orca, The Crab Sculpture, Girl in Wetsuit, The Sun Tower, The Hotel Vancouver, The Gassy Jack Statue, The Marine Building, and The Angel of Victory. Should you have a suggestion for the Vancouver Icons series please feel free to leave a note in the comments. It should be a thing, statue, or place that is very visible and recognizable to the public.

HP Store Vancouver: HP Mini Giveaway

Comments 420 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Vancouver’s HP Store opened last year at 1162 Alberni to showcase HP desktop computers, notebooks, printers, accessories, and even clean your laptop for free. Last week I was invited to lead a talk about social media, the first of a series of in-store workshops they will be hosting.

HP-mini-1103In exchange for my time, I was given an HP Mini laptop which I would like to pass along to one lucky reader.

HP Mini 110
10.1 inch diagonal WSVGA BrightView Infinity LED display
250GB Hard DRive
1024MB DDR3 SDRAM
WLAN
Intel(R) Atom(TM) N455 Processor (1.66 GHz)
Genuine Windows 7 Starter (32-bit)

This compact notebook is ideal for being ‘on the go’ especially if you have a busy summer ahead. Here’s how you can enter to win:

  • Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win an HP Mini from @HPStoreVan #HPStart & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/b0vzD

I will draw one winner next Friday, May 25, 2012 at 12:00pm. The specific model is the HP Mini 110-3830CA.

Update The winner is Helen!