Vancouver ComedyFest 2012

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Tickets go on sale for Vancouver ComedyFest 2012 this week for live shows including Margaret Cho, David Hasselhoff, Carol Burnett, Jeremy Hotz, and the incomparable Betty White.

What Vancouver ComedyFest 2012
When February 16-26, 2012
Where Venues include The Centre, The Orpheum, The Vogue, Lafflines, and ComedyMIX
Tickets On sale this Friday, October 21 at 10:00am through the website.

You can join the ComedyFest Box Office Club to jump the line. More comics will be added to the line-up on Friday and in the weeks leading up to the festival.

Follow the festival on Facebook and Twitter for festival announcements and information about live comedy in Vancouver throughout the year.

Occupy Vancouver in Photos

Comments 2 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The Occupy Vancouver event began today in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery to show solidarity for Occupy Wall Street and to voice opinions and concerns over our own issues with the economy, politics, and everything in between.

occupyvancouver http://twitpic.com/70tthc
Twitpic from GlobalBC courtesy of Jennifer Palmer

“The grassroots protests had Canadians expressing their disenchantment with the corporate system which they said favours a small but vastly wealthy elite and disregards the masses — or “the 99 per cent.” [source] As a crowd of hundreds grew to thousands the #OccupyVancouver tag on Twitter was teeming with comments. There were positive messages, cheeky commentary, and negative remarks that reflected the sentiments people have toward the movement.

Occupy Vancouver - 2011.10.15
Photo credit: Stephen Dyrgas on Flickr

Occupy Vancouver 2011
Photo credit: mutrock on Flickr

Occupy Vancouver - 2011.10.15 Welcome to the awakening - occupy vancouver
Photo credit: Stephen Dyrgas, Unlikely Ghost on Flickr

IMG_6132
Photo credit: tosujet on Flickr

In it for the long haul
Photo credit: Canadian Veggie on Flickr

Occupy Vancouver
Photo credit: Canadian Veggie on Flickr

Marching Down Nelson
Photo credit: Canadian Veggie on Flickr

Occupy Vancouver - 2011.10.15
Photo credit: Stephen Dyrgas on Flickr

Occupy Vancouver
Photo credit: Ariane Colenbrander on Flickr

There was definitely a police presence from what I heard [disclosure: I was not on-site] but from the dancing and meditating to the drum-circles things seemed to stay very positive. At one point this afternoon, @AndreaWoo posted on Twitter: “So far, #OccupyVancouver might be the most peaceful protest I’ve seen in this city.” I re-tweeted her comment on and received a reply from @aaronmalexander: “#occupyvancouver has turned into a dance Fest – you are right it couldn’t get anymore peaceful.”

Politics with Principle (from Occupy Vancouver)
Photo credit: rommy ghaly on Flickr

About an hour ago the Vancouver Police Department thanked the peaceful protesters on Twitter: “#VPD thanks those attending @occupyvancouver today for their cooperation & helping keep everyone safe #occupyvancouver.” Streets are opening up again downtown as crowds thin but tents are still present at the Vancouver Art Gallery. It will be interesting to see how this continues in Vancouver as the movement gains global momentum.

VIFF 2011: Award Winners

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The 30th Annual Vancouver International Film Festival wrapped up last night at the closing gala following a screening of The Kid With a Bike by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. With the end of the festival comes the awards, both juried and as-voted by the fans.

VIFF 2011

Canadian Images

Shaw Media Award for Best Canadian Feature Film ($20,000 prize)
Anne Émond for Nuit #1
Honourable Mention for Canadian Feature Film
Wetlands by Guy Édoin
Most Promising Director of a Canadian Short Film Award ($2,000)
Andrew Cividino for We Ate the Children Last

Audience Awards

Audiences had the opportunity to rate the films they watched throughout the festival.
Rogers People’s Choice Award
A Separation by Asghar Farhadi
VIFF Most Popular Nonfiction Film Award
Sing Your Song by Susanne Rostock
VIFF Most Popular Canadian Film Award
Starbuck by Ken Scott
NFB Most Popular Canadian Documentary Award
Peace Out by Charles Wilkinson
VIFF Environmental Film Audience Award
People of a Feather by Joel Heath

Last week the Dragons & Tigers Award for Young Cinema was also handed out. The winner of the $10,000 prize was Sonthar Gyal for The Sun-Beaten Path.

Other films that I heard quite a bit of chatter about were Passionflower and Nash, The Documentary. VIFF-goer Rachel Thexton called Miss Representation “One of the best docs I’ve seen,” and Marina Antunes from the Row Three Podcast called Sunflower Hour, “A bit crude and not for everyone but very amusing.”

Throughout the year you can follow @VIFFest on Twitter for local, Canadian, and international film news, screenings, and information. Miss604.com was proud to once again sponsor VIFF in 2011.

Granville Island Brewmaster’s Dinner at The Sandbar

Comments 179 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Something I’ve come to appreciate in recent years is the Brewmaster’s Dinner. While you may have had wine pairings with your meal courses, just wait until you have perfectly matched brews to go with everything from your salad to your banana cream pie. If you haven’t yet discovered this wonderful culinary experience you’re in luck as The Sandbar will be presenting the Granville Island Brewmaster’s Dinner Monday, October 24th.

Granville Island Works Tour - The Sandbar

When Monday, October 24, 2011 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Where The Sandbar on Granville Island
What An autumn-inspired 5-course dinner with beer pairings designed by Executive Chef Will Tse and Granville Island Brewing’s Brewmaster, Vern Lambourne.

Here’s what the menu looks like so far:
Pan-seared marinated halibut » Cypress Honey Lager
West Coast seafood chowder » Lions Winter Ale
Island lager granita » Island Lager
Apple wood roasted 8oz ribeye steak » Pumpkin Ale

Tickets are currently on sale for $60 (not including tax and gratuity) and they’re bound to go fast. Contact [email protected] or call (604) 638-1633 to reserve.

Granville Island Brewing

The Sandbar has consistently been voted the best place to take out-of-town guests (in the Georgia Straight’s Best of Vancouver) but it’s also a beautiful place for locals to dine. If you would like to win your way into the GIB Brewmaster’s Dinner, I happen to have two tickets 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 entered to win tickets to @The_Sandbar’s Granville Island Brewmaster’s Dinner with @ItsGoodtoBeHere from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/6XYp3

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am Thursday, October 20, 2011. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and win. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe ride home. I would highly recommend taking a mini-cruise on the False Creek Ferry or Aquabus if you need to get back to Yaletown or the West End.

Follow The Sandbar on Twitter or Facebook as well as Granville Island Brewing on Twitter or Facebook.

Update The winner is @cbercs!

Vancouver Icons: Crab Sculpture

Comments 5 by Rebecca Bollwitt

It was 43 years ago today that crab sculpture was installed in front of the Museum of Vancouver and Planetarium in Kitsilano.

Project 365 - A Photo A Day
Photo credit: Lester Chung on Flickr

The stainless steel piece by George Norris takes inspiration from a First Nations legend that told of a crab guarding the entrance to the harbour [source]. The sculpture was an entry in a contest held by the Vancouver Centennial Committee – the crab was also the zodiac sign at the time of the Canadian Centennial [source].

The Crab . sculptor George Norris
Photo credit: ZEDZAP on Flickr


1970 Archives# CVA 134-113.

It’s 20 feet high and was welded together from separate parts by Gus Lidberg. Today, it’s one of the most-photographed sculptures in Vancouver thanks to visitors of the Museum, Space Centre, and Vanier Park.

HR MacMillan Space Centre

crab sculpture/fountain outside the Vancouver Museum
Photo credit: Random Tony on Flickr

cancer
Photo credit: neil.fisher on Flickr

Space Crab
Photo credit: alykat

The Crab - 2
Photo credit: pkdon50 on Flickr

chrome crab
Photo credit: Sherry on Flickr

The Crab at Plantarium - Night HDR
Photo credit: Torben Bjorn Hansen on Flickr

chrome crab

Other Vancouver Icons posts: East Van Cross, Robert Burns Statue in Stanley Park, Vancouver Maritime Museum, Flack Block, The Drop, Prospect Point Lighthouse, Engagement, Ovaltine Cafe, The English Bay Slide, Freezing Water #7, Cleveland Dam, Heritage Hall, School of Theology Building at UBC, Gate to the Northwest Passage, St Paul’s Hospital, Capilano Lake, Stawamus Chief, Nine O’Clock Gun, Malkin Bowl, Search, Vancouver Rowing Club, Echoes, Point Atkinson Lighthouse, English Bay Inukshuk, Hollow Tree, Hotel Europe, Lions Gate Bridge Lions, LightShed, Granville Bridge, 217.5 Arc x 13′, Canoe Bridge, Vancouver Block, Bloedel Conservatory, Centennial Rocket, Canada Place, Old Courthouse/Vancouver Art Gallery, Dominion Building, Science World, Gastown Steam Clock, SFU Burnaby, Commodore Lanes, Siwash Rock, Kitsilano Pool, White Rock Pier, Main Post Office, Planetarium Building, Lord Stanley Statue, Vancouver Library Central Branch, Victory Square, Digital Orca, 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.