Night of New Beginnings 2011

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Covenant House Vancouver is hosting their annual Night of New Beginnings Gala on November 24th at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Proceeds from this holiday fundraiser will go directly to Covenant House’s “30 day for 30 nights” campaign, funding the operation of its 54-bed crisis shelter during December, their busiest month.

Each year Covenant House in Vancouver provides food, shelter, clothing, and counseling to approximately 1,800 young people.

The evening will be hosted by Elaine Lui (eTALK Daily/laineygossip.com) and run from 7:00pm until 10:00pm, November 24, 2011.

Tickets for the Night of New Beginnings are $100 and are available for purchase by calling Stephanie Trimble at (604) 639-8913 or emailing strimble[at]covenanthousebc.org.

Follow Covenant House BC on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about their work in the community.

The event is for those 19 and older. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe ride home.

Whistler Blackcomb Opening Day 2011

Comments 239 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Whistler Blackcomb will be opening its 2011-2012 season on November 24th. To celebrate they have some creative campaigns running including a Tweetup on November 26th and [EMBEDDED] which will see professional freeskier Mike Douglas living atop Whistler Mountain for 6 days in November.

Whistler Mountain
Photo credit: couloir on Flickr – From the Miss604 Flickr Pool

Lodging Ovations and Whistler Blackcomb wants to welcome one lucky Miss604.com reader to [EMBED] themselves in Whistler for opening weekend. The prize pack that they’ve supplied for me to give away includes: A two-night stay at a Lodging Ovations property and two one-day EDGE cards for Whistler Blackcomb. My winner will also get on the list for the 3rd annual opening weekend Tweetup.

Here’s how you can enter to win this prize pack and kick-start your winter in style.

  • Leave a comment about why you’d like to be there opening weekend (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win a @whistlerblckmb & @lodgingovations opening weekend getaway from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/7pJAe #whistler #wbembedded

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am on Thursday, November 17, 2011. Throughout the season you can follow Whistler Blackcomb on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news, events, and snow reports.

Update The winner is Donald!

Vancouver History: The Roundhouse

Comments 2 by Rebecca Bollwitt

One walk around Yaletown’s Roundhouse Community Centre and you can see traces of its past. An engine, tracks that lead nowhere, and the giant turntable in the plaza. Once the terminus of the CPR’s transcontinental line, the Roundhouse is almost as old as Yaletown itself.

Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre. Yaletown
Photo credit: vancouver4life.com on Flickr

Yaletown is named after Yale, BC in the Fraser Canyon since the railway industry, workers and settlers, headed to the new “end of the line” in Vancouver around 1887 (Port Moody previously being the last stop on the Western leg of the route).

The CPR began to clear out land in Vancouver but one of their controlled fires in 1886 got a little out of control. New spots were selected for the rail yards and the Roundhouse was built in 18871. CPR’s Engine #374 pulled the first transcontinental passenger train into the city on May 23, 18872.

The Roundhouse was expanded in 1911, 1940, and 1950. The industry began to change (from steam engines to diesel) and it became obsolete in later decades.


1953 – Yaletown yards from the air. VPL Accession Number: 47516. Photographer: The Province.

Hidden away in the midst of the industrial debris of the rail yards on the north shore of False Creek, the Roundhouse was forgotten, except by special interest groups such as steam train enthusiasts. When the Provincial Government announced the purchase of the CPR rail yards on the north shore of False Creek in 1980, plans for the Vancouver Roundhouse became clear – they intended to demolish it. Fortunately, only part of the demolition occurred, thanks to the efforts of heritage and train buffs, supported by numerous Vancouver residents who refused to see this historic building disappear.3

By 1986 the Roundhouse was restored and turned into a pavilion for Expo86, which largely took place along False Creek. After the fair, its future was once again uncertain, just like the rest of the surrounding land.

Roundhouse Stamp in my Expo86 Passport
The Roudhouse stamp in my Expo96 passport.

In 1993, it was finally zoned as a public facility and its journey to becoming a community centre began. Concord Pacific turned it over to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation in 1997.

The Park Board then took a major leap and agreed that the Roundhouse would be unlike any other community centre in Canada – a unique facility dedicated to community development through arts and culture – an arts oriented community centre that would serve not only the residents of the area but all citizens of Vancouver.4

La Locomotora at Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre. Yaletown
Photo credit: vancouver4life.com on Flickr

Today, it’s home to Engine 374 (housed on the corner of Davie and Pacific), festivals, community groups, a gymnasium, pottery and woodworking studios, and much more (including an annual gathering of dancing zombies). Check out what’s coming up next at the Roundhouse by visiting their online calendar.

1 VancouverHistory.ca, 2 Engine #374, 3 Roudhouse History, 4 Roudhouse History

Remembrance Day 2011 Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Surrey, Langley

Comments 6 by Rebecca Bollwitt

At 11:00am on the 11th day of the 11th month I stand in silence to respect and honour those who gave their lives for our country. I am a first generation Canadian and this is my home. Remembrance Day makes me think of family, and it makes me thankful. I get to wake up every day in the most gorgeous city in the world because my grandparents and parents were given opportunities here in Canada.

Rememberance Day Parade, 2010 Rememberance Day Parade, 2010
Photo credit: kardboard604, kardboard604 on Flickr – From the Miss604 Flickr Pool

Victory Square
Photo credit: PiscesDreamer on Flickr – From the Miss604 Flickr Pool

I heard on the radio today that my niece and nephews’ generation will be the last to know any World War veterans personally. It’s up to us to never forget.

Remembrance Day
Photo credit: Clayton Perry Photoworks on Flickr – From the Miss604 Flickr Pool

The following list was originally compiled by News1130:

Vancouver
There will be a ceremony at the cenotaph in Victory Square (West Hastings & Cambie) starting at 10:30am. The Olympic cauldron at Jack Pool Plaza will be lit at 8:00am, and will be extinguished at 11:02am.

Burnaby
Starting at Safeway (440 Hastings St) a parade will set out for the Confederation Park cenotaph at 10:30am. The ceremony will begin at 10:45am. There is also a parade at 10:30am from Royal Canadian Legion #83 (Grimmer St) to the Bonsor Park Cenotaph, with the ceremony at 10:45am.

New Westminster
Royal Westminster Regiment Armoury will have a ceremony starting at 10:00am. Following the ceremony there will be a parade over to the City Hall cenotaph for 11:00am.

Richmond
The ceremony will be at the Richmond City Hall cenotaph on No 3 Road at 10:40am followed by a parade along Granville Avenue to the Richmond School Board offices.

Surrey
The Surrey Museum in Cloverdale (17710 – 56A Avenue) will host a ceremony from 10:15am to 12:30pm.

Langley
The parade starts at 10:25am from the Legion Branch 21 on 56th Avenue (between Logan and Glover). It will head to the new Douglas Park Cenotaph for an 11:00am ceremony.

Visit News1130‘s website for more listings in Maple Ridge, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, North Vancouver and West Vancouver.

EBO Restaurant Burnaby

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt
Disclosure: Review — I was not paid to write this post. Our dinner was compliments of EBO. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

You never know what to expect from an eatery in a casino but EBO Restaurant is definitely a gem. The large, open dining room is very warm and welcoming with glittering gold decor and sheer shimmering curtains draping around large group tables.

Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby

My sister and I were sat at a table by the window that looked out onto a grove of evergreens. If you didn’t know any better you’d have no idea a freeway was rushing by on the other side. Our friendly server brought by the signature EBO Martini and answered any questions we had about the set menu that was prepared for us that evening.

Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby

The culinary creations were reminiscent of the science that went into our meal at The Apron at the Westin in Richmond. You weren’t just served a meal, you were offered custom, hand-crafted course presented in very unique ways. The dishes tasted as good as they looked, if not better due to the hidden flavours that leapt out at first bite.

Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby
(Left) Amuse bouche. (Right) Roast scallops with jamon serrano, capers, sultanas, cauliflower puree

Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby
Spiced Duck Consomme with pickled daikon, foie gras, compressed peach

Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby

Ebo Restaurant at the Grand Villa Casino - Delta Hotel Burnaby
Roast sablefish, Hazelemere organic corn puree, potato roesti, Naty’s beets, bacon

You can enjoy the lunch buffet or try a prix-fixe multi-course dinner at EBO for $42 with wine options. Individually, entrees range from $21 to $35 for a variety of Pacific Northwest dishes including Ocean Wise seafood.

Given the price point and the atmosphere, EBO would be ideal for date night or an intimate birthday with good friends and crafted cocktails. Afterward, head over to the Scala Lounge, just through the casino, for Dueling Pianos (like we did). Tom and Mick are incredibly talented and will play your favourite songs and most obscure requests until 11:00pm on Thursdays.