The award-winning Peak Performance Project is wrapping up for another year after announcing its top 5 finalists earlier this week. Pared down from a group of 20 artists, who all performed at a weekly showcase in October, the top 3 finalists will take part in the finale showcase this month at the Commodore.
All artists in the top 20 receive a grant while 5th place lands $5,000, 4th gets $10,000, 3rd has $50,000, 2nd nabs $75,000 and the champion walks away with $100,500 to boost their recording and performance careers in music.
Tickets for the showcase November 18th (where the winner will be announced) are available online for $18.85.
My interview with Andy & David of We Are the City, 2009 Peak Performance Project winners
This is the second year of the Peak Performance Project‘s five year commitment to scouring the province for the latest and greatest unsung heroes of music. The program aims to nurture artists (through the P3 Bootcamp) and shine a much-deserved spotlight on BC’s best singers, songwriters, and musicians while involving the public in many steps along the way.
Browsing the Vancouver Archives digital collection I sometimes sort my search by category or keyword. The following is a compilation of old-timey images from our city’s past, all having to do with “Automobiles”.
Year: 1920
In this photo: Reo Motor Car Agency Limited Vancouver setup at Lumberman’s Arch
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-1390
Year: 1920s
In this photo: Car parked in Stanley Park’s Hollow Tree.
Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 677-225
Year: 1925
In this photo: Love’s Cafe and Grill at 925 Granville Street.
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-3050
Year: 1928
In this photo: John Bowers and Marguerite De La Motte, Pantages stars, pose with car.
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-1806
Year: 1929
In this photo: Granville Street, looking North from Helmcken.
Photographer: Stuart Thomson
Vancouver Archives Item #: CVA 99-1964
The following was experienced and contributed by John Biehler exclusively for Miss604.com
Last week I was invited as a guest of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) to experience the region and see what the area has to offer. In this post, I’ll focus on one of my favorite things, beer.
Considering the region is world renowned for it’s wine, touring a number of beer related locales was a pleasant surprise.
Our first beer-related stop was the Tree Brewing Company in the heart of downtown Kelowna. The public is welcome to drop by the brewery for tours (check the website for tour schedules) and to sample some of the uniquely Kelowna craft beers made on the premises.
Their ‘Vertical Winter Ale’ is possibly the best winter seasonal beer I’ve ever had. Fortunately, you can get Tree beer in the lower mainland in BC Liquor Stores as well as on tap:
Our next beer stop was in Kamloops to visit The Noble Pig brewpub.
We met with brewmaster David Beardsell who gave us a tour of onsite brewery which he completely built from scratch after over 15 years in the business.
He was extremely passionate about his beer making and the attention to detail was unmistakeable…including all the custom made (and patented) brewing equipment, built to his specifications. If you’ve never done a brewery tour, I highly recommend it as there is nothing better than fresh beer.
We were also treated to something kind of new in the beer realm which is common for wine tastings – the food pairing. The Noble Pig’s chef had worked with David to create a unique menu of food that paired perfectly with one of the 6 brews made there.
Not being much of a seafood person in the past, I threw caution into the wind and dove into the mussles with chorizo sausage…I ended up having a second serving.
Also on the menu is a personal favorite: deep fried pickles which I first discovered in Austin, Texas.
Easily my favourite beer at the Noble Pig was Dave’s Peppered Belgian Ale – sadly only available on tap in Kamloops but worthy enough for a road trip.
Our final beer stop was the Frick & Frack Taphouse, conveniently located across the street from the Noble Pig – Kamloops is a bar hopping delight.
With well over 106 different types of beer available, the Frick & Frack is a tasters dream. Sourced from all over the world, there are some truly unique beers to be found here.
My favorite beer at the Frick & Frack was Flying Monkey’s Hoptical Illusion…which was fabulous.
Stay tuned for the next dispatch from the Thompson Okanagan tour featuring wine later this week.
John is an avid photographer, gadget geek and traveller. You can find him on Twitter and at johnbiehler.com where he discusses photography and all sorts of technology. All photos in this post were taken by John.
Disclosure: Activities, services and dining experiences during the trip were compliments of Thompson-Okanagan Tourism. Follow all posts from this media trip under the tag: Okanagan.
Although Vancouver is young compared to most other North American cities, it has a heritage all of its own. From First Nations culture, to the Great Fire, and the 2010 Olympics, people have recorded, photographed, and preserved this legacy.
One of the most important institutions for doing such work is the City of Vancouver Archives. Founded by Vancouver’s first City Archivist, Major J.S. Matthews, it has a priceless collection of artifacts and photographs from Vancouver and around BC.
The Archives are currently looking for ways to boost funding, and have been successful in the past thanks to the Friends of the Vancouver City Archives. The Friends have raised funds to help collect, save and preserve rare and vital objects of our cities past. This month, they will be hosting an event, and all are invited to take part.
What “Researching Women in the Archives & in the Family”. An illustrated talk by M. Diane Rogers, President of the BC Genealogical Society. Explore researching strategies, techniques and learn how to interpret archival photographs.
When Sunday November 14th, 2010 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm Where Vancouver City Archives at 1150 Chestnut Street in Vanier Park
Tickets are $25 and include a catered reception. Register by November 9th by calling (604) 736-8561.
Follow @VanArchives on Twitter for events and special features and stop by the Archives in person anytime. You can skim through their binders of archival photographs and get prints made for a very reasonable fee.
Day of the Dead or DÃa de los Muertos is a popular holiday in Mexico that is often celebrated in the United States and Canada — and Vancouver is no exception. This event, usually taking place November 2nd, brings together family members and friends to honor the memories of their loved ones who have passed. While it is a time of reflection, it is known for its elaborate shrines, altars, and costumes featuring skulls, skeletons, and other ghoulish imagery.
In Vancouver, the Day of the Dead will be celebrated in a few ways:
Day of the Dead When October 30th, 2010 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm Where Chicas Restaurant, 8722 Granville St. Info Suggested donation for attendees is $5-$20 with partial proceeds sent to Dulce Camino, a children orphanage in Jalisco State; and Caritas Emergencies, to support the victims of the Hurricanes in the South of Mexico. [Event Link]
Parade of Lost Souls, Secret Walk When October 30th, 2010 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm Where East Vancouver, exact location to be announced (hence it being a Secret walk). Info Check online to see where the walk will take place. This is an intimate version of the Parade of Lost Souls which was shelved this year due to funding cuts. Organizers have assured that Commercial Drive will not be closed for this community event. [Event Link]
Should you know of any other Day of the Dead event listings, please feel free to leave a note in the comments.
