Last night Team Spain dazzled a crowd of 500,000 at English Bay. The largest waterfront fireworks display of its kind in North America has made an impression in the photography realm as the Celebration of Light was featured today on the Flickr Blog.
We went down early to catch ShoreFest (free beach concert series) prior to taking our seats on top of the Bath House.
While News1130 reports that people weren’t as impressed as they were with Team USA’s performance, I definitely saw some fireworks that I had never previously experienced. They were big, bright, golden, and some went up, went down, then floated back up like ghosts.
Photo credit:
@kumii on Flickr
Photo credit:
bryanh on Flickr
Should you take any photos of the Celebration of Light fireworks on Wednesday (by Team Mexico) please feel free to add them to the Miss604 Flickr group.
Reminder: You still have until July 27th to enter to win prime viewing area seats for the fireworks finale. This includes two seats on top of the English Bay Bathhouse and a BBQ meal.
Dancing in the Street is a free dance lesson, dance class, and dance party happening right on Granville Street this Sunday, July 25th.
At 2:00pm you can head down to Granville Street between Robson and Georgia (where it is closed to traffic) for a complimentary beginner salsa lesson from Martinez Dance Company. After the lesson there will be non-stop dancing in the street until 6:00pm. You can dance in the street, on the sidewalk, and wherever else you can find the room to bust a move.
This is the first event in the series which will continue with more salsa August 15th & 29th then swing dancing (with Company B Jazz Band) August 8th and 22nd.
The Caribbean Days Festival takes place Saturday July 24th and Sunday July 25th at Waterfront Park in North Vancouver. While out at the Surrey Fusion Festival we came across a family friend manning the Trinidad & Tobago booth. She said we had better put Caribbean Days in our calendar since it’s the biggest event of the year for BC’s Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society.
Multicultural Street Parade
FREE: The Caribbean Days Festival kicks off in style with a parade through North Vancouver starting at 10:00am Saturday. It begins at Victoria Park (Keith Road & Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver) then winds around the park on the West side. It then turns South on Lonsdale and heads down to Esplanade. It will turn West and arrive at Waterfront Park about 1.5 hours later. You can find a route map online.
Festival in the Park
FREE: The main event for Caribbean Days is the Festival in the Park with live entertainment, crafts, activities, dancing, a community market and an international food fair. Main stage concerts will begin at 10:00am each day.
Waterfront Party
Simmering at sunset the Waterfront Party will keep the energy flowing from 7:00pm until 1:00am over at the Lonsdale Quay. Featuring Moses Revolution, Phase III Steel Band, DJ Carl Sound Vibes, and DJ Kizum there will be live music and dancing all night long. Tickets are $39 and are available online.
Children’s Carnival Parade
FREE: A special parade just for kids rounds out the weekend on Sunday at 1:00pm. The parade will stay within Waterfront Park and congregate on the South side of the stage. Children are encouraged to dress up in Carnival costumes.
Even though the event is family-friendly there is still a beer garden for those of legal drinking age (and I hear it’s where you’ll find a ton of fun in the sunshine). You can take the SeaBus over or one of the numerous North Vancouver buses that head toward the Lonsdale Quay.
Yesterday I finally took in a meal at Q4 Ristorante in Kitsilano. I lived in Kits for about 3 months during the summer of 2005 and since then, I’m afraid to say, I haven’t spent much time there at all. This is a real shame as Broadway and West Fourth are prime locations for fabulous dining establishments created and maintained by local culinary masters.
Q4 is right on the corner of Trafalgar and West Fourth, surrounded by a covered garden patio complete with lounge space. Inside under the wrought iron chandeliers, the atmosphere is comfortable and casual. Families sit around big circular tables, while business associates enjoy cocktails at a quiet table in the corner.
Our server recommended we start with the antipasto platter that we could all share, so we began there.
It was off the menu so I do not have a price listing for the platter. This was followed up by our entrees:
Spaghetti Quattro $17.95
Salmone Carciofi $28.95
Fresh wild B.C. salmon with arugula, sundried tomato pesto and panko crust
Linguine di Mare $19.95
Linguine with baby clams, white wine, peperoncino and Italian parsley
My salmon was candy-like and there was a zesty lemon flavour on the plate that complimented it perfectly. I tried the pastas as well, which were both very well seasoned however I don’t think I would have been able to eat the dishes in their entirety due to the spice (mind you, the server gave fair warning). For dessert they offered four selections and we chose the brownie and the tiramisu.
Lacking tall cavernous ceilings and a pumping house beat that is hard to talk over, Q4 is a great alternative to Vancouver’s usual EarlStonesClub offerings. Current specials include daily thin-crust pizza creations from their new oven and $10 pasta dishes on Mondays and Tuesdays. I think if you stick to specials, cocktails, and share plates (such as the antipasto) this can be a great place to frequent with friends that won’t bust your bank account.
Prior to heading to Q4 I checked out reviews on Yelp. Most praised the food, service, and ambiance. I would have to rate this right up there as well. It was relaxed, friendly, and… (this was also noted on Yelp) ladies can enjoy a special treat in the restroom with the certain facilities that they have available.
Q4 Ristorante was formerly known as Quattro, in case you recognize it under that name like me. Patrick Corsi took over the the ownership (that was a partnership with his father Antonio) and the name change occurred. Over the years the restaurant has won several awards and has established a loyal customer base. They will be opening a second Q4 Ristorante downtown at L’Hermitage this November.
Disclosure cmp.ly/2 My meal was on the house
Today’s Archives Photo of the Day features two children walking along the old pier at English Bay.
Year: 1905
Vancouver Archives item#: CVA 677-227
