Vancouver’s Chinatown is looking for a mascot and needs your help to decide on the final character.

Given the success of Miga, Sumi and Quatchi during the 2010 Olympics it kind of gives the impression that Vancouver is a mascot kind town. The two finalists, who will rely on a public vote in order to get instated as the official mascot of Chinatown, are Punkie and Muse.

Punkie
Punkie was meant to be the 13th Zodiac animal, but because he was born with a noticeable punk-mohawk hair, he didn’t make the Zodiac ‘cut’ and was seen as an outcast. In search of a new home, Punkie discovered Vancouver at around the time the Chinese began to settle in as immigrants and labourers. He easily found refuge with the Chinese and called the soon-to-be Vancouver Chinatown his new home. Punkie likes to promote individuality through diversity; he understands what it means to be different, and easily makes friends from all facets of Chinatown. Punkie’s Motto: “It’s OK to be different!”

Muse
With his trusty brush, Muse is a mythical creature and a good luck charm. As a “good luck muse,” Muse used its abilities to charm early Chinatown to garner natural success and good fortune, resulting in the Chinatown we see today. Because of his luck, when he trips and falls he brushes it off knowing that good luck will soon come. Muse is optimistic and mischievous, and his cheerful attitude can charm anyone. He represents the future of Chinatown as a “good luck muse” encouraging good fortune in businesses and inspiring a younger generation of Chinatown inhabitants. Muse’s Motto: “Keep on moving forward and working hard – good things will happen.”

You can cast your vote now until June 30th.

Update August 3, 2010 The mascot has been revealed and it’s…. MUSE! Muse will make his first appearance at the Chinatown Festival August 14th & 15th. It’s at that time that the public can also vote on a proper name for “Muse”.

Photo by: ng.kelven

Social media can be used for many purposes: sharing what you just ate for breakfast, finding out the score of the hockey game, or connecting with colleagues. One of my favourite aspects of the medium is that it can also be used for social good. Vancouver’s Next Top Charity is a video contest to help promote the under-promoted non-profits in our city.

To enter, the 12 finalist contestants produced a quick video about their organization. These entries are now up on the public voting page. The entry with the most votes will receive a prize pack including goodies from the sponsor companies as well as a cash donation to give them a boost.

There is also an auction on the contest’s website that will help raise the donation prize funds. Auction items include a cookbook from West, Crumpler bags, and more. If you would like to get involved either as a sponsor or prize donor you can contact the organizers by email: vntc[at]spotteddoing.com. This is the first event of its kind for the organizers so hopefully it can build some momentum going forward. Voting will continue until June 18, 2010.

The Peak Performance Project is well into its second year and today they announced their Top 20 Finalists for 2010.

The annual competition (that will go on until 2015) aims to seek out local music talent, mentor them, send them to bootcamp, showcase them in a special concert series, and have the public vote on their favourite. The crowned champion will receive $105,000 and the secondary prizes are nothing to sneeze at either. So far just for qualifying, each of the 20 finalists have been awarded $3,500 to work on their craft. In partnership with Music BC, this is a legacy program run by The Peak that is working wonders for the British Columbia music scene.

The Top 20 Finalists for 2010:

2009 winners We Are the City

Adaline (Vancouver)
Kuba Oms (Victoria)
41st and Home (Vancouver)
Acres of Lions (Victoria)
Aidan Knight (Victoria)
Behind Sapphire (Vancouver)
Bodhi Jones (Vancouver)
Christina Maria (Surrey)
Christopher Arruda (Nanaimo)

2009 winners We Are the City

Debra-Jean (Vancouver)
Delhi 2 Dublin (Vancouver) *declined/unable to participate
Greg Sczebel (Salmon Arm)
Jess Hill (Vancouver)
Kyprios (North Vancouver)
Parlour Steps (Vancouver)
The Racoons (Vancouver) *declined/unable to participate
Said the Whale (Vancouver)
Steph Macpherson (Victoria)
Vince Vaccaro (Victoria)
Yes Nice (Burnaby)

They had over 470 entries this year and from what I hear, it was a pretty tough decision to narrow it down. “It was a long process and we had to be fair to everybody,” said Bob D’eith of Music BC. “The talent was just incredible.” Among the finalists are Irish/Banghra fusion group, hip hop, and folk artists. “There’s such a diversity,” continued D’eith. “That’s the beauty of The Peak, they can play it all.”

A few of last year’s runners up, Adaline and Kuba Ohms, were giving an automatic spot in this year’s event. Others returned from last year who climbed their way to the top of the pack, such as Bodhi Jones.

The 2009 winners, We Are the City have been hard at work since winning the series last year. Touring, making music, and helping promote other local acts such as The Zolas. Second place The Left and third place Bend Sinister have been busy as well with Bend Sinister playing a show in New York City this week.

The Top 20 will move onto live performance coaching sessions before taking off for bootcamp this summer where they’re learn the ins and outs of songwriting, performing, and take part in some team-building events at a retreat. In the fall there will be a series of showcase concerts at a local venue where the finalists will compete for the public’s love and affection. Given the line up of finalists, these shows are bound to be hot ticket events.

Yesterday I finally made it to Lighthouse Park in West Vancouver. I’ve profiled the park before and I’ve also done a history post about lighthouses in the region. However, this was the first time I took to the trails and saw the Point Atkinson Lighthouse for myself.

Just hours before I was crossing the Brooklyn Bridge and here I was on the shores of the Pacific looking over the Burrard Inlet. That’s probably one of the things I appreciate the most about our region — the ability to travel mere minutes from home to totally escape the city. Seems like we weren’t the only ones who had that idea this weekend.

Point Atkinson was named by Captain George Vancouver in 1792 and is also a National Historic Site. Aside from its past, it’s an old-growth getaway that is simple to navigate, if you’re okay with a few inclines. However, the views are definitely worth the workout.

As the tide retreated it uncovered beds of navy and aubergine mussels along with thick ropes of bull kelp. Bees buzzed through thickets of salmonberries and the air was as thick and moist as the rich carpet of moss that covered rocky surfaces.

You can get to Lighthouse Park by car or bus along Marine Drive in West Vancouver. The park is also dog-friendly and was hosting a Westie Walk the day we visited. For updates about the park you can follow the activity of the Lighthouse Park Preservation Society.

The Forum for Women Entrepreneurs is a local social group dedicated to networking, mentorship, and educational programming for women in business. On Thursday June 3rd they will be hosting a special event that will celebrate 14 entrepreneurs in the “e-series” category.

What The Entrepreneur Affair (previously known as the graduation event)
When June 3, 2010 5:00pm – 7:30pm
Where Birks Vancouver Flagship Store (698 West Hastings)

The event will feature guest speaker Barbara Ross-Denroche (The Refinery Leadership Partners) and the 14 women entrepreneurs who are being showcased. The list includes Heather Huntingford (Kiss & Makeup), Debbie Collins (Soya Marketing), Traci Costa (Peekaboo Beans Inc.), Deborah Drummond (Metropolitan Aromatherapy) and more.

There is a cocktail reception and silent auction from 5:00pm and the celebration showcase plus live auction will commence at 6:15pm.

One of the “celebrity entrepreneurs” that is being auctioned off for his time, Mike Jagger of Provident Security, has offered up an extra ticket for a giveaway on my site. The ticket is valued at $125 and will provide the winner with some excellent opportunities to connect with this group.

Here’s how you can enter to win the ticket:

I will draw a winner on Wednesday, June 2nd.

Update The winner is Ruth — have a great time at the event! Ruth was unable to attend the event so I drew another name, congratulations Karilee (@karileeo)!