Photo credit © Dalai Lama Centre

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is in town over the next few days to participate in the Vancouver Peace Summit as well as Free the Children’s We Day.

Discussions and presentations are taking place Sunday September 27th at the Chan Centre over at UBC and then at the Orpheum Theatre downtown on September 29th. The Vancouver Peace Summit will feature the following:

CTV will be providing online webstreaming of the events and the Dalai Lama Centre will be posting updates to their blog, Flickr, and Twitter @DalaiLamaCenter. I will also have live coverage from the Summit on Sunday as well as We Day on Tuesday. You can follow conversations online using the hashtag #VPS09 on Twitter.

The Vancouver Film and Television Forum is happening September 29th until October 2nd at the Vancity International Film Centre.

This is the 24th edition of the Forum and this year’s sessions include discussions about the changing face of media and storytelling. Each day there will be a theme, from Film Talk on Tuesday, TV Talk on Wednesday, Storyville Vancouver on Thursday, Doc Talk on Friday and New Filmmakers’ Day on Saturday.

I’ll be there for TV Talk which will featured the following sessions:

R.I.P. Conventional TV
Moderator: Andra Sheffer (Executive Producer, Independent Production Fund)
Speakers: Steve Billinger (General Manager, Digital Programming and Business Development, CBC), Sue Biely (Independent Media Consultant), Michael Ghent (Creative Director, Film and TV Forum), Chantal LeBlanc-Everett (Head of Production & Development, Lifeforce Entertainment), Chris Van Noy (VP Digital Strategies, Jumpwire Media)

LOL – Comedy Rules
Moderator: Roman Danylo (Writer, Comedy Inc.)
Speakers: Greg Garcia (Creator, My Name is Earl) & Jennifer Celotta (Writer/Consulting Producer, The Office)

Speed Dating Sessions – TV (each day features a speed dating session relevant to its theme)

No Due Date: Keeping Dramas Fresh
Moderator: Helen du Toit (Program Director, Palm Springs International Film Festival)
Speakers: Laurie Finstad Knizhnik (Co-Creator, Durham County), Molly Newman (Executive Producer, Brothers and Sisters), Dahvi Waller (Writer/Co-Producer, Mad Men)

Co-ventures in TV Land
Moderator: John Ritchie (Partner/Exec. Producer, Force Four Entertainment)
Speakers: Nancy Cotton (SVP Scripted Programming, Fox Television Studios), Ben Davis (Director of Development and Current Series, AMC)

Registration is still open if you would like to attend the Vancouver Film and Television Forum next week.

A few weeks ago I explained the nature of a “photo walk”, which is to basically go for a stroll around town and snap photos along the way. This morning John and I headed deep into the West End to enjoy a little breakfast and a leisurely walk through English Bay and around Lost Lagoon. Since John got a lovely new Nikon D90 for his birthday yesterday, I thought it would only be fitting to feature his photos.

You can see the new wind tower on top of Grouse Mountain, in view on the photo above. The reactions so far have been pretty mixed. Some say it’s an eye-sore and others think it’s fantastic that the mountain is finding a new way to harness energy. I’m curious to know what other opinions are out there. You can view more photos of the wind tower being assembled in the Grouse Mountain Flickr set.

For 14 years the Georgia Straight had put together an annual Best of Vancouver issue.

The BOV combines dozens of reader’s choice categories with staff selections and editor’s picks. This morning I headed to the steps of City Hall to accept my award for “Best Local Blog”, as voted upon by the readers of the Straight.

Best Local Blog
1. Miss604
2. Lainey Gossip
3. Vancouver Is Awesome

I have read the issue front to back and would really like to highlight some of my favourites and friends of Miss604.com who were also honored. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Last year’s National Digital Media Day saw me travel across the Lower Mainland, blogging along the way to spread the digital media vibe. This year, I’m slightly less involved in NDMD however I am pleased to announce a dance party flash mob that will be taking place.

For a lesson in dance party flash mobs, YouTube has plenty of resources (from “Random MC Hammer Can’t Touch This” to “The Chicago Dance Flash Mob“). Here in Vancouver our flash mobs usually involve waterfights, pillow fights or zombie walks.

Photo credit: donnaidh_sidhe on Flickr

To fuel up for the public dancing, there is also Appy Hour at The Diamond on Powell Street from 4:00pm – 6:00pm. Appy Hour is a new form of meetup event in Vancouver, “that combines mobile applications and a whole lotta networking.” Presenters on Friday will include Michael Ferguson (CEO of Ayogo), and Jonathan Carrigan (Product Development Manager, CBC).