I was given the heads up about Violet Boutique a little while ago and having recently discovered the goddies that you can find at locally-owned dress shops I was eager to check it out just in case I get something for last night’s event.
Proprietor Genevieve Allen travels the world several times a year to gather up exclusive finds to bring back for to her shop, often collecting styles and luxury fashions that you won’t be able to find at any other boutique in town. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
When Google launched Cities in 3D I asked readers what their favourite buildings were in Vancouver. Answers included the Marine Building and the Dominion Building, and since that time I’ve wanted to do a roundup of these historical pieces of Vancouver’s past. As there are actually too many to list (unless you read about them all in this PDF) here are a few of my faves when it comes to houses… okay mansions.
Hycroft – 1489 McRae Avenue (in the Shaughnessy neighbourhood of Vancouver)
Built for General Alexander Duncan McRae in 1909 (completed in 1911), Hycroft was set on a high point to ensure a spectacular view of the north shore mountains and designed by Thomas Hooper. In 1942 it was sold by the McRaes to the federal government for $1. “Hycroft was put to immediate use to handle the overflow of patients from Shaughnessy Military Hospital… It would serve as an auxiliary to the hospital for 18 years… It would sit vacant for two years, until 1962 when the University Women’s Club would buy it. They have occupied it ever since.” [VancouverHistory.ca]. Hycroft is also usually a stop on the Haunted Vancouver trolley tours.
Glen Brae House – 1690 Matthews Street (now known as Canuck Place)
2009 is the 99th anniversary of Glen Brae House, a mansion that’s had quite the history here in Vancouver. According to VancouverHistory, the house, Built by William Lamont Tait, the house had a mixed reception from the get-go. “There are some who think it’s the ugliest house in Vancouver, some who think it’s beautiful”and some, like me, who simply stand looking at it, open-mouthed.”
The house featured wrought-iron fencing imported from Scotland, “Italian crystal doorknobs, brass chandeliers, baked and polished brick, a $16,000 embroidery of Victoria Falls” and one of British Columbia’s first elevators.” It wasn’t until after the Taits passed away that the house took on many forms… it was headquarters of the Vancouver Ku Klux Klan in 1925, then in 1929 it was a kindergarten. “Glen Brae next popped up in the news during the 1930s. In honor of a rising new star of the silver screen, people began to call it The Mae West House. You can guess why.” In 1980 it was Glen Brae Private Hospital, owned by Julian and Elisabeth Wlosinski who then willed the house to the City of Vancouver (you might also recognize it as “Grandma’s House” in the Adam Sandler film, Happy Gilmore). In 1991 it became the home of Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.
Some of my other favourite houses include the collection in the West End, from Gabriola to Roedde House. I hope to continue this theme as an ongoing series, featuring interesting places in each piece and am open to recommendations/suggestions for future posts.
Keira got her makeup touched up by The Beautyink Gallery and we enjoyed delicious canapes courtesy of our host, the Blue Water Care + Raw Bar. I was looking forward to another rosemary martini, like I had when I was a judge for the Grey Goose Arbiter of Cool competition but unfortunately no one there that night knew how to make it. Still, the wine from Mission Hill was flowing, the silent auction bids were rising, and the tunes from DJ Ocean were just right.
We celebrated the centennial of the Canadian Red Cross in style and were really happy to support this cause — and to see that the event was such a success.
Update: Some may have found chunks of Jane’s responses have been copied/pasted from the Green Party’s website. As my website stands for genuine and authentic content, I have contacted the Green Party about this issue and will update again shortly.
Update: May 8, 2009 – I had a telephone conversation with Jane Sterk and have updated her answers below.
Continuing my election coverage I have requested interviews with several of the candidates for Premier and they have all been gracious enough to supply answers to my questions. The following are the responses from Jane Sterk of the BC Green Party. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
The Phoenix Coyotes have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie has put in a $212.5 million offer for the team, which is contingent on the team being moved to Southern Ontario.
You can see the dream. Bringing more of Canada’s sport back home. Shane Doan a captain in Canada. Wayne Gretzky coaching a team that likely won’t ever be aware that purses have strings, rather than one strung up by them, likely to be just a short drive from his hometown of Brantford, Ontario. [Kukla’s Korner]
However (before everyone gets too excited) a few more steps and processes need to play out including the acceptance of the Chapter 11 filing and purchase plan by a judge, and then there will be an auction. “…Overbidders must exceed Balsillie’s bid by at least $5 million and not have conditional franchising.” – CBC
I have a few questions about the whole deal and would love to know what people think as well. The Phoenix Coyotes were originally a relocation and renaming of the Winnipeg Jets — should Winnipeg get “first dibs” on something like this? Is there an interested buyer and/or is the city interested?
Also, I’m not sure how I feel about three hockey teams in Ontario. Sure, they have a large population and the most Tim Hortons per capita but I know my husband for one would love to see the midwest get another team or at least one of the Dakotas. Given that the Quad Cities AHL team is going to be moving out to Abbotsford, I’m also wondering if the team would have to be further North/West from that area for that idea to succeed. Many are also playing with the idea of franchise in the Pacific Northwest, which is currently a hotbed of WHL team talents.
Balsillie is truly sweetening the deal for the Coyotes though, even stating that if he’s able to move the team then he would build an arena and name it in Walter Gretzky’s honor – CTV.
If anything, Balsillie’s public statements and endeavours regarding his pursuit of franchises are an aspect of ownership that the League should be courting, the passionate, involved, dedicated owner, who seeks to continually put the best product on the ice for the fans, and does not look at the team as mere numbers and figures and profits to be maximized. That this potential franchise could soon find itself neighbour to the Leafs, with the oft-dehumanized ownership of the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan, is no small irony. [Kukla’s Korner]
I get the sense (at least from Twitter) that many Canadians in general are excited about another team potentially coming back to our country and with MakeitSeven they’ve created an online petition to bring the team back to this side of the border. Ultimately, it comes down to the league and the buyer (and the courts in this case).
