Vancouver’s Pride Week is fast-approaching and as usual there are countless satellite events happening around the city making. One of such events is Pride in Fashion.
Photo credit: Yvonne Chew
On Thursday, July 30, gay culture strikes a pose at Celebrities nightclub in Vancouver Pride Week’s fiercest event: PRIDE In Fashion. Featuring some of the city’s top male models, a performance by the urban dance collective House of La Douche, music and images from four decades on the gay club dance floor, and high-drama styling by The Lounge Hair Studio, PRIDE In Fashion reminds us that Pride isn’t always about rights: sometimes it’s about being fabulous.
Tickets are $20 in advance and doors for the show open at 9:00pm, Raul also has a post up about this event with additional information.. Pride in Fashion is another way that the community can participate in the events of Pride Week, aside from the amazing parade held each year on the August long weekend.
A special item of note is that this fashion showcase is being styled by Shallom Johnson who is the founder and editor of the Stylefinds blog. Shallom is far more than a fashion blogger however, as she also contributes to Spade and ION magazines and has a keen eye for style. She is also a contestant in the Holt Renfrew Contemporary Correspondent Search and is an event planner, having recently coordinated the Designers on Designers showcase in Gastown.
It’s pretty much official that this is my summer of kayaking. This afternoon I’ll be heading out on the ocean once again to paddle through waves with the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series.
The Big Chop is a 10 race series happening Thursday evenings this summer, starting out in Vanier Park on the shores of False Creek. You can drop in as a racer for $10 or purchase a series pass, but simply show up on race day to register on the spot, hop into your boat (or onto your paddleboard) and you’re all set. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy the water, and also a fantastic day to wind down after a long shift at work.
The race is open to OC 1 & 2, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, and many types of boat rentals are available on-site in case you cannot bring your own. Advanced booking for the rentals is recommended so you can do so by sending an email text message to (604) 999-3331 with your details and preferences (boat details can be found online).
There’s a Big Chop race (8km) and a Little Chop (4km), and after each race there is a an awards ceremony as well where prizes are handed out. Results are always posted online and each overall winner is entered into a draw for the grand prize, which will be awarded at the end of the summer series. There is also plenty of time to hang out afterward as they also host a post-race BBQ with drinks and snacks for all racers.
Upcoming race dates are August 6th, August 20th, September 3rd, and even tonight if you can stop by. I’ll be there early for a quick paddle but not to participate in the race. I’ll be watching that from the shoreline as it’ll be pretty cool to see hundreds take to the water for this event.
Update: I totally lied, I DID race in the Little Chop event this evening. My friend Tanya and I took in the kayaking clinic and I learned even more useful skills out on the water. After that we saddled up in a double kayak and attempted to do the Little Chop (about 1/2 as long as the Big Chop in English Bay). We decided to take it easy and had such a great time out on the water. Returning to shore everyone was so friendly and in such a great mood (the BBQ and snacks also helped). Once the Big Chop participants rolled in they announced the race results and proceeded to give away at least a dozen raffle door prizes. To think, for under $20 you can get lessons, participate in a kayak race, enjoy a hot dog, and potentially win some amazing swag from the sponsors. Tanya ended up with a swanky visor and I had my eye on a dry bag from MEC as that’s the one thing I always need when out kayaking.
To top off an amazing evening out on the water, we enjoyed watching the sun cascade across the water and tuck itself behind the moutains as it set.
There are only a few Big Chop races left this season before the series championship and after party but there’s always time to sign up either in advance or on the day of the event.
Blogathon Vancouver 2009 is just days away and preparations for the first-ever “on location” Blogathon event are coming along smoothly.
Sponsors so far include Kontent Creative (for the logo work), Workspace (venue), Dairy Queen (lunch), and Developmental Disabilities Association (dinner sponsor).
The lovely and talented Rachael Chatoor will stop by to treat us to some musical entertainment as well as Mojave (prior to their show at the Railway Club on Sunday).
For a bit of background, on July 25th starting at 6:00am I will be joined by a dozen other local bloggers over at Workspace in Gastown. For the following 24 hours we’ll all be updating our own sites every 30 minutes (publishing a new post) while each raising funds for the cause of our choice. This is the first time I’ll be out and about during a Blogathon so it will be pretty exciting, although probably even more taxing than previous years. Blogathon itself has been around since 2001, starting in the USA and now involves participants from around the globe.
Photo credit:
UGM on Flickr
This year my personal cause is the Union Gospel Mission in the Downtown Eastside. “Union Gospel Mission is a non-profit urban relief organization serving Metro Vancouver and the City of Mission, providing hope for the hungry, hurting and homeless since 1940. If you find yourself without shelter, without food or without hope, UGM can help.”
The idea is that the more pledges and donations I receive, the more I’ll keep going throughout the 24 hours (and helping causes throughout the year). You can support my Blogathon campaign through my personal donation page, through which all funds go directly to the UGM.
In case my readers need a bit of added incentive, any donation of $20 or greater will get you entered in a draw to win a dinner cruise out on English Bay during the fireworks on July 29th. This is sponsored by Granville Island Brewing so you know it will be a good times with plenty of refreshments.
Finally, if you are a blogger that would like to join us at Workspace on Saturday, please RSVP so that I can plan space and snacks accordingly. I have a list of participants on my Blogathon page and the global list is on the official Blogathon.org site. This should be one whirlwind of a weekend but I’m extremely excited to see the difference we’ll all be able to make.
This past weekend was the re-opening of Holland Park in Surrey to celebrate its recent upgrades. Although it’s changed drastically over the years, its new features (and recent Fusion Festival) are still worth noting as a part of my Parks Series.
How to Get There: Holland Park is right along Old Yale Road off King George Highway between the Surrey Central and King George Skytrain Stations. Super easy to get to by car, and especially by transit with several options from Skytrain to bus. [Google Map]
Features: Very large grassy area and several water features (including Roseholly Fountain) along with a few of the remaining evergreen trees towering overhead in the South corner. New washroom building and concession stand with community storage space. Additional water features, the Holland Park Spirit Square, the new “Holland Gate” entrance, new raised cement garden beds, public art features and mosaics, tree-lined promenades and a 1km walking loop. You can read Paul’s recent post about the upgrades. The park doesn’t have a fancy playground, a lake, or a vast network of trails however it’s perfect for a picnic, flying a kite, a game of badminton, or a leisurely stroll.
Notes: Holland Park is an official Vancouver 2010 Olympics celebration site. For 17 days it will host live entertainment, performing arts and live broadcasts the Games outdoors on giant screens. “Major concerts are planned on all Friday and Saturday nights with a focus on family and cultural performances on Sunday. Also, an international food pavilion, much like the Fusion Festival, will be a key component of the site and event, according to an April 2009 report to Surrey city council.” [The Now]
Coming up in just a few weeks, Holland Park will also host a series of free outdoor movie events including Annie (August 1), Mamma Mia (August 8), The Lion King (August 15), and Hannah Montana: The Movie (August 22).
Last year’s inaugural VinoCamp Vancouver was such a success that it’s back again this August. As a special treat, the world’s first-ever CheeseCamp will compliment VinoCamp as well.
“A different type of conference, VinoCamp CheeseCamp 2009 is designed for people interested in technology, wine and cheese as participants are encouraged to take photos of what’s happening, to blog, tweet and message their experiences.”
Where: Grad Student Society Centre (Thea Koerner House), UBC
When: August 8th, 2009 from 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Register: Online
There will be sessions about both wine and cheese, with speakers for each category as well. The lineup currently consists of the following:
12:30pm – 1:10pm
Keynote: The Wine Soaked Landscape: a global perspective on why we love wine country by Dr. Donna Senese, UBC Okanagan
1:30pm – 2:10pm
Old versus Young by Sid Cross & Daenna van Mulligan
2:30pm – 3:10pm
Cool, Single & Sustainable by Mark Davidson & Ingo Grady
3:30pm – 4:10pm
The Glass as a Messenger by David Sanders of Riedel
4:30pm – 5:10pm
Romancing the Vine: The trials and tribulations in owning a boutique winery by Patrick Murphy of Vista D’Oro, Mike Raffan of Township 7, and Kirby Froese of Dunham & Froese
CheeseCamp (mostly TBD)
4:30pm – 5:10pm
Pondering Wine and Cheese Pairing by Anthony Nicalo and Sebastien LeGoff. Are wines and cheeses made with a particular philosophy a better pairing than those with divergent interests?
If you are in either of these industries, are a hobbyist, or simple appreciate the delicious subject-matter, VinoCamp and CheeseCamp Vancouver are for you. You can follow @vinocampvan on Twitter for updates, news, and information.
