Update: You can read another variation of this interview on my E!Online post
When wanting to discuss the current state of live music in Vancouver who better to turn to than a homegrown independent band fresh off a cross-country tour. Matt Layzell, lead vocalist and songwriter for The Matinee, met with me in what is known as the city’s entertainment district to talk about being a musician in town these days.
Matt has been in a part of various local bands for the last 10 years, and formed The Matinee in 2007. “Everybody in our band is a writer and a singer,” Matt noted explaining the individual talent of each of the six full time members. Each of them got together after spending years playing with various other acts around town. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Last weekend we had a great time getting our boots nice and muddy trekking through the forests of the North Shore, which now leads me to adding another mini-adventure to my Metro Vancouver Park Series, Lynn Canyon Park.
Metrics: 250 hectares (618 acres)
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How to get there: You can take Hwy 1 to the Lynn Valley Road exit all the way up to the park at the end (near Lynn Headwaters) or turn off on Peters Road to the Lynn Canyon Park Entrance and trailhead. You can also get there easily on transit (2 zones) by taking a 210 from downtown Vancouver or Phibbs Exchange, or a 228 from the Lonsdale Quay (Sea bus).
Features: At this time of year the park is open from 7:00am until dusk for all to enjoy for free. You can choose from a variety of trails, as the park borders on the Seymour Demonstration Forest, including the extensive Baden-Powell Trail that runs all the way from Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay. The Lynn Valley Ecology Centre is a nice place to stop in for more information about the area, and there is a cafe on the West side of the suspension bridge in case you’re in need of refreshments.
Believe it or not, this was the first time I ventured across the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. If you’re shakey when it comes to height (or having rushing water rage beneath you) I would advise against looking down – all though that’s really the most beautiful part.
History: From VancouverHistory.ca, “September 14, 1912 Lynn Valley Park—today it’s called Lynn Canyon Park, one of the most popular parks in the lower mainland—was officially opened in the District of North Vancouver. Band concerts were given by the North Vancouver City Band. One piece of more than usual interest was entitled The Echoes of the Lynn, composed by Miss G. Strickland, age 15. The 6th Field Engineers of North Vancouver made their first appearance as an Honor Guard.”
Photo credit:
DaveO on Flickr
Notes: Wear suitable footwear and if you go walking along the trails prepare for mud, roots, and plenty of stairs going up and down. At no time is jumping into the water a very good idea (especially from the 30-foot pool) as there are severe undercurrents and the water’s pace is quick. Dozens of people have lost their lives this way.
For another thrill suspended over white water rapids see my past Day Tripping post about Hell’s Gate and if you have any suggestions for the Metro Vancouver Parks Series, please drop a comment below.
In December a film based on the true story of Luna the orca (aka killer whale) that has been making the rounds at film festivals will be showing at the Ridge in Vancouver.
Luna (1999 – 2006) officially named L98 and also known as Tsuux-iit was an orca. After being separated from his mother as a toddler, he spent five years alone in Nootka Sound, off the west coast of Vancouver Island. His presence in the busy area, which delighted tourists but often brought him into conflict with boaters, led to years of controversy over whether he should be captured and returned to his family. Luna died on March 10, 2006 after he was struck by the propeller of a tugboat. [wiki]
The film, Saving Luna is about more than a friendly Orca. “As Luna got close to people, he became both treasured and feared. To natives he was the spirit of a chief. To boaters he was a goofy friend. To conservationists he was a cause. To scientists he was trouble. To officials he was a danger. As conflict and tragedy stained the waters, Luna became a symbol of the world’s wildest beauty: easy to love, hard to save.”
I’ll have a chance to see the film soon and will offer up a review and specific show times. With over 20 awards ranging from Best Documentary to Audience Favourite from the festival circuit this year, I’m certain it will be almost as captivating as Luna’s legacy.
Update: This will be playing at The Ridge on December 5th. Show times: 4:00, 7:00, 9:00 plus Saturday & Sunday 2:00.
Update: I had the chance to see the film last night and I don’t believe anyone in the audience could have walked away without being affected or touched by this very true story (and no one left with dry eyes either).
While recording an episode of The Crazy Canucks Podcast tonight, my co-host Alanah mentioned she did a Wordle of a Patrick Roy conference call. As this was the first time I had heard of Wordle I looked into it and even made my own based on my current feed.
You can input a block of text, a url or an RSS feed and it will create a tag cloud for the most prominent words used in that story, chunk of text, post or site. I think it’s pretty neat – even moreso that the largest/most used word in the Roy story was “mean”.
While in the middle of my weekly segment on Talk1410am my computer screen flickered and my Gmail turned blue. Thinking something was amiss, I immediately signed out of my account. Once I logged in again I took notice of a little message at the top of the Gmail window – hello themes!.
I know there are many people who do not like change and I can be the first to admit that it takes me about 2 months to try something after John tells me it’s cool and I should be using it.
No need t worry though, there is a “default” setting that you can still use if you do not like any of the 30 new ways to have your email displayed. This includes picture backgrounds, minimalistic (no lines), animations, dark contrasts, and various colour options. Now if only they would spruce up their labeling system.
In case you miss the message at the top of your Gmail account, you can access the theme browser by going to Settings > Themes. Also it appears the switch has not yet been flipped on Gmail for domains and a few other accounts but the Gmail blog says the change will happen gradually over the next few days.
From the Gmail blog: “We wanted to go beyond simple color customization, so out of the 30 odd themes we’re launching today, there’s a shiny theme with chrome styling, another one that turns your inbox into a retro notepad, nature themes that change scenery over time, weather driven themes that can rain on your mailbox, and fun characters to keep you in good company.”
What are your thoughts on the new Gmail options and while we’re at it… are you one of those people who (still) completely oppose the Facebook layout changes?
