After work today I met up with John and headed over to 1 Alexander to join in the SuperHappyDevHouse hijinx. Most were there to brainstorm and come up with fun, neat little ways to geek, hack and play with the weebernet but some are here simply to eat, drink, and be geeky – ourselves included.
Introductions were made and topics were rattled off, it’s a test-tube environment with creative juices flowing like the beer from the Keg. I’ve decided that I’m done for work for the day so the blogging shall begin. I’m taking camera phone pics of the event and they’re all posted on my Flickr tag: shdh. There’s also a live UStream that you can watch below. Check back here for updates and photos throughout the evening.
17:15
We have discovered that it takes 4 people to light a BBQ, and it will take 4 bratwursts an eon to cook, especially when you haven’t had lunch yet and you already have a beer in ‘ya.
17:23
Work is done for the day, focusing on the live blog. Most people are split up into groups, discussing very productive things, I however have been sent downstairs to get John’s sunglasses. Oh well, time to schmooze!
18:14
Boris‘ kielbasa is very tasty – and huge! I’ve been wandering around with Duane‘s camera for a little while, snapping pics and trying to handle it’s hugeness (that’s the camera lens, not the kielbasa). I’ve been getting some flack for not promoting John’s employment abilities so here’s a shout out – if you’re in need of a website, audio, radio, av, mac, drupal, kinda guy, hit up his site for more information and please contribute to making us a dual income household.
19:02
Dave has arrived! It’s the first time John and I have seen him since the “loss” of the season. We’re talking Ottawa/Buffalo and also looking ahead to next season. We’re also having some great chats with John Biehler and Richard Eriksson.
20:40
People are leaving and the crowds are thinning. Just spent some quality time chatting to Ivan and talking about more geekery. I think John and I will be leaving soon, we’re out of beer… that’s the tell-tale sign…
I was walking to work this morning, being very careful not to slip on the wet brick sidewalk when passing the man power washing the a dead bird into the gutter, and something completely random popped into my head; “Stella”.
When I was young, little girls would gather in the school yard and play clapping games. You’ve got your “May Sue”, “Double Double” and “McDonalds” then if you were in French Immersion like I was maybe even a little “Meunier tu dors Ton moulin va trop vite Meunier, tu dors Ton moulin va trop fort.” 
But the best was always the multi-player “Stella”. It’s a little-known fact that in my room at the church about 10 minute before getting married I played a round of Stella with all the nieces and nephews, it was a great way to pass the time and keep Cameron occupied so that he didn’t lose the rings…again.
So being nimble in my stilettos I avoided the sidewalk sludge earlier today and got the tune to Stella stuck in my head. Of course since this is *me* we’re talking about, I came home and Googled the game. Honestly, I have never truly known what the words are, you just kind sound them out and giggle and clap, but what are the real lyrics?
Stella ella ola, clap clap clap
Say yes, chicko, chicko, chicko chicko chak
Say yes, chicko, chicko, allo, allo
Allo allo allo!
Say one, two, three, four, five
Thanks wiki! Although, even the wiki doesn’t really explain what the words actually mean and I can seriously find about 10 different variations online including that words “quack”, “chigo”, “tigo tigo tap” and “vallo vallo the toilet overflows”. I suppose I shouldn’t have expected much from an childhood entertainment medium that also makes you sit in a circle, clapping hands with others (and yourself) while singing about hanky panky, windmills, and boy germs.
Before moving downtown a few years ago I had only ever been to Gastown [wiki] a couple of times. Aside from being a usual destination for out-of-towners the majority of my experience included hitting dank ol’ pubs for nights of sticky shoes and Irish music. Times have changed and there’s more life in that corner of downtown, no longer is it solely for tourists and the downtrodden, although the combination of the two is a little perplexing. You have geeks and hipsters toting their Macs to the cafe, passing by trendy restaurants while BMW’s breeze through spewing the essence of Yaletown egos from their tailpipes.
The neighbourhood has character, I’ll give it that, and the history is beyond compare [Gastown.org][Warehouse Studio]. I’m looking forward to exploring more facets of Gastown – starting with the food.
One thing that I’m still searching for is a great lunchtime eatery since I’m now working a fancy new job on Water Street. I put the call out on Twitter the other day and Roland [RolandTanglao.com] [Twitter] was gracious enough to share some knowledge, which of course I have to pass on.
There’s Blake’s Coffee Parlour (221 Carrall St), Salty Tongue (213 Carrall St), and Fetch’s Hotdog Cart which can be found at the corner of Water St and Abbott. At Brioche (401 West Cordova) you can get pastries, coffee and soup and Roland recommends Jules Bistro (216 Abbott St) for great steak fries. There are even more choices when you take a short walk into Chinatown, such as Newtown bakery (John‘s personal favourite is the spicy steamed pork buns).
I have yet to try any of the above, except for Newtown, but I’m looking forward to all the possibilities. I’m used to being within close proximity of a food court and I’d be pretty happy not to see another for a very long time. Above all I’m pretty stoked about exploring a part of town that is less than familiar, be it for the food, the history, the people, or the blog fuel.
Despite the morning news and radio talk show hosts telling me that it was going to be pouring rain yesterday and today, it’s been a gorgeous week so far in Vancouver. I can’t remember the last time I used a song lyric in the title of a blog post, and I also can’t recall the last time I walked home from work in the sunshine and felt like skipping – or had the energy to skip. I just don’t think adults skip often enough.
The sun will shine clear through the weekend and our schedule is filling up yet again. Here are a couple of events put on by some good people that I’d like to plug, some of these can be found on my Facebook calendar as well.
Gastown Photowalk: Walk. Take pictures. Geek out.
Wednesday May 9 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm, Meet @ Bryght, Suite 400 – 1 Alexander, Vancouver, BC [Google Map] [Facebook Link]
Photo credit:
kk+ on Flickr
SuperHappyDevHouse, Vancouver Edition
Socialtext’ers are descending on Vancouver as part of their annual migration to meet, hack, and plan. They came up with the idea of bringing the Bay Area-based Super Happy Dev House to Vancouver.
Bryght is providing the venue and BBQ space. Edit the wiki page to let us know you’re coming.
Friday May 11 from 1:00pm to 1:00am @ Bryght [Google Map]
Metamorphosis: Written by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Mary Zimmerman, directed by Christine Willes, and starring the 2007 graduating class and guest artists of the William Davis Centre for Actors’ Study, this is a theatrical event not to be missed! Set in and around a pool of water on stage, this play is a moving adaptation of Ovid’s myths.
Running from Thursday May 10 to Saturday May 12 @ The Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC [Google Map] [Facebook Link]
I didn’t write a post about my mother on her birthday, I figure – how many sappy mushy things can you write year after year on a blog for all to read? Then I realized I didn’t make a post last year.
I’ll have to make up for it by Mother’s Day because I know that my mom would appreciate it (and she cries really easily, it’ll seem like it’s way more touching than it really is… yeah I know, I’m a sweet daughter).
Regardless, it was her birthday yesterday and we celebrated tonight with the girls. We started out with some Thai food then walked to Denman to get celebratory cupcakes. This of course was complete with a sidewalk serenade of “Happy Birthday Momma” for all to hear. She’s an amazing woman and I hope we could bring her a little happiness tonight, because she truly deserves it. That, and an interactive cupcake.
And ma, I’ll work on that nice long sappy post, I promise, I’ll even make it better than Dad’s.
