Around this time last year my Yamaha BWS looked like this…

Fortunately, this winter has been nicer to my beloved little 49cc scooter so I’ve been able to include it in my 2010 Games TravelSmart plan. My plan is to take up less room on the road by driving my scooter instead of my car to work every day, to take the bus whenever I need to travel into the downtown core (hello Dan Mangan at the Roundhouse and Stars at the Orpheum!) and to actually do a bit of walking to my destinations.

Tell us about your 2010 Games TravelSmart plan and be entered to win a 3 Zone, 6-week, 2010 Games Transit Pass worth $204! Enter in the comments of THIS post from yesterday.

My favorite Freshest friends have just finished there latest cd entitled “What The F” Featuring tons of original remixes and exclusives, “What the F” is an adventurous ride through the sounds of a Freshest party from the start to the sweet finish. Besides the most awesome music they commissioned the talented artist Dan Climan for the cover art! The Cd kicks off their Canadian tour Go Vancouver deejays!   heres a live mix for you from that!


www.thefreshest.ca

Last night’s sleep was nothing like as luxurious as yesterday’s.  After leaving SAIT in the wee hours we checked in to a cool mid-60’s motel – the kind with a vintage banker’s cage surrounding the front desk and sheets so strictly laundered that small electrical storms of static were created with every sleeping movement – and we woke early to begin the 7-hour drive to Kelowna.  Before the day really began, however, we had the unfinished business of breakfast to take care of at the Communitea Cafe in Canmore.

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The Old Familiar is Jon Bunyan’s private musical empire. For the past several years, Bunyan has been a name in the Vancouver music scene, most notably playing with the Canadian prog-rock sensation, Bend Sinister. Over several North American tours, Bunyan honed his songwriting skills with Bend Sinister, garnering awards such as CBC’s “Top Ten Songs of 2007” and Much Music’s “Buzziest Pick” along the way. In 2008, Bunyan decided to focus on his solo material, which 24 Hour Magazine has described as “upbeat Dylan and accessible Waits without ever being a mere imitation of such folk greats.” Since recording his debut full-length album, Bunyan has toured in Canada and Europe.

Jon made a new year’s resolution to record and share one track per month, and as long as he keeps up with it we’ll be bringing these tracks to you here on V.I.A.! Click to download the second one from us, entitled Down The Hole. While Vancouver will always be home for Jon, this is a song he wrote while in London, in the suburb of Islington. It was an exercise in efficiency, with the entire song being written and recorded in the space of about 4 hours:

Also, click HERE for the first one and visit The Old Familiar on Myspace for more:

Use your Games-time travel plan: instead of driving, try teleworking, ride-sharing/carpooling, cycling, walking, taking transit or working flex hours. If you’re taking transit, avoid peak travel times, allow yourself extra travel time and be prepared for crowds wherever you’re going. Visit TravelSmart2010.ca for more information and resources to help your travel during the 2010 Winter Games.

To help you TravelSmart during the Games, we’re giving away a 6-week 2010 Games Transit Pass (3 zones)! How are you getting around – or not getting around (teleworking?) – during the Games? Submit your 2010 Games TravelSmart plan in the comments below and be entered in our draw to win!

NOTE: the 3 zone pass that we’re giving away is not the one pictured above, the one we’re giving away is actually worth $204!!!

With 20,666 artists, boasting 91,208 tracks, the CBC Radio 3 web site is the absolute ultimate authority, and the home, of independent music in Canada. Recently relaunched with some fancy new tools for members (free to join!), we’re taking advantage of what they’ve set up by bringing you a fresh batch of music every week featuring local groups who have tracks (entire albums, even!) on the R3 site.

This week we’re proud to bring you the New Pornographers’ frontman, A.C. Newman, as our guest ‘lister! In case you missed it, we recently announced the forthcoming New Pornographers album which is dropping May 4th. Until it then you can listen to their previous albums, A.C.’s solo works, and you can click below to listen to his playlist containing some of his favourite songs by other Vancouver artists.

photo: caleb beyers

Sign up to become a member yourself and you can put together your own playlists, get notifications about what your favourite artists are up to and more.

V.I.A.’s Home Grown features only the most awesome companies in Vancouver. From tiny, single-person operations to the big players, we profile our favourite businesses and interview their owners.

Charm Modern Thai Established 2008 www.charmmodernthai.com

Charm Modern Thai, a Yaletown Thai food joint, is big on keeping its dishes authentic to the homeland, meaning no ketchup Pad Thai is anywhere to be found.

The modern décor is cool, the staff is charming (naturally!) and the Crispy Prawn Wontons, Tom Kha Lobster Bisque and Coconut Cream Scallops are about the most awesome Thai bits of deliciousness to ever hit your mouth.

We sat down with Charm’s proprietor, Desmond, for a few questions…
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Scott Radnidge’s open at Walrus was Thursday night and here are a couple shots from the art and people.

There are a lot of great images to check out.
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Over the next few days we’re joining Dan Mangan on a musical adventure from Vancouver to Canmore to Lethbridge to Edmonton to Calgary to Kelowna and back. Expect daily visual tour diary updates from The Home Stretch which returns to our city on the 8th!

The hands of the clock on the wall are being pulled reluctantly into future with the sound like a knife against a whetstone, signifying that it’s time to drag the fattened night to slaughter and begin another day.  I awake in a nursery, peeling an assortment of Disney princesses off my face as I lifted my head from the pillow.  We’re staying at the home of Dan’s prairies promoter and a weekend sleepover has left his young children’s bunk beds vacant for the road-weary.  With two inches of headroom and another two below my feet, I slept like a baby. The clock reads 11:05, the hands taking the shape of a peace-symbol or perhaps a Victory ‘V’, and gathered around the kitchen table a while later we all acknowledge feeling rejuvenated by the luxurious sleep in.

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Being the jock I am, one-upmanship is something I partake in regularly.  Though it’s never been official, Boon and I have been having an ongoing feud to see who has the edge in the battle of VIA noodle supremacy.

I’d say so far Boon has had the edge, with his comprehensive coverage of Laksa in Vancouver, but I’m upping the ante with one of my favourite noodle dishes, Dan-Dan or Tan-Tan noodle soup.

When I was living downtown, the place to get this dish was at Yopo.  If you’re in that neck of the woods, it’s the best Chinese place by far, the menu is extensive, the kitchen is up front and clean, the people who run it are always friendly too.  It’s great home cooked style food just like how Mama Choy cooks.

CLICK MORE!

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The cats rule East Vancouver. They’re everywhere…sidewalks, roads, hiding in doorways, supervising stores, sprawled out anywhere to have a bath. The cats I meet while wandering through East Van are probably all house-pets but it’s not clear who ‘owns’ them. Cats are all about territory, but all space is public to them.

Stay tuned…When the project is finished I hope to have photographed every one of the East Van Cats!