Archive for September, 2011

Every day we share a single photo from our Flickr Pool shot by one of our faithful and talented readers (that’s you!)

I’ve had street photography on the brain as of late, and much like when a song gets stuck in my brain, I find it is often best to confront it head-on and scratch that itch. Otherwise I won’t be able to move on with my life. VIA Flickr Pool to the rescue!

Thanks to eych-you-bee-ee-ahr-tee, I feel satiated now. You gotta like a flash with a slower shutter – if all the elements fall into the right place as they do here. The repeated reflective signs are a nice touch, as is the dragged sign of the Orpheum Theatre. It’s street  photography in Van City, and it’s Friday night down at the Granville Entertainment District.

Gary

A new kitty once a week! Yup, we want YOUR cat photos and stories! Click here to find out how your cat can appear on Van City Kitty.

Brought to us by VIA reader Celia Chung, it’s Marvin:

Name: Marvin Breed/Colouring: Domestic shorthair/grey tabby Hood: Kits Habits: Finding out the nearest surface in use, and then sitting on top of it; shredding papers (especially important ones); eating yummy treats; chasing strings; swatting bugs; staring down the neighbour’s cats. Hangouts: the cat tree by the window; the couch; the computer chair (especially when it’s needed!); behind the computer monitor. Other info: Marvin was born on a barn at a small town in New Brunswick. One by one his brothers and sisters were given away to other barns/farms to be barn cats, and he being the runt was left behind. Luckily he found his way to me, a bio grad student at the time, and began his cushy life as a house-cat. He’s named after Marvin the Paranoid Android, because when he was an 8 week old kitten he had the saddest little meow – which he still uses to beg for treats sometimes. Now, at 5 years old, Marvin boasts a luxurious grey coat, a sweet personality, and the loudest purr you’d ever hear! Are you looking for a (or another) little furry beast to love? Please check out Happy Tails, our weekly segment featuring the BC SPCA and one of the animals they currently have available for adoption. (You may have noticed that many of the Van City Kitties came from the SPCA!) Check back every Saturday for a new Happy Tails segment! And if you adopted your pet from the SPCA and would like to share your awesome story on Happy Tails, send an email to Rory.Blanchard@novusnow.ca.

 

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Wanderful is an ongoing feature where each week I throw a hypothetical dart at the Vancouver map and travel there – by foot or by transit, and attempt to capture some of the cool and interesting small details that make that particular neighborhood unique and special. From sidewalks to back alleys, gardens to graffiti, I’ll become a wandering tourist in my own backyard. Armed with only a camera and very little natural sense of direction, it’s an journey of modest proportions, and an opportunity to see more of what makes this city AWESOME!

The last few days of unexpected downpours and windstorms have brought the coldish weather in, but rather than hole up in our apartments sobbing we should celebrate the return of all things pumpkin: lattes, ale and pie, and enjoy opportunities for new scarf shopping, and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot (when they aren’t being drowned in puddles). These are the things we must do to console ourselves when the inevitability of change is upon us; that, and revel in the puffy clouds once the sky clears.

South Granville is my neighbourhood. I moved here almost 10 years ago to attend Emily Carr and just never left, despite changing apartments 3 times. …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

VANCOUVER DAZE showcases and highlights the social life and scene of our beautiful city, covering all the misadventures and shenanigans at various cultural events, mixers, parties, meetups, and local happenings. We fiercely promote all the fun times the city has to offer along with the interesting people behind them. Follow more of my work/coverage over at RICKCHUNG.COM and on Twitter at @RICKCHUNG. You can pitch me HERE.

Volume 36: Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) 2011 Red Carpet Party at CinCin Ristorante + Bar on Robson Street on September 29, 2011. More photos available on Flickr.

Don’t worry, this isn’t about the controversial opening gala. Let’s stay positive here. Last night, I celebrated the opening of our city’s little film fest by garbling down some insanely delicious green macaroons (above) and mingling about with members of our film industry.

My lovely +1, singer/songwriter Kristie Yung, and I hopped over to Robson for a packed crowd at CinCin. It was ridiculous how full it was. It was like a sauna in there. I quickly spotted Mayor Gregor Robertson and a ton of character actors from local productions.
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The Rickshaw http://www.rickshawtheatre.com/ has hosted so many wonderful nights of Metal mayhem (Infact the band Mayhem is playing a gig there on Nov 21st!) over the years. Speaking of which, on one cold evening a few months back, I was able to do an interview with Norwegian black metal Gods, Dimmu Borgir! Thank you Mr. Rickshaw! Doot doola doot doo … doot doo!

Nardwuar vs. Dimmu Borgir

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Remember that annual creative conference, CreativeMix, that we’ve shared with you the past couple of years? They’re coming back in November and they want you to join them. Of course they want you to join them as participants in the conference but they’re also looking for ten people, groups, collaborators or companies to participate in the Creative Exhibition part of the conference. FOR FREE! They’re awarding display space showcasing the creative community here in Vancouver through a submission process that ends October 7th. The complete details are HERE, I also caught up with CreativeMix co-producer Eileen Rothe who was kind to answer a few questions I had about the affair…

Last year at CreativeEx: IDEA Program (Capilano University – creative education in action)

Why do you do CreativeEX at CreativeMix?
I loved Show & Tell in elementary school. Why did we stop doing that exactly? And Scholastic book day – we should bring that back!

What has surprised you the most about this process?
People are very comfortable talking about what they do, but are less inclined to SHOW what they can do.

If you had to pick a favourite display from a previous CreativeEX, what would it be?
The cool science court dudes that got everyone involved in making sound wave art. And the spontaneous beat box slam poet at lunch – that was rad!
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Vancouver is home to a thriving fashion industry made up of individuals committed to its growth and success. Get to know these personalities in The Inseam and discover what makes the Vancouver Fashion scene so awesome.

Photo: courtesy Lily Nguyen

Peter Ty is the Chanel-clad, Balenciaga-bag-slinging, Prada-loafer-wearing fashion aficionado behind The Starving Stylist. A bold and sassy read that consists of personal adventures, style inspirations and outfit posts, the blog has garnered a following that has made Peter the talk of the town.

After befriending Peter a few years ago, I can attest to his strong and vivacious attitude, but what most people would be surprised to learn is that he wears his heart on his sleeve. What’s more? He is genuine, smart and hardworking to boot (He spends his 9 to 5 as a Visual Merchandiser at a high-end menswear label). Contrary to his persona, the man can eat. We chat over bellies full of pizza, wine and chocolate prepared by the blogger himself. He speaks candidly about his views on the fashion world, his blog and why he has a soft spot for East Van.

Valerie Tiu: What was your motivation for starting your blog? Why did you choose to name it “The Starving Stylist?”

Peter Ty:  I just finished [fashion] school. I didn’t have a full-time job yet, so it was a just a hobby. Being a recent graduate, I had to pay off tuition, so I got the name “The Starving Stylist” – that idea where I would rather skip a meal so I could afford the next outfit for the weekend. I love going out for dinners, but sometimes I would rather save the money, let it accumulate, and buy an outfit. People always ask me where I get the money for a new handbag, but really I just save up for those little luxuries.

VT: Can you describe your first fashion memory? …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>