Archive for November, 2011

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

Sometimes a person just needs to climb atop an enormous soggy stump on the shore of a frigid British Columbia lake on a foggy November day to clear the mind. And other times, all a person needs to gain that same clarity is to head down to the shore of a frigid British Columbia lake on a foggy November day and hope to take a photograph of someone perched atop an enormous soggy stump.

Feel free to guess which camp Tony Myshlyaev falls into – but here’s a little clue: that is his Untitled photograph below.

Gary

The Bassment is a weekly article bringing you coverage of the best in Hip Hop and Electronic music from around Vancouver. Weekly interviews, event coverage, album and concert reviews that show how awesome our city’s electronic and hip hop scene really is. If you think there is someone or something that needs coverage in this city in regards to the Hip Hop / Electronic community then get in touch with us.

We’ve featured Jaykin before on VIA but here is his appropriate debut in The Bassment. Just back from a trip to Japan, Jaykin released Sneakers & Video Games II some months back this year. A continuation of Sneakers & Videogames I, it contains no less than 5 songs that are part 2′s to songs on S&VG I. In a world of a million MCs, Jaykin calls himself Vancity’s Nicest, raps about Galaga, Capcom, Nippon, and V.A.N. life over synthy beats and scapes and aims to be more than an MC.

Sneakers & Video Games II stream
Sneakers & Video Games II download

Photo: Ian Azariah

Re-introduce yourself for The Bassment

JayKin real name is Jaakan. Van is my home and l love God, Sneakers, Video Games and obsessed with Japan. I’ve been doing this on a serious note for 4 years.

Your latest album is Sneakers & Video Games 2 and there are also 5 songs that are part 2′s to songs that were in Sneakers & Video Games 1. Tell us about the the part 2’s.

I really wanted to keep it all connected since there was a part 1 and part 2. A lot of artists have sequel albums but never really have sequel songs continued from the last. I find it keeps the listeners interested to check back on whatever song it is. Back to the future effect.

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

A new kitty once a week! Click here to find out how your cat can appear on Van City Kitty.

Here are the deets on Stu, submitted by VIA reader Sami Christianson:

Name: Stu Breed/Colouring: A cross-eyed ragdoll cat Hood: Mt. Pleasant Habits: Sitting like a human, stealing sushi, trying to fit into purses and bags, running into windows, going for jogs down the hallways of my apartment, sitting on my alarm clock as soon as it goes off so I don’t hear it, licking my face until I wake up to feed him, and attacking my toes in the middle of the night. Hangouts: The fridge, the bathtub, purses, casserole dishes, countertops, right in front of the tv, the bed, my shoulders while I’m getting ready for bed, and his kitty condo. Other info: I rescued Stu at 5 months old from a family that was going to pass him off to the SPCA. How they could not want this little guy I will never understand. Some of Stu’s cute little quirks are: He likes to carry his toys around the apartment in his mouth, he greets me at the door every day at 6 o’clock when I get home from work, and he loves to be picked up and cuddled… as soon as you pick him up he flops in your arms like a doll (hence the name ragdoll cat). If you’re interested in adopting a pet, check out our Happy Tails feature. 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.

 

…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 44: Mavi Jeans holiday shopping event in Yaletown on November 23, 2011. Hashtag: #MaviHoliday. More photos available on Flickr.

The holiday season means shops are in full swing. This week was crazy with holiday shopping kick-offs. I headed into Yaletown for Mavi’s holiday shopping event.

I mixed, mingled, shopped, drank, and ate popcorn with Sophia Cheng and some of my favourite fashionable people like Melissa Knight (very top), Eryne Ordel, Brittany Greenslade, and others.
…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Nardwuar vs. Duffs!

There’s been quite a variety of “Duffs” that have passed through Vancouver, BC, over the years. Here’s evidence of a few of them. Doot doola doot doo ,,, doot doo!

Nardwuar vs. Hilary Duff

Nardwuar vs. Duff McKagan

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families.Every week I post a roundup of upcoming family-friendly events and activities. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Craft a really special Christmas with your child at Collage Collage.  Channel your child’s Christmas excitement towards making their own gifts, ornaments and decorations.  Between November 30th – December 17th,  Collage Collage is offering a number of workshops for you and your child to make ornaments, advent calendars, gift tags, sock monkeys, stockings and more.

With the exception of the Open House on December 3rd, all workshops require pre-registration.  Call 604.569.1929 or email info@collagecollage.ca to reserve your spot!

Wednesday November 30th
4:30-6pm
Family Night Craft-In: 5 ornaments + gift cards
$25 per parent+child duo. Registration Required.

Saturday December 3rd
2 – 4pm
Holiday Open House with Banquet – colouring + creating with the folks at Banquet. Gift with the purchase of a Banquet Print.
FREE!

Wednesday December 7th
4:30-6pm
Family Night Craft-In:  5 ornaments + gift cards
$25 per parent+child duo. Registration Required.

Saturday December 10th
3-5pm
Sock Monkey Making (best for 6 and up with a parent)
$30 per parent+child duo. Registration Required.

Wednesday December 14th
4:30-6pm
Parent + child work together to paint a watercolour + pastel portrait of themselves + their family. A perfect gift for parents, grandparents, and everyone else on your list!
$20 per parent+child duo. Registration Required.

Thursday December 15th
7 -9pm
Make A Stocking (for teens and adults, hand sewing required)
$30 Registration Required.

Saturday December 17th
3-5pm
Sock Monkey Making (best for 6 and up with a parent)
$30 per parent+child duo. Registration Required.

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

There is something magical about the first snowfall of the season. Just speaking for myself, I don’t think I’ll ever reach an age where I don’t get a little excited about the first snowflakes of the year, and the way that it makes everything a little more quiet and makes the night sky a tad brighter. Even better if I can coax the cat outside so he can run around like a little kitten as I toss handfuls of snow in his direction – such was the case late last week.

By the morning, not much snow remained out here in Vancouver – but there was evidence of it if you knew where to look. And that is precisely what Maria Janicki did, paying a visit to Burnaby Mountain on Saturday afternoon and sharing the below Untitled photograph with us.

Those nice Parks people know exactly where to install a bench, don’t they? Time to find the Krazy Karpets™!

Gary

This series had its genesis when I began photographing Vancouver area location shoots in the summer of 2010 to get over a post-Olympics funk. Film and TV productions like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Fringe, Supernatural and The Killing showcase our city in similar fashion and sometimes put a celebrity actor or two in the frame.

Vancouver crew of Fairly Legal owe its star Sarah Shahi a big thankyou this American Thanksgiving. If not for her, it’s unlikely the USA Network show would have returned to film a second season here.

I heard and overheard on set in September 2010 how unhappy network executives were with the general tone of the series so it wasn’t a surprise when they cut the first season order to ten episodes from twelve although they claimed scheduling issues. Facing Kate, the working title of the series, was considered a failed show before it even aired this year but they’d underestimated the immense appeal of Sarah Shahi in the lead role as Kate Reed, a San Francisco lawyer-turned-mediator with a messy personal life.

Shahi is a force of nature — seen below in late August 2010 filming outside the SFU Segal Graduate School of Business turned Reed & Reed Law Offices started by Kate’s dead father and later in a scene having lunch with her estranged assistant-district-attorney husband played by Michael Trucco outside Trees Organic Coffee while prop San Franciso cabs circled the block.

Some creative changes had to be made before execs would renew the legal dramedy which while a solid performer in its first season was no breakout hit like other USA Network series. Creator Michael Sardo stepped down as showrunner to make way for Peter Odco of Pushing Daisies which probably contributed to the late filming start this year. I found Sarah Shahi at the beginning of this month walking down the south steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery and obviously back in character as feisty Kate.

Before Fairly Legal, I knew Sarah Shahi for her role as a cop in the wonderful L.A.-set series Life …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>