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We are HUB. We make cycling better through education, action and events.  More cycling means healthier, happier, more connected communities. We’re leading the way in making cycling an attractive choice for everyone. Each month V.I.A. provides a platform for us to bring you something awesome involving cycling in the city!

By Burton Wong

“Gasp!” That’s usually the response I get when people catch my two-tone cycling tan lines peeking out of my t-shirt sleeves.  I’m just like your typical Vancouverite – as soon as the sun kicks into high gear, I’m outside soaking up vitamin D like it’s going out of style. I’ve got a head start on my office-bound buddies because every chance I get, I’m out soaking up the rays as I pedal around town on my bike. By the peak of summer, my tan lines would make a farmer jealous.

Photo Credit: Cycle City Tours

If you’re looking to even out your tan, look no further than the Naked Bike Ride, an annual tradition for those who dare to bare it all (I’ll stick with my cyclist-tan, thanks).  That’s just one of the many bike-friendly events lined up as we head into the summer months:

• Join HUB tomorrow at MEC BikeFest Vancouver, where you can check out new gear, participate in awesome clinics and workshops or even get in on a friendly race.

• This Sunday, June 16th,  not just ONE but FOUR communities will be rocking out with great food, local vendors and live entertainment in celebration of Car Free Day Vancouver. HUB will be at Commercial drive this year, giving away free stuff and organizing rides between festival locations. To make it even more bike-friendly than it already is, The Bicycle Valet can watch over your two-wheeled steed while you soak up the rays at at the Main Street and Commercial Drive locations.

• If you’re a fan of the Museum of Vancouver, HUB members get a 2-for-1 admission during the month of June. Check out the scintillating Sex Talk in the City exhibit or the photography of Foncie Pulice who captured iconic images of Vancouver’s streets back in the 1930s. The museum is also near the bike route that runs around Vanier Park through to Kitsilano, which makes it even easier to access by bike.

• For the racing fans, BC Superweek is just around the corner. With five races taking place between July 5 and 14, there’s a good chance that you can catch some of the action this season. Just remember to slather on sunscreen when you’re waiting for the pros to whip through the hay bale corners. Believe me, it’s easy to forget how mean the sun is when you’re distracted by the cowbell clanging and the “whooosh!” of road bikes flying by.

• Fancy some fashion? Want bike clothing options that don’t scream peloton or Tour-de-Something? Vancouver Cycle Chic is celebrating bicycling – without the Gore-Tex and Lycra – on July 5 at Sugar Studios. The event will feature a fashion show, music, food carts, an interactive art installation and even giveaways.

• Got guests in town? Want to explore more of your own backyard? Then sign up for a bike tour!  Learn the fascinating history of Stanley Park with Vancouver Heritage -OR- explore Vancouver’s hidden foodie, art & urban history gems via bike with Cycle City Tours.  HUB members get up to 15% – 20% off bike tours and even more discounts if you bring your own bike. For more info on HUB member benefits and discounts, visit bikehub.ca/membership.

Whew. That’s all I can cover this time but Vancouver still has a lot more going on as the hot weather kicks into gear. So buckle up that lid, be generous with the SPF50 and remember to use your hand signals. The fun begins now and if you’re lucky, you’ll have a tan line to remember all through the winter.

Many times a day, the people you see crossing the street or meet in your travels make you smile and wonder, “What is their life like? What is their story?” A photographer is compelled to capture these individuals’ image to communicate their unique stories—to take a portrait that reflects their personality and the world they live in. For me (@tallulahphoto), this evolved into a passion to photograph these everyday people, whose unique souls reflect not only the zeitgeist but the joy and colour that comes from living on the West Coast.

Portraits from the Vancouver People Project will be featured in Vancouver Is Awesome as a precursor to a future photographic exhibit featuring the wonderful characters who contribute to the fabric of Vancouver.

Charles Edward Bae

Age: Born in 1973

Born: Seoul, South Korea

How long have you lived in Vancouver? Since 1976

Occupations: I was an English teacher in South Korean universities and institutes during my 20s. During that time a network cast me as a TV game host and live radio pundit, which I did for three years. On my return to Canada I went to school to study 3D modelling and animation. From there I started making mostly Star Trek and Star War props with working electronics including laser beams. I also became what I call a conventioneer, which is a vendor at the huge science fiction conventions that are held in Vancouver. Recently, all this has taken a back seat to acting. I am currently taking acting classes and climbing my way up the union ladder. This year I worked as a background performer on many of the series that were shot in Vancouver.

Passions and Interests: My current passions are background acting and improving my singing. Before that it was my love of Star Trek. I am one of the principal actors in the long-awaited Star Trek fan film “Yorktown: A Time to Heal.” The film needed an actor who could pull off an impassioned speech entirely in Klingon in full makeup and armour, and I fit the bill. I also teach the Klingon language here in Vancouver through my Klingon language club.

What do people know you for? My collection of tuxedos, suits, making props, speaking Klingon and acting.?

Thoughts on Vancouver? The positive energy all year round due to the weather, mountains and water. This allows great opportunities for filming all year round. A city full of actors, singers, performers and cosplayers (costume play) leads to many creative endeavours.

Tallulah’s Musings

I met Charles at a masquerade event; he was dressed as a dandy and was accompanying a Lolita-like character. He seemed from another world, and I discovered that he dresses up as a character from Star Trek. He is also somewhat of a chameleon—one never knows where you will meet Charles and what persona he will be. I was tickled to know that he spoke Klingon. The backdrop for the photo shoot was an art installation near the Shangri La Hotel on Georgia Street. Charles came dressed as a villainous Star Trek Klingon commander.

Vancouver Is Awesome is a proud media partner of Vancouver Draw Down 2013. The Drawing is Awesome project here on the blog showcases prominent Vancouverites participating in the Online Daily Drawing Project…

Name & Occupation: Gabrielle Rose is an actress.

Daily Drawing Project: “ Reduce Your Carbon Footprint ” (From Day 7 Online Daily Drawing.) Cover a page with an even base of charcoal or pencil. Make a drawing by erasing white lines and shapes.

Gabrielle Rose - 

“The last thing I drew was almost a year ago, summer at the cottage  in Quebec, where, after a couple of weeks of unplugging, I find I often start to do a little art. I, generally, use pastels and always, it is of the countryside near the cottage . The lake or the flowers or the trees. This is my first time trying to work with charcoal. I am not  in any way artist but I do find it gives me great peace of mind and pleasure to play with making pictures. Working with charcoal was interesting and quite messy! My first two efforts were rather dismal affairs and on bemoaning my lack of talent to my husband, he said” Don’t draw what you see, draw what you feel” . Here is the result.“

Visit the Online Daily Drawing Project running June 5 – June 14 in the 10 days leading up to Vancouver Draw Down, an annual daylong celebration of drawing on June 15 that offers free drawing workshops at over 35 locations around Vancouver.

Click here to check out past daily drawings by other prominent Vancouverites!

Vancouver is Awesome is a proud media partner of Running Vancouver, a 6-part web documentary series by Pacer Films which follows three local runners as they train for and run the 2013 BMO Vancouver Marathon & Half-Marathon.

In the final episode of Running Vancouver, the morning of the BMO Vancouver Marathon & Half-Marathon has finally arrived. Watch as Sean attempts to complete his first marathon and Karl aims for a Boston-qualifying time of 3:05.

Learn more about the project and the runners at: http://pacerfilms.tv/running-vancouver

Vancity Fair is an interview project that asks compelling Vancouverites to complete The Proust Questionnaire to expose their thoughts, values and life experiences.

Ken Tsui, Program Director for the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market, has made sure this summer’s festivities bring a heady mix of time-honoured tradition and new school flavour to Keefer Street: Live music, storytelling nights with Rain City Chronicles, Mahjong, new vendors, more food, outdoor classic movie screenings and epic ping pong tournaments.

The Chinatown Night Market officially opens June 1st and will continue every weekend until September 8th from 6pm – 11pm.

Your favourite virtue.
Courage, the down payment for all other virtues.

Your favourite qualities in a man.
Their willingness to move furniture in the rain with me.

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

Many times a day, the people you see crossing the street or meet in your travels make you smile and wonder, “What is their life like? What is their story?” A photographer is compelled to capture these individuals’ image to communicate their unique stories—to take a portrait that reflects their personality and the world they live in. For me (@tallulahphoto), this evolved into a passion to photograph these everyday people, whose unique souls reflect not only the zeitgeist but the joy and colour that comes from living on the West Coast.

Portraits from the Vancouver People Project will be featured in Vancouver Is Awesome as a precursor to a future photographic exhibit featuring the wonderful characters who contribute to the fabric of Vancouver.

Lin Gardiner

Age:  Born in the year Soixante-neuf

Born: I’m from sunny Dorset in England, think ‘The Shires’

How long have you lived in Vancouver?  Just over a decade

Occupations: I started as a musician and DJ, playing in bands in Camden, London and DJing in the Hacienda, among other places. I then shifted to studio work as a recording and mixing engineer and record producer. I worked on a ton of chart records in the UK and then moved to Canada to explore the music scene. There’s so much musical talent on the West Coast! I’ve also spent the past few years working as a sound designer in video games, film and TV, which has been fantastic and taken me to some exciting places such as Skywalker Sound and House of Moves in California.

Passions and Interests: I LOVE producing records! Aside from my sonic obsessions, my passions are playing football as well as food security. My footie team (shout out to Sunshine FC!) play in the Metro Women’s Soccer League, and while we are usually at the bottom of the lowest division, I swear we have more fun than any other team in the league! As well as being a beginner gardener in my back garden, I’m also president of a local non-profit called The Vancouver Fruit Tree Project. In a nutshell, we harvest unwanted backyard fruit and distribute it to those in the community who would not otherwise have access to fresh local food. It’s a very rewarding and much-loved project!

What do people know you for? Music, sound, soccer & food security!

Thoughts on Vancouver? An unexpected but pleasant adventure in the journey of life! I met my wife in London and shortly after we got together her visa arrived to move to Canada. So it was a ‘now or never’ situation. I thought, “What the heck, let’s give it a go.” We’re still here more than 10 years later so I suppose you could say Vancouver suits me. I can’t think of another place in the world where it’s as easy to be openly gay or trans—or anything for that matter. I love walking around Vancouver and seeing the most eclectic mix of people you’re likely to see in any city, co-existing peacefully and happily. On the downside: the seemingly endless months of rain, the high cost of cheese and the fact you can’t buy a bottle of wine in the same shop you do your groceries.

Tallulah’s Musings

I admire Lin’s passions and the fact that she has worked for a long time in the music business, especially studio work which traditionally is a male-dominated industry. I also admire the glamour of having been a DJ at Manchester’s legendary Hacienda nightclub. We spent time brainstorming about the portrait, wanting to merge Lin’s passion for music and her love of gardening. This sparked the idea for a piano in a rustic urban setting, with Lin wearing a elegant off-white suit.