A celebrity star-studded lineup of CBC TV stars from such hit TV series as 18 to Life, Heartland, Dragons Den, Village on a Diet, Heartland, Little Mosque on the Prairie, InSecurity, Marketplace were out to meet-and-greet the public on January 29, 2011 at Metrotown Shopping Mall in Burnaby BC. Popular Canadian TV personalities like Graham Wardle (Heartland), Stacey Farber and Micheal Seater (18 to Life), Alex Cranston and Benjamin N’udu (InSecurity), Allan Hawco and Lynda Boyd (Republic of Doyle), Yasir Hamoudi and Baber Siddiqui (Little Mosque on the Prairie) and of course, George Stroumboulopoulos of George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. They were all there, ready to pose for pictures, sign autographs, give away posters and hugs and kisses for the lucky ones in the public too. Thousands showed up to jam-packed the already usually busy shopping mall in the Vancouver suburb of Burnaby.
It is the Year of The Rabbit for the 2011 Chinese New Year (CNY) in the lunar calendar. Vancouver has a very substantial Chinese community and around this time of the year, there is usually a concert or two from the Chinese community to welcome a new year and have a good start. As is often the case, this concert is associated with some charity cause. This year it is no exception.
A CNY concert was being held on January 28, 2011 at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond, BC. The event was organized by the Vancouver Metropolitan Lions Club to help raise funds for the Richmond Hospital. A number of singers and performers originated form Hong Kong were invited to participate in the evening’s program. The artists include Li Lung Kee, (???), Joe Tai, Heiman Wong and Queenie Lee. It is mainly a concert of Cantonese and a few Mandarin and English songs. Musical arrangement by Samuel Chan was designed for the audience to reminiscence the fabulous Cantonese pop tunes of the 1980s and then progressively lead into the modern era of popular songs of today in Hong Kong.
A solemn Squamish First Nations totem blessing ceremony at Oppenheimer Park in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside offered the public a rare glimpse into the centuries-old aboriginal custom known as a potlatch. Geographically, Squamish is located about halfway between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-To-Sky Highway and this native community is also one of the Four Host First Nations (FHFN) that was a full and integral partner of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
In December 2006, a devastating storm ravaged the city’s Stanley Park. The 115 Km per hour (71 mph) wind damaged some 3,000 trees. About 40% of the forest was affected. The cleanup and restoration effort including mending part of the seawall cost a total of $9 Million. But all was not wasted though. Some of the Western Red Cedar were recycled and made into paddles and given as gifts to people around the UK coastline. The paddles were carved by Stewart Nahanee and painted by his brother Wes, both of the Squamish Nation. Wes was not only present at the ceremony but also invited as a guest speaker.
A large cedar log was also carved into two vertical halves (each about 12ft tall) by Chief Robertson and his son Henry Robertson Jr. to be made into two totem poles. On Nov. 06, 2010, a traditional First Nations ceremony was held at Oppenheimer Park and conducted by Bob Baker, a Squamish elder and lead singer and dancer of the Eagle Song Dancer group.
Four persons were chosen beforehand to be the witnesses of the sacred ceremony. In accordance with the Coast Salish tradition, these 4 witnesses carried out a cleansing ritual using sage and fresh water on the yet-to-be-finished totems with the two master carvers standing by in attendance. Then, the totems were then carried by ‘witnesses’ that were respected members of the Squamish Nations into the building nearby to protect the totems from the elements while the carvers would continue to work on the native artwork.
Once completed, the totems will be erected and a special ceremony will also be held to set them up at a site within the park. The day’s ceremony was also an excellent excuse for many in the Squamish community to gather together or ‘Tzo’kam’ as in the native language.
To round off the blessing ceremony, Bob Baker and the Eagle Song Dancers performed an eagle dance for the occasion. Years ago, I worked with Bob in a short dramatic film project. He lead his dancers sang and danced the same song too. Seeing Bob again is like meeting an old friend for me.
This special carving project and celebration is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, City of Vancouver Great Beginnings Program, Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, Vancouver Moving Theatre, Constant Arts Society. The program was also part of the Downtown Eastside (DTES) Heart of the City Festival.
VIDEO – Squamish Nation Sacred Totem Ceremony at Vancouver’s Oppenheimer Park
Vancouver Motorcycle Show 2011 – January 20-23, 2011 at Tradex Exhibition Centre, Abbotsford, BC. This annual bike show showcases motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, dirt bikes, stunt bikes and customs bikes products and services. All major motorcycle manufacturers are represented: Harley Davidson, Yamaha, BMW, Ducati, Kawasaki, Triumph, Victory, Polari, Honda, Suzuki etc. There are vintage nights, Championship Trials Demo, Yamaha Kids Riding Academy, Stunt Bike Team, girl rider prizes, OEM customization, Retro Rat Race, Vicious Cycle Rock Band live performance, Helmet & Heels Lounge, dash and bash etc. to satisfy everybody.
I talked to Harley-Davidson sales about sustainability and care for the environment. Bikers as tree-huggers so to speak. Obviously when the most popular customer OEM customization request being enlarging the exhaust pipe, enviro concerns takes a backseat if at all.
A motorcyclist is seriously injured in an accident, lying on the street but still wanting to fasten the helmet back and carry on with his journey. But will he make it? A couple on their final night together having a last supper but yet passion overcomes them. A man on the balcony tries to escape the party that rages on besides him. Another man thinks he is falling for the girl he meets at the bookstore. Three strangers linger in a bar while the waitress clings on to a letter from a soldier. An insomniac tosses and turns. While waiting for her ex-boyfriend to call, she reminisce happier times. All these mise-en-scene of life’s little dramas are played out on storefronts, pavement and side-walk bars and have subtitles flashing overhead on big TV screens or projected onto the street that tell the back stories to the audience who watch the everyday anecdotes unfolding in front of their eyes. Many may just find resonance that touches them on a deep personal level.
The motorcyclist scenario makes you think of a character in Jack Kerouac’s novel On The Road at the end of the journey with the mind wanting to go on but the body may not allow. Meanwhile, life not only goes on but teaming with love and romance. Those with broken dreams are at least perplexed for the moment and saddened by the loss and the what-could-have-beens. The scenes may be a dramatization of life but the feelings are real and heart-felt.
The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival is the work of Mariano Pensotti, an Argentinean-born writer and theatre director. This free outdoor street performance series takes place from January 18-22, 2011, 7PM-9PM right in the heart of Vancouver’s historic Gastown district of Water Street from Carrall to Abbott street.
The festival is also a fine tribute to the city that is celebrating a 125 years anniversary.
Happy 125, Vancouver!
VIDEO – Push Festival 2011 La Marea at Gastown Vancouver
[Video producer: Ray Van Eng. Vancouver21.com / V21 Media. Music soundtrack by Kevin MacLeod/Incompetech.com. Video shot with Sony VG10, the world's first interchangeable lens HD Handycam.]
Canadian country singer/songwriter Terri Clark performed this new song four months ago in a live concert at the 100th anniversary Pacific National Exhibition PNE 2010 on Aug 22, 2010. She did not give the name of the song at the time but did said that she wrote it “about two weeks ago”. I listened to the lyrics and it had how the four strong winds would carry her and how she will always be a northern girl. So I thought that the song would be called Always Be A Northern Girl or something similar. As it turned out she named it Northern Girl.
I didn’t want to post this song online then and wanted to wait until Terri decided to release it first. According to Terri Clark facebook page, she is currently in Vancouver mixing this new song right. A new album will be out soon.
So here it is, Terri Clark debuted this new song ‘Northern Girl’ in Vancouver back in August 2010. There is also a bonus track ‘I’ve Got Better Things To Do’ too in the second half. Enjoy!
VIDEO – Terri Clark, Northern Girl & Better Things To Do
Pacific National Exhibition 2901 E. Hastings St., Vancouver BC
[WARNING: MATURE CONTENT NOT SUITABLE FOR MINORS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE.]
This year, the Taboo Sex Show 2011 Vancouver is being held at the Vancouver Convention Centre New West Building A & B from January 13-16, 2011.
Billed as a ‘Naughty But Nice Sexy Show’, the 4-day trade show/live performance event has more than 80 exhibitors participating. Featured headline acts included Stiletto Storm, Emcee and Internet sensation Samantha Mack, Diamond Minx and Maggie Pie Burlesque, Aradia Fitness Pole Dancing, Miss Pole Dance Canada Crystal Lai, latex fashion Show by Wares & Wear, Wild West Cancan & Dazzling Divas. There are also bikini contest, exotic dance showcase, body painting competition etc.
To expand your horizon and knowledge base, there are plenty of seminars that cover a wide variety of hush-hush subjects: bondage intro, spanking 101, lap dance for your partner and more. Balanced sexuality, relationship visioning and emotional vampire may pique the interest of many first-time visitors.
However, familiar terms like Eden, paradise, fantasy island and loving and sharing may not necessarily be the kind that many religious-minds would approve. DIY therapeutic devices, sex toys galore and some acts can only be shown behind a black curtain and no photos allowed. What kind of acts? Some call it pleasure and others label it pain. All depending on your point of view and level of indulgence. Heaven and Hell are separated by such a fine line.
Pyrex apparatus are built for safety so as not to cause any bodily harm. Oh, behave, but ask as many questions as you like, your friendly salesperson is there to answer your enquiry. Don’t worry, what happens at the Taboo Sex Show 2011 Vancouver stays on the trade show floor. Want some freebies, at least an exhibitor or two were eager to pass out the Big ’O’. That’s oxygen, stupid. What were you thinking?
The Taboo Sex Show 2011 is a licensed event. Tix are $15 (online) and $20 (cash only at the door). Opening night was on Thursday (Jan 13) and it’s Girls Night Out. Tickets were 2 for 1 for the ladies, so that evening was filled with young ladies cursing the showroom floor with friends. Gate-checkers would ask to see your driver’s license to make sure you are 19 and over.
Taboo Sex Show 2011 certainly raised the temperatures of this city in the middle of winter. A few more shows like that and Vancouver could just have an early spring. Cheery blossom time in January for Lotusland, why not? Just keep the snow up in the mountains.
Special props goes to Diamond Minx who did an excellent burlesque stripe-tease act that is featured in the following video.
[VIDEO - WARNING: MATURE CONTENT. Diamond Minx Burlesque at Taboo Sex Show Vancouver 2011. Viewer discretion is advised.]
Vancouver Convention Centre 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver BC
As we approach the first anniversary of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Games, I like to recall a wonderful journey that lead me to the discovery of some of Canada’s premier First Nations fashion designers.
A temporary cedar wood structure occupying the Queen Elizabeth Theatre plaza in downtown Vancouver was designated as the Aboriginal Pavilion during the 2010 Games. It was the place to be for visitors to learn about the Four Host First Nations (FHFN) arts and culture. Each day, thousands of tourists and locals alike lined up for a chance to cram into the small domed theatre (about 60’ in diameter) to enjoy a multimedia show about Canada’s aboriginal population and in particular the FHFN which was the full partner of Vancouver 2010. In fact, the 2010 Games operated on grounds that had been the traditional land of the Four Host First Nations (Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh) for at least thousands of years.
What many people overlooked was the five-day long (Feb 12-16, 2010) aboriginal fashion showcase that was held off site at the Vancouver Community College campus in downtown Vancouver just a couple of blocks away from the aboriginal pavilion.
The Aboriginal Fashion Showcase featured the work of a number of established and emerging native designers from across Canada. On Feb. 13, 2010, I attended a runway show that highlighted a group of younger designers – Kim Picard, Tammy Beauvais, Louie Gong, and Tracy Toulouse.
These aboriginal artists and stylists drew on the rich history of the Haida, Inuit, Metis and various First Nations tribes to incorporate traditional native arts and designs into contemporary-styled clothing.
A common denominator among many of today’s fashion designers is the diversity of background. While different cultures and upbringings provide the vitality that makes their works interesting, too exotic an approach could alienate the audience. Sometimes in an effort to be distinctive and separate themselves from the crowd, these fashionistas create work that failed to connect with the public. It is indeed difficult to find the right balance. Designers everywhere wrestle with this same problem. The First Nations designers of Canada are no exception either.
That said, I enjoyed the runway show at the Aboriginal Fashion Showcase tremendously. Part of the reason is that like many in the fashion industry, I have not been exposed to First Nations fashion designs much. In all, I find the designs to be both original and authentic. It is a new fashion statement and a welcome addition to the Canadian mainstream fashion scene. Sexy and exciting? Oh yeah, that too. In fact, this fashion event became one of the highlights of my very own experience of the Vancouver 2010 Games.
Best wishes for all the First Nations fashion designers to have a bright future and hope to see a bigger presence for Canada’s aboriginal stylists at the Vancouver fashion scene too.
I also like to mention DJ Kwe who provided the music that I used in this video. Bravo to DJ Kwe for a job well done! Kwe is First Nations herself and (for full disclosure) a dear Facebook friend of me as well.
VIDEO – FHFN Aboriginal Fashion Showcase During Vancouver 2010
VCC Downtown Campus 250 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC
Expo 86 BC Pavilion under construction in Jan. ’85. [Photo by Ray Van Eng]
The date was January 1985. I was at the future Expo 86 fairgrounds in Falsecreek Northeast not long after the new year. The site was under heavy construction to erect both temporary and permanent structures in time for the 1986 World’s Fair.
Snow had fallen the night before and the sun was forecast to come up later that morning. As with the fall weather in Vancouver, there was little guarantee that it would actually happen. But I patiently waited. Lo and behold, the sun broke through the fog at around 10:30AM and it was a glorious sight.
So much of Vancouver has changed since then that to be a witness of that transformation at its embryonic stage is a privilege that I personally treasured very much over the years.
Right there before my eyes was the future BC Pavilion with just the skeleton set up. The green glass panels were not installed yet. It was still early days. Expo 86 had about 16 months to go before the gates would be opened to visitors. During the Vancouver’s world fair, this legacy building with the adjacent Plaza of Nations were designated as the BC Pavilion. An international parade of flags stood where they are today. In fact, not much has changed around here for more than two decades.
Today, the structure houses the Edgewater Casino which is operated by Paragon Gaming, a Las Vegas based company. Paragon has plans to build a $450 Million casino, hotel and entertainment complex at a location nearby just west of BC place where currently, a new retractable roof is being installed. The new Paragon development could potentially triple the size of the current gaming facilities at Edgewater. With Edgewater Casino’s license running out in mid-2013, Paragon is very eager to have the new development project approved by the city and get on with the construction as early as possible.
Recently, suspected multi-million dollar money-laundering activities in late 2010 at other BC gambling houses of fortunes such as the Starlight Casino in New Westminster and River Rock Casino in Richmond have once again focused people’s attention on this Paragon gaming development right in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
According to the City of Vancouver web site, the Edgewater Casino now has 65 games tables and 493 slot machines. The new casino could increase that capacity up to 150 games tables and 1500 slots. City staff is currently putting together a report on the casino development and will have a public hearing later, although one such meeting scheduled for Jan. 18, 2011 was cancelled.
For details on the $450 Million casino development, please see –
A New Year’s Eve 2011 celebration at Vancouver’s The Salt right at the Olympic Village in South East False Creek (SEFC). This is the first time ever that the public had the opportunity to dance and party in the same building where former 2010 Olympic athletes and champions socialized and partied. Performers at the NYE 2011 at The Salt event included Destineak, VanCity’s Hottest Acrobatic Dancers, DJ Johnny Omega, Meesh, Nikky and Bobby James as Dramattic.
Vancouver had a fantastic year with the 2010 Olympic Games. That would be very hard to top, but here is hoping for even greater and better things to come in 2011 and beyond.
VIDEO—New Years Eve 2011 at The Salt, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Village
