One of the highlights of Vancouver’s Aboriginal Tourism (AtBC) Klahowya Village is a miniature train ride on the Spirit Catcher Train. The 18-minute train ride around the Douglas tree-lined forest features the telling of a popular Coast Salish First Nations story – Raven Steals The Sun. Aided by an onboard voice-over, live actor performances, native songs and aboriginal props along the way, this ancient tale ignites the senses and sparks the imagination of the of the children and parents who enjoyed the locomotive ride. A perfect way for a whole family to spend a perfect summer afternoon in the city’s world-famous Stanley Park.
The Klahowya Village at Stanley Park will stay open until Sep. 11, 2011. Tickets for the Spirit Catcher Train Ride are Adult $10, Senior/Child $8 and free for children under 2 and include Gate Admission to the ground which otherwise would be Adult $5 and Senior/Child $3.
VIDEO – Spirit Catcher Train at Klahowya Village in Stanley Park
Klahowya Village, 1000 Pipeline Road, Vancouver BC
Digawolf performed at the Talking Stick Festival Gala Opening on February 01, 2011 and sang a few of his own songs he wrote about life in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT). Landscape, lifestyle, the people, nature etc. The live mini-concert at the Roundhouse gave the audience a sense of what the Canada True North was about.
Talking Stick Festival 2011 at the Rounhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre in Vancouver. February 1-13, 2011. Canada’s First Nations, aboriginal and urban native arts and cultural event. Full details available at http://www.talkingstickfestival.ca VIDEO – Digawolf performs at Talking Stick Festival 2011
[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
The 2010 Canadian Navy Centennial came to a close on October 02, 2010 at Rocky Pont Par in Port Moody BC, a small inner harbor just east of the City of Vancouver. As part of the closing ceremony, a memorial bell was presented to Karen Rockwell, Acting Mayor of the city of Port Moody. Copies of a commemorative book were passed out by Jim Bodo, President of the Port Moody Legion Branch #119, to various participants. To start off the event, the Vancouver Naval Veterans Band performed ‘Maple Leaf Forever’ together with the Canadian anthem ‘O Canada’. To top off the occasion, Sandra Baron of the Port Moody Commemorative Society unveiled a plaque together with a dedication of a commemorative garden to honor the Canadian women who served in the military, past, present and the future.
In particular, Conservative MP and Minister of Canadian Heritage & Official Languages, James Moore, was on hand to give thanks and talked about the importance of volunteer service. A back story here. Moore has just returned from Ottawa in assissting the newly-appointed Governor General David Johnston in the sworn-in ceremony a day before on October 01, 2010. At the closing ceremony, Moore reflected on what Johnston had spoken about public service during the sworn-in ceremony in the Senate room at Parliament Hill. The Port-Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam MP went on to thank the parents who encouraged their children to take part in the Canadian cadet like the Port Moody Grilse Sea Cadets who were present and marched at the closing ceremony.
VIDEO – Canadian Navy Centennial CLosing Ceremony at Port Moody
The Scotiabank Dance Centre (http://www.thedancecentre.ca) held its 9th annual Open House on September 25, 2010 to invite the public to see what’s available at the multi-storey dance facilities in downtown Vancouver. There were dance classes e.g. ballet, tap, Bollywood Jazz, Cuban, bellydance, flamenco etc. Also workshops, film screenings, demontsration too. A studio showing of a new work by Co. ERASGA and Alvin Tolentino The Shadow Machine (http://www.companyerasgadance.ca) was also presented. The multimedia dance work with sonic speakers will be performed at the Storyeum W2: Community Media Arts from October 20-23 and 27-30, 2010.
During the Canadian Navy Centennial Tattoo at the PNE 2010 on Sep 04, 2010, a number of war-time songs were sung. It was a nice welcome to hear some human voices belting out musical notes that brought out great sentiments of war even for those who had no direct experience of it. The songs were Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag and It’s A Long Way To Tipperary, two well-known World War One (WWI) tunes. Then it was onto World War II with The White Cliffs of Dover which was made famous by British singer Vera Lynn in 1942 in anxious anticipation of a time for peace. Of course, there was The Maple Leaf Forever which sent us back to 1867 when the song was written at the time of the Canadian Confederation. The singing became one of the highlights that not only showed the appreciation of how we feel towards the Canadian men and Women involved in the war effort but also a great tribute to Canada as our beloved nation. Well done!
VIDEO – Maple Leaf Forever & White Cliffs of Dover at Canadian Navy Centennial Tattoo
Canadians often fight side by side with Americans in various world conflicts, so it is no surprised that the U.S. Marine Pacific Band was invited to join us at the Canadian Navy Centennial Tattoo on Sep 04, 2010 at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) Pacific Coliseum stadium in Vancouver. While the performance of the Canadian military bands in general is more resolute and uniform, the style of the U.S. Marine Band is more snappy and flashy. Members of the American band not only played their instrument and contributed to the musical score, they also had to execute complex maneuver to get themselves in the right position so the entire team can construct various formations quickly and without fuss. Seeing the US Marine Band in action is like watching clockwork. Teh crowd loved it. Bravo to the US Marines!
VIDEO – US MARINE BAND, Canadian Navy Centennial Tattoo
As a guess appearance with the Dal Richards Orchestra on Aug 26, 2010, Rolf Harris brought his Aussie hometown charm to Vancouver’s PNE 2010 to help celebrate 100 Years of Fun. With an accordion around his shoulder (the strap sometimes felt too tight and he complained), he sang a number of Australian songs he helped made famous. Two Little Boys is about two young friends who grow up together and go to war later. As one laid dying in the battlefield, the other came to his aid. There is a sad family history mirrored in this song for Rolf Harris whose father and uncle both went off to World War One and only Harris’s dad returned. As for Waltzing Matilda, many still think that should have been the Australian anthem. Maybe the officials Down Under thought the song was too folksy to be sung as a national anthem. But no matter, it is very catch and easy to sing too.
The song was written by American composer Theodore Morse and lyricist Edward Madden in 1902. It became a surprising hit when Rolf Harris recorded it in 1969 after hearing the song during a visit to his home country. Harris was a British entertainer at the time and the song reached #1 on the singles chart that year. Even British PM Margaret Thatcher picked the song as one of her favorites. In October 2008, Rolf Harris re-recorded the song backed again, this time backed by North Wales’ Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir, to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I. Just before Rolf Harris sang the tune at the PNE 2010 Concert Stage, he said it was the best anti-war song in his opinion. Some in the audience seemed already familiar with the song and sang along. It’s all recorded in this video.
VIDEO – Rolf Harris, Two Little Boys & Waltzing Matilda
Considering that Jett’s mother passed away just days before the PNE 2010 concert was to began and Joan Jett and The Blackhearts didn’t cancelled the appearance had many of her fans admired her courage, dedication to her profession as a performer and never letting her fans down. In the Aug 27 concert, the American rock band played many of their hit songs including I Love Rock n Roll, Bad Reputation, Crimson & Clover and I Hate Myself For Lovin’ You. The last two was featured in this video.
Famous Australian and British TV entertainer Rolf Harris came to Vancouver in 1961 and he had since then returned to this westcoast Canadian city again and again. In fact, Harris wrote a song called Vancouver Town as an ode to the city. At the PNE 2010 fairgrounds on Aug 26, 2010, with Dal Richards conducting his orchestra, Harris sang an updated Vancouver Town version to include current events and politicians such as the unpopular HST, Mayor Gregor Robertson while some older favorites such as Jimmy Pattison, Grace McCarthy stayed on. The BC Lions was down under and that ain’t Australia either. Oh yeah, The Canucks and Stanley Cup too. English Bay was praised, the venerable Lions Gate Bridge was not. First Nations and native affairs provided satire while heritage buildings, Skytrain, SeaBus and Canada Line all helped paint a colorful setting for the city that Harris liked so much. Harris’s Aussie humor was so hilarious that he grinded down the microphone almost to the ground. I am not kiddiing.
