Art World Expo 2013 – Naked BodyPaint Competition at Telus World of Science in Vancouver BC, Canada on May 3, 2013. A night of art, bodypaint, almost naked models, music and more. Organized by MAB Ventures Inc. Bodypaint competition hosted by celebrity hostess Reiko Mackenzie. BodyPaint Competition Winner – Natacha Trottier, hair and makeup artists with model Willow Kativa. The event is organized by MAB Ventures Inc.
The Telus World of Science is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to engaging British Columbians in science and inspiring future science and technology leadership in BC. Formerly known as Science World or Expo Centre, the unique structure with a geodesic dome is a legacy building of Expo 86, the Vancouver’s 1986 world exposition on transportation and communication.
Naked BodyPaint [A Video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]
Was the BC Premier Christy Clark (together with her fellow Liberals Suzanne Anton, Amrik Tung, Kuljeet Kaur, Gurjit Dhillon, Moira Stilwell etc.) out campaigning to get ethnic votes or just taking part in the celebration of Vaisakhi Day one month before BC Election 2013 in Vancouver’s South Asian community of Main & 50th Ave?
Such was a question posed to the premier by a CBC reporter citing a similar accusation from NDP leader Adrian Dix whose political team was also at the event on April 13, 2013. Clark in particular mentioned the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) show that her government spent $11million to bring to Vancouver a week earlier. The BC general election is scheduled to take place on May 14, 2013, one month before BC Election 201. Christy Clark was behind Adrian Dix in every poll taken in recent weeks.
This Vancouver South area is a major center for the South Asian community. In 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper also stopped by and stood on the same podium and gave a Vaisakhi blessing as Christy Clark did. Both of them were running for re-election. An estimated 100,000 people showed up at Vaisakhi Vancouver 2013 which had the oldest Vaisakhi parade in North America.
Vaisakhi or Baisakhi as it is also known celebrates the start of the harvesting season for Punjabi farmers. This historical event which dated back to 1699 also marked the origin of Khalsa the Sikh religion.
On March 19, 2013, the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) Earth Hour City Challenge awarded the City of Vancouver as the Global Champion and the recipient of the People’s Choice Award. Five other cities in India, Italy, the U.S., Sweden, and Norway chosen from 66 city entrants were in competition with Vancouver as the most innovative city taking action on climate change. In the end Vancouver prevailed as the winner.
The people of Vancouver joined millions others in Canada and many more around the world in participation of the global Earth Hour on Mar 23, 2013 by turning off building lights resulting in an impressive 22% reduction in energy consumption at City Hall as measured by Pulse Energy.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said in a statement, “Being named the WWF’s Global Earth Hour Capital is an exceptional honor for Vancouver and more international validation of our comprehensive efforts to be the world’s greenest city.”
The mayor spearheaded an effort to drive the city of Vancouver to become the World’s Greenest City by 2020 by implementing many sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives such as the 2040 Transportation strategy to “dramatically reduce vehicle travel in Vancouver” said Mr. Robertson.
Video was shot during Hour Earth 2011 at the lighted fountain of the Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver. The Bloedel Conservatory lights inside the dome where tropical plants resided in a greenhouse were turned off as scheduled but the outdoor fountain lights and jet-streams remained on. [A video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]
Relighting 2010 Olympic Cauldron at New Year’s Eve Countdown adds significance to World’s Greenest City by 2020?
Thank You Very Much Mayor Gregor Robertson & Your City Council!
I am happy to report that the Vancouver City Council has unanimously approved a motion to re-start the New Year’s Eve tradition that has been out of fashion in Vancouver in recent years. The earliest we could be seeing that happening is at the end of 2013, in time for the NYE 2014 party.
A New Year’s Eve (NYE) bash is an international event that everyone celebrates.
All cultures. All religions. All parts in the world. Americas, Asia, Europe, Arab, Oceania. Don’t matter who you are, where you, what you are, we all celebrate the beginning of a new year. NYE is also the best time for any city to stake a claim in the world media…FOR FREE!
On NYE, Every City is Vying for Attention
Make no mistake about it, every city is trying to grab your attention at NYE countdown. This worldwide attention is dictated by the different time zones. With the ticking of the clock, any major or even city in a certain time zone gets a fair chance to be featured in the world media as they ring in a new year.
This is not just about celebrating locally or even nationally. It is about taking part in an international event that everyone is focusing on. It is that Olympic moment that comes every year. Every city puts on an elaborate show to stand out against the rest.
If Vancouver won’t do it, Seattle would reap the benefits of being the crown-jewel of the Pacific NW.
Vancouver wants to become the World’s Greenest City by 2020
That is Mayor Gregor Robertsobn’s vision. Here’s an excellent way to sell that to the world on NYE. How? By relighting the 2010 Olympic Cauldron only at the end of the countdown and turn it off soon after the fireworks are finished to serve notice to the world that we are serious about reducing carbon emission and adhering to sustainable principles.
Jack Poole Plaza is Perfect Place for NYE Celebration
The Christmas Tree is there, so is the 2010 Olympic Cauldron. Robson St. & Granville Mall have none of that. Jack Poole Plaza is the perfect place to present to the world our unique heritage as a world-class city that has already hosted the 2010 Games and Expo 86.
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1…Olympic Cauldron is Re-lit! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Imagine that! What a glorious moment! Instead of a ball-drop, Vancouver should re-lit the 2010 Olympic Cauldron and the flame only comes on at the end of the count-down. And turn it off after the firework is finished. The worldwide media will pick up on that and present Vancouver’s commitment to sustainable principles and be the World’s Greenest City by 2020.
It cost $5,000 to re-lit the Cauldron but $Millions for a 30″ global TV ad
A single 30-second SuperBowl TV ad cost around $4 million. The same TV ad during the 2012 Summer Games is $20 Million (yes, for only 30 second). Re-lighting the 2010 Olympic cauldron would only be $5,000. If the world media picks that up, it is ALL FREE!
The return on investment (ROI) is clearly in favor for Vancouver to host a New Year’s Eve party. The Jack Poole Plaza with a spectacular waterfront view and where the 2010 Olympic cauldron is located provides the perfect setting to serve notice to the world as the city races towards its goal of becoming the World’s Greenest City by 2020.
恭喜发财 ! 金蛇贺岁 ! 新春同喜 ! For the 2013 Year of the Snake Chinese New Year parade on Feb 17, 2013, a Golden Snake slithered through Vancouver’s Chinatown along with the Fortune God 财神 giving blessing to anyone who were present. There were dragon dances, lion dances, First Nations dances, gypsy dances and more which altogether made up a very multicultural Lunar New Year procession.
Mayor Gregor Robertson was there along with many other federal and provincial politicians including BC Premier Christy Clark, MP James Moore and many others. It’s the Spring Festival 春节, time to say Gung Hay Fat Choy and wish for a prosperous lunar new year, the Year of the Snake.
Year of the Snake 2013 Asian Expo Vancouver Lunar New Year celebration (Jan 31 – Feb 03, 2013) at BC Place in Vancouver BC, Canada. Chinese New Year multicultural celebration. Dance, Hip Hop, Model Search Competition, body-paint Fantasy Makeup Contest, Justin Lo Singing Show, Gary Chaw Concert etc.
It’s the Year of the Snake, so even a tortoise could be faster than a Ferrari!!
The VanDusen Festival of Lights is a Christmas event that many nature-lovers have been waiting for to start the holiday season.
One of the guiding principles of the VanDusen Garden has always been to connect people to plants and the natural environment. Year-round, visitors have come here to appreciate and learn about conservation, gardening, plant lives and stories, nutrition, pollination, adopt a tree, birding in the garden and many more.
The VanDusen Garden is also a popular spot for wedding couples getting hitched.
Although there are more than 100 events happening all year, don’t think that during winter the garden would be in hibernation. No, December happens to be the busiest time of the year.
To celebrate Christmas and the Yuletide season, the garden comes alive with more than a million light bulbs illuminating all vegetation and the surrounding enclave. 1.4 million lights to be exact.
Nancy Wong, VanDusen Garden’s Public Relations Director, proudly pointed out that volunteers counted each light bulb every year and made sure they were working before putting them on.
The Festival of Lights is an extremely popular event. Families come in droves.
On the first day of the festival (Dec 02), there was a long lineup of people wanting in before the garden officially opened at 4:30 PM. In fact, visitors were advised to purchase tickets in advance at Tickets Tonight or in person at the Garden Shop at VanDusen Garden as early as Nov 1st.
Once visitors entered the garden, many of them seek out the popular Dancing Lights at Livingstone Lake in which a continuous series of strobe lights was synchronized to rock versions of familiar Christmas songs that reverberated with the audience, adults and kids alike.
Music is the universal language, no loss in translation there. It signifies the joyous season and everyone is excited to be there. Dancing Lights plays every half-hour and it has become one of the main attractions of the Festival of Lights experience.
After the light show, visitors began to explore different areas of the garden and there were plenty for them to see and enjoy – Santa’s Living Room, Gingerbread Wood, Make-a-Wish Candle Shrine, Sparkling Spruce in the center court, Candy Cane Express model train etc.
Roaming along the brightly-illuminated Candy Cane Lane, you would likely hear a singing choir that draws you nearer or encounter two Christmas Gnomes, Svend and Jens eager to entertain.
Svend joked often in a heavy Swedish accent while Jens played his quiet and abiding partner. Their routine worked out very well I must say.
It’s the Winter Light season (not Lights, in honor of director Ingmar Bergman) and with Svend and Jens close by, you are reminded of the Swedish filmmaker’s world-famous troupe of actors including Liv Ulman, Max Von Sydow, Gunnel Lindblom and others. Ja!
After an hour or two, you just might feel hungry and it is a perfect time to have dinner at the garden. Both light fare and full meals are available at the VanDusen Garden. Dinner is also served every night at the Shaughnessy Restaurant during the Festival of Lights. Reservations are recommended.
Ho-Ho-Ho, Santa’s rocking in his chair!
[Photos & Video by Ray Van Eng | www.vancouver21.com ]
Sails of Light 2012 Christmas at Canada Place in Vancouver BC. From Nov 29, 2012 to Jan 1, 2013, the five sales at Canada Place lights up to celebrate the Christmas season. Each year, an elaborate light show is projected onto the Teflon sails much like an artist applies brushstrokes on a canvas.
An estimated 500,000 people this year would enjoy the illuminated artwork on one of Vancouver’s landmark architectures, the Five Sails, from around Stanley Park, the downtown waterfront areas and on carol ships out and about in Coal Harbor and the Burrard Inlet. The event is a visual feast and a way for Canadians to tell their stories using lights, colors, shadows, animation, time duration and illuminated imagery.
Beyond being an artistic endeavor that reflects Canadian values, the Sails of Light venture also invites corporate customers to participate as partners and explore branding opportunities.
Sails of Light at Canada Place had become a Vancouver holiday tradition since 2009 when the event debuted just two months before the opening of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games that further established the city as an international destination.
The 33rd Can-Am International Championships was held from July 06-08, 2012. New this year are the 1st Annual International Wushu Festival and the Canada International Health QiGong Championships. On July 06, an elaborate opening ceremony was followed by a variety of kungfu demonstrations.
In the next two days, martial arts practitioners occupied the UBC War Memorial Gym in Vancouver, BC, Canada and competed against each other for championships in different categories including Kung-Fu, Wushu, Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Tai-Chi, Hapkido, Push-Hands etc. with or without weapons.
The event was organized and promoted by Kung-Fu Master Ken Low and attended by Liu Fei, China Conusl General of Vancouver, Canada. Other dignitaries included a number of BC MLA such as Richard T. Lee, John Yap and other politicians.
VIDEO – 1st Canada International Wushu Festival Opening Ceremonies
Two years ago today on Feb. 12, 2010, the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games opened. Three months before that I was among a group of selected journalists invited to Whistler to photograph the Whistler Sliding Centre and the track made specifically for the sports of luge, bobsleigh and skeleton on the slopes of the Blackcomb Mountain.
This video offers an extremely rare look at the top of the Whistler sliding track. The same exact view that the eventual luge champion stared at just seconds before he slid down the track to Olympic glory.
I made the video in Nov. 2009 to reflect the excitement and danger of the sport. The race against the clock was also emphasized.
VIDEO – Starting point of the Whistler sliding track
