February 25, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
Vancouver has been a wonderful host to the Olympic games. From the wonderful hospitality, fabulous scenery, and efficient organization I was blown away. But the icing on the cake for me was how much attention was paid to every last detail. Along the way to events there were unique vignettes that just added to the excitement and energy. And spoiler alert, for any of you "Glee" fans out there this might sound and feel familiar. This chorus was performing on the night we walked up for the Pairs Figure Skating Free Skate. Enjoy!
February 24, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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On a trip to North Vancouver, I couldn’t resist lingering at Lonsdale Quay. At any time of the year its market is fantastic, selling all kinds of farm-fresh goods and gourmet fare from exotic spices, to Italian sausage and artisan wines. I love Crepe Escape’s chocolate pancakes and browsing the hand-crafted jewelry stalls.
During the 2010 Olympics, Lonsdale Quay has been celebrating WinterFest. Along with live Games viewing, I caught a great First Nations drumming group and event and joined in a big group salsa class. Around me kids were having their faces painted and as it got dark, fire performer Miss Molotov threw some daring pyrotechnic shapes – juggling and flame swallowing included.
February 24, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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Although no 2010 Olympic events are being held at Vancouver’s Grouse Mountain, there’s plenty of Winter Games action running 24/7, as I discovered.
Taking the Seabus across to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, I caught a bus straight up to the base of Grouse Mountain which towers up to 1,253m/ 4110ft. Then came the fun part; taking the Skyride cable car up to the summit, with unbelievable views over Vancouver from the top.
NBC’s Today Show broadcasts at 4-8am every morning during the Olympics and anyone can watch the live broadcast and meet athletes as well as the show anchors.
I was in time to see the Grouse Mountain Kids Hockey World Cup competing on the outdoor ice pond - a jovial crowd cheering them on. The skating pond was then free for the general public to show off their moves (or in my case - a desperate dash from one side to the other). Admission is free with Grouse Mt admission or Lift Ticket and rentals are available.
Skiers and snowboarders can max out on Grouse during the Games. The After Hours Pass lets you ski or ride from 8pm-6am and make the most of the DJs, bands and Games coverage. Night skiing (with shorter hours) is available in season on all three local ski hills: Cypress Mountain, and Mount Seymour too.
My friends and I were booked on a beginner snowshoe clinic. Tramping along in the sparkling snow, we learnt how to walk up and down little hills (just trust your ‘shoes!), basic avalanche awareness and about local wildlife. By the end we’d worked up enough of an appetite to enjoy a large plate of nachos at Altitudes Bistro. And plan a Snowshoe Fondue Tour for next time.
February 22, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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Anyone gazing skywards over English Bay during the 2010 Olympics can be forgiven for assuming aliens have landed in Vancouver.
Huge, blue laser beans shoot into the night sky, in rotating patterns, each one unique. The fun part, as we learnt is that anyone can participate in this interactive artwork. By logging on to vectorialvancouver.net, we designed huge light sculptures by directing the 20 robotic searchlights stationed along English Bay and near the Vancouver Museum in Kitsilano.
We’ve also enjoyed evening strolls, just for the views of these powerful lights. From Kits Beach, and the gorgeous Watermark Restaurant that looks straight over the sea, we follow the coast path through Vanier Park and around towards Granville Island. From here there are terrific views of downtown Vancouver, hundreds of apartment windows lighting up the horizon.
On a clear Saturday evening it’s possible to get a close up view of the starry sky and learn about astronomy at the HR MacMillan Space Centre & Observatory.
From Kitsilano we catch a little ferry across the water to English Bay and continue along the seawall towards Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. By day English Bay is bustling with walkers and joggers and during the summer the beaches are packed. Dining options abound; West Coast stalwart, the high-end Raincity Grill restaurant overlooks the bay, as does the more casual Boathouse. We sometimes end our evening with cocktails at the ivy-clad Sylvia Hotel.
February 21, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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On the far side of False Creek, on Quebec Street, sits Vancouver’s reflective dome – Science World. During the 2010 Olympics it’s been transformed into the Russian Sochi House, the focus of the next Winter Games in 2014.
We took an Aquabus ferry from Granville Island, docking at Yaletown and strolling along the seawall under blossoming cherry trees. A flood of red outfits and flags filled our view as Canada hockey fans were preparing for a game and the Russians had just finished one.
At the Sochi House we browsed through their merchandise shop (the Russian designs are red and white with swirly patterns) and had our photos taken with Olympic torches from Beijing and Vancouver. On giant screens, we learnt all about the Krasnodar region, location of the 2014 Games. A Russian couple, Talia and Igor, who now live in Vancouver told us that’s where they were from and urged us to visit. “You have to go to the Black Sea –Sochi is like Vancouver because it’s just by the sea and mountains,” said Talia.
As a Vancouverite, I’d urge people to visit the Science World, which opens again to the public on March 8. Along with its OMNIMAX Theatre, the TELUS World of Science offers unbeatable interactive games, experiments and exhibitions.
In the meantime, check out Science World’s free exhibition Cool Globes – a series of giant globes outside the venue. Designed by artists, communities and school kids, each one features its own solution to global warming. For Unplugged Fun, students have created cool pictures and captions all about how to have fun without watching TV.
February 21, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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“Anybody here from Wales?” asked Stereophonics frontman, Kelly Jones. “YEAHHHHHHH!!” shouted a tiny minority, me among them. A huge Welsh flag was proudly waved in front of the stage, and further back fans wrapped in Union Jacks, Australian flags and of course the Canadian maple leaf, demonstrated just how multi-national these Winter Olympics have been.
We were in BC Place, the cavernous white dome at the far western end of Robson Street and also the venue for the Olympics opening, closing and nightly medal ceremonies. Tonight the medals were being awarded in Whistler ski resort so we watched it all on the big screens, humming or singing along to the British, Canadian, Austrian and Swiss national anthems.
Music of a different sort followed as the Welsh indie-rockers took to the stage. Bashing out old faves, and newer tracks, the Stereophonics kept the crowd happy with hits like: The Bartender and the Thief, Just Looking, and Maybe Tomorrow. Explosions of light as indoor fireworks and streamers filled the dome were a cool reminder that the party just never stops at Vancouver’s Winter Games.
BC Place isn’t normally a music venue though, home instead to the BC Lions Canadian Football team. We normally watch bands at venues like the art-Deco-style Commodore, Vogue and Orpheum theatres on Granville Street. Bigger acts often play at the General Motors Place (next to BC Place) and the Pacific Coliseum (out near Burnaby).
Annual music festivals are a great way of catching bands we’d otherwise miss – we always try to get to the Vancouver Folk Festival at beautiful Jericho Park in Kitsilano – and the jazz, World & classical MusicFest Vancouver is held all over town.
February 20, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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The 2010 Cultural Olympiad has brought to Vancouver and Whistler hundreds of amazing events – music, theatre, dance, puppets! – during these Winter Games. And it’s some of these ticketed events that have been really special. Last night I was at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for the second night of Hal Willner’s Neil Young Project, a three-hour+ tribute show featuring some tremendous Canadian and US performers including members of Toronto’s Broken Social Scene, Ron Sexsmith, Metric and, spectacularly, the most venerable Lou Reed (pictured in the middle of photo) and Elvis Costello.
I’ve never been to the Queen E (located right next door to the Aboriginal Pavilion on Hamilton and W. Georgia in Vancouver) and it’s a slick, modern theatre with great sound. While the show itself was a bit slow at times (not sure about the choice of some of Neil Young’s more sleepy rareties), there were some amazing gems as well: Emily Haines’ from Metric doing “A Man Needs A Maid” Ron Sexsmith’s covers of “New Mama” and “Star of Bethlehem”, Eric Mingus (son of jazz great Charles Mingus) doing a spoken-word version of “On the Way Home” and Elvis Costello’s “Cowgirl in the Sand” and “Cinnamon Girl” (which he performed brilliantly with NYC’s Joan as Policewoman). Lou Reed did a crunchy rock version of “Helpless”, which sounded awesome.
In all, I felt proud to be among happy music fans who were in such high spirits during these Olympic Games – and it was nice to be able to show off a sunshiney and glistening Vancouver to these great out-of-town-artists!
February 18, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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A French Quarter in the heart of bohemian Granville Island, Place de la Francaphonie is housed in what is normally the False Creek Community Centre. Wandering in, I was invited to watch Radio-Canada record a live show – not something I get to do every day!
Next door was a huge room devoted to Francaphone artists, tourism exhibits, culture and food. Huge wool-spun coats hung from the ceiling, surrounded by paintings on easels.
I stopped by the Alliance Française Vancouver stand to look at brushing up on my French and even got to enjoy a relaxing shoulder massage at another stall. But most arresting was a giant quilt, a collaborative creative effort by the residents of BC’s largest Francophone community – Maillardville in Coquitlam.
Outside, on a huge stage, at least 20 people were rehearsing a show for the evening’s Carnival du Monde, and crepe stalls were firing up. On certain days there’s even a French farmers’ market.
Afterwards I spent an hour or so browsing the arts studios around the rest of Granville Island. The nearby Kids Market was rammed with hyper little people, running amok in the masses of sparkly, fun shops aimed especially at them.
February 17, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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Waiting in line or queuing has become something of an Olympic sport in its own right at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Here are some survival tips:
Don’t give up… yet! At Livecity Yaletown I’ve found the back of the line stretching to practically the next province, only to be swiftly transported into the pavilion.
Get a Good Coach: Johnny from China kept me powering through the line up to Vancouver Art Gallery. An Olympic pro, he’d been to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and was all about the free swag doled out at Celebration venues. “Quickly you go get baseball caps, I keep your place!” he yelled. “Then we sell on EBay,” he grinned.
Cheat: Queue-jumping or line-hopping is mostly the reserve of innocent looking grannies or impoverished students. I’m getting sorely tempted…
Dress for Success: Hey it’s Vancouver, bring a brolly JUST IN CASE. My compadres and I spent several sodden hours watching Matisyahu, rain dripping into places we’d rather not mention.
Team Spirit: Work together people. Post Dad in the line, Mom can run for coffee and snacks, while the kids pose for photos in the Olympic bobsleigh or other available distraction.
Pick a Role Model: my husband’s colleague Karen waited for the Robson Square zipline for FIVE AND A HALF HOURS. An Olympic Queuing Hero.
February 16, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
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Having moved to British Columbia from the UK, I’ve still never been to the East Coast – but am seriously keen to visit, after checking out the Atlantic Canada House (an Olympic Games pavilion). Held three times daily at the Revue Stage on Granville Island, Come On In! is an awesome, foot-stomping musical tour of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador.
With cinematic backdrops, musicians from each of these provinces gave us glimpses into their personal lives, families, homes and breathtaking views of sandy beaches, and rolling Anne of Green Gables-style countryside. (Author LM Montgomery came from Prince Edward Island).
Long-haired Newfie, Daniel Payne had everyone clapping and whooping along to his square dance tunes on the accordion, while New Brunswick singer Monique Poirier showed audience members how to play musical spoons and recreated a proper Atlantic Kitchen Party, with fiddle, guitars and hearty singing and even tap dancing.
This much fun – and all before booze o’clock! I now get why ‘Acadians’ call soft drinks “mixers”!