Wicked is a Broadway smash hit based on the novel of how the characters from Wizard of Oz came to be before Dorothy arrived. What I love most about this story is the different perspective it gives on Gah-linda (the gah is silent) the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. It begins with the death of the Wicked Witch, Elphaba, and the reign of Glinda. She gets asked by the citizens of Oz if she was friends with the Witch. Then she retells the story of what happened; from the conception of Elphaba to the beginning of their school year to their journey to Oz together, then finally to her death. Along the way of this we see how the Lion became cowardly, how the Tin Man lost his heart, and how the Scarecrow lost his brain. There are even glimpses of Dorothy and her little dog, Dodo- I mean, Toto.

I had seen Wicked in London in 2010 and I remember loving it so much that when it came to Vancouver in 2011, I went to go see it again. However, I remember that show being not that… memorable. But this time around with a new cast it definitely brought back the magic. Kara Lindsay, who plays Glinda, is perfect for the part, keeping her adorable and easily lovable. Her squeals and funny antics are over the top always making sure the audience is engaged and laughing. The lady sitting behind me laughed so hard at one time she made me jump. I must also mention the gorgeous costumes of Glinda. Her princess blue gown, pink party dress, and yellow ‘out on the Emerald City’ dress certainly made me jealous of her wardrobe. Though Glinda keeps stealing the show, Laurel Harris who plays Elphaba proves to be multi-talented with her amazing voice and acting. She’s the awkward green-skinned brainy girl who couldn’t be any more opposite than the glowing bouncy Glinda but the two of them have a dynamic chemistry that works well together starting out as rivals, roommates then eventually a peculiar couple of BFFs.


Wicked is wickedly written, with clever lines here and there to delight the audience. The award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, who also wrote for Pocahontas, Enchanted, and the Prince of Egypt, knows how to write songs that are catchy and will most likely get stuck in your head for weeks afterwards. Defying Gravity is a fan favorite and the image of Elphaba in the air majestically belting out the song with the lights shining down on her is hauntingly captivating. Another couple favorites is Glinda’s Popular and Fiyero played by Matt Shingledecker’s Dancing Through Life.

It is definitely worth it to catch this award-winning musical with this particular cast, orchestra, direction, and costumes. In a rare musical with two strong female leads, both Lindsay and Harris knock it out of the park together and separately.

Wicked is performing at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre from now until June 29. Please visit Broadway Across Canada or Ticketmaster.ca for more information and to purchase tickets.

Disclosure: This has been a guest post by Michelle Ngai. Tickets to the show were received from Broadway Across Canada free of charge. No other compensation was received. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely the author's and have not been influenced in any other way.

Sorry for the sparseness of the events. I'm on vacation right now!


Eat! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival -  Online: $15  
Friday, May 30, 2 PM - 9 PM
Saturday, May 31, 10 AM - 9 PM
Sunday, June 1, 10 AM - 5 PM
BC Place Stadium, 777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver BC
EAT! Vancouver is the only consumer food, beverage and cooking festival in Vancouver, taking place at BC Place Stadium. Celebrity chefs, popular local restaurants, wineries, food and beverage manufacturers, cookbook authors, retailers, artisans, and many others from the culinary world will come together for a three day public extravaganza at the newly refurbished BC Place Stadium. EAT! Vancouver encompasses unique food experiences, opportunities to learn behind-the-scenes culinary magic from professional chefs, dynamic entertainment through celebrity chef cooking demonstrations and culinary competitions, diverse food, beverage and cooking related exhibits; and of course fantastic shopping opportunities.

European Festival - $15
Saturday May 31st, Sunday June 1st 2014 
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby
Saturday / Sunday Day Pass $15.00 | Saturday Evening Concert $20.00
Annual celebration offers chance to experience diverse European culture, cuisine, entertainment and more. Swangard Stadium will host the 17th Annual European Festival bringing together some 30 countries in this weekend cultural festival of food, fun and performances.

Made In Strathcona Tours - $10
Saturday, May 31, 1pm - 3pm
The first ever Made in Strathcona Tours will allow the public to discover some of the cities most historic, creative and diverse businesses by offering guests an exclusive peak into the inner workings of the area's industries.  Made in Strathcona Tours are composed of two tour streams hosted on Saturday May 31st and Saturday June 7th from 1pm - 3pm.  HOW IT WORKS  Each ticket will allow you to select two out of six business tours. Different days have different selections of tour locations.   Your first tour for each day will be held from 1:00PM to 1:45PM, while your second tour for the day will be from 2:00PM to 2:45PM.  You are responsible for your travel between both the first and second tour locations. A representative will be there to help direct you to your next location  *Please show up at your first tour location at least 10 minutes prior to it's start time at 1:00PM  For both days, after the tours are over there will be a reception with a complimentary hors d'oeurves and a drink at The Settlement Building (Formerly known as Vancouver Urban Winery)

2013 Fair in the Square
June 1st, 11 am – 2 pm 
Victory Square Park, Hastings and Cambie, Vancouver
Celebrate your neighbours in the inner city, from dozens of social enterprises, artists and community organizations to terrific local bands and musical artists, who will donate their talents to entertain us from the Victory Square Park stage. Enjoy a delicious BBQ including cupcakes, beverages and more served up by the dedicated faculty, staff and students from Vancouver Community College’s Culinary Arts program. Free BBQ lunch and live concert.

Beach Exploration with Vancouver Aquarium - $10
Sunday, June 1, 2014 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Figurehead Point Stanley Park Vancouver, B.C.
Join Us For A Beach Walk  Join us for a family-friendly exploration of the sea creatures that live at the beach!  Visiting the beach during low tide offers us a brief glimpse into the fascinating world of the intertidal zone. From barnacles to sea cucumbers, learn how these animals and dozens of others survive without water for up to six hours at a time! Hold a sea star, get squirted by a clam and learn how to tell female and male crabs apart in this unique discovery-based learning opportunity.  This program provides you with a hands-on opportunity to explore the intertidal zone by searching for live aquatic animals at the beach. Guided by an experienced, friendly and knowledgeable professional biologist, you will discover the diversity of animals and plants that inhabit the intertidal zone; a place that is often overlooked. You will also learn how best to respect these animals during future beach adventures.  NOTE: This program is conducted entirely outside. Please prepare yourself to dress appropriately for spending time outdoors and at the beach (e.g. hats, sunscreen, jackets, beach appropriate footwear etc). Our work near the shoreline may result in wet feet! Wearing water-resistant shoes or rubber boots is highly recommended!  THIS PROGRAM GOES RAIN OR SHINE. 

World Resource Investment Conference 2013
Sunday, June 1st - Monday June 2nd, 9am - 5pm
Vancouver Convention Centre West 1055 Canada Place Vancouver BC V6C 0C3 Canada The Canadian Investor Conference, previously the World Resource Investment Conference will be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Three industries will come together for this 2-day event to cover RESOURCE, TECHNOLOGY and DIVERSIFIED investment opportunities. Companies in Mineral Exploration, Oil & Gas, LNG, Agriculture, Life Sciences, Energy Metals, Technology and Real Estate will exhibit. Top industry analysts, newsletter writers, c-suite executives, hedge fund managers, trends forecasters and finance celebrities will cover speculative and direct investments and strategies, economic outlook and macro trends.  Pre-register online for free admission or pay $20 at the door.

Reoccurring Events

Vancouver Farmers Market - Trout Lake
North Parking Lot of John Hendry Park at Trout Lake Between Templeton and Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley Please note: There is no parking in the North Lot and no parking on 13th Avenue. Please park away from the area & walk in. Or better yet: walk, cycle or take transit if you can! 

River District Farmers Market
10:00am - 3:00pm every Saturday from May3 - Oct18
Kerr Street Plaza – on Kerr Street, one block South of SE Marine Drive, Vancouver
This one-of-a-kind farmers market is the only riverfront market in Vancouver. Come shop for fruits and veggies, prepared foods, and handmade products produced farmers and artisans. Enjoy the waterfront, playground and pier.

Kitsilano Farmers Market  
Shop for organic and conventional product, meat, cheese, seafood and plants as well as tasty baked goods, beautiful crafts while being entertained by local musicians. Hot coffee and hot food available on site each week.

International Summer Night Market - $2
7pm - 12am Fri, Sat, 
7pm - 11pm Sun, May 9 - Sept 14
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC
6th annual Summer Night Market in Richmond starting May 9, 2013! Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors.

Richmond Night Market - $2
Fri-Sat  7PM - 12AM  May 16 - Oct 13
Sun & Stat Holidays  7PM - 11PM
8351 River Road, Richmond BC
Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. $2 fee for regular admission (Subject to changes). FREE admission for children 10 & under and FREE admission for Seniors 60 & up. $10 and $20 Zoom Passes are available for purchase.

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held for WICKED, which is returning to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre with performances from May 28 – June 29.  Two hours prior to each performance, people who present themselves at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre box office will have their names placed in a lottery drum; thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for a limited number of orchestra seats at $25 each, cash only.  This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of two tickets per person.  Lottery participants must have a valid photo ID when submitting their entry form and, if chosen, when purchasing tickets.

WICKED, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Pippin, Godspell, Disney’s Enchanted, Academy Award®  winner for Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt) and book by Winnie Holzman (“My So Called Life,” “Once And Again” and “thirtysomething”), is based on the 1995 best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire.  The musical is directed by two-time Tony®  Award winner Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Love! Valour! Compassion!, The Vagina Monologues) and features musical staging by Tony®  Award winner Wayne Cilento (Aida, The Who’s Tommy, How To Succeed…).  WICKED, the untold story of the witches of Oz, is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

       WICKED has been declared “A Cultural Phenomenon” by Variety and “The Best Musical of the Decade” by Entertainment Weekly.  WICKED currently has nine productions around the world, in New York, London, Japan, Australasian Tour, South Korea, Latin America, a U.K. Tour, and two concurrent North American National Tours.  Since its New York premiere a decade ago, WICKED has grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide and has been seen by over 40 million across the globe.  WICKED has been performed in over 100 cities in 13 countries around the world (U.S., Canada, England, Ireland, Japan, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, The Philippines, and Mexico) and has thus far been translated into five languages: Japanese, German, Dutch, Spanish, and Korean.

Winner of over 50 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz.  Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz.  One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood.  The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.  WICKED tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

     WICKED begins performances Wednesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 29. Tickets are on sale NOW at all Ticketmaster outlets, on-line at  HYPERLINK "http://www.ticketmaster.ca" www.ticketmaster.ca, or call toll-free 1-855-985-5000.  Groups of 15 or more can access discounts at 1-800-889-8457.  Tickets for WICKED vary in range depending on performance, seat location, and date of purchase and start at $35.00 plus applicable service fees.  Good seats are still available.

Sorry for the sparseness of the events. I'm away on vacation right now!

Friday, May 23, 2014

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Saturday, May 24, 2014

#DigIn! Garden Festival
9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Trout Lake Farmers Market Templeton & 13th Avenue Vancouver, BC  
Celebrate warm soil, spring rain, sunshine and the abundance of veggie starts, bedding plants, ornamental shrubs, roses, and more at the Trout Lake Farmers Market.    1. FREE Festival events include:      Fun with Food: Kids Activities     Special guests: Fresh Roots Urban Farm Society     Entertainers: Rose & Earle Peach   2. MEET YOUR MAKER: Growing Series Tours  Sign up for one of our 45 minute tours and hear from the growers themselves. We're hosting a 'gardener' track and an 'activist' track to appeal to all our East Van shoppers! Tour details posted soon!   3. CHECK OUT some of the local growers who will be onsite:  Christina's Garden: We grow cut flowers in the summer and have vegetable plants and dahlia tubers for sale in spring.

Vancouver Comic Arts Festival
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm
The Vancouver Comic Arts Festival is a weekend-long celebration of comics that enjoyed its launch in May 2012. The festival features readings, panels, and workshops, culminating in a two-day exhibition for cartoonists from across the country and down the coast.


Portobello West Summer Market - $2
11am - 5pm Sat May 24 & Sun May 25
Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver
Fashion, art, jewellery, accessories. Amazing line-up of talented local vendors, live music, and great food!

12th annual South Hill Festival 
12pm - 4pm
East 47th and Fraser Street, Vancouver
The 12th annual South Hill Festival is back for the final year and will take place on Saturday May 24th from 12-4 pm. This community event celebrates the South Hill Neighborhood and is fun for the whole family with a variety of different exhibitors, live entertainment, a diverse food fair and networking opportunities with local organizations that showcase the diversity that makes up South Hill. It’s the final year the Festival will be happening and it promises to be fun for everyone attending.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Vancouver Comicon - $4
11am -5pm
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
Special Guests:  David Lasky (The Carter Family: Don’t Forget this Song, Boom Boom) MEL Levrault (Phobiasoft) and others! Admission: $4.00 Kids under 14: Free  Comics for Classrooms: Donate a new or gently-used school-appropriate graphic novel for free admission to this show. Books collected will be donated to Vancouver schools.

Vancouver Comic Arts Festival
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm
The Vancouver Comic Arts Festival is a weekend-long celebration of comics that enjoyed its launch in May 2012. The festival features readings, panels, and workshops, culminating in a two-day exhibition for cartoonists from across the country and down the coast.

Portobello West Summer Market - $2
11am - 5pm Sat May 24 & Sun May 25
Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver
Fashion, art, jewellery, accessories. Amazing line-up of talented local vendors, live music, and great food! 

Reoccurring Events

Vancouver Farmers Market - Trout Lake
North Parking Lot of John Hendry Park at Trout Lake Between Templeton and Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley Please note: There is no parking in the North Lot and no parking on 13th Avenue. Please park away from the area & walk in. Or better yet: walk, cycle or take transit if you can! 

River District Farmers Market
10:00am - 3:00pm every Saturday from May3 - Oct18
Kerr Street Plaza – on Kerr Street, one block South of SE Marine Drive, Vancouver
This one-of-a-kind farmers market is the only riverfront market in Vancouver. Come shop for fruits and veggies, prepared foods, and handmade products produced farmers and artisans. Enjoy the waterfront, playground and pier.

Kitsilano Farmers Market  
Shop for organic and conventional product, meat, cheese, seafood and plants as well as tasty baked goods, beautiful crafts while being entertained by local musicians. Hot coffee and hot food available on site each week.

International Summer Night Market - $2
7pm - 12am Fri, Sat, 
7pm - 11pm Sun, May 9 - Sept 14
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC
6th annual Summer Night Market in Richmond starting May 9, 2013! Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors.

Richmond Night Market - $2
Fri-Sat  7PM - 12AM  May 16 - Oct 13
Sun & Stat Holidays  7PM - 11PM
8351 River Road, Richmond BC
Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. $2 fee for regular admission (Subject to changes). FREE admission for children 10 & under and FREE admission for Seniors 60 & up. $10 and $20 Zoom Passes are available for purchase.

Tinkerine is Canada's leading 3D printing company, specializing in making 3D printers for consumer use.  CEO Eugene Suyu is a SFU grad and has been working on the 3D printers for a several years now.

Last Saturday, Tinkerine moved to a new space in Vancouver and held their grand opening! This is it - where the magic happens. All of Tinkerine's machines are assembled in house.

Photo via Tinkerine

Tinkerine just recently debuted the DittoPro, their 3rd 3D printer on the market, costing $1,999. The previous two were made of wood, which were cool and organic looking but the DittoPro is pretty slick.





The 3D printer at work! All you need is a 3D scan of an object which can be fed into the machine via SDHC card. It heats up PLA filament then layers the plastic over and over to form the finished product. It is also environmentally friendly because all of Tinkerine's PLA filaments are biodegradable! It is made from natural corn starch! They also come in different colours.

Here is just a sample of what 3D printers can make.




Here is something any Halo fan could salivate over - Master Chief's helmet! It is made from 16 separate pieces, printed from 3 Ditto+ machines. So cool!

From simple logo pieces, game pieces, models, to complex working engine models, there is so much 3D printing can do, possibilities are endless!

Tinkerine is also Canada’s first publicly listed 3D printing manufacturing company - listed on the TSX as V:TTD.

Visit Tinkerine's website: www.tinkerine.com to find out more about this company and 3D printing and what it can do for you!

Friday, May 16, 2014

Canstruction Vancouver
May 9th - 16th 2014
Pendulum Gallery, Rotunda at Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons Hotel
Canstruction Vancouver is an annual design and build competitions that takes place in over 160 cities world wide. Teams of architects, engineers, designers and schools get together to CANstruct fantastic, giant sized sculptures made entirely out of canned food. After the structures are built and the winners declared the creations go on view to the general public as giant art exhibits. Founder MET Fine Printers and Presenting Sponsor FortisBC will host Vancouver's finest Food/Art display at the Pendulum Gallery, Rotunda at Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons Hotel.

International Summer Night Market - $2
7pm - 12am Fri, Sat, 
7pm - 11pm Sun, May 9 - Sept 14
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC
6th annual Summer Night Market in Richmond starting May 9, 2013! Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors.

Richmond Night Market - $2
Fri-Sat  7PM - 12AM  May 16 - Oct 13
Sun & Stat Holidays  7PM - 11PM
8351 River Road, Richmond BC
Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. $2 fee for regular admission (Subject to changes). FREE admission for children 10 & under and FREE admission for Seniors 60 & up. $10 and $20 Zoom Passes are available for purchase.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Tim Hortons 50th Anniversary
You’re invited to celebrate our 50th birthday!  On May 17, 2014, pop in to Tims and enjoy a FREE Birthday Cake Donut. We can’t wait to see you to help us celebrate fifty years of brewing and baking Canada’s favourite things.  At participating restaurants for a limited time while supplies last. Limit one donut per guest

Vancouver Farmers Market - Trout Lake
North Parking Lot of John Hendry Park at Trout Lake Between Templeton and Lakewood south of the 13th Avenue Alley Please note: There is no parking in the North Lot and no parking on 13th Avenue. Please park away from the area & walk in. Or better yet: walk, cycle or take transit if you can! 

River District Farmers Market
10:00am - 3:00pm every Saturday from May3 - Oct18
Kerr Street Plaza – on Kerr Street, one block South of SE Marine Drive, Vancouver
This one-of-a-kind farmers market is the only riverfront market in Vancouver. Come shop for fruits and veggies, prepared foods, and handmade products produced farmers and artisans. Enjoy the waterfront, playground and pier.

2014 Vancouver All British Classic Car Show - $16
10am - 4:30pm
VanDusen Botanical Garden 5251 Oak St Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
More than 500 classic British cars on display on the magnificent lawns of VanDusen Garden at 37th and Oak Street, Vancouver, B.C.   The celebration includes brass band music, pipe band, concessions, swap meet, artists' gallery, restoration gallery, vendor booths and restoration demonstrations.  Prizes include a Trip for Two to Britain, a set of Yokohama Tires, a $2,000 Garage Makeover.  Come and enjoy this very special Garden party for enthusiasts or those merely looking for a walk down memory lane.

Main Street Vinyl Record Fair  - $3
11am - 4pm Sat & Sunday
Cambrian Hall - 215 East 17th Ave, Vancouver BC
Buy, sell, trade – new and used vinyl records plus a selection of used turntables in Vancouver.  Thousands of vinyl records for sale! Discover gems and stock up on cheap classics!  Join us MAY LONG WEEKEND for 2 DAYS of vinyl-spinning DJs, food truck goodness, prizes, discounts and great deals on tons of vinyl records.

Sugar vs. Spice - A Styling Showdown & Luxury Shopping Party
11am - 5pm
Waterfall Building W 2nd Ave Suite 205 Vancouver, BC V6J 1H2
Experience the transforming power of fashion when two of Vancouver's most sought after stylists utilize KKC's 'TheCloset' of luxury and vintage garments to make-over celebrity clients from Sweet to Sassy, Naughty to Nice, from SUGAR to SPICE!  This daytime event will focus on how the incorporation of a personal stylist can help you achieve the look that you always imagined for yourself. The stylists will apply their trademark techniques to local celebrities and attendees over the course of the day, accompanied by hair and make-up stations to complete the transformation.

Clara's Big Ride
12:30pm - 2:30pm
Jack Poole Plaza
On May 17, be there to welcome Clara Hughes back to Vancouver. It’s all part of Clara’s Big Ride – 95 communities in 110 days. It will be an afternoon to remember. The festivities start at 12:30. Speakers include Clara Hughes, Bob Leonarduzzi, and Michael Schratter. Hear stories of triumph, enjoy free entertainment, live music and pick up some exciting give-aways.

Meet The Maker - Fresco
2pm - 6pm
Xoxolat 1271 Homer St Vancouver, BC V6B 2Y9
Learning is more fun with Chocolate! Come taste the difference the maker makes!   Through his small-batch processed chocolates, Rob Anderson, Engineer by day & Chocolatier by night will be demonstrating how roasting & conching affect overall experience of chocolate.    You will not leave hungry!   All Fresco bars are dairy free, nut free, soy free and gluten free.

Canstruction Vancouver
May 9th - 16th 2014
Pendulum Gallery, Rotunda at Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons Hotel
Canstruction Vancouver is an annual design and build competitions that takes place in over 160 cities world wide. Teams of architects, engineers, designers and schools get together to CANstruct fantastic, giant sized sculptures made entirely out of canned food. After the structures are built and the winners declared the creations go on view to the general public as giant art exhibits. Founder MET Fine Printers and Presenting Sponsor FortisBC will host Vancouver's finest Food/Art display at the Pendulum Gallery, Rotunda at Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons Hotel.  

International Summer Night Market - $2
7pm - 12am Fri, Sat, 
7pm - 11pm Sun, May 9 - Sept 14
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC
6th annual Summer Night Market in Richmond starting May 9, 2013! Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors.

Richmond Night Market - $2
Fri-Sat  7PM - 12AM  May 16 - Oct 13
Sun & Stat Holidays  7PM - 11PM
8351 River Road, Richmond BC
Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. $2 fee for regular admission (Subject to changes). FREE admission for children 10 & under and FREE admission for Seniors 60 & up. $10 and $20 Zoom Passes are available for purchase.

Sunday, May 18, 2014 

Kitsilano Farmers Market  
Shop for organic and conventional product, meat, cheese, seafood and plants as well as tasty baked goods, beautiful crafts while being entertained by local musicians. Hot coffee and hot food available on site each week.

Main Street Vinyl Record Fair  - $3
11am - 4pm Sat & Sunday
Cambrian Hall - 215 East 17th Ave, Vancouver BC
Buy, sell, trade – new and used vinyl records plus a selection of used turntables in Vancouver.  Thousands of vinyl records for sale! Discover gems and stock up on cheap classics!  Join us MAY LONG WEEKEND for 2 DAYS of vinyl-spinning DJs, food truck goodness, prizes, discounts and great deals on tons of vinyl records.

127th Anniversary of CPR Engine 374
12pm - 3pm 
Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews (Corner of Davie & Pacific) Vancouver, BC
Come and join us for the 127th anniversary celebration of the arrival of the first train to Vancouver! 127 years ago the CPR Engine 374 pulled into the Vancouver terminal, becoming the first passenger train to arrive in the city of Vancouver. On Sunday May 18, Engine 374 makes her annual trip out onto the Roundhouse Turntable. Watch her steam up and hear the whistle blow! Come celebrate with Free birthday cake and other activities.

#FamstaMeet
1pm - 4pm
Whytecliff Park  West Vancouver, BC V7W 2L3
@dudelum & @flolum are hosting a family friendly Instameet for @Instagram's Worldwide InstaMeet 9 #WWIM9. Let's call it #FamstaMeet. It's not just for families though, everyone is welcome!  We'll be meeting at Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver on May 18th at 1pm. There's a playground, picnic spots and stunning views. The fine folks at @herschelsupply, @nativeshoes and @cartemsdonuts have partnered with us for some awesome giveaways and sweet treats.

Chicken Fight III at The Lamplighter
4:00pm - 9:00pm
92 Water Street 
The third annual Gastown Chicken Fight.  Gastown chefs compete in a Chicken Wing grilling showdown on the Lamplighter patio.  It’s free to drop by & help judge the greatest wings in the history of Gastown (This year).
  
Canstruction Vancouver
May 9th - 16th 2014
Pendulum Gallery, Rotunda at Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons Hotel
Canstruction Vancouver is an annual design and build competitions that takes place in over 160 cities world wide. Teams of architects, engineers, designers and schools get together to CANstruct fantastic, giant sized sculptures made entirely out of canned food. After the structures are built and the winners declared the creations go on view to the general public as giant art exhibits. Founder MET Fine Printers and Presenting Sponsor FortisBC will host Vancouver's finest Food/Art display at the Pendulum Gallery, Rotunda at Pacific Centre and the Four Seasons Hotel.

International Summer Night Market - $2
7pm - 12am Fri, Sat, 
7pm - 11pm Sun, May 9 - Sept 14
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC
6th annual Summer Night Market in Richmond starting May 9, 2013! Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors.

Richmond Night Market - $2
Fri-Sat  7PM - 12AM  May 16 - Oct 13
Sun & Stat Holidays  7PM - 11PM
8351 River Road, Richmond BC
Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. $2 fee for regular admission (Subject to changes). FREE admission for children 10 & under and FREE admission for Seniors 60 & up. $10 and $20 Zoom Passes are available for purchase.

Monday, May 19, 2014 - Victoria Day

Victoria Day at Burnaby Village Museum
11:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Burnaby Village Museum 6501 Deer Lake Ave Burnaby BC V5G 3T6
Pomp. Ceremony. Fun. The Burnaby Village Museum site is set in the 1920s - a place where pictures of the King George V and Queen Mary are hung in the school house, where the Union Jack flies over the site and Victoria Day is celebrated in grand style.  Special entertainment all day long including: Morris Dancers, a parade, the TraiNgang and 15th Filed Regiment Band. After the parade, be presented to Queen Victoria by her ladies-in-waiting during the Queen's Levee. Enjoy a piece of birthday cake.

On May 8, 2014, Metropolis at Metrotown hosted a fun social party in collaboration with Klout, a site that rates an individual's social media influence. The top 500 retail and fashion social media influencers in the Lower Mainland, as determined by Klout, attended the exclusive event.


Brands like Skoah, The Bay, DAVIDsTEA, Happy Water, Orange Julius, Cupcakes, Benefit, L’Occitane, Purdy’s, Microsoft Store, Buffalo Jeans, Nine West, BENCH, Mini McQueen, Ardene, Benefit, Fame Diamonds, Saje, H&M, BCBG, Costa Blanca, Crabtree & Evelyn, Revolutions, Dynamite, Old Navy, Garage either had booths set up for demos and samples or provided a multitude of prizes for the raffle!
Attendees were given redeemable tickets for drinks and appies.

Part of our welcome package, was a raffle ticket.

We had a chance to win fabulous prizes from retailers at Metrotown!

Purdy's Chocolates handed out these fun flower chocolates! Perfect for spring!

The team at Metropolis kept guests fed with finger foods and drinks.There were four appies to choose from and two mocktails.




  There were also these super cute cupcakes on display!



Presentation on new spring wear available now at the retailers of Metrotown.

It was a full house!





Thank you Metropolis at Metrotown and Klout for hosting such a fun party!

The West Coast Geeks Versus Nerds held their season finale (Episode 17) at the Vancouver FanClub last week Tuesday, May 6th. It was a full house and it was one of the most successful and well attended debate of the show's history!


Opening debate was a funny one: Penny from Inspector Gadget vs Velma from the Scooby-Doo series - who is the greatest detective traveling with stupid companions.



Penny and her trusty dog Brain was on Team Geeks. Personally, I was rooting for Penny. Inspector Gadget is just way too clueless!


lol Team Nerds had their own cheer squad upfront. For those who don't know (like me XD), "Jinkies" is an exclamation that Velma says.  



Penny most definitely won - the entire Inspector Gadget universe is incompetent except for Penny and Brain!

Break for the costume contest - There was Velma, Scooby-Doo, female Jayne, female Captain Reynolds,

 And Han Solo in Carbonite! Yup, this guy won!


Main debate was one that everyone was looking forward to: the handsome Han Solo or the equally as handsome Malcolm Reynolds - who is the greatest rouge smuggler? This one I had a hard time with since I love them both.

Team Nerds represented Malcolm Reynolds. Those costumes are amazing! That guy really looked like Jayne!

Team Geeks supported Han Solo. They said that Reynolds is a "carbonite" copy of Han Solo. LOL While Team Nerds claimed that the carbonite represented Solo's biggest failure as a smuggler.


Every time Team Geeks supported their argument with something from the Star War books, the signs went up at Team Nerds. This is because it was just recently announced that Lucasfilm decreed that the Star Wars expanded universe is non-canon. That includes every Star Wars book, video game, and comic!


Team Nerds pulled out all the stops and even sung a song set to Disney Frozen's "Let it Go" tune.

Loved that Jayne character!

Not surprisingly, Team Nerds won! How could they not after singing Frozen?! (Hahaha. I'm biased)

West Coast Geeks Versus Nerds will return with all new episodes in September. But before that, they will have an exclusive debate at the Northwest Fan Fest. In the meantime, follow the WCGvN team on Twitter and Facebook.