Visual Art: Upcoming At Britannia

Click on the images for larger versions.

"Red Paper Clip" Guy Mentions Commercial Drive on His Blog

If you haven't heard of Kyle McDonald, originally from Belcarra, BC, who traded up a red paper clip to a house in Kipling, Saskatchewan, you really should find out more about him. An amazing story.
He writes:

I also get asked for advice on how to go about trading things. So today I'm happy to share some trading advice I've learned over the years. This advice is cultivated from personal experience, in the same vein as my experience of getting $4 and a microwave, which I wrote a nice little story about. Sure, some of the expenses associated with the advice may leave you in the red slightly, but that's all part of the game.

He also adds this disclaimer:

The following trading strategies are all true, and have worked in the past, except one. Can you guess which?

I'm not sure if the following is true or not, but it's still cool to get a mention.

How to get a 1990 Burgundy Dodge Caravan:
1. Go to a convenience store on Commercial Drive in Vancouver.
2. Purchase a Mustache Match scratch and win lottery ticket for one dollar from cashier named Wally.
3. Scratch to reveal three handlebar mustaches, a $1000 prize.
4. Collect your winfall.
5. Buy 1000 Mustache Match scratch and win lottery tickets with the $1000 winfall.
6. Spend all day scratching the 1000 Mustache Match scratch and wins.
7. Return to convenience store to collect your winnings.
8. Realize your winnings are only $493 dollars.
9. Walk to the sidewalk with $493 dollars in your hand.
10. See 1990 Burgundy Dodge Caravan for sale on side of road for $450 dollars.
11. Call number on for sale sign.
12. Talk to Wally, person selling van, and realize he is the same Wally who was the cashier in the convenience store.
13. Offer Wally $493 for his van.
14. Drive home in your new van.

Literary: Local Poet Offers "Bonus" Poem With Chapbook Purchase

Poet Rob Taylor has come up with a chapbook, splattered earth. It features a fistful o' poems inspired by some time he spent in China. Here's the set list:


If you'd like a copy, they are available at the People's Coop Bookstore (1391 Commercial Drive, Vancouver) and Magpie Books (1319 Commercial) for $2.00, or you can track him down and buy one in person ($1.50, or $1.00 each for orders of 3 or more). Also, you can order one through PayPal now for $3.25 and Rob will send it right to your doorstep. I'm also certainly open to chapbook trades.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, I KNOW, BUT IT GETS BETTER: While supplies last, all in-person and online sales will include a bonus poem, "viciously in our throats", from his upcoming chapbook child of saturday.
Go here to order a copy
http://rollofnickels.blogspot.com/2006/03/chapter-book.html
A sample page from the chapbook can be viewed here.

A brief review of the chapbook, by Leopold McGinnis, editor of Red Fez Magazine, can be read here.

Upcoming on Wax Poetic: A Gaggle of 13 Year Old Girls

Tomorrow's show on Coop Radio 102.7 fm should be a real hoot as we bring in a couple of budding young poets to share their work.

Check out our all-new blog: www.poetryradio.blogspot.com with news about upcoming shows, full recordings of episodes and video recorded while on-air.
We are lucky enough to have some of this generation's best poets in our studio every week, no lie.
Be a part of it.

Listen tomorrow at 2pm PST.

Special Event: Queer Tales Creative Writing Workshop

The Centre is pleased to present...
Queer Tales
A creative writing workshop for lesbian, gay, bi, & trans folks
with Kimothy Shaughnessy
What's your coming out story?
Is it hilarious, heart-wrenching, liberating, or all of these things at once?
As queer people, it is the telling of our stories that keeps our history rich and community strong Come out to this creative writing workshop & connect with others as we craft our coming out stories into works of art.

Sunday, March 16 1:00 – 4:00pm
1720 Grant St. (off Commercial Dr.) Mosaic Meeting Room (wheelchair accessible)
Please REGISTER: call The Centre at 604 684-5307
Free
ASL interpretation available if requested. For any deaf folks interested in this workshop, please register by emailing educationoutreach@lgtbcentrevancouver.com The Centre regrets that we do not have TTY service at this time.

Special Event: Inheritance

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Britannia Public Library
1661 Napier

Lovely jazz chanteuse Alita Dupray, headlines for our tribute to the strong roots of Black hair in a set with James Forrest. Other special guests for the evening include MC Patricia Whittaker of CIIA, bassist James Forrest, stylists Abraham and Emy of Afro Hair , Jamaican poet Nadine Chambers, U. Ebony Johnson of the Vancouver Pan African Film Festival who will show the short animated film "Wormhead".

Editorial

Hi folks,
Hope everyone enjoyed this past sunny weekend. I know mine was very full.
I spent some time at the Libra Room this week, and caught some footage of and the Amanda Tossoff and the Zoe Trio.
Also went to a good party last night at Kempton Dexter's and took some amazing video. Watch out for another video featuring Natalie von Rotsburg and a host of incredible musicians from that scene.

Kathryn Peterson aka Salmon Avalanche, of Blackberry Wood, and her prized squeeze box were at Kempton Dexter's fling on the weekend.

Speaking of the almighty Libra Room, I was truly sorry I had to miss the CD launch for the Monica Lee Band's newest release, a collection of songs recorded live at the Libra Room. The fact that she and her fellow band members, Marc L'Esperance and Jesse Waldman, sold 50 copies of the CD that night is a testament to their obvious talent and popularity. Buy this music!

A big high for me this week was getting a $40 donation from Annii McGuire Barta, whom some of you may remember as a Vancouver veteran and one-time publisher in the 90's of a small publication focusing on Main Street life called More On Main. I used to write the occasional literary review for it. Annii currently lives in Europe, so it was very gratifying to receive recognition for what I'm doing. I know she used to work very hard on that paper. If there were blogs back then, she might still be publishing it! Thanks so much Annii! While the blogging technology I use is free, my time and energy are required to distill information from off the web, and also to go out on occasion to cover live events. ... the fun part of the blog! Editing photos and videos take time and going out takes money!

Today was a busy day for me. I hosted a workshop on Tax Fundamentals For Artists. It was great to see so many people dedicated to improving the professional side of their career, battling the pull of a warm, sunny afternoon to learn about taxes, no less! I'm proud they did! Thanks folks!
Today ended in the best of possible manners. My friends Carol Anne and Ivett came over to this neck of the woods and did some way cool night photography. We had a lot of laughs. I needed that.
So what's up for me next week? Irish Spring is in the air. Coming up March 12-16 it is the 5th Annual Edgewater Casino CelticFest. I've been a volunteer since day one. As a matter of fact, I was the festival's very first volunteer.
Every year I put on some type of literary event for the festival. This year it's The Battle of the Bards Pub Crawl. A cross between Dublin's world-famous literary Pub Crawl, and the phenomenally popular Poetry Slam (which makes it's home right here on the Drive at Cafe Deux Soliels every Monday and produces consistently top spoken word artists.
For this event, hosted by the lovely Ravishing Rhonda, Dylan Thomas, W.B Yeats and Robbie Burns (played masterfully by Damon Calderwood, Mark Downey and Todd Wong - of Gung Haggis Fat Choy fame) go head-to-head in a poetry face-off at 3 different venues and are judged by members of the audience the grand finale is a karaoke battle at Ceili's Pub, with a live DJ (local spinmaster Michael Louw) and celtic fiddler Elise Bloer. It all ends with a wild dance party courtesy of
Sound crazy? YOU BET! Be sure to join us on March 13th. Email me at srduncan@shaw.ca or check out the CelticFest website at www.celticfestvancouver.com for more details.

Until next time, as Garrison Keilor says in his regular poetry podcast:

Stay in touch and do good work.

Food Review:Virtue vs. Ambiance, it's a bean-off

Virtue vs. Ambiance, it's a bean-off

Found this great little blog with some fun pics and great reviews.

It's called Full Bodied: Two Hot Fat Chicks on Wine and Other Good Things In Life.
Very fun stuff!!
Read their review of the Calabria and Prado.

This was me this Sunday, sitting in the window of Café Calabria on Commercial Drive, Frankie Murdocco's perfectly prepared cappu in front of me. All was right with the world: the sun was shining, a significant portion of the weekend was still available to be enjoyed, and my honey and I were about to take a walk around Trout Lake and then head over to the home of friends for tea and Wii.

Ah, the weekend. I remember it like it was two days ago.

Café Calabria is my absolute favourite coffee spot. It's friendly, busy and noisy but somehow never loud. It's a family business, run by elderly Frank and his handsome sons. Young Frankie pulls the most flavourful espresso (at least to my taste), while his father tends to pull it a bit scuro. Younger brother Vince is usually wrangling the terrific fresh panini (Franks's Special is my fave).
Read the full review here:

http://full-bodied.blogspot.com/2008/02/virtue-vs-ambiance-its-bean-off.html

Update: Murry the Cat

Murry's back!!

I passed by his house today and low and behold, there he was. Normally chirpy and talkative like the missing poster suggests, he was tight-lipped about his disapearance.

See the original post here:
http://thedriveisalive.blogspot.com/2008/02/missing-murry-cat.html

Special Event: Barbara Adler and Jess Hill

Friday, February 22nd
Cafe Deux Soleils
2096 Commercial Drive
9:00ish

Jess Hill: Folk songs with a dark twist and a gentle heart

Barbara Adler: Poems and stories, and tons of exuberance

Don't Be Sad Because It is Winter and You are Working Too Hard.

Come to Our Show !

Live on the Drive: Goby Catt @ the Libra Room

I took in the Libra Room again last night and caught the cool stylings of Goby Catt and his Catt Pack. Originally from Australia, Goby and his pack have been playing around town for about 5 years now. You can catch them every Monday night at the Libra Room.

Check out the video below.



For more videos shot on Commercial Drive, check out our YouTube playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=478EF0B433DBB8C3

Missing: Murry the Cat

Live on the Drive: Video Montage

Here is the video I promised in my earlier post, featuring Miles Howe, Sharon Priest-Nagata, and Rodney DeCroo.

Food Review: The Charlatan

Taken from http://www.timinganddelivery.com

Remember Bukowski’s on 1447 Commercial Drive? No more.

And even if you don’t, that’s OK, it’s time to introduce you to The Charlatan. We stumbled into The Charlatan the other night on our way to Stella’s (another great spot on Commercial Drive). If you thing about it in a David Suzuki kind of way, The Charlatan is the butterfly to the Bukowski caterpillar. And the vibe and atmosphere is definitely worth a fly by.

And like Bukowski’s former footprint, The Charlatan is a triple-tiered loungy/resto-joint with a really cool square bar greeting you as soon as you walk in the front door. We’re talking massive silver taps staring down at you menacingly perched atop a polished wenge platform. Deadly.

Read the full review here.

Live on the Drive: A Weekend Montage

A few shots from the Drive. Fun seeing everyone out and about!

Abruzzo and soccer. A Drive tradition for sure.

Pal Levente, articulating something profound, I'm sure!



Singer, songwriter Rodney DeCroo. Stay tuned for some video of Rodney shot live on the street.
Decroo seen here with the equally talented and better looking, Monica Lee!


Dancer and teacher Michelle Hershey.

The Portuguese Club.


Mandolin player Miles Howe, originally from Ottawa.


When Miles took a breather, he passed the mandolin on to my friend Sharon Priest-Nagata, who played a lovely little piece. Stay tuned for a little video from this shoot.



The interior of Shakti.


The boys from Sumaloo, making beautiful music at the Latin Quarter.


Magpie Magazine Gallery.

Job Posting: Coordinator HIPPY Britannia

The Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home and community based preschool education program that helps parents learn how to become their children’s first and best teachers.

HIPPY Britannia is in its 9^th year as the most effective school-readiness program available to families.

www.hippycanada.com

Educational Qualifications:

A degree in early childhood, elementary, family or adult education, social work or any other related field.

Other Qualifications:

• Strong training and leadership capabilities
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated knowledge of and sensitivity to the needs and interests of families from low socioeconomic communities
• Willingness to work as a productive and collaborative team member
• Demonstrated administrative and organizational skills
• Prior experience in one or more of the following areas is an asset: educational administration, community mobilization, parent empowerment/family support, child/family advocacy or staff development

Responsibilities:

After successful completion of the preservice training seminar, the HIPPY coordinator has responsibility for:

• Executing the HIPPY program in accordance with the terms specified in the contractual agreement
• Recruitment and selection of eligible HIPPY families and paraprofessional staff
• Ongoing supervision and training of paraprofessionals, this includes the planning and execution of an appropriate staff development plan
• Making periodic home visits
• Planning and executing bi-weekly group meetings which includes role playing the subsequent week’s activity packet and the provision of an enrichment activity
• Timely completion and submission of detailed reports generated by the HIPPY Management Information System and other documentation as requested by HIPPY Canada
• Planning and preparation for initial and regular site visits by HIPPY Canada staff or a designee
• Establishing effective partnerships with other community service organizations in order to ensure optimal service delivery to participating families
• Participation in local (regional) and national HIPPY conferences and meetings

This is a contract position. There is a 3 day-a-week training and orientation period effective April through June. The full-time renewable position is September, 2008 through June, 2009. Britannia is a not-for-profit society.

Please send your resume and covering letter to:

Mike Evans, Community Education Director

Britannia Community Services Centre

1661 Napier Street

Vancouver, BC V5L 4X4

E-mail: hippybritannia@gmail.com

Fax: 604 713-8265

Should you require further information, please email your questions to HIPPY Britannia

Home Selling Tips For Spring Buyer's Market

If you're planning to put your home on the market in time for spring, now's the time to get it ready to show.

But wait, it's still a buyer's market. What can you do to catch the buyer's eye and get them to make an offer?

It's going to take more than a fresh coat of paint and a new welcome mat. A buyer's market raises the stakes, and you'll find you need to do a lot more work on your home than you think, if you want to get the highest price possible.

You've heard that you should clean, paint and repair, but that may not be enough. If your home is cluttered and in disrepair, buyers won't pay top dollar.

Knowing how buyers reason should help you pick which updates are most likely to help you sell your home.
CONTINUED >>>

Visual Art: Famous Empty Sky @ Havana

Click image for bigger view.

Welcome Aboard: Charlie Kiers, of Remax Crest Realty

Some of you have noticed a small - but significant - change to the blog with the addition of a banner ad under the blog’s title.

This month, we added our very first sponsor - Charlie Kiers, of Remax Crest, and owner of www.buythedrive.com. Charlie will be offering up tips on smart home buying and selling, as well as making recommendations on places he thinks are sound investments.
Having a paid sponsor means that we, or more specifically I, can dedicate some quality time to working on the blog providing first-hand coverage of more of what’s important to folks like you.
Take some time to click on the banner or go directly to his website www.buythedrive.com and drop him a line to say thanks for contributing to our community in such a direct and intelligent way!
As I mentioned in my last Dispatch, I’m actively looking for ways to promote my site both on and off-line and will seriously consider partnering with artists and other Drive-based businesses to share in promotional costs and responsibilities. If you are interested, do give me a call at 604-788-8340 or drop me a line and we can meet over a coffee and discuss the possibilities.

Blog Watch: How To Enjoy Sushi

Bringing you the best of the rest of the world.. This week, a great little video I found from Japan about proper sushi etiquette. Great care and attention went into this piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc6v8IUe_0g

Visual Art: Chief. Z.O. Oloruntoba, Healing Tapestries exhibition @ A Small World

Living legend: Chief. Z.O. Oloruntoba, Healing Tapestries exhibition at A Small World Shop and Gallery in Vancouver, his only scheduled Canadian visit for 2008.
Vancouver, BC Canada,
Zacheus O. Oloruntoba, born in 1919, is a Yoruba Chieftain and heir to the throne of Ogidi, Nigeria. He is a recognized clairvoyant and an artist whose work has been exhibited by the Museum of Modern Art and collected by Queen Elizabeth II, David Rockefeller and Mohammed Ali.

The Chief seated in front of his work titled The Cities of Israel - Part I
Photo credit: Carrie Rosema / The Press-Enterprise

The works of Chief Oloruntoba are showing February 6^th through February 18^th 2008, at A Small World Shop & Gallery, 2120 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC.

Chief Otunba Zacheus Olowonubi Oloruntoba creates vibrant tapestries both for the aesthetics as well as the inherent healing powers within. It is said; the owner of these artworks, are likely to benefit from more than their pictorial qualities. 89 years young, a Yoruba chieftain and heir to the throne of Ogidi, Nigeria, is a shaman, clairvoyant and gifted artist. Working with age old techniques and traditional materials, Chief Oloruntoba illustrates his clairvoyant visions into what he calls “Paintings of power and life, for the protection from sickness and jealousy.” He warns buyers not to place his art works under glass as it will impede their healing power.
The Chief paints his larger pieces using all vegetable dyes and Kaduna cloth, for the smaller tapestries he weaves colored silken cord and attaches it using a natural wheat paste. He carefully chooses plant dyes for their attractive color and curative characteristics. The subject matter for his powerful pieces includes his village, Yoruba tribe people, lions, birds and elephants. True to form, the Chief believes that his works have healing abilities; each animal depicted contains a healing spirit that has arrived from beyond to wrestle a particular problem or area of concern. These spirits range from gods of the Yoruba pantheon to other worldly helpers and ghost of ancestors who have a lively interest in human affairs.
He is first and foremost a spiritual leader of the Nigerian city of Ogidi, a city of the Kogi State, made up of 300,000 people primarily of the Yoruba tribe. The Chief is next in line to succeed his uncle, who is 117 years old; as King of Ogidi in Kogi State, Nigeria. As King, according to tradition, the Chief will no longer be able to make this art.
“This is something I create for so many years, since 1948,” he says. He continues with “I know about the plant medicine. I tie dye the thread; local thread we plant. Some of the color comes from a tree, and we use some of that water (sap) then boil it with salt.”
The Chief had his first exhibition of his works in 1966 at the British Consulate, Dugbe Ibadan, Nigeria. The Chief then had his first American show the following year in New York. The Chief’s works were also exhibited from 1983 until 1996 in the famed Eko Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.
The works of Chief Oloruntoba - lecture, healing tapestries exhibition and sale with international artist Zacheus O. Oloruntoba. His only scheduled Canadian visit for 2008, showing February 6^th through February 18^th 2008, at A Small World Shop & Gallery, 2120 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC.
A Small World Shop & Gallery Ltd. is an independent retailer of earth conscious commodities and sustainable fashions devoted to protecting you and the environment. We work hard to ensure the quality of our products and the legacy of our fragile planet.

Kevin Noble (Director)
A Small World Shop & Gallery Ltd.
2120 Commercial Dr. V5N 4B4
Vancouver BC, Canada
T: 604-215-0279
F: 604-875-9991
http://www.asmallworldonline.com
info@asmallworldonline.com

Special Event: Wet Spots @ Lime on Valentine's Day

Click the image for a better view.

Live On The Drive: YouTube Playlist

Music and interviews with Commercial Drive denizens - like you!

Sorry that the YouTube player doesn't fit on the page very well. It's outta my hands.
S.

Special Event: Youth Photographs Brighten Britannia Walkway

While the little cobblestone parkway between Sweet Cherubim and Drive Organics is a well-traveled route to both Britannia School and Community Centre during the day (not to mention a pleasant performance place on lazy summer afternoons), at night the space is far less inviting. But a unique project at Britannia Community Centre is changing that by placing permanent light boxes featuring photographs taken of the neighborhood taken by at-risk native youth attending Britannia High.
This is a project of the Britannia Artist-In-Residence program through the Vancouver Park Board and is generously funded through the Neighbourhood Matching Fund.
The light boxes will be unveiled at the opening ceremonies of the 7th Annual Talking Stick Festival, Tuesday, February 12th at the Roundhouse Community Centre as part of Heartbeats of the Seventh Generation – a collection of youth performance works and an art exhibition that features photos, and writing by over 150 youth artists from schools and communities throughout Western Canada. The exhibition is curated by recognized First Nations photographer, bookmaker and educator, Christine Germano of the Constant Arts Society.
As well, the exhibit includes hand-carved talking sticks mentored by renowned Kwakwaka’wakw carver, Wayne Alfred. The opening night celebration will also feature Big Sky Multi-Media Story Telling Society’s new multi-media installation project “Move the Sky” by artist, storyteller, Victor Reece and multi-media artist, Sharon Jinkerson-Brass.
Here is a sneak peak of a couple of the boxes. If you look at the bottom left-hand corner of Box no. 2, you just might recognize a familiar face!

The 7th Annual Talking Stick Festival, February 12 – 17, 2008, is presented by Full Circle: First Nations Performance. A celebration of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal performance and art, this year’s Talking Stick Festival will unite a diverse and talented community of local, national and international Aboriginal artists and feature a fusion of music, dance, theatre, multimedia, performance art, visual art and storytelling. The vibrant city-wide event takes place at several venues: the Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, the Scotiabank Dance Centre, Ironworks Studio, Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Britannia School, the Railway Club and the Yale.

Upcoming on Wax Poetic

Upcoming: Wakefield Brewster - Feb. 20

Join us live at 2pm (PST)

Performing in a musical capacity since age six and writing for the past 12 years, Wakefield has made his dynamic presence on the scene known with no uncertain terms. Writing in a political yet lyrical voice and performing with an audaciousness yet unseen, he has blasted onto over 100 spoken word stages across Toronto throughout the past year and can be experienced regularly at Poetica Reading Series, The Art Bar Reading Series and at the Oasis Open Stage Night. Wakefield's powerful poetry and captivating prose have been featured in a number of publications; both on the Internet and in print and has appeared on local radio programs. Constantly rotating between feature and open mike performances Wakefield has just returned from a hectic four-day gig at the Shambhala Festival in British Columbia where he performed for an audience of 6500 - 8,000.

More info at www.poetryradio.blogspot.com
You can also see him live at the Vancouver Poetry Slam, and he will be doing a workshop at Spartacus Books on February 19th.
For more info go to www.vancouverpoetryhouse.com

Music: Monica Lee CD Release Party Feb. 21

"Live @ the Libra Room"

I'm very excited by the arrival of this CD. I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Monica on occasion over the last few years when I booked a couple of corporate events.
Her voice, style and range of music is delightful.
This is the consummate Commercial Drive CD! Recorded at the epicenter of the Drive, the Libra Room, where the Monica Lee Band has been playing for 2 years on Thursdays.

Backed by Jesse Waldman (who is currently artist-in-residence at Lime this month), and Mark L'esparance, Lee is definately a musical force to be reckoned with, and her Caribbean- influenced Drive anthem, "Down on the Drive" will forever be a favorite of mine.
Don't miss this fun night, and if you do, at least buy her CD!!



John Korsrud will be sitting in on Trumpet (oh ya!) and some other special guests as well!

CD RELEASE

‘live at the libra room’ – the monica lee band

‘because the whole damn thing was recorded at the club!’
Thursday Feb 21, 2008
CD’s will be available for 15$
10 live trax plus three ipod ready quicktime movies!

Can you see Jesse’s hand in my chin? This is a layered shot, my eye shadow is actually his shirt pocket!
More layered art shots throughout the CD design done by none other than the great Chris Bizzocchi!

Call ahead for reservations
Cover by donation

The Libra Room Restaurant
1608 Commercial Drive
(604) 255-3787

Visit our website for more info or to order a copy today. www.monicaleemusic.com
--


email: monica@monicaleemusic.com
website: http://monicaleemusic.com
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/monicaleeband
Electronic Press Kit: http://sonicbids.com/MonicaLee

Special Event: Rendering Plant Meeting Tonight

Rendering plant meeting February 7

Grandview-Woodlands residents downwind of the West Coast Reduction rendering plant (105 North Commercial Drive) will meet with Metro Vancouver at Wise Hall on Thursday night (Feb 7) to see what further steps can be taken to deal with odour problems from the plant. The registration starts at 6:30 pm and the discussions at 7:00. If anyone goes to this meeting, it would be great to hear a report.

Metro Vancouver is forming a citizens' committee to determine what an "acceptable" level of odour is.

Rendering is an industrial process to deal with animal byproducts. An interesting article in the Vancouver Courier quoted the Vice-Chairman of the rendering company: "We consider ourselves a very good corporate citizen and we are providing an important service to the city of Vancouver," he said. "We process through this plant every year 50 per cent of the total volume of solid waste that goes to Cache Creek and, if we weren't processing that, I'm not sure where it would go. And I think we do it in a way that probably is the envy of most cities in North America."

Rendering is a spin-off industry from large-scale meat production, using by-products to produce salable commodities. There are two different processes, according to Wikipedia, one of which "cooks slaughterhouse offal to produce a thick lumpy stew which is then sold to the pet-food industry to be used principally as tinned cat and dog foods. Such plants are notable for the offensive odour that they can produce and are often sited well away from human habitation."

pic: PortVancouver

Visual Art: Morgan Dunnet

First openend in 1938, the RIO theatre returns as a landmark theatre in the heart of Vancouver's Commercial Drive. The RIO is a single-screen theatre with 20 speaker dolby surround sound and the most comfortable seats in Vancouver.

Adults:$8.00 Students:$7.00 Children:$5.00 Seniors:$5.00 Tuesday's Special : $5.00

Painting by Morgan Dunnet.

See more of Morgan's work here: http://morgandunnet.blogspot.com/

Special Event: Vendor Call!

Sunday, May 4th, 2008
Legion on Commercial Drive (at E. 6th Avenue)
11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Early bird application deadline is March 7th, 2008.
Visit our new website at Got Craft?

Music: Tall Brothers @ Shakti

REEFER JAZZ COMBUSTIN' OUT.... EVERY FREAKIN' FRIDAY @ SHAKTI!

THE TALL BROTHERS (self-described "reefer jazz band"), perform EVERY FRIDAY EVE, from 9ish till midnight, at SHAKTI, 1100 block Commercial Drive (next to Memphis Barbecue),

accompanied by da Bruce Juice, on stripped down drums, applying his sweet brush strokes, and inspired, deftly woven percussive contributions.

You'll love THE TALL BROTHERS sly, cheeky songs about the joys of cannabis consumption, as well as their excellent jazz covers. Plus... soon, sumptuous burlesque girlies will be added to the proceedings!

And a very cozy, yet exotic spot is Shakti. With many teas, yummy snacks and herbal concoctions from which to choose.

Nice people too.

So... drop by some Friday eve (maybe this Friday?), check out the happenings, have a listen and a libation.

Literary: Calgary's Wakefield Brewster @ Poetry Slam

THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM
"poetry that doesn't suck unless you say it does"
CONTINUES
@
CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS: 2096 COMMERCIAL DRIVE (5TH AND COMMERCIAL)
WITH ITS REGULAR SEASON QUALIFYING SLAMS THE 1ST, 3RD AND 5TH MONDAY OF EACH MONTH THE NEXT REGULAR SEASON SLAM IS MONDAY FEBRUARY 18TH FEATURING CALGARY'S WAKEFIELD BREWSTER http://poets.unknowncommunity.com/db/authors/wwobrewster http://www.eleventhtransmission.org/August2006/wakefieldbrewster.html
Wakefield Brewster is the "lyrical pitbull" spreading rhyme and insights with the speed of a 23rd century Gatling gun. Wakefield represents the best in hip hop with culturally conscious rhyme schemes, positivity and a generous sense of humour. He has performed at the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival, Scream in Hyde Park, and represented both Toronto and Calgary on separate occasions for the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.
THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER QUALIFYING SLAM TO MAKE THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM PLAYOFFS THAT HAPPEN THIS APRIL AND MAY DOORS AND SIGN UP AT 8PM
OPEN MIC AROUND 8:45
SLAM AT 9PM
STILL ONLY $5 ALL POETIC STYLES WELCOME
CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS IS AN ALL AGES, WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VENUE.
604 215 9230 FOR MORE INFO

For more info on Vancouver Spoken Word events go to www.vancouverpoetryhouse.com

Special Event: Tax Workshop for Artists

Don’t fear the Taxman!

Announcing the most important learning opportunity of 2008:

Tax Fundamentals

for

Artists and Artisans

Presented by

Marianna Scott

from Quantum Accounting

Sunday, February 24

1pm - 4pm

(Registration starts at 12:30pm)

Kaslo Gardens Co-operative

(Activities Room)

2765 Co-operative Way

(between Kaslo and Slocan Streets on Grandview Highway)

Visit their website for a map:

http://kaslogardenshousingcoop.ca/

Cost: $15

This workshop will be ideal for self-employed artists and craftspeople with little or no experience preparing taxes. If you dread tax season, and put off thinking about your taxes until the last minute, then this workshop is for you.

Brought to you by Vancouver Poetry House, as part of its Professional Development Program. www.vancouverpoetryhouse.com

For more information or to pre-register for this important event, visit the Vancouver Poetry House website (http://vancouverpoetryhouse.com/tax-fundamentals-for-artists-and-artisans/) or contact Steven R. Duncan at 604-788-8340 or email srduncan@shaw.ca. Space is limited.

Live On The Drive: Mike Swan

A little street performance by Commercial Drive regular Mike Swan.

Music: Mr. M and the All Nighters @ Cafe Deux Soleils

Special Event: Grandview-Woodland Area Council AGM

Attention neighbours,

The Grandview-Woodland Area Council will hold its Annual General Meeting and elections on Monday, Feb.4.
We've spent the past year fighting hard to keep the neighbourhood vibrant and healthy. This will be your chance to catch up with the work the council has been doing, but also to vote for candidates for this year's new council board—or even run for the board yourself.
Voting is open to all GWAC members. That means any person who resides or who works in the
Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood and who registers their contact information at a GWAC Annual General meeting or monthly meeting. The boundaries of Grandview-Woodland are North side of Broadway to the Burrard Inlet waterfront, and the Eastside of Clark Drive to the Westside of Nanaimo Street. (Bring a piece of ID or mail for proof of residency.)
If you wish to run for the board, bring proof of residency and be ready to make a 2-minute maximum stump speech.
Come early: We've also got Vancouver City planners attending, to discuss the controversial Ecodensity Charter.

Details:
What: Grandview Woodland Area Council AGM and elections
Where: Learning Resources Centre, underneath Britannia Library
(use the door on the south side of the building)
When: 7pm, Monday, Feb. 4, 2008

Special Event: Pan-African Forum @ A Small World Gallery - February 9th

Click the image for a larger version.

Literary: Local Writer Garners Major Award

Commercial Drive writer, Ivan E. Coyote's book, Bow Grip, is the recent winner of the ALA Stonewall Honor Book Award.

The first and most enduring award for lesbigay books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table. Since Isabel Miller's Patience and Sarah received the first award in 1971, a total of forty-eight books have been honored for exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered experience.

Ivan E. Coyote is one of North America’s most beguiling storytellers and the author of three story collections, including Loose End, which was shortlisted for the Ferro-Grumley Award for Fiction in 2006. Bow Grip, Coyote’s first novel, is a breathtaking story about love and loneliness; in it, a good-hearted, small-town mechanic struggles to deal with a wife who has left him for another woman until a used cello and an acquaintance’s suicide attempt compel him to make some changes in his life. With quiet authority, Bow Grip is about one man’s true rite of passage—trying to keep the ghosts of personal history at bay with a heart that’s as big as the endless prairie sky.Arsenal Pulp Press | 9781551522135 | Trade Paper $19.95



Signs of the Times, Bud Osborn/ Richard Tetrault (Anvil Press) 978-1895636710 “... Where Tetrault's strength is in the lines, the communication of emotion through the visual, Osborn's tends more towards the honesty. Real people; real places; real events. This volume is the best value for your money you could ever hope for, as lovers of art, as lovers of people. It puts art into your sweaty hands; it forces you to engage in the politics of humanity." -- Prairie Fire




Both books are available at
People's Co-op Bookstore (est 1945)
1391 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC
V5L 3X5
Tel/Fax 604-253-6442
Toll Free 1-888-511-5556
www.peoplescoopbookstore.com

Music: Jesse Waldman February Artist-In-Residence @ Lime

Multi-talented Jesse Waldman is the artist residence for February at lime (formerly known as rime). What this means is he'll be performing there every Sunday in the many different projects I’m involved in. You can expect many fantastic delights including high-end sushi, drinky drinks, screaming girls, track lighting and of course, great music. Below is a detailed schedule of what's happening…

Sun Feb 3

lisa o’neill
lisa o’ neill – acoustic guitar, vocals, jesse waldman - electric guitar and nick stecz – drums

Lisa O'Neill is a singer-songwriter from Vancouver, her music is an eclectic blend of Dreamy folk resulting in a style that is uniquely her own. It has been described as melodic, lyrical and deeply moving. Lisa's powerful lyrics radiate from deep within her soul and her inspired song-writing is filled with passion and grace.

monica lee band

monica lee – vocals, viola, acoustic guitar, marc l’esperance – drums, vocals and jesse waldman – electric guitar, vocals

Easy to listen to, hard to ignore, this prairie girl run away to the west coast will warm your heart, sooth the tired mind and get you out of your chair. The band's live sets are energetic, inspiring and intimate full of lush piano, soulful vocals, and warm viola, tight drumming and soaring guitars. Monica's voice is stirring, reminiscent of Carly Simon and Carole King, delivering a mixture of folk, blues and roots with gypsy overtones. Monica Lee is joined by the multi-talented Marc L'Espérance on drums and backup vocals, and the virtuosic guitar hero Jesse Waldman

Sun Feb 10

Supna

jesse waldman – acoustic guitar, Kenton loewen – drums, percussion, rup sidhu - didjeridoo, percussion, flute, pete shmitt – bass

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the legendary supna are returning to the stage for the 1^st time in years. Supna is an instrumental group that incorporates many musical genres including middle eastern, flamenco, metal and funk and free improv.

Josh Martinez and the pissed-off wild

Josh Martinez – rapping, Kenton loewen – drums, pete shmitt – bass, jesse waldman – electric guitar

The Pissed Off Wild started as a beer, went around like reefer, and ended up passed out in the backyard under the picnic table with a empty quart of whiskey clutched in its hands and a huge smile on its face. All punk rock attitude, black humor and a rhythm section that just won't quit, these boys make The Supremes look like a bunch of chicks. Mixing 50's doowop, 60's drugs, 70's rock, 80's punk and 90's party rap with a post-Y2K love of the good times, The P.O.W. have established themselves as fusion phenoms wherever they play.

Sun Feb 17

electric kids

jesse waldman – acoustic/electric guitar, vocals, marc l’esperance – drums vocals,chris bizzochi – piano, keys, paul Surjadinata – bass, vocals

Jesse is a unique singer/songwriter who seems puts a touch of magic in his songs. This new project: electric kids has all you’ve come to expect from waldman: crafty, memorable songs, contagious melodies, sweet vocal harmonies, thumping rhythms and of course, wild guitars. These are mostly new songs people! This art-rock experience is sure to have you mesmerized and inspired.

jess hill
jess hill – acoustic guitar, vocals, jesse waldman – electric guitar

Like the intuition implied by synchronized movement, Jess Hill's music reminds you of something you thought you'd forgotten. Anchored in the tendencies of folk, blues and jazz, Jess tells stories: cyclones and downpours, hovering birds, white skies. In the dim light of midnight living rooms and in the hearts of singing shadows, Jess Hill is building something beautiful.

Beth southwell
Beth southwell – acoustic guitar, vocals, jesse waldman – electric guitar, wayne adams - drums

Beth Southwell is a singer songwriter that has travelled the world. She writes songs from her experiences of life and living. Her melodic, memorable songs speak of truths and relate easily to others. Beth has performed in a variety of projects, toured the UK, Taiwan, and the West Coast, recorded three Albums, and is currently working on another solo project.

Sun Feb 24

Fearless melodies
khari - vocals, fraze ford - vocals, mark beatty - bass, melissa mcCready – acoustic guitar, jesse waldman – electric guitar and john raham – drums

brand new R&B project featuring khari’s tunes…

phatty phatty and the roaches
blair duthie – vocals, percussion, jesse waldman – electric guitar, vocals, kirk layman – drums, brian dragseth – guitar, vocals, andy cakes – trombone, vocals, mike donnely –bass, brian davies – trumpet, jeff Birmingham – keys

Bouncing along a BC highway without a care, sparks off the guardrail, rides the phatmobile. Bringing extra-terrestrial reggae songs of bingo, girls and palaces in the sky, phatty phatty is a true westcoast gem. Not only are these guys seasoned players and connoisseurs of the finer things in life, but they’re also psychedelic super heroes who may just save the world one day.

Lime is located @ 1130 Commercial Drive (near napier)
(604) 215-1130

Cover charge will range from $7-10 depending on the night

Thanks y’all and I hope to see you there!!