Special Event: The 13th Annual Stone Soup Festival

Click the image for a larger view.

Visual Art: Nudes & Moods

Paintings by Rod Frew

Opening Reception

Thursday, May 1, 2008

w/Music by the ever-talented Monica Lee

The Libra Room 5pm - 8pm

Commercial Drive Postcards Are On The Way!

Click on the image for a larger view.

I've been busy trying to put together these postcards among all the other things I've got on my plate. This is a montage of all the pictures my friend Peter Valentine and I have taken since starting the blog. Hopefully you will see some familiar faces. By the way, the smily woman on the left in the photo at the bottom left hand corner is Laura Fisher, who heads up the www.liveonthedrive.ca site - the "other" definitive Commercial Drive site. She and i went in on the postcards together, along with realtor Charlie Kiers to produce the cards. Watch for them on the street soon!
Tell me what you think of them.

Blog Watch: Humour

A great combination of turn of the 19/20th Century clip art with irreverant, sharp humour. Find more at http://www.marriedtothesea.com

Music: Voodoo Buddha

Tonight local East Van teen band Voodoo Buddha play with Lotus Child at Britannia High School Auditorium at 7pm. Rumour has it that Britannia's School Band Horn section will be accompanying Lotus Child.

Should be a fun show.

Check out Voodoo Buddha's myspace page at:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=103026136

Visual Art - Pastel Demonstration with Minaz Jantz

Local artist Minaz Jantz will be putting on a Pastel Demonstration coming up on the weekend Sunday April 27 @ 2:00pm in the Britannia Library which she will be introducing the wonderful features of pastel in creating art works. She will have a slide show of various stages of creating a painting and styles featuring historical works of arts. Jantz will also bring samples of pastels and surfaces for individuals to hand touch for themselves the quality and character of pastel.
Currently her pet portrait art show is still up in the Britannia Gallery in the Britannia Library until May 2.
www.artgirlgallery.com
For more info contact the Britannia Art Gallery at 604-718-5800

Live On The Drive: Theatre In The Raw Takes Big, Raw Step

I had a chance to sit down with the Artistic Director of East Vancouver's Theatre In The Raw, Jay Hamburger and Serge Saika, one of the cast of its "2008 Rolling Stock Prairie Theatre" troupe, which heads out late in May for parts East with three original one-act plays (two of which were written by Hamburger and Downtown Eastside playwright Patrick Foley.
Our conversation concerned the plays' issues around encroachment, the environment, and aging.

The cast members, which also include zi paris, Maria Lakes, Roger Howie and Michelle Richard will all play various roles in the different plays and Richard starts each evening with a selection of traditional French-Canadian, jazz, and original songs, in both French and English.
Find out more about the tour at: http://www.rollingstockprairietheatre.blogspot.com

Some folks may not realize that Hamburger is a bit of a living legend, having written lyrics for the legendary Broadway musical, Godspell. As this interview shows, Jay Hamburger is truly a Commercial Drive original!

The tour launches in Vancouver at the PAL Lodge Theatre, 581 Cardero St. on May 20 (Preview), 21, 23, 24.

For more info call or write sergesavoy@gmail.com or phone (604) 708-5448

Special Event: So You Think You Can Dance Workshop

May 4
Drop Dance Intensive & Drive Dance Centre

are pleased to bring to you DOMINIC & CEDRIC from the hit TV show 'So You Think You Can Dance', with

speacial guest choreographer LUTHER BROWN (Keyshia Cole, P. Diddy & more)!!

There will be TWO SEPARATE workshops

SPACE IS LIMITED SO YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER THROUGH DDC TO GUARANTEE YOURSELF A SPOT.

Visit their website at

www.drivedancecentre.com

for more information

Who says clothes can't fuel a revolution?

Thursday, April 17 (tomorrow) hot, eccentric fashions are being brought to the streets of Vancouver. At 8pm, outside the Riot clothing and accessories store (1395 Commercial Drive) a new style of fashion show is being unveiled. With the promise to showcase this season's brightest, tightest and flashiest collections, Riot hopes to start, well.... a riot on the Drive. Fresh air and neon colors do, after all, mix very well together.

Look for fashions from such brands as Kensie, Hurley, and Level 99 Denim. If you are fun-loving enough to attend the rally and enjoy some trendy fashion, or hate this post enough to want to yell at me personally, then show up at 8pm tomorrow and let it all out.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Stewart PR and Riot clothing and accessories

Theatre: Casualties of Progress - TICKET GIVEAWAY!

ITSAZOO Productions performs their first Vancouver show, Casualties of Progress by Drive playwright Sebastian Archibald at the PAL Lodge, 581 Cardero. Two other drive residents Meredith Grantier and Kyle Sutherland are designing the costumes and set respectively. Cam Anderson, also a Drive resident, stars in the show opposite Archibald.

Watch a trailer at www.itsazoo.org

SPECIAL OFFER
Commerial Drive - Live! has two tickets to give away to the next person who subscribes to this blog via the "Feedblitz" form at the top right-hand corner of this blog.

Special Event: Friends of Pangea Vancouver

"The day the world comes together through film"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyPgHwB82xY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxhRukX-vAw

ON MAY 10, 2008, a 4-hour live streaming program of films & social consciousness outreach will be broadcast everywhere -- everyone around the planet will be watching the same thing at the same time. The idea is a movement to promote World Peace through the medium of moving pictures. Films are powerful. Are they powerful enough to cause a global shift?



----

Would you like to help us make this happen, but don't know what to do?
Have only limited time? (or all the time in the world.... :D )
Don't want to volunteer but want to find out more about the event?

COME ONE AND ALL - THE GENERAL INFO VOLUNTEER SESSION

WorkLess office
2250 Commercial Drive
Saturday, Apr. 19
3-5pm
Snacks provided

We will show some of the Pangea videos, tell you what we know about the event, tell you what volunteer opportunities there are (before the event and on the day of), have an informal brainstorming session, and eat. Mmm.

Tell everyone. See you there!

Special Event: The Wet Spots at Lime

Thursday, April 10, 2008
Time:	9:00pm - 11:00pm
Location:	Lime (was Rime)
Street:	1130 Commercial Drive
City/Town:	Vancouver, BC

The fabulous Wet Spots make their triumphant Vancouver return.
Not sure if there is a cover, but i think so.

Get there early to reserve a table.

CALL 604 215 1130.

www.wetspotsmusic.com www.danielpackard.com

Commercial Drive Area Still Gritty Despite Gentrification

Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun

Published: Sunday, April 06, 2008

VANCOUVER - House prices in Vancouver's Commercial Drive area have tripled in the past decade, drawing yuppies to the now-million-dollar homes, yet some of the grittier problems in the city's vibrant urban village remain.

Homeless people sleep in alcoves. Crack dealers deal openly on street corners. On the periphery of the area, prostitutes still seek customers.

Nonetheless, people who live on "The Drive" say they love the ambience of the neighbourhood and its cafes, shops and diverse and eclectic art, people and music, according to a recent joint survey by the Grandview-Woodland Community Police Station and Simon Fraser University's Canadian Urban Research Studies.

Read the full story here>>

Special Event: Rollergirls Invade Kerrisdale!

The Terminal City Rollergirls have been training hard all winter and they’re pumped,
primed and ready for another season of hard-hitting, roller derby action.
THE RIOT GIRLS vs. THE FASTER PUSSYCATS...the Riot Girls will undoubtedly bring down
the shock & awe with their signature military precision, but the Pussycats will just as likely
stalk their prey and kick the Riot Girls out the kitty door! Hot, tough and shiny half-time
performance by the B:C:Clettes!
Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Advance tickets are available at Rollergirl
Rollerskates - in person at 1387 Odlum Dr. (off Clark Dr. btwn Charles & Grant) or online
at Rollergirl.ca.
.
MEDIA RELEASE
Vancouver, BC - Terminal City Rollergirls Kick Off Their Second
Season!
The Terminal City Rollergirls are Vancouver’s first female flat–track roller
derby league. Created in January 2006, they are a group of over 60
strong, creative and athletic women. Once the gear and skates go on,
alter egos take over and they are ready to kick some butt. Their goal is
to give the community a new, exhilarating, live sporting event. The
Terminal City Rollergirls hope to maintain the rock and roll, do-it-yourself
feel of classic Roller Derby while injecting the sport with a fresh
Vancouver vibe.
Event: Terminal City Rollergirls’ Season 2 Bout 1
Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008, doors at 5:30pm, pre-game at 6:30pm
Location: Kerrisdale Arena, 5670 East Boulevard, Vancouver
Contact: media@terminalcityrollergirls.com
For more information, go to www.terminalcityrollergirls.com

Visual Art: : Photography by Eydis S. Luna Einarsdottir

A head count of businesses on Commercial Drive

Came across this interesting little article from The Republic of East Vancouver's Kevin Potvin about the make-up of Commercial Drive's Businesses. I was rather surprised at how one's perception of what businesses populate the Drive, might not be factual.

He writes:

"The local small independent businesses in a community give a uniquely accurate and sometimes surprising description of the people who live in the surrounding neighbourhood.

Commercial Drive, for example, is world famous for its cafés, of which there are 21 between “The Cut” at 7th Avenue at the north and Venables Street at the south. But there are 23 hair and beauty salons in the same strip. Don’t worry. In 1940, there were 20 cafes and 24 hair and beauty salons up and down Commercial Drive, and in every decade in between, the numbers vary by no more than five either way.

Read the full story here>>

Literary: Ryler Dustin at the Slam

THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM

http://www.myspace.com/vancouverpoetryslam

http://vancouverpoetryhouse.com/

CONTINUES

@

CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS: 2096 COMMERCIAL DRIVE (5TH AND COMMERCIAL)

EVERY MONDAY OF THE MONTH

THE NEXT SLAM

IS THE VANCOUVER YOUTH SLAM

FOR POETS AGED 13-22

MONDAY MARCH 24TH

FEATURING

2 TIME SEATTLE POETRY SLAM TEAM MEMBER

AND

2007 SEATTLE GRAND SLAM CHAMPION

RYLER DUSTIN

DOORS AND SIGN UP AT 7PM

THE SHOW STARTS AROUND 8PM WITH THE OPEN MIC AND THE SLAM TO FOLLOW

$3 for 18 and younger $5 for 19 and up

TICKETS FOR THE VANCOUVER POETRY SLAM FINALS WILL ALSO BE ON SALE

TICKETS ARE $10 IN ADVANCE

604 215 9230 for more info

Fallen Stanley Park Trees to be Transformed for Aboriginal Youth

Many trees fell during the devastating storm at Stanley Park in December, 2006. Three of those large cedars have been donated by the Vancouver Parks Board to the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre. These logs will become canoes, welcome figures or totems poles, in hope for presentation in front of the world at the 2010 Winter Games.
This project will commence with a Blessing Ceremony for the Cedar on TUESDAY APRIL 8th at 3pm at the present location of the logs (outside the Britannia Pool Lobby Entrance).
Youth will learn the art of carving and the ceremonial and cultural teachings associated with the various stages of canoe-making. This process will be documented, photo and journal, by youth interested in learning design and creating content for the youth magazine, “Constant Content”. Activities involving their families will be incorporated into the transformation process. Members of the Vancouver Police Department will participate as a way of building bridges between the Aboriginal community and the VPD.
This initiative is a collaboration between the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre, the Vancouver Police Department, Constant Arts Society, Britannia Community Services Centre Society along with the Vancouver School Board, Vancouver Parks Board and the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre.
Please join the carvers, elders and ceremony witnesses in a celebration to kick-off this amazing community relationship/respect building project. Food and light refreshments will be served! Check it out and look for the project info table.
Ceremony Witnesses are: Chief Constable Jim Chu, Vancouver Police Department; Jerry Adams, Aboriginal Representative, Vancouver Police Board; Bev Seed, Principal, Britannia High School; Enzo Guerriero, Executive Director, Britannia Community Centre and the youth.
Project Mandate:
To provide leadership in promoting healthy, positive and transformative relationships between all people who live, work, play and serve in this community. These logs are a symbol of the cooperation and respect between all members dedicated to making this community one where all youth feel safe and a sense of belonging. This alliance will create understanding and respect of First Nations culture and the civic systems that are in place to educate, protect, and serve all who live here.
For more information, contact:
Christine Germano, Project Coordinator, Executive Director, Constant Arts Society 604-721-4117
John Sakamoto Kramer, Coordinator, Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre 604-678-3790

Blog Watch: Emergeny Light From a Can of Tuna

Emergency Lamp Made From A Can Of Tuna - video powered by Metacafe

News: City Responds to Bar Hours

We posted a story a little while back about proposed earlier closing times, that I found in the Province:

http://thedriveisalive.blogspot.com/2008/03/news-legislated-closing-times-could.html

Here is a letter of response from the city:

Published: Thursday, April 03, 2008
Vancouver Province

Re the March 24 column

"No-fun closing times are turning the clock back towards Hicksville," the most recent review of opening and closing hours of bars and pubs and other establishments which serve liquor took place in 2005.

The policy was not "quietly adopted" -- it had an extensive public-consultation process which included residents and bar owners. As a result, council approved later opening hours for many establishments.

The writer says that the city wants to turn Commercial Drive, Main and Cambie streets, Broadway, West 4th and other areas into ghost towns at midnight.

Most bars and pubs in these neighbourhoods are allowed to be open until 1:00 a.m. on weekdays and 2:00 a.m. during weekends.

The writer also says nightclubs and cabarets were ordered to close at midnight. But they can be open until 1:00 a.m. on weekdays and 2:00 a.m. on weekends.

Paul Teichroeb, Chief Licence Inspector, City of Vancouver

Info Night on Britannia Centre's New Facilities

Imagine ARTS…Britannia beyond tomorrow

Please join our executive director, board members, staff and the Britannia Arts and Culture Committee for an information sharing night regarding the Britannia Community Services Centre’s proposed new facilities.
We will have concept drawings for viewing.
The future facility plans include:
community art gallery and gallery shop
micro theatre
multi-purpose rooms
pottery studio
dance studio
rental space
office space

If you are interested in having new art’s facilities in your neighbourhood, please come to the meeting and sign our support letter which will be included in our proposal to the city. Everyone is invited, spread the word, Monday, April 21st, 7:00pm (Britannia Conference Room)

For more information on the Facility Master Plan contact the Executive Director 604 718-5815