Literary: Awesome Face Presents: SAINT PATRICK’S FACE @ Cafe Deux Soleils

Awesome Face Presents: SAINT PATRICK’S FACE

It’s a kids show FOR ADULTS.  A kindergarten class FOR GROWN UPS.

An interactive multi-media spectacular

http://youtu.be/blvMQY9Kmh8

Join us on St. Patrick’s Day for fun, celebration and mockery of this pseudo holiday

There will be show and tell! (BRING SOMETHING TO SHARE) Nap Time!  Drunk Speed Dating!  Sing A  Longs!  A Special Guest!

And a chance for you to put your hands on the Shame Rock and cleanse yourself of guilt and self disgust.

We will even have a dirty limerick contest—bring your best

Saturday March 17^th at Café Deux Soleils on Commercial Drive: 2096 Commercial

Doors at 8pm

Show at 8:30

$10 unless you are wearing something Irish or Green—then it’s $7

Awesome Face is made up of Brendan McLeod, RC Weslowski and Chris Gilpin as Dr. WTF?!

This show will feature some of Awesome Face’s Greatest Hits including

Razors and Roses

Taking out the garbage—a song for Dolph Lundgren

The Kidnapping Song

Plus

Don’t Get Drunk and Sleep With Your Friends

And much more

rcarcee@yahoo.ca for more info

or

604 215 9230

Special Event: RC Weslowski Presents --Curious Whimsy--a night of magic and mystery

Cafe Deux Soleils

2096 Commercial Drive

Vancouver, BC
Tuesday, March 8 · 8:30pm - 11:30pm
Come see many strange worlds collide in this 21st century variety show.

I am pleased to announce that we'll have the musical stylings of Hilary Grist at our show...amazing

We'll have magic from master illusionist, Travis Bernhardt

Tales of disgust and irreverance with Gerald, Gerald Geraldson, Horror Comic

Music from musicians too amazing to announce right now

The debut of Police Cops--a Vancouver based crime comedy webisode

And the performance of a full length radio play where YOU, the audience, make all the sound effects. The play is THE HAUNTED CROSS-ROADS
http://www.genericradio.com/show.php?id=TGCIAZ4QU


This is a fundraiser for the Vancouver Poetry Slam.
$5-$10 sliding scale.

It'll be wowsy.

Special Event: RC Weslowski Christmas Special @ Cafe Deux Soliels

RC Weslowksi Christmas Special Dec 12th

COME GIVE SCROOGE A WET WILLIE!

IT’S TIME FOR THE 4^TH ANNUAL RC WESLOWSKI CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

SATURDAY DECEMBER 12^TH

@

CAFÉ DEUX SOLEILS: 2096 COMMERCIAL DRIVE

8:30 PM

SLIDING SCALE $5-$10

(THIS IS AN ADULT THEMED SHOW NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN)

ALL MONEY RAISED GOES TOWARDS THE AIDS VANCOUVER HOLIDAY FOOD HAMPER PROGRAM

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=181596604797&index=1

MUSIC/COMEDY/SPOKEN WORD/STORYTELLING/MAGIC

FEATURING

THE SVELTE MS. SPELT PERFORMING: “HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS”

INDIE MUSIC SENSATIONS: RAISE YOUR KIDS WELL

ROCK N ROLL POWER TRIO: THE FRAME

PLUS

THE MINIMALIST JUG BAND

BILL McNAMARA

TRAVIS THE MAGICIAN

SONYA LITTLEJOHN

SCRUFFMOUTH

RACHAEL DesLAURIERS

AND A BRAND NEW HOLIDAY VIDEO FROM DOCTOR WTF? OF AWESOME FACE

AND

A HOLIDAY BEARD AND MOUSTACHE CONTEST

(PRIZES FOR BEST FAKE BEARD AND MOUSTACHE

AND

BEST HOLIDAY BEARD AND MOUSTACHE)

ALONG WITH THE RETURN OF THE EROTIC CANDY CANE SUCK OFF

(GET YOUR TEAM READY)

AND MAYBE EVEN A DRUNKEN UNCLE CHUG A LUG-SING A LONG

604 215 9230 for more info

Or

rcarcee@yahoo.ca

<>

THIS IS AN ADULT THEMED SHOW NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN

Live on the Drive: Interview with Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival organizers

Recorded July, 18, 2009

My interview with Bonnie Nish and Rhonda Milne, organizers of the 6th Annual Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival, held August 19th to 29th. For more info on the event go to www.pandorascollective.com/sdrfestival.

Thanks t.o Lynn Wilson for operating the camera on the intro.

Special Event: Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival

Volunteers Wanted:

The 6^th Annual

Summer Dream

Literary Arts Festival

Aug.19-Aug.29, 2009

Presented by Pandora’s Collective

Summer Dream was created to raise public awareness about on-going literary events, programs and resources available in the local writing community.

Now in its sixth year, the festival proudly features over 100 of the West Coast’s best authors, musicians and performers, including Governor General nominee Evelyn Lau, Vancouver’s first Poet Laureate George McWhirter, Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize winner Rita Wong, quirky Commercial Drive anti-heroes Al Mader AKA “The Minimalist Jug band” and the surreal RC Weslowski, plus Seattle spoken word legend Jack McCarthy, to name just a handful.

Summer Dream incorporates literary performances, dancers, local bands, panel discussions, open mics and a children’s area with puppet shows, music, story tellers, face painting and craft tables. There are also information tables showcasing community groups and resources like the Vancouver Public Library and The Federation of BC Writers.

Preparations are now well-underway for the event that local critics have called “Vancouver’s best-kept summer secret!”

Festival organizers Bonnie Nish and Rhonda Milne are anxious to meet people who want to be a part of this engaging, entertaining, family-friendly celebration of literary-based art.

”There’s always lots do,” Nish, the festival’s Executive Director, pointed out in a recent interview. “We need people to lend a hand with everything from spreading the word before the event, to helping out with set-up and tear-down on Saturday’s big outdoor happening.”

Milne, who acts as Volunteer Coordinator for the festivities, was quick to add, that what first convinced her to become involved was the sense of “camaraderie and community” that the festival fostered.

“The first time I got involved with Summer Dream,” Milne said, “I was inspired all the great talent and great people who really go out of their way to make you feel like your part of something very special and important. It’s like a big family!”

For volunteer opportunities you can contact Rhonda Milne at rhondamsel@yahoo.ca 778-928-1147

For media information and full festival details visit http://www.pandorascollective.com/sdrfestival.html or call Steve Duncan at 604-788-8340. srduncan@shaw.ca.

For all other inquiries contact Bonnie Nish at Bonnie Nish at 778-322-4039 blnish_pandoras@yahoo.ca

Pandora’s Collective would like to thank the following sponsors for making this event possible: Giest, Vancouver Review, Subterrain, Event, Room With A View, 3 Day Novel Contest, Prism, Capilano Review, One Cool Word, Vancouver Story Tellers, Vancouver Public Library, Quills, Nestor's Market, Graphic design by CWCLCOGY with Wera, Vancouver Parks Board, 2008 Celebrations Grant c/o The City of Vancouver and The Office of Cultural Affairs, CBS Outdoor, Starbucks, VanCity, Christianne's Lyceum, Coast Capital Savings, The Federation of BC Writers, Burnaby Writers Society, Industrial Alliance Pacific Life Insurance Company, BC Poetry, Jaffer Speech and Language Services, Irene Livingston, Don Simpson, Joyce Statton, Randy Jacobs, Bernice Lever, Andrea Winterbottom and Robin Susanto.

Special Event: Wax Poetic/Co-op Radio Fundraiser

Nestled mid-week between an alternative health program and a hiphop show, Wax Poetic has been holding its own since the early nineties, bringing some of the best and often most underappreciated spoken word artists from the local and international scenes, to CFRO radio listeners in a half hour “appointment with the muse”!

On Tuesday, April 7^th, the poetry staple celebrates 16 years of broadcasting by inviting their guests and listening audience together for a special “real world” hook up on Commercial Drive, the undisputed cradle of spoken word in the lower mainland.

Wax Poetic is the longest running radio program dedicated to the spoken word in Vancouver (and internationally), heard every Wednesday afternoon from 2-2:30 pm on Co Op Radio 102.7 FM with hosts Diane Laloge, SR Duncan and RC Weslowski.

To keep in the spirit of live radio, the broadcasters will also be turning Café Deux Soleils into an on-air studio, recording a 30 minute show in front of a live audience for future broadcast. The “studio” audience is in for quite the treat, as none other than Vancouver’s first poet-laureate George McWhirter takes the hot seat, reading his work and fielding questions from the hosts and the crowd.

This will mark one of the last readings for the poet in his position as laureate. His two-year term ends soon.

Founded in ’93 by poet Diane Laloge and performance poet Justin McGrail, Wax Poetic has been airing almost every week since then.

Engineering and programming duties are shared by the two “rookies” on the team, Steven R. Duncan (9 years) and RC Weslowski (6 years). Weslowski (AKA Randy Jacobs) is a familiar voice on local commercial radio, while Duncan worked on a similar program at Simon Fraser’s CJSF prior to coming on board Wax Poetic.

Other feature performances at the fundraiser will come from veteran artists Tanya Evanson, Susan Cormier, Rowan Lipkovits, Duncan Shields. Laloge will be reading from her recently released book of poems “I Am A War”, and Duncan and Weslowski also be performing.

”The Candyman” - Daniel Mark Patterson is scheduled to take the stage as well.

“We’re thrilled by this line-up,” comments Laloge.

“It’s just like our show – very diverse, thought-provoking and yet just plain fun at the same time. It’s also nice to get out and meet the people who tune in and listen to us from time to time face to face.”

There will also be an open mic, a raffle and a meat draw. Yes a meat draw - just in time for Easter. Actually, co-producer Duncan admits that it’s really a Tofu Turkey Draw.

“Weslowski and I had to compromise on this one. I wanted a full on meat draw for a big chunk of meat, because I think it’s so kitch, and I’d love to win a piece of meat, But he was dead – excuse the pun – set against it, being a vegetarian.

“So I said I’d spring for the tofu turkey and he said he’d bring a rubber chicken.”

The show starts at 7:30pm at Cafe Deux Soleils (2096 Commercial Drive)

. All the money raised on April 7^th will go to support Co Op Radio and keep Wax Poetic on the air. Memberships will be available.

You can sign up to attend on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/event.php?eid=59853480876&ref=ts

Or you can get more info by calling 604-788-8340 or emailing srduncan@shaw.ca

Literary: Floetics

Saturday, January 31, 2009
Time:6:30pm - 9:00pm
Location:Bump N`Grind Cafe
Street:916 Commercial Drive
City/Town:Vancouver, BC

A night were 4 AMAZING spoken word artist go up and do their thing.

We got:

*Chris Gilpin (aka Faust McKenzie)
A member of the 2007-08 Vancouver Poetry Slam Team, the runner-up in the 2008 Vancouver Individual Poetry Slam competition, and the champion of Vancouver's 2008 Haiku Death Match. His sources of inspiration have come from such various sources as snooze buttons, donair, and arbutus trees. In the summer of 2006, he toured the Canadian Fringe circuit with his play "87% True: The Lies That Bind", co-created with Rosemary Rowe. His literary work has been published in Vancouver Review, Forget Magazine, 42opus, The GIG, and others. Chris always encourages the audience to stick their finger in the wonder socket.

*Magpie Ulysses
Has been called "One of Vancouver's most prolific and dynamic performers.” She has been a member of three Vancouver poetry slam teams, including two Canadian champion teams at ‘The Canadian Festival Of Spoken Word’, and is the winner of Vancouver's 2008 CBC Poetry face-off. Magpie has performed at festivals, poetry slams, fundraisers and house parties across Canada and throughout the United States. Magpie's poems and stories have been published in Common Ground Magazine, and two self-published chapbooks; "Tinfoil, Twist-ties & Other Shiny Things; Love poems from the aviary" 2005, and "School Of Etiquette." (2006)
She spits hot fire and is always happy to see you.

*Sean McGarragle
A poet and storyteller operating in East Vancouver. He helps out with the Vancouver Poetry Slam, The Main Street Slam, The Vancouver Story Slam, is the founder of the West Coast Poetry Festival, sits on the board of the Vancouver Poetry House, was a member of the 2007 Vancouver Poetry Slam team and the 2006 Story Slam Champion and has shared stages with the likes of juno winning dub-poet Lillian Allen, cowboy poet Ken Mitchell, Jazz poet/spoken word mama Sheri-D Wilson, slam champions Shane Koyczan and Brendon Macleod while touring Canada and the US. He is still looking but has a new pair of glasses.

*RC Weslowski
A clown mouth full of x ray visions attempting to get at the heart of things. A juggler of silly-balls and tart infused rhetoric RC was most recently given the 2008 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word Male Poet of Honour Award in Calgary. RC is also a member of the multi media clown rock combo: Awesome Face who has been playing in Vancouver to sell out crowds since November 2008. They are the most under hyped band ever. In 2007 representing Canada, RC finished 2nd in the world at the World Cup of Poetry Slam Competition in Bobigny, France.

*We also have the musical stylings of the lovely Chelsea D.E Johnson. She is a resident Commercial Drive songstress, constantly aamazing people with her voice and stage pressance.

$5 Bucks at the door

Sighn up for open mic @ 5:30pm

Show Starts @ 6:30pm

Live on the Drive: Elves Annouce Strike on Commercial Drive

Here are some highlights from RC Weslowski's Christmas Special, December 16th. Including a surprise announcement from Jinxy the Elf, shop steward at Santa's workshop.

Last minute talks between Labor and Claus averted, what would have been a Christmas disaster for countless millions of boys and girls worldwide.

Watch for a cameo by spoken word artist Shannon Rayne, as a vampy fairie!

Video footage supplied by Warren Fulton (who bears a striking resemblance to Jinxy the Elf, by the way).

Special Event: RC Weslowski's 3rd Annual Christmas Special

As you know (hopefully) the first half of the night will be family friendly with stuff suitable for kids. And then we send them off to bed to get a bit naughty.

Feel free to dress up in something suitable for a special occasion. There will be some sort of prize for best outfit.

We're also going to have a candy cane suck off! See who can make Rudolph's nose glow first. (Start practising!) Also added...holiday wisdom from drunken Uncle Marty. JR will be playing the jangle balls. You can sit on Santa's face to win a present from Bobby the Elf. And much more silliness. We might even have time for communal story time.

We start at 8pm. Break about 9:15. And then come back at 9:30 for the second half.

I hope to see you there in your holiday flair.

Date:	Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Time:	8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location:	Cafe Deux Soleils
Street:	2096 Commercial Drive (5th ave and Commercial)
City/Town:	Vancouver, BC
	View Map Google MapQuest Microsoft Yahoo

Contact Info

Phone:	6042159230
Email:	weslowhiskey@direct.ca

Myth Makers Cabaret and Mud Wrestling

You are reading this right!!! RC Weslowski and I will be mud wrestling each other this Friday night. Something definately not to be missed!

Friday, August 29th

At the Wise Hall

Honouring Those who have Made a Lasting Impression!

A Malaika Millions going away party…

Doors 8pm

Cabaret @ 9pm then Mud Wrestling

Advance $15 Available at: Queen Bee Luxuries @ 76 Kingsway

Zoho Salon located @ 1708 E. 4th Ave

Tix at the Door: $20

Mysticism, Religion, and Mythology - Malaika Style"

Honouring Those Who Have Made A Lasting Impression

"Mud Wrestling Theatrics Hosted by Julia Stretch......

Jenny Magenta Vs. Suzy Shameless

RC Weslowski Vs. SR Duncan

Burgundy Brixx V Dianna David

Shaboobie Booberella, Burgundy Brixx, Malaika Millions

Amber Dawn V Bren Ryder

Cheryl Dunye V Jessy {aka Lick manager}

Julia Stretch, and many more V Malaika Millions......

OH THE MUD WILL FLY!!!

THERE WILL

also

BE TWO ON ONE ACTIONS AND FREE FOR ALLLS...

MALAIKA WILL BE AUCTIONING 2 CHANCES TO MUD WRESTLE HER.

[located at the door}

Mythical and Mystical Cabaret & Burlesque Performers Include:

Burgundy Brixx

Jenny Magenta

Amber Dawn

Doug Thoms

Jillian Deri

Shaboobie Boobarella

Dianna David

Malaika Millions

***********WARNING: do not wear your favourite clothes to this show...cause the MUD WILL BE SLINGIN!!!

SPONSORED BY:

Storm Brewing http://www.stormbrewing.org/

Bonita Arts Pottery http://www.bonitaarts.net/

Geri Gemos Catering

Literary: The Weird Word

The E.V.N.W.L. (The East Van Network of Love) presents:

The Weird Word: Tales and Tunes of Eccentric Genius

Friday, July 11th, 2008 @ Cafe Deux Soleils

9pm $7 at the door

FEATURING

Al Mader: The Minimalist Jug Band
A beautifully dark master of story-song and humour. Al Mader makes me want to slit my wrists laughing!

Francis Mantis
With his deep guitar rhythms and articulated voice, this Ovation playing sex-vibration generator looks like he walked out of an anime cartoon.

RC Weslowski:
" ... butterflies are f *&$ ing on the fingertips of warheads!" "You are Beauty Ba-Bo",
This extraordinary poet and entertainer rejuvantes and provokes the soul. With wild gesticulation, voice modulation, humour, and "human insecure weirdness", he makes me feel like I'm five years old.

C J Leon
Peculiar goth guitar player-poet, CJ Leon will be hosting the event, seasoning the evening with tales from the lives of eccentric geniuses throughout history.

Ladybug (aka Random Adjective, Chloe Libba Smith)
This jazz-trained singer and impresstionist will blow your mind with genre shifts from hip hop to reggae to ragtime in a single piece!

Julie Parrell This intense performer has the ability to sex you up and shake you down. She will be evoking multimedia talents.

With Special Guests:

Matt Hogan and Jane Panic

Wax Poetic: A Year In Poetry

This week on Wax Poetic our guests included, Vancouver Poetry Slam Master Lisa Slater, Vancouver Poetry House president Sue McIntyre, plus Pandora's Collective's Bonnie Nish and Story Slam's Ivan Penaluna. Go to http://poetryradio.blogspot.com for pics.

Live on the Drive: Scenes from the 2nd Annual RC Weslowski Christmas Special

Quickly becoming a holiday tradition, the wacky RC Weslowski Christmas Special attracted a full house last night at Cafe Deux Soliel and raised about $500 for Vancouverès Covenant House.


The stylish Ivan Penaluna, sharing the Christmas spirit.


Shameless Lea was a hard girl to get a bead on, but i think you get the idea...



Trevor Spillchen, Sean McGarragle, "Max" the Reindeer, Jill Binder



The Svelte Ms. Spelt, waxing poetic.

Rowan Lipkovits and some of his Creaking Planks.


RC Weslowski, the man of the hour.

A "real" Santa crashed the party. Angus "the Svelte Ms Spelt" Adair is a happy little boy!


"Saint" Bill McNamara, host of the resurrected Thundering Word Heard at Cafe Montmartre on Sunday nights.

Bling Crosby


Curator of the Yaletown Gallery, Jabbar Al Janabi.

Poetess Sue Cormier.

Rock and Roll RC Weslowski.

Literary: RC Weslowski Features at the Slam

The Vancouver Poetry Slam Continues

@

Café Deux Soleils: 2096 Commercial Drive

http://www.myspace.com/vancouverpoetryslam

The next slam happens Monday, October 15^th

Featuring

RC WESLOWSKI

http://www.myspace.com/rcweslowski

THERE WILL BE A GUEST APPEARANCE BY MARTIN VAN STEINBURG, BBQ EXPERT

This is also another qualifying slam to make the Van Slam Playoffs next April and May.

DOORS AND SIGN UP AT 8PM

OPEN MIC AT 8:45

AND SLAM AT 9 O'CLOCK WITH YOUR HOST BARBARA ADLER

STILL ONLY $5

PLUS

TICKETS TO THE SOLOMON SPARROW POETRY SHOW

OCT 30TH AT THE COTTAGE BISTRO WILL BE ON SALE

THOSE TICKETS ARE $15 IN ADVANCE AND THEY'RE GOING QUICKLY

Variety: East Van AllStars

A variety show featuring some of east van's best talent...music, comedy, poetry, burlesque... CR Avery, Be Good Tanyas, Crystal Precious, Malaika Millions, Jess Hill, Dan Mangan, Taylor Harp, RC Weslowski, Fernando, Lola Lush, Bonnie Kilroe, Shameless Lee, Graham Clark...and more!
Tix $15 at the door only... don't be late!
Hosted by Watermelon and Christine Tiny Taylor

Starts at 8pm at the Grandview Legion,

2205 Commercial Drive - Grandview Legion

Radio: CR Avery on Wax Poetic

If you happen to be near an FM radio, RC Weslowski, Diane Laloge and I will be on air with CR Avery this afternoon at 2pm on Vancouver's longest-running poetry radio show Wax Poetic (102.7fm) talking about his new hip hop opera "The Boxer Who Just Returned From London"
which premieres at Rime later this month.

Wise Hall Packed For Poetry Slam Finals

Close to 300 people packed the WISE Hall this past Monday night to help choose a new Vancouver Poetry Slam Team. This fresh faced group of poetic wordslingers will now be traveling to Austin, Texas in August for the "National Poetry Slam" and to Halifax, Nova Scotia in October for the "Canadian Festival of Spoken Word" poetry slam championships.

The new team is Zaccheus Jackson, who finished 1st overall and is the new Vancouver Grand Slam Champion. Second was Scruffmouth, aka Kevan Cameron, 3rd is Vitamin F aka Fernando Raguero, 4th is Nora Smithhisler aka Nora Smithhisler and the alternate for this year's team is Sean McGarragle.

This group of poets will also be performing at various festivals in Vancouver and the U.S. Pacific Northwest over the summer months including Bumbershoot and the Summer Dreams Reading Festival. They will also be featuring at the Vancouver Poetry Slam at Café Deux Soleils on June 4th for their Van Slam Team debut.

If you see them on the street hug some them and talk about their hair. Or buy their merch. They are poets after all.

Randy Jacobs/RC Weslowski
President: Vancouver Poetry House

http://www.myspace.com/noragodofthunder
http://www.myspace.com/perfectlyincomplete
http://www.myspace.com/Scruffmouth
http://www.myspace.com/garglebunny
http://www.latchkey.net/poets/fernando_raguero/000606.html
http://www.myspace.com/vancouverpoetryslam

Literary: Weslowski To Open for Oliver Friday, May 11

Book Launch

Slam Poetry Pioneer

ALEXANDRA OLIVER
Returns to Lauch her New Book

with special guest

RC Weslowski

Date: Friday, May 11, 2007

Time: 6pm

Location: Forufera Centre
Mezz Level, 505 Hamilton Street (map)http://www.forufera.com/rental.html

The London, England-based Tin Press is up and running with a witty new collection, Where the English Housewife Shines, by performance poet Alexandra Oliver. “We are pleased to present Alexandra because her work is right up our alley,” says Tin Press co-founder Justine Brown.

“On the page, she is as playful and entertaining as she is in performance.” With her dramatic bearing, perfect enunciation and distinctive literary style, Oliver has been a strong presence in the spoken-word scene since its birth in the 1990s, often appearing in “slams” (live poetry competitions). In 1996 she won a place on Vancouver’s slam team, representing the city at the US National Poetry Slam. She is featured in the 1998 documentary Slam Nation.

She moved to Seattle in 2006, and has appeared at spoken-word venues there regularly. “I am an unrepentant neo-classicist,” laughs Oliver. Her work rhymes and has meter—qualities rare enough in the contemporary poetry world to be controversial. But audiences love Oliver’s highly crafted black-comical poems. Like other members of the artist-run Tin Press, Oliver wants to do more than provide the text. She is interested in other aspects of book production, specifically how books look and feel. Oliver has contributed pen-and-ink drawings to Where the English Housewife Shines, and worked closely with the London designer. “Artist-run presses are ideal for writers who care deeply about the physical aspects of the book. New technologies like print-on-demand allow us maximum control,” says Brown. “It’s a whole new model for publishing in the arts.”

Alexandra Oliver will read from Where the English Housewife Shines at Forufera on Friday night following a performance by local slam legend, RC Weslowski.

For more information, please contact Steven R. Duncan 604-788-8340 srduncan@shaw.ca

Listen to Wax Poetic on 102.7 fm Wednesday, May 9th at 2pm for a special, live interview with Oliver and Weslowski.

Read the article from Sunday's Vancouver Province.

Special Event: Bedtime Stories

Editorial

The great thing about working on a blog like Commercial Drive – Live!, which is focused on a real place, is that it connects me with my community so well. I get to know lots of local people and find out what they do, if only by reputation.

In my marketing class, one of the first things I talk about is the importance of pictures in an individual’s marketing material. I’ve been proven right on more than one occasion, the most dramatic being when some one picked me out of a crowd of 10,000 at a parade because she’d seen my picture on my business card.

Recently I was at Turk’s and was approached by Susan Main, of Susan’s Super Citizen Showcase who was out with her son Toby. She recognised me from my pic here on the blog. Very cool.

Stories like this are what make CD-L! such a rewarding project to work on and really bring home the fact that this is truly a “community” blog driven by and about real people.

Back on April 6^th I mentioned that I’m delving into podcasting. Some of you may or may not know I’ve been doing a weekly radio show on Coop radio called Wax Poetic with co-hosts RC Weslowski and Diane Laloge for almost 8 years. Before that, way back in high school, I used to do a cheesy cable access Doug and Bob McKenzie ripoff (complete with snowshoes and toques). I’m really looking forward to getting back into the medium and the Drive seems like the perfect place to do it. Those of you may remember when Shaw used to have a community office here and although ICTV is doing it’s part to try and supply community programming, the cable conglomerate doesn’t give them much airtime. With CD-L! the podcast, I hope to spotlight personalities who make the Drive their home (and a few who come to here play).

My first attempt is an audio interview with Lorena Gale, who played Priest Elosha on Battlestar Galactica and has been a Drive resident for nearly 20 years. I’ll have it up soon, I promise.

You regular readers might have noticed the pizza poll is gone. I’ll post the results soon and we’ll have a new poll up as well. You will have also noticed that I’ve replaced it with an Amazon link. The book featured is by fabulous local poet Bud Osborn. I’ve also set up a little bookstore on Amazon, with various personal favourites as well as works by and of interest to local folk. Pop in and browse around.

By the way, sometime Sunday, April 8^th, this blog will have had its 3000^th visitor since I started posting January 8th. That feels great! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Here’s a little tidbit of information someone sent me:
A company called Mercer Human Resource Consulting has published the results of a Quality of Living survey.

The top five cities in the Americas were:

• Vancouver (3rd)
• Toronto (15th)
• Ottawa (tied for 18th)
• Montreal (22nd)
• Calgary (24th)

You might be surprised to learn that a Cost of Living survey conducted by the same firm doesn’t even rank Vancouver in the top 50. Maybe it’s not as expensive to live here as we think!

Anyway, until next week. Keep up the good work and stay in touch!