Vancouver's best-kept restaurant secrets

Andale’s Mexican Restaurant: Half Price Deal

Athene’s Greek Restaurant: Half Price Deal

Nathan’s Grill: 2 for 1 Deal

Hidden Tasting Bar and Social Lounge: 25% off Breakfast/Brunch Locals Only Deal

Bistrot Bistro:  Sunday to Thursday $27 Three Course Menu

The Fish House in Stanley Park: Klahowya 3-course Menu Deal until September 6th, 2010

Beyond Restaurant and Lounge: $35 Laughter Package

Posh Restaurants:  Beat the HST Deal

Directly from the Provence Restaurants Newsletter:

There is a crisp clarity to September mornings… an invigoration in the air, a sense of purpose and routine. The evenings wane into harvest sunsets filled with the scent of newly mown lawns, tousled children rosy cheeked and excited from the first daze of school and the last roasting of summer bbqs. We love these days, reflecting on our summer shenanigans, drinking wine in the warmth of the late afternoons, contemplating the fruits of the season and the endless menus to plan…

We are leaping into September with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration… Chef has just returned from France and while there he was reminded of his love for beauty, simplicity, family and the joy of cooking. Therefore our September Chef’s menu is inspired by the magnificence of all that is around us… our families, our gardens, our oceans, the true abundance of this spectacular place we live.

We are feeling ever so grateful… there are so many things to be thankful for. Therefore we have teamed up with our good friends at Mission Hill Winery to extend our hands in help to those less fortunate. For every bottle of Mission Hill wine we sell from September through January we will donate $1.00 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.

So open your hearts and join us for those lingering summer evenings; drink fabulous wine, marvel at the simple pleasure of food and let charity abound.
Directly from the Papi’s Ristorante Press Release:

Just a quick update. Rumours have been swirling about the upcoming major changes. After 9 years of our ownership, Sunday will be the last evening of service for Papis Ristorante Italiano.
We will be closed on Monday and Tuesday to do some renovations.
We will have a soft opening as Mondo Eatery on Wednesday. A new casual fun suburban restaurant serving creative global dishes at reasonable prices. Family friendly kids menu.
A wine list featuring wines of the world,all below the $39.00 range. A great beer list featuring many beers exclusive to Mondo Eatery.
We welcome Massey Tanaka, a true Steveston resident as our new Manager. A solid addition to our company. His eye to detail and energy will guarantee an enjoyable dining experience for everyone..
The Burger bar continues to pack them in, to great reviews. We will have a new menu in the Mondo Burger next week with a lot of new dishes. We have been experimenting we some new burgers including a Kangaroo burger, a Kobe beef burger and Burgers in a bowl sans bun.
On Sunday September 5th, the night before Labour Day ,we will have our Grand opening with proceeds benefiting Touchstone Family Group. Touchstone has been working hard to support Richmond families in need, an excellent charity that we will be working with now and in the future.
The event will feature wines poured by various wine and beer agencies plus cocktail style foods from our new menu. The cost of the event will be $25.00. Please call 604 275 8355 to make your reservations. A fun event with proceeds supporting a deserving local charity.

Directly from the Bistro Pastis Press Release:

Join us August 26 through September 22 as Bistro Pastis concludes its culinary ramble through France in the Auvergne and Gascony. The Massif Central, the rugged terrain of central France, informs the flavours of this region. Here are fast flowing streams fed by the Alps and sparse hills where sheep graze. Flavours here are big, bold and rustic.

Look for Trout, succulent Lamb and Duck Confit. The dinner, like the season, ends with a touch of sweetness as you linger over a final digestif and relish the last of the red wine-marinated strawberries. As our summer draws to a close, you’ll be left with many happy memories of your virtual culinary tour through France and its Cuisine d’ Été.

Directly from the VSO Press Release:
The VSO’s 2010/2011 Season begins September 25th

Vancouver, BC - The VSO’s 2010/2011 season launches September 25th, 2010, and is packed with exciting concerts right through to June. World renowned guest artists and emerging talents take centre stage with the VSO in over one-hundred and forty performances this season. The VSO presents a diverse range of great classical repertoire both new and old, Symphony Pops, matinees, and concerts for children and families. Once again, the VSO takes its show in the road, with concerts performed in fourteen different venues throughout the Lower Mainland.

A few of the many Season repertoire highlights include:

Verdi Requiem

Schubert Symphony No. 9, The Great

R. Strauss Death and Transfiguration

Bach Mass in B minor

Mahler Symphony No. 1, Titan

Takemitsu Rain Coming

Nielsen Symphony No. 4, The Inextinguishable

Barber Violin Concerto

Scott Good Etudes for Chamber Orchestra

Bruckner Symphony No. 6

Sibelius Violin Concerto

Scott Good Fanfare (World Premiere)

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2

Ravel Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 1 and No. 2

Shostakovich Symphony No. 10

John Adams Dr. Atomic Symphony (Canadian Premiere)

Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1

Claude Vivier Pulau Dewata (Island of the Gods)

Mahler Das Lied von der Erde

Stravinsky Firebird (1919)

Mozart Symphony No. 39

Mendelssohn Symphony No. 5, Reformation

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3

The VSO is joined by an extraordinary line-up of classical guest artists:

Avan Yu piano

Hans Graf conductor

Markus Groh piano

Sarah Chang violin

Alessio Bax piano

Jesus Lopez-Cobos conductor

Han-Na Chang cello

Elgar Howarth

Kyoko Takezawa violin

Sara Davis Buechner piano

Augustin Hadelich violin

James Ehnes violin

Gunther Herbig conductor

Stephen Hough piano

Roberto Minczuk conductor

Babia Skride violin

Martin Chalifour violin

Julian Kuerti conductor

Johannes Moser cello

James Gaffigan conductor

Nareh Arghamanyan piano

John Morris Russell conductor

Daniel Bolshoy guitar

Alexander Gavrylyuk piano

Marc-Andre Hamelin piano

Louis Lortie conductor/piano

Kenneth Slowik conductor/harpsichord

The VSO is excited to welcome Nathan Zgonc as Principal Trombone. Nathan previously played Principal trombone in the Utah Symphony and Opera, Principal trombone in the Sarasota Orchestra, Principal and Second trombone in the San Antonio Symphony, and trombone in the United States Navy Band and the Oregon Symphony. Originally from Fairview, Oregon, Nathan earned his education at Indiana University, San Francisco Conservatory, and the Manhattan School of Music.

Going beyond classical music, the London Drugs VSO Pops series ranges from Broadway to the Blues. The series features great entertainment, including a Tribute to the Great Ray Charles by vocalist Ellis Hall; Celtic and folk music with John McDermott; and a Night at the Cotton Club with Byron Stripling, a swinging concert with Jazz and Blues classics. The VSO is pleased to continue our association with Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik, one of the most in-demand Pops conductors and arrangers in North America.

Matinee traditions continue to be a favorite: Symphony Sundays presents classical concerts in the afternoon, drawn from the main series classical series; and Tea & Trumpets, featuring VSO Assistant Conductor Evan Mitchell and narrator Christopher Gaze – with tea and cookies served in the lobby one hour before each concert – includes light classics mixed with narration.

Concerts for kids and families are always popular, with Tiny Tots for the little ones from toddlers to age four or five at both the Playhouse Theatre in Vancouver and the Terry Fox Theatre in Port Coquitlam, and Kids’ Koncerts, featuring the full orchestra and aimed at children from four/five to ten/eleven years of age.

And, of course, the exciting line-up of Special Concerts:

* Canadian pop superstar Chantal Kreviazuk performs her most popular songs with the full, lush sounds of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
* Three extraordinary musicians, led by the great Anne-Sophie Mutter, come together to perform a very special evening of Beethoven Trios on the Orpheum stage.
* The extraordinary Lord of the Rings Symphony comes to the Orpheum, performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra! This monumental work, a symphonic suite of music from Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning movie trilogy, evokes the grand scope of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic masterpiece.
* Performed by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and a full choir, PLAY! A Video Game Symphony features award-winning music from a catalogue of blockbuster video game titles.
* The Lower Mainland’s most beloved Holiday Music Tradition! This season, VSO Music Director Bramwell Tovey leads the orchestra in a celebration of the Holiday spirit.
* Vivaldi’s timeless classic the Four Seasons has been considered one of the world’s most popular pieces of music for two-and-a-half centuries. Hear the Four Seasons beautifully interpreted by Concertmaster Dale Barltrop and the VSO. Alessandro Juliano narrates.
* International sensation Arrival from Sweden is the world’s top ABBA tribute band, playing to sold out houses everywhere they go. The only ABBA tribute band with exclusive rights to the ABBA name, costumes and original music from all their greatest hits, Arrival from Sweden also includes original ABBA band members Finn Sjöberg on guitar and Roger Palm on Drums.
* If there is actually such a thing as “the greatest piece of music ever written” surely this must be it: Beethoven’s iconic Symphony No. 9 ‘Ode to Joy.’ Truly one of the most profound creations of the human mind, Beethoven’s inspiring, epic Ninth is always fresh, current and thrilling.
* Pinchas Zukerman is a master of the violin with few equals, and a champion of classical music worldwide. Hear this legendary musician in an exclusive all-Beethoven evening, with Maestro Bramwell Tovey at the helm.
* Talented and versatile singer, songwriter and performer Simone celebrates the life and music of her mother, musical icon and pioneer Nina Simone.
* Hailed as one of opera history’s greatest singing actresses, the extraordinary Angela Gheorghiu makes her long-anticipated Vancouver debut with Maestro Bramwell Tovey and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
* The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents Last Night of the Proms, a beloved concert tradition originating with the BBC Symphony’s Promenades series, and still going strong so many years later. Maestro Bramwell Tovey conducts and hosts with his trademark wit and flair.

Directly from the Donnelly Pub Press Release:
UFC 118 - SAT, AUG 28TH

Edgar vs Penn 2
with Couture vs Toney and more

7:00PM - 10:00PM
Cinema / The Calling / The Academic / Lamplighter / Library Square / Smileys

NFL 2010 -  BEGINS SUN, SEPT 12TH

All games in HD and enter to win weekly prizes. Enter for your chance to win a Pro Bowl prize pack and trips to see the Sea Hawks.

10:00PM / 1:15PM /5:30PM
Cinema / The Calling / The Academic / Lamplighter / Library Square / Smileys

REALITY BITES - EVERY WEDS

Working is totally harsh. And mid-week can be pretty daunting if still have another 2 full work days left. That’s why we’re putting a little treat together for you guys from now on every week on Wednesday nights.

REALITY BITES is a new weekly hang out and eat junk food and drink beer and party night at The Lamplighter in Gastown every Wednesday night.

11:00PM - 1:00AM
The Lamplighter - 92 Water Street

CINEMA SATURDAYS

Party Rock & Dance Classics
DJ Kenya, Hosted by Tito Deville
…Every Saturday

$7.40 Double High Balls
$6.55 Vodka Bombs
$6.30 Bowmosas

10:00PM - 2:00AM
Cinema - 901 Granville Street

HIT EXPRESS - EVERY THURSDAY

80′S POP TUNES with DJ ALLGOOD

$4.25 Domestic Sleeves
$12.75 Domestic Pitchers
$6.50 Classic Cocktails
$13 Steak Frites

10:00PM - 2:00AM
Academic - 1619 West Broadway

VICKY SJOHALL LIVE - SUN, SEPT 5TH

Come join us for a special performance from one of Vancouver’s best live musicians. Enjoy dinner, Mojitos, drink features and much more.
Starts 9pm

9:30PM - 2:00AM
The Calling - 1780 Davie Street

Directly from the Italian Cultural Centre Press Release:
Vancouver’s only 20-metre authentic Venetian gondola on display September 11th to December 4th at the Italian Cultural Centre!

Vancouver BC, August 26th 2010  –  Il Museo at the Italian Cultural Centre is presenting the Giovanni Caboto Vancouver’s authentic Venetian gondola.  A relic of Expo86, the gondola is thought to be among the few in North America.

“It has survived, through various owners, and many grand schemes before ending up here,” says museum curator, Caelan Griffiths, “it’s a rare piece of authentic, handmade Venetian culture – made with no nails!”

The only bits of metal found on the museum-piece are the decorative brasses shaped like seahorses.  It was acquired in the 1990s by a dedicated group of volunteers led by Giorgio Oballa and Armando Petronio who saved it from possible destruction and painstakingly restored for display.

The Giovanni Caboto is part of a larger display devoted to the magical city of Venice, a city that has a special place in hearts of Vancouver’s Italian-Canadians.  Objects on display have been brought from the homes of the Italian community and from a major bequest by the late Abraham Rogatnick – a passionate scholar of Venice.  The display runs from September 11th to December 4th, 2010.  With the rich history and culture of Venice to display the museum has also scheduled activities: “Dress Like a Gondolier” day for kids and adults, slideshow lectures and much more! (check the Italian Cultural Centre website for more details).

The Italian Cultural Centre is a not-for-profit cultural organization that promotes the best of Italian culture, sharing it with all the other communities in Vancouver, in order to endorse a vibrant and colourful multiculturalism. Ample free car and bike parking available and Renfrew Skytrain station nearby: 3075 Slocan Street (Grandview Hwy) in Vancouver.   Consider taking the Central Valley Greenway to find us!

Directly from the Donnelly Club Press Release:

BIZ MARKIE -  SUN, SEPT 12TH

Biz Markie is making his return to Van City, except this time he is leaving his records at home and packing his microphone. He’s rocked dancefloors with his unforgettable DJ sets but for the first time ever Biz is giving the people of Vancouver a live performance that only the Diabolical Biz Markie can deliver! As an original member of the Juice Crew, Biz’ humorous anthems such as “Just A Friend”, “Pickin’ Boogers”, “The Vapors” and “Make The Music With Your Mouth Biz” have cemented his status as one of the most beloved entertainers of our time. Simply put, Biz Markie is a legend and when he hits the Republic stage Biz is going to remind us all why NOBODY BEATS THE BIZ!

9:00PM - 3:00AM
Republic - 958 Granville Street

THE GRADUATE - EVERY THURS

Thursdays at Republic just got academic!

Join DJs C-Stylez, P-Luv in the main room and DJ Eclectik & Tanner on the Patio  spinning Top 40 party rockin mash-ups at the best student night in town.

Do the math - $4 Hiballs and $4 shots plus Grade A music equals the best excuse to skip Friday class ever!

9:00PM - 3:00AM
Republic - 958 Granville Street

CALVERTRON - FRI, AUG 27TH

Following a string of speaker rattling productions and highly acclaimed remixes, Alex Calver aka Calvertron has found himself the subject of attention of some of the most credible artists and record labels in the business. His tracks are consistently featured on the UK’s national radio stations and are spreading like a pandemic into the sets of the world’s most influential DJ’s.

10:00PM - 3:00AM
Pop Opera - 686 West Hastings Street

DIMITRI - FRI, SEPT 3RD

DIMITRI VEGAS & LIKE MIKE (Belgium)

www.myspace.com/dimivegas
www.myspace.com/mclikemike

Tracks supported by:
Swedish House Mafia - Tiesto - Benny Benassi -
Dirty South - Laidback Luke - Roger Sanchez - Afrojack - David Guetta
- Erick Morillo - Chuckie - Bob Sinclar

Plus
Kissed with a Noise (Dim Mak, Paranoiak)
and
MSH Residents Markus
Montesano & Vendisco

10:00PM - 3:00AM
Pop Opera - 686 Hastings Street

LEE MORTIMER - FRI, SEPT 10TH

Lee Mortimer (AKA Sawtooth Sucka) has been steadily making waves with his productions and DJ sets by taking every opportunity to supply ears with exciting, sleaze-filled fidget house. Lee’s DJ-ing roots are in the underground, sweaty clubs, late nights, Stella Artois and Sambuca. This motto has followed him wherever he has played including as far a field and San Francisco (EndUp), Chicago (Smart Bar) and Lithuania, plus all of the UK’s top spots- Ministry Of Sound, Turnmills, 333, The Egg, Back To Basics, and The Custard Factory. Now concentrating his efforts into his own label, Wearhouse Music, Lee has come into his own with his production creativity and A&R skills with all tracks getting majorly caned!

10:00PM - 3:00AM
Pop Opera - 686 West Hastings Street

SOUL STREAM - WEDS, SEPT 1ST

Vancouver’s legendary band returns home for another special reunion performance - the full band at their original club home playing all the hits you know and love along with DJ Jay Swing.

9:00PM - 2:00AM
Bar None - 1222 Hamilton Street

COLLIE BUDDZ - THURS, SEPT 23RD

Growing up in Bermuda, Collie Buddz was influence by the sounds of his island home. Hip-Hop and Soca music were important to him but his music has a rock solid foundation in Reggae. Collie Buddz exploded onto the the Dancehall scene with his infectious smash “Come Around”. The marijuana anthem first topped the charts in the U.K. before it made it’s way to the #1 spot in Jamaica. Soon after collaborations with Busta Rhymes, Lil Flip and Beyonce helped Collie Buddz establish himself in North America which seen “Come Around” become the #1 Reggae song in Canada. His music career has seen him tour the world including Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dubai, England, Germany, Italy, Jamaica, France, Japan, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Trinidad, USA and of course Canada!

10:00PM - 2:00AM
Bar None - 1222 Hamilton Street

BAR NONE SATURDAYS - EVERY SAT

Biggest and best dance tunes by DJ Matty C & Guests

Saturday join DJ Matty C and guests on the dance floor for a mix of any and everything that is hot!

10:00PM - 3:00AM
Bar None - 1222 Hamilton Street

YOUNG, RICH & FAMOUS - EVERY FRIDAY

Rap, remixes and indie dance with Sam Demoe and guests.

10:00PM - 3:00AM
Post Modern - 7 Alexander Street

LA DISCOTHEQUE - EVERY SAT

Saturdays -  LA DISCOTHEQUE, Gastown’s #1 dance party.  Each week resident DJs Trevor Risk, Group Hug, Ethnic Friends, Mike Lake, Slow DJs Paige Manzie and DJ Arroghanz take you there with the most upfront house electro and disco tunes to keep you moving til dawn.

10:00PM - 3:00AM
Post Modern - 7 Alexander Street

Directly from the Opus Hotel Press Release:

100 Days of OPUS Hotel Vancouver

Vancouver, BC (August 25, 2010) – OPUS Hotel Vancouver has closed the doors of Longtime Yaletown establishment, Elixir Bistro. After a brief 6 day renovation, an exciting and unique pop-up style restaurant will appear in its place! This pop-up restaurant will be open for an exhilarating 100 days and then undergo a spectacular metamorphosis into what will be OPUS Hotel Vancouver’s new awe-inspiring world class restaurant concept in early 2011.

Elixir Bistro is closing up show. Following 8 years as a beloved Yaletown stronghold, it is hanging up it’s fine dining apron and passing the space on to a younger, fresher more energetic contemporary.

In true OPUS style, the change will be dramatic! The new inhabitants of 100 Days will be stripping the space back to its raw industrial bare bones. The menu style will offer affordable plates with a food quality parallel to that of Elixir. John deC. Evans, President & CEO of OPUS Hotels, was inspired by many pop-up concepts in London and New York City. “The OPUS Hotels brand has been successful by doing the unexpected and that was another perfect example of keeping the brand fresh, exciting and progressive. I am also pleased to announce a co-management relationship with RocksGlass Concepts Ltd. for both 100 Days and OPUS Bar with no changes in ownership for either establishment”. OPUS Hotel Vancouver will continue to exclusively manage and operate OPUS Catering, all banquet services of the hotel, as well a Café O. To reinforce the unique style and design of 100 Days, genius duo, renowned interior designer Robert Bailey and energetic graffiti artist Vince Dumoulin will create an edgy urban and constantly changing environment.

The excitingly avant-garde, anti-establishment pop-up restaurant will be called 100 Days … and for good reason. In 100 Days it too will close its doors and a new entity will emerge from its legacy.

On Friday August 27th, 2010, 100 Days will open its doors for the first of 100 remarkable nights.

Directly from the Smoking Dog Bistro Newsletter:
Labour Day Long Weekend

The Smoking Dog will keep their doors open all of Labour Day long weekend, welcoming our patrons for al fresco dining.

Join the Newsletter to be able to print the free dessert deal that will be available with purchase of entree or appetizer

The above offer valid Saturday September 4 to Monday September 6 2010 and you have to print a coupon from the newsletter.

Directly from the Saturna Island Winery Press Release:

Saturna Island Family Estate Vineyards Woof White Donates $2 from EVERY BOTTLE to Mosaic Dog Rescue

Saturna Island Family Estate Winery has partnered with Mosaic Dog Rescue to donate $2 from every bottle of their new Woof White to this Saturna Island-based animal rescue fund.  Mosaic Dog Rescue saves dogs at risk at high kill facilities and adopts them into homes in the Victoria area.

Woof White is hand crafted by winemaker Danny Hattingh from 100% Estate grown Pinot Gris.  The label was commissioned by Mosaic Dog Rescue founder, Janet Land, and painted by Jack Campbell, a Saturna Island artist.  A closer look reveals that the painting is actually a mosaic of many breeds of dogs within one larger dog.

About Saturna Island Family Estate Winery

The Saturna Island Vineyards are situated on a bench of land nestled between the waters of the Pacific, and a magnificent soaring sandstone and granite cliff face on the south side of the island. There are sixty acres of vines under cultivation in four designated vineyards, which make Saturna Island Family Estate Winery one of the largest estate vineyard and winery operations in coastal British Columbia.

Saturna Island Family Estate Winery winemaker, Danny Hattingh, crafts wines from 100% Estate fruit.  The winery produces Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Rose, Blanc de Noir, Sparkling and a Port-style wine, named Vinsera. www.saturnavineyards.com

About Mosaic Rescue

Mosaic Rescue is a registered non profit society dedicated to the rescue and adoption of small and medium sized mixed breed dogs (Mosaics) who are at risk in high kill facilities.

In 2008 Little Rock Animal Services euthanized 2,800 dogs, 70% of the more than 4,000 dogs that ended up in the pound that year. These numbers are especially shocking to those of us who consider our dogs members of the family.

Many of the dogs at that shelter are wonderful, friendly, adoptable pets who deserve not only to live but to have a loving family of their own. Mosaic Rescue is committed to working with rescue partners on both sides of the border to save as many of these dogs as we can and place them in loving forever homes in the Victoria BC area.

www.mosaicrescue.ca

Saturna Island Family Estate Wines available through

BC Mainland Cassandra Anderton 604 617 2205 casssandrajane10@shaw.ca,

Vancouver and Gulf Islands Shane Miller 250 818 3918 sivwineshop@hotmail.com

www.saturnavineyards.com  Tel: (250) 539-5139 Toll Free: 1-877-918-3388

GK Media Inc is pleased to present a new feature article:

A Week to Indulge at Sun Peaks Resort

Don’t miss the September 2nd, 2010 newsletter.  There will be 2 giveaway prizes.

Each winner will receive 4 tickets to the: Eat! Fraser Valley Food and Cooking Festival.

In order to have a chance to win you have to sign up. Sign up here.

Directly from the Grace Gallery Press Release:

GRACE is pleased to present The Sun, The Moon & The Stars, an exhibition of new work by Vancouver-based artist Jennifer Mawby. Previewing Thursday, September 9th, from 7-11pm. The gallery will remain open Friday September 10th for the 2010 SWARM artist run festival. GRACE is located at 1898 Main Street (at 3rd Avenue).

(www.grace-gallery.com).

Upon entering the gallery for this exhibition you are immersed in a Wunderkammer of oil paintings, pencil crayon drawings, photography and installation on the obsessive themes of love, loss, and conquest.
The Wunderkammer came about during the Renaissance for educational purposes and provided comparative knowledge that led to Europe’s new vision of the world. These curiosity cabinets were encyclopedic, eclectic collections of objects from nature, art, religion, science, and archeology. They often contained fake or forged items. As a microcosm of their world, the cabinets also had a propaganda-like purpose to symbolically convey the patrons’ place and rights of ownership.

Ostensibly unedited, the imagery in The Sun, The Moon & The Stars is strung together to create an eccentric narrative. The story traces the compulsion to collect and accrue through love and other forms of conquest as an attempt to find comfort and establish our worth and our place. The source material for the artworks includes turn of the 20th century astronomy and science texts; formal 18th and 19th century portraiture and collectibles; colonial flags and celebratory pennants; dying technological artifacts like incandescent light bulbs; and elements of classical memento mori forms in heavy-handed glorification of conspicuous consumption. Orange-coloured traffic reflectors punctuate the exhibition as cautionary markers.

The cornerstone of the Wunderkammer tradition is the compulsion to collect, acquire and consume. “Accrual” is a natural human impulse originating from our instinct to hunt and gather for survival. Through the act of collecting and owning objects an individual also creates a perceived sense of personal importance. This obsession ultimately traps the collector in his or her very own Wunderkammer, a box of highly personal but still commodified relationships.
The collector anticipates that both the accrual of objects, and the experience of accrual holds the promise of being all that is required for happiness - “The Sun, The Moon & The Stars”. Likewise the smitten lover foolishly promises “The Sun, The Moon & The Stars” to the beloved
to attain the commitment of love and devotion. In actuality, with time the objects and experiences fade in value and come to mean far less than they did before attainment.

Educated at UBC, SFU and ECUAD, The artist, Jennifer Mawby works with painting, printmaking, assemblage and photography. Mawby’s work has been exhibited and published in Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle and Portland. “Most simply, I am interested in how the contemporary and the personal collide with myth-making. Ultimately, I am questioning what and who we celebrate and why.” This is Mawby’s first one person show in Vancouver.

Directly from the BBQ Bootcamp Press Release:

I want to share with you news about our upcoming Barbecue Bootcamp led by barbecue champ Rockin’ Ronnie Shewchuk. Modelled after last summer’s smash hit Foodists.ca event, we guarantee you will go home stuffed with unbelievable food, ideas, tips and a renewed passion for grilling. You will be inspired to up your outdoor cooking game after you see what Ronnie pulls off the grill!

This year’s event (http://foodists.ca/2010/08/01/foodists-2nd-annual-bbq-bootcamp.html), on August 28th, promises to be even better! Here are the details:

Join international barbecue champion Rockin’ Ronnie Shewchuk for this outdoor cooking extravaganza featuring the essentials of grilling and southern-style barbecue. The four-hour cooking and eating demonstration (actually, it’s more like a piece of smoke-infused performance art) will include an overview of tools and equipment, rubs, sauces and marinades, techniques for quick and easy grilling and slow-smoking, plus tall tales and legends from the world of competitive barbecue. You’ll learn from Ronnie and enjoy samplings of great dishes from his bestselling book, Barbecue Secrets DELUXE!, including:

* Smoked Oysters with Barbecue Sauce
* Quesadilla with Mango, Brie, and Fresh Basil
* Planked Tandoori Salmon with Peach Chutney and Yoghurt Sauce
* Barbecued Brisket Sliders with Slaw and Texas Red Beans
* Grilled Tuscan Game Hens on Arugula Salad
* Spice-crusted Pork Blade Steaks with Grill-Roasted Vegetables
* Grilled Pineapple Spears with Cajeta Sauce
* All dishes will be paired with Vincor wines, including the classic pairing with barbecue, Ravenswood

WHEN: Saturday, August 28, 2010 from 11:00am to 3pm (PST)
WHERE: Private Residence, 2762 Wall Street, Vancouver, BC
WHAT TO BRING: Just your appetite and possibly a notepad and pen!
TICKETS: $139 or add $20 for a discounted copy of Ronnie’s boo, http://bbqbootcamp.eventbrite.com/

Directly from the Canvas Lounge Press Release:

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Hollywood Productions & Canvas Lounge Presents

The CANVAS Lounge 3 Year Anniversary

VIP reception includes OPEN BAR and Free Canapes made fresh from our kitchen. 5 DJs, Percussionist, Violinist, Silk Aerialist, Sax & a huge CANVAS ice luge.

This is invite only, and YOUR invited…

FREE cover before 11! RSVP is a MUST!

GK Media Inc is pleased to present a new feature cocktail recipe:
Celeb_U_Bot from Svedka Vodka.

To download all of the recipes please use the recipe iPod guide or go to the Recipes page.

Directly from the Honibe Press Release:

Honibe™ Launches World’s First Pure Honey Lozenge for Upper Respiratory Therapy

Honibe™ - Honey Lozenges - Nature’s Cough Drop™

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Charlottetown, PE, Canada – August 18, 2010 – Island Abbey Foods Ltd., specialty honey manufacturer, today officially announced the launch of their newest honey innovation, Honibe™ – Honey Lozenges™ – Nature’s Cough Drop™. Honibe™ – Honey Lozenges™ are the world’s first 100% pure honey cough drops for soothing sore throats and relieving coughs.  Honibe™ – Honey Lozenges™ are made from 100% pure dried honey from Prince Edward Island. They are available in four flavours: Pure Honey, Honey with Lemon, Honey with Menthol and Eucalyptus, and Honey with Lemon, Menthol and Eucalyptus. Honibe™ - Honey Lozenges™ can be purchased in packages of 10 or 20 pieces. Honibe™ - Honey Lozenges™ are conveniently sized for easy transport in pockets, cars, briefcases or purses. Honibe™ - Honey Lozenges™ will be available across North America everywhere that natural upper respiratory therapy products are sold. “Traditional upper respiratory therapy products like lozenges and cough drops are all sugar based and are nothing more than boiled sugar candies with added health ingredients,” stated John Rowe, President of Island Abbey Foods Ltd. “Our Honibe™ - Honey Lozenges™ are a 100% pure dried honey lozenge with no sugar added. We are excited to offer consumers our one of a kind all natural cough drop to sooth sore throats and provide cough relief.“  The Honibe™ brand has garnered international attention in recent months for the product the Honey Drop™. The Honey Drop™ was the first product launched under the Honibe™ brand and is an individual serving (one teaspoon / 5 g.) of 100% pure dried honey without any additives. It is ideal for sweetening tea or coffee. Simply drop into a hot beverage and stir. You have all of the natural honey flavour without the usual honey mess. Most recently, the Honey Drop™ won two SIAL D’or 2010 Awards at the world’s largest food trade show in Paris, France and will now be one of nine finalists competing for best new food product in the world this October.

For more information please visit us on the web at www.Honibe.com

Directly from the Mr Mike’s Steakhouse and Bar Press Release:

MR. MIKES STEAKHOUSE & BAR 12 DAYS AWAY FROM $50,000 CHARITY GOAL

Vancouver, BRITISH COLUMBIA (August 18, 2010) – Mr. Mikes Steakhouse & Bar’s summer burger-eating challenge, Mikeburger® Madness, has twelve days left to reach its goal of selling 50,000 Mikeburgers to raise $50,000 for charities across Western Canada. To date, the restaurant chain has raised $33,011 and is now rallying for the public’s support to help them achieve their final goal by August 29, 2010.

WHAT: As part of the chain’s 50th anniversary celebration, Mr. Mikes® has been challenging friends in communities across British Columbia and Alberta to chow down this summer, with one dollar from every Mikeburger sold being reinvested back into each Mr. Mikes community.

WHEN: Mikeburger Madness officially kicked off on July 18, 2010 and will be drawing to a close on August 29, 2010.

WHY: Since 1960, Mr. Mikes has valued the support of its friends and neighbours and now wants to give back to the communities that have played a huge part in the chain’s success over the past 50 years.

MORE INFO: As every restaurant in the Mr. Mikes chain is unique, each individual restaurant has chosen a meaningful organization to donate the funds to:

Chilliwack: Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation

Coquitlam: Share Family & Community Services Society

Cranbrook: Cranbrook Food Bank Society

Dawson Creek:  Mr. Mikes Community Water Park

Duncan:  Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Cowichan Valley

Fort St John:  Fort St John Hospital Foundation

Langley:  Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Langley

Mission:  Women’s Resource Society of the Fraser Valley

Quesnel:  Crooked Leg Ranch

Surrey:  BC Children’s Hospital

Terrace:  Dr. R.E.M. Lee Hospital Foundation

About Mr. Mikes®

With an ambition to create delicious steaks at exceptional prices, two brothers opened the first Mr. Mikes location in 1960 on Granville Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. A Canadian institution, Mr. Mikes was the country’s first casual dining restaurant chain, famous for Mikeburgers® and Classic Steak Combos. Over the past 50 years, Mr. Mikes has remained true to its West Coast philosophy, maintaining a unique dining experience for patrons across B.C. and Alberta.

September 15th to 30th: Eat and Drink! BC

September 17th to 19th: Eat! Fraser Valley Food and Cooking Festival

October 7th: Taste Chile 2010

October 13th to 31st: Taste of Yaletown