Spring Festival This Weekend!

UBC is holding its Spring Festival and Plant Sale this Saturday May 8, 2010. Festivities will include food garden tours, children's activities and discounts on the canopy walk.

I went to the VanDusen Gardens Plant Sale a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. If you're not exactly sure about what you're doing — and how many of us are? — it's helpful to have Master Gardeners on hand to give advice. The prices at these sales are as cheap as they get and the plants are very well cared for.

If you are looking for classes or local resources visit: http://vancouvercommunities.com/outdoor/year-round-activities/gardening.

The UBC Farm's drop-in volunteer program seems like a particularly good way to learn about food gardens without having to fork over lots of cash for classes.

Happy planting!

Master Photography Workshops

There's a huge number of professional and amateur photographers in Vancouver, but I'm surprised by how few of them have heard of Vancouver Photo Workshops. This company offers all sorts of classes and workshops in addition to free "industry parties" and a brilliant Master Series.

Marc Koegel, the owner of the operation, brings in his favourite photographers from around the world to lead intensive workshops. For those of us who can't afford the luxury of one of these classes, Marc also hosts public seminars where the photographer shares his or her work along with some secrets to success.

For about $20, how can you go wrong? I've definitely been entertained by industry leaders who make hundreds of thousands PER SHOOT. And even if our styles or interests are different there is usually something to take away. Plus, the VPW circle tends to be a very friendly bunch.

Tomorrow's seminar is with the internationally acclaimed photographer Arthur Meyerson and I'll be there with a notebook in hand!

2010 City of Bhangra

I am a woman who loves festivals. When I first moved to Vancouver from Montreal, I was disappointed about the festival situation. (Montreal's Jazz festival alone has about 500 free concerts!) Then I discovered City of Bhangra.

During the darkest, wettest, coldest time of year when you are just begging for a bit of colour, City of Bhangra explodes onto stage with teams of drummers, dancers and bright costumes. Audience members are given bangles and clappers so you can scream and cheer and dance in your seats. When Bhangra star performers hit the stage at the end of the night, men run up to kiss their hands in adoration. Quite simply, Bhangra brings energy and joy to Vancouver in the heart of winter.

This year, the majority of the festival was bumped to May because of the Olympics. So it kicks off this weekend with an international drumming event, rePercussion. (Sat. May 1, 2010 @ 7pm, $18.) I'll also be attending Downtown Bhangra, a free outdoor concert at the Art Gallery where you can dance on the sidewalk and sing out loud. (Friday May 7th from 5-10pm, FREE.) Finally, I'm SO looking forward to watching the world's best dancers compete at the Coast Capital Bhangra Competition. (Sat. May 8, 2010 @ 5pm. Tickets start at $25, but the cheap seats looked fun and rowdy!)

Events like this make me very, very glad that we live in a multicultural city.

See you there.

If you enjoy traveling, cooking, photography, nature, arts and culture then you might want to follow this blog. Every week, I'm going to post a couple of ideas for things to do in Vancouver. So if you and I have the same interests, then following this blog will be an easy way for you to plan your social calendar.

Of course, I'm also going to shamelessly promote my book and my websites, but I promise that I will suggest so many great ideas that you'll probably just buy the book as a thank-you to me. ;)

Enjoy!