Westender – December 24, 2015

DECEMBER 24-30 // 2015

EVERYTHING VANCOUVER

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Your guide to New Year’s Eve

• BEST LOCAL BOOKS OF 2015 • • YOB TRANSMUTES THE DARKNESS • • ‘THE RIVALS’ A MATTER OF LOVE AND DEATH • NEWS // ISSUES • STYLE // DESIGN • EAT // DRINK • MUSIC // ARTS • FILM // TV • HEALTH // SEX

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2 W December 24 - December 30, 2015

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NEWS // ISSUES

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INSIDE THIS WEEK You’re All Just Jealous of My Jetpack by Tom Gauld

12

PUBLISHER DEE DHALIWAL DDHALIWAL@WESTENDER.COM MANAGING EDITOR ROBERT MANGELSDORF EDITOR@WESTENDER.COM

News4 Vancouver Shakedown4 Style File5 A Good Chick to Know5 By the Bottle6 The Growler7 Fresh Sheet7 Nosh8 NYE Guide9 Cover Story9 What’s On10 Music12 Movie reviews12 Reel People13 Arts13 Real Estate14 Whole Nourishment16 Horoscopes17 Sex with Mish Way17 COVER: THINKSTOCK PHOTO

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Re:“Are independent growler fill stations good for craft brewers?”, Dec. 3, 2015.

Interesting to read this in the Westender – since there isn’t anywhere in the west side of Vancouver to fill a growler. I think the closest to me in Arbutus Village would be Granville Island, though I have to admit I have never actually tried to get a growler filled at either Granville Island Brewing or the Dockside. Both advertise growler fills.

I go to Main Street – usually Brassneck, though there are plenty of other options.

But it might be a really good idea to have something within walking distance. Unlikely

as long as breweries have to be in industrial areas.

–Stephen Rees

coal on its way. Anyway, have a very Merry Christmas and say that to everyone you run into.

–Geckogirl

WHERE’S THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT?

VANCOUVER TOO GOOD FOR TRUMP

My partner and I were coming back from a really great day down at 50 Bourbon and caught the Davie Street bus on Granville Street around 5:30pm and ended up at the back. He had to sit next to someone plugged in and I sat next to a very nasty bitch who wouldn’t smile when I put on a Rolf Harris Christmas carol (“Six White Boomers”) on my phone. Everyone on the bus was plugged in or texting and I wanted to share some Christmas cheer. She wouldn’t even smile. Oh well, Santa knows and there is a lump of toxic

This madman Mr. Trump’s madness may be contagious. Every time I hear this fool talk, I want to build a wall along our border to keep xenophobes, racists, and gun nutters out of our country. The thought that a tower in our downtown will bear that name will act as a locus for vandalism and possibly acts of terrorism in response to his Islamophobia.

Vancouver is too fine a city to be associated with this egomaniac.

–J.C.McElroy

CORRECTION: Last week’s story, “Just For Laughs heads west”, included the incorrect start date for JFL NorthWest ticket sales. They began on Dec. 11.

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December 24 - December 30, 2015 W 3

NEWS // ISSUES

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YOUR CITY

Trudeau says North Coast no place for oil pipeline NELSON BENNETT @bizinvancouver

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reiterated last week that he thinks the Great Bear Rainforest is no place for a crude oil pipeline, but stopped short of categorically pronouncing the Northern Gateway pipeline project dead.

He did say, however, that if pipeline projects do go through, it will only be after they pass a renewed environmental and social licence vetting process that he promised would restore the public’s faith in federal regulatory processes.

Trudeau was at Vancouver city hall Dec. 17 for what was something of an historic visit.

It was the first time in 42 years that a sitting prime minister visited Vancouver city hall.The last one was his father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who was here for a ceremony to mark the transfer of the Jericho lands to the city.

In a joint press conference with Mayor Gregor Robertson,Trudeau fielded media questions on topics ranging from Syrian refugees to commercializing marijuana.

“I’ve been saying for years that the Great Bear Rainforest is no place for a pipeline.”

–Prime Minister Justin Trudeau For BC’s construction sector, one of the big questions for the new federal government is whether two pipeline projects – the Enbridge Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain – will be approved.

Trudeau’s plans for a ban on oil tankers on BC’s north coast is widely viewed as Northern Gateway’s death knell.

And while Enbridge recently told investors and analysts that low oil prices means that there is less ur-

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke at a press conference with Mayor Gregor Robertson Dec. 17 at Vancouver City Hall.

Dan Toulgoet photo gency now, the company said it still hopes to work with the federal government to satisfy its concerns.

In a recent conference call, Enbridge CEO Al Monaco said he thinks the company might still make a final investment decision on the Northern Gateway project sometime in the latter half of 2016.

When asked if the company might get around an oil tanker ban on the north coast by moving its terminal from Kitimat to some other location outside the moratorium

area, Monaco said: “I think it’s pretty early to speculate on what’s going to happen there.

“One thing I would say is that we’ve heard the prime minister and the minister of natural resources indicate their openness to listen.

They’ve talked about the importance of Canada securing markets.

“So all we can say at this point is, we’re looking forward to engaging with the federal staff on this. And in the meantime, though, we’re going to still focus on what

we’ve been doing since we got the approval for the project, or the certificate at least.”

Asked to state categorically whether or not the Northern Gateway project could proceed or not,Trudeau said: “I’ve been saying for years that the Great Bear Rainforest is no place for a pipeline.

That continues to be my position.

“However, we do need to continue to allow processes to go underway where proponents of a broad range of projects can attempt to acquire the social licence that simply was not available – even as a theoretical option – over the past years.”

He also reiterated his promise to revise National Energy Board and Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency processes – a process that Kinder Morgan is currently in the middle of on its Trans Mountain expansion project.

“One of the things we’ve seen over the past 10 years is that Canadians who understand that we need to grow the economy, understand that we need to get our resources to market, were no longer reassured that their government

was looking out for their long-term best interests, that the public trust towards (the) previous government – and projects like these pipelines – simply wasn’t there.

“The one thing that we made very, very clear was that there needs to be social licence, there needs to be public trust before projects like these can go ahead. We need to be consulting with communities, we need to be partnering with indigenous peoples. We need to be reassuring Canadians that the science and the environmental impacts and the risks are being properly monitored that this and any project is truly in the best interest of Canadians and future generations.”

At the same time Trudeau was speaking in Vancouver, Kinder Morgan was wrapping up its oral summary before the NEB on its $5.4 billion Trans Mountain pipeline twinning proposal.

The Trans Mountain pipeline terminates in Burnaby, so it would not be captured by a North Coast oil tanker ban. W –Courtesy of Business in Vancouver

Best local books of 2015 Grant Lawrence Vancouver Shakedown @GrantLawrence

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Here’s my roundup of the best books released by local authors this year. Let us rejoice in the glory of Vancouver’s written word!

The Horrors, by Charlie Demers (Douglas & McIntyre) A hilariously dark, alphabetized romp through the life and times of Vancouver comedian Charlie Demers, familiar to CBC Radio listeners as a favourite voice on The Debators, and playwright for the seasonal hit, East Van Panto. Funny, traumatizing, and very self-aware, this book offers Charlie’s whip-smart thoughts on everything from panic attacks, to capitalism, to losing his mother at an early age.

The Brink of Freedom, by Stella Leventoyannis Harvey (Signature Editions) An excellent, fast-paced, tense, and extremely timely novel by skilled Whistler writer Stella Leventoyannis Harvey, which deftly weaves the stories of migrant families risking their lives only to wind up in the squalid refu-

gee camps of Greece amidst their crumbling economy and fraying social infrastructure.

This book is the modern refugee plight from the inside looking out, and the mustread for our times.

The Long Hello, by Cathie Borrie (Simon and Schuster) Anyone who has ever dealt with a family member or friend fading from Alzheimer’s or dementia will relate with ease (and tears) to this humourous, poetic, and very heartwarming memoir of an adult daughter caring for her dying mother. The backstory of this book is almost as good: originally self-published by multi-talented North Vancouver author Cathie Borrie five years ago, The Long Hello got picked up and formally released by Simon and Schuster in 2015.

Hastings-Sunrise, by Bren Simmers (Nightwood Editions) Poet Bren Simmers has beautifully crafted a love affair for a changing neighbourhood, told in a year of poems. Sharp on detail, and written with unflinching honesty of a community in transition, if you’ve ever spent any time in this enclave on the edge of the city,

you’ll find yourself nodding with recognition with every page turned.

North Of Normal, by Cea Sunrise Person (HarperCollins) This is a bit of a cheat, as this gripping counter-culture memoir by West Vancouver author Cea Sunrise Person actually came out in 2014, but I only discovered it this year. I’m so glad I did: it’s a rollicking, stark-naked story of a young girl growing up way, way off the grid in BC and Alberta with her hippie family in the 1970s.The unfiltered stories of drugs, sex, teepees, canoes, guns, back-to-landers, mental illness and outlaws spill out in a fascinating read.

The First Little Bastard to Call Me Gramps, by Bill Richardson (Anansi) West End author and former CBC celeb Bill Richardson nails it in this tidy, very funny, and very true book of rhyming verse subtitled “Poems of the Late Middle Ages”.

All of these books are available at Vancouver’s independent booksellers, none of which can be found downtown. But that’s a column for another day. Happy holidays and happy reading!

Grant Lawrence is the author of two books: Adventures in Solitude (2010) and The Lonely End of the Rink (2013). A rock ‘n’ roll memoir is slated for fall of 2016. W

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STYLE // DESIGN

@WESTENDERVAN

FASHION

Home Is Where The Art Is: Grace Lee of Eikcam Ceramics Jennifer Scott A Good Chick to Know

@Jennifer_AGCTK

For this week’s artist profile, I had the pleasure of connecting with Grace Lee of Eikcam Ceramics at her most recent popup in Chinatown’s This Open Space gallery. Lee, who has been involved in the arts for years and previously designed ceramics for major labels, took the entrepreneurial leap of faith and started her own ceramics studio in 2007. Since then she has created a brand that approaches design with a layered simplicity – a respect for the beauty in natural, organic elements and silhouettes.

Eikcam offers tabletop and home decor pieces that are not only functional, but offer a refined yet inviting sensibility to their surroundings.

Tell us a little about yourself...

My name is Grace Lee and I am a born and raised Vancouverite. I have been immersed in art studies for most of my years: from Arts Umbrella to Emily Carr. I have been an art director and tableware designer in a previous life and now I am the maker of Eikcam Ceramics. I started Eikcam Ceramics in 2007 and my previous career of designing for others and being inspired by all of my travels to France led me to design and create for myself.

Do you have a Vancouver muse?

My most recent muse is my daughter, Olive, who almost always suggests using a version of pink in my work.

But mostly she inspires me by teaching me the virtues of being present and patient and open to all that comes my way.

What colour best describes your personality?

I would choose olive green, since it’s an earthy tone and the colour of foliage, which inspires all aspects of my life.

How would you describe Vancouver’s artistic/creative community?

The creative community is very supportive; there is an understanding of the gruelling hours we put in and the great efforts to travel to shows and participate in exhibits. We all love our craft and mutually respect our talents. I am continually inspired by fellow creatives and take on collaborations with new makers and old. The artistic community crosses mediums and borders and I am very humbled to be part of this group.

Some people collect old cameras and typewriters. Do you collect anything?

I collect fallen bark, decaying flower buds, seed pods and smooth pieces of wee driftwood from island travels or the BC interior.

Grace Lee of Eikcam Ceramics creates functional earthenware artwork for the home. Dan Toulgoet photos What is your favourite creative website?

I love Canadian-born jewellers’ website TheNoisyPlume.com and she is a magnificent maker and person too. Her lifestyle, her work and approach to each project and photography and writing is all so beautifully intertwined and whole. She is an inspiration.

Finish this sentence: my day is not complete without…

A kiss from my little one.

How would you describe your artistic style?

My style has always been ‘making a statement in an understated way.’

Is there a song or a musician that inspires you to create?

I mostly listen to podcasts these days to keep my brain engaged with what is happening outside of my small bubble here in Vancouver. I love Radiolab and Marc Maron and anything NPR. Is there one area of your craft you find especially challenging?

I find that ceramics, as a craft, is still undervalued for the long process it takes to complete a piece. It is an old technology – the oldest in fact – where we take clay from the earth and transform it into a functional vessel or piece of art.The process is long and

involved: the clay has to be formed into its desired shape (this comes with many years of learning, making, designing and practicing) and fired twice to 2,000 degrees – both taking two days to complete – and then drying and glazing and texturing in between. Ceramics is a true laborious endeavor and not for the weak of heart or mind.

Do you have a favourite creative space?

My favourite creative space is my studio at the Mergatroid in Strathcona. It’s a compact small space where everything has its place.

If you could speak to a room of young people who were

considering careers in the arts, what would your advice be?

Push the boundaries and think outside the box first.

Most importantly, never take no for an answer.

Artistically, what is your favourite part of the city?

I love heading into Pacific Spirit Park near UBC where I grew up and just wandering for hours, taking in all paths of the senses.The air is rejuvenating, the textures invoke playful creative energy and walking on the earth is meditative and ever so grounding. W Eikcam.com IG: @eikcamceramics

Online footwear store Shoes.com has its own Cinderella story Niki Hope Style File

@NikiMHope Determined to step into what he saw as an emerging e-commerce market, Sean Clark kicked off his footwear company Shoes.com from the basement of his parents’ Dunbar home.

Four years later, almost to the date, that same company now counts eight million customers, with annual sales of $300 million, and more than 600 staff.

And the growth keeps stepping up.This month, Shoes. com opened its first brickand-mortar location on busy Queen Street West in Toronto, with a second Vancouver location slated to open on Burrard and Robson in the new year, where they’ll have a coffee shop and curated selection of shoes from the almost 500 brands they offer online.

“I think it’s all about, with Shoes.com, just making it more convenient for our customers; having a store where people can go in and speak to someone in person, and see and touch brands,”

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said Roger Hardy, co-founder and CEO of Shoes.com. “We really want to elevate the experience of online shopping and really make it this omnichannel idea where it is more than just an online presence.”

Clark and Hardy may have launched their latest venture from the ground up, but the pair has years of e-commerce experience. Hardy, the former CEO of Clearly Contacts, mentored and hired Clark, who worked for the Australian division of Clearly Contacts before he left to build the footwear website ShoeMe.ca, which later became part of Shoes.com.

With Shoes.com the focus is on providing a superior online shopping experience with free shipping for orders (even offering two-hour delivery, in some cases) and returns. The site offers a wide range of large midpriced footwear (Steve Madden, Birkenstock, Frye, Sam Edelman) with a handful of designer labels (Chloé, Miu Miu). The site has technology that hones in and curates a selection of styles for individual customers.

“In e-commerce, service and selection are really the

Shoes.com co-founder Sean Clark started his e-commerce shoe store, now valued at $300 million, from the basement of his parents’ Dunbar home. Dan Toulgoet photo pillars of how you build an e-commerce company – I learned that at Clearly Contacts,” explains Clark, who came up with the idea to create an e-commerce footwear site after seeing a press release in 2011 announcing that online shoe and clothing shop Zappos was pulling out of Canada.

“I forwarded [the press release] to Roger and I said, ‘Roger, this is our shot, there’s no online footwear player in Canada,’” Clark recalls.

The other impetus for

launching an e-commerce footwear site was Clark’s own days spent driving to the States to pick up his then-girlfriend (now wife’s) goods on the other side of the border.

“When I was driving down at the time, I was like, ‘Oh this is brutal, why am I doing this?’ I was like, ‘Look at what I am doing.There has got to be a better way.’ So that’s what kicked me into action.”

When it comes to online shopping in general, the US has a much larger market percentage. For example,

just two per cent of Canada’s $7-billion footwear market is purchased online compared to the United States, where 19 per cent of its $45 billion in shoe sales are made online.

“I bet everything that I had that it’s going from two per cent to 10 per cent, and then [if it does] there is a $70-million opportunity just in Canada,” Clark says from the boardroom of the company’s Georgia Street head office – a long way from the basement.

A wall in the spacious office includes a picture of Clark’s mom,Teresa, a retired teacher who helped Clark fill out his first orders, when he didn’t even have stock, but had launched a $60 site just to test the waters for demand.The demand was there, and Clark spent those first weeks running around buying up and sending out the shoes online customers had ordered.

The other photo, a grinning Jon Austrom – today the director of operations – was Clark’s first paid employee, after responding to an ad that said: “Must have own laptop.”

Austrom was hired at the company’s first “office,” the Blenz coffee shop on the corner of West 4th and Alma Street.

With such rapid growth and solid footing in the market – both in Canada and the US – the question is whether the company will go public this year.

“I think we would have been ready to go in early 2016 and pretty much everybody is now saying that the first half of 2016 looks bleak; I almost feel like it is becoming self-fulfilling,” Hardy says.

“We’re kind of good to go, but it’s always subject to the market, but you also want to look at what’s the right time for the business.The business continues to grow very healthily in Canada, but it still is a fairly new and young business. Having said that, we are comfortable doing an IPO when the timing is right.”

If the market bounces back in the second half of next year it could be the right time to take the leap, he says.

In the meantime, Shoes. com continues to grow, having acquired California-born sock and accessories brand, Richer Poorer.

Whether it goes public next year or not, Shoes.com is clearly becoming another darling of Vancouver’s emerging tech start-up scene. W

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Extended Holiday Hours

How to drink in the new year Michaela Morris By the Bottle @MichaelaWine

I’m fascinated how other countries celebrate traditional holidays. It gives great insight into their culture.

When it comes to New Year’s Eve though, we seem to be pretty united around the globe. Festivities focus largely on eating, drinking and dancing with noisy parties that last long into the wee hours. Fireworks are also par for the course and bubbles feature heavily.

Depending on where you are in the world, the type of sparkling may change. In Spain, they’d drink Cava; in Germany, Sekt and in France, Champagne (or Crémant if that’s too pricey). In BC we have great examples of all of these to choose from along with lots of delicious locally-made sparklers (think Blue Mountain and Bella).

Besides drinking Prosecco or Franciacorta, the Italians also wear brand new red underwear on New Year’s Eve. Apparently the Spaniards do too. This is supposed to bring good luck. Mexico makes a more overt show of colour, with decorations taking the hue of what they wish the new year to manifest.

Red encourages an overall improvement of lifestyle and love. I’ll drink to that. And

make mine red wine.

But wait, in Brazil, they wear white. Besides good fortune, it’s supposed to ward off evil spirits. So, to cover all bases, I am recommending three sparklers for different budgets plus a red for good luck and a white to keep any malevolent forces at bay.

Here’s to a new year full of luck, love and plenty of great wine!

S9I #R>ROS0KJ #/[N4@R &OKM ! #[I[ "DJ *Q[4S ! %Z?L33J BC Liquor Stores A solid value when toasting the new year with a large crowd. Pear, lemon, buttered almonds and lots and lots of frothy bubbles.

n/v Cesarini Sforza, ,)O4><SMKT+ &OKM ARNG ! )O<SMR "D#J HM[/- ! %V5L33J BC Liquor Stores Italy’s lesser-known Trento DOC appellation is a fantastic source of well-priced traditional method sparkling.

A festive burst of cranberries and red currants along with an intriguing suggestion of baking bread. And that pale blush of pink is surely enough to promise new love and good fortune. n/v Pierre Péters, Cuvée de Réserve, Blanc de Blancs, &OKM XO[S> #OK ! #6[TQ[8S< (D#J \O[S@< ! %7;B5VJ QO4I[M< wine stores Made in tiny quantities, Pierre Péters is surely one of

my favourite grower Champagnes and the Cuvée de Réserve is my go-to on NYE. Combining 20 different vintages of wine, it’s elegant, complex and contemplative.

Perfect for sipping while reflecting on 2015 as well as devising a resolution for the New Year. Try Marquis and Kitsilano Wine Cellars.

V^Z= U<O4>[>< >R AR@4TJ ,E[O4[S[+ ! 'A (/<SM<2[SRJ CROMK8[/ ! %Z:L33J BC Liquor Stores A brand spanking new white in BC, the Mariana is perfectly suited to the occasion at hand. And the price is party right. Fragrant herbs, fleshy fruit, creamy texture and citrus vibrancy sums up this easy drinking, food friendly white.

And FYI, in Portugal the tradition is to eat 12 raisins as the clock strikes midnight, making a wish with each. Does a sip of wine count?

V^ZV $-SSNJ &/[@1 F[W</ #[W<OS<M *[KI48SRS ! #RRSB [.[OO[J (KNMO[/4[ ! %VZL33 ]O<8L %V=L=3YJ &# F4PKRO Stores A celebratory red to bring you luck, love and a superior lifestyle.This won Best of Show in the Vancouver Magazine’s International Wine Awards 2016 and has long been one of my favourite Aussie Cabs. Start the NewYear off with a winner. W ' /$(.*# *).&0#(,* %- !")*#+

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EAT // DRINK

@WESTENDERVAN

WINE

The first hangover is literally the worst Stephen Smysnuik The Growler

@TheGrowlerBC

The path of every great beer (or wine; or whisky) drinker is strewn invariably with horrific, head-and-belly destroying hangovers. And chances are, that first hangover is the all-time worst hangover.

Take for example New Year’s Eve, 1998. I had turned 15 just one day prior, and this was my first time getting drunk.This was the plan. My crew of high school friends were celebrating at Mack’s East Vancouver townhouse, in the most predictable ‘90steenager way possible: with a case of beer; two-litre bottles of Growers “cider”; a half dozen bottles of Smirnoff; and a playlist consisting of Marcy Playground, Harvey Danger and Third Eye Blind, among others.

By 9pm, the living room is crowded with two-dozen high school kids, red of cup and red of face.The kitchen floor is sticky with Growers. I hijack the stereo with my KoRn CD and there’s Melissa, who’s swaying in what looks like slow motion. She waves me over and shouts forcefully me in to my ear, “The real person comes out when you’re drunk, you know!”

Well, I’d never considered that before. I take a grand old

sip of my cider, and like what I taste. I drink and I drink and there’s Dan sitting between the couch and the wall, drinking a can of beer. “Would you like one?” “Why not!”

And then I’m swaying and laughing and everyone in the room is laughing too. Rene is sitting in the corner of the room with headphones on, clutching a copy of Mechanical Animals, a bottle of Smirnoff cradled between his thighs, swinging his head violently back and forth to the beat.Take it easy there, Rene!

And look, there’s Caitlin, writhing on the floor. Looking kind of silly there, Caitlin, with your head in that bucket!

And I drink and I drink and – – I wake up on the floor.

My vision is watery but I don’t think I’ve been crying.

People are crowding around me in a huddle, staring. My head is in someone’s lap.

“He’s wet his pants!” someone says.

“He needs some water!” says another. “Get him some water!”

Rene pushes into the crowd and hands me a red cup. I drink half the water before it burns and I cough and I choke and notice the bottle of Smirnoff in Rene’s hand, and his manic grin and – – I wake up outside, in the front yard, on a pile of snow.

It’s dark. I’m shirtless and shivering. My urine-soaked

helping local individuals.

BCHospitalityFoundation. com/Take-Action

Anya Levykh Fresh Sheet

@FoodGirlFriday The BC Hospitality Foundation is celebrating helping its 100th beneficiary with a fundraising drive to raise even more funds for BC hospitality workers facing a financial crisis due to a serious health condition. Any size of donation is appreciated, and funds go directly toward

For those that lamented the loss of Felix Zhou when Big Trouble closed a few months ago, take heart.The talented chef has taken over the kitchen at Beach Bay Café & Patio and has revamped the menu. In addition, the take-out window is now open as well, serving up lightlybattered ling cod, British-style chips, and sauce gribiche.

Don’t be “that guy” this New Year’s Eve. Thinkstock photo pants have frozen to my thighs. My bones are cold. My head feels like lemmings have been digging tunnels in there and are frantic to escape.

My stomach – oh god, my stomach.

I crawl to the front door.

Inside, everyone’s asleep.The carpet is strewn with more barf than I’m capable of truly noticing at this difficult time.

Someone’s punched a hole in the wall. I crawl to the nearest bedroom. I lay my head down – – I wake up and crawl to the bathroom, but I miss. If this is the real me, I don’t like what I – – I wake up to Mack’s mother holding a cold rag to my

head. Sunlight filtering through the curtains. Has she been here the whole time? Mack’s standing behind her. He’s pissed in just about every way. I’m in his bed now, I see. I lean over and retch into the bucket she’s holding up, but not before thinking, That sure is full!

And as much as my body wants it, nothing comes up. At this point, it’s very clear to me that I’m going to die.There’s no way life can feel like this.

My esophagus is grasping at air at this point, my whole body tightening and scraping for something anything to come up, and I’m just heaving at nothing at all. Until finally, this bright green liquid like

the ooze of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II brought forth from the deepest depths….

“I think he has alcohol poisoning,” says Mack’s mom.

“Should we call the hospital?”

“I don’t need the hospital,” I croak. “What happened?”

Turns out, the “cider” had done me in and I fell down drunk and pissed myself.

While I was down, I chugged a cup of vodka, mistaking it for water. I made a mess right there in the living room, got up, then staggered to the stairs. I made a larger mess at the foot of the stairs, after sliding headfirst down them.

Mack put his fist through

If you thought Dine Out Vancouver was just about the dining deals, think again.

Seminars, dinners and tasting events abound. For instance, Bittered Sling’s Laurent Mote will curate a series of master classes on spirits, as well as host a special Robbie Burns pop-up dinner. The spirits master classes, which will offer guests samples of artisanal cocktails made with tequila, mezcal, single malts, cognac, and more, and paired with

small plates, will take place at Uva Wine & Cocktail Bar, while the Robbie Burns dinner will take place at Yew Seafood & Bar. DineOutVancouver.com

Faubourg is making a traditional galette des rois which will be on sale throughout the month of January. The traditional cake, served during Epiphany, is made of flaky puff pastry filled with almond cream. Faubourg is offering two regional variations. The Parisian uses almond and hazelnut frangipane, while the Brioche from southern France sees the brioche round flavoured with orange blossom and topped with

Frenchies!

Ambrosia is offering a new series of cooking lessons with local chefs for the new year. The line-up includes Karen Barnaby, Alex Chen and Trevor Bird. Classes cover making dinner for two, Asian noodles, and more.

AmbrosiaAdventures.com

the wall in a rage and, with the help of hulking teenagers Greg and Martin, tossed all 110 pounds of my deadweight outside. Out of sight, out of mind. (I’m still not sure when I lost my shirt.)

My dad comes to pick me up. Greg and Martin bring me out, hoisting me between them, my feet dragging like some propped up corpse.

Which, in many ways, I am.

They fold me into the front seat of the car. My dad’s angry, obviously, but later, both parents come to my room to stare at me in bed, into which I’ve planned never to leave again. Mom’s beaming, as if I’d finally proven to her the one fact she’d long suspected, but I’d been denying her the proof of:That her son is, in fact, a moron.

“You’re a moron,” she says.

And bless their hearts, they stare at me with knowing faces, clearly amused and no doubt thinking back to the time when they were 15 and their parents stared goofily at them from the doorway of their bedroom, reminiscing on their first hangover.

They weren’t that amused though. I was grounded for three months.The hangover was one of those multi-day affairs I wouldn’t experience again until I turned 30.

I didn’t touch alcohol for over two years. And now I’m a beer writer.

Happy holidays, everyone. W

glaze and candied fruit. $26.25 each. Faubourg.com Royal Dinette will be hosting Danish chef Jonathan Tam of Michelin-starred restaurant Relæ (named best new restaurant in Copenhagen in 2011) on Jan. 12.

Tam will be joining forces with Royal Dinette’s David Gunawan and Jack Chen for a collaborative dinner.Tickets are $175 and include beverage pairings, gratuity and taxes. RoyalDinette.ca W

Shanghai Lu Restaurant * New Cantonese Style *

Montreal smoked meat & poutine Vancouver’s Best Poutine

Vegetarian Gravy & Gluten Free Gravy available at Frenchies

Please pre-order your tourtiere for Christmas and New Year!

2470 MAIN STREET @ BROADWAY 604-253-4545 • Frenchies-Diner.com Westender.com

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns

Steamed Supreme Prawn Dumplings

Steamed Pork Shui Mio Dumplings

DIM SUM 10AM-10PM DAILY • SEAFOOD Open 10:00am-10:00pm every day 705 West Broadway • 604-873-9147 • www.ShanghaiLuRestaurant.ca FREE PARKING (222-236 on P4 at Holiday Inn) • FREE DELIVERY (after 4:30pm within 3km)

December 24 - December 30, 2015 W 7

EAT // DRINK

WESTENDER.COM

DINING OUT

Stuff your face on NYE Anya Levykh Nosh

@FoodgirlFriday Cibo Trattoria is offering two NYE seatings, at 6pm and 9pm.The 6pm seating is $79 for a three-course menu, while the 9pm seating is $115 for a five-course menu.

Dishes include burrata with prosciutto, preserved cherry tomatoes and parmesan crisp;

seared scallops with slowcooked fennel, stinging nettle puree and elderflower brown butter; vanilla semifreddo with Maldon sea salt; and more.

Guests can also add oysters or seared foie gras to their meals, as well as curated wine pairings. CiboTrattoria.ca For a more casual – and cape-themed – night, Uva is turning itself into Gotham City for NYE, with cocktails

and canapés, as well as superheroes and cool jazz from the James Danderfer Jazz Trio.

Tickets are $40 and include two complimentary drinks, food, entertainment and party favours. UvaVancouver.com

Latab Wine Bar is offering a special NYE set menu that will give you a taste of everything on the menu, plus a glass of bubbles, for $59.

Dishes include favourites like

Happy Holidays

Vancouver!

NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER & DANCE DEC. 31, 8PM-1AM

Belly Dancers, Dance Floor, Live DJ – DJ Rocstar!!

Includes expanded dinner buffet, party favours & 1 drink • midnight countdown • raffle prizes

29

$

Call to reserve your seat before it sells out.

Banquet rooms available for large parties.

Book your Christmas parties now!

805 W. Broadway @ Willow • 604.874.5800 3 blocks west of the Canada Line Cambie Station Free parking weekends & after 6pm weeknights

the Humboldt squid with sauerkraut, caramelized yeast and crab apple leather, vegetable “egg” with charred wild mushrooms and toast, and radishes with sea urchin and cultured butter.The à la carte menu will also be available.

Two seatings are available between 6-7pm and 9-10pm.

Latab.ca Beach Bay Café & Patio offers three menu options for NYE. Choose from the à la carte menu, or else the fourcourse ($49) or eight-course ($98) chef menus (optional wine pairings available for additional amount). A DJ will be on hand, and last seating is at 9pm. BeachBayCafe.com For a more elegant and upscale evening, Ancora is offering a six-course menu for $95 that includes ceviche, sea urchin and scallop causa, lobster risotto with winter truffles, Pacific lingcod, Yakima Valley lamb chop, and milk chocolate ganache with raspberry, plus an amuse.

Optional wine pairings available for an additional $75. In addition, guests will be able to sabre their own champagne bottle. AncoraDining.com Dockside Restaurant is hosting a special four-course menu on NYE for $110 per person. Menu includes

house-cured salmon with crème fraiche, beef carpaccio, roasted beet salad with pickled beets, arugula and goat cheese, lamb loin with lamb bacon and fingerling potatoes, grilled beef tenderloin Oscar, herb-crusted halibut, mushroom and mascarpone ravioli, and dessert. Complimentary glass of bubbly is included.

DocksideVancouver.com The Oakwood in Kits is serving dinner and breakfast on NYE.The $65 five-course menu includes snacks, cured salmon with Dungeness crab, lamb breast with smoked yogurt and braised cabbage, seared diver scallops with confit duck thigh, and caramel apple terrine, as well as a breakfast take-home box.

TheOakwood.ca Prohibition Bar at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is holding a “flapper-esque” NYE event, with 1920s-style seasonal punches, traditional absinthe service and vintage cocktails.Tickets include complimentary coat check, champagne coup on arrival, hot and cold canapés, and dessert throughout the evening. General admission (standing) tickets $118; priority reserved seating $236.

NewYearsEveAtProhibition.

Eventbrite.ca Pidgin is offering a “nofuss” NYE with a choice of an eight-course tasting menu or the regular à la carte menu.

The eight-course menu is $100 per person, and include daily pickles, oyster shot, tuna with guanciale and roasted lemon gel, uni with cauliflower and duck fat gomae, ling cod in red curry,Wagyu steak and dessert. PidginVancouver.com For a more family-friendly NYE, check out Rocky Mountain Flatbread’s “early” new year’s celebration. Enjoy pizza-making and entertainment (or just dinner and fun), along with face painting and an early-evening countdown. RockyMountainFlatbread.ca

Serving delight since 1928.

From award-winning burgers and signature fries, to our fresh salads, BC chicken, pastas, Spot Classics, and of course our famous Pirate Paks, there’s always something delightful on the menu at White Spot.

Come join us, morning, noon or night.

L’Abattoir will be offering its à la carte menu on New Year’s Eve in the main dining room, as well as a special four-course menu in its private dining room around a communal table.The four-course menu includes duck foie gras torchon, baked Pacific oyster with black truffle, roast fillet of beef with butter-poached lobster, and caramelized banana with white chocolate for dessert.

Tickets $175 per person, including dinner and beverage pairings. LAbattoir.ca La Pentola is offering two NYE menus.The six-course early seating at 6pm includes roasted quail with squash puree, crab and prawn squid ink tortellini, and beef tenderloin, and costs $65 per person.

The seven-course late seating at 8pm includes a glass of Prosecco, oysters on the halfshell, foie gras torchon, seared scallop with parsnip and polenta gnudi, and buttered popcorn ice cream, and costs $80 per person. LaPentola.ca Mamie Taylor’s is celebrating NewYear’s Eve with a whole hog pig roast on Dec. 31, 8pm-2am.Tickets are $100 per person and include devilled eggs, cornbread, hush puppies with pimento cheese spread, okra, suckling pig roast and crackling with buttermilk buns, mac ‘n’ cheese and southern slaw, and for dessert, apple turnovers, rocky road brownies, and sweet banana pudding. Pescatarian and vegetarian options available. MamieTaylors.com Wildebeest is offering a special NYE four-course menu, available all evening with multiple seatings. Options include arctic char with golden roe, beet terrine with goat’s cheese, venison carpaccio, oxtail agnolotti, hamachi tuna with cured ham broth, butternut squash gnocchi, pheasant breast with quail roulade, smoked sablefish with potato pave, spinach tagliatelle, beef striploin, cheese or dessert.Tickets are $69 per person.Wildebeest.ca W

Legendary Noodle 2013

ORDER ONLINE at whitespot.ca

GRANVILLE & DRAKE 718 Drake Street 604-605-0045

We proudly serve the West End neighbourhood with Gold Standard.

CALL 310-SPOT

7768

GEORGIA & CARDERO 1616 West Georgia Street 604-681-8034

8 W December 24 - December 30, 2015

DUNSMUIR & HOMER 405 Dunsmuir Street 604-899-6072

BROADWAY & LARCH 2518 West Broadway 604-731-2434

OAKRIDGE CENTRE 41st & Cambie 604-261-2820

1074 Denman St. 604-669-8551 LegendaryNoodle.ca Lunch Specials • Gluten Free noodles available

Westender.com

ARTS // CULTURE

@WESTENDERVAN

NYE GUIDE

There’s no shortage of things to do this New Year’s Eve in Vancouver. Clockwise from top left: Bed of Stars headlines the 102.7 The Peak FM’s New Year’s Eve Van; The Ballantynes will have The Fox Cabaret movin’ for Motown New Year’s; Hannah Georgas appears at One Night Stand VIII at The Imperial; Dawn Pemberton hosts her own New Year’s musical party at Frankie’s; Peach Cobblah performs at XY as part of Hustla: NYE. Contributed photos

Your guide to New Year’s Eve

WESTENDER STAFF @westendervan

Decisions, decisions...

New Year’s Eve is here again, and that means there’s a party happening at every bar, club and restaurant in the city. So where are you going to watch the ball drop?

Lucky for you, we’ve gathered the best bashes, greatest galas and most superlative shows here in one place.

And do yourself a favour: eat a good dinner and don’t throw up on anyone’s shoes. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

NEW YEARS EVE VAN Vancouver finally gets its own outdoor party, fun for the whole family.

Visit the 102.7 PEAK stage at Canada Place Way for live music from Bed of Stars, Current Swell, We Are The City, the Matinee and more! Kid-friendly countdown at 9pm, in conjunction with the east coast and again at midnight complete with fireworks over the harbour. 6pm at Waterfront (Coal Harbour).

NEW YEARS EVE EXTRAVAGANZA CLUB CRAWL 2016 Can’t decide where to go on NYE? Join the party bus and gain instant access to four of the hottest parties with no lines, no cover charges, drink specials, and party favours. 6pm at The Pint.

Tickets $30 at ClubZone.com A L’EPOQUE: MASQUERADE DINNER Stand apart this NYE and join chef Montgomery Lau on a culinary journey that ends with a salute to Marie Antoinette, with musical accompaniment from pianist Trevor Hoffman. Inspired by the romance of Versailles Masquerade, masks are required and black tie optional. 6:30pm at Secret Location (1 Water). Tickets $225 at SecretLocation.ca HUSTLA: NYE @ XY Your

Westender.com

favourite homo hip-hop sweata-thon returns to the West End’s crown jewel for the most unpretentious, grindiest dance floor with all hip hop and R&B all night. Hosted by Peach Cobblah, with performances from Jane Smokr, Your Tipsy Aunt at a Wedding Shanda Leer and music by DJ Jef Leppard. 7pm at XY (1216 Bute).

Tickets $15 at EventBrite.ca

Zone.com, or $20 at the door.

YOB Doom metal band out of Portland, Oregon, play a NYE show with special guests Bison, and Astrakhan. 7pm at Rickshaw Theatre. Tickets $25+ at Neptoon, Red Cat, Scrape, and TicketFly.com

FORTUNE SOUND NYE 2016 Join Physik, Adlib, Sailor Gerry, and Seko for hip-hop, trap, R&B, dancehall and reggae ringing in the new year with a balloon drop, party favours, confetti cannon and complimentary bubbly at midnight.

9pm at Fortune Sound Club.

Tickets $30 at FortuneSoundClub.ElectroStub.com

COCAINE MUSTACHE Bands, booze, and burlesque at this dangerously wild rock ‘n roll extravaganza featuring the stellar talents of legendary blues-rock band with guests Muddy Goats, Whiskey River Gun Club and The Tassel Twirlers Burlesque Beauties. 8pm at Railway Club.

Tickets $15 at Zulu, Highlife, Red Cat, and TicketZone.com, or $20 at the door.

ONE NIGHT STAND VIII Join some of Vancouver’s best musicians to ring in the new year, featuring members of Yukon Blonde, Rococode, Brasstronaut, and Hey Ocean, as well as Adaline, Hannah Georgas, Louise Burns, Dominique Fricot and others. With complimentary treats from Phillips Brewing.

8:30pm at The Imperial. Tickets $50 at HipCityMusic.ca/tickets BIG JOHN BATES Round out your year with the southern gothic, post-apocalyptic dark sounds of BJB in this debaucherous flurry of sound with guests Alchemy Chamber, Year of the Wolf, DJ Brandy Bones and the Tassel Twirlers Burlesque Beauties. 9pm at Media Club. Tickets $15 at Zulu, Highlife, Red Cat, and Ticket-

CIRQUE GALA NYE 2016 Ring in the new year at Vancouver’s premiere nightclub with a host of DJ’s in three rooms on three floors, cirque performance artists, silk aerialists, stilt walkers, contortionists, and a countdown you won’t forget. 9pm at Five Sixty. Tickets $50 at Beat Street, or at Twisted.ca

MAN UP Ponyboy and all the usual suspects return for the queer NYE event of the year in the most intimate space this party has seen. In a beautiful setting reminiscent of a loft style apartment, we raise glasses to the legacies of foregone spaces that have shaped this community. Performances from Rose Butch, Owen, Ponyboy & Majik, Thank Jem, go-go dancing from Le Roy Wan aka Gei Sha and music by Skylar Love, DJ Bey, and DJ T keeps the party going until 4am. 9pm at a surprise Main Street location TBA. Tickets $20+ at Little Sisters and ManUpNYE16.BrownPaperTickets.com TELUS WORLD OF SCIENCE NEW YEARS EVE 2016 One of the biggest countdowns in Vancouver, with two rooms of music on two floors, six of Vancouver’s top DJs, with five bars and an amazing sound and lighting system and over a thousand party-goers. 9pm at Telus World of Science. Tickets $85 at ClubZone.com

NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH DAWN PEMBERTON Join the Vancouver vocal powerhouse for an evening of everything from gospel and soul to jazz and funk with Mike Ardagh on drums, Ian Cox on piano, and Derek DiFilippo on bass. 9pm at Frankie’s (765 Beatty). Tickets $90 (includes 3-course dinner) at SeatMe.Yelp.com NEW YEAR’S EVE WITH QUEER AS FUNK! The funk-soulMotown East Van dance band brings it home to the WISE Hall this year with surprise special guests, DJ Slade, complimentary champagne, photo booth by fubarfoto and a crowd of the sharpest dressed folks in a safe, inclusive environment to ring in the new year. 9pm at WISE Hall.

Tickets at NYEQAF.BrownPaperTickets.com.

NYE UNDER THE STARS Ditch the bright lights, gather your crew and celebrate a monumental year under the night sky as it sparkles with planets and stars in a magical evening of the best electronic, and hip hop. Red carpet entrance, balloon drop, live dancers, and complimentary champagne.

9pm at Venue. Tickets $20 at VenueLive.ElectroStub.com NYE WATERFRONT GALA BALL Ring in the new year in style with DJ Ryan and DJ Kidd in two grand ballrooms, and DJ Skyline at the Grey Goose Ice Bar. State of the art sound and lighting, photo booth, appetizers, party favours, champagne toast and a live countdown to a massive balloon drop. Must be 25, and know how to dress accordingly. 9pm at Fairmont Waterfront. Tickets $120 at ClubZone.com NYE 2016 The six-year anniversary of this annual party is back in the tallest building in Vancouver with the most breathtaking

views. Celebrate the end of 2015 with four rooms, including the grand ballroom, DJ’s Rashad Rawkus & C-Styles.

Dress to impress, this affair only calls for classy styles. 8pm at Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver.

Tickets $120 at ClubZone.com POP, FIZZ, CLINK Join us for a NYE 2016 Yaletown celebration as Bar None is transformed into a ‘60s art-deco style night club with an all-night dessert bar, live performances, a special midnight countdown and DJ Christian Flores who keeps you dancing until 4am. 9pm at Bar None. Tickets $35 at TicketZone.com GUILTY PLEASURE NYE PROM The Biltmore is transformed into the prom you wished you’d had with all the songs you love from DJs Fink & Sea, the Gal Pals and Ernold Sane.

Cotton candy, prom photos, a kissing booth, food trucks, and complimentary champagne at midnight, so grab your squad and look sharp, there’s prizes for prom royalty! 9:30pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets $15 at TicketFly.com ILLUMINATE: NYE 2016 Embrace self-indulgence and extravagant excess as we lower our inhibitions to let loose in luxurious fashion on the final night of 2015. Stimulant J and Floetic of the Dynasty Boys keep the beats flowin’ until 4am.

Hosted by Dom Perignon, LCU Nightlife, and New Era Productions. 10pm at MIA (350 Water).

Tickets $30 at AreYouMIA.ElectroStub.com. Reserve a table at vip@thisisblueprint.com NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION Ring in the New Year with compassion and beneficial intentions with hors d’oeuvres, and then a brief introduction to the practice of the Buddha of Compassion. An arrange-

ment of prayers and mantras follows with a guided meditation taking you into the New Year with fellow practitioners.

9:30pm at Kadampa Meditation Centre Vancouver (1833 Victoria Diversion). Tickets $20 at WisdomCompassion.wufoo. com, 604-221-2271 or info@ kmcvancouver.org

NORDIC TRAX AT OPEN STUDIOS Sweat your ass off on the dance floor with house DJ Johnny Fiasco, producer/ DJ Luke McKeehan, Joel Armstrong, and Iain Howie.

Visuals from Bent Matter – dress accordingly, get your tickets fast and be prepared to go until 4am. 10pm at Open Studios (252 East 1st). Tickets at $40 at Beat Street, Zulu, Highlife, Puff, Vinyl Records, Tom Lee and TicketZone.com

MOTOWN NEW YEAR’S Launch into 2016 with this actionpacked evening of comedy with the Sunday Service, live music from the Ballantynes, ‘80s and ‘90s classics with Heaven, and the World Famous Motown Party dances you into the wee hours with SlimRoy and Roy Abel after a champagne toast at midnight. 8pm at Fox Cabaret.

Tickets at $32+ at EventBrite.ca

NYE YEAR IN REVIEW TheatreSports improv masters take you on a journey back through the headlines of 2015 in this unique show staged with audience suggestions, party favours and complimentary bubbly. 11:15pm at The Improv Centre. Tickets $36+ at Tickets.

VTSL.com NOMEANSNO CLONES THE RAMONES Legendary local post-punk band performs your favourite Ramones covers at SBC (109 East Hastings). With guests, the Tubuloids. Doors at 8pm, tickets $20 at the door or in advance from the venue. W

December 24 - December 30, 2015 W 9

ARTS // CULTURE

WESTENDER.COM

WHAT’S ON Th/24

Fr/25

THEATRE/DANCE

CHEAP & FUN

A CHRISTMAS STORY The classic holiday favourite gets a musical spin on the tale familiar to anyone who has ever been a kid. For nine-year-old Ralphie, only an Official Red Ryder BB gun will do under the tree, and this Canadian premiere is a holiday gift for the whole family. 1:30pm at Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com.

Runs until Dec. 27.

VANCOUVER AQUARIUM Drop by the aquarium for some festive fun with the 4-D Polar Express experience, electric eel-powered Christmas tree, LED-lit origami jellies and Pete Clarkson’s educational marine debris tree, built entirely from trash collected from BC shorelines. Throughout the galleries you’ll find plenty of holiday activities, shows and interactive displays to engage the whole family. Open Christmas Day from 11:30am-4pm.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE The acclaimed holiday production is back, with the story of George Bailey and the townsfolk in Bedford Falls, who with the help of guardian angel Clarence Odbody, are reminded that faith, hope, love, and family are what make life truly wonderful. 1:30pm at Granville Island Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com.

Runs until Dec. 26.

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER The story of the celebrated character traces his journey from lonely orphan to beloved boy hero, on an adventure taking him aboard the decks of the Neverland ship. 1:30pm at Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre. Tickets at ArtsClub. com. Runs until Jan. 10.

ICE SKATING AT ROBSON SQUARE Glide along the ice at Vancouver’s only outdoor ice rink, with skate rentals available and group rates for large parties. Open Christmas Day from 12-5pm at Robson Square.

ST. PAUL’S HOSPITAL LIGHTS OF HOPE Bring the whole family for a walk-by of Vancouver’s most cheerful light display – 100,000 colourful bulbs, shining a light on the hospital’s biggest fundraiser of the year. From dusk til dawn at 1081 Burrard.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH Back by popular demand, the family-friendly musical invites you to watch as James is shipped off to live with his wretched aunts, and all seems lost until he discovers a magical peach inhabited by fantastical creatures. 2pm at Waterfront Theatre. Tickets at Tickets.CarouselTheatre.ca.

Runs until Jan. 3.

Su/27

Greg Beamish, Dec. 26

MUSIC GREG BEAMISH BOXING DAY BASH Vancouver hip-hop artist brings his energizing brand of rap to a post-holiday show with special guests Michael Rushden, Lord Diamonds, Tyler Skyy, Rhymeztein, and Joey Beams. 8pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets $10 at TicketFly.com SYRE Vancouver DJ/producer performs with special guests Momantix, Thomas Workshop and Wmnstudies. 10pm at Alexander Gastown. Tickets $10 at TicketWeb.ca JAKE TOUZEL Acoustic folk musician plays in his hometown to celebrate the release of his EP Bad Faith, with special guests Gravity Pistol, Tylor David, and Cassandra Bangel. 7:30pm at Studio Records. Tickets $10 at TicketWeb.ca or $12 at the door.

POOR HOLIDAY DECISIONS Unwind from family holiday time with DJs JJEVVV, Con$sent, Akanak, Crazy Boy, and Mookie.

10pm at The Astoria. Tickets $5 at the door only.

CHEAP & FUN CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL Celebrate Christmas with two of the church’s most popular services of the year. At 1pm, Gospel Christmas for the City, with music by the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir. And at 4pm, Carols for the City, with music by the Salvation Army Band. TheCathedral.ca

Sa/26

BOXING DAY RAVE-UP!! A perfect cure for your holiday hangover with I, Braineater, Full Leather Jackets, and Shadooby Rats. 9:30pm at LanaLou’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Eatery. Tickets $10 at the door only.

The Polar Express 4-D Experience at the Vancouver Aquarium

CONTACT Winter EDM music fest features two days of live performances from Above & Beyond, Hardwell, Steve Angello,

DJ Snake, Klingande, and many more. 5pm at BC Place Stadium.

Tickets $150+ at Contact-Festival.com. Runs until Dec. 27.

COMEDY RON VAUDRY A headlining favourite with appearances at Just For Laughs, Edinburgh Comedy Fest and on network TV, Vaudry’s cynical, angry and controversial comedic talent is savoured worldwide; with opening sets from David Maclean, Ryan Lachance, and Kevin Foxx.

8pm & 10:30pm at Comedy Mix. Tickets $18 at TheComedyMix. com

THEATRE/DANCE A CHRISTMAS CAROL: ON THE AIR A tale as old as time breathes new life as the beloved holiday story is transformed into a live 1940s radio show in this stage production from Peter Church. 8pm at Pacific Theatre.

Tickets at PacificTheatre.org or at 604-731-5518. Runs until Jan. 2.

CHEAP & FUN SPIKE & MIKE’S FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION At long last, Spike & Mike’s returns to The Rio to your stuff your stocking with a very special sick & twisted Christmas show, featuring some filthy old seasonal chestnuts and a few new nuggets of wicked goodness thrown in for good measure. 9:30pm at Rio Theatre. Tickets $15 at RioTheatreTickets.ca

Mo/28

MUSIC

THEATRE/DANCE

JON AND ROY Folk rock-reggae outfit from Victoria play in support of their new album, Riverside, with special guests Kandle, and Luca Fogale. 7pm at The Imperial. Tickets $17 at TicketWeb.ca

SLEEPING BEAUTY PANTO A modern approach to the beloved fairy tale from writer/ director Catherine Morrison maintains the magic and romance of the original while injecting a little contemporary comedy. 7pm at Metro Theatre.

Tickets at MetroTheatre.com.

Runs until Jan. 2.

JAZZ VESPERS The 17-piece 45th Avenue jazz band brings together some of the grooviest musicians in the lower mainland to present the best swing and jazz from Bassie to Goodwin. 4pm at St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church. Admission by donation.

MATCH BOX BLUES BAND Local blues musicians perform for the Sunday series, featuring Jhan Dudley, the King of the Blues accompanied by John Burton, Bruce Mortimer, Martin Eade, and special guests Bob Voytcheff, and David Friedman.

8pm at Cottage Bistro. Admission by donation.

COMEDY CRAFTY COMEDY Open-mic format comedy from some of Vancouver’s best; seasoned vets, bright-eyed newbies, a joke contest, “Roast The Host” challenge and drink specials, brought to you by Jonny Paul.

9pm at 12 Kings Pub (395 Kingsway). No cover.

THEATRE/DANCE KITTY NIGHTS: HAPPY NUDE YEAR As the year comes to a close, usher it in with a big burlesque bash with performances from Burgundy Brixx, Rebel Valentine, Socratease, Dalliance Nyx, and Mz. Harla Quin followed by a glittery dance party with DJ Evilyn. 8pm at Biltmore Cabaret. Tickets $7 at the door.

CHELSEA HOTEL: THE SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN A special holiday run of the smash hit musical – a powerful and inspirational production of the songs of the Canadian icon from six performers playing 17 different instruments.

3pm at Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets at FirehallArtsCentre.ca. Runs until Jan. 9.

COMEDY 2015 YEAR IN REVIEW A year full of laughs all packed into one show as the Vancouver Theatre Sports League’s improvisers take you on a journey through the biggest, hottest headlines of 2015. 7:30pm & 9:15pm at The Improv Centre. Tickets at Tickets.VTSL.com

CHEAP & FUN CHRISTMAS AT CANADA PLACE Capture the spirit of the season and stroll along the waterfront to experience the nostalgic tradition of the Woodward’s windows, Christmas tree displays, crafts, a holiday movie tent and the 15 ft. snow globe you can take a snapshot inside. 12-6pm daily. Visit CanadaPlace.ca for details. Runs until Dec. 30.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS VanDusen Botanical Garden lights up the night with its annual holiday festival, where thousands of twinkling lights decorate the gardens, turning it into a magical winter wonderland, fun for the whole family with holiday treats and photos with Santa.

4:30pm at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Tickets at VanDusenGarden.org. Runs until Dec. 31.

EVENTS YOUTH POETRY SLAM Feeling haggard and low on batteries?

Come recharge and reinvigorate at December’s slam devoted to poets 13-20 years of age with feature performer Maya Hersh, of Seattle. 8pm at Café Deux Soleils. Tickets $4+ at the door.

Save $20 on a Playland Season PlayPass at !

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WHAT’S ON Tu/29

We/30

Th/31

MUSIC

THEATRE/DANCE

EVENTS

HOT CHIP British electronica band performs a DJ set with support from local spinsters My Gay Husband! and Kalibo. 8pm at Fortune Sound Club. Tickets $25 at BPLive.ElectroStub.com

EBENEEZER – A CHRISTMAS GHOST STORY The holiday classic get a dark and twisted rewrite with an entertaining new musical score in a vividly re-imagined story celebrating the grim and macabre aspects of the original. 8pm at Jericho Arts Centre. Special talk back performance. Tickets at TicketsTonight.TicketForce.com. Runs until Jan. 2.

FAMILY FIRST NEW YEARS EVE Cozy up to the warmth of the fire pits for hot apple cider and s’mores after snow tubing, tobogganing, and a family-friendly show from Tickles & Yowza the Clowns, Shmendrick the Wizard and Vesta fire entertainers, and stay for an early countdown at 9pm. 6pm at Mount Seymour.

Tickets at $15+ at WebSales.

MountSeymour.com

HANSEL AND GRETEL: AN EAST VAN PANTO This year’s edition of the weird and wonderful panto is the story of the infamous brother-sister duo, complete with a gingerbread house, and a cute little cannibal witch. 2pm & 7pm at York Theatre. Tickets at Tickets.TheCultch.com. Runs until Jan. 3.

FAMILY NEW YEAR’S EVE ON GROUSE Kick off 2016 at the peak of Vancouver with a glide on the outdoor mountaintop pond, a snow carpet down the new Sliding Zone, or be awed by the magical outdoor light walk around Blue Grouse Lake or the live family-friendly performances all followed by a special 9pm countdown for the littlest revelers. 5pm at Grouse Mountain. Tickets $7-$20 at GrouseMountain.com

NERO British electronica trio – featuring producers Dan Stephens and Joe Ray with vocalist Alana Watson – performs a DJ set. 9pm at Commodore Ballroom. Tickets $42.50+ at LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.ca

COMEDY NOVELTY ACT Sara Bynoe and Riel Hahn are back with a night of comedy and storytelling with half priced cocktails in a fabulous intimate setting. 8pm at The Emerald. Tickets $8 at EventBrite.com or $10 at the door.

REMINISCE: A COMEDIC LOOK BACK AT 2015 The last Hot Improv Tuesday of 2015, with The Fictionals and friends takes a comedic look back at the biggest headlines, and hottest stars of the year – all powered by your suggestions. 8pm at Café Deux Soleils. Tickets $7 at TheFictionals.com

THE RIVALS Blackbird Theatre celebrates a decade on the stage with this wickedly witty, joyfully irreverent production of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s comic masterpiece, a tale of mistaken identity and overwrought romance. 8pm at Vancouver East Cultural Centre.

Tickets at Tickets.TheCultch. com. Runs until Jan. 23.

THEATRE/DANCE

CHEAP & FUN

THE NUTCRACKER Alberta Ballet presents its exquisite production of the holiday classic, set in turn of the century Imperial Russia, an era of opulent grandeur magnified by the costume design of Zack Brown, and choreography of Edmund Stripe.

7:30pm at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets at Ticketmaster. ca. Runs until Dec. 31.

BRIGHT NIGHTS CHRISTMAS TRAIN All aboard the Christmas train as it travels the Stanley Park Train plaza to see the sparkle of over three million twinkling lights, breathtaking displays, and live performers along the route. 10am-2:30pm, and 3-10pm daily at Stanley Park. Tickets at TicketLeader.ca.

Runs until Jan. 2.

ART

ENCHANTED NIGHTS Bring your imagination to explore the whimsical wonders of a miniature world of artisan fairies and sprite villages donned with magical lights and set to holiday music and live entertainment amongst the dome’s tropical plants and exotic birds. 4pm at Bloedel Conservatory. Tickets $8.50+ at TicketsTonight.TicketForce.com. Runs until Jan. 3.

WORKS FROM DOROTHY DOHERTY AND ANNE GAZE An examination of the (sometimes devastating) effects of human kind on the natural world surrounding us in a variety of mediums from two Canadian artists. Opening reception 6-8pm at Vancouver East Cultural Centre (In The Gallery).

Runs until Jan. 23.

There is more online

NEW YEARS EVE VAN Vancouver finally gets its own outdoor party, fun for the whole family.

Visit the 102.7 PEAK stage at Canada Place Way for live music from Bed of Stars, Current Swell, We Are The City, The Matinee and more! Kid-friendly countdown at 9pm, in conjunction with the east coast and again at midnight complete with fireworks over the harbour. 6pm at Waterfront (Coal Harbour).

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT TEN TEN TAPAS Vancouver’s own horn ace Gabriel Hasselbach hosts a New Year’s Eve dinner bash, with guest vocalists Lisa Fennell and Cecile LaRochelle, and pianist-singer Rob Weaver.

5:30pm & 8:30pm at Ten Ten Tapas (1010 Beach Avenue).

Tickets $65+ at EventBrite.ca

FOR FULL NEW YEAR’S EVE LISTINGS, SEE PAGES 8 AND 9.

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Vote online at westender.com/contests.

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MUSIC

Star Wars sequel steeped in nostalgia STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Staring Daisy Ridley, Harrison Ford Directed by J.J. Abrams

From left to right: YOB’s Travis Foster, Mike Scheidt and Aaron Rieseberg pay the Rickshaw Theatre a visit this New Year’s Eve, with guests Bison and Astrakhan.

James Rexroad photo

YOB transmutes the darkness ALLAN MACINNIS @westendervan

YOB founder, vocalist and guitarist Mike Scheidt doesn’t like to “dwell in the dark.”

“I think everybody has some kind of fascination with, y’know, violence and hate and giving up. I think everyone has their moments, or lives in that to some degree,” he says when reached on the phone in Oregon. “But I tend to want to transcend and move through those feelings in myself. Not right, not wrong, I just don’t want to stay there.”

YOB’s 2014 album Clearing the Path to Ascend – which won the unexpected honour of being named the No. 1 metal album of its year by Rolling Stone magazine – is itself a good example of what Scheidt is talking about. Written in the wake of a divorce and

Scheidt’s decision to wean himself off antidepressants, it’s not a particularly happy record. The music is what some might describe as “punishingly” heavy, and the lyrics – for example, in the most straightforward song on the album, “Nothing to Win” – talk of things like taking a “weary heart” and “bleed[ing] it out”, of “clutching trusted lies / feeling sick inside”, of living a life where “everything we love / is everything we break.”

It’s powerful, it’s painful, and it’s not exactly pretty – but that’s only part of the story.

Each of the album’s four tracks – each one long enough to claim a side of the double vinyl release – works as a sort of therapy, entering the darkness only to release and rise above it.

The ascension of the title is a personal one, Scheidt explains. “[It’s] not letting

REVIEWS // THUS OWLS

Black Matter (Secret City) The past two years have certainly been productive for Swedish-Canadian duo Thus Owls. Since relocating to Montreal, husband and wife Simon and Erika Angell have produced a pair of albums in as many years, beginning with 2014’s Turning Rocks, which made the

Polaris Music Prize long list. Their latest effort, Black Matter, is a 30-minute, six-song EP full of sparse

12 W December 24 - December 30, 2015

the stuff that I was struggling with beat me, ascending, moving beyond it, and maybe even transmuting that energy into something more workable and kinder.”

So how does Scheidt approach writing these songs?

Does he tap into his own demons, seeking primarily a personal release, or does he craft the songs with the needs of the audience in mind?

“I kind of feel like it’s a balance,” he says. “When you’re potentially working on music there has to be a suspension of time, and almost memory, where things kinda disappear. And when that happens, that’s kind of where music starts happening.”

As with past YOB albums, there are references to various spiritual practices.

The first song begins with a sample of late BritishAmerican Zen philosopher Alan Watts, saying, “Time

to wake up.” There’s also a lyrical reference to rigpa, a Tibetan concept that refers, Scheidt explains, to both “compassion” and “transcendence”; of being aware that the drama of the world that we live in is only one level of existence.

“We can zoom out farther and farther, and we don’t really know what any of this means,” he says. “[So we should] try to have a little bit of a lighter touch.”

Given how reflective Scheidt is, does he ever find himself at odds with the metal scene? Audiences can, after all, be kind of violent, kind of drunken, kind of self-indulgent, no?

“People are expressing what they have in them at that time,” he answers.

“And it’s not always pretty to look at. But it’s real. I don’t support certain kinds of behaviours, for sure, but then you go to the shows and there it is. Go to a Tra-

orchestral arrangements (with strings courtesy of Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason) that are equal parts whimsy and dread.

Erika’s Joanna Newsomesque vocals lilt gently over the strings and synths, with the band favouring experimentation over the more radio-friendly compositions that appeared on their last album.

The best example of this comes on the album’s title

track, which is built on a fuzzed out snare and highhat, layered with creepy synths, samples, and vocal oddities. The result is weird, unsettling, and utterly compelling. This is experimental pop in the spirit of FKA Twigs or even the Dirty Projectors, though not nearly as ground-breaking.

“Vector” is a three-minute instrumental interlude that would not have been out of place on Phoenix’s

vis Tritt concert if you want to see violence, and watch a bunch of drunk hicks beat the shit out of each other all night.”

Those things can certainly happen at metal shows, Scheidt notes, but they typically aren’t as violent as the stereotype might suggest.

“But there is, of course, a lot of unconsciousness,” he says, referring to the lack of enlightenment and attentiveness, and not to the general level of intoxication at metal shows (especially ones on New Year’s Eve).

“I don’t think it’s just metal,” he says. “I think it’s humanity in general.” W

YOB

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Bankrupt, while album closer “We Leave We Forget” taps into a ‘90s chillwave vibe, punctuated by Tom Verlaine-inspired minimalist guitar flourishes.

Despite just being six songs in length, Black Matter marks a small step in an interesting direction for a band not content with sitting still.

–Robert Mangelsdorf Rating:

!!!!!

Bringing die-hard Star Wars fans back into the fold following creator George Lucas’ much-maligned prequels was no easy task.

After months of hype and a stunning lack of plot details, director JJ Abrams finally unveils perhaps his most scrutinized film yet with The Force Awakens.

The results, depending on where one falls on the spectrum, are both thrilling and oddly derivative.

Set some 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, Episode VII begins with a typical MacGuffin mystery as revealed immediately in the classic Star Wars opening text crawl. The less said about the movie’s unfolding story the better, but it basically involves newcomers Daisy Ridley, a mysterious scavenger girl left on a desert planet, Oscar Isaac as an elite Xwing pilot fighting for good with the Resistance, and John Boyega playing a First Order Stormtrooper who might not be up to the task of wreaking havoc on the galaxy.

Of course, there are familiar faces who fans will be delighted to see return, namely Harrison Ford’s charming rogue Han Solo, who steps back into his iconic role effortlessly.

The Force Awakens features a surprising amount of practical effects and location shooting, giving this new adventure a tactile feeling - a refreshing change from the artifice of the prequels. Abrams and crew have created an authentic Star Wars film, complete with action, humour, and pathos; and yet, one can’t help being somewhat unsatisfied with the plot’s retreading of so many elements already explored in Episodes IV-VI. W –Thor Diakow

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THEATRE & FILM

The Rivals a matter of love and death

Sheridan’s first play does the honours for Blackbird’s 10th anniversary season KELSEY KLASSEN @kelseyklassen

It might have been Meatloaf who sang, “I would do anything for love,” but the lyrics were surely meant for Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

It was 1772 and the Irish playwright and poet had a problem: Sheridan’s new wife, renowned singer and looker Eliza Linley, had just been publicly defamed in a newspaper advertisement by a former suitor. Sheridan’s honour was apparently so enraged by the act that he challenged the rival, Captain Thomas Mathews, to a duel.

They clashed first by candlelight in a tavern in Covent Garden, London, where Sheridan emerged victorious and unscathed.

Humiliated by the defeat and subsequent publicity, however, Mathews challenged Sheridan to a rematch, with societal pressures of the time forcing Sheridan acquiesce.

Both were wounded in the second duel, but Sheridan grievously so – his head severely beaten about by the hilt of a sword. Eight days

later, though, a newspaper announcement declared that Sheridan would make a full recovery, while Mathews was reported to have escaped by horse-drawn carriage. (Oh, for the exhilarating days of covering duels in the newsroom…)

A few years later, Sheridan would turn to playwriting to support his and his wife’s lavish lifestyle and, by the age of 24, had completed his first play, The Rivals – an irreverent and acclaimed “comedy of manners”, which Blackbird Theatre is presenting Dec. 28-Jan. 23 at the Cultch.

The Rivals marks the 10th anniversary for the Vancouver theatre company, which has become known for filling this Christmas timeslot with the brilliance of timeless classics.

Based loosely on Sheridan’s real-life battle, The Rivals follows the exploits of Captain Jack Absolute (Vancouver export Martin Happer) as he courts the attention of a bookishly romantic young heiress (Emma Slipp) while fending off her other suitors.

“I don’t know exactly how close to his experience [The Rivals] was, but I have a feeling it’s not terribly close,” says Happer, with a laugh. “If you read about his experience, it’s actually horrifying.

I mean, he almost died! [But] he’s turned that experience into this buoyant comedy. The

Martin Happer and Emma Slipp star in Blackbird Theatre’s The Rivals. Tim Matheson photo play is nothing but fun and ridiculous,” Happer adds.

Born out of the Restoration comedy era, “comedies of manners” are known for being bawdy, satirical critiques on the rules and affectations of society. Often rooted in scandal, they set the scene with larger-than-life characters that twist themselves into ridiculous situations.

It’s all very British.

Directed by Jessie Awardwinning Johnna Wright, this particular masterpiece, how-

ever, takes its tale of mistaken identity and overwrought romance from the 18th-century into the drawing rooms of Downton Abbey-ish Edwardian England.

Rounded out with an all-star cast of Vancouverbased classical actors – Gabrielle Rose as the linguistically challenged Mrs. Malaprop (the origin of the term “malapropism”), Scott Bellis, Duncan Fraser, Luisa Jojic, Kirk Smith, John Emmet Tracy, and Jenny Wasko-Paterson –

The Rivals pits love, honour, obligation, and giant cock-ups against one another. “[Jack has] made a grand faux pas,” explains Happer, his Dudley Do-Right-esque baritone perfectly suited for a misguided romantic lead.

“His thinking is that he has a better chance of winning this gal’s heart if he pretends to be somebody else […] because he knows she has these really romantic ideas in her head.

She wants to marry for love, she wants to marry someone

who’s poor,” he continues.

“She has all these grand ideas of what a real romance should be. So [Jack] presents himself to her originally as some other guy – lower in rank and poor. And of course this gets him into all sorts of trouble.”

It’s fairly familiar territory for Happer, who has spent 10 seasons with Ontario’s Euro-centric Shaw Festival, and was most recently back in Vancouver for British romp One Man,Two Guvnors with the Arts Club.

“This era [comedy of manners] is something that I haven’t really explored a lot professionally, but I find myself acting with an English accent more than I do any other accent. Even my own Canadian one!” he admits with a laugh. “I am drawn to that stuff. I like to think that I’m okay at doing that stuff,” he adds, cheekily. “And working at the Shaw Festival, obviously, you do a lot of plays that are British or European and a lot of them take place in a drawing room.

“When you get down to it, [The Rivals] is actually quite a bit different, but on the spectrum of things, it’s a short journey away from what I’m used to doing.” W ! The Rivals runs Dec. 28Jan. 23 at the Cultch (1895 Venables).Tickets from $29; TheCultch.com

White Ninja’s six-second stories

Vancouver filmmakers bring narrative storytelling toVine Sabrina Furminger Reel People @Sabrinarmf

Six episodes of White Ninja were available for viewing by the time I interviewed one of its creators – and I was able to screen them all in under a minute.

Technically, I watched the first episode three times, and the second episode twice.

That’s when I realized that the episodes restarted automatically, and that in order to get to the next episode, I had to scroll up the page.

Even factoring in the repeats, in the minute before I picked up the phone, I watched half a dozen episodes of this new, locally-made show.

Usually I need a couple of hours to accomplish this kind of binge. Or a weekend. Or at least a pee break.

White Ninja is a web series,

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but it isn’t your average web series, where episodes typically clock in at four minutes or less.

It’s the first original narrative series to be developed specifically forVine, the social media platform where users upload and share six-second videos.

“Well, they say six seconds, but you can get an extra 0.4 in there,” laughsTyler Funk, head honcho at North of Now Films who co-produced White Ninja with David Kaye and Jameson Parker ofWhiskaye Films.

“It’s like scrolling through your Instagram feed. It’s something you can watch when you’re on the bus.”

6.4 seconds doesn’t sound like a lot, but apparently it’s all you need to tell a story.

In this case, that story revolves aroundWhite Ninja, star of more than 1,300 web comics that ran from 2002 to 2012 as part of the National Lampoon Humor Network, and, for a couple of years, on Cracked.com.

The creation of Scott Bevan and Kent Earle,White Ninja – according to the synopsis on the series’Vine page – operates “on the same mental level as turtles and peanuts.”

“He’s just out for adventures, like chasing down a highfive, searching for treasure,

or getting into trouble,” says Funk. “He’s not necessarily super-aware of what happens in the adult world.”

Funk had been a fan of White Ninja back in high school, and thought it was the perfect candidate for aVine series because the comics were always hilarious and brief.

“I think what translates well toVine is that they are these short little snippets,” says Funk.

“We don’t necessarily have narrative arcs ofWhite Ninja trying to achieve an objective.

Rather, there’s a certain sense of absurdity to it that works well with theVine format.”

There’s a civic planning sesh with an adversarial cowboy, and a high-stakes showdown with a rogue banana peel.

What happens whenWhite Ninja gets in a pool and suddenly needs to pee?Where does he stand on the age-old pie vs. cake debate?TheVine series answers these questions, and more, 6.4 seconds at a time.

Don’t let the diminutive length fool you: it’s taken a lot of work to bring this 60-episode series toVine, not the least of which was trying to explain the concept to potential funders and creative partners.

“Even with the IPF [Independent Production Fund, which ultimately green-lit the series], we said, ‘Hey, we want to make six-second episodes,’ and they’ve never funded a Vine series before,” says Funk.

“It becomes one of those things of, how do you measure success on a platform on which no one has tried to do a project like this before?”

Besides the IPF, Funk and co.’s recipe for success required at least 30 people. Among them: multiple writers, directors, and actor Paul Scheer, the latter of whom is best known for playing Andre Nowzick on FX’s The League.

Scheer recorded 60 episodes’ worth of dialogue during a whirlwind three-hour session in LA earlier this year.

The production team invited established local directors (like Afterparty’s Michelle Ouellet, and Matthew Clarke of Convos With My 2-year-old) as well as topViners (like Stewart Reynolds, Brandon Bowen, Gabe Erwin, and Esa Fung) to direct five episodes per person.

Animation was the job of one artist alone: Erick Grigorovski.

The team is committed to re-inventing the Sunday comic strip, but not without honour-

A scene from the new Vine series, White Ninja. Contributed ing White Ninja’s static roots.

White Ninja’s creators have acted as creative consultants over the course of the production process, says Funk. Bevan wrote 25 of the episodes, and longtime fans of the series will see 10 of their favourite comics given a second life onVine.

“While we’re heading into this new platform, I want to be true to what White Ninja is,” says Funk.

The rest of the episodes were scripted by eight writers during three immersive “writers’ room” sessions last summer.

White Ninja launched at

Whistler Film Festival in early December. New episodes are available everyTuesday,Thursday, and Sunday.

To date, White Ninja has logged more than 6.8 million loops (Vine-speak for views).

Funk is happy with the numbers, but that’s not how he’s measuring success.

“For me, ultimately, if I watch something and I laugh, that’s the success that I’m in control of,” says Funk. “And I’m laughing.”

If you’ve got a minute or two, you can binge (and immediately re-binge) at Vine.co/ WhiteNinja. W

December 24 - December 30, 2015 W 13

LIFESTYLES //

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REAL ESTATE

Downtown Eastside tech hub preps for 2016 launch

First Technology and Social Innovation Centre tenant could be announced in January TYLER ORTON @reporton

Crews are still tearing up floors and walls at 312/324 Main Street, a grey, monolithic building standing four storeys in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Andy Broderick had expected development permits from the City of Vancouver to arrive last month so renovations could begin at the former cop shop on the corner of Cordova Street.

Instead, Vancity’s vicepresident of impact market development remains confident construction will start in the “next few weeks” for Vancouver’s Technology and Social Innovation Centre.

The City of Vancouver selected the 100,000-squarefoot site in October 2014 as a tech hub that would fill the space left empty after the police department moved out in 2010. Jail cells still lined the walls for tech entrepreneurs who’ve toured the site.

The goal is to bring in digital tech startups, cleantech companies, tech accelerators, non-profits and micro-enterprises under one roof in one of Canada’s most poverty-stricken neighbourhoods.

The city had already spent $1.1 million on upgrading the building, while the Vancity Community Foundation earmarked

another $1.5 million for the project in 2013.

The foundation is serving as the project’s landlord and the Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) will monitor its economic impact and try to bring in investors and mentors.

“I don’t for a minute think that all the tech activity is going to be narrowly focused on the problems in the neighbourhood or opportunities in the neighbourhood,” Broderick said.

“But we want to make sure that the innovation centre responds to the needs of that [Downtown Eastside] neighbourhood, which are jobs, the opportunity of entrepreneurism as a way to address limited opportunities for employment.”

No tenants have been secured yet, but Broderick expects the Vancity Community Foundation to announce the first one in January.

Meanwhile, the foundation and the VEC will form a joint advisory committee with community groups in the new year to determine which tenants are best suited for the hub and the neighbourhood.

And if construction begins in the coming weeks, Broderick anticipates the hub will celebrate a soft opening by the end of November 2016.

Sean Elbe, VEC’s tech-sector development manager, said the commission hasn’t limited itself to discussions with local tech players for filling space at the hub.

“We’re talking to a number of global platforms for acceleration,” he said.

Accelerators generally make money by taking equity in a startup in

312/324 Main Street will be the home of the Technology and Social Innovation Centre, expected to open late next year. Contributed photo exchange for workspace, networking opportunities to raise capital and mentorship from tech leaders.

While the VEC is talking to global accelerators about moving into the hub, it also held discussions three years ago with the Vancouverbased Launch Academy incubator.

“We were just not in a position for Launch Academy to take an entire floor and mould and shape it. My focus has been on building Launch Academy and not building a new tech hub,” said CEO Ray Walia, whose incubator provides services similar to those of an accelerator.

During consultations with the VEC he outlined the challenges of bringing in companies and organizations from disparate backgrounds to work under one roof.

Walia said differences in the way digital tech and

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Jonathan Bixby, a general partner at Stanley Park Ventures, said he’s had high-level discussions with the VEC but nothing formal has come of it.

All his interactions with the VEC have been positive; however, because his operations are based out of Launch Academy’s offices, Bixby doesn’t see Stanley Park Ventures moving to the hub without Walia’s team.

“They need some anchor tenants, and they know this, too. You’re not going to fill this space up going and getting 80 startups,” said Bixby, whose startup foundry offers services similar to those of an accelerator or incubator. “With those anchor tenants come startups, and unless they do that, they’re not going to be successful.”

But Bixby said he believes in the hub’s longterm vision and that there’s enough demand in Vancou-

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biotech companies are built have to be addressed. He added that “having good strong companies around, having a good mould of individuals around you, is critical to attracting more companies.”

That could be a big hurdle for the Downtown Eastside hub, Walia said, because most tech companies in Vancouver are in areas such as Gastown, Yaletown and Mount Pleasant.

Walia added that starting a new cluster in the Downtown Eastside could be difficult because there’s no SkyTrain station within walking distance and employees might have security concerns walking through the neighbourhood.

Walia suggested frequent shuttle buses to a SkyTrain station would also be necessary to address concerns potential employees might have about safety.

ver’s tech sector to fill that space.

BC Stats’ 2014 profile of the province’s tech sector determined that 728 new startups were launched in 2014.

And since opening nearly a year ago, the BC Technology Industry Association (BCTIA) has filled most of the 26,000 square feet of space at its Innovation Hub near the VCC-Clark SkyTrain station. BCTIA is the hub’s anchor tenant.

“You’d have to look at it like a retail centre. You find your anchor, you find your grocery store and maybe a Starbucks, and then you can fill it up with some other retail tenants so when people come they can do all their shopping in one place,” said Matt Carlson, vice-president at Colliers International’s Vancouver office.

“Part of the reason that Mount Pleasant took off was because Hootsuite moved in, and they were effectively the anchor for the neighbourhood.”

Carlson, who chairs his company’s national technology practice in Canada, said the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood could serve as a viable option for startups operating on thin margins looking to cut costs at a location that’s relatively cheap to lease.

“312 Main Street will remain affordable for a long period of time,” VEC’s Elbe said. “But for us this isn’t a real estate play. This is: how do we bring the entrepreneurship community together with the services they need to help them grow?” W –Courtesy of Business in Vancouver

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Rates subject to change without notice. O.A.C.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the NewYear!

Contact me for all your purchase, refinance and renewal options.

Other rates and terms available.

2721 W. 5TH AVE. SOLD!

11366 96TH AVE., DELTA SOLD!

32-1425 LAMEYS MILL RD. SOLD!

1901-1055 HOMER ST. SOLD!

307-2320 TRINITY ST. SOLD!

2905 W. 37TH AVE. SOLD!

214-605 COMO LAKE AVE. SOLD!

212-168 POWELL ST. SOLD!

611-181 W. 1ST AVE. SOLD!

202-2475 YORK AVE. SOLD!

1506-1055 HOMER ST. SOLD!

2654 HOMESTEADER WAY SOLD!

PH1-1100 HARWOOD ST. SOLD!

303-1331 W. GEORGIA ST. SOLD!

404-1277 NELSON ST. SOLD!

210-2320 TRINITY ST. SOLD!

3680 HENNEPIN AVE. SOLD!

9117 CRICKMER CRT. SOLD!

506-1720 BARCLAY ST. SOLD!

1814 W. 11TH AVE. SOLD!

108-1710 W. 13TH AVE. SOLD!

1001-1250 BURNABY ST. SOLD!

6383 LARKIN DR. SOLD!

3679 HENNEPIN AVE. SOLD!

703-1277 NELSON ST. SOLD!

301-168 E. ESPLANADE AVE. SOLD!

2793 W. 5TH AVE. SOLD!

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Two-thirds of urban Canadians want Trump name gone JEN ST. DENIS @jenstden

Residents of Canada’s three biggest cities were more likely to say the Trump name does not belong on buildings in their cities than people who live in other parts of the country, according to an Angus Reid Institute poll released Dec. 18.

Nationally, 52 per cent of poll respondents said developers should stop using the Trump name, while 44 per cent thought it should stay.

In Vancouver,Toronto and Montreal 62 per cent were opposed to Trump’s brand being used while 38 per cent said it wasn’t a problem.

City councillors in Vancouver and Toronto have urged

developers to remove the Trump name from an existing tower in Toronto and an under-construction hotel and condominium project in Vancouver.

The pushback comes following increasingly inflammatory remarks made by real estate tycoon Donald Trump as he campaigns to become the Republican presidential nominee.Those remarks have included characterizing Mexican immigrants as criminals and proposing to close American borders to all Muslims.

Although 67 per cent of poll respondents said Trump’s statement was “bad for society” because it encourages fear and hatred of Muslims, a sizeable group – 37 per cent – said Trump’s comments are

good for society because he is challenging the taboo on saying things that are “politically incorrect.”

Earlier this week,Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson sent a letter to Joo Kim Tiah, CEO of the Holborn Group, asking Tiah to remove the name.The company has had an agreement with the Trump Hotel Collection since June 2013 and Trump’s children, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr., have made efforts to travel to Vancouver to market the project.

Hotel industry insiders have said it would be a costly proposition for Holborn to get out of the licensing and management deal at this point.

–Courtesy of Business in Vancouver

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New info always available on the website; an opportunity for community to stay in touch and keep up on local issues. www.westendneighbours.ca

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Christmas is here and that means one thing: roasted turkey with all the fixin’s. Thinkstock photo

Turkey tips for Xmas dinner Patty Javier Gomez Whole Nourishment

@WholeNourishBC If you celebrate Christmas and are a fan of food, then you’re probably looking forward to some great marathon eating this season. Although the Christmas dinner feast has been around since the Middle Ages, our modern Christmas traditions were popularized in Victorian England. Here in the New World, the main dish of choice is the native Meleagris gallopavo: the humble turkey.

Originally hailing from Mexico (not Turkey) these feathered friends have been around for 10 million years (true story, their fossils have been found to prove this).

Back in the 1930s, it took a week’s wages to be able to buy a turkey. Up until about the ‘50s, turkey was a luxury for most families, but thankfully that’s not the case anymore.

However, before our noble turkey took over and became popular as a main Christmas dish, a veritable menagerie of birds were roasted in its place, including goose, duck, cockerel (or capon), or if you were well-off, you were chowing down on peacock and swan.

The turkey made the trip across the Atlantic to Europe in the 16th Century, and by the 1800s, it became the Christmas dish of choice on both sides of the pond not only for the wealthy, but for the working class as well, when it was quickly discovered that turkeys were relatively inexpensive and quick to fatten.

If you are going to choose a turkey for your holiday dinner this season, be sure to do right by nature and choose a local, sustainable and fresh turkey. Enjoy getting a great dose of protein, iron, zinc and potassium by choosing the healthiest bird money can buy.

TIPS ON COOKING THE PERFECT TURKEY Get the right size To buy the right size of turkey to feed the number of guests that you are having, you want a turkey that’s at least 1.5 pounds for every guest. For example, to feed eight people, you’ll need a turkey that’s a minimum of 12 pounds.

Brine your turkey This will keep it juicy and moist. Soak your turkey overnight in a solution of salt, water and spices of your choice and reap the benefits after cooking.

Cook for right amount of time Rule of thumb is that you should cook it for 13 minutes per pound at 350 F.There are lots of charts online that will help to guide you through your cooking adventure.

I think the main point is, although turkey takes a while to cook, you don’t need to start it at the crack of dawn, but do plan ahead.

Basting I have read a lot of contradicting information on this

subject, so I will give you my own advice from personal experience. For a nice moist turkey, baste, baste, baste. I personally baste every 20-30 min.Turkey has been great every time!

Measure your meat Investing in a meat thermometer is a game changer, people.You will be able to tell when the turkey is ready without butchering your meat before displaying it, way easier than eyeing it out. W

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SEX

Free Will Astrology Lingerie store realities

By Rob Brezsny The raw materials you have at your disposal in 2016 may sometimes seem limited. You might not have access to all the tools you wish you did. You could be tempted to feel envy about the vaster resources other people can draw on. But I honestly don’t think these apparent inhibitions will put you at a disadvantage.

Within your smaller range of options, there will be all the possibilities you need. In fact, the constraints could stimulate your creativity in ways that would have never occurred if you’d had more options.

You know what physical hygiene is. But are you familiar with “imaginal” hygiene? Educator Morgan Brent defines it like this: “Imaginal hygiene is the inner art of self-managing the imagination, to defend it from forces that compromise, pollute, colonize, shrink, and sterilize it, and to cultivate those that illuminate, expand, and nourish it.” It’s always important for everyone to attend to this work, but it’s especially crucial for you to focus on it in 2016. You will be exceptionally creative, and therefore likely to generate long-lasting effects and influences out of the raw materials that occupy your imagination.

Your mind sometimes works too hard and fast for your own good. But mostly it’s your best asset. Your versatility can sometimes be a curse, too, but far more often it’s a blessing. Your agile tongue and flexible agenda generate more fun than trouble, and so do your smooth maneuvers and skillful gamesmanship.

As wonderful as all these qualities can be, however, I suggest that you work on expanding your scope in 2016. In my astrological opinion, it will be a good time for you to study and embody the magic that the water signs possess. What would that mean exactly? Start this way: Give greater respect to your feelings. Tune in to them more, encourage them to deepen, and figure out how to trust them as sources of wisdom.

Swedish movie director Ingmar Bergman won three Academy Awards and was nominated for eight others.

Numerous filmmakers have cited him as an important influence on their work. His practical success was rooted in his devotion to the imagination. “I am living permanently in my dream, from which I make brief forays into reality,” he said. Can you guess his astrological sign? Cancer the Crab, of course! No other tribe is better suited at moving back and forth between the two worlds. At least potentially, you are virtuosos at interweaving fantasy with earthy concerns. The coming year will afford you unprecedented opportunities to further develop and use this skill.

The English word “ain’t” can mean “am not,” “is not,” “are not,” or “have not.” But it ain’t recognized as a standard word in the language. If you use it, you risk being thought vulgar and uneducated. And yet, “ain’t” has been around since 1706, more than 300 years. Most words that are used for so long eventually become official. I see your journey in 2016 as having resemblances to the saga of “ain’t,” Libra. You will meet resistance as you seek greater acceptance of some nonstandard but regular part of your life. Here’s the good news: Your chances of ultimately succeeding are much better than ain’t’s.

My old friend John owns a 520-acre farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Blueberries are among the crops he grows. If he arranges their growing season so that they ripen in July, he can sell them for $1.75 a pint. But if he designs them to be ready for harvest in late summer and early fall, the price he gets may go up to $4 a pint.

You can guess which schedule he prefers. I urge you to employ a similar strategy as you plot your game plan for 2016, Scorpio. Timing may not be everything, but it will count for a lot.

In 1803, the US government bought a huge chunk of North American land from the French government.

At a price of three cents per acre, the new republic doubled its size, acquiring what is now Louisiana and Montana and everything between. I don’t think you’ll add that much to your domain in 2016, Sagittarius, but it’s likely you will expand significantly. And although your new resources won’t be as cheap as the 1803 bargain, I suspect the cost, both in terms of actual cash and in emotional energy, will be manageable. There’s one way your acquisition will be better than that earlier one. The Americans bought and the French sold land they didn’t actually own – it belonged to the native people – whereas your moves will have full integrity.

The coming year will be a favorable time for you to nourish a deeper devotion to truth, beauty, and goodness. Anything you do to make your morality more rigorous will generate benefits that ripple through your life for years to come. Curiously, you can add to the propitious effect by also cultivating a deeper devotion to fun, play, and pleasure. There is a symbiotic connection between the part of you that wants to make the world a better place and the part of you that thrives on joy, freedom, and wonder.

Here’s the magic formula: Feed your lust for life by being intensely compassionate, and vice versa.

from a former pro Sex with Mish Way

@MyszkaWay Once upon a time, I worked at a lingerie boutique in Yaletown. When I was not studying behind the till, I was helping gorgeous Vancouver women figure out their proper bra size and dress up those breasts like a Christmas tree. While working there, I learned more things about feminine undergarments than most young punks would. I got to fake my way into a glamorous, sexy world, eight hours a day. It’s been years, but I will share my wisdom, as this is the season when clueless idiots attempt to buy lingerie for their significant others.

HANKY PANKY IS THE GREY GOOSE OF THONGS

Any lady who says “Tbars are so comfy” is a liar.

The Hanky Panky brand is the Cadillac of women’s underwear. Hanky Panky is a seamless lace thong that women go buck wild for. It’s mental. I remember we used to keep ours in cute, colourful balls in a glass tube in the middle of the store. Women would reach their manicured fists in there and fish out as many as they could grab in one go. I’ve seen fights over the last pair.You can order Hanky Panky online and the various cuts and styles hover around $20 per pair. They also have a members-only Hanky Panky club. I have no idea what that means or what one receives for joining the club. A yeast infection?

The right underwear will change your life. Thinkstock photo. frankly stupid. Hard nipples look awesome! Did you know that in the ‘80s there was a bra that actually had built in nipples so you always seemed alert and horny? Nipples are good. Everyone has them.

Don’t hide.Wear your boob erection with pride.

SIZE IS BULLSHIT

Bra shopping sucks because you have to try things on. Nothing ever fits the same, even if the label says so. If you wing it, chances are you’ll get home and find out you just blew $90 bucks on an ill-fitting coat-hanger masquerading in lace. Don’t be lazy: go in the change room and strip down. It only takes five minutes.

MEN ARE GROSS IN LINGERIE STORES

Most men act like retards in lingerie stores. They usu-

ally come in after a night of hard partying with a shame-over, sprinkled lightly with post-strip bar guilt.

They think that buying their girlfriend some sexy shit will make up for the fact that they were too drunk to fuck when they rolled into bed the previous night. On the plus side, they have no clue about size or style and usually take all your suggestions as they throw down the cash. On the down side, after being asked, “Do you know your girlfriend’s bra size?” they often stare long and hard at your chest and then reply, “Yeah, she’s like, I dunno, a bit bigger than you?” W

EMAIL MISH Send Mish your own sex questions and queries to sex@westender.com

WHITE ON WHITE

Avoid pain and pursue pleasure. Be kind, not cruel. Abstain from self-pity and ask for the help you need. Instead of complaining, express gratitude. Dodge time-wasting activities and do things that are meaningful to you. Shun people who disrespect you and seek the company of those who enjoy you. Don’t expose yourself to sickening, violent entertainment; fill your imagination up with uplifting stories. Does the advice I’m offering in this horoscope seem overly simple and obvious? That’s no accident. In my opinion, what you need most in 2016 is to refresh your relationship with fundamental principles.

Many of the atoms that compose your flesh and blood were not part of your body 12 months ago. That’s because every year, 98 per cent of you is replaced. Old cells are constantly dying, giving way to new cells that are made from the air, food, and water you ingest.

This is true about everyone, of course. You’re not the only one whose physical form is regularly recycled.

But here’s what will be unique about you in 2016: Your soul will match your body’s rapid transformations. In fact, the turnover is already underway. By your next birthday, you may be so new you’ll barely recognize yourself. I urge you to take full charge of this opportunity! Who do you want to become?

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I predict that 2016 will be your Year of Fruitful Obsessions. In giving this positive spin to the cosmic tendencies, I’m hoping to steer you away from any behavior that might lead to 2016 being your Year of Fruitless Obsessions. One way or another, I think you’ll be driven to express your passions with singleminded intensity. Focused devotion – sometimes verging on compulsive preoccupation – is likely to be one of your signature qualities. That’s why it’s so important to avoid wasteful infatuations and confounding manias. Please choose fascinations that are really good for you.

Your symbol of power in 2016 will be the equal sign: =. Visualize it in your mind’s eye every morning for 20 seconds. Tattoo it on your butt. Write it on an index card that you keep under your pillow or on your bathroom mirror. Gestures like these will deliver highly relevant messages to your subconscious mind, like “Create balance and cultivate harmony!” and “Coordinate opposing forces!” and “Wherever there is tension between two extremes, convert the tension into vital energy!” Here are your words of power in 2016: “symbiosis” and “synergy.”

Dec. 24: Ricky Martin (44) Dec. 25: Justin Trudeau (44) Dec. 26: Jared Leto (44) Dec. 27: Marlene Dietrich (114) Dec. 28: John Legend (37) Dec. 29: Mary Tyler Moore (79) Dec. 30: Ellie Goulding (29)

You don’t need to buy a special white bra to wear underneath white shirts unless your goal is to show your tits like teeth under black lights. Skin tones, ladies.

Skin tones! It’s shocking how many women over the age of 30 have yet to learn this.

ELLE MCPHERSON MAKES A MEAN LINGERIE SET

Elle knows what she is doing when it comes to lingerie.

Underwire, lace and simple, sexy cuts. Elle is a supermodel so she has size-ism issues (her version of a C-cup is suitable for an anorexic child), but for those of you with tiny tits, this brand is cheap and pretty (just like you are).

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OBITUARIES

BLUM, Katherin (Kathy) Herta Beloved mother, Kate Blum, 96, of Vancouver, British Columbia, formerly of Calgary, Alberta, died peacefully in her sleep on December 12, 2015, at the German Canadian Care Home in Vancouver.

Born October 8th, 1919 in Drie Linden, Germany she is predeceased by her parents, Louisa and Theo Stenzel and her late husband of 53 years, Heinz Blum.

Upon retirement, Kathy and Heinz moved to their much loved home in the West End of Vancouver where until the age of 90, Kathy continued her daily swimming and weekly yoga classes. Kathy loved gardening and photography.

She enjoyed socializing, and playing cards. She adored a good polka! Kathy was always happily ready to serve guests her delicious homemade tortes. Her surviving family members include her daughters, Marianne (Donald) of Langley, BC, Karin (Doug) of Sherwood Park, AB and Lori (Bill) of Sun City West, Arizona. She has four grandchildren who treasure her: Michael, Travis, Michele and Heidi.

Kathy had seven great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. A harvest of love that will endure and keep her memory alive. A memorial will be held for Kathy at a later date.

‘Wir lieben dich Mutti’

Hamilton Harron Funeral Home 604-325-7441

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Therefore, the undersigned requests that the registrar of the civil status register his name as father of Alexandre Goudreault on the act of birth of the latter and whose surname will be modified to read as follows: Alexandre Goudreault. In addition, take notice that any objection from a third person to the tardy declaration must be made known to the author of the declaration, to the minor child of 14 years of age or older, and to the registrar of civil status within 20 days of the last publication of the notice of the declaration.

Notice filled out and signed in Victoria, BC on 28th of November 2015, Wojciech Tomaszewski

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Further, the publishers do not accept liability for any loss of damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of an advertisement beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred. Any corrections of changes wil be made in the next available issue. The Westender wil be responsible for only one incorrect insertion with liability limited to that portion of the advertisement affected by the error. Request for adjustments or corrections on charges must be made within 30 days of the ad’s expiration.

For best results please check your ad for accuracy the first day it appears. Refunds made only after 7 business days notice!

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FINANCIAL SERVICES HIP OR KNEE Replacement?

Arthritic Conditions/COPD? Restrictions in Walking/ Dressing? Disability Tax Credit $2,000 Tax Credit $20,000 Refund. For assistance! 1-844-453-5372.

FRANCHISES

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$45

REG

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ACROSS

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23. Cygnus’ brightest star 25. Goidelic language of Ireland

DOWN

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30. Indicated horsepower (abbr.)

31. Mediation council 33. Aussie crocodile hunter 35. Sylvan deity 37. Clears or tidies 38. In a way, emerges 40. Whimper 41. G. Gershwin’s brother 42. Begetter 44. Seated 45. Old world, new

48. Girls 50. “Song of triumph” 52. A covering for the head 53. Attack 55. Norwegian krone 56. Coach Parseghian 57. No good 58. Task that is simple 63. A way to move on 65. In a way, advanced 66. Loses weight 67. Shift sails

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December 24 - December 30, 2015 W 19

HOLIDAY SPECIALS Effective December 26 to December 31, 2015.

100% BC Owned and Operated PRODUCE

MEAT

Extra Large Green Seedless Grapes from California

Bradner Frozen Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Organic Lemons from California 907g bag

2.98lb/ 6.57kg

ay

rd Satu er 26! b m e Dec

142-198g package

14.99 1.1kg box

WHILE STOCKS LAST

Canadian Prime Rib Roast

2.98lb/ 6.57kg

regular retail price

only

ING BOX ALE! S DAY ay,

Broccoli Crowns from California

1.00 off

s

d One

3.98

Earthbound Farm Organic Salad Mixes

Canadian Beef Tenderloin

15.99lb/ 35.25kg

GROCERY

22.99lb/ 50.68kg

DELI

Boulder Canyon Potato Chips and Vegetable Chips

L’Ancetre Organic Cheese

Mrs. Renfro’s Salsa

product of Canada

product of USA

SAVE

SAVE

SAVE

UP TO

33%

5.49 - 6.99

Pearl’s Frozen Perogies

assorted varieties 156g product of USA

SAVE

Bremner’s Frozen Berries

assorted varieties

assorted varieties

600g

300-600g

product of Canada

product of Canada

29%

30%

3.99

GLUTEN FREE

SAVE

SAVE

27%

Receive of any item in our Deli Catering Brochure

31%

3.99

Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips

20% off

UP TO

37%

2.79 3.99

750ml

200g

473ml

128-213g • product of USA

Gerolsteiner Carbonated Mineral Water

assorted varieties

assorted varieties

assorted varieties

Ginger Cookies package of 8

4.49 pineapple 6.99 all others

2/6.98 Greek Gods Kefir and Yogurt

Coco Libre Organic Coconut Water

Nuts To You Cashew Butters

assorted varieties

assorted varieties

assorted varieties

500g-710ml • product of Canada

330 ml – 1L • +deposit +eco fee

250-500g • product of Canada

4.99

BAKERY xxx

xxx • product of xxx

+deposit +eco fee product of Germany While quantities last. Not all items available at all stores. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.

Thi

item

SAVE

32%

3.99 all others 4.49 Kefir

3/4.98

SAVE

Bars

SAVE

31%

assorted varieties

UP TO

36%

package 3

4.99 11.99

1.99 330ml 4.99 1L

4.99-5.99

WELLNESS MegaFood Women’s One Daily Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Supplement

Dr. Ohirra’s Probiotics

Himalaya Party Smart

assorted varieties

60 tablets

66.99

Ener-C Effervescent Vitamin-C Drink Mix

regular retail price

t Star r you ar ye new eling e off f eat! gr

ING BOX LE! SA DAY

ofprfice % 50ar retail ,

y ul rda reg !

Satu ber 26 m e c e D

25% off

regular retail price December 27 – 31.

WHILE STOCKS LAST

www.choicesmarkets.com

14.99 10 capsules 38.99 30 capsules 69.99 60 capsules

.49 singles 12.99 box of 30

/ChoicesMarkets

@ChoicesMarkets

2/6.00 1 Capsule 30.00 10 pack