Love this recycling idea

From the Vancouver Sun yesterday.

"Twenty-one high school students from seven Lower Mainland schools created an impressive array of fashionable items out of discarded banners as part of a sustainability project organized by university students....
To date, the Banner Bags team has saved more than 1,400 pounds of nylon from going into local landfills, avoiding the equivalent of 35,000 pounds of CO2 emisons,  and have saved "banner" companies approximatelh $2,750 in disposal costs."

I'm always interested in the banners themselves I guess because they generally incorporate a naive art style and just love the idea of them being transformed into something else!

What a fabulous day!

We began with a great swim basking in the sunshine then home to this wonderful shimmering ocean view while we had lunch.  Then,  Jim made a great find in the "free room"....a couple of hundred movies on DVD someone had recorded...some really good stuff too.  The CD's are mainly relaxation and Vancouver Symphony but those could be of interest too.

Will be a super day to take our little ferry and have "Mussel Mania" at the Sandbar on Granville Island then to the market to pick up a few things.

Set up my easel today....

Well,  I have two paintings I began and didn't finish...the Sylvia Hotel and our "paradise beach"...we'll see what happens.  Great thing about my "portable studio" is it can all be put away in minutes and no clutter left around and I get to paint in the sunshine with a view. 

Video: Japan unveils airbag earthquake protection for the home - Telegraph

Trust the Japanese to come up with something pretty amazing for earthquakes. I can really see this working and being perfected. Traditional earthquake proofing seems to be more about securing structures. One of our neighbours in Victoria has had her house bolted to the foundation at a very significant cost. In our area the houses are pretty much all on rock and are wood frame so apparently will do quite well and just kind of sway. Let's hope we don't have to find out anytime soon.


Video: Japan unveils airbag earthquake protection for the home - Telegraph

Lobster fest at the Boathouse English Bay

We had a great meal tonight....forgot to take a photo until I had eaten almost all of it.  Whole lobster dinner for $19.99...pretty good deal!

First customers at the Cactus Club English Bay!

We've been keeping an eye on the opening of this Cactus Club and were hoping to be in Vancouver for their first night at least and figured we'd probably miss it having to go into Victoria this past week but I picked up a press release this afternoon announcing the opening at 5pm today.  They didn't give much notice and kept it pretty quiet so  I'm glad to have happened to check today.

So,  we actually were their very first customers!  It was quite fun really and chef Rob Feenie made a little note on our bill and we also asked him to say hello to Don and Elaine since they're the real gourmets.  We got quite a kick out of it all and we got a free dessert.  We weren't really planning on eating that early so just had a couple of appetizers...calamari with red peppers and hot peppers and dry ribs.  Pretty copious portions so glad we didn't order anything else.  And a great Cab from Australia.  They have this rather neat idea of having wines from wineries close to the water since the restaurant is on the water.

 Polishing up the "Now Open" sign.

 First through the door...we had to wait 10 minutes but they had a heater on for us.  Photo taken by the couple second in line.  They live in a condo across the street and could literally watch for the opening.

 Dry ribs and calamari.

 Free dessert....kind of a mousse and sticky toffee pudding.

 Our waiter, Joel, who went to Mt. Doug in Victoria.

Rob Feenie writing a note on our bill...really nice guy!

Au revoir Victoria for a while...

Lots of fun yesterday...breakfast with Heather at Shine,  chat with Nigel before Jim and him went out for lunch,  Patty for tea and I got her to help me hang some of my paintings back up....great help as she didn't need a step stool like I would have!  Then a nightcap (or three) at the Bings.

Just packing up the last bits.

Fun and games

We had a nice lunch and visit with Ian Monday and he is looking forward to coming in to Vancouver and we'll have an Indian buffet on Davie together later in the month.

It was great to get back to Hotel Grand Pacific with Elaine and we had a super swim and lunch and caught up with all the news of our favourite servers, Tina and Donna.

Then a wonderful dinner at Fern and John's with Don and Carole.  Fern is a cook extraordinaire and dinner was an extravaganza as usual.   Especially enjoyed the French lemon tarte and apparently simple to make (I won't be making the homemade pastry...).  The only photos that turned out were the pie and of the chef!

 Yum!

Chef Fern extraordinaire!

Go...go...go...

We had a wonderful dinner at Derek and Mary's last night and talked of old times....guess we're all getting old!  Ian, the dog,  took his rightful place on the sofa and gave no sign of giving it up after dinner.

Then,  lunch with Tim today and he brought over some wonderful cards he had made from photos he had taken.  I'm delighted to think that I inspired making cards from his photos with my art cards. 

And then the Academy Awards which were actually quite entertaining for a change and loved that Meryl Streep won the best actress award....way to go Meryl!

Bartering...

We did brave wind, snow, sleet, and torrential rain yesterday on the way to the ferry to get Don his beloved Oyama Sausage and corned beef from Kaplan's but we didn't expect two wonderful bottles of Bordeaux in trade....thanks so much, Don and Elaine!  We had a great visit today and lots of laughs about old times.

 Butter chicken with Indian Spices (one of their favourites that they don't always have), Elk with Loganberry,  Coconut Chicken, and Red Pepper and Basil Lamb...all the last three new to all of us.

 Corned beef and rye bread from Kaplan's

I think we got a great deal...can't wait to try the wines!

BBC - Movies - review - 36

We watched one of the DVD's we got from the Alliance Francaise last night "36". It was really very good and we always enjoy Daniel Auteuil and even Depardieu wasn't too bad. And it's always fun to see Monique's old friend, Andre Dussolier.

Into Victoria today and our snowbirds go back to Regina. Good timing for them I think as snow predicted for tomorrow. Looks like it's going to be a rainy drive today.

BBC - Movies - review - 36

Now members of the Vancouver Alliance Francaise

The Alliance Francaise in Vancouver has a great building on Cambie Street with an excellent library of books, reference materials, magazines, DVD's and CD's.   They also seem to have quite a few interesting activities like Dinner-Cinema evenings and lots of other stuff.  It was fun speaking French today and being in a French mileau!

Some of the things we borrowed today.

A great start to the day...

We woke up to the sun shining over the water and went swimming at the Waterfront Centre this morning and basked in the sun.   Yesterday a nice walk to Second Beach and a look at our "Paradise Beach" along the way.   And we had a really nice visit with Don Stanley and his wife, Colleen.  Don is the Course Reviewer when Jim was doing the Thompson Rivers University work.   Colleen is a retired English High School teacher, last taught at Magee.  And,  like all of us it seems...not missing it at all!

Richard is joining us for dinner tonight and Jim is cooking.  I may try out this easel I got in a thrift store recently.  Jim is off to do the paperwork and meet the prof he'll be subbing for at VCC.  I won't let him pick up more than a little work but he's really looking forward to doing some subbing from time to time.  His first gig is Mar 5 -8 teaching English 12. 

 Our Paradise Beach.

Lots of snowdrops out at the house next door.

Interesting Vintage Vehicles

Don sent me these the other day...a few I particularly liked.

 The James Samson Handyman electric cart offered for sale at £86.00 complete.
(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). Circa 1953

 The new Amphicar, which can be driven on land or water, is used as a fishing boat by its owner at the start of the salmon fishing season on the River Tay, Scotland. The “aqua” car is German built, fitted with a Triumph Herald engine and can reach speeds of 7.5 knots in water.
(Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images). 17th January 1964

 A submarine motor car, which can travel both on land and underwater and is equipped with a 4 hp engine and steel fins on both sides.
(Photo by Horace Abrahams/Fox Photos/Getty Images). 1st December 1937

 Prototype for a car-about-town, La Quasar, designed by Quasar Kahn. The car allows easy access from all four sides and can reach speeds of 95kph.
(Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). 12th June 1967

Clive Talbot Of Chiswick, London, in his car built with the body of a boat.
(Photo by June Lander/BIPs/Getty Images). September 1959

What a difference three years makes....

Monique was in Vancouver this weekend for her Educacentre Committee and she treated us for Sunday Brunch at the Beyond Restaurant in the Century Plaza on Burrard where she stays. She has been raving about this and we were pretty amazed at the value. And when we become "Seniors" it will only be $19.

What an amazing spread. I really can't judge everything because I mainly stuck to seafood...when crab, shrimp, prawns, tempura prawns, mussels, clams, various types of smoked salmon, salmon, scallops, squid, and ahi tuna are on offer...why would you bother with much else! Everything I had was excellent and I just had room to take advantage of the chocolate fountain and the fresh fruit of all types.

Service was excellent and they brought extra cutlery nicely presented in a dish before we even finished our first course.

Pretty amazing difference after reading this review from three years ago.

P.S. forgot to take photos...next time.

Brunch Series Begins

And then to the Vancouver Flea Market on Terminal

Where we surprisingly didn't buy anything!

 My first computer which I shared with Richard for a while until he got his own.  I remember my hardrive was called "Mom".

 My first typewriter wasn't quite like this but it was very cool to me anyway.

Fred Herzog Exhibition

We went to this exhibition yesterday and I loved it.  And of course had to buy one of his books.  This one is signed and includes most of the exhibit and other photographs as well.  It was in a very interesting space...Equinox Gallery Project Space at the Great Northern Way Campus.  An industrial space where all the local universities have some space as well.   An interesting area of town we don't get to much so got some different views.  I'll have to get down here again and take some photos of the area.

And a special thanks to Don, who sent me the link to this exhibit.

 The old CPR Princess Patricia.  Occasionally they would put this on the CPR run from Vancouver to Nanaimo.  I remember being on it going to Gabriola with my parents and there was a huge storm.  The ship seemed like it would roll over completely.  People sick all over the place.  I always remember my Dad trying to help us be less afraid by saying that it was good we were on this ship as it was meant to be on the ocean rather than the usual ferries.  It helped but it was still pretty frightening.

 Looks like he lived in the Westend too.  View from his room on Harwood.

One stereotype down the drain

After our swim at the Waterfront Centre Friday we went to a matinee at the Denman Cinemas and saw "My Week with Marilyn" based on a true story by Colin Clark (Sir Kenneth Clark's son) about his time working on a film with Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier.  We really enjoyed the film and had lots of familiar faces in various roles and Kenneth Branaugh was great as "Larry".   I've always dismissed Marilyn Monroe as some talentless airhead and have never seen any of her films.  This film got me interested and we watched "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds" last night on Netflix.  I was quite blown away by her comedic talent.  Reading Wikipedia.... a rather sad life and dead at 36.  I raise a glass to you, Marilyn.

BTW,  in 1972, our first night in London and the very first play we saw  in London,  was "Larry" in "Long Day's Journey Into Night"  for 30p (75 cents at the time...them was days...)

From "Gentlemen Prefer Blonds".  Marilyn singing "Diamonds are a girl's best friend".

Jim's toonie pen....

There are often some fellows outside the library selling various things.  The other day Jim bought a Cross pen and pencil set for $8 (worth around $200).  Yesterday he saw an interesting looking pen.  The fellow wanted $5 for it.  Jim said he had a toonie in his pocket so he took it.   Turns out it's at ST Dupont (ST stands for Simon Tissot) and according to the clerk at Charal's it's a $500 (plus tax) pen.  The refill cost him $14...pretty good deal, I think!

Equinox Gallery Vancouver - Current Exhibitions

 I must get to this exhibition of Fred Herzog's photographs.  I just love them!

 Arthur Murray 1960

 Man in Black Hat 1959  --  love the old bus and the big cars.

 Crosswalk 1960  -- I wonder if Scott's Cafe is still around...have to give it a google.  Nope,  no longer around.

 B.C. Electric/Sherwood '59  - I love the old White Spot sign and the B.C. Electric building  means a lot since it was one of the first  modern skyscrapers...we were all in awe.

 Two Men in Fog '58  -- lots of fog in Vancouver in those days because of coal and wood burning furnaces.  My dad always wore a hat like this.

 Granville St from the Granville Bridge 1966

Three Theatres 1957 -- saw many a movie at these theatres.


Equinox Gallery Vancouver - Current Exhibitions