Jul 31
Gay Pride Parade - a retrospective
posted by: admin in West End on 07 31st, 2010 | | No Comments »

“Where do we go from here?” is the cover story for the current issue of Extra!, which is a question of growing importance as the Vancouver Pride Parade seems to grow repetitive and predictable. Without trying to sound jaded, if you’ve seen one Pride Parade you’ve seen them all. Though the parade hasn’t lost its importance in terms of celebrating and living openly queer, the question remains - what’s next?

Naturally there is still plenty work to be done within our borders, just like any other issue surrounded by prejudice and persecution. But more and more I’ve seen and heard about activists taking their victories here and using them to encourage gay rights movements around the globe. It reminds me how fortunate we are to live in a country that embraces equal human rights and pluralism, where bigotry isn’t systemic and fear isn’t a daily reality for gays and lesbians.

For three years, just before the death of print, I had the pleasure of shooting the Pride Parade for the WestEnder newspaper and now I have more pictures of gay men than I know what to do with. It was a pleasure to be their straight ally while the entire office partied their butts off. So I present you with a retrospective on my coverage as an homage to the movement.

Happy Pride!

Jun 24
Olivia Martin
posted by: admin in Profiles on 06 24th, 2010 | | No Comments »

Olivia Martin - professional Bassoonist

I recently had the pleasure of photographing professional bassoonist Olivia Martin! In addition to educating people like me about bassoons (they cost as much as a down payment on a house!) she lends the realm of bassoons a smokey sex appeal. She was cool enough to answer a few questions for this profile.

1 - How long have you been with the VSO and what other groups do you play with?

As a freelance musician, I spend a fair bit of time traveling around BC. I play Principal Bassoon in the Kamloops Symphony and 2nd Bassoon in the Vancouver Island Symphony. Locally, I play with the North Shore Sinfonia and I have been lucky enough to perform frequently with the VSO as an extra musician, as well as the occasional Vancouver Opera gig.

2 - Why the bassoon? Any other instruments?

The bassoon chose me. I wanted to play the oboe originally, but there was another student in my Grade 7 class who had her heart set on the oboe. My band teacher convinced me to try the bassoon instead. That was that.

3 - Who was your mentor or inspiration to become a musician?

My first bassoon teacher was Nancy van Oort, former Principal Bassoonist of the Victoria Symphony. She was very encouraging to me when I started out and supported me in my decision to pursue a performance degree.

4 - What is you fav thing about being a musician?

As a freelance musician I get to work with a variety of different musicians in many different settings. It’s fantastic to sit on stage accompanying amazing jazz musicians one weekend and to sit in an orchestra pit during a ballet or opera the next.

5 - What performances are you looking forward to this year?

I’m looking forward to playing the Mozart Bassoon Concerto with the KSO in their 2010/2011 Season Opener this coming Oct. Time to shop for a new dress!

Jun 21
In Search of Chai
posted by: Farah in Food on 06 21st, 2010 | | 1 Comment »

My search for a spicy, creamy chai with the subtle sweetness of honey has taken me to many of Vancouver’s best Teahouses. And, today, I share with all of you my reviews of Vancouver’s three best Teahouses- Shaktea, T Tasting Room, and Granville Island Tea Company.

First, you must know, I have a certain predisposition when it comes to chai. I like mine peppery and spicy, a chai that warms you up from the inside. These days, most chais are sickly sweet made with sugary syrups that have some a trace amount of chai spices added to them. This is the Starbacks version of chai, and frankly, not even worth calling chai.

Yes, I am a chai snob, and the worst chais you will get are the ones you will find in coffeeshops that use chai mixes and add hot water. If this is your version of chai, consider taking a walk on the spicy side, and visit one of Vancouver’s sophisticated tea houses.

The best chai in the city, hands down, is the chai served in a cute, clay cup at Shaktea. This is the authentic way chai is served in the country where it comes from- India! Chai means tea in Hindi, but here in North America, chai refers to the masala chai- a mixture of spices added to tea and boiled with milk to make a creamy, warming, delicious drink that will make you wonder why you ever began drinking coffee.

Shaktea Teahouse (3702 Main St.) is a true tea house- and owned by two women who are passionate about tea and the quality of tea they serve. If you are looking for tea to go, this is not the place. Amateur tea drinkers may feel overwhelmed by the tea menu that is pages and pages of just tea! And, you will feel stupid if you ask for “just black tea” because all tea at Shaktea is not just tea. There are several varieties of black tea and black tea infusions. Each tea is steeped for just the right amount of time and the water is heated to a specific temperature (so not to burn the delicate tea leaves), so ordering tea here takes time. And, so it should. Tea is not to be rushed, but something to sip and savour.

The best chai in the city is here at Shaktea where the chai is a perfect balance of slightly spicy and slighty sweet (without any additional sweetners). You can get chai made with soy milk or chai made with rooibos. So if you are vegan or if you don’t like the buzz of caffeine, this is the place for you.

The décor at Shaktea is gorgeous- a delight for the eyes- warm colors and a cozy, intimate atmosphere. The teahouse is quiet with soft music in the background, and a perfect place to take refuge from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. www.shaktea.ca

The second best place for chai is Granville Island Tea Company (in the Public Market at Granville Island). Granville Island Tea offers over 200 varieties of tea, and while their chai is too sweet for my tastes, the owners are friendly, and always willing to make your tea just they way you like it. This busy tea shop is just the perfect place to chat- chat with the owners, chat with the local mechants who regularly visit and who are known to the owners by first name, and to chat with the tourists who visit the public market and need a place to sit and tea to sip. Granville Island Tea Company has a coffee shop feel- it’s a busy place where some people come and go, and where others stay and socialize. It is a busy, bustling place, just like the market around it, but it offers excellent tea, and especially iced teas. http://www.granvilletea.ca

The third best place for chai is T Tasting Room on Broaday (1568 Broadway between Granville and Fir). They have a good selection of teas and especially lattes. Their chai is good and comes in a huge cup. You can get various versions of chai and chai lattes. In my opinion, their masala mixture seems to have too much clove or too much of one particular spice throwing the whole balance off. But, chai aside, I love their hazelnut rooibos latte, and their pear green tea. T just hired a baker who makes lovely and delicious treats that are just the perfect size to accompany a big cup of tea. Their homemade truffles, chocolates, and shortbread are exquisite and having an in-house baker gives them an edge over Shaktea and Granville Island Tea Company. www.tealeaves.com

So, now you know where to go for the best chai. Did I miss including your favorite place for chai? Send feedback to: farah@thesmilingyogi.com

Stay tuned next month for my very own masala chai recipe!

Farah Moolji Nazarali is a self-professed tea connoisseur. When she’s not drinking chai, she’s busy doing yoga or riding her bike around this beautiful, green city. www.thesmilingyogi.com

Jun 10

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Last night a mix of adult film producers, stars & starlets, exotic dancers, sex-worker rights advocates, harm reduction & support workers, sex educators and researchers gathered for Vancouver’s first Adult Entertainment Awards ceremony hosted by The Naked Truth at the Rio Theatre.

The categories ranged widely from serious subjects like Best Advocate, to more industry based awards like Best Film Production Company and Favourite Stripper to more tongue-in-cheek nods like Best Pussy Squirter.

Outside on the red carpet, Jenny Magenta interviewed the successful and influential players of the industry while Samantha Mack hosted the ceremonies, entertaining everyone with extensive anecdotes on the art of blowjobs and creative uses for extraordinarily large breasts.

Judging by the smiles and laughter, everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. It was a positive night of validation and encouragement for an industry that is often stigmatized and marginalized. As Mz. Scream put it, “It’s nice to be recognized, to have this pat on the back for those of us who work so hard and put ourselves out for the enjoyment of others.”

May 10
The Burlesque Scene – Part III
posted by: admin in Chinatown on 05 10th, 2010 | | No Comments »

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Here is a rare, backstage, behind-the-scenes look at Friday night’s show of the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival. Usually cameras are not allowed backstage but my long time involvement with the community brought out smiles and flourishes from the performers when I started pointing my lens around.

A little sensitivity goes a long way and gotten my camera into several no-go zones in the past. I love and respect it when people trust me to take their photo when it may otherwise feel vulnerable or taboo.

Most of these shots follow the show from Sweet Soul Burlesque. These girls brought the house down with their usual brand of sexy, sassy fun. Not all of these shots are safe for work ;)

May 4
The Burlesque Scene - Part II
posted by: admin in Chinatown on 05 4th, 2010 | | No Comments »

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I’ve been a fan of burlesque for a while now and wanted to share some of my unpublished editorial images to celebrate the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival’s fifth year of feathers, sparkles, pasties and ta-tas.

From May 6th -9th, the Rickshaw Theatre will host 14 unique productions and two performer showcases. Tickets are only $20 and can be purchased at ScoutVirgin Mary’sZulu RecordsFlaming Angels and Cherry Bomb.

I’ve written some thoughts here about the burlesque scene, but let’s face it, pretty pictures are much more interesting than me blabbering about how awesome these girls are. Tune in again soon to see if I got my camera backstage for a behind-the-scenes look!

Apr 21

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Students and parents came out in force last night to voice their concerns and objections to an $18 million dollar budget cut proposed by the Vancouver School Board.

Outside Mount Pleasant Elementary, where the Board of Trustees were meeting, a band of students gathered with instruments and signs to protest the elimination of their music and arts programs. When a Trustee came out to tell them they were disturbing the meeting, parents calmly responded saying, “Your budget cuts are disturbing my child’s education.”

Just inside the school’s gymnasium, hundreds of parents and students gathered to hear the cases for saving various programs with long-term social ramifications. On the chopping block are various arts programs but also other important support structures like ESL classes and integration counseling for new Canadians. The cuts also threaten the jobs of guidance counselors who are aware of and deal with so much more than when I was in school.

There were some moving and thoughtful presentations from students and parents alike. The most memorable for me was a talk by a couple whose child came to them in grade eight and announced that his gender was not that of the body he was born into. They were so grateful for the help both they and their child received to ensure the best possible transition while protecting the child’s education, social life and sense of worth.

The proposed budget cuts go to a vote next week.

Apr 18

Sayulita is one of those places where you can find more people from Vancouver than any where else in Mexico. Commonly referred to as “The Jewel of Nayarit” Sayulita has a lot to offer us laid back West Coast adventurists. When I was vacationing there in March, I bumped into a old friend from Vancouver who I hadn’t seen in years, and he just arrived that day. Later that night we all went to “Bar Don Patos” and a jazzy reggae band from Victoria was playing.  Sayulita kinda seems like home… but in a really great way it’s NOT!! With it’s laid back style, yoga retreats and beautiful beaches, where unlike Tofino, you can learn to surf without a wet suit! Combined with the tropical heat, margaritas on the beach and the warm friendly small town Mexican vibe…. you know you’re not in Vancouver any more.

The main reason Sayulita attracts the West Coast tourists is because it’s not your typical all in one package tourist trap. It’s a hip, trendy but chilled destination off the beaten path that is not one of those ‘Boom Boom’ obscene party towns with a Senior Frogs on every corner. The charm of Sayulita is that it remains a true Mexican town, with a mix of cobblestone and sand streets frequented by friendly locals, dogs, chickens, roosters who wake up the whole town every morning! Plus the town has an eclectic mix of real Mexican people, who reside amongst a large population of Canadian, American and European and Japanese expats who call Sayulita home for at least half of the year. At night the town square is full of families…you’ll find children, Mexican and foreigners, running around playing tag together or eating ice cream.

But one of the best things about Sayulita is it offers great surfing. The two-mile long beach has perfect surfing waves for beginners and experienced pros. Surfing is a way of life for Sayulita. The town hosts a number of tournaments and tours throughout the year, attracting surfers from all over the world. For us ladies, that means there are tons of hot surf instructors with toned bodies at your service! To teach you how to ride the waves of course!

The town also has lots of cool restaurants, traditional and modern, on par with some of the finer dining one might expect to find in San Diego, San Francisco or Vancouver. A place called, ‘Sayulita Fish Taco’, is my personal favourite!

With is chilled out bohemian vibe, amazing surfing and sophisticated hipster style. It’s not surprising there are several West Coast Canadians opening businesses in Sayulita. I didn’t get the complete list but i know some Vancouver folks teach at one of the high end the yoga retreats.  Where lots of Vancouver folks head down to de-stress from our dreary winter. Another friend of mine from Vancouver has been running a local business for a few years now called Sayulita Suites that has 6 apartments they rent out short term and long term. So if you’re looking for a place to stay check out www.sayulitasuites.com

Apr 5
Wild Kingdom: Fetish Fashion XXXtravaganza!
posted by: admin in Downtown on 04 5th, 2010 | | 2 Comments »

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The people at Restricted Entertainment have been putting together various industrial, goth and fetish events in Vancouver for a long time already but last night’s Wild Kingdom party was their inaugural kick-off as the in-house long weekend event promoter for Celebrities Nightclub. Congrats guys!

Besides a great DJ line-up, throwing down crunchy industrial, dirty electro and new wave tracks, they put on a fantastic fashion show featuring local stores and designers Priape, New World Designs & Starfrukt Wearables.

The animal themed costume night brought out some fun and original ideas ranging from body paint to a full-on furry mascot costume. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves but be warned, this entry is NSFW (Not Safe For Work).

Mar 29
Perfection in a Cup of Tea
posted by: Farah in Food on 03 29th, 2010 | | No Comments »

As the moody weather alternates between sunshine and rain, I take comfort in a hot cup of tea, and as I sit and sip, I ponder the merits of a good chai, and I wonder how long it will be until my tea becomes tisane and the hot turns to cold.

Black, green, red, or white, young or fermented, caffeinated or not, tea is a companion for all seasons. Hot or cold, creamy or straight up, tea offers infinite flavours and tastes to suite any temperament.

Many of my best and worst memories involve a cup of tea- sipping and sharing stories with friends, intimate late night moments with a lover, and of course, the tea that comforts the tears of a good cry.

In this coffee crazed city, tea offers the wisdom of a slow and mindful approach to life. Tea cannot be rushed, it must be sipped, “slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves … drink your tea slowly, evenly, [and] without rushing toward the future.” Even Buddhist Monk Thich Nat Hahn understood that tea is more than a hot drink on a cold, wet, rainy day.

Today’s first article is a short introduction to the world of tea.

Black teas are a healthy alternative to the bean that reigns king in this city. Puritans will prefer single origin teas like Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling that are named after the regions in which they are grown. However, for a more earthy flavor, try Lapsang Souchong, Keemun, or Pu-erh, a post-fermented tea that is aged to perfection. In the mornings, I mix Ceylon with a pinch of Pu-erh for an earthy, robust flavour.

Though from the same plant, green teas are mostly mild and mellow. The best green teas are from Japan where tea is honored in ceremony and ritual. Sencha, Genmaicha, Bancha (Twig Tea), Hojicha, and Matcha are the most commonly found Japanese teas. Of course, for the adrenaline junkie, I recommend a matcha latte which delivers a healthy dose of caffeine, along with anti-oxidents, beta-carotene, and theophylline, a mild stimulant that helps bring focus and clarity for sustained periods of time. Chinese green teas include the popular Jasmine tea, a beautiful tea with a delicate flavour.

In between the black and green is the delightful Oolong tea from China. Oolong teas are often rolled or pressed into balls. In most Chinese eating establishments, Oolong or Jasmine tea is served with the food, making these teas familiar to the tastebuds of most Vancouverites.

White teas are delicate, subtle, and slightly sweet. White teas are a specialty of the Fujian region of China, and their noble names aptly reflect their taste. In Vancouver, the most popular white tea varieties are Silver Needle and White Peony.

Red tea or Rooibos tea comes from South Africa, and is a flavourful alterative to caffeinated teas. Its distinct rich flavor is especially good for chais and chai lattes.

Tisanes are herbal concoctions that make delicious iced drinks. My favorite tisanes are fruity, tart, and refreshing on a hot summer day.

Yerbe Mate is a South American tradition that has finally made its way north. Strong, earthy, and sometimes grassy, yerbe mate is a unique drink that has a relaxing effect on the muscles and central nervous system, and, at the same time, stimulates the heart and brain; providing mental clarity and focus without the edge that often accompanies caffeinated beverages.

Whether you like it black, green, red, or white, it is best to heed the words of the wise and to sip “slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves.” In a slow sip, a beauty is revealed, and the present moment achieves perfection.

Stay tuned! Next month’s article features a review of Vancouver’s best tea houses.

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