Urban Mixer Blog

Week of December 25th - 31st, 2006

To see the latest newsletter (and newsletter archives) for your city, click the appropriate city, below:

CALGARY | VANCOUVER

Raise a glass of Bromo to the New Year.

Put down the fruitcake and eggnog and back away slowly. It’s time for a fresh approach, for a fresh year. Wheatgrass smoothies and vegan sushi for all!

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WHAT: A Martini Tour through Kitsilano.
WHEN: Friday, January 12, 2007, 7:00 PM
WHERE: Karv, 2201 W. 1st Avenue, Vancouver
WHY: It’s been a while…but we are back from the massage parlour and in full swing!

$10 in advance, $25 at the door. Registrants will be invited to dinner before the event as well!

Click HERE to register.

Urban Mixer announces our 2007 season at the very first martini tour of the year.
The Urban Mixers are mixing things up once again! We like to go south once in awhile (doesn’t everyone?) so this month we’re hosting our legendary Martini Tour in deepest, darkest Kitsilano. Join 100 of your fellow intrepid Urban Mixers and ring in 2007 with the first of our infamous and unforgettable events for 2007.

We rendezvous at Karv (the former Adesso) on the corner of Yew and W.
1st, promptly at 7:00 pm sharp. After synchronizing watches, you will receive your Martini Tour passport, signifying membership in Martini Nation, and which contains instructions for completing your mission.

But smooth operators like us don’t stay in one place too long.
Switching gin joints and Martini specials, we spend no more than an hour at each destination!

The dress code is business or cocktail. Gentlemen, we request that you wear at least a jacket and tie (tuxedos are OK with us too, and very okay with the ladies, just ask ‘em!). Ladies, your business attire or cocktail dresses are welcomed. Please advise your guests that there is a dress code for this event, and that the tour will proceed rain or shine. Bombay Sapphire waits for no man~

The cost of the tour is only $10 in advance and this provides:

• a complimentary souvenir tour passport
• plenty of martini specials all night long (you are responsible for your own bar tab)
• complimentary nibbles and nosh along the way

This tour is limited to 100 people so please reserve your spots in advance! At the door, the cost will be $25 should space permit.

Since we didn’t want to draw you all away from the Canucks, we are hosting this special mission on Friday night. Foreign agents (from, say, Delta or South Van) who don’t really feel like jetting home after work but before the tour are invited to the Urban Mixer private dinner reception, pre-Martinis. The location will be announced to those who register online. Each Urban Mixer is responsible for his/her own tab, unless an attractive SMERSH operative offers to pick it up for you. Be warned.

Finally, Urban Mixer urges you to make alternate driving arrangements.
Appoint a DD (your DD’s fee is complimentary, simply email Raj to get the special DD registration code) or take a taxi or public transit.

Click HERE to register.

Every year, Urban Mixer hosts a small gathering where I get to play Santa. The group goes to one of the best restaurants in the city for a delightful meal including great conversation and inventive cuisine.

This year we went to Figmint which is located in the Plaza 500 Hotel on Cambie and 12th.

The menu:

Festive Turkey Menu

Starter

Leaves
Mixed Greens with Figs, Goats Cheese, Reduced Balsamic and Lemon Dressing
Or
Butternut Squash
Butternut Squash and Riesling Soup with Soft Poached Hens Egg, Manchego and
Truffle Oil.

Main Course

Turkey
Roasted Turkey with Cauliflower Puree, Brussel Sprout leaves and Pomme Cocottes.
Or
Artichoke
Artichoke, Wild Mushroom, Mascarpone Risotto with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Or
Trout
Pan Seared Rainbow Trout with Crushed Potatoes and Green Beans Almandine.

Dessert

Pumpkin
Brulée with Pumpkin Seed Biscotti.
Or
Figmint
Fig Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Crystallized Mint.

$40.00 per Person.

Needless to say, everyone really enjoyed their dinners and the post-dinner nightcap in the lounge. Chef Lee Humphries even showed up to pass some cheer.

Week of December 18th - December 24th, 2006

To see the latest newsletter (and newsletter archives) for your city, click the appropriate city, below:

CALGARY | VANCOUVER

Here’s your ho-ho-homeboy Raj with this week’s calendar!

A visit from Urban Mixer

T’was the night before Christmas,
And all through downtown
Not a sous-chef was stirring, and the rain coming down;
The stockings were worn with high heels up to there,
In hopes that some baller would say, Oh hi there!
The virgins were nestled all snug in their beds,
While hopes of debauchery danced in OUR heads.

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Snowcones, champagne and Vancouver’s finest were the focal point of Friday’s Christmas Party in Yaletown, hosted by Media and PR luminary, Pamela Groberman.

The food, provided by Figmint, was delectable. The company, excellent and the snowcones, well.. yummy!

Thursday night we celebrated Christmas and 11 successful years for Fast Forward Weekly at The Mercury and Ei8ht.

The canapés and libations flowed, the service was excellent (as usual) and an all celebrity cast was present including Ward 9 Alderman, Joe Ceci, international fashion designer, Thomas Lynch, and the all-stars behind Calgary’s own Opus on 8th.

Saturday night, Turner Music and Events, Urban Mixer and Gallery O at the Art Center held the second evening in the ongoing Sensual Saturdays Series: Sexy Salsa.

The evening started with two lovely Champagne Showgirls hostesses and a glass of sangria. After that, we enjoyed the EasySalsa dance lessons and demo and then enjoyed the music of Rumba Calzada and finally DJ Flyboy.

Rumba Calzada was nominated for a 2003 Juno Award for World Music Album of the Year. Their mix of Latin Jazz, Salsa and Afro-Cuban music has been packing Vancouver dance floors for years.

Great location, excellent music, celebrity guest appearances including Raymondo Chan of Burn the Dancefloor, and definitely an excellent evening.

After that, we headed to the SNAP Contemporary Art Gallery for the Ritual, one in a series of Factory Nights with good drinks, excellent conversation and one of the finest presentations of art I’ve seen in a while.

We missed Freddy (he did a good job in slashing up the bartenders) but enjoyed appearances from some great local and international artists including 3D Leigh.

Subscribe to our newsletter HERE to get updates on these and other great events. Cheers!

Friday evening, the UM crew was out at 2 events, the opening of a select number of Brave Art artists at Livestock on Abbott Street in Gastown and MyDesiOrb.com at Azure.

First: Livestock and according to Mr. Taneja, if you want to buy your sneakers off the web, it’s Deadstock… The store was completely transformed from a sneaker heaven to a modern day art gallery. Some cool cats where checking out the scene and the art…but alas…we have to take our leave. The Brave Art exhibition continues onwards at Ayden Gallery in International Village (88 W. Pender). If you have not seen it, please do check it out!

After leaving what seemed like the beginning of a fab party, we make our way down Abbott St to the Azure at Plaza of Nations amongst a midst of Canucks fans. The streets are alive in Gastown this evening.

Our good friend Herman at Azure set the crew up with special passes this evening for the MyDesiOrb.com party…a new online portal and community for South-Asians. This is their official launch party in Vancouver and we thought we would check it out.

All of the way from Toronto and on the decks was DJ Jiten. Jiten has been DJing South Asian and Hip-Hop parties since I was in university and with almost 15 years of being in the business (yes…I am that old), he certainly is one of the premiere South Asian DJ’s on the scene. Joining him at the tables was Vancouver’s own: DJ Reminisce and on the dhol: the Bear, Birinder Narang. At the ripe old age of 22, this dholi has a very promising future ahead of him.

Thanks to Sudha Krishna (formerly of CBC’s Zed and now with The Nimble Company / Rapspace.tv) for joining us!

The music was excellent, the crowd well-behaved but we could have probably done without the go-go dancers. At any rate here are the photos you have been waiting for:

Looking forward to hearing DJ Reminisce on the decks at ginger62 on Thursday, December 21st for A-Town’s High Society event.  Come and check it out too!

Nina

Week of December 11th - December 17th, 2006

To see the latest newsletter (and newsletter archives) for your city, click the appropriate city, below:

CALGARY | VANCOUVER

Join the other Urban Mixers and mix it up all week at these fine excuses for a little primping! Not that you need it: us either.

Hit your party closet like it’s never been hit before; underdressing is so 20th Century! Haul out the velvet, pull on the satin, and pull out the stops for some of the most glamorous gatherings this town has ever seen. This city’s time has finally come, so come along with the Urban Mixer.

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Thursday night - seems to be ‘the night’ that alot of events happen in Vancouver. This Thursday, as usual, good things come in threes.

Moet & Chandon Champagne Tasting

Thursday’s festivities started with a tasting from Moet & Chandon, one of the world’s most recognizable Champagne labels. We tasted the Brut Imperial, the Imperial Nectar and the Rosé at the BC Liquor Store’s Cambie Kitchen.

Canapés were expertly crafted by Robert LeCrom of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (other executive chefs from Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and the Waterfront Hotel were also present during the event).

We also got a chance to check out the ultra-shiny Adura diamond. Adura comes from the Latin word ‘to light on fire’ and the diamond that we got a chance to gawk at, featuring 85 facets, was definitely brilliant.

Brave Art Vancouver 

After the gawking, it was time to go check out Brave Art’s Media Reception and Launch at Chambar where we were greeted by the live-art in the making, or at least someone spray-painting the front window of Chambar.

The onlookers (including chef Nico Schuermans) assured me spray painting was no cause for concern, and was mandated by the bar and looked pretty good. After some onlooking of our own and some meeting and greeting, we went off to Brave Art’s Opening Party at Ayden Gallery.

Some background on Brave Art taken from their website: A subversive visual art exhibit showcasing diverse artists’ individual expressions collectively fused into a group show with the common thread of skate and street culture. The show will include pieces form the world’s best street & graffiti artists from across the globe. Original works and limited edition prints will be exhibited and available for sale at the Ayden Gallery, Chambar and Livestock from Dec. 7 to Jan. 14, 2007.

Shut up and Shoot! Vancouver Premiere Screening

Finally, after spending some time at Ayden, we decided to check out the screening of Shut up and Shoot! at the Rio Theatre on East Broadway. It was a long day and we didn’t stay for the afterparty which included a cast as star-studded as the movie, but overall, a fantastic night!

Cheers and see you next time!