Announcing the Vol. 1 POP Culture Exclusive – July 18th, 2009

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WHAT: Exclusive and Intimate Comcert featuring award winning Music + Fashion
WHERE: River Rock Show Theatre, Richmond, BC
WHO: Elise Estrada, Danny Fernandes, Di’ja, Jake White and Emmalyn Estrada. Plus an exclusive fashion show featuring the hottest styles from Bedo, Jolie Couture and Alicia Ebbels
WHEN: Saturday, July 18th, 2009 – 6:30PM (General Admission)
HOW (MUCH): $100 for General Admission, $150 for VIP Tickets

Featuring Elise Estrada and Danny Fernandes, this exclusive experience will be a dazzling display of music and fashion.

The event will showcase two of today’s hottest, MMVA nominated pop acts along with the fresh faced talent of Di’ja, Jake White and Emmalyn Estrada.

You will also be treated to a fashion show of  the season’s hottest styles from Bedo, Jolie Couture and Alicia Ebbels.

Don’t miss out, as this event will prove to be one of the most exciting charity fundraisers of the season, with a live auction showcasing fabulous, one-of-a-kind items and experiences.

VIP tickets are $150, and guests are invited to a red carpet meet and greet at 6:00pm, where complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

The VIP ticket also includes table service, and of course, VIP seating.  VIP tickets will be available through the Variety office.

There is only limited VIP seating available, so call 604.320.0505 to get yours today!

General tickets are $100, and we invite you to join us at 6:30pm for entry to the fashion show and concert, a complimentary cocktail and admission to the after party where you will get the chance to mix and mingle with the performers.

Hosted in the intimate setting of River Rock Show Theatre, tickets go on sale June 13th and are available by calling Ticketmaster at 604.280.4444 or online at www.varietyconcertseries.com.

On Saturday, June 27th, Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon, Tom Crean of Kearney Funeral Services and Barry Scott of Maynards Auctioneers, hosted the LifeLid Gala at the Winsor Gallery on South Granville.

The event, best described as the afterparty for Chip’s Not Dead Yet Memorial Mile, a race dedicated to celebrating life and raising funds for BC Children’s Hospital, saw ten talented local artists design and adorn the lids of coffins supplied by the aforementioned Crean.

The end result was an event, in its first year, that exceeded all expectations and raised over $25,000 for BC Childrens Hospital mostly via a truly enjoyable and fun live auction conducted by Maynard’s Scott.

Opinion piece: I attend 300+ events a year – in some cases, people pay thousands of dollars to attend the events I go to. With the artists in attendance, a host bar, some of the best food selections I’ve seen (provided by Culinary Capers), the beautiful Winsor Gallery and the fun group in attendance – I’d have to say this event sits in the top three of the events I’ve been to this year. Find out more about the LifeLid Gala, HERE.

Other ways to support: A rectangular limited edition of the artwork from this event is available for sale online to further support the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation at www.vantageartprojects.com. Total $90 per archival, exhibition quality 11″x14″ print. A gorgeous way to give to the kids!

To see original release, the works and their selling prices, read more, after the jump. (more…)

It’s Friday afternoon and the market bell has sounded. For the hundreds of people who work in stock market related industries, the best place they can go to eat, drink, connect and be merry is the local restaurant chain in the Financial District. Well, that was most Fridays.

On Friday, June 26th, Neil Currie of VantageWire and Patrick Whibley of PI Financial Corp, hosted another one of their legendary Market Fusion events, this time at the newly minted Circa Restaurant and Lounge on Granville Street.

The pair are intent on aiding fabulous people build lifelong personal and business relationships in the afternoon while imbibing and listening to live music. To find out more about Market Fusion, check out their website, HERE.

Senator Mike Duffy, former host of CTV’s “Mike Duffy Life,” tends to think so, and better to comment on this other than a man who has both spent decades commenting on the political life of Canada and the man appointed to the Senate by the Conservative Government’s Stephen Harper in December, 2008?

On Wednesday, June 24th, an interested group of attendees filled the chic new restaurant in the Loden Hotel, Voya, to hear the Senator speak. The ‘Duff’ entertained the room with a number of topics from how normal and hardworking our current Prime Minister is, to the back room skullduggery currently occurring within the Liberal Party and Bob Wray’s aspirations to lead the Liberals. To find out more about the host of the evening’s event, check out the Fraser Institute online, HERE.

Community Sponsored Agriculture is an opportunity for consumers to receive seasonal produce direct from the producer each week during farming season.

In most cases, the recipient receives a mystery box of ultra-fresh vegetables in their delivery and from there, the games begin.

On Tuesday, June 23rd, three local farmers, Donna Stokoe and David Catzell from Fraser Common Farm and Ward Teulon from City Farm Boy, delivered two mystery boxes of seasonal vegetables at their peak to Chef Andrea Carlson at Bishop’s. The subsequent event was the second dinner in the Producer’s Dinner Series at the acclaimed restaurant.

To find out what we ate, sipped and savoured, plus to find out more about the Producer’s  Dinner Series, read more, after the jump. (more…)

On every Thursday morning, Raj Taneja appears on TALK 1410AM’s Jenn and Joe show to fill the listening audience in on what’s hot and happening in Vancouver.

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Click on the above player to listen to the episode.

In this episode Raj Taneja covered the the Nando’s Canada Cup of Beer Media (Promotional) Event, Chip’s Not Dead Yet Memorial Mile and the 2nd Annual East Vancouver Show and Shine. Upcoming events cited included the Market Fusion Summer Soiree, the LifeLid Gala and the upcoming Variety Summer Concert Series which occurs in mid-July.

Check out TALK 1410AM, The Buzz of Vancouver online, HERE and don’t forget to tune in Thursday mornings at 9:15 am.

On Saturday, June 27th, Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon, will host the LifeLid Art Gala at the Winsor Gallery with proceeds supporting BC Children’s Hospital.

Ten artists have created their interpretations celebrating life on a life-size coffin lid made from BC denim pine as the canvas for their inspiration. The LifeLid Gala is the showing, fundraising auction and party celebrating this art.

These ten unique masterpieces will be auctioned off at the LifeLid Gala June 27th at Winsor Gallery. Proceeds to benefit BC Children’s Hospital.

More Life to the Lid:
One LifeLid has been selected to be incorporated into the design of a lululemon t-shirt (see above). Prints of details from all 10 Lifelids will be available in limited edition archival ink jet prints at www.vantageartprojects.com. Both will be for sale with again proceeds benefiting BC Children’s Hospital.

Tickets $99:
Online tickets available at LifeLidGala.com
Absentee bids are welcome. Registration form is available on the website.
Dress to impress and join us for some artful fun June 27th.

Location:
Winsor Gallery, 3025 Granville Street, Vancouver

At 12-noon on Sunday, June 21st, Dustin Sepkowski from the Whip Restaurant & Gallery cracked open three casks of beer: R&B’s raspberry wheat ale, Longwood brewpub’s Witbier (Nanaimo) and Swan’s honey ale (Victoria), signalling both the start of summer and the kickoff of the East Vancouver Show & Shine.

Shiny bikes and perfect weather aside, the event included a vendors market, a food stand, a lemonade stand, a beer barrel and 50/50 tickets. Proceeds raised from the event benefitted Camp Good Times, a camp for sick kids.

On Saturday, June 20th, Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon, hosted the Chip’s Not Dead Yet Memorial Mile, the funnest charity race alive!

Proceeds from the registration of the 1-mile run which took place on West 10th in Point Grey, plus an equal amount contributed personally by Wilson (up to $150k) went straight to the BC Children’s Hospital.

The event provided non-stop entertainment for the family with the themed heats (matching costumes in tow) including a Pooch Parade, the Superhero Half Mile Family Wave, the High Heel Dash, the $20,000 Elite Race and more.

After the race, attendees enjoyed the various activities past the finish line including the Russel beer garden, live entertainment from the likes of Current Swell, Armchair Cynics, RUN GMC and Daniel Wesley, and the opportunity to get free swag and further give to the cause with the upcoming post-race celebration, the LifeLid Gala.

LifeLid Gala (funds also going to the BC Children’s Hospital) is coming up this week on June 27th. To find out more about Chip’s Not Dead Yet, visit the website, HERE. To find out more about the upcoming LifeLid Gala, stay tuned to the Urban Mixer blog (HERE) or visit the website, HERE.

On Friday, June 19th, the 13th Annual Mallet Masters Tournament, a fundraiser for the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation, took place at the Ambleside Greens Golf Course.

Attended by dignitaries including the Mayor of West Vancouver, Pam Goldsmith-Jones, and Olympic athletes alike, the annual tournament is not to be missed. Starting off with a champagne salute and followed up with plenty of Pimms, canapes, a martini bar and more, the event has lots in store for the participants.

This year, 32 teams participated including the 2008 Defending Champions, Sager Anderson. No word yet on whether they were deposed but with nine live auction items and 75 silent auction items, the true winner of the event was the West Vancouver Memorial Library Foundation.

To find out more about the West Vancouver Memorial Library, check out their website, HERE.