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I’m trying to find the words to tell all how amazing Vancouver has been for the last week. Until my tongue..or fingers…are untied, here are some pictures.
Fireworks at LiveCity Yaletown after Deadmau5
Science World (Now the Russia House) and Native Art along the seawall
On Saturday Night, in downtown Vancouver, two cities came together for me. DJ Colette (OM Records) and San Francisco are synonymous for me. I’ve seen her play in Victoria, but for me, she is stamped with San Franciscan memories. Hearing her play in Vancouver was like inviting an old friend into a new house. There’s something nice and familiar about that. It makes the world feel smaller, tighter, like a community. In a big city, that sense of community can be hard to find, but there it was at Ginger Sixty-two, with Colette delivering tummy warming, sexy house into the night. The sickest thing about her is that she sings live over her tracks (See photo). That kind of crowd interaction is golden. Some DJ’s can seem almost comatose behind the decks, so when you heard a voice singing, it re-establishes that crowd-performer connection. It reminds you that that IS a soulful individual back there. It brings things out of abstraction. You can hear in her voice that she’s lovin’ the beats right along with you….and that’s awesome. So, check out here sched and see if she’s coming to your town. You won’t regret it. Here’s the links:
Her site: www.djcolette.com
Om Records: http://www.om-records.com/
Ginger Sixty-two: http://www.ginger62.com/
Okay, I confess. This one is a little late. A combination of Kootenay time and Kootenay snow has kept me from sharing this one in time for Christmas. Luckily, gifts get wrapped more than once a year, so I’ve decided to go ahead and share anyway. This past Christmas all gifts from me were wrapped with potato stamped newsprint. Potato stamps! Remember those! Remember how fun those are! They’re still SO fun. I made green trees with red stars and giggled all the way through. For paint, I used non-toxic tempura paint pucks… wow, do those bring back memories. If you’re skilled in the realm of potato stamp carving, then why not do it full force and make the wrapping paper the gift itself. Do it on a rainy day and store it (away from sunlight) until you need it. Do it with your friends. Do it with your kids. Do it naked. Have some fun with it. My only tip is to not use too much water with the pucks because it causes the paper to crinkle when it dries. Oh and did I say have fun? Because potato stamping rules!
There’s something so great about a craft fair at this time of year. Budding and retired artists, local art, and art from far, far away topped with a heavy dose of holiday spirit. At my most recent craft fair my best discovery was something from far, far away. A group called The Shanti Uganda Society was selling beaded jewelry made by women in Uganda. At first glance these beads look like your typical resin beads but upon closer inspection I saw something different. The beads are made from rolled up strips of paper; Paper, that I later found out, was destined for the dump. Ho Ho! What a great idea. Now where have I heard that before 
. The colorful pages of magazines are transformed with a little love, and in return The Shanti Uganda Society helps to improve the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of communities impacted by poverty, HIV/AIDS, and war. I bought a pretty aqua colored necklace which is the correct size to double as a bracelet. If you’d like to learn more check out www.shantiuganda.org .
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