Thursday, July 29, 2010

Vancouver Beaches on Top Ten List


Once again, Vancouver rates with the best in the world. None other than the respected National Geographic has included Vancouver's beaches with the likes of Honolulu, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro. Vancouverites are currently enjoying the long summer days on ten ocean side beaches and one fresh-water lake - all within city limits. Eleven miles of civic beaches range from the expansive views of Jericho Beach, pictured above and below, to the downtown beaches bordering the West End and Stanley Park and a few blocks from the B & B, to the muscle-beach scene at Kitsilano ("Kits") Beach and the clothing-optional wilderness feel of world famous Wreck Beach!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Bard-B-Q & Fireworks

Hurry if you want some of the best fireworks views available!

Bard on the Beach is selling all-inclusive tickets during the Celebration of Light. For the four fireworks evenings, begin your experience with Act I of either Much Ado About Nothing or Falstaff. During an extended intermission, have a drink and enjoy a West Coast salmon barbeque. Return for Act II and then take coffee and dessert in the same private seating area in Vanier Park for all the pyrotechnics.

Always a sell-out.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Vancouver Summer Fireworks!!!


Every year, since 1990, there has been some drama over whether or not Vancouver's spectacular fireworks competition will once again find the funding. (Because you asked), I am glad to report that the Celebration of Light will launch again, next Wednesday, July 21st!

Even better, the warm up for the pyrotechnics will be live musical performances, dubbed Shorefest, on stage at the English Bay Bathhouse and the Rogue Stage at Sunset Beach. Both stage performances will be simulcast on SHORE 104 FM radio.

This year's Celebration of Light features four competitors and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. July 21, the USA is first up with a tribute to the Big Band era. The next Saturday, the 24th, this year's World Cup winner, Spain, will show us whether they can kick that fireball through the goalposts. On Wednesday, July 28, the Latin rythyms will continue with Mexico's swirling presentation. On Saturday, July 31st, the inventors of the artform, China will provide the climax for probably the biggest crowd of all - up to 350,000 people ringing the beaches, bridges, boats and highrises of beautiful English Bay.

No matter if you have seen the rest, come see the best! Our B & B guests will be bundled up with beach towels and tipped to the ultimate viewing points.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Blog Freshening

I realized that at 100 posts, it was time to touch up the paint, wash the windows and let the message shine through. Hope you like the new look!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Vancouver Street Food

Our city's street food scene will soon reflect more of our cultural diversity. City Hall just drew 17 names out of a barrel of 800 applications to finally award street vending licences to something other than hot dogs and chestnuts. Within weeks, pedestrians will be able to sample everything from Chinese Dim Sum to Korean and Southern style BBQs, Tex-Mex burritos to stone-baked pizza.


Ahh...the savory aromas of Vancouver!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Wreck Beach Day(s)

Summer has Vancouver in its hot grasp. And that means white clothes, short skirts, shirtless muscles or NO CLOTHES AT ALL!

Tomorrow, July 11 is the 30th Annual Wreck Beach Day - a celebration  of all things nude and natural. This link(beware! non-sexual, not necessarily pretty human nudity) will lead you to photos of North America's largest clothing-optional beach and first to be legally-sanctioned in Canada!

This weekend, the quintessentially free spirits of Canada's West Coast are trying for a Guinness World Record for a mass, continent-wide simultaneous skinny-dip and posing for this years photos.

On August 8th, the more athletically inclined will form up for the 14th Annual Bare Buns Run. That is 5 kilometres on sand. Think about running 5 kms on sand even with your clothes on! For a number of years, our B & B was happy to host the oldest participant in the Run, who was always acknowledged with a prize ribbon, just for being in his seventies, bare buns, running on glorious Wreck Beach!