Happy Birthday Vancouver!

Unless you've been living under a rock (or perhaps somewhere besides Vancouver), you've probably heard that today is our fair city's 125th birthday! By worldwide standards, we're positively brimming with youth! Of course, East Van is where it all began. Check out this article from today's Sun for a quick primer on our beginnings as a city.

One of the things I love so much about East Van, and Vancouver in general, is the mostly peaceful coexistence of architecture from every one of our decades. I really really can't stand all-new cookie cutter-like neighbourhoods. They have their place, of course, but I'm more than a little pleased to live in a city that has mostly managed to avoid them, in favour of building up existing neighbourhoods while maintaining the organic and historic flavour that makes them unique and interesting. In cities like New York, it seems like practically everyone lives and/or works in what we would call a heritage building here, but that doesn't make our history any less fascinating or important!

Here's to you, Vancouver, and your next 125 years!

East End Blues & All That Jazz

February is Black History Month, which I think is a much more worthwhile cause for celebration than Valentine's Day. But I digress...

If you're looking for a way to mark this special month, I can't think of anything better than a performance of East End Blues & All That Jazz. This "musical tribute to Vancouver's historic East End black community" is running three shows this weekend at the Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets are very reasonably priced ($15 students/seniors, $20 everyone else). If I weren't headed to sunnier climes on Saturday morning, I would definitely check this out. Thanks to my awesome neighbour/new friend Travis for the tip!