EDIT: View the photos from the grand opening here!

Apple lovers don't want to miss this! Apple is finally opening a fourth store at Metropolis Metrotown in Burnaby. You just know there will be a super long line up for this so be sure to get there early! If you’re one of the first 1000 people in line, you’ll take home a free commemorative T-shirt!


When
Saturday, September 24th
10:00am

Where
Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby
top floor of the mall nearby Guess, Lululemon and Mexx
 
Source: http://www.apple.com/ca/retail/metrotown/

Gardeners take note because UBC Botanical Garden's Friends of the Garden group is putting on a bulb sale! A wide range of bulbs as well as specialty bulbs will be available for purchase. Besides the sale there will be lectures and tea and planting demonstrations. Demonstrations are free but the tea talk costs $5. Facepainting, arts and crafts will be set up for children.

This event is free to attend (it is located at the entrance of the garden) but if you want to enter the Botanical Garden you will have to pay regular admission unless you are in costume! (Think pirates and buried treasure) Tours on the Greenheart Canopy Walkway will also be discounted for the event.

When
Saturday, September 24th
11-3pm

Demonstrations:
12:00 Judy Newton
1:00 Van Noorte's Bulb Co. representative
2:00 Van Noorte's Bulb Co. representative       

Where
UBC Botanical Gardens


Source: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/treasured-bulb-sale

Joshua Hyslop is promoting his new CD "Cold Wind" and will be performing live at the HMV store on Robson & Burrard St this Saturday! There will be a autograph signing after the performance.

When
Saturday, September 24
6:00pm - 9:00pm

Where
HMV Robson
 

RSVP to the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=216423691752588

The Market at Park Royal Shopping Centre will be hosting a tasting event with flavours coming from all over the world and and all different types of food. Vendors of Market will offer samples while Liberty Wines will give their best recommendations for wine pairings. Special recipes will be there for you to take home!

When
Saturday, September 24
2:00PM - 4:00PM

Where
Park Royal Shopping Centre
701 PARK ROYAL N WEST VANCOUVER 


Source: http://shopparkroyal.com/campaigns/taste-market

Park Royal Shopping Centre is putting on a Teen Movie Night on September 24th. Looks like it will be X-Men: First Class showing according to the poll on Facebook. Holly Conway, DJ Flipout, and The Beat Street Squad will also be on site before the movie broadcasting live. There will be FREE popcorn and the first 100 teens to take their seats also get a $10 Park Royal Gift Card!

When


Where
Park Royal Shopping Centre
701 PARK ROYAL N WEST VANCOUVER 

Join Holly Conway, DJ Flipout, and The Beat Street Squad as we broadcast live from Park Royal Shopping Centre on Saturday, September 24th between 2:30pm-6:30pm.

Source: http://www.shopparkroyal.com/campaigns/beat-945-teen-movie-night

Throughout the week workshops, talks and tweetups will be happening all around Vancouver (and other cities around the globe) focused on social media! Registration is free for all. Learn about emerging trends in social and mobile media and how it connects people, content, and conversation around the globe.

When
Monday, September 19th to Friday, September 23rd
Check the official website for schedule of events (filter by Vancouver)


Where
Multiple locations

Source: http://socialmediaweek.org/schedule/

It's Sustainability Week at SFU and on Tuesday there will be a festival celebrating sustainability! Listen to musical performances, attend workshops on several topics and watch an Eco Fashion show. There will also be prize draws!

When
Tuesday, September 20th
11am - 4pm

Where
Simon Fraser University (Convocation Mall, Burnaby Campus)

Festival Schedule:

10:30am         Exploring Energy: Conversion, Consumption and Conservation Workshop
11:00am         Festival Opens
11:00am         Yoga Workshop
11:00am          John Gilliat Duo - Music Performance
11:40am          Indigenous Student Centre Drum Musical Performance
12:15pm          Welcome from President Andrew Petter
12:20pm          Eco Fashion Show 1 (& PRIZE DRAW)
1:00pm            Environmental Youth Alliance Composting Workshop
1:00pm            Keith Bennett - Music Performance
2:00pm             Exploring Energy: Conversion, Consumption and Conservation Workshop
2:00pm            Agricultural Skills Workshop  
2:30pm             Hannah Epperson - Music Performance 
3:15pm             Eco Fashion Show 2 (& PRIZE DRAW)
4:00pm             Festival Closes

Source: http://www.sfu.ca/sustainabilityfestival.html

I liked that we didn't have to go far to find ourselves at the Autumn Shift Festival on Main Street between 12th and Broadway. Lots of merchants displaying their wares there too.


The weather was cooperating and people where covering the street with chalk drawings. I had a great time. There was great music and saw a lot of performances. I'm sad that summer is over!

After browsing the wares at Spend on Trend, we were starting to get hungry. Walking down Main Street we spotted this restaurant serving brunch.


Habit Lounge is a cosy place and quite busy when we got there. I tried the Eggs Benedict since everyone around us seemed to be eating that. It was delicious but my friend tried the scrambled eggs and I kind of wish I had chosen that instead. It looked so yummy!

Scrambled eggs with sausage, aged cheddar and carmelized onion

Eggs Benedict with salmon lox, capers, shallots, dill cream cheese

Some of my favourites include the Lego cuff links from Nostalic Links


 and the cute designs of Noei. My friend and I also loved Elroy's clothing. She bought a coat from them!

The 17th annual Word on the Street Festival is happening on Friday, Sept 23rd to Sunday, Sept 25th. This family friendly event is dedicated to promoting reading and literacy throughout the community. Enjoy a weekend jam-packed with author readings, exhibits, marketplace, and performances!

When
Friday, September 23 - Sunday, September 25
11am - 5pm

Where

Vancouver, BC V6B 6B3
(Library Square and CBC Plaza)

Source: http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca/wots/vancouver

This is the 2nd annual Vogon Poetry Slam, which features contestants performing their awesomely horrible poems in the most outlandish ways possible in front of a panel of randomly selected judges to battle their to the ultimate awfulness!

Think your poetry can curdle milk? Send two of your worst Vogon poems to L2programs@vpl.ca and you could win one of several cash prizes! (Prizes: $100, $60, $40 Youth prize: $42.) You have until Monday, September 19th to enter! It's free to participate and all ages are welcome!



When

RSVP to the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=277862525562975

Source: Vancouver Public Library

Pacific Centre mall in downtown Vancouver is hosting a series of free Fall Fashion Seminars from Sept 21st to Oct 2nd. Get a shot of ‘insider’ advice from industry style experts, discover this fall’s must-haves, see what’s hot this fall for hair and makeup, and find the perfect look for you!  Style Experts will also be on hand at the Style Bar to answer any style questions you may have.
 
When
Wednesday, September 21 to Sunday, October 2

Where 
Pacific Centre Mall
701 West Georgia Street,Vancouver
Style Bar is located on the upper level across from H&M.

Check out the website for entire schedule of seminars:
http://www.pacificcentre.ca/en/centreinfo/Pages/StyleBar.aspx

An exclusive West 4th shopping party night with special merchant deals and a cool party vibe you won't want to miss. Amazing parties, cool people, live music, and of course, GREAT deals to be had! This is the first ever after hour shopping event in Vancouver, modeled after similar events in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and London. The event will be focusing on West 4th’s fashion and female-centric (yoga, spas, salons etc.) categories. 

When
Wednesday, September 21st
6pm - 9pm

Where
West 4th between Burrard and Balsam Street

RSVP to the Facebook event here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=218948381494016

Sadly summer has switched off suddenly and now we are into the rainy season. But that doesn't mean there isn't things still to do during the weekend! Highlights include the Rainbow Warrior Festival, which celebrates Greenpeace's 40th anniversary. Mayor Gregor Robertson even declared Sept 15th officially as Greenpeace Day in Vancouver. Go figure. It's also the last weekend of the Richmond Summer Night Market! Be sure to check it out since there will be huge discounts and lots of prize giveaways!


Friday, September 16 

Vancouver Longboard Trade Expo 
11am - 6pm
Vancouver International Film Centre
1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver 

London Drugs Fall Extravaganza
12pm-5pm
#150 - 351 Abbott Street Vancouver

Farmade
3pm-8pm
UBC Farm
6182 South Campus Rd, Vancouver

Spend on Trend ($5 at door or $3 online)
5pm-9pm
Heritage Hall
3102 Main Street, Vancouver  

Richmond Summer Night Market 'Season Finale'
7pm-12pm
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond


Saturday, September 17

Park Royal Village 7th Birthday
8:00am -  10:00pm (main festivities from11am-4p) 
Whole Foods Market West Vancouver
925 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC V7T 2Z3

2nd Annual Grand Prix of Art
10am-4pm (artists painting from 10am-1pm)
Britannia Heritage Shipyards, Steveston, Richmond

Scotiabank Dance Centre Open House
10am - 6pm
Scotiabank Dance Centre
677 Davie Street, Vancouver

Rainbow Warrior Festival
11:00am - 6:00pm
Jericho Park, Vancouver

Grandview Park Official Opening
11am-2pm
Grandview Park
Charles at Commercial, Vancouver

Spend on Trend ($5 at door or $3 online)
11:00am - 6:00pm
Heritage Hall
3102 Main Street, Vancouver 

2nd Annual Autumn Shift Festival
12 pm to 6 pm
Main Street between 12th Avenue and Broadway

Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival
4pm - 9pm
Slocan Park, Vancouver

Richmond Summer Night Market 'Season Finale'
7pm-12pm
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond


Sunday, September 18

Terry Fox Run
multiple locations & times
http://www.terryfox.org/Run/_BritishColumbia_.html 

Park Royal Village 7th Birthday
8:00am -  10:00pm (main festivities from11am-4p) Whole Foods Market West Vancouver
925 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC V7T 2Z3 

2nd Annual Grand Prix of Art
10am-4pm (art display only)
Britannia Heritage Shipyards, Steveston, Richmond

Scotiabank Dance Centre Open House
10am - 6pm
Scotiabank Dance Centre
677 Davie Street, Vancouver  

Lower Lonsdale 7th Annual Fall Festival
11am - 4pm
The Shipyards, at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver

Go Global Vancouver Expo
11am-5pm
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (BC Ballroom)
900 West Georgia St, Vancouver

Spend on Trend ($5 at door or $3 online)
11:00am - 5:00pm
Heritage Hall
3102 Main Street, Vancouver

4th Annual Harvest Festival
12pm-4pm
McLean Park (Keefer & Heatley), Vancouver

Sharing Our Wealth Festival
12pm-4pm
Douglas Park Community Centre
801 West 22nd Avenue (between Oak and Cambie Street), Vancouver

Soccer Home Opener (College)
12:00 pm Women’s game
2:00 pm Men’s game
Empire Field
3311 East Hastings Street, Vancouver

Eco Fashion Week - Open Model Casting (Freelance)
3:00pm - 6:00pm
151 West Hastings Vancouver BC

Richmond Summer Night Market 'Season Finale'
7pm-11pm
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond

Ryan Gosling plays a nameless stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for people who commit crimes. He shows no enthusiasm for life and has very little emotion for anything (to the point of robotic) until he meets his neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene's husband comes back from jail in the desperate need of help to do a job in order to pay back a large debt which brings danger to his family, our protagonist tries to help him only to have the heist go horribly wrong. Now nobody is safe and everything seems to go wrong as our driver desperately tries to set everything right...

Drive is a psychological action thriller that captivated my interest from start to finish. There are a couple of car chases and lots of detailed gory scenes which become downright disturbing (very appropriately rated R for extreme violence!). Ryan Gosling's character is a man of very few words and there are long awkward pauses in his dialogue when he thinks of what to say. You never find out his name and nothing about his past, you only know that he drives. This makes actually makes him a fascinating character to watch on screen. The movie is ultimately a sweet story about love and how it can bring out the "humanness" in anyone - it is just encased in bloody violence and adrenaline.

It is based on James Sallis' book of the same name that I so want to read it now! Also want the soundtrack. It features a great song fits the movie like a glove...if only I can find out what it is....something about being human.
 
Drive comes out in theatres today, Friday, September 16, 2011. Go see it, you won't be disappointed.

I went to the Band of Horses concert last night at the Commodore Ballroom. Didn't get the name of the opening band (they never told us?!) but I didn't think they were very good. The good majority of the people didn't arrive until Band of Horses came on. There was fairly big crowd and an enthusiastic one too. Some people were dancing to the music. There were some glow sticks thrown around too at the end. At one point the lead singer started smoking while he was singing! Band of Horses put on a great show and an amazing performance.
 


 I have some other pictures but they are on the other camera. Will upload them later with a video clip.

The Scotiabank Dance Centre celebrates its 10th anniversary this fall with two days of open classes, workshops, studio showings and special events. Participating artists and companies include: Ballet BC, Barbara Bourget, Dance 4U (salsa), Kinesis Dance, Mandala Arts and Culture, Raven Spirit Dance, Shiamak's Bollywood Jazz, and more.

When
Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18
10am - 6pm

Where
Scotiabank Dance Centre
677 Davie Street, Vancouver 

See detailed schedule here: http://www.thedancecentre.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=524:scotiabank-dance-centre-open-house&catid=1:latest

This event celebrates the full moon and harvest abundance with a parade, lanterns, art and musical performances.

When
Saturday, September 17
4pm - 9pm

4:00-7 pm Harvest Fair at Slocan Park – food, music, art, and harvest abundance.
7:15 pm Twilight lantern parade along Renfrew Ravine from Slocan Park to Renfrew Park.
7:30-9pm Lanterns, art, music, tea and moon cakes at Renfrew Park
8:45pm Finale at Renfrew Park field – live music playing swing and jazz – bring your dancing shoes, dance, stilts, fire spinning.

Where
Slocan Park, Vancouver

Source: http://stillmoon.org/?page_id=77