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Books

Mar13

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Raven Brings the Light

Posted in: Books, Events, Illustration, Vancouver

Roy Henry Vickers, one of Canada’s most highly-praised artists, will launch his largest-ever collection of new prints at a public gallery and storytelling event on Saturday, April 6 at Vancouver’s iconic Waterfall Building near Granville Island.

The creations on display were inspired by Raven Brings the Light – a highly anticipated book co-authored by Vickers and historian Robert Budd – telling the legend of how Raven brought light to the world.

“This story belongs to the people of the Northwest Coast, where is has been passed from generation to generation for thousands of years,” said Vickers. “It is a great joy for me to share this in a new way. I hope through this story, thousands more will discover and understand this important piece of our culture.”

The April event marks Vickers’ first time unveiling a new collection in the city since The Vancouver Series in 1988. The day promises to be rich in significance, cultural exploration, and artistry. Throughout the celebration, visitors will be able to view the works, read copies of the book, meet Vickers, and enjoy a family-friendly telling of Raven Brings the Light.

Both signed books and a series of 12 limited-edition fine art prints will be available for purchase.

With Raven Brings the Light, Vickers retells a Northwest Coast legend traced back more than three millennia by archaeologists. In a time when darkness covered the land, a boy named Weget turns into a raven and flies from Haida Gwaii into the sky. There, he tricks the Chief of the Heavens and manages to bring the sun – kept in a box – to the Earth. While the story is ubiquitous across BC, this particular version originates from Chester Bolton, Chief of the Ravens, who told it to Vickers in Kitkatla in 1975. Vickers has since recounted the story to thousands of eager listeners.

One such listener is historian and co-author Robert Budd, who first started working with Vickers to document his memoirs. Budd has built a career on sharing stories. His first book, Voices of British Columbia, quickly became a bestseller. During lengthy discussions for the artist’s memoir, the current project was born.

“In essence, my work as a documenter and author is to sustain important stories from individuals and cultures,” said Budd. “When Roy first told me the story of Raven Brings the Light, I knew it was something special that needed to be shared. I feel deeply honoured to help further this tale and help bring it to new life through Roy’s striking art.”

In addition to print work, Vickers is an accomplished carver, a design advisor of prestigious public spaces including YVR and Saanich Commonwealth Place, a sought-after keynote speaker, and publisher and author of several successful books. Vickers is also is a recognized leader in the First Nations community and a tireless spokesperson for recovery from addictions and abuse.

Raven Brings the Light: A Roy Henry Vickers Art Show & Book Launch
Date: Saturday, April 6, 10:30 am to 4 pm
Venue: Waterfall Building, 1540 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
Admission: Free
Oct16

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28th Annual JCC Jewish Book Festival

Posted in: Books, Events, Inspiration, Vancouver, Writers

[Stanley Coren]

Next month’s 28th Annual JCC Jewish Book Festival is prepared to take the city by storm with an exciting roster of writers from across Canada, the US, and Israel. This popular yearly event connects celebrated authors with an audience spanning the Lower Mainland.

[Shalom Auslander]

The festival week is jam-packed with innovative literary events including unique meet the author opportunities, literary readings and panel discussions, a foodie event, the annual book club event, writing and self-publishing workshops, children’s authors, film screenings, and two onsite bookstores (new and used), open throughout the week.

[Cary Fagan]

This festival offers something of interest for every age group and literary taste.

Featured 2012 Festival authors include:
- Opening Gala with New York’s Shalom Auslander, “A caustic comic tour de force.” (Hope: A Tragedy)
- Tzeporah Berman (This Crazy Time)
- Bestselling novelist Lilian Natel with host CBC’s Sheryl MacKay (Web of Angels)
- An introduction to cartoon analysis and a novel insight into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with author Ilan Danjoux
- Psychologist and dog expert Stanley Coren (Do Dogs Dream? Nearly Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know)
- Israeli leading culinary journalist, television personality, and gay rights champion Gil Hovav, credited with changing the image of Israeli cuisine from a county of basic traditional food into a gourmet nation
- Giller Prize longlist nominee Cary Fagan

[Gil Hovav]

“The Jewish Book Festival is a wide-reaching and inclusive event that reaches out to readers from all cultures and religions,” according to Festival director, Nicole Nozick. “Jewish writers don’t write only about Jewish subjects – their themes are universal: family relationships, love, humour, history. There is something for everyone with our diverse and entertaining selection of celebrated authors and panelists.”

[Tzeporah Berman]

Visit the Jewish Book Festival website for updates. The festival program guide is available at select locations throughout the Lower Mainland after October 15 and all events will take place at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

2012 JCC Jewish Book Festival
Dates: November 24 to 29
Venue: Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, 950 West 41st Avenue at Cambie Street
Tickets: Some events free of charge, others available for purchase online

Special pre-festival event: Sunday, November 4, 2 pm
A visit from David Javerbaum, author of The Last Testament – A Memoir By God, as well as former head writer and executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Click here to purchase tickets.
May28

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East Meets West Book Giveaway

Posted in: Books, Canadian authors, Contests, Dining, Vancouver

Stephanie Yuen, born in Hong Kong and a Vancouver resident for over 30 years, started as a journalist for Sing Tao (Vancouver’s Chinese newspaper) before developing a career as a freelance food journalist. She speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.

Stephanie later served as a food columnist for CBC Radio 1, and currently writes for both Edible Canada and What’s On Magazine. She also contributes to the Vancouver Sun and makes frequent appearances on both radio and local television programs such as Fanny Kiefer’s Studio 4. You can follow her Asian food adventures at Beyond Chopsticks.

Stephanie co-founded the Vancouver Chinese Restaurant Awards and coordinated the visit that led Condé Nast Traveler writer Mark Schatzker to proclaim, “I’ve eaten Chinese food all over North America and in China, and the best I’ve eaten in the world was in Vancouver. Hands down.”

I had the pleasure of spending time with Stephanie on a recent media trip to the Okanagan Valley. And our chats led to discussing her recent book, East Meets West. This well-designed book includes a guide to Asian ingredients, serving and cooking tips, plus 88 recipes showcasing traditional foods from China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and India.

Modern classics prepared with Pacific Northwest Coast ingredients can also found in the book, recipes perfect for contemporary dinners. These distinctive dishes are culled from the best of the Lower Mainland’s Asian eateries.

Leafing through the book, I’ve been discovering a wealth of information about our city’s neighbourhood food shops, chefs, and flavours. This book is a true labour of love!

I’ve been sent a copy of East Meets West to give away to one lucky Vancouver food lover. For your chance to win, either:

1) Follow @arianecdesign and tweet the following: “I’ve entered to win a copy of East Meets West via @arianecdesign and Stephanie Yuen.”
2) Post a comment below mentioning your favourite Asian restaurant in either Vancouver or the Lower Mainland

I’ll draw a winner from all entries at random on June 8 at 5 pm.

*UPDATE: Congrats to KC, whose name was drawn at random this afternoon.

East Meets West is published by Douglas & McIntyre and is available via Amazon.ca, Indigo.ca or locally at Barbara Jo’s Books to Cooks, MEC, Kidsbooks, Cookworks, Banyen Books, Vancouver Art Gallery Shop, People’s Co-op Bookstore and others.
May15

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The Sketchbook Project

Posted in: Art Installation, Books, Cafe, Events, Exhibitions, Illustration, Inspiration, Vancouver

 

The Sketchbook Project is a traveling library of artists’ books by thousands of people from around the world, forming an immense collection of books and art expressing unlimited styles, influences, and ideas.  

The project will be in Vancouver for two days, on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 15 and 16, before traveling to Los Angeles. W2 Media Café is proud to host the only Pacific Northwest stop on the tour and is pleased to be sharing this collection with Metro Vancouver’s artistic community. In total, this collection will travel to 14 cities on four continents.

The Sketchbook Project is a constantly evolving library of artists’ sketchbooks from around the globe. Consider submitting your work for the 2013 tour. If you’re interested in attending, RSVP for the event on Facebook. Woodwards W2 Media Café is easily accessible by bus, train, Skytrain, Seabus, bicycle and car.
May14

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Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen

Posted in: Books, Dining, Dining Reviews, Music, Okanagan Valley, Wine

Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen has become a fixture on the Okanagan dining scene. Chef Ricardo Scebba and wife Sue Miller have worked hard over the past 11 years to build and nurture their labour of love — a hearty, welcoming Italian restaurant that brings to mind a slice of Tuscan life in the Okanagan.

When we dined there on a recent Thursday evening, the 50 seat dining room was packed with families, couples, and food lovers enjoying a meal with live jazz music on the small stage near the entrance.

Born in Montreal to Italian parents, Ricardo Scebba learned to appreciate the traditions of food and family from an early age. At 16, Ricardo started as a cook and continued working at various Montreal restaurants throughout high school and college. Knowing early on that restaurants were his true calling, Ricardo earned a degree in Restaurant Management from St. Clair College.

In 1981, Ricardo relocated to Toronto and moved to the front-of-the-house working as a server and bartender. Ten years later he moved west to continue his career in Vancouver. Shortly after his move, he met the love of his life, Sue Miller, as they both worked together at the same Granville Island restaurant.

Leaving the big city behind, Ricardo and Sue moved to the Okanagan where they started a family and began to build their dream business. In 2001, they opened Ricardo’s Mediterranean Kitchen. And the rest is history.

[Summerhill Pyramid Winery's Eric VonKrosigk, winemaker]

We were joined by Summerhill Pyramid Winery winemaker Eric VonKrosigk, as well as a childhood friend of Ricardo’s, who had some great tales to tell of their lives back in Windsor, Ontario. The wine and food naturally flowed in between conversation at our table, bringing the group closer by evening’s end.

The interior is dimly lit by candles of all sorts; outdoor patio seating is certain to fill up in the warmer months.

We started our dinner with a selection of antipasto, including house made artisan breads, Italian olives, Cavolfiori Fritti (delicious batter-fried cauliflower florets), cheeses and salumi. The chosen wine was Summerhill’s Cipes Brut ($52/bottle). After a round of clinking glasses, we dove into some fantastic homemade focaccia as it was brought to the table fresh from the oven.

A big heaping bowl filled with Porcini mushroom risotto was brought out next, paired with Ex Nihilo’s Pinot Noir. The excellent richness of the risotto went very well with the deep pinot notes of dried cherries and plum.

[Nonna's turkey polpette]

Not enough can be said about down to earth Italian cooking, but when Nonna’s turkey polpette (meatballs, made purely from ground turkey, though normally mixed with pork at the restaurant) arrived with that gorgeous rich tomato sauce, everyone’s eyes gravitated towards the dish.

[Wild salmon caponata]

[Rack of lamb chops]

Wild salmon caponata, rack of lamb chops, polenta, and arugula salad were also brought over. Out of all the beautiful bites I was enjoying, the polpette was my hands-down favourite. These secondi dishes were paired with Cedar Creek Pinot Gris and La Frenz Total Reserve glasses of wine.

[Coconut panna cotta, amaretti cookies, raspberry granita]

A trio of coconut panna cotta, amaretti cookies made by Ricardo’s Mom Concetta, and a raspberry granita to cool the palate formed our dessert trio. I loved the creamy goodness of the panna cotta, and although I’m not a huge coconut fan, this was hardly a reason to put down the spoon. Its joyful aroma and taste together with the almond amaretti bites were superb. We saved a few amaretti cookies to dip into coffee later. With the desserts, our group enjoyed a glass of sweet Arrowleaf Vidal.

[Ricardo Scebba and me]

This restaurant is worth seeking out for its ambiance, attention to fresh ingredients, as well as a friendly vibe. There’s nothing pretentious about Ricardo’s, and their seatings book quickly from Thursday through the weekend. The live music roster changes up weekly.

The counter is loaded with various dining accolades, and Ricardo’s currently sits at number three in BC’s top Italian restaurants, according to Open Table’s website. Last year, Ricardo and Sue put together a collection of their favourite recipes. That’s Amore ($24.95; available online) has become a great resource for fans wanting to try Ricardo’s dishes at home. It pays homage to Ricardo’s Italian roots. Many of his family recipes are in there.

Ricardo’s is located at 415 Commonwealth Road between Vernon and Kelowna, at Holiday Park Resort. They’re open seven nights year-round from 5 pm. My dinner was compliments of Ricardo’s (Grazie, Ricardo!).
Apr13

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24th Annual Vancouver Book Award

Posted in: Books, Canadian authors, Events, Holidays, Illustration, Inspiration, Vancouver, Writers

[Photo credit: Federica.Giordano on Flickr]

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all. – Oscar Wilde

The 24th annual City of Vancouver Book Award is back. Authors and publishers of books that contribute to the appreciation and understanding of Vancouver’s history, its unique character, or its residents’ achievements are encouraged to submit entries.

The book can be of any genre and should demonstrate excellence in content, illustration, design, and/or format. To be eligible, books must be published in 2011 or 2012 and meet the application criteria. The eligibility and evaluation criteria for the award reflect the importance of diversity in both literary genres and subject matter.

All entries must include:
- Four copies of the book
- A $20 submission fee
- A completed entry form

Entry forms and guidelines are available from the Cultural Services Department at the Woodward’s Heritage Building, 111 West Hastings Street, Suite 501, or on via the City’s website. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, May 23.

An independent panel of judges will choose the winner of the $2,000 prize. The short list of finalists will be announced in September, and the award will be presented in October by Mayor Gregor Robertson.

Recent past winners include Michael Christie for The Beggar’s Garden; Bruce Grenville and Scott Steedman for Visions of British Columbia; Lee Henderson for The Man Game; and Brad Cran and Gillian Jerome for Hope in Shadows.
Apr4

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Carmen Aguirre Reading at The Cultch

Posted in: Books, Events, History, Theater, Vancouver

Join The Cultch for a literary evening as Carmen Aguirre (creator and performer of Blue Box) reads from her award-winning book Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter. The reading will be followed by a Q&A facilitated by Neworld Theatre Resident Producer, Marisa Smith.

The book is described as a “gripping, darkly comic memoir of a young underground revolutionary during the Pinochet dictatorship in 1980′s Chile”.

Something Fierce is the 2012: True Stories Canada Reads winner and is long-listed for the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction. Last year, it was also chosen as a Globe 100 Best Book of the Year.

According to The Globe and Mail, “[Carmen Aguirre's] story is the personal experience of a brave young woman evolving her understanding of herself and her place in the world, told with passion, personal insight, rich detail and humour… Something Fierce is raw, courageously honest and funny; an insightful journey into the formation of a revolutionary soul.”

Carmen Aguirre Reads from Something Fierce
Date: Monday, April 9, 7:30 pm
Venue: Vancity Culture Lab at the Cultch, 1895 Venables Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Admission by donation; reserve online

Don’t forget to check out Carmen’s one woman show, Blue Box, playing at the Cultch from May 1 to 12. Carmen was also this month’s featured guest at Vancity Theatre’s Cinema Salon.
Mar20

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Steve Jobs, Book Warehouse, iPad3

Posted in: Apple, Books, Branding, Business, Product Reviews, Technology

[My desk circa 1997: PowerMac 8500/120, Apple Display, Apple laser printer, Iomega ZIP drive]

When I originally set out to write this post, I wondered whether it would focus more on Steve Jobs’s lasting legacy on the design world, the imminent closing of the Book Warehouse chain, or the newly issued iPad3. All three appear to be linked.

Although I’ve had Walter Isaacson’s hardcover book sitting on my shelf for several weeks, I’ve only recently been able to pick it up, plow through its 571 pages, and thus finally (five months later) come to grips with the fact that Steve is now longer on this planet.

Yes, I’m one of *those* Apple fans. I lived in both Southern and Northern California in the 80′s and (most of) the 90′s, having bought my first SE/30 (with an additional 13″ colour display) back in 1992. A good friend worked at Apple then, and he would frequently mention the ‘unpleasantries’ between the execs and the company culture’s less than perfect scenario.

In the winter of 1998, we were invited to the Apple campus to witness the live stream keynote and unveiling of the coloured iMacs. This was during a holiday to California, just over a year after I’d moved to Europe. The excitement of a new product (years later witnessed through online keynote addresses), always left the crowd awestruck, immediately coveting the latest creation.

[Flower Power iMac. Yes, I own one of these.]

Reading this biography made me again realize what an indelible footprint Jobs has left on both the technology and design fronts. His aim in life was to marry the two and keep them happy for eternity. Being a graphic designer, I can appreciate his insane attention to detail, to the point of often driving his team crazy day and night. He even obsessed over the oxygen masks used in hospital while he was receiving a liver transplant, inspecting several masks before he chose one (by that point, his wife Laurene was able to calm him down enough to let the medical team do their work).

It’s only fitting that I finish this book a day before the latest iPad is about to hit our doorstep. It may be the last hardcover book I read in awhile, if the iPad is everything it’s cracked up to be (my husband has the original version, but I don’t often get the chance to use it). Come to think of it, the iPad3 will be my first Apple product in a post-Steve world.

And with Book Warehouse (and others, including Kitsilano’s Canterbury’s) through, it’s a growing testament to the world of digital readers (iPad included) that consumers are ready to bring their reading piles onto the tablet.

I highly recommend the book, as it’s finally a way to understand the personality behind the brand. Though there’s been online backlash since its release, I take most things with a grain of salt and along with millions of other Apple fans, am grateful that someone’s come along to move people so passionately.

To quote Steve Jobs, “Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. One is very fortunate if you get to work on just one of these in your career. Apple’s been very fortunate it’s been able to introduce a few of these into the world.”
Feb16

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Madrid: Gastrofestival and Beyond

Posted in: Books, Dining, Events, Fine Art, Movies, Museums, Theater, Travel

Madrid = tapas. Tapas = Madrid. Or so it would seem on any given day. We had the excellent fortune to be in town for the annual Gastrofestival that ended last week in the capital. The two week festival featured both 25 and 40 Euro dinners. A third option was the more deluxe 75 Euro “Dine with the Stars” menu.

As well, 66 bars opened their doors with a special 3 Euro tapa and Mahou beer offering, though we didn’t limit ourselves to Gastofestival-specific tapas establishments.

In addition, gastronomy in painting, film, theatre and books offered culinary adventures away from the traditional restaurant and bar atmosphere.

Throughout our stay, we checked out various bars to try the regional tapas. We came across estado puro, a tapas bar featuring two Michelin-starred Chef Paco Roncero’s creations.

[estado puro]

We wound up eating at the Calle San Sebastian location twice, it was that good.

Madrid also has a Museo de Jamon for hard-core Iberian ham lovers.

Extended family took us to Fatigas del Querer in the Calle de la Cruz for more of that wonderful, paper-thin delicacy, along with other tapas. Pitchers of sangria came along for the ride.

Back in our barrio (Tirso de Molina), it was hard to choose from the abundance of Indian restaurants lining Calle Lavapiés.

Another excursion brought us to Mercado San Miguel, where we tasted divine macarons and perused the seafood, olives, and other delicacies. We later stumbled upon another market in the Chueca district, the Mercado de San Antonio.

And to top off any meal, head for churros y chocolate at Chocolatería de San Ginés, recently voted #8 in National Geographic’s top 10 guide of best places to indulge in chocolate in the world. After having had churros in other Madrid locales, San Gines’ dipping chocolate was by far the tastiest.

Hungry yet?
Dec13

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Vancouver Cooks 2 Book Signing+Party

Posted in: Books, Canadian authors, Charity, Events, Vancouver

[Halibut with Morels and Brown Butter Sauce, from Pied-à-Terre, Andrey Durbach]

This Thursday, December 15, join some of Vancouver’s top chefs for an exclusive book signing of Vancouver Cooks2, with wine and canapés, from 5 to 7 pm at Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks. Bishop’s John Bishop, Maenam’s Angus An, Hamilton Street Grill’s Neil Wyles and C Restaurant’s Robert Clark are a few of the chefs that will be on hand to sign your book and answer any holiday cooking questions. Give yourself (or gift a foodie friend) year-round recipes while supporting local food based charities.
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