Lunch Poems at SFU

Would you like a side of poetry with that?

Every third Wednesday of the month, Simon Fraser at Harbour Centre downtown presents "Lunch Poems" featuring readings from some of your favourite local poets. So bring your bagged lunch and take in some cadence and rhythm.

The next Lunch Poems takes place today from noon - 1pm at the Teck Gallery at SFU's Harbour Centre. For your listening pleasure will be Billeh Nickerson and Heather Haley. For more info, check their site!

Douglas Coupland Exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery

Just in time for summer, the Vancouver Art Gallery has unveiled its latest exhibit, focusing on Vancouverite darling Douglas Coupland. It's about time that Coupland had his own exhibit focusing on his work, and what better place to have it than right here in his hometown, Vancouver? This exhibit, titled "everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything" is thought-provoking, full of humour and whimsy, and something worth going back to over and over throughout these upcoming summer months.

The outdoor piece, Gumhead, encourages interaction by asking passers-by to put a piece of gum on it. 

A digital take on an iconic Emily Carr painting. 

Suburbia. 

This is just a small corner of an entire room full of "Slogans for the 21st Century."

Can you see Osama Bin Laden in this? You can only see it viewed through the lens of a smart phone; a commentary on how we view the world today. 

The Douglas Coupland exhibit "everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything" is on now until September 1st at the Vancouver Art Gallery. 

Tom At The Farm

I don't normally post movie reviews up on here, unless it's to do with the Vancouver International Film Festival. However, last night I went to the Vancity Theatre to catch Canadian ingenue Xavier Dolan's film, Tom At The Farm. I thought it was absolutely wonderful and although we're getting superb weather recently, I highly recommend going to watch this Hitchcockian psychological thriller. It is filmed beautifully, the story unravels at the perfect pace, and the acting is amazing, per usual.

Xavier Dolan has just won the Jury Prize at Cannes, for his latest feature "Mommy" but if you haven't seen any of his other films yet, then Tom At The Farm would be a great introduction.

Tom At The Farm is on now at the Vancity Theatre until June 5.

Spamalot

The Arts Club Theatre has chosen a perfect way to close out their theatre season, with the Tony-award winning musical, Monty Python's Spamalot.

The touring production has never come to Vancouver, so to have it be presented at the Stanley Theatre for our city's premiere is perfect. It's also perfect because it's silly and light and goofy and totally hilarious. If you're a huge Monty Python fan, you will absolutely love this. If you're not a fan or not familiar with the story, no worries, it's extremely entertaining and will be sure to get you laughing within minutes! 

Be prepared for high camp, slapstick, and puns...lots and lots of puns!  

I saw this on Broadway the year it won the Tony for Best New Musical, and it starred Tim Curry as King Arthur, and Grey's Anatomy's Sara Ramirez as the Lady of the Lake. In the Vancouver production, they do a wonderful job in terms of the acting (or over-acting as the case may be) and singing. 

Monty Python's Spamalot runs now until June 29 at the Stanley Theatre! 

PNE Summer Concerts Series 2014

I'm SO EXCITED!! and I just can't hide it!!

Because the POINTER SISTERS are part of this summer's concert line up at the PNE!

Also on tap, is the return of Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

The soft croonings of Air Supply

The one and only Leanne Rimes (let's hope she brings her hubby Eddie Cibrian!) 

A blast from my teenage past with the soulful stylings of Boyz II Men: 

And closing out the summer with Canadiana at its best, and don't forget them when they're gone ladies and gentlemen, it's GLASS TIGER! 

For the full complete list with dates and times, check out the PNE website! 

Curious Flea Market

Are you feeling curious? Just a bit? Then scratch that itch by heading out to New Westminster to discover one of the coolest events in town. It's the Curious Flea Market! The next one takes place May 24 & 25!

"The Curious Flea is a social flea market…a new way of ‘fleaing’ .  We’ve curated an incredible collection of vendors selling spectacular wares ranging from antique to Mid-Century Modern to 50′s kitsch to upcycled furniture and decor. This isn’t your usual bargain basement flea market, but rather a treasure hunter’s dream."

And don't forget about the Battle of the Curious! "Do you have the weirdest, strangest most curious thing in your closet?  Bring it to Curious Flea! The most curious object will be immortalized forever in our Curious Hall of Fame, and the winner will receive a fabulously curious prize!"

Check out their Facebook page to keep informed! See you on the weekend of May 24/25 at the Curious Flea Market at New Westminster's River Market (810 Quayside Drive,  New Westminster).

Espresso

Why isn't this play winning Tony awards on Broadway? Seriously, it's wonderful. It's beautiful and haunting. 

Lucia Frangione does double duty as the playwright and the lead actress in this two-person two-act love letter to an Italian family. She portrays Rosa (among many other characters), who goes back to discover her Italian family in the midst of tragedy. Playing opposite her is the equally talented actor Robert Salvador. The two trade off character hats like circus jugglers, smoothly, expertly, and easily enough so that the audience can follow along as to who is playing who at any given moment.

The language of this play is so poetic and gorgeously written. That in itself is worth coming to the show. But the storyline will touch you and hook you in, making you wish the intermission were shorter so that you can get right back into the plot.

Then there's the brilliant set design, by Stancil Campbell. It is amazing what a curtain will do, isn't it? Mystery, nostalgia, dreamy, are all separate moods that the simple pull of a curtain can create and is done so wonderfully in this play. Then there's the windowpane with the rain beating down on it. The entire set production is a piece of art and only helps elevate this already beautiful piece of theatre to a whole other level.

Espresso is on now at Pacific Theatre until June 14th.