Inside Vancouver

5 Places to Enjoy Vancouver Cherry Blossoms Now

by Taraneh in Outside on March 31, 2013

Photo credit: TheVancouverGuy

While many North American cities have a few hundred cherry trees blooming in the downtown core, Vancouver is lucky enough to have 40,000 cherry trees spread throughout the city. Many of these pink and white beauties, in an impressive variety of cultivars including Akebono and Accolade, are blooming now.

You’ve probably spotted the cherry blossoms at Burrard Skytrain Station. And snapped a smartphone pic or two of the blossoms outside your front door. But where should you really commit and set up your picnic blanket?

Here are your five best options for a day of sunshine and petals: Continue reading:
5 Places to Enjoy Vancouver Cherry Blossoms Now

Winter Wander in Vanier Park – Saturday, January 26

by eliannalev in Family Friendly on January 24, 2013

Vanier Park is known for being more than a park. It’s the home of the Museum of Vancouver, Maritime Museum, Vancouver Academy of Music and the city’s archives. It’s also a prime spot to fly a kite, go for a serene walk or take in a Shakespearean play at Bard on the Beach. This Saturday, for just $5, everyone is welcome to take in all the attractions and become more familiar with this scenic and culture-crammed gem. (Added bonus: students with Vancouver Academy of Music will be performing at each of the venues. ) To help you get a head start, we’ve rounded up a few nuggets of information about the spots that make Vanier Park a haven of activity.

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Winter Wander in Vanier Park – Saturday, January 26

KitsFest Brings Sports Tournaments and Public Yoga to Kitsilano Beach, August 10-12

by Taraneh in Sports on August 8, 2012

Photo credit: KitsFest

Does the 2012 Summer Olympics coverage leave you craving live sports action? Get your (free) fill of basketball, beach tennis and volleyball at KitsFest, which returns to Kitsilano Beach, August 10-12.

The annual summer sports and wellness festival is the brainchild of Howard Kelsey, a two-time Olympian who represented Canada on the men’s basketball team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and partner Julien Phipps.

KitsFest is known for attention grabbing stunts. In 2010, they introduced Vancouver to beach tennis. In 2011, they put an ice hockey rink on the beach.

In addition to sports tournaments for kids and adults, KitsFest 2012 has partnered with lululemon’s SeaWheeze Half Marathon to host Public Sunset Yoga on Kits Beach August 11. A record-breaking 1,000+ participants are expected. KitsFest attendees will also enjoy a Kids’ Zone, DJs and a Baseline Bistro with eats from local restaurants.

Get the full event details after the jump. Continue reading:
KitsFest Brings Sports Tournaments and Public Yoga to Kitsilano Beach, August 10-12

Vancouver In a Day: Vancouver’s Beaches

by Sean Horlor in videos on July 25, 2012

In Vancouver, it’s easy to find a beach to fit your personality. Quiet and sandy? Dog-friendly with a great view? Crowded and flashy? Popular with the locals? Take your pick. There’s something here for everyone.

The good news is that all of the city’s major beaches are open to the public and easy to reach from the downtown core.

We designed this video feature on Vancouver’s beaches to make it feel like you’ve just woke up in Vancouver and are just about to head out to find the perfect, sandy spot to spend your day. You can navigate between beaches at the end of each video segment.

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Vancouver In a Day: Vancouver’s Beaches

“Don’t Eat the Whale Meat”: Vancouver Maritime Museum Debuts Quirky Exhibit of Kitschy Treasure

by Taraneh in Family Friendly on July 10, 2012

Photo credit: T. Jerven

Can you imagine the stuff that lurks in museum archives? What’s kitsch and what’s treasure? To collectors, they are one and the same. Milan Kundera once said: “No matter how much we scorn it, kitsch is an integral part of the human condition.”

Don’t Eat the Whale Meat, the newest exhibit at Vancouver Maritime Museum, shows off previously unseen, fascinating and kitschy collections of maritime memorabilia. The result is the most fun I’ve had at a museum exhibit in years.

Each item (canned whale meat, comics, cruise ship china, sailor slang translations, ships in bottles, post cards, salmon can labels) reveals a story from Vancouver maritime history that might never have been told.

Get a sneak preview of some of the quirky maritime treasure after the jump. Continue reading:
“Don’t Eat the Whale Meat”: Vancouver Maritime Museum Debuts Quirky Exhibit of Kitschy Treasure