New beer festival highlights local breweriesPhillips Brewery is one of 11 local beer makers who will be brewing it up at the upcoming Island Beer Festival at the Strathcona Hotel. Vancouver Island beer has a coveted style of its own; its breweries have flexibility in creating different styles of beer due to where we are located and the natural resources […] Continue Reading |
Two festivals celebrate words, ideasPeople in Victoria are talking this month. With both the Victoria Spoken Word Festival and the Ideawave conference happening on the same week, Victorians are being exposed to a variety of artists and critical thinkers with something to say. The second annual Victoria Spoken Word Festival is one of the few opportunities for young Canadian […] Continue Reading |
Winter surfing dangerous and bodaciousBelieve it or not, winter is a very important time for surfers in the Greater Victoria area. It’s the time of year that Vancouver Island is bombarded by storms consisting of heavy rain and high winds that create the kind of waves that surfers crave. It’s also the most dangerous time to surf. But there […] Continue Reading |
Valentine’s Day on a budgetValentine’s Day is fast approaching and it’s always nice to be able to spend it doing something nice with that someone special. So, if you’re stumped for ideas, and cash, here are a few suggestions to get you on your way: A different kind of date The traditional “dinner and a movie” date can get […] Continue Reading |
Group prepares for missing women marchFor more than two decades, the Women’s Memorial March has taken place every Valentine’s Day in downtown Vancouver. The march evolved, becoming the catalyst for a movement that has since reached cities across the globe. In Victoria, the fourth annual Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women will take place Sunday, February 12. Spokeswoman […] Continue Reading |
Local burlesque performer full of surprisesA common misconception is that burlesque simply consists of parading around on stage in one’s underwear. People also sometimes figure that burlesque performers are extravagant people whose whole lives are an extended version of their onstage persona. But one local burlesque performer is trying to get rid of these stereotypes. Cheesecake Burlesque Revue’s Champagne Sparkles […] Continue Reading |
Sunflower Hour a rousing documentary about puppetsSunflower Hour This brilliant mockumentary puts overlooked children’s entertainers in a whole new light. I wish this was a TV series so I could continue to watch these characters on a weekly basis: it’s that funny. Aaron Houston wrote and directed this comedy, starring four unlikely puppeteers who audition for the children’s show Sunflower Hour, […] Continue Reading |
Midnight Son gets film fest bloodyWriter/director Scott Leberecht did pretty well for his first feature-length movie. Indeed, Midnight Son may just be the next big cult classic. The movie stars Zak Kilberg as Jacob, a young man born with a rare skin disorder that prevents him from being in the sun. After he meets and falls in love with cokehead […] Continue Reading |
Film Fest screens impressive music documentaryIn the brilliant new documentary film Mrs. Carey’s Concert, now playing at the Victoria Film Festival, Karen Carey is the director of music at the all-girls MLC School in Sydney, Australia. She does what it takes to inspire her students, to rouse some passion into their performances. Directors Bob Connelly and Sophie Raymond take us […] Continue Reading |
Gardening a non-exclusive activityAnyone can do it and it can be done anywhere. Inside, outside, on a windowsill, or in the backyard. It’s gardening, and it’s not just for grandma anymore. If you’ve got a bucket and some decent soil, you can be successful at making things grow. “It’s a good time of the year to talk about […] Continue Reading |
