Fabulous family time during Easter
There is an Espresso bar and bistro on Granville Island called Off The Tracks, where you can find vegan wraps on the menu, but I go there for the cinnamon buns. I know, its disgusting, but I was on holiday and anything goes.
The jury is out regarding the Flyover Canada Ultimate Flying Ride. This virtual flight had been highly recommended, but I found it without theme or story line of any kind. Lots of technical enhancements like wind, moving seats, mists and the scent of cedar. The images all blurred together for me and left me glad to get outside to Canada Place and real rain.
******** Seniors love music of all kinds. Jazz, country, the classics. For me, the sound of anyone singing gives my heart wings. The Bay Area-based men’s choir Chanticleer featured 12 singers in tuxedos who looked like movie stars and sang like angels. They performed at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts as part of the Van/Man Festival Singers.
The first part of the program was early music and not a composer I recognized, but the ensemble obviously enjoyed singing the Renaissance material of Sebastian de Vivanco (1551-1622) and the poetry by Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585). I swooned at the familiar sounds of Stephen Foster and Gershwin’s Love Walked In.
******** Mike came in from a walk to the Vancouver Art Gallery excited about the work of Musqueam artist Susan Point titled Spindle Whorl. He enthused about the more than 100 artworks that take the Coast Salish spindle whorl as their starting point. This contemporary artist takes traditional forms and makes them new. Viewers at the gallery were dazzled by the 25 metre hand-drawn animation and kinetic sculpture by Vancouver-based artist Howie Tsui.
Mike said the sheer size of the work blew him away.
******** We love The Improv Centre on Granville Island and the current Western World was, as billed, Laugh Without Limits.
I loved the girl sheriff who gunned everyone down and opened a legitimate bar. Next door is my favourite restaurant, Tony’s Fish. We like to share the combination plate which, in my opinion, features the best, freshest seafood in the world.
******** Also on the Island, the Arts Club is offering, a must-see production of Mom’s The Word 3 (Nest 1/2 Empty).
Like previous installments, this production has a variety-show format, with brief skits, musical numbers, a game show and lots of personal storytelling.
Jill Daum reflects on the life-changing Alzheimer’s diagnosis of her husband, Robin Nichol recounts how her elderly father became a victim of ruthless scammers and Barbara Pollard makes inventive use of a kitchen knife to dramatize her bitter divorce.
Pollard is good-looking, Rubenesqe, and steals the beach scene running nude across the stage. She is a Baroque painting, all movement, sensuality and colour.
Deborah Williams never recovered from her postpartum depression and deadpans “I’d love to be a model for more than Mental Health Weekly,” and the humour is well-crafted, the honesty and generosity at its heart are undeniable.
The artists have been friends for decades, and one of the show’s unique gifts to audiences is that it lets us witness the delight they take in one another. One example of the brilliant dialogue is the response to well-meaning advice for empty-nesters. “I can’t find my passion; I can’t even find my glasses.” Again, a must-see production.
******** As tourists on Granville Island, we were asked why we were in Vancouver.
We replied “We came for Easter.”
Because we gave ourselves extra days, Mike had the opportunity to meet old buddies and play bridge. I hosted a dinner at our hotel for family members and friends from way back I had been wanting to see again for years.
The Dockside Restaurant printed individual menus, which I appreciated, but neglected to note the Okanagan Wine selection I had chosen.
Pinot Gris from Inniskillin and Syrah from Laughing Stock, perfect with Grilled Beef Tenderloin or Grilled Chicken Breast. Dessert was Coconut Milk Cheesecake with a crust of peanut bridle.
******** Because we had been invited for Easter dinner, I spent an afternoon with my champion grandson and his wife and young family. When three-year-old Emmeline saw me, she smiled and said Grandma-ma. I could feel my heart growing large in my chest.
Easter Monday, my daughter Erin prepared Irish Ham and we played Pictionary My granddaughters laughed when I could not come up with the illustration of an “alarm” Mike could recognize. Next night, they, ages 10 and 13, attended their Book Club at St Mary’s Anglican Church in Kerrisdale and discussed the Harry Potter series.
******** The highlight of the sleeps in Vancouver was the minutes long performance by my youngest granddaughter, Charlotte, performing at the Peak Invitational Dance Competition.
The 2017 program was as big as a phone book and featured events all over the lower Mainland. We are sure we saw the future’s top dancers on stage in North Vancouver at the Centennial Theatre. Charlotte’s Level 1 Jazz Group 11 years thrilled us with Aladdine-like costumes and the song, Friend Like Me.
May I brag? They won first prize at the awards in their category.
Family, friends, traffic, it’s wonderful how life works itself out isn’t it? And then you take a nap. Jeanette Dunagan is an Okanagan artist who has lived in Kelowna for more than 40 years. Her column appears every second week in the Okanagan Saturday. Email her at jd2399@telus.net.