Too Busy To Blog...

Sorry all, I have been travelling a lot and haven't had time to blog, but normal service will resume shortly. In the meantime, here's a really cool photo of a dog.

Fashion and Film...

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Fashion and film are two of my favourite things, and I may well have attended more fashion shows in my life than I have had hot dinners; plus, with a husband who was a professional cameraman for many years, I have also seen an awful lot of films, videos, commercials, etc. So it was great fun to attend an evening filled with both, here in Kelowna.  The event was called 'The Final Cut' and was a joint presentation from the graduating film and fashion departments at CATO - The Centre for Arts and Technology here in town.

Yes.  You heard that right.  You can actually study film and fashion (and interior design, photography, animation, recording arts and a whole lot more) right here in the Okanagan. CATO is an arts college that offers accelerated programmes focused on the training and skills aspects of the creative industries, with the focus on educating individuals about the skills needed to go out and get work in their chosen industry. I think this is a fantastic opportunity for local creative people, of all ages.

Think about it.  What if you really want a creative career, but can't afford (either financially or the time investment) to commit to a three or four year university course? What if you are not sure enough about your interest and ability to move your life to a big city centre like Toronto, New York or LA? What if your grades at high school preclude you from some of the ultra-competitive, oversubscribed university courses on the same subjects? ('Note: Cause let's face it - creative people do not always do particularly well in traditional high school subjects.) These are real problems for a lot of people who still have a lot to offer the creative industries, and could be successful in them if given the opportunity.

Being able to dip your toe into these areas in a local setting is fantastic, and everything I have seen of the college (and in the interest of disclosure, I have been teaching a course or two for them over the last term, which puts me in a good position to observe) evidences hardworking professionals committed to transferring their industry knowledge to a new vanguard of creatives. Bravo, I say.

Centre for Arts and Technology
1632 Dickson Ave #100, Kelowna, BC V1Y 7T2(250) 860-2787http://digitalartschool.com/

Mosaic Books

In my perfect world, actual physical books peacefully co-exist with virtual Kindle versions, and book stores remain viable retail options.  In this world, bookstores are locally owned and operated, and are quirky, peaceful and inspiring places totally tuned into the local community.

Sadly this vision is getting harder and harder to find, but I can report there is still one of these great shopping experiences available here in Kelowna,

Mosaic Books has been Kelowna's largest independent bookstore since 1968, and - I am happy to say - is still going strong.  This is where you go when you are in the mood to browse the stacks, or chat to friendly, knowledgeable booksellers about what's new and great. You can also keep your finger on the pulse of local authors, book launches and readings. 

Since moving to the Oknagan, I have popped into Mosaic to stock up on fashion and interior design magazines, attended books launches of local authors, and chatted to staff about the local poetry scene. I love to spend an hour or so perusing the stacks of books, and seeing what great book launches are coming up. Recently, I also had a quick chat with manager Trevor Neill about all things 'Mosaic', as follows:

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TG(N)L: What, in your opinion, makes Mosaic special?  What is it's USP? 

TN: There really isn't one particular aspect that makes Mosaic unique, rather, a collection of fine details that set the business apart. For one, Mosaic is a true family owned and operated business. I manage, my sister, Alicia, is the receiver/co-manager, and our parents, Michael and Michele, own the store. A family working so close together allows any aspect of the business to be custom tailored to suit our vision. There's no corporate office or red tape to fiddle with, so Mosaic represents small town ideals and the locavore spirit.

Besides the behind the scenes, Mosaic Books is very unique in it's physical size. We are one of the larger brick and mortar independent booksellers in North America, boosting over eight thousand square feet of books for kids and adults. At this very moment on Mosaic's shelves, there are 14,214 new book titles and 11,341 bargain priced titles. That's 25,555 individual titles. Combine that with our online catalogue of over 5 million titles available fast and with no shipping cost, and you'd be hard pressed to walk out of Mosaic empty handed.

TG(N)L: As an independent bookseller, how do you feel about Amazon.com and it's impact on the locally owned bookstore? 

TN:  Ah yes, the Amazon. It's funny, the once small and book exclusive online shop has now dominated pretty much every retail sector, from books to cars to washing machine replacement parts. You'd be hard pressed to find any independent or physical retail business that has not been effected by Amazon's price slashing enterprise. But here's the thing: people are price conscious, yes, but they're also physical. They like to touch and feel things, they like to converse with fellow humanoids in person, and they like to get out of their homes in that off chance that something unexpected will happen. Whether it be books or shoes or whatever, us physical retailers offer that genuine human connection. We offer one on one expertise and knowledge. We offer smells and sounds and rough edges. We try our best to not make these human details cost an exuberant premium, but let's face it: we will never be able to win the price battle with these online giants, and if you don't understand that, then you don't understand us. 

TG(N)L: Any new author visits, readings, launches, or events in the near future that we should know about?

TN:  No major author events are in the slate until the new year (I will say this: Diana Gabaldon fans, rejoice! She's got a new book in the Outlander series coming out in the new year, and we "may" be hosting her book launch), but we do have our annual sale coming up. It's actually our 45th anniversary coming up this November, so we'll probably be pulling out all the stops for this year's sale. Store-wide discounts and giveaways are in the works, so stay posted as the details roll out.

Mosaic Books:  411 Bernard Avenue, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6N8
Tel: 250 763 4418
http://www.mosaicbooks.ca/

Note: You can also check out Trevor's book reviews of the new Douglas Copeland novel and the Chris Hadfield biography in the Fall 2013 issue of Icon-Okanagan; on stands now, or read online at http://www.icon-okanagan.com/library/

Good Word(s) to Live By...

 

My mother has always joked that it is pretty much impossible to get me past a shoe store or jewelry counter, and even now this pretty much holds true.  We can talk about my shoe fetish another day, but like most females, I am continually attracted by colourful, bright and shiny things, so it's not too difficult to guess that jewelry - in all its shapes, sizes, guises and price ranges -  is a continuous and enduring favourite of mine, so naturally I was delighted to stumble upon the wonderful, downtown jewelry boutique 'Posh' on Ellis street.

Like many females, I am also a big fan of self-realisation and empowerment, and of trying to do good for the planet, so when I found myself in the above mentioned shop, drawn to a rack filled with colorful, sparkly metallic leather cuff bracelets, emblazoned with words like 'Strength', 'Dream', 'Courage' and 'Wisdom', it was like a spiritual shopping convergence.  The bracelets are made by a company called 'Good Work(s) Make a Difference, who donate a portion of their profits to a variety of good causes, ranging from moving homeless families into fully furnished homes via their own 'Home Sweeter Home for the Homeless' project to donating to Tijuana orphange 'Por La Infancia', or providing beauty treatments for under-privileged single mothers in greater Los Angeles.

According to their website, "Good Work(s) Make A Difference® is a company created to promote lifestyles of optimism, goodwill, and compassion through fashion in order to inspire and elevate humanitarianism, and is determined to deliver the most fashion-forward, uplifting, inspirational bracelets and accessories that contribute 25% of net proceeds to charitable organisations that make a meaningful impact in people's lives and communities".

I love that Posh's owner Kate Morgan has found and stocked this great company, and -- with less than 60 shopping days til Christmas -- might I suggest these bracelets (ranging in price from $30 to $55) would make GREAT stocking stuffers or gifts for some of the ladies in your life - or men, Steven Tyler, Zac Brown, Gerard Butler and Will-I-Am are all fans. That way you can feel good about two things: 1) that you have ticked another item off your Xmas 'to do' list, and 2) you have helped the less fortunate while doing so. Win-win methinks.

Posh: 1393 Ellis Street, Kelowna | 250 862 9404
Mon - Sat 10am to 5:30pm

http://www.goodworksmakeadifference.com

C is for Concert, D is for Dixie Chicks

In my former incarnations I have had several jobs in music-related industries.  I once interned for RCA Records in Los Angeles, and also worked for four years at The Georgia Straight in Vancouver. One of the upsides to these jobs was being able to feed my fetish for live music via the company guest lists, and I was able to see a lot of really great bands, from really great seats, for very little (or no) money.

Even after leaving the world of the freebie, I continued to love live music, and have seen everything from K.D. Lang playing a private birthday party for her manager at a little club in Vancouver, to Blue Rodeo at a 200 person venue in London, to Elton John at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, to Live Aid (yes, the first one) at Wembley Arena. And, of course, having spent over 25 years living in London spoils a person for choice, as almost every band every known has played there one time or another.

Well, Kelowna has Prospera Place, I am happy to say; a world class venue, for tours of a world class nature.  It has, in the last year, hosted concerts by John Fogerty, Journey and Sting, and last night went all out country with The Dixie Chicks. The fact that bands of this stature fit Kelowna into their busy tour schedules speaks well of the city, and also of the bands themselves and their taste in cities.  I mean who wouldn't want to spend a day or two in this lovely place, even if working.

Sadly, I didn't get to go last night, as my poor hubby had man flu and I was busy mopping his fevered (not-so-much) brow, but you had better believe I'll be first in line for Blue Rodeo in the new year. That's January 6, folks. Mark your diaries now.
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Prospera Place: 1223 Water Street, Kelowna | 250 979 0888
www.prosperaplace.com

Poetic Popups

Scene: finishing work and heading to the parking lot past the Bean Scene Coffee Shop on Dickson Ave. Out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of a piece of paper fluttering in the breeze.  Closer examination shows said piece of paper clipped onto the waving decorative grasses planted alongside the sidewalk.  Even closer examination reveals... a poem. A good poem.

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It turns out this is a poem by Lesley-Anne Evans, a Kelowna resident, poet and poetry busker and blogger who is behind popuppoetry.ca.

I love a good idea.  And when it is a creative, inventive, innovative idea, so much the better. Pop-up poetry is all of these. There is something just so... poetic... about stumbling upon poetry in unexpected places, and the words on that page, in that place, setting the tone for your day.

According to her website, Lesley-Anne was born in Belfast, raised in Toronto, but has been in the Okanagan with her husband and children since 1993. As a poet, Lesley-Anne has written that one of her her driving forces is 'to connect with people, not just deliver words', and she has set out to find interesting and inventive ways to do just that.

In addition to her stealth poetry forays with popup poetry, this summer Lesley-Anne was Kelowna's first 'licensed' poetry busker with Festival's Kelowna, and more recently created an interactive poem in collaboration with the audience at Pulp Fiction Coffee House, which you can read about at http://laevans.ca/anfanger-schrumplig-du-bist-schon/ .

Knowing Lesley-Anne is out there, setting the streets on fire with her well-crafted words, just makes me... happy, and I hope to run into more of them - and maybe even the poet herself - soon.

Not Paving Paradise...

I'm a little bit behind the curve on this one, but it is such a fantastic idea, I have to talk about it.  The newest parking lot for downtown Kelowna opened last month, and it has nothing to do with cars. That's right.  The newest and coolest way to visit downtown Kelowna is by boat.

This is an idea long overdue.  Despite having only had one summer in the Okanagan, my husband and I - newby boat owners that we are - have often talked about how great it would be to be able to boat downtown, moor up and do a little shopping and lunching. Well now we can.

Developed by Westcorp, Downtown Marina and Public Pier boasts 68 pleasure boats slips, with hourly and daily rental available.  Some of the slips will be first come first serve, but some will also be open to reservation, ensuring that your lunch reservation doesn't go to waste because you can't find suitable 'parking'. Prices are reasonable too, ranging from $5 for a quick 15 minute or less trip to the 'offie' (that's liquor store in Canadian) should you want to pick up a bottle of wine for your on-the-water picnic, to $50 for up to 8 hours; a two hour lunch window will set you back $20. (Full rental rates can be found at http://www.kelownadowntownmarina.com/moorage.html .)

The Marina also has raised piers for commercial boats, fuel and toilet facilities (hurrah! on both counts), boat and Sea-doo rentals, and the 350 foot floating pier is also accessible to pedestrians, hosting a number of benches from which to sit and watch the world go by.

Yes, in Kelowna, cars are so last year.

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You can find out all about Downtown Marina and Public Pier at:
http://www.kelownadowntownmarina.com/