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On Monday I said there were no cool concerts coming to town. Scratch that. Madonna will make her first ever Vancouver appearance this year.

The closest Madonna has ever come to playing a concert in Vancouver was a jaunt to Seattle in 1988 on the Who’s that Girl Tour. Since then, we’ve seen U2, The Rolling Stones, The Police, Janet Jackson, Pavarotti, Bob Dylan, Prince , Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney, and everyone else in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.

But not Madonna. NEVER have we seen Madonna.

This year, that changes.

Today Madonna, the Mother of all Pop Icons, unveiled the itinerary for her Sticky and Sweet Tour. Scroll down fellow members of the 604, cause only one date matters. Finally, we are worthy.

MADONNA
STICKY & SWEET
TOUR ITINERARY 2008

Showdate: City: Venue: On sale Date:

23-Aug Cardiff Millennium Stadium Fri. May 16
26-Aug Nice Stade Charles Ehrmann Fri. May 16
28-Aug Berlin Olympic Stadium Wed. May 21
02-Sept Amsterdam Arena Sat. May 17
04-Sept Dusseldorf LTU Arena Wed. May 21
06-Sept Rome Olympic Stadium Fri. May 23
09-Sept Frankfurt Commerzbank Arena Wed. May 21
11-Sept London Wembley Stadium Fri. May 16
20-Sept Paris Stade de France Fri. May 16
03-Oct E. Rutherford Izod Center Mon. May 19
06-Oct New York City Madison Square Garden Mon. May 19
07-Oct New York City Madison Square Garden Mon. May 19
15-Oct Boston TD BankNorth Garden Sat. May 17
18-Oct Toronto Air Canada Centre Sat. May 24
22-Oct Montreal Bell Centre Sat. May 24
26-Oct Chicago United Center Sat. May 17
30-Oct Vancouver BC Place Stadium Sat. May 24
01-Nov Oakland Oracle Arena Sun. June 1
04-Nov San Diego Petco Park Sun. June 1
06-Nov Los Angeles Dodger Stadium Sun. June 1
08-Nov Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena Sat. May 31
11-Nov Denver Pepsi Center Sat. May 31
16-Nov Houston Minute Maid Park Sat. May 31
19-Nov Philadelphia Wachovia Center Mon. June 2
22-Nov Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Mon. June 2
24-Nov Atlanta Philips Arena Sat. May 31
26-Nov Miami Dolphin Stadium Sat. May 31

Okay, it’s at BC Place. That pretty much sucks. But it does give us 40 000 extra chances to try and avoid the fanny packed asses out front.

It’s Madonna, gang. In Vancouver. The day before Halloween! As Trent at PiTNB would say: Bring it, bitches!

Public tickets go on sale May 24. Presales start on May 20.

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Last weekend we trucked down to Mount Vernon for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. It was beautiful, spectacular, wonderful and every other extraordinary adjective you can think of.

Today, we had our own little tulip festival in the backyard.

Last fall, Jen blistered up her hands trying to dig through a rocky, barren pit in a corner of our yard to fill it with yellow, white and red. These tulips have taken their time cracking through - what with the snow and ice and all. But today we were rewarded with explosions of colour normally saved for the Symphony of Fire / Celebration of Light.

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You are about to be hammered by the eco friendly message today. It’s all about composting and recycling and using less in the news as Earth Day is marked around the world.

Many people take the environment seriously, and go HARDCORE when it comes to their actions. Rain barrels to collect rainwater to use for irrigation, composting to turn table scraps into fertilizer.. stuff like that. They’re on my radar to get done, but require some planning and hardware and I’m not quite there yet.

I’m taking small simple steps to help Mother Earth.

I already use cloth bags when I do my groceries, that’s a good change that was simple to make. I bring my own mug to the coffee joints when I sit and linger with a paper on the weekends and now I turn off my computer at night. I’ll be bringing my mug to Starbucks today as they serve up free coffee for Earth Day when you bring your mug.

I didnt normally do that. I would leave the box humming all day and night, just in case I got a brilliant blog idea in the middle of the night.

But by simply turning off or unplugging the computer at night you can save energy. Lots of it.

An average desktop computer with a 17-inch monitor needs between 150 and 350 watts of electricity while it is being activity used. If you were to leave that computer on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it would use over $200 of electricity and lead to the release of over 1.5 tons of CO2 into Earth’s atmosphere. Turning off your computer — even an inactive computer — for just 10 hours a day can lead to substantial carbon savings. [source]

By unplugging your PC each night, you will reduce your CO2 emissions by a total of 51 lbs. for the month. [source]

Notice the key part of the second quote. It says “unplugging” your computer - not just turning it off.

Did you know that many of your household electronics and appliances use electricity even when they are turned off? This is known as standby or “phantom” power. For instance, your television uses standby power so that it can be ready to instantly turn on when you click the remote control. Your computer’s printer powers down, but isn’t really off unless you turn off its power switch or unplug it. Anything you own that has a transformer plugged into a socket is probably drawing electricity all the time, even when the gadget it’s connected to is not in use. Skeptical? Touch the transformer. If it is warm to the touch, then it’s wasting electricity. [source]

That shouldn’t be too tough either, especially if you have a tangle of power bars and wires under your desk. You don’t need to unplug them all, just the one that goes to the wall.

Oh, and while you’re saving energy by turning off your computer at night, turn off the tv too. It’s Turn Off Your TV Week - so, um.. don’t forget to set the TiVo/PVR/VCR.

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Why wait?

Retire #16 now and rename Expo Blvd, Linden Avenue. He’s the greatest. Ever.

16. He’s a RW who will take defensive zone faceoffs in the last minute
15. The Life Line (Linden - Ronning - Courtnall)
14. He’s a damn fine mountain biker
13. 1994

12. 1989
11. Hospital visits
10. Canuck Place
9. Game 7

8. The fans
7. One of the grittiest playoff performers in history
6. Raise-A-Reader
5. 2008

4. Canuck Place
3. He gave up the C to Messier
2. He didnt ask for the C from Naslund
1. 1994

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Vancouver is a vibrant multicultural city, that’s easy to see. Live in Richmond? Even if you’re not from Hong Kong, you’re definitely down with Chinese New Year. If you live in Surrey you know all about Diwali, regardless of your ethnicity.

This week everyone’s Irish, there isnt a “real” Irish district of Vancouver, so everyone’s down with St Patrick’s Day. Our family is Persian this week, because we live in North Vancouver and this week is Persian New Year.

Jen, Z and I went down to Yaas Bazaar on Lonsdale to pick up some fab kebabs and rice for dinner last night. Just to make it all right for the season, I served up a Guinness on the side. Now that’s multicultural!

Norooz is the Persian New Year, and it happens when the vernal equinox happens in Iran. This year that’s 9:18a on March 20 in Tehran, which means the new year actually happens at 10:18p on Wednesday here in North Vancouver.

There’s a pretty cool collection of customs associated with the new year, most associated with the same rebirth we see with the season. As we switch from winter to spring and the buds start blooming, and the life cycle starts again seems like a perfect time to celebrate the new year.

Yesterday there was a big festival at Mahon Park in North Vancouver, but if you missed that, you still have a chance to check out some great celebrations of the season. Tomorrow night, you need to take a walk down to Ambleside Park for the 2008 Red Wednesday Bonfire Festival, better known as Chahar Shanbeh Soori.

It happens on the last Tuesday evening of the year. Every family gathers several piles of wood or brush in the streets or parks to be lit shortly after the sunset. Then all the family members line up and take turns jumping over the burning fire and singing “sorkheeyeh toe az man, Zardeeyeh man az toe” (I give my paleness to the fire and take fire red healthy color.) Yellow or paleness symbolizes the sickness and pain and red symbolizes heath.

The symbolism doesn’t end there. When we were at Yaas, the place was packed. As you walk down Lonsdale you see racks and racks of wheat grass outside the shop. Inside, everyone was crowded around a huge fishtank filled with goldfish. The corner with the bakery was squeezed tight with pistachio treats. The smells and smiles of the season filled the entire place.

Just as we rush to get a turkey with trimmings for Thanksgiving or Christmas, the Persians have a similar hustle for a very specific shopping list. They need 7 things on their table as they celebrate Haft Seen, each with a separate and important symbolism.

The Haft Seen is a spread with seven items which each symbolizes a wish or theme. All seven items in this ceremonial table starts with the Persian letter seen or S in English.

Get ready to go on a scavenger hunt, here’s what you need:

1. Sabzeh (grown wheat or lentil) for rebirth

2. Samanu (flour and sugar) for sweetness of life
3. Sekeh (coin ) for prosperity and wealth
4. Senjed ( dried fruit of Lotus tree) for love
5. Seer (garlic) for health
6. Somaq ( sumac berries) for warmth
7. Serkeh ( vinegar) for patience

There are some other random things you can toss on your table, such as painted eggs, which represent fertility, a mirror that represents image and reflection of life, and a goldfish in a bowl that represents life.

So while you’re raising a pint of green beer today, come up to North Van and grab some fresh green grass and a goldfish.

Aidee Shoma Mobarak!

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It’s been going all week and tomorrow the main event of the 30th Annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival hits town - the wine tastings at the Trade and Convention Centre

However, this past weekend, Jen and I along with a couple of other couples, had our own little wine fest! When you’re married to a wine rep, and head over to a colleague’s house is a wine rep, and also married to a wine rep, you know some grape will be poured and 4 bottles of beauty hit the table on Saturday night.

First the menu: There was a spicy sausage and creamy cheese tray with baguette while we chilled, then dinner was a beef tenderloin that absolutely melted with white asparagus, green beans and potatoes. A roasted tomato and spinach salad was on the side.

Here are 2 of the 4 wines we polished off:

Domaine de Montfaucon 2005 Viognier - Now I don’t recognize this grape right off the bat either, it’s not a big 6, but this Viognier was smooth and easy drinking. Right away I could taste the honey, our hosts said honeysuckle, but I thought it was richer, right to honey. Wiki says: The color and the aroma of the wine suggest a sweet wine but Viognier wines are predominantly dry.

Pinotage - Jen thinks this one tastes like band aids, the South Africans at our table were drifting back home as they talked about the smell being like an African camp fire. After all, it is South Africa’s signature grape. In the end, I agreed with Jen, it had a dusty medicinal taste that just didnt do much.

Some interesting choices there for your weekend sipping, or maybe you’ll head off to the ‘Fest and get your glass on. Before you do that, have a quick look over the Insiders Guide for Wine Festivals.

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The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is in town this week. The formal tastings and dinners are wrapping up and the main event is ready to roll.

For 3 nights the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre will be turned into one giant juice pit as thousands turn out, glass in hand.

Jen is a wine rep. She’s worked this event for.years. I picked her brain to get the tips and tricks as you head down to get your grape on.

1. Respect the pourer. They’re not $10/hr hostesses, but actually knowledgeable sales reps, maybe the President of the company, or perhaps even the Winemaker
2. Respect your palate. Start with the light wines and finish heavy (ie save the Ports til last) If you’re going on 2 separate nights, do white one night, red the other
3. Leave your big purse at home. It’s tough to balance all that and a glass, a wristlet with your id and keys should be enough. That said …
4. Bring a journal or notebook to take notes on what you’re trying. Trust me, 5 glasses in you’ll forget what you had first
5. Try something different than what you always buy – here’s your chance to go on an adventure with minimal risk
6. If you like it, buy it. All wines poured on site, are available at the store on site, so if you really love something, pick up a couple bottles before you leave as many “show exclusives” are brought in for this event only
7. Don’t wear white. Even if you don’t spill, someone else might. Jen saw someone in a beautiful white suit one year, with a lovely streak of shiraz right down her back
8. There are no dumb questions, you’re there to learn, and the pourers are there to help
   Have something to eat before you go. You’re going to be drinking a lot, and you don’t want to do it on an empty stomach. Which leads us to …
9. Spit spit spit spit! You’re going to be drinking a lot, so even if you’re looking to get your drunk on, spit
10. Don’t rinse your glass with the water at the table, people think they’re spittoons (see #10). Instead, ask the pourer for a splash of the wine you’re about to sample to rinse out your glass.
11. The good stuff will be gone by Saturday night, all the expensive bubbles etc are in limited quantities, so look for them Thursday and early in the night on Friday

That may sound grand, but not all is wonderful, there are some pet peeves of the staff working the event you should try to keep in mind to keep your experience the best.

1. This is their Christmas. Most pourers have been pulling 12+hour days pouring wine and entertaining VIPS all week, so be patient with them.
2. Sloppy drunk people may be fun at the Roxy, but they’re not fun at WineFest. Have a good time, but keep it under control
3. Raising your glass and clinking it on the bottle isn’t necessary. Say “when”, when you mean “when” and they’ll stop pouring
4. Perfume and smelly hairspray. One of the most powerful qualities of wine, is its bouquet. Dousing yourself in Curious by Britney Spears and emptying a bottle of Final Net on your head before you leave will not only kill all your senses, but those of the people around you. You think we’re kidding, we’re not. Not even a quick spritz. Go au naturel to this event. PLEASE!
5. Going right for the decanter. It’s not necessarily the most expensive. Jen and her team have been known to take the cheapest bottle they’re pouring and drop it in a decanter just to fool the smart asses. ASK first, they might even reach under the table and pull out a secret bottle for you to sample
6. The know-it-all is almost as bad as the candy perfume girl. Yes, you’ve been to Napa. Maybe you’ve even golfed with Ernest and Julio, but remember tips 1 and 8 from above. You may be bragging to someone even more special than yourself, and, in the end, everyone is there to learn and have fun

So now that you’re well versed in the behind-the-scenes secrets of WineFest, you’re almost set. One final thing to remember: visit the Get Home Safe Booth for a free transit pass to get your buns home safe.

Everyone loves wine. Nobody likes a dead drunk.

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Sunny and 11. Thank you very much.

Jen wanted to go for our usual walk around the local creek, I like taking the weekends to go and check out something different, bring a camera and take some pics. Our last photowalking adventure was January 27, so it’s been awhile.

Today, we packed Zacharie in tight with his little lion pal, Martin (pronounced the french way).

Jen and I have named ALL of Zacharie’s toys. Leonard is a frog blanket, Sylvester is a teething crab, Lawrence is a blue lion, Reid is his horse, Morrison is his bear, Dixie is a little chicken… we even named the cartoon art on his walls. It makes for interesting conversations when we’re packing up to leave.

“Where’s Eduardo (monkey)?”

“I dunno, but I’ve got Sylvia, Sonny and Cher“ (crab, starfish and clam).
Ahhh the joys of parenting.

We started near the Bayshore, walked around Lost Lagoon, past the beach and down to English Bay. We saw raccoons and ducks and took a ride on the swings. Then we headed up Denman, hit Vera’s for a burger and poutine, before strolling back to the car.

map image and distance tracking from runningmap.com

3.5km. 2hrs. Good times.

Here’s what we saw today:

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Memo to Crazy Dog Lovers from Crazy Baby Lovers:

I know it’s an off-leash park. I know you and your canine love the ability to galloping through the wilderness without tethers.

But you’re not the only one in the park. There are those of us who like to run with our babies, or hike with our toddlers or stroll with our grandparents through these parks.

Vancouver’s well-behaved canine population can take part in special off-leash privileges … not exclusively for dogs but are to be shared with all park users. Owners are responsible for the actions of their dogs. [source]

Yes, there are big signs that say “Off Leash Dog Park” when you enter the area, but they do not also say “Dogs Will Jump On You and Eat Your Baby Park.”

I run along Lynn Creek a couple times a week. Jen doesnt like it because it’s an off leash park, I don’t mind it, I’ve never had a problem with a dog or owner. They usually run right past me, chasing after a stick, of the owners call them back and they listen.

Now dogs are particularly freaky when you have a baby in a stroller. The head height of the dog is pretty much even with the head height of your baby. So to think that a nasty flea bitten varmint could lunge and rip your child’s skull to bits is not totally unreasonable.

Today, on my run with Zizou, a pit bull looking pup ran towards us. I turned the stroller around and looked at the owner as if to say “come on, call your dog off.” She yelled, the dog didnt listen, it kept right up at us, jumped on me at which time I started yelling and cursing at the owner to get her mutt down.

She took issue with me bringing my baby in an off leash dog park.

Like I said, I know it’s an off leash area. I expect dogs to run around, I just don’t expect them to jump on me or get in my child’s face.

If you can’t heel your animal, I suggest you stick to the leashed parks for a while. Yes, the sign says Off Leash Dog Park, but if your dog attacks me and my child, you’ll have to look for my number, call me up and ask “Why Did You Kick My Dog?”

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Welcome to the year 4706. Go ahead, write it on a cheque today, see what happens.

The Lunar calendar flipped over last night and we are now into 4706, better known as the Year of the Rat.

It’s not just the Chinese celebrating this Lunar New Year, many Koreans and other east Asians use a hybrid Lunar / Solar calendar to keep track of time.

If you’re wanting to celebrate this weekend, here’s what’s going on:

- Thursday: The Vancouver Police Department’s lion-dance team performs at Vancouver City Hall at noon.

- Thursday night: Kilts Night at Doolin’s Irish Pub. Free pint of Guinness if you wear a kilt.

- Now til Sunday: Aberdeen Centre, the city’s largest Asian shopping centre, has many events

- Friday through Sunday: Chinese New Year celebration at International Village, 88 West Pender St.

- Sunday: Parade through the streets of Chinatown starting at the Millennium Gate at noon.

Other traditions to know about Chinese New Year:

- wear red, it’s lucky

- it’s a time for cleaning your house and starting fresh. get rid of the bad luck and start new.

- buy new clothes (preferrably red), get a haircut

- give each other red envelopes with money (Lai See)

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