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This Week: Sip on a cold one Belgian-style, turn off the lights for Earth Hour, walk along the cherry blossoms and more
Part pilgrimage, part Elizabethan Tragedy, part Church service. That’s the description of Leaky Heaven’s premiere of To Wear a Heart So White, on stage at the Russian Hall (600 Campbell Ave, Vancouver) from March 25 to 30. A wacky retelling of Macbeth, it involves the death of kings, queens and nature in a play that’s “not so much a pushing of boundaries as a licking of them.” Tickets are $15/$20 at brownpapertickets.com or 604-488-0003, and include a cast talkback after each performance.
There’s no escaping the fact that once you have kids, lazy weekends are a thing of the past. But what you lose in sleep, you can make up for in brownie points, which is practically assured if you take the tots to see Frozen (again!). The good news is that this kid-friendly film, screening at 1:30 p.m. on March 28 at Tommy Douglas Public Library (7311 Kingsway, Burnaby), is not only free, but you won’t have to ante up for overpriced concession-stand snacks, either.
Lightbulb moments are so overrated. There’s no brighter idea this week than going dark for Earth Hour. On March 29, just switch off your lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and you’ll be among the billion-plus people plugging in to a global effort toward combating climate change. What to do in the dark? Go online for family-friendly tips, or maybe swing by for a special celebration at the Vancouver Lookout or take part in Richmond’s “Selfie in the Dark” contest for a $50 prize.
Once upon a time AIDS sufferers were ostracized. Thankfully, times have changed, and for proof, look no further than Motown Meltdown, a ballroom blitz that helps support direct-service AIDS agencies. Held March 29th at Vancouver’s Commodore Ballroom, this fundraising fete features a benefit concert with 25 local luminaries like Jane Mortifee, David Sinclair, Linda Kidder and ex-Real Housewife of Vancouver Mary Zilba. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are available by calling 1-855-985-5000.
Nothing says spring has sprung quite like the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival. Kicking it all off is Sakura Night on March 30 when Tojo’s Restaurant hosts a special pink-tie opening gala showcasing the city’s best Japanese cuisine from rave-worthy restaurants such as Miku, Zakkushi, Zen and the Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Raw Bar, starting at 6:30 p.m. And don’t forget to check out Cherry Jam Downtown on April 3 for a free concert, dance performances and haiku readings at Burrard SkyTrain Station, starting at noon. For a full list of events, check out our Cherry Blossom coverage.
Happy Norooz! If you know what that means – hint: it’s “Happy New Year” in Persian – you’ll want to join the fun at Ambleside Park (1306 Argyle Ave, West Vancouver) this Sunday. That’s when the 24th Annual Persian Festival of Nature celebrates “Sizdah Bedar,” the start of the new year, with live music, a community picnic, old-world food and performances happening March 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Did you know that if you feed cattle red wine for a month their meat is softened to a veal-like tenderness? That’s one of Cibo Trattoria’s (900 Seymour St, Vancouver) tricks of the trade, which you can enjoy for yourself in a one-night-only, four-course beef-themed dinner paired with hand-selected Italian wines on Wednesday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $99 per person, including tax and gratuity, and may be purchased by phone at 604-602-9570.
With its pristine peaks, alpine air and all-season activities, there’s never a bad time to visit Whistler. But on April 5 there’s an extra incentive, thanks to Spring Fling – A Taste of Whistler. Held at the Hilton Whistler Resort, this après-ski afternoon features fine wine, gourmet food, live entertainment, silent auction and a grand-prize raffle draw, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 online.
Quick: name a Belgian beer. Did you say Stella Artois? Good guess, but the country boasts way more brews than that. To prove it, the District Brasserie (13 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver) is celebrating 30 Days of Belgian Beer by pouring a new brew each day for $4 off the regular price. It all culminates in Belgian Beer Day on April 5, when all 30 varieties will be available at a feature price.
When it comes to sin cities, Vegas ain’t got nothing on Vancouver. For all the dirty deets, check out Forbidden Vancouver’s Prohibition City Walking Tour, offering an earful on the town’s early speakeasies, showgirls, corrupt mayors and mobsters as you explore their former stomping grounds.Tickets are $22 ($19 for seniors) for 90-minute tours running Thursdays at 7pm and Saturdays at 6pm, from Cathedral Square (Dunsmuir at Richards).
