Wine and a Hunchback
If you’re sitting at your desk, wondering what the heck you’re going to do tonight to help get you through this week, I have a suggestion for you. In fact, I have two suggestions.
Tonight, at the Shaw Conference Centre, there’s the California Wine Fair, an annual fundraiser for the Citadel Theatre. As Mel has previewed, there are going to be plenty of great wines. Plus, you’re supporting Edmonton’s big theatre.
There are more than 300 (!) wines, and you get nibblies to go with that. (I’m going to start calling appetitzers “nibblies.” Let me know what you think.) Plus, the silent auction will be full of good stuff, with the proceeds helping out the Citadel Theatre.
Speaking of the Citadel…they’ve got Hunchback on right now. It’s a Catalyst Theatre production of the Victor Hugo novel. Now, those Catalyst folks know something about staging dark, 19th century theatre, since they’ve already done Frankenstein and Nevermore (based on Edgar Allan Poe) to great acclaim. Hunchback runs until March 27.
Friday Edmonton Headlines
It’s always a good day when we get to talk about the City Centre Airport. Or something.
Envision Edmonton was in court Thursday, arguing they didn’t miss the deadline to launch a City Centre Airport petition in 60 days since they were trying to create a new bylaw not amend an old one. Right…
Those seeking to expand the Shaw Conference Centre say the new Edmonton Expo Centre at Northlands isn’t going to help beef up convention space because it serves larger events.
I am officially beginning my pitch to build that Shaw Conference Centre down the hill and UNDER the North Saskatchewan River. Then, we break out the West Edmonton Mall submarines and people can travel from the Shaw’s riverbank port to its underwater convention space. You know what will really put Edmonton on the map? Underwater convention space. Everyone wants their next convention under a river.
Anybody want to start cleaning up the North Saskatchewan a little more? I guess we’ll have to use greener subs for the underwater convention centre.
While the Quebec government is going to be pumping money into Quebec City’s new arena, the Alberta government says that Edmonton shouldn’t expect a similar deal. Probably because Quebec City’s going to end up supplemented by federal money, and also because if the Katz Group’s proposed arena got Alberta cash Calgary would be looking for the same for their plans.
Here’s an odd thing I caught in stories on Edmonton’s homicide-filled start to 2011; the Edmonton Journal says there’s plenty of staff to work homicides, while 630 CHED/iNews880 says staff are being pulled in from other departments to help with all the killings.
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The minister responsible for safety codes wants to see larger penalties for companies who operate with unsafe workplaces. This isn’t about workers on their sites, necessarily, but how the sites and operations may also impact people. It comes from the fines levied against two companies after sheet metal fell and killed a three-year-old girl.
Alberta Environment is charging Statoil with taking too much water for its oilsands operations.
Alberta’s RCMP has a new commanding officer, after a ceremony at Edmonton’s K-Division headquarters.
Edmonton February 10 Headlines
Again with the melting and the ice and the slipping?!
Good morning, Edmonton. There’s a little action on the downtown front, about LRT and arenas, the Shaw Conference Centre, so it seems renewing the core is still a big deal. Hey, Envision Edmonton’ due back in court today. Yay?
Let’s roll! (more…)
Of Edmonton Events
We have come upon our first weekend in the post-2010 election era. I expect candidates and councillors to be sleeping in the next couple of days.
There are a number of things happening if you’re not napping.
On your way home tonight you could stop in at The ARTery and raise money for HIV Edmonton while enjoying the end of the work week. Friday night, Dan Hill plays the Shaw Conference Centre for a Canadian Diabetes Association fundraiser. Justin Rutledge is at the Haven Social Club. Library Voices swing into the Avenue Theatre.
Still Friday, there’s a Bicycle-powered party at the U of A.
Saturday night, Falklands returns home from a cross-country tour to play Teddy’s. Yes, Teddy’s. This should be a good one.
M.A.D.E. In Edmonton closes out “Edmonton Design Exposed” with a party at Bohemia. It’s a little spot that’s out of the way but worth trekking to.
We are starting to see all of the Hallowe’en movies now. Watching movies is still a viable pastime.
The Oil Kings, Eskimos, and Oilers are all home this weekend. There’s roller derby at the Edmonton Sportsdome (and it’s even got a nice Hallowe’en theme to it, with Regina’s Pile O’ Bones in town).
The City of Edmonton continues its series of Hallowe’en events with Pumpkins & Pirates at the Muttart Conservatory.
By the way, it’s Friday, which means it’s Free Cookie Friday over at Luzarra. Head down to Whyte Avenue for a coffee and mention Luzarra’s free cookie tweeting. Then you’ll get a free cookie.
And, as always, the geniuses at ShareEdmonton.ca and YEGLive.ca helped me fill out your social calendars. Those guys are awesome.
This is also happening all weekend long. Pure Spec is at the Radisson south.
Sometimes When We (One) Touch
I’m not going to lie to you, it took me about 10 minutes, and a few failed puns, to try and mix Dan Hill and diabetes into the same headline.
The award-winning Canadian singer is in Edmonton this Friday for a benefit concert for the Canadian Diabetes Association. He’s actually an ambassador for the association, since he’s known about his type 2 diabetes for a decade.
Hill will be joined by singer-songwriter Liz Rodrigues at the Shaw Conference Centre show.
We’ve got two tickets with your name on them. (Well, they don’t really have your name on them, but you know what I mean.) So, if you’re interested in attending this fine performance in support of the Canadian Diabetes Association, drop a comment and we’ll draw for the pair of tickets.
If you want to buy some tickets, head to this website.
What the bleep is going on?
I’ll tell you what’s going on!
Right after I tell you what I’ll be up to this weekend.
I’ll be at MediaCamp Edmonton tomorrow. It should be a good time.
Being a “camp” it’s going to be one of those un-conference thingys. That’s where the participants (me and 200 of my friends) pitch OUR ideas. There are no set sessions, no planned speakers. We will dictate what the day is about.
So, if the day is terrible it’s our own fault.
It’s about collaboration, basically. The room will be full of traditional media (newspaper, radio and TV folks, my old peeps), new media (bloggers, podcasters, online journalists, my new peeps) public and media relations (the corporate, organizational, and government “spin-doctors” and storytellers) and developers (people who know what the heck is actually inside our computers and how to use that to create new software, new forms of storytelling, new things).
It’s a free event, so if you fall into any of those categories you can come on down to the Shaw Conference Centre tomorrow.
By working together, for at least one day, we should be able to figure out some new ways to tell stories, new ways to use the Internet, mobile technologies, emerging tech, new software, and each other, to build better communities. My definition of a better community, here, is one that knows more about itself, more about what’s going on and how it all works
I’m also hoping to talk my way into some of that sweet Journal moola The Unknown Studio guys are always flashing around town.
You can follow our shenanigans through the Twitter hashtag #yegmediacamp. You should also be able to search”yegmediacamp” after Saturday, to find blog posts, photos and videos of what we talked about.
The Edmonton Journal will also be streaming the opening panel, live at 10am.
But, enough about me. Let’s talk about what you could get up to this weekend. (Unless you’re also going to MediaCamp. Then, you should come over and say “Hi.”)
Tanner Gordon is playing, and releasing a CD, tonight at NAIT’s Shaw Theatre.
You could always see a movie.
The Edmonton Symphony for kids has “Mozart, Boy Genius.”
The City of Edmonton has a couple of events. The Muttart Conservatory is holding its annual bedding plant sale. That should get you in the spring mood. And the Valley Zoo is celebrating mothers.
By the way, it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday.
The Edmonton Rush continue their first-ever playoff run. They’re in Washington for the National Lacrosse League Western Final. Follow the action at the Rush or NLL website.
Now, this feels a little light. Let’s see if ShareEdmonton can’t help us out.
Ah yes, before the big event next week you can help #YegHelp with a few bucks tonight. CityTV’s Ryan Jespersen (ask him about fantasy hockey) and his wife, Capital FM’s Kari Skelton will be doing the guest bartender thing over at Lux. Drop some money into the tip jar to help Royal Le Page’s Shelter Foundation. I went last year, but tonight I’ll be hanging with newsy and PR friends.
There’s the Women + Health Conference at the Radisson south.
The Twitter crowd will be singing Saturday night. Singing!
Sunday sees an important, and kind of cool, event at the Shaw. It’s Homeless Connect 4. This is when homeless people can get connected (see what I did there?) to services available. Plus, they can get a haircut and really simple stuff we would take for granted.
See ya!
An Edmonton Weekend
There's also some big-time roller derby action this weekend. It's Edmonton vs. Calgary, baby.
Whatever you do this weekend, Edmonton, if the weather pans out as predicted you’re going to want to get outside. Especially if you’ve been running from your car to various buildings for the last four months.
Mayhaps you’ll be swinging over to the Shaw Conference Centre for the Edmonton Collectible Toy and Comic Show?
This weekend also sees a movie we’ve been waiting for to open; Hot Tub Time Machine. We really, really like it already.
The Get Down and The Old Wives are going to blow the roof off The Pawn Shop tonight, for the Sonic Band of the Month show. Now THAT’S Edmonton rock. The Old Wives are the BOTM.
Let’s go see what ShareEdmonton has to say about this weekend:
The Home and Garden show is on. That’s timely.
Maybe you want to talk about what Canada will look like at 150 years old.
Moms can Shop the Block, Sunday.
The Rush and Oilers are also playing here in Edmonton this weekend.
And don’t forget that Saturday night, at 8:30, it’s Earth Hour. So turn off stuff that’s sucking precious power.
Enjoy the weekend, my little peahens.
Fight Night
Valimaki (left, in the white trunks) ended up taking this match. (Photo: Jason Bouwmeester)
The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.
But after discussing things further since Friday, we’ve decided to share some details with you.
TFC (The Fight Club) 8: Salvation filled the Shaw Conference Centre with sweat, blood and choke-holds Friday night. A lot of the fighters are from Edmonton, too.
Including Edmontonian Victor “The Matrix” Valimaki, who defeated Lew Polley in a decision, to take the Light-Heavyweight championship. (Both pictured to the left, slugging it out.)
The main event was Edmonton’s Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford taking on Markhaile “Showtying” Wedderburn for the Welterweight title. Ford must have been fueled by the hometown crowd since this one didn’t even go one round. Ford took the match with a “rear-naked choke” not even 90 seconds in. That’s usually how Ford wins a match, when he’s not punching his way to victory. (more…)
Time for the weekend
So let’s find you something to do, shall we.
Now, this is by no means a definitive list of stuff going on in Edmonton over the next few days. Heck, there are plenty of events, big and small, that I’m going to miss. This is just the stuff that seems cool, seems to be talked about, or happens to catch my eye as I’m writing.
Mostly, I’m trying to find stuff I’d like to do.
I noticed the Elephant & Castle on Whyte Avenue (near 103 Street) is offering 15% off to anyone showing up in pirate garb tomorrow night. That would be because it’s Talk Like a Pirate Day. This works out well if you’ve already got your pirate costume for Hallowe’en.
Why not congratulate Edmonton Symphony Orchestra conductor Bill Eddins on his contract extension by checking out some film scores?
Speaking of the arts, it’s Alberta Arts Days all weekend. That means plenty of artistic ventures, shows, open houses, discounts and more.
Northern Light Theatre kicks off its season with Victoria Martin: Math Team Queen. (I was on a math team once…)
Buffy Sainte-Marie is playing in Sherwood Park tonight.
Over at the Jube, there’s a Leonard Cohen tribute; The Tower of Song.
Mojave is swinging through town and playing Eddie Shorts Saturday night.
We’ve also received word that the City Centre Cinema is offering a movie, popcorn and pop for $10 Saturday. (This could be a good chance to check out Matt Damon’s moustache.)
The Visualeyez performance art festival is winding down.
And if you like mixed-martial arts, The Fight Club presents TFC 8: Salvation at the Shaw Conference Centre tonight.
Plus, it looks like it will just be nice weather, so that’ll be fun too.
Hot stuff (to do)
This nearly ended up being the hot dog report.
I don’t think it’s out of line to say this shiznit is bananas. Are you kidding me it’s going to be sunny and 26 degrees? Yowza!
With that kind of heat the Mill Creek Pool will be open about the latest its ever been open.
We’ve already talked about the Community League membership kick-off happening Saturday.
Speaking of free hot dogs…the Bonnie Doon Community League is dishing them out to celebrate their new playground…and the St. Albert Steel have them before the AJHL season kicks off tonight. Which reminds me, the AJHL season kicks off tonight.
Hot dogs aside, if you like improv (and you do) you may want to check out Die-Nasty’s 50-hour marathon at the Varscona Theatre. There are prime-time, non-prime-time and full weekend passes available.
The Eskimos host the Stampeders in a rematch of the Labour Day Classic (drubbing).
Your elderly aunt’s favourite artist is playing the Shaw Conference Centre.
Meanwhile, Keane plays Somewhere Only We Know.
The Odds play River Cree’s Live lounge. Huh.
The Alberta Provincial Racewalk Championship is tomorrow in Hawrelak Park. Seriously.
That should give you a starting point. Have a good weekend!
