La bohème
In less than a week, Vancouver Opera will transport audiences to the Bohemian world of 19th century Paris. Romance, drama and humour will come alive in La bohème, dubbed the worlds most popular love story by the New York Times. A heartbreaking portrayal of youth and beauty struggling to survive though hardship, the VOs production combines evocative sets on a grand-opera scale and lavish costumes. The 1996 rock opera Rent is loosely based on Puccinis classic, but set in New York rather than Paris Latin Quarter. Opening night is Oct. 20, with subsequent performances Oct. 23, 25 and 27 at 7:30pm and a matinee performance on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 1:30pm at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Georgia and Hamilton). Tickets start at $35 and are available at VancouverOpera.ca or 604-683-0222.
Finding the best barista
Theres that wonderful moment when youre handed your freshly made latte and you marvel at the beautiful design in the milk foam. But then your craving for caffeine kicks in, you take that first sip and sadly, the design is no more. Baristas take a lot of pride in their work, even though they know their artistry will survive only a few seconds. On Oct. 20 from 11am to 4pm, some of the best will gather at Vancouver Library Square for the Vancouver International Latte Art Competition, sponsored by Blenz. While they do their magic in two categories Free Pour Latte Art and Etching Latte Art the crowd can enjoy free lattes, coffee and hot chocolate for the kids. Celebrity judges include Lori Joyce from the hit reality show Cupcake Girls, Sammy Piccolo from Prado Cafe, Richard Wolak from the Vancouver Foodster.com, Mijune Pak from Follow Me Foodie.com, Wayne Wright from Bravo Coffee, Aki Tokuhara latte art etching champion, and Caren McSherry from the Gourmet Warehouse. There will also be tea tasting and a matcha demonstration, a live performance by Harbour Dance Centre, public canvas painting, caricature drawings and a button making station. ThatBaristaThing.com
TEDxVancouver
Started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago, TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. The annual TED Conference invites the worlds leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, for free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. TEDxVancouver is the local, indie version of the world-wide phenomenon, taking place Oct. 21 at the Orpheum. A sell-out every year, hopeful attendees should register for the wait list at TEDxVancouver.com. Hosted by Breakfast Televisions Riaz Meghji, the lineup of 10 speakers includes Save On Meats Mark Brand (The Impact of an Unconventional Solution), marine biologist Kristin Westdal (The Unseen Threat of Noise in Our Oceans) and Botox pioneer Dr. Jean Carruthers (pictured; Beneath the Surface of Botox).
Fright Nights
What are you afraid of? Fright Nights, western Canada's spookiest Halloween entertainment, possesses Playland from October 17-31 and features six fright houses, including a brand new house, and 13 rides, Face your phobias at FEAR, 2,500 square-feet devoted to the top listed paranoias, including claustrophobia, arachnophobia, and acrophobia. FEAR will complement the current roster of five houses: Car-n-Evil, Hollywood Horrors, Asylum, Darkness and Haunted Mansion; plus the Monsters of Schlock and their horrifying two-man comedy act plus other terrifying shows and attractions. Last year, Fright Nights welcomed 80,000 visitors for their adult-themed experience. Tickets start at $28 and must be purchased for a specific date. Enter to win a pair of passes at WEVancouver.com/contests.
Great Big Boo
Get into the Halloween spirit when The Great Big Boo! comes to the PNE Forum (100 N. Renfrew) for five family-friendly performances, Oct. 20 to 2. This popular musical event is a safe, dry and non-scary Halloween experience that will captivate and delight audience members of all ages. Follow Justin, Zoe and their zany character friends from Boo Alley as they sing and dance their way through a maze of wacky adventures to save Halloween. Audience members are encouraged to dress up in their favourite Halloween costumes. Better yet, join the stars of Boo on a trick-or-treat adventure after the curtain closes. Tickets are $19.50 plus service charges and can be purchased at TicketLeader.ca. All tickets are sold as general admission.
Dates and Times:
Saturday, October 20th at 11:00am, 2:00pm and 5:00pm
Sunday, October 21st at 2:00pm and 5:00pm
Plus, from the creators of The Great Big Boo! comes The Magic of Santa. For a limited time you can purchase tickets to both of these interactive productions for only $35.
