Archive for February, 2010
Tonight Alexandre Bilodeau was awarded Canada’s first gold medal for Freestyle Skiing – Men’s Moguls. I was at LiveCity Yaletown to see him accept his medal at the Victory Ceremony (which was held at BC Place and broadcast at on the big screens). There was a great deal of pride in the crowd and Alexandre was clearly overjoyed as can be seen by his body language in this photo. Go Canada!
February 15 2010 | Photography and Vancouver | No Comments »
Today thousands of people gathered on the streets of downtown Vancouver for Olympic festivities and I was lucky enough to be part of it by joining a flash mob. A few weeks ago I heard about the flash mob and immediately signed up on Facebook, where I followed the instructional videos and learned the dance. At 3:30PM today I headed down to Robson and Thurlow where the street was so packed we people that I didn’t think we would be able to move much less dance. We were supposed to be incognito until the music started as is customary with a flash mob, but the street was so packed with dancers and energy that there was cheering, a couple of waves and a pre-dance O Canada with red mitts waving in the air.
So low key we were not, but when the music started playing (Dancing in the Streets by Martha and the Vandellas) I found my groove and along with thousands of other excited Canadians, we danced the chorography and sang the words louder than the sound system. I felt an amazing flow of shared energy for Vancouver, Canada, the Olympics and the cause that organized it all, imagine1day: Bringing quality primary education to every child in Ethiopia by 2020.
I’ll upload the video once it is pulled together by the organizers. But in the meantime enjoy the photos and here are some of my favourite flash mob videos:
Oprah was surprised by a flash mob during a Black Eyed Peas performance during her 24th Season Opener: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyLuIY8IyO4
There was the Sound of Music at Antwerp’s Central Station in Belgium: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k
Then an incredible mash up at London’s Liverpool Street Station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM
February 13 2010 | Photography and Vancouver | 3 Comments »
Today is officially the first day of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games here in Vancouver and the energy around town is off the charts. There are people here for all over the world buzzing with excitement, waving Canadian flags and ready for an amazing party. The weather has been really warm here, so there has been some concern over the snow levels on the mountains (it is a WINTER games after all) and so while many are braving storms in the East, we are hoping for lots of snow. Organizers are reporting that they have the snow under control so let’s hope so for the athletes’ sake.
I did brave the rain today to see the Torch Relay which went through my neighbourhood yesterday and again today. All the kids came out of school to cheer on the torchbearers and the Olympic Flame. Many wore patriotic red and white, including the famous red mitts which it is altogether too warm for.
Unfortunately some nasty protesters caused the relay to change routes this morning, so I missed it the first time (and so did many of the school kids) but I was able to catch up to it later. I do hope that protesters aren’t going to hamper anymore fun in the city, as most everyone here is ready for a great time. I know I am and I have my red mitts to prove it!
I’m going to try to find garden related Olympics stories for the rest of this month, but since gardening is pretty much on hold so I can zip line through downtown Vancouver and be part of a Flash Mob on Robson Street, Garden Therapy may just become Olympic Therapy for February 2010.
February 12 2010 | Photography and Vancouver | 2 Comments »
My blooming flowers out front are wide open to the sun today making it BEE CITY out there! I’m so excited to have lots of little workers all over the garden buzzing away and being so industrious. This is a good sign.
February 09 2010 | Gardening | 3 Comments »
Outdoors I’ve sown lettuce, radishes and peas in wine barrels. These great clear umbrellas make great pop up greenhouses!
February 07 2010 | Gardening | 13 Comments »
Vectorial Elevation is a light sculpture installation over English Bay that runs from dusk until dawn during the 2010 Winter Olympics as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
The pattern of the lights changes every 8 seconds from a set of 20 searchlights located at Vanier Park and Sunset Beach. Vectorial Elevation was created by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and the many changing patterns in the sky are designed online by people all over the world. We can see the lights from our West window but it looks most striking up close. To create your own light sculpture go to: http://www.vectorialvancouver.net/home.html.
February 06 2010 | Photography and Vancouver | 3 Comments »
Just a fragrant as the yellow Forsythia, but a much more manageable shrub – beautiful!
February 05 2010 | Flowers | 9 Comments »
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