Author Archives: Hari Suresh

Happy National Pizza Day!

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February 9th is this year’s National Pizza Day. If you were looking for a sign to make you feel less guilty for cheating on your diet, this is it! There are several factors to consider when you’re evaluating how good a pizza is. Taste is subjective. Everyone’s got their own preferences. When you’re thinking of buying a pizza, the first thing you consider is where to buy it from. There are so many different spots in Vancouver that serve delicious slices of pizza, it’s hard to pick from these options. What style of pizza do you like? Thin crust or thick crust? What toppings do you like on your pizza? What kind of texture should it have? What kind of cheese is on it? What kind of base sauce should it have? These are just a few questions to consider when you’re looking to buy a delicious, satisfying pizza.

Depending on what you are looking for, there’s a spot that meets each criteria. Places like Rocky Mountain Flatbread Kitsilano, Nook and Via Tevere Pizzeria have some of the best pizza’s that Vancouver has to offer. They’ve got a healthy range of pizzas to pick from and they’ve got a pizza that satisfies different peoples’ needs. Via Tevere Pizzeria for example, has three styles of base sauces and different toppings for each base sauce style. Their own selection of ingredients and process of making pizzas are impressive.

Most people who love eating a good slice of pizza can appreciate a pizza that’s got unique ingredients and textures. They might not be too picky when it comes to where they get a pizza but it’s hard to deny a pizza that tastes different than others. Use National Pizza Day as a valid reason to go out and explore different pizza spots. Maybe even find a spot that meets the requirements that you look for in a great pizza.

Thousands of people affected by the earthquake in Turkey

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An earthquake that affected Turkey and Syria cause several casualties and injuries. The Richter scales used to measure the earthquake indicates a 7.8 magnitude, which means that it was a powerful one. Thousands of people lost their lives and tens of thousands of people are injured. This situation is very rare and only people who have experienced something like this understand how scary it is. Buildings collapsing, people screaming, crying, and the world shaking will scare anyone. It would make you believe that the world might actually be coming to an end.

The earthquake that took the world by surprise, happened on February 6th. Images and videos of rescue teams saving people who are stuck in collapsed buildings gives you a glimpse of what people from Turkey and Syria are experiencing. To add on top of the unfortunate circumstance, the weather conditions in the area are miserable. There are reports of snowing, heavy wind and rains. Time is of the essence in situations like this. There are so many people who are still in desperate need of help. So many lives are changed because of this unordinary disaster. People who were lucky enough to survive this horror are going to be suffering mentally and physically.

It’s time like these where people need to show empathy and concern. Imagine waking up one day and having everything around you collapse. Not having a home anymore and not being able to see friends and family again is a horrible situation that no one should have to go through. The world is showing their concern by keep the people of Turkey and Syria in their thoughts and prayers. Justin Trudeau posted on twitter that Canada’s providing $10 million dollars in support of the immediate aid to people who are affected by this disaster. Donating to organizations like the Canadian Red Cross, Syrian American Medical Society, UNICEF, The White Helmets and Turkish Red Crescent would be a great way of showing support.

You can’t share passwords on Netflix anymore

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Many people prefer to watch movies and tv shows on their preferred streaming service. One of the most popular streaming service is Netflix. They’ve got many users who love the variety of entertainment that they provide. From their own original series to classic shows and movies, they’ve got a healthy variety of genres that satisfy the entertainment needs of people with different interests. Netflix are always looking for ways to improve their services and generate more revenue. They get popularly requested shows and movies on the platform to please their users. They’ve also increased their membership prices to increase their revenue before.

The recent strategy Netflix is trying to implement, is the no sharing passwords policy. They realize that multiple people share one account. Although their deals let users to use multiple devices to use their services, they realize that their revenue is severely impacted when people who don’t share the same household share passwords. A solution that they’ve come up with to address this situation is the no sharing passwords policy. They are going to start sending verification codes to devices that are using a different internet address than the one associated with the account.

Which means that the person who is paying for the account has an internet address that Netflix recognizes as a household. Someone trying to use the account from another address will get verification codes that need to be answered within 15 minutes. This forces people to get their own Netflix accounts. Which is beneficial to Netflix’s plan of trying to generate more revenue. There are other options of streaming services like Apple TV, Amazon Prime TV and Crave but people who are already fans of Netflix’s original series and collection of movies and tv shows, will prefer to keep using Netflix. This strategy might upset some people, but it might help Netflix with their goal of increasing revenue. Time will tell.

Beyonce is coming to Vancouver as part of her world tour!

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Some musicians become pop culture icons because of their infectious music releases. They gain a loyal group of fans that religiously listen to all the songs and albums that the artist puts out to the world. Being fans of the musician becomes a part of their identities. One of the musicians that has millions of listeners and fans is Beyoncé. She’s been releasing music that evokes an emotional response for years. Fans of hers know every lyric to their favourite songs. Beyonce fans will be glad to know that she’s coming to Canada as part of her Renaissance World Tour. She’ll by performing the songs from her latest album in front of all her fans.

The world tour is supposed to have three shows in Canada. Two of the shows will be happening at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on July 8th and July 9th. One of the shows is going to be happening at Vancouver’s BC Place on September 11th. The number of people who would be willing to do whatever it takes to see Beyoncé perform live just once in their lifetimes, is a lot more than you would think. So, if you’re a Beyoncé fan or you know someone special in your life who is, it would be a good idea to start booking your tickets as soon as possible. Tickets are going to sell out really fast and you don’t want to be in the position where you have to buy tickets from someone who’s re-selling them at a ridiculous price.

Beyoncé just made history by winning the most Grammy awards recently. At the start of Black History Month, she decided to announce that she’s going on a world tour to perform songs from her recent album. This might be a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience one of the world’s best musicians perform live.

Why are there movies based off books?

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There are some books that gain so much attention that movies are based off them. People who are unfamiliar with the books, assume that it’s just a movie. But people who are avid readers are familiar with the book and they hold very high standards for the movie. It’s understandable because reading allows you to imagine scenarios that almost feel real. When, the movie version takes a different direction than the book, it causes an outrage and change the whole experience for them. Altering the original version of a story can be irritating especially if it changes the whole story.

Movie producers are well aware of the plot, themes and characters that make the story. They find ways to preserve the original story, but it can be challenging to make a movie exactly like the book. Some changes are made to the storyline but as long as the key moments remain the same, it’s not that big of a deal. In fact, it makes the movie original in its own right. Some of the popular books turned into movies are the Harry Potter series, the Lord Of The Rings series, the Hunger Games, the Twilight saga, the Notebook and many others.

Movies are entertaining and most people are more likely to watch a movie rather than read a book. It all boils down to preference. Reading helps you develop your imagination and creativity, whereas movies have the ability to evoke an emotional response. The background music and acting can make you feel attached to the characters and connected to the story. Books and movies have their own ways of keeping people entertained. When you start reading a good book, it can be hard to put the book down. The same goes for watching movies. Once, the story gets interesting, it’s hard to stop. You want to know how the story ends. Movies based off books are made only because of fans can’t stop talking about the cool story they just read.

A new Harry Potter video game – Hogwarts Legacy

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Harry Potter is one of the most iconic series of books in the past 2 decades. A fictional world where magic is real has captivated millions of people around the world. The movie versions of the book might be more popular because many people prefer to watch movies rather than read a book. J.K. Rowling, the author of the series of books, created a fictional world with characters that people admire and are attached to. People are obsessed with the series and jump at an opportunity to feel like they’re part of the fictional world. They buy all kinds of accessories related to Harry Potter. Costumes, board games, wands, collectible cards, Bertie Bott’s Jelly Beans, and many other things. Little things that make them feel connected to the world of magic.

Fans of the books and movies will be thrilled to know that there is a new Harry Potter video game that’s about to release on February 10th. It’s called, Hogwarts Legacy and it’s an immersive, open-world action RPG (Role playing game), that’s about to make every Harry Potter fan excited. You can play it on a PC, PS5, PS4, X Box and Nintendo Switch. The game is available on many gaming platforms in order to get as many people as possible to play the game.

You can explore the wizard’s world by roaming around the school, the Forbidden Forrest and the surrounding overland area. You get the full wizard experience, as the game is detailed exactly like in the books and movies. Learning spells, brewing potions, encountering magical creatures, making friends and taking on adventures together is what Hogwarts Legacy offers. It’s hard to believe that a series of books was made into a movie series and now a video game! It really gives you an idea of how many people are hardcore fans of the series. There is a great demand for all thing related to Harry Potter!

The importance of cooking + tips to help make the process easier

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Everyone needs to be able to cook for themselves let alone for anyone else. It’s a necessary skill to survive. It’s a great way to save money because it’s cheaper to buy ingredients and make it yourself compared to buying food at a restaurant. Sure, it might be quicker and easier to just buy food, but you’re left with an uncertainty of what’s actually in the food and who are the people that made it. Cooking can be fun when you start doing it on a regular music. Playing music in the background or leaving a tv show playing on the tv whilst you cook, can make the process go by quicker. Not to mention, when you’re done making food, you feel independent and satisfied.

Once you form the habit of cooking on a regular basis, you start to think of ways that can speed up the process. You find clever tricks and skills to make the food taste better. Instead of making food as fast as possible, you start implementing tricks to make the food taste delicious. Here are some tricks that you can implement to make your food taste amazing in a quick and efficient manner:

  • If you have experience of cooking breakfast in the mornings and you like to eat bacon, you know that the grease splatters and it’s an annoying feeling when it splatters on you. Dashing a little salt in the pan can help with making sure the grease stays in the pan.
  • If you like hard boiled eggs, the peeling process can be done in a time-efficient manner. Boiling the water with vinegar or baking soda will help with removing the shells. Once the eggs are cooled, all you have to do is shake the eggs in an empty bowl and they come right off. Instead of peeling them individually, you can do them all together!
  • Peeling garlic can be done quickly if you apply some pressure with you hands and roll them on a clean surface.

Those are just a few ideas to help but there are so many tips and tricks that you can find online!

The VMF Winter Art Festival is coming to entertain all ages!

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Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and have fun. The return of the VMF Winter Arts Festival is a great opportunity to go out and enjoy live entertainment and activities. The 11 day, all ages festival from February 16th – 26th is going to transform downtown Vancouver into an open-air gallery and celebration of art, lights and entertainment. They will be showcasing local and international public art, have live music, tours, dance parties and a variety of food and drinks. The festivals looks to connect, reflect and celebrate the city along with its many diverse communities.

Some of the art installations in the festival, showcase artists that use augmented reality, lights, sculpture and interactive elements to express themselves. These different mediums of art are intriguing, exciting and entertaining. The best part about the VMF Festival is that it’s free for all ages! Some of the artists, whose work will be displayed in this festival are Adrian Steckeweh, Kym Fiala, Mike Peredo, Ocean Hyland, Franco E, Natasha Cunningham, Nya Lewis, Naila Keleta-Mae, Debra Sparrow, Junko, and more.

Finding one day to attend the festival and enjoy the art displays is a great opportunity to appreciate local and international art. There are a few people that come to your mind when you think about doing something fun with people. Think about their reactions when you take them to this cool new festival that has so many opportunities and activities to help you bond with others. The family friendly outdoor space has plenty of options for food and drinks with their rotating food trucks. Grab a bite to eat while you explore the tours and art installations that the festival has to offer. According to the festivals release, there will be five ticketed After Dark parties with entertainment in the form of local music groups each day for people to be thoroughly entertained.

VIFF – Black History Month celebration

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February is a month that’s recognized as Black History Month. It’s the time of the year where we celebrate Black films, thinker, activists and artists. It acknowledges a painful time in history where people were mistreated and abused because of the colour of their skin. Over the years, we as a society, have started to acknowledge the atrocities and actively make an effort to ensure that history does not repeat itself. The Vancouver International Film Festival is hosting a program to celebrate Black History Month. The program has two series that is entertaining and informative at the same time. The two series are called, “Icons” and “Dispatches.”

Icons is a series that showcases the accomplishments of well-renowned Black actors like Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Angela Bassett, Chadwick Boseman and others. It shows the works of these famous actors of colour and celebrates their accomplishments as well as celebrates their hard-earned success. Dispatches is a series that focuses on documentaries, ideas and social justice by showcasing the work of James Baldwin, Camille Billops and two recent Canadian films, Dear Jackie and Our Dance of Revolution. One of the documentaries that is going to be shown in this series is called Descendant. It’s a powerful and real documentary that investigates the last known slave ship transporting kidnapped Africans to USA.

Films have a unique ability to connect people with harsh truths about the world we live in. It also has the ability to inspire change. Watching these films is a chance to understand how different people’s lives are in other parts of the world. It can be emotional and thought provoking. Watching these films is a great way to teach children about the unfair living conditions of certain people and it can also teach them why it’s important to change the world for the better. Be sure to check out the events from Vancouver International Film Festival this month because it’s a chance to learn about our history and the importance of not letting atrocities in the past, happen again.

Via Tevere Pizzeria – as authentic as it gets

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Everyone can make a pizza but only a few can make a pizza that tastes excellent. One of Italian cuisines most popular and delicious dishes is pizza. Vancouver’s multicultural community has its many advantages, especially considering how restaurants have dishes that are culturally influenced. Restaurants with cooking practices that are adopted by traditions of cooking in different cultures, provide people with an opportunity to experience authentic dishes. Eating a pizza, the way it was meant to be eaten is an experience that most people don’t want to miss out on. Via Tevere Pizzeria, is a Neapolitan pizza spot that serves the most authentic pizza in Vancouver. It’s located at 1190 Victoria Drive.

You know a spot is legit when they have a certificate that ensures and protects their authenticity and traditional cooking methods. Everything involved in the cooking process is structured with a specific intent. The equipment plays an important role in the process, just life the preparation and cooking process. The correct dough mixer, Carrera Marble prep top and woodfire oven are all required for this authentic process. Along with the right equipment, the proper dough-making, stretching, topping and cooking techniques have an impact on the textures and taste of the pizza.

The dough needs to be hand stretched without the help of a rolling pin or stretcher. There are a few tricks that are passed down by family members, which are still being used, adding another layer to the authenticity of the food. Via Tevere has other things on their menu but if you’re going to eat something here, it has to be the pizza! They’ve got three base sauce options. Red sauce, Olive oil base and cream sauce. There are a few options of pizzas to choose under each base sauce categories. If you’re thinking of taking pizza and movie night to the next level, grabbing a pizza from Via Tevere Pizzeria should do the trick.