Author Archives: Kieran Phagura

Monsters of the Abyss at the Vancouver Aquarium

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If you are looking for something fun to do this week, or throughout the summer, look no further than the Monsters of the Abyss exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium. This exhibit takes a deep look at the creatures that are currently way down the depths as we speak, as well as the prehistoric ones that used to run the animal kingdom down there. Such as the megalodon, the largest shark to ever exist.

The exhibit is completely interactive, with many different activities for people of all ages. You can come face-to-face with supersized sculptures and can really feel the sheer mass of these ancient creatures. “Monsters” doesn’t just refer to these prehistoric beasts; however there are new snakes, monitors and other animals that are a part of this exhibit as well. The exhibit gives you the opportunity to join in on live talks with the aquarium’s animal experts, as they hold tours and give you in depth knowledge on the different areas of the abyss. They even bring out “modern-day dinosaurs” that roam the water and the land. As well as the live tours with the animal experts, you can also spend your time mesmerising over the plethora of fossils that the aquarium has acquired over time. They twist and bend through the whole exhibit and give you a true understanding of how massive these animals were back then. Can you imagine if they were still alive today?!

This exhibit is perfect for the curious people out there. The one-of-a-kind opportunity to see these animals up close is truly a sight to see, and even if this kind of stuff isn’t for you, I guarantee you that this event will open your mind. It will make you really start to wonder about all the mysterious animals that are on this world, the ones that were here long before us and the ones that will be here long after us. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, the animal experts find joy in curing all of our curiosity!

The Vancouver Aquarium is a great place for any sort of outing. Whether it’s with your family, a date, or just hanging out with your friends, you’ll be sure to have a good time with all there is to see there. I mean, come on, they have otters that play with toys in the water. How cool is that?

@vancouveraquarium

Thanks for spending SeaOtterAwareness week with us — and it just wouldn’t be an otter observance without an otter party! Donate to the Marine Mammal Rescue Society to help more animals get a second chance at life — visit vammr.org

♬ original sound – Vancouver Aquarium – Vancouver Aquarium

Be sure to check out the aquarium, and definitely check out the Monsters of the Abyss exhibit to expand your knowledge, and to support the animals that call the Vancouver Aquarium their home.

Inagural Vancouver Lapu Lapu Block Party

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For the first time in Vancouver, a Lapu Lapu block party will be taking place this Friday at John Oliver Secondary in East Vancouver.

Datu Lapu-Lapu was an Indigenous Visayan Chieftain from Mactan Philippines. He is considered to be the first national hero of the Philippines, and his legacy is known by all Filipinos. He isn’t just known for being an individual hero, but also as a united spirit, showing the importance of defending and protecting the land the people you care for. Lapu-Lapu taught Filipinos the strength of a united people, and a shared commitment, can withstand any challenge. Lapu-Lapu day was founded on April 27th, 2023 and it was a historic day for the Filipino community. The proclamation was received by Consul General Arelene T. Magno, surrounded by the many Filipinos that were ecstatic about the day. The declaration does not only honour Lapu-Lapu, but it is used as a symbol of the cultural bliss and mutual respect that is shared in the province of British Columbia.

A year after the day was founded, the Lapu-Lapu block party is happening this weekend on the 27th of April. People attending this event will be welcomed with many different vendors and activities to partake in. There will be a mix of food and craft tents, as well as performances from Jeremy Passion, Gabe Bondoc, Manila Grey and many more. All of this for free makes it out to be an incredible day. As well as performers and vendors, the Lapu-Lapu block party will be hosting the largest basketball showdown in Vancouver. Teams are all finalised but that does not mean you shouldn’t go check it out, the basketball excitement is for all ages and aims to have plenty of on court interactive activities. The winners of the tournament are in for a treat, not only do they get the honour of winning, they get to represent Vancouver in Toronto at the National Filipino Heritage Hoop Fest, thanks to Filipinos in the 6ix, and Ontario Basketball.

Even if basketball isn’t for you, the block party has something for everyone. Definitely worth checking out, and learning more about a day that means so much to such a large community in British Columbia. The event runs all day long on Friday, starting at 11 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m. Plenty of time to check it out at any point during the day! Head to John Oliver Secondary School at East 41st Ave to East 47th Avenue to experience the inaugural Lapu-Lapu Block Party.

All-you-can-eat Cereal and Cartoon Party

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Perhaps, from what I can only assume, one of the most underrated events took place over the weekend. Yup, you read the headline right, all you can eat cereal AND a cartoon watch party took place on Saturday April 20th this weekend and it looked awesome. People from any age range were welcomed to the Rio Theatre on East Broadway St in Vancouver to enjoy cereal all morning and to watch cartoons starting at 10:30am. Did I mention everyone was encouraged to wear pajamas too? As if it couldn’t get any better.

The Rio Theatre

( Robyn Hanson / Flickr )

The event was created by film producer David Bertrand, and he has brought this creative idea all over Canada. Calgary had their cereal party at the Calgary Underground Film festival and Revue Cinema in Toronto. After the success of those two, and other venues around Canada, Bertrand brought the party to Vancouver back in March. And you guessed, it was so popular here that he hosted a round two on April 20th. For such a fun event, it’s a great cost as well! Main Floor and Balcony both cost $20 for adults, and for kids (13 and under) it’s $14. The doors for the event opened up at 10 a.m. with the shows starting at 10:30 and would be a 3-hour event.

The cereal lineup, and the cartoon lineup was left up to mystery for the patrons to find out when they got there. Let me tell you something, if I showed up and was served raisin bran, I would start a riot. The guests were not told anything about the event and were urged to keep it a mystery until they showed up. Now based on past events, it’s safe to say that at least some of the childhood favourites would be there like Captain Crunch, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cocoa Pebbles. Me personally would have loved to see how many bowls of Lucky Charms I could eat in the three hours.

The cartoon lineup has not been leaked at all but all we know is that there will be a wide variety of shows ranging from the 30’s to the 90’s. If I was there, and I didn’t see any Scooby-Doo on the big screen, I would again start a riot.

“the cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but expect to see monsters, sci-fi, sleuths, superheroes and all kinds of 2D silliness” David Bertrand, Founder, All-you-can-eat Cereal Cartoon Party

This event is such a great opportunity for parents to bring their kids for a little morning fun to show them a piece of their childhood, as well as relive it themselves. If this event comes to Vancouver again, I will absolutely be buying a ticket, bringing my comfiest pajamas, and sitting back to enjoy some cereal while watching cartoons all morning long. 

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

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The yearly Cherry Blossom Festival held across Metro Vancouver is coming to a close this week, so don’t miss your chance to witness the beauty these colourful trees have. 

Many people from all over come to Vancouver to see these Cherry Blossoms in full bloom every year. 40 000 trees line the streets of our beautiful city and because of this, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival offers many different opportunities to witness the dominant pink clouds in many neighbourhoods. Events such as community bike rides, art events, cherry blossom viewing tours, and traditional japanese festivities. 

If your plan is to see as many cherry blossom trees as possible, there is plenty of different options to make your day out a fun one, visit their site Blooming Now – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival for an update on which trees are blooming, and to be regularly updated about the best viewing spots. You should also definitely check out Queen Elizabeth park to join the “BigPicnic” viewing party, where you can pre-order specially themed boxed lunches that you can enjoy while basking in the sun and being surrounded by a cloud of pink. If you’re looking for a more fast paced viewing party, joining the Bike the Blossoms ride is a great way to do that. The ride is a free tour that starts by Trout Lake and goes in and out of many different Vancouver streets. The route changes each year but has been known to go through Mount Pleasant, Strathcona, and Riley Park.

The Cherry Blossom Festival has been happening once a year in Vancouver since 2006, and in 2007, the festival’s objectives were recognized and qualified for charitable status. Now if you’re telling me that getting a picnic lunch while looking at these beautiful trees is a way to support charity then sign me up, I can’t think of a better, more peaceful way to spend a nice spring day. 

With only a few days left in the event this year as the cherry blossom petals start to fall, here are the best places where you can see them at their best. Check out VanDusen Botanical gardens, where cherry blossoms have been blossoming since 2008, as mentioned before, Queen Elizabeth park to enjoy a picnic, and if you’re feeling artsy, here’s a how-to on how to take pictures of the tree with your phone!

If you unfortunately can’t find the time to go visit any of those places, take a stroll through any number of streets in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, and use Vancouver Cherry Blossoms Finder to find anything near you!

Why Vancouver needed Playoff Hockey

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Is there any further evidence needed than last night?

It seemed as if the entire Lower Mainland was screaming at the top of their lungs when that second Joshua goal went in. As far as fanbases go, there aren’t many that rival Vancouverites dedication to their hometown team. The stadium was absolutely insane, the city was buzzing, and the team out there definitely felt the love from the fans last night. To think that we haven’t experienced a playoff win in Vancouver since 2015 is crazy, this win was nine years in the making.

It’s not even just the city of Vancouver either, Surrey made themselves heard after the win by piling intersections full of fans to celebrate the game 1 win. It just means more to Canucks fans. 

There is no better feeling than experiencing winning a playoff game. To have that happen in Vancouver is even better. Not only were the fans inside the stadium being loud, almost every bar or restaurant in Vancouver was filled with fans who were just as pumped up as the ones inside the stadium. The culture that this playoff feeling has brought to the city is unmatched, and some the city hasn’t felt since that playoff run back in 2011. Which most Vancouverites are still recovering from…

Being a Vancouver sports fan has definitely been a roller coaster the past few years. The Canucks have been in an almost 10 year rebuild, the Whitecaps, have hovered around mediocrity for years, and unless you love the CFL, chances are you’re a Seahawk fan, which definitely hasn’t been fun since that brutal pick Russel Wilson threw in the Super Bowl. Here’s why the time is now to be a Canucks fan: goal scoring song? Don’t You (Forget About Me) BANGER. Bringing back Where the Streets Have No Name as the entrance song? CHILLS. So go buy that ticket, go to that bar, go run through the street (safely) with your jersey on, and wave that white towel. 

Enjoy the moment while it’s here, and don’t stress about what might happen later in the playoffs. Embrace the vibe of the city and wear those Canuck colours with pride. 1 win down 15 to go, keep the energy high for the rest of the playoffs, the boys are going to need it. Game 2 is tomorrow night, you know what to do Canucks fans. Be loud, be proud, and remember, these are our waters.

Canucks back in the playoffs with a bang

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We are so back.

The Canucks brought a different level of hype to the city yesterday. They battled hard and delivered a playoff game that Vancouverites have been waiting nine years for. After locking up the Pacific Division last week, they started their Stanley Cup playoff run against the Nashville Predators last night. Beating them three times in the regular season, the Preds look to bounce back and carry their strong end to the season form into the playoffs. 

Vancouver looked dominant in the first period, but could only muster up 4 shots on goal which Nashville goalie Juuse Saros saved. The Canucks looked solid defensively but lacked the spark offensively they had for the majority of the regular season. The 1st period remained goalless for just over sixteen minutes until forward Jason Zucker fired the Predators in front with a wrist shot assisted by Mark Jankowski and Roman Josi. The goal silenced the crowd for a brief moment and took Nashville into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead. 

The Canucks turned it on early in the second period with a wrist shot from Elias Lindholm, assisted by Nikita Zadorov and Dakota Joshua in under a minute into the period. The arena absolutely erupted. The first Canucks playoff goal in Vancouver since 2015. Just like that Vancouver was back in the game. They continued to pack on some pressure for the period however with the lack of sharpness in front of the goal they couldn’t get anything past Saros for the rest of the period. The penalties caught up to the Canucks and Nashville went on to score the only power play goal of the game. Ryan O’reilly fired a wrist shot about as top right corner as you could get, just over halfway through the period and put the Preds up 2-1. Goalie Thatcher Demko looked to have been interfered with before the shot, but head coach Rick Tochett did not deem it worthy of a coaches challenge. The second period ended 2-1 Nashville.

This is when the nerves crept in for fans. The Canucks still looked unlike themselves offensively but weren’t really looking like conceding another goal either, it was a weird limbo to be in. Then a flip switched, and Vancouver scored twice in 12 seconds. Pias Suter tipped a shot from Quinn Hughes just under nine minutes into the third period, and then Dakota Joshua went top shelf 12 seconds later to steal the lead. Vancouverites went absolutely bonkers.

The Canucks finished off a strong third period with a Dakota Joshua goal on an empty net and went on to win the game 4-2. Head Coach Rick Tochett loved how loud the fans were, and Captain Quinn Hughes gave crediter where credit was due. and gave Dakota “Playoff D” Joshua the game puck.

Vancouver is gearing up for Game 2 against Nashville Tuesday, April 23rd and look to take 2-0 series lead before heading to Nashville. Game 2 puck drop is 7:00 pm at Rogers Arena.

Whitecaps slay their dragon

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The Vancouver Whitecaps continued their fine form this year with a convincing 2-0 win over their rivals Seattle Sounders, the latter only having one win so far this season. The Sounders have been a thorn in the side of the ‘Caps and their fans for a long time, especially at Lume Field where Seattle hosts their games. Since the MLS began, Vancouver has won 10, tied 9, and lost 17 times to the Sounders. But that thorn may be getting removed slowly, with the Whitecaps winning in Seattle for the first time since 2016, yes, eight years ago.

Now after a bit of history, here’s how Saturday went down. The Whitecaps head coach Vinni Sartini opted to go for 3-4-3 formation this weekend, meaning three defenders, 4 midfielders, and 3 forwards. This formation allows the team to have two extra players on the attack, as well as having two extra players when defending. When executed correctly, it can be a lot for opposing teams to handle.

https://twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1781862979069207028

The first half was lacklustre, with both teams unable to put the ball in the back of the net and the Whitecaps feeling as if it would be another disappointing trip to Seattle. All until Jackson Ragen received a red card in the 43 minute of the first half. This ended up being the turning point of the game. With a man down, Seattle had to sit back and hang on for dear life as the fast paced formation the Whitecaps were in began to be too much to handle. After the goalless first half ended, the game got a spark of excitement as captain Ryan Gauld fired the ‘Caps in front with his third goal of the season.

https://twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1781896870018621644

Vancouver continued to pile on the pressure for the remainder of the game, having 63% of the possession to Seattle’s 37%. There wasn’t much the Sounders could do for the rest of the game while being a man, only being able to manage one shot on goal. It went from bad to worse for them when Brian White stole the ball off of defender Xavier Arreaga and slotted the ball past the keeper to make it 2-0. White made it his fourth goal in seven games. He now leads the team with six goal contributions this season.

https://twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1781900025804526072

After the second goal, it was all but over for the Sounders. To make matters worse for them, defender Alex Roldan received the team’s second red cad of the night in the 74th minute, putting all hopes of a comeback to bed. 

The Whitecaps still sit in second in the Western Conference with a 5-2-1 record, and look to continue their form on Saturday, April 27th against the NY Red Bulls who sit in second in the Eastern Conference with a 4-1-4 record.

Kickoff is at 4:30 PST in New York.

Vancouver Sun Run 2024

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The Vancouver Sun Run took place this weekend on Sunday, April 21st. The turn out was incredible with 45 517 people participating, the most of any Sun Run since 2014. This year was the 40th Sun Run to take place in Vancouver and it is known as Canada’s largest 10km road race and North America’s 3rd largest timed 10km.

The Sun Run was founded in 1985 by former Canadian Olympians Dr. Doug and Diane Clement alongside Dr. Jack Taunton. This race was made to promote the good that running can do for the human body, to improve health and fitness, and to promote elite amateur athletes. Over the years the Sun Run has grown more and more, with the first race only having 3200 people participating, increasing in size by nearly 15x. It is a very diverse event, people all over Canada come to take on the iconic 10k run. As the years have gone by, the run continues to grow not just in numbers of participants but as well as volunteers and the walking, running, racing, community. This event is all made possible by the great team of over 1500 volunteers who spend their time working hard to make the race as amazing as possible. The Sun Run continues to strive to be the leading and most influential 10k race there is by making it accessible to anyone who feels the need to get out and move their legs. 

This year’s route for the race was a scenic one. The course ran right through the heart of the West End, leading to the English Bay waterfront. The runners then headed east alongside the water, headed south to cross the Burrard St bridge and continued through the Mount Pleasant neighbourhoods. The race ended on Pacific Blvd, and the meet up zone was inside BC Place. This route led to many street closures, shutting down basically everything in between Georgia St and Pacific Blvd. 

 

Now if you’re not into winning or losing the Sun Run is still for you, however there is still someone who finishes first. The race tracks three different podiums for the day: mens, womens, and wheelchairs. The winners were…

Men: 

  1. Thomas Fafard, Quebec, 28:42
  2. Thomas Broatch, Vancouver, 28:56
  3. Turner Wiley, Washington, 29:00

Women

  1. Glynis Sim, Vancouver, 32:17
  2. Leslie Sexton, Vancouver, 32:25
  3. Andrea Seccafien, Ontario, 33:02

Wheelchair

  1. Leo Sammarelli, Vancouver, 31:08
  2. Balraj Partridge, Richmond, 38:56
  3. James Hustvedt, North Vancouver, 47:21

 

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the race this year, and best of luck to anyone who is starting their training early for next year!

Surrey Vaisakhi parade

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It’s that time of the year again when communities come together to celebrate the vibrant and meaningful festival of Vaisakhi. This past weekend, on Saturday, April 20th, the annual Vaisakhi parade took place, marking an important occasion for Sikhs around the world. Vaisakhi holds deep significance as it commemorates the creation of the Khalsa, the community of initiated Sikhs, in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. This momentous event not only marked the birth of Sikhism as a distinct faith but also symbolized the commitment to Sikh principles of equality, justice, and service.

Vaisakhi is celebrated through a parade in many different cities all over the world. People who attend can visit Gurdwaras, as a place to worship, and also enjoy the festivities on the streets that can be referred as Nagar Kirtans. The city of Surrey held its 26th parade this year, and the city of Vancouver and thousands of people celebrated its 45th last weekend. 

The city of Surrey had a bunch of roads closed on Saturday, ranging from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 128 St from 72 to 88 avenues, 75 and 76 avenues from 124 to 128 streets, 124 St from 75 to 82 avenues, and 82 Avenue from 124 to 128 streets. The parade began at 9 a.m. at Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar on 85 Avenue and will end at the gurdwara at 4pm. Locals will need to show identification if they live in the area, but will not need a permit. 

The parade had many different tents and vendors around the blocked off streets, with the Conservative Party of B.C. having a booth and experiencing a great turn out.

The Surrey RCMP was also out in full force to show their support of the celebrations, with many of the force celebrating it themselves. The great weather Saturday morning served these celebrations excellently, with many people out in the streets enjoying the colourful floats, singing, dancing, live music and chanting of hymns. There was also a plethora of free vegetarian foods, and drinks served along the routes of the parade as a form of seva, or a selfless service that brings joy to the many people celebrating. 

These celebrations are a true site to see! Witness how much this faith means to people and take this as a chance to enjoy the culture, the great food, and the kindness that it brings out of people. If you had the opportunity, I hope you checked it out, and were not disappointed by the sheer beauty the parade holds.

Whitecaps on fire to start 2024

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The Vancouver Whitecaps, just like the Canucks in October, are on fire to start the season. After multiple seasons of very average performances and star players leaving, the Whitecaps are playing the best soccer they’ve played in recent years. That’s all thanks to head coach Vinni Sartini, star attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld, and on fire striker Brian White.

Sartini took over the position of head coach in an interim position on August 27th, 2021. His playstyle brought success to the team and later earned him the title as head coach in November of that year. Since then the Whitecaps have had a healthy mix of success and failure. In the 2022 season, Sartini and the ‘Caps failed to qualify for the playoffs, however they took home the Canadian Championship that same year. In 2023, they made the playoffs, but only to the first round, and took home the Canadian Championship for the second year in a row. This season the Whitecaps sit second in the Western Conference with a 4-2-1 (W-L-D) record. However they have a game in hand on the first place LA Galaxy, who have a 4-1-3 record. The ‘Caps unfortunately lost to the Galaxy last weekend, but look to rally back to take on their long time rivals, the Seattle Sounders.

https://www.twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1781382253173457291

Midfielder Ryan Gauld and forward Brian White have been a huge part of any Whitecaps success in the past two seasons. Gauld posted MVP calibre stats last season that helped the ‘Caps secure a playoff spot. He scored 12 times and had a team high 17 assists in all competitions. He recently took the honour of becoming the clubs 25th captain, as well as signing a contract extension until 2027. 

Brian White has transformed the attacking line for Sartini, always being a reliable marksman from up front. He joined the Whitecaps the same season as Gauld, each of them making each other a better player. In the 2021 season, White came in halfway through the year and took the team by storm, scoring 12 goals in 23 games to lead the ‘Caps in scoring that season. Last year White hit a different level, scoring 20 times and assisting 5 times in 43 appearances.

“It’s always hard to go to Seattle, because there are 40 000 people that are supporting them and pushing them…” Vinni Sartini, Head Coach, Vancouver Whitecaps

https://www.twitter.com/WhitecapsFC/status/1781382253173457291

Gauld and Sartini both look forward to playing against Seattle this weekend, knowing that it won’t be an easy matchup for the Whitecaps.