Author Archives: Neena

Not your average list of things to do in Vancouver

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We’ve all been there, bored and aimless googling “thing to do in Vancouver”

Usually, these lists are full of expensive tourist attractions like Grouse Mountain or taking a tram around Stanley Park. Often it’s paid advertisement and it leaves you feeling even more bored, poor and hopeless than before.

Now, as a born and bred Vancouverite I have decided to take it upon myself to share my “secret” spots and help you the next time you think: There’s nothing to do in Vancouver.

This list is budget-friendly! With almost everything costing you less than a Beaver Tail and hot cocoa on Grouse.

Aberdeen Centre

4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC V6X 4J7

Located in Richmond, the Aberdeen Centre is an Asian shopping centre with over 160 stores. Including, but not limited to fashion, furniture, lifestyle products, fresh groceries, and a one-of-a-kind food court experience.

I find malls like Metrotown or Pacific Centre to be slightly nauseating, but for me, Aberdeen is so unique that it immerses you into another world.

I’ve always wanted to travel to Asia, I mean who hasn’t? The diverse customs, art, food, and fashion are things I dream of one-day seeing (and tasting.) However, travel isn’t an option for most of right now.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

Visiting Aberdeen Centre feels like a mini travel experience, like a Costco sample of what’d be like to travel across Asia. All retail and food stalls are either Korean, Chinese, or Japanese.

The food court is the biggest draw-in, as it features a diverse selection of Asian cuisines, all reasonably priced and authentic. Your friend can have Katsu while you have Korean fried chicken.

Mark Lai/Facebook

If you enjoy the Chinatown Night Market in the summer, you’d love the Aberdeen Mall year-round.

Commercial Drive + Rio Theatre

East Van used to symbolize the working class, more alternative, “gritty” lifestyle, at least in comparison to the West Side. But now that houses in East Van are selling for 2 million, it’s a laughable and out-of-date caricature. Although the housing market has gone bonkers, Commercial Drive has managed to keep some of the OG East Van spirits alive.

Sightings are becoming less common, but the essence of “the drive” is still there. You still got the old Italian men smoking outside Abruzzo’s with their espressos. Or the laid-back hippies in Sweet Cherubim eating their vegetarian platters.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I think it’s time you know! Take a stroll down Commercial Drive, spanning from Venables to Broadway, I promise you, there’s plenty to see.

My recommendations:

DownLow Chicken

Long line ups, but definitely worth the hype.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYj6VztBIss/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

Continental Coffee for a pick me up.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV3nGuRhnJd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

And of course, The Rio Theatre

An experience you can’t download

The Rio is a Vancouver staple. If you can’t manage the Commercial Drive stroll, the one thing I want you to do is visit The Rio. Conveniently located steps away from the Commercial Drive/ Broadway Skytrain Station.

Be sure to check out the Movies and Events schedule on their website. They show everything from new releases, cult classics and live performances.

This week at The Rio:

Now Showing at The Rio Theatre – https://mailchi.mp/riotheatre/january13

Posted by The Rio Theatre on Thursday 13 January 2022

The Rio also has a full bar, featuring local craft beers and ciders! Beat that cineplex.

House of Dosas

1391 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5V 3E3

Are you a night owl?

If you’re sleeping in until noon on these short winter days, it can feel as though you’ve wasted away your entire Saturday. But fear not! The House of Dosas also has an out-of-wack sleep schedule.

Open from 11 am-3 am, House of Dosas is one of the few (good) eateries to be open almost 24/hrs a day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPFqjCRg5zB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

House of Dosa is a popular joint that serves everyone’s dietary needs and cravings. Gluten-Free, vegetarians, vegans or carnivores it’s got at all, at any hour.

Quick Tip: If you’re ever starving after a night out and everything’s closed… House of Dosa is a top-tier drunk meal. Available on Ubereats, Skipthedishes, and Doordash.

Kobiniya Japan Centre

1238 Robson St, Vancouver BC

Kobiniya is a mini Japanese supermarket packed full of fun snacks, groceries, appliances, beauty care and ready-made meals. I would describe it as a more fun and flashy Fujiya.

Posted by Konbiniya Japan Centre on Thursday 24 June 2021

They only sell products that are from Japanese brands, so it feels like you’re actually in Japan!

I think you should go inside and look around to get the full experience, but they do offer online shopping with delivery and in-store pickup.

My friend who immigrated to Vancouver from Japan recommended trying out:

  • Instant Ippei Chan Yakisoba
  • UFO Noodles
  • Kororo Fruit Juice Gummy – Melon

Other best sellers at Konbiniya include:

  • Various Japanese frozen cuts of Pork, Beef, and Salmon
  • Frozen Sanuki Yude Udon
  • Sweet Rice Dumpling

Drive around Shaughnessy and admire the wealth

Vancouver is notable for its stark wealth divide/inequality. Vancouver has the 3rd highest rate of income inequality in Canada and the biggest gap between housing prices and income in North America.

Instead of crying about it (which I very well could), I lean into it. Take a drive through one of the wealthiest areas in Metro Vancouver, Shaughnessy, where the average house price is $2.89 million, the highest in Vancouver.

I like to drive, walk, or bike through the neighbourhood treating it almost like an art gallery where each millionaire is showing how they can best display their wealth. Some houses are beautifully designed and kept, while others are monstrous and plain ugly. It shows how money clearly doesn’t equal taste. And it’s fun to make fun of rich people, right?

Also interesting to note! If you happen to uncut grass or empty driveways, you have likely come across an abandoned mansion. A common sight in Shaughnessy that has attracted squatters over the past few years.

For various reasons, many of these mansions are vacant. Foreign buyers, heritage permits and high prices are making the area reminiscent of a ghost town. Even more of a reason to take a look!

The harsh reality of climate change for British Columbians

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We Vancouverites experienced quite a winter huh? It feels reminiscent of summer when the entire province was on fire… or maybe even autumn when the Fraser Valley flooded?

It’s almost as if the climate is changing?

No, but for real, after 2021, how can you seriously deny climate change? Mother Nature has grabbed us by the collar and is shaking us.

Over the weekend, we received another wake-up call. Due to sea levels rising and King Tides, sections of Vancouver’s sea wall were destroyed.

If you were also wondering what the heck is a King Tide? It’s a non-scientific term to describe unusually high tides. These higher than normal tides typically occur during a new or full moon and when the moon is at its perigee.

King Tides are not a result of climate change, however, in combination with sea levels rising (due to climate change,) you can imagine King Tides are making things a lot worse.

So why are sea levels rising?

As the Earth heats glaciers and ice sheets worldwide are melting and adding water to the ocean.

But that’s not all, as the water heats up it expands in volume. The ocean is actually about 7 to 8 inches higher now than it was a century ago.

In the past, a King Tide wouldn’t be so detrimental, but now with the higher sea levels, we aren’t equipped to handle these tides. Particularly exposed infrastructure along the seaside. I mean again, look back at the sea wall currently.

Not good.

Now let’s rewind a bit. Remember last week? When your car was buried and the streets were an ice rink. Although it was nice to have a white Christmas, I know a lot of us were over it pretty quick.

Arctic-outflow conditions in B.C. delivered two dozen single-day record lows for Boxing Day, including Abbotsford (-12.4 C versus -11.9 C in 2008); Burns Lake (-39 C vs. -37.6 C in 1996); Fort Nelson (-40.6 C vs. -40 C in 1961); and Hope (-15.7 C vs. -13.9 C in 1971).

So If the earth is warming like scientists are warning us, why is it so darn cold outside? It’s honestly a good question, that I think a lot of us are nervous to ask!

Well first off, weather isn’t climate. Scientists are hesitant to label BC’s cold snap as global warming just yet. Because it’s true, one bad storm doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a result of climate change. However, the extreme weather is consistent with what scientists are calling the Polar Vortex.

The correlation between extreme cold and global warming is still debated within the scientific communities. But, there’s one thing certain, that just because it’s colder in your backyard doesn’t mean it’s colder globally. Winter’s are still warmer on average worldwide, climbing to new records each year.

Extreme weather events like BC has been experiencing in 2021, will become more common as the Earth warms, with many climatologists forecasting that an unstable polar vortex will bring storms like this to us multiple times per decade.

Little to no warning has been posted for this coming week. Now Vancouver’s snowfall has halted, and the temperature is stabilizing above 0 degrees, heavy rain is expected for coastal areas, combined with the melting of recent snow.

Rivers are expected to rise, resulting in possible flooding. Previously flooded areas like the Fraser Valley may be more vulnerable.

Impacted highways continue to be closed and BC’s state of emergency has been extended to January 18th.

@the.businessgal

The difference 3 hours can make… November 28, 2021 #bcflood #atmosphericriver #hopebc #othello

♬ original sound – The Business Gal

There are differing opinions on whether BC’s atmospheric river floods had nothing to do with global warming. It’s hard to say, and I’m no expert, nevertheless, there is consensus that the intensity of landslides, floods and rainfall will continue and become the “new normal.”

And similar to the unprecedented snowfall, BC is not prepared for these extremes.

There’s also a point to be made, that warmer air holds more moisture, which means storms on a warmer planet will produce more rain. And there’s no denying we are on a warmer planet than we were 10 years ago.

Even in my 20 years of life, I’ve noticed a significant difference in summer temperatures. My family used to visit the Okanagan every year to enjoy some real summer-y weather. Vancouver rarely surpassed 20 degrees. However, in the past couple of years there’s been no need, and more recently it’s no longer an option!

An extreme heat wave referred to as the “heat dome” hit Western North America from late June through mid-July 2021, resulting in record-breaking temperatures across the province.

Most notably Canada broke its temperature record for a third straight day in late-June at 49.6 degrees in Lytton, BC.

The very next day, the town was engulfed in flames. Lytton was burned to the ground, taking two lives. Residents of Lytton lost everything. I drove through the town a few months later on my way to 100 mile house and it was a jarring sight. Torched cars and rubble was left roadside and highway signage was charred black.

On July 20th a Provincial state of emergency was declared as wildfires swept the province. Putting over 181 evacuation orders. Residents primarily in the Interior region were forced to find refuge in shelters.

(BC Wildfire Service/Twitter)

Nearly 600 lives were claimed by B.C.’s historic, record-breaking heat wave.

As of September 28, some 867,000 hectares of land had burned, making 2021 one of BC’s worst ever wildfire seasons.

Research is showing that the increase in wildfires is due to the heat and drought that climate change is costing us. And it’s costing us more than you may think… In total, $565 million has been spent on fighting wildfires this past year.

For more on wildfires, prevention and their impact on our province – check out Ethan Allin’s Evolution 1079 podcast episode dedicated to Wildfire.

The devastating reality of climate change and BC’s 2021 weather is that the effects of human activities on Earth’s climate are irreversible. It’s hard to predict what could come this summer, there is a time lag between what we do and when we feel it. However, it’s not too late to make a difference for the future.

Last year should serve as a warning sign that urgent climate action is needed.

Canada is warming faster than most other countries on the earth because it is located in the Arctic area, which has warmed twice as fast as the global average.

It’s encouraging to see politicians and large companies acknowledge the global warming crisis, and commit to reducing the greenhouse gases let out into the atmosphere.

After a long hot, cold, and everything in between year all we can do is advocate for change by doing our part and leaving a better world for future generations.

https://twitter.com/tommykippes2/status/1460850188176691205?s=20

What’s next BC?

 

 

 

 

What driving across the US is really like

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When I told people my partner and I would be driving home from Texas this winter I got a lot of mixed reactions… from “trip of a lifetime” to “what the hell, why??” I came to realize that this trip was going to make one hell of a story. I mean really, who drives from Texas to Vancouver in a week for fun?

My partner was going to be attending a firefighting training division in Crowley, Texas for a two-week boot camp in December, and we thought why not make a trip out of it? Neither of us had ever been to Texas, never mind driven across the continent! Most of all, I was just desperate for an adventure.

My boyfriend would fly down to Texas from Seattle where he left his car, and I would fly down two weeks later to begin our road trip extravaganza.

It was December 17th, time to go!

Texas

I landed in Fort Worth, Texas and wow! As a born and bred West Coaster I was in culture shock. People are louder, expressive and in the kindest way possible, more aggressive. I really thought it was a stereotype that Canadians are constantly saying “sorry!” but I learned very quickly that it’s true!

My partner picked me up in our rental, our little 2021 Toyota Cam Cam and we were off!

Texas drivers are a bit different than what we are used to up in Canada. They drive faster and meaner down there, tailgating is just the way of the road down south. I’m not exaggerating here like if you weren’t tailgating the person ahead of you, you’ll get passed or honked at. Very scary for us meek Canadians!

Our first night was in Wichita Falls, not to be confused with Wichita, Kansas.

Wichita Falls is in Texas, aka Texacoma (Texas + Oklahoma?) and no longer has a waterfall. Anti-climactic right?

The city is home to the Newby-McMahon Building (otherwise known as the “world’s littlest skyscraper”)

Nevertheless, the Walmart Supercenter is where it’s at, in Wichita Falls. It was Friday night and the strip mall drive-thrus were popping. Every single chain from Chilis to TGI Fridays was a drive-thru, and they all had at least a 15 car lineup. A drive-thru Olive Garden? Say what?

It’s quite wild to see the social customs and differences of Texans, compared to us, British Columbians. First of all, no masks, like none and if you were wearing one you’d be scowled at. It was to the point that I actually didn’t wear my mask into Walmart, out of peer pressure essentially. And then immediately after had an anxiety attack in the car. My fear of being judged was not worth getting covid.

After one too many F*ck Joe Biden and Police Lives Matter posters, we were ready to get out of Texas. And off we went! Onto New Mexico.

New Mexico

I loved New Mexico. I loved the pueblo designs, the desert, the food, it was just amazing. Out of everywhere, we went on our trip, I’d recommend New Mexico the most.

As a Breaking Bad fan, we had to check out some of the TV shows signature locations in Albuquerque.

Los Pollos Hermanos

We also checked out the petroglyphs at the Boca Negra Canyon.

Petroglyphs

We spent the night in Air BnB in Rio Rancho and obviously got street tacos for dinner!

Located in a Speedway, Tacos Elotes del Rancho Food truck had some of the best tacos I’ve ever had, absolutely to die for!

https://www.facebook.com/ElotesdelRancho/videos/1381142245621721

The culture is so rich in New Mexico, I wish we could’ve stayed longer.

Next stop Vegas babyyyyyy!

Arizona

To get to Las Vegas, Nevada, we had to drive across the entirety of Arizona in a day. I wasn’t driving so I can’t complain but this was definitely a long haul. Arizona is stunning, with red rocks and canyons, and for me it the scenery surprisingly didn’t get old after 9 hours of driving.

We stopped in the snowy Flagstaff, which to my surprise felt reminiscent of home. Tall, lush, evergreen trees after seeing straight desert for two days straight was nice and refreshing!

We actually spotted some wildlife!

Bearzona

Nevada

Arriving in Vegas feels like entering a simulation. The lights, the attitude, the energy, it’s just something you can’t replicate. If you know, you know.

My boyfriend described it well, “Vegas is like an Instagram post, it’s got a really nice filter, but when you close enough it’s kind of gross.”

No matter how the Vegas strip is, it’s still pretty awesome.

Vegas

We stayed at The Luxor. Yeah, the pyramid hotel that Chris Angel lived in.

There’s a certain smell Vegas has that I couldn’t get over, I swear it just smells like a hangover. I assume it comes from the fact people are smoking and drinking everywhere.

On our first night, we hit the strip had a good ol time, roaming the streets racking up 50,000 steps on my Fitbit. I wish I could say we racked up some bills, but no, we lost $60 and walked away before we did more damage.

At first, we sneered at everyone walking around with these giant 32oz daiquiris, but as the night progressed and our inhibitions went down, we ended up spending $50 bucks on one of those dumb 32oz daiquiris.

We woke up feeling the pain and spent a chill day in our suite, and did some Christmas shopping on the strip.

Next stop…. Reno

The drive through Nevada was super interesting. Tons of juxtapositions between areas, like Area 51 and small cowboy towns.

I don’t want to be too harsh, but I hated Reno. It could be a ‘me’ problem, but damn that place was depressing. We called it Vegas without the Instagram filter.

I’ll leave it at that.

California

After our night in Reno, morales were a little low. Driving was getting old and we had entered the 72 hr timeframe to get a Covid test, in order to return to Canada for Christmas Eve.

We were headed to Roseburg, Oregon to get a PCR test, and Eugene for the night so another 9 hours of driving.

As we drove through California the temperature began to drop and the roads started to get icy. And before we knew it, we were stuck in a snowstorm.

Our Toyota Camry had no business being in these conditions. In fact, we actually were pulled over on our way through Mt. Shasta.

California Snow

We were told that our car was not approved to continue on the highway unless we had chains. Of course, we didn’t have chains… but there happen to be a hustler on the roadside selling chains to fools like us for $120.

Done and done!

We continued on, restricted from going over 50km an hour, so a 2 hr drive became a stressful 4 hr one.

Oregon

We made it to our Covid test appointment, almost on time. We were feeling better and the West Coast laidback vibes were comforting.

Remember this covid test because it comes back later.

In Eugene, my boyfriend surprised me with the most beautiful Air BnB in the woods.

Eugene Air BnB

Like absolutely breathtaking!

After a relaxing night in the woods, we were feeling good! Headed to Portland, where we were going to see a Portland Blazers game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Unfortunately, we woke up to the news that due to Omicron the game was cancelled.

We also woke up to no update on our Covid test results.

However, we continued on and headed to our hostel in Portland.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUs-9cmMjnw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Very hipster, i.e. very Portland. We got dinner at a food truck and watched Portlandia. I honestly loved it, as simple and almost satirical as that sounds.

Washington

It was the home stretch, December 24th, we will be home for Christmas!! Or at least we thought?

We woke up to no covid test results. It had been 2.5 days, and the average turnaround was under 24 hours…

We arrived in Seattle, a mere two hours from home, still no results… awkward.

We return the rental car… still no results.

Out of precaution on the way back from the car rental place we went and got another test.

Fortunately for us, my partner’s Aunt lives in Seattle so we decided to wait there for a couple of hours until our results came… still nothing.

We ended having to sleep on the couch on Christmas eve, completely crashing someone else’s Christmas. As sad as I was, I was hopeful that at least I’d be home for Christmas day. We woke up to our test results on the 70th hour.

First my boyfriends: Negative! Great!

Now mine: Inconclusive….? What?

“Get another test.” it said beside my results.

Thankfully we had gotten that other test, so we had hope, but not until at least boxing day.

After calls with customs and health authority, threatening to fine us $5,000. So it was clear we going to be stuck in Seattle for another 72 hours. And we were.

My boyfriend’s aunt was one of the kindest people I’d ever met. We were so fortunate that she put us up for 3 days, and completely halted her plans for us. We woke up on Christmas morning to stockings and hot cocoa, I still can’t believe how at home she made us feel, through such unfortunate circumstances.

Lobster Christmas Dinner

We did eventually get our test results back, both negative. And we went on our way. Making it home for Boxing Day! Only a little late right?

Home

Reflecting, I learned so much on this trip, and although there were definitely some obstacles it was well worth it.

The characters I encountered, the scenery, the food, even on the long drives I was never bored.

I would highly recommend driving across the continent to anyone seeking adventure! Maybe just learn from my mistakes and wait till the pandemics over.

Most anticipated films of 2022

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I’m cautiously optimistic for 2022… instead of fearing another blindside, I’m trying to stay positive. Having things to look forward to, you know? Rather than try to predict the next murder hornet or ‘flurona,’ I’m going to get excited for the most anticipated films for 2022!

Join me?

The film industry came to a halt during the pandemic. Many productions paused and this resulted in an entertainment drought. It was rerun central, I was so desperate I rewatched Game of Thrones AND Breaking Bad!

After times got a bit more precedented, filmmakers got right back to work, and have decided to bless us with an INSANE year of films. So if you need a light end of the tunnel, read on, and see what’s coming to a theatre or streaming platform near you!

First up,

Jurassic World Dominion
Release date: June 2022.

Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World Dominion will be the third instalment of the Jurassic World franchise. The film has actually been in the works since 2014. Interestingly enough, the production began shooting in February 2020 in Canada, our home and sacred land. Due to the unfortunate timing of the pandemic, the production had to resume filming in England later that year.

This Steven Spielberg classic has carried on through the decades and the star-studded cast is back at it to continue on the legacy.
Including but not limited to, Jeff Goldblum (a personal favourite), Chris Pratt, and Laura Dern!

At times I ask myself, can CGI get any better? Have we hit our limit?

I think we are in for a treat with Jurassic World Dominion, where the newest CGI will create an immersive, seamless experience.

The 1993 Jurassic Park will always be a fan favourite and now with the Jurassic World franchise younger audiences are joining in on the fun.
Jurassic World Dominion, fun for everyone!

AVATAR 2
​​​​Release date: December 16, 2022

This sequel is long overdue. Almost 10 years overdue! Director James Cameron announced following AVATAR’s 2009 release, that AVATAR 2 would be aiming for a 2014 release. Since then, the film’s release has been subject to eight delays.

The wait was long enough that most lost hope, however, earlier this year Cameron announced the 2022 release and with a trailer and cast disclosed there’s no backing away now.

Do you remember in 2009 when AVATAR blew our minds? That level of technology was unlike anything we primitive 2009 Luddites had ever seen! Now you can only imagine what a 2022 AVATAR 2 will look like.

In 2009 we barely had smartphones! I truly believe with the CGI technology we have now, in 2022, this movie will be absolutely, positively, breathtakingly, insane!

In fact, Cameron’s reasoning for the delay was the development of new technology that have never been accomplished before. If that’s not enough to get you excited, there’s more! According to Cameron, AVATAR 3 is already “95%” completed, so hopefully, it won’t be another 13-year wait! Fingers crossed!

Jackass Forever
Release date: February 4, 2022

Jackass Forever may not be as epic and thrilling as the above films, however, I think it is epic and thrilling, just in a different way? Okay, I know Jackass isn’t for everyone, but for those who enjoy absurd stunts and dirty comedy, this film is a bitter-sweet finale to the insanity that the Jackass franchise was and still is.
Steve-o (47) and Johnny Knoxville (50) are both getting on, and their bodies are no longer up to the Jackass task. So as a final tribute and goodbye, they present Jackass Forever.
With guest appearances from,
Eric André
Shaquille O’Neal
Tony Hawk
Machine Gun Kelly
Tyler, the Creator
You can really only imagine what the Jackass team has in store for this movie, but you probably don’t even want to imagine!
A guilty pleasure classic, that will be hard not to watch but also to watch? That’s a good way to describe Jackass!

Marvel Cinematic Universe
Various release dates

I’m sorry for lumping all the Marvel Cinematic Universe films together for this one. I know you Marvel fans are pulling your hair out, the thing is an MCU 2022 release could be its own list entirely. So no disrespect! Marvel is clearly killing the game recently, and if you’re a marvel stan, you’ve got quite the year ahead of you.
Without spoiling anything, the release of Spider-man No Way Home, in December 2021 eluded there’s a lot in store for 2022.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Release date: May 6, 2022) Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, promises a mind-bending plot following Dr. Stephen Strange and the Time Stone.

Morbius (January 22, 2022) Now that Spider-man No Way Home opened up the multiverse, we are going to see another Spider-Man Universe anti-hero, Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) a bloodthirsty half-vampire. I’m terrified to hear what his method acting techniques were for this one…

https://twitter.com/anakinwaifu/status/1097053347012435969?s=20

Thor: Love and Thunder (Release Date: July 8, 2022) The fourth installment of the Thor trilogy will star Chris Hemsworth alongside Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. Based on Jason Aaron’s run on The Mighty Thor comics, Portman’s character Jane Foster takes on the mantle and powers of Thor whilst suffering from cancer. Director Taika Waititi has been describing it as a romance film… I need this one to have a happy ending though. No more superhero girlfriend deaths for me! I’m all out of tissues!

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Release date: November 11, 2022) This film is coming after the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020. However, his story and MCU legacy will live on, in Wakanda Forever. The film will continue to explore the incomparable world of Wakanda. There are still many questions as to what the story will hold without lead, Chadwick Boseman. Nevertheless, Black Panther played an important role in diversifying the Marvel Universe and, amazingly, they are continuing after facing such adversities.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) (Release Date: October 7, 2022) More Spider-man multiverse craziness, with Miles Morales as Spider-Man. Will Tobey, Andrew or Tom Holland make an animated appearance? I don’t know! Keep us guessing!

The Batman (Release date: March 4, 2022)

Well damn! I didn’t realize how trendy superhero movies are right now… but if you know anything about Batman, he’s not your average superhero. He’s a dark knight! You know he’s a little edgy in his all-black and deep voice.

Director Matt Reeves has described The Batman as “noir driven,” with an emphasis on the detective angle of the Batman story.
Batman has been portrayed by many actors, a revolving door of sorts! From Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck to Christian Bale we’ve had our ups and downs in DC’s Batman universe. And you may be surprised who’s up next in this 2022 rendition. Robert Pattinson, yeah you heard that right, Twilight’s teen heartthrob Robert Pattinson. I’ll admit I was a little surprised when I heard about this one, but you know what, recently Pattinson has been showing off his chops in films like The Lighthouse (2019) and Good Time (2016), so I think this could be good.

Get excited for the return of the Riddler and Cat woman. I do think it’s impossible to beat Heath Ledgers Joker, I’d like to see Paul Dano try!

Food is a powerful community builder

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Food can be a powerful community-builder. It brings people together, bridging cultural and generational divides. It can help shape our understanding of the world.
Neena talks with Roger and Rags about their new business and how they plan to make ‘community convenient.’

Guests –
Co-owner Cartems Donuts and Rise up Marketplace, Rags Rajesh Narine

Owner of Calabash Bistro and Co-owner of Rise up Marketplace, Roger Collins

 

 

The Best and Worst Halloween Candies

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Just because you’re “too old” for trick or treating doesn’t mean you should miss out on candy!

This Halloween, you’re old enough to go to Superstore and buy a big bag of 350 candy bars all for yourself. You get to skip walking around a neighbourhood and getting oranges!

Do you remember being a kid, having to sort and sift through all your candy, trying to barter and trade away your Tootsie Rolls?

Well, now that you’re a “grown-up,” you can buy the candies you actually like… saving you sweat and tears. But maybe it’s been a while since you’ve dove into a bag of 350.

Today, I’ll be ranking Halloween candies from worst to best to save you even more time and effort.

Cheers to no more oranges or walking!

(Branden Skeli/Unsplash)

Worst:

Tootsie Pops

What is the deal with Tootsie pops?? Are they supposed to taste stale? As you can tell by all my question marks, these candies truly confuse me. Lollipops are a classic fool-proof candy, but somehow Tootsie found a way to destroy the fun on a stick.
To be fair, the outside hard candy is fine. But the Tootsie roll in the center gets all hard and loses its signature chewy texture. In my experience, your best route of action is just to stop once you get to the center.

“How Many Licks Does It Take To Get To A Tootsie Pop’s Center?”

My answer: It’s gross, don’t even bother!

2/10 – 2 is only for the lollipop exterior

Candy Corn

(sambeawesome/Unsplash)

Keeping on the theme of stale. The controversial candy can trigger some heated discussions, but personally, I think it’s trash. I mean, it’s just sugar. I’m not going to say it’s gross, but it doesn’t taste good. I won’t go back for more. I do respect the candy’s ability to survive generations of slander. The thing I don’t like about it is fondant. Fondant is essentially a thicker and solidified form of icing. It is made from sugar, water, gelatin, vegetable fat or shortening, and glycerol. So it’s a very sweet, almost cloying taste.

4/10 – Not enjoyable, but I respect the novelty!

Bootleg Gummies

I tricked myself into enjoying these my entire childhood. You know what I’m talking about, the severed finger, eyeball or hamburger-shaped gummies. Don’t get me wrong. They look sick! Who doesn’t want to eat a candy shaped like a pizza, but when it comes to texture and taste… these candies are gross. They don’t have the soft and gummy texture of Haribo. They have this hard, barely chewy texture with a bland plastic-like taste. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if these get recalled for traces of plastic in the ingredients.

4/10 – Forgot to mention, also feel stale?

Best:

Coffee Crisp

This chocolate bar is interesting because who would’ve thought a coffee-flavoured treat would be a hit amongst children? Coffee Crisps have always been one of my favourites. They have a similar texture and concept to Kit Kats but with a twist. What makes these bars uniquely airy and light is the foamed coffee-flavoured soft candy between the vanilla wafers. I don’t know if it even tastes like coffee! But whatever it tastes like, I like it. It’s also cool that these candies are native to Canada.

9/10 – Go Canada!

Butterfinger

Butterfingers are so underappreciated. I rarely hear anyone hype up these crunchy bars. The interior is a peanut butter and candy mix to create a crispy, crunchy, buttery texture, then smothered in milk chocolate. What’s not to love? It’s like Reese’s quirky cousin. Another thing that makes these bars top my list is how rare they are to come across. They are not as popular as their competitors, but when you get your hands on a Butterfinger bar… oh lord, you’re in for a treat!

8/10 – I think they changed their recipe recently, and I’m yet to see if they’re still as good as I remember them.

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

I used to feel so bad for the peanut-allergy kids… they’re missing out on probably the best candy of all time. This chocolate hits the perfect level of sweetness for kids and adults to enjoy equally. Reeses are like Oreos to me. No matter who tries to replicate, they’re just this unbeatable product. Chocolate and Peanut Butter go together like fries and ketchup or pancakes and syrup. Also similar to Oreos because everyone has got a different way to enjoy the delicious treat. Exterior first? Melt in your mouth? Or chow down all at once? It’s all good and keeps you reaching for more.

10/10 – What’d you expect?

My more controversial Opinions (that you don’t have to take into account this Halloween)

Mars bar

I know you’re probably going to hate me for this one, but I just don’t like the Mars bar. It’s boring and not in a classic Aero or Hershey’s way. In a why did I eat this way? The nougat center does nothing for me. I’ll credit where credit is due. It does retain its chewiness and doesn’t feel stale. But it tastes bad? Maybe it’s just me, and I can accept that. I’m writing this in hopes there are others out there, so I don’t feel so alone in my distaste for the Mars bar.

5/10 – not that bad, just dull and overrated.

Smarties (The Canadian Smarties, not to be confused with the American name for rockets)

My question is, why would you eat Smarties when you could eat M&M’s?

6/10 – I mean, it’s chocolate

How Tik Tok Has Changed Trend Cycles

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In March of 2020, the world shut down. We were forced to stay inside, and human contact was limited to our cellphones. The app that benefitted from our isolation the most was Tik Tok.

The pandemic was the catalyst for the rise of the infamous Chinese video-sharing platform, Tik Tok.

Tik Tok is a fast-paced hyper-stimulating app that gives you access to unlimited 15-30 second videos. The algorithms are designed to lock you in and endlessly scroll, which was perfect when you couldn’t leave your house.

“60 percent of TikTok users are female, and 60 percent of users are between the ages of 16 and 24” This data comes straight from TikTok.

The app heavily influences its users. Whether it be the music they listen to or the opinions they hold, however, today I’ll be talking about how it affects fashion trends.

Social media has always influenced the fast fashion industry, but the rapid trend cycle is unlike anything we’ve seen in fashion history.

Let me explain what I mean by “rapid trend cycle.”

Have you ever seen this dress?

Or

This?

These are good examples of trends that went from “chic” to “tacky” within a blink of an eye.

For example, popular Tik Tokkers will all be sent a shirt by a brand. Their audiences will think, “Wow, they look so good, I want to look like ____, so I need to buy this shirt.”

There’s nothing wrong with this. That is what “influencers” do. However, this is where it gets problematic. The shirt that the Tik Tokker was wearing will become “trendy,” and everyone will start buying it.

Once lower-income people are seen wearing this shirt, it’s considered “trashy” or, as some Tik Tok users say, “chuegy.”

And then the cycle continues, a new shirt, on a new pretty girl and then within a month, it’s embarrassing to wear.

This turnover rate for trends leads to insecurity and continual overconsumption. The self-hate fuelled by systematic classism causes young girls to chase the next trend and the next.

The majority of popular Tik Tokkers are rich white thin girls. Companies always use these girls for marketing their products as the secret key to beauty and popularity.

Most marketing schemes targeted at women are along these lines. Companies prey on the insecurities of women and shamelessly promote unachievable beauty standards.

But if we weren’t leaving the house in 2020, why would people care about fashion? Weren’t we all in our pyjamas?

Good question!

During the pandemic, not only did people watch Tik Toks, they made them. Tik Tok is the perfect storm of a social media platform. The virality rate is higher than any other platform and causes users to get addicted and entrenched in this idea of becoming “viral.”

If you’ve used Tik Tok, you’ve seen the ‘For you’ page. It’s where anyone can become viral. This chase for fame feels like a slot machine, but it’s actually very calculated.

Algorithms are in place to
a) keep you on the app
&
b) sell a product

Tik Tok wants you to be young, pretty, and trendy to be featured on the ‘For you’ page. They want you to be able to keep people watching and to sell a product.

Everyone wants to be an influencer, but you have to be ahead of the trend to be an influencer.

These young girls buy these outfits to wear them in a Tik Tok and be like their favourite popular creators. And once the outfit is deemed ugly or out of trend, the consumer is obligated to catch up and continue the cycle.

These ‘outdated’ dresses and shirts get trashed, and new trendier pieces are bought. This turnover rate is only becoming faster and faster and is getting targeted at younger and younger audiences each day.

The fast fashion trend cycle is not only a social issue of capitalist interest promoting classism, but rapid consumption also damages our environment.

Fast fashion brands like Shein, Zara, Urban Outfitters, and H&M, the list goes on…
These brands use trend replication in increasingly rapid production to keep up with the cycle Tik Tok has created.

Because these are worldwide enterprise chains, their stock must be high to keep up with demand, but when trends change in less than a month, all the unused inventory is dumped into landfills. The buying to trashing pipeline continues to increase in frequency.

The last thing we need to do in 2021 is add to global consumption and global warming.

https://www.tiktok.com/@vpettorelli/video/6959677796155149573?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6924475655456376325&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0

Tik Tok brainwashes you into thinking you need to follow every new trend to have the life you desire. These new products are forced on you just when a song is constantly played on the radio. Eventually, you see it/hear it enough that you make yourself believe you like it, no matter your initial opinion.

I’m not expecting anyone to become a minimalist and be immune to marketing and trend cycles. However, what I’ve mentioned are good things to keep in mind next time you think you NEED a dress you saw on Tik Tok.

First, think about it, is it really you? Or is it just cute on a pretty girl? Often I see these beautiful women dressed in pieces I would never actually wear, but I’m convinced the piece is nice based on how a literal model looks in it.

Now think about the wearability. Are you buying this for a Tik Tok or an Instagram post? If so, is that Instagram post worth the cost of the environment after you throw the article away?

Let’s say you do end up buying one of these pieces that are now deemed ‘outdated.’ If you feel confident in it, rock it, Instead of throwing it away out of peer pressure. The only people who really care about what others are wearing are just insecure. I can also guarantee that the trend will cycle back as they always do, just like how our parents laugh at us wearing mom jeans and windbreakers.

The Only Actually Scary Movies

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Have you started celebrating Halloween yet? I find that around this time of year, the end of September is when it gets rolling. Most of my friends have figured out their costumes and have bought at least one pumpkin spice product.

I love how during October, you can watch four movies in a row, and it’s not boo’d upon. AMC’s horror movie marathon is a staple for the weeks leading up to the 31st. However, I must say, the older I get, the less scary I find these ‘scary’ movies. Like, Friday the 13th seems almost like a comedy. Okay, that’s a little morbid, but I’m sure you know what I mean.

Jumpscares have become predictable and SFX from ten years ago is just outdated. Horror movie classics are becoming cheesy and funnier than scary. In the past few years, only two movies have genuinely scared me to the core.

For all the unspookable like me, I’m going to share the only two scary movies and why.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Firstly, I want to preface that everyone’s got different things that give them the creeps. Yours might be spiders, and your neighbours might be clowns, but personally, I find the more psychologically disturbing films the freakiest.

These films are mind-bending and confusing, and like “The Shining,” the plot is up for interpretation, so I will not be summarizing these films, as I will likely do a lousy job and only confuse you.

Us (2019)

 

Written and directed by Jordan Peele, also known for the horror film, Get Out.

When you think of Jordan Peele as a filmmaker (not as a comedian), you probably think of Get Out. However, I find Us to be far more disturbing and eerie.

What makes this film super disturbing is these doppelgangers (The Tethered) in the red jumpsuits, specifically Adelaine (Lupita Nyong’o) and her dog-like son, Jason (Evan Alex.) The jolting yet elegant movements are so unique to this film and so uniquely freaky! Not only do they move in this ballerina motion, but they also speak in the most unpleasant nightmare-inducing way. You quite literally have to hear and see it to believe it.

It’s your not-so-lucky day. You can hear and see it in this short clip of Lupita Nyong’o’s spectacular performance.

The social commentary in this film makes it that much more real, hence that much more scary. The ‘Tethered’ are much deeper than scary horror movie villains. They represent the two sides of the coin, the duality of man. The Tethered share a soul with their “human” counterparts. The only thing that makes them different is their human experience. For Adelaine and her family to have Upper-Middle class lives where they could eat warm food and feel the sun on their cheeks, the Tethered had to eat raw rabbits and live in bunkers underground.

Peele told NPR that the film showcases “the duality of this country and our beliefs and our demons.”

Here’s an obvious parallel, for the uber-wealthy to exist in America, there will always be the other side of the coin. If you’re on the wrong side of the coin, you might react with the same distress and rage as the Tethered did.

This social issue has become a fact of life. For every win you receive, there will always be someone losing. The horror of this film lies in these disturbing ‘beings’ representing a disturbing theme in our society.

Midsommar (2019)

Written and directed by Ari Aster, also known for the horror film, Hereditary. Not to be confused with Midsommer, a 2003 psychological horror film directed by Carsten Myllerup.

Similar to Us, I hear a lot more buzz about Ari Aster’s film Hereditary, but I preferred Midsommar. Hereditary is very scary and follows a similar horror style, but the plot of Midsommar was more surreal, which I found more interesting.

Midsommar centers around this Pagan cult in the middle of nowhere Sweden. I’ve never seen a film that centers around Sweden, and I think it really worked in the horror genre. The long bright days with every character dressed head to toe in white contrast most horror movies’ cliche dark and eerie nights.

As I said earlier, the horror movie tropes are all overdone, so I appreciate the unconventionality of Midsommars cinematography.

Once they arrive at the Pagan cult, every character in the film is tripping. The cinematography is artfully done in a way that you feel like you’re on psychedelics. And like many people’s psychedelic experiences, one wrong turn and beauty can turn into a nightmare.

There’s just something unbelievably eerie about a brutally murdered corpse with beautiful colourful flowers growing out of it.

The scariest thing about Midsommar is the psychologically unsettling events. That all lead up to the final scenes, which are pretty much indescribable. Viewers have gone as far as to say the final scene was “traumatizing.”

The film is designed to be perceived differently by each viewer. Based on their personal biases and experience. The ‘protagonist’ Dani (Florence Pugh) becomes the scariest character of them all. In most horror films, the protagonist and antagonist are made very clear. There’s the killer and whoever they’re trying to kill, pretty simple. It could be a babysitter or a cursed family, either way, it follows a straightforward formula.

In Midsommar, each character is as dislikable as they are likable. The idea of a good guy and a bad guy doesn’t exist, making the film more real and immersing.

 

Midsommar left me in a speechless trance. It’s one of those films that’s so mind-bending it changes your life. Proceed with caution because this film is truly disturbing.

 

Anxiety Isn’t Always a Bad Thing

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It’s pretty rare to come across someone who doesn’t struggle with anxiety one way or another. In a 2020 survey, 62% of respondents reported experiencing some degree of anxiety.

I’m not one to blame phones for every world issue, but maybe there’s something to it. Perhaps it’s a problem with our youth and young adults who’ve grown up in an age of fast-paced technology and stimulation.

However, upon further research, it came to my attention that youth don’t lead the charts on experiencing anxiety. The most affected age group is 30- to 44-year-olds. It affects twice as many, 30- to 44-year-olds than it does the 50+, age group.

Anxiety is a primal instinct that’s been around since the beginning of human civilization. A smartphone won’t be the catalyst for a mental health epidemic.

Does this data really matter, though? Are these stats going to give me a cure to this cycle of fear and insecurity?

Pexels/Pixabay

In my experience, anxiety makes you feel alone, abnormal, and “crazy.” The fear is so real, yet the circumstances (that give you fear) do not require that stress. Anxiety is the body’s response to fear or worry. When it’s significantly interfering with your quality of life, it’s just your body getting the wrong signals, i.e. fear, out of daily life.

There’s no reason to be ashamed of anxiety. If you look back to before we had “modern society,” anxiety would’ve been a good trait.

Think about it. Let’s say you’re living in a tribe way back in the Neolithic age. Who’s going to survive longer? The guy who kicks his feet up by the fire after a long hunt, or the guy who sleeps with one eye open, always thinking about the fear and danger that may approach.

Evolutionarily we have evolved to be anxious overthinkers. Because, back when your life was in danger every day if you were anxious, you were actually on to something. All the “overthinkers” and worriers survived and had children, passing that anxiety down to their kids because anxiety was a necessary trait to survive.

Just like you learned in Bio 11, survival of the fittest.

The problem is, now, in our modern society, we don’t need anxiety to that degree to survive. Modern challenges that may give you anxiety are; social events, relationships, insecurities, phobias, etc.

Obviously, we still should reasonably fear illness and violence, but not the same level of anxiety of getting your village sacked or dying of famine.

Our brains are not evolving at the same rate as society is progressing. In many ways, our brains are still driven by primal survival instincts. Your body fights to keep you alive every single day. If anything threatens your life, your body goes into the “flight or fight” response. What threatened human life thousands of years ago isn’t so much of an issue now in 2021.

For example, probably one of the most common anxiety disorders, social anxiety. I believe most of us have this to varying degrees. You may know that feeling, that dread of a social event because of that fear that you’ll be hated or ostracized from the group no matter what you say or do.

If you boil that feeling down to the simplest form, it easily relates back to a fear our early ancestors would’ve had. If you didn’t “fit in” with the tribe or were dislikable, you would fear being kicked out, exiled, no food, no shelter, no nothing. We heavily relied on each other as hunter-gatherers. We needed each other to survive, and it was essential to get along with your community because you couldn’t survive alone.

Bring it back to the 21st century. We’ve created a society where it’s no longer a fight for land and resources. But, as I said, our primal survival instincts may not see it that way.

Throughout evolution and the construction of civilization, humans have been conditioned into innate tribalism.

An off-hand comment you made to a classmate may wrack your brain all night, filling you with anxiety and dread for the next time you see them. That’s the same response your body might have had thousands of years ago, fearing you will die of hunger if your tribe does not accept you.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRhCgvcJnrc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Panic attacks are another common symptom of an anxiety disorder. At least one-third of us will experience one at some point in our lives, according to Cindy Aaronson Ph.D., a clinical psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. They’re another example of misfired fear in a non-life-threatening situation.

A panic attack is pretty much the fear of fear. Your body’s physiological response to no real danger is heightened, i.e. increased heart rate, sweating, shaking. These physical symptoms trigger your brain to think something is extremely wrong, often life-threatening, resulting in a 10-30 minute state of panic and dissociation.

Although it feels like your body is fighting you, everything your body does during a panic attack is designed to keep you safe and protect you.

Crazy, isn’t it?

If we’ve learned anything here, it’s that modern times are not like the times in which our ancestors evolved, and our brains have some catch-up to do in regards to the degree to which fear (for survival) affects us. But we can’t be mad at our brains for still functioning in this way.

It’s so easy in this modern age to be overwhelmed with fear. We now have access to bad news 24/7, with media and television. Many are addicted to constantly being fed this information of news and disaster. We psychologically are drawn to this information as a survival tactic. Our body’s primary function is to survive. You’re studying how to escape death.

For this exact reason, I don’t want to say, “you have no reason to be anxious. You have food, water and shelter.” Because no, obviously, it’s not that simple if so many of us struggle with it.

There’s nothing “wrong” with you if you battle anxiety. A huge struggle for me is the anxiety of having anxiety. I find it helpful to remember what anxiety is. It’s your body’s outdated way of keeping you alive, and sometimes there are misfires, and sometimes it can be life-saving.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNnu0rZjpJB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Accepting these fears as thoughts that simply pass and tools for your survival can help remind you that you’re not “crazy” and you deserve compassion. When you eliminate at least that layer of anxiety, it makes everything else far easier to take in stride.

Strathcona Is Welcoming an Exciting New Local Business

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The successful Vancouver locals, Rags Rajesh Narine, co-owner of Cartems Donuts and Roger Collins, owner of Calabash Bistro, are collaborating on a new project.

Rise-up Marketplace is opening up shop where the historical Vernon Drive convenience store stood for over 100 years.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkuSDPvW3h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Now, more than ever, people are seeking community within their neighbourhoods.

Rags and Roger know that more than anyone.

“We wanted to do was take the space and use it to showcase a lot of the great artisans that are in the city, whether they make food, whether they make t shirts, or whether they make shampoos or, you know, Shea butters or, and kind of turn it into a local shop in a local community.”

Not only do they plan on selling locally made products, but they will also bring their unique talents from Cartems and Calabash Bistro to the Marketplace.

“We just decided to bring something that could help bring a little bit more flavour and richness to the neighbourhood. we want to be bringing something different and unique as well. So, you know, we’re going to be bringing a little bit more cultural flavours in terms of like Jamaican patties, you know, we’re gonna have a jerk chicken sandwich.”

There is no grand opening set, but the smell of their freshly baked bread and the sound of records playing should let you know.

Starting in October, residents of Strathcona will have a one-stop shop for all their goods.

Rise-up Marketplace is here to make ‘community convenient.’