Author Archives: Scott Onyschak-Seal

Rec Room is coming to Granville St

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If you’re into the nightlife in Vancouver, you have definitely spent some time on Granville St. Usually you hop bar to bar or go dancing at clubs but soon they will have a new spot for you that will take Granville up a notch.

They are currently in the process of developing a Rec Room. Rec Room is the perfect combination of bar, club and arcade. No more arguing if you should go downtown for drinks or stay home and just play games, now you can do both in the same location.

“There are over 100 amusement games like air hockey, ping pong, pool, VR, and even a luxury bowling experience to take advantage of. And delicious Canadian inspired eats and adult-friendly bevies to fuel your play, of course.”

This is the perfect venue to join the bars and clubs on Granville St. If you’re not feeling the dancing and want to get out and play some games, you can head on over to the Rec Room.

They recently opened a Rec Room in Brentwood and it is one of the most fun places in the entire lower mainland to have a few drinks and play some games. Soon you can have the same experience downtown on Granville St.

Rec Room makes you feel like you’re a kid again and allows you to forget about your responsibilities. Bring some friends, play some games and just have fun.

Ever seen how cranberries are harvested? Head on out to Langley and take a look

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One of the best parts about summer is eating fresh fruit. We are lucky to live in a province where fruit is abundant, and we have access to some of the best in the world. Once autumn hits a lot of us forget about fresh fruit because it’s no longer available locally but now it’s cranberry season.

Have you ever seen how cranberries are harvested? It is one of the coolest farming techniques there is. Farmers flood their entire field and the cranberries float to the top.

They create a sea of floating cranberries and in the past people would wade through it to gather them. Now they have a machine for that but at the Langley, Riverside Cranberry Farm they have self guided tours and you can see how the machine works.

They also have a collection of antique equipment you can check out and experience the history of the industry. It’s super cool to see how far technology has come over the last several decades.

“If you want to get up close and personal with the cranberries, the farm is [offers] something called a cranberry plunge. Basically, visitors can suit up and wade through the field of floating cranberries themselves! Talk about a fun photo op.”

What a cool experience. If you’re missing the summer and love the outdoors head on down to Fort Langley tomorrow. It’s your last day to experience the Riverside Cranberry Farm in 2022.

They are located at 26885 88th Avenue Langley. Tickets cost $14-$44 depending on the experience you want.

Check out Big Dog Energy the dog friendly comedy show

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What’s better than going out and having a few laughs with your friends and family? Maybe it’s spending time with your dog. Well guess what? You can do both! Big Dog Energy is a dog friendly comedy show hosted by Amy Walsh at the Slice of Life Gallery in East Vancouver.

Now you don’t have to choose between going out or staying home and spending time with your pup. Bring your friends, bring your family, and bring your best friend to go have a few laughs at a comedy show.

“Ever wish that you could bring your pooch along to date night? Always wanted to bring your dog to some live comedy? Dying to hang out with a room full of dogs? This is your chance! This is an experience like no other – for the audience, the comics and the dogs alike.”

This is a perfect event for dog owners and dog lovers. For people who don’t have a dog but would love to get one this is perfect. You can go out have a great time at a comedy show and hangout with a room full of dogs.

It will also be a great experience for your canine companion. They get a chance to socialize with other friendly pups and dog lovers.

It’s always a tough decision going out on the town when you have to leave you dog at home. Take this opportunity to show your pup what it’s like to hit the town. It will be a great experience for you both.

Big Dog Energy is an adult only comedy show (other than dogs) on Friday October 14th from 8:00-9:30 PM at 1638 Venables Street.

Seahawks fall to 2-3 but there are several reasons to be happy with this team

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The Seattle Seahawks aren’t off to a great start to the season with a record of 2-3. They will likely end up missing the playoffs but for what was expected of them this year, they have been a pleasant surprise.

When they traded their former quarterback Russel Wilson to the Denver Broncos in the summer, it was a miserable day for all Seahawks fans. Wilson led them to their only Super Bowl win and two of their three appearances in the final game. He is undoubtedly the best QB to ever play for the team.

Once he was gone everyone expected the Seahawks to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season.

Their new starting quarterback Geno Smith hadn’t made an opening day start since 2014. He had been a backup for seven consecutive seasons, but something has changed with Smith this year. Five games into the year he has been one of the most productive QBs in the league.

Coming into today’s matchup he led the entire league in completion percentage and had outperformed Russell Wilson in pretty much every measurable way.

Even though the Seahawks lost today Geno Smith had his best game of the year. He threw three touchdowns and almost 300 yards without turning the ball over.

Rookie running back Kenneth Walker had a breakout game as well with 88 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries.

It doesn’t look like the Seahawks will be contending for a championship this year but with the pieces they have in place, their incredible head coach Pete Carroll and the draft picks they received for Russel Wilson, they could be back on top very soon.

Check out the Latin America Heritage Month Festival this October

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One of the best things about living in Vancouver the diversity of the population. Just about anywhere you go you can meet people from people from all corners of the world. The city has amazing restaurants with all different types of cuisine and plenty of events to celebrate different cultures.

From October 14th to November 2nd the fourth annual Latin America Heritage Month Festival will be taking place at Granville Island and throughout the city. Whether you have a Latin American background or not, this festival is one you should check out.

Presented by Latincouver there is so much to do during the celebration. There are virtual and in person events, jaw dropping liver performances, a marketplace full of traditional Latin American items, art exhibitions, workshops and more.

“Latincouver is a non-profit organization that promotes, connects, supports and empowers the Latin American community in BC and Canada while sharing their culture. They are also the organizers of the popular annual Carnaval del Sol event”.

If you’re not part of this culture, come check out the festival and spend time learning about a different culture. If you or your friends are Latin American, this will be the perfect event to remind you of life back home and give you an opportunity to experience some of the things you miss.

“In 2018, the Parliament of Canada proclaimed October to be Latin American Heritage Month, in recognition of the Latin American community’s tremendous contribution to Canadian society,” said Latincouver in a release. “The 20-day Festival is a perfect way to join in with the rest of Canada to honour and commemorate the richness and vitality of Latin American culture and traditions.”

If you love living in Vancouver, you probably love experiencing other cultures. Here’s a chance to do it again while also supporting a non-profit organization.

Reasons to believe in the Vancouver Canucks

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The Canucks are set to begin their season on Wednesday night in Edmonton. There is a lot of hype surrounding this team this year but as Canucks fans know, it rarely goes as planned.

Since their inception in 1970 they have only made it to the Stanley Cup Final three times and have never won a championship. Despite having great players like Pavel Bure, the Sedin twins, Trevor Linden, Marcus Naslund and so many more they always seem to find a way to screw it up.

Will this year be different? I think fans would say no, but there are several reasons you should believe in this year’s edition of the Vancouver Canucks.

The biggest reason this team could win it all is in net. Thatcher Demko is one of the best young goaltenders in the NHL. When you have a player like him between the pipes you have a chance to win on any given night against any team.

Demko is only 26 years old and about to enter his prime. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if he is nominated for the Vezina Trophy for the league’s best goaltender this year.

Now let’s talk about their forwards. Elias Pettersson in easily one of the most dynamic players in the entire league. He is the most skilled player to wear a Canucks jersey since the Sedins and I’d argue he is more talented than either of them in several ways.

They also have JT Miller who scored 99 points last season. Their captain Bo Horvat is an incredible leader and phenomenal both offensively and defensively.

On defence they have Quinn Hughes. Next to Stanley Cup winner Cale Makar he is probably the most offensively talented dman in the league and is still just 22 years old.

So even though history may have you feeling like there is no hope for the Canucks. I’m here to tell you there is. It might not be this year, but they have a legitimate chance to win the Stanley Cup with this core of players on their roster.

Love Halloween? Check out the Parade of Lost Souls

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Monsters, ghouls and everything in between. That’s what Halloween is all about. Unfortunately, most people stop celebrating this awesome day as they grow up but if you love Halloween and everything spooky, the Parade of Lost Souls is the event for you.

They have art shows, an intergalactic disco and even a flash mob. There is no better way to celebrate Halloween in Vancouver than the Parade of Lost Souls. You can join in on all of these events by checking out their website at https://www.dustyflowerpotcabaret.com/paradeoflostsouls.

Starting with the Parade of Little Souls at 7PM this event has everything you could dream of in a Halloween celebration. It’s starts off for the kids and then it’s time to put them to bed and hit the 19+ after party.

“You’ve resurrected your identities, faced your fears, saved your souls, and now it’s time to shake those bones and rejoice! Following the Parade of Lost Souls, the party continues through the night at the LOST SOULS AFTER-PARTY, this year again at The Wise Hall. 10pm to 1am with live music, visuals and performances.”

If you haven’t been to this event before you have been missing out. It is the ultimate Halloween experience. So forget the thought that Halloween is only for kids and check out this spook-tacular night.

Grab your friends, put on your best costume and get ready to party. Halloween only comes once a year so don’t miss out!

 

The 2022 Blue Jays movie ends in heartbreak

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Prior to the regular season Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was quoted saying “last year was the trailer, this year is the movie”. Last season ended with the Blue Jays narrowly missing the playoffs on the final day of the 2021 campaign with a record of 91-71.

Expectations were high for the Blue Jays in 2022. Led by Guerrero Jr. Toronto has the combination of developing young stars and established veterans most teams dream of. After hitting 48 home runs and finishing runner-up for MVP in 2021 fans expected Guerrero Jr. and the Jays to dominate in 2022.

That wasn’t the case throughout the regular season. There were ups and downs for the Jays and the New York Yankees won the division handily. Ultimately Toronto qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2020 but the confidence fans had in this team in April wasn’t as strong in October.

That said, anything can happen come playoff time. The Jays finished first in the wild card standings, meaning they would host a three-game series at Rogers Center. The team was happy to qualify for the post-season but not satisfied. The real work begins in October.

Facing the Seattle Mariners, the Jays knew they had a tough challenge ahead. Game one was dominated by Seattle. Before Toronto even got up to bat, the Mariners led 3-0. Luis Castillo was unhittable all night and the Jays failed to score a single run. They lost 4-0.

Everyone was disappointed but there were still two games left. In the second game the Jays started hot and eventually led 8-1. Okay, one more win tomorrow and we’re on to the divisional round seemed to be the thought in all the fans’ minds. Then disaster struck.

Starting pitcher Kevin Gausman was removed from the game with the bases loaded. One batter later Seattle put four runs on the board and it’s 8-5. The stadium went silent and you could feel the momentum shifting.

Hit after hit Seattle kept coming and eventually tied the game 9-9. It may have been tied but it was over. You could feel it. After trailing by seven runs there was no way Seattle was losing this game. Adam Frazier hit an RBI double in the top of the ninth and the Mariners took their first lead of the night.

The Jays got a runner on in the bottom half but couldn’t muster a hit to tie the game. The movie was over, and it was a tearjerker. Just one day after the playoffs started the Blue Jays were eliminated.

When Vladdy said “this season is the movie” I doubt this was the ending he anticipated. Let’s just hope he’s ready for the sequel.

https://twitter.com/hgomez27/status/1578977594631856130

The Seattle Mariners storybook season continues

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The last time the Seattle Mariners made the playoffs the best player in their franchise’s history was a rookie. Now Ichiro Suzuki is 48 years old and has been retired for years. Over two decades later they are back, and they look phenomenal.

Once again it is a rookie leading the way for the M’s. Julio Rodriguez is a superstar in the making. The 21-year-old native of Loma De Cabrera, Dominican Republic exploded onto the scene this season making electrifying plays both at the plate and in the field.

There were no expectations for this team to go on a playoff run but as the season progressed fans started to wonder, could this be the year we finally get back to the post-season? Nobody who follows this team wanted to get their hopes up but as each week of the season passed it started to look more and more likely.

This weekend the Mariners faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays in a three-game series on the road. The Blue Jays finished two games ahead of them in the standings meaning the Mariners would have to visit Rogers Center.

The Blue Jays were favoured to win but all that did was motivate Seattle even more. This team has been used to being underrated for years and they thrived on it this weekend.

In game one their trade deadline acquisition Luis Castillo pitched a gem of 7+ innings and the Mariners upset Toronto 4-0 at home. Now they needed just one more win to advance to the divisional round.

On Saturday we saw former Cy Young winner for the Blue Jays Robbie Ray pitch against Toronto versus the man the Jays brought in to replace him, Kevin Gausman.

Ray’s return did not go as planned. He gave up four runs in four innings and the Blue Jays got out to an 8-1 lead. Despite the rocky start from Ray the Mariners didn’t quit and they stormed all the way back to tie the game 9-9 before the ninth inning.

Toronto completely imploded and Seattle had all the momentum. The 51 000 fans at Rogers center were silent. Adam Frazier hit an RBI double in the top of ninth to give the M’s their first lead of the day and they didn’t look back.

George Kirby closed it out in the bottom half and sent the Mariners to the divisional round. The story of the 2022 Seattle Mariners isn’t over yet. Next stop Houston.

Brewhalla Beer and Music Festival, the last “summer” event of the year

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For many people summer is their favourite time of year. It reminds you of being a kid, having time away from school and doing whatever you want whenever you want. The days are long, the rain is gone, and the fun seems to never end. Then, boom! It’s October.

Outdoor pools are closing, the local baseball season has finished, and the sun is setting faster and faster everyday. These are usually signs that summer is over but with the weather we’ve been experiencing this October it feels like we are still in the heart of it. Well, The Brewhalla Beer and Music Festival is here to say summer isn’t over yet.

This Friday, October 7th you can enjoy one last summer hurrah at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. Presented by The Quay Market & Food Hall, The Brewhalla Beer Festival is likely the last summer event of the year, even if it is in October. The sun will be shining, the drinks will be cold, and the music will be top notch.

Say goodbye to summer in style. There will five live bands, two DJs, over 20 alcohol venders, four food trucks, lawn games, beer pong, giveaways, and plenty of contests.

So if you’re not ready to commit to fall yet, head on out to North Van and spend one last night celebrating your favourite season of the year. Bring your friends, share a few laughs, and enjoy one of the most beautiful areas in all the lower mainland.

Next thing you know you will be holiday shopping and waiting for the snow to melt. Don’t miss out on what could be your last chance to soak up the sun at an outdoor festival this year.