Author Archives: Tyler Asaoka

CelticFest Vancouver Returns this year to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

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With Valentine’s Day over, we now turn to the next big holiday, which is St. Patrick’s Day. Not only that, St. Patrick’s day falls right into Spring Break, making CelticFest Vancouver even more accessible for those interested in going.

But before we get into the event, let’s look at why people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the first place. St. Patrick’s Day is meant to commemorate the arrival of Saint Patrick in Ireland and him being Christianity there. The day is meant to celebrate that and just the overall heritage and culture of Irish people. 

Now that you know why people celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, let’s look at how you can celebrate it with others. CelticFest is a week-long celebration, running from March 11th to March 18th, the first week of Spring Break for those still in school. 

There are currently 6 events listed on their website, all of which is to storytell and celebrate Irish heritage. They range from all sorts of events, from choir performances, breakfast events, live performances, marketplaces, musical plays, and band performances. All the locations for these events vary, but they are all still a part of CelticFest. The location of each event is listed on their website.

CelticFest has been an event since 2004 and is a non-profit society. They listed on their website that the ultimate goals of having CelticFest are to, “Bring together the local community in an annual festival celebration of Celtic Culture and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Deliver education on global Celtic heritage, art, and cultural traditions, and to Promote and showcase local and international Celtic music, dance, spoken word, theatre, film, art, crafts, food/beverage, and Highland sports.”

This week-long celebration will be an exciting one and it’s an event that has been a success every year it’s been held. Learn about Irish culture, meet new people, and have a great time this coming week!

Authentic Ramen Restaurant, Ramen Danbo, to Open 3rd Location in Kerrisdale, Vancouver

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Authentic Fukuoka Ramen restaurant chain, Ramen Danbo, is set to open its 3rd location in the Lower Mainland. 

The restaurant chain already has two locations in Vancouver. One of them is on Robson Street in Downtown Vancouver and the other one is located in Kitsilano. There are 3 other locations in the United States, with one being in Seattle and the other two being in New York. The two locations were actually the first locations to hit North America outside of Japan.

There are currently 20 Ramen Danbo’s in Japan, with their first shop opening up in 2000 in Chikushino. 

On their website, they talk about how their menu was created and how their ramen is made. It states, “Our menu is based around “traditional Tonkotsu ramen crafted in the Kyushu Hakata style – one of the most popular types in Japan. While experiencing the authentic taste of Fukuoka, you can also customize your ramen and select delicious toppings to create your own unique style.”

To add to their impressive resume, they are rated the number 1 best on the “Fukuoka Broadcasting Corporation’s Best 20 Kyushu Ramen Shops.” They were voted ahead of many national chains and they urge you to visit one of their restaurants to find out how they achieved a high honour.

They’ve also received lots of recognition throughout their chains in North America as being voted as top ramen spots in their respective cities. 

They are looking to offer you an authentic taste of Japanese ramen, and they will make sure it’s worth the wait for you,

The location of the new chain will be 2277 W 41st Ave, Vancouver. They will replace a local Mediterranean restaurant called Sofia. They plan to open in the Spring of this year, meaning they should be opening up any day now since spring is right around the corner.

Vancouver Canucks Hold a “Meet the Team” Event for Season Ticket Holders

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The Vancouver Canucks held a “Meet the Team” event Sunday afternoon for season ticket holders only. The event appeared to be fun for those who attended, as the fans who were able to go had access to meet the players on the team, explore the dressing room, and see many exclusive parts of Rogers Arena that the typical fan wouldn’t have access to.

Despite the miserable season the Canucks have had this season, this should at least give Canucks season ticket holders a happy memory to walk away with. After all, if you’re paying big money to watch a losing team, the organization should host small things/events for them to keep them satisfied and ultimately keep them as season ticket holders for the next year, because, after this season, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Canucks lost some season ticket members next year. Even my dad, who’s been a partial season ticket holder for 20+ years now, is even considering letting go of his season tickets.

The event appeared to be fun for the fans that did attend, as they had access to photo booths, dressing room tours, food, games, and of course, meeting the players and the team’s mascot, Fin.

It appeared that almost all players on the Canucks roster were present for the event, even Canucks fan-favourite, Kirk McLean, was at the event too.

I had a friend of mine go to this event since he and his family are season ticket holders, and based on what he posted online, he seemed to have fun. He got his jersey signed and got photos with many of the players on the team. He’s one of the most passionate Canucks fans I know, so it makes sense that he’s a season ticket member and still had fun at this event despite the Canucks’ awful season this year.

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1632525698819854336

It’s unknown if the Canucks will host this exclusive event again next year, but if the team is bad again, then they likely will since it was a successful event.

Canadian F1 driver, Lance Stroll, Finishes Bahrain Grand Prix P6 Despite Wrist Surgery

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Canadian Formula 1 driver, Lance Stroll, gained the respect of many fans and his fellow competitors on the grid due to his amazing performance in qualifying and in the race despite the injuries he suffered only a few weeks before the race.

Stroll injured both of his wrists and broke his toe during a biking accident, with the wrist injuries requiring surgery. It was looking unlikely that the Canadian would be ready in time for the opening grand prix, with even his team, Aston Martin, informing the media that their young academy driver, Filipe Drugovich, would be the one to replace Stroll should he not be ready to compete.

Many, including myself, believed there was no way he would be able to return to the grid. After his extremely respectable P8 finish in qualifying, he revealed after the full extent of his injuries, which was breaking his toe and injuring both wrists. He laughed about it at the end by saying that his bike was okay and didn’t suffer any injuries.

It looked difficult in the beginning for Stroll, as he had difficulty turning the his car because it would cause too much pain to his wrists to turn the car fully.

Despite the injuries and fans across the world doubting him, he finished qualifying with P8 and would go onto the race in Bahrain and finish the race with a massive result of P6, gaining 2 positions and finishing ahead of Mercedes driver, George Russell. Stroll got 8 points for his final standing. He finished the entire season last year with 18 points, meaning he’s only 10 away from matching his total last year in only the first race.

Fans around the world applauded Stroll for his unbelievable comeback and for also putting on an enjoyable race for fans to watch. Stroll’s teammate and 2-time World Champion, Fernando Alonso, finished in the podium with a result of P3. At the end of the race, the 2 Aston Martin drivers hugged it out, with Alonso saying to Stroll, “You’re my F**king Hero.” What a weekend it was for Stroll.

Newly Acquired Canucks Defender, Filip Hronek, Excited to Play in Vancouver

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Prior to Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline, the Vancouver Canucks made a trade that has been widely regarded amongst fans (of the Canucks and just across the league) as a head-scratcher. 

The official trade was the Canucks trading a 1st round pick (not theirs, but the one they acquired from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade) and their 2nd round pick in this upcoming draft to the Detroit Red Wings for Filip Hronek and the Red Wings’ 4th round pick in this upcoming draft.

The reason why this was a head-scratcher across the league was because how the trade doesn’t make sense for either team. The Red Wings traded away their 2nd best defender for draft picks when the Red Wings are still in the fight for a playoff spot, in sitting a few points behind the final wild card spot. The Red Wings aren’t at a point where they should be selling off their team.

On the other hand, the Canucks were in no position to make this trade either since they’re in the opposite boat of the Red Wings. The Canucks are 6th last in the league and while not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet, we all know they’re not making it. For a team that’s out of the playoffs and trying to rebuild, getting a 25-year-old doesn’t make sense, especially while giving up draft picks to get him. Hronek isn’t that old, but he isn’t particularly young either. 

Regardless of how you look at the trade, Hronek was the only player involved in this trade, as everything else in this trade will be determined later down the line. Hronek spoke to the media Friday morning about how excited he is to join the Canucks and their young core that they have in place. He also stated how he always enjoyed coming to the city Vancouver whenever he would face them as a member of the Red Wings.

He also stated how he’s excited at the thought of playing with Quinn Hughes on a defence pairing in the future. To finalize the interview, he told the media that former Canuck, Troy Stecher, informed Hronek how great it is in Vancouver and some great place to eat. Hronek and Stecher played together in Detroit for 2 season in Detroit.

Vancouver Canucks Prepared for Tough Battle Against the Toronto Maple Leafs

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The Vancouver Canucks are back in action tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canucks are coming off a 2-1 regulation loss to the Minnesota Wild Thursday night and will look to seize victory tonight at Rogers Arena. 

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1632055804625838083

This will be the first Canucks game since Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline, in which the Canucks made some… pretty questionable moves. Trading Bo Horvat was a must and the team did do that and get a pretty decent return in the process. However, the biggest head-scratcher was the trade they made with the Detroit Red Wings, in which they sent the 1st round pick they got from the Horvat trade to the Red Wings for defencemen, Filip Hronek. Hronek isn’t a bad defender by any means, if anything, it is a solid pickup for the Canucks to fortify their defence. However, the Canucks are in no place to give up a 1st round pick when they are rebuilding, or sorry, they don’t like that word. “Retooling” is what they prefer. Hronek will not play in tonight’s game.

Rogers Arena will surely be filled with Leafs fans tonight, as every year the Canucks face the Leafs, it seems like an away game for the Canucks, even when it’s on their home ice. It’ll be tough to tell on TV as well who the fans are cheering for, since both teams use blue as their primary colour on their jerseys.

The Canucks have confirmed that Thatcher Demko will get the start in tonight’s game for the 3rd straight time. He has been very impressive since returning from injury, as he helped the Canucks win against the Dallas Stars (who are a top team in the NHL)  and played well against the Wild on Thursday despite the 2-1 regulation loss.

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1632172704303575044

This all-Canadian matchup will start at 4 pm (PST) tonight instead of the usual 7 pm (PST), so don’t get your times mixed up, as if you do, you will turn on your TV only to see the game is over.

Vancouver Giants Vs Prince George Cougars Postgame Analysis – March 1st

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The Vancouver Giants got their revenge against the Prince George Cougars last night with a 6-2 victory in the CN Centre once again. The Giants just played the Cougars the night before and suffered an embarrassing 6-0 loss, but last night, it was the Giants for scored 6 goals in CN Centre.

https://twitter.com/WHLGiants/status/1631183912784510976

Despite the big win for the Giants, they were still lacking in offense, even though they scored 6 goals. The Giants were still outshot by the Cougars 29-23, but at least the Giants were able to capitalize on their powerplay this time around. While the Giants only had 1 powerplay opportunity, they were at least able to score on it, which must be reassuring since the Giants were 0/5 on their powerplay in their last game.

Giants defender, Mazden Leslie, led the way with 3 goals, a hat-trick, to help the Giants win. All his goals came at important times, as he opened the scoring, got the game-winning goal, and the goal on the powerplay; an amazing performance from the Alberta native.

On the other side of the ice, Hudson Thornton both the goals for the Cougars. It’s almost as if the roles swapped from the night before these two teams faced off against each other. Tonight, the Giants scored 6 goals and capitalized on their powerplay, while the Cougars were only able to score on 1 of 5 powerplay opportunities they had… crazy how that can happen sometimes, especially in back-to-back games in the same building.

https://twitter.com/WHLGiants/status/1631188215054110720

The Giants will return home to the Langley Events Centre to face off against the Victoria Royals on Friday. The last time these 2 teams faced off against each other was on Saturday, February 11th, with the Royals taking the win in a 6-2 final score. The Giants will try to defeat the Royals this time around and use last night’s game as a motivator to get that done. This upcoming game will be on 7:30 pm (PST).

Toronto Raptors Vs Washington Wizards Postgame Analysis – March 2nd

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The Toronto Raptors suffered a tough loss to the Washington Wizards last night in a final score of 119-108. The loss still leaves the Raptors in 9th place, but the Wizards are quickly closing in to the jump them in the standings, especially since these two teams faceoff against each other in their next game, meaning should the Wizards win in their next meeting together, the Wizards will push the Raptors to the 10th seed, the final spot for the play-in rounds.

For the Raptors, OG Anunoby and Jakob Poeltl led the way with Anunoby scoring 26 points, 2 assists, and 3 rebounds. Poeltl put up 23 points, 4 assists, and 13 rebounds. While those stats are impressive, it unfortunately still wasn’t enough to defeat the Wizards.

On the other side of the court, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis led the Wizards to victory, with Kuzma scoring 30 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Porzingis had 25 points, 2 assists, and 5 rebounds.

The Wizards won this game since they won every quarter of last night’s game. After every quarter, the Wizards put up more points than the Raptors did, except for the final/4th quarter when they both scored 30 points to end the game… too little, too late for the Raptors. Despite the Raptors losing every quarter, they weren’t far off from the Wizards in those quarters, as they were down by 4 points after the 1st quarter, 5 points after the 2nd quarter, and 2 points after the 3rd quarter. A tough battle for the Raptors, but ultimately couldn’t find that extra drive to win this important game.

https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1631468851073363970

The Raptors will be back in action on Saturday against the Washington Wizards once again in the 2nd game of their 5 game roadtrip. The game will start at 2 pm (PST) this time.

Toronto Raptors Vs Washington Wizards Pregame Analysis – March 2nd

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The Toronto Raptors start their 5-game roadtrip tonight against the Washington Wizards. The Raptors are looking for a victory tonight to make it 2 straight wins. They won their last game against the Chicago Bulls in a final score of 104-98.

https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1631293956611883009

Chicago Bulls’, and former Toronto Raptor, DeMar DeRozan made yet another return to Toronto. He played 35 minutes and scored 13 points, 2 assists, and 0 rebounds in the Bulls’ losing effort. On the other end of the court, Raptors All-Star, Pascal Siakam, led the way again with 20 points (the most of any Raptor in this game), 3 assists, and 8 rebounds.

Tonight as an important game for both the Raptors and the Wizards, as both are currently in a play-in spot. More specifically, they are right next to each other in the standings, as the Raptors currently sit 9th and the Wizards currently sit 10th. Both the 9th and 10th position are the final spots for the play-in rounds, with the 11th seed Chicago Bulls not sitting too far behind the 10th seed. A win tonight for either team is incredibly important to create a bigger gap between each other.

The starting lineup for the Raptors remains the same, as they have the same starting 5 from their last game against the Bulls. The starting 5 consist of VanVleet, Barnes, Anunoby, Siakam, and Poeltl.

The Raptors will remain in Washington for their next game, despite a win or loss tonight, as their next opponent after tonight is the Washington Wizards again… in their home arena again… weird how that worked out. Regardless, it just means these 2 games are important for the Raptors to win. If they lose both games to the Wizards, the Wizards will leap over the Raptors in the standings, which would push the Raptors to the 10th seed of the play-ins, the final spot of the play-ins. The Raptors can’t afford to pushed to the brink, as they’ve already committed to push for the playoffs this season.

The game tonight will be on at 4 pm (PST).

Vancouver Canucks Vs Minnesota Wild Postgame Analysis – March 2nd

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The Vancouver Canucks fell to the Minnesota Wild last night in a final score of 2-1 in regulation.

Last night’s game was the last game until today’s Trade Deadline, meaning this is potentially the last time the roster will look like this, as there are a few Canucks players that are getting trade interest around the league, like Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and possibly J.T. Miller.

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1631500616844611585

The Canucks failed to generate offense again, as they only had 22 shots on Minnesota’s goaltender, Marc-André Fleury. Minnesota native, Brock Boeser, got the lone goal for the Canucks and was arguably the Canucks’ best player last night, as he had 3 shots on goal, which was the 2nd most from a Canucks player in last nights game. Conor Garland and newly acquired forward, Vitali Kravtsov, got the assists on Boeser’s goal. This was Kravtsov’s first point as a Canuck.

On the other end of the ice, Minnesota’s All-Star forward, Kirill Kaprizov, led the way with him getting both the goals for the Wild and also recorded 9 shots on goal. This was Kaprizov’s 38th and 39th goal of the season respectively. 

Despite the loss, Rogers Arena was packed, as the Canucks celebrated First Nations with a special tribute video to the late Gino Odjick. The fan-favourite Canucks recently passed away earlier this year in January. There was special merchandise in the Team Store and on Vanbase dedicated to Gino and First Nations. First Nations Canucks defender, Ethan Bear, did not play last night due to injury, but there was special T-shirt with the special First Nations Canucks logo and his name in Cree syllabics for sale online and in the store.

There were also special performances throughout the night, usually during commercial breaks and period intermissions.

The Canucks will return to action tomorrow against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4 pm (PST) showdown. The game will be at Rogers Arena again and will be the 2nd game of their 6 game homestand.