Well, I’ve been rightfully bored. And I’m sure many others, including you, may have also been struggling to find ways to safely spend some good time out of the house. Sure, Netflix and games may have our backs when we’re at home, but we all gotta get out and enjoy time with others, and try new things, or celebrate nostalgic times. It’s difficult to feel safe, and it’s fully respectable to stay home and prevent the spread of Covid. Bless your soul! But if you’re truly about to go insane while at home, and need some time out, I’ve got a couple of ideas for you! As for myself, I enjoy spending plenty of time cozied up at home, enjoying whatever snacks n’ games I can pass the time with, and chatting with friends. But keeping active and making memories not from under our own rooftops are important as well, and keep us healthy, and happily social whenever we feel comfortable doing so! To start us off, there’s only one place I think about almost every weekend, that gets me excited to bring friends to, and truly just turn my brain off and have a blast. This is of course directed to more of the gaming side of recreational spots, but Espot arcade in Richmond has been a super fun place to head out to with friends, and they’ve got plenty of things to do that make the nightlife that much more fun!

Espot is located right on 8181 Cambie Rd. in Richmond, and is open right from 2 pm, to 2 am. All week long! They’ve got a huge selection of games to choose from, for however you like to spend your arcade time. Not to mention, they have a fantastic setup of billiards, and darts, for those who enjoy more bar-style games. I might have next to no idea how to play either, but I do still have fun with the crew while I’m there! If you’re looking for more traditional arcade games, they of course have setups for Skiball, a punching machine, basketball toss, space invaders, my favourite, Dance Dance Revolution, and tons of others! It’s an incredibly stacked lineup of rhythm games, classic fighting games, and everything else you can think that might be necessary! Not to mention, if you really can’t find what you normally enjoy, they also have PC setups for those who want to game away from home. Refresh yourself with some drinks or a snack at the counter, and then finish up with a powerful performance in the mini-karaoke booth! It’s soundproof plenty, and the rest of the arcade is noisy enough that you can scream ya lungs out, no worries. Everyone wears masks, and it’s fairly ventilated with all the doors open, plus fans! And multiple stations of sanitizer so you can keep your hands clean, and the buttons mashed. If you’re looking to close out your night with some fun arcade action, go ahead and check it out! I’m sure you’ll find a game to fall in love with, as I have.

Next up will be for the more movement-oriented people, who like to enjoy a bit of a workout with their recreation! Whenever we remember or wanna practice our swings, the guys and I will hit up the driving range! I’ve never been a huge golf kinda guy, but with social influence, just about anything can be fun! It’s been a great time learning a new sport, and I’m a bit of a natural! Who knows, maybe I’ll eventually get around to playing a full 18-holes! But for most of the pandemic, we’ve been hitting up the Musqueam golf academy which is close by, or we’ll hit up the Richmond driving range within the savage creek golf course. It’s perfectly suited for social distancing, as it’s outdoors and nicely spaced out between the slots for driving. Perfectly covid safe! It’s a solid workout, good practice for your swings, and cheap too! It’s less than $10 a bucket, and you can simply enjoy your time as you get some fresh air, and send those balls flying to release some stress. I know for a fact that I always feel better after launching a full bucket into the field. Try it out if ya ever feel like it’d help you relax!

There are many spots open to check out for sports-related activities. As we begin to reach a higher rate of vaccination, there are many places opening back up, and it’s fantastic that we’ve had so many more opportunities to enjoy our time outdoors! Even doing pitch n’ putt, has been an incredibly fun time! But enough about sports, maybe you’re not all that into golf, or whatever cool neat ball game out there. Who cares about sportsball anyway? I know just the place for you to burn off a whole bunch of energy. At Extreme Air Park, you can absolutely go crazy. Trampolines as far as the eye can see, and it’s a BLAST. I don’t believe I’m the fittest for being able to do plenty of sick flips or crazy cool trampoline tricks.  But there were some basketball hoops, and getting the extra height from the trampolines to really dunk with all of your might, that’s the absolute best feeling to me. Gaining speed by hopping from trampoline to trampoline, wall-running and bouncing off the sides to keep momentum, feeling like a ninja until you hit a trampoline divider and almost die, but that’s what we all sign the waiver for right? It’s worthwhile to get out and focus on staying active, and getting away from the standard in-and-out of home life and work is an important part of mental health as well! It’s different for everyone of course, and again, plenty of respect, if you’re happy staying home, I’m glad you’re plenty comfortable and doing your part in staying safe. But if you’ve ever needed to find a way to get out, and explore something new during these harsh times, I hope this article helped ya at least somewhat. There are plenty of activities to enjoy now that we’re opening back up slowly, but I couldn’t wait to get out and explore. And hopefully, you get the chance to as well!

In Vancouver, we’re blessed to have plenty of fantastic spots to eat. From fantastic sources for seafood, plenty of cultural representation, and a wide variety that provides a favourite spot for just about anybody! It’s awesome to explore new places to eat, and having so many options, especially thanks to delivery services, is the best! I know for a fact that I’ve used food delivery much more than I’ve ever wanted to, but how could we not after the situation we’ve all been put in? Home plenty, too many restaurants closed down, and we’ve grown to rely on either our own cooking or the delivery times of whatever we desire. But as time has passed on, more and more spots to eat have become accustomed to our new world. I gained some annoying weight over the pandemic, and you might just too by the end of this list! Be careful, the following spots may result in some serious food comas. I absolutely love finding new spots to absolutely destroy my stomach capacity on, and during the pandemic, it’s been a popular method of coping for many, including me! And especially if you have some friends to go with, sharing food with others always makes it better. So with that aside, I’ve got quite a few ones just for you. And we’ll start at one of my all-time favourite spots to go for breakfast, the one I’ve been going to since I was a child, De Dutch.

Have a late start this morning? That's what #Brunch is for! Grab some today at your local #DeDutch. Photo credit: @yuejong0719. #Foodie pic.twitter.com/BQO3CFO4rr

— De Dutch Restaurants (@dedutch) March 5, 2017

De Dutch has multiple locations, but the one I’ve always gone to, and where the employees know me, is the one on Oak St. They serve the most incredibly satisfying breakfasts I’ve ever had the chance to enjoy, the super huge, plate filling, stomach size defying, pannekoeken. To break it down for you who may be unaware, it’s a giant thin pancake, served with sweet or savoury fillings. And at this restaurant, you can choose a variety of delicious pre-made styles, or create your own! I’ve been coming here just about every year for my birthday, and I can’t get enough of making the sweetest, chocolate-filled dream pannekoeken possible. The staff are super friendly, and the atmosphere is a very home-style diner, where you can just sit down, enjoy a glass of whatever you like, and have a beautiful morning with the best breakfast possible. The price point, yes, is a bit high if you go for more than you can eat that is. Ordering pannekoeken is usually more than enough, but the real challenge starts at the Boers pannekoeken. It’ll run you about $26, but you’re certainly paying the right price to be absolutely stuffed. It comes with a plain pannekoek, topped with DeBakon(basically Canadian back bacon), ham, bratwurst(or your choice of other meats), two eggs, hash browns, and hollandaise sauce to top it off. If that isn’t enough to feed two people, let alone one, I don’t know what is. My friends and I have fought this beast of a dish many times, and victories have been had, along with crushing defeats. If there is anything you’ve got to try here, it’s this monster of a meal. Even the staff know just how rough it can be, and have provided advice for how to tackle it in better ways, such as ensuring eggs are eaten first, or other kinds of tips. Truly, I can’t verbalize how much I love this place, and I’m very glad it’s survived this long even through the pandemic.

Next up are some great spots for lunch! So maybe you chose not to go all-in on the Boer’s pannekoeken, and you still have some room by this time. Fantastic! Right next door to De Dutch is Max’s Deli & Bakery, which has an incredibly wide assortment of food, enough to confuse you on just what to land on! They range from savoury dishes such as ribs, mac n’ cheese, baked goods, and so on, and sweet delights like their fantastic milkshakes, or desserts that are always so tempting. I’ve made the circuit from De Dutch to Max’s, and it’s a dangerous road. They’ve got just about everything you could want, and it’s very reasonably priced as well! You might end up walking out of there with one too many sweets for ‘later’, but we shouldn’t sweat the small stuff now should we? You deserve it after all! But one thing that I’m sure that Max’s doesn’t have, are specialty Japanese lunch options, and in that realm, Pepper Lunch has you covered. This place blows my socks off every time I go, as it’s ideal to dine in and enjoy it fresh. And that’s for one giant reason; they serve the food to you in a piping hot pan, with the meat ready to be cooked just to your liking. That’s right, it’s a mini BBQ all condensed into your plate! The go-to for me usually is the spicy beef curry pepper lunch, as it comes with a nice serving of rice and corn right in the middle, a ring of delicious beef, and a healthy gravy boat of curry sauce to drown it all in and dig into. This place always hits the spot after an active day, or just to enjoy the experience of a mini-pan BBQ with some delicious Japanese dishes. There are plenty of options, so it’s great to find your own style there!

Extra beef, please! pic.twitter.com/no28LIy2Xt

— Pepper Lunch Canada (@PepperLunchCA) October 23, 2016

Last but not least, I have to shout out one of my favourite pizza places that I’ve found recently, and one of the most unique, Burrata Pizzeria. It’s located right by me on 41st, and they serve up some delectable slices. With a menu that may surprise some, and intrigue others more, they have some cool original pizzas that really break the mould of what’s normally on the menu for most other pizzerias. it’s on the pricier side, but the quality is so worth it. Styles such as the “BBQ Blues”, which features bbq sauce, chicken, bacon, parsley, and a bunch of different cheeses are out there, but ring true as delicious options to me. Or on the flip side, you could go for one such as the “Luck of the Irish”, which is stacked up with pesto sauce, onions, chicken, and grape tomatoes. Truly, there’s a lot of dangerous eats out here in Vancouver. Stay strong, but don’t forget to treat yourself every once in a while!

If you happen to be interested in seeing some local, Vancouver wrestling, or possibly some high-octane, top-level esports that will make you jump out of your seat, have I got just the event for you. Hosted by The Gaming Stadium, Pinnacle 2021 is bound to be one of the most incredible Canadian events to happen since before the pandemic. Personally, I am a huge fan of esports and couldn’t stand not being able to go to local tournaments, cancel flights for larger majors across the world, and overall, not being able to reconnect with the community I love. Esports events are for people of all ages, and can be enjoyed by anybody with any amount of experience! Pinnacle will feature a variety of the most popular fighting games, merch, and an exhibition match featured by Nation Extreme Wrestling, providing 2 full days of just extreme wrestling action. And that’s not all! If you thought wrestling was exciting to watch, just wait till you hear about a few of the games that will be played, such as Dragonball FighterZ, Guilty Gear Strive, Street Fighter V, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate/Melee, Tekken 7, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, and many more hot titles. Together, this event is hosted by Galint, Vancouver Street Battle, Even Matchup Gaming, and of course, The Gaming Stadium here in Richmond. And with a prize pool of $30,000, you can bet your bottom dollar that players will be competing with their pride, and providing plenty of unforgettable matches. Oh, and did I forget to mention? It’ll be hosted in one of the best venues possible for a convention like this, and for the first time for The Pinnacle after moving from the River Rock Casino, the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Just checked out the venue for The Pinnacle 2021! 2 more weeks until the event! Registration is still open at https://t.co/aBjO4Z3OQU@GamingStadiumCS @VanStreetBattle pic.twitter.com/hsLyodA7hV

— Air (エア) (@TheAirRyu) September 23, 2021

The event will span from October 8th to the 10th, so spectators and players have plenty of time to meet up, enjoy the matches, and experience all there is to love about esports and everything The Pinnacle can provide. By all standards, this is going to be one of the biggest events Canada has ever hosted for esports, and it’s caught the attention of some truly big-name players. Gods of fighting games such as Justin Wong, or Sonicfox, a pair of the all-time rulers of multiple games, have registered already, and they’re bound to show everyone exactly why they’ve been feared for years. Jaw-dropping players such as N0ne and HookGangGod will also be joining in on the fun, and are bound to bring the hype with their stylish plays. Not to mention Kizzie Kay, Supernoon, Punk, the list goes on. The all-stars are here to play, and you don’t want to miss out on the high-level competition these players strive to master. And even if you’re not already familiar with these players, or don’t quite know how fighting games work, the community is kind and helpful, and if there’s any time to learn more and experience the heart of esports, this is it. Esports has been growing more and more over the years, so what could there be to lose on an incredibly stacked event like this?

Pinnacle started as an event back in 2018, and only grew from there. Starting with 492 attendees, and this year, we’re already at 592 and still growing as we are only 2 weeks away from the event. So now would be a great time to look back, and reminisce about the fantastic times had there, such as the first time I was approached by a fan, or the big-name players I got the chance to witness in person, the unexplainably infectious energy of the crowds, the commentators revving up the energy, and the players following suit twofold. As a player, it’s one of the most exciting events to look forward to. As a spectator, or someone entirely out of the loop on esports, it can still be just as exciting, especially if you have someone in the loop to show you what’s going on or to cheer for. In 2019, I had my best friends from high school join me, and as I powered through the tournament to the best of my ability, they cheered me on every step of the way. You can even look back at the old recordings of the event, and see them jump out of their seats lost in the hype just enjoying the matches, despite most of them barely having touched fighting games! It felt incredible to see, and I enjoyed every minute I got to spend there with not only the family of esports fans there but also the joy of seeing my friends who weren’t necessarily into competitive fighting games, also have fun. Goes to show just how accessible the joy of esports can be to anyone!

And this year, there are so many people to keep an eye on, it’s hard to break down. But if we stick to just one of the most fun games to watch, and my favourite, Dragonball FighterZ, it’s about to be a doozy. Me, also known as Suplex+, OogerBooger, and Shmaw are all aiming to train the community up as much as possible, as the current top 3. Aiming to defend our country, as Canada isn’t very well known for being an incredibly strong powerhouse in many esports other than Valorant. But as for our competition, it’s something right out of a dream for me. The aforementioned Sonicfox is going to be competing in Dragonball FighterZ, and they are one of the strongest players known on earth in this game. This nonbinary hero is our rival and our greatest hurdle for defending the country. It’s terrifying, but also incredibly exciting to think about getting the chance to compete against some of the best. Not to mention, Supernoon, one of the players I’ve seen to be one of the best in the world as well, and plenty of the incredible talent from across the border! This isn’t just a mission to protect our pride as Canadian fighters, but to truly test our might against those who are known to be much stronger than many others across the globe. And if you could be interested in seeing this story unfold, alongside many others in other games, you might just want to sign up yourself to see it in person! Or at least, catch the action on stream! If you have any questions, feel free to talk to me directly, and I hope to see as many people at Pinnacle 2021 as possible. It’s gonna be a party, and you’re invited.

Star Wars fans rejoice, I’ve got a treat for you. Dropped today, Star Wars: Visions has just been released for fans of animation and the series itself to enjoy. It’s an entirely standalone, episodic series that is apart from any of the past star wars stories. It’s the first original anime series on Disney Plus, and it breathes some incredibly refreshing, and visually stunning life into the world of star wars. Huge studios jumped at the offer, and I couldn’t be more thankful that they were all excited to join the party. Big names in Japanese animation such as Imaishi Hiroyuki, who worked on the smash-hit movie, Promare, and Choi Eun-Yung, who assisted in some of my favourite works of all time, Ping Pong the Animation, and Space Dandy. Not to mention Kenji Kamiyama, who worked on one of the most critically acclaimed anime movies of all time, Akira. And last but not least, Masahiko Ootsuka, who’s worked on many studio TRIGGER productions, and one of the most well-known shows in anime, Gurren Lagann. These fantastic directors, and many of the talent in the studios that worked together on this collaboration truly delivered. It’s artwork for the ages, and you’ll catch me dead before I get the chance to talk about it. This collaboration isn’t just a fancy exhibition of animation, it’s a project that’s been thought about for a long time, and this many powerhouse studios working together on such a huge franchise can only spell hype for star wars fans and anime fans alike.

The studios in total consisted of a dream team of  Production I.G, Kinema Citrus, Kamikaze Douga, TRIGGER, Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, and Science SARU. With their powers combined, they produced 9 passion-fueled episodes of original star wars stories. And each studio was free to deliver whichever kind of art style, story, or characters they liked. It was complete free reign for every creator involved, and they couldn’t have had more fun with it. With the star wars franchise lasting for over 40 years now, you’d think they would have had more than enough spinoffs. Maybe you’re even tired of it by now. But this is something you certainly do not want to miss. I never believed I would ever be a huge fan of Star Wars, having never watched much of the movies, or finding much interest in its universe, but after just watching the first episode of Star Wars: Visions, I was hooked. The styles that each studio brought to the table are flawlessly done and refined to the point where it’s hard to believe this was ‘simply’ a collaboration on the star wars franchise. My jaw hit the floor as I saw some of the most impressive fight scenes in media for a while, and I leapt out of my chair as I saw incredible art direction, and character designs clash like fireworks at a festival. These studios did not just sign up for a team effort, they worked hard to create worlds and scenes that could last a lifetime, and their passions shone through the end result.

To go further on the styles, many people may have never seen these types of animation before. Studio TRIGGER stands out the most in my eyes, being an incredible blend of cut-and-paste animation techniques, classic cartoon motion that stretches and emphasizes free movement, and a colouring style that will never get old. In an old interview about their latest movie, Promare, the directors themselves talked about how black outlines for animation have been getting dull, and it’s difficult to make certain shots really ‘pop’ without getting creative. So instead of sticking to the same old, they began to specially palette out their outlines, creating a very highlighted style of colouring that draws attention very well. If you’ve never seen any of their works, I highly encourage you to check them out! They’re by far one of my favourite animation studios and have created works that have truly stood the test of time and broken barriers on just what’s possible in animation. Another incredible mention would be episode one’s “The Duel” directed by Takanobu Mizuno. I’m at a loss for words on how to even describe it honestly, it takes place in a small Japanese village, starring a wandering warrior accompanied by a drone very reminiscent of R2-D2. The entire episode feels very right at home for star wars inspired animation, and yet it breaks the boundaries for just what is possible. The colours are muted and monotone, and only break out in minor amounts to emphasize action and character definition. Along with the animation being 3d rendered, but shaded and styled to the point where it could be passed off as a potential 2D work, with classic film grain for that nostalgic cherry on top.

Alright, so I’ve rambled on about this show for this long, but why should you care? Well for one, it has a little bit for everyone. An emotional story, heated action, strong music and visuals, the works! But most of all, it has a new story each episode, so no matter where you start, or how you felt about a previous episode, there will be a fresh new experience in the next episode each time. This work done by so many talented people is a turning point for not only the audience for anime and star wars, but the potential bridge to so many western audiences to see more of what Japanese animation is capable of. While anime is quite commonly heard of here in North America, the impact that this has on the potential fans of anime could be huge, and there’s no better window to peeking into the world of it than Star Wars: Visions. Viewers can easily look further into the studios participating in the collaboration by looking at the credits after each episode, and find even more content that they may fall in love with. Star Wars: Visions is an incredible display of animation mastery for many people, and I hope to see many more collaborations like it in the future!

Starting September 10th, one of esport’s biggest events, Valorant masters began. And from there, it created a breakthrough in the current rankings of the scene. Filled to the brim with crushing upsets, heroic comebacks, and stories that these players will have etched into their souls were made here at this event, and fans of esports and the game itself alike found themselves entranced by the incredible action that happened during the event. If you haven’t already seen what kind of game Valorant is like, it is a team-based, 5v5 tactical shooter that features superhuman characters, specializing in combat. This game is free-to-play, drawing in millions of players across the world, and the best of the best team up to fight in what’s known as the Valorant Champions Tour. Japan, North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Brazil, and southeast Asia all come together to see just which team will stand on top. This event is split into 5 parts, the initial challengers series, to qualify for masters 1, 2, and 3, which have now concluded, and finally, the masters event coming up in December. What we’re talking about today though, is the most recent event; Masters Berlin. But before we dive into that, a quick preface of some backstory for you. The strongest team to come out of all these events leading up to Berlin(Masters 3) and win every tournament that they entered, was the team that recruited the young Canadian hopeful, Sentinels. Led by Shazam, and consisting of Zombs, Sick, Dapr, and our young hero from Nanaimo, TenZ. This unstoppable powerhouse of a team tore through every opponent in their path. Creating a name for themselves by flawlessly taking masters 2 Reykjavik without losing a single map. They looked unstoppable, and for good reason. This North American team had the skills to dominate the world, and with our Canadian representative becoming one of the best players in the world, I couldn’t help but cheer Sentinels on as hard as I could! It was exciting to see a storyline form around these players, and it was all coming together at one of the most highly anticipated events in esports, masters 3 Berlin.

Now Berlin was not only highly anticipated by the audience, but also the players themselves. In esports, playing online can be different from LAN due to different connection speeds. Playing “offline” is intense, fast, and responsive, and as an esports competitor myself, I can attest to just how much more smooth it feels to play someone who’s in the same room as you, compared to someone possibly a country away. All the competitors trained like their lives depended on it for masters 3, and every team was committed to bringing their A-game to not only win but also have the chance to dethrone the current gods of the game, Sentinels. Sentinels had a huge target on their back, and they were prepared for the challenge.

As masters Berlin began, teams played for their rankings within the main tournament bracket, and the matches were intense. Following the NA kings, Sentinels through the bracket, they played well in the initial matches, going into the main bracket with 3 wins, one over the powerhouse EMEA team, G2, and two over the new streamer team from Korea, F4Q. However, despite playing well, their one lass to G2 was a major upset that caused a ripple in the belief that Sentinels were untouchable! This was truly the first set that Sentinels had lost, and the other teams saw this as prime time to strike. The audiences online were shocked to see such a seemingly untouchable team drop a single set, but no team on this planet is perfect, and it’s truly an impossible task to expect players to be able to be completely immortal in each tournament they play in. But when these teams are playing for that 1st place $225,000 prize, what other choice do you have? Despite any kind of upset, however, Sentinels were determined to fight for the crown, and our Canadian local, and one of the best players in the world, TenZ, was hype to get started. Being a player that everyone has witnessed being one of the best at precise aim and fast reactions, Sentinels were still looking strong despite having been bled for the first time.

As the tournament went on, tension increased as teams prepared for the final bracket, and every spectator held their breath as over 800,000 viewers watched the #1 fan favourite to win, Sentinels. But looking closer, we have quite a few Canadian representatives to be proud of here at the finals. Over on team Envy, we have FNS and Marved, both incredibly strong newcomers to the Valorant scene. And on team 100 Thieves, we have Steel, who has seen tons of spotlight in his Valorant career. Despite being fellow Canadians, nobody has any plans of taking it easy on each other. These teams are playing for pride, prizes, and bragging rights aplenty. Not to mention, to become the new champion, potentially over the kings, Sentinels. The bracket begins, on September 17th, right at noon. Viewers are cheering for their favourites, and the chatbox for online spectators is blurring by as the match begins. Sentinels put up an incredible fight, until Envy snuck the first map’s victory from right under their noses, taking it to an overtime comeback. Sentinels looked confused, or maybe even stunned at how close a match it was, and how hard it may be to make a comeback now. And that comeback proved to be just a bit too difficult for them, as Envy proceed to put the final nail in the coffin for Sentinels. On the second map, Sentinels lose 13-7 and are immediately out of the tournament. From round one of the main bracket, the fan favourites, the gods of Valorant, have been struck down. Envy was now the team to look out for, and as they ended up finishing in 2nd place to team Gambit, the new champions of NA, Sentinels promised to come back stronger, as TenZ tweets out; “Masters 3 run is over but now we are looking towards Champions, plenty of time to prepare before then.” Keep your eyes out for Masters, as we have plenty of Canadian representation, and the potential, for gods to rise once again.

Fuck I suck at Raze, Lost to NV 0-2 GG’s to them. Masters 3 run is over but now we are looking towards Champions, plenty of time to prepare before then.

— TenZ (@TenZOfficial) September 17, 2021