All posts tagged with: history

Across the globe, there are ten countries that legally recognize same sex / gender neutral marriage. Here is a brief breakdown of the marriage laws:

• 2000: Netherlands was the first country in the world to recognize same-sex marriage, which came into effect on April 1, 2001.
• 2002: The Province of British Columbia legalized and granted the rights of same-sex marriage.
• 2003: Belgium was the second country to grant same-sex marriages
• 2005: Spain declares same-sex marriage rights. A weeks later, Canada’s Prime Minister and Liberal government officially recognize same-sex marriage across Canada.
• 2006: South Africa signs same-sex marriage into law.
• 2008: Norway approves a gender-neutral marriage law that came into effect on January 1, 2009.
• 2009: Sweeden adopted gender-neutral marriage laws.
• 2010: On June 10, same-sex marriage became legal in Portugal. A day later, on June 11, Iceland’s government approved same-sex marriage. Just weeks later, on July 15, Argentina follows suit, however, they do not have the support of the Catholic Church.

After a long, uphill battle with many court cases and levels of government involved, Canada has become a leader and influencer on the global stage for same sex marriage.

In early 2012, Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, openly declared same sex marriage will not be re-opened for discussion in the House, reassuring Canadians that the rights of the LGBT community are here to stay.

Katharine Hepburn with James Prideaux on the set of Mrs Delafield Wants to Mary, filmed in Vancouver, BC

In a 49-year span, Hollywood actress, Katharine Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003), won four Oscar wins for Best Actress. For the leading lady, her 62 year career of film, stage and television, she was best known for her roles in both comedies and drama.

During her career, Katharine had the opportunity to travel to Vancouver, BC, staying at a number of the cities most chic and private hotels and accommodations.

The Emmy-nominated television movie featuring Katharine Hepburn, Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry (1986), was filmed on location in Vancouver. According to her friend and writer, James Prideaux, it was Katharine’s idea to film the movie in Vancouver.

While in Vancouver Katharine dinned at many of the top restaurants and visited some of the local attractions.

Today guests of the Rosellen Suites at Stanley Park have the luxury of being able to stay in the very penthouse suite Katharine Hepburn once occupied during her many long-stay visits to Vancouver, BC.

The massive 1,900 square foot interior living space with wrap-around rooftop patio suite preserves the traditions of Hollywood’s golden era.

The master bedroom features a king size bed, desk, two full-length hallway closets, dual vanity sinks, glass shower and Jacuzzi soaker tub for two.

The suite boasts a spacious living room with real wood burning fire place, sitting room, wet bar, dining room, guest bedroom, office and kitchen – all furnished and styled with era appropriate fittings.

This is a great suite for hosting a retro-themed get-together, a weekend get-away with a family or close friends, or a relaxing weekend for two in the lap of disco-luxury!

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CATS opens April 10 – 12, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for 8 performances. [Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

After celebrating its 30^th anniversary on May 11, 2011, CATS, the longest continuously touring Broadway musical in history will return to Vancouver, BC for eight (8) performances Tuesday, April 10 – Sunday, April 15, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

On May 11, 1981, CATS opened at the New London Theatre in the West End. Eight years later, it celebrated its first important milestone: after 3,358 performances CATS became the longest running musical in the history of British theatre. CATS played its final performance on its 21st birthday, May 11, 2002.

CATS opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City and continued to live up to its motto “Now and Forever.”  On June 19, 1997, it became the longest running musical on Broadway. CATS ended its 18 year run on September 10, 2000 with 7,485 performances.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS won seven 1983 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting, and Best Costumes.

Five continents, 26 countries, and over eight and a half million audience members later, CATS is still America’s most loved family musical. Celebrating not only its Broadway touring legacy but the birth of the musical spectacular, CATS is still revolutionary and awe inspiring.

Performances for the Vancouver show run Tuesday – Saturday evenings at 8pm, Sunday evening at 7:30pm with Saturday and Sunday 2pm matinees.  Tickets start at $35 (plus applicable charges), and will go on sale on Monday, December 19, 2011 through Ticketmaster by calling 1-855-985-5000 or purchasing online.

Stunning views from the private luxury log cabins

On the shores of the Harrison River, about a 1.5 hour drive from downtown Vancouver is Rowena’s Inn, quite possibly the most romantic luxury resort getaways in the Fraser Valley.

Rowena's Inn

The Pretty family, well-known pioneers of BC’s timber, logging and natural resource industry, purchased the 160-acre estate located near Harrison Mills in January 1924. The first priorities for the new owners were to install running water and other basic living necessities into the two-story country farmhouse.

Pool, hot tub and views of the Harrison River

The property became a working dairy farm. In the 1950’s the farmhouse underwent major renovations.  The wrap-around veranda was enclosed to bring much needed space to the interior, a drawing room was added to the front corner and a pool was put in right in front of the house.

The house was maintained as is until the passing of Mr. Pretty in the 1990’s. At that time, his two remaining children, Betty Ann and her brother inherited the property and decided to turn their family home into a resort.

One of the five guest rooms in the Inn.

The home was renovated in 1994 and offered full-service accommodations. In 1998, golf course designer, Russ Olsen, completed work on the 18-hole natural forest golf course.

Family heirlooms, antiques and collectables located throughout the Inn

Today, the five-bedroom Inn offers visitors a chance to take a step back in time to appreciate the luxury of days gone by. The lovingly preserved home is filled with heirloom antiques and collectibles the family has acquired over the years and the décor is period appropriate.

Log cabins with king size bed, fireplace, patios and more.

The estate also offers four luxury log cabins, complete with heated slate floors, real wood-burning river-rock fire places, king size beds and two-person Jacuzzi tubs. The private cabins are the ultimate romantic accommodations.

The entire estate is open to the public. There is a full-service restaurant on-site open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and a traditional English afternoon tea service is available in the Inn. The golf course is open early spring through late fall.

Private airstrip; just a 30 minute flight from downtown Vancouver.

Rowena’s Inn, named after Mr. Pretty’s wife, is open year round, and is the perfect getaway for a romantic birthday, anniversary or other special occasion.

For more information about Rowena’s Inn and to make reservations, visit the Rowena’s Inn website.

In the early 1900’s, Albert Henry George Grey, Generor General of Canada, 1904 – 1911, had wanted to donate a cup to the top senior hockey team in Canada; however, Sir Montague Alley beat him to it with the donation of the Allan Cup.

Grey decided to donate his cup to the winner of the national rugby football championship, made up of clubs registered with the Canadian Rugby Union.

The first Grey Cup was held in 1909 at Rosedale Field in Toronto, where the University of Toronto defeated the Parkdale Canoe Club, 26-6.

In 1954, the BC Lions first season in the league, was the first year that only Canadian Football League teams competed for the Grey Cup. Starting in 1957, it became an annual tradition to televise the Grey Cup across Canada.

Here are some of the many great stories the Grey Cup has encountered over it’s history:

1920: The Grey Cup vanished for almost two years in a Toronto trust company vault. When it was re-discovered, a company trustee shouted “Get that thing out of here!”

1947: The Grey Cup narrowly survived a fire; it’s handle catching on a nail  after its shelf burned, preventing it from falling into the flames below.

1964: The BC Lions forgot the Grey Cup in a hotel ballroom. They didn’t realize they had forgotten to grab the very cup they were there to celebrate winning until they had got to the airport the next day.

1969: The Grey Cup was kidnapped in Ottawa. Toronto police would later recover it after receiving an anonymous call to its whereabouts in a Royal York Hotel locker.

1978: As the Edmonton Eskimos carried the Grey Cup off the field, fans rushed the players, smashing the cup into two. “The fans almost hit as hard as the Alouettes!”

1983: A UBC fraternity threatened to steal the Grey Cup with the idea of giving the ransom money to charity. Their attempt was unsuccessful.

1987: An Edmonton Eskimos players used the Grey Cup as a victory throne, sitting on it and breaking it into two pieces.

1993: Edmonton Eskimos Blake Dermott smashed his forehead against the Grey Cup during the annual ritual of passing the cup, causing the cracking the priceless Canadian artifact.

2006: After receiving the Grey Cup, Ben Klumpter accidentally snapped the Grey Cup into two pieces; fortunately, he is also a veteran welder who was charged with repairing it.

Since 1969, three generations of the Slamka family have owned and operated Little Straw Winery on Kelowna’s Westside. The family has a rich history as both growers and wine makers.

In 1964 the family purchased the 23-acre property, which today has 13 acres of grapes and 10 acres for their horses.

The first varietal in the ground was Marachel Foch in 1969, which they still grow and harvest today. Just five years later, in 1974, the family saw opportunity to expand and planted Auxerrois.

It wasn’t until 1994 that the family began to make and blend their own vintages. They are best known for Pinot Noir and Auxerrois icewine, however, there is a hidden cult of followers for their Tapestry blend.

The 2010 Tapestry, is a blend of Riesling, Auxerrois, Siegerrebe, Schonburger and Gewürztraminer. It has strong notes of citrus and has a clean, bold, crisp finish.

The 2008 Marachel Foch is a popular seller; however, because it has been blended with Lemberger it cannot be labeled as VQA. This vintage is still a bit young in the bottle and could sit for another year to reach its full potential. This wine is best served decanted for 4 – 16 hours to bring out the full pepper flavor and body.

Although they are well known for Auxerrois icewine, the Lemberger icewine is not to be missed. It has rich fruit flavours and is not thick and syrupy like most icewines. It’s high on the sweetness scale, coming in at a 30.

Grandpa Slamka is a self-taught wine maker and has passed his knowledge and skills to his son, who has since been experimenting with many new blends. Approximately 90% of the grapes used in their vintages are grown on the estate; the remaining 10% come from other Okanagan growers.

Little Straw wines can be found in select VQA wine shops in BC, but for the full selection it’s best to visit the estate at 2815 Ourtoland Road in Kelowna. The wine shop is open year around. For more information, visit their website.

Make the most out of the day by taking the Westside Wine Trail from Tourism Kelowna. The helpful guide will make sure you get to all the right stops along the way.

A century ago soldiers in the World War 1 wore scarves around their necks to identify their comrades on the front lines so they wouldn’t accidentally kill or injury the wrong person. Post-war, an innovative New York designer took the idea of the scarf and modified the scarf idea into a fashion accessory; what we consider the modern tie style.

The traditional tie is limited because of its design. The width, materials and patterns can change, but in the end, it’s the shape that locks up its style. And over the past decade, ties have been in the decline as a fashion piece.

But a Vancouver fashion designer has created an innovative new way for both men and women to wear ties in a cutting-edge new way.

“I am changing the silhouette of ties,” said Knotheory founder and owner Tanya Huang. “It’s wearable art. Creative. Not functional. Stylish and artistic. It’s designed to grab attention.”

In 2003, Tanya quit her job in the software industry to pursue her dream of fashion design. After going through her college sketchbooks she came across some concepts around ties and she knew she had to dig deeper. By 2009, after testing and experimenting with a variety of styles and designs, Tanya found the perfect solution.

The result: Knotheory.

Knotheory ties are two parts: the tie and the knot. The tie comes in six unique black and white designs styles starting from $99.

“The tie is the personal signature piece,” Tanya explains. “Pick your personal preference as your art piece.”

With the tie acting as the base, the knot adds the variety and attention. The knot is an asymmetric piece, which forms a perfect four-in-hand knot.

The knot was inspired by the early 19^th century detachable cuffs and chained cufflinks, the knot is secured with a stainless steel chain link. The knots are available in a variety of colours and embroidered designs.

The two-part tie and knot system means that you will never have to worry about tying and re-tying ties to the right length or worry about making the correct knot shape.

“For people that don’t know how to tie a tie, you can go to YouTube to learn how,” Tanya explained. “My customers are more stylish. They know how to tie ties. I really wanted it to be something that is at a different level.”

Because of the great tie shapes and flexibility of wearing a tie as a casual or formal fashion piece, Knothoery is hitting so many different demographics. The ties can be dressed up for formal events such as weddings, be worn with a business suit, dressed down with casual business attire and transform again to fit into your day-to-day casual wear.

Knotheory ties can be purchased online. Share a photo of yourself wearing a Knotheory tie and you could receive up to $10 off your next order too! With Christmas coming right around the corner, perhaps some online gift shopping is in order (each tie comes in a beautiful gift box).

Overall Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)

Quietly tucked away on Ganges Harbour is Hastings House; an Essex style country cottage that has been lovingly been transformed into a quaint country getaway on Salt Spring Island.

The quiet and peaceful estate offers visitors the chance to enjoy country luxury in a relaxed setting. The original timber-framed buildings are all original but have been re-purposed into rustic, upscale accommodations filled with genuine antiques and artwork.

The original Hudson’s Bay Company trading post and the original staff accommodations have been converted into a honeymoon and In-Law’s suites. The original manor home has been converted into a fine-dining restaurant on the main level and upstairs hosts two large suites.

It’s a slower pace. Get up early in the morning to watch the sun rise over Ganges Harbour with a fresh cup of coffee and homemade muffins. Even if it’s a rainy weekend, it is the perfect place to wrap up in a blanket with a good novel and a cup of tea and listen to the rain dance on the rooftop.

On the estate grounds there are beautiful manicured gardens and lawns, an art walk trail full of surprises, and a small heard of lamb. If you are into history, there is a wonderful journal in the lounge about the original estate owners (yes, there was some sexy scandals that went down on Salt Spring that you have to learn about). There is also a full-service spa for those looking to enjoy a mani or pedi.

Ganges village is about a ten-minute walk from Hastings House. In the village there are restaurants, art galleries and boutique shops. To see more of the island there are bike, kayak and car rentals.

Getting to Hastings House from Vancouver is easy. You could take a BC Ferry to Victoria and then connect to the Gulf Islands, or to save yourself a ton of time and make it an adventure, Salt Spring Air flies all day from the downtown Vancouver harbor to Ganges. It’s about a 25-minute flight and worth every penny!

Hastings House Country Hotel on Salt Spring Island is an ideal getaway for young city, double-income-no-kids, and professional couple to get away for the weekend to relax and enjoy the peacefulness of country island life, or to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or even to propose to someone special.

It’s not a traditional resort with a 24-hour reception desk, so after dinner, grab a bottle of Salt Spring Island’s very own Gary Oak’s wine and settle in for an quiet and relaxing evening and enjoy the accommodations.

The accommodations are open year-round. To get special offers and to make a reservation, visit the Hastings House County House Hotel website.

The Okanagan Valley is the heart of British Columbia’s wine country, and right in the centre of it all is the beautiful city of Kelowna, the birthplace of BC wine. The first grape vines were planted in the 1860’s by Father Pandosy and in 1932 the very first commercial winery was opened, kicking off what is now Canada’s largest wine tourism region.

Quail’s Gate Estate Winery is one of over 20 wineries in Kelowna. Opened in 1989, the 125-acre, south facing, lakefront property is located on the original home site of Okanagan pioneers, the Allison family (1870’s). Today, the vineyard is owned and operated by the Stewart family, employing more than 60 employees year-round.

Each year Quail’s Gate Estate Winery produces 55,000 cases of wine, equaling 400,000 liters. To grow enough grapes for their production, Quail’s Gate owns and operates six different vineyard locations. The majority of the wineries focus is on ultra-premium Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines.

The grapes are hand-picked in the vineyards and are crushed to be made into award-winning, handcrafted wines, including:

• Chasselas
• Riesling
• Rose
• Chardonnay
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Old Vines Foch
• Chenin Blanc
• Gewurztraminer
• Pinot Noir
• Merlot Fortified Vintage Foch
• Optima Botrytis Affected
• Riesling Ice Wine

Many of Quail’s Gates wines can be sampled at the Wine Shop’s tasting bar. Overlooking Okanagan Lake, the extremely knowledgeable staff will help guide you through a tasting tour of a number of the premium wines.

Located next door to the Wine Shop is the Old Vines Restaurant. The chef works with local suppliers and organic growers using the freshest ingredients from the Okanagan and the West Coast. The fresh dishes highlight each season and are perfectly paired with estate wines.

For more information on wine touring, accommodations and more activities in Kelowna, visit the Tourism Kelowna website.

Photo by Brian Webb

Hollywood & Vine, an iconic address, it home to another icon, the Capitol Records Tower.  Few buildings are as closely associated with the music building that this historic tower.

Built in 1956 and resembling a stack of records on a turntable, the building features a blinking light at the top of the tower which spells out Hollywood in Morse code. This was Capitol Records way of subtly highlighting the fact they were the first major record label to be headquartered in Hollywood.As the industry shifted from New York and Broadway to Hollywood and the movies, many recording artists acted in films and television, Capitol was right there in the action.  The tower still houses the Capitol Studio.

Dubbed “the house that Nat built” due to the popularity and sales of Nat King Cole’s recordings. The studio has spawned some of the most timeless and treasured recordings in music history, from Judy Garland to the Beastie Boys. The first album recorded in the studio was “Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems Of Color”. Before forming his own record label, Sinatra recorded some of his most memorable classics with Capitol; In The Wee Small Hours, Swing Easy & Come Fly With Me to name a few.

The future of the studio is in question as Capitol Records parent company EMI sold the tower and surrounding property to developers.  Although the building is on the List of Registered Historic Places it would be a shame to lose such an iconic recording studio.

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New Orleans has been made famous for many things; The Sazerac and Hurricane cocktails, steam boats, Bourbon Street, beignets, and jazz music. The most spooky thing Nawlins is known for is the many above ground cemeteries.

There are 42 cemeteries located in New Orleans. The aboveground tombs in the cemeteries are often referred to as “cities of the dead” because of the tombs, crypts and vaults create street-like patterns.

Many of the cemeteries have large, rusty gates at the entrance into the mysterious and spooky plots of sun bleached marble and granite graves. Many of the unique and ornate tombs date back as early as the 1700’s.

The city of New Orleans is located below sea level and the early settlers found it difficult to bury the dead. This is because just a few feet below ground the earth is soft and muddy. Once the coffin was laid and buried, the muddy grave would fill with water and the casket would literally float to the surface.

They tried placing rocks on top of the caskets and drilling holes, but they would still float to the surface. Taking the learnings from the Spanish, New Orleans began to burry the dead above ground in tombs, vaults and crypts.

A local ordinance allows multiple family members to be buried in one crypt. It is required the crypt be sealed for a minimum two years before the next person can be added. The remains of the previous person can be placed into a special made burial bag to be placed at the back of the crypt. Newer cemeteries are equipped with temporary burial plots if there has not be a two year period between the deaths of family members.

The most notable grave is of Marie Laveau, the notorious Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.

The above ground cemeteries are easy to get to. The easiest and safer cemeteries are accessible by taking the Canal Street streetcar to the top of Canal Street. There are six large cemeteries at the end of the rail line.

Because the above cemeteries have become popular attractions for visitors, crime has followed. There are frequent muggings inside the cemeteries. It is not recommended to go alone; it is much safer to travel in groups or take a guided tour. It is also recommended to visit during the middle of the day; avoid the time between the start of dusk and the end of dawn. Don’t forget to use common sense!

Located in downtown Vancouver, Coal Harbour is the area of Burrard Inlet bounded to the southeast by Burrard Street, to the southwest by West Georgia and Pender Streets, and to the northwest by Stanley Park.

Best known for its upscale high-rise condos built in the 1990’s on reclaimed land, Vancouver’s Coal Harbour features many park areas, fine-dining restaurants, boutique shops, and marinas.

The area has a rich industrial history. Over the years there have been seaplane manufactures, ship work yards, rail and ship stations, and even a lumber mill. The area has also been home to yacht and rowing clubs.

The area received its name from when coal was first discovered in the area in 1862. The coal was low-grade and was not mined because of the amount of clay in laid in.

The area was first settled by the Sḵwxwú7mesh aboriginal people.

On November 23, 2005, Georgia Aquarium officially opened its doors to the public. As the world’s largest aquarium, Georgia Aquarium features more animals than any other aquarium in more than eight million gallons of water.

In 2003, Bernie Marcus co-founder of Home Depot (founded in Atlanta Georgia), donated $250 million to the Georgia Aquarium, as his way to give back to the community. This generous donation allowed the aquarium to open it’s doors as a state-of-the-art facility, to the public debt-free.

Georgia Aquarium has attracted more than eleven million visitors and employs more than 400 employees and a dedicated core of more than 2,000 volunteers.

There are six major exhibits to explore:

1. Ocean Voyager: Whale sharks and manta rays, The world’s largest aquarium exhibit with 6.3 million gallons of water, and the largest viewing window in North America.
2. Cold Water Quest: Beluga whales give you a glimpse of the variety of life found in cold ocean waters. Penguins, southern sea otters and touch pools.
3. River Scout: A wide diversity of animals from in the rivers of Africa, South America, Asia and Georgia. Piranha, Asian small-clawed otters and American alligators.
4. Tropical Diver: Living corals and thousands of colorful reef fish.
5. Georgia Explorer: Interactive gallery, loggerhead sea turtle, lionfish and several touchpools.
6. Dolphin Tales: A larger-than-life performance incorporating the talents of the Aquarium’s dolphins.

The Georgia Aquarium is open 365 days a year. For full schedule and ticket information visit their website: www.georgiaaquarium.org

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Montreal, Quebec is rich in history. The architecture rich city is home to dozens of cathedrals of various shapes, sizes and religions. The most popular of them all is the Notre Dame Basilica.

The original Notre-Dame in Montreal was founded in 1642 by Maisonneuve. Until 1959, the faithful gathered in the modest wooden chapel. It was operated by the Jesuits until the Sulpicians’ arrival in Ville-Marie (Montreal), in 1957, when they took over the parish.

The construction of the stone church took place from 1672 to 1683. By the year 1800 many parishioners had to listen to the mass from the parvis because there was not enough room inside the church.

After many years of discussion to renovate the existing church, in 1823 the church wardens approved the plans for the existing church.

The basilica’s architect was James O’Donnell, an Irish protestant living in New York. He moved to Montreal to oversee his work, converted to Catholicism and died in 1830, just a few months after the church’s inauguration.

Construction of the towers started in 1841 and was completed in 1843. The great bell, located in the western tower, Perseverance, weights 10,900kg. The eastern tower, Temperance, is home to a carillon with ten bells.

The interior of Notre Dame was inspired by the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Mr. Victor Bourgeau, the diocese’s most prolific architect, was hired to design the existing décor. He submitted his plans in 1869, but work did not begin until 1874 and was completed by 1880.

Today, visitors are welcome to visit and take part in the regular scheduled services. There is a minimum five dollar donation to enter during regular business hours. These admission fees help finance the ongoing restoration and conversation of the building.

There are six major features for visitors to see:

1. The sanctuary and alter: Melchisedech offers bread and wine; Moses places an urn full of manna in the Arch of the Covenant; Abraham prepares to sacrifice his son Isaac; Aaron sacrifices a lamb; Mary is crowned by her son; the six polychrome statues represent Saint Peter and Saint Paul and the four evangelists.
2. The Pulpit: Built from 1883 – 1885; sculptures by Louis-Philippe Hebert
3. The organ: Originally built in 1891 by the Casavant brothers; it has 4 keyboards, 99 stops and approximately 7,000 pipes.
4. Chapel of Notre-Dame du Sacre-Coeur: Built from 1888 to 1891; destroyed by fire in 1978 and was rebuilt from 1979 to 1982.
5. Chapel of the Blesses Sacrament: The faithful may pray in peace; behind the chapel is the baptistery.
6. Stained glass windows: Ordered in 1929, the ground floor windows depict scenes of Montreal’s social and religious history.

For more information, visit the Notre-Dame Basilica website.

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Every year the tree-lined streets of Vancouver come alive with beautiful shades of pink as the cherry trees come into full blossom.

Vancouver is one of a handful of cities that can proudly boast grassy, tree-lined boulevards on almost every residential neighbourhood.

Since 1917, the Vancouver Parks Board strived to provide long, linear streetscapes of single kinds of trees. Vancouver’s street trees are a direct result of extensive planning following World War II.

Many of Vancouver’s cherry trees were gifts from Japan. The first gift of trees came in the 1930’s and were planted in at the Cenotaph in Stanley Park, to honour the Japanese Canadians who fought in World War I.

In 1958,  the Japanese Consul gave Vancouver a gift of another 300 trees as “an eternal memory of good friendship between our two nations.” They were planted in Queen Elizabeth Park, Stanley Park, along Cambie Street and at UBC. Many of these trees are still alive and well today.

Since the 1960’s, the Vancouver Parks Board and its Street Tree Division have maintained Vancouver’s intricate street tree program, including the preservation and replacement of the ornamental cherry trees.

The last official count it was estimated over 18,000 flowering cherries lined Vancouver’s streets, representing almost 600 kinds of cherry trees.  These trees are estimated to be valued at over $500 million by the Vancouver Parks Board.

Get into the spirit and celebrate this the blooming cherry blossoms this spring, check out the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.

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Built in 1876, the Dalton Hotel and Suites and has the distinct honour of being Victoria B.C.’s oldest hotel.

The red brick exterior exterior is almost the same now as when it was originally built. Much of the original architecture still remains in the interior too. The lobby features oak paneling, marble and brass – providing a feeling of warmth and character. Many of the rooms feature antique furniture including bed frames, side tables, desks and more.

The new owners of the Dalton Hotel are currently renovating the hotel; preserving its history and installing modern luxuries. Rooms range from standard rooms to boutique suites.

The hotel is located within walking distance of the harbour, shopping districts, Royal BC Museum, China Town and the Provincial Legislature.

The Dalton is a great hotel in Victoria if you’re looking to experience the warmth and comfort of the Victorian era on a reasonable budget.

To make your reservation at the Dalton, including a free continental breakfast, visit their website.

With the Vancouver PNE Parade making a special return in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the PNE, I wanted to share some vintage footage of the original PNE parade from 1959 that my grandpa shot with his 8mm colour reel camera.

It’s incredible to see just how things have not changed a lot. There are marching bands, RCMP in their red serge, the Canadian Armed Forces marched, elaborate floats and costumes, and even uni-cycles, just like in last nights parade.

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The 100th Anniversary PNE Parade took place on Friday, August 20th at 7pm, the night before the Fair opened.

The special event celebrated 100 years of PNE magic as it traveled along Beach Avenue from English Bay to Sunset Beach. The parade paid tribute to special memories and highlights of the Fair’s 10 decades of history.

This year’s family-friendly parade featured giant parade balloons, similar to those seen in famous parades around the world including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. It took a cast of more than 2,000 performers to put on the parade.

The original parade ran for 60 years, but ended in the 1990′s. There were no corporate floats featured in this parade. The parade cost an estimated $500,000 to put together because every entry needed to be created.

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Pictures capture our most precious special moments in time. Every family has a basement or attic with photo albums and boxes filled with precious heirlooms. Throughout our lives we will go back to these photo over and over again to take a walk down memory lane, to relive memories, recount the past, and learn about our history.

Unfortunately, over time photos begin to suffer damage. Photographic paper degrades, colours fade, and photos get damaged from heat, humidity and improper care.

The best way to preserve valuable photos from being lost forever and save them for future generations is to digitally restore and save the images. It’s also a safe method for archiving and duplication.

The process starts by scanning the original slide, negative or print at high resolution, leaving the original unharmed. All restoration work is done on the electronic copy, preserving as much detail as possible. Through restoration, the image can be brought back to its original glory – sometimes with better enhancements than the original.

Restoration can include:

• Repairing damage including cracks, creases, tears and holes
• Removing stains, watermarks, mildew, and blemishes
• Reversing the effects of fading, wash-out and discolouration
• Bringing back the life and luster to colour and black & white photographs
• Adding or removing people or objects

Last year it was my grandparents 50^th wedding anniversary. I spend months restoring over 700 photographs submitted from friends and family from across the country. In return, each family received a DVD with all the restored and catalogued images as a special gift and keepsake.

Below are just two of the many photos I restored. These photos are just two examples of what can be achieved through electronic restoration. When I showed my grandparents the restored photos it brought back a lot of memories and emotion for them – and that is a very special gift that can never be bought.

Maybe it’s time to start thinking about what family photos you want to preserve for future generations or are worthy of prominent display in your home.

Still not convinced? Think about this: if your house was on fire and you had just one moment to grab anything inside, what would you take? Most people choose to take their most precious memories – their photos – because they are irreplaceable.