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There’s a party spreading across North America and it’s gearing up to hit Vancouver this September. The Emmy-nominated, chart-topping Yo Gabba Gabba has taken its hit show from the screen to the stage as DJ Lance Rock, Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee and Plex are making 60 stops from coast to coast. They’ll be visiting the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on September 11 and 12, 2010.

Yo Gabba Gabba has rapidly gained popularity with kids, adults and big kids alike with its retro throwbacks, fresh jams and inviting entertainment. A dance floor full of celebrity guests have been a part of Yo Gabba Gabba at one time or another, including Jack Black, Andy Samberg, Tony Hawk and The Roots.

Partnering with Child Find and proudly sponsored by Kia Motors, Yo Gabba Gabba Live: There’s A Party In My City! promises to be a fun-filled, family-friendly show with music, singing, dancing, animation – and even a few special guests. Biz Markie (best known for his appearances on a slew of Beastie Boys’ records) will be on hand to help you all with your beat boxing skills in an entirely interactive experience.

I’ve got tickets to give away to the September 12th show at 1:00 p.m. There will be two contest winners; each winner will receive two tickets. There are three ways to enter – complete all three and you’ve got three chances to win!

1. Leave a comment below and tell me who you’d bring to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! (1 entry)

2. Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page and then leave a comment here telling me you’ve done so. (1 entry)

3. Tweet the following on Twitter (1 entry):

I want tickets to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live! in Vancouver thanks to @keiraanne http://bit.ly/cMgosz #YGGLIV

Good luck! The contest closes at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 3 with the winners to be announced shortly thereafter.

Yo Gabba Gabba Live! There’s A Party In My City will be donating $1 from all ticket sales to Child Find in the Greater Vancouver area. To purchase tickets, please visit Ticketmaster.

They say that the journey is the real adventure. What started as a one-night-only jam piece in 2006 has turned into international adoration for Vancouver’s Delhi 2 Dublin. Fusing musical roots from around the globe, these five eclectic musicians have created a sound that is far more than simply unique.

I first discovered Delhi 2 Dublin while wandering down Granville Street during the 2009 Juno Street Party, bounced with the crowd at last summer’s Big Time Out festival and last night celebrated the release of the band’s second studio record, Planet Electric. Rebecca and I made our way to the legendary Commodore Ballroom, a venue that was a dream come true for the band. While the new record is nothing short of a party in my living room, Delhi 2 Dublin is a band that’s a live band first and foremost.

Vancouver Islanders have a chance to see this musical gem in concert as Delhi 2 Dublin are playing a number of shows on the Island over the coming days.

Contact your local venue for tickets… that is, if there are any left. “Sold Out” is quickly becoming a term synonymous with Delhi 2 Dublin these days. The rest of my photos from last night can be found on my Flickr set.

…of the playoff variety.

Photo: Miss604 on Flickr

Growing up in a house with a hockey-hungry dad and an equally Canuck-crazy brother, one would assume that playoff insanity is nothing new for this girl. The Vancouver Canucks are BC’s team and there’s absolutely no team I’d rather see bring home the Stanley Cup. However, that said, I must admit that any excitement I’ve felt, any enthusiasm I’ve displayed and any cheering I have directed toward the Canucks has been of the bandwagon variety. I’m a fickle fan and will be the first to admit it. Perhaps it’s because of this that playoff fever had never struck me down and got me hot.

That is, however, until now. Before I discovered the Phoenix Suns and how thrilling NBA basketball is for me, I never had a “thing”. Everyone has that one “thing” they get excited and passionate about and any “thing” that I’d ever pursued simply waned as I went along. Not so in this case, and today I find myself gearing up for my first playoff season as a bona fide, blissed out, babelicious fan. Like the Vancouver Canucks, my beloved Suns have grabbed third seed in the Western Conference (much to the surprise of many).

Tonight the puck drops at GM Place between the Canucks and the LA Kings, and we’re three sleeps away from a first-round tip off between the Suns and the Portland Trail Blazers on home turf. No matter which sport is yours or which team you’re cheering on, playoff season is bound to be anything but dull. So to you and your boys, whichever boys they may be, this Gatorade’s for you.

Good luck and game on!

Unfortunately, it appears that the Harlem Globetrotters‘ game and exhibition scheduled for this coming Saturday, April 17, 2010 at General Motors Place is now nothing more than a hoop dream. Due to a scheduling conflict, the event has been canceled and will not be rescheduled during their 2010 North American Tour.

Photo: alexkess on Flickr

In a press release I received this morning, the Globetrotters confirm that they will instead be playing a matinee game at 3:00 p.m. on April 17th at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Complex in the Fraser Valley. Their regularly scheduled game will go ahead on Sunday, April 18th at 2:00 p.m. as planned. Unfortunately, tickets purchased for the event at GM Place cannot be honoured in Abbotsford. Ticketmaster will be automatically crediting those who purchased tickets online or by phone within five business days; ticket holders who made purchases in person can get a refund at the point of purchase as of this Friday.

I want to thank all my enthusiastic readers and Twitter followers for their entries in the contest to win tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters game and offer my sincerest apologies. The Harlem Globetrotters will eventually make their way to GM Place in Vancouver on their 2011 North American Tour with dates to be announced this Fall. Stay tuned as I hope to provide this exciting contest to you again at that time!

With me and Rebecca’s trip to New York City on the horizon, I thought it crucial to replace my sad little point-and-shoot Canon with a beefed up Nikon D3000. It will be the trip of my lifetime, so I want to take the very best shots with which to remember it by.

I picked up the new camera several days ago and haven’t yet had the chance to go through the manual to see what this camera is capable of. Instead, I grabbed Jordy and headed to the park to snap a few test shots to get a feel for the equipment.

It’s no secret that yours truly is a major fan of basketball, so it should go without saying that I was thrilled to learn that the Harlem Globetrotters would be bringing their fiercely talented show to Vancouver this Spring.

Photo: westerntragedy on Flickr

Despite their name, the Harlem Globetrotters were formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1926 but adopted their moniker due to the team’s association with the African-American community. Since that time, the team has dribbled and dunked their way into countless generations around the world – much in part thanks to that unmistakable whistle of “Sweet Georgia Brown”.

April 17 is gearing up to be an exciting and action-packed night that promises to be fun for families and basketball fans alike. To celebrate their return to Vancouver, the Harlem Globetrotters have provided me with two tickets to give away to one lucky reader. Here’s what you need to know and how to enter:

What: Harlem Globetrotters 2010 North American Tour

Where: GM Place, 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver, BC

When: Saturday, April 17, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Who: Maybe you! (As long as you live in the Metro Vancouver area and can attend – the tickets have no cash value)

How to enter: Leave a comment below, telling me why you’d like to attend the Harlem Globetrotters’ 2010 North American Tour or simply re-Tweet the following on Twitter:

I want tickets to see the Harlem Globetrotters, thanks to @keiraanne and @globies! #HGVan2010 http://ow.ly/1rrG1

You can do both and double your entries!

The contest closes on April 14th when I draw one lucky winner – Good luck!

They say there’s a first for everything and for this gal it’s Twestival. The semi-annual event is held nearly simultaneously in cities around the world and is focused on generating funds for global charities. This time around the cause is Concern Worldwide, and I’m looking forward to getting together with fellow Vancouverites for this exciting initiative. Concern Worldwide was created to implement innovative programs to bring education to some of the world’s poorest children. This time around, thanks to the generosity of EF/AVHHF (Entrepreneurs Foundation) all donations and ticket sales are being matched through March 25, 2010 up to $100,000!

Twestival Vancouver is being held this coming Thursday at the CBC Broadcast Centre in downtown Vancouver in their brand new audience lounge. Tickets are $20 (c’mon… give up your latte for a couple days) and can be purchased online. It’s guaranteed to be a great night of entertainment, prizes, sushi, wine and so much more – all to help a fantastic cause. For more information, visit the Twestival Vancouver website and make sure you follow them on Twitter for updates. See you there!

When Vancouver and Whistler were first awarded the 2010 Olympic Winter Games seven years ago, I was less than enthused. I’ve never been a fan of the Olympics generally and wasn’t pumped for them to be held in British Columbia specifically. My sentiments spent the next near-decade snowballing, tangling up in an avalanche of over-spending, criticizing reports, suffering social programs and homelessness to name a few. While you can talk to me until you’re blue in the face, I will never, ever agree that athletic facilities trump any of the problems within our Province that are rapidly deteriorating. That said, I also can’t deny the fact that the Games are very much here.

This is where I admit to waving the white flag, eat my words and declare my own hypocrisy. Despite it all, I am very, very excited for the celebrations at hand.

I suppose it began last Thursday. I made my way to 49th Avenue in an attempt to catch Steve Nash carry the torch and felt entirely unpatriotic. In a sea of red and white, I stood out like a sore thumb in my purple basketball jersey. I intended to get Nash’s attention and, seemingly, it worked. Without red and white, I felt entirely alienated so made the decision that I’d actually sport Canada’s colours the next day as the torch made its way past my office downtown.

The excitement on Georgia Street Friday morning was incredible with a sea of proud Canadians stretched, quite literally, as far as my eyes could see. And as we cheered, applauded and shouted, everyone was speculating who’d ultimately light the cauldron that night at BC Place Stadium. I had to admit that even I, the Olympic Cynic, was curious. [Cue that white flag I was telling you about.]

Curled up on my couch that evening, I sat mesmerized as so many of the beautiful elements of our country’s culture unfolded before millions of eyes around the globe. British Columbia is only a fraction of the rich tapestry that is Canada, made up of people, images, songs, history and events that have shaped and transformed the home in which you and I live today. Perhaps the hydraulic issue served as an unintended measure of proof that, despite how breathtaking Canada is, it is not perfect. We’d be fools to deny such flaws exist but can instead unite in the pride that threads through us all and hope that one day we’ll see a country in which the final pieces click into place.

I’ve been called many names in the past: Homebody, Little Miss Anti-Social and even Not A Joiner. While those labels can certainly ring true at the best of times, now is not one of them. The movement and spirit of Canadian pride has spread across this city like wildfire. Think of Vancouver as being likened to Zombieland – minus the fleshy tenancies but instead with a healthy dose of infectious patriotism.

The ’round-the-clock music, cheers, screams and partying no longer cause me to roll my eyes but instead stifle giggles. If anything, this event has served as a personal reminder of how truly magical British Columbia is. It’s easy to take the mountains and ocean and blue sky and fresh air for granted each day when it’s on my doorstep. To be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see those elements of our nation through the eyes of countless international visitors is a gift. While I certainly refuse to turn a blind eye to the critical needs on the streets of my city and in the towns of my province, it would also be a shame were I to miss out on such an amazing opportunity in my own front yard.

The strangest thing about this all is the notion that in a few short weeks, the streets will have emptied out, Robson Square will be once again quiet on my early morning walks to work and we will all be left wondering if it was just a dream…

In recent weeks, I, like many other people around Vancouver, find myself in a painfully consistent routine each morning. It begins by hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock more than a handful of times – at minimum. Failing that, I spend my first waking moments considering any plausible excuse to stay in bed that particular morning. Once reality kicks in, I know that the sensation of being rain-slicked while my boots become a decoupage of wet leaves is a looming inevitability. This is made even worse being that I have a dog who is desperate to pee the moment he bounds out of bed and before I leave for the office.

Despite umbrellas and hoods, my hair also falls victim to the season. I ask myself each day why I bother blow-drying, but it’s something I always do anyways. It’s the routine. After the eating of breakfast and the shower and the make-up and the blow-drying and the careful choosing of matching unmentionables comes the dreaded wardrobe selection. I must attire myself appropriately for the office but what I wear must also be functional enough to be tucked into galoshes and under a raincoat. Almost none of my office apparel fits the bill in this (or any) regard, so I normally leave my apartment a complete disarray of sunshine.

As I engaged in this daily dance with myself earlier this morning, it took almost no time to suddenly realize that this time three weeks from now, I’ll instead be waking up to this…

Original Photo: Sarah Sosiak on Flickr

The only decision that then needs to be made is red bikini, blue bikini or new bikini? You decide.

As an aside, I apologize for the lack of blog posts. I really have no valid excuse that would appease you. Feel free to stalk me on Twitter in the meantime.

In European Renaissance, those of royalty or upper-class society often married simply for the preservation of bloodlines and social status. More often than not, these men and women sought entertainment and companionship on the side from particular people who were educated, independent, trained in the arts and added a sense of sensuous luxury to life.

These particular people were known as courtesans.

Less than two months ago, fifteen years of planning finally came to fruition in the form of Yaletown’s newest boutique, Qortezan. The shop reflects owner Edie Orenstein’s personal sense of empowerment, manifested in retail form: “I wanted to create a sensual environment of pleasure that includes all the senses.” Edie believes there’s a difference between sensuality and sexuality, and Qortezan has been designed to highlight taste, touch, smell, sound and sight through textures, layers and an expansion of these elements.

Filled with beautiful silks, rich colours, enticing scents, entertaining books and candles designed to flicker just right, Qortezan was a boutique I fell in love with the moment I walked in the door two weeks ago. I should also add that Jordy accompanied me the first time – Qortezan is completely dog-friendly!

Men will find no shortage of handsomely tailored, hand-made shirts, crafted in Montréal from Italian and German fabrics. What’s more, the entire line is accompanied by a number of shiny cufflinks to provide contrast and refined style.

Some cufflinks are just for fun too…

One cannot enter Qortezan and ignore the fact that it’s also somewhat of a treasure chest of pleasure. Too often there’s still a stigma attached to items, lotions and potions designed for romps in the bedroom, but this is one shop aimed at breaking down any potential shame. Instead, Qortezan provides a comfortable and safe ambiance to indulge your carnal side.

Aside from her desire to bring a few of her favourite little things from overseas to our slice of the globe, Edie Orenstein also has an immense passion for flamenco dancing. Not only are traditional, hand-stitched manton scarves and leather flamenco shoes available for purchase (direct from Seville, Spain) at Qortezan, the shop will soon be transforming into a dance space for special events.

My personal favourite part of the shop is the vast array of bras, panties, nylons, bustiers and feathered delights. Largely featured is one of my most-loved lingerie lines, Blush. I should also mention that, in addition to mens’ clothing, us ladies can also find some fabulous pieces that can be worn outside of the bedroom.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Qortezan is fully stocked with everything one would need to bring this sensual environment from the shop to the home. Rare mens’ colognes, sweet perfumes and essentially-scented candles can be found all through-out the shop. I’m not normally a girl who likes cologne on a man, but I certainly wouldn’t kick him out of bed for wearing Pal Zileri’s signature scent or a dab of Lab.

If you’d like to visit Qortezan for yourself, visit the shop in person at 1035 Mainland Street in Yaletown, downtown Vancouver, just south of Nelson Street. No stranger to social media, Qortezan can also be found online, on Twitter, on Flickr and on Facebook.

Regular musical acts (including an upcoming appearance by Jim Byrnes), wine nights, fragrance evenings, phenomenal sales and so much more will be happening on a regular basis, so be sure to sign up for Qortezan’s e-mail list.