Vancouver History: The Hotel Georgia

© 2004-2010 Rebecca Bollwitt - Miss604.com. If you are not reading this via offiicial Miss604 channels, this content is being reproduced without permission. Please report to Miss604.com/contact.

This morning it was announced that the Rosewood Hotel Georgia will officially open its doors on Saturday May 7th 2011, exactly 84 years to the day that the hotel first opened its doors in 1927. While it has been under construction and major renovations for the last few years, it was still an icon during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics with its larger-than-life 15-storey Canadian flag wrap.

Photo credit: Rodefeld, Tyler Ingram on Flickr

1930 – Hotel Georgia. Photographer: Leonard Frank. Vancouver Archives Item #Hot P2

Over the last century the Hotel Georgia hosted everything from Board of Trade meetings to guest like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and the Rolling Stones. However it was not only accommodation for dignitaries and Hollywood’s glitz and glamour crowd; the pub was also a favourite hangout for UBC students who even protested its closing in 1962.

1945 – Hotel Georgia (Top Right) 1945 – alcove VPL#: 26741, (Top Left) elevator lobby VPL#: 26308

(Bottom Right) lounge VPL#: 26314, (Bottom Left) ballroom VPL#: 26315

The new Rosewood Hotel Georgia will feature close to 10,000 square feet of deluxe banquet and meeting facilities, the Rosewood Spa, a fitness centre, and a 54’ indoor salt water lap pool. There will be 155 rooms and two Penthouse Suites, the Lord Stanley Suite and the signature Rosewood Suite, both featuring a private rooftop terrace complete with city skyline views, outdoor hot tub and fireplace.

Hotel Georgia writing room VPL Accession #: 26310

Chef David Hawksworth will also open the 2,800 square foot ‘Hawksworth’ Restaurant including a seated bar and lounge area and a first floor private dining room, overlooking the Art Gallery.

With TripAdvisor recently announcing the “Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Canada” and 8 of them being in BC, it sounds like the Rosewood Hotel Georgia is poised to fit right back into the legacy of luxury accommodation that it created in Vancouver.

For more history, check out The Hotel Georgia: A Vancouver Tradition by Sean Rossiter that was published in 1998.

My weekly history series has been rebranded for “Vancouver 125” with a focus on specific dates, landmarks, and events throughout Vancouver’s history. This series is dedicated to the tremendous life and work of Chuck Davis.

© 2004-2010 Rebecca Bollwitt - Miss604.com. If you are not reading this via offiicial Miss604 channels, this content is being reproduced without permission. Please report to Miss604.com/contact.

Langley Chiefs Prize Package

© 2004-2010 Rebecca Bollwitt - Miss604.com. If you are not reading this via offiicial Miss604 channels, this content is being reproduced without permission. Please report to Miss604.com/contact.

We’re spoiled in Vancouver when it comes to hockey. We have an NHL team and a WHL team (here and in the valley) and not to mention we’re surrounded by community clubs. Heading outside of the downtown core, there’s even more hockey with BCHL teams in several cities including the Langley Chiefs who play at the Langley Events Centre. Anyone whose ever been to a BCHL game knows that it’s local hockey with heart – these are the rising stars of tomorrow and you don’t have to shell out $20 for just a hot dog and beer when you see them play.

The Chiefs are currently third in the BCHL’s Coastal Conference (that includes the likes of the Surrey Eagles and Coquitlam Express) and Jeff Tambellini of the Vancouver Canucks is a former Chief himself.

The team would love to host one of my readers for an upcoming game, Saturday February 5th versus the top-ranked Powell River Kings. As a bonus, the Sandman Hotel has offered a night’s stay to my contest winner so that they don’t have to drive home after enjoying the game.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

Leave a comment on this blog post (1 entry)

Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I entered to win a @LangleyChiefs prize package from @Miss604

The tickets will be ice-level and the prize package includes the one night stay at the Sandman Hotel in Langley February 5, 2011. You can take your son or daughter, friend, or hockey-loving spouse. Tourism Langley has a full list of events, festivals, and other activities that you can enjoy while in the area. I will draw one winner at random from all entries this Friday, January 28, 2011.

© 2004-2010 Rebecca Bollwitt - Miss604.com. If you are not reading this via offiicial Miss604 channels, this content is being reproduced without permission. Please report to Miss604.com/contact.

New! The Tree House, a Page for Children and Youth!

The Tree House, a Page for Children and Youth!

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Ariadne

Welcome to the Tree House, a page dedicated for children and youth !

You can post your poems, stories, ideas , special events, awards and projects. Selected poems will be read on the World Poetry Cafe Radio Show and published on www.worldpoetry.ca. School projects are also very welcome.

Calling all artists: We would like to place a Tree House image that we can put at the beginning of each post.

Poets and short story writers: Please send your poem, a brief biography and name of your country.

E-Poets: If you want your poem read on the radio show as an e-poem, please send it to: ariadnes@uniserve.com

World Poetry Readings:

World Poetry New Westminster is dedicating a half hour for Children and youth at the New Westminster Public Library, the fourth Wednesday of each month starting at 6:30 pm. If you are in the Vancouver or New Westminster area or on tour, please contact: ariadnes@uniserve.com

World Poetry International Festival , May 14-15 will be featuring children and youth poets at the Richmond Cultural Centre, Richmond, BC.

Join us and have fun as we explore the wonderful world of poetry and stories.

Special Events:

Danielle Jones, First World Poetry New Westminster Youth Ambassador!

January 26th at 6:30 pm, New Westminster Public Library, our partners, 716-6th Avenue (Auditorium Room) New Westminster, BC, Canada.

Danielle Jones will receive the World Poetry New Westminster Youth Ambassadorship. Miss Jones has been very active reading and volunteering at World Poetry events. She is the author of two chapbooks and has written a number of poems in the last few years. Recently she received a golden spoon from the Mayor of New Westminster, His Worship Wayne Wright while reading a special poem (New Westminster) in Council Chambers in celebration of World Poetry’s first year in New Westminster.

“Danielle is a valued volunteer and poet, opening doors to other youth poets who will be the poets and writers of the future. We are very honoured to have her as our first youth ambassador.” says Ariadne Sawyer, World Poetry New Westminster organizer.

All are welcome to attend. There will also be two book launches, poet readings and refreshments. Hosts: Masume Dihkani and Ariadne Sawyer. Free. For more information: 604-526-4729 or ariadnes@uniserve.com

The Tree House Background information:

The founder of the original Tree House, Patricia Star Downey started the Tree House program at age six and continued working on it until she was ten. It included a monthly venue on the World Poetry Cafe Radio Show and a monthly Newsletter as well as contests, guest writers and other events such as The World Poetry Create a Poem table and certificates which World Poetry still does today. Patrica is now in college and has her own family of future poets. She gave us permission to bring the Tree House back to life again. When Patricia was six I asked her why she chose the name, The Tree House? She replied : ” I picked the name because children can climb up into it and feel safe and comfortable.”

This sounds like a house that we all need to go visit from time to time

Do you want to write for Beyond Robson?

Do you want to write for Beyond Robson? We're currently hiring 5 part-time editors for the following roles:

• Food editor: will post about restaurant openings, closings, food events and local food news.
• Fashion and design editor: will post about store openings, closings, local designers, new products made by local designers, local fashion and design news, events and happenings.
• Music editor: will post new music videos, songs and albums by local Vancouver bands/musicians as well as local music events/concerts and music news.
• Arts and culture editor: will post about unique and interesting local arts, film and culture happenings.
• News editor: will post about local news.

We are looking to hire one editor for each of the above roles. In your role as editor you'll be responsible for posting to the site at least once a day. Each post should be between 50 and 250 words and include at least one photo or video.

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More wine puns from the Twitterverse #winemusicals

Happy Friday! A little light programming for your today. Yesterday, I spotted a meme on Twitter using the hashtag #indecisivemusicals that included such suggestions as “Rent … no maybe we should buy.” With the Andrew Lloyd Webber wine auction coming up this weekend, I wondered on Twitter if we needed some #winemusicals? I proposed “The Full Monte Bello” and “Gentlemen Prefer Brunes et Blondes.” Here are some of other chuckle (or groan?) worthy suggestions:

“Oaklahoma!” @ablegrape (by Rolland & Hammerstein?)

“My Fair Lieu-dit” @ablegrape

“Sunday in the Park with Nuits Saint Georges” @felixsalmon

“Guys and Dolcettos” @howardggoldberg

“St Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” @davidwlamb

“The Musar Man” @Tri_pops

Search for more and add your own in the comments or on Twitter. And let us know if you hear of the opening of any of these shows, presumably well off-Broadway.

Clos Ouvert Loncomilla: Chilean for savory carmenere

In a recent column on Slate.com, Mike Steinberger threw most Chilean carmenere under the oak bus. Many of the wines in his tasting, “lacked personality and depth, and some were jammy, hideously oaky confections that were indistinguishable from other, similarly afflicted New World wines.” I’d also add that some of the ones that I’ve had carry an unwanted sweetness, probably from the oak and alcohol.

Behold a savory and delicious carmenere: the Clos Ouvert Loconmilla 2008. In his article, Mike encouraged Chilean producers to pick up a bottle of it in his article, and, even though I’m not a producer, I did so, buying a bottle at Grapes the Wine Company in White Plains, NY (about $26). The wine is made by a pair of Frenchman, using organically cultivated old vines and with a gentle hand in the cellar, notably using old oak barrels over new. In the glass, the impressive aromas enticingly intertwine some dark fruit notes with a whiff of dried herbs and a lot of intrigue. Although the wine lists 14.5% alcohol on the label, it carries the alcohol well thanks to good balance and acidity that enlivens the palate. On day two of being open, this wine had just as much intrigue as on day one, always the mark of an excellent young wine.

A final note for those of you who are into global wine logistics: the wine appears to have been bottled in France since it has a French tax stamp on the top of the bottle. No response was forthcoming to an email to the producers seeking clarification on this minor issue.

Wine LOLz from Twitter #lessambitiouswines

Occasionally, “memes” get started on Twitter: someone starts a hashtag such as #lessambitiousfilms and people chine in with their ideas, such as “The Sounds of Muzak,” “Being John Stamos” or “Saving Private Ryan 15% on his Auto Insurance by Switching him to GEICO.”

Now the meme has spread to wine with people tweeting about #lessambitiouswines. Suggestions include, “Châteauneuf-du-Pabst,” “Henschke Hill of Poise,” and “Humble Mountain Vineyards.” I suggested playing it both ways with “Bronze Oak #lessambitiouswines Gold Oak #moreambitiouswines.”Howard Goldberg has been on a roll offering “Geworstraminer,” “Pinot grease,” and “Defite-Rothschild.” Hit the comments if you have other ideas.

And if you are poking around on Twitter for some chuckles, there has been a raft of anonymous accounts offering up spoof tasting notes to inside-baseball sommelier talk. As they say at the finest tweeting establishments, #enjoy.