Here are the best photos from the road trip that Christie and I took in early July. Our route took us to Seattle, to the Oregon Coast, down to the Bay Area, and finally to LA for two days of fun in SoCal. It was a lot of fun and I think I got some really great and unique photos. Click here to see the show! (Note: click “Show Info” to see some explanatory captions…)

Summer in the West End means two exciting events come to my doorstep: the four nights of the”Celebration of Light” fireworks shows, and topping the month off, the Pride Parade. This year was a special one for me, as for the first time since I moved up here, my Mom was in town during both these events and able to see in person what I had been raving about. This year’s parade was particularly special – not only was there a record crowd, but the overall vibe just seemed to be set to extra-joyous. There was a time I’d have told you I was getting a little jaded about the Pride Parade, but this year – maybe because of my special guest – it seemed even more fun than ever. 

Of course, the usual elements were all in place, without which it just isn’t a Pride Parade. I mentally checked them off in order as the procession went by:

• Dykes on Bikes
• The Knights of Malta (who are these folks exactly and why do they always lead the parade? Must google…)
• Politicians galore: Jack Layton and Carole James, Adriane Carr, Tim Stephenson, Gregor Robertson (courting the rollerblader vote!), Mayor Sam Sullivan, and Hedy Fry
• Disco classics (“I Willl Survive”, “Knock on Wood” – but no “YMCA” this year… shocking!)
• Cross-dressing extraordinaire (this year: bathing beauties and stewardesses)
• Dancing boys (and girls) on nightclub floats
• Great signs
• Topless women
• Bottomless men

Check out my photos and enjoy the sights of Pride!

Tonight I went to see TRON, the unique 1982 sci-fi film, at the VanCity theatre. As a bonus, there was a talk by Frank Vitz, who worked on the visual effects for the film, before the screening. I not only got to chat with him afterwards, I also found vindication for my pack-rat tendencies as a TRON artifact I’ve kept for over two decades got some long-awaited appreciation!

Frank had a slide show and some entertaining tidbits to share. The most memorable involved his attending to the elaborate camera/filter/screen setup required to painstakingly photograph the computer graphics (yes, this was a pretty low-tech process). Suspecting a light leak, they took no chances and “sealed” him into the room with duct tape, leaving only a flap to slip pizza into. He had to remain there, in the darkened room, for hours at a time!

After the screening, I chatted with him and his wife, along with a couple of young computer graphics/video game students who weren’t even born when he was helping create TRON’s groundbreaking effects.

And then I played my trump card of a conversation piece.

Sometime in the 80′s – I don’t recall quite where or even how – I acquired the articulated joystick handle from an original TRON arcade game. It seemed a pretty cool thing, quite the futuristic blue plastic curio, so I naturally held onto it, imagining I might work it into an art project or who knows what. It just felt too unique to toss. But basically it sat in a box for over two decades.

Tonight, I was finally viewing TRON for the first time over 25 years after its release. And I’d had the presence of mind to bring this prized artifact (OK, useless bit of debris) along. To my utter delight, said joystick made a cameo appearance in the first scene of the film (as someone plays a fictionalized version of the “TRON” arcade game). Afterwards, of course, I showed it to Frank. A big grin spread across his face and he seemed very pleased to see it! And I was even able to immortalize the moment in a photo (taken with Frank’s cel-cam).

So, in a way, I felt my pack-rat tendencies had been validated as this little castoff that I rescued from oblivion all that time ago finally had its moment of appreciation – one it had patiently waited 20 years for.

Here’s a nice photo I found of the joystick as seen on the original arcade game!

Last Sunday night was the always-delightful Ovation Awards, where the best in local musical theatre talent is honoured by their peers. It’s a ton of fun and a chance to see virtually everyone I was in a show with in the past year!

Adding to the fun this time, I participated in not one but two group numbers during the show – “There You Are” from “The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and “Anything Can Happen” from “Anne Murray of Green Gables” (the latter a fine excuse to wear my glittery “cheesy TV Host” jacket again!)

Here’s some pics I took at the reception, intermission, and even one from the show itself. Enjoy!

A must-see event in Vancouver – a home-grown, non-corporate cornucopia of creativity! View the Flickr photo album.

I always liked these little semi-detached cottage-like homes, just off of Pacific Boulevard and steps from the beach. A charming holdover from the onset of jumbo apartment blocks. But I guess economics finally did them in: they’re slated for demolition. Sigh…

Take a last look

Click here to view the photos!

I visited family and friends, got to play with the new iPhone, saw an indoor thunderstorm, and strolled the streets of Beverly Hills.Here are some of my favourite photos!