The Hidden Gem Soiree is a series of fun filled evenings taking place in Vancouver’s neatest cafes, wine bars, galleries and studios. each evening highlights works of a small group of talented local designers in fashion, jewellery, accessories and home decor. The next event takes place at Raw Canvas (1046 Hamilton Street) in Yaletown on Thursday July 8th from 5pm to 8pm. The featured designers include:
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Filou Designs – handcrafted sterling silver and 24K gold vermeil jewelry
Rosy Designs – sweet cards and prints
L’arbre Love - original wood jewelry
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Sip some wine, have tapas, paint on a Communal Canvas or paint one of your own!

Those beloved Tic Tac candies have launched a campaign called the “Tic Tac Small Fun Revolution” and a contest is being hosted to encourage Canadian Tic Tac fans to be creative and make creations with Tic Taccandies and/or empty Tic Tac boxes. Winner gets $5000 to spend on “small fun”. In addition, as an incentive to get your act together, Tic Tac is offering two ways to win a Small Fun Revolution t-shirt prize:
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1. Download the FREE iPhone games HERE and being one of the first 1000 to beat all the levels
   
   Super-cute and surprisingly addictive. Be warned that these little Tic Tac characters are vicious at air hockey.
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2. Submitting a photo/video contest entry at tictacsmallfun.ca
   
   Create a video or photo of something made out of Tic Tacs or Tic Tac boxes and submit it at tictacsmallfun.ca for a chance to win our grand prize: 24 hours of small fun with $5000. Creations will be judged on originality, creativity, and of course, overall fun-ness. Also, the first 1000 entries get a free t-shirt from Tic Tac.

For more information check out TicTacSmallFun.ca.

When visiting the Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Horby Street), my visit is never complete without a stop at their gift store. From now until March 21st, the Vancouver Art Gallery is offering free admission to their Leonardo da Vinci Exhibit. When you stop by the gift store, look out for local Vancouver designer Wendy Van Riesen of Dahlia Drive and her printed bamboo t-shirts in her newest “Leonardo Tease” collection, featuring anatomical graphics from the artist’s drawings. Also included in the store are her one of a kind dresses and skirts made from recycled slips and similarly printed with Leonardo’s drawings.

Has your sense of city pride increased now that the Vancouver Olympics have come and gone? Check out some of these Vancouver map artwork pieces, available for purchase, by Karen O’leary of Studio K. Karen is an architectural designer with an interest in all aspects of design. Her tagline with Studio K is “aspiring to replace the common with something more beautiful”. For more information, check out her Etsy and Flickr.

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On Sunday March 7, 2010, from 5pm to 10pm, OPUS Bar (350 Davie Street) and Elixir Bistro in Yaletown are celebrating the Oscars in style.

Feel like a celebrity as you walk the Red Carpet, wave to adoring paparazzi and step into the ultimate viewing party! Dress to impress and experience all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood while sipping Oscartini’s, nibbling feature Oscar O-bite platters for $25 and mingling with Vancouver’s glamorous while watching the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.

3 course Oscar Dinner available in Elixir Bistro for $30 with optional wine pairings for $20. Also, don’t miss your chance to win a Bed & Breakfast package for two at OPUS Hotel Vancouver, for the person with the most correct Oscar ballot predictions. RSVP to Jessica Dunn JDunn@opushotel.com.

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On Sunday March 7, 2010, grab some friends and head downtown to O Lounge (1054 Alberni Street) at COAST Restaurant and watch the Oscars’ festivities in Hollywood Style. Starting at 5pm, their new HD Projector and 2 large plasma screens will broadcast all of the glitz from the Kodak Theatre, live from Hollywood.

Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin host, while Chef Josh Wolfe prepares the finest and freshest oysters in town to go with your bubbly!! For the first time ever there are 10 movies in the running for best picture instead of the standard 5. Think you are a movie buff? Glowbal Group prizes and Gift Certificates given to the table with the closest predictions! Break out the Tuxes and Cocktail attire…we will be giving awards and prizes to the evening’s Best Dressed.

For your table reservations call 604.685.5010

Ladies, if your significant other has lately been glued to the TV screen for an hour each week, perhaps it could be that the 8th season of “24″ has begun! Now in its final season, some of you may be wondering what will be the next move for actor Kiefer Sutherland, who plays main character Jack Bauer.

In the new biography, “KIEFER SUTHERLAND: Living Dangerously”, author Christopher Heard shows that, before 24, Sutherland’s career was suffering because of his binge drinking and erratic behavior, and that he was far from the first choice for the role. Yet because of his unique life story, it was Sutherland alone who possessed the qualities to make the character of Bauer truly convincing.

For the first time readers learn the true story of how Sutherland took a break from Hollywood to rope steers on the rodeo circuit and how this actor, who has played so many celluloid cowboys, finally met the real thing-and how he stacked up. Although 24 has made Sutherland a very rich man, he has continued to behave erratically off-set, engaging in ever more serious exploits which culminated in his having to serve 6 weeks in jail in 2007.

Released in January 2010 by Transit Publishing, pick up your copy of “KIEFER SUTHERLAND: Living Dangerously” for $25.00 at your local bookstore!

Featuring over 50 local vendors, Got Craft? has something handmade for everybody on your list from clothing to jewelry to art to ceramics and home décor. This year, Got Craft? will be happening on Sunday December 6, from 11am to 5pm at the Royal Grandview Legion (2205 Commercial Drive at E. 6th Avenue). The first 30 people through the door will receive a free, re-useable swag bag packed full of goodies from all of our vendors. Admission is $2, kids are free.

Make It Vancouver is back again from November 20 to 22nd, this time at The Croatian Cultural Centre.

Our Vancouver show will feature almost 100 of the hottest, hippest and coolest designers in Western Canada! Because Make It is like a mullet; craft show in the front, party in the back we will have a bar and DJ Leanne spinning all weekend. This is the perfect place to shop, socialize and enjoy how darn talented emerging designers really are.

Click on the below graphic to print out the coupon for 2-for-1 admission to the event.

Here is the $2.00 OFF admission coupon for this year’s Circle Craft Christmas Market held November 11 – 15, 2009 under the sails at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Please print out this coupon and bring with you to the door for your ticket purchase. This offer is valid for one $2.00 discount per ticket.