Vancouver Queers :: Will You Be at Davie + Howe?

Vancouver is a-talking about what's coming to Davie & Howe in October and it's all the buzz....

Much speculation has been going around about what would be going into the prime intersection in gay-town.

While I was glad to hear it's not going to be a Starbuck's or a BlockBuster or yet another Safeway, I couldn't get the skinny on what was coming to the location exactly. I'm super intrigued, though, as I like the way "whatever-it-is" is flirting with the gay community.

What I Did Find Out

It's going to be a new Canadian brand and that they are launching in Vancouver before going national. Hmm.... a brand of what? We also heard from a very reliable source that this new yet to be named Canadian brand is going to definitely support the LGBT community.

Even though it's quite coy, I'm very curious--curious enough to join the online bandwagon! You should, too.

I'll keep my ear to the ground and let you know what I can uncover between now and Oct. I'm excited to see so many cute faces out and about and online! Join me in the fun.

Out in Schools

Last week, I went to a breakfast fundraiser for a great initiative called "Out In Schools." I was so inspired and blown away by all that's being done for our queer youth.

Everyone knows that homophobia and bullying are serious issues facing today's chitlins, particularly queer youth. Out In Schools brings queer films to local high schools to facilitate discussion on bullying, homophobia and stereotypes. They give students a safe place to explore these issues. It's supported by local GSAs, educators and the Vancouver School Board. Very cool stuff! I want to give a shout out to the awesome Dave Shortt with Creative B'stro for putting together this amazing video about it.




It's umbrella organization is Out on Screen, which not only does important work for youth, but also hosts the Vancouver Queer Film Festival and the Queer History Project.

Out on Screen's mission: promote the production and exhibition of queer media art creating opportunity for dialogue and education among diverse communities that cross class, age, ability, ethnicity, spirituality, gender and sexuality.

If you're a student who wants to submit, get more information here. Go for it!

They've been holding competitions for students to submit their own anti-homophobia PSAs. Check this recent winner out...

Olympic Fever :: Part Trois

How about those Opening Ceremonies?! We were blown away up here and so proud of the amazing job VANOC did. Aside from that one little phallic glitch (Patty said the fourth caldron needed viagra), it was absolutely stunning! My favorite parts included: the whales swimming in the floor, the mountains and the red skiers, the little boy who flew through the prairies, Sarah McLachlan's beautiful song and the special effects, the Anne Murray cameo and--of course--the barefoot dyke who brought down the house: kd lang singing Hallelujah.

In case you missed kd's song, enjoy a very similar rendition below...

Every big country up here has a host "House" for people to visit and for their people to hang out in. We visited the "Swiss House" a couple days ago (they're serving up bratwursts and bier) and on Friday we hung out in the "Pride House," hosted by GayWhistler.com. It was a great space and was very warm and welcoming, a place for the LGBT athletes and visitors to take a load off, have a drink, eat and just chill. The bronze pictured here is called "Slapashotolus," inspired by the famous discus bronze. Classic!

The women's downhill alpine was postponed today. Good news for America's sweetheart Lindsay Vonn, bad news for us--we had tickets. It was rescheduled for Thursday. We also scored women's hockey tickets for Saturday--a playoff game, teams TBD. Very excited for that! Those bitches play just as hard as the dudes! Canada beat Slovakia yesterday 18-0. Ouch.

More soon....

Here Come the Olympics!

After making its was across Canada toward Vancouver, the Olympic torch arrived in Whistler on Friday to much fanfare. While they didn't ask Patty or I to be a part of the Olympic relay (do they know who we are?!), the flames arrival is still buzzing through the Village. The photo included here is of Shania Twain, who lit the flame in her hometown (Timmins, Ontario) a month ago.

While gallivanting around Whistler Village yesterday, we ran into one of the people who was lucky enough to be part of the relay. She posed for a photo with us and said they get to run 300 meters with the flame before handing it off to the next relay member (and she got to keep the torch!).

Beyond the flame (it was lit in ancient Olympia, Greece in October), which is the biggest Olympic symbol--second only to the colorful rings--Whistler and Vancouver are all ready to host the big party next week. When we left Vancouver, nearly every single parking meter had been bagged, Olympic traffic lanes had been added and everyone was a little on-edge waiting to see if anyone's going to show up. Surprisingly, the streets were eerily quiet (because there is nowhere to park), everyone is taking public transit. It's like the perfect Utopian society without cars on the road or smog.

We are headed out today to wait in line to hopefully score some tickets, so keep your fingers crossed. More soon...

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Is all of North America in a deep freeze right now or what?

It's colder than a witch's tit up here in Vancouver, BC and I hear it's equally as chilly down in Portland, where the Dipster is. The news is also littered with stories of woe about the deep freeze that's happend across America.

Nothing, however, compares the cold that is found "whistling" at the top of Whistler Mountain. (Side note: Whistler is named after the hoary marmot, which whistles.)

I braved the slopes on Sunday with two good friends, Jill and Jess, and we had to stop after two runs to thaw in the powder house.

On the mountain, there were ominous signs warning of cold effects and frost bite (that can happen when you simply take your glove off to check your blackberry on the ski lift). I had every inch of skin covered and a subzero ski jacket and ski pants (that's me in the red coat), but it wasn't enough. Next time, instead of being a shredder, I may just hang at the cabin with Patty (the smart one), who stayed behind with Jill + Jess' adorable baby girl, Harper.


Stay warm~

Lip

Ashleigh Flynn in Vancouver

After we heard Sarah Waters speak, Patty and I headed out on the town to hear our friend Ashleigh Flynn perform at The Media Club. She opened for the Wood Brothers, who were also really great. Think Jackson Brown meets Neil Young with a double base.

It was fun to see Ashleigh in our hood and we had way too much fun. I *was* able to video at the Media Room, so I thought you'd all enjoy her song "American Dream," which is the title of her latest CD. If you don't have it, go get her music! She's awesome!

* I didn't have Flynn in a fierce neck hold here--she could breathe, I promise--but a loving hug.

Sarah Waters

The Vancouver International Writer's & Readers Festival was in town last week and I was lucky enough to get to sit in on a conversation with Sarah Waters. If you don't know Sarah Waters by name, you've surely seen or heard of her lezzie novels--Tipping the Velvet (her debut) and Fingersmith--which were beautifully adapted to the screen by the BBC.

The British period fiction master was in town for the festival and she spoke to Bill Richardson in front of a crowd of about 300, most of whom like tipping the velvet themselves. The event was called "Still Waters," but, Waters joked to the crowd, has been to many of these and they've always got creative titles: Troubled Waters, Steamy Water, Muddy Waters.

After Waters was done talking about her new novel, The Little Stranger--a story full of ghosts, gothic horror, poltergeists, female hysteria--they opened it up to the crowd. I stood and asked Waters a question about something I'm personally struggling with as a writer. I'm beginning my second novel (more on my first novel soon), so I asked her: How do you decide on POV (point of view)?

It was an amazing answer which pretty much boiled down to: it's an organic process and you must follow your intuition. Waters said she just begins a story and it becomes obvious to her who needs to be telling it.

There was no videoing allowed so I was only able to capture still shots. I did find a video online of an interview she did at the Brighton Festival below. She was a great inspiration and very gracious and sweet. Go buy her books! Support our fellow sisters!

Great Live Music This Weekend in Portland, Seattle + Vancouver, BC

It's a great weekend for music in Cascadia! First, you Seattle-ites will enjoy this little treat: Christine Havrilla is back! She will be performing on Friday night in Seattle at the Sunset Tavern with Camille Bloom.

Saturday night, she and Bloom zip down to Portland for a gig at the Alberta Street Pub. Here are the details:

Fri 10/23 7:00 pm
Sunset Tavern
5433 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA

206.784.4880

Tune in online at http://www.synclive.com/

Sat 10/24 7:00 pm
Alberta Street Public House

1036 NE Alberta St. Portland, OR
503.284.7665

Next, for you Canadians: Ashleigh Flynn will be opening for the Wood Brothers in Vancouver on Saturday!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Media Club

695 Cambie St

Vancouver, BC

(604) 608-2871

COME OUT AND SUPPORT THESE FANTASTIC CHICKS WITH PICKS!

Ashleigh Flynn :: Upcoming Shows

Our favorite Americana star, Ashleigh Flynn, is burning up the guitar strings and the road. Ashleigh Flynn will be on NPR West Virginia this afternoon live playing from the Mountain Stage with Nanci Griffith and Todd Snider. At 3pm EST, click on this link to hear the show.

If you miss it, it will be available in the archives after Oct. 3.

Also, Ash is hitting the trail with The Wood Brothers. The show dates and locations are below.

Check out our favorite Americana supah stah.

UPCOMING SHOWS

10/20/2009 Stillwater | Ashland, OR | 8:30 PM
10/21/2009 Wonder Ballroom | Portland, OR | 8:00 PM
10/22/2009 Knitting Factory | Spokane, WA | 8:30 PM
10/23/2009 The Tractor Tavern | Seattle, WA | 9:30 PM
10/24/2009 Media Club | Vancouver, BC | 7:30 PM

Where in the World is Jennifer Beals?

What are the odds of this? I was binding a manuscript at Kinkies this morning and there was Jennifer Beals AGAIN!

This time, she posed for a picture. She said she was happy to oblige as long as there is no more cannibalizing.

Apparently, Beals was headed to the beach, as it's going to be a beautiful day here in Vancouver (and that good ole' sunshine is fleeting in the NW).

AIDS Walking

On Sunday, it was AIDS Walk here in Vancouver. The spectacular 10K route, which took Aids Walkers around the Stanley Park sea wall, was rivaled by the beautiful day. It was warm--75 degrees [insert: laughter from Arizona friends]--and sunny.

The perfect day for a stroll along the ocean. Along the path were many AIDS Walk cheerleaders and several GLBT choirs, one of which I shot a little video of singing "What a Wonderful World." At that moment in time, it truly was.

A permanent fixture on the Stanley Park sea wall is the man pictured here. Kent Avery, who spends his weekend days balancing rocks on another for passersby.

Despite the incredible advances medicine has made around HIV/AIDS, it's still so important to support our brothers and sisters who've contracted this rabid disease and the researchers who are trying to cure it.

Speaking of Seeing Celebs in Vancouver

I also brushed shoulders with Sarah McLachlan a few weeks ago in Yaletown. She was humming a song and we walked passed one another on a tight sidewalk. Since then, I've been hoping what she was humming was off a new album she's working on (fingers crossed--there hasn't been very much new stuff in years.)

Sarah just put on a charity concert here in Vancouver called Summer Sessions last week for her charity--The Sarah McLachlan Foundation, which raises money for music for kids in the inner-city. The concert was set on the shores of the English Bay at sunset in West Vancouver, just ten blocks from her house (she told the crowd). Neil Young and Sheryl Crow joined her at Ambleside Park.

If you've missed her music as much as I have, here are two little morsels to chew on today...

Salmon Fishing

Patty and I played hooky and went salmon fishing yesterday for the first time. It was a hot day on English Bay and after the sunrise, we bathed in the sun while our poles fished. (They drag behind the boat in holders--it's the lazy man's way to fish?).

But the fish were not havin' it.

Apparently, a pod of orcas had come into the bay earlier in the week and scared them. We did catch two fish, who didn't know any better (too young and naive). Poor little things.

Despite not catching dinner, it was a great way to spend the warm day! Thanks Chris!

Vancouver Pride 2009

I had a great time recently "gaying" it up in Vancouver's West End for Vancouver BC's Gay Pride Celebration. I put a little video together of the highlights...

Symphony of Fire

On Wednesday, the sky exploded with stars at the United Kingdom showed their pyrotechnic chops for all of Vancouver to see. The annual event takes place over two weeks where four countries (Canada always included) go head to head and compete with fireworks paired with symphony music (which plays over a local radio station). No matter the country, the fireworks are launched from the same barge anchored deep into the English Bay. All over the city, people gather on rooftops, beaches, balconies, sidewalks and backyards to watch the shows. For each show, the feeling of community is really overwhelming, perhaps reminding each of us that we're all in this together and we all need and appreciate beauty in our lives.

For Wednesday's show, Patty and I were lucky enough to get an invitation to board some friend's 40' cruiser (thank you Donna and Dave!) and enjoy dinner and cocktails while waiting for and watching the show. There was good music, laughter and some very tiny bathing suits. And the invitation couldn't have come at a better time, during the most extreme heat wave Vancouver (and the Pacific Northwest) has ever seen. The afternoon aboard the Bengal Den, the thermometer hit the highest it's ever gone in Vancouver history. (34 degrees Celsius.)

I put a little video together recapping the night.

PS: God help the drag queens in pantyhose and makeup this weekend at Vancouver's Gay Pride parade!

Vancouver Pride This Weekend

There are SO many events this weekend here in Vancouver for Pride, it can be mind-boggling to keep straight---err organized. I'll just highlight my favorites:

First, Thursday night, Solarice (which is gay-owned and operated--by a friend of mine) is hosting at Pride Pampering Party from 4-8pm, where there will be Rainbow Polish Pedicures, Full spa services, Rainbow Condom Company, Passion Parties, Flesh Lingerie Boutique, a Tarot card reader, snacks, and our pakin pride punch and more. Special note: THEY HAVE AIR CONDITIONING! (For those of you not in the NW, we are having a record-breaking heat wave--hello global warming.) And you need to book spa services in advance. 2200 west 4th, Vancouver BC, 604-733-5007 (Kitsilano)

Friday night, there are some great things going on. First, there are two boob cruises--Chicks Ahoy and Hot + Wet. No matter which boat you choose, you'll sure to be happy. You can buy tickets at Little Sisters Bookstore on Davie. Also, there is a big gay street party on Davie Street downtown. The city is blocking off from Burrard to Bute. Come get your pride motor started and cool off with some cheap festival beer.

Saturday -recouperate and save your energy. Have a BBQ, go the movies, just relax and stay cool.

Sunday, all hell breaks loose downtown again when the Pride parade winds its way through city streets. The big thing for women on Sunday is the Chicka Party, held at the Sheraton Wall Center. (3-9pm) In the official Pride guide this year, yours truly is in the picture promoting it. Remember last year when we took the crowds by storm with our riding crops? Good times. For the Chicka party this year, you can get tickets in advance (a really good idea) at Little Sisters, or Kokopelli's on Commercial. This event is put on by our friends at Fly Girl Productions.

Happy Pride everyone!!

Lightning Storm

On Saturday night, there was a huge lightning storm here in Vancouver, BC and we caught some of it on film. It's hard to do lightning justice, but we did our best here. I've paired it with a beautiful melody from Adam Hurst, a cellist I discovered years ago in Portland. Beyond the lightning, the sky was the most magnificent blood orange and blue, casting such amazing light onto our faces and the homes nearby. All the Canadians I talked to had never seen such a sight here on the coast, as the weather conditions rarely allow for any lightning on the ocean, so everyone was really excited.

You can see more photos here.

L Word Auction

OMG, Patty and I went to the preview yesterday for today's' L Word Auction and it was so interesting. We walked around the huge set, which was torn down (it's where they filmed the show!) but they had all the stuff from the show they were auctioning off organized for perusal.

They had the furniture broken down by character.
I got to sit in Jenny and Shane's living room and touch Bette and Tina's bed. :) It was so much fun and we've got our eyes on a few things in particular. Stay tuned to find out what we pick up today at the live auction.

The biggest discovery was that they shot everything in this huge warehouse set. They dug out Bette and Tina's pool, built the rooms and front of the house--everything! All of that was torn down, but you could see the outline from where they filled in the pool. Did you think that was filled in a real backyard? So crazy the smoke and mirrors of film.


Some notable things we saw:

• Kits car (she was driving when she got the DUI)
• A huge box of Shane's Hugo Boss underwear
• The coffee machine and everything else from the Planet
• Even Dana's urn where they "put her ashes"
• A fake "Awake Angelica" doll

Final WinterPRIDE Recap!

What a week we had up in Whistler! Saturday night proved to be the highlight for Lipstick (probably because I just got to play and didn't have to work!). We had a fabulous friend in town--Jenny (pictured to the right; she's beautiful, fabulous and SINGLE, believe it or not!)--and hit the champagne bar at the Bearfoot Bistro for bubbles and oysters before the girl party. Of course the renowned restaurant was packed with gay men, sitting in huge parties all over the room.

Our intimate pre-party was the perfect kickoff. After a medley of oysters, paired with a delicious bottle of Charles Heidsieck--and a tremendous amount of laughter--we headed into the village in search of the lezzies. We found the Shred Betty Bash right on the edge of the mountain, literally in the building where the gondolas are housed. The girls who put on the Pampered Pussy Party (Mandy and Leigh of Flygirls) threw this party, too, and did a great job with the venue. Beyond the sea of women gyrating on the dance floor, there were wild, Yeti-looking (albeit hot Yetis) women dancing with colorful hoolahoops on platforms (see video).

We saw a lot of familiar faces at the party and it was a really good time. We danced the night away and, again, had way too many laughs. Lesbians are such a funny bunch to watch and mingle with--never a lack of fodder for a hungry advice columnist/fiction writer.

Thanks WinterPRIDE for having us back! Be sure to look for our WinterPRIDE vlog (posted on Curve.com in March) recapping our whole week in video. There will also be a new webisode posted on Curve.com of Lipstick & Dipstick helping a couple who needed some advice in Whistler ext week, too, so stay tuned in!

Chicks with Picks

Dipstick calm down, I didn't say chicks with dicks--I said Chicks with Picks! Last night was a blast at the Railyway Club, a Vancouver BC music venue that has seen some of the biggest names in music get their start. Notably kd lang, who signed her poster (see photo below). But last night wasn't about any of them; it was about two up-and-coming stellar performers who packed the house with the ladies.

My friend, Bonnie Ste. Croix (who ROCKS!) was one of them and Vicki Sjohall was the other, someone who I was happy to discover. This music series--Chicks with Picks--is put on my local promoter Trigger (GirlGigs) who is super cool and a friend of our friend Ashleigh Flynn (the lezzie community is so connected...by a beautiful web of guitar strings, estrogen, tofu and lube).

I took these little videos of Bonnie and Vicky and thought I'd throw them up here for you as a Monday morning present. (Bonnie had a bad cold, but still sounded amazing! This was in part thanks to the scotch, which soothed her throat so she could finish her set.) The video quality kind of blows, so you can see Bonnie's video for "You are the Reason" Here.

See Bonnie's live version: "You are the Reason" HERE.

See Vicky's rendition of "Nothing Compares to You" HERE.