Read Mark's blog....

..for anyone that doesn't know it's there...if you click on Mark Brownlie above, then go to Mark Brownlie's Blog, you can read all Mark's thoughts and comments. I just read it, it's really funny!!!! Go on, read it!!!!!

Josh Rouse!!!

Saturday we went to see Josh Rouse. An American singer songwriter, now living in Spain....he was amazing, and as it had been his album we listened to mostly when driving around Oz and New Zealand, the gig was full of great memories for us!!! It was a really relaxed evening, with Josh in his jeans and jumper, inviting his friend Luke up to play and his girlfriend to sing! It was like being at one of our events!!!! Everything seemed reasuringly normal! The evening was also interesting after the gig ended, the crowd mostly left, and the venue then turned into a dance nightclub....a completely new set of people arrived...we stayed...it was interesting to watch the change over....and when Josh and Luke left, they were unrecognised! Interesting how someone can be a star one minute, and the odd one out the next! hmmmmmmm An excellent gig! xx

A day in the office for Mark...

...involves drink, nibbles and a band!!! This gig went on at the end of the day last week in Mark's office....actually a really great venue!!! xx

Posh Nosh!

We decided to head out for an Easter meal last week.....and had heard rave reviews about a restaurant just down the road from us....Blue Water...so we went. As soon as we walked in we knew we were in for a treat, it was amazing inside, quite posh, but not at all pretentious, and although we were in jeans and quite casual looking we didn't feel out of place at all! The waitress was lovely and we had amazing service! We drank martinis (THE drink over here), and we ate lobster!!!! We even got to choose the lobster we wanted from the tank (that bit wasnt my favourite!). It was a lovely lovely evening! The next night we met up with a friend of ours - Kate, who is originally from Glasgow, but has just returned to Vancouver (legally!), with her visa! The same Kate that had been belly dancing with me! We had a few drinks and a good catch up, and all in all it was a lovely evening! Friday we went to something called Dinner Works, designed to help busy people cook and prepare fresh food. Basically you choose 3 meals, you go and all the ingredients are there for you already prepared, you just follow the receipe and put everything together - like being on a cooking show!!!! Then you freeze the portions you have and defrost as and when you need them in the week! It took us under an hour to prepare enough for 16 meals for us both!!!!! It is such an ace idea! I think they are opening one in london too!!! We had great fun!! All in all a great week for food!!!! xx

Jamie Lidell....captivating!

Last night we went to see Jamie Llidel at the Plaza.....his album is very much funky soul, but lats night it was just him, and his laptop.....quite an experience! His stage presence was amazing, absolutely captivating, right down to what he was wearing! He spent most of the show mixing various sounds and instruments, including his voice to create some awsome music, and then, just when you weren't expecting it he burst into song, with a voice that you would have imagined to be James Brown or someone equally as soulful had you had your eyes closed! It was amazing to listen to, and to watch, because the voice was nothing like you expected to come from the man! A top top show! (oh and a fabulous looking raincoat and boots!!!) We started the evening with a lovely meal out at Browns, a little Easter celebration! Happy Easter everyone! xxx

Uses for a Chin Beard, Number 208...

...Thinking...

My Pots!!!

I finished my pottery course last week also....i am quite proud of them all!!!!! Any offers?????? xxx

What a week!!! Holiday all round!

wow, what a week we have had! My family have now all returned to the UK and we have just about recovered!!! It has been fantastic, we have had so much fun! It was great to see them and have them here and spend time with them, and also great to have the opportunity to show off Vancouver, I have to say we felt quite proud! My family returned from their week camper-vanning in the Rockies last saturday, and we have hardly stopped since! Saturday night we headed to the Pacific Colleseum to see the Vancouver Giants ice hockey team....it was fab, we all quickly settled into the spirit of things!!! Including 'Towel Power', a unique ritual where all the fans periodically shout and wave white towels in the air in support of the team! We found this great fun!!! Our seats were 3 rows from the front, and we had an amazing view of everything...from the skating, to the goals, to the collisons and of course the fights!!! (as are tradition in ice hockey!) It was a great way start to the week! Sunday was slightly wet, so we went to Storyeum...an interactive theatrical adventure through Canadian history....then on to Granville Island for shopping in the markets, walking home across the bridge! Sunday night we thought we'd give my family a taste of the Asian side of Vancouver, so we headed for some Sushi at Shiru Bay Chopstick Cafe! I was very impressed, not being ones for too much foreign food, they all tried everything, including the completely raw dishes, and of course the sake, and we had a great time! We finished the night in 'Death by Chocolate' - a desert restaurant, and wow, what deserts they were!!!!!! Monday we needed to do a bit of exercise, (after all the food the night before!), so after a bit of shopping and a visit to my baby store in the morning, we headed to Stanley Park and the Sea Wall! We hired bikes and headed off for an afternoon's cycling experience! It was fab, some of the sea wall was closed for maintainence, so we headed off-road and into the park.....great fun....a tad muddy due to the previous rain, but that always washes off!!!! The bikes were the most comfortable i've ever ridden, with huge handle bars and very large seats!!! mmmmmmmmm! We ended the afternoon watching the sun set over English Bay! Tuesday we were up early and on the bus to Steveston, a small town south of Vancouver.....for Whale Watching!!!! We spent 5 hours out at sea, travelling around the Gulf Islands, in search of Orkas (Killer Whales), sadly we didn't find any....they haven't been seen yet this year....but we did see sea lions, seals, porpoises, bald eagles and a whole host of other wildlife, so it was a very enjoyable, not to mention tiring, day! After a short walk around the harbour in the evening we sat and ate good old fish and chips by the sea! Wednesday was another active day, up early and across to the North Shore, to Capilano Suspension Bridge and Treetop walk. We were all very proud of mum, who although scared of heights, managed to cross the bridge and do the treetop walk!!!!! From there we headed up Grouse Mountain, where Mark gave my brother's their first snowboarding lesson, and me, mum and dad headed off snowshoe-ing! Seeing more Bald Eagles up close feeding...that was amazing!!! It was all awsome, the views were fantastic, and the day very clear! The boys too had a great time, despite falling over!!! We ended the day warming up and eating in the restaurant in the sky......exhausted but happy!!!! And Thursday they left! What a week it was, it was fab to redo some of the touristy things again in the city, and we really went for it! There was something for everyone!!!! We were sad to see them go, but we know we shall see them again soon, and we have some wonderful memories that will live on forever!!!! (Many more than will fit in here!!!) xxxx

The arrival of the Skinners!!! First Class!

So, my mum and dad and my younger brothers arrived last week from the UK! It was all very exciting, and what a journey they had! We woke on thursday morning to a text from my brother saying they'd missed their flight and would be in 5 hours later. Now, anyone that knows my family would immediately assume this to be probably my Dad's fault, as he is not exactly renowned for his prompt time keeping! However, this turned out to be completely wrong and any assumptions in that direction should be duely buried! They were in fact very much on time for their flight, arriving at Heathrow a good two hours before the departure time! This was not enough though to guarantee them a place on their flight, it was over booked, and with only 3 seats remaining, the 4 travelling Skinners were not going to fit! What my dad did i don't know, but they ended up travelling on a flight leaving only a few hours later, (skipping a queue of passengers left behind the day before), spending the whole duration of the flight in FIRST CLASS, and receiving 1600pounds in compensation!!! (Dad had only paid 1700 in the first place!) The only draw back was a short detour through Montreal....which they easily managed!!!! For my youngest brother, it was the first time he had ever flown; and for my mum and dad the first time they had flown in over 30 years! What an experience!!!! Me and Mark have been trying to get upgraded the whole way on our trip (to no avail!) - they manage it in one flight!!!! Needless to say they all arrived well rested, in high spirits and with priority luggage!!!!! Their good karma continued as we managed to travel from the airport to their hotel in style...in a stretch limo!!! Now this wouldn't be unusual in Vancouver, there are limos that wait at the airport like taxis....however, last thursday the drivers were all on strike, and i had been earlier informed that there would be no way we could get a limo that night!!! It seems my family however are only meant to travel in style, as when we left the airport there was a limo waiting especially for us...the driver touched by my call earlier!!!! Mum and Dad's apartment hotel is lovely, with a view over the city, and we spent a lovely day friday exploring many of the sites me and Mark had not seen since our last visit!!!! My family have spent this week in their campervan in the Rockies, they return saturday...and we eagerly await a week of fun to be spent with them!!!! It is great having them here...it feels like we have never been apart!!!! xxxx

Mark at work!!!

We met for lunch yesterday, and i took a sneaky picture of Mark at work.....he is working for Netwerk and Sync....local record label!!!!

Lip and Chin beard....the gangster rapper!!!

You will all be pleased to see they are progressing well!!!! And what a hat!!! (Thanks to my little brother Phil!!!) xxx

Sunday evening - goes Greek!

So, sunday was a day of food for us!!! Sunday night we met up with Ani (from work) and her other half Jason and headed to Staphros....renound Greek restaurant!!! Again we queued, but it was worth it, the food was amazing!!! I have to say, a lot better than the Greek restaurant in Ipswich!!! Those that have been will know what i mean!!!! Food is a serious business over here!!! We had an ace evening!!! Thank you Ani!!!! xxx

The Elbow Room - Breakfast with a Twist!

So, a big Vancouver tradition is the weekend breakfast! Everyone does it, it lasts hours and it is big and tasty!!!! Sunday i started work at 1pm, so we took advantage of the opportunity to do as the locals do! We headed to The Elbow Room - a greasey spoon cafe just round the corner from our apartment! But this is no ordinary cafe......as well as breakfast, coffee and juice, you get served insults!!!! This is their gimmick, and people come from miles to queue just to eat there and be insulted while they do!!!! I have to say it works - the waiting staff are raw, honest, open....Mark got called a big girl (ok, so that bit isn't true), but when i couldn't finish my dish i got asked "what the hell is wrong with your food, didn't you like it?", when Mark asked for a glass of water he got told to "take your lazy arse over to the water jug and get your own!", and when it took me a few seconds...or maybe minutes....to calculate the tip my mathematical skills were called into question!!!! The place isn't for the prudish, some of the comments are harsh, but never unkind or malicious...and in a culture where excessive service is everything, it seems a place of harshness is well sought after!!! xxx

The Subways!

Rock on Vancouver - the Brits are here!!! We went to see the Subways at Richards last week, and they rocked! Visibly more mature than when we saw them about this time last year in Cambridge, and which much more attitude (something my singing teacher loves!!!) It also helped having listened to the album and knowing all the tracks!!!! At one point guitarist and lead vocalist even climbed, swung and jumped his way around the whole venue - much to the shock of most of the crowd!!! Not to mention the crazy head shakin' dancing that was going on!!! It was ace! xxx