Friday Salon

[Last weekend was the official cottage opening weekend in central Canada - I miss the cottage!]

Back to the regular program...

We had a short week in Canada and the Americans get their short week next week. Surprisingly, it didn't feel hectic - even after spending 5 days away in Seattle. I'll be posting some photos and talking about my trip next week.

Let's just say that it's ALWAYS a pleasure to spend time with friends.

Speaking of friends, you may have noticed a few changes around here in the past couple of weeks. Here's the story behind the redesign and rebranding. Thanks Melanie!

The links.

Gatsby needed branding too.

Do you power tweet?

It may LOOK easy but it ain't easy.

UN vs. Prada. I think the UN wins.

Set design, Mad Men style.

Mad Men on Facebook.

Done is better than perfect.

I need more volume.

Twinsies.

Overheard in the art world.

Hey, I'm going to a West Elm event hosted by Poppytalk on Saturday! Are you going to be there? She's also part of a nightmarket in Chinatown that just started.  I'll be going there more than once this summer. Other than that it's the usual farmers' market, ferrying the girl about to various playdates and activities and just general hanging out. Frisbee in the park - I'm getting a little frisbee obsessed.

What are you doing this weekend?

If it was easy

Well, my friends, I used to be a political hack in provincial politics (that's like state politics for my American readers). I did it for about 18 months when I was in my twenties. That's the time to do it - when you can work around the clock, 7 days a week. You know, before you burn out.

Do you watch VEEP on HBO at all? That's what it was like - crazy busy, smart & driven & funny co-workers, lots of stress. Flying by the seat of your pants. Never enough time. 

The War Room is about the 1993 Clinton election - it gives you a taste of what it's like during an election. 

I even road-tripped down to Seattle to hear Clinton speak AND flew to Toronto to hear George Stephanopoulos as well. Love the well-constructed and expertly delivered speech.

Letting my geek flag fly here today.

The guy I worked for, the guy who led this merry band of round-the-clock political hacks was the master of the quip. He had a saying for EVERYTHING.

So when you get discouraged. When you feel like giving up. When it looks like it just isn't EVER going to happen, don't forget:

if it was easy, everybody'd be doing it

Raincoast Creative Salon - Michael Green Event

As much as I'd like to believe that I can do it all, you know what? I can't. Throwing events is more than a one person show. And especially since I haven't lived here in Vancouver THAT long, I need help in sussing out great locations and caterers.

One of the side benefits of hosting a Salon is working together with local people whose work ethic is such that they exceed your expectations. I love love LOVE meeting other local entrepreneurs who are all about upping THEIR game by providing a unique experience. 

Nothing stuffy or boring or old school or half-a**ed about them.

I worked with Amy Tran of All & Sundry on my first Salon and again on this one.  

I love her aesthetic - that's Amy in the photograph above helping set up before everyone arrived. She created the flower arrangements as well. Amy and her biz partner Kamelli started All & Sundry about 8 months ago. Their style "marries the well-made, sustainable, and locally sourced with a fondness for highlighting the simple and unique details of life’s celebrations".

The Salon was held at Harvest Community Foods, located on Union Street in Strathcona, Vancouver's oldest residential neighbourhood. Always a working class 'hood, it went through decades of decline to being marked for demolition in the 1950's. The community held on and now many young families and artists and entrepreneurs have moved in to breathe new life to the area.

It's also a sentimental location for me because it's where my mother-in-law grew up - not just the neighbourhood but the very same street - Union Street. 

Harvest is a community grocery AND restaurant and is committed to sustainable and local food. Chef Andrea Carlson even has a CSA share that you can sign up for on the website.

The Salon started like all Salon evenings with drinks and appetizers and lots of time to chat. There were 18 of us squeezed into Harvest between the groceries on the shelf and the tiny open kitchen, right next to the freezer with local artisanal supplier Earnest Ice Cream. I like it that way - cozy and intimate.

Gathering people together? You need food and drink and chef Andrea Carlson who started Harvest more than delivered. Another great find. 

Now how about THIS menu of appetizers: 

Chilled Soba Noodle Salad

Gluten-free pork Steam Buns

Rhubarb Kimchi on Rice

Kale Tip Gomae with Hazelnut Granola

Macarons to finish

In addition to running Harvest, Andrea recently opened Burdock and Co on Main Street. 

This Salon was a change of pace. Well, every Salon is a change of pace because no two are alike in either the event or the location. Raincoast Creative Salon - the magpie of salons. This time we had a guest speaker.

Once everyone had a chance to chat and eat and have a drink or two, we gathered around the table to listen to innovative architect and recent TEDtalk presenter Michael Green. 

He has an office in Vancouver and one in NYC where he is researching sustainable building practices - specifically, building skyscrapers out of wood. But that wasn't his only topic - he also spoke about a new proposal for the Downtown Eastside, Canada's poorest neighbourhood and where his office is located. He talked about organizing local Downtown Eastside businesses to pool 1% of their revenues to fund neighbourhood-specific projects.

Seeing a need and finding a solution.

Listening to him speak I thought about what it takes to get people on board with your idea - it's really one person at a time. You have a vision? Stick with it no matter what. If you truly believe it, with persistence and patience you can make it happen.

That ability to persuade is an art.

And of course there usually is SOMETHING creative at a Salon. This time it was a project related to wood AND to historical Vancouver buildings. A little mod podge, some wood blocks, some images of old Vancouver.

Another Raincoast Creative Salon evening - for me it's really just about getting people together. Some food & wine, good conversation, and something creative.

Foliophoto - energy collage

Photo credits: Hodgepodge of Styles | Java Aficianado | InspirationCOOP | Raincoast Creative Salon | Smidgebox Design | Pomegranate & Seeds | Bedsidesign

Get creative. Get inspired. Join our #foliophoto project - a new word every Tuesday and a new collage later in the week.

Foliophoto - eyes

This week's #foliophoto word prompt is the word "eyes".

Eyes. Eyesight. Sight. Seeing. Not just the literal act of seeing the world around us but seeing creatively. And as someone who is fascinated (dare I say obsessed) with the creative process, I'm always working on improving how I see.

To make art I need to see.

What I see. What I notice. What grabs my attention. What I miss. What I take for granted. What I assume to know because I've seen it so many times before. 

Seeing with my eyes and seeing with my intuition.

Learning to see.

I've watched this short video many, many times - it's by graphic designer Michael Wolff and it is about seeing creatively.

It's not what you look at that matters, but what you see.

- Henry David Thoreau

Join us next week - take a photo inspired by the word "small". Instagram with hashtag #foliophoto and/or flickr and/or bloggy link-up by my partner-in-creative-crime Christie. Her "eyes" photo is here.  I'll make a collage of our shots too and share it on twitter and FB as well as here with links to you - we're ALL about giving credit.