Bubble Tea in Vancouver
One thing I like the most about Vancouver is how diverse it is.
There are many people with different cultures and backgrounds. But of course,
when there are different cultures, there must be different kinds of food from
all over the world. As a foodie, I’m lucky enough to live in the heart of
downtown so I get to try different stuff every now and then.
I recommend one of my favorite
snack/hangout places in downtown: Bubble World. They opened many different
branches around Vancouver. The branch I like to go to is the one on Robson Street.
If you have never tried bubble tea, then
you NEED to try it! It’s one of the most popular drinks in Asia. Bubble tea is
a drink made with iced tea, sweetened milk or other flavorings, and usually
with sweet black “pearls” made from tapioca. It’s a great drink for summer!
They serve so many different flavors of
bubble tea, ranging from milk tea to different types of fruit tea. In the summer, they also have ice
cream, slush, and shaved ice.
I recommend the fruit slush. One of my
favorites is watermelon slush. Unlike some other bubble tea place, this place
uses fresh fruits in the drink. So you can actually taste the real fruit.
Not only that, you can replace your pearls
with all kinds of different jellies. So you can mix and match the drink and
jellies. Try out different combinations and you might find the one that you
like the best!
Also, this location just recently added a food menu! Now you can order
popular night market food items. My favorite snack is the deep fried chicken
and squid tentacles. Never tried squid tentacles before? Don’t worry. There are still a lot of other snacks you can
choose from. They have beef noodles, fried rice, etc.
This place is also a great hangout place
with your friends. There is a small arcade machine where you can play games on.
The reason why I like this place is because
It tastes just like the ones they have back home. I’m really glad how I can
still be having food from my home country even when I’m In Vancouver. And that is
one reason why I love Vancouver!
Other great bubble tea locations:
Vancouver:
- 1325 Robson St, Vancouver
- 3377 Kingsway, Vancouver
- 6260 Fraser Street, Vancouver
Burnaby:
- 8888 University Drive, Unit MBC 2282, Burnaby
- 4300 Kingsway, Burnaby
Richmond:
- #1136, 8328 Capstan Way, Richmond
Surrey:
- 137, 10090 152nd St, Surrey
Coquitlam:
- 555 North Rd. Coquitlam
New Westminster:
- 601 Agnes Street, New Westminster
- Lu
What's So Special About Vancouver?
 |
| Source: Jon Rawlinson |
As an immigrant coming from a third world
country, Vancouver is one of the best places on Earth. There are many reasons
to love the city--from its beauty, its opportunities, and its community. All of these things combined make the best
city ever.
Vancouver--British Columbia in general--is
SUCH a beautiful place. Have you seen the mountains? Have you seen the
waterfront? Have you seen the creative architecture of downtown? If you go on a
long drive toward any direction from where you are, I am sure there is
something amazing bound to be seen. We are blessed to have great beaches and
parks. Speaking of parks, did you know that our very own Stanley Park is named
as Top Park in the World according to TripAdvisor? Yup!
Most of us moved to Canada for a better
tomorrow. Although yes, the living expenses here are quite high, it’s still
something worth more than what we had. Vancouver is a place of opportunities-
may it be career-wise or education-wise or both.
My most favourite reason as to why
Vancouver is so awesome is its sense of community. For example, the Vancouver
Immigrant Youth Blog wouldn’t have been established if it wasn’t for a bunch of
new immigrant youth wanting to make a difference! And here in Vancouver, there
are numerous people who are inclined to change the world. Have you heard that
Vancouver is one of the greenest places on Earth (or at least trying to be
one)? Volunteerism is also on the incline because of all the beautiful,
selfless people inhabiting this little bubble of awesomeness. Vancouver is also
a diverse place. Everywhere you go, you meet a person of a different
background! I always like to compare Vancouver as a mall’s food court- you can
find food from all nationalities in one place! Vancouver is hundreds of
countries merged together in unity.
We are extremely lucky to live in such an
amazing place. I don’t know about you, but for me, Vancouver is the place to
be. So be grateful you live in a great city. Let’s also respect its beauty by
keeping it green and peaceful. Vancouver is definitely a place worth bragging
about.
To Vancouver, the city of rain
Jose
Vancouver's Prestige
This city is one of the best places to be
in. It has everything any person could ever want. The environment, culture,
climate, and the location are all conveniently compatible to my tastes, as well
as anyone I’ve ever talked to about Vancouver. For instance, the climate that
does not become too hot or too cold, but still changes enough to justify a
genuine winter and summer. The drawbacks, ranging from the minute to the
serious, are altogether outweighed by the Vancouver perks. Anyone can argue
against the livability, the quality of living, of Vancouver, but they will
eventually run out of reasons. Not surprisingly, Vancouver is always included
within the lists of the best cities to live in, and at the rate we’re going, we
can expect a more attractive Vancouver, problems transformed to treasures
unique to the city.
For now, I’ll only show the things I like
about the revered metropolis, the ostensible problems won’t have a significant
effect on you if you’re reading this. So, to begin with, one can experience a
perfect blend of temperatures even in the coldest winters and the hottest
summers. It never becomes too cold to hibernate in the home for half of winter.
It never becomes too hot to drink 8 liters of water during the summer.
Vancouver also has an attractive pattern in its weather. Rain doesn’t disparage
the beauty of the city, but it highlights the nature found inside the area. In
spite of this, on very rare occasions, Vancouver still gets affected by one in
a hundred storms. On the other hand, there is a lot of time and good days to do
something outdoors in Vancouver. So it’s generally fine to consider Vancouver’s
atmosphere, also its favorable air quality, as a wonder of nature.
 |
| "ANIREVO 2014, Vancouver" by roaming-the-planet |
An obvious reason for our good air is the
vast amounts of nature found everywhere. The mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests
make great activity places. There is a plethora of possibilities—winter
activities, summer hikes, calm boat rides, anything else that makes us feel
nature every once in a while. While budget could be detrimental to my points,
many people in Vancouver usually do these things for cheap or even free. Stanley
Park, as an example, is one of the things I absolutely hold in high regard. It
is a charming place, the inside is wonderfully natural, it is a place that
serves many people throughout the seasons, and the best part about it is that
it’s a park, so it’s free.
 |
| Aerial shot of Vancouver, courtesy of Evan Leeson
*Just beside Downtown Vancouver is Stanley Park…
which is consistently recognized as one of the best parks in the world.
|
Any rational person would agree that cultural integration is a problem for the old, not the young. It has also been stated, by many experts and TV figures, that racism would die with older generations. I would even assert this myself, I never notice anyone young projecting offensive behavior to others. This means that schools and their students are in good shape, the youth population will just add to Vancouver’s praises. A huge reason for this is the immigrant groups, the foreign transfers, and the location of the city. There are many newcomers here, barely any of them would feel alienated, they always have groups during their first moments, then they join the mainstream after they feel comfortable enough. Another reason is Vancouver’s location—it is at the bottom of Canada, beside the shoreline, and above another cultural hub, the US. It’s plausible to say that Vancouver has the stereotypical Canadian values and beliefs but devoid of the countryside-ignorance an isolated place could have. The high amounts of technological development is a reason, as well as the government of Canada itself, and again, debunking preset stereotypes, and behaviors, by fusing multiple cultures into one city.
Overall, I’d like to live in Vancouver, it would also be the most logical choice. However, personally, I just don’t want to settle in the place forever. Adults, especially those who are “easily bored,” won’t really like the perceived boredom in the city. A lack of infrastructure, perhaps as a result of a lack of population, might be the cause, besides the job problems. Anyway, this won’t be Vancouver’s conclusion, this is just the present. I won’t consider myself as part of the adults for around 10 more years. So, if Vancouver transmutes rocks to gold by then, I might just stay in here forever. A truly rare combination of simplicities.
Overall, I’d like to live in Vancouver, it would also be the most logical choice. However, personally, I just don’t want to settle in the place forever. Adults, especially those who are “easily bored,” won’t really like the perceived boredom in the city. A lack of infrastructure, perhaps as a result of a lack of population, might be the cause, besides the job problems. Anyway, this won’t be Vancouver’s conclusion, this is just the present. I won’t consider myself as part of the adults for around 10 more years. So, if Vancouver transmutes rocks to gold by then, I might just stay in here forever. A truly rare combination of simplicities.
 |
| "Telus World of Science" by Jason Mrachina
Rogers
Arena (left) and Science World (right; sparkling dome)
We lack many things, from
zoos to respectable financial districts… Vancouver is still a budding city
compared to other metropolises, it is quite young, but we have enough, like Science World,
for young thinkers; and Roger’s Arena, for sporty youths. Despite all the
shortages, our infusion of nature with a diverse society (more than 40%
have an Asian heritage)… offering us an influx of Asian restaurants,
yum… altogether makes Vancouver one of the most livable cities in the world.
|
- Angelo
What's Up, Vancouver? (March 2015)
 |
| Photo courtesy of: John Biehler |
Cannery Farmer's Market
March 1, 15, 29, 2015
12138 Fourth Avenue, Richmond, BC V7E 3J1
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FlyOver Canada Presents AboveUSA
March 6-April 12, 2015
201 – 999 Canada Place Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1
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International Women's Day Youth Forum
March 8, 2015
Mount Pleasant Community Centre
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PlayDome - Canada's Largest Indoor Carnival
March 14-22, 2015
BC Place Stadium
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St. Patrick's Day Vancouver Parade
March 15, 2015
Granville Street
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Gathering Our Voices Youth Conference
March 17-20, 2015
Prince George, BC
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Theatre for Living Presents: Maladjusted
March 20-28, 2015
The Firehall Arts Centre
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Ballet BC Presents: Trace
March 26-28, 2015
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
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Defeat Depression 5K Walk/Run at UBC
March 29, 2015
UBC Vancouver - Thunderbird Park
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How is Immigration a Reset Button?
A few years ago, before immigrating, I was ostracized in my old
school, I was called “special” and was teased for my eccentricity, and then I
became the black sheep. All of that because I was raised with foreign beliefs,
something my xenophobic home country has no tolerance for. Luckily, a major
change happened, it opened up a million possibilities, an ongoing story’s new
chapter—immigration.
The chilly winds did not remind me of home; the snowy fields
did not even cause surprise; budding flowers inspire; the hot summer breeze
desired. Coming to Canada made me realize that I should not waste a hefty
privilege by sticking to my old, pre-immigration self. As much as I regret to
say, I don’t miss my past, and having a new life, a new society, peers and
expectations, is a really big change for a young person. However, I’m not
trying to persuade you to relinquish your background, just try to integrate it
into this Western environment.
Possible reasons for leaving your old self behind:
- - People from your country have terrible attitudes towards your new society
- - Afraid of racism and discrimination
- - Your old society’s habits may be harmful, especially to the new environment you’re in now
- - Can’t progress without adopting some Western attitudes
- - And a lot more you can probably think of
Now, I want you to think about a choice. If you
could ever relive the first days after immigration, what would you want?
- - Speak English without a thick accent?
- - Handle culture shock in a better way?
- - Have your family and friends be more Canadian?
- - Be an advocate for your country, being an exemplary immigrant who fares better here?
These are all wishes many of us did not receive as
newcomers. The first weeks were the hardest, but it is also one of the most
memorable, a puzzling era of your life.
Just start changing. Immigration has many positives as well
as negatives.
You will experience negative stereotypes, ultimately causing
you to ignore the underlying causes, then you will not be able to adapt to the
new culture. A few years later, your life plans become awry, your life in the
self-segregating ghetto groups, you lose contact with your family as a bonus
too. This actually happened to a person my family knew, he could not CHANGE
because he was AFRAID. No matter how we look at it, his life got ruined, his
extreme attachment to his long-established beliefs caused his downfall.
While his case was severe, it does not mean it can’t happen
to anyone. His projections to society were pathetic, they just reinforce
negative stereotypes. YES, negative stereotypes are the problems! A black
person who is not a brain-dead athlete, an Oriental who is not a robot
mathlete, Muslims are not brainwashed terrorists, and whites people are not
racists; and a lot more. Society is built by humans, so society should not
force humans its beliefs. Be an individual, not a boring, hollow,
insignificant, ignorant sheep. Start changing for the better now!
To simplify my point, think of an elastic metal spring,
stretch it too much then it breaks, not stretching it means it won’t be of any
use. I like to think of people as metal springs, they need to stretch to have
some use, they become useless and rusty if there is no change after a long
time, changing too much will break the spring and make you an individual, free
from self-stigma if you ever try to do something different in a conformist
environment. A heavy load breaks a spring; a lot of effort can go a long way.
Why try?
Every person has special talents, traits, abilities, potentials…
they just don’t get to use them. Everyone you know has a niche in society, not
everyone can be rich, not everyone can be popular, not everyone can be like
Leonardo DiCaprio. However, you can be as best as you can be, limitless, by
changing into a better, productive person.
"Haters gonna hate cuz I'm doing great" - Anonymous
- Angelo
What's Up, Vancouver? (February 2015)
 |
| Photo courtesy of: truth24times |
Flight of the Dragon at Flyover Canada
January 5 to March 5, 2015
999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC
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The Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival
January 17 to February 14, 2015
Various coffee shops and food places in Vancouver
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The Cutest Couple Ever
February 2 to 13, 2015
Highstreet Shopping Centre, Abbotsford
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Family Day at Vancouver Art Gallery
February 9, 2015
750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2H7
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Origami, BBQ, Dance, and more - Family Day at Trout Lake Community Centre
February 9, 2015
3350 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, BC
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Family Day Free Skate at Moody Park Arena
February 9, 2015
701 8th Avenue, New Westminster, BC
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Family Day and Lunar New Year Celebration
February 9, 2015
Britannia Community Centre
1661 Napier Street, Vancouver, BC
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Family Day Free Skate at Robson Square
February 9, 2015
800 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 3B7
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The Canadian Improv Games
February 10 to 14, 2015
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC
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Talking Stick Festival
February 17 - March 1, 2015
Various Theatres / Community Centres in Vancouver
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Free Movie at Wesbrook Village - Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil
February 18, 2015
3378 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC
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Winterruption 2015 on Granville Island
February 19-22, 2015
1661 Duranleau St., Vancouver, BC V6H 3S3
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Bouncy Castle on Kerrisdale Pool
February 20, 2015
5851 West Boulevard, Vancouver, BC
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Shamrock Dance Competition 2015 at St. Patrick Regional Secondary
February 28, 2015
115 E 11 Ave Vancouver, BC V5T 2C1
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Maple Leaf Monster Jam at BC Place
February 28, 2015
777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver, BC
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All the World's a Stage
Shakespeare quoted one of the most important things shared
to mankind. Your life is a story and you’re the main character.
In movies, when someone is about to die, they usually don’t
go without a fight. Think of humans against a horde of zombies. No matter how
futile their efforts are, they still fight to survive, they try hard to live,
they work together to make the battle easier. Your life is just like that,
everyone’s life is.
Would you believe it if I tell you that your life is just
like a video game, a book, or a film? You’re the player, the main character,
the protagonist. Everyone else are just supporting characters, antagonists, and
stock characters. Think about it for a second, you don’t want to call yourself
the minor character in your life story, it is your life, not someone else’s.
Life is a game, your character is either strong at first or
strong at the end. In the real world, we call them prodigies and late bloomers.
A prodigy is just extremely gifted, born with the skills and talent, gets
special attention while young. A late bloomer is the opposite, a random nobody
until the day the late bloomer begins a series of hard work (quests) to improve
itself. Both, of course, can reach the same pinnacles of the game, the finales
(the boss levels), the best moments in life once achieved. Leaving a mark on
civilization, just like Mozart, Einstein, Disney, Socrates, Lincoln, Da Vinci,
and many others, whether child prodigies or late bloomers, they all reached the
same heights of success. Game is not over, work hard from now on, make a
plan—they all did, successful people owe their success to their hard work.
 |
| Courtesy of: Matthew Paulson |
Life is a storybook, you’re the main character. The story
can be set in a millionaire’s house, an impoverished country, or the
middle-class neighborhood. A good story requires a great conflict, something
the protagonist needs a lot of effort to beat. There’s going to be drama,
horror, psychological dilemmas, hardships, and sadness as the story goes on.
Also, there will be times of happiness, love, excitement, sentimentality, and
friendship. Your story continues chapter after every chapter, some long and
some short. The story revolves around you and the conflict: could be your
school, peers, family, society, and even yourself. The story only ends when one
force prevails, you must overcome the antagonist, do not try to escape it. Work
hard to achieve success, don’t procrastinate, a good story has no chapter where
the main character does nothing important.
Life is a film, a movie without a specific genre, not just
action, not just adventure, not just drama. Life is a mix of many different
genres, there’s adventure, romance, suspense, comedy, drama. You either aspire
for a movie (life) you want that’s full of satisfaction, or you can aim low and
reduce the amount of possible genre mixings. You may not have control of
everyone, thus you can’t be the writer of your life, but you’re the director,
the one who chooses a vision to follow. Oh, and make sure it’s a cool movie,
you’d be able to leave a mark on society.
Dream for a nice life, but don’t forget that a lot of effort
goes a long way, studying an hour a day amounts to more than 350 hours in a
year. Learning 5 foreign words a day amounts to more than 1800 words a year,
enough for language eloquence. I’ve seen a lot of people get the supermodel
body after exercising daily, within months. Working hard can get you anywhere,
just like when Michael Jordan was in high school, the only thing extraordinary
about him, at that time, was that he played as if every game was his last.
Just remember this: dream then start, then you fail, then
you succeed… and then you improve.
- Angelo
Preparing for University
Changes in life
can seem scary sometimes. Changes can be quick and unnoticeable; while other
times, it’s so sudden and we weren't even prepared for it. That’s why some people describe changes as tornados: they hit without any sign of warning and can turn
your house upside down completely. I usually don’t like changes because I will
have to adapt to the new environment and I’m usually not good at it.
The biggest change
I’m facing this year is to graduate from high school. It will be one of my most
important life events. I think it will take me awhile to get used to my new
life. So I want to prepare early. I asked my friends attending universities and
got some tips that will be useful to adapt to changes in your life such as
moving, changing school and going to university.
Tip#1: Make friends
Engage with
people, converse, ask questions. When you have friends, you won’t feel lonely.
You can have someone to talk to and hang out with. It’s the best to start
during the first week, while everyone is in the same boat. It is hard to make
the first move, but it will benefit you later on. Be nice and just be you. It’s
simple!
Tip#2: Join clubs
There are lots of
activities to do on campus. Take a look at the clubs list and join in. It’s the
fastest way to make new friends. You get to meet many people with same
interests as you do. Don’t be scared.
Learning how to use the library resources is always important because you will be spending lots of time here researching. It will be painful learning how to research because it’s boring. But it will pay off later in the year.
Tip#4: Choose courses you enjoy
You can always go to the first class and see how it goes. If you were bored and didn’t find it interesting, then drop it and find a new year. By choosing a course you enjoy, you will be motivated and willing to learn.
Tip#5: Don’t over commit
Start with a couple classes. Add more if you have the time for it. Do not start your year with 10 courses and a job. It will stress you out! Slow down and take time to learn.
Tip#6: Don’t Wait
If you feel yourself falling behind, do something about it immediately. Reread lecture notes and textbooks, ask a friend, do extra practice or ask your professor. Don't wait till right before the midterm/exam to deal with it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Tip#7: Ways to save money
Work! Working during school can reduce your debt upon graduation. Most
of the schools offer on campus jobs. You can work part-time and save it up.
Universities can be expensive! Also, buy used textbooks! Ask around for used textbooks or buy them online (craigslist
etc.) It can save you A LOT of money. If you don’t write on it, you can re-sale
it next year!
Hopefully these short and basic tips will be handy once you are in university!
- Lu
New is Always Better 2.0
In my first year here in VANITY I wrote a blog about the advantages of newness, may it be technology, traditions or just plain new ideologies in life. However, that blog was too general. So for this New Year, I am writing about few specific changes that have made my life better since I’ve moved here in Canada.
I guess the first thing that has changed in me is being
quieter. Though any people that know me well will say otherwise, I think that
I’ve gotten quieter. Usually, I will be the one who keeps a conversation from
dying, because dear God I can’t stand awkward silence, but now, I seem to be
quite comfortable with it. It gives me peace. Quite antisocial though. I also have
a problem of not thinking before talking which often gets me into icky
situations even though I did not mean any offense or make myself look stupid,
and so being quiet just saves me from this. Being quieter also taught me how to
listen. You
know that moment when a friend tells you something and you tell him/her
something the same from your experiences and you ended up shifting the tide of
conversation and you feel like you are not “empathising” anymore and you just
look like a big ball of narcissism? (or at least, that’s how I feel) Welp,
being quiet once again saves me from doing this. Like I said, as someone who is
talkative and uncomfortable of awkward silences, being quiet has finally given
me the opportunity to just shut up and realize that not
talking isn’t the worst thing in the world and just to drink in what others are
saying and being observant is probably one of the greatest pleasures
that one should experience.
New things in our life can always be seen in a different angle. Sometimes they can be “bumps”, but as I have previously said, try to see the silver lining. New is always better. .. better in some ways we haven’t seen yet!
- Anonymeh
“Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself
from the unacceptable” - Denis Waitley
What's Up, Vancouver? (January 2015)
Polar Bear Swim
January 1, 2015
English Bay
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Christmas at FlyOver Canada
Everyday until January 4, 2015
Canada Place
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The Whistler Holiday Experience
Everyday until January 4, 2015
Whistler Conference Centre
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Ice Skating at Robson Square
Everyday until February 28, 2015
Robson Square
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Unplugged: How to Hack a Million Dollars (An Open Mic Meetup)
January 13, 2015
887 Great Northern Way #101 Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5
More informationVancouver Symphony Orchestra Presents New Music Festival
January 15-18, 2015
The Orpheum Theatre
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Vancouver Sketch Comedy Festival
January 16-18, 2015
The Waterfront Theatre (1412 Cartwright St, Granville Island)
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Divers' Weekend at Vancouver Aquarium
January 17-18, 2015
Vancouver Aquarium
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HTML 500 Vancouver: Canada's Largest One-Day Learn-to-Code Event
January 24, 2015
Rocky Mountaineer Station
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