February 29 edition: Golden Plates nominations

Hey there. It’s time for a time-honoured Straight tradition: the Golden Plates Awards.

Nominations for our 27th annual food and drink awards are now open. Every year, our readers (that’s you!) select their favourite restaurants, breweries, bars, cafes, coffee shops, food trucks, and more, recognizing the best of Vancouver’s vibrant local food scene.

To have your say on everything from the prettiest patio to the best bartender to the number-one New West spot, click here. To vote, you’ll need to be a Georgia Straight newsletter subscriber. Which, if you’re reading this—you probably are. Great job. If not, you can click here to fix that.

There’s two rounds to the Golden Plates voting. First, the nomination period runs until March 10. On March 31, voting begins. We’ll announce the winners of the 2024 Golden Plates Awards online and in our May 2 print edition.

Let the quest for the gilded platters begin! 

— V.
Associate Editor

FEATURE

A guide to Vancouver comedy shows

Something funny is happening in Vancouver. Wait—make that several things. Or a whole bounty of them, in fact. There’s live comedy shows across the city almost every night, if you know where to look. Check out our local comedy guide here, for everything from open mics to improv battles to professional showcases.

LIVING

Sex//Work: Erotic work is ethical. Here’s why.

In our latest installment of Sex//Work, professional companion Captain Peaches dives into the ethics of sex work. “Everyone came from an orgasm,” she writes. There’s countless jobs that involve taking care of people’s genitals; so why is erotic work the only one that gets stigmatized? And how much happier would everyone be if we, as a society, got over it?

• There’s new vessels coming to BC Ferries… sometime

• Did you get caught up in the snow this week?

• Keep your licence. The experienced lawyers at Acumen Law Corporation will give you the strongest legal defence to keep you in the driver’s seat.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY FESTIVAL DU BOIS

Come celebrate Festival du Bois - March 8-10

Say “bonjour” to the 35th Anniversary Festival du Bois, March 8-10 in Maillardville/Coquitlam’s Mackin Park. Come hear (and dance to) live Acadian, folk and world music, see fun shows for kids and families, explore the Métis Village Experience, sample delicious cuisine traditionnelle – and much more!

 This year’s Big Tent lineup features New Brunswick’s talented La Famille LeBlanc, carrying on their Acadian family heritage. From PEI and the Magdalen Islands, Vishtèn Connexions beautifully blends Acadian and Celtic music with rock and Indi-folk influences. La Famille Léger and Podorythmie, both based in Washington, play the music and dance of French Canada – and introduce you to crankies! For kids, there’s Will’s Jams and Missy D. Check out the full lineup and schedule, and get tickets here.

ARTS

Dil Ka gets its world premiere in North Vancouver

There’s new playwriting talent bubbling up all the time. Ruby Slippers Theatre, Presentation House Theatre and Blackout Art Society are working together to bring Dil Ka to stage next month. The play, from emerging Toronto writer Lee Nisar, focuses on queer Muslim joy, with protagonist Zahra considering her latest arranged marriage candidate in her lively Pakistani family’s kitchen.

• You Nearly Missed: Diana Ross Dream is Black dance magic 

• Comedian Celeste Barber brings her Backup Dancer tour to town

MUSIC

12 unique places to catch live music in Vancouver

We all know and love the Orpheum, the Rickshaw, and the Commodore. But there are plenty of spots in town for bands that are starting out—or dominating the underground scene—to serve up their sweet siren songs. We’ve got dedicated jazz bars. We’ve got secret pop-up shows. We’ve got a church decked out in candles. Whatever you’re into, there’s somewhere off the beaten track that’ll be music to your ears.

• Burnaby’s Foodstock returns for a third year of tasty fundraising

• What’s In Your Fridge: Autogramm’s Jiffy Marx on the albums and concerts that made him 

• Cigarettes After Sex is coming to Rogers Arena this fall

• Meow Meow: Pandemonium is "Spectacular. 5 Stars." Don't miss her one-night-only concert this Saturday at the Orpheum with the VSO! Act now for best seats.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY ARTS UMBRELLA

Arts Umbrella Dance Company brings exhilarating contemporary dance to the Vancouver Playhouse March 15-16 in Midseason

Arts Umbrella Dance Company returns to the Vancouver Playhouse March 15-16 for Midseason – two exhilarating performances of world-class repertoire and brand-new works.

Under the artistic direction of Artemis Gordon, the program includes works by leading choreographers, including Sidney Chuckas, James Kudelka, Fernando Magadan, Emily Molnar, and Lukas Timulak.

FOOD & DRINK

Five warming soups to get you through the cold snap

Is there anything more nourishing than curling like a shrimp around a steaming bowl of broth? Lifting the spoon from liquid to lips and feeling its warmth trickling down your throat, making your whole body glow with comfort? Word to the wise—if your soup is actually shedding visible light, that’s several thousand degrees too hot for humans to drink. But if you’re chasing that metaphorical luminescence, here’s our pick of the city’s suppables.

• BC Distilled adds new vendors to the annual artisanal booze event

• Bufala’s River District pizzeria opens this weekend

SPONSORED BY ACUMEN LAW

Facing a driving prohibition?

Whether you’ve received a DUI/IRP or a Driving While Prohibited charge, Acumen Law has a highly experienced team of driving lawyers, offering unparalleled legal support. Don’t let a driving prohibition ruin your life. Protect your rights, start your defence and trust Acumen Law’s expertise to keep you on the road.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

THEATRE 🎭
Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer-winning play Our Town follows 12 years in a small town. (Feb. 29 to March 10 @ Fort Langley Community Hall)

MUSIC 🎤
Easy-going indie rockers Real Estate move in. (March 1 @ Hollywood Theatre)

MUSIC 🎤
Soul and funk songstress Dawn Pemberton embraces jazz’s unique rhythms. (March 1 @ BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts)

DANCE 💃
Coastal Dance Festival celebrates Indigenous movement and stories. (March 1 to 3 @ Anvil Centre) 

MARKET 🛍️
Kawaii Japan Market offers the cutest art, merch, and food. (March 1 to 3 @ UBC Robson Square)

THEATRE 🎭
The Emigrants tackles hopes and heartbreak. (March 1 to 3 @ Presentation House Theatre)

COMEDY 🤣
Shakespeare gets the improv treatment in Much Ado About Blank. (Weekly, March 1 to 29 @ Tightrope Impro Theatre)

BOOKS 📖
Author Holly Ringland debuts her new novel, The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding. (March 2 @ Museum of Vancouver)

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

That’s it!

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