July 16 edition: Why you need a burner bike

Plus: Missing middle housing, Katie Tupper, and punchy poke bowls

July 16, 2024

Hey there. I hope your week is off to a great start. 

Last week was so busy for me personally that I’m looking forward to doing truly nothing at all this week. We’re talking lying on the beach; reading some mindless, cheesy books in front of a full-blast fan; and perhaps indulging in my annual tradition of getting way too obsessed with Stardew Valley for one to six weeks. Maybe I’ll even venture to Resurrection Spirits and treat myself to a cocktail—I hear the Storyteller was inspired by a very cool local newspaper (wink, wink).

Even if grown-ups don’t get the whole summer off, it’s nice to pretend school’s out.

— V. 
Associate Editor

FEATURE

A viral letter to a bike thief reminds us that we are all Ronaldo

A bicycle frame with its wheels stolen rests against a bridge

A Reddit post took off this week as Vancouverites commiserated over the pain of inevitable bike theft. In a letter attached to a de-wheeled bicycle, someone named Ronaldo pleaded with the thief to “return the original wheels and parts,” or leave him “no choice but to pursue further consequences.” The whole screed is oddly hopeful: a glimpse of a world where perhaps, if you ask really nicely, you could get your stolen tyres back. In the meantime, Mike Usinger suggests investing in a burner bike.

CITY & CULTURE

Commentary: BC’s rezoning bill doesn’t adequately address Vancouver’s missing middle

An aerial shot of Vancouver sprawl, with the city in the background

Rezoning all single-family lots to allow small multiplexes sounds good in theory, right? But Jonathan Cooper of the Macdonald Real Estate Group argues that the provincial legislation doesn’t do enough to move the needle on housing affordability, as it’s way too expensive to redevelop single-residence lots into multiple units.

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER CANADIANS

Pride Night at The Nat

Get ready to celebrate Pride Night at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium on July 30th at 7:05pm! There will be a Pride button giveaway for the first 500 fans who enter the stadium, so make sure to arrive early. The homestand also includes three additional giveaways, a fireworks night, and will end with a White Spot Family Fun Sunday where kids 12 and under can run the bases after the game.

Tickets start at just $20, making it easy to enjoy a memorable evening without breaking the bank. Grab your tickets now for games starting at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, or opt for the 1:05 p.m. games on Fridays and Sundays. Don't miss out on this exciting event – visit our website or call 604-872-5232 to secure your spot today!

ARTS

The Tempest Project reworks Shakespearean emotions into immersive vignettes

A musician sits on a rug on a stage floor, singing and manipulating a pile of switches

The Tempest Project isn’t just a concert. The latest production from Music on Main, five years in the making, invites audiences on a guided journey through the Vancouver Playhouse, where musicians play scenes inspired by Shakespeare’s stormy saga. “We hear music differently in different environments,” says Music on Main artistic director David Pay, “and I think it just opens us up to being all the more permeable, and receiving the power of the arts in beautiful ways.”

  • What’s behind Douglas Coupland’s new public artwork? “I love rocks.”

  • There’s a Tim Hortons musical coming to Crave, and it asks questions that have no answers

  • Bring it to the runway at Van Vogue Jam’s annual Posh Ball

  •  The Create! Eastside Arts Festival features accessible art workshop for all ages & abilities in breweries, studios and Strathcona park + Beer Crawl July 22-28.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY ARTS CLUB THEATRE COMPANY

Colin Mochrie's Arts Club Reunion

Colin Mochrie, legendary Canadian improviser, returns to Vancouver's Arts Club July 19 & 20 for a special reunion show! Joining forces with four local improvisors, he'll light up the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. The two-night event promises a whirlwind of wit and spontaneity, showcasing Vancouver's vibrant improv scene.

MUSIC

It’s a summer of love for Katie Tupper

A woman with a dark bob looks directly in the camera, sitting in front of a white wall with her knees drawn up

Katie Tupper’s voice is like a warm, tender blanket. The Saskatoon neo-soul singer trades off her deep and resonant vocal tone, which is sure to win her plenty more fans when she plays Vancouver Folk Music Festival this weekend. “I think I have a low voice for a woman, and I sing most of my music down there,” Tupper explains. “I come from a marketing background, and they always said, ‘Find your niche.’ My voice is mine.”

*sponsored listing

FOOD & DRINK

Where to get poke in Vancouver

A poke bowl topped with seaweed, cucumber, and avocado

Gotta try them all: poke bowls! With its heat-free prep, endless customization, and easy transportation, poke bowls are an ideal meal for lazy summer days. Here are some of our picks for where to get perfect poke bowls in the city.

  • Following last summer’s fire, Dolce Amore is preparing its return to the Drive

  • Cowdog coffee has found a permanent home in Fairview

  • Ribfest returns to Port Moody and Langley

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER DAVIS COLLEGE

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THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

MUSIC
Jazz-hip-hop pioneers Digable Planets mark 30 years of their debut album, Reachin’. (July 16 @ Vogue Theatre)

MUSEUM
The Museum of Vancouver hosts a live ancestral tattoo demonstration as part of True Tribal. (July 16 to 19 @ Museum of Vancouver)

FILM
It’s Star Trek, Jim, but not as we know it—VSO is playing the score live. (July 16 to 17 @ Orpheum Theatre)

FOOD
Chambar brings back beloved restaurant alumni as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations. (July 17 @ Chambar)

PERFORMING ARTS
New West’s hottest speakeasy hosts a night of buzzy Bee’s Knees Burlesque. (July 18 @ The Flapper Lounge, New Westminster)

COMEDY 
Joe Pera talks with you in person. (July 18 @ The Rio Theatre)

MUSIC
Scottish musical mavericks Shooglenifty whirl into town for a bonny wee time. (July 18 @ Mel Lehan Hall at St. James)

DANCE 
Adam Grant Warren opens up the floor as he generates a new solo work, Good Bully. (To July 29 @ Scotiabank Dance Centre)

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

That’s it!

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