The penguins weren’t the only ones dressed in tuxedos recently as the Vancouver Aquarium held its’ 6th annual Night at the Aquarium gala fundraiser. The champagne and caviar were also plentiful, as were the offerings from many of Vancouver’s top restaurants and wineries who all came out to support the many programs and services offered by one of Vancouver’s most popular places. A live mermaid greeted guests at the door and later on, even the dolphins and whales got in on the act before the evening wrapped up with the live auction and dessert. Over $316,433 was raised. Congrats to all involved.
01 – Vancouver Aquarium interpretive speakers Paula Kalinowski, left, and Tessa Danelesko are the voices you hear when you go to see one of the live animal demonstrations. This night Tessa helps narrate the live dolphin show much to the delight of the crowd.
02 – Looking awesome in aqua, Vancouver Aquarium’s Roxanne St-Pierre takes care of the communications and behind the scenes details.
03 – Fresh from Fraiche Restaurant in West Vancouver, chef Jefferson Alvarez, left, serves up samples for the guests with Kyle Davis and Kim Steel.
04 – West Vancouver lawyer Kim Moller and Christine Dahlberg take a stroll by the caviar table en route to the silent auction tables.
05 – BC Minister of Finance Colin Hansen and his wife Laura are among the VIPs in attendance.
06 – West Vancouver’s beautiful Jody Rebak accompanies guest Chas Woodyer for a look at some of the fashionable auction items up for grabs.
07 – Vancouver Aquarium president and CEO John Nightingale chats with CTV news anchor Coleen Christie before she starts her duties as the event MC.
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By Catherine Barr – June 21, 2012
Also as seen in print in the North Shore Outlook Newspaper on July 12, 2012
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North Vancouver’s Whitecap Books, in conjunction with Weissach cars and Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks, welcomed all kinds of local celebs last week at the launch of FoodTV chef and personality Bob Blumer’s newest book, “Glutton for Pleasure”. Autographs and cooking demos kept everyone’s mouth watering and later chef Blumer himself came out to greet fans. Also, it’s congrats to a very dedicated group of North Vancouver friends who, some ten years ago, got together to play Bocce to raise money in memory of a good friend. Today, the Benefits of Bocce group held a special cheque presentation party at North Vancouver’s newest Boston Pizza lounge. To date, the group has raised over $250,000 for various causes. And lastly, it was bow ties and ballgowns as the Arts Umbrella held their second annual Splash Gala fundraiser. North Shore notables were decked out in their finest and, armed with bidding numbers and credit cards, they helped make this year’s gala one of the best on record.
You know it’s a good party when you get to play with the Belugas and tickle the sea otters. Add in some sustainable seafood, a glass of vino and some lavish auction items and you’ve got “Night at the Aquarium” – the Vancouver Aquarium’s signature gala fundraiser. This year, the gala raised over $300,000 and all of the proceeds go directly toward supporting the Aquarium’s numerous research, education and conservation efforts. Also last week, North Vancouverite and Steamworks proprietor Eli Gershkovitch welcomed guests to his newest installment – Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar – located in the downtown seabus terminal. Formerly known as the Transcontinental, the refurbished room features fabulous new decor and a new menu well worth the trip.
A girls’ right to shoes is now a mantra thanks to the iconic tv-series-turned-chick-flick “Sex and the City 2”. And what better way to celebrate the movie’s debut than with a party in the shoe department of Holt Renfrew. Socialite Christie King and her Women United in Philanthropy group helped raised funds for the United Way this week as the well-heeled turned out in support. Next up, the Turning Point Society’s Gala turned up the glam with a special VIP cocktail pre-party featuring famous A-List actor Martin Sheen who was happy to donate his time. Lastly, the West Coast Fishing Club’s WCFC Culinary Series 2010 was held at the Vancouver Aquarium providing guests with an up-close introduction to the fine cuisine one can expect from this year’s culinary adventure trips to Langara Island.
IT was a fun “foodie” type week last week as competitions, cookbooks and the first sign of Christmas crept into the headlines. First up, local chefs help promote sustainable seafood at the Vancouver Aquarium during the Seafood Chowder Chowdown. Then, it was time for a little Viva Italia at Quattro on 4th as local favourite, Antonio Corsi, teamed up to publish his family’s food secrets in a fabulous new cookbook – just in time for Christmas. And speaking of Christmas, the first cheer of the year goes to the good folks at Rogers Communication in a special holiday reception held at the chic and stylish Lift restaurant and lounge.
Country music, Bhangra drums plus celebrity chefs and wine helped wrap up the last week of Summer 2009. First up, the Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) brought big name singers to the city with a festival that included live concerts, fan parties and a fabulous live awards show that was broadcast across Canada. Next up, West Vancouver musician Ash Sood and friends were among the VIPs at a special private dinner to raise funds for the Bhangra International Festival Celebration. And when it comes to celebrating, no one does it better than the Wine of BC people with their annual Chef Meets Grape charity event in support of the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program.
Kermit the Frog said it best – It’s not easy being green. However, thanks to some new sustainable programs (like the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program), Vancouver chefs are responding with enthusiasm. Such was the case at Blue Water Cafe last week. West Vancouver owner Jack Evrensel, along with his talented team, launched a new seafood cookbook focusing on “Spare the Ocean, Spoil the Palate”. The restaurant also played host to the Red Carpet Soiree – a toast to the 100 year celebration of the Red Cross – an organization known for its care of third world, health and sustainable recycling programs.
