Lattimer Gallery Charity Bentwood Boxes

One of the coolest things currently happening in the Northwest Coast Native Art scene is Lattimer Gallery's annual Charity Bentwood Box Event.  The gallery has been doing this for the past five years and it is based around the unconventional ornamentation of small, hand-made cedar steam-bent boxes by British Columbia's top First Nations artists and jewelers. The boxes all start off looking the same, but artists are encouraged to manipulate and decorate them in experimental ways.

All of the work in the creation of these small cedar boxes is donated: the boxes themselves are steam-bent and donated by Metis/Cree artist James Michels; the promotion and collected funds are donated by Lattimer Gallery; and the artwork is donated by the artists. The boxes are sold through silent auction and can be seen online at www.lattimergallery.com. Current selling prices are updated in realtime on Lattimer Gallery's website, and bids can be placed in person, via email, or by phone. Bids are accepted between November 24-December 8 this year. 

Artists involved for 2012 include Haida artist Don Yeomans, Kwakwaka'wakw artist Richard Sumner, and Heiltsuk artist Bradley Hunt.

The money raised will be donated to Urban Native Youth Association, a Vancouver organization which has been providing 21 prevention-focused programs and services to Native Youth since 1988 to help them meet their immediate and longer-term needs. They have started an Endowment Fund for Native youth, and Lattimer Gallery will work with UNYA for three years to help develop this fund.

Keywords: "Native Art Vancouver", "Alex Dawkins", "Northwest Coast Gifts"

The Red Wagon

I'm tempted to give The Red Wagon high praise because I had the pulled pork pancakes tonight for dinner and almost went into a meat-and-sugar induced food coma of excellence. My double tequila caesar, with its pickled asparagus and fresh horseradish, was also amazing and worked surprisingly well with those flappy meat jacks. I went with a group of five, and while everyone seemed to enjoy their meal, we walked away feeling a bit laggard. I know this is a diner, and I realise that Red Wagon's "thing" is zesty meat and comfort food, but there are few balanced dishes on the menu. There is a whole lotta white flour and flesh on this menu. My dad ordered the cobb salad, which is one of the healthier options, and it was laden with avocado, blue cheese, and bacon. Props to Red Wagon for serving all-day breakfast though, but a word of warning: the kitchen closes at 9pm! So instead of high praise, Red Wagon will have to settle for good old fashioned praise.

Keywords: "Red Wagon Vancouver", "Vancouver diners", "Alex Dawkins"

Kalamata Redux

The Old Location

Kalamata was voted Best Greek by Vancouver Magazine in 2011 and won the Georgia Straight's 'Golden Plate' award for Greek cuisine in both 2011 and 2012. Then, Kalamata shut down in the spring of this year. What-the-Feta?! This really surprised me because it had won the aforementioned awards aaaand was doing pretty darn good on Yelp.

But alas! Kalamata and its succulent kleftico is back! New to Granville and Broadway, right beside Fortune Garden Chinese Restaurant, Kalamata has found a spot with a reasonable lease in which to sear their souvlaki and prepare their paidakia. There is not a great deal of Greek in this hood, so I think they will do well here. Nu Greek is a block away on the same side of the street, but they only create take-away items...and Apollonia is relatively close, but they cater to False Creekers. I ate at the old Kalamata near Cambie twice and remember really liking it. I walk by this new location everyday, and will surely pop in for some lamb on a regular basis.