178: TY SEGALL @ BILTMORE

Some guys in the audience headbanging

First time shooting a concert in a mini mosh pit! I was shocked at how everyone at the front was so into the music. I couldn't get any good shots from my spot at the corner, so eventually I had to push my way to the front on the other side of the stage, which I did in between songs. I knelt to take photos as the music started, and all of a sudden I started getting pushed and people started falling all over me. Good thing I was kneeling, because that stabilized me so that instead of tipping over, I just had people fall on top of me (I did fall over once, but it wasn't too too bad). I had people hitting my head/back/sides/legs/camera so I had to leave that spot after the one song. It was an interesting night. I really wish the Biltmore would provide some better lighting!!! These photos were shot with my lens wide open (f2.8) and ISO 6400....and they're still dark!

Look at that audience!

177: WINDOW SEAT

View from my window as I flew home from Kamloops. Amazing!

176: ALONG THE THOMPSON RIVER

I have to admit, my first impression of Kamloops was not great because of the giant brown mountain looming over the city. But today I walked along the Thompson River during sunset, and I have changed my mind about this place. I think it is actually quite pretty, and it was the first time I was able to put my feet in sand this year! One thing about downtown Kamloops though is that I had THREE weird encounters with men approaching me on the street (compared to zero in Vancouver). It must be because they are intrigued by my foreignness.

175: TRAINS

It's a weird feeling, having the ground underneath you shake and rumble every half hour or so because of the railroad close by. My coworker convinced gullible me that we were on a fault line and that it was mini earthquakes we were experiencing - I believed him because this happens in Japan!

174: ROAST LAMB

I ate this roast lamb dinner in the middle of a thunderstorm. It was a huge one - the wind was howling, lightning was flashing, and the thunder was ...well, thunderous. The roof started leaking and the lights were flickering, but the lamb captivated my total attention!

173: OBSERVATION DECK

A telescope looking at an Air Canada Jazz plane at YVR.

172: SLABBING AND CRACKING

I spent the day at Squamish climbing slabs and cracks. It was my first time doing both, and I have to say that I enjoy cracks a lot more compared to slabs. Slabs are pretty much just flat rock with no real hand holds. Instead, you are supposed to focus on your footwork, which is so difficult because there is nothing to put your feet on either! Patrick told us to look for tiny rock crystals on which I can put my foot on for half a second, but I could not see any of these (imaginary?) crystals. But I learned how to make a fisherman's knot today!

View from the top of the climb

A tiny crack that turns into a big crack

Practicing what he preached all day:
"Stick your butt out!"

171: PICNIC

Oops it's been a week since I last updated. I haven't been very good at keeping up with my project 365 this year. What can I say, life got in my way. I just haven't felt like taking my camera around for the past week. But today I went on a picnic with the girls on a rare sunny day in Vancouver and it was just what I needed.

The heat got to us after awhile and we started to feel sluggish in the coolness of Dil's condo....

But eventually we made it to West 4th to catch Aidan Knight perform at the Khatsalano festival before heading out to Refuel for dinner. They screwed up my order so i got two half orders of steak salad instead of 1 full order, which meant 2 extra ounces of steak for me. Yay!

170: SPECIAL SURPRISE

It was an elaborate all day surprise party.

First we surprised birthday girl Rae at her house, then took her to Miranda's place where we had pasta and baked brie and ice cream (made with Rae's ice cream machine). Giosy happened to be on skype, so we had her up on the big screen tv as we ate our lunch. Very nice!

Then we blindfolded Rae to take her to the mystery dinner, which we booked with Swallow Tail, an underground supper club.

The secret location was revealed just a few days before the dinner, and it ended up being at a pretty plant store in Gastown. We had a six course meal, complete with a violinist in the background. It was such a special dinner. I would like to go to another Swallow Tail dinner again. The chef forages for her own mushrooms, catches her own crab, and hunts her own venison - amazing!

We had a three layer gelato cake from Bella Gelateria - strawberry, dulce de leche, and dark chocolate. Delicious.

We finished dinner at about midnight, and then off it was to Library Square for 80s night! Yes, I was pretty destroyed at work the next day...

169: THE ROSEBUDS & OTHER LIVES @ MEDIA CLUB

The Rosebuds

I shot the Rosebuds at the Media Club downtown, with opening band Other Lives. Sometimes I meet the funniest people at events like this.

Me: What kind of accent do you have? I can't place it.
Guy: Half drunk, half Alberta!

I laughed so much at his answer.

The Rosebuds

Other Lives

Other Lives

Other Lives

Other Lives

168: SABLEFISH

It was a total foodie day. A porchetta sandwich from Meat & Bread for lunch, hanging out at Cafe Artigiano and grabbing a rosewater sorbetto at Bella Gelateria, and then this - Sablefish, Charred Corn, New Potatoes, Sidestrip Shrimps, Prawn Butter & Star Anise Jus - at Boneta in Gastown. Mmm mmm good.

167: TREESCAPING