It's my Birthday!

It's my birthday today! I'm turning 23 :)
It's also Hobbit Day and Bilbo and Frodo's birthday.

Other notable birthdays include Tom Felton and Billie Piper. I also know 4 other people with the same birthday as me.

Today is also the Autumnal Equinox, with precisely 100 days until the end of the year.

My birthday is pretty sweet.

Tonight, I will be celebrating Hobbit Day at our local geek pub, the Storm Crow Tavern on Commercial Drive, singing Hobbit drinking songs and playing LOTR chess with a few special friends (and The Boy). I've got all the song lyrics printed out already. I've also downloaded the complete LOTR soundtrack (all 9 discs worth) onto my computer for music. Plus The Cat and the Moon for the LOTR musical.

It's going to be so so epic.

:) Happy Birthday to me.

Dear Diary,

For most of my high school years, I kept my diary writing as a series of scattered blog entries all over the internet. I've used the now extinct Windows Live Spaces (now transplanted to wordpress), Xanga, Livejournal, and various miscellaneous word documents on the computer. I also had a paper and ink journal also existing in fragments of scrap paper and various notebooks. When I was 16, I bought a red leather diary which took 5 years to finish. But for my 21st birthday, a very good friend of mine gave me a beautiful journal which I took as a motivation to finish my existing one and move on to the new one. Ever since then, I have diligently tried to write in my diary regularly. As a result, I now have a stack of diaries which carefully document my life for the last two or so years. This is a significant achievement for me, since I've always been the kind of person to start diaries and never finish them.

I suppose I just find an ink and paper diary so much more convenient and intimate than a blog.

In my diaries, I draw and sketch, record dreams, doodle in the margins, write down my music soundtrack, record daily occurrences. There are things I can do with a paper diary that I can't do in a blog. There are also things that I can't do in a paper diary that I can do in a blog. But mostly, I just relish in having a soundly legitimate excuse to go out and buy beautiful diaries because (depending on my writing and on the size of the diary) I go through diaries on an average of one per every 2-3 months. The larger ones can last me 3-4 months, the smaller ones perhaps 1-2. But nothing excites me more than when I finish writing on the last page of an old diary and having to go out in search of a new one. Tonight is such a night.

Tomorrow, I go out in search of the new "perfect" diary, which I have already (finally) pinpointed in my mind. Which leads me to Paperblanks. Paperblanks is a division of Hartley & Marks Publishers, a Vancouver-based publishing company which specializes in beautiful journals/blank books, address books and dayplanners. I have drooled over their gorgeous specimens for years and I finally bought a Paperblanks journal a couple months back (Silver Filigree).

Voilà! My baby <3 td="td">

 I only recently discovered they were in fact a Vancouver company during my time abroad in England, where I found the collection of Paperblank journals available were sadly lacking and also much more expensive than at home. Paperblanks is an orgasmic experience for the journal writers and bibliophiles. And without further ado, I present to you my future diary and Paperblanks' new design for the fall: the Nocturnelle

Oh yes, it shall be mine.

This lovely thing is Paperblanks' reproduction of an antique French binding based on a cover designed in 1829 by publishers A. & W. Galignani for “The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore.” I cannot wait to be able to write inside those pages.

This is tomorrow's quest.

I would maintain my diary-writing habit just to be able to purchase and use all my favourite Paperblanks journals.

Perhaps later I will extol on the advantages of blank versus lined pages, but honestly I just would not care whether Paperblanks were lined or blank in this case (actually I do prefer blank books, but I would make an exception for beautiful bindings).

Time for sleep and a new day.

Goodbye, farewell, aufwiedersehen!

Some not-thoroughly-overdone Geek fashion

This wasn't supposed to turn out to be a shopping blog but I'm such a shopaholic shopping occupies my mind about 80% of the time - if not more. So it shouldn't surprise me that much that I discovered this particular item while walking past it in the Roots store window two days ago.

What am I talking about? Roots new clothing line designed by Vancouver's Douglas Coupland.

Why am I ranting about it?

Because of this adorably simple t-shirt dress designed to look like the SMPTE colour bars off-air screen of old analog TVs.

They also have it on a t-shirt, a backpack, a hoodie, arm warmers, a notebook and this gorgeous scarf here:

Ah, love at first sight. <3

Vancouver Bibliophiles Unite!

I have an obsession with paper.

There I said it.

In the oncoming age of i-pads and Kobo readers, I am clinging desperately to the plain old fashioned way of reading.

Books! Their smell, the weight and texture of the paper, the leather bindings. Yes I have a paper fetish. It's just that I need to have the feeling of a book in my hand as much as the contents to read. I literally love books. But I prefer the term "Bibliophiliac".

Now here in Vancouver there is a giant monopoly on the book-selling industry: Chapters/Indigo/Coles. Not that I'm saying they are a bad bookstore at all, I love going to Chapters. However, I enjoy independent bookstores for their discount prices,excellent quality of second hand (and usually first edition/hardcover) books, eclectic selections and cozy atmosphere.

The thing with franchised bookstores such as Chapters is that every other bookstore is exactly the same as the next, there is really no point in shopping around unless the copy of the book you want is not at that particular store. Another big downer is that you would always have to pay the cover price of the book, which can be pretty pricey at times, especially if you buy books as frequently as I do. Unless of course you buy from the discount section, but most of the books are crap. Bestsellers are usually discounted too, but I rarely buy bestseller books.

So what can a girl do?

Well, I'll share with you my wisdom of Bibliophile-friendly spots in Vancouver.

W. Broadway in Vancouver is practically lined with lovely used bookstores, especially in the Kitsilano area. Among my favourites are:

• Pulpfiction Books - they have locations on Balaclava in Kits and on Main St. The Main St. location is the larger one and have a wider selection, but the one on Balaclava is excellent as well. They sell new books for 20% less and if you're looking for a particular book they don't have, you can ask if they can order it online for you. The staff is very friendly and approachable, so don't be shy to ask!
  
  
• Tanglewood Books - (1553 West Broadway) They also have a sister store in Kits called "Brigid's Books", both have excellent collections, especially if you're looking for children's books. They also have a great Classics collection.

There are also good second-hand bookstores on 4th Ave in Kits such as:

• Canterbury Tales Secondhand Books - (1990 4 Avenue West) A lovely quaint dinghy bookshop exactly like the ones you would imagine when the words "second hand bookstore" are used.

But if you are really looking for a full blown movie-set-esque "Bookstore", none can compare with:

• Macleod's Books - (455 Pender Street West) on the corner of Richards St. and West Pender, this monstrosity of a bookstore impresses by sheer size (and by sheer number of books fitted into one building). In true old fashioned style, it is literally filled with books from floor to ceiling - they are stacked everywhere in a constant state threatening collapse. This is truly the place to look for rare books. I myself once purchased a Latin copy of Alice in Wonderland (they also have Folio society books). In addition, they have a basement section twice as big as the upstairs if not more stuffed with boxes of books everywhere. It's heaven for a Bibliophile.

Further out in the boonies and not a used bookstore, we have:

• Wendel's Bookstore & Cafe - nestled into the quaint town section of Fort Langley, this is the cutest place for a cuppa joe and poetry books. The bookstore also sells really cute journals. The atmosphere overall is unbeatable.

Well! Now that we've had a tour of the highlights of Vancouver's used bookstores, I'm going to let you in on a little secret of buying leatherbound classics. Charles Dickens? Jane Austen? Edgar Allen Poe?

Did you know that Barnes & Nobles sells GORGEOUS I mean GORGEOUS leatherbound editions of classics books? For $20 bucks? Yes, you heard right. There is nowhere else you can possibly buy that kind of quality books for $20. Nowhere. And I've looked.

The three copies I currently own are: Chronicles of Narnia, Wicked & Son of a Witch, and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. They are absolutely fantastic. I plan on buying more in the future.

Happy summer reading lovelies :)

Vancouver's underground subcultures: Steampunk

Vancouver is a pretty awesome city.

Ok, I may be a little biased, since I have lived here since I was 5, but it's not entirely without basis. I mean, we've been consecutively voted as one of the top cities to live in the world, and no doubt you've caught glimpses of our jewel nestled next to the Rocky Mountains during the winter 2010 Olympic games.
 

Quatchi!

Growing up in the outer suburbia of Surrey and then moving out to Point Grey for University has opened me up to infinite more activities to dabble around in, since means of transportation in Surrey and Vancouver are worlds apart.

But first of all, what is Steampunk?

Steampunk - [steem puhngk] – noun (sometimes adjective, sometime verb)

      Steampunk started as literary genre of science fiction set during the Victorian era, and was usually characterized by steam engines, goggles, Victorian apparel, brass, and cogs. Often emphasized was overly complicated devices, such as Goldberg machines, and themes like airship pirates and clockwork appendages.

       The sub-culture of Steampunk, however, has evolved into much more than literature. Now, Steampunk accompanies anything from the mid to late 1800s but with a future twist. It often still refers to the same recurring themes, but has now spread into music, art, film, sculpture, fashion, games, and design. For some, Steampunk has even become a way of life, often emphasizing things like polite social behaviour, Victorian style clothing, and importance on the skill of the hand.

       While some Steampunks pride themselves on their polite mannerisms, upper class style, and love for all thing mechanical, there is also another side to being Steampunk. Some prefer the Steampunk mechanic lifestyle- one who uses mechanical tools to build elaborate machines- and some even go for the airship pirate look by focusing more on dirigible based adventure.

       A good way to understand Steampunk is to go back to its beginnings and reading some of the literature that started it all; however, it is just as beneficial to pay attention to some of the modern Steampunk books and movies if one really wants to understand what Steampunk IS rather than what it WAS.

- From www.vancouversteampunks.webs.com

Personally I am a huge fan of subcultures born from literature (hell I run a Harry Potter Yule Ball in Van every Christmas, but that is a whole entire subculture altogether). The novels of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells especially captivated me (favourites being: 20 000 Leagues under the Sea, the Time Machine and the Hollow man). I believe A Series of Unfortunate Events would also fall under this category. Philip Pullman's Dark Materials would also qualify (specifically the Golden Compass movie scenes).

Add on love of Victorian clothing.

Then a dash of costumery obsession.

Voila! Instant attraction.

The current Steampunk community in Van started in 2009 I believe, by a group of Steampunk lovers (including an acquaintance of mine I met through my Harry Potter friends). It now includes a Facebook page and a website, and they have regular meetings along with numerous other fun activities. There was actually just last month a 3-day Steampunk Expo in Victoria which I was not able to go to since it was on the expensive side, however, I did attend their "Lords and Ladies Masquerade Ball" last month, which was loads of fun and free Jelly Babies. Even managed to drag The Boy along and he actually enjoyed it.

Someone's awesome photography of the night

This July 10th, they are holding a One-day Steampunk Mini-Con in a Victorian mansion they've rented. There will be "a continuous stream of exhibits, lectures, classes, games, activities, and, most importantly, tiny little sandwiches, cupcakes, and tea. Everything from etiquette lessons to classes on leather working, Victorian sword fighting to Victorian dancing, steampunk movies to steampunk music, and card games to croquet."

Most of V-Steam's meetups happen around Gastown in Downtown Vancouver, the home of our famous steam clock. However, there a number of different haunts where you may run into members of V-Steam bedecked in their full Victorian gear:

• Steamworks Brewery on Water Street - perfectly charming little pub for Steampunks

• Biltmore Cabaret on Kingsway and 12th - perfect little nightclub for indie music with red velvet high-backed booths. Gorgeous.

• Burnaby Village Museum - a quaint little 1920's village and my personal favourite: the vintage carousel.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Roedde House Museum - a Victorian home from 1893
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

There is also the Lamplighter pub in Gastown and the Masquerade Ball which took place last month was at Heritage Hall on Main st. Granville Island would also be an excellent place to spot a Steampunk.

In addition there are many stores in Vancouver which cater to people interested in alternative clothing. Just out of Gastown on Cordova and Cambie there are two quaint little shops stacked on top of another: Venus&Mars, which also sells lovely Renaissance gowns, and Deadly Couture downstairs. If you're a lover of hats, there is Edie Hats in Granville Island which sells an assortment of top quality hats. There used to be a wonderfully gauche store in Metropolis across from Winners (with a giant purple dragon out front) that sold all kinds of wonderful things, but unfortunately it closed down about 6 months ago.

Dressing up for one of these things is really not as hard as you think it is. Given, it is a cumulative effort consisting of years of collecting these little pieces, and it wouldn't hurt to always be keeping an eye out for these things either. A good of way of keeping down the cost is diligent sweeping of second-hand/consignment stores and finding versatile pieces that could also double as every-day accessories on their own.

But of course, the main goal after all is just to have fun! Subculture communities such as this one are great ways of meeting new people who have the same interests as you and talking up a storm. Also, you have an excuse to dress up and take pictures. I have gained infinitely more facebook profile pictures from my jaunts out on the town.

Well, here you have it. Another night and another post. Possibly I shall continue with these little posts of Vancouver, but until next time, this is all you guys get!