WHAT: EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival. “Wait, that just sounds like a bunch of people coming together to eat food and look at food and talk about food.” Exactly.

WHEN: June 10-12, 2011. You know, before the city was globally known for riots.

WHERE: Vancouver Convention Centre. Where that pixelated orca statue is!

EXHIBITS: International culinary demonstration stage, an Iron Chef-style competition, a wine and beer pavillion, even a cheese seminar. There was also a really popular Food Network Celebrity Chef stage, featuring the likes of Dale MacKay (Top Chef Canada) and Rob Feenie. Wait, didn’t he used to be in commercials for White Spot? Oh, we don’t talk about that?

HOW TO NAVIGATE: Prepare to spend the day there and eat your way through breakfast (McDonald’s coffee samples and fresh from the oven Bonchaz buns), lunch (a sample of Moroccan split pea soup from That Guy’s Soup), and dinner (a full plate of pork adobo and rice noodles from Chef Edgar Grajo’s Filipino cuisine demonstration). Did I mention all of these samples are free? Heck yes.

HIGHLIGHTS: The Bite of Vancouver restaurants, where cuisine ranged from raw sprouted grain goodness at Gorilla Foods to hearty roasted salmon and brioche at Ebo. Gramercy Grill served up classic comfort food – steaming, saucy meatballs with a slop of mac and cheese – while Sutton Place’s Fleuri plated a beautiful display of lemon meringue and rich chocolate mousse. Can someone just tell me why Milestones was there though?

MORE HIGHLIGHTS: Absinthe in the beer and wine pavillion. Eggplants carved to look like penguins.

GOOD FOR:

• Hungry friends (Bite/Taste tickets are only $10 for 20).
• Bored couples (gets you out of the house so you don’t have to argue over whose turn it is to do laundry).
• New couples (too much to distract you from any potential awkwardness).
• Families (feed everyone for cheap!).
• Hyperactive children (two words: food coma).

LAST WORDS: No, really, White Spot?

Photos by: Alex Taylor

Help combat bullying and ignorance in British Columbia by support Out in Schools – a non-profit who tries to educate youth about tolerance and acceptance.

Purchase your tickets and receive a cocktail reception, gift bags, access to an amazing silent auction, and a fashion show featuring the Bay’s White Space.

Participants (including a team from Global News – Steve Darling, Wesla Wong & Mike Madryga) are faced with the challenge of climbing one of Vancouver’s tallest staircases, the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel – which is a whopping 48 storeys high.

For more information on the event, check out the Lung Association of BC’s website. You can also find the event on Facebook.

DefneMag has teamed up with Stairclimb for Clean Air to bring you a contest! We’re giving you the chance to win 1 of 2 $150 gift certificates for any pair of Adidas running shoes from Rackets & Runners!

All you have to do is:

1) Comment on this post

2) Tweet: “I entered to win a $150 GC for Adidas at Rackets & Runners from @DefineMag & @stairclimbvan – #teammadryga” (or #teamdarling or #teamwesla)

We’re pitting the members of the Global News Team against each other, so when you enter, tweet your alliance! You can even tweet them your support – @stevedarling1, @weslawong and @mmadryga.

Contest closes February 25, 2011

Whose team are YOU on?

Pop-up stores are sensational. What do you do to create that sensational experience for your customers?

Visual merchandise is a huge thing for me.  The atmosphere of the store is really important so I put a big emphasis on the visual displays and having a theme. Right now, it’s a Winter Wonderland theme with the white and the glitter. It’s the holidays, so it’s bringing people in and offering them a little bit of chance to see the product that I’m offering.

This isn’t your first pop-up store. What did you take from the first one and apply to this second one?

Marketing is huge, so for this one I definitely contacted more bloggers and local press. But, it was hard because it was last minute. I only had about a week to put everything together. And, it was an insane week to put everything together so everything was very, very last minute.

Also, the first one was in Kensington Market, so I definitely wanted to try out a different area. Queen Street West (fashion district of Toronto) is where I’d ultimately want to be for a permanent location. So, it was really important to me to find somewhere in that general area so that I can kind of test it out.

What is the one key thing to be mindful to other inspiring owners of pop-up shops?

Visual merchandise. I know a lot of shops go in with temporary racks, throw everything together and not worry about that. But, I think that creating environment replicates a store. People really appreciate it. They appreciate the details and they notice them. It doesn’t take much. I found most of my stuff. I re-painted it. Or, I borrowed it. Or, I’ve done my own little twist. So, you can do it on a dime.

What would be the one thing that would give your best friend from your store?

The necklace that I’m wearing. It’s a jeweler (Lauren Elan Collections) that I just started working with. Her pieces are one of a kind because they are individually tangled. Her pieces are absolutely amazing, so that would be my ultimate gift. I had this piece customized as my Christmas present from my boyfriend.  I think its’ better to pick out your own gifts sometimes!

What’s next for you?

January/February is going to bit slower. I’m taking time off to do some planning for the next year. In March, I’ll have another pop-up shop if not a permanent location. I’m looking for a space for 4-6 months – a more permanent pop-up shop but with still that temporary aspect.

Also, there will be a lot of focus online. I just did a lot of photo shoots, so there will be more creative editorial shots.

Blinked and missed Shop Bicyclett’s pop-up on Queen Street? Or, you don’t live in the centre of the universe (aka Tdot, TO, or Toronto)? Find Paige’s collection at http://www.shopbicyclette.ca/.

Picture captions:

1) Bicyclette – A name inspired by chic women dressed to the nines riding their bikes in Amsterdam – a romantic/whimsical/nostalgic feeling.

2) Paige – A Fashion Communications graduate from Ryerson, Paige has worked herself into the fashion industry with her humble start in Whistler, BC. The concept of the store came from her final thesis as part of her creative project at school.

3) Earmuffs –Paige’s other gift recommendation? Earmuffs from Unique Fille. “They are just so much fun. I’ve never seen anything else like them. They are from a designer from the UK but she is originally from Toronto.”

If you haven’t seen his work, you should, it’s amazing. In fact, I’ve already put my request in for his services for my eventual nuptials.

How did you get involved in photography and why weddings?

Back in college, I used to have a little 3-megapixel Canon Powershot that I would bring with me everywhere. It didn’t matter whether the subjects were flowers, food, people, whatever – I would take pictures of anything and everything I would see. Of course, being a complete n00b, I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I kept at it because it was so much fun! Eventually, friends started noticing my work – and so did a few other photographers whom I admired. This only inspired me to continue learning and improving. Then in 2006, I was connected with an amazing photographer- Scott Robert Lim – who helped guide me into wedding photography and laid the foundation of my success today.

Why weddings? Because it’s one of the few sectors of photography in which you can actually earn a living. Very few photographers can pay the bills doing purely landscapes, or travel photography, or non-wedding photojournalism.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Wow, where do I start? I love meeting people, love making new friends. Probably one of the best parts of my job is finding that many of my clients end up becoming regular friends. I’ve been invited to birthday parties, road trips, baby showers, home-cooked dinners, house parties, nights on the town, etc. Being included in one of the happiest days of a couple’s new life together is definitely also an incredibly satisfying part of my job. I would sometimes get asked, “Wouldn’t you rather come as a guest and enjoy yourself?” Definitely not, because I usually have more fun than the guests, and sometimes even more than the couple themselves! As the photographer, I get to hang out with the couple for the entire day, from the start til the end. I’m there for the behind-the-scenes drama, the spontaneous moments of celebration, the happy tears that come unbidden. During the ceremony and reception, I’m generally free to roam around instead of having to stay in my seat, and the photo session with the entire bridal party is almost always a total blast! I could probably go on an on about the other “best” things about my job, like being able to travel, and having a flexible schedule, and learning to become a successful entrepreneur. But I’ll stop for now.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Who are your favourite tweeps?

@scottrobertlim: This is my mentor. If it were not for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He now teaches students from around the world! Photographers, check him out!
@kellyoxford: I love her irreverent humor!
@pixelatedimage: He’s an amazing travel photographer, and I’m jealous of all the incredible places he gets to visit – for “work”!
@TSAgov: I’m not sure how it is up in Canada, but over here in the States, our civil liberties and privacy is continually being taken away by our government. Their latest brilliant plan in finding terrorists is to grope everybody who gets on a plane. This novelty account is sad and ridiculously hilarious at the same time.

What is the holiday season in California missing?

Sometime in the future, I’d love to live in a place with real seasons – where entire hillsides turn gold and red and yellow from the changing foliage, and snow falls on Christmas day. Here in California, we get maybe one and a half seasons!

Are you a romantic?

Being around people in love has paradoxically made me hyper-aware of the reality that many love stories don’t work out. I’ve known couples who seem perfect together, who seem like they have that rare and beautiful partnership we all long for – only to find them breaking up after 5, 10, 15 years together. After seeing so many failed relationships, and more than a good handful of broken engagements and divorces, there’s that risk of disillusionment. But one thing I believe with all my heart is that anything that’s worth gaining comes with great risk. And in this life, what is more worthwhile, what is more fulfilling, what is more beautiful, than risking it all for the sake of love?

All images provided by Junshien.

This Thursday, December 16, join Vancouvers bloggers and tweeters at Charm Modern Thai at 6:00pm.

This is the perfect opportunity to meet up with all those people you keep meaning to have a drink with, network, and make new friends.

We will be collecting monetary donations and non-perishable food items for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

So don’t be a Scrooge, put on your best Holiday attire (because it never gets old) and come have a drink, or 2…or 5, with us!

RSVP here and tell your friends!

Starting in 2011, Angela will be the official personality for UBCevents videos, while finishing up her undergrad. Keep an eye on her via Twitter, her website, or YouTube – you never know, she could be the next Anderson Cooper, Kelly Ripa, or Oprah.

What is yellowrainbootz?

Five years ago before rain boots were trendy, I bought my first pair of yellow rain boots. Since then, I still identify myself as the girl who proudly splish-splashed in her rain boots. Because it rains so much in Vancouver, rain boots really are the unofficial mascot for this city. And I especially love my yellow rain boots because they’re fun and spontaneous, like my videos! This influenced my YouTube username: yellowrainbootz. And now I use the name for almost everything.

What type of yellow boots do you have?

I own Hunters; they’re yellow, of course. Christmas gift hint alert: I’m looking for funky welly socks.

How has Twitter helped you expand your brand?

When I attend Tweetups and other similar events, it surprises me when people tell me that they’ve seen my videos. It makes me all gushy inside. So really, it’s the wonderful people on Twitter who have helped me expand my brand by helping to retweet my newly uploaded videos and blog posts. Thanks, tweeps!

What are you looking forward to most this holiday season?

The winter holidays are my favourite time of the year! I absolutely love admiring Downtown’s lights and atmosphere while eating roasted chestnuts. I really want to go to Grouse Mountain’s outdoor skating rink this year. And I am jetting to Las Vegas right after my last final exam, so that’s definitely something I am looking forward to. But really, I love this holiday season because everyone is so giving this time of year, and I look forward to seeing the generousity being carried over throughout all of next year.

Who are your MUST follows?

I love tweeps who make an effort to meet people from the online community in the real world. @karrabarron (Karra Barron) does just this, and she’s a complete tweetheart! If you want to find wonder woman, follow @mizzjblog (Jordana Mah) because she’s a software engineer by day, and by night, she manages her own fashion blog, oversees Schema Magazine’s events and social media, and writes for Killahbeez. Lastly, I must recognize @rickchung (Rick Chung) because we are both broadcasters, and instead of seeing me as competition, he has helped me immensely by building my website and introducing me to amazing people. I can’t think of a more selfless person.

Note: Big thanks to Peter, Angela’s cameraman, editor and neighbour. Without him there would be no yellowrainbootz!

First 2 photos by White Box Studios.

The gals over at Tales From a Bar Stool (@talesfromabar) excel at dating. They’re not afraid to take one for the team or make adjustments to improve. They’re also like coaches; at the end of every blog post they post some tips for the men and ladies – almost like a moral of the story. But don’t expect to be able to stalk them on the weekend, their identities are completely unknown.

Not cheesy, not cliche, and not rated-R scandalous, the ladies from Tales From a Bar Stool are funny and provide some insight into the complex dating world. Folks, take note.

Who and what is Tales From a Bar Stool?

We’re WT & SA, two happily single girls in Vancouver. We want to share our Tales and what we learn from them with our readers, with the hope that they’ll get out there and start leading some fabulous lives.

What is your favourite way to celebrate the holidays?

SA: With friends, eating lots of delicious yet terribly bad food and drinking wine. Everyone’s so happy this time of year, it’s a great time to meet people.

WT: With family, slowing down the pace and just enjoying those who know you best.

Online dating, a do or a don’t?

SA: For me, don’t. I’ve done it and wasn’t impressed with the quality of men online. I would rather let fate take hold and meet someone the old fashioned way.  Plus, internet dating is time consuming. But some people have found their soul mates… so it’s a personal preference, for sure.

WT: I’m open to it. I think everyone should do what’s best for them. Me personally, I want to leave who I’m intimate with up to chance. But if you want to take control of your own fate and have the time to meet a ton of new people, then why not.

Who are your favourite Tweeps?

How can we pick out of so many amazing ones?  It’s like pointing out who the popular kids are in highschool.

What date ideas are cheesy and over-played?

SA: A walk on the seawall. Shall we hold hands and gaze at the sunset too? Not a first date activity.

WT: Going for drinks or dinner. I know it’s standard, but I really enjoy randomness and creativity. If you really like the person, make a lasting impression.

Image.

He is an entrepreneur extraordinaire, and the founder of The Rise To The Top, a TV show on ABC. David even writes and hosts a web version of the show and all his content is geared towards entrepreneurs, forward thinkers, business owners and marketers.

He has interviewed some of the most successful business minds to date, including Seth Godin, and has been featured on all of the major US networks.

He also contributes as a writer and business/entrepreneurial commentator to CNN. His philosophy is simple: Money follows passion and not the other way around.

When did you first learn the word ‘entrepreneur’ and what did it mean to you?

In college I attended a really cool summer program called University of Dreams where you interned in a city for the summer. I met some amazing people through the program and so many “had started their own company on the side” while in college.

To me this was highly fascinating. I didn’t know a ton about business but their passion had me sold. I wanted to be as excited as they were.

To me, an entrepreneur is a starter; someone that starts something (and makes money from it). The aim might be to go really big or stay extremely small. It isn’t about size or growth; it is about starting (and loving what you do).

What was your first entrepreneurial escapade?

My first entrepreneurial escapade of substance (going beyond baseball cards as a kid and other random stuff) was, believe it or not, a professional inline hockey league in the Midwest.

Yes, on inline skates. Stop laughing. It was a two-year adventure of being a David-of-all-trades and doing everything from cleaning bathrooms to announcing games to creating a radio show to signing sponsorships. Just thinking about it now makes me tired.

Do you think that people are born entrepreneurs or that it is something that can be attained?

I think people might be born or learn qualities/values at early ages that might be characteristically more pre-determined for later success; like creativity and drive.

But I strongly believe that it can be attained. It takes a spark, an idea and more importantly, it takes action. Can everyone in the world be an entrepreneur?

Maybe not, but things are changing in the world so quickly that I believe we will see more people owning their own business. The Internet has really taken away many of the barriers of entry.

Now it takes more determination and drive, but in most cases less money. That is an incredible opportunity.

I love the first installment of the David Chronicles, specifically how you did not take any of the jobs that were offered to you because you couldn’t work in an environment where you weren’t passionate about the product. How can people follow their passion and still make money?

Glad you enjoyed it! The David Chronicles were something requested by the RISE community. I guess they wanted a peak behind the curtain, so I’m back there naked telling personal stories about entrepreneurship, work, life, etc. It has been a blast.

When it comes to the line between passion and money, there are two ways to think about it:

#1: There are people that follow money first and then come up with an idea. “How can I make money?” is the first question they ask. THEN, they come up with the idea, product, or service.

#2: There are people that follow a passion, interest, activity and then figure out how to make money from it. An example:  ”How can I create a business around writing all day?”

I’ve always lived and breathed #2. Starting with an idea, interest, passion, activity and turned that into a business. I strongly believe money follows passion and not the other way around.

Something to keep in mind though, as this is something common I’ve noticed come up when speaking, is you might not be sure about your passion and that is completely fine.

I think passion develops from something you are excited about. I wanted to try and create a TV show. It wasn’t a case where since birth I’ve “always dreamed of having a TV show” but instead something that excited me. So I tried it.

When you start with something that excites you there are all kinds of ways to monetize it. For example, I wanted to be involved with hockey and pro inline hockey allowed me to play and run a business.

I figured out how to monetize it through sponsorships. The Rise To The Top was based around the original idea (which has evolved many times over) of starting a TV show for entrepreneurs (on traditional TV is actually where it started which, looking back, was a very … interesting decision).

The monetization started again as sponsorships and has evolved into many different streams as the idea has evolved.

How long did it take for you to start making money?

For The Rise To The Top, which started in late 2008, there was revenue (not profit) right away. I used the money from my Bar Mitzvah (stop laughing) to get it going along with sponsorships that I pre-sold based on existing relationships.

It started in October 2008. By the end of 2009, revenue matched expenses. In 2010, it became (very) profitable.

How do you make money now?

-Sponsorships and advertisers

-Speaking engagements

-My book deal

Those are my three buckets right now. Will they change? I’m sure they will. One of the things I’m exploring right now is angel investing and I’m excited about the possibilities. I’m a big believer of having multiple streams of income.

We all fumble at times when starting something new. I have heard every successful business person say to learn from others so, what was the biggest business lesson you learned when you started out?

The biggest lesson is a simple one: You live or die by your network of relationships. People that know you and people you know. And in many cases your indirect network can be hugely beneficial. For example, when I was starting out and looking for sponsors, I tapped into my “random network” asking if anyone knew anybody that might be interested. Little nudges turned into big nudges which turned into the right meetings. It isn’t rocket science, but it is often overlooked.

You are a voice of reason and authority on business, an online hub for people to go and gobble up knowledge. Why do people listen to you?

Probably because I’m really loud (just kidding). That is a hard question to answer. I don’t know if I can put a finger on it without sounding like a jackass, but I think the key for me is being approachable, fun and down-to-earth. I answer every email personally. I’m the one on the social media sites. I’m in the trenches. And my style is never to talk down to others, ever. Plus, I think injecting fun into literally everything can be captivating. That would be my guess, but I bet the RISE community could answer better.

Say you want to start your first business, do you think that getting into an industry that you don’t have any knowledge or background in is advisable, even if you have an MBA and are a creative genius?

I think knowing less in many cases can be an advantage and also exciting. It is an advantage because you don’t have any preconceived notions, you learn by doing. I had no idea how to do a TV show when I started. If I had REALLY researched the heck out of it or worked on other shows, I have a feeling I might have talked myself out of it. Being naive can be amazing. I would tell someone asking this question to just go for it.

You have interviewed some incredible people who have achieved a number of pretty spectacular things. I loved the recent interview with Vancouver’s own Elena Verlee and how she started with socks! What is the best success story that you have interviewed – the one that left the biggest impression on you?

This is like choosing between children! There are so many that resonate. I know a lot of people know the story, but one of my favorites has to be Gary Vaynerchuk founder of Wine Library TV. He has created a movement via his wine show and he has an amazing, inspirational story filled with hustle, drive and determination as opposed to “raising a bunch of money.” He has created a multi-million dollar empire by being himself. I flew to New Jersey for that interview and it was worth every second.

David’s new book Smarter Faster Cheaper, full of ideas, strategies and stories, is coming out on December 7 and I am sure will be an instant hit! You can pre-order your copy now from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

David can also be found on Twitter @TheRiseToTheTop

Jeremy Lim recently moved into full time photography and also helps organize and host Third Tuesday Vancouver (#TTYVR). He takes on ambitious tasks, such as Colours 2010, and returned not too long ago, from Singapore where he was working the Youth Olympic Games.

What made you decide to quit your day job and become an entrepreneur?

Looking back, I think it came down to happiness.  I’ve always worked in awesome positions and industries, but I think I was missing a sense of accomplishment. Working on my own terms comes with a whole new set of challenges, but spending my days doing exactly what I want to do, knowing that at the end of my career, I can look back and be proud of every moment, is incredibly fulfilling.  Being king of the hill doesn’t matter if it’s the wrong hill.

Who are your favourite Tweeters?

If I had to pick one, it’d be my favourite producer, @BT.  I’ve admired the guy forever for his musical talent, and online is no different.  He always speaks his mind, but more importantly, he genuinely listens to his fans.  I don’t know any other celebrity who takes the time to thank and engage with the people around him.  I’m sure he does it naturally, but it’s amazing what he’s been able to do with the medium.  When his last album, “These Hopeful Machines” was getting ready for release, he announced it, and his fans stepped it up, pushing him to the top of the Amazon charts – just through pre-orders alone.  He’s real.  He inspires people and he comes out as a good guy.  I want to be just like him.
Locally – I want to say everyone here in Vancouver. With so much going on, I have to trust the crowd for all the goodness in Vancouver.

What’s the best dating advice you’ve received?

I think it’s the same as the best career advice I’ve heard: “If you’re not happy, move on.”  That’s not to say you shouldn’t fight through the hard times – you really should – but you owe it to yourself and whoever you’re with to be honest.

Favourite part of the holiday season?

The energy changes. Daylight hours are few and errands are plenty, so there’s a constant hustle and bustle.  At the start and end of every day, the world turns gold.  It might be cold, but you feel alive with every breath.

Do you have a favourite quote or mantra?

I have too many to count, but these three seem appropriate:

“If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.” – Russian Proverb
“A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her.” – David Brinkley
“Stay or forever go, play or you’ll never know.” – ‘Only This Moment’ by Royksopp

Photos by Jeremy Lim