OPEN CINEMA host Victoria premiere of The Age of Stupid

“We could have saved ourselves, but we didn’t. It’s amazing. What state of mind were we in, to face extinction and simply shrug it off?”

 

The week after next (18 Nov) OPEN CINEMA are hosting the public premiere of The Age of Stupid a movie that blurs the edge between sci-fi and documentary and an open forum discussion. Open Cinema is a non-profit society that aims to use film as a tool of community engagement. Consistent with this mission The Age of Stupid examines the issue of climate change through the eyes of a man (played by Postlethwaite) living in the devastated world of 2055, watching old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? The film in 2055 when the planet has been ravaged by drought and storm, its coastlines have flooded, and millions of people have been dislocated or have been thrown into conflict. The caretaker of the Arctic  archive whiles away hours scrolling through snippets of footage from our decade musing about why we knew the dangers of climate change and had the tools to change the system but instead of changing direction chose to stick with business as usual. If you want to learn more about the film there is tonnes of information on the film website.

If you want to catch the age of stupid and participate in an open forum discussion then head to:

Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad St, doors open at 5.30 and movie starts at 7. Organizers suggest that you get there early to avoid disappointment. Entry is $10 suggested donation. There will be a cash bar, food concession, door prizes and more!

Open forum discussion details

Dr. Colin Campbell, Science Advisor (www.sierraclub.bc.ca), Dorothy Cutting (www.WestCoastClimateEquity.org), Michelle Culossi (www.TransitionTowns.org/VictoriaBC) and moderator Dr. James Rowe (School of Environmental Studies, UVic).

Family day at the Victoria gallery Nov 15

Join the gallery for a day of hands-on art making for children and their families inspired by the current exhibition West Coast Modernism exploring abstraction, cubism, modern architecture, and more.

Celebrate the apple season with apple based desserts

Apple Sorbet

Last week I participated inLife Cycle’s fruit pick/fruit tree program’s last pick of the year. It was a perfect fall day and the apple trees were glorious. Now I have another 30KG of apples to use up. So over the next few weeks we’ll be making more apple butter, apple chips and some apple based desserts. One of my favorites, which I first tried this summer, is apple sorbet. It is simple to make and delicious either on its own or served with pie. In the summer I made this with spartans with pink flecked flesh and the sorbet turned out a strinking pink (see pictures). I’m keen to try it again with a tarter apple. Another favorite, which I first made last fall, is Cinnamon Baked Apples with Hazelnut-Fennel Brittle. I got the recipe from Eat Magazine which I think is one of the best sources of recipes for seasonal, local produce.

To make this simple apple sorbet all you need is:

• INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/4 pounds eating apples , quartered, cored and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup apple juice or cider
• Apple chips (you can buy them at your local supermarket or make them)
• EQUIPMENT
• Ice-cream maker or shallow metal or plastic container
• Medium saucepan
• Sharp knife
• Fork
• Measuring cup

Over a medium heat combine  apples, sugar and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cook until apples are tender. Press the mixture through a metal sieve placed over a bowl. Discard apple skins and stir in apple juice (or cider) and another 1/2 cup water. If making without an ice cream machine, pour into a shallow container and freeze 6 hours, scraping with a fork once or twice to break up crystals. (Or if you do as I did and completely forget about it for 12 hours you may need o take a vegetable masher to it to break it up again! – see pics). If using a machine, churn until firm enough to scoop. Garnish with apple chips.

To make Cinnamon Baked Apples with Hazelnut-Fennel Brittle you need:

INGREDIENTS

• Hazelnuts, whole, toasted and skinned, 1 cup
• Granulated sugar, 1 cup
• Water, 1/4 cup
• Babe’s honey, 2 tbsp
• Salt, 1/4 tsp
• Fennel seeds, 1 tbsp
• Baked Apples
• Brown sugar, 3/4 cup
• Ground cinnamon, 2 tsp
• Apples, 8 medium, such as local Gravenstein, Spartan, Jonagold,Rome Beauty or Spy
• Butter, softened, 8 tsp

EQUIPMENT

• Parchment paper
• melon-baller
• 9X13-inch baking dish
• thick-bottomed medium sauce pan
• sharp knife
• measuring cup

INSTRUCTIONS

brittle

For the brittle, coarsely chop hazelnuts. Measure out 1/3 cup and set aside. Finely chop remaining nuts and set those aside for the apples.

The best way to approach brittle is not to rush and to keep the heat moderate. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a thick-bottomed medium sauce pan, stir sugar with water, honey and salt over low heat until dissolved. Increase heat to medium and let boil and bubble until light amber. Occasionally (and carefully) swirl pan to prevent any dark spots. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour onto parchment. Tilt baking sheet to spread out as thin as possible and sprinkle with chopped nuts and fennel. Let cool completely. Break into shards.

apples

For the apples, in a bowl, mix brown sugar with cinnamon and finely chopped nuts. Trim bottoms of apples so they sit flat. Core apples, using a melon-baller. Peel a 1/2-inch ring around the cored opening. Stuff apples with cinnamon sugar mixture. Press 1 tsp butter into top of each.

Place in a 9X13-inch baking dish. Pour in 1/4 cup water. Cover and bake in preheated 375F oven for 40 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until very tender, 10 to 20 more minutes. Pierce with a sharp knife to check they are soft all the way through. Serve with vanilla ice cream and tuck in shards of brittle.

recipe credit: Eat Magazine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight: 2 Nov – Victoria Symphony presents ‘The Planets’

Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy the Victoria Symphony presents Gustav Holst’s dramatic masterpiece “The Planets.” While the orchestra plays artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado’s video suite will be projected on a giant screen. Dr Francisco was interviewed on the CBC this morning and small pieces of “The Planets” was played. The music was dramatic and beautiful and Dr Fancisco’s video installation, which incorporates the highest quality images of each of the planets, sounds like something that is well worth taking the time to see. There will be a preconcert talk in the West lobby, 45 mins before curtain.

Details:

8PM Nov 2, Royal Theatre

Tickets and other details see the Victoria Symphony website: http://victoriasymphony.ca/concerts/#656

start your Halloween early: Cheesecake Burlesque Revue presents Hallowe’en show “Boooooo-bs!”

Get warmed up for Halloween at the Lucky Bar tonight as the wonderful ladies of Victoria’s Cheesecake Burlesque Revue twirl their  special kind of treats and tricks. Their 4th annual Hallowe’en show, aptly named “Boooooo-bs!” takes place on Thursday, October 29th at Lucky Bar. Their Halloween show includes new acts along with beloved classics like their version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, will thrill and delight!

Audience members are encouraged to dress as their ghouliest self and get all of those parties started early with a monstrous good time.

Audience members are encouraged to dress as their ghouliest self and get all of those parties started early with a monstrous good time.

Doors 8:00, Show 8:30 Sharp!!!
$15 adv/ $18 door
Advance tickets available at Lyle’s Place or at

www.cheesecakeburlesque.com

Again details:

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Time:

8:00pm – 10:30pm

Location:

Lucky Bar

517 Yates Street

Victoria, BC

Spooks n’ Spokes Ghost Ride – October 30

The Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition is running a Spooks n’ Spokes Ghost Ride – October 30

This easy 20 kilometre night ride on Friday, October 30 will teach you about the spirits who live in some of the castles and finest homes of Victoria.  Riders are encouraged to wear costumes and decorate their bikes! The ride departs from the fountain at Centennial Square at 6:30 p.m. and ends there at about 9:00 p.m.

You must have front and rear lights for your bike to participate!

all details: http://www.gvcc.bc.ca/

7&8 Nov Art of the Cocktail – fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival

Coming up in the first week of November ( 7 & 8, 2009) is The Art of the Cocktail. It is a  two day festival celebrating the art, craft, and tradition of the cocktail. This is a fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival, which like all arts in BC has been hit by funding cuts. There are three parts to this festival. First is The Tasting Room where you can taste spirits and cocktails, collect recipes and watch demonstrations. Pick a tasting time!

• November 7 Saturday 1 – 4 PM
• November 7 Saturday 7 – 10 PM
• November 8 Sunday 1 – 4 PM

Tickets for The Tasting Room are on sale now and can only be bought in advance.

In addition to The Tasting Room there are a large range of  workshops for which tickets are $20 each. Finally there are a range of dinners at some of the best restaurants around town. For all the details check out the VFF website.

Urbanite: October 23, 2009 | 8:00pm – 11:00pm

The most recent Urbanite was inspired by the gallery’s current exhibition Vision Into Reality: West Coast Modernism. There was a very good turnout and the crowd seems to be getting younger. (About half of the attendees were in their 20s). There was music by DJ Longshanks (regular at the Lucky Bar), 1950s inspired cocktails and drinks and informative tours of the Vision in Reality exhibition. Unfortunately there was no interactive art making this time. I really loved the collage table at the World Upside Down Urbanite in August. The great little brown bags marked “Home,” “Love” and “Fear” that were filled with little trinkets including fake fur, hearts and stars were imaginative and fun.

Urbanites are held three times a year. If you are interested in art and have not got along to one yet I would thoroughly recommend checking one out. Admission to an Urbanite is $12 non-members or $10 for gallery members. Drinks are usually $7-8.

Details on the gallery website or check them out on Facebook

 

more spooky fun: Ghost walks at St Ann’s academy

SWPL tells us that “When it comes to holidays, there are few that white people like more than Halloween.” So for those of you who know Victoria well it should come as no surprise that there is lots of Halloween activity occurring around Victoria. In addition to the plays I posted about yesterday for the next week and a bit you can join in more spooky Halloween fun by taking one of the Ghostly walking tours of St. Ann’s Academy and Grounds. The walks are happening on Friday 23 Oct, Sat 24 Oct, and Friday 30 Oct at 6PM & 8PM. The 90 minute guided tours will start at the entrance to the chapel. You can pick up tickets in advance at St Ann’s Caademy 835 Humbolt Street Ph 250 – 953-8829 email stanns.academy@gov.bc.ca

Creepy Craigdarroch showing 15-31 Oct

Halloween is coming soon and that means that Giggling Iguana productions are once again playing at Craigdarroch Castle. Last year year they presented The Picture of Dorian Gray and this year they are presenting The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Based on last year’s experience I would say that there is lots to recommend these productions. The rather gloomy Victorian-era mansion is the perfect location for a Halloween play. The director fully utilizes the castle’s unique setting by moving the audience through different rooms as the play progresses. These productions also give adults the chance to dress up and play with their ‘dark’ side. Virtually all of the audience last Halloween were wearing costumes which added a lot of fun to the atmosphere. On the less positive side the production last year was  not 100 percent professional. While some of the actors were great, a couple were a little amateur.  Despite this shortcoming I think we’ll be adding this play to our fall schedule. Check it out from now until Halloween!

Details:

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Opens 8pm Thursday, October 15 To October 31
Craigdarroch Castle, 1050 Joan
Tickets $22-$25 (advance only)
250-592-5323

See also article in this week’s Monday Mag: http://mondaymag.com/articles/entry/creepy-craigdarroch/arts/