Vancouver: Séraphine

Out in Theathers now is Séraphine (it's won 15 awards!) - I've posted the synopsis below, along with the link to the trailer and wikipedia page. Out in Theathers now is Séraphine (it's won 15 awards!) - I've posted the synopsis below, along with the link to the trailer and wikipedia page. 

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/seraphine/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Séraphine_Louis

"Séraphine is the story of Séraphine Louis aka Séraphine de Senlis (Yolande Moreau), a simple and profoundly devout housekeeper who in 1905 at age 41, self-taught and with the instigation of her guardian angel began painting brilliantly colorful canvases. In 1912 Wilhelm Uhde (Ulrich Tukur), a German art critic and collector - he was one of the first collectors of Picasso and champion of naïve primitive painter Le Douanier Rousseau - discovered her paintings while she worked for him as a maid in his house in Senlis outside Paris. A moving and unexpected relationship develops between the avant-garde art dealer and the visionary cleaning lady leading to Séraphine’s work being grouped with other naïve painters – the so-called “Sacred Heart Painters” - with acclaimed shows in France, elsewhere in Europe and eventually at New York’s MOMA . Martin Provost’s poignant portrait of this now largely forgotten painter is a testament to the mysteries of creativity and the resilience of one woman’s spirit."

Vancouver: It's Official!

So, it's official! As of this evening, I have secured myself a place on British Airways Flight #84 to Vienna. :o) Here's the run-down: 

Vancouver > London     September 20th      8:35 pm-1:40 pm            Flight 84

London > Vienna           September 21st        6:45 pm-10:00 pm         Flight 706

And of course the return flight is too far in advance to book, but will be sometime in June. :o) I'll be flying with Alaska to Vancouver on the 17th to spend the weekend with Colin before leaving for Vienna. 

Vancouver: Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

Pass it on! Today I bought Jamie Oliver's (the naked chef) new book "Jamie's Food Revolution". 

The idea behind "Pass It On" is to inspire people who have never cooked to give it a try and then, once they’ve learned a recipe, to teach two other people how to make it too. He also wants to mobilise anyone who can cook to pass on their skills by teaching their friends, family or workmates how to cook good, honest, affordable food.  

During and after World War I, terrible food shortages meant many people in Britain were malnourished. So when World War II broke out, the government appointed the Ministry of Food to help families make the most of wartime rations. It had to make sure there was enough food to go around and also to educate the public about food and proper nutrition so they’d be healthy and fighting fit.

Nowadays, fewer than a third of Americans cook their dinners from scratch, and although 75% of people in the US eat most of their meals at home, over half those dinners are fast food, delivery or take-out! So, regardless of recessions and credit crunches (and unemployment!) we all need to know how to cook simple, nutritious, economical, tasty, hearty food (especially me!) 

Anyway, so I'm going to take on Jamie's challenge of trying (at least) one recipe from each section in his cookbook and passing it on to friends and family (electronically, since, unfortunately, my Canadian location makes getting together each week difficult) ;o) If I find one which turns out especially well, I'll let you all know! And, then if you in turn try it out and like it, Pass It On! 

Vancouver: Summer Reading List #1

This summer is a once-in-a-lifetime reading opportunity!  Unemployment and a new apartment (pictures coming soon!) across from a park makes for good reading conditions. Here are a few I've read so far and am currently reading, more updates later!

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Vancouver: Andreas Gursky

Tomorrow night Colin and I are headed to the Vancouver Art Gallery to take advantage their *admission by donation* tuesday evenings. Last night I took a look at the exhibitions there now (Dutch painters Rembrandt and Vermeer), and found a really cool artist whose work will be shown at VAG starting May 30. His name is Andreas Gursky and he's based in Düsseldorf, Germany (I went there last summer to visit a friend - what a cool city!). 

His large scale photographs were just so fantastic I had to share. So, if you're going to be in Vancouver post-May-30... be sure to check out Andreas Gursky!  

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{James Bond Islands - 2009}

{May Day V - 2006}

{Chicago Board of Trade II - 1999}

{Rimini - 2003}

{Library - 1999}

{99 Cents - 1999}

{Prada - 1996}

*Note: This upcoming exhibition will present his photos in a smaller format, not done since the 1980's. 

Vancouver: Happenings!

So much has been going on lately that I haven't had a chance to update! So here's a bit of what's been happening.... 

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Colin turned 24! 

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Schatz!

We spent the weekend at his mom and dad's and came back early on sunday to go to Les Miserables (it was fantastic!) and have a 7-course meal at the Banana Leaf (malaysian food).

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Dad turned 50!

Happy Birthday Daddy! (He still looks like he's in College!) Amy and I took him and Mom to a Mariner's game... they lost, but we had a good time anyway! (especially because there were tourists from England sitting behind, comparing everything to cricket...)

{Mariners}

{Mom and Dad at the game}

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Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's day to all the mom's out there! We hosted our family for a lunch of fried chicken, BBQ ribs and meatballs. Delicious! It was good to catch up with everyone.

{Me and mom in Seattle}

{Mom's Mother's Day Present... pot by amy, flowers by me}

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Plus I got a sweet Graduation present from my folks and grandparents... super nice luggage!!! I always seem to mutilate suitcases when I travel to Europe, but this time these guys will hold up! Vienna, here I come!

Vancouver: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Last week my friends and I went to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine at a special midnight showing. Although we'd arrived an hour and a half early, it seemed there were already a hundred people there! I asked someone at the front what time they'd gotten there: 7:30 pm!! Anyway, after a long time in line, we all got to go into the theater for the film.  

{Susanne and Hugh}

{Waiting in Line}

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Of course there was a good reason we'd go through the agony of watching a film at midnight: it was filmed on our campus! And not just any old building on campus, either... but our very own Buchanan Tower!!! 

Here are some pictures from when we went to watch production:

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Buchanan Tower was dressed up to be a Nigerian Diamond Headquaters. What's really exciting, is that Buchanan Tower was shown 5-6 times right at the beginning of the movie! Now, although I couldn't find any movie stills of our Buchanan Tower, the website bamkapow has these shots from UBC: 

With that said, although the film itself wasn't that great, our Buchanan Tower was amazing! 

Vancouver: Christa's Apple Cake

{mmmm}

Our department secretary Christa made me a delicious cake to celebrate my graduation last week. It was soooo good  

(Seriously, we were all drooling... I think I even had seconds!) 

that I emailed her and asked for the recipe. This is what she sent back: 

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Dear Alysha,

I'm glad you liked it...I can't give you specifics as far as measurements go, as I never measure...ich backe sozusagen 'ueber den Daumen'...but here are the ingredients...etc.

1.  first grease and flour the pan...then that is out of the way.
2.  peel the apples  (4-5 approx) and cut in slices (any apple will do)
3.  in a mixing bowl, add (butter, margarine, shortening...approx. 1 cup
4.  add sugar...(1 cup)
5.  beat till creamy
6.  add eggs 2, perhaps 3  (room temperature is better)
7.  beat again till very creamy
8.  add flour (3 cups?), 3 tsp. baking powder...and some milk
9.  mix it all up...it should be somewhat a bit stiffer than a cake mix consistency...add more flour as needed
10. put it in the cake pan...put the apple slices on top...arrange at a slight angle, wedge side down (cake will rise as it bakes).
11.  sprinkle with cinnamon (you could put a tsp. of sugar...in the cinnamon..
12.  add raising...but sometimes they can overbrown...
13.  at the end, sometimes I mix icing sugar and lemon juice...to drizzle over, but I had none on hand when I made your cake.

anyways...the measurements of the ingredients also reflect which pan I use...sometimes I just do it in a cookie sheet with higher sides.
*note:  it takes a little bit longer to bake, perhaps because of the apples and the moisture.  insert a toothpick in the middle.

I wish I had accurate measurements to give you.  it is just an ordinary 'Ruehrteig...with apple slices on top...sometimes you can also mix smaller apple pieces right into the better...

Good luck with the baking and of course with all your new endeavours!  Don't lose touch, and send an email once in a while.

Cheers,
Christa

Vancouver: Moving to Vienna!

{Vienna}

...so this morning I got the good news that I've (finally) been given a school in Austria to teach English at next year.  Two schools actually. In Perchtoldsdorf (or P'dorf) and in Maria Enzersdorf*... which to my unfamiliar ears sounded like two little sticks-in-the-mud. But low and behold, both are actually just suburbs of VIENNA!!! (both are about 10 miles from Vienna, 10 minutes by car, about 18 minutes by train, according to the ÖBB... which, technically, is close enough to constitute me living in Vienna!).

This is what I've found out so far about my new homes-to-be:

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Perchtoldsdorf:

{Palace Gardens}

{Vineyards and Church}

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Maria Enzersdorf:

{Lichtenstein Castle}

{Hunyadi Palace}

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Vienna:

{Castle Schönbrunn}

{Art History Museum}

{City Hall}

{Street Scene One}

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{Perchtoldsdorf: X marks the spot :: map of Austria}

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More to come as I find out... 

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* Sorry, some links are to German webpages! 

Vancouver: Graduation!

Master's Degree? Check! 

After a grueling two hour oral exam with three of my (ahem) hard-ass professors, I've finally done it! A master's degree in German Literature. No more all-nighters, no more missing out on fun things to finish books... free time is mine...

The exam was pretty intense- 50 books (10 each from the Medieval era, Romanticism, Naturalism, Contemporary and Theory), but actually went really well. I also had to turn in a Master's Essay. I wrote about a German film entitled "Free Rainer: dein Fernseher lügt." All in all, I would have done a few things differently, but it went pretty well in the end. :o)

That afternoon we all went to the on-campus bar and drank some beer (mixed with Sprite!). We sat on the patio because it was a beautiful day out. Susanne and I had to leave early to go to our beloved karate class. It kicked my butt this time- so sore!!! Hi-ya! 

{ Larrabee State Park }

Friday I went shopping all day in Bellingham with my friends Lydia and Susanne. After a picnic at Larrabee State Park, we ate delicious gelato in Fairhaven and checked out stores downtown. Lydia and I introduced Susanne to Ross, which she loved. (and I believe, bought two pairs of shoes!). I found a pair of roman sandals, which, since Colin and I love the show Rome, was pretty exciting.

Last night we celebrated and went out dancing at the Honey Lounge (downtown in Gastown). Good Stuff!!

 { I'M GRADUATED!!! }

{ UBC - my school no longer! }

Now, just to find a job for the summer in Vancouver and to hear back from Austria about teaching there next year.  :o)