Fright Nights at the PNE

Date: 2010.10.25 | Category: Limited Run, Night Dates, Outdoor Dates, Vancouver area | Response: 0

I am not a huge fan of things that go bump in the night but Pete loves them so this past Sunday we found ourselves at Fright Night.  Fright Night happens every October when the PNE fairgrounds are converted into a big haunted playhouse.  The tickets were a bit pricey – $28/ adult but we bought them online for $25 each.  We went late (at around 9pm) and it was busy but still fun.  We had a great time people watching in the line up.  It is definitely a younger demographic at this event as I am sure we were the only people in line who could legally buy our own beer but the vibe was super fun. 

There are a variety of theme haunted houses for you to visit.  Inside each house the mood is super creepy and you will scream when things/ people/ creatures pop out at you.  I can’t image touring these haunted houses if you are high It could be dangerous for you and the poor student actors who are poorly paid to make you scream!  (although some of our line up friends were up to the challenge – there was enough “skunk” in the air to ensure none of us would pass an Olympic drug test). 

Before leaving, we grabbed a bag of the requisite mini donuts and headed for home.  It was a fun/ scary date night. 

Fright Night runs until Oct 31^st.

Here is some info:

Fright Nights at the Pacific National Exhibition

PS: Oh and yes, you can ride the wooden roller coaster but after seeing the Fright Night promo video don’t say I didn’t warn you!!! 🙂

Gutenberg! The Musical!

Date: 2010.09.25 | Category: Comedy, Limited Run, Night Dates, North Vancouver area, theatre, Vancouver area | Response: 0

Pete and I  saw Gutenberg!  The Musical! last year at the Fringe and it is super insane and wacky.   We plan on seeing it again in the next couple of days but thought we should bring it to your attention now before the run ends.  

The musical is actually a two-man low-budget pitch session trying to sell you –  the audience –  their historical fiction account of the life of Johannes Gutenberg (the man who invented the movable type press and printed one of the first Bibles.)   There is not a lot of historical accuracy in the play but there are a lot of hats, references to dead babies and great comic bits. 

Gutenberg!  The Musical!  is playing in North Vancouver at Presentation House from now to October 9.   Tickets are $24 to $28. 

Information and review contained below:

Gutenberg!:  The Musical! 

Review in Georgia Straight

Vancouver TheatreSports League

Date: 2010.09.25 | Category: Comedy, Drink Dates, Indoor Dates, Inexpensive dates, Night Dates, Ongoing, theatre, Vancouver area | Response: 0

Pete and I love to laugh and find that the most consistent comedy bang for your buck is at the Vancouver TheatreSports League.  Having just moved into their beautiful new home at The Improv Centre on Granville Island, it is a fun place to have a date. 

Yesterday, we went to the Friday 10pm Vancouver TheatreSports League show and it was hilarious.  For those of you who have not been to VTSL (or not been for a while), they do improv comedy, which means the performers have no script.  They rely upon suggestions from the audience to give them an idea and they must build a scene around it.  We go a lot and always find the shows fun and entertaining.  As a warning, the later the show, the looser the players get.  If you are more conservative, you may want to stick with the earlier shows. 

This was another relatively cheap date night as the cost for two tickets totalled $40.  We each had one drink and that was about $15….so a super fun night for under $60. 

If you want to expand your date night, the location gives you tons of options.  Now that they are fully licenced, VTSL has a cool bar area where you can sip a drink and look out over the yachts anchored in False Creek either before or after the show.  Prior to that you can grab a snack or dinner at any of the great restaurants on Granville Island like Sandbar, Bridges, Cats Social House etc.  After the show, you can wander the boardwalk around the outer edge of the Island and look at the incredible views. 

Get information on shows, ticket prices, cast lists and schedules at:

Vancouver TheatreSports League Website

Summer Night Market

Date: 2010.09.14 | Category: Inexpensive dates, Limited Run, Night Dates, Richmond area | Response: 0

Okay, it’s officially fall but Sunday night Peter and I decided to check out the Summer Night Market in Richmond.  I remember going a few years ago when it was the Richmond Night Market and had a vague recollection of it being kind of lame….sort of like going to a massive dollar store that served noodles.  But the market has grown up since then. 

We arrived later in the evening (around 9pm).  Even though it was dark when we arrived, it was still super busy.  We paid for parking at the Home Depot lot ($5) and walked there.   You have to walk a few blocks to get to the market – so, gals, wear your comfy shoes.   It feels weird to be trudging around an industrial area late at night but just follow the crowds and you will get there! 

The market looked beautiful lit up in the dark.  Admission is free so we just

Latern kiosk

wandered in.   Inside the market are a lot of food and vendor stands.  We chose to do some “window shopping” first and began wandering the rows of merchandize stands.  There you can buy everything from cell phone covers, to underwear to Korean Karaoke discs.  Anything cheap and sparkly seemed to fly off the shelf.  Bling is your friend if you are a vender at the Night Market.   

During our wanders, we stumbled upon a fantastic busker named Dynamite.  We rarely stay and watch a busker’s full

Dynamite the busker was dynamite!!

act but this guy was so good at audience patter we couldn’t help but stay and watch.  He juggled and did acrobatics – and by the end he was riding a 10 foot tall unicycle in his underwear – so much fun. 

Next we wandered off in search of snacks…in the centre of the market, there are stands selling a variety of street food (most are yummy Asian based fare).  As a note,  I am very picky about eating street food (Pete on the other hand has a caste iron stomach will

Yummy!

eat anything, anywhere) .  I was relieved to know that all stalls are inspected for food safety.   We decided to share everything we ordered in order to sample a bigger variety.  By the end of the evening we had consumed:

• Chinese dumplings (pork dumplings with a nice sauce inside)
• Hurricane Fries (a single potato swirled on a stick with sauce)
• Pork and chicken skewers
• Dragon Beard candy (a sweet light sugar and flour delicacy)
• Squid (Pete loved it; not for me!)
• Mango bubble tea
  

  Mollie's Mini Delights aka deep fried oreo heaven

• Deep fried Oreos.  (Amazing!)

By the end of the night, we were very full.  While eating, we wandered around and listened to the live music in the main stage area. The night was a very inexpensive evening.  Food cost us about $28.  This coupled with the $5 we gave Dynamite the busker as a tip and the $5 parking meant we had a date night for under $40.  We stayed for about 2 hours and had a really good time.  It is now on our To Do list for next year. 

Our Thoughts on Summer Night Market:

• A nice informal place to people watch
• Has a neat kitschy vibe
• Inexpensive outing
• Fun to nosh on a wide variety of mostly Asian street food. 
• Must like walking – not a lot of places to sit
• It can be busy; need to be in a relaxed non-hurried state of mind. 

The market closes for the summer on September 26^th so you have a couple more weekends to check it out.  Details are below:

Summer Night Market Info