Wine Tasting On A Whole New Level

VinoCamp 2008What more do you want than a whole summer’s day set aside for wine tasting, a Mediterranean spread, wine learning from some of best wine-makers and minds in the country, all the while surrounded by a quiet, lush setting at Vancouver’s Botanical Gardens. Enter VinoCamp.

What exactly is Vinocamp?

This is definitely not the wine festival. In a more unstructured form than a standard conference, VinoCampVancouver brings wine, people and technology together in one place, making wine accessible, educational and fun.

VinoCamp was inspired by techy-turned-wine-o expert Lori Pike. There is a small crew of us helping to piece this together, but we could definitely use some help, outreach, link love, spread the love… This event is fast approaching and tickets are selling – register now to reserve your place as there is not a ton of room on this bill.

When: Saturday, August 16th — 10am To until the last bottle is drip-dry.

The speaker list is building and includes the likes of Brad Cooper, Wine Maker at Township 7 and Wine Maker Kathy Malone from one of the major sponsors, the Artisan Wine Co.

If you want to help, we’re still on the hunt for more sponsors, speaker suggestions and people to help on the day as well.

Also:
Facebook Group
Facebook Event Page

This is going to be an amazing day of fine wines, delectable foods and promised sunshine – don’t miss out. Dare I say it? – Summer is closing in and it’ll be gone before we know it! More vino please.

Social Media Club Interim Board of 42!

Yes, 42 board members. Is this in the Guinness Records yet? Actually, it’s currently at 41 – the 42nd is very soon crossing the floor. (I nominate another fantastic Vancouverite to squeak in – let’s get some more Canadian blood in there!)

Chris Heuer, Kristie Wells and Howard Greenstein have been long-time advocates of social media and building and supporting community, which led to their organization they Co-Founded several years back, the Social Media Club (SMC). They have recently reached out to their community and formed an Interim Board of Directors.

I am happy to jump in with the other 40-odd very notable members at this time and I am totally humbled to be in such company. (You should see the tracks of email convos popping back and forth between this fine group of social media-ites: phew. All great stuff.)

This online over-the-internet-waves-and-on-the-ground Board will be in existence for the coming months – perhaps 6 or so – until an actual *proper* board of 12 is officially elected in some sort of democratic way down the road.

Until then, please read the official announcement, the release, the news and support this social media mecca endeavor wherever and however you can. Oh, and what the hell is SMC anyways? Well, for starters: community, sharing, conversation, changing the world! – Go forth and find out!

Cheers to CH and KW for kicking this all into high gear, looking forward to great things to come…

Blogging For NIKE

Last week I started my latest gig. It’s with this little brand called Nike. If you haven’t heard, Nike is hosting the greatest human race this summer. On August 31st, 2008, the world will run together in a 10KM race, the Nike+ Human Race.

Being a long distance runner for years, a blogger slash social media person and living in Vancouver all made for a good fit for the purpose of this Nike event.

Over the next 2 months, there will be a few runners/bloggers in Vancouver writing for the Nike blog about a wide range of topics to get everyone prepped, psyched and ready to run. My focus will be on training tips, injury prevention, my hot music picks and all the latest gear. If you’re running or training for the race, let me know and we can record a few video blogs to tell your tale and share more knowledge with other runners.

I also get to work with the fine folks at Organic in Toronto to get this part of the project up and “running” (couldn’t resist) – they are great people and I am happy to have the opportunity to work with them.

Follow along with all the tips, tricks, training, stories and music and get set to run with the world – read all the local Nike Vancouver articles or follow my Nike running content and let me know if there are any specific running issues or topics you’d like to know about.

Kim Cattrall Returns To Banff: Banff World TV Festival 2008 Interview

“2 questions, 60 seconds, ok, go!”
That’s all the few of us had to throw Kim Cattrall at the Banff TV Festival in Banff, 2008. She was hotter than hell, quite a stunner for OVER 50 and is a fun, lovely woman, all 60 seconds I had with her! This is the *very* short clip that came out of that mini session!

“The oxygen level is like getting stoned.”

Dr. Richard Florida at Banff World TV Festival 2008


My new hero: Dr. Richard Florida, founder of Creative Class, was one of the best speakers I have had the pleasure of hearing. I also was fortunate enough to interview him as well. Charming, smart, gracious and speaks my language and philosophy about the importance of choosing where you live and the creative economy. A must read book is “Who’s Your City?” – for all you Thomas Friedman fans out there…

Colin Mochrie at the Banff World TV Festival


I asked Colin to give us his best, or worst, award show story ever. We were back stage prior to his hosting duties at the luncheon award show (a task he was, well, not that thrilled to be doing it seemed.) He is a charming, and yes, funny, man.

Brent Butt at the Banff World TV Festival 2008


Brent Butt gives me a quick sound bite on his worst award show story ever – in Banff at the Banff World TV Festival 2008. (He was there to pick up the award for The Comedy Network Peter Ustinov Award for his body of comedic work). I interviewed him and wrote an article that was in the Banff Online Daily Newsletter during the Festival but those features don’t seem to have a permalink on the actual Banff site. That doesn’t seem very Internet friendly…

Biren Ghose at nextMEDIA 2008


Biren Ghose of Kahani World on his company, the art of storytelling, distribution and his many homes as he travels.

marblemedia at Banff World TV Festival 2008

Matt Hornburg, Mark Bishop and I sat down for a chat about marblemedia and all the greatness this dynamic duo gets up to (for almost a decade!)

Vincent John Vincent, GestureTek at nextMEDIA 2008


Chatted with Vincent John Vincent of GestureTek at nextMEDIA 2008 in Banff – shows us a demo of his cool new technology “shake, rock and roll” on the mobile.