Archive

Monthly Archives: April 2009

The Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival is gone but not forgotten. And my year’s supply of Schick razors and assortment of other freebies will ensure that the legend lives on.

Canadian rockers, 54-40 finished off the free outdoor concert series. It was very much a family atmosphere and the mellow tunes were a welcome respite from the crazy week behind us.

5440_2

5440

From groovin’ to the Latin-infused jump-up tunes of Ozomatli to rockin’ out to the electronic indie sounds of Metric, this year’s Zune Concert Series has brought us an impressive array of bands.

And then there was the Silent Disco, which brought a whole new dance party experience to Whistler. It started with a flash mob and ended with a group of 200-plus people singing with reckless abandon in a silent room; Skullcandy headphones and radio receivers bringing the party to life.

The arts culture scene was astounding. State of the Art showcased talented Canadian artists like Andrew Pommier and Lauren Javor. While Fashion Exposed featured sustainable fashion label We3 to Westbeach and their 30 years in the snowboard industry.

The showdown hosts took it to another level, from hosting in their underwear to coming out in drag. We enjoyed the winter stoke generated from Rocky Mountain Sherpas’ multimedia film, Paper Shredders. We laughed at the creativity and awesomeness of A Ski Bum Musical at the Filmmaker Showdown. We cheered as hometown photographer Jordan Manley’s photos captured the mountain lifestyle we all hold close to our hearts.

Meanwhile, the pro athlete sightings were out of control this week with TJ Schiller and Danny Kass taking centre stage at their respective competitions.

As we ring out the winter season and welcome the melting snow and sunshine, we’ll always look back to the festival with a smile. Stars were born; heroes were crowned and dethroned; records were spun; alcohol, energy drinks and sushi were consumed in mass quantities; and friends were made.

Now is the time to grab your cleanse of choice from the health food store, chillax, swear off alcohol and sleep. April 2010 will come sooner than you think! See you next year…

The electricity in Whistler reached a fever pitch this weekend as thousands flocked to the hippest little ski town on the planet. I’m charging through the last mile of this marathon of good times and my brain seems to have flown the coop. It’s been a whirlwind of parties, concerts, evening functions and friends.

A quick review of the Grenade Games: Myrosha Daley won the Dual Slalom moguls, TJ Schneider took home the bacon at the superpipe competition. It’s also worth mentioning that Sarah Conrad from Halifax, Nova Scotia was the only girl who made it through to the pipe competition. Meanwhile, Danny Kass won the Mini Ramp Jam on Friday, which consisted of pro skaters judging the pro snowboarders. Danny Kass won the competition.

Which brings me to the Grenade Games Grand Finale –a three hit jib jam format that started off with a mega step up, transitioned into a tree jib, a staircase rail and then hit at the bottom.

Unfortunately my photography skills deteriorated due to heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages at the GLC’s Grenade Games Monster party. Photographer and snowboard legend, Dano Pendygrasse got some killer shots of the event, which you can check out on the Monster page here.

I laughed, I cried – thankfully, I didn’t hurl – as we watched the athletes throw down in front of a crowd of more than 10,000. DJ Z-trip got everyone all worked up with his mash-up of metal, dance and rock. In the end, Craig Beaulieu of Pemberton, BC won the grand prize of $10, 001.

The village was rammed with parties as thousands spilled into the bars, pubs and nightclubs of Whistler, not to mention the biggest party of all at the Telus Conference Centre. It was one heck of a night no matter where you spent it. This is slightly random, but has anyone seen Toaster around at the Kokanee after parties? This man has spent the entire week hitting up every event in his crazy flashing disco suit and is fueled only by adrenaline and Kokanee. Check out these platforms:

dscf9283

“Listen closely, you can hear the fat lady practicing her scales,” says Lisa Richardson of Watermark Inc, the folks who organize this epic event.

The 10th and final day of the festival is here. All athletic competitions are over and most athletes are probably still in bed, sleeping off last night. But, make sure you make it to the Zune Concert Series, featuring 54-40 and Jon and Roy from 2:30 to 5:30pm. Hello! It’s 54-40!

Tonight, check out the Best of the Fest fundraiser at the GLC, which raises money for the Playground Builders Association. Watch all the festival highlights, plus help them build playgrounds for underprivileged children around the world. If you’re feeling like a dose of culture, the Chairlift Revue theatre event is the perfect way to wind down after and intense week.

The Schick Fashion Exposed show Friday night had it all: hot models, hot brands, a few surpises and a lot of skin. Breakdancers and a one-man-band were the entertainment highlights of the show, but Westbeach definitely hit it home with their 30th Anniversary retro presentation, which included fireworks and cheerleaders. Yes, this is a REAL outfit from their vault. And yes, a lot of these styles seem to have come full circle – thankfully the snowboard technology has evolved!

westbeach

Another fun design label was the Canadian trio of design mavens, We3. Airy and feminine, their clothes are comfortable and simple and also made from sustainable fabrics. We3 won the Designer Search and Expose contest to become part of Fashion Exposed.

we3

Other presenters included Mavi, Bench, Burton, and Sorel. I just wanted to say that Sorels have come a long way from the utilitarian styles we all know and love. Patterns, colours and different styles are all part of the modern Sorel boot, which means you can still endure a Great Canadian winter in fashion. My dad has a pair of Sorels that are 40 years old so I’m pretty sure they could last a lifetime.

Finally, Aaron Chang stole the show with his sexy swimwear line. “Wow” is all I can say about this particular Aaron Chang swimsuit:

aaron-chang

Ruffian Royale and the Zune Concert Series Contest winner The British Columbians hit the mainstage from 2:30-5:30. Today is party day with some seriously big name DJs blowing through town. DJ Z-Trip, Vinyl Richie and Mat the Alien are spinning for the Big Air, which runs 8pm-10pm. The end-of-festival party culminates tonight with “The End” a massive shaker at the Telus Conference Centre.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 2,217 other followers