Make Music Vancouver, also known as  Fête de la Musique, is coming to Yaletown this Summer! Expect to see more than a hundred acts headline the event.

Make Music Vancouver is part of “Fête de la Musique”, a global event that began in France in 1982. On June 21 2012, the longest day of the year, come down to Yaletown for the free outdoor event.

Walk around Yaletown and dance along the street or loading dock to different musical genres. You can also listen to live music while sitting on one of our sun-drenched patios. Some of our boutiques and restaurants have also stepped up and will be hosting musicians inside their establishment so you don’t miss out if you want to shop or have dinner.

We will update you with exact locations and name of the bands, closer to the event.

Presented by The Elements Group, Metro Fridays & Bar None

Resident DJs Zak Santiago & Kidd

Party till 4AM with DJ NEIL ARMSTRONG

Long before he toured the world as Jay-Z’s DJ and was appointed a Global Brand Ambassador for Adidas, Neil Armstrong cut his teeth in the early 90′s era of Hip-Hop. The time he spent in the trenches battling and mastering the art of party rocking allowed him to share the stage with a who’s who of music’s elite: Beyonce, Rihanna, Kanye West, Coldplay, The Roots, Busta Rhymes, Young Jeezy, Puff Daddy, Timberland and the list goes on. He is a Grammy nominated musician, Olympic Games and NBA DJ, and been featured in Rolling Stone, Vibe, URB and on MTV. Whether he is rocking in front of 100 000 fans at the Glastonbury Festival, anchoring a performance on the Letterman Show, or performing in front of a sold out Madison Square Gardens, there is no question that DJ Neil Armstrong is now in the highest strata of DJs – the only difference is Neil’s ELITE skill set separates him from the best!

Please join us at the official celebration for the opening of the Roundhouse Turntable Plaza at 1pm on Sunday.

It is a new outdoor public and community performance space in honor of the 125th anniversary of the arrival of Engine 374 into Vancouver, and the 15th anniversary of the Roundhouse.

Enjoy aerial dance performances, a brass band, public art project, kids’ activities, cake, a historical video screening, and even climb aboard Engine 374.

Between Two Buns on Homer Street claims to create sandwich wizardry and have very tongue-in-cheek names for their sandwiches. How about a Maniac? It’s made with double-smoked bacon, arugula, asiago cheese and roasted garlic parmesan aioli.

Looking for flavors that cross the Pacific? DD Mau, a bánh mì shop, has been a favorite at the office. We recommend their Grilled Lemongrass Chicken bánh mì made with sweet chili aioli, and the Crispy Roasted Pork. Their Vietnamese coffee is also a must try.

After work, or if you’re just looking to hang out, head over to the newly renovated New Oxford where Hooker’s Green has set up. It’s a great space beneath the New Oxford, which also has a ground floor entrance on the Hamilton Street side.

Cache Bistro & Lounge, on 1269 Hamilton Street, is serving up traditional French cuisine with a contemporary Asian spin. Good to know- they are open for lunch and have $11 buy 1 get 1 deals on their pastas.

Last but not least,  Scotiabank opened today in Yaletown. They are located at 1108 Homer Street.

Cactus Club, Raw Canvas and Cento Notti all have a sweet deal for your mom for this Sunday only.

CACTUS CLUB

Special Mother’s Day Tasting Menus from $24

Cactus Club Cafe is offering special tasting menus designed by Executive Chef Rob Feenie:

*menus may vary by location

RAW CANVAS

Share a medium canvas for the price of a small.

Raw Canvas will open especially on a Sunday, for your mom.

Have a lovely time painting while enjoying a plate of charcuterie.

It is best to call or email  in advance to reserve your table as they usually hit capacity early.

CENTO NOTTI

Complimentary mimosa for mom.

How about a 3- course shared brunch experience at Cento Notti inside the OPUS Hotel?

$25 per person includes the following shared platters found here.

Best of all, 25% of Cento Notti proceeds on Mother’s Day will be donated to BC Children’s Hospital 25^th Annual Miracle Weekend.

For the 15th straight year, The Golden Plate 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards  was conducted by Georgia Straight.

Georgia Straight collected responses from readers online and chose several restaurants in Yaletown, among many Vancouver restaurants.

Cactus Club and Earls racked up multiple awards in categories like Best Restaurant Atmosphere and Best Restaurant with hot servers.  We are also happy to be home to the Best Independent Coffee Shop, Cafe Artigiano.

Below is a list of the winners located in Yaletown.

To see the full list of winners, please visit Georgia Straight magazine’s website.

Best Mid-Price Restaurant

1^st Earls Restaurant

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

3^rd Milestones Grill + Bar

Best Restaurant Atmosphere

1^st Cactus Club Cafe

Best Restaurant Service

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

Best Restaurant for a Working Lunch

4^th Cactus Club Cafe

Best Chain Restaurant

1^st Cactus Club Cafe

2^nd Earls Restaurant

Best Pre-Theatre Restaurant

1^st Earls Restaurant

Best Restaurant for People-Watching

3^rd Cactus Club Cafe

Best Restaurant for Hot Male Servers

1^st Rodney’s Oyster House

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

3^rd Earls Restaurant

Best Restaurant for Hot Female Servers

1^st Cactus Club Cafe

2^nd Earls Restaurant

Best Restaurant In Which to Hang Out On a Rainy Day

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

Best Restaurant For a First Date With Somebody You Met Online

1^st Cactus Club Cafe

3^rd Earls Restaurant

Best Restaurant to Flirt In

1^st Earls Restaurant

3^rd Cactus Club Cafe

Best New Casual Restaurant

3^rd The Flying Pig

Best Italian

1^st Cioppino’s and Cioppino’s Enoteca

Best Japanese

4^th Hapa Izakaya

Best Mediterranean

1^st Cioppino’s and Cioppino’s Enoteca

3^rd Provence

Best Brunch

1^st Milestones Grill + Bar

Best Appetizers

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

3^rd Milestones Grill + Bar

Best Pub Food

2^nd Yaletown Brewing Company

Best Wings

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

3^rd Earls Restaurant

Best Seafood

1^st Blue Water Café + Raw Bar

Best Fish/Shellfish

2^nd Blue Water Café + Raw Bar

Best Steak

1^st Keg Steakhouse & Bar

Best Chicken

3^rd Cactus Club Cafe

Best Izakaya

1^st Hapa Izakaya

Best Salads

4^th Cactus Club Cafe

Best Restaurant Wine List (Imported)

3^rd Blue Water Café + Raw Bar

4^th Cioppino’s and Cioppino’s Enoteca

Best Bar Lounge

3^rd Opus Bar

Best Restaurant for Drink Specials

1^st Earls Restaurant

2^nd Cactus Club Cafe

Best Brewpub Restaurant

1^st Yaletown Brewing Company

Best Independent Coffee Shop

1^st Caffè Artigiano

Best Restaurant Twitter feed

1^st Glowbal_Group

4^th Cactus Club Cafe

Make Music Vancouver, also known as  Fête de la Musique, is coming to Yaletown on June 21, 2012.

Walk around Yaletown and dance along the street or loading dock to different musical genres. You can also listen to live music while sitting on one of our sun-drenched patios. Some of our boutiques and restaurants have also stepped up and will be hosting musicians inside their establishment so you don’t miss out if you want to shop or have dinner.

Make Music Vancouver is part of “Fête de la Musique”, a global event that began in France in 1982.

The 23rd Annual Restaurant Awards was just held by Vancouver Magazine.

Esteemed judges in the restaurant industry chose among the many Vancouver restaurants and picked the best ones in the different categories.

The following is a list of the winners located in Yaletown:

Best Upscale Restaurant:  Silver – Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

Best Casual Chain: Gold – Cactus Club, Silver – Hapa Izakaya

Best Seafood: Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

Best Upscale Italian: Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill and Enoteca

Best Steakhouse/Chops: Bronze – Hamilton Street Grill

To see the full list visit the Vancouver Magazine website.

Congratulations to all the winners!

The BMO Vancouver Marathon is organized by the Vancouver International Marathon Society, and had created their first Vancouver marathon in 1987.

This year, the race is taking new courses through Vancouver! The 2 races showcase Vancouver’s charming neighbourhoods, world class parks, and stunning Seawall.

On Sunday, May 6th, watch out for the 10,000 half-marathon participants dashing through Yaletown in the early morning (around 7:15 – 9:15am). An additional 5,000 runners will be completing the full marathon, on the outskirts of Yaletown and around Stanley Park.

Come cheer on the runners! There are cheer stations found online here.

Working in Yaletown? Please check these details on the road closures/partial closures:

The time of impact on Yaletown is 7am-9am

• Robson, Hamilton/ Mainland, Helmken, Davie St Closed from 7:15–9:15am
• Pacific Blvd (Davie St to Howe St), 2 westbound lanes closed 7:15am-9:30am

Beer lovers rejoice as Vancouver Craft Beer Week is back again this year!

VCBW opening night will be at the Roundhouse Community Centre where Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson will be tapping the first cask. Guests will have a chance to go around the different stations to sample what’s to come during the rest of the festival. You can get your tickets here.

There will be events headlining each night, with smaller non-ticketed events hosted by neighbourhood pubs and restaurants.  In Yaletown, V Lounge by Earls gets crafty serving beers by the best local breweries. This happens on May 20, Sunday, and is a ticketed event. On May 22, Raw Canvas highlights Belgian beer and is pairing it with plates of charcuterie and cheese. Reservations are recommended.

Some events, such as Hoppapalooza, are already sold out. So buy your ticket to VCBW before it runs out.