visualprose

2012-01-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon, baby Jack! It's tea and cuddles with the Perry Family...

2011-12-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

An afternoon with Tiffany Golarz... mid summer.

2011-12-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

Sweet little Violet... may you find love and joy in everything.

2011-12-05T10:57:00.000-08:00

Nicholas ❤ Michelle...

2011-04-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

I'd like to welcome you to check out my garden blog: www.welliewarfare.blogspot.com
The idea of this blog is to highlight the process of rehabilitating an old garden into a loveable space, full of life and delicious food. I've been photographing its transformation, and will continue to do so monthly. If you're curious to see what we've been up to since leaving the city, take a peak, and check back for updates on our progress.

2011-01-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

Teddy's New Years visit... What a silly little guy he is!

2010-12-20T03:10:00.000-08:00

In memory of 2010.... a calendar for 2011.
From The Year Of Travel to The Year of Discovery.
Happy Christmas! And a very Merry New Year to all!!!

Love and Travel...

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

2010-11-12T03:49:00.000-08:00

Felicia & Deshorn Lawrence... love that dances into you heart.

2010-10-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

Images I had taken last year for Vancouver's NFA (No Fixed Address) supper club, have been chosen to be featured in Cathay Pacific’s award-winning inflight magazine, Discovery. If you're flying to Hong Kong, make sure to check in your seat pocket for some delicious dining experiences!

(Bottom right image only, on this page)

2010-10-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Laura and Danny!

2010-06-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Met avid collector and producer Paul Anderson in his home for a Q&A with writer Rachel Fox.

2010-06-21T12:48:00.000-07:00

Melon Soup, Crab Cakes, and Lemon Prawns... mmmhhmmm!

2010-05-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

From Gumboots to Glitter

Biologist by day and burlesque performer by night, Champagne Sparkles encourages women to find it in themselves to don a pair of pasties and learn to shake their tatas.

Portrait shoot with Champagne Sparkle, one of the founders of Cheesecake Burlesque. Written by Cassandra Grant.

Champagne Sparkles has a new routine, and a new outfit to go with it. “It’s based on a song from Camelot the musical,” she says, wriggling into a bright green corset before pinning feathers to her curly blonde crop of hair. “Do you know it? The Lusty Month of May?”

Aw heck, I knew I should’ve brushed up on my musical trivia. Not to worry: Champagne’s vivid description of the routine (involving a chastity belt—of course) is a literal take on the song title. Apparently it goes something along the lines of “Tra la! It’s May, the lusty month of May! That lovely month when ev’ryone goes blissfully astray! Tra la! It’s here, that shocking time of year! When tons of wicked little thoughts merrily appear!”

Thrilling! And appropriate! Since May is the month that the annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival is held, which I’m sure gives many people the chance to experience their own merry wicked little thoughts. And it’s the reason why Champagne Sparkles is here, in the middle of Chinatown, changing costumes behind the makeshift screen of a car door and a parasol threateningly hefted to distract the curious passersby.

Champagne is in town for the weekend because the Victoria-based Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, of which she’s a founding member, is a headlining act in the Burlesque Festival. Her website describes her as cheeky and cute, the ‘extra glittery girl-next-door’. In real life she’s pint-sized and as bubbly as her name suggests. “I make my own costumes,” she says as she shakes out a sea-froth tutu. “Well—not the corsets—I embellish them and make them nicer, see, with the ribbon and lace.” She steps into a pair of sequined heels, wraps her floral-print dressing robe tighter, and looks expectantly at myself and Jess the photographer. “Right!” she says, batting her glittery eyelashes. “Let’s go!”

We walk to several different locations, and make several return trips to the car for hasty costume changes. Throughout the shoot Champagne pouts and preens and kicks her legs like a regular can-can dancer. In between the compliments she brushes off from passing admirers, she talks about how she’s by turns an environmental consultant and biologist, and a jet-setting burlesque performer who’s toured from Vegas to Berlin and places in between.

“Burlesque for me is a passionate, creative part of my life,” Champagne says. “It gives me balance to the other things I do, and has connected me to many wonderful people I would never have met otherwise. Through burlesque I’ve discovered a love of performing, and my self-confidence has grown!”

The one thing that Champagne Sparkles stresses is the freeing nature of burlesque performance. ”I think burlesque is a fun and sexy form of entertainment,” she writes in a follow-up email. “It focuses on the tease (rather than being overtly sexual) and provides a place for humour within sexiness. Burlesque offers an alternative to homogenized mass media images of women (and men) and is a unique platform for people to develop a wider perception of sexuality.”

In between solo performances and working with the Cheesecake Burlesque Revue, Champagne Sparkles also hosts burlesque parties for birthdays and stagette nights; it’s an alternative to celebrating in the usual drunken fashion—”Not that it doesn’t happen at the parties!” she adds. The whole idea behind burlesque is that it accepts performers of all ages and body types, appealing to the women in the audience who see someone they can relate to. “It’s fun to live vicariously through the women they see on stage,” says Champagne, “and I think it often inspires them to ‘shake it’ a little more themselves - either at home, with friends and sometimes even to take to the stage!”

We wrap up the shoot as the sun sets. Champagne Sparkles wraps her dressing robe tightly around her last costume change and smiles her glittering smile at us. I’m reminded of the first corset she wore, for her Lusty Month of May routine. It borrows old history and pop references, as most burlesque performances do, relying on nostalgia and titillation for its success. I ask Champagne what kind of future she sees in burlesque. She looks thoughtful. “I think there are an infinite number of possible directions for burlesque to go”—here I’m thinking of the shock tactics of gorelesque—”but I think it is important to recognize the history of burlesque and to reference it, to thrive and grow in new directions.”

I guess we do that already, every generation of women changing the face of burlesque: young, old, curvy, slim, all ethnicities, classically trained or heading in radical new directions, they’re all taking old corsets and adding their own details and making it all their own.

For upcoming shows and more info visit
http://www.champagnesparkles.ca
http://www.cheesecakeburlesque.com

2010-05-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Headshots for the BC Touring Council's Pacific Contact conference.

2010-05-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Reviewing shops on Main street...

Dandelion Records

Flaming Angel

2010-01-17T18:58:00.000-08:00

Delicious treats courtesy of Dine In Vancouver (.ca)

2010-01-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

Vancouver Special!
Check out the review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2010/01/09/japandroids-jimmy-fallon/

2010-01-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Woodpigeon @ The Biltmore

2010-01-17T18:48:00.000-08:00

The Best Revenge @ The Media Club

2010-01-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

Casiotone For the Painfully Alone @ The Biltmore
Check out the gallery: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=231

To Bad Catholics

Edd Vanbreemen

Casiotone For the Painfully Alone

2010-01-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

Punk Christmas! Vancouver's favorite advertising firm, Taxi, takes an alternative approach to celebrating the holidays. Tattoos, spiked hair and all!

2010-01-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Fall in LOVE with 2010 Olympics, Indie Rocker style!
Check out the reviews: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/12/23/olympics-fashion/
and http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2010/01/05/2010-cultural-olympiad/

2010-01-17T18:16:00.000-08:00

Showing off Blim; Vancouver's talented DIY artists.
Check out the review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/12/19/blim-market/

2010-01-17T18:12:00.000-08:00

Stills for Vancouver's newest East meets West TV Pilot

2009-12-13T00:55:00.000-08:00

Mew at The Venue
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=207

2009-12-13T00:51:00.000-08:00

Tristeza at The Media Club
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=191

2009-11-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

Mum's the word!
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=114

2009-11-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

Ohbijou!
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=159

2009-11-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

Certain Breeds and Sun Wizard at Media Club
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=155

2009-11-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

Disco Doom and Built to Spill at the Commodore Ballroom
http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=152

2009-11-22T12:37:00.000-08:00

Final Fantasy and Mountain Goats at the Showbox in Seattle
For more photos, visit: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/gallery/?album=1&gallery=131

2009-11-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

Had a mouth watering dinner a little while ago at NFA (No Fixed Address - bookings@nfa-reservations.com). I definitely recommend treating yourself to such an indulgence!
Check out Tom McSorley's delicious review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/11/22/secret-dining/

2009-11-03T17:53:00.000-08:00

2009-10-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

2009-10-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

2009-10-14T21:21:00.000-07:00

2009-09-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Kevin and Danica!

Sweet love
you have found yourselves
embraced in love
and facing forward
hand in loving hand
forever may you be yours.

2009-09-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

J.C. Studios - Fall Lookbook
http://www.jcstudio.ca/collections/current_campaign/

2009-09-27T15:21:00.000-07:00

2009-09-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

Photo review of Bif Naked for Ronatron

2009-09-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Have recently been promoted to Staff Photographer at Guttersnipenews.com!

2009-08-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

The Pretenders and Juliette Lewis at the Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park

Check out the review:

2009-08-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

Bat For Lashes at The Venue

Check out the review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/08/26/bat-for-lashes-concert-review-the-venue-vancouver/

2009-08-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

Fashion shoot for J.C. Studio

2009-08-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

Virgin Festival @ Deer Lake Park

Check out the review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/07/26/quacks-like-a-festival-virgin-festival-day-1/

2009-08-02T21:58:00.000-07:00

Blazed and Confused @ Pacific Coliseum

Check out the review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/07/23/5517/

2009-08-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

Folk Festival @ Jericho Beach

Check out the review: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/07/26/quacks-like-a-festival-virgin-festival-day-1/

2009-07-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

Fashion shoot for J.C. Studios

Check it out: http://www.jcstudio.ca/EN/campaign_summer_2009/

2009-07-17T21:50:00.000-07:00

women who lunch//la femme au chapeau bleu

2009-07-15T23:27:00.000-07:00

Indian Jewelry and Psychic Ills @ Little Mountain Studios

Check out the revue @ Guttersnipe: http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/07/15/lights-camera-fog-for-indian-jewelry-and-psychic-ills-brake-for-hallucinations/

2009-07-06T13:05:00.000-07:00

Dirty Projectors @ Richards on Richards

Check out the review at Gutter Snipe

http://www.guttersnipenews.com/2009/07/03/dirty-projectors/

2009-07-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Major Lazer @ The Commodore Ballroom

2009-06-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Theodore

2009-06-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

Isabelle

2009-06-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Nadine

2009-06-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

NYC

2009-06-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

Alberta

2009-06-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

Taralee

2009-06-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Kelowna

2009-04-28T23:43:00.000-07:00