Get a local’s take on Whistler’s history, from the community’s fishing resort and ski bum beginnings to the world-class resort it has grown to today, at the book launch of Top of the Pass: Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky Country on Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Path Gallery.
“With all attention focusing here (in 2010), I realize there is going to be lots of publications coming out about this place and I know this place as well as anyone else, so it might as well be me,” said author and longtime resident Stephen Vogler.
This will be the local scribe’s second book. His first, self-published book, entitled Whistler Features, was a collection of feature stories he wrote for Pique Newsmagazine . Since its release in 2000 Vogler has kept his pencil sharp and had his work published in the Globe and Mail and Explore Magazine . The father of three has also contributed to CBC Radio’s Ideas, DNTO and Outfront.
None of these accomplishments really prepared him for the blank pages that were to become Top of the Pass — but a lifetime of skiing, raising a family, living in renter’s-ville and contributing to Whistler’s burgeoning arts scene did help him fill in some of that blank space.
Vogler’s 114-paged book is illustrated with the colourful images of photographers Toshi Kawano of Pemberton and Bonny Makarewicz of Whistler. Kawano was the lens behind Tourism Whistler’s “Real Whistler” marketing campaign, and Makarewicz’s photo credit is no stranger to publications all over the world, including the New York Times.
Get beneath the glamour of Whistler Village with Vogler’s new book as he unearths a history of ski bums, squatters, logging, trapping, lakeside fishing lodges and the valley’s deepest layers, the Lil’wat First Nation culture.
Top of the Pass , published by Harbour, will also be launched in Pemberton with an accompanying slide show on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Pony Espresso.
Top of the Pass is available at Armchair Books in Whistler.
Floyd Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Wizard of Oz and Pink Floyd may, at first glance, appear to have nothing in common; However, simultaneously hit play on both the 1973 classic Darkside of the Moon album and the 1939 MGM movie and more than 145 synchronicities come to light at the Dark Side of Oz on Thurdsay, Dec. 6 at 7:30 and 10 p.m. at MY Millennium Place.
The similarities between the two are uncanny: when the Scarecrow sings If I Only Had a Brain to Dorothy, at the same time, Brain Damage on Floyd’s album also plays. Other coincidences occur such as the The Oz’s rainbow illustrated on the rainbow-prism album cover and the “tired of lying in the sunshine” lyrics timing itself perfectly with a visual of Toto lying on a sun-lit bed.
Roger Waters’s lips are sealed on whether the idiosyncrasies are mere coincidence or planned, leaving audiences to follow the yellow brick road to find their own answers.
Past showings of the Dark Side of Oz sold out to an audience of munchkins, good witches and monkeys getting into the Oz spirit. Floyd and Dorothy fans are invited to once again join in the fun.
Advance $10 tickets are on sale at ticketmaster.ca or by calling 604-935-8410.
The golden ticket in Squamish
Audiences can unwrap chocolate bars to find a gold ticket of their own for the Squamish Youth Theatre’s production of Willy Wonka Jr. from Dec. 6 to 8 and Dec. 14 to 15 at Eagle Eye Theatre.
The theatre company brings to life this stage adaption of the book Charlie and The Chocolate Factory with all of your favourite Roald Dahl characters: Charlie Bucket, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop and of course the Oompa Loompas.
Songs such as The Candy Man and Pure Imagination will both entertain and delight for this family-fun production led by producer Adriane Polo, director Teira Andreeff and choreographer Jennifer Carney.
Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. with matinees at 2:30 p.m. on both Saturdays.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and are available at Billie’s Bouquet in Squamish.
An evening of art
Four art galleries are hosting an Art Gallery Appreciation Night on Friday, Dec. 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Art Gallery Row located in the lobby level of the Hilton Resort.
Browse through the Whistler Village Art Gallery, Adele Campbell Fine Art Gallery, Black Tusk Gallery and the Mark Richards Gallery and celebrate the holiday season with wine and cheese receptions hosted at each location.
Explore local artist Penny Martyn’s new ceramic wall hangings at Adele Campbell or ask gallery owner and artist Mark Richards how he makes the colours in his artworks glow so vividly.
Admission is free.
