BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for November 5 – 11

Credit: TV Week

The Kronos Quartet will be peforming at the Chan Centre Nov. 5

What to do in BC this week

Browse the Festive Collective Pop-up Shop – November 2-27
Are you one of those super-organized souls who like to have their Christmas shopping wrapped up in November? If so, the Festive Collective (196 Kingsway, Vancouver), a pop-up shop open from November 2 to 27, has got all of your gift giving covered thanks to loads of handmade items by local indie designers like Astosatchel, Daub & Design, Filou, Irit Sorokin, Mimosa and Ole.


Shop the Westshore Christmas Wonderland Craft Fair – November 4-6 & November 12-13
When it comes to gift giving, it’s the thought that counts. But let’s be honest; it still sucks getting stuck with a stinker. How not to bum out your besties? Try browsing the cache of quality hand-crafted goods at the Westshore Christmas Wonderland Craft Fair, a juried artisan exhibition held from November 4 to 6 at Eagle Ridge Community Centre (1089 Langford Parkway, Langford). Can’t make it? You’ve got another chance to check it out on November 12 and 13 at the Sooke Prestige Craft Fair at Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Greater Victoria.

Pay Tribute to Michael Jackson – November 4-6
Don’t call us heartless, but sometimes death can be a good career move. The latest celeb to rake in big bucks after kicking the bucket is Michael Jackson, whose sad demise instantly turned him from tabloid laughingstock to bona fide legend. Say what you will about him, but no one could touch this iconic entertainer when it came to masterful moves, all on full display — thanks to some Cirque du Soleil magic — at Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour from November 4 to 6 at Rogers Arena.

Listen to Kronos Quartet & Homayun Sakhi Trio – November 5
Afghan blankets, Afghan dogs, we know . . . but Afghan music? Not so much. Here’s your chance to get an earful when the Grammy-winning, boundary-pushing Kronos Quartet shares the stage with the Homayun Sakhi Trio to deliver an impressionistic musical journey through the various regions of Afghanistan. Take it all in on November 5 at the Chan Shun Concert Hall (6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver), starting at 8 p.m.

Fight Cystic Fibrosis at the 65 Roses Gala – November 5
Did you know that cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disorder in North America, killing more Canadian children and young adults than any other inherited disease? The Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation hopes to change all that with the 65 Roses Gala, an 11th annual fundraiser to help researchers find a cure for the disease. Catch it on November 5 at the Pan Pacific Hotel (999 Canada Pl, Vancouver).


Indulge at the Festival of Chocolate – Until November 10
Sorry, guys: studies show that most women prefer chocolate over sex. Find out why at the Festival of Chocolate, taking place until November 10 at various Lower Mainland venues, including such unexpected spots as wineries and breweries. And gals: get ready to ditch that diet ’cause your willpower will be as good as gone once you get a load of all the melt-in-your-mouth morsels at events ranging from chocolate pairings to spa treatments.


Shop the Circle Craft Christmas Market – November 9-13
When it comes to holiday shopping, you can run around in circles and never find anything to outdo the selection of one-of-a-kind offerings at the 38th annual Circle Craft Christmas Market. Held at the Vancouver Convention Centre West (1055 Canada Pl) from November 9 to 13, this fab fair attracts 40,000 shoppers annually to browse the wares of 280 of Canada’s top artisans selling everything from gourmet chocolate and handcrafted soap to clothes and home décor.

Get A Taste of Tulalip – November 11-12
Cross-border shopping isn’t the only reason to brave the border these days. Gastronomes hungry for a good time are guaranteed to get their fill at A Taste of Tulalip, an award-winning food and wine weekend at Tulalip Resort Casino (10200 Quil Ceda Blvd, Tulalip, Washington) on November 11 and 12. This culinary carnival features everything from gala dinners and wine tastings to chef demos and sommelier seminars.

See a Free Concert at UBC Robson Square Theatre – ongoing
When you’re busy working all day, who’s got time to take in a concert? Answer: You do . . . if you work in downtown Vancouver, where UBC School of Music students are performing a six-week series of free noon-hour shows featuring a variety of ensembles and genres, including opera, choral music and big band jazz. If you’re passionate about piano, check out the nimble-fingered soloists tickling the ivories on November 7 at UBC Robson Square Theatre (800 Hornby St, Vancouver).


Get Fit at 30 Minute Hit – anytime
We don’t need those old Bozo-the-Clown punching bags to remind us that sometimes the best way to beat stress is by giving someone a good pop in the chops. We’re kidding, but we’re not joking about the sense of empowerment you’ll get after putting up your dukes at 30 Minute Hit, a boxing/kickboxing workout designed just for women. Action-packed and invigorating, it’s a fitness routine that kicks. Check it out at 11 Lower Mainland locations.


Grab a Bite at The Red Wagon Cafe – anytime
Looks aren’t everything, as the saying goes; it’s substance that counts. Keep that in mind if you drop by for a bite at The Red Wagon Cafe (2296 E. Hastings St, Vancouver). What this shabby, not-so-chic diner lacks in looks, it more than makes up for with an all-day menu full of first-rate fare, including to-die-for pulled pork sandwiches so delicious they warrant the inevitable wait for a table. It’s licensed, too, so you can even order up a bourbon-spiked ice cream float to wash it all down.

Eat at One of the World’s Best Winery Restaurants – anytime
You know how some food just isn’t worth the calories? That doesn’t apply at Miradoro Restaurant, named one of the “World’s Best Winery Restaurants” by Wine Access Magazine. Perched on Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Estate, the eatery offers picturesque panoramas of Okanagan grape country. Just as great? The Mediterranean-inspired cuisine prepared to perfection from the finest, freshest local ingredients from field, forest and ocean.

Originally published in TVW. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.