Catherine Barr – Events, Celebrities & Entertainment News

Month: March 2010

  • Vancouver International Auto Show

    Porsche, Mercedes, Range Rover, Ferrari, Jaguar – all the big names are there. The Vancouver International Auto Show, the premier automotive showcase in Western Canada, is on all this week at BC Place Stadium. The event started last Monday night with a fabulous black-tie “sneak peek” gala in support of Special Olympics and featured a diamond draw, scavenger hunt and the “Salespersons of the Year” awards. The event continues until Sunday.

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    01 – Money man Michael Campbell, brother to BC Premiere Gordon Campbell and Chair of BC Special Olympics, delivers a gracious thank you speech to sponsors.

    02 – Carter Auto Family president Bill Mitchell, left, and the North Shore’s own James Carter are among the evening’s VIP guests.

    03 – Jeff Thiessen, left, congratulates New Car Dealers’ president and CEO Blair Qualey for doing a great job as gala host and awards MC.

    04 – CKNW sales manager John Saboe, left, and Corus Entertainment Vancouver Radio GM Jim (JJ) Johnson mingle with the award winners and hosts.

    05 – Christina Thompson takes a bow as top saleswoman for Aston Martin with MCL Motorcars’s John Chesman.

    06 – Meet celebrity power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in person at a private VIP autograph session this weekend by picking up some free tickets – simply email me at cbarr@westvancouver.com before 5pm today to reserve a pair (april fools).

    07 – Allwest Insurance’s North Shore gals Dana Voynovich, left, and Devina Zalesky join Carla Radiuk on the red carpet.

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    By Catherine Barr on March 29,2010

    Published in print by the North Shore Outlook on April 1, 2010

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  • Healthy Chef, Leones United Way and Iranian Norouz

    Eating right, giving back and starting anew doesn’t seem like it could be that much fun – but last week, it was! Three great events full of charity and giving helped start Spring off on the right note. First up, it was the BC Chefs’ Association’s Healthy Chef Competition at the Hyatt. Next, it was a Spring fashion show at Leones hosted by United Way’s Women United in Philanthropy. And finally, it was Persian New Year at the Marriot where the Canadian Iranian Foundation held a glamorous celebration.

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    01 – Faizzal Fatehali, of the United Way, poses with West Vancouver’s Pamela Martin (CTV news anchor and Women United in Philanthropy member) at Leones.

    02 – Women United in Philanthropy member Christie King and husband James welcome guests to the Leone fashion show fundraiser.

    03 – This West Vancouver trio knows all about fashion. From left: Wear Else president/owner Zahra Mamdani, Leone president and owner Alberto Leone, and guest Carey Smith.

    04 – Eating right at the Healthy Chefs Competition are North Vancouver’s Amanda Tanner, left, and BC Produce Marketing Association’s Margie Schurko.

    05 – Von Albrecht and Associates Leo Savino, left, and BC Chefs Association director and host Marcus Von Albrecht help put on a wonderful gala evening in support of great healthy food.

    06 – BC Lions’ famous footballer Geroy Simon, left, teams up with North Vancouver celeb/comedian and CTV weatherman Marke Driesschen.

    07 – Canadian Iranian Foundation committee members Nassreen Filsoof, left, and Massoume Price deserve praise for helping arrange such a glamorous Norouz night.

    08 – Posing by the beautiful, traditional Haft Seen table at Norouz are foundation board directors Babak Shahbazi, left, Abbas Esmailie, Ali Hashemi and Bahram Saadatmandi.

    09 – Looking beautiful in blue for the new year Norouz gala are Mahshid Seifi, left, and Maryam Hashemi.

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    By Catherine Barr – March 17, 18 and 21, 2010

    Published in print by the North Shore Outlook newspaper on March 25, 2010

  • Vancouver Int’l Dance Festival Gala, Lee Aaron, Pamela Anderson, Honeymoon Suite

    This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Vancouver International Dance Festival. On until March 21, the festival includes performances by some of the city’s best dance groups at various locations around town. Part of the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, the opening night gala featured live auction items, performances and more. Get more information at . Also, check out the party action backstage with a few extra celebrity events herein.

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    01 – It’s always great to see North Shore singer Lee Aaron perform her many hits. Now a mom, she rocked out with music hall-of-famer Red Robinson back stage before her show at his namesake theatre/casino last week.

    02 – The last of the Olympic party famous faces to hit town was BC born model/actress Pamela Anderson. Seen here with fashion stylist Richie Rich, left, and Dom Perignon’s Roberto Garcia, this flashy fashion show won’t soon be forgotten.

    03 – VIDF producer Barbara Bourget, left, executive director Jay Hirabayashi and publicist Crystal Kwon celebrate at the opening night gala.

    04 – North Vancouver’s Margot Gram, left, and Kokoro lead dancer Kristine Richmond check out the auction items at the VIDF gala.

    05 – Look for dancers Jennifer McKiinley, left, and Carolyn Chan throughout week at the Vancouver International Dance Festival.

    06 – With talent to spare, Ellen Luchkow, left, Molly McDermott and Ziyian Kwan can dance the night away at the VIDF gala.

    07 – A little backstage interview last week with the 80’s rock band Honeymoon Suite helped transport me way back to my early teen years. Are they over already?

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    By Catherine Barr, March 12, 2010

    As published in print by the North Shore Outlook newspaper on March 18, 2010

  • Royal Columbian Hospital and Tiko Kerr Art

    Spring is definitely in the air and that means it’s time for Gala season again. The newly opened Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel was the scene of last week’s “Shine” event benefitting the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation and featuring a live performance by Canada’s “popera” supergroup Destino. As always, North Shore faces were happy to show up in support helping raise over $200,000 for a new digital breast imaging machine.

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    01 – Working at Tiffany & Co. makes director Rob Ferguson every girl’s best friend. He’s also a strong supporter of the Shine gala event.

    02 – CBC news anchors Gloria Macarenko and Ian Hanomansing keep everyone entertained as MC hosts of the Shine gala.

    03 – Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH) Foundation President and CEO Adrienne Bakker, left, and Foundation Board Chair Belle Puri look as glamorous as their surroundings at the Pacific Rim Shine gala.

    04 – West Vancouver’s Margot Paris and husband Chuck Brook come out in support of the RCH’s Shine gala event.

    05 – West Vancouver’s Pilar Izzard plays hostess to several VIPs and consul guests at a special art viewing of her late husband, artist Daniel Izzard, in Park Royal North. The exhibit continues through this weekend until March 13.

    06 – West Vancouver’s Dr. Allan Bergmann and wife Niki Sauder are among the invited guests at Winsor Gallery’s art opening of “Lush Life” by Vancouver artist Tiko Kerr, right. This exhibit runs until March 28.

    07 – A special shout out to Vancouver’s most vivacious radio talk show gal Jennifer Thomson, seen here at the Shine gala with Canada’s prominent pop opera trio “Destino”. Her recent recovery and victory over Cancer gives us all hope for the future.

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    By Catherine Barr on March 4, 2010

    Published in print by the North Shore Outlook newspaper on March 11, 2010

  • Olympic Parties – The Big Ending

    All the medals have been given out and the athletes have gone home, but the memories will live on forever. The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics were clearly one of the best star-studded parties this town will ever see and it was wonderful to have been part of it. O Canada – thank you for making us proud.

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    01 – West Vancouver’s Don DeCotiis and daughter Marianne come out to support the Face of Tomorrow Gala which featured Canadian rapper K’Naan.

    02 – Gala sponsors (and West Vancouverites) Sofia Somani, left, and Alexis Palkowski pose with Face of Tomorrow’s socialite/founder Kasondra Cohen, daughter of famed Army and Navy heiress Jacqui Cohen.

    03 – Robson Square was the place to be to meet athletes like North Vancouver’s gold medal snowboarding gal – Maelle Ricker.

    04 – Beaming in the golden afterglow of her media interviews, Whistler’s Ashleigh McIvor shows off her first place prize.

    05 – Former gold medal Olympic speed skater Catriona LeMay Doan, left, seen here with guest Patty Nees at the Commodore’s Manitoba Social night, got a chance to re-light the flame at the Closing Ceremony after that Opening Ceremony glitch.

    06 – American skier Bode Miller, left, wanted a medal in each colour – and he got all three. Seen here with Olympic party impresario Craig Stowe, he and his entourage enjoy a night off at Canvas Lounge.

    07 – After a disappointing start, the Canadian men’s short-track team came back with a vengeance and were more than happy to smile for the cameras at a special celebratory interview.

    08 – Seen here at the Commodore’s Manitoba Social night, VANOC CEO John Furlong is undoubtedly ready for a long winter’s nap.

    09 – Rock 101 FM’s Bro Jake “The Champ” Edwards, left, welcomes celebs, athletes and VIPs like Roy Nees, to the Commodore’s Manitoba Social night.

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    By Catherine Barr – Feb 28, 2010

    As seen in print in the North Shore Outlook on March 4, 2010