We introduced two kilt virgins to the joys of wearing kilts. Oops, they were kind of shy and insisted on wearing their pants under the kilts!
Do Mexicans wear kilts? Do Scots eat tacos?
Every first Thursday is Kilts night at Doolin's Irish Pub. Last week on Dec 4th, I started the evening at Burrito Bros. Taco Co. in Kitsilano. How authentic is Burrito Bros.? Well, they speak Spanish when they place the orders to the cook.
My girlfriend likes it on Thursday night because tacos are $2 and Sol beer is $3.50 for “Locals Night.” Last night wasn't Thursday, but we ended up there for dinner again with friends Julie, Marion and Craig, from the Gung Haggis dragon boat team.
Todd has a $2 hard taco with his Sol beer. No sombero wearing for this Chinos-Canadian.
Two kilted lads + two lassies. Todd wears the ancient Fraser hunting tartan while Derrick wears a black utilikilt. Lee and Carol are first time attendees, and I put them in the modern Fraser hunting tartans that the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team wears. Lee is of Scottish ancestry, and she paddled with our team for the Vancouver Taiwanese dragon boat race. Carol is Irish-Ukranian-Canadian and LOVED my Guinness with a shot of expresso vodka.
The Halifax Wharf Rats play sets starting at 9pm. They always play a lively mix of celtic tinged traditionals, Canadiana and folk-rock. I LOVE their celtic version of “I Was Made for Loving You” – originally a hit by KISS. Dawn wears a mini-kilt with a sassy lace hem. Dawn paddled on the dragon boat team in 2004 when we raced in the Vancouver Taiwanese dragon boat race.
The New Vancouver Mayor wears a kilt to inauguration.
Gregor Robertson knows how to stand out in a crowd. He looked dashing at the inauguration ceremony for the new Vancouver mayor and city council at the Sunset Community Centre. The incoming mayor had earlier requested the presence of the Vancouver Pipe Band… but hadn't announced his choice of attire… kilt watchers were wondering….
Gregor Robertson and Raymond Louie walk into the inauguration ceremony. Media reported that Robertson wore his family tartan – but it looks like a Robertson hunting tartan – photo courtesy of Patrick Tam / Flunging Pictures.
Here's a great photo of how to sit in a kilt when you are mayor. The trick is to spread your legs wide enough to have extra kilt material in the middle, so nobody can get a photo lens up your kilt. – photo permission from The Black Bird
Andrea Reimer is sworn in as councilor, as Kerry Jang and Geoff Meggs await their turn. 14 hours earlier, Andrea's sense of humor had her questioning what to wear for “a three year marriage to 580,000 people.” I offered to loan her a kilt.
Yup… Mayor in a kilt. Hope Robertson is ready for all those 250th anniversary Robert Burns dinners he is going to be invited to including Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner – photo courtesy of Patrick Tam
Check out some of the media stories:
Kilted Robertson sworn in as mayor
http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/local/article/152367
Every 1st Thursday, we have Kilts Night at Doolin's Irish Pub. Wear a kilt for a free pint of Guinness. Next Kilts Night is this Thursday – December 4th.
Last Thursday after the BC Fed conference social at the Hyatt, I ended up at Doolin's and ordered my Guinness with a shot of expresso vodka. My favorite bartender Geo made it up for me, after I told him they had given me one at the Atlantic Trap & Gill.
My friend Tim taste-tested it and pronounced it as “wicked!” Time plays in the celtic band Halifax Wharf Rats – who play every Thursday night at Doolin's. “You can't have too many of those in one night,” he added.
I have always found Guinness to be a full tasting beer, although sometimes on the bitter side. Last year, Guinness offered a recipe on the side of the 8 pack beer case for a “Black & Blood” – mixing Guinness with a black currant liqueur. It was okay… but a bit on the sweet side.
But the addition of expresso vodka, gives it a bite… gives it a kick… gives it a smoother rounder taste… that makes you go hmmm… and puts a grin on your face. That's what I like in a drink.
Here's a recipe for “Irish Coffee Drop”
http://cocktails.about.com/od/vodkadrinkrecipes/r/irish_coffedrop.htm
Check out Doolin's bartender Geo in the picture below, wearing the Canucks jersey at our March Kilts Night earlier this year. The picture ran with the March 17th Vancouver Sun story The next celebration: Wearing the tartan
 MACKINNON, Stuart |
GRN | 48415 |
Good friends rejoice: Andrea Reimer, Stuart Mackinnon and Andrea's daughter – photo Todd Wong
“You beat Andrea's numbers!” exclaimed Andy Miller – Andrea's husband and Stuart Mackinnon's sign man. In the 2002 Vancouver civic election, Andrea Reimer grabbed the final 9th spot for Vancouver School Board with 44951 votes – the highest vote count for an elected civic Green. Stuart's 48415 for 2008 Vancouver Parks Board beat that number by 3464. For the 2008 election, Andrea ran as a council candidate for Vision Vancouver and received 59148.
“I'm overwhelmed,” said Mackinnon on Sunday afternoon. He was spending some time visiting his father when I called him by cellphone. “My father is very happy for me,” he shared. Stuart's paternal grandfather George Ernest Lawson Mackinnon had been the Kootenay East member of parliament for the National Government party (Conservatives) from 1940-45.
“I never expected to win,” Stuart admitted, even though advance polls had the COPE/Vision/Green slate leading in races for council, parks board and school board. Mackinnon was the only Green party member on the combined slate. He is only the 3rd ever Green Party member elected in the Metro Vancouver area. During the campaign when I had asked him who his campaign manager was, “You're looking at him.” was his reply. Mackinnon had a very small but dedicated campaign team of volunteers consisting of friends and team members from the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. There had been no party headquarters or staffers for the civic Green Party. Mackinnon ran his campaign from his newly bought formerly owned small condominium which he shares with his faithful Shiba Inu dog friend named Kiku.
In 2005 Stuart Mackinnon received 37824 votes for 14th place, 6738 votes behind COPE's Spencer Herbert who received 44562 votes. The previous highest vote count for a Green Party Parksboard candidate was 32613 in 2002 for Catherine Carter who finished 4 places out of winning in 11th spot – but she still beat two NPA parks candidates. In 1999, Roslyn Cassells was elected to the Vancouver Parks Board for the Green Party with 31, 694 votes.
When the COPE / Vision / Green slate was released on September 9th, I predicted that the Green Party was the big winner. Read my article: Vision/COPE/Greens make a civic slate deal… Stuart Mackinnon of the Green Party is the real winner!
In the 08 Election, COPE's Bill Bargeman, Alvin Singh and Anita Romaniuk were the only COPE members' of the slate not to be elected, while councilor David Cadman, school trustees Alan Wong, Alan Blakely, and parks commissioner Loretta Woodcock were re-elected, with the addition of former councilor Ellen Woodsworth and former school trustee Jane Bouey. COPE was 6 for 9.
Vision went 15 for 16, with all candidates elected except for councilor candidate Kashmir Dhaliwal.
To capture the public's imagination, Stuart was the only candidate seen in a kilt during campaigning.
Stuart knocks on doors and delivers pamphlets – photo courtesty S. Mackinnon.
Stuart is an avid participant on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team and Kilts Night. He also is the teacher sponsor for the Killarney Cougar Dragons junior dragon boat team. Stuart was featured in the German public television program “From Toronto to Vancovuer by Train” with the Gung Haggis dragon boat team. He has appeared many times in pictures and articles on www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com.
Everybody talks about the Chinese block voting… what about Scottish-Celtic block voting?
Wear a kilt and go after the Scottish-Celtic ethnic vote!
Vancouver, BC and Canada all have long Scottish-influenced roots. Vancouver's first Mayor, Malcolm Alexander Maclean, was born in Scotland. Canada's first two Prime Ministers Sir John A. MacDonald Alexander Mackenzie. BC's first governor Sir James Douglas was raised in Scotland, after being born in British Guyana to a Scottish father and a Creole mother. And then there are rivers named after Scottish-Canadian explores Alexander Mackenzie and Simon Fraser.
Read the Scottish Page from “The History of Metropolitan Vancouver” http://www.vancouverhistory.ca
Vision Vancouver candidates for council and mayor,
Raymond Louie and Gregor Robertson attended the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy
Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner with VIP host Deb Martin. Raymond joined a kilted “Toddish McWong” on Rock 101's Bro Jake Show on Robbie Burns Day this year. In this photo Raymond is wearing the Royal Stuart tartan, while Gregor wears his Robertson family tartan – photo
VFK / Todd Wong collection.
Tartan Day (April 6) was proclaimed for City of Vancouver, on April 3, 2008. It was moved by councilor Heather Deal and seconded by Raymond Louie. Mayor Sam Sullivan and many city councilors have supported the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner over the years. In this picture Tim Stevenson is holding the Fraser Hunting Tartan backwards. He said after I corrected him “I can't do anything straight!”
Councilor Heather Deal is wearing a tartan skirt. Bagpiper Allan McMordie wears his full dress outfit. Mayor Sullivan and councilors BC Lee and George Chow wear tartan sashes. Toddish McWong wears the Fraser Hunting Tartan, as does councilor Kim Capri in the mini-kilted version.
View Larger Image and Story – click here!
Here's the best photo opportunity for a city councilor in a kilt! English-born but Michigan-raised Vancouver City Councilor Heather Deal came to the April Kilts Night, and her family tartan graced the Vancouver Sun photo. It was Heather who helped develop the Tartan Day proclamation and moved it at Vancouver City Hall on April 1st.
It was councilor Raymond Louie who as deputy mayor, actually read the proclamation on April 6th Tartan Day at a ceremony at Creekside Park, with the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.
see story:
A Tartan Day dragon boat paddle practice… with bagpiper and proclamation reading
Kilts Night is the first Thursday of every month at Doolin's Irish Pub
Kilts Night on Thursday was also Doolin's 6th Anniversary. I arrived about 6pm, to hear Mark Downey singing U2 songs on his acoustic guitar. Mark and I met for the Celtic Fest event “Battle of the Bards.” He played Irish poet William Butler Yeats, and I played Scottish Poet Robert Burns. Guess who won… Toddish McWong & Battle of the Bards at Celtic Fest
It was a fun evening with lots of entertainment. I had a great chat with Kathleen from The Celtic Connection newspaper. She took a picture of me, and wants to do an interview about my upcoming Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner for 2009 – the 250th Anniversary of Robert Burns' birthday.
Our Kilts Night gang contains a number of our team paddlers from the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. We really enjoy the celtic-tinged Canadiana music performed by the Halifax Wharf Rats led by Brian and Michelle, with Rick on drums and Tim on bass.
Doolin's manager Jay Mangan tied down the ballons so that patrons had a better view of the Irish step dancers! – photo Todd Wong
Three high-steppin' lassies performed some Irish dancing – photo Todd Wong
See more pictures on my flickr site:
There are more bagpipers in Canada than in Scotland… but are there more kilt wearers?
John, Dave and Jim of the DeltaKilts Night is a regular social event for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team, which actively celebrates BC's Chinese-Scottish-Canadian history by paddling dragon boats, wearing kilts, eating deep-fried haggis won ton at team parties, and attending Kilts Night and Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year events.
The first Kilts Night I ever attended was at the Atlantic Trap & Gill, back in 2004. Kilts night then was attended by bagpipers Dr. Nathan and tatoo artists such as Vince Hemingson.
We would meet on the 1st Saturday of each month at “The Trap.” But one day in January, we discovered that “The Trap” was closed on New Year's Day. Standing outside in the cold, we pondered our possibilities, and quickly ended up at Doolin's Irish Pub. There we discovered all the waitresses were wearing kilts and Kilts Night moved to Doolin's.
BC has a long tradition with Scottish culture. The first governor was James Douglas, born in Guyana of a Scottish father and Creole mother, but edcuated in Scotland. Canada's 1st and 2nd Prime Ministers were Sir John a. MacDonald and Alexander Mackenzie were both respectively born in Glasgow and Dunkeld, Scotland. The first Vancouver mayor was Malcolm Alexander MacLean, born in Tiree Scotland.
I met Allan this year when he was playing bagpipes on Robbie Burns Day for Rock 101's Brother Jake show. Allan came to Vancouver City Hall for our Tartan Day proclaimation in City of Vancouver with Mayor Sullivan and councillors. Allan also participated in our kilts night picture for Vancouver Sun: The next celebration.
Happy Birthday Tim! Bass player Tim Renaud of “Halifax Wharf Rats” with Alissa and Marion of the Gung Haggis dragon boat team – photo Todd Wong/Bunny Bears.
It's “Kilts Night” – the first Thursday each month. We meet at Doolin's Irish Pub. If you wear a kilt, you receive a free pint of Guinness beer.
There is great music by the Halifax Wharf Rats” which specializes in Canadiana music with a celtic twist of folk and rock.
Deb, Marion and Hillary enjoy a pint of Strongbow and Guinness. – photo Marion
When you can learn thewords to songs like “Farewell Nova Scotia,” “Alberta Bound,” “Four Strong Winds,” and “Barrett's Privateers,” – you know you're Canadian.
And when you can wear a kilt and look around you at your friends all wearing kilts, and realize that half of them are Canadians of Asian ancestry, and you don't think that's weird – then you know you are amongst your friends on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team… and that feels Canadian.
Vancouver's heritage is full of diversity, and nothing brings people together easier than music and a good drink.
Welcome to Kilts Night – Gung Haggis Fat Choy style!
A writer and photographer Derrick Lepper, for Frommer's travel guide showed up researching Vancouver's night life. They took a picture of Marion pulling the darts out of the dart board – photo Todd/Marion
Yvonne and Tony showed up sans kilts, but promised to wear kilts for next month – photo Marion
And we raise our hands as we dance and sing… Leanne, Raphael and Tony – photo Marion
Next Kilts Night is Oct 2. First Thursday of the month for October!
Trevor Linden, Red Robinson, Dal Richards, Ida Chong and Todd Wong are the newest invitees to the Royal BC Museum's exhibit “The Party” to celebrate BC's 150 year history.
If you could invite 150 of BC's most colourful citizens throughout it's 150 year history to “The Party” who would you invite?
Governor James Douglas or Pamela Anderson? Architects George Rattenbury, Arthur Eriksen, or James Cheng? Athletes Joe Sakic, Karen Magnusson, Steve Nash or Nancy Greene? Artists Emily Carr, Toni Onley, Jack Shadbolt or Robert Davidson? Community Activists Nelly McClung, Rosemary Brown or the Raging Grannies?
Inspirational icons Terry Fox or Rick Hansen? Politicians Svend Robinson, Grace McCarthy, Dave Barrett, Kim Campbell or Amor de Cosmos? Musicians Bryan Adams, Diana Krall, David Foster or Sarah McLachlan? Authors Jane Rule, Douglas Coupland, Dorothy Livesay or Joy Kogawa?
Actors Chief Dan George, Yvonne De Carlo, Kim Catrall or Bruno Gerussi? Environmentalists David Suzuki or Roderick Haig Brown? Business leaders Tong Louie, Jimmy Pattison or Nat Bailey? And what about “Hanging Judge” Begbie, Expo Ernie or Mr. Peanut?
The Royal BC Museum's website says”
All of the above are all invited as guests… and now… Gung Haggis Fat Choy founder Todd Wong has joined them along with new invitees Trevor Linden, Ida Chong, Dal Richards, Red Robinson, and Jennie Butchart – the inspiration behind the Butchart Gardens.
Todd Wong stands beside BC hockey player Sakic, beneath author & friend Joy Kogawa, activist Betty Krawcyk, and nearby Gov. James Douglas, when he visited the exhibit on April 23rd – photo Deb Martin.
To see the picture of me in the exhibit check out http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx
and scroll to the far right. The picture was taken by my friend
Richard Montagna. So far only six of the most recent invitees are on
website. The official press release announcement will be on August 6th.
Read Todd's August 8th account of visiting his picture at the Royal BC Museum:
“Toddish McWong” installed at the “Free Spirit” exhibition at Royal BC Museum
The Royal BC Museum website says:
It is indeed an honour to be included with so many illustrious and
creative BCers. It's amazing to think that Gung Haggis Fat Choy has
created such an impact, inspiring dinners in Seattle, Whistler, Ottawa, Wells BC
and Santa Barbara California (that I know about). As well there has been the 2004
CBC television performance special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy“, and the SFU Gung Haggis Fat Choy Festival.
I had visited the exhibit on April 23, when I traveled to accept my BC Community Achievement Award. We were excited to see the picture of Joy Kogawa, which I had taken. Joy was one of the original 132 persons chosen for the exhibit, but it was challenging to find a full length picture of her, so I volunteered myself and girlfriend as photographers for her.
Check out my story about bout finding Joy's picture and visiting the exhibit “The Party”:
Todd's adventure in Victoria: Traveling to “The Party” at BC Royal
Museum
I guess it is time to write that “Gung Haggis Fat Choy” book I have wanted to for awhile… or a theatrical play about the mythical Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner called “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”
I personally really think it is time for post-multiculturalism, when we can embrace a mix of cultures as well as creating our own new cultures and traditions out of that mix.
150 years ago, James Douglas was BC's first governor. But a lot of people don't realize that he was born of mixed Scottish and Creole bloodlines in Guyana. He married a Metis woman, Amelia Connolly,
whose father
was an Irish-French fur trader and whose mother was a Cree Chief’s
daughter. Author and friend Terry Glavin told me that Douglas had envisioned a new land where people from all over the world could come and live harmoniously in peace.
Racial and cultural issues have always been part of our province's history, whether it was wars between the Haida and the Kwakiutal, Black American or Chinese miners coming to BC for the gold rush, the Potlatch Law, the Chinese Head Tax, the Komagata Maru incident, the internment of Canadian born Japanese-Canadians during WW2, or even the present day First Nations treaty negotiations, migrant farm workers from Central America, nurses and nannies from the Phillipines, rising immigration from Hong Kong and China.
Here are the write-ups for my fellow newest invitees to The Party.
Dal Richards (1918 – )
A member of the Kitsilano Boys Band in his youth, this Vancouver native began his professional musical career 70 years ago, and is now playing more gigs than ever.
Red Robinson (1937- )
At the age of 16, he was one of the first Canadian disc jockeys to play Rock'N' Roll. He is a member of the Canadian Broadcast hall of fame, and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
Trevor Linden (1970 – )
This National Hockey League All-star played 16 of his 19 seasons as a Vancouver Canuck. A holder of many team records he retired in June 2008.
Jennie Butchart (1866-1950)
Wife of Portland-cement pioneer Robert Butchart. Her inspired creations of Butchart Gardens in the limestone quarry at Tod Inlet became a world-renowned destination for visitors to British Columbia
-photo D.Martin
– photo J. Wong/Todd's camera
-photo Todd Wong
– photo Patrick Tam
Stuart wore his “full dress” formal outfit to the Vision Vancouver dinner at Floata Restaurant: Todd Wong, Sharon Gregson (Vision candidate for School Board), Stuart Mackinnon.
