GATHER | Baiting Ziwe x 'What It Means to Be American' x UBC

"I rarely get asked to do [racism] p*rn."

Photo credit | Si Ming Zheng

UBC—(March 13, 2025) Talented mononymous Nigerian-American late night comedian/interviewer and Black Friend author Ziwe (Fumudoh) brought her stylishly hilarious insights to the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts as part of the 2025 Phil Lind Initiative's accidentally hyper topical ongoing speaker series on the politics of What It Means to Be "American": Navigating Identity in a Changing Nation.

SCREEN | Trespassing A Magical Heist – 'Stolen Kingdom'

"Being a kid in the '80s, the future was not optimistic."

White Lake Productions / Bright Sun Films

Native Floridian director Joshua Bailey uncovers the sordid underground black market economy and hidden trespassing subculture of theft behind Walt Disney World in his pop documentary with true-crime undertones, Stolen Kingdom. Delving into the niche topic of "theme park urban exploration," Bailey employs backstage footage of mischief that eventually culminates in the stealing of a valued animatronic, "Buzzy," supposedly worth half a million dollars despite being left abandoned in disrepair.

GATHER | Ramy Youssef x 'What It Means to Be American' x UBC

"I wasn't gonna mention the whole fifty-first state thing."

Photo credit | Si Ming Zheng

UBC—(February 27, 2025) Award-winning Egyptian-American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and director Ramy Youssef casually captivated a full audience inside the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts as part of the 2025 Phil Lind Initiative's second-year speaker series, discussing the topic of What It Means to Be "American": Navigating Identity in a Changing Nation.

SPOTLIGHT | Jia Tolentino x "Who's Afraid of Eating the Rich?" x UBC

"Capitalism is a machine for capturing descent."

Photo credit | Justin Man

UBC—(January 25, 2024) Toronto-born, Brooklyn-based culture critic and The New Yorker staff writer Jia Tolentino paid a visit to the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts as part of The Phil Lind Initiative's speaker series discussing political life through pop culture. Her half-hour talk, "Who's Afraid of Eating the Rich?" dissected our cultural obsession with the trend of popular entertainment dramatizing the sad depravity of being ultra-rich (think Succession and the like).

GETAWAY | Long Weekend x Pearl Hotel x San Diego x California

Point Loma—(May 19 to 22, 2022) On a May long weekend "bachelorette party" trip, our group ventured to the Southern California coastal city of San Diego—known for both its large naval fleet next to the Pacific Ocean and proximity to the Mexican border to the South.

GETAWAY | Aloha! Honolulu x Waikiki Beach Bum x Oahu, Hawaii

Waikiki—(November 19 to 22, 2019) Aloha! For four gloriously tropical days and nights, I visited the scenic city of Honolulu on the third-largest island of Oahu (aka the "Gathering Place") in the remote Hawaiian Islands—squarely located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Let's relive a few sunny highlights.

WORDS | 'Trick Mirror' – Jia Tolentino Maps Out Our 'Self-Delusion'

"I'm capitulating to everything I hate." ¹

Photo credit | Andrew Jacobs

The New Yorker staff writer and culture critic Jia Tolentino, sometimes hailed as the voice of our current social media generation, has so eloquently captured the inherent lie and con behind both the internet and the greater culture's duelling perceptions or realities of millennial life. Her first book, a collection of nine varying but intrinsically linked essays called Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion, is a thoughtful and measured retelling of her experiences covering a culture of self-deception, contemporary feminism, conflicted political identities, and modern life as a digital native.

IMBIBE | Vancouver International Wine Festival 2019

Waterfront—(February 28 to March 2, 2019) The 41st annual Vancouver International Wine Festival wined and dined thousands of guests last week with various special events, tastings, and pairings hosted all over our fair city's many venues—but as always anchored by the multi-day and night International Festival Tasting Room all you can drink smörgåsbord inside the Vancouver Convention Centre West ballroom.

From the Weekend: 3 Days in Portland

Portland Trip: 3 days in Portland wandering the the City of Roses in Oregon from June 26 to 28, 2014.



Escaping the crazy, flash rainstorm outside by lounging inside Ace Hotel's lobby.

Portland: From Maple to Bacon x Blue Star Donuts

Portland Trip: Snack time at Blue Star Donuts downtown on June 27, 2014.



Portland's Blue Star Donuts is a welcome addition to the doughnut scene in the vein of our local Lucky's Doughnuts and Cartem's Donuterie.

Portland: From Tacos to Margaritas x ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria

Portland Trip: Lunch at ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria in the Hawthorne District on June 26, 2014.



It's becoming a tradition to make Por Qué No our first stop on our way into the city of roses for some delicious tacos and margaritas.

From the Weekend: Cannon Beach x Oregon Coast

Walking around Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast on August 18, 2013.



On our last day in Oregon, we left Portland bright and early and headed towards the coast to visit the sleepy town of Cannon Beach. The long Pacific coastal sandy beaches were so calm and serene. The sand was so smooth and the water so cool and refreshing. Everything felt so pure and untouched. There was just sand and water as far as I could see in either direction.

Portland: Happy Hour x Hale Pele x Tiki Bar

Portland Trip: Happy hour at Hale Pele Tiki bar in Sullivan's Gulch on August 17, 2013.



Do you love tropical themed Tiki bars? Because I do. Hale Pele is a small, unassuming on the outside, crazy on the inside all out Tiki bar. It's small intimate setting emphasized the sheer amount of Polynesian themed decor and dressings. We dropped by for a few piña coladas during their happy hour to lounge around and soak in the tropical good vibrations.

Portland: Salt & Straw x Fresh Made Ice Cream

Portland Trip: Scoops at Salt & Straw ice cream parlours on Division Street and Nob Hill/Uptown on August 15 and 17, 2013.



Salt & Straw's fresh made ice cream from locally sourced ingredients is simply delicious and easily the best I've ever had. We visited both their more centrally located Portland parlours for a couple scoops and flavours. My go to is their cinnamon snickerdoodle and its amazing cookie flavour. It's just like digging into a cold, moist cookie. I also dug their freckled Woodblock Chocolate for its sweet yet offbeat flavouring.

Portland: Ground Kontrol x Classic Arcade

Portland Trip: Playing video games at Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade and bar in Old Town/Chinatown on August 17, 2013.



A must destination on our Portland travels was to this classic arcade (and bar!) to play some old school video games (at their original sticker price, mostly 25¢ or 50¢). Some favourites like Donkey Kong, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, X-Men, Teenage Ninja Turtles, and classic pinball machines from your favourite film franchises (think Star Wars and Indiana Jones) filled the place. It sure was a lot of fun, but after a few minutes, it was one sweaty hot mess of a sauna-like atmosphere from all the movement. Apparently, after 9pm, there's a DJ (and $2 cover).

Portland: Southern Fried Chicken x Screen Door Restaurant

Portland Trip: Late dinner at Screen Deer restaurant in Kerns on August 16, 2013.



There are some meals that almost kill you. This was one of those. Admittedly, I didn't enter this late dinner on the ideal circumstances. I had been hotly anticipating eating at Screen Door for some time. I'd heard things about their well known Southern comfort food and particularly the fried chicken.

Portland: From Sweet to Savoury x Waffle Window

Portland Trip: Breakfast at Waffle Window in the Hawthorne District and on Alberta Street from August 15 to 18, 2013.



We hit up the aptly named Waffle Window early and often at a couple of their locations for their delicious and convenient made to order waffle concoctions. I had a waffle ice cream sandwich for a dessert on the go and it was a gooey, delicious, creamy mess of a treat.

Portland: Wandering x Powell's City of Books

Portland Trip: Walking around Powell's City of Books and photo walk downtown on August 16 and 17, 2013.



I could spend all day at Powell's. I love the cavernous city block long new and used bookstore with all its special sections, nooks, and crannies. There's so many treasures and delights hiding on every shelf.

Portland: Whiskey Soda Lounge x Trader Vic's x Deschutes

Portland Trip: Drinks and happy hour at Whiskey Soda Lounge, Trader Vic's Tiki bar, Deschutes Brewery, and Victory Bar from August 15 to 17, 2013.



My favourite all-time drink: whiskey soda float with house-made vanilla bourbon ice cream from Whiskey Soda Lounge across the street from Pok Pok.

Portland: From Thai to Fusion x Chicken Wings x Pok Pok

Portland Trip: Dinner at Pok Pok restaurant on Division Street on August 15, 2013.



After many missed opportunities, I was finally able to try Pok Pok's fusion style Thai cuisine for myself. On this humid weeknight, there was over an hour wait so we headed across the street to wait at their sister bar, Whiskey Soda Lounge. I love the neighbourhood with tons of surrounding restaurant, bars, and homes. The restaurant itself is a converted house with an intimate bar, dining area, and outdoor patio lounge.