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Sunday, January 17
Kilts are every day garb: Vancouver Style 101 article features Raphael Fang
by
Todd
on Sun 17 Jan 2010 12:45 PM PST
Article from Vancouver Style 101 featuring Raphael Fang - a paddler on the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team. Every body wears kilts... or they should... here are some ideas why! more »
Saturday, January 9
Kilts Night report for January 7 2010
by
Todd
on Sat 09 Jan 2010 12:54 PM PST
report and pictures from January 7th Kilts Night. more »
Wednesday, December 2
Kilts culture in Vancouver: Kilts Night on Thursday + December ceildh on Sat night
by
Todd
on Wed 02 Dec 2009 01:17 PM PST
Every 1st Thursday of each month, I usually meet with my kilted friends at Doolin's Irish Pub at Granville and Nelson St in Vancouver. Free Music starts at 9pm with Halifax Wharf Rats - if there isn't a hockey game on. It's always lots of fun, and a great way to meet people. After attending the Homecoming Scotland ceilidh here in Edinburgh at The Hub. I am ready to go for another one. It's really easy to do, as the callers give a demonstration and tell people what to do. eg. turn left, grab the right hand, etc etc.
Big Secret: Wear a Kilt and ask for a free pint of Guiness Beer. more »
Wednesday, September 2
Last Kilts Night of Summer - Sep 03 @ Doolin's Irish Pub
by
Todd
on Wed 02 Sep 2009 11:43 PM PDT
LAST KILTS NIGHT of Summer
September 03
Doolin's Irish Pub
Kilts Night at Doolin's has been a tradition since January 1st, 2005.
That's when Terry "Bear" Varga and I joined Raphael at Doolin's Irish
Pub, when we discovered that the Atlantic Trap and Gill was closed on
New Year's Day. Kilts Night had been the first Saturday of the month
for awhile... long before me, anyways.
Now we meet at:
Doolin's Irish Pub
Nelson & Granville St.
8:00pm to Midnight
Wear yer Kilt to receive a Free Pint of Guinness I have 3 kilts + 1 mini-kilt available for 4 people wanting a FREE PINT of GUINNESS 9:00pm LIVE Music w' Halifax Wharf Rats. The August Kilts Night was GREAT!We were also invaded by the World Police & Fire Games What happens when Kilts meet Police athletes from around the world? We met Spanish female pentathletes and Norwegian male hockey players + a Pub Crawl "from the Troller to the Raven". Raphael, Todd and Stuart with Spanish pentathletes for World Police & Fire Games http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2009/8/7/4281303.html
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2009/5/8/4179568.html
Friday, August 7
August Kilts Night enhanced by World Police & Fire Games
by
Todd
on Fri 07 Aug 2009 01:50 PM PDT
Kilts Night is always fun... We meet new lovers of kilts - some wearing kilts, some are admirers.
 Raphael, Todd and Stuart + two members from Spanish team for World Police and Fire Games.
Every 1st Thursday of each month we meet at Doolin's Irish Pub. Why? If you wear a kilt, you receive a free pint of Guinness.
Kilts Night is more than just kilts or Scottish culture. It's about cultural diversity enjoying cultural diversity. We have Asians in kilts. We have surprised cottish tourists not wearing kilts. On Thursday August 7th, we met members from the Spanish team for the World Police and Fire Games. The tall blonde woman is competing in pentathalon. They loved that Vancouver has a beach named "Spanish Banks" and that many places in Vancouver were named by Spanish explorer Juan de Fuca.
It was Mark Cameron's 40th birthday pub crawl. His kilt met members of the Spanish team for the World Police & Fire Games
Mark and his buddies created a "Troller to the Raven Pub Crawl" immortalized in the Spirit of the West Song. We gave them a warm Kilts Night welcome from members of the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.
 Louis' first Kilts Night... and we put a kilt on him. Only one year ago, Louis was living in Paris with no kilts night!
Friday, May 8
Kilts Night in May at Doolin's Irish Pub
by
Todd
on Fri 08 May 2009 03:27 PM PDT
 Every 1st Thursday many of our Gung Haggis dragon boaters attend Kilts Night at Doolin's Irish Pub. It's a fun social, with great music by Halifax Wharf Rats, and just a fun excuse to wear our kilts. - photo Todd Wong 
Michelle of the Halifax Wharf Rats plays a flute solo - photo Todd Wong
 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!
Thursday, December 11
Tacos and Kilts in the same night
by
Todd
on Thu 11 Dec 2008 12:11 AM PST
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. + photos more »
Tuesday, December 9
Mayor Gregor Robertson wears kilt to mayoral inauguration
by
Todd
on Tue 09 Dec 2008 11:59 PM PST
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.... + pictures
more »
Tuesday, December 2
My new favorite drink: Guinness with a shot of expresso vodka
by
Todd
on Tue 02 Dec 2008 05:35 PM PST
Last Thursday, 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. more »
Sunday, November 16
Stuart Mackinnon elected to Vancouver Parks Board
by
Todd
on Sun 16 Nov 2008 08:27 PM PST
"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. more »
Wednesday, November 12
Vote for Kilt wearers in the upcoming Vancouver civic election! Mackinnon... Louie... Deal... Robertson... Chow... Stevenson and Capri
by
Todd
on Wed 12 Nov 2008 10:45 PM PST
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. We list kilt wearers who are running in the 2008 Vancouver civic election. more »
Friday, November 7
Kilts Night at Doolin's Irish Pub + 6th Anniversary!
by
Todd
on Fri 07 Nov 2008 01:50 PM PST
Kilts Night is the first Thursday of every month at Doolin's Irish Pub
 Kilts Night gang celebrates with Doolin's chef Jorge Franco - a Guatemalan-Canadian who can wear a kilt! Todd Wong, Debbie Poon, Jorge, Terry "Bear" Varga, Marion Poy and Tim Renaud (bassist for the band Halifax Wharfrats).
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:
Saturday, October 18
Kilts Night at the Atlantic Trap & Gill: What happens with bagpipers and kilts get together at a Maritime pub?
by
Todd
on Sat 18 Oct 2008 03:29 PM PDT
Kilts Night is a social event that brings together wearers of kilts to enjoy fine conversation, cameraderie, and often to enjoy Celtic and Celtic-Canadian music. This was our first Kilts Night at Atlantic Trap & Gill at 612 Davie and Seymour St., since 2004. It's a lovely Canadian Martime themed pub, which proudly displays all the flags of the Maritime provinces such as Newfound Land, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. more »
Friday, September 5
Special Kilts at Doolin's: Tim's Birthday + Frommer's shows up to review the night life!
by
Todd
on Fri 05 Sep 2008 11:01 PM PDT
Kilts Night
is always special when the Gung Haggis dragon boat paddlers show up.... especially when the "Halifax Wharf Rats" are playing their celtic tinged folk and rock songs! 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
A favorite activity is to dance to the Proclaimer's song "500 Miles" Leanne, Hillary, Alissa, Jim (hidden) and Todd- 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!
Friday, August 1
Royal BC Museum invites 6 new people to "The Party" including Trevor Linden, Dal Richards, Red Robinson, Ida Chong and Todd Wong!
by
Todd
on Fri 01 Aug 2008 06:33 PM PDT
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"
The history of our province is filled with fascinating people. Find out who they
are. Uncover their stories. These are the guests invited to The Party so far.
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:
Todd Wong
"Passionate about intercultural adventures, "Toddish McWong" founded Gung Haggis Fat Choy, a Robert Burns / Chinese New Year event that has been celebrating with an annual dinner since 1997."
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 stans in front of "The Party" in front of his friend Joy Kogawa. - photo Deb Martin
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.
Ida Chong:
This Victoria native first entered politics in 1993 and three years later became the first Canadian-born person of Chinese ancestry elected to the British Columbia legislature.
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
http://www.freespiritbc.ca/virtualexhibition/theparty.aspx
Sunday, April 6
Tartan Day proclamation for City of Vancouver
by
Todd
on Sun 06 Apr 2008 08:51 PM PDT
Here is the Tartan Day Proclamation for the City of Vancouver! more »
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2010 GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY Dinner
January 31, 2010
Contact Firehall Arts Centre:
phone 604.689.0926
2010 prices
SINGLE TICKET
$60 + $5 service charge = $65
Student price is $50 + $4.50 = $54.50 (must show student high school or university ID)
Children's price is $40 + $4.00 = $44 (ages 13 and under).
Reservations for tables of 10
$600 + lower service charge
WHAT: GUNG HAGGIS FAT CHOY: Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner - 12th Annversary Dinner, celebrating 251st Anniversary of Robert Burns' birth + incoming Chinese New Year of the Tiger.
WHEN:
6PM January 31 2010, SUNDAY
doors open 5pm, Dinner 6pm
WHERE: Floata Chinese Restaurant,
#400-180 Keefer St.
Media Inquiries
Call Gung Haggis Productions / Todd Wong
direct: 778-846-7090
email: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca
CULTURE:
Our Performers
create something special for us every year with traditional and contemporary performances featuring everything in-between and beyond!
FOOD: A quirky fusion/mix/buffet of
Scottish Canadian and Chinese Canadian culture 10 course Chinese banguet dinner
2004 - The debut of Gung Haggis Won-Ton
2005 - Haggis lettuce wrap!
2007 - Haggis dim sum appetizer buffet
2008 - Scotch tastings! + debut of Gung Haggis parade dragon!
2009 - debut of Gung Haggis Fat Choy Pipes & Drums band + auction of 37 year old special edition Famous Grouse whisky + scotch tastings of Famous Grouse, The Macallan and Highland Park.
Watch for more surprises in 2010!
Description of 2009 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with CBC News anchor Gloria Macarenko and Media colunist Catherine Barr
featuring performers: bagpiper Joe McDonald and Mad Celts, Silk Road Music's Qiu Xia He and Andre Thibault, Opera Soprano Heather Pawsey and DJ Timothy Wisdom, BC Book Prize winner Vancouver poet Rita Wong + poet traslator Tommy Tao, Playwright Adrienne Wong and a scene from "Mixie and The Half-Breeds"
Description of 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with Media colunist Catherine Barr
featuring performers: , celtic band Blackthorn, bagpiper Joe McDonald and Brave Waves, Ji-Rong Huang on erhu, Film maker Ann-Marie Fleming, Vancouver poet laureate George McWhirter, Playwright Grace Chin and a scene from "The Quickie"
Description of 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
co-hosted with CBC Radio's Priya Ramu,
featuring performers:
Silk Road Music,
Heather Pawsey,
Brave Waves,
Leora Cashe,
No Luck Club,
Dr. Ian Mason (Burns Club of Vancouver)
Lensey Namioka - Author "Half and Half"
Margaret Gallagher,
"Twisting Fortunes" (sneak preview of play)
Description of 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner
with co-host with CityTV's Prem Gill
featuring performers:
Rick Scott & Harry Wong, The Shirleys, Joe McDonald & Brave Waves, Sean Gunn, author Joy Kogawa,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team
for lots of summer fun, fitness and friendship. We are a social team full of cultural vigor, that likes to eat.
We have been featured on television, local, national and international. We have a unique and internationally famous fundraiser dinner event.
We practice starting March
Sunday 1:30 pm -3:30 pm
Tuesday 6pm-7:45pm
We meet at Dragon Zone clubhouse - just south of Science World in Creekside Park above the Aquabus and dragon boat docks.
Our coach Todd Wong has 15+ years of experience including novice, recreational and competitive levels, and both community and corporate teams.
Our 2008 season took us to races in Burnaby, Vancouver, Vernon, Vancouver Taiwanese race, UBC, Ft. Langley.
It was our strongest team ever and we are proud of our race performances.
For more information:
Click on
Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dragon Boat team information
phone: 778-846-7090
e-mail: gunghaggis at yahoo dot ca
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