Bestselling author and CTV personality Mike McCardell is visiting New Westminster this weekend to promote his new book.
McCardell will be appearing at Black Bond Books in Royal City Centre on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 1:30 p.m., when he’ll be signing coping of his new book, None of This Was Planned: The Stories Behind the Stories. Until Dec. 31, partial sales proceeds from each copy of the book will be donated to the B.C. Women’s Hospital’s newborn intensive care unit.
Local business takes in Sin City
Electra Meccanica Vehicles Corp showed off its new 2017 SOLO electric vehicle at the Speciality Equipment Manufacturers Association’s show in Las Vegas.
The one-person commuter vehicle is now available for the American viewing public following its debut in Vancouver last month. The three-wheeled vehicle, which can travel up to 140 kilometres per hour, will be manufactured at the company’s facilities in New Westminster and Vancouver.
“It has appeal for diving enthusiasts, practical commuters and the environmentally conscious,” Henry Reisner, president of Intermeccanica Inc., said in a press release. “We believe the SOLO will become the commuter vehicle of choice for the masses. The vehicle is non-polluting, very economical to operate and people will have a heck of a good time driving it too.”
Jerry Kroll, CEO of Electra Meccanica, was hopeful that car enthusiasts and specialty equipment manufacturers would check out the SOLA at the SEMA show that’s being held Nov. 1 to 4 in Vegas.
Leona Green of Greens and Beans Deli in Sapperton is anxiously awaiting her SOLO, which is expected to arrive in November or December. She said it will be the fifth SOLO built and the first for a customer.
Cookin’ it old school
Wild Rice is teaming up with Central City Brewers for an “old school” dinner.
Andrew Wong, owner of Wild Rice Market Bistro at River Market, said the inspiration for the event came from family meals his grandmother used to make.
“The dishes were what we called ‘village food’ and formed the basis of what most Canadians grew up to think was classic Chinse food,” he said.
Chef Dante Ramos will lend a modern interpretation of the dishes that will be served up on Nov. 10, including prawn salad, non-traditional free run chicken balls, Angus beef wonton stroganoff and bananas foster. Instead of colas or soft drinks, which were frequently consumed with meals in Chinese restaurants in North America, Wong has teamed up with artisanal brewers/distillers Central City to pair each course with one of their beverages.
“Tea is usually served at a family-style meal at home,” Wong said in a press release. “However, in China there as a strong and ancient tradition of serving locally-brewed alcoholic beverages with food in the Tea Houses, which were the restaurants of the time. This dinner honours that tradition while at the same time breaking the North American stereotype of Chinese restaurant meals.”
Tickets for the four-course dinner are $55, including tax and gratuity. More information is found at www.wildricebc.ca.
Tickets are $95 and $75 for seniors.
Celebrate local excellence
The New Westminster Chamber is getting set to pay tribute to the citizens, businesses and organizations that make New West a great place to live and work.
The 2016 Platinum Awards are taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at the RedBar Lounge at Starlight Casino. Along with Citizen of the Year and the Bernie Legge Cultural Award, awards will also be given out in categories including: New Business (small, medium and large); Business Person of the Year; Customer Service Business; Customer Service Individual; Green Business of the Year; Creative Marketing and Innovation of the Year; Corporate Community Spirit Award; Inclusion Excellence Award; Not for Profit Business of the Year (over and under $1 million)
For tickets and information, go to www.newwestchamber.com.
Autism fundraiser a success
El Santo will be serving up another autism fundraiser in the future based on the success of the inaugural event.
Alejandro Diaz, owner of the Columbia Street restaurant, held a fundraiser for the Canucks Autism Network on Oct. 2. The fundraiser, which featured a five-course dinner, live entertainment, guest speakers and live and silent auctions, raised about $10,000.
“The event was a success,” he said in an email to the Record. “The support from the community was great. It was a very special night.”
