By Keiko Honda It is not a coincidence that during the lockdown in the face of the pandemic, most of us looked for new ways to maximize the functionality of our home space, then found ourselves feeling more independent, competent, and comforted, despite the challenge. As many activities are happening in our homes and proximity, we have invested our practices and developed an emotional sense of deep connection with particular places – a sense of “rootedness”.  Place becomes an extension of the self.  That’s called place attachment, the concept which scholars in environmental psychology, sociology, anthropology, and human geography consider an essential element in understanding identity, human well-being and sociality, memory formation, community participation, and environmental responsibility and advocacy for the environment.   “Place makes memories cohere in complex ways. People’s experiences of the urban landscape intertwine the sense of place and the politics of space,” says architectural historian Dolores Hayden. Similarly, psychologists postulate that we lock ideas and objects by linking them to a place: integrating many stimuli together helps us remember something particularly important, called episodic memories. This pandemic has disrupted our physical connections to many familiar social places like offices, cafes, schools, gyms, restaurants, community centres, movie theaters and many more, keeping almost everyone, especially seniors and those who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, at home for seemingly endless time (until the pandemic will come to an end).  How does supposedly immobilized life imposed by the pandemic affect the way we store memories and the way we create meaning in our lives? What do large groups of people remember – and forget? It is an intriguing question for future historians. Social memory is at stake and thus deeply pertinent here. As reminded by WHO’s Healthy Ageing, being...

  Dear Readers, Interdisciplinarity and co-creation are two philosophies we employ in programming the Kerrisdale Contemporary Arts Lab (K-CAL) series, which began working on art-based community development at the beginning of 2018. Setting the “art for its own sake” versus “art for social value” argument aside, I hope our effort and work will support individual creativity, connect people across cultural boundaries, and build the community centre’s capacities to innovate and express ideas.    What is the goal of the K-CAL initiative? Although my view may not be entirely representative of our board, I believe a community centre should nurture the arts in the communit not only for the sake of fostering creativity, but to spur synergies with its other activities in community development. Focussing only on a centre’s financial bottom-line can be short-sighted and detrimental to our cultural resources. Speaking of synergies, the latest K-CAL workshop, titled, “Synergy“, led by artist Judith M Atkinson, was an interesting experiment. “Loosen up, everyone! Let the free flow of expression keep going!” said Judith, during her provocative drawing workshop that successfully invited the participants tap into their creative potential. With some rhythmic background music and various drawing resources, including Chinese ink and tree twigs, all participants produced rather surprising artwork inspired by an installation (the point of departure), honeysuckle vines harvested from a community garden and dried by Judith.  I was personally amazed by how effective the music was in helping me loosen up. The most amazing surprise of all was the transformation of all participants. One particular participant drew figuratively at the beginning but became an abstract expressionist toward the end. Judith’s masterful and supportive critiquing, as well as the relationship building within the group, helped drive these transformations. The “Synergy” workshop was a successful affirmation of the K-CAL...

  Dear Readers, How’s your new year going so far?   I am delighted to share my experience in the KCC’s brand new series called Kerrisdale Contemporary Arts Lab (K-CAL), which hit the ground running on January 6, with an interdisciplinary artist, Soyoung Park. I brought my parents who were visiting me from Japan to the Soyoung’s workshop, called Everyday Installation, partly because I, as an organizer, was worried about a low turnout. Plus, I thought my mother would enjoy art and craft and my father wouldn’t mind accompanying us for a few hours. It turned out that the workshop was an improvisational acting in which people had to create a pop-up installation as a group (with whatever available materials in the room like chairs and papers) and tell a story collaboratively without using any words.  Hmmm….That’s even possible!? …..No one knew what we were getting into!  There were 3 other adult participants besides my father and my mother (aged 82 and 78, respectively) who cannot speak English and have no acting skills nor previous experience to my knowledge. I was feeling anxious (on the group’s behalf) and a bit guilty for “dragging” my parents along to the workshop with no explanations other than, “It’s part of my volunteering as a board member!” (I am extremely grateful for my lovely parents who always support me no matter what, evidently!). As the workshop was proceeding, still weary and disoriented, I noticed that everyone were embodying (as the photographs show!). And more impressively, it seemed to me that everyone were self-contextualizing quite effortlessly at least from a distance. Literally, there was no words to describe what’s happening, but it was a wonderful surprise to discover my parents’ hidden “talents” and witness their 200% engagement and liveliness. It seemed as if...

Dear Readers, Summer is over and what’s in store for you in the new season? Kerrisdale Community Center Society’s Community Engagement Committee is gearing up to bring more contemporary and interdisciplinary arts programs to our centre in the coming year (the official kick off will be Spring 2018). As artistic practices shift, increasingly integrating technology and interdisciplinary approaches, it make sense that our community centre should reflect and adopt these exciting changes as well. As we continue to make new roads, we are aware that the public wants to be more than passive recipients of whatever the artist chooses to put in front of them: instead, through their interactivity, they want to become co–creators – that makes our life more meaningful.   To begin, we will be organizing Ars Longa Film Mini-series this Fall, which is a moderated discussion group in film aesthetics and media literacy. It will center around a series of highly engaging films with deep educational value. Please stay tuned! I wanted to remind everyone of the upcoming important and meaningful event: save the date: The 2017 Walk for Reconciliation on Sunday September 24.  We are in a more urgent need of profound trust among people and ourselves than ever before.  In this issue, we have an excellent article entitled “An Indigenous Perspective of Reconciliation and Art” featuring Dr. Mique’l Dangeli, an Indigenous visual and performing artist who holds a PhD in Northwest Coast First Nations art history -absolutely must-read. Happy Reading! Keiko Honda,  Editor-in-Chief and Chair of Community Engagement Committee...

  Dear Readers, We are back after skipping 2 months! Late spring is ALWAYS the busiest season for me (grant-writing!).    Last month, together with the Musqueam community, UBC Shine On, and Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society, we celebrated the Beyond Music One Year Anniversary. It is truly my honour to reflect today on the journey we embarked one year ago with a handful of our community collaborators. We strive to use our highest strengths and talents to belong to and serve something we believe is larger than the self, as part of our commitment to reconciliation.  But what is reconciliation? What does reconciliation mean to you?  As a Japanese person who has lived in the States and now in Canada, I am a newcomer to Canada. But my presence on this territory means I’m still part of the system that is colonizing Indigenous people. The Beyond Music Initiative has taught me that I need to continuously learn from the people rather than learn from books. As a community builder, I hold a responsibility of two ways — to educate myself and my community, and do the work of standing next to Musqueam people to make sure that reconciliation happens, according to their rights. It starts with respect. Respect their beliefs, their cultures, their way of life, and stand beside them as they recover that right. That to me is reconciliation. As I am planning for next season, I need to educate myself and be ready. I am very excited, indeed, to learn from and share with the Musqueam people more and more. This summer is going by so fast, I feel. My latest summer fun is to grow, harvest, and blend my own herb tea. Have you tried Moroccan mint and sage tea? Yum!  Happy reading! Keiko Honda Editor-in-Chief & Chair...

Dear Readers, The Kerrisdale Sakura Festival 2017 was a huge success with the sunny weather and the great turn-out. More importantly, we were so blessed to have such a wonderful community of volunteers that made this year’s Sakura event all possible, we can’t thank you enough!  This includes all of YOU, the enthusiastic participants, supporters, and collaborators who made the event so engaging and inclusive. We certainly made new community connections through sharing the moment.   Speaking of aha moment, we all learned during the Sakura Walking Tour with Robin Clark, that cherry trees release oxygen through stem pores called lenticels, whose function is equivalent to that of stomata, or breathing cells, found on leaves. Who knew! The DOUBLE thank-you to cherry trees for what they do! Next time when you go near cherry trees, look carefully for lenticels which can be easily seen on the trunks, and then BREATHE!  The community engagement committee is gearing up for the next big event, Vancouver Regional Heritage Fair, scheduled on Saturday, May 20th. Please stay tuned! Happy Spring! Keiko Honda, Editor-in-Chief, Chair of Community Engagement...

Dear Readers, As our Kerrisdale Community Centre Society’s AGM is fast approaching (Wednesday February 15th, 7:30pm), I reflect on the vales of community. What is community? –  That is a complex question.  What motivates us to seek ‘community’ as a means of achieving what we want for ourselves and our family? And what shapes our choices about which communities we belong to? Locality? Familiarity? Convenience? Ancestry? or anything else? — What makes a life ‘liveable’? As part of my non-profit work at Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society, I’ve been involved working with various “communities” to organize numerous community gatherings and create processes that are engaging, inspiring and inclusive. More and more, however, the creation of “community” has become an end in itself, as we come to learn from our experiences that the community is a vital aspect of a person’s ever-evolving sense of self and a source of creativity.  We continue to engage in community-participately practices and public discussions of how our identity is formed and its relation to perceived community on a deep level.  There are a few noteworthy new initiatives in Kerrisdale that create the conditions for effective community development by helping the smaller groups to form and to connect their goals with the broader, overarching alliance. One is KCCS’s Community Engagement new initiative, English-Mandarian Language Exchange Meetup. The other is Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society’s Come To My Yard, a permaculture garden project in the heart of Kerrisdale funded by the City of Vancouver. Be curious, come together, help others, and be a part of a strong community!  Keiko Honda Editor-in-Chief Chair, Community Engagement...

Dear Readers, Thanksgiving is upon the U.S.  As being an American living abroad for a while now, I still consider this day as my most favourite holiday. I fondly remember how we all suddenly tuned out from our crazy busy hustle-bustle for a moment and came together to listen and reflect what we were truly thankful for. In this last issue of 2016, I am reminded of how we all came from somewhere else, some earlier and some later, and strive to live in a world that shares our values – that’s Art, I think. In this issue, you will learn the best of the human spirits and practices of all different cultures including German, Japanese, Chinese, Canadian, and Kadazandusun, an ethnic group indigenous to Kota Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah! The power of art is that it asks us to reflect on other people’s creative choices. So, enjoy reading. Lastly, I am delighted to share some wonderful new collaborative spirit for Musqueam youth – Beyond Music Initiative, as some of you may know. On behalf of the entire team, I thank you for being a part of our journey and welcome everyone to join. For those who missed the Opening Ceremony at Musqueam Cultural Centre by any chance, here is the complete recap.  Enjoy!  Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays! Cheers, Keiko Honda Editor-in-Chief Community Engagement...

Dear Readers, The idea of combining two or more disciplines, approaches, groups of people, or skills is not new. And yet, few of us have gone so far as to ask: “What happens when such skills and people from different disciplines are brought together in a synthesis?” I am excited to share the news about the Opening Reception of Beyond Music on Tuesday Oct 11th, 2016 at Musqueam Cultural Centre. This is a new community collaboration initiative for Musqueam Youth where music, poetry, and community engagement merge into a larger themes. It’s about celebrating abundance; it’s not about providing extracurricular activities; it’s about creating a life of possibility. Go check it out here! Speaking of sharing abundance, our beloved board member, Dr. Alex Cherkezoff, will be giving his talk, “How to live and survive well into your octogenarian years and beyond” on October 26.  What not possible?! Free and Open to the Public. Come join us! Thanksgiving is upon us! Happy Thanksgiving to All! Blessings, Keiko Honda Community Engagement Chair Kerrisdale Community Centre...

Dear Readers, What books did you read and love this summer? My top pick was Margaret Trudeau’s latest book, The Time of Your Life, which was full of her personal stories with stunning honesty and openness. “The gift of getting older is that we can look back and gain understanding on the triumphs and tragedies, large and small, of our lives with a depth that we might not have been capable of when they happened………The third act is all about drawing meaning from the seemingly disconnected storylines of our lives,” she writes.  How powerful that is to own your truth by speaking for yourself! Trudeau’s book was so good that I not only listened deeply to what is said but also listened deeply to myself.  That kind of creative content in social media is tough to deliver while keeping the audience fully present and reflective. Nonetheless, this summer, my incredible team of Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society (VACS) worked tirelessly to make our SkillShare Project go beyond our creative goals to bring meaningful and real conversations, through both print media and multimedia. Piecing together personal stories is indeed instrumental in creating a new community narrative for the sake of our children and grandchildren. I am happy to share some of the fruits of their labor with the Playbook. In this issue, an interview with Adriane Carr was a highlight for me, as was interviewing Doloris Hrynkiw, an inspiring Kerrisdale mother, to discuss — what else — community engagement. But I especially appreciate Richard Marcus‘s appearance in this issue, who has been a collaborator for in-progress Kerrisdale Permaculture Garden Project. Echoing Adriane’s message, he reminds us of a sense of freedom that comes with passion that we all must seize.  The Artists-in-the-Garden Exhibition event together with a stellar team of Kits CC...

  Dear Readers, “Are you still remarkable?” – the wonderfully witty first line from Mayor Gregor Robertson when I ran into him at Musqueam on the National Aboriginal Day. I grinned and pondered about my last 2 years or so.  On that day, I chatted with many truly remarkable women (and men) from our community as well as our beloved Adriane Carr and Andrea Reimer – women for whom age has only reinforced their desire to have an impact and their ability to be a positive influence.  I am in awe of their devotion to the community. “Just be who you are (is all you need)” as Adriane kindly advised me on my growing concern about living happy and fullest life as we (women) age.  Elsewhere in the issue, we highlight the secrets of “Learning To Just Be” that can be hard to do for some of us who especially want to keep pace with our fast-changing city. Summer is here. Keep gardening and keep growing your passion.  Happy Canada Day!   Cheers, Keiko Honda Chair, Community Engagement Editor-in-Chief   ...

Dear Readers, Spring is a time for renewal!  A time to begin new, exciting initiatives that will impact our city.  For community organizers, spring is a time to re-energize and enhance our entrepreneurial and engagement skills so we are better prepared to help our communities succeed.  Vancouver Foundation Neighbourhood Small Grant (NSG)  & Greenest City Neighbourhood Small Grant (GCG) projects are about to take off. As one of the Resident Advisory Committee members for the Westside, I am delighted to announce that in 2016 there was 25% increase in applications from those submitted in 2015 and so many new and exciting projects are being funded this year. What a great time to share creativity, gain perspective on community sustainability issues, and connect with more people in the neighbourhood! Check the NSG/GCG website for the upcoming project announcements. As part of the Kerrisdale Community Centre’s Community Engagement initiatives, we are open to NSG/GCG projects for free meeting spaces on a availability basis in order to play an important role in helping our citizens to continue to grow and our residents to thrive on their own terms. Together, we will reach hundreds of westside residents through such community-led local initiatives in an effort to ensure that the opportunity of creativity and social connection is available to all.  Another exciting new initiative to connect more people is Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society (VACS)’s SkillShare project funded by the federal government. The Kick off event is just around the corner – Sunday May 15, 9pm – 3pm at Kitsilano Community Centre. Please come out to see what it is all about! And, finally, we are hosting the Vancouver Regional BC Heritage Fair 2016 at Kerrisdale Community Centre on Saturday May 21, welcoming Vancouver’s top 120 students who will be presenting their research...

Dear Readers, Time for Spring cleaning and skill sharing!   I have been fortunate to work with a talented, highly collaborative, and passionate team in my non-profit and community partners to start a pilot skillshare program in the community…..yes, it’s passion that’s the strongest force on Earth! At the heart of community engagement is the process of building a grassroots movement involving communities and the practice of moving communities towards change. And skill-sharing, part of the asset-based community development (ABCD), is one of the effective tools to harness and leverage the individual and collective knowledge, resources and experience found within the community for sustainable development. I am looking forward to seeing multi-generational community of learning and new friendships emerging from skill-sharing. The first kick-off event will starting in May 2016 at the Kitsilano Community Centre, and I will surely keep you all posted.  For any inquiries, contact me: hondakeiko@gmail.com. Speaking of cherry blossoms, please come out to our Sakura Festival, enjoy yourself, and sense the preciousness of our connection with nature! Happy Spring! Keiko Honda Editor-in-Chief Chair, Community Engagement Committee    ...

Happy New Year!     Time for a quantum leap in the year of the Monkey -Yeah, that’s my year! It has been years since I’ve gone on a vacation. So, last week, I flew to Hawaii and fell in love with Hawaii’s natural beauty and the legacy of people who had made a difference in the whole Hawaiian community and in the world.  This time, I felt like traveling through the eyes of an artist or writer, like Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings during her 1939 stay or Mark Twain’s letters during his 1866 visit……..  O’Keeffe and Twain were once in Hawaii….Who knew! On my 2nd day in Hawaii, I headed to the Honolulu Museum of Art —just a 20 minutes bus ride from where I was staying. It’s an inspiring architectural design, and I enjoyed just going to the museum to hang out. But, when I saw the painting of O’Keeffe hanging at the museum—I was ecstatic. The energy and excitement I felt in the moments before seeing that masterpiece with my own eyes is the same energy many of us feel about incomparable and incredible natural beauty and wonders of Hawaii. The whole island is like a living, breathing artist at work, providing the connective, emotional tissue in the form of majestic and verdant cliffs, well-kept pristine beaches, entrancing botanical gardens, eye-poppingly beautiful hibiscuses, a vibrant bird kingdom, symbolic Hawaiian public arts throughout, the colour, the blue, and the “Way of Aloha” (To Love) – It is indeed a beautiful world, a paradisiacal ecosystem. MALAMA A’INA – Important Hawaiian saying meaning “to care for.”  Gratitude comes in many forms. I thought about the gratitude I felt toward the locals I encountered during my trip –  especially towards wheelchair users. From hula and surfing, to festivals and funerals, one finds examples of the Hawaiian culture’s intimate relationship with...

The Intergenerational Creativity Project, developed by Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society and mentored by Musqueam weaver, Debra Sparrow, used weaving as a cornerstone of intercultural and intergenerational learning. Traditional and yet contemporary blanket were woven from our root and shared dreams. Please come take a look at those beautiful blankets created by our participants displayed in the main lobby of Kerrisdale Community Centre. Dear Readers, As millions of Americans are celebrating Thanksgiving today, I am reminded of happy holiday memories during my decades-long residence in New York City. It is always a special time of reflection for me, and I thought it would be fun to share what our community is thankful for this season. In this issue, we’re taking the concept of “thanks” to a new level by shedding light on unique and yet the same “ingredients” of inspiring immigrant stories to remind us of the importance of immigrants to Canada’s history.  My hats off to all our features, Tony Tabarsi, Masa Shiroki, and Andy Yuen; they are pretty unique individuals in their own right and the truly remarkable backbone of our society. I am extremely thankful.  On a related note, I would like to take this opportunity to extend both my personal gratitude and that of our entire Playbook team to you, dear readers. We have received many wonderful comments over the last four years, which led to the birth of “Kerrisdale Playbook ReCollection 2012-2015” limited edition publication. It finally came out! Please join us in celebrating this exciting milestone!    I hope you enjoy this season of thankfulness. May your holiday season be blessed with joy and love.  Keiko Honda Editor-in-Chief Chair, Community Engagement Kerrisdale Community Centre Society...

  Dear Readers, I recently traveled to DC for business but actually had the time to revel in the natural wonders of the East Coast hustle and bustle, not only because I used to live in the East Coast and felt at home, but because of the contrast effect of living in Vancouver. Whether or not I am deprived of vibrant environment for arts or cultural diversity here in Vancouver, I was breathing air of freedom and excitement there as if I have never breathed before 😉 But at the same time, I often catched myself saying, “We are so lucky to live in Vancouver!”, because of the incredibly humane and intelligent community we live and contribute together.    So here we are! The October issue is notable for its collection of authentic stories of our diverse and creative features including a centenarian Irene Ronnie, our beloved former board member! Irene’s message that we only do the things we enjoy is something to remember. Many congrats to Colleen Barlow for her stunning exhibition, Whale Dreams, at UBC Beaty Biodiversity Museum, as well as to Vancouver Island filmmaker Connor Gaston for his 2015 VIFF BC Emerging Filmmaker Award!!  A high school senior, Jasmine Teng, is a girl on fire on her sustainable WaterMe project. Vancouver Asahi is truly a beacon of hope for our children.  As Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner, there’s no shortage of ‘things’ to be grateful for during the long weekend, starting with delectable meal and wonderful company to toast!      Cheers! Keiko Honda, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief Chair, Community...

Dear Readers, “What I stand for is what I stand on” – Wendell Berry What does this quote mean to you? I met this powerful quote by Wendell Berry when I was visiting our city’s oasis, Southlands Farms last week.  I was haunted by this quote for a couple of days and kept pondering the question that has become a cliché and yet wonderous: What makes the community a great place to live?   Working as editor-in-chief of Kerrisdale Playbook has been one of my favourite experiences I had in general in my life, as I constantly explore the wonderful neighbourhoods and unique communities where life and real creativity seem flourishing.  For me, what makes the community truly a great place to live comes with a tremendous amount of passion. And I am proud to say that each and every person featured or involved in Kerrisdale Playbook is the embodiment of pure passion.     September issue is all about passion and perhaps most revealing, covering the themes of culture, community, urban agriculture and arts.  Now, after reading,  it’s your turn to ponder on what you stand for! Harvest season will be soon upon us. This fall, I am delighted to invite all the community members and city folks to the Placemaking Public Walk as we will be showcasing the results of our ongoing placemaking project. Please stay tuned….We also have a series of new and interesting public free events coming up, including Musqueam Chief Wayne Sparrow’s talk on Oct 1st. You will see how powerful our collective vision can be!  Happy reading and happy Back-to-School!   Keiko Honda, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief   Chair, Community...

Dear Readers, My 10-year-old Maya spends up to 5 hours an evening on schoolwork but mostly reading for pleasure. I often have to remind her to eat at the dinner table by saying “Stop reading!”  It takes me back to my days of 4th Grade so immersed in a book, and makes me think ….. When was the last time I was “hooked on books”?  Much of what I read nowadays is strategic and far from “reading for pleasure” for which I miss the feelings! My only contribution to Maya’s reading for pleasure is to follow her lead when she completes it with full understanding and satisfaction—ready to embrace the next one.   To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries. (A. C. Grayling) Reading for pleasure is delighting and informing at the same time. It’s always our hope that we’ve done a bit of that with each issue. Summer is upon us! What is your summer reading list? Cheers,   Keiko Honda, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief Chair, Community Engagement...

Dear Readers, In this month of May, I am looking forward to watching how a seed we planted is growing; a seed of community connections, a seed of an idea that adults and older adults and youth together explore the wonderful world of art, which prompts discussion and the sharing of life stories between the generations; Everyone is at once a teacher and a learner at all times. To foster the concepts of lifelong learning and spirited citizenship, together with Vancouver Arts Colloquium Society, we have just begun the Intergenerational Creativity Project where our young people have opportunities to engage with the broader community and to learn with and from individuals of all ages who exemplify this ideal.  To that end, a series of intergenerational workshops and projects are starting from this month at Kerrisdale Community Centre as a pilot site.   Other noteworthy community connections include: Byng Project 3B, a school-based immigrant integration program sponsored by the VSB Settlement Workers In Schools (SWIS) Program in Lord Byng Secondary School, which took on a new challenge to extend their vision to global charity with UNICEF Canada; Uproot, zero-waste initiative diverting 100% of Vancouver’s wood waste from the landfill; and Urasenke Tankokai Vancouver Association whose debut was a smashig  success in Kerrisdale Community Centre’s first Sakura Festival — What a powerful synergy that is emerging! Read on. Keiko Honda, Ph.D. Editor-in-Chief Chair, Community Engagement  ...

Dear Readers, Where does time go? That’s what I feel nowadays. My 10 year-old daughter often recites lines from her favourite movie, Spy Kids: “No one notices time until it’s gone!”, and then goes on, “If kids are feeling this way, then adults must feel even more!”   Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone. As such, let’s embrace the moment and enjoy springtime!  Many lovely events in the community are happening this month! This April is packed with exciting events and news. First of all, Kerrisdale IS the hottest destination in Vancouver, it seems, according to the Courier’s Stars of Vancouver Readers’ Choice Awards. See all the winners!!   –  Kerrisdale Community Centre has been voted #1 Community Centre  – Kerrisdale Village Farmers Market has voted #1 Farmers Market   –  Kerrisdale Days has been voted #2 Street Festival in Vancouver – Kerrisdale Village has been voted #2 Neighbourhood in Vancouver – Moore’s Bakery & Delicatessen (only in Kerrisdale) has been voted #1 Bakery – Faubourg (in Kerrisdale and elsewhere) has been voted #1 Dessert – Ajisai Sushi Bar (only in Kerrisdale) has been voted #1 Sushi Restaurant – my favourite sushi place;) – Bean Brothers Cafe (only in Kerrisdale) has been voted #2 Sandwich Place – Yes we often cater yummy sandwiches from them!   – The Kerrisdale Lumber Co. Ltd (only in Kerrisdale) has been voted #1 Hardware Store – Legato Tea & Coffee (only in Kerrisdale) has been voted #1 Coffee Shop, followed by Starbucks and JJ bean! I would like to congratulate to all of our area’s hardworking and innovative local businesses and people behind the scenes! Thank you for making Kerrisdale so vibrant and livable each and every day!  Secondly, our 1st Cherry Blossom Festival in Kerrisdale is coming up on Sunday April 26th!! This is what Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival...