What's better than cruising around one of Vancouver's oldest, and most colourful neighbourhoods while listening to free jazz? Maybe hearing your childhood recorder teacher (yes, I said recorder) as one of those free jazz artists...Life's changed since my pre-adolescent "Ode to Joy" days...

This weekend, at three stages in Gastown, a variety of local and international jazz artists will perform in a (hopefully) warm, sunny summertime laid-back atmosphere.

Artists will be performing from 12 noon to 6pm on both Saturday, June 23rd, and Sunday, June 24th. The venues are Victory Square, Maple Tree Square, and the Steam Clock.

When I was but a naive twenty-year old attending UBC, I loved going to Wreck Beach. Others complained after a day of beaching it and, ahem, consuming certain substances, which often made the ridiculous 50+ stair climb a fairly Olympic feat. However, I always looked at it as a test of strength, not to mention a fantastic ass-busting opportunity. Beautifully rugged and natural, in all senses of the word, Wreck has recently been nominated as one of the CBC's Seven Wonders of Canada.

Nowadays, however, I've found that the novelty of nudity - great though it can be - has worn off. Do I really want to stare at some wizened ex-Nam's gonads as he attempts to sell me dried-out samosas and yesterday's 99 Cent pizza? Not so much. Although I must say the 'Magic Coconut Bun' guy will forever hold a warm, if overly sugary, place in my heart.

Tonight the Gaff Gallery (684 E.Hastings St.) is having a grand opening from 7-11pm, with a showing of selected drawings from a number of local Vancouver artists:

Sean Arden, Sabine Bartel , Marc Bell, Steven Calvert, Robert Dayton, Adam Dodd, Kayla Guthrie, Madoka Hara, Marcus Hastings, Lee Hutzulak, Heather Jones, Keith Jones, Gavin Levy, Kristy Malakoff, Scott Malin, Robert Mearns, Barb Moore, Jonathan Petersen, Les Ramsay, Aaron Rossner, Ehren Salazar, Igor Santizo, Jill Southern, and Michael Undem.

Local grafitti artist Take5 will Dj, and refreshments will be served.

On Friday, April 27th, I went to Bosman's Sidebar lounge for the very last time. A collection of friends, associates and various riffraff came out in fine form to bid farewell to one of Vancouver's most quietly infamous hole-in-the walls. It was so packed I had to, in true Bosman's fashion, dodge the bouncers and jump (short skirt, boots and all) over the fence ringing the outdoor pool.