HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIMMY!
A Vancouver Legend Turns 95

I love to lead off my column with positive news, and this couldn’t be more positive or more uplifting! October 1st is the birthday of a little guy who could.

A little guy whose entrepreneurial efforts began by playing trumpet at children’s church camps, picking raspberries, peaches and cherries during the summer, selling doughnuts in the school parking lot in the fall, selling seeds door-to-door in the spring, delivering newspapers every day, and working as a pageboy at the Hotel Georgia. He also worked at a cannery, a packing house, built bridges in the mountains, and then as a dining car attendant on CP Rail.

He finally realized his destiny when he began selling cars on Kingsway and in Richmond. At one point, this enterprising young fellow sold more cars than anyone else in Western Canada!

And the legend was born.

One of Vancouver’s best-known citizens, Jim Allen Pattison, turns 95 on October 1.

A billionaire, Jim is one of Canada’s wealthiest and most generous business people. Jim’s story of hard work and perseverance will be extolled throughout the nation as we wish him continued good health, sound mind and body, and the love of his lifelong partner, Mary, whom he met when they were both 13 and to whom he has been wed for some 70 plus years.

As he remarked on their 66th wedding anniversary, “Marry a girl from Saskatchewan, and you’ve got it made!”

Happy Birthday, Jim! And may it be your happiest year ever!...

THE WEBSTER AWARDS
Special Guest Lisa LaFlamme

Should be a fun night at the annual Jack Webster Foundation Awards on November 14 at the Hyatt Regency, because their very special guest that evening will be the former top TV news anchor at CTV National News, Lisa LaFlamme.

You might recall that it was just last August when Lisa unexpectedly had her contract with Bell Media dumped and her top job at CTV taken away. Lisa was gobsmacked, as were most of her audience, especially when word got out that “the colour of her hair may have played a role in her dismissal.”

What? Excuse me?

After her long and distinguished 35-year career in broadcast journalism, with numerous awards and citations such as “Best News Anchor” from the Screen Actors Guild, along with the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario, she is canned for the colour of her hair!

Lisa is a pioneer for women in broadcasting and, at age 59 (she’s a Leo), has a lot more to give. I’d love to suggest that all the female attendees to Jack’s do wear a grey wig or try a temporary grey colour in their tresses for the splashy evening event.

So ironic! One of my favourite newscasters of old was the beloved Lloyd Robertson who had that same job for 40 years. And guess what? He had silvery grey hair! ...

A CELEBRATION OF DAVID FOSTER & B.J. COOKE
Duo Inducted Into B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame

It was a fun time last Friday in sunny downtown Vancouver as a huge crowd arrived to watch and applaud as Victoria’s hometown boy David Foster, and his former partner B.J. Cooke, were inducted into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame.

Two entertainment legends, David Foster (left) and Jim Byrnes.

Emceeing the early morning event — which brought out several hundred fans and supporters — was Howard Blank, accompanied by BCEHOF president Bill Allman and several members of the board of directors, including Tom Carter, Christina Potter, and their PR person, Rebecca Bollwitt.

The guest list read like the Who’s Who of Vancouver’s top talent. Among the crowd I spotted Here for the Beer’s Joe Leary, the ever feisty Vicki Gabereau, Global TV’s Fiona Forbes, mighty musicians Henry Young and Jim Brynes, (both looking exceptionally well), the late Daryl Duke’s widow Ann Marie, Ingrid McDougall who used to be a casting and location manager for all the movies in town, (she’s also married to that genius flyboy, Greg McDougall, owner of Harbour Air, who is now flying helicopters. Tell you his story next time), and the very pleasant mayor of Vancouver, Ken Sim, who seemed delighted to be a part of the proceedings with B.J. and David.

And I really thought that my eyes were deceiving me when I spotted Fred Cawsey, formerly of the easy listening radio station CHQM, who is now photographer par excellence. I hadn’t seen Fred since Tom Butler, the crazy old PR coot, kicked me out of a tony reception for Billy Carter at an upscale Richmond hotel.

Billy Carter was the imbibing brother of then-U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and Tom had him flown in to be a special guest at Tom’s annual Belly Flop Contest. When he spotted me with my camera taking notes for my Vancouver Courier column, he shouted in a very loud voice and snapped his fingers for the two U.S. marshals who were here to protect Billy, to put me in handcuffs!

They did try, but I shrugged them off and left the room, humiliated and angry. Apparently Tom wanted the Courier editor to attend, not some lowly columnist.

I was in the Airport Hotel’s lobby when Fred came by, saw that I was upset, asked what happened and offered to drive me home. I’d never been so happy to see him. It must have been 25 years ago and he hasn’t changed a whit – except that he has recently married the lovely Barbara Constantine.

It was Barbara who told me that Jane Mortifee has a great new album coming out shortly, which is very good news and a nice surprise.

Didn’t see Bruce Allen or his buddy Sam Feldman, both of whom are BCEHOF members.

The large reception, which followed the inductions, was held in the sunshine out on the vast patio at the sprawling Parq Vancouver…

A NIGHT AT THE TRATTORIA

The Trattoria Italian Kitchen in Park Royal is in the neighbourhood’s hub of activity.

Owner Emad Yacoub, President and CEO of the Glowbal Restaurant Group, also has Trattoria Burnaby, as well as several other top notch restaurants like Glowbal, Coast, Italian Kitchen, Black + Blue, Five Sails, and my favourite, Rileys.

Back at Trattoria, Emad’s cousin and managing partner, Michael Mehawed, meets and greets everyone. Trattoria has a very friendly, casual setting and laidback feel where the regulars pack the place for the Tuesday special, where a variety of pasta dishes go for $16.99 and attract full houses with the gregarious Michael hovering like a happy uncle guarding the chicks.

Kristie keeps the drinks and food coming.

I recall exactly ten years ago when the much anticipated Park Royal Trattoria opened with great fanfare and the arrival of pasta perfection. It was a glorious summer night and the new dining spot — with it’s pretty upstairs dining area — was quite elegant with all the right touches, staffed by knowledgable servers who could recommend the perfect Italian wine to lift your spirits.

One had the feeling that particular evening that something very special had arrived.

And it’s still attracting the crowds who enjoy the taste of Italy’s favourite foods like Spaghetti Bolognese, Spaghetti Signature Meatballs, Pappardelle Al Filleto, Saltimbocca, Cannelloni, Lasagna, Sicilian Calamari, Gnocchi, Ravioli, and Chicken Parmesan, as well as a great selection of pizzas, crisp fresh salads and the most delectable Tiramisu for dessert.

Now if Emad could only bottle Michael’s beaming smile …

Global TV’s Sonia Sunger hosted the Canuck Place fundraiser.

A GALA FOR CANUCK PLACE

They have done it again! Canuck Place Children’s Hospice’s annual fund raising gala, “A Gift of Time,” which was held at Parq Vancouver last week, was more fruitful than ever. The funds raised that evening will go to provide complex care for seriously ill children here and in the Yukon.

Some 500 dressy guests, including John and Claire Nicola of Nicola Wealth, the evening’s presenting sponsor, along with the President of Nicola Wealth, David Nicola and his wife Tassan, were welcomed by Global TV’s Sonia Sunger and auctioneer Fred Lee and dug deep to help support this worthy cause.

But the biggest applause of the night came when the Canuck alumni walked in, led by Dave Babych, John Grisdale, Jyrki Lumme, Bill Davidson, Arthur Griffiths and Glen Ringdal.

At the end of this gala gala do evening, more than $1.55 million had been raised for the kids. Bravo to all involved! …

A LAUNCH FOR AUTISM

Just so you know, the Pacific Autism Family Network’s annual fundraiser “Launch” is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 7 at the Bayshore and tickets to this important charity event are already more than 50 per cent sold. If you’d like to support them, information and tickets are here.

‘Til next time …