JOY'S JOURNAL
/by Joy Metcalfe
(click on images to enlarge)
Emily Blunt is in town to work on her next film.
OPPENHEIMER STAR IN TOWN …
The Scoop! Emily Blunt, the star of last season’s Oscar winner, Oppenheimer, is in town to work on her next assignment with big and brawny muscleman, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
It’s the life story of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr and his wife, Dawn Staples. Blunt’s been having a good time shopping on Robson at all the trendy shops.
The pair will be filming here in Vancouver until August 1 ...
FACE THE WORLD!
And double scoop, scoop!!
The Queen of Galas is back, heralding the return of the fabled Face the World Charity gala. Jacqui Cohen, in dazzling black silk, was in top form as she welcomed her multitude of invited black tie guests into her spacious waterfront home for the start of a fun, money-raising event.
Jacqui Cohen and daughter Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf.(Brandon Elliot Photo)
Everyone was dressed in their best, the ladies in their form fitting glamorous gowns tottering down the long driveway in their six-inch heels to the welcoming photographers. And it’s amazing what a well cut tuxedo does for a man. Tall or thin, heavy or short, in a tuxedo, you all look like wealthy zillionaires!
Fiona Forbes, as emcee, welcomed the 250-plus guests, including the popular restaurateurs, David and Neil Aisenstat and their dates, retired Mercedes Benz top man, George Taubenfligel and his cute blonde wife, Eva, jewellery genius Martha Sturdy, onetime club owner Beverley Robinson, Chinatown’s dynamic Carol Lee, former politician Joy McPhail, broadcaster Vicki Gabereau, and our town’s top publicist Jill Killeen — all board members of FTW since the beginning 33 years ago, along with famed landscaper Thomas Hobbs, auto man Brian Jessell and clothier David Goldman.
Retired TV anchor Pamela Martin looked fresh and fabulous as did former model Pamela Richardson, glamorous Marika Palmer (Frank stayed home) and stunning Christie Garafolo with her handsome and attentive husband, David Garofalo, the CEO, president and chair of the Gold Royalty Group and the chair and CEO of the Vancouver Symphony Society.
Devina and Paul Zelesky. (Erich Sade Photo)
Great to see longtime friends Devina and Paul Zelesky, back from their southern travels and home for the summer. Paul, who has always been a loving, caring son, confided that his mother will turn 100 years young later next month.
Nice surprise to see former Vancouver Mayor and B.C. Premier, Gordon Campbell looking as chipper as ever, in his tailored blue suit with matching blue-rimmed glasses.
Also spotted former TV personality Dr. Rhonda, in her short bejewelled gown and small denim jacket, along with longtime bluesman, Jim Byrnes and his lovely wife Robyn. Also on hand to enjoy the evening were Nancy and her husband Mac Parry, who’s now retired from The Vancouver Sun and the gala gala do trail, and Feizal Virani, the creative visionary of the evening’s décor.
George and Eva Taubenfligel. (Joy Metcalfe Photo)
I was also so delighted to spot longtime FTW friends and supporters George Taubenfligel, retired owner of the Mercedes car company in North Van and his cute pixieish wife Eva, who always stopped the gala crowd’s chatter with her daring gowns.
The multi-course dinner was superb, whether beef or fish, all orchestrated by Chef Dino Renaerts and his wife and partner Nessa van Bergen and their Bon Vivant Catering. This gala event was fresh from their last hurrah, the VSO’s outstanding gala at the Orpheum a couple of months ago.
It was a beaming threesome, Jacqui, her mother Marlene and daughter Kasondra Cohen-Herrendorf viewing the happy vibrant crowd that evening.
The good news is that Jacqui’s return to her Face the World charity raised more than $1.7 million to help support the most vulnerable in our society.
Bravo, Jacqui and your indispensable team! ...
The Hotel Vancouver in 1939 (Pinterest Photo)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOTEL VAN!
It was quite the birthday celebration as the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver celebrate its 85th birthday last month. After 11 years of construction, this stately, dominant structure was completed in 1939 — imposing with its copper roof and distinctive dormers. It was completed just in time to welcome King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, who had arrived to officially open the new hotel and to begin their Royal Tour of Canada. Queen Elizabeth II, their daughter, returned in 1971 to see the impressive building.
It was the tallest building in Vancouver and could be seen for miles at the time of construction.
The new hotel offered 557 guest rooms on its 17 floors and over the years has adjusted and modernized the vast interior.
Throughout its history, the hotel has welcomed royalty, heads of state, forest barons and film stars like Clark Gable, Sarah Bernhardt, Rudyard Kipling, Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger, Bob Hope, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Charlie Chaplin, and a host of other notables over the years.
Way back when, just the idea of going to enter and to dine at the stately Hotel Vancouver, with its uniformed doormen, elegant atmosphere and crystal chandeliers, was a dream of many, including my husband, Bill and I.
Dal Richards and his orchestra entertained generations of vancouver party-goers at the Panorama Roof. (CBC Photo)
When Bill proposed celebrating my 21st birthday on July 17, 1954, up in the revered Panorama Roof, my excitement knew no bounds, despite the fact that I was close to giving birth to our second son, Michael, due 12 days later. My mother babysat 21-month old David, our firstborn, and she was as excited as I was.
I can’t recall what I wore (something fat and loose) or what we had for dinner, but I vividly recall dancing with my darling to the strains of the famous Dal Richards Orchestra and the maestro himself coming to our table to wish me Happy Birthday and best wishes for the new little one’s arrival.
Dal and his orchestra and cute “girl singer,” 14-year-old Juliette, continued playing in the Panorama Roof and broadcasting on CBC Radio for the following 25 years, adding much to the hotel’s stature as “the place to see and be seen”..
It was years after and four more babies later, when I was doing my column in the Vancouver Courier, that Dal and I met again as participants on some committee. He and I remained close friends up to the day he died, calling from where ever he was travelling to give me those precious “scoops.”
One of the hotel’s most well-known general managers was the tall, handsome, and urbane Victor Burt, along with his resident manager, Art Cameron. Art had the best sense of humour and was always playing tricks on the staff. At the same time, he was always aware of his role of welcoming incoming guests, attired in his immaculate morning coat and striped trousers.
at the Hotel Vancouver party (from left) Sandy Mller, Walt Judas, and Joanne Burns Miller. (Joy Metcalfe Photo)
And so it was, that one morning as he was strolling through the lobby that he spied a rather grubby twosome attempting to get a room. The two men were scruffily bearded in dirty clothing and reeked of fish. Arthur immediately proclaimed that there were no rooms available and that they should try across the street at the Hotel Georgia.
That was probably the first time that anyone has turned away the hit crooner of the decade, Bing Crosby and his good pal, bandleader Phil Harris, who had been on a five-day fishing trip up in Campbell River.
Crosby’s best pal, Bob Hope, immediately worked it into his comedy routine. “At last!” Hope cried, “Someone has recognized Crosby for the bum that he is!”
Victor was so popular that the famed Drake Hotel in Chicago insisted that he become GM there, which he did for eight years, before returning to his former and beloved Hotel Van.
Others on the long list of top hoteliers at the “Castle in the City” were Franco Anglesio, Michael Lambert, Ian Powell, Philip Barnes and now, for the past six years, Adam Laker.
It was Adam who welcomed us to the 85th anniversary party last month offering guests the chance to see and sample the tastes of the past in the grand ballroom. For instance, once upon a time, The Spanish Grill offered Mediterranean Salad, Chilled Pea Soup and Spanish Omelette while at Griffin’s, there was Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Banana Cream Macaroon, 1960s Jell-o Salad and the famed Chocolate Buffet. 900 West was centrally located just off the lobby, known for its elegant ambience, where you would dine on Prime Rib, Fried Chicken, and even Mac and Cheese.
The favoured dining spot for the lucrative lumber industry luminaries was the Timber Club, with its rustic theme and favoured martinis, accompanied by oysters, scallops and shrimp cocktails.
Every year, these gentlemen would enjoy a wild Men’s Only Night while wives and lady friends were upstairs dining on French Onion Soup, Spam and Beef Wellington, and dancing with the younger male staff members up in the Panorama Roof.
Because I was a good friend of mischievous Art’s, he decided that I should cover one of these high jinx parties. I was a wee bit nervous about being the first female to be invited, but I accepted.
Leading lumberman Bill Moore was the Poet Laureate of the group and emcee for the evening. As he greeted me warmly, he did point out that there were three rules to be followed. You had to eat everything on your plate, you had to drink Screech (that vile concoction from Newfoundland) and you had to smoke a cigar. You were also invited to singalong with the talented Ralph Richards at the piano. Ralph, a very talented pianist, could play any tune. If you could hum it, he could play it.
It’s a wonder that I can recall anything about that evening, but I do remember getting out of the cab at the bottom of my driveway that night, just in time to upchuck everything!
It was up in the Panorama Roof a very long time ago when the Hotel Van’s popular doorman, Mike Miller, got together with his fellow doormen to form a Doormen’s Club and their first Honorary Doormen were Jack Webster and Jack Wasserman.
Then the amazing Grace McCarthy became involved and helped the club become a yearly fixture, with doormen from all parts of the world arriving to take part in raising funds for Grace’s CHILD Foundation, which is still going strong under daughter Mary’s direction.
Adam’s hosting of the hotel’s 85th birthday party was a pure delight with all the old memories floating back. And I did notice that Screech was nowhere to be seen on the long list of drinkable treats!...
AND ON IT GOES!
There’s so much to catch up on with the opening of Prophecy at Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Kevin England and Dave Lede’s annual fun fundraiser for Canuck Place, the children’s hospice, with their vast array of magnificent ancient and brand new automobiles, Italian Days on the Drive and the big welcome to Italy’s new consul general, Paolo Miraglia Del Giudice at the Italian Cultural Centre …
Til next time, stay safe and well…..
